KEPT IN SUSPENSE: A night’s wait was...

KEPT IN SUSPENSE: A night’s wait was certainly worthwhile for Laguna Beach resident Rick Leach at Wimbledon Friday. Leach, who led Laguna Beach High to two Southern Section titles, will play for the men’s doubles championships today. Leach and his partner, Scott Melville of Florida, had to rally Friday to win their semifinals match after it was suspended Thursday because of darkness (C1).

THE THEFT ACCORDS: Auto thefts in California are down slightly because of improved anti-theft devices. “But it’s still big business,” says Chuck Kurtz, Auto Club manager in Anaheim. Mainly because a car can double in value if sold by the part. The three most stolen models in Orange County? The 1990, ’92 and ’93 Honda Accords. . . . Why Hondas? Because there are so many of them, car experts agree.

NEW SPEAKER: Newt isn’t the only Gingrich on the speakers circuit these days. The House Speaker’s half-sister, Candace Gingrich, will address a UC Irvine Town Hall meeting on lesbian and gay rights Wednesday. . . . Gingrich, 28, lived a quiet life until a few months ago when the media learned she is gay. Since then, she’s been the grand marshal of a gay pride parade in San Francisco and has joined the staff of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, a national gay political group. . . . She recently chuckled about her new fame: “Nothing’s normal anymore.”

MOVING ON: Financing is there for students who need help getting to college. One example: Graduating seniors from high schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District this year won a whopping $5.4 million in grants and scholarships. That’s an average of about $3,200 for each of its 1,700 graduates. . . . Says Chris Rice, assistant to the superintendent: “People really take an interest in connecting our competent students with schools and agencies that will fund scholarships.”