Beach Boys

NEWPORT BEACH — Julian Dunn, 7, did a warm-up dance in his living room Friday morning to his favorite song, "You Dropped a Bomb on Me," by the '80s funk group the Gap Band. Julian, who has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for an aggressive form of cancer, was gearing up for a special visit at his Newport Beach home. The Game Bus, a converted school bus filled with video game consoles and big-screen TVs, stopped by to treat Julian and his friends to an hour of fun. Julian was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2008.

CHINO HILLS ? Estancia High senior Markus Sostak shot three-under-par 69, the second-lowest round of the day, to help the Eagles finish seventh among 19 boys' golf teams at the CIF Southern Team Divisional on Monday at Los Serranos Golf Course. Estancia, which also included Ryan Knapp (81), John Rausch (81), Greg Les (82) and Austin Serr (83), shot 396 as a team on the North Course, 29 strokes off the pace of victorious Edison. Huntington Beach (370) finished second and will join Edison in the team finals, scheduled Thursday at Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles.

straight COSTA MESA - The Newport Beach boys Under-12 Plus team from AYSO Region 97 opened its 2001 season with three wins in a row at the McMillan Invitational Tournament last weekend at the Farm Complex. Newport's tough defense, led by Otoniel Garcia, Garrett Heiser, Robby Gordon, Taylor Friend and Robert Joslin, held the opposing teams to no goals, while the offense, led by Denny Perdomo, Will Reichenstein, Jeremy Anish and Brian Siemonsma helped the locals to 11 goals in the three victories.

Newport Beach philanthropist John Crean died today of congestive heart failure. He was 81. Crean became an entrepreneur who founded Fleetwood Enterprises, which at one time was the world’s largest manufacturer of motor homes, said Barbara Venezia, one of Crean’s closest friends. Crean, who had little formal education, served on the Orange County Fair board for nearly a decade, he hosted 228 episodes of a popular cable TV cooking show with Venezia, and he made his Newport Beach home available for a variety of charity events.

GIRLS' GOLF CIF team divisional RIVERSIDE — Corona del Mar High freshman Amy Matsuoka was oneunder par through 12 holes, then finished with a four-over 75 to place third individually and help the Sea Kings place ninth among 22 teams in the Eastern Divisional on Monday at Jurupa Hills Country Club. CdM, an at-large entry after finishing fourth in the Pacific Coast League, received strong rounds from Karlie Moses (88) and Emily Turner (95), the team's only senior. Matsuoka will represent the Sea Kings on Wednesday in the individual CIF Southern Regional event at Recreation Park Golf Course in Long Beach.

Jennifer Kho NEWPORT BEACH -- The traditional and the exotic each won dedicated followings at Taste of Newport this weekend as thousands sampled offerings from about 35 restaurants in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. The Newport Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce expected 70,000 people to attend the annual event at Fashion Island, which also included 15 premium California wineries, beer, Bacardi cocktails and entertainment, including the Beach Boys, Berlin, Kool & the Gang and Wang Chung.

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Beach Ameba boys under-14 soccer team will advance to the AYSO Region 97 championship following last Saturday's 3-1 win over Newport's Red Team. Brendon Sowers scored on a breakaway goal to open the scoring for the Ameba, before the Red Team tied the game late in the third quarter. Eduardo Garcia broke the tie with a goal, before Brenden Zimmer added an insurance goal for the Ameba (8-3). The Newport Slime are the Ameba's next opponents for the Region 97 championship.

NEWPORT BEACH - The Boys and Girls Club of the Harbor Area will hold registration for its winter basketball league on Sept. 18 at the club in Newport Beach. The league will offer an instructional program for first and second-graders, and league play for third to eighth-graders. The 10-game season will run from December to March, with a double elimination playoff and interleague play against the Lou Yantorn Club. Tryouts and draft will be in November.

These are hard times I tell you, hard times, especially for the government. Be thankful you're not in office. What with the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, gas prices, et al, the halls of power in Sacramento and Washington can be cold and lonely. But even at a time like this, it's reassuring to watch government do what it does best -- the weird stuff. Let me ask you something. Where is Surf City? Did anyone not say Huntington Beach? I didn't think so. But Santa Cruz, way up north, does not agree.