February 12, 2020

LO C A L

N EWS

February 12-18, 2021

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Cross Country Triumphantly Returns to Competition PAGE 13 VOLUME 14, ISSUE 7

Taking Inventory

Biennial Homeless Count Canceled for 2021 E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 5

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, most counties across the state have canceled their biennial Point-in-Time Counts to survey how many homeless are living unsheltered on the streets.

Photo: File

Dr. Keany Discusses Flu Rates, Drop in COVID Cases EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Public Agencies, Prevention Advocates Discuss Suicides During Pandemic EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

danapointtimes.com

Festival of Whales 2021 Logo Design Selected EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

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Dana Dana Point Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week

Festival of Whales Names 50th Anniversary Logo Design Winner THE LATEST: Lynlea Michaels wanted to capture the exhilaration one feels when they first lay eyes on a whale in the ocean.

She drew on her past whale watching experience, most recently in Hawaii, just ahead of the lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“You feel this sense of freedom,” Michaels said. “Obviously, whales are not animals we get the privilege of interacting with very often. If you’re an animal lover, there’s this amazing feeling that comes when you see such an incredible being.”

Michaels used pencil, pen and Adobe Illustrator to design her submission for the Festival of Whales’ 50th anniversary logo contest. The festival’s foundation announced this month that Michaels is the winner, and her logo will become the official logo of the Festival of Whales’ golden anniversary celebration. This year’s event is set for March 6—a departure from the traditional two-weekend format, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“For this design, I wanted to capture the energy of the ocean and the thrill of seeing such amazing animals playing and enjoying the California sun,” Michaels said. “The groovy text and mid-century colors give a nod to Dana Point’s history as a thriving surf community and the city’s eclectic vibes.”

Michaels’ design was the top vote-getter from among 72 entries in the January public online voting period.

Michaels, an Irvine resident, is a local designer and artist specializing in costume design and fashion illustration. She studied fashion and media in New York City before embarking on several years of world travel and exploration. Now back in Southern California, she is pursuing an advanced degree in Costume Design from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Michaels’ win cements her place in the Dana Point Festival of Whales’ halfcentury-long history, placing her among a distinguished and talented group of logo designers including local amateur artists, Dana Hills High School art students and internationally known professional artists such as John Van Hamersveld and Wyland.

“I was really surprised and honored to learn I had won,” Michaels said. “There were Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

Lynlea Michaels, of Irvine, designed the winning logo for the Festival of Whales’ 50th anniversary logo contest. Graphic: Lynlea Michaels

a lot of entries that were awesome. I was thrilled. It’s such an honor to have my work shown in that capacity for such a prolific festival. I feel like I’m being part of history.”

The winning logo will appear on Festival of Whales 2021 promotional materials including logo merchandise, print and digital media advertising, the official event program, event signage and news media.—Lillian Boyd

Coronavirus Death Rate Takes Positive Turn as State Nears 5 Million Vaccinations THE LATEST: As the state approaches 5 million coronavirus vaccine doses administered, the COVID-19-related death rate in the state and in Orange County is finally trending downward, matching the continued declines in case rate, transmission rate and hospitalizations based on the state’s reported numbers on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

The state reported it had administered 4.9 million vaccine doses, including a total of 408,645 in Orange County as of Tuesday. Orange County, which reports its vaccine numbers weekly on Thursday, said it had administered 196,360 first doses and 91,978 second doses as of Feb. 2.

For the first time in nearly two months, the death rate declined in the state and locally after setting record highs shortly after the new year.

Statewide, the 14-day daily new death average has gone down 2.7% in the past 14 days, from an average 510.0 deaths per day to 496.4. Last week, the state average had increased 9.4% in the previous 14 days. In Orange County, the 14-day daily average

has gone down by 0.3% in the past 14 days, from an average 44.2 deaths per day to 43.9. Last week, the county average had increased 24.2% in the previous 14 days.

In the state’s four-tiered, color-coded coronavirus monitoring system, Orange County’s numbers continued to improve in the state’s weekly tier update on Tuesday, but the county remained high in the highest-risk purple “widespread” tier.

Daily new cases per 100,000 residents continued to dip, as the metric dropped to an adjusted 29.4 daily new cases per 100,000, down from the 39.0 new cases last week, 46.6 new cases two weeks ago and a record 78.8 new cases per 100,000 on Jan. 12. The threshold for the purple tier is 7.0.

The state reports an adjusted case rate, which is adjusted for the volume of testing. The unadjusted rate is 29.7 daily new cases per 100,000, down from 43.1 last week and from 66.1 two weeks ago.

The county saw a drop in its testing positivity—the share of swab and saliva tests coming back positive—as the countywide number dipped to 9.4% from last week’s 10.9%. The metric was at 12.9% two weeks ago. The threshold for the purple tier is 8%.

The county’s health equity positivity rate was reported at 12.4%, down from last week’s 13.9% and the 16.6% of two weeks ago. The threshold for the purple tier is 8%. The health equity rate measures the testing positivity in a county’s low-income and more racially diverse neighborhoods.

There are still 53 counties in the purple tier, two in the red “substantial” risk tier, and three counties in the orange “moderate” risk tier. One county (Del Norte) dropped from purple to red.

Statewide, the testing positivity continues its sharp drop as well, with a 5.6% 14-day testing positivity rate in California,

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the state’s lowest number since Nov. 22.

It’s a decrease from last week’s 7.2% 14-day average and the 9% of two weeks ago.

Those dropping positivity rates are good news for the state’s hospital system, for which the outlook continues to improve.

The Southern California region is now at an adjusted 10.6% available ICU capacity.

Based on the state’s four-week projection model, Southern California is set to be at 46.3% ICU availability on March 8.

Hospitalizations again saw even larger decreases than the week before, with a 35.5% decrease statewide over the past 14 days and a 25.5% decrease in ICU patients over the past 14 days. California has its lowest number of hospitalizations since Dec. 7 and lowest number of ICU patients since Dec. 14.

As of Tuesday, Orange County hospitalizations had decreased 36.9% in the past 14 days, and ICU patients had decreased 25.9% over the past 14 days. The county is at its lowest number of hospitalizations since Dec. 9 and lowest number of ICU patients since Dec. 16.—Zach Cavanagh

Public Agencies, Prevention Advocates Discuss Suicides During Pandemic THE LATEST: As mental health remains a concern during the COVID-19 health crisis, public agencies in Orange County shared suicide statistics for 2020 and previous years with The Capistrano Dispatch, after an informational inquiry.

The preliminary number of suicides was 273 in Orange County during 2020. The number of countywide suicides was 336 in 2019, 370 in 2018, and 328 in 2017. Health officials and mental health advocates stress the “preliminary” aspect of the 2020 numbers.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not seen an increase in deaths attributed to suicide by the (county) coroner,” said Mark Lawrenz, division manager for Prevention and Intervention Behavioral Health Services with the OC Health Care Agency (OCHCA). “However, it is important to note that there is a significant lag in the final reporting of this data due to investigation and reporting requirements.”

Officials with OCHCA and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department also provided individual data for Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, which collectively accounted for 19 of the total recorded suicides in 2020.

In San Juan, the number of residents who committed suicide is currently nine in 2020, six in 2019, and two in 2018. In Dana Point, the number is five in 2020 and 2019, and three in 2018. In San Clemente, the number is five in 2020, seven in 2019, and 17 in 2018.

The age group with the highest number of suicides in 2020 in the tri-city area was (Cont. on page 4) danapointtimes.com

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(Cont. from page 3) the 55-64 age group, with seven suicides. The 0-17, 18-24, and 25-34 age groups each had one suicide in 2020 among all three cities.

Broken down by gender, the number of men who committed suicides in 2020 largely outnumbered the women by roughly 3-to-1. According to the data, 14 men took their own lives, compared to the five women who committed suicide.

That disparity was particularly felt in both San Clemente and San Juan, where a dozen of the suicides occurred among men. In Dana Point, the suicides in 2020 were generally split evenly between men and women.

Lawrenz said while OCHCA cannot predict the future trend, they are aware of the emotional impact that the coronavirus outbreak is having on the community.

“The increased stresses due to the pandemic puts the community at greater risk of mental health problems, and increased risk for suicide,” Lawrenz said. “There is a part for all of us to play in preventing suicides. Take some time to learn about the risk factors, warning signs of suicide and the words to use to start a conversation with someone that you are concerned about at suicideispreventable.org.”

San Juan Capistrano resident Jim Taylor—a notable mental health and suicide prevention advocate—said current coroner statistics do show a decrease in deaths by suicide in Orange County compared to 2019, but those numbers are a snapshot of where we are today in closed cases, and there are a substantial number of deaths still under investigation.

“Please also factor in a 58% increase over last year in the unplanned accidental death category,” Taylor said. “Those include illicit or prescription overdoes and ethanol toxicity deaths.”

Taylor attributes much of the steady decline from 2015 through 2019 in county suicides to the grassroots outreach by suicide prevention advocates, such as high school groups including The Green Ribbon Club, Taylor said.

“In addition, the county has been very proactive in their efforts to improve mental health in our communities,” Taylor said. “Reducing the stigma of suicide has gone a long way towards encouraging people to talk about it, recognize the signs and either avail themselves of resources or to assist others in getting help.”

Taylor encourages people to be proactive in reaching out to family members and friends who are at risk for self-harm and suicide and getting them to someone who can help, which may be a therapist, interventionist, the Prevention Lifeline, or 911, depending on the level of urgency.

“If you are having thoughts of suicide, please know that your life matters,” Taylor said.

Additional resources to reach out for help include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255 (TALK); the Crisis Chat Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

Dana Point

TOTAL CASES

COVID-19 UPDATES as of 2/10/21

cases

deaths

TOTAL

1,376

27

330

13

LAST 30 DAYS

LAST 30 DAYS

est. population • 34,000 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for daily local & county statistics. Source: Orange County Health Care Agency

at didihirsch.org/chat; the OC WarmLine phone number at 877.910.9276 (WARM); and OC WarmLine Live Chat at namioc.org.

The deaf and hard of hearing can access the Crisis Text by texting HEARME to 839863. OC WarmLine can also be accessed by text at 714.991.6412.—Collin Breaux

Dr. Keany Discusses Flu Rates, Drop in COVID-19 Cases THE LATEST: James Keany, the associate director of the Emergency Department at Mission Hospital, barely saw any flu cases this recent winter season.

“The whole country is green—meaning minimal activity—as far as flu,” Keany said, citing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The minimal number of flu cases during the COVID-19 pandemic is a drastic decrease compared to past seasons, Keany said. As to why, he mentioned the concept of viral interference—meaning when a new virus takes over, it can potentially block out another virus.

Recommended health guidelines to prevent COVID-19 transmissions could also be halting a flu outbreak.

“The fact that we’re all doing a better job of washing our hands, wearing masks, and social distancing is probably reducing the flu,” Keany said.

Asked how health care professionals can tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19, Keany said COVID-19 has unique symptoms, including a loss of taste and/or smell. Medical professionals usually look for COVID-19 as the first thing wrong in a patient, given it’s the major illness out there, he said.

A specialized swab test that does four tests at once—for influenza A, influenza B, COVID-19, and respiratory viral infections—is also used.

“The main way we tell the difference this way, now, is through testing,” Keany said.

Keany also addressed the recent drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU cases in Orange County. Keany confirmed there has been a sharp decline in cases, adding that other people note conditions seem to be better.

“We’re not getting as many new cases,” Keany said.

However, Keany did note the pandemic still challenges ICU capacity, given an average case can mean an approximate 25-day stay in the ICU, and that long-term care facilities are overwhelmed.

“We have some people that are going to need lung transplants to survive,” he said.

Keany said the stay-at-home order issued for Southern California, which has since been lifted, was a factor in the drop.

If everyone wore masks and socially distanced, a stay-at-home order wouldn’t have to be issued—and it takes just a minority of people not following health guidelines to endanger others, he said.

“The more people interact, the more cases we get,” Keany said. “Closing businesses is not what stops COVID. Social distancing is what stops it.”—CB

Saddleback College Removes Gauchos Mascot, Calls for New Ideas THE LATEST: After more than a decade of calls for removal, Saddleback College has officially dropped the Gaucho as the school’s mascot, which many saw as a racist and misappropriated representation.

The Gaucho, which has been the Mission Viejo school’s mascot since its founding in 1968, is an Argentinian cowboy. However, many felt the logo of a cartoon cowboy—which featured a large black mustache, sombrero, large nose and crazed expression—was a racist Mexican caricature.

“We pride ourselves on being welcoming for all, for being inclusive,” Saddleback College President Elliot Stern said in a

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letter to the community, “and for helping you meet your educational goals by making sure you know how much we care about you in every interaction. Our mascot inflicted a sense of otherness on those we care about. We cannot look our brothers and sisters in the eyes, having heard their stories, and turn away, or cling to history or tradition.”

Saddleback is now accepting new ideas for the school’s mascot through March 2.

Students, employees, alumni and community members are encouraged to submit ideas at saddleback.edu/mascot.

Students and faculty had been calling for modification or removal of the Gaucho mascot since at least 2010. In 2018, the school stopped using the Gaucho logo, and images of the logo were being removed from the campus through 2019.

In 2020, the college had been in the process of redesigning a new Gaucho logo, so as to keep the name, and online community discussions about the mascot were held in September. However, after faculty members formed a “Retire the Gaucho” group and more than 200 signatures were gathered for a petition for the mascot’s removal, Saddleback decided to remove the name altogether and start anew.

“Your fellow students and my Latinx colleagues who shed tears and told of their pain at our open forums over the last few months were not the first to do so,” Stern said in the letter.

“We heard of their embarrassment and humiliation, and how our mascot reminded them, each time it appeared, that they were seen at this college not as different but as other, not as part of a culture we appreciated, but a culture that was lesser, so much so that our predecessors depicted the proud horseman of the Pampas plains in South America as a mad Mexican cowboy.”

In a release on Feb. 2, Saddleback listed three main points for the Gaucho’s removal.

First, the Gaucho was a “cultural misappropriation that dishonored a symbol of South American culture.” Second, the depiction of the Gaucho as an “angry, racist caricature that relied on stereotypes and tropes” was in contrast to Saddleback’s status as a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution of which 30% of employees and students are Latinx.

Third, the school said the Gaucho was a representative of “all-male culture” and did not provide equal representation of its female athletes and women, which make up 60% of Saddleback students.

On the Saddleback website, criteria for the new mascot include being unifying for the school and community, a positive image for enthusiasm and spirit, broadly relevant across the community, representative of the “Saddleback experience, history or geography, either generally or specifically,” represented in a visually pleasing way and work equally for women’s and men’s sports teams.—ZC danapointtimes.com

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Taking Inventory Biennial Point-in-Time Count Canceled for 2021

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO, DANA POINT TIMES

U

pon arriving for work the morning of Jan. 28, the head of San Clemente’s senior center began to make her rounds, cleaning the exterior of the building. It was in front of the facility where she discovered the body of a homeless man whom she’d known for years, lying motionless.

She had reached to check for the man’s pulse, merely to confirm what she had already suspected before calling 911.

“I knew (he was deceased) even before I did it,” Beth Apodaca, director for the Dorothy Visser Senior Center, recalls, describing the ordeal as “disturbing.” “I called 911, they asked if he needed CPR, and I said no.”

After receiving the call at approximately 7:48 a.m., deputy sheriffs arrived at the center, where authorities pronounced the 73-year-old Steven Richard Riley dead, according to Sgt. Dennis Breckner, public information officer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Though the autopsy has been completed, it’s unclear how Riley died, with the cause of death still pending, Breckner said on Monday, Feb. 8. He noted that there was nothing suspicious reported by deputies at the scene of Riley’s death.

Riley’s death follows the staggering trend of high mortality among the homeless in Orange County this past year, when there were 330 individuals who had died, compared to the more than 200 homeless deaths recorded in 2019, news outlets reported.

Citing the data from the coroner’s office, Breckner says two of those deaths occurred in Dana Point, while five homeless deaths were reported in San Clemente this past year. As for San Juan Capistrano, there were no reported homeless deaths in 2020.

At 73, Riley was also among the elderly subpopulation of homeless living in Orange County. Those seniors, aged 62 and older, made up roughly 9% of the 6,860 homeless individuals accounted for in 2019—when the last biennial count of unsheltered persons occurred.

A Snapshot of the County’s Homeless Every couple of years, near the end of January, local volunteers join homeless advocacy groups across the state for a single Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, most counties across the state have canceled their biennial Pointin-Time Counts to survey how many homeless are living unsheltered on the streets. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

night to tally unsheltered individuals living on the street, providing a snapshot, or window in time, of the area’s homeless population.

The count, conducted every oddnumbered year, is intended to provide government agencies and lawmakers with the necessary data to guide legislative policy, funding allocations and planning to address homelessness.

However, with the pandemic still raging, last month’s unsheltered count, led locally by the nonprofit agency City Net, has been canceled by a majority of the state’s Continuums of Care, including Orange County’s.

A Continuum of Care, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s program for communities to coordinate responses to end homelessness, is a regional or planning body that coordinates housing, services and funding for homeless families and individuals.

Though California’s Continuums of Care, or CoCs, are encouraged to reschedule their counts in 2022, barring any more setbacks related to the public health crisis, the delay in counting the unsheltered homeless could mean lawmakers rely on outdated data until 2023.

“There are lots of uses for the data,” City Net Vice President Matt Bates explains.

Such uses, he says, inform cities and Service Planning Areas (SPA) of their local impacts and what their needs should be. It also provides agencies and service providers with demographic data to aid in their response and outreach on homelessness.

“One of the biggest (uses),” he adds, “is to establish funding allocation (and) distribution guidelines for money that enters the Continuum of Care.”

Asked whether the absence of the unsheltered PIT Count this year is likely to pose any consequences, Bates says, “Prob-

ably not immediately,” though adding that the county’s CoC “will likely continue to rely on the distribution percentages from 2019 until a new PIT is completed.”

By the Numbers The report from the 2019 PIT Count found that the county’s homeless population had risen sharply by roughly 43% over the two-year period. Accounting for both sheltered and unsheltered, the total homeless population recorded at the time was 6,860 individuals—up from the 4,792 recorded in 2017.

Much of the homeless population resided in the county’s central region, which accounted for 3,332 individuals. The North County tally was 2,765, while South County had a homeless population at the time of 763.

In San Clemente, the county reported a population of 145 homeless individuals, 96 of whom were recorded as unsheltered.

As for Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, the count found 32 and 62 homeless individuals, respectively, residing in those towns.

Gary Walsh chairs the city of San Clemente’s Joint Homeless Subcommittee, comprising members from the city’s Human Affairs Committee and Public Safety Committee, of which he is an appointee.

He tells Dana Point Times this month that he didn’t see the downside in canceling the biennial PIT count, citing his experience participating in the 2019 event, which he found to be ineffective down here.

“It seems to me the PIT count is somewhat designed for cities with homeless who sleep in tent cities—a lot of them in areas where there are a lot of sidewalks.

And the Point-in-Time data that they had us gather, it was really restricted to that,”

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he says, noting that in San Clemente there’s a considerable contingent of homeless who sleep in more remote areas.

Acknowledging that volunteers are restricted to certain areas, Bates explains that participants are provided with maps that differ from person to person and represent various areas of the city that the agency and law enforcement feel comfortable allowing people to explore.

“We gave them the maps that had been vetted through law enforcement,” Bates says, adding: “It’s true that when you’re assigned a map, we want you to use that map and not wander, even if you have an idea of where there might be other homeless, because you might be in someone else’s map and double counting.”

Walsh says the delay could be used by agencies to gather input on where to make improvements for future counts.

If there’s one aspect of the biennial count that the county’s CoC has been looking to rethink or adjust, Bates says, it’s how to accurately count transitionalaged youth (18- to 24-year-olds) who are experiencing homelessness.

The Methodology Ahead of the 2019 PIT count, the county’s CoC made the switch to a survey methodology, rather than using the observation methodology that had been previously employed.

The difference, Bates explains, is volunteers under a survey approach are able to speak with the homeless, asking them various questions to get additional information and sub-category data, whereas an observation-based count requires volunteers to simply hand count those on the street.

The observation approach, he adds, is “statistically valid, but Orange County wanted to conduct a survey-based count where you try to interview because you get more information—personal information and local information.”

However, when it comes to transitionalaged youth, attempting to count them through observation in places such as community colleges is far from accurate, as appearances can be misleading. And as for surveying them, they’re unlikely to self-identify as homeless or self-stigmatize, Bates says.

“It’s a tricky proposition … you have to engage a different methodology,” says Bates, who sits on the county’s CoC board, and adds, “I can speak confidently for the CoC that that’s an area in OC where we’re going to be looking to further improve the count.”

Exiting the Streets For years, Riley had been known to sleep outside of the senior center, Apodaca tells DP Times. Despite having been off the (Cont. on page 6) danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP (Cont. from page 5) street for about a month, she says he reappeared at the senior center the Sunday before his death.

“Time on the street takes its toll on everybody,” Apodaca says, noting that outside of the senior center is where many homeless are known to rest their heads at night. She explains that Riley had “been here living out front for a while,” remembering him as “cantankerous, but he was our cantankerous guy.”

“He was just a gruff guy,” she elaborates. “People will tell you, when they walked their dogs, he was always nice, engaged with everyone, but he was gruff.”

According to Breckner, homeless liaison officers with OCSD had met with Riley multiple times over the years, dating as far back as 2016 and as most recently as early December. Riley, whose last known address was in San Clemente, had been offered services “but declined or was not eligible.”

Margie Riley Lofgren, Riley’s younger sister and currently an Oregon resident, says she had been coordinating with Cathy Domenichini of iHope, a faithbased nonprofit assisting the homeless, to get Riley into permanent housing.

“He finally agreed to get help, because

Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

he was tired of living on the streets.

(Domenichini) was trying to get him off the streets, to get permanent housing,” Lofgren says, adding: “We’re just devastated because we were so close—so close to getting him permanent housing.”

Sheltering in Place While CoCs are required by HUD to hold an unsheltered count every other year, they continue to count the homeless living in shelters on an annual basis, also at the end of every January.

In 2020, the county reported a sheltered homeless population of 3,017, an increase from the 2,899 recorded the previous year.

Among the sheltered homeless population, most—a total of 1,110 people—were staying at emergency shelters in the Central SPA. Touching on one silver lining of the pandemic as it relates to the county’s homelessness woes, Bates says that agencies in Orange County’s CoC, including City Net, have had “their hands full with the current opportunity presented by COVID-19.”

That opportunity, he says, “is that there are shelter and housing availabilities for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of homeless neighbors that did not exist previously.”

Amid the pandemic this past year, the state has led efforts to set up more temporary housing opportunities for the homeless as a method of curbing the spread of the coronavirus—an initiative referred to as Project Roomkey.

Since December 2019, City Net has been the city of San Clemente’s contractor for homeless outreach services. In that time, 53 homeless persons have worked with City Net to exit the streets of San Clemente and get into housing, according to the agency’s latest monthly report from December 2020.

However, Brad Fieldhouse, executive director and founder of City Net, previously explained to the San Clemente City Council that the number of homeless on the street is a moving target.

That monthly report shows that outreach staff have been actively engaged with about 30 homeless individuals in case management, meaning they’ve been going through the steps of getting those persons into some form of housing.

Between December 2019 and December 2020, City Net made a total of 2,395 contacts with homeless individuals in San Clemente—including both duplicated and unique individuals—according to the same dashboard report.

Accounting for only unique individual contacts, the agency has averaged about

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69 contacts a month since May 2020, when City Net began tracking such data.

Among those interactions over the past year, roughly 60 of them were between Riley and City Net staff, according to Bates.

The last time an outreach worker had met with Riley was on Jan. 26—just two days before his death.

Bates says the agency had been working extensively with Riley since February 2020, when outreach workers first engaged with him in San Clemente. Since that time, there were 60 in-person interactions, as well as another dozen phone calls.

“It’s a sad story. I can say that not all of that time he was homeless. There were times he was enrolled in various housing options,” Bates says, adding: “As you can imagine, based on the 60 interactions, this was a client that we were really working hard to connect to a housing shelter.”

Lofgren says funeral arrangements for Riley are still being settled. Locally, a vigil in honor of Riley is scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening, Feb. 16, outside of the San Clemente Community Center, where the city council will meet.

Donna Vidrine, who ran in San Clemente’s special election for city council last fall, is organizing the event to increase calls for the council to provide shelter for the homeless sleeping in the elements. DP

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DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letter to the Editor A RESPONSE TO ‘CARING FOR OUR BLUE PLANET’ HABIB HOSSEINY, public information officer for Baha'is of San Clemente

Jake Howard’s column on Amanda Gorman and her surfing was quite interesting to me. I am not a surfer, but several of my family members are. What intrigued me in Jake’s column was the fact that he brought up the concept of “bringing people together” and the meaning of “Aloha.”

Then, he remembered Duke Kahanamoku, the father of surfing, and his belief that the word Aloha, which means love, is a powerful attraction to people’s

hearts. When Jake connected surfing with Amanda Gorman’s message, he quoted from her speech at the Presidential inauguration last month: "We seek harm to none and harmony for all.”

As I went through the rest of the column, I felt that Jake was talking on my behalf.

Let me write the exact quotation from over 100 years ago, when ‘Abdu’l-Baha visited America: “Strive with heart and soul in order to bring about union and harmony among the white and the black and prove thereby the unity of the world wherein distinction of color finds no place, but where hearts only are considered … the hearts of the friends are united and linked together, whether they are from the east or the west, from north or from south, whether they are German, French, Japanese, American, and whether they pertain to White, the Black, the Red, the Yellow or the Brown race.

Variations of color, of land and of race are of no importance … on the contrary, unity

overcomes them all and does away with all these fancies and imaginations.”

Gorman’s poem clearly reflects all the characteristics of the above definitions of love; she delicately desires that all of us put down our differences and share a little aloha.

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EDITORIAL

ART + DESIGN

Senior City Editor, DP Times Lillian Boyd

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City Editor, SC Times Shawn Raymundo City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch Collin Breaux

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Columnist Fred Swegles

FINANCE

Special Projects Editor Andrea PapagianisCamacho Copy Editor Randy Youngman ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes

Finance Director Mike Reed Accounting & Finance Manager Tricia Zines CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Jake Howard, Tim Trent, Chloe Anady

Dana Point Times, Vol. 14 Issue 7. 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 2021. All rights reserved.

Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DP TIMES

Striving to Develop a STR Program for Residents and Visitors

BY JEFF ROSALER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, CITY OF DANA POINT

Dana Point wants to ensure that its Short-Term Rental (STR) Program works in the best interest of both residents and visitors. Regulations should maintain the character of Dana Point neighborhoods by discouraging absentee corporate STR ownership, protecting against nuisances, and balancing the rights and responsibilities of all residents and property owners.

The City has kicked off its latest public outreach effort to develop a STR Pilot Program and improve upon current regulations. To best understand the evolution of STRs in the city, it helps to learn more about their history here.

The City’s first STR ordinance went into effect in 2016 after numerous public meetings to ensure all voices were heard. A permit process was put in place through the City’s Community Development Department.

However, since half of the City is in the coastal zone, the proposed, citywide STR ordinance had to be approved by the California Coastal Commission (CCC), which has jurisdiction over zoning in the Coastal Zone. When the ordinance went to the CCC for approval they requested a number of changes that then needed to be considered by the Dana Point City Council.

As these changes were being dis-

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Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

cussed in a public forum, a group of citizens initiated a ballot referendum petition to ban the ordinance. The combination of the referendum petition and changes required by the CCC brought about the City Council’s decision to put the permitting program for STRs on hold.

In 2018, the City Council once again looked at how to improve the proposed program and created a subcommittee of two council members. The subcommittee held several meetings with the community, permit holders, neighbors, and CCC staff. They presented a new STR permit program to the City Council on July 21, 2020. However, the City Council felt the proposal was too limited and directed that a STR Pilot Program be developed by staff and the City’s Planning Commission, with public input, that considers all types of STRs. Last fall the Planning Commission created a STR subcommittee that is moving forward in two phases. The first phase is focused on improving enforcement regulations and actions to ensure compliance by existing permit holders. The second phase will develop a STR Pilot Program that considers possibly allowing permits for all three types of STRs (rental of a homeowners’ primary residence, rental

of a non-primary residence, and home stay – rental of a portion of the home).

For the first phase, the City held Zoom meetings with interested parties to gain insight on how current regulations are working for existing STRs. At this time, 141 STRs are in operation and Code Enforcement staff routinely checks in on these properties. The City also monitors a 24/7 complaint hotline for any reported nuisances, which, in turn are recorded and reported monthly on the City’s website.

The City is now seeking public input on how to improve STR regulations that are in the City’s Municipal Code. The next STR public meeting will be conducted by the Planning Commission on February 22, 2021 at 6:00 pm in the Council Chambers, and available virtually. For information on the public information process or to be added to the interested parties list, email str@danapoint.org.

The City recognizes that Dana Point’s world-class beaches and accommodations attract visitors from around the world, and STRs provide desirable short-term lodging. By working with the community and interested stakeholders, the City can ensure they are compatible in residential neighborhoods.

A D V E RT O RI A L Page 7

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Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

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DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

the second Saturday of the month through Zoom video conferences. Email larrykramerccl@gmail.com to receive a link to join.

What’s going on in and around town this week

Sunday | 14 FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables and artisanal goods from organic growers at the Community Center/San Clemente Public Library parking lot. 100 North Calle Seville, San Clemente.

949.361.8200. san-clemente.org.

COMPILED BY STAFF

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

Wednesday | 17

Friday | 12 DANA WHARF HALIBUT DERBY DAYS 7 a.m-4 p.m. Dana Wharf’s Halibut Derby Days will be every Friday and Sunday, on either the Clemente or Sum Fun, now through March 31. Participants may win cash and prizes for catching the largest halibut. Sign up today by calling 1.888.224.0603 or visiting danawharf.com.

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

KALINA & KIANA VIRTUAL CONCERT 2 p.m. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens continues its virtual programming by launching a virtual mini-concert series this month, an extension of its “Casa Vibes” music programming. San Clemente natives Kalina & Kiana will be the first featured artist for this series and are returning as a follow-up to their debut concert at the Casa last summer. The virtual concert will debut on Casa Romantica’s YouTube channel released on its social media. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 949.498.2139. casaromantica.org.

COMEDY NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS 7-9 p.m. Head to Knuckleheads for a laugh with a great selection of comics. Knuckle-

Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

EDITOR’S PICK Photo: File

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14: LOVE YOUR BEACH CLEANUP 9 a.m. Beach cleanups are a fun and easy way to be part of the community and wanting to make a difference. Volunteers will meet at the North end of Doheny State Beach next to the Puerto Place Lot, where the parking meters are located. Bags and gloves will be provided. Tell a friend and bring a friend. Trash will be measured, and prizes will be awarded to those collecting the most.

heads Sports Bar, 1717 North El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com.

Saturday | 13 SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE 9-11 a.m. South OC Cars and Coffee, dubbed the world’s biggest weekly car meet, attracts a mix of 500-1,000 hypercars, supercars, exotics, vintage, classic, muscle and sports cars, hot rods, rat rods, pickups,

4x4s and motorcycles. Those attending are encouraged to practice responsible social distancing. Face masks are not mandatory but are recommended. No cars in before 8:30 a.m. Cars should enter and leave slowly and quietly—no revving, speeding or burnouts. The Outlets at San Clemente, 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. southoccarsandcoffee.com.

CITIZENS CLIMATE EDUCATION 10:45 a.m.-noon. This nonpartisan climate action group holds monthly meetings on

Page 9

BACKYARD OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS 8-10 p.m. Knuckleheads’ backyard is open for food, drinks and live music. Performers of all skill levels are welcome. If you are a musician, do stand-up comedy or the spoken word, this is the place to be on Wednesday nights. So, come down, grab a drink and go for it. Knuckleheads Sports Bar, 1717 North El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com.

Thursday | 18 DANA POINT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIRTUAL MIXER Noon-1 p.m. Connectivity can’t be canceled, even if Dana Point Chamber of Commerce members can’t be together in-person to mix and mingle. Tune in for a Virtual Mixer to garner leads, catch up with fellow Chamber members, and update the Chamber on what’s happening at your business. Participants will introduce themselves and talk about their business.

This virtual meeting is open to Chamber members only, at no cost. Chamber members in attendance will be entered into the live raffle courtesy of Pepi’s Sports Bar & Grill. Register at us02web.zoom.us.

danapointtimes.com

DP

Dana Point Point Dana

DP LIVING

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

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

Disneyland in February

B

efore this year, I had been to Disneyland twice. The first time was 56 years ago; the second time, 15 years ago.

My partner Greta and I decided to go to Disneyland on February 4. You might be thinking, “Tom and Greta must not have realized that Disneyland was closed due to the pandemic.” Oh, we knew it was closed, which is why we went. Disneyland is the primary COVID-19 vaccination site in Orange County.

We both had been on the Othena.com website for five weeks trying to schedule vaccination appointments. On Tuesday, February 2, we were each notified by email that it was time to book our appointments. We were able to both get the same day, time and location. It was Disneyland, for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. We were told to bring a photo ID and a printed copy of our appointment confirmations.

People who go without appointments will be turned away.

Our appointment was for 9:30 on Thursday, the 4th; we arrived at the main entrance to the enormous parking lot on Katella Avenue in Anaheim and were parked by 8:30 a.m. The people directing traffic were very helpful and friendly. Reminders to wear masks were everywhere.

In our eagerness to get in line, I did not write down the row where we parked. I just eyeballed our location and thought, “No sweat.”

We were directed to get into the 9:30 a.m. line. Crashing an earlier line than one’s scheduled appointment isn’t allowed. Hence, arriving early won’t get one vaccinated earlier.

There was one woman ahead of us. It was cold and slightly windy. I was wearing

a winter jacket. Greta had only a shawl over her blouse. It was cold for her; I hugged her and opened my winter coat to wrap around her. I saw many men in Tshirts, shorts, and flip-flops with no socks.

They had to be uncomfortably cold.

We watched as approximately 100 people in the 8:45 a.m. line advanced to the vaccination tents. And then the same for the 9:00 and 9:15 lines. As each line cleared, people in the remaining lines cheered.

Those receiving their first dose were directed to one check-in tent; people receiving their second dose were directed to another tent. The sun had come out, so now we were a bit warm. When people arrive in the early morning, they’d be wise to dress as if they’re going skiing by layering their clothes.

ON LIFE AND We passed through LOVE AFTER 50 three check-in stations,

By Tom Blake showing our picture ID and appointment documents each time. A fourth station was where we received our shots and a vaccination record card that also listed a February 25 appointment for our second dose.

Before receiving the shot, everybody is questioned about the medications they’re taking. If any meds might interfere with the vaccine, those people will be interviewed by a doctor for approval.

Greta and I felt the shot hurt less than a flu shot. After receiving it, we were required to sit for 15 minutes under a tent to ensure we had no adverse reactions.

While there, we discovered that Greta’s ID was missing. Couldn’t find it anywhere.

We mentioned that to a staff member and before we knew it, Mike Lyster, the Chief Communications Officer from the Anaheim City Manager’s office, who was helping out that day, was summoned and helped us retrace our steps. He was awesome.

After a frantic search, a triple-check of

Dixie, the fishing barge, drifted ashore in Dana Point. It sustained no damage, as it was built to come into the surf. The photograph is estimated to have been taken sometime between 1946 and 1962.

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 lboyd@picketfencemedia.com.

Greta’s purse revealed that her driver’s license had slipped behind another card.

We embarrassingly revealed that to Mike.

He smiled and said, “You’d be amazed how often that happens.”

We made our way back to the car. Of course, it was hard to find, because I hadn’t written down where we parked. I kept making excuses like, “My car usually has my stand-up paddleboard on top, so it’s easy to see.” I had removed it before driving that morning.

Our first-dose experience was positive.

The people working there were incredible.

We thanked them often.

Other than sore arms the following day, neither of us had any side effects.

Although we didn’t see Mickey or Minnie Mouse, it had been pleasant to be there. Hopefully, by summertime, those two Disney characters will be walking the streets of Disneyland, greeting customers.

Tom Blake is a retired Dana Point business owner and resident who has authored books on middle-aged dating. See his website at findingloveafter50.com. To comment: tompblake@gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com. The San Clemente Times and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

BY MYLES MELLOR Last week’s solution:

DANA POINT TIMES

S

Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Sudoku

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Arthur even-year-old Arthur is just about as sweet as they come. He is very sociable and loves to hang out on your lap. He also seems to get along well with other small dogs.

Arthur doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods of time but would be wonderful for someone who wants a constant companion.

If you are interested in adopting Arthur, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form.

Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and

Photo: UC Irvine Libraries

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

you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. DP

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

Page 10

See the solution in next week’s issue.

danapointtimes.com

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at danapointtimes.com

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to info@danapointtimes.com DEADLINE 12PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

HELP WANTED P&C LICENSED TEAM MEMBER Get 2021 off to a great start!

Local Insurance Agent seeks a P&C Licensed Team member for a Customer Sales/Service Position. Income based on your efforts, Flexibility available, Experience Preferred, apply at www.elainelavine.net

LIST LOCALS ONLY USE LOCALS ONLY

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.244.1560 or email karenwill4usc@gmail.com

In print and online 52 weeks a year. View online at danapointtimes.com Contact Karen Banse at 949.244.1560 karenwill4usc@gmail.com Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

Page 11

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PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM PUBLIC NOTICE SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): NICKOLAS ONEAL, also known as Nickolas Martin Oneal, an individual YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case.

¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos Dana Point Times February 12–18, 2021

grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www. sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

CASE NUMBER: (Numero del Caso): 30-2019-01105052-CL-CL-CJC The name and address of the court is: (El Nombre y direccion de la corte es): Superior Court of the State of California, County of Orange – Limited Civil Jurisdiction 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701 The name, address and telephone number of plaintiff ’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telefono del obogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): William J. Brown, Jr. (SBN 192950), Alexander Avery (SBN 307390); BROWN WEGNER LLP 2010 Main Street, Suite 1260, Irvine, California 92614 Telephone 949.705.0080 DATE: (Fecha) 10/15/2019 David H. Yamasaki, Clerk of the Court, by (Secretario) Brenda Sanchez, Deputy (Adjunto) Published: Dana Point Times February 12, 19, 26, March 5, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20216593525 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LAGUNA BREEZE CLEANING 34824 CALLE DEL SOL CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624-9262 Full Name of Registrant(s): SUZANNE ELIZABETH SAKACH 34824 CALLE DEL SOL CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624 This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 05/01/2014 /s/ SUZANNE SAKACH This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 01/13/2021.

Published in: Dana Point Times February 5, 12, 19, 26, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE CITY OF DANA POINT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on February 2, 2021, the City Council of the City of Dana Point introduced an Ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING CHAPTER 5.42 OF THE DANA POINT MUNICIPAL CODE The proposed ordinance establishes a Small Wireless Facility (“SWF”) permit, and sets forth definitions, permitting requirements and application processes for Small Wireless Facilities within the public right-of-way (“PROW”) in the City, including reasonable, uniform and objective aesthetic standards.

The proposed Ordinance is available for viewing

in the City Clerk’s office located at 33282 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, California.

address of the contact person. Please submit written comments using one of the following methods:

This proposed Ordinance was introduced by the City Council of the City of Dana Point, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 2nd day of February, 2020, by the following vote:

By Email: serrasiding@octa.net

AYES:

Council Member Richard A. Viczorek, Council Member Michael Villar, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph L. Muller, and Mayor Jamey M. Federico

NOES: Frost

Council

Member

Mike

ABSENT: None KATHY M. WARD CITY CLERK Dated this 12th day of February, 2021.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report for the Serra Siding Extension Project in Orange County, California Public Comment Period: Feb. 8 to March 10, 2021 A Notice of Preparation (NOP) has been prepared to notify potential responsible and trustee agencies, interested parties, and members of the public that the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), as the Lead Agency, will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the Serra Siding Extension Project.

The NOP contains more information regarding the proposed project and environmental review process.

It is available for review at metrolinktrains.com/score.

Metrolink, in coordination with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the City of Dana Point, is proposing to extend 1.2 miles of railroad track between Victoria Boulevard and Beach Road in the City of Dana Point. Improvements also include replacing the existing single-track bridge with two single-track bridges to carry the second track. The project also proposes to improve segments of the main track to enhance operational services.

The Serra Siding Extension Project is located within the railroad right-of-way between Victoria Boulevard and 70 feet northwest of the Beach Road at-grade crossing in the City of Dana Point.

Potential environmental impacts to be considered in the EIR include: Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology/ Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise and Vibration, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Wildfire, and Mandatory Findings of Significance.

The NOP is being circulated for a 30-day public comment period from Feb. 8, 2021 to March 10, 2021. Metrolink is soliciting input from potential responsible and trustee agencies to know your views, or the views of your organization, regarding the effects this project might have on the environment, and your suggestions for ways the project could be revised to reduce or avoid any significant environmental impacts. Comments must be received no later than March 10, 2021, 30 days from the publish date. Please include in your response the name, email address, phone number and mailing

Page 12

By Mail: Chris Haskell, SCORE Deputy Program Manager 900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1500 Los Angeles, California, 90017 A virtual public scoping meeting will be held for this project on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Presentation materials will be made available at the scoping meeting and at octa.net/serrasiding.

The presentation will include a description of the project and the purpose of the scoping meeting.

Find additional information and register for the meeting by visiting octa.net/serrasiding.

PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20216595104 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: THE STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORS 24702 PRISCILLA DRIVE DANA POINT, CA 92629 Full Name of Registrant(s): KATHERINE ANDERSEN 24702 PRISCILLA DRIVE DANA POINT, CA 92629 This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 01/30/2019 /s/ KATHERINE ANDERSEN This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 02/01/2021.

Published in: Dana Point Times February 12, 19, 26, March 5, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20216593026 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DOCUMENT ALL STARS 43 ROLLINS PLACE LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677 Full Name of Registrant(s): KAREN HERB 43 ROLLINS PLACE LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677-4137 This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 01/01/2006 /s/ KAREN HERB, OWNER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 01/08/2021.

Published in: Dana Point Times January 29, February 5, 12, 19, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20216592792 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DANA 2 GO NOTARY SERVICES 26211 VIA CALIFORNIA, B CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624-9262 Full Name of Registrant(s): DANA M KENNEDY 26211 VIA CALIFORNIA, B CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624 This business is conducted by An Individual The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 10/23/2015 /s/ DANA KENNEDY danapointtimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS

TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 111 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 01/06/2021.

Published in: Dana Point Times Jan 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE Order to Show Cause For Change of Name Case No. 30-2020-01174106

Point Times Date: December 4, 2020 JUDGE JAMES J. DI CESARE, Judge of the Superior Court Published: Dana Point Times, January 22, 29, February 5, 12, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20206592403 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ORIGINAL CONCEPT & DESIGN 3857 BIRCH STREET, SUITE 3054 NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660 Full Name of Registrant(s): JULIA TEODORESCU 123 S CLARK STEET ORANGE, CA 92868 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 /s/ JULIA TEODORESCU This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 12/29/2020.

Published in: Dana Point Times Jan 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 2021

Complete your required legal or public notice advertising in the Dana Point Times.

EMAIL legals@picketfencemedia.com CALL 949.388.7700, ext. 111

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

CAFE - DELI

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

COFFEE SHOP

ATTORNEY

Rosen Law Offices, P.C. 34118 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 5, Dana Point, 949.335.0020, snrosenlaw.com

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

AUTO REPAIR

Dana Point Auto 34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, 949.496.1086

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

PUBLIC NOTICE

To All Interested Persons: Austin Michael Jones; filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME A. Austin Michael Jones PROPOSED NAME A. Austin Michael Kelly The Court Orders that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court of 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 heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objective is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing Date: 02/18/2021 Time: 08:30 a.m. Dept.: D100 Window: 44. The address of the court is Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. 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

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program 665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, San Clemente, 949.485.4979, bodymindspiritiop.com

Dana Point

ICE CREAM

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

Dana Point Times February 12–18, 2021

INSURANCE SERVICES

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

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection 1001 Calle Recodo, San Clemente, 949.481.7013, atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing 1001 Calle Recodo, San Clemente, 949.492.3558, billmetzerplumbing.com

Want to be featured here?

Call Karen Banse at 949.244.1560

Photos: Dana Hills Athletics

Dolphin Report

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

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

Cross Country Triumphant in Return to Competition For the first time in nearly 11 months, Dana Hills took part in competitive athletic competitions, and the Dolphins’ cross country teams found success on-campus at Dana Hills and at Aliso Niguel.

The Dolphins boys secured four of the five top spots to dominate Aliso Niguel, and Allura Markow secured her first win of the season to lead the girls in both teams’ South Coast League openers on Saturday, Feb. 6.

On the boys’ side, junior Jai Dawson outpaced the field by a wide margin to finish in 15:19 on the 3-mile Aliso Niguel course.

Senior Gianni Viola (15:51) came in third, sophomore Jude Landgraf (16:17) finished fourth, and senior Brandon Pizano (16:33) came in fifth. Senior Ryan Broadhead rounded out the Dolphins’ scoring five in seventh at 16:38.

Dana Hills defeated Aliso Niguel, 20-35.

On the girls’ side, Markow followed up her breakout freshman season with a standout performance at home against Trabuco Hills. Markow finished more than a minute ahead of the second-place runner to blow away the field with a time of 17:33.

However, the Mustangs used their depth to down the Dolphins. Trabuco Hills’ top four runners finished within Page 13

nine seconds of each other from second through fifth place, and the Mustangs got the win, 21-35.

Tessa Anderson finished sixth for Dana Hills at 18:56, and Ali Germain finished eighth at 19:37. Mia Geiger (ninth in 19:38) and Cooper Murphy (19:44) rounded out Dana Hills’ scoring five.

Dana Hills continues its South Coast League schedule on Friday, Feb. 12, as the girls travel to El Toro and the boys host the Chargers. The Dolphins will keep it local on Saturday, Feb. 20, with the boys at San Clemente and the girls hosting the Tritons.

Two Commit on National Signing Day National Signing Day on Feb. 3 was far from a typical affair, and much less subdued when it comes to Dana Hills.

In a normal year, Dana Hills would use the February signing day as an opportunity to honor all of the college-bound Dolphins, no matter what time of year they signed, in a ceremony in the gym for family and friends.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was none of the pomp and circumstance, and fewer athletes signing than normal due to college recruiting restrictions.

Still, the Dolphins had athletes to celebrate on social media.

Lacrosse player Jake Hubbard committed to Adams State, which competes in Division II. Hubbard will join his brother Tyler, who graduated last year from Dana Hills, at Adams State in Colorado.

Baseball player Garret Knuf committed to Caltech, which competes in Division III. Knuf is the fifth Dana Hills baseball player to commit to play baseball at the next level, joining CJ Zwahlen (Washington State), Ian May (Cal), Aedan Anderson (Xavier) and Rocco DiFrancesco (Colorado Mesa). DP danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF Dana Point

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Colapinto Re-signs with Rip Curl

Return of the ‘Kookbox’ Cumbersome boards from the 1930s back in the water

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

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BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

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roving that what’s old is new again, Dane Gudauskas and Capo Beachbased surfboard builder Donald Brink last year wanted to dip their toes in the waters of a bygone era. In their collaborative pursuit to explore different sensations in surfing, they sought to recreate the magic of the old wooden “kookbox” designs of the 1930s.

With the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center in San Clemente closed due to the pandemic, they were able to spend some uninterrupted time in the museum’s collection and examine all the different outlines and construction techniques of the classic old boards.

Originally engineered by early surf pioneer and waterman Tom Blake, the historic boards on average are about 12 feet long and weigh an average of 40-50 pounds.

Considered a huge innovation at the time, the hollow, chambered construction allowed Blake to shed considerable weight from the surfboards of the previous era, which clocked in between 60 and 100 pounds. By comparison, most of the boards ridden by pros today weigh less than six pounds.

When he was 18 years old, Blake, originally from Milwaukee, happened to meet the great Duke Kahanamoku. By 1924, he

Dane Gudauskas and Donald Brink inspect the progress of the wooden kookbox surfboard they collaborated on together at Brink’s shop in Capo Beach. Photo: Courtesy of Dane Gudauskas

had embarked on his first trip to Hawaii and by 1929 had developed what he called his “cigar box” design.

The boards remained common in lineups in Hawaii and California throughout the ’30s and ’40s, and even today there are a number of people who enjoy the challenge of trying to tame these unwieldy wooden beasts, including Dana Point’s Brian Bent, who’s dedicated his surfing and art to this throwback aesthetic.

Fast-forward almost a century, and Gudauskas and Brink are among that small crew. Curious to see what would happen if they built and rode one of the boards today, turns out, it works pretty well.

Brink went to work in his Capo Beach shaping bay/skunkworks, and the craftsmanship and attention to detail he emerged with is simply stunning. The board is as much a piece of art as it is a

functional surfboard. Brink builds some beautiful surfboards, but he may have outdone himself on this one.

And stunt pilot Gudauskas flies on the thing at San Onofre.

If you’re into surf history and have an open mind about what constitutes “performance” surf craft, check out the video “Finding The Line: Experimentations on a 14 Foot Tom Blake Inspired Kookbox Surfboard” on YouTube.

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

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

KIERAN OTA

Water Temperature: 57-58 Degrees

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

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et’s make it official: this week’s Grom, Kieran Ota, is the third and final member of the band and power trio known as “Haze.” We’ve featured his other two bandmates here recently and want to make sure Ota gets his moment in the spotlight, too.

When he’s not at band practice, jamming on bass and vocals, you’ll probably find him laying down big power carves at the local beaches. The talented 15-year-old regular footer also has an affinity for snowboarding, as well as soccer and baseball.

Not really your surf competition kind of guy, he prefers to enjoy his surfing without the pressures of points and time clocks.

As we’ve pointed out here, there’s a strong connection between surfing and music, and Ota’s clearly tapping into that vibe.

Dana Point Times February 12-18, 2021

ocal rising star Crosby Colapinto has re-signed with Rip Curl, adding another three years to his sponsorship contract with the iconic wetsuit brand that moved its North American offices to San Clemente last year. Joining Colapinto was Carlsbad native Alyssa Spencer and Hawaii’s Erin Brooks.

“I just re-signed with Rip Curl for another three years, and I’m really excited because I’ve been with Rip Curl since I was 8 years old; they’re like a family to me,” Colapinto says. “It’s been great getting to know everyone in the company a lot better; I can’t wait for what the future has for me.”

Colapinto has been on a tear on the North Shore of Oahu this winter. Along with his brother, Griffin, they’ve been packing some heavy barrels at Pipe and Backdoor, as well as ripping at high-performance hot spots such as Haleiwa.

Getting bigger and stronger the past couple of years, “the Croz’s” future is bright.

“To have such depth in the USA right now and to watch them grow and be happy surfing so hard brings a lot of good vibes to our brand and all our crew around the world. Who knows? We might have the next Tom Curren, Mick Fanning, Gabe Medina, Bethany Hamilton or Tyler Wright on our hands,” Neil Ridgway, chief brand and marketing officer at Rip Curl, said in a press statement. DP

Water Visibility and Conditions: 3-6

Kieran Ota. Photo: Courtesy of Ota Family

“Traditionally, the role of the bass player was just to keep things simple and solid,” explains Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.

“So, it’s really a special thing when you can get a player that can actually bring in a lot of presence and also a visual presence, too.”

To Ota and the boys in Haze, keep on

hammering on those instruments. Can’t wait to see you on stage when live music roars back to life. DP

Outlook: Small Northwest swell persists for Friday through the weekend, keeping surf down in the knee-thigh-waist high range, (1-2-3’). Light+ to occasionally moderate Southwest winds due through most of Friday and Saturday, then breezy Northwest winds are expected on Sunday.

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

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