April 3, 2020

LO C A L

N EWS

YO U

April 3-9, 2020 C A N

U S E

Mysterious Surfboards Give Inspiring Messages PAGE 3

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 14

Journey’s End for the‘Pilgrim’ Iconic Tall Ship Sinks in Dana Point Harbor E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 5

Ocean Institute staff were alerted early in the morning on Sunday, March 29 by Dana Point Harbor Patrol that the iconic Pilgrim had sunk at her slip. Photo: Lillian Boyd

Residents Socialize Safely with ‘Musical Walk-By’ EYE ON DP/PAGE 6

Guide to Grocery Store Hours

GETTING OUT/PAGE 8

danapointtimes.com

Why Are You Still Surfing?

SURF/PAGE 14

GO TO DANAPOINTTIMES.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS

DP EYE ON DP

Dana Dana Point Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

Mysterious surfboard art installations with messages of hope can be seen throughout Dana Point. Photo: Lillian Boyd

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week Mystery Surfboards Spread Messages of Hope and Encouragement THE LATEST: Have you noticed the mysterious surfboards relaying messages of hope around Dana Point?

Mary Hartmann, owner of Girl in the Curl, says something compelled her to go to her shop on Tuesday, March 24 despite its closure amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She didn’t expect to see an art installation of a surfboard with a special message.

“I was in a low vibration,” Hartmann said. “I hadn’t gone to the shop in a couple weeks; I was in my pajamas, hadn’t brushed my hair.”

Hartmann closed Girl in the Curl in early March, ahead of the state of California’s directives to close what had been deemed “nonessential” businesses in order to maintain social distancing practices. The shop has been a longtime staple in the Dana Point surf community for women and girls.

Hartmann arrived to check on the shop Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

and check the mail, when she noticed that a surfboard mural had been installed near the entrance of Girl in the Curl. “Spread hope, not fear,” the surfboard said.

“It’s so heartwarming and touching,” Hartmann said. “I feel better; I know lots of people feel better. Now there’s this movement . . . being ‘Dana Point strong.’

I feel so honored that someone chose Girl in the Curl to be part of that platform.”

She says the boards are popping up all over Dana Point and Laguna Beach. So far, there have been sightings in Dana Point Harbor near Coffee Importers, at the intersection of Golden Lantern and Stonehill Drive near Dana Hills High School, near Strands Beach, Heritage Park and near Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach.

Dana Point Times reached out to the offices of Dana Point City Hall, Dana Point Harbor and Dana Hills High School, and it is unclear at this time who is behind the art installations.

“That’s what’s rad . . . will they ever step forward?” Hartmann said. “Who knows?”

—Lillian Boyd

SoCal Edison Curtails Deconstruction Work of SONGS During Pandemic

THE LATEST: Operations to dismantle the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) will be scaled back amid the continuing public health crisis, Southern California Edison announced last week.

Per Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “safer at home” order meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus and flatten the curve, SoCal Edison said it will temporarily curtail some of the deconstruction work that had begun in February.

“We have protocols we’ve implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These protocols are designed to keep our employees safe while allowing certain critical work to continue,” Doug Bauder, SCE vice president and chief nuclear officer, said in a press release. “This is an ever-changing situation, at the national, state and local levels, and we are staying flexible in our level of response.”

The years-long process of deconstructing the power plant officially got underway in late February. Some of the dismantlement plans include the removal of the containment domes, as well as above-grade structures related to Units 2 and 3.

In Edison’s March 25 press release, the company stated it had taken additional steps to limit what work can be done, adding that in the days ahead it would evaluate which deconstruction projects can move forward.

John Dobken, spokesperson for Edison, said on Tuesday, March 31, that some of the projects that will continue are the removal of asbestos in the containment domes and the removal of the Unit 1 reactor pressure vessel.

The pressure vessel, Dobken said, will be shipped off-site using the plant’s upgraded rail and is expected to occur within

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the next couple of months.

One of the more essential efforts of decommissioning SONGS, which officially went offline in 2013, has been the ongoing transfer of the plant’s spent nuclear fuel from the wet pools into the dry storage facility, or the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).

SoCal Edison said it will continue its transfer operations while putting in place additional measures to protect employees.

Dobken explained that one such measure includes practicing social distancing.

“Basically, it’s people who are able to space themselves six feet away while the download occurs,” he said. “Everyone has their own screens, as it were. So people don’t have to share screens as the downloading is going on and maintaining the spacing while it’s happening. Also, everyone utilizes headsets, so they maintain distancing while still having communication going on.”

The company, back in early February, was targeting a late summer time frame of being able to complete the fuel transfers.

So far, Edison has downloaded 56 canisters containing nuclear waste into the ISFSI and has another 17 to go.

Asked whether the coronavirus pandemic has slowed Edison’s pace, Dobken noted that while the plant did suspend downloading early last week so employees can get trained on the new protocols, crews have still maintained their one-canister-download-per-week routine.

(Cont. on page 4) danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP (Cont. from page 3) “So, with that, obviously it set us back a couple of days, but the last canister was downloaded Friday night,” Dobken said.

Other preventative measures Edison said it has adopted at the plant include canceling non-essential meetings—conducting other meetings via teleconference—suspending site tours and holding public meetings online, wiping down work stations before and after shift changes, and setting up health selfscreening stations at site entrances.

“We are asking employees coming on site to self-screen at the start of each shift, to ask themselves some basic questions related to COVID-19 and their personal situations,” Bauder said in the release. “It starts with something as simple as ‘how do you feel?’ ” Additional information about SONGS can be found at songscommunity.com.

—Shawn Raymundo

County Reporting By-City Cases; Spread in Every City in OC THE LATEST: The county health office reported its largest single-day jump of new reported cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, April 1, as the total cumulative confirmed cases increased to 606, up from the 502 cases reported the previous day.

The county on Friday, March 27, also began listing case counts by the city. As of press time, 11 cases were associated with Dana Point.

The cities hit hardest by the pandemic appeared to be Irvine, which had 57 total reported cases and Newport Beach, where there have been 54 cases of coronavirus. Anaheim had a total of 56 cases, according to the county.

More than 7,000 individuals in the county have been tested for the virus to date, while 1,286 test kits are currently available as of Wednesday, the county reported.

Officials had previously released cases by gender and age. The change in data came after community members called for by-city information.

“This data confirms that the virus has spread to every city in the county. It is a reminder that we all need to continue to follow the directives of local health authorities,” said Mark Denny, the outgoing city manager and the city’s Director of Emergency Services.

It’s important to remember the context around the data the county has provided and that city case data is reflective of where cases live; this does not necessarily reflect where transmission occurred, Denny said.

“If a city is not listed as having a COVID-19 resident or shows low numbers of total cases, this does not necessarily indicate that the risk of transmission is Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

The City of San Clemente and MemorialCare announced Wednesday, April 1 that a coronavirus testing center would be opening at a shuttered hospital in San Clemente. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

low,” said Denny.

Case counts are not necessarily reflective of all disease transmission in any given community, because testing is prioritized for those at greatest risk or most sick; asymptomatic persons and persons with mild cases may not be reflected due to not being tested.

Because transmission occurs throughout the county, city officials encourage all residents to practice social distancing as directed by the governor and the Orange County Health Officer regardless of case count in their city.

“Doing so will help to reduce the spread of infection, ease the burden on our hospitals and health care system, and protect those most vulnerable in our county,” Denny said.—SR and LB

City of Dana Point Urges Both Residents and Visitors to Stay Home THE LATEST: Over the weekend, Dana Point Police Services issued 158 parking tickets—a direct action to influence social distancing efforts after the City of Dana Point closed its lots and streets to parking.

City officials are now asking all nonresidents to avoid traveling into the city.

“As the State of California and local cities continue to deal with the impact of COVID-19, the City of Dana Point is reminding its residents and non-residents that the best way to protect public health is for all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed,” stated a city press release.

Last weekend saw a significant increase in car traffic into the city and along the beaches and waterfront areas despite the state, county and city closing all beach and harbor public parking lots.

Simply put, if you have to use your car to get here, there is nowhere to park, the city release said.

“We must all do our part to lessen the impact of this crisis,” said outgoing City Manager Mark Denny. “Please stay

home. Exercise in your local community and neighborhood. We must minimize the car and foot traffic that is creating unnecessary congestion on our streets and increasing risk to our community.”

For a complete list of closures and parking restrictions, visit danapointtimes.com.—LB

MemorialCare to Open Coronavirus Testing Center at Shuttered Hospital in San Clemente THE LATEST: The Dana Point Times has learned that the site of the former Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente will be used as a coronavirus testing center.

According to a joint press release between MemorialCare and city of San Clemente, the health care provider intends to establish a coronavirus testing center on the site where it previously operated the now-shuttered hospital campus on Camino De Los Mares.

“The medical community, locally and across the nation, has made it clear that we need more testing to combat the spread of the coronavirus,” MemorialCare Vice President Tony Struthers says in the release. “At this crucial time, we are pleased to be bringing vital testing resources to San Clemente and South Orange County.”

San Clemente Mayor Dan Bane echoed that sentiment, stating that the “City understands that testing is key to stopping the virus from spreading undetected in our community.”

“Increased testing will allow MemorialCare and other area providers to identify those carrying the virus, limit their exposure to others and help to ensure that they can access appropriate care,” Bane says in the release.

The announcement comes as the number of those confirmed to have contracted the virus in Orange County continued to surge, surpassing more than 600 cases as of Wednesday, April 1, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported. Between Page 4

Tuesday and Wednesday, the county saw an additional 107 reported cases—the largest single-day hike in OC to date— while the number of reported deaths grew to 10.

The number of cases in San Clemente also jumped significantly from 20 to 30 between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the county’s data.

To date, 7,271 people in Orange County have been tested for coronavirus.

According to MemorialCare, testing at the center will be conducted on a drivethru basis, which is meant to reduce the potential spread of the disease “by limiting exposure of clinicians and patients in hospitals and other health care locations to those suspected of having the virus.”

MemorialCare was unable to provide a timeline of when it anticipates to launch the center, other than to note that “it currently expects it be operational shortly as test kits are secured.”

“Once the testing center becomes operational, patients exhibiting symptoms should contact their health care provider before making an appointment at the facility,” the press release states.

San Clemente Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ferguson explained to Dana Point Times that the council voted in a special closed session on Monday, March 30, to support MemorialCare’s plan to establish a coronavirus testing location.

“MemorialCare does have the support of the city council to do their drive-up testing or whatever they end up calling it,” Ferguson said. “They can do that at their site and the city, in their same decision, decided to temporarily relax the zoning allowed for that.”

Councilors met on Monday evening to vote on an amended version of the local emergency proclamation they had previously passed during their March 17 meeting. The amended version, the city notes in its agenda report, was meant to address “the threat of the public’s right to access COVID-19 testing, depending on the Council’s deliberations in connection therewith.”

The amended version of the adopted resolution that DP Times obtained and signed by Bane on March 30, establishes “Mobile Testing for COVID-19 for residents of 92673 and 92672 Zip Codes.”

The resolution further permits coronavirus testing on the medical facility property for those living within those zip codes during the health crisis.

Ferguson says that the council’s vote essentially relaxes the emergencyservices zoning restriction that had been previously imposed on the parcel back in 2016. The zoning had prompted litigation between the city and MemorialCare, which wanted to turn the facility into an urgent care location.

The medical provider sued the city over claims that the city’s “spot zoning” was unfair and made it difficult financially to support the hospital.—SR danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Iconic Tall Ship ‘Pilgrim’ Sinks in Dana Point Harbor

BY LILLIAN BOYD AND ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

A Dana Point Harbor icon has seen its last sunrise.

The Pilgrim, a three-masted schooner that was a full-sized replica of the merchant ship that Richard Henry Dana detailed in his classic novel Two Years Before the Mast, keeled overnight between Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 and sank in her slip at Dana Point Harbor.

Ocean Institute president Wendy Marshall said the Pilgrim is “incapacitated beyond repair.” Staff planned for a crane to lift the Pilgrim out of the water on Thursday, April 2 for inspection to determine the cause of its sinking.

“We share news that hurts our hearts,” Marshall said in a letter Sunday morning.

“We are very sad to announce that Pilgrim, our beloved vessel that has served as an inspiring real-world classroom to hundreds of thousands of students and visitors, keeled overnight in her slip on our dock, rendering her useful life over.”

Staff had been monitoring the Pilgrim regularly, including the bilge pump, says Dan Goldbacher, director maritime for Ocean Institute. A bilge pump is a water pump used to remove bilge water.

“We were monitoring our systems and making sure everything was working correctly on a daily basis,” Goldbacher said.

“Something happened between Saturday afternoon and early morning Sunday that wasn’t happening before. That’s what we need to figure out.”

As of press time, Ocean Institute staff was

After docking in Dana Point in 1981 and serving as a classroom to thousands of students at Ocean Institute, the Pilgrim sank on Sunday, March 29. Photos: Lillian Boyd

awaiting a crane on a barge to lift the Pilgrim for inspection. For updates on the inspection results, visit danapointtimes.com.

Dana Point Times reported on the Pilgrim’s latest needs for repair in the November 14, 2019 edition of the newspaper. Goldbacher had set up a GoFundMe account seeking to crowdfund $100,000 for upkeep and repairs; the majority of those costs was planned to go toward dry-docking. However, Ocean

Institute is now asking people who wish to make a donation to do so directly at oceaninstitute.org, since GoFundMe takes a portion of proceeds.

More importantly, both Marshall and Goldbacher ask people to continue sharing their stories about boarding the Pilgrim.

“The amount of people sharing their experiences has been overwhelming,” Goldbacher said. “Someone said to me that they think of the

Pilgrim as the Statue of Liberty of Dana Point.

We’ve heard from kids who’ve stayed on board, people who’ve sailed her, former crew members.

It’s amazing how much she meant to people.”

While the original Pilgrim was constructed in 1825 and sailed from Boston to California for cattle hide trade in 1834, this Pilgrim was built in 1945 in Denmark for lumber trade. In 1975, the ship sailed to Lisbon, where it was converted to its latest rig.

The Pilgrim came to Dana Point Harbor in September 1981 to serve as a classroom for students at the Ocean Institute. She was visited by nearly 100,000 students and public visitors annually. Since 1981, the Ocean Institute has welcomed more than 300,000 students to step aboard the Pilgrim—some getting the opportunity to stay overnight to experience what life may have been like aboard a ship in the 1830s.

The Pilgrim provided national, award-winning living history programs to the students and helped celebrate maritime history in the annual Tall Ships Festival each September.

The Pilgrim underwent routine out-of-water and underwater inspections and had been scheduled for its latest repairs at a shipyard in San Pedro in January before a delay.

“In 2016, she was hauled out for survey and repairs,” Marshall said, “and in October 2019, we began a fund to support the haul out and repair scheduled to take place in January 2020. The haul out was postponed until June due to overload at the yard. Meanwhile, Ocean Institute maintained our certifications, and the United States Coast Guard issued a Certificate of Inspection (COI) in December and again in February, allowing our dockside programs to continue.”

Unfortunately, with programs at the Ocean Institute on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pilgrim had already given its final programs.

“We are sad to bid farewell to this iconic vessel, which has been such an important part of Ocean Institute’s programs and to the children that they served,” Marshall said. “Our staff was informed this morning, and we all feel like we lost a dear friend, as I am sure many of you do.”

Marshall said the Ocean Institute would “welcome” stories, images and other posts from patrons and visitors on how the Pilgrim made an impact on you. You can either post on social media with #brigPilgrim or email marketing@oceaninstitute.com. DP

EYE ON DP

Blue Lantern Neighbors Bend the Boundaries of Social Distancing

BY MATT MORRISON, FOR DANA POINT TIMES

It’s official. Social distancing is now the fastest entry into our fabled Urban Dictionary.

No one quickly, nor anyone with memories of these times in the future, will forget the newest indelible buzz phrase of the year 2020. It may still sound scary in front of the booming media drumbeat of impending doom, but who needs to constantly listen to that?

Not Paula Hakkaart and apparently not many of her neighbors along the Street of the Blue Lantern. After a couple of weeks cooped up in hibernation, Paula figured it was time to lighten the mood.

Hakkaart, a mother of three, and collegeaged young adults living along the lower leg of Blue Lantern felt inspired to organize a “musical walk-by” on the evening of Saturday, March 28. The flyers she distributed expressed a guideline-safe “social distancing” while promoting a get-out-and-groove musical hour or two. Others liked the idea and spread the word on their NextDoor app.

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY STAFF

Rep. Mike Levin Releases Statement on Bipartisan Coronavirus Relief Bill The U.S. House of Representatives nearly unanimously approved a $2.2 trillion relief package Friday morning, March 27, after gaining Senate approval earlier in the week. The bill aims to provide aid to millions of Americans, the U.S. economy and the health care system.

Congressman Mike Levin released a statement ahead of the House vote, outlining its objectives and his priorities amid the coronavirus pandemic. He represents the 49th congressional district, which includes Dana Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

Neighbors on the Street of the Blue Lantern socialize at a safe distance during a “musical walk-by” on Saturday, March 28. Photo: Matt Morrison

“I just thought it would be a fun idea if we all sat in our garages, or out in front of our house and play music,” Paula said. “People could all walk by, and we could greet each other, because that’s about all we can do right now.”

Playing ’80s music on her sound system and not knowing what to expect, the instigator promoted her idea on the evening of the event with colorful signs in front her threestory home. She offered free giveaways of used paperback books and CDs left over from her recent spring cleaning—a thoughtful idea that happily surprised a few unsuspecting browsers.

Dressed colorfully in a flattering, flowing spring dress, Paula enthusiastically greeted each car as it passed with most riders offering at least a wave, many slowing to roll

down their windows and say hello. Other folks were strolling up and down the slope with an abundance of friendly interaction.

Nearly everyone stopped, and the safe communal contact seemed contagious (only in the best way).

Before long, unfamiliar neighbors were introducing themselves and making friends—all strictly maintaining the required six-foot distance. Despite the designated personal space, a closeness seemed to quickly develop.

Up-the-street-neighbor Mike Metz and his wife Lisa, who have been residents on Blue Lantern for three decades, ignited an unexpected common interest in car culture with the hostess. Each was admiring their respective automotive prized possessions: Paula’s sleek black 1987 Alfa Romeo Spider

and Mike’s rare 2017 Cadillac CTS-V muscle car. Neighbor and new friend George Squires joined the conversation with a mention of his must-see Acura NSX supercar parked in his garage, and the party was set in motion.

Along the stroll, more neighbors were introduced, lots of them sitting out front enjoying various styles of music while taking in and also reflecting the spirit of the evening.

Neighbors were introduced, and new friendships were formed.

“We ought to do more of it,” Mike Metz said succinctly.

What better way to deal with these times of uncertainty during the first week of spring than to sow the seeds of communal solidarity? As Paula said, “It’s time to share the music, not the virus.” DP

Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

“The American people need relief now, and that’s what we’re delivering with the latest bipartisan coronavirus response package,” Levin said. “This bill isn’t perfect, and we need to do much more, but it’s a positive step that puts families first, not large corporations.”

Families and individuals will receive more paid emergency leave, unemployment insurance, direct cash, nutrition assistance, small business support, and more. The legislation will prompt payments of up to $1,200 to millions of Americans, bolster benefits, offer loans, grants and tax breaks to big and small businesses, as well as provide billions of dollars more to states, local governments and the health care system.

“We know that our economic crisis will not subside until our health crisis is under control,” Levin said. “That’s why this bill provides critical funding for state and local

governments to provide resources and personal protective equipment for health care workers on the front lines of this pandemic.”

Levin added that he believes the bill should have gone further to guarantee that corporations receiving funding will prioritize their workers in the long run.

“Ultimately, we will need to take much more action to address both the health and economic needs of working families, but this is a strong bipartisan step,” Levin said.

For families and workers, the bill expands unemployment insurance to allow part-time, self-employed, and gig economy workers to access benefits; an additional 13 weeks of federally funded unemployment insurance benefits, which will immediately be made available; a $600 increase in UI benefits for every American, which equates to 100% of wages for the average American without a paycheck struggling through this crisis.

For health care providers, the bill in-

cludes a new $100 billion fund that is widely available to all types of hospitals and providers most affected by coronavirus to fund whatever is needed to defeat this virus, according to Levin’s statement.

For small businesses, the bill includes $350 billion in loan forgiveness grants to small businesses and nonprofits to maintain existing workforce and help pay for other expenses such as rent, mortgages, and utilities.

President Donald Trump signed the bill hours later, finalizing the legislation. It’s unclear at this time how quickly the government will be doling out money, but federal officials have said individuals could receive direct payments as soon as three weeks.

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL Senior City Editor, DP Times > Lillian Boyd City Editor, SC Times > Shawn Raymundo City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Collin Breaux Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh Special Projects Editor > Andrea PapagianisCamacho Copy Editor > Randy Youngman ADVERTISING/ MULTI-MEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher/ Real Estate Sales

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> Lauralyn Loynes (DP) > Debra Wells (SJC) ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed General Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Jake Howard, Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 13, Issue 14. 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 2019. All rights reserved.

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Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

I am an emergency medicine physician assistant on the Navajo and Apache Reservations in Arizona. I am a graduate of San Clemente High School (2004), and I return home to San Clemente, where I keep a residence in between shifts. (Arizona has a shocking lack of waves.)

As many of you are well aware, one of the biggest issues facing health care workers on the front lines during this COVID-19 pandemic is lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).

This includes face masks, N95 respirators, surgical gowns, gloves, face shields, and protective goggles, among other things. This is leading to dangerous exposures of health care workers to active COVID-19 patients, resulting in infections of the people who need to be caring for these critically ill patients.

This vital equipment protects our health and well-being (and that of our families) so that we can continue to care for the influx of patients that we are seeing (and even more we will see in the coming weeks and months).

Many people around the country are getting creative; there are crowdsourcing websites, 3D printers being put to use to make supplies, and donations being made.

I want to encourage everyone right now that you can be proactive in this fight.

Please, if you personally have supplies, donate them to your desired hospital. If you know of a dentist, tattoo artist, or any other profession that might be closed and have supplies, please reach out to them, asking them to donate their supplies.

If you are in the private sector and have access to production lines, please consider altering your production to PPE for a bit.

If you are politically inclined, please reach out to your favorite politician and give them reminders that this is critical to our fight against this pandemic.

And if you have any other creative ideas, please, share them with us. The amount of innovation from the medical, scientific, and engineering communities right now is incredible. Please, don’t feel like you are helpless or not relevant to this fight—we need all of the support we can get.

If none of this is within your ability, please send prayers if you are a person of faith, send love if you are a person of heart, wash your hands, socially distance, and stay home.

And please hug your family (if it is safe to do so)—my colleagues and I are counting down the days to when we can safely hug ours.

Photo: Unsplash

MEASURE H SHOULDN’T OVERSHADOW AB 2016 JEFF BERG, San Clemente

Measure H has dominated letters to the editor recently, but perhaps local citizens should consider giving some attention to Assembly Bill 2016, which guides the state’s school system over which ethnic communities should be represented in California’s first ethnic studies curriculum.

It appears as though the intent of California legislators and the will of taxpayers were subverted by members of the School Board-appointed model curriculum advisory committee.

The legislation outlined a non-political, multicultural approach mandating the high school curriculum on ethnic studies, yet committee members produced a draft that promoted their own controversial politics and excluded many other ethnic groups.

Dozens of California’s elected officials, including Gov. Newsom, promised that the original draft curriculum would be substantially revised, yet recent statements by Department of Education officials indicate a plan to move forward with the politically motivated and exclusionary approach of the original draft curriculum.

So what might you expect to see if the curriculum sails through as is? Partisan political agendas equating capitalism with racism, other one-sided narratives and misplaced activism.

I’d encourage everyone who has an interest in the curriculum their children are being taught to read the op-ed entitled “California’s ethnic studies proposal is incomplete and offensive” in the San Francisco Chronicle and other supporting information to properly weigh in on this important issue.

ADDRESSING BRIAN MARYOTT’S COMMENTS ON GREEN NEW DEAL STEWART WINKLER, San Juan Capistrano

I wanted to thank the paper for creating a learning opportunity on the timely subject of fake news. In your Feb. 14 article,

Page 7

"The Road to Capitol Hill," Brian Maryott is quoted/wrote, "Nor will I accept that the halving of defense spending, advocated for by the repulsive Green New Deal, should it ever be given any credence..."

Having taken the time to read the Green New Deal, I turned that quote into a teachable moment with my 14-year-old daughter Charlotte. I showed her the quote, because she is interested in climate change. I said it is always a good idea to check your facts and suggested we find the language in the Green New Deal that Brian Maryott referenced.

It took us about 15 minutes to go through the Green New Deal because of the legal language she did not know. If you haven’t read it, it is 14 pages total. Keeping Brian’s statement in mind, we went through it, and she was surprised because not only was there no mention of cutting the defense budget, but she was baffled why, if that was the basis of Brian’s argument, he would call the Green New Deal “repulsive.” How can he feel so strongly about it if his argument has nothing to do with the document?

I know Brian personally, and I consider him to be an affable and smart person, so it is surprising and disappointing to see untrue statements leveraging language which is divisive. In my opinion, leaders in any capacity are chosen to manage teams, which means collaboration. How can you propose to be a leader, to rally the people behind you, to build consensus, by suggesting anyone’s ideas are “repulsive”?

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DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

At the Movies: Feel-Good Movies in Times of Crisis

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

B

Photo: Pexels

List of Grocery Stores

BY LILLIAN BOYD, DANA POINT TIMES

Per last month’s directives from the state and county, urging Californians to stay home and limit trips to essential services such as grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies, several local restaurants have begun utilizing take-out and delivery services to get food to the community.

Furthering its mission of supporting local businesses and working to make sure residents can still have access to food, the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and Dana Point Times have compiled lists of the city’s restaurants offering take-out and deliveries. For the list of restaurants, head to danapointtimes.com, click on the Coronavirus tab, and there you can find a link to the take-out and delivery options.

Below is the list of grocery stores and their respective hours for the general

public, senior shoppers, expectant mothers and those with compromised immune systems that the City of Dana Point has put together.

Sunday • 10 a.m.-6 p.m. *Seniors 60+ and those with physical disabilities • Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday • 8-9 a.m.

GROCERY STORES

24 Monarch Bay Plaza, Dana Point 8 a.m.-8 p.m. *Seniors 65+ Hours • 7-8 a.m.

Local market and grocery store times may be changing to ensure that employees have time to restock shelves, sanitize, and clean facilities. We will keep updating this list as we receive more information.

If you bring your own shopping bags, staff will ask you to bag your own items; staff will only bag your items in new disposable bags (free or 10 cents each). Valid ID may be required for senior shopping hours.

Albertsons 33601 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point Monday through Friday • 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday • 7 a.m.-9 p.m. *Seniors and those with disabilities, those who are pregnant or those with compromised immune systems • 7-9 a.m.

Gelson’s

Ralphs 32555 Golden Lantern, Dana Point • 24871 Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. *Seniors 60+ and those considered high risk • 6-7:30 a.m.

Smart & Final 34091 Doheny Park Road, Capistrano Beach 6 a.m.-10 p.m. *Seniors 65+, those with disabilities and expectant mothers • Tuesday and Thursday • 6-8 a.m.

Stater Bros. Market 616 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente 9 a.m.-9 p.m. *Senior Hours • 7:45-9 a.m.

Costco

Trader Joe’s

33961 Doheny Park Road, San Juan Capistrano Monday-Friday • 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Saturday • 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

32351 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel • 638 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente 9 a.m.-7 p.m. *Letting only 30 people in at a time. *Seniors expedited line • 8-9 a.m.

ecause of the global COVID-19 pandemic, one of the many ramifications we are experiencing is the film industry basically going on hiatus until at least June. Not only are major releases being postponed, so are all studio productions. This is truly an unprecedented event in pop culture and human history. Some studios such as Universal have embraced the option of streaming in the meantime, though many of the films being offered online were already released theatrically in recent months.

As a regular reviewer, this means I will be going a long time without any new movies to discuss. To make up for the lack of content, I’m preparing a series of opinion pieces, retrospectives and lists until the end of spring.

For home viewing recently, Steven Soderbergh’s sci-fi thriller Contagion (2011) has blown up on streaming sites in the past month because of its eerie relevance to current events. As good as this movie is, I’m struggling to see the appeal of wanting to actually watch something like this in the middle of a real-life health crisis.

So instead, I’m going to be recommending and covering some more light-hearted and feel-good movies— starting with some basics, including my own personal favorite films that always cheer me up when I’m down.

My favorite movie of all time is the classic romantic comedy Annie Hall (1977), which unfortunately has been tainted by the personal life of its writer-director-star, Woody Allen. But for me, I can still “separate the art from the artist,” though that might not be the case for every viewer. My top 10 also includes classics such as Disney’s Beauty & the Beast (1991), The Wizard of Oz (1939), ET: the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and A Hard Day’s Night (1964). The next season is going to be interesting, to say the very least, but maybe we can distract ourselves from the chaos with some upbeat films. DP

An Online Resource for Restaurants Offering Take-Out/Delivery in South OC The Picket Fence Media team has pulled together a comprehensive list of area restaurants that are open for take-out during this unprecedented “stay at home” order. We’ve broken the list into our three community areas: San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano + Rancho Mission Viejo. Visit danapointtimes.com and find our Local Eats tab to view the full list.

Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

Page 8

danapointtimes.com

DP

Dana Point Point Dana

DP LIVING

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

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

Six Amazing Humanitarian Women

S

aturday, March 21, was a beautiful day.

After being quarantined inside their homes for most of the week, people had a nice opportunity to get some sunshine, exercise and fresh air, while maintaining a six-foot distance from others. At that time, it was permissible to do so.

That morning, my stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) buddy, Russell Kerr, and I decided to paddle from Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor to Doheny Beach and back. Near the harbor mouth, we saw what we thought was a two-foot log bobbing in the water.

As many paddleboarders and kayakers do, we pick up trash and debris that floats in our waters.

Normally, one of us would slide the log onto our paddleboard and bring it ON LIFE AND ashore.

LOVE AFTER 50 Upon closer inspection,

By Tom Blake we saw that it was a baby sea lion. And it was struggling to get breaths and stay afloat.

We hoped it could make it to a rock on the nearby jetty. Plus, we saw three adult sea lions about 100 yards away, thinking one might be its mother.

We looked for help; there were no boats around. We felt there was nothing we could do.

After our paddle, back at Baby Beach, we saw a Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) rescue truck pull onto the grass,

parking next to the rest rooms.

Two PMMC women, Krysta and Wendy, scurried to the shoreline carrying a blanket.

The sea lion was lying on the paddleboard of Candice Appleby of San Clemente.

Quickly, it was whisked away to the PMMC truck.

From a distance, I asked Candice what had happened on the water.

Candice explained that she is a SUP coach and had been out in the ocean instructing a client. She said, “When we came back inside the harbor mouth, I saw three women kneeling on their paddleboards. One was my friend Val Ells, Dana Point, (who happens to volunteer at PMMC), and another was Lisa Hazelton, San Clemente. I don’t know who the third woman was.

“Val yelled to me that there was a sick seal pup there, and they were trying to get it on a board. I paddled over and was able to get it on the back of my board. Val had her cellphone with her, so she called ahead to the PMMC, who indicated a rescue truck was on its way.

“When I got back to Baby Beach, the rescue workers were distressed that it was such ‘a baby.’ They rushed off with her.”

I was impressed with the humanitarian act of those six women: four on the water, plus the two from the PMMC. Another woman commented, “Candice is a world-champion paddleboarder.”

“Is that true?” I asked Candice. She humbly admitted she has won The Dana Point Battle of the Paddle/Pacific Paddle Games nine times. I asked for her website address: candiceappleby.com/herstory.

I was amazed to discover she is probably the greatest woman paddleboarder in the world.

In the midst of the COVID-19 dark news, where hundreds of thousands of people across the country and around the world are risking their lives to try to save the sick, these six women were a bright light with their heartwarming act of kindness, in trying to save this precious little sea lion.

And, as we are learning during COVID-19,

Sudoku

We’ll get through COVID-19—because of people like these six women. But, we won’t be paddleboarding for awhile; the beaches may be closed.

Tom Blake is a retired Dana Point business owner and San Clemente 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, Dana Point 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 Dana Point Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

DANA POINT TIMES

B

Last week’s solution:

Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

lots of people can’t be saved. Candice forwarded to me this news from Wendy and Krysta at the PMMC later that afternoon: “I am very sorry to report, but sadly she passed. Our team worked on her for three hours straight. She was very emaciated and hypothermic. Her lungs sounded terrible.

But we wanted to let you know she died in warm loving arms.”

Sad news, indeed, but on the positive side, six incredible Orange County women had tried to save this little sea lion.

The PMMC is a charity. They exist on donations. I’m going to help them: pacificmmc.org.

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Buttercup

BY MYLES MELLOR

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9.

Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

Using her stand-up paddleboard, Candice Appleby brings a baby sea lion that was struggling to get breaths onto the shore at Baby Beach on March 21. Photo: Courtesy of courtesy of Val Ells

See the solution in next week’s issue.

uttercup is a 1-year-old Mastiff mix looking for someplace to finally call home. This cutie has a sweet personality and lots of energy to run and play. Buttercup likes to stay active and would do well with someone who can keep up with her exercise regimen and her silly antics.

If you are interested in adopting Buttercup, please visit petprojectfoundation.org/adoptions/ adoptadog to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you Page 10

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

will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. DP danapointtimes.com

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Shorecliffs Golf Club followed the actions of every other area golf course and closed on Wednesday, April 1, until further notice. All other tri-cities golf courses and clubs had closed by March 22. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Clubbed Down Shorecliffs Golf Club closes after public concern

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

After pushing to stay open through another full week, Shorecliffs Golf Club in San Clemente finally followed the actions of every other golf course in the area and suspended operations on Wednesday, April 1, until further notice.

“We apologize for any inconvenience.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, course is closed until further notice,” a note on the Shorecliffs website said. “We cannot allow any people on the property, as it is a liability to the course. We thank you for your patronage and look forward to seeing you, hopefully soon!”

Despite every other golf course and club in the area having closed by March 22, Shorecliffs had stayed open through Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

last week with a packed parking lot and full slates of booked tee times deep into next week.

During a special meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 31, Lisa Bartlett, the supervisor of the fifth district (including San Clemente), voiced her concerns about the club staying open during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I understand people want to get exercise; they’re getting stir-crazy,” Bartlett said. “We have a public health crisis we’ve got to lock down. Golf courses are not part of the essential worker, essential business list pursuant to the governor’s executive order. We need cooperation out there.”

Shorecliffs had been citing a letter the club’s legal counsel had obtained from the Department of Health Services of the County of Sacramento—not the state or Orange County offices—that said golf courses could continue to stay open as long as social distancing guidelines were being followed.

“As golf is a natural social distancing sport,” a March 20 Shorecliffs Golf Club Facebook post said, “Shorecliffs and many

other courses are staying open to support the mental health of the community. We are monitoring the recommendations of local and state officials and will remain open unless we are advised otherwise.”

Bartlett said even with social distancing, the normal interactions of a golf course increased the opportunity to spread the virus by touch.

“It’s not a matter of letting golfers walk the course, wear a mask and put in place social distancing,” Bartlett said. “There are so many touch points on course.

You’ve got the flag pole you’re putting in and out on the greens. You’ve got the public bathrooms, scorecards, turning things in to the staff.”

Bartlett implored any golf courses in the county that remained open to heed the advice of the board and the state to “close today. Protect yourselves, your workers. Protect the public.”

San Clemente Mayor Dan Bane said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 31 that Shorecliffs did, indeed, close that day. Shorecliffs posted its notice officially on Wednesday, April 1.

Page 11

“Earlier today, I was informed that Shorecliffs Golf Club is voluntarily closing until further notice in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bane’s post said. “I applaud this move, and it was most certainly the right move in light of the current pandemic. My understanding is that the county will be issuing further guidance tomorrow regarding golf course closures for those courses that have not already voluntarily closed.”

San Clemente residents had contacted the city offices multiple times about Shorecliffs’ decision to remain open, and Bane even fielded some complaints by residents about the course in the comments of a San Clemente Times Facebook post.

The San Clemente Municipal Golf Course was closed with other city-owned or city-operated facilities by the city of San Clemente on March 16, and following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order on March 20, courses and clubs in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano followed suit. Talega Golf Club, a public course, and Bella Collina San Clemente, a private club, closed on March 22. DP danapointtimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 100 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM PUBLIC NOTICE

Environmental:

CITY OF DANA POINT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT a public hearing, via teleconference, will be held in accordance with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-2520, by the Director of Community Development of the City of Dana Point to consider the following: Local Coastal Program Amendment LCPA190002/Zone Text Amendment ZTA19-0002-Zoning Code Update: A request for modifications to the Dana Point Zoning Code, including the regulations affecting Accessory Dwelling Unit to be consistent with State Law. Project Number:

Project Location: Applicant: Environmental: Hearing Date: Hearing Time: Hearing Location:

Local Coastal Program Amendment LCPA19-0002/ Zone Text Amendment ZTA19-0002 Citywide City of Dana Point Exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15265(f) Monday, April 13, 2020 6:00 p.m. (or as soon thereafter as possible) Teleconference/Webinar – access link will be available on Meeting Agenda.

All persons either favoring or opposing this proposal are invited to present their views on the above referenced project to the Director during this teleconference public hearing. Participants are encouraged to submit their written comments prior to the teleconference to snicholas@danapoint.org.

Note: If you challenge the action taken on this proposal in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Dana Point prior to the public hearing.

For further information, please call Sean Nicholas, Senior Planner at the City of Dana Point, Community Development Department, 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 209, Dana Point, (949) 248 3588, or by email at snicholas@danapoint.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF DANA POINT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT a public hearing, via teleconference, will be held in accordance with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-2520, by the Director of Community Development of the City of Dana Point to consider the following: Major Antenna Use Permit AUP19-0001 and Variance V19-0001 located at 34381 Calle Portola: A Major Antenna Use Permit (AUP) and Variance to allow the installation of a 50 foot high, stealth freestanding, com mercial wireless telecommunication antenna facility (CWTAF), with variances to allow the proposed CWTAF within 500 feet of another CWTAF, and to exceed the 35-foot height limit in the Community Facilities Zoning District.

Project Number: Project Location: Applicant: Owner:

Major Antenna Use Permit AUP19-0001 and Variance V19-0001 34381 Calle Portola (APN 123-392-01) Smart Link on behalf of AT&T Faith Lutheran Church of Capistrano Beach

Dana Point Times April 3–9, 2020

Hearing Date: Hearing Time: Hearing Location:

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the project is categorically exempt per Section 15303 of the CEQA Guidelines (Class 3 – Construction and Conversion of Small Structures) due to the fact that the project consists of the installation of a freestanding wireless telecommunication antenna facility.

April 13, 2020 6:00 PM (or as soon thereafter as possible) Teleconference/Webinar – access link will be available on Meeting Agenda.

California Coastal Commission South Coast Office 301 E. Ocean Blvd, Suite 300 Long Beach, CA 90802 A public hearing before the Dana Point Planning Commission for the above-noted application is scheduled for April 13, 2020. A subsequent public hearing is tentatively scheduled for the City Council on May 19, 2020. A separate public hearing notice

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

All persons either favoring or opposing this proposal are invited to present their views on the above referenced project to the Director during this teleconference public hearing. Participants are encouraged to submit their written comments prior to the teleconference to dgiometti@danapoint.org.

• Fictitious Business Notice (FBN/DBA) • Name Changes • Lien Sale • Alcoholic Beverage License • Notice to Creditors

Note: If you challenge the action taken on this proposal in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Dana Point prior to the public hearing.

LOCALS ONLY

PUBLIC NOTICE

BUSINESS LISTINGS

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT LCPA19-0002/ ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT ZTA19-0002 Name of Project: Local Coastal Program Amendment LCPA19-0002/Zone Text Amendment ZTA19-0002.

Location: Citywide.

Description of Project: The City of Dana Point is proposing to amend the Zoning Ordinance associated with joint use of parking facilities, public notification requirements, and new accessory dwelling unit and junior accessory dwelling unit provisions to bring the Zoning Ordinance into conformance with recent State law changes.

ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

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

AUTO REPAIR

Dana Point Auto

34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, 949.496.1086

CAFE - DELI

In addition to the Zone Text Amendments described above, the project also requires a Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA). The project will modify various elements of the Zoning Ordinance which are components of the City’s certified Local Coastal Program.

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

Lead Agency: City of Dana Point

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

Lead Agency Contact Person: Sean Nicholas, AICP, Senior Planner

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COFFEE SHOP 34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

ICE CREAM

Phone Number: (949) 248-3588 Addresses Where Documents Are Available for Review:

Dana Point Library 33841 Niguel Road Dana Point, CA 92629

• Petitions for Probate • Trustee Sale • Summons – Divorce – Civil • Annual Report • Non-Responsibility • Dissolution of Partnership

EMAIL legals@picketfencemedia.com CALL 949.388.7700, ext. 100

For further information, please contact Danny Giometti, Associate Planner at the City of Dana Point, Community Development Department, 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 209, Dana Point, (949) 248-3569.

Dana Point City Hall Community Development 33282 Golden Lantern Dana Point, CA 92629

will be provided at least ten (10) days prior to the public hearing held by the Planning Commission and City Council to consider the matter. The documents related to the project were made available for public review on February 20, 2020. For further information, please contact Sean Nicholas, AICP Senior Planner at the City of Dana Point, Community Development Department, 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 209, Dana Point, (949) 248-3588.

Coffee Importers Scoop Deck

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

State Farm/Elaine LaVine

34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, www.elainelavine.net

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MASSAGE THERAPY

Paul Svoboda CAMTC #76690 Monarch Beach Studio or Outcall, 310.387.2560 MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Danman’s Music School

24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

Yeungs Violin Studio

949.388.4038, heilingyeung@hotmail.com www.yeungsschoolofviolin.com/violinestudio

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection

1001 Calle Recodo, San Clemente, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing

1001 Calle Recodo, San Clemente, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

UPHOLSTERY & INTERIORS

Jeddy’s Interiors

34118 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. 2, 949.240.9569. www.jeddys.com

WANT TO BE FEATURED HERE? Email lloynes@picketfencemedia.com for pricing.

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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 5PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Do you want to reach 10,000+ people in the Dana Point area every week?

Then you need to be in the Dana Point Times.

Call us today!

Contact Lauralyn Loynes at 949.388.7700 ext. 102 or lloynes@picketfencemedia.com Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

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DP DP SURF Dana Point

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Why Are You Still Surfing Lowers?

While it’s important to stay active and get out when we can, the lack of social distancing among surfers at Lowers is concerning

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

I

’ll be perfectly honest: I’m kind of baffled by the crowds at Lowers ignoring the coronavirus-related guidelines. I never thought I’d be the kind of guy to browbeat people for sneaking a surf or breaking some rules, but 50 dudes on the peak at Lowers?

Dads on the beach filming their kids? What are you guys thinking?

Signs posted at the top of the Lower Trestles last week read: “In an effort to protect our visitors and community during the global outbreak of COVID-19, this park is temporarily closed.”

Local beach parking lots have been closed. The California State Parks has closed its facilities. Even so, there has been a steady flow of electric bikes on the point at Lowers trail.

I get it. We’re all cooped up at home. The kids are driving you crazy. And getting out in the sunshine and open space of the beach seems like the only thing there is to do. But seeing the crowds at Lowers, as well as Up-

The county last week instituted strict preventative measures to limit the spread of coronavirus by closing the parking lots to county-owned beaches with the hopes it would deter attendance at beaches. The sign pictured here is similar to signs posted at the top of Lower Trestles. Photo: Jake Howard

pers and T-Street, is disheartening.

As somebody who lives, works and is raising a family in San Clemente, I applaud the move by the California State Park Department. There are a lot of people making a lot of sacrifices to get through this, and a bunch of selfish surfers are ruining it.

This was the right move. In conversations

with a number of longtime locals, pro surfers and regulars at Lowers, they all concur— something had to be done to put a halt to the crowds. The waves will still be there when this is over, and if everybody behaves themselves, it will put us right in the middle of south swell season when things open up.

If you need the therapeutic soul cleanse

that surfing offers, find a peak by yourself somewhere. In these turbulent times, consider sacrificing wave quality for the safety of your community. I’d go crazy if I couldn’t sneak off into the water every few days, but I’m also not under the illusion that I’m going to catch the wave of my life right now or drastically improve my skills.

I’m happy with a duck dive and a couple of close-outs. I’m keeping my standards low.

I’m just happy to be able to get in the ocean now and again.

Nearby Laguna Beach closed its beaches.

San Diego has closed its city beaches this week. There are published reports of somebody getting a $1,000 ticket for surfing around Los Angeles’ South Bay. There’s even a video running around social media right now that shows a surfer in Costa Rica running up the beach while a police officer gives chase and fires a couple of shots at him.

As of this writing, there were more than 500 cases of coronavirus in Orange County and seven related deaths. There are 20 cases reported in San Clemente and nine in Dana Point. The number of cases is reportedly doubling every three days. Last week, Orange County recorded its first death from the virus.

One of the most telling stats, and one that is relevant to the surf community, is that most of the cases in Orange County are people younger than 50. Only 77 cases are people older than 65, while there are 219 cases reported in adults between the ages of 18 and 44. So all the bros out flexing at Lowers, knock it off so we can flatten the curve.

Yes, there’s a long period south swell on tap for this week. And, yes, the weather’s going to be as nice as it has been all year. But the longer we drag this thing out, the longer it’s going to take to get back to our normal lives, and it would be epic to put all this in the rearview mirror by summertime, so we can all enjoy the beaches and waves. DP

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

Water Temperature: 58-60 Degrees F

WYATT SCHOLLENBERGER

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

N

o doubt that for the groms out there, quarantine life can be a bit of a bummer. The schools are shut. Access to the beaches has been severely limited. And getting through these long days takes some creativity.

But it’s even more of a bummer for those who are dealing with some kind of injury or health issue, which is why this installment of Grom of the Week goes out to my good friend Wyatt Schollenberger.

Just as California went on lockdown, Wyatt got his foot mangled in a bike tire.

Breaking his tibia, he’ll now be posted up on the couch for the next six to eight weeks Dana Point Times April 3-9, 2020

Water Visibility and Conditions: 10-15’

while his leg mends.

Wyatt’s old man reports that he didn’t shed a tear when the accident happened; rather, he gritted his teeth and endured—because Wyatt is tough like that.

A sixth-grader at Shorecliffs Middle School, Wyatt’s grown into a radical bodysurfer. And when he’s not at the beach, he’s up in mountains attacking the slopes.

Wyatt’s mom is a dedicated nurse and has been on the front lines of our current health crisis. We owe her and all of her peers a huge hug—when we’re allowed to hug, of course.

Hang in there, Wyatt! By the time that leg of yours is healed, it’ll be summer, the water

Wyatt Schollenberger. Photo: Courtesy of the Schollenberger Family

Outlook: South swell continues to provide waist-chest-head high surf on Friday (3-45’), with winds expected out of the eastsoutheast/southeast for the morning before switching around to more westerly directed flow for the afternoon. South swell then tapers off through the weekend for mostly waist-stomach high leftovers (2-3’) with top spots occasionally seeing some sets up to chest high (4’). Diurnal winds with favorable morning conditions expected for Saturday, with westerly flow through the day Sunday.

will have warmed up, and you’ll be back to pulling into barrels at Rivi. DP

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