Laguna Hills

All Rise . . . Now Scatter as Cash-Stapped Orange County Plays Musical Courthouses

Big changes are afoot in the Orange County court system thanks to a lack of state funding.The Harbor Justice Center in Laguna Hills will close July 1, and family-law cases handled in Santa Ana Superior Court will be moved to the Lamoureaux Justice Center in Orange.

Max Page, "Little Vader" of VW Commercial, Uses Force for Good at Saddleback Hospital

Max Page, the 8-year-old actor who in 2011 starred as "Little Vader" for Volkswagen in one of the most memorable Super Bowl ads ever, is using the force for good.He's scheduled to appear at a Saturday gala where he'll donate some money he's made from commercials to Saddleback Memorial Medical Cente ... More >>

Carl's Jr. Offers OC Lunch Date With The Laker Girls!

Who likes hot women? We have no issues with athletic ladies sporting purple, and you shouldn't either. Get to know a couple this month, as burger behemoth Carl's Jr hosts a series of meet-and-greets with your Los Angeles Laker Girls!And if that's not reason enough to do your laundry, we've got more ... More >>

Irvine Joins Anaheim, Placentia and Buena Park in DUI Checkpointing Saturday Night

The Irvine Police Department just announced a DUI checkpoint Saturday night at Jamboree Road and Birch Street.This is the first of eight such ops the department has scheduled in coming months.

Business Is Thriving At Chick-Fil-A Despite Anti-Gay Controversy

As they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Not even boycotts and same-sex make-out sessions can pry people away from Chick-Fil-A, apparently. Three months after company president Dan Cathy openly proclaimed an anti-gay stance, setting off a torrential PR shitstorm for the chikin chain, bus ... More >>

[UPDATED with Conviction:] Flordeliza Aguillo Escano and Son James Francis Alambra Guilty of Abandoning 30 Dogs

See the update at the end of this post on the defendants' guilty pleas and sentences.ORIGINAL POST, SEPT. 25, 8:02 A.M.: A mother and son are scheduled to be arraigned in Newport Beach this morning on charges of abusing and abandoning 30 dogs in a South County park. Rancho Santa Margarita's Flordel ... More >>

Todd Robert Sousa, Paroled Sex Offender, Accused of Sex with Second Girl Swim Student

Todd Robert Sousa, a former youth swim club coach who owned a swimming school with his wife, was reportedly jailed Wednesday on suspicion of having sex with an underage girl who took lessons from him.That's especially rough for the 38-year-old Irvine father--and son-in-law of a retiring Laguna Hill ... More >>

5 Hilarious Tweets About The Chick-Fil-A Controversy

There's been a whole lot of heated chatter this week about Chick-Fil-A, whose president openly declared his opposition to same-sex marriage, prompting protests like the one yesterday in Laguna Hills.  Here are some gems that emerged on Twitter. 

[UPDATE With Photos of Protest] LGBT Youth to Protest Chick-Fil-A's New Opening in Laguna Hills

Update: See photos of Thursday's Chick-fil-A protest here!ORIGINAL POST, JULY 24, 11 A.M: In response to the owner of Chick-Fil-A's public opposition to same-sex marriage, the youth wing of the Gay and Lesbian Services Center of Orange County plans to protest the fast food chain's newest grand ... More >>

Starcraft Nerds Descend Upon OC Sports Bars For BarCraft

This weekend, a bunch of guys will be heading to local sports bars to watch the big game. Who's competing, you ask? The lineup includes MarineKingPrime, viOLet and Heart, all professional videogame players. Buffalo Wild Wings in Lake Forest and Player's Sports Grill in Laguna Hills are gea ... More >>

Macarons and Cooking Classes Highlight New Rocq Cafe in Lake Forest

​For some reason, the rest of Orange County thinks South County is a culinary black hole. As someone who lives south of the Spectrum I take offense to that. First, haters, let's not forget that we have Break of Dawn. But we're also home to the boss burgers at Riders Club in San Clemente, the impre ... More >>

Perhaps Chastened By Last Week's Tip Furor, Laguna Hills Diner Leaves 84 Percent Tip

​Remember the international furor last week created by the person who allegedly left a 1 percent tip (and a nasty note about finding a real job) on a bill worth more than $100 at True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach? Well, of course, that turned out to be a fake, but not before igniting a huge debat ... More >>

Tracy Ramon Seward, President David Palmer Lookalike, Admits to Robbing, Hostage Taking

​A dead ringer for 24's President David Palmer in a dark suit and tie with a white collared shirt walked into a Lake Forest Payday Loan store around 9 a.m. on June 10, 2009, pulled out a loaded semi-automatic handgun and held it at the head of a 61-year-old customer. He ordered the teller to empty ... More >>

Laguna Hills Adopts Law Banning Sex Offenders Like Councilman's Son-in-Law From Parks

Joel Lautenschleger​Laguna Hills City Councilman Joel Lautenschleger, who'd previously appeared on the fence about a ban on sex offenders in local parks, joined his council colleagues in unanimously approving the second reading of such an ordinance Tuesday night.The ban, which is modeled after the ... More >>

Roving DUI Patrols Hit Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods Tonight

​The Orange County Sheriff's Department holds DUI roving patrols tonight in Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods.Deputies will target areas that have a high incidence of DUI-related arrests and collisions, according to a department release.

Free Ticket Tuesday: Aloe Blacc at Detroit Bar!

​ So maybe you're having a shitty week, and it's only Tuesday. Well, we can make it better. We're giving away two pairs of tickets to Aloe Blacc's Detroit Bar show on Saturday! The Laguna Hills native who began his career in 1995 as half of hip-hop outfit Emanon (he was the emcee/singer to DJ/prod ... More >>

Pot, Guns and Cash Seized After Raids of Dispensaries and Homes

Weed, guns and money were seized last week after law enforcement served search warrants at storefront medical marijuana dispensaries in Lake Forest and Long Beach and the homes of people associated with the shops.According to a notice from the Orange County Sheriff's Department, members of South ... More >>

Colombian Cuisine Back In OC!

[Hole In the Wall] Colombian Cuisine at Mitzi's Kountry Kitchen in Laguna Hills reintroduces the hearty South American cuisine to OC stomachs

TGIF: Three Reasons to be Happy it's the Weekend (Including BrokeNCYDE!)

​1. Today, Insane Clown Posse heirs brokeNCYDE will be performing their critically reviled music at Chain Reaction in Anaheim. Show compassion this season and, er, listen without prejudice.

3 Orange County Car Washes Among 8 the State is Targeting for Allegedly Exploiting Workers

​Car washes in Irvine, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel are among eight targeted by California Attorney General Jerry Brown in a $6.6 million lawsuit that alleges a "widespread pattern of worker exploitation," unpaid wages and illegal business practices.All eight car washes are owned by the Sikder ... More >>

What's the Cost for Police Service in Your City?

​At the most recent meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens got the five supes to approve $77 million in annual police service contracts with 11 cities throughout the county.That amount represents a slight increase (primarily due to deputy benefits) over the last ... More >>

Five Great Places to Eat on Black Friday

eliya @ flickr.com CC BY-NC 2.0​This week contains one of the most ancient and cherished traditions in America, where families get up at shockingly early hours to fight traffic just to be together for a day. Thanksgiving, you say? No, Black Friday, the day by which all retail business for the enti ... More >>

At the Farmer's Market: Peaches (Maybe)

Dave Lieberman'Tis the last peach of summer left rip'ning alone...​That's right, peaches--maybe.Yes, it's mid-November. Yes, it's already snowing all over the purple mountains' majesty and the fruited plains east of here. People in New York are settling in for a long winter of imported Israeli pro ... More >>

UPDATE: Not A John Lennon Latte In Sight...But Javatinis Still Impresses

Good independent cafés are few and far between, so I count myself lucky that one of them, Javatinis, is right on my doorstep. Admittedly, the setting isn't the nicest, set in a lackluster strip mall on what feels like the edge of the world. The drinks list is familiar (including frozen drinks with ... More >>

Crime Time: No Incidents at Home Plate Before Angel Game

Photos by Professional Services Responder George Ridley Olszynski, Lewellyn, Palmer and Hutchens play hardball.This week's Weekly round-up of local police calls is illustrated with a photo of Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Anaheim Police Sgt. Greg Palmer, who is president of the Anaheim Pol ... More >>

Woody's Diner to Replace Islands in Laguna Hills Next Week

Edwin Goei Next Wednesday, April 22, Woody's Diner opens in the space vacated by Islands in Laguna Hills. This will make the fifth restaurant for the 22-year-old local chain that started in Huntington Beach.  The others are in Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, and Newport Beach; but this new loca ... More >>

Villa Roma's Carne Knowledge

[Hole in the Wall] I Second That Best Of for Break of Dawn

To Do Tonight 11/13

Winemaker Dinner and Belly Dancing Show, 7 p.m. Seriously, nothing going on tonight is better than this. You should totally go. $34.99 Villa Roma 25254 La Paz Rd. Ste.A Laguna Hills, CA (949) 454-8585 Christmas Company Shopping Extravaganza, today and tomorrow only Over 100 unique vendors from Oran ... More >>

This Weekend: Armenian Festival of Orange County

For those whose only exposure to Armenian culture is Zankou Chicken (actually, not a bad start), here's a chance to widen your perspective. This weekend (Saturday, September 13th from 12 PM-10 PM, and Sunday, September 14th from 12 PM - 8 PM), the 4th Annual Armenian Festival will be held at the La ... More >>

Hey, You!

Little Drummer Boy

This Hole-in-the-Wall Life

Ribbed No More

New Reviews

Conversations With God; Don; Jaan-E-Mann; Le Petit Lieutenant

Grub Guide

Tasty morsels from the county's best damn dining guide

Diary of a Mad County

Sept. 13 - Sept. 19

Grub Guide

Tasty morsels from OC's best damn dining guide

Grub Guide

A sampling of Orange County's best damn dining guide

Grub Guide

A taste of Orange County's best damn dining guide

Grub Guide

The best damn dining guide in Orange County

The Happiest Place On Earth

Worlds Worst Job: Mortuary makeup artist

Grub Guide

This week in small restaurants

Laguna Hills

This Week in Ramadan and Rosh Hashana

Kosher Bite

Palace Bakery

Scorecard

L

Laguna Hills

Nice offramps

Aliso Viejo

The homies call it AV

Noise, Noise, Noise

The countys jet test delivers a clear message: Many OC residents are doomed