September 18, 2015

LO C A L

September 18-24, 2015

N EWS

YO U

C A N

U S E

INSIDE: Sept. 26 Annual Shea Center BBQ & Family Faire SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 8, ISSUE 38

Autumn Colors

DHHS fall sports programs gear up for the new season S P O R T S / PAG E 2 2

(L-R) Cicely Bunker, Serena Arriola and Cameron Maris and the Dana Hills girls volleyball team are looking for a sixth consecutive CIF-SS playoff berth in 2015. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Dana Point Coast Unscathed After Tsunami Advisory Issued Wednesday EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

CUSD Discussed Potential Arts School for Doheny Village EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

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Toshiba Tall Ships Festival Wows Crowd at 31st Annual Event DP LIVING/PAGE 17

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING for a “more fluid discussion on developing that land” rather than waiting for trustees to convene once or twice each month.

A few trustees expressed hesitation and concerns about the proposal, including Trustee John Alpay, who said he felt having a new performing arts magnet school so near SOCSA would “mean the death of one of them.” Board President Lynn Hatton-Hodson worried that developing the arts school would take the focus off of the board’s other educational goals.

The docks at Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching at the Dana Point Harbor were empty Thursday morning as all the company’s vessels were out at sea, a precautionary measure in response to Wednesday’s tsunami advisory. Photo: Andrea Swayne

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week Tsunami Conditions Bring Strong Currents to Harbor THE LATEST: A tsunami advisory was issued by the National Tsunami Warning Center at 6:43 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, just hours after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile at 3:55 p.m PDT. The advisory, which was cancelled on Thursday afternoon, encompassed California’s coastal areas from San Onofre State Beach to Ragged Point, located 50 miles north of San Luis Obispo.

No evacuations were ordered and widespread inundation did not occur, but officials asked people along the coast to leave all beaches, harbors and marinas.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department warned of strong currents in the area and closed all beaches, harbors and marinas at 4 a.m. Thursday, with the exception of Dana Point Harbor, which closed at 2 a.m.

All Orange County beaches, harbors, piers and marinas reopened at 6 a.m. Thursday.

According to Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching General Manager Donna Kalez, the surging at Dana Point Harbor began around 6 a.m. Thursday.

“We took our boats out of the docks at around 3 a.m. as a precaution but plan on resuming service with our 10 a.m. fishing trip,” Kalez said.

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

Surges caused by tsunami waves hitting the harbor have been known to rock vessels causing them to knock into one another and cause damage to the aging docks. By 7:30 a.m. Thursday, visible wakes from the strong surging of water into and out of the harbor could be seen, most notably near the harbor mouth.

WHAT’S NEXT: At 12:19 p.m. Thursday, the National Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami advisory. Some coastal areas may continue to see small sea level changes and ongoing surges.

—Andrea Swayne and Allison Jarrell

CUSD Discusses Potential Performing Arts School for Doheny Village THE LATEST: At the Capistrano Unified School District’s Sept. 9 meeting, Trustee Gary Pritchard of Aliso Viejo led a discussion regarding the creation of a potential performing arts school in Dana Point’s south bus yard as a part of the Doheny Village Plan.

Pritchard said he has been discussing ideas for such a magnet school with Dana Point City Councilman Scott Schoeffel for about a year and a half now, as both are musicians with backgrounds in the arts.

Schoeffel attended the meeting to speak as a resident of Dana Point, as well as the president of the Dana Point Symphony, and said the school “could be one of a kind in the entire country.”

Toward the end of his presentation, Pritchard proposed possibly creating a public-private partnership in the form of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization—rather than a joint powers authority—in order to develop the district’s bus yard. Pritchard said having a smaller entity representing the district’s interests in the project would allow

WHAT’S NEXT: At the end of the discussion, the trustees agreed to direct staff to develop a “concept definition” as the first step moving forward. The Sept. 9 dialogue was an information item only on the agenda, so no board action was taken. Further discussion has not yet been agendized.—AJ

Outlets Update of Incoming Stores THE LATEST: Officials with the Outlets at San Clemente confirmed a list of incoming stores set to open during the grand opening Nov. 12 or shortly thereafter. The list includes: Aerosoles, ASICS, AT&T, Bowl of Heaven, Calvin Klein, Carter’s, Chico’s, Clarks Bostonian, Cole Haan, Columbia Sportswear, Converse, D.C. Shoe Factory, Daisy Shoppe, Eddie Bauer, Flip Flop Shops, G.H. Bass & Co., Guess, H&M, HanesBrands, Jockey, Le Creuset, Levi’s Outlets, Luggage Factory, New Balance, Nike, OshKosh B’Gosh, Panera Bread, Papaya, Pearl Izumi, Perfumania, Planet Beauty, Puma, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Sketchers, Starbucks, Sun Diego, Sunglass Hut, Swarovski, Tilly’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, Van Heusen, Vans, White House | Black Market and Zales.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Outlets at San Clemente job fair dates are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sept. 17; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at the San Clemente Dororthy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria.

FIND OUT MORE: Visit www.outletsatsanclemente.com for updates. —Eric Heinz

Del Prado Construction Update THE LATEST: Del Prado construction will kick into high gear over the next couple weeks in order to prepare for the switch to two-way traffic. The latest phase of construction is part of the city of Dana Point’s PCH/Del Prado Streetscape Improvement Project in the Lantern District According to City Engineer Matthew Sinacori (via the city’s weekly updates), the upcoming construction projects, listed Page 3

below, will take place through Oct. 2, although weather or unforeseen issues may impact the schedule.

WHAT’S NEXT: Intersection crosswalk pavers should be completed by the end of this week, despite the rain slowing the process. Cobble paving in the Golden Lantern median near PCH will also be completed.

Del Prado’s asphalt seal coat will be placed over the entire roadway during the week of Sept. 21.

During that same week, the city will begin to correctly orient traffic on Del Prado and complete striping work to allow for the conversion to two-way traffic. The switch to two-way is planned to occur between Sept. 28 and 30.

Work is also being scheduled to complete The Lantern District archway.

Concrete banner poles on Pacific Coast Highway between Del Prado and Ruby Lantern are set to be installed in October.

FIND OUT MORE: To subscribe to construction alerts, email ssharke@danapoint. org. Contact Sinacori at 949.248.3574 or msinacori@danapoint.org for more information.—AJ

City Council Approves Lantern District Parking Policy Changes THE LATEST: City Council on Tuesday voted to approve a second reading and adoption of amendments to the municipal code to allow paid parking zones in the Town Center/Lantern District and to establish a parking benefit district for the residential area to the district, south of Del Prado Avenue.

The decision, voted in unanimously as part of the consent calendar, also includes the addition of a “preferential parking district” for the northern Lantern District residential area, north of Pacific Coast Highway.

A second parking-related item on the consent calendar—the second reading of a zone text amendment to amend parking regulations in the Town Center Plan—was pulled for discussion by resident Betty Hill who asked that council consider not approving it as written, calling it unfairly skewed toward developers and all wrong for the area.

The council opted to vote on the amendment without further discussion, approving it in a 4-1 vote with Councilman Scott Schoeffel voting against.

WHAT’S NEXT: Paid parking zones approved as part of the municipal code amendment enacted in the consent calendar vote, will allow for the inclusion of parking fee collection methods including parking meters, mobile device payment zones and pay stations. —AS www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

DP Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY EVAN DA SILVA

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.

Wednesday, September 16 DISTURBANCE Breakwater Drive, 33600 Block (7:59 a.m.) A woman who appeared to be homeless was going through trashcans and “swung at” the caller after being told to leave.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHIICLE Dana Point Harbor Drive/Street of the Golden Lantern (7:05 a.m.) A woman in a black Mercedes Benz E350 was driving around the parking lot of the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort after failing to get a room. She then exited the parking lot into oncoming traffic, nearly causing a traffic collision.

Tuesday, September 15 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino De Estrella, 27000 Block (1:48 p.m.) The window to a blue house was open and the screen pulled open. No one could be seen at the residence.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Del Obispo Street/Stonehill Drive (9:59 a.m.) Police conducted a patrol check for a man wearing a bicycle helmet who was trying to sell marijuana to passersby.

DISTURBANCE Malaga Drive, 33900 Block

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY ERIC HEINZ

Local Vet Seeks to Assist Olympic Boxing Hopeful Damien Lopez of Los Angeles is hoping to make the United States Boxing Team, and Dr. Rob Grant, the CEO and chief of staff of Beachside Animal Hospital, Surgery and Emergency Center, is hosting a fundraiser 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 17 at the animal hospital, located at 34205 Doheny Park Road in Capistrano Beach.

Lopez’ trainer, Steve Harpst, is calling this campaign the “Road to Rio,” as the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio de Janero, Brazil. The fundraiser is intended to help pay for training camp expenses and travel costs.

“The Lopez family could use any and all support we can generate,” Grant said.

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

(2:11 a.m.) The caller’s neighbor could be heard yelling “get out” to somebody in her home.

Monday, September 14 TRAFFIC HAZARD Pacific Coast Highway/Del Obispo Street (7:09 p.m.) A patrol check was requested on PCH for and subject who dropped nails on the street. Several vehicles were pulled over with flat tires.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Pacific Coast Highway, 32800 Block (6:51 p.m.)

Wild’s Animal Supply requested a patrol check for a man acting suspiciously. The employees said the man was an “outlaw” but did not elaborate on what they meant.

He approached the employees and began rapping to them, then said he was going to go to the beach and “smoke coke.”

DISTURBANCE Selva Road, 34100 Block (5:55 p.m.) A mom, dad and two kids were heard having an argument regarding drugs. The man was heard screaming “I told you I don’t want you smoking cocaine.”

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino Capistrano, 34200 Block (9:37 a.m.)

A woman informed police of a swim class going on across the street at Aloha Swim School where a young boy had been heard screaming and crying for 20 minutes. She went to the school to see what was going on and was told to leave. The woman said the instructor at the location had previously had cops called on her.

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Robles Drive, 33900 Block (3:41 a.m.) A woman’s daughter called her and said someone was trying to break into her home. No one could be seen but the daughter said someone was jiggling the door knob. She was not expecting anyone at the residence.

During the fundraiser, USA Boxing representatives and World Boxing Champion Rudolfo “El Gato” Gonzalez and Lopez will be in attendance.

Lopez was a 2014 National Pal Champion at 152 pounds. The next Olympic qualifier is in Memphis, Tennessee in November.

Raffle tickets will be sold and the drawing will take place at 1 p.m. Food and drink will be provided. Low-cost vaccinations for pets will be provided, and people who have their animals vaccinated will get a free T-shirt from Old Honolulu.

Sponsors for this event include Zoetis Animal Health, Ferguson Plumbing, Costco, Purina, Big 5 Sporting Goods, The WBC Cares, Reyes Boxing Equipment, The West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame, The Burbank Boxing Club, USA Boxing and Dr. Grant, who is a former NCAA wrestler in the 190-pound weight class for the University of Arizona.

For more information on the event, call 949.270.0670.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSNATCES Mariner Drive, 23700 Block (3:25 a.m.)

Police conducted a patrol check for two individuals, possibly a man and woman, speaking Spanish near a laundry room.

The woman was moaning in pain in front of the laundry area and a man was seen cleaning what looked like blood. The caller believed the woman had been stabbed.

Community Meetings

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Pacific Coast Highway, 33300 Block (12:19 a.m.)

A possibly drunken woman wrapped in a multi-colored blanket was asking people in the parking lot for help but not specifying what she needed help with.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Sunday, September 13 DISTURBANCE Granada Drive, 33800 Block (10:34 p.m.) The caller could hear two women in a physical altercation with “lots of slapping.”

DISTURBANCE Del Prado, 24800 Block (4:11 p.m.) A woman at Our Planet Recycling behind Ralphs asked the employee not to be an “A-hole.” The employee then began ignoring her and then the two began arguing. Deputies advised the woman to stay away from the employee until police arrived.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Pacific Coast Highway/Niguel Road (12:52 p.m.)

Police received reports of a woman who was punching the Laguna Beach trolley.

She had been at the OCTA bus stop and thought the trolley should have stopped for her. The trolley route did not have a stop there.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Ritz Cove Drive, 0 Block (6:14 a.m.) An apparently homeless man in the park across from the Ritz-Carlton hotel was sleeping near the restrooms with his pants down.

Group to Host Recovery Industry Documentary Take Action San Clemente, an organization known for its involvement against sober-living facilities in that city, is sponsoring a pre-release showing of the movie The Business of Recovery. The film is a documentary covering the addiction recovery industry. According to TASC, the film is to be released nationwide in the near future.

The screening takes place 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the Krikorian San Clemente 6 Theatres. Tickets can only be purchased online at www.thebusinessofrecovery.com/screening.

More information can be found at www.thebusinessofrecovery.com.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@danapointtimes.com.

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Lunch with the League of Women Voters Noon. Guest speaker Debbie Cook, former Huntington Beach mayor and current president of the Post Carbon Institute of Santa Rosa, and Mark Tettemer, Irvine Water District Recycled Water Development manager, will discuss “Desalinization and/ or Water Recycling: Solutions for the California Drought Crisis” during a luncheon hosted by the League of Women Voters of Orange Coast. Open to the public. Lunch costs $20. RSVP to Becky Newman at 949.786.1669 or beckynewman2222@gmail.com. Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 15363 Culver Drive, Irvine.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Dana Harbor Toastmasters

7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.

Tuesdays. Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, 949.728.8969, www.1707.toastmastersclubs.org.

South Orange County Toastmasters 7 p.m.-8:40 p.m. Practice becoming a more confident communicator.

Occurs every Tuesday. Dana Point Community House, 24642 San Juan Ave., Dana Point, 949.280.9777, soctm.toastmastersclubs.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club

7 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Join members of the volunteer-centered club for breakfast and a meeting each Wednesday at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point, www. monarchbeachrotary.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Planning Commission Meeting

6 p.m. Dana Point City Hall, Council Chamber, 33282 Golden Lantern, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6

City Council Meeting

6 p.m. at Dana Point City Hall, Council Chamber, 33282 Golden Lantern, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Doheny Village Charrette a Wrap The four-day planning session to create form-based code for the Doheny Village Plan concluded Sept. 12

BY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

O

pticos Design’s principal Dan Parolek presented the culmination of last week’s work at the conclusion of the Doheny Village Plan design charrette on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Capo Beach Church. Parolek presented more finalized drawings, representative of the combination of Opticos’ ideas and ideas brought by the public during the four-day program, to a crowd of about 75 people.

One thing that was evident, he said, is that the overarching guiding principal for the refinements made to the work previously done on the plan, is reinforcing the rich history and culture of the idea as the community evolves.

“That’s something we heard loud and clear from the beginning, from stakeholder interviews and people coming to the pre-charrette workshop,” Parolek said.

Opticos presented a new set of drawings every day of the charrette, posting them to the wall to begin “testing” in the court of public opinion and refining them for Saturday’s presentation.

“It’s really easy for someone to just go off and create a really beautiful drawing that hasn’t been tested, where the economics of it haven’t been looked at and how a street might work hasn’t been studied,” Parolek said. “These aren’t just pretty drawings. We’ve actually sat down with an economist to understand the economic viability of these ideas. We’ve talked with the property owners. We’ve understood the challenges that are inherent to these ideas getting implemented, and so a lot of them have been fine-tuned, based on that vetting over the course of the week … We hope that you see your ideas integrated into these concepts because this is ultimately your plan, not our plan.”

Creating a strong brand for Doheny Village is another principal Parolek said his team identified early on as important to the plan, in that it will help create a unique

identity for the area.

The final plan presentation, he said, is an overall illustrative, 25-plus-year plan for complete build-out that also incorporates some smaller changes for more immediate impact.

Low-cost, high-impact projects—now part of a trend happening across the country—were lined out as a concept capable of creating a difference right away.

Ideas such as using shipping containers or Airstream trailers to create music, food venues, shopping venues or beer gardens that both attract people to a community and give residents a place to hang out with friends and neighbors were presented.

“I know this first-hand because this happened in my neighborhood,” Parolek said.

“There was a vacant lot along our main street and the owner put in a little food truck and some picnic tables and now it’s packed with people every evening, even in the cool climate in Berkeley. We think there are opportunities to do this throughout the project area. And as we jump into thinking about the regulations and rewriting the zoning, we want to make sure that there are no obstacles in place that would prevent these types of things from happening.”

Encouraging the “adaptive re-use” of the area’s existing structures is another concept reinforced to the Opticos team when researching other cities’ examples, such as The Lab in Costa Mesa, as an example of incorporating this idea into a plan for Doheny Village.

“There are some great opportunities for building new buildings but you can’t replace the character that exists in some of these old buildings; and there’s an organic way that a place like this can evolve that includes both new construction and adaptive re-use,” Parolek said.” I think that’s the way that we see this community evolving.”

The plan also includes a component encouraging the city and the community to work together to find a suitable

An industrial arts neighborhood concept is one of many plans made during the four-day design charrette for the Doheny Village Plan. Rendering: Courtesy of the city of Dana Point

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

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Toni Nelson discusses conceptual drawings for Doheny Village made by Opticos Design at last week’s planning charrette for the area. Photo: Andrea Swayne

location for a surf museum—a 5,000- to 10,000-square-foot facility as desired by the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center.

“There are a lot of places this could happen but we think the closer it is to Doheny Park Road the better, for visibility and to reinforce the evolution of that roadway.”

The team also noted a suggestion to start thinking about the possibility of having the surf museum share a structure with something like a microbrewery, as a revenue generating use that could help support the museum.

THE BIGGER PICTURE The “bigger picture” concepts include the creation of vibrant districts within the area.

One such area would be an industrial arts district proposed for the area southwest of Doheny Park Road and Domingo, that will build on the area’s “maker culture”—people making things such as surfboards and coming up with new inventions. The district would include building types that would actively engage the street while allowing light industrial/fabrication uses. The area would also include simple and flexible industrial type spaces, following the national trend of microbreweries and wineries popping up in similar areas.

“This is the one place we feel the evolution should happen on a fairly small scale, so that it doesn’t erode or compromise what’s there,” Parolek said. “The lots here are quite small so it’s likely that if we put the right rules in place we will get smaller improvements and new activities and buildings that would build upon that sort of gritty, creative culture and character in that location.”

Reinforcing Doheny Park Road as the “heart” of the village is another big picture item included in the plan. Parolek characterized this idea as hard to imagine now, as the thoroughfare has a high volume of cars traveling by at fast speeds, but with the proposed changes would be transformed into a more pedestrian-friendly street.

Two roundabouts—at the intersections where Victoria and Las Vegas cross Doheny Park Road—and the reduction of the road to

one travel lane in each direction serve important functions in slowing the traffic down while maintaining the safe and efficient flow of roughly the same number of vehicles through the area. The transformation of the road would also include on-street parking, detached bike lanes and wide sidewalks.

“This is not an easy thing to do,” Parolek said. “We’ve thought very carefully about it and it’s passed the ‘fatal flaw’ analysis … put the drawings into a computer program to test (things like) truck turning movements. We feel very strongly that this type of progressive direction for the design of the street is necessary for Doheny Village, and in particular the small retail area, to achieve its full potential.”

Building a gateway into the area, integrating public art and looking at ways to evolve larger sites such as the Big 5 shopping center to eventually house more local, creative and smaller shopping uses, are also among the larger items in the plan.

Creating a complete neighborhood by integrating the various districts, at ultimate build-out, offering diverse housing choices, building new public spaces and taking a form-based approach to parking are also top priorities.

Bicycle and pedestrian linkages to the beach were also vetted. One popular idea that came out of the charrette was the possibility of a retrofit to add a protected bicycle/pedestrian path to the Pacific Coast Highway bridge over San Juan Creek.

And, of course, the subject of parking was discussed.

“I’m going to challenge this community, because I know you all like to debate about parking requirements,” Parolek said. “And unfortunately, like every other community, like debate about parking requirements in a vacuum and just like to talk about the numbers. It’s easy to get caught up in ‘no, we need two spaces per residence’ or ‘no, we need three per 1,000 square feet,’ without actually knowing what the impact of those numbers are.

What we find, especially in a place like the industrial arts area, is if you have too high www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

A “maker space” concept drawing shows plans for an area of Doheny Village that would include work and storefront space for light industrial craftspeople. Rendering: Courtesy of the city of Dana Point

of parking requirements, nothing is going to happen.”

He went on to explain, in advance, the reasoning behind the upcoming writing of parking requirements to be included in the new code.

“As we go into drafting the form-based code … we’re going to be pretty progressive with the parking requirements because we feel it’s necessary to enable a lot of this to happen,” he said. “We have studied sites and know that if you require too much parking, it’s likely that not a lot is going to happen. I want to challenge you all to be open-minded, to work with us while we work on that … You need to decide what sort of place you want first, and then write a set of rules that will get you that place.”

THE RESPONSE Toni Nelson of Capo Cares, a resident organization focused on encouraging the improvement of the Capistrano Beach area of Dana Point, attended all four days of the charrette and on Saturday voiced her approval of the process.

“I think the plan is excellent and it’s a really good start,” Nelson said. “It encompasses the ideas of everybody in the community. It responds to the surfing heritage, reviews our rich historical past and what Doheny represents—room for the residential component, room for the industrial arts center. It really has something for everyone.

And the truth is, despite a few little negative comments by people in the community, if we don’t change something, we will be doomed to the same ‘drive through’ Doheny Village, where nothing good is happening.

Crime is increasing, we have loiterers and residents who aren’t comfortable walking down the street. We have to let it change.”

Slowing traffic down with roundabouts was one concept she stressed as making a lot of sense.

Cindy Kontoes, a resident of the Beachwood Village Mobile Home Park, said she too liked much of what was presented.

“Any improvement whatsoever to Doheny Park Road would be wonderful,” Kontoes said. “I do believe we need to have areas people can walk to and sit down for coffee and sandwiches and things like that.

I see difficulty in the Doheny Park Road changes but I am all for the roundabouts because as it is now it’s very unsafe to Page 9

cross the street and it would slow people down. Not enough people walk or ride bikes in the area because of safety reasons.

As for the surfboard shapers, now they are in a very quiet area and I think they like it like that, so I’m not sure some would really be into being open to people stopping in and disturbing them.”

She did, however, agree that the temporary retail and industrial arts concepts would provide a “win-win situation” that would bring income to the area right away.

Resident Gregory Shields was also onboard with much of the plan, especially the public input, but expressed concern regarding housing for the elderly and low income residents.

“I find it very positive that there’s smart development ongoing, however, I am very pleased that there’s still community involvement and criticism because I think it takes a balance to get the right things to happen,” Shields said. “Listening to the community is vital. People talked about housing for low income and seniors and it is an important thing we can’t turn our backs on. There’s room for good development in the future but not for displacing people who have relied on living here and want to continue living here.”

Alice Anderson agreed, finding favor with seeing so many people engaging in the process.

“I think it’s great that so many people turned out to show an interest in something we’ve been trying to get accomplished for quite some time,” Anderson said. “The most important thing is to give people in the community a sense of place, which would be what we’d get in the end, if done properly. I hope it works out well.”

The plan will be presented to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval—an item on the city’s timeline set to be completed by December—followed by the completion of an environmental impact report (on the timeline for January 2016) and then presentation to the California Coastal Commission for approval by December of 2017.

A full set of concept drawings and videos of all the presentations made to the public by Opticos during the charrette will be available online at www.danapointtimes. com and are also easily accessible on the city’s website, www.danapoint.org. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: Straight Talk by Al Jacobs

Outlawing Addiction

T

he reformers are hard at work. One of the measures just approved by the California State Senate will raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21.

There’s no denying that tobacco is a harmful substance, and it’s equally true that as persons age they’re less likely to begin the smoking habit. If these were the only factors, the rule might make sense, but as with most well-meaning but overbearing edicts, human nature is ignored.

Why a 16-year-old smokes can mostly be explained in sociological terms. As a twopack-a-day teenage smoker, I still recall the need that my cigarette filled. It provided me with the confidence, sophistication and maturity that I otherwise lacked. It never concerned me that every package I purchased was in violation of some law.

Likewise, no amount of lecturing or horror stories would have caused me to swear off.

Only when my psyche no longer needed what my smokes provided, would I end the habit. Luckily, that time arrived. With a bit of revelation I came to STRAIGHT TALK terms with reality shortly

By Al Jacobs after turning nineteen. I needed neither counseling nor a phasing out period. I quit cold turkey.

When it comes to abiding by oppressive regulations, I doubt young people today are much different than we were. Most certainly, increasing the age at which cigarettes may be purchased from 18 to 21 will not induce a 20-year-old addict to stop smoking. What it more likely will do is simply reinforce the anti-law-abiding attitude that more and more afflicts our society. It has been said, and rightly so, that the enactment of unenforceable laws do little more than increase the number of lawbreakers.

A final thought: I don’t fault our state legislators for enacting inane legislation.

In most cases they’re merely responding to the demands of an inane constituency.

This, of course, explains why the statute books are filled with the many senseless laws with which we’re plagued.

Al Jacobs, a professional investor for nearly a half-century, issues a monthly newsletter in which he shares his financial knowledge and experience. It may be viewed online at www.onthemoneytrail.net. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

Letters to the Editor ILLUMINOCEAN, GIVEN TIME, WOULD HAVE BROUGHT GREAT THINGS MELISSA HUFFAKER, Dana Point

I am writing to you to share how disappointed I am that the Dana Point IlluminOcean will not take place this year.

This event was one of the highlights of our family’s holiday vacations.

My sister and her five children live in Fresno and my oldest daughter in Menifee, so having an event like this gave everyone something spectacular to experience here.

I am disheartened by the fact that the “big” hotels decided to pull their funding because they did not “feel” the added income in their hotels. What amount were they looking for?

This event, given the proper amount of time, would reap the benefits of bringing in more tourists.

Does any program bring in large amounts of money in its first year?

If the hotels would be patient, I’m sure they would see great things come from this event.

ILLUMINOCEAN CANCELATION A BLACK EYE ON THE CITY MARLA SHERMAN BALMUTH, San Clemente

The recent shocking decision by the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), to cancel the second “annual” IlluminOcean without notice, is an extremely troubling and embarrassing development. It leaves a “black eye” on the city of Dana Point, in the eyes of its residents, visitors and businesses, alike.

I have been a small business owner in the Dana Point Harbor for the past 35+ years and have taken great pride in the wonderful family atmosphere and activities that have been encouraged and provided by the city and County of Orange year-round.

While the summers have traditionally been bustling with visitors from near and far, who choose Dana Point as a vacation destination, the winter months can be pretty tough for the multiple small merchants who remain in the harbor year-round. Thankfully, our locals are primarily the ones who keep us alive each holiday season, as they are keenly aware of the importance of shopping locally and keeping their hard earned money in the community in which they live.

I cannot begin to tell you the level of excitement last year’s IlluminOcean

brought to the community throughout the 40 days it was on display for everyone to enjoy. Countless numbers of people expressed their gratitude, pleasure and sense of child-like amazement at the lights, decorations and true sense of the “holiday spirit” alive and well in the harbor, and throughout Dana Point.

It’s a real shame that the very hotels that did such an admirable job putting the IlluminOcean festival and the city of Dana Point on the holiday map, are now turning into the “Grinches who stole Christmas!”

I feel it is incumbent upon the city of Dana Point to come forward—to step up and become the real heroes who can prove once and for all that there really is a Santa Claus.

NIXON MONEY BANK ROBBERY AN ENGAGING STORY HARVEY ALEXANDER SMITH, JR., Palm Harbor, Florida

Dear Mayor Olvera, I read with great interest your excellent article on the 1972 Dana Point bank robbery in the Sept. 4 issue of the Dana Point Times.

My father and mother (now deceased) Harvey and Virginia Smith, living at that time in Dana Point along with my sister and her husband, Robert and Sally Thatcher, also of Dana Point, were victims of that robbery with official documents and some valuable family heirlooms and jewelry taken from their safety deposit boxes.

My sister had spoken to the Laguna Niguel police, not the FBI, and was bluntly told that their chances of recovering any of the jewelry were nil.

The details of the mystery robbery in your story were quite interesting and illuminating.

Thank you again for your effort in researching and revealing the facts and speculation.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 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.

Page 10

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

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Andrea Swayne, 949.388.7700, x113 aswayne@danapointtimes.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

Lauralyn Loynes, 949.388.7700, x102 lloynes@danapointtimes.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@danapointtimes.com BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@danapointtimes.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Picket Fence Media Group Senior Editor, City Editor, DP Times > Andrea Swayne

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick

City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale Special Projects Editor, > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Senior Designer > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING PICKET FENCE MEDIA

OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed Business Operations Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller, Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Evan Da Silva, Dana Schnell, Alison Shea, Tim Trent

Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point) Dana Point Times, Vol. 8, Issue 38. 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 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DANA POINT T IMES

www.danapointtimes.com

DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

At the Movies: Z for Zachariah Gets an A-

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 18 EDDIE MONEY 8 p.m. Eddie Money performs live at the Coach House. Tickets are $55. Doors open at 6 p.m. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

BRANT COTTON & THE OUTLIERS 8:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

Saturday | 19 DANA POINT FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Seasonal produce, flowers and much more at La Plaza Park each Saturday. 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

RELAY FOR LIFE DANA POINT 10 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sept. 20. The American Cancer Society’s 24-hour fundraising walk to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and take action to fight for an end to the disease.

Lantern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point, brad.gauss@cancer.org, 949.567.0610, www.relayforlife.org.

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

BILL OGDEN WAVES OF COLOR 6 p.m. The Classic Surf Gallery presents Bill Ogden Waves of Color. Ogden lived in San Clemente in the 1960s, first becoming famous for his surf cartoons. Moving to Laguna Beach in the early 1970s, Bill was in the vanguard of ocean related psychedelic poster art for the Sound Spectrum, Timothy Leary and the Brotherhood of Eternal Love. A retrospective of Bill Ogden art, including original oil paintings, drawings, prints, posters, and the newly released book OGDEN: The Visionary Art of Bill Ogden, will be available for purchase. 100 San Dimas, San Clemente, 949.496.8611, allan@classicsurf.com.

HARBOR MUSIC CRUISE: BUNCH OF GUYS 8 p.m. Enjoy live music aboard the 95-foot vessel Dana Pride while cruising the Dana Point Harbor and watching the sunset.

Boat features a full bar. Occurs each Saturday through Oct. 17. Must be 21 or over, with proper ID. $19. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

Sunday | 20 FR. SERRA’S CANONIZATION CELEBRATION 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Mission kicks off a weeklong celebration in honor of the canonization of Fr. Junípero Serra with a ceremonial bell ringing at 9 a.m., followed by a special tour at 2 p.m. On Monday, Sept. 21, the Mission’s “Legacy of Saint

EDITOR’S PICK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: COASTAL CLEANUP DAY IN DANA POINT 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteer at one of the many cleanup sites around the city in recognition of the Annual Coastal Cleanup Day. Sites include: Dana Point Harbor Underwater Cleanup, Ocean Institute/Dana Point Marine Protected Area, Dana Point Yacht Club on-the-water kayak cleanup, Doheny State Beach and San Juan Creek, Salt Creek/Strand Beach, Dana Point Harbor Cigarette Butt Round-up and Capistrano Beach. Specific details for each site, along with a directory of all site in Orange County, and RSVP information can be found at www.coastkeeper.org/ccd_site_locations.

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

C

raig Zobel’s and Nissar Modi’s adaptation of Robert C. O’Brien’s classic novel Z for Zachariah comes right at the end of summer.

The film has raised some eyebrows from the book’s fans as it is apparently hardly anything like the original plot, and includes a third main character.

In a post-apocalyptic society, Ann Burden (Margot Robbie) discovers another living being in the form of scientist John Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Together they discover resources to not only survive, but to Photo: Courtesy help repopulate the planet.

Just as the two are discovering they are attracted to one another, a third person shows up, Caleb (Chris Pine). Ann sees him as a new friend and help, while John

Serra” exhibit will open, featuring Serra’s road to sainthood. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

BLUE WHALE DISCOVERY CRUISE 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Join marine biologists from the Ocean Institute on a search for the world’s largest mammal, the blue whale. Travel to the feeding grounds of the great blues aboard the high-tech Sea Explorer. $35 for adults, $22 for children ages 4 to 12. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

Monday | 21

is less trustworthy.

Screenwriter Modi chooses to create not only a love triangle, but also a faith versus science theme with John being the practical one opposite Ann’s and Caleb’s spirituality. In the novel, Ann is a 16-year-old girl, while Robbie doesn’t look a day under her 25 years of age. In some scenes this is obvious by Ann’s overt naivety, but for the most part, Robbie does well as the girl between two men and rebuilding the planet.

Despite the movie stars, director Zobel sets a very unglamorously slow and calm environment for the performances to naturally evolve. Book fans may or may not like the new take on the tale, but it might be a good fit for those who are interested in a good character study with a tiny, talented cast. DP

Wednesday | 23 CAPO BEACH FARMERS MARKET AND CRAFT FAIR Noon-6 p.m. Visit the area’s latest weekly market where locally-grown, organic produce and regional artisans are featured.

Capo Beach Church, 25975 Domingo Ave., 949.573.5033, www.danapoint.org.

HARPOON HENRY’S HAPPY HOUR 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Half price margaritas.

34555 Golden Lantern St, Dana Point, 949.493.2933, www.windandsearestaurants.com/harpoonhenrys.

PAINTING AND VINO 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Sip wine while participating in an instructed painting class. Supplies provided. $45. Register online at www.paintingandvino.com. StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO GARDEN CLUB 10 a.m. Garden Club guest speaker and Orange County Master Gardner Deb Ringler will discuss how to care for indoor plants. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. San Juan Hills Golf Club, 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.584.1680, www.sanjuancapistranogardenclub.com.

Thursday | 24

OPEN LIFE DRAWING WITH LIVE MODELS 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Get practical experience drawing from a nude model. Cost is $12 per class. San Clemente Art Supply, 1531 N. El Camino Real, 949.369.6603, www.scartsupply.com.

GARDEN ANGELS 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet every Thursday in front of the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park in San Juan Capistrano to help maintain the garden and more.

Bring gloves and wear close-toed shoes.

949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

Tuesday | 22

BRANDON WILDFISH 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Live music at Salt Creek Grille with Brandon Wildfish. 32802 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.661.7799, www.saltcreekgrille.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at the Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument, bring your voice, The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, Dana Point, 949.464.5700, www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Page 12

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 DP LIVING Dana Point

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Tall Ships Delight Calm seas and fair weather attracted large crowds to the 31st annual event STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

T

he 31st annual Toshiba Tall Ships Festival wowed thousands of attendees, with tall ships at full sail, mock cannon battles, pirate lore, historical seafaring demonstrations, music, oceanrelated educational activities and more at the Ocean Institute.

This year, the event kicked off with the traditional sunset sailing parade of ships on Friday, Sept. 11 (dangerous conditions kept the ships docked for last year’s event) and the on-water spectacle continued throughout the weekend.

Here are a few shots from Friday’s sunset parade. For a photo slideshow, visit www.danapointtimes.com. DP

CERT trainees practice stabilizing a young man’s spine on a gurney. Photo: Eric Heinz

CERT trainees practice a mock triage exercise during Saturday’s session. (The blood is paint). Photo: Eric Heinz

Duty Calls Volunteers come from five towns for CERT training program

BY ERIC HEINZ, DANA POINT TIMES

O CERT trainees practice extinguishing a controlled burn with Orange County Fire Authority firefighters.

Photo: Eric Heinz

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

Children and some members of Boy Scout Troop 12 of San Juan Capistrano participate in a triage exercise.

Photo: Eric Heinz

n Saturday, the Community Emergency Preparedness Teams of the five cities of San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach came together for the first time to train new people in community emergency response situations.

Page 17

CERT trainers used stuffed animals to practice smallanimal rescue exercises. Photo: Eric Heinz

The program took place at the San Juan Mobile Estates.

People practiced discharging a fire extinguisher, triage tactics, small-animal rescue and more.

Participants included people from adults to Boy Scout Troop 12 of San Juan.

The Dana Point CERT program has trained more than 400 people since it began. For more information, visit www. danapoint.org and search for CERT under the Emergency Management section.

The Dana Point CERT program is currently undergoing both phases of training.

More information about the program, visit www.danapoint.org and search under Emergency Services. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING GUEST OPINION: Reading with Wright by Christopher Wright

Reciprocity of Reading and Tea Time Book Club

M

y job as a librarian is to connect people with the information they seek. One of the duties is reading advisory, or recommending books to people based on their tastes. That’s what I do, day in and day out. But it’s always great when the same folks come back to me and recommend “new” books for me to read, or in some cases, not to read. That’s a beautiful thing. I call it the reciprocity of reading. The books I’m about to recommend are the fruit of this reciprocity. All too often when you mention Scandinavian books everybody immediately starts thinking dark and noirish. These books are the exact opposite and will make you laugh or touch your heart.

The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson: Who knew nuclear proliferation could be so funny? Allan Karlsson runs away from his 100th birthday party and steals a thug’s luggage at the bus station.

The story is off on two tracks. We have the present narrative and then Allan’s life unfolds incrementally. And what a life!

He’s met some of the most famous leaders of the 20th Century and he hates politics.

The present narrative evolves from a hunt for a missing person to a kidnapping to Allan being pursued as a triple murder suspect. I don’t know which narrative I enjoyed the most.

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson: This too is about nuclear proliferation and will leave you laughing. Jonas Jonasson is the Carl Hiaasen of Sweden. It was wildly humorous on serious subjects like nuclear proliferation, apartheid and China. We have Mossad agents being manipulated by a self- taught African girl who never ceases to amaze the reader with her feats and responses to crises. The first 300 pages were a hoot but the last 100; I wanted it to wrap up.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: This is an absolutely charming and wonderful book that will give you many

chuckles and a few tears too. Backman takes a perceived judgmental, grouchy, curmudgeon and transforms him into a decent human being, or perhaps even a saint. He alternates every chapter between the present and the past life of Ove. Ove is the guy in your neighborhood who lives to argue and bargain about every issue.

The present narrative is funny. The past or flashbacks are serious and you see how life has shaped Ove. Backman has a new book out that sounds just as interesting, charming, and perhaps heart-breaking—My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry.

This new book had its United States release in June.

The Year of the Hare by Arto Passilinna: Unlike READING the previous books which WITH WRIGHT originated in Sweden

By Chris Wright and are recent, this book is from Finland and several decades old—1975. It’s a weird, beautiful, funny story that only gets a little dark toward the end. Basically, a guy quits his job and pals around with a hare while touring Finland.

It’s a road trip book. It’s an epiphany book.

It’s a funny story with very deep meanings.

Back in June the library started its Tea Time Book Club. We meet every fourth Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and it’s led by Branch Manager Susan Pina. This is an informal group and tea is served so bring your own cup and join us on Sept. 28.

Right now we’re reading A Man Called Ove. Chris Wright is not sure if he lives to read or if he reads to live. He has been a public librarian with the OC Public Libraries since 2006 and currently works at the Dana Point branch. DP

PET OF THE WEEK: BRINKLEY

ay hello to Brinkley, the happiest puggle around! At 5 years old, Brinkley has tons of pep in his step without the hyper energy of a puppy. His perfect day would include a brisk walk outdoors or a romp in the yard followed by lots and lots of cuddling. In fact, this snugglebug would probably prefer to spend all day snuggled by your side. Do you have place in heart for a lover like Brinkley?

If you would like to know more about Brinkley, please call the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at the shelter, 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

Page 18

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

S

www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING GUEST OPINION: Four Kids and a Dog by Elizabeth Bottiaux

Mom Break

O

nce a year I escape. I get away from the daily grind of arguing offspring, complaining littles, messes and general household mayhem.

A few other moms and I slip away from the rigors of family life, and convene in a non-family atmosphere. Although we’re all roughly 40 years young, we call it our “girl’s trip.”

This past weekend was our second annual chosen weekend. Palm Springs was our destination. Four of us were on board for the grand escape from reality. Some of us are married, divorced, employed outside the home or employed inside the home. All of us are moms.

After becoming a mom, it took me nine solid years before I decided that I could get away with just girlfriends.

There was guilt involved.

It’s easy to feel badly about ditching my double life as drill sergeant. For FOUR KIDS many years I didn’t feel AND A DOG

By Elizabeth comfortable leaving my Bottiaux kids for longer than few hours. Routines, schedules and consistency are some of my closest cohorts.

Getting away has been an exercise in letting go. My husband normally runs the show if I’m away. But this time he was camping with our daughters. I have had to accept the fact that the babysitter, also known as Grandma, is not a duplicate of me. My kids stay up later than I’d like—or normally allow—eat junk food only found in Grandma’s cupboards, and rules are bent and broken when she’s in charge.

The kids look forward to it. Grandma lives for it. And I’ve come to accept it.

There’s a certain “Thelma and Louise” factor involved in heading out of town with girlfriends. It’s a liberating feeling to skip town, sans kids. I had big plans to stay up late, sleep in, eat lots of indulgent delectables, use bad words, converse freely without constant interruptions, drink ice cold big kid libations and nap poolside without

worrying about drowning children.

Hours were spent catching up on each other’s lives. It’s nearly impossible to snag a few uninterrupted minutes to have a meaningful phone conversation. So, it was truly a treat to chat without restrictions. After inhaling my first few meals, as I do when kids are involved, I realized I was able eat slowly and savor my food instead of sucking it down in two minutes or less. Turns out I do know how to sleep in. I did wake up at my normal 6 a.m. but was able to drift off to dreamland again. The weekend was perfectly relaxing.

Although I need breaks from them, I never regret being mom to our four kids. It’s easy to lose yourself though. After seemingly endless years of difficult pregnancies, gag worthy diapers, non-sleeping colicky babies and a whirlwind of little people that took us by storm, I’d gained so much. But, I also slowly realized that I’d lost a small part of myself. By spending time with my long time friends, I start remembering.

On our first annual getaway, we stood there in that college bar we’d frequented back in the day, in all of our mom glory, feeling utterly out of place amid a sea of sauced students. I prayed that nobody would recognize us. No part of me wants to return to that era. My life now is much more fulfilling than it has ever been. By spending time with my longtime friends, I started remembering that tiny spark of me who is spontaneous and a little wild. A weekend away provides much needed reconnecting, relaxation and recharging. I’m me; version 2.0.

These days you won’t find me busting a move on top of the bar. I no longer write cute dudes’ phone numbers on my arm.

I just might be spotted driving our family car, packed with noisy kids and our dog, rocking out.

My kids still think I’m cool. Well, sort of.

Elizabeth Bottiaux is mom to four small humans, ages 4, 6, 8 and 10. She’s a San Clemente resident and has lived in Orange County for the past 16 years. She publishes a blog, www.fourkidsandadog.com, about family life in our tri-city area. 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

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR Last week’s solution:

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium Dana Point Times September 18–24, 2015

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

Page 19

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 102 or email lloynes@danapointtimes.com

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE

Locals Only Business Listings

LIST LOCALS ONLY

Call 949.388.7700, ext. 102 or email lloynes@danapointtimes.com

USE LOCALS ONLY In print and online 52 weeks a year.

View online at www.danapointtimes.com Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 31648 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. A, 949.420.1321, www.oasisair.com

AUTO REPAIR

Dana Point Auto

34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, 949.496.1086

CAFE - DELI

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COFFEE SHOP

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

YOUR BUSINESS HERE! Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100!

Write-up of 50 words with logo.

Four weeks in print and online.

Contact Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

IMAGES/Creative Solutions

117 Del Gado Road, 949.366.2488, www.imgs.com

DANCE/FITNESS

Club Salsa Dance Studio

Statefarm/Elaine LaVine

34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, www.elainelavine.net

MASSAGE

Crystal Clyde Intuitive Bodywork

HAULING

Cheapest Hauling

Call Robert 949.973.6288

ICE CREAM

32840 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. E, 949.584.2462, www.crystalclyde.com

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Danman’s Music School

Coffee Importers Scoop Deck

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

Patricia Powers

34202 Camino Capistrano Capistrano Beach, 949.230.0543, www.clubsalsadance.com Dana Point Times September 18–24, 2015

GRAPHIC DESIGN

24551 Del Prado, Ste. 364, 949.496.1900, pat.powers@cox.net

State Farm/Ted Bowersox

34085 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 204, 949.661.3200, www.tedbowersox.com Page 20

24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

PET GROOMING

Dawgy Style Groom Shop

34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit 112, 949.496.3315, www.dawgystylegroomshop.net

PLUMBING

Chick’s Plumbing

REAL ESTATE - RESIDENTIAL

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

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

32032 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.5683, www.cvcs.org

UPHOLSTERY

Jeddy’s Yacht & Home Interiors 34212 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit C, 949.240.9569 www.jeddys.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

949.444.6323, www.offshoreconstruction.org

949.496.9731, www.chicks-plumbing.com www.danapointtimes.com

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS

Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com GARAGE SALES ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE. Saturday September 19 from 8 AM to 2 PM. Lots of treasures. Follow the signs to Seascape Village off Mira Costa in San Clemente, Enter at Paseo Gallita, Paseo Halcon and Paseo Flamienco

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@danapointtimes.com Deadline 5 p.m. Monday. No phone calls please.

ESTATE SALE – CAPISTRANO BEACH September 18th & 19th. 8 am-1 pm. 34751 Doheny Place, Capistrano Beach, CA. Lots of dishes, glasses, household items, silver, etc.

GARAGE SALE Saturday, September 19. 8 am to 12 pm.

34656 Via Catalina, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. 4 piece bedroom set, old tools, area rugs and much more.

HELP WANTED SAN JUAN SILK FLOWER We are looking for a creative person part time who likes to work with their hands in a fun job with a friendly atmosphere. They must for a responsible, self motivated person who can follow instructions to learn a new skill.

Job includes all duties from making arrangements, mossing, helping customers, answering phones, packing and unpacking boxes and any other duties . They must be able to climb a ladder and lift 25 lb. and we will train the right person. No nights, weekends and closed major holidays Please call Laura at 949-4969841 to set up an appointment

SERVICES HANDYMAN CHRIS Flat screen TV’s installed, anything Electrical, Plumbing, Finish Carpentry, Drywall Repairs, Mold and Wood Rot issues, Waterproofing, Decks and Patio covers repaired, Doors, Windows, Kitchens and Baths, Water Damage Restoration, Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication and Much More.

Phone Chris – 949 510 6645 WOOD DECK REPAIR WIZZARD Wood Rot Repair Certified Specialist, Wood Decks, Balconies, Patio Covers + Outside Stairs Repaired / Replaced, New Decking Systems, All work Guaranteed.

Phone Chris -949 510 6645

SPORTING GOODS PILATES REFORMER Black Aero pilates reformer. Folds up for easy storage. Great workout at home. $75. 949.533.9761 Dana Point Times September 18–24, 2015

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 102 or email lloynes@danapointtimes.com

Page 21

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Dana Hills Fall Sports Preview Dolphins take to the courses and courts

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

I

n the second installment of our Dana Hills High School fall sports preview, we highlight the Dolphins’ boys cross country, girls volleyball and girls tennis teams. To read the first part of our fall sports preview, visit www.danapointtimes. com.

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dolphins fall sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Last Season: 12-20 overall. Placed third in league and advanced to the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1AA Championships.

Players to Watch: Ayla Fresenius, Emily Likins, Serena Arriola Circle ‘em: 10/1 @ Tesoro; 10/13 @ San Clemente Outlook: Seven games into their season and the Dana Hills girls volleyball team has been in the thick of their matches.

They have only one win to show for their efforts, but head coach Mark Rivadeneyra believes that the breakthrough will happen soon.

Rivadeneyra, who is entering his second season at the helm, likened the start of the Dolphins season to the heatwave that

From L to R: Cicely Bunker, Serena Arriola, Cameron Maris and the Dana Hills girls volleyball team are hoping a tough nonleague schedule will prepare them for the South Coast League. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Girls Volleyball Season Schedule DATE 9/24 9/29 10/1* 10/6* 10/9-10 10/13* 10/15* 10/20* 10/22* 10/28* 10/30-31 11/2*

OPPONENT Laguna Beach Aliso Niguel Tesoro Capistrano Valley Torrey Pines Tourn.

San Clemente San Juan Hills Tesoro Capistrano Valley San Clemente Redondo Classic Tourn.

San Juan Hills

LOCATION, TIME LBHS, 5 p.m.

DHHS, 6 p.m.

THS, 6 p.m.

DHHS, 6 p.m.

TP, TBA SCHS, 6 p.m.

DHHS, 6 p.m.

DHHS, 6 p.m.

CVHS, 6 p.m.

DHHS, 6 p.m.

RUHS, TBA SJHHS, 6 p.m.

*denotes league match

swept through the southland last week. At the Dave Mohs Tournament, which ran Sept. 11-12, the Dolphins went 1-3 in pool play. Six of the 10 total sets the Dolphins

played in were decided by three points or less and the Dolphins, by way of unforced errors and the occasional bad bounce, found themselves on the wrong side of those close games.

Three of the Dolphins first seven opponents were ranked inside the CIF-SS Division 1AA top-10.

“Like the weather, (bad breaks) are going to happen. The heat wave is going to go away,” Rivadeneyra said. “It’s those little things. It can’t stay like this. I have the confidence that we’ll turn it around.”

The Dolphins return four starters from last year’s team and are loaded with talent at the outside hitter position. Leading the outside hitters will be senior Ayla Fresenius, who paced the team with 142 kills as a junior. Senior Cicley Bunker, who was second on the team in kills last year, also returns to the position.

The Dolphins will have a tall front line at their disposal this year. Seniors Cameron Maris and Emily Likins and sophomore Rosie Ballo all stand at 6 feet 1 inch or taller and all three will play middle blocker or opposite. Fresenius, who stands 6-1, will add to the Dolphins imposing front-line size.

Senior setter Serena Arriola is dealing with a leg injury, the extent of which is

Girls Tennis Season Schedule DATE 9/22* 9/24* 10/1* 10/6* 10/8* 10/13* 10/14 10/16 10/17 10/20* 10/22*

Caroline Halloran readies for a serve during a Dana Hills girls tennis practice. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

OPPONENT Capistrano Valley Aliso Niguel San Clemente Tesoro Capistrano Valley Aliso Niguel San Juan Hills Santa Barbara Dos Pueblos San Clemente Tesoro

*denotes league match

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LOCATION, TIME DHHS, 3 p.m.

ANHS, 3 p.m.

DHHS, 3 p.m.

DHHS, 3 p.m.

CVHS, 3 p.m.

DHHS, 3 p.m.

DHHS, 3 p.m.

SBHS, 2:30 p.m.

SBHS, 11:30 a.m.

SCHS, 3 p.m.

THS, 3 p.m.

not known. With Arriola sidelined, freshman Drae Fresenius has stepped in and is logging major minutes. Junior Nicole Hughes, who Rivadeneyra said has been the team’s most improved player, will play libero.

GIRLS TENNIS

Last Season: Tied for first-place in league and advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 Championships Players to Watch: Courtney Swift, Ayla Fresenius, Emilia Gorczyca Circle ‘em: 10/1 vs. San Clemente; 10/16 @ Santa Barbara Outlook: Depth is the name of the game for the Dana Hills girls tennis team heading in to the 2015 season. The Dolphins return four main contributors from their 2014 lineup and have benefited from a freshman, Courtney Swift, who has stepped into the role of the team’s top singles player.

Because of their depth, Dolphins head coach Justin Green said the team’s singles and doubles lineup could look different on any given day, making them a tough matchup.

Ayla Fresenius, Jacklyn Melkonian, Dana Mackensen and Emily Gorczyca all return and on Sept. 16 in a match against Mira Costa, all four played in the doubles lineup.

“Our depth is definitely our strength … we have the same depth (as last year) and the top of our lineup is probably a little bit better,” Green said.

The Dolphins will look to get past rival San Clemente in the South Coast League.

The two programs dueled to a draw at the top of the standings in 2014 and, just like the Dolphins, the Tritons return a veteranheavy team this season.

(Cont. on page 25) www.danapointtimes.com

SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Hills Fall Sports Preview (Cont. from page 22)

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Last Season: Placed first in league, second in the CIF-SS Div. 1 Championships and second at the CIF State Div. 1 Championships Runners to Watch: Jake Ogden, Mason Coppi Circle ‘em: 9/26 @ Dana Hills Invit.; 10/17 @ OC Championships Outlook: By all measures, the Dana Hills boys cross country team had a successful 2014 season. The Dolphins blew away the field in league competition and placed second at both the CIF-SS Div. 1 Championships and at the CIF State Meet. With six of the team’s top-7 runners from last year returning, head coach Tim Butler expects the team to pick up where they left off one year ago.

With so many veteran runners who are used to competing in the big races at the end of the season, Butler has focused on slowly ramping up his runners’ training sessions so the Dolphins peak mid-season, not in the early going. It is essentially the same approach to training they used last season, but it is not without a few tweaks.

“We have a higher bar this year … the biggest thing is the expectation level. We want to go a little bit further than we did last year,” Butler said.

Boys Cross Country Season Schedule DATE 9/19 9/26 10/6*

OPPONENT Mt. Carmel Invit./ Kualoa Ranch Dana Hills Invit.

SCL Cluster Meet

10/17

OC Championships

10/24 11/4*

Mt. SAC Invit.

SCL Finals

11/14 11/21

CIF-SS Prelims CIF-SS Finals

LOCATION, TIME San Diego/ Hawaii, TBA DHHS, TBA Irvine Regional Park, 8 a.m.

Irvine Regional Park, 8 a.m.

Mt. SAC, 7:15 a.m.

Irvine Regional Park, 1 p.m.

Mt. SAC, TBA Mt. SAC, TBA

*denotes league meet

The Dolphins return a deep and experienced lineup, led by Jake Ogden and Mason Coppi, two seniors who have put together standout high school careers alongside one another.

Ogden continued his upward trend as a junior, placing third as an individual at the CIF-SS Championships and at the State Meet in 2014. Coppi placed 13th at last year’s State Meet and 10th at the CIF-SS Championships. In the offseason, Coppi competed in the 3,000-meter run at the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championship in Cali, Colombia.

Rising sophomore Jack Landgraf, who placed 33rd at CIF-SS in 2014, juniors Thomas Wilfert and Brandon Hough and seniors Matt Konopka and Colin Stein return. The group is battle tested and

Dana Hills boys cross country runners Mason Coppi, left, and Jack Landgraf before a training session.

Photo: Steve Breazeale

proven, which Coppi believes adds a dynamic to the team’s training sessions.

“We’re constantly pushing each other (in training) and I think that’s another big

Dolphin Report

Water Polo Enters Tough Slate The Dana Hills boys water polo team is in the midst of a competitive run of games against top area teams. After starting their season off with wins over Gunn and Cathedral Catholic, the Dolphins lost to Loyola, 9-7, and bounced back with a 9-7 victory over Newport Harbor on Sept. 12. A loss to Miramonte on Sept. 12 brought the Dolphins record to 3-2.

Dana Hills was scheduled to play Palos Verdes on Sept. 17. Results were not available at press time. Dana Hills will host Damien on Sept. 22. Both Palos Verdes and Damien were 2014 CIF-SS Div. 2 playoff teams.

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

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

Tritons Football Dominant in Win Over Dolphins The Dana Hills High School football team had no answer for rival San Clemente on Sept. 11. The Tritons, the No. 2 ranked team in the CIF-SS Southwest Division, dominated from the start, scoring on their first seven possessions of the game to earn a 54-7 nonleague victory.

Following their first eight plays from scrimmage, a sequence that lasted just under six minutes, the Tritons built up a commanding 21-0 lead.

Junior quarterback Jack Sears hit junior running back/wide receiver Brandon Reaves on a short pass, which he then turned into a 53-yard scoring play after slipping and sliding past the Dolphins secondary. Three minutes later, senior running back Vlad Dzhabiyev stiff-armed his way through a Dolphins linebacker Dana Point Times September 18-24, 2015

key thing that’s going to propel this group forward,” Coppi said. “We can all push each other even though some of us vary in speeds.” DP

Dana Hills sophomore quarterback Corey Cisowski is tackled for a loss during a game against San Clemente on Sept. 11. Photo: Eric Heinz

and scampered to the end zone for a 43-yard scoring run. The Dolphins (0-3) defense kept collapsing to the middle, which allowed Sears to air out a 33-yard pass to senior receiver Liam Eldridge two minutes later for a three-score lead.

Reaves would score two more times and sophomore Austin Whitsett punched home touchdown runs of 44 and 22 yards to give San Clemente a 48-0 lead at halftime.

The Tritons were especially dominant in the trenches, as both the offensive and defensive lines made their presence felt Page 25

early. The Tritons defensive front had four tackles for a loss, including two sacks, in the first half. Junior Isaac Rex also made a leaping interception at the line of scrimmage, setting up a 22-yard Whitsett touchdown run two plays later.

Dana Hills did not record a first down until the 9:29 mark in the second quarter.

The Dolphins scored with 26 seconds left in the game on a three-yard touchdown run by senior Harry Solakian.

Dana Hills will travel to play a nonleague game against Aliso Niguel (1-3) on Sept. 18.

Golf Team Shoots Season-Best in Win Over Chargers The Dana Hills girls golf team posted their best score of the season to-date on Sept. 16 in a convincing 196-280 win over El Toro at El Niguel Country Club.

Dana Hills (5-0) was led by junior Joan Soewondo’s round of 35 (-1) and sophomore Averee Dovsek’s 36 (E). The Dolphins have now improved their team score in five straight matches.

Dana Hills was scheduled to play El Toro at Shorecliffs Golf Club on Sept. 17.

Results were not available at press time. www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Hurley Pro: Taking a Break

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 75-77 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-10’ Poor-Fair due to recent rain run off

The Hurley Pro Trestles started off with epic surf and controversy, on hold awaiting new swell

Friday: Southwest swell fills in a bit more with 2-4’ surf at many breaks and sets up to 5’ at standout spots in the region. Light wind and clean surfing conditions in the morning will give way to light onshore wind in the afternoon.

Outlook: Look for the surf to gradually trend down over the weekend. Check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

BY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

T

he surfing world had plenty to talk about during the string of lay days—Sunday, Sept. 12 through Wednesday, Sept. 16—at the Hurley Pro Trestles.

The parched Southern California land got some much needed rain, the athletes got some mid-contest down time and it seems the entire planet weighed in on 11time world champion Kelly Slater’s wave score heard round the world.

With a hurricane swell came perfect Lowers conditions for the event kickoff on Wednesday, Sept. 9 through Saturday, Sept. 12, before the San Onofre State Park permit—which limits the event to a choice of only one of two consecutive weekend days of competition—forced the first lay day on Sunday, Sept. 13. The timing was fine however, as the swell and weather forecasts clearly predicted much less than perfect conditions.

Slater—eliminated in Round 5 behind Mick Fanning (Australia) 16.10 to 14.90— did not go down without punctuating his performance with an epic display of his “freakish” athletic prowess and igniting a controversy that crossed over from the surfing world into mainstream media.

Slater went for a big air reverse, got super vertical, and according to him, way more detached from the board than he realized, followed by landing hard and

GROM OF THE WEEK BRYCE PINKERTON

B

ryce Pinkerton, 10, has become accustomed to spending as much of his free time as possible surfing the local breaks. So, when sidelined by and injury this summer, he decided to replace his time in the water with time behind the lens.

“I cut my leg open and the doctor said I can’t go in the water for about three more weeks,” Bryce said. “When the doctor first told me, I was bummed out because I really want to surf. I’ve always wanted to be a photographer and (this injury) was a way to stay close to the water” Having already had some experience with water photography on a GoPro camera, Bryce

Dana Point Times September 18–24, 2015

square on the deck with his hands and knees and then popping up again and finishing the wave.

The crowd went wild, screaming for a perfect 10 and the judges gave it a 4.17 because the move was deemed incomplete—not landed.

Social media and magazine message boards went off, packed with debate over the fairness of the call. The seemingly super-humanly ridden wave, and the controversial score, was even featured on some network television news reports.

In a World Surf League online breakdown of the wave on Monday, Slater and WSL head judge Richie Porta talked about the ride and the call.

“In my head I was just kind of laughing about that I was even still in the wave and that I landed so square on the board …”

Slater said. “And then I was just kind of goofing around and then I just did a 360. I almost fell there and kind of dug my nose. And then I did a turn and I was a little too weighted

forward and got a little stuck. But then I did sort of a nice clean finishing turn.”

Porta added that as the best surfers in the world the athletes all know that they have to complete their maneuvers in order to earn a top score.

“If you do the most amazing aerial in the world … and you land on your belly, it’s an incomplete maneuver,” Porta said. “Everyone has to understand it’s an incomplete maneuver. It’s worth nothing. The surfers know all that. There’s no dissention among the athletes about that score, guaranteed. I understand why people are so excited and amazed and feel let down, because it was an amazing spectacle … If he’d landed on his feet, oh my goodness, it’s an obvious … the score would have been no problem, a 10-point ride.”

Slater went on to say he couldn’t believe how he landed and that the board was planing. He laughed about how after landing in so much whitewash he thought there was a chance it may have looked like

he landed it.

“I’m the competitor, the one who has to wear the brunt of that being a good or bad score and I’m not too worried about it,” Slater said. “And I don’t understand why so many people are.”

About the 4.17: aside from the incomplete aerial, were his final maneuvers deserving of more than what he got? That too has continued to be a source of debate.

According to the surf forecast, as of press time on Wednesday, the arrival of a new swell was expected to hit Thursday or Friday, inviting the final day of competition.

With the longtime San Clementeans knocked out in the first few days of competition—Ian Crane in Round 2, Kolohe Andino in Round 3—local crowds still had recent transplant Filipe Toledo and parttime resident Lakey Peterson to cheer on as hometown favorites.

The final day of competition was scheduled to resume with men’s quarterfinals and women’s semifinals.

A live stream of the Hurley Pro Trestles is available online at www.worldsurfleague.com. DP

decided to learn how to operate his family’s Nikon camera and spent many a summer day shooting waves and surfers.

“I like taking pictures of waves the most because every one of them is unique and I kind of have a personality that makes me want to shoot good pictures of the water, especially barrels,” he said. “I like shooting people too, mostly my friends and family.”

A highlight of his time spent shooting surfers came during the big swell last week at The Wedge in Newport Beach.

“I shot from land and I got really good shots of Robo (John Robertson) getting barreled,” Bryce said. “And I also got some shots of big empty barrels and a lot of flares—when a

backwash hits a wave, they collide and the water explodes upward.”

Bryce said that although he can’t wait to get back into the water, not only to surf but to shoot waves, he is OK with being grounded for now because his GoPro 3 is broken. He is hoping to get a GoPro 5 soon so that he can continue to work on his water photography.

Another recent distraction from the bummer of not being allowed to surf is the recent start of the school year. Bryce is the fourth grade at Clarence Lobo Elementary and said he is happy to be back at school, as seeing all of his friends and working hard at learning new things helps keep his mind off of not being able to paddle out.

“Getting good grades is important too because you need a good education for when you grow up,” Bryce said. –Andrea Swayne

“A Fun Day at State Beach” is one of photographer Bryce Pinkerton’s favorite wave shots. Photo: Bryce Pinkerton

Filipe Toledo, a San Clemente transplant, is poised to make a run at the Hurley Pro Trestles final when competition resumes, following a string of lay days. Photo: WSL/Kirstin

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