WEEK IN REVIEW

Three juveniles accused of allegedly gang raping a 16-year-old girl at

a Corona del Mar home will be tried as adults. Gregory Scott Haidl, Kyle

Joseph Nachreiner and Keith James Spann, all 17, will be arraigned

Wednesday on felony counts including rape, oral copulation, and multiple

counts of rape with a foreign object. Haidl is the son of Orange County

Assistant Sheriff Donald Haidl.

The suspects allegedly drugged the victim’s drink on July 5 and then

raped her while a video camera was running. All three suspects and the

victim live in San Bernadino County.

Newport Beach police arrested a Costa Mesa man who allegedly stole

construction equipment and sold it at local pawnshops. Andrew Mackie, 34,

was arrested after police were tipped off in mid-June while reviewing

pawn transaction slips.

In court news, Costa Mesa attorney Gay Sandoval has won her public

crusade to see her name on the November ballot for a judge seat. On

Wednesday, Superior Court Judge John Wooley ordered Orange County

Registrar Rosalyn Lever to place Sandoval’s name on the ballot for the

seat now held by Judge Ronald Kline, who is facing charges criminal

charges of child molestation and child pornography. -- Daily Pilot

staff. To contact the newsroom, call (949) 642-5680 or by e-mail at o7

dailypilot@latimes.comf7 .

Trying for a third term

Operators of the troubled Triangle Square think they have finally

found a recipe for success: restaurants. Building on the success of the

Yard House restaurant, the shopping center will likely soon undergo major

renovations to bring in destination restaurants.

The Concerned Costa Mesa Citizens Web site has come under scrutiny in

the weeks after a Human Relations Commission meeting highlighted

allegations of inappropriate use of the site. Residents and observers are

now focused on how to stay true to the site’s goal of promoting

discussion and debate among Costa Mesa residents.

City Councilman Gary Monahan will seek a third term, contrary to

previous pledges that he would not run again. The 42-year-old is a

staunch believer in smaller government and protecting property rights.

In a far-reaching plan to boost its entertainment offerings, Orange

County Fair officials increased their talent budget by 16% this year,

bringing it to just over $1 million. The result: big-name acts like Lynrd

Skynrd, Huey Lewis and the News, Heart, and Styx.

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

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .

One more cinches it

Another domino fell this week on the board of the Orange County

Sanitation District. A 12th member of the 25-member board, Supervisor Jim

Silva, has voiced his opposition to the agency’s controversial federal

sewage waiver.

The agency is set to vote on whether to pursue a renewal of the waiver

on Wednesday.

Silva said he now supports requiring the district to step up treatment

of its sewage; the agency is set to pick a treatment method on Wednesday.

The district releases 243 million gallons of partially treated waste

water in the sea each day via an outfall pipe on the ocean floor.

Silva joined nine cities and two local water or sewage agencies who

have opposed the waiver, which is granted by the Environmental Protection

Agency.

Board representatives with both Newport Beach and the Costa Mesa

Sanitary District have said they are against the waiver.

If the agency votes to let the waiver expire without renewing it, they

would need to step up to full treatment of the waste water.

-- Paul Clinton covers the environment and politics. He may be reached

at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7 paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .

Fighting for ficus

Residents who want to save 25 ficus trees on the peninsula’s Main

Street said they will take legal action to reverse a council decision to

remove the trees. The City Council voted last month that the trees’

damage to sewer lines and sidewalks outweighed their benefits and beauty.

The Airport Working Group and the Citizens for Jobs and the Economy

will be asked to provide a line-item accounting of how they spent a $3.67

million grant the city issued last year. City staff will then hire an

auditor to double-check the records and ensure that the money was handled

appropriately.

The Cannery Lofts development won Coastal Commission approval last

week and will likely break ground before mid-September. The 22

artist-inspired units will combine downstairs commercial space with

residential upstairs lofts.

City Councilman Steve Bromberg said that he will do everything he can

to make sure residents get to see a good fireworks show next year. A void

was created this year when the Dunes announced it would not hold its

annual show due to increased legal claims.

-- June Casagrande covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at o7

june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .

UCI Hormone Study halted

A UC Irvine study was halted this week due to an increased risk of

cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. It is part of a nationwide,

government-funded study, that began in 1995, that tracks the effect of

hormone replacement therapy on a variety of cardiovascular diseases and

bone fractures. It was curtailed when the Data and Safety Monitoring

Board, an independent group, determined that the risk of the combination

outweighed the benefits.

It was an emotional homecoming for the families and crew of Orange

Coast College’s Alaskan Eagle that returned from a lengthy voyage. The

65-foot sailing vessel returned to Newport Beach, completing the last leg

of a 13-month 25,000-mile journey that traveled to Antarctica and back.

The excursion began on July 27, 2001 and took the crew to Hawaii, Tahiti,

South Africa and Antarctica.

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

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .