January 6, 2017

LO C A L

N EWS

January 6-12, 2017

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Local Group to Unveil Dog Park Plans for Pines Park PAGE 3

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1

Modern Exploration A look inside Dana Point’s Nature Interpretive Center D P L I V I N G / PAG E 1 3

(Left) Corey Stafford, a Nature Interpretive Center intern, holds a bone from a whale to show guests Adam and Willow Wright at the center. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Air Dancer Program in Harbor to Take Hiatus, County Says EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Revising the Winter Surf Outlook in South County DP SURF/PAGE 18

www.danapointtimes.com

Ocean Institute Cannon Battle Set to Take Sail GETTING OUT/PAGE 10

YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE

DP EYE ON DP Dana Point

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things Dana Point should know this week Local Group to Unveil Dog Park Plans for Pines Park THE LATEST: On any given day, a handful of dog owners and their four-legged friends can be seen enjoying the views from Pines Park. Noticing this, a Capistrano Beach group, Capo Cares, has been working on the idea to build a proper dog zone at the park and is ready to unveil their plans to the public.

Capo Cares received a design concept from the Architectural Guild of South Orange County.

Toni Nelson, co-founder of Capo Cares, said they love the idea of restoring the area.

“This has been a major goal for our organization, and we are hopeful the community and city will support the concept,” Nelson said in a statement.

On Tuesday afternoon, San Clemente resident Stacey Richards walked her dog, Bentley, and said they go to the park a lot.

“It’s a great place; the dogs get to exercise and socialize, the owners get to know one another,” Richards said. “There are a lot of dog walkers here usually.”

She said a dog zone would be beneficially for the area, especially for the residents who live on the south side of the city.

“There’s the other park, but that’s on the other side of town,” Richards said. “We need to drive to that one; this place is a short distance for us.”

The dog zone would be in the lower bluff portion of the park, which the group says is a “barren state subject to wind and climate erosion for decades.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Capo Beach Church, located at 25675 Domingo Ave., Capistrano Beach. —Kristina Pritchett

San Juan Capistrano Man Identified as Driver Killed in PCH Crash THE LATEST: A 27-year-old San Juan Capistrano man was identified as the driver who died after he crashed his car on Pacific Coast Highway early on Sunday, Jan. 1.

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

Shultz, seen here, and his owner walked through Pines Park on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Capo Cares will be unveiling plans for a dog zone during a community meeting on Jan. 11. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

Diego Escamilla Lopez was driving at a “high speed,” police said, when he crashed his vehicle along PCH and Doheny Park Plaza, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner Department.

Police said Lopez was driving in rainy conditions around 2:30 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle, struck a pole, was ejected from his car and run over by an oncoming motorist.

Lt. Mark Stichter with the Sheriff’s Department said investigators spent several hours on the scene, and there is no cause yet of the accident. He added the investigation is ongoing, and it’s unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved.

Police said the other motorist who struck the ejected man was not cited in the incident. Police also said the speed of the driver hasn’t been determined.

WHAT’S NEXT: If you have any information regarding the incident, call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 949.770.6011. —KP

Air Dancer Program in Harbor to Take Hiatus, County Officials Say THE LATEST: While boaters continue to say sea lions are an issue in the Harbor, the county is planning to give inflatable air dancers intended to deter the animals “a break” in the next couple of weeks, according to a county official.

The county installed inflatable air dancers, mostly seen at car dealerships, in the summer to deter sea lions from resting on docks and boats in the Harbor. Since then, Marisa O’Neil, public information officer

for OC Parks, said that not much has changed over the past several weeks.

“The sea lions have been more scarce in the past eight to 12 weeks; however, we continue to see one to three hanging in the east marina as late as last week,” O’Neil said.

James Lenthall, vice president of the Dana Point Boaters Association, said the air dancers only work in the specific areas that they’re placed.

“Some of the bolder sea lions occasionally ignore the sea dancers altogether,” Lenthall said.

He said the boaters in the area are constantly being challenged with the animals on their boats and docks.

“Many boaters continue to install their own barriers around the boats,” Lenthall said. “On any given day there are usually a dozen or more, sometimes many more, sea lions lounging on docks and boats.”

O’Neil said the county plans on giving the air dancers “a break” in the next couple of weeks due to decreasing need and to save on the expense of replacing the “socks” and extension cords.

WHAT’S NEXT: O’Neil said it’s expected the sea lions will become more active if the water temperature increases and if there are more food sources available.

—KP

BIS Foundation Aims to Prevent Underage Alcohol, Drug Use in South Orange County THE LATEST: A South Orange County organization is working to prevent chil-

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dren from using alcohol and drugs with a two-day program that uses games, music, artwork and more.

The BIS Foundation provides children from 7 to 12 years old and their families a free way to help learn about alcohol and drug prevention, bullying, peer pressure and different pressures that could lead children to use drugs or drinking.

Victoria Morgan, account executive for the BIS Foundation, said the group has been serving children throughout Orange County, but they want to encourage more South Orange County families to participate.

“We want to reach more children and be able to help as many as possible,” Morgan said.

Morgan believes that with the passing of Proposition 64, which allows adults 21 years or older to purchase marijuana, the drug will be more accessible to children.

Morgan said they’ve reached out to organizations in Dana Point and San Clemente, including Family Assistance Ministries (FAM) to get as many kids into the programs as possible.

“Children do have access to other programs, but we try to look at the positives and educate them in a way they understand,” Morgan said. “And they really do get it.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The group’s San Clemente event will run Jan. 21-22 at the Holiday Inn. To register, visit www.biskids.org.

—KP

City to Hold Community Emergency Response Team Training THE LATEST: The city of Dana Point will host seven weeks of free Community Emergency Response Team training (CERT) for city residents.

The classes will teach residents how to prepare for a disaster with disaster preparedness training, lessons on how to build personal and family emergency kits, fire safety and fire suppression, medical operations, light search and rescue, terrorism awareness, disaster psychology and more.

The course is open to adult residents and teenagers who attend with a parent.

Classes will be on Thursday evenings from 6-9 p.m. beginning February 2 and running through March 18. There will be a Saturday class on March 18 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

WHAT’S NEXT: To register, or learn more, call 949.248.3579 or email cert@danapoint. org. —KP

Have a story idea or topic you would like to read about? Send your suggestions to editorial@danapointtimes.com. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Community Meetings SATURDAY, JANUARY 7

Craft Fair and Farmers Market

9 a.m. A craft fair and a farmers’ market will be set up in La Plaza Park off of Pacific Coast Highway. The craft fair runs until 3 p.m. while the market runs until 1 p.m. La Plaza Park. 34111 La Plaza Street. 949.573.5033.

Headlands Nature Walk

7 p.m. The walk focuses on plants and animals that can be found in the Dana Point Headlands. Nature Interpretive Center. 34558 Scenic Drive. RSVP to dpnaturalresources@danapoint.org.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10

VFW Services, Benefit Seminar

1:30-3 p.m. Veterans can learn about services and benefits available. Dana Point Community Center. 34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point. www.vfwpost9934.org. 949.248.3527.

Community Meeting

6:30 p.m. The proposed Pines Park dog zone will be unveiled to the public during a community meeting by Capo Cares. Capo Beach Church. 25975 Domingo Ave., Capistrano Beach.

Because I Love You (BILY) Meeting

7-9 p.m. every Tuesday. BILY helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente. www.bilysc.org

Dana Harbor Toastmasters

DP Sheriff’s Blotter

COMPILED BY STAFF 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.

Monday, January 2

DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Del Obispo Street/Blue Fin Drive (3:29 p.m.) A woman told police she was following her son, who stated he wanted to run away because he was in a fight with his brother.

SHOTS HEARD-NO SUSPECT INFORMATION El Encanto Ave. 33800 Block (3:30 p.m.)

Three gunshots were heard below the location.

DISTURBANCE Camino Capistrano/Via Valor (12:40 p.m.) Police were called for a person skateboarding on someone’s fence.

UNKNOWN TROUBLE Sea Lion Drive, 33100 Block (12:50 a.m.) A woman said she thought she saw a teenage boy in the backyard with a gun but wasn’t sure if he was still there.

Sunday, January 1 TRAFFIC HAZARD Street of the Golden Lantern/Selva Road (8:55 p.m.) Police were called to the area for people putting traffic cones in the middle of the street for no reason (though possibly as a joke).

CITIZEN ASSIST Seth Circle, 24600 Block (2:12 p.m.) A caller told police a 12-yearold kept taking their credit cards and using them online to buy “thousands of dollars worth of video games.”

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Doheny Park Plaza/Pacific Coast Highway (12:25 p.m.)

A gray 4-Runner and black four-door vehicle were involved in an accident.

7-8:30 a.m. Join the members of the Coastmasters every Thursday to improve your speaking and leadership skills.

34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point.

Adjacent to Baby Beach at OC Sailing & Events Center. www.coastmasters.org.

Science Night

6-7:30 p.m. Learn about the pacific pocket mouse in a family-friendly format. Dana Point Community Center.

34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point.

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific Coast Highway/Del Obispo Street (11:25 a.m.) A man said he went through the drive-through but was told by a male employee that they weren’t open yet. He told police “something didn’t seem right” because a man was in the business even though the business was not open.

PATROL CHECK Street of the Golden Lantern, 33300 Block (10:31 a.m.) Police were

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Coral Reach Street, 33400 Block (2:06 a.m.) A caller told police two people were dressed in black and were seen “prowling” around the neighbor’s house.

FIREWORK VIOLATION Encantamar/La Paloma (12:34 a.m.) Police were called for fireworks aimed at trash cans.

Saturday, December 31

DISTURBANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive, 24800 Block (4:13 p.m.) Police were called for 15 juveniles throwing rocks from the cliff above the location.

7-8:30 p.m. Fine-tune your public speaking skills each Tuesday at Capo Beach Church. 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach. 949.492.7181. www.toastmasters.org.

Coastmasters (Toastmaster’s)

called to the track for four juvenile men climbing the goal posts and jumping onto the mats. The caller said they were concerned one of them might get hurt.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Violet Lantern, 34000 Block (9:22 p.m.) Police were called about a man pounding on the door asking for his money.

The caller said the man would not leave.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE La Cresta Drive, 24400 Block (9:15 p.m.) Police were called about a man who entered the caller’s house.

DRUNK DRIVING Pacific Coast Highway/ Street of the Golden Lantern (4:04 p.m.) A man in a car was seen swerving and drove through a planter and stumbled outside his vehicle.

VANDALISM Eastwind Drive, 25700 Block (9:37 a.m.) A caller told police someone shot their bedroom window with a BB gun the night prior.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive, 24500 Block (1:21 a.m.) A man told police two people were locked in the bathroom. He said he kicked them out earlier for trespassing and possibly doing drugs.

Thursday, December 29 DISTURBANCE-AUTO INVOLVED Calle Paloma, 34500 Block (9:16 p.m.) A caller told police a vehicle alarm was going off. They said the vehicle had a broken window and has been parked for a month.

DISTURBANCE Harbor View Drive, 24600 Block (7:39 p.m.) A caller said they didn’t see anything but could hear kids screaming for the past two hours.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific Coast Highway/Interstate 5 (4:06 p.m.)

Police were called to the school bus yard and said one of the busses appeared to have been broken into.

KEEP THE PEACE Corniche Drive, 0 Block (3:21 p.m.) A woman said her neighbor was filming her while she watered the plants.

TRESPASSING Pacific Coast Highway, 34300 Block (1:24 p.m.) Police were called about a man who refused to leave after being asked multiple times to do so.

Friday, December 30

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Ocean Hill Drive, Stonehill Drive (11:57 a.m.) Police were called for a man camped out in an RV whose dog was loose and running around.

DISTURBANCE Capistrano by the Sea/Dartmouth Lane (8:13 p.m.) Police were called for people throwing water balloons at vehicles driving by.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-UNKNOWN INJURIES Doheny Park Road, 34000 Block (12:12 a.m.) One vehicle hit several parked cars near the location.

HIT-AND-RUN Doheny Park Road, 33900 Block (7:22 p.m.) A driver in a minivan was rear-ended by a red four-door sedan while at a red light.

BOAT FOUND Inner Channel Bait Barge (3:17 p.m.) A single-person kayak with two fishing poles was found by a deputy.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Camino Del Avion/Niguel Road (2:56 p.m.) Police were called for loud noises at the gas station. They said they could see people with flashlights but wasn’t sure what was happening.

DISTURBANCE Street of the Silver Lantern, 33700 Block (2:28 p.m.) A woman told police her ex-boyfriend sent her a text message saying he was on his way over.

She said she was afraid he’d do something to her or her family.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE M-10 Cove Side (1:46 p.m.) A man told police there was a woman on his boat that he did not know.

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Wednesday, December 28 DISTURBANCE-FAMILY DISPUTE Camino El Molino (9:38 p.m.) A man told police his wife was trying to break into the house.

RECKLESS DRIVING Street of the Golden Lantern/Camino Del Avion (8:12 p.m.)

Police were called for a man in a gold Cadillac swerving and making turns from the wrong lanes.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Calle Naranja, 34300 Block (2:48 p.m.) A caller told police they thought someone threw a crack pipe in their yard.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Shell Drive, 25700 Block (3:05 p.m.) Police were called about a man looking into the caller’s garage and commenting on the bikes.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY East Jetty (9:45 a.m.) State Parks was called after a person was seen naked, running from rangers off of Tower 12. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY STAFF

Ocean Institute Jazz Festival Announces Artists, Dates and Ticket Sales The Ocean Institute Jazz Festival is scheduled for Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 to celebrate the Institute’s 40th anniversary.

Michael Paulo, Ray Parker Jr. and more will perform during the festival.

On Friday, March 24, there will be music, food, wine, craft beer and an auction.

The event starts at 6 p.m. VIP Admission is $250, which includes admission for one and attendance at a VIP reception with artists. A Premier Admission ticket is $125.

On Saturday, March 25, the event begins at 5:30 p.m. and will include a five-course gala dinner, music, wine and a silent and live auction. Gala admission is $500; a table for 10 is $5,000.

All proceeds from the sales will support the Institute. Tickets can be purchased at www.ocean-institute.org.

Dana Point Artist Featured in National Calendar Gaya Maeder, a Dana Point resident, was selected to have her still life oil painting “Chianti Wine” featured in the Expressions 2017 calendar Maeder’s work was one of 182 submissions nationwide to be in Watermark’s full-color wall calendar, Expressions 2017, which celebrates active aging and the arts.

Maeder considers herself a beginner as an artist. But she captured a timeless quality in her featured painting, which was inspired by her travels to Italy, according to a statement from The Fountains at Sea Bluffs, at which Maeder lives.

Maeder was born in Basel, Switzerland, and moved to Rhode Island with her husband, an engineer at Brown University.

The avid sailor, skier, music teacher and great-grandmother moved to The Fountains at Sea Bluffs in 2006.

Copies of the calendar will be available at The Fountains while supplies last. Submissions are available for viewing at www. watermarkcommunities.com/expressionscalendar-2017.

Gaya Maeder, a Dana Point resident at The Fountains at Sea Bluffs, will have her work featured in a national calendar, Expressions 2017. Photo: Courtesy of The Fountains at Sea Bluffs

Dana Point Times January 6–12, 2017

The Jazz Festival will be an opportunity to celebrate the Ocean Institute’s 40th anniversary. Tickets for the event are on sale now. Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean Institute

Ocean Institute Plans Tiny Tots Program The Ocean Institute will offer its Tiny Tots: Parent and Me Program for children ages 2 and 3 in January and February.

The program will be held on six successive Tuesdays from Jan. 17 to Feb. 21 at 10:15 a.m.

Children and parents will explore shapes, colors, textures and more with the sea star. Each session includes exploration, an animal encounter and an activity.

Cost is $30 for a single drop-in class, or $150 for the series.

Register online at www.ocean-institute. org/event/tiny-tots-parent-me-program.

South Coast Water District Holds PSA Video Contest for High School Students The South Coast Water District is currently holding a video contest for high school students that live in the district’s service area.

The PSA Video Contest promts students to create a video that educates people about the value of water.

The winning videos will be used as a district public service announcement and as educational outreach material throughout Orange County.

First place will receive $2,500, second place will receive $1,000 and third place will receive $750. A viewer’s choice award will be given as well, which comes with a $250 prize. A donation of $500 will also be made to the arts program at the school

that has the most entries.

Applications, including videos, must be submitted to the district on or before March 6, 2017. For eligibility, entry forms and submission criteria, visit www.scwd. org.

Westwind Offers Free SUP Fit Workouts this Month Westwind Sailing and Paddling is offering free SUP Fit workouts in January to work off whatever happened to you during the holidays.

Classes start at 7:30 a.m. at their dock in Dana Point. Bring your board, or borrow one, and wear beach/workout attire.

The workout will be water- and landbased. For more information, call Westwind at 949.492.3035.

Chamber of Commerce to Hold Annual Meeting and Installation The Dana Point Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and installation is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.

That night, the Chamber will honor outgoing Chairman Mits Arayama and welcome the incoming chair, Kim Tilly.

The 2017 Board of Directors will be introduced and the awards for Ambassador of the Year, Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year will be presented.

The dinner will be at Dana Point Yacht Club. Tickets are $80 for Chamber members and $90 for guests and potential members. To register, visit www.

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danapointchamber.com. There will be no registrations at the door.

VFW Post 9934 Members Award Local Students with Democratic, Patriotic Scholarships Members of the Dana Point Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9934 recently handed out Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy awards to local students.

The Patriot’s Pen program was open to students from sixth to eighth grade. Each applicant had to submit an essay between 300-400 words about the theme “The America I Believe In.” The winners for the awards were Dira Callaro, who placed first, Joyanne Marquetant in second and Keely Mulvihill in third. All three of the students attend St. Anne’s School.

The Voice of Democracy was open to students in high school. Each of the applicants submitted a written essay and a recording of an audio essay on a patriotic theme. This year’s theme was “My Responsibility to America.”

This year’s winners were Jason R. Kalili from Corona Del Mar in first place, Austin Riemann from Santa Margarita in second and Jessie M. Kalamian from Huntington Beach in third.

Wayne Yost, senior vice commander of Post 9934 was the chairman of the essay contests.

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

EYE ON DP

Business Beat News from Dana Point’s business community

COMPILED BY STAFF

NEW BUSINESS GRITCYCLE MONARCH BEACH 32932 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 6.

949.388.5102.

GritCycle Monarch Beach, a new fitness center and boutique, celebrated their official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month with the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.

GritCycle is an indoor cycling studio that offers 45-minute classes for all levels of difficulty. During each class, clients follow choreography set to different types of music.

Inside the center, there is also a retail store that sells athletic clothing and gear.

The owners, Marisa Wayne and Matt Bourne, have an original location in Costa Mesa, but had been looking to expand.

“Matt wanted to be in South County, and we kept looking and kept coming back to this center and this location,” Wayne said.

“We’re excited to be here and psyched to get to know the community and give back.”

Information on classes can be found on their website, www.gritcyclemb.com.

—Kristina Pritchett

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR LOCKER BOARD 949.554.4448, www.lockerboard.net Since starting his venture a few months ago, Carson Kropfl, 11, has sold hundreds of his self-designed compact skateboards.

The boards are 14 to 16 inches long and can fit in school lockers.

Recently, Jack’s Surfboards in Dana Point put his boards in their retail space.

Carson said his product has been selling swiftly, and he expects to reach his goal.

“The owners of Jack’s saw how hard I

GritCycle celebrated the opening of their Monarch Beach location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce. Photo: Kristina Pritchett

worked at Ski Dazzle (an inventor’s convention),” Carson said.

His mother, Carrie, said they haven’t entered into licensing agreements yet, but they have trademarked Locker Boards and have a patent pending.

On Sunday, Dec. 18, Carson met with customers and answered questions people had about the product. —Eric Heinz

APP CREATION SNORE REPORT After trying to prove that his father was snoring at night, Dana Hills High School graduate and senior at the University of Michigan, Jimmy Fallon, set out to design a reliable snore monitoring application.

“My dad would tell me that he didn’t snore, so to prove him wrong I looked into snore monitoring apps,” Fallon said. “I found that most of them were unreliable, because they only counted decibels and weren’t able to distinguish between snoring and other sounds.”

To remedy this downfall of snore recordings, Fallon sat down with Laguna Beach pulmonologist Robert Lebby to brainstorm a new algorithm that could be

Carson Kropfl’s Locker Board company is taking off and has a small space in Jack’s Surfboards retail shop in Dana Point. Photo: Eric Heinz

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

used to zero in on distinct snoring sounds.

What they came up with was to use a database of snore sounds that would be used to identify the difference between someone snoring or, let’s say, someone getting up in the middle of the night or sneezing.

To use Snore Report, place your phone two to three feet away from you during the night while it records. In the morning, the app will give you an in-depth analysis of your sleeping patterns.

After only being in the app store for two months, Snore Report has already reached 10,000 downloads and is looking to make a debut in the Play Store for Android phones in just a few months. Currently, Fallon is working on integrating his app with the Apple Watch and the Fitbit. —Victor Carno

NEW PRODUCT SPOOLIES 844.776.6543, www.spoolies.com You could say Jeanne James is a risk taker.

James, who currently resides in Dana Point, lived with her family for a year in Kenya doing missionary work and running a guest house there. She’s sailed across the Atlantic with her husband and two sons.

And she quit her full-time job to dedicate all of her resources and energy on reviving a quirky 1960s hair product—Spoolies.

Not only have James and her husband, Tim, succeeded in bringing Spoolies back, but they’ve won two awards for the trendsetting silicone hair curlers and are now selling the American-made styling tools at 400 Wal-Mart stores across the nation. The recent partnership with Wal-Mart is part of the retailer’s 2013 commitment to buy an additional $250 billion in U.S. products by 2023.

James is completely self-taught when it comes to all things manufacturing—she attended trade shows, made endless phone calls, researched online and picked up on industry nuances.

“You have to be tenacious,” James said of being an entrepreneur. “I think a lot of

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running a business is not giving up. You have to fight for what you want.”

James initially got the idea to revamp the retro rubber curlers in 2003. After working for a year in Kenya, James was inspired to raise money to help send some of the young girls there to school, but she didn’t want to just ask for donations. James wanted a sustainable model—a business opportunity that could continuously raise funds.

James eventually remembered Spoolies—the curlers she wore as a kid that allowed her to avoid the dreaded frizzy perm. She wondered whether they were still in production.

After a bit of research, James discovered that Conair had pulled the Spoolies trademark in the ’90s and had since released it, giving her the opportunity to revive the product. James obtained a patent, set out to find a U.S. manufacturer and updated the design and materials—trading latex rubber for 100 percent hypoallergenic silicone.

Manufacturing the curlers would have been much cheaper in China, but James said it was imperative to keep production in the U.S. so that she could truly “trust the product and the quality behind it.”

Not only did she end up keeping production in the States, but she found a factory in San Clemente, just 10 minutes from her home.

The new and improved Spoolies debuted in December 2014. Since then, they’ve popped up on the shelves of Wal-Mart stores, and James said they’ll be an “impulse buy” in 350 stores next year, which means the curlers will be on display throughout the store—not just in the beauty aisle. Beginning in February, stores will carry nine-packs of James’ new jumbo curlers, as well as the regular size.

The retro curlers have also been getting attention online from a younger generation of beauty bloggers—recent video reviews on Instagram have reached thousands of viewers.

But most importantly to James, proceeds from Spoolies’ sales have been donated to Sister Freda’s Foundation in Kenya, which operates a hospital and clinic, a girls’ high school and a college for nursing, among other programs. To date, Spoolies has funded 30 beds at the school, which will sleep 60 girls.

In addition to select Wal-Mart stores, Spoolies can be found online in 12- or 24-packs. For more information, follow the company (@spoolies) on social media.

—Allison Jarrell

Entrepreneur Jeanne James, of Dana Point, manufactures her Spoolies hair curlers at a factory in San Clemente. Photo: Allison Jarrell

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: Straight Talk by Al Jacobs

All Hail the Federal Reserve

T

his article’s headline inspires thought about a pertinent question: “What does the Fed rate increase mean to you?” From this point on, it’s anyone’s guess as to its significance for each of us. In case you’re not aware, on Dec. 13, 2016, the Federal Reserve boosted the key interest rate by a modest 0.25 percent—the first increase since December 2015, which was itself the first in a full decade. This 25-basis point hike now puts the federal funds target rate between 0.05 percent and 0.75 percent. With the official U.S. unemployment rate toying at 5 percent for more than a year, the Fed held off hiking rates on the fear such action would spur undesirable inflation. But now, with

Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s hint that several 2017 rate increases may be in the offing, it appears rising interest rates are off and running.

I’ll now repeat the question—what does it mean to you? The answer is not an easy one; it depends upon who you are and where you fit into the economic structure.

Let’s presume you’re a typical consumer who makes purchases on your credit card and carries over a balance from month to month. If the 2015 rate increase is any guide, you’ll soon find an additional quarter perSTRAIGHT TALK cent increase tacked onto

By Al Jacobs your payments. Before we leave this topic, let me suggest you pay the full unpaid balance on your credit card each month so you’re charged no interest.

That’s the way to go.

For you homeowners with a mortgage, if your loan has an adjustable rate, an increase in both rate and payments are in store for you. And if Ms. Yellen’s avowed future increases come to pass, you might check in to see if a change to a fixed rate loan is possible while rates are still at

near-historic lows. I can only wish you good luck.

Finally, did I come across someone with an interest-bearing money market account, or a bank savings account? To you, I can only offer condolences. Sorry, but a rate increase won’t help you. The financial institutions discovered some years ago that average depositors needn’t be compensated in any way. After all, where else can they put their dollar bills? It’s for this reason your Chase Bank savings account pays one-hundredth of one percent per annum, with most of the others not much better.

A final thought: On average, things aren’t so bad for most of us. With interest rates well below those of the past, we can live life a little more cheaply and a little less frantically. So, enjoy while you can.

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

Letters to the Editor

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Kristina Pritchett, 949.388.7700, x113 kpritchett@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)

City Editor, DP Times > Kristina Pritchett City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell

LOBART IKLE, Laguna Beach

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.danapointtimes.com

Group Managing Editor > Matt Cortina

PLANT-BASED MEALS MAKE MARKET HEADWAY The coming New Year's resolution should be pretty obvious, particularly when it comes to diet: 2017 will go down in history as the year when plant-based meats have revolutionized the food industry.

A dozen start-ups, led by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are creating plantbased burgers and other meats that are more delicious, convenient and healthy than the old-fashioned animal-based variety. They are backed by tech industry pioneers like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Google principals Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Even animal meat behemoth Tyson Foods has announced a $150 million venture capital fund to explore and invest in these products.

The plant-based food revolution is going mainstream. Hundreds of school, college, hospital and corporate cafeterias have embraced Meatless Monday. Fast-food chains Chipotle, Panera, Subway and Taco Bell are rolling out plant-based dinner options.

And American consumers are responding, with fully one-third reducing their

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624

Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING

A Waterfall Appears • As rain came through Dana Point on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 22, residents stopped to see a waterfall in the Harbor. Liz Downing and Eunice Quiroz from California Records & Gifts sent the Dana Point Times photos of the waterfall Thursday morning. To view video of the waterfall, visit www.danapointtimes.com. intake of animal-based meats, milks and other animal food products.

Let's make this New Year’s resolution about exploring the rich variety of delicious, convenient, healthy plant-based dinners, lunch meats, cheeses, milks and ice creams available in every supermarket. The internet offers tons of recipes and transition tips.

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 8

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 Jake Howard Debra Holm Tim Trent Victor Carno

Dana Point Times, Vol. 10, Issue 1. 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 2017. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DANA POINT T IMES

www.danapointtimes.com

DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

ing the art collection of rare paintings related to the Mission’s history. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.234.1300. www.missionsjc.com.

LIVE MUSIC: FELISHA 8-11 p.m. Listen to live music from Felisha at Barnoa Wine Bar. 831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente. 949. 388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Saturday | 07

EDITOR’S PICK

START THE YEAR OFF RIGHT HIKE 7:30-10 a.m. Start your year off with a guided nature hike at the Rancho Mission Viejo Reserve. Ages 10 and up. Tickets are $10 per adult, $5 per child. 28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org.

Photo: Alex Paris

SATURDAY, JAN. 7: OCEAN INSTITUTE CANNON BATTLE SAILS 1-4 p.m. Witness the annual mock cannon battle at the Ocean Institute. The Spirit of Dana Point will engage in a pretend fight with visiting tall ships, the Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington. Enjoy blasting cannons, towering rigging, bustling decks and the magnificence of canvas full of wind. Work with the crew hauling up sail or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacular demonstration of skill, knowledge and survival. Tickets are $60 for adults, with discounts for seniors, military and children. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.org.

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 06 VISITING TALL SHIP TOUR 10 a.m.-3 p.m. A rare opportunity to tour two visiting ships, the Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington will be offered at the Ocean Institute. The historical ships are visiting from the state of Washington.

At the Movies: ‘Jackie’ Still Fascinates

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

I

t’s an interesting predicament when the success of a film that isn’t beloved by critics or audiences can still ride the coattails of the awards circuit with one brilliant performance. Four years

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

Tours are held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. from Tuesdays to Sundays until January 17. Tours are free with the price of admission to the Institute. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.org.

ADULT COLORING CLUB 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring out your inner artist while surrounded by books and good company. All materials are provided, and no registration or fee is required. Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Rd., Dana Point.

949.496.5517.

REPLACE YOUR LAWN WORKSHOP 9:30 a.m. Tree of Life Nursery owner Mike Evans will share from the nursery’s booklet, “Creating and Caring for your Native Garden,” and teach you how to create a thriving native garden. The workshop is the first of a six-part series. Tree of Life Nursery. 33201 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.728.0685. www.californianativeplants.com.

ABSTRACT PAINTING WORKSHOP 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This two-day abstract painting workshop runs Saturday and Sunday with teacher Elaine Cohen. The instruction is tailored to students’ experience and interest, and includes options for medium, style, colors, blending and more.

Visual and text references will help guide students. Cost is $250 per student. San Clemente Art Supply. 1531 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.369.6603. www.scartsupply.com.

MISSION ART WALK 11 a.m. A docent-guided tour highlight-

SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Live music fills the room at The Swallow’s Inn throughout the afternoon and evening. 31786 Camino Cap-

ago it was how Daniel Day-Lewis won his third Oscar for Lincoln; two years ago, it was Julianne Moore’s overdue win with the quaint Still Alice; and this year, it’s Natalie Portman’s effort with the period piece Jackie.

Pablo Larrain’s biopic on the 35th First Lady began with much hype, especially after the filmmaker’s critically praised No (2012) and The Club (2015). But a month into release, the only thing grabbing people is Portman.

A week after the assassination of thenPresident John F. Kennedy, a journalist (Billy Crudup) interviews the widow, Jacqueline Bouvier-Kennedy (Portman), to much frustration and lack of cooperation. In between this, Jackie has flashbacks to her marriage,

life in the White House and touring it for national television, all while grieving with her brother-in-law, Bobby (Peter Sarsgaard), and her priest (John Hurt).

After Fox Searchlight’s dealing with the backlash of Birth of a Nation four months earlier, they quickly switched their focus to Jackie for the fall season, but even here the studio can’t catch a break. The reasoning for the Kennedy film being a turn-off to viewers appears to be Larrain’s artsy direction, Mica Levi’s experimental score and the script not having any likable characters. While all of this is true to an extent, it’s still an intriguing, unique film worth seeing, if only for Portman’s imitation of Jackie’s accent. DP

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istrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

LIVE MUSIC: MIKEY DE LARA 8-11 p.m. Listen to live music from Mikey de Lara at Barnoa Wine Bar. 831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente. 949.

388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Sunday | 08 GUIDED NATURE HIKE 8-9:15 a.m. Join an OC Parks Ranger and fellow hikers on a one-mile trek in the Bell Canyon area of Caspers Wilderness Park. It’s free to attend the hike. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/caspers.

D. YODER FAMILY SUNDAYS 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Yoder Family Sundays offer free admission for part of the first Sunday of each month to Casa Romantica. There will be activities and a noon-time program.

415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente.

949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE 5:30 p.m. Climb onboard a Dana Wharf luxury catamaran for this 90-minute wine cruise around the Dana Point Harbor.

Tickets are $49. Every Friday and Sunday.

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

949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

Monday | 09 BRIDGE LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS 9:30-11:30 a.m. Bridge lessons will be held for those new to the game as well as those who haven’t played in a while. The lessons span four Mondays in January, and the series costs $60 total. South Orange County Bridge Center. 31261 Rancho Viejo Rd., Suite 205, San Juan Capistrano. Contact janedober@gmail.com for registration. www.danaharborbridgecenter.org.

Photo: Bruno Calvo/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

www.danapointtimes.com

GETTING OUT FREE GUITAR LESSONS 5-6 p.m. Free beginner level acoustic guitar lessons for middle school to college age youth every Monday. Guitars provided or students can bring their own. 1040 Calle Negocio, San Clemente.

949.388.0114. coamusicarts@gmail.com. www.communityoutreachalliance.com.

Tuesday | 10 HALF-PRICE WHALE WATCHING 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Hop onboard this two-hour cruise to see dolphins, whales and other marine life in the wild. $22.50. Half price on Tuesdays but trips are available every day of the week.

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

949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 6-10 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.

FREE 21-DAY PLANT-BASED DETOX INFO CLASS 6:30 p.m. Join Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, for an informational class on how you can start on a plant-based 21-day “detox” program. Call ahead to reserve a space in class. 24865 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point.

949.416.4670.

KARAOKE AT GOODY’S 8 p.m. Karaoke every Tuesday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente.

206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

THE DISH

AURORA’S TAQUERIA PORK RIBS

T

Wednesday | 11 CASA YOGA AND SOUND BATH CLASS 9-11 a.m. Inspired by multiple yoga traditions, this class at Casa Romantica blends various disciplines to create a unique, integrated practice suitable for both beginner and seasoned yoga practitioners.

Bring your own yoga mat. This January yoga class will be followed by a special Movement and Sound Bath Meditation Class at 10 a.m. Cost is $5. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB 2-4 p.m. Look for the table with the French flag surrounded by a group of people speaking French. No cost to join.

Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228, or 949.369.5482.

COTILLION: TIE TYING AND THE SWING 4:30-7:15 p.m. The premier season of cotillion continues at Bella Collina San Clemente. Students from second to fifth grade are welcome to join, and siblings and parents are welcome to observe. Cotillion will be held the second Wednesday of every month through April. 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente. 949.310.6732. www.addingtoncotillion.com.

he word “unctuous” blitzed the food scene (and the food writing and commentating scene) a couple years back.

In the culinary sense, it refers to a quality in certain food that is, unsurprisingly, hard to describe: melty and evanescent while also rich and umami-filled.

But in a different, bookish sense, unctuous carries at best a lukewarm connotation— typically it’s used to describe overly-flattering or “greasy” people.

It’s unclear how the semantic divide was created, but “unctuous” is now a useful tool for the efficiency-minded food writer, and it was the first word that came to mind while eating Aurora’s Taqueria’s green pork ribs.

Fall-off-the-bone chunks of pork were served in a spicy green chili and onion sauce.

The meat was tender and imbued with the heat, salt and verdant punch of the chili. Fat was perfectly rendered and apportioned on the meat and in the sauce, giving it a very

SAN CLEMENTE SHERIFFS APPRECIATION DINNER 6-8 p.m. San Clemente sheriffs and their spouses will be honored at the second annual San Clemente Sheriffs Appreciation Dinner at Talega Golf Club. Funds to support the dinner are raised by the community, and a fundraiser to continue the dinners will be held in May. 990 Avenida Talega, San Clemente.

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING AT THE RESERVE 6-9 p.m. This fun and informational orientation is the first step in becoming an official Reserve Volunteer. Learn about The Reserve’s history, philosophy and mission, as well as skills for working with the public. Meet other volunteers and learn how you can help preserve Reserve lands through conservation and education. Suitable for adults 18 and older.

28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org.

KARAOKE AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 7 p.m. Sing karaoke, imbibe and eat free popcorn at The Swallow’s Inn’s karaoke night with Bobby and Joel. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

EDITOR’S PICK Photo: File

SATURDAY, JAN. 7: SAN CLEMENTE STATE BEACH MONTHLY CLEAN-UP 9-11 a.m. Engage with your local community to help protect Orange County beaches and waterways by removing trash from Calafia Beach with OC Coastkeeper. Learn about ocean pollution and the danger it poses to local ecosystems, citizens and the economy.

When you enter into Calafia State Beach, tell the park attendant you are there for the beach cleanup and get free parking at the beach. Once you enter the park, drive to the parking lot at the bottom of the hill. 243 Avenida Calafia, San Clemente. 714.850.1965. www.coastkeeper.org.

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

LIVE MUSIC: TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT OF THE EAGLES 8 p.m. Listen to music from Timothy B. Schmit from the legendary rock band The Eagles. This is the second of a twoperformance stand at The Coach House (the first show is sold out). $39.50. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.496.8930. www.thecoachhouse.com.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink

Page 11

truly unctuous mouthfeel (that is, oily), but that fatty coating bound the rice, beans, green salsa and tortilla with which the ribs were eaten.

To be sure, the best food defies easy definition and doing so is like dissecting a perfect one-line joke. So the final word on the ribs is: go taste them for yourself.

Aurora’s Taqueria 34146 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point.

949.496.1401.

specials. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

Thursday | 12 LOS RIOS GARDEN ANGELS 8:30-10:30 a.m. Join volunteers, students and teachers at Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens to care for and maintain native plants and butterflies. No experience is necessary (they’ll teach you), but you should bring gloves and clippers. No class if it rains. Admission is free. Los Rios Park. 31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. www.goinnative.net.

FREE HCG WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM INFORMATION CLASS 6:30 p.m. Join Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, for a class on how you might be able to lose weight and keep it off with HCG medical weight loss. 24865 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point. 949.416.4670.

SESSIONS AT STILLWATER 7 p.m. Listen to live music when artists from around the world perform together.

Stillwater Spirits and Sounds. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. www.danapointstillwater.com.

SOUTH AFRICAN WINE TASTING 7-9 p.m. Taste a flight of wines from South Africa at Barnoa Wine Bar. The $25 fee includes the wine sampling and light appetizers. 831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente. 949. 388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

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

www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP LIVING Dana Point

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

A Look inside the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center

Whale Walk and Talk, a history tour and a nature tour. One night a month, the center holds a science night at the community center and they work with the Ocean Institute on their tide pool program.

Rosaler and Vogt say they believe the center is doing well.

“We do our best to stay connected to what’s going on, and then we relay that information to the general public through volunteers and our exhibits,” Vogt said.

“It’s very rare for a city to have a biologist but then participate in the science community and really be a part of it. I can’t think of another Orange County city that’s at that level. We’re definitely pushing the boundary there and it’s exciting to see that happen.”

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

S

tanding in front of a large whale bone, Willow Wright, 3, looked at her dad, Adam. She smiled, a bit shy at first, but then once shown to the kids’ area, she began pointing out different animals.

“That’s a whale,” Willow said pointing at the TV screen.

The Nature Interpretive Center was playing a DVD from Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching showcasing different whales that can currently be found in Dana Point.

Along with the monitor, the center has interactive exhibits about the San Juan Creek watershed, animals that can be found in the Headlands, the history of the area and more.

With the beginning of a new year, staff at the center shared with Dana Point Times how the center began and where they want to see it go in the future.

THE HISTORY The Headlands area was established as part of the development plan of the Strand community, after the Chandler family sold the land to Sanford Edward and the Headlands Reserve, LLC. As part of the permit for redevelopment, surveys had to be completed of wildlife and plants existing in the area, which is when the Pacific Pocket Mouse was discovered. The pocket mouse was put on the Endangered Species List by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in 1994.

The Headlands Development and Conservation Plan set aside 55 acres of Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area within the 120-acre development site on the Headlands for the mice, the California Gnatcatcher and more than a dozen rare plant species. Much of the other 65 acres was reserved for the development of multi-million dollar homes.

As part of the development, Headlands Reserve had to create the interpretive center, but it was then dedicated to the city. The city officially opened the center in April 2010 with the intent to educate the public with outreach programs as well as interactive educational programs.

Jeff Rosaler, the city’s current parks manager, joined the city in 2009 with

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

Clockwise from top: Corey Stafford, a Nature Interpretive Center intern, and Sean Vogt, a natural resource protection officer, look through some of the items in the Kids’ Corner at the Center. The Nature Interpretive Center has multiple signs throughout their trails to educate visitors on a number of topics. Corey Stafford, an intern at the Nature Interpretive Center, walks through the center. Photos: Kristina Pritchett

the intention to manage the center, and coordinate the activities there and at the preserve and the adjacent Marine Protected Areas. When he arrived, he began working with volunteers and other organizations to fill the center. “[Jeff] was able to coordinate with different people, Karen Schnell and some organizations, to procure some of the coolest taxidermy,” said Sean Vogt, a natural resource protection officer for the city. “He was able to get some of the best fossils to fill this place up so the public had something to interpret.”

After Rosaler arrived, he began working on procuring a grant to replace some of the “old ways of displacing information,” Vogt said.

“We completed the grant requirements and hope to be done by the spring,” he said.

Not only do they manage the center and the trails, but the position of a natural resource protection officer is responsible for the management of the species.

“Jeff and I have a long history of reaching out and working collaboratively with the federal government and other nonprofits, not only regional but local, to not only be as educated to what we’re protecting as possible but to have resources at our disposal,” Vogt said.

One of the things they did recently was work to bring in the local assistance grant

to monitor the Pacific Pocket Mouse all year round.

Today, the center has seven exhibits and 12 interactive panels on the trails.

Each educates visitors on the geography, history of the land and the natural resources of the area.

“There’s some really cool and unique things that people won’t see anywhere else,” Vogt said about the animals and plants that are found just outside the center’s doors.

Throughout the year, the volunteers of the center have a packed schedule. On three Saturdays every month, volunteers lead visitors through different walks: a

WHAT’S NEXT As part of the settlement agreement with the city regarding the Strand development access trails, a scenic overlook project is in the center’s future.

“It’s been one of our capital improvement projects for a number of years,” Vogt said. “It’s a project we wanted to do for the taxpayers, visitors and residents. It’s somewhere for people to go and relax and enjoy one of the best views in the world.”

In order for the project to come to fruition, Rosaler said they will need to submit a coastal development permit. They aren’t sure of a timeline, but say it depends on permitting schedules.

Another thing the two would like to see happen is an expansion of the front porch.

“Expanding it will allow us to accommodate bigger groups, larger school groups,” Rosaler said.

Inside the building, some things may get rearranged and the Kids’ Corner may get more work but Vogt said they’re happy with what they can provide to the public.

“Our educational outreach program has gotten to a place that we’re pretty happy with what we have,” Vogt said. “We’re current, and we think we’re doing as good of a job as we can when it comes to educating the public of what we have here.” DP

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

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

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

Last week’s solution:

Page 13

See the solution in next week’s issue.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

All Hands on Set Filmmaker uses Ocean Institute, tall ships as backdrop for short film

BY KRISTINA PRITCHETT, DANA POINT TIMES

T

he Ocean Institute’s vessels have been boarded by thousands of people over the years, but recently, the ships were taken over by a cast of pirates.

Arnon Shorr, an independent film maker, used the Dana Point landmark as background for his short-film The Pirate Captain Toledano.

The short film is about a Jewish stowaway who wants to become a pirate and to attack Spanish ships, Shorr said.

“I’ve been looking high and low and I haven’t found any examples [of this kind of film],” he said.

Shorr said he got his inspiration years ago when he was reading about Jewish pirates in the Caribbean and various illegal activities involved in the inquisition.

“I found it fascinating,” Shorr said. “And it sat in the back of my mind. … I tried to get back to work and it just nagged at me, and I ended up writing a five-page script.”

In order to get the movie rolling, Shorr said he and his production team created a crowd-sourcing page to receive donations.

“We met our goal a day before the campaign ended,” Shorr said. “We (had) enough to make the movie.”

Filming for the movie took place at the Ocean Institute aboard the Tall Ships, although Shorr said he’s not from the area and didn’t know about the ships until he researched them.

“I grew up on the East Coast,” Shorr said. “I didn’t know about the ships originally, but I knew about Dana Point. I Google searched for tall ships and there weren’t that many, and the Institute came up.”

Not only will the vessels look familiar to Dana Point residents, but Shorr said the

Mendel Katz (cinematographer) and Nick Kane (first assistant camera) prepare filming equipment on The Spirit of Dana Point for their film The Pirate Captain Toledano.

Photo: Courtesy of Courtesy of Arnon Shorr

Left: Stowaway (Dan Shaked) in a scene from the film. Right: The Quartermaster (Will Beinbrink) and the Captain (Stephen DeCordova) act in a scene from The Pirate Captain Toledano. The movie was filmed at the Ocean Institute aboard the Tall Ships. Photos: Courtesy of OxRock Productions, LLC.

Institute offered the crew the use of some of their costumes for the film.

Shorr said not everyone has been supportive of the film however.

“When we posted it publically, beyond my immediate circle, that’s when the responses started to be less supportive, less friendly, more anti-Semitic,” Shorr

Pet of the Week: Pop

P

op is a one-year-old neutered lionheadmini-lop mix. With his memorable hairdo and furry mustache, Pop is a real cutie with personality to match his looks. While he can sometimes be a little shy at first, he loves to be held and cuddled. He absolutely adores pets and head rubs. Pop has good litter box habits and will be an awesome rabbit companion for a happy, loving indoor home! If you would like to know more about Pop, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP

Dana Point Times January 6-12, 2017

Pop. Photo: San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter

Page 14

said. “Some of the stuff was anti-Israel.

People can have a range of opinions; in this particular case, they saw our Facebook page and posted a meme that had nothing to do with Jews or pirates. It was an anti-Israel meme that did not make a policy argument.”

He said it was specifically targeted and

did not make him feel comfortable.

“There’s another reason to tell this story, if the anti-Semitics are using it to inspire the hatred, the good guys need to start telling this story and reclaiming it,” Shorr said. “It gave me the extra energy to tell the story the best I can.” DP

DP BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DSaan n Cl a em Poenintet

CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.danapointtimes.com FOR SALE CUSTOM AREA RUGS You pick style, color and size. Typically made in 2 weeks. Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyester or designer carpet. Carpet showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point. Carpet and flooring remnants also available - all shapes, sizes and kinds of flooring. We sell tile too!

Mike 949-240-1545.

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

HELP WANTED DANA POINT MARINA INN – JOB FAIR The Dana Point Marina Inn is a 136 room community oriented hotel located in the heart of the Dana Point Harbor. Our primary business is local and regional leisure and group travelers. We are experiencing an increase in business and are looking for enthusiastic people to help make the hotel the best place to work and visit. Current positions openings: • Front desk clerks – Full and part time • Reservation agents – Phone experience helpful • Breakfast room attendants -Monitor and stock breakfast room 6am to 10am • Maintenance – with basic plumbing and electrical knowledge • Painters with some dry wall patching experience • Housekeepers – cleaning guest rooms • Porters and runners – to stock housekeepers • Janitorial services - cleaning public areas pool/lobby and hallways Competitive pay and a great work environment. Expecting applications from January 3rd through January 21, 2017. 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, Ca 92629 Se habla Español

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WANTED STAMPS! Buying Large U.S and International Stamp Collections! Nick 619-672-0434 Dana Point Times January 6–12, 2017

Page 15

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DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Learning a New Playbook

Dolphin Report

BY MATTHEW LANEY, DANA POINT TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more all season long, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Dana Hills girls basketball takes literary approach to find success on the court

Girls Water Polo Heads into League Play

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

D

ana Hills senior Alex Williams was searching for the right message to send the rest of the Dolphins basketball team one night after suffering back-to-back losses in the Ocean View Tournament in December.

The Dolphins had only one loss on their resume when they entered the tournament, and had now felt the sting of defeat twice in consecutive games. After thinking it over, Williams recalled a phrase from what has become the Dolphins’ secret text this season.

“Growth is a plateau, it’s not immediate.

It’s steady, and then you grow,” Williams remembers texting the team that night.

The quote is from Joshua Medcalf’s inspirational Chop Wood, Carry Water, a book the Dolphins have spent the year dissecting and discussing amongst themselves in weekly study sessions. The book preaches the inherent value of enjoying and respecting the process of one’s work, rather than focusing on the final outcome.

After being asked to read the book by head coach Anne Honey, the Dolphins are true believers in the process and haven’t lost a game since Chambers’ group text back on Dec. 6.

Dana Hills is playing with a team-first approach that has yielded historic results.

The Dana Hills girls basketball team runs through a practice drill. The Dolphins’ 12-3 start to the season is the program’s best in over 12 years. Photo: Steve Breazeale

The Dolphins’ record of 12-3 is the team’s best mark through 15 games in over 12 years. The Dolphins competed in the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego over the winter break and went 4-0, winning their division while outscoring their opponents 221-116 and extending their winning streak to seven games.

Every week, the Dolphins have what they call “Binder Friday” after practice.

The team huddles in Honey’s office tucked away in the corner of the gym and they break out their big blue binders, which are full of everything from schedules to inspirational quotes. It’s here where the team keeps their notes and thoughts on the book they’ve been exploring over the past four months.

Chop Wood, Carry Water is philosophical and dense, Honey said, and the team usually breaks down one chapter a week.

One week the team can talk about dealing with adversity.

“A wise man once said, hardship often

Junior guard Peyton Romo is one of many Dana Hills girls basketball players that have been impacted by the team’s weekly book study sessions this season. Photo: Steve Breazeale

Dana Point Times January 6–12, 2017

prepares ordinary people for extraordinary destiny,” a line from the book reads.

Other days the team conducts exercises, like writing down four characteristics each player has that they feel are essential to who they are. The players then share those with the team.

“It separates us from other teams,” junior guard Peyton Romo said. “We’re so close and we have so much chemistry. Other teams don’t have that like we have it, and the fact we have (a book) to relate to is huge.”

The discussions also help the team communicate better on the floor. The team’s chemistry is evident during practices, where the Dolphins’ gym is always full of chatter.

During one practice over the winter break, the Dolphins were short-handed due to the holidays. The handful of players there had to run passing weave drills down the length of the court and had to do them almost continuously for several minutes given their small numbers. As the first groups finished up and tried to catch their breath, their energy never wavered as they cheered the remaining groups on to the finish.

Their effort and communication on defense has been a particular point of pride for the Dolphins this season. The Dolphins are holding opponents to an average of 38.6 points per game. In last week’s SoCal Holiday Classic in San Diego, the Dolphins dominated Marshall of Los Angeles 58-16, and shut down Carlsbad in a 52-10 victory.

The team study sessions have made a profound impact on several of the Dolphins players, including sophomore Olivia Chambers. As a freshman on varsity last year, she thought too much about what she was doing wrong. Now her attention is elsewhere.

“This book and this season helped me realize how I need to move on to the next play and focus on helping my teammates,” Chambers said.

For Romo, the team’s leading scorer and

Page 16

The Dana Hills girls water polo team faced a talented and undefeated Schurr team on Dec.17. The non-league game ended up going against Dana Hills, and they fell short in a 6-3 loss.

Dana Hills’ Sydney Baba managed one goal and one assist to add to her already impressive season. After only being down by one at the end of the second quarter, Dana Hills’ chances became slim when Schurr ran away in the third, outscoring the Dolphins 3-1.

The Dolphins (9-5) will look to bounce back in an important South Coast League game against San Clemente (5-5) on Jan. 10.

Girls Soccer Handed its First Loss

After an impressive undefeated start to its season, the Dana Hills girls soccer team was handed their first loss in the Excalibur Tournament, which took place from Dec. 27-29.

After drawing even with Rosary Academy 0-0 in pool play, the Dolphins lost to Tesoro, 3-2, on Dec. 28.

The Dolphins and Titans were tied 1-1 going into the second half.

Dana Hills (4-1-5) will visit San Clemente on Jan. 10 for what will be the start of a crucial stretch of South Coast league games. The Tritons defeated the Dolphins 1-0 in tournament play on Dec. 10. co-captain, the lessons of this year have helped ease the pressure of scoring crucial baskets in the final minutes of close games.

The book has served many purposes for the Dolphins, both mentally and practically, off and on the court. They are gearing up for the second half of the season, and a run through the Sea View League. But the Dolphins aren’t focused on the final destination just yet. They’re still enjoying grinding out the details.

“They’ve fallen in love with the process.

We care about every possession, every defensive slide,” Honey said. “They’ve sweated together, they’ve done the work together, and I love when it translates onto the court.” DP www.danapointtimes.com

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DP DP SURF Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Revising the Winter Outlook

The winter surf season sure started with a bang, but it hasn’t been much more than a whimper lately

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

A

couple of months ago, we ran an article dissecting the winter surf outlook. We were just coming off of a couple late-season south swells and a stacked North Pacific. As we faded into mild La Niña conditions, it appeared we might be able to coast through winter relatively styled with a steady stream of surf. Thanksgiving was greeted by the bliss that is Santa Ana winds and a healthy west swell. We all had good reason to be surfed out by the time November ended. Consider this a change in course.

December started a bit slow in South Orange County, but flat spells typically don’t last forever. Then came the Winter Solstice with still no sign of surf. Then Christmas and still nothing. How’s one supposed to manage the stress of the holidays without a wave or two to break up the angst?

For over a month, the surf’s barely hit hip high. A sneaky swell snuck under the radar a couple days before New Year’s, but it was quickly overtaken by another round of rain and wind storms. So here we are, it’s 2017, and as my friend Shawn Parkin, the photo editor over at The Surfer’s Journal, reminded me yesterday during our weekly Pilates stretch, “Get ready for it to be flat for another three weeks.”

Ugh! The new year was supposed to start

To combat weak surf conditions to start the year in San Clemente and Dana Point, locals have the option to head north, head to the mountains, or just pull out the standup paddle board. Photo: File

off with a bang. Instead, as I write this, there’s something called an atmospheric river bearing down on California. It’s bringing a lot of rain and, again, zero swell. All of this has me pondering my outdoor entertainment options for the rest of the winter.

“You can always drive up to Jalama if you’re fiending,” notes Parkin of my surf options.

And he’s right, heading north past the Point Conception bite is the only way to find an overhead wave right now. Over Christmas, Kolohe Andino loaded up his van, took to the road and scored an epic day at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. He may have broken his 7-foot-6 gun that Matt Biolos shaped for him, but at least he was surfing. He then headed further up Highway 101 with his San Clemente bandmates Luke Davis and Ian Craine. Wrapped in six millimeters of rubber, they indulged in the wilds of the Oregon coast while everyone back home was bogging at T Street.

GROM OF THE WEEK

CARSON KROPFL

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

W

ith the holidays comes a respite in the pursuit of NSSA, WSA and all the other grom events in Southern California, which is fine with 11-year-old Carson Kropfl. In October we featured him as the Grom of the Week when he unceremoniously became the firstever injured surfer at the Gudauskas brothers’ Stoke-A-Rama. After taking a board to the head and receiving five stitches, he was back in the water competing, which earned a special place in our hearts.

Maybe the blow to his cranium knocked a business sense into him because shortly Dana Point Times January 6–12, 2017

Photo: Courtesy

thereafter he launched his own company called Locker Board. Taking used skateboard decks, Kropfl recycles them by cutting them down to a size that can fit in his locker at school. He then puts new trucks

Surf writer and filmmaker Sam George used to say, “I’m heading north, where a man can be free.” And to be sure, if you want to surf in January you better gas up the rig.

But there’s certainly more to life than riding a few waves. Thanks to said atmospheric river, the local mountains are getting dumped on. As I write this, Mammoth Mountain has just received a good two to three feet of new snow—“and that’s just the beginning,” says the resort. If you made your way up there over the holidays, chances are you ran into a friend or two from San Clemente or Dana Point, but the season’s really starting to crank now. And even more locally, Bear Mountain has a healthy base and may also get some new snow at the end of the week. So if you can’t surf in the ocean, there’s always snow surfing, which isn’t a bad alternative.

For those that are still believing in their New Year’s Resolution to get fit, there’s

and wheels on the board, and bam, Locker Board! He saw a problem—his skateboard didn’t fit in his locker—and somehow he’s the first to devise such a solution.

Practically overnight the boards took off. Thanks to word of mouth and social media, he has shipped boards all around the country out of his own home workshop to places like Rhode Island, Montana, Arizona, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. He donated boards to the Spark of Love Toy Drive at the Honda Center in Los Angeles. And Jack’s Surf Shop sold them during the holiday season. Needless to say, it was a heck of a Christmas for the budding entrepreneur.

Thanks to thoughtful, driven kids like Kropfl, the future of the local surf and skate scene’s in excellent hands.

Page 18

nothing like a flat spell to keep you focused.

Stand-up paddle sessions around the Dana Point Harbor or out around Seal Rock are a great way to keep your feet in the water even if the waves are lapping at your ankles.

A walk or run down the beach trail in San Clemente is another good way to stay close to the sand when the swell’s subpar.

And should you find yourself with a free afternoon, check out the newly renovated Ole Hanson Beach Club. It’s a great place to swim some laps and embrace old-school nostalgia as guys like Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weismuller used to train there.

After all, we do live in a beach town and just because the surf’s flat doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy having the Pacific at our doorstep.

San Clemente and Dana Point have never been the epicenter of winter surfing in California, but it’s starting to get a little ridiculous around here. Thankfully there are options; all you have to do is step outside and find something to do. DP

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 55-59 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-10’ Fair Outlook: May see a little bump in size for Friday and this weekend as a better mix of NW and SSW swells move in, size still looks to only top out around waist high (3’) though. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

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