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Five things San Clemente should know this week
NRC Expects Full Report on SONGS Canister before Thanksgiving
THE LATEST: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) hosted a webinar on Thursday, Nov. 8, providing more details about the Aug. 3 canister incident at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) and the courses of action going forward.
During the loading process of the spent nuclear fuel canisters at SONGS on Aug 3, one canister got snagged on an outer ring of the repository, causing detected elevated levels of radiation in the area and causing one of the two redundant straps that load the spent fuel to lose tension. The fear from officials and concerned residents was that the canister could have dropped 18 feet, damaging it and causing an extremely unsafe environment.
Both the NRC and a San Diego County analysis conducted by its senior health physicist reported that the incident never created an unsafe situation, despite the procedural deficiencies that led to the incident.
Two preliminary violations have been registered with the NRC pertaining to the incident: the canister incident itself and that Southern California Edison (SCE), the owners of the plant, did not report the incident in a timely fashion. Those two violations could be elevated from a baseline infraction.
“…Apparent causes are lack of adequate training and lack of oversight for the activities. Some of the corrective actions that SONGS will do are training requirements procedures and equipment enhancements,” said Eric Simpson, the NRC’s special inspection team leader on the incident of the Region IV fuel cycle and decommissioning branch, during the webinar. “SONGS is also looking to perform improvements in oversight and SONGS must fully assess these corrective actions before storage resumes.”
Simpson said during the canister load, there was not sufficient supervision, possibly someone wasn’t paying close enough attention to the alignment of the canister, and that likely contributed to it snagging on the outer ring.
SCE stated in a press release that it will
comply with the NRC’s instructions.
“The special inspection process, along with SCE’s own in-depth review, has been extremely helpful in strengthening fuel transfer operations. SCE’s findings, developed through rigorous evaluations, match many of the commission’s findings,” the release stated. “SCE looks forward to reviewing the final special inspection report when it’s completed and continuing discussions with the commission.”
SCE continued by saying the drop analysis an independent analyst conducted validates its canister’s integrity and would not have been breached if a drop occurred.
“SCE will not re-start spent fuel transfer operations until satisfied all corrective actions are in place and proven effective, the public has been briefed, and the commission has completed its onsite inspection actions,” SCE stated.
SCE stopped storing spent nuclear fuel after it loaded the 29th canister of the 73 it expects to harbor onsite at the offline nuclear power plant. There are 51 canisters in horizontal storage that have been housed onsite in AREVA-made storage units.
“Each licensee must demonstrate the ability to retrieve (the spent nuclear fuel) and put it back in the cooling pools if available. And they must be able to cut open a canister to be able to inspect the contents inside,” Simpson said during the webinar. “Holtec has demonstrated that they can cut open a canister.”
WHAT’S NEXT: NRC officials said they expect the full report to be published before Thanksgiving. Per a settlement agreement that concluded last year, SONGS has a California Coastal Commission requirement to inspect the condition of the spent nuclear fuel canisters in November 2020. The officials who spoke during the webinar said the NRC does have a petition process in place if people want to petition for more regulations. More information can be found at www.nrc.gov.
The next Community Engagement Panel public meeting is at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, located at 25925 Camino Del Avion. Visit www.songscommunity. com for information.
Councilmember Steve Swartz, the city’s liaison to SONGS’ Community Engagement Panel, reemphasized his effort to compel officials to install real-time radiation monitoring with results that can be viewed by the public.
“I’ve been hammering that now for six months, but we don’t seem to be getting the message across yet,” Swartz said during the Wednesday, Nov. 7, city council meeting. “As you see in the report, the slippage didn’t create that much of an issue and didn’t put us at risk, but it’s not impossible that it could have. The point is, it shouldn’t have taken a month and a half and an employee saying to get this out to the public.”
Swartz said based on his best guess, the spent nuclear fuel isn’t going anywhere “anytime soon.” —Eric Heinz
OC Special Spokes Receives Grant from SC Rotary, Brings Fitted Bikes to Children with Special Needs
THE LATEST: Orange County Special Spokes, a Dana Point-based charity that provides fitted bikes for children with special needs, made a presentation to the San Clemente Rotary Club earlier this year. According to Special Spokes volunteer Don Glasgow, the organization showed Rotarians how to support a few local children with special needs with adaptive tricycles through the use of some grant money from the organization.
“We received a grant for $3,600 that we will apply to the purchase of a few tricycles for these kids,” Glasgow said. “This is the third consecutive year they have honored us with a grant of this kind.”
Orange County Special Spokes is a chapter of AMBUCS, Inc., a national nonprofit organization. “We, through them, are dedicated to providing affordable adaptive tricycles to individuals with special needs through fundraising and community events,” Glasgow said. “The volunteer members of our organization are made up primarily of physical and occupational therapists that perform the initial bike evaluation fittings. Then the tricycles are ordered. Upon receipt, it’s our responsibility to assemble them. Then the kids are called back for a final fitting and delivery of their personal tricycles. From that point on, let the fun begin.”
WHAT’S NEXT: A year-end trike giveaway usually takes place sometime in December, Special Spokes volunteers said. For more information about OC Special Spokes, email ocspeccialspokes@gmail. com. —EH
TCA Set to Begin Environmental Report Process, Will Examine All Alternatives
THE LATEST: Environmental studies related to the toll road and traffic alleviation proposals set forth by the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are about to get underway.
The Foothill/Eastern Corridor Agencies, one of the two branches of the TCA governing body, held a special meeting on Thursday, Nov. 8, in which the board voted to approve contracts to conduct environmental studies along routes where eight
(Cont. on page 5)
OC Special Spokes recently received a grant from the San Clemente Rotary Club, money that will be used to fund the bicycles they provide to children with special needs. Photo: Courtesy of OC Special Spokes
Catching Fires on Camera
ALERTWildfire to install remote panoramic detection system of wildland fires
BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
California has broken its deadliest and most destructive wildland fire records two years in a row.
To try to catch wildland fires before they become uncontrollable, ALERTWildfire, a project that establishes panoramic cameras showing live surveillance, will install at least one of its cameras on the San Clemente ridgeline to track fires in the city’s backcountry.
San Clemente escaped with minimal damage in June 2017 when a wildland fire came within arm’s reach of the eastern residential areas. The fire that started on Camp Pendleton burned more than 700 acres in the matter of a day, which is tiny considering what’s happened north of Orange County but frightening as to how close it came.
The program was launched by California
(Cont. from page 3)
proposals for traffic alleviation have been mapped.
The board approved $3 million for LSA Associates, Inc. to provide “environmental services in support of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Project Approval/Environmental Document” (PA/ED) Phase” and $2 million to Fehr & Peers for “traffic modeling and technical services in support of the Caltrans PA/ED Phase,” with both contracts lasting five years. The board originally was scheduled to appropriate $16 million for the services, including a $1.5 million supplemental fund that could be used without board approval.
The eight proposals would include:
Idea 9
• Connect Ortega Highway and Antonio Parkway to Avery Parkway and SR-73
Idea 11
• Add I-5 general-purpose lanes from I-405 to San Diego County line
Idea 12
• Add I-5 HOT lanes from I-405 to San Diego County line
Idea 13
• Connect SR-241 to I-5 via the Western Alignment (local connection at La Novia Avenue)
Idea 14
• Connect SR-241 to I-5 via La Pata Avenue crossing (local connection at Avenida Pico)
Idea 17
• Connect SR-241 to I-5 via Shorecliffs (local connection at Avenida Vaquero)
Idea 18
• Connect SR-241 to SR-73 and
University-San Diego’s (UCSD) McKay School of Earth Science and Engineering in collaboration with San Diego Gas & Electric and two other universities.
At the Nov. 7 San Clemente City Council meeting, OCFA Fire Battalion Chief Brian Norton presented the city with the application for leasing a site to construct the camera, which was unanimously approved.
“You drop a pin on the fire map, and it pulls in the weather data and where (the fire) is and where it’s going,” Norton said. “The accuracy of it is remarkable, and if you have something happening on the east, you’ll be able to predict when and where the fire will go. It makes evacuations easier and more effective.”
ALERTWildfire expects to have dozens of more cameras established in the area in the near future. The camera in San Clemente will be operational by the end of the year.
extend Crown Valley Parkway to SR-241
Idea 21 • Connect SR-241 to La Pata and terminate there with adding lanes to La Pata
Some board members at the meeting said the TCA shouldn’t examine alternatives it isn’t planning to take seriously in the next phases. TCA staff members said that all alternatives should be looked at per the environmental review process.
But San Clemente representatives are still questioning whether the TCA has the authority to propose these roads through the city, as Orange County Transportation Authority oversees county transportation in collaboration with Caltrans, the state agency.
WHAT’S NEXT: San Clemente city officials on Saturday, Nov. 17, will set up the video comment booth at the Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville, for people to comment on the TCA’s Project Study Report-Project Development Support document that was available at a recent forum. Check www.san-clemente.org for times. The TCA expects to have its DEIR completed by sometime in 2020. —EH
State Lands Commission Finishes Draft Environmental Report on Wheeler North Reef Expansion
THE LATEST: The California State Lands Commission (CSLC) on Tuesday, Nov. 13, announced that it had completed its draft
You may remember Neil Driscoll, Ph.D., from his lectures last year about seismological features near San Onofre. He also works with the ALERTWildfire program out of UCSD.
Driscoll said there are cameras that are already able to pan over San Clemente
environmental impact report (DEIR) on the expansion of the Wheeler North Reef and will solicit comments from the public through Dec. 28.
The reef is an artificial environmental mitigation construct that’s meant to offset the impacts from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). It’s about 174 acres underwater, about a half-mile off the shore of San Clemente and San Diego County. But the reef has to meet certain thresholds in order to gain mitigation credits, and one important category, fish stock, has never reached that goal according to measurements from 2008.
In order to meet those goals, Southern California Edison, the company that runs SONGS, will expand the reef to more than twice its size. The plan is to have more fish living in and around the reef in order to provide adequate habitation.
Most of the reef expansion is planned to the north, almost to Dana Point.
WHAT’S NEXT: To read the 400-plus-page DEIR, visit www.slc.ca.gov and find the link to the document at the bottom right side of the homepage. Comments on the DEIR can be sent to ceqa.comments@ slc.ca.gov or mailed to Sarah Mongano at California State Lands Commission, 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100-South Sacramento, CA 95825. —San Clemente Times
City Council Meeting Recap
THE LATEST: The San Clemente City
through the program, but the lease agreement for another camera will give the city eyes in the back of its head.
“You’re going to have this view shed of the county. It allows first-responders (to have) better detection and situational awareness,” Driscoll said.
The cameras that are used are pan-tilt zoom access cameras, and Driscoll said they’ve developed software to allow for remote server control. First-responders and firefighters can scan the area for any points of initiation, which is helpful when dealing with fires in dry regions.
Driscoll said as long as environmental conditions continue on the current trend, these types of fast-moving fires will be frequent.
“We’re on an escalator. There’s no new normal,” he said. “We don’t know how steep that escalator is going to be.”
People will be able to see real-time surveillance of the San Clemente camera by the end of the year at www.alertwildfire.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The HPWREN cameras established in the county and throughout California and ALERTWildlife cameras are two separate entities but do work on each other’s network from time to time, according to Driscoll. SC
Council addressed a few items at its unusual Wednesday night meeting last week, moved a day later to allow the election to take place.
A late-meeting item brought forth by Mayor Tim Brown looked to examine the possibility of establishing a severance package for executive employees of the city, but not much was explained on the matter or why it was brought up. It’s likely the item will find its way on the Nov. 20 meeting agenda.
City council approved to suggest to the next councilmembers, who should be appointed by Dec. 7, to examine the possibility of establishing a ballot measure for the 2020 election that would change the city clerk and treasurer positions from elected to appointed.
The city council may at its Nov. 20 meeting discuss the possibility of applying for grants for bicycle trails along El Camino Real from Avenida Mendocino to about the Carl’s Jr. (Cristianitos), as Councilmember Chris Hamm said during the meeting that an extension of the bike trails would give the city more contiguous bike lanes.
The Point in Time Study, which takes count of the homeless population, will be conducted on Jan. 23 by City Net, a nonprofit organization contracted by the county of Orange. People can sign up to volunteer for the Point in Time count at www.citynet.org.
WHAT’S NEXT: The next city council meeting will take place on its regularly scheduled Tuesday night at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20. —EH
A camera used by ALERTWildfire gives firefighters and first-responders the ability to see wildland fires miles away. Photo: Courtesy of ALERTWildfire
NEWS BITES
Casa Classic: Redwood Tango Ensemble
Redwood Tango Ensemble, performing at Casa Romantica on Thursday, Nov. 29, produces cutting-edge world music. The sextet ensemble blends tango with chamber music, modern jazz and new music genres to create a dynamic, genre-bending sound, according to Casa officials.
Based in Oakland, Redwood Tango Ensemble holds musical celebrity status in the Bay Area’s world music scene, with more than 100 performances each year. They tour the U.S. and Canada annually and served as the 2017 Ensemble-in-Residence for Tango Sin Fin’s compositional program in Portland, Oregon. The group has also been awarded scholarships for Tango Para Músicos in 2017 and won the 2016 MGP grant from San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music to support new original compositions.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29 in the Main Salon of Casa Romantica, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. Tickets: $25 general admission, $20 for members. Limited free surface parking is available. Wine will be available for suggested $5 per glass at the cash donation bar. www.casaromantica.org.
Sunrise Rotary Food Drive Continues
For the 24th year, San Clemente Sunrise Rotary will collect food donations from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Nov. 17 and 18 at Ralphs grocery store in the Ocean View Plaza, 638 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente. Sunrise Rotary partners with Family Assistance Ministries (FAM), Laura’s House Shelter for Women and Children and Camp Pendleton Marines to provide the meals to families in their networks. The collected food (over 11,000 pounds) has annually fed approximately 2,800 people. Additionally, Ralphs allows the club to collect the food outside the store, and the Volare, 111 S. Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente, provides a collection point to box, package, label and distribute the meals.
For more information, visit www.scsunriserotary.org.
Holiday Gifts 2/4 Adopted Marine Corps Unit
Gifts for the families of Marine children ages 1 to 15 years old can be donated at the red bins in the following locations: City Hall, 910 Calle Negocio, first floor
lobby; San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville; Vista Hermosa Sports Park, 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa; and the Ole Hanson Beach Club, 105 West Avenida Pico. Contact 949.498.4958 or www. marinemonument.com for more information. Cash donations are tax deductible at www.marinemonument.com.
FAM Holiday Dinner
Family Assistance Ministries’ (FAM) annual community Thanksgiving dinner helps provide a warm meal for those in need each year. The dinner takes place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville. People can help support the dinner by donating prepared dishes such as cooked turkeys (bring in a large disposable aluminum container); side dishes including mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, yams, veggies, mac & cheese, bread/ rolls & butter; and pies and other desserts (bring in a disposable container). Supplies (knives, forks, spoons, disposable coffee cups, disposable containers, etc.) also can be donated. No Styrofoam.
To sign up to bring a dish, contact Michelle Allen michellea@family-assistance. org or call 949.492.8477, ext. 115. Food needs to be delivered on Wednesday, Nov. 21. Turkeys between 3-4 p.m. All other dishes can arrive between 3-5 p.m.
Sign up for No-Burn Day Air Alerts
South Coast Air Quality Management District launched its annual Check Before You Burn program, which comes after what it described as “a hot and smoggy summer and a record-high 33 no-burn days last winter.”
The seasonal air pollution prevention program extends from Nov. 1 through
Feb. 28, 2019. During this four-month period, residents living in the South Coast Air Basin, including all of Orange County and the non-desert areas of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, are asked to help improve Southern California’s air quality by not burning firewood on designated no-burn days.
A no-burn day is a 24-hour ban on wood-burning in a fireplace, stove or outdoor fire pit across the South Coast Air Basin. When a no-burn day is in effect, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air is forecast to reach unhealthy levels due to air pollution and stagnant weather conditions.
The district asks residents to take the pledge to Check Before You Burn by signing up for Air Alerts at www.airalerts. org to receive an email notification in advance of every no-burn day. Residents can also call 866.966.3293 for daily Check Before You Burn information.
Second Annual Pet Food Drive
The San Clemente /Dana Point Animal Shelter is hosting the second annual Pet Food Drive through Nov. 21. Donations of treats, dry/canned food for our dogs, cats and other small critters are welcomed. You may drop off donations at the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter, located at 221 Avenida Fabricante. Business hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, noon-3 p.m. on Sunday and closed on Monday. www.petprojectfoundation.org.
Have something interesting to submit to our News Bites section? Submissions are due by 10 a.m. the Monday of the week you’d like published. Email eheinz@picketfencemedia.com
Community Meetings
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
SC EXCHANGE CLUB MEETING Noon. San Clemente Exchange Club meets on most Thursdays at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course. Wedgewood Restaurant. 150 E. Avenida Magdalena. 949.412.6301. www.exchangeclubsc.org.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
10-11:30 a.m. A faith-based cancer support group for patients, survivors and caregivers to help people whose lives have been affected by cancer. Heritage Church Fellowship, 190 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente. 949.361.1022. www.heritagesc.org.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
SUNRISE ROTARY
7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Club Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega. www.scsunriserotary.com.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
6 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will host its regularly scheduled meeting. 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org.
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (BILY) MEETING
6:30-8:30 p.m. Meets every Tuesday. Because I Love You (BILY) helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. www.bilysc.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, NOVEMBER 21
KIWANIS SAN CLEMENTE
Noon. Kiwanis San Clemente meets on most Wednesdays. Fratello’s Italian Restaurant, 647 Camino De Los Mares No. 126, San Clemente. www.sanclementekiwanis.com.
Redwood Tango Ensemble will perform at Casa Romantica on Thursday, Nov. 29. Photo: Courtesy of Casa Romantica
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San Clemente Times Vol. 13, Issue 46. The SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (www. danapointtimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www. thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
CoastLines by
Fred Swegles
San Clemente’s Wild 1993
If you think this year has been a wild ride in San Clemente—public safety debates, toll road, nuclear waste, rehab industry, lawsuits against city, crime, fire dangers, homelessness—you might find some consolation recalling what the town went through more than three decades ago.
A few weeks ago, just for fun, this column revisited San Clemente 35 years ago, in 1983. I received an outpouring of responses from readers who enjoyed the flashback, rekindling memories and realizing how little, or how much, things have changed.
As I wrote that column, I knew going in that 1993 had actually been a wilder news year for San Clemente. See how many of these items from my archives you remember. Fasten your seat belt.
1993
On New Year’s Day, a man was struck and killed by a train. The same day, a man drowned in a diving accident. Barely a week later, a San Clemente High School student was charged with beating a man to death in Laguna Beach.
On Jan. 16, torrential El Niño rains overflowed a storm drain channel, destroying an El Camino Real motel and restaurant. On Feb. 22, a landslide destroyed five San Clemente homes, burying Pacific Coast Highway and the railroad in mud. The railroad reopened within days. Reopening PCH would take two years.
Letters to The Editor
TOLL ROAD PROPOSALS
DON’T MAKE SENSE
TONY HAYS, San Clemente
At the Toll Road Town Hall meeting held on Oct. 24 at the Community Center auditorium, representatives of the IBI Group, who had performed a traffic analysis for South Orange County for the year 2040 under contract to the City of San Clemente, presented results of their study. They showed that the potential Route 241
In February, a bleak financial outlook led to a City Council decision to disband the police department and save money by contracting with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. A resident backlash ensued, but a recall attempt and a voter initiative drive failed.
The landmark Bartlett Building at Del Mar and El Camino Real was gutted by fire.
A historical museum opened at Casa Romantica as a sidelight to the landmark’s wedding business, operated privately under a lease with the city.
Five youths were injured in a brawl among suspected gang members at Linda Lane Beach.
The city launched curbside recycling.
The city, having canceled its July 4 fireworks show due to money woes, was bailed out by the San Clemente Ocean Festival organization. The show went on. The day was marred by a drive-by shooting nearby, in a confrontation between suspected gang members.
The City Council ordained that property owners are responsible for public sidewalks outside their home or business.
Protests from business owners in the Los Molinos industrial district turned back a city proposal to rezone and revamp the neighborhood.
A man leaving his place of work was beaten and stabbed by people who
suspected he had links to a San Juan Capistrano gang.
Two skateboard accidents, one of them fatal, stunned the community.
Wildfires skirted but spared San Clemente.
The year’s most tragic incident, on Oct. 15, saw 17-year-old Steven Woods impaled in the head by a metal paint roller rod, hurled into a car at Calafia Beach. His death after 26 days in a coma led to anti-gang sweeps, six youths incarcerated, grief that traumatized families of the victims and families of the accused, calls for community unity, gang prevention outreach and an anti-violence movement.
A teen was wounded in the knee when struck in a drive-by shooting on Halloween night at Max Berg Plaza Park. A Nov. 4 drive-by shooting along Camino de los Mares wounded a teen in the chest and abdomen.
A man drowned, evidently having jumped from the Pier.
Plans to establish a Metrolink commuter rail station at North Beach were approved.
Introduction of freeway ramp meters drew unhappiness from drivers.
An SCHS student died after being shot in the chest while sitting in a car in Capistrano Beach.
A man was found hanged in a San Clemente woman’s condominium, evidently from a heart attack during sexual bondage activities.
Fred Swegles is a longtime San Clemente resident with more than 46 years of reporting in the city. 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
toll road extension would have a negligible effect on overall traffic relief in the area.
This would have been a good opportunity for the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) representatives on the panel to dispute the IBI Group’s analysis, but they didn’t even make an effort. The IBI report used the Orange County Transportation Authority’s own traffic forecast numbers, so it would be pointless to try.
Yet the TCA is plowing ahead with a $2 billion project that will never make money and destroy the City of San Clemente in the process. They don’t even pretend that the toll road extension will provide significant traffic relief. The toll road extension will, however, serve as a lasting monument to the TCA’s arrogance and self-interest. Politicians love to have their names attached to
anything made of concrete, so if the toll road extension were to be built, it would be fitting for the City of San Clemente to erect a small monument with a prominent brass plaque somewhere on Avenida Del Mar, listing the names of those TCA board members who voted for the extension, and those who opposed it, so that future generations would know who was responsible for this monstrosity.
THE
ELECTION
ISN’T
OVER CORD BAUER, San Clemente
You don’t need to look to Arizona or Florida to see election issues that have not been resolved. There are two very big
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COASTLINES
By Fred Swegles
GUEST OPINION: Wavelengths by Jim
Kempton
Affliction of Affluence: Do We Struggle with Too Much More than Too Little?
For most of human existence, societies have struggled with a consistent set of challenges: how to avoid famine, evade deadly disease and secure their safety. People hoped to live to a ripe old age of 40 and prayed death would be sudden rather than agonizing.
But since the mid-20th century, America has turned this set of equations upside down. Today, we harvest bumper crops with surplus to feed the world. We live in safe, clean, well-lit neighborhoods free from disease or imminent outside aggression. Our expected lifespan has doubled from just two centuries ago, now pushing nearly 80.
Ironically, the very abundance with
WAVELENGTHS
By Jim Kempton
which we have been blessed now may challenge us the most. Obesity, health care costs, the Social Security and Medicaid crisis, drug addiction, illegal immigration and unrelenting traffic are among our most serious problems. Cheap, plentiful food, with our propensity to eat in restaurants, has resulted in such huge meal portions with such fattening ingredients that over 30 percent of our citizens have become obese. For $10 in America, you can order more food in one meal than you need to eat in a weekend.
Our Social Security crisis is primarily created by our lifespans. When the program started, people lived only a few years after 65. Now, we often live to be octogenarians. As our life expectancy continues to increase, the years we collect Social Security follow suit, driving our expenditures beyond currently sustainable levels.
And, of course, living longer means we need more health care, more late-life expensive treatments and more long-term assistance. A 2011 UCLA medical study found that 25 percent of all Medicare expenses occur in our last six months of life.
With plenty of money for research and production, not to mention enormous
profits made by pharmaceutical companies and drug cartels, drugs (legal and illegal) are cheap and plentiful, multiplying the number of prescriptions, abuse and side effects. Kids used to die from diseases we have eliminated from our world—cholera, polio, small pox. Today, they die from abundantly available drugs—opioids, methamphetamines, cocaine.
There is an unfortunate byproduct of our cornucopia of plenty. Without discipline, social responsibility and an iron will to do the hard things when necessary, we find ourselves chained to a new set of predicaments—the affliction of affluence. Jim Kempton is an enthusiastic proponent of the Wellness & Prevention Center Foundation, www.wpc-oc.org a local nonprofit helping to stem the tide of addiction and provide services for at-risk youth in our community. Please support its efforts. SC
(Cont. from page 8)
issues still in front of San Clemente.
First, OC Weekly published an article on Nov. 2 that contained one lie after another about then-candidate Dan Bane. It was all false, and OC Weekly removed the story and apologized to Dan profusely. Here’s the problem—they confirmed that their single source came from within San Clemente City Hall, but the source is still not known.
This article was meant for one thing only—to keep Dan Bane off the council. That’s staggering, considering where the source came from. Was this discussed during the last city council meeting? No.
Put on the agenda? No. All we know is that Councilmember Kathy Ward was one of the first to link to the article on social media, and one of the last to take it down. As of this writing, I don’t think she’s even apologized for her action/non-action.
Second, at the very end of the last city council meeting—when most of the audience had left—Mayor Tim Brown floated an idea to put in place severance package guidelines for executive employees of the city and to make sure that they become enacted before the new councilmembers are seated. Visit YouTube and enter “San Clemente City Council November 7th” and scroll to hour 1:52:40 to see the discussion.
Dan Bane and Laura Ferguson were elected to address some major issues within the city, especially regarding our city manager and assistant city manager. There’s been huge employee turnover, allegations of misuse of funds and abuse of employees. Now, in addition to their current severance package, it appears that Tim Brown, Chris Hamm and Kathy Ward may want to sweeten the deal.
Laura Ferguson pushed for a “sunshine ordinance” like our neighboring cities now have. Residents will know what’s going on, because it all happens in the open.
Until there are sunshine laws, please pay attention. Your votes and your tax dollars are being marginalized.
STOPPING VIOLENCE BEGINS WITH LEADERSHIP
RON
HERBERT, San Clemente
Our lawmakers need to address the all-too-common occurrence of violence in this country. I suggest we begin with a comprehensive PTSD care program, not just for veterans but for anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. I suggest this care should be of no cost to the person in need. Secondly, common-sense gun laws should be enacted. I feel this can be done while still respecting the Second Amendment if our lawmakers stop acceding to the demands of the NRA and if the public would stop the vitriol and begin thinking of what is best for our country
and not just themselves individually. The secret, just like everything in life, is compromise. Someone in our federal government needs to develop the courage to lead the way. That person, if he or she can be found, will be revered as a national hero. It is our only hope.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to eheinz@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. San Clemente Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Limit your letters to 350 words or less. Please send with your valid email, phone number and address for verification by staff. Your address and phone number will not be published.
This week’s guest will be City Councilmember-elect Laura Ferguson, who will speak about various issues within the city. 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.
GETTING OUT SC
YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER
The List
What’s going on in and around town this week
HAVE AN EVENT?
Submit it to San Clemente Times by going to www.sanclementetimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.
Thursday | 15
FREE YOGA FOR MILITARY VETERANS
San Clemente’s pure.love.yoga will partner with the “Free Yoga for Vets Project” throughout November, inviting military veterans and active duty personnel to any class offered for free. The offer runs Nov. 1-30. Pure.love.yoga. 415 E. Avenida Pico, San Clemente. 949.492.5048. www.pureloveyogasc.com.
CASINO JAZZ SERIES
6 p.m. The Ordiano Brothers will perform, featuring vocalist Norrell Thompson, Leider Chapotin on trumpet, Ruben Ordiano on drums and Carlos Ordiano on organ. Latin Jazz. Dinner is $15 pre-order, and music tickets are $10 at the door. Casino San Clemente, 140 W. Avenida Pico. 949.369.6600. www.thecasinosanclemente.com.
Friday | 16
‘THE GAME’S AFOOT’ AT CABRILLO PLAYHOUSE
7:30 p.m. Mystery lovers, take note. The Cabrillo Playhouse presents a thriller in The Game’s Afoot, which takes place in
EDITOR’S PICK
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17: TREE LIGHTING AT OUTLETS AT SAN CLEMENTE
4-6:30 p.m. Outlets at San Clemente will host their fourth annual lighting of the Christmas tree, an event that attracts hundreds of people at its main court. Hosted by Santa and his reindeer, the event features a live reindeer meet-and-greet, roaming Christmas carolers, hot cocoa, photo booth, crafts, face-painting, balloon animals and the Grand Finale: the lighting of the 80-foot fresh-cut tree as “snow” falls over San Clemente. A menorah lighting at the Outlets will take place Dec. 9. 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, Suite 190, San Clemente. 949.535.2323. www.outletsatsanclemente.com.
a medieval castle, built over 100 years ago in Connecticut by Williams Gillette, who stars in this show. He was an actor who co-wrote Sherlock Holmes with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and also portrayed him on stage. The play takes place on a fateful Christmas Eve when an evening of revelry turns into a murder scene. The show runs through Dec. 2. Tickets are $20. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida
Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.492.0465. www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.
Saturday | 17
SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE
9-11 a.m. The car show attracts hundreds of car enthusiasts each week. No registration is required and spectators are wel-
come. Outlets at San Clemente, 101 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. www.southoccarsandcoffee.com.
PUMPKIN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
11 a.m. Create a beautiful floral arrangement for Thanksgiving dinner. Learn flower arrangement tips and tricks as well as enjoy the beautiful golf course
(Cont. on page 15)
Photo: Courtesy of Kait McKay Photography
(Cont. from page 12)
views at Bella Collina San Clemente. Feel free to treat yourself to brunch from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. A portion of your ticket price will go to South County Outreach. Must pre-register. Bella Collina San Clemente, 200 Avenida La Pata. 949.291.7770. www.bellacollinasanclemente.com.
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR LECTURE
7:30 p.m. All local teens are invited to hear the recollections of a Holocaust survivor and participate in a question-and-answer session. The event is free but reservations are a must; limited space is available. Chabad Jewish Center, 1306 North El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.489.0723. www.jewishsc.com.
Sunday | 18
INTRO TO MOUNTAIN BIKING
8:30-10:30 a.m. Join Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer mountain bike trail assistants on this beautiful 8-mile bike ride
At the Movies:
‘Suspiria’ is a Literal Horror
BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
Only a year after achieving stellar success with his adaptation of Call Me By Your Name (2017), Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino follows up with something completely different. Reuniting with a lot of his team from A Bigger Splash (2015)— including actresses Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton, and screenwriter David Kajganich—Guadagnino takes on the unlikely task of remaking Dario Argento’s arthouse cult horror classic, Suspiria (1977). And its new take is 10 times even more polarizing. In 1977 Berlin, Germany, a respected dance company is run by and only hires women. Sometimes, girls will disappear or quit the company under mysterious circumstances. Local psychologist Dr. Jozef Klemperer (“Lutz Ebersdorf”) is convinced the place is secretly overrun by witches. Some of the dancers who claim as much are shrugged off as hysterical. For Susie (Johnson) and Sara (Mia Goth), their journey into the darkness is just beginning.
(400-foot elevation change) on uneven terrain. Learn mountain biking basics and trail etiquette while enjoying the canyon views. Cost: Free. Parking: $3 per vehicle. Must have helmet, gloves, hydration; a snack is strongly suggested. Also, be prepared for varied weather out in the canyons. 15 years and over. Registration is required; sign up online at www. eventbrite.com/introtomountainbiking. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel. 949.923.2200. www.ocparks.com.
FARMERS MARKET
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along the north side of Avenida Del Mar. Parking is a premium, attendance is free. www.san-clemente.org.
SOUL FOOD: ‘INFINITE WORLDS’
11 a.m. This month’s program is called “Infinite Worlds” and will explore the mystery and wonder of the afterlife through the eyes of diverse cultures and belief systems from across the world. Perform-
Jessica Harper makes an appearance 40 years after playing Susie in the original; and last month “Ebersdorf” was revealed to actually be Swinton in heavy prosthetics. Swinton plays multiple characters in the film, which is the most impressive part of the film and helps distract from Johnson’s ugly orange wig. Suspiria is what it was four decades ago: style over substance. But the previous version was so influential and intriguing with its aesthetics and direction that it was enough to make up for the lack of plot. This time the style is so grotesque and over the top, it’s just unpleasant. Thom Yorke’s score is a fine effort, though his theme song aids in making the cartoonish final act laughable. Suspiria proves that Hereditary is the superior cult-themed horror film of 2018. SC
ers are Bonny Williams and Joe Perez. San Clemente Baha’i Center, 3316 Ave Del Presidente. 949.791.9192. www.bahaicenter.com.
Monday | 19
FREE GUITAR LESSONS
5-6 p.m. Free beginner-level acoustic guitar lessons for middle-school to collegeage youth every Monday. Guitars provided or students can bring their own. 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente. 949.388.0114. coamusicarts@gmail.com. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.
Tuesday | 20
TABLE TENNIS FOR SENIORS
10 a.m.-1 p.m. All seniors 55 and older are welcome to join the Table Tennis Club at the Shorecliffs Terrace Mobile Home Park. Any skill level is welcome and entry is free. 3000 Calle Nuevo, San Clemente. 949.481.2275. jnl5555@yahoo.com.
BEND & BREW
6-7 p.m. This is a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint of beer. It’s a great way to get to know your local fellow yogis and beer drinkers. $10 entry. Left Coast Brewing Co., 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.2699. www.leftcoastbrewing.com.
Wednesday | 21
HEALING CRYSTAL LECTURE
7:15 p.m. Debi McKee, a seventh-generation healer and native Californian, will present 12 different crystals and minerals and discuss their subtle properties and energy bodies at the monthly South Orange County Gem and Mineral Society meeting. San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville. 408.718.0504. www.socgems.com.
FREE COMEDY
AT BLOOMS IRISH SPORTS BAR
8:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Blooms Irish Sports Bar with food and drink specials. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120.
CATFISH PO’ BOY
Bad to the Bone BBQ, located in a strip mall off Rancho Viejo Road, is known for its selection of ribs, brisket, chicken and other cuts of meat that are delicious when slathered with just the right amount of barbecue sauce.
At a restaurant that locals pack for barbecue, it may seem a little counterintuitive to order fried fish, but Bad to the Bone’s catfish po’ boy makes for a hearty and ultimately enjoyable meal.
The fresh, flaky and buttery catfish is breaded and topped with such ingredients as iceberg lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce on a crispy French roll.
Sandwiches at the restaurant come with
the choice of one classic side or a premium side for just $1 more. Some of the classics sides are ranch beans, French fries, potato salad and cornbread; premium sides include sweet potato fries, beer battered onion rings and cheddar and corn hush puppies. The accompanying French fries were crisp and hot and were the perfect pairing to the deliciously simple sandwich.
Bad to the Bone BBQ is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. SC
Bad to the Bone BBQ 31738 Rancho Viejo Road, San Juan Capistrano 949.218.0227 www.badtothebone-bbq.com
Photo: Courtesy of Sandro Kopp / Amazon Studios
Catfish Po’ Boy from Bad to the Bone BBQ. Photo: Alex Groves
BY ALEX GROVES, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
SC LIVING SC
PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY
2/4 Returns
San Clemente’s adopted Marine unit welcomed home with parade
BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
After a lengthy deployment to northern Australia, the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4) was welcomed home by the residents of San Clemente and various supporters on Friday, Nov. 9.
About 500 Marines participated in the parade along with hundreds of other supporters in the mix. The parade was hosted by the city of San Clemente and facilitated in cooperation with the Heritage Foundation of San Clemente.
A crowd estimated in the hundreds attended the parade dressed in American-flag garb.
Vietnam War Veteran Rick Janovick was watching the parade with a relative Friday morning. He said this was his first time attending a military-themed parade. His daughter’s fiance is part of the 2/4 and participated in the parade.
The parade concluded at Parque Del Mar with a brief ceremony at Park Semper Fi. The 2/4 is the city of San Clemente’s adopted Marine unit and stationed at Camp Pendleton. SC
Jeremy Conrad
949.542.8348
Jconrad@conradrealestate.com
BRE#
Bill Conrad
949.542.8349
Billc@conradrealestate.com
BRE# 01461548
Steve Conrad
949.542.8347
Stevec@conradrealestate.com
BRE#01297404
Did you know that...
• In 2018, out of the 835 sales in San Clemente, 35 homes sales were between $2,000,000 - $4,100,000. All sales had square footage between 1,600SF – 5,800SF.
• Short sales and bank owned properties account for just 1.5% of the sales in San Clemente, while 98.5% of sales are standard sales.
• Market time has increased in San Clemente from 44 days up to 104 days on the market before selling.
It’s time to expect more… Established 1963
San Clemente’s adopted Marine Unit, the 2nd Battalion, Fourth Marines (2/4), returned from deployment earlier this month, and the city held a parade on Friday, Nov. 9, down Avenida Del Mar. Photos: Eric Heinz
GUEST OPINION:
Home, Sweet Home: San Clemente Is Where the Heart Is
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year.
Preparations for our family’s celebration are underway, including displaying timeworn, tiny turkey handprint crafts and planning the menu for our festive feast. Unpacking my treasured decorations from boxes and reading their thankful words written in crayon caused me to pause and give thanks.
I’m thankful both of my boys will be home for the holiday. I’m grateful that my family will gather under our roof—a roof we wouldn’t be sharing if it weren’t for my younger son. As an infant, his blatant disregard for naptime inadvertently led us to San Clemente.
One afternoon, long ago, my younger son’s refusal to sleep in his crib and preference for sleeping in the car, led me to nestle him in his car seat and drive south. In the mid-1990s, Zillow didn’t exist, so I’d use naptime to hunt for potential houses that could meet our growing family’s needs.
That destined drive 20 years ago steered me to San Clemente, where I stumbled upon a developing neighborhood. After discussions with a sales agent, she agreed to hold the lot I liked until the next morning.
My family and I returned at the appointed time and walked the dirt lot. At one point, my husband stood at the dirt lot’s southeast corner waving to me, as I stood at the opposite corner waving back, and our older son raced between us.
We didn’t know the term back then, but in that moment, we found our forever home.
Six months later, we moved to San Clemente with two toddlers, who turned into teens and today are 20-somethings.
Our boys are grown and have flown from the nest. Today, I find this fact
prompts well-meaning friends to ask about our presumed plans to downsize. My husband and I have no desire to downsize or relocate.
Maybe it’s due to my upbringing. My mom and dad still live in my childhood home in Orange County, and my best friend’s parents still live across the street. Both our families have called the neighborhood home for more than 50 years.
Shelley Murphy
I see the “for sale” signs pop up throughout my neighborhood; they are anchored in lawns announcing the last kid is off to college and now is the time to downsize.
For those on the fence and debating downsizing, there are some steps to help in the decision process.
First, answer these questions: Is there extra seating in your family room? (Yep). Do closets contain clothing from grown children? (Yep). Do you know what’s in your attic? (Nope).
I like to believe my attic is full of precious belongings and priceless memorabilia; but the thought of confirming my belief gives me hives.
Next, count the number of rooms in the family home that are used more than twice a week. Calculate the square footage of the rooms to then determine the total amount of square feet needed in the downsized dwelling.
In our home, we have vacant rooms and passing by them reminds me of my kids’ absence—sometimes it’s crushing, but most often it’s comforting.
I’ve lived in San Clemente, in our forever
Pets of the Week: Katherine and Spencer
FROM THE ARCHIVES A Silver Spray fishing boat sails
by
San
circa the 1950s.
house, longer than any other address. Twenty years ago, standing on that dirt lot, I couldn’t imagine the deep roots we’d plant.
I found my footing in San Clemente, as did my boys. It’s where we enjoy enduring friendships, enriching community connections and energizing school spirit. My boys spent their youth growing up in one home; it tells our story and holds our many milestones and memories.
I’m counting the days until my boys return home for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’m hoping our tradition continues in the future as they establish households of their own.
Sudoku
BY MYLES MELLOR
Last week’s solution: SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
atherine and Spencer are a closely bonded pair of cuties looking for a new home. Katherine is a gorgeous Rhinelander-dwarf mix, spayed female rabbit, and Spencer is a handsome, black New Zealand neutered male rabbit. Both are around 4 and a half years old and very sweet. They are litter-box trained and would be a fabulous pair of bunnies for a loving home.
If you would like to know more about Katherine and Spencer, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with them at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. SC
Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium
Home is more than a place—it’s a feeling; and our nest, empty or full, feels the right size. And, for that, I am thankful.
Shelley Murphy has lived in San Clemente with her husband for the past 18 years, where she raised her two sons. She’s a freelance writer and has been a contributor to the San Clemente Times since 2006. SC
Life’s a Beach by Shelley Murphy
LIFE’S A BEACH By
Katherine and Spencer. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter
Clemente,
Photo: Courtesy Orange County Archives on Flickr
BUSINESS DIRECTORY Locals Only SC
SanClemente
ACCOUNTING
Chris W. Johnston, CPA, MBA 34184 Pacific Coast Highway Dana Point, 949.240.8015, www.cwjcpacorp.com
ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT
Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program
665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com
AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING
Solstice Heating and Air 2208 El Camino Real, Ste. #1, 949.573.3607, www.solsticehvac.com
ART GALLERIES
San Clemente Art Association 100 N. Calle Seville, 949.492.7175, www.scartgallery.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
Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.com
DENTISTS
Eric Johnson, D.D.S. 647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, www.drericjohnson.com
EDIBLE LANDSCAPING
Organics Out Back 949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com
ELECTRIC BIKES
Murf Electric Bikes 212 N. El Camino Real, 949.370.3801, www.murfelectricbikes.com
ELECTRICAL
Arcadia Electric 949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com
HOME
REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT
Capistrano Valley Raingutters Scott Williams, 949.542.7750
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
MUSIC LESSONS
Danman’s Music School 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com
Panagia Music: Music Lessons and More! 949.705.7573, panagiamusic@gmail. com, www.panagiamusic.com
PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com
PEST/TERMITE CONTROL
Accurate Termite and Pest Control 949.837.6483, www.accuratetermitecontrol.com
Colony Termite Control 1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com
PLUMBING
A to Z Leak Detection 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com
Bill Metzger Plumbing 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com
REALTORS
“Sandy & Rich” RE/MAX Coastal Homes
949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com
Scott Kidd, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
949.498.0487, skidd@bhhscal.com
Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty
BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com
Buy • Consign • Sell
949.395.5681 (24 hours)
Available 7 days a week. We also offer professional appraisals, auction services, restoration and shipping.
CASH SAME DAY
Dee Coleman, CEO/Owner 2485 S. El Camino Real San Clemente
Web: classicautosalesoc.com
Email: classicautosalesoc@gmail.com
100% positive EBAY Seller since 2001!
RESTAURANTS
Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386
SALONS
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
949.493.5683, 32032 Del Obispo Street, www.cvcs.org
WEBSITE DESIGN
San Clemente Website Design
949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com
WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT
Offshore Construction 877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org
CLASSIFIEDS
Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com
In print and online 52 weeks a year. View online at www.sanclementetimes.com.
Call at Susie Lantz for pricing at 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com.
Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.
496-5616.
HELP WANTED-
DANA POINT MARINA INN
Dana Point Marina Inn is looking to fill the following opening: Front office/reservations/desk clerks (AM and PM shifts) Housekeeping Supervisors (Full Time - Days) Dana Point Marina Inn Apply in Person at 24800 Dana Point Harbor Dr Dana Point, Ca 92629 949-496-1203
HELP WANTED-RDA/RDAEF
We have a beautiful, modern office, a wonderful patient population, an enthusiastic team and a sincere periodontist dedication to quality care. Three to four days a week, possible leading to full-time. Previous dental experience, a great attitude and strong work ethic are our first priority. Bilingual is a plus! Please send resume and a paragraph about yourself to: southcountyperio@aol.com. We look forward to meeting you.
APPLY
TO BECOME A MENTOR WITH BREAKTHROUGH SJC’S COLLEGE MENTOR PROGRAM!
Breakthrough SJC, a local nonprofit that supports students from middle school through college graduation, is seeking community members to serve as mentors for its College Mentor Program. Mentors are paired with Breakthrough’s high school juniors, and are trained to assist and advocate for students through the college application process. Each year, we are grateful to have mentors develop strong relationships with students, and we value the enthusiasm and commitment that they bring to this work. If you are interested in serving as a mentor for 2019-2020, please access our application on breakthroughsjc.org/mentor. For more information, contact Alex Serna at alex.serna@ smes.org, or 949.661.0108, ex. 1322.
FRENCH BULLDOG PUPPY
Sweet female French Bulldog puppy for sale. She is 8 weeks old and adorable. AKC and up-to-date on shots. Please call Tawnya at: (909)
SPORTS & OUTDOORS SC
STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE
Triton Report
BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the San Clemente High School sports programs throughout the playoffs, follow us on Twitter @SOUTHOCSPORTS. From
Seven Select Colleges on Fall Signing Day
Seven San Clemente student-athletes made their official college choices on Fall Signing Day on Wednesday, Nov. 14. The seven come from different sports and will attend seven different universities: Blake Bowen, men’s soccer, San Diego State; Ellyn Casto, women’s soccer, University of San Diego; Juliette Clark, women’s water polo, Pomona Pitzer; Hanna Farnsworth, beach volleyball, Long Beach State; Raeonna Flores, softball, ConcordiaIrvine; Delainey Iles, women’s lacrosse, Liberty University; Malia Yim, women’s volleyball, George Washington.
These athletes will be honored in a larger ceremony at San Clemente High School on National Signing Day in February.
Football Falls in Quarterfinals to Nation’s Top Team
Entering Friday, Nov. 9’s CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal, the San Clemente football team had already accomplished all it had realistically set out to do this season. The Tritons had bounced back from a 1-4 start to win six in a row, beat Mission Viejo for the first time since 1999, claimed the South Coast League title and won a
Division 1 playoff game.
The fact that San Clemente even took the field against the No. 1 team in the country was a win in itself for the Tritons. Before the game, San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz called the game “gravy” and said the Tritons were “playing with house money.”
St. John Bosco used its top-notch speed to score on punt returns of 76 and 77 yards in the first quarter, and junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei connected on touchdown passes of 57, 53 and 80 yards as the Braves took a 49-0 lead into the fourth quarter. However, the Tritons sent their season out on a high note with a 17-yard touch-
down pass from Brendan Costello to Jaydel Jenkins as time expired to spoil the shutout in St. John Bosco’s 56-6 win in a CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal game.
“Testament to our kids, they never quit,” Ortiz said. “That’s been the mantra of our season all year long. I love the fact that our kids didn’t quit. They played hard the entire game. Just the epitome of our season.”
San Clemente closes its season at 7-5. St. John Bosco (12-0) advances to the Division 1 semifinals against Oaks Christian.
Water Polo Finishes Eighth in Division 1
The back-to-back South Coast League champion Tritons found a tough road in the Division 1 playoffs, but their valiant effort went for naught.
San Clemente lost to Laguna Beach, 10-8, in the seventh-place match on Nov. 8 at Beckman High School in Irvine. The Tritons lost their first consolation game at Santa Margarita on Nov. 6 in overtime, 11-10, and fell in the Division 1 opener at Harvard Westlake, 12-9, on Nov. 1.
Junior Hayden Kahn led San Clemente in the playoffs with 12 goals. Juniors Everett Prussak and Christain Hosea scored five each. SC
left to right, Ellyn Casto, Juliette Clark, Raeonna Flores, Blake Bowen, Malia Yim, Delainey Iles and Hanna Farnsworth signed with their colleges and universities of choice on Fall Signing Day on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Photo: Courtesy
SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Saddleback
College hosts Annual Veterans
Resource Fair, features amputee softball team
BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
ission Viejo—Saddleback College hosted the 4th Annual Veterans Resource Fair and Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST), which played against a team from the California Highway Patrol-Capistrano and OC All Stars. WAST is comprised of players who’ve lost limbs in the line of service. San Clemente resident and World War II veteran Col. Robert Thacker was also honored during the ceremony for his 100th birthday.
For more information, visit www.woundedwarrioramputeesoftballteam.org. SC
Battle-Tested, Game-Ready Side-By-Side
San Clemente cross country teams both advance to CIF-SS Finals
BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
or the first time in quite some time, both the boys and girls San Clemente cross country teams are in lockstep with each other through the postseason.
The Tritons swept the Sea View League titles on Oct. 30 and advanced both sides through to the CIF-SS Finals with strong performances at the Division 1 preliminaries on Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Riverside Cross Country Course.
The girls advanced to their 11th consecutive CIF-SS Finals, but it wasn’t easy.
In Division 1, teams must finish in the top eight in one of the three heats to qualify for the final 24-team field. The San Clemente girls team got in just under the wire in seventh place, 13 points ahead of eighth and 30 points ahead of ninth.
Clockwise from left, San Clemente resident and WWII veteran Col. Robert Thacker, center, was honored for his 100th birthday before the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team game on Saturday, Nov. 10, at Saddleback College. Josh Lopez, a U.S. Army veteran who had his right leg above the knee removed, runs to first base during the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team match on Saturday, Nov. 10, at Saddleback College. Jeff Hackett, who had his right leg above the knee removed after serving in the U.S. Army, throws a pitch during the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team game on Saturday, Nov. 10, at Saddleback College. Photos: Eric Heinz
Junior Hana Catsimanes again paced the Tritons with a third-place finish in the heat with a time of 17:23, the fourth-best time in Division 1 overall in the prelims. The time was a full 1:12 lower than Catsimanes’ mark from last year’s prelims and 1:33 faster than last year’s Finals time.
Sophomore Ella Williamson was the second Triton to finish in 47th at 19:12 with junior Belle Sachse in 51st at 19:17. With Catsimanes’ strong day, San Clemente had a 2:03 gap overall but only a 15-second gap between their second and fifth runners.
The boys made it back to the Finals for
the first time in a while with a much more snug finish in their heat.
The Tritons were tucked away solidly in fifth place in their heat and only 35 seconds in team time away from perennial South Coast League power Dana Hills. San Clemente finished 12th overall.
Senior Elijah Sech led the boys’ efforts with an 18th-place finish at 15:32. It was his third-best, 3-mile finish this season and a 39-second improvement on his time from last season’s CIF-SS prelims. It was quite the improvement in placing as well after finishing in 77th last season.
Senior Patrick Riley was the second Triton to cross the finish line in 30th at a time of 15:40, and junior Caleb Mettler right behind in 32nd at 15:41. Senior Denilson Lopez-Guerrero finished in 37th at 15:43, and sophomore Bodey Horspool rounded out the five-man effort in 41st at 15:47. San Clemente posted the third-best five-man gap in their heat with only 15 seconds of separation. The gap was also the fourth best overall.
The CIF-SS Finals run on Saturday, Nov. 17 again at the Riverside Cross Country Course. The top seven teams will advance to the State Championships on Nov. 24 at Woodward Park in Fresno. SC
San Clemente’s boys and girls cross country teams pose after sweeping the Sea View League titles on Oct. 30. The Tritons qualified for the CIF-SS Finals and look to advance to the State Championships. Photo: Courtesy
SC SURF
SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY
Another Morning with the Tritons at T Street
With a 7-0 record this year, the San Clemente High surf team keeps the legacy rolling
BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
It was 7:30 in the morning, and there were a couple dozen teenagers swarming the only peak at T Street. The surf was an inconsistent 1-to-3 feet. The conditions were glassy. Given how small it was, it actually looked pretty fun.
Among the kids was former World Tourcompetitor-turned-San Clemente-family-man Neco Padaratz. A father with two kids at Concordia Elementary School, he still rips. Earlier in the week, with a little more wave energy in the water, Matt Archbold was testing the T. He’s got a similar story as Neco, but it’s just more intertwined in local lore.
In the water, one kid flawlessly crossstepped his way across an inside runner on his longboard. Out the back, another kid found a fun-sized set wave and arced into a mature, powerful forehand carve. It was a typical dawn-patrol surf practice for the San Clemente High School surf team, as Kai McPhillips got out of the water with an old Mach 7-7 Morey Boogie bodyboard.
GROM OF THE WEEK
CROSBY COLAPINTO
BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
Capping a breakout year, 17-yearold Crosby Colapinto just won the WSL’s Live Like Zander Junior Pro in Bathsheba, Barbados. The contest, named after Barbados surfer Zander Venezia, who drowned while surfing last year, marks the second victory in Colapinto’s 2018 campaign.
“It’s the best feeling, and it means so much to win this event in honor of Zander,” Colapinto said after the award ceremony. “He was such a good kid, and to win here at his home is amazing. I knew what I was
“I grabbed this from my dad… I think I had more fun than anyone out there,” he said as he laughed, his hair still dyed blue from Halloween. Kai’s father is world champion longboarder Colin McPhillips. The family has grown up in the local waters.
It was another strong year for the Triton wave-riders. Going undefeated during the regular season with a 7-0 record, this week they’ll look to keep the dream alive at Upper Trestles for the individual league championship. There’s a southwest pulse forecast for the contest, and it looks as if the Santa Ana conditions may persist.
“It was another amazing year; we’ve got a really great group of kids and they’ve all pulled together to go undefeated,” said Coach John Dowell, watching from stairs
at T Street.
With a 5-month-old of his own at home, it’s been a busy season for Dowell and his tight-knit crew of surfers. He said he’s proud of his team’s ability to win, but he’s also proud of the good people they’re growing up to be both in and out of the water.
“You have to keep it all in perspective; it can’t just be about the surfing,” Dowell said.
Midway through practice, seniors Ethan Mudge and Reef Tsutsui trotted down the stairs. They gave their coach a hearty good morning and checked the surf. Mudge has made a name for himself this season, carrying the team by riding both this shortboard and his longboard in competition.
“At the beginning of the year, I told him to focus on one or the other, and he
coming here to do, and I was fired up.”
Colapinto faced San Clemente friends Kade Matson and Jett Schilling, as well as Mexico’s Alan Cleland in the final. Opening
with a 9.33 (out of a possible 10), he backed up that score with a 6.57, which left everyone else needing excellent scores for a shot at catching him.
“Kade, Jett, and I, and all the San Clemente boys are so supportive of each other and we’re like brothers, so that was really cool to share that final with them,” Colapinto said.
The win was enough to move Colapinto into No. 2 on the WSL North American Pro Junior ratings and qualify him for the World Junior Championships. He’ll join his buddies, Matson and Cole Houshmand, at the World Junior Championship in Jinzun Harbor, Taiwan, this December.
“Now with Kade and Cole both in, we’re all going to travel together and can’t wait to finish off the year there,” Colapinto said. SC
started out on the shortboard. But then he asked if he could do the longboarding, too, so we tried it out and he’s been incredibly successful,” said Dowell.
“I prefer short boarding, but longboard is always a good alternative. It’s good to mix it up,” Mudge said when asked what type of craft he would rather ride.
In terms of how this class of Triton surfers sees themselves in the grand scheme of things, they’re humble, appreciative and quick to credit those that have come before them.
“There have been so many good guys that have come through this program, I feel like we’re carrying on the legacy,” Tsutsui said.
“Guys like Kevin Schultz and the Gudauskas brothers, there’s a ton of good guys; it’s really inspiring,” Mudge said.
The Triton surf team has been so successful over the years and not just because San Clemente is home to Lower Trestles and the kids grow up with a great wave in their backyard. Nor is it because guys such as Neco and Archy and the Gudauskas boys are ripping role models—or because Coach Dowell is arguably the best surf coach in the country. They’re successful because of all those things.
The winning ways of the San Clemente High surf team also benefit from a community effort. After practice, as one of the kids walked up the beach, Coach Dowell pointed to his leash. Local company XM Surf More made the entire team custom red-and-black Triton leashes, and 10 percent of the sales go back to the surf team.
“How cool is that? Our own leashes! It’s so rad to have that kind of support and have people believe in the kids and the program like that,” Dowell said. “It means a lot.” SC
SURF FORECAST
Outlook:
for all the details and longer range outlook.
Crosby Colapinto. Photo: Courtesy of WSL
Led by standouts Ethan Mudge, Matt Economos and Trevor Sutton (right to left), it was another undefeated season
the powerhouse San Clemente High surf team, which went 7-0 this year. Photo: Jake Howard
