September 2, 2016

LO C A L

N EWS

September 2-8, 2016 YO U

C A N

U S E

Ohana Music Festival Takes over Doheny Beach PAGE 17

VOLUME 9, ISSUE 36

Home Away from Home Dana Point residents debate short-term rentals ahead of critical vote E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 7

Betha Everett, a Dana Point homeowner, rents out one of her properties to short-term renters. On Tuesday, Sept. 6, the City Council is scheduled to vote on whether short-term rentals will be allowed in all of the city’s residential zones. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

City Says Headlands Developer Failed to Uphold Financial Agreement EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

South Coast Water District Discusses Risks at Desalination Workshop EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

www.danapointtimes.com

Dana Point Unveils 50-Year Time Capsule Items DP LIVING/PAGE 16

INSIDE: CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS THE ISSUES

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Edwards said he proposed mediation to the city and told city officials he did not want it to go to litigation, which he said would be a waste of taxpayer money.

“All this city knows how to do is litigate and lose,” Edwards said.

Five things Dana Point should know this week

WHAT’S NEXT: This is a developing story and updates will be posted at www. danapointtimes.com. —Kristina Pritchett

CUSD Students Improve with California Smarter Balanced Assessment Results

The city has filed a lawsuit against Headlands Reserve, LLC for not upholding an indemnity agreement. Photo: File

City Files Lawsuit Claiming Headlands Developer Failed to Uphold Agreement THE LATEST: The city of Dana Point filed a lawsuit this week against Headlands Reserve, LLC and its managing member, Sanford Edwards, for not upholding an indemnity agreement.

The claim was filed in Orange County Superior Court on Aug. 29 and states the Headlands Reserve, along with the city, signed contracts that included “Indemnification and Hold Harmless” clauses that would protect the city and the taxpayers from any legal actions resulting from the development project.

According to the city, the Reserve reimbursed the city for the legal fees it incurred in contesting the trails access claims for six-and-a-half years, but has stopped.

“Now that we are on the verge of implementing a settlement with the Coastal Commission that will provide the legal coastal access that is required under state law, while protecting both residents and visitors during the late night hours, the developer has stopped underwriting the legal fees for a project that directly affects and benefits his development, as well as the public,” said Dana Point Mayor John Tomlinson in a press release. “The legal fees in this effort should not be borne by the taxpayers.”

Edwards said he does not believe the lawsuit will end in the city’s favor.

“The city’s lawsuit is meritless,” Edwards said. “The city of Dana Point overbilled us $670,000 in legal fees over the past 12 years. They clearly breached our development agreement. We filed a formal claim with the city in February, they responded by suing us in August.”

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

THE LATEST: Recent California Smarter Balanced Assessment result scores show student performance in Capistrano Unified School District has improved overall.

According to district officials, 69 percent of CUSD students met or exceeded the standard in English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy and 59 percent met or exceeded the standard in math.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment system uses computer tests and performance tasks to allow students to show what they know and what they are capable of doing.

The test is based off the Common Core Standards for English language arts, literacy and math.

In the elementary schools, 65 percent of CUSD students met or exceeded the standards in ELA/Literacy (a 3 percent increase from last year) and 60 percent met or exceeded the standard in math (a six percent increase).

“Overall, I was very pleased with students’ math scores,” said Curt Visca, Palisades Elementary principal. “Doing a two-year comparison, there were significant gains in most categories—concepts and procedures, problem-solving and modeling, data and communicating reasoning.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The scores were considered partial results and do not include 100 percent of all the students tested across the state. The remainder of the results will be included in a fall 2016 update.—KP

South Coast Water District Holds Desalination Workshop to Discuss Risks THE LATEST: Directors of the South Coast Water District held a workshop with GHD, Inc., an engineering firm, on Tuesday to discuss risks with the potential Doheny Desalination Plant.

According to a report, the project’s specific risks include mainly the slant wells— tubes that run from the on-shore facility, under the beach, to a point in the sea from which to collect water. Concerns for the slant well include structural integrity, longterm viability and water quality.

Mark Donovan with GHD, which is providing engineering services to the Poseidon desalination project in Carlsbad, told the district the company believed the slant well construction issues will have a low probability and that the consequence to the district is low. The mitigation strategy would be to complete the off-shore geophysics work.

“It will help pinpoint where these wells should be drilled and give us more details of how the construction will be moving forward,” Donovan said.

An environmental impact study still needs to be done on the project to assess risk to common detriments posed by desalination, including potential destruction of wildlife habitat, brine discharge and energy consumption.

WHAT’S NEXT: The next regular scheduled district meeting is Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. in Dana Point City Hall. —KP

Underwater Cleanup Planned for Dana Point Harbor THE LATEST: For the 15th consecutive year, volunteers will dive into the Dana Point Harbor to take part in an underwater cleanup.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, as part of the California Coastal Cleanup, members of the community will gear up in their scuba attire and help rid the harbor of debris.

“They go underwater and pick up any lost items that may have blown off a boat or a dock,” said Kelly Rinderknecht, coordinator for the harbor event and general manager at Dana West Marina.

Rinderknecht said there are more than 100 divers signed up to participate, but the event is always seeking more volunteers.

One thing the cleanup has that’s unique is volunteers can win prizes for their unique finds.

“We’ve found bicycles, kayaks, beer bottles and everything in between,” Rinderknecht said. “There’s been some interesting finds.”

In total, since 2009, the volunteers have

pulled more than 65,000 pounds of debris from the ocean.

WHAT’S NEXT: Volunteers are welcomed to participate and can do so by calling the Dana West Marina at 949.493.6222 or by emailing kellyr@danawestmarina.com.

For more information on the event, visit dphunderwatercleanup.com.—KP

Use of Falconer to Deter Pollution at Salt Creek Beach Begins THE LATEST: Orange County officials said a nuisance bird abatement program has been implemented at Salt Creek Beach, but it is too soon to know how effective the program is.

At the end of July, the City Council approved the use of a falconer at the Salt Creek outlet to help with the bird population and aid in the low water quality. The outlet is located north of Salt Creek Beach and south of Monarch Beach.

The resolution came after a nonprofit environmental organization listed the beach as a “beach bummer,” giving the water quality an “F” grade due to environmental contamination. The city stated, however, that the low water quality grade was due to the testing site being moved, in addition to the bird population in the area.

The site is home to the Salt Creek Ozone Treatment Facility that treats dry weather runoff. The facility treats the water before it returns it to the ocean, but before the water reaches the ocean, it hits the scour pond. The scour pond is where the testing is now being done.

The county started the pilot program in July and said it would last approximately three months and be extended if successful.

WHAT’S NEXT: County officials said because the program was recently initiated, they do not have any water quality information to report, but they will continue to monitor the program’s effectiveness over time.—KP

The county has begun using a falconer as part of the bird nuisance ordinance the city approved at the Salt Creek Outlet. Photo: Matt Cortina

Page 3

www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

DP Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT

All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Monday, August 8 VANDALISM Street of the Amber Lantern, 34300 Block (7:46 p.m.) A caller told police someone destroyed their droughttolerant cactus.

RECKLESS DRIVING Street of the Golden Lantern/Camino Del Avison (6:46 p.m.)

A white work truck was seen driving over the median and swerving.

Friday, August 5 SHOTS HEARD-NO SUSPECT INFORMATION Calle Paloma, 34500 Block (10:51 p.m.) A gun shot was heard.

RECKLESS DRIVING Selva Road/Chula Vista Avenue (5:37 p.m.) Police were called for a driver in a silver Tahoe. The caller said the driver was traveling at 80 mph and ran a stop sign.

HIT-AND-RUN Dana Point Harbor Drive, 34500 Block (2:31 p.m.) A man told police his black Nissan was hit by another vehicle between noon and 2 p.m.

Thursday, August 4

PETTY THEFT Del Prado, 24600 Block (4:12 p.m.) A caller told police two men took T-shirts and were running north on Del Prado.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Camino De Estrella, 27100 Block (1:19 p.m.) A woman told police someone asked her for a match. She believed the person was going to set a fire.

DISTURBANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive, 25300 Block (6:34 p.m.) Police were called for a man skateboarding and hitting cars with his skateboard.

HIT-AND-RUN Via California, 26300 Block (6:33 p.m.) A caller told police a blue Tahoe was parked on top of a burgundy Cadillac.

Saturday, August 6 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE White Sands Street, 25600 Block (7:40 p.m.) A caller told police two cars were stopped in front of the location and a man parked a red Ford Expedition with a broken passenger side window. The caller said the man quickly grabbed items out of the car, and got into a silver Honda Accord with a woman driver.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-UNKNOWN INJURIES Pacific Coast Highway/Beach Road (2:34 p.m.)

Three vehicles were involved in an accident.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Golden Lantern/Dana Point Harbor Drive (11:09 a.m.) A caller told police they saw a man and two women dragging another woman down the street.

DISTURBANCE-MECHANICAL Street of the Blue Lantern, 33700 Block (2:25 p.m.) A caller told police it sounded like concrete was being cut.

DISTURBANCE-MECHANICAL El Encanto Avenue/La Cresta Drive (2:22 p.m.) A loud power washer was heard in the alley.

Dana Point Times September2-8, 2016

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (5:39 p.m.) A woman’s white Toyota was hit by a blue Volkswagen Beetle.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Calle Real, 36800 Block (6:31 a.m.) Police were called for a man trying door handles on vehicles.

Tuesday, August 2 DISTURBANCE Water Ridge Court/Seabrook Drive (10:45 p.m.) Police were called for skateboarders being loud, pulling things out of the dumpster, and skating in the dumpster.

DISTURBANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive, 24200 Block (8:07 p.m.) Police were called for a man walking a cat and yelling at people walking by.

DISTURBANCE Pacific Coast Highway/Street of the Crystal Lantern (11:37 a.m.) Police were called for a man “launching” baseballs and golf balls.

CITIZEN ASSIST Street of the Golden Lantern/Camino Del Avion (9:03 a.m.) A man told police a woman in a black Mercedes almost ran him over, and he believed it was intentional.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Doheny State Park Plaza/Pacific Coast Highway (11:25 a.m.) A man told police he was hit by a Honda Accord while he was on his motorcycle.

Monday, August 1

PETTY THEFT Del Prado, 24500 Block (11 a.m.) A bicycle was reported stolen.

Wednesday, August 3 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (9:01 p.m.)

A woman told police a known person stole her bike and iPad.

SHOTS HEARD-NO SUSPECT INFORMATION Puerto Place/Dana Point Harbor Drive

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Pacific Coast Highway/Street of the Amber Lantern (3:41 p.m.) A white Ford Focus was hit by a gray Ford Escape.

HIT-AND-RUN Sea Island Drive/Crown Valley Parkway (2:14 p.m.) A dark gray Silverado and a white older vehicle were involved in an accident.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Golden Lantern, 33800 Block (5:23 p.m.) Police were called about a woman who opened the caller’s mailbox, then kept walking. The caller said the woman didn’t take anything and didn’t put anything inside the box.

DRUNK DRIVING Del Obispo Street/Pacific Coast Highway (6:51 p.m.) Police were called about a man in a black Aston Martin. The caller said the driver had been drinking all day.

DISTURBANCE Pacific Coast Highway/RitzCarlton Drive (5:17 p.m.) Police were called for kids playing basketball, drinking alcohol and listening to loud music.

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTY La Serena Drive, 34100 Block (2:34 p.m.) A man told police he was out of the country and his underage son was throwing a party in his house. He told police he wanted the party broken up and everyone sent home.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Quail Run, 25600 Block (11:27 p.m.) A person was knocking on the caller’s neighbor’s door, and when no one responded they stood at the caller’s window.

DISTURBANCE Street of the Copper Lantern, 34000 Block (8:05 p.m.) A caller said a man and a woman were in a physical argument. The caller believed the man was choking the woman.

Sunday, August 7

(6:41 p.m.) The caller told police they heard six or seven shots and saw two vehicles leave.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Street of the Blue Lantern/Del Prado (5:50 p.m.) A beige Nissan Maxima and a Mustang were involved in an accident.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Vista De Dons, 27600 Block (4:24 p.m.) A woman told police a man tried to open her back door and walked away when she said she was calling the police.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Alcazar Drive, 33800 Block (1:01 p.m.) A woman told police a strong marijuana odor was coming from the upstairs unit and she was concerned for her children.

Page 4

Community Meetings MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Labor Day – offices closed TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

City Council

6 p.m. Members of the Council will be discussing the short-term rental ordinance along with other agenda items.

Dana Point City Hall, Council Chambers.

33282 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. www.danapoint.org.

Because I Love You (BILY) Meeting

7-9 p.m. every Tuesday. BILY helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente. www.bilysc.org.

Dana Harbor Toastmasters

7-8:30 p.m. Fine-tune your public speaking skills each Tuesday at Capo Beach Church, 26975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach. 949.492.7181. www.toastmasters.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Mariners 936 Sea Scouts Informational Meeting

6 p.m. Those interested in joining the Mariners 936 are invited to the informational meeting. Children 12 and older and parents are welcome. Orange County Sailing and Events Center. 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point. Info@mariners936.com. www.mariners936.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Science Night

6:30 p.m. Join the Dana Point Community Center for a night of sciencerelated topics that will be presented in a family-friendly format. There will be hands-on activities for children.

34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point. dpnaturalresoruces@danapoint.org.

949.248.3527.

Coastmasters

7-8:30 a.m. Join the members of the Coastmasters every Thursday to improve your speaking and leadership skills. 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point. Adjacent to Baby Beach at OC Sailing & Events Center.

www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP EYE ON THE ELECTION 2016

Meet the Congressional Candidates Issa, Applegate discuss South Orange County’s big role in close Congressional race

BY MATT CORTINA, DANA POINT TIMES

I

f polling and primary results are reliable indicators, the race for the U.S. Representative for California’s 49th Congressional District is the tightest it’s been in over 15 years.

The 49th spans from South Orange County to North San Diego County, including Camp Pendleton, Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista) has served as the district’s representative since 2000*, winning eight elections—all but one by more than 20 percent.

This year brings a new challenger in Doug Applegate, a retired Marine colonel and lawyer, who has lived in San Clemente since 1981. The two were separated by just over 5 percent in California’s primary voting. Some recent polls have the race closer than that margin.

Dana Point Times sat down with the candidates for over an hour each at our office to discuss federal issues, local concerns and the race itself. In our print edition, we’ve included our discussions about several key issues, but our conversations included points on immigration, water security, the military, marijuana legalization, gun control, SONGS and more. For the full transcripts of our conversations with Congressman Issa and Mr. Applegate, visit www.danapointtimes.com. *The district was labeled the 48th in the 2000 election.

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL RACE: DP Times asked Congressman Issa if changing demographics in Orange County might affect voting in the district, and how, after serving the district for nearly two decades, he might “compromise with (his) constituents when maybe (he has) something they’re not expecting from (him).”

“I didn’t plan on being here 16 years,” Issa said, “but 9/11 happened and something else happened, and instead of going back to my business career, I’ve stayed with doing what I’m doing. Now I’m very involved in some things that I want to get done, and I’m asking the district to consider are they better off with somebody with my experience and the things that I

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

Darrell Issa (R) A former member of the U.S. Army and businessman, Issa has served numerous roles in his 16 years in Congress, currently serving on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Issa lays claim to having played integral parts in several matters of national and state importance. He touts voting against “bailing out” banks via the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) in 2008, and in 2009, initiated a later-approved bipartisan commission to investigate the “root causes of the financial crises.”

In 2012, Issa launched an investigation into the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi. As member and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Issa led investigations involving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ACORN and the “politicization of science at the Environmental Protection Agency.”

The richest member of Congress, according to filing data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, Issa earned much of his wealth as CEO and founder of Directed Electronics, which notably, manufactured anti-theft devices for automobiles. Issa’s current total assets, according to 2015 filings, ranges from $299 million to $768 million.

plan to accomplish, and I’m hoping they say, ‘Yes.’ “Sixteen years ago all I had to do was sharpen up my voting card and show up. Today, I’m in a position to get patent reform, to get immigration reform, I’m in the right committees and senior enough,” he said.

DP Times asked Applegate why he wanted to run for Congress, his first quest for elected office.

“I was concerned about the leadership in Congress because every time I hear somebody talking about the use of military force or combat operations, I’m hearing somebody talk that’s never really seen the trials and realities and the fog of war,” Applegate said, adding that according to his calculations, only about 5 percent of Congress members have “served in a combat zone ever in their lives.”

Applegate said he believes “South Orange County might decide the Congressional race.” Acknowledging the area’s historic political bent to the right, Applegate says he tells questioning Republicans, “You’re going to be able to get through

Doug Applegate (D) Colonel Doug Applegate served 32 years in the Marine Corps and has lived in San Clemente since 1981. He is also a civil trial attorney. Applegate claims career accolades of having “advised Marine commanders, defended and prosecuted war crimes, and conducted complex civil and criminal trials.”

This is Applegate’s first foray into running for elected office, however, he says he hopes his experience in the military and in the law profession will be enough to convince voters of his readiness.

“As far as my experience level, procedural rules I’ll have to get up to speed on, but that isn’t the first I’ve had to do that because I’m a member of the bar in five states, so I’m used to getting used to new rules,” Applegate said. “But I don’t have any learning curve concerning the military, foreign affairs, particularly in certain parts of the world, or the criminal justice system, the civil justice system or the penal system.”

Applegate’s platform includes reform of mandatory sentencing laws, a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and increased regulation of the financial sector. He would also call for a second look at the Trans-Pacific Partnership and retooling Veterans’ Affairs.

my office door if I’m elected to Congress a lot easier than you’ve ever been able to talk to Congressman Issa. And then I can usually say, ‘Have you ever been inside his office?’ I haven’t met too many people who have. Actually, I’ve met no one who’s been in there.”

On Applegate, Issa says he knows “not much” about the Democrat, and had only met him once.

ON SOBER LIVING HOMES With the proliferation of sober living facilities—homes, often in residential areas, that serve as alcohol and drug abuse recovery centers—local municipalities are hamstrung to enact regulations on them, as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people in recovery.

Issa said the first step of any solution would be to look objectively at sober living facilities.

“Well I think what we do is we maintain (that) you can’t discriminate based on somebody being handicapped, including being a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug abuser, but we recognize that cities

Page 6

should have the ability to take care of health and sanitation,” Issa said.

Both Issa and Applegate said there could be a solution in amending the ADA to include reasonable regulations on sober living homes.

“You have to figure out something that still honors the intent (of the ADA), because I believe in the ADA, there’s nothing in the ADA that I find problematic, but it’s in its application in residential neighborhoods like (in South Orange County), it’s a problem,” Applegate said.

ON THE ENVIRONMENT As climate change is poised to affect South Orange County in myriad ways from rising sea levels to wildfires to water shortages, the candidates were asked various questions about the environment and the impact of human activity on a rapidly warming planet.

“I come from the party that believes in science, so this is kind of easy for me,” Applegate said, adding that the U.S. Navy and Marines have been pushing Congress for 10 years to invest in renewable energy as a matter of military expediency.

Applegate said the U.S. “should have a Manhattan-type project with renewable fuels.

“And guess what? This part of Southern California has all these natural synergies in research for so many things,” Applegate continued. “It’s stupid that our Congressmen haven’t been pounding the table on that. … If you think this is some grand liberal conspiracy or whatever, it’s not.

This is a real issue.

“I don’t know why a guy that had an electronics firm and likes to portray himself as at the cutting edge of technology, why he can’t see science in other areas,” Applegate said of Issa.

Issa said he “reject(s) anyone wanting to say I’m not an environmentalist.”

Issa received a zero percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters last year, a nonprofit that grades members of Congress based on how they vote on what they classify as bills that concern the environment.

“If you look at zeroes, you look at zeroes by people who start off figuring out what they’re going to score and they score it,” Issa said of the rating.

Issa said he supports “more research,” “intelligent ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” and nuclear energy “because it has zero emissions and it can be an interim path.

“Do we try to have an intelligent pathway, regardless of what the timeline is— and there is disagreement on the timeline within the science community?” Issa said.

“Do we kind of find a way to get as quick as possible to sustainable ecology, including weaning ourself off burning things that come from the ground? Absolutely.”

As for a concrete timeline to implementing such initiatives, Issa said, “There’s nothing concrete in environmental scientists who have missed their timelines for things they said were going to happen.” DP www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Home Away from Home Dana Point residents debate short-term rentals ahead of critical vote

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

B

rooklyn Akason, a 9-year-old, says she loves when short-term renters stay in her family’s Dana Point home because they sometimes get cool stuff, like a scooter.

“And a skimboard,” Regan, Brooklyn’s 7-year-old sister, said from the living room couch with a smile.

The two girls remember another time a renter left notes with stickers in their room, thanking them for letting their family stay in the house for a week.

On the other side of the city, residents have left bikes and sand toys for future residents.

“I have more sand toys than I’ll ever need inside my garage,” said Deanna Slocum, who rents her home to vacationers.

Slocum and the Akasons are just some of many Dana Point homeowners who rent out their properties to short-term renters as vacation homes. Some residents in the city have expressed their displeasure with the practice, claiming it’s a money grab that compromises the safety of neighborhoods. Others say it’s a way to meet new people, and be able to afford to live in Dana Point.

As other cities across the country grapple with how best to regulate shortterm rentals, the Dana Point City Council is scheduled to vote on Tuesday, Sept. 6 to finalize a short-term rental ordinance that has been in the works for close to a decade. No matter the outcome, it’s bound to change the landscape of tourism and the makeup of neighborhoods in Dana Point for years to come.

The ordinance

A short-term rental is a residence that is rented for 30 consecutive days or less. In Dana Point, as in other similar cities, the minimum night stay for short-term rentals is two nights. The ordinance, if approved, would allow short-term rentals in all residential areas of Dana Point as part of a Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA).

In 2013, after five years of discussion and work in the city, the Council adopted an ordinance that would allow short-term rentals in the city and require a $150 permit fee for those who wished to rent out their home.

The Planning Commission and City Council then passed a couple ordinances that amended the city’s zoning code to accommodate the changes. And in January 2014, the Council conducted the second reading and authorized staff to submit the Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

Shevy Akason and his daughter Brooklyn, 9, discuss short-term rentals inside their Dana Point home. Akason is in favor of the rentals and plans to speak at the upcoming Sept. 6 meeting. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

proposed LCPA to the Coastal Commission for its approval and certification.

The LCPA was deemed complete by the Coastal Commission in March 2015, but authorized a one-year extension on the LCPA request. Finally, in April 2016, the Commission conducted a hearing and approved the city’s LCPA with suggested modifications. Those modifications include if the city makes future amendments to the ordinance that limit or prohibit short-term rentals in the coastal zone, it must be re-submitted to the Commission as an LCPA. Now, the city will vote on Sept. 7 to either accept or deny the changes suggested by the Coastal Commission.

If the Council has a majority vote, the ordinance will go back to the Coastal Commission for final approval. City staff said they were in favor of the final modification language and has suggested to the Council to adopt the suggested modifications.

If the city accepts the modifications, it would still have to re-submit an LCPA to the Coastal Commission if it decided in the future that certain adjustments needed to be made to it—adjustments such as changing the location where the shortterm rentals are allowed, changing the minimum required number of nights or changing the number of vehicles allowed at the rentals would require an LCPA.

The arguments

Council members have often said the Commission has called the city’s ordinance a “model ordinance.” But, the de-

bate has sparked a back and forth between residents.

Residents who are in favor of the rentals say there are plenty of benefits to the approval of the ordinance. One of those benefits include that homes will not be empty if the homeowners decide to go on a long vacation.

“I go back to Michigan every year for five weeks, and I think instead of it sitting empty, it would be a win-win for someone to stay here and enjoy Dana Point,” said Peggy Verkest, a Dana Point resident who purchased her home with the intent to rent short-term.

Other residents, like Slocum, said it’s great for local businesses.

“When people visit, they don’t want to stay inside; they want to go out to the shops and restaurants,” Slocum said.

On top of the revenue the businesses get from the visitors, each homeowner who rents their home out short-term must pay the city 10 percent of their rental earnings. This is on par with the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) that is assessed to hotels and established lodging businesses.

The short-term rental program has been in effect in the city for three years (following the original approval of the ordinace) and has allowed the homeowners to open their homes to the renters. Before the home can be listed as a rental, homeowners must pass an inspection with Code Enforcement Officer Ted Harris, as well as pay the permit fee.

Those who oppose short-term rentals in the city have said that renters can be noisy,

Page 7

they throw parties and they never know who they’re going to live next door to.

Homeowners such as Akason and Edwin Wright say their neighbors haven’t complained about their renters being loud or rude.

“I’ve been renting my property out for three years,” Wright said. “My neighbors have never complained.”

Slocum explained when they receive requests for their rentals; they go through profiles of the renters on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. “They get rated and the homeowners get rated,” Slocum said. “So if they’re partiers, I’ll know it, and I’m not going to have them stay in my home.”

Akason agreed and said that most homeowners who rent out their homes do not want people to disrupt their neighbors.

“We don’t want that, we want to work with everyone and make staying in Dana Point enjoyable,” Akason said. “We want to share Dana Point with others.”

Many residents say short-term rentals are also a more affordable option for visitors.

“Staying in hotels is not affordable for families,” Akason said. “With four kids and a two-year old, staying in a hotel is also not comfortable.”

As a point of reference, hotel rates in Dana Point for Sept. 2-3 for two adults and two kids costs anywhere from $162 for two queen beds at the Dana Point Marina Inn to $679 for the best available at the Monarch Beach Resort.

Listings on Airbnb and VRBO can cost $210 for a family of four, for the minimum two-night stay during Sept. 3-5, in a condo.

Prices can change depending on the house size, location and when the rental is being requested. And it’s important to note that hotels and short-term rentals often serve fundamentally different clientele.

That, however, doesn’t mean there isn’t crossover. At least one local hotel official said the short-term rentals are impacting the hotel business.

“It gives people an alternative to the resorts,” said Jim Samuels, general manager at Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa and chairman of the Visit Dana Point board. “I think it has an impact with wedding room blocks.”

He said he believes hotels are seeing more people rent out houses and maybe four or five hotel rooms rather than the 25 rooms for the wedding room blocks.

He said staying in a hotel and staying in a short-term rental is not the same thing.

“We provide a whole different experience at the hotels,” Samuels said.

A few days before the Council meeting, Dana Point residents in favor of short-term rentals gathered for breakfast and coffee.

Those residents plan on speaking at the upcoming meeting.

Jason Colaco, who moved to Dana Point after vacation renting in the city, said shortterm rentals open up opportunities for residents they may never have had before.

The vote is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept.

6. The Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor STICKING WITH REALITY CHRIS JONES, Dana Point

Regarding short-term rentals in Dana Point, let’s stick with reality. Dana Point residents have been living in a “Living Lab” for the last three and a half years.

The model ordinance works. The rules and regulations work. The system works.

The (Transient Occupancy Tax) works.

Homeowners that rent their homes out are far and few between. These homeowners take the renter vetting process very seriously. Neighbors have phone numbers and can call 24/7. Code Enforcement Officer Ted Harris rarely gets called with issues but is ready, willing and able to enforce with sanctions. The proof has been in the pudding from day one. The system has actually been working for over 50 years.

It’s been successfully regulated for the last few years.

HOMEOWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR RENTALS PATRICIA RICE, Capistrano Beach

I completely understand the desirability of renting out our homes for short periods, but only for a limited number of times each year.

Right now, houses are being purchased for the sole purpose of using them as mini-motels all year round. If this policy is allowed to continue, it will destroy the fabric of entire neighborhoods. We’ll have no idea who is living next to us or even to whom we should report problems. With no management in place, drug dealers and worse can use short-term rentals and be gone before anyone reports suspicious behavior. As house after house is overtaken by strangers, those of us trying to establish a real community will have no choice but to move to more family-friendly towns. Would you like to imagine what our city will be years from now, when we have nothing but half-way houses and minimotels up and down our streets? Is money today more important than the future our children will inherit?

We need full-time home owners to keep our neighborhoods family-friendly. As long as the owner has to live in the house they rent out for short periods, we’re more likely to see responsibility for who lives there.

BANNING SHORT-TERM RENTALS VIOLATES COASTAL ACT SHILPA BHIMANI, Dana Point

The fact that approval of the short-term Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

rental ordinance has been tabled twice is deeply concerning. The city shouldn’t enforce prohibitions of short-term rentals without seeking approval from the Coastal Commission. They also need to act very carefully when considering encroaching on a resident’s property rights.

One of the primary purposes of the Coastal Act is to promote public access.

Prohibiting short-term rentals would act as a significant barrier to access. This issue is further exacerbated by the fact that multiple hotels in Dana Point have been shut down in recent years. By prohibiting short-term rentals, you move to a model where at most one person could rent a property every 30 days, so at most 12 tenants per year. With the current ordinance, a different person could rent a property every two days, so 182 different tenants per year. More realistically, the average tenant stays for one week and occupancy rates are normally at 65 percent. So the average vacation rental homeowner has 34 tenants per year. When limited to 30-day stays, it’s very hard for it to pencil out, forcing owners into 12-month leases with a single tenant. If you assume there are 200 short-term rentals in the city, in a given year you could have around 6,800 unique guests across the city. When short-term rentals are prohibited, the number of unique tenants could drop as low as 200.

This obviously has a dramatic impact on coastal access. This issue is further exacerbated by the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue and millions in lost revenue for our local businesses.

Prohibiting short-term rentals creates an environment where walking distance access to the beach is only available to the rich who can afford to buy or rent there long-term. This goes directly against the Coastal Act, whereby its primary purposes are to promote public access.

SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAVE BENEFITS MIRA COLACO, Dana Point

We have lived in California since 1982, and for as long as I can remember, vacation rentals have operated in Dana Point.

Owning a vacation rental here allows us to be close to our grandchildren, otherwise Dana Point would be difficult to afford on a retiree’s income. For a few months a year, we like to travel, and during that period, we like to rent out our condo. Obviously, we are very picky who we rent to because it’s our home and we wouldn’t want it abused.

I’ve read a complaint that living next to a stranger can be difficult. I have a different view: if you take a minute to introduce yourself, you can find yourself with an expanded network of friends from all over the world.

Finally, I don’t think it’s appropriate for

three or four elected officials to decide who and when someone can stay in our home. When governments encroach on our property rights, it can lead to a number of negative ramifications long-term.

I know our City Council has been working long and hard on this amendment for a decade. I hope that it will be finalized on Sept. 6.

BALANCE NEEDED ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS ROBERT AND EMMA BARBOUR, Dana Point

We are concerned about the short-term rental ordinance that’s proposed. A repetitive short-term rental operation in our neighborhood would be disruptive and very unwelcome.

A proliferation of properties purchased for short-term rentals as a commercial profitable investment could happen without a strict ordinance prohibiting it. An occasional short-term rental by permanent residents leaving home for a short time would be acceptable.

We hope that city finds a balance that allows permanent residents some room and eliminates repetitive short-term rentals.

DANA POINT IS A SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY DEANNA SLOCUM, Dana Point

I have been reading the discussion around short-term rentals and am, quite frankly, confused. Having been raised in Corona Del Mar, I’ve enjoyed family ownership of beach properties in Laguna Beach (which were vacation rentals during “the season”), and am currently basking in all that is wonderful about Dana Point as an owner of two properties here. I do not understand why we want to change the culture and environment of our diverse beach community, which has been built on a vacation foundation.

By its very nature, Dana Point, as with other beach communities, is a short-term residential community. Of course, many of us do spend the entire year here, but the town is decidedly different in the summer than in the winter. Summer visitors make the town come alive and its merchants prosper. Without the influx of vacationers, I hate to imagine how dreary the town would become. And let’s face it; the few hotels here cannot accommodate the tourism that the town and its merchants can support. For this reason, and for as long as I can remember, Dana Point has been and should remain a town friendly to all types of visitor accommodations—short-term vacationers, long-term tenants, permanent residents, campers, etc.

This openness keeps our town friendly, laid back and regarded as a repeat vacation destination for many around the world.

(Cont. on page 10)

Page 9

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HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Kristina Pritchett, 949.388.7700, x113 kpritchett@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Steve Breazeale, 949.388.7700, x110 sbreazeale@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Group Managing Editor > Matt Cortina City Editor, DP Times > Kristina Pritchett City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point)

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed Business Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Amanda Giannelli Evan Da Silva Debra Holm Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 9, Issue 36. The DP Times (www. danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes. com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DANA POINT T IMES

www.danapointtimes.com

SOAPBOX (Cont. from page 9) I, for one, did not choose to and do not want to own property with homeowners association-style restrictions, but there are people who want to restrict what I can do with my property and, therefore, make Dana Point more like an HOA. In contrast, the current permit requirements for property owners who may elect to offer their home to vacationers are exceedingly reasonable and afford their neighbors more protection than if they were not in place, and Ordinance 5.38, which governs the process, is viewed as a model ordinance on the subject. So, let’s keep Dana Point’s culture as it should be: welcoming, friendly and open.

VACATION RENTALS ARE A CORNERSTONE OF DANA POINT KEITH & PAM OFFEL, Dana Point

I am a retired Lt. Col. (USAF), Vietnam veteran with over 3,000 hours in B-52’s and have traveled and lived all over the world.

One of mine and my wife’s biggest joys was buying our retirement (beach house) home and living in Dana Point. Our home has also become the “family center” for our seven children, their spouses and our 10 grandchildren.

Vacation rentals have been a cornerstone of Dana Point for many years while increasing real estate values, bringing tourists and driving business to Dana Point for years to come. A ‘yes’ vote on the short-term rental ordinance is a clear stance that Dana Point stands for property rights and will lead to further economic growth and prosperity and decrease the chances of a long, expensive battle. Moreover, though most short-term rentals are to tourists that come to enjoy our beautiful beaches and spend money in our shops and restaurants, many short-term rentals benefit residents even more directly by serving housing needs for visiting family members of Dana Point residents that prefer to stay in a home while visiting rather than a hotel. Short-term rentals also help local homeowners that have had water damage or other property damage and need to rent for a couple of weeks while work is completed on their homes, or people that are between properties and have sold and are waiting for their closing on a new home.

Dana Point should not try to build a legislative wall around our city to keep out families and older people that cannot live comfortably in a hotel. I’m shocked and disappointed by what I’ve seen in this push to eliminate short term rentals—this goes against everything a city like ours should stand for.

SAYING ‘NO’ COULD BE A DISSERVICE KELLI SCOGGIN, Dana Point

As a Dana Point homeowner and Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

landlord to both short- and long-term tenants, I must urge you to support shortterm rentals and recognize the immense benefits they bring to Dana Point. Dana Point businesses desperately need more foot traffic and the tourists who will spend money in the shops and restaurants. We pale in comparison to our neighboring cities of Laguna Beach and San Clemente in boosting tourism and encouraging growth and change in our community. Short-term tenants sign contracts that are much stricter than long-term leases regarding use of property and that outline very specific rules.

In my experience as a landlord and resident of Dana Point, long-term leased tenants have posed a much greater nuisance.

We would be doing Dana Point a great disservice by prohibiting vacation rentals.

RENTALS ARE FINANCIAL BOON FOR CITY BRYAN AND MIRIAM RUPKE, Dana Point

Based on the city’s Quarter 3 Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 financial report, Dana Point’s number one revenue source comes from Transient Occupancy Tax. The FY ’16 general fund revenue is estimated at $34.7 million, of which $11 million comes from taxes collected from tourists staying here. That is an astounding 32 percent, four percent of which comes from shortterm rental homes. The city’s fourth largest revenue source comes from sales and use tax, 38 percent of which comes from hotels and restaurants.

Our city is essentially built on tourism.

Short-term rental homes will contribute roughly $400,000 this year to the general fund. That means short-term rentals will have generated $4 million in the past year.

At an average of $160/night, that is 25,000 nights stayed or 3,600 weeks. Whereas a permanent resident will likely spend $100/week eating in local restaurants and shopping local stores, a tourist will spend $350/week. The average short-term rental holds four people. At $250 additional expenditure per week, times four people, short-term rentals will generate $3.6 million more for the city than if those homes were rented long-term. The financial impact on local business and the general fund is significant.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@ danapointtimes.com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624.

Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.

Page 10

DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

EDITOR’S PICK

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 02 Photo: Samuel Goldwyn Films/Paramount Pictures

ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE 5:30-7 p.m. Climb onboard a Dana Wharf luxury catamaran for this 90-minute wine cruise around the Dana Point Harbor.

Tickets are $49. Every Friday and Sunday.

See more events online. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 888.224.0603. www.danawharf.com.

At the Movies: ‘The Intervention’ Plays it Safe

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

FIRST FRIDAY FILM 7-8:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library presents a movie night featuring Puerto Ricans in Paris, an R-rated comedy starring Luis Guzmán and Edgar Garcia. A $2 donation supports the library. La Sala Auditorium, San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495-A El Camino Real.

949.493.1752. www.ocpl.org/libloc/sjc.

LIVE MUSIC: THE FOUR CORNERS BAND 7-11 pm. Listen to tunes from the Four Corners Band at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

LIVE MUSIC: FELISHA 8 p.m. Listen to live music from Felisha at Barnoa Wine Company. 831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente. 949.388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Saturday | 03 HEADLANDS NATURE WALK 9-11 a.m. This walk focuses on the plants and the animals that can be found on the Dana Point Headlands. It is designed to introduce participants to local plant communities, notably Coastal Sage Scrub, and to teach them about the wildlife that relies on it. Participants will learn specifically about endemic (found only in Southern California) rare and endangered plants and animals (notably Cliff Spurge, Pacific Pocket Mouse and Coastal California Gnatcatcher). Nature Interpretive Center.

34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point. RSVP to 949.248.3527 or DPNaturalResources@ danapoint.org.

HISTORIC HOME TOUR 10 a.m. Join The Ecology Center for a guided tour of their historic home, built by pony express rider Joel Congdon in 1878. Over the last seven years, they’ve transformed the land surrounding the Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

Photo: Courtesy

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3: MONARCHS OF JAZZ 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a three-course dinner and listen to an evening of live music from Grammy Award-winning R&B jazz legend Deniece Williams (pictured); Grammy-nominated pianist/composer David Benoit; guitarist Paul Jackson Jr.; vocalist Kiki Ebsen and internationally renowned saxophonist Michael Paulo. Tickets are $195; VIP tickets are $250 and include a meet and greet with the artists and premier seating. Monarch Beach Resort.

One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. 949.234.3200. www.monarchbeachresort.com

Congdon house into a thriving learning landscape. $5 suggested donation. The Ecology Center. 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.443.4223. www. theecologycenter.org.

LIVE MUSIC: THE ZOMBIES 6 p.m. Listen to live music from The Zombies at The Coach House. Tickets start at $49.50. 33157 Camino Capistrano.

949.496.8930. www.thecoachhouse.com.

FAMILY FILM FEATURE 10-11:30 a.m. The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library presents a familyfriendly matinee film the first Saturday of the month. This month features Ratchet & Clank. Free admission and popcorn.

La Sala Auditorium, San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495-A El Camino Real, 949.493.1752. www.ocpl.org/libloc/sjc.

LIVE MUSIC: NICK TERRAFRANCA 8 p.m. Listen to live music from Nick Terrafranca at Barnoa Wine Company.

831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente.

949.388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Sunday | 04 KARAOKE AT GOODY’S 8 p.m. Karaoke every Sunday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente.

206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

Monday | 05 LIVE IT UP FOR LABOR DAY 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. This poolside Labor Day party will feature a live DJ, signature cocktails and games. The party will kick off with family-friendly activities. Life Time Athletic Laguna Niguel. 25600 Rancho Niguel Road. 949.238.2700. www.lifetimefitness.com.

FREE GUITAR LESSONS 5-6 p.m. Free beginner level acoustic guitar lessons for Jr. High to college age youth every Monday. Guitars provided or students can bring their own. 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente. 949.388.0114. coamusicarts@gmail.com. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

Tuesday | 06 HALF-PRICE WHALE WATCHING 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Hop onboard this two-hour cruise to see dolphins, whales and other marine life in the wild. $22.50. Trips are available every day of the week. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at (Cont. on page 15) Page 12

I

n 1983, Lawrence Kasdan penned the ensemble drama The Big Chill to much popularity from its soundtrack and helped push to stardom future A-listers like Kevin Kline, Glenn Close and Jeff Goldblum. After watching The Intervention (2016), I imagine actress Clea DuVall was inspired to write her own, modernday perspective of the classic for herself and her friends. The Big Chill revolved around a funeral that reunites a group of old college friends together for a weekend.

In The Intervention, engaged couple Annie (Melanie Lynskey) and Matt (Jason Ritter) plan a friendly get-together for a weekend at Jessie’s (DuVall) family house to meet up with him and his girlfriend, Sarah (Natasha Lyonne), Jack (Ben Schwartz), Jack’s new girlfriend, Lola (Alia Shawkat), and married couple Ruby (Cobie Smulders) and Peter (Vincent Piazza). In reality, Annie has secretly orchestrated an intervention on Ruby and Peter’s toxic marriage.

DuVall makes her screenwriting and directing debut with The Intervention, and it is a fine little movie for what it is, though a little safe. It doesn’t have a catchy soundtrack of oldies like Big Chill, but newer, mellow tunes including Tegan & Sara and Courtney Barnett. The whole movie is like a student film between close friends with great cinematography, and it particularly shows between Lynskey, DuVall and Lyonne. The three have been besties for years and it’s great to see them mesh with well-regarded actors like Piazza and Smulders. Though not that original, Intervention might be worth checking out while browsing on VOD. DP www.danapointtimes.com

GETTING OUT The Best Thing We Ate This Week

EDITOR’S PICK

Sushi Burrito GEN KAI

34143 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point.

949.240.2004. www.sushiorangecounty.com.

Entering Gen Kai is a trip. En route to the parking lot, there’s an alley with black tarps covering fences around a construction zone and an empty lot filled with the skeletons of mail carts strewn haphazardly as if embalmed Sushi Burrito. Photo: Matt Cortina in a Pompeiian-level disaster. Cars whir into white noise on PCH near the doorway, which may or may not be locked judging on looks alone.

But inside is a different world. A nondescript golden oldie about love blasts over the loudspeaker as the restaurant aggressively achieves fuzzy diversity, bustling at midday lunch with people from every walk of life. It’s like a speakeasy, or maybe just something close to a sushi bar in a populated city of Japan, or at least the booze-goggled and romantic Bourdain-ified depiction of one.

The inclination is to assume it’s authentic, because the food is excellent. Gen Kai’s take on the trendy sushi burrito comes in much closer to onigiri (geometric stuffed rice “balls”) than some heinous cross-cultural Frankenstein monster. Crab meat, shrimp tempura, tuna and avocado are wrapped in soy paper and dotted with black and white sesame seeds and assembled into an easy-to-handle, burrito-like structure.

The accompanying red chili, soy and sweet mayo sauces are dynamite with the burrito, imparting heat and peachy sweetness. The best bites are the ones with crunch from the tempura. —Matt Cortina Photo: Courtesy

SUNDAY, SEPT. 4: VILLAGE ART FAIRE 9 a.m. Stroll and shop Avenida Del Mar where more than 60 vendors will have arts, crafts and other items. The Village Art Faire is held on the first Sunday of every month and is put on by the Downtown Business Association. www.villagesanclemente.org.

Artist of the Week: Keith Harkin

BY ERIC HEINZ, DANA POINT TIMES

(Cont. from page 12) The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Wednesday | 07 FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB 2-4 p.m. Every Wednesday. Look for the table with the French Flag surrounded by a group of people speaking French. No cost to join. Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228, or 949.369.5482.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

Thursday | 08 SCIENCE NIGHT 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn about current sciencerelated topics presented in a family-friendly format. Generally, hands-on activities and/ or displays will be present and geared Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

M

towards children. Dana Point Community Center. 34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point. 949.248.3527.

CASINO SUMMER NIGHTS JAZZ SERIES 7:30-10 p.m. Visit the Casino San Clemente for their summer jazz series. Tickets are $7 online, $10 at the door. Order online at www.casinosummernights.brownpapertickets.com. 140 W. Avenida Pico. 949.369.660. www.thecasinosanclemente.com.

UPCOMING: FRIDAY, SEPT. 9 SAILS ‘N ALES TALL SHIPS FESTIVAL KICKOFF PARTY 6-9 p.m. The Ocean Institute will host the kickoff party to begin the Tall Ships Festival. The party will feature beer, live music, food trucks and mermaid encounters. General admission tickets are $30, $100 for four tickets. Children 17 and under are $20. Members save 10 percent.

Ocean Institute. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274.

For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.sanclementetimes.com.

Have an event? Send your listing to events@sanclementetimes.com

usician Keith Harkin finds himself in a natural habitat in San Clemente.

“I travel a lot and surf a lot, and my music is sort of part of who I am, and they go hand in hand,” Harkin said.

Harkin will perform at 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 at OC Tavern, 2369 S. El Camino Real in San Clemente, as part of the Ball and Chain Tour, which began Aug. 15. He will be joined by Cindy Alexander.

Harkin was signed to a record label about five years ago when he first came to California. He now lives in Los Angeles and said it’s easy for him to do shows in South Orange County.

But before finding permanence, he was a bit of a nomad.

“I was working a lot in Los Angeles, and I bought a 45-foot Santa Barbara trailer and lived there, and now I’ve got an apartment in L.A.,” Harkin said. “I grew up surfing in Ireland and fantasized about living in warm weather.”

A lot of Harkin’s music is derived from rock and roll legends such as Thin Lizzy and Van Morrison.

Harkin, formerly of Celtic Thunder, recently released On Mercy Street, an all-live music record tracked at London’s Sphere Studios with some of Harkin’s closest musician friends. The music was played like “proper musicians,” Harkin said.

Page 15

Keith Harkin will perform Sept. 14 at OC Tavern.

Photo: Courtesy of Keith Harkin

Harkin said his band enjoys smaller locations rather than large venues.

“We play mainly in small clubs and small theaters,” he said. “The way I like to do it is small places and have them filled up. I’m a fan as well as a musician, and when it’s packed, it’s unbelievable.”

Harkin and his band will debut a Christmas album in November and another live album following that.

At the Tavern, Harkin will perform a selection of new songs from On Mercy Street.

“From the yearning of ‘Mercy,’ to the roar of the hard-rocking ‘Keep On Rolling,’ the new songs offer the perfect blend of live blues/rock and soul performance showpieces,” Harkin stated in a press release.

For more information, visit www.blueelanrecords.com/release/on-mercy-street. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

Blast from the Past Time capsule items unveiled to public after 50 years

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

M

eeting the gaze of curious onlookers for the first time in five decades, items from a 50-year-old time capsule were displayed in multiple glass cases at a long-awaited celebration in Dana Point on Monday, Aug. 29.

Along Baby Beach, hundreds of Dana Point residents and spectators sat in chairs at the unveiling ceremony, waiting to see what had been held inside an 8-ton rock for 50 years.

On Monday, Orange County officials, including Supervisor Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, city officials and members of the Dana Point Historical Society unveiled more than 60 items that have been preserved inside of the stainless steel, four-foot tube.

The items were originally locked in the time capsule and “buried” during a rock placing ceremony at Doheny State Beach on Aug. 29, 1966, which coincided with the opening of the Dana Point Harbor.

The rock sat with a plaque on top, covering the hole, until May 5, 2016, when Orange County Parks removed the rock in preparation of Monday’s ceremony.

The rock was placed on a truck, and transported to John D. Cooper Archeological and Paleontological Center in Santa Ana to ensure the items were in good condition.

Chris Jepsen, assistant archivist at OC Archives, told guests that rusty paperclips had to removed, chemicals to remove glues had to be used, and the papers had to be flattened.

“Although the items were in surprising-

More than 60 items were inside of a four-foot time capsule for 50 years. On Monday, those items were unveiled at a celebration. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

ly good condition, we did have to address some problems,” Jepsen said.

Guests of the 1966 ceremony were promised a barbecue dinner if they made it to the 2016 opening and kept their original ticket— and many did. The audience included Miss Dana Point 1966 and Miss San Clemente 1966, Boy Scouts who served during the 1966 ceremony, people who attended the ceremony and their family members.

Inside the capsule, there were photographs of the Harbor, documents from the 1966 ceremony, newsletters from organizations in the city, business cards, newspaper clippings and letters to the future.

“Today is really about all of those who made the Harbor realistic,” said Barbara Johannes, president of the Dana Point Historical Society.

The items will be on display at the city’s Historical Society at City Hall before they return to their permanent home at the Orange County Archives.

“Their research value will benefit historians, students and the general public for hundreds of years to come,” Jepsen said.

“Their intended function of providing us with a snapshot of the past has only just begun.” DP

Dana Point Councilman Carlos Olvera discusses a map with visitors during the Dana Point Harbor 50-year Time Capsule Celebration at Baby Beach on Aug. 29. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Rita Rudner to Perform Benefit Shows at Dana Hills High School

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

O

Rita Rudner will be performing two shows at Dana Hills High School to benefit the South Orange County School for the Arts. Photo: Courtesy of Jonas Public Relations

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

ne comedian is spending her birthday in an atypical way: she will be performing shows and donating the proceeds to a local school.

Rita Rudner will be performing her stand-up comedy show at Dana Hills High School on Saturday, Sept. 17 to benefit the South Orange County School for the Arts.

“It’s my birthday, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate,” Rudner said. “I’m excited.”

Rudner didn’t grow up in the city, but lives part of the year in Dana Point and part-time in Las Vegas, where she performs a regular show. She’s traveled the world to make people laugh, but this will

be her first time on the Dana Hills stage.

Rudner said she’s ready for it, and is even more excited that a second show was added.

Rudner has been doing comedy since 1980, a time she says she noticed a major lack of female comedians around New York City. At the time, she was dancing on Broadway in Annie.

Rudner said she started going into comedy clubs and seeing what other comedians were doing.

“I went to learn how to do comedy,” Rudner said.

Now, in addition to her own shown in Las Vegas, Rudner has made appearances and performed comedy specials on HBO

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and in other shows and movies.

“My comedy is about life, love and marriage, and now raising a child,” Rudner said.

“There’s nothing about politics, I just find things that are funny happening in my life.”

Her daughter, Molly, a freshman at Dana Hills, will be opening the Sept. 17 show with a singing performance.

“She’s opened for me in Las Vegas, in London; she’s very good,” Rudner said.

There will be two shows that night; the first begins at 7 p.m., but is sold out. The second show starts at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.socsarts.org.

“Every penny is going to the school,” Rudner said. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

Ohana Music Fest Rocks Doheny DANA POINT TIMES

T

Eddie Vedder closes out the first night of the inaugural Ohana Fest. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Ryan Bingham and his band, including fiddler Richard Bowden, rock the main stage. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Lana Del Rey headlined day two of Ohana Fest.

Photo: Alex Paris

Corinne Bailey Rae sings old tunes and new during day two of Ohana. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Elvis Costello performs an acoustic set.

Photo: Allison Jarrell

he Ohana Music Festival debuted at Doheny State Beach Aug. 27 and 28. The event, produced by Laguna Hills-based Synergy Global Entertainment, featured notable headliners such as Eddie Vedder, Lana Del Rey, Elvis Costello, Band of Horses, City and Colour, X, Cat Power and Corinne Bailey Rae. The weekend was full of surprises, including several guest performances by Vedder and a duet with Vedder and pro surfer Kelly Slater. For a photo slideshow from both days, visit www.danapointtimes.com. DP

Pet of the Week: Adele

M

y name is Adele and I’m looking for my forever home! I am about 3 years old and just live to snuggle. I’ve waited so long and would love to finally have someone to call my own.

“Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements?”

Or could you be the one for me?

If you would like to know more about Adele, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP

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Adele. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by Tom Blake ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Frustrated Senior Dating

D

ating again after losing a mate can be overwhelming, particularly for senior women. This week, Brenda (not her true name) shared her frustrations.

Brenda said, “I am a widow of two years. A year ago, I was on two internet dating sites for three weeks. I met several men, but they were mostly just awful; they were negative or ON LIFE AND had issues. So I got off LOVE AFTER 50 both sites.

By Tom Blake “Recently I got back on one to try again! It’s very strange to be ‘dating’ at this age! I am not looking to remarry or even live with a man, but I do want a special relationship. I had a loving and devoted husband for over 30 years, and I miss being someone’s special someone.

“Trouble is I am 68, and for people over age 60, I read that there are four to five times as many women as men. So, the older men have their pick of women.

I have met about 12 or 13 men for coffee dates that I would not be caught dead with.

“I have a full life with friends (even male friends) and activities. I do volunteer work and take salsa and square dance classes.

I am fit, healthy, active, intelligent and educated. I am attractive, fun-loving, warm and nurturing. I am financially set and have a nice home.”

Brenda, I understand your frustration.

Your marriage of 30 years to a loving and devoted husband has set the bar very high for another loving relationship. And I commend you for putting yourself out there on the internet. Since you asked for my opinion, I will comment on five items. Do not take the comments personally.

1. The number of available men. At age 60, the ratio is not four or five women to each available man, but closer to three-toone. At 68, it is a bit wider. So, although the ratio is daunting, it’s not quite as bad as you have suggested. Plus, the lack of men doesn’t appear to be your problem.

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

When you first went on the dating sites for three weeks, you met “several” men, whom you said were “mostly just awful.”

I assume that means that one or two of those men weren’t so bad.

2. Your attitude toward dating and the men you are meeting. You say you “hate dating.” That feeling is evident in your email and might be just as evident when you meet these men in person. Drop the word “hate” from your dating vocabulary.

You also said, “…so many loser men out there.” Your negative attitude toward men may be turning potentially good men into disappearing ones. No man will match what you had with your husband.

3. Your problem isn’t meeting men, it is meeting the wrong type of men. The words, “I was lookin’ for love in all the wrong places,” from the 1980 Johnny Lee song “Lookin’ For Love” may apply to you.

I suggest you be more selective in the guys you agree to go out with. Look in the right places. Try different internet sites and get out and volunteer in a myriad of places.

4. From what you say, you’ve got it all: health, friends, active lifestyle, financially set, a nice home, intelligence, fun-loving attitude, warmth and a nurturing side.

Look in the mirror, appreciate what you have, and get out there and help others who are less fortunate. Give back.

5. How soon is too soon to give up seeking a mate? Age 90 to 95 would be when you might say, “I’m not going to look for a man anymore.” That’s about 22 years from now.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. See his websites at www.findingloveafter60.com; www.Vicsta.com and www.

Travelafter55.com. Email: tompblake@ gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9.

Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium Last week’s solution:

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

See the solution in next week’s issue.

Page 18

949.485.4979, info@bodymindspiritiop.com, www.bodymindspiritiop.com

ASSISTED LIVING HOME FOR ELDERLY

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AUTO REPAIR

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CAFE - DELI

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COFFEE SHOP

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Danman’s Music School

24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

PET BOUTIQUE

Naked Dog Bistro

424 Forest Ave., LB, 949.715.9900, www.NakedDogBistro.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

32032 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.5683, www.cvcs.org

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com FOR SALE CUSTOM AREA RUGS You pick style, color and size. Typically made in 2 weeks. Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyester or designer carpet. Carpet showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point. Carpet and flooring remnants also available - all shapes, sizes and kinds of flooring. Mike 949-240-1545.

MONTESSORI SCHOOL LIQUIDATION 24292 Del Prado/Blue Lantern, Dana Point Fill one box for $7. Saturday, September 3.

8:30 am to noon. Cash only. Questions: Call Harry 949 697 1411 Sterling Estate Sales.

GARAGE SALES CAPISTRANO BEACH Refrig., stove, appliances, misc. Fri. & Sat. 8 to 12. 34422 Calle Carmelita, Capo Beach.

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@danapointtimes.com DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

HELP WANTED HOUSEKEEPING – HOUSEKEEPERS, HOUSEMEN, LAUNDRY ROOM – Full time – Immediate openings, paid holidays and vacation time. FRONT DESK CLERKS/RESERVATION AGENTS – Part time, weekends.

Apply in person – Dana Point Marina Inn, 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, Ca 92629. 949-496-1203

SERVICES HANDYMAN CHRIS Flat screen TV’s installed, anything Electrical, Plumbing, Finish Carpentry, Drywall Repairs, Mold and Wood Rot issues, Waterproofing, Decks and Patio covers repaired, Doors, Windows, Kitchens and Baths, Water Damage Restoration, Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication and Much More. Phone Chris – 949 510 6645 WOOD DECK REPAIR WIZZARD Wood Rot Repair Certified Specialist, Wood Decks, Balconies, Patio Covers + Outside Stairs Repaired / Replaced, New Decking Systems, All work Guaranteed. Phone Chris -949 510 6645

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 102 or email lloynes@picketfencemedia.com

Do you want to reach 10,000+ people in the Dana Point area every week?

Then you need to be in the Dana Point Times. Call us today!

949.388.7700 ext. 102 Dana Point Times September 2–8, 2016

Page 19

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Dolphin Report

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dana Hills High School spring sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Dana Point Rec League Crowns Postseason Champions

T

he Dana Point Parks and Recreation Department held its co-ed summer leagues postseason tournaments this week, and when the dust settled, four new champions were crowned.

Monday Kickball The Monday kickball league ended in the most unlikely way possible. Pitch Please, which failed to earn a win during the regular season, won back-to-back games to claim the championship. Pitch Please went 0-6 on the season, but more than made up for the effort by toppling top-seeded The District Salon 4-3 in the first round. Pitch Please then breezed its way past third-seeded Harry Larry’s 10-1 in the championship match.

Wednesday Beginner Kickball Just Can’t Kick Enough closed out its season in style by shutting out Balls &

Dolls 3-0 in the championship game.

Wednesday Advanced Kickball Luxe Restaurant & Martini Bar accomplished what no other team in the Dana Point recreation league divisions could during its postseason run. Luxe, which won the Wednesday advanced kickball league, did not allow an opposing run to cross the plate in two postseason games.

Luxe, the No. 4 seed, defeated Grasskickers 1-0 in the first game and defeated Beer Battered 5-0 in the championship match.

Softball The department’s co-ed softball league championship game featured the top two seeds in the bracket squaring off against one another. Second-seeded Feel the Heat was able to defeat Dead Pull 12-7 to claim the hardware. Both teams scored 20 runs in two postseason games. DP

After going winless in the regular season, Pitch Please was crowned the Dana Point Recreation Department’s Monday kickball postseason champions. Photo: Courtesy

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

Girls Golf Notches Back-to-Back Wins The Dana Hills girls golf team opened its season with two solid back-to-back wins over regional rivals last week.

Dana Hills (2-0) defeated Capistrano Valley and Mission Viejo on Aug. 24 and Aug. 30, respectively.

Joan Soewondo led Dana Hills to a 211285 win over Capistrano Valley by carding a score of 35 (E) at Marbella Country Club. Isley Gruric earned the match medal for Dana Hills two days later against Mission Viejo by shooting a 40 (+3) at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course.

Dana Hills will travel to play Beckman, a perennial playoff team, on Sept. 6.

Luxe Restaurant & Martini Bar did not allow a run in two postseason games to claim the Dana Point Recreation Department’s advanced kickball league. Photo: Courtesy

DANA POINT TIMES

Santiago on Aug. 26.

Sunny Hills used a stable of running backs to defeat Santiago last week. Junior Alex Jung ran for 154 yards and three touchdowns while senior Brandon Castelo rushed for 103 yards and two scores on just six carries. Sophomore running back Cade Caffrey also chipped in a 99-yard rushing effort.

Dana Hills senior Ryder Lynch caught a touchdown pass in the Dolphins 34-14 loss to Marina on Aug. 26.

Photo: Steve Breazeale

Girls Tennis Edges Out Northwood

Marina Runs Past Dana Hills in Opener

A strong performance from the doubles team and its top singles player helped the Dana Hills girls tennis team defeat Northwood 11-7 in a season-opening match on Aug. 30.

Courtney Swift, the Dolphins top singles player, won all three of her sets while the doubles teams won seven of a possible nine sets to secure the victory.

Dana Hills (1-0) is the defending co-South Coast League champion and was a CIF-SS Division 1 semifinalist in 2015.

The Dana Hills football team had no answer for Marina’s running back Blaine Riederich on Aug. 26. The Vikings’ back racked up a game-high 200 yards and two touchdowns to lead visiting Marina past Dana Hills in a 34-14 nonleague victory.

Midway through the first quarter, Riederich opened the scoring following an 83-yard touchdown run. He struck again in the second quarter, capping off a Marina scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.

Marina scored just before halftime when quarterback Ian Green connected with receiver Noah Holmes for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

Green found Holmes in the end zone one more time in the third and Rand Keidel returned an interception for a touchdown to give Marina a commanding 34-0 lead.

Dana Hills scored on an 80-yard Jake Baldiviez touchdown run and a short pass from quarterback Corey Cisowski to Ryder Lynch in the fourth quarter.

Baldiviez led the Dolphins with 120 yards rushing. Cisowski threw for 131 yards, a touchdown and had five interceptions.

The Dolphins (0-1) will travel to play a nonleague game against Sunny Hills on the road on Sept. 2. Sunny Hills was a CIF-SS Southwest Division playoff team last season, and competes in the tough Freeway League. The Lancers (1-0) opened their season with a 50-14 win over

Page 21

Junior Dana Mackensen and the Dana Hills girls tennis team defeated Northwood 11-7 on Aug. 30.

Photo: Steve Breazeale

www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

At Long Last

Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro kick off at Lower Trestles on Sept. 7

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

A

s far as summer surf goes, it started with a bang here in South Orange County. Warm water and a consistent string of south swells kept things in the fun zone in June and July. Then came August with its south wind, plunging water temps and nary a swell over hip high. But as we now head into fall—arguably the best time of year around San Clemente and Dana Point—the Pacific has stirred back to life, and there’s a lot to be excited about.

On Sept. 7, the waiting period for the Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro kicks off at Lower Trestles. The best surfers in the world are coming to town, and whether you’re a diehard fan of competitive surfing or are just looking to spend a day at the beach, it’s a heck of a show. Having the most illuminating talent on the World Surf League’s Championship Tour in the local waters is always a treat, but as the old adage goes, a surf contest is only as good as the waves. Let’s just say the extended surf outlook is promising.

“We’re looking at an impressive and ongoing low passing by to the south of New Zealand. This low is on track to deliver a pretty good run of southwest/southsouthwest swell (220-200) with forerunners creeping up through the day on Sept. 7 and size building on Sept. 8,” said Surfline forecaster Schaler Perry. “The swell looks to top out on Sept. 9/10, before easing through the following weekend. A reinforcing push of south-southwest/south swell may offer decent size clear into the following week.”

The waiting period for the men’s and women’s events runs from Sept. 7-18, which means the run of swell is setting up

GROM OF THE WEEK

PATRICK O’CONNOR

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

C

ongrats to San Juan Capistrano’s Patrick O’Connor, who finished runner-up in the National Scholastic Surfing Association Explorer contest at C Street in Ventura last weekend. Held in playful combo swell conditions, he made the trip north of L.A. and locked in a solid result against a competitive, and considerably more local field.

Not just a grom hungry for a trophy,

Dana Point Times September 2-8, 2016

Kelly Slater and others will compete in the Hurley Pro next week at Trestles in San Clemente.

Photo: Hurley Pro/Rowland

Beachgoers enjoy last year’s Hurley Pro. Photo: Hurley Pro/Rowland

to arrive just as things kick off. Early estimates are calling for it to be a foot or two overhead when it peaks, but it could get better. There’s a strong possibility it could be re-enforced by some classic chubasco conditions.

“In the tropics, models are in pretty good agreement we’ll have a tropical system develop early next week off the coast of southwest Mexico. Further, they are becoming pretty bullish suggesting said tropical system will be sizeable, strong and have potential to make it into the SoCal

12-year-old O’Connor is a multi-talented regular-footer as comfortable on a standard shortboard as he is on a longboard or a skateboard. His older sister, Teresa, is already grace personified on a log and has obviously been a big influence on his stylish approach. Happy to ride whatever board may be underfoot, for being so young. O’Connor holds a deep appreciation for surfboard design and rips just as hard on a ’70s-style twin-fin as he does airing out of the bowl at his local skatepark. He also sites iconic stylists such as Tony Alva and Larry Bertleman as influences.

Last year, O’Connor had very positive, head-turning outings at the Western Surfing Association West Coast Championships

swell window,” continued Perry.

In 2004, the contest, then called the Boost Mobile Pro, enjoyed all-time, classic Lowers conditions. It started off with threeto five-foot surf before a swell dubbed the “Monster Down Under” served up sets that topped out in the 10-foot range. Eventually won by Aussie Joel Parkinson, who beat 11-time world champ Kelly Slater in the final, it’s too early to say if this year will see something similar, but it’s definitely setting up nicely.

“It is one of my favorite places in the world,” said Slater, who catapulted himself onto the scene with a historic win at the 1990 Body Glove Surf Bout and the ensuing Quiksilver film, Black and White.

The winningest surfer ever at everyone’s favorite cobblestone point break with seven titles in a remarkable career that’s spanned over 26 years, Slater got Parkinson back in 2012 as he notched his 50th career world tour victory and third win in a row at Lowers. Coming off a huge win at the Billabong Pro Tahiti at the end of August, today

and the Volcom Totally Crustaceous Tour.

It appears the momentum is continuing to build in 2016 as sixth grade at Marco Forester Middle School gets underway. DP

Slater’s as relevant (and hungry) as ever.

“If I get another win or two, we can talk about that,” said Slater of his chances to win his 12th world title in 2016.

We could very well be having that conversation in San Clemente in a couple weeks. But Slater’s march to the top of the podium is hardly a sure thing. There’s more talent on the tour today than ever before. Hawaiian phenom (and Slater heir) John John Florence has just taken over the top spot on the WSL ratings after his runner-up finish (to Slater) in Tahiti. The wave at Lowers suits his radical combination of full-rail, carving turns and uninhibited airs.

He reckons the spot’s “like a skatepark.”

Behind him is a hungry pack of Brazilians, including former world champ Gabriel Medina and San Clemente transplant Filipe Toledo. Both are going to be extremely dangerous this year, and with added local knowledge, Toledo could definitely be one to watch.

“I love this wave, it’s a large part of why I moved my family to San Clemente,” says Toledo. “There’s so many possibilities at Lowers.”

Also making an appearance will be defending Hurley Pro champ Mick Fanning. Taking a “personal year” this season, Fanning’s only been surfing in select contests and Lowers will probably be his last appearance this year. In 2015, he was famously attacked by a great white shark in the final of the J-Bay Open in South Africa, and he’s used most of this year to get his head back on straight.

“For me, this year feels a lot lighter not going for a world title so I’m really enjoying my surfing and having a lot of fun. I’ll be surfing at Trestles this year and I think that might be that last event of the year,” said Fanning after returning to South Africa and winning the J-Bay Open. “World titles aren’t the biggest thing for me at the moment— I’m all about enjoying my surfing.”

And maybe that’s the takeaway from all the action we have coming down the pipeline in the next couple weeks: whatever you do, just get out there and enjoy surfing. DP

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 65-67 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-10’ Fair Outlook: Southern hemi swell remains the primary source for surf through the week with minor Northwest windswell mixing in. Surf heights are down, expected to be waist high or less for the upcoming weekend. Better Southern hemi swell lining up for the back half of next week. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

Photo: Courtesy

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