Orange Coast College

Barbara Bond, dean of Orange Coast College?s physical education and athletics department and the campus? athletic director, is retiring after 35 years at the college. ?I?ve literally loved every day on the job,? said Bond, 61, a Laguna Beach resident. ?Orange Coast College has always been my life. The best thing about it is the people I?ve worked with ? the faculty and the students.? Since 1975, she has helped make OCC one of the highest-ranking athletic junior colleges in the country.

TODAY Baseball (3:15 p.m.) Laguna vs. Calvary Chapel (at Orange Coast College) JV Baseball (3:15 p.m.) Calvary Chapel at Laguna Boys? Volleyball (5 p.m.) Costa Mesa at Laguna JV Volleyball (3:30 p.m.) Costa Mesa at Laguna ? MONDAY Track & Field (1:30 p.m.) Orange Coast League prelims (at Orange Coast College) Boys? Golf (TBA) Orange Coast League finals Boys? JV Volleyball (4:30 p.m.)

After six years of adding faculty and establishing new positions, Laguna Beach resident Margaret Gratton will retire from her position as Orange Coast College president at the end of the school year. Gratton said she is leaving to pursue personal interests and other professional goals. The district's board of trustees will soon start the search for her successor. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at Orange Coast College," Gratton said. "I've never loved an institution like I love OCC. I won't forget this place or its people."

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It was a near sweep for the Laguna Beach High track and field program in its Orange Coast League opener. Taking on visiting Calvary Chapel in its final meet before spring break, the Breakers won at every level except junior varsity boys on April 5. Laguna's boys' and girls' varsity squads defeated the Eagles by identical, 74-48 scores. "Without question, Calvary is a much improved program and they competed with us in all events," Laguna Coach Dave Brobeck said. "A year ago this was not the case.

The Laguna Beach High football team opens fall ball next week, as preparations begin for the Breakers season opener Sept. 1 against longtime rival Corona del Mar. The Breakers and Sea Kings, members of the old Pacific Coast League, will meet in nonleague play. Laguna is part of the new Orange Coast League, while Corona del Mar retained membership in the Pacific Coast League. Below is the 2006 football schedule for the Breakers:   Fri., Sept. 1 : vs. Corona del Mar, 7 p.m. (at Newport Harbor High)

Jaffe, Quirarte, Raffo earn all-star nominations Laguna Beach High seniors Alec Jaffe, Ethan Quirarte and Ryan Raffo all were nominated for the South team of the 51st annual Brea Lions Orange County all-star football game. Roster selections will be announced later this month. The game is July 16 at Orange Coast College. Jaffe (a running back and defensive back), Quirarte (tight end/linebacker) and Raffo (lineman) helped Laguna win the Orange Coast League title this past season.

The first batter for Laguna Beach on Tuesday, junior Chris Paul, hit a double. Paul then could only watch as the next three Breakers struck out. To Coach Jeff Sears, simple execution is an area in which the Breakers are often lacking. It was made more apparent after they fell, 5-0, to Calvary Chapel in an Orange Coast League game at Skipper Carrillo Field. Laguna fell to 2-3 in league ? two games behind first-place Calvary ? and the teams play again today at Orange Coast College.

Thurston dedicating talent show to McMurrays Thurston Middle School students are dedicating their annual talent show to William McMurray, who is suffering from a brain tumor called brain stem glioma. William's parents, Sabrina and Michael McMurray, are owners of the Penguin Cafe, and William would have entered Thurston this year. Tickets are $10 and available at the Artists Theatre box office before the show. A Facebook page has been set up to support William, http://www.facebook.com/WilliamAidenMcMurrayMemoriesPage . * Locals given honor of Eagle Scout Thirteen Laguna Beach youth were given the highest Boys Scout honor, that of Eagle Scouts by the Orange County Boys Scouts of America.

The first batter for Laguna Beach on Tuesday, junior Chris Paul, hit a double. Paul then could only watch as the next three Breakers struck out. To Coach Jeff Sears, simple execution is an area in which the Breakers are often lacking. It was made more apparent after they fell, 5-0, to Calvary Chapel in an Orange Coast League game at Skipper Carrillo Field. Laguna fell to 2-3 in league ? two games behind first-place Calvary ? and the teams play again today at Orange Coast College.

Jaffe, Quirarte, Raffo earn all-star nominations Laguna Beach High seniors Alec Jaffe, Ethan Quirarte and Ryan Raffo all were nominated for the South team of the 51st annual Brea Lions Orange County all-star football game. Roster selections will be announced later this month. The game is July 16 at Orange Coast College. Jaffe (a running back and defensive back), Quirarte (tight end/linebacker) and Raffo (lineman) helped Laguna win the Orange Coast League title this past season.

Barbara Bond, dean of Orange Coast College?s physical education and athletics department and the campus? athletic director, is retiring after 35 years at the college. ?I?ve literally loved every day on the job,? said Bond, 61, a Laguna Beach resident. ?Orange Coast College has always been my life. The best thing about it is the people I?ve worked with ? the faculty and the students.? Since 1975, she has helped make OCC one of the highest-ranking athletic junior colleges in the country.

It?s been another strong year in the books for the Laguna Beach High School Surf Team. Although the Breakers went 1-6 this season you would have never known it from the positive attitudes and joyful demeanor displayed by the team members. This last week of competition featured three of the standout performers for the Laguna squad led by South Coast League champ Taylor Pitz. Taylor went undefeated this year to capture her second consecutive league crown in the hotly contested girls short board division.

Alec Horton knows the expectations for the Laguna Beach High girls? tennis team. Sure, the school may be the smallest public high school in Orange County, but in girls? tennis, the Breakers are up in the mighty CIF Southern Section Division I. Plus, Laguna Beach has won a title in said division as recently as 2005. Not a bad gig. ?If one day we could ever get to the point where we could be back winning a Division I championship again, it?d be great,? said Horton, 39. ?

Five Laguna Beach residents will join some 100 business and civic leaders from around Orange County in a new musical production “The Princess and the Prius,” to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). CHOC Follies XII, a hilarious musical production, will hit the Robert B. Moore Theater at Orange Coast College at 8 p.m. Thursday and continue at 8 p.m. April 3 and for two performances at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 4. Now in its 12th year, the CHOC Follies has earned a reputation as one of Orange County’s most original, successful charity events.

Popular Laguna Beach artist Vincent Farrell, who had deep roots in California, died Nov. 2 at his home here. He was 79. Farrell was born Dec. 12, 1928, in Santa Barbara. His family had lived in California since the 1500s. He attended Orange Coast College, where he earned an associate of arts degree. He also studied privately with his lifelong mentor, Sergei Bongart. In turn, Farrell taught local artist Shirley Murray for 30 years. “She knows as much about him as we do,” a family member said.

After getting a stirring victory, it was time this week for the Laguna Beach football team to give back. The Breakers find themselves idle from gridiron wars this weekend, in limbo between a 34-12 Orange Coast League victory over host Calvary Chapel and a week away from playing their final regular season home game Nov. 7 against Estancia. Their reward following that Oct. 23 win over Calvary Chapel that put the Breakers at 2-0 in league? A day at the beach. But it wasn?