EDUCATION Five Newport-Mesa high schools hold graduations...

EDUCATION

Five Newport-Mesa high schools hold graduations

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District held its last week of

classes, and all five high schools held graduations Thursday. Among

parents in the district, Costa Mesa’s Elsie Maurizi may have had the

most bountiful day, as she saw four Monte Vista High School seniors

-- her son, Gary Maurizi; her foster son, Chris Byrd; and Fara

Botzheim and Keola Akana, who formerly lived at her house -- through

commencement.

* The week started on a more troubled note for the school

district, as TeWinkle Middle School parent Mirna Burciaga filed a

complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights accusing the

school of discriminating against Latino students. Jaime Castellanos,

the assistant superintendent of secondary education, said the

district is conducting an investigation into the matter.

* On Monday, UC Irvine appointed Yvonne Rainer, a famous

choreographer and filmmaker, as its 16th distinguished professor.

Rainer, a former student of Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham,

helped found the Judson Dance Theater in New York in the 1960s and

won the Filmmakers Trophy for her film “Privilege” at the 1991

Sundance Film Festival. She will join the Claire Trevor School of the

Arts faculty on July 1.

ENVIRONMENT

Coastal Commission is constitutional, high court says

The California Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion Thursday

that declared the California Coastal Commission’s structure

constitutional.

The Newport Beach-based Marine Forests Society, founded by

Rodolphe Streichenberger, had won two previous court decisions in

which the commission was declared unconstitutional. Streichenberger

contended that the body’s composition violated the

separation-of-powers principle since legislators appoint eight of the

12 coastal commissioners. The commission enforces the 1976 Coastal

Act, which is an executive power.

Streichenberger’s last legal victory was in 2002. In 2003, the

commission was reformed to reduce legislators’ power over the

commission by giving legislative appointees four-year terms. The

court’s ruling only addressed the post-2003 commission and California

Chief Justice Ronald George wrote reasons for upholding the

commission that included the court’s assessment that the commission

does not work directly under executive leaders and that the state

Constitution has historically allowed legislators to appoint

executive officials.

The Marine Forests Society first sued the Coastal Commission in

2000 after the body issued a cease-and-desist order against an

artificial reef the organization built in the waters off Newport

Pier.

POLITICS

State senator introduces bill to change Crystal Cove project

Newport-Mesa Sen. John Campbell wrote legislation formalizing his

plan to have a nonprofit group take over the historic cottage

renovation project at Crystal Cove State Park. The project to

refurbish 46 cottages and rent them to the public is behind schedule

and over budget.

The state parks department, which is now in charge of the project,

on Friday requested bids from concessionaires to run two restaurants

and handle renting 13 of the cottages. The bidding process is open to

for-profit and nonprofit groups but could be preempted by Campbell’s

bill. The bill could be taken up by a Senate committee Tuesday.

NEWPORT BEACH

Hoag Hospital names next president and chief executive

Ending a yearlong search, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian

named Dr. Richard Afable its next president and chief executive

officer.

Afable, 51, is set to begin his duties Aug. 15. He will replace

Michael Stephens, who is stepping down this summer after 30 years on

the job.

For six years, Afable has been executive vice president and chief

medical officer at Catholic Health East, a Pennsylvania-based health

system that manages a variety of hospitals and long-term care

facilities on the East Coast.

* The float design for Newport Beach’s Rose Parade entry was

revealed to a crowd of about 50 people Tuesday at Roger’s Gardens in

Corona del Mar.

Incorporating the city’s centennial theme, “Sailing Through a

Century,” float builders Fiesta Parade Floats used a collection of

vessels, sea mammals and nautical symbols to fill the platform.

The float, which commemorates Newport Beach’s 100-year birthday,

is designed to be 55 feet long and 18 feet wide. It is the first

float the city is entering in the Rose Parade in more than 60 years.

Residents will be asked to volunteer their time and make donations

to help pay for the costs of designing and constructing the float.

* The City Council on Tuesday picked Planning Commissioner Ed

Selich from five candidates to fill a vacancy on the dais. Selich

replaces Steve Bromberg, who was first elected in 2000 and resigned

six months into his second council term to accept an Orange County

Superior Court judgeship.

Selich is the third council member in as many years to be

appointed, although Councilman Steve Rosansky, initially an

appointee, has since won an election. Also on Tuesday, the council

named Councilman John Heffernan mayor until December, when a new

mayor will be chosen for 2006.