COSTA MESA OCC Swap Meet gets...
COSTA MESA
OCC Swap Meet gets go-ahead to re-expand
Hundreds of vendors are silently rejoicing and waiting with baited
breath to see if anyone appeals the Planning Commission’s approval of
a Saturday swap meet last week.
Planning commissioners agreed to reopen the swap meet on Saturdays
with an average of 260 vendors per day, as long as college officials
worked on a more advanced vendor reservation process and prohibited
parking in the Coast Community College District parking lot across
the street. Commissioners also ordered a six-month review to track
the college’s progress.
College officials and vendors alike said they are more than
willing to adhere to all the city’s requirements and are merely
anxious to make up for six months of lost income.
The Planning Commission decision is considered final unless
appealed by 5 p.m. Monday.
* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)
574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.
POLITICS
Congressional candidates debate illegal immigration
Four candidates in the race for the new 46th Congressional
District squared off Wednesday evening at Orange Coast College.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher -- the Republican -- Democrat Gerrie
Schipske, Libertarian Keith Gann and Green Party representative Tom
Lash mapped out each other’s positions on a host of topical issues,
including possible military action against Iraq, benefits for illegal
immigrants and the war on drugs.
In a lively debate that featured the candidates swapping jabs and
quips, the four answered audience questions, along with a handful of
questions prepared in advance.
A student committee led by sophomore Madeline Levy organized the
event.
The congressional district was pieced together from four existing
districts after the 2000 Census data was made available. Parts of
Long Beach, Palos Verdes and other areas in Los Angeles County were
added to areas of coastal Orange County.
Rohrabacher has held a seat, most recently the 45th Congressional
District, since 1988.
* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment and politics. He may be
reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at paul.clinton@latimes.com.
EDUCATION
School board candidates discuss CHOC center
Candidates for school board debated issues affecting Costa Mesa
and the district as a whole during the second and final candidates’
forum in Costa Mesa on Tuesday. The proposed, on-hold, CHOC health
center at Rea Elementary, sex education and how to engage more
English-speaking parents in the educational process were just some of
the issues discussed.
And UC Irvine students clamored to get a glimpse of Arnold
Schwarzenegger when Conan came to the campus Tuesday to tout his
after-school initiative, Proposition 49. The initiative would expand
preschool funding to any public elementary, middle or intermediate
school in the state that chooses to have one, without raising taxes.
* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)
574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Former Newport Beach contractor sentenced for fraud
A federal court judge in Kansas City on Wednesday sentenced a
54-year-old man to four months in prison for defrauding the city of
Newport beach while working on an equipment funding and leasing
contract two years ago.
Darrell G. Jarman of Kansas City was also ordered to pay the city
$127,894 -- money he was supposed to pay a supplier to purchase
equipment for the city. Jarman’s company, Municipal Funding Group,
was a contracted vendor for Newport Beach. He admitted in court that
he deposited $127,894 of the city’s money into his personal bank
account in Kansas City instead.
Jarman was found guilty of one count of mail fraud and was
sentenced to four months in prison without parole, plus three years
of supervised release that will include four months of home
detention.
In other news, a fire that broke out in the living room of an
Eastside home Wednesday evening caused about $20,000 in damages and
led to the arrest of one of its residents for an outstanding traffic
warrant.
The fire started when one of the residents used gasoline to light
the fireplace. The fire caused extensive damage to the living room,
but the three occupants managed to escape through the back door
without any injuries. It took 24 firefighters less than 10 minutes to
put out the fire.
* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be
reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.
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