NEWPORT BEACH City officials work with government...

NEWPORT BEACH

City officials work with government on eelgrass

City officials are looking for ways to help residents who have

eelgrass growing underwater near their private docks. The city hopes

to convince federal and state regulators to set a limit on how much

eelgrass is enough in the bay in order to save people the expense of

replanting eel grass after they dredge under their docks.

* The question of how to develop Castaways Park is a challenge

facing the city. Some residents want only native plants there. Others

want a portion of the park to contain turf grass for picnicking and

other activities.

* A city plan to create racks to store dinghies has met with some

resistance. During a recent Harbor Commission meeting, several

residents raised concerns that the city is considering. A meeting is

planned this week to gather further input on the question of whether

storage racks for dinghies could help boaters access their offshore

moorings.

* Longtime Balboa Peninsula postal worker Nancy Buck retired after

35 years at the post office. The office held a party for her farewell

filled with “Happy Retirement” balloons.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.

COSTA MESA

City has prepared

for budget cuts

City Manager Allen Roeder couldn’t pinpoint an exact number of his

city’s loss from the state Assembly budget, but he has already

implemented a number of cost control measures, which include a freeze

on major projects, repairs or purchases of new equipment. The city is

also working to cut down the number of overtime hours by staff

members.

* The Parks and Recreation Commission has decided to restrict the

use of the Varsity Baseball field at Estancia High School to every

other Sunday. The cutback is due to a resident’s complaints about the

adult leagues that use the field on the weekend.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

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

EDUCATION

School districts, college ready for budget cuts

Schools throughout the area are bracing for cuts if Gov. Gray

Davis signed the budget. The Coast Community College District is

looking at a deficit of $4 million and fees will go up to $18 per

unit. UC Irvine tuition will be 30% higher in the fall and the

university will share the pain with the other UC campuses in having

$410 million pared from its state funding.

And the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is expecting to

receive about $250 less per student.

* In better news, UCI reported that it received more than $235

million in grants and contracts for the 2002-03 school year. That

amount has grown 20% in the past three years.