COSTA MESA Home Ranch money to...

COSTA MESA

Home Ranch money to be divided by 2 foundations

The City Council decided that two foundations are better than one

to channel the $2 million it received as part of the Home Ranch

development agreement to three Costa Mesa schools. One foundation

will focus on Costa Mesa High School, the other on Estancia High

School and TeWinkle Middle School. Each foundation will get $1

million.

Harmony and compatibility are Steven Dewan’s favorite words now

that he finally overcame opposition and convinced the majority of the

City Council to approve his Eastside second-story addition. The

expansion will refashion the existing 1,200-square-foot, single-story

house into a 2,143-square-foot, two-story home. The decision

represents a victory for property owners and for other young families

who will be considering expanding their homes in the future.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN may be reached at (949) 574-4221 or by e-mail at

[email protected].

EDUCATION

Corona del Mar High loses a former athlete, scholar

Sean Fenton, a former Corona del Mar High School star athlete and

scholar killed in a car accident last week, was remembered by family

and friends. A memorial service was held for him at the high school

on Saturday.

Larry Irving, a former advisor for the Clinton Administration,

gave a public lecture at UC Irving Thursday on “the digital divide”

and how it can be seen on a local, national and international level.

The lecture also focused on the surge of the digital age and

humanity’s role within it.

Two representatives of the Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles

shared a little Japanese culture with second and third grade students

at Eastbluff Elementary School. Students learned to focus more on

their similarities than their differences.

Orange Coast College officials began talks about cutting nearly

1,000 class sections for the 2003 to 2004 academic year to meet the

conservative $6 million estimate in budget cutbacks required of the

college. College officials will meet again next month to further

discuss the issue.

* CHRISTINE CARRILLO may be reached at (949) 574-4268 or by

e-mail at [email protected].

PUBLIC SAFETY

Teen gang-rape suspects can be tried as adults

A Superior Court judge is expected to decide next week whether

three teenagers accused of gang-raping a 16-year-old girl while she

was unconscious will go to trial. The judge already ruled they would

be tried as adults.

Greg Haidl, 17 -- son of Orange County Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl

-- Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann, both 18, face 21 felonies for the

July 6 attack that allegedly happened at Don Haidl’s Corona del Mar

home. Last week, Orange County Superior Court Everett Dickey ruled

that the teens must be tried as adults.

A police detective testified Wednesday that the victim admitted

she voluntarily had sex with two of the suspects in the days leading

up to the alleged attack, and one of those liaisons was also captured

on videotape. Newport Beach Police Detective Teri Fischer also said

the victim has told her repeatedly that she wishes prosecutors would

not go forward with the case.

Defense lawyers said the revelations back up their contention that

the victim also consented to the July 6 incident. Authorities say the

videotape clearly shows the suspects raping and sexually assaulting

the girl. Fischer said the videotape was so disturbing that it made

her vomit.

The three teens were arrested after a friend gave police a video

camera that contained images of the July 6 incident. The tape depicts

the young men having sex with the girl and at one point sexually

assaulting her with a pool cue, authorities said. The charges carry a

maximum punishment of more than 190 years in prison.

Fischer testified that the girl told her she drove to the Haidl

home the night of July 5 after her shift as a waitress at a San

Bernardino County restaurant.

The girl also said that she remembers drinking a beer and a mixed

drink, but that she does not remember much else about the night,

Fischer said.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].