Governor dips into Back Bay

Alicia Robinson

In an eleventh-hour bid for federal funding, Gov. Arnold

Schwarzenegger is putting his muscle behind the Back Bay restoration

project. He offered his support for the $38.4-million project --

which includes extensive dredging -- in a recent letter to Newport

Beach Rep. Chris Cox, who has been urging Congress for several years

to appropriate the money for the work.

The 1,000-acre Upper Newport Bay is Southern California’s largest

tidal wetland and a number of endangered plants and birds live in it.

Cox, a Republican, is seeking $13 million for the restoration project

in the 2006 federal budget.

It’s not clear whether Schwarzenegger’s star power will help

secure the money, which will help avert the loss of some state

grants, but Cox is banking on it.

“The significance of this endorsement is that the Governor is

making this one of the state’s priorities in Washington,” Cox said.

“We have been working to convince the appropriators in Congress that

this environmental initiative has national significance. Gov.

Schwarzenegger’s endorsement makes it clear that it is of statewide

significance as well.”

If Congress promises the funding, it will probably be included in

a federal appropriations bill, which is expected in June.

Just weeks before the 10-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City

bombing, Huntington Beach Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is considering

opening a new investigation into the crime. According to the

political website CongressDaily and a Tulsa, Okla., TV station’s

website, Rohrabacher may want to investigate whether convicted

bombers Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols had help in the plot and

whether the federal government covered up FBI training McVeigh and

Nichols received at one time.

Rohrabacher was out of the country Wednesday and could not be

reached for comment. The online reports said officials, including

Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating and two Oklahoma congressmen, have been

urging Rohrabacher not to pursue an investigation.

Cox’s work as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee

has earned him recognition from the Congressional Fire Services

Institute, a think tank that advises Congress on fire and emergency

services. The institute on April 7 will name Cox one of two

legislators of the year for 2005.

“Having made a personal commitment to engage the fire service on

homeland security initiatives, Chairman Cox has worked very closely

with the fire organizations on a number of measures in his

committee,” the institute wrote about Cox in a statement.

Cox will be honored at the institute’s annual dinner next week in

Washington, D.C.

“I’m very grateful for their recognition. It is born of our

working closely together over the last two and a half years on first

responder legislation,” Cox said. He expected hearings to be

scheduled soon on a bill that will help first responders get federal

funding faster.

A handful of area parents are steaming over upcoming appearances

at the Newport Beach Public Library by author Eric Schlosser, who

wrote greasy expose “Fast Food Nation” and “Reefer Madness,” a

discussion of the black market trade in sex and drugs.

After hearing about Schlosser’s April 15 and 16 visit from local

GOP pollster Adam Probolsky, several parents -- including Costa Mesa

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore -- said they don’t think Schlosser should be

included in a planned mentoring session with local high schoolers

because he advocates legalizing marijuana.

“It’s in a public place,” said John Carvelli, a Newport Beach

father. “To me, you should be extra sensitive to the information that

children are being exposed to.”

Tracy Keys, who directs the private foundation that paid for the

author’s visit, countered that the subject of Schlosser’s visit is

his book on the fast food industry, not drugs. She said the speakers

series that includes Schlosser brings writers from a diverse set of

professions to Newport Beach and offers students a chance to meet

them. For information on Eric Schlosser’s talks, visit

https://www.city.newport- beach.ca.us/nbpl/eventservices online or

call (866)301-2411.