Main Beach

Want to go to the No. 1 beach in America this Memorial Day weekend ? It's closer than you think. Coronado Beach in Coronado, Calif., snagged the top spot in Dr. Beach's Top 10 List 2012 . It's the first time any California beach has taken top honors since the list began in 1991. The beach doc who makes the annual pronouncements is really Stephen Leatherman, director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research. "The beach is popular for swimmers, surfers, sunbathers and beachcombers," Leatherman writes about the San Diego-area spot.

Sorry, Florida! But this Memorial Day, your beach expert says that the best sand and surf can be found clear across the country -- in California. Tiny Coronado Beach, a 1.5-mile long sliver of sunshine in San Diego County, has been named the No. 1 beach in the United States  -- just as millions of Americans plan to head to the beach this Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff to summer. Part of Coronado's appeal is a highly unusual trait: The fine sand that lines the Coronado shore is laced with mica, a naturally occurring mineral.  "The sand glistens in the light when the sun hits it, and it's really something to see, especially when the sun goes down," professor Stephen P. Leatherman told the Los Angeles Times.

Main Beach Park may be this city's prized "window to the sea," but it may also become the site of a skateboard arena. The Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously this week to explore the idea of building a skateboard park at either Main Beach or adjacent Heisler Park. "I'd put it at Main Beach," said Mayor Wayne L. Peterson. "This is a spectator sport. People like doing it and being watched, and people like watching them."

The stepson of Laguna Beach Police Chief Neil J. Purcell has been arrested on charges of selling marijuana to a city undercover officer and later trying to flee from arresting officers, police officials confirmed Wednesday. Cary Holt, 26, remained in custody Wednesday in Orange County Jail, with bail set at $11,790. An undercover Laguna Beach police officer investigating reports of narcotics trafficking around the city's Main Beach area bought "4 to 5" grams of marijuana from Holt, Sgt. Ray Lardie said.

As the shifting sands of the city's beaches continue to shorten the distance between beachfront homes and the ocean, the latest plan to replenish the one-mile-long main beach is stuck in the mud. An ambitious effort to recover 110,000 cubic yards of sand from a Santa Ana River dredging project to replenish the main beach has yielded only dirt and clay. With only one-third of the dredging project completed, city officials are hoping they may yet hit sand under all that dirt.

A candlelight vigil will be held tonight, Saturday and Sunday nights to support preservation of Laguna Canyon. The event is presented by Light Around the World and will start at midnight on Main Beach in Laguna. The purpose of the event is to support the canyon's preservation and to protest any future development of the area. The vigil will feature music, speakers and silent meditation.

A construction crew rebuilding a Laguna Beach hotel accidentally broke a sewer line on Tuesday, causing thousands of gallons of raw sewage to flood into the ocean north of Main Beach. The north portion of Main Beach was closed after the 9:30 a.m. pipeline rupture and will remain closed for at least a day, City Manager Kenneth C. Frank said. Frank said the construction crew was working on the renovation of the Inn of Laguna on North Coast Highway when it hit the line.