April 14, 2016

Chris Garcia, owner of Organics Out Back gardening

Photo: Eric Heinz

What’s Up With...

Five things San Clemente should know this week

State of the City Addresses La Pata, Budgets

THE LATEST: The San Clemente Chamber of Commerce and the city of San Clemente hosted the annual State of the City on Friday, April 8, highlighting some of the major accomplishments from the last year and looking toward future goals.

Mayor Bob Baker introduced the ceremony with State Sen. Patricia Bates, and Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Ward gave the State of the City address.

During the address, it was mentioned the city is seeing an increase in local business, “a renaissance,” in many parts of the community.

“I think as the economy is getting better and we’re seeing less available space out there, people are having to be creative to existing structures and make improvements to existing structures,” said James Wynne, chairman of the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “I think an upgrade of the tenants and quality businesses refers to the renaissance they’re talking about.”

A video put together by the city mentioned the sales revenue from the Outlets at San Clemente covering the cost of maintenance at Vista Hermosa Sports Park as well as other needs within the city. The revenue from the mall, originally expected between $1.2 million to $2 million, is expected to be significantly less than that, but city officials are optimistic the revenue will increase as more stores and restaurants open.

“I think it just continues to grow, and as people continue to buy into the Outlets, the sales tax revenue will grow with it,” City Manager James Makshanoff said.

In recent financial planning workshops, the city projected some deficits a few years down the road due to deferred maintenance and other factors, which the city’s budget workshops will take into account.

“We’re just working on the budget process right now, and we feel like we’re going to be in a pretty good place for next year, and we’ll be bringing a balanced budget to the council with similar services,” Makshanoff said. “No reduction in services are being planned at this time.”

WHAT’S NEXT: A major milestone for the city is the upcoming opening of Avenida La Pata, which will connect San Clem-

ente directly to San Juan Capistrano and provide an alternative north-south route to the Interstate 5 freeway. An opening of the road is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 14, Ward said.

Also, the city’s trolley program is expected to begin in mid-2017, once routes are mapped out.

FIND OUT MORE: The full recording of the State of the City is available at www. san-clemente.org. —Eric Heinz

Rep. Darrell Issa Requests Department of Energy Meeting in Southern California

THE LATEST: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) sent a letter to the Department of Energy on Tuesday, April 5, asking for the secretary of the department to add Southern California to a list of announced locations for public forums regarding nuclear waste storage.

“With the San Onofre nuclear facility at the front of Southern Californians’ minds, it makes zero sense that the Department of Energy wouldn’t seek to hear from us on how to address nuclear waste storage and disposal,” Issa stated in a press release. “The SONGS facility is scheduled to store more than 3.6 million pounds of high-level radioactive waste that residents in San Clemente and the surrounding areas want to have contained and removed safely. I encourage the Department of Energy to take this opportunity to engage with the local communities to find out the best way to move forward swiftly on this important issue.”

WHAT’S NEXT: A meeting regarding spent

partnerships, grants and more. SCWD serves Dana Point and South Laguna as well as small portions of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.

WHAT’S NEXT: According to Andrew Brunhart, SCWD general manager, the 5-million-gallon-per-day plant is planned to be completed in 2020 and will provide about 75 percent of SCWD’s demand.

—Andrea Swayne

City Looks to Approve Condominium Complex

THE LATEST: The City Council approved a request to conduct an environmental review for a 75-unit, multifamily development at Calle Frontera and Calle Ola Verde at its last meeting, April 5. Keeton Kreitzer Consulting is looking to provide the services for the report.

nuclear fuel and other consent-based solutions to storing nuclear materials will take place Tuesday, April 26, at the Hotel Plaza Inn in Sacramento. —EH

South Coast Water District Forges Ahead with Desal

THE LATEST: The South Coast Water District held a March 31 special meeting in Dana Point to discuss moving ahead with its proposed ocean desalination plant project.

The scoping meeting provided an overview of the project and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process and collected public input for preparation of the draft Environmental Impact Report. The 30-day public review period for preparation of the draft EIR concludes April 12.

The desal plant—to be located on the district’s 30 acres near San Juan Creek with three wells on Doheny Beach—was first proposed in 2003 as a means to create a more secure and more locally controlled water supply. A successful pilot plant slant well test was performed from 2008 to 2013.

Originally an effort by a group of five agencies, the cities of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, Moulton Niguel Water District and Laguna Beach County Water District have since left the project, however all remain interested in the pricing of its future water production.

According to initial estimates, the plant is expected to carry a final price tag of at least $90 million. SCWD, now the lone agency on the project—with technical assistance from Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC)—is continuing to explore funding options via potential

WHAT’S NEXT: The project is proposed to be on an empty lot in the Marblehead area of San Clemente (previously owned by Pacific Life Church), one of the few open lots in the city. —EH

Planning Commission Approves STLU Zoning Recommendation for City

THE LATEST: During the April 6 Planning Commission meeting, a recommendation for the zoning portion of the short-term living unit ordinance was approved to be sent to City Council. The council approved the permit and enforcement portion of the ordinance a few weeks ago and then tasked the Planning Commission with the zoning portion.

Most of the recommendation would require STLUs to be in areas of the city where visitors and travelers frequent, such as downtown, the Pier Bowl, parts of North Beach and areas of South El Camino Real.

The Planning Commission was split on deciding the limit of 90 rental days per year and the three- or five-day minimum stay, but approved the recommended permit administration as well as boardinghouse zoning, the specialty hospital zoning regulations and amortization periods.

WHAT’S NEXT: The City Council will discuss the proposed ordinance at a future meeting. It was not on the agenda for the next meeting, Tuesday, April 19. See the Planning Commission agenda for mapping details for the April 6 meeting at www.sanclemente.org. —EH

Have a story idea or topic you would like to read about? Send your suggestions to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

State Sen. Patricia Bates speaks during the State of the City on Friday, April 8, at Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club. Photo: Eric Heinz

MemorialCare Files Lawsuit

Against City

Lawsuit seeks zoning ordinance void, $42.5 million in damages

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

eeks after MemorialCare officials announced the San Clemente hospital will close May 31, the healthcare provider filed a lawsuit on Monday, April 11, in Orange County Superior Court against the city, requesting a zoning ordinance the city passed in January be voided.

MemorialCare is asking for the courts to disallow the city from changing the zoning or General Plan amendments— the city’s overarching guideline—at the hospital’s current site ever again. The site was changed to be zoned to require the landowner, MemorialCare, provide a hospital with an emergency room and emergency services.

The lawsuit also requests at least $42.5 million plus accruing interest in potential damages be awarded to MemorialCare for losses from the hospital closure. The amount of money is based on the estimates of the lost value of the ambulatory healthcare campus hospital officials proposed for the property.

“The property has lost its value because the city’s new zoning restrictions make impossible its use other than a hospital campus,” Saddleback Memorial Medical Center administrator Tony Struthers said in an email. “To maintain the emergency department under the law, the entire hospital would have to operate along with it; with the number of inpatients dropping to the low teens, and many days in the single digits, the acute care campus has become unviable. MemorialCare hopes that the City Council will work constructively to restore the land use rights that it has taken.”

MemorialCare representatives provided the San Clemente Times with a copy of the lawsuit on Monday, April 11.

MemorialCare’s lawsuit claims when the healthcare provider purchased the location in 2005, the city had promised the hospital could be altered for healthcare operations to fit the needs of the community it serves.

When asked for the documents that provide evidence of the city’s promise to allow MemorialCare to alter its operations, Struthers said those documents would be provided through the discovery phase of the lawsuit.

Saddleback Memorial Medical Center

entire South Orange County region. Those are people’s lives, not profits.”

City officials said state law mandates they designate land for public, institutional and emergency uses.

“For decades, the city’s land use and emergency planning have anticipated the need for a hospital and emergency medical facilities in San Clemente,” the release stated. “The Safety Element of San Clemente’s ‘2014 Centennial General Plan’ identifies the existing hospital and its existing site as a ‘Critical Facility (Hospital),’ yet MemorialCare’s lawsuit asserts that a hospital designation is inconsistent with its commercial designs for the site.”

At its April 19 meeting, City Council will vote to direct staff to write a letter to the Orange County Emergency Medical Services urging them to slow the process of the hospital’s closure.

BACKGROUND

EMERGENCY SERVICES MEETING

Orange County Emergency Medical Services (OCEMS) / Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) will host a public hearing at 9 a.m. on April 29, at the Commission Hearing Room, County of Orange Hall of Administration, 333 West Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana to hear input from the community, hospitals, fire departments and ambulance providers affected by the closure of emergency services at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. Public comments will be utilized to assess the impact on community access to emergency medical care. Findings from the hearing will be included in the OCEMS Impact Evaluation Report to be submitted to the California Department of Public Health.

administrator Tony Struthers responded to questions from the SC Times via email Tuesday, April 12.

“The lawsuit is about restoring MemorialCare’s rights to use its property; rights that it has had since it purchased the property over a decade ago,” Struthers stated.

“The San Clemente City Council illegally took those rights away in February of this year. When the San Clemente campus was acquired in 2005, zoning ordinances gave it the right, at its option, to operate a hospital—or a clinic, doctors’ offices, and any other medical facility, that MemorialCare, in its judgement, thought best. The city encouraged MemorialCare to believe the city supported the zoning, and that flexibility was relied on in the decision by MemorialCare to purchase the property.”

Will MemorialCare turn the current location into an advanced urgent care facility or some kind of alternative for outpatient services if it wins the lawsuit?

“It’s just not possible to say at this point,” Struthers said. “MemorialCare will continue to evaluate its options as the case develops.”

CITY’S RESPONSE

On Tuesday, the city of San Clemente

sent out a press release titled “MemorialCare Puts Corporate Interests Ahead of People in Lawsuit to Intimidate the City of San Clemente.”

In the release, the city asserts MemorialCare has rejected the city’s request to extend the hospital closure date and “refused to even consider numerous offers to purchase the hospital.”

“Instead, MemorialCare has chosen to file a lawsuit and put its profit before the public’s well-being,” the press release stated. “MemorialCare is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that receives tax exemption status but behaves like a for-profit company.”

City officials stated they think MemorialCare’s lawsuit is without legal basis and demanded the healthcare provider continue to provide hospital and emergency services until a new operator is found.

“This is a frivolous lawsuit. Memorial(Care) unilaterally chose to close the hospital and has refused to consider numerous offers to purchase it,” Mayor Bob Baker stated in the release. “As a nonprofit they have failed to live up to their requirement to provide a public benefit. This closure will increase mortality rates between 5 percent and 15 percent in the

Hospital officials have been trying to alter the hospital into an advanced urgent care center from an acute care hospital since mid-2014 because, officials said, their average inpatient population had dropped considerably in the last few years. Inpatient care usually represents a large part of hospital revenue.

Since then, MemorialCare officials brought forth options for the city to approve for urgent care facilities, but pressure from City Council and the public demanded an emergency room in San Clemente.

“In August 2014, MemorialCare proposed to replace the acute care facility with a state-of-the-art ambulatory heath care campus including an advanced urgent care center and other healthcare services—and it had every right to those uses under the zoning laws,” Struthers stated in the email.

At the beginning of this year’s California legislative session, two bills from Assemblyman Bill Brough and State Sen. Patricia Bates that would have allowed for a freestanding emergency room were heard in their respective houses’ health committees. A freestanding emergency room would allow for MemorialCare to provide emergency services with fewer requirements, but they are currently not legal in California. Both bills failed to get the necessary votes to move forward in the Legislature.

On Jan. 19, when the city passed the zoning ordinance, many hospital officials and physicians spoke out against it, claiming it was “spot zoning” and discriminatory to require the hospital maintain a facility that was losing money. Proponents of keeping the hospital open have claimed MemorialCare has an obligation to provide the hospital and emergency room services promised when the purchase of the facility was made.

MemorialCare officials said following the announcement of the hospital’s impending closure they have been speaking with potential buyers of the facility, but none have been named at this time. SC

Members of the Save San Clemente Hospital advocacy group protest in front of Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente on March 9. The hospital is slated to close May 31 and the hospital network, MemorialCare, filed a lawsuit Monday, April 11 against the city’s recent zoning ordinance that requires the land on which the hospital sits to require emergency medical services and a hospital. Photo: Eric Heinz

In honor of our 10th Anniversary, the San Clemente Times is proud to present...

10 Weeks of Giveaways!

Here’s the scoop…

Just send us an email describing why you LOVE the SC Times. We will select a winner each week for 10 weeks!

Our next prize package includes:

• Gift Card for Salon Zinnia

• Custom “knock-your-socks-off” SC Times Stance socks

• Awesome SC Times swag

Congratulations to this week’s winner Mandy Einhorn!

“ I look forward to reading the SC Times each week. Thank you for putting together a paper that represents the community so well. I try to avoid most news sources because they are so sensationalized and upsetting. The SC Times is positive and keeps me up to date on the local issues that actually impact me and my family. My favorite edition of the year is the ‘Best of San Clemente.’ We love to try the restaurants and businesses that are featured in that edition. Thanks.”

More prize packages to come, including gifts from some of our favorite local businesses:

Send email to: contest@sanclementetimes.com and tell us why you LOVE the SC Times. Include your name and phone number. Winners will be featured each week from 4/7/16-6/9/16. and more!

Mandy Einhorn, pictured here with her daughter Ellie, took home a family four-pack of Rainbow Sandals, SC Times Stance socks and an SC Times hat.

SC Sheriff’s Blotter

COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ

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, April 11

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Escalones, 100 Block (12:42 a.m.) A man was seen trying to enter the sliding door. He was described as 35 years old, wearing a green sweater and jeans.

Sunday, April 10

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

El Camino Real, 700 Block (11:25 p.m.)

A guest who had been asked several times to stay inside his room was constantly walking around outside, looking through the windows of other guests’ rooms.

DISTURBANCE Avenida Monterey, 200 Block (10:40 p.m.)A caller said they could hear a woman saying “Help” and a man slamming a woman to the ground.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

El Camino Real, 3100 Block (8:14 p.m.)

A man who had urinated on himself was sitting out front of the business and bothering customers.

VANDALISM IN PROGRESS

East Avenida Palizada/El Camino Real (1:43 p.m.) Police arrested a 59-year-old man in a wheelchair, who stated he is a musician, when he was found writing on a bench with a black marker.

WELFARE CHECK North El Camino Real/Avenida Pico (1:03 p.m.) A white Nissan was

seen being driven by a 13-year-old boy with a 5-year-old and 8-year-old in the back seat.

PETTY THEFT Camino Del Los Mares, 600 Block (6:46 a.m.) A man with one eye ran out of the store with baby food and left in a white Kia without license plates and a woman inside.

Saturday, April 9

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-UNKNOWN INJURIES

El Camino Real, 3900 Block (2:30 p.m.)

A white Ford Mustang hit a guardrail head-on.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

El Camino Real, 1800 Block (8:17 a.m.)

A couple described as homeless were in a verbal argument. The caller said the “local transients” appear to be leaving because of the disturbance of the “new transients.”

Friday, April 8

DISTURBANCE Avenida Vista Hermosa, 100 Block (3:51 p.m.) A group of people were in the middle of the intersection out of their vehicles and screaming at a man.

Thursday, April 7

TRAFFIC HAZARD Calle Del Cerro/Avenida Pico (12:45 p.m.) Multiple bags filled with drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in the back seat of a car, along with two baggies of heroin.

KEEP THE PEACE El Camino Real, 1500 Block (9:30 a.m.) A man was out front of his home, upset about the money he thinks “the cable company is stealing” from him.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

El Camino Real, 500 Block (12:17 a.m.)

A man under a gray hoodie wearing dark pants and dark shoes was standing next to a tuxedo shop. The caller said the man looked suspicious. An unemployed 22-yearold man was arrested and is in custody at the Harbor Justice Center on $175,000 bail.

Wednesday, April 6

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTY Vista Del Sol,

0 Block (9:13 p.m.) A large party was reported with underage drinking. The caller said the juveniles were throwing a party without their parents’ knowing.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

El Camino Real, 2900 Block (9:13 p.m.)

A man in the alley said he noticed a chemical smell and possibly a “meth lab.”

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES

Esplanade/Paseo Del Cristobal (7:44 p.m.)

Where Esplanade dead-ends, a 20- to 23-year-old man was riding a BMX bike and darting in front of cars, daring the drivers to hit him.

DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 700 Block (11:04 a.m.) A caller said a man with a backpack was carrying a big stick and yelling at people about Islam.

Man

Crashes, Impaled by BMX Bike in San Clemente

A26-year-old man was airlifted by helicopter to Mission Hospital after crashing his bike on a dirt trail about 3:20 p.m. on Saturday in San Clemente just south of Calle Extremo and Avenida Fabricante.

The man was going over jumps when his bike seat fell off in mid-air and the bar holding his seat impaled him 3 to 4 inches into his abdomen, according to an Orange County Fire Authority press release.

“Fortunately, he was with friends and they flagged down a nearby animal control officer who immediately called 911,” the release stated.

Paramedics and firefighters who responded had to move the man away from powerlines in order for the helicopter to land safely.

The man suffered serious injuries and internal bleeding from the incident but is expected to survive. SC

Community Meetings

SATURDAY, APRIL 16

Light Up the Night Gala 5:30 p.m. An annual fundraiser for San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club with live and silent auctions. Entertainment by NeOn NaTiOn. Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club, 949.498.6604, www.scjwc.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17

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

TUESDAY, APRIL 19

San Clemente City Council Meeting 6 p.m.Regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio, 949.361.8200, www.san-clemente.org.

Because I Love You (BILY) Meeting 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Every Tuesday. The meeting helps parents work with their children who have developed poor behavioral habits. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, www.bilysc.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

San Clemente Planning Commission Meeting 6 p.m. Regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio, 949.361.8200, www.san-clemente.org.

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

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

NEWS BITES

COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ

South Coast Tritons Baseball to Host Fundraising Tournament

The South Coast Tritons Baseball Team from San Clemente is hosting a fundraising golf tournament at the Talega Golf Club on Friday, April 22. The tournament will feature skill challenges and a silent auction, and businesses are asked to sponsor the event.

The South Coast Tritons are a non-profit organization (Tax ID: 20-5145273), and the 12U baseball team is hosting this event to raise money to participate in a weeklong baseball tournament in Cooperstown, New York, this summer against 23 other teams from around the country. There are several ways to support this event: participate in the tournament, become a business sponsor or sponsor a ball in the helicopter golf ball drop for $10 each.

Estrella Plaza T.J. Maxx to Open April 24

T.J. Maxx will open a new location in San Clemente on April 24. The retailer is one of the nation’s largest.

Local shoppers can celebrate the new store opening on April 24 starting at 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and experience the thrill of off-price shopping. Reusable bags will be given to the first 1,000 customers.

Regular hours will be 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. The new store is expected to add 60 full- and part-time jobs.

I Heart OC

San Clemente-based nonprofits are participating in this year’s I Heart OC Giving Day, hosted by Orange County Community Foundations. It kicks off at 6 a.m. on April 27 and concludes on April 28 at noon. Last year, more than $1.8 million was raised for 347 participating nonprofits across Orange County. This year, OCCF aims to exceed last year’s results with more than 400 nonprofits participating.

Some of the local nonprofits in San Clemente that benefitted last year include the Boys & Girls Club of South Coast, Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, Family Assistance Ministries and the San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club. For more information, visit www.iheart.org.

San Clemente Earth Day

San Clemente is celebrating Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, at Parque Del Mar in the Pier Bowl near the San Clemente Pier. The com-

munity is invited to attend the free event hosted by the San Clemente Watershed Task Force and supported by the city of San Clemente. The celebration will include educational displays, vendors, artists, demonstrations, live music, an awards ceremony and giveaways.

Those who are interested in participating in an early morning beach cleanup can meet at the Pier at 8:30 a.m. Cleanup supplies will be given to all participants to help collect the trash and debris that has accumulated on the beach. Beach cleanups are a great way for families, students, service groups and neighbors to join together to care for our fragile marine environment and have fun in the process.

Ohana Fest Scheduled Aug. 27 and 28

Ohana Fest, a new music festival produced by Laguna Hills-based Synergy Global Entertainment, is coming to Doheny State Beach Aug. 27 and 28., The event will feature notable headliners including Eddie Vedder, Lana Del Rey, Elvis Costello, City and Colour, Corinne Bailey Rae and more.

“In addition to offering a full day in the sun with a diverse music lineup, Ohana Fest will donate a portion of proceeds to the San Onofre Parks Foundation,” the announcement on the festival’s website stated.

Ohana Fest was created to support the efforts of maintaining coastal access throughout Orange County state beaches.

Food and drinks will be provided with time to network. The event takes place 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, at The San Clemente Community Center, 100 North Calle Seville. People who are interested in attending can contact Maureen Umaña Boatman at 949.300.6854.

Cox Conserves Heroes Nominations

Cox Communications, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, is seeking nominations for environmental volunteers in Cox’s service areas in Orange County and Palos Verdes. Nominations are being accepted at www.coxconservesheroes.com through 5 p.m. on April 27 for volunteers who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces.

The winner, chosen through an online public vote, will receive $10,000 to donate to his or her selected environmental nonprofit beneficiary. The two finalists will each receive $5,000 for their nonprofits of choice.

Nominee activities must be performed on a volunteer basis and may not be part of an individual’s employment.

Host Families Sought for Exchange Student Program

Festival general admission allows roaming throughout Doheny State Beach. VIP passes will be limited and include one-day festival entry, VIP Lounge and more. Attendees must be 21 and older to attend the VIP Lounge.

Kelly Slater, world champion professional surfer, and Eddie Vedder and will host the Ohana Luau at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. Roastmaster Jeff Ross will host a live auction for charity with limited-edition items.

Weekend passes went on sale April 8. For more information, including a full event lineup, visit www.theohanafest.com.

Financial Workshop

Maureen Umaña Boatman, financial professional associate with the Orange County Financial Group of Prudential Advisors, will host one of the company’s community financial workshops in San Clemente.

The workshop is an educational session for local San Clemente residents sponsored by local San Clemente business owners. Workshop topics will center on nonfinancial issues people face when approaching retirement.

Local residents and business owner sponsors participating in this event include Jill Mitzev from Distinctive Coast Properties, Florina Romoser of Florina Photography, Dr. Brad Shapero of Premier Health Care Wellness & Chiropractic, and David Gibbs of The Gibbs Law Firm.

AFS-USA Intercultural Programs exchange students from all over the world who are coming to the United States to study in high schools and live with host families. AFS host families learn about other cultures across the globe with every student exchange. Students coming to Orange County for the 2016-17 school year will begin arriving in August. There are open slots for any families looking to host these students. If you would like to host one of these students, visit www.afsusa. org/host-family. To learn about some of the available students, visit the “Meet the Students” link on the website. More students are being added every week, so check back if you don’t find a student that would be right for your family.

Family Assistance Ministries Offering Free Income Tax Preparation

FAM is offering free income tax preparation for those who make $60,000 or less through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The program is available at FAM’s Resource Center, located at 1030 Calle Negocio, on Saturdays through April 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information and to set up an appointment, call 949.492.8477.

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

The South Coast Tritons Baseball Team from San Clemente. Photo: Courtesy

Letters to the Editor

DISTRICTED ELECTIONS WOULD HARM SAN CLEMENTE

LARRY CORWIN, San Clemente

In the near future you may see people gathering signatures for a proposed voter redistricting petition that would divide San Clemente into separate voting districts for City Council elections. The proponents of this redistricting plan suggest their neighborhoods are not being represented by City Council using the current at-large system, citing that multiple current councilmembers live in the same neighborhood. The fact is, there are two members of council that are within walking distance of each other (one having just moved there years after his election), while the other three live in different parts of the city. To accept this notion on face value suggests the petition’s founders and their neighborhoods are not being represented by the council. The makeup of City Council is fluid and will change every two years with new elections. Councilmen and women come and go and live in every community in San Clemente. The notion of “stacking” the council from any area or neighborhood is unfounded as there is no identification of candidate’s neighborhood of residence during the election process. Currently the entire registered population of San Clemente has an opportunity to vote for any candidate they choose based on who they believe has the best vision for San Clemente. There are sufficient candidate forums and debates in advance of every election where the public can learn the views of the candidates and decide who they think will serve the city best. If a voter is dissatisfied with an action of council, they get an opportunity to vote in a new member. To change this system would be a waste of money, divide communities and provide absolutely no benefit. If asked, I will refuse to sign the petition and hope you will too.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON DISPUTES CLAIMS ON SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL STORAGE IN APRIL 1 LETTER TO THE EDITOR

TOM PALMISANO, Southern California Edison’s vice president of decommissioning and chief nuclear officer

I write to offer your readers important facts regarding the continued safe storage of used nuclear fuel at San Onofre nuclear plant and to correct errors on this topic in a letter to the editor published in the April 1 edition of the San Clemente Times. San Onofre nuclear plant stores onethird of its used nuclear fuel in licensed, regulated dry-cask storage canisters. We

plan to transfer the remaining two-thirds (currently in steel-lined concrete pools) to dry storage by 2019. Similar storage systems have been safely used for 30 years in the United States, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) projects it would take a minimum of 80 years before canisters like those at San Onofre might experience a crack.

The April 1 letter incorrectly interpreted a 2015 Sandia National Labs study, which reviewed and compared previously performed experimental “accelerated” corrosion rates, using conditions impossible to achieve in the natural environment of existing dry storage canisters.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reviewed the Sandia report and noted the Sandia work included experimental corrosion studies intended to provide a basis to mitigate stress corrosion cracking on a new standardized canister. The study concluded that stress corrosion cracking might be possible within 150 years (the authors’ proposed regulatory lifetime of the new canister). The report does not conclude that corrosion could occur in very short time intervals in real-world conditions, as asserted in the letter to SC Times.

The dry storage canisters at San Onofre are initially licensed for 20-year periods by the NRC, which inspects the design, manufacture and use of dry casks to ensure adherence to safety and security requirements. The NRC conducts safety reviews prior to re-licensing canisters for 20- to 40-year periods.

Used nuclear fuel must be in canisters before it can be transferred from San Onofre to an off-site location, as proposed by numerous community and elected leaders. As long as fuel remains at San Onofre, Southern California Edison (SCE), majority owner of the plant, will continue to safely store and monitor it in accordance with NRC regulations. In addition, SCE will partner with the EPRI to apply leading-edge cask inspection techniques at San Onofre.

The California Coastal Commission appropriately approved, with conditions, SCE’s Coastal Development Permit to expand dry storage at San Onofre, based on issues within the commission’s jurisdiction.

CRIMINAL ELEMENT LINGERS IN SAN CLEMENTE

EVA O’KEEFE, San Clemente

San Clemente is a beautiful place. However, a criminal element has recently come into our city. Looking at police reports from 600 Camino De Los Mares (Ocean View Plaza), shop owners and customers complain of open heroin use, defecation and urination on sidewalks, harassment of customers, spitting, indecent exposure, open drug deals, attacks of customers in parking lots and multiple burglaries. Patrons and employees no longer feel safe.

I contacted our city council asking for help. One member replied. The council member was unaware of the situation in that area and suggested the placement of “no loitering” signs. I asked about increasing police and was told that due to budget constraints and rate increases for OCSD, increased police was not possible. I later learned that tax revenue is at an all-time high. I was told that the city need the tax revenue for infrastructure repair (Ole Hanson, bathrooms, sidewalks, alleys). I am all for infrastructure repair, but not at the expense of public safety. Cops have been cut during the last budget from an already low number of cops compared to neighboring cities (0.66 per 1,000 residents compared 1 per 1,000 residents for Dana Point).

In my opinion, the fact that none of the council members live around the area may be impacting their views and minimizing the severity of the situation around my area of town. I was disappointed to read the Orange County Register article asking our mayor, Bob Baker, his top priorities and he cited the improvement of “sidewalks” and never once talked about the safety of our community. So, when I was approached about supporting voting by districts, I thought it made sense to obtain more localized representation. Democracy works best when we are all represented.

IN RESPONSE TO KEN ROYAL’S SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

WAYNE EGGLESTON, San Clemente

In an April 7 letter to the editor, Ken Royal stated he never met one of (city council member) in his grocery store or walking the street. I always see them all over our beautiful city—at events, stores, shopping centers, farmers markets, restaurants and Avenida Del Mar.

District elections occur in much larger cities or those with a large minority population. I do not care where our city councilmembers live as long as they have vision, integrity, ethics and thoughtfulness. In fact, we have had councilmembers from all parts of this city, including Talega. True representational government is not having just one councilmember to gripe to and state your issue but all of them. Any issue requires a majority vote, not one vote. Do you really think that the other four are going to listen to you when they are not accountable to you as a voter regarding a major issue in your part of town? At-large elections give you the opportunity to vote for all five, not just one. You have much more power and representation when five councilmembers depend on your support and vote.

District elections divide the city, divide the community, divide the people, divide the issues and you get the chance to vote for just one. What a deal!

(Cont. on page 10)

TO REACH US

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

EDITORIAL

Group

‘ATTACK’

(Cont. from page 9)

ON PETITION UNWARRANTED

STEVEN

SWARTZ, San Clemente

In a letter to the editor in the March 31 edition of the San Clemente Times, Mr. Jim Smith, a local insurance broker and member of Charles Mann’s Political Groups, posted the expected attack on the petition and the people who have indicated that they support it. The apparent coordinated negative campaign started before the petition form’s ink dried. So far the group putting out personal attacks include: Sean Watson, Don Slater, Enrique Romero and Jim Smith. There are others who don’t agree with the concept, but they tend to stick to their opinions of the petition and not try and spin personal agendas and personality attacks like these “friends” of Tim Brown. Open debate on the issues and concepts are welcome; that is what public elections are all about. It is this small but vocal group (that leans on personal attacks and innuendoes that provide little true value to the debate) that should be ashamed of their behavior.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@ sanclementetimes.com. San Clemente Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers. Please limit your letters to 350 words.

Corrections

In the March 17 edition of the San Clemente Times, a police report incorrectly stated the car model suspected in a fatal hit-and-run of a motorcyclist. The car is a Mercedes Sprinter van.

In the April 7 edition of the San Clemente Times article “$55 Million Home for Sale in San Clemente,” the professions of Rick Henderson and James Glover were incorrectly state. Henderson was the general contractor and architectural design was done by James Glover Home Inc.

Rejuvenation Found in 55-and-older Community

In the late 1980s, Cora and I were introduced to San Clemente by our Glendale neighbors. They suggested we jointly purchase a San Clemente condo for weekend use. We liked the idea and bought a one-bedroom condo in the Pier Bowl with our partners. That’s when the Pier and I first met.

One New Year’s Eve in the early 90s, Cora and I hosted two close friends for dinner at our condo. Later in the evening we walked Avenida Del Mar up to El Camino Real and back. Every place was closed. The four of us were the only moving things on Del Mar. How time has changed in 25 years.

By Herman Sillas

Eventually, Cora and I became the sole owners of our condo. Our children were on their own and we were living in our inland twostory, four-bedroom home. We spent half our time searching for each other in the house. I suggested we spend a week at San Clemente and I would take the Metrolink into my Los Angeles office. After my first roundtrip, I excitedly told Cora, “I could do this every work day!” And I did. We sold our large home and moved into our San Clemente condo as a permanent residence. As a daily commuter on the train to Los Angeles, I met many interesting folks and some became my friends. Eventually, Cora and I acquired a two-bedroom condo in our condo complex. Our ocean view was spectacular from our new residence. We watched as San Clemente grew from being a “Spanish Village by the sea” to a metropolis as more folks came. But for us, the numerous stairs to our condo became an issue for our aging legs. It was time for us to move. My good fishing buddy, Steve Carrico found us a home in a 55-and-older residential community. Our new place has no stairs. However, moving from the hustling, vibrant, busy and noisy Pier Bowl area

to this quiet senior community was quite a change. Silence prevailed in our new community. We experienced a cultural shock. One morning, after three days at our new residence, I looked out our living room window and called out to Cora in our kitchen, “Cora, come here and look.”

“What?” She answered.

“Come to the window. Look.”

“What?”

“Look. A person,” I jokingly answered as I pointed to a man walking. He was the first human I had seen after our move. Now, four months later, I have learned to love the silence and peace of our new residence.

“ I have heard 55-andolder communities cruelly referred to as ‘God’s Waiting Pens.’ Folks, we are all waiting at some place here on Earth to be taken by our Maker. Many are taken before ever reaching 55 years of age. All in our new community have lived to be 55 and older. They have learned much in those years. ”

As owners, Cora and I belong to the Home Owners Association, which has monthly evening meetings. The business and concerns of our small community are discussed. After our last monthly meeting, for the first time, refreshments, including wine and beer were

provided along with good food. One of our members, Tim Daum, is a musician. He and his trio “The Dauminators” set up and provided us with great live music. It wasn’t long before we were accompanying the band with our voices and dancing to the up-beat sounds. Cora, seeing me dance, said to a neighbor, “I hope Herman brought his nitro.”

The neighbor said, “Don’t worry. I brought mine.”

I have heard 55-and-older communities cruelly referred to as “God’s Waiting Pens.” Folks, we are all waiting at some place here on Earth to be taken by our Maker. Many are taken before ever reaching 55 years of age. All in our new community have lived to be 55 and older. They have learned much in those years. I can say without fear of contradiction that one thing they learned to do was … party! We are glad we were able to join them. That’s the view from the pier.

Herman Sillas is a local attorney and fishes at the San Clemente Pier most Saturday mornings. He is also the author of the award-winning book, “View from the Pier-Stories from San Clemente.” He may be reached at sillasla@aol.com. SC

week’s guest will be City Councilman Tim Brown who will speak about current events in San Clemente. Beachside Chat is a spirited, town hall forum on community issues, hosted by SC Times editor Eric Heinz every Friday at Café Calypso, 114 Avenida Del Mar. All are welcome.

THE VIEW FROM THE PIER

GUEST OPINION: The View from the Pier by Herman Sillas

GETTING OUT SC

SanClemente

EDITOR’S PICK

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

FRIDAY, APRIL 15: CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL

6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. (also runs April 16 from 1 p.m.–4 p.m. at Lantern Bay Park, 25511 Park Lantern Road). Experience California wine tasting at its finest and enjoy hundreds of the region’s premium vintage wines, microbrews, delicious food samples and lively music. Wines are paired with a variety of fresh gourmet appetizers such as artisan breads, cheeses, olive oils and more. Tickets are $69 to $185. Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, VUE lawn, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point. For more information, visit www.californiawinefestival.com.

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Thursday | 14

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’ AT SCHS

7:30 p.m. The San Clemente High School Drama Department will perform a version of The Addams Family. Performances run April 14 to 16 and 21 to 23. Tickets are on sale now, between $10 and $15. 700 Avenida Pico, San Clemente, 949.492.4165, www.schsdrama.com.

BILINGUAL STORYTIME

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m. Bilingual Storytime runs on Thursdays until April 28. All ages are invited to enjoy cuentos y canciones. San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.ocpl.org/libloc/sc.

LOS RIOS GARDEN ANGELS

8:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet every Thursday in front of the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park in San Juan Capistrano to help maintain the garden and enjoy a little

dirt therapy. Bring gloves and wear closetoed shoes. Ages 18 and up. Los Rios Park, 31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

Friday | 15

BALLERINA CARRIE LEE RIGGINS

7 p.m. Internationally recognized ballerina Carrie Lee Riggins will perform an original ballet for the Casa Romantica feature Casa Kinetic. Riggins’ film credits include Black Swan, and her resume includes the New York City Ballet and the Morphoses Company. Alexander Fost, from the TV program “So You Think You Can Dance,” and Danny Davalos, featured on “Dancing with the Stars,” will join Riggins. Tickets are available online; $25 general admission and $20 for members. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, www.casaromantica.org.

Saturday | 16

BOXCAR 7

7 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Live music at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.

(Cont. on page 12)

(Cont. from page 11)

ARMED SERVICES YMCA POKER RUN

10 a.m. Registration for the inaugural Armed Services YMCA Poker Run begins at 10 a.m., with the ride beginning at 11 a.m. The event starts at Biggies in San Clemente—stops include Hells Kitchen, Doffo Winery and Rainbow Oaks. $25 per rider, $15 for each additional rider. There will be prizes and raffle items at the finish. Proceeds benefit Camp Pendleton military families. For more information, call 760.385.4921 or email stabrum@ camppendletonasymca.org. To register, visit www.camppendletonasymca.org.

Sunday | 17

SOUL FOOD: NACHO ARAMANI

10:30 a.m. Instrumentalist and percussionist Nacho Aramani will perform. He creates a dialogue through rhythm. Soul Food is a free program where people of all faiths, beliefs and backgrounds can come together to reflect on and celebrate our diversity and be reminded of the common threads that tie all of humanity together. San Clemente Baha’i Center, 3316 Avenida Del Presidente, 949.791.9192, www.bahaicenter.com.

Monday | 18

NO TAXATION WITHOUT RELAXATION

An island-themed truck from Kona Ice will give away free shaved ice at two Liberty Tax Service locations to help the community “chill out” on tax day. 11 a.m.–11:30 a.m. at Liberty Tax Service, 439 N. El Camino Real, and noon–12:30 p.m. at 620 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente, www.kona-ice.com.

BRIDGE AT SENIOR CENTER

1 p.m. If you are an intermediate-level player, join the San Clemente Senior Center for Bridge. People can sign up in the office or just show up. Come five to 10 minutes early to claim a seat. Monday and Thursday at

FRIDAY, APRIL 15: ‘TOM, DICK AND HARRY’

EDITOR’S PICK

Wednesday | 20

MEET MOVIE STAR ROBOTS

7 p.m. Meet Mike Senna and his robots, R2D2 and WALL-E. This educational presentation will share how he built his creations and encourage kids to pursue their education. This is a free, all-ages event. 242 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3493, www.ocpl.org/libloc/sc.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.218.0120, www.mollybloomspub.com.

UPCOMING: SATURDAY, APRIL 23

ART ALONG THE COAST

8 p.m. What happens when you’re trying to do right and everything goes wrong? Find out when the Cabrillo Playhouse presents, “Tom, Dick and Harry.” This is a story of three brothers, two of which are trying to help the third, Tom, and his wife adopt a baby. In trying to help them make a good impression on the woman from the agency, a series of mishaps create a string of unbelievable farcical events that are a comedy lover’s dream. The play opens Friday, April 15, and runs through Sunday, May 8. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente, 949.492.0465, www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

the Dorothy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente, 949.940.5702, www.san-clemente.org.

Tuesday | 19

MUMMIES OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT

10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Mummies of the World: The Exhibition includes more than 150 artifacts and real human and animal mummies from across the globe—the largest collection of mummies ever assembled. The exhibit runs through Sept. 5. More information can be found at www.mummiesoftheworld.com. Bowers Museum, 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, 714.567.3600, www.bowers.org.

At the Movies: ‘Everybody Wants Some!’ Nostalgia

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Richard Linklater’s first film since his 12-year-long, coming-of-age epic Boyhood (2014), is a silly, college sex comedy called Everybody Wants Some! The posters and trailers have been advertising the film as a “spiritual sequel” to Linklater’s 1993 teen dramedy Dazed and Confused, but in reality it might have more of a familiarity to a film along the lines of American Pie 2 (2001). Sometimes a silly sex comedy just wants to be a silly sex comedy, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

At the end of summer 1980, college freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) moves away

from home and into a rundown campus house full of his new baseball teammates. For the first week of orientation, Jake and his new friends get to know each other on campus, on the field, in town and at parties. There’s also a freshman girl named Beverly (Zoey Deutch) who takes notice of Jake and vice versa.

Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell and Temple Baker play some of Jake’s teammates. The title Everybody Wants Some! comes from the Van Halen song with the same name and is appropriate for the tone Linklater is setting for the comedy. The filmmaker is not only paying homage to his own early college years but also to the teen/college comedies

LOCAL AUTHOR LECTURE SERIES

2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library hosts author Anita Hughes for this month’s third Sunday local author lecture series. Hughes will be launching her book, Island of the Sea: A Majorca Love Story. Admission is free, but RSVP is required as space is limited. The Bookstore, 31495-A El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.2688, www.facebook.com/sjcfriends.

YOGA WITH MAIZIE

5:30 p.m. Community Outreach Alliance hosts a free yoga session at Talega Life Church. 1050 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, 949.388.0114, ext. 105, www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday, April 23, and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday, April 24. Journey along the coast for an intimate glimpse into homes, studios and creative work spaces of 12 fine artists. View new art not yet seen by the public as you drive at your own pace through Laguna Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente for this no-cost, self-guided tour. For more information, call 949.246.3380l or email paul@paulbondart. com, www.artalongthecoast.com

SAN CLEMENTE MICRO-BREW FEST

1 p.m.–5 p.m. Left Coast Brewing Co. celebrates its sixth annual Micro-Brew Festival. General admission is $35. VIP admission is $45. Admission includes 12, 4-ounce micro-brew samples. Must be 21. Space is limited. Pre-sale tickets end April 22. Left Coast Brewing Co., 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, 949.492.1131, www.scchamber.sampleorg.com.

For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.sanclementetimes.com. Have an event? Send your listing to events@sanclementetimes.com

names headlining with a non-stop 1980 soundtrack perfectly gets any nostalgic or retro fan interested. SC

Photo: Paramount Pictures

Photo: Courtesy

of that era, like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Sixteen Candles (1984) and Superbad (2007) much later. Having a cast of no-big

Organic Diversion

Recycling kitchen scraps, yard waste into energy

Vegetable peelings, discarded meat bones and uneaten leftovers are full of life.

San Clemente residents will soon give these items a new purpose. Kitchen scraps and yard waste become energy starting July 1. Organic waste, from egg shells and banana peels to chicken bones and pizza slices, will divert the landfill and instead be recycled into fertilizer and fuel. Organic materials account for onethird of all waste in landfills. Its diversion is key to meeting California waste reduction goals, calling for a 75-percent diversion from landfills by 2020. With a current directive of 50 percent recycling, Californians will have to salvage an estimated 20 million tons of additional waste annually, according to CalRecycle, the

state’s recycling department.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District launched Orange County’s first residential organics recycling program in June. Today, according to a UC Irvine study, two thirds of Costa Mesa’s single-family households are recycling food scraps. Residents now use a two-bin system. One bin for green waste, the other for trash. Without food, trash bins are mostly filled with recyclables, said CR&R Waste & Recycling Service sustainability specialist Lawrence Jones.

In February alone, the district collected more than 600 tons—or 1.2 million pounds of food waste, Jones said. Those recyclable organic materials are now skipping the landfill and instead being composted in Victorville.

In Seas n

It’s always spring in California. At least when it comes to our year-round farmers markets. Three days a week, each week of the year, regional growers tout fresh produce at open-air markets in the community. These markets are always in bloom.

San Juan Capistrano

Wednesdays: 3 p.m.–7 p.m.

Shop seasonal produce, fresh flowers, specialty foods and more at this weekly market in San Juan’s historic downtown. Yorba Linda Street at Camino Capistrano. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.

Dana Point

Saturdays: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Merchants from across Southern California sell an array of produce, flowers and foods at La Plaza Park. Each first Saturday features a craft fair. Pacific Coast Highway north of Golden Lantern. www.danapoint.org.

Costa Mesa’s food and yard waste will soon be sent to Perris where the Stanton-based CR&R is finishing a more than $25 million anaerobic digesting facility. Here, microorganisms will break down biodegradable material inside an oxygen-free chamber. The matter will then be processed into fertilizer and biogas. The fertilizer will eventually be sold to farmers to grow crops, while the fuel will power CR&R’s fleet of collection trucks.

Other municipalities could soon follow Costa Mesa’s lead. San Clemente’s organic recycling service rolls out this summer with Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano expressing interest in implementing the two-bin system. •

San Clemente

Sundays: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

This weekly market features dozens of vendors selling seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers and specialty foods and goods each week along San Clemente’s downtown Avenida Del Mar. Whether you’re headed to your local grocer or farmers market, be sure to shop the season. In season now: artichokes, asparagus, beets, mushrooms, spinach, cherries and tangerines. Watch for stone fruits to hit stands soon—peaches, apricots and plums peak in May. •

Photo: CR&R

Finding Treasure in Trash

San Juan Capistrano 6-year-old starts his own recycling business, aspires to drive his own garbage truck one day

AND PHOTOS BY ALLISON JARRELL

If there’s one thing 6-year-old Ryan Hickman loves, it’s sorting.

So when, at the ripe age of 3, his parents, Damion and Andrea, let him come along to return some water bottles at a recycling center, he was thrilled to help.

“He likes to sort pretty much anything, and he liked putting the bottles in the machine,” Damion said. “He probably got two or three bucks, and he was so excited about it. And of course then he got to sort his change, so that meant more sorting.”

For an average 3-year-old, that probably would have been the end of the story. But when Damion returned home from work the next day, Ryan was waiting for him in the driveway. He told his dad that he wanted to show him his new business—or “bidness” in toddler talk.

“I asked him what it was, and he kind of waved down the street and goes, ‘tahdah!’” Damion recalled. “Ryan and Andrea had gone around giving all the neighbors trash bags—he wanted everyone to start saving cans for him.”

That was the beginning of Ryan’s Recycling Company, established in 2012 in the family’s San Juan Capistrano home. first-grader at mbuehl lementary School, Ryan has already earned more than $8,000 by collecting cans and bottles from about 0 customers in five different neighborhoods. His biggest client is the El Niguel Country Club.

Of course, being a 6-year-old entrepreneur comes with some hurdles. Ryan’s parents, grandmother and aunt all help drive him around to collect his recyclables and often make multiple trips to pick up a few carloads at a time. The family’s backyard acts as Ryan’s sorting facility, where he has about eight large trash cans that he sorts containers into— bottles and cans, plastics and glass, they

all have their place. Ryan’s family visits the recycling center every third Sunday, and on the weekends he can often be seen sorting to prepare for those visits with his work gloves on and sporting a blue CR&R hat.

The young businessman said even though he has to dump the occasional “yucky liquids” from some of the collected containers, it’s all worth it—every nickel goes into a savings account and toward his dream of owning his own garbage truck one day. Since he’s got about 10 more years until he can learn to drive, Ryan figures that gives him at least a decade to earn the $70,000 needed to purchase a used truck, or $120,000 for a brand new one.

“Ryan’s one of those really unique kids who has a passion, said his first grade teacher Suzanne Devaney. “He just sees things that need to be done and he does them.”

Since the company’s inception, Damion, a graphic designer, has created business cards for Ryan as well as Ryan’s Recycling T-shirts, which sell for $13 apiece. All the proceeds from the shirts are donated to the acific arine ammal Center—so far they’ve contributed about $1,000.

In a YouTube video posted last July, Damion asks Ryan if other people should start recycling to help save the earth. mm no, Ryan says nonchalantly. “I got it all handled.”

His answer has changed a bit since then. Ryan said he thinks people should start recycling not only to earn some extra cash, but “because it helps the world, too.” He worries that birds at the beach may eat the trash and “get sick or die.”

“He’s very passionate about it, and he likes to get everybody else passionate about it as well,” Andrea said. “I think he’s rubbed off on all of us now. You find yourself walking past a can on the ground and needing to pick it up instead of walking away and leaving it there.”

For more information on Ryan’s Recycling, visit www.dhdwear.com/ Ryans-Recycling. To see Ryan talk about his recycling efforts, search for “Ryan’s Recycling Company” on YouTube. •

DISCOVER NATURE

Caspers Guided Nature Hike: Sunday, April 17; 8 a.m.–9:15 a.m. Join the park ranger on a 1-mile hike through Bell Canyon’s pristine sycamore and oak savannas. Rain cancels the hike. Hike is held each Sunday. $5 parking fee. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.923.2210, www.ocparks.com.

Healing Yoga in the Garden: Monday, April 25; 10 a.m. Restore and balance your body during this 60-minute, gentle practice among the trees with Yoga Trippin’ and Goin’ Native. Yoga is held each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 31661 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano, www.goinnative.net.

Headlands Nature Tour: Saturday, May 7; 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Explore the region’s ecology and natural history on this 1.5-mile, docent-led tour of the Dana Point Headlands. Walk is held the first Saturday each month. Nature Interpretive Center, 34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point, 949.248.3527, www.danapoint.org.

California Native Plants: Tuesday, May 10; 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Learn the historic, pre-mission uses of California native plants during this 2-mile hike over steep, uneven terrain. Parking is $3. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.923.2235, www.ocparks.com.

Mission Garden Tour: Wednesday, May 18; 10 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Tour Mission San Juan Capistrano’s elegant gardens filled with roses, perennials, herbs, succulents and more. Held every Wednesday. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.org.

GET SMART

Imaginology: Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead: Friday–Sunday, April 15–17. Discover careers in agriculture, the arts, science and technology at the OC Fair’s hands-on, educational e ploration of robotics, fishing, storytelling, farming and more. OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, www.ocfair.com.

Grow Your Own! Spring Festival: Saturday, April 16; 10 a.m. Build terrariums, learn how to pickle, get dirty in the garden, pick strawberries, enjoy live music and food to celebrate the season. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

Ocean Institute Earth Day: Saturday, April 23; 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Explore marine life and native plants, build a butterfly garden, learn about protecting the environment and take part in a harbor cleanup. E-waste will be collected. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

RECYCLE GOODS

Community Shred Day: Saturday, April 16; 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Shred documents at Monarch Bay Plaza for free. Pacific Coast Highway and Crown Valley Parkway, Dana Point, www.monarchbayplaza.com.

Bulky Item Drop-off: Saturday, May 7; 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Bring e-waste, green waste, appliances, furniture and other items for collection by Goodwill Industries. Shredding services also available at two drop-off locations. Dana Hills High School, 33333 Golden Lantern, Dana Point; Palisades Elementary School, 26462 Via Sacramento, Capistrano Beach, www.danapoint.org.

GIVE BACK

Green Scene

Local events to celebrate Earth Day, explore Mother Nature

Earth Day San Clemente: Saturday, April 23; 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Visit Parque Del Mar at 8:30 a.m. to lend a hand in cleaning up Main Beach. Earth Day festivities kick off at 10 a.m. with music, crafts, displays and more for the whole family. Parque Del Mar, San Clemente Pier, www.scwatersheds.com.

Eco Garden Expo: Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24; 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Get equipped, inspired and empowered to make eco-friendly gardening choices to save time, water and money. Los Rios Park, 31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

Backyard Beekeeping: Saturday, May 7; 1 p.m. Learn how critical the honeybee is to our ecosystem and food supply, the equipment needed to start beekeeping, hive tips and more. Cost is $40. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

The Magic of Composting: Saturday, May 14; 8:30 a.m. Gain knowledge to naturally return kitchen scraps and yard waste to the earth during this fun workshop. Cost is $10. Register by May 13. Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo, Dana Point, 949.248.3530, www.danapoint.org.

Casa Wellness Wednesdays: Garden Workshop: May 18; 7 p.m. Join Casa Romantica’s garden director Lisa Chumura in this hands-on gardening workshop. Each guest takes home their own handmade craft. Cost is $35. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, www.casaromantica.org.

Container & Patio Gardening: Saturday, May 21; 1 p.m. Pick up tips to grow organic food anywhere—from front yards to patios and roof tops to window sills— during container gardening basics class. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

Civic Beautification: Second Tuesdays, 8:45 a.m. Do your part to maintain San Clemente’s public gardens by joining the San Clemente Garden Club for monthly maintenance at the Pier Garden, Jo Read Memorial Garden, Park Semper Fi and Rose Garden at City Hall. www.sanclementegardenclub.com.

Earth Day Restoration, Cleanup: Saturday, April 16; 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Help place native plants, install signage and remove trash from Doheny State Beach. Also, do your part to maintain San Onofre State Beach’s San Mateo Campground by cleaning trails, planting native trees, weeding, painting and more. Bring work gloves, shovel and reusable bag. Register at www.calparks.org/earthday.

Mother Earth Beach, Creek, Park Cleanup: Saturday, April 23; 9 a.m.–noon. Help clean Doheny State Beach and San Juan Creek. Bring work gloves and reusable bag. Parking fee waived. Meet at lifeguard headquarters. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.6172, www.dohenystatebeach.org.

ROOTS Restoration: Saturday, May 27; 9 a.m. Each fourth Saturday take part in the California Coastal Commission’s restoration project to preserve Upper Newport Bay. Remove invasive plants and perform site maintenance. Register at www.coastal.ca.gov. 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, 949.923.2290.

Los Rios Garden Angels: Thursday, April 21; 8:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

Volunteers meet each Thursday at the Montanez Adobe to maintain native plants and the endangered Monarch butterfly. Bring gloves and clippers. Los Rios Park, 31745 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

Imaginology at the OC Fair & Event Center April 15–17. Photo: Courtesy

Earth Day at the Ocean Institute April 23. Photo: Courtesy

Eco Garden Expo at Los Rios Park April 23 and 24. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Shine On

Local lights up

e-commerce solarpowered mason jar business

All it takes is a little light.

Six to eight hours of direct sunlight, that is, to power up a Moonshiner Co. solar mason jar.

Launched earlier this year, this Dana Point-based e-commerce business is just lighting up.

Moonshiner’s marquee product, a 32-ounce mason jar with a solar panel lid, lasts up to 12 hours with one full charge. This clean, renewable energy source is decorative and portable—an ideal light for an outdoor table, be it in a backyard, campsite, wedding venue or on a boat. It goes where its users go.

“The opportunities to use a solar— powered mason jar are endless,” said Moonshiner Co. co-founder Mike Nusenow. “It is all up to our users’ imagination.”

Tied to a backpack and hung from a bike, Nusenow has taken his Moonshiner from Yosemite to the Dana Point Harbor, with ideas for where the solar-powered

Energy Efficient

Low- to no-cost ways to cut energy usage

Simple changes can make all the difference to an energy bill.

jars can go darting left and right. It all started with a trip. When cofounder James Sampson traveled home to South Africa he came across a variation of the solar-powered jar. Not seeing anything like it in the states, he brought the idea back. The idea came at the right time for Nusenow. Ready to end his fourhour daily commute, and with a baby on the way, the chief marketing officer at the Los Angeles-based Hudson Jeans, wanted to make a change.

The one-item, start-up was born. For now, Nusenow is working to get the solar jars in front of consumers. The pair eventually wants to expand Moonshiner products and the company’s global reach. Looking at what other brands have done internationally, Nusenow said Moonshiner could one day assist individuals worldwide. Check out Moonshiner Co’s solar-powered mason jars on Instagram, Pinterest and at www.monshinerco.com. •

This summer, and all year round, make a few adjustments. It doesn’t have to be solar panel installation or replacing every appliance in the house—just a couple alterations here and there will go a long way. You can cut your energy usage and utility bill while helping to increase Southern California’s energy security.

Bump it up: Cooling costs can be cut by 12 percent by raising the air conditioner from 72 to 78 degrees.

Make a switch: On not so hot days, use ceiling and portable fans to stay cool and comfortable.

Power down: Unplug devices like TVs, computers and game consoles

that draw power when turned off. Change out: When it comes time to replace lightbulbs, opt for energyefficient options.

Block it out: Lower blinds, install shade trees, awnings or trees to block direct sunlight from windows.

Eat cool: Avoid using the stove top and oven. Instead dine on cold and outdoor grilled meals.

Freshen up: Keep the air conditioning filter clean for optimal efficiency and save on cooling costs.

Shine on: Dim or turn off lights during the day and take advantage of natural light.

Cool down: Setting the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees should be sufficient for most uses.

Visit www.sdge.com for more year-round energy saving tips and to view current rebate programs on lighting, pool pumps, appliances, water heaters and more. You can also download your home’s energy data using SDG&E’s Green Button where you can connect with a third-party app that will help you make choices about saving energy and lowering your bill. See more at www.sdge.com/green-button.

Photo: Moonshiner Co.

Growing Organic

Tower gardens, raised planters make organic gardening accessible

BY ERIC HEINZ

Southern California’s climate lends itself to gardening all year round. From the patio to the backyard, local businesses are taking the guess work out of organic growing, so residents can make the most of their spaces while supplying fresh fruits and vegetables for the family.

Organics Out Back

Chris Garcia, owner of Organics Out Back, has centered his business around environmental awareness, sustainability and accessibility.

Garcia’s grandmother, Frances, had a green thumb. With her teaching—a bit of trial and error, too—Garcia mastered the garden. He’s transformed his passion for gardening into a career—installing raised, edible organic gardens with function and aesthetics in mind.

“People in the last couple years are really concerned about what’s going into their bodies,” Garcia said. “With our growth climate, we’re really spoiled here. We can grow just about anything. We tell people it’s good to eat seasonally because you get different nutrients from different plants.”

The main thing gardens need is good soil. That along with a good root system produces good food, he said. Garcia encourages clients to use composting and worm bins to make their organic gardens flourish. He also designs gardens with his client’s needs and abilities in mind.

“The reason we do raised boxes is it’s easier on your back and you don’t have to amend the soil as much,” Garcia said of his raised gardens, designed with chil-

dren, the elderly and disabled in mind.

The company also works with local schools to create gardens and collects extra vegetables from client gardens to donate to area charities.

“I know money can be tight, and the organic food and vegetables can get pushed to the side,” Garcia said. “Organic food at the grocery store is much more expensive than the others, but the health benefits of the ones we grow in our gardens are much healthier.”

Tower Gardens

In an effort to lead a more healthful life and share his love for organic gardening with others, local surfboard shaper Paul Carter recently became a Tower Gardens

representative.

The tower gardening system, made by Juice Plus, is designed to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers vertically using aeroponics—a water-only technology used by NASA—and in 30 percent less time than a traditional, in-ground garden. The tower format, too, means a garden can be grown anywhere from a small balcony, front porch or backyard.

“They grow 30 percent quicker and yield, using 90 percent less water,” Carter said. “The roots are getting watered directly and it’s consistent every 30 minutes. There’s no herbicides or pesticides.”

Fruits and vegetables are ripe in about four to five weeks, Carter said.

Constructed out of a plant-based plastic, the towers are an opaque white color to help keep them cool. The whole irrigation is on a timer. Water, and a special mineral blend, is kept in a reservoir at the bottom of the tower and pumped up. It then trickles down through the plastic cylindrical tower.

Any kind of vegetable or fruit can be grown in them so long as the climate permits. Each tower costs about $550 and comes complete with all materials needed, but Carter said his tower paid for itself through its produce. Off of five towers, Carter is able to gather 45 pounds of produce in one harvest.

Carter has been traveling to San Diego and other parts of Southern California to teach people about the tower gardens, but his passion is to teach people to eat healthy. •

Chris Garcia, owner of Organics Out Back, stands next to a chicken coop with a raised garden on top in his backyard. Photo: Eric Heinz

Paul Carter stands with multiple Tower Gardens. The gardens are able to grow more produce at a faster rate due to their planting design. Photo: Courtesy

Carbon-Conscious Kids

Sparking curiosity, encouraging kids to e plore, uestion and wonder

Curiosity is at conservation s core

ow do you spark a child’s innate sense of e ploration and discovery

t’s a uestion icki Wiker, oheny State each park interpreter, asks every day.

Wiker is head of the parks interpretive programs. rom coastal clean ups and field trips to arth ay events and native planting pro ects, Wiker engages the community, and its youngest residents, encouraging them to give back, learn about and e plore the local ecosystem. ducational activism at its finest.

try really hard to foster a genuine love and understanding in children at an early age so they can embrace a regard and reverence for the other arth and all of her precious creatures, plants, trees and everything that goes with nature, Wiker said.

t oheny, Wiker and a team of oheny State each nterpretive ssociation volunteer docents work to engage kids in a fun, hands-on way.

t starts in oheny’s visitors center where five large fish tanks and a tide-pool simulator give guests an up-close view of waters ust outside the center’s walls. California state marine fish, the irabaldi, spiny lobsters and other sea life swim among reefs and kelp forests, mirroring the region’s underwater realm.

a idermy creatures from land and sky line the center’s walls and shelves. isplaying historic artifacts give visitors a glimpse at the region’s rich past. he walls of the center, too, engage guests.

man is painted in a mural above the tide pool. e’s washing his car in the driveway. Runoff is portrayed traveling down his drive and into the storm drains. rom there, the soaps and oils are seen entering an estuary before flowing into the ocean. simple task with a big impact e posed.

t’s those connections Wiker strives to make with young park visitors, who can discover marine diversity in intertidal ones, learn about the life cycle of regional birds, take a field outing to e plore a time when ative mericans lived harmoniously with nature, use their senses to travel around the butterfly garden and learn about the importance of keeping the ocean environment

One Man’s Trash

tri-city, second-hand goods uyer s guide

resh, unky finds hat s what you ll discover ood causes and volunteers, too As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. No telling what you’ll find. ou can keep your unused items out of the trash by donating to stores in the local second-hand shopping scene—where recycling and purchasing second-hand benefits the environment and nonprofit missions. win-win. ere are a few options

iH P reasures

42 C , S C

olunteers at this nonprofit storefront, located on the Rodeo rive of thrift stores accept donations onday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays starting at noon. ll donations, and purchases, help provide homeless individuals and families a pathway to success. www.ihopeoc.org.

healthy.

try to get kids at a young age to embrace the earth so it becomes a lifelong commitment and dedication to our precious planet, Wiker said.

oheny State each hosted the inaugural roheny estival on pril 2. roheny is the brainchild of evan iller, who conceived the idea as a student of the horticulture program at Saddleback College. he free event is family-friendly and horticulturally focused, with educational workshops, guest speakers, games, gardening and cooking demonstrations and live music. f all goes well, iller hopes roheny will become a twice-annual event in spring and fall with classes tailored to growing seasonal crops.

went to a lot of classes and events and noticed they were missing the music element and the family element, iller said. t really all starts with the children, so decided to put something together that could engage the whole family.

o to www.dohenystatebeach.org for the latest park events, including the upcoming beach cleanup and planting pro ects to mark arth ay. nd be sure to check back for information on summer events like grunion runs and oheny Surf estival. •

a ienda hri t Store

C , S C t a ienda, used items serve a greater purpose. Sales of clothing, furniture, housewares, electronics, ewelry, sporting goods and other gently-used items benefit oshua ouse—a one-year, no-cost, faith-based recovery program providing men a safe environment to rebuild their lives. www.latiendathriftstore.com.

ighthouse hri t Store

4 H P 42 P C C C S H H ,

P

With two locations, the ighthouse Charitable oundation ma imi es its reach and offerings. onations and profits of this faith-based organi ation’s thrift store go to ictory ouse, a one-year men’s residential ministry in Capistrano each. www.lcfonline.com.

iles4 utism

6 P V , S -4, S C P S hrifty finds await at this S C store front where donations and proceeds help support Orange County children with autism. he nonprofit, which started in 2012, has a second location in aguna each. t provides advocacy support for autistic children. www.milesforautism.org. •

Read and Reuse ways to stretch the life of your newspaper

1

Clean indows: It may seem counterintuitive, given the ink newspapers can leave behind on your hands, but old newspapers may outperform cloth in the streak-free window and mirror contest. ake window cleaning a step greener and switch out commercial glass cleaning products with a water and vinegar combo. ust take one part of each, mi , spray and wipe away with yesterday’s news.

2

ipen ruit: We’ve all been there, at the grocery store searching for a ripe avocado to fill tonight’s guacamole craving. f you can keep your stomach at bay, buy the non-ripened piece of fruit and try this wrap it in newspaper. uch like the brown paper bag trick, newspapers are porous allowing air to move in and out while still concentrating the levels of ethylene gas that helps induce ripening.

3

Crush dors: Smelly shoes, musty towels and stinky fridges beware. here’s a newspaper in town. o deodori e food and drink containers—such as lunch-bo es, coolers or water bottles—ball up newspaper, seal it and let it sit overnight. lso, place crumpled up newspaper in wet cleats or running shoes to dry them out and get rid of unpleasant odors. ewspapers also work well in the refrigerator’s fruit and vegetable drawers.

4

Compost aterial: ewspaper is a carbon-rich material. t’s also has a high lignin content—a substance found in the cell walls of plants—according to the Cornell Waste anagement nstitute. t can be slow to decompose. ut, if combined with nitrogen-rich materials such as grass clippings, coffee grounds and kitchen scraps, newspapers can provide a rich addition to your garden compost.

5

i t rap: Show your thoughtfulness by wrapping life’s biggest moments up in ocal ews ou Can se. irthday, engagement, retirement, shower, wedding and holiday gifts are best when wrapped in colorful photos and the latest city news from The Capistrano Dispatch, San Clemente Times and Dana Point Times—wrapping paper that’s e ually environmentally friendly and informative.

6

Seedling Pots: ou’ll need a can for this one—full, empty, whatever you’ve got. ake half a sheet of newspaper folded in thirds and wrap it around the can. Secure with tape. hen, fold one newspaper end over the can. ape it. Slide the can out and viola— you’ve got a perfect home for seedlings and and succulent clippings. ush the pro ect’s greenness by using compost to keep seedlings moist until they’re ready for planting. •

Children interact with oheny State ark naturalist interpreter icki Wiker at the inaugural roheny estival. hoto ndrea Swayne

Watershed Well-Being

Q&A with Jenna Voss, Environmental Engineering Specialist, OC Public Works

South Orange County lies within the San Juan Creek Watershed, an area of land draining all streams, rainfall and melted snow to a common outlet—in the region’s case, Doheny State Beach.

We talked to watershed expert Jenna Voss, an environmental engineering specialist with OC Public Works, to discuss the health of our watershed.

Picket Fence Media: Can you give us an overview of our watershed and how it relates to our communities?

Jenna Voss: The San Juan Creek Watershed encompasses about 160 square miles and includes portions of Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. San Juan Creek begins in the Santa Ana Mountains area of the Cleveland National Forest and flows to the acific Ocean at oheny State Beach. A large portion of the watershed is public or open space, including Caspers Wilderness Park and Laguna iguel Regional ark. he rest is largely residential and commercial, with some remaining pockets of agricultural use.

San Juan Creek is an important surface water resource; however, the creek also overlies the San Juan Groundwater Basin—a slow-moving, underground river. Water from San Juan Creek and its major tributaries provides some of the water supply drawn from the basin. f you live or work in one of the watershed cities, you’ll notice San uan Creek flows during the winter months and runs mostly dry in the summer; this is both because flow decreases without rainfall and because the water in the creek is flowing underground.

Is our watershed healthy? What outside factors play into our watershed’s health?

Watershed health—the overall water uality, channel condition and available habitat—is impacted by several natural and man-made factors. For example, there are naturally occurring salts in San Juan Creek Watershed from geologic deposits that enter the creek through high groundwater. hey can increase the amount of salts and decrease overall water uality. Other issues, such as indica-

tor bacteria, are influenced by wildlife and human activity.

he county, cities and local stakeholders have conducted source investigations, started a comprehensive program to prevent sewage spills and implemented several projects to combat high bacteria levels. As a result, bacteria levels during high-recreation summer months have significantly improved, as shown by the nonprofit group, eal the ay, in their each Report Card, that awarded oheny an ’ grade during the summer.

Wet weather bacteria levels, however, are still a major challenge for San Juan Creek as rainfall and the associated runoff carries bacteria from the entire watershed area into the creek and out to the ocean. Residents can help do their part and pick up pet waste and yard clippings prior to rainfall to help prevent downstream bacterial growth, as well as ensuring their trash is properly disposed of, limiting the availability of food to pests or wild birds which can similarly contribute to bacteria levels.

How can we safely interact with and enjoy our watershed?

These are several recreational areas near San Juan, Trabuco and Oso creeks that provide residents a way to en oy their watershed. iking trails near the headwaters in Cleveland National Forest provide opportunities to see the most natural condition of San Juan Creek and its tributaries.

f you want to stay closer to home, there is a bike path along San Juan Creek and there are organized creek cleanup events held throughout the year. ou can also en oy San uan Creek at its terminus at oheny State each or one of our other local beaches. aily water uality samples are collected at the beaches from pril through October. ny postings for exceedances of bacterial standards at beaches can be found at www.ocbeachinfo.com. •

o read more of oss’ comments on natural and human impacts and how you can support a healthy watershed, visit www.sanclementetimes.com.

oheny State each. hoto ndrea Swayne

California Greenin’

New eco-laws ban microbeads, call for renewable energy growth

BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS

California’s lawmakers passed a slew of new environmental laws in 2015 aimed at expanding the state’s renewable energy and banning ivory sales, routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock and microbeads in personal care products. Here’s a snapshot of the state’s newest eco-laws:

Renewable Energy

Heralded as groundbreaking climate change legislation, the Clean Energy and Pollution and Reduction Act of 2015, a.k.a. SB 350, mandates that California receive 50 percent of its electrical power from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, by 2030. The bill also doubles energy-efficiency goals for homes, factories and offices. While intense oil industry lobbying killed a provision to reduce state gasoline use by half, SB 350 delivered a zero-emission vehicle boost by creating incentives for utilities to install more electric vehicle charging stations statewide.

Plastic Microbeads

California joined eight states in banning the sale of facial exfoliators, body washes, toothpastes and other personal care products containing microbeads. The bill, which will take effect in 2020, was preempted by federal legislation requiring companies to stop using beads in their products by July 2017. The Microbeadfree Waters ct of 2015 cruised through both the House and Senate.

Sale of Ivory

AB 96 closed major loopholes in California’s existing ivory ban that allowed the sale of ivory imported before 1977—a measure skirted by illicit dealers through ivory distressing. The bill eliminates two of the nation’s largest ivory markets—Los

Angeles and San Francisco—by making the sale or intra-state importation of ivory illegal. Sales of ivory inlayed in a musical instrument imported before 1975 or in a more than 100-year-old antique are excluded from the ban.

Livestock Drugs

Three measures garnered legislative approval to ban and regulate the use of antibiotics in California livestock. In an effort to prevent the emergence of an antibiotic-resistant superbacteria, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 27 into law, banning the routine use of antibiotics for livestock. The law also requires antibiotics be veterinarian prescribed for an individual animal. SB 361 requires veterinarians to participate in continuing education regarding antibiotic use and SB 770 regulates medicated feed. Bills covering water conservation, the state’s Air Resources Board, marijuana industry and oil pipelines were also passed. AB 1288 expands the state’s clean air agency from 12 to 14 members. Three bills—SB 266, SB 643 and AB 243—address inconsistencies in the marijuana industry. Among other things, they direct state agencies to craft environmental regulations for cannabis growers. Also, a duo of bills, SB 295 and SB 414, increase oil pipeline inspections and AB 1 and AB 1164 prohibit localities from fining residents for brown lawns or forbidding drought-tolerant landscaping like artificial turf. •

BUSINESS DIRECTORY Locals Only

ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

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

APPLIANCES

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

APPLIANCE SERVICES & REPAIRS

ASAP Appliance Service 3200 Legendario, 949.361.7713, www.asapapplianceservice.com

ART GALLERIES

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

CHIROPRACTIC

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

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

Schmid’s Fine Chocolate 99 Avenida Del Mar, 949.369.1052, www.schmidschocolate.com

CONCRETE

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

DENTISTS

Eric Johnson, D.D.S. 647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, www.drericjohnson.com Shoreline Dental Studio

Kristen Ritzau, DDS 122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.245.6046, www.shorelinedentalstudio.com

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

Organics Out Back 949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric 949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

FURNITURE

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

HAULING

Cheapest Hauling Call Robert 949.973.6288

HOME DÉCOR

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

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

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

Capistrano Valley Raingutters

Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

Hoover Construction 949.292.6778

JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

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

LANDSCAPING

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

MATTRESSES

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

MORTGAGES

Brian Wiechman, Equity Coast

Mortgage A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage 949.533.9209, www.equitycoastmortgage.com

MOTORCYLE PARTS & SERVICE

SC Rider Supply 520 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.0521, www.scridersupply.com

MUSIC LESSONS

Danman’s Music School 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

OFFICE FURNITURE

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

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com

Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100! Write-up of 50 words with logo. Four weeks in print and online. Contact Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection San Clemente, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing 1218 Puerta Del Sol, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

Karl Aiken Plumbing-Rooter San Clemente, 949.366.8302

POOL SERVICE, REPAIR, REMODEL

Radiant Pool & Spa Service Lic # 985800, 949.290.5616, www.radiantpoolservice.com

SC Pool & Spa Works 1311 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.7665, www.scpoolworks.com

REAL ESTATE

Marcie GeorgeStar Real Estate South County 949.690.5410, marciegeorge@cox.net

“Sandy & Rich” - ReMax 949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

RESTAURANTS

Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

SALONS

Salon Bamboo

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

Salon Bleu

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

Syrens Hair Parlor

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

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

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

SECONDHAND/ CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

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

SWIMMING SCHOOL

Waterbabies Swim School 142 Avenida Granada, 949.488.2512, www.waterbabiesswimschool.com

TERMITES

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

WEBSITE DESIGN

San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

In print and online 52 weeks a year. View online at www.sanclementetimes.com. Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

Calle Miramar, $995K

GARAGE SALES SATURDAY, April 16th 8am-Noon. Over 50 homes participating! Directions: 5 fwy, east on Ave Pico. Visit talegatoday.com for maps of all participating neighborhoods.

HUGE NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE SATURDAY APRIL 16TH 8am-1pm. Above San Clemente High School. Exit Pico, turn right on Avenida Presidio. Follow Signs to Neighborhood Garage Sale.

MULTI-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE

Saturday, April 16th from 8a-1p. Above SCHS. Off Presidio, on Calle Dorado. Musical Instruments.

SEASONAL PART-TIME BOAT YARD & MAINTENANCE HELP NEEDED (Dana Point Harbor). Weekends & holidays mandatory. Good customer service & handyman type skills. Email Ken@danaharbor.com

PART TIME OFFICE HELP NEEDED (Dana Point) Weekends & Holidays mandatory. Good customer service & computer skills. Email resume Laurie@danaharbor.com

CHRIS

Flat screen TV’s installed, anything Electrical, Plumbing, Finish Carpentry, Drywall Repairs, Mold and Wood Rot issues, Waterproofing, Decks and Patio covers repaired, Doors, Windows, Kitchens and Baths, Water Damage Restoration, Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication and Much More. Phone Chris – 949 510 6645

WOOD DECK REPAIR

Wood Rot Repair Certified Specialist, Wood Decks, Balconies, Patio Covers + Outside Stairs Repaired / Replaced, New Decking Systems, All work Guaranteed. Phone Chris - 949 510 6645

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

San Clemente

SC LIVING SC

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

to buy the used sandals that are already broken in,” Huber said. “Sometimes we’ll get sandals from people that didn’t fit or something was wrong. We like people to be able to send them back under our warranty. If it’s past warranty, we’ll fix them if they need to be fixed.”

Sandals are put into a tumbler in order to get rid of any bacteria.

Local sandal manufacturer recycles sandals for those in need

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Rainbow Sandals has been giving away sandals to charity since it began in the mid-1970s, but now the company is putting together a program that incentivizes people to donate back their old pair.

Pat Huber, director of marketing at Rainbow Sandals, said a discount is given to people on their next pair when they donate their old.

“We’ll give them 10 percent off a new pair, and we repair them and clean them up,” Huber said. “We give them a bag and encourage them to send back their old pairs.”

The company makes 1,000 pairs of sandals each day, its legal limit under the Environmental Protection Agency, but more are made in China. The sandals are made from leather, nylon and rubber.

“The funny thing is people will want

The sandals have been sent internationally to crisis areas such as Haiti and with church groups that helped people after the typhoons in the Philippines.

Jay “Sparky” Longley said he began the company after being inspired to make stable products.

“From the start, when I used to mow lawns when I was 17, I would go to the dump and drop all the cuttings off,” Longley said. “I saw things that were perfectly fine, they just needed another part. It could be furniture or anything. I wanted to make it well.”

Longley said he wanted to make products that would last. He saw a pair of sandals wash on shore in 1974 and was inspired to make footwear.

The company is also rolling out a signature series this year, starting with a red, white and blue sandal, called the Americana. Only 1,776 will be made—honoring the year of the independence of the United States.

Every so often, the company will debut a new model for their series.

The company is located at 326 Calle de los Molinos. SC

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by

We Can’t Let the Terrorists Win Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Each year, my partner Greta and I take a vacation together—a tradition we’ve kept since meeting in June 1998. We feel getting away is good for our relationship; it rekindles the flame and gives us time to focus only on each other while away from the day-to-day demands of life in south Orange County.

Now that we are retired, we want to travel as much as we can, while we can. We feel blessed to be able to do so.

This year, we leave for Europe on April 12. To go abroad takes advance planning. We have booked our accommodations and airplane flights, purchased Rail Europe passes and made train reservations, bought trip insurance and acquired euros. We are all set to go.

However, we can’t help but think back to the same time of year in 2004, when we were leaving for Spain.

Our itinerary back then was to fly to Madrid and hop a train from Madrid’s Atocha Train Station to go to the Costa del

By Tom Blake

Sol for a week. While there, we planned to take the premier train to Barcelona and back. Then, we’d return by train to Atocha. By February, we had finalized all of the reservations and had paid for our Rail Europe train tickets and hotel accommodations. We were excited and couldn’t wait to leave.

But on March 4, 2004, our excitement turned to trepidation. Ten terrorists’ bombs ripped through three Spanish train stations, including Atocha, killing 191 people and injuring more than 1,800. The tracks we would have been on were the ones where the bombs hit.

Our first reaction: This could have happened to us. It’s too dangerous to go to Spain. We asked Rail Europe to refund our money and canceled our Madrid hotel accommodations.

“ ... I would go to the dump and ... I saw things that were perfectly fine, they just needed another part. It could be furniture or anything. I wanted to make it well.”

—Jay “Sparky” Longley

But we didn’t cancel our airplane reservations. We agonized over our decision. In a 2004 newspaper column, I asked my readers, “If you were in our shoes, would you be on a plane to Madrid a week from Friday?” More than 250 responded. “Go for it” was the overwhelming sentiment. We went, but traveled in Spain by rental car, which was probably more dangerous than traveling by rail.

On the night we arrived in Madrid, we watched in horror on Spanish TV as the terrorists blew themselves up in their apartment.

So, here we are in 2016. We fly to Germany and then take the train across Belgium to Paris, where we will spend 18 days. We have several day trips by train planned. In May, we travel by train to Italy. With the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, we found we are in a similar situation as we were in 2004. Should we go?

We have looked at each other and said, “What do you think?” We have asked friends

and family and they encourage us to go. We have concluded that if we don’t go, we let the terrorists win. Yes, we understand there are risks involved. But there are risks involved every time we get on the Interstate 5 freeway. We will be as careful and as diligent as we can be. We will let you know how it’s going from over there.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and who has authored several books on middleaged dating. His latest book can be found at www.smashwords.com. See his website at www.findingloveafter60.com. To comment: tompblake@gmail.com. SC

The age 50+ singles Meet and Greet is scheduled for Thursday, April 26, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli. No admission charge. Live music. Call 949.248.9008 for information.

www.sanclementetimes.com

ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50

Tom Blake

Paul Huber, Rainbow Sandals director of marketing, examines some old sandals that will be repaired and donated to charity. Photo: Eric Heinz

The red, white and blue sandal will be part of Rainbow Sandals’ new signature line. Photo: Eric Heinz

Dig In

GardenFest draws people to annual horticulture event

The San Clemente Garden club hosted its annual GardenFest on Saturday, April 9 at the Community Center, with succulents, program coordinators and a sale of miscellaneous garden items.

People were able to purchase a variety of plants during the event, and children were able to explore a butterfly habitat, face painting, arts and crafts as well as educational material on gardening.

Looking forward, the San Clemente Garden Club’s 2016 Garden Tour will take place for Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes selected coastal gardens. Advance tickets are available through May 30 for $30. A “carpool special” of four tickets is offered for $100. To order tickets, visit www.sanclementegardenclub.com and pay online with PayPal or download the ticket order form, complete and mail with check payable to San Clemente Garden Club to: Bette Langford, 102 Calle Cuervo, San Clemente, CA 92672. For more information call Bette Langford at 949.498.3317 or email

blang41096@aol.com. Patricia Holloway can also be contacted at 949.361.1911 or by email at patholloway@cox.net. Tickets purchased on June 4 at any of the gardens cost $35 each. SC

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

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Ben Johnzen, 5, examines some of the plants for sale on Saturday at the GardenFest.

Elaine Bryant (left) explains the Tower Garden model to Clyde Seltzer during Garden Fest.

Christina Warman, 2, paints a rock at the kids craft table.

Last week’s solution:

SPORTS & OUTDOORS SC

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Yoder, Stephens, Hoffman

Tabbed for SC Sports Wall of Fame Induction

COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

Three new athletes will be inducted into the Friends of San Clemente Foundation’s Sports Wall of Fame this summer, joining an elite group of San Clemente natives who have excelled in their respective sports.

This year’s class will include surf legend Joyce Hoffman, tennis star Doris Stephens and volleyball champion Bob Yoder.

The Friends of San Clemente Foundation will hold a ceremony to honor the three inductees on May 21 at the Vista Hermosa Aquatics Center.

Hoffman is credited as being a pioneer of women’s surfing, and was quick to gain international surfing fame. Hoffman claimed the women’s U.S. Surfing Championship in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1971. She also has two women’s World Surfing titles (1966, 1967) as part of her long list of accomplishments. In SURFER magazine’s International Hall of Fame Awards poll, Hoffman was the top vote-getter.

1977 USC NCAA National Championship team. He went on to coach at Ohio State, where he guided the Buckeyes to consecutive NCAA Championship semifinal appearances. Yoder returned to USC as a coach and led the Trojans to the 1986 national championship. Yoder was named the collegiate coach of the year that same season. Yoder also excelled as a San Clemente High School student-athlete, playing for the baseball, basketball and volleyball teams.

Doris Stephens burst onto the tennis circuit at the age of 18 when she defeated Nancy Chaffee, who was at the time the topranked player in the United States. Stephens’ career was put on hold for several decades as she raised a family. But at the age of 79, Stephens reunited with her old doubles partner, Louise Russ, and dominated the United States Tennis Association National Tour. Stephens went on to claim five national doubles titles over the next several years and was named a USTA Grand Slam Gold Champion in 2009.

Scoreboard

SC Volleyball Club Girls 14-1s headed to Nationals

The San Clemente Volleyball Club girls 14-1s team is headed to the 2016 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Indianapolis this summer.

The local team punched its ticket to the prestigious tournament by placing third at the Southern California Volleyball Association Junior National qualifying tournament in Los Angeles on April 10.

The team includes: Leah Boskovich, Sophia Burick, Serena Carson, Alexia Gruszczynski, Avery Kavanagh, Sophia Mains, Ashley McManus, Julia Parr, Sophia Reason, Sophie Smith, Kaylee Staker, Tatum Westendorf and Julia Wilson. The team is coached by Patrick Murphy.

South County Cup Headed to SC Municipal Golf Course

The San Clemente Municipal Golf Course will be the host venue of the 2016 South County Cup golf tournament April 16-17.

The event pits amateur golfers from four local courses against each other in an event similar to the Ryder Cup. The golf courses competing in this year’s tournament are Shorecliffs Golf Club, San Clemente Municipal Golf Course, San Juan Hills Golf Club and Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club.

Each team will field 16 players, who will compete in team play matches on April 16 and individual match play on April 17.

Shorecliffs Golf Club won the inaugural South County Cup tournament in 2015.

The public is invited to attend and support. Play begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

NJB All-Stars Win Big at National Tournament

The San Clemente National Junior Basketball fourth-grade all-star Tritons won its age-division bracket at the 2016 NJB All-Star National Tournament at the Next Level Sports Complex in Garden Grove on April 3.

The team lost two games on the first day of competition, but rallied to win four games on the final day to claim the firstplace trophy.

The team includes: Gianna Melton, Kendall Hood, Sierra Peters, Claire Pham, Zona Miller, Ryleigh Fitzsimmons, Cassidy Flanagan, Sienna Taus and Mia Borgerding.

Triton Football Program Holding Skills Camps

The San Clemente High School football program is hosting its Friday Night Lights skills camp May 13. The camp is open to all players grades 1-8 and will be led by the SCHS coaching staff.

Interested players are asked to bring a $10 contribution, cleats or tennis shoes and shorts.

The program’s Triton Football Academy, designed for seventh and eighthgrade students, will begin on May 7. The camp, which features weight lifting, skills instruction and more, will run every Tuesday and Thursday until May 26. There will also be two Saturday camps on May 7 and May 21.

For more information on the SCHS football camps, visit www.tritonfootball. com or contact head coach Jaime Ortiz at coachortiz@tritonfootball.com.

Yoder was a standout volleyball player at USC, and was named an All-American three times. Yoder was a member of the

The 2016 Sports Wall of Fame induction ceremony is open to the public and is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. SC

CLEMENTE TIMES

Soon-to-be San Clemente Sports Wall of Fame inductee Bob Yoder was a three-time All-American while at USC. Photo: Courtesy

Surf legend Joyce Hoffman will be inducted into the San Clemente Sports Wall of Fame. Photo: Leroy Grannis/History of Women’s Surfing

The San Clemente Volleyball Club girls 14-1s team qualified for the 2016 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships. Photo: Courtesy

Triton Report

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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

Volleyball Takes Down Tesoro, Jumps into Tie for First

In a game they needed to win, the San Clemente boys volleyball team delivered.

The Tritons defeated visiting Tesoro in five sets in a pivotal South Coast League matchup on April 12, 18-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 15-13. San Clemente (14-7, 3-1 league) entered the match one game behind Tesoro in the league standings. But following the win, the Tritons now sit in a three-way tie at the top of the standings with the Titans and Trabuco Hills.

San Clemente was led by Jess Hunt’s 19 kills against Tesoro. Kyler Presho and Kyle Merrill each had 13 kills. Setter Kian Feiner had 52 assists and Sean Carroll had 26 digs.

The match marked the return of the Tritons standout senior captain Paul Castellana, who has been nursing a leg injury all season.

San Clemente will host Trabuco Hills on April 14.

Complete Effort by Tritons Baseball Snaps Stallions Win Streak

The San Clemente High School baseball team picked a perfect time to have its best game of the season.

The Tritons hit, pitched and defended their way past visiting San Juan Hills 7-0 in a Sea View League game on April 6.

The win pulled San Clemente (12-3-1, 3-1 league) even with San Juan Hills (9-5, 3-1) at the top of the league standings.

San Clemente got five scoreless innings out of its starter, Mike McGreevy, who allowed only three hits. McGreevy did not walk a batter and allowed only one Stallion runner to reach scoring position. McGreevy gave way to reliever Nathan Fleariau in the sixth inning and the junior left-hander made short work of the Stallions to close out the game.

San Juan Hills was held to just four hits and drew one walk.

Afterward, San Clemente head coach Dave Gellatly called the game the Tritons’ “most complete effort of the season.”

San Juan Hills entered the game riding a seven-game win streak and had a collective team batting average of .313. But the Tritons pitchers and defense, led by third baseman Spencer Bramwell and shortstop Eric Burckle, stymied the Stallions in their league showdown.

San Clemente got on the board in the second inning following a solo home run by senior Tanner Brubaker. Brubaker went 2 for 4 and drove in two RBI.

San Clemente scored one run in each of the next two innings and broke through for a big three-run fi fth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded in the fi fth, San Juan Hills’ Riley Glenn issued a walk to Jordan Fitzgerald to give San Clemente a run. Glenn then hit the next batter, Charlie Loust, and, after another Stallions pitching change, reliever Justin Dunham hit Derek Cratty to bring a total of three runs home for San Clemente.

The Tritons defeated Capistrano Valley 10-3 in a nonleague game on April 11.

Dominic Scarlata went 3 for 3 at the plate and Bramwell hit a solo home run. Tritons starter Conner Dand allowed three runs, two earned, over five innings to pick up the win.

San Clemente will travel to play Trabuco Hills in a league game on April 15.

Golf Edges Dolphins and Titans

The San Clemente and Dana Hills boys golf teams were tied 192-192 at the end of their South Coast League match at Bella Collina Golf Club on April 11, prompting the need for a sixth man’s scorecard to be counted. The Tritons’ sixth man had the lowest score, giving them the victory.

On April 12, San Clemente (7-1, 4-1) defeated Tesoro 205-209 for another league victory. Tritons freshman Alex Pak earned medalist honors by carding a 38 (+2) on the front nine of Coto de Caza Golf Course. The win put the Tritons at the top of the league standings.

Boys Lacrosse Bounces Back With Pair of Wins

Following a 10-8 nonleague loss to Bellarmine Prep on April 5, the San Clemente boys lacrosse team recorded consecutive wins over San Ramon Valley and Aliso Niguel on April 7 and April 12, respectively.

San Ramon Valley was able to tie San Clemente (7-7, 4-0) at 7-7 in the fourth quarter on April 7, but the Tritons scored one goal and shut out San Ramon Valley in overtime to pick up an 8-7 win.

San Clemente extended its lead in the

South Coast League standings after a convincing 13-7 victory over Aliso Niguel. San Clemente will travel to play Tesoro on April 21.

Girls Lacrosse Loses Close Contests

The San Clemente girls lacrosse team suffered back-to-back 6-5 Sea View League losses to Capistrano Valley and Tesoro on March 24 and March 30, respectively.

San Clemente was scheduled to play Aliso Niguel in a league game on April 12. Results were not available at press time.

Tritons Compete at Arcadia Invitational

Several San Clemente track and field athletes competed against top-level competition at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational on April 9.

Senior Connor Dunne continued his spectacular season with a first-place finish in the boys one-mile run invitational event. Dunne posted a winning time of 4:09.45. Dunne leads the nation in the one mile and 1,600-meter run.

Pole vaulter Sean Kelsay placed 11th in the event, clearing the 13-02 mark.

Senior thrower Anna Gillis placed 12th in the shot put with a throw of 36-01. Gillis also placed 11th in the discus after recording a throw of 114-00.

San Clemente pitcher Mike McGreevy threw five scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory over San Juan Hills on April 6. Photo: Steve Breazeale

San Clemente’s Kyler Presho hits against Tesoro during a boys volleyball match on April 12. Photo: Monica Merrill

SC SURF SC

SanClemente

Show Up, SUP and Share

Seventh annual Mickey Munoz Mongoose Cup brings stand-up paddlers together for sport, charity

BY STEVE BREAZEALE AND ANDREA SWAYNE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

The seventh annual Mickey Munoz Mongoose Cup stand-up paddleboard event and expo took place at Baby Beach in the Dana Point Harbor on April 9.

Despite some stormy weather, dozens of local SUP enthusiasts, from beginners to professionals, flocked to the beach to join surfing legend and paddle sports enthusiast Munoz, 78, for camaraderie, competition and compassion.

“We had a solid event and a great turnout, despite the inclement weather,” said event coordinator Barrett Tester. “It shows what a strong paddling community we have here in Dana Point and San Clemente, and south Orange County in general. People are very enthusiastic about the sport and really wanted to come out to support the cause. It was a really great time.”

The event raised funds for the Sport of Kings Foundation, an all-volunteer nonprofit that helps those in the surfboard manufacturing industry in California by “continu-

RESULTS TOP FIVE FINISHERS IN EACH EVENT

MEN SPORT OF KINGS RACE

1. Danny Ching (0:04:04)

2. Nick Scheel (0:04:06)

3. Dave Boehne (0:04:08)

4. Daniel Russell (0:04:11)

5. Chance Fielder (0:04:18)

WOMEN SPORT OF KINGS RACE

1. Shae Foudy (0:04:25)

2. Jade Howson (0:04:28)

3. Lexi Alston (0:04:30)

4. Alexandria Higginson (0:04:32)

5. Sarah Messina (0:04:37)

MEN TIME TRIAL 14’

1. Danny Ching (0:10:45)

2. Brennan Rose (0:11:10)

3. Daniel Russell (0:11:23)

4. Rob Rojas (0:12:01)

5. EJ Johnson (0:12:09)

MEN TIME TRIAL 12’6”

1. Danny Ching (0:10:53)

2. Daniel Russell (0:11:26)

3. Karl Ring (0:11:28)

4. Nick Scheel (0:11:31)

5. Taylor Rambo (0:11:34)

ously evolving to meet their health and human services needs,” from counseling and referrals, to temporary emergency financial assistance with medical and other bills.

“It was a wonderful event; great to see the community come together,” said Mike Muir, Sport of Kings Foundation president. “In the surfboard manufacturing industry

WOMEN TIME TRIAL 12’6”

1. Shae Foudy (0:12:09)

2. Lexi Alston (0:12:27)

3. Jade Howson (0:12:28)

4. Bailey Rosen (0:12:32)

5. Alexandria Higginson (0:12:34)

JUNIORS/GROMS TIME TRIAL 12’6”

1. Ryland Hart (0:11:39)

2. Gavin Mencinsky (0:12:37

3. Trevor Bashor (0:12:57)

4. Zeke Rose (0:13:08)

5. Dax McPhillips (0:13:19)

there is no safety net to speak of, no pensions and benefits. The event is a way for us to join together to support those in need. I heard someone say it best at the event, ‘It was great to see the tribe back together again.’” Visit www. sanclementetimes.com for a photo slideshow and video from the event.

SC

en Brantell and Bane Corbett are two local groms whose enthusiasm for surfing is absolutely infectious. This shot of them was taken April 9 at Western Surfing Association event No. 8 at 9th Street in Huntington Beach. Although the swell on Sunday failed to deliver big waves, the shorebreak at 9th Street proved challenging.

Surfing in the highly competitive WSA Boys U12 division, these San Clementebased athletes advanced out of Round 1 with second-place finishes in their respective heats. After some great surfing by both of them, Ben’s campaign came to an end in the quarterfinals and Bane ended up taking third in the division.

Both are dedicated to working hard on advancing their surfing skills and having a San Clemente Times April 14–20, 2016

lot of fun in the process.

“Ben and Bane are Lowers regulars,” said surf photographer Jack McDaniel. “They are constantly stoked and constantly ripping.”

Thanks Ben and Bane, for the shakas and for always sharing the stoke, whether shredding for fun or for points.—Andrea Swayne

SURF FORECAST

Water Temperature: 58-60 degrees F

Water Visibility and Conditions: 4-8’ Poor-Fair

Thursday: Old WNW swell and secondary South swell continues through the day. Most breaks through the region are in the knee - chest high zone, as standout combo magnets pull in sets up to shoulder high. Conditions are highly variable with light/variable to light SE winds in the morning, before trending for Westerly for the afternoon.

Outlook: Small combo of SSW and new WNW swell continue into the back half of the week with more knee-chest high surf at best exposed spots. Conditions are problematic Friday with onshore flow but look to improve slightly for the weekend. Stay tuned and check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

RESULTS

WSA Championship Tour, Event No. 8 (make-up from March 12-13) April 9-10, originally slated for both days at Oceanside, South Harbor Jetty. April 9 canceled due to rain/water quality at Oceanside. April 10 ran in Huntington Beach, 9th Street.

MICRO GROM BOYS U9: 1. Dane Morris, Encinitas; 2. Nicholas Carroll, Moorpark; 3. Petey Romaniuk, Huntington Beach; 4. Loyal Cash Kenworthy, Dana Point; 5. Charlie Stevens, San Clemente; 6. Caden Francis, Carlsbad. BOYS/GIRLS U10: 1. Makai Bray, San Clemente; 2. Cannon Carr, San Clemente; 3. Jaxson Hutcheon, Laguna Beach; 4. Hudson Saunders, Laguna Beach; 5. Eli Park, Carlsbad; 6. Jackson Meskis, Moorpark. BOYS U12: 1. Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach; 2. Cole McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea; 3. Bane Corbett, San Clemente; 4. Evan Gallen, San Diego; 5. Luke Guinaldo, Huntington Beach; 6. Max Lambert, Costa Mesa. BOYS U14: 1. Taro Watanabe, Malibu; 2. Kai McPhillips, San Clemente; 3. Nolan Rodgers, Laguna Beach; 4. Sebastian Ojeda, La Jolla; 5. JoJo Whelan, Costa Mesa; 6. Cole McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea. MICRO GROM GIRLS U10: 1. Julianna Romaniuk, Huntington Beach; 2. Ezra McPhillips, San Clemente; 3. Skyler Gassel, Newport Beach; 4. Ryan Chalupnik, Newport Beach; 5. Maile Garrett, Cardiff-bythe-Sea; 6. Addison McPhillips, San Clemente. GIRLS U12: 1. Sawyer Lindblad, San Clemente; 2. Ryann Daly, Dana Point; 3. Lilie Kulber, Los Angeles; 4. Jenna Clark, La Mesa; 5. Mara Morales, Huntington Beach; 6. Hannah Dunfee, San Diego. GIRLS U14: 1. Summer Balentine, Huntington Beach; 2. Kalohe Danbara, Huntington Beach; 3. Makena Burke, Ventura; 4. Ella McCaffray, Cardiffby-the-Sea; 5. Sydney Conway, Pacific Palisades; 6. Jenna Clark, La Mesa. GIRLS U16: 1. Chiasa Maruyama, Huntington Beach; 2. Ella McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea; 3. Brooke Young, San Diego; 4. Sydney Tisdel, Carlsbad; 5. Makena Burke, Ventura; 6. Coral McDuffee, Oceanside. Scholastic Surf Series, OC Middle School, Event No. 3, April 2, make-up from January 23, Huntington Beach, Pier TEAM DIVISION 1: 1. Shorecliffs 237; 2. Marco Forster 145.5; 3. Bernice Ayer 107.5; 4. Thurston 93.5; 5. Niguel Hills 85.5; 6. Vista del Mar 66.5; 7. Don Juan Avila 55.5. BOYS: 1. Kai McPhillips, Shorecliffs; 2. Taj Lindblad, Shorecliffs; 3. Jack Hopkins, Bernice Ayer; 4. Luke Blackwill, Bernice Ayer; 5. Bane Corbett, Shorecliffs; 6. Xavier Math, Bernice Ayer. BOYS LONGBOARD: 1. Kai McPhillips, Shorecliffs; 2. Jack May, Marco Forster; 3. Jimmy Wynne Shorecliffs; 4. Zachary Henderson, Thurston; 5. Sean Dougherty, Niguel Hills; 6. Luca Elghanayan, Thurston. GIRLS: 1. Cascia Collings, Marco Forster; 2. Alexis Alston, Marco Forster; 3. Reese Hartnet, Shorecliff; =4. Sydney Freeman, Thurston; =4. Mason Grey, Niguel Hills; =4. Zoe Mortensen, Shorecliffs. GIRLS LONGBOARD: 1. Alexis Alston, Marco Forster; 2. Hana Catsimanes, Shorecliffs; 3. Alex Higinson, Bernice Ayer; 4. Alexis Morgan, Shorecliffs; 5. Camryn Harrell, Vista Del Mar; 6. Mason Grey, Niguel Hills. COED BODYBOARD: 1. Julian Goldberg, Thurston; 2. Jack Hopkins, Bernice Ayer; 3. Myles Biggs, Shorecliffs; 4. Noah Brown, Shorecliffs; 5. Andrew Shutts, Thurston; 6. Liam Gillon, Marco Forster TEAM DIVISION 2: 1. Shorecliffs 147; 2. Marco Forster 62; =3. Dana Point 0 (Spring Break);=3. Bernice Ayer 0 (Spring Break). BOYS: 1. Liam Mateer, Shorecliffs; 2. Aidan Pierce, Shorecliffs; 3. Caden Evans, Shorecliffs; 4. Christian Clark, Marco Forster; 5. Kai Burleson, Shorecliffs; 6. Ty Connelly, Shorecliffs. BOYS LONGBOARD: 1. Caden Evans, Shorecliffs; 2. Ty Connelly, Shorecliffs; 3. Liam Mateer, Shorecliffs; =4. Tyler Dendiu, Marco Forster; =4. Zac Vos, Marco Forster. GIRLS: 1. Carolyn Sachse, Shorecliffs; 2. Bryn Kurt, Marco Forster; 3. Alexandra Economos, Shorecliffs; 4. Julia Guild, Shorecliffs. GIRLS LONGBOARD: 1. Bryn Kurt, Marco Forster; 2. Jenna Fomenko, Shorecliffs.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 16: Soul Surf Series, Event No. 7, San Clemente, T Street April 16-17: NSSA Explorer, Events No. 7 and No. 8, Carlsbad, Ponto April 23-24: WSA Championship Tour, Event No. 9, with make-up heats from event No. 6 and No. 7, Dana Point, Salt Creek Beach April 23-24: NSSA Explorer,

Mickey Munoz makes his way around the Dana Point Harbor on the latest invention from Hobie, the Mirage Eclipse pedal powered SUP, at the Mickey Munoz Mongoose Cup. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Ben Brantell and Bane Corbett. Photo: Jack McDaniel/WSA