March 23, 2018

LO C A L

N EWS

March 23-29, 2018

YO U

C A N

U S E

Check Out the 2018 Summer Camp and Activities Guide SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12

Salt Creek Creation Mural to be replaced with image by Dana Hills SOCSA students in project with OC Parks E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 6

Students from Dana Hills SOCSA program will paint this mural on the walls supporting the Ritz-Carlton Drive overpass, entering Salt Creek, starting on Saturday, March 24, replacing the current 30-year-old mural. Visit www.danapointtimes.com to see full mural image. Image: Courtesy

City Council, Capo Cares Discuss By-District Voting EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Board of Supervisors Votes to Move Homeless from Motels to Services, Shelters EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

www.danapointtimes.com

Guest Opinion: My Home Port

by James Lenthall SOAPBOX/PAGE 10

GO TO DANAPOINTTIMES.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS

DP EYE ON DP Dana Point Point Dana

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

A representative from National Demographics Corporation (NDC) takes public input from Dana Point citizens and City Council before crafting potential district voting maps for consideration. Photo: Daniel Ritz

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week City Council Hears Public Opinion on Potential Voting District Formation WHAT’S NEXT: At the City Council meeting on March 20, Council heard the second of two required public input sessions before potential district maps are formed by demographers National Demographic Corporations (NDC).

During a lengthy public-comment session, many speakers voiced concern over points made in the prior night’s Capo Cares meeting held at Capo Beach Church, that by-district voting is not a progressive solution to the racially polarized voting claimed by attorney Russel D. Myrick of RDM Legal Group who deems Dana Point in violation of the California Voters Rights Act (CVRA).

A representative from NDC speaking to the Council explained that although NDC may find a city’s voting pattern to not be racially polarized, it in no way concludes a judge would uphold the same legal opinion.

Dana Point City Attorney Patrick Munoz explained that as the CVRA is written, the burden of proof is on the cities to prove that their voting records do not show racially polarized voting.

“As the law is written, if you district, and stay within the safe-harbor mandates, you Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

are immune (from a lawsuit) even if it (bydistrict voting) doesn’t help the real issue,” Munoz said, responding to City Council member Paul Wyatt, who was largely concerned with identifying and looking to assist communities that feel disenfranchised by the current voting system.

Many members of the public, and City Council member Debra Lewis, voiced interest in seeking “alternative methods,” such as what the City of Mission Viejo has done. Mission Viejo admitted to racially polarized voting, but determined that bydistrict voting would not solve that issue, and is in talks with the legal group threatening suit over a CVRA violation.

“In my opinion, he (Attorney Kevin Shenkman, who notified Mission Viejo of their CVRA violation) is going to tell them to stuff it,” said Munoz. Munoz continued, emphasizing that only establishing by-district voting permanently ensures safe-harbor from future lawsuits concerning CVRA violation.

Council member Joe Mueller said that he was disappointed that the discussion had not given the demographers, “anything that they actually needed.”

“They needed to know, ‘what are your neighborhoods of interest?’”

THE LATEST: After the two public input sessions, NDC will release multiple bydistrict voting maps for discussion at the next City Council meeting. The maps, which are interactive, will be available on the www.danapoint.org website seven days before the meeting. —Daniel Ritz

Capo Cares Hosts District Voting Information Discussion THE LATEST: On March 19, City Coun-

cil member Debra Lewis stood before a crowd of more than 50 Dana Point residents in a community forum discussing the ongoing consideration of district voting.

“This could be the biggest decision this Council has made in, well, ever,” said Lewis.

The discussion, held by Toni Nelson of Capo Cares at the Capo Beach Church, aimed to explain the ongoing consideration of by-district City Council elections that could potentially be implemented in Dana Point in time for November elections.

“There’s a lot of confusion surrounding what this (by-district voting) means, and whether we as a city are taking the right steps,” Nelson told the Dana Point Times before the meeting.

A large portion of the meeting, in addition to the explanation of the timeline of by-district voting as laid out in the March 6 City Council meeting, centered around a claim found on the National Demographics Corporation (NDC) website, the demographer selected by the City of Dana Point to conduct demographics research and develop potential voting districts for consideration by the Council. NDC claims the number of cities studied have not been found to be in violation of the California Voters Rights Act (CVRA).

“While CVRA is extremely broad, not every jurisdiction is in violation: most of the over 200 California jurisdictions for whom NDC performed this specialized analysis did not need to change to district or trustee area elections,” NDC’s website claims.

Dana Point’s current at-large voting system, where the entire city votes for all five City Council seats, was determined to be in violation of the CVRA by Russel D. Myrick of the RDM Legal Group, who sent a letter to the City on Feb. 2 threatening litigation if the City did not embark on a pursuit of by-district voting.

In order to comply with the request of RDM’s claims that Dana Point is in violation of the CVRA due to “racially polarized voting,” City Council needed to pass a resolution to pursue by-district voting within 45 days of receiving the letter. City Council passed the resolution at the Feb. 23 City Council meeting.

After passing the resolution, the City has 90 days to establish districts in order to be within what is called a “safe-harbor” time period, where RDM could not sue the City for violation of the CVRA. Lewis expressed, and the crowd voiced support of, that there may be other options not being explored by City Council such as exhausting the demographic analysis capabilities of NDC, as well as possibly stepping into line with some other Southern California cities who are taking their turn and facing up to the neverbefore overturned CVRA. Nelson took issue with the fact that the current demographics of Dana Point do

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not seem to easily allow for a “minoritymajority” vote.

“Who is this helping?” Nelson asked Lewis. “Now, we are the ones being disenfranchised. As a citizen of Capistrano Beach and as a citizen of Dana Point, I feel like this hurts us.”

Several attendees voiced similar concerns, stating they felt by-district voting would essentially disable their influence to more than their representative district City Council member.

Keith Fullenwider, a resident of Capistrano Beach since 1975, was one of the few speakers that voiced a different opinion during the semi-informal meeting.

“When I used to represent Capistrano Beach, I would call the County to ask questions concerning Capistrano Beach, and they informed me, ‘Sir, you’ll have to contact the City of San Juan Capistrano.’

They weren’t even aware we were an unincorporated part of the county,” Fullenwider said. “Capistrano Beach has always been a disenfranchised voice, and if we continue the status quo, we will continue to get the scraps. Maybe it isn’t such a bad idea to have one district, one representative representing us.”

In what Lewis called a “non-scientific” survey, a majority of the meeting’s attendees voted by a show of hands that they would prefer to explore other options.

WHAT’S NEXT: After the City Council passed the resolution to pursue by-district voting on Feb. 23, the first public input session was held during the March 6 City Council meeting. The second, and final, public input session before potential districts are drawn by NDC to be discussed by the public and then considered by the City Council occurred on March 20, during the Dana Point City Council meeting.

Links to NDC’s Dana Point demographic study based on the 2010 census and by-district presentation can be seen on www.danapoint.org. Also seen on this City Council agenda is the original letter sent from RDM Legal Group on Nov. 2 to the City.—DR

OC Board of Supervisors Votes to Move Homeless from Motels to Services, Shelters THE LATEST: Following the decisions rendered by a federal judge during a seldomseen Saturday, March 17 court hearing, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on March 19 to expend $70.5 million in Mental Health Services Act funds for “permanent supportive and shelter options” for the homeless that were removed from the Santa Ana riverbed (SAR) in February.

(Cont. on page 4) www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP (Cont. from page 3) Decisions related to a civil lawsuit between the County and Orange County Catholic Worker have been dictating the paths to housing and mental health services for the homeless population that was once living on the SAR since at least Feb. 14 when, as part of an agreement, the County would remove the people living on the riverbed into motels and hotels until the County could figure out what to do with them.

The lawsuit alleges Orange County has the funding and resources to provide assistance to its homeless population, but that officials are unwilling to take effective action on the matter.

That housing credits, or “vouchers,” expired on March 19 but not before the court on Saturday. The Saturday hearing was held at the Santa Ana Civic Center, as opposed to the Central District courthouse in Los Angeles, where federal Judge David O. Carter denied a motion to stop the evictions of the homeless people from their motels and hotels, but he met the plaintiff’s half-way.

In an agreement, the County is to share information with plaintiffs’ attorneys about where individuals are now and what type of shelter they will be referred to. The plaintiff will have 48 hours to assess the appropriateness of referrals. No more than 100 people per day will be checked out of motels and connected to appropriate resources. According to the agreement, the County reserves the option to extend motel stays for select individuals who may need more time to have their cases examined.

Carter also gave the chance for people who did not qualify or need services to come before The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on March 19 to instruct the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) to do the following: 1. Return to the Board on April 17 with recommendations on how to allocate $70.5 million of MHSA Community Services and Support funding for permanent supportive and shelter options, 2. Direct staff to enter into contract with American Family Housing for a 12-unit unrestricted site that can accommodate couples, 3. Direct staff to develop the three sites for emergency shelters located in Irvine for up to 200 people, at least 100 people in Huntington Beach and 100 people in Laguna Niguel, and 4. Direct staff to return to the board with an operational plan for the three emergency sites.

People who were removed from the SAR will be placed into housing in cities in the order mentioned above, meaning it’s possible if Irvine is sufficient for the remaining population, Huntington Beach and Laguna Niguel may not receive any.

However, that is unlikely, considering there were at least 700 people living in the riverbed, and the County is still shoring up Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

Palisades Wave Foundation members Nicole deBuzna, Andi Ball, Jason Ball, Madeline Letchford, Tom Porter, Rich Crockett, Chris Adams, Joe deBuzna, Erin Adams, Trustee Amy Hanacek, Lisa Russell, Camille Brandt, Christine Blanchard, Paige Pfohl, Julia Bonin, Andy Bonin, Kristin Annaloro, Cameron Steele, and Principal Curt Visca.

Photo: Courtesy

numbers of people who need services.

Nentwig said HCA staff made 200 attempts at contacting homeless people, who were placed into motels, which were unsuccessful during a first round of calling; 46 calls were unsuccessful in the second round; and five attempts were unfruitful in the third round.

Nentwig said for people who did not qualify for services or did not need them, they will be placed in the overflow shelters located in the three cities. A timeline for these events has not yet been established as the board of supervisors needs to conduct the April 17 meeting.

The Board of Supervisors recently approved another $2 million for the County executive officer to increase capacity for various categories of beds. This gives the executive officer authority to expend the funds where needed without going back for board approval.

Nentwig said between Feb. 28-March 9, HCA outreach workers made 1,317 referrals for homeless people in the county to various agencies and social services, including CalOptima and OC Community Resources. During that same time period, the County’s outreach personnel completed 500 assessments for people from the SAR. This decision to move the homeless and establish shelters throughout the county has already been met with opposition.

Lawsuits to be filed against the county for the actions regarding the homeless population were approved by the City Councils of Laguna Niguel, Irvine and Huntington Beach at meetings on March 20.

WHAT’S NEXT: Nentwig said the shelters would be expanded as needed and the County will explore its options as to where they’ll be placed and discuss their findings

at the April 17 meeting.

Where the homeless will be moved to in the three cities will depend on what land the County already owns enclaved within the three cities. —Eric Heinz

Palisades Waves Foundation Formed, Kicks Off With Sizeable Donation THE LATEST: Earlier this month, local parents formed the Palisades Elementary Education Foundation, otherwise known as the Palisades Wave Foundation (PWF), a 501(c)(3) all volunteer nonprofit. The goal of PWF is to enhance the quality of our local children’s education through donations and fundraising activities that often cannot be done via traditional PTA fundraising methods.

On March 19, the inaugural funding ceremony was held at Palisade Elementary where the very first check was given

by Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) Trustee Amy Hanacek. The initial generous donor list also included Andy Bonin and Cameron Steele from the new local business, Baja HQ, Erin and Chris Adams, Camille Brandt, Lisa Russel and Ann Worthington.

“We thank our parents who are the founding members of the Palisades Wave Foundation for their countless hours and commitment to help improve Palisades School, and the community members that have already made donations,” stated Palisades Principal Curt Visca.

Opening in 1961, Palisades Elementary School is the oldest school in Dana Point and the only public school in Capistrano Beach.

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WHAT’S NEXT: PWF’s first public event to help funding for technology, programs and activities that would otherwise be unavailable to our children at Palisade Elementary, will be in April. More information can be seen on www.palisadesfoundation.

—DR

Council Creates AdHoc Committee to Discuss Short Term Rental Opportunities THE LATEST: After being proposed by City Council member Joe Mueller during the March 6 Council meeting, the City Council re-opened discussion on examining ordinances related to short-term rental units (STRUs) within Dana Point.

Mueller pointed out that currently, as STRU’s are under a moratorium, there are no ordinances in place. He expressed interest in exploring opening particular aspects of STRU’s possibilities, mostly mentioning “hosted model” rentals, where buyers rent a space within a home that someone is living in.

“They are commonly asked for, and the public has repeatedly expressed interest in having this available to them, “Mueller said.

WHAT’S NEXT: Mueller named City Council members John Tomlinson and Paul Wyatt to lead the ad-hoc committee, citing their experience in real estate.

As a two-person committee, city attorney Patrick Munoz explained that Tomlinson and Wyatt are not under jurisdiction of the Brown Act and will be able to meet with outside parties of their choice at their own schedule.—DR www.danapointtimes.com

In honor of our 10th Anniversary, the Dana Point Times is proud to present...

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We will select a winner each week for 10 weeks!

Send your love-filled email to: contest@danapointtimes.com and tell us why you LOVE the DP Times. Include your name and phone number. Winners will be featured each week in the paper and on our social media accounts from 03/16 – 05/18.

Our next prize package includes: • Gift certificate for a men’s haircut + pomade product from The Captain’s Chair Barbershop • $25 Gift certificate to The Coach House • Custom DP Times tumbler with 10 free coffee fills from The Coffee Importers • Plush DP Times beach towel

Congratulations to this week’s winner Beth Cohen!

“

Beth took home two tickets to the Doheny Blues Festival, a gift certificate from Hennessey’s Tavern, a DP Times tumbler and beach towel, and 10 free coffee refills from The Coffee importers.

I moved to this beautiful city of Dana Point a few months ago. However, not knowing much about the town and not knowing anybody here made it quite a challenge to adjust and feel at home. I discovered the Dana Point Times at my doorstep, and please know that it was the first part of my journey in feeling comfortable here. It was the needed step to just know what was going on around town, where things are, and some local ads to show what businesses to utilize.

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EYE ON DP

Dana Point residents woke up on the morning of March 14 to discover that the mural on the southern wall of Salt Creek was being painted white by OC Parks in preparation for a new mural, to be painted by Dana Hills SOCSA students, set to begin on March 24. Photo: Daniel Ritz

Salt Creek Creation Dana Hills SOCSA students to repaint mural at Salt Creek

BY DANIEL RITZ, DANA POINT TIMES

F

or close to 30 years, surfers looking to catch a few waves, runners hitting the trails and those looking to bask in the sun on the lush lawns of Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point have passed through

the underwater world painted on the walls of the Ritz-Carlton Drive overpass.

On the morning of March 14, as reports began to come in that the southern wall of the overpass mural was being painted white, Dana Point residents wondered why their beloved landmark was being removed.

Beginning this weekend on Saturday, March 24, a new mural on the southern wall of the Ritz-Carlton Drive overpass will be drawn and painted by more than 50 South Orange County School of the Arts (SOCSA) students from Dana Hills High School. The project is expected to be finished by Friday, March 30.

The mural being created is the brainchild of Aleena Malik, a senior at Dana Hills High School. She designed the mural in her digital photography class during the

2017-2018 school year.

Last year, more than 150 students were taught in SOCSA arts classes how to construct and paint murals. After which, SOCSA submitted roughly 150 student designs for review to OC Parks.

Finally, 10 were chosen as top designs for consideration, and Aleena’s was selected to be painted on the Salt Creek location.

Natalie Hribar-Kelly, the Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair for SOCSA, made it clear that for now only this one side of the mural will be repainted.

Hribar-Kelly explained that prior to the 2017-2018 school year, SOCSA was approached by OC Parks, who was looking for a collaborative project to repaint the aging mural. Hribar-Kelly said that initially, OC Parks had been interested in

having both sides of the mural painted by SOCSA students.

“We’re absolutely interested (in repainting both sides of the mural), but these kids are doing a lot and we didn’t want to overwhelm them,” Hribar-Kelly said.

“There is not currently a time scheduled for the other half of the mural to be repainted.”

Senior OC Parks Ranger Vlesydi Loveland said the organization is excited about the opportunity for a local school to take on the project and to highlight local artistic talent.

“OC Parks ackknowledges that the Dana Point community may have had some emotional ties to the (now painted over) mural,” Loveland said, “but we are excited for everyone to create new memories with this (soon-to-be) beautiful mural.” DP

EYE ON DP

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

Dana Point Historical Society to Award Scholarships to Dana Hills Seniors The Dana Point Historical Society will award $1,000 scholarships to two local high school seniors. The Doris Walker Memorial Scholarship will go to a Dana Point resident at Dana Hills High School and the Lucy Chavarrias-Saunderson Scholarship to a student living in Capistrano Beach who attends either San Clemente High School or San Juan Hills High School.

All graduating students planning to attend a trade school, community college, state college or university in 2018 are eligible. The award is based on merit and community involvement. The deadline for applications is April 13. Applications can be obtained through the scholarship program at the school. Applicants do not need to be members of the Historical Society.

For information, call 949.248.8121

New Fire Chief to Lead OCFA Brian Fennessy will assume the role of Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) in April following a career as the Chief of the San Diego Fire Rescue Department that began in 1990, according to an OCFA Press release.

“As a veteran of the fire and rescue service for over 40 years, Fennessy has a demonstrated track record of leadership and accomplishments,” the press release stated. “Fennessy is also committed to the service and support of the employees with which he serves and strives for excellent relationships with organized labor based on a commitment to partnership and collaboration.”

I-5 HOV Lanes Now Open in Both Directions A new carpool lane in each direction of Interstate 5 in South Orange County is now open to drivers, according to Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), marking the completion of a freeway improvement project that is intended to ease traffic congestion for tens of thousands of daily commuters through San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano.

The improvement project, led by OCTA in cooperation with Caltrans, adds 6 miles of carpool lanes in each north and south direction between Avenida Pico in San Clemente and San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano.

The improvements at Avenida Pico also Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

FARMERS’ MARKET 9 a.m. There will be fresh produce and treats for sale at the farmers’ market. La Plaza Park. 34111 La Plaza.

949.279.3122.

MONDAY, MARCH 26

Robert McDonald, from San Juan Capistrano, has been collaborating with residents of his city, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and other nearby cities to create a petition to stop airplane noise over South Orange County. Photo: Emily Rasmussen

included widening the northbound onramp to three lanes, adding dual left-turn lanes from Pico to the northbound and southbound freeway ramps, and enhancing bicycle and pedestrian access and safety along Pico under the freeway.

For updates, visit www.octa.net/i5south.

South Orange County Residents Feel Let Down

by County in FAA Lawsuit Regarding Airplane Noise San Juan Capistrano residents are spearheading a petition to stop airplane noise from John Wayne Airport in South Orange County cities, claiming that a settlement between the city of Newport Beach and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) left southern cities to fend for themselves.

On Jan. 23, a settlement was reached to adjust flight paths from a lawsuit filed in 2016 against the FAA, by the city of Newport Beach, which involved the city of Laguna Beach and the County of Orange.

Robert McDonald, an 11-year resident of San Juan Capistrano whose home in the hills near Camino Las Ramblas boasts an ocean view, feels frustrated with how the settlement turned out. For the past year, McDonald said the amount of planes that go over his home has increased significantly.

McDonald has been collaborating with residents of his city, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and other nearby cities to create a petition to stop airplane noise over South Orange County. The petition calls to expand noise limits under the new flight path, that planes fly further out into the ocean to gain altitude before turning back to cross land at a minimum of 18,000 ft.

Within a few weeks, the petition’s about 200 signatures away from its 1,000 signature goal to bring forth to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Orange County 5th District Supervisor

Lisa Bartlett, whose district encompasses the petition’s cities and others, said that she doesn’t believe the other South County cities received an additional brunt of airplane noise from the lawsuit settlement with the FAA. “The county was a part of the lawsuit as well, along with Laguna Beach and Newport Beach,” Bartlett said. “We were all a part of the same lawsuit and we thought we had some really good solutions and compromises with he FAA, but we are still having some issues from time to time and we’ve got to get these things settled out.”

Bartlett said she believes there is work to be done and many outside aspects to look at, including cross traffic from other airports.

San Juan Capistrano Councilwoman Kerry Ferguson has met with the group forming the petition and shares their concerns.

Ferguson said the city of San Juan Capistrano did keep an eye on the FAA lawsuit involving the county and other cities, but she felt they weren’t efficiently updated to be a part of it.

“The county, Laguna Beach (and Newport Beach) participated in lawsuits regarding this issue and apparently when the county settled, they didn’t take into account the needs of South County,” Ferguson said. “They had a line of demarcation of south Laguna Beach.”

Ferguson said she understands the issue is a “tug of war” for the County between John Wayne Airport and the residents, because there are financial benefits of having more flights. However, Ferguson said that people are suffering.

“I have a lot of work to do, we need to build a mini-coalition of our southern cities,” said Ferguson, adding that she’ll be reaching out to Dana Point representatives as well as people from her city.

Have something interesting for the community? Tell us about awards, events, happenings, accomplishments and more.

We’ll put your submissions into “News Bites.” Send your information to editorial@danapointtimes.com.

Page 8

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 6 p.m. The Dana Point Planning Commission will hold a meeting at Dana Point City Hall in City Council’s Chambers. 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 210. www.danapoint.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 27

OCEAN WATER QUALITY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING 3-5 p.m. The Ocean Water Quality Subcommittee will hold a meeting at Dana Point City Hall in the Public Works Conference Room. 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 212. www.danapoint.org.

DANA HARBOR TOASTMASTERS 7-8:30 a.m. Join the members of the Dana Point Toastmasters every Tuesday to improve speaking and leadership skills. Capo Beach Church, 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach. www.1707.toastmastersclubs.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28

SEA LEVEL RISE STUDY AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT 6 p.m. The first initial public outreach meeting will be held to discuss the scope and range of a Sea Level Rise Study and Local Coastal Program Amendment. This will be an introductory meeting aimed to show the range of yet-to-be-released results of California Coastal Commission updates to local coastal programs. Dana Point City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 210. www.danapoint.org.

SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB 7 a.m. Every Wednesday, the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club welcomes anyone interested in making a difference in the local community and changing the world to join them in their weekly meeting. Doors open and breakfast begins at 7 a.m. Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort, 25135 Park Lantern. www.monarchbeachsunriserotary.org.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: Our Home Port by James Lenthall

A Saturday in the Harbor

I

t’s Saturday. Early. Too early to be out of bed on a chilly morning when I don’t have to be at work, but this is my favorite time of year for a dawn paddle. It’s calm, peaceful and fantastically beautiful and I’m nearly alone out here… for now. As I paddle down the outer channel toward the Harbor entrance, the sun breaks over the distant hills in startling shades of fire. The majesty of this moment makes the bitter cold in my toes worth it. I drift into a meditative autopilot, paddling instinctively toward the light.

At the Harbor entrance I am spooked from my trance. The Sum Fun is heading out with a hardy group of winter anglers.

Among them is my good friend Marcus and his young daughter Ally, who just hollered my name across the water. This is Marcus’ favorite time of year on the water too, despite expecting little more than a few sand bass and perhaps fish tacos for lunch. As his father did with him more than 30 years ago, Marcus routinely boards the Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching boats for fishing trips with his kids. Those days on the ocean were formative to Marcus’ childhood, as he hopes they will be for his kids, and perhaps his grandkids. Dana Wharf was founded when Don Hansen signed one of the very first leases in Dana Point Harbor in May of ’71, and started operating his boats out of a trailer.

Despite the cold, Marcus and Ally and the others on the Sum Fun are hardly alone out on the water. As Ally reels in a small rockfish, the catamaran Manute’a passes nearby, pursuing a spout its skipper saw in the distance. Among the excited whale watchers are Justin and Marie and their kids visiting from the legitimately cold Bozeman, Montana. Their kids have never seen the ocean before, let alone

Letters to the Editor THERE IS A PROBLEM IN CAPO BEACH SHER FULLER, Capistrano Beach

There is a problem in Capo Beach, and therefore, probably in Dana Point as well.

There is a gadget out there that can open any car door. It's a little electronic thing Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

whales. Witnessing their unharnessed excitement serves to remind their skipper how special we really have it here, which is easy to forget when we get it every day.

Captain Dave’s Dolphin Safari team not only excels at treating their guests to the wonders of the ocean, they’ve also earned a national reputation for conservation.

Their boats are often among the very first on the scene of distressed sea life, rescuing whales from entanglements, and sometimes pausing their business to do so. Today their triumph is solely delivering lifelong memories to Justin and Marie and their kids.

As the sun crosses overhead and the Manute’a turns back to port, a loud boom resonates across the water.

OUR HOME PORT On the horizon, a ring

By James Lenthall of smoke erupts from a tall ship’s cannon. The Spirit of Dana Point rounds the visiting Hawaiian Chieftain, firing at her portside in a thrilling simulated cannon battle, riveting her passengers with flashbacks to our maritime past.

Perhaps second only to our reputation as a worldwide hub of whale watching, Dana Point Harbor is known for our two tall ships, the Spirit of Dana Point and the legendary brig Pilgrim, and the annual Tall Ships Festival hosted by our Ocean Institute. The Ocean Institute was founded in 1977 to bring our maritime history and lessons in ocean conservation to kids and adults alike, and today enriches more than 250,000 visitors annually.

As the Spirit returns to dock, it encounters a swarm of small sailing vessels traversing the anchorage adjacent to the Ocean Institute. Pesky kids. At one end of the anchorage are the Westwind sailors, many of them new to sailing, learning from experienced kids who themselves learned to sail at Westwind. Westwind was founded in 1986 by Diane Wenzel, who has become an icon in Dana Point Harbor for educating thousands of kids in the ways of the ocean.

At the other end of the anchorage are the high school sailors, training for competition against the very best youth sailors from

across Southern California. This is only the second year of the Dana Hills High School sailing team, and this weekend they travel to San Diego for the next regatta in the high school series. They are organized by Dana Point Yacht Club, which sponsors their coaching and vessels. DPYC was founded in 1952, before there was even a harbor here, to promote and perpetuate Dana Point sailing and the Corinthian spirit.

Today, DPYC proudly invests in developing the next generation of sailors. But at this moment, my two sons, Carsen and Riley, are tacking perilously close across the bow of the Spirit of Dana Point. Pesky kids.

As the sun sinks into the horizon, Marcus and his family retreat to the Wind and Sea Restaurant for dinner. I guess Ally’s little rockfish wasn’t enough to feed the family.

Across the restaurant, Marcus’s and my eyes meet. A nod and a smile. We both grew up here, and now we’re raising our kids here. That message is always part of our shared smile. I’d wave him over, but tonight’s a date night with my wife. As such, instead of hiking back up the hill to our house, we cross the bridge to retire to our boat.

Internationally renowned Nordhavn Yachts calls Dana Point Harbor home, founded here after a pair of 20-something boat brokers grew tired of selling other builders’ boats and decided to design and build their own. Now 45 years later, more than 800 Nordhavns traverse the world’s seas. One of those vessels proudly displays Dana Point across her transom. Ours.

After a typically bustling day in our harbor, a serenity has settled back in for the night. Only the clanking of boat halyards against their masts breaks the silence. It’s a sound I recall fondly from my childhood sleeping on my father’s boat.

James Lenthall is a lifelong Dana Point resident and boater, and presently serves as president of the Dana Point Boaters Association and as a director on the board of Dana Point Yacht Club. DP

that can be bought off the internet for around $30. It took me a while to catch on that things had been missing from my car, but when my neighbor mentioned that someone had broken into his car too, I realized that the thief could open different makes of cars. The thief even took my owners manual out of the glove compartment along with my insurance information. The third time the thief took a brand new set of jumper cables that I had just bought and never even used. That's $40 down the drain. My partner had an IPod and a Sony CD player stolen out of his car too.

The thief focuses on carports, or people who can't secure their vehicle in a garage.

I sent an email to Orange County Sherriff’s Department after the second theft asking that they make residents aware of this so they can empty their cars of anything they didn't want stolen. I asked for a response and got nothing.

This is the second time I've written to the Dana Point Times in an effort to make everyone aware of this or these thieves.

Please be aware.

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

Page 10

(Cont. on page 31)

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HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Daniel Ritz, 949.388.7700, x113 dritz@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Zach Cavanagh, 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL Group Managing Editor > Rachael Mattice City Editor, DP Times > Daniel Ritz City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Emily Rasmussen

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano) Real Estate Sales Executive > Jennifer Guy ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS

Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh

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Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Victor Carno, Jake Howard, Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 11, Issue 12. 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 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Welcome to the 2018 Summer Camp & Activities Guide

School’s (Almost) Out for Summer! tart early on planning and pre-registering for your child or teen’s summer camp and activities-filled time off from the Capistrano Unified School District’s schedule.

Local camps offer youngsters a plethora of options to fulfill every interest and hobby, including surfing, science, reading, acting, exploration and much more.

Our annual Summer Camp & Activities Guide— featuring a mix of half-day and full-day activities in Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and surrounding cities— will provide information to help you and your child plan an endless summer of adventure.

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Carter, 14, San Clemente

Carter, a student at Bernice Ayer Middle School, attends a summer camp that is geared more towards education and his foreseen career path in technology.

Carter started going to iD Tech camp at the University of California-Irvine at age 12 and plans to continue going each year.

“It seemed very interesting and it’s the right way to go if I want a career that involves technology,” Carter said. “Technology seems like (a growing field) in the future; we’re going to need more people in technology because that’s where everything’s going.”

With hobbies including reading and video games, Carter said that learning skills at the iD Tech summer camp—including how to code, create software and build computers—were fun for him.

“It shows you different aspects of technology: 3D printing, design and game development,” Carter said, adding that he is comfortable working with all of these technological facets.

Although still unsure about which venue of technology he hopes to grow his career, Carter said that his interest is in design, since going to the summer camp. Also, he added, the camp has created a support system for him, in that other attendees of the iD Tech camp who are passionate about technology like he is, become close and valuable friends.

Caden, Dana Point, Pictured at 10

Seasons in the Sun Local kids learn valuable lessons in summer camp, with some fun

BY EMILY RASMUSSEN

very child has their own unique experience at summer camp with an even wider variety of takeaways from their time at the youth getaways. With local summer camp offerings ranging from technology to horseback riding, students in Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano learned valuable skills that could apply to their college and career paths—not to mention they had some fun along the way. Here are some of their favorite memories.

Caden, 17, Dana Point

When this San Juan Hills High School student started going to YMCA Camp Oakes when he was 10 years old, he was somewhat doubtful of summer camps because he was homesick his first year.

Although the week-long camp of activities including horseback riding and rock climbing were enjoyable, Caden said that he wasn’t used to sharing his space with so many people and at the time, and just wanted to go home.

“The first time I went, it was new for me

—my first time out of the house for more than a couple days, I missed my bed, my own food, being able to go into my room and have my own space,” Caden said. “I had to be around new people every second of the day—I was kind of homesick the first year, but when I got home I couldn’t wait to go back next year.”

Since that first year, Caden went to YMCA Camp Oakes—based in Big Bear— every year for three years.

“It’s always going to be something new to go out and be on your own, but it is so fun,”

Caden said. “You meet new people, try all of these different activities—it’s something different than your house and family.”

In addition to the camp allowing for Caden to try new, interesting activities, he said that the camp also helped him grow a sense of independence and maturity.

“It was a great real-world experience without having your parents there to coach you on everything,” Caden said. “You have older role models who aren’t full-on adults, the counselors really help—you look up to them and they’re not your parent.”

Kate, 15, San Juan Capistrano

After participating in Westwind Sailing camp in Dana Point for four years, San Juan Hills High School student Kate has her sails set on becoming an assistant instructor.

“It’s helped me to try new things, work with groups and learn how to communicate better with other people,” Kate said.

The camp, which typically has groups of three per boat, teaches attendees how to sail. It’s a physically and mentally challenging task for someone who has never set to sea before, Kate said.

“It’s really fun and you learn a lot; it’s a nice skill to have if you enjoy the beach,” she said.

The skill has also helped Kate learn how to adjust to unfamiliar settings and how to not panic in situations that you would need to act fast, she added. For Kate’s foreseen career and college route in the medical field, these mentalities are important to develop, she said. •

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Going Up the Country tay engage ith these tips for your ne t fa ily roa trip ummers are made for road trips. On-the-road getaways are not only a wallet-friendly means of travel, but also a family-friendly escape that keeps everyone together. Before you jam everyone into the car for fun-filled summer adventures, here are a few tips, games and tricks to make your road trip entertaining and educational.

Fair Game enefits of enrolling i s in pro ect goal ase activities

BY EMILY RASMUSSEN

Ask for input from everyone.

Whether your family is heading up the coast to Monterey, cruising to Mammoth Lakes or are loading up for a camping trip, involve your children in the planning process.

Silence Siri or Alexa and put the navigational system away. Instead, buy a paper map and plot your course. Research places to stop and explore along the way—maybe a visit to the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery outside San Simeon is on your trip north.

Get creative with games inside the car.

Exploration isn’t exclusive outside the car.

Load up your car-game arsenal and use driving time for creative, interactive games.

Go through the alphabet. For this game, pick a category such as fruits, cities or sports

teams. Then take turns coming up with items starting with that letter. Play the license plate game. Keep your eyes set on passing cars. Try to find all 50 states. Ever wonder where other cars are going? Pick a car and craft a story of their travels. Let imaginations run wild.

Embark on a listening adventure.

It’s inevitable. At some point in the trip, the miles will seem endless. Help beat the road-trip lull with an audiobook. The miles are guaranteed to fly by. You could opt for a family-friendly classic adventure novel like Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island or Douglas Adams’ science-fiction comedy The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Whatever you choose, enjoy the journey where your family will be transported to far-off lands for a new adventure together. •

rojects engage children and come in a variety of forms, ranging from science fair competitions, entering crafts or photography in local fairs to volunteering for a long-term cause. Whether it’s a friendly competition between peers or collaborating as a team for an ultimate goal, working on projects teaches children and teens how to manage time, be responsible for their work and take constructive criticism.

Long-term benefits of projects can help children build resilience and learn how to set appropriate benchmarks, said Katie Hurley, a child and adolescent psychotherapist and parenting educator in Los Angeles, in a PBS article titled, “How to Help Your Child Set and Reach Goals.”

According to Hurley, working on projects with long-term goals teaches children: • Responsibility: Success or failure depends on what they put into it.

• Time management: Kids learn how to manage their time to meet their goals.

• Confidence: Nothing beats the feeling of meeting your own goal.

• Resilience: Kids learn to cope with the small setbacks that might stand in their way.

• Perseverance: They learn to keep trying and rework their steps until they meet their goals.

There are a myriad of opportunities in Orange County for students to become involved with a goal-based project, whether it’s independent or with a group.

One option to foster team building skills is with the Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano

Valley, which includes education, art and physical programs. An example of a unique program to the Boys and Girls Club is their character and leadership development clubs, such as the Keystone Clubs or Torch Club.

“Helping youth become responsible, caring citizens and acquire skills for participating in the democratic process is the main thrust of these programs,” the Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano Valley website said. “They also develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for planning, decision-making, contributing to (the) club and community and celebrating our national heritage.”

For more technical projects and goals, OC Science—a student-run nonprofit organization that focuses on science and engineering—is an example of a challenging educational program. OC Science is affiliated with the Orange County Science & Engineering fair, but also has more frequent projects for students.

One of the OC Science projects is Problems of the Week, which engages elementary and middle school students to challenge themselves with sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences.

“As opposed to traditional competitions, OC Science allows students one week to think out their answers and come up with creative solutions to free response questions,” the OC Science website said.

With the program running from October to March, students who perform well and show a deep understanding of the topics are invited to compete in the Science Bowl, which takes place in April.

Extracurricular projects and goals aren’t limited to competitions. With volunteer opportunities that can range from working with faith-based groups or helping the environment, there’s interests for any field your child may be interested in.

Plus, some volunteer groups allow adults to join, so parents can use this as an opportunity to bond with their children while doing a fun and productive activity. OneOC. com is a resource that families can use to find volunteer organizations, with some that will satisfy service-learning hours.

Regardless of the resume-building skills that children or teens will learn while being involved in goal-based projects, the personal knowledge acquired will prepare them for an array of challenges both inside and outside of the classroom. •

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Five

Health Benefits of Enrolling Your Child in Camp

BY EMILY RASMUSSEN

hether it’s sailing a boat for the first time or learning a new technical skill, summer camps push the intellectual boundaries of what children are used to on a daily basis.

Camps give your child an opportunity to grow in a variety of ways, whether it’s a chance to develop a new skill or to have some adventurous fun.

Here’s five health and psychological benefits of enrolling your child in a camp.

1.Sense of independence

If your child has attended camps before, you may have noticed changes in their selfconfidence. Camps can help children grow by allowing them the opportunity to try experiences on their own, growing their sense of independence and overall maturity.

“It is in the crucible of this community that children gain self-esteem with humility, overcome their inflated sense of self, and develop a lifelong sense of grace and wonder,” Bob Ditter, licensed clinical social worker specializing in child and adolescent treatment, said to the American Camp Association (ACA) in their article “Benefits of Camp: Psychological Aspects.”

2. Making friends

This may seem like an obvious reason, but it’s arguably one of the most important.

Building relationships with peers from a variety of backgrounds can help grow your child’s community of friends and mentors.

“Each summer at camp, a unique setting is created, a community is constructed that allows participants to get in touch with a sense of life that is larger than one’s self,” Bruce Muchnick, licensed psychologist who works extensively with day and resident camps, said to the ACA. “The camp community seeks to satisfy children’s basic need for connectedness, affiliation, belonging,

safety, and feelings of acceptance and appreciation.”

3. Change of scenery

Even with school field trips or family vacations, a child’s sense of the world might be limited to their neighborhood or city.

Breaking out of the norm can enlighten your child’s grasp on what else is out there.

“It gets them away from a neighborhood or situation that may exist in their neighborhoods that isn’t healthy,” former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and former chair of America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth, said to the ACA. “It teaches them how to get along with others—both young people as well as adults. To give our children a safe place to learn and grow–camp does that.”

4. Taking risks

This may be your child’s first time trying something exciting outside of school or home. Regardless of its size, taking risks is an important lesson for children to learn.

“What makes camp a special community is its focus on celebrating effort. In this less pressured atmosphere, children learn more readily what positive things to say and do when they make mistakes and face challenges,” Michael Brandwein, noted speaker and consultant to the camp profession, said to the ACA.

5. Different perspectives

Camps can serve as a catalyst for understanding people’s differences. Often, children will be obliged to hear other ideas—whether they agree with them or not—which is a healthy start for having an open mind to other people’s thoughts and feelings.

“Campers are urged to include, not exclude, others,” Brandwein said to the ACA. “They are praised for choosing new partners and not always the same ones. They are encouraged to respect the differences between people.” •

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Local Camps

Capistrano Acting Academy

Make it a memorable summer

949 Volleyball

In just six years, 949 Volleyball Club has earned eight Junior Olympic Volleyball medals and has four National Championships of their own. At 949 Volleyball Club, our goal is to teach beginning players the game’s fundamentals and to prepare juniors and seniors for NCAA-level competition. The club promotes sportsmanlike behavior both on and off the court. With each player, we instill the values of integrity, dedication and hard work all while having fun and learning to play the game. Space is limited. Be sure to register early. 32701 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano. 949.374.2890. www.949vb.com. Email Justin@949vb.co for more information.

Acting Academy

Summer Performing Arts Camps serving ages 4 - 13. Campers are guided through a full theater immersion experience via four daily classes—music, acting, dance and fusion. The culminating event will be a Friday performance on one of our three main stage theaters! Children can participate for one week, the entire summer or anywhere in between. It’s time to watch your star shine at Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente; CommunityRoots Academy PAC, 29292 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel; OC Music & Dance, 17620 Fitch Avenue #160, Irvine 92614, 949.427.0072, www.actingacademyforkids.com.

Excitement and adventure await your kids with loads of Summer Fun! Camp begins June 25 and encompasses six separate weeks, each with a different theme. We accept ages 6 - 16. Each play is an original script with tons of laughter – for both the kids and the audience. Along with enjoying theatre games, these amazing kids learn their lines, blocking, timing and are costumed and made up to perform by Friday at 2 p.m. They offer sibling and return student discounts too. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. www. capistranoactingacademy.org.

Basics of Skateboarding

Basics of Skateboarding is a hands-on camp designed to bring kids together with their community. At this camp, children develop and enhance their skateboarding skills while creating new friendships with other camp participants. Our camps are here to guide participants with little to no skateboarding experience through the basics by providing structured lessons.

We also offer intermediate and advanced camps. Camps are open to young skateboarders ages 3-12. 949.922.9922. www.basicsofskateboarding.com.

Bella Collina Kid’s Summer Golf Camp

Evidence suggests regular physical activity may help improve a student’s academic performance. This summer, challenge your child by introducing them to the exciting world of golf. Each weeklong session includes instruction by experienced, nurturing golf professionals. Campers enjoy confidencebuilding activities, on-course play and fun games. Golf achievement medals are awarded at the end of each week. Clubs, lunch and snacks are provided. Runs from June 18 to August 10. Cost is $289 per week ($229 for members). 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente. 949.498.3771. www.bellacollinasanclemente.com.

Johnson Academy

Did you know that one out of every five children struggle in reading? Children who receive intervention before third grade have a 90 percent chance of increasing their reading skills to meet their intellectual abilities. Due to the high demands of literacy, reading is more important than ever. At the Johnson Academy, located in San Juan Capistrano, they offer evidence-based reading and math intervention programs to improve phonemic awareness, comprehension, vocabulary knowledge and cognitive abilities. If your child struggles with keeping up in school, please contact the academy to find out more information. 31831 Camino Capistrano, Franciscan Promenade, Suite 100, San Juan Capistrano. 949.487.5251 scheduling@ocsllcinc.com.

City of San Clemente

Adventures are now open with early bird savings lasting until April 14. The city of San Clemente is offering more than 300 courses and camps this summer. Explore a variety of programs from sports to performing arts, cooking and more. Visit Camp Palooza at the Vista Hermosa Sports Park on Saturday, March 31, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., to meet instructors, earn free giveaways, discover camp discounts and enjoy recreational swimming. For information and registration visit www.san-clemente.org/recreation or call 949.429.8797.

JP’s Surf Camp

Come join the fun at JP’s Surf Camp, San Clemente Pier. Our summer camp, for ages 6 through adult, runs June 11-August 3 daily from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. or 12:30-3:30 p.m. sessions. Small group instruction is provided for beginner through intermediate surfers and surfboards and wetsuits are included. Full week sessions are $275 and single day sessions are $65/day. Early Bird Special pricing runs through April 14. 647 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente. 949.547.2088. www.jpssurfcamp.com.

KG Beach Camps Endless Summer Surf Camp

Learn to surf at San Clemente’s premier surf camp, where dreams have come true since 1992. Whether you have never surfed or if you want to take your surfing to the next level, we have surf instruction and coaching for you. We have day and overnight surf camps as well as private and group lessons for beginning, intermediate and advanced surfers. We also offer surf and turf camps at Talega Golf Course with PGA Teacher of the Year Randy Chang. 949.498.7862. www.endlesssummersurfcamp.com.

Come down to the Dana Point Harbor for a week of fun! There are activities from stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, kayaking and tide pool walks to games, crafts and much more. Join us for an adventure on a 60-foot catamaran while we look for whales and explore the open ocean. The little ones will join us for a different adventure every day; crab hunting, treasure hunts, water games and sand castles will fill their days at camp. 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point.

949.842.5211. www.kgbeachcamps.com.

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

More Local Camps

The Ecology Center

Mathnasium

We help kids catch up, keep up and get ahead in math. Mathnasium’s goal is to significantly increase your child’s math skills, understanding of math concepts, and overall school performance, while building confidence and forging a positive attitude toward the subject. Children don’t hate math. They hate being confused and intimidated by math. With understanding comes passion.

And with passion comes growth—a treasure is unlocked. 1001 Avenida Pico, Suite E, San Clemente, 949.481.6284; 22 Monarch Bay Plaza, Dana Point, 949.240.6284; www.mathnasium.com.

St. Anne SCHOOL

The Summer Knights Day Camp is the ideal combination of fun and education for kids 2 years old through middle school. Camp days are filled with a balance of light academics, arts and crafts, water play, weekly themes, special guests, cooking and field trips with a flexible schedule for working parents.

The eight-week-long camps begin June 11 with full-day, half-day, and extended hour options. Visit www.st-anne.org/summercamp for more information and to register.

32451 Bear Brand Road, Laguna Niguel, 949.276.6711.

Waterbabies Swim School

We are known for our warm 92-degree salt pool, small classes and teaching every child to be safe and happy around water.

Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning!

Swimming builds self-esteem! Swimming enhances physical, mental and emotional development! Swimming is an activity that lasts a lifetime! A trusted choice for over 25 years. 142 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.488.2512, www.waterbabiesswimschool.com.

Westwind Sailing

Welcome aboard! Westwind Sailing opened in 1987 to provide public access boating education in our community. Summer fun at Westwind includes sailing and SUP camps and classes for all ages and skill levels. We are a sanctioned US Sailing Community Sailing Center and our instructors hold US Sailing, USCG, ASI, ACA, CPR and first aid certifications. Our programs meet at the OC Sailing & Events Center, located in the Harbor at 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point.

949.492.3035. www.westwindsailing.com.

YMCA of Orange County St. Margaret’s Episcopal School

Be inspired, explore interests and have fun at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School this summer. Summer camps are designed and taught by St. Margaret’s renowned faculty on the beautiful 22-acre campus, in dynamic, technology-rich learning environments.

STEM, Performing and Visual Arts, Athletics and Exploration camps available weekly for students Preschool through Grade 12! Registration open now, for more information, visit www.smes.org/summer. 31641 La Novia, San Juan Capistrano. 949.661.0108.

Discover the adventure of a lifetime! The YMCA of Orange County is proud to offer several amazing camps where any and every child can build confidence and make new friends in a safe and nurturing environment.

Summer Day Camps are available during the school break and are offered at more than 40 schools across Orange County. Specialty Camps at our Health & Fitness Centers offer sports, arts, science fun and more on a weekly basis. For the ultimate summer experience, youth 5-17 are encouraged to join us for Camp E.L.K.’s summer sleepaway camp in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Learn more at www.ymcaoc.org/camps.

13821 Newport Ave., Suite 200, Tustin.

714.549.9622. www.ymcaoc.org.

Photo: Courtesy

Giving Back Local nonprofits offer volunteering opportunities for youth

s the bell rings and finals are completed, students begin to look forward and think of their summer plans. Amid beach time, summer camps and visiting with friends, volunteering at a local nonprofit organization in South Orange County is a rewarding way to dedicate spare time. Students won’t have to look far in order to find a local organization in need of an extra hand this summer. Here are a few choices.

Family Assistance Ministries

Community Outreach Alliance www.communityoutreachalliance.com

Community Outreach Alliance (COA) focuses on equipping students with the necessary tools to make smart decisions and act as community role models, staying free from drugs and alcohol. Give back while also having fun, as COA empowers kids to lead Youth Alliance clubs and activities that include videogame events, fishing trips, comedy nights and more. COA is more than simply volunteering, it is a lifestyle open to all ages.

The Ecology Center

www.family-assistance.org

www.theecologycenter.org

Headquartered in San Clemente, Family Assistance Ministries (FAM) is a faith-based nonprofit organization with one mission: assisting those in need in Orange County.

Whether it be with food, shelter or counseling, FAM casts such a wide net of help that there is an assortment of volunteer opportunities; anything from helping organize a food drive, to clerical duties, to tutoring a child.

Reach out to the organization for upcoming fundraisers and event opportunities.

A wealth of knowledge, The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano is a one-stop shop for all information regarding the preservation of our planet. The Water Effect is a program ran by local student ambassadors to further educate schools and communities on simple tips to help conserve water, while challenging locals to use reusable water bottles. The Ecology Center runs eco-friendly workshops throughout the summer to give local kids tools to help the environment. •

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

DIY Camp

Try these affordable, at-home activities this summer ooking back at your own childhood, some of the best summer memories are those that were spent at home or in the backyard. With heavy travel and activity schedules for both parents and kids, it’s refreshing (and financially sound) to spend time in the comfort of one’s home. That doesn’t mean it has to be all work and no play. Adventures for your kids can still be found with a few household items, a jump rope or basketball and craft supplies.

Get Crafty Stop by a local arts supplies store and pick up construction paper, markers and crayons.

Encouraging kids to explore their creative side by making decorations for their room, mimicking the solar system or even making cards for local military members currently deployed is an easy and affordable way to bring out their artistic side.

Up-Cycle Art Take crafting a step further and turn cardboard boxes into space ships and milk jugs, and cartons into space packs or use recycled plastic lids to create a solar system.

Kids can take a spin around the world in their rocket ship or sail over the seas with a jetpack then draw images of what they saw on their journey.

Play Around Physical exercise like playing tag, going for a hike, skateboarding or beach volleyball are simple and free forms of fun.

According to the Power of Moms website, including daily rewards after chores or must-do lists is another stimulating and healthy way to keep children busy throughout the summer months.

T U R N T H E PAG E F O R O U R

5-Day Activity Outline!

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

5-Day Activity Outline Making your own summer camp and activities this summer for your kids is guaranteed to be both affordable and memorable!

1

2

3

4

5

Make-it Monday

Trip Tuesday

Wet Wednesday

Think Thursday

Friend Friday

Whether it’s learning how to make a few treats for the family barbecue or Fourth of July party, or building a fort out of old cardboard boxes and leftover firewood, children can explore this day of the week with inventions and innovation.

Grab bikes from the garage and ride along the San Clemente Beach Trail, visit the Blas Aguilar Adobe in San Juan Capistrano or throw Frisbees in Sea Terrace Park in Dana Point. Trips do not have to be four-hour drives through heavy Southern California traffic.

Cool off from the hot weather with the kids and visit the Ole Hanson’s Beach Club pool or one of the countless Pacific beach entrances.

Ever wonder how laffy taffy is made at the county fair?

What about the ecosystem of our local waters?

Compile your own fun facts for kids, pick up a new book or take them to a museum to get them thinking about different ideas.

Socializing with peers is an integral part of healthy development and happiness. Take turns with other parents so children and teens can surf with friends, roast marshmallows at a beach bonfire or head to Ralphs Skate Park.

SOAPBOX (Cont. from page 10)

DANA POINT MORE LIKE FINANCIAL DISTRICTS THAN COASTAL TOWNS NADIA STARNER, Capistrano Beach

Coastal suburbia, as anyone who was lucky enough to be born and raised in one, is gone. My roots to coastal suburbia began in the late 1930s when my uncle migrated from Jerusalem, fell in love and purchased a Spanish-style home on Calle Real in the Palisades.

My father glassed surfboards in the late 1950s and my godmother was an original investor to a Woodruff home in the late 1920s on El Encanto in Dana Point. My first memories are of the club house on Beach Road, the pier, pre-harbor Doheny, Laguna Beach Pottery Shack, the San Clemente Pier, Doheny Village and the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. My aunt dated Frank Sinatra at the Villa Motel and restaurant (now torn down)—a beautiful adobe building. Dana Point and San Clemente had a mixture of architecture designed by developers. The Doheny’s, Woodruff’s and Ole Hanson had one mind set—the plans would have to blend into the indigenous landscape, with a focus on the historic core of this coast. They developed communities with parks, schools and libraries for families and tourism to flourish in town centers with boutique hotels like the Plantation, the Dana Point Hotel and The Villa. Why are our cities destroying our history and replacing it with large plans of mass population, creating traffic not beauty? Why are they supporting the development of multiuse buildings meant to be in financial districts like Irvine? The cities seem to be turning a blind eye as our coastal towns are advertised as the “Rehab Riviera” instead of the “Surfing Capital.”

Why not preserve our rich history, entice people to visit by creating jobs and supporting our youth instead of taking a one-time pay-off from developers?

We depend on our city governments to enforce and remove elements that destroy the fabric of our neighborhoods.

Soon, the only tourism we will have will be for rehabs and weekend events that trash the beaches. All we need now is topless boaters and slot machines.

Lake Havasu anyone?

SONGS SPENT FUEL STORAGE COULD FAIL US DONNA GILMORE, San Clemente

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s (SONGS) nuclear waste thin-wall canisters can crack and leak in the short-term. Southern California Edison has no method to prevent or stop radioactive leaks. Edison and the Nuclear Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

Regulatory Commission (NRC) refuse to require proven thick-wall casks that can be inspected (inside and outside), maintained, repaired and monitored to prevent leaks—requirements we would expect for a car. The public and elected officials need to know they cannot trust the NRC nor Edison to protect our safety. SONGS spent fuel must be inspected and stored in thick-wall casks before it can be safely transported. To do otherwise risks permanent evacuation of our communities.

Fifty-three canisters are already loaded, some 15 years old, each holding roughly a Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The NRC admits once a crack starts it can grow through the wall in 16 years.

If water enters canisters, they will go critical—an uncontrolled nuclear fission reaction. They assume there won’t be cracks by making the unbelievable claim there isn’t enough humidity at SONGS to corrode the metal, ignoring frequent fog and on-shore winds and surf.

A 2-year-old Diablo Canyon canister has conditions for cracking. No one knows if it’s cracked because they cannot inspect for cracks. A Koeberg nuclear plant tank leaked in 17 years.

The NRC said these are comparable to SONGS canisters.

SONGS has high burnup fuel, which burns longer in reactors and causes fuel rods to become brittle. The NRC is still studying whether they will fail in transport. The NRC engineers said high burnup fuel in aging canisters must be inspected before transport.

Edison has no way to inspect welded canisters. The NRC says canisters cannot be shipped with cracks. Edison cannot inspect for cracks.

High burnup fuel creates metal hydrides. Five percent air in canisters can trigger a hydrogen explosion.

Edison’s response is to ask their AREVA vendor to reduce safety standards (NRC Amendment 4) to reduce reporting radiation levels from outlet air vents, where radiation levels would be highest, and to demolish empty spent fuel pools as part of decommissioning to eliminate Edison’s only method to replace failing canisters.

Thick-wall casks are the only option.

Learn more at www.sanonofresafety.org.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY 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.

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DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

Actor Danny Trejo. The film takes a look at legendary skateboarders as they reach fame and struggle with drug use. Special guests include skateboarding legends Christian Hosoi, Dennis Martinez and Dave Hackett. A skateboard demo, music, food and a Q&A will be held during the event. Admission is free. Community Outreach Alliance. 1050 Calle Negocio, San Clemente. 949.388.0114. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

What’s going on in and around town this week COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO

Friday | 23 HOOS’GOW DAY 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Hoos’Gow Day is an annual tradition that brings a taste of the wild west back to downtown San Juan Capistrano. The “sheriff” and the “deputies” of the Fiesta Association are dressed in their traditional black and white western garb while they roam the town in search of city slickers. If you’re not wearing western clothing, the deputies just might “arrest” you and throw you in the Hoos’Gow, leaving you no choice but to make “bail” by purchasing a Fiesta Association souvenir. For more information, call949.493.1976 or visit www. swallowsparade.com.

ADULT COLORING CLUB 10 a.m. Bring out your inner artist during the Dana Point Library’s adult coloring club. Supplies provided. The class occurs every Friday 10 a.m.-noon. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517.

LIVE MUSIC: WATERMAN’S HARBOR 4-7 p.m. Join Waterman’s Harbor for live music with Hans & Janine every Friday. Waterman’s Harbor. 34661 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

FROG JUMPING CONTEST 4 p.m. The Fiesta Association’s fourth annual frog jumping contest will include music and prizes at the Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano. www.swallowsparade.com.

ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE 5:30 p.m. Join Dana Wharf for a 90-minute evening cruise aboard the luxury catamaran. The cruises run Friday and Sunday evenings. Tickets are $49.

Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www. danawharf.com.

LASS YOUR AFF OFF 7:30 p.m. Be sure to stop by Adele’s at the San Clemente Inn for live stand-up comedy from Ron Ruhman, Jonny Loquasto, Jake Leos and Suzette Masters. Admission is $15 plus a minimum purchase of $10. 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente.

949.481.1222. www.comedyintheoc.com.

Sunday | 25 GUIDED NATURE HIKE 8-9:15 a.m. Join an Orange County Parks Ranger for a one-mile hike around Bell Canyon in Caspers Wilderness Park.

Parking is $5, the hike is free. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/caspers.

EDITOR’S PICK Presented by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, the Swallows Day Parade is the grand finale of the Fiesta de las Golondrinas and one of the largest non-motorized parades in the country. Photo: File

SATURDAY, MARCH 24: 60TH ANNUAL SWALLOWS DAY PARADE & MERCADO STREET FAIRE 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Presented by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, the Swallows Day Parade is the grand finale of the Fiesta de las Golondrinas and one of the largest nonmotorized parades in the country. The parade begins promptly at 11 a.m. rain or shine.

During the parade and afterward, the Mercado Street Faire will take place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Mercado Street Faire features an array of food and entertainment vendors at the Historic Town Center Park (on El Camino Real, just off Ortega Highway). Ortega Highway and El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1976. www.swallowsparade.com.

Saturday | 24

MOM2MOM MARKETPLACE 9 a.m.-12 p.m. San Clemente Presbyterian Church and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs) is hosting ther 2nd annual Mom2Mom Marketplace. Over 40 vendors will be selling crafts and gently used clothes and toys. Admission is $5 and all proceeds will benefit MOPs and San Clemente Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente. 949.492.6158. www.scpres.org.

TALEGA RUN CLUB 7:30 a.m. Every Saturday a group runners of varying skill level take a brisk three-mile run around a pre-determined course. Admission is free. 801 Avenida Talega, San Clemente. 949.588.5054. www.facebook.com/2XUSanClemente.

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Live music from rotating bands at the Swallow’s Inn. Burgers and wings from Lisa’s Kitchen also are available. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

GROUNDBREAKING GIRLS WITH ALLISON ADAMS 6-9 p.m. Members of the public are invited to a special gallery event featuring local artists and newest OC Contemporary Gallery house artist, Allison Adams. Allison will be exhibiting her Groundbreaking Girls portraits, celebrating inspiring women. Food, drink and live music will be served up all throughout the event. OC Contemporary Gallery. 1509 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 888.948.0086. www. occgallery.com.

D.O.P.E MOVIE PREMIER 7 p.m. The Community Outreach Alliance and The Noble Path Foundation present the premier of the documentary D.O.P.E Death or Prison Eventually, narrated by

Page 32

FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along the north side of Avenida Del Mar. Parking is a premium, attendance is free. 243 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.361.8264. www.san-clemente.org.

YOGA ON TAP 11 a.m. Yoga on Tap is held at Left Coast’s tasting room in San Clemente. This is a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint of beer. It’s a great way to get to know your local fellow yogis and beer drinkers. The cost is $10. Left Coast Brewery, 1251 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.6014 or www.leftcoastbrewing.com.

Monday | 26 KOI FISH FEEDING 12:45 p.m. Every day, visitors are welcome to help Mission San Juan Capistrano feed their koi fish in both courtyards. Fish food is free for Mission Preservation Society members and $1 for non-members. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.234.1300. www.missionsjc.com.

LULULEMON ATHETICA PRESESNTS: MINDFUL GATHERING 6-9 p.m. Lululemon Mission Viejo is hosting a mindful evening spreading awareness about traumatic brain injury (TBI).

TBI can often go unseen, this gathering www.danapointtimes.com

GETTING OUT will help community members understand more about this very important topic. Key speakers for the evening will include Kevin and Adam Pearce, founders of Love Your Brain Foundation, Lululemon ambassador Charmaine Shetler and a meditation led by Lululemon ambassador Maggie Gelineau.

Admission is a $50 donation to Love Your Brain. The Ecology Center. 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano.

949.443.4223. www.theecologycenter. org BINGO AT GOODY’S 7 p.m. Every Monday, Goody’s hosts a Bingo night for a charity of the week.

Cards are $1 per sleeve, and raffle prizes are offered. Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949. 492.3400. www. goodystavern.com.

COUNTRY DANCING AND ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR 7 p.m.-Midnight. Stop by the Swallow’s Inn for country dancing with DJ Patrick and a happy hour that lasts all day. Enjoy a steak dinner for $13 when you are finished with the dance floor.

31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

Tuesday | 27 OPEN MIC NIGHT 6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Wednesday | 28 CASA KIDS: STORY TIME 10-11 a.m. Casa Romantica welcomes children ages 1-7 for a picture book reading every Wedneday in their courtyard. A question and answer session and a dance will be held after each story. Admission is free. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente.

949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME 10:30 a.m. Join the library for stories and activities for children 3-5 years old. “Stay and Play” with puzzles and toys after story time. Registration is not required. Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517. www.ocpl.org/libloc/ dana.

At the Movies: Vikander is the ‘Most Memorable’ in New Generation ‘Tomb Raider’

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

O

nly two years after taking “Best Supporting Actress” at the Academy Awards for The Danish Girl, Alicia Vikander surprisingly followed up her success with signing on to be the next live-action face of the iconic video game character Lara Croft. It’s been over a decade since Angelina Jolie originally portrayed the character on film in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and The Cradle of Life (2003). The first two films were considered mediocre despite the decent casting, but what about the new film—simply called Tomb Raider— with Vikander?

In London, England, heiress Lara Croft (Vikander) lives modestly as a delivery server and boxes at the local gym. Seven years after her father (Dominic West) disappears, she’s still hoping that he is alive. When Lara discovers that her dad was in the middle of discovering a mystical curse on an ancient Japanese island, she decides to pick up where he left off with the help of drunk fisherman Lu Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

Photo: Courtesy

Ren (Daniel Wu).

MGM’s Tomb Raider is possibly the best video game adapted for film to date. That said, the standards in the genre of video-game movies are so low, it’s not saying much. Like most decent action films, the weakest link is the script, which has some hokey character development. The direction is interesting because it tries to distinguish itself as a film while alluding to its videogame roots with the action sequences.

But by far the most memorable aspect of Tomb Raider is Vikander herself, who proves she can lead a blockbuster just as much as a drama. DP

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.

OLD CAPISTRANO CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET 3-6 p.m. Stop by and check out some locally grown, organic produce and artisan goodies at a farmers market that has been going strong for over 15 years. Free admission. Historic Town Center Park. 31852 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.4700. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.

drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120.

Thursday | 29 GARDEN ANGELS 8:30-10:30 a.m. Join volunteers, students and teachers at Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens to care for and maintain native plants and butterflies. No experience is necessary (they’ll teach you), but you should bring gloves and clippers. No class if it rains. Admission is free. Los Rios Park. 31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. www.goinnative.net.

MIXOLOGY UNIVERSITY 7 p.m. Every Wednesday, Waterman’s Harbor bartenders and mixology experts teach guests how to make the restaurant’s cocktails. Guests will have the opportunity to make and taste three cocktails.

Event is $25. Waterman’s Harbor. 34661 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

TABLE TENNIS FOR SENIORS 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All seniors 55 or older are welcome to join the Table Tennis Club at the Shorecliff Terrace Mobile Home Park. Any skill level is welcome and entry is free. 3000 Calle Nuevo, San Clemente.

949.481.2275. jnl5555@yahoo.com.

FREE COMEDY AT BLOOMS IRISH SPORTS BAR 8:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Blooms Irish Sports Bar with food and

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to Dana Point Times by going to www.danapointtimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

ON THE MENU

FRIED DUMPLINGS, PORK BULGOGI & STONE POT BIBIMBAP AT SK@BBQ

BY ERIC HEINZ, DANA POINT TIMES

I

t was only a matter of time, not whether it would come. The growing familiarity of Korean barbecue has finally spread to the southernmost part of Orange County, complete with a variety of kimchi, thin cuts of pork and delectable sauces. As the crow flies, it’s the only exclusively Korean barbecue restaurant for 15 miles, with the exception of dishes that are served at other eateries in town.

Several of their dishes include traditional Korean barbecue entrees and starters, including chili pickled cabbage, beef rib soup, fried dumplings, pork bulgogi and stone pot bibimbap.

• FRIED DUMPLINGS: Crispy dough boats filled with meat, vegetables and love. Dipped in a low-sodium soy sauce, the vessels have a delicate exoskeleton and bursts with flavor in each bite.

• PORK BULGOGI: One main course offered is the pork bulgogi, thinly sliced pork covered in a robust barbecue flavor. It’s an easy dish to share or pair with rice.

• STONE POT BIBIMBAP: Another main entrée, stone pot bibimbap is a grab bag of all things good in a searing hot bowl.

Cucumber, pork strips, rice, noodles and sprouts are all cooked with sesame oil, and are finished with a fried egg topper.

A SK@BBQ server explained that the

Page 33

Photo: Eric Heinz

sesame oil, which is lightly drizzled so natural flavors are highlighted, cooks the dish at the bottom and keeps temperature equally distributed. It’s a familiar take on wok dishes, but it tastes cleaner like a garden salad, and is accompanied by hot sauce.

SK@BBQ opened on Feb. 8 and replaced El Mariachi, a longtime local favorite. The old Mexican eatery left its mark—there are still Mayan calendars carved into the wood panels of the bar—but a new spectrum of dining gives locals a chance to try something familiar, but completely different.

SK@BBQ 1925 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente 949.369.5111 skbbq.business.site

www.danapointtimes.com

DP Dana Point

DP LIVING

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: By Tom Blake

Farewell to Police Chief Russ Chilton, Welcome New Police Chief, Lt. Margie Sheehan

I

attended the Dana Point Civic Association’s coffee chat at The Coffee Importers, in the Harbor last Friday, for a special reason. I wanted to say goodbye, and thank you, to our outgoing Chief of Police Services Russ Chilton who officially retired the day before.

For the first time that I can recall, Russ was not wearing a uniform, a badge or a sidearm. He was relaxed and dressed casually. His mission that day was to say a few farewell words to the estimated 60 or so people in attendance, and to introduce our new Chief of Police Services, Lt. Margie Sheehan.

It was important for me to be there. Russ was in law enforcement for 33 years, the last 18 years of which he served the community of Dana Point. I’ve known him for almost all of those 18 GUEST OPINION years.

By Tom Blake Often, Russ and his fellow deputies would stop in for a sandwich at Tutor and Spunky’s, the Dana Point deli I founded and operated for 25 years. My employees and I were always proud to have them there. I often wondered, how could police officers, who have one of the most difficult jobs in the world, be so considerate and pleasant?

Four years ago, when I was pondering retirement and thinking of selling the deli, I chatted with Russ about it. He encouraged me to retire; he said, “Twenty-five

years in food service is enough for any one. I know how hard it is; my wife Janice owned J.C. Beans Coffee House since 1993 and is now loving retirement.”

At the coffee chat, I talked to Russ before he spoke. I asked the silly question that people often ask someone who is retiring, “What are you going to do in retirement?”

With a smile, Russ said, “First, get reacquainted with my wife.”

After some kind words about the City of Dana Point, Russ introduced our new police chief, Lt. Sheehan. Russ said, “What pleases me most about Lt. Sheehan is that we’ve found the right person for the job. She and I have worked together for two weeks in the transition and I am very impressed with her.”

And then, in typical Russ Chilton character, he added with a smile, “Before I hand over the microphone to Margie, I want to request that your questions for her be ‘softball’ questions. No ‘difficult’ questions.

Remember, she has only been here two weeks.”

It didn’t take long for those in attendance to realize that Russ was correct, that Dana Point has the right person for the job.

Before joining law enforcement, Lt. Sheehan served in the Marine Corps for four years. She’s personable, funny and tough.

She mentioned that in Dana Point, of the 44 employees in the police department, 34 are deputies.

In speaking of her two weeks of working with Russ, she said, “I have never seen a more-loved person than Russ Chilton.”

Underground Construction Co. machine with tractor treads working in front of a building in Dana Point.

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 editorial@danapointtimes.com.

She felt one of her biggest challenges will be dealing with the homeless issue.

When answering questions, she demonstrated her impressive knowledge of all the challenges she faces.

At the end of the meeting, Russ said to the crowd, “So much for ‘softball’ questions. Wow, you fired a lot of ‘tough’ questions at our new police chief.”

She handled the questions just fine.

It was a nice send off for our newly retired Chief of Police, Russ Chilton, and a warm welcome for our incoming Chief of Police, Margie Sheehan.

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 www.findingloveafter50.com; www.vicsta.com and www. travelafter55.com. To receive Tom’s weekly online newsletter, sign up at www.findingloveafter50.com. Email: tompblake@ gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, Dana Point 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 Dana Point Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

BY MYLES MELLOR

Last week’s solution:

DANA POINT TIMES

O

Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

FROM THE ARCHIVES Taken in 1929, this photo, shows an

Sudoku

Pet of the Week: Kurt ne-year-old Kurt is a poodle mix who just loves a good snuggle.

His favorite thing in the world is a proper belly rub. Kurt would do best in a home with adults who can lavish attention upon him. If you would like to know more about Kurt, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP

Photo: Courtesy of the Santa Ana Public Library

Kurt. Photo: Courtesy

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 Page 34

See the solution in next week’s issue.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

Thinking on Your Feet

by Getting Hands On More than 120 highschool girls take part in Girls in Ocean Science Teen Conference

BY DANIEL RITZ, DANA POINT TIMES

W

hen Jennifer Hofmeister of the Scripps Institute in San Diego handed a red octopus named Houdini over to a small group of highschool girls to observe his color change and compression abilities, she believed she was handing them more than the animal, she was giving them a real life tool.

“It’s important for them (the students) to truly understand the challenges ahead of them,” Hofmeister continued, explaining how there is a historically structured and reliable drop-off in female participation in the sciences post-required education.

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More than 120 students from across Southern California took part in the Girls in Ocean Science Teen Conference on March 17 at the Ocean Institute. Photo: Shana Goffredi

During the 14th Girls in Ocean Science Teen Conference on March 17 at the Ocean Institute, guest speakers from across California gathered to promote the female voice in the ocean sciences.

The conference is organized, guest speakers are elected and contacted, thanks to a committee of young female volunteers at the Ocean Institute. The committee, overseen by Ocean Institute staff, manages the entirety of the event from the catered food as well as ensuring a diverse range of female guests.

The students, who partake in the conference either by individual application or scholarship opportunities funded by the Ocean Institute and their donors, are all from San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties.

“These girls are getting exposure equal

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to, or better than, things I had my eyes opened to during my environmental studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara,” said Erica Chuc, of Dana Point, a volunteer at the Ocean Institute for more than 15 years.

Chuc, whose daughter is a member of the Teen Conference Committee, said she treasures how this conference and their speakers engage the youth, teaching them, as she called it, to “think on their feet.”

The students literally had to think on their feet when they boarded the RV Sea Explorer for a half day of whale-watching and observing on-deck guest speakers, including Dawn Garcia, an avian ecologist from the Altacal Audubon Society, and Lei Lani Stelle, a professor of biology at

the University of Redlands. During the morning boating session, students saw two gray whales breach and show flukes, and experience what Ocean Institute volunteer Georgina Stone called, “a monumental moment.”

On land, Dr. Shana Goffredi, a biology professor at Occidental College, also believed one of the most important parts of the teen conference is making young women aware of the breadth of opportunities available through the ocean sciences.

Goffredi in particular does this through a series of samples and specimens from the deep sea, one of which is called the “Yeti Crab,” which Goffredi and her team discovered.

As the girls scoured over the samples, brought up from the depths of places like the miles-deep Monterey Canyon in Northern California, the students’ eyes sparkled and their “eww’s” turned to “ohhhh’s.”

At the end of Goffredi’s slide show showcasing her and her team’s scouring of the ocean floor, she reminded the young women what many of us already know and often fail to remember— humans beings have reached and studied only five percent of the ocean’s floor.

The Ocean Institute, and the young female committee that orchestrates the Girls in Ocean Science Teen Conference, believe a more level playing field is soon to come, and that science, and women, will be better for it. DP

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point Point Dana

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Dolphin Report

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

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

Baseball Even in League Dana Hills opened the Sea View League on March 16 in strong fashion.

The Dolphins (7-5, 1-1) scored six runs in the first inning, chased the San Juan Hills starting pitcher after one out and got crafty in pitching to cruise to the shutout win, 8-0.

Junior Zach Waters went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Senior Shane Ferrari also knocked in two RBIs with a hit and a run. Senior Ryan Swanson, junior Logan Gallina, sophomore Ethan Ezor and freshman CJ Zwahlen each had an RBI for Dana Hills.

Eight of nine Dana Hills batters scored a run in the game.

Sophomore Dante Jackson allowed no runs on three hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Senior Corey Cisowski closed down the game with one hit and five strikeouts, including the game-ender, in 2.2 innings.

The Dolphins got another strong opening on March 17 with four runs in the first inning against Bishop Amat for a 5-4 win in the El Dorado Steakhouse Tournament.

Dana Hills returned to league play at Tesoro on March 20 and dropped a heartbreaker.

Tesoro got a run in the first inning, but Thomas Buckanavage tied it up for Dana Hills with a run in the fourth.

The teams battled all the way to the 12th inning where Tesoro grabbed the win and leveled the Dolphins league record.

Olympica Level 8 gymnast, Natalie Bray won the state title on floor and the all-around on March 18 in San Diego. Photo: Courtesy Corrie Gohres

Scoreboard

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

Olympica Gymnast Wins State Championship Olympica Gymnastics’ Level 7–10 teams traveled to San Diego to compete at the State Championships on March 16-18 and earned seven top-three wins including two State Championships.

Dana Point’s Level 8 gymnast, Natalie Bray is the state champion on floor with a score of 9.500, as well as the all-around state champion with a score of 37.725 in the 13-year-olds division. Bray also took silver on bars with a score of 9.525.

Bray’s wins add to her season record of six golds, seven silvers and one bronze medal in six meets. Along with her teammates, Bray now moves ahead to USA Gymnastics’ Regional Championship on April 14 in Reno, Nevada.

Ladera Ranch’s Sarah Quan won bronze Dana Point Times March 23–29, 2018

on beam, scoring 9.450. In the 12-year-olds division, Allison Karner of Laguna Niguel won silver on bars with her score of 9.475. Level 7 gymnast, Julia Rojas of San Clemente won silver on beam with a score of 9.575, as well as bronze in the all-around with a score of 37.700.

Strong Turnout for 31st Annual Ocean Challenge While the threat of rain may have turned away some, nearly 200 entries in stand-up paddleboard, paddleboard, canoe and surf ski races descended on Dana Point Harbor for the 31st Annual Ocean Challenge hosted by the Dana Outrigger Canoe Club on March 17.

The longest running winter paddle sport race in California got fine conditions for racing with a downwind, downswell return to the delight of most paddlers.

The field stretched from the Keikis, children as young as 10 or 12 years old from the Paddle Academy, inside the harbor to a large group of 60-year-old-plus racers in

the long and short courses that extended outside of the harbor.

The Ocean Challenge also welcomed the Slovakian national flatwater racing team that crushed the course in the double surf skis. The Slovakian team trains at the Newport Aquatic Center during the winter.

Tim Burdiak and Philippe Boccara posted the best long-course time in double surf ski at 1:06:29 and best short-course time in the double surf ski at 38:10.

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Dana Hills hosted Laguna Hills on March 22, but results were not available at press time. The Dolphins continue at Trabuco Hills, the defending league champion, on Friday, March 30.

Softball Finishes Tournament Schedule Strong Dana Hills was great over two weekends to make a run to the Northwood Tournament championship game.

The Dolphins scored big wins over Northwood on March 10, 14-0, Beaumont on March 16, 15-4, and Cypress on March 17, 5-2. Dana Hills fell in the title game against Santa Margarita on March 17, 7-1.

Senior Cozette Zoch was named to the all-tournament team by hitting 11 of 15 with two doubles, a triple, a grand slam and 10 RBIs. Senior Tori Sickmeier had six RBIs and senior Jessie Nagel added four RBIs in the tournament.

Dana Hills took on San Clemente on March 22, but results were not available at press time. The Dolphins travel to take on one of the county’s perennial top teams, Mater Dei, on Tuesday, March 27 and open Sea View League play at home against Trabuco Hills on Thursday, March 29.

Boys Lacrosse Wins Four Straight Dana Hills earned two wins last week to string together four consecutive victories.

The Dolphins (6-3, 0-1) took advantage of a long home stretch and defeated El Dorado on March 7, 11-7, and Norco on March 9, 9-5. Last week, Dana Hills dipped back into double digits with an 11-10 win over Northwood on March 15 and a 17-7 win over University in a “Friday Night Face-Off” on March 16.

Dana Hills opened the South Coast League with a 14-2 loss at San Clemente on March 20 and continues league play at El Toro on Friday, March 23. DP

Ryland Hart took the 14-foot SUP category on the short course at 55:42. Tyler Bashor finished second at 56:04 and Dave Boehne took third at 1:00:19.

The Ocean Challenge is part of a Southern California racing series that runs from November to April. The final race will run in Newport Beach.

Several local sponsors donated paddling gear for those who placed including Infinity, Killer Dana, Koloa, Kokua, OceanPaddle Sports and Quickblade. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com FOR LEASE OCEAN VIEW APARTMENT FOR LEASE Unfurnished Fully Remodeled 1 Bedroom/1 Bath. Living/Dining Great Room. Gourmet Kitchen w/top of the line New Appliances Steps to Del Mar and short walk to the Pier/ beach. $2,400 per/month. 949-622-0200 or rosemary@bahalaw.com

FOR SALE CUSTOM AREA RUGS You pick style, color and size. Typically made in 2 weeks. Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyesters, or designer carpet. Showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point: 24662 Del Prado, Dana Point. Carpet and flooring remnants also available. Call Mike at Lantern Bay Carpets, Interiors & Flooring. 949.240.1545

GARAGE SALES SATURDAYS, 10AM TO 1PM AND SUNDAYS 9AM TO 12 THROUGH MARCH. Everything must go. Chairs, tables, household items, clothes, jewelry, tools, patio furniture.

Also open during week. 34202 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Beach.

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

HELP WANTED DANA POINT MARINA INN -NOW HIRING : Front desk clerks, Housekeeping, Breakfast room, Janitorial. Full and Part time shifts available. $12 to $14, per hour. Apply in person 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, Ca 92629 WE ARE SEEKING CAREGIVERS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. Home Instead Senior Care provides a variety of non-medical services that allow seniors to remain in their homes and meet the challenges of aging with dignity, care and compassion.

Variety of shift options available immediately.

Competitive pay and benefits. https://homeinstead.com/301

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

OTHER STUFF THE SCHENKENBERGER’S NEED SOME HELP Steve Shenkenberger, husband and father of five young boys, was riding his mountain bike on Super Bowl Sunday when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Laguna Niguel.

The family is need of donations for ongoing medical expenses and childcare. Please consider donating at www.gofundme.com/ the-schenkenbergers-medical-bills.

Dana Point Times March 23–29, 2018

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DP DP SURF Dana Point

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Colapinto Goes Perfect San Clemente surfer scores epic 10-point ride in pumping Gold Coast conditions at Quiksilver Pro

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

L

ast week in this space, we wrote about how WSL Championship Tour (CT) rookie Griffin Colapinto had won his debut heat against reigning world champion John John Florence. If only we’d known he was just getting warmed up.

Colapinto blitzed through the contest unlike any other rookie on tour today. The 19-year-old caught absolute fire. Taking out serious veteran talent, including Aussie icon and former world champ Joel Parkinson, his run at the Quiksilver Pro culminated with an all-time performance at one of the world’s all-time waves.

For most of the week, the contest took place at Snapper Rocks (located on the Gold Coast of Australia), but when the swell pulsed and kicked up a few notches, WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow made the decision to move the contest site down the beach to the world-famous Kirra, perhaps one of the best sand-bottom point breaks on the planet when it’s on.

“Scoring good waves at Kirra is on every surfer’s bucket list, so the move here today is really exciting,” said Perrow upon making his decision. “We have a massive swell with consistent 6-to 8-foot waves rolling down the bank at Kirra with the off 10-footer.”

Now keep in mind, Colapinto cut his teeth surfing soft T-Street before graduating to only slightly more steep Trestles.

GROM OF THE WEEK

REEF TSUTSUI

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

L

ast weekend, the skies cleared up and a little wind swell pulsed into Surf City for the latest NSSA showdown. In the end, it turned out to be a San Clemente dog fight at the NSSA Southwest Conference competition at Ninth Street in Huntington Beach.

Held in tricky waist- to chest-high conditions with a heavy dose of afternoon west winds, Reef Tsutsui came away with a nail-biting win over South Orange County compadre Crosby Colapinto. The final

Dana Point Times March 23-29, 2018

San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto stunned the world when he locked into this perfect 10-point tube en route to a third place finish at the WSL’s Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast of Australia. Photo: WSL

Maxing Kirra’s a beast in itself. Add to that the fact that this was his first appearance on tour. It would have been understandable if he had buckled under the pressure.

Instead, Colapino went out and put on a performance for the ages.

Facing Tahitian powerhouse Michel Bourez in the quarterfinals, he was calm, cool and collected. He waited patiently for the waves to come to him, and eventually one did—a perfect one.

When a big set swung his way, Colapinto put his head down and started paddling. He dug deep, fell from the sky, barely scratching to his feet as he pulled up into a giant, sand-gargling tube. He came flying out with the spit and gave the judges a nod.

He reset his line, setting up perfectly to backdoor the next tube section. Colapinto then parked himself behind the current once again and replicated his feat. Giddy with excitement, he gave the judges

score: 10.67 to 10.50. Tsutsui took the win by not even two tenths of a point. It was his first win in the NSSA Southwest Open Men’s division.

Overall, it was a great weekend for the local talent as our up-and-coming surfers chalked up big results throughout a number of divisions.

Dana Point’s Bethany Zelasko took first in the Open Women’s division, while Bella Kenworthy finished runner-up in the Open Girls and Open Super Girls.

For the boys, in the Open Juniors, Hagan Johnson locked in a runner-up finish of his own, while Hayden Rodgers and Charlie Stevens also came away with podium finishes in their respective divisions. DP

another look before a third running tube section stole his heart. He threaded the trifecta of the barrels perfectly. He came out holding his hands up to the sky as if to say, what else could I have done?

The beach went mad. The judges didn’t have to deliberate too long. They threw him a perfect 10-point score. Colapinto had done it. In a contest where the judges were extremely critical and had made the surfers really work for every point in their score line, Colapinto came away with the only perfect ride of the Quiksilver Pro. “I’ve never had three barrels on one wave, so it felt amazing, particularly in a heat,” said Colapinto afterward, perhaps still a little shell-shocked from the excitement. “I think it was the best wave of my life.”

He made the heat and advanced to the semifinals, where he faced an in-form Julian Wilson. Colapinto gave it his all and made Wilson work for the win, but in the

end he couldn’t rekindle the magic. He finished the contest with a very respectable third-place result, while Wilson went on to take the win.

“I’m so happy to get third in my first event,” added Colapinto. “I’m loving the CT and hope I won’t be going anywhere for a very long time. I’m loving it here in Australia; the people on the Gold Coast are the best.”

Other local surfers in the event, Kolohe Andino and Pat Gudauskas, finished 13th and 25th, respectively.

The WSL Championship Tour now heads to Torquay, Victoria, Australia, for the Rip Curl Pro at the famous Bells Beach. The contest runs from March 28 through April 8. Based on his latest Instagram post, Colapinto’s already enjoyed his first session there and will be spending the next week getting to know the place better. DP

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 56-59 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-8’ Fair Outlook: Shorter period SW and West swell mix the second half of the week with some S/SSE southern hemi swell also running. Surf is mainly waist-shoulder high (3-4’) along with some larger sets/peaks at standouts. Winds are mainly onshore with possible rain. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

Reef Tsutsui. Photo: Courtesy of Courtesy NSSA

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