Countdown to 2000: 1990s Personalities

Greg Risling

You would think when talking about the people who dominated local

headlines in the 1990s, the good stories would outweigh the bad.

Not necessarily so.

When it came to Newport-Mesa news during this decade, it seemed there was

always someone up to no good.

Bob Dixon managed to sneak $1.8 million from the city of Newport Beach

coffers. Stephen Wagner did Dixon one better and embezzled $3.9 million

from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Both served time in

prison. Wagner died while incarcerated.

Then there was Arb Campbell, disgraced Newport Beach police chief,

accused of sexual harassment and rape by some of his former female

employees. He was fired, then reinstated, earning back some of his

benefits through retirement.

Dare we mention the antics of basketball superstar and Newport Beach

resident Dennis Rodman? Remember the name Tina Schafnitz? Both showed how

to get into trouble when the rich and powerful had too much time to kill.

Let’s continue.

Of course, both city councils had its characters. There was Orv Amburgey,

former Costa Mesa councilman, who claimed top city officials tried to

kill his 1990 reelection bid by concocting false criminal charges. He

filed a $3.8-million lawsuit against the city, but U.S. Supreme Court

justices wouldn’t even review Amburgey’s claim.

There was Newport Beach Councilman John Hedges, usually outspoken and

always with an opinion. Unless it came to the forced resignation of

ousted City Manager Kevin Murphy in 1998. In fact, most of the council

stood with Hedges in complete silence, initially having no comment.

With all of the people who stirred controversies in Newport-Mesa, there

were those who changed the world we live in. Sports agent Leigh Steinberg

helped revolutionize the wide world of sports. John Moorlach, now county

treasurer, proved fortunetelling does have some merit. Donald Bren and

Henry Segrestrom held the biggest bankroll in Newport-Mesa but gave back

to the community.

Corruption and deceit may have dominated the 1990s. But let us hope our

public officials will stay on the straight and narrow in the next

century. We’ll be watching.

SOURCE

Daily Pilot