Wine Tasting, Music Listening, Award Winning

Taking a look at what's going down and coming up for residents in the Rancho Santa Margarita area.

• The first openly Christian heavy metal bands, Stryper, will show its colors at the Coach House tonight, 8 p.m., in San Juan Capistrano. Tickets are $20. The sound will be different, though, for the O.C. band: It's going to be an acoustic show. A new album is scheduled for release in the fall, No More Hell To Pay. Special guest is Mike Tramp of White Lion.

• It’s Beatles Day at the Sawdust Art and Craft Festival on Laguna Canyon Road. Beginning at 10 a.m., guests can enjoy 1960s-themed art activities and classes, as well as Beatles cover bands.

• A tasting of five Kenneth Volk wines takes place at Uncorked Wine Bar beginning at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $25.

• Patch is still a young player in the media game, but came away with some awards from the Orange County Press Club last month. A familiar face was among those who brought home the hardware.

• Was it really political gamesmanship, as John Alpay called it, that spurred Jim Reardon to call for another couple million in cuts to the CUSD budget to restore three school days to the calendar? Read the details in Penny Arévalo's story.

• Tonight is Senior College Night at Santa Margarita Catholic High, which began classes on Wednesday. Other events this week include the Welcome Dance on Friday, and Alumni Day at Angel Stadium on Sunday. If you're driving near the school, be cautious of pedestrians and cars as everyone gets back into the groove.

• Looking for new digs in RSM? Check out the homes for sale this week from our partners at Zillow.com.

• Take a tour of the Orange County Crime Lab, via the camera lens of Patch reporter Adam Townsend.