Newport Beach

LA CANADA HIGH SCHOOL La Canada High School Class of 1984 will have its 20-year reunion June 26 at the La Canada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 Godbey Drive. For more information, call (800) 655-7971. HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL Hoover High School Class of 1994 will have its 10-year reunion Sept. 25 at the Hilton Glendale, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale. For more information, call (800) 655-7971. CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Crescenta Valley High School Class of 1984 will have its 20-year reunion Oct. 2 at the Hard Rock Cafe, 453 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

Monday, members of the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa were busy escorting the youth exchange members from the Okazaki South Rotary Club and their host youth from Newport Beach on a tour of significant sites in our beautiful city, including the Central Library, the Environmental Nature Center, the city's Harbor Patrol and the highlight patrol boat tour of the harbor. The group also went to the Newport Aquatic Center for kayaking and to Ruby's on the Balboa Pier for lunch.

A 46-year-old Anaheim man drowned Sunday evening after being caught in a rip current at Newport Beach, officials said. Lifeguards at the 28th Street beach responded to reports of swimmers in distress at 6:10 p.m., said Lifeguard Captain Eric Bauer. By the time lifeguards responded, one male swimmer had struggled to shore, but a man and a woman remained caught in the rip current, Bauer said. As a bystander assisted the woman to the beach, a pair of lifeguards swam to the Anaheim man, who was facedown in the water.

The stereotypical boy growing up in Orange County is involved with such activities as surfing, skateboarding or volleyball -- the type of events Southern California is known for. But for Casey Suzuki and Trinon Cirello, growing up in Newport Beach centered around different activities. "My uncle would take me to the [Orange County International Raceway]," Suzuki said. "As a kid, I just loved the noise and how fast [the dragsters] could go." Cirello grew up in an auto racing family.

ROSSI Gretchen Forward of Montrose and Christopher Rossi of New York City were married at Laguna Cliffs in Dana Point. Pastor Keith Davis officiated. The bride and groom had their dog, Kahlua, walk down the aisle with the wedding bands to the song "Who Let the Dogs Out." The maid of honor was Nicole Forward. Serving as bridesmaids were Kimberly Kehl, Rachel Leonard, Melanie Masterton, Tina Aust, Michele Arnold, Sarah Nelson, Susan Strauss and Erica Kelly.

o7The Daily Pilot visited Harbor View Elementary's after-school club and asked: "What's the key to winning at chess?" f7 "To keep your king away from all the moves where somebody can capture you." CASSIDY GEORGE, 9 Newport Beach "You never take your king off the board." JAKE HUGGINS, 9 Newport Beach "To think, and not to move into the wrong spaces." PAUL VREBALOVICH, 6 Newport Beach "Be able to control the center."

"'Star Wars' -- the whole trilogy. My mom was sort of a freak about it, and I like it too." JAMES BARRETT, 9 Newport Beach "'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.' It's funny." JENNA NULTY, 9 Newport Beach "'Benji.' We went to a movie store, and my mom said it was a great movie, so we watched it." HANNAH FELFE, 9 Newport Beach "'Ace Ventura' -- all of them -- because Jim Carrey is hilarious and witty and weird." MADDIE PECKENPAUGH, 11 Newport Beach "'Star Wars: Episode 3.' It makes we wonder sometimes that that's the way our world could end up."

EDITOR'S NOTE: These people have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. They are considered innocent until proved guilty. COSTA MESA Friday Timothy Patrick Murkett, 38, Costa Mesa Dawn Robin Gumm, 41, Costa Mesa Sunday Joseph Stephen Lilly, 32, Newport Beach Pedro Israel Martinez Gomez, 29, Costa Mesa Matthew James Gobster, 43, Costa Mesa Susan Elizabeth Ashby, 48, Agoura Hills Monday Paula Jean Bitler, 49, Costa Mesa William Glen Hermann, 30, Newport Beach NEWPORT BEACH Sept.

WARMINGTON -- BANTA Mr. and Mrs. David D. Banta of Glendale and Newport Beach announce the engagement of their son, Michael Beale Banta, to Sara Joyce Warmington of Newport Beach. Michael is a graduate of Glendale High School and Redlands University, with a degree in psychology. He resides in Newport Beach, and is a portfolio manager and partner in the Banta Portfolio Management Group of Salomon Smith Barney in Newport Beach and Glendale. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Newport Harbor High School and Stanford University, with a degree in economics.

NANCY CAROL KIRST             Nancy Carol Kirst of Newport Beach, California entered eternal life on March 12, 2011 at 60 years of age. She was born July 13, 1950 in La Cañada, California, where she lived throughout her youth, and died on March 12 in Newport Beach. The second child and oldest daughter of Philip and Colleen Kirst, Nancy was a fourth generation Californian whose forebears were prominent early settlers of Los Angeles and La Cañada. She attended parochial grammar school at Saint Bede the Venerable, where her parents were founding members of the parish.

Heather Joy Lang and Justin Alan Griffith, both Crescenta Valley High School graduates, have announced their engagement. The bride’s parents are Chris and Joy Lang of Glendale. The groom’s parents are Gary Griffith of La Crescenta and Rebecca Griffith of Chatsworth. Heather graduated from CVHS in 2003, continuing her education at UC Irvine, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior. She now resides in Newport Beach and currently is employed by Autism Spectrum Therapy as a behavioral therapist.

GLENDALE — Four local teens were in action during the final weekend of play in the 105th Annual Southern California Junior Sectional Championship. Glendale's Sahak Bazrganian, Alexios Halebian, Alex Sarkissian and La Crescenta's Jessica Harrow played in matches on Saturday and Sunday in Fountain Valley in what is the largest junior tennis tournament in the United States. Three of the four won at least two matches, with Bazrganian enjoying the greatest success. As the second seed in the Boys' 14 Division, Bazrganian has advanced to today's championship match against top-seeded Spencer Simon of Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. Bazrganian defeated seventh-seeded Jonathan Huang of Santa Ana, 6-3, 7-5, in the semifinals on Sunday.

Verdugo Valley Baptist Church ladies will celebrate their second "Ladies' Outing" on Feb. 12. They will meet in Glendale to carpool to Liberty Baptist Church in Newport Beach, which is hosting meetings with John Bishop and his wife Donna. Bro Bishop was a pastor when he came down with meningitis in 1995. He lost all of his memory and had to learn to walk and talk again. Ladies interested in joining this caravan may call Pastor Jesse Johnson's wife, Candace, at 331-6479.

Burbank man not charged in death The Orange County District Attorney's office decided not to file charges against two Burbank brothers who were involved in a fatal bar fight in Newport Beach in April. Tustin resident Jason Boozer, 26, died after he was pushed or punched and hit his head on concrete in a fight outside Muldoon's Dublin Pub on April 29. Marc and Brian Weiner, of Burbank, were arrested in connection with Boozer's death. But Dept. District Attorney Matt Murphy said there is not enough evidence to file against the brothers.

Glendale church hosts David Sills Quartet for Jazz Celebrations service, which attracts a diverse congregation.EAST GLENDALE -- The music emanating from the First Lutheran Church of Glendale on Sunday evening was nothing like the traditional hymns most people associate with worship services. Organ music was replaced by the lows of the tenor saxophone and the eclectic rhythm of jazz drums, as the 40 or so people congregated in the church's pews enjoyed a performance by the David Sills Quartet.

OK, readers. I'll make you a deal. If you write me to tell me I made a mistake in this column and you're wrong, I'll publish a whole new column on your mistake, making it clear that I am an untouchable authority I am and that you were wrong to ever challenge me. But if you point out a mistake I made and you're right, the silence that follows will be deafening. Deal? No? Aw, come on! OK. Then I guess I owe a little mea culpa to Professor Burton Karson, who I picked on in a recent column, but who more recently busted me for writing, "And it is this defiant nature of idioms that make it OK ... " (And who, no doubt, will pick right back at me for not writing "whom I picked on."

Too few at CaDance performance At our local high school theater, I attended two magnificent performances of the CaDance Festival performed by national, award-winning dancers. I'm still reeling from the beauty of it all. This was a rare opportunity for the residents of Laguna Beach, and what a shame the theater was less than half full. We sat third row center for $35. Would our residents rather go to New York City or Aspen, where I have seen them at triple the price?

The Laguna Beach High girls' tennis team steamrolled over two opponents to pick up two more victories in Pacific Coast League play. The Breakers started with an 18-0 win over visiting University, and on Tuesday they eased past visiting Calvary Chapel, 16-2. The wins moved Laguna, ranked third in CIF-Southern Section Division I, to 4-1 in league play. Against Calvary Chapel, three Breakers who normally play doubles earned sweeps in singles action.

As fires burned in northern Los Angeles County two weeks ago, members of the Newport Beach and Costa Mesa fire departments were there battling the blazes with their fellow firefighters. That might seem a bit far from home, but the fire departments' efforts could pay off if things get bad in their backyards. The firefighting work was part of a statewide agreement among fire agencies to help one another in times of need. It's an agreement that should help us all sleep a little easier, knowing we're not only in the capable hands of our local firefighters but also that they've got back-up if need be. The fires in Topanga and Burbank were just the latest reminder that we never know when a disaster may strike that requires us to call for extra help.