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Countywide

Supervisors put Internet plans on hold

A plan to create a county-owned wireless Internet system to serve public safety agencies and residents of low-income neighborhoods has been put on hold because of the county’s budget crunch.

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The Orange County Board of Supervisors had been scheduled to discuss the $11-million project, which would be paid for primarily through grants from the federal stimulus program, but the discussion was deleted from the board’s agenda at the last minute.

Howard Sutter, a spokesman for the county executive’s office, said the finances proved untenable given the county’s efforts to shrink its budget amid declining tax revenue.

The wireless network was to have two elements — one linking about 80 public safety institutions such as police departments, hospitals and fire departments, and the other providing low-cost high-speed Internet access for an estimated 39,000 low-income households.

The county was seeking about $7.7 million in federal funds to pay for most of the project, and it would have to put in about $3.3 million, mainly in the form of labor from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to set up the system.

OCLNN.Com

Laguna Beach

City to recognize, help homeless, hungry

The City Council has designated Nov. 1 to 7 National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week in Laguna Beach, and it will contribute $500 toward the printing costs of the week’s activities.

Events will include a weeklong food drive, with the goal of doubling last year’s 25,000 pounds of donations and the Hunger Bowl, where community members and visitors will be invited to create soup bowls at a special booth at the Sawdust Festival and other venues.

Call (949) 280-2885.

— Barbara Diamond

San Clemente

Kling wins surfing contest at Lower Trestles

Gabe Kling of St. Augustine, Fla., won the Assn. of Surfing Professionals Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro on Saturday at Lower Trestles.

Kling, 29, defeated Chris Davidson of Australia in the final. He knocked out the second-ranked surfer on the ASP Dream Tour, Jordy Smith of South Africa, in the quarterfinals before defeating former three-time world champion Andy Irons of Hawaii in a semifinal.

Kling quietly navigated his way through the early rounds of competition before gaining momentum in the final day of action.

The victory will help catapult Kling to the higher rung of the ASP One World Ratings, substantially helping his chances of qualifying for next year’s ASP Dream Tour.

“This gives me so much confidence with 35 of the 45 guys from the tour here,†Kling said. “It’s huge for me, this is definitely the biggest win of my career. This is Lowers with the best guys and this win is just huge.â€

— OCLNN.Com


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