TOP 10 STORIES OF 2006:Year of immigration debate

Newport’s centennial and a $200 million concert hall’s opening were among the biggest stories.

1 Immigration

The furor technically started in December 2005 when the Costa Mesa City Council voted to have city police trained for immigration enforcement, but immigration was an issue throughout 2006. Starting with the arrest of a protester at a January council meeting and ending with a federal immigration agent being placed at the city jail in December, the “I word” was never out of the local or national news for long.

The council’s late-2005 decision set off several months of protests at City Hall, a Santa Ana activist called for boycotts of Costa Mesa businesses that didn’t denounce the council’s plan, and then-Police Chief John Hensley attended a number of meetings to explain the plan and calm fears.

The battle lines were drawn, with groups like the ACLU and Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund denouncing Costa Mesa’s local immigration enforcement proposal, and immigration activists and their mouthpieces — radio talk show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, for example — praising Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor as a courageous patriot for bringing the plan forward.

But the plan itself officially went nowhere. It was supposed to piggyback on a plan by Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona to give his deputies federal immigration training, but that plan languished and Costa Mesa never approached federal officials. In June, Hensley abruptly announced his retirement, throwing the Police Department into further turmoil.

For Costa Mesa, the issue came to a head with the November City Council elections. It was the main topic in campaigns, and some portrayed it as a choice between better public safety and lawlessness. That portrayal won Mansoor a second term, even as the issue’s national importance bubbled down after roiling all year.

In October, county and federal officials inked an agreement to train deputies for immigration enforcement. Just weeks after the November election, federal officials largely negated the biggest issue in Costa Mesa by offering an agent to check the immigration status of suspected criminals at the city jail, making it unnecessary for city police to do the job.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not yet released any data on how many people booked at the city jail have been interviewed about their immigration status and how many of those were found to be in the U.S. illegally.

2 Newport Beach Centennial

Newport Beach is geared up to embark on its second century after a year-long celebration commemorating its first 100 years came to a close.

The centennial celebration started with Let’s Do Launch, a beach party at the Newport Dunes, where more than 10,000 people watched the Beach Boys perform.

It ended Oct. 8 with 100 Years Between the Piers, an outdoor party that included performances by Sugar Ray, Dick Dale, Common Sense and other bands and ended with fireworks being shot off simultaneously from the Balboa and Newport piers.

The countdown is over, the candles have been blown out, and the fireworks already illuminated the sky for the celebration, but it wasn’t just the big parties that made the news.

Newport Beach historian and former Mayor Don Webb was one of the centennial’s biggest pushers. He helped bring back the memories of the city by reading “centennial moments” at City Council meetings.

But between the parties at the beach there were more intimate celebrations. On Sept. 1 — the city’s actual birthday — Webb, City Manager Homer Bludau and others blew out the candles on the cake.

Amid the other activities, including wine tastings and a dinner and dance, there was also a book that hit the stands, which outlined the city’s 100-year history. Copies of the book are still available.

3 Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Another million-dollar spectacular went off without a hitch for the Segerstrom family with the opening of the $200-million Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Celebrities, dignitaries and local art lovers got all dolled up for the opening night, which started with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, included a serenade from Placido Domingo and ended with an unbelievable fireworks show and champagne toast.

Henry Segerstrom called the concert hall’s opening a “17-year overnight success,” which started with his lead donation of $40 million in 2000.

Two years prior, Segerstrom donated the 6 acres of land for the hall. He gave an additional gift of $10 million in September.

Its civic dedication was presided over by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who praised Segerstrom, the other donors and internationally known architect Cesar Pelli, the hall’s designer.

The hall’s architecture includes 120 acoustical doors and three adjustable canopies, which stand five stories high. More than an acre of glass was used to create the hall.

4 Elections

It seemed that at least a half a dozen elections were held in 2006, but there were only three: a special primary for the 35th District of the state Senate, the June statewide primary and the November general election.

Only three candidates were on the April ballot for the Senate seat that represents Newport-Mesa — two Republicans and a Democrat — but it was a bitter fight for the GOP.

Then-Assemblyman Tom Harman squeaked by Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey to win by 236 votes — less than one percentage point.

Although some of the local officeholders changed after the Nov. 7 election, most voters in both Costa Mesa and Newport Beach seem to have cast their ballots largely for the status quo.

The biggest surprise was the resounding defeat of Measure X, a slow-growth initiative some considered draconian that tried to capitalize on people’s discontent with traffic and fear of high-rise developments.

Newport-Mesa’s City Council races were both costly and nasty. Newport candidates broke all previous records for fundraising.

Voters rejected the two candidates endorsed by the Greenlight residents group, which was also behind Measure X. Despite earlier complaints about an incestuous system of appointments to fill council vacancies, all three appointed incumbents — District 7 Councilman Keith Curry, District 4 Councilwoman Leslie Daigle and District 5 Councilman Ed Selich — won.

Other winners were Don Webb, who ran uncontested for a second term in District 3; and Nancy Gardner, a newcomer who unseated District 6 Councilman Dick Nichols.

The diciest race appeared to be the one between Daigle and Santa Ana Heights activist Barbara Venezia. Daigle reportedly bullied a guard at Corona del Mar High School while using the track, an allegation she denied, and Venezia dropped out of the race after her financial interest in a trash hauler that does business in Newport was questioned.

In Costa Mesa, the real battle was planning commissioner Bruce Garlich and former Councilman Mike Scheafer versus Mayor Allan Mansoor and his running mate, parks commissioner Wendy Leece.

Everyone said they wanted to make the city safer and to find more sports fields for local youth — the real difference was where candidates stood on having local police enforce immigration law. Mansoor spearheaded the idea, while Garlich and Scheafer said federal authorities best handle immigration.

Voters ultimately gave Mansoor the most votes, with Leece coming in second.

Newport Beach voters also agreed to the first major overhaul of the city’s general plan in years.

5 Charges and trials related to Hawkses’ presumed killings

There were shocking new allegations this year in the 2004 disappearance of Tom and Jackie Hawks, a promise by prosecutors to seek the death penalty against two of the defendants, testimony by a man who said he helped kill the couple, and the case’s first conviction.

Tom and Jackie Hawks were killed aboard their boat, Well Deserved, according to court testimony. Alonso Machain, one man accused of the slayings, testified that he, alleged mastermind Skylar Deleon, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy overpowered the couple, tied them to an anchor and threw them overboard.

In late July, shocking new charges were brought against the man allegedly behind their deaths. Deleon was charged with soliciting the death of his own father, John Jacobson Sr., and his cousin, Mike Lewis. Prosecutors said Jacobson and Lewis were “witnesses” in the case against Deleon. Lewis has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to the 2003 slaying of Anaheim resident John Jarvi; Deleon is accused of killing Jarvi.

Then in September, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty against Deleon, as well as Kennedy. Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas called Deleon the “brains” and Kennedy the “brawn” in the case. Both will face trial in 2007.

In October, a judge granted a motion to separate the case of Skylar Deleon’s wife, Jennifer Henderson-Deleon, from the other defendants, paving the way for her trial and conviction. During the trial, Machain told a step-by-step account of how he says the killing occurred; Hawks family members burst into tears that day. Though defense attorneys maintained that Henderson-Deleon knew nothing of the murder plot, prosecutors said she helped get the Hawkses to lower their guard.

After 3 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury found Henderson-Deleon guilty of two counts of first degree murder with special circumstances that the slayings were committed for financial gain. The maximum sentence Henderson-Deleon can receive is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her sentencing is scheduled for February.

6 New Nautical Museum

After a 10-year stay on the Pride of Newport riverboat, the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum began the first phase of its move to the Balboa Fun Zone over the summer.

The museum will be built at the fun zone over a five-year period.

7 Drive-by killing of Israel Maciel and other gang-related slayings

An Aug. 2 drive-by shooting on West Baker Street in Costa Mesa killed 23-year-old Israel Maciel and hurt four others. But the attack, along with a nearby Aug. 18 drive-by shooting that injured a 20-year-old, sent shockwaves through the neighborhood; many residents said they saw increased gang activity and were considering moving. City leaders heard the shots loud and clear as they promised to redouble efforts on gang enforcement.

Costa Mesa Mayor Alan Mansoor sparked some controversy the day after the shooting when he said the shooting proved officials should get rid of the “job center, soup kitchens and a high concentration of downscale rental units” that he thought were a drag on the city. Many angry residents said his comments were insensitive to the victims’ families. Mansoor did not retract his words but said he felt for the victims and believed justice was the most important concern.

Over the months that followed, police arrested five people in connection with Maciel’s slaying.

8 Crystal Cove and El Morro

The last remaining residents of El Morro Village cleared out of their mobile homes earlier this year, following a late-2005 settlement reached with the state of California after years of struggle.

The state bought the land, part of Crystal Cove State Park, in 1979 with the intention of building a state park. Upon the site’s closure, the state parks department began the first part of a project to refurbish 13 cottages from the Crystal Cove Historic District. The $14-million plan aimed to preserve the cove’s history by maintaining the decor and style from its golden age, 1935 to 1955.

When reservations first opened to the public in April, the cottages were rented out from late June through the end of October within four hours. It didn’t take long before the cottages were booked through the end of the year.

The new cottages hosted their first guests in late June, some of them former residents from decades past returning for a weekend visit. Nine more cottages were restored as shops and spaces for educational and management services.

South of the cottages, a $10.4-million beach restoration project is planned for the former El Morro mobile-home park, which will include a 60-space campground, restroom facilities and plenty of parking spots. In May, the El Morro Village Inc. and community association agreed to pay a $60,000 settlement to the state involving trash and vandalism, the final obstacle to the building of the public campground.

9 Newport Beach City Hall

The seemingly simple decision of where Newport Beach would build a new city hall — the existing Balboa Peninsula site or elsewhere — became a continuing saga as council members found a new reason to delay every time they took up the topic in 2006.

Way back in 2005, the council was planning to move ahead with rebuilding at the current site, but some residents questioned the expense and why other sites hadn’t been explored. So in 2006, the council did as government officials often do and formed a committee. Early in the year the group studied 22 possible sites and by April whittled the list to two: the peninsula site and one in Newport Center owned by the Irvine Co.

But the Irvine Co. wouldn’t deal, and the council appeared to be forced to stick with the old site. Enter Bill Ficker, a well-respected local architect who in June proposed selling the peninsula site and building a new city hall on land next to the central library on Avocado Avenue.

Park boosters roared because the land in question had long been promised as a park and they’d already secured a donation to pay for it.

With an election looming, the council opted in July not to consider the park site and to instead look for other sites in Newport Center. That led to the most recent controversial possibility, the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club on East Coast Highway. The council requested an appraisal in October and is now awaiting the results.

10 Newport-Mesa school district’s new superintendent, board members and bond issue

With a new superintendent and three new trustees in office, the district saw its biggest turnover at the top in recent memory.

In July, following a nationwide search, former Beverly Hills Unified leader Jeffrey Hubbard replaced Robert Barbot as Newport-Mesa’s superintendent.

Five months after Hubbard stepped in, the district saw another sweeping change, as three new members joined the school board — the highest total since 1994.