Friday Night Live Program

Live from Orange County, it's Friday Night! Friday Night Live, a program relatively new to the O.C. scene, is designed to provide alternatives for teen-agers by promoting the idea of teens taking care of one another in a safe, alcohol- and drug-free environment. "We're 75% fun and 25% message," says Monica Beltran, program director for FNL, which is a cooperative effort between the Orange County Department of Education and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

Talk to some teen-agers about the benefits of sobriety and drug-free living, and their eyes may glaze over, their attention may wander. Not so for Ryan Jacques, who takes the subject quite personally. Jacques, 17, who just graduated from Torrance's Shery High School, has an older brother who was left severely brain-damaged after being hit by a car driven by a drunk driver.

Talk to some teen-agers about the benefits of sobriety and drug-free living, and their eyes may glaze over, their attention may wander. Not so for Ryan Jacques, who takes the subject quite personally. Jacques, 17, who just graduated from Torrance's Shery High School, has an older brother who was left severely brain-damaged after being hit by a car driven by a drunk driver.

Live from Orange County, it's Friday Night! Friday Night Live, a program relatively new to the O.C. scene, is designed to provide alternatives for teen-agers by promoting the idea of teens taking care of one another in a safe, alcohol- and drug-free environment. "We're 75% fun and 25% message," says Monica Beltran, program director for FNL, which is a cooperative effort between the Orange County Department of Education and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

Three years ago, anti-liquor crusader Augie Maldonado was at war with Pistol Pete's, a pizza parlor planning to open in Pacoima, battling to prevent the restaurant from obtaining a license to sell alcoholic beverages. He lost the fight. But now Maldonado is one of the restaurant's biggest supporters and even steers business its way. "They did the right thing," he said.

Keyboard artist Kevin Fukagawa will open the "Friday Night Live" program Oct. 24 at the Unity Center in Agoura Hills with a performance of smooth jazz. The Rev. Irma Oestmann will follow Fukagawa with a talk on "Illumine Your Path." A group discussion will follow. The Unity Center meets in the Westlake Community Room at 4373 Park Terrace Drive in Agoura Hills. For more information, call 480-9689.

Students at Sonora High School joined forces Wednesday after school to launch their Hands Off Halloween Responsible Merchants Campaign, a nationwide effort to remove alcohol-related Halloween advertisements that target youths.

They walk away from fights and pull their friends away from arguments. They are peacemakers, and Sunday they will be rewarded for keeping out of gangs and away from violence. "These kids are doing a lot of great things," said Abel Sedillo of the Los Angeles County Office of Education's Friday Night Live program.

This is a story of young lives changed in an instant, of bloodied bumpers and broken bodies, grieving parents and tearful classmates. It is a story not of those who died, but rather those who lived, knowing their actions were the cause--however accidentally--of another's death. In August, four Anaheim High School athletes died when the Chevy Suburban they were riding in crashed near Victorville. Police found more than 40 empty beer cans strewn about the wreckage.

Hundreds of people are expected to participate Sunday in the fourth annual Red Ribbon Games at Adolfo Camarillo High School. Activities include softball, basketball, track and field events and even board games for all ages. The games will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Up to 500 youngsters and adults have participated in previous years, said Richard Diaz, event coordinator.

Three years ago, anti-liquor crusader Augie Maldonado was at war with Pistol Pete's, a pizza parlor planning to open in Pacoima, battling to prevent the restaurant from obtaining a license to sell alcoholic beverages. He lost the fight. But now Maldonado is one of the restaurant's biggest supporters and even steers business its way. "They did the right thing," he said.

More than two dozen teams are expected to compete in the 1993 Ventura County Red Ribbon Games, a weekend of events to promote drug-abuse awareness, at a park in Camarillo beginning Oct. 23. The early registration deadline is Friday, for teams competing in softball, basketball, track-and-field, pumpkin races and other events in observance of Red Ribbon Week. During Red Ribbon Week, students and adults wear red ribbons to display their commitment to a drug-free lifestyle.

From the start, it promised to be a wild party. A flyer secretly circulated at Beverly Hills High School a few days before the event advertised: "Free drinks all nite, full bar, dancing to a live D.J." All for a $3 cover charge. The news spread quickly throughout the school. That Friday night in April, nearly 400 teen-agers with party fever danced, drank and created an uproar in the back yard of the plush house on Bedford Drive south of Sunset Boulevard.