DPT 09/22/2023

Dana Point Takes Next Step in Formation of Community Benefit District

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

As Lantern Village businesses and property owners look to band together and market downtown as a vibrant destination, the Dana Point City Council voted on Tuesday, Sept. 19, to enter a service agreement as part of the next step toward forming a Community Benefit District (CBID).

Businesses had previously talked about coming together in a similar fashion as they looked to promote the burgeoning community hub, explained Max Fischer, a member of the Community Benefit District Steering Committee and owner of the Shwack restaurants.

“Now, there’s new business and new blood coming into town,” Fischer said. “There’s more synergy amongst the business owners, which I think is great. It’ll help build a strong board of directors for whenever the district is formed, so that we can spend this money responsibly.”

In September 2022, City Council approved the formation of a steering committee, and a survey was sent to all property owners in the area to gauge support of the CBID and what benefits they might be interested in, according to Dana Point Senior Management Analyst Jaimie To.

The survey showed a supportive average of 34%. Baseline support of 30% is the recommended threshold to move forward with the formation process, To said.

On Tuesday night, the council voted, 3-1-1, with Councilmember Michael Villar voting no and Councilmember Jamey Federico recusing himself, to enter into the service agreement with New City America. The six-month contract costing $51,500 will begin on Oct. 1.

New City America will begin creating a Community Benefit District Management Plan, working with the steering committee to evaluate a list of beneficial services, the benefit zone, and management of a newly formed Lantern District Dana Point Improvement Association.

The creative management plan would also outline budget and priority activities over a five-year period through input from the steering committee.

According to the staff report, New City America expects to circulate a petition for the formation of the Community Benefits District by November, seeking a minimum of 50% weighted support from property owners in the area. If the petition and subsequent vote gain enough support, the city anticipates a public hearing to count the ballots in early 2024.

If the petition fails, the contract with New City America ends there, To explained. If the petition passes, then the steering committee would

work to decide who will manage the district, Assistant City Manager Kelly Reenders said.

“It’s very similar to Visit Dana Point, where they have their own separate nonprofit that they’ve formed to run it, it has its own board of directors, they hire their own staff and have their own plan to execute,” Rendeers said.

During the council meeting, property owner Terry Labourdette noted that he was on the fence about forming a Community Benefit District and hoped to learn more before making a decision.

Fischer noted that if the district is formed, he’s looking forward to seeing the Lantern Village marketed as a vibrant and successful destination.

“I really feel like there’s no downside to creating … most of the business owners can pass on the cost of the CBID through their net charge for their tenants, and I think most tenants would see the benefit of only a few cents per square foot per month going towards a greater good of creating a fund of a really good amount of money that could benefit the entire district as a whole,” Fischer said. “Not just creating more business, but creating higher property values as well.”

Fischer noted that as a business owner, seeing the cost of the CBID passed on to him does not sway him against the formation of the district.

“It’s such a minimal cost for the overall value,” Fischer said.

Jason Check, president of Development and co-CEO of Raintree Partners, said the company is in support of forming a Business Improvement District (BID), noting that “it will help promote local businesses

and create new community events in the downtown area.”

“Based on my experience in working in other communities which have established BIDs (Little Italy in Downtown San Diego, Redwood City, CA) we’ve seen the additional benefits a BID can offer to a community of local property owners and businesses within a BID district designed to help promote a specific area within a City,” Check said in an email.

New City America President Marco Mandri noted that Special Benefit Districts can be more proactive, because “the city has committed to taking care of the basic infrastructure, sidewalks, trees, and street lights, so they might say, the city doesn’t normally do marketing promotion for the Lantern District, so that’s something that we would like to add into it.”

“Every district is completely different,” Mandri continued.

New City America has formed 93 CBIDs across the U.S., including Little Italy in San Diego.

Mandri noted that having formed so many districts across the country, the company has “a pretty good idea on what these districts really need, and it’s from all over the place, from the Tenderloin in San Francisco, all the way to Santa Barbara, to … Downtown Glendale.”

“It’s not only you marketing, promoting your property or marketing, promoting your business; now you have a whole collective pool in which to draw these funds from, so you can expedite the whole revitalization,” Mandri said. “You can expedite also people’s knowledge in Orange County, about the Lantern District and how it’s one of the newer districts and it’s a really great

design.”

Mandri pointed to Little Italy’s growth over the past 20 years as proof that New City America has run the Special Benefit District as a success story.

“Little Italy in the mid-’90s was primarily parking lots for downtown office workers,” Mandri said. “There were about 13 Italian businesses that were left, and the businesses and property owners came together in the late 1990s and said: We need to bring back Little Italy.”

Now, Little Italy has well over 30 Italian restaurants and businesses and another 30 non-Italian businesses, Mandri said.

“What we were able to do over the years is we understood the importance of public spaces,” Mandri said. “The Lantern District, being on the coast, has a great microclimate. You have to integrate public spaces, which are already built into the Lantern District and make it so people can sit outside and enjoy that microclimate.”

Check, a member of the steering committee, said he wanted to ensure that if the district is established, it offers “supplemental services to existing City services and will not simply serve as a financial offset to City services already in place today.”

“It is important to note that all proceeds generated from a BID will be managed by an elected group of local property owners affected by the BID property tax,” Check continued. “A BID could also help to relieve the burden of individual small businesses needing to market for themselves by pooling marketing resources for the entire BID district.”

The survey that New City America already completed showed that property

(Cont. on page 7)

Dana Point City Council voted on Tuesday, Sept. 19, to have the city enter a service agreement as part of the next step toward forming a Community Benefit District in the Lantern Village. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Army Veteran to Begin 425Mile Walk to Honor Fallen Friends, Gold Star Families

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

In the years after U.S. Army veteran Shawn Patterson lost his friends, Spc. Ricardo Cerros, Jr. and Sgt. Tyler Holtz, while serving in Afghanistan, Patterson knew he wanted to honor them in some way.

About 18 months ago, Patterson came up with the idea of walking the 425 miles from Holtz’s hometown of Dana Point to Cerros’ hometown of Salinas, California as part of this year’s Legacies Alive Challenge, “Trek to Tribute.”

The nonprofit, Legacies Alive, aims to raise awareness and funds through legacy challenges like Patterson’s upcoming trek, bringing Gold Star families together through legacy events and erecting memorials to honor servicemembers and how they lived.

Patterson said he was inspired by Legacies Alive co-founder Michael Viti’s 4,400-mile trek from Washington state to Baltimore in honor of the 6,843 servicemembers killed during the Global War on Terrorism. He wanted to create his own path to honor his friends.

“I originally got involved with Legacies Alive back in 2014 when Mike was walking across the country. I joined him for a small portion of it, just a month or two,” Patterson said. “I immediately fell in love with the mission of Legacies Alive—at the time, it was Hiking for Heroes—their dedication to Gold Star Families. It was just contagious.”

“Ever since early 2014, I wanted to come up with my own challenge, and about a year and a half ago, I came up with this,” Patterson continued.

Patterson’s trek will begin from Lantern Bay Park on Sunday, Sept. 24, and feature opening remarks. Gold Star mother Carol Berberich will join Patterson for the first 10 miles of his journey.

“I felt very honored,” Patterson said. “The whole point of this was to do it together, with Gold (Star) families, is the goal. It meant a whole lot to me … for her to want to walk the entire first day with me. It’s very inspirational.”

Legacies Alive President and co-founder Mark Faldowski explained that the nonprofit aims to connect Gold Star families with each other and grow the organization during Patterson’s journey.

“Carol’s a great example,” Faldowski said. “She’s the president of our Gold Star advisory board. … She does a tremendous job of outreach and finding families, contacting families on ‘angel-verser-

ies,’ on birthdays, on significant events.”

Patterson, a recruit training officer at the police academy in Mesa, Arizona, expects to walk roughly 18 to 20 miles a day in order to complete the trek in a month. He will begin the hike on the 12th anniversary of Holtz’s death.

Patterson joined the Army in 2010 and was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington. As a private, Patterson noted that Holtz, a sergeant, was basically his direct supervisor.

“As a new recruit, most of the team leaders and sergeants and above aren’t really nice to you; they’re very firm and strict,” Patterson said. “One thing I remember about Tyler, he was just very kind.”

Holtz’s larger-than-life personality earned him the nickname “The Incredible Holtz,” Patterson said.

Patterson added that he remembers Cerros’ smile and upbeat, positive attitude.

“He would always maintain a positive attitude,” Patterson said. “Ricardo would always have a smile on his face … just bringing the cheerfulness into a room; he was always good about doing that.”

During Patterson’s first deployment with the 75th Ranger Regiment in 2011, Holtz was killed that September during a heavy firefight, and Cerros was killed in October while attempting to shield a wounded soldier from a fragmentation grenade.

After more than a year of planning the trek, Faldowski noted that the organization is “excited it’s coming to fruition and really pumped for Shawn to get out there, start walking and watch people rally around him.”

“This is one of Dana Point’s own with Tyler, and I think it’s going to be fun to bring his story, his legacy, back into the forefront … and tell Tyler’s story, to tell Ricardo’s story,” Faldowski continued.

Patterson noted that he hopes the residents of Dana Point learn of Holtz’s story, his passion and sacrifice.

“After 9/11, he really was passionate about defending this country and our freedom, and he wanted to make sure there was never another terrorist attack the size of 9/11 on American soil,” Patterson said.

Through his upcoming journey, Patterson added that he hopes to raise awareness for the sacrifices made by all servicemembers.

“Ricardo and everybody else who’s made the ultimate sacrifice, especially in the global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Patterson said. “We were in combat for decades, and there’s a lot of Gold Star families still out there that need our support and need the average American to understand what they’re going through and what they’re still going through.”

Faldowski, who also served in the 75th Ranger Regiment with Patterson during his second deployment, added that his vision for the nonprofit is to ensure everybody in the U.S. knows what a Gold Star family is and knows the stories of the men and women who sacrificed their lives.

“The history books are going to be written as they will, and that’s important; however, I’ll be damned if people don’t know who Tyler Holtz, Ricardo Cerros are,” Faldowski said. “So, I think it’s very important for generations to come to know in a true sense of the organization, the legacies that these men and women carry.”

Legacies Alive aims to raise $250,000 to support its mission. As of Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 19, Patterson and Legacies Alive had raised more than $77,000–nearly 31% of their overall goal.

“The vision here is by going out, having a platform, doing something to raise funds, to erect memorials in their hometowns and honor them, but also, hopefully, the communities and other men and women that were killed alongside them,” Faldowski said.

“But in order to do that, you have to get to know the community first,” Faldowski continued. “We will find out here, over the next several months, what other Gold Star families are in that community.”

Those interested in seeing Patterson off on his journey should arrive at Lantern Bay Park by 11 a.m.

More information about Legacies Alive and how to donate to the nonprofit can be found at legaciesalive. com/. Additional information about Patterson’s trek can be found at legaciesalive.com/trek-to-tribute/.

(From left) U.S. Army Veteran Shawn Patterson, pictured here with his daughter, Layla, and wife Berenice, is preparing to start a 425-mile hike from Dana Point to Salinas, California this Sunday, Sept. 24.

Photo: Courtesy of Shawn Patterson

Ocean Institute Looks to Engage Visitors of All Ages with New Activities, Events

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Like many nonprofits, the Ocean Institute took a financial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic after it canceled its major fundraising events and exhibitions.

Since the pandemic, the nonprofit has looked to bring in more funds to support its marine education, Adopt-A-Class and summer camp programs through new events and activities aimed at engaging visitors of all ages.

During the Dana Point Civic Association’s Coffee Chat on Sept. 15, Ocean Institute President and CEO Dr. Wendy Leavell shared an update on the marine education and conservation nonprofit’s newest events and activities geared toward visitors of all ages and upcoming changes to the institute’s campus.

Leavell, who started at the Ocean Institute as vice president of education, was named the organization’s president in March 2020.

“In my first, not first 100 days, but first handful of days … I had to cancel the Jazz Fest, which was one of our major fundraisers,” Leavell said Friday. “On March 16, shut down the organization due to social gathering regulations. On March 18, we were to have our big shark exhibition open with congressional recognition— got the honor of shutting that one down, too.”

In addition to facing the novel pandemic, Leavell also had to manage the “legal, social, emotional landscape,” in the aftermath of the Pilgrim’s sinking.

“So, that was my first two weeks on the job as president,” Leavell said. “It’s been a little bit of a different journey.”

Through the pandemic, the Ocean Institute continued its summer camps, masked, distanced and mostly outdoors.

“We knew that folks just needed that feedback loop, that experience,” Leavell said.

After the loss of the iconic Pilgrim, the Ocean Institute worked to raise funds to restore the tall ship, the Spirit of Dana Point.

“It’s really the community’s boat, and whatever they want to do will come to be,” Leavell said. “People stepped up right away. We were able to do this amazing restoration. So, you have this beautiful vessel fully ready and operational again.”

Since the Spirit of Dana Point returned to its slip in the Dana Point Harbor on

Sept. 9, 2022, the nonprofit resumed its school field trips aboard the tall ships, as well as public tours and sails.

As the Ocean Institute worked to recover financially following the pandemic, Leavell explained that the nonprofit has launched new events geared to visitors of all ages.

Looking to bring in more of the adult demographic, the nonprofit emphasized its distinguished speaker series.

“I would encourage you, if you think (the Ocean Institute is) just for kids, come to our distinguished speaker series or come on the weekends for our public experiences,” Leavell said. “We’ve introduced more ways for people to participate.”

The speaker series, presented by the Nicholas Endowment, takes place on the first Wednesday of the month and features a variety of speakers such as artists, researchers and explorers.

“As far as our educational mission, which is using the ocean as our classroom, we inspire kids to learn; we are rock-solid,” Leavell said. “But then we want to go the next rung out, with all of these different community experiences.”

“If you went to the Maritime Fest, it was a record year for us,” Leavell continued. “By doing good, by having fun, people show up, they participate, and that helps support the operations.”

During the 2022 Maritime Festival, the nonprofit launched its inaugural Pirate and Mermaid Ball, a chance for guests to don costumes and enjoy live music, food and specialty libations.

Throughout the year, visitors can also enjoy whale and marine life tours, tide pool hikes and more. On select weekends in the summer, visitors can also take a night cruise to witness luminous waves caused by bioluminescent plankton.

During the coffee chat, Leavell also announced that the nonprofit is planning some major renovations to its campus.

“We have the barn … that’s used for school programs,” Leavell said. “We’re renovating that for public programs. Public programs, meaning for adults as well. And we’re opening another space within our property that’s usually only permitted for kids. (It) will be added for adults and families.”

“So, there’s a lot you’ll see summer 2024,” Leavell said.

“So, I’ll just say, stay tuned to our website.” Ocean Institute Program Development Manager Kelsey Reimer explained that through the renovations, the nonprofit looks to engage both schools and the public.

Outside of events like the Maritime Festival, the campus’ maritime history barn is primarily used to host classroom field trips and is very school program-oriented, Reimer said. The renovations will add Murphy beds for students sleeping overnight on the Ocean Institute campus and a star ceiling for the nonprofit to use for astronomy talks.

“We’ll be able to have astronomy talks

in there, looking at all of the different stars, how different cultures utilized celestial navigation,” Reimer said.

“Really making that a space where we still utilize it for school programming—which is our bread and butter, our backbone—but it’s also a space that the public can now go into and learn the same things that we’re teaching these students when they come on our campus,” Reimer continued.

At the back end of the Ocean Institute campus, in a space that’s focused solely on watersheds, the nonprofit looks to create new hands-on activities designed to teach visitors about surf science such as currents, the Coriolis effect, sand samples and more, Reimer said.

“Our mission is using the ocean as our classroom; we inspire children to learn, but our catchphrase that’s located on our logo is ‘Experience is Teacher,’” Reimer said. “So, we really want to help the public deep dive into it just as much as we deep dive school programing into it.”

“So, that’s the goal with each of these spaces is to showcase the information in a way that is digestible for both our school programming … and our public programming,” Reimer continued.

Reimer added that by bringing more visitors to the campus to enjoy all that it has to offer, the nonprofit works to fulfill its mission.

“We want more people to come to OI and to see who we are and what we do, because when we have those people come to OI, it funds our ability to fulfill our mission, which is bringing those schools down and getting those kids seeing the ocean, a lot of them for the first time in their lives,” Reimer said.

Dana Point Moves Forward with Services Agreement for Stonehill Drive Widening Project

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

In an effort to address anticipated traffic impacts from the new Ganahl Lumber business property off Stonehill Drive, the City of Dana Point, in coordination with the City of San Juan Capistrano, is looking to add a third lane to the road from Del Obispo to the I-5 Freeway on-ramp.

Through a single vote on routine items during its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Dana Point City Council voted to approve a consultant services agreement to complete an environmental review for the Stonehill Drive widening project.

The cities of Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano entered a cooperative

agreement in 2020 for the project, which includes median modifications, parkway improvements and improved access to the Seaside Villas community.

The city approved the consultant services agreement with LSA Associates, Inc. not to exceed $106,000 to complete the environmental review.

LSA Associates completed the environmental work for the new Ganahl Lumber site and was chosen for the widening project for the company’s familiarity with the history of the area and recently completed technical studies, according to the city’s staff report.

Ocean Institute President and CEO Dr. Wendy Leavell shares an update on activities, events and renovations at the nonprofit’s campus.

Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Festival of Whales Logo Design Contest Opens to the Public

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

The Festival of Whales Foundation kicked off its annual logo design contest on Wednesday, Sept. 20, for the town’s upcoming 53rd annual celebration of the gray whale migration in early March 2024.

The logo design contest is an opportunity for local artists to share their talents and have their design featured prominently during the annual Festival of Whales, Foundation Chair Donna Kalez said in a media release.

“The Festival of Whales returns to our roots with regard to the creation of a logo by offering the opportunity to artists, hobbyists, students—really, any interested whale enthusiast—to have their art chosen to represent this iconic Dana Point event,” Kalez said.

The contest is open to the general public. Past logo designers have included local amateur artists, high school art students and internationally known professional artists including Wyland and John Van

Hamersveld.

“The Festival was built on community involvement, and this contest serves as just one of many open invitations for individuals to lend their talents toward its success,” Kalez said. “The online public run-off vote among the five finalists is also a fun way to rally around your favorite design and have a say in the eventual outcome of the contest.”

Submissions must prominently feature a representation of the California gray whale, as the festival honors the gray whale’s 10,000-mile round trip journey between Alaska and Baja California.

Coastal Commission Opens K-12 Art and Poetry Competition; Invites Amateur Photographers to Compete in Annual Contest

BY BREEANA GREENBERG AND SHAWN RAYMUNDO

Through January 2024, the California Coastal Commission is inviting kindergarten through 12th-grade students to submit works centered on the state’s coast and ocean for its annual Art and Poetry competition.

Art and poetry submitted must have a California coastal or ocean theme and must be the student’s original work.

Artwork cannot exceed 11-by-17 inches in size and cannot be three-dimensional pieces, photography or art that uses glitter.

A winner in art and poetry will be selected in each grade-level category: K-first grade, second to third grade, fourth to sixth, seventh to ninth, and 10th to 12th. All winning art and poetry and honorable mentions will be part of a traveling exhibit.

Winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to an art supply course or bookstore, depending on the category, and tickets to the Aquarium of the

Pacific. Each winner’s teacher will also receive a $50 gift certificate from Acorn Naturalists.

All prizes are provided in part by donations from Acorn Naturalist, Blick Art Materials and Aquarium of the Pacific.

The entry period closes at 5 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2024. Winners will be announced in April 2024.

Also, amateur photographers have one final weekend to participate in and enter the California Coastal Commission’s photography competition that asks prospective entrants to capture California’s marine and coastal wildlife.

The window to submit an entry for the 24th annual California Ocean and Coastal Amateur Photography Contest closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25. Contestants could win prize packages donated by several sponsors.

To participate, contestants should take photos from a public place on California’s scenic coastline, people along

The Festival of Whales Foundation Board and a panel of Festival event organizers will review the logo designs and announce the winning design in early November.

The winning logo will be featured in Festival of Whales 2024 merchandise, posters, flyers, tote bags, print and digital media advertising, the festival program and more. The winning logo designer will also be invited to participate in the Festival of Whales parade.

More information on submission criteria and a history of past logos can be found at festivalofwhales.com.

the coast, and the ocean and coastal wildlife that are native to California, according to the Coastal Commission. Entrants may submit, for free, up to five images, which can be in either color or black and white.

More information about the contest, how to submit photos and where to check out past

COMMUNITY MEETINGS

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

Challenging Cancer

10-11:30 a.m. The Challenging Cancer group is conducting weekly meetings through Zoom video conferences. The meetings are open to caregivers, people who have a compromised immune system, and people dealing with cancer. To join, email donnavigil2@gmail.com or linda_crdv@ yahoo.com. heritagesc.org.

MONDAY, SEPT. 25

Dana Point Planning Commission

6 p.m. The Dana Point Planning Commission will hold a regular meeting. This meeting will also be livestreamed through the city’s YouTube channel. A link for livestreams and replays is available on the city’s website. Dana Point Council Chambers, 33282 Golden Lantern Street, Suite 210, Dana Point. danapoint.org.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26

Because I Love You (BILY)

6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, substance misuse, disrespect), conducts its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via Zoom video conference and in person/Zoom the first Tuesday of each month at the Outlets at San Clemente’s Conference Room. For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

winners’ works can be found at coastal.ca.gov/photo/#galleries. For more information on contest guidelines or to enter art or poetry into the competition, visit coastal.ca.gov/art-poetry or mail in your entry to the California Coastal Commission at 455 Market Street, Suite 228, San Francisco.

and business owners highlighted marketing as their top priority from the formation of the district.

As asset manager and part owner of the property where Whitestone is located, Elizabeth Hanauer is also on the steering committee. Hanauer said the district would be a way to bolster the Lantern District.

“It would be a way for there to become a working budget from which certain things could be done to help promote this part of town,” Hanauer said. “Things like social media or maybe special décor during certain times of a year, possibly more community events to really try to attract business and customers to this part of town.”

“It’s a lot easier to do that sort of thing, to do ads, for example, or social media and events, when you have a critical mass participating versus each individual business

owner trying to do things by themselves,” Hanauer continued. “You’re going to get a lot more bang for your buck if you have a critical mass.”

Hanauer noted that landlords and property owners do better when businesses do well.

“When tenants do well, they can pay rent,” Hanauer said. “But it really also goes to having a vital neighborhood. You don’t want to see shuttered buildings. … The better businesses do, the more occupied the building stays, the more improvements landlords can make to the buildings, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

While the cost to property owners for the CBID has not yet been determined, Hanauer noted that the cost the steering committee is looking at is minimal.

“So, in my mind, it’s well worth the cost,” Hanauer said.

A sand sculpture at the 52nd annual Festival of Whales in 2023 depicts the year’s logo designed by Suzanne Maynard, a Rancho Santa Margarita artist. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

(District Cont. from page 3)

The ‘New’ Weight Loss Drugs—Friend or Foe, Part 1

Ihave delayed the hot topic of “weight loss” drugs for some time now, as I have tried to figure out how to “feed” this information to you in a useful and intelligent way. Hence, the need for a “Part 1”; I have way too much to communicate.

Next month, I am going to talk about the specific drugs, their costs, how they work, projected outcomes, as well as potential side effects. It is important to understand the medications and if you should consider them, but this month we talk about the reality.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

BY GINA COUSINEAU

the Atkins diet, which limited calories and carbs, and the Scarsdale diet, which focused on curbing calories and fat. And now, we have every iteration of dieting styles with intermittent fasting, keto, time-restricted eating, paleo, vegan, carnivore, flexitarian, Mediterranean and more.

At the end of the day, we as a nation are fatter and sicker than ever before. Why, you ask?

then forces these patients to take supplements to make up for the nutrient loss.

And now those providers are adding in the new medications on top of this “tool.”

All this being said, I have seen this medication in full effect in my community, and I am concerned. What I know is that many people have an emotional attachment to food, similar to any other addiction.

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

HOW TO REACH US

PUBLISHER

Steve Strickbine

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Nadine Johnson • 480.898.5645 nadine@timeslocalmedia.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Shawn Raymundo • 949.388.7700, x113 sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com

The bottom line is that these drugs “give the people what they want,” which is an easy path to weight loss. Unfortunately, these medications are not a panacea, meaning that the patient must be participatory, and not a passive observer, to actually lose the weight, improve their health, and most importantly, sustain these outcomes.

In the weight-loss world, people clearly understand the concept of being on a diet and restricting calories. Back in the early days of dieting, the ’70s and ’80s brought the diet gurus who focused on cutting calories and did so by removing or adding certain foods and food groups.

Anyone remember the “cabbage soup” or “grapefruit” diets?

We then moved into other controlling diet approaches including

Letter to The Editor

DISTRICT VOTING IN SAN CLEMENTE DONNA VIDRINE, San Clemente

It is important for council transparency, from each San Clemente councilmember, in each public forum, to talk about their input into this process, how they reached their conclusion, and why they voted on each aspect that comes before council for a decision and vote.

It will build community trust and support for a successful transition to district voting, transparency from each councilmember.

Blame the multibillion-dollar diet industry, partnered with the influx of inexpensive, readily available, highly palatable foods chock-full with salt, fat and sugar.

Mix that with the countless “nutrition and weight loss” experts at your fingertips via the internet, as well as social media spewing so much noise that we no longer have a clue as to what a “healthy eating pattern” is nor how to put it on one’s plate.

In addition to the latest pills, injectables, potions, and diet approaches, we can’t fail to mention weight loss surgery. The bariatric surgery world actually considers these surgeries a tool that aids in a patient’s weight loss.

When the stomach size is reduced via surgery, limiting the amount of food that can be consumed, weight loss is inevitable. But the surgery also reduces the ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients, which

Part of the districting process includes the decision whether to have four districts with an elected mayor or to have five districts with a council-selected rotating mayor. The districting process goes smoother once this decision is made (which is non-binding), because San Clemente can focus on how to draw and select the best four- or five-district map.

State law specifies that a district should share common social and economic interests, including neighborhood activities, school attendance, parks, and election concerns, with the purpose of effective and fair representation.

Shared demographic characteristics include similar levels of income, education, languages spoken at home and

These medications actually calm that call to food (and drink). This allows these patients to have more self-control when it comes to overeating. In some cases, they are able to eat very little, which accelerates their weight loss, but it comes with a price tag called malnutrition.

If you need to lose weight and improve your health, these medications can be the impetus for helping you get there. The caveat will always be to understand the value of instilling a healthy eating pattern that will allow you to propel your health gain and then sustain your weight loss for a lifetime. Otherwise, this is just one more very expensive diet.

Gina Cousineau, aka Mama G, is your local nutrition expert, chef, and fitness professional, with her BS in Nutrition and MS in functional and integrative nutrition. She uses a food-as-medicine approach for weight loss to health gain, and everything in between. Follow her on social media @mamagslifestyle, and check out her website mamagslifestyle. com to learn more about her programs and freebies offered throughout the year.

DP

single-family and multifamily housing units. No district should be drawn with race as the predominant factor.

Each district should be drawn with a nearly equal population. District boundaries should be easily identifiable and understandable to San Clemente voters and residents. The purpose and focus of creating a district should be effective and fair representation.

My ask is that this council determine whether to change to four districts with an elected mayor or to five districts with a council-selected rotating mayor and give direction to our professional consultant to draw draft maps before the next public hearing with either four or five districts.

SPORTS Zach Cavanagh • 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com

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DISTRIBUTION

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TIMES MEDIA GROUP

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinki

Managing Editor Shawn Raymundo

City Reporter, SC Times

C. Jayden Smith

City Reporter, DP Times

Breeana Greenberg

Sports Editor

Zach Cavanagh

Columnists

Tom Blake Megan Bianco, Jake Howard

Special Projects Editor

Andrea PapagianisCamacho

Copy Editor Randy Youngman

ADVERTISING

Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes (SC + DP)

Advertising Sales Debra Wells (CD)

ART + DESIGN

Group Art Director Courtney Oldham

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Amber Johnson Group Operations & Production Coordinator Inna Cazares

Local Distribution Tim Trent PFM FOUNDER Norb Garrett

Dana Point Times, Vol. 16 Issue 31. The DP Times (danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (sanclementetimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (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 2023. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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GUEST OPINION | Food for Thought by Gina Cousineau

‘The Lincoln

It has been said that everyone has one great book in them. Amor Towles, however, has at least three. His latest novel, The Lincoln Highway, follows Rules of Civility, and his wonderful A Gentleman in Moscow.

Set in 1954 Nebraska, The Lincoln Highway tracks two brothers, Emmett and Billy Watson, as they look to start new lives in California. Emmett has just been released from juvenile hall, having served 15 months for involuntary manslaughter. He is looking to move to California to start his own business refurbishing homes.

Billy is looking to locate the mother who ran out on them years earlier and may be in California. His only clues are postcards she sent the week after she left.

However, the brothers get rerouted in the wrong direction and find themselves heading to New York, when two friends appear after stowing away in

the trunk of the warden’s car that brought Emmett home to Nebraska.

The story is told from several points of view by a cast of colorful characters over the course of 10 days. Along the way, we find out Emmett loses his car and the $3,000 he had in the trunk as his startup money for California.

Later on, he gets the car back, though with a new paint job and improved engine, all free of charge.

Billy is the bookworm. Sharp, smart, and innocent to the ways of the world, almost to a fault, he makes this book the gem that it is.

He is a character of charm, intelligence, inquisitiveness, and naivete that takes us back to a simpler, slower time

in America. You can’t help but pull for Billy in trying to locate the mother he never had.

Duchess and Woolly are the stowaways. Duchess is always trying to do right and even out the scales. Woolly is trying to get back home to get to his trust of $150,000 that he wants to share with the other three.

Along the way, these two will make you laugh, mad, and, just maybe, cry.

Ulysses and Sally also come along for the ride, but in different ways.

Ulysses is a transient riding the trains. Eight years ago, he left his wife and newborn to fight in the war, despite his wife threatening to leave him if he did. After the war, she and the

child were gone.

While riding a boxcar, he meets up with Billy and Emmett. Sally is Emmett and Billy’s neighbor. There is a certain tone that implies she likes Emmett, although he makes it clear on a few occasions that he is not interested.

This was a great read. The writing is easy, but flows smoothly and richly. Towles, as he has done twice before, tells a great story and develops the characters. You will care about them, for better or worse.

The Seaside Book Group at the Dana Point Library read it in August. The group meets on the fourth Monday of each month. For more information, call 949.496.5517.

Dan De Neve is a longtime employee of the Orange County Public Library. He currently works at the Dana Point Library as the Adult Services Librarian. He is an avid reader of history, biographies and sports. DP

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

FRIDAY | SEPT. 22

‘PHANTOM’ AT CABRILLO PLAYHOUSE

7:30 p.m. Watch a performance of Phantom, based on Gaston Leroux’s novel The Phantom of the Opera, at San Clemente’s local theater, in which a masked “phantom” living underneath the Paris Opera is mesmerized by a female soprano singer and seeks to train her. Tickets are $33. Shows run through Oct. 8. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.492.0465. cabrilloplayhouse.org.

CONCERT AT THE COACH HOUSE

8 p.m. Enjoy some rollicking sounds over dinner at this intimate and popular South Orange County venue. Folk artist Al Stewart & the Empty Pockets will perform. Tickets are $38. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

SATURDAY | SEPT. 23

COASTAL CLEANUP DAY AT T-STREET BEACH

8:30 a.m.-noon. Orange County Coastkeeper is hosting an opportunity for community members to contribute to cleaning their local resources. Water, gloves, buckets and spring-handheld trash grabbers will be provided. Sunscreen, sunglasses and hats are recommended. Each participant must sign a liability waiver, with adults responsible for signing minors’ waivers. T-Street Beach, 339 W. Paseo De Cristobal, San Clemente. eventbrite.com.

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION SOUTH OC

CHAPTER BEACH CLEANUP

9 a.m.-noon. Join volunteers at Salt Creek Beach on California Coastal Cleanup Day to help clear the beach and waterways of debris. The local Surfrider Foundation chapter will provide materials for the cleanup, light bites and water receptacles for refilling reusable bottles. Salt Creek Beach, 33333 South Pacific Coast Highway,

Editor’s Pick

SATURDAY | SEPT. 23: STAND UP TO TRASH BEACH CLEANUP: CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP

9-11 a.m. Join Stand Up to Trash at Baby Beach and the Ocean Institute for a beach cleanup followed by a Lunch and Learn at the Ocean Institute. This month’s theme is California Coastal Cleanup Day, featuring special guest speaker Sabrina Banda from the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians. Georgia “Chena” Edmundson will offer face painting for kids. Lunch will be provided. Dana Point Harbor, 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. standuptotrash.com.

Dana Point. southoc.surfrider.org.

CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP DAY

9 a.m.-noon. Join the City of San Juan Capistrano for the 39th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day at Descanso Park. The cleanup will focus on San Juan and Arroyo Trabuco creeks. The city recommends parking in the lot marked “City Employee Parking” within the orange barricades. Descanso Park, 32506 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html.

J. F. SHEA THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER

45TH ANNUAL BBQ & FAMILY FAIRE

4 p.m. See the Shea Center transformed for its annual fundraiser featuring carnival games, horseback riding demonstrations, food, entertainment, a live auction and more. Tickets are available for purchase at sheacenter.org/bbq. Limited tickets are available, and advance reservations are required. The fundraiser supports the Shea Center’s mission to improve the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs. The Shea Center, 26284 Oso Road, San Juan Capistrano. 949.240.8441. sheacenter.org.

LIVE MUSIC AT IVA LEE’S

7 p.m. Live music is featured at this San Clemente lounge known for its entertainment. Smokin’ Roosters will perform. Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge, 555 N. El Camino Real, Suite E, San Clemente. 949.361.8255. ivalees.com.

SUNDAY | SEPT. 24

SQUISH SQUARES WEAVING

9 a.m.-noon. Fiber artist Meg Spitzer will

teach those interested in “fluffy roving” to make squish squares, or framed weavings filled with fluff and woven in a cross-stitch pattern. All materials will be provided to make a 13-inch-by-13-inch piece. No experience necessary. Tickets are $125. Small Space Art Collective, 210 Calle de Los Molines, Suite C, San Clemente. smallspaceart.com.

WHALE AND MARINE LIFE TOUR

10 a.m.-noon. Join the Ocean Institute for a 2½-hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean Institute’s 65-foot research vessel. Professional naturalists on board will introduce attendees to the lifestyles of ocean creatures that frequent the waters off Dana Point through hands-on activities. The Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. oceaninstitute.org.

REDO VINTAGE & MAKER’S MARKET

9 a.m.-4 p.m. REDO Vintage & Maker’s Market returns to Dana Point. A portion of Del Prado Avenue will transform into a pedestrian-friendly vintage and artisan market where shoppers can stroll and explore curated vintage collections and authentic assortments of makers and artisans. Live music on three separate stages, beer gardens, classic cars and a few selected food trucks will make it the perfect afternoon destination. Parking and admission are both free. Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point, info@redomarket.com. redomarket.com.

MONDAY | SEPT. 25

COUNTRY NIGHT AT H.H. COTTON’S

5:30 p.m. This popular downtown restaurant offers a night full of country music and line dancing for all ages. Beginners

will have the floor from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for Introduction to Line Dancing, followed by the Advanced Beginner class from 7-8 p.m. The hourlong lessons are $10 each. Free line dancing will be offered from 8-9:30 p.m. H.H. Cotton’s, 201 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.945.6616. hhcottons.com.

TUESDAY | SEPT. 26

STORYTIME AT THE SJC LIBRARY

10:30-11 a.m. Bring the kids to storytime, held every Tuesday morning. Children will get to read books and sing songs. The event is geared for the 2- to 6-year-old age range. San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1752. ocpl.org.

AFFORDABLE PET VACCINE CLINIC

4-5:30 p.m. Pets Plus San Juan Capistrano offers low-cost vaccinations for all dogs and cats every month. All veterinary services are provided by Vet Care Vaccination Services, Inc. The low-cost clinic offers vaccination packages, microchips, physical exams, prescription flea control, fecal exams and diagnostic testing on-site. Pets Plus, 32022 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 714.895.8600. vetcarepetclinic.com.

WEDNESDAY | SEPT.27

TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE BREWHOUSE

6:30-8:30 p.m. The BrewHouse hosts a trivia night every Wednesday. Test your knowledge with friends or show up solo and join a team. The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano. 949.481.6181. brewhousesjc.com.

BOATING SKILLS & SEAMANSHIP CLASS

7-9 p.m. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is hosting this comprehensive class, every Wednesday through Oct. 25, designed for both experienced boaters, as well as those new to boating. Topics include boating safety, knots, boat handling, radio, as well as other valuable subjects. Successful completion will earn your California boater card. Registration is $70. For more information on how to register, contact Eric Gritzmacher at ericgritzmacher@cox.net or 949.632.2378 or Guy Heaton at guyheaton3489@gmail.com or 949.345.9686. Dana Point Yacht Club, 24399 Dana Drive, Dana Point. cgaux.org.

THURSDAY | SEPT.28

LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER

7 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. Bad Company tribute band Bad Ass Company will perform. StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. danapointstillwater.com. DP

DANA POINT TIMES

Photo: Courtesy of Marta Ortigosa/Pexels

CRIB TO COLLEGE

AN EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES GUIDE GEARED FOR YOUR CHILD’S SUCCESS

Inside:

Lucy Creatives Emphasizes

Creativity, Artistry in Music

Lessons

Local Boys & Girls Clubs

Provide Financial Education to Students

+

Campus Connections

Exploring the Lesser-Known Benefits of Attending Community Colleges

LASTS A LIFETIME

Students are able to explore, discover and learn so much and are so well supported here because they have a world of interests, natural talents and exciting paths to pursue. Vigorous academics, expert faculty, boundless opportunities and choices, engaging, vibrant learning environments, leading technology and resources. A spirit of excellence and innovation fuels a transformative experience that nurtures our students’ development, well-being and character, and challenges them to their fullest potential. Imagine the lifelong impact of what our everyday would mean for your child.

2023 ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE EVENTS

For more information and to register, please visit: smesopenhouse.org

Lucy Creatives Emphasizes Creativity, Artistry in Music Lessons

By Shawn Raymundo

At Lucy Creatives, a music and arts school in Downtown San Clemente, studio founder and teacher Meagan Wade looks to help steer her students’ musical journeys where they can learn who they are as an artist.

“We really focus on … creativity, artistry, and how important that is for the children,” she says, adding: “It’s all about developing the artist, and that’s kind of what we do here.”

Wade explains that while she wants her students to learn how to play the notes of their instruments, such as piano and ukulele, it’s important to her that they begin to understand what genre and style of music and art vibe with them.

“With everything we do, we don’t want to just teach music,” she says. “We also want to help them become the artists that they are and they just so freely show as children.”

A San Clemente native, Wade attended Our Savior’s Lutheran School, which emphasized music.

“Everyone in the school was in the play, and (in) the musical, everyone sang, like no matter what; and so, my siblings, all of us, we can all sing, and we’re all musical,” she says of her musical upbringing, adding: “I think it was because we were just like, in that environment from a very young age.”

In about second grade, Wade began learning to play the piano, and when she was 7, she got her first guitar—which she displays in the classroom and allows her students to play.

“Now, all my students play that guitar, so it’s very full circle,” she says. “But, yeah, that’s where it all started. ... I’ve been playing music my whole life and singing, and singing in, like, choir, singing in bands.”

Shortly after Wade graduated from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa with a general music degree focused on voice and piano, she was approached by a handful of moms who had created small learning pods at their homes for their children to continue learning together during the pandemic. They asked if she would teach the kids music.

“They were able to keep it small and controlled while the kids couldn’t be at school. … I kind of

See CREATIVES on page 15

Crib to College Expert Knowledge

Raising your child from those stages of infancy to the moment they walk across the stage at graduation is a task unlike anything else—and you don’t have to do it alone.

Beyond immediate friends and family, communities offer a wealth of coaches, experts, and mentors who are more than willing to contribute to developing your child in various ways to maximize their potential.

South County is no different. In our latest edition of Crib to College, we’ve compiled a catalog of resources for local parents to sift through, concerning topics from after-school activities to alternative methods to attending a four-year university.

We spoke to the founder of Lucy Creatives, a studio in Downtown San Clemente that serves young artists and musicians through a handful of classes.

Along with an expected assortment of programs that can spark students’ interest in the arts, sports, and STEM, the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley provides classes to those seeking to understand the nuances and impacts of their future financial decisions.

We also dove into how local community college districts are endeavoring to show their value as low-cost options toward transferring to a four-year university.

The unfortunate reality is that parents’ workdays don’t end at the same time as their children’s time at school, which can leave them scrambling for safe, enriching ways to occupy their children’s time before going home.

On the bright side, we’ve highlighted plenty of fun programs provided by the cities, the school district and local organizations that can satisfy any child’s needs.

After School Program

Campus Connections:

South Orange County Community College District Shares Lesser-Known Benefits of Attending Community College

By Breeana Greenberg

ommunity colleges offer students an opportunity to continue their educational journey without paying university costs, whether straight out of high school, after a gap year or in mid-career.

While it’s widely known that community college tuition is significantly less expensive than four-year universities, South Orange County Community College District Chief Communications Officer Letitia Clark explained that the district is working to destigmatize the community college experience and spread awareness for the benefits it offers.

Tuition at all California community colleges is the same at $45 a unit, Clark explained.

“If you’re taking a full load, it’s usually less than $600 a semester, and so you’re probably spending less in a year of tuition than some four-year universities cost per unit,” Clark said.

Through starting their undergraduate education at a community college, students can often complete their degree with little to no debt, Clark noted.

“We partner with the four-year universities to ensure that we offer all of the core requirements, so, essentially, a student not only can but should start with the community colleges to get all their core requirements, so at least they’re saving on just the base level requirements before you even enter into a specific area or major,” Clark said.

“You can take all these core English, math, science courses at the community college level and again, at that very competitive tuition rate, and then you can easily transfer,” Clark continued.

South Orange County community colleges also have robust foundations to raise funds for student scholarships, Clark explained. The scholarships often help students with their tuition once they’ve transferred to a four-year university after attending a community college, Clark said.

“If you started at community college, you do well, your grades are good and you look into scholarship opportunities, the community college foundations can actually help students get money to transfer to, let’s say, their dream school,” Clark said.

Clark added that community college students have the ability to transfer to top-tier colleges.

“In fact, it’s probably a little easier for students to get in as a transfer student, because, es-

sentially, the line is shorter,” Clark said. “The line is shorter to get into UCLA or USC as a transfer student than it is as an incoming freshman.”

High school students can also complete a significant portion of their core requirements through dual-enrollment programs.

“We partner with high schools all over the region to allow high school students to take those core community college courses while they’re in high school, so by the time they finish high school, they could have several credits under their belt; or if they join a program early enough, they could actually earn their associate’s degree before they finish high school,” Clark said.

Clark noted that the community college district is working to spread awareness about its educational opportunities available to residents and to eliminate the stigma “that community colleges are somehow less than or inferior to a four-year degree.”

“Community college is such a great option to start to save money to receive the core requirements that you need, and we are really working to create a campus environment at all of the community colleges that feels like that college environment, with a lot of activities, clubs, resources,”

Clark said.

“You’re going to find that, especially in California, there’s so much investment made into capital improvements so that it feels good to be on campus,” Clark continued.

Community colleges offer resources and support to help their students overcome challenges, Clark said.

“It’s such a nurturing environment here that if they don’t have the study skills, if they don’t have peer groups that can help in creating a conducive learning environment … there are so many resources to help with child care, with food, with extra money, so that the burden isn’t so great that it can’t be overcome,” Clark said.

In addition to costing significantly less to attend a community college, Clark noted that campus administrations have made an effort to recruit highly skilled faculty through competitive wage and benefit packages.

“The classes that people are taking at the community college level, particularly in California, are going to just be very high-level because of the faculty that are teaching them,” Clark said.

During the pandemic, Clark noted that community colleges saw a dip in enrollment; however, enrollment data are trending near pre-pandemic numbers.

More than 14,000 students are enrolled at Irvine Valley College and more than 23,000 enrolled at Saddleback College, Clark said.

“You look around, the parking lots are full, classes are full; we’re not experiencing the uptick with canceling classes because we don’t have enough enrolled,” Clark said. “We are really seeing a great uptick in enrollment.”

CLINICS ARE FILLING UP QUICKLY!

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Irvine Valley College now has more than 14,000 students enrolled. Photo: Courtesy of the South Orange County Community College District

Saddleback College has more than 23,000 students enrolled following a decrease in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Courtesy of the South Orange County Community College District

just started teaching; I had some little curriculum that I created,” she recalls, later expounding: “I was just creating these workbooks, because I couldn’t find any that I liked online; they weren’t pretty, and I like everything to be beautiful.”

As an artist and musician, Wade finds it important that the pages the kids use to learn are both inspiring and beautiful to them.

“I started creating a workbook, and just using that with the kids as I taught them over COVID,” she says. “And then it just spread, like word spread. And here I am; it just grew and grew and grew until I had so many little classes and students that I needed a space.”

Though Wade didn’t necessarily plan on becoming a teacher, it was those closest to her who believed she would be great at it and encouraged her on that path.

“Interestingly, my parents were always telling me, ‘You’d be a great teacher, you should be a teacher,’ but I didn’t really feel like, I don’t know, I didn’t know if that was my path,” she says, adding: “I’m definitely someone who likes to do multiple things. I like to record music, I like to play live. I also love to teach. I like to create the curriculum and like to create the whole thing.”

Rather than teach in a traditional classroom setting at a school, though, Wade’s creative drive led her to launch her own music school, Lucy Creatives, at 131 Avenida Del Mar, in the spring of 2022.

“I’m too creative, and I think outside of the box. I wouldn’t have been able to thrive in that environment,” Wade says. “But here, what I love the most … I love creativity. That’s what drives me. And so I get to be creative every day.”

Classes offered at Lucy Creatives include Musical Theater Dance, Moon Ukulele, Beginner’s Piano, Little Creatives and—Wade’s favorite—Songwriter’s Club.

“It’s just so inspiring to hear the kids write these songs, and see also their faces light up, and they just are so proud that they wrote a song,” Wade says. “And then their parents are so proud; you know, it’s just so cool.”

As part of Wade’s “outside-the-box” thinking, she incorporates art and dance into the musical curriculum. As an example, during the ukulele class, the students will learn the parts of the instrument by coloring on a sheet and designing the “ukulele of their dreams.”

“So, they’re way more invested in learning, because they created their dream ukulele design, and then their brains remember the parts so much easier, and we play games and make it really fun to remember,” Wade explains.

She utilizes the same coloring technique to learn songs that they sing together.

“They’re not going to learn a song in an hour unless it’s fun for them. So we do the same thing. They color this in while we sing the song and listen to the song, and they create their little art,” she says, pointing to one of the coloring sheets. “Then, by the time they’re done coloring, they know the song, and then we go over and play it on ukulele.”

“Everything we do is creative in that way, so that it actually sticks for the kids and they’re not just like, ‘Here’s the chorus, here’s the lyrics, play the song,’ ” she says. “I try to make it a fully immersive experience.”

The classes are generally 45 minutes to an hour long. Wade keeps the class sizes small, to about eight or fewer young students. She notes that about 5 years old is a good time to start learning.

And while Wade is the main teacher, she does have a dance teacher and an art specialist who help with the courses, and a few songwriters who come in on a rotating basis to also teach.

“Everything’s very creative, and there’s a playful approach to a lot of things, which is different to a lot of other ways of teaching music,” Wade says, adding: “I want them to be inspired and go home and write their own songs.”

More information about Lucy Creatives and signing up for classes can be found at lucycreatives.com and on the studio’s Instagram, @LucyCreatives.

Lucy Creatives, a music school in Downtown San Clemente, takes a creative approach when it comes to instructing young artists and musicians how to play instruments such as guitar, piano and ukulele, as well as singing and drawing. Photo: Courtesy of Lucy Creatives

A Parent’s Guide to After-School Activities Saved by the Bell:

By Clara Helm

With students back in school this fall, parents often struggle to find activities their child can participate in once the bell rings.

Toward that end, the school district, various organizations and the cities of San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano all offer extensive after-school programming.

A host of athletic activities including skateboarding, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, tennis, cheerleading and golf classes are available through the three cities’ recreation departments. Swim lessons are a great way to keep kids busy after school while also learning life-saving skills. In San Clemente, kids can participate in K.I.S.S. private swim lessons, and more advanced swimmers can join K.I.S.S. Stroke and Conditioning Group Classes.

The lessons for beginners or advanced swimmers run Monday through Thursday at the San Clemente Aquatics Center from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

For a child who likes to move and groove, dance classes are a great way to get out their after-school energy.

Kids can learn dance fundamentals and proper technique in San Clemente’s beginner ballet class, suitable for new dancers between the ages of 4 and 6. The classes start at 3:10 p.m. and end at 4 p.m., ideal for after school drop-off.

They can also participate in Dana Point’s dance basics class for 6- to 10-year-olds that meets every other Thursday from 4-4:45 p.m. In the class, boys and girls can learn body placement, positions, basic turns and jumps.

For kids wanting a more themed after-school dance experience, they can participate in classes such as San Clemente’s Pop Star hip-hop classes or San Juan Capistrano’s beginner and intermediate ballet folklórico classes.

Musically inclined students can participate in beginner and intermediate guitar and ukulele lessons through the cities of San Clemente and Dana Point. Kids ages 8 and up can learn simple chords and new songs in the after-school classes.

Another after-school creative outlet can be found in Sandy’s Art Studio for Children and Teens in San Clemente, which has two classes for kids ages 5 to 10 and one class for kids ages 10 to 15 every Tuesday.

The art exploration classes, ranging from 1:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. time slots, allow students to explore creative techniques such as sketching, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor, painting on canvas, and more mediums.

Kidcreate Studio in Dana Point also offers weekly art education classes for parents seeking a consistent art program.

There are also many activities that cater to kids’ specialized interests, which challenge them to learn new skills. San Clemente’s recreation department offers after-school computer coding, game design biology, and CPR classes for students.

In partnership with the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD), Saddleback College offers the Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) Program, which lets students take a variety of onehour classes right after school ends.

The BASE classes are held at CUSD elementary schools, and scholarships are available for children who would like to participate in the program.

With classes ranging from academic chess to writing workshops to Spanish language learning, elementary-aged students can engage in interactive activities before heading to another after-school program or going home.

“Parents really appreciate having their children be able to explore the different classes,” said Arron Searcy, assistant director of Community Education at Saddleback College. “Whether it’s a dance class, a Broadway class where they’re doing musicals, a coding class, or a chess class, it gives kids a variety of different things to try.”

For busy or working parents who can not pick up their child the moment

See AFTER-SCHOOL on page 17

CASA KIDS IS UNDERWRITTEN BY GLORIA WIDMANN

Paint & Play Classes • Ages 2-5

Tuesdays, September 26 - October 17, 2023 @ 10:15 AM

$50 per session (FREE for Family Household members)

Enjoy painting and drawing activities with your toddler!

Little Folk Club • Ages 3-5

Saturday, October 14, 2023 @ 10:30 AM • Included with admission

Country music artist Victoria Bailey shares songs and stories of American folk music in a special concert just for children aged 3-5 years.

Journeys to the Past • All Ages

Saturday, November 18, 2023 @ 10:30 AM • Included with admission

Jacque Nunez and her family bring to life Native American culture & history.

LEARN MORE

Cookies and Cocoa with Mrs. Claus • All Ages

Saturday, December 9 @ 10:15 AM • $12

Spend the morning getting ready for Christmas with Mrs. Claus!

Go.CasaRomantica.org/Casa-Kids

Saturday, Sept. 30 10am-12pm 11U -12U 12pm-2pm 13U -14U

Sunday, Oct. 1 10am-12pm 11u -12U 12pm-2pm 13U -14U

$35 IBYOUT FEE

Includes a t-shirt and player evaluation for both days

MAKE UP TRYOUT:

Oct. 2 4pm - 6pm

SIGNING DAY: Oct. 3 5pm - 7pm 949vb.com

South Orange County entities and organizations including Saddleback Community College offer after-school programming for kids of all ages, from art explorations to homework help, for parents to choose for their child. Photo: Courtesy of Saddleback Community College

Local Boys & Girls Clubs Provide Financial Education to Students

By C. Jayden Smith

As children mature into adolescents and then teenagers who want to go out to restaurants and shop with friends, or who desire to start adulthood on the right financial track, it can be difficult to find time for conversations about managing money at home. For families in South Orange County, local Boys & Girls Clubs provide resources that teach children about how money works, about making sound decisions with money and setting themselves up for future success.

Gabriella Littlejohn, area director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capistrano Valley, spoke about the “Money Matters: Make It Count” program that the national organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, has sponsored for nearly 20 years.

“We’re trying to just kind of prepare them for life after high school and into their young adulthood, with teaching them about how to balance a check, the importance of saving money, (and) how to reach financial goals within your life,” Littlejohn said.

Like with other Boys & Girls Clubs, the Capistrano Valley club—headquartered in San Juan Capistrano with branches in Aliso Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita—has leaned heavily on local experts to contribute to executing Money Matters.

With one Capistrano Valley board member as the CEO and owner of a local financial services business, according to Littlejohn, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley brought in officials from said member’s company to assist in teaching the youth.

Additionally, Partners Bank of Mission Viejo has collaborated in making the information the club presents “tangible and digestible,” as part of a concerted effort to help people at various stages of their lives understand important information concerning finances.

“It just really is having these people in the field come out working with our kids, answering questions that they may have, even (for) things that you think might be common sense,” said Littlejohn. “For a lot of our families, there’s a lot of fear around, like, opening a credit card or opening a checking account.”

Outreach is especially important for families whose first language isn’t English and who may be unfamiliar with available services that can increase their chances for financial prosperity. Littlejohn emphasized that all people should be empowered to take control of their own finances, without fear.

The organization tries to put on the Money Matters program twice a year, with 90-minute classes.

The focus is on having one summer session. The timing of the other session tends to rotate around the spring, fall and winter, depending on the rollout of other programs.

Littlejohn said Money Matters takes six to eight weeks to complete and is available to ages 11 and up, adding that the organization has taken in its fair share of particularly astute fifth-graders.

WE HAVE A PLACE FOR YOU

The program’s influence from the classrooms at the Capistrano Valley clubs and into the community has been through a grassroots form of growth.

“We have found that we’re most successful (when) we are bringing those teachings to our youth, and then we’re sending them home with the information,” said Littlejohn. “Whether it’s in their native language, if it’s Spanish, if it’s English, they can then take that tangible information back home with them. So, those soft skills or those new kinds of teachings are then discussed at home.”

She continued, saying that the concept of saving every 10 cents of every dollar you earn can be easy to hear, but actually thinking about saving for the future can be difficult to grasp. That further places an importance on students going home and discussing their ownership of their finances with their parents.

For a lot of children in their clubs, according to Littlejohn, money isn’t often talked about at home.

“They’re feeling like their situation is, ‘It is what it is,’ and that they’re stuck, when they really have power and control of what that narrative looks like for themselves, for their families, and for the future,” she said.

More information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley’s programs can be found at bgccapo.com.

school ends, after-school programs at the school or nearby are a great option.

At Truman Benedict Elementary, parents who have students with different school-end times can participate in the GAP Program. The program keeps elementary school children engaged and safe during the dismissal gap between elementary and middle school (1:55-3:25 p.m.).

The Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area in San Clemente and Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley in San Juan Capistrano provide after-school programs until 6:30 p.m. for kids ages 6 to 18.

Many buses from local schools also have stops at the organizations. The clubs give students a place to complete homework, interact with peers, and be involved in creative activities.

What sets the after-school program apart, said Terry Hughes, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area, is that it is an inclusive, safe environment that creates lasting connections.

“What kids need is relationships with adults who care about them outside of their home, and we build with them these deep and lasting relationships that last a lifetime, not just with their peers, but also the directors and staff who really care about them,” said Hughes.

At Fairmont San Juan Capistrano, we view each student as unique, so we prioritize a personalized approach to their learning. Low student-to-teacher ratios, coupled with differentiated instruction, allow our gifted and caring teachers to meet students right where they are — academically, socially, and emotionally. We invite you to visit our campus and learn what the gift of a Fairmont education could mean in the life of your child.

2EDUCATORS NAMED AMONG BEST IN ORANGE COUNTY

60K SQUARE FEET IN TWO EXPANSIVE EDUCATION WINGS

625+ P-12TH GRADE STUDENTS

AFTER-SCHOOL from page 16

STEM-focused labs and programs

Championship caliber athletics

Award-winning TK-12 visual and performing arts

College and Career

Advantage partnership for Career Technical Education

Valued Community Partners

Ohana Intro: Thee Sacred Souls

From Friday, Sept. 29, through Oct. 1, Ohana Festival returns to Doheny State Beach, a place host Eddie Vedder himself has referred to as “hallowed ground.”

Vedder caught his first waves at Doheny as a kid, and since 2016, his Ohana Festival has continued to add to the happy history of this treasured location.

The world-class Ohana lineup includes top-billed sets by Vedder, The Killers, Haim, The Chicks, Foo Fighters and Pretenders. The amazingly diverse lineup also includes Father John Misty, Japanese Breakfast, The War on Drugs, Charley Crockett and Thee Sacred Souls, among others.

I highly recommend getting there early each day, so you do not miss artists such as Danielle Ponder, Ayron Jones, The Aquadolls and The Alive. The Storytellers Stage features compelling leaders in environmental, conservation and pro surfing, and The Cove Gallery, curated by Charles Adler, is a must-see.

Get tickets for Friday and Saturday while you can. Sunday’s show is sold out, but updates and ticket info can be found at ohanafest.com.

I caught up with Thee Sacred Souls, a San Diego trio that will play Ohana on Sunday. Their story is remarkable; the band’s second club date in 2019 led to a record deal with the storied Daptone label via Penrose Records.

Their first singles racked up more than 15 million streams, and their self-titled debut of sweet soul music led to national TV performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and they’ve now played sold-out headlining shows across the U.S., the United Kingdom and Europe.

Thee Sacred Souls’ core lineup features singer Josh Lane, drummer Alex Garcia, and bassist Sal Samano, and they perform live as a seven-piece band, adding guitar, keys, and two backup vocalists.

Produced by Bosco Mann (aka Gabriel Roth, Daptone/Penrose Records founder), their wholly analog record sound evokes smooth ’60s soul along with the grit and groove of early ’70s R&B.

“We get to be innovative and honest and challenge ourselves as artists, but we also dig deep and pay homage to what helped shape us,” Lane says. “In college, I really got into Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and Curtis Mayfield, but when I met these guys, they introduced

me to deeper soul and lowrider stuff like Thee Midniters, and that really opened things up.”

Their bittersweet song “Sorrow For Tomorrow” showcases Lane’s range and is all about loss and healing, growth and forgiveness, longing and regret.

“That song is basically permission to cry,” says Lane. “It’s a reminder that it’s OK to be open to pain and not to feel like your emotions are a burden or make you any less of a man.”

Thee Sacred Souls music is modern, soulful and special, because it is honest, and shares a very human vulnerability. That, my friends, is precisely what good art is all about. Listen, and I bet you’ll agree, and catch them at Sunday’s Ohana, if you can. Find more info at theesacredsouls.com.

REDO Vintage & Maker’s Market returns to Dana Point’s Lantern District on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Besides the more than 150 vendors lining Del Prado, there’ll be incredible music on four stages.

It’s an honor to help curate the music, and I’ll also be playing my upcoming album, El Viejo, in its entirety, at noon on the stage near Dana Point Hardware and Jack’s Restaurant. Also scheduled on that stage are Stereosity, Sidney Bowen, Mojave Ghost, and Andrew Lavin. Randall Winvick, Dano Forte, Los Pakalolos, and others will also perform. More info is at redomarket.com and anthonysmallmusic.com.

Anthony Small is Executive Director of Music Preserves Foundation, a City of Dana Point Arts & Culture Ambassador, local musician, and a California Arts Council Individual Artist Legacy Fellow. Small and his family have lived in Dana Point for 25 years. DP

San Diego-based band Thee Sacred Souls is set to perform during the Sunday lineup of the Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach next weekend. Photo: Courtesy of Gustavo Olivares

GUEST OPINION | Dana Point ROCKS by Anthony Small

DANA POINT ROCKS ANTHONY SMALL

PERFORMANCE THUR., FRI., AND SAT. AT 7:30 PM AND SUN. AT 2 PM. TICKETS ARE $33

Medicare options are complicated. Understanding them shouldn’t be. Your Medicare Plan Annual Notice of Change

If you’re currently on Medicare this applies to you if you have a Medicare drug plan or if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan (HMO or PPO). This does NOT apply to your Medicare Supplement plans, such as Plan F, G, N etc.

The Annual Notice of Change is a document you receive showing if your Medicare plan made changes for the upcoming year. Some changes that you would see on your ANOC are increases or decreases in your monthly premium, changes to your co-pays, deductibles and the plan’s drug formulary.

An ANOC will list 2 columns, one is what your benefit is for the current year, the other column will show what it will change to in the new year.

The biggest offender of changes prompting people to make a change to their current coverage is the “Stand Alone Medicare RX plans” that people who use Medicare as their primary insurance coupled with a Medicare supplement plan have. These plans seem to always be giving an increase to the deductible, premium and co-pay amounts. Unfortu-

nately knowing how to go about finding the right Medicare drug plan on their own isn’t something most Medicare beneficiaries know how to do.

The good news is that I do! So, if you get surprised by your ANOC this Fall, be it your Medicare HMO plan, Medicare PPO plan or your Medicare RX plan, feel free to reach out to me, I’d be happy to help you.

Sandoval

September Is National Suicide Prevention Month

Youth suicide is a growing concern, affecting millions of families across the world. The Centers for Disease Control reports that in 2021, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 20-34. In our own community, 18% of high school students reported experiencing thoughts of suicide in the past year, according to a California Healthy Kids Survey report from 2021-2022. The reasons behind these alarming statistics are multifaceted. Issues such as bullying, academic pressure, trauma, substance abuse, mental health challenges, and the stigma surrounding mental health treatment are some of the many contributors to this crisis.

September is Suicide Prevention Awarness Month, and this sets the stage for advocates, mental health professionals, and survivors of suicide nationwide to come together to spread messages of hope and information about how we can create change in our communities.

The first step toward addressing youth suicide is breaking the silence that often surrounds it. Open dialogue, empathy, and destigmatizing discussions about mental health are crucial in

FROM THE ARCHIVES

A couple stands in front of the Blue Lantern Gazebo in this 1929 photo, which was used to advertise Dana Point. This photo is available for viewing and purchase at danapointhistorical.org.

Every week, the Dana Point Times will showcase a historical photo from around the city. If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, send the photo, your name for credit as well as the date and location of the photo to sraymundo@ timeslocalmedia.com

fostering an environment where struggling youths feel comfortable seeking help. Schools, parents, and communities play a pivotal role in creating this supportive atmosphere. Initiatives such as mental health education programs, peer support groups, and schoolbased counseling services are essential in encouraging young individuals to share their thoughts and feelings.

Prevention begins with early intervention. Teaching young people coping skills and how to manage emotions is critical. We also can learn how to recognize the signs of distress and depression in young people.

Mood swings, withdrawal from social activities, changes in sleep patterns, and a decline in academic performance can all be indicators of mental health issues. You can learn more about signs and symptoms at asfp.org.

It’s crucial that parents, teachers, and

friends reach out and offer support when they notice these signs. Encouraging young people to seek professional help can be a life-saving step. Talking about suicide can feel scary, but you do not have to be a mental health expert to let somebody know you are there for them.

The power of connection cannot be overstated, as one smile, one acknowledgement, one hello, can be enough to show a person going through a difficult time that they are not alone. A young person’s problems likely look very different from your own, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot connect with them over the things in their life causing them distress.

Being able to sit with a young person, giving them the space to share their experiences without judgment, or shame, is one of the best gifts we can give to them.

Rather than supporting suicide awareness and prevention for one month per year, we ask that you consider supporting organizations that are providing the services of suicide awareness and prevention all year long. Every

Thelma

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.

too many, and the Wellness & Prevention Center is committed to helping as many people as we can get connected to the services they need. We can be reached at 949.649.9460 and info@wpcoc.org, or you can call 211 to get connected to health and human services in Orange County.

You do not need to be in a crisis to be deserving of support from a mental health professional.

To anyone who might be struggling, you are loved, you are needed, and most importantly, you are not alone. Please reach out for support. You deserve it.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline. Call or text the NAMI OC Warmline, available 24/7, at 714.991.6412. Call 911 if it is a life-threatening emergency.

Sophii Sandoval is a licensed clinical social worker and the Clinical Director at the Wellness & Prevention Center. 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.

DANA POINT TIMES

Say hello to Thelma, a 1-year-old sweetie with a great personality. After raising three strapping male kittens as a single mother, Thelma is ready for a fresh start. She is an easy-going girl and enjoys spending her days birdwatching in a sunny window. Thelma doesn’t mind other cats, but she would do best in a quiet home where she can finally have some “me time.”

If you are interested in adopting Thelma, please visit petprojectfoundation.org/adoptions/ to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment.

Sudoku medium by Myles Mellor 2

3 5 4 9

Photo: Courtesy of San ClementeDana Point Animal Shelter

Courtesy of the Dana Point Historical Society

GUEST

WELLNESS & PREVENTION SOPHII SANDOVAL

PUBLIC NOTICES

TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

DAVID MORRIS FELDMAN

Case Number: 30-2023-01346521-PR-PW-CMC

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of DAVID MORRIS FELDMAN

A Petition for Probate has been filed by CRISTEN

D. FELDMAN in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE

The Petition for Probate requests that CRISTEN

D. FELDMAN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petitions request authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

a. Date: Oct 26 , 2023 Time: 1:30 p.m. in Dept: CM

6

b. Address of Court: Costa Mesa Justice Complex

, 3390 Harbor Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

The court is providing the convenience to appear for hearing by video using the court’s designated video platform. This is a no cost service to the public. Go to the Court’s website at The Superior Court of California - County of Orange (occourts.org) to appear remotely for Probate hearings and for remote hearing instructions. If you have difficulty connecting or are unable to connect to your remote hearing, call 657-622-8278 for assistance. If you prefer to appear in-person, you can appear in the department on the day/time set for your hearing.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent , you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code . Other California Statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (Form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Robert M. Rasch, Esq, Law office of Robert M. Rasch, APC, 901 Dove St., Ste 120, Newport Beach, CA 92660 PH: (949) 234-6454

Published in: Dana Point Times , September 15, 22, 29, 2023

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

NANCY M. HUDSON

Case Number: 30-2023-01344357-PR-LA-CMC

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of NANCY M. HUDSON

A Petition for Probate has been filed by BRIAN TUCKER in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE

The Petition for Probate requests that BRIAN TUCKER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

a. Date: 10/12/2023 Time: 1:30 p.m. in Dept:

CM06

b. Address of Court: Costa Mesa Justice Complex, 3390 Harbor Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The court is providing the convenience to appear for hearing by video using the court’s designated video platform. This is a no cost service to the public. Go to the Court’s website at The Superior Court of California - County of Orange (occourts.org) to appear remotely for Probate hearings and for remote hearing instructions.

If you have difficulty connecting or are unable to connect to your remote hearing, call 657622-8278 for assistance. If you prefer to appear in-person, you can appear in the department on the day/time set for your hearing.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent , you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code . Other California Statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (Form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250.

A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Kevin A. McKenzie, Swan, Carpenter, Wallis & McKenzie, PC, 26858 Cherry Hills Blvd, Sun City, CA 92586

PH: (951) 672-1881

Published in: Dana Point Times, September 8, 15, 22, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Case No. 30-2023-01347947

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner

Behrang Doktor Momtaz filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

Present Name

BEHRANG DOKTOR MOMTAZ

Proposed Name

BEHRANG MOMTAZ

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing

Date: Nov 01 2023 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: K100 Room: Remote Hearing. The address of the court is: Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the courts website, go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm.)

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Dana Point Times

Date: Sep 11, 2023

JUDGE LAYNE MELZER, Judge of the Superior Court

Published: Dana Point Times September 22, 29, October 6, 13, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

20236671963

The following person(s) is (are) doing business

as:

SILVIA’S HEALTH AND CARE SERVICES

31872 JOSHUA DRIVE APT 10B

TRABUCO CANYON, CA 92694

Full Name of Registrant(s):

SILVIA SANCHEZ ISIDORO

31872 JOSHUA DRIVE APT 10B

TRABUCO CANYON, CA 92694

This business is conducted by an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or Names listed above on: n/a

SILVIA SANCHEZ ISIDORO/s/SILVIA SANCHEZ ISIDORO, MANAGER

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on 09/11/2023.

Published in: Dana Point Times, September 22, 29, October 6, 13, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

20236672173

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as:

OC COAST REAL ESTATE

34302 DEL PRADO #8

DANA POINT, CA 92629

Full Name of Registrant(s):

PARRY MEDIA INC

3300 IRVINE AVENUE SUITE 235 NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660

This business is conducted by a CA Corporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or Names listed above on: n/a

PARRY MEDIA INC/s/PATRICK PARRY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on 09/13/2023.

Published in: Dana Point Times, September 22, 29, October 6, 13, 2023

GARAGE SALES

EMPLOYMENT

Abotts Consulting Inc seeks Business Systems Analyst w/ Master’s in Healthcare, Engg any, Tech or rltd & 1 yr exp to understand end-to-end system architect to determ impact assessmnt for var system design options. Involve in analyz & process data using IBM Mainframe, MS Excel & SQL. Create workflows using SharePoint designer, Nintex, MS Office Tools. Develop reports & tech docs such as FAR, BRD,FRS to design tech protocol details . To create system serv & tech spec docs. $97594/yr salary. Work location is Irvine,CA w/ reqd travel to client locations thru out USA. Please mail resumes to 16755 Von Karman Ave, Ste# 200, Irvine,CA 92606 (OR) e-mail : Angel.Jesudass@abotts.com

FUN IN THE SUN

Dana Hills football rebounds with big air game in afternoon affair

BY ZACH CAVANAGH

Dana Hills football bounced back in a big way in a rare afternoon affair last Thursday, Sept. 14, at Woodbridge High in Irvine.

Senior Noah Kucera torched Woodbridge with 254 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 12 catches, and sophomore quarterback Jace Lowe continued his growth with four touchdown passes and 374 yards in the air, as Dana Hills pulled away from Woodbridge, 32-21.

Dana Hills (3-2) returns home to host Canyon (1-3) for Homecoming on Friday, Sept. 22. Canyon lost at Fountain Valley, 4810, last Thursday.

The Dolphins didn’t necessarily come out with the vigor that a team coming off a huge loss the previous week would be expected to have on Thursday afternoon.

Woodbridge hosted its first-ever on-campus varsity football game, as the Warriors moved their game from last Friday night due to observance of Rosh Hashanah. Normally, Woodbridge plays its home games at University High School, but University and the other Irvine District schools with stadi-

ums also moved their games to Thursday night. So, the Warriors instead opted for a 4 p.m. kickoff at their recently renovated field.

Neither team seemed to have its best focus, combining for 10 turnovers—five by each team. Dana Hills’ turnovers in the second half allowed Woodbridge to inch closer, but the Dolphins stayed on top.

“Kind of a weird atmosphere playing an afternoon varsity game, but we had spurts where we played really well,” Dana Hills coach Tony Henney told the Orange County Register. “We had a chance to put them away, but we gave them life. Give the Woodbridge kids credit for taking advantage of that.”

Woodbridge actually scored on the opening drive of the game and attempted to take the air out of the Dana Hills offense by running the ball effectively and controlling the clock.

However, the Dolphins and Kucera ultimately showcased their skill to take the lead and pull away from the Warriors.

Just two plays and 33 seconds after

The Woodbridge Invitational at the Great Park in Irvine was a national affair, including teams from up and down California, as well as from all over Texas, Nevada, Utah and Washington state.

All races were 3 miles long.

Behind Noonan in the Sweepstakes race were DHHS seniors Logan Harris (58th place), Garrett Woodruff (78th), Joel Brda (119th) and Mike Ayala (140th), as well as sophomore Oliver Hunter (129th).

EVAN NOONAN DOMINATES AT WOODBRIDGE CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC

The Dana Hills boys cross country team’s first full outing at the Woodbridge Invitational on Saturday night, Sept. 16, ended with star junior Evan Noonan being carried off the grass by his teammates after taking first place with his individual performance.

Noonan’s time of 13:41.3 was a personal-best, according to athletic.net, and pushed the defending CIF-SS champions to an eighth-place team finish in the Sweepstakes race.

The next-best finish for Dana Hills was in the Blue Junior/Senior Girls race, in which the Dolphins placed third. Senior Sofie Miller led the charge with a ninth-place finish (19:45.7), with the help of senior Evelyn Lopez (33rd) and juniors Tess Halbert (37th), Mia Brian (51st), and Stephanie Parker (61st).

Dana Hills also had notable finishes in the Blue Senior Boys race (fourth), the Sweepstakes Girls race (11th), the Blue Sophomore Girls race (6th) and the Gold/Blue Novice Girls race (10th).

According to athletic.net, the Dolphins will next compete at the Bob Firman Invitational, from Friday, Sept. 22, to Saturday, Sept. 23, at Idaho’s Eagle

Woodbridge took the early lead, Dana Hills scored on a 48-yard, catch-and-run from Lowe to Kucera. The Dolphins remained behind after a missed extra point, but only temporarily.

Dana Hills turned around a Woodbridge scoring opportunity with a forced fumble by Charlie Eckl and a recovery at the Dolphins’ 19-yard line by Kucera. Two minutes later, Lowe hit Eckl in stride down the right sideline, and Eckl bowled over a Warriors defender on his way to a 46-yard touchdown to give Dana Hills the lead, 12-7.

Eckl caught three passes for 74 yards and a score. Eckl also recovered a fumble in the second half.

Island State Park, and at the Carlsbad Grit & Grind on Saturday.

The girls team will have to compete without coach Olivia Hodges, who resigned from the position on Tuesday, Sept. 19, while in her first season at Dana Hills, according to the Orange County Register.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL STUMBLES AT SAN CLEMENTE, REMAINS ABOVE .500 IN LEAGUE PLAY

Fresh off a South Coast League-opening sweep at Aliso Niguel last week, the Dolphins faced a tough challenge at home against Tesoro on Thursday, Sept. 14, prevailing in a 3-2 decision over the Titans.

The Dolphins remained ranked No. 4 in Division 3 as of the latest poll released on Monday, Sept. 18.

Dana Hills competed in another fiveset battle on the road against rival San Clemente on Tuesday, Sept. 19, this time ending up on the losing side of the 3-2 match.

Late in the first half, Lowe found Kucera streaking up the right side, and the senior receiver coasted by the rest of the Woodbridge defense for a 48-yard touchdown and a two-score lead, 19-7.

Dana Hills denied Woodbridge points before halftime with an interception in the end zone by Dominic Barto. The senior linebacker also led the game in tackles with 14.

In the third quarter, Radley Geiss ran in a touchdown for Dana Hills, and Nikolis Grguric caught a touchdown pass for a 32-7 Dana Hills lead. Woodbridge scored twice in the fourth quarter, but the Dolphins held on for the win. DP

The Dolphins (13-4, 2-1) next welcome San Juan Hills, ranked No. 12 in Division 1 and 2, into their home confines on Thursday, Sept. 21, and then travel to Division 4 No. 1 Capistrano Valley Christian on Monday, Sept. 25. Results from Thursday’s match were not available as of press time.

BOYS WATER POLO STRUGGLES IN SOUTH COAST TOURNAMENT

Dana Hills failed to place in the top 16 at the South Coast Tournament this past weekend, falling in all five matchups against Loyola, Costa Mesa, Woodrow Wilson, Murrieta Valley and San Clemente.

The Dolphins (2-6) managed to keep the score tight in two games, losing, 14-11, to Murrieta Valley on Friday, Sept. 15, and falling, 8-6, to San Clemente on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Dana Hills was scheduled to play at Santa Margarita on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Results were not available as of press time. DP

Dana Hills played in a rare Thursday afternoon game last week, and after an early lull, the Dolphins’ passing game shined in a big win at Woodbridge High School. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

For in-game updates, news and more for all the Dana Hills High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCSports and on Instagram @South_OC_Sports.

HAPPY CALIFORNIA SURFING DAY!

Dana Point Surf Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley share the stoke at Doheny to celebrate California Surfing Day

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

Celebrating California Surfing Day

on Wednesday, Sept. 20, the Dana Point Surf Club and Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley joined forces for an afternoon of fun under the sun at Doheny State Beach.

Sharing the stoke of riding waves with a group of 10- to 16-year-old students who haven’t had much surf time to date, surf club members, including professional surf instructors and certified lifeguards, provided a hugely positive first-time experience for the boys and girls.

Among the first clubs to join the West Coast Board Riders coalition of surf clubs up and down the California coast, the Dana Point Surf Club embodies the true spirit of community that’s a founding principle of the emerging surf club movement.

“We’ve always tried to emphasize community over competition,” explained Dana Point Surf Club President Eric Diamond. “A lot of us have had the good fortune to grow up at the beach and spend our lives surfing, but not everybody in our community has had that opportunity. We want to share it and be inclusive. We want the club to be a force for good that puts service to

GROM OF THE WEEK

COOPER REED

BY JAKE HOWARD

This week, we’d like to say a big aloha to 11-year-old Cooper Reed.

Recently moving to San Clemente from Oahu’s iconic North Shore, Reed landed in town at the right time, as late summer has seen a great run of recent south swell and some nice, warm water—which, hopefully, made the transition from tropical Hawaiian waters to cooler California temps easier for Cooper.

Attending Shorecliffs Middle School, he made his first Western Surfing Association final last weekend. Making the trek north to Ventura, he finished with a very

our community before everything else.”

In 2022, the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club’s “Above and Beyond Gala” recognized the work of the club by honoring Diamond and James Littlejohn, the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, for their community service.

More than 30 volunteers on Wednesday greeted the kids of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley after being picked up after school by the Dana Point Trolley and taken to Doheny Beach so they could get ready for an afternoon in the water.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate California Surfing Day than with this volunteer program. It brings everyone together on the beach to honor our surf legacy here in Dana Point. Plus, by sharing their expertise, our Surf Club members will help to encourage the next generation to experience the thrill of surfing,” said Dana Point Mayor Mike Frost, who was also set to be in attendance on Wednesday afternoon.

“Seeing the beach, feeling the sand between your toes, and catching a good wave is not a luxury that many can afford. That is why the relationship between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley and these community

partners is so important. For many of our youth, it will be the first time they will surf, let alone be at a beach,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley Area Director Gabriella Littlejohn.

Littlejohn added that these events become core memories for the clubs’ youth.

“The confidence they exude standing up for the first time is almost as rewarding as seeing their smiles,” she said.

“It truly takes a village, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley is fortunate for the village that has continued to support our youth in the community and find ways for them to become who they want to be.”

The Dana Point Surf Club worked closely with the City of Dana Point,

Killer Dana Surf Shop, Dana Point Harbor Partners and the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary to turn the vision into a reality.

Big ups to everyone who made it happen. Surfing’s a gift, and to share that gift is what it’s all about. The West Coast Board Riders’ 2023-24 season kicks off this November. Stay tuned for more from the Dana Point Surf Club real soon.

Jake Howard is a local surfer and freelance writer who lives in San Clemente. A former editor at Surfer magazine, The Surfer’s Journal and ESPN, today he writes for several publications, including Picket Fence Media, Surfline and the World Surf League. He also works with philanthropic organizations such as the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center and the Positive Vibe Warriors Foundation. DP

SURF FORECAST

Water Temperature: 66-67 Degrees F

respectable fourth-place result in the Under 12 division.

Quickly settling in at local spots including T-Street and Lowers, Cooper can be found rolling down to surf on his e-bike when he’s not doing the school thing.

Cooper is a stylish, explosive goofy-footer. When he’s not dialing in his bottom-top-turn combos, Cooper’s a hammer in an outrigger canoe. Recently taking the steersman’s seat, the grom’s a full-on, all-around waterman.

If you see Cooper around town or in the water, throw him a shaka, give him a wave and let him feel those epic hometown vibes. . DP

If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com.

Water Visibility: San Clemente: 3-5’

Catalina: 15-20’

Outlook: SSW swell eases Friday for smaller leftovers compared to what Thursday has to offer. Southern Hemi swell is on the tiny side for the weekend but Tropical Storm Kenneth is expected to contribute some small S/SSW swell on Saturday into Sunday. Nothing significant but there should be enough energy running to keep you on the small wave gear. Clean morning conditions expected with moderate surface bump in the afternoons.

This week, the Dana Point Surf Club and Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley were set to team up to celebrate California Surfing Day and share the gift of wave-riding. Photo: Courtesy of JP Van Swae

Cooper Reed. Courtesy of @_ronincastorino

BEN OTTEWELL / IAN BALL (of goMez) 11/8 RODNEY CROWELL

THE YOUNG DUBLINERS

WHICH ONE’S PINK?

WHICH ONE’S PINK?

WISHBONE ASH

& FRIENDS 11/16 LEONID & FRIENDS 11/17 FOGHAT 11/18 ABBAFAB (abba tribute) 11/19 COCO MONTOYA 11/22 QRST (Queen/rush/styx tribute)

11/24 JUMPING JACK FLASH (stones tribute)

11/25 BUFFETT BEACH (JiMMy buffett tribute)

LEE ROCKER

GENE LOVES JEZEBEL BOW WOW WOW

PETTY CASH (toM petty / Johnny cash tribute)

GARY HOEY’S rockin holiDay show

DAVID BENOIT