THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Points for a bright idea

A Families Costa Mesa program to encourage children to do their

schoolwork and attend classes strikes the right chords on a number of

levels. First, anything to get students fired up about school will

benefit not only them but also their wider community. Plus, the rewards

aren’t selfish. These students get points to be used for presents for

their families during the holidays. A happy one it should be.

Bye bye, Boylan

Costa Mesa suffered a big loss this week when longtime police Sgt. Tom

Boylan hung up his gun. Boylan has been a uniting presence in the

department, whether it was pulling pranks or pulling the troops together.

Thankfully, he plans to return a few days a month to help with the

department’s unsolved murder cases. We’ll miss his famous shaved head.

A walk on the West Side

Costa Mesa planning commissioners this week looked ready to halt

developments on the city’s West Side until a revitalization plan for the

area can be approved by the City Council. Unfortunately, three of them

suddenly realized they might have conflicts of interest because they

either live in or own property in the area. This oversight has led to

another unnecessary delay in establishing a moratorium on building. They

should have checked their addresses a little earlier.

Red light, green light

Still no word on how the Dover Shores Community Assn. accidentally

allowed propaganda for the “green light” initiative to get into its

newsletter. But the whole story, including the mysterious letter and the

politics involved, needs more investigation. The association’s board does

not plan, at this point, to pursue any sort of legal punishment if

someone is attached to the incident, which violated laws prohibiting such

associations from taking political stands. At this point, for what

amounts to a minor infraction, that’s fine. But as the the campaign to

get the initiative, which would require a majority of voters to approve

major general-plan amendments, on the March ballot heats up, eyes should

be kept wide open.