On the Water -- Planning for a party

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- They don’t really make headlines in December or

January, though they’re toiling behind the scenes all the same. The West

Newport Beach July 4th Task Force meets once a month every month with

just one day in mind -- the day when, every year, a world of trouble

converges on West Newport Beach.

“We started this committee three years ago and we’ve been meeting

every month ever since,” said Margie Dorney, chair of the committee. “We

meet with the city, the Police Department and the community just to

discuss plans each year to deal with the Fourth of July.”

The committee, actually an offshoot of the West Newport Beach Assn.,

is dedicated to making West Newport a safe, fun place to spend the Fourth

of July.

“We want it to be a place where people can come to the beach, whether

you’re a resident or a visitor, and be safe and have a nice Fourth of

July,” Dorney said.

On Wednesday, the group continued what has become a tradition: A 4th

of July Forum to let residents know what’s going on and what they can do.

West Newport, everyone knows, is summer’s unofficial “party central”

for locals and vacationers alike. The problems -- drunkenness, violence,

trash and rowdiness -- are all too well known. But if task force members

have their way, strategies for making West Newport a great place to spend

Independence Day will be equally well known.

Every year, their approaches to tackling the problem get more

creative. This year, about a half-dozen families will open up their West

Newport homes to police officers as places where they can use the

bathroom, get a moment’s shade and regroup. The task force this year will

also hand out garbage bags and gloves to residents to help those who want

to pitch in keep on top of the trash problem.

“We’re getting better and better, and smarter and smarter,” Dorney

said of the community members and officials who work on the task force.

“I really feel good about what we’ve done this year.”