EDITORIAL:Rupert the black swan leaves an indelible mark

After surviving so many near misses, Newport Beach's unofficial mascot, Rupert, finally ran out of time last week.

Rupert, the black swan who made a pleasant nuisance of himself — gently attacking swimmers, floating up to boats in search of hand-outs and getting in various misadventures during the 15 or so years he was here — finally was done in by his curiosity. Always attracted to red boats, Rupert swam in front of a Harbor Patrol cruiser on its way to a crime scene Wednesday afternoon and was killed.

Now, we in no way want to make light of the fact that a woman's body was found at the scene. In the days since, police officers have made two arrests and have determined that it was 56-year-old Barbara Anne Mullenix of Huntington Beach who was stabbed. As with any such incident, her death is tragic, and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

But Rupert's death, obviously, is one of those events that touches a wide swath of this community. It is not that he was more important than anyone else — his importance was just different. He added character and personality to the city (enough to be included on the city's float in this year's Rose Parade). His presence in the harbor made many people's lives better — in the little ways that a swan mascot would — and his passing cannot and should not go unnoticed. He will be missed.

For those who already are pining for his honking, there is hope for a salve. Newport real estate developer Paul Fruchbom has offered to donate $2,000 to buy new swans for the harbor. Initial council reaction to the idea has been positive, although any new birds would have large webbed feet to fill.