deep
Blue Crack Addict
about a local politician making inappropriate remarks.
Well, we have a situation here that won't go away.
Well, we have a situation here that won't go away.
Councilman opposes grass areas on beach
Corona del Mar's Dick Nichols says he doesn't want 'Mexicans' using those areas all day.
June Casagrande
Daily Pilot
June 18, 2003
NEWPORT BEACH ? As City Council members prepare to hear a proposal for improvements at Corona del Mar State Beach, Councilman Dick Nichols on Tuesday said he opposes adding more grassy areas to the beach in part because "Mexicans" dominate these areas.
"With grass we usually get Mexicans coming in there early in the morning and they claim it as theirs and it becomes their personal, private grounds all day," Nichols said in a phone interview.
The comment was just one of many points the councilman made as he explained his opposition to the proposed improvements, but it is the one that most troubled his colleagues.
"This concerns me," Mayor Steve Bromberg said. "I'm very bothered because this is not the way the people of Newport Beach are. The people of Newport Beach are very progressive and it's indeed unfortunate if we have an elected official spewing what might be interpreted as a racial epithet."
John Heffernan, who like Nichols was supported in his council run by the city's controlled-growth Greenlight movement, also said he disapproved of the comment.
"When you're a public official, you can't make comments that are racially toned," Heffernan said. "What you say is taken far differently because you're a public official."
Greenlight officials also quickly distanced themselves from Nichol's comments.
"We are troubled by Dr. Nichol's alleged quote," said Greenlight spokesman Phil Arst. "He was endorsed by Greenlight because of his long record of community service as opposed to that of his principal opponent. Greenlight is committed to a better quality of life in Newport Beach and while we stand behind the reasons for our endorsement of Dr. Nichols as an insightful and hard-working community activist, who has been making a difference in speaking up for the residents, we are sorely disappointed with his comment."
It's the second time that Nichols used the word "Mexican" in a way that raised concerns. At the Oct. 22, 2002 City Council meeting, Nichols referred to a motorist as a Mexican, though he did not know the man, his country of origin or citizenship.
Nichols made the more recent comment while discussing details of the beach improvement plan that will be heard at an upcoming City Council meeting.
In addition to expanded grassy areas, Nichols said he also opposes plans to build added facilities for lifeguards because they will take up more of the sand area than is necessary for public safety.
Fire Chief Tim Riley said that the fire department, which oversees the lifeguards, supports the improved lifeguard facilities because they will allow for a higher level of safety in a beach area that's difficult to serve because the harbor entrance separates Corona del Mar from most of the beach area the city lifeguards patrol.
Better amenities are needed there because of this access issue, he said.