Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Candidate For Santa Ana Council Takes On 'Mafia' (OCR)
Steve Rocco, 'mystery man' of Orange Unified School District, is known for conspiracy rants.

Designers Underestimate OC Great Park Building Costs, Firm Says (LAT)
Report for city of Irvine says park will cost $377 million more than projected. But city officials downplay oversight company's findings.

Huntington Beach Economic Development Director Placed On Leave (LAT)
The city's human resources department is conducting a personnel review of Stanley Smalewitz. A city spokeswoman declines to elaborate on the reasons for the review.

Army Pays UCI To Try To Read People's Minds (OCR)
The U.S. Army is giving UC Irvine scientsts $4 million to try to invent a device that reads the minds of soldiers, turning thoughts into words spoken by a computer, a field of study called synthetic telepathy.

Great Park Gets First Vintage Aircraft: WWI Spy Plane (OCR)
Restoration will take 18 months.

Police Agencies Beef Up Security For Presidential Forum (OCR)
Four law enforcement agencies will be on hand to deal with security when senators John McCain and Barack Obama visit Saddleback Church.

Irvine Leaders Extend Free Rides On The IShuttle (OCR)
City won't charge fare until next year.

Candidate Contests McCain-Obama Forum Fee (DP)
Selling tickets to see McCain-Obama discussion violates separation of church and state, Steve Young says.