December 13, 2018 by San Clemente Times

LO C A L

N EWS

December 13-19, 2018 YO U

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Local Photographer Bends Reality in Images PAGE 16 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 50

Making History Kirra Pinkerton wins WSL World Junior Championship S U R F/ PAG E 1 8

Kirra Pinkerton became the first representative of the U.S. to win the WSL World Junior Championships in Taiwan last week. Photo: Courtesy of WSL

Law Firm Accuses 72 OC Catholic Priests of Sexual Misconduct EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

Sea Urchin Divers Claim Artificial Reef Expansion Could Harm Habitat EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

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Local Youth Football Teams Win Titles SPORTS/PAGE 17

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What’s Up With... Five things San Clemente should know this week Sea Urchin Divers Claim Wheeler North Reef Expansion Could Hamper Industry THE LATEST: Varieties of sea urchins native to the area and other lucrative delicacies could be threatened by the planned expansion of the Wheeler North Reef, according to local sea urchin divers. The artificial reef is about 175 acres currently, about a half mile offshore of San Clemente, stretching from San Onofre State Beach. It’s intended for mitigating the effects of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s (SONGS) discharge of seawater that makes habitats near it murky and not conducive to marine life. Because the reef isn’t meeting the minimum requirements for fish retention, Southern California Edison, the majority owner of SONGS, is proposing to expand the reef to more than double its current size. Most of the expansion will take place north of the current reef toward Dana Point. Jeff Crumley, a commercial sea urchin diver who freelances harvesting the morsels, is based in Capistrano Beach and claimed at a meeting on Dec. 5 that the artificial reef is causing more harm than habitat. Crumley contends the environmental reports from the State Lands Commission are “flawed,” because they don’t include certain species he’s certain inhabit the reefs in South County ocean waters. He’s put his own materials together in a report he’s still completing and will submit to the Coastal Commission for its draft environmental impact report, a supplement to the original report. “Every white abalone shell I find down there, I collect,” Crumley said. “The EIR says they don’t exist at San Onofre, but they do.” Crumley argues that the disruption to the reefs compromised about $10,000 worth of sea urchin on a reef he used to frequent. As far as total area to collect sea urchin, he said in his report that 40 percent of his harvesting grounds have been lost to the artificial construct. He also said he wants to see a better formation of the reef to create a better habitat. Jim Dahl, a former San Clemente mayor, also said the reef has negatively affected fishing in the area. The reef’s data collection costs $2 million, which is paid from ratepayer mitigaSan Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

Capistrano Beach sea urchin diver Jeff Crumley shows the dorsal side of a white abalone, which is an endangered species. He says the artificial Wheeler North Reef causes more damage than mitigation, and the expansion of it would be devastating to his business. Photo: Eric Heinz

tion fees. The owners of SONGS pay for the project and are reimbursed for the work. “The way that the coastal development permit was written, we build the reef, and the Coastal Commission also wanted an independent oversight of the reef. UCs Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz have divers who monitor the reef and collect data on the two naturally occurring reefs to collect relative data and collect from the (established reefs),” said Jenny McGee, Edison’s scientific advisor for the mitigation and restoration section for the Wheeler North Reef project. An annual report is prepared by the universities and provided with the specific fish stock and other means of mitigation. Longtime San Clemente resident Ken Nielsen said that cost could be put to better use. WHAT’S NEXT: The supplemental DEIR is available for public comment until Dec. 28 on the CSLC website at www.slc.ca.gov. —Eric Heinz

Law Firm’s Report Lists 72 Diocese of Orange Priests Accused of Sexual Misconduct THE LATEST: A report released on Dec. 5 that was compiled by Jeff Anderson & Associates, Inc. accuses 72 Diocese of Orange priests of sexual misconduct. The report states at least one priest with ties to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Parish in San Clemente in 1978 was accused of sexual misconduct, and at least eight priests with links to Dana Point were mentioned in the report.

Two priests were named in San Juan Capistrano: Fr. Richard A. Hartman, who died in 1965, and Fr. John (Jon) “Jack” E. Ruhl, whose whereabouts according to Jeff Anderson & Associates are unknown as of 2002. Both were listed as having worked at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in the late 1950s and mid-1980s, respectively. Michael Reck, an attorney with Jeff Anderson & Associates, said the law firm used internet searches, court records, documents from churches and other evidence to compile its report. “The (Orange County) Diocese has never put together a complete report,” Reck said. “Historically, they’ve done half-truth attempts at it. Back when Bishop Tod Brown was the bishop, he put out a list of names, and those are names that were put out for a study they were doing.” Reck said an updated list of priests accused or removed from the clergy in 2016 didn’t match a list published about a decade before. Calls to local churches mentioned in the report were directed to the Diocese of Orange public relations team. “The Diocese takes all accusations of misconduct and abuse extraordinarily seriously,” a release from the Diocese stated. “We always cooperate fully with law enforcement and since 2002, we empowered an independent oversight review board to investigate any and all claims of childhood and adult sexual abuse. This board is made up primarily of professional lay people, including a physician, lawyers, a retired judge, former FBI personnel, a psychologist, law enforcement personnel and a school principal. Their names can be accessed on our www.safercbo.org website.” Of those 72, eight men were found to

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have affiliation with the Dana Point Parish, St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. “Priests not on the (Diocese’s safercbo. org) list are either deceased, associated with another diocese or religious order or the accusation against them was unsubstantiated and not credible,” the Diocese release continued. “In keeping with national practice, they are adjudicated through their order or diocese.” Reck led a press conference the day the report was released at Doubletree by Hilton in Orange, alongside Patrick Wall, a former Roman Catholic priest, and three survivors of abuse. “We’re doing this because the Diocese of Orange is not,” Reck said. “It’s important because the release of these identities sends a message to survivors of abuse that they are not alone, that this matters and that healing can begin. Because we know only with the acknowledgment that this happened, that this was wrong and that this was not the survivors’ fault can the healing begin.” The list of 72 names was compiled from public information, according to the firm. But its associates say the list is incomplete, just as the lists released in 2004 and 2016 were incomplete. “The public and the survivors deserve two things. They deserve a complete list, which is full and honest and transparent,” Reck said. “They deserve a full disclosure of what is known and when it was known. This is what allows the healing to start and allows accountability to be had.” WHAT’S NEXT: A lawsuit was filed by Jeff Anderson & Associates in October in Los Angeles Superior Court against the California Catholic Conference on behalf of Thomas Emens alleging that he was between 10 and 12 years old when Msgr. Thomas Joseph Mohan “engaged in unpermitted sexual contact” with him in Anaheim. Mohan died in 2013. The lawsuit asks for the conference to disband its current policies of handling accusations of sexual abuse or misconduct and to release the names of all clergy who have been investigated in cases of such acts. FIND OUT MORE: A more detailed report of the accounts will be featured in the Dec. 14-20 edition of the Dana Point Times. —EH and Lillian Boyd

Local Bass Fisherman Readies for Second Season on Fishing World League THE LATEST: It’s pretty uncommon to find avid bass fishers in South Orange County, let alone someone on a professional tour, (Cont. on page 4) www.sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC

Miles Howe of San Juan Capistrano is looking forward to his second season on the Fishing League Worldwide. Photo: Courtesy of FWL

(Cont. from page 3) but Miles Howe of San Juan Capistrano made a splash in his rookie professional year and now looks forward to his second season. Howe placed 70th out of about 185 pros last season on the Fishing World League (FWL), the top-tier league for competitive bass fishing in the United States. Howe said he qualified for the tour in 2011 but couldn’t participate because he and his wife had a new baby to look after. Now that he’s had some more time, he’s been able to compete with the best bass fishers around. The FLW tournaments have a five-fish count, meaning they weigh your heaviest five but can’t keep more than that on the boat at any time. The fish are released back into the lake at the end. Howe has been able to garner a couple local sponsors along the way, including Lost Winds Brewing Co. and Electric Sunglasses. “It’s always been kind of a dream. I started my own company in 2009 just to give me a foundation and at some point be able to do this and do what I love to do, which is fish,” Howe said. “My mom kind of got me into it. She tells me, and I don’t even remember, I’d sit down by the lake and fish all day, and she could not pull me away.” Howe is already heading out to some of the lakes on the 2019 tour schedule to prepare for them as best he can. He said he enjoys the sporting qualities of bass fishing most of all. “I think it’s just the challenge and wanting to be the best and having to compete against the best,” Howe said. “And some of the guys who you’re up against, they’ve learned from their great-great-grandfathers. They’re really skilled anglers, and it’s a challenge.” WHAT’S NEXT: Unlike some individual sports, the FLW requires each competitor to participate in all of its seven tournaments, with the FLW Cup at the end of the season. The first one kicks off Jan. 10-13 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas. For more information about the league, visit www.flwfishing.com. —EH San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

Public Aims to Aid Teacher Whose Classroom was Vandalized THE LATEST: The Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving, San Clemente Police Chief Lt. Mike Peters said the classroom of a Concordia Elementary School teacher was significantly vandalized. On recent social media posts, families with ties to the school said the room was of a longtime teacher and Concordia community member. Pictures showed Lego figures and other classroom items completely smashed. WHAT’S NEXT: Since the incident, members of the public reportedly have banded together to support the classroom’s property. At least three minors have been questioned by authorities and disciplinary actions have been discussed, Peters said. —EH

Age Well Senior Services Starts Holiday Donation Campaign THE LATEST: Age Well Senior Services, Inc., a nonprofit that provides life-sustaining help for challenged older adults in south Orange County communities, is asking for people to donate to their cause during the holiday season. Its annual holiday campaign is currently underway. “This is a time when we ask our residents in Orange County to make a financial donation to help the less fortunate seniors in our communities who face challenges of hunger, isolation, and transportation needs, to just name a few,” said Age Well’s CEO Steven Moyer in a press release. WHAT’S NEXT: Age Well provides activities and services at the Dorothy Visser Seniors Center, located at 117 Avenida Victoria in San Clemente. To make a donation to Age Well, call 949.855.8033 or visit www.myagewell.org/annualfundcampaign. —Staff Page 4

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Medical Episode Causes Driver to Crash Minivan into Tree on Camino de los Mares The driver of a maroon minivan was having “medical problems” when he crashed into a tree about 1:15 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10 on the 600 block of Camino de los Mares, according to San Clemente Chief of Police Services Lt. Mike Peters. The minivan was found by Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) officials with heavy damage to the front of the car, a damaged windshield and other marks of contact. It had come to a stop in the bushes on the side of the road and appeared to have caused a tree to fall over. Two people, an elderly man and woman, were in the vehicle at the time of the collision. The man was experiencing medical problems while driving eastbound on Camino de los Mares, where he drove across lanes of traffic and collided with the tree, Peters said. The couple was taken to a local hospital and are expected to survive their injuries. As of 2 p.m., officials were still working to clear the damage on Camino de los Mares between Marbella and Avenida Vaquero. This was at least the second significant traffic accident in the area on Camino de los Mares in the last trimester of the year. A driver in August struck four people along the road, a little further east of the Dec. 10 accident, sending at least two to the hospital with serious injuries. OCSD has not yet released the details of the August incident.

Grant Applications for Civic Projects, Social Services and Housing Programs The city of San Clemente has opened its application process for nonprofit organizations for residents to submit requests for grant funds from the city of San Clemente for civic projects, social services or housing and homeless support services. Funding requests will be considered for grants for a new service, event or an established program. Funds may be allocated to pay for one-time costs, staffing costs or operation costs (rent, supplies, professional or special services). The city should not be considered the sole funding source for the project. Grants are for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2019. During the last fiscal year, the city provided approximately $82,600 in funding. Community Development Block Grant

San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

THURSDAY, DEC. 13

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.

A maroon minivan apparently collided with a tree and other roadside fixtures on Monday, Dec. 10, on the 600 block of Camino de los Mares. Photo: Eric Heinz

(CDBG) funds may also be available for grant awards, contingent upon CDBG appropriations in the federal budget. The application is currently posted on the city’s website under the Services/ Housing & Social Services/Social Services link. Applications must be submitted to the Community Development Department at 910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100, San Clemente by at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24.

Book Signing, Lecture Libbe HaLevy, host of Nuclear Hotseat, and author of Yes, I Glow in the Dark, is an eyewitness of the nuclear disaster at Three Mile Island in 1979. HaLevy will also comment on the current operations and conditions at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. She will host a meet-and-greet and book signing from 2:30-5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 at the Public Watchdogs headquarters at 7867 Convoy Court in San Diego. For more information, visit www. publicwatchdogs.org.

Ole Hanson Beach Club, Aquatics Center Holiday Hours During the month of December, the San Clemente Aquatics Center and the Ole Hanson Beach Club will have closure periods related to the holiday season and preventative maintenance repairs. During the closure periods, pools undergo routine maintenance, annual inspections, repairs, and upgrades are made to the facility. To accommodate the closure at the San Clemente Aquatics Center, the City is pleased to offer extended hours at the Ole Hanson Beach Club. The Aquatics Center will be closed Dec.

17-Jan. 1. The Ole Hanson Beach Club will be closed through Dec. 16. Hours from Dec. 17-21, 26 and 28 will be 6 a.m.–6 p.m.; Dec. 22, 23, 29 and 30 will be 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It will be closed Dec. 24 and 25.

Children’s Bicycle Drive Meets Goal Urban Bicycle Outfitters, with the help of volunteers, has assembled 20 Fuji bicycles for deserving children at the Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast Area. The children who will receive the bicycles have demonstrated excellent attendance and exceptional personal improvement. “Thanks to the generosity of San Clemente citizens, twenty new bikes will be delivered to deserving elementary age kids,” a press release from Urban Bicycle Outfitters stated. On Dec. 20, volunteer elves will be at the club to fit bikes and helmets for the kids, and you can expect many happy laps will be ridden around the gym. Generous donors listed by Urban Bicycle Outfitters included Lindon and Robin Crow, Nancy Losak, Lisa Durham, Julie Allen, Lynn Hopper, Keith and Lesley Bindloss, Steven Kalb, Piteleski Family Trust, Debbie Wilkens, Michael and Susan Metcalf and George Gregory. Local businesses that donated included South Coast Lighting & Design Inc., EF Heagen & Associates, Steven Smith Fine Arts Rentals, Morphix Design Inc., Quick Recovery, Inc., Power Source Electric, Antoine’s Café, Inc. and Red Fox Lounge.

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

SAN CLEMENTE ROTARY 6:30 p.m. The San Clemente Rotary Club meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month. OC Tavern Grill and Sports Bar, 2369 S. El Camino Real. www.sanclementerotary.org. TUESDAY, DEC. 18

SUNRISE ROTARY 7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Club Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega. www.scsunriserotary.com. CITY COUNCIL MEETING 6 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will host its regularly scheduled meeting. City Council Chambers, 100 Avenida Presidio. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org. BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (BILY) MEETING 6:30-8:30 p.m. Meets every Tuesday. Because I Love You (BILY) helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. www.bilysc.org. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19

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. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 6 p.m. The San Clemente Planning Commission will host its regularly scheduled meeting. City Council Chambers, 100 Avenida Presidio. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org.

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OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed General Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Tim Trent and Jake Howard

San Clemente Times, Vol. 13, Issue 50. 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.

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San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

Letter from the Editor: The Birth of a Better Soapbox Page BY ERIC HEINZ, CITY EDITOR, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

n today’s media landscape, technology demands that editors and reporters take on two to three times the work responsibility of the same size of newsrooms of 15 years ago. Even as the newsrooms shrank, responsibilities increased. The editors at Picket Fence Media, including myself, harbor many duties, including editing letters to the editor, organizing column submissions, reporting stories, taking photos, videos and managing social media. While it is a lot to maintain, there’s no excuse not to use the tools of technology to maintain all aspects of the newspaper to include verifiable information.

It gave me pause to hear a recent letter we published in the San Clemente Times read aloud at the Dec. 4 San Clemente City Council meeting. It’s one thing to read something inflammatory on the screen, it’s entirely different when it’s read back to you. Since then, the San Clemente Times tried to reach out to the author, who was accused by many active community members as being fake. To this day, we have not been able to verify the author is a resident of San Clemente, nor whether that is the author’s actual name. Going forward, we will require that every letter submitted to us include a phone number, current home address (which we do not publish, just the city of residence of the author), and a full name—no pen names,

GUEST OPINION: View from the Pier by Herman Sillas

Gone Are the Days of Unisex Political Candidates

ell, this year is coming to an end. It was an exciting year on many levels. Our Pier was given some much-needed improvements, and fishermen no longer have the Pier’s maintenance as an excuse for not catching fish. They have to find other excuses. Politics can become the topic among fishermen when fish aren’t biting. The Declaration of Independence established this nation back in 1776. It was made by our male forefathers. No women were present nor signatories to the document. The women’s role was to be at home taking care of the children. That’s the way it was for millennia. The men knew their roles and women knew theirs. Politics was not for women. They supported their husbands but had no vote. But that changed in this century when women got the right to vote. In reality, it was that they could vote for men. The idea that a woman could be a candidate was unthinkable. I ran for office in California twice, once in 1970 for state controller. I lost in the primary. In 1974, I ran for secretary of state. I lost in the primary again. My opponents included two female candidates. March Fong Eu, a woman, was the winner and elected the secretary of the state. That was my experience with women candidates. Later, when I was DMV director, I worked with Secretary Eu. We printed driver manuals in different

languages for non-English-speaking drivers. Thereafter, there were other women candidates here in California for political offices at the state, city and county levels. But this year, there appears to have been more female candidates running for office than before. They filed for offices never filled before by women. I met one who ran for an assembly office this year. She is Michelle Duman. She had helped other candidates run for offices in the past. She had a framing business THE VIEW and had served as a board FROM THE PIER By Herman Sillas member for a nonprofit corporation. She became more active in the local Democratic groups and had attended the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She participated in the discussions and let her opinions be known. The more she participated, the braver she became. She had been involved in politics in Santa Ana for many years, gave money and her opinions to the candidates. She never felt she could become a candidate. She had a fear of being a candidate. But she looked around and women began running for political offices. They faced the same things that she did. But these other women ran. These women stood up in spite of being told not to run. “Now is the

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no initials, no exceptions. Additionally, letters need to provide insight and suggestions; they need to contribute to the discourse of issues in San Clemente, not just insult people, and, therefore, any letters that simply rant and don’t provide further insight to the discussion will be returned and asked for resubmission. This will allow us more time to focus on and cover the issues about which San Clemente residents are passionate, while ensuring creators of the content are verified. I realize this may cause some letter writers to not want to contribute to the Soapbox page, but I hope it doesn’t; I hope it actually gives our readers more comfort in expressing their opinion on even ground with their counterparts. Thank you for your feedback, San Clemente, and we will continue to provide you with the most informative “Local News You Can Use.” Eric Heinz is the city editor of the San Clemente Times and the senior editor of Picket Fence Media. He joined the company in 2015. SC

time to run,” Michelle concluded. The movements for women’s rights that began in early 2017 took the fear away. It was then she decided to run for District 68 of the California Assembly. “Me too!” she said. She began to prepare herself by reviewing the topics people were concerned about. Duman contacted friends, seeking campaign donations, and began getting them. She sought help from experienced advisors to no avail; they were busy with other campaigns. There were deadlines she was unaware of for her name to appear on the ballots. She made the deadline on the last day. Dolores Huerta’s grandson and a handful of supporters walked for her a couple of times. She raised a total of $60,000. Emilio Hernandez and his friends walked some of the precincts. She received 46.4 percent of the vote. Her opponent, Republican Steven Choi, obtained 53.6 percent. Michelle lost but undoubtedly learned a lot. She has tasted what it is like when you get near to the power of voters. It is the power that brings about change that people seek. Women have tasted power this year in larger numbers than ever before. More female candidates have been elected this year than ever before. The political arena is now open to men and women. Educated women fill the ranks of professionals and experienced political advisors. No longer will women hesitate to run for an office because of their gender. That day is gone. That’s the view from the Pier. Herman Sillas is an author and resident of San Clemente and a former U.S District Attorney. He may be reached at sillas@aol.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

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SOAPBOX

Letters to The Editor ACTION NEEDED TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE TONY HAYS, San Clemente

San Clemente, New Mexico is an unincorporated area near historic Route 66. Photo: Fred Swegles

CoastLines by Fred Swegles

Spanish Village by the Land of Enchantment

f you ever set out to explore historic Route 66 through the southwestern United States, make sure to cruise into San Clemente, New Mexico. The rural enclave holds a far broader history than our own San Clemente. Our California beach town dates back to visionary developer Ole Hanson in 1925. San Clemente, N.M., goes back to a Spanish land grant in 1716. I went looking for San Clemente, N.M., after seeing a photo on Facebook of a San Clementean standing beside a rural roadside “San Clemente” sign. After studying background details in the photo, I located the San Clemente sign on Google Maps. I then drove a rental car there, south from Albuquerque through the Rio Grande Valley. There’s no town of San Clemente, just a smattering of farm-related businesses along New Mexico Highway 6, traveling west from Los Lunas toward Interstate 40. On closer look, you’ll discover geographic curiosities. Could you guess, for example, that there’s a place called Laguna just up the road from San Clemente? Laguna Indian Reservation. And at both ends of Highway 6, signs inform you that the obscure two-lane ribbon of asphalt running through San Clemente once was part of Historic Route 66. Route 66, built in 1926 to link Chicago with the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica, is an icon of Americana. Today, tourists travel what’s left of America’s “Mother Road” seeking history, nostalgia and roadside cultural oddities. In the 1950s, President Eisenhower introduced interstate freeways that rendered Route 66 obsolete. Freeways bypassed towns that had catered to Route 66’s motoring public with motels, gas stations, San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

neon signs and quirky roadside attractions. Former oasis destinations, they became ghost towns. Today, only scattered segments of Route 66 remain. One stretch traverses downtown Albuquerque. Visitors revel in neon relics, oldie motel architecture and throwback eateries such as The Dog House or Garcia’s Route 66 Cafe. Originally, Route 66 didn’t run through downtown Albuquerque. East of the city, it traveled south into Los Lunas, then west across farmland, through the San Clemente land grant. Spanish explorers had COASTLINES arrived in 1540, settling By Fred Swegles in by 1598 and imposing their culture on indigenous people. In 1680, the locals revolted, evicting the Spaniards for 12 years, then a Spanish “Reconquista.” Online you can find a documented history of the San Clemente land grant, which extended from Los Lunas’ Rio Grande River west to the Rio Puerco. In 1716, colonial administrators returned an expanse of land to a Spanish family that had held it prior to the 1680 revolt. Los Lunas is named for the pioneer Luna family. Today, Los Lunas proudly proclaims itself a segment of the pre-1937 alignment of Route 66. In 1937, the government rerouted Route 66 through downtown Albuquerque. Los Lunas has a large San Clemente Catholic Church. At the entrance, an anchor symbolizes Saint Clement, namesake of our own San Clemente. During the last decade of first century A.D., he was Pope Clement in Rome.

As the story goes, Clement converted so many Romans to Christianity that unhappy Roman authorities tossed him into the sea, tying an anchor around him. Martyred, he became a Catholic saint. The Los Lunas church interior displays two statues of St. Clement. The most intriguing tale of San Clemente, N.M., that I found was a hiking trail on Hidden Mountain, located outside San Clemente along Highway 6 beside the Rio Puerco, at the entrance to a public landfill. Some people believe Hidden Mountain was the site of an ancient Hebrew settlement from the era of King Solomon. If true, it would remake American history. Others say that petroglyphs found on Hidden Mountain are a hoax. Do a YouTube search for “Los Lunas Mystery Stone 2018” and see what you think. It may make you wonder. The mystery stone, which I photographed, is said to display the Ten Commandments, etched into a rock in Paleo Hebrew, a language not used since maybe 500 B.C. The painstaking amount of work that must’ve gone into the engraving is impressive. Atop the mountain is another stone etching, a zodiac map said to depict the sky as it would have appeared on Hidden Mountain during an eclipse on Sept. 15, 107 B.C. If these are a hoax, someone absurdly patient went to a lot of work in an obscure, hard-to-find place. The Puerco River looks dry now. But, I must say, photographing it from Route 66, I noted a very wide expanse of vegetation, indicating it once may have been substantial. Ole Hanson, can your San Clemente vision of 1925 match a tall tale like this? 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

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A letter in the Nov. 29-Dec. 5 edition of the San Clemente Times described some of the things that can be done to reduce carbon emissions. Another important action is to write to your congressional representative (for most readers, Mike Levin) for the 116th session, expressing your support for H.R. 7173—the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2018. This act has bipartisan support for “nudging” the economy toward zero-carbon emissions. It does this by applying a fee on carbonbased fuels at the source. This fee is then distributed in an equitable manner as a dividend to Americans to spend as they wish. The fee will start at $15 per metric ton of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2019, progressively increasing to $100 per metric ton in 2030. Overall, the fee and dividend are revenue-neutral. The report published by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in October states that climate change poses an existential threat to human civilization as we know it, with the potential for catastrophic climate changes, unless action is taken now. Having the largest economy of any nation, the United States has the responsibility to lead this effort. Unless we lead, other nations are unlikely to follow. It’s time to step forward.

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, Dec. 14 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

SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

At the Movies: ‘Roma’ Soon to be a Foreign Film Favorite

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 | 13 ART + WINE 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Art + Wine workshops take place the second Monday and Thursday of each month. Contemporary crafts to painting and printmaking. All materials included. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage. Cost is $45. Small Space, 201, Calle de Los Molinos, San Clemente. 310.428.5324. www.smallspaceart.com.

Friday | 14

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

EDITOR’S PICK

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Photo: File

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14: EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD (AND THEN SOME) Instead of performing Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told, plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, as well as every carol ever sung. Family-friendly for all ages. Tickets are $20. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo. 949.492.0465. www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

DANA POINT HARBOR BOAT PARADE 7:30 p.m. Check out the dazzling lights on the dozens of boats at the Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade. Festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. They light up the evening with their amazing boats as they parade throughout the Harbor. The event also takes place Dec. 15. Dana Point Harbor. www.danapointharbor.com.

YOGA ON TAP SERIES 11 a.m.-Noon. Get to know your fellow yogis and beer drinkers at Yoga on Tap. $10 for an hour of yoga and a pint of beer. Left Coast Brewing Co., 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.2699. www.leftcoastbrewing.com.

Saturday | 15

Monday | 17

GINGERBREAD HOUSE-MAKING 10-11 a.m. Bring the kids to Casa Romantica as they build a gingerbread house to create the holiday spirit. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949. www.casaromantica.org.

FREE GUITAR LESSONS 5-6 p.m. Free beginner-level acoustic guitar lessons for middle-school to collegeage 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.

LIVE MUSIC: EASY WIND 9 p.m. Easy Wind will perform live. The band covers classic “Grateful Dead” songs from the 1970s. OC Tavern, 2369 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.542.8877. www.octavern.com.

Sunday | 16 FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along the north side of Avenida Del Mar. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org. San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

for a community service project. San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar. 949.492.3493. www.ocpl.org.

BINGO AT GOODY’S 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 | 18 NEEDLEWORK CIRCLE 12:30-2:30 p.m. Join the Needlework Circle on Tuesdays as they knit and crochet

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.

Wednesday | 19 LIVE MUSIC AT IVA LEE’S 7 p.m. Join Iva Lee’s for live music every Wednesday through Sunday. For the ultimate live music experience, be sure to reserve a lounge table on Fridays and Saturdays. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. Check their website for the latest performances, www.ivalees.com. FREE COMEDY AT BLOOMS IRISH SPORTS BAR 8:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Blooms Irish Sports Bar with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120.

Page 10

t’s hard to believe that after making history as the first Mexican to win an Oscar for Best Director with Gravity (2013), Alfonso Cuarón returned to Mexico to produce a film for the first time since Y Tu Mamá También (2001). After the mega success of Gravity, Cuarón was torn between making another effectsheavy, sci-fi epic or a smaller-scale, family drama. Fortunately for us, Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux convinced him to go with the drama. As one of the rare films distributed by Netflix to hit theaters, Roma is a top contender as the best foreign film of 2018. In the middle of Mexico City in the district of Colonia Roma, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) and Adela (Nancy García) are two lower-class, young women working as fulltime maids and nannies for the family of Sofia (Marina de Tavira) and Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) in 1970-71. Antonio takes business trips regularly as a biochemist, and Cleo is almost like a second mother to the couple’s four kids. Throughout the film, Cleo and Sofia also have similar issues with the men in their lives. Cuarón’s Roma is largely based on the filmmaker’s own childhood and memories of his own family’s housekeeper. Because he wanted it to be so personal and intimate, the whole film is shot in black and white, has no musical score and features only first-time actors (except for de Tavira). The latter is a huge surprise because all the performances come off so natural and genuine. Cuarón also used very few close-ups while emphasizing the primary uses of panning, wide shots and establishing shots that make the feature more authentic. SC

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SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

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

10 Days of Wonderment

ver the past few issues, I’ve shared with you details of an 82-day cruise through Asia that my partner, Greta, and I are on. One of the trip’s highlights was visiting four cities in Australia. Over a 10-day period, the ship traveled from Darwin, on the northern coast, to Cairns, Mooloolaba and Sydney on the eastern coast. Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is in the tropical part of Australia, often referred to by locals as the “top end” of the country. This city of 120,000 people has been rebuilt four times. During World War II, it was bombed 65 times. Plus, Darwin endured cyclones in 1897, 1937 and 1974. The latter, Cyclone Tracy, inflicted massive damage to the city. Our ship was in port for only nine hours, so Greta and I—as we’ve often done on this cruise—boarded a double-decker, “hop on, hop off” bus for a city tour. There was no guide on the bus, but a recorded commentary explained the sites. We heard, “As you can see, our beaches are beautiful. But do not swim in the ocean or the harbor during the rainy season. We have the most dangerous reptiles in Northern Australia here: jumping saltwater crocodiles up to 13 feet long live in our waters, and the deadly box jellyfish is also here. Stings last between six and 12 hours and can be fatal. So, stay out of the water, mate.” Darwin is growing. High-rise apartment buildings are popping up around the city because of dwindling available land. City

officials want to keep the gardens and beautiful green-belt areas in place. It’s a great city that has bounced back from unimaginable adversity. Cairns (pronounced “Cans”), our second port in Australia, is the closest major city to the Great Barrier Reef. Some passengers took the 90-minute boat ride there ON LIFE AND to snorkel. Greta and I LOVE AFTER 50 opted to walk to a wildlife By Tom Blake rainforest enclosure that is perched on top of the nearby casino. There, we were photographed holding a 6-year-old Koala named “Nellie.” For lunch, we enjoyed an Australian meat pie. Capping off our visit was a twohour stop at the Cairns Museum and an adult beverage at Hemingway’s Brewery, which was adjacent to where the ship was docked. Mooloolaba was the first “tender” port of the cruise. Passengers go ashore and back on the ship’s covered lifeboats, which hold 60 people each. Within yards of the pier, there is an underground aquarium that features sharks, sting rays, groupers and a plethora of small tropical fish, co-existing together. The air in Mooloolaba was the cleanest we’ve ever seen. Immaculate city, beaches and waterfront. Of course, being in a city on the ocean, we had to taste the local fish and chips. Plenty of places to do that in Mooloolaba,

Tom Blake, left, and his partner, Greta, hold “Nellie,” a 6-year-old koala, in this photo taken on Nov. 22 in Cairns, Australia. Photo: Courtesy of Tom Blake

next to the white, sandy beach. Our fourth Australian port was Sydney, with a population of 4.5 million. During the sail in, the ship passed the Opera House and under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with about 25 feet of clearance. A shuttle bus from White Bay, where the ship docked, dropped us at Darling Harbour on Cockle Bay, where the Aquarium is located and convenient to most Sydney tourist attractions. Greta and I rode a ferry boat to Circular Quay, where boats, trains and buses enter and leave. Ferry boats are an important

mode of transportation in Sydney, as many people live on islands around the city. We were impressed at how efficient, fast, reasonable, on time, and clean those boats are. From Dawes Point Park, we walked three miles to the famous Queen Victoria Building (QVB), which is now a high-end shopping mall. Sydney is filled with small sidewalk restaurants from every country imaginable. The choices are endless. We were surprised at the number of people who fill their lunch break by jogging or running, especially along the waterfront walkways. We had to be careful not to get run over. Many businesses encourage employee physical fitness by providing showers so employees can return to their desks, refreshed and clean. We gave Sydney our best shot by walking 15,000 steps in six hours, seeing Sydney at its finest. My favorite of these four cities? All of them. Our weather was perfect at every stop. Australia is a wonderful country. Everyone is friendly. “Thanks, mate,” and “G’day” are phrases you hear often. Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. See his websites www.findingloveafter50. com; www.vicsta.com and www.travelafter55. com. To receive Tom’s weekly online newsletter, sign up at www.findingloveafter50.com. Email: tompblake@gmail.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

Pet of the Week: Kyle

BY MYLES MELLOR

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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

San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

Last week’s solution:

ight-month-old Kyle is quite the cutie. Sometimes shy around new people, Kyle doesn’t mind bonding with people on a one-on-one basis and just loves the company of other cats. He would thrive in a quiet home with someone willing to give him all the extra attention he desires. If you would like to know more about Kyle, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. SC

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 13

See the solution in next week’s issue.

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SC 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

Locals Only BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ELECTRICAL

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

Arcadia Electric

949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

Café Calypso

Capistrano Valley Raingutters JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

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

LANDSCAPING

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!

BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com

RESTAURANTS

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty

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!

Scott Kidd, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

SALONS

Salon Bleu

207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, www.scsalonbleu.com 217 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. E, 949.361.9006, www.syrens.com

WEBSITE DESIGN 949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

949.498.0487, skidd@bhhscal.com

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD

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

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

LIST

REALTORS

“Sandy & Rich” RE/MAX Coastal Homes

949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

GARAGE SALE! MOVING AFTER 20 YEARS! SATURDAY, DEC. 15 Holiday Decor, Household items, wine refrigerators, silk potted trees, furniture, toys/games and more! 12 Avenida Reflexion, San Clemente 92673. 9am - 2pm. GARAGE SALE A proper plethora of paraphernalia for your whole pack! And even some stuff free for the hauling. Just in time to fill those stockings! Saturday, December 15, 8 a.m. 323 Calle Empalme – above the high school ESTATE SALE - DEC 14 AND 15 THIS Fri and Sat, Dec 14 and 15, 8am-3pm. Jewelry, Minks, Native American Art, Housewares, Kitchenware and So Much More! 307 Calle Dorado, SC, 92672 GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED-RDA/RDAEF We have a beautiful, modern office, a wonderful patient population, an enthusiastic team and a sincere periodontist dedication to quality care. Three to four days a week, possible leading to fulltime. Previous dental experience, a great attitude and strong work ethic are our first priority. Bilingual is a plus! Please send resume and a paragraph about yourself to: southcountyperio@aol.com. We look forward to meeting you.

LOCALS ONLY

USE LOCALS ONLY

Bill Metzger Plumbing

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

GARAGE SALES

San Clemente Website Design

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Accurate Termite and Pest Control

Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

Syrens Hair Parlor

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

PEST/TERMITE CONTROL

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San Clemente Times December 13-19 2018

Page 15

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SC LIVING

Coming Full Circle Local photographer bends reality in images BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

om Prince, on Instagram as @360prince, combines the surreal and cylindrical point of view to his artwork online. An avid hobbyist, Prince said he enjoys the various angles and perspectives he can create through 360-degree imagery. “I love capturing the difference images, and I do it all the time,” Prince said. Images taken by prince to make the 360 effect have to be stitched together, but the hardware Prince uses can do it for him with a little tweaking. The camera has two fisheye lenses, situated back-to-back, that shoot omnidirectional and splice the images together. The two cameras Prince uses are the Madventure 360 and another 360-degree camera for drone photography. Prince said he’s been doing photography since he was a child and that his brother photographs professionally. Prince

is able to bend the image and controls the framing by an app on his phone. “It’s something different and unique, and there are a lot of good photographers out there,” Prince said. “I think the one thing that inspires me are all the people who take photos and post them. I think people are really creative, the apps help people be more creative, and I think it’s just a lot of fun to create something different that maybe catches people’s eye.” Technology may deserve a lot of the credit, but it’s still essential to have a good eye to be able to create the images Prince has put together. Prince said the hobby is like photography in general; there are high-end cameras as well as affordable options in the $99 range. SC

Tom Prince, on Instagram as @360prince, uses several wide-angle images to bend reality in his psychedelic images. Photos: Courtesy of Tom Prince

SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Scoreboard

Triton Report

COMPILED BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Our City Scoreboard keeps you updated on all of the local San Clemente youth and community team accomplishments and special individual performances of the week. Email zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com for submission.

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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

Cyclones, Wolfpack, Tritonz Win Regional, City Flag Football Titles It’s been quite the run for football at all levels in the city of San Clemente, and the youth flag football teams carried that success into their own postseason tournaments. First, the Tritonz 11-U team won the city’s Friday Night Lights Division B championship on Nov. 30. It was the fifth straight Friday Night Lights championship for this group of kids coached by Nick Stever and Rob Macinder. The Tritonz were dominant through the season with a 7-0 record. Over the five years of Friday Night Lights competition, the Tritonz have lost only two games and allowed only six offensive touchdowns. The Tritonz and the Cyclones (4-3), who the Tritonz played for the Friday Night Lights title, both advanced to the Southern California Flag Football Regionals at Vista Hermosa Sports Park on Dec. 8-9. At Regionals, it was a different story for the Tritonz and Cyclones. The Cyclones and Tritonz met up for the SoCal title, and this time it was the Cy-

Catsimanes Runs at Foot Locker Nationals

San Clemente Cyclones celebrate their Southern California Regional Division B championship at the Vista Hermosa Sports Park on Dec. 9. Photo Courtesy

clones that came away victorious with the Regional Division B championship. San Clemente added another championship with the third- and fourth-grade team in Division C. The Wolfpack emerged as one of San Clemente’s best with the Friday Night Lights Division C title. Like the Tritonz, the Wolfpack was also undefeated in Friday Night Lights play at 7-0. The Wolfpack traveled to Pasadena for

San Clemente Wolfpack celebrate their Southern California Regional Division C championship in Pasadena on Dec. 9. Photo: Courtesy

San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

the Southern California Regionals and kept their roll going. The Wolfpack shut out Oxnard, 34-0, and edged out a win over Blythe, 18-12. In the semifinals, the Wolfpack posted a solid 20-6 win over Porterville. In the Division C final, the Wolfpack knocked out host Pasadena, 34-20, to take the Southern California title.

SCHS Rugby Club Opens Season Strong The San Clemente High School Triton Rugby Club got things started right in its newly formed division. San Clemente went up to Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach and recorded big wins on the varsity (46-10) and junior varsity (54-10) levels. It was the first match for the Tritons in the new Southern California Interscholastic Rugby Federation. The SCIRF is a CIFlevel league formed with the best teams in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties with San Clemente as the lone Orange County representative. Last season, the Tritons played in a San Diego County division as the program looked for higher competition and the sport looks for CIF status. The SCHS program is continuing to grow with a full roster of 50 players in the program and a JV SoCal championship last season. The Tritons play at La Costa Canyon on Saturday, Dec. 15 and host St. John Bosco on Dec. 21. SC

Page 17

San Clemente junior Hana Catsimanes pushed her season as far as it could go, but the long season might have finally caught up to her at the Foot Locker Nationals on Dec. 8 at Balboa Park in San Diego. Catsimanes ran a time of 19:43 to finish in 38th in the 5,000-meter race. Catsimanes finished in seventh at the Foot Locker West Regional last weekend with a time of 18:20 at the famous Mt. San Antonio College course. Catsimanes ran a time of 18:01 on the course in October. The extra races were the cap to a stellar season for the junior. Catsimanes won the Sea View League title, picked up a third-place finish at the Dana Hills Invitational and finished in seventh at the CIF-SS Finals. Catsimanes ran to 16th-place at the State Championships.

Holiday Schedules Boys basketball (4-5) looks to find its footing as the Gary Raya Classic continues this weekend at Woodbridge. The Tritons play Cypress in the North/ South Challenge at Tesoro on Dec. 21 and in the Tustin Classic over the break. Girls basketball (7-4) won its opener at the Artesia Winter Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 11 and will continue on through the weekend. The Tritons compete in a loaded SoCal Holiday Prep Classic on Dec. 27 in San Diego. Boys soccer (3-1-2) has gotten off to a strong start and only plays Huntington Beach at home on Dec. 14 before the new year. The Tritons host Dana Hills on Jan. 3. Girls soccer (2-2-1) has started upand-down, but the Tritons look to make their mark at the Mater Dei Invitational beginning on Dec. 13 against Foothill. San Clemente is then off until league play on Jan. 10 at Aliso Niguel. SC

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SC San Clemente

SC SURF

SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

America’s First World Junior Champion San Clemente’s Kirra Pinkerton makes statement at WSL World Junior Championships BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

t’s been a breakout year for 16-year-old San Clemente surfer Kirra Pinkerton, who just capped off her dream run by winning the WSL Junior World Championship. It’s the first time a surfer representing the United States has won the title. “This hasn’t really sunk in yet, so I don’t even know if this is real,” said an elated Pinkerton after her big win. Contested at Jinzun Harbor in Taiwan, the Taiwan Open World Junior Championships was an international affair. Featuring the best surfers under the age of 18 from around the world, it’s an all-out battle to determine the future stars of the sport. In the final, Pinkerton faced off against Hawaii’s Keala Tomoda-Bannert (in surfing, Hawaii is recognized as its own nation out of respect for the origins of the sport). Held in fun 2- to 4-foot surf, the 35-minute final was hardly a cakewalk for Pinkerton. With less than two minutes left on the clock, she found herself trailing in second place needing a big score to take the lead. She dug deep and made some magic. “My goal when I came to this event was to win it, so I’m pretty proud that I got here. It’s been a really intense day today as there

were so many close heats. I didn’t think I’d make it,” Pinkerton said. “I’ve had such an amazing time here in Taiwan; it’s a beautiful coastline, and the waves have been so fun, really similar to my home around San Clemente, so it really suited me.” It’s been an incredible year for Pinkerton. She won two WSL North America Junior Qualifying Series contests over the course of the season, which propelled her to the North American title and secured her spot in the world championship. Her win at Jinzun Harbor is by far the biggest moment of her rapidly accelerating career. “This has been an amazing year with some good results and plenty of experiences on the JQS and QS around the world. This is definitely the highlight of my career. To be a WSL World Champion feels amazing,” Pinkerton said. In the semifinals, Pinkerton faced off against good friend and fellow San Clemente ripper Samantha Sibley. Between the two of them, the future of women’s surfing is shining very brightly at the southern end of Orange County. Sibley also finished second to Pinkerton in the year-end North America Junior Qualifying Series ratings and had a win of her own at the RVCA Pro Junior earlier in the season. On the men’s side of the Taiwan Open World Junior Championships, both Crosby Colapinto and Cole Houshmand looked solid in the early rounds of the contest but found themselves edged out in Round 3. American Eithan Osborne from Ventura finished second in the contest behind eventual champ Mateus Herdy from Brazil. The only thing left on the WSL’s competitive calendar for 2018 is the Pipeline Masters on the North Shore of Oahu. San Clemente locals Griffin Colapinto, Kolohe Andino and Patrick Gudauskas will all be surfing in the contest, which stands as one of the most venerated and distinguished events in the history of the sport. SC

Ian Grotton soaring in local waters. Photo: Courtesy of the Grotton Family

Salt Creek Soul A quick dive into the Dana Point surf scene BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

he next crew of Dana Point standouts are rapidly on the rise. From the high school ranks to the surf club scene, there’s a new crew coming up that is making some noise and, in the classic tradition of Salt Creek, keeping surfing interesting. “These new young guns coming up are low-key, but have some amazing talent,” said Dana Point Boardriders Club president Eric Diamond. One such surfer is Dana Hills High School’s Ian Gottron, who recently bagged two big wins in the shortboard and

longboard divisions at the South Coast Individual Surfing Championship. “They are picking up on the influence of older guys like Tyler Warren,” Diamond said. “They’re the guys shaping their own sticks, making fins and stuff… just like Ian is starting to do. It’s a lot broader than just going on tour. There are some of the most incredible log riding going down from the under 20s at Doho right now, and it’s wonderful to see, very soulful.” As for who is keeping Grotton inspired, he’s got his eyes trained on the local crew. “I look up to our really good family friend John O'Connor, my shaper Donny Brink, Kolton Sullivan, Patrick O’Connor, Noah Albrect and Tyler Warren,” Grotton said. “They are all super cool people who rip.” “When I see their whole crew riding modern shortboards at Creek, or fishes at San Onofre, or logs at Doheny, it’s a reminder that there’s a whole renaissance of stoke for all craft coming out of Dana Point right now,” Diamond said. SC

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

TAJ LINDBLAD

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

aking things happen on the front lines of the junior surf scene, Taj Lindblad has been doing some serious work over the last few weeks. Roaring into the holidays, Lindblad just won USA Surfing’s Got Milk? West Coast Prime Series contest. Held at Salt Creek last weekend, it was the fourth of nine stops in the event series. Taking out the highly competitive under 16 division in challenging winter conditions at Salt Creek, Lindblad’s performance is especially notable, as the contest was one

San Clemente Times December 13-19, 2018

of the bigger ones on the local calendar this time of year. Featuring more than 100 surfers from up and down the West Coast, the Lowers regular was able to hold on for the win in a hard-fought final, eventually edging out Encinitas’s Levi Slawson. At the end of November, the roles were reversed at the Rip Curl GromSearch National finals in Ventura, where Slawson got the edge on Lindblad. The San Clemente local still managed to put a very respectable third-place finish on the board in an event that saw surfers from all over the East and West Coasts, Costa Rica, Panama, California and Hawaii. The next USA Surfing Prime Junior contest will be at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz on Jan. 13-14, 2019. SC

Water Temperature: 60-65 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 10-15’ Thursday: Overlapping northwest swells with small south-southwest swell. Surf is knee-waist high (2-3’) with some larger sets for best spots at times. Calm to light offshore winds in the morning, becoming light onshore in the afternoon. Outlook: Modest to fun size blend of northwest and southwest swells running this weekend for waist to chest high (3-4’) surf along with some larger sets around shoulder high at standouts on the right tides. Favorable morning winds. Larger shot of northwest swell expected early next week but winds could be problematic. Be sure to check Surfline.com for all the details and that longer range outlook.

Taj Lindblad. Photo: Courtesy of Sean Evans/ISA

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