WEEK IN REVIEW

The Costa Mesa City Council on Monday decided to put the Huscroft

House for sale instead of restoring it and moving it to Fairview Park as

originally planned.

If a buyer can’t be found for the 1912 Craftsman-style building, the

council decided it must be torn down.

But two potential buyers have already expressed interest in saving the

house, including Chad Ware, who bought the Old Pink House last month and

is restoring it, and Jane Altman-Dwan, who said the house could be turned

into a tearoom or bed and breakfast.

City staff members are drafting a letter asking potential buyers to

submit proposals.

On Thursday, Costa Mesa residents also got their first chance to

comment of the Santa Ana River Crossings Study, which evaluates the

potential environmental consequences of removing the highly controversial

Gisler Avenue and 19th Street bridges.

The vast majority of speakers at the meeting were opposed to the

bridges, while a few strongly supported it.

-- Jennifer Kho covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at [email protected].

America’s Most Wanted in town

Police arrested a 26-year-old Costa Mesa man Tuesday on suspicion of

murdering at least six people throughout the state.

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police are also investigating if Anh The

Duong, the man featured on “America’s Most Wanted,” was involved in

recent jewelry store robberies at Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza.

Officials are trying to figure out if Duong in fact had a hand in the

September robbery at Torneau Watch Co. in South Coast Plaza and in a

January shooting at Traditional Jewelers at Fashion Island that left one

security guard wounded.

But, police say, although the mode of operation seems similar in these

robberies, there is no proof that Duong was even in the area when these

incidents occurred.

In other news, a Superior Court Judge threw out of court a civil

lawsuit filed against Costa Mesa Councilman Chris Steel by resident

Michael Szkaradek.

Judge Thierry Patrick Colaw said Szkaradek did not present enough

evidence to show that Steel had fraudulent intent when he allowed a

resident to sign nomination papers for his wife during the 2000

elections.

Also, a court-appointed arbitrator awarded $225,000 to actress and

model Tina New based on her accusation that Rodman took her against her

will to his Seashore Drive home, drugged and raped her. Rodman is

expected to reject the arbitrator’s ruling, which is considered

nonbinding -- meaning either side can reject it and ask for a court

trial.

New was a star witness in the the trial of Eric Bechler, the Newport

Coast man accused of killing his wife at sea and dumping her body in the

ocean.

-- Deepa Bharath covers cops and courts. She may be reached at (949)

574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].

A new supervisor. Is that super?

The winds of political change blew from Santa Ana to Newport Beach on

Tuesday as the Board of Supervisors tentatively approved moving the city

out of Tom Wilson’s supervisorial district.

The board bumped Newport Beach into Supervisor Jim Silva’s district,

as the nearly year-long process of redrawing district boundaries wrapped

up. The final map is expected to be approved Aug. 14.

Once a decade, the board adjusts the boundaries, armed with the latest

U.S. Census numbers, to reflect population and growth trends.

Newport Beach officials embraced the new alignment, since Silva shares

the city’s support for an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air

Station. Wilson did not.

-- Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at [email protected].

All the info you need

For now, residents still have to make do with real City Hall employees

when they’re looking for answers.

But within two months, that’ll change. City officials are getting

ready to set up a special information phone system that will answer the

questions of residents around the clock.

Many other cities, such as Huntington Beach, Fullerton, San Diego and

San Clemente already have such info lines in place.

Since May, folks who live in San Clemente can listen to about 250

messages that inform about things such as garage sale signs, library card

applications and public swimming pools.

Laura Reinsimar, who oversees that city’s info line said that about

2,000 residents have already called. The system has helped to free up

time for city employees, whose voice mails got clogged with inquiries

from residents.

But just like Newport Beach officials, Reinsimar said the program’s

simply a way to improve services and residents can still talk to someone

if they’re more comfortable with that.

-- Mathis Winkler covers Newport Beach. He may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at [email protected].