From today's OC Register

Wednesday, June, 9, 2004

Would 'The O.C. Airport' fly?
Idea in works to spice up county's image by renaming John Wayne after Fox show.

By HEATHER LOURIE
The Orange County Register

Some think it's time for John Wayne to get an injection of cool.

Fox Network's prime-time soap opera "The O.C." has made Orange County a hip place to live. So why not rename the county's airport after the show?

It's an idea that 4th District Supervisor Chris Norby hatched two weeks ago. Norby then enlisted Lake Forest public-relations firm Waters and Faubel, Santa Ana ad agency DGWB and Arts Orange County to create buzz.

How does "The O.C. Airport, John Wayne Field" sound, Norby wonders? "He's so enthusiastic about it," said Roger Faubel, of Waters and Faubel, who expects to present concepts to Norby late next week. "It's fun. If this took off you could see T-shirts, bumper stickers. People who do business here would like to see a solid identity."

Norby said Tuesday that he's looking for community input on how to better identify Orange County.

"I think we need to capitalize on the newfound fame," he said. "O.C. is hot throughout the country. It's something they borrowed from us to make it popular."

So adding "The O.C." to the airport's title, he said, only makes sense. "It might help with universal recognition."

The show, heading into its second season, hypes Newport Beach as "Beverly Hills on the beach. A place built on money, power and prestige." The drama deals with the lives of the wealthy and oversexed in Orange County.

"Even if the TV show fades, the moniker 'O.C.' will be there forever," Norby said.

Travelers are less sure about the name change.

"I like John Wayne, to be honest with you. To me he's a hero," said Wayne Lindholm, 52, a Laguna Niguel building contractor who flew into John Wayne on Tuesday from Sacramento. " 'The O.C.' would be fine. That's a good one. But I like 'John Wayne' better. (He) symbolizes Hollywood and the West."

John Wayne Airport, which served 8.5 million passengers last year, was named after the Academy Award-winning actor in 1979, the year that he died.

Orange County has received an image boost in recent years, aided by rock groups such as No Doubt and Social Distortion and the 2002 Colin Hanks-Jack Black teen comedy "Orange County."

ACLU

This is an outrage. The cross on the county seal is very VERY tiny. It is not a crucifix, it does not portray Christ, it does not refer to GOD, it is a reminder that California was founded by Spanish missionaries - hence the countless missions which line our state, hence the countless cities like LOS ANGELES, which have Spanish names.....

And to replace the cross with a tiny MISSION, which HELLO, is a Catholic house of worship to GOD? Doesn't that defeat your purpose? Oh, but "the mission will not have a cross" on the seal. Has anyone ever been to a mission that does NOT have a cross? Nope, they are all over the place, because it's a mission. A CATHOLIC mission. A place that DOES represent a certain religion, but that's okay with you? That doesn't offend you??

No one seems to care about the huge Pagan goddess (Pomona) that is in the center of the seal... Hell, should I as a Christian sue over that? Should I say that I am offended by it?

I have some friends who are "card carrying members of the ACLU" and that's fine, that's their (I can't say "God given") right, but I just can't be okay with shit like this.