WEEK IN REVIEW

Where, when and how we dump the county’s sewage into the ocean near

Newport Beach’s border was at issue last week as officials stood a firm

stance against relaxed disposal rules.

Aligning with Seal Beach and Huntington Beach, city officials planned

to demand the county sanitation district step up treatment before sending

sewage into the ocean four miles offshore from local beaches. The price

tag could pit inland cities against the beaches however, as the cost for

stepped-up treatment could add about $78 a year to the average

household’s $102-a-year sewage bill.

-- June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .

A mysterious ending

A 16-year-old Costa Mesa girl was found dead on one of the trails in

Fairview Park early Friday morning. Police said a passerby saw the girl’s

body fully clothed on a brush-covered trail about 2:20 a.m.

No arrests were made as of Friday. Police did not name any suspects

either. Officials said the girl did not attend any of the local high

schools and that she was home-schooled.

Officials on Friday did not know the cause of death and said she had

no visible wounds or injuries.

Costa Mesa police also are on the lookout for a man who allegedly

molested an 8-year-old girl off a biking trail in Moon Park on Friday

afternoon.

The man, believed to be in his thirties, allegedly approached the girl

who was with two other boys. Police said after scaring the boys away, the

man befriended the girl, exposed his penis and asked her to touch it. He

also put his hands in the victim’s underwear, officials said.

In other news, Dennis Rodman’s arraignment on two criminal misdemeanor

charges has been put off yet again. This time, it was continued from

Monday to Oct.1 so that the defense will have a chance to look at the

prosecution’s discovery.

The former NBA star was charged with disturbing the peace of his

Seashore Drive neighborhood and using loud amplifiers on the public beach

on May 12, the eve of his 40th birthday, without city approval. On that

day, Rodman had also tried to land on the beach in a helicopter.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mike Fell said at some point, prosecutors will ask

Rodman to enter a plea.

-- Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached

at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .

Another El Toro squabble

The standoff over plans for an El Toro airport took another twist last

week as an Airport Working Group member demanded documentation that a

county supervisor would not have a conflict of interest serving on the El

Toro Reuse Planning Authority.

Before taking the nonvoting board position in 1997, Supervisor Tom

Wilson was supposed to provide documentation that he wouldn’t share

confidential information about the county’s lawsuit with the planning

authority.

He hasn’t shared that to the contentment of Newport Beach’s Richard

Taylor. County attorneys are searching for the paperwork.

-- Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .

A disturbing classroom dispute

Although Orange Coast College officials are trying to create a climate

of tolerance on campus toward Muslim students, some say they have felt

the worst effects of stereotyping in their political science class.

The Muslim students are accusing Professor Kenneth Hearlson of calling

one of them a terrorist. Hearlson is on paid administrative leave while

the matter is investigated.

-- Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .

A council brown out

A decision by the Costa Mesa City Council to call an emergency action

and go into closed discussion about renewing police contracts last week

turned into more than just a behind-doors meeting.

The move, some attorneys say, was a clear violation of California’s

Brown Act, the law that regulates government meetings. City attorneys

argue that the information brought forth -- the country’s sudden economic

uncertainty following this month’s terrorist attacks -- came after the

council agenda was written, making the sudden, closed-door meeting

necessary.

In the end, it’s one of those “this lawyer said, that lawyer said”

stories, maybe. If the council is found to be in violation of the Brown

Act, the law could get involved.

Stay tuned.

-- Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .