COSTA MESA Plan for Westside comes into...

COSTA MESA

Plan for Westside

comes into focus

The Westside is finally getting some respect, as the Redevelopment

Agency -- the City Council acting under a different name -- gave its

blessing to recommendations by the Westside Revitalization Oversight

Committee. Staff members will now work on a plan for putting these

suggestions into place, with a final vote expected sometime early

next year.

* The KOCE-TV Foundation announced on Wednesday that it has the

money required to buy KOCE-TV from the Coast Community College

District.

Officials said the news lays to rest speculation about the future

of the county’s only public broadcast station and puts an end to

existing and prospective legal battles. Christian broadcaster Daystar

Television Network contested the district’s decision in Orange County

Superior Court. But a judge rejected the network’s claim that its

$25.1 million cash bid had a higher value than the foundation’s

purchase price of $28 million -- most of that financed on a long-term

note.

Daystar attorney Richard Sherman said the issue is not over

because Daystar’s appeal is still pending in court. If the appellate

court overturns the trial court’s decision, it will undo this whole

deal, he said.

But jubilant foundation officials said last week that the money

that the foundation has secured -- through cash donations and pledges

from fewer than 75 donors -- is sufficient to fund the $10 million

needed for the actual purchase of the station, obtain a credit

facility and working capital.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Costa Mesa police officer honored for fiery effort

Costa Mesa Police Officer Derek Trusk was honored by the

department and by the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council for pulling

a man from a burning car in that city when he was off-duty.

The award came during the department’s promotion ceremony. Dave

Anderson was promoted to lieutenant, Paul Beckman to sergeant and

Keith Davis and Victor Bakkila to corporal.

* Emergency-services personnel in Newport Beach were also honored

at the seventh annual Fire & Lifeguard Appreciation Beach Party.

While the event honors all of the men and women who serve the

city, a special ceremony was organized to honor Dave Bowman,

Firefighter of the Year; Mitch White, Marine Safety Officer of the

Year; and Ethan Poli, Lifeguard of the Year.

* City officials will move ahead with plans to increase fire

safety and decrease runoff from Buck Gully and Morning Canyon after a

well-attended City Council study session on the topic Tuesday. City

staff members proposed ordinances requiring residents to landscape

with fire-resistant plants and use irrigation systems with weather-

or temperature-sensing controls instead of automatic timers.

EDUCATION

Students take fateful trip

on a Coast Guard ship

About 100 Ensign Middle School students got to sail the seas off

Corona del Mar Wednesday on the Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal.

The field trip was part of a special, grant-funded fishing,

boating and aquatic safety class. While aboard the Narwhal, some

students got to steer the boat and others splashed through the waves

on a four-passenger Zodiac boat.

* Estancia High School, Pomona Elementary School and Whittier

Elementary School all made the “Title I Program Improvement” list

Wednesday. Schools are placed there if they fail to meet one or more

objectives on the 2004 Adequate Yearly Progress Report, released in

August.

Twelve of the district’s 31 campuses are Title I schools, which

entitles them to federal funding because of their low socio-economic

levels, Anatol said. Only Title I schools are evaluated for the

Program Improvement report. Anatol said schools won’t lose their

funding because of year-two status but could lose it “sometime down

the line.”

TeWinkle Middle School was the only Newport-Mesa addition to this

year’s Program Improvement list.