The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 84

log Angeles Barbara Drilling Foes Speak Out RCC PART II TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1975 BY BILL ROOD Times staff Writer SANTA BARBARA A polite, but firm, cross-section of residents turned out Monday to tell a federal hearing panel they firmly oppose proposals for expansion of offshore drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel. Outside the Lobero Theater, where the three-day hearing is being held, a balding, bespectacled realtor set the tone of the opposition as he walked about with a sign reading: "Remember Teapot Dome? Now it's the Offshore Oil Sellout" And inside the 700-seat theater, residents let it be known they remember what happened Jan. 28, 1969, when a blowout beneath Union Oil's Platform A spewed huge quantities of crude oil into the sea that lapped Santa Barbara's cherished beaches. Time has not dimmed the memory of that terrible mess. We were down on the beach helping to carry seabirds coated with crude oil to a washing station to save their lives.

Few survived," said Henry R. Berg, a retired civil engineer who testified for the Coalition Against Oil Pollution. "On that day, myself and many other Santa Barbarans made a vow that never again should octopus oil ever violate and rape our Santa Barbara Channel." An energy crisis and six years after the Santa Barbara Channel blowout, federal officials are talking about tapping new areas of the oil-rich channel and about the possibility of as many as 21 new oil platforms. The very thought of it dumbfounds many in the city. After all, former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, who approved the 1968 sale of channel leases to oil companies, later called the decision a "conservation Bay of Pigs." And one of Udall's successors, Rogers C.

B. Morton, in 1971 suspended operations on 35 of the 70 federal leases in the channel and asked Congress to rescind them. "The Santa Barbara Channel," Morton said at the time, "is the most unique environmental situation on the entire Continental Shelf of the United States." Now, in a 1506-page draft environmental impact statement, the Interior Department is considering posibilities ranging from complete development of existing channel leases to leasing and developing the entire channel. The prospect has brought strong protests from local officials and a number of groups which have formed in opposition to offshore drilling. To the bicentennial strains of rolling drum and trilling fife, offshore drilling foes marched through town Saturday to distribute leaflets urging residents to turn out for this week's hearings on the draft environment impact statement "The American people took action against the Royalists 220 years ago.

Now the people are taking action against the economic royalists who would shove offshore drilling down our throats," said Murray Lewis, an organizer of the march. Attendance at the hearings also has been urged in local newspapers ads featuring drawings of a Santa Barbara SHEER AGONY San Clemente fireman and lifeguard rescue Anthony DiDominic, 18, of Santa Ana from perch on Dana Strand cliff where youth landed after 75-foot fall. He suffered a broken leg. Pholos by John foen Channel choked with oil platforms. And residents have joined with city and county officials in serving on a task force formed to critique the federal environmental impact statement "I have limited staff resources and here we were asked (by federal officials) to review an issue of vital concern to this country in a short time with no.

supplemental staff or money to do it," said Albert F. Reynolds, county environmental quality coordinator. The county Board of Supervisors appealed for assistance from residents in preparing the critique. "We worked jointly with the city. Private individuals, a former petroleum geologist, a' drilling engineer Please Turn to Page 3, Col.

1 2nd Narcotics Investigation Fund Revealed Supervisor Asks Probe Into San Clemente and Laguna Beach Accounts BY CRAIG TURNER Times Staff Writer SANTA ANA Another police narcotics investigation fund raised from negotiated contributions by criminal defendants this time in south Orange County was disclosed Monday, along with reports that police have spent some of the money on equipment, payments to informants and undercover drug purchases. An investigation into the fund was announced late Monday in a statement issued by Supervisor Laurence Schmit The funds are maintained in private bank accounts by the Laguna Beach and San Clemente police departments and were apparently unknown, until Monday, to the mayors of both cities. Schmit's statement attributed his knowledge of the fund to "anonymous sources." and lacked detail, but in an interview, the supervisor said the fund came from contributions negotiated in South Orange County Municipal Court He said the money is used as a "flash roll" by undercover police officers, but he added that he and his staff are investigating possible expenditure of -part of the fund. Schmit declined to elaborate, but from other sources it was learned that Schmit and his staff apparently are looking into the possibility some of the money was used to purchase listening devices for use by police in drug cases. One source said part of the money may have been used to buy a transmitter.

Such devices are hidden on undercover agents during an investigation, permitting officers stationed nearby to monitor the conversation. Capt. Neil Purcell of the Laguna Beach Police Department confirmed the fund's existence. He said it now totals more than $3,000 in Laguna Beach and that about $2,000 has been spent since it was established in 1971. The amount deposited in the San Clemente police account could not be learned Monday.

Although the Laguna Beach police have a transmitter for use in narcotics investigations. Purcell said he is unsure if the court fund was used to purchase it. He said he believes the court fund money was spent on purchases of other equipment, including a tape recorder, leases of undercover cars-payments to informants and undercover narcotics buys. Purcell said he believes similar funds exist elsewhere in the county. Last week it was disclosed that a two-member committee of the Board of Supervisors including Schmit had directed Auditor-Controller V.A.

Hcim to examine a similar narcotics investigation fund totaling more than S19.000 maintained by the Superior Court However, there have been no allegations of expenditures from the Superior Court fund. According to court officials, it is used as a "flash roll" by undercover agents to convince drug dealers under investigation, that there is sufficient cash to complete a transaction. Please Turn to Page 3. Col. 1 RICHARD BUFFUM Partner in Revolution Hank Panian, who- edits the Costa Mesa Bicentennial Ga2ette, has scored an historical scoop.

I'm afraid his enthusiasm overcame his better judgment, because he made the mistake of sending me an advance copy of the Gazette, which contains the information that California get this! was a partner in the American Revolution. I hope that "Scoop" Panian will forgive my scooping him. The news delighted me so much that my natural inclination to let the other fellow through the door first was overcome by the sudden realization that at last we Californians have a perfect right and reason to share in our nation's bicentenary celebration. Panian echoes my sentiments exactly when he points out that states other than the original 13 have run into a psychological barrier when considering projects to celebrate our nation's Bicentennial. That barrier is a realization that the 37 that have joined the Union since 1783 did not participate in the American Revolutioa "Now that nagging thought no longer need apply to California." Panian justifiably crows.

"No longer do we have to think of ourselves set apart from the stirring events that took place on the eastern seaboard. As a colony itself, established formally by Spain in 1769, California made a direct contribution to the struggle made by the British colonists." According to Panian. Father Maynard Geiger, archivist at the Santa Barbara Mission Library and Archives, and Dr. Robert Barger, a professor at California State University. Long Beach, here's how it happened: When the 13 colonies issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, two European nations France and Spain al ready had decided to help them because they wanted to wound their old adversary, England.

Their plan was to channel money secretly to the American colonists, trusting that such financial aid would fan the fires of rebellion. The French feared that a collapse of colonial resistence would lead to a consolidation of British power in Europe. Spain, an ally, was invited to participate The two nations established a secret fund. Then they set up a dummy trading company called Hortaliz et Cie. Its purpose was to purchase munitions for the struggling colonists The arrival of firearms and powder aided the colonists greatly during 1776-77.

The Spanish monarch, Carlos III, issued a royai order to his American subjects on Aug. 17, 1780. This order, or cedula, received a year later in California, contained instructions to collect donations for the war on England. All persons under 18 were exempt. Others who were Spanish were to pay S2 each, plus SI per Indian.

The missions, presidios and pueblos were expected to assist in the collection. They were instructed to sell fruit and grains of the annual harvest as the means to raise money. At this date, the Spanish colony was only a dozen years old. They were struggling for existence. Indeed, the San Diego and San Juan missions pleaded poverty in an attempt to gain exemptions from personal contributions.

Mission president Junipero Serra approved the plea from San Diego. However, Mission San Juan Capistrano and the San Diego Presidio were able to donate $299 and S515, respectively. The total contribution from California amounted to S4.693. Thus did Spanish California become a partner in the American Revolution. Mafia Moving Into L.A., Davis Says in Memo Organized Crime Has Foothold in City, Chief Reports to Council BY KENNETH REICH Times Political Writer In a private July 31 memorandum to the City Council, obtained over the weekend by The Times.

Police Chief Edward M. Davis said unequivocally that the Mafia was moving into Los Angeles and added. "Los Angeles offers the hope of being one of the rot-tenest cities in the world." City Hall sources say that it was this memorandum, along with an as-yet-unreleased letter to some council-men saying that the Mafia might try to buy City Council seats, that inspired Mayor Tom Bradley to send a letter to the Police Commission last week asking that it report to him on the validity of Davis' Mafia comments. The mayor is reported in particular to be curious as to whether there have been recent developments that merit concern or whether Davis is taking advantage of longtime and persistent Mafia activity in this region to make political points with the councilmen. In recent weeks, the police chief has stated both publicly and privately that the Mafia is moving into the Los Angeles pornography business and.

as he put it in his July 31 memo. "This is the first significant foothold of the Mafia in Los Angeles since the 1930s." Sunday, in an interview over KNBC-TV's Sunday Show, the head of the federal organized crime strike force for the Southwestern United States. Richard P. Crane expressed some differences with Davis on this point, although he agreed with the chief that the pornography business is a favored outlet for organized crime. "Organized crime has been in the Los Angeles area since the turn of the century." Crane declared.

"It has been here in different degrees since that time. Its present-day impact in my judgment is significant, but it has been here for many, many years." Crane said he thought that what Davis had in mind in making his recent comment was "one particular case" in the pornography field, although he did not name the case. Asked how he reacted to Davis' assertion that organized crime is getting into Los Angeles through the pornography business. Crane replied "It has been for years. It has been back East and it has been here for years.

This is not a new phenomenon in this industry out in the West Coast Perhaps, they're in it to a greater degree (now). Perhaps the bucks (dollars) are larger than they were in years gone by. because pronography itself seems to be a growing industry A police spokesman who talked to Davis Monday about the Crane interview said the chief reiterated his belief that the Mafia kept out of Los Angeles until recently when they Please Turn to Page 3, Col. 1 RECORD PROPERTY TAX HIKE GAINS IN LA. COUNCIL BY ERW1N BAKER Times staff Writer The Los Angeles City Council gave preliminary approval Monday to a record municipal property tax rate carrying the largest increase in seven years 25.89 cents over last year's figure.

Earlier estimates had ranged as high as a 29-cent jump. The new rate S3.0813 per S100 of assessed valuation was approved 11 to 1. but the lone dissenting vote by Councilman Robert C. Farrell delayed final action until today, when eight votes will be required for passage. Farrell said he wanted another day to study the ordinance.

Please Turn to Page 3, Col. 5 Vallerga Lawyers to Renew Efforts Despite Setback BY STEVE EMMONS Times Staff Writer Attorneys for Orange County Assessor Jack Vallerga. who are trying to overturn his six felony convictions, said Monday they will continue their efforts despite a preliminary setback in the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles. Vallerga's attorneys had filed for a writ last Wednesday, asking the appeal court to order a postponement of sentencing. Once Vallerga is sentenced, he will be automatically turned out of office and could not be reinstated, even if he were later acquitted, his attorneys argued.

The appeal court summarily denied the petition in less than 24 hours. The court did not explain its ruling, but appeal courts in California have traditionally refused to consider cases until all trial court proceedings are concluded. Vallerga was convicted of six felonies and acquitted of one last Aug. 8 in Ventura, where his case was moved because of pretrial publicity. He was found guilty of conflict of interest, misappropriation of public funds and grand theft He was acquitted of a second grand theft count His sentencing is scheduled for Sept 16 in Ventura, where his attorneys will have an opportunity to argue the same motions that they filed with the appeal court Richard Murphy of Los Angeles, one of Vallerga's attorneys, said Monday he would file several motions with the trial court in Ventura, among them a request for postponement of sentencing.

Murphy also has the option of seeking a writ from the California Supreme Court, but he said Monday he did not think he would take such a step at this stage -1 9L XJt3b GETTING A LIFT DiDominic gets into stretcher for trip up cliff. Anaheim to Use Nurses as 1st in County ROCK SHOW PRECAUTIONS Drug Controls Promised BY JACK BOETTNER Times Staff Writer SANTA ANA Nurses, rather than firemen, will temporarily work as Anaheim paramedics next year in a tentative agreement by the city, county and Anaheim Memorial Hospital, spokesmen for all three parties said Monday. Supervisor Ralph Clark, who announced the tentative pact in a press release, said it will mark the first time non-fire department personnel will work as paramedics in Orange County. It also will be the first time women have been used as paramedics in the county. All 14 of the nurses scheduled for paramedic training are females.

George Ajimine, director of the county's paramedics program, said that a few women paramedics are working elsewhere in the state. Clark added, however, that the nurses will serve only until the second unit of the Anaheim Fire Department's paramedic system becomes opera tional, probably by January, 1977. Greg Sanders, an aide to Clark, said cooperation of the county and the hospital in the unique arrangement means Anaheim will be able to field two paramedic units for most of next' year instead of one. Clark is a former Anaheim city councilman whose 4th Supervisorial District includes most of the city. Details of the agreement have yet to be worked out, but the county's Emergency Medical Care Committee has approved the program based on 10 conditions.

Among them are that the hospital andor the city reimburse the county for any additional costs in training the nurses for paramedic duty. Under the agreement, 14 Anaheim Memorial Hospital emergency room nurses will be given paramedic training. According to County Health Officer Dr. John R. Philp, training time will Please Turn to Page 6, Col.

4 ANAHEIM The same type of narcotics control that proved successful at a May 23 concert will be exercised at a rock festival in Anaheim Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Police Chief Harold Bastrup said Monday. Bastrup's officers in May arrested 30 persons (most of them on intoxication and narcotics charges) among the 48,371 persons who turned out for the Beach Boys and Chicago. A capacity crowd of 50.000 is expected Saturday when Rod Stewart and the Faces, Loggins and Messina and Fleetwood Mac perform on the bandstand behind the center field fence. There will be about 2.000 more rock fans on the field this time, however, because the infield will not be roped off.

But this will have no bearing on policing strategy, officials said. Bastrup said one of the reasons for the success of the May 23 event was "stringent control used by the police department as far as narcotics wer concerned." The same hard line approach will be employed Saturday, he added. Please Turn to Page 5. Col. 4.