NEWPORT BEACH City Council wants bridge across...
NEWPORT BEACH
City Council wants bridge across Santa Ana River
The City Council voted to stand firmly in favor of a 19th Street
bridge last week. Opposing Costa Mesa’s plan to remove the 19th
Street and Gisler bridge plans from a regional transportation plan,
Newport Beach effectively undermined the neighboring city’s hopes
because regional transportation authorities won’t make any changes
unless the affected cities are unanimous.
* Fire codes in the harbor will be more strictly enforced in the
future, despite pleas from business owners who have long operated
their businesses based on loose enforcement of the rules. The rules
require that it must be possible to move a boat on fire without
having to move another boat out of the way first or untying it from
another boat.
* Two small efforts to help out fire victims grew quickly as
community members brought large quantities of donations to Newport
Beach City Hall and to the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa. The
City Hall donation drive is an ongoing drive to collect goods and
monetary donations for fire victims in San Diego County. Residents
can drop off donations at City Hall until further notice.
* 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.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Police arrest suspect in ‘Give Me More’ robberies
Newport Beach police and federal agents on Oct. 26 arrested a
34-year-old man they suspect of being the “Give Me More Bandit,” who
robbed four Newport-Mesa banks over the last two months, officials
said.
Officials arrested Moundir Kamil at Long Beach Airport as he was
returning from New York. Kamil is suspected of robbing a Wells Fargo
branch in Costa Mesa on Aug. 6, two Bank of America branches on Sept.
30, and another as recently as Oct. 7.
In all robberies, the man threatened the teller with a weapon but
did not exhibit it. Also during each of the heists, Kamil reportedly
demanded more after initially taking money from the tellers, a
repeated action that gave him his nickname, officials said.
He was arraigned last week at the Harbor Justice Center and handed
over to federal agents for prosecution in federal court.
* Costa Mesa and Newport Beach fire departments sent strike teams
to help battle the wildfires that raged through Southern California
last week. Newport Beach sent 12 firefighters and two battalion
chiefs, and Costa Mesa sent eight firefighters in two engines. Local
firefighters were reportedly uninjured.
* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be
reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.
COSTA MESA
Scheer will get steep attorney’s fee from city
The city will have to pony up $750,000 to settle the lawsuit filed
by City Attorney Jerry Scheer. Scheer, 64, will retire once the
agreement becomes final. The settlement caps more than two tumultuous
years for Scheer, who was first cleared of accusations launched by
Senior Deputy City Atty. Marianne Milligan, then Marianne Reger; was
then placed on administrative leave; was reinstated; and then took
sick leave.
* Four businesses in north Costa Mesa found out they are in the
way of the city’s preferred route for the CenterLine light rail
system. The city prefers a route with a short underground section.
The county will select its preferred route in December.
* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)
574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.
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