Week in review
City Council members still have to give their approval on Tuesday, but
it sure looks like the city’s two high school pools will stay open this
summer.
Rising energy costs had forced school district officials to charge
Newport Beach money for using the pools at Newport Harbor High and Corona
del Mar High to make up the difference.
That prompted a decision by city officials to move the entire summer
aquatics program, which includes swimming lessons, swim and water polo
teams and lap swimmers, to Newport Harbor High.
The decision didn’t sit well with folks all over town, ranging from
Mayor Gary Adams to parents, who felt closing one of the city’s nicest
pools during the summer was unacceptable. Others, such as swim coach Ted
Bandaruk, expressed concerns over safety if 1,400 people had to share one
pool each day.
As a result, top district and city officials held a meeting to deal
with the issue. Afterward, City Manager Homer Bludau announced that he’d
ask council members to set aside $33,760 in the 2001-2002 budget to keep
both pools heated and open.
Swimming lessons will still remain at Newport Harbor High, but lap
swimming and water polo teams will be able to stay at Corona del Mar
High’s facility, helping to lessen the load on the other pool.
Jail time in former center head’s future
Former Costa Mesa Senior Center Director Alan Meyers was convicted of
first degree theft in Klammath Falls, Ore., last week.
Meyers, also known by a number of other aliases including Carmi
Bar-Ilan, stood trial Wednesday for allegedly bilking a nonprofit health
clinic of nearly $10,000.
He will serve a minimum of 13 months in an Oregon penitentiary, Mark
Costello, an attorney for the Klammath Falls district attorney’s office,
said Friday.
Earlier in the week, the City Council approved a permit for Lighthouse
Coastal Community Church to share its parking lot with Kline School on
the condition that the church gives up its right to open a preschool.
The church could go along with the new permit or could use an older
permit that allows the preschool to open but does not allow Kline School
to use the parking lot as a playground.
They needed a poll for this?
It came as no surprise when a telephone poll funded by Newport Beach
revealed that about 80% of residents support an airport at the El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station.
The poll, which came to light Thursday, was completed earlier in the
year by pro-El Toro group Citizens for Jobs and the Economy.
Council members weren’t shocked by the results, but they also said
city residents widely believe an airport will be built at El Toro, which
is far from certain.
Councilwoman Norma Glover said she is constantly approached by
residents who ask her why an airport hasn’t been built at the closed
base.
Near drowning highlights hazards
A 4-year-old Costa Mesa girl nearly drowned Tuesday in a hotel pool as
her father reportedly dozed off, officials said. It was the first
reported water safety-related incident this summer.
The girl was spotted floating face-down in the water by a visitor to
the Costa Mesa Motor Inn, who pulled her out and gave her CPR. The girl
was taken to Hoag Hospital but released the same day.
Her father was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, but was
released because the Orange County district attorney did not file
charges. The district attorney has referred the case to the county Social
Services Department.
Ten Costa Mesa officials were honored at the city’s 38th Annual Public
Safety Awards at the Westin South Coast Plaza Friday. Costa Mesa Police
Sgt. Don Holford was named Officer of the Year and Capt. Curt Yoder was
named Fire Department Officer of the Year.
School’s out for summer
An Estancia High School art teacher filed a lawsuit last week against
the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.
Christine Goodhue alleges in her suit that the poor air quality at the
school and in her classroom has made her severely ill.
District officials said they are in the process of testing the air and
have cleaned air ducts extensively since complaints were first made a
year ago.
They have found nothing out of the ordinary, said Mike Fine, the
assistant superintendent of business services.
Teachers and district staff will have more time to hash the matter out
because school’s out for summer.
In case you didn’t realize it, Thursday and Friday were students’ last
days of school until September.
Students in grades seven through 12 called it quits in Thursday, with
seniors graduating.
On Friday, the younger set were released to frolic carefree for three
months.
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