May 12, 2017

Inside: Mother’s Day Gift Guide SPECIAL SECTION

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

MAY 12-25, 2017 • VOLUME 15, ISSUE 9

Return of the Swallows

Mission San Juan welcomes its avian ambassadors home S J C L I V I N G / PAG E 1 8

Two cliff swallows in a nest built in the Mission’s east corridor near the Serra Chapel. Photo: Allison Jarrell

New Flight Patterns Draw Ire from South OC Residents EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

Council Considers Sending Toll Road Opposition Letter EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Capo Classics Senior Basketball to Hold Annual Tournament SPORTS/PAGE 24

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

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

“I can hear the noise; that part is very real. If the other parts are very real as well, or if they provide us with a legal angle, then that’s helpful,” Maryott said of the swallows issue.

“If we don’t stand up strong as a community, my concern is they’re going to continue to migrate our way, if you will, with these flights,” Maryott said.

Five things San Juan should know this week CUSD Holds Groundbreaking at Esencia K-8 School Site

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District officially broke ground at the Esencia K-8 school site in Rancho Mission Viejo on May 9, signifying the beginning of the school’s construction.

Esencia is the second village in Rancho Mission Viejo, following Sendero. At buildout, The Ranch will provide up to 14,000 homes in addition to parks, community farms, schools, arterial roadways and up to 5 million square feet of non-residential uses such as shopping, dining and employment centers.

WHAT’S NEXT: Esencia K-8 is slated to open in 2018-19 and will feature stateof-the-art technology and facilities. A multipurpose building with gymnasium, tot lot, outdoor gathering space, and open play area with soccer field and softball backstop will be adjacent to the school.

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

—Allison Jarrell

New Flight Patterns Draw Ire from South OC Residents THE LATEST: Flight path changes to and from John Wayne Airport have become a source of stress for some South Orange County residents who say air traffic has become much noisier and is impacting their quality of life.

On May 2, the San Juan Capistrano City Council addressed those concerns by voting unanimously to draft a letter to the Federal Aviation Association. There was, however, some division among Council members over whether to include allegations that the swallows that migrate to San Juan are being negatively impacted by the new flight paths.

The FAA is currently in the process of implementing its Next Generation Air Transportation System and Southern California Metroplex project, which utilize a GPS and satellite system that have changed flight plans and altitudes of air traffic across the nation.

Assistant City Manager Jacob Green The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

Meillanny Gladness and her 9-month-old daughter, Madilynn, scoop some dirt during the Esencia K-8 school groundbreaking on May 9. Photo: Allison Jarrell

told the Council that the proper procedure for filing a complaint with the FAA would be to send a letter from the Council, which could include residents’ concerns regarding increased noise, changing flight paths and altitudes, and potential impacts to the area’s cliff swallow population.

Green added that the public can also contact the FAA’s aviation noise ombudsman directly by sending an email to 9-awa-noiseombudsman@faa.gov or by calling the FAA’s complaint department at 202.267.3521.

The cities of Laguna Beach and Newport Beach have sued the FAA over the NextGen flight changes, claiming that the FAA’s review of the possible environmental impacts to the surrounding area was insufficient. The County of Orange has also joined a suit against the FAA. At the May 2 Council meeting, Mayor Kerry Ferguson invited Laguna Niguel resident Ken O’Leary to present data he had collected from John Wayne Airport regarding changing flight patterns over the years. O’Leary, who is a member of Citizens for No Plane Noise, said data shows a significant increase in commercial jets flying at 4,000 to 6,000 feet altitude over land from 2016 to 2017. O’Leary said he hopes to get federal politicians involved like Congressman Darrell Issa and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.

“We’ve got to make noise,” O’Leary said.

During public comment, San Juan Capistrano resident, Lisa Hosinski, said she and other residents from San Juan, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point and San Clemente have experienced increased airplane noise over their homes as early as 3:15 a.m. and as late as midnight.

“Most times, the noise is a constant drone of large, low-flying jets and smaller aircraft flying even lower over our homes than they normally did,” Hosinski said.

While the majority of Council members agreed to draft a letter to the FAA, a few

voiced concerns about including the part about negative impacts to swallows.

After Ferguson said there are “recorded bird strikes and “strikes of swallows,” Councilman Derek Reeve asked if there had been swallow strikes in San Juan.

Ferguson replied that she “would need more specific information on that.” Later on, O’Leary clarified that cliff swallows have been hit by planes, but not necessarily in San Juan.

“We’re looking into it,” he said.

Councilman Sergio Farias said he wouldn’t support any letter that includes cliff swallows in it, but does support a letter opposing flight paths over San Juan.

Councilwoman Pam Patterson made the argument that if swallows can fly up to 6,000 feet and the FAA’s environmental review states that there is no impact to wildlife above 3,000 feet, then it’s valid to include concerns about the impact to the birds.

“I think it is important for us to stress the impact on swallows, because that’s what separates us from all the other neighborhoods that are complaining about the noise,” Patterson said.

Reeve said the “swallows angle hasn’t been fully vetted,” and questioned whether the swallows actually fly at 6,000 feet over San Juan Capistrano. No one offered an answer.

“I have no objection to sending a letter; it just doesn’t seem like anyone has the actual information about swallows, so we’re just kind of throwing it in there without actually knowing anything,” Reeve said.

Reeve added that he would be comfortable simply stating that the FAA’s environmental review didn’t factor in the impact to wildlife over 3,000 feet.

Councilman Brian Maryott said he had received numerous emails, calls and visits from residents negatively impacted by the noise, and added that he personally experienced the magnitude of the noise from a low-flying private plane over his home.

Page 3

WHAT’S NEXT: Orange County Supervisors Lisa Bartlett and Todd Spitzer are hosting a community forum in conjunction with John Wayne Airport and the city of Laguna Niguel on Monday, May 15 from 6-8 p.m. titled, “South Orange County: Under the Flight Path.”

The forum will aim to “address citizens’ concerns about commercial aircraft flight paths and associated noise impacting South County cities and residential communities,” according to a press release.

Speakers will inform the public on the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System and newly implemented Southern California Metroplex project. A question and answer discussion will be held following the presentations.

The event will take place at Laguna Niguel City Hall, located at 30111 Crown Valley Parkway. For more information on the forum, call James Dinwiddie at 714.834.3550 or james.dinwiddie@ocgov. com. For information on the FAA’s NextGen program, visit www.faa.gov/nextgen.

—AJ

Council Holds Off on Sending Toll Road Opposition Letter THE LATEST: On May 2, the City Council heard concerns from residents who are strongly opposed to some of the toll road extension options proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies that would run through San Juan Capistrano. But the Council ultimately decided to hold off on sending a letter of opposition to the TCA in order to further refine the language used in said letter.

Mayor Kerry Ferguson proposed that the Council send a letter to the TCA stating opposition to any 241 extension through San Juan—specifically option 16, which Ferguson said “would decimate existing open space and residential areas.”

Ferguson’s letter offered option 9 as a possible solution, which would connect Ortega Highway and Antonio Parkway to Avery Parkway and the 73 toll road.

Councilman Derek Reeve said he’s opposed to option 9, which he said may run close to San Juan, per the current TCA depiction. Reeve drafted an alternative letter for consideration, which opposes all extensions of the 241 and 73 toll roads (Cont. on page 4) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 3) through San Juan, with specific mention of opposing options 9, 13 and 17. Reeve’s letter received support from Councilman Sergio Farias and Councilman Brian Maryott.

San Juan Capistrano resident, Heather Davis, said she was shocked at the “relaxed response” to option 13, which would run over San Juan’s ridgelines. She implored the community to “step it up,” and noted that San Clemente residents are already organized and actively opposing toll road options through their city.

“This town has a code of preserving the historical ridgelines of San Juan, the equestrian community, and our way of life,” Davis said. “Just because it’s an open space that we have fought to keep all through the years, does not mean it’s open for a super highway.”

Jennifer Powers, of Ladera Ranch, asked the Council to oppose option 9, which she doesn’t think would solve the north-south traffic along the I-5 corridor. Dave Garcia, of Rancho Mission Viejo, added that there are 300 residents between Ladera Ranch and RMV who are also opposed to that option.

“We plan to fight this every step of the way,” Powers said.

Former San Juan mayor Phillip Schwartze—who noted that he lived through the 241 and the San Joaquin Hills corridor— offered a different perspective.

“This goes through a very long process.

Right now it’s in the very early stage, and everybody is starting to get excited,” Schwartze said. “In the next couple of years, when those things get refined … that’s when you want to get everybody up rockin’ and rollin.’ It will be better served when the time is right.”

Schwartze went on to say that friends in Mission Viejo and San Clemente may become enemies during the process.

“You’re going to need to protect this city, and what protects this city isn’t necessarily what helps those other guys out,” Schwartze said. “So be careful with what you’re doing and with taking early positions.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The Council voted 3-2, Ferguson and Councilwoman Pam Patterson opposed, to table sending a letter to the TCA to a future date. Reeve said he feels it’s important to “nip this in the bud,” but noted that the Council currently has a full plate at its upcoming meeting.

City Manager Ben Siegel noted that from staff’s perspective, there is no real urgency to weigh in on the toll road options.

The various toll roads options that are being proposed by the TCA will be discussed at a third public forum on June 5 at Saddleback College, located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo. For more information, visit www.getmovingoc.com.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, including a map of the toll road options being considered, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. —AJ The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

City Council Moves to Legalize Beekeeping THE LATEST: Members of the City Council are often split when voting on the town’s many contentious issues, but on May 2, Council members found common ground among the honey bees.

Councilman Derek Reeve asked his peers to consider directing staff to craft an ordinance that would legalize raising honey bees within city limits, and the Council voted unanimously to support initiating that change.

Reeve said he initially drafted an ordinance about three years ago, when he had a hobby honey bee farm/business. Reeve said he learned a lot during that process.

He discovered that a number of people in town raise honey bees, but it’s technically illegal in certain zones.

“It’s really become quite common in urbanized settings and cities like ours to be more flexible and actually encourage honey cultivation and honey bees,” he said.

Reeve said an ordinance would provide guidance and regulations for homeowners wishing to raise bees and cultivate honey.

“Given our culture right now in this country, and certainly within San Juan Capistrano with the desire to be more organic, natural and healthy, I think this is just the right time,” Reeve said.

Councilwoman Pam Patterson and Mayor Kerry Ferguson applauded the idea, saying it could help increase the honey bee population, which has been experiencing significant die-offs nationwide.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Council’s unanimous vote directs city staff to bring back an ordinance for consideration, but not on a specific timeline.

City staff reported at the meeting that the legalization of beekeeping would entail a land use code amendment or possibly a general plan amendment. A series of public hearings at the Planning Commission level would be required before returning to the Council for final approval. —AJ

City Council Preview for Tuesday, May 16 THE LATEST: The City Council has a packed agenda on Tuesday, May 16, with items ranging from updating old development agreements to introducing new policies.

The Council will kick off the meeting with two public hearings—the first regarding whether to amend a development agreement for the Distrito La Novia - San Juan Meadows project and approve a four-year extension to June 7, 2021. The 154-acre mixed use residential and commercial development project was first approved by the city in 2010. In 2011, the project became subject to a referendum, which overturned the Council’s decision to grant a general plan amendment. When the project was

brought before voters, the majority voted to reaffirm the Council’s previous approval.

The developer is now seeking an extension in order to continue processing the project, according to the agenda report. On April 25, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Council grant the four-year extension.

The second public hearing is to consider amending the Plaza Banderas Hotel development agreement and granting a one-year extension for that project through Aug. 3, 2018.

Developer Bill Griffith dropped plans for a new hotel at the Plaza Banderas site across from the Mission last September. Griffith has not officially announced whether he will revert to building the Plaza Banderas Hotel with its previously approved entitlements.

Griffith’s son and Mission Commercial Properties development analyst, Jake Griffith, said via email that the company has been working with Marriott International and its Autograph Collection to “evaluate moving forward with the approved Plaza Banderas project.” City staff also reported that the project is moving forward and Griffith needs additional time to complete construction plans. The Planning Commission voted unanimously on April 25 to recommend that the Council grant the one-year extension.

The Council will also review its priorities for the current fiscal year, which were initially discussed during a planning workshop in January. The Council reviewed the resulting list of priorities on April 4, but the Council voted to table approving the list due to disagreements over a few of the items, such as prioritizing improvements to the riding park. City Manager Ben Siegel has said that creating a list of goals for the fiscal year helps staff prioritize their time and resources.

Another item on the docket is adoption of a resolution to approve a Council policy that requires the city to provide email accounts to all City Council members, commissioners and city employees. The ordinance requires that those accounts be used for city business.

The Council will also consider approving a resolution to put an ordinance on the Nov. 6, 2018 general election ballot that will ask voters whether they want to establish a two-consecutive term limit on City Council seats with a two-year “cooling off” period.

During the Council’s closed session, six items are slated to be discussed, including the sale of the playhouse property. The Council held a workshop last month to receive public input on four favored proposals.

The Council then discussed the sale of the land during its May 2 closed session but did not report any decision out of that meeting.

WHAT’S NEXT: Tuesday’s meeting begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall, located at 32400 Paseo Adelanto. The Council’s closed session begins at 3 p.m. and members of the public wishing to speak on any closed session items can do so at the beginning of that meeting.

To view both agendas, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org. —AJ

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News Next Door WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS

Dana Point Hennessey’s Tavern’s Cinco de Mayo Event Outrages Locals with Inflatable Wall, Drink ‘Green’ Card Backlash was swift following a Cinco de Mayo event at Hennessey’s Tavern in Dana Point that involved inviting patrons to climb an inflatable “border” wall to earn a green card that came with free drinks.

After the event began, a local woman posted to social media to show her disapproval of the event. Her post garnered more than 50 comments and 200 shares.

“Hennessy’s in Dana Point California is having a Cinco De Mayo event where people can climb a “wall” to get a “green card”... Yep this is really happening. Disgusting. #America2017 #cincodemayo #trumpsamerica @ Hennessey’s Tavern,” wrote Laycee Barragato Gibson.

After the event, restaurant owner Paul Hennessey wrote on the restaurant’s Facebook page, “I would like to thank everyone for your comments about our climbing wall.

Our intentions were to create a dialogue and show how ridiculous it is to spend tens of millions of dollars to build a wall and even infer that Mexico foot some or the entire bill and have their citizens build it.”

Hennessey said in an interview that the people complaining likely didn’t see the advertising online and inside the restaurant that read: “We’re building a wall, it’s not what you think,” followed by, “Tacos trump hate.”

“It was clearly a protest against the government building a wall,” Hennessey said.

“It’s kind of ridiculous to be spending the money on that.”

Some social media commenters felt Hennessey needed to apologize for the event, while others felt the event was not creating a dialogue at all. —Kristina Pritchett

San Clemente San Onofre Parks Foundation Releases Speaker Series Roster The San Onofre Parks Foundation has announced its speaker series roster.

The first lecture is “The Acjachemen— First People of the San Onofre Coast,” which will take place at 8 p.m. on June 21.

The second lecture will feature Beth Sanden, a handicap athlete who has raced on all continents. The lecture begins at 8 p.m. on July 12.

The final lecture is titled “Surfbeat” The Origins of Surf Music,” and will feature Randy Nauert, the bass player of The Challengers. The lecture starts at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 16 Tickets to each event are $15. All speakers will conduct their lectures at the cottage at San Onofre State Park. For more information, visit www.sanonofreparksfoundation.org/ site. —Staff www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter

COMPILED BY ALLISON JARRELL

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.

Friday, May 5 SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Calle Bonita/Via El Rosario (10:41 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for a blacked out SUV parked near the top of Calle Bonito that was occupied by two subjects. The caller was concerned because his car was recently broken into and the subjects in the SUV looked at him when he walked by.

He thought they might be casing.

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTY Via Solis, 25500 Block (10:06 p.m.) A caller told police he was having a party and numerous older subjects showed up with alcohol.

The caller said at least 30 subjects showed up and were refusing to leave.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino Capistrano/La Zanja Street (8:06 p.m.)

A patrol check was requested for four to five male subjects who were drinking and urinating near the bus stop.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Ortega Highway/Rancho Viejo Road (2:30 p.m.) A female driver, who was possibly drunk, parked her Ford in the middle of the intersection and “decided to take a stroll instead.” The woman was heading toward the carwash.

CITIZEN ASSIST Paseo Adelanto, 32500 Block (12:48 p.m.) The caller had a “long story about his female neighbor and how she’s accusing him of sending some nudie pics.”

CITIZEN ASSIST Alipaz Street, 32000 Block (12:26 p.m.) A caller reported that someone had dumped a refrigerator onto their property.

PATROL CHECK El Camino Real, 31600 Block (9:39 a.m.) A patrol check was requested at Calvary Chapel for “employees at the church putting up fake handicap signs to save spots for church goers.”

DISTURBANCE Del Obispo Street/Blue Fin Drive (9:45 a.m.) The caller reported a man in a sweatshirt and sweatpants in their pool area without permission. The caller said the man was in the Jacuzzi fully clothed. The caller’s father had asked the man to leave and he became verbally abusive and was trying to pick a fight.

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

The subject was last seen leaving on foot toward the clubhouse.

money and close out his account. An employee assisted the man and notified him that he would be charged with trespassing if he returned.

WELFARE CHECK Del Obispo Street/Camino Capistrano (8:02 a.m.) A woman who appeared to be homeless was seen walking in between traffic lanes and standing in the intersection.

MISSING ADULT Paseo Adelanto, 32200 Block (7:58 a.m.) A company reported an employee who drove a company vehicle to Mission Viejo for a job and never returned. The employee’s car was still at the company and there was no answer at the employee’s home.

DISTURBANCE Del Obispo Street, 31800 Block (6:58 a.m.) A woman who appeared to be homeless was seen throwing things and screaming while walking toward Ross Department Store.

Thursday, May 4 ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Camino de la Vista, 26300 Block (10:50 p.m.) Assistance from the Orange County Fire Authority was requested for a 28-year-old man who was not breathing and unresponsive. The caller couldn’t feel a pulse was going to start CPR. The caller then informed police that needles had been found—the man was a recovering heroin addict. The caller said the man turned “completely blue” and began yelling that the man is dying and needs help. OCFA responded to the overdose, restored the man’s pulse, and the man regained consciousness.

DISTURBANCE-GANG Avenida de la Vista, 30800 Block (9:17 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for six male gang members and two female subjects by the alleyway and in the laundry room of the complex smoking illegal substances. The caller said it was an ongoing issue.

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Paseo Carolina, 32200 Block (7:12 p.m.) A woman told police that two men had just broken into the laundromat of an apartment building in Casa de Capistrano. The woman said the men broke the lock and snuck inside.

DISTURBANCE Paseo Don Jose, 31500 Block (4:50 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for two male juveniles and three female juveniles that were reportedly trying to write on the caller’s “privacy webbing” and possibly trying to damage it. The caller’s residence runs up against the end of Aguacate Road.

Police made contact with the juveniles who were enjoying the view. Police found no damage to the fence and advised the subjects to leave the area; they complied.

DISTURBANCE Del Obispo Street, 31900 Block (3:24 p.m.) A 66-year-old man was seen causing a disturbance at a bank, which he had been thrown out of earlier that week. Police made contact with the man, who said he wanted to withdraw

PEDESTRIAN CHECK Paseo Adelanto, 32500 Block (3:21 p.m.) A 48-year-old woman was seen walking “nude” on a bike trail.

The woman requested transportation to a hospital.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Alipaz Street/Camino Del Avion (10:42 a.m.) A patrol check was requested for a man with dreadlocks who was carrying a “big skateboard” and a “light-colored dirty pillow case” and was seen trying to jump over a fence into a condominium complex.

DISTURBANCE Del Obispo Street, 31800 Block (8:51 a.m.) A woman in a white Scion reported that a man in a white older model vehicle was cussing her out and then followed her to work. The woman said she was scared to get out of her vehicle.

PETTY THEFT REPORT Commodore Court, 33000 Block (7:50 a.m.) A car that was left unlocked in a driveway overnight was “rummaged through” and items were taken. The loss was determined to be about $1,050.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Camino Las Ramblas/Avenida Pescador (2:09 a.m.) Police contacted a subject in a car who said they had a meth pipe inside the vehicle.

A consent search of the vehicle yielded a methamphetamine pipe with unused meth in the pipe. A small vial of meth was also found in the center console.

Wednesday, May 3 CITIZEN ASSIST Alipaz Street, 32700 Block (9:48 p.m.) A woman told police that her neighbor was standing in front of his house and calling her names, and she could hear him through the walls. Police advised the neighbors “to stay away from each other and if they have nothing nice to say to each other, don’t say anything at all.”

DRUNK IN PUBLIC Camino Capistrano/La Zanja Street (9:04 p.m.) A patrol check was requested at a bus stop for several subjects drinking in public who possibly had a child with them.

PROPERTY FOR DESTRUCTION Del Obispo Street, 31800 Block (2:32 p.m.) Orange County Fire Authority Station 7 requested a deputy pick up heroin that was dropped off by a man that works at a sober living home.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Los Rios Street, 31800 Block (9:48 p.m.) A patrol check was requested at a nearby park for a man who was chasing two other men on bikes and saying, “those aren’t your bikes.”

Page 8

Community Meetings MONDAY, MAY 15

Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission Meeting 5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano. org to see the body’s agenda.

TUESDAY, MAY 16

City Council Meeting 5 p.m. The city’s

governing body meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

Downtown Farmers Market 3-7 p.m.

Flowers, produce and specialty foods from dozens of vendors in downtown San Juan Capistrano, on the corner of Camino Capistrano and Yorba Street. Occurs every Wednesday. Visit www.farmersmarketsjc. com or call 949.493.4700 to find out more.

San Juan Capistrano Rotary Club 6:15-8

p.m. The Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano meets every Wednesday at the San Juan Hills Golf Club, located at 32120 San Juan Creek Road. For more information, visit www.sjcrotary.org.

FRIDAY, MAY 19

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, MAY 23

Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting

4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Cultural Heritage Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

Planning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The San Juan Capistrano Planning Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

CUSD Board of Trustees Meeting 7 p.m.

The Capistrano Unified School District governing body meets at district offices, 33122 Valle Road. To see the board’s agenda, visit www.capousd.org.

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Next issue of The Dispatch publishes www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC Ark of San Juan Fundraiser Set for May 21

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY ALLISON JARRELL

New Flag Raised on San Juan’s Patriot Hill Last month, San Juan Capistrano’s own volunteer “flag team” replaced the American flag that waves atop Patriot Hill, a popular destination for hikers, equestrians, runners and cyclists.

A flag has been flying on San Juan Capistrano’s city-owned open space ridgeline since Sept. 11, 2001. Flag team members say no one knows who hung the original small flag on a rusty barbed wire fence post overlooking the I-5. But for the next several years, a handful of locals made sure there was always a flag on that ridgeline, flying on a variety of small make-shift poles.

In 2005, an Eagle Scout installed a 35-foot permanent pole as his community service project. The project was a tribute to the lives lost and the heroes of 9/11, as well as the heroes who protect American citizens every day.

Over the years, the flag and pole have been maintained by an all-volunteer “flag team” of more than 100 volunteers who rally several times a year to replace tattered flags, make needed repairs and express their thoughts in the journal book.

The flag team can be reached at FlagOnTheHill92675@gmail.com.

The Ark of San Juan Companion Animal Rescue is hosting a ‘Kocktails for Kittens’ fundraiser on Sunday, May 21 from 5-8 p.m. at Marbella Country Club. The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, acoustic music, activities, vendors, wine tasting and a silent auction.

Tickets are $40 and only available through May 13. Registration is required to attend. Proceeds from the event will go toward saving the lives of orphan kittens.

Visit www.arkofsanjuan.org for more information or to buy tickets.

Flag team volunteers replaced the American flag atop Patriot Hill in April. Photo: Courtesy of Tom Baker

Camino Real Playhouse Launches Summer Camp For the first time ever, the Camino Real Playhouse is putting on its own summer camp—the Capistrano Acting Academy Summer Theatre Camp—with five week-long sessions beginning June 5 and concluding July 7.

The camp is open to kids age 6-16 and will feature a different theatrical production each week. Campers will have the opportunity to learn about everything from acting, to set design to tech work.

Camp director Christine Dickinson is

a professional educator, counselor and international singing champion who has led her students to achieve awards in art, music and photography.

The following are the camp’s featured productions: The Wizard of Oz; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Alice in Wonderland; Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook; and Robin Hood, Maid Marian & the Band of Merry Men. Registration for each week-long session is $250, or $225 for the last short week (there’s no camp on July 4).

For more information, including a full camp schedule and registration details, visit www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

Ortega Animal Care Center to Host Open House On Sunday, May 21, Ortega Animal Care Center is inviting the public to tour its newly remodeled dog day care center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The open house includes refreshments, a bake sale to benefit rescue pets, an adoption event, raffle prizes, and more.

OACC is located at 27341 Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano. For more information, visit www.oaccpets.com or call 949.487.7600.

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

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor ATTENTION CUSD PARENTS —Dawn Urbank, San Clemente Your high schoolers need you to take a stand to ensure they reach their full academic potential.

You may think you have control over your child’s educational journey. Think again.

Only 54.1 percent of Capistrano Unified School District high school graduates complete their A-G requirements.

That means 45.9 percent have no option after graduating except to go to community college, apply out of state or get a job.

Irvine is at 66.8 percent and Laguna Beach at 67.2 percent.

A-G requirements are critical if your child seeks to attend a four-year state college in California.

CUSD requires College & Career Planning (CCP) to graduate so that students will be trained in basic computer skills and have access to an academic counselor without needing a live counselor.

The downside: the CCP and health class requirements make it difficult for students to complete their A-G requirements without attending two summer school sessions.

The California Department of Education (DOE) does not require students to take CCP to graduate; this is unique to CUSD. The DOE does not require health as a stand-alone class to graduate. These units can be embedded into physical education or social studies.

CUSD is not preparing students for higher education in California. This is why only 8 percent of last year’s graduating class is currently attending a UC school.

The only solution is to eliminate CCP as a graduation requirement and incorporate health into physical education or social studies. This would increase the number of students who would qualify to apply to a four-year California college/university.

CUSD responded to my citizen’s request and will include this matter on its June 7 school board meeting agenda.

I encourage parents to attend. Parents who would like to have their comments incorporated into the board meeting agenda, as part of the permanent record, should e-mail them to me at info@cusdwatch.com no later than May 20. The comments may also be submitted directly to the district, and you should email all of the Board of Trustees as soon as possible so that we can end CCP this year.

ISSA AND THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS —Phuong Nguyen, Dana Point Darrell Issa recently published an The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

op-ed in The Huffington Post calling for American leadership to solve the Syrian refugee crisis. He begins with heartwrenching descriptions of the sarin gas attack. Instead of offering compassion, Issa concludes that immigration/refugee policy is the incorrect debate to have in response to Syria. Instead, he argues that the U.S. should commit to a military strategy. While I agree that a comprehensive military policy is necessary, that does not mean that the U.S. cannot also be a leader in humanitarian efforts. I call on Rep. Issa for leadership by doing the right thing and sponsoring a bill that would increase the number of Syrian refugees that the US accepts. This issue demands an urgent solution, as thousands of lives are at stake.

True leadership is strength, compassion and the courage to deviate from the party line.

CAMP PENDLETON SHOULD SHARE THE SPACE WITH TOLL ROAD —Joe Tolosa, San Clemente In the April 14-27 issue of The Capistrano Dispatch, there was a letter from Enrique Romero advocating the toll road go through Camp Pendleton. In the April 13-19 edition of the San Clemente Times, there is an article about Mayor Kathy Ward lamenting the plans for a toll road through the city.

There was also a letter in The Capistrano Dispatch by Cyndy Stauffer commenting on the need for an alternate route of the toll road and misleading statements by Save Trestles.

About three weeks ago, we drove to Carlsbad and observed the landscape between San Clemente and Oceanside.

I got to thinking that Camp Pendleton is a very large military camp. It is about 20 miles between these two cities and extends east a considerable number of miles.

Camp Pendleton consists of about 190 square miles and 125,000 acres. It seems to be that the best route for the toll road would be through the very northern part of Camp Pendleton. I am sure that Camp Pendleton could spare the ten square miles (or less) required for the toll road.

This would really be a magnificent public service on their part to be good citizens.

As we saw, the Trestles option was a bogus issue, and insofar as the toads and gnat catchers, there are tons of acres out there for them to survive.

On the way back from Carlsbad, we were able to stop at the new In-N-Out in Oceanside along the freeway, and that city certainly gained a great facility.

TOLL ROAD PROPOSALS THROUGH SAN CLEMENTE DON’T MAKE SENSE —Brian Rierson and Glorianne Matthews, San Clemente We are against all toll roads and/or connectors within the city of San Clem-

ente. The three proposed routes from the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) would destroy everything many homeowners have worked for. We need to protect our home equity and values; we want to be surrounded by our beautiful hills and canyons and the great blue Pacific Ocean, without hideous concrete structures dotting the landscape; and we want to protect the peace and tranquility that come from living in a quaint beach town that has not been subjected to over-development by unconcerned corporate giants. All of the proposed routes put forward by the TCA pose a major threat to the precious concerns listed above. Surely, there must be a less intrusive solution that will not go “through” our beautiful city by the sea.

What gives the TCA the power to disrupt the lives of all affected residents living on or near any of the proposed TCA routes?

In addition, Shorecliffs Golf Course, the Vista Hermosa Sports Park complex, our local high school, and many homes and buildings are in the path of destruction.

It is documented that “living within 1,000 feet of

a freeway (toll road) poses great health risks for all of the residents affected, who are not able to relocate due to economic and or logistical reasons.

”

How do you measure the negative effects of the massive pollution involved in the construction of this behemoth that is being called the answer to traffic congestion? It is documented that living within 1,000 feet of a freeway (toll road) poses great health risks for all of the residents affected, who are not able to relocate due to economic and or logistical reasons. All this has been proposed with no real traffic studies that prove traffic congestion relief, only a relocation of the traffic bottleneck.

We urge all residents of San Clemente who are against the proposed 241 toll road extension to stand up and be counted. If the proposed route through Trestles/SanOnofre was rejected, what on God’s green earth justifies building a toll road extension through the heart of San Clemente? It just makes no sense.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 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.

Page 10

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 Allison Jarrell, 949.388.7700, x108 ajarrell@thecapistranodispatch.com SPORTS Steve Breazeale, 949.388.7700, x110 sbreazeale@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

Debra Wells, 949.388.7700, x104 dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@picketfencemedia.com BUSINESS MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Group Managing Editor > Matt Cortina City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick OPERATIONS

City Editor, DP Times > Kristina Pritchett

Finance Director > Mike Reed

City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz

Business Manager > Alyssa Garrett

Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale

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Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Debra Holm Tim Trent Alex Paris

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 15, Issue 9. 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 2017. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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SOAPBOX GUEST OPINION: by Mark Loper

Gopher Attack!

Winter rains brought back lush flora, fauna … and a plague of gophers

W

e did the right thing last year, removing most of our front yard and replacing it with wood chips and drought-resistant plants. We felt good about ourselves.

We were saving water, the ecosystem, and most importantly, money.

And I admit feeling like I was a charter member of Greenpeace, standing atop the bow of the Warrior fighting for whales and, ultimately, the world.

But we kept the grass in our backyard intact for reasons I forget, and now, after the winter rains and under the spring sun, it’s flourished.

It’s green, lush, and acts much like an African watering hole.

We have raccoons hunting, skunks strolling, and rabbits twitching.

We have butterflies hovering, lizards darting, and hummingbirds, well, humming.

And now we have gophers excavating—excavating being a euphemism for destroying, ripping asunder, or stripping mankind of any dignity.

First, there were dirt Mark Loper mounds along the slope and I laughed because there was no harm done, and gophers can be sort of cute. I loved the gopher in Caddyshack.

They remind me of gerbils, but with buck teeth.

And I named him Gordie.

But, being prescient, I immediately bought several solar anti-gopher, mole, and oryx spikes that, when planted in the ground and activated, emit an intermittent, high-pitched buzz which, purportedly, drives the little devils out of the yard and to Lake Elsinore.

(And with the devices being solarpowered, I enhanced my eco-status on the Warrior, minimizing my chances of being removed in lieu of a whale lover and being tossed unceremoniously into the Arctic.)

Two mornings later, a hole (with the requisite dirt mound) appeared near the grass, and I could almost hear Gordie taunting me, “Here I come! And those stupid things sticking in the ground buzzing like cheap doorbells can’t stop me!”

I bought and planted two more of those stupid things.

The next day, like Erwin Rommel, he had advanced onto our lawn!

Our lush grass had been replaced by three ugly dirt piles, one with a little flag on top that read, “Gophers Rule!”

I was angry, but vowed not to give up.

Page 12

This little rodent had a brain the size of a grape and he thought he could better this man? A man who once answered Final Jeopardy correctly? A man who knew most of the lyrics to “The House of the Rising Sun?” A man who assembled a bureau from IKEA in less than a day? (Well, except for the top drawer.)

Oh, please.

Unlike our less self-assured neighbors, I was not calling the Gopher Patrol. The solar spikes would work! They were guaranteed! And advertisements never lie!

Several days later, we had more holes than the 49ers defense.

So I rushed to the hardware store and bought the last bottle of Gopher Scram.

(This being the last bottle was not a good sign—signaling, perhaps, a pending major offensive in the city, like D-Day, but with a different consonant.)

Gopher Scram is another guaranteed, non-lethal deterrent to gopher incursions, and as I spread it across the remaining shreds of our backyard grass I, well, I couldn’t help but gloat.

Goodbye, Gordie, it wasn’t nice knowing you.

The next morning there were more holes, more mounds, and several tiny, empty wine bottles, and a note that read, “Thanks for the appetizer. Chablis pairs well with Scram.”

“

And now we have gophers excavating— excavating being a euphemism for destroying, ripping asunder, or stripping mankind of any dignity.

”

So, as much as I loathe saying it, Gordie is winning.

I have been forbidden by my daughter to hurt Gordie, so poison, land mines, and surface-to-air gopher missiles are not options.

But I haven’t given up.

I’ll try again tonight and, if Gordie continues his onslaught, I can still find the positive.

By the weekend I should have enough holes to open a golf course.

Mark Loper has been a San Juan Capistrano resident for over 30 years and has written for several kinds of media.

His writing has been scorned and rejected countless times, but while hanging onto a wisp of self-esteem, he’s managed to have the occasional scribbling published as ad copy, in book form, online, in columns, and for TV. He has yet to tweet. 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

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

dents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways on one cold Friday night. Show runs through May 14.

Tickets are $15-$20. 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.492.0465.

DOHENY STATE BEACH ANNUAL GRUNION NIGHT 9:30 p.m. Join a free guided nature talk about grunion at Doheny State Beach to celebrate the grunion’s return. The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Center will open at 8:30 p.m. for those who wish to visit. Guests are asked to meet between picnic sites A and B, near the entrance of the park. Doheny State Beach. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive.

Dana Point.

EDITOR’S PICK Photos: Allison Jarrell

FRIDAY, MAY 12: LIVE THEATER: ‘THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS’ 8 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse presents this classic happy-go-lucky view of smalltown vice and statewide political side-stepping through the demise of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1850s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas. Show runs through May 21. Tickets are $29-$39. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.8082. www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

The List

What’s going on in and around town COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 12 SCHS & SHORECLIFFS JAZZ CONCERT 5-6:30 p.m. Experience live jazz performed by the students of San Clemente High School and Shorecliffs Middle School to kick off the city’s music and movie series. The concert is located on the beach, north of the San Clemente Pier. Bring a towel or beach chair to enjoy the sunset. Free seating in the sand. Fish-

Saturday | 13 SUP YOGA 8-9:30 a.m. Join Westwind Sailing and iHeartYoga for stand-up paddleboard yoga. Classes are $35 with board rental, $25 without. Sign up at iheartyoga.com.

The class is the second Saturday of every month. Westwind Sailing, 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point.

erman’s Restaurant will offer a full BBQ meal for $8. www.san-clemente.org.

CASA COMEDY: WHICH TEAM IS FUNNIER? 7 p.m. Two improv teams compete to see who gets the most laughs from the audience at Casa Romantica. The event is put on by Comedy Sportz, an organization with professional and high school comedy leagues nationwide. The Casa’s show features the Los Angeles professional team. Casa Romantica is offering bulk discounts to student members of Comedy Sportz high school leagues. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

LIVE THEATER: ‘ALMOST, MAINE’ 8 p.m. The Cabrillo Playhouse presents Almost, Maine. In the play, Almost’s resi-

REPLACE YOUR LAWN WORKSHOP 9:30-10:30 a.m. The first step to transitioning to a more sustainable garden is to remove your water-hungry lawn. The next step is learning how to create and care for your native garden. Tree of Life Nursery owner, Mike Evans, teaches this informative workshop. Tree of Life Nursery. 33201 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano. 949.728.0685. www.californianativeplants.com.

SMART GARDENING 101: BACKYARD BEES 9:30-11 a.m. Learn about backyard bees at a free class during the 2017 Smart Gardening 101 Series with Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens and the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners. Reata Park and Event Center.

28632 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano.

949.606.6704. www.goinnative.net

FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION OUTDOOR SHOW & SALE May 13-14, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Dana Point Fine Arts Association (DPFAA) will host their outdoor art show along the Harbor Boardwalk and the dock boats in Mariner’s Village. There will be pieces created in watercolor, oil, acrylic, colored pencil, pastels and photography by many artists.

The artwork will be available for purchase.

The event is weather permitting and no make-up date will be arranged. www.danapointfinearts.org.

GARDENING CLASS: CONTAINER AND PATIO 10 a.m. Explore the basics of container gardening and learn how to grow your own organic food in raised beds, veggie boxes and pots. Tickets are $20 for members, $30 for non-members. The Ecology Center. 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.443.4223. www.theecologycenter.org/.

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. A day of live music kicks off with Dalton Gang at 2:30 p.m. followed by the Rob Staley Band at 8:30 p.m. Food from Lisa’s Kitchen will be available throughout the afternoon. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

SECOND STAGE STAND-UP 7:30 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse hosts a lineup of four comedians on the second Saturday of each month. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $17.50; reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call 949.489.8082 or visit www.comedyintheoc.com. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

(Cont. on page 16)

At the Movies: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ Vol. 2 Is a Blast

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

G

uardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 is the least Marvel-esque movie Marvel Studios has ever made. Though nothing from the studio has yet to surpass Iron Man (2008) as far as quality, the Guardians sequel to the light-hearted space adventure from 2014 is fresh and different from anything adapted from a comic book to film in years.

After coming together as an intergalactic superhero team in the previous

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

story, Peter ‘StarLord’ Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) are back to save the universe again, but on a more personal level. The high priestess, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), wants them gone for acts she believes are unethical, and an old man (Kurt Russell) from the planet Ego claims to be Peter’s long lost father.

Guardians 2 is a step up visually; the cinematic cosmos is eye candy to behold on screen with vibrant color schemes and spe-

cial effects. Gunn’s script is fun and humorous, but also heavy and deep in sentiment.

Russell and Pom Klementieff fit right in with the returning cast, and Karen Gillan is even more badass as Gamora’s sister, Nebula.

Peter’s second classic rock mixtape is just as catchy as last time, and most importantly, Gunn and crew don’t feel it necessary to try and shoe-in any Avengers connections while doing their own thing. The jokes are bit too juvenile, and they’d mainly be appreciated by middle-schoolers. But since that is Marvel’s demographic, mission accomplished. CD

Page 14

Photo: Chuck Zlotnick/©Marvel Studios 2017

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 14) DANA POINT SYMPHONY 7:30 p.m. The Dana Point Symphony will close out their season with Theme Russe.

Guests can listen to songs from some of Russia’s most-loved composers. Ignazio Terrasi, a guest conductor from the LA Opera, will lead the final performance.

To purchase tickets, visit www.danapointsymphony.com. St. Edward’s Church.

33926 Calle La Primavera, Dana Point.

Sunday | 14 MOTHER’S DAY WALK 8-10 a.m. Celebrate Mother’s Day in beautiful natural surroundings on a fun discovery walk down Gato Road. Participants will visit the Sister and Mother Oaks and celebrate the beauty of spring’s revival in the great outdoors. Ages 8 and up. $10 for adults, $5 for children. Register online at www.rmvreserve.org. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. 28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.9778.

GUIDED NATURE HIKE 8-9:15 a.m. Join an Orange County Parks Ranger for a one-mile hike around Bell Canyon in Caspers Wilderness Park.

Parking is $5, the hike is free. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/caspers.

DRIVING MIZ DAISY MARKET 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The vintage market offers a variety of vendors that sell antiques, restored items, local items and more. The market also offers a number of gourmet food trucks, there will be live music and a farmer’s market. Saddleback College.

28000 Margerite Parkway, Mission Viejo.

949.422.0432. www.drivingmizdaisy.com.

LIVE MUSIC: MIKE DE BELLIS ON SAX 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Listen to Mike De Bellis during a Mother’s Day brunch celebration. Tannin’s Restaurant & Wine Bar. 27211 Ortega Highway, #C, San Juan Capistrano. www.tanninsrestaurant.com.

949.661.8466.

BEND & BREW 11:30 a.m. iHeartYoga holds a Bend & Brew session at Left Coast Brewing Company’s tasting room in San Clemente.

It’s a one-hour yoga class followed by a pint of beer. Admission $10. 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.363.3152. www.iheartyoga.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 1:30 p.m. Listen to Tricia Freeman at the Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www. swallowsinn.com.

Monday | 15 FREE GUITAR LESSONS 5-6 p.m. Free beginner acoustic guitar lesThe Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

sons for middle school to college age students every Monday. Guitars provided or students can bring their own. 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente.

949.388.0114. coamusicarts@gmail.com. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

THE DISH

YOGA IN THE PARK 5:30 p.m. Join iHeartYoga for yoga in the park every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this summer. Bring a mat, water bottle and suggested donation of $8. Lantern Bay Park. 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point. www.iheartyoga.org.

Tuesday | 16 LUNCH LOCAL 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Join the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce for its monthly networking lunch at L’Hirondelle Restaurant. 31631 Camino Capistrano.

949.493.4700. www.sanjuanchamber.com.

LECTURE SERIES: DANGEROUS SNAKES OF ORANGE COUNTY 7-8:30 p.m. Learn about the dangerous snakes of Orange County, how to identify them, where they live and what to do if you encounter one. Steve Bledsoe, a local herpetologist, will lead the presentation.

The lecture is for ages 8 and up. Register online at www.rmvreserve.org. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. 28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.9778.

BEEF BURRITOS FROM LISA AND PEDRO

G

ood things come in little packages, and at the Swallow’s Inn in San Juan Capistrano, it comes just like that.

As the undergarments with signatures dangle from above, along with other Western hoopla and tradition, the atmosphere is cozy and comforting.

Lisa’s Kitchen and Pedro’s Cocina is nestled in the back of the bar, where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served.

Beef or chicken burritos are served in four small quadrants. The carne asada was more tender than wool and the beans were cooked to a pleasing texture. Salsa rojo or verde are always the options. The red salsa was spicy enough not to deter even sensitive palates.

There’s a certain balance to the Mexican food staple that demands a serving have just enough of each: tomato, lettuce, peppers (optional) and salsa. The tangerine slices

32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano.

Wednesday | 17 MIXOLOGY UNIVERSITY 7 p.m. Every Wednesday, Waterman’s Harbor bartenders and mixology experts teach guests how to make the restaurant’s cocktails. Guests will have the opportunity to make and taste three cocktails.

Event is $25. Waterman’s Harbor. 34661 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

SEA DRINKS: LECTURE WITH DR. CHRIS LOWE 7-10 p.m. Dr. Chris Lowe will speak about his work with Shark Lab and answer questions regarding the increase in shark activity off the coast. Sea Drinks meet once a month at local restaurants and bars to discuss and raise awareness of environmental issues threatening the ocean ecosystem. A $10 donation is recommended to benefit Shark Lab. This month’s location is Hennessey’s Tavern. 34111 La Plaza, Dana Point.

Friday | 19 LIVE MUSIC: POUL PEDERSEN 8-11 p.m. Listen to live music at Barnoa Wine Bar. 831 Via Suerte #106, San Clemente. 949.388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Live Music at the Swallow’s Inn 8:30 p.m. Listen to the Hollywood Hillbillies perform at the Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

Thursday | 18

Saturday | 20

JAZZ NIGHT OUT 6:30-10 p.m. Enjoy a night of music while benefiting CREER, an after school and summer program. Dean Grech and Greg Vail with their band will perform during the evening. Tickets are $30 for concert admission, $60 includes a buffet Italian dinner and $100 includes VIP dinner experience and a CD. To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/dean-grechgreg-vail-band-benefiting-creer-tickets-33032304512. San Juan Hills Golf Club.

ART IN NATURE 9-11 a.m. Spend a morning outdoors creating art in nature. Design and build natural masterpieces or practice drawing live animals using simple sketching techniques.

All art skill levels are welcome and materials will be provided. The event is for ages 6 and up. General cost is $5, supporters are free. Register online at www,rmvreserve. org. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.9778.

Page 16

were also a fun and unique addition.

Gourmet and finer bar food is becoming more popular, and Lisa’s Kitchen and Pedro’s Cocina has found a winning combination.

Lisa’s Kitchen & Pedro’s Cocina Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano 949.493.3188 | www.swallowsinn.com

REPLACE YOUR LAWN WORKSHOP: DESIGN BASICS 9:30-10:30 a.m. Pat Overby, a longtime designer of California native plant gardens, will provide information about getting started. Tree of Life Nurser y. 33201 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano. 949.728.0685. www.californianativeplants.com.

OCEAN INSTITUTE WHALE WATCHING 10 a.m. Hop aboard the Ocean Institute’s R/V Sea Explorer this spring for whale watching excursions. Tickets range from $25-$45. Visit the Institute’s website for more dates and times. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.org.

DANA POINT ARTFEST 10 a.m. More than 80 artists will showcase their art along Del Prado during the Dana Point ArtFest. There will be live music, food and beverages for purchase by local restaurants It will be located between Ruby Lantern and Golden Lantern. www.dpartfest.com.

DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL 11 a.m. The Doheny Blues Festival is a two-day music event at Doheny State Beach. More than 20 artists will perform including Joe Walsh, Melissa Etheridge, Jason Bonham and more. Tickets range from $15-$250. The event runs Saturday May 20 through Sunday, May 21. Doheny State Beach.

5300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. www.dohenybluesfestival.com.

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

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Return of the Swallows

The Mission extends a warm welcome to its avian ambassadors PHOTOS AND TEXT BY ALLISON JARRELL, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he birds are back in town.

For about five years, Mission San Juan Capistrano has attempted to lure San Juan’s famous migrating cliff swallows back to its grounds with a variety of methods. And it seems like that work is finally paying off.

“It’s a sign of hope,” said Mechelle Lawrence-Adams, executive director of the Mission. “It’s a sign to keep going.”

Lawrence Adams said it was a couple weeks ago that Mission staff spotted a lively group of cliff swallows darting back and forth over the Great Stone Church.

It wasn’t too long after that a male cliff swallow was spotted building a nest in the east corridor near the entry to the Serra Chapel.

It’s not that the swallows don’t return to San Juan Capistrano. They still migrate each spring from Argentina, but Lawrence Adams said it’s been a couple years since she spotted a new nest on the Mission grounds. She said that despite the city’s ordinance against taking down nests during swallows season, that nest had been knocked down.

Since 2012, the Mission has been working with Dr. Charles Brown, a swallows expert and professor of biological sciences at the University of Tulsa, to work on luring the swallows back. Different phases of the project included playing recorded courtship calls through a speaker on the Mission grounds and using a stationary nest wall arch near the ruins of the Great Stone Church. Brown thought the manmade nests may prove attractive to the swallows, since research shows that cliff swallows often prefer to inhabit existing nests when possible.

Brown said a variety of factors may have contributed to the return of the swallows to the Mission grounds, including the rough-winged swallows that have been spotted nesting in the ruins of the Great Stone Church.

“It is hard to say what brought them in, likely a combination of the vocalizations, the nests, and especially the presence of the rough-winged swallows,” Brown said.

“They may have seen the rough-wings, heard the vocalizations, and seen the nests, and this may have stimulated them

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12–25, 2017

A swallow peeks out of its nest on a recent afternoon at the Mission.

A swallows nest was recently found in the east corridor near the Serra Chapel. It’s the first one seen on the Mission grounds in a couple years.

to settle.

“Hard to know for sure, but if I was to pinpoint one thing, I’m afraid the credit would have to go mostly to the roughwings, because cliff swallows are often attracted to them. Live animals will always be more effective than calls or fake nests.”

On Thursday, Lawrence Adams said a

second swallows nest had already been spotted, and 15 birds had been seen that morning.

Perhaps the swallows will finally settle down above the grounds they once called home.

For more on this story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. CD

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Artificial nests can be seen in certain areas of the Mission grounds. The nests were one of the tactics that was used to lure the swallows back.

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SJC LIVING GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by Tom Blake

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

Portugal: The Algarve Region and 120 Miles of Beaches

Knitting for a Cause

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L

hen tourists travel, they often try to see too many sites in the limited time they have. Hence, they might overlook interesting items in the area where they are staying. Such is the case in the Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal, where my partner Greta and I are spending the first two weeks of May. Normally, we like to travel between European cities by train, but in the Algarve, trains are limited. So, we rented a car out of necessity to reach the private home where we are staying, and to visit the beach cities of the Algarve, which has 120 miles of beautiful coastline.

The home, called Casa Sams, is remotely located in the hills above the town of Estoi, five miles from Faro, the main city and capital of the Algarve. To reach the home, there are left turns, right turns, hairpin turns, a pack of friendly but wild dogs and a myriad of unmarked single-lane, unpaved roads.

We’ve been here a week and haven’t made it up the hill in 10 attempts without making at least one wrong turn. But, the view is panoramic of the ocean and the property is on five acres of orange trees and olive trees.

There are so many beautiful beach cities within 30 miles to the east and west, and we immediately started exploring them.

On May 1, International Workers’ Day, we drove to Tavira, a fishing village. Its sidewalk cafes were packed. We thought we’d give Portuguese food a try and ordered sardines.

I ate two of the five on my plate and that was enough for me.

Driving to the next port city, Olhao, we saw all kinds of stuffed mannequins along the side of the road, with people stopping their cars to admire them. It was the strangest thing we’ve ever seen. We learned via the Internet later that those stuffed mannequins were to honor International Workers’ Day, and they were unique to, pretty much, only that portion of the road we were on in all of Portugal. We hit it big, just by coincidence— right time, right day and right road.

Our favorite beach city is Vilamoura.

It has a horseshoe-shaped marina with hundreds of fancy yachts in the center. We estimate there are at least 70 upscale restaurants, including three Irish pubs, facing the yachts.

Even more restaurants are on the beach boardwalk with access from the marina. We had lunch at Buzios Beach Café.

In the city of Portimao, the beach had more than 200 sand volleyball courts.

We watched women’s and men’s doubles tournaments. We enjoyed the action while having lunch at a beach café there.

On the way home, we visited another beach city, Albuferia. It is well-known for cakes made with almonds. These are so

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

The library’s annual Knit in Public Day is set for June 10

tasty it’s mind-boggling.

The olive oil, seafood, olives, oranges, pastries, bread, cheese and wine in Portugal are delectable. Great wine is less than five euros (approx. $5.00) per bottle.

On our fifth day, we decided to walk around Estoi, the closest town to us. It appeared to be sleepy, not much there. We saw a sign describing a palace, hidden away.

We tried to get to it, but there were walls all around and gates were padlocked.

On a deserted back street, a couple walked by us, and said in an English accent, “It’s worth going inside, we can show you the way.” Tony and Josephine were from Manchester, England.

The ancient palace had been converted into a hotel. It was beautiful inside.

There were hand painted murals by Italian artists on the ceilings throughout the main floor of the hotel.

Also in Estoi, there are Roman ruins dating from ON LIFE AND the 3rd century A.D. This LOVE AFTER 50 is a perfect example of

By Tom Blake trying to see too much elsewhere and missing wonderful things right where you are staying.

As we concluded our first week in the Algarve, Greta suggested we explore Faro, the nearby city where we had only shopped for groceries.

We did not realize that it also had a wonderful marina and historic district.

Why had we overlooked a city so close to us? Faro has its unique characteristics: within the large Carmo Church, there is a chapel constructed out of the bones of 1,245 deceased monks. A little morbid, but that’s what makes travel so interesting.

Also in Faro, storks from the nearby Ria Formosa nature preserve build their nests on top of churches and buildings for protection. There were four nests built out of sizeable tree branches atop the Town Arch leading into the old city. The preserve is one of the most important areas for aquatic birds in Portugal.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating.

See his websites at www.findingloveafter50. com; www.vicsta.com and www.travelafter55. com. To receive Tom’s weekly online newsletter, sign up at www.findingloveafter50.com or email at tompblake@gmail.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.

ibraries are not only places to connect with information, they are also places where you can connect with other people. In serving the community, San Juan Capistrano’s library provides a variety of programs and activities that bring people together.

Read on to learn about a couple of upcoming events. You may be interested in one, or both, or maybe neither. But keep an eye on the calendar at www.ocpl. org/libloc/sjc/calendar or stop by the library, because the Friends of the Library and library staff are continually working to offer a broad range of programs.

History of Horses in San Juan Capistrano Residents of San Juan Capistrano are proud of the town’s equestrian heritage, but do they realize how far back it really goes? On Saturday, June 3, we have the opportunity to learn more from paleontologist Eric Scott who will talk about prehistoric life in California, including a look at fossils of prehistoric horses that have been found in the area. The public is invited to the La Sala auditorium at 1 p.m. to hear about San Juan Capistrano’s oldest horse.

World Wide Knit in Public Day World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 to bring knitters together to enjoy each other’s company. For one day each June, nonprofit groups host local KIPs at libraries, yarn shops, parks and cafés around the world. This unique event is now the largest of its kind, and in 2016, 57 countries were involved.

On Saturday, June 10, our own San Juan Capistrano Library will be hosting its seventh Knit in Public Day from 10 a.m. until noon in the courtyard and the La Sala auditorium.

Each year, a little something extra is added for the enjoyment of participants

and onlookers alike. In past years, the Yarn Over Truck has come, and Stitchocracy has given machine knitting demonstrations and displayed their knit house.

Last year, the Mission Basket Weavers gave instruction in basket weaving, and they were so popular that it was standing room only.

This year, in addition to a raffle for door prizes, there will be a spinning demonstration and a workshop on how to dye yarn with powdered drink mix. (Be sure to sign up ahead of time in the library to ensure there are enough supplies.)

Over the past six years, donations from this event have resulted in more than 1,500 knit and crocheted items being collected and given to various organizations, including: Orange County Social Services, The Red Scarf Project, Warm Up America, and the U.S. Marine Corps. Preemie caps and shawls have also been sent to hospitals, and other items have been distributed at local shelters.

None of this would be possible without the support of the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library, The Mike and Susie Wernet Foundation, The National Charity League and many other local champions who donate their time and resources.

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 Solution:

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SJC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Moments in Time by Jan Siegel

Did Fr. Serra Sail to Cuba?

An investigation into a statue and a claim that Junípero Serra once traveled to Havana

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hroughout the years I have often pointed out that many historical facts have a San Juan Capistrano connection. And once again, on a recent trip to Cuba, this adage proved to be true.

Old Havana is surrounded by four plazas, one of which is called Plaza de San Francisco. Right in front of the former church, which is now used as a concert hall, is a statue of Fr. Junípero Serra. But it’s not just any statue—it’s a copy of the statue that is in the Franciscan Plaza in Palma, Mallorca, which is a copy of the statue that was commissioned by Fr. St. John O’Sullivan for our own Mission San Juan Capistrano. The statue in Havana, like the statue in Palma, differs from the one at Mission San Juan. At the Mission, the Juaneño boy is facing Fr. Serra, whereas the other two feature the Juaneño boy facing front.

According to our Havana tour guide, the statue was placed in the plaza to commemorate the landing of Fr. Serra in Cuba.

This immediately piqued my interest— and I wasn’t the only one. Our entire tour group was made up of Californians, including several people from San Diego, and we all told the tour guide that his information was incorrect. Serra was never in Cuba.

However, my curiosity was sparked, and I wanted to find out how and why the statue came to Cuba.

If Serra had been to Havana, either he or his biographer, Father Palou, would have recorded it, because in the 18th century, Havana had a strong Franciscan foothold in the New World. The convent in this plaza was a focal point from the time that it was built in 1591. Another part of this plaza was the church and monastery, which was built in 1719 and was remodeled in 1730.

The pride of this structure was the 125-foot bell tower, one of the highest in the Americas. Atop the bell tower was a statue of St. Francis. This plaza was the welcoming port for incoming ships, and the first thing that sailors saw was the St. Francis statue.

In 1846, the statue was toppled during a devastating hurricane, and no other statue was ever placed in the plaza. If Serra had stopped here on his way to Vera cruz, it would have been noteworthy.

Several Serra scholars through the years have tried to place Serra in Cuba and even in South Florida, but they were never able to find any information to back up such a claim.

The sculptor of the Palma, Mallorca statue was Horacio de Eugia, who made Mallorca his home. He was commissioned to create a statue of Fr. Serra in commemoration of Serra’s 250th birth year in 1963. The statue was not completed

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

until 1965, and Eugia died in 1991. But the foundry which struck the statue held onto the mold.

Iberostar is an international hotel chain based in Mallorca, the birthplace of Junípero Serra. In the fall of 2004, Iberostar opened the first five-star hotel in Havana, Cuba. By that time, travel to Cuba was becoming popular for Europeans, Asians and South Americans.

Iberostar also operates a charitable foundation, a travel agency and offers tours of Mallorca. On April 29, 2005, a replica of Eugia’s Serra statue was donated to Plaza de San Francisco in Havana by the Iberostar foundation. On the web page of Mallorca Private Tours, it states: “This sculpture commemorates the visit of Father Junípero Serra to Cuba (in the) middle of the eighteenth century to the Franciscan conMOMENTS IN vent of Havana.”

TIME I contacted the tour

By Jan Siegel company to see if they could come up with any citations that would place Serra in Cuba. The company web page lists all of their docents and their language skills. One docent described herself as being strong in English, so I contacted her. As luck would have it, she was raised in Southern California and had recently moved to Mallorca. She found articles for me in both Spanish and Catalan and even translated them for me.

She could not have been more helpful.

That being said, all she could find was one article with a reference to Serra’s travel, which states: “He left Spain in August of 1749, arrived in Puerto Rico in October and in Veracruz, Mexico on December 7 after various stops.”

Apparently, Iberostar took some liberties and interpreted the phrase “after various stops” to mean that Serra stopped in Havana, Cuba—all so they could place the statue of “our most international Franciscan” in the plaza.

However, the distance between these ports does not make that assumption realistic. The distances between Puerto Rico and Havana, Cuba and Vera cruz would have extended the voyage by over 500 miles. Since we also know the dates that Serra was in Puerto Rico and the date he landed in Vera cruz, it would not have been possible to cover the additional mileage in that length of time on a sailing ship that used trade winds for navigation.

Iberostar is very proud of its Mallorcan heritage, but it took a big leap of faith to place Serra in Cuba. Whether or not Serra

The Serra statue in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Jan Siegel

The Serra statue in Palma, Mallorca in Spain.

Photo: Jan Siegel

The Serra statue at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Photo: Jan Siegel

was ever in Cuba does not diminish the importance of this statue in Havana. Serra is certainly a universally known Franciscan, and with his recent elevation to sainthood, having him in Plaza de San Francisco makes perfect sense. I would hope that docents everywhere would simply stick to the facts, they are amazing enough.

For us, this is just another example of the far-reaching effect of our community.

I’m sure Fr. O’Sullivan would be surprised to find his statue sitting in a plaza in Havana. You can spend a “Moment in Time” and visit the statue of Junípero Serra and the Juaneño boy at the Mission San Juan Capistrano any time you want and reflect on the impact this small community has

had in the world.

Jan Siegel is a 28-year resident of San Juan Capistrano. She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years and has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 18 years.

She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. CD

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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.

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

JFK Remembered: 100 Years Later Local movie producers commemorate Kennedy’s 100th birthday with special film screening

BY ALLISON JARRELL, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

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eteran film producers, Robert Kline and Stephanie Heredia, are inviting the community to celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of the nation’s 35th president, John. F. Kennedy, with an exclusive screening of their updated documentary, JFK Remembered: 100 Years Later, on Thursday, May 25.

The film premiere begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Regency Theatre in San Juan Capistrano. Kline will introduce the film, hold a Photo: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library question and answer session after the film, and will also display Kennedy memoraing for, and I know what I’m looking for,” bilia. Kline said San Juan Capistrano will Kline said. be the only Orange County city with a Kline worked as the head of media movie theatre showing the film in tribute for Kennedy’s brother, Robert, and was to Kennedy’s 100th birthday, which falls a close friend of Pierre Salinger, former four days later on May 29.

White House Press Secretary to Kennedy, Directed by Kline and for 30 years.

Heredia, the documentary is Not only was Kennedy the If You Go... the husband-and-wife team’s first president Kline ever third film for Warner Bros. voted for, but he was also What: JFK Remembered: that revolves around Kenable to meet Kennedy in per100 Years Later nedy, his presidency and his son in 1962 while in Hyannis When: May 25, 6:30 p.m. family. In 2013, they released Doors open at 6 p.m.

Port, Massachusetts. Kline, JFK Remembered: 50 Years who was celebrating his 20th Run Time: 1 hour, 40 min.

Later, and in 2008 they probirthday at the time, was visWhere: Regency Theatre duced The Kennedys: Ameriting his brother’s girlfriend, San Juan Capistrano, ica’s Emerald Kings. Their who was Joe Kennedy’s 26762 Verdugo Street latest documentary features assistant.

Tickets: $15 additional never-before-seen “JFK was there on the materials, with contributions Box Office: 949.661.3435 lawn and we played touch from the Kennedy family and To purchase tickets, visit football,” Kline recalled. the John F. Kennedy Presi“He had a great sense of www.regencymovies.com. dential Library. humor, very bright. He said, The Kennedy films are a ‘Happy birthday, Bob,’ and labor of love for Kline, a former 20th Cenhanded me a picture of him on a golf cart tury Fox executive who has been teaching with Caroline, John, all the nephews and a course on Kennedy at the University nieces, everything. I’ve carried that with of Southern California for more than 30 me wherever I have gone.” years now. Kline went through thousands Kline said he was heartbroken the day of hours of archived footage while creating Kennedy was assassinated. the documentaries.

“Eisenhower was my father’s genera“You’ve got to know what you’re looktion, and JFK felt like us,” he said. CD

SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Capo Classics members Larry Rolapp, left, Bob Messersmith, middle, and Veeder South helped organize this year’s senior basketball tournament. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Senior Hoopers Set to Host Annual Basketball Tournament

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he sights and sounds inside the basketball gym at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center are the same ones you’d expect to see anywhere in the world. There are quick passes, cuts to the basket, turnaround jumpers, and occasional trash-talking swirling around simultaneously as players run up and down the two courts.

But the athletes in the local gym three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings are not your average pick-up players.

The Capo Classics are a senior basketball group, made up of players ranging

A Capo Classics basketball player shoots a free throw during an open gym session at the San Juan Community Center on May 10. Photo: Steve Breazeale

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from ages 60 to 85. They have been playing in the community center’s gym for nearly 10 years. On May 12, starting at 11 a.m., they will hold their annual Capo Classics Tournament.

Eight teams of four are slated to compete throughout the day. The teams have been sorted into two divisions: the “juniors” and the “seniors”. The juniors are players ages 60 to 70, while the seniors are 70 and up. The tournament will also feature a 3-point contest.

The Capo Classics are a tight-knit group of roughly 30 local players that have known each other for decades and live primarily in the tri-city area. Their ranks are made up of retired businessmen, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and almost all of them are former athletes who satisfy the itch of competition by playing in the weekly games.

“It’s really a fraternity of guys who get together and have recreation as well as social interaction,” said Capistrano Beach resident and group organizer Larry Rolapp. “It’s a very, very positive thing for seniors.”

The highly successful San Juan Capistrano-based Team USA 80 will be competing in the tournament. The local team has won National Senior Games titles at the 65-, 70-, 75-, and 80-year-old divisions at the high-profile event over the last two decades. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

FOR RENT OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT IN DANA POINT Office Space for sub-lease in Lantern Bay Village Shopping Center AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY. Sharing space with a medical doctor 1 exam/treatment room with a sink & storage cabinets plus 1 office/consultation room for rent. Free Parking outside front door Call 860-558-1221

GARAGE SALES ANNUAL OLD MILL POND COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE! Saturday, May 20th, from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Located on Camino Capistrano south of Camino de Estrella in Capistrano Beach ANNUAL ENCANTAMAR COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE Dana Point - Corner of Camino de Avion and Golden Lantern. SATURDAY MAY 20TH 8AM TO 1PM.Huge selection of anything you can think of; exercise equipment, pool table, appliances, toys, etc. Sponsored by Kim Skandalis-Griffin at First Team Real Estate GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@thecapistranodispatch.com Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

OTHER INTERESTING STUFF YOU ALWAYS SAY WE SHOULD GO TO CHURCH Attend church this Sunday in a small town in Montana from the comfort of your own home pour yourself a cup of coffee and join us this Sunday at 8:00AM or 10:00AM www.bitterrootvalleycalvarychapel.com CODING INTRO WITH JAVA Learn the basics of coding with Java in this 5 hour, hands-on class. Covers variables, statements, classes & objects, etc. Instructor-led, limited enrollment. Weekdays & Saturdays. Call 949489-1472 or visit www.ocdatabases.com. Orange Coast Database Assoc., San Juan Capistrano REMEDIAL READING TUTOR Certified Reading Specialist/Teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience is available to test, diagnose, encourage, and improve reading skills for students of all ages. Able to tutor in your home or mine. Call Debbie at 631-5617360 for more information.

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

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949.388.7700 ext. 104 The Capistrano Dispatch May 12–25, 2017

Page 25

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS PREPS ROUNDUP:

Local Baseball Teams Fighting for Playoff Berths COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

T St. Margaret’s sophomore Maddie Barkate runs the ball downfield against Mater Dei during a U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division semifinal game. Photo: Wendy Ballard

Tartans Lacrosse Teams Fall in Orange County Semifinals COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

B

oth the St. Margaret’s boys and girls lacrosse teams advanced to the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division semifinals at Portola High School on May 6, but both teams were ousted after losing in the penultimate match of the season.

The Tartans girls squad nearly upset topseeded Mater Dei, but lost the match 9-8.

The Monarchs, the eventual Orange County champion, entered the match riding a 24-game winning streak against fellow county opponents. The Tartans nearly ended that streak, and kept the match close the entire time.

The game went into the second half tied 4-4, but Mater Dei began to pull away when McKenzie Wallevand scored two unanswered goals to give the Monarchs a 7-5 advantage. Mater Dei extended its lead to 9-6 with just over 12 minutes to go in the game.

St. Margaret’s made it interesting down the stretch following back-to-back goals by

Cameron Manor and Audrey Larson that made it 9-8, but the Monarchs held on for the win.

St. Margaret’s sophomore Niki Miles had three goals. Manor and Maddie Barkate each had two goals. The Tartans defeated Aliso Niguel and San Clemente to reach the semifinals.

Top-ranked Corona Del Mar barnstormed its way past the fourth-ranked St. Margaret’s boys team 13-4 in their semifinal tilt.

The game was never in doubt, as the Sea Kings built up a 4-0 lead at halftime and put the pressure on the Tartans’ defense by scoring nine times in the second half. Seven different Corona Del Mar players scored goals in the win.

Kevin Groeninger and Andy Shin each scored twice for St. Margaret’s and goalie Zane Handy recorded seven saves.

St. Margaret’s (11-9) defeated Trabuco Hills and Santa Margarita in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, respectively. CD

he prep baseball season was set to end on May 11, and several San Juan Capistrano teams were in the hunt for berths in the upcoming CIF-SS playoffs. While results for Thursday’s games were not available at press time, all five San Juan teams were in the mix.

• San Juan Hills High School was set to play Dana Hills in a Sea View League game on May 11 that had major postseason implications.

The Stallions (15-13, 6-5 league) needed a win to ensure a second-place finish in the standings. The Stallions could finish third, and secure a Division 2 playoff berth, with a loss as long as Tesoro lost its final game of the season as well.

San Juan Hills made a charge into the postseason conversation by winning three straight games, including a 2-1 win over Dana Hills on May 9. Senior pitcher Bryan Pope pitched six innings of shutout ball and the Stallions’ bats capitalized on its chances against Dolphins’ ace Hans Crouse to get the win.

• JSerra got hot down the stretch of Trinity League competition, and was in line for a high finish and a berth in the Division 1 playoffs. The Lions (16-12, 8-6) won five of their last seven games before their season-finale against first-place St. John Bosco on May 11. A Lions win would ensure a second-place finish.

• Capistrano Valley Christian will likely enter the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed, and are one of the hottest teams in Orange County. The Eagles

San Juan Hills’ Bryan Pope pitches against Dana Hills during a Sea View League game on May 9. Photo: Steve Breazeale

(20-7, 11-0) entered their May 11 matchup with Southlands Christian having won 18 of their previous 20 games. They ran away with the San Joaquin League title and will be the team to beat in the Division 4 playoffs.

• St. Margaret’s won a must-win Academy League game against Calvary Chapel, 9-6, on May 9, keeping them in the hunt for a third-place finish. The Tartans (1210, 7-5) won a coin-flip tiebreaker against Oxford Academy, who is tied for third, on May 10, so a win in the final game of the regular season would guarantee them the third-place spot. A loss and an Oxford Academy win would drop the Tartans into fourth.

• Saddleback Valley Christian has secured a playoff berth, and was set to play The Webb School on May 11. The Warriors (13-14, 6-5) are a hot-hitting team that boasts a collective .322 batting average, and they will compete in the Division 5 playoffs. CD

Thrower Sean Rhyan Earns Trip to CIF-SS Prelims THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

S

The St. Margaret’s boys lacrosse team lost to Corona Del Mar 13-4 in the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division semifinals on May 6. Photo: Wendy Ballard

The Capistrano Dispatch May 12-25, 2017

an Juan Hills High School’s Sean Rhyan has been excelling in the shot put for the Stallions’ track and field team this season.

The 6-5 sophomore claimed the Sea View League title on May 5 by clearing the mark of 53-feet-1-inch at San Juan Hills’ home track. The throw is now a new program record.

Rhyan became the first Stallions shot put thrower to claim the league title since 2008, and he will head to the CIF-SS Division 2 Track and Field Championship Prelims at Moorpark High School on May 13.

This is Rhyan’s first season competing in shot put, and he has several high finishes to his credit. He finished second in the frosh/soph division at the Orange County

Page 26

San Juan Hills sophomore Sean Rhyan won the Sea View League shot put title on May 5. Photo: Courtesy

Championships on April 22, clearing 53feet for the first time.

Rhyan is also a member of the Stallions’ football team, and he is a rising recruit. Rhyan, a left tackle and defensive end, picked up an offer from UCLA this summer. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Nestled in the Heart of the Historic District

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

Open House will be held

Saturday, May 13 from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM The Woman’s Club of San Juan Capistrano built this beautiful property in 1960 at 31442 El Horno St. Located across from the Library and a hop, skip and a jump from the Mission.

The Woman’s Club of San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1921 by Mrs. Guy Williams and is celebrating their 96th Anniversary. The women worked and saved through the Great Depression and World War II to buy the property and eventually build the Clubhouse on El Horno St. The clubhouse is 2,900 square feet (per public record) on a 17,000 square foot lot (per public record), with a private parking lot and adjacent to a free public parking lot.

The clubhouse features a commercial kitchen, a 1,700 square foot auditorium and stage with a sound system two restrooms, central heat and air conditioning.

The Woman’s Club has presented many fine events over the years and leased their clubhouse to various organizations for their events including Churches, Memorial Services, Weddings, Christenings, the annual Swallow’s Day Pancake Breakfast and much more. The clubhouse would be perfect for a Dinner Theater and so much more as it stands. The Clubhouse is zoned for commercial use, so the possibilities are endless.

This once in a lifetime opportunity will not last. For more information, or a private showing, please contact Donna at @ 949-874-6172. Listed at $5,000,000. We offer Broker cooperation.