Were you good this year, Newport-Mesa?

TONY DODERO

So while Santa is making his list and checking it twice, I thought

I’d come up with my own for those naughty and nice.

If I could be Santa just for one day, here are some of the gifts

that I’d hand out, if I had a sleigh. And no, I’m not going to keep

this rhyme going.

First of all, for Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols, who

famously told our reporter that he opposed the extension of grassy

areas at Corona del Mar State Beach because of all the “Mexicans”

that go there, I’d leave a ticket to the Museum of Tolerance in Los

Angeles, and I’d encourage him to actually go speak to those folks

sitting on the grass and find out why they like to hang out there.

For the Costa Mesa City Council, an answer to the Westside woes

and the desires of the improvers to make this city a better place to

live.

For Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway, I wish peace with

Greenlight, unlike his term before; and for the Greenlight folks, I

wish peace with the council and the realization that they’ve done

their job and Newport Beach is and will always remain one of the best

places to live in the country.

For Costa Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan, I wish a steady hand at the

gavel and patience during an election year that is sure to bring much

rancor aimed at the council dais.

For Newport-Mesa, I wish a great turnout in next year’s elections

and good candidates to vote for.

For Newport-Mesa Unified Supt. Robert Barbot, I wish a year full

of problem-free school construction, far fewer rodents to deal with

at Corona del Mar High and best of all, the continuation of rising

API scores districtwide.

For Orange Coast College, I wish a big pot of money from Gov.

Arnold Schwarzenegger to pay for all the extra classes that are

needed for the large amounts of students it attracts each year.

For Coach Craig Fertig and his Estancia Mustang football team, I

wish a CIF championship for next season. Heck, while we are at it, I

wish a championship for all of the Newport-Mesa athletes.

For Coach Pat Douglass and his UCI Anteaters, I wish a Big West

Championship and a first ever invite to the NCAA tournament in March.

For my “Los Angeles” Rams, I wish them a Super Bowl rematch

victory of the New England Patriots.

For police chiefs Bob McDonell and John Hensley, fewer crimes to

solve, and for fire chiefs Tim Riley and Jim Ellis, fewer fires to

put out and more lives saved.

For all the merchants, restaurateurs at South Coast Plaza and

Fashion Island, Balboa Peninsula, Downtown Costa Mesa, Corona del

Mar, Mariner’s Mile and all the great shopping and dining spots in

Newport-Mesa, I wish more customers to please and more rings of the

cash register.

For St. Joachim Church, a pastor to lead the flock, whether it be

Father Joe Robillard or Father Jerome Karcher or someone else.

For Mel Thoman and his band of Wedge riders, more and bigger waves

to ride. Ditto for all the surfers at the River Jetties, Blackies and

more.

For Davey’s Locker, Newport Landing, and the Balboa and Newport

piers, here’s to limits for all the anglers.

For Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, I wish red-light cameras at

every intersection because red-light accidents are probably the

single most avoidable carnage on our nation’s streets, if people

would just stop at the red light as they should.

For Newport Beach, I wish a new airport to run and a Harbor Patrol

and a landfill and the west end of Santa Ana Heights.

For Santa Ana Heights, I wish bags to clean up after their horses.

For the Orange County Fair, I wish success and no accidents during

the 2004 event.

For my boss, Publisher Tom Johnson, and all the writers and

editors and sales and support people of the Daily Pilot, I wish the

same for the entire year.

For longtime advertising director Judy Oetting, I wish a special

year of good health and good family and friends.

For all my friends and my family, I wish the joy of the holiday

season.

And finally and most of all, for all the readers and advertisers

of the Daily Pilot, I wish continued success and happy reading

throughout the year. Without you and your support, we could not be

the newspaper we are today.

Happy holidays.

*

While we’re in the holiday spirit, I wanted to take a moment and

congratulate the guys at my barbershop, Miller Barber Family Barber

Shop, over on 111 Broadway in Costa Mesa, across the street from

Triangle Square.

I walked in the other day to find the cover of the Daily Pilot

Sports section taped to the front window of the shop.

It turns out shop owner Mark Miller’s 11-year-old son Dylan was on

the Costa Mesa Pop Warner’s Jr. Pee Wee Black Mustangs football team

that went 13-0 this season, capping it off with a win against the

Nankuli Hawks from Hawaii in Las Vegas last weekend for the

championship.

Combined with practice games and the championship game, Miller

says his son’s team went 19-0.

“We’re so proud of him and the team,” said Miller, who thanked all

his customers and the coaches for the support they offered the team.

If you haven’t had a chance, pop in and visit Mark (a Costa Mesa

local from years back) and the barber who cuts my hair, Louie

Percaccio, to say hello.

And congratulations to Mark and his son’s team, and happy holidays

to them all.