Featured Articles from the Coastline Pilot

Laguna Beach artist Nicholas Hernandez didn't start sculpting until he was 46, but it didn't take long for him to get noticed. Almost 10 years later, in 2001 he was creating artwork for former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. The framed sculpture of their daughter, aptly titled "Chelsea," now hangs in the Clinton's New York home, Hernandez said. Now 65, Hernandez celebrated the unveiling of his sculpture at Chapman University on Feb. 25. A friend of Presidential Fellow Ruebén Martinez , Hernandez was introduced to Chapman during a special chancellor's art exhibit in October.

Andrew Edwards A Garden Grove man was killed Wednesday morning in a traffic collision between a motorcycle and an SUV on North Coast Highway. Aron Negron, 19, was pronounced dead at the site of the crash. A bystander reported the collision, which occurred on North Coast Highway at Emerald Bay at 11:29 a.m. Police are still investigating the exact cause of the collision. The motorcyclist was riding north on Coast Highway on a Suzuki Cafe Racer when he was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by 72-year-old Laguna Beach resident Shirley June Laderman, according to early reports.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, which is based in Latin America, may open its third U.S. location in Laguna Niguel next year. Shea Properties issued a press release Aug. 10 announcing the addition to Ocean Ranch Laguna Niguel, which would replace the Edwards Ocean Ranch 7, whose lease is up at the end of the month. Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas are known for state-of-the art theaters, leather recliner seating, in-seat waiter service, a full-service bar, patio dining and gourmet food.

A Laguna Beach man was arrested Friday on suspicion of willful cruelty to a child after his son ran into the Pavilions market at 600 N. Coast Hwy. to hide from him, police said, but no charges were filed.  The 12-year-old boy said he ran into the supermarket because his father was hitting him, according to police. Officers arrived around 9 p.m., around the same time the 46-year-old father got to the store. The father and son had been at a baseball game at nearby Riddle Field earlier in the day. According to Lt. Jason Kravetz, the father reported that the boy "acted out" and was disciplined when they arrived home.

Audiences most certainly will be "Tickled Pink" when they catch the new comedy by that title now in its world premiere run at the Laguna Playhouse. It's the brainchild of popular comedienne — and Monarch Bay resident — Rita Rudner and her husband, Martin Bergman, who also directs. It's based on Rudner's early showbiz career and some (though certainly not all) of it may be true. Rudner's tale is told through the superbly talented Emma Fassler who, when she finally breaks through as a standup comic, playgoers could close their eyes and imagine Rudner speaking this ironic, self-deprecating dialogue.

Laguna Beach athletes fared well in Orange Coast League competition during the past week and two Breakers teams - boys' tennis and boys' volleyball - began CIF Southern Section playoff action on a positive note. On Wednesday, the boys' tennis team slipped past Schurr of Montebello, 10-8, in a Division 4 first-round match at Laguna. The Breakers' top singles player, Teague Hamilton, swept his matches (6-1, 6-0, 6-0) and No. 2 Morgan Lebby won two of three (4-6, 6-4, 6-3). Austin Loomis and Oliver Nasiell, at No. 1 doubles, won two of three (5-7, 7-6, 6-1)

Laguna Beach High School students are challenging a proposed municipal law that would hold adults responsible if underage drinking takes place in their homes. The proposed social host ordinance would fine adults whether or not they are present when teens drink. LBHS students opposed to the proposal say they are not advocating for underage drinking - quite the contrary. They argue that the proposed city law does little to combat the root problems of underage drinking and that the community needs to provide more activities for minors.

Pros and cons of the social host ordinance aimed at curbing teenage drinking in private homes was debated Tuesday in a packed City Council chamber. The council voted unanimously to direct staff to draft an ordinance after listening to remarks from 17 speakers, 13 of them in favor of the proposed ordinance requested by the Laguna Beach Community Coalition. Speakers included students, parents, school district officials and medical professionals. "A growing number of cities and counties have adopted social host accountability ordinances," Bill Landsdal said at the meeting.

Now Laguna Beach foodies don't have to travel far up Coast Highway for a taste of Umami Burger — the Los Angeles-based burger restaurant is coming to town. The restaurant plans to open a location at 610 N. Coast Hwy. in January, CEO and founder Adam Fleischman said. Fleischman, who has a background in wine, applied his adoration for subtle flavors with his menu, which is focused on "umami," a Japanese word for the "fifth taste. " "When I was trying to exit the wine business I was looking for something else to do," he said.

A one-page flier, printed front and back, and entitled "Skateboarders on Steep Hills" was recently taped to our fence. Since the flier is reputed to have come from the "Bluebird Canyon" neighborhood (a neighborhood in which I live), I was interested in reading the message and perhaps getting in contact with the authors of the flier since it makes a number of assertions. I like to check the facts, and, unfortunately, wasn't able to since there wasn't any contact information in the flier except a plea to write or call my City Council members.

McKayla Maroney, a 15-year-old from Laguna Niguel and a first-year competitor for the United States at the senior level of gymnastics, won her second gold medal at the world championships in Tokyo on Friday night. After helping the United States women win the team gold medal earlier in the week, Maroney won individual gold in the vault event final. Maroney's two vaults averaged a score of 15.3 and gave her a solid win over silver medalist Oksana Chusovitina, a 36-year-old from Germany, who won the silver medal.

The following is from the May 1 City Council meeting : * Extraordinary Business Mayor Jane Egly presented a proclamation to David Horne's service to the city as long-time chair of the Laguna Coast Fire Safe Council and procurer of grants to fund programs that help protect the city from fire. "I would like to give you a fire engine, but I will give you a proclamation instead," Egly said. The proclamation extolled Horne's efforts that helped fund the Red Flag Patrol and Fire Alert Flag Program, which provide "extra eyes" to the fire professionals during Red Flag conditions and alerts passing motorists via the flags.

Zpizza may keep its doors open at its original location through summer, thanks to an extension granted by its landlord. The pizzeria had anticipated being booted from its location at 30902 Coast Hwy. on April 16, after being told in March that it had 30 days to vacate the space due to its five-year lease option not being exercised . The Laguna Beach spot is the origin of the artisan-style pizza company, which now has restaurants across...

Twenty-two folks around Laguna know a lot more about how and why Laguna Beach police operate than they did three months ago. They are graduates of the 17th annual Police Department Citizen's Academy, and were awarded certificates of completion in a ceremony held May 3 at Tivoli Terrace. "I now have more appreciation for what the police do," said graduate Joe Volpe. The program is designed to provide community members with a better understanding of the Police Department and help foster better communication, according to Lt. Darin Lenyi, the class facilitator.