Week in Review

A five-star resort planned for the Balboa Peninsula escaped an early

death by just one vote last Tuesday after City Council members listened

to residents passionately opposed to the project. The controversial

decision over whether Stephen Sutherland should begin environmental and

traffic studies brought no votes from supporters like Mayor Tod Ridgeway

and yes votes from Greenlight supporter John Heffernan.

And skateboarders have a little less elbow room after the council

approved an ordinance to restrict the sport in some areas of city parks.

Paved areas that slope more than 6% and installations like planters,

benches and stairs are now off limits.

Customers dissatisfied with Internet and cable service from Adelphia

may have a chance to be heard. In hopes of persuading Adelphia to correct

problems that have drawn large numbers of complaints, the city has hired

consultants The Buske Group to conduct phone surveys and focus groups.

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

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

Airport up in arms

Further forging a line between north and south, Costa Mesa City

Council members narrowly voted last week to officially oppose a park at

the former El Toro Marine Base.

The council voted 3 to 2 to adopt a resolution that encouraged Costa

Mesa residents to vote down Measure W, which would allow for the zoning

at the shuttered base to be changed to allow a park. If the South

County-backed measure succeeds, it would pave the way for an Orange

County Central Park and Nature Reserve and halt any plans for an

international airport at El Toro.

Residents, who believe John Wayne Airport will be expanded if another

Orange County Airport is not built, attacked the council for what they

called a weak stance on airport issues.

Although it was Mayor Linda Dixon and Councilwoman Karen Robinson who

did not support the action, criticism was hurled at Councilwoman Libby

Cowan because she is employed by the city of Irvine -- a city that has

poured a lot of resources into opposing an airport at El Toro.

Accusations of a possible conflict of interest were suggested, despite

the fact that Cowan initiated a review and was deemed to have no conflict

by a state committee.

“I will be happy to step away from this and leave you with a 2-to-2

vote,” said Cowan, who has repeatedly said she is in favor of an airport

at the former base.* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached

at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .

Where have all the dollars gone?

The Newport Beach City Council erased a lawsuit on Wednesday that

could have drawn the city into a tar pit of future legal bills.

The council, in a Tuesday closed session, approved a deal that leads

to a ban on public money in the Measure W campaign. The El Toro Reuse

Planning Authority, the coalition of South County cities who filed the

suit, followed suit by approving the deal on Wednesday.

The lawsuit stemmed from a public information campaign funded with a

$3.67-milion grant from Newport Beach in March.

The grant was handed to the Airport Working Group and Citizens for

Jobs and the Economy, two groups who support an El Toro airport.

On Thursday, Councilman John Heffernan said he wanted the unused

portion of the grant, which is estimated to be several thousand dollars,

returned.

* 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 .

Really rush hour

It was a nightmare for rush-hour drivers Thursday afternoon as an

overturned van and big rig on the Corona del Mar freeway halted traffic

on the southbound lanes for hours.

The crash also left a huge gash on the roadway that Caltrans workers

spent hours repairing. A SigAlert was issued and extended well into

Thursday night.

Three people were also injured in the crash. One of them, who

officials said suffered trauma, was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission

Viejo and two others who were not as seriously injured were taken to

Irvine Medical Center and Hoag Hospital respectively.

* 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 .

What the president said

Orange Coast College political science Professor Ken Hearlson last

week finally disclosed the content of a letter he received from President

Margaret Gratton that he considers a reprimand.

The letter directs him to comply with district rules and regulations

relating to harassment, admonishes him for singling out specific students

on the basis of their religion or ethnicity and declares that students

should not feel obligated to defend their religion after he has portrayed

it in a negative manner.

Hearlson says that’s tantamount to prior restraint and censorship.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School Board also unanimously voted to

continue discussions with St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church across from

Newport Harbor High School about finding a solution to the parking

problems plaguing the area.

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

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