A little quieter on the western front

Deirdre Newman

Fourth of July revelers flocked to their traditional mecca of West

Newport Friday, but the crowd wasn’t quite as large as in years past

and the atmosphere was a little tamer amid a crackdown by the city on

crime and public drunkenness.

The City Council’s effort to create a kinder, gentler Fourth

resulted in new rules including tripling of some fines. Liquor

deliveries to the area were off limits Friday and retailers were not

allowed to sell liquor out of their parking lots.

More than 200 officers from 10 agencies roamed the street, an

increase of 60 compared to last year, said Lt. John Klein. As of 10

p.m., 41 people had been arrested. The city created a “safety

enhancement zone” from 12:01 a.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday between

32nd Street, Newport Boulevard, Coast Highway and 54th Street.

Klein attributed the low number of arrests to the increased police

presence which included four officers on every street and the

comprehensive outreach effort.

“There was a year-long effort to coordinate with community groups

and the community gained from that,” Klein said. “We’re very pleased

with the results.”

The scene was reminiscent of years past as partyers navigated the

streets on foot, on skateboards, on bikes and on roller-blades. The

increased police presence didn’t seem to diminish the jovial

atmosphere of the occasion.

“I’m having a great time,” said Emily Edmunds, 30, who

roller-bladed around the area. “I think it’s so incredible. It

reminds me of New Orleans and Pacific Beach.”

Even people who got warnings from law enforcement officers took

them in stride.

John Salov, the owner of a house on River Avenue and Balboa

Boulevard at the entrance to West Newport, got a warning in the

afternoon for playing his music too loud. Salov said he turned the

music down and tried to limit his party to close friends. Around 7:30

p.m. rap music was emanating at a toned-down level from a speaker on

his balcony

“It’d be nice if it were like this every day,” Salov said of the

scene.

Down the street, Kristyn McKormick of Huntington Beach was hanging

out with some friends on the front lawn of a residence. They had no

idea whose house it was.

“We just took over the yard of someone’s house,” McKormick said.

“We are having a blast.”

McKormick described the scene around her as “Orange County at its

finest and its ugliest.”

Toby Pesce, 26, of Rancho Santa Margarita, hung out at a friends’

house all afternoon soaking up the scintillating scene which he

described as a “parade.” He said the atmosphere in the early evening

was so mellow that the police didn’t have to crack down.

“I heard at this time last year it was a lot crazier,” Pesce said.

The scene wasn’t free of violence, though.

Dwayne Turner, 37, of Newport Beach, said he was accosted by six

guys. Turner’s shirt was smeared with blood and he had cuts and

bruises on his hand and face.

“I was just walking down the street and some guys got cocky,”

Turner said. “They just didn’t like me because I was from here and

they’re from somewhere else.”

Turner said the incident did not completely sour him on the West

Newport Fourth of July experience.

“Of course I will come back next year,” Turner said. “Without a

doubt.”