Newport

Lance Stewart said his team isn?t quite there yet. But Tuesday at Dugger Gym, Laguna Beach was right there with visiting Newport Harbor, hanging with the CIF Division I-AA?s fifth-ranked team, battling from two games down to force a decisive fifth game. In the end, a typical hard-fought battle between the programs went Newport?s way, as the Sailors (6-0) came out strong at the outset of the fifth game and never let up to claim a 26-24, 25-20, 23-25, 20-25, 15-7 victory in the 25th all-time meeting between the schools.

The Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team can add the title of the inaugural California High School Championships to its résumé. The tournament concluded Sunday, with Laguna capturing the championship by defeating Newport Harbor, 11-9. The tournament featured several teams, including squads from Ventura, Santa Barbara, Palos Verdes, Clovis, La Canada, Villa Park, Edison, El Toro, Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar. ? Early action Laguna cruised through the early rounds of the tournament, beating both Tesoro (14-3)

Missing four key players from its roster did little to slow the Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team from earning a second-place finish last weekend at the Villa Park Summer Tournament. Playing without four starters ? and, on some occasions, a fifth player ? Laguna used a strong effort from the frosh/soph core of its players and received senior leadership from Taylor Dodson and Maddy Duncan. Assistant Coach Trevor Lyle led the team through to the finals. Laguna 10, Regency 6: Laguna opened the tournament June 27 with a four-goal win over Regency, a Mater Dei-based squad.

What had the potential to be a sweep and big nonleague win for the Laguna Beach boys’ volleyball team Wednesday turned into a five-game match that ended in a 22-25, 19-25, 26-24, 25-16, 15-11 win for host Newport Harbor. Laguna was on fire in the first two games and made strong plays that took the Breakers to a 2-0 lead in the match and on the brink of a triumph over a Newport Harbor team that is ranked fourth in Division I and just last week handed No. 1-ranked Mira Costa a loss.

Laguna Beach is dropping its study of the dumping of dredged materials from Newport Beach?s Back Bay at a site three miles off the coast of Laguna, after a subcommittee determined there was no cause for alarm. The Laguna Beach City Council on March 4 accepted the verdict of its Newport Harbor Dumping Site subcommittee ? Mayor Jane Egly and Councilman Kelly Boyd ? that their research should be terminated. ?After hearing reports, Kelly and I decided there was no reason to go forward,?

Laguna Beach is dropping its study of the dumping of dredged materials from Newport Beach’s Back Bay at a site three miles off the coast of Laguna, after a subcommittee determined there was no cause for alarm. The Laguna Beach City Council on March 4 accepted the verdict of its Newport Harbor Dumping Site Sub-committee — Mayor Jane Egly and Councilman Kelly Boyd — that their research should be terminated. “After hearing reports, Kelly and I decided there was no reason to go forward,” Egly said.

El Morro Elementary School students were rushed indoors Monday when a car burst into flames on North Coast Highway in front of the school. The fire ignited road-side brush next to the playground during the school’s lunchtime. School staff worked quickly to bring students indoors from the smoke. “The staff was great, they adjusted their plans and kept the kids safe,” said El Morro Principal Chris Duddy. Firefighters quickly contained the fire, preventing the fire from spreading into adjacent wilderness parks.

Tons of sediment from a Newport Beach dredging project are being dumped off Crystal Cove and some Laguna Beach residents — including the mayor — are concerned about the environmental impacts it may have on protected Laguna waters. Roger Butow, founder and chairman of the Clean Water Now! Coalition, is worried about possible contaminants in the material and is aiming to get the dredging project suspended until Laguna residents have a chance to weigh in on the issue. “I want a pollution intervention right now,” Butow said.

Laguna Beach police are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect in a vicious assault in downtown Laguna that left a Newport Beach man with a broken jaw early on Sept. 8. The victim, 39, was found at 1:36 a.m. in the vicinity of Laguna and Ramona Avenues, unconscious and bleeding from the face, after a reportedly unprovoked attack. The assailant punched the victim in the face and then fled on foot, according to a witness. The victim also sustained a head injury and has been released from the hospital, according to police.