Harbinger? “Larry Agran” isn’t the only phrase that makes Chris Mears frown these days. “Housing market” works, too. The trial lawyer and former Irvine councilman’s 2,400-square-foot, bluff-top Turtle Rock home, overlooking Shady Canyon and Quail Ridge, has been on the market for three months. He listed the place at $1.3 million and has ratcheted it down to $1.2 million: “Fifty people have looked at it but no offers. The agent says that’s how it is, everybody’s waiting to see what happens.” Meanwhile, Mears says he’s been urged to run for mayor this fall against incumbent Beth Krom, an ally of Councilman Agran,as was Mears before he became Agran’s biggest critic. “I know I’d beat Beth …
but the price is too high, personally and professionally.” But Mears says he’d consider running “if someone would take complete responsibility for fund raising and managing the campaign, so I could be a candidate and talk about issues.” Of course, he’d also have to decide to stay in Irvine when he relocates …
Southern California Edison’s Jo Ellen Allen is the new chairperson of KOCE, replacing retired Toshiba America exec Bob Brown, who remains on the board. Job No. 1 for her: “Keeping KOCE as a PBS station in Orange County” …
Confusing: Rick Sherman is the Newport Beach piano man who wrote the theme song for KOCE’s “Real Orange.” Richard Sherman is the L.A. lawyer representing KOCE’s nemesis, televangelist Daystar …
Great Scot: Allergan chief David Pyott recently was made a commander (one step below knight) of the British Empire. He’s also on crutches. He tore a calf muscle tripping on his son’s Vans shoe …
There might still be an unnamed fire hydrant on campus: Chapman U has named the parking deck behind the law school in honor of Orange Mayor Pro Tem Emeritus Fred Barrera …
Author/entrepreneur Quang Pham has decided not to run as an independent for Loretta Sanchez’s congressional seat …
For six years every graduate of Jewish day school Tarbut V’Torah in Irvine has gone on to college. Among the destinations for this year’s 52 grads: Yale, Stanford, MIT, Boston College, Brandeis, Brown, Indiana, Johns Hopkins, eight UCs and six Cal States …
Olympic hopeful Logan Dooley of Lake Forest took a silver medal at the Frivolten Cup trampoline competition in Herrljunga, Sweden. The triumphant U.S. team, which also included gold medalist Derrick Aldrich of Florida, was coached by Robert Null of Rancho Santa Margarita’s World Elite Gymnastics …
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao keynotes the National Workforce Innovations conference July 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center …
She’s hot: Gloria Zigner recently produced her 10th and biggest CHOC Follies, was named an OCBJ Women in Business winner,then went to Vegas and won $100 at the slots. (Zigner, the above-mentioned Krom, the OC Register’s Steven Greenhut and tech entrepreneur Martha Daniel are slated to appear this week on “Inside OC”).
