March 17, 2016

LO C A L

N EWS

March 17-23, 2017

YO U

C A N

U S E

Local Chefs Battle to Raise Money PAGE 3

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11

Queens of Coding An all-girl robotics team uses their skills and passion to compete in a technological world E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 5 The Coding Queens of John S. Malcom Elementary are an all-girl robotics team. They have competed in regional competitions and will soon be making their way to the World Championships in Kentucky. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

County Audit Report Finds Harbor Oversight Issues EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Skate Park Seeks Funding after Designs Approved EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

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Banter: March Madness Offers Plenty of Fun for the Casual Fan SPORTS/PAGE 12

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING WHAT’S NEXT: With the initial design approved, local groups can now begin actively fundraising and searching for in-kind donations and sponsorships. City staff said they’ll be reaching out to other cities, including Dana Point, and agencies to inquire about potential partnerships as well. —Allison Jarrell

County Audit Report Finds Lack of Oversight, Management

Waterman’s Harbor Chef Michael J. Doctulero created two oyster dishes during the Chef Battle on Tuesday, March 14. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week Local Chefs Battle to Raise Money THE LATEST: Two local chefs battled it out in the kitchen on Tuesday, March 14 to raise money for charity.

Waterman’s Harbor Chef Michael J. Doctulero and Chef Rocco Carbonara of Carbonara Restaurant in San Clemente both created a raw and cooked oyster dish for the battle and let the customers chose the winner.

Once a month, Waterman’s hosts the battle, not only for entertainment, but to raise money for a variety of organizations.

Tuesday night’s proceeds benefited the Illumination Foundation, an Orange County 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing targeted and interdisciplinary services for homeless people.

Although Chef Michael scored 20 points from the customers, Chef Rocco was crowned the winner with 23 votes.

WHAT’S NEXT: The next chef battle will be against San Juan Capistrano’s Sol Agave chefs and the dish will be fish tacos. For more information, visit www.watermandp. com. —Kristina Pritchett Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

San Juan Council Approves Skate Park Design, Next Step is Fundraising THE LATEST: The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted unanimously March 7 to approve a schematic design for a proposed skate park in town, but the project is still far from becoming a reality. The approval marks the first step in what could be a lengthy fundraising process for the park, which is now estimated to cost about $2 million.

The proposed skate park would be situated at the San Juan Capistrano sports park, off of Via Positiva near Marco Forster Middle School and the city’s community center. Skate park consultant Aaron Spohn of Spohn Ranch was hired by the city to begin working on the design last July. Over the summer, Spohn held community workshops and worked with local organizations and skaters to incorporate their input into a design.

At the March 7 Council meeting, Spohn Ranch presented the Council with renderings, an outline of the scope of work and an estimated cost for the park, which is just shy of $2 million. With Councilman Brian Maryott absent, the Council was split over proceeding with the design due to the skate park’s cost, which was initially estimated to be about $1 million.

After some debate, the Council agreed to approve the schematic design presented, but to only revisit the project once $1 million has been raised. The goal is to fund the skate park entirely with private and in-kind donations.

THE LATEST: A recent audit report completed by the Orange County Auditor-Controller’s office found a lack of oversight and management of Vintage Marina.

The county and Vintage Marina entered into a 20-year operating agreement on Feb. 6, 2001 to manage certain facilities and services located in the Harbor.

The audit had three objectives, the first was to determine whether Vintage Marina’s records adequately supported their monthly gross receipts reported to the county and that the receipts were properly remitted to the county.

A second objective was to determine whether Vintage Marina’s records adequately supported their monthly operating expenses and that the Marina’s management fee was properly calculated. The third objective was to determine whether the Marina compiled with certain financial and other provisions of the agreement with the county, such as annual financial statement requirements.

The audit covered the period from April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016 and found 14 findings including a lack of oversight and management of Vintage Marina, the tenant’s gross receipts need to be validated and reconciled, and the tenant’s rent payments were not calculated or reported in accordance with lease agreements.

Some control findings, which the auditor-controller’s office said are less significant include required personal property inventories were not performed, dry boat storage security deposits were not reconciled and more.

“As promised, our Internal Audit Division completed their audit of the Vintage Marina Partners Agreement,” said Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery. “While there were several significant control weaknesses, we are confident that OC Community Resources will work with Vintage Marina Partners to correct any weaknesses going forward.”

In May 2016, the auditor-controller’s office released a report that showed the former Dana Point Police Chief had spent 159 nights in a suite at the Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn in 2013 at a highly discounted rate. The office announced several audits on various aspects of the operations in the Harbor would be conducted.

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WHAT’S NEXT: To read the full report, visit www.danapointtimes.com. —KP

South Coast Water District to Hold Doheny Desalination Plant Financial Workshop THE LATEST: South Coast Water District’s Value for Money analysis will be presented to the Board of Directors on March 22.

During the director’s meeting on Thursday, March 9, the board voted unanimously in favor of a task order to GHD, Inc. for a Doheny Desalination Project Value for Money analysis workshop.

The board approved for an analysis to be performed to conduct the total riskadjusted cost between project delivery options of a district-owned fixed-price construction and an operations and maintenance contract, and a publicprivate-partnership where a private sector sponsor would build, own and operate the plant, and sell water to the district under a long-term contract.

In November, the board approved for GHD to begin the process. The cost of the workshop is $27,465.

WHAT’S NEXT: The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. at the District office, located at 31592 West St., Laguna Beach. —KP

TV Show ‘American Pickers’ Coming to Southern California THE LATEST: Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and their team are planning to film episodes of the television series American Pickers throughout the Southern California region in the spring.

The show is a documentary series on The History Channel that explores antique “picking.” Wolfe and Fritz are acclaimed “pickers,” as they hunt for valuable antiques around the United States.

“They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them,” a press release from the show stated. “As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics.

Along the way, the Pickers want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items.”

WHAT’S NEXT: American Pickersrepresentatives are looking for people who would be willing to let them explore their treasures. For more information, call 1.855.OLD.RUST (653.7878) or visit www. antiquearchaeology.com. —Staff www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

DP Sheriff’s Blotter

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

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, March 12 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Via Valez, 34200 Block (9:28 p.m.) Police were called for a man “creeping around” the neighborhood.

CITIZEN ASSIST Street of the Golden Lantern, 33200 Block (9:08 p.m.) A man told police he was playing around with handcuffs and could not find the key.

PETTY THEFT Del Obispo Street, 33600 Block (6:44 p.m.) Three men reportedly took 18 bottles of wine.

TRAFFIC HAZARD Dana Point Harbor Drive/ Island Way (4:43 p.m.) A caller told police too many vehicles were exiting Dana Harbor due to the festival. The caller said there were people trying to cross the street while vehicles were going through intersections and someone needed to direct traffic.

PETTY THEFT Via Sacramento, 26500 Block (12:34 p.m.) Police were told a package was taken from a porch.

DISTURBANCE Calle Maria, 26900 Block (8:40 a.m.) A caller said they were agitated because their neighbor had a work crew removing the roof off the house.

VANDALISM Pacific Coast Highway, 34600 Block (12:14 a.m.) A man reportedly kicked and broke two windows before running away.

Saturday, March 11 DRUNK DRIVING Pacific Coast Highway/ Crown Valley Parkway (11:43 p.m.) Police were called for a driver swerving across traffic lanes and almost hitting other vehicles.

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Farmers Market

9 p.m. There will be fresh produce and treats for sale at the Farmers Market.

Every first Saturday of the month there are craft vendors. La Plaza Park. 34111 La Plaza, Dana Point. 949.279.3122.

TUESDAY, MARCH 21

City Council

6 p.m. Members of the Council will meet in Council Chambers. Dana Point City Hall. 33282 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. Agenda will be available at www.danapoint.org.

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. 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach. 949.492.7181. www.toastmasters.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23

Coastmasters (Toastmaster’s)

7-8:30 a.m. Join the members of the Coastmasters every Thursday to improve your speaking and leadership skills. 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point. Adjacent to Baby Beach at OC Sailing & Events Center. www.coastmasters.org.

Block (11:42 a.m.) A caller told police a man was urinating and drinking alcohol in public.

CITIZEN ASSIST Street of the Violet Lantern, 33800 Block (11:33 a.m.) A caller told police a drone came through their glass window and landed on the floor.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Philemon Drive, 24400 Block (7:03 p.m.)

A caller told police their neighbors were on vacation but they believed they saw a person inside the home.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive, 24200 Block (11:13 a.m.) Three females reportedly climbed the fence behind the Ocean Institute and were standing on the edge of the cliff.

CITIZEN ASSIST Malaga Drive, 33800 Block (12:37 p.m.) A woman told police a man reportedly chased her to her home.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS Dana Point Harbor Drive, 24800 Block (6:07 a.m.) Police were called for two Rottweilers inside of a vehicle. The caller said the dogs had been there since 7 p.m. the night prior.

DISTURBANCE Doheny Park Road, 34000 Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

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EYE ON DP

Queens of Coding An all-girls robotics team uses their skills and passion to compete in a technological world

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

T

hey may be small, but they are mighty.

They’re known as the Coding Queens, and while they discuss their robot “Zippy” and wear T-shirts with their crown logo, it’s easy to see why.

The group of John S. Malcom Elementary School fifth graders compete in VEX Robotics competitions, in which they design, build and code robots to do specific actions.

“They have to sit down and come up with a robot that would accomplish the tasks of this year’s game,” said San Clemente resident and John S. Malcom Elementary teacher Mona Reimer. “It’s not the Ikea kit; there are hundreds of little pieces.”

This year’s game has the girls working with another team during a 60-second match to score points by using robots to move “Hexballs” into a colored zone and then parking and balancing both robots on a teetering bridge.

This part of the competition is called Alliance, which is just one part of the daylong competition.

There’s also an autonomous aspect of the competition where the robot is running all on code. Then there is a project to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) lessons.

The Queens’ project is a robot that can help clean plastic from the ocean.

“The topic was technology in our communities, and we decided the ocean is a big part of our community,” said team member Adalee Geiss. “We looked into how a robot can help clean up the plastic, and that’s the SeaVax.” The SeaVax is a solar and wind powered ocean vacuum ship that’s designed to filter and process plastic waste from seawater.

The girls are 10 and 11 years old and reside in Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano. Many of them play more than one instrument, are involved with sports and now can say they’re going to compete in a world championship.

“As a coach, I got a packet of how to coach girls, and it said you might find they are a bit more passive and their opinions may be hindered down with the boys around them, but that was not this team,” said volunteer coach Yazan Malkosh.

“They were very opinionated and very strong in regards to how they thought things should work.”

Around him, the six girls smiled and nodded. They agreed that they’re all Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

The Coding Queens are fifth-graders who compete in robotics competitions and will be heading to the World Championships. Photo: Courtesy of the Coding Queens

opinionated, especially when it comes to “Zippy.”

“They have a methodology of how this team should work,” Malkosh said. “I found that everyone is a leader; it’s something we’re still working on.”

Reimer has been teaching science in Capistrano Unified School District for more than 30 years and has been a leader of the robotics team for the last five. This is the first time she’s had an all-girls’ team.

So far, they’ve been successful.

“They’ve come out in first place in Alliance two times and second place once.

Their design notebook has won them a ticket to State,” Reimer said. “Our goal is to continue to do well so they have the opportunity to compete in a truly international competition.”

At the time of the interview, the Coding Queens’ goal was to make it to Worlds, and come the afternoon before print deadline the parents on the team found out that their goal was about to become reality.

The girls have met in The Cave, a condo where their supplies are kept, every Sunday for at least two hours, they said, and sometimes more during the week.

“It’s unbelievable that they’re able to do all of that while they’re in school,” Malkosh said.

Riley Divel said the group enjoys what they do and loves getting to spend time together.

“I really like working with girls who want to do what I want to do,” Riley said.

“I love to be able to work with people who are like, ‘Yeah, come on, girl power!’ It’s really amazing to not be able to have these friends at school but to have them on such a great team and great coaches.”

Not only are the girls learning impor-

tant skills for future careers, but Malkosh said since they work with other teams during the competition, it teaches them about

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negotiation.

“The game board is set, but the other team’s robot you have no clue what it could be,” Malkosh said. “You might be set up with a large robot that’s difficult to maneuver.”

A few of the girls said they hope to work with engineering or robots in the future, for which they believe this program will prepare them.

“It’s amazing how six girls from an average place can make a difference,” said Maryan Malkosh, a team member. “It’s really amazing how we can build a robot, program it, design it and enter it into competitions.”

Sophia Mantucca said her favorite part of the program was that her teammates were so positive.

“We never give up,” Sophia said.

“Mostly.”

Team member Lily Placey agreed and added that the program was amazing.

“I know probably when my mom was younger she didn’t have this kind of program,” Lily said. “Now that we have it, it can really start our futures. We all have big dreams.”

Information about the Coding Queens can be found at www.codingqueens.net, and if interested in helping the team travel to their worlds competition, visit www. codingqueens.net/donate, then head to their GoFundMe account. DP

The Cardboard Classic Dinghy Dash races brought participants of all ages to Baby Beach on Saturday, March 11 during the 46th annual Festival of Whales. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

SCENE { I N DANA P O I NT }

The 46th annual Festival of Whales has concluded for the year, but last

weekend brought rubber ducks, cardboard dinghies

and clam chowder to Baby Beach. On the other side of

the Harbor, the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce held a Kids’ Fun Fair with games, inflatables and more. For more photos, visit www.danapointtimes.com.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor

Harbor, which caused sediments to stop flowing and cut off the source of natural replenishment to the beach.

In the face of sea level rise and coastal erosion, Capo Beach has three choices to respond: 1. Armor the coast to save property— a public restroom and a basketball court. Downside: The beach will be destroyed and public access lost.

CAPO BEACH EROSION NEEDS LONG-TERM SOLUTION TONI NELSON, Co-founder of Capo Cares and

member of the Dana Point Financial Review Committee

Most residents have been saddened and alarmed to see the havoc nature has wreaked on Dana Point beaches over the past few years. Capo Cares has been advocating for improvements at Capistrano Beach Park for more than two years, meeting and corresponding with OC Parks personnel and Supervisor Lisa Bartlett numerous times. We are very grateful for the many items that have been addressed, including improved restrooms, basketball court resurfacing, repairs to outdoor showers and storm damaged walkways and most recently, new concrete picnic tables that have been welcomed by park-goers.

We were thankful that last year the County dredged the Harbor and deposited large amounts of sand on the beach. Unfortunately, natural wave and storm action has moved that sand elsewhere, and we can only hope it will someday come back.

Several potential mitigation measures have been discussed, including installing “rip rap” boulders or a low beach wall to protect the parking lot and other infrastructure. However, both the California Coastal Commission (CCC) and environmental groups oppose these suggestions because studies suggest that such measures can actually accelerate beach erosion by interrupting normal wave action. They recommend a policy of “managed retreat” from rising oceans. While rip rap and walls might appear to help, they are only “band aids,” which will never hold back the encroaching ocean.

Prior to any significant action being undertaken, we'd first like to see the results of the Wave Run Up Study currently being conducted for Dana Point by the Army Corps of Engineers. Once realistic projections of beach erosion are available, officials can determine the most effective way forward. Perhaps this will involve moving restrooms, parking and other infrastructure away from the shoreline and reconfiguring the park to maximize the size and accessibility of the public beach.

This may also include landscaping solutions like sand berms and beach grasses to keep sand closer to shore.

With the knowledge gained from the Corps study, we are hopeful that the County and the CCC will negotiate something that makes sense both fiscally and environmentally, rather than continue spending scarce public funds on someDana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

2. Use beach fill to temporarily save the beach. Downside: Expensive and likely to harm marine ecosystem, damage surf and be washed away during the next storm event.

A photo of Strand Beach showing the loss of lateral beach access due to rock revetment. Photo: Courtesy of Surfrider Foundation

thing that will only mitigate damage in the short term. While everyone wants to save our beaches, we need to be realistic and understand that as sea levels rise, there is no holding back Mother Nature.

We’re all saddened by the loss of our beautiful beaches, but let's approach things in a common sense manner that yields the best long-term solutions.

A SEAWALL WON’T SAVE CAPO BEACH JENNIFER SAVAGE, California Policy Manager at

Surfrider Foundation

The Save Capo Beach campaign, championed by Councilman Joe Muller, is advocating in vain for beefing up the existing rock revetment to protect Capistrano Beach Park from erosion. No amount of rock revetment will save the beach.

Revetments and seawalls, by definition, do not protect beaches. On the contrary, they protect structures and coastal development at the cost of the beach.

According to Stanford University’s California Coastal Armoring Report in 2015, “Armoring structures limit beach access and impede various forms of coastal recreation.” Impacts are intensified “as the beach narrows due to erosion and the impoundment of sand behind the armoring structure.”

In addition, sea levels are rising across the globe and in California. New estimates show that sea level rise is expected to hit the Golden State hard, with levels rising by an average of six inches, and possibly up to one foot by 2030.

Our knee-jerk response to coastal erosion and rising sea levels is to armor the coastline with sea walls, rock piles and other obstacles. We see this done by individual coastal homeowners who build structures to keep the water away from their properties. But it also occurs on an institutional level, with cities and other government agencies armoring longer stretches of beach at a time.

Locally, this drama is playing out at Capo Beach as we grapple with how to protect it from erosion, exacerbated by the channelization of the San Juan Creek and the construction of Dana Point

3. Employ managed retreat to save the beach, protect the surf and coastal access. Downside: It is politically challenging and requires initial financial investment.

Managed retreat is the most effective long-term solution to preserve coastal access and recreational opportunities at Capo Beach. However, this may be more expensive initially and require significant political and community support. Still, Orange County’s regional parks agency, OC Parks, would certainly not be pioneers by employing managed retreat. Several real world examples prove its efficacy and dispel any suspected euphemism for damning public access. Just look to successful examples at Pacifica State Beach in Pacifica or Surfer’s Point in Ventura.

OC Parks is facing a very tough choice—one that many, if not most, coastal communities are or will be facing in the near future. In preparation, the California Coastal Commission developed robust sea level rise policy guidance and the state has invested millions of taxpayer dollars into helping local jurisdictions update their local coastal programs (LCP) to plan for sea level rise—precisely to avoid poor planning decisions that hastily rely on coastal armoring and risk valuable public resources. In fact, the city of Dana Point received $135,000 in state funding in 2016 and is expected to release complete their LCP update in 2018.

At this point, OC Parks, local property owners and the public should come together to understand the consequences of short term choices while also developing long terms plans as sea level continues to rise and coastal erosion challenges become more severe.

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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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

Lauralyn Loynes, 949.388.7700, x102 lloynes@picketfencemedia.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@picketfencemedia.com 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 Jake Howard Debra Holm Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 10, Issue 11. 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 2017. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

EDITOR’S PICK

normal couple, but it turns out the suave Jack Manningham is slowly torturing his wife, Bella, into insanity under the guise of kindness. Angel Street was a hit on Broadway and still stands as one of the longestrunning non-musicals in Broadway history.

Tickets are $20, and the show runs through March 26. Cabrillo Playhouse. 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.492.0465. www. cabrilloplayhouse.org.

Saturday | 18 Photo: Allison Jarrell.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22: FIESTA GRANDÉ 6-9 p.m. Stop by The Swallow’s Inn for the annual Fiesta Grandé. This year’s Wild West celebration continues the Swallows Day Parade season with music, drinks and a series of Western-themed costume and grooming contests, including Hairiest Man, Best Prairie Woman, Best Saloon Girl, Best Belt Buckle and much more. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1976. www.swallowsparade.com.

The List

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

Friday | 17 ST PATRICK’S DAY AT STILLWATER Noon. Pair green beer, Guinness and Irish whiskey with corned beef tacos and “Irish pizza” at Stillwater Spirits and Sounds’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration. RSVP to reserve

THE DISH

a table. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point.

949.661.6003. www.danapointstillwater.com.

LIVE THEATER: ‘THE MIRACLE WORKER’ 8 p.m. Based on a remarkable true story, this inspiring and unforgettable play is an American classic that tells the story of Annie Sullivan and her student, Helen Keller. Tickets are $20, and the show runs through March 26. Stage II at the Camino Real Playhouse. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

LIVE THEATER: ‘ANGEL STREET’ 8 p.m. Angel Street focuses on a seemingly

A WALK THROUGH DANA POINT HISTORY 9-11 a.m. Participants will learn about the “Woodruff” Era of the 1920s and ’30s, the surfing heritage, and the harbor construction. The walk is about 1.5 miles long.

RSVP to dpnaturalresources@danapoint. org. Dana Point Nature Interpretative Center. 34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point.

949.248.3527.

MACRAME WORKSHOP 2-4 p.m. Learn the craft of macrame with iHeartYoga. The $60 admission price includes instruction and materials. Reserve a spot online. 34485 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. www.iheartyoga.com.

Sunday | 19 GUIDED NATURE HIKE 8-9:15 a.m. Join an Orange County Parks Ranger for a one-mile hike around Bell Canyon in Caspers Wilderness Park.

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

949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/caspers.

I

Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

FOURTH ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S GOLF TOURNAMENT 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley host the fourth annual St. Patrick’s Golf Tournament at Tijeras Creek Golf Club. Registration starts at 10:30 a.m., followed by a putting contest, a round of golf, cocktail hour, live auction and dinner with awards. Proceeds benefit the organization. 29082 Tijeras Creek, Rancho Santa Margarita. www.bgccapo.com.

Tuesday | 21 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.

Wednesday | 22 MIXOLOGY UNIVERSITY 7 p.m. Every Wednesday, Waterman’s Harbor bartenders and mixology experts teach guests how to make the restaurant’s cocktails. Event is $25. Waterman’s Harbor.

34661 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to Dana Point Times by going to www.danapointtimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

At the Movies: ‘Kong: Skull Island’ is More Style than Substance

MOLLY BLOOM’S CORNED BEEF BOXTY

t’s not uncommon for foodies and food professionals to order a dish at a restaurant without knowing exactly what it is.

It is, however, uncommon to finish the plate clean and still be unsure of what you ate.

Now that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but it is. It’s like if you went fishing in a small mountain brook for trout and you reeled in a whole rotisserie pig—you can’t explain what just happened, but you’re ecstatic.

That’s Molly Bloom’s corned beef boxty— the rotisserie pig of mountain brooks. It’s large chunks of herby corned beef, pickled cabbage and hot mustard, wrapped in a potato pancake. And if you’re thinking a crispy latke potato pancake, think again. It’s a doughy, not too sweet, legitimate pancake.

The corned beef is tender and moist, and spiced warmly with something like fennel or anise. The cabbage is just crisp enough and

Monday | 20

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

K adds its characteristic earth tones and bite to the dish. The spicy mustard, which passes through the nostrils like air in a breezeway, provides the perfect amount of moisture and adds necessary complexity about halfway through the boxty. And then there’s the pancake, which retains its integrity throughout the meal and serves as a capable vessel for the other elements on the plate.

Molly Bloom’s Irish Bar and Restaurant.

2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

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ong: Skull Island is the same basic premise as always with Kong, but instead of a movie crew traveling to a secret location to make a wildlife film, it’s a military squadron mapping out the lost island. The beautiful blonde (Brie Larson) this time is an independent photographer in pants. The title character himself is also ten times bigger than before, and the other creatures that inhabit the island are scarier as well. The CGI visual effects are quite impressive, as is the retro soundtrack and sound mixing… and that’s about it.

It’s funny that my main complaint about Rogue One last year was the lack of interesting characters and hokey dialogue, and here it’s exactly the same thing, but possibly worse.

Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

We almost literally don’t know anyone’s name in the film. The female characters have no motive. The themes and tone are way too heavy-handed. The jokes are stale. The whole experience of Skull Island actually gave me a new appreciation for Peter Jackson’s 2005 King Kong, which I previously felt was tediously long for a Hollywood adventure movie. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP Dana Point

DP LIVING

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY if Camp Pendleton is conducting beach assault training, they used hover craft that creates a vibration that drives the grays out of the area. They are sensitive to acoustics, and if they come to a zone that is “acoustically polluted,” they’ll go around it. I could probably go out 10 miles and find them, but our trips don’t go out that far.

Graves: So what are you seeing this season?

Bursk: We’ve had some good whale watches, with calm grays unconcerned about us following them. We’re also seeing a few humpback whales daily. Twenty years ago, it was highly unusual to see humpbacks in our area, but now we have some living between Dana Point and Newport Beach.

We’re also seeing three types of dolphins; on the Sea Explorer we have a hydrophone (underwater microphone) so we can broadcast the dolphins’ chatter over our PA system and an underwater camera so people can watch them dart back and forth.

We see sea lions every day. We’re also seeing minke and fin whales.

Graves: You’ve said the gray whale is your favorite of marine life. Why is that?

Bursk: They’re the puppy dogs of whales. If you sit in a small boat in the lagoons on the Pacific Coast in Baja,

A gray whale was spotted during a trip on the R/V Sea Explorer. Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean Institute

GUEST OPINION: On the Ocean by Jim Graves

Q&A with R/V Sea Explorer Captain

M

ike Bursk is captain of the Ocean Institute’s R/V Sea Explorer, a 65-foot marine educational vessel. During the week, the vessel carries school children who visit the Institute to learn about ocean science; on weekends, it welcomes members of the general public for whale watching trips.

Mike earned a degree in marine vertebrate ON THE OCEAN zoology from San Diego

By Jim Graves State University and has a special interest in cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and fish.

Graves: Are you seeing many grays this

Sudoku Dolphins seen during a trip on the R/V Sea Explorer.

Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean Institute

year?

Bursk: It’s been an average year. Year to year, our sightings are inconsistent. The previous two years were fantastic; three years ago, I went three weeks straight without seeing a single gray.

I think a reason could be the military activity we have in the area. If it is migration season and the U.S. Navy has been testing its sonar devices for a few months, we’re unlikely to see any gray whales. Or,

Pet of the Week: Jax

BY MYLES MELLOR

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

Last week’s solution:

See the solution in next week’s issue.

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

T

his handsome guy is Jax, a one-and-a-halfyear-old Great Dane mix looking for a new start in life. Before coming to the shelter, Jax was shuffled through multiple short-term homes and never quite got the chance to truly belong anywhere. Now, he’s ready to become a permanent fixture in an active household where he can really thrive. Could Jax be the match for you? If you would like to know more about Jax, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

they’ll swim right up to you and want to be scratched, just like a puppy dog. They’re the only whale like that. That’s how they stole my heart.

Graves: You authored a “Never be the Fourth Boat” pamphlet on how boats should approach gray whales. What are some tips you offered?

Bursk: First off, remember their ears are sensitive. Never zoom up to a whale, because the noise your boat puts out is like screaming in their ears. You want to drop to a dead idle a quarter mile away and creep up on the whales. Also, follow from behind; never get out in front of the whales.

Look for cues that the whales you’re following are getting stressed: a change in swimming, direction or breathing rate.

If you see these signs, break off and let the whale go. We notice the biggest change in the whales’ behavior is between the arrival of the third and the fourth boat. Four boats put too much noise and too many objects in the water and cause distress to the whale, hence the name of the pamphlet.

The Ocean Institute is an ocean education center that offers in-depth marine science, maritime history and outdoor education programs. In “On the Ocean,” the Institute’s Jim Graves shares interviews and insights into the research and researchers at the facility. DP

Jax. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente/ Dana Point Animal Shelter

Page 10

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DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

BREAZEALE BANTER:

By Steve Breazeale

A Return to the Madness NCAA basketball tournament offers plenty of fun for the casual fan

L

ast year in this space I laid out my bullet-proof plan to help you win your office’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket and get a little richer in the process. If you actually followed my advice, you didn’t have a good showing. Sorry about that.

This year I’m offering up my services yet again, free of charge. That’s probably what it’s worth anyways.

I definitely fall into BREAZEALE the category of “casual BANTER college basketball fan,”

By Steve Breazeale which means I don’t pay close attention to what’s happening on the hardwood until late April-early March. My friends sending

Dolphin Report

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dana Hills High School spring sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Dolphins Shutout Mustangs in League Opener

The Dana Hills baseball team started Sea View League play off with a statement win.

The Dolphins opened league play against Trabuco Hills at home and got a dominant performance by their ace pitcher Hans Crouse and production from up and down the lineup to secure a 6-0 victory on March 15.

Crouse picked up his first win of the season, and flashed the kind of stats that make him one of the best hurlers in the county.

Crouse went 6 1/3 innings, allowed three hits, two walks and struck out 12.

The Dolphins were powered at the plate Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament offers the casual college basketball fan a chance to root for fun storylines and teams. Photo: Eric Heinz

emails asking if I want in on their bracket pools with the subject line “How much should the buy-in be this year?” is usually what jumpstarts my frantic research.

Rather than divulge my bracket gambling secrets like I did last year, I want to help you casual fans out there pick teams to root for based on a few factors like watch-ability, likability and historical impact. If you don’t have a horse in the race, this can help guide you to one.

Although we are already 24 hours into the tournament, there are still plenty of squads and matchups to keep an eye out for on Friday.

UCLA (No. 3 seed South Region): I’m

telling you straight up, you are reading the words of a UCLA alum and self-proclaimed homer. That said, this year’s UCLA team is actually fun to watch! Not since the days of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love have Bruins fans been this excited about a team. They have a bona fide star in freshman guard Lonzo Ball, and a solid rotation of unselfish players. They also score at a ridiculous rate and are the most exciting team in the nation to watch offensively.

Their play might give defensive aficionados nightmares but who cares. I’m all-in on the Bruin bandwagon.

SMU (No. 6 seed East Region) vs. USC (No. 11): The Trojans got in by taking

by freshman Thomas Buckanavage and senior Jeremy Ciolek. Both went 2 for 3 at the plate, with Buckenavage collecting two RBI and Ciolek picking up one.

On March 11, the Dolphins closed out their run through the Loara Tournament with a 5-2 victory over Irvine. Senior Joe DeBaca had two hits and two RBI in the win.

Dana Hills will face San Juan Hills and Tesoro in league play on March 17 and March 22, respectively.

convincing 16-2 nonleague victory over Edison on March 15.

The Dolphins’ doubles groups were dominant in the match. All three teams swept their competition, picking up all nine possible points.

Beckman Edges Golf Team

Dana Hills traveled to play a talented Beckman boys golf team on March 14 and were narrowly edged in a 195-197 defeat.

Beckman’s Matt Gunson earned match medalist honors with a score of 34 (-2) on the back nine of Tustin Ranch Golf Course.

Dana Hills (2-2) opened its season with a loss to defending CIF State champion Torrey Pines, and defeated JSerra in backto-back matches.

Tennis Team Powers Past Chargers

The Dana Hills boys tennis team got an all-around effort from its roster in a

down Providence on March 15 in a play-in game and have momentum on their side.

SMU has been on a revenge tour after it was banned from postseason play one year ago for academic fraud. The Mustangs responded with a 30-win season and an American Athletic Conference championship (SMU beat fellow 6-seed Cincinnati in the conference title game). These two teams battled back in November and USC came away with the win. The Trojans haven’t been able to get past the first round of the tournament under coach Andy Enfield, and SMU hasn’t won a tournament game since 1983. This might be as exciting as a first round game gets.

Middle Tennessee State (No. 12 seed South Region): This is my upset special and the long shot I’m rooting for despite the fact Middle Tennessee State is not flying under the radar anymore. Last year, they shocked the world as a 15-seed that upset 2-seed Michigan State in the first round and they might have lost that element of surprise. Nevertheless, six players from last year’s team are back, and I’m pulling for the veteran Blue Raiders to repeat as bracket-busters. Their potential to take down No. 5 Minnesota on Thursday is the type of matchup that makes the tournament so appealing.

Enjoy the madness.

Steve Breazeale is the sports editor for the Dana Point Times. He has yet to win an office March Madness bracket pool. DP

Sailors Sweep Dolphins Volleyball

The Dana Hills boys volleyball team has faced stiff competition in the early going of its 2017 season. On March 15, the Dolphins continued their tough slate of games by hosting Newport Harbor, the sixthranked team in CIF-SS Division 1.

The Sailors showed why they are a top team in the area by blowing past the Dolphins in three sets 25-22, 25-19, 25-21.

Newport Harbor’s Landon Monroe led the way with a team-high 12 kills.

The Dolphins (7-5) will take a break from nonleague competition and open up their South Coast League slate against Capistrano Valley on March 23.

Softball Eyes Showdown with Mater Dei

A trip to play Mater Dei is on the sched-

Page 12

Senior Kate Donaldson and the Dana Hills softball team will travel to play fourth-ranked Mater Dei on March 21. Photo: David Reinhart

ule for the Dana Hills softball team.

The Dolphins (6-7) have lost three of their last four and will look to end a twogame skid against the fourth-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 1 on March 21.

Dana Hills, which began the season with three straight victories, ended its run through the Laguna Hills Tournament this week with back-to-back losses to Capistrano Valley and El Modena. www.danapointtimes.com

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Page 13

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DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

$100 (although it comes in other sizes). In 2015, the company that produces the board, AGIT Global, sold an estimated 100,000 boards. Started in 2007 by a former hockey player from Canada named Matt Zilinskas and his partner John Yeh, a Taiwanese businessman, Zilinskas originally landed in California in the late ’90s managing the Boogie Board brand for the toy company Wham-O. He soon teamed up with Yeh, and the Wavestorm was born shortly thereafter.

The boards are currently produced overseas in a 75,000-square-foot factory.

The blue and white design is now ubiquitous with summertime as they’ve become the preferred boards for beginners. They’re affordable. They’re durable. They paddle and catch waves well enough. It’s hard to hurt yourself on one. All well and good, but here’s the rub: Wavestorms have been and continue to be a blight on local surf communities around the country.

On an economic level, the boards are largely to blame for a downturn in the

custom surfboard business, according to several craft producers.

“I always hear people saying it gets people into surfing, so it will translate into sales for custom boards, but that just hasn’t proven to be the case. We’ll have to keep our fingers crossed,” said Cole Simler, who’s been whittling boards in the San Clemente surf ghetto for decades. “I think people who really surf, and surf well, are always going to buy custom surfboards.”

Living in South Orange County, we have the good fortune of having access to some of the best surfboard builders and craftsmen in the world. The list is too long to name here, but from Dana Point to San Clemente there are dozens of highly talented men and women making surfboards.

The industry was literally born in our backyard. But today, these businesses have been severely impacted by this wholesale surfboard business.

“I think it is important to support local shapers just like it’s important to support local businesses,” agreed Tyler Warren, who’s one of the bright, emerging shaping talents in the area. “Would you rather be seen bobbing around on a Chinese pop-out board or a Costco Wavestorm foamie, or a sweet Timmy Patterson or Cordell (Miller) that was made by people in the area?”

Globalization is a hot topic these days and it affects surfboards just the same as so many other industries. It’s cheaper and perhaps more efficient to build boards in China or Taiwan, but it doesn’t mean it’s good for surfing. Guys like Simler and Warren have spent years and years honing their craft. Warren, for example, served as an understudy of the late Terry Martin, who spent over half a century shaping for Hobie Surfboards. The knowledge and skills are passed down through the generations, and by shipping them overseas, that continuum is interrupted. Over time, that could make it a challenge to get a welldesigned, high-performing, custom board.

“No matter what ability level you are, whether a beginner or an expert, you would think you would want to give yourself the opportunity to get better at surfing,” continued Simler. “I do understand

Takayama, the wave-riding DNA is strong in young Kai. Growing up in San Clemente, he calls San Onofre his cross-stepping stomping grounds, but he is quickly garnering international acclaim.

Earlier this month, he headed down under for the Noosa Festival of Surfing and came away with some head-turning results. Taking first in the Men’s Open Amateur division, he upset a talented field of Aussies, Americans and Hawaiians to take the title. But he wasn’t done there. Surfing in the highly competitive Noserider Pro division, where he was pitted against some of the most talented longboard-

ers in the world, he managed to finish a very respectable third place.

It makes sense that a kid that grew up under the watchful eye of “Uncle Donald” and can give Old Man’s a better going over than just about anyone would enjoy such success at Noosa. Considered the epicenter for Australian longboard surf culture, for an 18-year-old kid to land on the Sunshine Coast and have that kind of an impact speaks volumes about the trajectory of his career. Keep an eye on Kai, he’s going to be gliding into all kinds of new and interesting places in the months and years to come.

Tyler Warren, a local shaper, says there are many benefits to buying locally produced surf gear.

Photo: Sage Burress

Support Your Local Shaper Saying no to overseas imports and yes to local surfboard builders

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

S

itting in the water at T Street, a friend remarked, “There sure are a lot of guys on Wavestorms out here… some of them look like they can even surf.”

A couple days later, out at Old Man’s, I noticed the same thing—a lot of dudes floundering around on Wavestorms.

But before I digress, a little background information. The Wavestorm is an 8-foot, soft, foam surfboard sold at Costco for

GROM OF THE WEEK

Kaimana Takayama

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

hen your last name is Takayama, paddling out on a longboard takes a certain amount of poise. Eighteen-year-old Kaimana Takayama has it in spades.

Descendent of the timeless stylist and master surfboard craftsman, Donald

W

Dana Point Times March 17-23, 2017

Page 14

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 57-60 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: San Clemente: 5-7’ Poor-Fair Outlook: Small blend of SSW and NW swells through the upcoming weekend with best spots seeing thigh-waist high sets. Morning winds range from calm to light onshore. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

that riding those soft boards can be fun just to screw around on, but it is baffling to me that people would want to deal with the lack of performance each and every time they go surf.”

For guys like Simler, Warren, Patterson, Miller, Terry Senate, Bill Stewart, Jed Noll, the Boehne family, and so many others, there is an international market for the boards they make, but at the end of the day, their bread and butter is what’s happening in local waters. They depend on custom surfboard orders and regional retail shops to put food on the table and send their kids to school. You could walk into any of their shops right now and they’d be more than happy to make you a board… with your name on the stringer.

“My house is filled with tons of Chinese stuff from Costco and Walmart. I’m overloaded,” said Scott Bass, the founder and director of the Boardroom, a semiannual surfboard show based in San Diego.

“But if I can avoid another cheap widget I certainly will. I think many Americans gravitate toward hand-crafted stuff: guitars, art, cabinets, surfboards. It’s why I stop at farmers’ markets. I get a chance to talk to the character growing my oranges or producing my honey. I like that. That’s kind of cool. It’s authentic. It doesn’t mean a Wavestorm is bad, but it does mean it’s a cheap widget.” DP

Kaimana Takayama. Photo: Courtesy

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