February 4, 2016

LO C A L

N EWS

February 4 -10, 2016

YO U

C A N

U S E

Inside: South County Real Estate Guide SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 11, ISSUE 5

Piece be the Journey Two San Clemente mosaic artists look to bring art foundation to schools LIVING/PAGE 27

Julie Dickey, left, and Sandy Stevens stand next to an unfinished heart mosaic they said will take them long hours and more than six weeks to complete. The mosaics are comprised of small pieces of glass and placed together in coordinated patterns. Photo: Eric Heinz

Short-Term Lodging Units Near Final Regulations EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

Hospital Officials Explain Position on Emergency Services EYE ON SC/PAGE 8

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San Clemente’s Griff Griffith Wins Antarctic 100K SPORTS/PAGE 34

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SC EYE ON SC San Clemente

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING Land Use Plan to be Examined by California Coastal Commission

What’s Up With...

Five things San Clemente should know this week City Council Approves Short-Term Rental Provisions THE LATEST: San Clemente City Council took a two-pronged approach on Tuesday in its latest step toward regulating shortterm living units. Council members voted 3-1-1 (with Councilwoman Lori Donchak opposed and Councilman Tim Brown recused) to cap the number of allowable units to those already in existence instead of adding a grandfather clause for current STLU owners. That means all the shortterm rental units already in existence will remain and no more will be permitted until the Planning Commission provides updates to the ordinance before the next City Council meeting on Feb. 15, where the second and final reading of the ordinance will take place. Ordinances take 30 days to go into effect, so the final day to submit STLU applications will be April 1, according to the ordinance. While homeowners may still submit applications, they could possibly be retroactively voided.

The Planning Commission was instructed to examine the details of the city’s current zoning for STLU units in the city.

However, the argument presented against allowing any amendments to zoning is that STLUs should not exist in residential neighborhoods because they act as businesses.

Over the course of the last few months, City Council has listened to both sides of the issue—those in favor of trying to ban or tightly regulate SLTUs, those who want them to continue business as usual and a mix of other suggestions.

Residents have brought forth major issues to argue that STLUs do not conform to the “quality of life” council members swore to protect, including high noise levels, disruptive behavior, crowded parking and worse. The ordinance mandates only two people per room within an STLU as well as other limitations as to how many people can occupy one of them at a time.

As far as the current ordinance is concerned, residents within a 300-foot radius of the proposed STLU will be notified by the city via postcard and have a chance to comment on the proposal for the establishment’s permit before it is granted.

Additionally, homeowners must prove they paid transient occupancy tax (TOT) to the San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

On Sunday afternoon, trees were blown down over the Metrolink and Amtrak railway tracks.

Photo: Courtesy of Matt Larmand

THE LATEST: City Council approved passing on the Coastal Land Use Plan, which will govern all aspects of the city’s coastal zones, to the California Coastal Commission during the Tuesday night meeting with some changes.

Capistrano Shores, Inc., which has been debating with the city since last year, was instead given an amendment and suggestion to be cut out of the CLUP, giving governance to its developments and permitting to the California Coastal Commission.

“The issue was whether Capistrano Shores ought to be subject to these regulations,” city attorney Scott Smith said during the meeting. “There’s still pending litigation over those issues.”

Smith asked if the city would rather defer Capistrano Shores from being included until the issues of contention are worked out.

The city adopted the plan as it was presented (with some amendments to definitions of canyon borders and other environmental factors) and deferred the certification of Capistrano Shores, Inc., which would result in the park area to be eliminated under the CLUP and then approve the update to the CLUP and submit the plan to the CCC. WHAT’S NEXT: The California Coastal Commission will take another look at the CLUP during a future meeting and make any amendments it sees fit to be adopted by the city.

Left: A tree landed on a truck Sunday night on the 200 block of Avenida Serra at the corner of Ola Vista.

Photo: Courtesy of Tressa Krufal Right: A large tree near the Boys & Girls Club of South Coast Area was split in two from the high winds on Sunday. Photo: Eric Heinz

city in the last year in order to qualify as an existing STLU owner.

Councilwoman Kathy Ward said there had been a significant number of identified vacation rentals that had not paid into the TOT fund and adding the cap would stop the rapid increase of STLUs within the city.

Donchak wanted to bifurcate the issue into two separate ordinances in order to address the common sense rules that were introduced into the ordinance and ensure they remained a centerpiece to the law. Hamm and Ward did not support the motion and moved forward with the one ordinance.

“I won’t be voting ‘yes’ tonight because of the freeze that was proposed,” Donchak said. “I think it’s unnecessary.

I think it introduces anxiety into the lives of good people in San Clemente and it’s not productive. It frames the issue in a negative and narrow light and will affect…our Planning Commission’s deliberation.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Depending on the amendments suggested by the Planning Commission, the ordinance could be revised before it is finalized. There’s a chance it could also be continued to a future council meeting, as the ordinance has already been amended, continued and examined by the Planning Commission at least once.

The city may include STLUs into its Housing Element, used to address its housing demographic statistics. The council also voted to examine putting a raise in TOT on the ballot for November. Council members said San Clemente has one of the lowest rates of TOT compared to other beach cities and the increase could be used to pay for enforcement of the nuisances created

by STLUs out of compliance.

FIND OUT MORE: A full copy of the amended ordinance can be found at www. sanclementetimes.com, but for updates to the ordinance stay tuned to the city’s website at www.san-clemente.org.

—Eric Heinz Page 3

FIND OUT MORE: A copy of the most up-todate CLUP can be found at www.san-clemente.org under Planning Services. —EH

Storm Batters San Clemente, Southern California THE LATEST: Wind gusts as high as 45 miles per hour, high surf and rain descended upon the coastal cities of Southern California from Sunday through Monday afternoon.

Much of the damage was caused from wind ripping up trees or uprooting them.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Blotter in San Clemente, at least a dozen traffic hazards were reported between Sunday, Jan. 31 and Monday, Feb. 1.

San Diego Gas & Electric reported tens of thousands of people from San Diego to Orange County were without power at one point during the storm.

“As of 3:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 1, SDG&E has restored service to more than 40,000 customers, and crews worked to restore the approximately (Cont. on page 4) www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC (Cont. from page 4) 19,000 customers who remain without service,” SDG&E stated in a press release on Monday. “High winds throughout the evening hours limited SDG&E’s ability to fully restore service.

The electric company attributed the damages to the continuing weather phenomenon El Niño.

“While we’ve worked to plan ahead for El Niño conditions, some storm-related outages are unavoidable,” SDG&E stated.

The largest number of customers without power at one point was 60,000.

WHAT’S NEXT: For information during power outages, visit www.sdge.com/outage. Specifics for San Clemente’s outages were requested but not available by press time. Those numbers will be updated in the online article at www.sanclementetimes.com. —EH

Local Students Petition for Solar Energy in School District THE LATEST: A coalition of student clubs within four Capistrano Unified School District high schools began petitioning this week to install solar panel arrays on every high school campus in the district.

The “Dear Capistrano Unified School

District: Let’s Go Solar!” petition on change.org launched Monday and had already garnered more than 180 signatures Wednesday morning from students, parents, faculty and supporters interested in reaping the benefits of utilizing solar energy in schools.

The San Juan Hills High School’s Ecology Action Team, led by sophomore and club president Russell Tran, has taken charge of the student-led movement with assistance from KyotoUSA, a Berkeleybased nonprofit organization that works with cities, public school districts and communities to develop strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Other clubs involved with the petition include The Ecology Club at Dana Hills High School, the Blue Oceans Club and SC Goes Green at San Clemente High School, and the Conservationism Club and Ecology Club at Tesoro High School.

Tran said the idea to encourage the district to install solar panels has been percolating since his freshman year of high school when the SJHHS Ecology Action Team was advised by their principal that such projects are usually implemented district-wide, not just at a single high school. He met with KyotoUSA representatives at a Bay Area ice cream shop last summer and learned about the pro bono advice they give to school districts regarding energy projects.

“You could say the revolution started in

an ice cream shop,” Tran said.

The San Juan Hills sophomore designed the www.cusdsolar.org website, also launched Monday, which lists an array of facts about the school district’s energy use compared to the benefits of installing solar panels, including the increased efficiency and lowering price of solar technology.

He points to neighboring school districts in Los Angeles, Irvine, Newport-Mesa and Santa Ana that have successfully implemented solar array projects, and said following suit would mean helping the environment while cutting energy expenses and making a solid economic investment.

“The money saved can go back into our education,” Tran said. “In today’s world, it’s economically sound. That’s why we think the project will go far, because it’s backed by numbers.”

the district that we’re taking initiative.

We’re building our future now, because why wait?”

For more information on the studentled movement or to sign the petition, visit www.cusdsolar.org.—Allison Jarrell

WHAT’S NEXT: Tran said the coalition of students will present their petition to the CUSD Board of Trustees at a future meeting. In addition to signing the petition, he encourages students looking to get involved to join one of their school’s ecology or environmental clubs.

“Students represent the citizens of the next generation, so by getting students involved in activism or being proactive in society, we can build a better world that way,” Tran said. “We’re demonstrating what we learn in school about freedom of speech and democracy—we want to show

WHAT’S NEXT: Following the department’s review of the Housing Element, the document can help the city seek grants for affordable housing as well as guide city officials’ future decisions in planning for housing throughout San Clemente.

The document can be viewed at the city’s website, www.san-clemente.org. —EH

City Approves Housing Element Update THE LATEST: During Tuesday night’s San Clemente City Council meeting, a presentation regarding the city’s Housing Element, which has collected data and surveyed citizens on the housing needs of San Clemente, was given, and the council approved sending the update to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for review.

Have a story idea or topic you would like to read about?

••• Send your suggestions to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

EYE ON SC

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ

Community Engagement Panel Announces 2016 Meeting Schedule The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s Community Engagement Panel meetings will take place on the following dates. The San Clemente Times will update the locations of the rest of the meetings when they become available: First Quarter: March 24, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., QLN Learning Center, 1938 Avenida Del Oro, Oceanside.

Second Quarter: June 16, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., venue TBA. Third Quarter: Aug. 25, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., venue TBA. Fourth Quarter: Oct. 27, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., venue TBA.

SCHS Dance Team Qualifies Five Routines to Nationals The 14-time USA national championship San Clemente High SchoolGirls Dance Team competed in the USA Dance Regional competition at Sonora High School in La Habra on Jan. 30. The dancers competed against some of the best high school dance teams in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

The team qualified five dances for the USA Dance Nationals in Anaheim, California, from March 17 to 19.

Students who want to try out for the 2016-17 SCHS Dance Team can participate in the evaluation clinic to be held on Friday, Feb. 5. For more information, go to schsdance.org.

charter schools. Homeschooling philosophies, methods, curriculum, resources and socialization will be covered as well.

Experienced homeschooling parents will be on-hand to answer all of your questions.

For questions or to sign up, call 949.492.3493 or email ocpl.sanclemente@ occr.ocgov.com.

an informative meeting to explore the effects of eating disorder sufferers’ body and mind and will examine the effect of our culture’s rhetoric of body-shame and how it affects self-worth. The meeting takes place Feb. 17 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. for parents and their students.

Through this presentation, Elizabeth Szathmary will discuss strategies to challenge shame-based beliefs about the body and help cultivate self-love and compassion. She will share her journey of recovery and strategies designed to leave participants with the tools necessary to challenge body criticisms and practice self-love. For more information, contact Heather Arnwine at berniceayerptsa@ gmail.com.

Make-A-Wish Foundation Dance-Off Feb. 19

WET Meeting Scheduled Feb. 17 Wednesday Evenings Together will host its kick-off night on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at San Clemente Presbyterian Church, 119 Avenida De La Estrella, with dinner provided by the popular In-N-Out Burger truck beginning at 5:30 p.m. This evening is open to the community for a minimal charge for food with a variety of choices.

As a part of the Lenten series, our WET gatherings will continue through March 16. Children and youth programs, such as Preschool Clubhouse, Youth Club (Kindergarten-third grade) and SOL (fourth-fifth grade) are from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. on campus.

Nursery care is provided. Kindergartenfifth grade. Homework Club meets from 7 p.m.-7:45pm, MSM (6th-8th) meets from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and High School Refuge gathers from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Adult Large Groups meet and worship from 6:30 p.m.-6:50 p.m., studying The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen, followed

by Breakout Groups from 6:50 p.m.-7:45 p.m.

Books are available on Sundays on the patio or during the week in the church office. For more information, email Ryan Romberg at ryan@scpres.org or call 949.892.8140. Contact Becky Abell at babell@scpres.org or call 949.370.0510 at San Clemente Presbyterian Church.

The students of Shorecliff’s Middle School Make-A-Wish Foundation project will host “Whip, Nae Nae” dance-off and dance mob at 4 p.m. on Feb. 19, at the Outlets at San Clemente to help raise funds for a child with a life-threatening illness.

People who want to participate can donate $5. Music will be provided by DJ RICH. For more information call 949.842.1405 or visit www.wishnaenae.com.

Surfline Presents San Onofre Parks Foundation with Donation Surfline, a company that specializes in surf forecasting, reports, videography and more, presented the San Onofre Parks Foundation with a $3,000 check for the California State Parks Junior Lifeguard Program. Surfline donated funds to have a 1960s style Lifeguard Tower Model built

by Malcolm Wilson. A raffle raised $1,200, and SOPF donated $1,800 for a total of $3,000 going to the Junior Guard program.

For more information, contact business manager Susan Goggins at sgoggins@ sanofoundation.org or at 949.366.8599.

Zachary Nullmeyer of San Clemente Makes Dean’s List at Wartburg College Zachary Nullmeyer of San Clemente was named to the Wartburg College Fall Term Dean’s List.

The college recognized 489 students for Fall Term.

The list honors students who earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above in at least five course credits during the two terms. Four of the five course credits must be graded with a traditional letter grade.

Malcolm Wilson recently built an old-school lifeguard tower that was raffled off to raise funds for the Junior Lifeguard Program. With the San Onofre Parks Foundation, $3,000 was raised for the program.

Photo: Courtesy.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

Homeschooling Network to Host Session at San Clemente Library The San Clemente High School dance team, pictured here, performed at a competition on Jan. 30 at Sonora High School in La Habra. Photo: Courtesy.

Bernice Ayer to Host Eating Disorder Informational Meeting Bernice Ayer Middle School will host San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

California Homeschool Network will host a free Homeschooling 101 session from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar. If you are new to or considering homeschooling your children, education will be provided regarding legal options for homeschooling in the state of California, homeschooling basics and answers to homeschooling questions.

The session will cover various ways to homeschool legally in California, including the Private School Affidavit (PSA) and Page 6

SCENE { I N S AN CL E M E NTE }

Corey Rymsza took this photo of a

double rainbow from his San Clemente

home a couple weeks ago following the downpour.

www.sanclementetimes.com

Community SC Sheriff’s Blotter Meetings COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7

San Clemente Farmers Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh produce and much more every Sunday.

Avenida Del Mar.

Village Art Faire 9 a.m. Every first Sunday of every month, hosted by the Downtown Business Association. Stroll and shop where more than 60 vendors will have arts, crafts and other items. Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.218.5378, www.villagesanclemente.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9

Sunrise Rotary 7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Course Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega, www.scsunriserotary.com.

Wellness & Prevention Center Meeting 4 p.m. Wellness & Prevention meets the second Tuesday of the month. The meetings are open to the public. San Clemente High School, 700 Avenida Pico. www.wellnessandprevention/ sanclemente.com.

Beaches, Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting 6 p.m. The San Clemente Beaches, Parks & Recreation Commission conducts its regularly scheduled meeting at 100 Avenida Presidio, 949.361.8230, www.san-clemente.org.

San Clemente Toastmasters 7 p.m. The club meets every Tuesday, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. for social and networking time. San Clemente Baha’i Center, 3316 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente, 805.794.0653, www.sanclementetoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

San Clemente Rotary Noon. The San Clemente Rotary meets every Wednesday at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course Wedgewood Restaurant. 150 E. Avenida Magdalena, 949.233.7981, www.sanclementerotary.org.

San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

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

The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Tuesday, February 2 DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 3700 Block (12:48 a.m.) A man, described to be in his 50s, was refusing to leave the location. He went outside and when he came back his hand was bloody. He could also be heard swearing loudly in the background during the call. No weapons were found.

Monday, February 1 DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 3700 Block (8:53 p.m.) A transient man, who was reportedly drunk, was yelling in the lobby of the location.

KEEP THE PEACE El Camino Real, 2400 Block (7:23 p.m.) A woman said there is a “card-skimming device” (used to illegally obtain credit card information) at the location. The owner of the establishment went to the location to meet with sheriff’s deputies.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Calle Valle, 1400 Block (5:35 p.m.) A caller said a woman walked into the bar and said she was beat up by another woman. The woman’s right eye was blackened and she said she knew who hit her.

DISTURBANCE Camino De Los Mares, 600 Block (5:20 p.m.) A homeless man, who people said smelled intoxicated, was refusing to leave and he was talking to himself “very loudly,” disturbing customers and yelling at people who got too close to him.

He was described as 50 to 60 years old with white hair and a long white beard.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino De Los Mares/Camino Vera Cruz (4:52 p.m.) Police were called to reports of a man masturbating on a bench while he watched young boys practicing football on the greenbelt. He was described as American-Indian, 65 years old and wearing elastic gym shorts and sandals.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Calle Del Cerro/Avenida Vista Montana (4:03 p.m.) A man was standing on a hill on Calle Del Cerro and throwing rocks at passing vehicles.

INVESTIGATE PERSON DOWN El Camino Real, 600 Block (1:59 p.m.) A man behind the Wells Fargo was laying on the ground, not Page 7

moving and his face was purple. No death was reported in the incident or by the Orange County Coroner’s Office press releases.

DISTURBANCE Interstate 5/Camino De Estrella (11:37 a.m.) A caller said people were throwing things from the bridge onto passing vehicles. The caller said no one was seen but something big hit their vehicle’s windshield.

TRAFFIC HAZARDS Avenida Talega, 1100 Block (6:43 a.m.) A downed tree about 15 to 20 feet long was blocking one lane in front of the school. Early Monday morning more reports of burglary alarms going off, possibly from power going on and off due to inclement weather, and the Avenida Vista Hermosa street sign falling were reported. Multiple traffic hazards were reported between Sunday, Jan. 31, and Monday, Feb. 1.

Sunday, January 31 DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Avenida Miramar, 200 Block (9:18 p.m.) A caller said their daughter’s boyfriend is “out of control and threatening to kill everyone in the house.”

BATTERY REPORT El Camino Real, 200 Block (8:34 p.m.) A drunk man called police after a bouncer hit him in the face because the caller referred to him by a racial slur.

He refused medical treatment.

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Avenida Victoria, 600 Block (2:04 p.m.) A man was breaking into the caller’s car and the caller pursued the suspect on foot.

Saturday, January 30 WELFARE CHECK Camino De Los Mares, 600 Block (10:54 a.m.) An elderly woman pushed her way into the vehicle and demanded to be driven to CVS. VANDALISM REPORT Pas Luna, 0 Block (8:50 a.m.) The caller said the suspects threw all the patio furniture into the community pool.

Thursday, January 28 DISTURBANCE Avenida Pico, 900 Block (6:37 p.m.) Police were called to a man throwing his bicycle around and yelling.

Wednesday, January 27 DISTURBANCE Avenida Pico, 900 Block (8:47 p.m.) A transient man was refusing to leave and asking customers for money.

DISTURBANCE Camino De Los Mares, 600 Block (8:07 p.m.) Police were called to a transient woman who was screaming and yelling, possibly under the influence of a controlled substance, and harassing employees. The woman was described as in her late 40s, wearing a white beanie and striped green jacket.

EYE ON SC

Emergency Response San Clemente Hospital officials claim decision to come ‘soon’

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

O

fficials of Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente, the city’s only inpatient emergency services provider, maintain their stance that the emergency facilities are not feasible to maintain.

The hospital has made an effort to change the legislative requirements for freestanding emergency rooms within the city of San Clemente, but two bills that would have done so were shut down in respective California Senate and Assembly committees.

Freestanding emergency rooms, in theory, would be able to provide emergency services with a limited number of inpatient beds and not as many services as typical inpatient facilities.

“We had been focusing our efforts for the past 18 months on the new vision for an ambulatory campus of the future and getting the Satellite Emergency Department legislation passed,” Tony Struthers, Saddleback Memorial Medical Center administrator said in an email. “Now that the city has severely limited our ability to continue to operate the facility in a manner that reasonably addresses changes in the market and direction of healthcare, we must consider all possible options.

“When we acquired the campus in 2005, we were concerned with the impact of the trend in healthcare away from inpatient hospitalization and substantially moving towards outpatient services—and the fact that multiple previous owners had major challenges in operating the facility, and had downsized the property and services,” Struthers added.

Struthers and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center staff met with the San Clemente Times last week to discuss some of the issues that have surrounded the hospital’s emergency room.

“Things are evolving, and it’s not just beds but also the eight essential services we have to provide,” Struthers said.

These services include an adequate blood bank, nursing services, a lab and others.

“The same thing that hurts us with the freestanding hospitals hurts us with the (smaller) hospitals; you still have to have all those services.”

Because of the advances in the medical care facilities that are independent of large hospitals, more outpatient services have driven the inpatient services down, which, Struthers said, “is a good thing,” but because people aren’t paying the price San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

Tony Struthers, hospital administrator for Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente, stands in the middle of a hospital hallway. The hospital had been contemplating downsizing its services and getting rid of emergency services until the city of San Clemente passed a zoning ordinance mandating the services needed to continue at the hospital’s location. Photo: Eric Heinz

of admission to a hospital bed, it drives the revenue down and makes it less or not sustainable.

San Clemente Hospital officials said they provide an average of one inpatient or outpatient surgery a day, and sometimes their inpatient census is as low as six people.

“The more surgeries you do, the more proficient you become, and that’s why we have regional centers of excellence for cardiac (issues) or strokes,” Struthers said.

For many health care organizations, Struthers said, the rate for this is accelerating.

“At some level you have to generate enough to keep the facility updated,” Struthers said. “But it’s not specifically a money issue.”

The hospital is licensed to have 76 inpatient beds but at one point hosted as many as 104.

“With such few outpatient services and a small inpatient census, we would say it’s economically not viable,” Brennan James, the hospital network’s vice president of administration, said.

Struthers said the Orange County Emergency Medical Services programs have designated systems because demonstration of competency is essential in order to be designated by the EMS providers.

“We never have provided the level of service to be a cardiac receiving center or a stroke receiving center,” Struthers said.

San Clemente Hospital officials said there are very few services that can provide all three.

Struthers said the money the hospital brings in is one aspect, but not being able to provide the required services is the other half.

At its bare minimum, San Clemente Hospital officials said they have already reduced their staff to as few staff members as possible.

“We have shrunk the overhead at this facility a lot,” Struthers said. “We’re required to staff a certain number and we can’t go below those standards. That overhead was taken away a long time ago.”

Brennan James, vice president of Saddleback Memorial Medical Center administration strategy, said there has not been a lawsuit filed against the city of San Clemente at this time.

“It is our intent to pursue our rights as property owners,” Struthers said. “I don’t know what that may end up being, but we feel very strongly that we need to pursue our rights.”

James said the administration works for both the Laguna Hills and the San Clemente facilities, but the number of nurses, doctors and surgeons must be staffed at a mandated minimum.

Officials also said this will have a direct effect on the property value of the hospital.

Although the hospital is zoned now to provide emergency services, that doesn’t mean the hospital or its emergency room will stay open, as Saddleback is a private nonprofit.

When asked when a decision will come regarding Saddleback Memorial Medical Center’s future intensions, officials said a decision will come “soon.”

EFFECTS OF THE CLOSURE It would take about 10 to 15 minutes on average for an ambulance to get to Mission Hospital or Saddleback Memorial Laguna Hills, the nearest emergency facilities, from any point in San Clemente, and that’s if the traffic is not jammed on Interstate 5.

Additionally, the statistics that have been mentioned at many past City Council meetings and community forums insist the mortality rate of an area that loses an emergency room rises 5 to 15 percent.

The final decision on the hospital depends on many factors, but the idea of losing a

Page 8

facility that has served San Clemente for decades does not sit well with many locals.

A study had been proposed by legislators during the committee meetings, but because the bills didn’t pass, there may not even be enough time before Saddleback makes a decision on when to shutter its emergency services.

“There is that option to us in the next couple years, but we would have to wait until 2017 to have another bill introduced,” Struthers said.

At one point, the hospital was entertaining the possibility of opening a $40 million refurbishing of its location and turning it into a large urgent care facility, but Struthers said even that would not be economically feasible.

This proposed option was an outpatient facility instead of an inpatient facility. The price tag also could have changed during the initial phases.

“Because it is a wing of Saddleback Memorial’s large regional facility in Laguna Hills and operated under a consolidated license, we do not create separate financial statements for the San Clemente campus,” Struthers said in the email. “Among the significant benefits of this consolidated approach, we have been able to reduce some of the costs of operating the facility. However, we have been analyzing the economic viability of the San Clemente operations, and this analysis suggests that the San Clemente campus operates at an estimated annual loss of $2 million to $3 million.”

More information can be found at www. memorialcare.org/saddleback-memorial-sanclemente. Although the hospital foundation, Saddleback Memorial Foundation, does not separate the finances between its two entities in San Clemente and Laguna Hills on its tax forms, the nonprofit forms for the foundation can be found at www.chartiynavigator.org under the IRS 990 forms. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

SC SOAPBOX San Clemente

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: City Council Corner by Tim Brown

Ole Hanson Beach Club to Shine Again

W

ith a projected opening coming in June of this year, the newly renovated Ole Hanson Beach Club will once again be available for our community’s enjoyment. Originally constructed in 1928 and given to the city by founder Ole Hanson, it experienced tremendous wear and tear over the years and needed an investment of time and money that was worthy of such a historic asset. It was an unprecedented project in our city’s history, but upon completion it will contribute to the ongoing enrichment of the North Beach area, bringing charm and historic character.

From the onset, the city conducted extensive public outreach, engaging groups such as the San Clemente Historical Society and North Beach Community Association to ensure the integrity of the historic architecture and the preservation of the area. This effort included selecting an architect with experience in historic restoration.

However, during construction, the city encountered a number of unforeseen conditions. Complications arose, such as finding two slabs atop one another that

required a re-design, demolition and a new foundation to be poured, as well as a second pool found under the existing pool requiring additional efforts and costs for the proposed piping system under the pool. The city CITY COUNCIL CORNER also discovered signifiBy Tim Brown cant water damage and dry rot throughout the structure, which required replacement and design. In addition, contractors identified construction methods utilized in the past that are no longer acceptable and in need of correction and retrofit. These complications and other factors resulted in a construction timeline far longer than anticipated and a rehabilitation cost higher than expected.

Once completed, this project will improve the appearance, functionality and safety of the Ole Hanson Beach Club.

To meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, an elevator has been added so that all will be able to enjoy this treasured public resource. Major improvements have been made to the structural in-

GUEST OPINION: 2/4 Corner by Carla Hogan

Marines Return from Exceptional Training Courses

O

ur Marines and Sailors continue to do an amazing job. We currently have more than 300 Marines and Sailors in specialty schools from cold weather training in northern California, to the infantry schools on the East Coast. They are coming back to our battalion better trained, more capable and confident. These niche capabilities will make us stronger as we prepare for our future deployment. We had the privilege of promoting more than 30 Marines to higher ranks and presenting more than 15 awards. I couldn’t be prouder of serving next to these great Americans!

Since the holiday season, the battalion has executed and returned from a hard-earned holiday leave period. Marines and Sailors from the 2/4 travelled across the country to visit with family and friends and have returned motivated and ready to continue training and are looking forward to our deployment. Immediately upon returning San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

from leave, the battalion began training with the Expeditionary Operations Training Group here in Camp Pendleton as well as Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific in Coronado, California. This training is focused on conducting offensive operations from the land, sea and air. The Marines are doing a great job planning, communicating and coordinating actions across the Marine Corps and Navy team.

Additionally, our Marines successfully completed our Marine Corps-driven inspections. We had nearly 20 Marines or Sailors recommended for awards for their outstanding work and dedication. We have been deemed a great unit that is ready to deploy when our nation calls.

Thank you for your continued support for your Marines and Sailors. If you would like to see pictures of our training or updates on our battalion, please “like” us on Facebook at: www.facebook. com/2dBattalion4thMarines. SC

tegrity of the building that are essential for its long-term health (foundation, framing, waterproofing etc.) The renovated facility will have a repaired and newly accessible second-floor balcony on the north side of the building, new stucco along the ground floor, restored historic features including replaced windows and repaired tile, an optimized floor plan, air conditioning and new landscaping throughout the grounds using recycled water.

Stay tuned for news of a grand opening later this spring, as the Ole Hanson Beach Club will be back in business and ready for another 88 years of service to our community!

I’d like to hear your comments on this subject or others and can be reached at BrownT@san-clemente.org.

Tim Brown is a San Clemente City Councilman who was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014. He served as mayor in 2014. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, Feb. 5 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso This week’s guest will Dr. Steven Cullen, a member of the Save San Clemente Hospital Foundation and practitioner at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center.

Beachside Chat is a spirited, town hall forum on community issues, hosted by SC Times editor Eric Heinz every Friday at Café Calypso, 114 Avenida Del Mar. All are welcome.

Clarification In the letter to the editor in the January 28-Feb. 3 edition of the San Clemente Times, “Separate San Clemente School District Should be Next Goal,” the sentence about the top 10 school districts in the state should have read, “All but one of the top 10 school districts in California had less than 15,000 students.”

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San Clemente Times, Vol. 11, Issue 5. The SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes. com) and The Capistrano tDispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

Page 10

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SOAPBOX

Letters to the Editor CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION MAY BE WEAKENED BY A FIRING KEVIN NELSON, San Clemente

Since the 1970s, the Coastal Commission has been the protector of last resort for so many environmental issues.

But the Commission’s executive director might lose his job due to the politics of greed and over-development.

Here is a small sampling of the agency’s achievements: • A toll road would now be rammed through San Onofre State Park. Despite immense pressure, the Commission killed this travesty at a 2008 Del Mar Fairgrounds hearing packed with 3,000 enthusiastic protesters, keeping the park and Trestles as originally conceived. (I attended this rare event when people showed how much they cared.)

• Banning Ranch in Newport Beach, although a piece of amazing habitat and land to be considered by the agency in March, would be buried beneath condos.

• Marblehead in San Clemente would be much more densely packed without the public trails and arroyo preservation the Commission required.

• Crystal Cove between Corona Del Mar and Laguna would be covered

by Newport Coast homes right to the bluff edges.

• Beaches in communities like ours would not be accessible without the strong enforcement policies written into the California Coastal Act. • The action to push out a key executive in the Commission risks the longterm health of this agency. Though it probably has imposed unnecessary delays on many small projects, it’s the best tool we’ve got for environmental protection.

• If a development-first mindset succeeds in firing Executive Director Charles Lester at their upcoming February hearing in Morro Bay, we will lose a man with strong allegiance to the ethics of conservation.

WILL THE MADNESS AT RALPHS PARKING LOT EVER STOP? DOUG TOTH, San Clemente

Last week I tried to get something for dinner at the Ralphs on El Camino Real, knowing I would be risking my patience and well-being by entering the parking lot, only to find it worse than ever because someone decided to paint two-way arrows down each lane. The whole reason the parking lot does not work is because the drive is too narrow for straight-in parking for cars going one way (it should be angled) and certainly not for cars going in San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

People came out in droves to support or oppose San Clemente resident and Anaheim teacher Rebecca Friedrichs’ U.S. Supreme Court case against teachers’ unions on Jan. 6. A decision on whether public employees should be subject to compulsory union dues is expected to be rendered in five months. Photo: Courtesy of The Center for Education Reform

both directions.

How long do we customers have to deal with this? Can anyone tell me who designed this mess, who approved it and who can fix it? I’m switching to Albertsons.

REBECCA FRIEDRICHS’ ASSERTIONS MISLEAD UNION DEBATE BILL PRESTRIDGE, San Clemente

In response to the article (Local Teacher’s Case Heard by U.S. Supreme Court) in the Jan. 14-20 edition of the San Clemente Times, Ms. Friedrichs is not correct in many of her assertions. First, California Teachers Association has no influence on teachers’ salaries or class size. For example, in Capistrano Unified School District, where I taught for 38 years, the local association Capistrano Unified Education Association negotiates with the CUSD School Board on issues such as class size, salaries, merit pay, etc. CUEA does not take direction from CTA and CTA does not deal with CUSD. So, teachers in a local district vote salaries, class size and other local issues when a tentative contract is reached. Then the district teachers ratify that agreement. Our teachers voted many times to forgo higher salaries for reduced class size and other issues they felt were more important than salaries. Ms. Friedrichs needs to be a member of her local negotiating team so she can get lower pay in exchange for reduced class sizes in her district.

The second lie being told is that “this does not challenge public employee union’s rights to collective bargaining.”

This decision will weaken public unions to the point that they will not be able to negotiate effectively and Ms. Friedrichs and her fellow conservatives know this.

This case is about the conservative effort to destroy collective bargaining and union representation. Without mandatory fees, many teachers will opt out of paying their fair share— money that is used by CTA and National Education Association to support legislation that is beneficial for public education to survive. CUEA has a separate fund for political action that is strictly voluntary; teachers do not have to contribute. In my district, we always had teachers like Ms. Freidrichs who complained about CUEA, but when CUEA negotiated a pay raise or lower class sizes, they happily accepted the results. This is an issue by conservatives to destroy a cornerstone of the democratic base and take power away from teachers, police and firefighters. It is not about the First Amendment.

HOSPITAL NEEDS TO STAY IN SAN CLEMENTE JOYCE FEASEY, San Clemente

When the San Clemente hospital was last sold, the community hoped the new owners would replace some aging equipment with the latest and greatest, but rumors circulated that the useful equipment was being removed from the hospital and wellregarded employees were being offered jobs at other locations.

The owners have stated that local doctors were not sending patients to the hospital, but it is not surprising that doctors would not send patients to a deteriorating facility.

It is a fact that the population in this area is growing with the new townships and retirement communities attracted to a hospital close by.

It has also been reported that the number of hospital beds in Orange County,

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including San Clemente’s, are at times critically low; therefore the need for a wellequipped San Clemente hospital is very important to this area.

VACATION RENTAL PROPOSAL NEEDS MORE TRANSPARENCY MARY TRUITT, San Clemente

Aren’t our councilmembers supposed to protect the basic quality of living in our residential neighborhoods? Isn’t that what we elected them for?

The Jan. 19 City Council meeting was a spectacle in dysfunction and lack of transparency. After the public testimony, the majority seemed to be ready to vote on a vacation rental ordinance that was before them, but Councilman Chris Hamm at the last minute tried to introduce a vacation rental grandfather clause for five years that was not previously made public beforehand.

First of all, a vacation rental grandfather clause is a disaster because there had been no decision as to if they even should be allowed, but also his bully tactic lacks total transparency. Thankfully, the rest of the council rejected his inappropriate tactic. Didn’t he run on neighborhood quality? The voters don’t forget their promises.

The real issue is how these illegal commercial vacation rentals even operate in our residential neighborhoods. Our zoning codes do not allow them. Let’s get rid of them now.

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@sanclementetimes. com. San Clemente 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. Please limit your letters to 350 words.

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SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

At the Movies: ‘The Finest Hours’ is Left at the Altar

EDITOR’S PICK

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Thursday | 04 CAPT. DAVE’S WHALE WATCHING Times vary. Trips available every day of the week. Get up close to marine life aboard a Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari trip. Prices vary depending on the vessel. Call for more information. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.

Photo: Disney Enterprises. Inc.

Friday | 05 FIRST FRIDAY FILM 7 p.m.-9 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library presents a monthly movie night. A $2 donation supports the library. Call the library for more information. La Sala Auditorium at the San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org/libloc/sjc.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH ALLIANCE OPEN MIC NIGHT 7:30 p.m. Open mic night for anyone wanting to perform or just enjoy live, local music. Sign up during the night to perform solo, with friends or with our professional house band. “The Venue,” the Talega Life Church, 1050 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, 949.388.0114, coamusicarts@gmail.com, www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

‘THE MAN FROM EARTH’ FINAL WEEKEND AT CABRILLO PLAYHOUSE 8 p.m. The Cabrillo Playhouse will present its third production of the season, The Man From Earth, opening Friday, Jan. 15, and running through Sunday, Feb. 7. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. The play is written by the author of the original “Star Trek” series and “The Twilight Zone,” Jerome Bixby. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. 202 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.492.0465, www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

Saturday | 06 CREATE A HEART-SHAPED SUCCULENT WREATH 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Join local nonprofit Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens and learn how to create a beautiful water-wise decoration for Valentine’s Day. $65 class fee includes San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES Photo: Courtesy

SATURDAY, FEB. 6: OUTLETS AT SAN CLEMENTE FIRST ANNUAL CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION 11 a.m. Families are invited to celebrate the Year of the Monkey at the Outlets at San Clemente. The event will feature more than 60 performers, dragon and lion dances as well as interactive activities. The events are presented by the Irvine Chinese School and the Three Treasures Cultural Arts Society of San Diego. There will also be a 30-foot Dragon Dance at 12:45 p.m. Outlets at San Clemente, Center Court, 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, 949.535.2323, www.outletsatsanclemente.com.

materials. Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens, 31661 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano, www.goinnative.net.

DOKKEN 8 p.m. Live music at The Coach House featuring Dokken and Striker. Tickets are $30. Doors open at 6 p.m. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

Sunday | 07 NORTH RIDGE HIKE 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Join The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo for a hike up the North Ridge trail, over to Wilson’s Camp and returning through Shady Canyon.

Savor the cool, quiet beauty of winter in the wildlands. Ages 10 and up. Adults $10, children $5. The Richard and Donna O’Neil Conservancy, call for directions, 949.489.9778, www.rmvreserve.org.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OPEN BOOKSTORE 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the Downtown Farmers Market, the store offers many affordable reading materials, including a large selection of art books, old books, classics, children’s books, military, history, biographies, cookbooks and other

assortments. Books start at 25 cents, and all proceeds benefit the San Clemente Library. 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.sanclementefotl.org.

Monday | 08 TEEN TIME 6 p.m-7 p.m. Teens 12 to 17 years old can enjoy a different activity every week in the Dana Point Library Community Room.

This week’s activity will be a Valentine craft. No pre-registration required. Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

Tuesday | 09 FAT TUESDAY AT IVA LEE’S WITH THE BAYOU BROTHERS 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Special Fat Tuesday event. Live music at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and

T

aking a break from Oscar season for a moment, we now have our second big studio film for 2016 (after 13 Hours) with Disney’s The Finest Hours. The film features an impressive batch of actors, a big budget for effects and presents to a true spectacle that was interesting enough to adapt on screen. But, once again, Disney’s recent original, non-franchise films have trouble pleasing both critics and audiences.

Set in 1952 Chatham, Massachusetts, Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) is a Coast Guard crewman who falls in love and finally meets operator girl Miriam Pentinen (Holliday Grainger) after months of pen-palling. They become engaged right around the time an oil tanker is struck by a violent rainstorm on its way home, eventually splitting the tanker into two. The main engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) scrambles to get the crew to remain calm and logically hold on until help is found.

Bernie is assigned the task of rescuing the ship’s crew.

Eric Bana plays the station commander, and Ben Foster assists Webber on the risky mission. The Finest Hours is directed by Craig Gillespie, who started as a promising indie filmmaker 10 years ago but decided to work in the studio system. He’s a bizarre choice for a visual epic of this sort, and unfortunately his lead, Pine, is also at his most wooden and stiff. The special effects for the storm are decent, as are the performances by Grainger and Foster, but the execution of the story doesn’t fully grab your attention. SC

Cont. on page 16 Page 14

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GETTING OUT EDITOR’S PICK

Photo: Courtesy

SATURDAY, FEB. 6: SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ROTARY CAR SHOW 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The 13th annual San Juan Capistrano Car Show will feature more than 400 hot rods, muscle cars, classics, cruisers and vintage automobiles. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 11 to 17 and free for children 10 and younger. Proceeds from the event benefit Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort and SJC charities. San Juan Capistrano Community Center and Sports Park, 25925 Camino Del Avion, 949.547.9081, www.sjcrotary.

(Cont. from page 14) your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.464.5700, www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

TINY TOTS: PARENT & ME PROGRAMS AT OCEAN INSTITUTE 9 a.m.-10:15 a.m. The Ocean Institute hosts a series of programs for children ages 2 and 3 and their parents on Tuesdays through March 1. Toddlers will explore shapes, colors, textures and more with everyone’s favorite tide pool animal, the sea star. Each session includes an activity and an animal encounter. $30 per class. Register online. Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute. org/parentchild-programs.

ADULT DROP-IN COLORING CLUB 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Relax, destress and recenter while escaping reality for a bit and enjoying the company of other colorists.

The Drop-in Coloring Club series runs the second Tuesday of each month for ages 18 and older. All skill levels welcome. Coloring pages and supplies will be provided.

San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.ocpl.org/libloc/sc.

Wednesday | 10 JOY OF LIVING BIBLE STUDY 9:15 a.m.-11 a.m. Women of all ages are invited to this interdenominational group Page 16

that meets Wednesdays through June 1.

A start-up fee of $30 is requested. Free child care is provided. The study includes worship, discussion groups, inspirational talks and monthly luncheons. Talega Life Church, 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, 949.493.1980.

PAINTING AND VINO 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Sip wine while participating in a step-by-step painting class taught by a professional artist. All supplies provided. $45. Register at www.paintingandvino.com.

StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

UPCOMING: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 COA PRESENTS COMEDY NIGHT FEATURING MARK FITTER 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. $10 entry fee includes dinner and non-alcoholic drinks, sober fun. Childcare provided.

Limited number of tickets available.

Talega Life Church, 1050 Calle Negocio, 949.388.0114, www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

JOHN SOLONE SINGS SINATRA AT ADELE’S 7 p.m.-10 p.m. John Solone’s Sinatra at Adele’s at the San Clemente Inn. Tickets are $5. 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, 949.481.1222, www.adelesanclementeinn.com.

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

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

302 Avenida De La Riviera San Clemente THIS IMMACULATE, CONTEMPORARY DESIGNED home, is located in Southwest San Clemente in heart of the Riviera District. Just a short walk (or golf cart ride) to one of the finest beach breaks in Southern California. This single story stunner is both open and private, offering gorgeous ocean and sunset views from the spacious roof deck. The modern, naturally sunlit floor plan flows from the wood-beamed great room to the upgraded kitchen. Perfect for entertaining! The spacious master suite is accented by a luxurious bathroom. There are two additional bedrooms within a separate wing of the home. The entry courtyard has been upgraded to include a stoned wall water feature as well as built in barbecue.

Cherie Hartman, REALTOR速 chartman@homgroup.com (949) 291-2900 CA BRE# 00579463

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SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

A Journey of Piece

Dickey added.

The two said they plan to host classes at Stevens’ residence in the next two months.

They also have been working with The Arts Project of Orange County.

Two San Clemente mosaic artists work toward foundation for schools

A mosaic by a community garden was put together with the help of Julie Dickey and Sandy Stevens.

Photo: Courtesy of Julie Dickey and Sandy Stevens

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE

P

atience and creativity are tenets of what it takes to create a 5-foot mural using tiny pieces of glass attached to a mold nearly the size of a human.

One such design is a surfboard completely covered in designs with 1-squareinch colored glass.

San Clemente mosaic artists Sandy Stevens and Julie Dickey have learned just how much concentration and planning it takes to create these colorful pieces.

“It’s not like we can just sit down and whip these out,” Stevens said. “It’s a challenge, but we love challenging ourselves.”

Small bead mosaic work is also a passion of the Sandy Stevens and Julie Dickey’s teamwork in mosaics. Photo: Eric Heinz

San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

Their ultimate goals, however, are higher than just making house decorations in a garage.

Through instructor Katherine England of Fullerton, the dyad gained the skills to produce a 5-foot mosaic that will be auctioned to benefit the All the Arts for All the Kids Foundation.

Both Stevens and Dickey want to establish a philanthropy similar to that for San Clemente schools and plan to do some outreach during the next month.

“All the Arts for All the Kids was created when the Fullerton School District lost major funding due to budget cuts,” Dickey said. “They provide extra money to the schools for visual arts, theater, music—all the things the schools don’t have additional funding for.”

Dickey said the auctions have raised $1.8 million for art programs in Fullerton.

“We finally have something where we can show what we did somewhere else, and now we want to bring that here,” Dickey said.

Additionally, Stevens and Dickey worked on murals near South Los Angeles and Orange County. The projects they helped with guided homeless people to put together the artwork on the walls around community gardens and as a result has helped people build a sense of accomplishment and get off the streets.

“They’re supporting themselves and they have a shop where they sell their artwork,” Stevens said.

“Art is very therapeutic, and when you’re not as talkative as some people, this gives you a way to express yourself,”

Mosaics Beginning Sandy said she began working with glass mosaic art about eight years ago as a way to do something constructive and take her mind off a health scare.

“I’ve always loved glass and mosaics and have been drawn to it,” Stevens said.

“I just started doing it and never looked back; it’s my go-to. I can stay up all hours of the night getting lost in it.”

Dickey said she also was in the midst of a “rough patch” in her life and found solace in piecing together the unique shards to make something identifiable and visually pleasing.

“It’s helped me focus on something else than what was going on, and I fell in love with the colors and all the different glass,” Dickey said.

The two met through Dickey’s husband about a year ago and discussed the craft for hours in a Lowe’s garden center.

Together they said they’ve collaborated on a couple dozen pieces.

“We don’t usually have one thing going at a time,” Dickey said. “We’re gathering impetus to get the next art show going.”

They said the peacock took about 24 hours a day worth of work for more than six weeks.

The Fullerton School District gave them the design for the substrate template, but most of the time they make their own molds, which can include fire hydrants, dogs, orbs, hearts, bear faces and more.

They also put together beaded mosaics.

The foam is molded and then three

The peacock mosaic heart will be donated during the All the Arts for All the Kids auction on April 16 to benefit Fullerton School District art programs. Julie Dickey, left, and Sandy Stevens want to start a similar arts foundation in San Clemente. Photo: Courtesy of Julie Dickey and Sandy Stevens

layers of mesh is put on top of the shape before the plaster is applied.

Intricate glass is not cheap—some of the square-foot designs can cost as much as $100, but typical glass costs about $8. The glass shards are randomly broken apart but for circular pieces they heat the materials above 775 degrees Fahrenheit and let heat and time take over.

Every piece of glass is cut and grinded to fit where it needs to go.

“You don’t draw each individual tile, but you cut the glass according to the color you want,” Dickey said.

The pieces look as though they’d weigh as much as three grown men, but because they’re all pasted to Styrofoam even the largest mosaics can be as light as 70 pounds. SC

Julie Dickey, left, and Sandy Stevens look through a slate of glass they will use for future artwork. The two have collaborated on large mosaic pieces for more than a year. Photo: Eric Heinz

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SC LIVING

Business Beat

GUEST OPINION: Wellness and Prevention by Susan Parmelee

Attention to Teenage Development is Critical to Their Well-Being

I

have met with more than one high school student who told me how difficult the social transition to high school was for them. One student said, “I showed up that first day, scared, only to find none of my close friends were in any of my classes.” Often the friends who have moved with your child from middle school to high school shift to other social groups and new activities, leaving your child feeling alone and left out. As a parent this hard to watch, and it can be even more difficult to keep yourself from trying to fix the situation for your child. Here are a few facts to help you understand the changes your child is facing and a few tips for supporting your child without alienating them.

I encourage parents and adults involved with teens to watch how amazing it can be and to marvel in all of the changes taking place. Teens are doing their best to figure out who they are and who they will be. Their WELLNESS AND adult life is all about their PREVENTION

By Susan relationships with peers, Parmelee and this can be a time of rapidly changing relationships—mainly separating from their parents and seeking support from their peers.

So, when do we become concerned about the teen who does not seem to have any close friends? It is a tricky question.

Although it is a natural human trait to need social connections, I have witnessed some very emotionally healthy kids who thrive on social independence, achieving goals and exhibiting excellent social skills.

It is important to help the teen feel like

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR Last week’s solution:

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Very easy San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

News from San Clemente’s business community

BY SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

10-Year Anniversary

nothing is wrong with them just because they are not fitting in the way they or you had envisioned. I recommend parents focus on activities and hobbies that raise their child’s self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. Participation in activities that raise competencies usually results in finding like-minded peers and has the added bonus of keeping a child away from risky activities they might try in order to fit in. San Clemente High School has a great number of school clubs that cover most teen interests.

If your child suffers from extreme shyness or true social anxiety, it may be time to seek professional help. Often groups that teach social skills are a good option for teens who are having difficulty navigating their social life. This allows the teen to realize other youth are experiencing social struggles while simultaneously solving problems with their peers. If your child asks for your advice, be a good listener; ask them what they have tried, if anything is working and how they think you can help. Most of all be patient and supportive, appreciate your teen’s strengths and acknowledge their struggles.

For more about adolescent brain development, I recommend “Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain”

by Daniel Siegel, Ph.D. Susan Parmelee is a mental health social worker and one of the founders of the Wellness & Prevention Center, San Clemente.

She can be reached at susan@wellnessandpreventionsanclemente.com. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SCTimes 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 SCTimes or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com

PARADISE JEWELERS 166 Avenida Del Mar 949.361.6661 www.paradisejewelers.com For nearly 10 years, Paradise Jewelers and Paradise II Boutique have been providing San Clemente customers with premium selections of jewelry and assortments.

Owner Rick Dunning and his wife, Debbie, have won the Golden Ole at Paradise Jewelers nine straight years as “Best Jeweler.”

The employees of Paradise Jewelers (L to R) Josh Gusse, Eon Kang, owner Rick Dunning and Randy Loeber. Photo: Eric Heinz

“It is an understatement to say we work hard for this recognition,” Rick said. “It takes six days a week and 10 hours a day to make this business what it is. Our staff (Josh, Randy and Eon) work very hard to meet our customer’s needs. Whether it is finding the perfect engagement ring, designing a special piece or repairing a broken ring, we do it all.”

Rick said his collection of watch brands is always expanding and changing.

“We provide full repair services for your current watches and jewelry,” he said.

“Watch batteries can quickly be replaced as well as the cleaning and polishing of your jewelry while you wait.” Rick said jewelry repairs are usually completed within two to four days.

“As most of our customers know, Debbie and I have been at this for 35 years now,” Rick said. “We opened our first store in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1980. In 2005, after 25 years in the same location, we sold our business to our loyal employees. We moved to San Clemente that year.”

Page 28

Rick and Debbie opened their first store in San Clemente in August 2006. That store was located on North El Camino Real. In 2008, the couple opened their second store, Paradise II Boutique, at 210 Avenida Del Mar. In August of 2014, Rick moved the El Camino store to 166 Avenida Del Mar. Debbie runs Paradise II, selling silver designer jewelry she said she obtains from around the world. Rick specializes in diamonds, gold, platinum, watches and coins at Paradise Jewelers, as well as performing all the repairs and custom work.

“From $1,000 bills to Babe Ruth Autographs, our collectibles are also very popular,” Rick said. “Our philosophy in our diamond store is simple: to provide our customers with the largest inventory at the lowest prices. We remain professional, honorable and straightforward in all our dealings with clients.’’

Rick said he enjoys working with a diverse collection of customers and that he is privileged to own a business on Del Mar. “We signed a long lease at this location and plan to be here for many years to come,” he said. “We are very thankful to all who voted for us this year. We also thank the San Clemente Times for providing the Ole Award contest. Thanks again for all of your support and trust. Please come visit us soon.”

Paradise Jewelers is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sundays.

Editor’s note: In the Best of San Clemente People’s Choice Ole Awards, the address of Paradise Jewelers was incorrect. The correct address is 166 Avenida Del Mar. Also, the winner and address of the winner of the Silver Ole was incorrect. The winner was Paradise II Boutique and the address is 210 Avenida Del Mar.

Debbie Dunning operates Paradise II at 210 Avenida Del Mar. She and her husband have been working in the jewelry industry for more than 35 years. Photo: Eric Heinz

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor

Got the Winter Garden Blues?

Get outside and plant bare root plants while you still have time

ou’ve worked diligently in your garden this past fall planning, preparing, pruning, planting and mulching, lying in wait for the glorious spring to showcase the fruits of your labor. With the work now done, it’s time to take a break and rest from your laborious efforts.

A gardener rest? Heck no! Say goodbye to the winter garden blues—it’s time to grab your gloves and mosey on over to your local nursery. This is the ideal time to stock up and save money on bare root trees, shrubs and rosebushes. But you DIRT THERAPY

By Marrianne better move quickly, as Taylor these hearty plants need to get into the ground during the cold days of January in order to thrive.

Y

If you are not familiar with bare root plants, they are deciduous plants that have been grown in the ground and dug up while in their dormant state. The soil is removed from the root, giving rise to the term “bare root.” Bare root plants come in a variety of flora, from trees to shrubs to roses—popular varieties include berries, artichokes, grapes, wisterias and strawberries. Fruit trees come in bare root form, saving you money and giving you an abundance of produce in the summer.

This is the perfect time to stock up on the varieties of plants that are readily available at half the cost.

What exactly is the process of uprooting and growing a bare root plant? After the plant is dug up, the top of the plant is pruned to a compact size and the roots are sized and pruned in balance with the top of the plant.

Plants are gently packaged in moist sawdust wrapped in paper or plastic or sold in bulk containers with damp planting mix.

Plants are sold online as well, but they’re best from the nursery so you can inspect the plant and root systems before bringing them home. One thing is for certain: once you’ve purchased your bare root plants, they need to be in the ground before the weather warms up. Sometimes February surprises us in south Orange County with a heat wave, so don’t wait.

Bare root plants are far more cost effective than a container plant, especially if your plans include a huge rose garden or a fruit orchard. If you purchase online,

bare root shipping costs are lower due to the size and weight of the plant. When purchasing from a local nursery, you can easily stack several packaged plants in the back of your vehicle. Most importantly, when buying a bare root plant, you can inspect the root system and ensure the roots are robust, well spread, undamaged and moist before purchasing.

The only disadvantage of bare root plants is that these small, pruned beauties-to-be may die due to improper or untimely planting. Our Southern California cool season has a small window of opportunity when planting with bare roots—it is best to plant in January and within the first few weeks of February. Remember, these same plants in a container can be planted all year, but you will pay almost triple the price or more.

SELECTING BARE ROOT PLANTS: 1. Make sure the plant is still dormant and doesn’t have too many newly sprouted leaves or stems on twigs.

2. Look for balanced placement of branches so the tree will grow evenly.

3. Make sure the root system is moist and not dried out. Check out the roots if it’s in a bulk bin.

4. When in doubt, ask for help at the nursery. Personnel are well trained and will guide you through the process.

PLANTING A BARE ROOT: 1. If you’re unable to plant the day of purchase, put your plants in a bucket of water in a cool shady place.

2. Follow the planting directions from the nursery or the plant manufacturer for success. Moving quickly with the cool temperatures is the key.

3. Check the soil weekly, making sure it’s is moist, not saturated. Also check that the plant hasn’t sunk below ground level, causing roots to drown and rot.

4. In the spring, give new plants light fertilizer.

If you have never enjoyed the many benefits of bare root gardening, you’re in for a huge treat. Your garden will produce copious fruit and flowers this summer and fall and for seasons to come.

Interested in gardening or growing your garden skills? A Free Smart Gardening Series begins Feb. 6 at Reata Park in San Juan Capistrano. Classes will be hosted

by Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens and taught by the UCCE Master Gardeners of Orange County. For more information, visit www.goinnative.net.

Marianne Taylor, of San Juan Capistrano, is the founder and executive director of Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens, a 501(c)(3) teaching gardening and life skills as a way of empowering, engaging and connecting people. SC

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the The Capistrano Dispatch 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Locals Only

BUSINESS DIRECTORY ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

2411 S. El Camino Real, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com

APPLIANCES

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

APPLIANCE SERVICES & REPAIRS

ASAP Appliance Service

3200 Legendario, 949.361.7713, www.asapapplianceservice.com

ART GALLERIES

San Clemente Art Association 100 N. Calle Seville, 949.492.7175, www.scartgallery.com

CHIROPRACTIC

Thompson Chiropractic

629 Camino De Los Mares, Suite 104, 949.240.1334, www.thompson-chiro.com

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

Schmid’s Fine Chocolate

99 Avenida Del Mar, 949.369.1052, www.schmidschocolate.com

CONCRETE

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

DENTISTS

Eric Johnson, D.D.S.

647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, www.drericjohnson.com

Shoreline Dental Studio Kristen Ritzau, DDS

122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.245.6046, www.shorelinedentalstudio.com

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

Organics Out Back

949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric

949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

FURNITURE

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

HAULING

Cheapest Hauling

Call Robert 949.973.6288

HOME DÉCOR

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

Capistrano Valley Raingutters Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

Hoover Construction 949.292.6778

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

YOUR BUSINESS HERE! Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100!

Write-up of 50 words with logo.

Four weeks in print and online.

Contact Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

166 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6661, www.paradisejewelers.com

LANDSCAPING

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

MATTRESSES

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

MORTGAGES

Brian Wiechman, Equity Coast Mortgage A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage 949.533.9209, www.equitycoastmortgage.com

MOTORCYLE PARTS & SERVICE

POOL SERVICE, REPAIR, REMODEL

Salon Bamboo

150 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. A, 949.361.3348, www.salonbamboo.com

Salon Bleu

207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, www.scsalonbleu.com

Syrens Hair Parlor

217 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. E, 949.361.9006, www.syrens.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

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

SECONDHAND/ CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

Radiant Pool & Spa Service

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

Lic # 985800, 949.290.5616, www.radiantpoolservice.com

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

SC Pool & Spa Works

1311 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.7665, www.scpoolworks.com

SWIMMING SCHOOL

Waterbabies Swim School

142 Avenida Granada, 949.488.2512, www.waterbabiesswimschool.com

REAL ESTATE

Marcie George Star Real Estate South County

949.690.5410, marciegeorge@cox.net

“Sandy & Rich” - ReMax

949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

RESTAURANTS

Café Calypso

ANNOUNCEMENTS SALONS

TERMITES

Colony Termite Control

1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com

WEBSITE DESIGN

114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

San Clemente Website Design

949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

SC Rider Supply

520 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.0521, www.scridersupply.com

MUSIC LESSONS

Danman’s Music School

949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

OFFICE FURNITURE

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD

1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com

WESTON ROWAN DINE OUT Please support local SCHS student Weston Rowan in his battle against leukemia. There will be a fundraiser February 17th from 5-8 PM at Ballpark Pizza.

25% of proceeds go towards medical expenses.

CLASSIFIEDS

Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

AUTOS FOR SALE MUST SELL!! SEATS SEVEN! NISSAN PATHFINDER 4X4 2009 Silver with black interior.

Bluetooth CD player with lan hookup. New Bilstein shocks.

K&N air filter. In great shape. $13,500/OBO 949-633-3860 2000 CHEVY PICKUP 4 cyl- auto- $2,000 OBO 1997 CHEVY PICKUP 4 cyl- auto- running- $500 OBO 949-350-2407

FOR SALE

LIST LOCALS ONLY

USE

SOLID LIGHT OAK ROLL TOP DESK WITH MATCHING SWIVEL CHAIR Approx. 48”L X 30”W and 45” H Asking $300 Contact Jerry 949 701-6102

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE!

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Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com.

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View online at www.sanclementetimes.com.

Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

WANTED STAMPS! Buying Large Postage Stamp Collections! Nick, 619-672-0434

SC n te S a n C le m e

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

San Clemente Times February 4–10, 2016

Page 33

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Triton Report For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the San Clemente High School winter sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

South Coast League title.

The first-place Wolverines (13-0-4, 4-0-1) distanced themselves from the secondplace Tritons (10-3-7, 3-1-2) with three games remaining on its schedule.

San Clemente kept hold of its secondplace standing following a 2-0 shutout of Capistrano Valley on the road on Feb. 2.

Sophia Ellis and Kira Nemeth each scored goals for the Tritons in the win.

San Clemente will travel to play Mission Viejo and host Dana Hills on Feb. 4 and Feb. 8, respectively.

National Signing Day Comes to San Clemente High School

Boys Soccer Takes Down Cougars

San Clemente High School held its National Signing Day ceremony on campus on Feb. 3 and 24 Triton student-athletes were scheduled to take part. Studentathletes from the sports of football, boys soccer, girls soccer and girls water polo were the only ones officially able to declare their college of choice that day.

There is another official signing period for the remaining sports in April.

Here is a list of the 24 Triton studentathletes that will continue their careers at the next level: Baseball: Neil (Andre) Pallante, UCI; Tanner Brubaker, Cal-Baptist Univ.

Swimming: Savannah DuPuis, BYU. Water Polo: Amber McCutcheon, San Jose State Univ.; Alaina Cousineau, USC. Volleyball: Cali Hoye, Univ. of Iowa; Marie Paris, UC San Diego; Camille Davey, Univ. of Nevada; Aaron Strange, USC. Lacrosse: Austin Boyer, Cleveland State.

Football: Tucker Scott, Univ. of Utah; Donté Harrington, Boise State Univ.; Cole Fotheringham, Univ. of Utah; Kevin Kling, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Diving: Haley Farnsworth, Stanford; Caleb Dixon, USC. Rowing: Savannah Hapsic, Northeastern Univ.

Soccer: Kenneth Higgins, Cal Poly SLO; Kira Nemeth, Westmont.

Softball: Melody Forstie, Cal-State San Marcos.

Golf: Isabella Seeburger, Univ. of Santa Clara; Olga Mihalik, College of St. Rose Tennis: Jay Yeam, Claremont McKenna.

Track and Field: Connor Dunne, Univ. of Colorado.

For a full re-cap of the day’s events, including a photo slideshow, visit www. sanclementetimes.com.

The San Clemente boys soccer team picked up an important win over firstplace Capistrano Valley on Jan. 29. Senior Barrett Croft netted home a first-half goal that proved to be enough as the Tritons held on for a 1-0 victory. The win kept San Clemente in the hunt for the South Coast League title.

Michael Saba assisted Croft on the goal against Capistrano Valley and the Tritons defense clamped down for its second consecutive shutout of a league opponent.

San Clemente (8-9-4, 3-2) will play two final games, against Mission Viejo and El Toro, to close out its regular season. The first-place Cougars (8-3-2, 3-1) have three games left on their schedule.

COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

Triton Hoops Eyes Third Straight League Title If the San Clemente boys basketball team is to wrap up its third consecutive league title this season, they will have to do it the hard way.

The Tritons (17-5, 5-0 league) were set San Clemente Times February 4 - 10, 2016

San Clemente guard Gage Shelmidine scored a game-high 23 points against Mission Viejo on Jan. 29.

Photo: KDahlgren Photography

Chargers Water Polo Edges Tritons in League Showdown

A host of San Clemente girls soccer plays swarm the ball against Aliso Viejo during a South Coast League match on Jan. 28. Photo: KDahlgren Photography

to host back-to-back league games against third-place El Toro and second-place Aliso Niguel on Feb. 3 and Feb. 5, respectively.

Results for the Tritons game against El Toro were not available at press time.

If they are to win outright, first-place San Clemente will have to navigate its way past the other top two contenders for the league hardware. The Tritons will earn the title outright if they win both contests.

A win and a loss during the two-game span would guarantee the Tritons at least a share of the title with one final league game against Dana Hills set for Feb. 11.

San Clemente ensured itself a seventh straight trip to the CIF-SS Championships following a 74-56 victory over Mission Viejo on Jan. 29. It was the fi fth win for the Tritons in league play, which guaranteed the team at least a third-place finish.

Senior guard Gage Shelmidine scored a game-high 23 points against Mission Viejo. Shelmidine knocked down four 3-pointers in the game and senior Dillon Waikle made five from beyond the arc on his way to scoring 20 points. Waikle also secured 10 rebounds in the win.

San Clemente surged its way past El Toro 70-57 in the team’s first meeting of the season on Jan. 15 and defeated Aliso Niguel 73-55 on Jan. 27.

Girls Soccer Loses Rematch With Aliso Niguel, Blanks Cougars The San Clemente girls soccer team lost to visiting Aliso Niguel 2-0 on Jan. 28 in a match that could ultimately decide the

Page 34

A late flurry of goals pushed the El Toro girls water polo team past San Clemente 9-5 in a South Coast League matchup on Jan. 30. The win wrapped up the league title for El Toro and leaves the Tritons in line to take second place.

El Toro held a slim 5-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but erupted for four goals in the final frame to take the win. Six different players scored goals for El Toro.

Amber McCutcheon led the Tritons with two goals and Alaina Cousineau recorded three assists and four steals.

Late Charge Leads Girls Basketball Team to Win The San Clemente girls basketball team overcame a halftime deficit against Laguna Hills on Feb. 2 en route to a 44-38 South Coast League victory.

San Clemente trailed the Hawks 21-17 at the half and rebounded with a 27-point second-half performance. The Tritons defense held Laguna Hills to just four points in the fourth quarter.

Senior Jessica Perry-Romero led San Clemente with 10 points and junior Amy Harris scored nine. San Clemente junior Emma Borie hauled in a team-high 10 rebounds. www.sanclementetimes.com

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Ace of the Antarctic Q&A with ultra-distance runner and Antarctic 100K winner Griff Griffith

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

G

riff Griffith only had two months to prepare his body for the grueling, frigid, Antarctic Ice 100K race.

The local ultra-distance runner had gotten word he would be accepted into the 62-mile race at the southernmost point on Earth in December of 2015. Race day was Jan. 20.

In order to prepare, Griffith waited until nightfall, when the temperatures were at their lowest, to take to the streets of San Clemente and Dana Point to get his weekly mileage in.

Griffith’s preparation and determination were tested on the frozen tundra of Antarctica, were temperatures ranged between 10 and 30-degrees below zero. Although placement in such ultra-distance runs are not something Griffith holds in high esteem, he values crossing the finish line just as much, he won the race. Griffith, 51, trekked the course in a winning time of 12:18.40.

The San Clemente Times caught up with Griffith via email days after his win.

San Clemente Times: How did you get started in the world of distance running?

Griff Griffith: I actually started running in college at BYU to help me manage the stress of the accounting program. I found that running was an incredible source of quiet time where I could think, pray and sort things out. I also discovered that I might have a little bit of a gift for distance running … (Eventually) I decided to start

San Clemente’s Griff Griffith celebrates at the finish line of the Antarctic Ice 100K race. Photo: Courtesy

running again to help pace a buddy of mine so that he could qualify for the Boston Marathon. After succeeding, I decided that I wanted to shoot for that same goal and qualify for an entry. Within a year or so and after a lot of serious training and critical support from my wife, Steffanie, we did it and I qualified. Eventually, I would run five Boston Marathons and then I became curious again, but this time it was about the budding sport of ultramarathons.

SCT: After you got a taste of ultra-distance running, what kept you coming back?

GG: The great thing about ultramarathons is that that everyone in the race is actually rooting for each other to finish. There is competitor comradery in the sport of ultra-marathon like no other adventure or endurance sport. Because ultra-marathons are any distance over 26.2 miles, it is a great accomplishment to just finish one of the these races, regardless

whether they are 50 miles, 62 miles, 100 miles or longer.

SCT: How do you prepare your body for such a long run?

GG: Most of my training occurs when normal people are sleeping! Because of my busy family and work life, I have found the best time for me to train is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. during the week and very early on Saturday morning. For Antarctica, I was limited to just over two months of training from the day that I got notice.

Normally, I would have preferred to train for at least six months for such a race. I decided that I needed to make my training runs long and then allow at least one day of recovery between runs. I averaged about 70 miles per week spread out over three to four runs per week. Running at night also helped to prepare for the cold weather that I would be facing near the South Pole and at least I could start getting used to running with more clothing.

I also made several trips to Big Bear and Park City, Utah where I would run up to 20 miles at a time in the coldest weather I could find.

SCT: Did anything unexpected happen once you got to the race site?

GG: When I first arrived, I decided to head out for a test run where I quickly and with great frustration discovered that my trail running shoes were not providing good traction. I found my body overheating due to the amount of layers I was wearing and my sunglasses were fogging up.

A few hours later, I decided to do another test run. Instead of using my snow treaded trail shoes, I switched to my street/road running shoes. . I reduced my clothing layers down from three to two layers and I parted ways with my super warm head mask and opted for a buff that would provide some protection to my head. There were absolutely no guarantees with the changes I made, but I was desperate to try and improve any of the factors from the first test run. It was going to be a game time decision and even a gamble.

SCT: That all paid off, apparently. What was the most enjoyable part of your race?

GG: One of my favorite parts of running this race was the serenity that I experienced out on the course. Prior to Antarctica, I don’t think that I had ever truly experienced “quiet”, and during much of the race, I found myself running on the ice and the only sound I could hear was from my beating heart and my lungs. This was a surreal experience and made me grateful to God for such an amazing creation and, ironically, for the ability he had given me to be able to run in such an incredibly unique and even mysterious place.

Running races for me is always a spiritual experience and I spend quite a bit of my running time praying, but the communication channels in Antarctica seemed clearer than I had ever experienced before. This is a feeling I will never forget. SC

Langland Takes Bronze at X Games, Joins Team U.S.A. COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

H

ailey Langland has quickly made a name for herself in the world of professional women’s snowboarding.

On the heels of being named Transworld Snowboarding Riders’ Poll 17 Women’s Rookie of the Year, the San Clemente native went on to capture even more national attention with a bronze-medal finish in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle at X Games Aspen on Jan. 29.

In just her second run during the Slopestyle finals at X Games, Langland pulled off a flawless run that earned her a score of 88.00. The X Games rookie capped off her run with a big cab 540 jump.

San Clemente Times February 4 – 10, 2016

Prior to entering X Games Aspen, Langland was pegged as one of six California natives to compete for the U.S. Youth Olympic Team at the upcoming Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway.

Hailey Langland.

Langland and Photo: U.S. Ski and Team USA will Snowboard Association head to Norway for the competition on Feb. 9. SC

San Clemente native Hailey Langland captured the bronze medal in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle at X Games Aspen on Jan. 29. Photo: U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

Page 36

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC SC SURF San Clemente

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

GROM OF THE WEEK

SURF FORECAST

HAGAN JOHNSON

Water Temperature: 55-58 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: San Clemente: 4-8’ Poor-Fair , Catalina: 8-14’ Poor-Fair

H

agan Johnson of San Clemente has been turning in some impressive performances in competition this winter, as well as lighting up the local breaks with his rapidly improving skills.

In December at the San Clemente Pier, he took home trophies in three divisions, winning both the Boys U14 and U16 divisions and taking third in Boys U18 at Western Surfing Association event No. 5. He followed that up in January at WSA event No. 6 in Oceanside, with two podium appearances, winning the Boys U18 division and earning a fourth-place trophy in Boys U16.

Also in January, Hagan had a great run at the Surfing America Prime event in big, challenging conditions in Santa Cruz at Steamer Lane. Although he narrowly missed the trophy rounds in both U14 and U16, his skilled surfing carried him through to the semifinals of both divisions of the highly competitive, invitation only event.

We look forward to watching Hagan continue to climb the ranks in WSA and Surfing America Prime, where he is currently ranked No. 12 in U14 and No. 16 in U16.

THURSDAY: Leftover NW swell mix provides kneewaist high surf for the better exposures of the county, with some occasional plus sets at winter standouts.

Favorable conditions as light offshore wind prevails in the morning, before a light to moderate onshore sea-breeze rises up over the afternoon. Note - water temps have dropped for many areas.

OUTLOOK: Selective WNW swell builds in Friday for some spots and continuing into the weekend.

Small SSW swell fills in Saturday. Wind continues to look favorable through the end of the work week, with light offshore winds in the morning. Check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

Hagan Johnson surfed his way into the semifinal rounds of both U14 and U16 at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz last month at Surfing America Prime event No. 4. Photo: Andrea Swayne

Highly dedicated to his sport, Hagan trains hard and practices often and at only 13 years old, his surfing skill belies his years, every time he paddles out to the lineup, whether in competition or free surfing.

—Andrea Swayne

RESULTS Soul Surf Series, Event No. 4, January 30, San Onofre State Park, Church Beach MICRO GROMS U7: 1. Caden Francis, 2. Hayden Suess, 3. Lennin Ferguson. MICRO GROMS U8: 1. Petey Romaniuk, 2. Caden Francis, 3. Jonas Hurley, 4. Brooks Montoya. MICRO GROMS U9: 1. Chase Niemann, 2.

Timmy Simmers, 3. Taylor Francis, 4. Caleb Everett, 5.

Zach Van Meter. BOYS U10: 1. Makai Bray, 2. Hudson Saunders, 3. Azure Trujillo, 4. Brady Hurley, 5. Timmy

Simmers. GIRLS U10: 1. Isabelle Kryger, 2. Annie Lopez, 3. Juliana Romaniuk. BOYS U12: 1. Bane Corbett, 2. Callan Emery, 3. Kadin Naber, 4. Ashton Saint. GIRLS U112: 1.

Caitlin Simmers, 2. Isabelle Kryger, 3. Jenna Clark, 4.

Hannah Dunfee. BOYS U14: 1. Kai McPhillips, 2. George Williams, 3. Xavier Math, 4. William Tex Mitchell. GIRLS U14: 1. Kalohe Danbara, 2, Noelle Walker, 3. Kennedy Hurley, 4. Tess Booth. BOYS U16: 1. William Tex Mitchell, 2. Kai McPhillips, 3. Carter Sieverts, 4. Max Beach. GIRLS U16: 1. Kalohe Danbara, 2. Tess Booth, 3. Lani Morales, 4.

Grace Gilles. BOYS U18: 1. Liam Murray, 2. Parker Swoish, 3. Chandler Sieverts, 4. Holden Geary. GIRLS U18: 1.

Elle Callen, 2, Grace Gilles, 3. Lauren Scribner. BOYS JUNIOR LONGBOARD: 1. Ricky Fodor, 2, Cole Thompson, 3. Jimmy Wynne, 4. Josh Hoffman. MEN U30: 1. Cody Canzoneri, 2. Parker Swoish, 3. Levi Gregory, 4. Kieran Anderson. MEN 30+: 1. Paul Pugliesi, 2. Jeff Jessee, 3.

Brent Jessee, 4. Don Saunders.

Scholastic Surf Series, OC High School, Event No. 3, January 24, Huntington Beach, Pier TEAM: Laguna Beach High School, 66, def. Santa Margarita Catholic High School, 16; JSerra Catholic High School, 45, def. El Toro High School, 5; St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, win, bye. MEN: 1. Jake Levine, Laguna Beach; 2. Liam McCue, Laguna Beach; 3. Noah North, Laguna Beach; 4. Zach Levine, Laguna Beach; 5. Sebastian DeLaFuente, JSerra; 6. Jet North, Laguna Beach. MEN LONGBOARD: 1. Ryan Mesiberger, Laguna Beach; 2.

Garrett Kuntz, St. Margaret’s; 3. Gaal Shonfeld, Laguna Beach; 4. Jameson Roller, Laguna Beach; 5. Austin Locke, St. Margaret’s; 6. Nick Coppola, JSerra. WOMEN: 1.

Kelly Smith, St. Margaret’s; 2. Ayla Fox, St. Margaret’s; 3. Destiny Rae Thompson, Laguna Beach; 4. Anika Pitz, Laguna Beach. WOMEN LONGBOARD: 1. Anika Pitz, Laguna Beach; 2. Lola Fisher, Laguna Beach; 3. Chantz Norris, St. Margaret’s; 4. Chloe Norris, St. Margaret’s.

COED BODYBOARD: 1. Travis Booth, Laguna Beach; 2.

Ryder Montano, JSerra; 3. Bailey Kotez, Santa Margarita; 4. Baxter Marcus, St. Margaret’s.