July 4, 2013

SPECIAL SECTION: SOUTH COUNTY REAL ESTATE GUIDE/PAGE 13 J U LY 4 -J U LY 1 0 , 2 0 1 3

LO C A L

N EWS

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VOLUME 8, ISSUE 27

Rising to the Top San Clemente man becomes first CUSD Adult Transition Program student to walk in Saddleback commencement E Y E O N S C / PAG E 4

www.sanclementetimes.com

Paul Baker chops peppers for a home cooked meal. Baker, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3, recently received a pair of culinary certificates from Saddleback College. Baker hopes to pursue a career in restaurants. Photo by jim Shilander

CUSD to Look at Constructing New Pool at SCHS

Meet Casa Romantica’s New Executive Director

The Colorful Characters of SC Lawn Bowling Club

EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

SC LIVING/PAGE 24

SPORTS/PAGE 29

EYE ON SC

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

SC S a n C le m e n te

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO The San Juan Capistrano City Council on Tuesday, June 18, unanimously voted to do away with the city’s Design Review Committee in hopes that it would simplify the city’s development process for existing and prospective businesses. Initially, the council was asked to consider reorganizing the committee, including making it a subcommittee of the Planning Commission or consolidating their meeting times. However, the council had problems with how difficult the development process was, especially when the committee’s recommendations conflicted with the Planning Commission. “The other concern I have is when the committee gives the recommendations, the applicant spends the time and lot of money to revise their plans, and then the Planning Commission denies it,” Mayor John Taylor said.

DANA POINT

NEWS

NEXT DOOR WH AT ’S GOIN G O N I N OU R NE IGH BO R I N G TOWN S

Dana Point has been approved for $2.45 million in transit grant funding to create and maintain a summer weekend and special events shuttle, expected on the roads early next year. The funding is part an Orange County Transportation Authority project approval announced early this week in which five area municipalities were awarded a total of $9.8 million to fund new and expanded transit services throughout their communities. “We are thrilled to partner with cities to provide additional transit services for our growing communities,” said OCTA Chairman Greg Winterbottom. Funded by Measure M2, the money will allow the city to implement two summer weekend services, one down Pacific Coast Highway and the second from Dana Hills High School to the OC Dana Point Harbor, and a year-round special events shuttle.

SAN CLEMENTE’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s Up With...

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…SCHS Improvements?

THE LATEST: Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees President John Alpay, who represents San Clemente, encouraged the board to move forward Wednesday with constructing a new pool at San Clemente High School as the leading edge of a program to improve the physical plant of the districts oldest high school building.

At Alpay’s request, CUSD staff investigated the conditions at the school, in terms of short- or long-term maintenance needs and areas that might require modernization at the school. The survey found a need for major roof repair or replacement, replacement of dry-rotted wood and new flooring throughout the campus, as well as cracked concrete, among a number of other issues. The district has approximately $6.2 million in a fund earmarked for capital improvements at the high school, but that fund also provides funds for upkeep at San Juan Hills High School and Vista Del Mar Elementary School.

Alpay said that while projects needed to be undertaken to address the immediate needs at the school for safety and health, he felt it was important to provide a new amenity to help signify progress was being made to rehabilitate the school.

WHAT’S NEXT: Another possibility, Alpay said, was to partner with the city on a joint project to build a performing arts center that could be used by both the high school and the city. Alpay indicated there had been conversations with other city officials about the possibility in the past.

Superintendent Joseph Farley said some improvements were already underway at the school, including repairs to the parking lot but said that without students in the halls, “it looks worn out.”

Other board members agreed something San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

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needed to be done to improve conditions at the school, but said the immediate needs, such as roof repair, needed to take precedence over a new pool.

…SONGS Layoffs?

THE LATEST: Southern California Edison announced last week that the utility had FIND OUT MORE: For more on the story, given the first round of notices to over 600 visit www.sanclementetimes.com non-union employees that they would be — Jim Shilander laid-off this summer.

The notice formalized last month’s …the DBA Liaison? announcement that the company would retire the plant as a power production THE LATEST: The San Clemente City Coun- facility. The company said last month they would ultimately be reducing its workcil will reexamine whether the city needs a liaison with the Downtown Business As- force by 1,100 positions.

The notices, given to employees June sociation at a future meeting after concerns 24, give the employees 60 days notice that were raised this week about the council’s they will be let go. new choice for the position.

Members of the organization have voiced WHAT’S NEXT: The utility has stated that concerns about remarks made by George Gregory, who was selected by the council it will be working with two of its unions, the Utility Workers Union of America and in a 3-2 vote, ousting long time liaison International Brotherhood of Electrical John Tengdin. During his interview with Workers, through collective bargaining on the board, Gregory made remarks critihow it would reduce its union workforce. cal of the organization and of downtown Edison Chief Nuclear Officer Peter Dimerchants. However, a majority of council etrich indicated that the utility would host members voted to appoint Gregory to a job fair for displaced workers. the position. Mayor Bob Baker cited the need for change as a reason behind his vote, while councilman Tim Brown voiced FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www. concern about communication between the sanclementetimes.com — JS city and the DBA.

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WHAT’S NEXT: On Tuesday, however, Brown expressed continued ambivalence about the vote, especially after concerns raised by members of the business community. The council, he said, “Ought to have a conversation, about the utility of such a position, especially since the city had planning department liaison to the downtown area that worked regularly with the DBA. City Manager Pall Gudgeirsson said the item would be agendized at the board’s July 16 meeting.

FIND OUT MORE: For more on the story, visit www.sanclementetimes.com — JS

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…CUSD Safety?

THE LATEST: A group tasked with formulating a response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year made a report to the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees Wednesday detailing a number of recommendations for steps the district could take to maintain the safety of students.

Mike Beekman, the district’s executive director of safety and student services, told the board the task force was primarily looking at feasible actions the district

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could take, such as improving fencing, creating standard visitor and staff badges and increasing the number of lockdown drills. Beekman also said it was important to allow for multiple points of staff access to the public address system, in case of an incident in the school’s office.

WHAT’S NEXT: In addition to these recommendations, Beekman suggested purchasing “lockdown kits” for each school.

To implement all of the suggestions, Beekman said it would cost the district approximately $275,000.

FIND OUT MORE: For more on the story, visit www.sanclementetimes.com – JS

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…Extra City Funds?

THE LATEST: The city received what might have been considered an unexpected check in the mail last week.

City Manager Pall Gudgeirsson reported that the city received a $2.3 million repayment from the state for money it borrowed from the city three years ago at the height of the state’s budget shortfall. The state is prohibited from simply taking the money from cities, but the state is allowed to borrow the money, at interest (the city’s rate is 2 percent), so long as it is paid back.

WHAT’S NEXT: Gudgeirsson said the funds would go into the city’s general fund and would not be allocated for any particular project. The unassigned fund balance for the city had dipped to a low level, Gudgeirsson noted, and the funds boosted it to approximately $3.3 million. The money can be “re-borrowed,” Gudgeirsson said, but at present he did not see that as a likely occurrence in the immediate future.

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit ww.sanclementetimes.com — JS www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC

Rising to the Top San Clemente man first CUSD Adult Tradition Program student to walk at Saddleback commencement

By Jim Shilander San Clemente Times

P

aul Baker never set out to be a pioneer or role model. But through his work, and the support of family, friends and school system, that’s just what he’s become.

Paul, 22, was among the first students in the Capistrano Unified School District to participate in a pilot program that let students with a similar diagnosis integrate into classes with other students. In 2009, he became one of the first in the program to graduate from San Clemente High School. And this May, he became the first student from CUSD’s Adult Transition Program to walk in Saddleback College’s commencement exercises, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, with four semesters on the Dean’s List and received certificates for culinary arts and food service.

The Adult Transition Program provides assistance to students throughout CUSD with special needs become independent adults, through vocational training and classes on social skills.

“With all my heart, I can truly say I am so grateful to the Capistrano Unified School District for having a program that helps individuals with disabilities after high school,” Paul told the CUSD board last month. “I know that who I am, and what I have done the last four years is primarily due to the Adult Transition Program and the dedicated teachers, staff and my independent facilitator.”

Paul was diagnosed with autism at age 3. His mother Susan Baker said, at the time of the diagnosis, the medical field was like “the Wild West,” in terms of care.

It was also at a time when the diagnosis was given to only about 1 in every 10,000 children. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 88 children is diagnosed as being somewhere on the autism spectrum.

“There was no therapy for autism back when he was diagnosed,” Susan said. “Paul didn’t have language until he was five and then it was very slow. But he was the perfect template. Kids now have a number of services to choose from. Back in the old days, we made it up as we went along.”

While Paul was diagnosed autistic, his case was mild enough to allow doctors and therapists to be able to try different therapeutic treatments. After intensive home treatment, he eventually was made a part of a pilot program at Foxborough Elementary School in Aliso Viejo, and was eventually mainstreamed into middle school at Vista Del Mar. “From then on, Paul was always kind of a first, because he was the first into the public school system,” Susan said. “He was still learning language (during the transition), so we concentrated on language and basic things until we got into middle school, when we got into social skills, which we should have started earlier. But by then he had language and he was totally included, as were a number of his peers.”

Growing up with three sisters, she said, also made it clear to Paul that he “couldn’t be disabled,” Susan said. Growing up with sisters helped him do things that some others with a similar diagnosis can have difficulty with, such as following multiple commands at once. It also created a sense of belief that he could do just as much as his sisters.

“He always assumed he was going to go to college,” San Clemente Times July 4-10, 2013

During his culinary training at Saddleback College, Paul Baker discovered that he’s skilled with a kitchen knife. Baker’s attention to detail makes ingredient preparation one of his favorite parts of cooking. Photo by Jim Shlander

Susan said.

Paul has also served as a mentor to other students in the ATP program, including those with more severe diagnoses than himself, Susan said.

He’s also challenged himself. In his first semester, Paul decided to take a speech and communications class, even entering a forensics competition that involved making a public speech in competition. He took third place.

As a consequence of his autism, Susan said, Paul doesn’t necessarily perceive situations such as public speaking in the same nerve wracking way others might approach it. While growing up, Paul often had to speak in front of the CUSD board, providing updates about his and the ATP program’s progress, as well as at different conferences and symposia on autism therapies.

At the college level Paul also could not receive the kind of academic assistance he was able to receive from facilitator Kay Loperladdy in high school. This was extremely scary at first, he said.

“Those were hard. I was on the warpath, not just any warpath, but like the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean battles on land, air and sea, and I was in the middle of the battle triangle,” he said. “But you’ve always got to take a risk.”

Loperladdy said, though, what sets Paul apart from some of the other students she works with, and mainstreamed students as well, is his work ethic.

“The difference between Paul and a lot of them is he will study, he really puts himself in,” she said. “He’ll make sure he knows his stuff. He takes the time and an interest in doing it. When he’s at the top of the class, and the instructors are surprised, I go, ‘He spends the time, he goes home and reads it.’ He likes to please people. Wherever he is, in classes, the chef who’s the head of the program there (at Saddleback) absolutely loves him. He’s always pleasant, he’s always willing, he’s always there and he’s always reliable.”

When he began his time at San Clemente High School, Paul also began working with a new facilitator.

Paul admitted, that high school wasn’t something he was necessarily looking forward to.

“My first year of high school was the scariest, but I loved starting Saddleback. High school scared me Page 4

because the school seemed so big,” Paul said.

But, Paul said he managed to quickly find something that would be a good fit for him.

“I saw the food class taught by Mrs. (Lisa) Yancey.

I said, ‘I think I’ll give it a shot,’” Paul said. “I was the new kid on the block in her class. I did pretty good, and I think Ms. Yancey was kind of impressed.”

When she came on to assist Paul, Loperladdy said there was still a need to help with socialization.

“Paul is very complimentary, so we’d be walking around in the halls, there’d be a nice, cute girl and he’d say, “I like your skirt,’” she said. “I’d have to say, ‘You don’t know her, we don’t want to scare someone away.’”

Clint Collins heads the Adult Transition Program for CUSD. The program brings together students from all over the district to the district’s San Juan Capistrano offices, which serves as the hub of the program, as well as classes at Saddleback. The focus, he said, is on providing students with the ability to live independently as adults, but, Collins said, it was important that the program also tries to find the best fit for what each student wants to do.

“Each of our students is very different,” Collins said. “We always want to have our students be the most mature adults they can be. We don’t want to push them into something they don’t necessarily want to do.”

That it is not an issue for Paul. He cooks regularly now at home, making pizzas, chicken cordon bleu, and a special flavorful rub for chicken. His work with a knife, which Loperladdy admitted initially worried her, is skillful, better than his mother’s or sister’s.

Paul was among the servers at Saddleback’s annual scholarship gala and even created a special food item for the “Las Vegas” themed event, a wrap of philo dough with goat and feta cheeses and herbs he called “Turkish cigars.”

Paul hopes to have a career in the culinary industry, either locally or in Las Vegas, where the family has relatives. Loperladdy said while working in kitchens can be stressful, he thrived in some aspects, such as preparing ingredients and in service.

“He needs to finds the right niche,” she said. “Paul would be really awesome somewhere where he could be a prep chef. He’s so good at that.”

Paul said preparation is the thing he enjoys most about cooking.

“My favorite part of cooking is the prep work because I like to see all of my fresh ingredients in front of me,” he explained. “The toughest part for me is time, and having enough of it.”

For the past year, as part of his studies at the Adult Transition Program, Paul has worked at Zona’s Italian American Cuisine, as well as Round Table Pizza. At Zona’s, Paul has primarily been working outside the kitchen, but beverage manager Brittney Moore said that hasn’t dulled the efforts he’s made and that he’s been good to interact with.

“He comes in and waters the plants inside and outside, he sweeps up and dusts and cleans the tables,” Moore said. “He’s fabulous. He’s great with everybody and very friendly. He’s always giving people compliments when they do a good job.”

Paul’s goal now is to find a permanent job, hopefully locally. He remains grateful, though, for all of the help he’s received along the way. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC CITY AND COMMUNITY CALENDAR Thursday, July 4 San Clemente Fireworks Show 9 p.m.

Free fireworks show at the San Clemente Pier area. More info: 949.361.8200, www. san-clemente.org.

4th of July Dinner on the Pier Special dinner on the San Clemente Pier hosted by Fisherman’s Restaurant for the city’s 4th of July fireworks show. Space is limited.

For more info and to reserve your spot call: 949.498.6390.

Friday, July 5 TGIF Party Noon, Entertainment by Danny Jacobson at the Dorothy Visser Senior Ce nter. 117 Ave. Victoria, San Clemente, 949.498.3322.

Saturday, July 6 Saturday Produce Basket 10 a.m.1 p.m. Every Saturday get fresh-picked $20 veggie/fruit baskets at Villagio Giardino at the Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club.

200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente, 949.697.0032, www.vrgreenfarms.com.

Sunday, July 7 FOL Book Sale 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The San Clemente Friends of the Library has gently used books at bargain prices at the library.

242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.276.6342, www. sanclementefol.org.

Monday, July 8 German Speaking Group 2 p.m.–4 p.m.

German conversations at Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.8436.

Tuesday, July 9 Family Storytime 9:30 a.m. Summer storytime every Tuesday for children of all ages at the library. 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.san-clemente.org.

South Coast Detachment Marine Corps League 7 p.m. Open to all active duty, retired or honorably discharged Marines or FMF Navy Corpsman at the San Clemente Elk’s Lodge. 1505 N. El Camino Real, 949.493.4949, 949.361.9252.

Toastmasters 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Practice public speaking every Tuesday in a friendly and supportive atmosphere at the library, 242 Ave. Del Mar, 949.361. 8463, www. sanclemente.freetoasthost.net.

Wednesday, July 10 SC Rotary Club Noon. Pride of the Pacific Bar & Grille, 150 Avenida Magdalena, 949.361.3619, www.sanclementerotary.org.

San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

NEWS BITES

Compiled by Jim Shilander

PROPS, RECOGNITIONS AND MORSELS OF INFO HeartChase Event Raises $20,000 for Heart Association Nearly 100 people in 40 teams filled San Clemente’s downtown with activity and colorful costumes Saturday morning as part of the American Heart Association’s “HeartChase” event in honor of late San Clemente restaurateur Tony Carbonara.

Carbonara passed away in January following a stroke. The event, which was sponsored

by Saddleback Memorial Hospital, included a number of community organizations and businesses, who all sent teams to compete, many of whom wore colorful team costumes, competing in various events focused on promoting heart health. The event raised approximately $20,000 for the organization.

Christina Carbonara accepts a prize as the biggest single fundraiser from Chip and Kim McAllister for the American Heart Association’s Heart Chase event in memory of her father, Tony Carbonara. Photo by Jim Shilander

Sunrise Rotary Names New President On Tuesday, June 18, at the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary Club’s weekly breakfast meeting at Talega Golf Club, Helen DelGrosso and Debbie McGilligan—San Clemente Sunrise’s co-presidents—turned over the gavel to incoming President Larry Thomas. Thomas, a San Clemente resident, is the president of Independence Bank in San Juan Capistrano and a longtime Rotary member. He will be San Clemente Rotary’s 22nd president.

The meeting followed a “demotion party” that featured a luau entertainment from club members.

The San Clemente Sunrise Rotary Club is part of Rotary International, an International Service Club for business people dedicated to making life in our community and around the world a little better. The club was founded in 1992 and meets every Tuesday morning at the Talega Golf Club in San Clemente.

Junior Woman’s Club Looking for Vendors for November Event The San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club is currently seeking vendors for its annual Season of Giving Boutique. This year’s boutique will be held on November 13, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each year the club hosts the boutique and donates proceeds to local organizations. Funds raised from last year’s boutique were donated to all of the elementary schools in San Clemente. Those you are interested in selling at the boutique should email boutique@scjwc.org for more information.

The San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club is a group of local women dedicated to supporting local charitable organizations by volunteering their time and raising funds and awareness. Each year the club donates thousands of dollars and more than 4,000 hours of service to local philanthropies.

Avenida Palizada Valero station owner Eddie Ghassemi donated almost $2,600 to the Friends of San Clemente Beaches Parks and Recreation from a June fundraising effort at the station. He presented the check to members of the Foundation board Friday at the station. Photo by Jim Shilander

The San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club is interested in obtaining new members who are looking for a way to give back to the community and make new friends. Monthly meetings are held at the RIO Adult Day Health Care Center, located at 2021 Calle Frontera. For more information visit www. scjwc.org.

Valero Station Donates to Friends Foundation Avenida Palizada Valero gas station owner Eddie Ghassemi donated nearly $2,600 from a May fundraiser at the station to the Friends of San Clemente Beaches, Parks and Recreation Foundation Friday. Ghassemi donated 1 cent for every gallon purchased at the station in May (259,658 gallons).

San Clemente Students Named to Dean’s Lists Philip Louis Apodaca of San Clemente has been named to the President’s Honor Roll at the University of Oklahoma.

Honor roll students who earned a 4.0 grade point average are President Honor Roll designates.

Nicole Stavro of San Clemente was named to the Spring 2013 Dean’s List at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem,

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N.C. Students who achieved a 3.4 and no grade below a C were named to the list.

Adoption Event Through July at Animal Shelter Through the end of July, the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter will offer a dog adoption promotion called “Half price for half-pints.” The promotion is good for all dogs weighing 20 pounds or less. The half price adoption fee will be $62.50 and still includes all of the shelter’s normal services: vet exam, current vaccines, microchip, spay/ neuter and flea treatment.

View the available dogs at www.petprojectfoundation.org or visit the animal shelter at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

The shelter is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. The shelter is closed Monday.

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

Forward a picture along, too! We’ll put your submissions into “News Bites.”

Send your information to editorial@ sanclementetimes.com. www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC known if the man was breathing.

SC Sheriff’s Blotter

DISTURBANCE Avenida Victoria, 600 Block (5:19 p.m.)

A man said he and other fishermen were being harassed by a surfer.

DISTURBANCE Avenida Del Mar/Santa Ana Lane (3:42 p.m.) Two men were standing near the corner making rude comments to pedestrians.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Calle Del Cerro, 1100 Block (1:13 a.m.) A concerned man told police his neighbors had left the door to their house open all weekend. The man was not sure if anyone was inside the home.

WELFARE CHECK Calle Deshecha, 0 Block (5:56 p.m.)

A woman found a man slumped over on a sidewalk, unresponsive. The woman said he was breathing and had a few bags next to him on the ground.

DISTURBANCE Avenida Talega, 1100 Block (12:16 a.m.)

Several juveniles were throwing eggs at passing vehicles.

WELFARE CHECK Paseo Verde, 0 Block (4:59 p.m.) A welfare check was requested for a woman who was calling 9-1-1 because she had a broken hip. The caller said that the woman’s husband was refusing to give her the pain medication prescribed to her.

Sunday, June 30 COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO 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.

Monday, July 1 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Paseo Vista, 100 Block (6:31 p.m.)

A woman reported hearing receiving a phone call every night for the last two months from someone breathing heavily on the other line.

WELFARE CHECK Corte Javier, 0 Block (6:24 p.m.) A landlord said a tenant was refusing to answer the door, and when a locksmith helped them enter the man’s room, he was lying on the couch unresponsive. It was not

WELFARE CHECK Camino de los Mares, 600 Block (1:41 p.m.) A man and a woman with two young girls, who appeared to be about 4 years old, were asking passersby for money.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Camino Forestal, 6100 Block (3:56 a.m.)

A man called deputies after seeing two people sitting in an old Dodge truck outside of his house for over 30 minutes with the engine.

DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 2300 Block (1:55 a.m.) A man reported a drunken man to police for threatening to beat him up. The caller said he had never met the man before and did not know the address of the location he was calling from. The intoxicated man was described as being in his late 20s, wearing a white tank top and cargo shorts.

TRAFFIC HAZARD Avenida Pico/Avenida Vista Hermosa (11:19 p.m.) A man was struck by an egg while walking westbound on Avenida Pico.

He reported that the egg came from the bushes on the right-hand side of the street.

DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 500 Block (10:18 p.m.)

A man in his early 50s was seen hitting another man in the back of the head and then running southbound on El Camino Real. The caller hung up the phone before dispatch could ask any questions about the victim.

DISTURBANCE Avenida Montalvo, 200 Block (6:12 p.m.)

Two neighbors were involved in a physical confrontation after one asked the other to “step outside and handle things like men.”

WELFARE CHECK Paseo Flamenco, 3400 Block (3:31 p.m.)

An elderly man walked into his neighbor’s house and told her that there was a strange woman there. The woman requested a welfare check on the elderly man.

DISTURBANCE Camino San Clemente, 400 Block (12:29 p.m.) A man was throwing shards of glass at passing vehicles. The man was described as being in his 30s and was last seen walking toward the beach.

CITIZEN ASSIST El Camino Real, 1900 Block (12:26 p.m.)

A man called police and said he was out of money and needed help to find out what to do. The dispatcher advised him to contact social services.

SOAPBOX VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

CITY EDITOR Jim Shilander, 949.388.7700, x109 jshilander@sanclementetimes.com

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San Clemente Times, Vol. 8, Issue 27. The SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP 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 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Letters to the Editor FORMER CITY DBA REPRESENTATIVE: TIME TO FIX DOWNTOWN PARKING JOHN TENGDIN, San Clemente

It was a long night for the City Council on June 28 as they interviewed and then chose who would serve on various commissions, advisory boards and committees. The last item was to choose the City Council’s representative on the Downtown Business Association’s Board of Directors.

The printed agenda scheduled this item at 8:30 p.m. But there had been many candidates to be interviewed for other positions, so it was after 10:30 p.m. when this item was finally addressed.

My name (I’m the incumbent) was drawn first. After my opening statement, Mayor Pro Tem Brown asked “Why is the DBA asking the City Council for a subsidy to pay for ‘The Glitz?’” (The Glitz is the annual event the Friday night after Thanksgiving.)

I expanded on what the DBA’s President had included in the DBA’s request—that this is a very popular event, especially for families with children, but it’s of marginal value to the merchants on Del Mar that evening. Many serve cookies and punch or cider, but there are very few sales. But it is a part of the image of our “Spanish Village By The Sea.” It’s really a city event, and the DBA has now turned it over to the city to arrange for the horse drawn carriages, the bag pipers, the chestnut roasters, the clowns and all the other elements of this popular event.

They then interviewed George Gregory, the only other applicant for this position.

He was not aware of the facts when he blamed the DBA for the parking problems we all recognize on Del Mar. He thought it was the DBA, not the City Council, who waived the parking requirements and allowed too many restaurants to open.

But that is something the council can fix. The San Clemente Library parking lot is already being used by beachgoers. They regularly park there free all day, but come San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

prepared with rolling carts and wagons to carry their beach gear down to the Pier Bowl and back at the end of the day. And this lot is well within the “Coastal Zone” (1,000 feet from the high tide shore line).

The zone actually extends halfway up through the 100 block on Del Mar. If the city removed the abandoned shuffleboard courts next to the Community Center, with minor excavation, a three level parking structure (with no internal ramps) could be built with at least 240 parking spaces. That would go a long way toward fixing the downtown and library parking problems.

SONGS SHUTDOWN REFLECTIVE OF NUCLEAR’S PROBLEMS JERRY COLLAMER, San Clemente

Southern California Edison’s permanent closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is the direct result of Edison knowing full well Mitsubishi’s steam generator designs were flawed before the generators left Japan for here.

Twenty-two months after installation, the generators failed. The final tally on Edison’s colossal screw-up will total in the billions of dollars in coming decades as SONGS’ radioactive domes are dismantled—a task greater and more hazardous than building SONGS. Blame for closing SONGS falls squarely on the greedy heads of Edison’s top management. In a perfect world, they would all be fired. They rolled the dice on the wellbeing of 8.4 million Southern Californians and very nearly blew it. Edison shut down SONGS because financially it was their only option. The nuclear industry employs the best bean counters money can buy.

Edison’s bean counters said “close it.”

Nuclear’s glaring financial unfeasibility—coupled with what to do with its eternally hot nuclear waste byproduct— no one has an answer for—has turned nuke power into yesterday’s fantasy elixir curing all energy ills. There will always be

nuclear true believers no matter nuclear’s unholy reality, but closing SONGS is the best thing to happen to San Clemente and Southern California since the padres trekked up El Camino Real the first time.

PICO PLAN NOT REFLECTIVE OF TRAFFIC REALITY KEITH EDWARDS, San Clemente

I’m a 24-year resident of San Clemente and, living off Avenida Pico, consistently use the Pico/I-5 intersection and the Pico I-5 on- and off-ramps, and I’m very much in favor of needed improvements.

So I was shocked to read the only change to the Interstate 5 on- and offramps will be one lane added to the existing northbound on-ramp. Since both Estrella and Vista Hermosa have two northbound on-ramps, I do not understand why Pico was determined to need only one.

Currently, Pico is the most heavily traveled road in San Clemente. Add to this, future traffic increases due to Marblehead Coastal, the La Pata connection and anticipated increase in activity in Rancho San Clemente and Talega business parks. So why isn’t Pico getting at least two northbound on-ramps as Estrella and Vista Hermosa have?

The current Pico northbound on-ramp is awkward at best. It’s short and uphill, making it difficult for large vehicles (and vehicles behind them) to get up to highway speed and merge smoothly. Add to this vehicles using it as a shortcut from Pico to Hermosa (and rarely getting up to speed because they are exiting), northbound I-5 traffic trying to exit at Hermosa and 18-wheelers slowing down as they climb the I-5 hill, and you have our current mess, with associated highway backups and accidents.

I understand a third lane is being added to the northbound Pico on-ramp, but won’t it all merge into one lane anyway? So how much help will that really be, especially

Page 10

CORRECTION: An article in last week’s issue about the new Rancho Mission Viejo development had incorrect data on the influx of students in the Capistrano Unified School District. Ranch representatives told the district that 4,561 students were expected from the entire development, not just Sendero and Planning Area 2. From Sendero and Planning Area 2, 408 and 1,126 students are expected, respectively. Also, the ranch has identified a site for a new K-8 school in Planning Area 2 that will be constructed by the district and is estimated to open in 2016 or 2017, according to ranch spokesperson Diane Gaynor. Sendero students will also attend Ambuehl Elementary, Marco Forster Middle School and San Juan Hills High School.

Clarification was also required regarding the Transportation Corridor Agency’s plan to extend the SR-241 toll road. The ranch’s current work to build Cow Camp Road is independent of the TCA’s plans.

As part of the South County Road Improvement Plan, the ranch has also identified a road, listed on maps as “F Street,” that could also direct traffic northward. when traffic is heavy and/or the highway traffic lights are being used?

Currently traffic on Pico coming from the ocean and wanting to get on the I-5 northbound on-ramp, is consistently blocking traffic to the southbound I-5 off-ramp, waiting to turn east on Pico (because of a short area under the I-5).

Adding one more turn lane will not be sufficient when traffic is heavy. Backups will form and we’re back with the same problem we have now.

Surely with all the major interchange/ carpool construction work that is going to take place, with all the traffic problems and delays this construction project will create for residents for two-plus years, why not add at least a second northbound on-ramp? Otherwise we will be facing the same problems/delays we have now and the years of construction delays will have little future benefit. www.sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX GUEST OPINION: City Council Corner by Councilmember Chris Hamm

General Plan Will Make Changes to City Elements of plan include important new transportation designs

B

y now, most of you are aware we’ve been developing a new General Plan for the city of San Clemente.

The Public Hearing Draft Centennial General Plan is now available for public review and input.

Laying out a vision for San Clemente’s next 20 years, the document also guides the future with new citywide policies and recommendations keyed to specific areas of town, or “Focus Areas.” These areas include North Beach/North El Camino Real, Del Mar/T-Zone, Pier Bowl, Los Molinos, Calle de Los Mares, Rancho San Clemente Business Park, and South El Camino Real, east and west of I-5.

This draft plan was extensively vetted during some 60 public meetings and is the result of diverse public input and over three years of dedicated work by the 25-member, council-appointed General Plan Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission.

The item remaining is the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The Planning Commission is expected to review the DEIR this summer and forward a recommendation to the City Council. Final council action on the new Centennial

General Plan and Environmental Impact Report is anticipated sometime this fall.

There are numerous elements addressed in the draft plan. The two areas that the public has Chris Hamm been most interested in are multimodal transportation and urban design.

To ensure San Clemente remains a great place to live, work and play, we need your public comment. Making our town more mobile with efficient connective transportation networks has been a desire of the city and residents for some time.

Think how convenient and enjoyable it would be to take a bike ride from inland neighborhoods to the beach, or to enjoy a bike ride on trails in our back-country if we had separated bike and pedestrian ways to serve residents and ensure their safety.

With the proposed General Plan, the City addresses the needs for “multi-modal” transportation, including pathways, trails, roads, public transit, and telecommuting—all the ways we help meet the

needs of moving people and goods. To ensure this happens, the City Council, back in January 2012, called for the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to be fully integrated with the new General Plan.

San Clemente’s small-town feel continues to resonate with residents and visitors as the downtown, in particular, is widelyknown for its friendliness, pedestrianscale, historic buildings, quaint shops and restaurants.

The goal of the new Plan’s Urban Design Element is “a high-quality, built environment that protects and enhances our treasured natural and historical resources, maintains our small town beach character, provides accessibility to residents and visitors, and distinguishes San Clemente as the Spanish Village by the Sea.” With the new goals, policies and actions recommended in this element, we can expect to see improvements in the city’s design review standards and process to make it more predictable, better reflect the community’s values and produce better quality design.

Thank you to everyone who shared their input throughout the process and

provided comments on the draft plan.

Comments and questions are still being accepted on the Draft Plan, dated May 1, 2013. Just visit the city’s website at www. san-clemente.org or review a copy at city offices located at 100 Avenida Presidio or 910 Negocio, or at the San Clemente Public Library.

If you would like to get involved, the Planning Commission is scheduled to hold public hearings on the draft plan and DEIR on Wednesday, July 10 and 24 at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall located at 100 Avenida Presidio.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Chris Hamm is the newest member of the San Clemente City Council. He was elected to his first four-year term in November 2012. 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.

33527 Beach Road, Capistrano Beach • $4,950,000 Nestled on golden sands behind the guarded gates of Beach Road in Capistrano Beach, this exquisite custom residence combines the timeless appeal of New England’s Cape Cod region with today’s broad spectrum of preferred appointments. The three-story design, which showcases the talents of San Clemente architects Keisker & Wiggle, boasts panoramic views from its beachfront location. On the surf side, an extra spacious patio extends over the sand at one end, and continues into an interior porch room with wet bar. The bright and open kitchen showcases an island with cooktop and second sink, custom tile, walk-in pantry, recipe desk, built-in refrigerator, double ovens, and a Dutch door entry. Four bedroom suites and fourand-one-half baths are featured, including a master suite with fireplace, sitting area, walk-in closet, brick balcony overlooking the beach, and luxurious bath with spa tub. A powder room features a hand-painted beach scene, and a two-story atrium enhances the home’s open ambiance. An array of patios, balconies and sundecks make for delightful indoor/outdoor living, and an adjacent site includes a spacious lawn and beachside palapa. A residence of this stature is rarely available in this coveted location. Don’t let this opportunity be the one that gets away.

GETTING OUT

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

SC S a n C le m e n te

THE LIST A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

thursday

04

SAN CLEMENTE FIREWORKS SHOW 9 p.m. Free fireworks show at the San Clemente Pier. More info: 949.361.8200, www.san-clemente.org.

DANA POINT FIREWORKS SHOW 9 p.m. Fireworks show in the Dana Point Harbor/Doheny Beach area. Free shuttles available from Dana Hills High School, visit city website for details. More info: danapoint.org.

SJC 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND FIREWORKS SHOW 3 p.m. The fun starts early at the San Juan Sports Park with mechanical rides, kids activities, food, exhibits, beer garden and more, then at 6 p.m. there is a live band followed by fireworks at dark. 25925 Camino Del Avion, 949.493.5911, www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

4TH OF JULY DINNER ON THE PIER Special dinner on the San Clemente Pier hosted by Fisherman’s for the city’s 4th of July fireworks show. Space is limited. For more info and to reserve your spot call: 949.498.6390.

4TH OF JULY ALL AMERICAN BBQ BUFFET 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Family barbecue event at Vue Lawn and OverVue Deck in the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa with food, live entertainment, then fireworks in DP at 9 p.m. Open seating. Cost $89 adults, $35 kids. 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point, 949.661.5000, www.lagunacliffs.com.

DANA WHARF 4TH OF JULY CRUISE 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Dana Wharf hosts a cruise to view the fireworks show from the water; features refreshments and more.

34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www. danawharf.com.

friday

INDEPENDENCE DAY AFTERMATH PARK AND BEACH CLEANUP Meet early to help clean up at Doheny State Beach and Park area. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.6172, www.dohenystatebeach.org.

05

San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

AT THE MOVIES: A CHANCE TO BE 20 FEET FROM STARDOM Most people know what it’s like to be in the crowd of their favorite music artist’s concert. However, most don’t know what it’s like to be on stage beside them or in the recording studio performing with them. In Morgan Neville’s new documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, movie audiences get to live vicariously for 90 minutes through a handful of professional backup singers from the 1960s until now. Neville’s feature investigates and teaches viewers about the process of song making through the eyes of the voices who harmonize in the background and are, most of the time, overlooked by fans. As it’s revealed, those background voices put the Courtesy of RADiUS-TWC. final, important touch on the music. Profiled singers throughout the film include Merry Clayton (the female voice on the The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”), Darlene Love (famous vocalist for Phil Spector) and Claudia Lennear, an “Ikette” with Ike and Tina Turner. Music legends Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Bette Midler and Sting comment as well. 20 Feet from Stardom is a fascinating and intriguing look on the recording process and how performing backup can provide a lot of opportunities for vocalists, as well as stunt their own dreams of solo success.

There’s also some interesting insight into race relations in the music business. As of now, 20 Feet joins Stories We Tell as one of the essential documentaries of 2013. —Megan Bianco

SAWDUST FESTIVAL 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Art festival with more than 200 artists displaying paintings, photography, crafts, jewelry, clothing, blown glass, and more. Admission: adults $7.75, kids $3.25. 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.494.3030, www.sawdustartfestival.org.

BIOLUMINESCENCE CRUISE 8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Ocean Institute cruise to learn about the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark and to witness this phenomenon. Cost $22-$35. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

STAFF’S FAVORITES WINE FLIGHT TASTING 5 p.m.-11 p.m. SC Wine Company features flights of staff picked wines. Tasting fee includes complimentary cheese plate and chocolate. 212 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.429.7067, www.scwinecompany.com

PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS: LIGHTS, CAMERA, INACTION! 8:30 p.m. The annual Festival of Arts – Pageant of the Masters with this year’s theme, The Big Picture, adding a cinematic touch. Nightly shows through August 31. Tickets start at $15. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.6582, www.foapom.com.

MOVIES IN THE PARK 8 p.m. The City of Dana Point’s Movies in the Park series with a showing of “Madagascar 3” in Lantern Bay Park; free popcorn and refreshments available for purchase. 25111 Park Lantern Road, Dana Point, 949.248.3530, www.danapoint.org.

WINE TASTING 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Live music at DaVine Food & Wine along with wine tasting that starts at 4 p.m.

Tasting fee $15 for 5 wines. 34673 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.493.4044, www.davine-wine.com.

ROD PIAZZA 8 p.m. Concert at The Coach House, also featuring Pap J and Friends, Shawn Jones. Tickets $15. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

saturday

MISSION’S MUSIC UNDER THE STARS CONCERT SERIES 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Live music, dining and dancing in the courtyard of the Mission.

Tonight features tribute bands to The Eagles, John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Contact for ticket info. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

06

MICKEY AVALON 8 p.m. Popular artist in concert at The Coach House. $20. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

sunday

SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK 3 p.m.-6 p.m. The City of Dana Point presents their annual summer concert series in Lantern Bay Park kicking it off with The Tijuana Dogs and Progknowsys. 25111 Park Lantern Road, Dana Point, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

07

VILLAGE ART FAIRE 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Over 60 local artists display artwork and crafts for sale on the first Sunday of each month, except January. Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, www.villagesanclemente.org.

SAN ONOFRE EXHIBIT 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Casa Romantica’s Coast Culture Exhibition on San Onofre that features historical stories, rare photographs, surfboards, artifacts, paintings, vintage memorabilia, and more. Exhibit on display through Aug. 25. Admission $5. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, www.casaromantica.org.

THE ECOLOGY CENTER GUIDED TOUR 1 p.m.2 p.m. Engage in a docent-led tour of The Ecology Center’s historic home, gardens, and outdoor learning stations. Free. 32701 Alipaz St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

WHALE AND DOLPHIN TOURS Get eye-to-eye underwater with dolphins and whales without getting wet on Capt. Dave’s hi-tech Catamaran Sailboat. $55 adult, $35 child (3 to 12), under 2 free. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.

JIM NICHOLS BAND 9 p.m. Live music at Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.492.3400, www.goodystavern.com.

RABBI BLUE 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Live music at The Cellar.

156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3663, www. thecellarsite.com.

LIVE OAK REVUE 9 p.m. Live music at StillWater. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

FLOCK OF 80’S 4 p.m. Live 80s music at StillWater.

24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

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www.sanclementetimes.com

GETTING OUT FREE FISHING FOR KIDS Noon. A fishing lesson and more for kids at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

COUNTRY DANCIN WITH PATRICK AND FRIENDS 6:30 p.m. Every Monday at Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

THE SERRA CHAPEL TOUR 11:15 a.m. Tour at the Mission in honor of Father Junipero Serra, who was born 300 years ago this year. Offered Sundays. Admission $6–$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

MISSION’S CRAFTS FOR KIDS 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Fun craft activity at the Mission for kids featuring lassos and jump ropes, every Monday through Aug. 30. Cost $3 plus admission of $6–$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

THE ART OF COOKING 1 p.m. Cooking demonstration with a Laguna Beach chef at the Festival of Arts. Free with admission to festival. General admission $10. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.6582, www.foapom.com.

WINE AND MUSIC CRUISE 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Dana Wharf’s cruise on a luxury catamaran with wine, snacks, music and more. Tickets $49. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

FOL BOOK SALE 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The San Clemente Friends of the Library has gently used books at bargain prices at the library. 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.276.6342, www.sanclementefol.org.

monday

COASTAL EXPLORER CAMP 9 a.m.-4 p.m. A weeklong ocean education experience for children ages 10-12 at the Ocean Institute. Cost $285 each (or $255 member).

24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

08

tuesday

KALEIDO KIDS SUMMER EVENT: SCIENCE ADVENTURE 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Educational and fun science show for kids at the Kaleidoscope featuring activities and much more. Events every Tuesday. 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy., Mission Viejo, www.gokaleidoscope.com.

09

RUBEN GONZALEZ 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Live music at The Cellar. 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3663, www.thecellarsite.com.

FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT 6 p.m.-8 p.m. An evening of archaeology, science and history at the Ocean Institute, for the whole family. Cost $7 per person or $25 per family.

Next science night is July 23. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

WRITERS GROUP 6:30 p.m. Come together to help inspire, nurture and encourage each other to write and sharing writing-related news at the San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

wednesday

LECTURE: ASTRONOMY 7 p.m.

Volunteer Astronomer Avinash Agrawal gives an astronomy lecture at the RMV presentation center, part of The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Free. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

10

KRIS WINRICH 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Live music at Iva Lee’s.

555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.

TEEN WEDNESDAYS 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Programs for teens (12-17) at The Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

CHERYL SILVERSTEIN 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Jazz and blues standards at OC Tavern. 2639 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.542.8877, www.octavern.com.

UPCOMING EVENT: JULY 11 THE STORY OF CAMP PENDLETON 7 p.m. In conjunction with the exhibit, San Onofre: Birthplace of Southern California Beach Culture, Casa Romantica hosts an informative event on Camp Pendleton’s history. General admission $10, or $5 members. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, www.casaromantica.org. *For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.sanclementetimes.com.

Have an event?

Send your listing to events@sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING

4

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

SC S a n C le m e n te

SUDOKU

by Myles Mellor 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 Last week’s solution:

SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION See today’s solution in next week’s issue.

Turning the Casa Into the Region’s Cultural Home Casa Romantica’s new executive director has Kennedy Center, Dana Point Symphony experience

By Jim Shilander San Clemente Times

B

erenika Schmitz is a familiar name in the south Orange County arts community, as the executive director and artistic director of the Dana Point Symphony and the arts consultant for the city of Dana Point, as well as a world-class concert pianist. Now, armed with knowledge gained from time at the nation’s artistic center, Schmitz will take on a new challenge as the executive director of the Casa Romantica Cultural Center.

Schmitz, who just completed a year as a fellow at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington’s DeVos Institute of Arts Management said she is looking forward to the opportunity to turn the home of San Clemente’s founder, Ole Hanson, into an arts destination for all of Southern California. The Kennedy Center program allows experienced arts professionals a look at how the center operates as a way of preparing them for new opportunities, such as what Schmitz is undertaking at the Casa.

“I believe we, at the Casa, can be the premiere cultural center for Southern California,” Schmitz said. “Although the venue is not a concert hall, an opera house or a gallery, we have the opportunity to do all of those things and be very interdisciplinary, in the visual arts and performing arts, as well as literature. Although it’s on a smaller scale, I think the quality of the programming I intend to bring will be comparable (to the Kennedy Center) and something Southern California can really be proud of.”

The Casa has been operating the past year under the direction of an executive steering committee made up of former board members Bill Carson, Kay Dalton and Debbie Wilkens. That group had taken over from the previous executive San Clemente Times July 4-10, 2013

New Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz says she is looking to increase the frequency and appeal of the cultural center’s offerings. Photo by Jim Shilander

director, Jenifer Finley.

Founding board member Ruth DeNault said in an email she is familiar with Schmitz.

“She has kept in touch through her concert tours and travels, always expressing interest in serving Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens,” DeNault wrote. “Her outstanding leadership in founding the Dana Point Symphony Orchestra some years ago has brought excellent concerts and related arts performances to a large and appreciative audience. These strengths and personal abilities make her an ideal executive director for Casa Romantica.”

Schmitz said she had always felt there was “something special” about the Casa and that it was an easy decision when the job was offered. While she’s never performed at the Casa, Schmitz said that as a regular visitor, she was always struck by the sense of history the facility has.

“Usually once a month I would come,

just take it in, feel its spirit,” she said. “It has a special kind of feeling to it. Because it is a place of the founder of San Clemente, and because San Clemente’s such a special city, I think it has an unparalleled historical component. You can feel the history and you can feel the spirit in these walls. It’s something I enjoyed as a visitor, and something I really want people to feel when they come here and visit.”

Schmitz said that while her background in music, including her tenure in Dana Point, would mean that music will remain a significant part of future programs at the Casa, she will also try to expand the reach of the offerings at the cultural center, especially in terms of education, as a way of attracting families and children. That might mean using the same sort of benchmarks, just on a different scale, used at the Kennedy Center.

That also extends to the breadth of offerings as well.

Page 24

“I have the opportunity to program not just music, but literature and horticulture.

The gardens are spectacular. It’s really just about expanding the offerings and making it something that’s really part of the community, having more foot traffic, more people come here,” she said.

Currently, Schmitz is focused on the Casa’s premiere fundraising event, the Toast to the Casa, which will be held September 28, as her first milestone event. Schmitz said she is looking to try and increase attendance at the event, as well as working on her first season of offerings, although nothing was ready to be set yet. She said the new programs will be announced over the next several months.

“I think we will present programs in the next few months,” Schmitz said. “We are looking forward to a year that’s robust and full. There’s literally going to be something for everyone.”

Schmitz said that while she’s performed across the world in the past, her focus now will be on improving the Casa.

“I will be here every day, unless I’m sick.

I couldn’t think of a place where I’d rather spend my time than here. I’m very fortunate,” she said.

Unlike other venues for the arts or education, the Casa’s original purpose was, as Ole Hanson’s own home. That, Schmitz said, was part of the appeal of the facility, especially the sense of history created there.

“It is a house, but it’s San Clemente’s house. It’s Southern California’s house. It’s a home that’s open for everybody,” Schmitz said. “People can feel at home and take some pride of ownership at the fact that this is open to them. I want them to feel that, and the beauty of it being a house is it has an intimate feeling. It’s a very comfortable venue that reflects the Southern California feeling of openness and friendliness. I think that’s what’s special about it.” SC www.sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Conscious Living: Local Resources for a Healthful and Sustainable Life

Choose Dirt I

t’s sweet summertime and it’s apparent, quite literally at first bite, as you sink your teeth into a deep red strawberry, from the farmers market.

Senses are stirred and I’m reminded of humid Julys in the east navigating prickly blackberry bushes and strawberry fields.

“Oh, you’re bored girls? Get a job,” said my mother, and it wasn’t so bad filling up those little green fruit baskets with delicious summertime indulgence.

Speaking of nostalgia, right now the food movement is about remembering our health is a direct correlation of what goes into our bodies. With the compromised state of our convenience- and dollar-driven global food system, food awareness has become a matter of life or sickness. The truth is, we are what we eat.

So what can we do? A great start is to choose fresh, local and organic seasonal produce. Why? Because things that have come recently from the ground, and moreover, rich, nutrient-dense soil, are more valuable to our health, environment and local economy. Buying organic ensures we’re getting pure produce from well-cared for earth that hasn’t been treated with harmful pesticides. Eating in season puts us back in harmony with nature’s cycles. Before the birth of refrig-

eration and preservatives, we ate what grew when it grew and were grateful for it—with less chemical side effects.

Purchasing from local farmers allows us to support small family orCONSCIOUS LIVING ganizations with honest

By Meryl Gwinn intentions, and reconnects us with old-world goodness of simpler times. It cuts out the unsustainable process of spraying, packaging, freezing and transporting food intended to survive on dehydrating supermarket shelves.

Organics are sometimes a tad pricier, but it helps to think of it as health insurance of your personal plan. It’s preventative medicine that’s priceless coverage, and it comes in a variety of colors and fascinating heirloom varieties.

Ninety cents more for poison-free agriculture or a $20 copay—it’s worth considering.

Visiting the farm stand at South Coast Farms is a joyful experience, and it’s here that you will taste the most delicious strawberries of your adult life. The 28 acres in San Juan Capistrano is the oldest working farm in Orange County, and its history of salvation from a “strip-mall casualty” fate by the people of San Juan Capistrano is heroic.

Farmer and establisher George Kibby and his crew are enriching the soil continuously to produce healthy, organic

crops to feed those who have supported this land since the 1800s. Their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program supplies fresh farm boxes with seasonal produce to members at reasonable prices, supporting a direct relationship between farmer and consumer. Boxes come in multiple sizes and can be picked up at a variety of locations weekly or bi-weekly.

Both the stand and the CSA are supportive of foods from other local farmers in the region as well as non-local options in order to offer a variety of fare. Check out their website for some rich history on organic farming, www.southcoastfarms.com.

Days spent at the farmers market are enhanced by shaking the calloused hand of the farmer and choosing from his crop of vibrant yet soil-caked carrots. Imperfection is relatable. Recently at my house the bounty is supplied by friends’ and neighbors’ generously producing citrus and avocado trees and backyard gardens.

Designing our meals around what’s available is actually more convenient and twice as fun.

There are loads of people around here growing their own food, restaurants offering local ingredients and inspiring community cooperatives taking root. In San Clemente, a member-owned market is being established to provide high quality foods and education that strengthen economy and ecology while enhancing the well-being of the consumer.

The San Clemente Community Market

embraces ideas such as minimal packaging, bulk items and procuring local produce from several small farms in Orange and San Diego counties. They are currently in the process of establishing a store location. Check out their website and see how you can become a memberowner, www.sanclementemarket.com.

So let’s get back down to the earth this summer by slowing down and realigning our values, health and habits. Choose dirt over plastic, open air markets over big box warehouse stores and real smiles over those scary self-checkouts nagging you to, “put the item back in the bag.”

LOCAL FARMER’S MARKETS: San Juan Capistrano Wednesdays 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Dana Point Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

San Clemente Sundays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

VALUABLE WEBSITES: www.farmersmarketorangecounty.com www.southcoastfarms.com www.sanclementemarket.com Meryl Gwinn has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, has studied yoga, health, food, and humans around the globe.

She is a constant pursuer of natural medicine and whole-healing solutions. Gwinn welcomes reader feedback at meryl.gwinn@ gmail.com. SC

Get Your Kicks with Summer Flicks Movie reviewer shares ideas for fun summertime viewing

By Megan Bianco San Clemente Times

W

hen it comes to hot spots to indulge in during the summertime, San Clemente is no doubt an essential in southern California. There’s the beach to enjoy surfing, swimming or tanning; the local campsites for those visiting who prefer the great outdoors; and shops and restaurants in town to venture as well.

But for many, summer indoor time means movie time. And what better movies to watch than flicks that take place in summer. Funny, scary or sentimental, there’s something for everyone this season.

Hollywood has been cashing in on surfing beginning back in the 1950s with Malibu teen beach queen Gidget. A movie at first starring Sandra Dee in the 1959 film titled after the character, before becoming a TV show with Sally Field in 1965.

Gidget became so successful, a mini-genre was coined for the next decade of Gidgetmovies and even spoofed in the 2000 farce Psycho Beach Party starring pre-famous Amy Adams and Lauren Ambrose as ‘Chicklet.’

San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

Younger generations enjoy the teen surf flick Blue Crush (2002) with Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez as passionate surfers with day jobs as hotel maids in Hawaii. As well as the family features Johnny Tsunami (1999) and Rip Girls (2000) from Disney, also set in Hawaii.

Paul Rudd played a memorably dense surf instructor to Jason Segel after following his ex-girlfriend (Kristen Bell) and new boyfriend (Russell Brand) to O’ahu in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008). And for something a little different, Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break (1991) has Keanu Reeves undercover as an FBI agent out to find a group of bank robbers lead by Patrick Swayze surfing the waves of Malibu.

In cinema, Italy has been a popular summer holiday setting over the years. Audrey Hepburn won an Oscar and skyrocketed to fame alongside Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday (1953) as a princess hiding from the press while visiting Italy. One of Hepburn’s favorite directors, Billy Wilder directed the romantic comedy romp Avanti! (1972) with Jack Lemmon as a businessman who heads to Italy to pick up his tycoon father’s dead body, only to fall

for the daughter of his father’s mistress (Juliet Mills). Light in the Piazza (1962) set in Florence, and Summertime (1955) set in Venice, have become fan favorites among Olivia de Havilland and Katharine Hepburn fans with tales of sudden, unexpected love.

Another overlooked, but charming, feature from Disney is Summer Magic (1963), starring Hayley Mills and Burl Ives. In Magic, the Carey family move out of Boston for the summer to ‘Beautiful Beulah’ in the middle of Maine where new friends, country adventures and summer flings occur. Road trips and theme parks are also a big part of summer, and the Griswolds are the most famous movie family to attempt both. The first and best of the National Lampoon’s Vacation series had Clark (Chevy Chase), Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (Dana Barron) drive from Chicago all the way to Walley World in California in 1983. The most popular golf movie of all time, Caddyshack, was set during the summer of 1980 with Danny (Michael O’Keefe) trying to win a scholarship through a caddy

Page 25

program in Nebraska/Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Bill Murray round out the infamous cast. Murray would go on to star in another summer comedy classic, What About Bob? a decade later, driving Richard Dreyfuss crazy on his family vacation in New Hampshire.

In 1979, Murray made his film debut in the summer camp classic Meatballs, centered around a rowdy counselor (Murray) and an insecure kid named Rudy (Chris Makepeace) at ‘Camp Mohawk’ in Canada. If you’ve never been to camp as a child, you’ve probably watched the scenario on film. Most likely the fat camp in Heavyweights (1995), the irreverent Camp Nowhere (1994) and the Catskill family resort in Dirty Dancing(1987). For nightmarish summer camp visits, there is Friday the 13th (1981) and Sleepaway Camp (1983). Although viewed as horror movie for Halloween-time generally, the most famous movie set during the week of 4th of July is Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975) on Amity Island. It is best enjoyed by older audiences who aren’t afraid of the ocean, or mechanical sharks. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

Locals Only

BUSINESS DIRECTORY GRAPHIC DESIGN

AIR CONDITIONING Oasis Heating & Air 949.420.1321 31648 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. A, www.oasisair.com

APPLIANCES

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

Images/Creative Solutions 949.366.2488 2927 Via San Gorgoinio, Ste. 100, www.imgs.com

HAIR SALONS

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 949.492.5589 Kreative Hair Design 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com 173 Avenida Serra

APPLIANCES SERVICES & REPAIRS

949.498.6245

HEATING

ASAP Appliance Service 949.361.7713 Oasis Heating & Air 949.420.1321 3200 Legendario, www.asapapplianceservice.com 31648 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. A, www.oasisair.com

ART GALLERIES

HOME DÉCOR

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

BEAUTY SUPPLY Del Mar Beauty Supply 949.492.8180 150 Avenida Del Mar, Ste D, www.delmarbeauty.com

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com

949.492.5589

INSURANCE

Complete Business Insurance 949.943.9081 647 Camino de los Mares Ste. 108, BOOKS www.HelpYouInsurance.com Mathom House Books 949.361.1633 GIS/Galvez Insurance Services, Inc - 949.240.7445 83 Via Pico Plaza, www.mathomhousebooks.com License # OE75910. 940 Calle Negocio, Ste. 170, Village Book Exchange 949.492.1114 www.gisgalvezinsurance.net 99 Avenida Serra

CHIROPRACTIC CARE Christiansen Chiropractic 903 Calle Amancer, Ste. 230, www.christiansenchiro.com

LANDSCAPING

MATTRESSES

Lure of Chocolate, Gourmet Foods & Gift www.LureofChocolate.com 949.439.1773 Schmid’s Fine Chocolate 949.369.1052 99 Avenida Del Mar, www.schmidschocolate.com

COINS 949.350.4692 Kevin

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com

949.492.5589

MOLD REMOVAL Jarvis Restoration -24/7 949.362.5388 1393 Calle Avanzado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

MORTGAGES

COMPUTER REPAIR & SERVICES

Brian Wiechman, 949.533.9209 Equity Coast Mortgage, a division of Pinnacle San Clemente Computer & Network Services daniel@sanclementecomputer.com 949.276.1581 Capital Mortgage, www.equitycoastmortgage.com

CONCRETE Costa Verde Landscape License: 744797 (C-8 & C-27), www.costaverdelandscaping.com

MOTORCYLE PARTS & SERVICE 949.361.9656 SC Rider Supply 949.388.0521 520 S. El Camino Real, www.scridersupply.com

MUSIC LESSONS

DENTISTS

Danman’s Music School 949.496.6556 Eric Johnson, D.D.S. 949.493.9311 www.danmans.com 647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, Janet Poth - Violin & Viola 949.922.6388 www.drericjohnson.com 413 Calle Pueblo, janpoth@aol.com

ELECTRICAL Arcadia Electric www.arcadiaelectric.com

OFFICE FURNITURE 949.361.1045

ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE, TRUST Lange & Minnott 1201 Puerta Del Sol, Ste. 203

949.492.3459

FURNITURE South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com

949.492.5589

GLASS SCRATCH REMOVAL Bayside Window Cleaning, Inc. www.baysidewindowcleaning.com

949.215.2323

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 949.492.5589 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com

PAINTING KC Painting & Decorating 949.388.6829 3349 Paseo Halcon, www.bringcolorintoyourlife.com

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Colony Termite Control 949.361.2500 1402 Calle Alcazar, www.colonytermite.com

949.498.6204

SALONS Salon Bamboo 949.361.3348 150 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. A, www.salonbamboo.com Salon Bleu 949.366.2060 207 S. El Camino Real, www.scsalonbleu.com Sanctuary Salon & Spa 949.429.5802 1041 Avenida Pico, Ste. B, www.sanctuarytalega.com

SECONDHAND/CONSIGNMENT SHOPS South Coast Furniture & Mattress 949.492.5589 109 Calle de los Molinos, www.southcoastfurniture.com The Bargain Box 949.492.2800 526 N. El Camino Real, www.capistranovalley.assistanceleague.org

Colony Termite Control 949.361.2500 1402 Calle Alcazar, www.colonytermite.com

PHARMACIES Sea View Pharmacy 665 Camino De Los Mares, #101 www.seaviewpharmacy.com

949.496.0123

TILE & STONE INSTALLATION Kohler Tile Contracting

714.768.3077

WATER DAMAGE 949.361.0680

Jarvis Restoration -24/7 949.362.5388 1393 Calle Avanzado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

TUTORING

PLUMBING

Tutor Toes 949.429.6222 A to Z Leak Detection 949.499.4464 111 W. Avenida Palizada, Ste. 11, www.tutortoes.com 1218 Puerta del Sol, www.atozleakdetection.com WEBSITE DESIGN Bill Metzger Plumbing 949.492.3558 1218 Puerta del Sol, www.billmetzgerplumbing.com San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345 Chick’s Plumbing 949.496.9731 www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com www.chicks-plumbing.com

WINDOW CLEANING

PRESCHOOLS San Clemente Preschool 163 Avenida Victoria, www.sanclementepreschool.com

949.498.1025

PRINTING

Bayside Window Cleaning, Inc. 949.215.2323 www.baysidewindowcleaning.com Clear Windows 949.485.8793 San Clemente, www.clearwindows-llc.com

WINDOW & DOOR INSTALLATION

Printing OC 949.388.4888 Offshore Construction 27134 Paseo Espada #B 203, www.printingoc.com www.offshoreconstruction.org

949.444.6323

PSYCHOLOGISTS Manny Tau, Psy.D., PSY14892 888.949.5150 300 S. El Camino Real, Ste. 218, www.drtau.com

REAL ESTATE Antonio Fiorello, Forté Realty Group 949.842.3631 San Clemente, www.forterealtygroup.com Marcie George - Star Real Estate South County marciegeorge@cox.net 949.690.5410 McDaniel Gilmore Group - Surterre Properties www.livetalega.com 949.464.3226 “Sandy & Rich” - ReMax www.sandyandrich.com 949.293.3236

REMODEL

Designer’s Magic Flooring 949.496.1926 Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD 949.361.4867 (GUMS) 638 Camino de los Mare, Ste. G-105, www.designersmagiccarpetandflooring.com 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, www.moranperio.com

PEST CONTROL

Jim Thomas Roofing 162 Calle de Industrias

TERMITES

PHOTOGRAPHY 949.361.9656 949.276.2956 Costa Verde Landscape License: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) www.costaverdelandscaping.com Memories Of Me Photos www.memoriesofmephotos.com

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

GraCorp Coins & Collectibles www.gracorpcoins.com

Introducing Lure of Chocolate Fine Chocolate Assortments, Gourmet Desserts and Baking Mixes, Chocolate for Breakfast and Brunch, Sipping Chocolate and Cocoas, Sauces, Toppings, Decadent Treats, Gluten-Free Options, Fine Chocolate for Baking, Melting and Molding, Specialty Gifts and Gourmet Gift Baskets! Free Delivery in SC and SJC. Enjoy The Lure! www.LureOfChocolate.com

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949.366.9386

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FOR RENT 3BR, 2 BA - QUIET, PRIVATE CANYON HOME with panoramic ocean view. Walk to downtown San Clemente and minutes from beach. Just remodeled with gourmet kitchen, 48” Wolf range and plenty of storage. Open, light floor plan with custom cabinetry and built-in dining banquette. Beautiful yard and garden with built-in gas BBQ and rooftop deck overlooking 25 acres of coastal canyon. Concordia, Shorecliffs and SC High schools. $4000/mo. Avail. Aug 1st. Year lease. Please call/text Jason 949.939.8186 murrayphoto@cox.net

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San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

Page 27

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SPORTS

5

& OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

SC S a n C le m e n te

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

FRIENDS OF SC BEACHES, PARKS AND RECREATION FOUNDATION HOSTS GOLF TOURNEY

The Friends of San Clemente Beaches, Parks and Recreation Foundation hosted their third annual benefit golf tournament on June 28 at the Municipal Golf Course. The tournament featured 88 golfers, who were treated to food samplings, golf contests and 18 holes throughout the day.

The tournament grossed just under $20,000 with a net profit estimated to be around $14,000, according to tournament committee member Jim Nielsen. The profits will be split evenly between Courtney’s SandCastle and scholarships for kids in town who can’t afford Beaches, Parks

Tritons Basketball Turning up the Heat in Summer League

By Darian Nourian San Clemente Times

T

he San Clemente boys basketball team made history last season by winning its first league championship since 1975. As the Tritons enter the peak of offseason play, the team is looking to the future in hopes of making history again by winning consecutive league titles, which has never been done in the program’s history.

The Tritons have been preparing for next season ever since they lost to Millikan of Long Beach in the second round of the CIF-SS Division II playoffs on February 19 and are off to a hot start in summer league and tournament play, jumping out to a 13-2 record in the exhibition format.

On June 30 the Tritons won the UCSB Team Camp Tournament up in Santa Barbara to give them their first tournament win of the summer. The team went 8-1 in the tournament and capped it off with a 2919 win over Carlsbad in the finals.

“I am really proud of our team’s play over the course of the weekend,” said San Clemente head coach Marc Popovich, who enters his seventh-year at the helm. “We had a lot of players step up into roles they aren’t used to playing and I was just really happy to see us come out on top in just our second tournament of the summer.”

The player that has stepped up the most, according to Popovich, is Saddleback Valley Christian transfer Gage Scheldimini, who has quickly taken the reigns of the Tritons offense as the team’s point guard.

According to Popovich, the reason why the final against Carlsbad was so low scoring was that the games in the tournament were only 22 minutes long. Despite the short-clock format, the Tritons only loss San Clemente Times July 4-10, 2013

SC TIMES SPORTS & OUTDOORS IS PRESENTED BY:

Duane Cave, former mayor Jim Dahl, Don Brown and former mayor Joe Anderson. Courtesy photo

& Recreation programs.

San Clemente Little League won the tournament’s Perpetual Trophy for a second year in a row. The trophy is

awarded to the lowest score carded by the five youth organization representatives who play in the tournament. This year’s field in the running for the Perpetual Trophy included Elite Soccer, SC Aquatics, San Clemente Little League, San Clemente Girls Softball and AYSO. The golf was followed by a silent auction and a live auction, where a sizeable portion of the profits were raised.

—Steve Breazeale

SCOR E BOAR D RUGBY

was to Arroyo Grande of San Luis Obispo in pool play. Some notable teams that San Clemente beat en route to their championship include Santa Clara of Oxnard and University from San Diego.

After losing two all-league players to graduation, senior guards Cody Bean and Jimmy Bankson, Popovich believes that it is time for his returning varsity players to lead the young team.

One such player is last year’s Sea View League Most Valuable Player, junior forward Sam Darnold, who has emerged as a two-sport standout at San Clemente.

“Sam really turned up edge in Santa Barbara this past weekend and has just been doing great things for us and our program,” Popovich said. “He has of course been splitting time with football and has also been doing a great job of communicating with both coaching staffs.”

A player that Popovich felt went under the radar last year and has played a crucial role in the Tritons success, especially on defense, is returning junior guard Nick Crankshaw. Crankshaw was limited by an ankle injury but was big for the Tritons on the defensive boards in Santa Barbara, according to Popovich.

“With such a young team, Nick has emerged into our team leader both on and off the court,” Popovich said. “He has become very vocal on offense and defense, played through injuries and I am really proud of his development as both a player and a leader.”

Another varsity returner who Popovich expects to play a big role this summer is sophomore guard Cole Fotheringham.

Prior to the UCSB Tournament, the Tritons participated in the Saddleback Classic, where they were undefeated, going 4-0. The team beat Santa Fe Christian, Tri-Cities Christian and Yorba Linda.

The team is also playing in the Dana

GATORS RUGBY U10 SWEEPS SUMMER 7’S TOURNEY The San Clemente Gators U10 rugby team swept the Summer 7’s Valley Center Rugby Ivitational on June 15, going 4-0. The team won each of their four matches by at least 20 points.

Team members include: Ben Herbes, Cade Martin, Wade Wilson, Ryland Swarthout, Daniel Phillips and Sam McMillan.

The U10 San Clemente Gators rugby team Courtesy photo

FOOTBALL SC’S FLASH GORDONS WIN FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP In the San Clemente 5-on-5 Flag Football League U14 division, the Flash Gordons went undefeated to claim the league championship.

The team members include: Lowell Smith, Nate Shepherd, Justin Kato, Matthew Hooper, John Hewitt, Ian Schwab, Ethan Waters, Trey Torticill, Thomas Aguilar, Mitch Olesinki and Zack Zalta.

The Flash Gordons. Courtesy photo

We want to run your scores, results and announcements in “Scoreboard.”

E-mail sports@sanclementetimes.com, fax 949.388.9977, mail or drop off the information to us at 34932 Calle del Sol, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 by each Monday at 5 p.m.

Hills Summer League, where they are 1-1 so far. They beat Saddleback Valley Christian in their first game and then went on to lose to Mission Viejo.

The Tritons played Laguna Beach in a summer league game at Dana Hills on Tuesday, July 2. Results weren’t available at press time.

With only four returners from last year’s league championship varsity team, Popovich wants his team to use the summer to learn how to play with each other

Page 28

and get as many minutes as possible under their belt as a team.

“Summer is important for experience,” Popovich said. “I am going to be putting together different groups on the floor in order to see who responds and will be most likely to do so during the regular season.”

As the team continues to gain more experience throughout the summer, they may very well continue to gain a bit of confidence as well, given their busy and successful summer schedule. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

SPORTS & OUTDOORS Lawn Bowling Offers a Chance for Colorful Group to Compete, Have Fun Photos and Story by Steve Breazeale San Clemente Times

s you exit southbound Interstate 5 at Avenida Califia, things begin to slow down.

You take a few turns and snake your way into the residential neighborhood bordering the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course. The cacophony of the freeway and the crashing ocean waves off in the distance dissipates with every turn of the road, giving way to new sounds: The golfers’ swing—most likely too hard—at the ball on the tee of the par-4 sixth hole of the nearby golf course; Tennis players darting back and forth, the squeak of their shoes indicating an intense match.

But as you walk up to the San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club’s manicured green square, you’re transported to a place of methodical movements, where technique and patience are key. On Monday afternoon, eight bowlers, surrounded by all the noise and movement of the busy city, are in total control.

The San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club does not have many members—something they would like to change—but the group that shows up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday is as devoted as they come.

Many of them are former athletes, using the game as a means to satisfy the itch of competition that creeps back into old legs. There is a former aerospace engineer, successful business executives, military veterans and truly talented lawn bowlers out there every week, rolling the weighted bowls, as they call them, to see who can finesse their bowl closest to the elusive jack.

In lawn bowling, groups are usually divided into twoman teams. The object is to have each team member roll four bowls with a built-in bias closest to a smaller ball, or jack. After all the players have finished rolling, points are awarded for each bowl inside your oppo-

A

Rick Grigg rolls one of the weighted bowls in a friendly game at the San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club.

San Clemente Times July 4-10, 2013

nents’ closest bowl.

San Clemente resident John Jay, 62, is a member of the former athlete crowd that turns out three times a week to bowl. Jay, a Marine Corps veteran, lives down the street from the club and happened upon it while walking his dog. After months of observation and friendly chats, he finally felt compelled to give it a shot.

As a result of 15 operations on his right knee and a total replacement of his left kneecap, Jay has a unique bowling motion that sets him apart from the others. He bends his back in a right angle and becomes parallel with the playing surface, maintains a no-bend leg base and releases the ball with his outstretched right hand.

Jay is the newcomer to the veteran group but is the most animated of the bunch. Whenever he makes a great roll, he relishes it fully.

“It’s very deceiving because it looks quite easy. When I first saw it I said ‘I could do that, no sweat,’ and then I got out here and I was very humbled,” Jay said with a laugh. “I’d say around 30 percent of my shots go where I want them to, the rest is luck.”

Jay’s playing partner that day was Nat Ciferri, 83, who comes to the club three times a week with her husband, Flavio. Flavio, 86, was the runner-up at this year’s club championship tournament and on that particular day, he was the man to beat.

Nat grew up playing all kinds of sports and her competitive nature comes out while out on the lawn bowling green. While describing her involvement in the club, always with an eye on the game at hand, she twists and turns her body, rooting for her opponent’s bowl to get away from one that she had already planted nice and close to the jack. It is, on this day at least, all in good fun, as she teases Jay about his game before he goes through his pre-shot routine and the two share laughs.

Guiding the group is the club president Howard Sharp, 75, the reigning two-time club champion and

John Jay, left, and Toni Hall tally up points during a lawn bowling match at the San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club.

Page 29

resident organizer. Sharp, a former employee in the Boeing Aerospace Division, embodies the methodical nature of the sport by providing in-depth analysis of his aim points and descriptions of the subtle nuances of the game. The group of trees that border the southern edge of San Luis Rey Park are in the perfect spot to aim his left-to-right-curling bowl. His calming demeanor was ever present as he took a large lead over his opponents.

“Howard is such a nice man. I never see him rattled.

I never see him raise his voice. You could go up and pinch him and it wouldn’t faze him,” Ciferri said.

The group plays for about two hours each day, which is the perfect amount of time according to the members. Most of them live active lives and still need to accomplish other things in the day, although after watching them play, you get the feeling that this game is just as addicting as golf and tennis, beckoning them to stay and hone their craft.

There are only 17 current members in the San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club. Despite those numbers, the devoted group still makes it out three times a week to get some exercise, see their friends and compete.

“People that are here continually come out yearround,” Sharp said.

“It’s lots of fun with great, wonderful people. I just wish we had more members,” Jay added.

They have space for more matches to take place if they take on new members but are currently in need of a repair to their playing surface, which has yet to be renovated since it was installed in 1996, according to Sharp.

As the matches draw to a close, the winners and losers of that day know in just 48 hours they’ll have the chance to either keep the momentum going or redeem themselves. It is part of the ebb and flow of the game that keeps drawing them back to that peaceful spot of land nestled right in the heart of the city. SC

Dave Parrish displays his bowling technique during a match at the San Clemente Lawn Bowling Club.

www.sanclementetimes.com

GROM OF THE WEEK Kaimana Takayama

SC SURF

6

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

SC S a n C le m e n te

SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

Age: 14, San Clemente High School Kaimana Takayama’s strong beliefs about protecting the environment and speaking his mind were apparent last month when he went to San Diego for the 241 Toll Road extension hearing. “I went for the experience and to help save Trestles until the TCA tries taking it again. And, I realize there is strength in numbers,” Kaimana said. He credits competing in SSS contests for the Bernice Ayer Middle School team with significantly improving his longboarding skills over the past season and is looking forward to trying out for the San Clemente High team.

“Guys like Gus Day, Jacob Atwood, River Covey and Jack Benjamin all made me step up my game. Surfing against them pushed me to do better,” he said. Nephew to the late Donald Takayama, Kaimana says surfing is in his blood but something it took a few years Kaimana Takayama. Photo by Sheri Crummer to embrace. “At 6 I took a spill at Oceanside Harbor and sucked in some water. I got really freaked out and didn’t try again until I was 13. That’s when fell in love with it,” Kaimana said. “Now I think it is the greatest thing in the world for me. On bad days it makes me feel better and on good days it stokes me out even more. I’m not looking to be the Kelly slater of longboarding or anything, but I’d like to travel around the world with it and enjoy it for the rest of my life. If I have kids one day, I will pass it on to them too.”—Andrea Swayne

Late Shaper’s Work Celebrated Terry Martin Shapes featured in the inaugural Sport of Kings Concours d’Elegance

By Denny Michael San Clemente Times

A

s part of the Doheny Surf Festival, June 29-30, the nonprofit group The Sport of Kings introduced its first ever Concours d’ Elegance celebrating the surfboards shaped by the late Terry Martin of Capistrano Beach. Martin who passed away in 2012 is known as one of the all-time great surfboard shapers. His influence and designs spanning many decades were well represented on the beach and in the water.

The Concours d’ Elegance was a gathering of Terry Martin fans who were able to show and surf their boards in a fun exhibition. Hundreds of people lining Doheny Beach were able to see these boards up close.

Mitch Yuasa, A local San Clemente shaper and participant in the event said,

“Terry made my day today.” Josh Martin, Terry’s son and a shaper himself, had the special honor of selecting the best board of the program. He looked at every aspect of the boards from tip to tail before deciding on which board would be crowned the best of the bunch. As he eyed each one you could see the direct connection he has to the surfboards that were shaped by his father, many of the same designs Josh is shaping today for Hobie Surfboards.

In the end, it did not matter who won as everyone on beach were winners, participants or fans alike.

The Sport of Kings Foundation was established to provide assistance to the lives of people in the surfboard manufacturing industry. This was one of many outreach programs supporting their cause. SC

Contestant teams in the Hobie Alter Tandem Surfing Invitational at the Doheny Surf Fest were (L to R) Jeremy Porfilio and Tammy Mowery, Chris Thomas and Wendy Guerrero, Mark and Debbie Gale (Capistrano Beach), Brian and Illa McEvilly and Landon Yacobucci and Cassandra Ontiveros (San Clemente). Janine McCusker, an event judge and former tandem surfer is seated in front. Photo by Sheri Crummer/seasister.com

Talent Times Two and ’60s Sticks Tandem and 1960s surf contests bring nostalgia to Doheny Surf Festival

T

he Hobie Alter Tandem Surfing Invitational and the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association ’60s Vintage Surf Contest brought a double dose of nostalgia and entertaining competition to Doheny State Beach on June 29 and 30.

Hobie Alter was himself a tandem champion and the company he founded in Dana Point sponsored the tandem event in his name as part of the 2013 Doheny Surf Festival.

Locals Mark and Debbie Gale of Capistrano Beach earned a second-place finish behind the Carlsbad team of Brian and Illa McEvilly. Landon Yacobucci and Cassandra Ontiveros of San Clemente came in fifth behind Chris Thomson and Wendy Guerrero in third and Jeremy Porfilio and Tammy Mowery in fourth.

The DLSA ‘60s Vintage Surf Contest saw many local competitors shine in all age groups of both “ride your own” and “pick a stick” divisions.

It was a very nostalgic day for those of

A special line up of Terry Martin surfboards and their riders was organized at The Sport of Kings-sponsored Concours d’Elegance featuring the late shaper’s work at the Doheny Surf Festival, June 29-30. Photo by Linda Michael

San Clemente Times July 4–10, 2013

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us who grew up surfing in the ’60s,” said Sheri Crummer of San Clemente. “It was unreal watching the younger generation riding some of the old boards better than the legends did in their heyday. The family atmosphere was awesome and had everyone cheering each other on.”

Among the groms, Kaimana Takayama of San Clemente won both the Gremmies Ride Your Own and Pick a Stick divisions and Capo Beach resident Rachael Tilly took top honors in Gidgets Ride Your Own. Full results from the event are available on the DLSA website at www.dohenylongboardsurfingassociation.org.

The annual Doheny Surf Festival is a two-day celebration of surf culture with proceeds benefiting the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association. More information and photos are available online at www.dohenysurffest.com and www. facebook.com/dohenysurffestival. SC —Andrea Swayne www.sanclementetimes.com