November 29, 2018 by San Clemente Times

November 29-December 5, 2018

LO C A L

N EWS

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Inside: 2018 Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 13, ISSUE 48

Good Tidings

Weekend events to share holiday cheer in San Clemente E Y E O N S C / PAG E 6

People celebrate the Pre-Chanukah on the Pier lighting during last year’s event. This weekend’s events include a multitude of holiday festivities. Photo: Eric Heinz

City Council Backpedals on Manager’s Severance Plan after Public Outcry EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

County to Consider Adding Another Proposal to TCA’s Traffic Plans EYE ON SC/PAGE 4

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Las Palmas Surf Team Gets Milestone Win in Oceanside SURF/PAGE 26

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With... Five things San Clemente should know this week City Council Backtracks Manager’s Severance Increase Following Public Outcry THE LATEST: San Clemente City Council decided to backtrack on its proposal to increase severance benefits for its city manager following the outcry of more than a dozen speakers at the Tuesday night council meeting, Nov. 20. The city council was required to review and approve the contract for City Manager James Makshanoff as it expires this year. The new contract is for another two-year period. The initial contract amendments included increases to the manager’s severance package in which Makshanoff, if terminated between now and June 2021, would receive 18 months of his base pay; if terminated between 2021 and 2022, he would receive 15 months; and after 2022 he would receive 12 months. Monetarily, that would have been about $370,000 for 18 months, about $310,000 for 15 months and $248,000 for 12 months. Makshanoff took the position in 2014 and has run the city with Assistant City Manager Erik Sund. City council also retained the immunity period that prevents the city manager from being terminated 120 days following an election, and he could not be suspended, have his resignation requested or his salary reduced during that period. This was the fourth amendment since the contract was executed in 2014. At least 15 San Clemente residents came to speak either before the regular meeting or the closed session held earlier. You could throw a dart at a list of issues the city of San Clemente faces and hit at least one that was mentioned by public speakers upset with the current city operators. Former City Councilmember Steve Knoblock said the amendment would be met with a lawsuit if the severance increases remained. “We see this as a gift of public funds,” Knoblock said. “I think this is inappropriate for this city council in the last moments of their tenure to pass a resolution or amend a contract that would deliver the city manager hundreds of thousands of dollars that no other city manager in this county, or any county for that matter, San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

San Clemente resident Jim Bieber, left, scolds City Manager James Makshanoff, as well as the City Council in general, during the Tuesday meeting, Nov. 20. Photo: Eric Heinz

would be entitled to.” Incoming City Councilmember Laura Ferguson also weighed in on the position that she will oversee as of December. Ferguson was the city’s public information officer until 2017 and ran a campaign based on a need for more transparency at City Hall. “It appears this city council is looking to prevent the new city council from implementing positive changes and being fiscally responsible for our city,” Ferguson said, questioning the millions of dollars in legal fees the city has accrued in the last two years or so, as well as other expenses. “The voters have spoken; they want change, and I would encourage you to allow the new city council to make those decisions.” Resident Jim Bieber returned for his first city council meeting in person in at least 18 months. Previously, he had made it a regular appointment to call out issues he had with redaction of city documents, emails from councilmembers from which he used to as a basis for ethics complaints against them, as well as other issues. His main contention is that the city hasn’t been transparent with about $16,000 in legal fees the city paid to correct a 2016 ballot measure argument, and he’s argued against other redactions in public records requests. WHAT’S NEXT: When the public-comment dust had settled, Councilmember Steve Swartz said changes had been made to the

original contract and that the severance package would not be increased. He also said Makshanoff’s next performance review will take place in May instead of next fall, a short time after the new city councilmembers—Ferguson and Dan Bane—are sworn in. Councilmember Kathy Ward is the incumbent. “We’re pulling (the review) up from the fall so that the review process…is taken away from any type of election cycle,” Swartz said. “The contract itself needs to be cleaned up. There’s just a lot of conflicting language in it that needs to be squared away, so we’re doing that at the same time, but there will be no changes to the severance agreements we have on the existing contract.” Following Swartz’ explanation, local attorney Brad Malamud stood up and accused the city council of committing violations of the Brown Act, the state’s open meetings laws. He was ushered out shortly after that because he was speaking out of turn. “I want you to discuss this in public before we go into closed session,” Malamud said as sheriff’s deputies escorted him out. Malamud was later allowed to speak during his allotted time, when he reiterated his points. City Attorney Scott Smith said that the negotiations with Makshanoff had taken place since late summer and that the city did follow the employee confidentiality laws. None of the public speakers came to

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Makshanoff’s defense, but all five city councilmembers did. “We benefit from strong city managers in this city,” Mayor Tim Brown said before being interrupted by heckling from the audience. “I personally feel that James has done great work while leading our fight against the (Transportation Corridor Agencies), which has been a very difficult battle. He’s taken a strong leadership on a whole series of issues…in, frankly, a very difficult environment.” Brown also gave credit to Makshanoff annually balancing the city’s budget, which is headed to an expected deficit with some cuts expected by next year’s cycle. Councilmember Lori Donchak described Makshanoff as an “extremely focused” individual who kept the city on the right track through myriad issues. She added that his performance review came back with high marks. “James does know that employee and community relationships are the opportunity areas. Make no mistake about that. We hear you loudly and clearly on that, and we’ve seen the employee survey that was done this year,” Donchak said. The San Clemente Times requested the most recent employee survey of the city manager, but it was denied disclosure under personnel file exemptions. Makshanoff said he had no comment on the matter in response to an email from the San Clemente Times on Nov. 21 morning. —Eric Heinz (Cont. on page 4) www.sanclementetimes.com

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(Cont. from page 3)

and tear on the small lot. The lot can hold about two dozen cars.

New Traffic Alleviation Alignment Coming from Board of Supervisors THE LATEST: As the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) continues its study of eight different ideas for traffic alleviation in South County, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is poised to consider a new road alignment. Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, who is the sponsor of the decision, has put together an alignment that would not require the taking of private property by the government and is mapped to run along the east side of the Prima Deshecha Landfill. It would start at Cow Camp Road and finish at Avenida La Pata on the San Clemente side of the road. The new road is being billed as the Los Patrones Parkway Extension (LPPE), which would be a northern and southern road with two lanes in each direction. Bartlett’s office has estimated the new road would cost about $130 million, but there are some contingencies. “This can change with scope (interchanges vs. intersections). Until a project is further studied, we won’t have a better (engineer’s) estimate,” Bartlett stated in an email. “There are a few projects we can compare LPPE to: Avenida La Pata was originally estimated at $72 million. Final cost was $129 million. It had significant funding challenges along the way. Los Patrones Pkwy was estimated at $103 million. Final cost is projected at $95 million. Los Patrones was privately led.” Bartlett said price fluctuations in construction materials could alter the final cost. “We won’t get a better estimate until we keep moving forward,” Bartlett said. “To be conservative, we anticipate additional costs. A multi-agency effort would bring more resources to the table, avoid bond financing, and drive us towards a consensus-based regional capital program.” WHAT’S NEXT: The alignment is expected to be on the Dec. 4 Orange County Board of Supervisors agenda. The decision will be whether to suggest the alignment to the TCA. A Nov. 7 letter from Darrell E. Johnson, the CEO of Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), said he had concerns about some of the proposals from TCA, as some of the projects are in conflict with the county’s long-term Measure M2 plans, which include extending the HOV lane from San Clemente to

WHAT’S NEXT: Half the funds from the city would come from its clean ocean fund, because the runoff from the dirt lot during heavy rains has also concerned city officials, and the other half would come from unassigned general fund money. The city also agreed to extend its lease and partnership with the Casa another 30 years and will include the city handling parking maintenance costs once the agreement is finalized. The Casa building is owned by the city but operated by the namesake nonprofit. —EH

City to Further Explore Options on Community Choice Aggregation THE LATEST: City Councilmembers briefly discussed the potential of starting a feasibility study on Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), which is a process of customers choosing where their energy comes from, even though it’s delivered through existing infrastructure. Advocates of renewable energy have lauded the CCA model as a way to curb the state’s dependence on nonrenewable fuels and fossil fuels. Giving cities the choice as to where there energy comes from could open the door to more wind, solar and other cleaner energy. A map shows the newly proposed four-lane road that the county Board of Supervisors will consider at its Dec. 4 meeting. The new road would start at Cow Camp Road and run along the east side of the Prima Deshecha Landfill and conclude at Avenida La Pata (See this map online for color). Photo: Courtesy of County of Orange

San Diego County. TCA’s Idea 21 proposes expanding those lanes even further, something that’s also not popular with San Clemente residents. Joel Zlotnik, a media affairs official with OCTA, said the transportation authority has already begun preliminary studies on the HOV lane. “We have completed the first step in the development process and submitted a project study report to Caltrans,” Zlotnik said. “We are waiting for Caltrans to approve that report, and then we can move into the environmental phase, which we expect to take approximately three years.” A few other projects north of San Clemente could also be affected if some of the ideas come to fruition, Zlotnik said. FIND OUT MORE: The city of San Clemente recently changed the date of the video comment booth it will set up for people to weigh in on the current TCA toll road and traffic alleviation proposals. The

San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

booth will now be available from 2-8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville. —EH

Casa Romantica Parking Lot to Receive $500,000 for Repairs THE LATEST: After years of meddlesome mud and difficult surface conditions, Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens will get the funding it’s asked for to repair its parking lot. Several public speakers at the Nov. 20 meeting spoke in support of the Casa, which has become a beacon of culture and entertainment in the city in the past decade. According to numbers provided by the Casa last year, its membership rose tenfold in five years and daily visitors have also increased—which has increased wear

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WHAT’S NEXT: There’s not a set timetable as to when the city may reconsider funding the feasibility study. Councilmembers said they would like to discuss the options with neighboring cities before funding the actual study, which would cost about $60,000 to $100,000, according to the city’s staff report. —EH

Fire Chars Small Area of San Clemente on Monday Night THE LATEST: Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) reported multiple blackouts early Monday morning, Nov. 26, when a small brushfire ignited near Calle Ameno. The fire, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) officials said, was about an acre in size. It was out by about 2:30 a.m., two hours after being reported. SDGE officials said the power outages were restored at 3:45 a.m. in San Clemente. WHAT’S NEXT: The cause of the fire is still under investigation. —EH

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News Next Door

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS

DANA POINT

Surf Competition Raises Money for Children with Autism The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel embraced the holiday season with its 8th Annual Surfing Santa and Stand Up Paddle Board Competition at Salt Creek Beach. The event was held on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1718, ahead of 11th Annual Holiday Surfboard Auction that is now live until Dec. 31. “Our inspiration (for the event) began with the locally based charity, Surfers Healing, and finding a way to make an impactful difference in the lives of children with autism and our community,” says Bruce Brainerd, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Both seasonal events fully benefit Surfers Healing, a non-profit whose mission is to provide autistic children with the gift of surfing. The contest featured 11 divisions, inclusive of surf and stand up paddle board and available for both children and adult contestants. Each heat offered prizes for first- through sixth-place winners, and all participants were eligible for a $1,500 Big Air prize, as well as prizes for best costume and fastest stand up paddle board. This year, there were more than 90 contestants for longboard, short board and SUP events. First-prize winners were Callen Emery for guys 17-and-under, short board; Kolton Sullivan for guys 17-and-over, short board; Ben Kappes for longboard; Kayla Coscino for girls, short board; Conrad Rojas for SUP, 17-andunder; Daniel Hughes for men’s SUP,

Surfers and stand-up paddleboarders joined in on the holiday fun during the Surfing Santa competition on Nov. 17-18 at Salt Creek Beach. Photo: Lillian Boyd

17-and-older; and Mel Wygal for women’s SUP. For a full list of contestant rankings, visit www.danapointtimes.com. The 11th Annual Holiday Surfboard Auction is live until Dec. 31, and selection of hand-painted surfboards from various artists are displayed at the resort and auctioned off. Surfboards are on display in the lobby at the oceanfront property throughout the holiday season, and bids can be placed online at www.biddingforgood.com. —Lillian Boyd SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Mission to Light First Christmas Tree Mission San Juan Capistrano has long celebrated the arrival of the holiday season with its “Christmas at The Mission” event, offering visitors the chance to enjoy music and fun activities.

That tradition continues this year on Dec. 1, but with a new offering: for the first time ever, The Mission will light its new, 30-foot-tall Christmas tree with a bevy of colorful LED lights. The lighting, which The Mission hopes to make an annual tradition, will usher in 36 days of tree lighting and holiday experiences for the public through Jan. 6, 2019. Michelle Lawrence Adams, the Mission’s executive director, noted that there will be plenty of other fun to be had during this year’s event, which will feature Mariachi music, a choir, food, sweet treats and more. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Visitors who have procured tickets for the event will receive a faux candle to place at the base of the Ruins of the Great Stone Church, which is also the site of the new Christmas tree. As they wait for the tree lighting cer-

Good Tidings

The weekend event takes place in tandem with Casa Romantica’s “Christmas at the Casa.”

San Clemente holiday events ramp up starting this weekend

December 2 Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente will host its annual Pre-Chanukah at the Pier, starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2. Last year, a glorious sunset illuminated the landscape as Jewish traditions were celebrated at the end of the Pier. The Chabad will host another lighting of the menorah at 4 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Outlets at San Clemente in the Oak Tree Court.

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

he first weekend in December marks the start of a lengthy holiday season for all in San Clemente.

December 1 Some of the events bring out the largest crowds of the year, starting with Puttin’ on the Glitz, which takes place 5-8 p.m. Puttin’ on the Glitz is hosted by the Downtown Business Association and the city of San Clemente. Various businesses on Avenida Del Mar will be open late for the festivities, and vendors will line the street, offering everything from kettle corn to Figgie pudding (maybe). There will be children’s activities taking place on the Community Center lawn, San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

emony to begin at 7 p.m., visitors will be able to see live performances in the Central Courtyard that include Dickens-era carolers, an orchestra and Mariachis playing “Merry-achi Music of the Season.” Children will be able to decorate a holiday cookie with Mrs. Claus and take selfies with Father Christmas in the historic Sala. They will also be able to write holiday messages on Mission postcards to be mailed to servicemen and women who are away from their families. The actual tree lighting ceremony will begin at 7 p.m., with Monsignor J. Michael McKiernan of The Mission reading The First Christmas. After that, music will ring out across the ruins of The Great Stone Church. Approximately 2,500 people are expected to attend the tree lighting this year, and tickets are already sold out. However, there are still plenty of chances to see the gargantuan tree. Christmas at The Mission kicks off “Capistrano Lights 2018”: A nightly tree lighting from Dec. 2 through Jan. 6. Visitors who purchase a general admission ticket and who are on the Mission grounds before 5 p.m. will get to see a 15-minute music and light program as part of their visit. As they make their way out of the Mission, those visitors will be given a complimentary downtown San Juan Capistrano map. As guests enter The Mission, the front courtyard will be decked out entirely in white lights. As guests make their way to the central courtyard, the lights will be in different colors. Shuttle and trolley services will be offered. The city shuttle will pick up visitors from the JSerra Catholic High School and South Coast Church on Avenida Los Cerritos. —Alex Groves SC

Santa Claus gets a high-five at last year’s Christmas at the Casa. This year’s events take place Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Casa and down Avenida Del Mar. Photo: File

located at the west end of Del Mar, as part of Santa’s Village by the Sea. Children can line up to see Santa inside the community center as he listens to children’s Christmas wishes.

The city’s official tree lighting ceremony takes place at 5 p.m. at the Community Center, with Santa riding in on a firetruck to help the city’s mayor light the tree.

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Santa Cares The Outlets at San Clemente will also host a special event in partnership with the Just Like Me Foundation, a local organization that helps teens and young adults with special needs by providing year-round activities and events. Santa Cares takes place 8-11:30 a.m. on Dec. 2 and 8. RSVP required to attend this event, as there are limited spots available. Please reserve one “ticket” per family. SC www.sanclementetimes.com

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Community Meetings

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SCARWF Delivers Turkey Dinners to Camp Pendleton On Nov. 19 San Clemente Area Republican Women Federated (SCARWF) delivered 70 turkeys, including various side dishes and pies, to Marine Corps families at the DeLuz Community in Camp Pendleton. This annual event enables SCARWF members to meet each family and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and thank them for their service to our country. The funds are raised by SCARWF members in cooperation with Albertsons, located at 989 Avenida Pico. Albertsons employee Shannon Tierney, through her own efforts, raised an additional $1,000 this year, which made this event even more special.

Marine Dinner Seeks Donations The San Clemente Watershed Task Force is seeking donations for its 10th Annual Marine Holiday Dinner to be held in early December. Each year, the community comes together to show appreciation for enlisted servicemen and women based at Camp Pendleton. Dinner guests are honored with a holiday dinner, entertainment and a special gift raffle. Mayor Tim Brown will be making an encore appearance as master of ceremonies. The event is funded through monetary donations from the community and gifts from community members and local businesses. A $25 cash donation sponsors a single service member. Donated gifts range from merchant gift certificates to toolsets, sunglasses and even surfboards. To donate, please contact Ron Perugini. He can be reached at 714.343.1747 or scautoron@yahoo.com.

Special Founder’s Day Program The San Clemente Historical Society will host a special Founder’s Day program this year. Legendary entertainer and San Clemente resident Jerry Velasco will talk about his longtime career as a musician and actor. He has worked with the biggest names in show business over the past seven decades. In pictures and words, Velasco will talk about appearing with everyone from Bing Crosby and Duke Ellington to Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis Presley to Betty White and Chevy

San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4

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. 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org. The San Clemente Historical Society along with notable figures from the city’s past will host a Founder’s Day Program with Jerry Velasco on Thursday, Dec. 6. Photo: File

Chase. Many of the show business royalty even visited San Clemente. The versatile performer has also played for former President Richard Nixon. Velasco will also sing the Christmas song he wrote that has been recorded by performers all over the world. In addition, San Clemente founder “Ole Hanson” and Historical Society members will unveil the long-awaited recreated weathervane, which will be restored to the top of the Ole Hanson Beach Club in a January ceremony. The original weathervane was destroyed in a storm decades ago. The project has been a longtime goal of the historical society. It was made possible in large part by funding from the San Clemente Garden Club. The Founder’s Day program will be held 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 North Calle Seville (Calle Seville at Avenida Del Mar). Admission is free. Bring your friends and join the society for some holiday cheer.

Child Guidance Center to Host 50th-Year Celebration Orange County business leaders and philanthropists will host the Child Guidance Center’s annual Holiday Tree Fantasy event at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. This annual fundraiser benefits Child Guidance Center’s mental health services for vulnerable children, youth and teens in Orange County. The event includes a champagne reception, silent and live auctions, wine-pull, gourmet lunch and

the opportunity to win one of the signature designer-decorated Christmas tree packages. Event proceeds support Child Guidance Center’s mental health programs and services for more than 4,500 children, youth and family members annually at service locations across Orange County. Tax-deductible sponsorship packages for the event range from $1,500 to $10,000. Individual tickets are available for $175 each. To RSVP for the event, or to make a donation, go to www.cgc50.givesmart.com. To learn more about Child Guidance Center’s services, please visit www.childguidancecenter.com.

Bikes for Kids Fundraiser Kicks Off San Clemente’s annual fundraiser for deserving children has begun. The funds are used to provide bicycles for exceptional members of the Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area. Urban Bicycle Outfitters in North Beach has hosted the holiday event for the past eight years. The bicycles are fitted and assembled by the business for children ages 7 to 10. Each bike costs $109.90 and each helmet is $13.20. The deadline to donate to the holiday event is Dec. 6. Visit Urban Bicycle Outfitters at 1900 N. El Camino Real in San Clemente or call at 949.492.5737. Have something interesting to submit to our News Bites section?

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

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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. San Clemente Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. www.bilysc.org. SAN CLEMENTE TOASTMASTERS 7 p.m. The club meets every Tuesday, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. for social and networking time. San Clemente Baha’i Center. 3316 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente. 805.794.0653. www.sanclementetoastmasters. toastmastersclubs.org. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5

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. 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

BUSINESS NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 7-8:30 a.m. Beach Cities BNI will meet every Thursday. Open to all business professionals. $20 fee includes breakfast. Talega Golf Club, 900 Avenida Talega, San Clemente. 949.680.5005. www.socalbni.com.

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SC SOAPBOX San San Clemente Clemente

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS CoastLines by Fred Swegles

Coming Full Circle on New Foodie Options

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it could be another type of fast-food offering, as long as it fits into the same traffic generation model as a coffee place with drive-thru space to stack 11 cars, city officials said. The prospective developers told city officials they are talking with possible tenants for the three proposed restaurant pads, but they wouldn’t divulge names. Included in the plan is a pedestrian ramp up to COASTLINES the eateries from Vista By Fred Swegles Hermosa, at a signalized intersection that connects Target and the sports park. In case you were wondering, the Target store is doing just fine, a representative told the city’s Design Review Subcommittee at its Nov. 14 meeting. But the 14.8-acre Target site at 990 Avenida Vista Hermosa is pretty spacious, and you have to wonder if Target envisioned all along adding something on the 1.65-acre west end.

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

ART/DESIGN

City Reporter, DP Times > Lillian Boyd

Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh

veryone loves new foodie options. Three new ones may be coming to San Clemente in 2019 in a part of town that is no doubt itching for them. A plan is afoot to build a drive-thru and two other eateries on what is now the west end of Target’s parking lot, across the street from Vista Hermosa Sports Park. It’s a place, you may have noticed, where almost nobody ever parks because Target has ample parking and shoppers wouldn’t want to walk that far, anyway. Target is asking the city to parcel off the triangular-shaped west end of the parking lot to allow a 2,772-square-foot drive-thru restaurant, plus a 1,546-square-foot eatery, a 1,562-square-foot eatery and a 2,500-squarefoot bank. There are two roadway accesses to the site from Avenida Vista Hermosa. The drive-thru, with stacking space for 11 cars, could be a coffee house offering fast foods, open before dawn to provide a handy stop-off spot for commuters as they head out from Talega, as well as serving fans of beverages and related menu items all day long. Or

Eating options will offer more reasons for people to stop at Target. And for those already in Target, as they walk out the door with their purchases, why not stop in for a bite before driving home? Can anyone imagine the voracious appetites of young baseball or soccer players, burning up calories at the sports park across the street, and their families? The design review panel liked the architecture and forwarded the project to the Planning Commission, which could consider it Dec. 19. The design panel cautioned the developers that the Planning Commission will likely have questions about traffic circulation, a shared-parking agreement and the developers’ request to display business signs motorists could see from Avenida La Pata, the street corner that the Target site intersects. I was trying to imagine what kind of eateries might be coming. The possibilities are enticing. Even though the site has limited space, whatever goes there is likely to do very well. Fred Swegles is a longtime San Clemente resident with more than 46 years or reporting experience in the city. SC

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 48. 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 November 29-December 5, 2018

Letters to The Editor U.S. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS URGENCY TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE LARRY KRAMER, San Juan Capistrano

Climate change is real, with both worldwide and local effects. The federal government just issued a report discussing its real-world effects. The report concludes “that the evidence of human-caused climate change is overwhelming...” While the cause is worldwide, we are seeing the effects in our local area, including extreme heat in the summer, more drought, a gradual change from a Mediterranean climate to a desert climate, more danger of fires, tropical diseases moving north, sea-level rises and the ocean becoming more acidic. We are past the point of discussion. It is time for action. You can either sit on your hands or begin to take action. Do you want to tell your children and grandchildren that you knew about climate change but did nothing? Most positive changes in our society have begun by a few people at the local level.

There is much that the city can do and has already done and much that you can do. Feel empowered. Tell the City Council, your state and federal officials that you are concerned. Look for ways that you can reduce your use of carbon fuels. Do you want examples? When buying a car or truck, look for the most fuelefficient models. The Ecology Center is a great place to buy locally-grown food, reducing fuel usage for transportation. Buy a bike and ride it for local errands. Consider installing solar power. Plant drought-tolerant plants. Give up meat one day a week. Wash clothes in cold water. Change to LED lighting. Join the Citizens’ Climate Lobby for our monthly meetings as we discuss ways to move forward. We are a nonpartisan group meeting at 9:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month at St. Andrew bythe-Sea United Methodist Church at 2001 Calle Frontera, San Clemente.

MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUES TO PLAGUE NATION MAURA MIKULEC, San Clemente

We have serious problems in our nation with information. In order to make important decisions, we all need accurate and factual information. Attacks on our press

Page 8

and an abundance of propaganda machines posing as news sources are central to the problem. But another critical problem is that so many of us get a lot of our information/ news from each other, primarily through social media. Why is that a problem (besides the obvious)? Let me tell you about a recent experience I’ve had that perfectly illustrates the issue. I recently wrote and published a piece to dispel myths about the availability of homeless shelters in South County, because there are people who are passionate and prolific contributors to local groups who don’t fully understand the facts and repeatedly share misinformation. The misinformation greatly influences how the issues are viewed and possibly even impacted recent local elections. Think the telephone game with consequence. In order to ensure that the citizens have the facts—so we can work together on solutions—I shared my article to two different city-centered social media groups, and it was shared by others too, including to one other local group. In those groups, people expressed how informative the article was and how much they learned. Some, finally armed with accurate information, seemed to be motivated to (correct) action. However—and here’s www.sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX the problem—the people who continually spread the misinformation in these groups created a ruckus in every single group, trying to disprove the facts (with their cursory, inexperienced “research”) and levied personal attacks on people who questioned them. Due to the controversy and negativity created—not the content of the article—the article was removed from all three groups. Now the prevailing misinformation remains out there. How can we ever see the issues accurately and work together to find proper solutions to problems if a small group of people, who are not credentialed experts, have so much control over the information so many people have? And, yes, it’s not lost on me how this activity in South Orange County mirrors what has happened on a national level.

ASK NOT WHAT YOUR CITY CAN DO FOR YOU, FACEBOOK GLORIA DUGAN, San Clemente

So, the author of a letter to the editor in the Nov. 15-20 edition of the San Clemente Times wants this last city council election to be over. Well, I believe all the voters want it to be over, as it was the nastiest city council campaign we have ever had in San Clemente. The author complained about the OC Weekly publishing an article he described as being misinformation about Dan Bane. He then goes on to blame Kathy Ward for not taking down the article on social media. Perhaps the author should first take a look in the mirror at himself when it comes to publishing hateful and spiteful comments on his very own social media site (Crime & Safety site), which has his very own cult of social-media-trolling bullies and thugs, including the fella who came into a city council meeting holstering a machete. The author and his band of malcontents are good at complaining but have never volunteered or contributed anything of value or substance to our city. Ward, who won re-election, was targeted by outside PACs with hateful campaign garbage literature and signs that painted her as a villain. Councilwoman Ward has

been instrumental in stopping the toll road from coming through San Clemente and has been very supportive for a new hospital in San Clemente. Our own beautiful, small city has been hijacked with our city council election by tens of thousands of dollars of campaign literature dumped at our mailboxes from a Newport Beach PAC. And what did we get from it? A newly elected city councilmember, Laura Ferguson, who is a former disgruntled and spiteful city employee who has an axe to grind with top city management and other city employees. Stay tuned, as our fair city is in for a bumpy ride from a scorned city ex-employee. It is far easier to complain than to actually govern. We are beginning to look like more of the personality antics in Washington, D.C. rather than our Spanish village by the sea, which should first and foremost be concerned with solving concrete issues such as the homelessness and committed to goodwill among our residents.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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

Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, Nov. 30 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.

SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

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 | 29 FREE YOGA FOR MILITARY VETERANS San Clemente’s pure.love.yoga will partner with the “Free Yoga for Vets Project” throughout November, inviting military veterans and active duty personnel to any class offered for free. The offer runs Nov. 1-30. Pure.love.yoga. 415 E. Avenida Pico, San Clemente. 949.492.5048. www.pureloveyogasc.com.

Friday | 30

EDITOR’S PICK

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.

Saturday | 01 SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE 9-11 a.m. The car show attracts hundreds of car enthusiasts each week. No registration is required and spectators are welcome. Outlets at San Clemente, 101 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. www.southoccarsandcoffee.com. CHRISTMAS CONCERT 4 p.m. San Clemente Presbyterian Church will hold a Christmas concert featuring a chamber orchestra, Christmas choir, children’s choir, handbells and worship band. Admission is free, and there is nursery care for children 4 years old and under. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. 949.492-6158. www.scpres.org. LASS YOUR AFF OFF: JAY HEWLETT 7 p.m. Closing out 2018 at Adele’s is Jay Hewlett, who plays clubs and colleges across the country, and he’s been featured on various network television shows. San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

Photo: Courtesy San Clemente High School Drama/Paola Paz Soldan

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, NOV. 30 AND DEC. 1: ‘HOLIDAY FOLLIES’ 7 p.m. Come and kick off the holidays with the jolly and festive Holiday Follies fundraising event. SCHS Drama brings the Radio City Christmas spectacular right here to your neighborhood. Favorite holiday songs and dance numbers will be performed with a 60-student ensemble. Shows are Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in the Triton Center. A holiday boutique is available before and after the show starting at 4 p.m. Tickets can be found online from $10-$15. 700 Avenida Pico, San Clemente. www.schsdrama.com.

December’s show will also feature Julie Kidd, Art Valenzuela, Barry Weisenberg and Mason Monroe. Adele’s at the San Clemente Inn, 2600 Avenida Del Presidente. 949.481.1222. www.adelesanclementeinn.com.

and blown glass, sculptures, ceramics, home décor, candles, knits, botanicals and more. 949.395.7008. www.villagesanclemente.org.

Monday | 03

Sunday | 02 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.

SIP & SHOP 4-8 p.m. Local artisans will provide items at a handmade market There will be complimentary food and drink along with a wide selection of items. The Cellar, 155 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.492.3663. www.thecellarsite.com.

VILLAGE ART FAIRE 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The Downtown Business Association hosts the Village Art Faire every first Sunday of every month along Avenida Del Mar. Vendors offer an array of exceptional work handcrafted by artisans, including fine art, jewelry, woodwork, fused

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.

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Tuesday | 04 TABLE TENNIS FOR SENIORS 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All seniors 55 and older are welcome to join the Table Tennis Club at the Shorecliffs Terrace Mobile Home Park. 3000 Calle Nuevo, San Clemente. 949.481.2275. jnl5555@yahoo.com. BEND & BREW 6-7 p.m. This is a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint of beer. It’s a great way to get to know your local fellow yogis and beer drinkers. $10 entry. Left Coast Brewing Co., 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.2699. www.leftcoastbrewing.com.

Wednesday | 05 AAUW HAPPY HOUR 4-6 p.m. The San Clemente-Capistrano (Cont. on page 19) www.sanclementetimes.com

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

Holiday Happenings SATURDAY, DEC. 1

‘Santa Paws’ Photos 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bring your four-legged companion with you to get some pictures with Santa Claus. Pictures will be taken in the El Torito Courtyard. Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point. 949.923.2255. www.danapointharbor.com.

Boat Rides with Santa

Puttin’ on the Glitz 5-8 p.m. Head to downtown San Clemente for an evening of shopping, dining and visit with Santa Claus and holiday carolers. Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.218.5378. www.villagesanclemente.org. SUNDAY, DEC. 2

Merry Monarch – A Festive Tree Lighting 3-5:45 p.m. Enjoy musical performances put on by students, cocoa and cookies and visits with Santa Claus at this Monarch Beach Resort event. The evening will conclude with the official lighting of a holiday tree presented by Ellen K of radio station KOST. Proceeds from the event go to support The Care Foundation, which raises funds for local schools. Ticket options begin at $10. One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. www.monarchbeachresort.com.

Yappy Howl-iday Celebration

10 a.m.–2 p.m. Head down to the Dana Wharf Docks for a free boat ride with Santa. No reservation is necessary. Boat rides will happen at the same time on Dec. 2 as well. Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point. 949.923.2255. www.danapointharbor.com.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. Canines will have a great time at this holiday-themed “yappy hour” at The Ritz Carlton, which will have them lapping up meat or vegan-flavored libations while their human companions enjoy wine, beer or a cocktail. 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point. 949.240.2000. www.ritzcarlton.com.

City of San Juan Capistrano Christmas Celebration

Capistrano Lights at Mission San Juan Capistrano

4-5:45 p.m. Head to the Historic Town Center Park for an evening of entertainment and a Christmas tree lighting. Free parking and event shuttle service is available. 31872 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.5911. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

A Christmas Concert 4 p.m. Enjoy music of the Christmas season at San Clemente Presbyterian Church with a concert featuring a chamber orchestra, Christmas choir, children’s choir, hand bells and a worship band. Shop a gift fair afterward. 119 Avenida De La Estrella, San Clemente. 949.492.6158. www.scpres.org.

Christmas at The Mission 5:30-8 p.m. Join Mission San Juan Capistrano for its first-ever Christmas tree lighting. Las Golondrinas restaurant will be serving savory tamales and 3:16 Bakery will be serving hot cocoa and sweet treats. Tickets are $7. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.234.1300. www.missionsjc.com.

Winter Festival and Tree Lighting 12-5:30 p.m. Head to La Plaza Park in Dana Point for holiday activities including carnival games, a craft fair, face painting, a petting zoo, a Lego Santa’s Village Workshop and more. The annual tree lighting will take place at 5:15 p.m. Free cookies and hot chocolate will be served. 34111 La Plaza, Dana Point. 949.248.3536. www.danapoint.org.

Christmas at The Casa 5-7:30 p.m. See Casa Romantica decorated for the holidays during this free open house event, which will feature live music, choral groups, kids’ crafts, refreshments, a talking tree and the jolly man himself – Santa

5 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano will be having a nightly tree lighting each night from Dec. 2 through Jan. 6, 2019. Visitors must be on the grounds before 5 p.m. to enjoy the lighting experience. Tree lighting will not take place Dec. 24, 25 and 31. $7 for children and $10 for adults. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.234.1300. MONDAY, DEC. 3

Tree Lighting at Pines Park 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Head to Pines Park in Capistrano Beach for Santa visits, games, carolers, a dog costume parade from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. and the tree lighting, hot chocolate and cookies at 5 p.m. 34941 Camino Capistrano, Dana Point. 949.248.3502. www.danapoint.org. THURSDAY, DEC. 6

SKATING UNDER THE STARS 6-8:30 p.m. Come to the ice rink at Irvine Spectrum every Thursday through Jan. 6 for Themed Thursdays. Come dressed for a different theme each week and receive $5 off. The first theme for December is Reindeers & Red Noses. 670 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine. 949.790.4871. www.irvinespectrumcenter.com. FRIDAY, DEC. 7

The Nutcracker at Casa Romantica 7-8 p.m. See the holiday classic The Nutcracker performed by the Orange County Ballet Theater in the cozy Main Salon of the Casa. Tickets are $40. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS PET ADOPTION FAIR

Holiday Happenings continued

10 a.m.-2 p.m. The City of Irvine Animal Care Center will host its 12th annual Home for the Holidays Pet Adoption Fair. More than 30 pet rescue groups and animal shelters will bring about 600 homeless dogs, cats, rabbits and small animals for adoption. For more information email dharris@cityofirvine.org or call 949.724.7740. Irvine Animal Care Center, 6443 Oak Canyon, Irvine. FRIDAY, DEC. 14

2nd Annual Holiday Concert FRIDAY, DEC. 7

Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights 7:30 p.m. Boaters will decorate their boats to vie for awards and light up the harbor with a parade. Event also happens at the same time on Dec. 8, 14 and 15. People can watch the parade for free anywhere in the harbor or make reservations to view it from one of the nearby restaurants. Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point. 949.923.2255. www.danapointharbor.com.

Take a Santa Selfie 4:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your your cameras to the Dana Point Harbor to get a selfie with Santa. The event will also take place on Dec. 8, 14 and 15. Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point. 949.923.2255. www.danapointharbor.com.

Holiday Lights Viewing Party 6:30-9 p.m. Join the Ocean Institute for hot cocoa (bring your own mug), gold panning, country line dancing and other activities as part of their annual viewing party for the Dana Point Harbor Drive Boat Parade of Lights. Tickets for the party are $15. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.org.

SHARING THE SPIRIT HOLIDAY PARTY 9 p.m. For the 12th year, The Happiness Project and Festival of Children Foundation present the largest initiative to help homeless children in Orange County. The two organizations will take over South Coast Plaza after it closes on Friday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. to give these children the best night ever. The celebration includes taking pictures with Santa, a warm meal with dessert, more than 30 activity stations, and gift bags customized to age and gender. You can make a donation at www.helpockids.org or get more information on how to volunteer. The Happiness Project is located at 16692 Burke Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. SUNDAY, DEC. 9

1st EVER PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTING 4 p.m. For the first time, Dana Point will host the first public lighting of a 9-foot Hanukkah Menorah. Festivities after the lighting, which will be held on the last night of Hanukkah, will include music, dancing, latkes, doughnuts, photo booth, crafts for the kids and more. La Plaza Park, 34111 La Plaza, Dana Point. 949.290.0628. www.jewishdanapoint.com.

7:30 p.m. The Dana Point Symphony will be having its second annual Holiday Concert. Guests will be able to hear a number of classic holiday hits during the concert, not only from the symphony itself, but also from the Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church Choir. Tickets are $25 general admission and $20 for seniors, students younger than 18 and active military. www. danapointsymphony. com. 33926 Calle La Primavera, Dana Point. SATURDAY, DEC. 15

Gingerbread House Making 10-11 a.m. Have your kiddos experience some old-timey holiday magic at Casa Romantica by having them make ginger bread houses using gingerbread, frosting and candy. Event is free. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org. SUNDAY, DEC. 16

Gingerbread House and Holiday Cookie Decorating 2-4 p.m. Get your family together at The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel to make gingerbread houses and holiday cookies. Children can enjoy complimentary hot chocolate. The cost is $175 per Gingerbread House. Call to reserve your space. 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point. 949.240.2000. www.ritzcarlton.com. THURSDAY, DEC. 20

Christmas Bird Counting at The Reserve 8 -11 a.m. Head to The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo and participate in the annual Audubon Christmas bird count. More than 80 species of birds have been seen at The Reserve in previous years. Participants are encouraged to visit Audubon’s website to learn more about the event, one of the oldest “citizen science” events in the country. 28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org. MONDAY, DEC. 31. – JAN. 1

New Year’s at San Juan Hills Golf Club 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. Ring in the New Year at San Juan Hills Golf Club with a DJ and a special guest band. The event will feature tapas, appetizer stations and a Champagne toast. Guests will be able to take home a souvenir photo from a New Year’s-themed photo experience. Tickets are $100. 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1167. www.sanjuanhillsgolf.com.

Cool PIcks: gift ideas for everyone on your list

AT-LP60 turntable

$99.99

Holiday Offer $9 a unit for Xeomin ® or $10 a unit for Botox ®

Moldy Toes Records 217 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente 949.444.8275 facebook.com/moldytoesrecords

Riviera Laser Studios 34189 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 201 Dana Point • 949.370.3177 rivieralaser.com

Stone Skulls – Sold Separately

Malachite – 1 ¾” x 1 1/8” • Pyrite – 2” x 7/8” Chevron Amethyst – 2” x 1 ¼” • Sodalite – 3” x 5 ¾”

Wine Tasting Gift Certificates & Bottles 10% off wine bottles to go

Designs By Nature 400 South El Camino Real, A San Clemente • 949.498.8358 designsbynature.com

Five Vines Wine Bar 31761 Camino Capistrano, Ste. 11 San Juan Capistrano • 949.800.9145 fivevineswinebar.com

Audio-Technica Turntable

$40.00-$1250.00

Also Offering Craft Beer and food

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 10)

veteran lifters. 123 S. El Camino Real. 949.361.1007. www.sanclementegym.com.

Bay Branch of the American Association of University Women will meet for Happy Hour at Hennessey’s Restaurant, 34111 LaPlaza, Dana Point. Prospective members are welcome. Send an email to aauw. sccb@cox.net to RSVP. www.aauw-ca.org.

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.

BEACH BARBELL CLUB 7-9 p.m. San Clemente Beach Barbell Club is a monthly club that meets at San Clemente Gym every first Wednesday of the month. Group instruction varies in skill level and experience and includes people who are just learning to lift, may be training in preparation for competitions and those

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. www.knuckleheadsmusic.com

At the Movies: ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ is Family-Friendly

Photo: DISNEY BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

uch like Pixar’s The Incredibles (2004) turned out to be one of the best superhero movies out there even without a primary source, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph (2012) has been arguably the best video game movie to date—despite the characters and games being completely fictional. Now the much anticipated follow-up for Ralph comes with the very meta, pop culture-centered Ralph Breaks the Internet. Six years have gone by since Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) became friends despite their arcade-game differences. Vanellope is beginning to find her “Sugar Rush” design boring and predictable, just as the main handle of the game breaks off. Arcade owner Mr. Litwick (Ed

San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

O’Neill) thinks it’ll just be easier to replace Sugar Rush with a newer game, right as a WiFi router is installed in the main office. With the internet, Ralph and Vanellope discover many solutions to their problem. Jack McBrayer and Alan Tudyk return, and Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson and Alfred Molina appear as new characters. The new Ralph movie has been getting a lot of buzz because its use of the internet as a setting makes it possible for a bunch of cameos from other Disney icons, particularly a sequence with all the Disney princesses together. Because of all the characters and references, the story does get a little lost along the way. But for a Thanksgiving release, it is fun to see how G-rated Ralph attempts to make the entire internet look familyappropriate. SC

Page 19

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

Locals Only BUSINESS DIRECTORY

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

Capistrano Valley Raingutters

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!

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD

Colony Termite Control

Organics Out Back

949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

ELECTRIC BIKES

Murf Electric Bikes

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

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric

949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

MOVING/GARAGE SALE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 Moving sale including furniture. Dining room table & 8 chairs, sofa & love Seat, occasional chairs, coffee table, end table, armoire, rugs, patio furniture, bar stools. Christmas and Thanksgiving decorations. Many accessories and décor; framed art and misc. Tools, outdoor furniture, skis, boots and much more. 108 Avenida Cota, San Clemente 92672. 8:00 am – 1:00.

949.395.5681 (24 hours) Available 7 days a week.

SCHOOLS

We also offer professional appraisals, auction services, restoration and shipping. CASH SAME DAY Dee Coleman, CEO/Owner 2485 S. El Camino Real San Clemente

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools

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

WEBSITE DESIGN

Web: classicautosalesoc.com Email: classicautosalesoc@gmail.com

100% positive EBAY Seller since 2001!

San Clemente Website Design

949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

RESTAURANTS

Café Calypso

GARAGE SALE Cleaning out garage just in time for Christmas. Many items including steamer trunk, rocking chair, western items, collectibles, women’s clothes, housewares, bird cage, craft items, jewelry, etc. Saturday Dec. 1 from 8 2. 3120 Calle Grande Vista, S.C.

Offshore Construction

114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

FOR SALE FISHING KAYAK FOR SALE - $2200 Hobie 14’ Mirage Kayak with all the accessories to fish in the ocean. Includes; live bait well (never used), Lowrance Elite Fish Finder, Removable seat, oars, foot pedals, rod holders, life jacket, wheel set and 6 months storage at Jet Ski in the Dana Point Harbor worth $350. Contact Chuck at 949-201-0262.

877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org

PEST/TERMITE CONTROL

Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

GARAGE SALES

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

949.837.6483, www.accuratetermitecontrol.com

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

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

Buy • Consign • Sell

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

Accurate Termite and Pest Control

Eric Johnson, D.D.S.

Syrens Hair Parlor

Paradise Jewelers

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

DENTISTS

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

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

SALONS

Submit your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

Salon Bleu

Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.com

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

CLASSIFIEDS

1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

REALTORS

“Sandy & Rich” RE/MAX Coastal Homes

949.293.3236, www.sandyandrich.com

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

Sherry Wild, LuXre Realty

BRE # 01480453, 949.275.8937 www.LuXreRealty.com

OBITUARY

Bernard Allen Law Longtime resident, Bernard (Bernie) A. Allen died Oct 22, 2018. His early passage to heaven due to COPD was peaceful with his wife Alyce, of almost 50 years, holding his hands. He graduated from Hobart College and continued on to Georgetown University for his law degree. He then signed up with the Marines in 1966 and served in Vietnam with the Legal Division. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with the Combat “V” for a mission with a recon team. Bernard and Alyce met in San Clemente as he was being discharged from the Marines and raised four children, Dr. Keith Allen, Barbara Allen, Carolyn Allen, and Kurt Allen. He joined Pinnick and Hall Law firm on Granada in 1969. It became the Bernard Allen Law firm. He was very active in the community and served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Board of Boys’ and Girls’ Club, and Dons. He loved to play golf and made many friends at San Clemente Municipal course. He is survived by his wife, four children and two grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 6th at Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente.

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San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

Page 21

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SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor

Falling in Love with Fall

don’t know the precise moment when it happens, but when it does, your senses are taken by surprise. There is an unspoken feeling in the air, and a collision of brilliant colors in the landscape seizing your attention. You have a subtle lag in your pace and can give yourself permission to enjoy some quiet solitude. The golden hues of the afternoon are great for a nap. Shorter warm days and longer cold nights create an atmosphere so dry and crisp you inhale the many bold aromas of savory sages while exhaling the day’s stress and tension. Surprise! It’s intoxicating fall! Fall embodies the transition from the heat and hustle of summer to a season of gathering and rest before winter sets. I am in love with fall, my favorite season. Fall transforms my soul to a reflective state of mind, slowing my pace down to enjoy the bounty and abundance of the season. Maybe that’s why the Pilgrims chose November to celebrate gratitude while gathering with the Native Americans. Fall in the garden brings many surprises. It gives us the permission to slow down. It allows us an opportunity to be creative and bring the outdoors, indoors. Take a stroll around and see what attracts your senses. Grab the kids and let them assist in finding crooked branches, berries, leaves or the last blooms of the season. There are hidden treasures in the autumn garden to be found, connection in nature and time with yourself. It’s hard to peel me out of my garden on days like these. My garden is bursting with colorful native plants and butterflies

dancing. I can count on these plants to perform when it’s time for me to craft a natural centerpiece for my holiday table. For a centerpiece, I purchase a block of florist foam oasis from the Dollar store and add twigs, branches, flowers, leaves and any other natural discoveries. Arranging is an informal process. Once finished, I place the centerpiece on a decorative table runner or large charger plate. No watering is required on either project. This is a DIRT THERAPY By Marrianne fun project to do together Taylor with your children or grandchildren. It’s time well spent together, and the byproduct is conversation, connection and lasting memories. I love making a wreath that will last a while and smell good, too. I gather a variety of twigs, Toyon berries, Eucalyptus leaves, Buckwheat, Oregon Grape and seed pods from Lion’s Tail to form a welcome door wreath. It’s a simple and inexpensive project. I use a grapevine wreath as the foundation and hot-glue each item onto the grapevine, spray-paint either silver or gold the seed pods from the Lion’s Tail. Arranged in an informal way, the wreath has an orderly look of nature on the door. Your landscape might not have California native plants, but your garden is exploding with a variety of colorful berries, branches or blooms. Use what garden treasures you find and let your

San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

• Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon or Christmas Berry) has great big clusters of red berries in winter. These berries are not very toxic. • Platanus racemosa (California Sycamore) can have leaf color in fall that will be yellow one year, almost red other years. • Aristolochia californica (California Pipevine) flowers in late winter. My favorite butterfly plant that resides by the restroom at the Los Rios Park. • Arctostaphylos glauca (‘Ramona’ Big Berry Manzanita). Use branches for curvy shape, color or berries. • Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape) can be a very good in contrast in a native garden.

• Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Rabbitbrush) Aster chilensis (California Aster), and Zauschneria latifolia johnstonii (Bush California Fuchsia) are three plants that have great fall color. These are commonly in flower until February. • Acer circinatum (Vine Maple) has fall or early winter leaf color, just before the leaves fall off. • Leonotis leonurus (Lion’s Tail Flowers) from late spring through fall appear as the fuzzy orange curved tubular flowers. When petals drop, round seed pods remain. You can find these native plants at Tree of Life Nursery. Owners Jeff Bohn and Mike Evans have been in business since 1976. Check out their array of California native plants. In-house designers will help you create a native garden, ready for bloom by next fall. A native garden provides a place to sit and ponder, creating your very own rest stop. Happy gardening. Marianne Taylor, of San Juan Capistrano, is the founder and executive director of Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens, a 501(c)(3) teaching gardening and life skills as a way of empowering, engaging and connecting people. Goin’ Native focuses on educating local families, special needs adults, seniors, at-risk youth and members of the military. 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.

BY MYLES MELLOR

Last week’s solution:

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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

California Native Plants with Fall Bloom:

• Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum (California Buckwheat) holds its flowers all winter.

Sudoku

Pet of the Week: Astro

creative juices flow. You can’t go wrong in nature. If you don’t have a garden but would like to explore and create a natural bouquet, get out on the many trails in Orange County and see what you will find along the trails. For up-and-coming gardeners to California native planters, fall is the season through February to plant in your landscape. The winter rains help establish their root systems. Native plants have many benefits: less water once established, homes to endless pollinators, seasonal color, clean air and less garden maintenance. Natives have different bloom seasons; the native plants listed below are what I used in my wreath producing annual colorful berries or branches in fall and winter.

ne-and-half-year-old Astro is a handsome guy with a big, silly personality. He has lots of energy and loves getting his exercise outdoors. Astro would likely make a great jogging buddy and would do best in an active household. If you would like to know more about Astro, 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

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See the solution in next week’s issue.

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SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

By The Numbers Review of the 2018 fall sports season with the numbers that shaped it BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

he fall season was an incredibly successful one for San Clemente High School as all seven sports teams took home league titles and advanced to the CIFSS postseason. Here is a breakdown on the numbers of the 2018 fall sports season: 18:07 – The time for junior Hana Catsimanes on the 5,000-meter course at the CIF State Cross Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Nov. 24. Catsimanes finished 16th in the Division 1, which is the highest Triton finish at State since Melissa Eisele finished in 11th at 17:51 as a senior in 2013. Catsimanes was named First Team All-CIF-SS for a seventh-place finish at 17:03 on the three-mile course at Riverside on Nov. 17, and the junior set a personal record of 16:50 at the notoriously fast Woodbridge Classic on Sept. 15. 22 – The number of years between backto-back league titles for the San Clemente boys water polo team. The Tritons previously completed the feat in the 1995 and 1996 seasons and repeated the act with last season’s title and this season’s undefeated (8-0) South Coast League campaign. The Tritons outscored their league opponents 114-44 over the eight games and scored 18 goals four times. San Clemente finished eighth in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. 76 – The total goals scored by junior Christian Hosea for the water polo squad. Hosea was far and away the team’s goalscoring leader by nearly doubling his second-place teammate junior Hayden Kahn’s 39 goals. Hosea was also the team leader in points at 105 and finished second with 29 assists. Hosea scored a season-high five goals in the Tritons’ first win over Dana Hills, 10-9, on Sept. 18 and scored four goals in seven games this season. Hosea’s total was nearly a quarter of San Clemente’s total scoring output. 1999 – The last year the San Clemente football team had beaten Mission Viejo and won a South Coast League title before Oct. 19, 2018. After a 1-4 start to the season, the Tritons won six games in a row, including the 21-20 upset of Mission Viejo and a Division 1 playoff victory against Murrieta

San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

San Clemente junior Christian Hosea led the Tritons in scoring as San Clemente won back-to-back league titles for the first time in 22 years. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Valley. San Clemente had Sea View League titles in 2014 and 2015, but the Tritons hadn’t won the South Coast League since their last defeat of Mission Viejo in the previous millennium. 278 – The yards thrown by backup quarterback Drayton Joseph in San Clemente’s win over Mission Viejo. On the first play of the second quarter, Oklahoma State-committed senior Brendan Costello was knocked out of the game, and University of San Diego golf commit Joseph came in to attempt his first varsity passes. Joseph completed 17 of 28 passes for two touchdowns to put the Tritons in position for the win. 15 – The total tackles for senior Ryan Altman against Mission Viejo. Altman led the team in tackles for the game with five solo and 10 assisted, including four tackles for loss. The biggest of all those came with 3:05 remaining. Mission Viejo had scored a touchdown, and after a San Clemente penalty on the extra-point attempt, the Diablos

attempted to take the lead on a two-point conversion. Altman split the line and made the tackle in the backfield to clinch the win. 0 – The number of 2017 league wins and 2018 league losses for the San Clemente girls volleyball team. The Tritons went winless in the 2017 South Coast League campaign, but the girls rebounded to go 8-0 in 2018 and win the Sea View League. The Tritons rode their momentum into the playoffs, where they scored a second-round sweep of No. 3 seed and previous league rival Dana Hills to advance to the CIF-SS semifinals. 5 – The number of consecutive shared South Coast League titles between the San Clemente girls tennis team and Dana Hills. The Dolphins took the first match, 10-8, on Sept. 20 at San Clemente, but the Tritons evened the score with a win at Dana Hills, 11-7, on Oct. 12. San Clemente’s No. 1 singles player, Jenna Yeam, finished second at the South Coast League Finals and

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qualified for the CIF-SS tournament but did not compete. The Tritons advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 team bracket. 31 – The point total for the San Clemente boys cross country team at the Sea View League finals on Oct. 30. The Tritons put their scoring five runners all in the top nine finishers to win the league title by a 22-point margin. Senior Denilson Lopez-Guerrero, junior Caleb Mettler and seniors Patrick Riley and Elijah Sech finished back-to-backto-back-to-back from fourth to seventh place. 73 – The score for junior Mariana GandiaMak at the CIF-SS Individual Golf Championship on Nov. 1 at the River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard. The 1-over-par score put her in a tie for 14th place to advance to the CIF-SCGA Southern California Championship, where she shot a 13-over 86 to tie for 82nd. Gandia-Mak shot a seven-over 79 at the CIF-SS Southern Individual Regional to qualify for the championship. SC

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SC San Clemente

SC SURF

SC SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Talking ‘Momentum’ New HBO film documents the story of Kelly Slater and the Momentum Generation BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

t’s been nearly 30 years since Kelly Slater groggily mumbled, “It’s the morning of the final.” The year was 1990, and a young Slater was exploding onto the surf scene with a statement-making victory at the Body Glove Surf Bout at Lower Trestles. Signing a record-breaking contract with surf-wear company Quiksilver on the beach, Slater and his crew—dubbed the “Momentum Generation”—were on the cusp of changing the sport of surfing forever. But predating that famous Lowers performance, during the winter of ’89, Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Kalani Robb, Ross Williams and a handful of other characters all lived under one roof on the North Shore of Oahu. San Diego surfer Benji Weatherly’s mom had rented a house right on the beach at Pipeline and opened the doors to her son’s friends. “Sure, we all already knew each other for a few years prior, but this house was the place that allowed us to hang out together for hours upon hours, days upon days, and weeks upon weeks,” Williams said. “The friendships that were fostered

The Momentum Generation at Benji Weatherly’s mom’s house at Pipeline, Hawaii, during the winter of 1989. Photo: Art Brewer/SURFER Magazine

would catapult us as a group into stardom.” A huge cog in the wheel of this success was the timing of a young filmmaker from San Diego named Taylor Steele. “He came to Hawaii for the winter of ’89 to surf and video his friends. He stayed in a rusty old van that he just so happened to park in front of Benji’s house,” Williams said. “All the pieces came together for his eventual project that helped change the surf world.” In ’92, Steele cobbled the footage together, got the OK from a few of his favorite punk bands to use their driving, up-tempo music as a soundtrack, and released Momentum on VHS. His parents practically laughed him out of the house— until he sold out of copies. The film was an instant success. The story of how it all went down is now being told in a full-length documentary produced by HBO and Universal Pictures,

with executive producer credits going to the one and only Robert Redford. “There is a lot to cover in 30 years, but as a director I was trying to figure out where they were leading the story as they conducted the interviews and put the pieces together,” Steele said when it was time to sit down for his interview. “I was nervous, because we talked about being honest and saying what really happened, and you never know what’s going to happen when you come out on the other side of something like that.” The movie premiered in Santa Monica on Nov. 8 and will debut on HBO at 7 p.m. PST on Dec. 11. Momentum Generation is an intriguing dive behind the scenes of how a few kids from Florida, Hawaii and California were able to turn the sport of surfing on its collective head. Somehow, they were all on hand to share in the moment.

“Benji suggested we all dress as Reservoir Dogs, but it is kind of a miracle we’re all in suits,” laughed Steele. “It was this time in our lives where things were moving and naturally changing. It was really exciting. We were all at Benji’s house and it was the focal point where we all came together and grew up together,” added Slater. In their heyday, the Momentum crew was notoriously squeaky clean. It was seemingly all good vibes and high fives, but as the surfers came of age and there was more at stake in their professional careers—money and world titles on the line—covert rivalries brewed and tensions sometimes flared. “I’ll speak for all of us, we probably went to sleep after sitting for an eight-hour interview wondering if we said something that would later be used against us,” said Machado, who famously missed out on the ’95 world title in the seminal “highfive” moment during the Pipeline Masters. “They weren’t asking us about where we learned to surf or any of that stuff. They went straight for the jugular.” The idea for the project began six years ago, after Steele put together a reunion trip to the Mentawai Islands for the original Momentum crew. When they got back home, Machado and his long-time manager, Justine Chiara, came up with the concept for the documentary. “For us, coming from outside the surf world, it was really important that we were going to do this, that they were willing to go beyond just making a surfing film. That was really encouraging to us,” said director Jeff Zimbalist. “The focus from the onset were the bonds of friendship and family, but then also this insider’s look at the cultural zeitgeist of the ’90s that this Momentum crew is at the center of.” SC

SURF FORECAST

GROM OF THE WEEK

WESTLEY YOUNG BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Las Palmas Elementary School doesn’t have a long, storied surf program like other schools in the San Clemente and Dana Point area; in fact, it’s only a couple of years into the process. But what it lacks in experience, it more than makes up for in stoke. Earlier this month at the Soul Surf team competition in Oceanside over Veterans Day weekend, the Las Palmas Surf Team pulled a huge upset win. Taking out highly respected programs, including San Clemente’s Concordia San Clemente Times November 29-December 5, 2018

The Las Palmas Elementary School Surf Team picked up a milestone victory over Veterans Day weekend in Oceanside. Photo: Courtesy of Noreen Bemus

Elementary School as well as schools from Laguna Beach and Encinitas, it was

the first big victory for the school. Anchored by Westley Young, who won the boys under-10 and boys under-12 divisions, it was a proud moment for Young and his dad, Jason Young, who moonlights as the Las Palmas surf coach. “These guys love surfing together and don’t miss a session,” coach Young said. “The crew is a fixture in the dawn patrol sessions around town, and it’s clearly paid off. It’s great to see Las Palmas in the mix, and we’re looking forward to more great things from this crew.” Joining Young in Oceanside were Piper team members Connor Bemus, Chase Mathieson and Nate Stacy. SC Page 26

Water Temperature: 60-65 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 5-8’ Fair Thursday: Long period northwest swell peaks with S swell and NW windswell mixing in. Surf is running head high+ (5-6’+) at most spots while top breaks are going well overhead+ (8’+) on sets. Winds and conditions not looking ideal for Thursday with south veering SSW winds. Outlook: WNW swell mix continues Friday down just slightly but still easily overhead on sets at most open exposures. Secondary S swell is building. Winds looking onshore for the day. Surf heights gradually come down into early next week with easing WNW swell mix and holding to fading S swell. Be sure to check Surfline.com for all the details and that longer range outlook.