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.