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Spring Senior Prom planned The city of Laguna Beach Senior Services and the Assisteens of Laguna Beach are sponsoring a Spring Senior Prom from noon to 3 p.m. April 25. The event will feature lunch, music, dancing, a picture-taking booth, bingo and prizes, hosted by the Assisteens at the Susi Q Center, 380 Third St. Space is limited. To sign up, call (949) 464-9535. Pearson?s ?Legacy? to be honored The Laguna Beach Susi Q Senior Center will host its third annual Legacy Ball on the evening of May 2 at [seven degrees]

We have more art festivals than we know what to do with. We have fancy food festivals, world-class theater, legendary surf competitions and dozens of other Laguna Beach events. But no festival for popular music. Little Dana Point, only slightly bigger than Laguna, has two major festivals - Doheny Days and the Blues Festival - along with several other smaller events. The lineups are stellar with bands like Weezer, Ben Harper, Cake, Ziggy Marley and Donavon Frankenreiter.

The community is invited to take part in the eighth of a series of workshops designed to implement sustainable living practices into everyday city life Sept. 29. The Aliso Viejo Green City Initiative workshop is at 7 p.m. at Aliso Viejo City Hall, 12 Journey. The goal is to increase energy efficiency, and reduce energy, water consumption and waste stream flow. The meeting continues the fall series of workshops that focus on "implementation strategies" for incorporating sustainable living practices into part of our daily lives.

Television actress Valerie Bertinelli will host the 9th Annual Pageant of the Masters Gala Benefit, 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. This event, which is sold out with about 2,600 attending, offers guests a private viewing of the Festival's fine art exhibition, music, dancing, silent auction, and a performance of this summer's Pageant of the Masters, "Young at Heart." Bertinelli starred in the series "One Day At A Time," and has had many other starring roles in television.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT A really strange thing happens this time of year. People who usually entertain by taking friends out to restaurants are suddenly hosting holiday parties at home. Living rooms seem to be the venue of choice for gathering friends, co-workers, neighbors and family to celebrate the season. It's also the best place for people to mingle in a relaxed atmosphere and make new friends. Even though Christmas is less than a week away, it's not too late to assemble a guest list and make some phone calls.

BARBARA DIAMOND Laguna's hosts have the most heart, the most community involvement and the most fun. Just a sample: Dave Sanford and Stephen Dotoratos hosted a dinner Saturday night for 23 guests who opened their wallets to benefit Friendship Shelter. "I feel guilty that I had so much fun," Dotoratos said. Dinner was fun, the cause was serious. Funds raised benefit the shelter's programs, which include housing, food, and counseling for single adults who are trying to put back together their lives.

The 11th annual Pageant of the Masters Gala on Aug. 29 will have a roster of screen and television celebrities, but Cloris Leachman, slated to host this year, had to bow out due to a scheduling conflict, according to spokeswoman Sharbie Higuchi. Filling in for Leachman will be Angela Bassett, who received an Oscar nomination for portraying Tina Turner and has been in “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Akeelah and the Bee” and “Malcolm X.” She also played Dr. Cate Banfield in “ER.

Barbara Diamond It wasn't business as usual at the Farmers' Mark on Saturday. The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the 9th annual Business and Community Expo where cars usually park next to the market. "The chamber really wants to thank market manager Jennifer Griffiths and all of the vendors of the Laguna Farmers Market," said Anne Morris, chamber chief executive officer. "This event was really to let locals know what is available in town."

For Barbara Hawthorne and her daughter, Hayley Simon, hosting students from other countries has been a life-changing experience. Hawthorne has played mother to students from Brazil, New Zealand, Germany and Belgium for over five years as an affiliate of the American Field Services program. "It's great to make a connection on the other side of the world," Hawthorne said. "Families will keep in touch for years and even go to weddings." Hawthorne and her family are hosting 17-year-old Leonardo Brito from Brazil.

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.

Members of the Laguna Beach Unified school board signed a resolution Tuesday in support of the Social Host Accountability Ordinance, which they want the City Council to consider drafting. The social host ordinance, which has been passed in other Orange County cities, fines adults for hosting parties or providing a place for minors to drink illegally. In its resolution, the board said research shows that adults serving as "social hosts" and private homes are the primary source and place where teens illegally consume alcohol.

Laguna Beach High boys' basketball Coach Bret Fleming is running a series of basketball clinics for local youth, beginning April 21. The clinics are open to seventh- and eighth-grade students. Clinics are from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturdays through June 9. * Breakers boys' aquatics holding fundraiser The Laguna Beach High swim and boys' water polo programs are holding a fundraiser in conjunction with YogaWorks yoga studios. Team members are selling $25 gift certificates good for 25 days of unlimited classes through the end of the month.

A Bluebird Canyon backyard has recently become the site of Native American rituals. Resident Andrew Soliz, an Acoma Pueblo American Indian, is a sun dancer and comes from a line of medicine men. He has a tattoo of buffalo marching down his right forearm, an homage to his Native American name "Tatanka Mani," which translates to "walking buffalo. " He ties his long brown hair in a low-hanging ponytail. Part of his tradition includes sweat lodges, which he's conducted all over for the U.S. for 12 years, including for youth at a prison in the Virgin Islands, adults at San Quentin State Prison and for groups of at-risk teens.

The Aliso Viejo Family Resource Center and Mission Viejo Animal Services Center are teaming up to host a low-cost pet and vet clinic Jan. 7 at the Iglesia Park Community Center. The cash-only clinic will offer vaccinations and microchipping at discounted rates along with dog licensing from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Vaccines for cats and dogs will range from $7 to $28. Dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers. The Iglesia Park Community Center is at 24671 Via Iglesia, near Moulton Parkway and Calle Cortez.

Dave Connell didn't have to think twice when he enlisted to serve in World War II at the age of 18. "It was just the expected thing to do," said the 84-year-old Laguna Beach resident. "It was just like going to the movies. " A member of the American Legion Post 222 for the last 14 years, Connell says it's important to remember veterans on Friday's holiday. "It's the one day that veterans are supposed to be recognized for the service they've done for the country," he said.

Looking for spooks and scares? Thrills and chills? There are plenty of opportunities to dress up, party down and get creeped out in South Orange County this Halloween. In Laguna Beach, Oak and Brooks streets will both be closed for trick-or-treaters and other Halloween revelers on Halloween night, Monday. Check out what else is going on around the city and neighboring areas this weekend: * Boo Blast El Morro Elementary School's annual Halloween carnival is from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the school, 8681 N. Coast Hwy. The theme this year is "Medieval Knights and Dragons.

If the early bird gets the worm, Councilwoman Verna Rollinger must be licking her chops. Rollinger officially kicked off her reelection campaign Sunday with a fundraiser attended by about 100 supporters. "I am often asked why I do what I do," Rollinger said. "Just saying I like it isn't enough. I always think we can do better. "We [Laguna] do better than anyone else, but we can always improve. "But do I like what I do? I love what I do, and I love all of you for making it possible.

The community is invited to take part in the eighth of a series of workshops designed to implement sustainable living practices into everyday city life Sept. 29. The Aliso Viejo Green City Initiative workshop is at 7 p.m. at Aliso Viejo City Hall, 12 Journey. The goal is to increase energy efficiency, and reduce energy, water consumption and waste stream flow. The meeting continues the fall series of workshops that focus on "implementation strategies" for incorporating sustainable living practices into part of our daily lives.

The 2011 prep football season has finally arrived for the Laguna Beach Breakers. At 7 p.m. Friday at Guyer Field, Laguna begins its 10-game regular schedule by hosting Webb Schools of Claremont. Its the first matchup between the schools. "We're excited to finally get going," Laguna Beach Coach Mike Churchill said. "We've had a little bit of sickness on our team, but basically we are physically healthy. The kids are ready to go out and play some football. " Not only are the Breakers ready for some football, but so is Churchill, who is back on the sideline as a head coach for the first time since 2006.