Gen. Art Bloomer will return to the El Toro war, the Insider hears

With Gary Simon named as the county’s new El Toro czar, the next key appointment in the base reuse effort will be the hiring of a new director of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, comprised of pro-airport north OC cities. The job, vacant since Peggy Ducey’s resignation seven months ago, will likely go to retired Marine general and former El Toro commander Art Bloomer, the Insider is told Nobody’s getting hit harder by the energy crunch than companies, schools and hospitals that are part of the state’s “interruptible load program.” In return for lower rates, these heavy energy users agree to cut back during energy alerts. Historically, that’s meant shutting down about once a year for a few hours. But since late summer there have been repeated interruptions, about a dozen in December alone. The OC Biz Council has been deluged with stories of production stoppages, lost wages and in one case spoiled inventory at a food processor. Colleges suffered through finals week by rescheduling classes and packing students into a few lit rooms. Those who don’t dim the switches pay steep fines,the rate goes from 7 cents a kilowatt to $9; one employer said he’s now facing a crushing $1 million penalty. What’s especially galling is that the PUC last October prohibited employers from opting out of the program, as many thought they were entitled to do. Expect heated testimony when the PUC holds hearings on the mess. Orange County was not initially designated as one of the four hearing sites, but after the Biz Council’s Julie Puentes complained, a local meeting was added, tentatively set for Feb. 27 at Santa Ana City Hall. For more info, contact Puentes at (949) 476-2242 Reading the wall: The pictures of “key company officers” on the Irvine Co. Web site are in three tiers. The top tier has Donald Bren on the left, Mike McKee on the right. The second tier has Dick Sim, Clarence Barker, Joe Davis and Gary Hunt from left to right. The third tier has Rob Elliott and Bill Mitchell Where can you get hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, peanuts and soft drinks in winter? At the Jan. 25 groundbreaking for UC Irvine’s baseball stadium. Talk about a leadoff hitter, too. The guest speaker will be baseball super-agent Jeff Moorad. For more info call (949) 824-2362 License plates at Irvine geotechnical engineering firm Leighton and Associates: CEO Bruce Clark is “ROQ DOC.” VP Iraj Poorman is “1 4 Z SOIL.” Business manager Dina Gartland is “DINAMIC,” and you can say that again … Another creative course from the Golf School at Tustin Ranch: “How to Survive a Round of Golf with Your Spouse.”