Supervisor Riley Released From Hospital After Surgery

Thomas F. Riley, chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, was released from Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach Tuesday after surgery on his spine to alleviate leg pain.

Doctors had performed spinal surgery on Riley, 81, last Thursday to correct the pinched nerves that had caused him discomfort during the past several months.

“I’m feeling great,” Riley said in a prepared statement, “And, although the folks at Hoag Hospital have been wonderful, I’m anxious to get home. I’m also looking forward to getting back on the job and will be coordinating with my staff on county issues while at home.”

Riley is walking short distances, but will continue to rest at home for at least a week before returning to work.

The back surgery marked the second in two months that health problems have landed Riley in the hospital. Several days before Christmas, the supervisor underwent treatment of a foot infection.

Riley, a former Marine general, has represented the 5th District on the board since 1974.