WEEK IN REVIEW

The coroner finally released autopsy information on Matt Colby last

week, showing that the Costa Mesa High School football player died of

repeated blunt force head injuries after a game on Sept. 28.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s investigation is at a

standstill until it receives a copy of the coroner’s report, which may

not happen, according to Mike Fine, assistant superintendent.

Students from Corona del Mar High School performed a lively variety

show for veterans at the Veterans Administration nursing home in Long

Beach. The following day, five veterans from the Freedom Committee of

Orange County visited the school and shared their experiences.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .

A whole less food at Triangle Square

Organic foods enthusiasts will have six months to look for another

favorite spot to shop as Whole Foods announced last week it is leaving

its Triangle Square location.

Officials at the natural and organic food retailer said the

underground location was not doing well enough.

“It’s not something we want to do. We really enjoyed the community and

feel like they embraced us but they just don’t want to drive

underground,” said regional marketing director Elizabeth Carovillano.

Whole Foods plans to close in April but will provide full service for

as long as it possibly can. In preparation for its closing, market

officials have been actively searching for other Costa Mesa locations,

Carovillano said.

Tom Estes, the property manager at Triangle Square, said he is also

recruiting new businesses for the 4,200-square-foot basement stored.

Estes agreed the location made it difficult to draw customers but said

future plans for the center, which include greater tenant identification,

should help future occupants have more success.

“We have a lot of people who want that space,” he said.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .

Money woes plague JWA

John Wayne Airport took center stage at the Board of Supervisors

meeting once again last week, as supervisors voted to delay a move to

raise parking lot and other fees to bail the airport out of a financial

mess.

In a Tuesday presentation, Airport Director Alan Murphy said the

airport would lose $10.4 million for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

Supervisors considered, then rejected, scaling back the discretionary

funding of airport revenue -- to the tune of about $13 million a year --

to develop an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Also, Assemblyman John Campbell, who represents Newport Beach,

announced plans to float a bill to raise contribution levels for IRAs and

other retirement plans.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

[email protected] .

Burglars get an education

Burglars pried into four classrooms at California Elementary School

escaping with computers, televisions and a microwave early Wednesday

morning.

Officials said the thieves made away with about $6,000 in property

from the classrooms.

Newport-Mesa Unified Supt. Robert Barbot said some property was also

believed to be missing from TeWinkle Middle School. Both incidents are

under investigation and no one has been arrested.

In other news, fire ripped through a Costa Mesa store that sells

vintage goods Thursday. The early morning, two-alarm fire gutted the

store in the 2500 block of Newport Boulevard and damaged the ceiling of

the African art store below it.

The African Corner, that hosts drumming sessions every Sunday night

attended by about 75 people, will now be suspended till repairs can be

made, said owner Bigira Kirokiro.

In another fire Friday morning, two apartment units were rendered

uninhabitable with damages estimated at about $50,000. The fire, believed

to have originated from the fireplace, damaged two internal walls,

officials said.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .

A final gavel for Adams

A changing of the guard is on the horizon. Mayor Gary Adams will

preside over the City Council for the last time on Tuesday when the

council will vote for a new mayor and vice mayor. Though anything’s

possible, some predict that Vice Mayor Tod Ridgeway will become the new

mayor, but it’s even harder to guess who’ll get the vice mayor’s job.

City officials are looking for ways to help Balboa Village merchants

feeling the pinch of construction work going on there. Council members

will consider options at their Tuesday meeting.

In yet another flip-flop on annexation of Newport Coast, a legal

challenge to annexation was thrown out by a judge on Tuesday.

City officials are pleased to see that a lot of locals as well as

residents of neighboring cities have expressed an interesting in learning

more about a settlement agreement on John Wayne Airport. The city is

working to extend for another 10 years the agreement that limits some

flights and expansion at the airport.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .