SOAPBOX Mayor’s Column: By Lori Donchak
Much Crime Preventable A t a recent City Council meeting, Lt. Paul D’Auria, San Clemente’s Police Services Chief, provided a presentation on crime statistics, citing the high incidence of preventable crimes in our commuLori Donchak nity. These are commonly known as “crimes of opportunity” that occur when we leave our house or car unlocked and thieves steal our valuables—often turning around and selling them for cash. Thieves have learned that this is an easy way to make a living. Just this past week, I had the opportunity to ride along with Deputy Sheriff Shawn Duffy during his patrol shift. Duffy pointed out that much of the crime in San Clemente could be solved by all of us taking the precaution of locking our homes, and our cars, to discourage thieves. Crime statistics show that unlocked homes are the biggest targets of residential theft. And let’s not forget our automobiles. Being the victim of car-fishing is preventable. This is where a thief goes car by car trying the doors until one is found unlocked. People are losing very expensive items, including GPS systems, cell phones, laptops, purses, sunglasses, iPods and more. It’s less likely that a thief
will break your window to get these items because he does not want to draw attention to their crime. During my ride along, I found it very helpful to visit the many parks in San Clemente and observe them through the eyes of safety enforcement. Duffy noted that the overwhelming majority of the youth in town are simply great kids looking for a place to have fun. He especially complimented Steed Park for offering a skateboard park. Some ideas for possible future amenities: A dodgeball court, a bowling alley and go-karts. Kids like options, and parks are a great place to offer them. The miniature golf facility at the future sports park and aquatic center on Avenida Vista Hermosa is a great example of how to add variety to a city park. And let’s not forget the wide variety of programs offered by the city’s Recreation Department. Soon you’ll be receiving the spring recreation magazine in the mail, which is a great resource for activities and enrichment classes for youth. Keeping our youth, especially our teens, busy and entertained is essential to avoid undesirable behavior, such as getting into trouble. I urge our wonderful residents of San Clemente, who make our town an incredibly wonderful place to live, work
and play, to make crime prevention part of your daily routine. Although our deputies do an excellent job deterring crime, they cannot be everywhere every minute of the day. But, by taking some simple steps, you can drastically reduce crimes of opportunity (and by no means would we ever ask that anyone take any personal risk to prevent crime—that’s the job of our deputies). In order to help protect your family, yourself and your property, we simply cannot be so trusting when we set out for work or school each day, so please lock up. A few statistics worth sharing from the city’s newly produced Crime Prevention Public Service Announcement: According to the FBI crime statistics of the first six months of 2010, crime across the nation are down significantly in almost all categories especially violent crimes. This is true for Orange County and for San Clemente as well. That is the good news. Now for the bad news. While violent crimes are down, property crimes are becoming more prevalent. In fact, in San Clemente 70 percent of our crimes are property crimes from open garages or unlocked doors, windows or other entrances. • 34 crimes this past year were from open garage-no entry into house. • 60 of these crimes were through an
open entrance. Preparation is essential to avoid becoming a victim of property crime. Property crime is at the top of the list because we make it too easy for thieves to steal from us—simply because we don’t lock up. Yes, there are instances of forced entry, but remember, they are not the norm. So, if we eliminate the opportunity we give ourselves a much greater chance not to become a victim of crime. Spending time on a ride-along is a great reminder of the excellent training our officers have. Duffy was vigilant, courteous, solutions-oriented and well-versed in the protocol for a variety of situations. If you’d like more information on crime prevention, call 949.361.8386 or log onto www.san-clemente.org to view the new public service announcement on this topic. This spot is also airing on Cox Government Access Channel 30. Thanks for doing your part to maintain a safe and desirable community. If you have any comments or questions, I welcome you to email me at DonchakL@san-clemente. org or call me at 949.361.8322.
same people writing their opinions of Measure A. We have “shadowy figures” stealing signs. We have people moving to North Beach because of the “future plans.” There is also a letter from some high school kid commenting on how some people will be dead before North Beach is improved. In addition to all these letters we have junk mail galore in our mailboxes. My husband looks at the Yeson-A mailer and thinks that the parking structure a half-mile up (Avenida) Pico is going to be a parking lot surrounded by shrubs. I am somewhat of an enigma when it comes to Measure A. I was for the “Ralpha Beta” being expanded and improved. I was for—heaven forbid—the toll road. I am not for selling land acquired by eminent domain to a corporation at a reduced price. Eminent domain takes land from owners for a specific use. This land was taken for a park or beach parking. If the city has changed their mind, offer the land back to the owners it was taken from. I really can’t get past that. The Miramar Theater and bowling alley, 7-Eleven (store), car wash and UHaul (facility) are all still located at North Beach. As far as I can tell, all Measure A does is add some unneeded retail space. My daughter and I play a game when driving from the north end of town to the
south. We count the empty commercial buildings. Try it sometime. There are a lot of them.
PLEASE NOTE: The opinions offered here are solely those of the guest columnist and may or may not be shared by the San Clemente Times staff. We appreciate, however, their willingness to share their views, and we invite responses to be sent to letters@sanclementetimes.com.
Letters to the Editor (cont.) (Cont. from page 10) have recently taken to attacking the persons and organizations that favor it. Among the targets of allegation and innuendo are the local and state Realtor organizations. Both have given financial support in favor of passing Measure A. It should be clear that I am in no way an authorized spokesman for either the Orange County Association of Realtors or the California Association of Realtors. But I have been a San Clemente resident and an involved member of the local, state and national Realtor organizations for more than 30 years. I do have some perspective on these matters. First of all, let us acknowledge that Realtor support of Measure A cannot be explained by saying that, somehow, completion of Playa del Norte will result in some special financial benefit to Realtors. This is not a development that is going to generate an outpouring of real estate sales. It isn’t even going to do all that much for those who engage in commercial leasing. No, narrow financial benefit is not what is behind the support of the Realtor organizations. Why, then, should they care? A fair question. Membership in the Realtor organizations is entirely voluntary. No state law or regulation requires it of licensees. Nor is it a prerequisite for accessing the multiple-listing service. San Clemente Times March 3–9, 2011
The Realtor organizations are grounded in a set of values. Central among those are private property rights, home ownership and wise utilization of the land. It is from these values that Realtor political activity originates. I personally recall being told by a state legislator that the Realtors were the only group that consistently came to Sacramento and represented the interests of homeowners. Every year, around the state, Realtor associations involve themselves in land-use issues. Many, as in the case of Measure A, are situations where attempts by vocal dissident groups—often themselves wellfunded—seek to overturn the results of considered, open and public deliberative processes. They make a mockery of the thoughtful work and efforts of involved citizens and elected community leaders. Such attempts at ballot-box planning where land-use decisions can be determined by emotional attacks and truth-distorting campaigns—practically guarantee the unwise utilization of land and public resources. That is the sort of thing that Realtor organizations oppose.
PLAYA DEL NORTE JUST UNNEEDED RETAIL Beverly Hanes-Simon
Another issue of your paper and the
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MIRAMAR SEED TO REVITALIZE NORTH BEACH Chris Davies, San Clemente
Back when Measure W was on the ballot I am afraid to say I voted yes on the goahead not having all the facts. As a 35-year resident of San Clemente, I am in no way anti-development. I am a strict constitutionalist who believes in property rights. I remember all the troubles Rick Anderson went through in building the Tropicana. It was his vision that planted the seed that revitalized the Pier Bowl area. There have been many ideas that have come and gone like the Nixon Library, which at the time was opposed because of increased traffic. In hindsight, with the addition of the Vista Hermosa bridge, it probably would have been a big win for the coffers of the city and local businesses. I remember when (Avenida) Pico was a two-lane road all the way out to the guard shack at TRW (facility). It was sad to see all that beautiful open space go away, but at the same time I appreciate San Clemente now has a population that can sustain all the fine dining establishments in town. For the (Cont. on page 16) www.sanclementetimes.com