November 1, 2018 by San Clemente Times

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November 1-7, 2018

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Inside: South County Real Estate Guide SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 13, ISSUE 44

Back from The Outback

City to host ‘welcome home’ parade Nov. 9 for adopted Marine unit E Y E O N S C / PAG E 8

The first military parade in San Clemente since 2012 will take place Friday, Nov. 9, down Avenida Del Mar. The 2/4 recently returned from Australia. Photo: File

Local Artist’s Hidden Painting Found After 10 Years EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

Taste of San Clemente is Friday, Nov. 2, at The Casino GETTING OUT/PAGE 28

www.sanclementetimes.com

Triton Football Readies for Playoff Game against Familiar Team SPORTS/PAGE 32

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SC EYE ON SC San Clemente

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With... Five things San Clemente should know this week San Clemente Residents Voice Outrage at Toll Road Town Hall Forum THE LATEST: A town hall forum on the plans for possible toll roads and managed lanes through San Clemente and I-5, respectively, was billed to explore a related 1,200page environmental planning document, a project study report-project development support (PSR-PDS), and to ask questions about the nuances of the document. On Oct. 24 city officials invited members to the forum from the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the IBI Group, which provided the city with study results in March stating that a toll road through the area would have little, if any effect on traffic mitigation in South Orange County than if arterial roads were enhanced. TCA officials were heckled right out of the gate, as residents who want to protect their homes in San Clemente loudly voiced their anger with anything that would hint at eminent domain or the construction of a toll road. Throughout the forum, audience members screamed for the abolition of the TCA, something that during this election cycle San Clemente City Council candidates have either said they will try to do or promised to accomplish. Even Mayor Tim Brown took the opportunity to take a verbal jab at the toll road administrators while trying to gain order of the audience. “Yelling at these guys, frankly, isn’t going to move the ball forward, although it feels super good,” Brown said after explaining the public comment process during the forum. “The way we move the ball forward is putting our name and our comments on the record in a methodical and sometimes emotional way so that the board members can hear these complaints.” One of the eight proposals the TCA has put forth would drive straight through San Clemente east of I-5, down through the hills off Avenida La Pata and conclude near San Clemente High School at or near Avenida Pico. Some of the proposals the TCA has put forth do mention eminent domain could be necessary, which many have said is a terrifying prospect for people who have built their retirement savings into the net worth of their home, as many have said San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

Hundreds of San Clemente residents attended the Toll Road Town Hall forum hosted by the city of San Clemente on Oct. 24. When asked by a public speaker who didn’t want a toll road through San Clemente, nearly everyone in the audience raised their hands. Photo: Eric Heinz

they won’t reap the full value of the property through eminent domain hearings. “Right now we’re going through a process of understanding what options are available to the board, and after that it’ll be a process of studying that,” said Mike Chesney, the TCA’s chief strategy officer. “There is an opportunity to have other alternative options to be introduced. The alternatives we have now, some may be eliminated and some may be added.” The city currently has two active lawsuits against the TCA, one that challenges the legitimacy of the protective agreement settled between the toll road administrator and the Coalition to Save San Onofre in 2016, and another that seeks public documents. A separate lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of collecting tolls by the TCA and another from The Reserve Maintenance Corp. in San Clemente challenges both the protective and settlement agreement of the 2016 suit. WHAT’S NEXT: The next step in the toll road phase is scoping, which is slated to start taking place in December. The draft environmental impact report is expected to be ready as early as the first quarter of 2019. The TCA expects to spend three to five years examining the different ideas that will be identified in the draft document. The full document of the PSR-PDS will be attached to the online article. People who want to submit comments on the document can email tollroadinfo@san-clemente.org and those

comments will be added to the public document. To view the full forum, a video will be embedded in this article at www. sanclementetimes.com. —Eric Heinz

Local Artist’s Hidden Painting Found after 10 Years, More to be Found THE LATEST: Subtleties like “SONGS” (San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station) engraved in an anchor or sea life pointing to a seemingly innocuous barnacle are part of the shrouded mysteries within Trevor Mezak’s paintings. Recently, one of Mezak’s paintings that he hid 10 years ago was discovered by a family that had attended preceding art shows in which Mezak had left clues in his work at the RockStars of Art Gallery in Corona Del Mar. The painting was hidden at Trail 5 at San Onofre State Beach in a crevice of a bluff. “At the time I hid the painting, I was kind of trying to get people off the internet and off their phones,” Mezak said. “I wanted to create something real, with value, and put it out there.” The last set of clues was displayed about two weeks ago, which led the Noll family of San Clemente to its destination. Other people searching for the painting, Mezak said, were way off. Jed Noll, his daughter, Trinity, and her friend, Taryn Medina, led the search along

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with his son, Coda, and wife Candice. The family spent about a year piecing the clues together before the last painting came out. Clues such as Las Pulgas and other hints were enough for them to find it. “It took us quite some time of romping around,” Jed said. “The night before, they put all the notes in front of me, and I kind of helped them piece it all together.” Other subtleties that would be known to locals, such as locations of restrooms with regard to other small landmarks, made it easier for the family that’s lived in the area for generations. “I’ve seen some of the numbers and clues just from surfing there for years,” Jed said. “We definitely will try to figure out (the next painting). This one was probably the most accessible for us, but it was super rad to search around with the kids.” The name of the hidden painting that was found was “Hidden Journey.” His paintings are acrylic and applied with palette knife. As far as this modern hunt goes, Mezak said it’s just the way he wanted it. “The kids are actually getting the parents involved in this, which is exactly what I wanted to have happen,” Mezak said. WHAT’S NEXT: Mezak said he plans to do two more hidden paintings, one that will be fairly easy for people with a keen eye to find, but the last one will be so difficult that Mezak said he hopes it’s never found, or at least stays hidden for (Cont. on page 4) www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC (Cont. from page 3) a long time. The paintings with the clues will be debuted in the next month and will be announced on www.rockstarsofart. com. —EH

San Clemente High School Launches Culinary Arts Program THE LATEST: The 1964 traditional home economics kitchen at San Clemente High School has been transformed into a commercial-grade facility. The high school celebrated the opening on Oct. 18 of a remodeled culinary arts lab that will facilitate four educational programs for students. The College and Career Advantage program launched two culinary classes this fall in the bell schedule and another after-school class is open to high school students in Capistrano Unified School District and Laguna Beach. The courses prepare students in a commercial-style environment that will encompass food preparation, sous chef roles, knife skills, work in an assembly line and hospitality. Students will also utilize a traditional home-style kitchen with two stations where they can

“butter” their basic cooking skills designed for independent living. Principal of San Clemente High School Chris Carter said the courses filled quickly with students eager to sign up for the opportunity. WHAT’S NEXT: Currently, the courses are classified as elective credits, and Carter said he hopes students will be able to transfer those credits to Saddleback College as a feeder program in the future. “Students can go through the program and be ready for jobs immediately outside of high school,” Carter said. “They can continue to articulate at a higher level through Saddleback College as well. Our goal is to build a career technical pathway in the area of culinary arts.” The high school welcomed two teachers who worked in the industry and bring this background to the students. They possess a Career Technical Education Credential that requires industry experience. The teachers will guide students in catering events, serving the staff and expanding to evening dinner events. The kitchen will be used by the STEPS program that meets the needs of special education students. The program focuses on teaching and helping those students acquire functional and independent skills once they leave the school setting, with possible career options in hospitality or in

culinary arts. “We are excited (because) this facility will service all of our students,” Carter said. “By bringing back the food program, it gives our kids a wide range of avenues to reach their post-secondary goals.” — Andrea Clemett, Picket Fence Media intern

Flu Shots Available at San Clemente Senior Center on Nov. 9 THE LATEST: Officials with the Dorothy Visser Senior Center said there will be flu shots available at the senior center on Friday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or until the center runs out of the vaccine. The CDC recently reported that last flu season, 2017-18, was a “high severity” season, and based off data it analyzed, adults across the nation reported a 6.2 percent drop in getting vaccinated for the flu. “However, interpretation of these results should take into account limitations of the survey, including reliance on self-report of vaccination status and decreasing response rates,” a press release from the CDC stated. WHAT’S NEXT: The Dorothy Visser Senior Center, located at 117 Avenida Victoria, is open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 949.498.3322 for more information. —Staff

NRC to Host Webinar on SONGS Canister Inspection THE LATEST: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is planning to host a webinar from noon-3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, to discuss the special inspection it conducted at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to evaluate an Aug. 3 fuel-loading incident. The webinar will begin with a presentation by NRC staff. During and following the presentation, the public will have an opportunity to submit written comments and questions via the webinar user interface. The NRC staff will provide participation guidance during the webinar. The public can participate by providing written questions and comments throughout the meeting. WHAT’S NEXT: People can register for the webinar at www.nrc.gov. A specific link to the webinar will be provided in this article at www.sanclementetimes.com. After registering, a confirmation e-mail will be sent with details for joining the webinar via computer or mobile device. There is also an option to listen via a phone bridge; however, participants must first register for the webinar to obtain the phone bridge number. —Staff

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NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

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Las Palmas Elementary Builds Dia de los Muertos Altar

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Las Palmas Elementary School hosted its Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 27, and as part of the celebration, parents, students and teachers built a Dia de los Muertos altar in the school’s multipurpose room. Every grade level participated in making or contributing a portion of the decorations, and every child was invited to bring a photo of a departed loved one. The altar will be up until the official Dia de los Muertos holiday on Nov. 2.

American Legion Honors SCHS Student Jacob Gerhard, a senior at San Clemente High School, was the guest of honor at American Legion Post 423’s October general meeting. Selected and hosted by the San Clemente post as a delegate, Gerhard attended the annual Boys State California 2018 event held at California State University-Sacramento in June. At the post’s general meeting, he shared his experiences, answered post members questions and spoke about his future academic and career goals. Boys State, founded in 1935, is among the most “respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students,” according to the program’s website. Jacob’s parents, Dave and Cynthia Gerhard, also were the post’s invited guests, and they were honored for their support of Jacob’s academic accomplishments and his participation in Boys State. For additional information about the American Legion and/or Boys State California for 2019, email Post 423 Commander Mike Rogers at strgeezr47@gmail.com or call 949.429.5003.

OCTA Says Pico Interchange Project is Finished The new HOV lanes have opened, the Avenida Pico interchange has been reconstructed and as of September the contractors on the I-5 South County Improvements Project have wrapped up their punch-list items, according to Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The project is done. “The project team would like to sincerely thank residents, business owners and the traveling public for their support, understanding and patience during construcSan Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

SC EXCHANGE CLUB MEETING Noon. San Clemente Exchange Club meets on most Thursdays at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course. Wedgewood Restaurant. 150 E. Avenida Magdalena. 949.412.6301. www.exchangeclubsc.org. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Las Palmas Elementary School is hosting a Dia de los Muertos altar in its multi-purpose room until Nov. 2. The day celebrates the life of lost loved ones and family members. Photo: Courtesy of Las Palmas Elementary School

Diaz was recognized at the nonprofit’s 12th Annual Visionary Women Caregivers Luncheon in the event’s category of Administrative Professional—individuals in licensed residential facilities or other care facilities or service agencies who serve persons with dementia. The event was organized by the Visionary Women Circle of AOC, an advocacy group comprised of esteemed community members who mobilize the community to elevate awareness and expand local support of AOC’s no-cost programs through education, advocacy and fundraising. For more information about the Visionary Women Circle, call 949.955.9000 or visit www.alzoc.org.

tion,” a press release from OCTA stated. Ongoing nighttime ramp and lane closures will continue to take place as part of a Caltrans project that began over the summer to repair and repave freeway lanes from El Camino Real in San Clemente to Junipero Serra in San Juan Capistrano. The $10.5 million Caltrans Maintenance project will resurface nearly nine miles of the freeway with rubberized asphalt. For more information on that project, call or email Justin Lesniewski at Caltrans at 657.328.6594 or justin.lesniewski@dot. ca.gov.

Benefit for Former Owner of OC Tavern Friends and loved ones of Mike Merrigan, a San Clemente resident and former owner of the OC Tavern who was in a serious traffic accident on Oct. 6, have organized a fundraiser that will take place at 6 p.m. on Nov. 9 at OC Tavern, 2369 S. El Camino Real. Organizers are asking for a $10 donation at the door, proceeds from which will go directly to Merrigan. Flock of 80s and Wig and Ties will perform, and there will be a silent auction and raffle.

Alzheimer’s Orange County Honors Local Care Provider Alzheimer’s Orange County (AOC) honored Amelia Diaz of San Clemente earlier this month for the compassionate care she provides as a wellness coordinator at San Clemente Villas by the Sea, a senior assisted-living community in San Clemente.

Former San Clemente Resident Bikes 4K Miles for ‘Heart for America’ Former Shorecliffs Middle School student and San Clemente resident Kirk Gillock recently completed a 4,250-mile solo cycling tour around America in the shape of a large heart. The purpose of Gillock’s “Heart for America” campaign was to “help heal some of the division our country has right now,” according to a press release from Gillock. “He believes that it takes both sides, the left and right, to be a stronger country and, just like riding a bicycle, we need balance to keep moving forward. If we lean too far left or too far right, we will fall and we will fail,” Gillock said. His bicycle was decorated red on one side (republicans) and blue on the other side (democrats) to symbolize the balance our country needs right now. Questions can be emailed to kirkgillock70@gmail. com or call 512.939.0909.

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DEL MAR FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh produce and much more every Sunday. Avenida Del Mar. FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOKSTORE 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Check out new releases, audio books and non-fiction selections. A big supply of children’s books will be available. San Clemente Friends of the Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar 949.276.6342. www.sanclementefotl. org/san-clemente-friends-bookstore/. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

ELECTION DAY 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Polls will be open for the mid-term election in California. For more information and to find your polling station, visit www.ocvote.com. SUNRISE ROTARY 7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Course Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega. www.scsunriserotary.com. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7

KIWANIS SAN CLEMENTE Noon. Kiwanis San Clemente meets on most Wednesdays. Fratello’s Italian Restaurant, 647 Camino De Los Mares No. 126, San Clemente. www. sanclementekiwanis.com. CITY COUNCIL MEETING 6 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will meet on an irregular Wednesday at its chambers. 100 Avenida Presidio. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org.

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Submissions are due by 10 a.m. the Monday of the week you’d like published. Email eheinz@picketfencemedia.com. www.sanclementetimes.com

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Back from The Outback 2/4 to be welcomed home by adoptive city after lengthy deployment to Australia BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

undreds of Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), San Clemente’s adopted unit, will parade down Avenida Del Mar at 10 a.m. on Nov. 9. Lt. Col. Warren C. Cook Jr., the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, spoke about his unit’s return home from a lengthy deployment while training in Australia. “Our battalion recently returned from a six-month deployment supporting Marine Rotational Force-Darwin in northern Australia—a validation of America and Australia’s 100 years of Mateship,” Cook said, using a chiefly Australian term that means friendship and loyalty. “I’d like to thank all the Marines who made the deployment a success through their hard work and dedication to our mission. During the six

U.S. Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines will have a parade thrown in their honor as well as the veterans of the 2/4 on Friday, Nov. 9. Photo: File

months, our Marines trained and partnered with the Australian Defence Force to strengthen our important alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.” During the 2018 Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, about 1,600 Marines were involved in the training, which Cook said was the largest deployment in its sevenyear history. There hasn’t been a parade similar to

it since at least 2012, according to city officials. Before then, Mayor Tim Brown said there hadn’t been a parade like this since he moved to the city about 20 years ago. “They did have these fiesta parades, but this is the only one that’s really dedicated to the military,” Brown said. “We’ve only had adopted units since the 1990s, and so we hadn’t done it since then. We’ve had the adopted unit, the 2/4, for a long time and

they’ve had multiple deployments.” Brown said that now would be a good time to have a celebration welcoming back the 2/4 since the last parade six years ago. “The (parade) in 2012 included Vietnam and Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans, and it’s intended to honor everyone who’s served and it’s great for them to be able to participate,” Brown said. “By doing this again, we were hoping to capture some of that and do it for the benefit of that adopted unit.” Brown said it’s unlikely the city will host the parade annually, reserving the event as a specialty when possible. The parade will start at the top of Avenida Del Mar and proceed through the street’s length, ending with a short ceremony at Park Semper Fi. About 1,000 Marines are expected to attend the parade along with city dignitaries, woodie cars and more. “The city of San Clemente and 2/4 Association have always been supportive of its adopted battalion as well as the thousands of Marines and Sailors serving aboard Camp Pendleton,” Cook said. “The Magnificent Bastards (the nickname of the 2/4) feel honored to participate in the city’s parade and show our appreciation to the citizens of San Clemente for all their support and enthusiasm throughout the years.” For more information, contact the city of San Clemente at 949.361.8200. SC

SC SOAPBOX San Clemente

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS GUEST OPINION: City Council Corner by Mayor Tim Brown

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San Clemente Times, Vol. 13, Issue 44. The SC Times (www. sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (www. danapointtimes.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 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Residents of San Clemente Deserve the Truth

n the past two editions of the San Clemente Times, full-page ads have been taken out in criticism of some key decisions of the City of San Clemente. Of course, because these ads do not disclose the persons who authored them or paid for them, they are filled with dubious figures, mischaracterizations and unfair attacks. These ads are funded by “political associations” that can receive contributions from any source and spend funds to influence local elections without disclosing the donors’ identities. It is a bit of a mess to untangle, but the ads contain a broad range of complaints, many of which happened under prior City Councils and city managers. For example, the actions giving rise to the beach parking-fee lawsuit occurred decades ago—the ads oddly hold this Council accountable for these past actions. I feel strongly that as the outgoing mayor and member of the City Council that it is my duty to provide correct information and set the record straight for our residents. In an increasingly tone-deaf fashion, the ads strongly condemn several City Council decisions that were made in response to overwhelming public support and were passed with unanimous Council votes. And—the best part is—each decision was successfully upheld or resolved on terms that benefited the city. Here are the specifics on how the city is alleged to have “squandered” public dollars: The city successfully defended a lawsuit seeking to eliminate all zoning restrictions on homeless shelters. The city’s 2014 ordinance was set aside because it effectively banned all shelters, but the 2017 ordinance (built on strong community consensus) was upheld, and the locations and size of

the permitted shelters were dramatically reduced from what the plaintiffs and outside homeless advocates originally sought. The City successfully defended attacks on its new sober living home and shortterm rental ordinances. As a result, the number of unlicensed sober living homes was reduced from well over 80 to less than 25—and the homes that are left must operate under strict local regulations. Addicts seeking housing and quality treatment are the chief beneficiaries of these policies and the city’s defense of them. Another beachfront community, not far from us, failed to adopt and defend a similar ordinance and is now estimated to host almost 300 such homes. CITY COUNCIL Beach and other rental CORNER homes are not permitted By Tim Brown and encouraged only in tourist-oriented zones subject to occupancy and density caps. This is one of the few such systems approved by the California Coastal Commission—and San Clemente residents have benefited tremendously from its passage. The city is fighting to retain its hospital zone. This zoning, as with similar zoning in other communities, is designed to ensure that the city retains a critical mass of land for the key medical and emergency interest identified in its new general plan. The Council believes this is a decision worth defending. The city doesn’t release private records to anyone. The city is required to produce public records under the California Public Records Act. On the other hand, it regularly answers requests and lawsuits

Letters to The Editor

stranded nuclear waste in the country is located right here? According to the U.S. government, the dump is officially located in San Clemente. We have the largest concentration of stranded nuclear waste in the country. Check it out. (Link in this article at www.sanclementetimes.com). Maybe we should start calling it the San Clemente Nuclear Waste Dump. Remember four things: 1. It took only nine pounds of plutonium to destroy Nagasaki. Our waste dump will have 1,608 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel, one percent of which is plutonium. 2. Each of the 123 canisters here has the potential to release more radiation than the catastrophe at Chernobyl

ELECT CANDIDATES WHO PRIORITIZE SONGS ISSUES ROGER JOHNSON, San Clemente

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San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

Thanks to Jennifer Massey (Oct 25) for exposing the alarming realities of our local nuclear waste dump. How many people know that 26 percent of the

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seeking to discover private information (including medical and marital records), client lists and professional work products. The city will continue to protect the necessary private information as is necessary—while ensuring the public has complete access to all requested information. The fight against the Toll Road isn’t a waste; it is a necessary battle to protect the city we love. The city’s largest legal commitment is the fight against the illconceived and unwarranted toll road from being built through the middle of our town. The Council has been uncompromising in its “David versus Goliath” posture against this threat, and we will not back down. TCA threw millions into its fight against environmental groups during the last go-round, and I expect the city will see no less this time. Many of the other allegations in the ads are simply too baseless and far-fetched to address. Much of their language mimics correspondence sent to the city by adverse parties in the lawsuits mentioned above. The nature of the attacks and the tone leads me to believe that whoever is backing these ads is seeking favorable political outcomes from San Clemente for their own purposes. Who directly benefits from the city dropping the hospital lawsuit? Who benefits from the city giving up its fight on the toll road? Who benefits from the city eliminating its sober living home ordinances? This is why I will continue to stand by our community’s convictions and the city of San Clemente. We have much at stake, and we need a Council that will be committed to our best interests. I would be happy to meet with any resident who wishes to know more about these disputes and how they have been favorably resolved when the city has had vision and fought hard to defend its interests. Tim Brown is the Mayor of San Clemente and has served on City Council since 2010. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com

(visit www.sanonofresafety.org). 3. The plan is to leave it here indefinitely. 4. Some deadly isotopes of the nuclear “waste” will remain highly radioactive for millions of years. The editor’s note attached to Massey’s letter is completely inappropriate. Edison PR is not fact, and being “offline” does not make the waste dump safe. The nuclear waste stored here is extremely hazardous. What is additionally distressing is that only two of the 12 candidates for City Council (Jackson Hinkle and Jake (Cont. on page 12) www.sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX CoastLines by Fred Swegles

Ghost of Burger Stop Haunts Vacant Lot—Now for Sale!

f you could get your hands on one of the most enticing patches of vacant land in San Clemente, what would you do with it? What could you do with it? That’s the question of the week, San Clemente. A “for sale” sign recently appeared on a vacant lot at 524 E. Avenida Pico. You may remember it as the former site of The Burger Stop, a longtime local taste bud favorite. Caltrans demolished The Burger Stop and an adjacent Shell station in order to widen Avenida Pico and enlarge the southbound Pico on-ramp onto Interstate 5. Burger Stop fans gave their choice eatery an emotional send-off in 2016. During the I-5 construction, contractors used the vacated land for equipment stor-

age. In the end, the widened and realigned roads shrank the site. What remains is 11,009 square feet of land, zoned for commercial use. It’s up for sale, listed at $400,000 by San Clemente brokers Dan and D.J. Yeilding at theyeildingteam.com. The lot occupies one of San Clemente’s premium street corners, Pico at I-5. Broker Dan Yeilding acknowledges it may be a challenge to develop, installing curb cuts where exiting would have to be right-turn-only, near or into a right-turnonly lane onto southbound I-5. It did seem, however, that both the Shell station and The Burger Stop were able to operate with curb cuts at that same loca-

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bacteria often end up in the food supply, which helps explain why tens of thousands of Americans every year are sickened with Salmonella from eggs. And because the corporate factory farms that cage animals emit so much water and air pollution, Prop. 12 is endorsed by Sierra Club California, Natural Resources Defense Council and other top environmental groups. Please vote Yes on Prop 12 for a safer and less cruel food supply!

Rybczyk) have made nuclear waste the centerpiece of their campaign. Let’s get them elected. If you want to get a glimpse of apathy by public officials, look at what happened at the Emergency Preparedness Expo on Oct. 20 at the Norman Murray Center in Mission Viejo. This was a huge and heavily attended event with lots of publicity. But, guess what? Not a word about preparation for a radiation emergency. No booths, no presentations, no pamphlets, no experts for public education of what to do when there is a plume of radioactive fallout. No wonder the public is in the dark about what is by far the most important issue before everyone. Editor’s note: The San Clemente Times stands by its decision to run the addendum of the unlikeliness of a catastrophic nuclear explosion at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

VOTE FOR THOSE WITHOUT A VOICE NANCY EGAN, San Clemente

I respectfully encourage all readers to vote “yes” on Proposition 12 this Election Day. Prop. 12 would result in less animal suffering, safer food and a healthier environment. This modest measure would end a horrific practice still used by some meat and egg companies: locking farm animals in cages so small they can barely move. This practice is disastrous for human health as well as animal welfare. Animals crammed in filthy wire cages are more likely to get sick with dangerous bacteria like Salmonella. Science shows that San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

OUTSIDE PACS TRY TO INFLUENCE SAN CLEMENTE ELECTIONS KATHY and JOE OWENS, San Clemente

Well, the dirty political campaign mailings are now being dumped at your door, slamming three top City Council candidates: a City Council incumbent who has effectively worked to stop the toll road; a born-and-raised San Clemente resident who was instrumental in stopping sober living homes; and a former mayor who has worked with the Marine Corps. These dirty partisan campaign mailings are from yet another Newport Beach political action committee (PAC) that is endorsing three lesser-known City Council candidates who are taking political-financial support from these PACs and who support the toll road and the divisive district elections. Here we go again with a yet another Newport Beach PAC trying to influence our smalltown City Council elections! How can these candidates accept financial support from an organization that is pro-toll road and at the same time emphatically state they oppose the toll road? Politics makes strange bedfellows, indeed. These three have a hidden toll

tion for decades with no traffic problem, right up to the time the I-5 widening project took over the site. Of course, it’s a smaller site now. The Yeildings say they asked City Hall what it might take to devise a plan the city could approve. The city’s reply, they said, was that staff would need to see a plan. COASTLINES The landowner has By Fred Swegles agreed to offer prospective buyers an extended period to work out a plan acceptable to the city, the broker said. So, readers, what do you think is possible and what would you like to see? Let’s be real and forego any jokes about trying to wedge an In-N-Out Burger franchise onto the lot. In 2004, a 3-2 vote of the City Council turned down In-N-Out’s proposal to replace a Carrows restaurant with a 3,348-square-foot In-N-Out restaurant with a drive-thru at 620 Avenida Pico.

road agenda. In essence, these three endorsed candidates are puppets for developers who want to build the toll road right through San Clemente and divide us. Having district elections will make it easier for developers to build the toll road. It is up to you, the voter, to become educated about these Newport or Irvine PACs spending tens of thousands of dollars on glossy campaign mailers or ads slamming certain City Council candidates and then supporting their chosen toll road City Council candidate puppets. You need to vote for the other three who have made major contributions to our beautiful city. It is easy to decide which candidates not to vote for. When you see these expensive campaign mailers or ads from Newport Beach PACs (at the top/bottom of the ad/ flier), follow the money and don’t vote for their puppet candidates. The destiny of our city is in your vote this year.

TOLL ROAD WILL CAUSE DESTRUCTION OF SAN CLEMENTE DANIEL and NANCY BRACAMONTE

We have lived here for 23 years and love it. We chose San Clemente for its smalltown values, safety and clean ocean air. We have a major threat on our hands with this proposed toll road. We have already witnessed a massive landslide at the church above Pico from the Caltrans roadwork. Homeowners on Frontera have had slab cracks, drywall separation and further home damage that have made some of their homes unsellable. If we allow this toll road to proceed, we will witness this on a massive scale and

Page 12

That’s on a piece of land five times bigger than the site up for sale now at 524 Pico. On that former Carrows site, construction is starting now on a cityapproved Starbucks. What else might work at 524 Pico? Maybe something less intense like a reborn Burger Stop? Or some other kind of business that could make use of a primo location without impacting traffic any more than Burger Stop and a Shell station did? One thought, suggested by the broker, is that a buyer could seek access to the vacant lot via the post office’s public driveway. There must be some creative soul out there who can think of something that would work. At a gateway into San Clemente, it’s worth some brainstorming. Fred Swegles is a longtime San Clemente resident with more than 46 years of reporting experience in the city. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.com

lose multiple homes and businesses to eminent domain. If this goes through, the emissions, gasoline, oil and trash spewing down on our homes, businesses and schools will not only destroy our beautiful beach town but will cause massive health issues for our citizens. We love our small town. I, along with many of my counterparts, will move if this goes through. Thriving businesses will close, tax revenue will go down, and what we love about San Clemente will be lost forever. It’s just not worth the risk to our family’s health. This can go no further. Do we need this additional threat? No!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to eheinz@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. San Clemente Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Limit your letters to 350 words or less. Please send with your valid email, phone number and address for verification by staff. Your address and phone number will not be published.

Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, Nov. 2 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso Beachside Chat is a spirited, town hall forum on community issues, hosted by SC Times editor Eric Heinz every Friday at Café Calypso, 114 Avenida Del Mar. All are welcome.

www.sanclementetimes.com

323 W Paseo De Cristobal, San Clemente This private estate sits high on the bluff overlooking T-Street with ocean, beach and whitewater views. It is an expansive one story ranch style home located on a large 22,000 square lot with spectacular 60 year old trees, lush landscaping, a large central courtyard, a motor court and guest quarters. The main house features a classic craftsman great room with high ceilings and an oversized wood burning fireplace. It has a large kitchen, 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in the main house plus a detached guest house all one level. In addition, the seller is processing a lot split (identified as Lot 1 and Lot 2 in the photos) to deliver 2 legal parcels that can be purchased individually if desired. Showings are by appointment only. Call today to arrange a showing. $3,500,000 Kelly Galvin Century 21 Award Cell: 949.702.3289 CalBRE License #: 01947464

SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

On Stage at The Coach House: David Brighton’s Space Oddity BY ALEX GROVES, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

isitors to The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, Nov. 2, will be able to experience what it’s like to go to a David Bowie concert when musician David Brighton – a longtime Bowie tribute artist – takes to the stage and performs a litany of songs. David Brighton’s Space Oddity will take visitors through Bowie’s expansive and constantly transforming music career from the music he made before Ziggy Stardust to his more recent musical releases. He’ll dress and act as Bowie’s various personas. In his early years as a musician, Brighton worked as a sideman, but it wasn’t long before he fell into his very first role as a tribute artist: playing George Harrison as part of a Beatles tribute show called “Twist and Shout.” Brighton would go on to play Harrison in a number of bands for about five years before deciding to do David Bowie.

After all, he said, it didn’t appear that anyone else was doing Bowie tributes, and he and Bowie shared some similarities. “One of the complaints I got from the labels is I sang too much like David Bowie,” Brighton said with a laugh. Brighton joked that when he tried to sound different, people at the record labels said he sounded just like Bowie, if Bowie were trying to sound like someone else. So Brighton embraced his similar sound and began to craft his act. “I started getting costumes made and studying the videos, studying the records, studying everything on Bowie for actually a number of years before I even did a gig,” Brighton said. In 2001, he began touring. It wasn’t long before he began amassing audiences across the country and around the world. He’s performed all over the United States as well as Canada, Mexico, Australia and Europe. He’s performed with a number of

Musician David Brighton, who does a David Bowie tribute show, will be performing at The Coach House on Friday, Nov. 2. Photo: Courtesy of David Brighton

notable artists, including Morrissey, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Chicago. Brighton is a fan of Bowie’s music, of course, and particularly enjoys the albums he put out through the ’70s. “Initially it was the songwriting,” he said. “When I first started hearing his songs on the radio, particular songs, it stood out to me as being vastly different

than anything I ever heard,” he said. Brighton said it wasn’t just Bowie’s lyrics that made him unique, but also his melodies and chord structures. “In a world of imitators, here was this absolute individual,” he said. As Brighton’s act grew, he got to meet the famed artist. The two starred together in a commercial for Vittel mineral water. He said he remembers Bowie being the “Perfect English Gentleman.” “He was very gracious and humble and also the consummate performer in that experience,” he said. Brighton said he has enjoyed the experience of being able to capture Bowie’s theatricality and play some of his greatest songs before audiences. “It’s been remarkable because, obviously, it’s great music,” he said. “It’s lasted all these decades and it’s got artistic integrity. Bowie was such a game-changer.” Tickets to go see David Brighton’s Space Oddity at The Coach House are $20. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2. The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. For tickets or more information, call 949.496.8930 or visit www.thecoachhouse.com. SC

Locals Only SC BUSINESS DIRECTORY San Clemente

ACCOUNTING

Chris W. Johnston, CPA, MBA 34184 Pacific Coast Highway Dana Point, 949.240.8015, www.cwjcpacorp.com

ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

Solstice Heating and Air

2208 El Camino Real, Ste. #1, 949.573.3607, www.solsticehvac.com

ART GALLERIES

San Clemente Art Association 100 N. Calle Seville, 949.492.7175, www.scartgallery.com

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

Schmid’s Fine Chocolate

99 Avenida Del Mar, 949.369.1052, www.schmidschocolate.com

CONCRETE

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings

Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.com

DENTISTS

Eric Johnson, D.D.S.

647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, www.drericjohnson.com

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

Organics Out Back

949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

ELECTRIC BIKES

Murf Electric Bikes

212 N. El Camino Real, 949.370.3801, www.murfelectricbikes.com

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric

JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

166 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6661, www.paradisejewelers.com

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

MUSIC LESSONS

Danman’s Music School

949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

Panagia Music: Music Lessons and More!

949.705.7573, panagiamusic@gmail. com, www.panagiamusic.com

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Capistrano Valley Raingutters Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

Syrens Hair Parlor

217 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. E, 949.361.9006, www.syrens.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

LANDSCAPING

Buy • Consign • Sell

949.395.5681 (24 hours) Available 7 days a week. We also offer professional appraisals, auction services, restoration and shipping. CASH SAME DAY Dee Coleman, CEO/Owner 2485 S. El Camino Real San Clemente Web: classicautosalesoc.com Email: classicautosalesoc@gmail.com

100% positive EBAY Seller since 2001!

949.493.5683, 32032 Del Obispo Street, www.cvcs.org

WEBSITE DESIGN

Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

GARAGE SALES FORSTER RANCH COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE Saturday, November 10, 2018. 8am12pm. Cross streets Camino Vera Cruz and Camino De Los Mares

GARAGE SALE SATURDAY 11/3 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 24481 Alta Vista (rear) Dana Point. Furniture, fitness equipment (Nordic Trac and others) Household items, commercial filing cabinet, pet carriers and more.

San Clemente Website Design

949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction

877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. NO PHONE CALLS.

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD

1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com

PEST/TERMITE CONTROL

Accurate Termite and Pest Control 949.837.6483, www.accuratetermitecontrol.com

Colony Termite Control

1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

REALTORS

“Sandy & Rich” RE/MAX Coastal Homes

949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

Scott Kidd, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services 949.498.0487, skidd@bhhscal.com

Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty

BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com

RESTAURANTS

Café Calypso

114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

CLASSIFIEDS

SALONS

Salon Bleu

207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, www.scsalonbleu.com

OBITUARIES

Sheryl Kay Johnson

Sheryl Kay Johnson left us very suddenly and unexpectedly while on a short vacation at her family’s vacation home on the Colorado River. Sheryl’s passing leaves a huge void in her immediate family, extended family, employees, clients and certainly the very long list of friends and neighbors. Sheryl did things her way. She was a leader in all of the many facets of her life. As a wife, mother, and a grandmother she was the foundation of her beloved family. Whatever and whenever something needed to be done Sheryl was there to see it through. The nucleus of the family business, everyone knew what Sheryl meant to the business. She was a remarkable women, but above all she was tremendously loving and giving to all. Sheryl was born in Pomona, California on November 26th 1959 and was received in Heaven on October 10th, 2018. Sheryl is survived by her husband Eric Johnson, son Garrett Johnson, daughter Jessica Hanley and son-in-law Sean Hanley. She was a beloved doting grandmother to her first grandson Connor Hanley and to her future grand- daughter. Parents Darryl and Marie Doty, mother in-law Sally Johnson, sister Shelly McKerlie, brothers Bryan Doty and Brad Doty, along with a very large extended family and friends. There will be a celebration of life on Monday November 5th at Leslie Park on Calle De Los Alamos, San Clemente, at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family would greatly appreciate donations made to your favorite charity in her honor.

Lloyd Darden

Succumbs to Alzheimer’s at 87

Lloyd Darden, former resident of San Clemente, has died of Alzheimer’s at 87. Lloyd was married to his college sweetheart, Dotty Darden, for 50 years until her death in 2004. He married Kay Ketcham Darden in 2011, and she survives him. Lloyd and Dotty had two daughters, Ivy Darden and Julia Darden-Lentz. Lloyd marched for his daughters’ right to marry, and later, proudly attended their respective marriages to Linda Arredondo and Cathy Darden-Lentz. Lloyd was a naval aviator, attaining the rank of Lt. Commander. He used his Spanish language skills working in Latin America simultaneously for John Deere and the CIA. Lloyd also worked as a reporter, an advertising executive, and a trade association executive. At NASA’s request, he wrote a book for laymen on satellites; he founded and published a magazine for the plastics industry; and he wrote freelance throughout his life, well into his seventies. He served his community by traveling to Sri Lanka with Habitat for Humanity, traveling to Louisiana to play Santa for Hurricane Katrina’s child victims, and working as a volunteer parole officer. Services for Lloyd will take place at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 202 Avenida Aragon, San Clemente, November 10, 2018 at 1 PM.

Edwin “Eddie” Boring

Husband, father, grandfather and friend, Eddie Boring went to be with the Lord on Sunday October, 21st, 2018. He was born to Eugene & Lois Boring of Warsaw, Missouri on October 26, 1934. Eddie attended the University of Wyoming where he graduated from the school of Pharmacy. There he met the love of his life, Nadeene, who soon thereafter became his wife. After his graduation, they came to California. Eddie saw the Pacific Ocean and knew this is where home was meant to be. He opened “Eddie’s Family Pharmacy” in San Clemente in 1961. For 30 years he served the community that he considered family. Eddie was known for his compassionate, honest, caring and generous spirit. Husband, Father, and Grandfather were his proudest titles. There are no words to describe how we will all miss ‘Dad’. Eddie leaves behind his wife of 62 years, Nadeene, his children, Marilyn Dugan (Peter), Kenny Boring (Kathie), and Jennifer Boring (John Reid). His grandchildren who were so proud to call him “Papa”: Michael & Travis Dugan, Rachel & Scotty Boring, and Christina Boring. In lieu of flowers, Eddie requested that donations be made to an organization that was close to his heart, the Basset Hound Rescue of Southern California www.bassethoundrescue.org.

SC n te S a n C le m e

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE

Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 111 or email slantz@picketfencemedia.com

San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

Page 27

www.sanclementetimes.com

GETTING OUT

The List

At the Movies: ‘Wildlife’ Has Some Great Acting

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

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

Thursday | 01 FREE YOGA FOR MILITARY VETERANS San Clemente’s pure.love.yoga will partner with the “Free Yoga for Vets Project” throughout November, which invites military veterans and active duty personnel to any class offered for free. The offer runs Nov. 1-30. Pure.love.yoga. 415 E. Avenida Pico, San Clemente. 949.492.5048. www.pureloveyogasc.com.

Friday | 02 TASTE OF SAN CLEMENTE 6-10 p.m. This year marks the 28th year of the Annual Taste of San Clemente. In addition to the various restaurants that will be available for sampling, people can taste wines from area vineyards as well as a sampling of microbrews. $95 per person. Ticket price includes a complimentary Taste of San Clemente wine glass or beer mug, food, wine, entertainment and valet parking. Casino San Clemente, 140 W. Avenida Pico, San Clemente. 949.492.1131. www.scchamber.com.

Saturday | 03 SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE 9-11 a.m. The car show attracts hundreds of car enthusiasts each week. No registration is required and spectators are welcome. Outlets at San Clemente, 101 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. www.southoccarsandcoffee.com BRAIN HEALTH & DEMENTIA COMMUNITY FORUM 2-4 p.m. The Alzheimer’s Association will conduct a forum to find out your thoughts, concerns, needs and wants regarding dementia and overall brain health. Bring a friend or someone you know who has been affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia, and learn more about brain health and memory loss as we age. San Clemnte Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar. 949.492.3493. www.ocpl.org. BOOK SIGNING AND READING 2-4 p.m. San Clemente author Michael San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

Photo: Courtesy of IFC Films

EDITOR’S PICK

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Photo: Courtesy of Lost Winds Brewing Co.

SATURDAY, NOV. 3: LOST WINDS TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY Noon-8 p.m. Lost Winds Brewing Company is celebrating its two-year anniversary party. The event is free and features live music, a photo booth, games, food trucks and 20 varieties of beers. This event is for people 21 years old and up. 924 Calle Negocio, Suite C, San Clemente. 949.361.5922. www.lostwindsbrewing.com.

G. Vail will sign and read from his debut novel, The Salvation of San Juan Cajon. The novel tells the story of Micah Wada’s proposal to end San Juan Cajon’s endemic classroom overcrowding by building a one-of-a-kind high school. Beach Town Books, 99 Avenida Serra, San Clemente. COMEDY CLASS REUNION SHOW 7:30 p.m. The show will feature seven graduates from Tom Riehl’s Students of Stand-up Comedy Workshop who have been performing at such notable clubs as The Improv, The Laugh Factory and Flapper’s. The show is one night only. Tickets are $8. Adele’s at the San Clemente Inn, 2600 Avenida Del Presidente. 949.481.1222. www.comedyintheoc.com.

415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

Monday | 05 BINGO AT GOODY’S TAVERN 7 p.m. Every Monday, Goody’s hosts a bingo night for a charity of the month. Cards are $1 per sleeve, and raffle prizes are offered. Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

Tuesday | 06

LIVE MUSIC: PEOPLE FOLK 7:30-10:30 p.m. People Folk is a folk-rock band that has written a concept album relating to classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Barnoa Wine Co., 831 Via Suerte, Suite 106, San Clemente. 949.388.4378. www.barnoawinebar.com.

Sunday | 04 D. YODER FAMILY SUNDAYS 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Activities and a program thematically based on Casa Romantica’s Casa Captivating programs for all ages. D. Yoder Family Sundays are made possible by the generosity of Ms. June Yoder.

TABLE TENNIS FOR SENIORS 10 a.m.-noon. Table tennis club, beginning and intermediate levels. Call for more info. El Nino Table Tennis Club, 3000 Calle Nuevo, San Clemente. 949.481.2275. Email: jnl5555@yahoo.com.

Wednesday | 07 AAUW HAPPY HOUR 4-6 p.m. The San Clemente-Capistrano Bay Branch of the American Association of University Women will meet for happy hour. Prospective members are welcome. To RSVP, send an email to aauw. sccb@cox.net. Hennessey’s Restaurant, 34111 LaPlaza, Dana Point. www.sccb-ca.aauw.net.

Page 28

ine years after co-starring in the 2009 drama Brothers, Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan reunite in another dysfunctional family drama right before Halloween. Fellow film actor Paul Dano’s directorial debut of Richard Ford’s 1990 novel Wildlife doesn’t take place in the jungle or woods, but in a small Montana town. Actors experimenting with directing can be hit or miss, and fortunately, this is mostly a case of the former. In the late 1950s, Jerry Bison (Gyllenhaal) grows depressed after losing his job, and his straight-laced, pretty wife, Jeanette (Mulligan), doesn’t know how to cope. As she decides to get a part-time job, their teenage son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) gets his first job and first girlfriend (Zoe Margaret Colletti) at school. But things fall even further apart when Jerry suddenly takes on fulltime work away from home and Jeanette reacts by seeing an older, richer man (Bill Camp) from the city. The script for Wildlife was coadapted by Dano’s real-life girlfriend, actress Zoe Kazan. The period piece really doesn’t bring anything new to the tale we’ve seen before on a family breaking up in mid-20th century society. And with the two indie actors helming the feature, one might assume that it would border on pretentious. Dano plays it straight as a filmmaker, though, and works with three very talented stars. Glenn Close and Lady Gaga might have some new competition for Best Actress with Mulligan, and Oxenbould does a lot with what’s essentially a reactionary performance. What Wildlife lacks in uniqueness, it makes up for with the acting. SC

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Wellness and Prevention by Susan Parmelee

San Clemente Shows It Believes in Magic

n Thursday, Oct. 25, more than 100 community members gathered to support the work of the Wellness & Prevention Center, which provides prevention education and mental health services on the middle and high school campuses in San Clemente. The well-being of our youth has been declining over the past six years as rates of clinical depression and anxiety have escalated. Teens are also challenged by the prevalence of alcohol and other substance use in our society, and the Wellness & Prevention Center is here to support healthier choices. The festivities at the Casino San Clemente included The Stringerz Ukulele Trio, Dennis the Strolling Magician and tasty food by Iva Lee’s catering. Guests bid on items like a weekend in a villa in La Quinta, tickets to Dear Evan Hansen with dinner at VACA, four tickets to the UCLA vs. USC football game at the Rose Bowl, a dinner prepared by cookbook author Jim Kempton and a variety of silent auction items. If you were not there, please join our email list at www.wpc-oc. org and you will receive an invite to next year’s event. I would like to give a very special shout-out to Haelynn, who spoke to our guests about the mental health and substance abuse challenges she confronts and has kept at bay for the last two years, allowing for success in her first year of college. This was a difficult

task to speak to a packed room about her deepest personal issues; however, she told me it is important for everyone to speak more and to support our youth. She mentioned classmates who are now homeless and cannot access services, like the valuable mental health services she was able to receive right on her high school campus. Some of the challenges that we see daily in our work on the school WELLNESS AND campuses include the PREVENTION pressures of social meBy Susan dia and resisting screen Parmelee time; the legalization of marijuana and a decreased perception of harm as marijuana use is normalized; the vaping epidemic that is leading youth to become addicted to nicotine; and the stress of intense school and extracurricular activities. Through classroom education and afterschool seminars, as well as education of parents through Facebook, newsletters and presentations, we help youth overcome these challenges, choosing wellness and balanced lifestyles free from legal and illegal substances and alcohol. I was humbled to witness the support our organization received. I encourage everyone in our community to choose a youth-serving organization to support. The smallest donations make a differ-

Photo: Courtesy of Orange County Public Libraries/Thomas Pulley Collection

FROM THE ARCHIVES Taylor’s del Mar Pharmacy is photo-

graphed here circa 1940 at the corner of Avenida Del Mar and Ola Vista. The location is now the home of the Hobie Surf Shop in San Clemente.

Every week, the San Clemente Times will showcase a historical photo from around the city. If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, send the photo, your name for credit as well as the date and location of the photo to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

ence. Here are a few of the nonprofits we partner with: Community Outreach Alliance (COA), Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area, Family Assistance Ministries, Kiwanis, San Clemente High School Educational Foundation and each of the secondary school PTAs. Please consider finding a way to support the Wellness & Prevention Center or one of the above organizations. Our youth need the continued support of the

Pet of the Week: Gershwin SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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

San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

ershwin is a handsome Californian dwarf mix neutered male rabbit. At 3 and a half years old, Gershwin has a particularly easygoing demeanor and doesn’t mind being held or petted. His curiosity often leads him to investigate things and people in hope of treats. Gershwin has good litter box habits and would make an awesome house bunny for a loving family. If you would like to know more about Gershwin, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. SC

community. Susan Parmelee is a mental health social worker and one of the founders of the Wellness & Prevention Center, San Clemente. She can be reached at susan@wellnessandpreventionsanclemente.com. SC PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, the SC 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 SC Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@sanclementetimes.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

Page 30

See the solution in next week’s issue.

www.sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING

Light of the Night Pier Pride completes month of events with annual gathering BY SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

s Pier Pride Month came to a close, hundreds of people congregated at the San Clemente Pier on Thursday, Oct. 25, for the Light Up The Pier event. People gathered with their cell phone lights or flashlights illuminated at an instructed time to create a display of light on the San Clemente Pier at sundown. In October, the organization Pier Pride hosted bingo events at Goody’s Tavern, a cruise around the Pier, a dinner at the Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar, as well as their marketing campaigns. The goal of the nonprofit is to build a trust fund for repairs to the city’s iconic structure after the dissolution of redevelopment funds by the state in 2012. For more information on Pier Pride, visit www.pierpride.org. SC

Hundreds of people lined the San Clemente Pier on Thursday, Oct. 25, for the annual Light Up The Pier event. Photo: Tiffany McGowan

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Familiar Foe San Clemente football plays Murrieta Valley for fourth time in three seasons in Division 1 opener BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

he San Clemente football team welcomes a familiar foe for its CIF-SS Division 1 first-round playoff game. For the fourth time in three seasons and the second time in 2018, the Tritons (6-4) will square off against Murrieta Valley (6-4) on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at San Clemente High School. The game will be televised as the Fox Sports West Game of the Week. San Clemente is coming off a bye week following its first win over Mission Viejo since 1999 and the Tritons’ first South Coast League title since that season, as well. Murrieta Valley finished second in the Southwestern League with a loss to league champion and fellow Division 1 playoff team Vista Murrieta in the regularseason finale. All things considered, and despite being a rematch, this is the most manageable first-round draw the Tritons could have

Triton Report BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Triton programs throughout the playoffs, follow us on Twitter @SOUTHOCSPORTS.

League Champion Water Polo on the Road in Division 1 The San Clemente boys water polo team has a rough road ahead. After clinching their first back-to-back league titles since 1995-96, the Tritons (1710) finished No. 7 in the final Division 1 and 2 combined poll, which put San Clemente into the eight-team Division 1 bracket. The Tritons are paired up with No. 2 seed Harvard Westlake and will travel to Studio City on Thursday, Nov. 1 for the first San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

San Clemente, coming off its first South Coast League title since 1999 with its first win over Mission Viejo since 1999, hosts Murrieta Valley in the CIF-SS Division 1 opener on Friday, Nov. 2. It’s the fourth matchup in three seasons between the schools. Photo: Eric Heinz

hoped for. The series between San Clemente and the Nighthawks began with the Tritons’ greatest playoff feat. In 2016, San Clemente outlasted the Nighthawks at Murrieta Valley, 45-35, to capture the Tritons’ first CIF-SS championship, in their third consecutive try, in the Division 2 title game. The teams combined for 35 points in a furious fourth quarter.

In 2017, Murrieta Valley came to San Clemente looking for revenge, but the Nighthawks met another potent Triton attack. San Clemente won going away, 62-37. This season on Sept. 7, San Clemente went back to Murrieta Valley, and the Nighthawks got on the board in the series. It was back and forth early and tight throughout with San Clemente leading, 31-27, into the fourth quarter. However, Murrieta Valley took the lead early in the

round. San Clemente is guaranteed three games in the elite Division 1, with the consolation bracket and additional games to place the teams first through eighth. The Tritons went undefeated in South Coast League play with their only challenges in two one-goal games against Dana Hills.

Nov. 2. The quarterfinals will be played on Monday, Nov. 5

League Champion Girls Tennis Hosts Division 1 Opener The San Clemente girls tennis team has continued its run of success. The Tritons split a fifth consecutive South Coast League title with rival Dana Hills, but San Clemente won the coin flip to be named the league’s No. 1 representative for the team playoffs and will host a first-round playoff match. San Clemente slots into Division 1 and hosted Newport Harbor on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Results of the match were not available at press time. If the Tritons advance, they will be on the road at San Marcos or Orange Lutheran in the second round on Friday,

Cross Country Teams Capture League Titles San Clemente swept the Sea View League Finals with boys and girls league titles on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at Irvine Regional Park. The boys won in resounding fashion with six in the top 10 and their top four finishing consecutively from fourth through seventh. The Tritons posted an astounding 23-second, five-man gap and beat secondplace Trabuco Hills, 31-53. Senior Denilson Lopez (15:11.1) and junior Caleb Mettler (15:11.9) finished nearly side-by-side to lead San Clemente. The girls had to sweat out their title. Junior Hana Catsimanes outpaced the field by 12 seconds to win the individual league title at 17:19.1, but it was a duel to the finish between the Tritons and Laguna Hills in the final results. San Clemente placed its fifth runner, Katie Hansen, in 19th, and Laguna Hills’

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fourth quarter and turned on the afterburners in a 28-point quarter to win, 55-38. As evidenced, offense hasn’t been hard to come by in this matchup. In two games against the Nighthawks, San Clemente quarterback Brendan Costello has completed 71 percent of his passes for 481 yards and 7 touchdowns and rushed for a combined 183 yards on 24 carries. The Oklahoma State-committed Costello was knocked out of the Mission Viejo game before junior Drayton Joseph helmed the historic win, but after the week off, Costello should be good to go. For Murrieta Valley, four-year starter and Boise State commit Hank Bachmeier has also thrived in three games against San Clemente. Bachmeier has combined to complete 61.2 percent of his passes for 844 yards for nine touchdowns. Bachmeier was also the Nighthawks’ rushing leader in their 2018 game with 115 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. The Tritons’ defense is also in much different shape than it was on Sept. 7 Through the first four games of the season, including the Murrieta Valley game, San Clemente was allowing nearly 40 points per game. In the six games following the Murrieta Valley game, the Tritons have halved that number at just under 20 points per game. It’s a fine first-round matchup for both teams, but the road only gets steeper for whichever team advances. Each team would likely host national No. 1 St. John Bosco in the quarterfinals next week. SC

fifth placed 21st, giving the Tritons the league title by only two points, 55-57. Next up is the postseason in Riverside with CIF-SS preliminaries on Nov. 10 and CIF-SS finals on Nov. 17.

Roundup Girls golf has one Triton moving on. Junior Mariana Gandia-Mak made the cut by only two strokes, but her score of a 7-over 79 was strong enough to advance at the CIF-SS Southern Individual Regional at Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Oct. 24. Gandia-Mak competes in the CIF-SS Individual Finals on Nov. 1 at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard. Girls volleyball made its deepest playoff run in some time. The Sea View League champion Tritons upset No. 3 seed Dana Hills with a sweep in the CIF-SS Division 2 quarterfinals, but San Clemente fell in a strong five-set duel at Trabuco Hills in the semifinals. The Tritons have qualified for the state playoffs, which begin on Tuesday, Nov. 6. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

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Deﬁning ‘Perfect Surﬁng’ How Dana Point photographer Tom Servais’s Iconic image of Tom Curren at Pipeline in 1991 came to be BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

ost days you can find surf photographer Tom Servais either in his home office in Dana Point fiddling with photo files, dropping into a yoga class, or paddling out at Lowers or San Onofre. After 40-plus years behind the lens, Servais has amassed one of the most comprehensive archives of surf images the world over. He’s humble and understated about it, but he’s shot all of the A-plus surf stars over the years at all of the A-plus surf destinations. Servais’s most iconic image would have to be Tom Curren at Backdoor Pipeline in 1991. It has influenced the approach of everybody from Kelly Slater on down. Taylor Knox called it “perfect surfing,” noting he’s studied it for hours and hours. Curren just smirked. “I wish I’d made a little bit better face; I didn’t know the shot was going to be that famous,” he said. Like any photograph, Servais’s image was a confluence of timing, patience and luck. As he described the conditions, it was an average day by Pipeline standards. The wind had come up through the morning, blowing the surf out, so he headed down the North Shore of Oahu to see what was happening at Haleiwa. “It was a west swell and it wasn’t that good,” Servais recalled, more than 25

Tom Servais’s photo of Tom Curren at Backdoor Pipeline, taken in 1991. Photo: Courtesy of Tom Servais

years later. “I probably stopped and got a sandwich before I headed home.” Ever diligent, late in the afternoon Servais pulled back up to Pipeline to check it. He found the wind had died and the beach was empty. “I don’t have any photos of Tom walking down the beach or anything, so he might have already been in the water when I got there. Or he snuck out. He was pretty good about not having his picture taken,” Servais said. At the time, Santa Barbara’s Curren was the two-time world champion but preferred to remain out of the spotlight as much as possible. The enigmatic surfer showed up in Hawaii that winter with a quiver of Maurice Cole-shaped, “reverse vee” designs. At the first contest of the year, Cole convinced Curren to step up from a 7-foot, 3-inch board to a 7-foot, 8-inch model in the quarterfinals. The only problem was that the bigger board was back at their condo on the other side of the North Shore—and it had yet to be stickered up with his sponsor’s logos.

“I was roaring up the wrong side of the Kam Highway in my van, laying on the horn, yelling out the window, carrying on like it was the bloody zombie apocalypse,” Cole said during an interview at Timmy Patterson’s shaping facility in San Clemente a couple years ago. “I came screaming back into the car park, hopped the curb, pulled right up to the scaffolding, and there’s Tom, just waiting. His heat’s already out in the water, and he’s just standing there, patiently waiting like a kid whose mom told him not to move.” It wasn’t long after Curren won the Haleiwa contest on that famous logo-less board that Servais walked onto the beach at Backdoor. He loaded a roll of Kodachrome 200 into his Canon, sat and waited. He shot sparingly. Conserving his film, he pressed the trigger only when absolutely necessary. “Art Brewer and Jeff Divine and I were all staying at the SURFER Magazine house up at Backyards when the film got delivered a few days later,” Servais said. “When we looked at the shot, I think we all kind of went, ‘Wow,

yeah, that’s a good one,’ but with photos, you never really know. Some photos are sleepers and you have to wait for time to go by to really see what kind of life they’ll have. Today it’s one of the most iconic surf images.” Servais captured a complete sequence of the turn. He also has shots of Curren on other waves during that session, but it’s that singular moment of “perfect” surfing that has stood the test of time. “I remember being on the beach that day, and I remember shooting that photo, and I remember that Divine had spent the day climbing around in the hills trying to get an overview angle of Pipe,” Servais said, laughing. “That was when there weren’t really any trails up there and he’d been bushwhacking his way up to the top. Back on the beach, when I was done and getting ready to leave, he showed up looking like he’d been rolling around in a mud puddle. He was all cut up and stuff. It was hard to tell him what he just missed.” Servais has more images and sells prints on his website at www.tomservais.com. SC

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK SAWYER LEE DIMICK BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

hat gets you stoked? It’s not an overly complicated question. Nine-year-old Sawyer Lee Dimick had the best answer ever: “Good waves, good weather, good music, bacon and putting on a dry wetsuit.” Who doesn’t get fired up by epic conditions and sweet, sweet bacon? This recent Positive Vibe Warrior Grom of the Week and Stokeorama champion first started surfing at Doheny when she was a wee 5-year-old. Today, she is a student at Vista San Clemente Times November 1-7, 2018

Sawyer Lee Dimick. Photo: Courtesy of the Dimick family

Del Mar Elementary in San Clemente. When she’s not out smashing sections at T-Street, you may find Dimick at the San Clemente skatepark, grinding through homework, vegging out on Who Is JOB or “cruising” with her friends and family. As far as her Stokeorama victory goes, Dimick says her favorite part of the experience was “surfing and sharing the stoke with all my friends. It was so rad watching everyone charge so hard in the big surf. Dane (Gudauskas) said it was 10 to 15 feet.” As far as how she’s staying stoked and “keeping the vibe alive,” Dimick’s keeping things simple. She’s happily “helping my siblings learn how to surf at Doheny and living by the Golden Rule.” And did we mention she likes bacon? SC

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Water Temperature: 64-66 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-8’ Fair Thursday: Overlapping northwest swells and fading southwest swell with offshore flow in the morning. Look for clean, peaky surf in the waist-chest high (3-4’) range at many breaks, while top local breaks hit shoulder high (4’+) on sets. Winds turn lightmoderate onshore in the afternoon. Outlook: Modest blend of northwest and southwest combo swell through the weekend for continued waistshoulder high (3-4’) surf at best spots. More small to modest combo swell for next week. Winds are lightest in the mornings with mainly favorable conditions, before afternoon onshore winds kick in. Be sure to check Surfline.com for all the details and longer range outlook.