Ocean Institute

Donna Reed, Whose Legs Took a Cannon Blast at Dana Point Tall Ship Fest, is Ready for 5k

Donna Reed, who is apparently not the America's sweetheart actress who passed away in 1986 but an American Tall Ship Institute spokeswoman, is running in a 5k race that raises money for her employer in four weeks.That is to be expected--until you discover Reed was the deck hand who had both of her l ... More >>

5 West Coast Film Festival Classics That Must Be Seen on the Big Screen

The great thing about the second annual West Coast Film Festival is it gives people of a certain age a chance to see classic films on the big screen that they have probably only taken in before on small screens.Running Sunday through Thursday, this year's run flashes 22 films in San Juan Capistrano' ... More >>

Rally Aims to Save Historic Ship The Shawnee

​There's a rally in front of the Ferris Wheel at the Balboa Fun Zone Saturday afternoon to save the Shawnee.That's not Shawnee, as in American Indians, but The Shawnee, an old wooden ship that a fellow named Dennis Holland has been restoring for years in front of his Newport Beach home, something ... More >>

Devon Lynn Kile, Real Housewives Wannabe, Won't Be Trading Pradas for Prison Garb

​When Laguna Hills roofing contractor Michael Vincent Petronella was convicted for one of the largest known frauds of its kind in California history, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas famously said, "Cheaters who defraud the system will be trading in their Pradas for prison garb." Su ... More >>

Kansas City Art Institute Sues $5 Million Donor For Breaking Financial Pledge

Art Institute officials: wealthy OC couple reneged on pledge to fund this building​The historic Kansas City Art Institute, which had ties to Walt Disney, is suing an Orange County couple for "accepting the publicity" of pledging a $5 million donation, getting an entire building named in their hono ... More >>

[UPDATED with Judge's Reasoning:] Jason Alan Marian Had Sex With 16-Year-Old Dance Student, Secretly Taped Girls Undressing in His Home

​UPDATE, JULY 19, 2:49 P.M.: Orange County Superior Court Judge David Thompson revealed why Mission Viejo dance instructor Jason Alan Marian should be retried on some counts related to his case involving unlawful sex with a 16-year-old dance student and secret videotaping several other teen girls ... More >>

100 Reasons to Be Ecstatic About Summer In OC!

Summer here is bliss, better than anyplace else in the States

[UPDATED with Million-Dollar Baby:] Coastal Walk in Memory of Maddie James--a Little Girl Who Loved the Ocean

Maddie James, 2005-2011.​UPDATE, JUNE 13, 2:04 P.M.: There were smiles, speeches and applause--and more than a few tears among the 100 invited guests. They were at a private dedication ceremony Saturday at Dana Point's Ocean Institute, on what would have been Maddie James's sixth birthday. The cer ... More >>

[UPDATED with Honor Roll Beaches:] OC Beaches Score Excellent Grades on Heal the Bay Report Card

Photo by Chasen Marshall/OC Weekly​UPDATE, MAY 27, 4:49 P.M.: The original report on Orange County's excellent showing on Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card left off the beaches that made the 2010-11 Honor Roll, and for good reason: the link to that list was broken.The link has since been repaired, ... More >>

Coastal Walk in Memory of Maddie James--a Little Girl Who Loved the Ocean

Maddie James, 2006-2011.​It has a deceptive, scholarly name. The kind of name you'd expect to come across while flipping through National Geographic. Referring, maybe, to light diffraction in the farther reaches of the Milky Way. Or the unique manner in which rare Peruvian orchids attract hummi ... More >>

Japanese Kids Go Crazy for SpongeBob SquarePants Happy Meal Toys, Or: Why Happy Meals Should Be Banned Everywhere

Last November, the city of San Francisco banned toys from fast-food kids' meals unless they met certain nutritional requirements, effectively banishing the Happy Meal as we now know it. It's clear from this Japanese McDonald's commercial the real reason why. Turn down the volume on your speakers. Yo ... More >>

Michael Vincent Petronella, Laguna Hills Roofer Who Lived Like a King, to Do a Dime for Massive Workers' Comp Insurance Fraud

​When Laguna Hills roofing contractor Michael Vincent Petronella and his wife Devon Lynn Kile were arrested in one of the largest known Workers' Compensation Insurance fraud cases in state history, they owned five properties in California and Texas and multiple luxury vehicles including a Bentley ... More >>

Heal the Bay Releases 2010 Beach Report Card; First, the Good News for Orange County

​Heal the Bay, the 13,000-member strong clean water advocacy group that started 25 years ago to demand action on Santa Monica Bay pollution and now monitors the entire California coastline, released its annual Beach Report Card Wednesday.    There are some positive trends when it comes t ... More >>

Jason Alan Marian Convicted of Having Sex With 16-Year-Old Dance Student, Secretly Taping Girls Undressing at Pool Party

​Jason Alan Marian, the 31-year-old Mission Viejo dance instructor previously blogged about here, faces up to nine years in state prison following his conviction for having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 16-year-old dance student and secretly videotaping several other teen girls after a ... More >>

Jason Alan Marian, Dance Teacher Accused of Sex Acts with Girl, 16, and Secretly Taping Undressing Girls, 12-14

flickr user nmhschoolPrey​A dance instructor is on trial for illegal sex acts with a 16-year-old girl and secretly videotaping 12- to 14-year-old girls changing out of wet bathing suits in the 31-year-old married man's Mission Viejo home.

Michael Vincent Petronella and Wife to Be Trading "Their Pradas for Prison Garb"

​A Laguna Hills roofing contractor was convicted today of lavishly spending illegal profits on luxury goods by cheating the Workers' Compensation Insurance system in what the Orange County District Attorney's office called one of the largest known fraud cases of its kind in California history.At t ... More >>

Weekend Archaeology Fair

Ocean Institute

Tall Ships Festival

Dana Point Harbor

To Do This Weekend 5/29-5/31

Henry Winkler, Friday, 9:30 a.m.There are so many reasons why this is awesome. But mostly it's because this award-winning actor, director, producer, student and Fonz (Heeeey!) will visit Orange County's Prentice School to share his personal experiences of being dyslexic with other, smaller dyslexic ... More >>

Heal The Bay Gives the Baby Beach a Clean Bill Of Health

Heal the Bay has released its annual report card of California beach water quality. Each of Orange County's beaches has received a grade, and the 88-page report has some other info on the county. Let's break it down:We've got two "beach bummers." On Heal the Bay's list of the top 10 worst beaches in ... More >>

Marine Wildlife Cruises

Ocean Institute

To Do This Weekend 2/13-2/15

Anti-Valentines Day Party, 7 p.m.Taking place on the very unromantic date of Friday the 13th--and aboard a 140-foot sea-bound yacht (presented by yours truly)--the event features DJs, dancing and drinks. Who knows, you might even meet someone special to scowl at happy people with. Price: $79 - $95W ... More >>

Ahoy!

Pyrate Adventure Sail

International Polar Year Speaker

Bill Cooper

What you missed over the weekend: Part VIII

Hungover from Super Bowl Sunday? Us too. (Yes, even those of us who aren't the biggest football nuts by a long shot. . .but when stranded in SFO waiting to head back to John Wayne, there aren't too many entertainment options.) Anyway, we obviously didn't go hog wild on Super Bowl coverage around her ... More >>

To Do Tonight - 01/02

DINING IN THE DARK, 6 p.m. Ever wondered what it would be like to be blind? The Foundation Fighting Blindness will help you experience the latter for $250 over dinner. (Or you could just stay home and eat ice cream in the dark.) Fairmont Newport Beach, 4500 MacArthur Boulevard, Newport Beach BRAZI ... More >>

Special Screenings

Movie of the Week: New Year Baby

Fishy Business

Ocean Institute

County Life

People, places, politicos, lawmen, muckrakers, card sharps, & other assorted scalawags & neer-do-wells, plus tall tales & ghost stories.

Now You Sea It

Bioluminescence Cruise

Environment and Sports

Environment & Sports

Art

The Asian Persuasion

Great Asian restaurants, and the Asians (and Chuck Devore) who love them

Eight Days

Paging John Ashcroft

White kids on dope!

Dana Point

We killed Killer Dana

The Real Deal