November 25, 2016

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This Year’s Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 8, 2016 • VOLUME 14, ISSUE 22

This Land is Your Land

As indigenous rights get national spotlight, Acjachemen confront long-standing battles in South Orange County E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 7

San Juan Capistrano residents Jerry Nieblas and his cousin, Gigi Nieblas, can trace their Acjachemen lineage back to the ancient village of Putuidem.

The city recently approved a 1.3-acre park at its Northwest Open Space—land where Putuidem once existed. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Council to Reconsider Sale of Land in Golf Course Settlement EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

City’s Tree Lighting Ceremony to Return Dec. 3 GETTING OUT/PAGE 20

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

San Juan StudentAthletes Ink National Letters of Intent SPORTS/PAGE 26

VOTE FOR THE 2016 BEST OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AT THECAPISTRANODISPATCH.COM

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

The Orange County Fire Authority is still investigating the cause of the Nov. 13 brush fire that scorched more than 50 acres in San Juan Capistrano. Photo: Courtesy of OCFA

What’s Up With...

Five things San Juan should know this week OCFA Still Investigating Cause of 50-acre Brush Fire THE LATEST: A brush fire on Nov. 13 left more than 50 acres of land burned between San Juan Hills High School and a residential area of San Juan Capistrano.

Shortly after noon on Nov. 13, Orange County Fire Authority PIO Capt. Larry Kurtz reported a 20-acre brush fire at the 28000 block of Avenida La Mancha was threatening 50 structures. A total of 120 firefighters and two helicopters responded to the fire, which was contained within a few hours. OCFA did not issue any evacuations.

WHAT’S NEXT: Kurtz said OCFA is continuing to investigate the cause of the brush fire, including a vehicle seen in the area. According to a Nov. 13 police blotter entry, OCFA was contacted after a “flaming vehicle” was seen on a trail behind San Juan Hills High School.—Allison Jarrell

Council to Reconsider Sale of Land in Golf Course Settlement THE LATEST: The City Council voted last week to reconsider selling a parcel of land to the San Juan Hills Golf Course as part of a settlement agreement with the course.

The golf course announced in Septem-

ber that litigation brought against the city in 2014 over groundwater rights had been settled. Per that settlement, the city paid $2,040,000 to the golf club, with $2 million paid by the city’s insurer. The city also announced the sale of a piece of land adjacent to the course, which has an appraised market value of $140,000.

The Council held a public hearing on Nov. 15 regarding the abandonment and sale of that land, which sits at the corner of La Novia and San Juan Creek Road.

During public comment, newly elected District 5 City Councilman Brian Maryott said the sale is an “absolute mistake.”

“I don’t know what in the world giving away city park property has to do with resolution of this water issue,” Maryott said. “The two are unrelated.”

As Council members discussed ways to reexamine the settlement, City Manager Ben Siegel advised the Council that the city avoided a “substantially higher cash payment” to the course by including the sale of the parcel. Siegel said if the city were to renegotiate the settlement without the land, he does not expect the city’s insurer would contribute to an additional cash payment.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Council’s vote was split several times before Mayor Pam Patterson renewed the initial motion to continue the item to Dec. 6. The vote was 3-1-0, with Councilman Sam Allevato opposed. Councilman John Perry recused himself due to his home’s proximity to the golf course.—AJ

Toll Road Settlement Reached, SJC Mayor Pro Tem Opposed THE LATEST: An agreement between the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA)

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

and various entities to not allow toll roads to be constructed through San Onofre State Beach, the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy and San Mateo Watershed was made Nov. 10 in Irvine. The agreement sets standards for the TCA to meet before any construction can take place on toll roads in South Orange County.

This ends about 15 years of litigation from the entities that sued the TCA for proposing to build toll roads that the entities stated would affect the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy, San Mateo Watershed and San Onofre State Beach.

The TCA’s Foothills/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency voted 10-2 to approve the agreement, with San Juan Capistrano Mayor Pro Tem Kerry Ferguson and San Clemente City Councilwoman Kathy Ward voting against it.

TCA is required to construct a Coastal Access Management Plan by the end of 2017 and consult with the newly established Environmental Oversight Committee. This will ensure public access is always available to Trestles, Panhe Nature Trail/San Onofre State Beach Trail and other historically, environmentally and recreationally sensitive areas.

In an interview following the settlement, Ferguson said she couldn’t comment on the reason she voted against it.

“I’m sympathetic to the needs of San Clemente, and what impacts San Clemente impacts San Juan Capistrano,” Ferguson said.

WHAT’S NEXT: The TCA is currently working on new proposals for planned toll roads through South Orange County.

—Eric Heinz

Mandarin Immersion Students Will Head to Mission Viejo for Middle School THE LATEST: After months of uncertainty, families in Capistrano Unified School District’s Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP) finally got the answer they were eagerly awaiting—their students will matriculate from Marian Bergeson Elementary School in Laguna Niguel to Fred Newhart Middle School in Mission Viejo next year if they wish to continue in the immersion program.

The decision, which was reached by CUSD’s Board of Trustees on Nov. 16, came after months of debate over whether MIP students should matriculate to Fred Newhart or Niguel Hills Middle School.

The Mandarin immersion program is in its fi fth year and allows students to become fluent and literate in Mandarin and English.

District staff presented analysis of potential feeder patterns, and the majority of

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trustees agreed with staff’s initial recommendation of Fred Newhart, due to factors such as enrollment capacity, location and available facilities.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board voted 4-2-1 to approve MIP matriculation to Fred Newhart, with Trustees Jim Reardon and John Alpay opposed and Martha McNicholas absent. Alpay asked that transportation be provided to South County students, but did not receive enough support to include it in the motion.

Marian Bergeson Elementary School is set to hold MIP information meetings and tours on Dec. 2, 8 and 14 and Jan. 11 and 18 at 8 a.m. in the school’s multipurpose room.—AJ

Nuclear Power Plant Panel Addresses Next Three Years THE LATEST: Southern California Edison (SCE) is closing in on selecting the general contractor to begin larger phases of decommissioning at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), officials said during the Nov. 10, quarterly Community Engagement Panel meeting in Dana Point.

The utility provider is looking to begin construction of the underground cement casings that are expected to secure canisters full of spent nuclear fuel. SCE received the permits to do this last year from the California Coastal Commission.

SCE officials said they expect to start burying the spent fuel as early as 2017.

Glenn Pascall, the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter chairman of the task force on San Onofre, said it is imperative to get the remaining 1,400 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel, currently housed in cooling pools, into dry storage as soon as possible.

Perhaps the biggest skeptic of anything proposed thus far by SCE has been CEP member and San Juan Capistrano Mayor Pam Patterson, who was relentless in her claims against the utility provider of mischievous activities at best and illegal dealings at worst.

Patterson said she takes exception with the CEP’s policies of public input, calling the “two-way conduit” or the board’s transparency a farce by SCE to disenfranchise the public from inquiring about the decommissioning process. Members of the public are allowed to speak for three minutes each at the end of CEP meetings; some argue that isn’t enough time.

Vice Chairman of the CEP and San Clemente City Councilman Tim Brown said Patterson wasn’t backing up her claims with facts.

WHAT’S NEXT: The next CEP meeting is expected to take place in January.—EH www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC Saddleback College Hosts Holiday Student Art Sale

Local nonprofit Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano is holding a fundraiser to benefit its programs for underserved youth on Nov. 30 at the San Juan Capistrano McDonald’s. Photo: Courtesy of Breakthrough SJC

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY STAFF

For more information, contact Victor Cota at victor.cota@smes.org or 949.661.0108 ext. 1342.

The Art Department at Saddleback College presents the 38th annual Holiday Student Art Sale in the Saddleback College Art Gallery, Room 201, on Dec. 2-6. A wide selection of student art for sale includes ceramics, sculpture, paintings, prints and jewelry featuring one-of-a-kind pieces and handmade glass beads. These handcrafted gifts are made by Saddleback College art students and will be available for purchase at reasonable prices. Proceeds from the sale fund student scholarships in the arts and master classes by internationally known artists. Admission is free.

The art sale is open Friday, Dec. 2 from 5-8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3 from noon-8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4 from noon to 8 p.m.; and Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 5-6 from noon6 p.m.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Parking is available in Lot 12.

Breakthrough SJC Fundraiser Set for Nov. 30

Toy Drive to Benefit City’s Adopted Marines

Join local nonprofit Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano as they celebrate over 50 college applications from the class of 2017. Since 2006, Breakthrough has served more than 300 highly motivated, underserved students as they work to graduate from college and break the cycle of poverty in their families.

A fundraiser to benefit Breakthrough is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 5-7 p.m. at the San Juan Capistrano McDonald’s, located at 31822 Del Obispo Street.

Breakthrough students will be there to introduce themselves and provide more information about the program. Twentyfive percent of all in-restaurant proceeds (excluding drive-thru) will directly support the Breakthrough students and program.

A toy collection to benefit the children of San Juan Capistrano’s adopted 1st Battalion, 11th Marines is underway. Help support the 1/11 by dropping off new, unwrapped toys in the toy collection bin at City Hall or the San Juan Capistrano Community Center during business hours now through Dec. 13.

City Hall is located at 32400 Paseo Adelanto and the Community Center is at 25925 Camino Del Avion. Business hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The toys will be delivered to the children before the holidays.

For more information, contact Lindsey Stigall at 949.443.6315 or lstigall@sanjuancapistrano.org.

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

an OCFA helicopter could land in order to retrieve water from the golf course lake.

grandson like that before and requested assistance after he became verbal with her.

DISTURBANCE El Camino Real/Yorba Street (9:54 a.m.) Police were called after a homeless man was yelling and threatening people at the Historic Town Center Park.

The caller told authorities that the man had threatened to put his fist down the caller’s throat. The homeless man had left the scene before deputies arrived.

PEDESTRIAN CHECK Avenida Los Amigos/ Avenida La Paloma (2 a.m.) A police officer began questioning a man standing in an ally. While speaking with the officer, the man admitted to possessing a meth pipe that contained a useable amount of meth in his fanny pack.

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO

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.

Sunday, November 13 ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Avenida La Mancha, 28500 Block (11:49 a.m.) Orange County Fire Authority was called after a flaming vehicle was seen on a trail behind San Juan Hills High School. The caller said the vehicle looked like it had been set on fire and driven into the field before being abandoned. A few miles away, San Juan Hills Golf Course was cleared so that

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Calle Aviador, 33000 Block (9:35 a.m.) A caller reported seeing a woman sitting in her front yard, who hid when a surveillance vehicle passed by. Police arrived and cited the woman for an open container after they saw a vodka bottle sticking out of her purse.

DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Calle San Felipe, 30800 Block (2:09 a.m.) A concerned grandmother called police after her grandson arrived at her house intoxicated. She told deputies that she had never seen her

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

Community Meetings SATURDAY, NOV. 26

Small Business Saturday

9 a.m. The San Juan Chamber of Commerce and local businesses are participating in Small Business Saturday, starting with a free pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. at the Mission Grill, located at 31721 Camino Capistrano. Various local businesses will offer special promotions. For more information, call 949.493.4700 or visit www.visitsjc.com/ShopSmall.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30

Downtown Farmers Market

3-6 p.m. Fresh 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.

FRIDAY, DEC. 2

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.

SATURDAY, DEC. 3 The Art Department at Saddleback College will host its annual Holiday Student Art Sale Dec. 2-6. Photo: Courtesy of Saddleback College

Saturday, November 12 WELFARE CHECK Stonehill Drive/Camino Capistrano (8:34 p.m.) A woman holding a baby was seen standing in the middle of traffic lanes on Stonehill Drive. A caller told police that the woman’s car was off to the side of the road, possibly broken down.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Camino Capistrano, 32100 Block (8:30 p.m.) An employee at Eng’s Chinese Deli called police after two men and a woman were seen standing outside of the business, looking through the windows for over an hour.

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Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration

4:15-9 p.m. San Juan Capistrano’s annual celebration at Historic Town Center Park, located at 31852 El Camino Real, kicks off at 4:15 p.m. with performances by Capistrano Valley High School Orchestra, San Juan Capistrano Youth Mariachis and Ballet Folklorico, followed by a holiday stage production featuring students of Musical Theater University. The Christmas tree lighting takes place at 5:30 p.m.

Festivities continue downtown at Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Historic Los Rios District. For more information, call 949.493.5911.

MONDAY, DEC. 5

Trails and Equestrian Commission Meeting

6 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Trails and Equestrian Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

TUESDAY, DEC. 6

City Council, Housing Authority and Successor Agency Meeting 5 p.m. The city’s governing body meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. To see the agenda, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, DEC. 9

Next issue of The Dispatch publishes www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

This Land Is Your Land As indigenous rights get national spotlight, Acjachemen confront long-standing battles in South Orange County

BY ALLISON JARRELL, ERIC HEINZ AND MATT CORTINA, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he protests at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota have brought the rights of indigenous people to the national forefront.

As protestors dig in for a long winter of battling the construction of an oil and gas pipeline under their main water source, American Indian tribes across the country are both sending support and people to the demonstrations, and also revisiting and reopening local battles.

There is no shortage of such issues in South Orange County alone for the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, which runs from San Diego to Los Angeles. We talked to tribal leaders about current issues the tribe is facing, and also took a trip to Standing Rock to see the parallels between the rhetoric and motivation of indigenous people there and in South Orange County.

“We’ve had to sit back and watch our lands … desecrated.”

On a recent sunny November morning, Jerry Nieblas and his cousin, Gigi Nieblas, walked through San Juan Capistrano’s Northwest Open Space, tucked along the north end of town where Camino Capistrano and the railroad come together. The cousins brushed past the dry earth, speckled with citrus trees and shrubs, toward a clearing with a large oak tree at its center.

With two small bundles of tobacco in hand, they made an offering to their ancestors— Jerry lifted a bundle in silence before carefully placing it inside the tree’s trunk.

Jerry and Gigi can trace their lineage back to the ancient village of Putuidem, which was home to the Acjachemen Indians who used to occupy this land. Their five-times great grandmother, Maria Bernarda Chigilia—who was just 14 years old when Mission San Juan Capistrano was established in 1776—lived in the tribe’s mother village, which was essentially the capital of 265 native villages in Orange County. A young Chigilia was taken from the land, and today, Jerry and Gigi look forward to bringing her history to life.

“She saw the coming of the Mission,” Jerry said. “She was relocated off of those lands into the new boundaries of Mission San Juan Capistrano. So she saw the best of

Jerry Nieblas and his cousin, Gigi Nieblas, can trace their lineage back to the ancient village of Putuidem, where their five-times great grandmother, Maria Bernarda Chigilia lived. Chigilia was just 14 years old when Mission San Juan Capistrano was established in 1776. Photo: Allison Jarrell

our life, and she saw the worst of our life.

“Now her five-times great grandchildren can bring her to life again, and that’s what we intend to do,” he said.

The land not only represents the tribe’s past—it marks an important chapter in the future of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation. This past summer, San Juan Capistrano’s City Council approved funding for a park on a 1.3-acre portion of the land that will pay homage to the village of Putuidem and become a place where tribal members can go to celebrate their culture, their connection to the land, and their traditions.

The $3 million plan, which is still going through the city’s review process, will include native landscape, interpretive signage, traditional dwellings called kiichas, water features and an amphitheater for presentations, all while focusing on minimizing ground disturbance.

Building the park means protecting one of the last remaining ancestral sites in San Juan Capistrano and preserving a sacred gathering place for Juaneño/Acjachemen descendants.

Over a year and a half ago, a committee was formed to work on a “wish list” for the park, made up of Juaneño/Acjachemen members and city officials, including tribal members Jerry and Gigi Nieblas, Adelia Sandoval, Stephen Rios, Rebecca Robles, Matias Belardes, Joyce Stanfield Perry and Nathan Banda, city commissioner Rhonda deHaan, former city commissioner Bob Cardoza and retired archeology professor Patricia Martz. City Councilwoman Kerry Ferguson has also been

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

dedicated to working with the committee and moving the project forward.

Recent political division within the tribe has led to several groups forming after disagreements created rifts during the process to become a federally recognized tribe. In 2007, and again in 2010, the Acjachemen failed to receive federal recognition and are still working toward that goal.

In 2003, some tribal members became politically active and filed a lawsuit, along with the California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance, against the expansion of Junipero Serra High School onto sacred land—land that was once home to the village of Putuidem. They lost that fight, which tribal member Rebecca Robles described as a “bitter pill.” That area is now a football field.

“There was some division in the tribal group, but there was also more activity,” Robles recalled. “Clarence Lobo was the chief in the 1950s and 60s, and it was the most political activity since those times. So we’ve come full circle. It’s a very healing thing for us to be able to build this park.”

Joyce Stanfield Perry, a tribal manager for the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, said each loss of the tribe’s homeland has been “painful and chaotic.” She said, “over the last 40 years, prominent Acjachemen leaders and activists have worked diligently in educating city officials and the public about the unique resource and the importance of protecting Putuidem.”

“No other place in Orange County is there evidence of three different sources—traditional, literary and archeological—that come together to explain the

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certainty of the first people’s village and a migration story,” Perry said.

While Jerry Nieblas is grateful for the opportunity to honor his ancestors on the land they once walked, he also describes the return to the land as an “odd” feeling.

“Mostly, we’ve had to sit back and watch our lands … desecrated,” Nieblas said. “In the scheme of everything, we’ve lost so much. And they’ve given us a little dot in the middle of this land. And I appreciate that, because now it’s up to us.”

Matias Belardes, son of former tribal chairman and activist David Belardes, said the park will allow the story of San Juan Capistrano’s beginning chapter to be told.

He called the partnership of city staff and tribal members “unprecedented.”

“The city is to be commended for doing this,” said committee member Patricia Martz. “It’s going to be the only place of its kind in all of Orange County. There’s no other interpretive village for Native Americans, or even a place where they can officially come and gather and have ceremonies or educate kids. So this is a really big deal.”

Tribal member and city commissioner Nathan Banda said not only is it unifying for the tribe, but the park marks the first time the “city has come to the table with tribal members” to honor them.

“To honor that land, means a lot not only for our tribe, but for the future generations,” Banda said. “It’s a place for them to call home now.”

“We weren’t always welcomed.”

It’s hard—if not impossible—to write (Cont. on page 8) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 7) about current issues facing local indigenous tribes without talking about the Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was the Mission builders who first enslaved the Acjachemen people, giving them the ultimatum to live within Mission boundaries and convert, or to live outside, while settlers sapped up all the resources on which the tribes once lived and inundated the area with diseases to which they were not immune.

Mechelle Lawrence Adams, the executive director of the Mission, respectfully declined to multiple requests to talk about the Mission’s current work with indigenous people, as well as concerns those in the community have expressed about the Mission.

Lawrence Adams did provide a pamphlet that highlights the many things the Mission does to preserve and celebrate Juaneño/Acjachemen culture. This includes the display of artifacts, ringing the Mission bells, lectures and more.

However, the fundamental issue with the Mission is that for all the good work it does to preserve Juaneño culture—in fact, it may do more than any other group in the area—it still stands as a monument to oppression. There’s no getting over that, and it’s been written about exhaustively.

And so the question now is: do indigenous leaders believe the Mission is currently doing enough to overcome its past?

Within the Acjachemen community, there are opinions at both ends of the spectrum.

“We weren’t always welcomed, from the time the Mission was established, sometimes even to current days. We’re not that welcomed a lot,” said Jerry Nieblas, who worked 28 years at the Mission before being fired. Nieblas said current Acjachemen people, for all the Mission does, still aren’t integrated into the church’s ceremonies.

And if they are, it’s on the Mission’s terms.

Gigi Nieblas said when her Acjachemen grandmother was cremated, they weren’t allowed to bring her remains into thechurch even though she went to school there.

Perry described the relationship with the Mission as one having peaks and valleys. Perry agreed that she hasn’t always felt welcomed at the Mission, but didn’t blame Lawrence Adams or current administration for that.

Adelia Sandoval, the Juaneño/Acjachemen cultural director, said that she thinks the Catholic church and Lawrence Adams have done a wonderful job managing the Mission. Sandoval said anyone calling for the Mission to return to Juaneño/Acjachemen control isn’t recognizing that the tribe doesn’t really have the wherewithal and resources to manage it on a daily basis.

“Never has a developer come in and wreaked this kind of havoc.”

While progress has been made on the Northwest Open Space park, some Juaneño/Acjachemen tribal members and

mean after the project is constructed.

Perry served as the Native American monitor for the Inn at the Mission site.

She said all laws and permits were followed, and she doesn’t feel additional reporting is needed at this time.

Griffith said the majority of the items found were related to agricultural operations, as the site had been an ag property for more than 100 years. He said information regarding the monitoring will be made “available to people when it’s appropriate.”

“That causes chaos within our community and our well-being.”

(Top) Members of the Sioux tribe sit atop horses on a distant bluff overlooking the camp at Standing Rock, North Dakota. (Below) Those within Standing Rock are preparing for a long winter by building permanent structures on Army Corps land that will house protesters. Photos: Matt Cortina

city commissioners feel more work needs to be done in the arena of monitoring the construction sites of new developments in town for important indigenous artifacts.

The focus of these concerns is currently on the former Inn at the Mission site, which sits directly across from the Mission. After grading had already commenced, landowner and developer Bill Griffith dropped his plans for the Inn at the Mission, and has since said developing the previously approved Plaza Banderas hotel at the site is a possibility.

As grading commenced at the hotel site, several commissioners and tribal members became increasingly concerned as excavation went deeper into the earth without report of any items found. The Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee (CHAC) dropped support for the incoming hotel and the current site development and construction earlier this year.

The CHAC letter, written by Jerry Nieblas, asks why full documentation and quarterly reports haven’t been provided on what’s been found at the site.

“We feel that this project, which was once an extension of Mission San Juan Capistrano and is part of our sacred land, has been desecrated because of massive ground penetration, earth moving/shifting and disturbance/compromising possibly two historic horno ovens along with other

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

artifacts,” the letter states.

“We look forward to the city enforcing its policies and requesting a thorough and detailed report from Bill Griffith regarding this project that is filled with many issues,” the letter concludes. “Never has a developer come in and wreaked this kind of havoc on our sacred lands. He needs to be held accountable.”

At the Sept. 27 Cultural Heritage Commission meeting, commission chairman Nathan Banda, a member of the Acjachemen Nation, had similar concerns about the lack of reporting. Citing the city’s Council Policy 601, Banda asked why the commission wasn’t receiving reports from the site’s monitors on what was being found. City staff replied that the developer’s permits did not require such reporting, but Banda countered that according to the city’s policy, reports of anything significant should come in within 24 hours to the commission.

In the past, Banda said, the city had a historic preservation manager, but when she left in 2011, her job was divvied up among existing staff, which has contributed to the lack of reporting.

In an email last week, Senior Planner David Contreras said the site’s archeological reports will be “provided after the completion of grading/trenching activities on the site,” which Contreras clarified to

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South of San Clemente is the San Mateo Campground areas, which includes the spiritual land of Panhe, an area that is sacred to the Acjachemen Nation.

Recently, activists and members of the nation protested certain procedures of the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, which uses San Onofre State Beach for training.

At San Mateo, west of the training zones, the U.S. Marine Corps has been grading and leveling portions of the area in order to prepare for training operations.

Patricia Martz, a Putuidem committee member who has a Ph.D. in archaeology and anthropology, said there have been artifacts found in the area where USMC mitigation efforts have begun, but she claims this has not resulted in an increase of the way the land is valued.

First Lt. Abigail Peterson, deputy director of public affairs at Camp Pendleton, said the USMC is taking National Historic Preservation Act requirements seriously as well as their commitment to the communities surrounding the military base through the Cultural Resources Program.

“Technically, we do have the ability to use any of the lease property for formal military training,” Peterson said, “but with Panhe, that area has not been used in formal military training to date, however, the San Onofre Campground and the San Mateo Archeological District has been used.”

Martz contends that the heavy vehicles used by the Marines in the archeological district have damaged much of the ground down there, which could be sites of archeological significance.

Martz has started a petition to stop the use of the land for training.

“Myself and the Native American tribal communities asked to be able to inspect the site when we heard about this,” Martz said. “We were horrified to see that vehicles had been had been out there and exposed some of the cultural parts of the sites. Our argument is that this is not working, and they’ll be grading down to sensitive areas of the site in no time.”

Perry said she doesn’t think the Marines are making an active effort in avoiding culturally sensitive areas in the district.

“When we see where we come from being altered, that causes chaos within our community and our well-being,” Perry said.

Military operations aren’t the only www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC threat to the sanctity of Panhe. Another came in the form of a highway, which was temporarily defeated on Nov. 10.

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) reached a settlement agreement with various state factions, including the Native American Heritage Commission, to not allow for toll roads to come through San Mateo Campground and San Onofre State Beach.

“The bluffs in the park, the San Mateo State Beach, all of that area is very sensitive archeologically and culturally,” Martz said. “That’s why we were protesting the toll road; it would have directly affected Panhe.”

The TCA is planning alternative routes to the original plans that would have provided plans to build through the San Mateo areas, which could ultimately affect Panhe.

“No matter where that road goes it’s going to impact some cultural properties and sites along the way, and we’ll be in negotiations with TCA to make sure there’s minimal impact,” Perry said.

“that the system doesn’t proSometimes it’s shocking

tect us, or there’s such little regard for history. So when there is a win, it’s very im-

portant. San Juan’s little park (Putuidem) is a small manifestation of that.

”

— Rebecca Robles, Acjachemen descendant

“We oppose any poison being put into our Mother Earth.”

In October, indigenous leaders held a prayer vigil against Southern California Edison’s (SCE) controversial plans to store about 1,400 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) as part of the plant’s decommissioning process.

The nuclear power plant went offline in 2012 and has been slated for destruction since 2013. SCE has argued they can’t put the nuclear waste anywhere else at this time because the Nuclear Waste Policy Act does not allow for temporary interim storage of fuel—it must have a permanent home.

“I’m just starting to educate myself on that, and they’re taking this nuclear waste and putting it into the earth in hopes to transport, and we oppose any poison being put into our Mother Earth, period,” said Perry, adding that the Acjachemen have not taken an official position on the matter

in writing at this time.

SCE plans to start putting the fuel in storage containers protected by cement casings as early as 2017.

“There has been a great disrespect for many generations.”

A man who calls himself Soldierboy, inside of stove-heated tarpaulin dome at the Oceti Sakowin protest camp in North Dakota, makes one thing clear to the group: We’re at Standing Rock to build a nation.

In fact, the nation already exists. It’s a stretch of land in the Western Dakotas and Nebraska whose boundaries pre- date mid18th-century treaties that have since been broken by the federal government. The nation has rules that, in order to stay in the camp, all must abide by, as they would in any other country. If the rules are not followed, the Sioux will boot out offenders, and they’ll do it, Soldierboy says, their way.

Soldierboy is tall with hulking shoulders that fill out a camouflage fleece. He wears a winter hat and jeans—it’s gusty and 10 degrees in North Dakota—and he addresses a group of protesters or “water protectors” in the dome for the first time because he says he has seen Sioux rules broken within the main camp of protestors in Standing Rock. Rules that prohibit photography around drum circles and horses; that protect the integrity of the fire; that require elders, women and children to eat first. There are forums for women to air women’s problems, and forums for men to air men’s problems. It’s their rules. That’s what sovereignty means. And there should be culture shock.

And yet, there are so many positions influencing what the protest camp is becoming that an announcement like that needed to be made. The movement to stop an oil and gas pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), from being built under the Missouri River, the area’s water source, began in April, on private land owned by Lakota member LaDonna Bravebull Allard. That camp has since become the Sacred Stone prayer camp, while across the river, the main Oceti Sakowin camp has been built on Army Corps land the Sioux believes is theirs. Scores of environmentalists, civil rights activists, indigenous peoples’ advocates and more have been drawn to the area. Their numbers can surge to 4,000 people on the weekends, while representing over 300 indigenous tribes from around the world—the largest meeting of tribes in at least a century. Media, too, has been abundant at the camp—the joke is that 3,000 people are at Standing Rock and 2,000 are journalists.

There is a LGBT camp (“Two-Spirit Camp”), a robustly stocked donation center, four mess halls/kitchens turning donated canned goods and fresh produce into meals, medical tents to tend to the hundreds of protectors that come back injured after actions. Rumors of visits from Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

A group in the Oceti Sakowin camp build teepees as an upside-down American flag, common throughout the camp, waves in the steady wind. Photo: Matt Cortina

and Mark Ruffalo are passed around the camp, and when a celebrity visit does materialize, or else when a direct action gets photogenic, the internet explodes with posts tagged #NoDAPL, and for an hour the images shock. But they’re also tagged with different backstories and histories, and framed through different lenses, and times a million, it all contributes to the perception that Standing Rock is something other than an effort to rebuild a nation for the Sioux.

What would be the biggest story of the year, if not for the election, is a national, amplified example of what smaller indigenous tribes are fighting for across the country, including the Juaneño/Acjachemen tribe in Southern California.

“There is a commitment for unprecedented unified action … that has been covered up by the news media of what we’re actually trying to do here,” said Chief Phil Lane at the SONGS prayer vigil at San Onofre State Beach last month.

Lane is an elder in the Dakota nation, whose father grew up in Standing Rock.

Lane said it was his hope the battle over SONGS became another site for action like the demonstrations in Standing Rock.

A sign at the vigil read, “Standing Rock, California.”

Laura Lafoia Ava-Tesimale, a first nations representative from Polynesia who offered the spiritual message at the SONGS vigil, said there is a direct tie between the treatment of Juaneño/Acjachemen tribes in South Orange County, and the Sioux at Standing Rock.

“There’s been a great disrespect for many generations,” said Lafoia Ava-Tesimale. “For 500 years, everything has been taken from them [the Acjachemen]. Stricken of their dignity, their land, their faith in human rights, their right to water, their sacred burial grounds. The disrespect has gone to new heights.

“With what is happening at Standing

Page 9

Rock, you can see the militarization and the hundreds of combat vehicles coming to battle against peaceful protectors that are doing prayer and taking to ceremony to protect this land and the resources, the water, not just for the indigenous peoples in this land, but for all of us, even the ones who are disrespecting them.”

Flags of some of the several hundred tribes represented at Standing Rock flap in the wind and line the entry to the camp and the border it shares with the road.

The Juaneño/Acjachemen flag does not yet fly, but the tribe is at least represented at the gathering.

Tribal member Rebecca Robles said her 27-year-old son has made the trip, and like many others who are setting up at Standing Rock, has put his life on hold because “he felt he had to be there.”

“Sometimes it’s shocking that the system doesn’t protect us, or there’s such little regard for history. So when there is a win, it’s very important. This is the groundwork for democracy,” Robles said of Standing Rock. “San Juan’s little park (Putuidem) is a small manifestation of that.”

It’s too soon to say what will happen at Standing Rock. Too many variables: will they reroute the pipeline; will they make it through the winter; will President-elect Trump authorize the Army Corps to grant Energy Transfer Partners, in which our new president has a financial stake, to drill under the river?

And what happens if the drilling is completed—do the environmentalists go home? Does the media leave when there are no more guards and only Indians fighting for theirs?

How far is everyone willing to go?

Likewise, it’s too soon to say what will happen in the myriad fronts of the battle for indigenous land rights in South Orange County. How far, in this community, is everyone willing to go? CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: Wavelengths by Jim Kempton

The Real Reality Show Goes on Air

T

he election is over, and we have a new president. Some are cheering.

Some are weeping.

What I find most disturbing is not the outcome of the election, which always disappoints at least 47 percent of the electorate. It is our complete silence about the real problems or the bigger picture of what we all agree we want. Yet there is so much we agree on as far as goals. We all want good schools for our children. We all want safe streets and neighborhoods. We all want more prosperity. We all want to see the income disparity narrowed and the political fighting and stalemate improved.

But we don’t talk about how, why, when and how much. Neither does most media.

It doesn’t make good TV drama.

Besides jobs, what are the American people’s other concerns? The real situations were never discussed. Both parties promise jobs, but where will they come from? Did anyone bother to ask? Government didn’t come and close our factories; American businesses took them offshore.

The government doesn’t import 90 per-

Letters to the Editor

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT, INSPIRATION ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —Mechelle Lawrence Adams, San Juan Capistrano Dear San Juan Capistrano: I wanted to share with you my appreciation for so many in the community who supported my efforts to serve SJC as a council member in this election.

While we didn’t get the results I hoped for, I do believe we ran a strong campaign.

I wanted to offer something different, something steeped in experience but also wrapped in care. And we did that. My signs were white in tribute to the idea of “hope and care” and I continue to hold those things close as values. It is with hope and care that I wish our newly elected officials the best as they go forward.

So as I close things out, please know

cent of its products from China, Wal-Mart does. That’s part of a free market system.

The reality is with a 7 billion-person world workforce, those jobs we have lost are not coming back. Donald Trump cannot force business to stop outsourcing overseas and hire people here—unless he plans on a much more authoritarian government than we have ever seen.

College (the ticket to upward mobility in the past) is now unaffordable to many Americans. And millions of jobs are going to other countries or immigrants imported here because there are literally no qualified American citizens who meet the criteria for the position. Millions of jobs we can’t fill because WAVELENGTHS we aren’t qualified. What

By Jim Kempton does that mean? Why aren’t we talking about it? Is government responsible?

People, overwhelmingly (margins of 80 percent left and right), want to address climate change. The two words were never uttered by any of the moderators during the debates or any news pundit for the entire 15 months of campaigning.

Why not? No matter what your position, wouldn’t you want to know what your candidate thinks? What if it isn’t caused by man-made activities? It’s still going to affect us. Are we just going to ignore it because we don’t like it? Did the government cause those greenhouse emissions?

Did they pollute our water?

Health insurance was a No. 1 issue in the last two elections and is still a high prithat I and my close circle of volunteers visited all 2,600 homes in the district—and we met so many amazing, good people with struggles, challenges and a desire to be heard. I will cherish the memories of meeting so many of SJC’s good people. I hope to circle back to many to find ways to be more inclusive of them. I would have never met these people if it were not for the campaign.

In the coming days and weeks ahead, I am going to re-shift my focus to ensuring this Mission is fiercely protected and the historic downtown is better served by future public decisions. Know that I plan to be an activist for preservation and fight for what’s right and good for our historic community and its historic business district.

Know that as I look for new opportunities to lead on behalf of local public interests that often get marginalized for other gains, I will not back down, and I won’t stop caring. I encourage you all to join me in being a collective voice as we press forward to serve and protect our historic and special community.

At our Thanksgiving table next week, my family will gather in prayer to say

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

ority. Obamacare has been unpopular with many who have seen their premiums go up instead of down. But because the program already is a market-based program, why would we think that it caused the rise in premiums? Pharmaceutical costs skyrocketed too, but they had nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act and everything to do with big business and health insurance companies. Again, we never got specific about what is wrong and how to fix it. So what will replace this coverage and how do we expect these changes to drive down medical costs?

I’m not advocating for one side or another here. I’m trying to see how we go forward without discussing the real issues, and truly accept how little the government (especially the president) can actually do to affect those issues. They say America votes with its pocketbook, that the business of America is business. So, shouldn’t the markets of this country— banks, insurance companies, the tech sector and big business—be a part of this conversation? Why has an angry, frustrated, un-empowered public given them a hall pass? It is a real question.

Jim Kempton is an unabashed patriot with great faith in America and great curiosity about Americans. He knows the only things he has ever learned was by asking questions. Even dumb ones. 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

thank you to all who helped me, and all who inspired us along the way. I am grateful for the chance to give it a go and think it impacted me in a new and profound way. We will also say a prayer of thanks to our newly elected candidates for their generosity and willingness to serve a community that is so special.

Thank you, San Juan Capistrano.

Vaya Con Dios, Mechelle Lawrence Adams

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.

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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

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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

Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines

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 Victor Carno Debra Holm Tim Trent

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 14, Issue 22. The Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly

by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives.

Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Gift Ideas for Everyone on your List 14KT GOLD & DIAMOND RING On Sale for $519 Zia Jewelry 31761 Camino Capistrano, SJC

(949) 493-1322 www.ZiaJewelrySanJuanCap.com

GIFT CARDS FOR A ONE HOUR MASSAGE Mention this ad for $10 off 2 or more gift cards The Massage Associates

31952 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano

949.489.7924 www.themassageassociates.com

BESTIE SPA DAY GIFT CERTIFICATE Any Denomination

Bow Wow Beautiful Pet Spa 364 Camino Estrella, San Clemente

949.702.3130 www.BowWowBeautiful.com

GOLF MEMBERSHIP

$2,000-$2,500 Initiation Fee/ $460-$575 Mo. Dues Bella Collina San Clemente 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente

949.333.4830 www.bellacollinasanclemente.com

SERPENTINE IGUANAS 5 ½” to 11 ½” long $340 and Up

Designs By Nature 400 S. El Camino Real, A, San Clemente

949.498.8358 www.designsbynature.com

Gift Ideas for Everyone on your List SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP

$250 Initiation Fee/ $50 Mo. Food & Beverage Minimum Bella Collina San Clemente 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente

949.333.4830 www.bellacollinasanclemente.com

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Starting at $79 for 3 Treatments Expires 12/31/16 Hybrid MD, Laser & Aesthetic Medicine 1031 Avenida Pico, Ste. 103, San Clemente

949.429.1919 www.hybridmdoc.com

HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Any Denomination Eyeland Lash 99 Via Pico Plaza, San Clemente

949.391.0670 www.eyelandlash.com

BELLA BAZAAR FAMILY PILLOW $40

Bella Bazaar 34467 Golden Lantern, Dana Point

949.429.6200 www.bellabazaar.com

SCHMID’S BUSINESS GIFTS Order by December 31 for 15% Off!

Schmid’s Fine Chocolates 99 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente

949.369.1052 www.schmidschocolate.com

the village.

Mariner’s Village/Alley and Dana Wharf.

34624 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. www.visitdanapoint.org.

Holiday Events

‘MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET’

8 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse continues performances of the holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street. The show runs every weekend through Dec. 18. Tickets range from $27-$37.

31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.8082. www.caminorealplayhouse. com.

BOAT RIDES WITH SANTA

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY AT SAN CLEMENTE ART SUPPLY

1-4 p.m. Stop by San Clemente Art Supply and Framing for a Small Business Saturday event. There will be an artist painting live in front of the store, demos from a variety of brands and also another artist demonstration, treats, a sale and more.

1531 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.369.6603. www.scartsupply.com.

STORYTELLING AND COOKIE DECORATING WITH MRS. CLAUS

6:30-9 p.m. Dive into the holiday festivities with a free cookie decorating and holiday story-telling event at the Monarch Beach Resort. The event runs every Thursday and Friday until Christmas.

One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point.

949.234.3200. www.visitdanapoint.org.

SOCSA HOLIDAY CONCERT

7-9 p.m. The South Orange County School of Arts performs their annual holiday concert at Dana Hills High School. Concert also will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for students and seniors.

33333 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.240.1994. www.socsarts.org.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa and his helpers listen to holiday wishes on a 20-minute harbor cruise. A $5 donation, which will be given to the El Camino Real Junior Woman’s Club, is suggested. No reservation required. Event also runs Sunday, Dec. 4.

Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

888.224.0603. www.danawharf.com.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE ACADEMY

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sit in on one of two gingerbread house decorating workshops at Monarch Beach Resort. The pastry team will offer tips for decorating with the seemingly endless amount of candy and frosting available. There will also be a special visit from Santa, complete with pictures. Cost is $85 per gingerbread house, with a maximum of four people per house.

One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point.

949.234.3200. www.visitdanapoint.org.

HOLIDAY DIY CARD AND CANDLE MAKING

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Attendees will learn ornamental calligraphy techniques and make a set of holiday cards with ink and color. After a break for lunch, the owners of Makana candles will guide guests through a candle-making class. This class is limited to 16 students only, please register at www.scartsupply.com. Cost is $125 and includes the candles made at the class to take home.

1531 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.369.6603. www.scartsupply.com.

HERITAGE HILL VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

FREE PHOTOS WITH SANTA

4:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your cameras and snap a selfie with Santa at the Dana Wharf Courtyard. Photos are free.

El Torito Courtyard. 34521 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www.danapointharbor.com.

HOLIDAY IN THE HARBOR

4:30-7:30 p.m. Bring the family down to the Dana Point Harbor for a fun afternoon of holiday events, live music, kids’ treats and specials throughout

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Relive the holiday customs of yesteryear for one final time as Heritage Hill Historical Park holds their last-ever Victorian Christmas.

The park’s four historic buildings will be festively decorated for the season with live music, dance performances, local craft vendors and food for purchase. Enjoy hands-on activities including Christmas ornament and card making, candle dipping, butter churning, Victorian-inspired crafts and games and cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus.

25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest.

949.923.2230.

(Continued)

Holiday Events (Continued)

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

4:15 p.m.- 9 p.m. The annual San Juan Capistrano Tree Lighting Ceremony includes pre-show entertainment, a live stage show and, of course, the lighting of the holiday tree. Elsewhere, there will be free photos with Santa Claus at Los Rios Park, a puppet show and a free Christmas train ride and crafts.

Mrs. Claus will entertain children at the O’Neill Museum, and ZOOMARS will open the gates to their petting zoo at no charge and offer train and hay rides for a nominal fee.

Historic Town Center Park. 31852 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.5911. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASA

5-7:30 p.m. Christmas at the Casa is a public holiday celebration featuring festive decorations, live music, carolers, a bell choir, a talking Christmas tree, crafts for children, cookies and refreshments, and a visit from Santa Claus. The bell choir will walk with guests from Casa Romantica to the San Clemente Community Center at approximately 7:30 p.m. for the city’s Christmas Tree Lighting at 8 p.m.

Casa Romantica. 415 Avenida Grande, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

SANTA’S VILLAGE BY THE SEA

5-10:30 p.m. Avenida Del Mar and the Community Center turn into a holiday village. There will be the local favorite snow hill, Santa meetings and other activities, all leading up to a tree lighting ceremony at 8 p.m. on the corner of Del Mar and Calle Seville.

YAPPY HOWLIDAYS

11 a.m.-2 p.m. This gathering of canines and their companions provides Fido with the opportunity to be photographed with the “Big Dog” himself, Santa Claus. Guests are asked to bring unopened canned or dry dog food, treats or dog toys to be donated to pets in need. Proceeds from food and beverage purchases benefit The Canine Companions Veterans Initiative.

The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.

One Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point.

949.240.2000. www.visitdanapoint.org

PINES PARK TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

4-6 p.m. The city of Dana Point and Capo Cares hosts a tree lighting ceremony at Pines Park. There will be crafts, caroling, handmade wooden ornaments and more. There will also be hot cocoa and homemade cookies.

Pines Park. 34941 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Beach.

CASA NUTCRACKER

7-8:30 p.m. The Orange County Ballet Theatre performs the holiday classic production. The Casa Nutcracker features choreography tailored to Casa Romantica’s intimate Main Salon.

Tickets are $40.

Casa Romantica. 415 Avenida Grande, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

DANA POINT HARBOR BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS

7:30 p.m. The 42nd annual edition of the boat parade kicks off on Friday night. You can join in on the parade by watching from the shore or hopping on a boat with Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching, Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching or The Ocean Institute. The parade also runs on Dec. 10, 16 and 17. www.danapointharbor.com.

100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente. www.san-clemente.org.

CHRISTMAS AT THE MISSION

5:30-8 p.m. The historic Mission San Juan Capistrano turns into a winter wonderland with carolers, school choirs, real snow sledding and play area, “merry-achi” music, visit with Father Christmas and more.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.234.1300. www.missionsjc.com.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott. 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point. www.visitdanapoint.org.

9 a.m.-noon. Enjoy breakfast, movies, arts and crafts, and a photo op with Santa himself as he visits Dana Point from the North Pole. Adults are $30, kids are $15.

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

The List

EDITOR’S PICK

What’s going on in and around town

Saturday | 03

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 25 LIVE MUSIC: THE CHRIS ANDERSEN GROUP 7:30-11 p.m. Listen to live music from The Chris Andersen Group at Iva Lee’s.

555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

Saturday | 26 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 9 a.m. The San Juan Chamber of Commerce and local businesses are participating in Small Business Saturday, starting with a free pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. at the Mission Grill, located at 31721 Camino Capistrano. Various local businesses will offer special promotions. For more information, call 949.493.4700 or visit www.visitsjc.com/ShopSmall.

HOLIDAY CHARITY GIFT DRIVE Noon-3 p.m. Donate gifts at San Juan Capistrano charity Coral 65’s annual holiday gift drive. Drop off new, unwrapped donations of gifts for military kids and pets, sweaters for seniors and vests for veterans. There will also a raffle and silent auction. Courtyard Irvine Spectrum. 7955 Irvine Center Dr., Irvine. 949.606.2300. www.coral65.org.

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Flock of 80’s performs live music in the afternoon, followed by the JB & the Big Circle Riders in the evening. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

LIVE MUSIC: FAMILY STYLE 7:30-11 p.m. Listen to live music from Family Style at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

Tuesday | 29 OPEN MIC NIGHT 6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Laguna. Valet parking is provided, and holiday casual attire is encouraged, especially for those participating in the second annual ugly sweater contest. Tickets start at $175. 30622 Steeplechase Drive, San Juan Capistrano. www.bgccapo.com.

(From left) Bill Carson of Irvine, Jonathan Meeker of Anaheim, Eva Hauge of Corona del Mar, and Felicia Marie Leclair of San Clemente, star in the Camino Real Playhouse’s Miracle on 34th Street, directed by Randy Huft.

Photo: Allison Jarrell

FRIDAY, NOV. 25 ‘MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET’ 8 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse opens three weeks of performances with a preview night of the holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street. The show will run every weekend through Dec. 18. Tickets range from $27-$37. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.8082. www.caminorealplayhouse.com.

On Stage at the Coach House: The Dan Band Holiday Show

Y

ou’ve seen Dan Finnerty before.

Time and time again, Finnerty shows up to make incredible cameos in modern comedy classics. Whether it was as the infamously inappropriate wedding singer in Old School singing his “colorful” version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” or as singers in Starsky & Hutch and Old School, Finnerty plays the rogue singer well.

Finnerty brings The Dan Band Holiday Show, full of those hijinks and more, to the Coach House on Dec. 3.

The Dan Band started when Finnerty drunkenly sang a version of “I Am Woman,” and clearly the shtick has earned many fans. The band has shown up The

Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen and more.

Finnerty’s act is so Photo: Courtesy popular, Steven Speilberg signed on to executive produce a one-hour concert special, “The Dan Band: I Am Woman.”

The Dan Band is preparing to release their third album, but before they drop those tunes, catch them at the Coach House. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets start at #35. Buy them at www. thecoachhouse.com. CD

Wednesday | 30

Friday | 02

FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB 2-4 p.m. Every Wednesday. Look for the table with the French Flag surrounded by a group of people speaking French. No cost to join. Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228, or 949.369.5482.

FREE PHOTOS WITH SANTA 4:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your cameras and snap a selfie with Santa at the Dana Wharf Courtyard. Photos are free. El Torito Courtyard. 34521 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www.danapointharbor.com.

LIVE MUSIC: THE KALAMA BROTHERS 7-10:30 p.m. Listen to live music from The Kalama Brothers at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

1ST ANNUAL YULETIDE 6-10 p.m. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley invite the public to kick off the holiday season with their annual event, featuring live music and catering by Sapphire

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

Page 19

BOAT RIDES WITH SANTA 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa and his helpers listen to holiday wishes on a 20-minute harbor cruise. A $5 donation, which will be given to the El Camino Real Junior Woman’s Club, is suggested. No reservation required. Event also runs Sunday, Dec. 4.

Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

888.224.0603. www.danawharf.com.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE ACADEMY 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sit in on one of two gingerbread house decorating workshops at Monarch Beach Resort. The pastry team will offer tips for decorating with the seemingly endless amount of candy and frosting available. There will also be a special visit from Santa, complete with pictures. Cost is $85 per gingerbread house, with a maximum of four people per house.

One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point.

949.234.3200. www.visitdanapoint.org.

HOLIDAY CARD AND CANDLE MAKING 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Attendees will learn ornamental calligraphy techniques and make a set of holiday cards with ink and color. After a break for lunch, the owners of Makana candles will guide guests through a candlemaking class. This class is limited to sixteen students only, please register at www. scartsupply.com. Cost is $125 and includes the candles made at the class to take home.

1531 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.369.6603. www.scartsupply.com.

HERITAGE HILL VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Relive the holiday customs of yesteryear for one final time as Heritage Hill Historical Park holds their last-ever Victorian Christmas. The park’s four historic buildings will be festively decorated for the season with live music, dance performances, local craft vendors and food for purchase. Enjoy hands-on activities including Christmas ornament and card making, candle dipping, butter churning, Victorian-inspired crafts and games and cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus. 25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest. 949.923.2230.

CAROLS ANCIENT, CAROLS NEW 2 p.m. Enjoy exquisite carols for the Christmas season sung by the De Angelis Vocal Ensemble at the Basilica at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Tickets can be purchased (Cont. on page 20) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 19) at the door or online at www.deangelisensemble.org. $30 general admission, $25 for seniors and $10 for students. Mission Basilica, 31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASA 5-7:30 p.m. Christmas at the Casa is a public holiday celebration featuring festive decorations, live music, carolers, a bell choir, a talking Christmas tree, crafts for children, cookies and refreshments, and a visit from Santa Claus. The bell choir will walk with guests from Casa Romantica to the San Clemente Community Center at approximately 7:30 p.m. for the City’s Christmas Tree Lighting at 8 p.m. Casa Romantica. 415 Avenida Grande, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www. casaromantica.org.

SANTA’S VILLAGE BY THE SEA 5-10:30 p.m. Avenida Del Mar and the Community Center turn into a holiday village. There will be the local favorite snow hill, Santa meetings and other activities, all leading up to a tree lighting ceremony at 8 p.m. on the corner of Del Mar and Calle Seville. 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente. www.san-clemente.org.

CHRISTMAS AT THE MISSION 5:30-8 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano offers a snow play area for kids, cookie decorating, visits with Father Christmas, food vendors, holiday shopping and live music. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for children age 4-11. Free for members, active military with ID and children 3 and under.

Cans of food are welcome for the Serra

Pantry Food Drive. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www. missionsjc.Casa Romantica to the San Clemente Community Center at approximately 7:30 p.m. for the City’s Christmas Tree Lighting at 8 p.m. Casa Romantica.

415 Avenida Grande, San Clemente.

949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

Sunday | 04 BIG BAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2:30 p.m. The Almighty Jazz Band, also known as Jazz 4 Jesus, will present a Big Band Christmas concert at Community Presbyterian Church in San Juan Capistrano. The Almighty Jazz Band is a 17-piece ensemble with an extensive repertoire of music, from swing to sacred to modern big band hits. The concert will be suitable for families and children of all ages. All proceeds from the free-will donations will be used to support the Community Presbyterian Church community concert series. 32202 Del Obispo, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1502.

for general admission, $12 for seniors; $10 for students, and children get in free with a paying adult. Order tickets online at www. saddleback.edu/arts. McKinney Theatre at Saddleback College. 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. 949.582.4413.

Thursday | 08 CASA NUTCRACKER 7-8:30 p.m. The Orange County Ballet

Theatre performs the holiday classic production. The choreography is tailored to Casa Romantica’s intimate Main Salon.

Tickets are $40. Casa Romantica. 415 Avenida Grande, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

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.

At the Movies: Be Up for ‘Nocturnal Animals’

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

my Adams is at it again this Oscar season. She’s become one of those actresses you’ll most likely see at an actors’ roundtable this time of year and has more nominations under her belt than most of her peers. Within just a week from each other, Adams breaks in 2016 with the sci-fi drama Arrival and the avant-garde thriller Nocturnal Animals for consideration. The film also marks the second directorial input

Wednesday | 07 REFLECTION OF THE OCEAN CLASSICAL KEYBOARD SERIES 7:30 p.m. Saddleback College’s Dr. Kirill Gliadkovsky performs a piano program of great romantic composers. The audience will experience the intensity and musicality of Gliadkovsky’s performance of masterpieces including those from Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert. Tickets are $15

Photo: Focus Features

THE DISH

from fashion designer Tom Ford and is based on Austin Wright’s 1993 novel Tony and Susan.

The film follows three intertwined storylines: the first has guilt-ridden, art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Adams) receiving a manuscript in the mail of her ex-husband’s, Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal), latest book, Nocturnal Animals. Second is a series of flashbacks on how their relationship began. Third is Edward’s novel played out on the screen with Gyllenhaal also playing the protagonist, and Isla Fisher, Ellie Bamber and Aaron Johnson as other book characters.

Michael Shannon co-stars as the sheriff in the book within the movie and Armie Hammer plays Susan’s current boyfriend. Ford made a big splash with his first film, A Single Man, in 2009, and here he makes just as big of an impression with a non-linear story that would’ve been a mess in the wrong hands. Adams is great of course, but it’s Gyllenhaal who effortlessly carries the film as both male leads. The extreme content is bound to be divisive with some audiences, but Nocturnal Animals has one of the year’s best casts and is perfect for arthouse fans. CD

SOL AGAVE’S CHILE COLORADO

F EDITOR’S PICK Photo: Allison Jarrell

SATURDAY, DEC. 3: TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY 4:15- 9 p.m. The annual San Juan Capistrano Tree Lighting Ceremony includes pre-shoe entertainment, a live stage show and, of course, the lighting of the holiday tree. Elsewhere, there will be free photos with Santa Claus at Los Rios Park, a puppet show and a free Christmas train ride and crafts. Mrs. Claus will entertain children at the O’Neil Museum, and ZOOMARS will open the gates to their petting zoo at no charge and offer a train and hay rides for a nominal fee. Historic Town Center Park. 31852 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.5911. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

olks were excited when Sol Agave moved from a food truck to a brick and mortar restaurant off Rancho Viejo Road. They were so excited, supposedly, that Sol Agave quickly moved across the parking lot to a bigger, stylish building within a year.

The new digs are swanky, with a sleek tequila bar and wine cabinet, funky light fixtures, and a generally bouncy atmosphere amongst the friendly staff and lively patrons.

What’s clear is that Sol Agave’s physical environment was elevated to match the quality of its food. From truck to first shop to new shop, their modern take on Mexican food has garnered a duly rabid following.

The chile colorado came at the recommendation of the waiter. Three medallions of braised short rib were arranged next to onion-cilantro white rice. The short ribs had

Page 20

been soaked in a beer and pepper sauce, creating a bite that was bright on the front of the tongue and savory like sweet mud on the back of the tongue. —Matt Cortina Sol Agave 31111 Rancho Viejo Road, San Juan Capistrano.

949.218.1158. www.solagavesjc.com

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Local Law Enforcement, Nonprofits Give in the Thanksgiving Spirit

GUEST OPINION: Then & Now by Rhonda deHaan

Bringing Holiday Cheer to the Golden State From Christmas trees to firewood, Henry Rosenbaum brought warmth to town

C

hristmas trees have been popping up in some stores for more than two months now. Tree lighting ceremonies have begun, and San Juan Capistrano’s own celebration will soon take place on Dec. 3. Perhaps the most iconic symbol of the holidays, you can’t avoid seeing a Christmas tree at this time of year.

The history of California is known for strong Native American, Spanish and Mexican influences, but the Christmas tree is not recognized as being part of any of these cultures. So how did the Christmas tree come to California? Beloved local historian Don Tryon shared the story with me, and I am happy to be able to share it with you.

Born in Germany, Henry George Rosenbaum sailed to America at a young age with high hopes and big dreams. Joining the rush to California, he arrived in San Francisco in 1851. Like many others, Rosenbaum sought his fortune, not in gold, but in other opportunities the Gold Rush had created. Among his endeavors, he began selling Christmas trees for $6 each, sharing a cherished German tradition to help fellow immigrants feel less homesick.

Rosenbaum moved to San Juan Capistrano in the late 1860s and became one of the area’s ranch owners. He and his wife Jane had nine children, and the family has maintained a presence here through the

Henry George Rosenbaum moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1869 and became one of the area’s ranch owners. Photo: Courtesy of San Juan Capistrano Historical Society

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

years. In fact, many a cozy fire has been fueled by firewood purchased from Rosenbaum Ranch, which was run by Henry’s great-grandson, Melvin Rosenbaum, for more than 40 years. Sadly, Melvin passed away last month at the age of 92, but his children Carolyn and George continue tending the ranch and farming the land with enduring dedication and pride.

So when you sit in the warm glow of a roaring THEN & NOW fire this season, next to a

By Rhonda deHaan festively trimmed holiday tree, you might think of the Rosenbaums, especially Henry and how he brought a little bit of home to those miners so long ago.

Rhonda deHaan has lived in San Juan Capistrano only 10 years but has quickly embraced the town. She is a proud mother of two, a freelance writer, an SJC Friends of the Library board director, and is currently serving her sixth year on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission. 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.

Henry’s great-grandson, Melvin Rosenbaum, ran Rosenbaum Ranch for more than forty years.

Photo: Courtesy of Carolyn Rosenbaum

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

O

range County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, Orange County Probation Chief Steve Sentman, Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren and over 250 law enforcement officers that partner with the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership program packed and awarded 850 Thanksgiving meals to at-risk students at 50 Orange County schools—including more than 40 students in San Juan Capistrano—as part of the 7th annual OC GRIP Thanksgiving Challenge.

Law enforcement officials met with community leaders and volunteers to pack and distribute full Thanksgiving meals to students who improved their attendance, be-

havior and grades. Dinners were packed at Saddleback Church on Nov. 14 and distributed throughout San Juan Capistrano and other Orange County schools on Nov. 16.

On Nov. 19, the San Juan Capistrano Rotary Club and a group of student volunteers met at San Juan Capistrano Elementary School to box up and hand out Thanksgiving meal donations to local San Juan Capistrano families and young Camp Pendleton 1st Battalion, 11th Marines families in need. More than 150 complete Thanksgiving meals were donated thanks to the generosity of shoppers at four local grocery stores.

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

Marine Corps representatives arrive to collect meals packed by SJC Rotary Club members for families of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. Photos: Allison Jarrell (left) and John Caldwell (right)

The San Juan Capistrano Rotary Club and a group of student volunteers met at San Juan Capistrano Elementary School to box up and hand out Thanksgiving meal donations to local families and young Camp Pendleton Marine families in need. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Page 22

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor

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

Take a (Healing) Hike

India, the First Four Days

The restorative power of the great outdoors shouldn’t be underestimated

W

hen is the last time you gave yourself permission to go out for a long walk in nature? To disconnect from technology, time constraints and family demands—just you and nature? If you’re like most hurried people on the planet, you probably haven’t had the time or opportunity to add a walk to your busy schedule. You may be surprised by the power of a 20-minute walk—it could be the very thing DIRT THERAPY you need for your overall

By Marianne Taylor health.

Nature seeks to heal our hurried, anxious and stressful lives. The energy that is released back to us in nature is the healing component that reduces our blood pressure, improves moods and helps with clarity and focus as we breathe in deeply.

How does nature hold this power? Studies have shown that green spaces improve vitality in humans. Vitality is defined as emotional strength in the face of internal and external oppositions; living a life of enthusiasm. Want more zest in life? Walking is your antidote.

Need more proof that walking is good for the body and soul? Listed below are numerous facts on human health and the healing power of nature: 1. Immunity boost—plants and trees emit airborne phytoncides that protect themselves and benefits humans.

2. Sunlight—getting a daily dose of Vitamin D with every walk helps prevent osteoporosis and cancer.

3. Happiness—increased energy, less fatigue, better sleep and more productivity at work.

4. Serenity, peace and calm—tensions go away when we breathe deeply.

5. Creativity—constant distractions and

A make-do attitude drives the country

stimulation of modern life are a threat that can lead to sapping our resources.

6. Improves memory and cognitive function due to better breathing.

This holiday weekend, I challenge you to go take a walk and make it a habit to spend more time in nature. Exercise outside, have lunch outside and spend as much time on your weekends as you can in nature. This is one gift that you can give yourself that will continue to give and produce healthy benefits forever.

Starting in January, Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens will be offering garden walks at Reata Park and Event Center in San Juan Capistrano during the lunch hour 12-12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bring a bagged lunch after and sit under a tree.

every walk with nature, “oneInreceives far more than he seeks. ” —John Muir

Now that’s a great way to start off the New Year. Here’s to your health!

Interested in walking at noon?

Email marianne@goinnative.net or call 949.606.6704.

Marianne Taylor, of San Juan Capistrano, is the founder and executive director of Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens, a 501(c)(3) teaching gardening and life skills as a way of empowering, engaging and connecting people. Goin Native focuses on educating local families, special needs adults, seniors, at-risk youth and members of the military. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@ thecapistranodispatch.com.

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:

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

T

he word “Namaste” is a Hindu word used as a greeting or salutation. It is usually made with a slight bow, making eye contact, with palms touching, and fingers pointing upward. It means, “I bow to the divine in you.” When people in India say that to you, you feel welcomed and warmth coming from them. It happens nearly everywhere you go in India.

My partner, Greta, and I are on an 18-day tour visiting India and Nepal. After being in India for four days, what jumps out the most is the remarkable, make-do attitude of the people. Simply stated, India is a fascinating country.

Greta and I had heard that November is one of the best months of the year to visit.

The weather has been around 80 degrees during the day; warm but not hot. Blue skies every day. While the air has been a bit smoky, masks have not been necessary. A perfect setting for a first visit to this amazing land.

We are traveling in a modern, air-conditioned bus and staying in beautiful hotels.

There are 13 of us, all Americans from across the country, plus a knowledgeable guide named Kapil, with a sense of humor, and a driver and assistant driver. Kapil had local contacts in each city we have visited.

He is a studied historian able to share with us information about the history of India and modern-day customs.

Security is tight here. Armed soldiers have been visible at every location where we’ve disembarked the bus. At our New Delhi hotel, our bags were sent through a scanner and we were patted down. There was a guard on the 29th floor of our hotel, where our room was.

The roads are often gridlocked, some with 10 lanes of traffic in each direction.

Tuk tuks (auto rickshaws) and motorcycles dart in and out of traffic, jockeying for position. Horn honking is a way of life, keeping the congested roads safe. Most trucks have signs in the back that state, “Use horn.” That means let the truck know you are passing. People honk to say “I’m here,” not so much, “Get out of the way.”

Our first day in New Delhi began with a visit to the Qutab Minar Victory Tower, the world’s tallest minaret, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, we learned about Sikh culture at a prominent Sikh house of worship. Some of our group helped roll dough into tortillas in the volunteer kitchen. This temple serves 500,000 people in need of free food every day and is run entirely by volunteers.

The day included a visit to the Gandhi Smirti, the museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India. He believed in equality of all people. We saw the room

Page 24

where Gandhi spent his last 140 days fasting before venturing out for a prayer service, where he was assassinated on the grounds outside.

On Nov. 8, the people of India unexpectedly received news from the government that banknotes of 500 and 1,000 rupees denominations were no longer a valid currency. There was too much counterfeit money in circulation. People holding those bills, called “old money” had to exchange them at banks and post offices for “new money.”

ON LIFE AND The English-language LOVE AFTER 50 newspaper, The Indian

By Tom Blake Express, stated in the next morning’s edition that 23 people had been killed the day before in arguments while vying for position standing in line. ATMs ran out of money. People needed money to live on, to buy groceries for their families.

Even New Delhi’s red light district had shut down because patrons didn’t have the money.

The people of India, however, have a make-do spirit. By that I mean they make the best they can with what simple assets they have. I saw tuk-tuks made to carry three people with as many as six riders.

Several times we passed open-bed trucks with 30 to 40 people packed in like sardines, including elderly women in colorful saris who waved at us. The Indian people will survive the money crisis as well, but it will take time.

Our group was affected by the money crisis as well. Greta and I had purchased rupees before leaving California; it was now “old money,” needing to be exchanged or somehow accepted by merchants. Some merchants and shops were willing to accept our “old money,” even knowing they would have to stand in line to exchange it. They needed the business.

The highlight of our first few days was enjoying an elephant ride up to the Amber Fort near the bustling city of Jaipur. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each day is a new adventure in this spiritual land.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman and author. See his websites at www.findingloveafter50.com; www.vicsta.com and www. travelafter55.com. Email: 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.

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LOCALS ONLY

BUSINESS LISTINGS AUTOMOBILE REPAIR

Star Motors

32959 Calle Perfecto, 949.443.1970, www.star-motors.com

ELECTRICIANS

Excel Electric

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

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

Excel Electric - CA #793860

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

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

San Juan Photo & Digital

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

32301 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.5668, www.sjcphotodigital.com

ROOF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc.

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

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

HELP WANTED

SERVICES

TWO GROW TENTS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES California passes marijuana laws.

Start your new career in marijuana growing. Very lucrative opportunity. Two nearly new (6 months) grow tents, equipment and supplies available. Purchase price when new $2400. Willing to accept half price for taking all.

CUSTOM AREA RUGS You pick style, color and size. Typically made in 2 weeks. Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyester or designer carpet. Carpet showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point. Carpet and flooring remnants also available - all shapes, sizes and kinds of flooring.

We sell tile too! Mike 949-240-1545.

DRIVER WANTED Cassano’s Pizza. Apply in person 818 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA.

HANDYMAN CHRIS Flat screen TV’s installed, anything Electrical, Plumbing, Finish Carpentry, Drywall Repairs, Mold and Wood Rot issues, Waterproofing, Decks and Patio covers repaired, Doors, Windows, Kitchens and Baths, Water Damage Restoration, Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication and Much More. Phone Chris – 949 510 6645

STENTURA 450 STENOGRAPHY MACHINE Excellent condition! $400 OBO Contact Debra @ 949-439-6295

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@thecapistranodispatch.com Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 9, 2016

Page 25

SCHOOLS

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

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

YOUR BUSINESS HERE! Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100! Write-up of 50 words with logo.

Submit your classified ad online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

HIRING IN-HOME AIDES/CAREGIVERS $14 HR FT/PT CAREGIVERS NEEDED, South County local jobs! Help the disabled, all training provided, kindness needed & speak/write English, driver license/ background checked, FT/PT, $14 Hr, Rainbow Home Care #800-811-9767 Call for appt or apply online: www.RainbowHomeCare.com

33208 Paseo De Cerveza, Ste. B, 949.212.0499

WOOD DECK REPAIR WIZZARD Wood Rot Repair Certified Specialist, Wood Decks, Balconies, Patio Covers + Outside Stairs Repaired / Replaced, New Decking Systems, All work Guaranteed. Phone Chris -949 510 6645

Call Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or e-mail dwells@picketfencemedia.com

LIST LOCALS ONLY

USE LOCALS ONLY Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@picketfencemedia.com

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

San Juan Preps Football Roundup

Signing Day: San Juan Student-Athletes Ink National Letters of Intent THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

N

ov. 9 marked the first day high school student-athletes in certain sports could sign their National Letter sof Intent, declaring their colleges of choice.

In San Juan Capistrano, several high schools held early signing day ceremonies for their athletes that will be competing at the collegiate level next fall. Several schools will have larger signing day ceremonies in the spring.

Here is a list of the San Juan Capistrano athletes who took part in signing day ceremonies.

COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

St. Margaret’s Loses Wild Game to Norte Vista 62-56

Phia Bellizzi, Madi Mercer and Mikayla Arimura of the San Juan Hills girls volleyball team celebrate on signing day. Photo: Courtesy

Saddleback Valley Christian’s Jon Minsberg signed his NLI to play volleyball for Pepperdine University.

Photo: Courtesy

San Juan Hills Volleyball: Madi Mercer (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Mikayla Arimura (Johnson & Wales University), Phia Bellizzi (Wesleyan University)

JSerra Catholic Baseball: Brett Sveningson (Loyola Marymount University), Royce Lewis (UC Irvine) Basketball: Sebastian Munch (Princeton University)

JSerra student-athletes took part in a signing day ceremony on campus on Nov. 9. Photo: Courtesy

Water Polo: Krista Krantz (California Baptist University), Mariah Meyer (Cal State Long Beach) Softball: Kayla Kmett (University of Akron) Swimming: Katie Glavinovich (Stanford University)

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Lacrosse: Jeremy Davis (University of Richmond)

In a surprising move, JSerra head football coach Jim Hartigan announced in a press release he was resigning from the position on Nov. 18.

Hartigan, who signed a contract extension with the school through the 2019-2020 season back in January, was the Lions head coach for 10 seasons. He guided the Lions to a 47-43 record in his tenure.

JSerra’s 2016 season came to an end on Nov. 18 following a 55-24 loss to Centennial of Corona in the CIF-SS Division 1 Championships.

San Juan Hills Loses in First Round of Playoffs

Capistrano Valley Christian Baseball: Andre Antone (UC Irvine), Zack Mendez (St. Mary’s College)

Saddleback Valley Christian Volleyball: Jon Minsberg (Pepperdine University

There was no stopping Norte Vista running back Eric Melesio on Nov. 18. The senior back carried the ball 43 times for 563 yards and eight touchdowns to lead the visitors past St. Margaret’s 62-56 in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 7 Championships.

Melesio, who is averaging 328 yards rushing per game, ran for season-highs in both yards and touchdowns.

But the Tartans did not go down easily.

St. Margaret’s, the smallest school in Division 7, relied on quarterback George Krantz, running back Nick Krantz and receiver Ryan Cragun to move the chains.

Krantz threw for 319 yards, and Cragun caught 14 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns.

The loss ends the season for the Tartans, who finished with a 9-3 overall record.

Hartigan Resigns as Head Coach at JSerra

Volleyball: Daniel Akerlind (Cal State Northridge) Tennis: Jadie Acidera (Cal State Fullerton)

quick look around at the San Juan Capistrano high school football scene.

Capistrano Valley Christian’s Zack Mendez (front left) and Andre Antone (front right) sign their NLI to play collegiate baseball. Photo: Courtesy

The Capistrano Dispatch November 25-December 8, 2016

Page 26

The San Juan Hills High School football team found itself in a defensive battle with Buena Park in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs on Nov. 11, and were bested 20-7.

The Buena Park defense was able to stifle the potent Stallions’ running attack and earn a berth into the second round.

San Juan Hills finished the season with a 7-4 overall record and placed third in the South Coast League. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com