COSTA MESA Former city attorney settling lawsuit...

COSTA MESA

Former city attorney settling lawsuit for $750,000

The second settlement between former City Atty. Jerry Scheer, the

city and five defendants was finally agreed upon by all parties.

Scheer was the last of the parties to sign the agreement and will get

$750,000 when it becomes final. The agreement is now contingent on

the Workers Compensation Appeals Board’s approval. In addition to the

city, the defendants are former Councilwomen Linda Dixon and Karen

Robinson, Mayor Gary Monahan, Councilwoman Libby Cowan and Senior

Deputy City Atty. Marianne Milligan. The lawsuit charged the

defendants with 16 complaints including slander, defamation,

retaliation and violation of the Brown Act Open Meeting law.

* The City Council approved the relocation impact report for the

Snug Harbor Village and El Nido Trailer Parks Monday. Owner Joe Brown

is closing both parks on June 1. The report calls for a relocation

benefit of $3,000 for single-wide trailers and $6,300 for double-wide

mobile homes.

-- Deirdre Newman

POLITICS

Tuesday’s primary winners ready for November

In Tuesday’s primary election, voters chose 70th District

Assemblyman John Campbell over Republican opponents 68th District

Assemblyman Ken Maddox and Dana Point Mayor Joe Snyder to fill the

35th District Senate seat that Ross Johnson will vacate at the end of

the year because of term limits. Campbell will face Democrat Rita B.

Siebert and Libertarian Timothy Johnson in the November general

election.

The hard-fought Republican race for the 70th Assembly District

seat was won by Chuck DeVore, who beat Cristi Cristich, Chonchol

Gupta, Long Pham, Don Wagner and Marianne Zippi. DeVore faces

Democrat Carl Mariz and Libertarian Mark Baldwin this fall.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher soundly defeated former Rep. Robert K.

Dornan, who challenged him for the 46th Congressional District seat

Rohrabacher has held since 1988. In November, Rohrabacher will vie

with Democrat Jim Brandt, who defeated Tan D. Nguyen and Paul C.

Wilkins in the primary Tuesday. Also seeking the congressional seat

this fall are Green Party candidate Tom Lash and Libertarian Keith

Gann.

-- Alicia Robinson

NEWPORT BEACH

Leaders happy to have Prop. 57 approved

City leaders were relieved that voters approved Proposition 57,

the governor’s bond initiative to bail the state out of financial

crisis. The news means that the city can continue to plan its own

budget without having to guess where the state might make cuts to

city revenues.

* Mayor Tod Ridgeway took advantage of a recent trip to Washington

D.C. to lobby the Orange County congressional delegation for funds

for Back Bay dredging. Ridgeway brought along letters signed by

Orange County mayors and supervisors urging congressional leaders to

support the project.

* Council members will get some technical information on whether

it’s possible to build a pedestrian boardwalk in Mariners Mile. The

council will hear feasibility study that could help determine whether

they will push for the outdoor strolling and dining area or give up

on the plan.

-- June Casagrande

PUBLIC SAFETY

Suspected drunken driver kills man, injures another

A suspected drunk driver struck and killed one man and critically

injured another early Friday morning in front of a popular nightclub

on East 17th Street. Andre Felipe De Oliveira Braga, 31, of Laguna

Beach, died in the street in front of the Pierce Street Annex bar,

where he was hit by a black Mitsubishi Eclipse just after midnight

while crossing the road with John Garazulis, 25, of Westminster, who

was critically injured, police said. Police arrested 22-year-old

Pawel Stanislaw Wiater on suspicion of felony driving under the

influence and vehicular manslaughter, said Costa Mesa Police Lt. John

FitzPatrick.

* A 74-year-old woman was struck and killed by a pickup truck

Monday night while walking her dog on Cliff Drive. Beverly Smith was

walking her German Shepard when a Ford F-150 pickup truck hit her as

she was crossing street at the 2400 block of Cliff Drive, police

said. The accident is still under investigation, Newport Beach Sgt.

Steve Shulman said.

-- Daily Pilot staff