WEEK IN REVIEW

COSTA MESA

Developers may get incentives to go green

City Council members on Tuesday talked about offering incentives to encourage developers to go green. Two council members asked in February for a sustainable building program, so staff members suggested one that could cost about $490,000 a year in staff time and waived fees.

The council will discuss the program at a future meeting.

NEWPORT BEACH

City hall site may be put on February ballot

Proponents of putting city hall on a park site next to the central library plan to seek a February ballot initiative, they said. The City Council has voted three times to build a park, not a city hall, on the 12-acre Avocado Avenue site, but the most recent vote was split 4-3, with Mayor Steve Rosansky strongly supporting a combination park/city hall plan.

Architect Bill Ficker said he and supporters will try to get the issue on the ballot. Their determination was bolstered by a survey they commissioned from Washington, D.C., firm Wilson Research Strategies. It showed about 60% of the 300 likely voters surveyed would probably or definitely support a city hall on the park site.

Former Newport Beach Mayor Evelyn Hart was named 2007 Citizen of the Year by a group of former Citizen of the Year honorees. Hart served on the City Council for 16 years, has been on the boards of several state agencies and local nonprofits, and works on airport issues.

Three Newport Beach residents on Tuesday said they believe former City Atty. Bob Burnham may have had a conflict of interest when he advised the city on drug and alcohol rehab homes in 2004. Burnham, who retired that year, suggested that the council change zoning regulations to give the city more control over the homes.

Residents said they believe a conflict existed because Burnham’s wife worked with drug courts through her job with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Orange County.

They asked city officials to look into it, but City Atty. Robin Clauson told them the state Fair Political Practices Commission is the agency that handles such complaints.

Burnham later disputed that he had a conflict, noting his wife worked for drug courts but her job had nothing to do with drug recovery homes.

Ten Decades of “The Duke”: The Official John Wayne Centennial Celebration officially commenced Tuesday as several members of the Wayne family, Newport Beach city officials and Newport Beach Film Festival organizers gathered on Wayne’s former yacht, the Wild Goose, to announce the event.

Running from April 21-28, the celebration will include screenings of 10 of the Duke’s classic films, a John Wayne and the American Western symposium, a festive gala and the presentation of the first John Wayne Courage Award.

For more information on the event, go to www.visitnewportbeach.com , www.newportbeachfilmfest.com or www.johnwayne.com .

ENTERTAINMENT

Performing arts center releases season schedule

After revealing its Broadway and Curtain Call Series last month, The Orange County Performing Arts Center announced the remainder of its 2007-08 season Thursday.

With past favorites and brand new shows, including three world premieres, the center has a full line-up of International Dance, Cabaret, Jazz Club, Concert and Family Series performances set to run next season.

Series tickets will be available shortly. For more information, call (714) 556-2787 or go to www.ocpac.org .

BUSINESS

H&M; opens doors at South Coast Plaza

Two H&M; stores opened Thursday at South Coast Plaza to about 5,000 excited shoppers, becoming the first such stores in Orange County.

H&M;, a relatively inexpensive clothing store, opened to much fanfare, with store associates clapping, singing and dancing to music as lines of eager shoppers waited to shell out the cash in the store.

The first 200 shoppers received T-shirts and gift cards, which ranged from $5 to $300.

Between the two H&M; stores, South Coast Plaza carries the company’s entire line — men, women and children’s clothing — including threads designed in part by Madonna.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Body of drowned man is identified

Authorities on Friday found a body they identified as Sean Shungfei Yeh, 53, of Fremont, one of the two people who were thought drowned after apparently being swept off a jetty in Corona del Mar on Tuesday. Several 911 calls reporting a body in the surf led authorities to the rocks below Inspiration Point, where the body was recovered and turned over to the Orange County Coroner’s office.

Newport Beach Police said the two missing people, Yi Ni Kwong, 49, of Irvine and Yeh, were fishing on the east jetty when high surf washed them into the water. Authorities identified the couple early Wednesday morning through the license plates of Kwong’s 2000 Toyota Camry, which was still in the beach’s parking lot, Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

A search for the pair Tuesday was called off after three hours due to the heavy waves and strong current, but a woman’s straw hat and a shoe were found in the ocean near the east jetty at Corona del Mar State Beach, authorities said.

Huge swells thrill surfers but harm others

An Antarctic storm generated enormous swells and rip currents at Newport’s south-facing beaches Tuesday and Wednesday, which made for good surfing but was dangerous for the inexperienced. Lifeguards reportedly handled 12 rescues Tuesday as well as searching for two people believed to have been swept off the jetty while fishing.

Steinberg arrested on suspicion of DUI

Renowned Newport Beach-based sports agent Leigh Steinberg was arrested early Friday on suspicion of DUI after he reportedly crashed into three cars in the 1000 block of West Coast Highway.

Police found Steinberg still in the driver’s seat at around 1 a.m. Friday after he reportedly hit the cars and stopped his Mercedes ML 500 on top of a fire hydrant, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

Police smelled alcohol in the car when they approached and had Steinberg complete a field sobriety test, which he failed, Sailor said.

Steinberg was taken to Newport Beach jail. He was released on his own recognizance several hours later.