Huntington Beach

Stephen David Royds, a convicted drug dealer who kept his girlfriend's body preserved on dry ice in a swank Newport Beach hotel room for a year, has returned to his native New Zealand after being released from prison, federal officials said Thursday. Royds, 49, was paroled in May after serving more than a year and a half of a four-year sentence for felony drug charges. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported him June 25, ICE officials said. Royds, who went by the nickname "Kiwi," was arrested in March 2008 by Newport Beach police officers.

It was a crowd that laughed. More than 50 people gathered near the No. 7 lifeguard tower in Huntington Beach Thursday night. While the occasion was an unexpected death of Richard Kurtz a man who made friends in Huntington Beach and in Hollywood for almost 30 years, the mood was more about celebration than loss. And when 10-year roommate Bill Flynn joked about Kurtz’s mannerisms — the way his stories would trail off with “yadda yadda,” or the way a request for a place to stay a few weeks might stretch into years — everyone at least chuckled.

Ask many longtime area residents which civic decisions they most regret, and the demolition of the Golden Bear is likely to be high on their list. The now-legendary music venue, a former haunt of musicians from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Buffett, stood for more than 60 years in downtown Huntington Beach. From its beginnings as a restaurant in the 1920s, it morphed into a celebrated concert hall before to its sudden closure due to building instability — and redevelopment pressures — in 1986.

HUNTINGTON BEACH - The high school boys' volleyball showdown between Newport Harbor and host Huntington Beach began earlier than expected on Thursday. It finished that way, too. The match that featured undefeated Sunset League teams ended with the Oilers sweeping it 25-17, 25-23, 25-14. They can relax now and look forward to their upcoming spring break. They're 3-0, perfect in league. They're also going away to a perfect place during their break. While the Oilers travel to Honolulu for the Kamehameha Cup, a three-day tournament, the Sailors are staying home.

Chuck Finley, a former Major League star pitcher best known for his time with the Angels, says he likes to keep himself busy these days. The 49-year-old Newport Beach resident enjoys playing in charity golf events. He's all for doing autograph signing events, like the one he did Saturday at the new Dick's Sporting Goods in Huntington Beach. Finley also spends time working with young pitchers and helps them develop to hopefully pursue an opportunity on the college level. Some of the young hurlers are friends' kids, he said.

The Mater Dei High boys' frosh/soph water polo team captured the championship of the Gray Lunde Memorial Tournament in Newport Beach Saturday. The Monarchs defeated Huntington Beach in the final. Mater Dei beat Corona del Mar in a semifinal match, 4-2. Newport Harbor beat CdM, 6-3, for third place. The Mater Dei championship team includes Newport Beach residents Luke Wyatt, Ford Secrist, John Taschner, Ben Seybold, Ben Teishied, Colin Davis, Matt Brennan, Spencer Carroll and Peter Seidner.

NEWPORT BEACH - Outside of the Newport Harbor High gym, a woman gave Huntington Beach Coach Craig Pazanti two gifts. She handed him special drinks. "I don't know what it is," Pazanti said of the yellow liquid in the plastic bottles. "I don't ask either. " Pazanti likes the drink so much he could've bathed in it Friday night. It was time for him and his boys' volleyball team to celebrate. The Oilers preferred a drink made of mangoes, peaches and oranges to Gatorade after they rallied to win the outright Sunset League title.

Police on Wednesday identified the man who was stabbed to death in Costa Mesa as Robert Jay Liken, 43, of Long Beach. Costa Mesa police believe Adolph Mireles, 38, of Huntington Beach stabbed Liken about 6 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of Atlanta Way after the two fought over a relationship they had with the same woman. Liken was at the home visiting the woman, according to police. Neighbors said a husband, wife and their two sons live at the house where Liken was killed, and that the family, after facing some financial difficulty, rented out a room to a large tattooed man and his girlfriend.

NEWPORT BEACH - The past two weeks Newport Harbor High played its football games at Huntington Beach, always against some other school. The Sailors finally met Huntington Beach on the field on Friday, but on their home turf. Playing at Davidson Field made a difference in a key Sunset League game. Huntington Beach came to Newport Harbor undefeated in league play. The Oilers left with their first blemish as the Sailors came from behind to win, 20-17. The victory was a huge one for Newport Harbor (4-4, 2-1 in league)