LO C A L
N EWS
March 14-20, 2019
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Mayor Swartz Blasts TCA on Radio Show after LAT Article PAGE 3 VOLUME 14, ISSUE 11
Contest Heats Up
14th annual Mixologist Competition comes to H.H. Cotton’s E Y E O N S C / PAG E 5
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Bartenders perform as they mix drinks at last year’s Mixologist Competition. This year’s event takes place on Thursday, March 21, at H.H. Cotton’s. Photo: File/Eric Heinz
Chief Lt. Peters to Captain North Patrol; New Chief to be Selected EYE ON SC/PAGE 3
Fourth-Grade NJB Team Advances to Nationals SPORTS/PAGE 12
San Clemente Child Seeking Surgery Keeps Spirits High SC LIVING/PAGE 12
GO TO SANCLEMENTETIMES.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS
SC EYE ON SC San Clemente
LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING Chief of Police Mike Peters to Leave by Week’s End after Receiving Promotion
What’s Up With...
THE LATEST: Lt. Mike Peters, chief of San Clemente Police, will end his tenure at the helm on Friday, March 15, after leading the city’s law enforcement for two years. Peters was recently promoted to Captain, which will take effect once he leads the North County division.
Five things San Clemente should know this week Mayor Swartz, Radio Hosts Blast TCA after LA Times Article on Toll Roads Consultant Costs, Payments THE LATEST: An explosive article that was published in the Los Angeles Times on Monday, March 11, regarding Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) cost of consultant fees and payments got the attention of San Clemente’s highest elected official, who addressed the matter on the John and Ken Show on KFI 640 AM on Tuesday. San Clemente sued the TCA over public records requests that it believed were not fulfilled back in June, and according to the Times report that reviewed the financial documents, some consultants were paid about $185 per hour to read “emails from transportation stories (and) evaluate reporter perspectives.” The Times reported “more than 1,300 hours” were billed for that reading at a total cost of “nearly $230,000,” according to the invoices. In addition, sometimes the work was double-billed. Officials with Venture Strategic, the main public relations firm contracted by the TCA, stated in the article that much of the additional costs were related to outreach to combat what it claims was “misinformation” from the San Clemente base. The city has been battling against the TCA for years, this time to stop roads that could go right through the city’s residential areas. “There are very few fans of the TCA down in San Clemente, let me tell you that,” San Clemente Mayor Steve Swartz told the radio hosts on March 12. “Basically, for 30 years almost, they’ve been talking (about) the need to connect the 241 to the 5…and San Clemente has grown over the last decades.” Swartz was the San Clemente representative on the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency portion of the board in 2018. “I sat on the board for a year and left in disgust, but the board doesn’t see anything. There are special committees that make all the decisions,” Swartz said. “How do you like this statistic? They were $2.6 billion in debt 10 years ago, when they were supposed to start paying down the debt; now (the debt) is up to $6.4 billion.” John and Ken didn’t hold back their own San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
WHAT’S NEXT: An extended version of this article is available on sanclementetimes.com. —EH Mayor Steve Swartz, pictured here in December at a Community Engagement Panel Meeting in Oceanside, blasted the Transportation Corridor Agencies over an article in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday on the John and Ken Radio Show on KFI 640 AM. Photo: File/Eric Heinz
feelings of irritability with the TCA, calling the expenses “idiotic” and “absurd.” “A lot of us didn’t know. We got frustrated,” Swartz said in regard to the consultant payments. “We don’t need the (toll) road…nothing tells us that. We spent money ourselves (on studies that show) that we don’t need it and that we have arterials.” The Times reported that a document showed $380,000 was spent to maintain content for two websites and social-media platforms. The article also shows possible conflicts of interest as consultants related to Venture Strategic operators were paid for 28 hours of double-billed work in one day. A representative of Venture Strategic, who spoke on background, as the person was not authorized to speak on the record on March 12, said an audit that was compiled by an independent firm showed that the TCA had a 99.9 percent accuracy rate and that some stats from the Times article were cherry-picked. The spokesperson said that the way in which San Clemente has conducted its own PR campaign could be a violation of Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC), as campaign forms were not filed for what Venture Strategic sees as campaign content. The source also pointed to the firm the city of San Clemente hired for public relations against the TCA—Englander, Knabe & Allen—as lashing back at the agency after the board did not hire it and instead opted for Venture Strategic, saying that the effort hindered much-needed traffic alleviation in the area. On Tuesday, Rep. Mike Levin, D-49, wrote a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for oversight and examination of the operations of the TCA. “TCA’s actions appear to be a betrayal of the public trust,” Levin stated in the letter. “I urge you to ensure that appropriate ethical and transparency measures are in place
for Joint Powers Authorities authorized by the State of California such as TCA.” Levin’s letter did not specify beyond that as to what enforcement or oversight should be exercised, but it was clear that the freshman Congressman wanted to put a stop to the reported actions. WHAT’S NEXT: The next TCA joint board meeting is at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 14, at the agency headquarters, 125 Pacifica in Irvine. —Eric Heinz
Community Choice Energy Meeting Looks to Establish JPA for Power in South OC
City Mulls Finanaces as Budget Process Begins THE LATEST: As the city heads into this year’s budget cycle, the first step was taken in the process on Monday, March 11, during the Long Term Financial Plan Hearing. The city has been seeing consistent trends in its property tax and sales-tax revenue and has touted its AAA bond rating, but as deferred maintenance costs continue to plague its capital improvements budget and with possible looming downtrends, a shoring of funds may come in the near future. Assistant City Manager Erik Sund, who led the meeting, said that the city is continuing to prioritize the projects on a need-to-fix basis. Pensions and public safety contracts have also been a point of contention as far as the city’s coffers. More than 46 percent of the city’s operating budget goes toward public safety.
THE LATEST: Members of the South Orange County Community Choice Alliance, along with Surfrider Foundation, hosted an informational meeting about community choice energy (CCE) on Thursday, March 7, at the Dana Point Tennis Club. The movement has gained momentum in the past few years throughout the state of California, which is to provide options to residents about which energy sources they use. The goal of CCE programs is to create joint powers that would negotiate prices and purchase or create renewable energy from a portfolio of sources and transfer that energy to existing infrastructure, which in South Orange County’s case is through SDG&E’s transmission lines. With the state of California’s goal to be 100 percent renewable by 2040, more than 18 of the state’s counties have set up or are exploring plans to establish such utility means.
WHAT’S NEXT: Another meeting on city finances will take place May 22, with the city’s budget adoption scheduled for June 4. The full meeting from March 11 can be seen on the city’s YouTube page. —EH
WHAT’S NEXT: Technical studies can take at least a year before communities start implementing procedural plans. A full story on CCE will be in The Green Issue from Picket Fence Media on April 11. —EH
WHAT’S NEXT: The project will now be subject to a review by the California Coastal Commission at a date to be determined. More information will be provided on this project in future coverage. —Staff
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4-Story Senior Living Complex Approved by Planning Commission THE LATEST: Greystar GP II, LLC, was approved by the San Clemente Planning Commission on March 6 to begin the demolition of the Shorecliffs Golf Club clubhouse, which will take out the driving range and construct a 150-unit senior apartment complex. The company will also construct a new 5,794-square-foot clubhouse, with a cart storage area, to serve the golf course.
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EYE ON SC
NEWS BITES
Community Meetings
COMPILED BY STAFF
Pier Bowl Draft Plan Update Available for Public Comment The city of San Clemente has issued a draft update of the Pier Bowl Specific Plan for a 28day public review and comment period before public hearings are held on the project. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to consider the draft-specific plan at a public hearing on April 17, and a City Council hearing is planned for May or June. The draftspecific plan is available on the city website at san-clemente.org under About Us, City News and Specific Plan Updates. The three objectives of the update are to change land uses and development standards to be consistent with updates to the city’s General Plan and Coastal Land Use Plan (LUP); to improve the plan’s organization, format, and maps; and to update the plan to reflect current conditions of the area. Public comments on the specific plan may be emailed to Christopher Wright, Associate Planner II, at wrightc@san-clemente.org or by mail to the Planning Services Division, Attn: Christopher Wright, 910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100, San Clemente, CA, 92673. Public comments are due to the city by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 8.
Memory Care Class Dr. Jane Mahakian, a local gerontologist specializing in “the realm of forgetfulness,” returns to Christ Lutheran Church to offer “Brain Booster Classes.” The classes are free to the public, with Dr. Mahakian offering games, conversation, puzzles and other memory aids and tips to keep people active and alert into their later years. Dr. Mahakian has worked for more than 30 years in gerontology, specializing in helping adults and their families with cognitive impairment, which is caused primarily by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Dr. Mahakian offers a variety of tools to keep people mentally fit, including social activities, diet suggestions and physical and mental exercises. The next class is 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, at Christ Lutheran Church, 35522 Camino Capistrano in San Clemente. Lunch is provided. RSVP at 949.496.2621 or at secretary@clcsanclemente.org.
Woman’s Club Scholarships The San Clemente Woman’s Club continues to offer scholarships to graduating seniors of San Clemente High School who excel academically, are altruistic leaders, San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
SAN CLEMENTE ROTARY 5:30-7:30 p.m. The San Clemente Rotary Club will host its regularly scheduled meeting. Fratello’s Italian Kitchen + Bar, 647 Camino De Los Mares, suite 126, San Clemente. SATURDAY, MARCH 16
CHALLENGING CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 10-11:30 a.m. A group meeting for survivors, patients and family members affected by cancer. Heritage Christian Fellowship, 190 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente. 949.361.1022. heritagesc.org. Home is West, a band that was started in San Clemente in 2013, will release its first album, “The Moment,” on April 6 at a celebration at Knuckleheads Sports Bar & Grill. Photo: Courtesy of Home is West
and inspire others. This year, the club is offering six scholarships in the amount of $1,500 to each recipient who meets the requirements. Those who are eligible must be currently enrolled at San Clemente High School, have a San Clemente residence, anticipate receiving their high school diploma at the time application is submitted and have a minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of their junior year. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 29. Applications can be obtained on the San Clemente High School website or at sanclementewomansclub.org.
Local Band to Debut New Album
Home is West is a heartfelt three-piece, indie-alt rock band with a big sound from San Clemente. The band signed a record deal with Mint 400 Records and teamed up with engineer/producer Geoff Neal and will release its first full-length album, The Moment, on April 5. Home is West was born in San Clemente in 2013. They began playing shows at local venues in San Clemente and surrounding areas shortly thereafter. In 2016, KXRM 93.5 FM of Laguna Niguel aired Home is West’s song, “Leaving Again,” which gained more traction for the band. Home is West has opened for national acts such as Fastball, Sponge and Gene Loves Jezebel, and has been repeatedly invited to play at venues such as Whiskey a Go Go, The Doll Hut, Molly Malone’s and The Mint. The band’s 2018 song release, “Waiting,” received FM radio attention and ultimately caught the attention of Mint 400 Records, which signed the band in 2018 to
an album deal. Home is West was recently featured in a Greek music news article entitled “An Extensive Trove of Hidden Treasures.” On April 5, Home is West will do a live, on-air interview and an intimate acoustic set on KX 93.5 FM. On April 6, they will perform live for their album-release party at band members’ favorite local bar, Knuckleheads, in San Clemente.
Community Automotive Education Class Advanced Automotive Services, Inc., has started a monthly community program intended to educate young or soon-to-be drivers on basic car care and maintenance. The program will take place 7-8:30 p.m. every fourth Wednesday of the month at the shop location. Some of the topics that will be covered include checking tire pressure and how to change a tire, how to jumpstart a dead battery, what fluids to check and how to check them, the dos and don’ts should you get into an accident and more. The business has partners that plan to assist with the last topic, such as 1LAW and Prestige Auto Collision South. Advanced Automotive Services, Inc., is located at 2310 S El Camino Real and can be reached by calling 949.369.6421 or online at advancedautoandtireservice.com.
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Submissions are due by 10 a.m. the Monday of the week you’d like published. Email eheinz@picketfencemedia.com.
TUESDAY, MARCH 19
SUNRISE ROTARY 7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Club Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega. scsunriserotary.com. 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. bilysc.org. CITY COUNCIL 6 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will conduct its regularly scheduled meeting. 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. san-clemente.org. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20
PLANNING COMMISSION 6 p.m. The San Clemente Planning Commission will conduct its regularly scheduled meeting. 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. san-clemente.org. THURSDAY, MARCH 21
SC EXCHANGE CLUB MEETING Noon. San Clemente Exchange Club meets on the third and fourth Thursdays of the month at Talega Golf Club. 990 Avenida Talega. 949.412.6301. exchangeclubsc.org.
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EYE ON SC
Competition Heats Up San Clemente’s 14th annual Mixologist Competition comes to H.H. Cotton’s BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
E
ach ingredient has to be carefully placed in each glass, and to do it with flair and poise distinguishes the best mixologists in San Clemente from the rest. The San Clemente Chamber of Commerce will host its 14th Annual “San Clemente Mixologist Competition, a contest among area restaurant bartenders to see who has the best-tasting original drink,” according to the Chamber. The master of ceremonies will be Chamber ambassador Ben Medina. Bartenders concoct their favorite “homemade” drink, which will be judged by a select group of local dignitaries, at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, at H.H. Cotton’s American Bar & Grill, located at 201 Avenida Del Mar. The winner’s specialty drink will then be adopted by participating restaurants as the official San Clemente drink. The esteemed judges for the contest
H.H. Cotton’s winning frozen floral drink from 2017. This year’s Mixologist Competition, hosted by the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce, will take place at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, at H.H. Cotton’s. Photo: File/Eric Heinz
include Adabel Medina of CR&R Environmental Services, Nicky See of the Outlets at San Clemente, Jessica Conrad of Conrad Realtors, Inc., and Lt. David A. Lucas and Staff Sgt. David M. Reed of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. Chamber members are invited to attend and watch the bartenders as they mix their specialty drink and then present their beverage for judging. Ticket price for members to attend is $25 per person and $35 per person for prospective members. Lynn Wood, executive director of the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce,
said this will be the largest field of contestants in the competition’s history, with 15 restaurants and bars entered. As of Thursday, the following businesses were signed up to compete: Antoine’s Café; Beachfire Bar & Grill; Big Helyn’s South Side Saloon; Café Mimosa; Fig@313; H.H. Cotton’s; The Local; OC Tavern; Ole’s Tavern; Pierside Kitchen + Bar; Red Fox Lounge; Rockwell’s Bakery, Cafe & Bar; San Clemente Elks Lodge #2068; The Shwack Cantina; and Taka-O Japanese Restaurant. “It’s a really special event and really fun
to watch,” Wood said. “It’s great for the restaurants, and at this event they’re all able to congregate. It’s just a lot of camaraderie between the restaurants.” Erin Blake, a manager at H.H. Cotton’s, said the bar will be able to facilitate two wells at once to keep the drinks flowing and the competition going. This is the first year the restaurant has hosted the competition. “We’re bringing in the Epic roaming photographer, and our chef has prepared an amazing array of food for the event,” Blake said. “We are a fun bar, and we are able to hold a lot of people here, and we are eager to win it again,” as H.H. Cotton’s did in 2017 with a frozen floral drink. Blake said she wants to make sure the competition stays organized and has planned out a strategy to make it more efficient. Hors d’oeuvres and a sampling of the presented libations will be available with purchase of an entry ticket. Due to space limitations, the Chamber will sell about 30 tickets, but they were still on sale as of Tuesday, March 12. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To purchase, call 949.492.1131 or come by the Chamber office at 1231 Puerta Del Sol. Tickets will not be sold at the door. The event runs from 3-5 p.m. Restaurant participation was open to member restaurants only, as another opportunity for the Chamber’s members to market their businesses, according to a Chamber press release. SC
SC SOAPBOX San Clemente
VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS GUEST OPINION: The View from the Pier by Herman Sillas
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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. 14, Issue 11. The SC Times (sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (danapointtimes. com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (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 2019. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
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San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
Steel-Trap Minds Open Like Vaults at Retired Living Facility
W
hen you get older, life changes. I think back to my first years in San Clemente, when I was introduced to its Pier. I enjoyed my early walks out there when the sun had not yet risen. I was alone in searching for the right place to fish. As other fishermen arrived, they picked their places. We eventually shared notes on what might work as bait. Eventually, the owner of the shack at the end of the Pier came. They made coffee for the walkers who came and shared stories about yesterday. These folks lasted a couple of hours and then headed back to shore. I enjoyed their tales. Fishermen on the Pier became attractions for the walkers and runners on the boardwalk as they ventured to the end. There were always kids walking on the Pier marveling over the ocean below them. If I was out there pondering a problem from my law practice, by the time I got back to the shore, it had been resolved, in my mind. Today, my world has THE VIEW changed. Cora and I are FROM THE PIER By Herman Sillas living in a place that is reserved for old folks. Everywhere we go, we are met by them. The women outnumber the men 20 to 1. Each person, or man and wife, are living in an apartment and receive three meals a day in the dining area. The food is good and healthy. But what is impressive are the employees. They treat the dwellers as if they were their own parents. It is a great thing to see how the residents are treated and cared for by the employees. The days are filled with all kinds of activities for the residents, ranging from exercises, games, speakers, bands, art, movies, walking and volleyball played by players sitting down. But the residents are the real attraction of the place. See, I’m talking about the people there. They have lived in this world for 60 years or more. A couple people there are more than 100; imagine what they have seen in their lifetime! If you can get them to talk, they have stories that make you cry and laugh. The beautiful thing is that they remember these stories as if they happened yesterday. I interviewed a Japanese woman who was pulled out of her home
at the start of World War II, after the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Shortly thereafter, Japanese-Americans were taken from their homes by the Army and placed in camps for the rest of the war. She lived there during the war and was released after the war ended. Eventually, the American government agreed to pay $20,000 to each JapaneseAmerican who had to live in those areas. This lady got hers, but she let me know her mother didn’t get anything because she had died. You had to be alive to get the money. The war had affected a lot of the people at this resting house. They lost sons, brothers, fathers, and that impacted families. But the folks I talked to continue to live their lives. What great stories these folks have. They met the challenges with which they were faced. They didn’t quit. They faced the challenges and overcame them. Now they are in places like this and meet each other every day for meals and events that they enjoy. They have feelings for everyone they meet, because they know that life has had an impact on them, but they are still here. They are still alive and living. They can laugh when they think of their life, because they are still alive. You have to love that courage, and I admire it. I have been authorized by management to interview the persons at this location. The habitants have agreed for me to interview them and tell their stories. It is going to be a ball. That’s the view from the Pier. Herman Sillas is an author and has been a DMV Director and a former U. S. 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
Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, March 15 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.
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Letters to The Editor MCCAIN WOULD DEFEND LOOKING INTO RUSSIAN INTERESTS RICHARD GREEN, San Clemente
I just finished reading the response letter to the “Wavelengths” column published in the Feb. 21-27 edition. Like him, I, too, wish Sen. John McCain were here to help us out of this mess. As a former member of the Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Homeland Security committees, Sen. McCain possessed some insight regarding our current president and those who disparage our intelligence and law enforcement professionals. In February 2018, Sen. McCain said repeated verbal attacks on the FBI and our intel services serve the interest of Russia and not the people of the United States. Like him, I trust the integrity of those institutions. They cannot and have not moved forward without first having evidence from multiple sources that corroborate accusations. The evidence has convinced Federal judges and grand juries to indict many individuals and entities for crimes against the U.S. The letter writer need not worry about lessons our young people will learn from witnessing these events. It is not an “attempted coup.” I think because of his previous statements, Sen. McCain would approve of democracy in action in the defense of the rule of law.
SEPARATING TWO WATER PROJECTS FROM EACH OTHER WAYNE RAYFIELD, South Coast Water District director, and RICK SHINTAKU, general manager
We are responding to the letter “Reports Cast Cloud on Desalination” letter regarding desalination. Unfortunately, the author has confused the Doheny Desalination Project with the Huntington Beach Poseidon Project. These are two very different and separate projects. The following is the cost for the Doheny Desalination Plant: • Estimated construction cost: $107 million. • Estimated cost of water from project: $1,566 / AF at the start of the project in 2022. • The facility could produce up to 5 million gallons per day of potable water. • Approximately $5 to $7 per month impact to the average household. The California Department of Water Resources awarded South Coast Water District (SCWD) a Prop 1 $10 million sanclementetimes.com
SOAPBOX grant, and the United States Bureau of Reclamation short-listed the district for a grant up to $20 million. SCWD convened a Water Reliability Working Group made up of residents to look at possible options for ensuring a safe, drought-proof, high quality and locally controlled source of water. The working group concluded that the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project ranks far above all other water reliability options. A diversified water portfolio is essential to the District’s long-range plans. SCWD is also working in partnership with Santa Margarita on the San Juan Watershed Project. The San Juan Watershed Project is a multi-phase project that will enhance water reliability for our community by capturing local stormwater runoff, as well as directing recycled water into temporary storage and using it to recharge our underground aquifer. South Coast Water District is committed to conservation, water efficiency, recycled water, desalination, and stormwater capture to provide its residents with the most cost-effective, safe, droughtproof, high quality and locally controlled source of water today, tomorrow and into the future.
THERE’S MERIT IN EXAMINING CONTEMPORARY ISSUES MARGARET A. JASZLICS, San Clemente
In response to the letter in the Feb. 28-March 6 edition, Jim Kempton is not a “supposed” journalist; he is a real journalist. I don’t know him personally, but I’ve read his well-written columns for many years and look forward to many more. I agree with his Guest Opinion that Sen. John McCain represented the best of American patriotism and, in addition, provided a great model for all of us as to how best to conduct oneself in public. As one who has been around a very long time, I’d like to reassure the letter author that it is highly, highly unlikely that there will ever be a coup to oust a President of the United States of America and that he would do well to watch a variety of cable news outlets rather than just one. Also, it’s possible to disagree without becoming disagreeable.
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.
San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
CoastLines by Fred Swegles
Harrowing Stories from a Veteran Local Lifeguard
I
f you’re a beach lover, you may find that your best read of 2019 won’t have been penned by a bestselling novelist, superstar athlete or political pundit. San Clemente resident Mike Brousard, who lifeguarded for five decades, has compiled a captivating memoir that will change the way you view lifeguarding. You may be in for some surprises: morsels you may not have known about our local beaches San Onofre, San Clemente and Doheny, as well as those on up the coast. You’ll experience lifeguarding through the eyes of a trial-and-error rookie, a skilled, risk-taking boat operator, a sage supervisor, a law enforcement officer, a lifesaving hero bestowed with emotive thanks by a grateful family on the beach, a life-risking hero who on another day watches a should-begrateful family walk away without a word of thanks. You’ll experience the anguish of being unable to save a life, sometimes under impossible circumstances. Warm Winds and FolCOASTLINES lowing Seas: Reflections of By Fred Swegles a Lifeguard in Paradise tells how Brousard grew up in Long Beach and passed a grueling, cold-water test to win what he thought would be a dream job as a summer lifeguard with state parks in Huntington Beach. Instead, he found himself “banished to Siberia,” as he put it—assigned to the far less glamorous shores of San Clemente and Doheny State Beaches in his rookie season, 1970. That dubious circumstance launched a lifelong love for our area, its beach culture and the people Brousard met during a career protecting lives at San Onofre, San Clemente and Doheny, together with stints in Huntington Beach and Long Beach. You’ll learn the stark differences between lifeguard culture in Huntington Beach and San Clemente, how lifeguarding in Long Beach can mean risking your hide on land, not just in the water, and how
Mike Brousard, whose five-decade career went from rookie lifeguard in 1970 to state lifeguard chief for Doheny, San Clemente and San Onofre State Beaches, displays his book about lifeguarding. His career also included stints protecting lives in Huntington Beach and Long Beach, where he grew up. Photo: Fred Swegles
lifeguards faced scorn from surfers while trying to do their jobs when Trestles and San Onofre opened as state beaches. You’ll meet colorful characters such as iconic, eccentric Doheny lifeguard Pop Proctor and legendary Dana Point waterman Lorrin Harrison. You’ll feel the pain of harrowing cold-water rescues off treacherous Capo Reef, including a critical one involving Harrison’s outrigger canoe on a day he never should have ventured out. The book is a virtual history of California lifeguarding, beginning in 1905, when beach resorts flourished at Santa Monica, Venice, Long Beach and San Diego. As uninitiated thousands flocked to those beaches, drownings mounted. Negative publicity alarmed the moguls who owned and promoted the resorts. Brousard researched books and news archives of the period to trace how volunteer and paid lifeguard services evolved—painfully, by trial and error—and how Hawaiian wunderkind George Freeth burst upon the scene. He put on dazzling surfing exhibitions, trained lifeguards and personally performed lifesaving miracles. The descriptions are gripping. It wasn’t until 1950 that the state established its own lifeguard service, at Huntington Beach, founded by Bob Isenor, a stern, colorful character who lived in San Clemente in a house overlooking Calafia Beach. Veteran lifeguards could strike fear into rookies like Brousard, warning them that Isenor would go home for lunch, had a rescue tube handy, and if he saw a rescue developing and the tower guard wasn’t quick enough, “just don’t let him beat you to the rescue.”
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You’ll learn how Doheny and San Clemente State Beaches were donated to the state by the Doheny family and by Ole Hanson’s financier, Hamilton Cotton, in 1931, and how President Nixon opened up San Onofre and Trestles in the 1970s. You’ll relive an era of young lifeguards’ bohemian lifestyle, some living in VW buses, camping at Doheny, San Clemente or San Onofre. Veteran lifeguard Nick Sopha describes how President Nixon one day was strolling the sands at Cotton’s Point, waving to someone up on the bluff when a powerful shorebreak knocked him over. He struggled to regain his feet. “Sopha said he jumped out of the Jeep,” the book says, “and began to run down but was waved off by Secret Service agents, who came to Nixon’s aid.” Through storytelling and personal observation, Brousard describes lifeguards’ mission of keeping visitors safe, preventing tragedy on assigned stretches of water. Intense descriptions of how a boat operator must position the craft in the surf zone, so a lifeguard can leap from the stern and onto the face of a rising wave to perform a rescue seamlessly, the boat operator then throttling up, performing a dance to evade other oncoming waves in scary-big surf, can make for summer reading at its best. Fred Swegles is a longtime San Clemente resident with more than 48 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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SC GETTING OUT San Clemente
YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER
The List
EDITOR’S PICK
At the Movies: Captain Marvel Is ‘Ms.’ No More
Photo: Courtesy of Jeffrey Provance, Jr./Molly Bloom’s
Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios
SUNDAY, MARCH 17: ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9 a.m.-2 a.m. A full medley of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will take place throughout the day. “Since we bought the place three years ago, we do a big party every year,” said Molly Bloom’s owner Jeffrey Provance, Jr. Five bands will perform throughout the day; a bagpiper also will play. Corned beef and hash, soda bread and Irish stout beef stew will be available, and Irish dancers will perform. Specials on Guinness beer and other drinks will also be available. No cover charge, and the festivities are for ages 21 and up. Molly Bloom’s, 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. Instagram: @bloomsoc.
BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
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 sanclementetimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.
Thursday | 14 ECO-TOTS SERIES 10-11:30 a.m. This creative workshop will lead the next generation of tiny farmers through a series of multisensory stations. Toddlers and their parents will focus on a different eco-skill each week that encourages creative thinking, problem-solving and nature-based learning. Enjoy local, organic snacks, guidance from eco-experts. The series takes place March 14, 21, 28 and April 4. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz St., San Juan Capistrano. MAKANA: SLACK-KEY GUITARIST 8 p.m. From the island of O‘ahu, Makana is an internationally acclaimed slack-key guitarist, singer, composer, philosopher, activist, and one of Hawaii’s cultural ambassadors to the world. Tickets are $20 per person. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.
Friday | 15 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 scheduled. ivalees.com. ‘MOON OVER BUFFALO’ AT THE CABRILLO PLAYHOUSE 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. on Sunday). This madcap comedy centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s. On the brink of a disastrous split-up, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong does go wrong, abetted by a visit from their daughter’s clueless fiancé and hilarious uncertainty about which play they’re actually performing. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
San Clemente. 949.492.0465. cabrilloplayhouse.org.
Monday | 18
Saturday | 16
BINGO AT GOODY’S 7 p.m. Every Monday, Goody’s hosts a bingo night for a charity of the month. This month’s beneficiary is the San Clemente Art Association. Cards are $1 per sleeve, and raffle prizes are offered. Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. goodystavern.com.
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. southoccarsandcoffee.com. FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WELLNESS This lecture will be presented by Kelly Morris, J.D., director of the Council on Aging, Southern California’s Senior Protection and Financial Abuse Specialist Team (FAST). Admission is free and open to the general public. Snacks will be provided. Register through the San Clemente Village Event Calendar or by calling 949.441.1348. San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville. scvillage.org.
Tuesday | 19 ART GALLERY OPENING Rock Newcomb paints in acrylics, working primarily with semi-opaque colors and very thin washes of acrylics. He uses techniques that he acquired working with oils and watercolors. His work incorporates many artifacts of the Southwest. His exhibition will be on display from March 19-April 28. Gallery free with general admission ($5). Casa Romantica, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. casaromantica.org.
Sunday | 17
Wednesday | 20
FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along Avenida Del Mar. 949.361.8200. san-clemente.org.
OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS 9 p.m.-1 a.m. All levels of musicians are invited to perform at this weekly open mic. Bring your instruments, or voice, and show off your talent. 1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com. Page 8
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t’s no coincidence Captain Marvel was released on International Women’s Day, so it hurts me to say that the movie mainly just left me fatigued. The film mostly proves what every naysayer has been tossing around for years: Marvel movies are just too safe and pedestrian and don’t take any real chances. The film stars Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson from Short Term 12 (2013) and Room (2015) as the title character, who is super powerful, strong and from a galaxy far away. She also has various flashbacks of a previous battle that included her former superior, Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening). The second act has Carol “Vers” Danvers (Larson) crashing into a late-1990s-era Earth, where she discovers that she had amnesia six years earlier and is actually a human U.S. Air Force pilot. Because the 1990s are now appealing to modern middle schoolers and high schoolers, there are a lot of shoehorned-in pop culture references during the Earth scenes. It’s a little awkward, but not entirely eye roll-inducing as it could be. What is annoying in Captain Marvel is the now-normal use of “de-aging” CGI on actors to make them look like their younger selves. No matter how advanced CGI becomes, those young faces still don’t look genuine to me. Now, let me say what does work: Larson, even with as little development as she’s given, proves she’s still a memorable actress; and there is a pet cat who is adorable. Captain Marvel is called “Ms. Marvel” no more, but her first film could’ve benefited from more risks taken. Now, we wait to see if Vers/Carol/Marvel fare better this summer in Avengers: Endgame. 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
11 ‘Multiple Marriages’ Factors to Consider
I
n 25 years of writing about senior dating, there’s one topic I’ve been asked about at least 200 times, and I feel particularly qualified to address it. The topic surfaced again last week, when a single woman, age 69, emailed this question: “I’ve had three ‘failed marriages.’ Should three divorces matter to the men I meet? Might they be a deal-breaker? Turnoff? Red flag? Or, (hopefully) a non-issue? Should I disclose the number in my online dating profile?” ON LIFE AND Why do I feel qualiLOVE AFTER 50 fied to tackle that topic? By Tom Blake Because when I met my partner, Greta, 21 years ago, I’d been married three times, and so had she. My response to the woman: “There’s no automatic answer; here are 11 ‘multiple marriages’ factors to consider: 1. What is your dating goal? To marry again? Or, simply to meet a nice man friend with whom you can have a committed relationship? Your answer could determine how a potential mate might feel about your three marriages. 2. What is his dating goal? If he wants marriage, your three marriages may be a red flag to him. 3. However, if he doesn’t want marriage—
most older men don’t—and only seeks a committed relationship, your three marriages may be a non-issue with him. 4. If you meet a nice man, you’ll want to know how many marriages he’s had, how long they lasted and why they ended. You wouldn’t want to become involved with someone who has a history of terrible marriages or relationships. You need to protect yourself.
Photo: Courtesy of @Matthew_T_Rader on Unsplash
5. Or maybe he never married. If not, why didn’t he? Was he unable or unwilling to commit? 6. If a person is widowed, he or she had no control over losing that spouse. Should that loss count in the number of previous marriages tally? Of course not. (However, if the person had four or more marriages, and each spouse died under suspicious circumstances, that would be a red flag). 7. You said you’ve had three “failed marriages.” I don’t like the term “failed.” Most marriages were the right thing to do at that time. But as years pass, people change. and marriages can fade. Does that make your marriages failures? No. They just didn’t last forever, although they were likely successful for a while. 8. Often, a marriage that ends in divorce turns out to be a blessing in disguise, although at the time of the breakup, it didn’t seem that way. Hence, your three marriag-
es that ended may have been blessings. 9. Before a new relationship turns serious, the number of prior marriages isn’t as important as the disclosure of them. But, on your online dating profile, simply state, “Divorced.” Also, people who’ve remarried had the courage and were willing to take the risk and try again, which are positives. 10. Understanding what happened in your three marriages can help you build a more solid relationship the next time around. 11. There are many other factors to consider besides the number of former marriages; a potential mate’s attitude, happiness and outlook on life are significant. Most importantly, how would he treat you?” For Greta and me, having the same number of marriages was one of the things we revealed when sharing information on our first date; so for us, “multiple marriages” was something we had in common.
Sudoku
SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
M
Last week’s solution:
San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
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
Pet of the Week: Phoebe
BY MYLES MELLOR
Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium
And despite three marriages each, we’ve enjoyed the best relationship we could ever have hoped for. We live together but aren’t married. In senior dating, should the number of marriages matter? I don’t think so. But when the number reaches four, it’s time to scratch your head; five or more, well, the issue gets cloudy. Still, don’t call them “failed marriages.” Simply call them “marriages that ended.” 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 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
See the solution in next week’s issue.
Phoebe. Photo: Courtesy of the San Clemente/ Dana Point Animal Shelter
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y name is Phoebe and I am looking to win my way into the hearts of my new forever family. I ended up at the Shelter after my last owner moved and could not take me with her. I am hopeful to find a place to call my forever home. I am a 3-year-old female, spayed, shorthair kitty with beautiful blueish fur. I am very sweet and seek attention from people. I’ve also been bunking with another kitty at the shelter and we’ve been getting along great. For more information, call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617. SC sanclementetimes.com
SC LIVING
Six-year-old boy in need of surgery High school student hosts Instagram auction for child’s surgery BY ANDREA CLEMETT, FOR THE SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
K
indergartener Cru Mercuro attends Vista Del Mar Elementary, where the 6-year-old relishes swimming, learning about skeletons and playing baseball in the San Clemente Little League. Cru said he has been looking forward to kicking off the baseball season this spring. During practice, when he heads to the plate to bat, he uses his walker to support his legs to stand as he swings at the ball on the tee. He then propels himself down the baseline with his stainless steel apparatus, ready to round the diamond. Cru has a type of cerebral palsy that
Cru Mercuro, 6, uses a specialized walker to get around. He suffers from a rare form of cerebral palsy, and local residents are gathering to help raise money for his surgery. Photo: Andrea Clemett
affects his hamstrings called spastic diplegia. He was born prematurely at 26 weeks and contracted pneumonia while in intensive care, which caused a brain bleed that resulted in cerebral palsy. Over Christmas break, Cru battled a staph infection in his legs and was placed
in a hip-to-ankle cast. He frequently uses his knees for the majority of maneuvering around on his own, and the constant friction led to a flare-up of the infection. His mother, Karisa Mercuro, said Cru may feel fine during the day, but at night he struggles to sleep when he experiences intermittent waves of painful spasms. Cru’s physician advised the family that his condition will progressively become worse because his muscles will become tighter over time, resulting in more challenges to maneuver in daily activity. “Cru is the happiest kid with a great attitude in life, and that’s what makes it so sad, when you see a 6-year-old in pain,” Karisa said. “He may not be able to do all of the things with friends that he wants to do, but he’s a trooper and always finds ways to make it work.” Research led Karisa to find Dr. T.S. Park of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, who specializes in selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery. The procedure is recommended before a child reaches 8 years of age. As Cru grows, he may be unable to support himself, which could result in his needing a hip replacement or back surgery. With the hope of raising money for a surgery that can be life-changing for Cru, his mother started a GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $75,000. She also
shared Cru’s story on Instagram, catching the eye of Delaney Moody, a 15-yearold San Clemente High School student. “I spoke with Cru’s mother about my idea to start an Instagram for Cru called @crus.crusaders to raise donations. I went to high school students and asked for donations,” Moody said. “Slowly the word spread, and then people started direct-messaging me wanting to contribute and help.” Moody then began receiving donations from local businesses to create a live auction that will commence on Instagram @crus.crusaders, where bidders can comment in the post of the desired item. Bidding begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 15, and closes at noon on Saturday, March 16, where donations paid via Venmo will contribute to Cru’s surgery. Mercuro said that Cru’s condition doesn’t qualify him for subsidized disability insurance such as Medicaid. The family expressed gratitude that he does not suffer from additional ailments, such as those involving cognitive or fine motor skills; however, paying for surgery and equipment out of pocket would be very costly. “I deeply appreciate everyone who is fighting together to change Cru’s life,” Mercuro said. “He tries so hard to do everything on his own and is very positive about it.” SC
PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20196534189 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: FEIN-LINE ASSOCIATES 655 VIA FAISAN SAN CLEMENTE, CA 92673 Full Name of Registrant(s) DANIEL BAER FEINBERG RACHEAL FEINBERG 655 VIA FAISAN SAN CLEMENTE, CA 92673 This business is conducted by a married couple. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or Name listed above on: 01/01/2019 /s/DANIEL FEINBERG This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 02/06/2019 Publish: San Clemente Times February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2019 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE INVITING ELECTRONIC BIDS Street Rehab. for Via Pico Plaza (Ave. Pico to End of Via Pico Plaza) PN 13315, Ave. Pico (Calle De Los Molinos to Via Pico Plaza), PN 17329 And Ave. Navarro (Ave. Pico to Calle De Los Moli-nos), Calle De Los Molinos (Ave. Pico to Ave. Navarro) Calle De Industrias (Calle De Los Molinos to Ave. Pico) Project No’s. 16352 and 16353 Bids shall be submitted electronically through the City’s electronic procurement system (PlanetBids) at: https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal. cfm?CompanyID=28939 Bids must be received by no later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday April 25, 2019. PlanetBids will not receive any bids submitted after 2:00 p.m., as they will be deemed disqualified. Only electronic bids submitted through PlanetBids will be accepted. Bid tabulations will be available on PlanetBids immediately following the bid closing. Bidders must complete line items information (PlanetBids Line Item Tab), and attach a paper Bid Form, completed in full and signed (PlanetBids Attachments Tab). In addition the Bidder shall attach Subcontractor(s) Listing, Experience Form, Copy of Bid Security, and all other documents required herein (PlanetBids Attachments Tab). The system will not accept a bid for which any re-quired information is missing. Prior to the bid due date and time, all bidders shall submit the original Bid Security to: Chris Tanio, PE City of San Clemente 910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100 San Clemente, CA 92673 The work to be done consists of furnishing all materials, equipment, tools, labor and incidentals as required by the plans, specifications and contract documents for CITY Project No’s. 13315, 16352, 16353, AND 17329 in the City of San Clemente, California. Reference is hereby made to these Specifications for further particulars, and same are by such refer-ence incorporated herein and made a part thereof, the same as though fully set forth hereunder.
Specifications and contract documents are posted in the City of San Clemente PlanetBids System Vendor Portal website at: https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal. cfm?CompanyID=28939 All bidders must first register as a vendor on the City of San Clemente PlanetBids System website to participate in a bid or to be added to prospective bidders list. The contract does call for monthly progress payments based upon the engineer’s estimate of the percentage of work completed. The City will retain 5% of each progress payment as security for completion of the balance of the work. At the request and expense of the successful bidder, the City will pay amounts so retained upon compliance with the requirements of Government Code Section 14402 and the provisions of the contract documents pertaining to “substitution of securities.” NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations, in accordance with Section 1770 of the California State Labor Code and in accordance with the terms of he Southern California Master Labor Agreement, has heretofore established a prevailing rate of per diem wages to be paid in the construction of the above entitled work. The said wage rates are herein referred to and adopted in this Notice as though fully set forth herein, and said scale is made a part of this Notice by reference. Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.1, no contractor or sub-contractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. Furthermore, all bidders and contractors are hereby notified that no contractor or sub-contractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.4, all bid-ders are hereby notified that this project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. No bid will be accepted from a contractor who has not been licensed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Division III of the Business and Professions Code, State of California. Bidder shall possess a Class “A” California State Contracting License in good standing and shall have successfully completed two projects of similar scope for a public agency. The bidder, by submitting its electronic bid, agrees to and certifies under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of California, that the certifica-tion, forms and affidavits submitted as part of this bid are true and correct. The City of San Clemente reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Dated: To be published: and:
March 8th, 2019 March 14th, 2019 March 21st, 2019
___________________________ Tom Bonigut Public Works Director A MANDATORY pre-bid meeting will be held to inspect the site and discuss the work to be done and the Contractor’s responsibilities. The City’s representatives will be available to address questions. The meeting will be held at City Hall located at 910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100, San Clemente, CA 92673, on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. ALL BIDDERS MUST R.S.V.P. THE PRE-BID MEETING IN THE PLANETBIDS PORTAL IN ORDER TO BE DEEMED A RESPONSIVE BIDDER.
lega ls@picket fenceme d i a.com TO A DV E RT I SE : 9 4 9 . 3 8 8 . 7 7 0 0 , E X T. 1 0 0 • FAX : 9 4 9 . 3 8 8 . 9 9 7 7 PUBLIC NOTICE ORDINANCE NO. 1671 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of San Clemente, at its meet-ing of March 5, 2019, introduced the following ordinance: Ordinance No. 1671 entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA ADDING SECTION 8.86.040 TO THE SAN CLEMENTE MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO ENFORCE-MENT OF CAMPING ORDINANCES. A full copy of the aforementioned Ordinance is available for review in the City Clerk’s Office, located at 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, California (949) 361-8301. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the City Council of the City of San Clemente will consider adopting the aforementioned Ordinance at its meeting of March 19, 2019 at 6:00 p.m., which will be held in the Council Chambers, located at 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente, California.
SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, FOR A CITYINITIATED AMENDMENT (ZA 18-243) OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 17 FOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS. 2. Ordinance No. 1669 entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, AMEND-ING MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 15.76 TO UPDATE THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT CODE TO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIRE-MENTS OF THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSUR-ANCE PROGRAM. 3. Ordinance No. 1670 entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, REPEALING SECTION 2.04.050 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE RELATING TO CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS BEING GOVERNED UNDER “ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER”. Full copies of the aforementioned Ordinances are available for review in the City Clerk’s Office, located at 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, Cali-fornia (949) 361-8301. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the abovereferenced Ordinances were introduced at the City Council meeting of February 19, 2019 and were adopted at the City Council meeting of March 5, 2019 by the following vote:
JOANNE BAADE City Clerk and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Council PUBLIC NOTICE ORDINANCE NOS. 1668, 1669 and 1670 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Coun-cil of the City of San Clemente, at its meeting of March 5, 2019 adopted the following ordinances: 1. Ordinance No. 1668 entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
AYES:
BANE, FERGUSON, HAMM, WARD, MAYOR SWARTZ NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE JOANNE BAADE City Clerk and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Council
Locals Only
BUSINESS DIRECTORY ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program 665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, 949.485.4979, bodymindspiritiop.com
CHOCOLATE/CANDY Schmid’s Fine Chocolates 99 Avenida del Mar, 949.369.1052 schmidschocolate.com
DENTISTS Eric Johnson, D.D.S. 647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, drericjohnson.com Shoreline Dental Studio/ Kristen Ritzau DDS, Dr. Colby Livingston 122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.498.4110, shorelinedentalstudio.com
DIGITAL MARKETING CONSULTING/SERVICES Kelli Murrow Consulting www.kellimurrow.com 949.573.7725
ELECTRICAL Arcadia Electric 949.361.1045, arcadiaelectric.com
MUSIC LESSONS Danman’s Music School 949.496.6556, danmans.com
PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), moranperio.com
PEST/TERMITE CONTROL Accurate Termite and Pest Control 949.837.6483, accuratetermitecontrol.com
PLUMBING A to Z Leak Detection 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, atozleakdetection.com Bill Metzger Plumbing 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, billmetzerplumbing.com
PROSTHODONTICS Hamilton Le, D.M.D., F.A.C.P. 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K 949.361.4867 (GUMS) moranperio.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
RESTAURANTS Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386
SALONS Salon Bleu 207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, scsalonbleu.com
WEBSITE DESIGN San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345, sanclementewebsitedesign. com
SC n te S a n C le m e
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
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SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente
STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE
Scoreboard 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.
Fourth-Grade Basketball Team Advances to NJB Nationals San Clemente again will be on the national stage. The National Junior Basketball fourth-grade San Clemente Black team compiled a perfect 6-0 record through the area and sectional tournaments to advance to the NJB All-Star National Tournament on March 23-24. The opening ceremony for the tournament will be at Valencia High School in Placentia on Friday, March 22. Games will be contested around Orange County at Mater Dei, Foothill and Valencia High Schools and Chapman University. The nationals-bound San Clemente Black team roster is comprised of Preston Getz, Jack Flagler, Collin Sobloski, Gavin Pierce, Colton Walz, Hudson Merritt, Jack Dunbar, Julian Duzman and Barrett Wood. The coaches are Dylan Fisher and Mitch Pierce. The San Clemente Black team began its journey in the area tournament on March 2-3 at Chapman University and Newport Harbor High School.
Triton Report BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
For in-game updates, news and more for all of the San Clemente High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.
Baseball Beats Laguna Hills in Extra Innings The San Clemente baseball team gave up a three-run lead in the seventh inning at Laguna Hills, but the Tritons kept their Sea View League record in the black with San Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
The fourth-grade San Clemente Black team went undefeated through six postseason games to advance to the National Junior Basketball National Tournament on March 23-24. Photo: Mitch Pierce
San Clemente opened with a hardfought win over Ladera Ranch, 42-39, and cruised past Rancho Santa Margarita, 5128, and Newport Mesa Silver, 45-27. As the top two area teams, San Clemente and Ladera Ranch advanced to the sectional tournament on March 9-10 at Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach, on the way to another showdown. San Clemente knocked out Newport
a run in the ninth to take the win, 4-3, on Tuesday, March 12. The Tritons (6-6, 2-1) outhit Laguna Hills, 12-5, in nine innings. San Clemente starter Connor Wilford allowed one earned run in seven innings while striking out eight. Andrew Herbert picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief and two strikeouts in the extra innings. Brent Riddle was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run, J.P. Hefft was 3-for-5 with a run, and Kyle Stevens went 2-for-5 with two runs. Dylan Carter was 1-for-3 with an RBI. San Clemente made it back-to-back wins after beating Mission Viejo, 5-1, a day later in the El Dorado Steakhouse Tournament at Mission Viejo. The Tritons are off until Wednesday, March 20, when they continue Sea View League play at Trabuco Hills. San Clemente goes back-to-back with the Mustangs and hosts Trabuco Hills on Thursday, March 21.
Mesa Silver, 45-28, and crushed Los Alamitos, 49-23, to set up a classic rematch against Ladera Ranch. San Clemente and Ladera Ranch exchanged leads all game, with Ladera Ranch going ahead by one point with 20 seconds remaining. On the next possession, San Clemente’s Flagler knocked down the go-ahead basket with only three seconds left to clinch the win, 51-50.
San Clemente’s other fourth-grade NJB team, San Clemente Red, also advanced to sectionals. In the area tournament, San Clemente Red went 2-1 in its pool with wins over La Habra, 55-20, and Corona Norco, 27-17. In the sectional tournament, San Clemente Red went 1-2, with a win over Anaheim Hills, 36-35, and a tight loss against Lake Forest, 35-31. SC
Boys Volleyball Beats Dana Hills to Open League
ing league champion Tesoro on March 19 and host Trabuco Hills on March 21.
San Clemente kicked off its South Coast League campaign with a four-set win on the road against rival Dana Hills on Tuesday, March 12. The Tritons also beat the Dolphins in the final of the Foothill Tournament on Feb. 23. San Clemente (16-3, 1-0) opened league play after a tough run through the competitive Best of the West Tournament March 8-9. The Tritons finished ninth in the 32team field with wins over Valencia, Thousand Oaks, El Camino Real and Santa Barbara. San Clemente, ranked No. 8 in the latest CIF-SS Division 1 and 2 combined poll, hosts Aliso Niguel in league play on Thursday, March 14. The Tritons travel to reign-
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Softball Wins Four Straight The San Clemente softball team has put together a four-game winning streak and won five of its past six games. The Tritons have opened the season with a 6-3 record. The four consecutive victories were blowouts of Mission Viejo, 10-0, and Laguna Hills, 9-1, and closer wins over Beckman, 4-2, and Calvary Chapel, 3-1. San Clemente hosts Laguna Hills on Thursday, March 14 and continues with tournament play against Beckman on Friday, March 15 and North Torrance on Saturday, March 16. The Tritons open South Coast League play on Tuesday, March 19 at home against El Toro. SC sanclementetimes.com
SC San Clemente
SC SURF
SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:
SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY
Baja by Hand A tale of two brothers who have paddled the entirety of the West Coast BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
Y
ou just never know whom you’re going to meet. During a swim workout at the Ole Hanson Beach Club pool a couple of years ago, former Laguna Beach lifeguard Scott Dietrich acquainted me with a pair of brothers from the San Luis Obispo area, Ryan and Casey Higginbotham. They were on the final leg of a journey that had them swimming from Alaska to the Mexican border. Over the course of seven months, they’d paddled their Joe Bark-shaped paddleboards more than 2,200 miles with little to no assistance. They easily could have been swallowed up by the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and disappeared. Last year, the Higginbotham brothers decided to pick up where they had left off and paddle the entirety of the Baja peninsula—1,100 miles of remote, desolate, unforgiving coastline. They finished their mission on Jan. 2. I was driving up Pacific Coast Highway last month when they gave me a call. I promptly pulled into the Doheny parking lot so we could get properly caught up. “It took us two years to forget how miserable the first one was before we decided to do it again,” Ryan said, laughing, when I asked him why they’d decided to paddle Baja. “We learned so much and packed so
A golden moment for Ryan Higginbotham somewhere between Tijuana and Cabo. Photo: Courtesy of Ryan Higginbotham
much life into such a short period of time. I really wanted to get back to that again, learn more and experience more.” The Higginbotham brothers have now covered more than 3,300 miles of the West Coast by hand. I can’t imagine it’s ever been done before. “One of the biggest things is to be able to compartmentalize goals,” Casey said. “I think with something that takes so much time and is so extended, you have to shut down the view of the end and think about a small piece of it.” Baja is a completely different environment compared to the cold, wet Pacific Northwest. Instead of paddling with foul-weather gear and thick, heavy wetsuits, this time they had to factor in the elements that make Baja so raw, where drinking water is scarce and isolated fish camps are the only human outposts. “There were definitely times where we were just out there with nothing around but trash and whale bones,” Ryan said. “There are fish camps all the way down. Less so in the southern part, but we en-
countered more people than I thought we were going to. They were able to give us water and food. That was a huge help.” The Higginbotham brothers aren’t professional adventurers with big-time corporate sponsors. They’re seasonal lifeguards, and Ryan has started working the fishing boats up in Alaska. Their two epic paddles have been largely self-funded. “This time, I think the hardest part was the grind—the slow, physical breakdown,” Casey said. “We didn’t have enough calories, and the food deprivation was definitely worse than last time. I feel like we maintained our weight, then we hit Baja Sur and just started dropping it. But you have to keep going south, you have to keep paddling, so there’s no recovery. Being hungry every day takes a toll on everything—your mind and your body.” “We assumed we would be caloriedeficient, but we weren’t ever able to hit a down and just go crazy and eat like we did last time and bring in all those calories into our bodies,” Ryan said, echoing his
brother’s sentiments. “And after a week of only having 1,800 calories a day while paddling for six hours a day, we were pretty beaten down and hungry. And then you do that week after week, you start seeing weird stuff. That was a bizarre experience, but I’m glad I went through it.” So, what’s it like to finish a 1,000-mile, open-ocean paddle? “The finish was weird. You’re going through Baja and then you get to Cabo, and Cabo is nothing like the rest of Baja,” Casey said. “You show up, and it’s a massive beach party going on. It was a little bit confusing. There was a lot going on. We went through the arc at Cabo when we came in, and there were like 600 tourist boats bouncing around out there with people trying to take pictures of the arc. It’s a full tourist zone, so that was a trip.” The Higginbotham brothers are currently wrapping up production of a documentary detailing their Alaska-to-Mexico paddle set for release this fall. Find them on Instagram at @byhandproject. SC
SURF FORECAST
GROM OF THE WEEK
MAX BEACH
BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
D
edication pays off. Sacrifices pay off. Hard work pays off. Those are the lessons that San Clemente’s Max Beach is learning as he continues to strive for success in the water. Last week at the NSSA Explorer contest in Huntington Beach, 16-yearold Beach won every heat en route to a statement-making contest victory. “(His) surfing has improved so much in three years, but his competition results haven’t matched his level of surfing. So, this is a great confidenceSan Clemente Times March 14-20, 2019
builder. Contest surfing is a whole other animal,” Brad Gerlach, Max’s coach, said on Instagram. “Max has arguably one of the best styles in the world of any kid his age. That goes for out of the water, too. If you see him somewhere, say hello. He is the epitome of a rad kid.” Before the contest, Max swung by the Timmy Patterson shop in San Clemente and scored one of World Tour surfer Italo Ferreira’s used boards. Finding some magic in the sled, he rode it to glory. Max has been getting after it all winter. Before it went flat for a month, he was on every swell, and he just released a new video clip last week, which was picked up by surf pub StabMag.com. Epic surfing, Max, keep grinding! SC
Water Temperature: 55-58 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 10-15’ Thursday: Steep NW swell tops out while modest SSW swell holds. Surf is waist-shoulder high (3-4’) at top breaks throughout the day. Offshore morning winds turning to light-moderate onshore in the afternoon. Outlook: Fun size combo of SSW and NW swells through the weekend and early next week. Waist-shoulder high (3-4’) surf continues with some plus sets at top combo exposures. Offshore winds persist in the mornings, followed by light to moderate afternoon onshores. So be sure to check Surfline.com for all the details and the longer range outlook. Max Beach. Photo: NSSA
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