Sticky Situation Leads to Rule Change

Last month I reported the shocking allegation that a 30-foot-high structure at Seal Beach’s Sand Castle Festival was held together by glue.

The smoking -- or, I guess, sticky -- gun in the case was an admission from a lumber company to the Los Alamitos News-Enterprise that nine gallons of the adhesive had been delivered to the event.

Well, the city of Seal Beach, after some initial bare-foot-dragging, has confirmed the news. And it has declared that henceforth glue will be forbidden in sand castle construction.

While I applaud the city’s sand -- I mean, stand -- I fear it’s inadequate without some enforcement machinery.

Yes, I’m calling on Seal Beach to conduct random testing of the castles next year. One tip: If a judge approaches within sniffing distance of a sand castle and begins to act silly, that’s a bad sign.

L.A.’s mean streets: I know road rage is a problem, but I hope it isn’t as serious as my mail indicates (see accompanying), with examples of:

* A store for angry drivers (from Marla Doyle).

* A special lane for combatants (from Jorge Estrada).

* A warehouse for those who want to get personal (from Don Garabedian).

* A membership card for the out-of-control (from Glenn Michel).

* A car model for the wrathful (from Sara Meric).

* And even a warning about temperamental pedestrians (from Steve Barrett).

A different kind of bank note: The crime blotter of San Clemente’s Sun Post News carried a sighting of a man inside a bank who “looked like he was hiding something in the back of his jacket.” But it was no emergency. “Deputies found the man and he was carrying a portable stereo,” the newspaper said.

Still, you can’t be too careful. You never know when a would-be bank robber is going to growl to a teller, “Give me all your money or I’ll start playing Barry Manilow songs.”

miscelLAny: Orange County has John Wayne Airport and Burbank will soon have Bob Hope Airport. And my campaign to find a celebrity name for L.A.’s airport can’t get off the ground.

I suggested naming the facility in honor of a Disney rodent who is L.A.’s most famous native. But Lawrence Hildebrand responded that the airport would inevitably be called a “Mickey Mouse operation.” Come to think of it, I already feel like a rat in a maze when I try to find a parking spot there.

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Reach Steve Harvey at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 or steve.harvey@latimes.com.