Five things San Clemente should know this week
THE LATEST: Assistant City Manager Erik Sund introduced the groundwork of the city’s budget for the next fiscal year—and looking ahead, he said the city needs to stick to its plan of saving for the future.
“In February, we talked about a theme of investing for tomorrow and in the actions that we go through,” Sund said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
A PowerPoint presentation provided by the city showed revenues for the general fund will increase each year but expenditures will surpass revenues by about 0.3 percent in 2019 and drop to about 0.7 through 2021. Most of this eventual decline was foreseen in years prior, but Sund said it could be indicative of a small recession on the horizon.
The city’s general fund revenue stream is about $60 million annually.
“We’re always going to roll up our sleeves and pass a balanced budget, like we always have, but we need to be cautious so we don’t operate at a deficit,” Sund said.
Councilman Tim Brown said he’s seen these forecasts before and was alarmed by them when he was first elected to Council. However, he said, the outlook is not as dire as it seems.
WHAT’S NEXT: The city will host a workshop and public forum on the budget for the next year at 4 p.m. on May 24 at City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio. The budget adoption will take place during a special meeting on June 13. A copy of the city’s proposed budget is available at www.san-clemente.org. —Eric Heinz
THE LATEST: As part of the city’s planned water rate structure, non-potable water rates will rise 6 percent and drinking water rates will rise 4 percent, following City Council’s approval of the increases on Tuesday.
The rate increases are part of the city’s planned increases.
WHAT’S NEXT: The rate increases won’t go into effect until City Council approves
them at a second reading. During the meeting, a couple citizens argued against the city’s inclined tiered rates and said that they punish people in multifamily residences by combining estimated population to an increased rate. The city plans to conduct a water study on its current rate system in the near future. —EH
THE LATEST: Following a controversial vote last fall to start the 2016-2017 school year early on Aug. 15, the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees formed a School Calendar Committee tasked with making a recommendation for the 2017-2018 academic calendar. Comprised of 37 members—including parents, PTA, board members, union representatives, district personnel and students—the committee engaged residents with three public forums, input collected via email and a phone survey of 436 CUSD families. On May 11, the committee presented its findings to the board.
Feedback from the forums included the following concerns with an early start in August: heat and weather; impact on family vacations; alignment with sports schedules; ending the first semester before the winter holiday; and alignment with colleges for summer school and orientations. Staff confirmed that the current 2016-2017 calendar aligns with sports schedules and colleges, and the first semester ends before winter break. Addressing heat concerns, staff said it would cost an estimated $12.5 million to install air conditioning in
services, regardless of their immunization status.
Trustee Jim Reardon voiced several concerns, including that people will be seeking reasons to obtain an IEP in order to avoid immunization. He anticipates the district will “have difficulty sorting through the authenticity of physicians’ statements granting regular education students exemptions,” and was glad that staff is looking into a form that can be used to “obtain proof of authenticity.”
WHAT’S NEXT: With several suggested revisions to the policy from the board, the item was continued to the board’s May 25 meeting.—AJ
every district classroom.
In the phone poll, 22 percent of respondents said the Aug. 15 start date is a “very good idea,” 32 percent said it is a “very bad idea,” and 46 percent said it is somewhat good or bad or had no opinion.
WHAT’S NEXT: The School Calendar Committee will present draft calendars for the 2017-2018 school year to the board on May 25.—Allison Jarrell
THE LATEST: On May 11, the Capistrano Unified Board of Trustees held the third reading of the district’s new immunization requirements for the 2016-2017 school year.
Last June, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 277 into law, eliminating personal belief exemptions from immunization in schools statewide. In order to comply with the new law, which goes into effect July 1, the district will no longer enroll students who don’t have the required vaccinations, “unless the family submits a medical exemption from a licensed physician,” according to staff.
Since the first reading of the policy in March, trustees have been directing staff to make revisions. On Wednesday night, three parents brought up the issue of whether special education students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) would be exempt from the new vaccination requirements. Staff answered that under federal law, all students with an IEP are guaranteed access to educational
THE LATEST: An off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy shot and killed his neighbor’s pit bull Sunday evening in the area of Avenida Merida and Camino Vera Cruz in San Clemente after the dog bit his 12-year-old son and continued to be aggressive toward his family, according to OCSD officials.
The dog belonged to a California Highway Patrol officer who lives near the deputy.
“An off-duty OCSD deputy was with his family in front of his residence getting ready to go on a bike ride. His 12-year-old son was not on a bike but on a driveway, and at some point a neighbor’s pit bull owned by an off-duty CHP officer got loose and attacked the 12-year-old son,” OCSD public information officer Mark Stichter said. “The son sustained injuries with being consistent of being bitten. The dog continued to be aggressive and came toward the deputy’s younger daughter who was on his bike with him, and he shot the pit bull.”
The deputy used a firearm that belonged to him and was not a weapon of OCSD. The dog was a privately owned pet of the CHP officer.
“It was a very cooperative scene; the highway patrol officer was very cooperative, and this was an incident that neither one of them wanted to happen,” Stichter said. “The animal control responded and transported the dog to a veterinarian, and eventually the dog was put down due to his condition. It was just a very unfortunate incident.”
WHAT’S NEXT: OCSD is continuing to examine the situation. Per the department’s protocol, homicide investigators responded to the scene. No arrests were made in the incident and no criminal charges have been filed. The names of the officers involved were not released. —EH
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, May 16
PETTY THEFT El Camino Real, 300 Block (8:49 a.m.) A man was seen stealing money from a tip jar.
DISTURBANCE North El Camino Real/ Avenida Del Mar (7:53 a.m.) A man was seen talking to himself, dancing on top of a wheelchair, hitting himself and yelling at vehicles driving by.
DISTURBANCE Calle Del Cerro, 1000 Block (1:38 a.m.) The caller’s boyfriend reportedly smashed a window to the residence and was being physically aggressive. The caller said her boyfriend left, drunk, in a blue Honda with Arizona license plates.
Sunday, May 15
DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 1400 Block (11:56 p.m.) A man was talking on his phone and the suspect came over to his vehicle and shined a flashlight at the man’s face. When the man opened his window, the suspect tried to hit him, he said.
DISTURBANCE Canada, 100 Block (10:36 p.m.) Police were called to reports of “muffled screaming and banging.” The call history showed deputies had responded before. A 21-year-old, whose profession was listed as skateboarder, was taken into custody.
DISTURBANCE Camino De Los Mares, 600 Block (9:18 p.m.) A man in his late 20s was harassing other customers on the patio of the business.
DISTURBANCE Camino La Pedriza/Avenida Pico (7:16 p.m.) Police were called to the intersection regarding four to five people in a restricted area who were possibly drinking and being loud.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES El Camino Real, 1800 Block (6:53 p.m.) A man was seen sitting on the planter in front of the business for the last several days. The caller said there had been recent attempted burglaries of the business but was not sure if the instances were related.
ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Avenida Victoria, 600 Block (5:39 p.m.) San Clemente
Marine Safety needed assistance with a “non-compliant pier jumper” on the north side of the pier.
VANDALISM IN PROGRESS Via Cascadita, 2700 Block (5:15 p.m.) Police were called to six juveniles on the roof, who were possibly causing “malicious mischief.”
WELFARE CHECK West Paseo De Cristobal/ El Camino Real (4:56 p.m.) Two possibly drunk men—one with no shirt wearing a cowboy hat and another in a green T-shirt—were seen wandering into the street a few times.
ILLEGAL PEDDLING Avenida Victoria, 600 Block (1:40 p.m.) Police were called to children who had set up a lemonade stand.
DISTURBANCE Corte Merlango, 2400 Block (2:51 a.m.) Several people were seen running around and being loud, possibly drunk. The caller was security personnel calling on behalf of a resident who twice asked sheriff’s deputies to respond.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES El Camino Real, 2400 Block (2:20 a.m.) Two people at the front of the business were looking in the front windows. The caller said they might have been attempting to break in.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES El Camino Real, 2400 Block (1:30 a.m.) Police were called to reports of a man looking into a hotel room with a flashlight. The man was described as having blonde, shaved hair, wearing a hooded jacket with jeans.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Avenida Presidio, 900 Block (12:38 a.m.) The caller was house-sitting and heard the left side gate open and could hear two voices in the back.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES
Camino Mira Costa/Calle La Veta (12:15 a.m.) A caller was out running and saw a man run across the street running fast. The caller was concerned that he possibly “did something wrong.” The man was described as wearing a black ski cap, black short-sleeved shirt, black shorts, black shoes and carrying a black backpack.
Saturday, May 14
DISTURBANCE Calle Sarmentoso/Camino Vera Cruz (10:57 p.m.) Teens were seen throwing balloons or tennis balls at passing cars.
CITIZEN ASSIST Calle Monserrat, 700 Block (9:39 p.m.) A woman arrived home and discovered her house and cars had been egged. A box of eggs was left behind along with a receipt.
DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Camino De Los Mares, 600 Block (10:58 a.m.) Police
were called after a woman was seen pushed out of a dark-colored Lexus SUV.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Avenida Vaquero/Via Cascadita (4:55 a.m.) A man was seen yelling at himself while riding a motorcycle.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Via Ballena, 200 Block (12:44 a.m.) The caller said he saw two people walking down the street, and when he approached them they started to run away. When he followed them, he said they knew his name and then he heard two gunshots.
Friday, May 13
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Boca De La Playa, 100 Block (3:05 p.m.) A man said he thought three men were trying to steal a silver Mercedes. The caller said the men were sitting in it and refused to start the engine when he asked them to. The caller said, “They are not the type of people who would own a Mercedes.”
FOLLOW UP REPORT Avenida Vista Montana, 100 Block (7:38 p.m.) A caller said the same person who was previously caught on camera trying to break into the business was seen in the area.
Thursday, May 12
DISTURBANCE Calle Puente, 1000 Block (3:37 p.m.) Three juveniles were seen drinking alcohol.
ROBBERY IN PROGRESS Calle Del Cerro, 1100 Block (1:28 p.m.) Two men tried to take a purse and had an air soft gun. The purse was not stolen.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Avenida Del Presidente/Avenida Del Oceano (1:14 p.m.) A man was seen hiding in a tree planter.
Wednesday, May 11
BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Riachuelo, 2800 Block (5:46 p.m.) The informant came home and found a window smashed.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES South El Camino Real/Avenida San Juan (1:41 p.m.) Police were called to a homeless man who was carrying a “long shiny piece of metal, pacing around and appears highly agitated.”
DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 1800 Block (6:24 a.m.) A homeless man started spitting on the windows when the business operators asked him to leave.
ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Avenida Estacion, 1700 Block (6:08 a.m.) Orange County Fire Authority relayed information to sheriff’s deputies about a tip of a “hobo that lit a trash can on fire” next to the bushes and railroad tracks.
SATURDAY, MAY 21
San Clemente Educational Foundation’s 13th Annual Fundraiser 5 p.m. Cocktail hour with Trevor Green with a silent auction, live auction and dinner. Then, dancing to music from Bunch of Guys. Tickets are $175. Email scef@cox.net for more information. Bella Collina Towne and Golf Club, 200 Avenida La Pata, www.schsef.org
TUESDAY, MAY 24
Sunrise Rotary
7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Course Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega, www.scsunriserotary.com.
Special BILY Meeting
7-9 p.m. Because I Love You (BILY) is a group to help parents manage their children’s behavior. San Clemente Presbyterian Church, 119 Avenida De La Estrella, www.stopb4ustart.com.
Special City Council Meeting
4 p.m. A budget workshop and public hearing will take place to discuss the city’s finances in the next fiscal year. 100 Avenida Presidio, City Council Chambers, 949.361.8200, www.san-clemente.org.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
Blood Drive
1-7p.m. St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea will host a blood drive in Fellowship Hall. To make an appointment, go to www. redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code “standrews.” 949.492.2537. www.sabts.org.
San Clemente Rotary
Noon. The San Clemente Rotary meets every Wednesday at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course Wedgewood Restaurant. 150 E. Avenida Magdalena, 949.233.7981, www.sanclementerotary.org.
San Clemente 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.
MONDAY, MAY 30
Memorial Day
COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ
Four Shorecliffs Middle School students were crowned California Champions at the statewide National History Day contest.
Our Savior’s Lutheran School students Dylan Johnson and Magnus Oxford also took home state championships for their project “Panama Canal: Modern Marvel of Exchange.” Johnson and Oxford were guided by their fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Pamela Klevit.
After spending months on project research and preparation, and competing at the local, county and state levels, the students will travel to the University of Maryland, College Park, in June to compete at the national level of the competition.
The San Clemente Lifeguard and Junior Guard Foundation will hold the Inaugural Lifeguard Challenge Open Water Swim on the morning of June 5. The event will also include a youth division that will consist of a 400-yard swim. Participating swimmers who complete the course in the San Clemente Lifeguard qualifying time of 13 minutes and 30 seconds and youth who complete the 400-yard swim will receive signed certificates celebrating their success.
The top two men and women swimmers in each division will receive a medal. Also, the top boy and girl in the youth division who live in San Clemente will be awarded.
On-duty city lifeguards will be at the event to ensure the safety of all participants, Bill Humphrey, San Clemente Chief of Marine Safety, said in a press release.
The 800-yard swim will have two divisions: a junior division for ages 12 to 15 years old and an open division for ages 16 and up. Participants will swim 400 yards out and around a colored buoy and return to the beach.
Swimmers in the 400-yard youth division will swim 200 yards out and around a colored buoy and return to the beach.
The swim event will start on the north side of lifeguard headquarters.
Registration for the event is $25 online and includes a T-shirt and swim cap. Late registration on the day of the event registration is $30, cash or check only. Event check-in begins at 7 a.m. and the event starts at 8:15 a.m. with a safety briefing. Online registration closes May 31. Register online at www.scljgfoundation.com.
Two San Clemente artists will be featured in this year’s Laguna Art-A-Fair. Vili
Nikolov is an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist who graduated from the National Art Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, with honors. His original oil paintings are collected all over the world.
Sheryl Sauer, the other local artist, moved to Southern California in 1997. Painting and art soon became a significant part of her everyday life, and her realist watercolor paintings have recently given way to abstract acrylic pieces. Her work captures the sensational aspects of nature and life.
Fifteen members of San Clemente Area Republican Women, Federated brought Operation Baby Shower to 22 expectant mothers at the Deluz Base Housing Community of Camp Pendleton on April 19. Each attendee received lots of baby food and a layette box, which contained a handmade quilt, three onesies, a package of diapers and a special “mother gift,” according to a SCARWF press release. One expectant mother, who is new to the base, said that because of the baby shower she has made many new friends. Another gave birth the week before the shower, but was still able to participate in the festivities.
The Memorial Day tribute and plaque unveiling for Al “Ace” Ehlow Sr. at Park Semper Fi-San Clemente will take place at 2 p.m. on May 30. Ehlow was passionate about taking care of Marines and their families. For more details about Al’s legacy as the retired Police Chief of San Clemente and his Marine & Marine Corps League career, visit www.marinecorpsleaguesouthcoast.org. A PayPal link to fund Ehlow’s dedicated plaque is on the website or send your donation to Marine Corps LeagueSouth Coast Detachment, P.O. Box 3775, San Clemente, CA 92674-3775.
The San Clemente Garden Club’s 2016 Garden Tour is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. The tour includes selected coastal gardens in the “Spanish Village by the Sea.” 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. For more information, call
Bette Langford at 949.498.3317 or email at blang41096@aol.com; or Patricia Holloway at 949.361.1911 or email at patholloway@ cox.net. Tickets purchased on June 4 at any of the gardens for $35.
The San Clemente High School and Shorecliffs Middle School jazz bands will be the opening performances for the 16th annual Beach Concert Series. The first performance will be at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 20, north of the San Clemente Pier. Meals are available for purchase at $8 per person and include barbecue ribs, chicken, baked beans, oriental salad, sourdough bread and a soft drink. The concerts are free and sponsored by the Friends of San Clemente Beaches, Parks and Recreation Foundation. The concert series will include Wigs & Ties, July 7; Rod Piazza, July 21; and Common Sense, Aug. 4.
A movie in the park will be shown at Tierra Grande Park & Playschool Open House on June 17 at 7 p.m., featuring Big Hero 6. On August 11 at 6 p.m., Gary Roach’s Stones Review will perform at Linda Lane Park. Then Friday, Aug. 19, the movie at San Gorgonio Park will be Finding Nemo at 7:30 p.m. The band for this event is Pan Jive.
For more information, call 949.361.8264 or 949.429.8797.
U.S. Global Wellness Day ambassador Raad Ghantous, who contributes occasional “Historical Happenings” columns in the San Clemente Times, is looking to spread the word about a worldwide day of fitness. GWD is a nonprofit that aims to get people active at least for one day. The pledge to be active and live healthy includes walking at least one mile, drinking lots of water, getting to sleep before 10 p.m. and more. For more information, visit www.globalwellnessday.org.
Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.
BY ERIC HEINZ AND MATT CORTINA, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
As it struggles to find a way to regulate sober living homes, like many other Orange County communities, San Clemente now finds itself the setting for a lawsuit that claims efforts to stop a sober living home’s operations violate fair housing and anti-discriminatory rules.
Sober Network Properties, which has several sober-living homes in San Clemente, recently filed a counter-complaint in Orange County Superior Court against a lawsuit Talega resident David Hurwitz previously filed against them. In his suit, which is scheduled to receive a ruling on June 6, Hurwitz claimed a sober living home moved into the house next to his, which subsequently “changed the character of our neighborhood.” Eighteen months of living conditions he wouldn’t wish on his “worst enemy” forced Hurwitz to try to remove the facility through the courts.
“We went as far as to bring in a CSI-type investigation company that did chemical testing on our windows that shows nicotine stuck on our glass,” Hurwitz said at a community meeting on May 12. “We are constantly having interruptions in the middle of the night … lots of people drinking Red Bulls, staying up late. It became
unlivable next door [to the facility].”
Hurwitz says the facility’s paperwork was subpoenaed and hopes the court rules that the facility is unlawfully operating a commercial business in a residential area. But the countersuit from Sober Network Properties claims Hurwitz’s suit violates the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and “various California statutes.”
Pasquale Neri, an attorney working as a liaison and director of strategic planning with Sober Network Properties, claims San Clemente officials entered the homes on several occasions to conduct “thinly veiled raids” regarding code compliance. They were also unlawfully sent cease and desist letters by the city, Neri said.
“We do not want to bring this lawsuit,”
Joe Scolari, the CEO of Sober Network Properties, said in a press release regarding the lawsuit. “Our company is not controlled by detached investors or executives in distant headquarters. My wife and I own and run it, and we live in this county. We have two children who go to school here and a third on the way. The last thing we want is to be involved in litigation with our local government and our neighbors.”
Neri said the support from the city of San Clemente against sober living residences has prompted the organization to take legal action. He added that the sober living home next to Hurwitz’s property “hasn’t had any problems” since they converted it from a men’s home to a women’s home.
Neri said the organization he represents is not in favor of two proposed bills that are working their way through the state house, but they are “more than willing to work with the local government,” to find a more amenable solution.
One of the bills Neri mentioned is co-au-
ensures that life inside their properties is safe and clean.
“We make sure that our properties are well taken care of,” Neri said. “You hear sober living homes without electricity or something like that because those owners don’t give a damn. That never happens with us. (SNP) takes care in making sure the houses are fully operational and everything in working order.
“Being in a residential neighborhood is part of the sober living process,” Neri added. “Is there any room for regulation? I don’t know. We haven’t seen a proposed ordinance that would alleviate the problem that residents are having. These bills just put in red tape.”
San Clemente has a current year-long moratorium on the establishment of sober living homes that ends in July. Whether they seek to extend the moratorium or enact legislation remains to be seen, but what the Orange County Supreme Court decides on the Hurwitz case could indicate action. That, and the cases of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, which were detailed at the town hall, can be used as examples.
thored by State Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), Assemblyman Bill Brough (RDana Point) and Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach). If passed, that bill would enforce a certification program on sober living homes and require contact information for the home operator and at least one tenant. The other bill, coauthored by Bates and Brough, would allow cities to request that the state not allow new treatment facilities to be built within 300 feet of other treatment facilities. Such a law would prevent the over-concentration of sober living homes that many South Orange County communities are reporting. The city of San Clemente recently pledged its support of the two bills.
“What I can say is that the proposals so far are not something that we agree with, certainly not wholeheartedly,” Neri said.
Bates, Brough and Harper were joined by city officials from throughout South Orange County and about 600 residents at a town hall meeting on sober living facilities in Laguna Hills on May 12. The discussion included a presentation on how existing laws govern sober living homes and the presentation of two case studies that show how litigation may or may not be successful for towns looking to manage sober living homes.
To much applause, Brough made a case for regulation at the meeting.
“We can’t even get in there to find out if these things are working,” Brough said. “I agree that people need help … but these homes are not the right facilities to go to. I’m not a doctor, but it doesn’t make sense to me to put six addicts in a home and [then] they’re free to do what they want to do at night.”
Without commenting on the commercial side of sober living home operation, Neri said Sober Network Properties
Tarquin Preziosi, the city attorney of Costa Mesa, talked about his city’s successful efforts to enforce regulation on sober living homes—something other municipalities haven’t been able to do yet. Preziosi outlined how Costa Mesa passed laws that put a 650-foot buffer between sober living homes, banned them from residential areas and required contact information for operators. Solid Landings Behavioral Health, which owned 33 homes in Costa Mesa, sued the city. A district court ruled in favor of the city before a U.S. appellate court granted an injunction upon appeal, meaning that the city would not be able to enforce its law. However, the city and the sober living home operator reached a settlement, and over time, 15 homes were closed, with the other 18 scheduled to shut down over the course of two years. Solid Landings will still be allowed to operate two community centers.
It’s also important to note that such a strategy incurs many costs—Newport Beach was forced to pay more than $5 million in settlement money alone when sober living home operators sued legislation they had enacted that was similar to Costa Mesa’s.
Litigation and policy is one way to address sober living homes, but Assemblyman Harper said at the town hall that cities also need to address the underlying problem associated with sober living homes: substance abuse.
“Places that we never would have thought about it, there are young kids who are getting addicted to opioids,” Harper said. “When heroin does hit, it’s significant.”
Absent from the event was an opportunity for sober living home residents and operators to speak, though a show of hands revealed about four dozen of such people in attendance. SC
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Congratulations to this week’s winner Michael Sullivan!
Michael took home a giftcard to Village Mediterranean Rim and The Coach House, SC Times Stance socks and an SC Times T-shirt!
“ Each Thursday, on my day off work, I start my rest, with a little perk, A weekly ritual of mine:
My coffee... and the SC Times!
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The best darn paper of my town, The San Clemente Times, year ‘round! ”
Both of San Clemente’s Adopted Marine Corps Units—2nd Battalion, 4th Marines and HMLA-469—have left for deployment overseas.
In past years we have sent more than 500 boxes of “goodies” to Iraq, Afghanistan and to ships in the Pacific. It is quite an undertaking. You can drop off items in the red bins at the following locations: City Hall at 100 Avenida Presidio, Community Development Department at 910 Calle Negocio, the San Clemente Community Center at 100 N. Calle Seville, the San Clemente Aquatics Center at 987 Avenida
WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS
The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted unanimously May 3 to suspend the city’s trolley service this summer—a move Council members said will allow staff to focus on securing grant funding for next year while working with the cities of Dana Point and San Clemente on a tri-city trolley for the summer of 2017.
City Manager Ben Siegel initially presented the Council with two trolley options. The Council’s first choice was to execute an agreement for a trolley and a shuttle to run between June 10 and Labor Day at an estimated cost of $115,000— about $90,000 for the trolley and $23,000 for the shuttle. Siegel said the city has applied for Project V funding—a grant from the Orange County Transportation Authority Measure M2 program—which would be available for the summer of 2017.
If the Council chose to move forward with trolley service this summer, Siegel proposed covering the cost with $74,000 in Air Quality Management District (AQMD) funds, with the balance coming from the city’s general fund reserves.
The alternative Siegel presented was to suspend trolley for this summer, wait on the grant application and direct staff to work with the cities of Dana Point and San Clemente on a tri-city summer trolley for 2017. The council voted unanimously on this option, with Mayor Pam Patterson absent due to an early departure from the meeting.
Siegel noted that the city of Dana Point will still offer a trolley service this summer, while San Clemente is waiting on Project V funding for 2017. —Allison Jarrell
An audit of the publicly owned Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn by Orange County officials revealed the hotel improp-
Vista Hermosa, and San Clemente Gym at 123 S. El Camino Real. Suggested items from the Marines are the following: beef jerky, protein/power bars of any kinds, powdered drink mix (like Gatorade or crystal lite)’, Sour Patch Kids, Twizzlers, nuts, trail mix, magazines (sports, cars, hunting, rifle), air fresheners, cookies, baby/wet wipes, T-shirts, socks, books, Pringles, deodorant, cards, letters, blank stationary, stamps, lip balm, razors, shaving cream, sunscreen and cigars.
For more information, visit www. marinemonument.com or contact Wayne Eggleston 949.498.4958. SC
An audit by Orange County
revealed that employees of the
erly offered discounts to employees, their “friends and family,” harbor business owners, city officials and harbor contractors. Discounted rates for employees ranged from $35-$50; more than half off the average fair market rate for a room ($102), according to the audit report released on Wednesday. The audit found that employees, their friends and family, and local officials and business people spent a total of 933 discounted nights at the hotel between January 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2015. Officials said in the report that it is unclear when the program exactly began and when it expanded, but that over the last six years, the program has cost the city at least $68,000 in revenue.
Included in the list of benefactors of the program are at least two “key” hotel managers, who were responsible for overseeing the contract the city has with the hotel’s operator, Great Western Hotels Corporation.
Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Supervisor Fifth District, said on Thursday she had no knowledge of the friends and family program and no one that she knows participated in it.
Bartlett added that no such program was ever approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Brad Gross, Dana Point harbor director, was unable to be reached for comment. An email sent to his office on Wednesday yielded a bounce back message that said, “Effective 12 May 2016 I will be retired from the County of Orange.” —Matt Cortina/Andrea Swayne
34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624
phone 949.388.7700
fax 949.388.9977 www.sanclementetimes.com
HOW TO REACH US
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EDITORIAL
Group Managing Editor
> Matt Cortina
Group Senior Editor, City Editor, DP Times
> Andrea Swayne
City Editor, SC Times
> Eric Heinz
City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch
> Allison Jarrell
Sports Editor
> Steve Breazeale
Special Projects Editor
> Andrea Papagianis
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> Jasmine Smith
ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING
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SPECIAL THANKS
Robert Miller
Jonathan Volzke
CONTRIBUTORS
Megan Bianco
Melissa Calvano
Debra Holm
Cameron Sadeghi
Tim Trent
San Clemente Times Vol. 11, Issue 20. The SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes. com) and The Capistrano tDispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.”
—
Oscar Wilde
What is happiness? Is it the same for everyone, and can we bring it on ourselves?
Is it only, “Nothing more than good health and a bad memory,” as Albert Einstein maintained? And who said money can’t buy happiness, anyway? The women I know claim that whomever said that simply didn’t know where to shop. One thing seems sure: lots of rich people must have missed the shopping uplift; many of the world’s wealthiest families are rife with suicides, drug overdoses, failed marriages and massive depression. In some cases, it seems like the richer one gets, the more expensive happiness becomes. And no matter what size the bank account, pain is no more preventable or buffered when a parent loses a child or disease strikes down a loved one. So if money doesn’t buy bliss, what can?
John Lennon, one of the 20th century’s
BEWARE OF THE PETITION TO RE-DISTRICT SAN CLEMENTE
JOE JANIS, TRICIA MADING, SUSAN NELSON and JIM LAURENT, San Clemente
Protect Our Neighborhoods commends Mayor Bob Baker, Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Ward and Council members Tim Brown and Chris Hamm for supporting the residents of San Clemente. Despite intense lobbying from special-interest groups and public attacks on their character, they stood up for San Clemente and voted to regulate transitory lodging uses, including vacation rentals and sober living homes in our residential neighborhoods.
These Council members are now under attack for protecting our neighborhoods from these commercial businesses. In a veiled attempt to remove them from office, a petition is being circulated to redistrict San Clemente. Redistricting will allow only one council member per district and will limit the candidates you can vote for to only those candidates who live in your
most influential artists, made the most astute comment about happiness I have ever read:
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.”
By Jim Kempton
That indefinable explanation is as close as I’ve come to grasping the concept of contentment.
So do some people have more of it than others, or are some people just born unhappy?
As it turns out, there does seem to be things that can help. What both experience and clinical tests have shown is that exercise, quiet contemplation, conscious acts of kindness, anticipating the future and spending money on people, not possessions, are all keys to sustaining a happy life. Anticipation of something positive is one of the most
district. Because of these restrictions, you may have only one candidate to choose from.
We believe the best qualified people should serve on our City Council regardless of their address. Help us stop this blatant political manipulation. Before signing this petition, understand the motivation behind it and the ramifications it carries.
Protect Our Neighborhoods is not motivated by monetary gain. Our sole mission is to preserve the character of our residential neighborhoods and maintain San Clemente’s small-town feel.
For more information, feel free to contact us at www.protectourscneighborhoods.com.
WAYNE BROWN, SOCEC Director of Government Relations
The South Orange County Economic Coalition (SOCEC) writes to you in regards to the closure of San Clemente Hospital.
As the premier business advocacy organization in the region, we want to express our concern on the impact of the City of San Clemente’s decision to rezone
joyous states of mind, and there is always something to look forward to—even if it is just being done with the day’s work. Of course no one can be happy all the time. In fact, those who have never experienced any hard times or painful challenges in their life are most often bereft of the joy that comes from overcoming them. And as we all know too well, attitude is the only thing we can control in our lives. One last note—a 3,000-year-old Chinese proverb: “Happy wife, happy life.”
So we might as well grin and bear it, look on the bright side and hope for the best. A positive attitude may not solve all our problems, but it can often annoy our adversaries enough to make it worth the effort.
Jim Kempton is a surf industry veteran who has been happy to get up and go to work almost every day of his life. He is not rich, but he has lived like he was. All he asks is the chance to prove that lots of money can’t make him happy. SC
Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, May 20 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso
Pondo Vleisides, executive director of Community Outreach Alliance in San Clemente, will be this week’s guest. He will talk about some of the things the organization is currently doing and plans for the future. 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.
San Clemente Hospital. By rezoning this private property, the city has forced MemorialCare to close and abandon their vision of transforming the hospital into a world-class outpatient surgery center and advanced urgent care facility.
It is imperative for all businesses to adapt to industry changes in order to continue to provide quality service. Such is the case with San Clemente Hospital. Healthcare industry trends have been transforming and shifting to outpatient and preventive care.
(Cont. on page 14)
(Cont. from page 13)
A long-term solution is needed to address the changing healthcare industry. The industry as a whole is transforming, and it is unfortunate that in Orange County, restrictive government action is inhibiting some providers from responding effectively.
While we share residents’ concerns regarding the closure of the hospital’s emergency room, it is also important to note that San Clemente will still be part of a very sophisticated, regional emergency response network that has the capacity and ability to effectively utilize other area emergency rooms. The city should repeal its rezoning of the hospital campus and work with the owners to bring state-of-theart medical services to the San Clemente community.
CHRIS CARTER, Principal of SCHS
Many of our students have been engaged in the Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) testing over the past two weeks. These are college-level tests that are extremely demanding but can count for university credit when passed. San Clemente High School has a tradition of great success in the area of AP and IB testing as our pass rate is well above the state average.
We offer our students approximately 35 different tests, which cover all academic areas as well as the arts. This year, we had the largest number of students ever take at least one test. We had approximately 900 students in grades 10 through 12 take more than 1,750 tests this year. Our numbers in 2013 were much different, with approximately 760 students taking a total of 1,545 tests.
It is wonderful to see more students
EDITOR’S NOTE:
By Andrea Swayne, Senior Editor
It is with mixed emotions that I announce my departure from Picket Fence Media as I venture out to pursue other opportunities.
Although I am excited for what my future holds, I can’t help but to feel sad about leaving the dedicated team that makes the San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and The Capistrano Dispatch the top-notch local newspapers they are.
It has been an honor to serve the community over the past eight years, working hard to provide the best information to help residents (my neighbors) stay informed on the news of the day and to experience everything our beautiful tri-city area has to offer.
I would like to thank you, our readers, for your support, feedback and contribu-
elect to challenge themselves at the highest level. Congratulations to all of our students who took these exams over the past two weeks. We have a few more tests next week, and we wish those students the best of luck. I would like to thank Naomi Tran, one of our academic advisors, for organizing and scheduling all of the tests this year. Thank you also to all of the volunteers who supported this program.
RICARDO NICOL, San Clemente
The purpose of the Beach Parking Impact Fee was to mitigate the increase in beach attendance generated by inland housing development. The nexus was housing units to beach parking need, no matter who, renter or owner, or how many people occupied the house. So credit the fee to the house, or the property, not to the present owner who probably didn’t pay the fee or even know about it.
Credit the fee in the form of beach parking permits for those properties for as many years as the fee credit will cover. The amount remaining in the city’s coffers to defray the cost of the beach parking should allow for this.
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.
tion to the editorial makeup of our papers. You have been of great assistance to me, and our team, via letters to the editor, questions, suggestions and story pitches about the interesting people, places, events and issues you care about. It has been a distinct pleasure serving you. See you around town. SC
SanClemente
YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER
What’s going on in and around town this week
Thursday | 19
MULTICULTURAL ARTS SERIES: CARLOS VELASCO
6:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s Multicultural Arts Series features a performance by classical Latin guitarist Carlos Velasco. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m., with the concert following at 7 p.m. Admission is $15. Space is limited, RSVP to 949.493.2688. 31495-A El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, www.facebook.com/sjcfriends.
SESSIONS AT STILLWATER
7 p.m. Talented musicians from around the world perform together. Where else can you see local musicians on stage with members of Pink Floyd? StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.
THIRD THURSDAY SHOP & DINE SJC
5-8 p.m. Enjoy special promotions, trunk shows, artist demonstrations and more at participating businesses throughout the city of San Juan Capistrano on the third Thursday of each month. Events take place during the special extended hours of 5-8 p.m. For more information, call 949.493.4700, email info@sanjuanchamber.com or visit www.visitsjc.com/thirdthursdays.
DANCING FOR A CAUSE
6 p.m. The San Clemente Sunrise Rotary and San Clemente Woman’s Club will collaborate for an annual event to raise funds for scholarships to high school seniors. The club is also contributing to Family Assistance Ministries. There will be a red carpet reception, photo opportunity, dinner and dance competition. Tickets are $150 and must be purchased prior to the event. The Hills Hotel, 25205 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, 714.651.5250, www.sanclementewomansclub.com.
DANCING ON
7 p.m. May 20-21. The San Clemente Dance Team and young dancers from around Southern California will collaborate to present this two-night event. The presentation is the dance team’s spring dance concert. $15 for adults and $10 for children. San Clemente High School Main
Gym, 700 Avenida Pico, 949.492.4165, www.schsdance.org.
THE BAYOU BROTHERS
7-10:30 p.m. Live music at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.
Saturday | 21
NO POWER? NO PROBLEM!
9:30-11 a.m. Join community members of San Clemente and Duane Cave of San Diego Gas & Electric to learn what to do in a power outage. San Clemente Stake Center, 310 Avenida Vista Montana, 949.813.0182, www.scstake.com.
BROOKE MANN ART SHOW
2-6 p.m. The art show will feature some of Brooke Mann’s latest original artwork and some of the work of her 5-year-old niece. There will be refreshments and a raffle, and it will be family friendly. 416 Calle Macho, San Clemente, www.brookemalia.com
SHACC HOSTS WILLIAM FINNEGAN
6 p.m. Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) is hosting an evening with William Finnegan, whose autobiography Barbarian Days won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for biography. Finnegan will give a talk and sign copies of his celebrated book. Admission is free for SHACC members, $5 for non-members. Call in advance to pre-order a copy of the book and have it signed by the author. 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente, 949.388.0313 ext. 0, www.surfingheritage.org.
‘LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL’
8 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse presents a fun song-and-dance show that follows a sweet and seemingly not-so-bright sorority sister named Elle Woods (and her Chihuahua, Bruiser) as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Based on the hilarious novel by Amanda Brown and the subsequent hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Shows run through June 5; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $29-$41. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.
ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE
5-7 p.m. Climb onboard a Dana Wharf luxury catamaran for this 90-minute wine cruise around the Dana Point Harbor. Tickets are $49. Every Friday and Sunday. See more events online. Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 888.224.0603, www.danawharf.com.
(Cont. on page 19)
EDITOR’S PICK
MAY 21-22: DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL
11 a.m. Bands hit the sand with blues, rock and soul at the 19th annual two-day music festival at Doheny State Beach. This year’s lineup includes Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot!, Aaron Neville, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Edgar Winter Band, Walter Trout, The Record Company and more atop three stages. The event also includes food, microbrew tastings, a wine lounge and merchandise vendors. Paid parking will be available in the Doheny State Beach lot. Overflow parking will be available at Dana Hills High School with a $5 shuttle service to and from the event. General admission $60 single day; $115 both days. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.360.7800, www.dohenybluesfestival.com.
EDITOR’S PICK
SATURDAY, MAY 21: SAN CLEMENTE SPORTS WALL OF FAME
6-9:20 p.m. Surf legend Joyce Hoffman, tennis star Doris Stephens and volleyball champion Bob Yoder will be this year’s inductees to San Clemente’s Wall of Fame. The event is free to attend. Vista Hermosa Sports Park, 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa, www.sanclementeparksfoundation.org.
www.sanclementetimes.com
(Cont. from page 16)
Monday | 23
BRIDGE AT THE SENIOR CENTER
1 p.m. If you are an intermediate-level player, join the San Clemente Senior Center. The game is play party/social bridge; partners change every sixth hand. 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 the Dorothy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente, 949.940.5702, www.san-clemente.org.
FREE ACOUSTIC GUITAR LESSONS
5 p.m. Free group lessons starting from the beginner level. Ages 12 and up. Bring your own guitar. Email coamusicarts@gmail.com to sign up. 1050 Calle Negocio, 949.388.0114, www.communityoutreachalliance.com.
Tuesday | 24
OPEN MIC NIGHT
6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.464.5700, www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.
DNA GENEALOGY WITH CECE MOORE
7 p.m. CeCe Moore, a DNA detective, will give a presentation about DNA and genealogy. Moore is considered an innovator in the use of autosomal DNA for genealogy. San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.ocpl.org/libloc/sc.
Wednesday | 25
ADULT BOOK GROUP
10 a.m. May’s book is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, a bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. No cost to participate. San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3493, www.ocpl.org/ libloc/sc.
FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S
9:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, 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.
BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
The most anticipated blockbuster of the summer is already here, and it’s as good as a big budget action flick can be. Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War was released last weekend, two months after the disastrous Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice—it more than makes up for that lackluster superhero flick and the other studio duds from the past six weeks. Themes like government control, guilt, betrayal and friendship are brought up again, like in Dawn of Justice, but with much more fluidity.
After Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) accidentally causes the death of a group of innocent people with her extraordinary powers in the middle of battle, Secretary of State Ross (William Hurt) thinks it’s time to finally go through with the Anti-Hero Registration Act. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) is on board with the bill, as he’s seen too many innocent people die while saving the world; but Captain America (Chris Evans) isn’t completely convinced, especially when
the government wants his best friend, the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), dead. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) are Team Iron Man. While Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp) are Team Captain America. Civil War has many story arcs and characters running around, yet never loses its narrative. Both sides of the conflict are well executed, and there’s a fine balance between drama and comic relief. On top of that, there are plenty of exciting action sequences. As for the rest of the summer, X-Men: Apocalypse and Suicide Squad now have a lot to live up to. SC
Shelley Murphy
ay is National Moving Month, and I’m observing the occasion not with greeting cards, but with gusto and multiple moves.
Every year, approximately 35 million Americans relocate and more than half of all residential moves occur between May 1 and Sept. 1.
This month kicks off the busiest moving season of the year, and based on my household, I’m betting that college kids represent a vast number of summertime moves.
I usually don’t look forward to moving, but I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm last week as I helped my younger son move from his freshman dorm back to his childhood bedroom.
By Shelley Murphy
Prior to the move, my son called complaining about problems packing.
I suggested a simple solution: take most of the stuff from his dorm room and throw it into the dumpster. Parents’ Weekend might be a distant memory, yet I vividly recall visiting my son’s room and seeing the cramped and cluttered mess. My son took my advice. He began the packing process by removing the rug between their bunkbeds and tossing it into the trash—the rug they’d vacuumed only once this school year.
It’s cliché but it seems like only yesterday I felt the palpable excitement of freshman move-in day. The air filled with anticipation and exhilaration as sweating students and panting parents lugged brimming boxes and bursting bags up steep flights of stairs into welcoming dorm rooms.
Many months would pass before the reality of dorm life eclipsed its novelty. My son says he enjoyed his rite of passage,
Jeremy Conrad
949.542.8348
Jconrad@conradrealestate.com
Bill Conrad
949.542.8349
BillC@conradrealestate.com
but never wants to repeat it. He’s ready to shed the shower shoes and sleep in a bed big enough to uncoil from a fetal position. It took several trips up and down seven flights of stairs to empty my son’s dorm room and fill my car. Returning home from his campus, I happily helped unpack equal amounts of clothing, electronics and dust while refusing to contemplate reversing the process in a couple short months.
For the past three summers, my older son’s arrival home from college reunited our family under one roof. But not this year; this summer marks the first we’ll spend in separate states instead of the same tropical island.
Last weekend, my older son graduated from college and didn’t move his belongings from his beach town-home to his awaiting bedroom; instead, he boarded an airplane two days later and moved to the Midwest.
My son’s quick career move is bittersweet but not without a slight silver lining. His rapid relocation resulted in the opportunity of a lifetime—for me. Soon, I’m taking off on my first-ever road trip with my younger son.
We’re driving the graduate’s car crammed with his treasured possessions to his new apartment in Tornado Alley. As apprehensive as I am about my older son’s new zip code, I’m eager to embark on our road trip. My son is looking forward to stops at National Parks, and I am looking forward to uninterrupted days spent with my soon-to-be college sophomore.
When my younger son and I return from our adventure, we’ll have several weeks before he makes the last move of the season. My husband can’t wait for that day to arrive—he’s not keen to see our son leave, but he is ready to bid farewell to the furnishings I’ve collected for his new
hen Keller Williams Realty closes its doors nationwide each May 12, it’s because local children become their clients for a day.
On Thursday, about 50 members of San Clemente Keller Williams volunteered time to visit with the Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area to facilitate fun and educational activities for the
apartment.
I’m unable to pass up a bargain, and as a result, we’re unable to walk through parts of our house. My husband is threatening to call the producers of Hoarders if he stumbles over any more boxes from Amazon.
company’s Red Day. RED Day started as a national campaign to give back to the community in 2009. Darlene Jamroz, a Realtor with San Clemente Keller Williams, said the company brought the day to the Boys & Girls Club last year and hopes to bring more awareness to the club and help with fundraising efforts. For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area, visit www.bgcsca.org. SC
As summer slips into the sunset, my younger son will take an apartment near his college campus and sign a year-long lease. I’ll help box-up his belongings and say goodbye, again, knowing that with each move, my boys drift further from home and firmly into their futures. If only there were a way to move back the hands of time.
Shelley Murphy has lived in San Clemente with her husband for the past 17 years, where she raised her two sons. She’s a freelance writer and has been a contributor to the SC Times since 2006. SC
• The median housing price for San Clemente has risen, averaging $936,000 for all sales so far in 2016
• San Clemente market stays very strong with just 3% of 2016 sales being bank foreclosures or short sale transactions
• Orange County started off cold with just 1700 pending sales, but has skyrocketed to over 3200 pending sales and climbing.
Elizabeth Bottiaux
OBy Elizabeth Bottiaux
ne of our family members is a furry, four-legged, rescued friend. My kids love dogs. I grew up with dogs. We are dog people. But, our dog does not go with us everywhere. Dog owner entitlement seems to be on the rise. As my two little boys and I recently pulled into the parking lot of a local restaurant I noticed an older couple on the patio with their medium-sized dog lying next to them. I didn’t think much about it. It’s become quite common to see dogs of all sizes and breeds with their owners inside stores, on restaurant patios and in most public areas. We ordered and found a table outside, on the patio. I quickly dashed inside to retrieve condiments, drinks and napkins. I was inside for less than one minute, when my older son came running in to tell me his brother was crying. I returned to find the dog owner holding my five-year-old’s hand and apologizing. Confused, I immediately assumed that
he’d gotten scared while I was away and had started crying. Just as the mom guilt washed over me, the woman explained that her dog had bitten my son.
I did my best to remain calm. All eyes were on me. I could feel the weight of an entire restaurant watching me. I hugged my scared little guy. I pulled up his shorts to check the chomp. There was a definite bite mark. Skin was broken and hints of blood threatened to surface.
The dog owners apologized and recounted their version of what had occurred. My unassuming son had headed to the nearby trash can. He’d started out walking, then had run the last few steps to the trash. The startled dog lashed out at him.
The owners said their dog was known to have certain fears and would randomly lunge at people. This aggressive animal with a checkered past was brought to an enclosed area with many people nearby. My son, who had in no way interacted with or provoked this animal, and was minding his own business, was attacked.
An onlooker stopped by the patio as she was leaving the restaurant. To my surprise she was not concerned by the
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
fact that my young son had been bitten. No. She was there to console… the dog! She cooed over the dog, while petting it’s head. Really? My child was attacked and this woman wanted to soothe the attacker! Unreal. When did furry friends become more important than humans?
Before leaving the restaurant, I obtained the dog owner’s contact information and reported the incident to the manager. Although, obviously unenforced, the manager confirmed that dogs are prohibited on the patio. It was negligent of these owners to bring their aggressive dog to a restaurant.
Children should be taught to always ask the owner’s permission before petting a dog. If an owner says they’d rather not let my child pet their dog, I respect—even
commend—the owner for setting that boundary. For safety and sanitary reasons, dogs simply shouldn’t be allowed everywhere with humans. Authentic, card-carrying service dogs are a different matter.
Dog ownership isn’t just a privilege. It’s a responsibility.
Elizabeth Bottiaux is mom to four small humans, ages 5, 7, 9 and 11. She’s a San Clemente resident and has lived in Orange County for the past 16 years. She publishes a blog, www.fourkidsandadog.com. SC
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SCTimes provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the SCTimes or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com
SanClemente
BY STEVE BREAZEALE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
At the age of 12, Joyce Hoffman learned how to surf. By 13, she was competing in contests. By the time she turned 16, Hoffman had emerged as the budding sport’s bright new star.
From 1963 to 1971, Hoffman, a Capistrano Beach native, dominated women’s surfing competitions across the globe, cementing herself as a true legend and pioneer for a whole generation of surfers.
Between 1965 and 1967, Hoffman won three consecutive United States Surfing Championship titles and won her fourth title in 1971. She won the Women’s World Surfing title in 1966 and 1967. In 1964, Hoffman was the first woman to win the women’s division of the annual SURFER poll. She was the first surfer to be named Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year in 1965.
On May 21, Hoffman can add one more accolade to her list.
Hoffman will be inducted into the San Clemente Sports Wall of Fame this weekend, along with tennis player Doris Stephens and volleyball player Bob Yoder, at the Vista Hermosa Sports Park Aquatics Center at 6 p.m.. The Wall of Fame is in partnership with the Friends of San Clemente Foundation.
Hoffman’s stepfather, Walter Hoffman, was an accomplished big-wave surfer and
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.
Softball Rides Big Win Into Playoffs
For a second consecutive season, the Sea View League softball title came down
introduced his teenage stepdaughter to the sport when the family moved to Capistrano Beach. The first time Joyce rode a wave in competition was with Walter in a tandem ride. However, Joyce did not like the fact that she was not in control of the board and was merely a passenger while Walter steered. From that point on, Hoffman was determined to be in total control out on the water.
Hoffman surfed up and down the Southern California coastline but called the
to a final game between Laguna Hills and San Clemente. The Tritons got the better of the Hawks in 2015 and San Clemente needed to win the final game of the season against its rival on May 11 to repeat as league champions.
San Clemente came through again by defeating Laguna Hills 3-0 to ensure a season series split and grab a share of the league title.
San Clemente (12-10-1), winners of seven of their last nine games, will enter the CIF-SS Division 3 Championships as the league’s No. 2 representative. San Clemente lost a coin flip to Laguna Hills to determine the higher playoff seeding. The Tritons will travel to play West Valley in the first round on May 19.
Playing in a loaded field, the San Clemente boys golf team took fourth place at the CIF-SS South Coast Divisional tournament at Talega Golf Club on May 16.
The Tritons carded a score of 383, four strokes behind third-place Dana Hills and 24 strokes behind first-place Woodbridge. The fourth-place finish ends the team portion of competition for the Tritons this season.
San Clemente freshmen Alex Pak and Christian Wentzel’s seasons, however, are still very much alive. The two standouts will compete in the CIF-SS Individual Championships at Mission Lakes Country
breaks off San Clemente her home turf. When she paddled out at San Onofre or the Pier as a 12-year-old girl, she was greeted with some sideways looks. Surfing was predominantly a male sport when Hoffman started out back in the 1960s, and only a handful of women ever ventured into the water looking to ride waves.
Hoffman’s skills as a surfer quickly turned those looks into approving nods.
“As soon as you’d ride a few waves and they could see you knew what you were doing, (the surfers) became supportive and protective,” Hoffman recalled. “(The surfers) were real supportive of me when I was surfing. If any guy from out of town would come out and try to give me some vibes, (the locals) would be like, ‘Hey, don’t even go there. She’s one of us, she belongs here.’ It was really neat.”
The wins began to pile up for Hoffman as she toured the West Coast, earning victories in the Bay Area on down to San Diego. She would travel to Hawaii and at the age of 16, won the Makaha International Open, a landmark victory. Her professional career would take her across the globe, from Australia to Europe. Hoffman devoted herself to the sport and particularly to fitness. She incorporated cross-training exercises like paddling, swimming and running into her training regimen, which she said kept her in top physical condition and gave her an edge in competition.
Now, Hoffman resides in San Juan Capistrano and runs the 25-acre Tar Farms Stables, which has been in the Hoffman family for years. She still paddles out in the Capo Beach area to catch a few waves, where she is joined by her family out on the water.
“We all love the same thing. We love the water and we love the experience of it all,” Hoffman said. “It always feels like I’m at home because I’ve spent so much time doing it and it’s so integral to my family.” SC
Club in Desert Hot Springs on May 19. If Pak and Wentzel advance, they will earn a spot in the CIF State qualifying tournament on May 26.
Three San Clemente athletes will be competing at the CIF-SS Track and Field Finals at Cerritos College on May 21. Anna Gillis will be competing in both the girls shot put and discus finals. Senior Connor Dunne will be competing in the 800-meter run and Sean Kelsay will be competing in the pole vault. (Cont. on page 26)
(Cont. from page 24)
The new-look San Clemente football team got a good taste of live competition over the weekend while competing in the Dana Hills Airstrike passing league tournament on May 14.
The Tritons, who graduated a large senior class, were one of 16 programs at the tournament, which featured a modified seven-on-seven format.
San Clemente soon-to-be senior quarterback Jack Sears was among the more high-profile signal callers at the event, along with Corona del Mar’s Chase Garbers. Sears led the Tritons to victories in the first three rounds of pool play. In the knockout stages, the Tritons defeated Aliso Niguel in the first round and lost to Narbonne in the second round.
With the Tritons on the field, all eyes were on Sears.
Sears has become one of the most sought-after recruits on the West Coast and has picked up a flurry of collegiate offers over the past few months. Sears, who has not committed to a school yet, picked up an offer from Cal on May 13 and offers from Washington State and Central Florida on May 17.
The three recent offers boost Sears’ number of potential suitors to 23. He also holds offers from USC, UCLA, Texas
A&M, Duke, Tennessee, Arizona and Utah, to name a few.
Sears will be traveling this weekend to compete in the Nike Opening Regional in Oakland on May 22. Sears plans on visiting both Cal and Washington over the weekend, according to San Clemente head coach Jaime Ortiz.
The San Clemente boys lacrosse team
was well represented in this season’s South Coast League accolades.
Tritons goalie Austin Boyer, a Cleveland State commit, was named the league’s Player of the Year. San Clemente coach Brad Reppert was named Coach of the Year.
Nick Lemus, David Howren, Branden Wilson, Ryan Crawford, Caleb Bozarth and Boyer were named to the league’s first team. Matt Keany, Josh Sanchez and Sander Lush were named to the second team. Omeed Farhadi, Lane Buckley and Cade Norland earned honorable mentions.
Saddleback College divers Jacob Swanson and Sarah Duke had big performances at the California Community College Swimming and Diving State Championships at East LA Community College May 5-7. Swanson, a Laguna Niguel resident, won both the one- and three-meter diving events at the meet, earning Diver of the Year honors. Duke, a Dana Point resident, placed seventh in the three-meter and 13th in the one-meter diving events. The team is coached by Curt Wilson of San Clemente, who received Coach of the Year honors from the California Community College Athletic Association.
ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT
Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program
2411 S. El Camino Real, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com
AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING
Solstice Heating and Air 2208 El Camino Real, Ste. #1, 949.573.3607, www.solsticehvac.com
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
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
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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
Colony Termite Control 1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com
Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com
GARAGE SALES
SATURDAY MAY 21, 8:00AM-1PM 2853 Campo Raso, San Clemente Great buys after estate sale, Curio and China cabinets, sofas, kitchen and patio tables and chairs, beds, refrigerator, washer/dryer. European tea/coffee cups, dining sets, lamps, chandeliers, linen and clothing. Signed oil paintings and prints, fine books and collector plates. Garden equipment and tools. All priced to sell!
RIVIERA DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALES! Large variety - multifamily sale! Saturday May 21 from 7am to Noon Enter Riviera District on Ave de la Riviera from Ola Vista
SATURDAY MAY 21, 8 AM- 1PM 314 Calle Chueca, San Clemente. After estate sale. Crystal, antique clocks, Ming type vases, collector Xmas plates and decorations, 5-foot Santa Claus, bunk bed, framed prints, clothes with tags, golf clubs, purses and more. All priced to sell.
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 8AM TO NOON 4605 Aire de la Sal, San Clemente Moving sale - all items MUST GO! Sofas, Dinette set, Bar stool/chairs Coffee Table, Patio set, Beds, Lamps, Kitchenware, Garden tools, Clothing, and MORE. All priced to sell!
GARAGE SALE
SATURDAY MAY 21 from 730am230pm Big Moving Sale - Furniture, Desks, Patio Chairs, Sofa Sleeper, Pool Table, Pinball Machine, Slot Machine, Dog House, Surfboards one is brand new, Wetsuits, Skateboards, Lots of Clothing, Books, Movies, DVD’s, Old VHS, Plants, Camping gear, Audio Equipment, Pro Speakers, Bar Stools, Lots of Kitchen goodies! All will be priced to Sell so come on down to 35291 Vista DE Todo, Capo Beach
San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com
GARAGE SALE
SATURDAY, MAY 21 FROM 730AM-230PM
Big Moving Sale - Furniture, Desks, Patio Chairs, Sofa Sleeper, Pool Table, Pinball Machine, Slot Machine, Dog House, Surfboards one is brand new, Wetsuits, Skateboards, Lots of Clothing, Books, Movies, DVD’s, Old VHS, Plants, Camping gear, Audio Equipment, Pro Speakers, Bar Stools, Lots of Kitchen goodies! All will be priced to Sell so come on down to 35291 Vista De Todo , Capistrano Beach.
Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com.
Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.
HELPER NEEDED FOR ELDERLY WOMAN - light housekeeping for 1-bed apt, grocery shop, occasional ride to doctor, library, all within SC. $20/hr 2-4 hrs/wk. Eileen 949-218-9813
LICENSED CHILDCARE
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WOOD DECK REPAIR WIZZARD
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BY ANDREA SWAYNE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
The culmination of a season rife with cancelations and make-up events— thanks to El Niño—came to an exciting close on May 14 and 15, with six local surfers crowned season champions in seven divisions.
The season’s weather-related contest rescheduling along with the tour’s mix of talented competitors—from Micro Groms under the age of nine to the Legends division for surfers over 50—made for exceptionally tight races at this year’s season finale, and exciting action in the lineup.
The weather, although a bit chilly, worked in the surfers’ favor all weekend. Overcast skies kept glare at bay on both days. Waves on Saturday began in the 3- to 4-foot range and by Sunday afternoon a new swell filled in, the wind died down and surfers enjoyed glassy, clean and rampy 4- to 5-foot waves on which to strut their stuff in the days’ semifinal and final rounds.
In the end, six local surfers were crowned West Coast champions.
Dana Point’s Bella Kenworthy finished a brilliant season with a win in Micro Grom Girls U10, clinching season top honors with 13,870 points. San Clemente’s Ezra McPhillips was the season runner-up with 13,390 points.
ascia Collings, 12, of Dana Point began surfing at the age of 7, and it has since become her favorite sport.
Although she is focused on becoming the best competitive surfer she can be— practicing nearly every day before or after school—Cascia’s surfing goals do not include chasing a professional surfing career.
“I want to be a surf commentator like Rosy Hodge,” she said. “I love to travel and surf and that would be a great way to do both.”
A straight-A student, Cascia also enjoys school and wants to study science in college.
When not concentrating on riding waves or school work, she also enjoys skateboard-
San Clemente Times May 19-25, 2016
Kevin Skvarna, of San Juan Capistrano, was the biggest winner of the day, and the season, taking double wins in the event and double season titles in Junior Longboard U18 and Open Men Longboard divisions. Skvarna took the Open Men Longboard win over Encinitas’ Trevor Anderberg by a slim 140-point margin.
Local champions also included San Clemente-based surfers Makai Bray in Boys/Girls U10, Kai McPhillips in Boys U16, Jimmy Wynne in Boys Longboard U14 and Ryan Aguilar in the Masters 30-39 division. SC
MICRO GROM BOYS U9: 1. Chase Niemann, Carlsbad
2. Petey Romaniuk, Huntington Beach 3. Taylor Francis, Carlsbad 4. Loyal Cash Kenworthy, Dana Point West Coast Season Champion: Chase Niemann, Carlsbad
MICRO GROM GIRLS U10: 1. Bella Kenworthy, Dana Point 2. Julianna Romaniuk, Huntington Beach 3. Ezra McPhillips, San Clemente 4. Addie McPhillips, San Clemente Season Champion: Bella Kenworthy, Dana
ing and art.
Cascia credits her family as her biggest supporters and a large part of the reason for her success.
“I’d like to thank my parents for everything,” Cascia said. “They take me to surf breaks near and far, they buy me rad
Point BOYS/GIRLS U10: 1. Makai Bray, San Clemente 2. Luke Wyler, San Clemente 3. Bryse Celaya, Huntington Beach 4. Eli Park, Carlsbad Season Champion: Makai Bray, San Clemente BOYS U12: 1. Raphael Castro, La Jolla 2. Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach 3. Lucas Owston, Oceanside 4. Cole McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea Season Champion: Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach BOYS U14: 1. Taro Watanabe, Malibu 2. Hagan Johnson, San Clemente 3. Kai McPhillips, San Clemente 4. Sebastian Ojeda, La Jolla Season Champion: Taro Watanabe, Malibu BOYS U16: 1. Kai McPhillips, San Clemente 2. Taro Watanabe, Malibu 3. Noah Hohenester, San Clemente 4. Max Beach, San Clemente Season Champion: Kai McPhillips, San Clemente BOYS U18: 1. Jake Hennessy, Cardiff by the Sea 2. Gavin Doan, Carlsbad 3. David Economos, San Clemente 4. Hagan Johnson, San Clemente Season Champion: Gavin Doan, Carlsbad GIRLS U12: 1. Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas 2. Ryann Daly, Dana Point 3. Sawyer Lindblad, San Clemente 4. Mara Morales, Huntington Beach Season Champion: Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas GIRLS U14: 1. Kalohelani Danbara, Huntington Beach 2. Caitlin Simmers, Oceanside 3. Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas 4. Izzy Hopkins, Dana Point Season Champion: Olivia Pessanha, San Diego GIRLS U16: 1. Olivia Pessanha, San Diego 2. Brooke Young, San Diego 3. Kalohelani Danbara, Huntington Beach 4. Chiasa Maruyama, Huntington Beach Season Champion: Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas GIRLS U18: 1. Chiasa Maruyama, Huntington Beach 2. Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas 3. Jordyn Barratt, Encinitas 4. Kristina Hehl, Huntington Beach Season Champion: Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas BOYS LONGBOARD U14: 1. Jimmy Wynne, San Clemente 2. Cash Cherry, Manhattan Beach 3. Aidan Sautner, San Clemente 4. Rhyn Chambers, San Clemente Season Champion: Jimmy Wynne, San Clemente JR. LONGBOARD U18: 1. Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano 2. Trevor Anderberg, Encinitas 3. Ethan Mudge, Capistrano Beach 4. Jameson Roller, Laguna Beach Season Champion: Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano GIRLS LONGBOARD U14: 1. Brooke Carlson, Calabasas GIRLS LONGBOARD U18: 1. Soleil Errico, Malibu 2. Ocean Tsutsui, San Clemente 3. Liv Stokes, Aliso Viejo 4. Aine Dwyer, Coronado Season Champion: Liv Stokes, Aliso Viejo MEN 18-29: 1. Evan Sandison, Laguna Niguel 2. Gentry Gard, Laguna Niguel 3. Drew Stanfield, Westminster 4. Kai Matteo, Oceanside Season Champion: Drew Stanfield, Westminster MASTERS 30-39: 1. Jonathan Warren, Long Beach 2. Ryan Aguilar, San Clemente 3. David Morgan, Los Angeles 4. Philip Salick, Los Angeles Season Champion: Ryan Aguilar, San Clemente SENIOR MEN 40-49: 1. Rick Takahashi, San Diego 2. Gavin Haughey, Laguna Niguel 3. Pedro Diaz Rangel, Oceanside 4. Tom Dillon, Ventura Season Champion: Rick Takahashi, San Diego LEGENDS 50+: 1. Jeff Jessee, San Clemente 2. Rusty Phillipy, Cardiff-by-the-Sea 3. Masaki Kobayashi, San Clemente 4. Chas Wickwire, Seal Beach Season Champion: Chas Wickwire, Seal Beach OPEN MEN: 1. Jared Fearon, San Diego 2. Jonathan Warren, Long Beach 3. Cameron Griggs, Mission Viejo 4. Drew Stanfield, Westminster Season Champion: Cameron Griggs, Mission Viejo OPEN WOMEN: 1. Jordyn Barratt, Encinitas 2. Maile Davis, Carlsbad 3. Maya Saulino, San Marcos 4. Jayme Linnes, San Clemente Season Champion: Maile Davis, Carlsbad OPEN MEN LONGBOARD: 1. Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano 2. Trevor Anderberg, Encinitas 3. Jameson Roller, Laguna Beach 4. Kurt Greenbaum, Newport Beach Season Champion: Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano OPEN WOMEN LONGBOARD: 1. Soleil Errico, Malibu 2. Betsey Lee, Topanga 3. Cate Stokes, Aliso Viejo 4. Bianca Dootson, Aptos Season Champion: Keili McEvilly, Carlsbad SR. MEN LONGBOARD 40+: 1. Lance Albright, Huntington Beach 2. Kurt Greenbaum, Newport Beach 3. Jorge Barba, Oceanside 4. Larry Casas, Huntington Beach Season Champion: Lance Albright, Huntington Beach ADAPTIVE SURFERS PRONE: 1. Whitney Tyler, San Diego Season Champion: Whitney Tyler, San Diego ADAPTIVE SURFERS STANDING: 1. Rodney Roller, Oceano,Ca. 2. Danielle Burt, San Diego 3. Ryan Gambrell, San Diego 4. Matt Foushee, Orange Season Champion: Matt Foushee, Orange ADAPTIVE SURFERS WAVESKI: 1. Jeff Munson, Corona Del Mar 2. Charles Webb, Oceanside 3. Chris Oberle, Los Angeles 4. Mark Thornton, Carlsbad Season Champion: Mark Thornton, Carlsbad
boards, they get me really nice wetsuits that keep me warm. I love them. They help me a lot. I also want to thank my sister and two brothers. They come to the beach every day for me, even though they don’t like it very much. And they’re just so supportive, and they stay and try not to whine or anything. I love my family so much.”
Cascia finished her first season of competitive surfing May 14 and 15 at the Western Surfing Association Championship Tour West Coast Championship at Church Beach. Her debut competition season also included surfing as part of the Marco Forster Middle School surf team in Scholastic Surf Series events.
At the conclusion of the SSS season last month, Cascia was the second-place season finisher in the Orange County middle school girls shortboard division and helped her team to a third-place team finish.
In WSA Girls U12 Shortboard, she ended the season ranked No. 12 among a field of 32.
“I got third in my heat and didn’t advance,” Cascia said. “I heard Jordyn Kelly get like an 8.0 and I thought, ‘Oh gosh. I can’t make it now,’ but I just kept trying. I saw Ryann Daly catch a good wave and felt like I really didn’t have a chance. I still tried; I probably could have tried harder. I caught one OK wave, but I didn’t back it up. I learned that I need to catch more waves. If I see a good one coming, go for it, because I might not have that opportunity again.”
Overall, Cascia counts her first year of contest experience as fun and valuable to her growth as a surfer.
“I loved competing in the whole SSS and WSA season, even though I never made a final in WSA,” she said. “I really like competing, even when I lose. I just review what I did wrong and what I can fix. I like to watch other heats my friends are in, to see where they’re paddling out, where they line up and what they do. I’m not just surfing at contests; I’m studying.”—Andrea Swayne
