​It may only be late September, but report cards are already out -- on the quality of California's beach waters. A report by Heal the Bay, which issues the grades, notes that this is the third consecutive year of overall improvement, although much of that good news can be laid to the bad news of drought. (Less rain means less mucky runoff spewing out into bays or onto beaches.)

Locally, the bad news is that, according to a press summary, "Los Angeles County once again had some of the lowest summer grades in the state, with only 80% of its 81 beaches receiving A or B marks. This year, 10 beaches in the county earned F's during the summer."

On the plus side, L.A. County had fewer F's than last year, and "Santa Monica Bay monitoring locations fared notably better than last summer, exhibiting water quality of 91% A's and B's compared to last year's 86%. A few Santa Monica Bay beaches still regularly exceeded newly adopted bacteria standards from April 1 to Sept. 3. Santa Monica Municipal Pier, Dockweiler State Beach at Ballona Creek, Surfrider Beach in Malibu, Topanga State Beach and Redondo Municipal Pier were the worst offenders."