May 20, 2022

MAY 20-26, 2022 | VOLUME 15, ISSUE 20

L O C A L

N E W S

Y O U

C A N

INSIDE: Special Section

U S E

Falling Short Capo Unified School District Contends with Lack of Adequate Funding E Y E O N D P / PAG E 7

In terms of dollars per student, CUSD over the years has received fewer funds from the state and other sources compared to the statewide average. Graphic: Chelsie Rex

danapointtimes.com

County’s Point-in-Time Count Shows Dip in Homeless Population

8th Annual AquaFest Promotes Boating Safety in DP Harbor

Dawson Wins Double at CIF-SS Track Finals

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Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

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What’s Up With...

TOP NEWS DANA POINT SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK

County’s Point-in-Time Count Shows Dip in Homeless Population

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

The county released the results of the 2022 Point-in-Time Count last week, locating 585 people experiencing homelessness in the South Service Planning Area (SPA) out of a total 5,718—a decrease from the previous report in 2019.

More than 130 homeless individuals were tallied in San Clemente, the highest among the South region, with 81 of them counted as unsheltered and 50 others listed as sheltered. In San Juan Capistrano, there were 65 unsheltered individuals, while Dana Point had 27.

The latest cumulative tally of the three South County towns, which was conducted this past February, marked a roughly 6.7% decrease from the last PIT Count in 2019. For San Clemente, the 2022 count showed an overall decline of about 9.7%, having 14 fewer reported homeless on the street or in shelters.

Dana Point had the biggest drop in reported homeless persons, decreasing from 32 to 27, or about 15.6%, while San Juan saw its unhoused population slightly decline from 65 to 62, or 4.84%, the 2022 report noted.

The Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC), along with all CoCs, is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to conduct an unsheltered count every two years and an annual sheltered count of all persons experiencing homelessness in the county on a single point in time during the last 10 days of January.

Orange County’s Point-in-Time Count was conducted from Feb. 21 to Feb. 24 because of the 2021 count being canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was further pushed back because of additional COVID concerns.

Broken down by SPA, the Central region contained the most homeless persons, with 2,714 people counted. In the North SPA, 2,419 people were counted, while the South SPA had a reported 585 people who were unhoused.

The 2019 count surveyed a total of 6,860 people, with 763 in the South SPA. Of those 763 individuals, 538 were not sheltered and 225 were. In this year’s South SPA, 422 of the 585 surveyed were unsheltered and 163 were sheltered during those nights in February.

At the time, the 2019 PIT Count represented a sharp increase of the county’s homeless population, rising by 43% from the 2017 report. This year’s tally of 5,718 Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

shows a decrease of about 16.6%.

When comparing the unsheltered count from 2019 to 2022, the county saw a roughly 22.8% drop, decreasing from 3,961 to 3,057. As for the sheltered population, there were 238 fewer, or 8.21% less, homeless people counted between 2019 and 2022, when 2,661 were reported.

During the count, nearly 1,000 volunteers asked participants information related to a multitude of categories, such as household compositions, subpopulations, and disabling conditions information, such as substance abuse issues, serious mental health issues, and physical disability, among other demographics.

“The increase in the number of homeless residents being sheltered, across all categories, including veterans, transitional aged youth, and seniors, is proof that the County’s regional SPA (Service Planning Areas) approach works,” First District Supervisor Andrew Do said in a press release.

“It creates a workable framework for cities to collaborate to address different needs within the homeless population in the region.”

Among the total homeless persons counted, 280 of them were veterans.

In terms of age groups, 235 were listed as transitional aged youth, or persons between 18 and 24 years old, while another 718 were seniors, 62 and older.

Of the 3,057 unsheltered individuals, 2,936 adults answered questions related to disabling conditions, as did 2,060 of the 2,661 sheltered.

About 42% of all those counted said they had struggled with chronic homelessness, and about 28.6% were dealing with substance-use issues. Another 25.3% said they had struggled from mental health issues.

Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District Supervisor, said in the county’s press release that seeing the 2022 results is important to her, in part because of her dedication to metrics and using those figures to guide future actions.

“It’s important for policy makers to take a snapshot in time to see how we’re doing and how we proceed moving forward,” she said. “I am encouraged by the positive trends that are emerging and hope to see them continue.”

Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, the city’s summertime trolley will kick off on May 27, when the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the launch with a trolley hop around the town from 3-7 p.m. Photo: File

Dana Point Announces Summer Events, Activities, Trolley Route

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

With Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, just around the corner, Dana Point has announced the return of its summer trolley. The trolley will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The city also announced upcoming summer activities and events, as well as the lineup of artists to perform at Concerts in the Park and the slate of movies to be screened during Movies in the Park.

The summer trolley will kick off on May 27, running from noon to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, and noon to 10 p.m. on Fridays. During the weekends, the trolley will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

On Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, the trolley will run from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Trolleys will arrive at stops every 15 minutes, though service may be delayed during heavy traffic. A Dana Point Trolley tracker app is also available for smartphones, where users can find live updates and arrival times of each trolley stop.

The Dana Point Trolley will connect to San Clemente’s trolley at Camino Mira Costa and Camino de Estrella, and will also connect to San Juan Capistrano’s trolley at Stonehill Drive and Del Obispo Street.

Riders can also transfer to Laguna Beach or Laguna Niguel trolleys off Pacific Coast Highway at Ritz Carlton Drive or Niguel Road.

The Dana Point Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the start of the summer trolley service with a trolley hop on May 27, from 3-7 p.m. The trolley will stop at participating restaurants for special drink offers. Riders 21 and older must purchase a wristband to access drink specials.

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The summer trolley will be available to take residents to all of the upcoming events Dana Point has to offer.

The City of Dana Point will honor fallen veterans during a Memorial Day Service on May 30 at 10 a.m. The event will take place at Pines Park, presented by the city and Dana Point Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9934.

With the start of June also comes Movies in the Park. At 8 p.m. each Friday, movies will be shown at Lantern Bay Park.

Cruella will be shown on June 3, Encanto on June 10, Jungle Cruise on June 17, and The Addams Family 2 on June 24.

On June 5, the Dana Point Artfest will return, featuring more than 100 artists along Del Prado. Del Prado will be closed between Ruby Lantern and Golden Lantern from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Dana Point Summer Bazaar will return in late June. The Bazaar will be held in the community center on June 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring artisans, crafters and local businesses.

In celebration of the Fourth of July, the city will launch fireworks off a barge off Doheny State Beach’s coastline at 9 p.m.

Concerts in the Park will kick off at Sea Terrace Park on July 10, with Bad Company tribute band Good Company performing along with Queen tribute band Queen Nation. The series of concerts will be held each Sunday at 3 p.m.

Journey tribute band DSB and Cars tribute band Heartbeat City will take the stage on July 17, and K Tel All Stars and Kenny Metcalf as Elton John will perform on July 24. LOVEDRIVE and Bonfire are scheduled to take the stage on July 31, followed by Tony Suraci and Turn the Page on Aug. 7.

Reflexx and Rockin’ The Paradise will close out the series on Aug. 14.

More information on all the summer activities Dana Point has to offer can be found on the city’s parks and recreation department website.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A map of the city’s summertime trolley can be found on page 11 of this week’s edition of the Dana Point Times. danapointtimes.com

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8th Annual AquaFest Promotes Boating Safety in DP Harbor

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Celebrating National Safe Boating Week, Westwind Sailing and the Dana Point Aquatic Foundation’s annual AquaFest will return to the harbor on Saturday, May 21, to promote boating safety.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring informational booths from various organizations in the harbor, free life jackets, snow cones, and goodie bags, as well as sail and kayak rides.

“AquaFest is our version of an event to celebrate National Safe Boating Week, which is a national event put on by the National Safe Boating Council to help people remember boat safety practices as we get into boating season,” Westwind Sailing Executive Director Diane Wenzel said.

“Of course, we have beautiful boating weather here all year; it still is busier in the summer, and it’s always important to spread the message of safe boating, so that is why we hold this event,” Wenzel added.

AquaFest comes after the Dana Point City Council on Tuesday, May 17, passed a proclamation recognizing the Orange County Fire Authority’s Drowning Prevention Awareness campaign. Mayor Joe Muller highlighted the importance of never swimming alone and always keeping an eye on the water.

According to a report on recreational boating in 2020 that the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security

Westwind Sailing and the Dana Point Aquatic Foundation’s annual AquaFest will return to the harbor on Saturday, May 21, to promote boating safety. Photo: Courtesy of Westwind Sailing

body to showcase what they do,” Wenzel said. “So, the general public is welcome, invited to come and see the different booths and see the different offerings, music and entertainment.”

Westwind will offer free sail rides and paddleboard clinics during the event.

Paddle clinics will be offered every hour on the hour.

“It’s not just on-land stuff; we’re getting people out on the water to experience boating with our staff and instructors,” Wenzel said.

Attendees can also receive 10% off Westwind’s summer programming if they sign up during AquaFest.

Westwind will offer free life jackets, courtesy of the California Division of Boating and Waterways, informational safety booklets and pamphlets, and goodie bags, while supplies last.

DJ and comedian Tom Rhiel will be

published last year, 86% of those who drowned in fatal boating accidents, where the cause of death was known, were not wearing a life jacket.

“Usually, these things happen on beautiful, calm-weather days, really close to shore, when people aren’t thinking that there’s a reason that they need to wear a life jacket, because ‘it’s fine, it’s no big deal, I can swim,’ but it’s such a big deal,” Wenzel said.

Various organizations in the harbor will have booths at AquaFest, sharing information on the programs they offer, as well as boating safety information.

Westwind Sailing, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Aventura Sailing, the Mariners 936 youth boating program, Performance Paddling, iHeartYoga and the environmental nonprofit Stand Up to Trash will all have booths at the event.

“This is a neat opportunity for every-

making announcements and playing music throughout the event.

“All sorts of things to help people remember not to overload their boat, navigation, not driving at a speed that’s unsafe, being very conscientious of drinking and boating,” Wenzel said.

“They’re different rules that are really simple, but you just need to remember that because your vessel’s a vehicle on the water, you’ve got responsibilities.”

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a safe boating photo booth where attendees can take photos with different nautical-themed props and life jackets.

“Something people can take home with them that just reminds them of their day and reminds them to be safe on the water,” Wenzel said.

At 1 p.m., attendees will have the chance to take pictures as a group for National Safe Boating Week for the “Wear It” campaign.

“We try to break the record of how many people we get in a photograph all wearing life jackets at the same time,” Wenzel said.

Chick-fil-A food will be available for purchase from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and free snow cones will be available from noon to 3 p.m.

And depending on availability, Westwind noted, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s fireboat could make an appearance at AquaFest to offer tours and demos at 10:30 a.m.

“We have a nice, neat little community here in Dana Point, and we want people to be safe,” Wenzel said. “It gets to be crowded on the water, and people need to watch out for one another and just be aware that there are hazards and they can have fun, but you just need to be safe on the water.”

Stand Up to Trash Promotes Awareness, Education to Ocean Stewardship

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Vicki Patterson, a lifelong Dana Point resident, has always felt a sense of responsibility to be a good steward of her environment. Taking that stewardship a step further, she’s brought awareness and education to the environment through her nonprofit, Stand Up to Trash.

Patterson started Stand Up to Trash in August 2020 after her paddleboarding trips in the Dana Point Harbor brought awareness to the scale of marine pollution.

“It’s been in my blood since I was born,” Patterson said. “The harbor and Killer Dana were our playground. My mom used to take us to PMMC (Pacific Marine Mammal Center) to learn about

When Vicki Patterson, a lifelong Dana Point resident, posted pictures on social media of all the trash she had collected from the harbor, she had had neighbors reaching out to get involved with her nonprofit, Stand Up to Trash. Photo: Courtesy of Vicki Patterson

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

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the animals there and how they were being affected by the fishing line and different things in the ocean.”

At the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Patterson became aware of the environment and how her actions affect the world around her. Later in life, when she began paddleboarding, she saw the negative impact of plastic pollution in local waterways firsthand.

“I started paddleboarding probably about 10 years ago,” Patterson said.

“There was just so much trash, I would tell my friends ‘Just go’; I can’t just not pick up trash, balloons, and all kind of pieces of plastic out there.”

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City Council Honors RH Dana Teacher of the Year

mersion program,” Nelson said. “Her belief in it, her own experience being a second-language learner, her passion for teaching bilingual children and multicultural children. I just knew there wasn’t anybody else who really could help me start the program here in Dana Point so successfully. I was relieved when she said yes.”

During the first eight years of Brannam’s teaching career, she taught preschool. She has taught in the CUSD system the past 17 years and now teaches kindergarten, with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Frost’s daughter currently in her class.

The journey to become a teacher was long and unexpected, Brannam said. She was initially interested in the medical field, though she always loved kids and babysitting.

She’s been married for 25 years with two grown daughters. While raising her daughters and working as a preschool teacher, she also worked toward her bachelor’s degree, one class at a time, which took 10 years to earn.

The long journey was worth it, Brannam said, because the best part about being a teacher is the knowledge that she’s pursued her passion and the joy that comes from the relationships she develops with her students.

“There is so much, just knowing that teaching really truly is my calling and my passion,” Brannam said. “But when I narrow it down, it’s the word ‘joy.’ For me, the best part of teaching is experiencing the joy that comes from developing positive relationships with my students and their families.”

The joy of seeing her students’ excitement when they start understanding new lessons in both English and in Spanish is life-changing, Brannam said.

“Witnessing my students blossom and learn so much in two languages, it’s the joy of hearing the squeals of excitement when my students interact with our hands-on lessons,” Brannam said. “The joy that comes from planning meaningful activities with my colleagues and laughing every day.”

As part of the council’s recognition of Brannam on Tuesday, May 17, Mayor Joe Muller presented her with a proclamation.

“I want to thank you for all your hard work that you’re doing over there. Your service is invaluable to where this community is going and our country needs to go,” Muller said. “Thank you so much for all the work you do.”

Brannam thanked the City Council and Nelson on behalf of the teaching staff for their support of the elementary school.

“Muchísimas gracias, a la ciudad de Dana Point, esto es un gran honor, muchísimas gracias,” Brannam said in Spanish before reiterating her remarks in English. “Truly, just an honor. I’m so thankful for the city of Dana Point for being so supportive and dedicated to our little school, RH Dana.”

“What a joy to have gone to help start the Spanish Immersion program coming from Las Palmas and just to watch it blossom and grow,” Brannam added. “In three years, to see it grow so much and see our little kiddos learning Spanish and English. … We have an amazing principal, Mrs. Nelson, and through her leadership and her vision, this has become a reality. So, thank you all so much, Muchísimas gracias.”

of something,” Patterson said.

Starting the nonprofit during the pandemic, she said she’s had people come to her to tell her that the local cleanups have given them a sense of community at a time when many felt isolated.

Stand Up to Trash’s mission is to “protect and conserve our ocean by raising awareness of the negative effects caused by plastic pollution through environmental education for future generations.”

The monthly cleanups help to raise awareness to the scale of plastic pollution, as attendees see firsthand the negative impact on the local harbor.

“I was realizing when we were having the beach cleanups, people didn’t realize how much trash there was until they started to commit to two hours of picking up trash,” Patterson said.

“Part of our mission statement is to

raise awareness. We’re, like, ‘OK, check,’ and the second part is the education through environmental education,” Patterson added. “So, we started something called Lunch and Learn.”

Once a month, Stand Up to Trash holds a beach cleanup focused on a different environmental topic of the month.

“Whether it be Earth Day or World Oceans Day, this day we’re focusing on the Mother’s Day aspect, so we’re calling it Ocean Mamas,” Patterson said, referring to the upcoming Lunch and Learn on Saturday, May 21.

This month, Dennis Kelly, professor emeritus of the Marine Science Department at Orange Coast College, will talk about his research of bottlenose dolphins. As the director of the coastal dolphin survey project, he has seen the impacts of trash on marine life, Patterson said.

“He’s going to be talking about what he has seen throughout the 40 years; in the ocean, how much trash has been collecting over the last 40 years, what he is seeing differently, and how it’s affecting their behaviors, their gestation, everything to do with the dolphins,” Patterson said.

Last month, Stand Up to Trash had 440 attendees come to the Lunch and Learn at the Ocean Institute wharf, Patterson said.

Stand Up to Trash has added a new “spin the wheel” activity in which attendees can spin a question wheel, and if you answer the question correctly, you win a prize.

Stand Up to Trash’s next Beach Cleanup and Lunch and Learn on Saturday is scheduled from 9-11 a.m.

Kelly’s talk will take place at 10:30 a.m.

To sign up for the upcoming event, head to standuptotrash.com.

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Entering the classroom in 1981, Andrea Brannam was filled with confusion and fear but was met by her teacher with a “welcoming smile and warm embrace.” It was that experience that left a lasting mark on Brannam, who’s now a kindergarten teacher at RH Dana Elementary School.

Brannam, who has been teaching for 25 years, spoke only Spanish when she started kindergarten. But 12 years into her teaching career, Brannam and RH Dana Elementary School Principal Kristen Nelson started a dual language immersion program, teaching students Spanish and English.

Brannam’s work in the dual immersion program earned her recognition this year from the Capistrano Unified School District, as she recently took home a Teacher of the Year award—an honor that the Dana Point City Council further recognized at its meeting this week.

“Looking back, I just remember the love that my teachers gave me,” Brannam said. “It didn’t matter that I didn’t understand their language. … I look back to that experience of the love and the care that my teachers had, and I just wanted to make that kind of difference in the lives of my students.”

Nelson, who has served as the school’s principal for four years, started the dual language immersion program three years ago with Brannam’s help.

“She was the only person that really could have started the language im-

(Cont. from page 4) Patterson’s friends had given her the nickname of “whale whisperer,” she said, so she felt she had an obligation to take care of them.

“They’re blessing us with their presence and their beauty and how majestic they are; it was something that I felt that I could give back,” Patterson said.

When she posted pictures on social media of all the trash she had collected, Patterson had more and more people reaching out to get involved. She hosted the nonprofit’s inaugural beach cleanup in November 2020.

Over the past two years, Stand Up to Trash has held monthly beach cleanups and developed deep relationships in the community.

“The partnerships we’ve created in the last year, everybody just opens their heart, and it just feels like you’re a part Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

Mayor Joe Muller and the rest of the Dana Point City Council on Tuesday, May 17, recognized Andrea Brannam, a kindergarten teacher at RH Dana Elementary School, after recently taking home a Teacher of the Year award from the Capistrano Unified School District for her work in the dual immersion program. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

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T

he tubas used by music students in San Clemente High School’s marching band are 20 to 25 years old, according to music teacher Tony Soto.

The school’s music education department does aim to purchase new instruments for students to use, but it has to rely on fundraisers and donations to do so. Recent federal relief funding that the Capistrano Unified School District received as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, partly went to purchasing much-needed new instruments.

“Whenever we have our booster meetings—because we have to raise our own funds—one of the mantras we’ve got accustomed to saying is the school district pays for pretty much two things: my salary and the lights to be on,” Soto said. “Everything else in terms of instruments, uniforms, coaches, we have to do the fundraising for that.”

Prior to the pandemic, the department held about four big fundraisers a year. Now, that number is down to just two because of less participation from parents—though it’s hoped the frequency of regular fundraisers will shoot back up in the near future.

“We’re doing things like selling candy,” Soto said. “We’re fortunate enough to host marching band competitions for the past couple of years, which brings in a nice chunk of money. Without that, we would be at a loss.”

San Clemente High’s music program generally needs about $80,000 to $90,000 to operate in a normal school year to fund coaches, trips, and replenishing old instruments. Soto and other musical instructors typically handle instrument maintenance themselves.

“At the beginning of the school year, we ask parents to help out in terms of giving a donation,” Soto said. “The way we would use (more funding), No. 1 would probably be to replenish our instruments and maybe upkeep the repairs. A lot of people don’t know a tuba,

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Capistrano Unified School District Contends with Lack of Adequate Funding

REVENUE DOLLARS PER STUDENT

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Falling Short

2020/2021

In terms of dollars per student, the Capistrano Unified School District over the years has received fewer funds from the state and other sources compared to the statewide average and neighboring Santa Ana Unified School District. Graphic: Chelsie Rex

increased to $15,696.

Compared to other neighboring school districts of similar size, such as the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), CUSD falls short even more.

That’s because CUSD has fewer disadvantaged students, Burris noted.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, a base amount of funding is provided based on a district’s average daily attendance, with extra funding then provided for high-need students such as the economically disadvantaged, English learners, or foster youth.

CUSD, which had a cumulative enrollment of 52,717 students last school year, had an average daily attendance rate of 44,604, the ed-data shows. Santa Ana Unified, which received $17,252 on a dollars-per-student basis, had a cumulative enrollment of 47,530 last year, while its daily attendance average was 43,665.

During the previous school year, CUSD had 4,452 students classified as English learners, making up roughly 8.8% of its enrollment. English learners at SAUSD in the same school year totaled 16,245, or nearly 35% of its enrollment.

Also, within the same school year, SAUSD had 224 students who were foster youth, while 39,390 of its students, or 84.5%, were eligible for free and reduced-price meal plans. CUSD, on the other hand, had 98 foster youth students, and 13,047 students eligible for free and reduced-price meal plans.

One thing both districts have in common, though, is the decline in overall enrollment, a trend seen across the county.

for instance, can cost anywhere from $400 to $600 a year to keep up with its maintenance.”

Those struggles are reflective of challenges CUSD faces as a whole with what is perceived to be a lack of enough funding.

FUNDING SHORTFALL CUSD spokesperson Ryan Burris said underfunding is an issue that district officials have discussed with the community for almost a decade after a state formula was introduced in 2013 called the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, for short.

For this fiscal year, CUSD is budgeted to receive nearly $433.12 million in state LCFF monies—about 81.6% of the district’s overall general fund revenue of $530.88 million, according to the FY 2021/22 budget.

The state provides the majority of funding for school districts in California.

For CUSD, another $70.96 million is also set to come from the state. From the federal government, CUSD is budgeted to get $20.96 million.

A look at available data on ed-data.org, which tracks financial and other statistics for school districts, shows that over the years, CUSD has received less than the statewide average in terms of total funding dollars per student.

According to the data, which captures only up until the 2020-21 school year, the district received $12,701 per student in the previous year. Across all California unified school districts, the average was $15,576. For all districts, that average Page 7

The average daily attendance rate has steadily declined in CUSD and SAUSD compared to years past, as well.

RAISE THE BASE While a funding shortfall means few resources available to programs such as music and other arts, it has particularly impacted the district’s facility needs.

School campuses and buildings are continuing to age and continually cost more to upgrade as years go by—a need for which the state provides little funding, Burris said.

The district has attempted to place bonds on election ballots over the years in an attempt to secure funding for facility upgrades, but all of those measures have failed to meet the 55% threshold needed to pass.

CUSD is currently considering whether to seek another bond measure for Dana Hills High School. CUSD officials recently heard the results of a public opinion survey on the matter, acknowledging they have a “hill to climb” in terms of raising enough voter support.

For capital outlay, or site and equipment improvements, CUSD allocated $3.03 million in general funds last fiscal year, according to ed-data. About $313.68 million, the majority of the district’s $537.75 million in general fund expenditures, went toward salaries for certificated and classified personnel, including teachers—echoing Soto’s comments.

Other key line items included employee benefits at $142.18 million, and books and supplies at $21.16 million.

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As part of an effort to secure more funding for classrooms, programs and capital improvements, CUSD officials are advocating for the state to amend the way in which it allocates education dollars by supporting a campaign called Raise the Base. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

(Cont. from page 7) When broken down by dollars per student, the spending total amounted to $12,056—below the statewide average of $14,271.

As a result of the underfunding, CUSD officials and staff are engaging in the “Raise the Base” campaign, which is intended to raise awareness of the underfunding problem and advocating for the state to raise base grant funding for all school districts in California. Raising base funding would not raise taxes, district officials have stated.

The CUSD Board of Trustees approved last month a resolution that directs Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte to communicate the Raise the Base message to the public—and encouraging parent and community support for California Assembly Bill 1614, which also supports more educational base funding.

AB 1614, introduced by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), was introduced in January of this year and intends to increase base grants from the state “in order to achieve specified educational goals,” according to the bill’s language.

The legislation was last rereferred to an educational committee on April 19.

Additional money could allow CUSD to reduce class size, keep physical education teachers in elementary school, and expand the number of counselors and general social and emotional support services available for students, Burris said.

More educational funding could also help out with San Clemente High’s musical coaching for various programs, Soto said.

“We not only do band, but we do orchestra. We have jazz band. We also have color guard. We have drum line,” Soto said. “We have all of these specialty programs, which would need specialty coaches that would come in.

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COMMUNITY MEETINGS FRIDAY, MAY 20

Coffee Chat 8:30 a.m. As part of its return to inperson meetings, the Dana Point Civic Association will host the mental health collaborative Mind OC at this week’s coffee chat. Coffee Importers, 34531 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

SATURDAY, MAY 21

Challenging Cancer 10-11:30 a.m. The Challenging Cancer group is conducting weekly meetings through Zoom video conferences.

The meetings are open to caregivers, people who have a compromised immune system, and people dealing with cancer. To join, email donnavigil2@gmail.com or linda_crdv@yahoo.com. heritagesc.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 24

Because I Love You (BILY) 6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, drug abuse, disrespect), will continue conducting its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via Zoom video conference.

For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to have one string coach and one percussion coach throughout the year,” he added, “but typically, with other competitive high school programs, on their staff, there’s usually about six to seven people coming in on a weekly basis.” DP danapointtimes.com

SOAPBOX

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 danapointtimes.com

HOW TO REACH US MANAGING EDITOR Shawn Raymundo • 949.388.7700, x113 sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Zach Cavanagh • 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING Lauralyn Loynes • 949.388.7700, x102 lloynes@picketfencemedia.com DISTRIBUTION Racks, Driveways, Subscriptions Inna Cazares • 949.388.7700, x111 icazares@picketfencemedia.com GENERAL MANAGER Alyssa Garrett • 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA CEO/FOUNDER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL Managing Editor Shawn Raymundo City Reporter, DP Times Breeana Greenberg City Reporter, SC Times C. Jayden Smith City Editor, Capo Dispatch Collin Breaux Sports Editor Zach Cavanagh Columnists Fred Swegles Tom Blake Special Projects Editor Andrea Papagianis-Camacho Copy Editor Randy Youngman

ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes (DP + SC) Advertising Sales Debra Wells (CD) ART + DESIGN Art Director Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS General Manager Alyssa Garrett Group Operations & Production Coordinator Inna Cazares

GUEST OPINION | by Dr. Michelle Hure

Take Precautions Against Skin Cancer

S

kin Cancer Awareness Month is wrapping up, but that doesn’t mean we should just forget about the realities of skin cancer for the rest of the year.

It’s no surprise that the largest organ of the body accounts for the highest number of cancer cases worldwide.

At least two people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour, and one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

Now that these eye-opening statistics have gotten your attention, let’s bust some myths about skin cancer, who gets it and how to protect yourself.

In my practice, I’ve heard all the myths—everything from base tans are protective and sunscreen causes cancer, to 15 minutes of sun is needed every day to get your Vitamin D and that skin cancer is nothing to worry about.

It’s always an uphill battle trying GUEST OPINION to dispel these dangerous myths with

BY DR. MICHELLE HURE real science when most people trust Dr. Google and the random TikToker/YouTuber more than actual board-certified physicians who have devoted their lives to the field. But my parents didn’t raise a quitter.

Skin cancer affects everyone—everyone. No matter your age, sex or skin type, you are at risk. I’ve diagnosed skin can-

cer in everyone from newborns to centenarians, so no one is immune. The most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

These cancers are almost entirely caused by UV radiation.

With our beautiful climate, ocean and year-round sun, people in California are particularly susceptible. Treatment is usually surgical removal, which can be disfiguring if the skin cancer isn’t caught early.

While many times these types of cancer are removed and don’t affect survival, it is not entirely uncommon for patients to die from metastatic disease when the head and neck are affected.

A skin cancer that can definitely affect your survival is melanoma—but it doesn’t have to. If melanoma is caught early, the five-year survival rate is 99%. While melanoma is likely to be caused by UV radiation, it’s not always that way.

The cells that turn into a melanoma (melanocytes) are also found in normal skin and moles, the eye, brain, inner ear, GI tract and genitals. That means that even without the genital tanning that is all the rage now (no joke), melanoma can arise in those locations.

Obviously, we can’t take a good look at all those places easily, but getting regular skin, eye and genital exams is a must. Tanning was thought to be protective in the past to give a “base tan,” as melanin pigment, made by melanocytes, is protective to the upper layer of skin.

So, how to protect yourself from skin cancer? Simple. Be sun-smart.

That means use sunscreen with an SPF greater than 30 (no, it’s not all the same, and the higher, the better) every day, reapply your sunscreen at least every two hours (if not sooner), wear sun-protective clothing with a tight weave or designated as UPF 50, wear big sunglasses and a widebrimmed hat, and seek the shade—especially during peak sun hours of 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Dr. Hure is a double board-certified physician practicing medical, surgical, cosmetic dermatology and dermatopathology at Orange County SkinLab, her award-winning solo private practice clinic near the Los Rios District. She is a native Californian and proud to call San Juan Capistrano home, along with her two young daughters and husband. 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.

FINANCE Accounting & Finance Manager Tricia Zines CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Jake Howard

Dana Point Times, Vol. 15 Issue 20. The DP Times (danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (sanclementetimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (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 2022. All rights reserved.

Printed in the USA.

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Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

LETTER TO THE EDITOR RESPONSE TO LETTER ON THE LANTERN MURAL SALOME OLLANGG, Dana Point The Lantern Mural was a good choice, since the new Dana Point area has been named the Lantern District.

This painting is depicting an area of the city—not the entire city. The city is properly represented at the south entrance of Dana Point.

Watching this town grow has been amazing, and I welcome the changes.

The main comment that I have about the Lantern Mural is that the painting is too dark.

The Lantern Mural was a perfect choice.

Job well done!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY • Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Limit your letters to 350 words or less. Please send with your valid email, phone number and address for verification by staff. Your address and phone number will not be published. The Dana Point Times and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

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GETTING OUT

Editor’s Pick

Photo: Courtesy of Westwind Sailing

SATURDAY | 21 AQUAFEST 2022 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Dana Point Aquatic Foundation and Westwind Sailing are hosting their 8th annual AquaFest to kick off National Safe Boating Week and showcase the safe boating programs available to the public in the Dana Point Harbor. AquaFest has free life jackets, sail rides, SUP and kayak clinics, snow cones, goodie bags, SUP race exhibition, photo booth pics, music and entertainment, and special-priced Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Westwind Sailing, 34451 Ensenada Pl, Dana Point. 949.492.3035. westwindsailing.com.

The List What’s going on in and around town this week DANA POINT TIMES

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

FRIDAY | 20

Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. casaromantica.org.

U-PICK AT SOUTH COAST FARMS 10 a.m.-4 p.m. South Coast Farms in San Juan Capistrano will offer visitors a chance to pick fresh strawberries this spring. The farm is open for “U-Pick” from Thursdays through Sundays. There is an entrance fee of $5 per car. Walk-ins are welcome; no reservations are needed. After picking, berries are $5 per pound. South Coast Farms, 33201 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano. southcoastfarms.com.

FIELD DAY—COLOR RUN FESTIVAL 5-7:30 p.m. Join the San Clemente Recreation team in a Field Day Festival just for middle schoolers. There will be sports activities, challenges, music, food, and a Color Run. Registration is required and open to all middle school ages. Vista Hermosa Sports Park, 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente.

949.361.8264. san-clemente.org.

COFFEE CONCERTS 10 a.m.-noon. Enjoy a cup of coffee and watch an acoustic performance from local musicians at Casa Romantica’s Redmond Amphitheater. Free with general admission. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida

‘FRI-YAY FUN’ WOOD WORKSHOP 6-9 p.m. Spend a Friday night crafting a unique item to call your own. Customize a wood sign, bath tray, photo frame, or other item during this hands-on workshop. Registration can be done beforehand online. AR Workshop San Juan Capistrano, 31107 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite B2. 949.482.1362. arworkshop.com.

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LIVE THEATER AT CAMINO REAL PLAYHOUSE 7:30 p.m. Have some laughs and watch actors perform in downtown San Juan Capistrano. Camino Real Playhouse is staging Young Frankenstein, an adaptation of the Mel Brooks comedy. The show runs through June 5. Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. caminorealplayhouse.org.

FRIDAY NIGHT AT PADDY’S STATION 8-11 p.m. Grab a pint, order some fish and chips, and spend the night at a downtown Irish pub. Cover Fire will perform cover songs, so get ready to sing along with familiar tunes. Paddy’s Station, 26701 Verdugo Street, Suite B, San Juan Capistrano. 949.661.3400. paddysstation.com.

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DANA POINT TROLLEY HOP

Cruise the Coast and Raise a Toast!

Friday, May 27 @ 3-7 pm Wristbands for sale online at danapointchamber.com/trolley or in person at the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce (34183 PCH, Suite A, Dana Point).

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GETTING OUT

(Cont. from page 10)

SATURDAY | 21 SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE 9-11 a.m. South OC Cars and Coffee, dubbed the world’s biggest weekly car meet, attracts a mix of 500-1,000 hypercars, supercars, exotics, vintage, classic, muscle and sports cars, hot rods, rat rods, pickups, 4x4s and motorcycles.

Those attending are encouraged to practice responsible social distancing.

Face masks are not mandatory but are recommended. No cars in before 8:30 a.m. Cars should enter and leave slowly and quietly—no revving, speeding or burnouts. The Outlets at San Clemente, 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. southoccarsandcoffee.com.

STAND UP TO TRASH BEACH CLEANUP 9-11 a.m. Join the Dana Point Harbor Partners and Stand Up to Trash for a day of fun on the water, beach and surrounding areas to clean up the natural world. A free environmental education Lunch and Learn will be offered on the wharf at the Ocean Institute at 10:30 a.m. Sign up at standuptotrash.com. Dana Point Harbor, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

KAYAK TOURS 10 a.m.-noon. Explore the ocean from the water. Join the Ocean Institute for a two-hour interactive kayak tour around the Dana Point Harbor. Learn about the history of the harbor and its unique ecosystem from one of Ocean Institute’s expert naturalists. All experience levels are welcome. Must be at least 3 years old to participate. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Adult admission is $30, and $25 for children ages 3 through 14. Tickets include access to Ocean Institute. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. oceaninstitute.org.

TALK FROM AUTHOR JOE IDE 10 a.m. Crime novelist Joe Ide will give a talk about writing the “killer” crime novel, in an appearance presented by the Southern California Writers Association (SCWA). Ide is the author of the IQ series and also just released The Goodbye Coast, based on the Philip Marlowe detective character. There will be a champagne brunch before Ide speaks and a buffet luncheon afterward. Tickets are available on the SCWA website. Regency Theatres, 26762 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. southerncalwriters.org.

DANA POINT LIBRARY EVENTS 10 a.m. The Dana Point Library will first host Crochet for Beginners, where adult and teen beginners interested in the beautiful art of crochet can participate Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

and take home their projects. Afterward, at 2 p.m., there will be a Harry Potter Book Club and Craft for adults, teens and kids. Each month, the library discusses and celebrates a different Harry Potter book. This month, join for a discussion of The Chamber of Secrets. The library will be making mini potted mandrakes. All ages welcome. Lastly, from 2-3:30 p.m., there will be a Color Happy!

Kid’s Coloring Club, where participants can explore a new world of coloring. Coloring sheets, plus hundreds of coloring pencils, crayons, markers, gel pens, and more will be provided. Drop by anytime.

Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road.

949.496.5517.

PAINT NIGHT WITH JOSHUA PASKOWITZ 6-9pm. Join Collective Energy Center in San Clemente in experiencing this Wild Waves and Wine paint party with local artist Joshua Paskowitz. It’s a place for participants to unleash their inner artist and focus on creative development.

Guests will recreate artwork by Paskowitz, who will lead the activity along with fellow artist Jessica Chong. Participants can expect to sing along to great music, maybe have a dance party or just relax and zone out without an outside care in the world. Admission is $50. Collective Energy Center, 215 Avenida Del Mar, Suite K & L, San Clemente. 760.696.6481. collectiveenergycenter.com.

SUNDAY | 22 FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables and artisanal goods from organic growers at the Community Center/San Clemente Public Library parking lot. 100 North Calle Seville.

949.361.8200. san-clemente.org.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT SWALLOW’S 2-6 p.m. Enjoy a drink and enjoy some live music at this famous downtown bar.

LIVE MUSIC AT FRISBY CELLARS 5-8 p.m. Live music is featured at the wine tasting and brewing venue. Musician Andrew Corradini will perform.

Frisby Cellars, 34673 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.218.9440. frisbycellars.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER 5 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue.

Funkberry Preserves, a ’60s and ’70s funk, soul and R&B cover band, will perform. StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. danapointstillwater.com.

MONDAY | 23 OPEN JAM 7-10 p.m. Play your own percussion, acoustic or electric instruments every Monday night at Knuckleheads. Amps are allowed, but drums are not. Knuckleheads, 1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com.

TUESDAY | 24

LIVE MUSIC AT THE COACH HOUSE 8 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue.

Pop artist Raul Malo and the Mavericks will perform. Tickets are $39.50. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE POINT 8:30-11:30 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. Good Company, an ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s hits band, will perform. The Point Restaurant and Bar, 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Hot Damn! will perform live music. Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. swallowsinn.com.

FIELD OF HONOR 9 a.m-4 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano is again partnering with Homefront of America to display American flags in the Mission courtyard in celebration of Memorial Day. More than 400 flags, each standing at 7 feet tall, will be available to view. Active-duty military, veterans, first responders and Mission Preservation Society members will receive free admission to the Mission during the Field of Honor display, which runs through May 30. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.234.1300. missionsjc.com.

3RD ANNUAL TRITON FILM FESTIVAL 6 p.m. After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Clemente High School’s Triton Film Festival will make its return. The school’s Film Production program will premiere original short films on campus in the Little Theatre. The program features a fusion of films by sophomores, juniors and seniors. The creatives have spent the school year experimenting with various forms of storytelling, immersing themselves in directing, producing, and editing original stories. Find out more information by following the program’s Instagram @schs.film. San Clemente High, 700 Avenida Pico.

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WEDNESDAY | 25 SAN ONOFRE PARKS FOUNDATION POP-UP SHOP 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Historic Cottage and Visitor Center showcases local history, flora and fauna at this original 1934 ranger’s cottage. A rotating exhibit features the history of San Onofre. Stop in to the San Onofre Parks Foundation’s Pop-Up Shop to say hello, do a little shopping and learn more about the history of the local state parks at San Clemente and San Onofre State Beaches.

Historic Cottage and Visitor Center is located within the San Clemente State Beach Campground at 225 Avenida Calafia, San Clemente. 949.366.8599. admin@ sanoparks.org. sanoparks.org.

BINGO AT THE SENIOR CENTER 1:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, the Dorothy Visser Senior Center will host Bingo. The center will begin selling cards at 1 p.m., with the game starting promptly at 1:30.

The buy-in is $12 for 10 games with four cards and a special pick-your-number game. For more information, contact the center at 949.498.3322. Dorothy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente.

BIKING CLUB FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOLERS 5-6:30 p.m. Anyone have middle schoolto high school-aged kids who love to bike? Community Outreach Alliance’s biking club meets every Wednesday afternoon at different trails, with professional biker and mentor Mike Russell from Freakshow Aloha. San Clemente High’s COA club, which hosts this free activity thanks to the Hardman Classic, has bikes and helmets for participants to borrow. To participate, fill out a registration form online at form.myjotform. com/91392099886576. For questions, call or text 949.795.4721. communityoutreachalliance.com/bike-club/.

‘FLASHBACK WEDNESDAY’ MOVIE NIGHT 7 p.m. Join Harrison Ford on a classic adventure when the Regency Theatres’ downtown location screens Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as part of their “Flashback Wednesdays” series.

Tickets are $10. Regency Theatres San Juan Capistrano, 26762 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 844.216.3767. regencymovies.com.

Get a curated list of the weekend’s best events sent straight to your inbox every Friday! Sign up for The Weekender at danapointtimes.com/weekender

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

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

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DP LIVING

GUEST OPINION: | Wellness & Prevention by Susan Parmelee

We All Have Mental Health Concerns; We Need to Talk About It

M

ental health exists on a spectrum from mental wellness to mental distress. On any given day, we might be anywhere on that spectrum, and may move around it.

It’s important for all of us to discuss our mental well-being openly and honestly, and to be aware when a friend or family member may be close to the distress zone for any length of time.

The California State Mental Health Services Authority is promoting the mental health spectrum as part of Mental Health Awareness month, and is part of the “Take Action 4 Mental Health Campaign” (takeaction4mh.com).

Visit the site to learn more about the mental health spectrum, as well as tips for how to check in with your children, other family members, and your friends.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. It means having good ways to deal with your feelings and enjoy life, even when things are hard.

Our mental health is influenced by biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, which interact in complex ways. These include structural factors such as safe living environments, employment, education, and access to economic resources, to name a few.

The diseases of mental health can be less severe if we work to reduce the structural factors, raise awareness of the genetic and biological factors, and seek

support early when symptoms are mild.

Sadly, the mental health of our youth has been declining over the past several years, to the point that the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare advisory on the youth mental health crisis.

This advisory noted, among other things that, “from 2009 to 2019, the share of high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students.”

And among high school students, suicidal behaviors WELLNESS & also increased during PREVENTION the decade preceding

BY SUSAN PARMELEE COVID, the advisory added, as 19% seriously considered attempting suicide—an increase of 36% from 2009 to 2019.

It is vital that we pay attention to the well-being of our youth and stay aware of the signs and symptoms that a young person may exhibit that indicate mental health distress, including: • Change in sleep patterns—sleeping more or less, waking up during the night • Change in appetite • Withdrawal from normal activities, loss of interest in friends • Persistently low mood, anger, irritability Additionally, it is important to check in about self-harm and thoughts of suicide.

Asking about suicide (do you plan on killing

DANA POINT TIMES

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Snow White

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

Nine-year-old Snow White is as pretty as her name suggests. A bit of a diva, Snow White is quite vocal and has been known to tell you exactly how she wants things. She is the leisurely sort and enjoys being brushed and spending her afternoons lazing in the sun. Snow White would do well as the only pet in a home where she wouldn’t have to share the spotlight.

If you are interested in adopting Snow White, please visit petprojectfoundation.org/adoptions/ to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. DP

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Snipes

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Pictured is Jack Snipes and his son, Tom Snipes, circa 1950, inside the ruins of the “Picnic Inn” that was used by Sydney Woodruff to serve lunch to prospective property buyers.

Every week, the Dana Point Times will showcase a historical photo from around the city. If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, send the photo, your name for credit as well as the date and location of the photo to sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com.

yourself?) reduces the risk of a death by suicide and can provide an opportunity to get a young person the help that they need.

If a young person answers yes to this question, please get them to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if you cannot transport them safely.

Parents/guardians should consider asking a pediatrician to complete a mental health screening for their child at each year’s wellness check. Most pediatricians follow the American Academy of Pediatricians guidelines and are ready and willing to provide these screenings.

These screenings are equally as important as immunizations, dental checkups, healthy eating, and regular exercise.

Also, trust your gut. If you think something is wrong, you observe a change in personality, falloff in participation in activities, or just sense something is off, consult with your primary care provider

or a mental health provider.

The WPC provides prevention and treatment services on secondary school campuses in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and Aliso Viejo, via telehealth, and at our community clinic in San Clemente.

We provide prevention education through our bimonthly eNews, virtual and live education events, and through our website, wpc-oc.org, and we partner with other mental health providers and youth-serving organizations to bring mental wellness resources to a larger audience.

Susan Parmelee is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and executive director of the Wellness & Prevention Center: wpc-oc.org. She can be reached at susan@wpc-oc.org. 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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

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

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See the solution in next week’s issue.

danapointtimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20226633063 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: BARNUMS SURF LESSONS 34316 CALLE PORTOLA CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624 Full Name of Registrant(s): CHRIS BARNUM 34316 CALLE PORTOLA CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624 This business is conducted by an individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: n/a /s/CHRIS BARNUM This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 04/25/2022.

Published in: Dana Point Times May 6, 13, 20, 27, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: Beverly Ann Hill Case Number: 30-2022-01249117-PR-LA-CJC To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of Beverly Ann Hill A Petition for Probate has been filed by Darrell Hill in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE. The Petition for Probate requests that Darrell Hill be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The Petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: a. Date: July 7, 2022 Time: 2:00 p.m. in Dept: C08 b. Address of Court: 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (1) The court is providing the convenience to appear for hearing by video using the court’s designated video platform.

This is a no cost service to the public. Go to the Court’s website at The Superior Court of California - County of Orange (occourts.org) to appear remotely for Probate hearings and for remote hearing instructions. If you have difficulty connecting or are unable to connect to your remote hearing, call 657-622-8278 for assistance. If you prefer to appear in-person, you can appear in the department on the day/time set for your hearing.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California Statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

attacks or seeks to set aside, or void any decision of the Dana Point City Council shall be limited to those issues raised at the hearings as provided in Chapter 2.50 of the Dana Point Municipal Code.

Copies of the procedures for the conduct of City Council public hearings are available from the City Clerk.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (Form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: DOMENIC SCIRE, ESQ. Address: 27281 LAS RAMBLAS SUITE 150, MISSION VIEJO, CA 92691 Telephone: (949) 639-0431 Published in: Dana Point Times, May 20, 27, June 3, 2022

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: Mark Matthew Gerdisch Case Number: 30-2022-01256888-PR-PW-CJC

PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF DANA POINT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT on JUNE 7, 2022 the City Council of the City of Dana Point will conduct a hearing to consider the following: A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEE FOR THE USE OF CREDIT CARDS TO PAY FOR FEES, SERVICES AND OTHER DEBTS OWED TO THE CITY OF DANA POINT Hearing Date: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 Hearing Time: 6:00 p.m. (or as soon thereafter as possible) Hearing Location: Dana Point City Hall

Council Chambers, Suite 210

33282 Golden Lantern

Dana Point, California 92629 The proposed resolution establishing credit card processing fees for the use of credit cards will be available on the City’s website at www.danapoint. org as part of the staff report once the agenda/staff reports are published.

Those desiring to be heard in favor or in opposition to this item will be given an opportunity to do so by emailing comment@danapoint.org or by writing to the City Council at 33282 Golden Lantern, Ste. 203, Dana Point, California 92629, Attention: City Clerk. Please reference hearing title and date of hearing in any correspondence. Public comment may be provided in person, electronically or by mail. If you choose to attend the meeting and wish to deliver public comment in person, you are encouraged to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. For further information, you may contact the City Clerk at (949) 248-3505.

Any petition for judicial review of a decision of the Dana Point City Council is controlled by the statute of limitations provisions set forth in Sections 2.50.010 and 2.50.020 of the Dana Point Municipal Code and Sections 1094.5 and 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedures. Any action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, or void any decision of the Dana Point City Council is controlled by Section 2.50.010 and Section 2.50.020 of the Dana Point Municipal Code. In of, which Page 18

SHAYNA SHARKE, CITY CLERK PUBLIC NOTICE

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of Mark Matthew Gerdisch A Petition for Probate has been filed by Evan Bradley Gerdisch in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE. The Petition for Probate requests that Evan Bradley Gerdisch be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The Petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The Petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: a. Date: July 13, 2022 Time: 10:30 a.m. in Dept: C8 b. Address of Court: 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (1) The court is providing the convenience to appear for hearing by video using the court’s designated video platform.

This is a no cost service to the public. Go to the Court’s website at The Superior Court of California - County of Orange (occourts.org) to appear remotely for Probate hearings and for remote hearing instructions. If you have difficulty connecting or are unable to connect to your remote hearing, call 657-622-8278 for assistance. If you prefer to appear in-person, you can appear in the department on the day/time set for your hearing.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other Cal-

ifornia Statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (Form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: DAVID J. HORNUNG, ESQ., ALBRECHT & BARNEY LAW CORPORATION Address: 1 PARK PLAZA, STE 900, IRVINE, CA 92614 Telephone: (949) 263-1040 Published in: Dana Point Times, May 6, 13, 20, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF MARK PERDEW #30-2021-01187640-PR-LA-CJC SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF ORANGE Notice is hereby given to the creditors and contingent of the above named decedent, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to file them with the Superior Court at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701, and mail or deliver a copy to Lily & Ernesto Olivas as Administrator of Estate of Mark Perdew dated May 5th, 2022, c/o Jared J. Miller, 10221 Slater Avenue, Suite 106, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, with the later of four months after May 2nd, 2022 or, if notice is mailed or personally deliver to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, or you must petition to file a late claim as provided in Section 19103 of the Probate Code. A claim form may be obtained from the court clerk. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. Jerad J. Miller, Attorney for Lily & Ernesto Olivas, The Legacy Lawyers, Professional Corporation 10221 Slater Avenue, Suite 106, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Dana Point Times, May 13, 20, 27, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 30-2022-01254970 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner David William Blaa filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name David William Blaa Proposed Name David William Tennis THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court of the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objective is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing Date: 06/21/2022 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: D100. The address of the court is 700 Civic Center Drive danapointtimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM West, Santa Ana, CA 92701-4045. Other: Remote Hearing. Your hearing will be held REMOTELY via video at the date and time indicated on the notice or order to which this message is attached. You are NOT to physically appear at the courthouse on the date of your hearing. To obtain instructions on how to appear remotely for your hearing, you MUST do the following no later than the day before the hearing (or no later than Friday, if the hearing is on Monday): 1. Go to the Court’s website at www.occourts.org; 2. Click on the “COVID-19” button; 3. Click on the “Civil” button; 4. Click on the “Remote Hearing Instructions” button; 5. Follow the instructions. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you or your witnesses, do not have the ability to access the court’s website above, or are unable to follow the instructions on the Court’s website, or are otherwise unable to appear remotely, you MUST call the courtroom or call (657) 622-8513, prior to your hearing, to request an alternate means to appear. Failure to do so may result in your case being dismissed, or a ruling issued against you.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Dana Point Times Date: 04/15/2022 JUDGE LAYNE H. MELZER, Judge of the Superior Court Published: Dana Point Times, April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20226632509 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: GAIL ON THE GO 29551 MICHELIS STREET LAGUNA NIGUEL CA 92677 Full Name of Registrant(s): GAIL MCELROY 29551 MICHELIS STREET LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677 This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: n/a /S/GAIL MCELROY This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 04/18/2022.

Published in: Dana Point Times, April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 2022

Complete your required legal or public notice advertising in the Dana Point Times.

EMAIL legals@picketfencemedia.com CALL 949.388.7700, ext. 111

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BUSINESS LISTINGS

GARAGE SALES

HELP WANTED

SMOG TECHNICIAN Star Smog Station in San Clemente is looking for a full-time smog technician.

Please call Danny at 949-235-6366.

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE Email your listing to info@danapointtimes.com.

Deadline 12pm Monday.

AUTO REPAIR

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COFFEE SHOP

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INSURANCE SERVICES

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Want your business or service to be featured here?

Call Lauralyn Loynes for pricing and details at 949.388.7700, ext. 102 danapointtimes.com

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS

DOLPHIN REPORT

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

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

Dawson Wins Double at CIF-SS Track Finals; 5 Entries Advance to Masters Dana Hills senior runner Jai Dawson finally claimed his CIF-SS track crowns and two of the Dolphins’ five entries that advanced to the Masters Meet with swift performances at the CIF-SS Division 2 Finals on Saturday, May 14, at Moorpark High School.

Dawson was once again the star for Dana Hills on the track.

The New Zealand native posted the best time in the boys 1,600-meter run across all CIF-SS divisions on Saturday with a Division 2 championship time of 4:12.55. Dawson finished second in the event at last season’s Division 2 Finals, despite posting his personal record (4:09.26) that day. Dawson has won five of the six times he’s run the event this season, with one second-place finish at the South Coast League preliminaries.

Dawson doubled his CIF-SS championship total with another strong run in the 800-meter run. The senior edged the field by a half-second with a winning time of 1:52.73, which was good for third overall across CIF-SS. Dawson has won the 800 six of the eight times he’s run it this season, with two second-place finishes—at the Arcadia Invitational behind a runner from Utah and at the South Coast League preliminaries.

Dawson’s two events will headline the Dolphins’ five total entries at the CIF-SS Masters Meet, where the top six finishers in each event will advance to the State Championships. The Masters Meet will be run back at Moorpark High School on Saturday, May 21.

The top 12 finishers in the 800-, 1,600and 3,200-meter runs across the CIF-SS Finals, regardless of division, advance to CIF-SS Masters. The top nine finishers in the rest of the track events, and the top nine marks in the field events also qualify for the Masters.

Dana Hills’ Allura Markow, a distance runner like Dawson, also qualified for the Masters in two events.

Markow, a junior, was the defending CIF-SS Division 2 champion in the girls 3,200 and was coming off a personal-record performance in the preliminaries.

However, Markow finished nearly six sec-

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

Dana Hills senior distance runner Jai Dawson (left) continued his stellar postseason run at the CIF-SS Division 1 Track and Field Finals. The New Zealand native won the 800and 1,600-meter titles to advance to the Masters Meet for a chance to qualify for the State Championships. Photo Courtesy of Jeff Turner

onds behind the leader and took second in her race at 10:52.48. Markow’s time was the eighth-best across CIF-SS. Markow was also coming off another personal record in the 1,600 at the preliminaries last week, and she stayed just behind that record pace on Saturday.

Markow finished fifth in Division 2 with a time of 4:55.94 and qualified in seventh overall. Freshman teammate Annie Ivarrson finished seventh in Division 2 with a personal record of 5:03.96, but she missed a Masters qualifying spot by just more than three seconds.

Junior vaulter Allison Karner rounded out Dana Hills’ Masters qualifiers with a fourth-place finish in the Division 2 girls pole vault. Karner cleared 11 feet, 6 inches, which equaled the ninth-best mark across the CIF-SS Finals and placed her 12th of the eventual 19 qualifiers for the Masters.

Elsewhere in the Division 2 Finals, senior Sienna Frederiksen finished ninth in the girls 400-meter sprint with a time of 60.55, and the Dolphins’ girls 4x400-meter relay team finished fourth at 4:00.16.

If Dawson, Markow or Karner advances out of Masters, they’ll make the trip to Buchanan High School in Clovis for the CIF State Championships. Preliminaries will be run on May 27, and the Finals will be run on May 28.

Boys Golf Plays at Regional Qualifier, CIF-SS Individual Championships The Dana Hills boys golf team had been a staple near the top of the CIF-SS Division Final standings, and while the Dolphins endured a small slip, Dana Hills did enough to keep its postseason run going.

The Dolphins finished seventh at the CIF-SS Division 1 team championship on Monday, May 16, at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills. The top 10 teams in Division 1 advanced to the CIFSS SCGA Regional Qualifier, which ran on Thursday, May 19, at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard.

The Regional Qualifier was played concurrently at River Ridge Golf Club with the CIF-SS Individual Championships, where Dana Hills freshman Nick Davis, sophomore Nick Fry and junior Alex Pain were each entered. Davis, Fry and Pain competed as a team with Dana Hills, and their individual scores go toward their placing in the CIF-SS Individual Championships.

Results for the Regional Qualifier and Individual Championships were not available at press time.

If the Dolphins finished in the team top four or Davis, Fry or Pain finished in

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the top 28 as individuals, they qualified for the CIF/SCGA Southern State Regional Championship on Thursday, May 26, at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena.

At the CIF-SS Division 1 Final, Dana Hills posted a team score of 382, with Pain, Nick Davis, Matt Davis and Cade Hansen all carding a 4-over-par 76 to lead the Dolphins. Palm Desert was initially crowned champion with a team score of 368, but Palm Desert was later disqualified due to an illegal Sunday practice. Corona del Mar was then named Division 1 champion with a team score of 370. Servite finished second at 371, and Tesoro finished third at 372.

Dana Hills finished fourth at the CIF-SS Division 2 team championship last season, which represented the Dolphins’ seventh straight top-four finish in the CIF-SS divisional round. Dana Hills’ seventh-place finish in Division 1 marked the end of that streak, but the Dolphins will play on as a team further than in previous seasons.

If Dana Hills advances to the Regional Championship on May 26, the Dolphins’ postseason could continue on beyond next week with another top finish. The Dolphins would advance to the State Championships with a top-three team finish or a top-nine individual finish at the Regional. The CIF State Championships will be held on June 1 at San Gabriel Country Club. DP

danapointtimes.com

DP SURF

When Surfing & Golf Collide A hazy recollection of playing golf with the 37th President

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

E

leven-time world champ Kelly Slater has been known to sneak in a round of golf with former President Barack Obama every once in a blue moon.

Last year, the two showed up in a social media post while on a course together in Hawaii, and just recently somebody whispered to me that they’d recently played a few holes together.

That’s unconfirmed, but Slater, who’s been known to frequent the muni in San Clemente, may be more competitive on the links than he is in the water.

Obama’s hardly the first or last President to enjoy a round of golf. While posted up at the Western White House, Richard Nixon was a fan of sneaking out to Shorecliffs Golf Club to hit a few balls.

Which leads me to the point of this week’s column. Awhile back, I was playing a little golf at Shorecliffs with a friend when we got paired up with an older local gentleman who lived a pitching wedge’s distance from the course.

As we got to playing the first couple of holes, he shared that he’d been playing golf there since the ’70s. He clearly knew his way around the challenging fairways.

When we pulled up to the par-4 sixth hole, he asked, “You guys wanna hear the best golf story ever?”

President Richard Nixon takes a stroll down the beach at Cotton’s Point while the “Western White House” was fully operational. Photo: Courtesy of the National Archives

Of course! Who could turn down an offer like that? So, he starts telling us about how he and his friend had been playing one day when Nixon was in office and had arrived on the sixth hole, when they pulled off the teebox to sit in the shade and smoke a joint.

A few puffs deep, all of a sudden, a swarm of golf carts come racing toward them from every direction.

“That’s when pot was a pretty big deal,” he explained. “So, we threw the joint in the bushes and waited. Then a Secret Service guy with a 16-inch neck gets out

of one of the carts and says, ‘Excuse me, gentlemen, do you mind if the President of the United States plays through?’”

Paranoid out of their skulls, they obliged President Nixon and “some colonel or general he was playing with.”

As the story goes, the military man hits a long, straight drive and splits the fairway.

Then Nixon tees it up. He shanks his shot and barely dribbles it out of the teebox.

“So, he turns to us and says, ‘Excuse me, boys, you don’t mind if I hit another?’ I’m not saying anything at this point,” the local duffer continued. “We’d

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY CAPISTRANO VALLEY TOYOTA

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

REX HOFFMAN

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

W Rex Hoffman. Photo: Courtesy of the Hoffman Family

Dana Point Times May 20-26, 2022

thrown the joint in the bushes, and the wind was whipping, and you could smell it all over, but none of the Secret Service guys could figure it out.

“Then my friend steps in and says, ‘Of course, sir, you’re the leader of the Free World.’ So, Nixon gets off and into the fairway, and my friend commented, ‘Nice drive, sir.’”

“I don’t see your ball out there,” huffed Nixon.

“I’m there in the fairway,” said the local guy’s buddy.

Then Nixon turns to him and fixes his glare on him. There’s nowhere to hide.

“I just remember this huge head staring at me. I was just trying to keep quiet, so I say to Nixon, ‘Well, sir, it’s up there on the green’,” he said with a laugh.

Our local friend had hammered his drive and gotten a good bounce before taking the smoke break. Immediately, the Secret Service guys busted out a pair of huge binoculars to verify the claim.

Nixon must have been impressed, because he said, “How’d you boys like to play some golf with the President of the United States?”

Again, before he could be stopped, his friend interjected, “That would be amazing, sir, we’d love to!”

“We played the next three holes with Nixon and this colonel stoned out of our minds, and never once talked politics, just golf,” said the local. “But I did have a talk with my friend in the cart, and he didn’t say much after that.”

Jake Howard is local surfer and freelance writer who lives in San Clemente. A former editor at Surfer Magazine, The Surfer’s Journal and ESPN, today he writes for a number of publications, including Picket Fence Media, Surfline and the World Surf League. He also works with philanthropic organizations such as the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center and the Positive Vibe Warriors Foundation. DP

ith another epic season in the books, the Western Surfing Association’s West Coast Championships went off at Church in San Clemente last weekend.

Finishing his 2021-22 campaign in fine form was Rex “The Hammer” Hoffman.

Taking out a slew of top seeds en route to the final, the 7-year-old goofy-footer ripped his way to fourth in the 9 and Under Micro Grom division.

For Hoffman, it was his third final of the season—he also went big at Morro Bay and in Oceanside earlier in the year.

Hoffman, who attends Las Palmas Elementary School in San Clemente, is that rare breed of surfer who is perpetually stoked. Big waves, little waves, frontside, backside, surf trips with family or pulling on the jersey at a competition, the kid always has a great, big smile across his face.

A naturally talented wave-rider—like everyone else in the Hoffman clan— “The Hammer” can be found kicking the skateboard around, training in jiu-jitsu or getting lost in an art project when he’s not out in the water charging.

Hoffman is surfing for all the right reasons, so it’s epic to see the next generation not only having fun and succeeding in the water, but inspiring all of us older salts in the process. Keep it up, Rex! DP

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Water Temperature: 61-63 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 6-8 Outlook: The swell blend maintains shoulder high to a foot overhead waves, (4-6’) on Friday, then eases over the weekend, with chest to head high surf, (3-5’), on Saturday, and waist to shoulder high waves, (3-4’), by Sunday. Moderate South winds for most of Friday and Saturday. Sunday sees light South winds in the morning, shifting moderate west for the afternoon.

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