January 10, 2014

YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, EVENTS AND MORE J A N U A RY 1 0 -1 6 , 2 0 1 4

LO C A L

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VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2

Roots Run Deep Longtime Dana Point resident Harry Otsubo helped plant city’s roots, establish parks E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 4

Nearly 60 years ago, Harry Otsubo made Dana Point his home. Since, the 100-year-old owner of the Dana Point Nursery has worked tirelessly to make it place for future generations to enjoy. Here, Otsubo is pictured at his nursery, standing amongst bonsai trees he planted as seedlings. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

www.danapointtimes.com

Collection Booths Being Removed from Toll Roads, TCA Says

Monarch Bay Neighbors Celebrate Retiring Mailman

Rugby Club Storms its Way onto Dana Hills Campus

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EYE ON DP

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

CITY AND BUSINESS CALENDAR SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 Community Recycling Event 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Residents can drop off plastic bottles and aluminum cans in the Dana Hills High School parking lot, 33333 Golden Lantern, for students from the school’s organizations to sort. Events will be held rain or shine. Funds collected are distributed by the school’s PTSA for student programs.

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D a n a Po i nt

Farmers Market 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Seasonal produce is on the ticket at

the weekly outdoor market, located at 34111 La Plaza Street. Call 949.573.5033 to find out more about renting a booth.

held at City Hall, Council Chambers, at 33282 Golden Lantern. Check with www.danapointtimes.com for a discussion recap.

MONDAY, JANUARY 13

TUESDAY, JANUARY 14

Planning Commission Meeting 6 p.m. The commission will hold public hearings on two single-family dwellings and the placement of nine new commercial wireless telecommunications antennas at an existing commercial structure on Dana Point Harbor Drive. The meeting will be

VFW Veterans Assistance 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m. Dana Point VFW Post 9934 offers free veterans’ benefits assistance at the Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo Street. Call 949.248.1419 or visit www.vfwpost9934.org to find out more. .

DANA POINT’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s Up With...

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…the Influenza Virus?

THE LATEST: A 28-year-old San Juan Capistrano woman is the first person in Orange County under 65 to die of the influenza virus this flu season, county health officials said Thursday, January 2.

The woman, whose name has not been released, contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu virus and died sometime the week prior, according to Deanne Thompson, spokesperson for the county’s Health Care Agency. The woman also had “underlying medical conditions,” Thompson said.

Reports of influenza, primarily the H1N1 strain, have increased over the last few weeks in Orange County, according to a press release.

The strain is the same as the one behind the 2009 flu pandemic, which infected between 43-88 million people and killed between 8,720-18,050 people in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WHAT’S NEXT: County health officials recommend residents protect themselves against influenza by getting vaccinated annually.

Free flu shots are available each Thursday through January 30 at HCA’s Family Health Clinic. The clinic is located at 1725 W. 17th Street in Santa Ana. FIND OUT MORE: Contact the HCA Health Referral Line at 800.564.8448.—Brian Park

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…Toll Road Collections?

THE LATEST: Orange County commuters will no longer have to stop at toll plazas beginning in May. Neil Peterson, the chief executive officer at the Transportation Corridor Agencies, told the San Clemente City Council TuesDana Point Times January 10-16, 2014

day that the agency, which collects tolls on the 73, 133, 241 and 261 freeways, will phase out its collection booths in May. Booths will be replaced with a system that sends bills directly to vehicle owners, based on their license plate information.

Peterson said the agency hoped eliminating the collection sites would encourage greater ridership.

WHAT’S NEXT: The TCA will not phase out its FasTrak system, which uses transponders to collect tolls, and will still allow subscribers to pay a reduced rate. Peterson said toll roads in Los Angeles County will still require cash collection.

FIND OUT MORE: For more, visit www.thetollroads.com.—Jim Shilander

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problem.” With the impending extension of La Pata Avenue, students from San Clemente’s Talega community would be attending San Juan Hills. Students from Talega and Ladera Ranch also have priority access to the high school because taxpayers from the communities helped pay for the school through their Community Finance Districts.

Board President John Alpay noted that students from San Juan would then be forced to attend school outside of their city.

The district has also expressed interest in acquiring the land to build additional parking for the school and expand facilities onto the existing parking lots. Trustees noted that rezoning the land would significantly raise the value of the property, making any potential land swap more difficult.

WHAT’S NEXT: The San Juan Capistrano City Council is expected to make its decision at its next meeting, January 21.

…CUSD’s Message to San Juan?

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District is asking the San Juan Capistrano City Council to deny a proposal to build a 100-unit apartment complex near San Juan Hills High School.

CUSD trustees on Wednesday, January 8 unanimously approved a resolution opposing the project, known as the Rancho San Juan Apartments.

The developer, Mission Viejo-based Woodbridge Pacific Group, is proposing to build the community on 4.6 acres of land on the northwest corner of Vista Montana and La Pata Avenue.

In August, the city’s Planning Commission recommended the City Council deny the developer’s request to rezone the land due to traffic concerns. The council voted in December to continue the item after traffic consultants for the developer presented a plan to reconfigure traffic lanes.

However, Trustee Jim Reardon, a San Juan Capistrano resident, said the issue was not about traffic but rather a “capacity

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.danapointtimes.com.—BP

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…the County’s 2014 Platform?

THE LATEST: The Orange County Board of Supervisors passed the Orange County Legislative Platform for 2014 last month, focusing on protecting local sources of funding and improving cost recovery from state and federal resources.

The platform calls for lobbying efforts to improve Medi-Cal reimbursement for federally qualified health centers as well as recovering costs of county searches when a resident acts in violation of the law or with reckless misconduct and disregard for their safety at the state level.

At the federal level, the platform calls for eliminating a Medicaid inmate exception rule for pre-adjudicated inmates and discount drug pricing, as well as work on

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San Juan Creek.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Board of Supervisors will be seeking bill authors from the county’s delegations to try to pass favorable legislation.

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.danapointtimes.com.—JS

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…the New School Name?

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District is considering several names for a new K-8 school that will be built in the Rancho Mission Viejo development. CUSD trustees held a brief discussion and offered up their suggestions on Wednesday, January 8.

Trustee Anna Bryson suggested the name “Gabrielino,” after the native people that inhabited the location of the future school. Trustee Amy Hanacek suggested “Gavilan,” the Spanish word for the sparrowhawk. It is also the name of a gated senior community within Rancho Mission Viejo’s first village, Sendero. Hanacek said the name reflected the ranch’s dedication to preserving its open space.

Leading up to the meeting, Trustee Jim Reardon suggested naming the school after Richard J. O’Neill, a member of the family that has owned and managed the ranch’s land since 1882. However, Trustee Gary Pritchard said in speaking with the family, they asked the district to consider another family member, Marguerite “Daisy” O’Neill.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board voted unanimously to continue the discussion to March to allow trustees and district staff more time to consider and research potential names.

FIND OUT MORE: Track district news on Twitter @DanaPointTimes.—BP www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Deep Roots Longtime Dana Point resident Harry Otsubo helped plant city’s roots, establish parks

By Andrea Papagianis Dana Point Times

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”—Anonymous s Harry Otsubo walks into his Dana Point Nursery, it is apparent he’s made it home.

Otsubo wears his 100 years well. Having just celebrated his centennial Monday, January 6, surrounded by friends and family, Otsubo is still enveloped in a triumphant glow.

His longtime employees greet him on arrival, wearing proud smiles as they wish him “Happy Birthday” and “Welcome Home,” because the second he walks through the nursery doors, it’s clear, that is where he is. Otsubo came to Dana Point in 1957 after more than a decade in Los Angeles. Long before the track homes, major roadways, resorts, Harbor and incorporation, Otsubo founded his city.

“He has always tried hard to help the community, so that there is a better future for everyone,” said Otsubo’s daughter Kathy Jones.

Her father is like the anonymous proverb Jones said. Like the great men and women who have gone before him, “He was progressive in trying to help the future generations, even though it is something he may never have seen,” she said.

Sitting amidst bonsai trees he’s nurtured since seedlings, Otsubo is in his element. He points to some sitting on a nursery table, “Those are at least 25 years old,” he says. The small, ornate bonsai trees sit delicately manicured in a quiet Japanese garden with a koi pond and dozens of Buddhist statues. The trees are Otsubo’s passion. In his old age, Otsubo’s voice has quieted, but mention his bonsai trees and his voice perks up.

Otsubo was born on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 1914. The second-oldest of nine siblings, Otsubo and his family relocated to Southern California in 1940, just two years before the war in the Pacific broke out.

He and his family were fortunate to have escaped the persecution of Japanese immigrants in the early 40s, when more than 100,000 were placed in internment camps throughout the west. During that time, the Otsubo family traveled to Utah where they farmed, Jones said, before returning to Los Angeles permanently at the end of the war.

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Dana Point Times January 10-16, 2013

Harry Otsubo made Dana Point his home in 1957. Since, the 100-year-old owner of the Dana Point Nursery has worked tirelessly to make it place for future generations to enjoy. Above, Otsubo is pictured at his nursery, standing amid bonsai trees he planted as seedlings. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

“There’s something fascinating about things growing. I think that’s what keeps a farmer going. He actually sees something that’s the result of his work, and can watch it grow.” —Harry Otsubo, Los Angeles Times He was self-employed from the start, Jones recalls, with his hand in grocery stores and movie theaters before moving to Dana Point. Once here, Otsubo diversified his portfolio.

Taking the farming knowledge he gained, Otsubo and his wife of 70 years, Tei, started a local nursery. He later acquired the Dana Point Nursery located on Pacific Coast Highway. The longstanding site, which Otsubo has owned since the early 1960s, still carries the iconic sign reading “Since 1947,” standing as a testament to Otsubo’s devotion to his community, family and his employees.

“There is no one else I want to work for,” said longtime employee Katie Roberts. “Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Harry, Tei and Kathy, of course. We are more of a family than anything … There are not a lot of places like this anymore.”

Roberts was raised in Dana Point but relocated to northern San Diego County nearly a decade ago. Since then she has made the commute to Harry’s nursery because of that family. Even her brother

and cousin have joined the nursery’s ranks, making it truly a family owned and operated business.

It was a family process from day one.

Harry took to the nursery’s fields while Tei handled the shop’s day-to-day operations. And as her parents aged, Jones became more involved, before stepping in full-time nearly 30 years ago. Harry was never far from the action though, working almost daily in the fields and nursery storefront well into his 90s.

“He would go down to the field all day and then come to the nursery,” Roberts recalls. “He and I would close the store together. He always had the most amazing stories about life, gardening, bonsai trees and the city of Dana Point before it was developed and how different things are now than they were then.”

Planting a City’s Roots Otsubo landed in Dana Point when it was still open fields. As developers built up the seaside community and the population grew, he made it a personal goal to

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preserve the area’s natural resources.

He worked with the family of one of Dana Point’s early investors and publisher of the Los Angeles Times, Harry Chandler, in the early days, recalls longtime colleague Susan Hinman. She and Otsubo served together on the county’s Dana Point Specific Plan Review Board back in the 80s, laying out the city’s zoning and planning codes before incorporation in 1989.

“Often times, he would be very, very quiet,” Hinman said of their time on the board. “He would listen to all the testimony and all the statements. Then, he would come up with a few sentences that were the sage. His responses were so true. He has always had the community’s best interests in mind.”

Otsubo also served on the Capistrano Bay Parks and Recreation District Board of Directors, “When I was on the board, we built 11 parks,” Otsubo said.

It is a time in Dana Point’s history that Kevin Evans, the city’s director of community services and parks, remembers well. Otsubo was on the board when Evans was hired, a few years before the district merged with the newly established city of Dana Point, in 1993.

“He was truly the visionary on the board of directors,” Evans said of the man who helped establish the city’s maintenance practices still used today. “He raised the bar as far as our standards go, like the frequency of mowing, trimming trees and the plant pallet that we have used in many of our parks.”

In 1982, Otsubo was named the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce’s first Citizen of the Year. Harry’s horticultural hand also landed his name on a city park, the Harry Otsubo Community Gardens.

“People love nature, whether it is animals or vegetables,” Otsubo said in a November 13, 1990 article, “Gardeners’ Small Plots Worth Lots,” in the Los Angeles Times, about the Dana Point community gardens bearing his name.

“There’s something fascinating about things growing. I think that’s what keeps a farmer going. He actually sees something that’s the result of his work, and can watch it grow.”

Otsubo knows this well. Even at 100, he maintains the near 60-year-old bonsai trees in his backyard.

Since they sprouted from Japanese seeds, Otsubo has cared from them, meticulously pruning and shaping them, always making them better. His work hasn’t gone unnoticed. When developers in Las Vegas were readying the mixeduse CityCenter development, 15 or more of Otsubo’s bonsai trees were purchased.

“It is an honor,” Otsubo said of his bonsai trees being selected. “But it took a lot of time,” he quipped. “Those trees were 40 years old.” But now, Otsubo said he hopes people visiting Las Vegas ask about the trees, learn and enjoy them for years to come. Just one of his many trees planted for generations to come. DP www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

DP Sheriff’s Blotter SPONSORED BY

Dana Point Police Services www.HideitLockitOrLoseit.com COMPILED BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Saturday, January 4 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Santa Clara Avenue, 24500 Block (12:46 a.m.) The caller reported receiving a text that read, “I hid the body, now what?”

Friday, January 3 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Calle Anejo, 27200 Block (6:58 p.m.)

A woman called from Northern California to report the her brother was at her home without permisssion. A neighbor alerted her to his presence. The woman’s brother did not live in the home and she feared he would pick the lock. Sheriff’s deputies were reportedly on the scene earlier.

DISTURBANCE Del Prado Avenue, 24800 Block (4:28 p.m.) A drunken man was passed out on a bench in front of the Little Asian Kitchen.

He was described as being in his 50s, with gray hair, glasses and a moustache.

KEEP THE PEACE Mainsail Way, 25500 Block (2:54 p.m.)

A woman called authorities because her 80-year-old mother locked her out of the house.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Monarch Bay Drive, 100 Block (2:30 a.m.)

Orange County Fire Authority officials responded to a young drunken woman who was hyperventilating and throwing up. The caller didn’t know the woman, but had recorded her for the past 20 minutes.

Thursday, January 2 DISTURBANCE Monarch Beach Resort, 0 Block (8:59 p.m.) About four young kids threw eggs at the caller’s car. The caller and a friend detained two boys believed to be involved near the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort.

Others involved in the incident got away.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Domingo Avenue/Sepulveda Avenue (7:05 p.m.) A large group of people who appeared to be homeless were loitering and listening to loud music. The caller thought some in the group were using drugs and said people were hiding behind vehicles.

Wednesday, January 1 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Sherwood Way, 24800 Block (11:51 p.m.)

Someone in tears was ringing the caller’s door. The caller was unable to look outside to get a description of the person.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Doheny Park Road/Victoria Boulevard (11:21 a.m.) A patrol check was requested near Donut World for apparently drunken homeless subjects who were yelling at people nearby.

DISTURBANCE Palm Beach Court/Regatta Way (4:03 p.m.) An unknown man was reported living in a community pool area. The caller said there were beer cans and drug paraphernalia scattered about. The man was describes as being in his late 20s with brown hair and not wearing clothing.

TRESPASSING Pacific Coast Highway, 34100 Block (3:18 a.m.) A drunken man with dark hair reportedly passed out at a patio table.

The manager asked for deputy assistance escorting the man.

NEWS BITES

Compiled by Andrea Papagianis

PROPS, RECOGNITIONS AND MORSELS OF INFO Fire Protection History on Civic Association Chat Ticket u After a holiday break, the Dana Point Civic Association’s monthly coffee chat will return on Friday, January 17 in the Dana Point Harbor.

This month’s featured guest is retired Orange County Fire Authority engineer Don Croucher of Capistrano Beach. Croucher, an avid collector of fire memorabilia, will discuss the history of fire protection in early Dana Point and Capistrano Beach from volunteer firefighters to a full-time department.

It is a path he himself travelled, as Croucher worked as a volunteer fireman at a Doheny station in the 1960s before becoming a full-time county fireman.

Croucher is president of the California Fire Museum, Inc., a nonprofit fundraising to build a facility in the Orange County Great Park, located at the former site of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine. The organization has land set aside in the park and recently signed an affiliate agreement.

Eventually, the organization hopes to build their museum with a hands-on safety learning center with exhibits on fire prevention, water safety, disaster preparedness, first-aid and more. Plans for the museum have not yet been finalized.

Las Buenas Amigas Donates $7,500 to Area Kids, Elderly u Members of the nonprofit Las Buenas Amigas—meaning good friends in Spanish—donated $7,500 to two local organizations assisting south Orange County’s youth, elderly and handicapped at their annual Christmas luncheon in December.

Las Buenas members also celebrated their 46th anniversary.

Since the charitable organization’s founding in 1967, members have donated more than $500,000 to assist their community’s young and old.

This year, the Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area and RIO-Leo Fessenden

Outgoing president of Las Buenas Amigas, Marj Knudson (center), presents directors Alicia Fiori and Robert Adams, of RIO-Leo Fessenden CBAS and the Boys & Club of the South Coast Area, respectively, with donations. Courtesy photo

CBAS—an organization serving adults who are physically, developmentally or cognitively impaired—benefitted from Las Buenas donations. Directors of both organizations joined Las Buenas Amigas members and guests gathered at The Hills Hotel in Laguna Hills for their yearly lunch and boutique.

The event featured holiday tunes from two vocal performance teams from El Toro High School, Soundsation and Choralistics. The event’s attendees shared lunch, shopped door prizes and sang-along with the 66 member choral groups.

Also, the Las Buenas Amigas executive board for 2014 was introduced. It includes: Joyce Easton, Beverly McCarthy, Jan Hammel, Connie Ketron, Nancy Smith, Marsha Bise, Jean Opatrny and Louise Wilson. For more information on the organization, call 949.499.1863.

Have something interesting for the community? Tell us about awards, events, happenings, accomplishments and more. Forward a picture along, too! We’ll put your submissions into “News Bites.”

Send your information to editorial@danapointtimes.com.

SOAPBOX VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

EDITOR STORIES, NEWS, CALENDAR, ETC.

Andrea Papagianis, 949.388.7700, x112 apapagianis@danapointtimes.com ADVERTISING

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Dana Point Times, Vol. 7, Issue 2. The DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch. com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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> Michele Reddick (San Clemente) > Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano) Locals Only Business Listing Manager

SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Victor Carno, Tawnee Prazak, Dana Schnell, Tim Trent, Michael Vogeler

GUEST OPINION: Conscious Living by Meryl Gwinn

Making Universal Resolutions 2014: A year of scientific discovery and small-scale farming

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anuary can be high pressure. While we resolve to get our lives in order let us find solace in knowing we are supported by grander world measures. In case your optimistic outlook on 2014 has dimmed, get ready for revival. Collective resolutions from the United Nations, which are backed by Chinese astrology, are on beat with small-scale community growth and foresee fast fortunes.

Romanticism aside, here is a bit on the business backing positive themes for the Año Nuevo. The U.N. has named two initiatives for 2014. The first involves growth of community farming. The second is to shed light crystallography, a science examining matter on an atomic, crystalline scale. How earthy and mysterious of them.

Named the International Year of Family Farming by the U.N. General Council, 2014 aims to build family farming by attracting attention to small farming’s ability to eradicate hunger and poverty, provide food security and nutrition, improve livelihoods of families, manage natural

resources and protect the environment.

Family farming is the main form of food production in both developing and non-developing countries, says the U.N. Examples include the preserving of traditional CONSCIOUS LIVING food products, protectBy Meryl Gwinn ing agro-biodiversity and helping sustain natural resources. This is Feed Your People certified (see last month’s Conscious Living column), as this project improves local economy and encourages community wellbeing.

What better a way to get on board then by supporting a proposal for community gardens or planting a low-key winter herb box?

The second initiative calls 2014 the International Year of Crystallography, emphasizing the science’s role in issues such as food security, safe drinking water, health care and reversing environmental damage.

This year recognizes the anniversary of

Nobel Prize recipient Dorothy Hodgkin, a British chemist who is credited with pioneering protein crystallography, for her work on penicillin and Vitamin B12 during World War II. It also celebrates the German mathematician, Johannes Kepler’s discovery of symmetrical forms in ice crystals in 1611. Kepler’s breakthrough initiated the study of symmetry’s role in matter, and since, the study of crystalline patterns has led to crucial advancements.

Goals of the initiative include broadening public understanding of crystallography’s large role in technology, inspiring the world’s youth and illustrating the universality in science. The six-pointed snowflake, pomegranate seed orientation and DNA structure give solid insight into these patterns, and preceded greater discoveries in cellular arrangement, computer memory formatting and pharmaceuticals, to name a few.

Finally, the second new moon after the Winter Solstice marks the Chinese New Year, and 2014’s entrance into the Year of

the Wood Horse. The Chinese calendar traces its roots to the Han Dynasty and is based on astronomical observations of the sun and moon phases. It is a lunisolar calendar predating our Gregorian calendar.

Chinese astrology says the wood horse year is particularly action oriented and brings project fruition, unexpected adventure and romance. An excellent year for travel, this year has elements of high energy and productivity. The horse is wild and freespirited but with acute intuition. Therefore, the year of the horse supports quick decisions and bold action in careers and other personal advancements. Motivated much?

Meryl Gwinn has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and has studied yoga, health, food and humans around the globe.

Gwinn welcomes reader feedback at meryl. gwinn@gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com.

Letters to the Editor PLASTICS’ NEGATIVE EFFECT ON NATURE WELL DOCUMENTED Regina Barnes, Dana Point

This letter is in response to Mr. Dick Rudolph, who complained in his letter to the editor (“What has the Bag Ban Accomplished in Eight Months,” Dana Point Times, December 27-January 2, Vol. 6, Issue 52) about the ban on plastic bags the City Council had instituted eight months ago.

I would like to answer that by referring to an article that was printed in the Los Angeles Times on December 28 titled, “An ecosystem of our own making could pose a threat.”

Dana Point Times January 10–16, 2014

The article discusses “plastisphere.”

In it, the author Louis Sahagun reports that, “this biological community starts with particles of degraded plastic no bigger than grains of salt. Bacteria take up residence on these tiny pieces of trash.

Then single-celled animals feed on that bacteria, and larger predators feed on them ... About 245 million tons of plastic is produced annually around the world, according to industry estimates. That represents 70 pounds of plastic annually for each of the 7.1 billion people on the planet, scientists say. The waste gathers in vast oval-shaped ocean ‘garbage

patches’ formed by converging currents and winds. Once trapped in these cyclonic dead zones, plastic particles may persist for centuries. The physiological effects of visible plastic debris on the fish, birds, turtles and marine mammals that ingest it are well-documented: clogged intestines, restrictive movement, suffocation, loss of vital nutrients, starvation.”

The ban on plastic bags (in the bigger scheme of plastic) is such a small thing, but I think it’s a step in the right direction.

It’s better than doing nothing.

I do agree with Mr. Rudolph that replacing plastic with paper bags is not the Page 6

answer. Until all stores charge for the use of paper bags—like they do in Northern California—people will continue to forget to bring their own reusable bags when they go shopping. I hope one day all cities will have this ban in place. Sorry Mr. Rudolph, then there would be no excuse to not support your local community.

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@danapointtimes. com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.

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GETTING OUT

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ON STAGE AT THE COACH HOUSE: RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED Sons of the late Ricky Nelson and members of Ricky Nelson Remembered, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, will play the Coach House on January 12. This family band honors the music of Ricky Nelson, as well as his work on the television show, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” with Ricky’s parents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and brother, David Nelson.

Matthew and Gunnar preserve Nelson history while continuing to drive the family’s musical legacy forward. With their 1990 number one hit “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love and Affection” they became the first musical family to have had three successive generations with No. 1 hits in the U.S. The Ricky Nelson Remembered show goes beyond the music, immersing the crowd in family stories and videos. “Our show is like a mix between an A&E biography episode and an epic rock show,” Gunnar said. He went on to say he and Matthew are excited to play in California because they are “Cali boys who grew up in Laguna Beach near Lagunitas,” and are looking forward to coming back home. Check out Ricky Nelson Remembered for an entertaining, multi-media experience celebrating the Nelson family story.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at www.thecoachhouse.com or by calling 949.496.8930. The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. —Victor Carno

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

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D a n a Po i nt

THE LIST A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

friday

THE FANTASTICKS 8 p.m.

New play debuts at Cabrillo Playhouse, telling the story of a young man and the girl next door. Tickets $20-$25.

Shows through February 2.

202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente, 949.492.0465, www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

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PATO BANTON AND THE NEW GENERATION 8 p.m. Reggae concert at StillWater Spirits & Sounds.

Cover $23. 24701 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

JIMMIE JAMES HARRIS 8 p.m. Dinner and music at Wind & Sea Restaurant. 34699 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.6500, www.windandsearestaurants.com.

FIVE VINES WINE BAR FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Celebrate the first year at Five Vines Wine Bar with free food, champagne toasts, live music and more. 31761 Camino Capistrano, #11, San Juan Capistrano, 949.800.9145,www.fivevineswine.com.

saturday

SECOND STAGE STANDUP 8 p.m. Comedy night at Camino Real Playhouse featuring popular weatherman Fritz Coleman and other professional comedians. Tickets $15.

31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

11

COYOTES, SHOOTING STARS AND OTHER TALES OF THE OLD WEST 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Docent-led walk with stories on local history and more at The Reserve/ Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Admission $5-$10. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

LOS LOBOS 8 p.m. The popular band plays The Coach House, also featuring Jonah Smith and Shawn Jones.

Tickets $39.50. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

Dana Point Times January 10-16, 2014

Courtesy photo

WHALE WATCHING WITH UNDERWATER VIEWING PODS Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari offers 2.5-hour trips daily. Call for departure times.

View whales and dolphins eye-to-eye, underwater from aboard a hi-tech catamaran. Tickets $59 adults, $39 kids (3 to 12), under 2 free. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.

AN EVENING OF COMEDY & MAGIC 7:30 p.m.

A fun-filled, family-friendly show of amazing mysteries and more in McKinney Theatre at Saddleback College.

General admission $32. 28000 Marguerite Pkwy., Mission Viejo, 949.582.4656, www.saddleback.edu/arts.

BEN WOODS 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Flamenco guitar sets the mood for wine tasting at DaVine Food & Wine. Tastings $20 for five wines. 34673 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.493.4044, www.davine-wine.com.

ABOVE 7 9 p.m. Hit songs from the ’70s to today at Brio Tuscany Grille. 24050 Camino del Avion, Dana Point, 949.443.1476, www.briorestaurant.com.

sunday

THE DIAMONDS AND BILLY RICHARDS’ COASTERS 3 p.m.

Performances by one of the greatest vocal quartets in the history of rock ‘n’ roll as well as a legendary R&B group at Soka Performing Arts Center. Tickets $28-$33. One University Drive, Aliso Viejo, www.performingarts.soka.edu, 949.480.4000.

12

FREE FISHING FOR KIDS Noon. A fishing lesson and more for kids at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

monday tuesday

DREAMBROTHER 7 p.m.10 p.m. Live music at The Cellar. 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3663, www.thecellarsite.com.

14

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8 p.m. Brio Tuscany Grille.

24050 Camino del Avion, Dana Point, 949.443.1476, www.briorestaurant.com.

wednesday

MIGRATORY BIRD LECTURE 7 p.m.8:30 p.m. Free lecture on the efforts to conserve migratory birds throughout the world at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy.

Call for info, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

15

KARAOKE WITH LES AND JOEL 7 p.m. Every Wednesday at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FARMERS MARKET 3 p.m.–7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba in San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.4700.

thursday

16

NATE HANCOCK 9 p.m. Rock/soul artist at StillWater Spirits & Sounds.

24701 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

MEMPHIS KINGS 8 p.m. Live music at BeachFire.

204 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.366.3232, www.beachfire.com.

UPCOMING EVENT: SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 SMOKEY KARAOKE 8 p.m. Take your turn onstage at BeachFire. 204 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.366.3232, www.beachfire.com.

13

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 7:30 p.m. Disney’s hit Broadway musical at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Shows through January 19. Tickets start at $29. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, www.scfta.org.

Page 8

A NIGHT TO BENEFIT AUTISM 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Enjoy an intimate evening with hors d’ oeurves, cocktails and live performances by Jackson Browne and Sarah McLachlan benefitting the Surfers Healing nonprofit.

Strand Beach Club, 27 Strand Beach Drive, Dana Point, www.surfershealing.org, 949.859.8682. *For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.danapointtimes.com.

Have an event?

Send your listing to events@danapointtimes.com www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

4

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

DP

SUDOKU

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

SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION

D a n a Po i nt

See today’s solution in next week’s issue.

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

Everybody Needs a Little Space Whatever your relationship situation, space is the key to longevity

T

wo couples in their 70s recently had lunch at Tutor and Spunky’s, my Dana Point deli. They appeared to be having a good time and enjoying themselves. When they left, one of the men lagged behind and said, “Don’t you write that dating column?” I smiled and said, “Yes.” He said that even married couples can have relationship challenges. He had been married 40 years and retired a year ago.

He said he didn’t properly prepare for retirement and was around the house nearly all of the time. “My wife and I are driving each other crazy,” he said.

Then he added, “I’ve got to do something that will get me out of house.”

I said, “That would be a good idea. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize the marriage after all of these years.”

His wife poked her head back in the door and said sternly, “We’re waiting for you, let’s go.” He looked at me and said, “See what I mean, even that bugs me.”

Not an hour later, another older gentle-

Ready to Retire Monarch Bay community thanks mailman of 27 years

By Andrea Swayne Dana Point Times

W

hen mailman John Gargan began his Monarch Bay route, postage was just 25 cents. Now, after 27 years of putting his stamp on the job and becoming a beloved part of

Dana Point Times January 10-16, 2014

ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50

By Tom Blake

man introduced himself.

He said, “My name is Tom Vlahos. My wife Julie and I live in San Juan Capistrano. We like reading your dating column in the newspaper even though we’ve been married for 50 years. I’ve been retired 20 years and our marriage is the best

it’s ever been.”

I told him about the comments the other man had made an hour before and asked him, “How do you and Julie keep your relationship so fresh?”

Vlahos said that both he and his wife are very involved in outside activities. He volunteers at The Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente and at Habitat for Humanity.

Julie volunteers at their church and is an avid quilter.

He said, “For a marriage to last, there are times when you need space, to be away from each other. There is nothing

negative about that.”

Tom’s comment made me think about couples who meet later in life and say they want to be together 24/7. That makes me shudder. That’s just not going to work.

They are going to smother each other and then part ways. Everybody needs space, particularly as we get older.

At the December Meet and Greet for singles over 50, I was talking to two women about what the men had said.

Carol added, “Every self-help book tells us to have a life of our own, and I thank the heavens I have followed this advice.”

Yvonne said, “Fewer people attend church or temple. Fewer socialize in other ways, like the old bowling leagues of the 1950s era. Fewer people go out to movies, instead preferring to watch DVDs at home. Our homes have become so comfortable that people venture out less than they used to. That can lead to marriage unrest. Too much time together.”

The simple lesson of today’s column applies to all couples—married or other-

the community, Gargan is retiring.

Rain or shine, residents could always depend on the mail being delivered on time and with a smile, said resident Lynne McLeish. “Our community will never be the same without him. He is like part of the family,” she said. “You could practically set your clock by him.”

McLeish’s sentiments were echoed over and over by the group of Monarch Bay homeowners and homeowners’ association board members who gathered December 30 to thank him for his service and bid him farewell on the eve of his retirement.

“It’s a very bittersweet moment for us because everyone here loves John. He’s done a wonderful job and we are so Page 10

pleased to have had him as our postal delivery fella for so many years,” said HOA board member Wayne Rayfield.

“On the other hand, we wish him well in retirement. He’s certainly earned it.”

Then just before Gargan set out to walk the next to last route of his career, they shared a sparkling cider toast.

“I’d like to thank everyone for all their kindness and friendship over the years. Monarch Bay is one of the greatest communities around,” Gargan said.

“It’s sad because I’m leaving, but I’m looking forward to a new chapter in my life. It’s been a real pleasure to work here and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Gargan added. DP

wise—and to single people as well. To be an interesting person, each needs to have individual interests that keep them occupied. We’ve all got to take a break away from each other on a regular basis. Then, when we do spend time together we will appreciate each other more, just as Tom and Julie Vlahos do—even after 50 years.

Giving each other space can be nearly as important to a relationship as time spent together.

To share your thoughts and experiences on marriage, dating and relationships email Tom at, tompblake@gmail.com.

The January singles Meet and Greet gathering will be held Thursday, January 30 at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend. For questions about the event, call Tom at 949.248.9008. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

Monarch Bay residents and homeowners’ association board members gathered December 30 to toast John Gargan (right), their mailman of 27 years, and congratulated him on his retirement.

Photo by Andrea Swayne

www.danapointtimes.com

SPORTS

5

& OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

DP

D a n a Po i nt

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

DOLPHIN REPORT: LEAGUE PLAY UNDERWAY

For updates on all the Dana Hills winter sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Boys Basketball The Dolphins (13-3) will look to build on their impressive preseason effort when they open Sea View League play on the road against San Juan Hills on January 10.

The Dolphins came one win shy of winning the league title in 2013.

Boys Soccer The Dana Hills boys soccer team will open league play on January 10 on the road against San Juan Hills. The Dolphins (4-6) prepared themselves for Sea View League play with a tough preseason schedule and are looking to finish in the top-2 of

and were set to play rival San Clemente on January 9 in both teams’ league opener.

Results were not available at press time.

Girls Basketball A December 14 match against Tesoro will mark the start of Sea View League play for the Dolphins. The team enters league play following a 1-3 effort at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic.

Girls Water Polo The Dolphins were set to open South Coast League play against San Clemente on January 9. Results were not available at press time. Despite multiple injuries to key players, the Dolphins finished the preseason with an 8-5 record. —Steve Breazeale

Olivia Sirinanni and the Dana Hills girls soccer team look to defend their league title in 2014. Photo by Steve Breazeale

league standings, where they placed last year.

Girls Soccer The Dolphins (2-5-1) didn’t shy away from tough opponents in the preseason

Rugby Club Makes its Way Onto Campus at Dana Hills sport, both Falk and Wahl believe that the rugby boom is on the rise and that soon enough, their efforts will lead to bigger things.

“I hope our success this year will have displayed to our school that this club is very serious and they will allow us to use the football stadium. It would allow students to watch our games and practices and would expose many more students and athletes to the sport,” Wahl said.

“We’re a little ahead of some other schools, but we expect rugby to be a CIF sport in the coming years,” Falk added.

DP

By Michael Vogeler The Capistrano Dispatch

T

he sport of rugby is growing rapidly in Southern California and has now arrived at Dana Hills High School.

The student-led grass roots movement comes on the tail of news that rugby is going to be a sanctioned sport in the 2016 Summer Olympics. In August, the National Rugby Football League was founded in hopes of spreading the sport nationwide.

Many, like Dana Hills junior Drew Falk, believe that it won’t be long before rugby becomes as popular as any of the other major American sports.

“It’s exciting for Dana Hills to be at the forefront of the rugby movement in Southern California,” Falk said, Falk recently founded and became president of the Dana Rugby student interest club at the school. He plays football as well, and as a wide receiver for the Dolphins, Falk compiled 43 catches for 524 yards and four touchdowns in 2013.

Creating the rugby club was a lot like an act of Congress, and Falk led the initiative.

The hard part, according to the junior, was getting the doors open to allow the club to take shape. Once discussions opened up, volunteer coaches started helping out, as well as parents.

Rugby players throughout the school started to get the word out on campus.

Once the club received all of the necessary approvals from Southern California Youth Rugby, the sport’s high school governing body, they looked to hire the best coaching staff available and team parents formed a non-profit board. The team is coached by Ian Ibbetson, Matt Tinker, Mike Efthymiou and Sam Pelham.

Falk led a yearlong effort to establish the rugby club at Dana Hills. He says the athletics staff and administration was very cooperative and supportive of his initiative to create the rugby club.

“It’s amazing how everyone from the Dana Point Times January 10-16, 2014

DANA WHARF FISH COUNT The Dana Hills rugby club lines up before taking the field. The team is off to a 4-0 start in their inaugural season. Photo by Keith Falk

football coaching staff, athletic directors, to the principals have helped guide us to what we needed to do to get this program started,” Falk said. “Our student club charter aims to educate the student body about this great global game. We see it as a cool way to learn about other cultures since this sport is huge in other parts of the world.”

The club team consists of 20 to 25 players, from both Dana Hills and San Clemente high schools. The team practices at nearby Bear Brand Park in Laguna Niguel and is not formally affiliated with either school. They have played four games in the High School Blue League so far and have handily won all of them by large margins, including a recent 40-0 win over Carlsbad on January 4.

High school football and rugby create a very powerful combination, and Falk believes the two go hand in hand. There are a large amount of Dana Hills football players who are playing rugby this winter

in the offseason.

“It’s a great way to keep our guys playing together over the winter and staying in shape,” Falk added.

Falk believes there are a lot of complimentary elements in rugby that lend themselves to football, like great fitness training, proper tackling form, ball handling skills and building synergy with teammates.

Junior Gabe Wahl is another key player who helped form the rugby club at Dana Hills. Wahl is a junior and a former football player for the Dolphins who gave up the gridiron to pursue rugby.

“We have a magnificent coaching staff with many years of experience and a lot of talent,” Wahl said. “About half of the team has had previous rugby experience, while the other half is new to the sport. We are a very light team, meaning we are not very big, but we are fast.”

Even though they are a young club on campus and are not a sanctioned school

Page 12

I

t is still lobster hoop netting season and the Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching Halibut Derby is still underway at the Dana Point Harbor.

Here is the most recent fish count.

1/8—1 boat; 12 anglers: 35 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 5 cabezon, 4 sheephead.

1/6—2 boats; 33 anglers: 32 sculpin, 6 sand bass, 4 calico bass.

1/5—3 boats; 63 anglers: 3 blue perch, 2 rock crab, 2 calico bass, 1 lobster.

1/4—3 boats; 71 anglers: 65 sanddabs, 50 sculpin, 4 calico bass, 4 sand bass, 1 halfmoon perch.

1/3—2 boats; 72 anglers: 43 sculpin, 3 sand bass, 2 calico bass, 1 halfmoon perch.

1/2—4 boats; 88 anglers: 95 sculpin, 55 sanddabs, 8 halfmoon perch, 3 sand bass, 2 calico bass.

1/1—1 boat; 37 anglers: 10 sculpin, 2 sand bass, 2 trigger fish, 2 halfmoon perch, 1 rubber lip perch. DP

www.danapointtimes.com

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com

FOR SALE CLOSING MATTRESS BUSINESS! QUEEN SETS, must sell before end of the month. San Juan Capistrano, call 949.436.6850

GARAGE SALES RUMMAGE SALE The Dana Point Woman’s’ Club is holding an impromptu “Truly Snooty” rummage sale on Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 8 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the Club House at 24642 San Juan St., Dana Point (behind the Harbor House Cafe). Items for sale include: antiques, collectibles, household items, pictures etc. Proceeds will benefit the restoration of the Club House and the community.

Contact Ann (949) 444-1667.

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@danapointtimes.com DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY. No phone calls please.

HELP WANTED SALES PERSON WANTED Picket Fence Media, owner of the San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and Capistrano Dispatch, is looking for an advertising sales rep to join our dynamic team. We’re looking for an organized, hard-working individual with a great personality who can create marketing solutions for local businesses and push for growth in both print and online media platforms. Ideal candidate will have prior experience with media sales. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Alyssa Garrett at agarrett@sanclementetimes.com.

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.1321 31648 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. A, www.oasisair.com

ARCHITECTURE - PLANNING

MUSIC INSTRUCTION (CONT.)

ELECTRICAL

949.496.6556 delta G electrical 949.360.9282 Danman’s Music School 24699 Del Prado, www.danmans.com CA #657214, www.deltagelectrical.com

PET GROOMING

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Nona Associates-Raymond J. Nona A.I.A 949.496.2275 IMAGES/Creative Solutions 949.366.2488 26901 Camino de Estrella, www.raynona.com 2927 Via Gorgonio, Ste. 100, www.imgs.com

AUTO REPAIR Dana Point Auto 949.496.1086 34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, Dana Point, Ca 92629

CAFE - DELI Coffee Importers Espresso Bar 949.493.7773 34531 Golden Lantern, www.coffeeimporters.com

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

CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING Mills Construction 949.212.7699 Dana Point, www.millsbuilds.com: CA # 973483

DERMATOLOGY Vorteil Dermatology and 949.276.2600 Aesthetic Science 33971 Selva Road, Ste. 200, www.vorteildermatology.com

ICE CREAM Coffee Importers Scoop Deck 949.493.7773 34531 Golden Lantern, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES Patricia Powers 949.496.1900 24551 Del Prado, Ste. 364, pat.powers@cox.net State Farm/Ted Bowersox 949.661.3200 34085 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 204 www.tedbowersox.com Statefarm/Elaine LaVine 949.240.8944 34080 Golden Lantern, www.elainelavine.net

LOCKSMITH Dana Point Lock & Security www.danapointlock.com

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

949.496.6916

Dawgy Style 34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit 112, www.alphadoggroomshop.com

949.496.3315

Dream Team Properties 949.481.1788 Mike Rosenberg, Broker Capistrano Beach, www.FindMyOCHome.com

UPHOLSTERY Jeddy’s Yacht & Home Interiors 949.240.9569 34118 Pacific Coast Hwy, www.jeddys.com

PLUMBING A to Z Leak Detection www.atozleakdetection.com Chick’s Plumbing www.chicks-plumbing.com

REAL ESTATE - RESIDENTIAL

WINDOW & DOOR INSTALLATION 949.499.4464 Offshore Construction www.offshoreconstruction.org 949.496.9731

949.444.6323

POOL SERVICE & REPAIR Palisades Pool Service & Repair 949.542.7232 Capistrano Beach, allenesommo@cox.net

PSYCHOTHERAPY Corinne Rupert PhD, PsyD, MFT 949.488.2648 33971 Selva Rd. Ste. 125, www.danapointpsychotherapy.com

PSYCHIATRY

Dr. Robert Dobrin, M.D. 949-707-4757 Kenny’s Music & Guitars 949.661.3984 Child/Adolescent/Adult Psychiatry/Behavioral Pediatrics 33971 Selva Rd. Ste, 125 24731 La Plaza, www.kennysmusicstore.com

LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN “LOCALS ONLY” This go-to reference tool keeps your business in front of potential customers 24/7.

GET YOUR BUSINESS LISTED TODAY. Call Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

DP SURF

6

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

DP

D a n a Po i nt

GROM OF THE WEEK DAWSON TARNOWSKI Age: 15, San Clemente

Dawson Tarnowski moved to San Clemente from Vero Beach, Fla. in September and has never looked back. “We had a terrible winter with no waves last year and I told my mom we needed to move to California,” Dawson said. “She fell in love with the city and my dad is an artist and can work from home, so it worked out well.” Seeing Dawson’s level of commitment to the sport of surfing also played a big factor in his parents’ decision to move. “When I was younger I jumped from sport to sport, but after learning to surf, I wanted to do it every day,” he said. Dawson is committed to working toward a future professional surfing career and feels the move to San Clemente has put him right where he needs to be. “Even Dawson Tarnowski. Courtesy photo when it’s small here you can go out and catch something,” he said. “And there are so many great surfers it pushes me to get better.” In school, Dawson is a homeschooled ninth-grader earning ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades.

“I love the freedom homeschooling gives me,” he said. “I like that I can work ahead to free up more time for surfing.” Aside from spending more time in the lineup, he credits his parents with his success, both present and future. “When I’m tired or frustrated they encourage me, help me get focused and stay focused,” Dawson said. “They’ve been an absolutely huge source of support, including moving for me. They are really great parents and I’m super thankful for them.” —Andrea Swayne

Catching the View Cameras provide up-to-date readings of south Orange County state beach conditions

By Andrea Papagianis Dana Point Times

C

ameras and live-video feeds providing beachgoers the at-home opportunity to view seaside conditions on state beaches throughout Orange County received upgrades over the past few months, bringing loungers, surfers and swimmers better readings of weather and waves.

A partnership between California State Parks and Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. has brought upgraded video equipment and feeds directly onto state property at beaches and breaks from Bolsa Chica to Trestles. While Surfline had video capabilities at state beaches before, equipment was located off state property.

Now, cameras have been moved to better vantage points on state property at Doheny, San Clemente and San Onofre state beaches, said Brian Ketterer, California State Park Superintendent for the Orange Coast District. Additionally, what was once a hand-held camera at both Upper and Lower Trestles has been upgraded to

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

Surfers make their way to the Trestles surf break at San Onofre State Beach. Upgraded video equipment from a California State Parks and Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. partnership gives viewers better weather and wave readings of Upper and Lower Trestles from home. Photo by Brett Shoaf

a digital device, providing images that are uploaded to Surfline’s website throughout the day, he said.

“The addition of cameras and improvement of the video feeds is great for our local state parks and fantastic for our visitors,” Ketterer said in a press release.

The upgraded feeds—both live and delayed—can be viewed for free at

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 59-61 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: Local: 8-12’+ Fair Immediate: A modest blend of fading old west-northwest swell and building northwest wind and groundswell mix prevails.

Better breaks run mainly knee-thigh occ. waist high (1-3’), with some better sets for standout winter focal points late in the day.

Conditions are looking favorable with light easterly flow in the morning, giving way to a light to moderate westerly sea-breeze in the afternoon. Size is up a few notches from Thursday, as favorable morning conditions continue.

Long Range Outlook: Fun zone, steep-angled northwest groundswell tops out over the weekend, but passes by most breaks. Winds are offshore in the mornings, followed by an onshore sea-breeze each afternoon. Check out Surfline.com for all the details!

www.surfline.com. Individual break pages on Surfline’s site also provide tide charts, wind data and water temperatures.

“From the comfort of their home, surfers and swimmers can observe up-to-date ocean conditions and make a decision on the best place for them to come out and recreate,” Ketterer added. DP

RESULTS WSA Championship Tour, Event No. 6, January 4-5, Oceanside Harbor, South Jetty Local finishers only. KEY: SC=San Clemente, DP=Dana Point, SJC=San Juan Capistrano.

MICRO GROM BOYS/GIRLS SB U9: 4. Bryce Pinkerton, SC; 5. Dane Matson, SC; 6. Conan Craig, SC. BOYS/ GIRLS U10: 1. Brayden Burch, SC; 2. Dane Matson, SC; 3. Bryce Pinkerton, SC. BOYS U12: 2. Kade Matson, SC. BOYS U14: 2. Noah Hohenester, SC; 6. Kade Matson, SC. BOYS U16: 1. Kei Kobayashi, SC. BOYS U18: 1. Jay Christenson, San Diego. GIRLS U12: 1. Kirra Pinkerton, SC; 3. Samantha Sibley, SC; 4. Malia Mauch, SC. GIRLS U14: 1. Kirra Pinkerton, SC; 5. Alexxa Elseewi, SC; 6.

Bethany Zelasko, DP. GIRLS U16: 3. Malia Osterkamp, SC; 6. Bethany Zelasko, DP. GIRLS U18: 3. Kirra Pinkerton, SC. BOYS LONGBOARD U14: 3. Ricky Fodor, DP; 4.

Matt Economos, SC; 5. Joshua Hoffman, DP. JR. MEN LONGBOARD U18: 6. Kaimana Takayama, SC. GIRLS LONGBOARD U14: 2. Cameron Duby, SJC; 6. Lexi Morgan, SC. GIRLS LONGBOARD U18: 2. Emmy Lombard, SC; 3. Teresa O’Connor, SJC; 5. Cameron Duby, SJC. MEN 18-29: 3. Ricky Lovato, SC. MASTERS 30-39: 5. Jimmy Bray, SC. LEGENDS 50+: 2. Dale Baker, SC. OPEN MEN: 1. Kevin Schulz, SC; 2. Kei Kobayashi, SC; 3. Shaw Kobayashi, SC; 4. Cody Canzoneri, SC. OPEN WOMEN: 2.

Alexandra Frost, SJC; 3. Samantha Sibley, SC. OPEN MEN LONGBOARD: 1. Cody Canzoneri, SC. OPEN WOMEN LONGBOARD: 1. Cameron Duby, SJC; 3. Lexi Morgan, SC; 5. Lily Benjamin, SJC. SR. MEN LONGBOARD 40+: 3.

Eric Rendon, SC; 4. Michael Takayama, SC. For full results, log on to www.danapointtimes.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS January 11-12: Surfing America Prime, Event No. 4, Santa Cruz, Steamer Lane January 11: SSS, OC Middle School and High School, Event No. 3, San Clemente, Pier February 1-2: NSSA Open, Event No. 7, Dana Point, Salt Creek