NEWPORT BEACH Desperately in search of lost...

NEWPORT BEACH

Desperately in search of lost gold

Olympic gold medalist and former Newport Harbor High swimmer Aaron

Peirsol told students last week at Ensign Middle School about the

three gold medals he won in Athens and then almost lost on his way

home.

Peirsol said he had packed his medals in a duffel bag, the only

piece of luggage that didn’t show up on the conveyor belt at

Frankfurt airport.

All of United Airlines was looking for the bag with the medals, he

said. They came back to him about two weeks ago, Peirsol said.

The 21-year-old Olympian is a former student at Ensign.

* One of the two dolphins that have been swimming in the Back Bay

for about two months was found dead last week.

The dolphin appeared to be the older of the two that made a

temporary home near the Coast Highway bridge. The cause of death

could not be determined and the remaining dolphin seems to be

thriving, said marine mammal expert Dennis Kelly.

* A group of exchange students from Newport Beach’s Sister City of

Okazaki, Japan arrived Wednesday for a roughly week-long visit.

The five students and two chaperons will stay with the families of

the local students who visited Okazaki in the summer. While they are

here, they will attend city, school district and Rotary Club

functions and will visit Disneyland.