Clearing Skies: Your stinging eyes may not...

Clearing Skies: Your stinging eyes may not believe this, but smog alerts are on the decline across the Los Angeles Basin, and have practically vanished in the San Fernando Valley. . . . There haven’t been any first stage alerts in the East Valley since 1992 and the last in the West Valley occurred in 1991. The bad news . . . There’s still enough smog to make you hurt. Valley Briefing (B2).

They’re Champs! A week without fast food in boring Casper, Wyo., was the price . . . The reward was that the 15 girls of the United Valley Stars will come home Western champions (B1). The 11- and 12-year-olds knocked off the San Juan Spirits, 8-0, Saturday in the finals of the Far West Nationals, the soccer league’s highest level. “All our hard work paid off,” said April Millado of Canoga Park.

Cyber Street: Want to cruise the boulevard? Virtually? Go directly to the Web for the cyberspace equivalent of the Valley’s signature thoroughfare. Find a new Internet community hosting businesses from Calabasas to Universal Studios. It’s Virtual Ventura Boulevard. https://www.venturablvd.com

Sand Optional: Beach volleyball in North Hollywood? No problem. The fine points of spiking and such will be taught for free on grass courts there and in Sherman Oaks. The lessons for the 11-17 crowd start July 8. . . . As for that missing sand, parks in other parts of the city actually truck it in for their “beach” volleyball courts. For information: (213) 730-9627.

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Smog Alerts

Stage 1 smog alerts--when ozone reaches .20 parts per million and people are advised to avoid vigorous outdoor activity--have decreased.

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West Valley East Valley 1986 5 14 1987 2 6 1988 4 4 1989 5 5 1990 0 1 1991 2 4 1992 0 8 1993 0 0 1994 0 0 1995* 0 0

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* January through October

Source: South Coast AQMD