National Democrats back Rohrabacher challenger in effort to avert top-two lockout

National Democrats announced Friday that they would back businessman Harley Rouda in the crowded field to unseat GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, hoping to avoid being locked out of a targeted race that could prove pivotal to the Democrats' effort to retake the House. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Friday added Rouda to its Red to Blue program, tantamount to an endorsement in the race for the 48th Congressional District, which extends from Laguna Beach to Seal Beach.

Laguna Beach man admits to three schemes that defrauded investors of more than $6 million

A Laguna Beach man federal authorities have described as a "serial con artist" pleaded guilty Wednesday to running three investment fraud schemes , admitting he stole a combined $6.8 million from investors across the country. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Peter Heinrich Conrad Reinert, 63, admitted to a federal wire fraud charge, and agreed to forfeit $300,000 seized by the FBI, along with a 2009 Mercedes Benz S63 AMG and a 2011 Mercedes Benz, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

New flight paths lead to airplane noise complaints across US

Airliners began flying over Twila Lake's bungalow-style house in a historic district three years ago, taking off every one to two minutes from the Phoenix airport and roaring over her neighborhood. It was a sudden change after rarely hearing jets in her previous 13 years in the downtown neighborhood.