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PierPride, Sunrise Rotary Unveil New Pier Lighting for American Flag BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO
For the first time in quite a while, an American flag will fly at the end of the pier—where it will remain a permanent fixture now that new lighting has been installed to illuminate the Red, White & Blue after the sun sets on San Clemente. “The lighting will go on at dusk and go off at sunrise, so the flag will not be lowered and (will) always fly across from the Snack Shack,” explained Eileen Kawas, the past president of the nonprofit PierPride Foundation. Officials with PierPride and the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary, which sponsored the installation of the light fixture, were set to gather at the San Clemente Pier alongside city representatives, dignitaries and other local groups for an unveiling ceremony Wednesday evening, Feb. 23—after San Clemente Times went to print. The online version of this story will include further details from Wednesday night’s ceremony The new lighting comes roughly 32 months since San Clemente teen Liam Hallinan renovated the flagpole. As part of his Eagle Scout project in June 2019, Hallinan, then 15 years old, worked with the city’s contractor to erect the new flagpole opposite the concession stand. Since then, though, the flagpole has seldom been used to let the American flag fly, as SC Times columnist Fred Swegles reported in a November 2019
column. For a short while, the previous operator of the pier’s Snack Shack did the honors of raising the flag. However, he later moved to Texas, handing operations over to the current tenant, who was reportedly unable to take on the task of hoisting the flag daily. Some alternatives had been floated around that time, such as a suggestion to have the city’s lifeguards or maintenance staff raise and lower the flag. The city, though, opted not to go that route, with Samantha Wylie, the city’s parks and recreation manager, explaining that lifeguards already fly the American flag atop their tower on the pier. In December 2019, the city began flying its flag at the renovated flag pole at the end of the pier Another suggestion was to attach lighting to or around the pole so the American flag could fly 24/7. A section of U.S. code stipulates that the American flag could be flown 24 hours a day, “if properly illuminated during hours of darkness.” “That was the problem before; we didn’t have lighting,” Kawas said. “(The flag) would have to go up and then be taken down before nightfall.” That was until the Sunrise Rotary stepped in to sponsor the project, along with Gary Keller, a local resident and president of South Coast Lighting and
Design, who gifted the light fixture, Kawas explained. “It all came together beautifully,” Kawas said, later highlighting the Rotary’s goal to “shine a light through the night and let this be a beacon for all.” “I think what Sunrise Rotary wants and what PierPride wants is again that beacon of hope, that promise in the night,” Kawas added. “That there is hope and promise that represents all of us; maybe brings us closer together; unity and focus during these times.” Noting the group’s ability and commitment to give back to the community, Sunrise Rotary President Sally Guon said the club wanted to step up and sponsor the project after hearing that this was among the top requests from PierPride and pier visitors. Sunrise, she said, got involved about last July after club members voted unanimously to partner with PierPride for the project. “To see the American flag wave throughout the night is a symbolic bea-
con of hope that brings us all together,” Guon said. Hallinan was set to present the American flag for the city to raise on Wednesday night, which coincided with World Rotary Day, Kawas noted. During the ceremony, Mayor Gene James was also slated to present proclamations to members of the two local Rotaries: Sunrise Rotary and the San Clemente Rotary Club. The event, she added, was also meant to serve as the official kickoff for the planned renovations of the Snack Shack. The project, which, according to Kawas, is expected to be completed by Memorial Day, includes enhancements to the concession stand and the outdoor seating area. “We’ve got public art, a counter with six barstools. We’ll have new picnic tables with games on top,” she said. “There will be a new weathervane put on top of the Snack Shack, and it will be a sister piece that we put on the restrooms last year. It’s a very exciting time.”
Duncan Announces Candidacy for State Assembly Race
homeless individuals in permanent housing. While serving as a member of the Laguna Niguel City Council, Davies worked with the County of Orange to create a Joint Powers Authority establishing a housing trust on the county level. She added that she’d like to work with her colleagues at the state level to bring a Joint Powers Authority into North San Diego County. On housing, Duncan added that the state should not approach housing with a one-size-fits-all approach. “It should really be left more to the localities to develop housing that fits their particular location and has the look and feel that they’re looking for in their city,” Duncan said. “I think that can be done through incentive programs rather than mandates.”
Duncan also added that the district needs to focus on opportunities for the state’s youths. “We need to make sure that we don’t lose our young people to brain drain, to other states,” Duncan said. “I want to make sure we engage and have those economic opportunities and have those housing opportunities for our young people.” Duncan highlighted protecting the coastlines and environment as one of the biggest issues in the district. He explained that ensuring the district’s beaches are taken care of and retaining the beaches’ sand are necessary to protect the coastline. “Districtwide, it really is a coastal district, so I want to be a champion of protecting our coastlines and ensuring
that this environment that we’ve all decided to live here for remains for future generations,” Duncan said. Davies noted crime and fentanyl as additional issues to be addressed over the next year. “That’s been very important to me. For many years working with families that have lost their children to fentanyl, last year, I was able to pass a bill that made it mandatory that all treatment centers needed to have at least two doses of Narcan available with someone that can administer it,” Davies said. She added that she has a couple more bills to introduce this year to address fentanyl overdoses. One bill will allow fentanyl test strips to be purchased. She hopes that, should parents find pills, (Cont. on page 4)
BY BREEANA GREENBERG
With the state’s upcoming Primary Election scheduled for June 7, San Clemente Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan, a Democrat, looks to challenge Republican incumbent Laurie Davies to represent California’s 74th Assembly District. Speaking with San Clemente Times this week, both candidates highlighted homelessness and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as two of the biggest issues facing the 74th District. Davies explained that she’d like to continue to work across the aisle to place San Clemente Times February 24-March 2, 2022
New lighting placed on the San Clemente Pier ensures the American flag will stay illuminated through the night. Photo: Shawn Raymundo
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