February 15, 2018

LO C A L

N EWS

February 15-21, 2018

YO U

C A N

U S E

New Proposed Toll Road Extension Emerges from TCA Meeting PAGE 6 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 7

‘Competition, Camaraderie, Cause’ Marine Raider Challenge will be San Clemente’s longest athletic event SC LIVING/PAGE 12

Active and former military members will compete against each other in teams of two during the Marine Raider Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 17.

The event takes place around San Clemente. Photo: Rebecca Lindsay/Courtesy of the Marine Raider Challenge

Senators Introduce Bills to Maintain Safety Standards at Nuclear Power Plants EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

TCA Staff Takes Exception with San Clemente Toll Road Opposition EYE ON SC/PAGE 6

www.sanclementetimes.com

Olympics: SC’s Hailey Langland Takes 6th in Slopestyle; Big Air on Sunday SPORTS/PAGE 16

GO TO SANCLEMENTETIMES.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS

SC EYE ON SC San Clemente

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

California Sen. Kamala Harris and other senators have introduced bills that would require nuclear power plant operators to maintain safety standards and procedures and for more transparency in decommissioning phases, like the process SONGS is going through. Photo: Eric Heinz

What’s Up With...

Five things San Clemente should know this week Senators Introduce Bills Aimed at Safety Regulations at Nuclear Power Plants THE LATEST: Two bills related to decommissioning nuclear power plants that gained little to no traction after being introduced in 2017 have resurfaced into new entities, according to officials with Sen. Kamala Harris’s office.

On Feb. 7, Harris, D-CA, introduced The Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2018, which would prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from approving waivers or granting exceptions to safety and emergency preparedness regulations that are outlined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954—until nuclear fuel has been transferred to spent nuclear fuel dry casks. The release did not specify whether this policy would apply differently to permanent storage sites, interim storage sites or temporary on-site storage.

The text of the bills has not yet been released on the U.S. Library of Congress website.

Harris’ bills echo the concerns of many organizations in Southern Orange County who have criticized the NRC for allowing safety regulations to be altered to decommissioned plants, such as the process at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, A change to the plant’s insurance policy through the majority owner and operator, Southern California Edition, was approved San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

by the NRC recently, stating the spent nuclear fuel was “not as risky” in its offline status. But nonprofit organizations in the area are convinced the fuel could cause more harm than the government or energy corporations are willing to admit.

Another bill introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2018, “would ensure that states and local communities have a meaningful role in the crafting and preparation of decommissioning plans for retired nuclear plants located in those areas,” according to the press release. The bill was co-sponsored by three other senators.

WHAT’S NEXT: What kind of control and how much influence those local and state entities would have on the decommissioning plans was not detailed in the press release.

Also in the bill are requirements for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to “publicly and transparently approve or reject every proposed decommissioning plan, which it currently is not required to do,” the release stated.

An analysis of safety regulations related to licenses approved for decommissioning nuclear power plants was released by the NRC the same day.

House and Senate conference committees are appointed for conflict resolutions on certain bills.

The bill number for The Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2018 is S.2396, which as of Feb. 7 was not yet available on the Library of Congress website. The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2018 bill number is S.2388. —EH

Wheeler North Reef Expansion Could Take Place in August THE LATEST: In order to reach mitigation requirements set by the California Coastal

Commission, Southern California Edison (SCE), the majority owner of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), must increase fish population at one of its artificial reefs.

The Wheeler North Reef is already 174 acres right off the southernmost tip of San Clemente to the Pier. Another 200 acres is planned for the reef that will extend from the Pier to about Poche Beach.

The reef has met all of its 15 requirements regarding plant and animal life, except for the fish. In order to receive the mitigation credits, SCE must meet that final threshold.

“In eight years, we saw the reef has done an amazing job in growing kelp and retaining it in every aspect, but one thing we have not been able to do is to establish a certain amount of fish,” said Patrick Tennant, SCE manager of mitigation and restoration.

The amount of fish, 28 tons, has been about half of the requirement over the eight years.

WHAT’S NEXT: California State Lands Commission is the lead agency on the project and is currently reviewing the plans through environmental regulations.

Once that is approved, a number of other agencies will examine the proposal, Tennant said.

“This is the same design as used in Phase 2, so we are very confident that it will perform the same as our past reefs,” Tennant said.

If all goes according to plan, the reef expansion could begin in August. —EH

Coastal Commission Pumps Breaks on Setting Timeline on Sea-Abutting Structures THE LATEST: In an effort to define what is an “existing” structure in the coastal zone, which is 1,000 yards from the shore to inland, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) decided to keep its options open when looking at San Clemente’s plans.

The city of San Clemente’s coastal land use plan has been waiting for the commission’s approval since 2017 when it was deferred to this year. A major component of the local plan would make the definition of existing structures as those that were constructed before 1977.

That is significant because according to the plan, property owners within the zone would not be able to alter their properties beyond a 50 percent threshold that includes protection measures and refurbishment.

San Clemente homeowners in the Capistrano Shores subdivision have fought against this provision since at least 2015 when the plans were in development.

Most of the homes that abut the Pacific

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Ocean in that area were either built or rolled in as mobile homes after 1977.

“For the most part, we interpret (existing) to mean there’s something there existing, but we haven’t even done that consistently,” said Coastal Commissioner Steve Padilla.

WHAT’S NEXT: The CCC voted to not put the 1977 provision in the city’s local plan but did vote to have it reexamined in the implementation plan, which follows the land plan through a six-month review by the city. The city is currently working on a sea level vulnerability assessment and aim to have a draft in the next couple of months. The city will look forward to the residential adaptation guidelines and will work with staff on the implementation plan. —EH

Five Democratic Congressional Candidates of the 49th to Face Off in First Debate THE LATEST: On Tuesday, Feb. 20, the five current Democratic candidates of the 49th Congressional District will debate each other for the first time.

Candidates Doug Applegate, Sara Jacobs, Paul Kerr, Mike Levin and Christina Prejean will be moderated by Los Angeles Times political reporter Christine Mai-Duc. WHAT’S NEXT: The doors open at 6 p.m. and the debate starts at 7 p.m.at San Juan Hills High School, 29211 Stallion Ridge.

Debate topics will be of local and national concern. The debate is co-hosted

by Democratic Women of South Orange County and Canyon Democrats.

Tickets to the candidate debate are $10 for club members and $15 for nonmembers, which can be purchased at www.dwsoc.org or www.canyondemocrats. org. —Staff

Meet the Authors Luncheon to be Held on Feb. 24 THE LATEST: Reservations are still available for the Meet the Authors Luncheon until Monday, Feb. 19.

WHAT’S NEXT: Bring your friends and enjoy lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Talega Golf Club, located at 990 Avenida Talega. This year’s participating authors are Matt Coyle, Liska Jacobs and Naomi Hirahara. There will be ample opportunity to purchase their latest books.

The cost is $60 per person. To register, contact Debbie Wilkens at 949.322.4892.

—Staff www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC and once harvested, the pearls are carved to expose the inner gemstone. Huy grows black pearls at his Vietnamese pearl farm.

For more information, visit www.socgems. com, find them at www.facebook.com/socgems or call Ellen Dupuy at 408.718.0504.

City Lifeguard Tryouts to be Held on Feb. 24

Luxre Realty hosted its annual adoption event to benefit the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter as well as The Ark of San Juan. Photo: Eric Heinz

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY STAFF

Adoption Event Benefits Humane Groups Luxre Realty hosted an annual adoption event at its offices, located on the 200 block of Avenida Del Mar in San Clemente, with various animals available to take home.

Event organizers said a few pets were adopted, and proceeds from snacks and other sales benefitted the San Clemente/ Dana Point Animal Shelter and The Ark of San Juan. For more information about the organizations, visit www.san-clemente. org/departments-services/animal-services and www.arkofsanjuan.org.

New Member Meeting for Sea Scouts Interested in hearing more about the Sea Scout program based in Dana Point Harbor? Come to an informational meeting for prospective new members.

The meeting is scheduled from 6:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the OC Sailing and Events Center, located at 34451 Ensenada Place in Dana Point.

Mariners 936 offers year-round sailing and maritime activities for co-ed youth ranging from 14-18 years of age.

Mariner Juniors is for co-ed youth aged 12-14 and offers an eight-week fall program.

No previous experience is necessary to join the programs that focus on seamanship, leadership and community. Everyone is welcome.

Family Assistance Ministries Offering Free Income Tax Preparation Family Assistance Ministries (FAM) is offering free income tax preparation for those who make $60,000 or less through San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA). Available at FAM’s Resource Center, located at 1030 Calle Negocio, those in need of the service can utilize it on Saturday’s now thru April 14 from 9 a.m.– noon. For more information and to set up an appointment, call 949.492.8477.

Assistance League of Capistrano Valley Scholarship Opportunity Scholarships are being offered for high school seniors in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) and Oceanside School District who have a family member, present or retired, enlisted or commissioned, in the military at Camp Pendleton.

The scholarships are being offered by the Assistance League of Capistrano Valley.

Students can get an application from either their counselor at their school or by writing to scholarshipsalcv@gmail.com.

They must have a letter of acceptance to a two or four-year college or trade school, and at least a 2.5 GPA. The application includes an essay, and students must provide references and a transcript. Applications are returned to their school counselor.

Up to $10,000 is available. The deadline to apply is April 9, and questions can be directed to scholarshipsalcv@gmail.com.

Award-Winning Carver of Pearls Will Present at Next SOCGEMS Meeting Master pearl carver and jewelry inventor Chi Huynh will discuss and show how nature guides his hand in creating awardwinning pearl creations. The South Orange County Gem and Mineral Society (SOCGEMS) meeting will be at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville.

The artist will also donate 25 Galatea pearls to SOCGEMS for the monthly fundraising raffle. His black Galatea pearls are grown with a “seed” of coral or turquoise,

San Clemente’s Marine Safety Division (MSD) will be holding tryouts for seasonal ocean lifeguard and lifeguard trainee positions on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the MSD headquarters, located on the beach north of the pier at 620 Avenida Del Mar. Checkin for tryouts is at 7 a.m., and applicants will compete in an approximate 800-yard ocean swim in 13 and a half minutes or less. Successful candidates will then compete in a 1,200-yard run-swim-run. The use of wetsuits, goggles, fins or other swimming aids is not permitted. The top candidates from the physical tests will be invited to an interview held on the same day as the physical events. The top candidates from the interview process will be invited to participate in a mandatory 92-hour training program. To be eligible, candidates must be at least 16 years old with a valid work permit by June 30, 2018 and must be available for all 92 hours of training. Applicants under the age of 18 must have a signed parental consent form prior to participating in the tryouts. Applicants must either complete an online application at www.sanclemente.org/jobs or apply in person at the Marine Safety Division Headquarters. The Ocean Lifeguard position is paid $17.79 to $21.63 an hour, and the entry level lifeguard trainee pay is $11 an hour. For details, contact Rod Mellott at mellottr@ san-clemente.org or call 949.361.8219.

SCARWF Seeking High School Seniors for Charlotte Mousel Scholarship San Clemente Area Republican Women Federated (SCARWF) is seeking graduated high school seniors who attended school in the San Clemente area and are interested in applying for the 2018 Charlotte Mousel Scholarship. First place is $1,500 and second place is $1,000. The application deadline is March 1.

The scholarship is awarded to assist graduating seniors who demonstrate the ability to think constructively on matters affecting our government. This yearly scholarship recognizes high school students through an essay contest based on the U.S. Constitution as the subject matter.

For an application, go to the website www. scarwf.org and then to 2018 Scholarships.

Call Donna Huff, scholarship chair, at 714.624.2411 for more information.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to eheinz@picketfencemedia.com by Monday the week of publication.

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Community Meetings SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18

SAN CLEMENTE FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh produce and much more every Sunday.

Avenida Del Mar. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19

BLOOD DRIVE 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The American Red Cross will host a blood drive. Pacific Medical, 212 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. 1.800.RED.CROSS. www.redcrossblood.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

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.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING 6 p.m. The City Council will host its regularly scheduled meeting. City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente.

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.

BILY MEETING 7-9 p.m. Meets every Tuesday. Because I Love You (BILY) helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices.

Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. www.bilysc.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21

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.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 6 p.m. The Planning Commission will host its regularly scheduled meeting.

City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org. www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC

A Compromise in the Works?

New toll road alignment proposal would flow into north La Pata

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

T

ransportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) came to its Feb. 8 meeting with something of a compromise to the proposed toll road extension aimed at San Clemente.

A newly proposed idea was unveiled, in addition to the seven the TCA is already studying regarding traffic mobility in South Orange County—four of the existing ideas are toll roads that would be constructed through the city and the other three enhance existing infrastructure.

The new proposal for the expansion of the 241 Toll Road would be constructed from its current terminus at Oso Parkway and run through Cow Camp Road and Ortega Highway to Avenida La Pata.

The plan would expand La Pata by two lanes in each direction, and it would add “managed lanes” on Interstate 5 from the end of the SR-73 Toll Road all the way south of the San Diego County line.

Extending the 241 and I-5 was presented as a package deal, but staff members said they would examine the possibilities

A map presented at the TCA’s Feb. 8 meeting shows that The Toll Road administrators will look at an additional project that would stop the 241 extension at north La Pata, widen the road by two more lanes and possibly expand Interstate 5. Photo: Courtesy of the Transportation Corridor Agencies

of expanding the two proposals separately.

The extension is being called the Los Patrones Parkway Extension, or LPP. “The Los Patrones Parkway Extension would create a ‘feeder’ to SR-241, similar to how Jamboree Road functions with SR-261,” a slideshow at the TCA meeting stated.

The slideshow also stated that the LPP

could be accessible to give Ortega Highway and Antonio Parkway more traffic relief.

OC Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, the county Board of Supervisors representative of San Clemente’s district, said she thought there could be problems with the I-5 project, as Caltrans and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) already

design projects for the interstate. Bartlett said she would be more willing to separate the two in order to create a better avenue for financing.

What’s important to remember is that the lines drawn on the map shown at the TCA meeting are not set in stone. They are preliminary ideas that show a general idea.

The TCA is currently conducting studies on the seven routes approved, which will eventually go to an environmental review process before any plan implementation begins.

San Clemente City Council member Kathy Ward, the city’s representative on the Foothill/Eastern Corridor Agency, said there is only room for one more lane (without taking out existing structures along the I-5 corridor) along San Clemente’s portion of the interstate, past Avenida Palizada.

“The length of I-5 in our city would have to be widened and would result in the taking of property,” Ward said. “This, while exciting, seems excessive for the corridor.

I would question how TCA can do a project on the 5?”

Mike Chesney, the chief strategy officer of the TCA, said it’s “very early” in the concept process and that widening I-5 was part of the ideas left to study. The city is currently seeing the finishing touches on a project that added an HOV lane in either direction from south San Clemente through Dana Point.

There’s also the possibility that the LPP could be an arterial, not necessarily a toll road, and Ward said she would like that proposal added to the ideas. SC

TCA Staff Takes Exception with San Clemente Toll Road Opposition Campaign

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

O

fficials with the administrators of The Toll Roads raised eyebrows at a campaign the city of San Clemente put together to oppose construction of toll roads through the city—something that the agency also does in favor of traffic alleviation in the area.

Prior to the announcement at the Feb. 8 meeting that a new toll road proposal would be added to what the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are studying in South Orange County, officials with the pseudo-governmental faction presented documents it obtained from a records request through the city of San Clemente.

TCA staff presented a series of emails, slides and other documents that showed San Clemente approved to spend $100,000 for consulting services from Englander Knabe & Allen as well as at least $29,700 for a voter survey to gauge opinion on traffic mobility, which was viewed by some TCA board members as political in nature, and therefore, using public funds for it was not permissible.

San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

“The survey presents negative and misleading information, and I found it incumbent to make the board aware,” said Alex Avetoom, the vice president of Venture Strategic public relations firm, which works with the TCA. TCA did a similar survey in 2017 that questioned people living in San Clemente as well as other areas of the county. TCA plans to spend $828,000 on marketing and advertising in its FY 2018 budget to promote its own interests.

TCA staff was directed to send the materials to the California Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC), which enforces governmental proceedings. It wasn’t clear whether they would submit the materials as a complaint.

San Clemente City Council member Kathy Ward objected to the presentation.

“I resent the accusations that I think you’re trying to make that San Clemente is working internally with the public, that the public doesn’t have their own views and can’t figure out the same facts that we have figured out,” Ward said.

Avetoom said there was misinformation in the documents provided by the city.

“I believe that a full review of the exhibits would present incredibly important factors for this board and its mission to take into account,” Avetoom said. “The documents speak for themselves.”

Amid the fray, TCA officials also pointed to social media efforts from organizations such as “Not My Toll Road” that have targeted members of the TCA board and criticized the plans for a San Clemente toll road. Slides were presented from screenshots of the Facebook page.

When asked if the TCA was insinuating the city had paid these organizations, spokespeople from the TCA said they weren’t making that connection.

On the other side, members of the opposition have pointed to accounts of people they believe are in league with the TCA. Weighing in on the friction, Save San Onofre Coalition, which has traded barbs with City Council regarding a settlement and protective agreement with the TCA,

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released a statement within hours of the TCA presentation.

One of the excerpts from the TCA’s presentation noted the $28 million is set aside in a trust for mitigation efforts. The money is only to be expended on items that have approval from all entities involved in the settlement, which had been ongoing in the courts for more than a decade.

“Today’s disclosure that the San Clemente City Council unanimously approved a taxpayer-funded, negative PR campaign against the environmental organizations and thousands of residents who fought to save San Onofre State Beach is deeply disturbing,” said Stefanie Sekich-Quinn, coastal preservation manager of the Surfrider Foundation, in a statement.

FPPC officials at the media hotline said they were not authorized to speak on the record about the matter.

Editor’s note: Extended versions of both stories on this page are available at www. sanclementetimes.com under the same headlines. www.sanclementetimes.com

SC SOAPBOX San Clemente

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.sanclementetimes.com

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL Group Managing Editor > Rachael Mattice City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, DP Times > Daniel Ritz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Emily Rasmussen

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CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Victor Carno Tim Trent Jake Howard

San Clemente Times, Vol. 13, Issue 7. The SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (www. danapointtimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www. thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives.

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Letters to the Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE: By Rachael Mattice, Group Managing Editor

Welcome to Picket Fence Media, Emily!

P

STEVE NETHERBY, San Clemente

I have great respect for the author of the letter “Toll Road Settlement Should Be Reopened to Include San Clemente” in the Feb. 1-7 edition of the San Clemente Times, and, as a 45-year San Clemente homeowner, share the zeal for saving our town from the ravages of Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) mindless, soulless toll road proposals.

However, I respectfully take exception to two aspects of the letter.

First: If, by calling Surfrider and the 11 other Save San Onofre Coalition (SSOC) members “elite,” the author means “best” or “leading,” they’re right. These are among the finest, most effective defenders of our right to a healthy environment. But if their repetitive use of “elite” is to paint the 12 as catering to only the wealthy or privileged, the point is off base.

There’s no less elitist service than working to preserve a livable planet.

These groups’ work benefits us all. And their members, volunteers and employees represent every demographic.

Second: The $28 million conservation fund negotiated by SSOC is no money grab. Surfrider and the rest of the SSOC receive none of the $28 million! The fund is set aside as mitigation for habitat destruction in the event TCA builds another route. There’s no incentive to SSOC for TCA to build a toll road through San Clemente. Should no route be built, unspent portions of the conservation fund go away.

Like the author, I’m sad that the agreement precludes these fine organizations from working with us. But, in a negotiation, you give something up to reach your goal. SSOC saved San Onofre State Park as well as the San Mateo watershed that creates Trestles—our “Yosemite of Surfing” and the contributor of more than $8 million annually to our city’s budget. We must not endanger this victory.

Though the SSOC is sidelined by the agreement, nothing prevents you and me from advancing the battle against TCA. Our goal is twofold: 1) To save our town from TCA’s ruinous road-building ambitions and 2) to abolish or repurpose TCA. San Clemente is the seaside gem it is because of its purposely piloted past and the character and grit of its citizens. We have fought for and saved our park. We must now unite and save our town.

WHAT DO I TELL MY KIDS? CORD BAUER, San Clemente FACEBOOK.COM/SANCLEMENTETIMES • INSTAGRAM @S_C_TIMES TWITTER.COM/SCTIMESNEWS • LINKEDIN PICKET FENCE MEDIA

San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

lease join us in formally welcoming Emily Rasmussen to Picket Fence Media as The Capistrano Dispatch Editor. Emily joins the newsroom having previously worked as a community news reporter for the OC Register. She covered city council meetings as well as developed personal interest stories for the South Orange County communities of Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills.

Emily was also a news editor at The Edge Long Beach, a weekly newspaper where she broadened her topic

DON’T ENDANGER PARK VICTORY

I watched with admiration as San Clemente residents took hours out of their

day to speak for only two minutes at the monthly Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) meeting on Feb. 8 in Irvine.

There, people stood up for their family and their neighbors and read speeches that they researched and wrote personally.

What a great civics lesson for my kids, I thought. But then it hit me: Would I tell my kids that we were fighting a government agency that admitted to spying on us? Yes, the TCA admitted to following our personal Instagram and Facebook feeds.

Would I tell them a government entity had just limited our speeches from three minutes to two minutes and then brought in their own friends and vendors of the TCA to eat up more speaking time?

Would I tell them how the TCA “ambushed” our City Council regarding a public relations contract? The accusation was so over-the-top that representatives from San Juan Capistrano and Anaheim stepped in to squash the nonsense.

No, the politics are too dirty and details too disheartening to explain to gradeschool kids. What I will say is that there are people in our community who want to make things better, and they’re willing to stand up against nearly unlimited funds and the highest levels of government power in Orange County. And we’re winning.

LAS PALMAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALSO TURNS 90 KRISTEN NELSON, San Clemente, Las Palmas Elementary School Principal

This year, Las Palmas Elementary School turns 90 years old. It shares this distinguished birthday with the city of San Clemente. This school opened in 1927-28 as San Clemente Grammar School and by its second year was educating 80 students.

Bernice Ayers was the first teacher at the grammar school. It was a beautiful building overlooking Plaza Park that included a pond with swans in it. St. Clemente’s Episcopal Church served as a wonder-

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coverage to features and entertainment as well as developed digital journalism packages with multimedia, video and social media.

Hailing originally from Long Beach, Emily is looking forward to getting to know the passionate residents, history buffs, government officials and business owners of San Juan Capistrano for Picket Fence Media readers.

Emily can be reached at erasmussen@picketfencemedia.com and at 949.388.7700. ext.108. SC

ful neighbor and still does to this day.

Although the school lost its Ole Hanson charm in the 1950s to earthquake retrofit, several original buildings still exist.

Las Palmas is now a bustling Spanishimmersion program, serving close to 900 students. As the current principal of Las Palmas, I am writing to thank the community of San Clemente for its ongoing support of this special school. The Las Palmas neighbors give us ongoing patience with traffic issues, our law enforcement offers protection, our secondary schools send students to help, offer assemblies and welcome our students to games and activities. One team, one town.

I always enjoy when members of the community stop me to tell me what the school used to be like. A few years ago, a gentleman told me a great story—the pictures tell me this is true—but I’m really not sure.

“The nurse’s office was on a second story, and we had to go upstairs to see the nurse,” he said. “By the time you got up there, you were really sick and exhausted, or you could see the ocean and waves and decided you were really sick and needed to leave.”

Sounds like San Clemente to me.

I welcome you to visit Las Palmas/ San Clemente Grammar School on San Clemente Day between noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. We are a stop on the historic trolley, or just come on by. We will have old photos, snacks, kindergarten rooms open, and you are welcome to walk our grounds. We look forward to seeing you and welcoming you into the historic San Clemente Grammar School and the futuristic Las Palmas Elementary School!

Thank you, San Clemente.

SAN CLEMENTE IS INNOCENT IN TOLL ROAD BATTLE GHADA GHANTOUS, San Clemente

The Feb. 8 Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) joint board meeting was very eye-opening. Agenda Item No. 12 www.sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX

Several San Clemente speakers came to the Feb. 8 TCA meeting, where The Toll Road administrator’s staff presented various materials related to residents’ and the city’s campaign against the 241 extension.

Photo: Eric Heinz

revealed that the TCA consultants from Venture Strategic (the marketing firm that has been awarded a $1.8 million contract) have abandoned their mission of engaging and informing the public and are now “following,” trolling and surveilling private San Clemente citizens on Facebook and through their social media accounts. Was this tactic voted on/approved in one of the previous board meetings? Alex Avetoom, vice president of Venture Strategic, presented information gathered during this “opposition” surveillance and tried to build a case against the San Clemente City Council. His presentation implied that the city has engaged in some illegal action to promote opposition against the TCA and 241 Toll Road extension. San Clemente has done nothing illegal and the residents have every right to fight to protect their city and stop the TCA from forcing an unnecessary toll road though their neighborhoods and near schools and parks. The citizens of South Orange County deserve to have their voices heard, and the low tactics of some of the TCA’s board members, Venture Strategic and other hired consultants will not stop residents from exercising their right to protect their town.

TOLL ROAD ADMINISTRATORS’ TACTICS INFRINGE ON PRIVACY OF SAN CLEMENTE RESIDENTS EVA O’KEEFE, San Clemente

To the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) Board of Directors: How would you feel if a government agency suddenly popped up to follow you on your social media account? Would you be comfortable showing pictures of your kids? Your friends? This isn’t fantasy, but it’s the tactics used by the TCA. Did the TCA Board of Directors authorize their lobbying firm Venture Strategic or any of the “paid consultants” to follow citizens in the community on social media?

The account www.howsthedrive.com—a TCA-sponsored account—has been “following” citizens in San Clemente.

Since when does the TCA’s charter allow spying on private citizens’ social media accounts?

I find it appalling that a public agency San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

would engage in such actions. After all, contrary to what Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett may say, the TCA takes plenty of taxpayer funds under the “development fee” program and enjoys taxpayerfunded maintenance of roads. In fact, the TCA has already taken over $3 billion in development funds from Orange County.

Did this huge sum slip Ms. Bartlett’s mind?

I hope there is a full investigation on the activities the TCA is engaging in regarding the continued First and Fourth amendment violations, and the violations of privacy of the citizens of San Clemente.

The city of San Clemente has a right to defend itself against the TCA, the same way as Pasadena did against the 710 and many cities did against the El Toro airport or the airplane noise. The TCA is practicing bad government and it needs to be held accountable.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY 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.

Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, Feb. 16 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso This week’s guest will be USMC Ret. Capt. Derek Herrera, a board member of the Marine Raider Challenge, which takes place on Saturday, Feb. 17 around 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.

Page 9

SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

available. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

What’s going on in and around town

Sunday | 18

COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO

SOUL FOOD AT THE SAN CLEMENTE BAHA’I CENTER 11 a.m. This month’s soul food theme is “The Butterfly Effect,” and will explore our physical and spiritual relationship with our environment. Singer Amelia Rae will be performing during this month’s program. Tea and coffee will be served at 11 a.m. and the program will conclude with a cook-out lunch. 3316 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente. 949.791.9192. www.bahaicenter.com.

Thursday | 15 GARDEN ANGELS 8:30-10:30 a.m. Join volunteers, students and teachers at Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens to care for and maintain native plants and butterflies. No experience is necessary (they’ll teach you), but you should bring gloves and clippers. No class if it rains. Admission is free. Los Rios Park.

31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. www.goinnative.net.

EDITOR’S PICK Photo:File

TABLE TENNIS FOR SENIORS 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All seniors 55 or older are welcome to join the Table Tennis Club at the Shorecliff Terrace Mobile Home Park. Any skill level is welcome and entry is free. 3000 Calle Nuevo, San Clemente.

949.481.2275. jnl5555@yahoo.com.

KID’S PET PARADE 10 a.m. Children ages 5-12 are welcome to show off their favorite pets in an effort to take home a prize. Categories include “Best Team Costume,” “Best Domestic/Household Pet,” “Best Exotic Pet,” “Best Barnyard/Farm Pet” and “Best Bird.” Admission is $5 and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Los Rios Park. 31747 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1976. www.swallowsparade.com.

Friday | 16

LIVE MUSIC AT OC TAVERN 9 p.m. Live music is offered every Friday and Saturday. No cover charge. OC Tavern, 2369 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.542.8877. www.octavern.com.

CELTIC, FOLK & WORLD MUSIC CONCERT 7-9 p.m. Join Christy Martin and Aodh Og O’Tuama present Four Shillings Short at the San Clemente Art Supply. Four Shillings Short is an independent folk band that has been performing across the United States and Ireland since 1997. Suggested donations are $10. San Clemente Art Supply. 1531 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.369.6603. www.scartsupply.com.

cardio and running prowess in top form, be sure to stop by Peet’s Coffee in Talega.

Every Saturday a group runners of varying skill level take a brisk three-mile run around a pre-determined course. Admission is free. 801 Avenida Talega, San Clemente. 949.588.5054. www.facebook. com/2XUSanClemente.

Saturday | 17 TALEGA RUN CLUB 7:30 a.m. Whether you are about to tackle your first 5K or you are just keeping your

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOWS’ INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Live music from rotating bands at the Swallows’ Inn. Burgers and wings from Lisa’s Kitchen also are

INTRODUCTION TO THE WIM HOF METHOD WITH DIANA CHRISTINSON 12:30-4:30 p.m. Certified Wim Hof Method Instructor Diana Christinson will teach how to use the Wim Hof Method to gain control over body and mind using breath, concentration, and cold exposure, the three pillars of the WHM. Admission is $100. Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala. 34700 Pacific Coast Highway, Capistrano Beach.

949.246.7315. www.pacificashtanga.com.

Monday | 19 FREE GUITAR LESSONS 5-6 p.m. Free beginner level acoustic guitar lessons for middle school to college age youth every Monday. Guitars provided or students can bring their own. 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente. 949.388.0114. coamusicarts@gmail.com. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

At the Coach House: The 5th Dimension

BY EMILY RASMUSSEN, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

T

he 5th Dimension, Grammy and gold-record winning R&B, soul and jazz group of 50 years, is coming to The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, Feb. 16.

Original member Florence LaRue, 74, said that the group will perform top hits including “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” but the band tailors each show to its audience.

This is first time that The 5th Dimension is performing at The Coach House.

“We try to keep our sound the same, or otherwise we wouldn’t be The 5th Dimension,” LaRue said. “Of course, we’ve had different people in the group (since its beginning), so the sound won’t be exactly the same, but we use

San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

the same arrangements.”

The 5th Dimension rose to stardom in 1967 after their first hit “Up, Up and Away.” The group has since created 12plus hit albums and has toured across the nation and internationally.

Having performed in the band for 50plus years, LaRue said she still feels a rush getting on stage.

“I enjoy it because of the pleasure it’s given to people, we’ve recorded some great songs written by wonderful writers,” LaRue said.

At the performance at The Coach House, LaRue said that the band will perform “in our original form so that people’s memories are preserved.”

LaRue noted the show is family orientated, adding that people of all ages can

enjoy the music and dance along.

“One thing that brings me the most pleasure is a lot of young people come to our show,” LaRue said. “Our audience mainly consists of baby boomers, but a lot of young people come as well.”

In addition to listening to tunes of the 60s and 70s, attendees can look forward to learning about what the band has been up to for the past decades.

“They’ll hear a little history, but they come to hear the songs and the hits,” LaRue said. “It’ll be a fun-filled evening for the whole family.”

The doors open for the show at 6 p.m. and it starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 at The Coach House at 33157 Camino Capistrano. Tickets are $40 and can be bought online at www.thecoachhouse.com. SC

Page 10

Photo: Courtesy of The 5th Dimension

www.sanclementetimes.com

GETTING OUT COUNTRY DANCING AND ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR 7 p.m.-Midnight. Stop by the Swallows’ Inn for country dancing with DJ Patrick and a happy hour that lasts all day. Enjoy a steak dinner for $13. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

KARAOKE AT GOODY’S 8 p.m. Karaoke every Tuesday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente.

206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

Tuesday | 20

FREE COMEDY 8:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Blooms Irish Sports Bar with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120.

YOGA ON TAP 6-7 p.m. Yoga on Tap is held at Left Coast’s tasting room in San Clemente. This is a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint of beer. It’s a great way to get to know your local fellow yogis and beer drinkers. The cost is $10. Left Coast Brewery, 1251 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.6014 or www.leftcoastbrewing.com.

Wednesday | 21

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to San Clemente Times by going to www.sanclementetimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

At the Movies: Cupid’s Arrow Strikes ‘A Fantastic Woman’

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

T

his Valentine’s Day weekend seems to be one where Hollywood decided to dump a handful of stinkers into the theaters. Between the asinine Peter Rabbit to the cringe-inducing 15:17 to Paris to the final installment of the laughable 50 Shades franchise, the weekend didn’t provide much in the way of facilitating a romantic evening.

Unless your date is a fan of well-made foreign films nominated for “Best Foreign Language Picture” at the Oscars, I would recommend taking a look at Sebastián Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman, which just expanded into more theaters this month.

In cosmopolitan Santiago, Chile, Marina Vidal (Daniela Vega) spends her days as a waitress in a shopping center and her nights as a lounge singer. She also just finished moving in with her older lover, Orlando (Francisco Reyes), and as a birthday present, they plan to vacation together. That is until Orlando unexpectedly dies from a brain aneurysm in the middle of the night. Now, Marina has to deal with the grief on top of the prejudice

Photo: Courtesy

from Orlando’s family not only because of her age difference, but because she is also transgender.

A Fantastic Woman has an appropriate theme socially, with the intense transphobia Marina experiences in the film, and it works as well as a traditional piece on the mourning process. It is especially interesting to see the issues related to the transgender community on an international level. Lelio has a fine mix of a conventional narrative alongside some artsy directing techniques, with an impressive debut performance from Vega. SC

SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

‘Competition, Camaraderie, Cause’ Marine Raider Challenge will be San Clemente’s longest athletic event

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

E

lements of athleticism will emulsify in the inaugural Marine Raider Challenge, a citywide course to test the endurance of some of the bravest military personnel in the United States.

Starting at 7 a.m. (or dawn) on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Park Semper Fi, the competition will begin with an opening ceremony featuring members of the Marine Raiders and Gold Star families, relatives of military members who were killed in action. The competition starts off with a 2K swim course at the Pier, followed by a 12K hike up the trails along Cristianitos Road. The competitors then travel along Avenida La Pata to the San Clemente Aquatic Center for additional swimming challenges. The route ends at Jim Johnson Memorial Sports Park with a final challenge.

Throughout portions of the race, Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) will provide safe crossing for the challengers.

During the event, there will be members of the Marine Raiders as well as members from the U.S. Army Special Forces and other military PRIME HALL outfits participating. They are all former and active-duty military personnel.

This year, 30 participants divided into two-man teams will compete. Although they are all military personnel, there could be opportunities to host an event that’s open to the public to participate.

Ret. Staff Sgt. Prime Hall, the director of the Marine Raider Challenge, said winners of the challenge will be determined by overall time as well as points accrued from the various strength and conditioning challenges.

Hall was a Marine Raider for eight years and was recently medically retired. The Marine Raider Regiment is a special operations company, similar to Navy SEALs, that was created in World War II. It is part of the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).

San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

This map shows the route of the Marine Raider Challenge that takes place on Saturday, Feb. 17 throughout San Clemente. Map: Google Earth

When and Where to Watch Times may vary when competitors will arrive.

People will be able to spectate from the sidelines of the route.

7 a.m. Opening Ceremony & 1-Mile Fin Swim 9 a.m. Hike 11 a.m. Aquatic Center Challenge, Water Confidence 2 p.m. Jim Johnson Memorial Sports Park Exos Workout, Finish Line Jim Johnson Memorial Sports Park celebration takes place from noon-4 p.m.

“My friends and I wanted to get involved for the cause of helping out our community,” Hall said. “Everything we do is about honoring our Gold Star families, our brotherhood, the competition and healing.”

Hall said they chose San Clemente as the location because most of the board is from the West Coast. He said the city’s proximity to Camp Pendleton and the terrain it provides was a perfect combination for the challenge.

“It’s the pinnacle for us,” Hall said. “It’s this ‘Spanish Village by the Sea,’ and how better does it get than that?”

About Marine Raider Challenge Ret. USMC Capt. Derek Herrera, a San Clemente resident and founder of local

company Spinal Singularity, was part of the Marine Raiders until he was severely injured in Afghanistan in combat zones.

He was paralyzed from the midsection down. Herrera now uses an exoskeleton to maintain mobility, and is a board member of the Marine Raider Challenge.

“Prime and I and one other Marine, Pete, sat around and came up with the idea, and we’re all on the board and founding board members and want to help out,” Herrera said.

Herrera said this year has already been a success based on the funds that have been raised for various charities, such as the Marine Raider Foundation, the Green Beret Foundation and more.

“We wanted to promote three things:

Page 12

competition, camaraderie and cause,” Herrera said. “This physical endurance challenge is to create healthy competition for the Marine Raiders and other special operations veterans. The camaraderie aspect is to reunite current and former special operators and engage with the city of San Clemente.”

None of the competitors are charged an entry fee, but they all have a Facebook page dedicated to giving to foundations.

“This entire organization that we created and the event are designed to create an opportunity to tell the story of the special operations community and to give back,” Hererra said. “So far, with our competitors, we’ve raised a little more than $60,000.”

Medical personnel will be on-site at the swimming challenges and the hike as well as the Pier swim. Some of the medics and physical therapists on hand were part of special operations, Herrera said.

The events and celebration at Jim Johnson Memorial Sports Park is slated to be open from noon to 4 p.m. with a food truck, a DJ and vendors. Participants are expected to cross the finish line around 2 p.m., but the course will be open until about 5 p.m.

For the challenge to take place, Hall had to get several permits from various agencies, including San Onofre State Park, the city of San Clemente and OCSD. The length of the route is 19 kilometers (11.8 miles) and is involved in various stations around the city.

“Prime was very proactive in getting his application in early,” said Samantha Thomas, the recreation manager for the city’s Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department. “He’d been working with us for about a year. It’s safe to say this is the largest event we’ve ever had, as far as distance.”

Hall said he wants the challenge to be an annual event in San Clemente.

“Now it’s official, and every Presidents’ Day Weekend, we’re going to have a big celebration,” Hall said.

Personnel from San Clemente Ocean Festival and the Underwater Torpedo League will assist the challenge for the ocean swim. SC

To Learn More More information about the Marine Raider Challenge can be found at www.marineraiderchallenge.org.

The best place to find out more about the challengers participating is to go to the Marine Raider Challenge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/marineraiderchallenge. Many of the competitors’ fundraising efforts are hosted on the page.

The event is still open for volunteers.

To get involved, call 956.224.0055 or email prime@marineraiderchallenge.org. www.sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Life’s a Beach by Shelley Murphy

Parent-Teacher Association Celebrates Its History

P

arent Teacher Organization (PTO), Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF), and Parent-Teacher Student Association (PTSA) are volunteer organizations similar to the national Parent Teacher Association (PTA); and like PTA, these familiar acronyms evoke a fight-or-flight response in many parents.

On Feb. 17, PTA members nationwide commemorate Founders’ Day by celebrating the legacy of its co-founders, Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst, who 120 years ago shared the goal of eliminating threats that endangered children.

I wish I could claim my reasons for joining the PTA were entirely rooted in noble ideals such as becoming a role model for my kids and demonstrating the importance of volunteering in our community.

Although I don’t remember much about attending my first PTA meeting more than 15 LIFE’S A BEACH years ago, I do remember

By Shelley Murphy my inspiration for joining the parent group: my boys.

I chose to become a stay-at-home mom to have a role in my kids’ day-to-day lives.

When my boys started elementary school, their enrollment modified my job description and, fearing unemployment, I joined the PTA. Signing up for the PTA put me on a slippery volunteer slope. Before I knew it, I found myself waging wars with copy machines, cutting reams of construction paper into colorful shapes and spending hours stapling and sorting flyers for backpacks.

Those gateway tasks led to taking on the job titles of room mom, committee chairperson and executive board member.

The mere mention of PTA causes parents of school-aged kids to react much

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Established 1963

like foodies respond to mayonnaise: they either love it or hate it. It’s my experience that most parents base their PTA opinions on personal experience or perpetuated stereotypes.

The 1968 chart-topping song “Harper Valley PTA” paved the way for poking fun at the PTA and its members. The movie Bad Moms and television show Big Little Lies each depict characters who choose to spend their time stirring the proverbial PTA pot.

Sure, there might be some overzealous PTA parents, but there are also many underappreciated PTA members quietly improving school communities and positively affecting change for children.

I’ve been on both sides of the great PTA divide. For years I championed the PTA. Then, when my older son entered middle school, I facilitated founding one of the first middle school educational foundations in our town because of my frustrations with the PTA. I’m quite sure it’s not a coincidence that the day after National PTA Founders’ Day is National Drink Wine Day. Today, most of our town’s schools rely on motivated and dedicated parents volunteering in both PTAs and educational foundations to enhance student education.

Whether it’s supporting from the sidelines or serving in the trenches, research shows that students with parents involved in their schools perform better academically and suffer fewer disciplinary problems.

One of the greatest rewards reaped from my years spent as a PTA parent are the surprising friendships I found spanning several school multipurpose rooms.

As a young mom, I didn’t know it yet, but many of the strangers I’d meet at September’s new parent orientations would become my close friends before June’s year-end class parties.

Throughout the years, my boys outgrew

Pet of the Week: Lucy SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

S

weet little Lucy is full of fun and spunky energy. She just loves to run around in the yard and would make a great hiking or jogging companion. Lucy would do well in a family with an active lifestyle.

If you would like to know more about Lucy, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with her at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. SC

Lucy. Photo: Courtesy

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

Last week’s solution:

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

many of their elementary and middle school friendships; but today, several of the smart, strong, energetic, empathic and funny moms I met through PTA are still among my most treasured girlfriends.

Overall, I have no regrets from my PTA past (well, maybe I’d take back agreeing to serve on the nominating committee).

At times though, I do admit to questioning my sanity when family and friends would roll their eyes as I recounted the politics of the last PTA meeting I attended.

My days as a parent volunteer are in the past and I’m no longer front and center in

See the solution in next week’s issue.

my kids’ day-to-day lives. Today, more and more of my boys’ lives happen far away from me. My PTA career is over, but I still retain my favorite job title: mom.

Shelley Murphy has lived in San Clemente with her husband for the past 18 years, where she raised her two sons. She’s a freelance writer and has been a contributor to the San Clemente Times since 2006. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com

Did you know that...

• Total Orange County listings is still under 4000 active homes, lowest in over 5 years at this time of year • With 180 active listings in San Clemente, the average listing price is $1,845,000 • In San Clemente, there are 118 pending sales, with an average sales price of $1,193,000 and taking 63 days to sell

SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

No Mercy San Clemente girls basketball set its mind and surged into the playoffs with strong post play from New Zealand’s Gardiner

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

W

ith three games remaining in the regular season, San Clemente’s girls basketball team controlled its own destiny.

If the Tritons won their final three games, they would claim third place in the South Coast League and the final playoff spot. If they won two of the three, San Clemente could have faced a one-game playoff against San Juan Hills. Anything less and the Tritons would be in fourth and would have a sub-.500 record, making them ineligible for at-large playoff selection.

So what did San Clemente do? Well, they went out and won.

“I think what we all had in our minds was going into the season thinking we’re

Triton Report

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

For in-game updates, news and more for all San Clemente High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCSports.

CIF-SS Playoffs Get Underway San Clemente is busy for this winter sports postseason as all of the Triton teams qualified for the playoffs.

Boys basketball got things started on Feb. 14 in a Division 2AA first-round game at Northwood in Irvine. Results were not available at press time, but a game story is available online at www.sanclementetimes.com.

Check www.sanclementetimes.com for a daily playoff report on all of the San Clemente teams.

Moreno, Osoria Fall in CIF-SS Girls Wrestling Quarterfinals Carolina Moreno and Evy Osoria each won their first two matches, but lost in the quarterfinals and in their first consolation San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

San Clemente’s Ella Gardiner blocks a shot against Dana Hills High School. Gardiner’s strength and ability in the post has spurred the Tritons to a CIF-SS playoff berth. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

a great team and thinking we’re going to win,” sophomore Ella Gardiner said. “We all just had to stop thinking about it and play our game. That’s kind of what we did.”

Gardiner, averaging a double-double this season as the team’s leading scorer, put up three straight double-doubles as the Tritons beat San Juan Hills to vault into third then scored wins against El Toro and second-place Tesoro.

Senior Morgan Thomas posted backto-back double-digit scoring nights, and senior Shae Waters dropped in 11 points in the Tesoro game, which clinched third place and avoided the one-game playoff.

“We just went in there with no mercy,” Gardiner said about the Tesoro finale, “and we just went in and had it in our heads that we’re going to win this game.

We all had in our heads ‘win.’ We didn’t think about losing.”

San Clemente earned its way into the CIF-SS Division 3AA playoffs, and the Tritons will open on the road at Ocean View in Huntington Beach on Feb. 15.

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for the Tritons this season. San Clemente had battled numerous injuries this season while grinding through a grueling schedule.

“We had a really tough schedule, which

matches in the CIF-SS individual championships at Roosevelt High School in Eastvale.

Moreno won her first two matches at 160 lbs. by fall, and Osoria took her first two matches at 126 lbs. by decision. In the quarterfinals, Moreno then lost by fall and Osoria by decision.

Each were one win away from a spot in the top eight and state qualification.

Scoreboard

Playoff Schedule Thursday, Feb. 15 • Girls soccer: Vista Murrieta at San Clemente, 5 p.m.; girls water polo: Redondo Union at San Clemente, 5 p.m.; girls basketball: San Clemente at Ocean View, 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 16 • Boys wrestling individuals at Westminster High School, 11 a.m.; boys soccer: Century at San Clemente, 5 p.m.; boys basketball: second round, TBD. Saturday, Feb. 17 • Boys wrestling individuals at Westminster High, 11 a.m.; girls water polo: second round, TBD; girls basketball: second round, TBD. Tuesday, Feb. 20 • Girls soccer: second round, TBD; boys basketball: third round, TBD. Wednesday, Feb. 21 • Girls water polo: semifinals, TBD; boys soccer: second round, TBD; girls basketball: third round, TBD.

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

HAILEY LANGLAND FINISHES SIXTH IN WOMEN’S SLOPESTYLE San Clemente’s Winter Olympian, 17-year-old snowboarder Hailey Langland, opened her competitions with a sixth-place finish in women’s slopestyle in South Korea on Feb. 12.

Wind was the big story of the event as strong gusts cancelled the previous day’s qualifying event, and delayed the final. It affected riders in the final despite a calming that allowed the event to run.

Langland took a tumble off a jump in her first run for a score of 41.26. Of the 26 athletes that competed, 22 took a fall in the event with many citing the conditions. In her second run, Langland was clean down the slope but only earned a score of 71.80.

The score put her in fourth place, but she fell to sixth in the final standings.

Fellow American Jamie Anderson of South Lake Tahoe again proved to be the world’s best with a score of 83.00 on her first run to win back-to-back gold medals.

Langland’s next competition is her stronger discipline – women’s big air.

Langland is a medal contender and won gold in the event as a 16-year-old at the 2017 X Games. Big air is making its Olympic debut in PyeongChang.

Page 16

I designed on purpose,” San Clemente coach Kerri Husbands said. “I didn’t anticipate getting as injured as we did. Down the stretch here, we started to get healthy and you could see it in the confidence of the team and how we executed.”

The constant for the Tritons has been Gardiner.

Gardiner, who moved from New Zealand to the U.S. three years ago, has used her 6-foot-1-inch frame and basketball IQ to be an outstanding rebounder and force in the post.

“Her rebounding has been phenomenal,” Husbands said. “It’s a huge part of what we need from her on our team. I have lots of players that can score, but it’s her rebounding that sets her apart.”

Both of Gardiner’s parents played Division 1 basketball at San Jose State, and her father was part of New Zealand’s national team. While not being forced into the sport, her parents helped cultivate her game.

“They definitely helped me become a stronger player through all of their coaching,” Gardiner said, “all the car rides to and from the games. ‘You can get 27 rebounds,’ my dad says every game before I play. That’s in my mind and it helps me focus on my game.”

Rebounds are a strength, and she also enjoys and takes pride in her blocking ability.

Gardiner will be a key as San Clemente looks to extend its do-or-die roll. SC

Women’s big air qualifying event is Sunday, Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. and the final is on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 4:30 p.m. The qualifying event will be shown delayed on Feb. 18 at 9:35 p.m. on NBC, and the final will be live on Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. on NBC. Both events can be found live on www.nbcolympics.com and the NBC Sports app.

CARLA, CATRINA MCALISTER RUN STRONG AT CROSS COUNTRY NATIONALS Carla and Catrina McAlister, a motherdaughter team, competed and finished high at the USATF Cross County Championships on Feb. 3 in Tallahassee, Florida.

Carla finished sixth in the Masters women’s six-kilometer race with a time of 23:51, and daughter Catrina finished 27th in the women’s 10-kilometer race at 39:31.

Carla’s time was third in her age group.

The pair has an Instagram account, @ thejeanteam, that follows their dream of competing in the Olympic trials.

TRITON RUGBY CLUB JV WINS SAN DIEGO RED LEAGUE TITLE In its first season of San Diego competition, the San Clemente Triton Rugby Club junior varsity team topped three nationally ranked teams to take the league title.The San Diego Red league is regarded as the top high school rugby league in the nation, and the win should put the San Clemente club into the top 10 of the national rankings. www.sanclementetimes.com

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Tristan Trager, Austin Whitsett and Chris Kane (L to R) celebrate their signing with Air Force on National Signing Day on Feb. 7 at San Clemente High School. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Tritons Earn Their Wings Three members of the San Clemente football team sign with Air Force as 24 student-athletes make decisions on National Signing Day

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

S

igning Day is always an interesting tapestry of colors as the student-athletes flaunt the colors of their future university against the backdrop of the high school’s colors.

Through all that, a blue-and-white connection shone through as three members of the San Clemente football team – Chris Kane, Austin Whitsett and Tristan Trager – signed with the Air Force Academy on Feb. 7.

“It’s awesome,” Trager said of signing.

“Ever since I was a young kid, I dreamed of playing in college. Just seeing all the hard work pay off throughout the years with all of my coaches, my family members, it’s really rewarding to finally be ready to go off to the next level.”

Trager was the kicker for the Tritons on the gridiron, but will go to Air Force for soccer. Kane, a tight end, will join the Falcons for football as well as Whitsett, a running back and last-minute decision.

“It’s awesome,” Kane said of the three Air Force signees. “We’ve got a brotherhood here, and we’ve got a brotherhood in Colorado. It’s awesome. We’ll know some people too. We won’t be alone.”

While Kane and Trager were committed for some time, Whitsett made his decision on the morning of Signing Day.

Page 18

“I just prayed about it, went to seminary this morning and took it from there,” Whitsett said. “It’s a huge weight off of my shoulders. It feels good to finally get college paid for. All of the hard work pays off.”

Because of the timing of his decision, Whitsett didn’t have the branded Air Force gear to wear like Kane and Trager did.

The senior made due with a look straight out of Top Gun with aviator sunglasses and dog tags hanging out of the collar of a bright blue polo shirt.

“That’s what I was going for,” Whitsett said of the Top Gun reference. “I didn’t have much Air Force gear, so I had to go with the Top Gun look. The dog tags were my grandpa’s. He served in World War II. He was an Air Force pilot.”

Other signees San Clemente honored 24 student-athletes signing their national letters of intent with colleges and universities on Feb. 7.

Here are the athletes listed alphabetically by last name with sport and school: Lily Aasland (Softball, Bryant), Kelsey Bland (Soccer, Chapman), Natalie Crapo (Soccer, Point Loma), Mikaela GandiaMak (Softball, Hawaii-Manoa), Ben Giacobello (Soccer, Notre Dame), Julia Hill (Fencing, Univeristy of California-San Diego), Lindsay Hung (Tennis, Utah), London Irwin (Soccer, Point Loma), Chris Kane (Football, Air Force), Grace Krantz (Softball, Harvard), Michael McGreevy (Baseball, University California-Santa Barbara), Samantha Neilson (Tennis, Point Loma), Sophia Noble (Water Polo, Univeristy of California-Davis), Weston Rowan (Swimming, Univeristy of California-Santa Barbara), Jack Shippy (Football, Univeristy of California-Davis), KC Smith (Soccer, Westmont), Samuel Toscano (Soccer, Westmont), Tristan Trager (Soccer, Air Force), Thomas Wade (Football, Hawaii), Shae Waters (Soccer, College of Idaho), Tristan Weber (Soccer, University of Portland), Austin Whitsett (Football, Air Force), Boston Williams (Swimming, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) and Branden Wilson (Lacrosse, Utah). SC www.sanclementetimes.com

SC San Clemente

ACCOUNTING

Chris W. Johnston, CPA, MBA 34184 Pacific Coast Highway Dana Point, 949.240.8015, www.cwjcpacorp.com

ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

Solstice Heating and Air

2208 El Camino Real, Ste. #1, 949.573.3607, www.solsticehvac.com

ART GALLERIES

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

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

Schmid’s Fine Chocolate

99 Avenida Del Mar, 949.369.1052, www.schmidschocolate.com

CONCRETE

Costa Verde Landscape

Locals Only BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric

949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

Capistrano Valley Raingutters Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

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

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.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

Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings

Panagia Music: Music Lessons and More!

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

ELECTRIC BIKES

Murf Electric Bikes

212 N. El Camino Real, 949.370.3801, www.murfelectricbikes.com

YOUR BUSINESS HERE!

949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

949.705.7573, panagiamusic@gmail. com, www.panagiamusic.com

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD

1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com

PEST/TERMITE CONTROL

Accurate Termite and Pest Control 949.837.6483, www.accuratetermitecontrol.com

Colony Termite Control

1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty

BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com

RESTAURANTS

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 Susie Lantz at 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

Café Calypso

114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

Bill Metzger Plumbing

Salon Bleu

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

Syrens Hair Parlor

WEBSITE DESIGN

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

San Clemente Website Design

REALTORS

“Sandy & Rich” RE/MAX Coastal Homes

949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

Scott Kidd, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services 949.498.0487, skidd@bhhscal.com

949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org

LIST LOCALS ONLY USE LOCALS ONLY In print and online 52 weeks a year.

View online at www.sanclementetimes.com. Call at Susie Lantz for pricing at 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com.

OBITUARY

Valborg Josephine “Jo” Arons A P RI L 8 , 1 9 2 7 – F EBRU A RY 7 , 2 0 1 8

Valborg Josephine “Jo” Arons (90), AKA “JoMamma,” passed away peacefully with her family by her side. Our family is comforted knowing that she is together again with her husband Richard “Dick” Arons, who preceded her in death almost 20 years ago on June 6th, 1998.

The Arons have been in San Clemente since 1951 and are the owners of South Coast Distributing Company.

Jo touched many in our small community with her thoughtful and giving nature. As a mother of five boys and one girl, she was constantly involved in local activities. She loved music and to travel and was

Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

FOR RENT COMMERCIAL BUSINESS UNITS FOR RENT 3 Available units near beach, Open floor plans, Ample parking, community restrooms, pre-wired internet, individual utilities, month-to-month. Approx 550 and 850sq ft. Move in ready! 26944 Camino De Estrella, San Clemente. Contact Nina 949-422-8320 or Chris 949-441-1043

FOR SALE IPHONE 6S ultra slim backup battery, auto light charger adapter, mobil seal 2, premium charge/sync cable. All new. All this for $375. Available in Capo Beach. 760-519-14914

SALONS

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

LANDSCAPING

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

Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.com

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

CLASSIFIEDS

an avid painter whose work will be cherished for years to come.

Jo is survived by sons, Scott, Rick (Marina), Tom (Luci), Paul, Curt (Angel) and daughter Katie.

She has three grandchildren, April, Adam and Kaila Arons and three great grandchildren Kayson and Karys Adams and Aidan Arons – all of San Clemente, CA. Funeral services have been arranged to be at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church at 200 Avenida San Pablo, San Clemente, CA at 11:30am on Feb. 17th. The family requests in lieu of flowers, send donations to Our Savior’s Church.

CUSTOM AREA RUGS You pick style, color and size.

Typically made in 2 weeks.Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyester or designer carpet. Carpet showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point.

Carpet and flooring remnants also available - all shapes, sizes and kinds of flooring. We sell tile too!

Mike at Lantern Bay Carpets: 949-240-1545.

HELP WANTED COATING/FILMING EQUIPMENT SUPERVISOR-TECHNICIAN Adhesive film manufacturer needing supervisor to work within our adhesive manufacturing process. $20 to $24 /hr For more info, full job description or submit resume, e-mail career@stretech.com.

COATING/FILMING EQUIPMENT OPERATOR Manufacturer needing equipment operator to work within our adhesive manufacturing process. $14 to $16 /hr For more info, full job description or submit resume, e-mail career@stretech.com

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com.

Deadline 5pm Monday.

No phone calls.

WANTED SEEKING PHOTO Looking for a photo of Sherry Davis, San Clemente Class of 1965. Last name might possibly be Lorentson. If you have a yearbook photo of her, please contact Gary at 515-528-0752. Willing to pay for the photo.

SC n te S a n C le m e

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

San Clemente Times February 15–21, 2018

Page 21

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC San Clemente

SC SURF

SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Dane, Pat and Tanner Gudauskas enjoying the South African Stoke-O-Rama awards celebration with a few of their new Cape Town friends from the Waves For Change organization. Photo: Vans/Daniel Grebe

Surfboards for South Africa Dane, Pat and Tanner Gudauskas deliver more than 700 surfboards to Cape Town townships

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

I

t exceeded anything we could have imagined,” said Dane Gudauskas.

Home for less than 24 hours, the jet lag hasn’t even set in yet, but the vibrations from the recent experiences have him buzzing with “triple platinum stoke.”

Spending the better part of two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa, Dane and his brothers, Pat and Tanner, just put the capstone on a project that saw their nonprofit organization, the Positive Vibe Warriors, team up with groups in South Africa to bring surfboards and hope to kids in need in some of the region’s most impoverished townships.

“To be able to be there on the ground, to go into these communities, these townships, it was an eye-opener, for sure,” Dane said. “It really reset my whole perspective on things and the power that surfing can actually have. Surfing is giving some of these kids opportunities they’d never have had.”

Working with South African non-governmental organizations Waves For Change and Surfers Not Street Children, which utilize surfing to help change and transform the lives of some very downtrodden youth through various forms of outreach, participation and empowerment, they were

San Clemente Times February 15-21, 2018

given an unique opportunity to experience firsthand what exactly “surf therapy” entails.

“Every day these kids witness violence and live in some really challenging conditions. I don’t know if you can understand it until you’ve really experienced it,” Dane said. “Surfing is a tool to help get them out of that for a little while. It gives them an opportunity to take a breath. It also gives them the chance to develop a network of friends and peers that is based around something that’s healthy and positive. It builds confidence and hope. It lets them be part of a bigger world. When you’re a surfer, you’re a surfer, it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

Last autumn, the Positive Vibe Warriors, led by Dane, Pat and Tanner, rallied the tribe for their “Can’t Steal Our Vibe” surfboard fundraiser. They teamed up with South Africa’s most accomplished black surfer, Michael February, who nearly qualified for the WSL’s Championship Tour in 2017. Boards came in by the truckload. They were able to fill a 40-foot Matson shipping container with over 700 boards, as well as wetsuits, fins and other surf gear. They put it on a cargo ship and sent it off to Cape Town.

The boards arrived at the beginning of 2018, and for the last couple of weeks, the brothers have been in the country distributing them and stoking out a lot of kids. Based in Cape Town, they were able to visit a number of different communities during their time there and, with the help of their sponsors, even hosted a rendition of their classic Stoke-O-Rama contest.

“Pops always said surfing will be the vehicle you’ll learn about the world through, enjoy it and be thankful,” Tanner reflected. “Waves For Change is doing amazing things for kids in Africa who can use the help and stoke. We went to Mon-

wabisi Beach, one of the largest coastal townships in South Africa, and got to enjoy a day with over 250 kids learning about the ocean. ‘Protect, respect, communicate’ are the ethos taught, giving them and the community the positive option of being together and enjoying mother nature. Surf therapy!”

All of this has been transpiring at the same time that a “worst-in-100-year drought” is ravaging Cape Town. Reports indicate that unless some miracle deluge arrives from the African skies sometime soon, the city will be out of water by April. Think of that for a second: a city of over 400,000 people completely without water. And we thought things were dire in California for a few years. Despite this, Dane, Pat and Tanner went all-in with their friends and still delivered more than 700 surfboards.

“What’s really awesome is that despite everything these kids are going through, once they’re in the water they’re just as stoked as any grom anywhere,” Dane said while smiling. “They’re hooting and yelling and smiling, just like back home.”

And even more awesome than that?

The boys don’t see this as a culmination of their efforts, rather merely another chapter in their journey.

“Sometimes, when you have an idea, you just have to go out and do it,” Dane said. “You may not know how to do it, but you learn and you keep going. We learned a lot from our first board drive we did in Jamaica and were able to apply a lot of

Page 22

those learnings to this South Africa project, and then when we do the next one at some point we’ll have it even more dialed in. And the beautiful thing is that we’re not the only ones doing stuff like this. Surfers around the world are standing up to make a change and make a difference, whether that’s through surfboard drives, or plastic waste, or clean water, or whatever, it’s a pretty powerful thing to have surf communities everywhere genuinely stoked on making a difference in the world around them.” SC

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 58-60 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: San Clemente: 5-8’ Fair Catalina: 15-20’ Fair-Good Thursday: Modest S swell and WNW swell mix. Look for knee-waist-chest high (2-3’) waves. Combo exposed breaks go slightly bigger on sets. Light offshore flow in the morning, turning to light+ onshore flow in the afternoon.

Outlook: Combo of WNW and South swell eases Saturday with knee-waist high (2-3’) sets at best breaks. Smaller surf Sunday and early next week. Morning winds look mostly favorable. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

GROM OF THE WEEK

ISRAEL CANNON

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

T

here’s something so pure and so rad about a kid beaming after a good day at the beach. Seven-yearold Israel Cannon lives for it.

When asked what the best thing about surfing is, his answer is succinct and allencompassing. “The feeling,” he said.

In second grade at Concordia Elementary School, he’s only been surfing for about a year, but that’s hardly slowing him down.

“My dad bought me a Beater (surfboard) and a wetsuit and took me to TStreet,” Israel said. “I just started on the shore break, and my dad kept encouraging me to go further out.”

Coached by former WSL World Tour star Neco Padaratz, he’s already garnered the support of companies such as Sambazon, Muleke Surfboards, Stance and he’s even part of the grom program at the Rip Curl Surf Shop. You may

Israel Cannon. Photo: Courtesy

have seen him in the water at spots like Church, San Onofre or T-Street. He’s the kid with the massive smile.

When asked about his favorite aspect of riding waves, he said, “I love the acceleration when I’m dropping in, carving and seeing my friends out in the ocean.”

Inspired by the recent performances of Kolohe Andino, Griffin Colapinto and Filipe Toledo, someday he hopes to also “participate in contests around the world.”

That may be a few years off for young Israel, but in the meantime, he notes that he would “love to go to Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch and also France and Israel.”

Never underestimate the power of a grom’s stoke. SC

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