May 13, 2016

LO C A L

N EWS

May 13-19, 2016

YO U

C A N

Inside: Doheny Blues Festival Event Guide

U S E

SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 9, ISSUE 20

Water District Proposes Rate Increase South Coast Water District has sent notices to residents detailing water rate changes proposed to take effect in June E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 6

South Coast Water District employees (L to R) Ernie Garcia, Felipe Tax and Jimmy Gomez perform a video inspection of a main sewer line at Ritz Pointe Drive.

In a proposed SCWD rate change, sewer charges will be moved from monthly bills to yearly property tax bills. Photo: Andrea Swayne

County Audit Reveals Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn Impropriety EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Doheny Village Code Committee Starts Work on Area Redesign EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

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Dolphin Report: Volleyball Team Stuns Mater Dei in Playoff Opener SPORTS/PAGE 20

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

An audit by Orange County officials revealed that employees of the publicly owned Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn—as well as their friends and family, harbor business owners and city officials—improperly received at least $68,000 in discounted room rates over six years. Photo: Eric Heinz

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week

Audit Reveals Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn Impropriety THE LATEST: An audit of the publicly owned Dana Point Harbor Marina Inn by Orange County officials revealed the hotel improperly offered discounts to employees, their “friends and family,” harbor business owners, city officials and harbor contractors.

Discounted rates ranged from $35-$50; more than half off the average fair market rate for a room ($102), according to the audit report released on May 11. The audit found that employees, their friends and family, and local officials and business people spent a total of 933 discounted nights at the hotel between January 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2015. Officials said in the report that it is unclear when the program exactly began and when it expanded, but that over the last six years, the program has cost the city at least $68,000 in revenue.

Included in the list of benefactors of the program are at least two “key” hotel managers, who were responsible for overseeing the contract the city has with the hotel’s operator, Great Western Hotels Corporation.

Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Supervisor Fifth District, said on Thursday she had Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

no knowledge of the friends and family program and no one that she knows participated in it.

“I think this type of program is inappropriate,” Bartlett said. “The Harbor is a county asset. And when you’re talking about a county asset, you’re talking about taxpayer dollars.”

Bartlett added that no such program was ever approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Brad Gross, Dana Point harbor director, was unable to be reached for comment.

An email sent to his office on Wednesday yielded a bounce back message that said, “Effective 12 May 2016 I will be retired from the County of Orange.”

WHAT’S NEXT: County officials will continue to look into the audit findings.

“I can’t comment at this time as there is an investigation in progress,” Bartlett said.—Matt Cortina/Andrea Swayne

Calendar Committee Presents Progress to CUSD Board THE LATEST: Following a controversial vote last fall to start the 2016-2017 school year early on Aug. 15, the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees formed a School Calendar Committee tasked with making a recommendation for the 2017-2018 academic calendar. Comprised of 37 members—including parents, PTA, board members, union representatives, district personnel and students—the committee engaged the community with three public forums, input collected via email and a phone survey of 436 CUSD families. On May 11, the committee presented its findings to the board.

Feedback from the forums included the

following concerns with an early start in August: heat and weather, impact on family vacations, alignment with sports schedules, ending the first semester before the winter holiday, and alignment with colleges for summer school and orientations.

Staff confirmed that the current 2016-2017 calendar aligns with sports schedules and colleges, and the first semester ends before winter break. Addressing heat concerns, staff said it would cost an estimated $12.5 million to install air conditioning in every district classroom.

In the phone poll, 22 percent of people thought the Aug. 15 start date is a “very good idea,” 32 percent said it is a “very bad idea,” and 46 percent said it is somewhat good or bad or had no opinion.

WHAT’S NEXT: The School Calendar Committee will meet again May 13 to review draft calendars for the 2017-2018 school years. Proposed calendars will be presented to the board on May 25.—Allison Jarrell

Doheny Village Code Committee Starts Work on Redesign THE LATEST: The Doheny Village Code Committee convened on Tuesday, May 10, to introduce zoning and code issues with the proposed redevelopment of the Doheny Village area.

The 10-person panel—comprised of Dana Point City Council members, planning commissioners, architects, developers and one resident—heard a presentation from Tony Perez, the project manager of Opticos Design, the company hired by the city to help design the redevelopment of Doheny Village.

Tuesday’s session was the first of three

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meetings for the commission in less than a week—the committee met again on Thursday, May 12, and will convene once more on Thursday, May 17.

The first meeting’s goal was to introduce the project’s scope to the committee and identify zoning challenges in the development.

Perez gave a presentation on formbased codes, which he said condense complicated zoning regulations and put the community and future developers on the same page in terms of what to expect with new development. He also touched on design elements featured in the design charrette that Opticos released in September—those elements include shorter blocks and the potential construction of new roads to accommodate that layout.

“That type of environment is really being sought after more and more, and you already have the basics of that in Doheny village,” Perez said. “People want to be able to leave their house, walk a block or two or three and find a cool main street.”

Perez also spoke about using formbased codes to address parking concerns.

Ursula Luna-Reynoso, Dana Point director of community development, said city officials “punted on parking” during the Lantern District reconfiguration, and the Doheny Village planning will require early identification of parking issues. For the moment, Luna-Reynoso said the city has “decided to adopt those standards” that were determined for parking during the Lanter District rebuild. Those regulations call for one parking spot per one-bedroom unit, and two parking spots for each twobedroom-plus units in residential; and two spots for every 1,000 square feet of property over 1,500 square feet in commercial units.

Perez noted that there should be built-in triggers in the code, which will require people who own property larger than a certain amount of land to contribute 10 percent of that area to a civic use, such as parking or recreational space.

Luna-Reynosa also mentioned that the city is not bound to create affordable housing, only that they are “supposed to try” to achieve affordable units.

“Certainly one of the potential areas of concern is the cost of housing, and if we don’t find a way to get workforce housing … it’s probably going to be problematic to the continued success and growth of the area,” she said.

WHAT’S NEXT: The third and last scheduled meeting of the Doheny Village Code Committee will take place on Thursday, May 17 at 12:15 at City Hall. That discussion will include the plans to make Doheny Village a “walkable urban” area, which Perez said is an intimidating title, but is being demanded by both millennials and baby boomers across the country.—MC (Cont. on page 5) www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Mayor John Tomlinson and Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather Johnston pose for a photo after the State of the City address, May 6 at Monarch Beach Resort. Photo: Andrea Swayne

(Cont. from page 3)

Awards, City Stats, Development Updates Announced at Dana Point State of the City Event THE LATEST: The city of Dana Point held its annual State of the City event on Friday, May 6, at the Monarch Beach Resort (formerly the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort).

The event was hosted by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, and featured community beautification awards as well as a speech and presentation from Dana Point Mayor John Tomlinson on employment, housing, tax, development and recreational issues.

After a brief introduction, longtime city employee Kevin Evans was honored for 27 years of service in the community. Evans’ last day as director of the Community Services & Parks Department was the day of the State of the City, and he was honored by the Chamber, with proclamations given by county and state officials.

The Chamber presented its annual Beautification Awards, which are given to businesses and developers who create establishments that contribute to the artful growth of Dana Point. Those winners were: the city of Dana Point for New Landscaping; Craft House for New Construction; RJ’s Cafe for Exterior Reconstruction; and Monarch Beach Surterre Properties for Community Green Leader.

Tomlinson then gave a slideshow presentation, which recapped statistics and introduced information on the progress of certain development projects. Tomlinson noted the city has only 3.7 percent unemployment, while the median home price is currently $912,200. Tomlinson noted the low inventory of housing has increased real estate prices. Economic growth for Dana Point, Tomlinson said, will come in the form of tourism, real estate and services. The city is aiming to create 900 new jobs over the next three and a half years.

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

Tomlinson featured current and future development projects like the BevMo! building construction, the South Cove residential project, Prado West and the Union Bank site. The mayor also talked briefly about $20 million of improvements in the Lantern District, and the proposed redevelopment of Doheny Village.

The ceremony was emceed by Duane Cave, a representative from the San Diego Gas & Electric company, which was the event’s primary financial sponsor, and featured awards given out by other corporate and local business representatives.

FIND OUT MORE: To see the full State of the City presentation, visit the Chamber of Commerce website at www.danapointchamber.com. —MC

Senator Patricia Bates to Speak at Next Coffee Chat THE LATEST: The next Dana Point Civic Association’s Coffee Chat, set for Friday, May 20, will feature guest speaker California State Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel).

Bates represents California’s 36th Senate District, which includes parts of Orange and San Diego counties. She will share news about current issues in her district, which includes the city of Dana Point.

The Coffee Chat will run from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at The Coffee Importers, 34531 Golden Lantern in the Dana Point Harbor. All are welcome.

WHAT’S NEXT: Coffee Chats are held on the third Friday of each month.

Guest speakers and discussion topics vary to include issues and items of interest to Dana Point residents and questions/ comments from the audience are welcome.

The event is always free and open to the public. Complimentary coffee is served, courtesy of The Coffee Importers.

FIND OUT MORE: Stay tuned to the DP Times for monthly notices announcing Coffee Chat speakers and topics.—AS Page 5

EYE ON DP

South Coast Water District employees David Chacon, Juan Merlo and Efrem Rodriguez do maintenance work on Lift Station No. 5 in the Headlands at Strand neighborhood. Photo: Andrea Swayne

Water District Proposes Rate Increase South Coast Water District sends notices to residents detailing proposed water rate changes

BY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

S

outh Coast Water District customers can expect to receive rate change notices this week as the utility proposes its first rate increase since 2013.

The changes come in response to the need for covering the increasing cost of water purchased by the utility from wholesalers, costs associated with maintenance and/or replacement of aging infrastructure and the need to review its rate structure—due to the Proposition 218 water rates ruling in San Juan Capistrano in April 2015—district officials said.

According to Andrew Brunhart, SCWD general manager, with the previous threeyear rate notice coming to an end in June, along with the court’s Prop 218 decision in the San Juan water rates case reinforcing the requirement for water rates to have a justified link to actual costs, it was a natural to time to address rates and perform a full cost of service study.

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

Carollo Engineers assisted in the study, which included a series of nine public board workshops and the detailed review of costs for every service, were used in the reevaluation of potential changes to the SCWD rate structure, Brunhart said.

FOR EXAMPLE Under the proposed rate structure, a single-family residential customer with a ¾-inch meter and using 10 CCF, or 7,480 gallons of potable water per month could expect to see a total net increase of $1.67 per week.

This example applies to the 9,500 singlefamily residential customers in the district.

One CCF (a measurement of centum cubic feet, or hundreds of cubic feet) is 748 gallons.

Because the proposed new rates shift the portion of fixed costs previously included in monthly bills over to yearly property tax bills, the same customer would see a decrease of $18.05 per month ($216.60 per year) on their monthly bill and a $303.54 increase on their annual property tax bill.

“We have proposed to establish new rates going forward for the next five fiscal years,” Brunhart said, adding that the new rate structure supports water conservation and establishes more rate stability—to address the statewide theme of water demands going down, customers conserving more and water districts raising the rates.

FINDING A BALANCE “We were out of balance in the way we charge for fixed costs versus variable costs,” he said. “As an example, a system in place, whether it be underground pipes, reservoirs, pump stations, etc.; costs for maintaining them are fixed. No matter

how much water we sell, those bills are the same.”

Wayne Rayfield, SCWD Board of Directors president, added that the same is true of the waste water conveyance system.

“The pipes have to be there; the pumps have to be there even if no one flushes a toilet or drains a sink,” Rayfield said.

Because costs change depending on customer usage—varying greatly from summer to winter months—water usage revenue at times does not cover the cost of fixed expenses, Brunhart said, the new rates shift fixed costs currently charged on monthly water bills (for water and sewer infrastructure) to customers’ property tax bills.

“This will help with rate stability regardless of whether we are in a drought or not,” Brunhart said. “The monthly bill will only be charging for the amount of water that people buy.”

Under the new rate structure, charges on property tax bills will include fixed costs for water and sewer infrastructure along with a peak demand charge.

The peak demand charge, a new type of charge, will also encourage conservation, as it will be based on each individual customer’s second highest use month— because the highest peak month can be due to an anomaly such as a leak—and all customers will be charged at the same rate multiplied by their peak demand.

Peak demand charges will change each year depending on customer water use.

“This is not a new concept among utilities; electric companies have this in place now,” Brunhart said. “We need to size our water system so that in July when it’s 100 degrees outside and we have all sorts of visitors to our community and watering is high, when more water is used than any other day of the year, we still have to have a system in place to provide that water.

Our district has to be sized for the district peak. This mechanism allows us to recoup the cost of having that large of a system.

And each customer’s piece of that peak, their contribution to the whole, connotes the size of the system.”

Rayfield said the change provides for more fairly distributed costs to customers.

“We think that the customers that cause the large demand should pay for that, and the customers whose usage is flat throughout the year, should have to pay for that, fundamentally,” Rayfield said.

“In the past we based everything on peak demand, but everybody shared in that, which is not terribly fair.”

“This system promotes conservation because a customer can affect what their peak is,” Brunhart said, adding that the new rate plan was designed to provide fairness and equity by charging customers for actual costs, linked to rates.

RECYCLED WATER Charges for recycled water today are set at 90 percent of the cost of potable water and the discount is subsidized by potable water customers as part of “other rates” Page 6

charged on their bills. As the board was looking at the water in the system, it adopted the concept of “water is water,” and proposed to do away with the discounted rate.

In the proposed plan, recycled water will have no peak demand charge. So customers switching from potable water to recycled water will see a reduction in cost, but the district’s 36 current recycled water customers (the city, resorts, HOAs, etc.) will see higher rates.

“Some large scale users will be greatly impacted,” Rayfield said. “And we are working with them.”

WASTE WATER Under the existing structure, singlefamily residential customers are billed a fixed annual charge and a variable charge based on water consumption.

Because water contributed to the sewer system is not measured, the new rate plan would adopt a new concept in which single-family residential customers will no longer receive a monthly sewage bill.

The costs will instead be charged on the annual tax bill and based on winter month usage average, by customer, multiplied by the sewer rate.

Multi-family residences will continue on variable rates, but the rate is lower than the current rate because fixed costs will be removed.

The categories of commercial customers will also be simplified from the current 29 categories, down to three: low, medium and high strength levels, based on the volume of waste water flow connected to each industry or business.

FUNDING THE FUTURE The proposed rate increase is designed to help fund the district’s approximately $75 million worth of needed capital improvements, necessitated by deferred maintenance of infrastructure and the need for a local and sustainable water supply due to drought and ever-increasing wholesale water prices.

The new rates would provide some of the funding for the district’s proposed desalination plant’s estimated $90 million price tag, the refurbishment of the waste water tunnel running from the Monarch Beach border to Aliso Beach, an estimated $72 million project.

The desal plant could produce as much as 15 million gallons of drinking water per day, and the tunnel currently moves a million gallons of sewage, 60 percent of which comes from Dana Point and 40 percent from South Laguna.

FIND OUT MORE All videos of previous workshops, presentations from the workshops, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are available online at www.scwd.org.

A public hearing on the proposed rate changes is set for 6 p.m. on June 23 at Dana Point City Hall, Council Chamber, 33282 Golden Lantern in Dana Point. DP www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY ANDREA SWAYNE

Shwack Beach Grill Pledges Support to Broderick Montessori Every Monday in May, The Shwack Beach Grill, at 24502 Del Prado Ave., will be donating 15 percent of its sales from noon to 9 p.m. to help support Broderick Montessori, just down the street from Shwack at 24292 Del Prado Ave. According to Palin Harrington, administrator at Broderick Montessori, the school suffered a nearly 33 percent decrease in students during street construction in the Lantern District over the past few years.

And with the loss of driveway access to the school and the impaired visibility of the campus to passing motorists, it has continued to go down.

On top of the financial hardship, owner and Head of School, Sharon Broderick, is ready to retire and the school is for sale.

Staff and parents are working together to raise funds so students can finish out the school year.

“The new landscaping the city did is beautiful. We love the roses, but the loss of the driveway and visibility to the street has really impacted our enrollment,” Harrington said. “A parent advisory group was formed to help, and we’ve been trying to get creative to find a way out of the financial slump we are in … to make sure the teachers are paid through the end of the school year until the transition to a new owner takes place. We are trying to

DP Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY ANDREA SWAYNE

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, May 11 BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Street of the Crystal Lantern/Pacific Coast Highway (9 p.m.)

A caller saw a man breaking into a FedEx box and taking packages out of it.

DISTURBANCE Via California, 26200 Block (6:51 p.m.) People were fighting and breaking things.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Victoria Boulevard/ Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

keep Mrs. Broderick’s legacy going while a new buyer is found.”

So far the group has held silent auctions, date nights, parking lot sales and book signings. A read-a-thon and jog-athon will be held soon.

“Our parents have been supportive, and the community has come together to support our school, and for that we are grateful,” Harrington said, adding that Lantern District businesses have been especially helpful. “Jack’s Restaurant donated 100 meals for the school’s silent auction, local artist Laura Seeley presented a free seminar for parents with a book signing and fundraising sale, to name a few, and now Shwack is stepping up with Montessori Mondays.”

Shwack Beach Grill owner Max Fisher said he is happy to help a local school in need and that it really is a win-win for both businesses.

“We want to see Broderick thrive just like the rest of the Lantern District,” Fisher said. “We have done fundraising events in the past. We like to keep it close to home, and you can’t get much closer than two blocks down the road. Schools, in general, are our number one type of fundraising event because they need all the help they can get.”

Stop by the Dana Point Art Walk in the Lantern District on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a singing performance by Broderick students.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott to Hold Job Fair

a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Open positions include: At Your Service agent, bell staff, catering sales manager, director of banquets, director of operations, director of sales and marketing, massage therapist, night auditor, restaurant server, room attendant, sales senior manager and more.

Applicants can bring a resume and apply in person at the event.

The hotel is located at 25135 Park Lantern in Dana Point. For more information, call 949.661.5000 or visit www.lagunacliffs.com.

Surterre Properties Event Collects Nearly a Ton of eWaste Dana Point residents were able to dispose of their old electronics and documents in a clean, green and efficient manner at Surterre’s eWaste and document shredding event on April 23.

Held at South Shores Church, the event hosted 80 cars that brought 1,670 pounds of electronic waste and participated in document shredding.

A free service to the public held on a quarterly basis in four different areas of Orange County, Surterre’s eWaste and document shredding drives offer a free and easy way to safely dispose of unwanted electronics and paper.

For more information about upcoming eWaste and document shredding events, call 949.717.7100 or visit www.surterreproperties.com.

In order to fill a number of vacancies, Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa will be holding a job fair on May 13 from 10:30

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

Doheny Park Road (5:48 p.m.) A car was seen fully engulfed in flames near the gas station.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Via California, 26400 Block (11:44 a.m.) A man was seen pacing and talking to himself in front of a vacant house.

GRAND THEFT REPORT Rocky Beach Lane, 25500 Block (4:50 p.m.) A catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle.

Monday, May 9

COURT ORDER VIOLATION Crown Valley Parkway, 32400 Block (7:34 a.m.) A woman said her ex broke into her residence when she was gone and took his bike and the bedding. The woman has a temporary restraining order against the ex.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Crown Valley Parkway, 32400 Block (7:34 a.m.)

A patrol check was requested for multiple “small white packets” the caller believed to be drugs found scattered in the area.

Tuesday, May 10 SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Stonehill Drive, 25700 Block (9:22 p.m.)

A transient man who had been sleeping in the bushes near a children’s area of the park appeared to be setting up camp.

DISTURBANCE Pacific Coast Highway/Street of the Crystal Lantern (3:20 p.m.) A caller was threatened by a man wielding a stick.

CITIZEN ASSIST Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (1:35 a.m.) A Chevron employee reported a woman had been wandering into the store for the past two days saying she’s “waiting for someone,” but “no one comes to fetch her.”

Sunday, May 8 SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Corniche Drive, 0 Block (9:39 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for a man in a white convertible Mustang driving around the neighborhood. The man was seen stopping to urinate on another vehicle and then getting back into his car and continuing to drive around.

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Community Meetings TUESDAY, MAY 17

City Council Meeting

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

Dana Harbor Toastmasters

7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Fine-tune your public speaking skills each Tuesday at Capo Beach Church, 26975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach, 949.492.7181, 1707.toastmastersclubs.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18

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.

THURSDAY, MAY 19

Coastmasters Toastmasters Club

7 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Practice your public speaking skills every Thursday at the OC Sailing & Events Center, 34451 Ensenada Place, Building B, 6658.toastmastersclubs.org.

MONDAY, MAY 23

Planning Commission Meeting Canceled

The next meeting of the Planning Commission is scheduled for Monday, June 13, 6 p.m. Dana Point City Hall, Council Chamber, 33282 Golden Lantern, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

MONDAY, MAY 30

Memorial Day

City Hall offices closed. Dana Point City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

Memorial Day Services

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. A memorial will be held for all fallen veterans of all wars.

Flowers will be placed on the memorial and a traditional Marine Corps empty boots ceremony will be included. Pines Park, 34941 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Beach, 949.248.7696, www.vfwpost9935.org. www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor FOLLOW THE MONEY: SPECIAL INTERESTS FUNDING CAMPAIGN FOR MEASURE I DEBRA LEWIS, Dana Point

As the first mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita, I learned that money does indeed talk. Look behind the trumped-up vacant lot slogan of Measure I and follow the money. As Measure H proponents have been saying all along, Measure I is being pushed by outside developers and special interests for one reason and one reason only: money. On the other hand, Measure H is a grassroots, Dana Point residents’ movement.

As one developer (Majestic) succinctly put it, complying with the original Town Center Plan just doesn’t “pencil out.”

When people tell you, “I don’t mean to get personal,” you know it is about to get very personal. Likewise, when they claim, “It’s not about the money,” it’s all about the money.

Donors Funding “No on H, Yes on I” 1. Issues Mobilization PAC: $10,000 Part of National Association of Realtors campaign services.* http://www.realtoractioncenter.com 2. Raintree Evergreen, LLC: $1,760 (This is the value of free office space donated to Measure I to make it look “local.”)

Raintree is a Delaware limited liability company that wants to build highdensity apartments in Town Center. https://icis.corp.delaware.gov/ Ecorp/EntitySearch/NameSearch. aspx 3. Metro RCT, Inc.: $4,900 (Per the Fair Political Practices Commission form 460) *This is not the first time California Association of Realtors is on the wrong side of history. In 2011, it opposed free speech rights for California renters, opposing California’s law allowing renters to display political signs. The law passed anyway and went into effect in 2012.

Donors Funding Measure H All are Dana Point individual residents with no financial interest other than preserving the Town Center Plan and quality of life in Dana Point. The majority of donations are less than $100.

Vote with the townies! Vote yes on H. Vote no on I. Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

TOMLINSON, ALEXANDER WRONG ON BALLOT MEASURES MARV SHERRILL, Dana Point

I would like to comment on the two commentaries written by Craig Alexander and John Tomlinson in the May 6-12 issue of the Dana Point Times.

Mr. Alexander urges you to vote no on Measure H, which he ironically calls the “empty lots initiative.” Let’s review his “facts”: Empty lots may seem to have been multiplying around Town Center (the Lantern District), but they have nothing to do with Measure H. There have been new vacant lots springing up in Town Center that will be the site for 109 apartments along both sides of Amber Lantern between Pacific Coast Highway and Del Prado Avenue. Is it a coincidence that area looks abandoned during the lead time to this election? I think not! And how about the timing of the demolition of the old hotel at the north end of Town Center?

Another coincidence? Rest assured, there will be projects developed on these and other vacant lots. How they are developed should be up to the citizens of Dana Point, not just the whims of the sitting City Council.

As Mr. Alexander states, the Town Center Plan was passed after many years of meetings and public input to “create a better downtown Dana Point to attract visitors and make it a nice place for residents to enjoy a wonderful shopping and dining experience.” After that statement, his “facts” again begin to falter. He states the city has already spent more than $18 million and millions of taxpayer dollars from the Water District on the infrastructure of Town Center. The actual figures are even higher—almost $27 million of our tax dollars from city funds and more than $6 million from Water District funds. He then states that the Measure H backers are unhappy with “a few development decisions by the City Council.” That’s an understatement. Those “few decisions” actually ignored much of the original 2008 Town Center Plan. Those “few decisions” include ignoring height limits and parking requirements, and not promoting shops, stores, restaurants and condominiums but instead building many apartments, making the Town Center a mainly residential rental district—not at all what the 2008 Town Center Plan promotes.

The Council has unilaterally ignored the three-story, 40-foot height limit and is allowing four stories and heights reaching up to 58 feet. The Council’s new requirement for parking actually reduces public parking for commercial use by 50 to 80 percent. The more than 100 apartments in this small area, if Measure I were to pass, would be required to have only one parking space per unit, which is entirely Page 8

inadequate. This would further congest street parking, and parking would then spill over into adjacent neighborhoods.

This variance by the council allows developers to build higher density projects with far too little parking. How ironic is it that the “Yes on I” signs say “save public parking,” when “I” drastically reduces public parking. Mr. Tomlinson (the current Mayor of DP) says that we will have “shared parking” to make up for the loss of parking. This definition of “shared” is not what we learned in kindergarten. In this case, “shared” means the City pays existing businesses to use their parking spaces at a rate of around $30 to $35 per space per month.

This is taxpayer money that should not be used in order for developers to make more money by not providing adequate parking on their properties. In a nutshell, we taxpayers pay thousands and thousands of dollars annually so that developers can rake in more money. Ten of those spaces are going to be at the post office.

Right now only four spaces in that lot are designated “Post Office Parking Only.”

Better mail your Christmas gifts in October because you will not get close to the post office after that. And according to Mr. Tomlinson, if the Town Center becomes too congested (which it will if Measure I passes), you can just take Uber. I for one will not pay for a ride to a restaurant only a mile from my home.

Mr. Alexander’s claim that if Measure H passes, “It would make development so restrictive that no project could financially work,” is simply incorrect. Established restaurants and businesses in the Town Center have the necessary on-site parking and have prospered for years.

The BevMo! project (even though it was a source of controversy) will be in compliance with Measure H parking requirements (which used to be in our city codes until the council changed them), as will the recently approved development on the corner of Golden Lantern and Coast Highway (where the Union Bank currently is).

Why is it that these developers can stay within the height limits and provide adequate parking and the others cannot or will not? It comes down to greed. Don’t let the City Council sell out to the developers.

Having taught or coached more than 6,000 students at Dana Hills High School for 37 years, and lived in this city for more than 40 years, I have great pride in my community and do not want to see it ruined by the greedy whims of four council members.

And yes, Mr. Alexander, we will vote out those council members in November, but these measures must be voted on now. I implore citizens of Dana Point to join me in responsible development of our Town Center and vote yes on H and no on I.

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@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Steve Breazeale, 949.388.7700, x110 sbreazeale@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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

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

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Group Managing Editor > Matt Cortina Senior Editor, DP Times > Andrea Swayne City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point)

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed Business Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Melissa Calvano Evan Da Silva Debra Holm Cameron Sadeghi Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 9, Issue 20. 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 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DANA POINT T IMES

(Cont. on page 10) www.danapointtimes.com

SOAPBOX (Cont. from page 8)

ROAD DIET, ROUNDABOUTS CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR DOHENY VILLAGE ANN ROMANO, Capistrano Beach

In the May 6-12 edition of the Dana Point Times, Marlene Lopez calls the plan to reduce traffic lanes and add roundabouts on Doheny Park Road a “mistake.”

Although it seems counterintuitive, doing so will actually improve traffic flow while creating a safe and friendly experience for everyone, according to Opticos Design, the city’s planning consultants for the Doheny Village Plan.

An example of this approach can be seen in the Village of La Jolla, where it has been successfully implemented, dramatically increasing development and transforming a busy thoroughfare into a beautiful and vibrant restaurant and business district, as described in this article: www. sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/ aug/06/bird-rock-runs-circles.

Another improvement being proposed will reconfigure the awkward freeway access and bridge from Doheny Park Road to Pacific Coast Highway and the rest of Dana Point. The plan would turn the onramp from southbound Doheny Park Road onto the bridge to Dana Point into a bike and pedestrian bridge to improve connectivity with the rest of Dana Point, a key goal of the Doheny Village Plan.

Opticos and economic consultants Keyser Marston believe that the street improvements are a key element of the plan that will draw in new development and encourage renovations of existing properties.

In order for the plan to be viable, this infrastructure work needs to be completed in the initial phase of the project. We hope the city is serious about identifying the funding to jump-start this process.

The “road diet” envisioned for Doheny Park Road will lead to a renaissance in this long-neglected part of town that promises to enhance the environment as well as the revenues for the city. It can’t come soon enough!

ON THE LANTERN DISTRICT PARKING NIGHTMARE DENISE ERKENEFF, Dana Point

In response to Mayor Tomlinson’s guest opinion in last week’s Dana Point Times, I think it’s important to set the record straight on the Lantern District “Parking Plan.”

In describing the “evolution” of the plan, he conveniently left out a very important part of the 2008 Town Center Plan, the document Measure I proponents revere with gospel authority. Yes, indeed, the plan did “specifically require the city to develop a parking program,” but according to Section 4.6 on Page 18 of that plan, the

Dana Point Times May 13-20, 2016

Page 10

intention was to “create additional public parking, which would include one and preferably two facilities prior to beginning roadway construction” not after all other infrastructure was in place.

Because this wasn’t accomplished, now the overflow into the residential streets surrounding Del Prado Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway has the city scrambling for a solution.

How did our City Council manage to spend almost $30 million (including infrastructure, South Coast Water District water and sewer, design and planning costs plus the thousands of hours of city staff time) and somehow neglect to consider parking until after the build-out?

Why is the city, eight years later, taking victory laps on Del Prado because they have rented, at taxpayers’ expense, 73 temporary parking spots?

Tomlinson doesn’t mention that most of these leases are revocable with 60 days’ notice, and that they allow for only threehour parking or parking after 5 p.m. until midnight.

Most Measure I proponents assert that success in the Lantern District will come from mixed-use development, and thus far, most of the development planned is residential.

Unfortunately, the council not only failed to provide needed parking structures, but they also granted variances and concessions that reduced required parking in the large Majestic (now Raintree) apartment development that had been rejected by the Planning Commission.

We’ll soon have many apartment dwellers looking for permanent parking spots for their cars. Any two-car couple that rents a one-bedroom unit will be allocated only one spot. Are they expected to move that second car every three hours, or are they going to park in neighboring residential areas?

When the Lantern District parking nightmare gets worse, the council members will have no one to blame but themselves.

What we see today is a result of poor execution of the plan, lack of foresight and reckless disregard for residents’ desire for an attractive, vibrant, coastal village.

Our Dana Point deserves leaders with the wisdom and foresight to think things through carefully, placing parking, green space and thoughtful design before concrete, palm trees and developer giveaways!

Vote yes on citizens’ Measure H, and no on council’s Measure I. 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.

www.danapointtimes.com

Southern California’s premier beachfront musical experience, the Doheny Blues Festival, returns to Dana Point on May 21 and 22. With Lynyrd Skynyrd and Brian Setzer each set to headline a night of the festival’s 19th installment, this year’s lineup continues the event’s enduring tradition of showcasing the wide-ranging sounds of blues, rock and roll, bluegrass, soul and rockabilly on the lawns of Doheny State Beach. This weekend-long event will see 22 artists perform on three rotating stages—two main stages situated just 100 yards from the Pacific Ocean and the intimate Backporch stage. Music lovers descend annually on Doheny to experience the best of blues, rock and soul music set against the gentle breaks that helped make this locale a focal point of surf culture. An international food court, vendor village, microbrew tasting and wine lounge round out this two-day beachside festival of blues.

Lynyrd Skynyrd The legacy that began 41 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, was halted for a decade when three band members—including Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines—were killed in a 1977 plane crash. Since then, the band tragically lost Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson and Huey Thomasson, yet Lynyrd Skynyrd rocks on with original member Gary Rossington and a lineup of powerhouse musicians. “We’re still standing, still keeping the music going,” Rossington says. “We wanted to do the guys who aren’t with us any more proud, and keep the name proud, too.” With a catalog of more than 60 albums and record sales beyond 30 million worldwide, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd remain a cultural icon that appeals to all generations.

Brian Setzer Brian Setzer is an iconic guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, and he’s also the winner of three Grammy awards. Brian’s a “musician’s musician,” credited with taking chances with daring musical styles, while single-handedly resurrecting two forgotten genres of music—rockabilly in the ’80s and swing in the ’90s. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has scored chart-topping hits and sold 13 million records throughout his career as leader of the Stray Cats, his 18-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra and as a solo artist. Consistently cited as one of the world’s greatest living guitarists, Brian appeared in the film La Bamba, portraying rockabilly pioneer Eddie Cochran, and he was animated in an episode of “The Simpsons” alongside Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Tom Petty.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Over the course of a 20-year recording career that began when he was just 16, Kenny Wayne Shepherd has established himself as an immensely popular recording artist, an in-demand live act and an influential force in a worldwide resurgence of interest in the blues. Now, the five-time Grammy nominee delivers one of his most personal projects to date with Goin’ Home, his eighth album and first to be recorded in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. “It was definitely an emotional experience, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had making a record,” Shepherd said. The raw, righteous release finds Shepherd revisiting a dozen of the vintage blues classics that originally inspired him to pick up the guitar and pursue a life in music.

Aaron

With My Tru singers is re while adding “These song says Aaron N and they rod these years. classics by Ballard and To Neville, t the soundtra underpinnin has created university of I do has got me.”

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT DOHENYBLUESFESTIVAL.C

n Neville

ue Story, one of the world’s finest evisiting the music he grew up with— g a few new spins along the way. gs helped to mold me into who I am,” Neville. “They’re all dear to my heart, de with me, in my bones, through all .” Selections on the album include Little Anthony and the Imperials, Hank the Midnighters, and the Drifters. though, these songs weren’t just ack to his youth; they became the ng for all of the remarkable music he d across five decades. “I attended the f doo-wop-ology,” he says. “Anything t some doo-wop in it. It’s just part of

COM

DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

contests, a long-drive competition and an opportunity drawing. Entry fee $100, including green fees, cart, lunch and an opportunity drawing ticket. Register online.

San Juan Hills Golf Club, 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, www.thefirstteeoc.org.

EDITOR’S PICK

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 13 PHIL SHANE SHOW 7:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Live music at Harpoon Henry’s. 34555 Golden Lantern St, Dana Point, 949.493.2933, www.windandsearestaurants.com/harpoonhenrys.

JIMI JAMES 7:30 p.m. Live music at Wind & Sea Restaurant. 34699 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.6500, www.windandsearestaurants.com.

Saturday | 14 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.

PAWS IN THE GARDEN 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Ark of San Juan Companion Animal Rescue presents their eighth annual tour of local gardens to help fund their ongoing mission of saving lost and abandoned pets. This year’s tour includes Dana Point favorite, the “Folie Gep” house with surprises around every corner, including the Doheny family’s 1929 cottage. Tickets are $25 and may be ordered online or by mail. For more information, call 949.388.0034, email info@arkofsanjuan.org or visit www.arkofsanjuan.org.

BATTLE OF THE MARIACHIS 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano hosts the 12th annual Battle of the Mariachis, featuring live performances

by Southern California mariachi groups competing for cash prizes before a panel of judges. Tickets are $15. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1315, www.missionsjc.com.

Artist Eric Diamond speaks with attendees of the inaugural Dana Point Art Walk in the Lantern District in October. The next Art Walk is set for Sunday, May 15. Photo: Andrea Swayne

SUNDAY, MAY 15: DANA POINT ART WALK 1 p.m.-4 p.m. The city partners with local businesses and artists to bring a celebration of art to the Lantern District. Attendance is free, as is participation as an artist. The Art Walk will also feature live music and special offerings by area businesses. For information about showing your work, email dpartwalk@cox.net. For more information, call Sherry Murphy at Dana Point Parks and Recreation, 949.248.3536. Town/Center Lantern District, Del Prado Avenue between Blue Lantern and Old Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

Monday | 16 TEEN TIME 6 p.m-7 p.m. Teens 12 to 17 years old can enjoy a different activity every week in the Dana Point Library Community Room.

No pre-registration required. Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

Tuesday | 17

TACO TUESDAYS AT SUNSETS 4 p.m. Tacos for $2 and $3, margaritas and tequila for $5, Mexican beers for $4 and a DJ starting at 7 p.m. Sunsets Bar & Grill Capo Beach, 34700 Pacific Coast Highway, Capistrano Beach, 949.276.8880, www.sunsetsbar.com.

TINY TOTS: PARENT & ME PROGRAM AT OCEAN INSTITUTE 9 a.m.-10:15 a.m. The Ocean Institute hosts a six-week series of classes for chil-

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

Sunday | 15 DANA WHARF 45TH BIRTHDAY BASH In honor of Dana Wharf’s 45th anniversary, the company is celebrating by offering whale watching trips for $15 and five-hour fishing trips for $25 per person. Raffle prizes will be awarded to passengers. Call for reservations. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

dren ages 2 and 3 and their parents. Toddlers will explore shapes, colors, textures and more with a favorite tide pool animal, the sea star. Each session include an activity and an animal encounter. $30 per class, or $150 for the series. Classes run on Tuesdays from May 3 through June 7. Register online. Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

Wednesday | 18 EDITOR’S PICK A young visitor participates in the Ocean Institutes’ Tiny Tots program. Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean Institute.

SAN JUAN HILLS MEN’S CLUB AND WOMEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT 8 a.m. The Men’s Club and Women’s Golf Association of San Juan Hills Golf Club hosts their fifth annual golf tournament, benefiting The First Tee of Orange County. Event includes four hole-in-one

Page 15

SOCGEMS ANNUAL SILENT AUCTION 7:15 p.m.-9:30 p.m. The South Orange County Gem & Mineral Society’s silent auction is free admission and includes opportunity drawings, a “buy-it-now” table and refreshments. Bid on tables full of rocks, fossils, jewelry, gems and more.

The event is a fundraiser for the educational nonprofit. Ole Hansen Fireside Room, 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente, 949.498.8358, www.socgems.com. ana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

Thursday | 19 SESSIONS AT STILLWATER 7 p.m. Talented musicians from around the world perform together. Where else can you see local musicians on stage with members of Pink Floyd? StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado Avenue, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

UPCOMING FRIDAY, MAY 20: MEET THE AUTHOR 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Meet author and ex-police officer Joe De Ladurantey who will discuss his two new books, Cowards, Crooks, and Warriors; and Rock & Roll and Doo-Wop. Walk-ins welcome. Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 21: DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL 11 a.m. May 21-22. Bands hit the sand with blues, rock and soul at the 19th annual two-day music festival at Doheny State Beach. Lineup includes Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot!, Aaron Neville, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Edgar Winter Band, Walter Trout, The Record Company and more atop three stages. The event also includes food, microbrew tastings, a wine lounge and merchandise vendors throughout. Paid parking will be available in the Doheny State Beach lot. Overflow parking will be available at Dana Hills High School with a $5 shuttle service to and from the event. General admission $60 single day; $115 both days. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.360.7800, www.dohenybluesfestival.com.

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

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

American Bravery Lasts Long in the French Countryside

I

am currently enjoying a trip to Europe with my life partner, Greta. I am 76; Greta is 74. Now that we are both retired, we want to travel as much as we can, as long as we are physically able to do so.

Our first stop was Paris, where we have been for 18 days.

But for years, the most important place on our priority list to visit in France has been Normandy, two hours north of Paris, where D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944. On this trip, we finally had the opportunity to scratch it off the list of places to visit.

Subconsciously, Greta ON LIFE AND and I must have sensed LOVE AFTER 50 that we were doing someBy Tom Blake thing important the day we traveled by train to Normandy, as we both awoke at 2:30 a.m., even though our alarm was set for 4 a.m.

Our plan was to catch the 5:26 a.m. metro train from our local Fontenay-auxRoses station, a half-mile walk from our home in Paris. We were on the station platform when the train arrived.

Paris metro trains usually stop for 30 to 40 seconds before the doors close and the train moves on. But at our third stop, the doors remained open. Then an announcement: “This train is delayed because there is an incident.” We glanced at each other.

Since the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the whole region has been on a high security alert. In the station, we saw a German shepherd being walked along the platform by a security agent. We wondered if our long-awaited Normandy trip would be postponed.

But soon the train doors closed, and we were on our way.

At the Gare Saint-Lazare station, we boarded a high-speed train to the city of Caen, and then changed trains to go to Bayeux, which was the first city in France liberated by the allied forces after the Normandy invasion.

We walked 25 minutes to the Bayeux tourism office. There, we booked a taxi to take us on a two-and-a-half-hour tour with no narration, just a ride with a very nice French driver named Arnold.

Our first stop was the Pointe du Hoc. From the taxi, it was a quarter-mile walk to the coastline.

Details of the invasion were posted along the way. This is the spot where approximately 250 U.S. Army Rangers scaled 300-foot cliffs to surprise the German soldiers guarding the big guns that were perched up there. At the end of the day, only 93 Rangers had not been killed or wounded.

This was where awe and amazement set in for us. The courage of the soldiers—American, Canadian, British and from a few other countries—who had been dumped into the cold waters of the English Channel to come ashore and then fight was almost beyond comprehension.

To put the beaches of Normandy into perspective, 156,000 U.S. troops took part in the D-Day invasion, which had been planned for more than a year.

Next, our driver took us to Omaha Beach. There were 3,683 allied soldiers who were killed coming ashore at the beach. One cannot be prepared for the emotion that one feels there. As a former member of the Amphibious Navy, I was overcome with pride walking on Omaha Beach for what happened there. I touched the sand and picked up a few pebbles and looked out at the English Channel.

And then Arnold drove us to the Nor-

mandy American Cemetery, located atop a hill overlooking Omaha Beach. For as far as the eye can see, there are white crosses dotting the landscape. Buried there are 9,387 of our troops from different battle locations, including three women. In investigating the gravestones, we found the burial site of one of the women. The cemetery is staggering. These brave Americans helped save the world.

Of course, there is so much more to see in Normandy. One could easily spend 3-4 days. But Greta and I had accomplished what we had planned. All of our emotions had been left at the battle sites and cemetery.

As we walked to our cab, Greta said, “It is a place where everyone who can should come, and no one should ever forget.”

Over only a couple of weeks, 425,000 troops were killed in the Battle of Normandy, including approximately 200,000 German soldiers. Those staggering figures prompt one to ask, “Is war really worth it?”

During a stop in the small, charming

city of Bayeux, we walked past a restaurant with this sign in the window: “Welcome to our Liberators.”

It was nice to see that the French people are grateful to the U.S. and other countries for the sacrifices made to liberate their country.

As we headed to the Bayeux train station to return to Paris, Greta said, “Not bad for a couple of mid-70s accomplishing what we did today.”

I gave her a big hug.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. His latest book can be found online at www.smashwords.com/books/view/574810.

See his website at www.findingloveafter60. com (Yes, after 60; time rolls on.) To comment: tompblake@gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the 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

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

Pet of the Week: Primrose

P

rimrose is a happy little pup that enjoys meeting new people. Only one year old, she is full of pep and loves to frolic and play. When it comes to cuddle time, Primrose is a real pro and can snuggle with the best of them.

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

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

Primrose. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Page 17

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LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program 949.485.4979 info@bodymindspiritiop.com www.bodymindspiritiop.com

ASSISTED LIVING HOME FOR ELDERLY

Assisted Senior Home

949.248.9415, www.assistedseniorhome.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

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Represent.xyz

949.274.0590, www.represent.xyz

DANCE/FITNESS

Club Salsa Dance Studio

34202 Camino Capistrano, 949.230.0543, www.clubsalsadance.com

HANDYMAN

Beach City Handyman

33292 Bremerton St., 810.569.7295, gnarlyconceptdesign.com

HAULING

Cheapest Hauling

Call Robert 949.973.6288

ICE CREAM

Coffee Importers Scoop Deck

34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

Patricia Powers

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

Statefarm/Elaine LaVine

34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, www.elainelavine.net

MASSAGE

Crystal Clyde Intuitive Bodywork

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

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Danman’s Music School

24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

PET BOUTIQUE

Naked Dog Bistro

424 Forest Ave., LB, 949.715.9900, www.NakedDogBistro.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

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

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

949.444.6323, www.offshoreconstruction.org

LIST LOCALS ONLY

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

View online at www.sanclementetimes.com.

Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com AUTOS FOR SALE MUST SELL!! SEATS 7!

2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4x4 Silver with black interior. Bluetooth CD player with lan hookup. New Bilstein shocks. K&N air filter. In great shape. $13,000 949-633-3860

FOR SALE QUANTUM ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR Value $3,000 for sale for $700 OBO Call 949-496-9541

GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE! MAY 14, 2016 6AM-2PM 25332 Westborne Drive, Dana Point 92629 Baby/toddler clothes, toys, home furnishings, appliances, men’s and women’s clothing CAPISTRANO BEACH - OLD MILL POND ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE Saturday, May 14. Gates open at 8:00 a.m. thru 2:00 p.m. Enter off Camino Capistrano, 4 streets south of Camino de Estrella.

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@danapointtimes.com DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

HELP WANTED HOUSEKEEPERS NEEDED Capistrano SurfSide Inn seeks Sunday only housekeepers. The position is for every Sunday 8:30a-4p. No experience needed, will train. $10/Hour. Please apply in person at 34680 Coast Highway Capistrano Beach CA 92624.

HIRING NOW IN-HOME CARE ATTENDANT For local disabled, training provided, compassion essential (students welcome), screened, FT/PT, $11 Hr, Rainbow Home Care, #800811-9767, www.RainbowHomeCare.com

LOST/FOUND LOST A SET OF KEYS ON FRIDAY 5/6/16 They are on a Mercedes Benz of Laguna Niguel key chain. Call Linda @ 949-554-5140.

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 Dana Point Times May 13–19, 2016

Page 19

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DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Scoreboard

Dolphin Report

DANA POINT TIMES

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

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

Volleyball Upsets Mater Dei in Playoff Opener The Dana Hills boys volleyball team pulled off a stunner on May 10 by defeating Trinity League champion Mater Dei in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 Championships.

The Dolphins, who placed fourth in the South Coast League, defeated the Trinity League champion Monarchs in five sets 21-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19, 15-12, to advance to the second round.

Dana Hills was set to host defending CIF-SS Division 1 champion Huntington Beach on May 12. Results were not available at press time.

Dolphins senior outside hitter Grady Yould led the team with 25 kills against the Monarchs. Yould has led the Dolphins throughout the year, but got a lot of help against Mater Dei. Dylan Campeau tallied 12 kills, and Jake Freeman and Matt Tonks had 10 kills each in the win.

After dropping the first set, Dana Hills head coach Oz Simmons saw his team refocus and return to their ball-controloriented approach.

“We really improved our passing and blocking in the second, third, fourth and fi fth games,” Simmons said via email.

“Everyone raised their game and it was a great team effort… We usually really rely on (Yould) but everyone contributed.”

Left to right: Grady Yould, Jake Freeman, Nathan Simpson and the Dana Hills boys volleyball team upset Trinity League champion Mater Dei in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 Championships on May 10.

Photo: Steve Breazeale

Huntington Beach was entrenched in the CIF-SS Division 1 coaches poll’s top spot all season long and, as of May 12, owned a 28-1 overall record.

Southern Section individual champion.

Tanner Podres and Cole Griffo shot 77 (+5) and 78 (+6), respectively, to miss the cut.

Dolphin Golfers Survive Wild Finish Dana Hills golfer Blake Brothers certainly earned his way into next week’s CIF-SS Individual Championship at Mission Lakes Country Club.

Brothers carded a 74 (+2) at Skylinks Golf Club in the CIF-SS Individual Regional tournament on May 9, putting him into a 10-man playoff for the final eight advancing spots. On the eighth ensuing playoff hole, Brothers made a clutch par on a 215-yard par-3 to ensure his spot in the championships.

Senior Clay Feagler shot 72 (E) to place fi fth at the tournament and advance to the CIF-SS Individual finals for a fourth straight year. Feagler is the defending

Baseball Punches Ticket to Postseason A 12-2 victory over Capistrano Valley on May 9 ensured the Dana Hills baseball team’s season would continue into the postseason.

It was a wild finish to the South Coast League season for the Dolphins, who were scheduled to play their final league game against El Toro on May 12. Results were not available at press time.

In the final week of the regular season, the Dolphins (13-5, 5-6 league) needed at least one win to pull even with Tesoro (1514, 5-7) in the league standings. Tesoro dropped its final two games to first-place El Toro last week. The win over the Cougars guaranteed the Dolphins would finish, at worst, 5-7 in league. Tesoro also owns a 5-7 league record, but Dana Hills will advance to the playoffs based on the season-series tiebreaker it holds over the Titans. Dana Hills swept the Titans in three league contests this season.

Dana Hills will enter the postseason as the league’s No. 3 representative, behind Aliso Niguel and El Toro.

Tennis Falls to Sage Hill in CIF-SS First Round

Hans Crouse, left, and David Clawson and the Dana Hills baseball team will play in the upcoming CIF-SS Division 1 Championships. Photo: KDahlgren Photography

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

The Dana Hills boys tennis team lost to Sage Hill 14-4 in the first round of the CIFSS Division 2 Championships on May 11.

The loss ends a successful season for the Dolphins (10-5), who placed second in the South Coast League under first-year head coach Mike McCall. During the offseason, the team was without a coach and McCall stepped in with several weeks to go before the start of the season.

Page 20

Local Divers Shine at State Championships Saddleback College divers Jacob Swanson and Sarah Duke had big performances at the California Community College Swimming and Diving State Championships at East LA Community College May 5-7. Swanson, a Laguna Niguel resident, won both the one- and three-meter diving events at the meet, earning Diver of the Year honors. Duke, a Dana Point resident, placed seventh in the three-meter and 13th in the one-meter diving events. The team is coached by Curt Wilson of San Clemente, who received Coach of the Year honors from the California Community College Athletic Association.

City Adult Recreation Sports League Registration Begins Registration for the City of Dana Point Recreation Department’s adult leagues are now open. The department offers co-ed kickball and co-ed softball leagues for interested players over the age of 18.

The kickball league is divided into beginner and experienced team divisions and holds games on Monday and Wednesday nights. Cost to register a team is $200 plus $15 per game for umpire fees. The softball league plays games on Monday and Wednesday nights. Cost for a team is $350 plus $15 per game for umpire fees. Both the kickball and softball leagues begin on July 11 and run through Aug. 31.

Combat Golf Tournament to Benefit Marines The Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group is hosting its seventh annual combat golf tournament at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo on June 13. The tournament features several fun military-themed events, as well as a dinner and silent auction following 18 holes of golf. Proceeds benefit the 5th Marine Regiment personnel and their families. For more information, visit www.danapoint5thmarines.com.

Softball Closes Out Season With A Win South Coast League wins were hard to come by for the Dana Hills softball team this season, but the Dolphins were able to keep their playoff hopes alive following a 9-7 victory over El Toro on May 11. The Dolphins finished the regular season with a 3-5 record in league, good for a fourthplace finish. Dana Hills finished outside the top-3 spots in league, which are guaranteed playoff berths, and will await the releasing of the CIF-SS Division 2 brackets to see if they will earn a wild card berth. Playoff brackets will be released on May 16. www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Local Surfers in Their Prime

San Clemente surfers claim season titles in three of six Surfing America Prime divisions at season finale

BY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

T

he invitation-only Surfing America Prime regular season came to an exciting conclusion May 7 and 8 at Del Mar Beach on Camp Pendleton, finishing the 2015-2016 season where the tour first kicked off eight years ago. And although the names on the heat sheets have changed over the years, the series once again featured an impressive lineup of the country’s best U18 talent.

In a tight race for season champion titles, surfers put their best feet forward for the final contest of the six-event season. Local surfers took top honors in three of five divisions.

San Clemente’s Kade Matson took the Boys U14 division champion title, rising to the top with a runner-up performance behind Dimitri Poulous (Ventura), 11.06 to 12.37, respectively.

Cole Houshmand, also from San Clemente, was crowned season champion following his winning performance in the event’s Boys U16 final, beating Noah Hill of Venice, 13.10 to 12.70.

Despite finishing in second place in the

event behind Micky Clark (Ventura), the Boys U18 season championship title was claimed by Carlsbad’s Jordan Collins. Collins and Clarke tied in the final with 12.33 points, and Clarke came out on top with a high single wave score of 8.5 over Collins’ 7.10. The Boys U18 season title race was extremely tight, with Jake Marshal of Encinitas ending the year only 75 points behind Collins.

In Girls U16 competition, Alyssa Spencer of Carlsbad finished with a perfect season (four of six event results count), taking her fourth win of the year. Kirra Pinkerton of San Clemente turned in a second-place finish in the final.

Caroline Marks (San Clemente), a Florida transplant, was crowned the Girls U18 champion, taking the event win over fellow San Clementean Kirra Pinkerton, 14.66 to 10.10.

Greg Cruse, executive director for the San Clemente-based Surfing America, said holding the sixth event of the season at Camp Pendleton, where the series kicked off back in 2008, was a great way to end the year, and the present caliber of talent bodes

Cole Houshmand of San Clemente surfed his way to a Surfing America Prime Boys U16 season champion title at event No. 6, May 7 and 8 at Camp Pendleton. Photo: Surfing America/Jack McDaniel

well for the organization’s future.

“What was started as a means for Surfing America to give the best junior surfers in the country preparation to compete at the pro level with four-man, 20-minute heats, computer scoring, professional judges and now the addition of four-man priority, will soon become the training grounds for future Olympians as we have applied for USOC membership and surfing is on track to be announced as an Olympic Sport in Tokyo 2020,” Cruse said. “We now have

GROM OF THE WEEK

SURF FORECAST

HANA CATSIMANES

H

ana Catsimanes, 13, of San Clemente is a determined multi-sport athlete and an accomplished scholar.

This year, her first full competition season in the Scholastic Surf Series, Hana made a name for herself as a member of the champion Shorecliffs Division 1 middle school team, bringing home two wins, a second-place and a third-place finish.

Her performance not only earned her the Girls Longboard champion title in Orange County middle school competition, but also the middle school state champion title.

Despite her late-season debut in the Western Surfing Association Tour, Hana ended the season as the No. 5-rated surfer in Girls U14 Longboard, finished No. 13 in a field of 21 in Open Women Longboard, and No. 15 of 25 in Girls U18 Longboard.

“I’m competitive so I like surfing in contests,” she said. “I love to surf, and I just think it’s really fun. I like surfing against other people because I feel like it makes me better. It’s a good way to practice, and it’s a good experience for me.”

Hana has also enjoyed playing soccer since the age of 5. As a part of the West Coast Futbol Club, she recently started

Dana Point Times May 13-19, 2016

seven surfers who came up through the Surfing America Prime Series, USA Surfing Championships at Lower Trestles and USA Junior Surf Team, on the World Surf League Championship Tour: Courtney Conlogue, Kolohe Andino, Nat Young, Lakey Peterson, Sage Erickson, Kanoa Igarashi and Conner Coffin. The Surfing America Prime ranks are still chock-full of up-and-coming talent. The system is working and the future looks bright for surfing in America. DP

Water Temperature: 61-64 degrees F

with a new team and is optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I think we’re going to be pretty good this year,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the new season. All the girls are good, and we have a great coach.”

She also runs cross country and track with the San Clemente Cross Country club team. In a February high school qualifier meet at Azusa Pacific University, she finished fifth out of 47 high schoolers in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 4:57.

Hana is looking forward to trying out for all three sports at San Clemente High School next year. Although sports are an important part of her life, and she would “love the chance” to surf professionally in the future, Hana said her main focus in high school will be academics. A straightA student and a member of the National Junior Honor Society, Hana said her top goal for the next four years is earning acceptance into a good college.

Right now, however, she is counting the days until summer break, amped at the prospect of having an abundance of free time to work on her surfing.

“I’m so excited for summer,” she said.

Water Visibility and Conditions: San Clemente: 4-8’ Poor-Fair, Catalina: 8-14’ Poor-Fair Outlook: Primary SW swell blends with secondary NW swell mix through the weekend with surf in the 3-4’+ zone. Winds/conditions look suspect though with mainly onshore flow each day, looking lightest early in the mornings. Stay tuned and check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

Hana Catsimanes. Photo: Courtesy

“I just want to surf a lot and try to get as good as I can for high school tryouts.”

She also pointed out that she realizes how much her parents do for her in helping her follow her dreams and wanted to take this opportunity to express her appreciation to them.

“Thanks for always helping me and supporting me and my decisions,” Hana said. “And thanks for taking me to faraway soccer games, paying my entry fees and taking me to surf competitions. I love you so much.” —Andrea Swayne

Page 22

RESULTS Surfing America Prime, Event No. 6, May 7-8, Camp Pendleton, DMJ BOYS U14: 1. Dimitri Poulos, Ventura; 2, Kade Matson, San Clemente; 3. Taro Watanabe, Ventura; 4. Dane Matson, San Clemente. BOYS U16: 1. Cole Houshmand, San Clemente; 2. Noah Hill, Venice; 3. Tyler Gunter, Newport Beach; 4. Sage Burke, Newport Beach.

BOYS U18: 1. Micky Clarke, Ventura; 2. Jordan Collins, Carlsbad; 3. Jake Marshall, Encinitas; 4. Eithan Osborne, Ventura. GIRLS U16: 1. Alyssa Spencer, Carlsbad; 2.

Kirra Pinkerton, San Clemente; 3. Rachel Presti, Florida; 4. Caroline Marks, San Clemente. GIRLS U18: 1. Caroline Marks, San Clemente; 2. Kirra Pinkerton, San Clemente; 3. Samantha Sibley, San Clemente; 4. Autumn Hays, Santa Cruz.

www.danapointtimes.com