The Tustin News from Tustin, California • Page 1

cWrles Cven. 18671, 3a'Hgurf Ajre. Tustin and Foothill Drop Out of Playoffs See Page A-6 Local Schools Headed for Next OCAD Round See Page A-5 Casa Teresa Guild Sets Christmas Brunch See Page B-4 SIXTY-FIVE YEARS WORKING FOR TUSTIN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1986 VOLUME 65, NO. 1 J'" 1 School Consolidates November Elections to Save Money, Increase Voter Turnout at the Polls have an election in November, 1988. "I urge you to vote no even though it should be done eventually," she said.

Shirley Deaton, an administrator with the registrar of voters, said she did not know how the district could save $25,000. It cost the district $21,000 to have an election in 1985, she said, and the district can expect to pay $7,000 in 198. See ELECTIONS, Page A-2 ber, 1989, but are now extended to 1990. The consolidation is subject to final approval by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, according to Terry Bustillos, an administrator with the Orange County Department of Education. Mary Bryant, noting that she called the registrar of voters, said the $25,000 was not a true savings and asked what it will cost the district to Board President zz 1 i r- i 1 I IBoard them.

Trustee Gloria Tuchman predicted a 3-2 vote in favor of the change before the start of the meeting. The move will extend by one year the terms of office of board president Chris Layton, vice-president Barbara Benson and trustee Joyce Hanson, whose terms normally expire next November, as well as those of Bauer and Tuchman. Their terms ordinarily would expire in Novem Layton Is Reorganization of the Tustin Unified School District board of trustees took place expediently Monday, with Chris Layton elected president by a unanimous vote. Barbara Benson was unanimously elected vice-president and secretary. The election occurred at the outset of the 7:30 p.m.

meeting, and past president Joyce Hanson presided until Layton was elected. I I J- then. She last served as president in 1983. Layton had no comment regarding his newly acquired post. Benson commended Hanson on her term as president, saying, "She did a tremendous job in trying circumstances." "It has been a good year," Hanson said.

"Some significant, positive things have happened. I think we are See SCHOOL BOARD, Page A-2 rff.v,.....,..v,.j 11.1 5 ENERGETIC Donny Fife, 13, was described by Rev. Robert Pietsch as Energy" at a memorial service held for the youth Monday. He is shown here after he won second place in a motorcross competition. Donny was struck and killed by a car Nov.

24. Friends, Family Weep for Youth In an action opposed by the local teachers union, Tustin Unified School District board of trustees narrowly voted Monday to consolidate its elections to increase voter participation and cut costs. The board voted 3-2 to combine its elections with the November general election in even number years, thus becoming the first Orange County school board to take advantage of newly-signed legislation allowing such a change. Trustees Jane Bauer and Gloria Tuchman dissented, saying the board acted too hastily. The board acted despite claims that the $25,000 announced as the biannual savings to the district were inaccurate.

A Tustin city councilman said the board had a duty to consolidate. George Korich, president of the Tustin Educators Association and John Brown, a teacher advocate, said the vote came as no surprise to City Facing New 'Crisis' in Insurance City Council, on the verge of losing its liability insurance coverage, is studying a plan to join with other Orange County municipalities to form a pool to protect each other. Council members gave the proposal a tepid reception at a special workshop session Monday, putting a final decision over to their Dec. 15 meeting. Finance Director Ron Nault, who serves on the board of directors of the Orange County Cities Risk Management Association (OC-CRMA), told the council Planet Insurance Co.

notified Tustin Monday it will not renew the city's liability insurance. Tustin paid $320,000 in premiums last year for protection up to $5 million. Planet Insurance is dumping six of the 11 OCCRMA member cities from its coverage, including Tustin. "We're in an insurance crisis," Nault told the council, which met VA hours in a City Hall conference room See INSURANCE, Page A-z Meeting By JOHN ORR North Tustin officials are hoping for a large turnout tonight at a special meeting to decide the area's future political status. Patricia Seman, chairman of the North Tustin Municipal Advisory Council (NTMAC), said a notice of the special session was mailed to 10,000 households last week, alerting the public to the crucial decisions at stake.

The public, meeting at Foothill High School cafeteria tonight, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m., will be polled to determine support for keeping the unincorporated North Tustin area under the jurisdiction of the county Board of Supervisors, or whether the community should annex to the city of Tustin or perhaps become a new city Layton, who served as vice-president and secretary the past two years, was nominated for the presidential post by Benson and seconded by trustee Jane Bauer. Acting as president, Layton seconded the nomination of Benson, who was nominated by Hanson. Benson, a school board member since 1972 when the district became unified, was a member of the elementary school board before TV Fate of N. members from the NTMAC, Foothill Communities Association and the public at large, looked at annexing to Tustin, incorporating into a city or remaining status quo.

By joining the city of Tustin, officials reason, the greater Tustin area could comprise a single city of some 60,000 people united by common interest. Cityhood would increase the recognition of North Tustin and localize government, officials said. Each fireman bikes and invite toys by topping at the Irvine contributed $10 to purchase the the public to donate cash and by the "toy barrel," located Boulevard station. NEWS Photo by John Haug SOME SANTAS! Firefighters from Orange County Fire Department Station 21 in Tustin display 15 of the nearly 200 bicycles they will donate to foster children during the holiday season as part of "Operation Santa Claus." by PAUL HUGHES Donny Fife liked At age 13, he was beginning to like girls, according to Rev. Robert Pietsch.

But a youthful life was snuffed out in a tragic accident, and some 200 mourners filled Trinity United Presbyterian Church Monday to pay their last respects to the Hewes Intermediate School to Decide student. Many of the grieving friends wore school clothes as once again, friends, family and teachers filed into the church to pay respects to another fallen student. For the second time in a month a student from the Tustin school was hit by an automobile and kill-See TRAGEDY, Page A-2 1 MOSES Tustin Remaining under county jurisdic tion would prevent the area from falling under the power of Tustin City Council which is perceived as more supportive of development than the NTMAC but would do little to increase the area's power base. Seman said the NTMAC is prepared to follow through with the direction indicated by the public tonight. Any final determination of status will come in an election.

See ANNEXATION, Page A-2 CONSOLED Donald L. Fife is consoled by a family friend at a memorial service for his son, Donny, Monday. Donny died Nov. 24 after he was struck by an automobile while retrieving his skateboard. NEWS Photo by John Haug Police Chase Cyclist, Nab Burglary Suspect itself.

The poll is planned after presentations by an ad hoc committee looking into the issue, Mayor Don Salta-relli and officials of the county and recently-incorporated Villa Park. The aim is to increase the political power of the area. Residents were alarmed last spring by a proposal to extend the Garden Grove (SR-22) Freeway through their affluent residential community. Officials indicated cities such as Orange and Irvine have more clout in transportation and development issues than either Tustin or the unincorporated area. NTMAC formed an ad hoc committee to look at options for increasing the area's voice in regional development issues.

The group, with away quickly. Ellett, thinking the action suspicious, pursued the motorcycle. The motorcyclist led Ellett on a chase down Street to Westbury, to Prospect and into the parking lot at Columbus Tustin Park where he rode in circles before heading down Prospect again. The suspect fled west on 17th Street into Santa Ana with Ellett following with lights glaring and siren wailing. The cyclist cut down Grand Avenue to the Santa Ana Freeway.

By now Ellett had radioed his situation. Irvine Police were waiting for the suspect when he tried to exit the freeway at Culver. The Irvine officers nearly had him but the motorcyclist managed to get back onto the freeway heading south. Now the California Highway Patrol joined in as well as the helicopter of the Huntington Beach See CHASE, Page A-2 Tustin Turn- Ups Tustin Mayor Tells Council's Position With tonight's public meeting in Fw thill High School cafeteria dedicated by the North Tustin Municipal Advisory Council to choices of annexation, incorporation or a continuing county government, the News invited Tustin Mayor Don Saltarelli to air his views on the above. He replied in the following statement printed verbatim For several months now a major controversy has raged about the political future of the North Tustin area (County Service area no.

5). I am concerned that the facts of the maUer may be getting hidden behind the points of view of people representing various positions. I wish to clarify the existing city position relative to annexation to the city of Tustin and comment on the other options. The City Council has voted, by a majority vote, to welcome the unincorporated area to annex, provided that it could be done over a period of time that is long enough to allow the city to properly gear up to provide the necessary services. The leaders of the Municipal Advisory Council have continually pushed for immediate annexation of the entire area if the residents select that option.

The city has stated that we can assimilate the area over a period of 1V2 to 2 V2 years by doing three or more major annexations or a series of smaller ones. If the people want to annex, then this policy should be accepted by the MAC and by city residents wary of the financial and political ramifications of the program. After nearly 15 years on the Tustin City Council and 12 years on the Local Agency Formation Commission of Orange County, which rules on annexations and incorporations, I think I can speak with some authority about this issue. If county residents choose to keep the status quo, they will not gain any more political power which is greatly lacking now, and will have their costs go up when the County passes the assessments they need to pay for the services. Incorporation would not stand a chance at all unless the people are See SALTARELLI, Page A-2 A wild police chase resulted in the capture of a burglary suspect Thanksgiving Day after a Tustin police officer on patrol noticed a man acting suspiciously Friday.

Booked at Orange County Jail on suspicion of burglary was Andrew David Morgan, 18, of Laguna Hills. Police are asking the District Attorney's office to file additional charges of evading a police officer and reckless driving. The chase began in Tustin, traveled south on the Santa Ana (1-5) Freeway at speeds up to 90 mph, and ended with the Tustin officer chasing the suspect down on foot. The incident began at 10:06 a.m. when Officer Edwin Ellett, on routine patrol, saw a man inside a white van parked on Yorba Street between Street and Irvine Boulevard.

The suspect, seeing the officer, jumped from the van to a nearby 1980 Yamaha motorcycle and drove BY BILL Tustin Chamber's annual Christmas party will be held Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 5:30 p.m. in Chamber offices in conjunction with McCharles House which is providing goodies from the restaurant. Tustin Historical Society will display simultaneously the newly refurbished museum quarters which are adjoining the Chamber office. She was formerly Madame Mayor but now she's a new Portia.

Yes, Ursula Kennedy, our now veteran city council woman, received news last Friday that she passed the state bar. Her spouse, Wiley and the whole family started walking on Cloud 9 with Ursula. Not only was Ursula in Dreams-ville but the Kennedy's daughter, Kathleen, became engaged about the same time. How sweet it is! But with isuch good news, we've heard some sorrowful notes on other scenes. Maxine, wiidow of the late Eugene E.

(Jake) Jacobson, a mover and shaker locally at Tustin Chamber and civic levels in the late Fifties and early Sixties, passed on suddenly Nov. 17 in Milwaukie, Ore. She leaves her daughter, Karen Armstrong of Newport and son, Lance of Carmel, plus two sisters and a brother in Oregon. Jake Jacobson, a builder-developer, produced some tracts in Tustin, was a former Man of the Year, built Tustin Square, Tustin Water Works building and the Tustin News building. He passed in 1963, was memorialized in Jacobson Memorial by Tustin City Council.

See TURN-UPS, Page A-2.