September 14, 2018

INSIDE: Your Guide to The Shea Center’s 40th Annual BBQ SPECIAL SECTION

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

SEPTEMBER 14–27, 2018 • VOLUME 16, ISSUE 17

Riding into Year 40 Shea Center directors reflect on decades of accomplishments, therapeutic services S J C L I V I N G / PAG E 1 4

Ava Mauerhan, 3, is all smiles as she stands on a horse at the Shea Center on Saturday, Aug. 29. Photo: Alex Groves

Council Candidates Answer Questions on Development, Historical Preservation EYE ON SJC/PAGE 4

Get Caught up with 2018 Fall Sports Preview SPORTS/PAGE 18

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Company Helps Small Businesses Make Their Own Beer SJC LIVING/PAGE 13

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

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

cluding the Swallows Day Parade, Spring Eggstravaganza, Summer Carnival, San Juan Summer Nights Concert Series and Christmas Tree Celebration. —AG

City Begins Process of Changing Rail Crossing Designation

Five things San Juan should know this week San Juan Capistrano, Blenheim Facility Management Settle Lawsuit Over Riding Park THE LATEST: The city of San Juan Capistrano and Blenheim Facility Management (BFM) reached a settlement with environmental advocacy group Orange County Coastkeeper in a lawsuit regarding the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano, city officials announced on Sept. 7.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in July 2017, claimed the riding park contributed to pollution in San Juan Creek. The riding park land is owned by San Juan Capistrano, and BFM is the operator of the park.

The city and BFM have denied the allegations in the suit. City officials said in a news release that the settlement was made as a way to avoid “costs and uncertainties of future litigation.”

As part of the settlement, the city will fund $1 million in projects through the California State Parks Foundation that will benefit the San Juan Creek watershed.

The city will also pay Coastkeeper $1.9 million for its expert and attorney’s fees related to the lawsuit and future monitoring expenses.

“I’m grateful that our city’s internationally recognized equestrian facility will be able to continue its award-winning riding competitions, annual rodeo and other recreational and sports-related activities,” City Manager Benjamin Siegel stated in the release. “The improvements to the Riding Park that we have agreed to as part of this settlement will benefit our community by ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies, protecting our natural resources and helping to preserve San Juan Capistrano’s equestrian heritage.”

The lawsuit specifically alleged that the city and BFM illegally discharged storm water and non-storm water into San Juan Creek without a proper permit; did unpermitted fill projects that resulted in harmful run off in the creek; reconstructed a stormdamaged crossing without permits; and let unpermitted materials stay in the creek.

WHAT’S NEXT: Other requirements for the city and BFM as part of the settlement include obtaining required water quality permits, developing plans for riding park The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

Firefighters salute the flag outside of Orange County Fire Authority Station No. 7 as part of a remembrance for the events of Sept. 11. Photo: Alex Groves

improvements and implementing an employee training program on how to comply with water quality laws. —Alex Groves

First Phase of Los Patrones Parkway Opens to the Public

THE LATEST: The first phase of a new four-lane arterial highway through Rancho Mission Viejo was recently completed and motorists got the chance to drive on it for the first time on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

The highway, Los Patrones Parkway, was approved as part of an agreement between Orange County and Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC in 2004.

The first phase of the highway runs from Oso Parkway to Chiquita Canyon Drive.

A second phase, slated for completion in late 2018, will run to Cow Camp Road. The entire stretch will be about 4.5 miles when complete.

The highway is being built by Rancho Mission Viejo without the use of taxpayer dollars and ownership will be transferred to Orange County once it is fully completed.

“The completion of the first phase of Los Patrones Parkway is another major step towards our goal of improving transportation mobility in South County,” Lisa Bartlett, Supervisor for Orange County’s Fifth District, stated. “This project addresses the needs and concerns of current and future homeowners and our transportation agencies, while protecting South County’s beautiful natural environment.”

Los Patrones Parkway is expected to not only provide access to future job centers in Rancho Mission Viejo but also existing job centers to the north. It will provide quick access to the SR-241 toll road at Oso Parkway.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Oso Parkway Bridge Project, scheduled to be completed in 2020 with construction beginning this fall, is expected to replace a segment of Oso Parkway with a bridge over Los Patrones Parkway, allowing direct access to the 241

from Los Patrones. —AG

City Continues Trolley Service Through 2023 THE LATEST: San Juan Capistrano’s City Council on Sept. 4 approved a cooperative agreement with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) that allows the city to continue its summer weekend trolley service through 2023.

The Council voted 4-1, with Councilwoman Pam Patterson dissenting, to approve the cooperative agreement for grant funding and authorize City Manager Ben Siegel to amend a professional services agreement with trolley operator Professional Parking Corp.

The total cost of the program over five years is expected to be $1,065,158 and 90 percent of that, or $958,642, will be covered through OCTA’s Measure M2 Project V grant.

The city is required to provide the remaining 10 percent, or $105,516, which will be funded that through available Air Quality Management District subvention funds, according to a city staff report.

Councilwoman Pam Patterson said that while she liked the trolley program, she was concerned that money was being diverted from other purposes, such as paving the city’s roads.

Siegel and other city officials noted the funding was coming exclusively from specified grants and that no money was being diverted from other purposes.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Summer Weekend Trolley Service will operate for thirteen consecutive weekends beginning in early June and run through Labor Day. It will include two trolleys running on 20-minute frequencies on a continuous loop from downtown San Juan Capistrano to a connecting stop in Dana Point.

A new feature will be the addition of trolley service for special city events, in-

Page 3

THE LATEST: The City Council on Sept. 4 approved and authorized a deposit and reimbursement agreement with Saddleback Valley Community Church to start the process of converting a private rail crossing near the church’s property into a public one.

According to a city staff report, the church—which owns land next to the Rancho Capistrano private crossing—approached the city about converting the private crossing into a public “quiet rail” crossing. The crossing is licensed to the church by Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).

One of the reasons the church wants to convert the crossing from private to public is that as a private crossing, the license provided by OCTA can be revoked at any time.

That would restrict access to the facility.

To convert such crossings, the city must submit an application to the California Public Utilities Commission, coordinate with other agencies, oversee negotiations and make sure that all technical studies are done and submitted for review.

Assistant City Manager Jacob Green noted during the meeting what Council was approving was the deposit and reimbursement agreement to make sure that the church was responsible for all costs associated with studies related to investigating whether or not the crossing could be transitioned.

WHAT’S NEXT: Green said staff will return at a future date with some sort of agreement after studies have been done to further assess transition of the crossing. —AG

Events of Sept. 11 Remembered THE LATEST: Orange County Fire Authority Station No. 7 in San Juan Capistrano joined with all other stations to hold a remembrance for the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Uniformed fire personnel stood in formation, saluting the flag as they listened to audio coming in from their radios from a larger ceremony at the Regional Fire Operations and Training Center (RFOTC) in Irvine.

At 9:03 a.m., the time the second plane struck, there was a moment of silence for the 343 firefighters who were killed. The event concluded shortly after.

WHAT’S NEXT: Orange County Fire Authority holds memorials beginning at 8:46 a.m. at each of their stations every year. —AG www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

2018 City Council Election Coverage THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Leading up to the San Juan Capistrano City Council election on Nov. 6, The Capistrano Dispatch is publishing six questions, two each issue, that we’ve asked each individual who qualified for the ballot to answer. Be sure to look for next edition when we publish the third and fourth questions. The list of candidates is published according to the random alphabet the California Secretary of State recently drew.

VOTING DISTRICT 2 QUESTION 1:

What’s your vision for how you would like to see San Juan Capistrano developed in the future? Are there particular projects or forms of development you would like to see ushered in?

QUESTION 2:

San Juan Capistrano’s history is important to its residents. What could you do as a city council member to protect or honor that history?

KIMBERLY MCCARTHY Question 1: I would like to see San Juan maintain the small town, historic charm that I, like many others, moved here to enjoy. I envision a “beautification” through redevelopment of existing commercial and shopping areas, rather than approving more development which increases traffic. I also want to protect our historic properties, and the ridgelines that make San Juan unique compared to neighboring communities.

Question 2: Adhere to the General Plan, Historic Downtown Center Plan and the Los Rios Specific Plan.

All of these documents were drafted in order to protect San Juan’s unique history. In addition, we need to protect Native American history by coordinating with local San Juan Native Americans to monitor historic sites during construction activity.

VOTING DISTRICT 4

TROY BOURNE Question 1: My focus is to complete the great projects we have already approved such as the boutique hotels and beautification projects downtown. Unnecessary bickering, improper referendums and expensive lawsuits have left us with heaps of rubble and half completed projects in critical areas of our town. I’ll use my experience to move these projects forward then work to improve blighted areas such as the former Endevco campus on Rancho Viejo Road.

Question 2: As a former board member of the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, I’m familiar with our town’s history and the hard work performed by volunteers to preserve and tell San Juan’s stories. I believe it’s our rich history—and the unique way our historical districts preserve it—that set us apart from our more contemporary neighboring cities.

I’ll continue to work with volunteers and professionals to protect and improve these historical districts.

JEFF VASQUEZ Question 1: During my term as your Council member I will adhere to the General Plan. No backroom deals for big development—every project will come through the front door with ample opportunity for public input. The end product should be a project that the community and the property owner desire. My focus will be not to change the General Plan but to encourage property owners to work within the vision already outlined for our community.

Question 2: Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Los Rios Historic District are truly unique treasures.

The Los Rios Historic District is the oldest residential district in California. We must prevent incompatible uses and development from driving out residences. Commercial development that violates the Los Rios Specific Plan and the General Plan should not be allowed. We should focus commercial development in the downtown to reduce the potential for more gridlock on Del Obispo.

JOHN TAYLOR Question 1: After restoring two historic homes and living 30 years in the Los Rios historic district I cherish the unique small town feel of our community. Any development in our town must honor our heritage and adhere and appreciate the qualities that our past leaders have worked so hard to maintain.

Don’t be misled by the claims of my opponent. The facts will bear the truth about who really cares for our historic community.

Question 2: I protected and restored the 1911 Yorba Love House from being destroyed by the city for a parking lot in 1995. I moved the home to Los Rios and spent years restoring it by hand. I value and support the Mission San Juan Capistrano as it is the highlight of our historic town. I would like to see the downtown with more pedestrian friendly streets, planted medians, in a style that heralds San Juan’s historic roots.

PAM PATTERSON Question 1: San Juan should be similar to Carmel, with superior architecture on a small scale for charming places to gather, shop and dine that enhance our community and our lifestyle, increase sales tax revenues and encourage patronage from other cities. Look at Anaheim Packing District and other similar projects, one of which was to be built at the Lower Rosan property.

Instead, we are now getting a Ganahl Lumber, a drive-thru restaurant and storage units.

Question 2: Since 2014, I have consistently voted for our General Plan to protect SJC’s historic buildings, agricultural history, and equestrian trails; and most recently spearheaded the referendum against the Vermeulen 180-home project of developer and candidate Troy Bourne, following his lawsuit against SJC taxpayers. Bourne and the Council majority don’t care about the traffic impact—an estimated additional 2,000 daily car trips in an already horribly congested area, because they’re focused on the profit.

CODY MARTIN Question 1: As a Council member I would always preserve and protect the city’s historic base, while protecting individual property rights to the best extent possible.

If elected, I will personally see to it that the skate park located at the San Juan Capistrano Sports Park is built!

Question 2: The City’s General Plan, as adopted, has the power to efficiently protect and preserve our culture and history. I will do everything in my power to keep the General Plan as is.

VOTING DISTRICT 3 JOYCE ANDERSON Question 1: We cannot stop progress, and development is progress. The question we need to ask of our developers is how do your projects complement our city? How do we create compromise and make things equitable for those perceived to be impacted negatively? Our city needs recreational projects and economy-bolstering projects. Our citizens should have more opportunities to spend hard-earned dollars here. We should also bring folks from surrounding communities to spend their dollars here too.

Question 2: The importance of San Juan’s history goes beyond our residents. It’s a cherished piece of California’s history. We should all embrace and guard it. Part of that goes back to my statement that there should be compromise with projects. That includes funding preservation. For example, Nevada has legalized gambling, which can be a dangerous vice. However, gambling also abundantly funds their public schools. And no, I’m not in favor of legalized gambling in San Juan.

DEREK REEVE Question 1: Unlike my opponents, I have a proven track record of defending individual property rights, while keeping my word of opposing massive developments: Overturned Urban Village, replaced with 60 percent less dense Kimpton Hotel; overturned development next to Armstrong Nursery; Rejected the mall adjacent to the Mission; rejected a high density residential development, resulting in 75 percent less density. I’m the only Council member running that defends the rights of residents in the face of deep-pocket developer opposition.

Question 2: Our heritage is the key to safeguarding the future of San Juan Capistrano. I have worked closely with historic conservationists to protect the unique nature of California’s oldest and most beautiful communities. As a conservationist, I have successfully fought to make historic structures more accessible to residents. For eight years I fought to protect Los Rios Historic District, the Swanner House, Blas Aguilar Adobe, El Adobe de Capistrano, Garcia Adobe, Egan House, and the Mission.

The Capistrano Dispatch September 14–27, 2018

KERRY FERGUSON Question 1: San Juan Capistrano deserves great care!

I envision beautiful additions to our historic city that fill needs for residents, not altering the General Plan without extensive environmental and traffic impact studies, and debate. I’ll evaluate all with this standard. Just as Hotel Banderas, Hotel Capistrano and River Street Marketplace would serve guests and visitors beautifully, expanding The Ecology Center and developing “The Farm” as an “agrihood” of farmhouses and cottages would honor our agricultural tradition.

Question 2: Without our history, we’re just another city. It’s who we are. I’ll continue bringing people together, honoring and protecting all our historic traditions. My family arrived the year Judge Egan built his home on Camino Capistrano, 1883.

I proudly inspired its restoration and life as Ellie’s Table. I brought together our Juanenos, creating a lovely place to celebrate their traditions at Putuidem Village Cultural Center.

I’ll see it’s completed and continue protecting our history.

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EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES Community Meetings MONDAY, SEPT. 17 Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission 5:30 p.m. The city’s Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission will meet at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 18 Utilities Commission 8 a.m. The city’s Utilities Commission will meet at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Council Meeting 5 p.m. The city’s governing body will meet at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www. sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 21 Coffee Chat 8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs every Friday at Hennessey’s Tavern, 31761 Camino Capistrano. All are welcome.

Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for more information.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 25 Cultural Heritage Commission 4:30 p.m. The city’s Cultural Heritage Commission will meet at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www.sanjuancapistrano. org.

Knit Lit Book Club 5:30 p.m. Knit Lit, a knitting book club, will meet. Guests can bring their knitting, or other project, and join a discussion on the club’s latest book.

Copies of next month’s book will be available for checkout. San Juan Capistrano Regional Library, 31495 El Camino Real. 949.493.1752 FRIDAY, SEPT. 28 The next edition of The Dispatch publishes.

The Capistrano Dispatch September 14–27, 2018

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San Juan Hills High School Club Wins Title in International Competition The San Juan Hills High School Future Problem Solvers (FPS) club was awarded first place in an international competition over the summer for a project they did addressing suicide and mental health.

The club took first place for their “Strength Over Silence (SOS)” project, which aimed to raise awareness and decrease stigma around mental health and suicide prevention.

As part of the project, they created a slide presentation for San Juan Hills High School’s ninth-grade health classes. They also hosted fundraisers, created a website and attended city events to help bring awareness to the issue, according to a school news release.

The club was awarded first place during the 2018 International Conference, which took place in early June at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse.

FPS is an international organization designed for students to solve future issues using original solutions. Students in the club can either work individually or in a group to find creative solutions to future problems that are part of an assigned topic, according to the release.

Teams are invited to compete in the international competition only after winning or placing at the local state competition.

According to a school district news release, students in the club are planning to continue with the SOS program. They plan to host a 24-hour walk at San Juan Hills High School and other events to continue gaining supporters and raising awareness.

Volunteers Sought for Coastal Cleanup Day San Juan Capistrano’s Descanso Park will be among 40 Orange County sites that will get cleaned up on Sept. 15 for Coastal Cleanup Day, an annual event dedicated to removing trash and debris from beaches and waterways.

Registration is currently open for the event, which sees thousands of volunteers per year.

More than 7,000 Orange County volunteers collected 70,485 pounds of trash and recyclable materials during last year’s three-hour event, according to a news release from nonprofit, Orange County Coastkeeper. The organization is one of the entities that helps organize the event.

The release stated that Orange County beaches and waterways collect trash that travels from inland communities through the county’s rivers and storm drains among many other sources. It stated

The San Juan Hills High Future Problem Solvers club was awarded first place in an international competition for a project addressing suicide and mental health. Photo: Courtesy of San Juan Hills High School

beach cleanup days “stand as the last line of defense,” keeping debris from polluting the ocean and impacting its wildlife.

“Most people are unaware that nearly 80 percent of trash found on beaches comes from inland sources,” stated Patrick Irizarry, Orange County Coastkeeper’s volunteer coordinator. “At Coastal Cleanup Day, thousands of residents will get an upclose look at how everyday trash impacts our environment.”

Descanso Park, one of the cleanup sites, is located between Trabuco Creek and San Juan Creek.

The Orange County iteration of the event is part of the larger California Coastal Cleanup Day, which is organized by the California Coastal Commission. The statewide event is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

The event is free and supplies will be provided. However, Coastkeeper is asking volunteers to bring their own cleanup supplies, including buckets, gloves, reusable bags and reusable water bottles to have a “low-waste event.”

To register for Coastal Cleanup Day or find a local clean-up site, visit www.coastkeeper.org. For more information, contact Patrick Irizarry at patrick@coastkeeper.org.

Historical Society to Hold Annual Barbecue The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society will host its annual barbecue, and guests will be able to tour one of the society’s recently completed projects, peruse a pirate-themed exhibit and fill up on plenty of food.

The 32nd Annual Heritage Bar B Que will take place from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept.

16, at the O’Neil Museum on the historical society grounds.

Page 5

During the event, guests will be able to tour the nearby Jose Maria Silvas Adobe, which was recently fully restored and rehabilitated by members of the historical society.

They’ll also be able to see a pirate exhibit at the Arley Leck House on historical society grounds featuring items from Bob Minty’s maritime collection.

This year’s menu includes barbecue tritip and chicken, ranch beans, potato salad, seasonal vegetables and cornbread with honey from Bad to the Bone BBQ. There will be fresh baked Otis Spunkmeyer cookies for desert.

Bottled water and soft drinks are included with tickets. Wine, beer and margaritas will be available for purchase at a “nominal cost,” according to a historical society news release.

There will be raffle baskets on display and opportunity drawings will conclude the event.

The Annual Heritage BBQ is a fundraiser that helps the society to continue its work of preserving historic documents, photographs and artifacts, according to the release.

Financial support also ensures the preservation and maintenance of historic structures on Los Rios Street, the release stated.

Tickets for the event are $50. To RSVP, or request more information, call 949.493.8444 or email info@sjchistoricalsociety.com.

The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society Grounds are located at 31831 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: Straight Talk by Al Jacobs

Few Good Choices For Generating Cash Flow

A

revealing online article appeared not long ago: “Turn Your Nest Egg Into Steady Cash.” It compared two routes by which retirees might invest their available cash to obtain a steady flow of income. The methods offered were predictable: an insurance company annuity or a mutual fund’s payout fund. Both techniques are highly promoted by their respective industries. Unfortunately, each presents defects.

The annuity route, both fixed and variable, doesn’t entice me. The industry specializes in high fees and burdensome

withdrawal penalties. In addition, the initial cost of the annuity is lost to you forever. An added disadvantage is that the payments you receive become worth relatively less over time; you’ll not grow old in comfort.

The mutual-fund industry’s alternative, referred to as “managed payout” or “target distribution” funds, introduces uncertainties of its own. Although the management fees are somewhat less, and the amount you invest doesn’t automatically cease to be yours, there are no assurances cash STRAIGHT TALK flow will continue at a

By Al Jacobs predicted rate. If the mutual fund managers guess wrong in their investment decisions, you may find your income stream reduced to little or nothing … with no recourse.

Sorry I can’t recommend a technique for you to realize a predictable annual return on your money of 10 percent or greater. Although I regularly generate this for myself, it constitutes a full-time job, not passive investment. Most persons shy away from these sorts of tasks, as

expending effort seems to take the fun out of their lives.

So what do I suggest? Here in 2018, for pure passive return with no risk, a deposit into a number of online banks will pay interest of up to 2.5 percent. Better yet, if you’re willing to take a little time and effort in analyzing offerings, there are firms which make mortgage loans and then sell portions of them to investors to yield returns of 7 percent or better. In most cases they’re relatively sound, though you must be selective.

A final thought: There’s really no one around to guide the average American through the investment thicket. Most financial advisors specialize in taking a fee while providing little of substantive value to the client. Welcome to the world of reality.

Al Jacobs, a professional investor for nearly a half-century, issues a monthly newsletter in which he shares his financial knowledge and experience. You may view it on www. roadwaytoprosperity.com. 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 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 www.thecapistranodispatch.com

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Alex Groves, 949.388.7700, x108 agroves@thecapistranodispatch.com SPORTS Zach Cavanagh, 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA Real Estate Sales Executive > Jennifer Guy

PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL

Letters to the Editor SETTLEMENT TO COASTKEEPER LAWSUIT IS INSANE JIM REARDON, San Juan Capistrano A million dollars here, a million dollars there…

It’s going to take $2.9 million right out of the city’s General Fund to end this litigation, and then we still have the future costs associated with remediation of the damage to the creek, and obtaining necessary permits—that may not be forthcoming.

How much money will our City Council appropriate to keep the Riding Park open? Starting with the $27 million borrowed from the public for “open space,” we are now saddled with an annual $225,000 payment to Blenheim to manage the facility, and now this.

I’d like to know which members of the City Council voted for this insane settlement. If they are the same ones who took the position that the city did nothing wrong, they should be voted out of office in the upcoming election.

This Council and the City Manager have been warned for years that the The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

conditions and use of the creek were illegal and they simply denied it. But a $2.9 million payment is far more than “avoided litigation;” it is an admission of guilt. The terms of the agreement are an acceptance of responsibility that was always there.

The city is so focused on its downtown controversies that the remainder of the town is simply being neglected. For example, right now, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of people living in the creeks from the Riding Park down to I-5 and around the rail crossing at Verdugo Creek.

These people are praying on our neighborhoods and schools, hiding in the no-man’s land in the creeks and under the bridges.

The city is responsible for maintaining the creeks, and right now, in addition to spending millions on the Riding Park, it should be obtaining permits to clear the creeks (if only to prepare for the next rain) and appropriating money to send law enforcement into the creeks to remove people who are illegally camping every night.

formally planned for Coastal Cleanup Day in Dana Point, and I want to first and foremost say I support everyone making an effort. My only request is for us as residents to remember that a number of these sites are owned by the county or regularly cleaned by the city of Dana Point.

There are so many nooks and crannies along our small stretch of beach that need our help. I would encourage everyone to get out in their communities, maybe before joining one of the other wonderful cleanup efforts, go find their own pocket where trash gathers and clean it up.

Organized efforts are fantastic and I commend everyone involved in Coastal Cleanup Day. It is a wonderful day for people to celebrate in their service to their community.

I simply want to encourage people to be stewards of their own space, and be careful to not only care for the glossy, most manicured locations.

CLEANUP THE WHOLE COAST ON COASTAL CLEANUP DAY

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY 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.

GARY LENSON, Capistrano Beach With California Coastal Cleanup Day ahead of us on Sept. 15, I would like to encourage residents to be mindful of where they spend their time and energy.

There are a few cleanup sites being Page 6

City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Alex Groves

ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith

City Editor, DP Times > Daniel Ritz

Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex

City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz

OPERATIONS

Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh Special Projects Editor > Andrea PapagianisCamacho ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes > Susie Lantz (San Clemente) > Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Finance Director > Mike Reed General Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Tim Trent

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 16, Issue 17. 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.

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GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

The List

At the Movies: ‘The Wife’ is Worth a Double-Take

What’s going on in and around town

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HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to The Dispatch by going to www.thecapistranodispatch.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

Friday | 14 ROMANCE OF THE MISSION BENEFIT GALA 6 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano will come alive with music, dining and activities during the annual Romance of the Mission Benefit Gala. The event will begin with an opening reception in the Mission’s Front Gardens followed by a concert performed by artist Jackie Evancho, traditional bell ringing and a candlelight four-course dinner.

26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

For more information contact Barb Beier at 949.234.1323 or bbeier@missionsjc.com.

Saturday | 15 COASTAL CLEANUP DAY 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Join with other volunteers and help clean San Juan Capistrano’s Descanso Park during Coastal Cleanup Day. The cleanup, part of a larger effort statewide, seeks to remove debris from beaches and waterways. The park is located between two waterways: San Juan Creek and Trabuco Creek. 32506 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. To register for Coastal Cleanup Day, visit www.coastkeeper.org.

Sunday | 16 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S ANNUAL HERITAGE BBQ 3-6 p.m. Join the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society at the O’Neill Museum for their annual barbecue. Guests will not only get to fill up on barbecue, but will also be able to check out a temporary exhibit on pirates and tour. Tickets for the event are $50. 31831 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano. To RSVP, or request more information, call 949.493.8444 or email info@ sjchistoricalsociety.com.

Wednesday | 19 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO RESIDENT APPRECIATION DAYS AT THE MISSION 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Every Wednesday, San The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

EDITOR’S PICK People pack the J.F. Shea Riding Center during a previous year’s barbecue. The annual event raises funds for the center’s mission of helping people with disabilities. Photo: Courtesy of J.F. Shea Riding Center

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 : THE SHEA CENTER ‘S 40TH ANNUAL BBQ AND FAMILY FAIR 4 p.m. Head to the J.F. Shea Center for a day of games, a silent auction and dinner. In the late afternoon and early evening, families will be able to win prizes by playing such games as horseshoes, ring toss, balloon pop and mechanical bull riding. Youngsters will also be able to visit a petting zoo and get their faces painted. A silent auction will be held and guests will be come away with such prizes as tickets to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, tickets to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden in New York and a four-day Horse & Mule Drive adventure for two. A western-style dinner will be served by the Montage Laguna Beach. Proceeds for the event go to the Shea Center’s therapeutic riding programs to help the disabled. General admission for the event is $55 for adults; $30 for seniors 55 and over, children under 13 and people with disabilities. A family pack for two adults and two children is discounted to $155. The center is located at 26284 Oso Road, San Juan Capistrano. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 949.240.8441 ext. 128, go to www.sheacenter.org or email ctaufaasau@sheacenter.org.

Juan Capistrano residents receive free admission to Mission San Juan Capistrano with a $10 purchase made in the Mission store. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano. For more information, go to www.missionsjc. com or call 949.234.1300.

Thursday | 20 LOS RIOS PARK GARDEN ANGELS MEETING 8:30–10:30 a.m. Join the Los Rios Park Garden angels as they work on the park’s butterfly garden. The group meets every Thursday. No experience is necessary, but participants should bring gloves. 31747 Los Rios Street. For more information, call 949.606.6386.

Sunday | 23 LIVE AT THE COACH HOUSE: STRUNZ & FARAH 7 p.m. Join musicians Strunz & Farah as they perform music from their new studio

recording, Tales of Two Guitars. The album has 13 original pieces that are have been influenced by Latin, Middle Eastern and Jazz influences. The musicians, who pioneered their own acoustic guitar sound, have been performing together since 1979. Tickets are $20. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

Thursday | 27 LIVE AT THE COACH HOUSE: AUGIE MEYERS 8 p.m. Musician Augie Meyers will take the stage at the Coach House. Meyers is known for his rock ‘n’ roll music with a South Texas twist. He got his start in the Sir Douglas Quintet. The group was known for its blend of rock, Tex-Mex and Conjunto music. Meyers later performed as part of the Grammy-award-winning Texas Tornadoes before taking his act solo. Tickets for the show are $20. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

Page 8

Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

W

ith September usually being a pretty empty month for new movie releases, it also makes for a good time to visit some decent movies that have been out for a while. Still in theaters currently is Björn Runge’s The Wife, starring veteran character actors Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce. Two powerhouse performances that might be remembered at the end of the year when “best of 2018” lists and awards season comes around.

In 1992, an elderly Connecticut couple awakens to a phone call from Stockholm, Sweden, informing the husband he’s just been chosen for the Nobel Prize in literature. Joseph Castleman (Pryce) has spent his whole career as one of the most acclaimed and respected novelists of the mid-20th century. His wife Joan (Close) is his biggest supporter and confidant. Their son, David, (Max Irons) tags along for the celebration, as does nosy biographer Nathaniel Bone (Christian Slater), interested in Joe’s life story.

Harry Lloyd and Annie Starke play Joe and Joan in flashback sequences.

The Wife is adapted by Jane Anderson from Meg Wolitzer’s popular novel.

Director Runge tells a tale on the lives of writers and the lives of people who knew writers. The first half of the film is particularly strong story-wise, though unfortunately, the plot twist in the second act is a little predictable.

Some of the best scenes are between Lloyd and Starke, and it’s no surprise Starke can channel a younger Close, as she is her real-life daughter. Even with the cliché turn of events, The Wife is still worth a look for the performances. CD

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Branching Out by San Juan Capistrano Library Staff and the Friends of the Library

Library Cards Provide Access to Valuable Resources, Make Great Gifts

L

Visitors to BrewFirst’s Juan Capistrano showroom can see the machinery and fermentation tanks they use to make beer. Photo: Courtesy of BrewFirst.

Breaking into the Craft Beer Game

Startup company seeks to help small businesses make own beer ALEX GROVES, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

I

n a showroom just past The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, the smell of sweet malts and bitter hops wafts as BrewFirst employees David Lusk and Alan Soran make a new batch of beer.

BrewFirst, a startup company, specializes in helping small businesses make their own beer by sending them recipes, ingredients and, most importantly, the machinery that helps them do it, founder Darryl Cohen said.

Cohen’s machinery is designed for restaurants and smaller business that don’t have the resources for a largescale brewing operation. The machines, about the size of an oven, can make one barrel, or 31 gallons of beer, every 3 to 3.5 hours, he said.

How can the beer be made so quickly and in such large quantities? It’s all in the process, Cohen said. He said the machines do not use mash, or malts that have been run through hot water and had their sugar extracted. The material is common in beer use but can be a gooey mess to deal with.

BrewFirst’s machinery instead steeps a mixture of malts for about 20 minutes for a similar effect. The material is boiled and varying amounts of hops are added in depending on the bitterness of the desired beer.

After boiling, the material is cooled down and yeast is added. The beer goes through fermentation for one to two weeks before being carbonated and put in kegs.

Cohen said he’ll work with an establish-

The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

ment on making any kind of beer they want. BewFirst will come up with a recipe and test it. They’ll then send the establishment the machinery if they don’t already have it, the recipe and the ingredients.

“We have master brewers that can design any kind of beer that anybody wants to make,” Cohen said. “I don’t care if it’s 10 percent alcohol or 2 percent alcohol. I don’t care if it’s an IPA that’s triple hop or if it’s lightly hopped and tastes like pineapple. It doesn’t matter. There’s no beer we can’t make.”

Cohen said his machinery and his recipes go a long way in maintaining consistency, which can be important for a business just getting into the beer game.

“One of the things you want to do as an establishment is, if you’re making a beer that everybody likes, you want to be able to make it over and over again,” he said.

Inside the showroom, Lusk and Soran had recently completed two beers—a pineapple pale ale and a stout that was brewed with nitrogen.

The pale ale had a slight, hoppy bitterness that was cut through by the sweet pineapple flavor.

The stout, Cohen said, was inspired by the cold-brew coffee craze at Starbucks.

“It slowly forms a head and it will cascade down,” he said. “It’s not carbonated, but it’s smooth.”

Cohen said for businesses that want to start with one of his machines it usually takes about 90 days for them to get necessary state and federal licenses as a craft brewery.

He said the cost of machines, materials, recipes and legal assistance for a business to get their licenses it can cost about $40,000, but financing options are available.

So far, Cohen has established clients around Southern California and in other states such as Illinois, Connecticut and Alaska. He’s also sold machines across the pond in England.

BrewFirst’s show room is located at 33159 Camino Capistrano, Suite A, in San Juan Capistrano. For more information, visit their website at BrewFirst.com or call 800.975.2793. CD

ibrary cards provide access to valuable resources and make great gifts Libraries across the country are joining together to salute “Library Card Sign-Up Month” this September. There is no better gift you can give than a library card!

Visit the San Juan Capistrano Library today to get free library cards for the whole family. Not only do they provide free access to many invaluable resources that support lifelong learning, there is also a broad range of options for your entertainment, including comics, movies, magazines and much more.

Don’t feel like leaving the house? Many of these resources are available online, so you can explore and enjoy them from the comfort of your own home.

Celebrate your freedom to read! Banned Books Week is coming up from September 23 through 29. Readers, young and old, are encouraged to visit the library and check out a banned book.

Did you know that challenged books (those perceived by some as needing to be censored) include: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Holy Bible, The Kite Runner, Brave New World, the Harry Potter series, Where the Wild Things Are, the Captain Underpants series, and many more important books? Words matter.

Books matter. Show your support of the right to consider and express ideas: read a banned book!

Starting October 1, and continuing through May 2019, the library will be offering fitness classes, cooking demonstrations,

nutrition seminars and gardening workshops to encourage a healthy lifestyle. The San Juan Capistrano Library was awarded a grant from The California State Library and U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to implement a program that supports healthy eating and physical fitness. It is called Eat, Move, Grow: Healthy Living.

New activities and events continue to be scheduled so keep an eye on the library’s online calendar at www.ocpl.org/libloc/sjc/ calendar.

In the meantime, you may notice fun items such as balls, blocks, and hula hoops added to enrich Saturday storytimes. The library is also happy to team up with local businesses such as Grace + Zen, Yoga Bungalow, Zen Dojo, Ricardo’s Place and Mission Hospital, that will be share their expertise with the SJC community in helping us be fit and healthy. All the programs are free to the public.

The “Branching Out” column is a collaboration between San Juan Capistrano Library staff and the Friends of the Library, a nonprofit that supports the library and its programs by raising funds through its on-site bookstore and special events. For more information on the library, visit www.ocpl.org or follow @SJCFriends on Facebook. 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 The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium Last week’s solution:

Page 13

See the solution in next week’s issue.

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

Shea Center Rides into its 40th Year of Helping Disabled Clients J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center has evolved in 40 years since its humble beginnings A youngster can be seen enjoying his time at the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in this decades-old photo. Photo: Courtesy of J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center

BY ALEX GROVES, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

O

n a recent Saturday, children were all smiles and giggles as they rode forward, backward and stood on horses at the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano.

The activities were not just fun for the kids, but highly beneficial—the center is one of the top therapeutic horseback riding centers in the country, serving an estimated 1,000 clients with a range of disabilities with the help of more than 20 horses and hundreds of volunteers.

Shea, which is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities, offers a wide assortment of equine-assisted activities and therapies on 8 acres of land backing up to San Juan Capistrano open space.

A 21,000-square-foot, two-story building on the property offers additional therapeutic programs and services for people and their families.

The center, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, has even become a model for similar equine programs across the country and around the world, but when it started in 1978 it had fairly humble beginnings.

The Shea Center was founded by Fran Joswick, a social worker who set up social, vocational and residential programs for the disabled.

Joswick was a self-described horse person, so when she learned about the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center in Augusta, Michigan, and their programs to help the disabled, she wanted to do something similar in Southern California.

“I’ve been fortunate to have the privilege of education that gave me the skill bank to kind of do this thing,” Joswick said. “I’ve always been an avid horse person so I decided that this was going to be my new The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

mission: to combine these two interests into something that would benefit people.”

Joswick started the Orange County Riding Center along with along with Derek Lewis and Nancy Lewis as founding board members.

At that time, the operation was fairly small; there was one director (Fran), two volunteers, and a borrowed half Connemara pony. The Lewis’ son, Michael Lewis, who has Cerebral palsy, was the first student of the center.

Early on, the center did not have a permanent location—Fran and company were keeping at least two horses at Sycamore Creek Stables for a few years before the J.F. Shea Company began donating some funds for a more permanent setting in the early ‘80s. Grant funding followed suit.

The center began to grow in notoriety and size.

“I’d say in the first four or five years, we probably had 15 or 20 students and 20 to 25 volunteers and a good board of directors and it kept growing and flourishing,” Joswick said.

Joswick said she remembers working with the children who came into the center was challenging, but extraordinarily rewarding.

She described the joy she had when a child who had come in on a wheelchair was able to walk after some time spent on a horse—the movement of the horse had helped that child with important muscle movement.

The equine exercises were not just wonderful for the parents to watch, she said, but a fun experience for the kids themselves.

“Many of the parents used to complain about their youngster not wanting to go to

therapy because it was traditional physical therapy because it was so boring,” she said. “But that physical therapist would do the very same thing on the back of a horse and the child loved it.”

Joswick would eventually move to Hawaii in 1990 and the center was renamed in her honor.

In 1997, current director Dana ButlerMoburg visited the very rustic-looking property, which at that time only had a couple of construction trailers, some pipe corrals and one arena, but she said she instantly fell in sync with the organization and its values.

“I completely fell in love with everything we do,” she said. “I thought, ‘I have to be here.’”

Butler-Moburg said she has tens of thousands of good memories from her tenure as executive director. Many of them involve clients and volunteers, and others involve the horses themselves.

She said she remembers a horse at the center that belonged to Former San Juan Capistrano Mayor Tony Forster that was particularly fond of one of the clients.

“He would nuzzle her little cheek every time he saw this kid. He really liked this little girl,” Butler-Moburg recalled. “These horses have such depth and warmth and love, and it’s just the legacy of this place, the people who love our clients as well as the horses who love our clients.”

Over the years, Butler-Moburg has seen a number of large-scale changes at the center. She saw the J.F. Shea donate the land the center was on to the center in 2001, giving it a permanent home. The center was then renamed in the company’s honor.

She saw the opening of the Klein Family Education Therapy Center, the large build-

Page 14

ing where additional therapy sessions take place.

She also saw the number of clients grow from 90 to 1,000.

As the center has grown and expanded its programming, it has become a model for other centers. Butler-Moburg said the center has had visitors from elsewhere in the country and the world come to learn about how to do equine therapy.

She said while the Shea Center’s own clients will always remain the priority, a broader goal is helping to make sure that people elsewhere in the country and the world can get the same caliber of programming.

“Shea has become a teacher and a mentor and has come alongside a number of therapeutic riding centers to really help them get stronger and do better programming and help them to have stronger staff,” she said.

But Butler-Moburg said what exists now couldn’t have existed without the founders, people like Fran Joswick and the Lewis family.

“What they started 40 years ago, they had such a strong base and commitment to people with disabilities. That has carried forward and continued to improve every year,” she said.

Joswick said she plans to return to the center in the very near future and she said she will take the time to thank the volunteers as well as others who have contributed their time and resources.

“Had it not been for the San Juan community, the region, this program would never have had a chance,” she said. “But because there was a group of people that live in the immediate San Juan area and then the region was so supportive that this all came to fruition.” CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com FOR SALE MOVING - FURNITURE FOR SALE Wood industrial World Market table $75, two tan linen high back chairs with studs from World Market $60 each, IKEA wooden shelving unit for garage $80. Can send pictures.

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HELP WANTED PART-TIME COPY EDITOR WANTED Picket Fence Media is hiring a part-time copy editor to copy edit the group’s three community newspapers, special sections, magazines and websites. Candidates must have 5+ years professional newspaper/magazine copy editing experience, be fluent in AP Style, be fast, courteous and professional. Qualified candidates must be able to work onsite at the Capistrano Beach office location. Qualified candidates only should email agarrett@ picketfencemedia.com.

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email dwells@picketfencemedia.com

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Page 15

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SJC LIVING

GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor

Butterflies, Bats, and Lizards, Oh My

W

ith the temperatures rising, I’ve seen an abundance of visitors in my backyard this summer. They love it hot! They dance and play among each other creating quite a show while catching a quick sip of water or lingering in the flowers. I am mesmerized by the daily performances of these beautiful butterflies that call my backyard home.

These precious pollinators have taught me some lessons about life: first to be a conscientious gardener and second to slow down. One of my gardening secrets is to cohabit with and encourage these creatures by not using pesticides. Additionally, every plant, tree, and shrub has a planned purpose: to cultivate pollinators of all sorts, including bees, butterflies, moths, bats and even lizards.

Without insects, mammals and reptiles in the DIRT THERAPY garden, our diets would

By Marrianne be severely limited. We Taylor wouldn’t have certain fruits, nuts and vegetables, causing us deficiencies in vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy.

According to the Penn State University Department of Entomology for the Center for Pollinator Research, we need pollinators to fertilize plants. This results in the formation of seeds and the fruit surrounding the seeds.

How exactly do pollinators do their work?

Pollinators are animals that move pollen from male structures (anthers) of flowers to the female structure (stigma) of the same plant species. Movement of pollen (analogous to sperm) to a flower’s stigma results in fertilization of the flower’s eggs. An adequately fertilized flower produces seeds and fruit, thus ensuring that a new generation of plants will grow.

Pollination is as beneficial to the pollinators as it is to the plants themselves.

The pollinators receive nectar or pollen

The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

rewards from the flowers they visit. Sugary nectar provides pollinators with carbohydrates while pollen offers proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and important phytochemicals.

So you get the picture: We need pollinators in not just a few gardens, but all gardens. Since pollinators are responsible for 75 percent of the world’s major food crops, we as conscientious gardeners can do our part to continue their life spans.

You can create healthy habits and habitats in a small or large garden by incorporating five crucial elements: 1. Provide food in the form of flowering plants, trees and shrubs that offer nectar and can be host to a variety of species.

Check with your local nursery for a list of these pollinators. Make sure to include California native milkweed for monarch butterflies. Fall is the perfect time to plant for next spring.

2. Supply a water feature, birdbath or pond. All creatures need water to thrive.

3. Provide shelter for habitats with leaves, trees, shrubs or butterfly cages.

4. Don’t use pesticides; pollinators will fly past your garden and not stop to visit.

5. Create an outside sitting area to ponder. This will naturally teach you, as it has taught me, to slow down and enjoy the dance of the butterflies.

Want to learn more about pollinators?

Come by for a garden visit at the Los Rios Park and watch the butterfly play or join the Thursday morning garden volunteer group led by Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens. No experience needed, you’ll connect in the community and help us care for the butterfly gardens.

For more details contact Marianne Taylor at 949.606.6386 or www.goinnative.net.

Marianne Taylor, of San Juan Capistrano, is the founder and executive director of Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens, a 501(c)(3) teaching gardening and life skills as a way of empowering, engaging and connecting people. Goin Native focuses on educating local families, special needs adults, seniors, at-risk youth and members of the military. 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 The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Page 16

SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

2018 San Juan Fall Sports Preview Top-ranked teams across the city have championship aspirations

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

T

he 2018 fall high school sports season is well underway as the CIF calendar moved up across the board. In our annual season preview, we get you caught up to date on how several San Juan Capistrano high school sports programs have fared early on and their outlook for the rest of the season.

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the San Juan Capistrano high school teams, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

SAN JUAN HILLS

Girls Volleyball

The Stallions have flat out dominated the South Coast League.

As of press time, San Juan Hills has won 21 consecutive league matches. The Stallions won the final three league matches of 2015 en route to the first of three consecutive South Coast League titles and were a perfect 8-0 in league play in each of the last two seasons.

Early on, the Stallions (7-3, 2-0) look to be the class of the league once again with a five-set win over Aliso Niguel and a sweep of Trabuco Hills. San Juan Hills hosted El Toro on Thursday, Sept. 13, but results were not available at press time.

However, San Juan Hills will get a push from Dana Hills who jumps up to the South Coast League as Sea View League champion. San Juan Hills was ranked No. 10 in the latest CIF-SS combined Division 1 and 2 poll, and Dana Hills came in at No. 11.

San Juan Hills will continue to shoot for it all in Division 1. Last season, the Stallions fell to eventual CIF-SS champion Mater Dei in the CIF-SS quarterfinals and to eventual State Division 1 champion Santa Margarita in the Southern California Regional Final.

The Stallions are anchored by returning senior Abbey Dayton. The BYU commit The Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

St. Margaret’s girls volleyball, ranked No. 1 in Division 4, looks to bounce back from a first-round playoff exit last season and make some noise. Photo Courtesy

leads San Juan Hills in kills so far this season, 97, with a .316 hit percentage and 43.1 kill percentage. Dayton is also tied for the team lead in digs (49), second in aces (14) and third in blocks (12).

Senior Madison Beebe is second on the team with 64 kills and has a .364 hit percentage and 49.6 kill percentage. Junior Delaney Fuller leads in aces (15) and is tied for No. 1 in digs (49). Junior Malaya Jones and sophomore Brianna Albright are tied for the team lead in blocks with 14.

Junior Casi Newman leads in assists with 160. Sophomore Jenna Johnson is second with 129.

over former league foe Laguna Hills, 11-3 and 12-9. The Stallions dropped a tight game against Segerstrom, 11-10, and lost their league opener to Dana Hills, 16-5.

The Stallions have earned their South Coast League spot, but make no mistake, it is one of the toughest leagues in the county. Reigning league champion San Clemente is No. 8 in the CIF-SS combined Division 1 and 2 poll, and Dana Hills is No. 17. San Juan Hills will also face tough El Toro and Tesoro teams.

San Juan Hills hosts El Toro on Tuesday, Sept. 18, Dana Hills on Oct. 10 and San Clemente on Oct. 23.

JSERRA

Boys Water Polo

The San Juan Hills boys water polo program has come a long way from 2015 and the early days of the program.

In 2015, the Stallions were winless, 0-8, in the Sea View League. San Juan Hills has bounced back to win back-to-back Sea View League titles and earn promotion to the South Coast League.

The seniors of the 2018 squad were freshmen for the 2015 season and have built themselves up to swing with the big boys.

San Juan Hills was ranked No. 8 in the latest CIF-SS Division 4 poll, and the Stallions are 2-2 early in the season.

San Juan Hills earned back-to-back wins

Cross Country

The Lions have been established as one of the top running programs in the county and are led by elite talent at the top.

On the boys side, no star shines brighter than that of junior Anthony Grover.

Grover had a 2017 season for the ages where as a sophomore he captured Trinity League, Orange County, CIF-SS and CIF State championships and won seven of the 10 races he entered.

Grover is an adaptable runner and pushes his style as he sees fit for each race.

Despite all the individual success, Grover still has major goals including qualifying for a nationals race—he missed the

Page 17

Foot Locker Nationals by just one spot at West Regionals—and increased team success.

Grover opened the season with his third straight Laguna Hills Invitational gradelevel race win and posted the meet’s best time, 15:15.6.

Seniors Peter Herold, Matthew Burkhardt and Luc Bragdon provide strong depth and support that help the Lions to a No. 2 ranking in the latest CIF-SS Division 4 poll.

On the girls side, the Lions enter 2018 as the No. 1 ranked team in CIF-SS Division 4.

Senior Nadia Tabrizi is the No. 1 runner for JSerra and comes off another strong season in 2017. Tabrizi set a three-mile personal record in her Trinity League title win, finished seventh at CIF-SS Finals and sixth at State.

Tabrizi opened the season with her third straight Laguna Hills Invitational grade-level race win with a time of 18:26.

Seniors Isabella Abusaid and Madison Brough and junior Mary Cameron help provide support as JSerra looks to get back to CIF championship form.

ST. MARGARET’S

Girls Volleyball

After a first-round exit in last year’s (Cont. on page 18) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC SPORTS & OUTDOORS (Cont. from page 17) CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs, the Tartans are looking to bounce back and make noise in the Division 4 playoffs.

St. Margaret’s is ranked No. 1 in the latest CIF-SS Division 4 poll, and its play through a tough schedule backs up the ranking.

The Tartans are 7-4 and captured the Division 2 title of the Dave Mohs Tournament earlier this month. Senior Gracyn Benck and junior Emerson Flornes starred for St. Margaret’s in the tournament final.

Benck, Lillian Thomas and Juliette Duran are the three seniors on a juniorheavy St. Margaret’s squad, nine juniors in all out of 15 on the roster.

St. Margaret’s opened league play against crosstown foe Saddleback Valley Christian on Thursday, Sept. 13, but results were not available at press time. The Tartans travel across town to play at Capistrano Valley Christian on Tuesday, Sept.

18, and host reigning league champion Sage Hill on Thursday, Sept. 20.

Cross Country

If any other team is going to succeed in CIF-SS Division 5, they are going to have to run around or through St. Margaret’s.

The Tartans open 2018 ranked as the No. 1 boys and girls teams in the Division 5 polls.

On the girls side, St. Margaret’s is looking to take one extra step toward a CIF-SS title. The Tartans earned a runner-up plaque last season and finished fourth at State.

Senior Andi Carnell returns to lead the St. Margaret’s girls. Carnell won the Academy League title last season, took third at the CIF-SS Finals and finished eighth at State.

No. 2 runner junior Charlotte Jones

Scoreboard

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Our City Scoreboard keeps you updated on all of the local San Juan Capistrano youth and community team accomplishments and special individual performances of the week. Email zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com for submission.

Pettis’ First Catch is Touchdown

Dante Pettis, San Clemente native and the first JSerra player selected in the NFL Draft, also waves in his opener with the San Francisco 49ers in Minnesota on Sunday.

With the 49ers trailing, 24-6, late in the third quarter, Pettis provided a spark.

On a second-and-15, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spun to his left out of a collapsThe Capistrano Dispatch September 14-27, 2018

The St. Margaret’s boys and girls cross country teams are both ranked No. 1 in CIF-SS Division 5 and look to capture titles this season. Photo Courtesy

returns, and the Tartans will be bolstered by freshman Amelia Kang.

On the boys side, St. Margaret’s finished fourth at CIF-SS and qualified for State, but the Tartans can push further.

St. Margaret’s loses its No. 1 runner to graduation, so returning No. 2 Robbie Graham and No. 3 Matt Colglazier step up as seniors to fill the spots ahead. Graham opened 2018 with a personal record at the Cool Breeze Invitational, and Colglazier was just off his personal-best pace.

Sophomore Jackson Adelman opened strong at the Cool Breeze Invitational and will help the Tartans push forward.

ing pocket and hurled the ball to the back left of the end zone. Pettis, who started as the first receiver on the right of the formation, darted diagonally to the left and got full extension on his arms to pull in his first NFL reception and first NFL touchdown, a 22-yarder.

Pettis, a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was targeted five times for two receptions for 61 yards. With his bluetinged hair peeking out the back of his helmet, Pettis played the second most snaps of any 49ers receiver, 48, in a 24-16 loss to the Vikings.

Pettis and the 49ers will look to bounce back on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 4:05 p.m. in their home opener at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara against the Detroit Lions.

Lewis Wins Florida State League Title Royce Lewis, JSerra alum and No. 1 overall pick by the Minnesota Twins in

CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN

Girls Volleyball

The Capistrano Valley Christian girls volleyball team came tantalizingly close to glory last season.

The Eagles, back-to-back Express League champions, advanced to the CIFSS Division 8 championship match a season ago, tied the match at one set a piece and fell in four sets.

CVC (10-7, 0-1) is slightly behind its torrid pace from last season, but the Eagles are still on track.

Last weekend, CVC won the Cal Baptist

Tournament with a 7-1 tournament record.

Senior Keara Rutz led the Eagles in the tournament with 57 kills and a .543 hitting percentage. Junior Lily Kelso led in digs (22), freshman Rebekah Krum led in aces (19) and assists (78) and senior Sabel Piper led in blocks (5).

League play for the Eagles will be more difficult than in the past as it joins San Juan Capistrano rivals Saddleback Valley Christian and St. Margaret’s as well as Academy League champion Sage Hill.

CVC hosts St. Margaret’s on Tuesday, Sept. 18 and plays at Saddleback Valley Christian on Thursday, Sept. 20. CD

Photo: Meg Williams/San Francisco 49ers

2017, and the Advanced-A Fort Myers Miracle won the Florida State League championship.

The Miracle won the best-of-five championship series over the Daytona Tortugas, 3-1, on Monday with an 8-5 win.

Lewis hit 5 for 17 with three home runs, five RBI and five runs in the four-game

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series. Lewis finished his second minorleague season with a .292 batting average, 14 home runs, 74 RBI and 83 runs scored.

By winning the Florida State League title, Lewis matched the feat of his JSerra coach, Brett Kay, who won the same league title 15 years ago with the St. Lucie Mets in 2003. www.thecapistranodispatch.com