PUBLIC SAFETY Newport police arrest 3...

PUBLIC SAFETY

Newport police arrest 3 on drug charges after foot chase

Newport Beach Police officers arrested three persons on Thursday

night after a brief car pursuit and a foot chase through back yards

in a residential neighborhood that lasted several hours.

The incident began near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and

Mesa Verde Drive in Costa Mesa when undercover officers bought what

was said to have been an ounce of methamphetamine from two men and a

woman.

When the suspects realized they were dealing with the police, they

fled in a car and drove around the Mesa Verde area for about 10

minutes before the driver lost control of the vehicle and went off

the road on Mesa Verde north of Adams Avenue.

Daniel Lanning, 27, of Anaheim and 18-year-old Chelsea Porter of

Mission Viejo were arrested near where the car crashed. James

Lambert, 36, was found later hiding in a friend’s house on Peterson

Place.

All three were charged with conspiring to sell drugs and evading

police.

A 57-year-old Palmdale man was hospitalized Friday after he lost

control of his pickup truck, possibly because of a medical condition,

Newport Beach Police said.

The man was driving south on MacArthur Boulevard and was about to

make a left turn at Bonita Canyon Drive at about 8 a.m. Friday when

witnesses saw him slump over the wheel and drive through the

intersection of Bonita Canyon Drive, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve

Shulman said.

The pickup truck hit a median and wrapped around a traffic signal,

he said.

The man was taken to Hoag Hospital with broken legs, chest

injuries, several cuts and a concussion, Shulman said.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].

COSTA MESA

Huscroft House, on its last legs, may land on its feet

They couldn’t sell it. So now, they may give it away -- with

$30,000 thrown in to help move it.

Staff will advise the City Council on Monday to transfer ownership

of the Huscroft House to 126 Properties, LLC.

The company’s owner, John Morehart, said he intends to move the

dilapidated house to a Westside property he owns at 548 Bernard St.

This would spare the house from demolition, which was due since the

city had found no buyers for the 1915 Craftsman-style house.

If the agreement is approved Monday, Morehart would still have to

seek Planning Commission approval.

The city would pay Morehart $30,000 -- half of the cost of

relocation and abatement of toxic materials such as lead-based paint

and asbestos. It is roughly the amount it would cost to demolish the

house, which may happen if the deal with Morehart falls through.

In 1998, officials paid $54,000 to move the donated house from

2529 Santa Ana Ave. to TeWinkle Park. The historic home was built in

Santa Ana and moved to Costa Mesa in 1950.

The city had intended to use $200,000 from the Home Ranch

development agreement to move the house to Fairview Park and restore

it as a museum. Later, it put the house up for bid, but the two

offers made for it fell through.

Morehart said he intends to demolish one of two single-family

homes on his Westside property and replace it with the Huscroft

House. The city is also offering to waive certain permits and fees.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at [email protected].

EDUCATION

Governor encourages science in schools

One of the facets of a science initiative that Gov. Gray Davis

released Friday urges a greater focus on science laboratory work in

the public schools.

The initiative is primarily intended to boost life-saving research

and product development in California by ensuring a ready supply of

trained, skilled workers.

But some Newport-Mesa officials say the district already considers

science a top priority and would require more funding from the state

to increaselab work.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].

POLITICS

Campbell and Maddox seek Johnson’s state Senate post

Two Newport-Mesa Republican assemblymen announced Thursday that

they will square off in the race to replace termed-out state Sen.

Ross Johnson, who has represented long stretches of coastal Orange

County in the Legislature’s upper house since 1994.

Shortly after announcing Thursday that he would seek the 35th

Senate District seat in the March 2004 primary, Assemblyman John

Campbell answered charges from Assemblyman Ken Maddox that he was

only interested in the seat as a stepping stone to Congress.

“If the people elect me, I’ll pledge not to run for [Rep.] Chris

Cox’s [congressional] seat,” said Maddox, who represents Costa Mesa.

“I’ll take that pledge. I’m challenging John to do the same.”

Campbell said Maddox’s pledge was hollow, since he doesn’t live in

Cox’s district and couldn’t run for that seat.

Johnson, who would be termed out in 2004 after eight years, has

backed Campbell for his job. Campbell was first elected to the 70th

Assembly District in 2000 and reelected in November.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].