LAST LAUGH: Capt. Selwyn S. Laughter retired...

LAST LAUGH: Capt. Selwyn S. Laughter retired from the U. S. Navy on Friday, moments after handing over the reins at Point Mugu to a new base commander (B1) . . . Laughter, pronounced LAW-ter, used to get teased about his name at the U. S. Naval Academy. But he’s the one left chuckling in the world of Navy jet jockeys who would do anything to keep flying aircraft for a living. Laughter has landed a dream job as a test pilot for United Airlines.

PRO PIER: Next week’s celebration of the second anniversary of the reopening of the Ventura Pier is sold out. But pier lovers can still contribute to the cost of ongoing maintenance by buying caps, T-shirts and sweat shirts with the “Pier into the future” logo at City Hall. . . . Among the popular pier items are bottles of Chardonnay with a historic pier photo on the label. City spokeswoman Jenise E. Wagar says root beer could join the list. “It’s a family pier,” she says.

DRIVING MUSIC: Dewey Bunnell, one of two original members of the rock group America, says he wrote the 1972 hit “Ventura Highway” one rainy day in London while reminiscing about trips his family took along the California coast when he was a child . . . Bunnell, who recently appeared at the Ventura Theatre--for the third time in as many years--says he’s a fan of the city: “I know it’s just another town, with all its faults and problems, but for me it’s got a special place in my mind.”