The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 247

VENTURA COUNTY CIRCULATION: 1,058,498 DAILY 1,457,583 SUNDAY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1995 COPYRIGHT 1995THETIMES MIRROR COMPANY VCCCt 160 PAGES DAILY 254; DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER VENTURA NEWSWATCH 4 Officials Accused by Grand Jury in O.C. Bankruptcy I Finance: Two supervisors and county auditor face civil charges. Former budget director is indicted on criminal counts, which could lead to nine years in prison. i i is By MATT LA IT, times staff writer SANTA ANA Concluding its probe into the nation's worst municipal bankruptcy, the Orange County Grand Jury accused two county supervisors and the auditor-controller of official misconduct and indicted on criminal charges. STEVE OSM AN Loa AngeletTimei Maintenance Services Manager John C.

Betonte left, and Public Works Director Ron Calkins. Ventura City Manager Donna Landeros inspects storm damage at the end of the Ventura Pier with Historic Ventura Pier Takes Another Battering Storm: Waves destroy 420 feet of landmark. Damage is estimated at $1.5 million. High seas and debris close beach. the county former budget director The civil accusations against Board of Supervisors Chairman Roger R.

Stanton, Supervisor William G. Steiner and Auditor-Controller Steven E. Lewis could lead to their removal from office, and complete a sweep of the top elected officials who presided over the county's loss of $1.64 billion. Those losses forced the county into bankruptcy Dec. 6 last year.

Former county Budget Director Ronald Rubino was indicted on two felony counts of aiding and abetting then-Treasurer Robert L. Citron's skimming of more than $60 million from the accounts of other pool investors to satisfy the county's appetite for funds. Rubino, who surrendered to authorities Wednesday, could face nine years in prison if convicted. Citron already has pleaded guilty to six felonies involving fraud and misappropriation of public money and faces a maximum possible sentence of 14 years in prison and $10 million in fines when he is sentenced later this month. Citron's top assistant, Matthew R.

Raabe, has pleaded not guilty to the same charges that were brought against his boss, and has yet to go on trial. None of those charged with misappropriating public funds is suspected of profiting personally from the alleged crimes. The grand jury's actions against Stanton, Steiner and Lewis in- volved the alleged "willful misconduct" of failing to oversee and keep a check on Citron's operations. Please see JURY, AM Trash Truck Supervisor in a Limbo of Despair ByJODI WILGOREN and ERIC LICHTBLAU TIMES writers He has spent the week since the accident sedated on Prozac, pass- ing the days watching mindless TV and getting beaten at chess by his 6-year-old grandson. Banished from his job as a city maintenance supervisor since a malfunctioning trash truck from his yard rammed into a school bus, killing two third-graders, Dave Wear sits in his comfortable Can- MECHANICAL PROBLEMS Officials confirm a similar truck malfunction in August.

A25 yon Country home, surrounded by handmade Christmas decorations. But every time he closes his eyes, all he can see is that crippled school bus. "I just want to stop calling myself a murderer," Wear, 55, said in an interview with The Times, his first public comment since the tragedy. "I just have that feeling when Please see DESPAIR, A36 accustomed to victory during his 31-year career in the state Assem-; bly, this week's triumph seemed especially sweet. It was his first hard-fought race in years, and his exhaustive campaign travels reac-quainted him with neighborhoods he rarely visited during his tenure in Sacramento.

The stakes were high as well: Had Brown lost, his future was uncertain because term limits compel him to surrender his Assembly seat next year. Brown plans to resign from the seat by midnight today, clearing the way for San Franciscans to pick his successor in a special election March 26. As news of his win spread Wednesday, congratulatory mes-Please see BROWN, A20 Hopes Build for Compromise on Balanced Budget By JANET HOOK and JONATHAN PETERSON TIMES STAFF WRITERS WASHINGTON In an abrupt switch, congressional Republicans and White House officials have agreed to step up the intensity of their budget negotiations in the hope that a sweeping compromise can be reached soon, GOP leaders announced late Wednesday. Negotiators are "very hopeful that we will make substantial progress toward a balanced budget," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete V. Domenici after a day of closed-door meetings and telephone calls involving all parties in the stubborn conflict.

At the White House, spokesman Barry Toiv said: "We expect serious negotiations on Friday. This is what the president has wanted." "It's now clear that the White House is prepared to be serious in these discussions," said an aide to House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The possibility of a thaw in the chilly impasse over balancing the budget in seven years came as the White House Office of Management and Budget prepared to furlough 280,000 federal workers should Congress and the Administration fail to agree on a short-term spending plan by Friday. Republicans did not say how the stepped-up negotiations would affect the prospects of avoiding furloughs. Congressional leaders said late Wednesday that the new round of budget talks would run all day Friday and continue through the weekend and into early next week, a dramatic contrast to the on-again, off-again pace of talks so far.

The sense that budget talks were entering a more promising stage emerged during a meeting that included Domenici, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole White House Chief of Staff Leon E. Panetta and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle Republicans declined to give de-Pleaw see BUDGET, A19 By MIGUEL BUST1LLO and TRACY WILSON TIMES STAFF WRITERS VENTURA A winter rainstorm pounded Ventura County with 18-foot surf early Wednesday, destroying 420 feet of the landmark Ventura Pier the longest wooden pier in California and scattering its large wooden pilings along the coastline. The high seas and debris forced a tall ship to seek emergency mooring, led to the closure of San Buenaventura State Beach and resulted in a desperate late-night search for a missing surfer who made it to shore 10 hours later. The storm also contributed to several traffic accidents. The 123-year-old Ventura Pier, renovated in 1993 for $3.5 million, had just reopened this spring after a $500,000 reconstruction caused by last January's storms.

City officials estimated Wednesday's damage would cost more than $1.5 RELATED STORIES: Bl million to repair. Despite the recent history of expensive repairs, Ventura leaders said Wednesday that the pier, one of the city's top tourist attractions, will be rebuilt. "It is such a valuable asset to this city," Ventura Mayor Jack Tings-trom said. "We will just have to find a stronger way to build it." While engineers and Ventura officials were inspecting the damage Wednesday, a surfer who ignored weather warnings risked getting pulverized beneath the pier, and large wooden pilings that had washed ashore slammed into a city worker as he tried to pull them out of the water. The surfer paddled to safety at the last moment, and the city worker, Byron Moline, suffered minor injuries and was released Wednesday afternoon from Community Memorial Hospital.

Shredded wood jutted out at the spot where the pier's end was Brown Savors Prospect of New Career as a Mayor Politics: Ex-speaker wins 57 of the votes. He says he hopes San Francisco adopts his upbeat attitude and FELIZ NAVIDAD: Looking lo break from American Christmas fare? Try taking in1 one of the candlelight processions called posadas, yuletide celebrations popular in Mexico (F1A). Beginning Saturday, townsfolk will reenact the story of Mary and Joseph's search for shelter before the birth of Jesus. Several free or low -cost events are scheduled around the county, including one at the San Buenaventura Mission. "We're trying to rebuild a custom that has not been practiced in some time," said Father Joseph D.

Pin'a. LATIN ROCK: It was nearly 25 years ago that Tierra, Malo and El Chicano first laid down their hybrid sound a blend of smooth vocal harmonies and Latin rhythms. The Chicano rock masters will bring that sound Saturday to the Ventura Theatre (F1A). Their music evolved in the late '60s and early 70s out of the Chicano consciousness-- raising movement. "It definitely strikes a chord," said Francisco Dominguez, head of El Concilio del Con-dado de Ventura.

"It was very much a part of the social justice movement." PUSHING THE LIMIT: If the weather cooperates, transportation workers will boost the speed limit 'Sunday on four Ventura County roadways. Signs will change to 65 mph on the Ventura Freeway, from L.A. to Ventura; the Moorpark Freeway; California 33, from the Ventura Freeway to Casitas Vista Road; and California. 126, from the Ventura Freeway to Hallock Drive. However, rain could prevent the new limits from being posted Sunday.

If so, 55 mph will still rul he road. "Motorists must be awarei" said Margie Tiritilli, Cal-traifc spokeswoman. "They must drive the posted limit." TONIGHT: Winter Concert, 7, Ventura High, 2155 E. Main Info: 641-5022, Ext. 432.

More events, B13 WEATHER: Afternoon clearing with highs mainly in the 60s. B15 Fred Alvarez The Top of Today' Newt Is on A2 COLUMN ONE A Magical The ride down to the ocean's floor is not for claustrophobics. But a trip in the Alvin is worth the rare chance to see an eerie world of scientific and natural wonders. By TOM GORMAN 'TIMES STAFF WRITER ABOARD THE DSV ALVIN The 6Vfc-foot spherical titanium capsule is cramped and growing cold, communications with the mother ship are distorted, and the hostile outside environment is shrouded in blackness as we descend to a surface all but A 1 ripped away, and loose pilings swung over the waves from a collapsed 40-foot section. At least 22 horizontal support beams and 150 pilings were washed away, city officials said.

About half a mile down the beach, clumps of broken pilings and beams littered the sand like enormous stacks of firewood. In at least two places, whole sections of the pier had washed ashore. "The majority of those pilings had been supporting the pier for over 120 years," said Ventura spokeswoman Debbie Solomon. An $80,000 copper sculpture called "Wavespout" that had stood at the pier's end washed ashore in two pieces amid a pile of rubble. City officials rescued it from the debris and plan to place it back on the pier after repairs.

Please see STORM, A3 Congress Rejects Effort to Deny Bosnia Funding By ELIZABETH SHOGREN TIMES STAFF WRITER WASHINGTON Congress turned back efforts Wednesday to abort American participation in the Bosnia peacekeeping mission, and the Senate, in a surprisingly broad show of support, gave grudging approval for the deployment of 20,000 U.S. troops. At the end of a day of emotional and at times bitterly partisan debate, President Clinton and lawmakers reached a hard compromise: Lawmakers would not stand in the way of his commitment to send troops to the allied peacekeeping mission, and in the Senate at least they would even express support for the mission because the president had already Please see BOSNIA, A12 6,000 feet below the ocean's surface. They are participating in what, for most, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to dive in the Deep Submergence Vehicle Alvin to study an ancient deep-sea volcano in the Pacific. An hour after plunging into blackness, we turn on floodlights to expose a surreal tableau of sand and lava.

It is disrupted by an occasional shock of soft, orange coral, scrambling shrimp and bulbous-headed fish. For two weeks, our base camp is Atlantis II, a 210-foot research vessel run by the Woods Hole, Oceanographic Institution. Capable of staying out for Please tee ALVIN, A30 By JENIFER WARREN and DAN MORAIN TIMES STAFF WRITERS SAN FRANCISCO-Willie Lewis Brown who fled a dusty Texas town to become one of the most powerful politicians in California history, savored a new career peak Wednesday as he was crowned the runaway winner in the race for mayor of this most liberal of cities. With the ballots all counted, results showed Brown capturing City Hall with a whopping 57 of the vote, besting an incumbent-Frank Jordan who came to be viewed as well-intentioned but ill-equipped for the job. Although Brown has become Journey to the Deep All-Ventura Football Team Chris Czernek of Newbury Park High is featured on The Times' 1995 All-Ventura County football team.

The junior quarterback set a state passing record, throwing for 4,362 yards this season. Czernek earned unknown to humans. Exterior lights illuminate a field of flattened, rough-hewn boulders and slate-gray rocks, nestled in a bed of sand. Some sort of life form, appearing as a translucent, sausage-shaped slug, seems unbothered by our arrival. We are hovering in an area that has never seen sunshine where exposure to the crushing pressure would bring instant death so that we might better understand how this planet was formed.

We are at the bottom of the ocean. And this will be one hell of a geological field trip for 16 scientists, technicians and student researchers who, two by two, will be making similar trips to player-of-the-year honors. Other award winners include Hueneme's Ronney Jenkins, who rushed for a national-record 619 yards in a game against Rio Mesa and earned back of the year, and Brant Diediker of Newbury Park, the lineman of the year. Newbury Park's George Hurley earned coach-of-the-year honors. Page C9.