WEEK IN REVIEW

EDUCATION

Muslim protests at UCI target Israeli government

Last week marked the beginning of what is known as the anti-Zionist week at UCI when the Muslim Student Union hosts a number speakers and activities that protest the Israeli government.

The week is notable because UCI has been under scrutiny for several years as some students have alleged the university has not done enough to discourage anti-Semitism.

University officials say they have to abide by the 1st Amendment rights of students. Jewish community leaders have responded to the Muslim Student Union by organizing pro-Israel events.

 A deaf and hard of hearing program at Costa Mesa High School got a sort of a reprieve this week when Newport-Mesa Unified School District Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard decided to keep the program for another year.

Originally, the program was to end at the end of this school year after a large group of students enrolled in the program were going to go back to their home school district in Santa Ana. Newport-Mesa officials, in turn, decided at that time to teach the kids from their on an individual basis, but would no longer serve students not living within district boundaries.

Hubbard’s decision allows those non-district children to stay within the program, with the exception of the Santa Ana students, for the next school year.

District spokeswoman Laura Boss said decisions about the program after next school year are ongoing.

Parents whose children were part of the program feared its end because of its unique education. It is an auditory oral program, meaning the children are taught to speak orally, not using sign language or lip reading, so they may better assimilate with classmates who are not deaf or hard of hearing.

NEWPORT BEACH

UCI dispatcher faces no charges for alleged posting

Two men, including a UCI police dispatcher, who allegedly took photographs of area high school water polo players that were posted on gay sex websites, will not face criminal charges, Orange County prosecutors said.

Although prosecutors found the photographers did not break any laws, the athletes and their parents may still file a civil suit.

Scott Cornelius, 44, a UCI police department employee, remains on paid administrative leave as the university’s investigation continues.

 A Newport-Irvine Rotary Club member has been stranded in Bangkok, Thailand, for several days this week en route to Myanmar as the Southeast Asian country reels from a devastating cyclone.

Local Rotarian J.T. Warring was on his way to Myanmar to visit several orphanages on a Rotary-sponsored trip when Cyclone Nargis struck the Irrawaddy delta on the western coast of the country. Warring hopes to continue on to assist storm victims.

COSTA MESA

Federal funds disbursed to groups; some receive none

The city council distributed $1.3 million in federal funds to local charities and programs Tuesday. A few programs were funded for the first time, and others lost some or all of their Community Development Block Grant funds.

Although the debate over how to disburse funds has been contentious, complaints were few at the council meeting. The distribution of finances recommended by the committee on Redevelopment and Residential Rehabilitation passed unanimously.

TRANSPORTATION

JWA to proceed with disputed construction

John Wayne Airport plans to break ground on a new airport terminal and two new parking structures at the beginning of August.

The airport has an agreement with the county, Newport Beach and two environmental groups to serve no more than 10.8 million passengers per year until 2015, but some groups fear that new building will generate more air traffic after the agreement expires.

Airport officials and County Supervisor John Moorlach said that the new terminal and parking structures are necessary to deal with the 10 million people whom John Wayne already serves each year.

Rep.: TSA as important to security as troops abroad

Security workers at John Wayne Airport took a break from their stations Friday to be honored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and to swear an oath of allegiance as part of a nationwide event.

The Transportation Security Administration has planned similar ceremonies at airports around the country to honor their employees for Public Service Awareness Week. At 3 p.m. about 70 workers took a small break, and one of the two security terminals at the airport was closed.

Passengers who tried to get through the closed security gate were sent to the other gate, but no long lines resulted from the roughly 10-minute presentation.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Jurors to hear testimony on woman who killed teacher

Prosecutors failed to convince a judge to suppress a psychiatrist’s testimony about how Janene Johns’ husband died just weeks before she lost control of her car and struck and killed Candace Tift while she rode her bike in August 2006.

Johns’ attorney wants jurors to know in the trial scheduled to start this week that his client was taking over-the-counter cough medicine and prescription drugs to deal with her grief when she struck Tift.

Johns faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and driving under the influence.

BUSINESS

County janitors: Strike imminent on the horizon

County janitors authorized their leaders to declare a strike this week, joining counterparts statewide at demonstrations near Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza.

While no walk-out is yet planned, organizers said that such activity is “imminent on the horizon.”

The janitors, many of whom make less than $8.50 an hour, say they are pushing for fairer wages in one of the lowest-paying counties for their profession in the United States.

Contractors counter that the janitors aren’t being realistic and that they can’t be expected to afford high increases in pay due to the state of the economy.