The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 112

B4 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1998 LOS ANGELES TIMES ORANGE COUNTY HI Some Want More Aggressive Plan to Purify Waste Water Utilities: Comments at hearing are positive on proposed $40Omillion Groundwater Replenishment System. Daily excerpts of crime and emergency reports from the 31 cities and other communities in Orange County. Some agencies update their logs less frequently than others. COASTER: Knott's Opens GhostRider Continued from Bl Members Only jacket, his hair uncombed, Vaughn took the morning seriously, making friends with the like-minded. "I love riding them," he said of coasters.

"I plan to scream some." Steven Punt, 27, of Huntington Beach didn't wait to be asked his opinion. Getting off the ride, Punt snouted. "This is the best wooden roller coaster in the West," he said, mimicking the park's own slogan. The "wooden" modifier is significant for coaster aficionados. Steel coasters can flip you over and loop the loop.

The best wooden coasters give you the sensation of being out of control, about to fly out of your seat. That's why they call it thrill-seeking. GhostRider is one of 34 new coasters to open this year, the biggest boom since the Great Depression, according to Ruben, who said several dozen new coasters are scheduled to debut next year. He calls it "a roller coaster renaissance." Those in the theme park business say the addition of new rides comes down to keeping up attendance. In the face of ever more compe tition, nearly everyone is looking for an edge.

Last year, more than 290 million people visited theme parks in the United States, spending about $17 billion. Knott's Berry Farm is in the middle of a $35-mil-lion renovation, the showpiece of which is GhostRider. Richard Kinzel, the CEO and president of Cedar Fair, a Ohio-based company that bought Knott's for $245 million in cash and stock a year ago, said he briefly considered dropping the multimillion-dollar coaster because of the cost involved. "I'm glad we didn't," he said, with the looming wood structure in the background. One reason for his change of heart was the impending opening of Disney's California Adventure, project scheduled tcj open in nearby Anaheim in 2001.

Kinzel and others at Knott's! hope the mammoth GhostRiderJ which crosses over Grand Avenue, shaking cars below and rattling passersby with the shrieks and screams of riders, keeps people coming back again and again. The first to board the ride that draws on the mystique of the Old West were restrained. The dignitaries in suits and ties sat with their hands folded and their screams muted. It wasn't until the general public climbed aboard that ap-j plause and whoops filled the air. Thrills being sought seemed tc be found.

As one little girl said: want to go again. I want to go again." major complaints about the project, which means that it is likely to win approval in the spring. "We're trying to get negative input, but we can't seem to get it," Pickler said. The proposed $400-million Groundwater Replenishment System would treat about 40 of the waste water from homes in north and central Orange County and make it clean enough for eventual household use. The purified water would be pumped into the groundwater basin and eventually sent into homes in an area west of a line drawn from Yorba Linda to western Irvine.

Officials of the county water district and the Orange County Sanitation District are proposing the project, saying it would be the largest of its kind in the world and could lead to much wider use of treated waste water, as well as cheaper desaliniza-tion of ocean water. They say the project is needed because the north and central county population, now 2 million, is expected to grow by about 800,000 in the next 20 years. Without the project, the 50 billion additional gallons a year required would have to be imported from the Colorado River and Northern California. Officials say the project would not raise rates because of savings in energy and water acquisition phone, the caller hangs up. If the night supervisor answers, the caller keeps the line open but says nothing.

LOS ALAMITOS Lot Alamltot Boulevard: Report that a mountain bicycle was stolen at 4 p.m. Dec. 2. MISSION VIEJO Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt Kim Markuson, police services chief for Mission Vlejo, at (949) 470-3065, or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org.

NEWPORT BEACH Bayslde Drive: Collectible Christmas ornaments and decorative plates worth $10,000 were stolen from a home in the 1400 block In a grand theft reported at 10:37 a.m. Dec. 2. ORANGE City Boulevard West: A motohst was arrested for misdemeanor drunk driving at 12:31 a.m. Saturday.

PLACENTIA South Jefferson Street: A hit-and-run involving a tractor-trailer and two parked cars was reported at 10:22 a.m. Monday. Police were unable to locate the offender. SAN CLEMENTE Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt.

Fred Usantl, police services chief for San Clemente, at (949) 361-8230 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt. Bill Leonard, police services chief for San Juan Caplstrano, at (949) 443-6371 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. SANTA ANA West Wamer Avenue: Someone stole a surveillance camera worth 100 from a bank in the 3400 block at 5 p.m.

Dec. 2. SEAL BEACH Driftwood Avenue: The front door of a home was pried open and a dog was missing at 9: 14 p.m. Saturday. STANTON Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable.

For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Capt. Bob Eason, police services chief for Stanton, at (714) 373-8835 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. TUSTIN El Camlno Real: Two subjects were involved In a bar fight in the 300 block at 4:45 p.m. Sunday. VILLA PARK Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable.

For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Capt. Pete Gannon, police services chief for Villa Park, at (714) 647-1851 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. WESTMINSTER Bannock Road: Some gum, bottle caps and a gas card were reported stolen from a car parked in the 6000 block at 8:24 a.m. Friday. YORBA LINDA Yorba Linda Boulevard: Report of a traffic accident in the 21500 block at 7:56 p.m.

Friday. DON By HARRISON SHEPPARD SPECIAL TO THE TIMES A proposal to purify waste water and recycle it as tap water for homes drew positive response at a public hearing Tuesday. "Our analysis shows this is probably the most innovative project to come forth in Orange County in a long time as far as water is concerned," said Tony Aguilar of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County. He was one of a dozen speakers at the hearing, which drew about 50 people to the Fountain Valley headquarters of the Orange County Water District. Some even suggested that the project might not go far enough in reclaiming water.

And the only real challenge was a question about whether laying the pipeline might interfere with the operations of a golf course in Santa Ana. Don Schulz of the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental group, said the project would be good and suggested a more "aggressive" alternative. "We would like to see eventually a goal that most or all of the water is recycled," he said. Irv Pickler, board member of the water district and chairman of the committee that held the hearing, said the panel has yet to hear any RETREATS Continued from Bl Aradi bought the property, with its 705-home entitlement, four years ago. In the company agreed to reduce the number and type of homes to be built, but Trabuco Canyon activists protested that the smaller plan would ruin the pristine area.

For the past year, Connor and benefactors for St. Michael's Abbey have attempted to reach an agreement with Aradi representatives to buy most of the property to preserve as wilderness while allowing construction of about 130 homes on 44 acres. Recently in IRS Tax Deductible Free Towing LA. Homeless Project "Reaching out to Homelets Men" rPENTIUMll Ml! CELERON $875 for Home and Busme rasp nan i i i ROOTEN ENTERPRISES mo days ONLY FRIDAY DECEMBER 11TH 3pm-7pm v- SATURDAY 'CafP0r QgaCl Ra-y December HTH 869 West 1 3th Street 949-650-9464 I 10am 3pm jaajor Crow Street Placentia ANAHEIM South Anaheim Boulevard: A report of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 1400 block at 12:06 p.m. Dec.

2. BREA Brea Mall: Report of a computer hard drive, a couple of speakers and a stereo stolen from a car parked in the mall lot at 1 1 10 p.m. Friday. BUENA PARK Hazelnut Street: Report of a purse stolen from an unlocked car in a garage in the 8500 block at 8:33 a.m. Saturday.

COSTA MESA Falrvlow Road: A stereo system was stolen from a 1992 Honda Accord parked at a college In the 2700 block the night of Dec. 2. CYPRESS Ball Road: Report of tires and rims stolen in the 5500 block at 8:55 a.m. Dec. 2.

DANA POINT Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt. Paul Ratchford, police services chief for Dana Point, at (949) 248-3550 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at FOUNTAIN VALLEY Sparkleberry Street: A cast-iron table and love seat were stolen from a porch in the 17100 block Thursday. The items were heavy and required a truck to be removed, according to the victim. FULLERTON Madison Avenue: Report of an auto burglary in the 2800 block at 10:09 a.m.

Dec. 2. GARDEN GROVE Bayport Street: Fire authorities found a disabled woman lying on the floor of her apartment In the 12092 block at 7:50 p.m. Thursday. She had apparently suffered a stroke the night before and could not respond to knocks at her door.

She was taken to Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center for observation. HUNTINGTON BEACH Lexington Avenue: A school in the 19000 block reported that gang members sprayed graffiti on buildings and benches at 8 a.m. Thursday. IRVINE Culver Drive: A minor was cited for possession of a tobacco product in the 14400 block at Heritage Plaza and then released at 1 1:48 a.m. Dec.

2. LAGUNA BEACH Broadway Place: Report of someone trying to steal a vending machine in an underground parking structure in the 500 block at 6: 1 4 p.m. Dec. 2. LAGUNA HILLS Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable.

For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt. Rex Hatch, police services chief for Laguna Hills, at (949) 707-2645 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. LAGUNA NIOUEL Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt. Joe Davis, police services chief for Laguna Nlguel, at (949) 362-4343 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org.

LA HABRA Gwynwood Avenue: A residential burglary was reported in the 500 block at 7:32 a.m. Dec. 2. LAKE FOREST Updated Incident logs for the last week were unavailable. For Information about crime prevention programs In your community, call Lt.

Bob NeSmith, police services chief for Lake Forest, at (949) 707-5583 or visit the Sheriff's Department Web site at http:www.ocsd.org. LA PALMA Walker Street: A business' night supervisor in the 6800 block reported receiving annoying phone calls for the last month at 3:59 p.m. Wednesday. If someone else answers the Simpson Ruling Stands A state appeals court, which last month threw out a judge's decision granting O.J. Simpson full custody of his two children, has denied the former football star's request for another hearing on the matter.

The order by the 4th District Court of Appeal leaves unchanged a judgment that reopened the legal battle between Simpson and his former in-laws, Louis and Juditha Brown. Simpson can appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court. -RICHARD MAROSI Lottery Results SUPER LOTTO Tonight's Jackpot: 1 2 million Time: Sales close at 7:40 p.m. For Tuesday, Dec. 8 FANTASY 5 Winning Numbers: 4-20-32-35-36 DAILY 3 Winning Numbers: 4-0-9 DAILY DERBY Winning Horses: (3) Hot Shot.

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The plan approved Tuesday calls for 8.9 million cubic yards of grading across the entire site. Lobbyist Frank Elfend said Aradi remains willing to continue talks with the abbey about the size of the project, which faces El Toro Road. He said Aradi has spent millions of dollars during the negotiations. 1 .1 SANTA. a ON TIDE ISLAND jrwtv vfjvwr okddrtiA, with Holiday ScLcUIUfi SAVINGS VALUE Discount Prices on Name Brand Luggage, Business Cases Travelware NWrrWr 20 blCMftkir 24.7 OPEN 9-6 1 SAT.

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