Political Landscape: Council candidates to face off at OCC forum [Updated]

The next installment of the Feet to the Fire Forum, a series of political candidate debates sponsored by the Daily Pilot and Orange County Register, will take place Sept. 18 in the Robert B. Moore Theatre at Orange Coast College.

This go-around will feature candidates vying for two seats on the Costa Mesa City Council in the Nov. 4 election.

Each of the hopefuls — Banning Ranch advocate Christopher Bunyan, political aide Tony Capitelli, school board Trustee Katrina Foley, former Councilman Jay Humphrey, retired accountant Al Melone, retired businessman Lee Ramos, Mayor Jim Righeimer and retired Auto Club of Southern California consultant Rita Simpson — has been invited. Foley cannot attend because of a prior commitment.

Panelists include Daily Pilot Editor John Canalis, columnist Barbara Venezia and City Editor Alicia Lopez, as well as Voice of OC Editor Norberto Santana Jr. Orange County Register columnist Jack Wu, a regular panelist, cannot attend the forum.

Doors open at 6 p.m.; the forum is from 7 to 8 p.m. OCC is located at 2701 Fairview Road.

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Newport forums are on Sept. 5, Sept. 11

Newport Beach City Council candidates will meet the public at 11 a.m. Sept. 5 at the OASIS Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave., Corona del Mar. Free coffee and doughnuts will be provided. Lunch, at $8 for members and $10 for non-members, will follow.

Meanwhile, the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce is hosting a candidates’ forum from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Sept. 11 at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Drive.

In the race are District 1 candidate Diane Dixon; District 3 candidates Marshall “Duffy” Duffield and Mayor Rush Hill; District 4 candidates Timothy Brown, Roy Englebrecht and Kevin Muldoon; and District 6 candidates Scott Peotter and Michael Toerge.

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Special district forum

Costa Mesa Friends of the Library is hosting a forum on Sept. 18 for candidates in three special districts: the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Mesa Water District and Orange County Water District.

The forum begins at 7 p.m. at the Halecrest Park Swim and Tennis Club, 3107 Killybrooke Lane, Costa Mesa. RSVPs can be sent to Bob Ooten at bobbyooten@aol.com.

Ooten is up for reelection to the sanitary district, as are directors Arlene Schafer and Mike Scheafer. Chuck Perry, a retired assistant superintendent, and Brian Peotter, a rocket scientist, are also running for one of three open seats on the five-member district board.

Two candidates are running for Division 4 of the Mesa Water District. Director Jim Atkinson is seeking reelection, and Ron Amburgey, a business owner who serves on Costa Mesa’s Fairview Park and charter committees, is challenging him for the seat.

Termed-out Costa Mesa Councilwoman Wendy Leece is running for the Orange County Water District’s Division 7 seat, held by board President Shawn Dewane. Dewane will be seeking reelection.

Newport Beach Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, who is also termed out, is running for the water district’s Division 5 seat, held by Steve Sheldon, who is seeking reelection. Other challengers are Irvine businesswoman Alisse Phillips and businesswoman Dorothy Malsack.

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O.C. GOP endorses David Ellis

The Orange County Republican Party has endorsed Newport Beach political consultant David Ellis in the District 5 Municipal Water District race.

“He is a conservative Republican that believes in tax reform, limited government and local control,” local party Chairman Scott Baugh said in a news release.

Ellis also picked up the backing of the Orange County Taxpayers Political Action Committee, state Sen. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine), U.S. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), John Campbell (R-Irvine), Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Ken Calvert (R-Corona), and water district Director Linda Ackerman.

Ellis is a former chairman of the Orange County Fair Board.

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Democrats endorse Foley, Humphrey

Costa Mesa City Council candidates Katrina Foley and Jay Humphrey have received endorsements this week from Democratic Party of Orange County Central Committee.

Foley is a former councilwoman and current trustee for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Humphrey is also a former councilman, having last served from 1990 to 1994.

The Central Committee also endorsed Irvine City Council candidates Larry Agran and Melissa Fox, as well as Mary Ann Gaido for Irvine mayor.

Fidel Mora, a candidate for the Newport-Mesa Unified school board, and Joel Flores, who’s running for the Coast Community College District’s area 5, also received nods.

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Peotter vows to return wood to rings

Newport Beach City Council candidate Scott Peotter wants to bring wood back to the city’s fire rings. The former planning commissioner criticized the state Senate for allowing a bill that would have restored wood burning in the beachside pits to die in committee.

Newport is now requiring that charcoal be used because neighbors had expressed concerns that wood being burned so close to their homes posed a health risk.

Peotter, a District 6 candidate, has vowed to make the bill his No. 1 priority if he is elected. Changing the law would require a vote of the council.

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No on Y launches website

Those opposed to Newport Beach Measure Y have launched a campaign website: https://www.NewportVotesNo.org.

Measure Y is a proposed amendment to the city’s general plan that would decrease development potential in some areas of the city and increase it in others. Opponents are concerned that the proposal would add traffic in and around Newport Center.