Proctors without Borders
Better Together Ministries takes global approach to helping people
San Clemente Teenager Invents ‘Safe’ Social Media for Children
EYE ON SC/PAGE 3
SCHS Dance Team Takes Home Titles at National Competition
EYE ON SC/PAGE 6
50-Ton Vietnam War Memorial Arrives at Camp Pendleton SC LIVING/PAGE 23
Back row from left, Stephanie and Jadon Lavik of Better Together Ministries
to help people around the world with the help of the San Clemente community. Photo: Courtesy of Better Together Ministries
What’s Up With...
Five things San Clemente should know this week
Meeting of Mayors on Homeless Issues Coming to San Clemente
THE LATEST: Since March 19, when federal Judge David O. Carter said he would permit the Orange County Board of Supervisors to rethink its location of homeless shelters or tent encampments, city leaders throughout the county have been on edge.
Many of the cities in Orange County have been worried about where the shelters would be placed, particularly if they would be placed on county-owned land near schools or other family-oriented areas.
The fears are based on a lack of knowledge of the people who would be staying in these collective areas.
On April 3, Carter in essence told the cities that they need to come together at a meeting in the near future to figure out the issues.
On April 2, the city of Santa Ana began a process to clear about another 100 people from the Civic Center courtyard, where many of the overflow homeless have set up camps. Other areas of the county could be tapped for shelters, but nothing is set in stone.
San Clemente doesn’t have any land within its borders that is owned by the county. There are agreements with the county for certain services, but not enough land to host a shelter.
San Clemente Mayor Tim Brown attended the hearing on Tuesday in Santa Ana at the federal courthouse.
Brown said it’s a bit of an awkward position for San Clemente as the city is not part of the ongoing lawsuit that was the catalyst to the current issues regarding homeless shelters in Orange County.
Brown said the only mayors who spoke to the judges in his chambers away from public view were from the cities that were involved in potential litigation sparked by the now-rescinded decision to place tent sites or homeless shelters in Irvine, Huntington Beach and Laguna Niguel.
“I was happy to attend, but I didn’t necessarily feel that was the right venue to assert (a point) because…if you’re not part of the action, what’s your place there?”
Brown told the San Clemente Times after Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “We’ve had extensive discussions about what to do about the homeless. But the hearing was more about going forward. We’re going to continue to attend those meetings.”
cities to come together at a meeting to discuss the issues and to come to an equitable solution. One such meeting is expected to take place in San Clemente. —Eric Heinz
San Clemente Teenager Gains Social Media Success for Kids
THE LATEST: All Zach Marks wanted to do was to connect with his friends in a way most of us do in the 21st century, via Facebook.
But his parents weren’t keen on leaving then-12-year-old Zach to his own devices on the internet, where fraud and deception lurk in every corner of cyberspace.
To work through this problem, Zach and his father, Darren, created a new social space for children younger than 16 called Grom Social that its owners say is safe and constantly monitored.
“It’s a way to help kids better prepare for the world, a place where they can feel comfortable,” said Zach, who is now 17 years old. “We spent so much time completing the parent oversight part.
Kids are allowed to post their own photos and other media, pending approval and examination, or they can create an avatar.
Brown said the city is fairly “self-sustaining” when it comes to processing the city’s homeless population.
“The real challenge…is that if you don’t provide beds for someone to go to, you can’t arrest them for not going,” Brown said, regarding the fears many San Clemente residents have voiced in regard to San Clemente’s current homeless population. “Frankly, our sheriff’s deputies don’t have the tools to handle this problem.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Mary Perdue, the executive director of Family Assistance Ministries (FAM) in San Clemente, attended the hearing on Tuesday. During the proceedings, some South Orange County cities were accused of bussing homeless people from their cities to Santa Ana, where one of the few 24-7, unrestrictive homeless shelters in the county operates.
Perdue said FAM never sends people to Santa Ana for treatment unless it’s an uncommon referral for alcohol use disorder treatment. It’s uncommon for FAM to do this because they conduct their own assessments of homeless or people who are trying to avoid becoming homeless. Last year, FAM conducted assessments for 24 families that were homeless and constantly processes families through its organization to find them adequate housing. FAM also operates a few shelters in San Clemente, but people have to meet some certain criteria and space is limited. They don’t operate “emergency shelters.” Judge Carter eventually ordered the
Grom Social promotes online stewardship and etiquette and is declared a bullyfree zone. It acts similar to Facebook.
“If someone tries to set up an account and they’re not a child, and someone asks another child personal information, we will step in,” Darren said.
In order to make an account, a child must have their parent’s permission and Grom Social calls the parent to verify the account.
The company also created and facilitates an app for parents called MamaBear that allows parents to track their child’s online activity.
The product has amassed so many users—now in the tens of millions, according to Zach—that they took the company public in August. It trades as GRMM (Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.) and has more than 125 million shareholders and trades at .54 cents per share, as of closing time on April 3.
Grom Social acquired Top Draw Animation in 2016, a company that animates major motion pictures as well as television shows.
The Marks used to split their time between Florida and San Clemente until Zach needed to be in California more. The family just recently moved to San Juan Capistrano.
WHAT’S NEXT: More information can be found on the Grom Social website, www.gromsocial.com. —EH
(Cont. on page 4)
Zach Marks, 17, of San Clemente, created a social media platform that is safe and monitored for children 16 years old and younger. His company is now publicly traded, with millions of subscribers. Photo: Eric Heinz
(Cont. from page 3)
City of San Clemente Hires Law Firms to Tackle Opioid-Producing Companies
THE LATEST: A contract was approved by the San Clemente City Council at its Tuesday, April 3 meeting to hire Andrews & Thornton, Skikos Crawford Skikos & Joseph, and Robinson Calcagnie, Inc., law firms to join “a consortium” of attorneys who are filing litigation against companies that, according to the staff report, were directly responsible for contributing to the opioid crisis.
The consortium goes by the name National Opioid Litigation Consortium.
The agreement is a contingency fee, meaning the city will incur no costs for this action, but it could collect funds in a settlement or decision in its favor that would be put toward mitigation efforts related to the explosive opioid abuse problems in the nation.
Council member Chris Hamm said he opposed the agreement because it would put more money toward something the city has been fighting in the first place. He said he didn’t want to oppose unlicensed sober living homes while seeking money for treatment facilities at the same time.
“We need to have an entire (opioid policy) overhaul at the state level,” Hamm said. “Before we start throwing money at it, we need to fix the system.”
City Council member Kathy Ward also opposed the agreement.
“Until the state starts regulating them (treatment or sober living homes) and making sure they’re good actors and people are getting treated, there is a concern of getting a bunch of money and giving it to these operators,” Ward said. “The state and the federal government need to take ownership of this.”
WHAT’S NEXT: There was no estimate as to what the city may receive by joining the contingency agreement because it’s impossible to know what, if any, money would be awarded to the consortium and from which lawsuits the city could receive funding.—EH
San Clemente Woman
Arrested for Manslaughter, DUI in Collision that Killed Three
THE LATEST: A 27-year-old San Clemente woman was arrested early Thursday morning, March 29 after she allegedly drove drunk and struck another vehicle, which killed three people.
“On Thursday, March 29 at 1:08 a.m., the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) responded to the area of Pa-
cific Coast Highway and Magnolia Street regarding a traffic collision involving two vehicles,” a press release from HBPD stated. “When officers arrived on scene, they saw a vehicle on fire in the intersection. Huntington Beach Fire Department personnel responded to the location and put out the fire. Three victims died on scene as a result of the collision, and the identification of those victims will not be released until next of kin can be notified.”
The press release went on to say one occupant in the vehicle that was struck was transported to a local trauma center with unknown injuries and is listed in stable condition. The three who were killed were between the ages of 17 and 18.
GoFundMe pages were set up for the families of the victims, one of which had raised more than $26,000 for the father of one of the victims, who is a disabled Vietnam War veteran, according to the page.
Bani Duarte of San Clemente was arrested for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence causing injury. She was taken into custody at the Huntington Beach Jail.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears a white Hyundai Sonata driven by Duarte was traveling northbound on Pacific Coast Highway when she struck a red Toyota that was stopped at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Magnolia,” the release stated.
The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the HBPD Major Incident Response Team (MIRT). The incident caused all lanes of Pacific Coast Highway in the immediate area to be shut down for some time.
WHAT’S NEXT: According to Orange County Sheriff’s Department jail records, Duarte worked as a receptionist. She posted bond on April 2 and has not yet been formally charged, according to court records.
Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Huntington Beach Police accident investigator Joshua Page at 714.536.5670. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 714.960.8825. —EH
10th Annual State of the City is April 5
THE LATEST: The annual San Clemente State of the City, hosted by the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce, takes place at 11:30 a.m. at Bella Colina San Clemente on Thursday, April 5.
Much like the State of the Union given by the president of the United States, the state will be conducted by the lead authority, Mayor Tim Brown. The update takes a look at accomplishments the city has made in the last year as well as continuing efforts on current issues.
WHAT’S NEXT: Tickets are $74 at the door based on availability, but the San Clemente Times will livestream the event on Facebook. —Staff
Proctors without Borders
Better Together
Ministries travels to ailing places around the world
BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
etter Together Ministries (BTM) of San Clemente gave thanks this November in a different way.
The nonprofit organization took 54 San Clemente families to Fiji over Thanksgiving weekend to build two playgrounds with Kids Around the World, a nonprofit organization the City of San Clemente has used to refurbish old playground equipment that is later shipped to areas in need.
BTM is led by husband-and-wife team Jadon and Stephanie Lavik.
The organization promotes its efforts through donations, a golf tournament, skateboard and surf camps as well as throughout The Shoreline Church congregation where Jadon is a worship pastor.
Stephanie said BTM places large containers out at their surf and skate camps so local residents can drop off donated school supplies and other items to be taken on the trips. The whole process of constructing playgrounds takes about three days to a week.
“These trips are meant to be fun; it’s not just all-day working,” Stephanie said. “People get to hang out in the community. It’s so rewarding and they learn so much.”
On April 1, BTM flew to Nicaragua to install water filters for villagers.
“We do a lot of community events in San Clemente to reach people and teach people what we’re doing,” Stephanie said. “We started doing this because we like to serve with our kids, and we wanted to
teach them about places around the world and to love other people and put other people in front of themselves.”
“Our nonprofit gets people to come (on the trips), and we facilitate the whole thing,” Stephanie said.
Dr. Jan Johnson, a pediatrician with Sea View Pediatrics, has accompanied BTM on its trips to provide health screenings for children living in impoverished areas.
“The heart of our ministry is the belief that we are truly better together, and so partnerships with others is critical to accomplishing our mission,” according to the organization’s mission statement.
BTM is a Christian, faith-based nonprofit, but people do not have to join the congregation to help on the trips to places in need.
Better Together Ministries Upcoming Events
Golf Tournament: May 25, Talega Golf Club Surf Camp: June 8-10, San Clemente Skate Camp: June 15-16, San Clemente Marriage Conference: Spring 2019 Fiji Global Effort: Fall 2019
People who pay their own way on the trips can claim the expense as taxdeductible, as it’s in the effort of helping a charity.
For more information, visit www.bettertogetherministries.com. SC
Jadon Lavik, left, and Stephanie Lavik pose for a photo with their four children. The family travels to regions of the world that are in need of school supplies and other assistance. Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Lavik
Better Together Ministries families of San Clemente pose for a photo in November in Fiji after bringing playground equipment and other needs to the area. Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Lavik
NEWS BITES
BY STAFF
Students Get STEM Lessons
DealerSocket of San Clemente hosted an event on March 28 called “Hour of Code” at its headquarters. The event introduced local elementary students from Las Palmas Elementary School to computer sciences and programming.
DealerSocket CEO Sejal Pietrzak and chief technical officer Greg Reynolds were onsite during the event.
Casa Romantica to Host Panel Discussion on Arts Education
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens will host its upcoming speakers for their Casa Up Close educational program, which will include awardwinning educators from both coasts to debate about the future of arts education in schools. Dr. James Dawson, head of Professional Children’s School; Dr. Ralph Opacic, founder, president and executive director of the Orange County School of the Arts; Gordon McNeill, president of Sage Hill School; and William Moseley, head of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, have a combined 100-plus years of experience as “trailblazers making significant contributions to shaping the education of talented, creative pupils,” a press release from Casa Romantica stated. The executive director of Casa Romantica, Berenika Schmitz, will moderate the panel discussion at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 19 in the main salon at Casa Romantica, located at 415 Avenida Granada. Tickets are $10 for members and $12 for non-members and are on sale now.
Formal Launch of ‘SC Rides’ City Rideshare Program
The city of San Clemente launched the formal SC Rides rideshare program at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, April 3 throughout the City. SC Rides was launched by the city in an effort to address the loss of bus routes 191 and 193, formerly provided by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The city has partnered with Lyft and ButterFli to be the official rideshare providers to offer mobility for transit customers along those routes. The service works for rides that start and end within 500 feet of a former 191 or 193 bus stop. These two bus routes ceased operations on Oct. 9, 2016 at which time the “SC Rides” partnership began its soft start of-
Students
fering Lyft rides. SC Rides operates daily, including weekends from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. SC Rides is a two-year pilot program funded in part by a $914,000 OCTA Project V grant from Measure M2 funds official rideshare provider. Lyft passengers can use the discount code, SCRIDES, which enables them to take a Lyft ride for $2, the same upfront fare as the bus. If a rider’s pickup and drop-off location is at a former Route 191 or 193 bus stop in San Clemente, the rider pays the first $2, and the rest of Lyft’s normal fare is subsidized up to a credit of $9. Residents can take up to 120 subsidized trips a month on Lyft. For riders with wheelchairs or without a smartphone, call 1.844.440.4672. With the formal launch of the program, ButterFli will provide wheelchair accessible vehicles and call center services.
For more information about this service, contact the city’s transportation engineering manager, Tom Frank, at 949.361.6127 or email him at frankt@san-clemente.org.
SCHS Dance Team Breaks School Record for Most Dances at National Finals
The San Clemente High School (SCHS) Dance Team ended its 2018 competition year with a record-breaking five dances in the United Spirit Association (USA) National Championship finals in Anaheim on March 31.
The team won a National Championship title in the novelty category, receiving the highest score in school history. The team
Community Meetings
SUNDAY, APRIL 8
DEL MAR FARMERS’ MARKET
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh produce and much more every Sunday. Avenida Del Mar.
MONDAY, APRIL 9
AMERICAN LEGION
POST 423 MEETING
6 p.m. The American Legion hosts meetings the second Monday of the month. San Clemente Elks Lodge, 1505 N. El Camino Real. 949.429.5003. strgeezr47@gmail.com.
TUESDAY, APRIL 10
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.
also added four third-place trophies in extra-small dance, small dance, intermediate dance and medium jazz categories to the team’s wins.
Three of SCHS’s soloists also made it into the finals on Saturday. San Clemente soloist Lauren Adolph, senior, qualified in the top 10 dancers, while senior Lily Hurtubise and sophomore Macie Brown placed in the top 15.
The SCHS Dance Team also brought home four state championship titles when they competed March 24 and 25 at the California Association of Dance Drill Team Directors (CADTD) State Championships at Edison High School in Huntington Beach. The state championship-winning dances included extra-small dance, small dance, intermediate and novelty. In addition, senior soloist Lily Hurtubise received a $1,000 college scholarship from CADTD.
The team will host its annual spring concert titled “Unbound” on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28. This will be the community’s only opportunity to see the national championship dances outside of competition. The team does not allow video to be posted on the internet or social media for competitive reasons. The tickets are currently on sale and available at www. schsdanceteam.com under the Concert 2018 tab.
For more information about the SCHS Dance Team, visit their website at www. schsdanceteam.com.
Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to eheinz@picketfencemedia.com by Monday the week of publication.
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. toastmastersclubs.org.
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (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, APRIL 11
KIWANIS SAN CLEMENTE
Noon. Kiwanis San Clemente works to help maintain the quality of life for all people through volunteerism. Fratello’s Italian Restaurant, 647 Camino De Los Mares, Suite 126. 949.366.5423. www. sanclementekiwanis.com.
VFW POST 7142 MEETING
7 p.m. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7142 meets every second Wednesday of the month. San Clemente Elks Lodge, 1505 N. El Camino Real. 949.464.8391. www. vfw7142.com.
from Las Palmas Elementary School were introduced to computer science and programming by DealerSocket on March 28 in San Clemente. Photo: Courtesy of DealerSocket/Sean Martin
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EDITORIAL
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CONTRIBUTORS
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San Clemente Times Vol. 13, Issue 14. 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.
GUEST OPINION:
City Council Corner by Council
Member Steve Swartz
Much Was Accomplished, but There’s More to Do
We are all aware that the city of San Clemente has a lot on its plate. Your City Council and City staff continue to strongly defend San Clemente on a number of fronts. These include: The hospital, The Toll Roads, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), transients, sober living facilities and a number of ongoing challenges. Although facing these challenges has occupied considerable resources and time, our city has still been able to take care of a lot of needed improvements around our town.
Among these completed projects are:
• The San Luis Rey Playground: Construction in the southern section of our town has been completed and is getting great usage by our kids.
• LED Street Lights: We completed the LED streetlight retrofit on some of our streets. Many should notice the effective “down-lighting” of these new fixtures that generate considerably less light pollution while illuminating our streets more efficiently.
• SC Trolley: The SC Trolley completed its first year of successful operation, which provided free transportation from North Beach to below the Pier Bowl through summer, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The city is now looking for funding to extend the trolley service
Letters to the Editor
KEEP YOUR HANDGUN; LOSE THE NRA
DEBORAH WEINSTEIN, San Clemente
There’s a suggestion that the best way to defend against genocides and tyrannical governments is to arm every citizen to the teeth, with no limitations on the kinds of weapons private citizens can own or the size of their arsenals, and no plan for turning all these armed citizens into “wellregulated militias.”
What you have in this scenario is not freedom but chaos, a 21st-century version,
north, to connect to Dana Point and above, as well as going further south, to the lower end of our city.
• SC Rides and Lyft Program: When the city lost its local bus service, city staff and City Council worked at whirlwind speed to put a rideshare program in place. They very successfully installed the SC Rides with Lyft program. For as low as $2, all residents and visitors to San Clemente can catch a Lyft ride, using their app from and to any former 191 and 193 bus stop in San Clemente.
• Pipelines: The city continues to replace old iron water pipelines throughout the city. We recently completed the Highland Light ductile iron water pipeline replacements. This is in addition to the completion of all of the recycled waterline expansions in San Clemente.
• Bike Paths: Our city is seeing the results of traffic calming and bicycle lane construction throughout our town. This includes the completion of the North El Camino Real bike/pedestrian path, Avenida Pico (La Pata to La Pedriza) lane reductions and bike paths and the Camino
only worse, of the old wild west.
Lacking government regulation of guns, what is to protect citizens from the tyranny of entire “militias” of racially or ethnically inspired hate mongers?
Another argument relies on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to undermine the legitimacy of the concerns of the Parkland students. The Trump administration has expressly forbidden that agency from conducting research on gun violence, so these statistics are unreliable. He also cites statistics to minimize the importance to the general population of recent mass shootings. While it may be true that becoming the victim of a mass shooter is statistically improbable for any given American, the point is irrelevant.
Del Rio roundabouts.
And, we have considerably more work in progress. Among the current projects are:
• Bonito/Vista Bahia Restrooms
• Rancho San Clemente playgrounds
• Del Presidente/Concordia safe routes to schools
• Shorecliffs safe routes to schools
• Vera Cruz signal synchronization
• LED streetlight retrofit phase two
• Avenida Pico (Presidio to La Pata)
• Avenida Vista Hermosa (La Pata to Pico)
• Municipal Pier repairs
• Fire Station 59 fuel tank installation
• Material storage bin water quality roof cover
The bottom line is that while your city fights the battles that need to be fought, our Council and City staff remain focused on all parts that need to be maintained or improved.
Steve Swartz is a city of San Clemente City Council member who was elected to the Council in 2016. SC
The significance of gun violence should be measured by its devastating impact on the whole population. It deprives every one of us of our sense of safety as well as our trust in one another and in our institutions.
The gun lobby has stretched the 2nd Amendment beyond all recognition to cover situations the framers of our Constitution could not possibly have envisioned. The failure of our elected representatives to stand up to them with even the most elemental common-sense regulation is beyond sad. It is shameful.
The way to protect our democracy, and our lives, is through the ballot box. Keep your handgun if you must, but do not vote for politicians who accept money from the National Rifle Association.
Improvements and repairs to the San Clemente Pier are part of the city’s priorities in the near future.
Photo: Brennan Stevens
CITY COUNCIL CORNER
By Steve Swartz
WHAT I THINK REALLY CAUSED THE FLORIDA SCHOOL SHOOTING
JACQUELINE COOPER, San Clemente
In 2008, Barack Obama became president of the United States and Eric Holder was appointed to U.S. Attorney General. These two individuals we now know did everything they could to destabilize and promote lawlessness in our country.
Unfortunately, with the mass shootings in Florida a month ago, we saw the results of this lawlessness. We now find out about the “The Promise Program,” a program that Obama and Holder created that requires police and schools to stop reporting dangerous student activity. This was done to skew the results of school-to-“prison statistics” in minority groups. This program had to include all students in order to not seem biased. They were successful but at such a dangerous and horrible price.
It offered substantial amounts of federal money to schools and to police departments who would adhere to this policy. It is an insidious and callous directive and put lives in jeopardy. With this directive, these entities would virtually ignore dangerous student behavior and crimes by not reporting or charging the offenders.
In the Florida murder of 15 students and two teachers, we saw the disastrous result of this program. The authorities and the school were notified no less than 65 times that this young man was in trouble and had guns. It was known he was going to be a threat to students and society. One individual reported to the FBI that Nikolas Cruz bragged he was going to become a school shooter and was telling people about it.
The school, the sheriff and FBI failed the American people and nothing was done.
This is an American tragedy that showed us the lawlessness that has taken over our country in the name of fake statistics to promote a specific agenda of the Democratic Party.
These factions, the Democratic Party and the media, are working together and misleading the people by not giving us correct information that will keep us safe. There is a political agenda at work, and it is to destroy our Second Amendment rights by not telling them the real truth of why and how this tragedy really happened.
BUILDING ARSENAL OF WEAPONS WON’T STOP SHOOTINGS
RON HERBERT, San Clemente
This letter is in response to letters published in the March 29-April 4 edition of the San Clemente Times
It is naïve to think that you can protect yourself from a corrupt government with an individual weapon. If that were the case, why not decriminalize bazookas, flame throwers and machine guns? Heck, let’s have a tank in every driveway. If you are that afraid of your government, I suggest you get more involved with the political process by volunteering and voting for
Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, April 6 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso
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.
people you can trust.
School shootings are not as rare. We’re only 13 weeks into 2018 and there have already been 17 school shootings in the U.S. where someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to 1.3 shootings a week. Also, making comparisons to other issues that are not related to shootings are beside the point. Those issues need to be addressed as well.
USE OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE PEOPLE
JIM DAVIS, San Clemente
In the March 29-April 4 edition of the San Clemente Times in the News Bite section, it said the Orange County Sheriff’s Department used the description “undocumented people” for those living here illegally.
Don’t you think that using your term for these people is politically loaded? Here is another question, if a person goes into a store and steals something, are we to call that person an undocumented shopper?
I lived in the Philippines for 10 years as a legal immigrant and paid for it in visa charges and lots of time in lines. I have two sons-in-law who are green card holders and also spend lots of time and money to be here legally. I think you are missing a major point in this issue by using the language you choose.
Editor’s note: The San Clemente Times follows most of its guidelines in writing from the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook. In 2013, the AP changed the use of the term “illegal immigrant” to describe people as “living in the country illegally” and other circumstances. We agree with the change, as “illegal” is better used to describe an action, not a person. At the same time, the AP stated “undocumented” wasn’t the best use, either. In future issues, we will refer to broad statements on the issues as people who are living or have entered the country illegally.
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.
www.sanclementetimes.com
YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER
What’s going on in and around town
COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO
Thursday | 05
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.
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.
SESSIONS AT STILLWATER
7 p.m. Listen to live music when artists
EDITOR’S PICK
from around the world perform together. StillWater Spirits & Sounds. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. www. danapointstillwater.com.
Friday | 06
ADULT COLORING CLUB
10 a.m. Bring out your inner artist during the Dana Point Library’s adult coloring club. Supplies provided. The class occurs every Friday 10 a.m.-noon. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517.
LIVE MUSIC AT IVA LEE’S
7 p.m. Join Iva Lee’s for live music every Wednesday through Sunday. For the ultimate live music experience, be sure to reserve a lounge table on Fridays and Saturdays. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.
ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE
5:30 p.m. Join Dana Wharf for a 90-minute evening cruise aboard the luxury catamaran. The cruises run Friday and Sunday evenings. Tickets are $49. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.
(Cont. on page 19)
SATURDAY, APRIL 7: SABROSO CRAFT BEER, TACO & MUSIC FESTIVAL
1-9 p.m. Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival at Doheny State Beach, headlined by The Offspring is a day filled with craft beer, tasty gourmet tacos, Lucha Libre style wrestling and live music. Featuring up to four hours of craft beer tastings with over 100 craft beers, Sabroso includes some well-known local favorites. Top Lucha Libre style wrestling stars from across the globe will take to the ring battling for the title of Sabroso Champion. www.sobrosotacofest.com.
SanClemente
Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival, headlined by The Offspring, is a day filled with craft beer, tasty gourmet tacos, Lucha Libre style wrestling and live music. It will be happening at Doheny State Beach on Saturday, April 7. Photo: Courtesy
107 Via Bellas Artes, San Clemente
Exceptional Coastal Luxury greets you as you enter the enclosed portico of this home that has approximately $400,000 in upgrades. The spacious main living area has a custom stacked stone fireplace and designer touches by Tamra Mundia of Concept Design Inc. Gather around the expansive Quartzite kitchen island which is surrounded by the Sub-Zero stainless 42” refrigerator and Wolf professional series 48” range. There is a concealed walk-in pantry, butlers pantry, bar area and downstairs 2nd laundry/ craft or office space. The Great room has been finished with 4K HDTV, surround-sound audio system by Smart System Technology and both of the Bi-fold doors lead you to the entertainers outdoor space. Your private landscaped courtyard and backyard will provide days and evenings of enjoyment with oversized firepit and 2 outdoor televisions. The 42” Twin Eagle Grill provides outdoor cooking and there is a built in dining and bar space. The expansive Master Suite includes a sitting room/office space, another 4K HD TV and master bath complete with Kohler soaking tub and oversized shower. Two additional en-suite bedrooms upstairs. Extended family or guests will enjoy their own space in the downstairs Casita.
Note: The Sea Summit supplemental property tax on this property has been prepaid by approximately 50% for the life of the home resulting in a reduced supplemental tax payment of only $7,752/year (or 0.39% per year)
Kelly Galvin
Century 21 Award
Cell: 949.702.3289
CalBRE License #: 01947464
(Cont. from page 10)
Saturday | 07
TALEGA RUN CLUB
7:30 a.m. Whether you are about to tackle your first 5K or you are just keeping your 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 predetermined course. Admission is free. 801 Avenida Talega, San Clemente. 949.588.5054. www.facebook.com/2XUSanClemente.
THE ECOLOGY CENTER OPEN HOUSE
10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Ecology Center invites members of the public for a fun filled day of informational demos and tours. A DIY garden activity, marmalade tasting and a seasonal cooking demo begins at 11 a.m., followed by a discussion by Executive Director Evan Marks at 12:30 p.m. about exciting new plans to expand in San Juan Capistrano. Enjoy a garden tour at 1 p.m. and be sure to stop by the organic bread sale starting promptly at noon. The Ecology Center. 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.443.4223. www.theecologycenter.org.
OC PARKS ADVENTURE DAY
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. OC Parks is inviting families for a day of adventure-filled events. Enjoy an adventurous day of arts and crafts, wildlife exhibits, drinks and food. Admission is free. Ronald W. Capsers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com.
SOUND BLISS-MEDITATION AND SOUND EXPERIENCE
7 p.m. Join Sukhmani (Nicole) Fagone as she guides you through a meditation and sound healing experience. Pamper yourself in guided meditation through sonic vibrations and relaxation. Classes are $20 and a second class will begin at 9:30 p.m. 34207 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 855.933.4848. www.mindbodywc.com.
Sunday | 08
GUIDED NATURE HIKE
8-9:15 a.m. Join an Orange County Parks Ranger for a one-mile hike around Bell Canyon in Caspers Wilderness Park. Parking is $5, the hike is free. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/caspers.
FARMERS MARKET
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along the north side of Avenida Del Mar. Parking is a premium, attendance is free. 243 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.361.8264. www.san-clemente.org.
San Clemente Times April 5-11, 2018
YOGA ON TAP
11 a.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.
Monday | 09
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.
BINGO AT GOODY’S
7 p.m. Every Monday, Goody’s hosts a Bingo night for a charity of the month. Cards are $1 per sleeve, and raffle prizes are offered. Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949. 492.3400. www. goodystavern.com.
COUNTRY DANCING
AND ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR
7 p.m.-Midnight. Stop by the Swallow’s Inn for country dancing with DJ Patrick and a happy hour that lasts all day. Enjoy a steak dinner for $13 when you are finished with the dance floor. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.
Tuesday | 10
TODDLER STORYTIME
10:30 a.m. Join the Library for stories, activities and songs for children under 3 years old. “Stay and play” with puzzles and toys after story-time. Registration is not required. Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517. www.ocpl.org/ libloc/dana.
Wednesday | 11
FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB
2-4 p.m. Every Wednesday. Look for the table with the French flag surrounded by a group of people speaking French. No cost to join. Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228, or 949.369.5482.
CASA WELLNESS:
NATURAL AIR PURIFYING
7 p.m. Learn how to naturally purify your air with plants at the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. This class will teach you which plants help
At the Movies: Is Spielberg Too Much for ‘Ready Player One’?
BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
It’s the new-age question everyone has been pondering this past decade: how much nostalgia is too much nostalgia? Well, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s popular sci-fi novel Ready Player One almost seems like it exists just to answer that question. It takes place in a futuristic Ohio, set in the year 2045, but is completely coated with pop-culture references and Easter eggs from the 1970s-90s.
In a shanty Columbus neighborhood called “The Stacks,” 18-year-old Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) lives with his aunt Alice (Susan Lynch) and her nefarious boyfriend Rick (Ralph Ineson). To distract himself from his diminutive home life, Wade spends a lot of time in a virtual reality called the Oasis: a pop-culture-oriented video game world where anyone can create their own digital alter-egos. When Oasis
eliminate toxins in your house and will allow guests to plant their own plants to take home. Admission is $35 and covers all materials. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.
FREE COMEDY
AT BLOOMS IRISH SPORTS BAR
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.
creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance) dies, he leaves behind a fortune to whomever can find the secret Easter egg he hid inside the alternate world.
Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn and Simon Pegg co-star.
Ready Player One has all the cliché elements of an action/adventure flick with good-looking leads, megalomaniacal villains and comic relief via sidekicks. Not to mention all the purposely on-the-nose references. Even Spielberg directing could have easily been an on-the-nose decision. But much like the filmmaker’s previous classics like Jaws (1975) and Jurassic Park (1993), Spielberg makes some cinematic changes from the original book to the film’s advantage. The effects and action sequences are stellar, as are Sheridan and Cooke as leads, and the nostalgia isn’t too overridden to the point of being obnoxious. SC
OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS
9 p.m.-1 a.m. All levels of musicians are welcome to perform at this weekly open mic. Bring your instruments, or voice, and show off your talent. 1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. www. knuckleheadsmusic.com.
Photo: Courtesy of 2011 Twenty One and Over Productions, Inc.
SC SanClemente
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
Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com
Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.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
ELECTRIC BIKES
Murf Electric Bikes
212 N. El Camino Real, 949.370.3801, www.murfelectricbikes.com
BUSINESS DIRECTORY Locals Only
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
LANDSCAPING
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 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com
Panagia Music: Music Lessons and More! 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
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
Bill Metzger Plumbing 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com
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
Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com
RESTAURANTS
Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386
SALONS
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
WEBSITE DESIGN
San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com
WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT
Offshore Construction 877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org
ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, AMONG SC FINEST
Fresh remodel plus brand new flooring. Very large patio, Private Safe Quiet. Path to Beach. Furnished/Unfurnished. Perfect for Professional seeking stable environment. Details – 949-201-7177
CUTEST FRENCH BULLDOGS French bulldog puppies for sale. Beautiful coats, great with people and other animals, the perfect family pet. Call or text: Tawnya at (909) 496-5616
WOMEN’S BICYCLE
Beautiful, almost new women’s bike. Looks like a commuter/ cruiser with multiple gears. Light mint green frame, white seat, wire basket on the back. $250. Text for photos. 949-533-9761.
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.
GARAGE SALE
9a-3p on Saturday, 4/7 and 9a-12p Sunday, 4/8. Lots of great items! Furniture, Clothing, Decorative Items, Gym Equipment, Tools, etc. 321 Calle Pescador, SC 92672
GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.
DANA POINT MARINA INN NOW
HIRING: Front desk clerks, Housekeeping, Breakfast room, Janitorial. Full and Part time shifts available. $12 to $14 per hour. Apply in person. 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive Dana Point, Ca 92629
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.
San Clemente Times Call us today!
SC
SC LIVING
PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY
GUEST OPINION: Wellness & Prevention by
Susan Parmelee
Screening of ‘Race to Nowhere’ Examines Stress Teens Face
On Monday, April 16 at 6:45 p.m., the Wellness & Prevention Coalition is pleased to announce that Vicki Abeles, director of the award-winning documentary Race to Nowhere, will be here to show her film and answer questions in the Little Theater at San Clemente High School. Abeles made the film for very personal reasons:
“Like many parents, I witnessed strain and fatigue in my own children as they navigated days filled with school, homework, tutoring and extracurricular activities,” Abeles said. “Then, after months of watching our 12-year-old daughter spend long evenings battling homework assignments, studying for tests and suffering panic attacks in the middle of the night, my husband and I found her doubled over in pain and we rushed her to the emergency room. Her cheerful façade and determination to keep up had hidden her symptoms from us, her friends and her teachers. When she was diagnosed with a stress-induced illness, I was determined to do something.”
Although the film is highly acclaimed and has resulted in change in some communities, the physical and mental health diagnoses related to stress continues to rise at a staggering pace in many communities, including our own.
Recently, we have experienced the loss of several teens in our neighboring communities. The expectations to succeed made by society, parents and teachers was repeatedly cited as a cause in letters left behind by teenagers who died by suicide.
For parents, an important part of change involves understanding how to craft our expectations of our children’s future to best meet their abilities, temperament, and most importantly their passions. In my work with youth, I often see kids
who were pushed so hard in sports, the arts or academics that they lost their love of their favorite activities. For teens to thrive, they need to engage every part of their developing brain and have opportunities to try new things. Elite sports, arts programs and overwhelming Advanced Placement schedules often cause teens to give up or burnout.
WELLNESS AND PREVENTION
By Susan Parmelee
Overscheduling a child, even when they show great aptitude for an activity, may result in withdrawal, substance use and health problems. Allowing a child to participate in a recreational league for a sport, to balance an academic load so they are not doing homework past 10 p.m. and to enjoy time goofing off are all important to a child’s success. Try to remember how great you feel when at the end of the day you relish having done “nothing.” Downtime is an important part of well-being.
As parents, we should try to remember to model good self-care for our children and encourage good decision making in scheduling our own time. One of the most important questions we can ask our children is, “Did you do your best?” When a child says “yes,” we have succeeded.
Susan Parmelee is a mental health social worker and one of the founders of the Wellness & Prevention Center, San Clemente. She can be reached at susan@wellnessandpreventionsanclemente.com. SC
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
FROM THE ARCHIVES Inside the Campbell House.
This photo, taken in the mid-1940s, is of the interior of the Campbell House in San Clemente, which is on the city’s register of historic homes and locations. According to Orange County History Roundup, the house was designed by architect Aubrey St. Clair in the Hollywood Regency style, which, the post stated, is rare in San Clemente.
Every week, the San Clemente Times will showcase a historical photo from around the city. If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, send the photo, your name for credit as well as the date and location of the photo to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.
SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
This cute little guy is Doc, a 4-year-old chihuahua who is patiently awaiting his new home. Once frightened and nervous, Doc has blossomed into a happy and affectionate dog. He has even learned how much fun playing with other dogs can be. Doc is proof that great things can come in small (furry) packages. If you would like to know more about
Doc, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. SC
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
Doc. Photo: Courtesy
The Campbell house in San Clemente. Photo: Courtesy of Calisphere/Orange County Public Libraries
Memorial Lane
Tribute to Vietnam War veterans makes it way to Camp Pendleton
BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
Tons of granite was hauled into Camp Pendleton on March 29 to be installed as the monument to the 5th Marine Regiment’s Vietnam War veterans.
Monuments for veterans who died in Iraq and Afghanistan are already in place at the Memorial Gardens, just off Cristianitos Road in the north sector of the Marine base.
The monument will feature several slabs of granite with the names of the veterans
who died in the Vietnam War from the 5th Marine Regiment.
Steve Colwell and Nick Warr, both Vietnam War veterans, led the project that has been in development for years. The project cost $400,000 and project leaders are still trying to come up with about $50,000 more to finalize the cost, Colwell said after the ceremony.
The memorial is specific to the 5th Marine Regiment, which is adopted by the City of Dana Point. The City of San Clemente adopted the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines.
The monument will be unveiled at another ceremony on Memorial Day, May 28.
Editor’s note: See video interviews with guests at the ceremony for the monument online in this article at www.sanclementetimes.com. SC
(Clockwise from top left) The monument for the Vietnam War veterans was shipped from Vermont by truck and arrived at Camp Pendleton on March 29. Peggy Kane of the Patriot Guard Riders displays her support for the Marines at the ceremony welcoming the Vietnam War memorial on March 29 at Camp Pendleton. The “Magnificent Bastards” is the nickname of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. Cole Lapierre, the company commander at the headquarters of the 5th Marine Regiment, gets a hug from his son on March 29 at Camp Pendleton, where a new Vietnam War memorial will be erected. A procession took place on March 29 at Camp Pendleton to welcome the new Vietnam War memorial for the 5th Marine Regiment. Photos: Eric Heinz
SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Lessons Learned
San Clemente boys lacrosse’s tough loss part of growth for young group
BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
The San Clemente boys lacrosse team lost 18 seniors to graduation last year from a league champion and county semifinalist group.
Any team that loses 18 experienced players would be forgiven if the following year was chalked up to a rebuild. The team would take its lumps as younger players earned valuable experience.
But the Tritons haven’t done that.
San Clemente (6-2, 4-0) is again undefeated in league play and ranked among Orange County’s best. That is good, but coach Brendan Finnerty isn’t settling for simply good.
“I honestly haven’t liked our wins yet,” Finnerty said. “We have to learn from our wins. Good teams learn when they lose, but great teams learn when they win. We haven’t done that yet. We’ve got to do the right things in the right situations because clearly it can unravel pretty quickly.”
That was evident in April 2’s loss to Foothill. The Tritons executed their game plan early and battled with the No. 1 team in the county for a 3-1 lead after the first quarter and a 7-7 tie at halftime.
However, a few fouls for man-down situations and throwing the ball away for turnovers on offense flipped the game back to Foothill, and the Knights ran away for a 20-10 win.
“It’s being in the right spot to execute as well as executing,” Finnerty said. “We’re
Scoreboard
Our City Scoreboard keeps you updated on all of the local San Clemente youth and community team accomplishments and special individual performances of the week. Email ZCAVANAGH@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM for submission.
Former Tritons Square Off in College Lacrosse
San Clemente High School’s boys lacrosse program was well represented as Chapman University hosted Whitter on Saturday, March 31.
Golf Course, Shorecliffs Golf Course and Bella Collina San Clemente—will meet in the fourth annual South County Cup golf tournament on April 14 and 15 at Bella Collina San Clemente.
The 64-player field features 16-man teams consisting of top local amateur golfers from each club competing in a two-day match play format event to determine a champion team.
The annual event rotates each year among the four area golf courses, with this year’s edition being held at Bella Collina San Clemente after previous events were hosted by Shorecliffs, San Clemente Muni and San Juan Hills. Each club’s team won the title at their respective home clubs.
taking side-arm shots high instead of taking good overhand shots. Our offense had their opportunities to bury shots and they decided not to shoot the right way. I’ve been preaching that the whole time. Yeah, you shoot side-arm against Dana Hills, whatever. But when you don’t do the right things in the right moments against Foothill, it’s going to make the difference.”
The start against Foothill was still very promising, and San Clemente has dominated its league competition. Through the first half of its South Coast League slate, the Tritons have outscored their opponents by a combined 37-goal margin, 55-18.
“We’ve definitely improved,” Finnerty said. “It’s that when we’re super young and they’re just getting more play time, the game is slowing down. I think tonight (against Foothill) was the fastest they’ve ever had to play. We’ll learn and grow from this.”
On offense, senior captain Branden Wilson has led the scoring, and freshman Jack Rogers has stepped up as a major contributor. Juniors Nick Amico and Dylan Hartanov have steadied the defensive unit around goaltenders Lewis Ahola, a senior, and Eugene Kang, a junior. Junior Jake Bannon has been nails on face-offs and was crucial to San Clemente’s strong start against Foothill.
San Clemente has burned through league and stepped up against some tough opponents, but it doesn’t get any easier.
The Tritons have dates with strong Los Angeles county teams in Loyola and Palos Verdes as well as top Orange County teams in Tesoro and Corona del Mar.
San Clemente’s real competition for the league title is still to come as well. The Tritons travel to Trabuco Hills (8-2, 3-0) on Tuesday, April 10 and host the Mustangs on Thursday, April 26.
Beyond that is the playoffs and maybe a chance to show Foothill what the Tritons have learned and exact revenge for last season’s semifinal loss. SC
Chapman’s David Howren and Omeed Fahardi and Whittier’s Max Lepley and Ryan Crawford took opposing sides as Chapman defeated Whittier, 17-11.
Howren and Fahardi are both freshmen for the Panthers but have been strong contributors. Howren, a midfielder, is third on the team in points (17) with nine goals and eight assists. Fahardi is a defensive specialist as a long-stick midfielder with 10 ground balls and a 10-7 face-off record.
Lepley is a junior defenseman and Crawford is a sophomore defenseman for the Poets. Lepley leads the team with 19 caused turnovers and is fourth with 20 ground balls. Crawford is second in caused turnovers with 18 and second in ground balls with 27. Crawford occasionally steps up to take face-offs as well for the Poets.
Chapman is 9-0. Whittier is 4-4.
South County Cup Golf Tournament on April 14 and 15
Representative teams from four South Orange County golf courses—San Juan Hills Golf Club, San Clemente Municipal
The public is welcome to visit Bella Collina during this weekend to check out all of the activities and support local favorites.
For further information and details, call Bella Collina San Clemente at 949.498.6604.
Sam Darnold Draft Party and Bobblehead Sales
San Clemente football will host a Sam Darnold NFL Draft part on Thursday, April 26 at One-Eleven Coastal Restaurant, located at 111 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente.
The party will start at 4 p.m. with the NFL Draft beginning at 5 p.m. Former San Clemente and University of Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold is slated to be one of the top picks in the draft, possibly No. 1 overall.
San Clemente football is also selling Sam Darnold bobbleheads. The bobbeheads are of Darnold in his San Clemente uniform.
Bobbleheads are available for preorder on www.tritonfootball.com. The cost is $20 with pick-up at the draft party or $28 to purchase and ship.
COMPILED BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
San Clemente midfielder Jake Bannon looks for an opening against Foothill on April 2 at San Clemente High School. Bannon has been strong on face-offs and is key to possession for the Tritons. Photo: Zach Cavanagh
Former San Clemente High School lacrosse players (L to R) Max Lepley, David Howren, Ryan Crawford and Omeed Fahardi squared off this past Saturday when Chapman hosted Whittier. Chapman won 17-11.
Photo: Courtesy Kristi Lepley
SC
SanClemente
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SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY
More than Scores
Eric Diamond, Dana Point Surf Club look to start a dynasty by combining competition, community
BY DANIEL RITZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
Upon walking in but before sitting down, Dana Point Surf Club Executive Committee Chairman Eric Diamond perused the perimeter of his office behind Killer Dana Surf Shop.
That office, formerly the office where John Severson designed and created the original SURFER Magazine, is covered in local heritage and soaked in surfing tradition Diamond is eager, and proud, to share.
This year, Diamond—whose father was a member of the famous Wind & Sea Surf Club and is a former traveling surfer himself—will call upon his unique perspective granted by direct lineage of California surf club “cool” and Australia’s ultra-competitive surf club culture to make the Dana Point Surf Club a respectable, and competitive, presence in the newly formed Western Board Riders Club surf series.
Dana Point entered the new surf club platform last year when the originators of the West Coast Board Riders called Diamond to get a team together for Dana Point.
Diamond quickly organized a team, admitting they weren’t together in their first competition, but said he remembers feeling overwhelmed with the rekindling of old friendships and overall experience.
After that initial trial, Diamond held a surf club interest meeting in Dana Point
GROM OF THE WEEK
JAKE VANDENBURG
BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
hen you’re hot, you’re hot. Lately, Jake Vandenburg has been white hot.
Over the last month, the St. Margaret’s sophomore has come away with enough hardware to fill up the trophy case at home.
Getting on a roll in mid-March, he won both the Orange County high school titles in the men’s shortboard and longboard divisions in the Scholastic Surf Series. His talent and dedication to his surf team helped the St. Margaret’s Tartans finish the season undefeated with a 5-0 record.
that was attended by more than 100 local surfers and fans.
A year later, the Dana Point Surf Club now holds more than 250 members, with a projected membership of more than 500 people by 2019 and over 1,000 by 2020.
“I really want to make this a club more than just a team,” Diamond said. “We want to give back, and more than just the occasional beach clean-up. I want our club members to be ambassadors not just for surfing, but for Dana Point.”
Despite being “in-season,” now, the Dana Point Surf Club is very much a work in progress. Diamond is seeking local sponsorship, and is working closely with the city of Dana Point to achieve its nonprofit status. He even joked about organizing a multi-city staff event, including Dana Point City Manager Mark Denny, who Diamond credited with being a strong supporter of the program.
In addition to learning about surf cul-
Keeping the momentum going, he put in another great showing at the NSSA Southwest Explorer contest in Huntington Beach at the end of March. Despite challenging conditions, he finished a very respectable second place in the Explorer Boys division.
He’s also been battling on the Western Surfing Association circuit all season long. At the moment he’s ranked sixth in the Under-18 rankings.
Hailing from talent-rich San Clemente, the spry regular-footer is as comfortable carving peaks at Lowers or the San Clemente Pier as he is gliding across playful wedges at Old Man’s or Churches. Oh, and he only started surfing when he was 12 years old. Dedicated, determined and supremely passionate about the sport and culture of surfing, we can’t wait to see what Vandenburg does next.
ture, Diamond is instilling a connection to local surfing history through the club.
“As cool as it is for me to see my buddies and old friends, it’s great to see these younger guys and girls meet, learn and compete against some of the best, and most important characters in surfing’s eclectic mix,” Diamond said.
“We’re trying to create a sense of connection, a sense of ownership. A lot of these kids don’t really know how in addition to Killer Dana, there was a reef break set-up with four different waves out there. For things like that to happen, the next generation needs to know.”
Diamond said that with teams soaked in World Surf League (WSL) World Championship Tour-level talent like neighbor San Clemente, there will almost certainly be opportunities to learn for his Dana Point team.
Currently, the West Coast Board Riders consists of two divisions, North and South. The South division consists of Dana Point, Newport, Laguna Beach, San Clemente, Oceanside and Carlsbad. After three competitions in each division, and two specialty events, the top two teams will go head-to-head in a final competition at a yetto-be-determined location. Currently, there are six-men’s divisions: 50 and older, 40-49, 30-39, 20-29, 15-19, and 14 and under.
One of Diamond’s direct contributions to the West Coast Board Riders format was the addition of a women’s division.
“It was one of the first things I noticed,” Diamond said, speaking of his initial competition in Huntington Beach. “I told them immediately, there has got to be a women’s division in here to compete. Dana Point has such a rich history and so many amazing female surfers. We’re very proud of that, and excited to see them out in the water.”
This Saturday, April 7, Diamond and the Dana Point Surf Club welcome the rest of the South division of the West Coast Board Riders teams, for their home competition at Salt Creek.
“We want to welcome everyone to our space,” Diamond said. “We want to let people know how special this place is, welcome them as they have welcomed us to their waves, and remind people what this place means to us.” SC
Water Temperature: 56-59 degrees F
Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-8’ Fair
Thursday: Fun, primary SSW/S swell tops out as minor WNW swell fades. Good southerly exposures are running waist-shoulder high (3-4’) with standouts hitting head high (5’) on sets. Better combo beachbreaks should see the occasional fun peak cross up. Calm to light S winds in the morning, then light SW winds for the afternoon.
Outlook: Holding to slow easing S swell through the weekend as new WNW swell mix trends up. Surf hangs in the waist-shoulder high (3-4’+) zone for good spots while standouts go head high on sets. Morning winds are light/variable to light onshore, then light+ onshore each afternoon. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.
Eric Diamond, executive chairman of the Dana Point Surf Club, shaking hands with Matt Archbold of the San Clemente Surf Club. Photo: Ron Lyon
A young member of the Dana Point Surf Club runs to enter the water for his heat. The Dana Point Surf Club will host the West Coast Board Riders at Salt Creek on Saturday, April 7. Photo: Ron Lyon
Jake Vandenburg. Photo: Courtesy of Jake Vandenburg
