EDUCATION New principal at Kaiser Elementary Kaiser...

EDUCATION

New principal at

Kaiser Elementary

Kaiser Elementary School welcomed their new principal Stacy Holmes

on Monday. Holmes, who has worked as a superintendent and principal

on the East Coast, has more than 30 years of experience in education.

Barbara Harrington, the interim principal at Kaiser since September,

will remain at the school long enough to make sure Holmes has

everything under control.

For nearly a decade, schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District have benefited from the services of community facilitators.

Now, the security of those positions has come into question. Since

the positions have been funded by an anonymous donor, who will no

longer be able to provide the $784,000 needed annually to keep them

employed, the district will need to find funding elsewhere.

On Wednesday, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District held a

grand opening for the re-invented Harper Preschool at Harper

Education Center in Costa Mesa. The preschool, which opened in

February after having been in the works for the past two years,

encompasses both mainstream and special education students. The

purpose of the school is to provide young learners health,

opportunities, preparation and education.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].

BUSINESS

Mistral restaurant

will renovate

Another historic landmark in Corona del Mar will see a broad-brush

revamp this summer. Following news of the restoration of Art Deco

movie palace the Port Theatre, Mistral restaurant, which has operated

as an eatery since the 1940s, is next in line.

Bon vivant and world traveler Kurt Conrad announced he is close to

finalizing a purchase of Mistral and operating it as Svelte, a

contemporary and eclectic eatery.

Conrad struck a deal with the four current owners to purchase the

restaurant for $700,000. The deal is expected to close shortly.

Svelte is expected to open July 1.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].

NEWPORT BEACH

City Council cutting down on West Newport drinking

The City Council approved two measures to curb excessive public

drinking in West Newport. Council members approved an ordinance to

forbid stores from selling beer out of their parking lots and they

also accepted a grant to add more DUI checkpoints and patrol

officers.

Frank Robinson, a Dover Shores environmentalist who helped

preserve the Back Bay, died Thursday at 84. His most memorable

environmental work came against the Irvine Co., which tried to build

a marina in the estuary. The 42-year resident died after a long

illness.

Mary Burton, who helped save Corona del Mar State Beach from

private development, was remembered this month by friends and family.

Burton, an attorney, scholar and renowned local activist, died last

month.

Locals are gearing up for another exciting Tommy Bahama Newport to

Ensenada race.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].

PUBLIC SAFETY

Lawsuit against baseball coach dismissed

A superior court judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by

the father of a former Corona del Mar High pitcher against the

school’s baseball coach, alleging that the coach made false and

derogatory statements about his son in an interview published by the

Daily Pilot.

The lawsuit alleges the pitcher was subjected to public

humiliation and ridicule in the December 2001 story and also accuses

the Daily Pilot and one of the paper’s sports reporters, Richard

Dunn, of libel, saying that they published coach John Emme’s comments

about 6-foot-3 right-hander J.D. Martinez knowing that they were

false and libelous.

Judge Kim G. Dunning on Wednesday dismissed the case against the

Sea Kings coach, stating that the lawsuit brought by the pitcher’s

father, Marc Martinez, would have a chilling effect on Emme’s freedom

of speech.

Dunning ruled in favor of the coach. Marc Martinez must also

reimburse Emme’s attorney fees.

The Daily Pilot and Dunn remain in the lawsuit. Susan Seager,

attorney for the paper, said the Pilot will also file a similar

“motion to strike” if Marc Martinez does not back out soon.

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

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