WEEK IN REVIEW

Although she is not the I-told-you-so type of person, Mayor Libby

Cowan could be uttering those very words after a state commission ruled

she had no conflict of interest relating to the El Toro Airport.

Cowan said she never believed she had a conflict but asked for

clarification from the Fair Political Practices Commission after growing

public pressure from supporters of an airport at the closed Marine base.

A handful of residents questioned whether Cowan could remain fair

while voting on airport issues because she works for the city of Irvine,

one of the cities most staunchly opposed to an airport in South Orange

County.

The commission determined that Cowan’s simple employment for Irvine --

as a superintendent in the community services department -- does not fall

within state laws concerning conflict of interest.

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

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

Candy man under suspicion

Newport Beach Police is examining candy that an unidentified man

handed out to some children playing in Alta Vista Park Thursday

afternoon.

An 8-year-old boy who ate some of that candy reportedly experienced a

burning sensation in his throat, but was said to be in good condition

after he was examined at Hoag Hospital.

Officials said a man presumed to be in his 40s approached the children

and gave them the candy. The other children who ate the chocolate treats

were fine with the exception of the 8-year-old boy, whose name was not

released.

Police said the matter is still under investigation.

In the courts this week, Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee

Jim Ferryman’s arraignment stemming from his arrest on charges of driving

under the influence of alcohol, was continued from Monday to Nov. 28.

Ferryman, 53, was arrested Sept. 27 on suspicion of driving under the

influence of alcohol after he collided with another motorist on Newport

Boulevard. Lab tests released last month showed his blood alcohol level

was .19 -- more than twice the legal limit of .08.

-- 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 .

Comfy and cove-y

Members of the public shared a rare experience with state planning

wonks Thursday night, when they were handed maps and work sheets on

Crystal Cove State Park.

Locals of all stripes sat at 14 planning tables -- complete with

pencils, white drawing paper, markers and other paperwork -- to tell the

California State Parks officials how they want the 46 historic cottages

used.

A wide variety of opinions were voiced -- everything from tearing down

the cottages to using all of them for overnight rentals to setting aside

a handful for education and research.

Parks officials said they will compile the responses from the event

and present a tentative project for the park in January.

-- 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 .

Talking about Greenlight

Volunteers for the Greenlight Committee hit the streets to talk about

the city’s upcoming special election. A main concern: to be sure voters

knew the difference between their committee, which opposes Measure G, and

the Greenlight Implementation Committee, which supports the measure to

allow the Koll company to add 250,000 feet to its site near the airport.

The police came through again for one neighborhood prone to unpleasant

Halloween tricks. The Harbor View Homeowners Association enlisted the

help of Newport Beach’s finest to relive last year’s success at turning

their neighborhood into a crime-free Halloween haunt.

A “visioning festival” originally scheduled for this week won’t take

place until Jan. 12. That’s when residents can first start to register

their feelings on updating the city’s General Plan and, ultimately, its

future.

Road work begun last week on a stretch of Balboa Boulevard marked the

start of an $8 million improvement project likely to continue into 2004.

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

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

U.S. says TeWinkle not a star

The U.S. Dept. of Education announced that the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District is not fully meeting the needs of students with limited

English proficiency after a year of investigation.

As a result, district officials agreed that their approach has been

haphazard in the past and will work to create a detailed plan for

identifying and assessing English-languge learners and providing them

with equal access to curriculum by May, 2002.

Costa Mesa mother Mirna Burciaga began the campaign for the changes

two years ago when she learned of complaints from parents of children at

TeWinkle Middle School.

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

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