Hes

To some, he’s a gadfly. To most, he’s a philanthropist with a heart of gold. Whether Bruce Hopping is petitioning the City Council to become environmentally active and “keep Laguna’s beaches beautiful,” telling the school board to be more mindful of its students’ health, or the federal government to change the standards of domestic beer, he is passionate and determined to improve his community and the world....

Duane Hewlett likes the golf game of Sergio Garcia, and it’s no coincidence. Garcia likes to go big on his shots. So does Hewlett, No. 1 golfer for the Laguna Beach boys’ golf team. The short game? Well, that’s another story for both the Spaniard and Hewlett. “He hits it a long way,” Hewlett said. “He’s not the best putter, but he’s one of the best ball-strikers. It just shows you that you can get it done either way.” But Hewlett has definitely improved his putting.

Mention Charles’ Wigs, to any native Laguna Beach resident and you get instant recognition. A common reaction from home grown’s: I grew up with Charles’ Wigs! Charles Thompson branded his wig salon before there was a name for branding. Yep, it all started a short 45 years ago and now he’s retiring. So what does a guy do after spending 45 years building a legendary business? Well, come to his Open House Retirement Gala on May 22, from 2 pm to 6 pm at his wig shop, 1816 south Coast highway and find out. While Thompson tells you all about the New Mexico ranch he and his partner bought, replete with a log cabin and guest house, let him introduce his heir apparent: hair piece designer, hair stylist and beauty columnist Marsha Carroll, who has been in the industry for several decades herself.

Starting tonight, Chris Paul’s favorite baseball team — the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — begins the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. The Laguna Beach High junior hopes the Angels can make the World Series for the first time since 2002. He’s already seen them beat a team they’ve had trouble with in the postseason, the Boston Red Sox. “I’m looking forward to this [series],” Paul said. “It’s going to be tough for us, but I think we can do it.” Paul, though, has some different business to attend to tonight.

The other night I was supposed to be working but I got sidetracked analyzing my dog’s dreams. It’s easy once you can get them to the couch. Booker is a Welsh Springer spaniel, a hard worker. He patrols the yard. He barks when you come to the door. He accompanies Patti Jo to her shop. When she and I go out, he looks out the window until we come back. Then he can rest. Watching him sleep, I envied him enormously. He was so peaceful, there on his side, one paw hanging over the edge of my office couch, so relaxed his eyelids didn’t even make it all the way shut.

For the past four years, Casey Miller has been a cast member of “Lagunatics,” the popular musical roast of Laguna Beach put on through No Square Theatre. This year, the Breakers senior also has the pitching spotlight for the Laguna Beach High baseball team. Miller has pitched in three games so far this year for the Breakers, who open Orange Coast League play today at Godinez. And he is already 2-0 with a save and a minuscule 0.66 ERA. “He has very good mound presence,” said Coach Jeff Sears, who just like Miller is in his third year with the varsity team.

There are a lot of battered lives out there, even in scenic Laguna Beach, and it’s the job of police officer Jason Farris to seek out the most burdened and forlorn, the ones marred with grime or reeking of booze, or worse. Farris is the city’s new homeless beat officer. He’s been on the job for two months, and is proud of his “victories” — four lost souls so far who have been given new lives through his efforts and those of Laguna’s stalwart advocates for street-dwellers.

Brandon Rothe is so smooth on a skimboard, he might not even get all the credit he deserves. He’s the kind of rider who might not overly impress some in person, but go home and check out his clips on YouTube and jaws might start to drop. Technically, he’s tight with his craft. Rothe takes it seriously, which is not to say he doesn’t have fun, but the time in the water is time for business. “Some people, big competitors, have told me that maybe flailing your arms around will get you extra points,” said Rothe, 24. “I’m really big on just skimming the way I do. Everyone’s got their own style, so it’s cool.

Mention Charles’ Wigs, to any native Laguna Beach resident and you get instant recognition. A common reaction from home grown’s: I grew up with Charles’ Wigs! Charles Thompson branded his wig salon before there was a name for branding. Yep, it all started a short 45 years ago and now he’s retiring. So what does a guy do after spending 45 years building a legendary business? Well, come to his Open House Retirement Gala on May 22, from 2 pm to 6 pm at his wig shop, 1816 south Coast highway and find out. While Thompson tells you all about the New Mexico ranch he and his partner bought, replete with a log cabin and guest house, let him introduce his heir apparent: hair piece designer, hair stylist and beauty columnist Marsha Carroll, who has been in the industry for several decades herself.

For the past four years, Casey Miller has been a cast member of “Lagunatics,” the popular musical roast of Laguna Beach put on through No Square Theatre. This year, the Breakers senior also has the pitching spotlight for the Laguna Beach High baseball team. Miller has pitched in three games so far this year for the Breakers, who open Orange Coast League play today at Godinez. And he is already 2-0 with a save and a minuscule 0.66 ERA. “He has very good mound presence,” said Coach Jeff Sears, who just like Miller is in his third year with the varsity team.

To some, he’s a gadfly. To most, he’s a philanthropist with a heart of gold. Whether Bruce Hopping is petitioning the City Council to become environmentally active and “keep Laguna’s beaches beautiful,” telling the school board to be more mindful of its students’ health, or the federal government to change the standards of domestic beer, he is passionate and determined to improve his community and the world....

Few people can say that they’ve filmed with James Cameron. One Laguna Beach man has — behind the camera. John Bonnin, a freelance cameraman, recalled one of his favorite moments working in Baja with the legendary director on the movie “Titanic.” “I did the filming with a different piece of equipment, called the akela crane, which was the world’s largest camera crane,” Bonnin said. “It was incredible, because of the scope of the set. The ship itself and the number of extras and the intensity of James Cameron and the sheer magnitude of everything was just massive.

Cody Day sat at the round table Tuesday night at the Lumberyard restaurant, surrounded by his friends. The 14-year-old Laguna Beach resident isn’t too different from other teenagers. He has been interested in skateboarding, as well as boogie boarding. But nowadays, it’s the simple things that he enjoys most, like being around people he loves. He walks tenderly but without the use of a cane, and his hair is just growing back. On this night, these are the only noticeable signs that, for nearly five years now, Cody has been in a fight with cancer.

Celebrate this Friday the 13th with one of Hollywood’s scariest monsters — unmasked. Robert Englund, famed for his role as Freddy Krueger, the sadistic killer with the flame-charred face and knife-blade-fingered glove in the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” series, has written his first book, “Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams” in collaboration with Alan Goldsher. The memoir, released last month, is a witty and touching collection of stories and photographs that recount Englund’s personal behind-the-scenes filmmaking experiences as well as those in Hollywood over the past 35 years, from his role as Willie on 1984’s “V” to the mad man roles he has today.

Starting tonight, Chris Paul’s favorite baseball team — the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — begins the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. The Laguna Beach High junior hopes the Angels can make the World Series for the first time since 2002. He’s already seen them beat a team they’ve had trouble with in the postseason, the Boston Red Sox. “I’m looking forward to this [series],” Paul said. “It’s going to be tough for us, but I think we can do it.” Paul, though, has some different business to attend to tonight.

Nobody really tells Laguna Beach High junior Austin Paxson to act his age. The Laguna Beach High junior consistently acts older, and the Breakers football team is better off for it. How else to describe Paxson coming in at quarterback the second game of the season last year? He started by the fourth game and helped lead Laguna Beach to the second round of the CIF playoffs for the first time in 21 years. The number that was maybe the hardest to believe? Paxson was just 14 years old during this whirlwind turn of events.

The end of last season was a roller-coaster ride. One week, the Laguna Beach High football team couldn’t hold a 22-point lead and lost to Costa Mesa in a game that decided the Orange Coast League title. The next, the Breakers were beating up on Santa Ana, headed for their first CIF playoff win in 21 years before falling to Corona del Mar in the second round. But the Breakers bring several pieces back and the tone for this year is also optimistic. It starts with junior receiver Chris Paul (6-foot-1, 180 pounds)