After more than two decades of serving up burgers and shakes in downtown Laguna Beach, Johnny Rockets will close its doors for good on Sunday, Aug. 19.

The Laguna Beach City Council tentatively approved new regulations Wednesday, Aug. 7, for the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), restricting them in neighborhoods with impaired access for emergency vehicles.

After serving nine years as executive chef of Montage Resort’s award-winning Studio restaurant, Chef Craig Strong will be opening his own restaurant, Ocean at Main, in downtown Laguna Beach this fall.

ASSE, the Laguna Beach-based international student exchange program, is seeking local families to host students aged 15 to 18 for the 2018-2019 school year. Students come for 10 months to experience American culture as they share their culture and language with their host...

No Square Lifts the Curtain on Theatre Camp A two-week musical theatre camp for young performers ages 5-18 of all skill levels begins Monday, July 23, at No Square Theatre, 384 Legion S Direction is by Ella Wyatt and musical direction is by David Jayden Anthony. Kids 5-8 will...

By Gabrielle Mix, Special to the Independent             Evie Cant is a self-determined Laguna Beach High School senior from Australia who truly does it all, and more.             She writes music, excels in sports and is an honors student. Next fall, she will move back to the...

  The city of Laguna Beach recently issued a reminder to residents that dogs are prohibited on city and county beaches between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from June 15–Sept. 10. During that time, dogs can be on the beach before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m., provided they are...

  Sunday, Aug. 5 Traffic stop. 2:04 a.m. 2400 block of Laguna Canyon Road. A 47-year-old Santa Ana woman was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail. Pedestrian stop. 2:10 a.m. Coast Highway and Montage Resort Drive. Jason Charles Dunkel, 38, of Nevada, was arrested for battery...

Excerpts from Police Logs   Domestic Violence Report-Turned-Standoff Ends in Arrest A Laguna Beach man was arrested Monday, July 30, following a report of domestic violence that escalated into an hours-long standoff, according to Laguna Beach Police officials. Just before 9 p.m....

Dear Editor, With scorching heat and raging wildfires in the west and torrential downpours and massive flooding in the east, global warming is not just about a gentle sea rise any more. These tragic consequences of dumping greenhouse gases into our atmosphere, call for drastic...

Editor: Here’s one more reason to oppose the city’s proposed 12.9 percent sales tax increase in November. Look at the City Council’s approval last week of the $11.1 million Village Entrance, at 30 percent over budget. Council members Rob Zur Schmiede and Toni Iseman, both up for...

Editor: Many of you probably received the newsletter from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher in the mail in the last week or so. I was completely flabbergasted when I saw a section highlighting Dana’s work in “defending the planet,” mainly because Mr. Rohrabacher is not known to be a...

An educational video featuring Laguna Beach’s Marine Protected Areas was released this week by the Laguna Bluebelt Coalition, five organizations whose mission aims to protect and restore marine life. Short, fun and informative, it features local personalities Patsee Ober, Mike...

Master Gardener Sows SEEDS City Council member Toni Iseman awarded junior master gardener certificates recently to Laguna Beach elementary school students Katelyn Kolberg, Keala Henry, and Olivia Markman. The girls completed a yearlong program taught by master gardener Sharael...

By Justin Swanson | LB Indy Laguna resident Holly Morrell was going under the knife again, the sixth procedure in nearly a decade. A defibrillator planted in her chest required repair. Two wires, or “leads,” were fractured, meant to connect to veins near her heart that monitor...