NEWS BITES

Green activist and former San Juan Capistrano Mayor Larry Kramer was given a recognition award by Orange County Fifth Supervisor Katrina Foley on Tuesday, June 20, during a City Council meeting.

Kramer is a member of the South Orange County chapter of Citizens’ Climate Education, which advocates for environmental causes and raises awareness of climate change. The group has planted trees in the area, including at Four Oaks Park.

“I just returned from an environmental conference in D.C.,” Kramer said. “What I’m most heartened by was to observe the large number of young people and diverse people who were at the conference. These are people working to improve the environment.”

Kramer praised Foley’s focus on environmental and veteran issues.

He served on the City Council from 2010 to 2014.

Kramer is also a former Navy submarine captain. Foley said Kramer commanded a workforce of more than 1,000 people.

“He provided support to the submarines assigned to the base and a quarterly open meeting with the residents and users of the base to enhance communications,” Foley said. “We are so grateful that you were serving for us.”

Kramer’s work toward a sustainable future is commendable, she said.

As South Orange County families continue to deal with inflation and the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as generally high living costs, food insecurity may be an issue.

A food pantry in San Juan Capistrano called Capistrano Cellars is available to assist people in need.

The pantry is located at 31894 Plaza Drive, Suite 1A. Pantry hours are Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., and Friday by appointment.

Capistrano Cellars is offered by Second Harvest of Orange County and ACCESS San Juan, an alternative educa- when they realized the depth of need in South Orange County.

The ACCESS site is also an alternative education school, though the pantry is through a garage at the site and differentiated from the school so as not to disrupt classes.

Though people do not have to provide identification when visiting the pantry, they do have to fill out a form when picking up food and supplies. The OCDE requires the forms, because they have to submit records for everyone who comes in.

“We’ve never requested IDs,” Armijo said. “We knew who these families were.”

Program Specialist Wendy Rogan said the goal with Capistrano Cellars is to reduce or outright eliminate barriers students face with educational success.

“If food insecurity is a barrier, we can help eliminate that need,” Rogan said.

Along with food, other essential items the ACCESS site provides includes clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products.

OCDE spokesperson Ian Hannigan said the ACCESS program is a “lifeline” for students and that there have been “amazing” success stories of students who have turned their lives around after receiving help.

The ACCESS San Juan site also offers resources for adults, including parenting classes and help for victims of domestic violence. It is one of four ACCESS sites in Orange County.

Visit ocde.us/ACCESS to contact program administrators.

Planned Parenthood Clinic

An active-duty Marine from San Juan Capistrano was one of two individuals arrested on June 14 by FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents in connection with allegations of firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa last year.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

Lunch With the Mayor

Noon. San Juan Capistrano residents and community members are welcome to attend a lunch with Mayor Howard Hart. Come discuss what’s happening in town. Bad to the Bone BBQ, 31738 Rancho Viejo Road, San Juan Capistrano.

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

Coffee Chat

8:30 a.m. A town hall forum on community issues. The first Friday session of the month will be held virtually via Zoom video conference; all other Friday forums will take place in person at Hennessey’s Tavern in San Juan Capistrano, 31761 Camino Capistrano. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for information.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12

Learning English Class 10-11:30 a.m. The La Playa Center is hosting free English classes for adults on Wednesdays. Students will be provided materials and workbooks. La Sala Auditorium, 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. crossculturalcouncil.com.

5:30-6:30 p.m. California Republic Leadership Academy, a new charter school opening in San Juan Capistrano, will hold an informational night over Zoom for enrolled families. The event is also open to anyone interested or on the wait list. A link will be provided upon RSVPing online. crlacapo.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 14 tion program under the Orange County Department of Education. The pantry is stocked with fresh food and canned goods.

The next print issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.

April Armijo, an OCDE community resource specialist for Title 1 schools, said the struggles some families face became evident during the pandemic. While the ACCESS site was established in San Juan years ago, the food pantry specifically began in May 2022 after ACCESS administrators reached out to Second Harvest

Chance Brannon, 23, of San Juan and stationed at Camp Pendleton, was reportedly arrested without incident, along with Tibet Ergul, 21, of Irvine. The two men were expected to make an initial appearance in court that same day.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleges the two men used a Molotov cocktail in the firebombing.

“My office takes very seriously this brazen attack that targeted a facility that provides critical health care services to thousands of people in Orange County,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a news release. “While it is fortunate that no one was physically harmed and responders were able to prevent the clinic from being destroyed, the defendants’ violent actions are entirely unacceptable.”

The firebombing reportedly happened on March 13, 2022.

“As a result of the fire, the Planned Parenthood Costa Mesa health care clinic was forced to close the following morning and cancel approximately 30 appointments,” the Department of Justice news release said.

Security videos show two men wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks throwing a flaming device at the facility at approximately 1 a.m. the day of the attack.

Charges made against Brannon and Ergul carry a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.