INSIDE SCOOP

Lido Isle couple Bob and Beverly Lewis have been fortunate to win the

Kentucky Derby two out of the last three years. By the looks of their

four-legged troops this year, the couple may have a formidable stable to

make a run at the Derby once again.

Bob Lewis wouldn’t tip his hat on which horse has the best chance to make

the Derby, which is still more than four months away. But he does have

four horses that may make the grade.

For all those keeping close watch of the races leading up to the Derby,

the couple’s top horses include High Yield, Tribunal, Oration and

Commendable.

With the luck and fortune, the Lewises have had with the Derby, consider

this scoop more of a tip.

Isolated without technology

Last Thursday, it was hard to get in touch with Orange County Performing

Arts Center education and community programs director Troy Botello. No

amount of pestering could provoke a response from the man, who is

ordinarily quite good about returning calls.

Toward the end of the day, the explanation emerged. A call from the

flustered Botello spelled out the horror he had been experiencing.

“Our phones have been down!” he said, sounding a little bit like a

soldier lost behind enemy lines. “Our computers have been down! We’re

completely isolated!”

Mixed signals

While discussing the effect any new laws ushered in with the new year may

have on education, the Pilot learned of one that must have slipped by

unnoticed.

Peggy Anatol, the director of curriculum for the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District has alerted us to the fact it is now illegal in the state

of California to signal a turn with your arm if the vehicle you are

driving has a working turn signal.How did this one slip by us without a

fight? Don’t laugh too quickly -- breaking this one may carry a heavy

fine.

Hard time with the hard hat

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Downtown Recreation

Facility, spectators had to chuckle at Mayor Gary Monahan’s inability to

keep his hard hat on his head.

As he shoveled a divot of turf, Monahan’s ceremonial hat rolled off his

head into the recently dug ditch. He put it back on, but seconds later,

it popped off once again.