Irvine Ca Suits

Life is touch-and-go at T.H.E. Cat Hospital of Irvine these days. Tom Elston, the reigning veterinarian, is back doing what he loves best--operating on small, furry animals, dispensing advice to their owners and occasionally scraping the plaque off sharp little feline teeth. But the hospital lobby, once teeming with mewing patients, is a lot quieter now. Elston, 50, is more circumspect in his dealings with those who do come.

A secretary has filed a $1-million claim against Irvine, accusing Police Chief Charles Brobeck of sexually harassing her and coercing her testimony in several personnel hearings and court proceedings. Pamela J. Hopkins, 53, alleges in her legal filing that Brobeck made many inappropriate comments regarding her personal appearance, personal life and marital status. "He put pressure on my client and didn't understand 'No,' ' said her attorney, Leo Terrell.

The city failed to heed numerous warnings about unsafe conditions at a busy intersection used by children from three neighborhood schools, a former chairman of the city's Transportation Commission testified this week. Franklin Lunding, who served as the commission's chairman in 1988, said on Monday that warnings about the dangers at Michelson Drive and Yale Avenue were made repeatedly to city officials long before a University High school student was killed at the intersection.

His first night home after 2 1/2 years in prison, Arthur Carmona slept for only two hours. "I was afraid if I went to sleep, when I woke up, I'd be back in there," he said. Freed after the district attorney did not oppose the dismissal of his robbery conviction, Carmona said he didn't want to go to Disneyland or the movies, or go skateboarding: "I just want to be with my family."

In a setback to opponents of a commercial airport at El Toro, an Orange County judge on Tuesday refused to block a noise test planned for this weekend in which commercial planes will land and take off at the Marine base. Barring bad weather or last-minute restrictions by the Federal Aviation Administration, jets will begin landing and departing at the base at 6 a.m. Friday, despite strong objections from the city of Irvine and safety questions raised Tuesday by a pilots group.

The Lincoln Club of Orange County, long a bastion of wealthy Republican donors to state and federal candidates, has targeted a handful of cities that block its ability to influence nonpartisan local elections. The club filed a lawsuit this week against the city of Irvine, alleging that barring the club from spending money in local races is an unconstitutional restraint on free speech.

Irvine City Council members pledged Tuesday night to sue Orange County to stop a planned test of commercial jet noise at El Toro Marine base next week. Contending that the county must obtain environmental approvals for the two-day test, the council voted unanimously after a closed-door session to ask a judge to halt it. "This is important enough environmentally, and there's a risk to the public's safety," Councilman Larry Agran said.

His first night home after 2 1/2 years in prison, Arthur Carmona slept for only two hours. "I was afraid if I went to sleep, when I woke up, I'd be back in there," he said. Freed after the district attorney did not oppose the dismissal of his robbery conviction, Carmona said he didn't want to go to Disneyland or the movies, or go skateboarding: "I just want to be with my family."

Attacking an arrest by the Police Department he oversees, Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran has urged a judge to overturn the controversial robbery conviction of Arthur Carmona. In a letter to Judge Everett W. Dickey, the councilman outlined evidence that he said shows Irvine police wrongfully arrested Carmona for a 1998 robbery. Dickey has scheduled a hearing for today to determine whether Carmona should be granted a new trial.

An Orange County judge Monday threw out the robbery conviction of a Costa Mesa teenager whose case came under scrutiny after two jurors and a key witness expressed doubts about his guilt. Arthur Carmona, 18, who has spent more than two years behind bars, was expected to be set free as soon as prison officials processed his release. Judge Everett W.

An Orange County judge Monday threw out the robbery conviction of a Costa Mesa teenager whose case came under scrutiny after two jurors and a key witness expressed doubts about his guilt. Arthur Carmona, 18, who has spent more than two years behind bars, was expected to be set free as soon as prison officials processed his release. Judge Everett W.

An Orange County judge Monday threw out the robbery conviction of a teenager whose case came under scrutiny after two jurors and a key witness expressed doubts about his guilt. Arthur Carmona, 18, of Costa Mesa, who has spent more than two years behind bars, was expected to be freed as soon as prison officials processed his release. The ruling by Judge Everett W.

Judge Everett W. Dickey on Monday blasted as "totally inappropriate" Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran's letter imploring him to overturn the conviction of Arthur Carmona. Dickey said he received the letter late last week and will refer the matter to the State Bar Assn. of California. He said the bar association's ethical guidelines prohibit an attorney from writing to a court, trying to influence a case in which he or she isn't directly involved.

Attacking an arrest by the Police Department he oversees, Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran has urged a judge to overturn the controversial robbery conviction of Arthur Carmona. In a letter to Judge Everett W. Dickey, the councilman outlined evidence that he said shows Irvine police wrongfully arrested Carmona for a 1998 robbery. Dickey has scheduled a hearing for today to determine whether Carmona should be granted a new trial.

The City Council rescinded its lawsuit against a failed campaign reform initiative after debating with the measure's supporters. At the heart of the verbal skirmish was a proposed "taxpayer protection" initiative aimed at prohibiting campaign donations from companies with city contracts. The measure died last week when roughly 2,800 of more than 12,000 petition signatures gathered by the Ralph Nader-led Oaks Project were deemed invalid.

The Lincoln Club of Orange County, long a bastion of wealthy Republican donors to state and federal candidates, has targeted a handful of cities that block its ability to influence nonpartisan local elections. The club filed a lawsuit this week against the city of Irvine, alleging that barring the club from spending money in local races is an unconstitutional restraint on free speech.

Orange County has filed a lawsuit against Irvine, charging that city plans for a 440-acre piece of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station conflict with countyplans to build a commercial airport at the base. The Irvine City Council, which opposes an airport at El Toro, last month adopted plans to rezone and develop the property contained within city boundaries to possibly include a multiuse sports and entertainment center, a university, or other options.

Irvine will sue Orange County to try to overturn voter-approved Measure A, city officials said Wednesday, while Lake Forest is also proceeding with a lawsuit against the county to invalidate the controversial initiative. Officials from both cities said the suits will challenge Measure A on grounds that the initiative will change the County General Plan to allow a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, but will not address related issues such as transportation and noise.