Cars

Forget the skateboarders — look out for the cars ripping up and down our street. We live on a steep part of Temple Hills and cars hit 40, 50, 60 mph past our house on a regular basis. Many folks do drive reasonably, and we thank you, but we've had three accidents within 100 feet of our driveway in the last five years. You know our house — our trash can says, "Please Slow Down. " I wanted it to say, "Please Slow Down, Relax and Enjoy Life, You Over-Caffeinated-Texting-While-You-Drive-Lagunatic in Your High Performance Car," but there wasn't enough room on the can, and Coast Hardware didn't have all the block letters anyway.

Two division champions were determined last week at Riddle Field, as Used Cars and Hennessey's claimed league titles in the city of Laguna Beach Community Services Dept. summer 16" slow pitch softball postseason playoffs. Tuesday League Used Cars 12, Sandpiper 8 Regular-season champion Used Cars gained control of the game in the third inning and went on to win the postseason title. Ryan Neptune hit a solo home run and Chris Raub delivered a grand slam for Sandpiper, and Michael McKenzie and Kevin Mohan each hit home runs for Used Cars.

Sandpiper and Island Shade, two of three teams who finished in a three-way tie for first-place in Wednesday League regular season action, advanced to the winner's bracket final in postseason play in Men's Summer 16 Slow Pitch Softball at Riddle Field. Both teams advanced to the bracket final as Sandpiper downed Used Cars, 6-2, and Island Shade defeated Team Viagra, the other team that finished in the three-way tie for the regular season title, by a 6-2 count.

Sandpiper retained sole possession of first-place in the Tuesday/Thursday League standings and its status as the league's only unbeaten team following a 6-4 victory over Ganahl Lumber in City of Laguna Beach sponsored summer 16-inches slow pitch softball play. Steve Lafferty and Ryan Neptune hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning to propel Sandpiper (4-0) to a 3-0 lead. Sandpiper tacked on two more runs in it first at-bat as Chris Howell doubled and David Schmid and Bill Reimer each singled.

Forty Majority tightened up the race in the Tuesday/Thursday League standings in the City of Laguna Beach Community Service Department's Summer 16 Slow Pitch Softball action as it defeated league-leader Sandpiper, 3-1. Forty Majority used a home run by Bill Burk and an RBI double by Mike Hilburn and a run-scoring single by Arlin Reid to earn the victory, its second of the season. Sandpiper managed six hits -- five singles and a solo home run by Ryan Neptune.

Barbara Diamond [City to consider change in size of parking spaces] SUVs, vans and trucks take up more space than is allotted for compact cars, but that hasn't stopped drivers of the bigger vehicles from parking in compact car spaces. It's legal, but it makes it tough sometimes to open the doors of cars parked in the adjoining space. The city code specifies a measurement of 8-by-15 feet measures compact spaces, compared to other spaces that measure 8-feet-4 inches by 18 feet.

Sandpiper downed Ganahl Lumber and Team Viagra got past Used Cars to advance to a winner's bracket final in Tuesday League postseason playoff action in the city of Laguna Beach Community Services Dept. Summer 16 Slow Pitch Softball League. All games were played at Riddle Field. Tuesday League Sandpiper 7, Ganahl Lumber 2 Mickey Allen had four RBIs and Jeff Heminghaus knocked in a pair of runs as regular season champion Sandpiper knocked Ganahl Lubmer into loser's bracket play.

I don't know why Skyline Drive has become the skateboarding interstate in the last few weeks, but it is out of control. Skyline is known for large blind curves, a steep downhill, but it is also notorious for many work trucks and homeowners' cars parked on the sides, which limits a lot of Skyline to just one lane at any given time. Take that into the equation with cars, cyclists and now the hordes of skateboarders, we are in for some serious problems. I am not opposed to these kids being able to skateboard, but it has become so dangerous to drive up and down Skyline that I am fearful every time I leave my driveway.

Sandpiper secured a share of the Tuesday League championship in city of Laguna Beach Community Services Dept. Summer 16 Slow Pitch Softball leagues play by defeating second-place Used Cars, 11-5, at Riddle Field. The victory gave Sandpiper a three-game lead over Used Cars and Team Viagra, which now share second-place, with three regular season games remaining on the schedule. Sandpiper got the victory the hard way. Used Cars bolted out to a 3-1 lead through three innings on the strength of home runs by Pat Toohey and Mike MacKenzie.

During my three-day stay with Daniel and Natalie, I had the chance to leisurely prepare for my bike trip down the Marne Canal. The first thing I did was to unpack my large box sitting in their garage. Usually reassembling a bike is as easy as putting together a set of Legos. Once, in fact, while I was taking my bike apart to put it on a plane in Sweden, a large group of spectators gathered around me. One gentleman in the airport crowd, impressed with my ability to use a wrench, asked if I could repair kitchen appliances, too. This time, though, I couldn't figure out how to attach the brakes to the front wheel of my new "top-of-the-line" KHS bike.

Laguna Canyon Road was reopened Wednesday morning after a car crash caused its closure Tuesday night. The road was closed in both directions from 9 p.m. Tuesday to about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday after a van struck a pole on the side of the road and knocked it over. The driver, Sloane Violet Friedmann, 18, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs, Lt. Jason Kravetz said in a statement. The damaged pole belonged to Verizon, and crews arrived at 2:30 a.m. to repair it. They requested that both lanes remain closed during the repairs since the pole was unstable and it connected lines that crossed the road, Kravetz said.

I don't know why Skyline Drive has become the skateboarding interstate in the last few weeks, but it is out of control. Skyline is known for large blind curves, a steep downhill, but it is also notorious for many work trucks and homeowners' cars parked on the sides, which limits a lot of Skyline to just one lane at any given time. Take that into the equation with cars, cyclists and now the hordes of skateboarders, we are in for some serious problems. I am not opposed to these kids being able to skateboard, but it has become so dangerous to drive up and down Skyline that I am fearful every time I leave my driveway.

A driver walked away uninjured after her car flipped on its roof and slid across Coast Highway on Sunday evening. At 9:09 p.m., police responded to a cut and rescue from a crushed vehicle in the 31000 block of South Coast Highway, according to Sgt. Louise Callus. The woman told police that her vehicle suddenly pulled to the right while she was driving, and it hit the curb. She overcompensated and turned the steering wheel away. The vehicle then flipped over and glided 50 feet before coming to a stop in the middle of the highway.

Two were arrested after fleeing police and getting their vehicle stuck in a Park Avenue stairway around 2 a.m. Saturday, police said. Karly Bosson, 33, of Anaheim and Samuel Eric, 29, of Brea are facing charges of vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, obstruction and hit and run. They also had outstanding felony warrants, according to police. Police attempted to stop the Volkswagen Jetta on South Coast Highway when they observed it driving erratically. The vehicle did not stop for officers and continued into a residential area.

Police said one man and two women were arrested Monday after a robbery in Laguna Beach that may have been set up by one of the alleged victims. At 8:37 p.m. Sunday in the gated Irvine Cove community, Tasmen Lamont Lorenson, 29, of Costa Mesa is suspected of robbing a couple at knifepoint and taking the male victim's wallet, keys and iPhone, Police Chief Paul Workman said. Lorenson then allegedly drove off in the male victim's silver 2003 Mercedes-Benz. Laguna Beach police notified the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force, which found the Mercedes parked in a Costa Mesa alley Monday morning, according to the release.

Classic and classy cars will be on display from 9:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday on the Festival of Arts grounds and across the street in the city parking lot. Proud owners had entered 175 distinguished vehicles in the eighth annual Laguna Beach Classic Car Show as of Thursday, with one more day to register. Entries can be submitted online. A photograph is required before a car is accepted. "The Rotary of Laguna Beach will have sponsored this car show for the eighth time as of [Sunday]

A Laguna Beach man died last week, a few days after he allegedly hit seven cars along South Coast Highway. About 3 p.m. Sept. 22, authorities received reports of a hit-and-run on South Coast Highway and Diamond Street, according to Laguna Beach Police Lt. Jason Kravetz. Witnesses reported that a Jeep Cherokee hit three parked cars and fled southbound on South Coast Highway. Police later concluded Lee Henry Vuille, 73, was the Jeep's driver. Vuille rear-ended a car at Nyes Place, causing another four-vechicle crash, Kravetz said.

A male pedestrian was hit by a car at the corner of Coast Highway and Aster Street late Thursday night. Police report that an Illinois man was arguing with his girlfriend at 9:51 p.m. During the altercation he told her she was leaving and ran across Coast Highway when traffic was not at a stop. He was hit by a vehicle traveling south and was thrown into the air. He landed on the hood of a car traveling the opposite direction in the left turn lane. He seriously injured his left arm, had a laceration on his head and was scraped up. Police report that he is expected to fully recover.

Skipper Lynn, a driving force behind the construction of the senior center in Laguna Beach, no longer drives a car. The 80-year-old was involved in a serious traffic accident in July. Her car was totaled. She was not injured, but was unable to account for the accident and that worried her so much that she decided to give up driving. "Shortly after I was admitted to the hospital, I was interviewed by an officer," Lynn said. "He asked what had happened, and I couldn't tell him. " "I took the insurance check from Allstate and put it in the bank.

A driver was extricated from a car involved in a collision at Glenneyre Street and Mountain Road on Wednesday morning, according to Laguna Beach Fire Department. Laguna Beach firefighters responded to a call at 8:22 a.m. about a two-car crash, with one vehicle on its side and the driver trapped inside. Firefighters stabilized the car and were able to remove the driver through the roof. Two people were treated for injuries. One was in serious condition and taken to Mission Hospital Mission Viejo and the other refused further treatment and was released.