By Tad Heitmann, Special to the Independent Laguna Beach High School’s Park Avenue Players have forged their own intense interpretation of Arthur Miller’s classic American cautionary tale, “The Crucible,” which opens a seven-performance run on Friday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring an entirely original prologue depicting the forbidden events that unleash the subsequent hysteria, [...]
Baseball (26-3) Laguna’s storied 75th season ended in the heat at La Sierra High School as the Breakers struggled early against the Eagles (18-10) on Tuesday, May 21, when temperatures reached the 80s. Grant Wilhelm (3-3) started for Laguna and faced only five batters without an out. Wilhelm had recently had a strong outing against [...]
By Robin Pierson, Special to the Independent Calm in demeanor, clear in vision and strong in her devotion to children’s education, Peggie Thomas acts with a quiet efficiency that the limelight often misses. But not this year. Thanks to an overwhelming number of votes, the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club named this unsung heroine Woman of [...]
Five hours after police released the identity of a suspect in a sexual assault in April, the 26-year-old man turned himself in to the Laguna Beach Police Department. Earlier in the week, police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Babak Azadgilani, also known as “Bobby”, of Laguna Niguel, but he had evaded custody at [...]
Richie Nunis delivered a one-out bases loaded single deep into right-center field to lift Laguna to a 5-4 victory over Victor Valley (14-17) as Laguna defeated the Jackrabbits for the second consecutive season in CIF play on Saturday, May 18. Last year Laguna won in the bottom of the seventh on a walk, but 2013 [...]
Comments raised during a hearing Tuesday served to highlight key points of contention in a draft Laguna Beach view ordinance, such as balancing the right to a view with the pleasure of foliage, the perimeter allowed for a claim, and whether the date of purchase matters in determining view rights. Of a smaller crowd of [...]
In the wake of a ruling requiring public input before the ailing San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station restarts, a local advocacy group aims to collect 5,000 signatures from residents on a petition seeking the plant’s permanent closure. San Clemente Green is also asking residents who live in the fallout zone of the nuclear power plant [...]
By Justin Swanson | LB Indy Living up to its name, With Our Two Hands, representatives of the Laguna Beach-based nonprofit will welcome orphans to a new home in Kenya this weekend. From funding through fruition, the seven-month, $40,000 project culminates in a ceremonial opening on Sunday, May 19, according to the founder. Laguna [...]
Police investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a 26-year-old man suspected in a sexual assault of a Laguna Beach woman in April. Earlier this week, police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Babak Azadgilani, also known as “Bobby”, of Laguna Niguel, said Capt. Jason Kravetz in a statement. “Attempts to arrest him [...]
A throng of people with quarts of paint doused a boarded-up, ocean-front Laguna Beach structure with balloon-like messages, wall-length streaks and artistic giant-sized lettering last Saturday. The “graffitiers last hurrah,” was the description of Morris Skenderian, the property’s architectural advisor hired by owner Gary Groves to demolish the deteriorating former boathouse at the south end [...]
Laguna Beach’s Sam Stinnett defended his title during the United Skim Tour skimboarding competition last month in Ubatuba, Brazil, riding a long-lasting sidewave on a beach halfway between Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo. The unique topography of Sununga beach is well-known in skimboarding circles because incoming waves reflect off of a natural rock wall [...]
Fearing more traffic congestion and heart-stopping driving encounters with downhill skateboarders, Arch Beach Heights residents voiced overwhelming opposition to the addition of a skateboard park atop one of Laguna Beach’s steepest inclines despite testimonials from one of the best-known park builders, the Tony Hawk Foundation. After 90 minutes of comment from about 150 people, City [...]
Laguna Beach’s fire department deployed two engine crews for several days to join hundreds of firefighters to battle the huge Springs fire in Ventura County, according to local firefighters. The blaze swept from Camarillo Springs to the Pacific Ocean, scorching 28,000 acres, burning almost 25 buildings and threatening 4,000 homes since it started Thursday and [...]
When Laguna Beach resident Bette Anderson’s husband Ken suffered a severe stroke in 2009, his convalescence involved months in nursing care in San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Woods as well as a stint at home requiring 24-hour help. For the months her husband, in his 80s, was in the nursing homes, Anderson made the daily [...]
Laguna Beach’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to temporarily renew a contract with the city’s current medical benefits broker, bowing partly to earlier protests by unions representing police and firefighters over the lack of competitive bidding. Laguna will open the insurance brokerage service contract to bids on Sept. 1 for a new contract effective Jan. [...]
Police Use Taser to Subdue Assault Suspect
An assault involving three men escalated into a struggle with Laguna Beach police, who ultimately deployed a taser twice to subdue the younger combative suspect in the 300 block of Cozumel around 1:15 a.m. Friday, May 10, police said. Police ultimately arrested Laguna Beach resident Sergio Gabriel Borgognone, 51, for allegedly resisting arrest and his [...]
