November 22, 2013

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VOLUME 11, ISSUE 22

Getting a GRIP on Gangs Gang intervention program rewards at-risk students with Thanksgiving dinners E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 5

San Juan Capistrano Sheriff’s Deputy Felipe Martinez and San Juan Elementary School fifth-grade student Jaime Ramirez hold up a turkey Ramirez earned as part of the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership’s Thanksgiving incentive program. Photo by Brian Park

Council Drops Investigation Following Chamber Proposal

Marines Killed at Camp Pendleton were Explosives Experts

INSIDE: Holiday Happenings and Gift Guide

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 4

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EYE ON SJC

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

SAN CLEMENTE The issue of the proposed two-story height limit in the downtown T-Zone came before the City Council again Tuesday. This time, the issue confronting the council was just what constitutes the T-Zone. After city officials submitted potential language for the proposed restriction, which would have set a height limit at 35 feet for a two-story building, with allowance for council approval to go higher if topography allowed, Councilman Tim Brown suggested he was unclear about the area the language would effect. Brown said his belief was the restriction included the entirety of Avenida Del Mar to Avenida Serra, as well as buildings on Avenidas Cabrillo and Granada and El Camino Real. The council voted 3-2 to accept a version of the map that included properties on the south side of Avenida Cabrillo and north side of Avenida Granada.

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A state appellate court upheld a lower court’s ruling that a San Clemente medical-marijuana user did not have standing to file suit against Dana Point because he failed to establish that the city’s zoning code infringed upon a protected right. Jeff Schwartz alleged the city’s crackdown on dispensaries violated his right as a patient to control his own health care decisions. Schwartz, an attorney, was a member of Beach Cities Collective, whom he represented in litigation. He also represented fellow Beach Cities member, Malinda Traudt, who unsuccessfully sued the city. The appellate court said that although Schwartz did not have convenient access to marijuana, the city had not prohibited him from cultivating, processing or using it. The court also found that neither the state’s Compassionate Care Act nor the Medical Marijuana Program creates a right to convenient access.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s Up With...

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…the Council Investigation?

THE LATEST: The San Juan Capistrano City Council decided not to move forward with a formal investigation into allegations of council misconduct Tuesday after receiving a peacemaking strategy from the Chamber of Commerce.

In a letter sent to the city Thursday, November 14, Mark Bodenhamer, CEO of the chamber, offered a list of ways the council could begin to restore relations on the dais.

The council reversed course from its decision November 5 to spend $25,000 to hire an independent investigator to look into Councilman Larry Kramer’s allegations of ethical and legal violations by councilmen Roy Byrnes and Derek Reeve.

The City Attorney’s office will now seek the opinion of the state Attorney General regarding Reeve’s role as a council member and as an attorney representing Capistrano Common Sense, publishers of a monthly newspaper, who have been battling with the council majority of Mayor John Taylor and councilmen Sam Allevato and Kramer on the city’s closed session decision to ban news racks at City Hall and the Community Center.

Reeve, who was unable to attend the meeting, sent a letter criticizing the chamber’s suggestion that he, or any other future council member who happened to be a lawyer, be restricted from practicing their profession.

The council also decided to reaffirm their commitment to the Brown Act and directed city staff to survey other cities’ policies on newspaper rack regulation.

WHAT’S NEXT: Council members were also asked to join in the chamber’s public position against the ongoing recall effort against Allevato, citing the estimated $100,000 cost for a special election.

San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Bodenhamer addresses the City Council during a meeting earlier this year. File photo

Allevato found support in his council allies, Kramer and Taylor, but Byrnes abstained from taking a position. In his letter, Reeve said he had not taken a public position and that any decision to recall would be up to residents.

Some residents who spoke at the meeting pleaded with the council to end their bickering and focus on more pressing matters. Others criticized the chamber’s proposal and the meeting itself. Since any investigation would have ultimately looked into the conduct of all council members, resident Lennie DeCaro said the chamber was throwing the council majority a “saving-face lifeline.”

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

– Brian Park

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…the Recall Petition?

THE LATEST: A group of San Juan Capistrano residents looking to recall City Councilman Sam Allevato have begun collecting signatures to enact a special election.

City Clerk Maria Morris notified resident Clint Worthington, who served Allevato with the notice of intent to recall in September, that the format for the recall petition had been approved on Thursday, November 7.

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

Recall organizers, known as Residents for Honest Government, must gather signatures from 20 percent of San Juan Capistrano’s 17,511 registered voters, or 3,503 signatures, for a special recall election, which is estimated to cost $100,000.

Volunteers for the pro-recall movement set up a petition-gathering station at the Vons location on Camino Capistrano and have been going door-to-door.

“It’s actually been very favorable and we’re pleased with the success so far,” Worthington said.

The group has set up a website to update residents on the progress of the recall, as well as to seek out volunteers and financial contributions. Recall organizers sent out an email last Saturday, reiterating their motivations to recall Allevato. They cite Allevato’s ongoing support of the city’s controversial groundwater recovery plant and his February 2010 vote to increase water rates and establish a new tiered rate structure. Those rates were declared illegal by an Orange County Superior Court judge in August in a lawsuit brought on by the Capistrano Taxpayers Association. The City Council voted in early September to appeal that decision.

“Recalling an elected official is a serious act. A recall is not the first option but rather the last resort,” the email read.

Allevato filed his 200-word response to the recall effort with the City Clerk’s office in late September. In it, he defended his voting record, as well as the groundwater recovery plant and water rates. A campaign committee, Friends of Sam Allevato Against the Recall, has also set up a website to update residents and gather support.

WHAT’S NEXT: Recall organizers have until March 7 to turn in the petition. If enough signatures are collected, a special election could take place as early as July.

“It’s not a sprint … It’s going to take time and we’re going to take that time to

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make sure we have more than the minimum,” Worthington said.

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www. thecapistranodispatch.com. – BP

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…San Juan Cares?

THE LATEST: A San Juan Capistrano city commissioner has launched his own effort in response to the swirling controversy in City Hall.

Rob Ferguson, chairman of the Open Space, Trails and Equestrian Commission, formed the group, San Juan Cares, in response to the recall campaign against City Councilman Sam Allevato and the city’s ongoing water rate lawsuit. Ferguson said the group intends to “set the record straight” regarding the city’s controversial groundwater recovery plant.

“The goal is to elevate the discussion of the issues and getting the facts straight.

Things have gotten way too personal and the environment in City Hall has turned sour. It is tough to govern in that environment and we the citizens deserve better,” Ferguson wrote in an email.

The announcement of the new group was made in an email sent by David Ellis, head of the Costa Mesa-based political consulting firm, Delta Partners, LLC. Ellis has 30 years of experience working with public affairs and political campaigns and has previous ties to San Juan Capistrano. In 1990, he managed the successful campaign in favor of the open space bond measure which allowed the city to acquire its Northwest Open Space.

WHAT’S NEXT: Ferguson said San Juan Cares will not be registering with the state Fair Political Practices Commission as a political action committee. San Juan Cares’ website asks for donations, but Ferguson said those funds will go toward their (Cont. on page 4) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 3) communication program and not toward any campaign.

A group must register as a committee if it raises at least $1,000 for a political purpose and expressly advocates for a candidate or cause, said FPPC spokesman Richard Hertz.

Clint Worthington, who served Allevato with the notice of intent to recall, believes the group should register.

“If it smells like a PAC and acts like a PAC, it should file as a PAC,” Worthington said.

Allevato said in an email that his own anti-recall campaign is not related to San Juan Cares.

water bills collected under the tiered rates since February 2010. Irvine-based attorney Dean Zipser and his co-counsel, Newport Beach lawyer Gerald Klein, are representing Jenkins.

Jenkins’ claim heavily cites the city’s ongoing lawsuit with the Capistrano Taxpayers Association. The CTA won the favor of Judge Gregory Munoz, who found that the city’s tiered rate structure violated Proposition 218 because rates were not relative to the cost of service. Munoz also found that the city illegally charged for recycled water “despite the fact that not all ratepayers used recycled water or have it immediately available to them or would ever be able to use it.”

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – BP

WHAT’S NEXT: Ben Benumof, attorney for the CTA, confirmed his firm will be working with Zipser’s and Klein’s firms.

The city appealed Munoz’s final ruling in September and must now file its opening appellate brief by December 24, according to Benumof.

CTA board member Jim Reardon said in an email that Jenkins’ claim was “inevitable,” considering the city’s decision to appeal in the lawsuit.

“After the Munoz ruling, CTA sought to settle the issue with the city. Their response was to file the appeal. Meanwhile, water customers in San Juan continue to be charged the illegal rates that were the issue in that lawsuit and judgment,”

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…a Class-action Water Lawsuit?

THE LATEST: San Juan Capistrano’s contested tiered water rate structure, which was declared illegal by an Orange County Superior Court judge in August, has drawn the legal crosshairs of yet another resident who filed a multi-million dollar claim that could become a class-action lawsuit.

The claim, filed with the City Clerk’s office by John D. Jenkins, seeks $20 to $30 million to be returned to residents from

Reardon wrote. “While injury to these customers continues, we should keep in mind that the illegal rates have been applied for over three years.”

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www. thecapistranodispatch.com. – BP

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THE LATEST: There’s a big pair of cowboy boots to fill on the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association’s Board of Directors after longtime member Kathy Hooper announced last week that she will be stepping down after 31 years.

The Fiesta Association is the all-volunteer nonprofit organization that organizes the Fiesta de las Golondrinas season and its most famous event, the Swallows Day Parade.

Hooper has served in nearly every position on the board, except parade chair and president. She announced her decision in the association’s weekly email blast, sent out Monday, November 11.

“I feel that I have helped build and guide an organization that has been very instrumental in creating the history of San Juan Capistrano and its ‘little parade,’” Hooper wrote. “I think I have outlived my tenure, and it’s time for me to move on.”

Marines Killed at Pendleton were Explosives Experts

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter

Four U.S. Marines killed last week were members of elite explosives team, with combat experience

By Andrea Papagianis and Jim Shilander The Capistrano Dispatch

T

he four U.S. Marines killed Wednesday, November 13 while clearing unexploded arms from a training area on Camp Pendleton were experts on an explosive ordnance disposal team, all with combat experience, military officials said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Marines we lost,” said Brigadier General John W. Bullard, commanding general of the base in a statement. “Explosive Ordnance Disposal is a small and tight-knit community, not just in the Marine Corps, but in the entire U.S. military.”

Officials waited to name the Marines killed until next of kin were notified.

The Marines were identified Thursday evening. Two of the Marines were from Southern California.

Those killed were identified as, Staff Sgt. Matthew R. Marsh, 28, of Long Beach; Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista; Gunnery Sgt. Gregory J. Mullins, 31, of Bayou L’Ourse, La. and Staff Sgt. Eric W.

Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluffs, Mo. All four deployed to Afghanistan last year and were recipients of the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATOMedal ISAF Afghanistan.

The Marines were clearing the Zulu training artillery range of obstructions, in the northern interior of the base, when the incident occurred, officials said. Cause of the accident is under investigation. Officials said the clearing of ordnance from ranges is considered routine maintenance.

The Zulu impact area is used for firing explosive munitions such as grenades, mortars, artillery and rockets, officials confirmed. Munitions may also be dropped from aircraft into the area. Officials said no live-fire training was being conducted in the Zulu area that day.

Three other service members were injured in the accident, including a Navy corpsman and two Marines. All were treated and released after receiving medical treatment at the scene. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

…the Fiesta Association?

COMPILED BY BRIAN PARK All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Monday, November 18 DISTURBANCE El Camino Real, 31400 Block (11:59 a.m.) A woman called from the reference desk at the library, complaining about a man who was accusing her of taking his electronic files.

Board member Jeff Schroeder praised Hooper for her willingness to help other board members and volunteers, on top of her own duties.

“She was very efficient. Very dedicated.

Especially to all the things she did,” Schroeder said. “She didn’t just take on the jobs she was chair of. She was always there to help.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Hooper said there is a new project in the works that she would like to get involved in but wouldn’t elaborate further. Hooper currently serves on the city’s Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission. She is also on the city’s 1/11 Adoption Committee, which sets up events in support of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines at Camp Pendleton and their families.

For all her volunteering efforts, Hooper was added to the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2010. In July, she became the first two-time recipient of the Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year award.

“For me to not be involved in the Fiesta Association leaves a huge hole in my heart.

I’m still there, but I just felt that it’s time for me to get off the board,” Hooper said. “It has been a huge blessing.”

The 56th Swallows Day Parade will take place Saturday, March 22.

FIND OUT MORE: For more on the Fiesta Association, visit www.swallowsparade. com. – BP

and no socks, who was in a kitchen store and making odd statements.

Tuesday, November 12 RECKLESS DRIVING La Novia Avenue, 31500 Block (2:24 p.m.) A subject was seen riding a motor-

cycle up and down the bridle trail behind a park. The motorcyclist was said to be wearing a dark blue shirt and shorts.

Monday, November 11 INVESTIGATE PERSON DOWN Camino Capistrano/La Zanja Street (3:54 p.m.) A man was seen lying on

the sidewalk near the community tennis courts. The caller did not know if the man was a transient.

Sunday, November 10 TRESPASSING Camino Capistrano, 33700 Block (7:44 p.m.) Subjects were seen in the dumpster

Friday, November 15

behind a building. The caller said they were making nearby customers uncomfortable.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Camino Capistrano, 31800 Block (12:44 p.m.) Orange County Fire Authority re-

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Camino Capistrano, 31700 Block (2:05 p.m.) A woman wearing no pants was seen

sponded to a call about a 58-year-old man, wearing a black hoodie with blue jeans

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walking by Starbucks. The caller then hung up the phone, according to dispatch. www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

Getting a GRIP on Gangs Gang intervention program rewards at-risk students with Thanksgiving dinners

By Brian Park The Capistrano Dispatch

T

hanksgiving is less than a week away, but some San Juan Capistrano students have already received their full serving of gratitude—along with a traditional holiday feast—for all their work in their classrooms.

On Wednesday, November 20, more than 800 at-risk students at 43 elementary and middle schools across the county were given high-fives, hugs and full Thanksgiving turkey dinners to feed their families, as part of the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership.

Officials from the county District Attorney’s office, along with the Sheriff’s, police and probation departments, joined with school administrators and volunteers to hand out the meals to students who had successfully met goals laid out at the beginning of the school year by GRIP. In San Juan Capistrano, students and their families were met with applause as they came to receive their Thanksgiving meals at San Juan, Del Obispo and Kinoshita elementary schools.

“They said that if you made good decisions you’d win a turkey for your whole family. That made me feel happy and kind of sad because the turkey is big and we don’t know what to do with it,” said Jaime Ramirez, a fifth-grader at San Juan Elementary. “It made me feel really excited because my mom really works hard for us.”

More than 1,000 students, identified to be at-risk of joining a gang, were given the challenge of improving their behavior, grades and attendance. Since starting in 2008, GRIP has administered a number of incentive programs to steer elementary and middle school students away from gangs. In addition to the Thanksgiving challenge, which is in its fourth year, GRIP sets similar goals for students for a chance to meet Anaheim Angels baseball players and take in a game at Angel Stadium annually.

But the Thanksgiving challenge provides a unique opportunity for students, according to GRIP Director and Deputy District Attorney Tracy Rinauro.

“When kids get a chance to earn something for themselves, you get a good reaction. But when you give them an opportunity to earn something for their families, it’s a different reaction,” Rinauro said.

The meals, which cost more than $25,000 and were donated by Ralphs/Food 4 Less and Saddleback Church, are large enough to feed a family of 10 and include all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings.

In speaking with the students at the beginning of the school year, Rinauro said many of them said they had never had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. She recalled one instance when a student was

San Juan Capistrano Sheriff’s Deputy Felipe Martinez hands San Juan Elementary School fourth-grade student Kayla Teliz a bag of Thanksgiving food items as Teliz’s father, Miguel Aguilar, looks on. Photo by Brian Park

“The pressure these kids deal with is enormous. Do they still want to be an accepted member of the group or do they want to be an outcast?

That’s why outreach is so critically important. They need to know that there are people here who care about them, who want to reward them for positive decisions.”

– Lt. John Meyer, Chief of Police Services overcome with emotion at the chance to help feed his family.

“We presented it to an eighth-grade boy and he started crying,” Rinauro said.

“He had tears in his eyes because we had asked the students to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like to earn that goal and win something for their families.”

Kayla Teliz, a fourth-grader at San Juan Elementary, said she was surprised when she learned she’d be receiving a full meal for her family.

“I told my mom first and she was surprised. She said, ‘Wow. We don’t have to buy the turkey anymore,’” said Teliz.

“Turkey is my favorite Thanksgiving food, but what I like most (about Thanksgiving) is having fun with our families.”

In addition to meeting with students, local GRIP committees, made up of teachers, law enforcement officials and community volunteers, reach out to their families.

Rinauro said it is important to open a dialogue with parents and guardians, who are either unaware their children are

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

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Ralphs/Food 4 Less and Saddleback Church donated $25,000 worth of Thanksgiving meals to the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership, which rewarded at-risk students for good behavior, attendance and grades on Wednesday, November 20. Photo by Brian Park

susceptible to gangs or do not know what to do.

“This program tries to show that law enforcement cares about them, that they want to be a part of the solution and they don’t want to be arresting them at the other end,” Rinauro said.

There are more than 300 organized criminal street gangs in Orange County and approximately 13,000 active participants, according to Rinauro, who spent several years prosecuting gangs before GRIP. San Juan Capistrano is home to one recognized gang, according to Lt. John Meyer, the city’s chief of police services. The city is also one of only six in the county to have permanent gang injunctions, civil court orders that prohibit documented gang members from participating in activities that aren’t necessarily criminal, like harassment and intimidation, within a designated area. San Juan Capistrano has two gang injunction areas,

one located just south of Capistrano Valley High School and another, larger zone, between Junipero Serra Road and Del Obispo Street.

Rinauro and Meyer both said programs like GRIP have to reach out to elementary and middle school students because by the time they get to high school, it is often too late. Although young children aren’t always identified as active gang members, they are often recruited or pressured by older members to sell drugs or act as lookouts for law enforcement.

“GRIP is not about the active gang members. It’s about the kids who are still impressionable, who still have a choice, and it’s about steering them away from that funnel,” Meyer said. “The pressure these kids deal with is enormous. Do they still want to be an accepted member of the group or do they want to be an outcast? That’s why outreach is so critically important. They need to know that there are people here who care about them, who want to reward them for positive decisions.”

Gang injunctions in San Juan Capistrano were met with pushback by the residents living within them, largely Latino communities, according to former mayor Joe Soto, who sat on the City Council when they were first put in place and when GRIP was implemented. Soto, the city’s first Latino mayor, said many in the community felt they were being targeted by the injunctions.

“It was a tough pill to swallow for the Latino community,” Soto said. “There was quite a bit of resistance from those communities.”

Changes in attitude, however, eventually came with consistent results. Through GRIP and local outreach programs, Soto said Latino residents began to see a concerted effort from law enforcement officials and the benefits to the youth.

“Beat officers became more receptive to the concerns of the Latino community, and they began to develop bonds and friendships,” Soto said. “Whereas before they would only show up if there was a major problem, they began to patrol and made it a point to stop, get out of their vehicles and chat with kids. That barrier was broken in a very positive way.”

Indeed, things have changed in these neighborhoods, according to Meyer. As he and his deputies have taken up more outreach efforts, like crime prevention meetings and greeter programs, Meyer said residents have begun to communicate more openly with his deputies.

“We’re starting to get more people in these communities calling us. Sometimes it’s anonymous, but nonetheless, they’re important calls that will help us to solve crimes or to be present when crimes are occurring. People know that we care,” Meyer said. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.thecapistranodispatch.com The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 11, Issue 22. The Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch ) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (www.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 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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GUEST OPINION: By Roy Byrnes, San Juan Capistrano City Councilman

Things Will Get Better Despite the current state of affairs, the City Council will find a way to move forward

L

et’s not overreact to the present City Council emotional fuss. Local government, including police and fire protection, continues to function normally.

Potholes in our streets are undisturbed and safe drinking water is readily available—if you don’t mind the price. My advice is: Let’s all cool down and relax.

Active disagreement is not necessarily bad. In fact, the vigorous clash of competing ideas has been at the core of democracy since ancient times. We can have disagreement about ideas, i.e., policy—not personalities.

It’s well known that I’m critical of the city’s groundwater recovery plant, otherwise known as the water factory.

It is too costly, too unreliable and not appropriate for a community of this size.

But, I’m ready to change my view when someone presents convincing, contrary facts. Nevertheless, the GWRP concept is an alluring idea, so long as one is prepared

to ignore its cost.

The upcoming recall of Councilman Sam Allevato is sure to strain our best intentions. In perusing a local newspaper’s recent article, I learned that anti-recall elements have hired David Ellis, the Roy Byrnes formidable professional public image-maker known as “the fixer.”

The news article said: “Ellis’ presence in a town the size of San Juan indicates Allevato’s supporters may be concerned about the attempted recall.” The idea of highly paid, professional “consultants” manipulating our town’s elections bothers me greatly—smacks of “Chicago-style politics.” When a notorious hired gunslinger comes galloping down Main Street, I start to wonder.

So, I guess that political mudslinging may continue awhile longer. Please keep

calm. Remember that those who sling mud lose ground. Democracy requires that we evaluate issues more carefully. For example, are you aware of any other city anywhere that seeks to self-manufacture two-thirds of its drinking water? Have you ever heard of a government agency that defies a lawful order of a state court?

Answers to these questions may raise your distress level, but I assure you that our municipal life will continue. Our community isn’t completely reliant on anyone who sits on our City Council. The strength of this community is in its civil involvement, pro and con, as well as our unique heritage. In my 42 years of involvement, I’ve seen San Juan Capistrano survive much worse than our present sad civic leadership. This political season will pass, and inevitably, we will come together to celebrate that which we all treasure.

So, dear fellow citizens, please don’t despair. Chin up! All five of your City Council

members will find a way to march on together. Ultimately, we’ll build a stronger, better San Juan Capistrano.

Roy L. Byrnes, M.D. is a 54-year resident of San Juan Capistrano. He was elected to the City Council December 2012 and currently serves as chair of the city’s Housing Authority. Byrnes previously served on the council from 1972 to 1976, including two years as mayor. From 1959 until his retirement in 1994, Byrnes was a certified pathologist, working with physicians, clinics and hospitals in Orange County. Byrnes was also an associate clinical professor of pathology at UC Irvine. 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 editor@ capistranodispatch.com

Letters to the Editor COUNCIL NEEDS TO ‘GROW UP’ —Larry North, San Juan Capistrano I didn’t believe that I could get any more disgusted by the majority of my elected government officials, and yet, here in the quaint backyard of San Juan Capistrano, we have a near exact mirror of the steaming pile of dog poop happening in our nation’s capital, albeit on a smaller scale.

Between the backstabbing, name-calling and fierce partisanship, you all ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You call yourselves men, but you are nothing of the sort. You’re more like little boys who take their toys and storm home when something doesn’t go their way. Real represen-

tatives would spend their time understanding the issues that face this city, delivering their perspective and recommendations, listening to others deliver their side, and, if at odds with their own, finding some middle ground to work upon and get on with the work we hired you to do.

Hey, life is filled with discord. The true litmus test of the qualities that make up a real representative is being able to stand above the others to make things happen.

Those who feel that the now common “my way or the highway” method is the way to go should find the under-construction onramp at Ortega and find their own peace elsewhere. We citizens neither want, nor need, you here at all.

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

I occasionally don’t like and sometimes completely disagree with things my supervisors and colleagues do at the office. But once I’ve given my pitch to attempt to persuade the direction, I back down and move forward because wasting time grandstanding does not benefit our shareholders. Our City Council seems to think stonewalling is perfect political practice—and apparently think that this somehow helps the city and its citizens.

Having gone to a few recent council meetings, it’s the same shtick: A line of blowhards shouting at one another and somehow thinking that they’ve accomplished something. It makes me want to cry.

This is a great city with outstanding po-

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tential to become even better. Having been here for more than 14 years, I want it to get better still—and it’s come a long way since I got here in 1999. But with the current line of management, we’re doomed to waste valuable time, money, and effort— all to our city’s and citizens’ detriment.

Grow up. Find some decency and stop wetting yourselves each week, or move on with your lives elsewhere.

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@thecapistranodispatch.com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. The Capistrano Dispatch 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.

GETTING OUT

ON STAGE AT THE COACH HOUSE: MARK CHESNUTT Mark Chesnutt is set to take the stage at The Coach House, Friday, November 22, as part of a five-show tour through California. Chesnutt hit the country scene in the early 1990s with his debut album Too Cold at Home and has since released a staggering 15 full-length albums. Chesnutt’s musical resume includes 14 No. 1 hits, 23 top ten singles, four platinum albums and five gold records—not to mention a substantial amount of radio play on traditional and satellite radio.

What’s next for this 30-year veteran of the music industry? Chesnutt said he loves releasing singles, his main focus of late, but he also has a new CD in the works.

He also expressed excitement about the California leg of his tour. “I love playing in California, the people in California always stood by me,” Chestnutt said. “I have a strong core audience (here) and I’ll do what it takes to keep my fans happy.”

Skyline Drive will open for Chesnutt. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased, along with dinner reservations, online at www.thecoachhouse.com or by calling 949.496.8930. The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. —Victor Carno

YOUR TWO-WEEK EVENT PLANNER

Mark Chesnutt. Courtesy photo

THE LIST

A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

friday

22

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL TOTEM 8 p.m. Special performance at the Orange County Great Park. 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, 866.829.3829, www.cirquedusoleil.com.

saturday

AL JARREAU 10 a.m.-Noon.

Grammy Award-winning vocalist Al Jarreau will be at Saddleback College for the “Breakfast with Gary and Kelly” radio for TV broadcast; a studio audience will be welcomed in for the show. 28000 Marguerite Pkwy., Mission Viejo, 949.582.4656, www.saddleback.edu.

23

sunday

FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA’S 300TH BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The Mission celebrates the 300th anniversary of Father Junipero Serra’s birthday including a historic bell ringing ceremony, birthday cake, tours and more.

Free with paid admission, $6–$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

24

MIKE HAMILTON Noon-4 p.m. Live music at Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.240.8055, www.missiongrillsjc.com.

monday

25

MACARON CLASS 5 p.m.

A special French macaron class with Chef Kat at The Cellar.

Cost $65. 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3663, www.thecellarsite.com.

tuesday

KNITLIT, THE KNITTING BOOK GROUP 6 p.m. Bring your knitting or other project and join a lively discussion of the latest book at the San Juan Capistrano Library; book lists online. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

26

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

wednesday

FAM’S THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY DINNER AND ADOPTA-FAMILY 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Annual Thanksgiving meal for people in need at the San Clemente Community Center. Volunteers welcome. 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente, 949.492.8477. ext. 115, www.family-assitance.org.

27

thursday

DANA POINT TURKEY TROT 7 a.m. “Run the race before you stuff your face” along with more than 12,000 participants in a 5K, 10K, Kids’ Gobble Wobble and more.

Event starts at Golden Lantern and Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.1555, www.turkeytrot.com.

28

friday

29

J.D. CRAWFORD 8 p.m.

Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 8 p.m. The classic holiday play debuts at Camino Real Playhouse. Preview night tickets $18; regular shows $24. Shows through Dec. 22. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

saturday

THE ARK OF SAN JUAN PET ADOPTIONS 10 a.m.4 p.m. Dogs, cats and kittens for adoption at PetSmart in the Costco/Staples plaza.

33963 Doheny Park Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org.

30

sunday

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR 1 p.m. Meet at the train depot platform for the Historical Society’s guided tour of San Juan Capistrano. Every Sunday. Cost $2-$4. More info: 949.493.8444, www.sjchistoricalsociety.com.

01

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY 4 p.m.6 p.m. Kaleidoscope’s holiday tree lighting with a performance of “The Nutcracker.” 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy., Mission Viejo, 949.582.1948, www.gokaleidoscope.com.

Page 8

monday

COUNTRY DANCIN’ WITH PATRICK AND FRIENDS 6:30 p.m. Every Monday at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

tuesday

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME 11:15 a.m. Children ages 3-6 are invited for stories, songs, crafts and fun at the library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

02 03

wednesday

NETWORK BREAKFAST MIXER 7:30 a.m.9 a.m. Join the chamber for breakfast at the Vintage Steakhouse. $15-$25.

26701-B Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

04

thursday

05

GARDEN ANGELS 8:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet at Los Rios Park to help maintain the garden. 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

UPCOMING EVENTS: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Holiday event at the Community Presbyterian Church with a visit from Santa, crafts, a bounce house and more. 32202 Del Obispo, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1502, www.sjcpres.com.

CHRISTMAS AT THE MISSION 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Celebrate the holidays at the Mission with live music, activities, food vendors and more. $3–$5. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 SJC CHAMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY 5:30 p.m.7:30 p.m. Join the SJC Chamber of Commerce at the Residence Inn. $15-$25. 33711 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com. *For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

Have an event?

Send your listing to events@thecapistranodispatch.com www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Holiday Happenings and Gift Guide

Hot Picks

The Gathering of Friends Cookbook “A Year of Holidays” Vol. Six $32.99 TWO DOORS DOWN 32291 Camino Capistrano #B, San Juan Capistrano 949.443.1783

Hawaiian Koa Wood Rings Sale $199 ZIA JEWELRY 31761 Camino Capistrano #3, San Juan Capistrano 949.493.1322 ZiaJewelryOnline.com

Rosy Rings Hand Poured Candles THE NEST 31711 Los Rios Street San Juan Capistrano 949.661.1395

SJC LIVING

4

LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Saturday 11.23

Saturday 12.7

Tuesday 12.10

Traffic Delay 7 a.m.-9 a.m. The Orange County Flood Control District will move an oversized crane on Del Obispo Street between Alipaz and Paseo Adelanto. Traffic will be delayed while the crane crosses the bridge. For information call 949.443.6353.

Tree Lighting Ceremony 4 p.m.9 p.m. The city hosts the annual tree lighting ceremony at Historic Town Center Park, 31851 El Camino Real.

Several downtown businesses and organizations will also be hosting special sales and activities. A free shuttle will ferry residents to and from the event between 3:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. For a full list of activities, download the event flier from the calendar section of the city’s website at www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Water Forum 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

The community is invited to a free forum hosted by the city on the state of water in San Juan Capistrano. City staff and water industry professionals will be on hand to answer questions about water, rates and water-use efficiency. Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion. For more information, contact Francie Kennedy, the city’s water conservation coordinator, at 949.487.4304.

Friday 12.6 Coffee Chat 8 a.m. A town hall forum on community issues, hosted by Jonathan Volzke. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano.

GUEST OPINION: By Tom Blake

Heartbreaking News Hits Home Former relative reflects on the disappearance of the McStay family and the discovery of their remains in San Bernardino County

F

or me, Friday, November 15, 2013, was one of the most difficult days of my life. The reason why is very personal and hard to write about. But, if writing about it helps brings attention to a homicide, I feel I must speak up.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I helped raise two stepsons—Joseph “Joey” and Michael “Mikey” McStay.

Their mother Susan and I were married for six years. We lived in Dana Point.

On February 4, 2010, Joey, his wife Summer and their two young children, ages 4 and 3, disappeared from their north San Diego County home. They left food on the table, their beloved dogs behind and $80,000 in the bank.

So it didn’t appear they left voluntarily.

However, four days later, their car was found parked in a shopping center near the Mexican border. People speculated they had left on their own. After almost three years of investigating the case, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department decided that’s what had happened, and dropped the investigation.

National media featured the case, including “America’s Most Wanted” and other national shows. People across America were baffled by the family’s disappearance.

Almost every day since, I kept hoping that I would hear positive news or Joey would call me saying that he and his family were safe.

On Thursday night, November 14, I received a phone call from Mikey. I could tell by the sound of his voice that the news wasn’t good. He said, “They’re all gone.” I couldn’t process his words. I kept asking, “Are you sure?”

Earlier in the week, an off-road motorcyclist noticed human bones in the San Bernardino desert near Victorville.

He notified authorities, who found the remains of four people in two shallow graves. Dental records confirmed that two of the bodies were Joey and Summer. The other two bodies had not been positively identified at the time, but were presumed to be those of the two boys.

A press conference about the case was held Friday morning, November 15, at the San Bernardino sheriff’s office. The conference was broadcast across the nation.

To see my former wife, Susan, and her son, Mikey, in such a state of grief tore my heart apart.

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

I muddled through the rest of the day, unable to process the news, unable to comprehend such a terrible act. It seemed every time I turned on the radio, the television or the Internet, the news regarding the discovery of the McStay family remains was featured.

Reality struck at about 3:30 p.m. for me. I was pulling into the shopping cenTom Blake ter near Del Avion and Golden Lantern streets in Dana Point to have my cell phone inspected at the AT&T store. On KNX radio, Scott Pelly of the CBS-TV national evening news was doing a promo for his show that night. The entire two minutes was devoted to the McStay family. I thought to myself, “Oh my God, I was in this very shopping center at least 25 times with Joey when we lived together.” It just seemed so surreal.

Yes, I have spoken to Susan. She said, “I am numb. I never imagined this outcome. I never gave up hope. Now, there’s a new focus on the case.”

She’s a brave woman.

The case is now being investigated as a homicide by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. Let’s hope whoever murdered this family is brought to justice.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Tom Blake is the owner of Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point and the regular contributor of the bi-monthly column in The Capistrano Dispatch, “On Life and Love After 50.” In the late 1980s, Tom was married to Susan McStay, mother of Joseph McStay, whose remains along with his wife, Summer, and two young boys, Gianni and Joseph Jr., were found in San Bernardino County on Monday, November 11. The family lived in San Clemente where Joseph owned a business. The McStay’s moved to San Diego County shortly before their disappearance in February 2010. CD

Thanks to a $6,000 donation from the Capistrano Auto Center, a new sign will welcome residents into downtown San Juan Capistrano. Photo by Brian Park

A New Welcome City officials and local business leaders gathered at the corner of El Camino Real and Ortega Highway Tuesday to dedicate the city’s new welcome sign. The sign, which spans across Ortega Highway, reads “Welcome to San Juan Capistrano,” and at night, becomes illuminated. The project was born out of the Economic Preservation Committee, a group of local business leaders, led by former councilwoman Laura Freese, formed last year to find creative solutions to mitigate the effects of the Ortega Highway interchange project. The Capistrano Auto Center, a coalition of six local auto dealerships, stepped up to help the committee and footed the $6,000 bill for the sign. – Brian Park

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The 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 The Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Page 14

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

Protecting the Pint-sized AP science students expand endangered Pacific pocket mouse habitat

By Andrea Papagianis The Capistrano Dispatch

D

ozens of Advanced Placement science students from San Juan Hills, Dana Hills and San Clemente high schools took part Saturday in a habitat expansion project for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse at the Dana Point Preserve.

The Pacific pocket mouse once inhabited coastal areas from Los Angeles County to Mexico. They were believed extinct until 1993, when they were found in the Dana Point headlands. The species was listed as endangered by the federal government in 1994.

In Dana Point, researchers monitor the mice yearly by tracking their movements.

Currently, pocket mice are known to inhabit about 50 percent of the 29.4-acre Dana Point Preserve. There are about 100 pocket mice in the Headlands, but their elusive nature makes them hard to

Pacific pocket mouse. Photo courtesy of the Center for Natural Land Management

quantify, said LeeAnn Carranza regional preserve manager for the Center of Natural Land Management, which owns the local preserve.

Working in teams the students methodically removed dead shrubs, mimicking the effects of a fire’s clearing power.

The partnership with local high schools was the first of its kind. But with the success of this year’s program, and students showing their physical strength and stewardship toward the environment, the partnered work is something Carranza hopes to continue annually.

Learn more about the Pacific pocket mouse habitat by visiting the Nature Interpretive Center, 34558 Scenic Drive. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, but is closed Mondays. CD

San Juan Resident Wins Best Global Female Dancer Award

By Megan Bianco The Capistrano Dispatch

S

an Juan Capistrano resident and multi-time dance champion Sharon Savoy was awarded a new accolade, the prestigious Best Global Female Dancer title at the 10th annual Huading Awards in Macao, China in October.

Savoy trained at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York and is a three-time “Star Search” dance champion.

Locally, she continues to dance, in addition

San Juan Capistrano resident Sharon Savoy with actress Nicole Kidman during the 10th annual Huading Awards in Macao, China, where Savoy won the Best Global Female Dancer award. Photo by Mike Tuttle

Page 15

to teaching private lessons. She was also a judge for “Dancing for Tomorrow’s Stars” for the Assistance League of NewportMesa last spring. She’s also published her own book, Ballroom! Obsession and Passion Inside the World of Competitive Dancing.

Savoy describes her style of dance as a mix of ballet and ballroom with figure skating influences. She was informed of her win by a phone call only 10 days before the ceremony. “It was a complete shock,” Savoy said.

Other recipients in attendance included actors Jeremy Irons and Matthew Perry and singer Avril Lavigne. The people’s choice-type awards are compiled from nominations from 21 countries, where Englishman, Irons was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award and Canadian, Lavigne performed live.

At the awards show, Savoy walked the red carpet beside actor Nicholas Cage and sat next to actress Nicole Kidman for dinner.

“Nicole was lovely and beautiful in person,” Savoy said of her dinner companion.

“It was a pleasant surprise and a wonderful time.” CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS SUBMIT YOUR CLASSIFIED AD ONLINE AT WWW.THECAPISTRANODISPATCH.COM

FOR SALE QUEEN PILLOW TOP MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING Brand New. Never Used. Still in Manufacturers sealed plastic with warranty. $195 Call 949-436-6850

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@thecapistranodispatch.com DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE

HELP WANTED MACHINE REPAIR TECHNICIAN – ENTRY LEVEL Job for Machine Repair Technician Trainee. Previous experience at tools a plus but we are willing to train the right person as apprentice trainee. Job requires candidate to repair and maintain industrial machinery.

Must have clean CA drivers license record.

Random drug testing. Local residents from Mission Viejo/San Juan Capistrano preferred.

Send resume via fax to 94.276.4231 or email md-aerospacemts@cox.net.

Do you want to reach 24,150+ people in the San Juan Capistrano area? *2.1 readership per 11,500 copies distributed

Then you need to be in The Capistrano Dispatch. Call us today!

949.388.7700 ext. 104

Call 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

Locals Only

BUSINESS DIRECTORY The only directory featuring San Juan Capistrano businesses exclusively AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.1321 27126 Paseo Espada, Suite 1604, www.oasisair.com

Independence Bank 32291 Camino Capistrano, Suite A, www.independence-bank.net

949.373.8963

949.350.4692

ELECTRICIANS Excel Electric 949.493.7769 32238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS Excel Electric - CA #793860 949.493.7769 32238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

HOME ORGANIZATION

A to Z Leak Detection www.atozleakdetection.com Chick’s Plumbing www.chicks-plumbing.com

949.499.4464 949.496.9731

PRINTING Printing OC 949.388.4888 27134 Paseo Espada #B 203, www.printingoc.com

ROOF MANAGEMENT SERVICES Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc. 33208 Paseo De Cerveza, Ste. B

949.212.0499

SCHOOLS

Karen Fischer, Professional Organizer, Get Organized and Move!

949.355.3487 www.getorganizedandmove.com

JEWELER Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design 949.493.3632 32382 Del Obispo, Ste. C-3, www.abbysdesigns.com

LANDSCAPING

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

San Juan Photo & Digital 949.661.5668 32301 Camino Capistrano, www.sjcphotodigital.com

PLUMBING

COINS

Vermeulen’s Landscaping Inc. bvland@cox.net

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.5388 31942 Paseo Sagrado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

BANKING

GraCorp Coins & Collectibles www.gracorpcoins.com

MOLD REMOVAL

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools 949.493.5683 32032 Del Obispo Street, www.cvcs.org

TILE & STONE INSTALLATION/ RESTORATION Yorba Linda Tile & Marble, Inc. 714.757.3490 www.yorbalindatilemarble.com, CA License #789312

WATER DAMAGE 949.661.0967

Page 17

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.5388 31942 Paseo Sagrado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

Holiday Sale & Chairty Event! *Top Quality Handbag Sale* - Dooney & Bourke, Tignanello, B.Makowsky and more! By Dress Well Boutique. Co-Hosted with Cam Graeber, Keller Williams OC Coastal Realty (949) 533-7435. Mention your favorite charity and 20% of your total purchase will be donated to the charity of your choice! Saturday November 2nd, 10am-4pm. 33712 Calle Miramar, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 *(OR SHOWING ON OTHER DAYS BY APPOINTMENT)* Call Toll Free (855) 445-9881. www.DressWellBoutique.com

WINDOW TINTING Bayside Window Cleaning, Inc. www.baysidewindowcleaning.com

949.215.2323

WOMEN’S CLOTHING & HANDBAG BOUTIQUE Dress Well Boutique 949.922.8044 33712 Calle Miramar, www.DressWellBoutique.com

LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN “LOCALS ONLY” Call today! Contact Angela Edwards at 949.682.1667 or email aedwards@thecapistranodispatch.com.

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SPORTS

5

& OUTDOORS

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

SAN JUAN AREA HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF UPDATE

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

Quarterback Josh Davis and the St. Margaret’s football team will play against Rim of the World in the second round of the playoffs Friday. File photo

Football • The St. Margaret’s football team is into the second round of the CIF-SS East Valley Division Championships following a convincing 49-6 first-round win over Twenty Nine Palms. The Tartans opponent in the second round, Rim of the World, is a familiar one. Rim of the World defeated the Tartans 28-14 in the second round last season.

Saddleback Valley Christian will travel to play Desert in the second round of the CIF-SS Northeast Division on Friday. The Warriors defeated Cali-

fornia Military 68-7 in the first round.

Quarterback Jake Markum threw for 168 yards and three touchdown passes. Running back Justin Sanchez ran for 112 yards and three scores.

Girls Volleyball • The St. Margaret’s girls volleyball team advanced to the CIF-SS Division 3A Championship quarterfinals but lost to Aquinas in five sets.

San Juan Hills made it to the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 1A Championships, but lost to Notre Dame in four sets. — Steve Breazeale

San Juan Area Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent

S

onship last season. In the championship game against Harvard-Westlake, Edington scored five goals in the final 24 minutes of play to help lift St. Margaret’s to a 15-8 win and the top of the southern California high school lacrosse world.

St. Margaret’s Senior Anthony Cecere signed his letter of intent to play golf at Pepperdine University. Cecere placed T-40 at the CIF-SS Southern Division Individual Regional last May. Hunter Edington will play lacrosse for Manhattan College next year. Edington was a crucial part of the Tartans run to a US Lacrosse Southern Section Champi-

San Juan Hills Justine Bowers signed her letter of intent to play volleyball for Gardner-Webb University, North Carolina.

Bowers was a three-time team captain for the Stallions. Bowers was named second team All-Sea View League in 2010 and was named to the first team in 2012. She was also a member of the Stallions track and field team, competing in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles.

Abriana Conklin signed to play basketball at the University of California San Diego. The co-captain is a four-year varsity member. As a junior, Conklin averaged 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game and was named first team AllSea View League.

Courtney McKeag signed to play volley-

By Steve Breazeale The Capistrano Dispatch

everal San Juan Capistrano high schools held a National Letter of Intent signing day for the fall period on November 13, honoring the athletes who will take their talents to the collegiate level.

The sports that were eligible to officially declare their intent to a university included: baseball, basketball, golf, hockey, lacrosse, softball, swimming, diving, wrestling, tennis, volleyball and women’s water polo.

St. Margaret’s seniors Hunter Edington, left, and Anthony Cecere sign their National Letter of Intent on November 13. Photo courtesy of St. Margaret’s Athletics

ball for the University of South Carolina, Columbia. The varsity team co-captain was a member of USA High Performance Volleyball from 2011-2012 and won the coaches award for the Frosh/Soph team in 2010.

Mikena Werner signed to play volleyball at Claremont McKenna College. Werner was a four-year varsity letterman and team captain for the Stallions. She was named second team All-Sea View League in 2012 and first team in 2013. She has played in the Junior Olympics five times. Werner

was named the team MVP in 2012.

Logan Zotovich signed his letter of intent to play volleyball at the University of California Irvine. Zotovich is a two-time captain of the Stallions boys volleyball team and was named first team All-Sea View League in 2013.

Brook Milo signed to play softball at Towson University. Milo is the current single season and career record holder at San Juan Hills in hits, RBIs and home runs. She was named first team All-Sea View League in 2012 and is a two-time team MVP. Capistrano Valley Christian Parker Coss signed to play baseball at UCI. Coss, an infielder, batted .337, held a .407 onbase percentage, stole 14 bases and tallied 40 RBIs as a junior.

Taylor Fajardo signed with Abilene Christian University.

Coss and Fajardo are the second and third Eagles players in the last two years to sign to NCAA Division 1 programs. CD

Wild Ending Puts Stallions Into Second Round of Playoffs

By Jim Shilander The Capistrano Dispatch

S

an Juan Hills quarterback Jacob Gibson had just thrown a 59-yard touchdown to put his team in front of visiting Fountain Valley 28-27 in the fourth quarter. But it was in his role as the Stallions’ punter that may have saved the team’s playoff hopes on Friday.

When the snap sailed over Gibson’s head from the Fountain Valley 44-yard line, and with Barons rushing toward him, Gibson managed to get off a kick that netted field position for the Stallions, averting a disaster that could have turned the game.

Fountain Valley’s next possession failed to gain positive yardage, but they still had

two final chances with 10 seconds remaining.

After an incompletion, San Juan Hills’ Nathan Montelongo intercepted the Barons last gasp attempt, sealing a win for the Stallions in the first round of the CIF-SS Southwest Division playoffs.

San Juan Hills will travel to play Huntington Beach on November 22 in the second round.

The Stallions defense forced four turnovers, including three inside their own 10-yard line during the game, which kept things close.

The first turnover came on the first drive of the game, as the Stallions recovered a fumble at the six. The Stallions capitalized, as Jordan Pape hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass for the game’s

The Capistrano Dispatch November 22-December 12, 2013

first score.

The Barons struck back quickly, as receiver Noah Rivard hauled in a 22-yard pass, making it 7-7.

The Barons then took advantage of a Gibson mistake, returning an interception for a 25-yard score and the lead.

The Stallions responded on their next drive, going 75 yards, and ended it on a three-yard pass from Gibson to Aguilar on fourth-and-goal. However, a two-point try was snuffed out by the Barons, who scored again just before the half to take a 21-13 lead into the break.

It didn’t start well for San Juan Hills in the second half, as the Stallions turned the ball over on their first play. But the defense forced a second Baron fumble, this time taking over at the four-yard line.

Page 18

After a Stallions three-and-out, Fountain Valley took over, but again, San Juan Hills forced another turnover following a Jacob Buchanan interception. This time, the Stallions moved the ball, using a Kolton McCluskey 62-yard catch and a Mike Miscione two-yard run to score. McCluskey caught the ensuing two-point conversion pass, setting up a close fourth quarter.

Baron kicker Jonah Mack hit his second field goal of the game to put Fountain Valley up 27-21 with just over six minutes left.

Montelongo returned the ensuing kickoff to the Stallion 42. After Miscione rushed for no gain, Gibson just missed a receiver open behind the defense. However, on the next play, he found Miscione for a 58-yard touchdown pass and the win.

CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com