Editorial

There aren’t too many people who would have the gall to have a

helicopter drop them off at their beachfront home to make a dramatic

entrance at their 40th birthday party. Some might want to do it and some

might have the capability to do it, but few would actually do it.

Enter Dennis Rodman. He did it. Here’s a man who made his NBA career

pulling down rebounds better than anyone in the game, but still shocking

people off and on the court.

This is a man who, despite countless fines each totaling thousands of

dollars, constantly showed up late to practices and games.

It comes as no surprise then that Rodman would pay no heed to Newport

Beach’s ordinances. He throws parties that attract people from miles

around, people who more than likely just want to hang out with the

infamous Worm. Those bashes often get noisy at times of the night and

morning when most folk sleep.

So, the neighbors call in the police to have Rodman turn down his

tunes and perhaps even shut down his shindigs. Often, the requests result

in fines and not cooperation.

Between 1999 and 2000, the city fined the flamboyant one $8,500.

Sorry, but that’s the price of a candy bar compared to the fines he had

to pay annually while playing basketball. Fine him all you want, but he

probably takes those into consideration when tallying the costs of his

soirees.

Now, the City Council will consider updating the noise ordinance to

give it more clout in dealing with the aftermath of Rodman’s parties and

other similar parties throughout the city. It turns out the police can

ask the district attorney’s office to file charges all they want, but

unlike Rodman’s tattoos, they just won’t stick, not with the city weak

noise ordinance.

Amending the noise ordinance to better prosecute Rodman and others

like him might provide enough teeth to actually send offenders to prison

for up to six months, they say. While that threat may exist, we’re not

sure it is enough to scare the former Chicago Bull and L.A. Laker into

turning down the volume.

The residents living around Rodman must be protected from both the

annoying noise and the dangerous situation that something like a

helicopter could pose.

Meantime, we just hope Dennis will be a good neighbor. No doubt,

Newport Beach has plenty of room for extravagant residents like Rodman.

Just as long as everyone else’s right to peace and quiet is respected.