July 22, 2022 by Dana Point Times

JULY 22-28, 2022 | VOLUME 15, ISSUE 29

L O C A L

N E W S

Y O U

C A N

U S E

INSIDE: Summer Jams Concert Series to Host Moonsville Collective GETTING OUT/PAGE 6

Murphy: Moving Season— Making a List and Checking It Twice

DP LIVING/PAGE 8

Full Steam Ahead

Harbor Revitalization to Get Underway Starting with Construction at Dana Point Marina E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 3

The long-standing plans to revitalize the harbor will soon become a reality, as construction in the marina is expected to begin this month. Photo: Keaton Larson

danapointtimes.com

Council Rejects Short-Term Rental Program for Outside Coastal Zone

CUSD Discusses Next Steps for Dana Hills Renovations

Summer of Golf: Talega Golf Club

EYE ON DP/PAGE 4

EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

SPORTS/PAGE 11

Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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EYE ON DP

Construction will begin on the Marina at the Dana Point Harbor this month and is expected to be completed by November 2028. Photos: Keaton Larson

What’s Up With... expected to last until late 2028, will include the removal and replacement of docks, piles and gangways, Harbor Partners announced last week. Construction will be allowed to take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays. However, the Dana Point Harbor Partners wrote in a notice that it intends to conduct most of the work, particularly the pile driving, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.,

Mondays through Fridays. No construction will take place on Sundays or holidays. The work on the Marina is scheduled to occur over roughly 15 phases, with construction anticipated through November 2028. Bellwether Financial Group, a regional developer, global marina builder and operator, received approval from the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to begin construction on the redevelopment of the marinas in March 2021. Bellwether-owned entity Bellingham Marine will develop and build the marina, while sister company Bellport will oversee operations. The anticipated work comes a few months after the Orange County Board

of Supervisors voted to amend the Dana Point Harbor Partners’ lease, allowing the company to separate plans for a hotel from its marina and commercial projects in the harbor revitalization. The lease previously linked the three projects together, requiring that all three components be in progress at the same time. However, with the Dana Point Harbor Partners having already secured CCC approval for the Marina Redevelopments and the Commercial Core, the lease amendment allows the company to begin construction on the two projects while awaiting approval on the hotel plan. Construction of the hotel and Commercial Core redevelopment portions will follow the Marina project.

The district is currently in the process of “responding to clarifying questions from the Division of State Architect,” Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton explained. “Once this Q&A process is completed, we expect to receive a concurrence letter from the State Architect.” Staff was unsure of how long this process may take. After receiving the concurrence letter, the district will be able to submit the project application with full construction plans to the Division of State Architect. Staff confirmed that taxpayers are not paying for the new building. Instead, state matching monies are funding the project. According to the staff report, the district has applied for about $48.59 million in matching funds and received about $23.98 million so far. Projects to renovate Dana Hills that are eligible for the state matching funds include the new two-story, high school classroom building, solar panel projects, STEAM/STEM buildings and modernization projects.

“I know the timing isn’t what I would like; I want it tomorrow, but that’s probably not going to happen, but I’m encouraged that we are still going forward, and I am really encouraged, Katie, by the groundswell of support from the Dana Hills and the Dana Point community,” Board President Martha McNicholas said. “We need to keep that going through this election cycle and into next year.” Noting the importance of getting funding for safety renovations at Dana Hills, Anderson said that the students and teachers “deserve safe facilities that both inspire and reflect the truly awesome educational experience at Dana.” Trustees had considered placing the measure on this November’s General Election ballot, which would have allowed Dana Point voters to decide whether to levy taxes on property owners so the school’s buildings could be updated to match state seismic safety standards. During its June 17 meeting, however, the Board of Trustees voted, 3-3, pre-

venting the ballot measure from moving forward. The board currently has a vacancy following the departure of Area 2 Trustee Pamela Braunstein. District staff noted on July 13 that there will be future opportunities for a ballot measure in 2024—either for the Primary Election in March or during the November General Elections, which would require a 55% voter approval threshold. The district could also call for a Special Election, during which the ballot measure would need approval from twothirds of the voters to pass. “The disappointment we all felt as we left the meeting has fueled a groundswell of creative ideas and a future action plan that we hope will inspire our community from the ground up,” Anderson said. “Our challenge will be to embrace the amazing resources and partnerships in our community and educate our families about the short-term and long-term vision for Dana Hills,” Anderson said.

TOP NEWS DANA POINT SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK

Construction to Begin on Dana Point Marina BY BREEANA GREENBERG

The Dana Point Harbor Partners’ revitalization plans for the harbor will begin this month, starting with construction of the Marina. Construction, which is

CUSD Discusses Next Steps for Dana Hills Renovations BY BREEANA GREENBERG

After the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees reached an impasse last month over a proposal to pursue another bond measure to fund facility improvements at Dana Hills High School, district officials this week discussed next steps for conducting renovations. According to CUSD staff, the district is in the planning phase of a new two-story classroom addition and is continuing to work on the seismic application for funds. “We are excited about the new building planned for replacing some of our aging portables, and we know it’ll be greatly appreciated by the faculty and students who get to use it,” Dana Hills High School PTA President Katie Anderson said on July 13. Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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EYE ON DP

Council Rejects Short-Term Rental Program for Outside Coastal Zone BY BREEANA GREENBERG, DANA POINT TIMES

week after councilmembers had voted to approve a new short-term rental program that will permit and regulate local vacation rentals in Dana Point’s coastal zone, they failed on Tuesday, July 19, to pass a separate ordinance that would have regulated STRs throughout the rest of the city. In a 3-2 decision, the council voted down the proposed ordinance to regulate vacation rentals outside of the coastal zone. Only Mayor Joe Muller and Councilmember Richard Viczorek voted in favor of the proposal. The failed ordinance would have mirrored the coastal-zone version of the STR program. Had it passed, there would have been a cap of 70 non-primary STR permits, creating a citywide cap of 185 non-primary STRs. “This ordinance, it mirrors what we did last week,” Viczorek said. “What we did last week, when we bifurcated the coastal zone from the non-coastal zone, was to emphasize that we have jurisdiction over the non-coastal zone area.” “What we’re doing tonight is to be consistent with what we were talking about before we made that division, when we were talking about 185 as the number that we were limiting to the non-primary STRs,” Viczorek continued. During the council’s special meeting on July 12, a 3-2 majority, with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Frost and Councilmember Jamey Federico dissenting, voted to approve a coastal development permit that caps the number of permits the city can issue for non-primary STRs at 115 in the coastal zone. Property owners can apply for the non-primary STR permit if they intend to rent out homes other than their primary residence to visitors for fewer than 30 days. In response to the STR program council passed last week, Muller requested staff draft the latest ordinance, according to the city’s staff report. The city currently has 63 non-primary STRs outside of the coastal zone, so the cap of 70 permits would have allowed for seven additional permits. Similar to the program regulating STRs in the coastal zone, the 70-permit cap would reduce by one each time the city issues permits for homestay, multi-family homestay or primary residence STRs. Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

During its July 19 meeting, a week after approving a new short-term rental program that will permit and regulate local vacation rentals in the city’s coastal zone, the City Council failed to pass an ordinance that would have regulated such properties in the remaining parts of town. Photo: Lillian Boyd

Both programs aimed to encourage more homestay, multi-family homestay and primary residence STRs—a variation of rentals in which the owner either lives on-site or is traveling for a short time during a guest’s stay. The coastal zone program did not issue a cap for such permits, and the failed ordinance would not have, either. “This is geared, just as was the case with the coastal development permit, to encourage short-term rentals in the mixed-use parcel scenario, or in the homestay scenario, multi-family homestay or primary residence,” City Attorney Patrick Muñoz said. Muñoz added that these types of short-term rentals are generally less likely to create “nuisance conditions” than non-primary rentals. The proposed ordinance was brought for a first reading on Tuesday night with the intention of not bringing the ordinance back for a second reading, if the ordinance had been passed, until the program regulating STRs in the coastal zone went into effect. “Part of the strategy and the thinking behind all this is to do a first reading now—we have no plan to bring a second reading back at any particular time

yet; the idea is to see what happens with the coastal development permit,” Muñoz said. Muñoz explained during his presentation on the proposed ordinance that the city could have adopted the short-term rental program regulating permits outside of the coastal zone as an urgency ordinance, but decided that it would be in the city’s interest to wait until the coastal zone program gets implemented. With the new coastal STR program approved last week, a Notice of Final Action was sent to the California Coastal Commission, where an appeal may take place. Dana Point Director of Community Development Brenda Wisneski explained during the July 12 meeting that if an appeal occurs, the commission will have 49 days to decide whether it is a “substantial issue.” Federico noted that he believes in property rights and appreciates that the program broke down the types of STRs, allowing homeowners to rent out their residences while traveling or rent out half of their duplex. However, he said he felt that the proposed ordinance should have a cap on all types of STRs, knowing that the council could increase the caps if they’re Page 4

reached. “By having no caps, there’s a lot of risk in that, I think,” Federico said. “What we do tonight not only affects the people who live here today, but it affects the people who might consider moving here or buying here.” “If we have an unlimited number of permits, 10 years from now … we may be encouraging people who want to have vacation rentals, or part-time or second homes moving to our city,” Federico continued. Frost agreed that there should be caps on all types. Frost added that he wants to see more details on enforcement and ensure that there’s adequate enforcement available if the city were to pass a program with no caps on homestays or primary STRs. Muller explained that the reasoning for not capping homestays or primary STRs is that those living on-site should have the right to rent out their property on a short-term basis. “If you live there, you have the right to do with your property what you want to do with it,” Muller said. “If you’re an investor, that’s a very different thing. If you’re going to buy a house and then just do short-term rental on it, you don’t live in town, that’s very different in my mind.” Those living on-site will be the first neighbor to deal with any problems with visitors, Muller added, and there’s enforcement in place for permit holders causing nuisances. Current permit holders, many of whom said they rely on their short-term rentals to afford to live in Dana Point, spoke in favor of allowing vacation rentals in the city. Understanding that current permit holders are concerned with the future of their short-term rental properties, Viczorek noted that these permits will continue to be grandfathered in, both in the absence of a program at the moment and in the event that an ordinance is approved. “The intent is to grandfather those people in; we’re not looking to take away people’s livelihoods for the people who have current STR permits,” Viczorek said. Existing STR permits outside of the coastal zone are still grandfathered in and subject to the city’s business regulations established in the Dana Point Municipal code. DP danapointtimes.com

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Dana Point Times, Vol. 15 Issue 29. 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 2022. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

Education by Karl Reitz

A Fossil Fuel-Free World

ossil fuels have transformed th lives of humans since the beginning of the industrial revolution. They have given us incredible mobility, technological achievements, comfortable homes and products from around the world. We have become so used to their benefits that it is hard to imagine being without them. However, there will come a time when humanity will have to do without fossil fuels. There is a reason fossil fuels are often called non-renewables. Their supply is limited. How humanity deals with the end of fossil fuels leads to drastically different Page 5

futures. Do we use them up until they are gone, or do we leave substantial reserves in the ground? Humans could decide that we should use fossil fuels until the day when the cost of retrieving them is larger than the CITIZENS’ CLIMATE profit that would be EDUCATION derived from their BY KARL REITZ sale. Unfortunately, the result would be a huge increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a dramatic increase in global temperatures. Some estimates of the increase range as high as 20ºC. If this were to happen, most glaciers would melt, the sea level would rise by hundreds of feet, much of the Earth would be unlivable, and a large proportion of the planet’s species would go extinct. We can only imagine a world in which humanity transitions away from fossil fuels as soon as possible. It would be a world in which the air we breathe is free of pollutants, the noise of combustion engines is gone, cities are walkable and resemble forests with trees everywhere, and public trans-

portation is clean and easy to use. Imagine a world where energy is plentiful and its price independent of events halfway around the world. A world where communities everywhere control their own energy sources instead of being held hostage by corrupt corporations and countries. Imagine an energy supply that will last as long as the sun shines and the wind blows. Which scenario would you prefer for your children and grandchildren? I believe that most of us would choose the second. It will take effort and commitment, since powerful forces benefit from the status quo. Our forefathers and mothers had a vision of democracy and freedom that has now spread around the world. I am confident that we will again take a stand for a better world. Karl Reitz, PH.D., is an environmental science educator, a member of the South Orange County Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Education/Lobby, and a retired professor of social sciences from Chapman University. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com.

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GETTING OUT

AT THE MOVIES

‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Not So Thunderous

The List

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

What’s going on in and around town this week Editor’s Pick

DANA POINT TIMES

Get a curated list of the weekend’s best events sent straight to your inbox every Friday! Sign up for The Weekender at danapointtimes.com/weekender

FRIDAY | 22 THE LADIES OF PIAZZA 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Ladies of Piazza—five ladies who appeared in the Cabrillo Playhouse’s season-opening show, The Light in the Piazza—have remained steadfast friends and now perform songs “From Page to Stage.” The Ladies will perform on Friday night and Saturday, July 23. Admission is $28. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. cabrilloplayhouse.org.

SATURDAY | 23 LOW-COST PET VACCINE CLINIC 3:30-5 p.m. Pets Plus San Clemente offers low-cost vaccinations for all dogs and cats every month. All veterinary services are provided by Vet Care Vaccination Services, Inc. Vaccination packages, microchips, physical exams, prescription flea control, fecal exams, and diagnostic testing available on-site. 638 Camino de los Mares, San Clemente. 1.800.988.8387. vetcarepetclinic.com. CHAMPAGNE AND SUNSET SAIL ON THE ‘SCHOONER CURLEW’ 6-8 p.m. The Schooner Curlew, one of Orange County’s oldest yachts, is offering a two-hour romantic sunset champagne cruise on the waters off Dana Point. Tickets are $95 per person and includes champagne, soft drinks, and hors d’oeuvres. Dana Point Harbor, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. fareharbor.com. Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

Photo: Courtesy of Moonsville Collective

FRIDAY | 22 SUMMER JAMS CONCERT SERIES: MOONSVILLE COLLECTIVE 6-8 p.m. Join the Ocean Institute and Music Preserves Foundation for a fun-filled summer night enjoying an outdoor concert, with the harbor and the ocean as the backdrop. The event will feature live music from Moonsville Collective, food trucks and Station Craft Beer. Enjoy learning more about the musicians with Music Preserves Foundation before the show begins and explore touch tanks with Ocean Institute docents. Proceeds for the event will support the two foundations. Tickets are $25. The Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. oceaninstitute.org.

MONDAY | 25

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.

IMPROV MONDAYS WITH BOB BURNS & IMPROV CITY 3-5 p.m. Put on by the San Clemente-based Noble Path Foundation, teens between the ages of 13 and 18 can receive comedy lessons with professional actor Bob Burns & Improv City, where they’ll build confidence, stage presence, a funny bone and a chance to perform at Improv City. Sign up for these Monday classes at thenoblepathfoundation.org/social-activities/. The Noble Path Foundation, 420 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.234.7259.

THURSDAY | 28

TUESDAY | 26 PAINT AND SIP POP-UP CLASS 6-9 p.m. Join Classpop! and enjoy creating a special work of art with the guidance of an esteemed instructor who is eager to share their skills. Tickets are $45. Bella Collina San Clemente, 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente. eventbrite.com.

WEDNESDAY | 27 TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE BREWHOUSE 6:30-8:30 p.m. The BrewHouse hosts a trivia night every Wednesday. Test your Page 6

DANA POINT HARBOR PARTNERS BLOOD DRIVE 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The Dana Point Harbor Partners, in collaboration with American Red Cross, will host a blood drive with the Red Cross Bloodmobile. iHeartYoga will be offering a free yoga class, to be used within 30 days, for each donor on the day of the drive. Donors will also receive a coupon for either a cup of coffee or scoop of ice cream from The Coffee Importers and a tote bag from Killer Dana Surf Shop. To make an appointment, go to redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “DPHP.” Dana Point Harbor, 34521 Golden Lantern Street, Dana Point. BIG KAHUNA KARAOKE 8-11 p.m. Paddy’s Station hosts a karaoke competition every Thursday night in which the winners can take home $100. Sing your heart out at this downtown Irish pub. Contest rules are posted on the pub’s website. Paddy’s Station, 26701 Verdugo Street, Suite B, San Juan Capistrano. 949.661.3400. paddysstation.com.

aika Waititi’s Thor: Love & Thunder almost works as a cautionary tale for what happens when you buy into your own hype as an artist. The writer-director’s brand of wacky humor seemed to work for his previous Marvel sequel Thor: Ragnarok (2017), based on the solid critic and audience reception. What happened to make Love & Thunder not only one of Waititi’s lowest-scored films on Rotten Tomatoes, but also one of Marvel’s? The title, Thor: Love & Thunder, already sounds like a cheeky play on an episode of a 1980s morning cartoon. The use of classic rock music for the soundtrack, as is the case with many MCU movies, also fits. Based off the cast—from Thor regulars such as Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder himself; Natalie Portman as his on-again/offagain flame Jane Foster; Tessa Thompson as soldier-turned-New Asgard leader Valkyrie; and Waititi as sidekick Korg, who is mostly CGI comic relief; to Christian Bale and Russell Crowe joining as two latest big names to appear in an MCU flick—Love & Thunder should make for decent entertainment. Even so, the underwhelming posts and tweets continue this week on social media. Well, here’s my take. Picture the familiar cliché of the hotshot quarterback who wins the big game at the end of the school year and is going steady with the prom queen to his prom king. You know, the one in which said big shot peaks in high school and never fully recovers or moves on? That’s Thor in Love & Thunder. He helped save the universe with the Avengers and is now just coasting along defeating local threats and dangers. The Guardians of the Galaxy are even dodging his contributions to the superhero team, and he’s still pining over Jane, who is seemingly occupied with her huge success as a scientist and author. This new portrayal of Thor is lovingly played for laughs at the hero’s expense, but I actually found it mostly cringeworthy and missing the mark. Portman and Thompson are awesome as Jane and Val ready to kick butt, yet are sidelined often for the male lead. Crowe has an amusing cameo as Zeus, though one has to wonder what accent he was going for during that sequence, while most of Bale’s screen time is wasted as a knockoff of Harry Potter’s Voldemort. Some parts of Love & Thunder showed potential, such as a scene in “The Shadow Realm” where the film suddenly turns to black-and-white. But as of July 2022, I would officially rather watch completely fresh, original stories or my favorite movies again over anything new in the MCU. DP danapointtimes.com

Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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DP LIVING

GUEST OPINION | Life’s a Beach

by Shelley Murphy

Moving Season Making a List and Checking It Twice

ecently, I learned the months from May to September are considered “Moving Season.” It makes sense. Summertime sees incoming freshmen head to college, families relocate before the school year, and recruits start jobs in diverse cities. For some, moving day is as magical as rainbows and unicorns; for others, it’s a struggle to survive—most often, I find, it’s a mix of both. Moving requires planning, and I like a good organizational project; but strategizing my older son’s move to his college dorm proved tricky. I was naïve and adhered to “helpful” lists of must-have items and illusory dorm deals. Before my son’s first day of class, I’d exhausted my storage space and

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Mary

learned a costly lesson. Yes, a teen trading their childhood bedroom for a communal dormitory requires certain necessities, but not the copious quantities that retailers proclaim. A bit wiser when my younger son left for college, I bypassed LIFE’S A BEACH the merchandisBY SHELLEY MURPHY ing madness and mocked advertisers declaring,“The 25 Bestselling Dorm Essentials for Freshmen.” I recommend parents peruse must-have dorm lists with a grain of salt, preferably placed around the rim of a margarita.

test day of the year. It’s a challenge to keep calm when an already overwhelming day is exacerbated by the sweltering sun. That said, parents may find it helpful to bring along these items: 1. Patience 2. Sense of humor (not dad jokes, but fun levity) 3. Sunglasses/Kleenex (nonnegotiable) 4. Refillable filtered water bottle 5. Athletic shoes to scale stairwells while others wait in elevator lines stretching to the parking lot. I empathize with parents planning, packing and preparing for a child to fly from the nest. This summer, I count myself among this group, again. I’m not sending a freshman off to college. Instead, my younger son’s employer is moving him to the Bay Area. Prior to last month, I believed my moving days were behind me. But long story short, soon I’ll be back at the wheel of a U-Haul truck tweaking gigantic rearview mirrors and rigid cab cushions. I’ve driven rental trucks dozens of times to move my boys back and forth. Most trips were unremarkable, except for the U-turn across a median that snarled traffic in a busy San Diego intersection. My most memorable move was last summer—it was supposed to be my swan song. After a backbreaking day of moving, I

Back in the day, I found five essential items that benefited my boys: 1. A mix of extension cords and surge protectors 2. An arctic air oscillating fan 3. A basic toolkit (Truth told, upon moving out in May, my older son discovered the kit and said,“I forgot I had this.”) 4. A twin XL mattress topper. The college-issued two-inch plastic mattress belongs in an inmate’s jail cell, not a freshman’s dorm room. 5. Shower shoes. The bathroom’s proximity is irrelevant—the floors aren’t for the faint of heart. Every year, dorm move-in day is the hot-

slid my tired sweaty self into the truck’s cab, turned the key and started the ignition. As I drove down the street, my exhaustion morphed into elation. I turned up the truck’s radio and rejoiced—it hit me; never again would I be that sucker (er, parent) bouncing down the freeway in the scorching summer sun hauling my kid’s cargo. The time had come to trade my trucker hat for well-deserved manicures. But, ah, never say never. This summer, as kids travel to college, I’ll reunite with my trucker hat and reenter the convoy, 10-4. The countdown is on, and moving day is fast approaching. Soon, I’ll be among the misty-eyed moms and dads weathering another heartwarming and heartbreaking milestone. While moving day is physically arduous and exhausting work, it’s not the toughest task a parent faces. The most difficult struggle of the day is finding the strength to say goodbye. For more than 20 years, Shelley Murphy and her husband have lived in San Clemente, where she raised her two sons. She’s a freelance writer and has been a contributor to Picket Fence Media since 2006. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com.

DANA POINT TIMES

This pretty kitty is Mary, a 5-year-old sweetie just looking for her purrfect match. Apart from her silky grey fur, she has a winning personality and is quite friendly and attentive. There’s just something about Mary; once you meet her, you’re sure to fall in love. If you are interested in adopting Mary, please visit petprojectfoundation.org 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 BY MYLES MELLOR

Photo: Courtesy of OC Public Libraries

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

FROM THE ARCHIVES Pictured are Wilfred and Anne Mur-

ray of Los Angeles, with Lucy and Simon Healy of San Diego at Capistrano Beach in the early 1920s. Anne and Lucy were sisters, and the two couples would meet about halfway between their houses.

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@picketfencemedia.com.

See the solution in next week’s issue.

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Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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ARE YOU HAPPY? Let us assist you in creating a life plan for the life & relationships you want & deserve. Body Mind Spirit, 949.248.7377, bodymindspirit.com CAFE - DELI

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar 34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, coffeeimporters.com

Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

COFFEE SHOP

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar 34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, coffeeimporters.com

ICE CREAM

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar 34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

State Farm/Elaine LaVine 34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, elainelavine.net

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS

SUMMER OF GOLF

Talega Golf Club Provides Great Golf, Lacks Extra Value The Summer of Golf examines the sport’s post-pandemic popularity boom at local courses in South Orange County and showcases the play of each course through the eyes of our resident normal, below-average new golfer.

Talega Golf Club does provide a pleasurable golf experience from its rolling fairways into the canyons of San Clemente to the joy of simply driving the cart around the course, but does the rest of the experience provide enough value for the price? Photos: Zach Cavanagh BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

he course at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente has so much going for it. The Fred Couples “signature” championship course is one of the best tracks to play in all of Orange County with its acres of rolling fairways leading back into the canyons of San Clemente. There truly isn’t a bad hole in the bunch, as even the holes a below-average golfer would call “bad” offer unique designs and challenges. The greens are soft as pool-table felt. The fairways offer plenty of run for a rolling ball—a great help to the below-average player. The water features are picturesque and stunningly designed. The hazards of the water, sand bunkers or out of bounds areas aren’t all that intrusive, which all in all makes for quite the pleasurable round. Adding to the pleasure, it might just be the best driving course in South Orange County. Not driving as in hitting out of the tee box. Driving as in driving the golf cart. That’s not to be silly, either. Talega features the smoothest cartpath-to-fairDana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

way and fairway-to-cartpath transitions out of any of the courses played so far, and the sometimes-lengthy journeys between holes along the winding paths that traverse the canyons provide a certain bit of joy. That’s not to be minimized, considering how much time is spent in the cart in any given round. Speaking of the cart, while it is a fairly regular cart, each comes equipped with a GPS navigator that is able to give all the major yardage markers to help your round, as well as track your drive distance, keep tabs on pace of play and provide warnings when the group ahead is lingering in a blind spot. Each cart also has its own side cooler, which is helpfully filled with ice ahead of each round. Now, while this Summer of Golf series has been mostly positive or at the very least understanding of some circumstances, there are some things at Talega Golf Club that diminished the experience, despite the great play of the actual course. When it comes to amenities for the golfers, the navigation system and iced cooler on the cart are sort of where they

start and stop. For this round, there was a stop at the Signature Grill deli window, but in order to keep up with the pace of play, there was no food purchase made. There was also no beverage cart for this 7:20 a.m. Tuesday morning round, no bag drop despite the sign for it, and while there is a detached driving range, it is a drive away from the clubhouse, and it wasn’t open yet for that time in the morning. That comes back to a question posed in earlier installments of this series: Is the course worth its value? Weekday morning rounds at Talega are $105, with cheaper fees in the afternoon and much cheaper fees in the twilight rounds. Morning tee times for this Friday are $120, and morning and early afternoon tee times for Saturday and Sunday are $135. Was the experience worth that value? While the golf itself was wonderful, I don’t know if the full experience works up to that value. Maybe it was just my one-day experience. Readers may notice there are no comments from course management in this story, as there were in others, but Page 11

efforts were made to get in contact. The cashier at the pro shop mentioned the course was a bit understaffed, and maybe that points to the experience or why I couldn’t connect with course management. Beyond all that, how does this well-maintained canyon course play? The Round Progress has been made, dear readers. My round at Talega Golf Club was my best scored round in my short history of playing golf. From the 6,187-yard, par-72 white tees, I shot a 33-over-par 105. My previous best was a 107 at Oso Creek Golf Course in Mission Viejo in November; however, that was a round of 47-over-par on a 3,670-yard par-60. There were two huge factors for me here. First, my intermediate game came to play. As noted before, I don’t have the biggest swinging driver of the bunch, and while it’s certainly become a more consistent and reliable swing, it still doesn’t go so far. On longer holes, the strokes add up when you’re topping 4-irons 25 yards at a pop. I found a groove with my 3-wood, which allowed me to make up quite a bit of ground. Second, my short game became acceptable. I don’t even want to say “decent,” because there were certainly missteps. However, my mentality about it became better. I took a “nice and easy” approach to chipping, which didn’t always work out, but I wasn’t hopping back and forth over the green. Then, on the green, I tallied only four 3-putts with an extremely consistent run of 2-putts, even while adjusting to the quickness of the wet morning greens and the slower rolls of the soft daytime greens. It’s those little things that add up to shave strokes off your score and salvage bad holes in other spots. For example, I had only one true “blow-up” score, which came on No. 13. It’s a monstrous 597-yard, par-5 with a split fairway. It was just a long, long, long hole, where I lost my ball and 3-putted on the soft green for a quintuple-bogey—a 10. However, my two pars of the round on No. 12 and No. 14, sandwiched around the bad hole on No. 13, limited the damage overall. Overall, outside of No. 13, the rest of the holes were a pleasure to play. The challenges were fun, not frustrating. The back nine, in particular, provides those challenges, but even something like aiming blindly over the trees on No. 15 and toward a 100-foot flag marking the landing zone was a thrill. Moral of the story: keep swinging away. Keep fine-tuning that game. Keep playing. Eventually, certain things lock into place, or at the very least, you get lucky, which is better than being good, honestly. DP danapointtimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: Donald Michael Doyle, aka Donald M. Doyle, aka Donald Doyle Case Number: 30-2022-01239328-PR-PW-CJC To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of Donald Michael Doyle, aka Donald M. Doyle, aka Donald Doyle A Petition for Probate has been filed by Becky Mathisen in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE. The Petition for Probate requests that Becky Mathisen be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The Petitions 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: Sep 15, 2022 Time: 1:30 p.m. in Dept: C8 b. Address of Court: 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (1) 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. Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

Attorney for petitioner: PAUL D. VELASCO, ESQ., VELASCO LAW GROUP Address: 333 W. BROADWAY, STE 100, LONG BEACH, CA 90802 Telephone: (562) 432-5541 Published in: Dana Point Times, July 22, 29, August 5, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PATRICIA WESTERMAN Case Number: 30-2022-01267456-PR-PW-CJC To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will and or estate, or both, of PATRICIA WESTERMAN A Petition for Probate has been filed by SUZANNE SMIGLIANI in the Superior Court of California, County of ORANGE. The Petition for Probate requests that SUZANNE SMIGLIANI 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 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: August 31, 2022 Time: 1:30 p.m. in Dept: C08 b. Address of Court: 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (1) 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.

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: Paul W. Smigliani, 6265 Greenwich Drive, Suite 201, San Diego, CA 92122 Ph: (949)266-0402 Published in: Dana Point Times, July 15, 22, 29, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE LIEN SALE: Date of Sale: 08/03/2022 Time of Sale: 10:00am Place of Sale: Trilogy Cleaning / Maintenance, 850 N Lacy St, Santa Ana CA 92701 1995 Yamaha Jetski HULL# YAMA1078E595 CF# 7294NR Exp: 12/31/2005 1985 Zeman Boat Trailer VIN# 1ZCS14012SW274389 Lic# 1FH8210 Exp: 06/30/2007 PUBLIC NOTICE SUPERIOR COURT OF BULLOCH COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA CIVIL ACTION NUMBER SUDR2022000119 WOODARD, JOSEPH ALLEN, II PLAINTIFF VS. NGUYEN, CHRISTINE Tran, Richard Mr. DEFENDENTS SUMMONS TO: TRAN, RICHARD MR. You are hereby summoned and required to file with the Clerk of said court and serve upon the Plaintiff ’s attorney, whose name and Address is: Robert M. Mock, Jr. Robert M. Mock, Jr., Attorney at Law, LLC 11 Courtland Street

Post Office Box 923 Statesboro, Georgia 30459 An answer to the complaint which is herewith served upon you, within 30 days after service of this summons upon you, exclusive of the day of service. If you fail to do so, judgement by default will be taken against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. This 15th day of April, 2022 Clerk of the Superior Court, Heather Banks McNeal, Clerk, Bulloch County, Georgia Published in Dana Point Times: July 8, 15, 22, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 22FL000510 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner JENNIFER MARIE GUITRON and RYAN DANIEL BANKS NORRIE on behalf of KIRRA LYNN GUITRON a minor, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name KIRRA LYNN GUITRON Proposed Name KIRRA LYNN NORRIE 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: 07/27/2022 Time: 1:30 pm. Dept: L74. Room: REMOTE. The address of the court is Lamoreaux Justice Center, 341 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868. GO TO WWW.OCCOURTS. ORG/DIRECTORY/FAMILY FOR REMOTE/IN PERSON HEARING INFORMATION. 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: 06/07/2022 JUDGE JULIE A. PALAFOX, Judge of the Superior Court Published: Dana Point Times, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 2022

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 Page 12

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Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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DP SURF

Let’s Keep It Clean Surfrider issues its Beach Cleanup Report with record-breaking findings BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

arlier this summer, San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation released its 2021 Beach Cleanup Report, and the results were record-breaking. It was the third time the environmental organization has released such a report, and last year it officially supported 1,230 cleanups around the United States, with 573 of them taking place in California. “As the U.S. began to reopen in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic guidance, our communities worked to navigate the realities of the new landscape,” Surfrider’s Jennifer Hart said. “With opportunities to attend in-person cleanups and continue to host solo cleanups, we were able to engage people on every level.” Surfrider has had a longtime goal of topping 1,000 cleanups around the country, and by hosting more than 1,200 in 2022, it broke its own record. It also nearly doubled the number of volunteers who participated, as well as the total weight of trash collected during the cleanups.

With more than 130,000 cigarette butts picked up around U.S. beaches in 2021, it was the No. 1 piece of trash found in Surfrider Foundation’s annual Beach Cleanup Report. Photo: Courtesy of Surfrider

All told, 15,864 volunteers helped remove more than a half-million pieces of trash from U.S. beaches weighing nearly a collective 170,000 pounds. By a large majority, the item most commonly picked up at the Surfrider beach cleanups was cigarette butts. The report indicates that 136,736 cigarette butts were removed from U.S. beaches, while coming in a distant second were small plastic fragments, with 67,729 pieces of waste removed. Other items making the top 10 were food wrappers, rope, plastic bottle caps and plastic straws. “From reigniting the sense of togetherness through new in-person events, to incredible multi-state grant opportunities to expand plastic pollution reduction work, the beach cleanup program provided a channel for activists to come together and join forces to leave special places better

than how we found them,” Hart said. As these beach cleanups get studied and analyzed, one thing that Surfrider has noticed is the prevalence of balloon pollution. Next to cigarette butts, mylar balloons are a personal pet peeve of mine. I see them on the beach and in the water fairly regularly, and it’s infuriating. The mylar balloons don’t break down and wreak serious havoc on marine life. Surfrider has gone so far as to create a Balloon Policy Toolkit to help with developing laws and regulations that make sense. “Balloon pollution is harmful to humans, wildlife and the planet, and just within the last six years, nearly 9,000 balloons have been collected during Surfrider beach cleanups,” Hart said. Perhaps surprisingly, balloons are big business. A report issued by Orbis

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SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

LUKE WYLER BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

Luke Wyler. Photo: Courtesy of NSSA

Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

Research noted that balloon sales worldwide are expected to top $877 million by 2025. Sales in the U.S. are on the up and up, with more than $132 million in 2018. In 1990, California enacted the Balloon Law to help regulate the sale of balloons. “Most people realize we shouldn’t litter—that’s what balloon releases are, just litter. Just another wasteful single-use product,” Danielle Vosburgh, co-founder of Balloons Blow, told pewtrusts.org. Surfrider’s Beach Cleanup Report is compiled not to shame certain industries, but rather highlight the pollution problems U.S. beaches are facing to hopefully create solutions that work for everyone. “By collecting data during cleanups, we can get detailed information about top littered items and use this data to influence policies at local, state and national levels,” Hart said. In a conversation with The Surfer’s Journal’s Steve Pezman some years ago, he explained how if every surfer picked up a few pieces of trash after they were done surfing, the beaches would be happier places—and cleaner. It doesn’t take much time, and as the old adage goes, many hands make less work. As Surfrider has proved with its report, we all have a role to play, and we can all make an impact. Jake Howard is 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 a number of 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

ig ups to San Clemente’s Luke Wyler, who took out the Air Show at the recent NSSA National Championships in Huntington Beach. This marks his first NSSA national title. A creative, stylish regular-footer, Wyler’s grown up among the best and brightest at Lowers, and all that water time paid off with the big result. He’s also started dipping his toes in the water at the WSL Qualifying Series events, where’s he’s gaining some invaluable experience. A few months back, Wyler headed down to Mainland Mexico with Hayden

Rodgers and Cannon and Carson Carr to get some warm-water training in those epic south-of-the-border pointbreaks. The crew scored great waves and illustrated why this next generation is going to start shaking up the establishment really soon. Soaking it all in, Wyler also logged some time on the North Shore of Hawaii last winter. Almost as comfortable pulling into the barrel as he is launching above the lip, Wyler’s quickly becoming a brilliant all-around surfer, dangerous in any and all conditions. Representing Rip Curl on the nose of his board, Wyler’s been riding shapes from Timmy Patterson for a while now, and they’re looking great under his feet. Big things are on the way. If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com. DP

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Water Temperature: 64-66 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 6-8 Outlook: More southerly swell moves in for Friday, setting up chest to head high waves, (4-5’). The swell peaks by the weekend, with chest high to a foot overhead surf, (4-6’), Saturday through Sunday morning. The waves slowly fade Sunday afternoon. Friday and the weekend have light/variable winds for most of the morning, shifting to a light+ sea breeze in the afternoons.

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Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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Dana Point Times July 22-28, 2022

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