THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Remember when the well-dressed...

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Remember when the well-dressed back yard was one that had a few lawn chairs, a barbecue and a pool? . . . Not anymore. The new trend in back-yard wear is a pricey barbecue and just about everything a kitchen has--including the sink. The Thibaults of Van Nuys built a 24-foot cooking center in their back yard, complete with a barbecue, sink, refrigerator and built-in board games. See Valley Life!, Page 23.

DANCING REF: During the game, volleyball referee Marvin Hall is serious about calling the shots. But when the playing stops, Hall puts on his dancing shoes and puts on a show for thousands of spectators and TV viewers. The Tarzana man (C10) has won national popularity with his smooth moves. . . . “I just imagine that I’m dancing with 10,000 of my best friends,” he says.

HE’S BACK: Tom Jones (yes, that Tom Jones) is a big hit with the younger generation. Fans who were babies when the legendary crooner first asked “What’s New Pussycat?” are now lining up for his concerts and buying his CDs. Jones (above) is not surprised by the resurgence in his popularity--he expected it. . . . Valley Life!’s Patricia Ward Biederman searches for answers to the Tom Jones phenomenon. Page 3.

LIGHTING UP: Although President Clinton wants federal rules that would make it harder for teen-agers to get cigarettes (A1), some local teens say they’ll still find a way to smoke. “Teens can get anything if they want to,” says 17-year-old Liz Lopez (B1).

DOLLARS AND VOTES: Since their historic congressional takeover last fall, Republicans have been successful in raising campaign funds. Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) has raised $90,862 (B5). That’s good, but still far short of the amount Mike Huffington raised in his bid last year for a Senate seat: $29.5 million. . . . And despite spending about $7.62 per vote, Huffington still lost.