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by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

June 24, 2025

Three-time former Newport mayor and current city council member Jeanne-Marie Napolitano faces a $1,000 fine for violating state campaign finance laws over the last year.

The Rhode Island Board of Elections voted to approve a consent agreement with Napolitano at its June 17 meeting, following results of a subpoena and audit of her campaign finance account. Napolitano, a Democrat who has served nearly 30 years as a Newport city official, misreported or failed to report roughly $6,000 in combined campaign donations and spending from Jan. 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, according to the state election board’s audit. That includes more than $1,000 in cash contributions from sources who were not identified, and more than $3,200 in donations that were misreported or not reported at all. Jeanne-Marie Napolitano (Courtesy City of Newport)

Napolitano also used $110 from her campaign for personal use, and accepted a separate, $3,000 contribution from one donor — exceeding the $2,000-per-person per-year donation cap in state law.

Under the June 6 agreement with the elections board, Napolitano will pay a $1,000 fine, due no later than Sept. 30. She also must forfeit $2,025 from her campaign account within the next 30 days, based on failure to disclose sources of cash contributions, and exceeding the annual donation cap on a separate, individual donation.

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Napolitano did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on Tuesday. However, she took “full responsibility” for the violations during the board’s review, according to its audit report. Napolitano told state campaign finance staffers that she tried to handle her campaign account herself after her treasurer resigned, but it was “over her head,” the report stated.

She turned in the required information to the state elections board to complete her incorrect and incomplete campaign finance statements in May, according to the audit report.

Napolitano is a long-time fixture in city politics. She served two years on the city council from 1991 to 1995, returning again after 1999. She has won re-election in every subsequent term, and, as the top vote-getter in council elections, served three terms as city mayor, most recently from 2020 to 2022.

In 2024, Napolitano was the fourth highest vote-getter in the non-partisan race for the council’s four at-large seats, securing 14.5% of the vote.

Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com.

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After winning its first Ninth Region championship in 13 years in 2023, the Newport boys basketball team enters its title defense as one of the hottest teams in the state.

Newport is 29-3 and has won 21 straight since Dec. 23, the longest current winning streak in Kentucky. But the Wildcats know that means nothing when the Ninth Region Tournament begins Monday at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena.

“Our region is probably the second toughest region in the state right now behind the 11th,” said Newport head coach Rod Snapp. “The Ninth is brutal. Everybody here knows that whoever gets out can make a run and have a shot.”

Newport is led by sophomore Tay Kinney, one of the best players in the state with 18.7 points per game and 63 3-pointers. Senior guards Jabari Covington (12.6 ppg.) and DeShaun Jackson (11.3 ppg.) are talented and experienced. James Turner and Griffin Starks, two long-armed 6-foot-8 forwards, are strong inside.

Newport lost to Covington Catholic in December and then to top-ranked Great Crossing by two and to sixth-ranked Trinity by five in the King of the Bluegrass tourney in December.

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“They always believe going into games that they can win and they can compete with anybody,” Snapp said. “They’ve been battle-tested with our schedule. The guys are unselfish. They try to find the hot hand. They have a lot of confidence.”

Leading the challengers to the Wildcats are the other three district champions, Cooper, Lloyd Memorial and Covington Catholic.

Newport is third in the final Kentucky Media Poll and CovCath fifth. Cooper has spent time in the top 15 this season.

“Your first-round matchup is not going to be a game where you’re going ‘Hey man, we can get a win here,’” Cooper head coach Tim Sullivan said. “You need to buckle up and be ready to play because anybody can beat anybody. It’s a great tournament. It’s going to be packed. There’s a big following for a lot of these schools.”

Cooper, CovCath and Newport took turns beating each other this season.

The Colonels struck first, winning at Newport 73-63 Dec. 9. CovCath lost to Cooper at home, 65-55 on Jan. 23. Cooper lost 48-42 at home to Newport Feb. 13, but didn’t have point guard Yamil Rondon or junior guard Andy Johnson in that game.

Cooper is fully healthy entering the tournament for the first time all season. Rondon is back after missing a couple of weeks. Johnson has played four games since coming back from a wrist injury that had sidelined him since December. He has averaged 10 points per game since his return after averaging 25 in Cooper’s first two games of the season.

Jaiden Combs was recently named the defensive player of the year in the conference.

“It’s great finally getting everyone on the same page,” Sullivan said. “We’ve been through a lot of adversity but our kids have continued to work, keep their heads down and go about their business. We’ve finally got a full roster so getting to watch this group play together is really special.”

Lloyd is 12-3 in the region, with the three losses coming to the other district champions in 2024.

Lloyd lost by four to Cooper (56-52) on Jan. 17, by eight to Covington Catholic (64-56) Feb. 13 and by 23 to Newport (71-48) Feb. 15. Lloyd is led by junior forward E.J. Walker, who has been offered by several Big Ten schools and Xavier.

In the 10th Region, Campbell County won the 37th District for the 11th consecutive season after beating Scott in the championship game, 76-65.

Connor Weinel, a senior who averages 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Camels, has recently been named to the first team in the 10th Region and the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference. Broc Sorgefrei and Garyn Jackson were named third team all-10th Region.

The Camels will start regional play Thursday against Bracken County, whom the Camels defeated by 46 (79-33) on Jan. 3. Up next in the semis is likely a rematch with defending regional champion George Rogers Clark (29-2), which is ranked 10th in the state in the Kentucky Media poll.

Campbell lost by three to Clark, 63-60, in its second game of the season on Dec. 1. GRC is led by 10th Region Player of the Year Reshaun Hampton, who averages 17.7 points per game with 89 3-pointers.

The champions of the Ninth and 10th Regions will play in the first round of the Sweet 16 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21 at Rupp Arena.

In the Eighth Region, Simon Kenton (16-15) won the 32nd District, beating Walton-Verona (22-10) 62-46 Friday night to avenge an earlier loss to the Bearcats. Jay Bilton was MVP of the tournament. Travis Krohman and Bode Stone were other SK all-tourney picks.

Both teams will head to Henry County next week for the Eighth Region tournament. North Oldham (25-5) is ranked 13th in the state, and Woodford County (24-6) is 14th. North Oldham beat both SK and WV during the season. North Oldham goes into the tourney as 29th District champion while Woodford lost the 30th District final to Spencer County.

The Eighth Region boys draw is 2 p.m. Sunday.

Ninth Region boys schedule

At Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena.

Monday: Lloyd Memorial (24-8) vs. Beechwood (16-15), 6:30 p.m.; Newport (29-3) vs. Ryle (19-11), 8 p.m.

Wednesday: Covington Catholic (25-5) vs. Dixie Heights (18-13), 6:30 p.m.; Cooper (22-8) vs. Highlands (17-15), 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 10: Monday’s winners, 2 p.m.; Wednesday’s winners, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 12: Championship game, 7 p.m.

10th Region schedule

At Mason County Fieldhouse

Wednesday: Mason County (20-11) vs. Bourbon County (13-15), 6 p.m.; Scott (14-17) vs. Harrison County (15-14), 25 minutes after.

Thursday: George Rogers Clark (29-2) vs. Pendleton County (15-17), 6 p.m.; Campbell County (23-6) vs. Bracken County (11-19), 25 minutes after.

Monday, March 11: Wednesday’s winners, 6 p.m.; Thursday’s winners, 25 minutes after.

Tuesday, March 12: Championship game, 7 p.m.

Then-Assemblyman William Brough (R-Dana Point) during a floor session at the state Capitol in August 2019. Today Brough faces a $100,000 fine for misusing campaign funds and improperly reporting expenses.

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Nov. 29. I’m Carol Cormaci, bringing you this week’s TimesOC newsletter with a look at the latest local news and events.

A multiyear investigation into the campaign expenses of a former Orange County assemblyman, William “Bill” Brough, has resulted in the Dana Point man having the maximum penalty —$100,000 — thrown at him by the Fair Political Practices Commission.

In a piece carrying the headline “Family vacations, fancy clothes and a cigar humidor: How an O.C. politician got fined for abusing campaign funds,” Los Angeles Times writer Faith E. Pinho lays out reasons behind the unusually stiff penalty in considerable detail.

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Brough, a Republican, was first elected to the state Assembly representing the 73rd District in 2014. Voters supported him again for two-year terms in 2016 and 2018, but he did not win the primary election in 2020.

“The FPPC investigation began in 2019, after conservative political consultant Aaron Park filed a complaint, alleging that the politician had used campaign funds to pay for a trip to Boston with his family to attend a Red Sox game, as well as other extravagant spending,” Pinho reports.

Investigators with the FPPC found Brough used a total of $17,303 in campaign funds for personal expenses and failed multiple record-keeping requirements.

Also, the commission found Brough “failed to complete proper expense records for more than 140 meals, ranging in prices from $100 to $3,738 for a total of more than $53,000,” according to the story.

“In another instance, the FPPC reported that Brough used campaign funds to purchase a $1,300 custom cigar humidor, a custom bourbon barrel bar cabinet, a portable ice maker and a compact refrigerator, which he listed as office expenses but then took home when he left the Assembly,” Pinho writes.

Brough had at one point reached an agreement with the FPPC to pay off a $47,000 penalty related to the campaign finance investigation on a scheduled payment plan.

“But after making a payment of $7,500 in April, according to the filing, he stopped making payments. Brough said he stopped making payments in order to enter into a settlement with the FPPC and make the investigation stop,” Pinho reports.

This did not have Brough’s desired effect. Instead of a settlement, the commission doubled his penalty. FPPC chairman Richard Miadich also “made the unusual motion to direct staff ‘to make this a priority matter for collections purposes and to pursue any and all means at your disposal to ensure we recover the full measure of this default.’” according to story.

Readers can find the FPPC report here.

Today Brough is no longer in electoral politics, he told The Times, but works as a political consultant and lobbyist.

MORE NEWS

Trainer Sarah Klifa, left, from Coeval Training works with a client Carolyn Beaver who is astride Don Juan, at the OC Fair & Event Center Equestrian Center last Wednesday. (Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

• O.C. fairgrounds’ Equestrian Center could close in March if a new operator can’t be found, according to this story by my colleague Sara Cardine. Officials with the Orange County Fair & Event Center are contemplating the fate of the 7.5-acre parcel because the revenue generated there doesn’t cover expenses. Approximately $2.7 million was earmarked this year to run the center but only $1.4 million in revenue is projected. They decided to issue a request for proposals seeking an operator who is willing to not only run the center but to undertake some of the much-needed capital upgrades. If such an operator isn’t found, the center will close March 31.

• Work began Monday on a dredging project that’s expected to bring more sand to Orange County beaches. The work, overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will dredge roughly 1.2 million cubic yards of sand off the coast of Surfside and Sunset beaches to be deposited along a stretch of beach south of the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. From that point the sand is expected by way of natural currents to move south to Huntington, Bolsa Chica and Newport Beach, my colleague Lilly Nguyen reports in this Daily Pilot story on the project.

• There was a surprise streaker near the “It’s a Small World” attraction at Disneyland Sunday afternoon. Anaheim police arrested the 26-year-old man after being called to the amusement park just after 1:30 p.m. to assist security with the naked guest, a police department spokesman told the L.A. Times. The streaker, who was not identified by name, was taken to a hospital “as a precaution,” according to the news report.

• Huntington Beach High senior Ruby Brown-Bilyeu has been crowned the 111th Miss Huntington Beach, with Stella Scott and Lainie Shield as princesses. Brown-Bilyeu and her court receive scholarships from the nonprofit Sand Dollars of Huntington Beach, which sponsors the ceremony. A member of the National Honor Society and the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts student council, Brown-Bilyeu studies orchestra and dance and works to promote the Save the Music Foundation, which advocates for music education.

• The publisher of the Surf City Sentinel has challenged a potential amendment to Huntington Beach’s city charter in court. In a statement about the lawsuit, Mark Bixby says the proposed change that could appear before voters on March’s primary ballot, requiring voters to show identification, would violate both the California Constitution’s right to vote and the California Elections Code. Proponents of the measure, including its authors Mayor Tony Strickland and Mayor Pro Tem Gracey Van Der Mark, argue the state’s constitution gives charter cities like Huntington Beach the power to govern their own local elections.

PUBLIC SAFETY & COURTS

A victim of jewelry swap scam holds costume jewelry given to her by a thief while at her home in Bayside Village Newport Beach. (Susan Hoffman)

• A Newport Beach woman was the victim of a recent distraction theft of jewelry from around her neck. The 81-year-old resident named Elaine told Daily Pilot freelancer Susan Hoffman the crime took place as she stood in the doorway to her home, answering questions from a woman who at first claimed she needed directions to a local freeway. The stranger became very friendly, hugging Elaine and placing costume jewelry around her neck while surreptitiously removing her real gold jewelry. The ruse was not discovered until the thief left. “I’m mostly annoyed at myself because I know better, even though the predators made me feel off guard,” Elaine told Hoffman.

• A Westminster mother is accused of killing her 9-year-old daughter. Khadiyjah Pendergraph, 32, was arrested Friday after a concerned relative called the Westminster Police Department at 12:04 p.m. seeking a welfare check at a home in the 14100 block of Goldenwest Street. The officers, after forcing their way in the residence, found the dead child alone with obvious signs of trauma, a police spokesman said. They arrested Pendergraph at a shopping center in Aliso Viejo. She was booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of murder.

• A former Marine Corps sergeant from Irvine was sentenced Monday to nearly 46 months in federal prison for lying about attempting to help two foreign terrorist organizations. Jason Fong, 26, pleaded guilty March 23 to making a false statement involving international terrorism after a mistrial was declared in his trial in January, City News Service reports.

• A man was struck by a train in Anaheim Sunday and was hospitalized with serious injuries. The train struck the man at about 11 p.m. at La Palma Avenue and Pauline Street, Anaheim police Sgt. Jon McClintock told City News Service.

• A suspect has been charged in a stabbing at a Fountain Valley intersection. Police arrested Huntington Beach resident David Michael MacDonald, 23, at Edinger Avenue and Newhope Street after responding to the scene just after midnight on Friday. A Santa Ana resident, 32-year-old Lorenzo Carreno, was transported with multiple stab wounds to an area hospital, where he died of his injuries, authorities said.

LIFE & LEISURE

Visit Anaheim’s Brew Pass gets users savings at some of the city’s many breweries, like Brewery X. (Sarah Mosqueda)

• Have you heard about the new Brew Pass from Visit Anaheim? My colleague Sara Mosqueda writes that Anaheim is home to 19 breweries, and the pass offers discounts and deals from a variety of them. The pass is a mobile exclusive but doesn’t require an app. Instead, beer lovers sign up at visitanaheim.org on their phone or computer to get the pass delivered to their phone via text and email, ready to use instantly. Prost!

Brody Fruscella and Delphine Ravera, both 12, couldn’t get enough of the newly built ice rink at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Susan Hoffman)

• Newport Dunes is one of the venues bringing ice-skating opportunities to O.C. with its Fire & Ice Festival that launched Friday. Ice America began construction of the 4,100-square-foot portable rink, one of the largest in Orange County, during the first week of November in the parking area between the boat launch and the bridge, according to this story by Susan Hoffman, who visited the Dunes on opening weekend, when 2,700 visitors took part in the fun.

SPORTS

Edmonton Oilers’ Adam Erne (21), James Hamblin (57) and Brett Kulak (27) celebrate a goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday. The Oilers won, 8-2. (Jason Franson / AP)

• The Anaheim Ducks have been in a slump and are currently in sixth place in the National Hockey League’s Pacific Division standings. The seventh-place Edmonton Oilers routed the Ducks 8-2 on Sunday night. The Ducks face the Washington Capitals at Honda Center tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Mater Dei wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt pulls in a long reception to score against St. John Bosco defender Frankie Edwards III in the third quarter during the Southern Section Division I football championship at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

• Mater Dei’s football team won the Southern Section Division 1 championship, beating St. John Bosco 35-7. The Monarchs traveled from Santa Ana to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Friday night, where they played before a crowd of 11,622. Last season and in 2019, St. John Bosco won Division 1 titles after losing to Mater Dei in league play, according to Eric Sondheimer’s report on Friday night’s game in the L.A. Times.

• Corona del Mar played in the Division 4 football championship game Friday, but fell to La Serna. Senior running back Owen Long helped lift host La Serna to a 49-29 victory at California High, denying CdM its seventh section title. Coverage of that game can be found here. Mission Viejo captured the championship in Division 2 play, beating Servite, 34-15.

CALENDAR THIS

Hee Seo and Cory Stearns perform in American Ballet Theatre’s 2022 production of “The Nutcracker.” (Gene Schiavone)

• The classic tale of “The Nutcracker” will be revisited at Segerstrom Center for the Arts Dec. 8 through 17. More than 100 performers will take the stage for the ballet choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, with sets and costumes by Tony-winner Richard Hudson and the Pacific Symphony playing Tchaikovsky’s score. Tickets, ranging from $39 to $149, can be purchased here. -Also at the Segerstrom Center, “Nutcracker for Kids,” a condensed version of the original, will be staged Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. These performances conclude with a visit from Santa and the annual holiday sing-along. Tickets start at $40. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa.

• Happy Harbor Days are underway in Dana Point Harbor now through mid-January. The annual holiday light display brings festive programming to the harbor along with more than 700,000 twinkling LED lights. Visit Happy Harbor Days at Dana Point Harbor, 34555 Golden Lantern St., and find a listing of all the events tied into the celebration here.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Thank you for reading today’s newsletter. If you have a memory or story about Orange County, I would love to read and share it in this space. Please try to keep your submission to 100 words or less and include your name and current city of residence.

I appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send news tips, your memory of life in O.C. (photos welcome!) or comments to carol.cormaci@latimes.com.

The “new” Newport on the Levee is planning a multi-day grand opening, filled with events celebrating the new retailers and restaurants.

Starting Thursday and going through Saturday, Newport on the Levee’s festivities will include live music, “artful encounters” and fireworks.

New restaurants and shops are continually opening in the shopping center, including The Buzz, set to first open Thursday to coincide with the grand opening activities.

The Buzz, owned by 4EG, is an offshoot of Beeline, a full-scale cocktail bar set to open in Newport on the Levee this fall. It will occupy a 2,800-square-foot space with garage-style doors that will show views of the Ohio River. Its menu will feature a variety of craft cocktails and frozen drinks, including its signature Bend the Rails cocktail and Honeycomb shot.

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Here’s the full schedule of events and activities:

Thursday, May 27

5 p.m.: Live painting with local muralist Matthew Grote.

7 to 10 p.m.: Live music by The Powell Brothers.

Friday, May 28

9 to 10 a.m.: Weekly “Wellness on the Levee” class.

10 a.m. and noon: Open-air cycle classes on the Aquarium Plaza taught by Crunch Fitness. To secure a spot in the outdoor classes fronting the Cincinnati skyline, cyclists are required to buy tickets in advance.

3 to 6 p.m.: Live music by Frankly Speaking.

6 to 8 p.m.: Trivia Nights on the Levee.

8 to 11 p.m.: Live music in the Plaza by local band Ethan + Joey.

Saturday, May 29