Councilman can’t back artful edict

Alicia Robinson

It seems like elected officials are always declaring a day or week to

honor something or other.

In Costa Mesa, however, what was expected to be a feel-good

proclamation on National Arts and Humanities Month drew an unexpected

response from Costa Mesa City Councilman Allan Mansoor at a meeting

Monday.

Mansoor opposed the reading of a proclamation naming October as

National Arts and Humanities Month in Costa Mesa, which calls itself

a “city of the arts.” The councilman read a statement objecting to

any support for the National Endowment for the Arts, which the

proclamation mentioned in passing, because the group uses taxpayer

dollars to fund artists who create works that some consider

anti-religious or pornographic.

“I personally can’t support that, and I don’t believe we as a

council should be supporting it, especially when we have important

city business before us,” Mansoor said Wednesday.

Some at the meeting, including Councilwoman Libby Cowan, were

puzzled by Mansoor’s statement.

“What’s interesting is that the proclamation had nothing to do

with the [National Endowment for the Arts], which seems to be the

point of his tirade, so I’m not sure in what context he felt it

necessary to go on and on about certain projects funded by the

[National Endowment for the Arts],” she said.

The city’s arts projects have nothing to do with the National

Endowment for the Arts, Cowan said. After a tie vote on a motion from

Councilman Chris Steel not to read the proclamation, the council read

it, Mansoor said.

Graham pushes for

reaction to reactor

UC Irvine professor and congressional candidate John Graham

continued to push his concerns about the safety of the campus’s

nuclear reactor at his second press conference on the issue Tuesday.

Graham first raised questions about the reactor on Sept. 30,

prompting a pledge from Rep. Chris Cox to review the issue. Cox is

the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Though Cox toured the facility, he concluded it’s not the juicy

terrorist target Graham believes. Graham, who is hoping to win Cox’s

congressional seat, wasn’t satisfied with that response.

“I think it’s great that he’s taken a personal interest in it, but

he hasn’t said a word about any of the other 32 reactors around the

country that have similar security problems,” Graham said. “The

problem I have is he’s stating publicly that it appears safe, and I

don’t think he has enough evidence on the table to make that

judgment.”

The reactor’s supervisor has said the facility is continually

reviewed for safety, and Cox discounted Graham’s concerns.

“The visit that I made to the UCI campus simply failed to

corroborate any of his claims,” Cox said. “Nonetheless, I have not

reached any conclusion with respect to the protection afforded the

reactor or the protection that might be necessary. That awaits review

from the [federal] Nuclear Regulator Commission.”

Graham said he has asked the university chancellor to schedule a

public forum on the reactor’s safety, and he will suggest that the

faculty senate discuss the topic.

Local politicians bump

bigwigs twice an hour

If you’re sick of the usual sound bites from presidential

candidates George Bush and John Kerry, refresh yourself with a dose

of your own local talking heads on CNN Headline News.

Comcast Cable, which provides service to Costa Mesa, began airing

five-minute local news segments Wednesday that feature elected

officials and representatives of community organizations. This week’s

segments include Assemblymen Todd Spitzer and Tom Harman, Costa Mesa

Planning Commissioners Katrina Foley and Bruce Garlich and Costa Mesa

City Councilman Mike Scheafer. The segments air at 24 and 54 minutes

past the hour, 24 hours a day during CNN Headline News on Comcast.

For just $58, you can

party for the president

Locals who want to help President Bush in his final sprint toward

election day can attend a “party for the President” scheduled on

Monday at Pascal’s Restaurant, 1000 Bristol St., Newport Beach. The

event lasts from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and the $58 admission covers hors

d’oeuvres and wine. To reserve a spot, call Gisela Burmeister at

(949) 752-0107.

On Wednesday, Orange Coast College will host a public forum for

46th District congressional candidates Dana Rohrabacher, the

incumbent Republican, and his opponents, Democrat Jim Brandt,

Libertarian Keith Gann and Green Party candidate Tom Lash.

The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the science hall at OCC, 2701

Fairview Road. For information, call (714)432-5507.