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TOP NEWS SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK
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Restaurateur Wants to Revamp Former Starbucks Property into New Restaurant
BY COLLIN BREAUX
For a long time, the former Starbucks property at the corner of Ortega Highway and Camino Capistrano in downtown San Juan Capistrano has gone unoccupied after the coffee chain closed that shop—leaving many in the community wondering what would become of the space.
An answer has now emerged. Local restaurateur Russ Bendel and his business partners are planning to open a new restaurant called Bloom at that location, by the end of the year.
Bendel lives in San Juan Capistrano and currently owns Vine Restaurant & Bar in San Clemente and Ironwood in Laguna Hills, among other restaurants in Orange County.
“What we’re doing right now is our design phase. Our vision for Bloom is to put in some Bi-Fold windows around the whole perimeter of the building, so that way it has that open-air feel when the weather’s appropriate,” Bendel said. “It’s going to be similar to our other restaurants. It’s going to be a chef-driven, wine country-inspired concept.”
Bloom will be across the street from Mission San Juan Capistrano, and next door to FKN Bread. The downtown area is gradually becoming a foodie hub, as a number of well-received restaurants have recently opened in the corridor, including Heritage Barbecue and Ramen Shack.
Executive Chef and Partner Jared Cook will join Bendel on his new venture, and he already works with Bendel at Vine. Cook will put together a “pretty different menu” for Bloom— “stuff he’s never done at any of the other restaurants before,” Bendel said.
“He wants to really focus on learning more about San Juan Capistrano, what the demographic here would enjoy, making (it) a neighborhood place,” Bendel said. “We’ll be doing dinner every day of
Local restaurateur Russ Bendel is looking to open a new downtown restaurant called Bloom, which will serve what he calls “wine country” cuisine. Photo: Courtesy of Heather Paris-Ybarra, A Single Shot Photography
the week, and weekend brunch as well.”
Bendel expects Bloom to have 85 to 90 seats for dining, as well as an open kitchen through which patrons can watch their meals being prepared. The new restaurant will also have a “great wine list, great cocktail program, craft beer,” he said.
“I’ve been looking around in San Juan for probably about a year and a half, maybe longer, for the right opportunity,” Bendel said. “I found a few things that I thought were going to work, but it just didn’t end up panning out. This became available when Starbucks closed down during the pandemic.”
San Juan Capistrano is an up-andcoming town with a good balance of both longtime and new restaurants, he said.
“There’s a lot of new development going on,” Bendel said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of exciting things happening, from what I’ve heard, for a long time to come.”
As for where the name Bloom came from, Bendel points out it fits in with the names of his other restaurants.
“We wanted to stick with the plant/ tree/flower (theme) as a consistent brand of all the restaurants. When we were going through hundreds of different name opportunities, we were looking at the history of San Juan and trying to incorporate something about San Juan into the name,” Bendel said. “When we were reading, there was a quote about the blooming of all the flowers on all the hillside and the natives using the mustard flowers as a trail to get back to the historic Mission. When I read the word ‘bloom,’ it just kind of popped.”
Developer Dan Almquist Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for River Street Marketplace
BY COLLIN BREAUX
An agrarian-themed and pedestrian-oriented commercial village known as River Street Marketplace is coming in the near future to the Los Rios Historic District—an arrival heralded by project developer Dan Almquist.
Almquist held a ceremony at the project site to usher in and celebrate the new area on Feb. 16 that was attended by his business partners, city officials, and local residents. Along with restaurant and retail space, River Street Marketplace will also have green space and walkways for pedestrian use.
The project is next to Zoomars at River Street Ranch, a petting zoo that Almquist also owns.
“There’s so much emotion and so many different feelings with standing here and seeing this project start after six years,” Almquist said. “It was April of 2015 that we went under contract with the Itos to purchase this piece of property.”
River Street Marketplace is currently under construction and mostly a dirt site for now. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2023. The center can become a spot where people get together, Almquist said.
“San Juan (Capistrano) is such a special place, and it has been a long time—and, at times, a bit of a hard process,” Almquist said. “San Juan, I’m so grateful that we call it our home. This project, in a small way, became something that unified us.”
The groundbreaking ceremony featured a ceremonial blessing and remarks from representatives of the local Native American community, including by longtime Los Rios Street resident Stephen Rios. Rios said Almquist approached his family at the onset of the project to talk about plans for the center, and eventually reached out to residents in the neighborhood.
“Not everybody was on board with the project, needless to say, but what we learned quickly from Dan is that he had a plan that was well thought-out, that he was sincere about his presentation,” Rios said. “He was sensitive to our concerns. He was willing to back off if it was necessary to do that, but we kept going forward, and the meetings just grew and expanded—and we learned to believe that Dan had a vision that would help develop this neighborhood.”
Rios said he and other Los Rios Historic District residents would learn to adjust to and accommodate expected impacts from River Street Marketplace.
Jerry Nieblas, another Los Rios resident with deep ties to the area, said the region’s ancestors would approve of the project because of the “honorable person” Almquist is.
“I didn’t trust him in the beginning when I got a call inviting me to the table. I thought, what is he up to?” Nieblas said. “But it was amazing. He welcomed me to the table. I started right out telling him I don’t like progress, and that stands. But I was willing to hear what he had to say if he’d be willing to hear what I had to say.”
Mayor Derek Reeve said he is excited about the direction the community is going, and River Street Marketplace is an important investment for the area. Having local Native Americans at the ceremony was meaningful, he said.
“This land isn’t your typical location in the city. This means a lot to a lot of people,” Reeve said. “The political process might have been a little feisty at times, but that’s because of this particular piece of land that we’re sitting on.”
River Street Marketplace won’t just be another new development, but rather somewhere residents can gather, Reeve said.
In addition to River Street Marketplace and Zoomars, Almquist also owns Capistrano Plaza—which houses the restaurants Ramen Shack and Hennessey’s Tavern—and is putting together another project that could build new housing and retail space on Forster Street, as well as a new performing arts center to replace the existing Camino Real Playhouse.
Developer Dan Almquist speaks about the coming retail and community center in the Los Rios Historic District. Photo: Collin Breaux
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will be performed at Camino Real Playhouse from Feb. 25 through March 13. Photo: Collin Breaux
Camino Real Playhouse Enters New Territory with ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’
BY COLLIN BREAUX
Since reopening after being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Camino Real Playhouse has mostly staged light-hearted comedies—given people might need to laugh after enduring the global upending of daily life.
But come this Friday, the San Juan Capistrano theater will be introducing more mature and emotionally turbulent fare when it premieres The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a stage adaptation of the 2003 British mystery novel. Performances run from Feb. 25 through March 13.
The story revolves around Christopher Boone, a teenage boy investigating the death of his neighbor’s dog. As he writes a book about his discoveries—and interviews neighbors along the way—Christopher also learns about his family and the human condition.
As director and Camino Real Playhouse President Leslie Eisner puts it, Christopher has an “extraordinary brain: he is exceptional at math but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life.” Though the source material does not identify Christopher as autistic, some readers interpret him as such.
“He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. The play opens with Christopher discovering a dead dog in his neighbor’s garden,” Eisner said. “A fan of Sherlock Holmes, he decides to write a story about the mystery of the dog’s death. But Christopher’s detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that turns his world upside-down.”
The actors and directors have been rehearsing the play in the days leading up to Friday’s premiere. Though the performance has some powerful and sad scenes, it is not without other moments of levity and humor. Viewers will be drawn into Christopher’s world and mind, all against a British backdrop.
“The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotion,” Eisner said. “The effect makes for a play that is deeply funny, poignant, and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing is a mind that perceives the world literally.”
The play incorporates multimedia aspects, including music and video— another change from Camino Real Playhouse’s usual performances.
“The play was an enormous challenge to direct: both to do justice to Christopher’s character, as well as to interpret the world as he sees it,” Eisner said. “Many of the scenes are tender and sweet in their innocence, as we try to take ourselves out of the social cues we take for granted and imagine a world that can be very complicated in its simplification.”
Eisner expects the play to stay with viewers long after they leave the theater.
“Hopefully, the message that Christopher leaves us with sheds light on how wondrous life is,” Eisner said.
City Takes Next Steps on Paseo Adelanto Mixed-Use Project
BY COLLIN BREAUX
A development project that would construct affordable housing apartments and a new San Juan Capistrano City Hall building at the current City Hall location on Paseo Adelanto is inching closer to reality.
The City Council approved regulatory steps—including a zoning variance and a floodplain use permit—during a meeting on Feb. 15. Final approval of the project is expected to come before the City Council this spring. Construction will likely start in early 2023, and it could take 1½-2 years to complete.
The project will include 49 permanent supportive housing apartments and a two-bedroom unit for the on-site property manager. The apartments are intended for very low-income individuals who are at risk for being homeless or have experienced homelessness, including military veterans.
Jamboree Housing Corporation, a longtime nonprofit that helps at-risk people obtain housing, is working with the city on the project. Tenants will be screened by the County of Orange and Jamboree Housing before moving into the apartments and will be directed to the housing complex based on priority needs after being contacted through county outreach programs. Help for substance abuse or financial issues will be provided to at-risk individuals as needed, and social work services will also be available.
Sustainable housing advocates spoke in favor of the project, including Becks Heyhoe, executive director of United to End Homelessness—an initiative of Orange County United Way that launched in 2018.
“Permanent supportive housing is a national best practice to be able to address homelessness,” Heyhoe said. “Jamboree has been a fantastic partner of ours for many years, and we can vouch that they build beautiful developments that any city would be proud of.”
Councilmembers also praised city staff for their “creative” approach to the development and work in putting the project together.
“The permanent supportive housing is a great step forward,” Mayor Pro Tem Howard Hart said. “It’s truly, as one speaker mentioned, the best practice.”
The project has been reviewed by other city advisory boards, including the Design Review Committee, which have recommended approval with some suggested design tweaks—including a bike storage rack for the future residents.
As part of the new City Hall plans, the Council Chambers where City Council meetings are held could be moved to the San Juan Capistrano Community Center on Camino Del Avion. City staff will work out of temporary office space—the exact location of which is yet to be identified—during the interim while the new City Hall is under construction.
“The City of San Juan Capistrano has long been housed in temporary housing,” Assistant City Manager Charlie View said. “If you go and read the dedication plaque at the front, it’s about 50 years ago we started using this for government use.”
Councilmember Troy Bourne said the project is something city officials will look back on and be proud of in the future.
“I want to compliment staff. It’s creative,” Bourne said. “I appreciate the compliments from the public, but we’re really fortunate to have a lot of factors in play, creatively brought together by staff and Jamboree that allowed us to do this that would have been more difficult if it was located somewhere else.”
NEWS BITES
COMPILED BY STAFF
CD |College for All Foundation Hosts Upcoming Fundraiser at Marco Forster Middle School
In order to raise money for the Marco Forster Middle School AVID program, the College for All Foundation will host a Hoosegow Day Community Carnival at the school’s campus on March 11 from 3:25-6:30 p.m.
The event is named for Hoos’Gow Day, an annual tradition hosted by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association in celebration of Swallows Day. Admission for the Marco Forster event will be free, but there will be food and games available for purchase. The carnival will be held in the back area of the school at the basketball courts and fields.
The AVID Program is an in-school academic support program for grades 6-12 that prepares students for college eligibility and success.
“AVID helps students organize themselves, promotes academic success, orients students with all things related to college, pushes students into the most advanced classes that they are prepared to handle, and drives students towards personal success,” said parent Sonia C. Loya, whose child is in the program.
Funds raised from the carnival will go to support AVID activities and primarily cover the cost of camps, educational field trips to college campuses, and fun field trips as rewards for the students’ hard work and achievements.
CD |SJC Teen Plays at Carnegie Hall Next Summer
Aja Zou, a 15-year-old pianist from San Juan Capistrano, will play at Carnegie Hall in New York City in summer 2023. Aja was recently named the second-prize winner of the 2022 American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition.
“Aja not only brings a wealth of talent at such a young age, but also a unique way of presenting music to her audience,” said Sir András Schiff, British classical pianist and Grammy Award winner. “She is very much her own artist with superior technique and beautiful control of her instrument.”
The exact date for her Carnegie Hall performance is to be determined.
Aja—who is also currently researching a drug-response prediction model using applied mathematics and genomics data—has participated in numerous concerts and competitions in her piano career on the regional, national, and international levels, said Austin Litovsky,
San Juan Capistrano teenager Aja Zou has placed high in piano competitions, and she is heading to New York City to play Carnegie Hall next year. Photo: Courtesy of Anastasia Peters
her research mentor and a close friend.
The wunderkind has also finished in second place in the 2021 OPUS Music Competition, qualifying Aja to represent her state to compete as a finalist in the national round in 2022.
“She received third place in the 2021 Charleston International Music Competition of Romantic Music,” Litovsky said. “Additionally, she has been chosen as a finalist last year for the King’s Peak International Music Competition.”
Aja began studying the piano when she was 6 years old, studies under Dr. Seonghyang Kim, and attends Sage Hill School in Newport Beach.
CD |Capo Unified Officials Address Student Mask Requirements
Capistrano Unified School District officials are anticipating the potential lifting of mask requirements on campuses in the near future.
Those expectations come after a recent announcement by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s top health official, who said the state would reexamine student mask requirements on Feb. 28.
Local education officials addressed the continuing mask mandate—which has been a controversial issue with parents and students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic—during a Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 16.
A large crowd again showed up in the board room and outside the CUSD offices during the meeting to denounce student mask requirements, a frequent occurrence over the past two years. Parents and students called on CUSD officials to act against mask requirements.
The board recessed the meeting during oral communications—the portion of the meeting when public speakers address items not on meeting agendas and usually an open forum—and resumed the meeting after moving to a back room and away from the dais, due to safety concerns.
CUSD Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte said the board was “safe” after resuming the meeting away from the public.
“I know many of you, in-person and online, are here to speak about state mandates regarding masks in public school classrooms,” Brulte said. “Today, we need your support more than ever. We deeply respect the right of free speech and the diversity of opinions related to state mandates here in CUSD. We hear the frustration, the passion, and the very different opinions.”
Local schools do not make the rules, but they must comply with them, Brulte said.
School districts that defy the mandates set by the California Department of Public Health are being “threatened” with fines from the state, loss of insurance, and “exorbitant” liability claims should someone become sick “or even worse,” Brulte said.
“I have personally worked with the Orange County superintendents, (Orange County Health Officer) Dr. (Clayton) Chau, and the Orange County Health Care Agency. I’ve even worked to get a call into the governor’s office and the CDPH to share our concerns,” Brulte said.
“Additionally, all Orange County superintendents sent a letter to the governor and Dr. Mark Ghaly at the CDPH asking for a reasonable timeline and for easing restrictive masking requirements and other restrictive protocols,” she continued.
Indoor mask requirements were recently lifted in California for fully vaccinated individuals, but they remain in place for all children and adults on school campuses. Students do not have to wear masks on campuses if they are outside, such as at lunch or recess.
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
TUESDAY, MARCH 1 City Council 5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano City Council will hold a scheduled meeting open to the public. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. sanjuancapistrano.org.
FRIDAY, MARCH 4 Coffee Chat 8:30 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. The first Friday session of the month will be held virtually via Zoom video conference; all other Friday sessions will take place in person at Hennessey’s Tavern in San Juan Capistrano, 31761 Camino Capistrano. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for information.
SUNDAY, MARCH 6 Historical Society 2:30-4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society will hold a general meeting in which there will be an annual election of board members. Guest speaker Stephen Rios will discuss the history of Los Rios Street and other local matters. San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion.
TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Redistricting Meeting 6 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano City Council will hold an extra meeting to decide the city’s final district map, as part of this year’s redistricting process. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. sanjuancapistrano.org.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9 Planning Commission 5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Planning Commission will hold a public meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. sanjuancapistrano.org.
THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Design Review Committee 4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Design Review Committee will hold a public meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. sanjuancapistrano.org.
FRIDAY, MARCH 11 The next print issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.
County Approaching Next Step of Los Patrones Extension Project
BY C. JAYDEN SMITH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH
Orange County Public Works, the lead agency for the project to extend Los Patrones Parkway, recently completed a step to gather background about future vendors and contractors, and expects by the fall to move into the next phase.
That phase, known as Project Approval (PA) & Environmental Document (ED), will determine the project’s scope and lead to the design phase.
The project is one of three initiatives that are listed within the South County Traffic Relief Cooperative Agreement, comprising the City of San Clemente, the County Board of Supervisors, and the Orange County Transportation Authority.
OCTA’s executive board voted to join the agreement in October 2021, after the former two parties had done the same in September. The agreement effectively prevents the county and OCTA from building or supporting the construction of a major thoroughfare such as a toll road extension through San Clemente.
The project will extend Los Patrones Parkway—the free arterial route that runs south from the 241 Toll Road’s terminus at Oso Parkway—from its current end at Cow Camp Road to Avenida La Pata in San Clemente.
The planned connection between Cow Camp and La Pata will include a roughly 700-foot stretch of road within the San Clemente city limits. The City Council a year ago this month approved an amendment in San Clemente’s General Plan recognizing the extended Los Patrones.
OCPW’s recently completed phase, a Request for Qualifications, was designed to receive proposals from respondents for the PA & ED phase, which the organization anticipates will take two to three years, according to strategic communications officer Shannon Widor.
The PA & ED phase consists of “preliminary engineering” that will include a project report with an investigation focused on multiple factors, including geotechnical and utility, a design survey, and a cost estimate.
“These studies typically take six months to a year to complete individually, and some are required to occur in sequence, which causes this phase to occur over multiple years,” Widor wrote in an email. “To slightly accelerate the process would require an increase in resources
Los Patrones Parkway, which presently runs south of the 241 Toll Road and ends at Cow Camp Road in Rancho Mission Viejo, is slated to extend to Avenida La Pata, just within the San Clemente city limits. Photo: C. Jayden Smith
and project cost.”
The initial construction of the 4.5-mile parkway took four years to complete, and the Avenida La Pata extension project that connected San Clemente to San Juan Capistrano, also managed by OCPW, was started in 2014 and completed in 2016.
Widor added that factors including funding, environmental elements, and regulatory approvals can affect the length of a given project.
OCTA’s Measure M2 Regional Capacity Program will support the PA & ED phase, with matching funds coming from both the county and Rancho Mission Viejo. OCPW has not secured the funding for the subsequent phases.
According to Widor, the process of securing the money for a large roadway project is a “difficult task,” and that the county will need to apply for competitive grant programs.
Nardy Khan, OCPW deputy director for infrastructure programs, previously told the City Council in February 2021 that the cost estimated during the concept phase was around $240 million.
Due to the project being in its early stages, OCPW has not yet identified any pressing environmental concerns, but they are aware that they must move with caution.
“A major priority for the County with any infrastructure project such as this is ensuring the proper environmental process is followed and all of the necessary permits are received before construction starts,” Widor wrote.
The environmental factor that could be impacted the most by the extension is local wildlife, according to Jack Eidt, a Southern California-based urban planner and environmental journalist.
In an area sandwiched between Camp Pendleton and the growing sprawl of Rancho Mission Viejo extending into the mountains, animals such as deer, coyotes, and bobcats could be closer to losing their access to the hills near the coast.
“When people keep moving into these foothills, it displaces that wildlife even more, so we need more protected land,” Eidt said.
Widor added that, as the overall lead for this project in partnership with Rancho Mission Viejo, the county will keep the public informed through various methods such as a project website and social media updates, regular project notices and potential public meetings as the project progresses.
Mike Balsamo, RMV’s senior vice president of governmental relations, expressed excitement for the project, as the community focuses on opening its newest development, the Village of Rienda.
“It was positive to see both the City of San Clemente and County of Orange take actions endorsing Los Patrones Parkway Extension in 2021,” Balsamo said. “The community support for the project continues to be encouraging, and we look forward to learning more as the County design process ramps up this year.” CD EVENTS AT THE RANCH
MARCH 5 BUTTERFLY WALK 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Spring is upon us—and with it, potential butterfly sightings in the area. Come take a chance to get a gander at the colorful creatures at The Nature Reserve in Rancho Mission Viejo. Amateur butterfly enthusiast Gary Meredith will guide visitors and teach you how to identify different butterflies. The event is for ages 10 and up. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and free for Nature Reserve supporters and RMV residents. Registration closes on Friday, March 4, at 4 p.m. RSVP online. rmvreserve.org.
MARCH 10 VIRTUAL PRESENTATION ON DANGEROUS SNAKES 7-8:30 p.m. If you’ve ever wondered how to identify dangerous snakes while you’re spending time outdoors, this virtual presentation can help get you started with useful information. Find out how to handle an encounter with a threatening snake, and what to do if you are bitten. Registration closes March 10 at 4 p.m. The event is free. Sign up at rmvreserve.org.
SEEN ON THE RANCH
PHOTO & TEXT BY COLLIN BREAUX Little free libraries have been springing up in Orange County, including in Rancho Mission Viejo near the Sendero farm. Check this one out if you’re in the area.
PUBLISHER’S LETTER | BY PICKET FENCE MEDIA FOUNDER NORB GARRETT Supporting Our Local Businesses
You know the saying that “nothing good comes easy,” and that couldn’t be more true regarding our annual “Best Of” Reader’s Choice Awards.
Each year now for the past 15 years, our staff meticulously counts the thousands of votes submitted by you, our readers, for your favorite local businesses, service vendors and locations here in San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo.
We then present those results in our annual special issue that we distribute to driveways and newsstands throughout San Juan Capistrano/Rancho Mission Viejo and also feature online as a digital magazine at our website, thecapistranodispatch.com.
The issue is a celebration of sorts, a unique opportunity for you, our readers, to support your local businesses by letting them know how much you appreciate them. For our local businesses, it’s an opportunity to say thank you as well, recognizing your steadfast support through challenging times of late.
It’s also a great way for all of us to find and try new businesses in town in an effort to “Keep it Local” and strengthen our local economy. For all of us at The Capistrano Dispatch, it’s a truly rewarding experience in that we get to continue to deliver on our promise of delivering “Local News You Can Use.” And for our readers, the reward is knowing that by taking part in the voting process, you’re helping support local business owners and their employees by saying “thank you.”
So, please keep your latest Dispatch “Best of San Juan Capistrano” issue (or web link) handy and make sure to visit as many of them as possible this year. Look for the 2021 Best of San Juan Capistrano Gold and Silver stickers in the storefront windows and let them know you voted for them or decided to check them out because you read it in The Dispatch.
From all of us at The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media, thanks to all of you who voted, and congratulations to all of the businesses and people who received votes. CD
A CLIMATE ACTIVIST’S DILEMMA
Ifirst became aware of the threat posed by greenhouse gases in the 1980s, when I taught a course titled Society and the Environment. At that point, I began my journey as a climate activist. As an academic, I focused on teaching the science of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the role of society in their production. My perspective did not at first translate into action, but that began to change.
My first lifestyle change came as the result of hearing about the wonderful diversity of California plant ecosystems. I decided to landscape my yard in native plants. The decision was also motivated by learning that 20% of California’s energy was related to the use of water, so I was using less of two precious resources: water and energy.
The second major change came in the 1990s, when LED light bulbs became available for household lighting. They are 75% more efficient than incandescent lighting. Although they were more expensive, their efficiency made them economical in the long run, and so I converted all my lighting to LEDs.
Realizing that transportation was one of my biggest uses of energy, I decided to commute to work using public buses. When that became too onerous, I bought the first model of Prius. A hybrid continues to be my primary mode of transportation. There are things that I could do to make my carbon footprint smaller. I could convert to electric appliances, including using a heat pump to heat and cool my home. I could switch to an all-vegetable diet, and I could be more careful to not waste food. I could put panels on my roof to heat my water and produce electricity. For my next car, I could buy an all-electric vehicle.
I finally realized that even if everyone did all that they could to be energy-efficient, it would not be nearly enough to prevent the worst of our climate crisis. Households only contribute about 23% of global GHG. Barriers abound. My electricity provider charges me considerably more to opt for renewable sources even
CITIZENS’ CLIMATE EDUCATION BY KARL REITZ
though it costs them less. There are more gas stations than charging stations, and public transportation options are abysmal. And, finally, a portion of my taxes goes to subsidizing the fossil fuel companies.
Taking all of this into account, I realized that I needed to take political action, so I joined Citizens’ Climate Lobby. CCL has more than 200,000 members in 450 chapters. We lobby members of both parties by communicating with our local, state and national political leaders. We also try to educate the public to the realities of our climate crisis. Working together, we believe we can achieve what needs to be done to make sure that our children and grandchildren can inhabit a livable planet.
Karl Reitz, PH.D., is an environmental science educator, a member of the South Orange County Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Education/Lobby, and a retired professor of social sciences from Chapman University. CD
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com. 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 thecapistranodispatch.com
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The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 20, Issue 4. The Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (sanclementetimes. 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 2022. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
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GUEST OPINION | by Dr. Michelle Hure
In-N-Out—Just What the Doctor Didn’t Order
Imay not know anything about politics, but I know politicians make decisions that affect entire populations of people, for better or worse. As a physician, I can relate to this. My clinical decision-making—and implementation—of that decision will directly affect my patients and all those within their circle. Many people believe it is easy to arrive at a diagnosis and treatment course. Maybe people believe we complete over 12 years of training in order to learn elaborate decision trees to deal with every possible clinical scenario. As if we are a protocol droid following a mindless algorithm. Certainly, some people may believe this who would rather diagnose themselves with Dr. Google. Instead, our grueling and extensive training intentionally teaches us to break down the human body into component parts and understand them completely to troubleshoot and problem-solve any disease state. Understand the science behind the normal, you reason through the abnormal.
A physician makes a diagnosis and treatment plan based on different components: observation of outward
appearance and function, subjective thoughts from the patient, objective physical exam findings and tests results. All GUEST OPINION of these components contribute equally BY DR. MICHELLE to making the most accurate diagnosis
HURE and formulating the best treatment plan. Weighting one of the components more than any other, aside from the most obvious diagnosis extremes (chopped off limbs, cancer, and such aside), will get you into trouble. A good physician will look at all the evidence and treat the patient holistically. That means a diagnosis should not rely solely on one thing. A test result, by definition, has bias and can have a varying degree of inaccuracy. If most of the gathered information is pointing to one diagnosis and a study result is saying the opposite, question it. Question all of it.
Photo: Courtesy of Jacob Baltierra/Unsplash
As a mentor told me during a long night in the ICU as an exhausted intern trying to make sense of a test result that didn’t match with my working diagnosis, “Don’t marry the test.” I learned a very critical part of being a good physician. Don’t rely exclusively on a study. Data may be flawed, biased, need to be repeated, or may be just plain incorrect. Make your diagnosis based on the entire holistic picture. Sometimes, even in the face of conflicting data, the best diagnosis and treatment plan comes from the physician’s gut feeling. The gestalt that years of training and experience has taught me has swayed my decision-making even in the face of a conflicting test. I have yet to be wrong listening to my seasoned gut.
As a physician, I deal with the life and death ramifications of my decisions and how it affects my patient, their family, their present and future. I look at all aspects that contribute to that diagnosis and make the best choice.
I would hope that the members of our City Council considered all aspects of the proposed In-N-Out, as it affects so much of our city present and future. If one study—an inherently flawed traffic study—is solely used to base a decision and future plan despite such a strong community response, we are in trouble. Going forward, take a cue from those of us who look at both data and the big picture equally. Don’t marry the test; question it. Don’t be averse to approaching an issue holistically and using your gut. If it’s good enough for your doctor, maybe it’s good enough for you, too.
Dr. Hure is a double board-certified physician practicing medical, surgical, cosmetic dermatology and dermatopathology at Orange County SkinLab, her award-winning solo private practice clinic near the Los Rios District. She is a native Californian and proud to call San Juan Capistrano home, along with her two young daughters and husband. CD
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com.
GUEST OPINION | by Mark Nielsen City Council Gets It Very Wrong on In-N-Out
The City Council’s approval of another drive-through with In-NOut replacing Marie Callender’s on Del Obispo Street is a huge disservice to our community. About 90% of the comments from the public were in opposition. The Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and Cultural Heritage Commission all voted to deny the project and yet the majority of the council said they knew better. Much was made of the traffic study by the councilmembers, which claimed that this “mega” drive-through will have no significant impact on traffic, but when traffic on Del Obispo is already so bad that the added 1,500 trips will not make it a worse level of service, it doesn’t mean the traffic stays the same. Just ask the DeNault brothers who testified as to the impact on their hardware store’s parking and driveways since the opening of a drive-through Chick-fil-A next door. Bet no traffic study even considered that! And hiding behind a traffic study with claims that it “would be unethical” to deny the restaurant after the study was done falsely positions the traffic as the only determining factor. That is wrong. There is no property right to get a discretionary use permit for a drive-through restaurant. The name says it all—it is discretionary. Even if you believe the traffic study, the city can still deny the drive-through. The only property right is to have a restaurant, but a drive-through is purely in the discretion of the city even if all findings to support it could be made.
GUEST OPINION BY MARK NIELSEN
Besides, the traffic is not the only problem caused by the In-N-Out drivethrough. The location behind our Historical Town Center Park should be pedestrian-oriented, not having lines of idling cars causing noise and vehicle exhaust emissions in the center of our historic downtown. And what about the noise from the drive-through squawk box while concerts or plays are performed at the park’s stage? Not to mention the smell of cooking fat permeating our town’s center. The design and traffic require a new right-turn lane being added, which further reduces the pedestrian orientation while adding a wider swath of concrete on Del Obispo and the removal of some 50-plus trees.
And what do we get for this huge impact on our residents? Millions of dollars to fix traffic issues or help shore up the city’s budget? Not even close. The sales tax generated that would go to the city would only be about $30,000-$40,000 per year. For that, we go backward by further expanding “Fast Food Row” that detracts from the entrance to our historic downtown and creates a traffic and quality-of-life mess (despite claims that the “science” of the traffic report proves no negative impacts). Perhaps it is time for certain councilmembers that are IN to move OUT of their position.
Mark Nielsen is a 34-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and a former mayor. He served on the City Council the last time In-N-Out applied for a drive-through restaurant on Del Obispo, which was denied more than a decade ago. CD
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com.
EVENT GUIDE MARCH 5 & 6, 2022
LOGO FOR 2022 FESTIVAL OF WHALES ANNOUNCED
By Dana Point Mayor Joe Muller It’s wonderful to welcome back Dana Point’s Festival of Whales. For two days, we will celebrate what makes our city special and the reason it is a globally recognized destination for whale watching.
Our community takes great pride in its distinctive role in the migration of thousands of whales as they pass along Dana Point’s beautiful coastline. And we can’t wait to officially mark the occasion on March 5-6.
It was more than 50 years ago that Don Hansen founded the first Festival of Whales, now recognized as the longest-running whale festival in the world. He created the Festival of Whales as an annual seaside event that celebrates the gray whale migration, with an emphasis on education and environmental responsibility.
Don brought communities together with his passion and vision, and his contribution to Dana Point is immeasurable.
Don opened Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in 1971 at the Dana Point Harbor. Today, his operation continues to provides accessibility to whale watching and fishing to residents, visitors, and underserved youth under the guidance of Hansen’s daughter, Donna Kalez, and son, Michael Hansen, who continue to work with other stakeholders making Dana Point the premier location to see whales, dolphins and other marine life.
Sadly, Don Hansen passed away earlier this year, but we can all appreciate the vast legacy he has left here in Dana Point.
I encourage you to take advantage of the many wonderful events planned throughout the Festival weekend. There really is something for everyone, from the Saturday morning Festival of Whales Parade to street fairs, art shows and many ocean-related adventures and educational presentations.
In addition to celebrating the magnificent whales that visit our shores, visitors will be able to share in the music, art and talent of our local residents and businesses.
See you at the Festival! With Dana Point officially trademarked as the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®, we are committed to saving our oceans, starting by reducing plastic waste via our new boxed water cartons. Learn more at danapointwhalewatching.com.
By Breeana Greenberg
Living by the ocean his entire life, and having the desire to do something for the community, was all the inspiration that Matt Rinehart needed before using his artistic abilities to design a logo that he submitted for the Festival of Whales.
“I always admired the event art from local artists in San Clemente and Dana Point and knew one day I would like to make something, as well,” Rinehart, a San Clemente resident, explained to Dana Point Times.
Since graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in graphic design, Rinehart, a graphic designer at Starfish Signs and Graphics in San Clemente, hoped to produce a design worthy of an event.
Those hopes were realized this past fall, when the 2022 Festival Foundation Board named Rinehart as the logo artist for the 51st annual Dana Point Festival of Whales.
“I am super excited to have finally made that a reality,” Rinehart said.
The board chose this year’s designer from among its favorites of past entries. Rinehart was runner-up in the 2021 Festival of Whales logo design contest.
“Matt’s logo was a favorite that lived on in our minds over the past year, and we couldn’t be happier to announce his design will be the official logo for the 51st annual Dana Point Festival of Whales,” Event Coordinator Andrea Swayne said.
Read the full story at festivalofwhales.com.
FESTIVAL MERCHANDISE
Logo merchandise will be available for purchase at booths near Dana Wharf and at Baby Beach on both days of the Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
MUCH TO CELEBRATE
By Andrea Swayne, Event Coordinator
The awe-inspiring sight of California gray whales as they cruise the shores of Dana Point each spring, making their way back to their feeding waters in the Bering Sea from the birthing and calving waters in Baja Mexico, is truly something to celebrate.
Just as whales pass Dana Point during their annual 10,000-mile, round-trip journey, generation after generation, the gathering of our human community to witness the spectacle has become a parallel tradition also spanning generations.
As we celebrate the Festival’s 51st year, this time without the late Don Hansen— Festival founder and the originator of whale watching in Dana Point—let us reflect on his impact and the important legacy he leaves behind.
What Hansen set into motion as owner of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching sparked the growth and recognition of Dana Point into a world-renowned destination for witnessing the planet’s largest mammals in the wild. For this reason, the 2022 Dana Point Festival of Whales is being dedicated in his honor.
As a result of the hard work of Hansen’s daughter, Donna Kalez, at the helm of the family business, along with Gisele Anderson of Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari, Dana Point was named in 2021 by the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) as the first and only Whale Heritage Site (WHS) in the Americas.
We’re happy to report that before his passing, Hansen got to witness this important honor being bestowed upon the city.
The WHS program grants formal recognition and accreditation to communities that actively demonstrate the importance of respecting and protecting cetaceans and their ocean habitats by fostering a culture of respect through research, education and conservation.
We encourage you to learn about the WCA and the WHS Program by visiting worldcetaceanalliance.org.
Better yet, find out more by joining us on March 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ocean Institute for a Welcoming of the Whales sunset beachside ceremony by members of the indigenous Juaneño Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation.
Afterward, there will be a kickoff reception with guest speakers, including research scientist Dr. Ari Friedlaender, as well as food, hands-on all-ages educational activities and more.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our cetacean celebration here in our little slice of paradise, Dana Point, the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Purple locations and numbers correspond with the map on the following page.
Friday, March 4
OCEAN INSTITUTE WELCOMING OF THE WHALES 4:45-9 p.m. Beachside Sunset Ceremony by members of the indigenous Acjachemen Nation and Dana Point Surf Club paddle out, followed by a free reception inside the Ocean Institute, with guest speakers, interactive displays and activities, non-alcoholic beverages and food truck cuisine for purchase. 5
Saturday, March 5
ISLAND WAY/DP HARBOR DRIVE FESTIVAL OF WHALES PARADE 10 a.m. Parade starts on the island side of Island Way bridge, heads north over the bridge and then east onto Dana Point Harbor Drive toward Golden Lantern. View from the bridge and DP Harbor Drive. See giant parade balloons, marching bands, military units, floats and more. For more information, call the City of Dana Point Recreation Division at 949.248.3536. 1-8-2 GOLDEN LANTERN/DP HARBOR DRIVE WHALES, TAILS & ALES (STREET FAIR) 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy craft beer, delicious eats, dog costume contests, local artisans, dog-friendly vendors and much more. 2 BABY BEACH CARDBOARD CLASSIC & DINGHY DASH 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Cardboard boat building contest and race with voting, food, celebrity emcee, music and awards. It’s serious fun for competitors and spectators alike! 15 CLAM CHOWDER COOK-OFF 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sample all entries for $10 and vote for your favorites from over a dozen local restaurants. The event also features a beer and wine garden (drinks $5), and live music by the RetroFits. 15 DANA WHARF WYLAND ‘ART LESSONS IN THE WILD’ 9-9:45 a.m. Kids get a video art lesson from the artist Wyland and then create their own work of art aboard the OCean Adventures catamaran for $10. Enter the art contest to win great prizes. Kids get a free ticket for a two-hour whale watching adventure (accompanied by a paying adult). 3 HARBOR WALKWAY DANA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL YOUNG ARTISTS SHOW AND SALE 10 a.m.-4 p.m. High school students from DHHS / SOCSA present artworks in various mediums. See pottery, photography, drawing, painting and more. Booth is on the walkway just west of Island Way. 8 DOHENY STATE BEACH DOHENY STATE BEACH VISITOR’S CENTER OPEN HOUSE TOUR 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Take a tour of the Center and its whale exhibits, followed by a Q&A with a naturalist. 14 HARPOON HENRY’S ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT SOCIETY SHOW 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See antique and classic boats on display in the parking lot directly east of Harpoon Henry’s. Display includes vintage mahogany and fiberglass models. 13 MARINE MAMMAL LECTURE SERIES— ALISA SCHULMAN-JANIGER 10-11 a.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast accompanied by a fascinating talk by Alisa Schulman-Janiger on the California Orca and Gray Whale Census. Admission is $10 for adults, children are free. 13 VIRTUAL CAPT. DAVE’S VIRTUAL SAFARI Can’t get out on the water? Log in for a free, fun and educational virtual dolphin and whale watching safari with live narration from experienced marine wildlife naturalists. High-speed internet connection and Zoom required. Space is limited. Sign up at dolphinsafari.com.
Sunday, March 6
BABY BEACH DIAMOND DIG 9 a.m.-noon. Dig for treasure. Buy a shovel for $10, dress like a pirate and start digging at 11 a.m. Shovel sales begin at 9 a.m. 15 SAILING RIDES & SUP CLINICS 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn to steer and sail a Capri 14 (ages 5 and up) or find out why stand-up paddling is the fastest growing sport on the water (12 and up). $10. Visit westwindsailing.com for details. 7 CONCERT ON THE WATER AND BBQ Noon-5 p.m. Free outdoor concert with three bands performing atop a floating stage. Bring beach chairs and blankets and enjoy an afternoon of great music. A BBQ and Spirits Garden will be open throughout the concert offering food and beverages for purchase.Band Lineup: Noon-12:30 p.m. Drea Sheva (singer/guitarist) 12:30-2:30 p.m. Neon Nation (’80s music) 3-5 p.m. Who’s Zeppelin—Tribute to The Who and Led Zeppelin 15 HARPOON HENRY’S MARINE MAMMAL LECTURE SERIES— KIRSTEN DONALD 10-11 a.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast accompanied by a fascinating talk by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s Kirsten Donald on sea lion entanglement, rehabilitation and research. Admission is for $10 adults, children are free. 13 DANA WHARF KIDS’ FISHING CLINIC AND TRIP 12:15-12:45 p.m. This kids’ dockside fishing clinic will be followed by a fishing trip from 1-5:30 p.m. Adults $59 plus license and equipment. Children 12 and under are $10 with purchase of a full-priced adult ticket. Pre-register at 949.496.5794 ext. 7. 3 OCEAN INSTITUTE STAND UP TO TRASH BEACH CLEANUP 9-11 a.m. Check in at the front of the Ocean Institute to sign up. “BYOB” (bring your own bucket or reusable bag, reusable gloves, water bottle or coffee cup) is encouraged, to help reduce any additional waste, but collection supplies will be available at check-in. After the cleanup, stay for the free Lunch and Learn with a talk by California Sea Grant on the whales of Dana Point. Pre-registration at standuptotrash. com is encouraged. 5
Both Days of Festival
HARBOR WALKWAY AND COURTYARDS DANA POINT FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION SHOW & SALE 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. A variety of art will be on display under the pergola on the Harbor Walkway just east of Harpoon Henry’s. Watercolor, oil, acrylic, colored pencil, pastels and photography by award-winning local artists will be available for purchase. 10 CLASSIC CAR SHOWS 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Car clubs display classics and antiques along the Harbor Walkway. On Saturday see automobiles from the SoCal Woodie Club, Pacific Coast Corvettes, Just Havin’ Fun Car Club, Cool Runnin’ Camaros and Hot Rods Unlimited. On Sunday the Corvettes return and will be joined by a “British Invasion” of motorcars from the Austin Healey Association of SoCal and the Jaguar Owners Club of LA. 9, 10, 11, 12 HARBOR MUSIC SERIES Noon-3 p.m. Enjoy a variety of musical styles at this music series, in the Dana Wharf Courtyard, Mariner’s Village Clock Tower Plaza in front of El Torito and along the Harbor Walkway in front of The Coffee Importers. 3, 8, 13 OCEAN INSTITUTE OCEAN INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Visit to learn more about whales both on land and at sea with hands-on educational activities in the Institute’s lab spaces, check out their unique exhibits or try your luck at spotting whales and other local marine mammals while helping their crew conduct science at sea on board the Research Vessel Sea Explorer. 5 ISLAND WAY / DP HARBOR DRIVE ART IN THE PARK 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Browse through booths of local artisans presenting artwork in a variety of mediums, including painting, photography, gems & fossils, art glass & sea glass, wood, pottery, jewelry, textiles and more. Art in the Park will be held in the west end of the Dana Marina Inn parking lot at Dana Point Harbor Drive & Island Way (the bridge). 8 PARKING LOT JUST EAST OF HARPOON HENRY’S WYLAND FOUNDATION COMMUNITY ART PROGRAMS 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids join in and help paint a community mural. Paint, brushes and aprons will be supplied. Just bring your imagination. Parents stop by on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. for the grand reveal of the new “OC Streams of Hope” Public Art and Community Cleanup Campaign featuring Stella the baby whale. 6 PCH & BLUE LANTERN HISTORIC TOWN CENTER WALKING TOUR 2 p.m. Join Dana Point Historical Society historians to see and hear stories of historic landmarks, exteriors of S. H. Woodruff’s original 1920s planned community as well as Bluff Top Harbor views, c. 1818 to 1939. Meet at the corner of PCH and Blue Lantern for the one-mile, 1½-hour walk on mostly flat surface streets. Reserve a spot at museum@danapointhistorical.org or leave a message at 949.248.8121 indicating the desired day and number in your party. A small donation is suggested. 16 GOLDEN LANTERN & DP HARBOR DRIVE FLUKE: A TAIL OF PLASTIC (WHALE TAIL SCULPTURE) Dana Point Harbor Partners commissioned artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova to construct Fluke: A Tale of Plastic, a life-sized sculpture of an adult gray whale tail made of reclaimed steel, damaged curbside trash bins and single use water bottles. Stockdill and Salnikova aim to connect the scale of the waste and its impact on the ocean. Trash collected locally via Stand Up to Trash cleanup events will be included in the sculpture. Construction will begin on Saturday.
All Month Long
WHALE OF A KIDS’ ART & LITERATURE CONTEST Open to children of all ages. Submit a cute story, poem or artwork themed about the California gray whale and email it to recreation@danapoint.org. Submissions are due March 28. The winning entry will receive a gift card to Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching for a whale watching excursion and a whale/oceanthemed gift basket. WHALE TAIL SCAVENGER HUNT March 5- 27. Eight decorative wooden whale tails will be hidden throughout the Dana Point Harbor area. To enter for a chance to win a whale watching trip for a family of four, and a $300 gift card to local Dana Point businesses, find all eight whale tails, take a photo standing by each, and email all eight photos to recreation@danapoint. org by March 28. And don’t forget to post on social media with the hashtags #DPRecWhaleTailSighting and #festivalofwhales. Please don’t remove any of the whale tails once you have found them. For additional information, contact the City of Dana Point Recreation Division at 949.248.3536. ‘WHALE WORLD CHANGERS’ VIRTUAL EVENTS Tune into Capt. Dave’s YouTube channel for three new discussions premiering March 5: “Make a Difference Wherever You Are,” “Whale and Sea Lion Rescue,” and “Whale and Dolphin Protection,” at youtube.com/c/DolphinsafariDanaPointWhaleWatching.
FESTIVAL OF WHALES EVENT MAP & SHUTTLE
GETTING AROUND
WHALE WATCHING
(Both Days of Festival and Beyond)
DANA WHARF WHALE WATCHING 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Use Dana Wharf’s promo code Fow22 to save $10 off all tickets, excluding special 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. trips. For reservations, call 1.888.224.0603 or visit danawharf.com. CAPT. DAVE’S DOLPHIN & WHALE WATCHING SAFARI 8 a.m.-4 p.m. For a limited time, save 25% when you book a 2½-hour Signature Safari or two-hour Zodiac Safari. Reservations, schedule, and information: 949.488.2828 or visit dolphinsafari.com.
OCEAN INSTITUTE 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For more information or reservations, please visit oceaninstitute.org or call 949.496.2274.
WHALE WATCHING FROM LAND 8 a.m.-4 p.m. During this peak season, 40-50 whales pass by Dana Point each day, using the Dana Point Headlands’ 200-foot cliffs near the harbor as a landmark to check their migration path. Enjoy blufftop viewing from the Headlands Nature Reserve.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Duane Cave of SDG&E
The 501(c)3 nonprofit Dana Point Festival of Whales Foundation has long relied on the generosity of its sponsor partners, one of which is longstanding supporter SDG&E, along with SDG&E External Relations Manager Duane Cave.
For nearly 20 years, Cave has lent the support of SDG&E via the company’s community grant funding program, as well as lending his personal enthusiasm and upbeat personality to its success.
His positivity and involvement have been a treasured gift to the Festival and all who have worked to make it such an important and longstanding Dana Point event.
April will mark Cave’s 45th year with SDG&E and serving the community as a liaison.
“We are all blessed to live in an area that people pay to vacation in. All of this beauty is right in our backyard, and we get to live it every day,” Cave says. “This Festival is such an iconic event, and as a part of the community, it’s important for us, as a company, to participate. A focus on the community is part of the culture SDG&E is built on.”
Letters to The Editor
COUNCILMEMBER HOWARD HART ADDRESSES YES VOTE ON IN-N-OUT
HOWARD HART, San Juan Capistrano Mayor Pro Tem
One of my favorite quotes is from Herbert Spencer. It reads, “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is contempt prior to investigation.”
For the duration of my successful 30year career as a Navy Intelligence Officer, I have learned to allow information to drive my decision-making, and I have brought those practices into office, especially with respect to the recent In-N-Out decision.
During my campaign to be a City Councilmember for District 5, I pledged to closely look at the staff report and its accompanying traffic study, and to critically consider the study’s underlying assumptions prior to deciding on how I cast my vote on the proposal. Quite frankly, at the time I made that promise, I was skeptical of the proposal.
As I prepared to cast my vote: • I closely studied the 500-page staff report and its accompanying 600-pluspage traffic study; • I leveraged my analytical experience to probe for any weaknesses in the traffic study’s conclusions, underlying assumptions, and methodology; • I grilled our City Manager on the fidelity of traffic studies in general, and this one specifically; • I personally stood in front of the Rancho Mission Viejo In-N-Out to count cars in the queue and to time drive-thru throughput (among other things, my observations confirmed that, on average, one car exits the drive-thru window every 35-40 seconds); • And, I studied a recent University of Wisconsin report concerning the accuracy of traffic studies (95% of them—and improving—are within 15% of traffic accuracy, and, on average, they overestimate traffic by 6%).
So, what did the traffic report find? It found that traffic on Del Obispo is bad during certain times of the day, and it will continue to be bad during these hours, regardless of whether or not an In-N-Out restaurant is built there. It concluded that the In-N-Out would have no significant traffic impact on any of the studied intersections and roadway segments, and it found that more than ample room exists for queueing of cars. Finally, it found that the traffic mitigation measures prescribed by the city are appropriate.
As described above, I looked very closely and critically at the report’s underlying assumptions. This report was as rigorously conducted as any I have seen. Far from being a cookie-cutter approach or compromised by COVID, it consisted of measurements taken from locations in Rancho Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel (on La Paz Road) during midday and evening peaks in April and July of 2021. To ensure that COVID restrictions did not impact the study, a growth factor was applied to both historical and current traffic data, and the worst-case numbers were then selected from each one to arrive at the conclusion. Finally, staff asked the traffic engineers to collect additional counts, taken in September 2021, and analyze traffic patterns during the hours of 1:30–4 p.m., in order to take into account San Juan Capistrano’s peculiar school-related traffic patterns.
My opinion was swayed by the evidence.
James Madison and our Founding Fathers established a republican form of government in large part because they feared a repeat of the Athenian experiment, where mob democracy repeatedly trampled on individual rights, and popular passions eventually propelled that city-state into a ruinous war with Sparta. In the American form of government, leaders at the local level are entrusted to balance the interests of the community with the rights of the individual.
Even though I am a liberty-oriented person, I well understand that property rights are not absolute. However, I believe it is improper to deny someone the opportunity to leverage their property for their best interests unless tangible information exists that doing so will undermine the public interest. Such data was absent in this case. Moreover, all prior and subsequent criticism has thus far failed to bring forth any serious discussion of how and/or why the report is deficient.
Even knowing that the decision would be unpopular among some, when all was said and done, it was not a difficult vote to make in support of the project. I promised to look at the report and its underlying assumptions. I did so, and to then squelch on that promise for political reasons would strike me as unethical. I stand by my vote, I am proud of it, and I vow to continue to cast votes based on available information rather than political calculations.
Thank you for your continued trust.
FAST FOOD ROW—AGAIN
EILEEN VANSELL, San Juan Capistrano discarded the nickname “fast food row,” San Juan Capistrano citizens will be forever linked to such unpleasantry thanks to our City Council’s recent approval of In-N- Out in the center of town. What happened to preserving our small-town heritage? No, the current councilmembers feel that attracting freeway stops is more important than a Western welcome to the home of the swallows.
Some will say that the landowner has a right to use his property as he sees fit. The role of the council, however, is not to appease a single landowner to the detriment of the community, especially when the use requires special exceptions. The In-N-Out will most definitely have a negative impact on our lives, as it backs up traffic all along Del Obispo Street all hours of the day and night. Council cites traffic reports as proof that such chaos will not come to pass, but one only has to go to nearby In-N-Out locations at Antonio/Ortega or on Camino Capistrano, or at EVERY other In-N-Out ever built, to see the fallacy of this report. Councilmembers can disagree with information presented to them, and often do. No landowner has the right to receive discretionary permits when his desired property use would bring greater harm to the community.
This property can be used in many other ways which don’t require exceptions to our codes, which will enhance our historic community, and which can provide potential job opportunities to our residents. The In-N-Out is not in character with the overall community plan and is not the only solution for the use of this property. We need something that encourages visitors to park, not drive through, and enjoy multiple local businesses as they visit our quaint town. Councilmember John Taylor correctly stated, “It does not fit the vision (we) have for our downtown.”
I am sorely disappointed with councilmembers Hart, Bourne and Farias, who voted to advance the approval of this property use for an In-N-Out, and I hope that their error will be evident to the rest of the community who will not support them in the next election.
VOTE AGAINST THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO VOTED FOR IN-N-OUT LAURIE ALLEN, San Juan Capistrano
I am a firm supporter of good development in San Juan Capistrano and embrace our position as a tourist destination, because it makes for a lively downtown with bustling shops and restaurants. I also believe that government shouldn’t dictate carte blanche what businesses and landowners can do. However, we do have guidelines and regulations to balance development with negative impact on things like traffic and city design. Clearly, the majority of residents feel that those negative impacts far outweigh the benefits of an In-N-Out burger at this specific site. And, just as clearly, three of our councilmembers chose to fully ignore the citizens they represent (as well as the citizens on the Planning Commission and Design Review and Cultural Heritage committees who all voted NO). Please remember this when you vote again—and vote AGAINST councilmembers Bourne, Farias and Hart. Remember those names and choose someone who truly represents you.
REACTION TO HISTORIC TREE BEING CUT DOWN
CATHY PECHSTEDT, San Juan Capistrano
It stood for over 200 years.
Our First Nations ancestors probably counciled beneath its ample shade.
In those days, it was visible from far away—a natural place to meet.
A tree who witnessed the joys of children at play,
The shy meetings of those in love,
The clandestine parlay of bandits …
It was saved from destruction early in the 20th century by a mayor who had the freeway ramps and streets go around it. What audacity!
It withstood mighty windstorms and droughts—lengthy and agonizing.
Yet, it stood—massive and growing. A giant in a land of few trees of any kind.
For all that—the shedding of a limb at the wrong time, for the wrong reason, spells disaster.
The all-knowing-check-cashing arborist who knows all, sees all, mandates all.
For the tree trying to maintain its life and balance, there could be no quarter.
The assumption that anything of that great an age is defective, ailing … dangerous.
In the interest of “reducing exposure” and “cost effectiveness,” the 200-year old tree was given a capital sentence.
No time given for remembrance—no services of any kind.
A sentinel for over 200 years—burned at the altar of progress.
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