July 8, 2016

LO C A L

N EWS

YO U

July 8-14, 2016 C A N

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Inflatable Air Dancers Installed to Scare Sea Lions PAGE 8 VOLUME 9, ISSUE 28

‘Fly’ Guy Local Surfboard Craftsman Worked with Legends D P L I V I N G / PAG E 1 9

Jean Pierre “The Fly” Van Swae stands next to an outrigger canoe paddle he built recently in his shop in Dana Point.

He has been making surfboards, paddles and other seafaring devices for more than 55 years. Photo: Eric Heinz

Doheny Beach Clean-Up Tradition Continues EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

City Council Declares Election Results, Certifies Measure H EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

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Resident to Play in Major League All-Star Game SPORTS/PAGE 25

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING Also helping clean up the beach were members of the National Charity League Monarch Chapter.

“We participate every year,” said Diane Rippe. “We want clean beaches for families that come here. It’s also important to keep the oceans clean.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The group’s next big cleanup will come later in the fall. —KP

Investigation into April 8 Crash Still Ongoing, Police Say THE LATEST: Authorities say the investigation into an April 8 crash that led to the death of a Dana Point man is still ongoing.

Thomas Raith, 69, of Dana Point died at the scene after being struck by a vehicle at the corner of Golden Lantern and Selva Road shortly before 3 p.m.

Police say Raith was making a left-hand turn onto Golden Lantern from Selva when his PT Cruiser was struck by a Cadillac Escalade on the driver’s side.

Lt. Mark Sticther with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said there have not been any arrests made in the case.

Members of the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association walk along Doheny State Beach every July 5 to clean up after the big holiday. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week City Council Declares Election Results THE LATEST: The Dana Point City Council is taking the next steps to implement Measure H into the city after approving a resolution that certified and declared the June 7 election results.

On Tuesday night, the resolution passed four to zero, with an abstention from Councilman Joe Muller, who was absent from the meeting. The resolution declared the vote and allows staff to prepare an amendment to the Local Coastal Program.

More than 11,000 ballots were cast in the June election, with 6,477 votes (58.7 percent) in favor of the 2015 Town Center Initiative (Measure H).

During the public portion of the meeting, Capistrano Beach resident Buck Hill asked whether it would be possible for the city not to seek an LCPA amendment.

Councilman Scott Schoeffel stated he would like to see an interpretive letter sent to the California Coastal Commission stating that a formal LCPA amendment is not necessary and added it could speed the process along.

Community Development Director Ursula Luna-Reynosa stated the staff could add the letter, but it’s ultimately up to the Commission.

Earlier in the meeting, City Manager Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

Doug Chotkevys said the Council may need to wait two weeks for Tuesday’s minutes to be approved by the council to submit the LCPA. WHAT’S NEXT: The next Council meeting is scheduled for July 19 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. —Kristina Pritchett

WHAT’S NEXT: Since the investigation is still underway, the name of the driver has not yet been released. —KP

Doheny Beach Clean-up Tradition Continues THE LATEST: Members and volunteers of the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association (DLSA) walked the Doheny State Beach Tuesday morning, searching for trash from the holiday’s beach day.

This tradition started more than 25 years ago when members of the DLSA would notice how much trash the beach collected on the Fourth. Today, the number of volunteers and members has grown, as well as their determination to keep the sands clean.

“This is our playground, we want to keep it clean,” said Santa Ana resident Charlie Bobroff.

Members of the organization started around 7:30 a.m., picking up litter from the jetty to the Doheny State Beach headquarters. They filled trash bags with plastic water bottle caps, beer cans, food wrappers and more. But, despite how much they cleaned, DSLA President Mark Gale said this wasn’t the worst year yet.

“I’d say this was a four out of 10. There’s a lot of mess near the surf wall, but you can tell people tried to clean because the trashcans were all full,” Gale said.

Nancy Grey of San Clemente agreed.

“I’m amazed the beach was as clean as it was,” Grey said. “But, it could have had something to do with the holiday being on a Monday.”

Water District: Drinking Water Meets Standards, Despite Presence of Contaminants THE LATEST: A recent water quality report from South Coast Water District states the drinking water is meeting all quality standards.

According to the report, the results for 2015 have met the quality standards required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water.

The report states, “Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.”

The report showed there was 2.3 parts per billion of arsenic found. The maximum contaminant level is 10 parts per billion, per the EPA. However, the California Public Health Goal is .004 parts per billion.

A public health goal is a level of a chemical contaminate in drinking water that does not pose a significant risk to health.

Clean Water Now Founder Roger Butow

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stated the arsenic is within mandated maximum contaminant levels, and are introduced naturally.

“The total dissolved solids of maximum contaminants levels is 1,000. South Coast Water District delivers in the high 600s, which to me is too high. They should deliver in the 500s or less to keep scaling and residues down,” Butow said.

WHAT’S NEXT: South Coast Water District officials stated arsenic is an element that occurs naturally in rocks and soil, but it can also come from industrial and agricultural pollution. —KP

Asbestos Widespread in Orange County Schools, Grand Jury Finds THE LATEST: More than two-thirds of the 600 K-12 public schools in Orange County have encapsulated asbestos present in at least one of their buildings. And in a recent Orange County Grand Jury report, “Dealing with Asbestos in Orange County Public Schools,” the Jury issued recommendations “for safely removing asbestos and other hazardous materials” from county schools.

The Jury cited potential renovations, spurred by bond measures—including the proposed $889 million CUSD school improvement bond—as one potential catalyst for asbestos exposure. As is, however, the report “strongly (cautioned) that current EPA standards provide the mere presence of encapsulated asbestos at a school site does not present any immediate danger to schoolchildren or staff at the site.”

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is unsafe for humans when we are exposed to it outside of its safer encapsulated form. The Grand Jury came to its findings by interviewing school parents, staff and board members. Its cleanup recommendations for school districts included holding at least one monthly meeting about dealing with hazardous materials; developing communication plans with parents; developing comprehensive plans for construction, particularly those that involve asbestos-laden areas; designating certain people to take EPA training; and more.

WHAT’S NEXT: The full report can be viewed at www.ocgrandjury.com. The Grand Jury recommended that their suggestions occur within nine months of the release of the report.—Matt Cortina

Have a story idea or topic you would like to read about?

••• Send your suggestions to editorial@danapointtimes.com. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

NEWS BITES

Million Dollar Home Raffle Tickets Go on Sale

COMPILED BY STAFF

Lantern District Car Show Scheduled for July 17 On July 17, the City of Dana Point is pairing up with BlueChip Motorcars to host the Dana Point Lantern District Car Show from 1-5 p.m.

Held on Del Prado between Old Golden Lantern and Amber Lantern, there will be parking available nearby. Dana Point’s Pacific Coast Highway open-air trolley service will connect to the Lantern District Car Show, hotels, beaches, the harbor and Doheny Village.

There will be live music, hundreds of custom and classic cars on display, along with awards such as Best in Show, Mayor’s Cup and more. This event is free and open to all ages.

“The Lantern District Car Show is a great opportunity to visit Dana Point and enjoy our downtown. The unique cars, live music, restaurants and merchants make for a fun afternoon for the entire family,” said Mayor John Tomlinson.

The Dana Point Lantern District Car Show “promises to be even bigger and better than its first wildly successful show earlier this year,” according to a press release for the event.

To enter to win any of the awards, call 949.276.7171. For all other information, call 949.248.3563.—Amanda Giannelli

Marines Support Group to Host Car Wash The 5th Marines Regiment Support Group will host an eco-friendly car wash on Saturday, July 16, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

The support group has teamed up with Doheny Village Hand Car Wash to host the event for a second year.

The money donated from the event will be used to help Marines, Sailors, Wounded Warriors and their families in myriad ways. The day also includes free coffee courtesy of Dana Point’s Coffee Importers, and a barbecue feast around lunchtime from Waterman’s Harbor and StillWater.

Last year, 400 cars came through the car wash, according to the support group, and they hope to bring in more this year.

Doheny Village Car Wash is located at 34241 Doheny Park Road, Capistrano Beach.—Kristina Pritchett

Business Owners Raise $50,000 for Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation With a personal connection to pediatric brain tumors, two Dana Point business owners held a charity gala to help raise funds for that cause.

Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

The Lantern District Car Show runs on July 17 from 1-5 p.m. on Del Prado in Dana Point. Photo: Courtesy

The 12th annual Laguna Beach Million Dollar Home Raffle has begun.

Tickets for early bird bonus prizes and drawings must be purchased by Thursday, Aug. 18. The early bird drawing will occur on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Prizes include BMW i3, cash prizes, a South Coast Plaza gift certificate and a two-night stay at Monarch Beach Resort.

Tickets are $150 and only 20,000 tickets will be sold. In addition to the grand prize, many bonus prizes will be awarded, including world trips, cash prizes and more.

Ticket sales benefit children’s educational programs at the Ocean Institute.

The entry deadline is Thursday, Oct. 20, and the drawing will occur on Saturday, Nov. 5, at noon.

To purchase tickets, call 949.627.8502 or visit ocean-institute.org/homeraffle. Entry forms are available online.—KP

Dana Point Organization Awards Teen $10,000 Scholarship

James Surber (center) the owner of Doheny Village Hand Car Wash, is supporting the 5th Marines by hosting this year’s car wash on Saturday, July 16 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. in Capo Beach. Photo: Courtesy of the Dana Point 5th Marines

Brio Tuscany Grille owners Enzo and Jill Scognamiglio, who have been working with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation for a number of years, recently held a gala in order to raise money for research.

The Scognamiglios enjoy holding events for the foundation, especially after it helped their daughter, Lisa.

“We’ve supported the work of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation since our daughter Lisa was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was four,” said Enzo Scognamiglio. “The research the PBTF has funded has given her a longer and more meaningful life.”

The money raised will go to the foundation for research, and to help support programs to help young people. The foundation benefits more than 28,000 children nationwide who are living with the diagnosis of a brain tumor.—KP

Summer Concert Series Starts Up The Summer Concert Series is back in Dana Point starting Sunday, July 10, and will continue weekly until August 21.

There will be two bands playing every Sunday. The first band will start performing at 2:30 p.m., and the second will start around 4 p.m. The event ends at 6 p.m. Bands include Skynryd Reloaded; BOSTYX with David Victor, formerly of Boston; Peaceful Easy Eagles Tribute; Fan Halen; Led ZepAgain; Hot August Night with a tribute to Neil Diamond; the Season 7 winner of The Voice, Craig Wayne Boyd; and more. To see a full list of bands and dates, go to danapoint.org.

These events are open to all ages. The concerts will be held at Sea Terrace Park, Pacific Coast Highway at Niguel Road from July 10 to August 14, and Heritage Park, 34400 Old Golden Lantern, on Aug. 21.

According to Kolleen Wallace at the Dana Point Parks Department, the 5th Marines will be selling beer and wine while non-profits, such as Relay for Life, will be selling water and soft drinks.

There will be food venders, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnics, blankets and chairs to the show. The only restriction is no glass is allowed.

For more information, call the Recreation Department at 949.248.3530.—AG

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Ryan Clark of Laguna Niguel was this year’s recipient of the Cvengros Scholarship.

The scholarship was named after Christopher Cvengros, a member of the Mariner Sea Scouts in Dana Point. His parents, Bill and Joan Cvengros established a $10,000 college scholarship to benefit those who have shown a love and knowledge for the sea.

The scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior member of the Dana Point’s Mariners Sea Scouts and is paid out over four years and requires a demonstration of ongoing commitment to academic performance.

Clark will be attending Cal Maritime University in the fall to study mechanical engineering.—KP

Ryan Clark receiving a scholarship check from Peter Haenebalcke, head of the scholarship committee.

Photo: Courtesy of the Dana Point Mariner’s 936

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

EYE ON DP

Community DP Sheriff’s Blotter Meetings

HIT-AND-RUN PARKED CAR Camino Del Avion/Street of the Golden Lantern (12:24 p.m.) The caller said a hit-and-run incident occurred next to a Starbucks.

COMPILED BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT

FRIDAY, JULY 8

Blood Drive

8 a.m.-2 p.m. The city of Dana Point and the American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: CODP. For more information, contact Jessie Salmon at 949.355.9262, Jessie.salmon@redcross. org. Dana Point City Hall, 33282 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

MONDAY, JULY 11

Planning Commission Canceled

The meeting was canceled at the June 27 meeting because no items were scheduled for the agenda.

TUESDAY, JULY 12

Because I Love You (BILY) Meeting

7-9 p.m. every Tuesday. BILY helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente. www.bilysc.org.

Dana Harbor Toastmasters

7-8:30 p.m. Fine-tune your public speaking skills each Tuesday at Capo Beach Church, 26975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach, 949.492.7181, 1707.toastmasters.org.

Veteran’s Assistance – VFW Post 9934

1:30-3 p.m. The Dana Point VFW Post 9934 provides Veterans with assistance. Contact Robert Fowler at rfnamvet@gmail.com, 949.275.3142, www.vfwpost9934.org. Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo, Dana Point.

TUESDAY, JULY 19

City Council

6 p.m. The City Council will meet inside the City Hall’s Council Chambers. City Hall, 33282 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

Traffic Improvement Subcommittee

3-5 p.m. Members of the subcommittee will meet in the City Hall’s Council Chambers. City Hall, 33282 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

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.

Tuesday, June 21 DISTURBANCE Via Sacramento, 26300 Block (10:58 p.m.) A man said his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend were outside harassing him.

DISTURBANCE Dana Strand Road, 34300 Block (10:08 p.m.) Police were called for juveniles being loud at Strand Beach.

DISTURBANCE Pacific Coast Highway, 34200 Block (8:28 p.m.) Four men were in a physical fight inside the restaurant.

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE Street of the Golden Lantern, 32500 Block (7:26 a.m.) Police were called for a green Land or Range Rover with the door open, windows smashed and blood on the passenger window.

Monday, June 20 DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (11:30 p.m.) Police received a call about the caller’s brother spraying them with “some kind of chemical.”

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Golden Lantern/Del Prado (10:30 p.m.) A caller told police six or seven skateboarders were filming and jumping curbs into the street. The caller was concerned they may get hurt.

RECKLESS DRIVING Neptune Drive, 25300 Block (3:24 p.m.) A man was driving a motorcycle up and down the street with no helmet. The caller said the rider was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

PETTY THEFT Puerto Place/Dana Point Harbor Drive (7:41 p.m.) The caller said their phone was taken off a table at the jetty.

TRAFFIC HAZARD Mar Y Sol/Camino Del Avion (6:20 p.m.) Police were called for a possible water leak; they thought a pipe broke.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific Coast Highway/Ritz-Carlton Drive (2:46 p.m.) Police received a call about four or five subjects about possibly selling pills near the men’s restroom.

DISTURBANCE Dana Drive/Island Way (5:56 p.m.) Police were called about five juveniles jumping on statues and tearing up the grass.

DISTURBANCE La Cresta Drive, 24200 Block (5:54 p.m.) A caller told police that four or five skateboarders jumped the fence near the front of the school.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE El Encanto Avenue, 33700 Block (4:41 p.m.) The caller said someone was sitting in the passenger seat of a silver Nissan all day.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-UNKNOWN INJURIES Monarch Bay Plaza/Pacific Coast Highway (2:04 p.m.) A silver Mazda Rogue, a white Honda and a white van were involved in an accident.

VANDALISM Pointe Sutton, 32600 Block (10:17 a.m.) The caller told police the vandalism was at the leasing office.

Sunday, June 19

CITIZEN ASSIST Mermaid Circle, 32700 Block (2:57 p.m.) A woman said her husband and dog were bit by a neighbor’s dog.

PETTY THEFT Street of the Golden Lantern, 33200 Block (2:01 p.m.) A man said he was at Salt Creek Beach earlier in the day where his backpack was stolen. He told police he left it on the beach while he went out into the ocean with his son. When he returned, the backpack was gone.

DRUNK IN PUBLIC Street of the Golden Lantern/Pointe Sutton (1:33 p.m.) A man told police his friend was driving his vehicle at high speeds. He said she pulled over and jumped out of the car and was running through an apartment complex.

TRAFFIC HAZARD Del Obispo Street/Stonehill Drive (7:48 a.m.) Police were called about a concrete trash can that rolled over and went out into the street.

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS La Cresta Drive, 24700 Block (10:27 p.m.) A woman told police a “transient person” walked into her open garage. She said the person took her purse out of her car and walked off.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Granada Drive, 33800 Block (9:33 p.m.) Police were called for two females and a male that pulled up in two vehicles in someone’s driveway. They were seen walking along the side of the house with flashlights.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Street of the Violet Lantern/El Camino Capistrano (9:06 p.m.) Two men got out of a large black truck with a trailer and went down the walking trail. The caller said they left

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the vehicle running.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Pacific Coast Highway, 32900 Block (6:42 p.m.) The caller said an unknown person was inside a tan vehicle with smoke coming from the inside.

DISTURBANCE Highcrest Road/Pacific Island Drive (4:11 p.m.) Large boulders were being thrown from the top of the hill; the caller was concerned someone might get hit by one.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Street of the Copper Lantern, 33800 Block (3:00 p.m.) A balcony fire was reported, and it was unknown if anyone was inside the attached unit.

VANDALISM REPORT Strand Beach Drive, 0 Block (2:14 p.m.) An elevator was hit with graffiti.

Saturday, June 18 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pointe Monarch Drive, 0 Block(10:48 p.m.) The caller told police someone was trying the door handle on the front door, but did not see anyone.

DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Danabirch, 25100 Block (7:29 p.m.) A woman told police she heard a mother and daughter arguing.

HIT-AND-RUN PARKED CAR Cheltam Way, 33400 Block (7:00 p.m.) A man said his car was hit earlier in the week and that he knows which car caused the damage.

DISTURBANCE Ritz-Carlton Drive, 0 Block (6:23 p.m.) The caller said guests who hadn’t paid their bill were trying to leave.

HIT-AND-RUN PARKED CAR Ritz-Carlton Drive, 0 Block (5:11 p.m.) The caller said the incident occurred in a public area.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Stonehill Drive/Niguel Road (3:05 p.m.)

The caller reported they saw a man hit a woman in a dark gray Mercedes.

VANDALISM IN PROGRESS Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (2:07 p.m.) A man was seen throwing a rock through a window.

RECKLESS DRIVING Street of the Golden Lantern/Camino Del Avion (2:02 p.m.)

The caller reported a driver in a dark red Toyota Tacoma driving between two lines and acting strange.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Del Obispo Street/Stonehill Drive (12:36 p.m.) A caller reported they saw a man hop a fence into someone’s yard in Seaside Villas.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Niguel Shores Drive, 33600 Block (9:20 a.m.) A gray Camry and a red Tacoma were involved in an accident. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Inflatable air dancers are the latest tactic officials are using to scare away sea lions. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Air Dancers Installed to Deter Sea Lions

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

A

s two men in kayaks rode by one of the city’s harbor docks on Wednesday afternoon, they watched inflatable tubes dance and wave their arms.

Those inflatable tubes, also known as air dancers, have been recently installed by the county to deter sea lions.

Currently four air dancers, commonly seen at car dealerships, reside outside of Harbor Patrol. The patriotic colors of red, white and blue were not just installed for the holiday weekend, but instead were installed as part of a pilot program to help deter sea lions and protect boats.

The Orange County Parks Department has been working with the Dana Point Marina Operator on the pilot program, which began just before the Fourth of July.

In recent weeks, the sea lions have been making themselves at home along docks and boats, which can cause damages and a mess.

“It’s plainly obvious we have a problem,” said James Lenthall with the Dana Point Boaters Association. “Their population has been increasing in the last few weeks to months; it comes and goes. More recently, there have been a lot more of them around.”

Lenthall said boat owners are often finding the sea lions on boats’ swim steps and on the boat docks. He added he and other Dana Point boaters know how difficult it can be to shoo the animals away.

“Sea lions are not very cooperative when you want to move them,” Lenthall said. “I’ve seen a group of people try to yell to scare one away, and the sea lion just yelled back.”

County officials said other obstacles have been attempted to keep the sea lions off the docks, but hope this program will

Dana Point Times July 8–14, 2016

Sea Lions gathered on the back of a boat. Inflatable air dancers have been installed on the docks to keep the sea lions away. Photo: Courtesy of James Lenthall

work.

“They can be startled with loud noise,” said Julianna Steers with the Ocean Institute. “Other things can definitely spook them, it just depends.”

The idea of the air dancers sprung from a boater who heard about the concept working in a Northern California town.

Although there weren’t too many of the mammals seen on July 4, not everyone says the program is completely working.

“It’s not perfectly effective,” Lenthall said. “I saw a sea lion over the weekend on the dock near one [of the air dancers.]”

Each air dancer is $150, and runs off the power supply already on the docks.

The county plans on installing more on four docks nearest the harbor entrance.

Currently, the program is in its pilot stage, and will continue if it’s effective.

However, if it doesn’t seem to be working, the county said they would reevaluate. DP Page 8

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.danapointtimes.com

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Kristina Pritchett, 949.388.7700, x113 kpritchett@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Steve Breazeale, 949.388.7700, x110 sbreazeale@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@picketfencemedia.com

Measure H was verified by the City Council and Orange County Registrar of Voters. The resounding defeat of Measure I indicates widespread disapproval of the current City Council, writes the group Save Dana Point. Photo: Matt Cortina

Letters to the Editor DEMANDING BETTER GOVERNANCE SAVE DANA POINT

Dana Point voters' approval of Measure H over Measure I (by a huge 18 percent margin) is a watershed moment in recent city politics. The significance of this vote reaches beyond the Town Center plan.

It is a loud "no confidence" vote in the majority City Council members: Olvera, Viczorek, Tomlinson and Muller. Dana Point voters also issued a firm rejection of the misguided practices of the city manager and the city attorney who appeared to support Measure I over the wishes of the residents they serve.

The struggle between Measure H and Measure I, as well as the Strandsgate issue, expose how far out of sync the Council majority and staff leadership are with Dana Point residents. Trust in our local government has been severely damaged.

Many concerned citizens have been writing letters, participating in public events, speaking at Council meetings and taking legal action (with the Surfrider Foundation) against the city for years now.

That is what responsible citizens do.

Largely, those citizens' efforts have met with resistance, obstruction, friction and contempt from city leaders.

This is what motivated voters to put Measure H on the ballot in the first place.

Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

The fact that the Council and staff tried to defeat citizens' Measure H was only a small symbol of that contempt. There were more.

The level of discontent with our current Council majority and the top leadership on the city staff has finally reached a tipping point. Now, Dana Point has voted loud and clear.

Measure H wins, but more importantly, Dana Point wins.

Dana Pointers will not tolerate collusion between developers and city leaders, political and economic bullying of constituents, misinformation, intimidation or the unbridled disrespect shown by some Council members for their own voters.

Dana Point has reason to be proud of the success of Measure H. Residents banded together, like the neighbors we are, out of affection for the community we treasure.

With this resounding win, residents rejected the heavy-handed politics of developer money. We voted, by a large margin, to bond with our neighbors to demand better governance.

TOP MARKS FOR CITY RESTAURANT

restaurants in Dana Point, especially in the Harbor section, and in San Juan Capistrano, for variety of foods, the quality of same, the service, charming locations, easy access, and comfortable atmosphere, are as good as any in Southern California, and are a far greater bargain than the pompous “Westside” in Los Angeles (unless you enjoy paying $60 for a miniature sirloin, cowering under a lettuce leaf).

In any event, add the Lotus to the list of underrated high-quality restaurants in our area.

AN UPDATE ON KORA SANDRA ACKERMAN, Volunteer at Pet Project Foundation

Thank you to all the wonderful people that care about animals and have opened their hearts to help a sweet-natured dog, whose life will be turned around very soon at a loving forever home. We are so grateful for the public’s help. As of today, we have taken in almost $1,000 for Kora’s care. She is getting strong and more beautiful by the day.

Thank you so much again.

JAMES WELING, Capistrano Beach

Dana Point Times, you recently published an advertisement for a new Vietnamese restaurant, Lotus (on Camino Capistrano, right next to Cafe Mozart).

Having dined at numerous Vietnamese restaurants in the Los Angeles/San Gabriel Valley area, it is my opinion that Lotus ranks at the very top of the list.

When you stop to think about it, the

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@danapointtimes. com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times 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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BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Group Managing Editor > Matt Cortina City Editor, DP Times > Kristina Pritchett City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point)

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed Business Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Amanda Giannelli Evan Da Silva Debra Holm Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 9, Issue 28. The DP Times (www. danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes. com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.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 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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At the Movies: What’s with ‘The BFG’?

EDITOR’S PICK

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 08 LAGUNA ART-A-FAIR 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Discover 125 distinguished artists at this fine art festival in Laguna Canyon, which runs through Aug. 28. Enjoy live music Thursday through Sunday, outdoor cuisine at Tivoli Too! and daily adult art workshops. The festival is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Adults $7.50, seniors/ military/students $5.50, children under 12 free. 777 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. 949.494.4514. www.art-a-fair.com.

ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE 5:30-7 p.m. Climb onboard a Dana Wharf luxury catamaran for this 90-minute wine cruise around the Dana Point Harbor.

Tickets are $49. Every Friday and Sunday.

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

888.224.0603. www.danawharf.com.

STORYTELLER MICHAEL MCCARTY MAGIC CIRCUS 2-3 p.m. Visit the San Clemente Community Center Auditorium this free show for kids. Part of the Summer Kids’ Shows series. San Clemente Library. 242 Avenida Del Mar. 949.492.3493. www.ocpl.org.

SUMMER MOVIE NIGHTS: ‘MINIONS’ 7 p.m. Enjoy a free movie night on the CVCS football field, presented by South Shores Church. The movie begins at dusk (approx. 8:15 p.m.). Families are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and food.

32032 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.661.4991. southshores.org.

SUMMER OF THEATRE: DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 7:30 p.m. The Saddleback College Performing Arts Department presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast June 8-9.

Seating opens at 6 p.m. and is first-come, first-served, with reserved seating available for $25. The event will be held outdoors and attendees are encouraged to bring low-back chairs and blankets to sit on. Food trucks will be available and picnic meals are permitted. Parking and admission is free. Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo.

949.582.4656. www.saddleback.edu/arts.

COA JAM NIGHT 7:30-9:30 p.m. Community Outreach Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

Photo: Courtesy

SUNDAY, JULY 10: DANA POINT SUMMER CONCERT SERIES KICKOFF 2:30 p.m. The Dana Point Summer Concert Series kicks off their season of live music.

Skynyrd Reloaded (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute) takes the stage from 2:30-4 p.m. Southbound (celebrating the music of the Allman Brothers) goes on from 4:30-6 p.m. Food, beer, wine, water and soda available for purchase. Sea Terrace Park, 33501 Niguel Road, Dana Point. www.danapointconcertseries.com.

Photo: (C) 2016 Storyteller Distribution Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

Alliance is a non-profit based out of San Clemente, with the goal of providing healthy activities for those choosing a sober lifestyle. One such activity is the open mic/jam night for local youth. Hear live music from a wide variety of musical talent, brought to you by the local youth of San Clemente. Full bands (Including headliner “TUNNEL VISION”), solos, duets and more will be heard. Food and coffee available at The Outlets. The Outlets at San Clemente. For more information, contact coamusicarts@gmail.com or Trent at 949.493.1980.

Saturday | 09 MUSIC IN THE WILDLANDS 8-10 a.m. Join The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo and listen to the singing of the birds and humming of the insects. Learn about how Native Americans used local plants like elderberry to create musical instruments and create your own take home musical instrument. Ages 6 and up. Adults $10, children $5, free for RMV residents.

The Richard and Donna O’Neil Conservancy, call for directions. 949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org.

YOUR BACK: PAIN & PREVENTION 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join strength coach and movement specialist, Jeremy Pricer, CSCS, CPT, for a two-part series of lectures and practical demonstrations on back pain—why we have it and what to do about it. San Clemente Library. 242 Avenida Del Mar. 949.492.3493. www.ocpl.org.

LOCAL AUTHOR READING: KIM HOOPER 1-2 p.m. Meet Kim Hooper, author of People Who Knew Me. Dana Point Library.

33841 Niguel Road. 949.496.5517. www. ocpl.org.

CERAMIC WALL ART 1-2:30 p.m. In this two-part class, instructor Marty Barth will guide students through the process of creating their own ceramic piece from start to finish. Marty will show students how to use different tools and techniques to construct and decorate their ceramic piece.

Ages 13 and up. Reservations preferred.

650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.

LIVE MUSIC: LEE RITENOUR AT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 1-2:30 p.m. Kicking off this live music series, Grammy-winning guitarist Lee Ritenour will perform. Festival is open 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $12 on weekends. Festival of Arts.

650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

800.487.3378. www.lagunafestialofarts.org.

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Dalton Gang performs until 6:30 p.m., followed by Rob Staley Band at 8:30 p.m. The Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

LIVE MUSIC: BAYOU BROTHERS 7:30-11 p.m. Join Bayou Brothers at Iva Lee’s for a night of live music. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

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

(Cont. on page 13)

Page 10

T

he latest Roald Dahl film adaptation, The BFG, reunites the creative team behind the family sci-fi classic E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial (1982): director Steven Spielberg, screenwriter Melissa Mathison, producer Kathleen Kennedy and composer John Williams. And most importantly, it’s produced by Walt Disney Studios. So what the heck happened to make it open at only No. 4 on opening weekend?

In 1980s England, 10-year-old orphan Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is abducted by an epically tall giant (Mark Rylance) after she spots him sneaking around outside her window. She’s then taken to his equally giant cottage in what he refers to as “Giant Country.” Very quickly, Sophie learns that the giant is actually the Big Friendly Giant and is not as menacing and cannibalistic as his fellow giants. She also discovers that the BFG is a dream catcher and can create dreams.

Despite its stellar production values, special effects and wonderfully innocent tone, The BFG is flopping.

There are a couple of reasons for this surprising outcome. One is that Fourth of July weekend is a rather peculiar time to release a movie that is so prominently English. Another is that the feature isn’t as fast-paced and plot-driven as most successful family flicks are. The BFG is essentially random scenes where the giant and Sophie hang out and experiment with his magic, and they also meet the Queen. Its target audience is the same small crowd that enjoyed Hugo (2011) or the 1980 Popeye movie, which doesn’t really make for a huge hit, even with the all the potential. DP www.danapointtimes.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 10)

Sunday | 10 CALIFORNIA MADE OUTDOOR MARKET 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Peruse times from artisans and craftspeople at this marketplace, featuring 25 makers. The Marketplace in San Clemente. 201 Calle de los Molinos. www. themarketplacesc.com.

KARAOKE AT GOODY’S 8 p.m. Karaoke every Sunday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400.

Monday | 11 BUCCANEER ADVENTURE SUMMER CAMP 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The weeklong summer camp begins for children age 7-8. The buccaneers will explore the seas and learn how to sail. There will be hands-on activities, including crafts, rowing, story telling, treasure hunts and more. The price for the summer camp is $350, for members $265.

Register online at www.ocean-institute.org or call 949.496.2274 for more information.

Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point.

BRIDGE AT THE SENIOR CENTER 1 p.m. If you are an intermediate-level player, join the San Clemente Senior Center. The game is play party/social bridge; partners change every sixth hand.

People can sign up in the office or just show up. Come five to 10 minutes early to claim a seat. Monday and Thursday at the Dorothy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente, 949.940.5702. www.san-clemente.org.

FREE GUITAR LESSONS Free group lessons starting from the beginner level. Ages 12 and up. Bring your own guitar. Email coamusicarts@gmail. com to sign up. 1050 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, 949.388.0114, www.communityoutreachalliance.com

Tuesday | 12 SUNSHINE READERS FAMILY STORYTIME AT SAN CLEMENTE LIBRARY 9:30-10:30 a.m. Experience a fun and lively story-time performed by local teen organization members. Each show lasts one hour and includes refreshments. No registration required. 242 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. www.ocpl.org.

HALF-PRICE WHALE WATCHING 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Hop onboard this cruise to see dolphins, whales and other marine life. $22.50. Half price on Tuesdays but trips are available every day.

Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

FREE HCG MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM CLASS 6-7 p.m. Join Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND for a class on prescription HCG as used in weight loss. 24865 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point. 949.416.4670.

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

Wednesday | 13 LECTURE: HABITAT RESTORATION 7-8:30 p.m. Habitat Restoration is a new science with much to offer and the Rancho Mission Viejo Habitat Reserve is a place where the principles of this new science are being applied. Much of this restoration benefits the animals that occur within the Habitat Reserve. The Richard and Donna O’Neil Conservancy, call for directions, 949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org.

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.

Café Calypso, 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228 or 949.369.5482.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink specials. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

Thursday | 14 LIVE MUSIC: KALAMA BROTHERS 7-10:30 p.m. Join Kalama Brothers at Iva Lee’s for a night of live music. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

CASINO SUMMER NIGHTS JAZZ SERIES 7:30-10 p.m. Visit the Casino San Clemente for their summer jazz series. Tickets are $7 online, $10 at the door. Order at www. casinosummernights.brownpapertickets. com. 140 W. Avenida Pico. 949.369.660. www.thecasinosanclemente.com.

VISUAL ACOUSTICS: THE MODERNISM OF JULIUS SCHULMAN 7 p.m. Join Casa Romantica for a viewing of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman. The viewing is followed by a discussion with architecture historian and writer Ted Wells. Free to attend.

415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente.

949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.danapointtimes.com.

Have an event? Send your listing to events@danapointtimes.com Page 13

GETTING OUT

Photo: Courtesy of Family Style

South County Music Scene: Family Style

BY ALLISON JARRELL, DANA POINT TIMES

I

f you live in Orange County and love live music, odds are you’re already familiar with the infamous soulful rockers of Family Style.

The OC-based band has been playing blues, soul and rock and roll at local venues for more than 27 years and features brothers Vic and Tony Rodriguez on guitar/vocals and drums/lead vocals respectively, along with a rotation of musicians including: Adrian Remijio, Luis Oliart, Melvin Scudders, Dennis Cotone, Marvin McDaniels and Richard Tyznick.

Whether you’re in the mood for some James Brown and Van Morrison or a little Prince and David Bowie, Family Style’s got you covered.

How They Started: Vic and Tony were always in bands growing up and said their passion for making music comes from

their family—their grandfather was the first Mexican-American disc jockey in Orange County in the 1950s.

“He’d bring the records home to my mom and she’d play Fats Domino and Chuck Berry and all types of rock and roll music, and we just grew up listening to it,” Tony said.

In 1989, the band was officially formed and the duo decided on the name Family Style, inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan’s last album. At the time, the band consisted entirely of their family members.

Fun Fact: Family Style has been the house band at the Swallow’s Inn for about 17 years. They play all of the venue’s special events as well as the third Saturday of each month from 2:30-6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Shows in the Area July 8: San Juan Hills Golf Club, 7-10 p.m.

July 16: Swallow’s Inn, 2:30-6:30 p.m. July 23: Stillwater Spirits & Sounds, 9-11:45 p.m.

July 30: Iva Lee’s, 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 7: Sunsets Bar & Grill, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 13: The La Pata Extension Grand Opening, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 25: OC Summer Concerts in the Park, Salt Creek Beach, 6 p.m.

For a complete list of area shows and other band news, follow the group on Facebook: @familystyleusa.

The Best Thing We Ate This Week

Croque Monsieur BONJOUR CAFE & BISTRO

24633 Del Prado Ave, Dana Point, 949.496.6368, www.bonjourcafe.com

Though we’re a continent and a sea from France, it’s hard not to feel like a tourist ordering the croque monsieur at Bonjour Cafe. But then again, the sandwich itself is a tourist. We’re not ogling it, like a macaron; no, it’s ogling us, in its many shapes and Photo: Matt Cortina forms, from restaurants of myriad reputes across the country.

Smoked ham and melted cheese. This, and the Revolutionary War, are the two things for which even our most be-camouflaged, Bud-pounding and Trump-trumpeting citizens can thank France. Bonjour Cafe’s croque monsieur is a triple-decker of thick country bread, lightly charred swiss cheese, smoked ham shreds and pristine béchamel sauce.

The sauce is silky and elegant, but powerful and rich, like pre-jail Martha Stewart or Cate Blanchett c. right now. And there’s this flavor, hidden in the many folds of prepping that sauce, what is it, uh…um… NUTMEG! You can come by any time, croque monsieur, especially if you’re made by the chefs at Bonjour Cafe.—Matt Cortina Page 14

www.danapointtimes.com

San Clemente High School s of s a l Class of ’66 is looking for C a few great classmates!

Help us contact them!

Aalbergsberg, Willliam Alarcon, Tony Amaral (Tornus), Norma Anaya, Tim Anderson, Jo Ann Backus, Barbara Bailey, Cordell Barber, Jolayne Barnes, Shelly Baron, Michael Basse, Dennis Belarde (Murphy), Donna Bierbower (Saladino), Linda Bierbower, Marc Blohm (Creech), Chris Bodnar, Richard Bonewits, Richard Borrow, Greg Boygle, Nancy Braman (Peterson), Pam Brayton, Tom Brooks (Kassebaum), Suzanne Bulgier, Sharon Calvit (Hedrick), Colleen Capellino, Bill Carter (Carter), Virginia Carter (Zirges), Louise Castle, Dona Castle (Metzger), Vickie Chambers, Mel Childress, Bob Christensen, Chris Coiffi, Sharon Clark, Paul Clarke (Patten), Dale Coen, Marilyn Cole (Wilson), Janice Collins, Lee Cooney (Huckleberry), Jackie Cooper, James Cooper, Tim Corr, Steven Crook, Melanie Crowder, Greg Curran, Margaret Currey, Joanne Decoster, Robert Deffley, Mike Dibenedetto (Clark), Chris Disieno, Mike Dodge, Jim Drinkwine, Allen Earle, Randy Ellison, Gregory Erisman, James Evinger (Hatcher), Rita Fales (Nichols), Donna Fassold (Olson), Kathy Finot, Suzanne Fleener, Candy Flynn, Catherine Folgner, Ken Folstad, Brad Forster, Selena Gable, Ron Gahan, Michael Gallager, Jon Gates (Dickson), Karen

Gennaro (Deskin), Rosemary Gibson, Richard Glesner, Barbara Gorman, Tom Goya, Steve Gunther, Karen Haaker (Webb), Susan Habig (Mitchell), Jill Hanckel, Bill Hancock, John Hanes (Cottrell), Donna Hanes, Dianna Hansen (Barnett), Sharon Hardisty (Walsh), Sandra Hill, Lonny Hoenshell, Ann Hoffert, Dan Honsberger, Carol Hortsman (Coates), Jean Hoyt, Bob Huffer, Charles Huges, Einar Hyslop, Bonnie Jamieson (Goldsmith), Nancy Jansen (Nott), Susan Johnson (McCracken), Pam Johnson, Bill Johnson (Christensen), Cheryl Jones, Richard Jones, Bob Ketcheson, Blaine Kettles, Mary Klein (Parsons), Anita Kneip, Linda Knoch (King), Chris Lauer, Frank Lentine, Sam Lilly, Chris Llamas, Daniel Lofgren, Mike Long, Paul Lovin, Thomas Lyons, Barbara Mac Lean, Penny Manzo, Frank Martelle, Kim Matthews (Unfried), Karen McCallister, Nancy McHugh (Somerville), Sharon McKray, Tom McMichael (Mowe), Patty Meyers, Dawn Minenko, Joey Moede, Rusty Moon (Westfall), Linda Moore, Sally More, Jo-Elaine Morey (Leicester), Beverly Murray, Steven Nelson, Jeff Nesbitt, Kathy Nesbitt, Sandi Nichols, Michele Nobles, Sam Noonan (Shadwick), Kathleen Norman (Gennarro), Norma Oliphant (Kirkpatrick), Melanie Olivares (Stoffel), Gina Olivares (Fisher), Barbara

Olivares, Belvi Overbaugh, Caryl Page, Charles Perez, Manuel Petelin (Bernardoni), Karen Peterson, Mary Peterson, Michael Price, Mary Radcliff (Byers), Joyce Rawson (Stenner), Wendy Renshaw (Barrett), Suzanne Rice (Folgner), Pamela Rivera, John Roberts, Roy Robinson, Ted Rode, Peter Rose, Dave Rosenbaum, Richard Ross, Sylvia Rossatti, Estella Rustand, Steve Ryan (Johnson), Ginny San Miguel, Jane Sanchez (Currell), Irene Schelke, Jim Schiller, Gregg Schmick, Lucille Seckler, Leslie Segaser (Pizzuto), Meladee Semegi (Hazelhorst), Margaret Shadwick (Howard), Connie Sharpe, Carol Shelor, Chris Sisneros, Marie Snyder, Carol Sosalla, Pamela Soto, Manuel Sparkul, Pat Stark, Barry Stauff, John Sutherlen, Paul Swanson (McMahan), Christy Swinger, Ron Tapper (Flokman), Dede Terry, Warner Thomas, Dennis Thomas, Jane Thomasson, Tommy Toney, Susan Tool, George Trigg (Reams), Christine United (Mihelich), Diane Wallace, Tom Wayman, Pat Weems, Nancy Werner, Patricia Wernet, Geraldyne Whelpley, Steven Whitaker, David Whynaught, Chris Weigand, Steve Wilkins, Nina Willey, Kevin Williams (Spencer), Suzanne Williams, Rebel Wilson, William Winton, Teressa Wolken, Kerry Workman, Gail Worth, Joseph Yonkey, Sharon Zaiss, Kathy Zeller (Hanrahan), Terry Zink, David

Reunion is Saturday, July 30 at 5:30 p.m.

Doubletree Inn, 34402 PCH in Dana Point (across from Doheny Beach) Contact Bill Metzger Plumbing with any information: BMP.BILL@yahoo.com or 949.492.3558

DP DP LIVING Dana Dana Point Point

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Photo: Courtesy of Tara Westersten

Photo: Courtesy of matt_spector on Instagram

Fourth of July Celebrations around Dana Point

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

O

ver the weekend, residents sent the Dana Point Times their photos from the Fourth of July weekend through social media and emails.

Residents tweeted, shared on Instagram, posted on Facebook and emailed us photos of their holiday festivities. Whether

you were at the fireworks show in the Harbor, on one of many viewing cruises, or in the company of friends and family at home, check out how the Dana Point community celebrated Independence Day this year.

For all of the photos, visit danapointtimes.com. DP

Dana Point residents celebrate Fourth of July throughout the city. Photo: Alan Gibby

Photo: Courtesy of styledbymolly on Instagram

Photo: Courtesy of Coffee Importers on Instagram

DP LIVING

No Small ‘Fly’ Surfboard craftsman worked with legends of the sport

BY ERIC HEINZ, DANA POINT TIMES

J

ean Pierre Van Swae has seen the surf industry blossom, from the era that brought The Endless Summer to today’s modern construct.

“The Fly,” as he’s known from his penchant to jump off cliffs and out of airplanes, is a walking encyclopedia of custom surfboard information, as well as construction of various seafaring devices.

Every piece of the interview Van Swae gave on Tuesday at his Dana Point shop came full circle with some kind of piece of history of crafting surfboards.

Born in Belgium, Van Swae was raised in Southern California and eventually made his way to the area, where surfing was starting to take off and be recognized on a national level.

“It’s just a love of what I do; it’s not really work,” he said. “I try to improve on some things when I can. For example, when surfboards in the 1970s started changing and enabled you to ride waves that have an arch to them, we started giving the boards more structural strength.”

Van Swae worked for surfboard legend Hobart “Hobie” Alter and a few others south of San Clemente and in Hawaii, where he had his own repair shop. He also worked for Clark Foam, which delivered foam-core blanks for boards along the coast.

“He (Hobie) was the best boss to work for,” Van Swae said. “He just let you do what you wanted to do with shaping or sanding or glassing, and he just wanted you to do a good job, and if you had any way to improve the board, he was all for that.”

Since 1961, The Fly started working for Wardy Surf based out of Pasadena and Laguna Beach. But he said he’s always loved the beaches around San Clemente: Trestles, Cotton’s and the rest.

“Soon as I saw the ocean, it was just love at first sight,” Van Swae said. “When

Jean Pierre “The Fly” Van Swae builds custom surfboards using the same techniques he learned more than 55 years ago. Photo: Eric Heinz

my folks moved down to Laguna Beach, I was in heaven. I saw a guy surfing, and that was something completely new to me.

I immediately found out where the local surf shop was, and I got involved so much hanging around the surf shop that they put me to work.”

In those early years, Van Swae said they would pile into the van to go surfing all the time around the area.

As he worked on surfboards, he found different ways to try to make boards lighter, rather than shaping heavier glasses around the fins and implementing different balsa wood into the body of the boards.

“It was like a small step for mankind,” Van Swae said. “The surf industry has gone through a lot of changes—weights of boards, the types of fins and where they’re placed. They go from single to quad, sometimes guys have five fins. It enables you to do a variety of maneuvers.”

Soon after, they started experimenting with Plexiglas to make fins more durable and flexible.

“I’m always wondering how we can make the board more comfortable and trying new things,” he said. “If the board failed, then it failed. You just get back and try it again. People started putting more concave into the board and different shapes so they could ride well and gener-

Pet of the Week: Cecily

O

ne-year-old Cecily is a real sweetie of a rabbit who is looking for her new home! Easy to handle, Cecily loves to be pet.

She can be a tad shy at first, but warms up quickly. Cecily has great litter box habits and would make a wonderful friend for someone ready to give her all the attention she needs.

If you would like to know more about Cecily, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with her at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

Cecily. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Page 19

ate more speed.”

For a while, Van Swae said he got into surf photography and working for Surfer Magazine, taking a break from the shaping and constructing part of the industry.

“I felt my love was in surfboards, and I realized that when I moved to Kauai for a few years,” he said.

For the most part, Van Swae said he’s constructed surfboards for people who are interested in getting out and trying the sport. He said he didn’t really make boards for “big stars” of surfing, but he

got to know them.

“Being able to take your equipment out and try it out, it’s like a wonderful toy— but more than that; it’s something that shows if you’ve improved your work more than other people,” he said.

Today, there are machines that massproduce surfboards to make the shape.

The Fly said the machines are able to complete the whole package.

“It kind of eludes the shaper, in a way,” Van Swae said. “People like them because they’re cheap. But I still like to do it the old fashioned way. I still have the same planer I had in the ’60s to make the boards. A lot of people are thankful for keeping up the tradition.”

The Fly also experimented with other devices such as the ankle leash, going from surgical elastic bands and trying various materials to find the right fit. On Tuesday, he was working on new paddles for a stand-up paddle board or outrigger canoe.

The outrigger team Van Swae joined in Dana Point, he said, was one of the fastest, as they were able to customize their own paddles and make them lighter and were able to propel the boat “a wee bit faster” than the others.

“It’s always good to win,” Van Swae said.

Fly International Custom Surfboards is located in a small location off Domingo Avenue in Dana Point, but people can call 949.280.3982 or email flysurfboards@att.net to inquire about custom surfboards. DP

“The Fly” Van Swae, farthest right, poses in this circa 1963 photo of him and the Wardy Surf company employees.

Photo: Courtesy

DP LIVING

Kids 12 and under participated in the kids’ surf contest on Saturday, June 25. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Dane Harp, 5, of Dana Point, hangs out on the beach with Karisa, 3, of Mission Viejo, after the kids’ surf contest at Doheny Surf Festival on Saturday, June 25. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

The Southern California Woodie Club displayed some of their classic cars. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Doheny Surf Festival Takes Over Doheny State Beach

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

D

oheny Surf Festival was back in town with two days’ worth of surfing, music, food and vendors.

The event was held by the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association, a nonprofit liaison organization that protects,

supports and enhances the State Parks and Beaches from June 25-26.

During the weekend-long event, kids 17 and under participated in the kids’ surf contest, multiple musical performances, surf demonstrations, a longboard contest, kids’ activities and more. DP

The Longboard Collector’s Club displayed some of their longboards. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

The Doheny Surf Festival took over the sands at Doheny State Beach. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program 949.485.4979 info@bodymindspiritiop.com www.bodymindspiritiop.com

ASSISTED LIVING HOME FOR ELDERLY

Assisted Senior Home

949.248.9415, www.assistedseniorhome.com

AUTO REPAIR

Dana Point Auto

34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, 949.496.1086

CAFE - DELI

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COFFEE SHOP

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Represent.xyz

949.274.0590, www.represent.xyz

DANCE/FITNESS

Club Salsa Dance Studio 34202 Camino Capistrano, 949.230.0543, www.clubsalsadance.com

HAULING

Cheapest Hauling

Call Robert 949.973.6288

ICE CREAM

Coffee Importers Scoop Deck

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

Patricia Powers

24551 Del Prado, Ste. 364, 949.496.1900, pat.powers@cox.net

State Farm/Ted Bowersox

34085 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 204, 949.661.3200, www.tedbowersox.com

Statefarm/Elaine LaVine

34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, www.elainelavine.net

MASSAGE

Crystal Clyde Intuitive Bodywork

32840 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. E, 949.584.2462, www.crystalclyde.com

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Danman’s Music School

24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

PET BOUTIQUE

Naked Dog Bistro

424 Forest Ave., LB, 949.715.9900, www.NakedDogBistro.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

32032 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.5683, www.cvcs.org

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

949.444.6323, www.offshoreconstruction.org

LIST LOCALS ONLY

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DP LIVING GUEST OPINION: It’s History by Carlos N. Olvera

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

The Rich History of Our City Parks and Recreational Areas

C

apistrano Bay Parks and Recreation was created as a special district in 1965. The idea was presented on March 11 in Dana Point at the Community House by the Dana Point Civic Association, led by the association president, Dr. George Anderson. It was approved on March 16.

The district was to consist of Dana Point and Capistrano Beach, excluding the railroad right of way, Beach Road and the harbor area. The land was formerly known as the Dana Point Dump. The landfill had to be dug down to a depth of 40 feet to remove old tires, water heaters and burnt-out car bodies.

It was the practice then to set the dump on fire at IT’S HISTORY night to reduce the waste.

By Carlos N. Financing was gained Olvera via a $0.10 tax per $100 of assessed value, which at that time would provide about $14,000 annually. It would include the transfer of two parks, which were then under lease: the Little League baseball field on Del Obispo, which happened three years later, and the “Pines Bluff” park, which was originally a private park in Capistrano Beach. The first land to be donated to the new district was from the Thunderbird neighborhood. Supporters were encouraging picnic and recreational sites, while those opposed to the new tax pointed out that there would not be county, state nor federal aid for the new district. Thunderbird made good on their promise with great fanfare on Sunday, August 22, 1965.

Being strapped for funds, since the tax assessment would not take place until the following year, a pancake breakfast was organized by the Capistrano Beach Community Association, led by Bob Walcott.

In the following year of operation, the boundaries of the district became part of a discussion to form a new city, Capistrano Bay. The impetus was the owner of a 91-acre tract—Capistrano Shores—dividing the two localities, wanting to annex to San Juan Capistrano. It was to exclude Beach Road, and include Dana Knolls. The district was opposed to the annexation.

By 1969, an under-the-radar move to deannex land in the Laguna Niguel Development from the district found its way to the county, which reduced funding. A road was planned to pass through the park, but was abandoned by the county under objection by the district. It was called Salt Creek Road, which would have been an extension of Stonehill to Pacific Coast Highway. The district wanted to absorb the Serra School playground but CUSD refused. To help with funding, the El Camino Real Junior Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

Women’s Club donated $250 in 1972 to help purchase playground equipment for Thunderbird Park. In 1973, the Capistrano Beach Community Association sponsored a clean-up and landscaping activity.

On Saturday, April 12, 1975, the small view lot at Dana Bluffs was dedicated to and named after Louise H. Leyden, a local artist who helped in the planning of the Palisades. The developer was Charles A. Smith. This added to parks already being operated—Del Obispo, Thunderbird and Pines parks. The original assessment was raised to $0.20 per $100 assessed value.

The year 1982 brought some bad news.

District administrator Lita Kay (Mickey) Valentine was fired after an audit showed she had embezzled money from a savings account to buy a sports car; a 1978 Corvette. Even though she said that it was a loan, replacing the funds after the theft was reported, she was convicted. She was placed on three years’ probation after serving just less than 100 days in custody.

At the time, she was also president of the Capistrano Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Following other cities in the county, Capistrano Bay Parks established a community garden in 1984 at the behest of director Harry Otsubo. The district provided the land and the water, but everything else was up to the individual who rented the 10-by10-foot or a 10-by-20-foot lot. The goal was to provide apartment dwellers or condo owners the ability to have a garden. Of course the objective of the district was always to have a multi-use center. That came true in 1985 when they received a grant from the state in the amount of $388,000 to add to their saving of $800,000. The existing building was demolished.

As Dana Point was to become a city, a dispute arose over Sea Terrace Park, which the Laguna Niguel District laid claim to under a 7-year-old agreement between the county and the developer. An injunction by the district to the lawsuit was successful.

Some past board members included Dana Point’s first mayor Judy Currie, Lynn Muir (former Council candidate), Harry Otsubo and Ed Conway (former Council candidate). And finally as Dana Point became a city on January 1, 1989, the district adjusted its boundaries to match those of the city, giving it an additional two square miles.

Carlos N. Olvera is Chair of the OC Historical Commission, and Councilman of Dana Point. Lynn Muir contributed to the article. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times 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 DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

In Life, Opportunity Often Arises from Adversity

T

oday’s column begins my 23rd year of writing about finding love after 50.

My first column appeared on July 4, 1994, in a local Dana Point newspaper.

Back then I wasn’t a writer, just a guy who owned Tutor and Spunky’s, a Dana Point deli.

On Christmas Eve, 1993, my life changed dramatically when my wife of six years—without informing me of her intentions—cleaned out the house and moved away. I was so surprised and shocked that I started keeping a journal to try to gather my thoughts.

Shortly thereafter, an unknown man came into the deli during lunchtime, and said, “Are you Tom Blake?” I smiled and said yes, thinking we had a new customer. He handed me an envelope, saying, “You are being served with divorce papers.”Soon, I became single, free to date again. I added the events of each day to my journal.

I quickly discovered that South Orange County women had no interest in dating a newly divorced, 53-year-old guy, who was bitter at how the divorce gods had treated him. With every failed dating experience, I added to the journal.

After six months, my journal had grown to more than 100 pages. I converted it to a short story. I naively queried Playboy, Esquire and the New York Times, thinking they might be interested in a story about a divorced man’s dating woes.

Eventually, two women editors of the Dana Point paper agreed to review my material. They felt that single women in Southern California would have a field day belittling my woe-is-me, feeling-sorry-for-myself, age50+, single-guy-can’t-get-a-date saga.

The two editors gave me my first writing opportunity, and they were right. After my initial column, titled, “Home Alone with Only Dogs for Company,” appeared, a woman said: “Who is this sniveling puke?”

The column soon appeared in 10 local area newspapers and for eight years in the Orange County Register.

In June 1998, I met Greta, my life partner.

Women readers told me my writing became less controversial and more palatable after she entered my life.

I’ve written approximately 3,500 articles and ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50 newsletters on finding

By Tom Blake love after 50; writing on this topic has been good to me.

In 2011, Norb Garrett, CEO of Picket Fence Media and publisher of the Dana Point Times, San Clemente Times and The Capistrano Dispatch, invited me to write for his newspapers. In my 23 years of writing, I have never been associated with such a hard-working, friendly and warm group of people.

My advice is applicable to people ages 45 to 90. Yes, I do know people in their 90s who have found love. While my articles target singles, approximately 35 percent of my readers are married. My advice to married couples is usually pretty simple: stay together and work out the issues.

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from this writing experience: opportunity often arises from adversity, and it’s up to us as individuals to recognize the opportunity and make the best of it, although we may not see or understand it until months or years later.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. His latest book can be found online at www.smashwords.com/books/view/574810.

See his website at www.findingloveafter60. com (Yes, after 60, time rolls on). DP

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

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

Last week’s solution:

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

Page 22

See today’s solution in next week’s issue.

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DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Home Field Advantage Local lacrosse coach Brendan Fowler to play in Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game in Fullerton

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

D

ana Point resident Brendan Fowler will get to take part in a special moment on July 9, when he takes the field as a Major League Lacrosse All-Star for the second time in his short career.

Aside from the thrill of competing against the best players Major League Lacrosse has to offer, a challenge Fowler says he relishes, the East Coast transplant will be playing in front of dozens of his newest pupils.

For the first time in MLL history, the All-Star game is coming to Orange County. The game will be held at Cal State Fullerton and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 4 p.m.

Fowler moved to South Orange County from Long Island before the start of the last school year and landed the job as the head coach of the JSerra Catholic boys lacrosse program in San Juan Capistrano.

Fowler, a two-time national collegiate champion while at Duke University, moonlights as a professional lacrosse player for the Charlotte Hounds, where he is among the best faceoff specialists in the nation.

Fowler’s players get to see him demonstrate drills and techniques in practice, but now they will get an opportunity to see him going full speed on July 9.

“I think it will be cool. It’s good for (youth players) to see Division 1 or professional lacrosse to see what it looks like at the highest level,” Fowler said. “On the East Coast, (youth players) are kind of spoiled because they are around it all the time. Now these kids get a chance to see what it looks like in person.”

After winning back-to-back NCAA titles with the Blue Devils, Fowler immediately transferred his success to the professional level. After being picked 13th overall by the Hounds in the 2014 MLL Collegiate Draft, Fowler racked up a 50.4 faceoff win percentage while winning a team-high 94 groundballs in his first season. He was named an All-Star as a rookie.

Fowler is now in the midst of his second full season and is contributing to a Hounds team that sits atop the league standings at 6-3 overall through nine games. Fowler’s faceoff win percentage stands at 47 percent and he leads the team with 33 ground balls.

Fowler is a faceoff specialist, the player who does the nitty gritty work in the middle of the field. It takes a tough player, both physically and mentally, to do such work. It’s the type of style Fowler aimed to instill in the JSerra players at the start of the season. An emphasis on playing hard and pursuing ground balls with tenacity

Brendan Fowler, right, was named a Major League Lacrosse All-Star for the second consecutive season in 2016.

Photo: Courtesy Major League Lacrosse

became the Lions calling card.

The Lions, who graduated 16 seniors in the summer of 2015, went 6-12 on the season and placed second in the Trinity League with a 3-3 record. They advanced to the first round of the playoffs, where they were defeated by league rival Santa Margarita, and ended the season ranked 13th in the MaxLaxOC Coaches Poll.

It was a step in the right direction for

Scoreboard DANA POINT TIMES

Dana Point Youth Baseball Team Heads to Regional Tournament The Dana Point Youth Baseball 10U PONY All-Star team continued its winning ways last weekend by placing first in their division at the PONY District tournament.

The win earned the local team a berth in the PONY Regional tournament that begins on July 14.

The 10U All-Stars won two of their three games in dramatic fashion.

The Dana Point team defeated a team from Irvine 3-2 by plating the winning run on their final at-bat. In the championship game, the Dana Point All-Stars came from behind to earn a 12-11 win over St. Hedgewick’s.

The Dana Point All-Stars now own a 14-4 overall record on the season.

The DPYB 10U PONY All-Star team includes: Cal Ignosci, Kaidin Stein, Wyatt Popka, Cole Tarango, Jackson Summers, Noah Kucera, Sebastian Naficy, Michael Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

The Dana Point PONY 10U All-Stars advanced to the league’s regional tournament last week. Photo: Courtesy

Yousef, Coltrane Torres, Nate DiPiero, Deacon Hill, Landon Whitaker and Jackson Garbino. The team is coached by Dan Ignosci, Jerome Kucera and Damon Summers.

McLaughlin Denied Spot on Olympic Swim Team Dana Point’s Katie McLaughlin faced an uphill battle while competing at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. The Cal freshman suffered an inPage 25

a program that went through so much recent change.

“The first season was a challenge. We had no idea what we were walking into because they lost so many players in the offseason,” Fowler said. “But the kids were great and improved a ton throughout the season. I think we were playing our best lacrosse at the end of the year, which is always a good thing.” DP

jury to her neck sixth months ago, which sidelined her for much of the season and derailed her training.

But McLaughlin was able to work her way back into shape to contend for a spot on the United States Olympic swim team, and threatened to do so in the 200-meter butterfly at the Trials on June 30. After putting together strong performances in the qualifying heats, McLaughlin earned a berth in the 200 fly finals but that is where her comeback stopped. McLaughlin placed sixth and did not qualify for a spot on the team.

In the 200 fly finals, McLaughlin started off strong and sat in second position after 50 meters, but fell back to the pack during the remaining laps.

McLaughlin, 18, graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School this year and was a member of the U.S. swim team that competed at the World Championships in 2015.

McLaughlin also competed in the 200-meter freestyle event at the Trials. She advanced to the finals in the 200 freestyle and placed eighth. www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Locals Prove Mettle at NSSA National Open Championships

RESULTS 2016 NSSA National Open Championships Huntington Beach, June 26-July 3 OPEN MENS (ages 16 & up) MAYORS CUP 1. Jake Marshall, Encinitas; 2. Micky Clarke, Ventura OPEN WOMENS (all ages) MAYORS CUP 1. Brisa Hennessy,Hawaii; 2. Alyssa Spencer, Carlsbad OPEN JUNIORS (ages 15 & under) 1. Cole Houshmand, San Clemente; 2. Barron Mamiya, Hawaii; 3. Micha Cantor, South Carolina; 4.

Dimitri Poulos, Ventura OPEN BOYS (ages 12 & under) 1. Levi Slawson, Encinitas; 2. Jackson Bunch, Hawaii; 3.

Sebastian Ojeda, La Jolla; 4. Kayam Amar-Havazellet, Israel OPEN MINI GROMS (ages 10 & under) 1. Tenshi Iwami-Chiba, Japan; 2. Dane Matson, San Clemente; 3.

Kai Martin, Hawaii; 4. Lucas Owston, Oceanside OPEN GIRLS (ages 14 & under) 1. Caroline Marks, Florida; 2.

Kirra Pinkerton, San Clemente; 3. Tiare Thompson, La Jolla; 4. Leah Thompson, North Carolina OPEN LONGBOARD (all ages) 1. Spencer Bridges, New Jersey; 2.

Kelta O’Rourke, Hawaii; 3. Mason Schremmer, Hawaii; 4.

Trip Chandler, South Carolina

BY MATT CORTINA, DANA POINT TIMES

O

ver the course of five days, the world’s best young surfers convened at Huntington Beach for the NSSA 2016 National Open Championships.

And unsurprisingly, local surfers did our cities proud by not only making the national championships, but winning and placing high in several competitions.

San Clemente’s Cole Houshmand continued his tear through the junior ranks with a first place finish in the U15 Open Juniors competition. Cole finished third in the Boys U18 final last week in the USA Surfing Championships. He was also named to the 2017 Junior USA Surf team.

Other top local performers at the National Open Championships included Dane Matson, of San Clemente, who finished second in the U10 Open Mini Groms competition.

Kade Matson, meanwhile, brought home third place in the U14 Explorer Boys match.

Taj Lindblad of San Clemente pulled in a fifth place finish in the packed U12 Explorer Menehune competition.

Lindblad, Matson and Matson were each the highest local finishers in their respective competitions.

San Clemente’s Kirra Pinkerton put on another sensational showing in the U14 Open Girls competition. She ended up with a solid second place.

Bethany Zelasko, of Dana Point, stood her ground in the all-ages Explorer Womens competition, taking home a fourth place finish—the highest of any local. DP

GROM OF THE WEEK

SEYLAH CHILDRESS

BY MATT CORTINA, DANA POINT TIMES

A

t only 9 years old, Seylah Childress of San Juan Capistrano has already surfed and skated around the

world.

“I always loved the water, and I started surfing when I was 6,” Seylah said. “I started with my uncle. He took me out on the surfboard at Doheny.”

Doheny is still a favorite spot—as is San Onofre—but Seylah says she’s had great experiences surfing in New Zealand and

Dana Point Times July 8-14, 2016

Cole Houshmand of San Clemente was the top local finisher, taking home first place in the NSSA 2016 National Open Championships. Photo: Kurt Steinmetz

San Clemente’s Jett Schilling performed well at the competition. Photo: Kurt Steinmetz

Australia. As part of a big surfing family, her love of riding the world’s best waves was born into her.

“It’s like what we do,” Seylah says of her family and surfing.

Seylah says she’s made friends out on the waves, and has also potentially found her career calling out there, too—she wants to be a marine biologist.

“Just because I love the ocean and I love the animals in the ocean,” she said, adding that her favorite subject in school is, fittingly, science.

Seylah also starred in her school’s—St. Anne—production of Alice in Wonderland last year, and hopes to continue the theater arts through high school.

And perhaps it’s from her world travels

2016 NATIONAL EXPLORER CHAMPIONSHIPS EXPLORER MENS (all ages) 1. Gabriel Morvil, North Carolina; 2. Parker Cohn, Newport Beach; 3. Finn McGill Hawaii; 4. Kala Willard, Hawaii EXPLORER JUNIORS (ages 17 & under) 1. Cody Young, Hawaii; 2. Noa Mizuno, Hawaii; 3. Taro Watanbe, Malibu; 4. Parker Cohn, Newport Beach EXPLORER BOYS (ages 14 & under) 1. Tommy Coleman, Florida; 2. Robert Grilho, Hawaii; 3. Kade Matson, San Clemente; 4. Ocean Macedo, Hawaii EXPLORER MENEHUENE (ages 12 & under) 1.

Jackson Bunch, Hawaii; 2. Robert Grilho, Hawaii; 3. Luke Swanson, Hawaii; 4. Kayam Amar-Havazellet, Israel; 5.

Taj Lindblad, San Clemente; 6. Robbie Goodwin, Florida EXPLORER SUPER GROMS (ages 10 & under) 1. Kai Martin, Hawaii; 2. Cole McCaffray, Cardiff; 3. Shion Crawford, Hawaii; 4. Lucas Owston, Oceanside; 5. MaiKai Burdine, Hawaii; 6. Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach EXPLORER WOMENS (all ages) 1. Gabriela Bryan, Hawaii; 2. Kahanu Delovio-Kailua, Hawaii; 3. Savanna Stone, Hawaii; 4. Bethany Zelasko, Dana Point; 5. Summer Macedo, Hawaii; 6. Kelta O’Rourke, Hawaii EXPLORER GIRLS (ages 14 & under) 1. Alyssa Spencer, Carlsbad; 2.

Olivia Pessanha, San Diego; 3. Gabriella Bryan, Hawaii; 4.

Julie Nishimoto, Hawaii; 5. Summer Ivy; 6. Rachel Presti, Florida EXPLORER SUPER GIRLS 1. Alyssa Spencer, Carlsbad; 2. Leila Riccobuano, Hawaii; 3. Makena Burke, Ventura; 4. Savanna Stone, Hawaii; 5. Valentina Resano, Nicaragua; 6. Gabbi Knudsen, Hawaii EXPLORER LONGBOARD (all ages) 1. Trip Chander, South Carolina; 2. Ian Appling, Texas; 3. Spencer Bridges, New Jersey; 4.

Georgia Cook, Tennessee EXPLORER WOMENS LONGBOARD (all ages) 1. Mason Schremmer, Hawaii; 2. Kelta O’Rourke, Hawaii; 3. Lola Schremmer, Hawaii; 4. Soleil Errico, Hawaii; 5. Aine Dwyer, Coronado; 6. Betsey Lee, Topanga EXPLORER KNEEBOARD (all ages) 1. Chris Bermudez, Oxnard; 2. Sean Noone, Alisa Viejo EXPLORER SUP (male all ages) 1. Dylan Schmarr-Kailua, Hawaii; 2.

Cash Berzolla, Hawaii EXPLORER SUP (female all ages) 1-Mason Schremmer, Hawaii; 2. Scarlett Schremmer, Hawaii; 3. Lola Schremmer, Hawaii

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 69-72 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-10’ Poor-Fair

Seylah Childress. Photo: Courtesy

or her surfing family that gives her this righteous perspective at such a young age, but Seylah hopes “to encourage all of the girls to start surfing and skating and try to get up on the board.” DP

Page 26

Outlook: New, modest scale Southern hemi swell due the back half of the week with fun size tropical swell from Blas due in then as well. Minor NW windswell will continue to mix in. Morning conditions look best with light winds, then expect light/moderate onshore flow to rise up each afternoon. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

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