Having a meeting with
former Mayor Jackie Heather in 1986 at her comfortable little home was a rare treat. Here
is this older surfer guy.....who wants to run for City Council
and in his naivete believes he should go to someone that really
knows their way around the block. Jackie Heather was such an
individual. Jackie was a Newport Beach patriot in every regard.
Jackie was independent but pragmatic, she could be tough but
usually with a velvet glove. Jackie was literally "sharp as
tack ....on anything Newport Beach!"
The meeting started out talking about "Developers" and the
"Residents". No item was off limits so the Irvine Company,
the County of Orange and even the proposed El Toro Airport
were all "grist for the mill" in the almost two hour meeting..
with a real Newport Beach icon. Even Stop Polluting Our
Newport was a major topic of discussion. The big issue that
year was the Irvine Company buildout of Fashion Island..which
was a ballot measure luckily voted down by the people. The
Irvine Downcoast was just in its infancy...and Jackie knew
that the Irvine Company was not going to let the City of
Newport Beach take it over until all the infrastructure was
in, which was being overseen by the County of Orange. How
about "Recycled Water" which the County of Orange Health
Officials encouraged people to wash off the County picnic
tables with Windex before they sat down to eat anything. How
about that awful drinking water quality? What about the coming
build out of Eddie Martin/Orange County Airport by the County
of Orange? What about the airport noise ordinance?
Yes, Jackie somehow just took a liking to a neophyte political
candidate and was willing to share whatever he needed to know.
It was much like having a living, walking, talking Encyclopedia
of Newport Beach politics at hand. As we recall, Jackie was
having a little problem with one of her knees and needed the use
of cane...but that neither blunted her communication skills or
her lightning thoughts all about Newport Beach and Orange County.
It started much like this: "Why do you want to run?" she asked.
"Well, I want to protect our community from stupidity!" I said.
Jackie grinned and said: "That's a pretty big job..for someone
that doesn't know much!" I responded: "I agree...that's why
I've come to you...if you are willing to help!" Jackie eyed
me carefully but the conversation proceeded. She mentioned a
few people that I should contact like: Beverly Nestande, Arb
Campbell and the American Legion Post 291! We talked endlessly
about the misuses of the Irvine Company and how they had promised
a "Teen Center"...where today the current "Weed Park", at the
corner of PCH and Jamboree resides! We talked all about the
Airport Working Group and why she thought that it was in our best
interest not to move Orange County Airport (now JWA) to El Toro.
I mentioned that El Toro could take our General Aviation planes
and still reduce the number of flights and sounds out of Orange
County by 40 percent. Jackie said: "Hey, Airports are a license
to steal!" Jackie also gave Ron a book on the history of the
City of Newport Beach!
McFadden Square...yippee....we finally knew where it was!
In District #4 Ron was facing the SPON candidate David Shores
(Attorney and Printer of the Community Events Catalog) and the
inimitable Clarence Turner....(Turner Development). Whose big
claim to fame was the fact that he was on the Planning Commission
and was pushing for "The Traffic Phasing Ordinance". Jackie didn't
like the other two much....but because Ron couldn't come up with
the big money for mailers....she wound up endorsing both Turner
and Ron. The Cops followed suit, the Fire Guys went with Turner
and Richard Luehrs and the Chamber of Commerce....supported no
one in District #4...as we recall. Dave Ellis and the Lincoln
Club supported Turner! After our TV performance I went to see
Jackie. "How did I do?" I asked. She said...without a break:
"You looked like a old surfer!" Not exactly a ego boost! But that
was Jackie...she was always real. She immediately followed that
up..with: "And, if you don't get any money...you are going to
lose big!" Actually, I got 13.4% of the vote and I had raised
or spent a grand total of nearly $700 bucks! Jackie was even
kind enough - not to say: "I told you so!"
Jackie Heather....the former great Mayor of Newport Beach...was
truly one of a kind. Jackie brought more to the party than she
ever took away. She cared, she ruminated, she prayed and more than
that...she did! God bless you Jackie....your truthful love and all
that goes with it...will never be forgotten. If there is ever a
time or moment when a park or building or any other major point of
reference in Newport Beach be named for someone...we believe that
it should be in your memory:
"The Heather Center" sounds just about right to us. Maybe, when they build out the
Oasis Center they can add a youth center....in her name...wouldn't
that be nice? When you look under "Mentor" in the Dictionary...
you really should find Jackie's picture! Rest in Peace Jackie..
knowing that there are so many that truly love and loved you!
