April 9, 2020

LO C A L

N EWS

April 9-15, 2020

YO U

C A N

U S E

INSIDE: Celebrating Earth Day and More in The Green Issue

SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 15, ISSUE 15

Sewers Assemble Face Mask Shortage at Hospitals Prompts Local Volunteerism E Y E O N S C / PAG E 5

Nurses at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo don homemade face masks assembled by a group of local volunteers who wanted to address the shortage of personal protective equipment for first responders battling the coronavirus. Photo: Courtesy of Louise Herbert

Mayor Bane Announces Resignation from City Council EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

City, State Parks Close Local Beaches EYE ON SC/PAGE 3

sanclementetimes.com

CIF Cancels Spring Postseason, Likely Ending Entire Spring Season SPORTS/PAGE 24

GO TO SANCLEMENTETIMES.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS

SC EYE ON SC San Clemente

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things San Clemente should know this week Mayor Bane Announces Resignation from City Council THE LATEST: Near the conclusion of Tuesday night’s council meeting, San Clemente Mayor Dan Bane announced that he’s resigning from his position on the city council effective April 21, as he’ll be relocating his family out of state.

Bane, a trial attorney and partner with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, said he was presented with a job opportunity that he “frankly couldn’t say no to.” While not disclosing the new role or where he was moving, he said he and his family would be leaving San Clemente, likely in late May or early June, depending on how quickly the coronavirus pandemic relents.

“When I took the oath of office, I took it believing I would be in San Clemente for life,” Bane said, adding: “So this is a sad day for me and my family that we’re leaving, but it’s an absolutely incredible opportunity for me and my family, and it’s one that I just can’t pass up.”

Bane was elected to the council in 2018, securing one of the three open seats in the race. As a first-year councilmember, he was selected to be mayor pro tem, alongside the late Mayor Steve Swartz.

Swartz’s untimely death in May 2019 propelled Bane to the position of acting mayor, which he held for much of the year while the city conducted a special election to fill the open council seat. After Councilmember Gene James won the vacant seat last fall, Bane was officially appointed as mayor.

Addressing his supporters, who, he said, are likely disappointed by his announcement, Bane apologized for not being able to finish the remainder of his term, which was set to end in 2022.

“I wish I could’ve accomplished more, but I feel like in the year and a half, we accomplished a lot of my goals that I set out to do,” he said. “I leave the city with my head held high.”

The council’s next meeting on April 21 will be his final day at the helm of the dais. He said on Tuesday night that he would be formally submitting his resignation letter to City Clerk Joanne Baade on Wednesday, April 8.

Before adjourning Tuesday night’s San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

Mayor Dan Bane will be resigning from the city council effective April 21, as he recently accepted a job offer that will require him to relocate his family out of state. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

council meeting, Bane said he feels that he’s leaving the council in “incredible shape” in terms of leadership, praising interim City Manager Robert Dunek as the right person to help lead the city.

“It’s been an honor . . . I leave with a lot of trepidation,” Bane said, adding that he’ll “be back often to visit and see friends, but my life is taking me in a different direction at the moment.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Per the city’s municipal code, the council is expected to call for a special election to fill the upcoming vacancy. Such an election would be held on the next regularly scheduled election date, which falls on Nov. 3. In the meantime, the council could also appoint an individual to hold the office.

Two council seats, currently held by Councilmembers Chris Hamm and James, will be up grabs this November. With Councilmember Laura Ferguson holding the position of mayor pro tem, she’s likely to take on the role of acting mayor following Bane’s departure.—Shawn Raymundo

Council Appropriates $500,000 for Disaster Relief Funding THE LATEST: Amid the ongoing public health crisis unfolding across the nation, the city council voted on Tuesday, April 7, to reactivate a disaster relief fund and set aside $500,000 to cover the costs related to locally addressing the coronavirus pandemic.

In a 3-1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ferguson opposed and Councilmember Chris Hamm absent, the council approved the appropriation of $500,000, using coffers from the city’s general fund and

general liability fund.

Assistant City Manager Erik Sund explained to the council that the relief fund is intended to be used as a means of tracking the monies being spent toward the crisis, and in turn, identify how much in reimbursements should be recovered from the federal and state governments.

“I think it’s important to note, we have no intention of spending $500,000, but we don’t know how long this emergency is going to go and what impacts the city is going to have,” Sund said. “And from a grant reimbursable standpoint, tracking these costs separately is key to getting swift reimbursement from those agencies.”

According to the city, since it began implementing strict social distancing measures, such as closing access to public facilities, it has incurred additional expenses, including costs for extra cleaning, expansion of telecommuting and shift changes.

“Many of the costs we’re incurring are above and beyond our normal budgetary amounts,” Sund said, giving the examples that “public works maintenance staff is doing a lot of work related to COVID-19, beyond their normal eight-hour day. So, those overtime costs are being tracked, because those are something the city can seek reimbursement for in light of COVID-19.”

As the crisis continues, with no clear end in sight, Sund added that the appropriation would cover future financial impacts such as the need for additional laptops for telecommunicating.

Believing the action puts the cart before the horse, Ferguson said she’s “never heard of (a city) putting aside half a million dollars in an emergency to draw from.” She also raised concern over why the city couldn’t work within the current

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budget to charge expenses and code them as COVID-19 response in order to track the funds for recovery.

“You don’t create, what I see this as, a slush fund,” Ferguson said. “A half a million dollars, set aside and not spending the current general fund money, which is what we should be doing. All of our salaries including contracts are already budgeted and accounted for this year, and half the people are telecommuting from home.”

Ferguson then questioned the city’s report, which notes that increased costs are due to telecommuting and sanitizing.

“Those don’t increase costs to the tune of half a million dollars,” she said. “Telecommuting doesn’t increase costs. You’re paying them anyway, whether employees are home or at work.”

In response to Ferguson’s criticism, Sund said that while the city does have appropriations for general fund operating expenses for regular core services in the budget, there was no available funding for the event of a disaster.

“If we try to use the current appropriations, we would have shortages,” Sund said.

WHAT’S NEXT: To allay any concerns over the relief fund expenditures, a provision was included to have the city staff regularly come back to the council with reports detailing how the monies have been spent.—SR

City, State Parks Close Local Beaches THE LATEST: A recent surge in visitation to San Clemente’s beaches and beach trails, as well as to San Onofre State Beach, has prompted local and state officials to step up their efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus by closing the local beaches.

The city announced late Tuesday night that effective Wednesday, April 8, all of San Clemente’s beaches, as well as beach coastal trails, would be closed to the public indefinitely as part of a move to address “overcrowding of the beachfront.”

“Although many of our citizens are selfregulating and practicing social distancing, the increased number of people gathering on San Clemente beaches has created more opportunities for community spread of the virus,” the city said in a press release. “Closing these areas is prudent to reduce the potential spread of the virus and protect the public.”

According to the city, noncompliance with the closure orders could result in citations being issued, with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Marine Safety, Code Enforcement and Park Rangers increasing their monitoring of the areas.

(Cont. on page 4) sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC (Cont. from page 3) The city’s announcement came on the heels of a similar notice by the California Department of Parks and Recreation to close off access to San Onofre State Beach, including the popular surfing destination Trestles, effective at sunset on Tuesday.

No indication was given as to when it might reopen.

Just like the city of San Clemente, the state parks agency also attributed the closure of San Onofre to an increase in visitation from beachgoers, some of whom traveled from as far as Ventura County.

The department stated that traveling of such kind “is highly discouraged during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The department was forced to take further temporary safety measures by completely closing down the beach and all recreational facilities to everyone including locals, pedestrians, bicyclists, and boat traffic until further notice,” the department said in a press release. “Coastal and inland portions of the park are also closed, including parking lots, and effective Tuesday night, street parking on Christianitos Road and El Camino Real.”

The closure of the beaches signals an escalation of measures after the city, county and state parks agency took recent steps to discourage would-be beachgoers by closing the parking lots to several beaches along the coast.

“But that did not deter many surfers from walking or biking several miles to access the various surf breaks found at San Onofre,” the department said, before admonishing surfers who were “looking for that perfect wave” and “ended up congregating too closely for safe, physical distancing.”

WHAT’S NEXT: In anticipation of the order to close the beaches, the city, late last month, posted signage and prepared fencing to restrict the beach access.

Interim City Manager Robert Dunek told councilors at their April 7 meeting that this was a step the city had not long considered nor wanted to do, but based on the level of visitors, he said “staff collectively thought it’s come time to take this action.”

While Dunek has been granted the authority by the council to initiate such actions, he said he will place a resolution in front of the council to confirm the closures at the next meeting on April 21.

More information on the closure of San Onofre can be found at the parks.ca.gov/ flattenthecurve, while additional info on city’s beach closures can be found at sanclemente.org/coronavirus.—SR

Mental Health Needs Rise THE LATEST: Mental health issues are increasing during the coronavirus pandemic, several local mental health service providers recently confirmed.

Anxiety and stress were cited in particular by South Orange County professionals when reached for comment. William MarSan Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

South Coast Water District is asking customers to refrain from flushing down anything other than human waste and toilet paper. Even “flushable” wipes have reportedly led to an increase in clogs.

Photo: Courtesy of SCWD

tin, a psychologist based in San Clemente, said people are reacting to the unknown factor now in the world and rapid changes to daily life, with schools, gyms and businesses closed.

“A lot of people are struggling with boredom,” Martin said.

Martin also noted the end or change to routines is also causing issues. Mental health tips recommended by Martin include exercising in the home, taking up old hobbies such as reading, and stopping to take deep breaths.

Martin also said while people need to be aware of guidelines for safety, they shouldn’t panic.

“Rather than overreacting, we should recognize we need to be cautious,” Martin said.

Mary Naimie, a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist also based in San Clemente, said there has been a decrease in people reaching out for help despite an increase in need. People sometimes go into a shelter-in-place mood when trauma initially occurs, Naimie said.

“Everybody is in a trauma mode right now,” Naimie said.

More people could begin reaching out in the next few weeks as they adjust to the new world, said Naimie, who still sees regular clients.

Naimie and other mental health experts compared responses to the pandemic as similar to the stages of grief. Recommendations for self-care depend on where

someone is in those stages, Naimie said.

Anxious people should minimize the amount of information they take in about the pandemic, and general tips include getting outside while maintaining a safe distance, staying busy and productive, and continuing to socialize through technology.

“You can do Zoom meetings,” Naimie said. “You can sit on your porch a safe distance away from neighbors and say hello to people.”

Teenagers should keep schedules similar to their old ones while doing online education, and adults should be mindful young children pick up on their emotions.

Gayle Hillyard, a therapist in Dana Point, said everyone is handling their crisis mode differently, with some initially panicking before accepting the situation and others not having much of an initial reaction. Depression is also increasing, Hillyard said.

During the pandemic, local experts recommend people turn to telehealth, which enables patients and clinicians to communicate electronically about health-related services and issues.—Collin Breaux

‘Flushable Wipes’ Bust Flush for Wastewater Treatment THE LATEST: Are flushable wipes actually flushable?

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Amid the scarcity of toilet paper at grocery stores, South Coast Water District staff says they are dealing with the brunt of an increased use of “flushable” wipes. “’Flushable wet wipes have gained in popularity with the lack of toilet paper and due to sophisticated marketing tactics,” SCWD public information officer Sonja Morgan said. “These wipes can clog up sewer pipes and cause sewer system pump stations to block and shut down, causing large sewer spills into our community.”

Sanitary operators, who are reportedly working longer hours due to the coronavirus crisis, now have the additional burden of finding these blockages before they can cause damage. While toilet paper dissolves readily, wipes and paper towels take much longer to dissolve, if ever.

Flushable wipes clogging pipes is not a new dilemma for wastewater agencies.

“It is a problem wastewater agencies have been taking on for well over 15 years,” Morgan said. “Misleading labeling on wipes has caused widespread confusion among consumers.”

Major brands such as Cottonelle counter that its wipes are designed to be flushed, while most wet wipes are designed to be thrown away.

Cottonelle Flushable Wipes are 100% flushable and start to break down immediately after flushing, according to a Kimberly-Clark Family Care statement.

Kimberly-Clark owns brands including Cottonelle, Kleenex, Scott and Huggies.

On March 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a release urging Americans to only flush toilet paper down the toilet—and to throw wipes or other non-flushable items in the trash.

“Flushing only toilet paper helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems and septic systems will continue working properly to safely manage our nation’s wastewater,” the EPA Press Office said. “While EPA encourages disinfecting your environment to prevent the spread of COVID-19, never flush disinfecting wipes or other nonflushable items. These easy steps will keep surfaces disinfected and wastewater management systems working for all Americans.”

According to the EPA, flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems. Fixing these backups is costly and takes time and resources away from ensuring that wastewater management systems are otherwise working properly.

“Unfortunately, over the years, people have turned the toilet into a trash can,” Morgan said. “Flushing these types of items down the toilet causes home pipes to clog and can have a significant impact on our sewers and not to mention our ocean.”—Lillian Boyd sanclementetimes.com

EYE ON SC

Face Mask Shortage at Hospitals Prompts Local Volunteerism

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

During this time of crisis, communities have seen an outpouring of support and volunteerism from its citizens and organizations looking to help in any way they can.

Whether it’s delivering food to the elderly in isolation or just continuing to support local businesses struggling to stay afloat, many folks in Orange County and the rest of the nation have come together to do their part.

One of the latest examples of volunteerism in South Orange County has been a major push to produce and donate much-needed face masks and other personal protective equipment, or PPE, to area hospitals and the first responders who are on the front lines battling the pandemic.

Louise Herbert, a San Clemente resident and member of the Democratic Women of

South Orange County, recently put out a call for volunteers to help assemble homemade face masks using bed sheets, T-shirts and other fabrics.

“I knew people were in dire need of masks,” Herbert told San Clemente Times by phone.

Herbert recalled that she was motivated to make the masks following a recent virtual town hall meeting Congressman Mike Levin held on Facebook.

Herbert got to work by playing around with patterns, modifying them to her liking and began sewing the masks together. She then emailed neighbors and friends asking if they were interested in also making masks from their own homes—to ensure social distancing—while Herbert handles distribution. From there, the Sewers of South OC was born.

Throughout the pandemic, one of the major storylines has been the shortage of PPE at hospitals.

Officials from Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo have previously explained that while staff has been able to reuse face masks, hospitals simply don’t have the supply necessary for the influx of patients.

“Yeah, we’re in the same boat. I’ve talked to dozens of other hospitals. We’re in the same boat in the U.S. No one has the supply necessary for this type of influx,” Dr. Jim Keany of Mission Hospital told SC Times last week.

Guidance from the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that health care facilities practice an extended use of face masks or allow face masks to be used beyond the shelf-life as part of strategies to optimize supply.

“Our strategy, No. 1, is to preserve PPE as much as possible. So, developing systems that don’t require specific change” of equipment like masks and gowns, Keany had said. “No. 2 strategy is reuse and decontamination. And the third strategy is extended use . . . they’re meant for certain hours, but we’re having people extend that use beyond recommended hourly use.”

Touching on Mission’s shortage of PPE, Herbert said one of the volunteers who responded to her call for help was a neighbor whose daughter works in the intensive care unit as a nurse for the hospital.

“They’re in desperate need of masks,” Herbert said of the Mission Hospital staff, before adding that her neighbor’s daughter was also told to reuse her N95 respirator mask for three days before it fell apart.

To assemble the masks, Herbert explains, her team of South County sewers went through bed sheets and quilting fabric. She said she was also recently fortunate enough to be given 25 yards of fabric from the JOANN Fabric and Craft Store.

However, the assembly did briefly hit a snag, Herbert noted, as elastic for the binding is currently on short supply, as well. Instead, for now, she and her team have gotten cre-

A display of homemade face masks that San Clemente resident Louise Herbert and her Sewers of South OC team assembled to donate to local hospitals amid the shortage of personal proactive equipment being used by responders battling the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Courtesy of Louise Herbert

ative by using T-shirts to make the binding.

“We have given out more than 300 masks in eight days,” Herbert said on Friday, April 3.

“And I have more that can be picked up.”

More than 100 of the masks so far have gone to Mission Hospital, with the help of her neighbor’s daughter, Herbert said. Several more masks have gone to clinics in Orange and Laguna Hills, as well as Trader Joe’s in San Clemente and the United Consumer Food Workers Union.

To volunteer with the Sewers of South OC, email Herbert at louhsc52@gmail.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An extended version of this story can be found at sanclementetimes.com. SC

EYE ON SC

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

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Brew Ha Ha Supports Local Breweries During COVID-19 Pandemic During the public health crisis, the San Clemente-based Brew Ha Ha Productions is doing its part to support the local craft beer industry, which has been among the hardest-hit amid the stay-at-home orders from the state and county.

Last month, the local business announced it had begun to sell special T-shirts and hoodies with the intention of donating the proceeds to the Orange County Brewers Guild, which supports local breweries in the community.

“Being small business owners ourselves within the beer and entertainment industry, we understand the severity of this situation and toll it’s taking on all of us,” the company said on its online shop. “A lot of really great people have lost their jobs, and many are at risk of losing their businesses because of these shutdowns.”

The shirts, priced at $24.99, and the hoodies, priced at $49.99, have special graphics showing either a six-pack of beer or a tall can paired with a surgical mask.

Each item encourages shoppers to “drink local, stay home,” and features the hasthtag #coronavirussucks.

“We might not be able to leave our homes, but we can still enjoy our beer,” the online shop says. “You can still pick up crowlers, growlers, and packaged beer from most all of our local breweries and enjoy them in the comfort and safety of your own home.”

Visitors to the site can also choose to simply donate $5 or more to the cause.

Brew Ha Ha’s special merchandise can be found at ocbrewhaha.myshopify.com.

SoCalGas Launches Bill Assistance for Customers amid Pandemic For Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) customers whose income has changed due to COVID-19, the utility company is launching a campaign to let them know they can save on their gas bill.

“SoCalGas Cares” launches this month aiming to inform customers of their eligibility to qualify for SoCalGas’s assistance program. If you have recently lost your job, even if you are receiving unemployment benefits, you may qualify for 20% off your natural gas bill with their CARE program.

“SoCalGas is committed to assisting the communities we serve during this challenging period,” said Jeff Walker, vice president of Customer Solutions at SoCalSan Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

TUESDAY, APRIL 14

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (BILY) 6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, drug abuse, disrespect), will continue conducting its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via video conference. BILY’s video conference will be held through Zoom. For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

Michael Kraman, the CEO for the Transportation Corridor Agencies, presents a proposal to the agencies’ board of directors on Thursday, March 12, recommending that the members move forward with an extension of Los Patrones Parkway as an untolled, arterial route and formally end a pursuit of extending the 241 Toll Road through San Clemente. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

Gas. “We recognize that many families are facing unexpected hardships such as job and income loss right now, and we want to remind them that SoCalGas’ assistance programs like CARE can help.”

The CARE program aids people in paying their utility bills by providing a 20% discount on monthly natural gas bills.

Customers who have become recently unemployed or who are currently facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic or for other reasons are encouraged to visit socalgas.com/care, complete the quick online application and find out instantly if they qualify. The CARE online application is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

If you or someone you know is having difficulty paying their gas bill, the Gas Assistance Fund (GAF) may be able to provide you with a one-time grant for the amount of the gas bill, not to exceed $100.

The Gas Assistance Fund is a joint effort of SoCalGas and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.

The Medical Baseline Allowance program provides additional natural gas at the lowest baseline rate for individuals with a serious health condition. Customers may qualify if a full-time household member has a life-threatening illness or compromised immune system, is seriously disabled, or requires more heat in the winter due to a serious health condition or to prevent deterioration of the individual’s condition. Eligibility is based on medical condition only, not household income.

SoCalGas will continue to make safety and emergency service appointments,

including reports of suspected natural gas leaks, carbon monoxide checks, gas meter turn-ons, natural gas outage and pilot re-lights. Crews will continue to perform work needed to maintain infrastructure.

Service disconnections have been suspended until further notice. This means no customer will have their natural gas turned off due to non-payment. SoCalGas has also temporarily waived late fees for small business customers. SoCalGas does not charge late fees for residential customers.

TCA’s Michael Kraman Announces Retirement Michael Kraman, the chief executive officer of the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), recently informed the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA) and Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agencies of his decision to retire.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to lead TCA during times of success and challenges,” Kraman said in a press release from the TCA on Friday, April 3.

“The recent action by the F/ETCA Board to extend Los Patrones Parkway untolled accomplishes TCA’s efforts to complete the southern extension of the 241 Toll Road, closing a long chapter in our Agencies’ history.”

The TCA Board of Directors voted unanimously on March 12 to further pursue the extension of Los Patrones Parkway—an arterial, untolled route—as part of the efforts to relieve South County

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SAN CLEMENTE TOASTMASTERS 7-8:40 p.m. The San Clemente Toastmasters will continue to meet every Tuesday online through Zoom.

Email fardad.fs@gmail.com to receive a link to join. 858.900.6175 sanclementetoastmasters. toastmastersclubs.org.

traffic, formally removing the possibility of extending the 241 Toll Road through San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the TCA have been working on the Relief Effort, which contained many proposals, including some to extend the 241 through parts of San Clemente and San Juan in order to connect to Interstate 5.

“Having spent more than 35 years delivering major transportation infrastructure projects, this achievement, coupled with the recent 241/91 Express Connector agreement, presented a timely opportunity to transition to the next phase of my life,” Kraman said in the release. “It’s been my honor and privilege to serve our Directors, employees, loyal customers and Orange County.”

According to the release, Kraman will remain on the board until an interim CEO can be named.

“As I look back on the last eight years, beginning as chief engineer … I feel a great sense of accomplishment, having worked diligently with partner transportation agencies, as well as county and city representatives, the business community and environmental groups, to improve mobility throughout the region,” said Kraman.

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 sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com. sanclementetimes.com

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City Editor, SC Times Shawn Raymundo

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Sports Editor Zach Cavanagh Columnist Fred Swegles Special Projects Editor Andrea PapagianisCamacho Copy Editor Randy Youngman ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes

O P E R AT I O N S

Group Operations & Production Coordinator Inna Cazares FINANCE Finance Director Mike Reed Accounting & Distribution Manager Tricia Zines CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Jake Howard Tim Trent

San Clemente Times, Vol. 15, Issue 15. 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 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES PRINT

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Celebrations in the Midst of Uncertainty

BY NORB GARRETT, OWNER AND PUBLISHER OF PICKET FENCE MEDIA

The past month has not given us much to celebrate. Whether you think the state’s, nation’s and world’s response to COVID-19 is appropriate or an overreaction, the fact is there’s little any of us can do other than try to be compliant and respectful by following the health guidelines established to prevent the further spread of the virus.

As many businesses are shuttered or remain open while struggling to survive, school children stay at home, parents and families cope with lost jobs and incomes and uncertainty, layering stress and strain on all of us, it’s important to try to find a few rays of happiness and celebrate them.

In our communities, we’ve heard uplifting stories of neighborhoods holding virtual “happy hour” block parties online, local musicians and artists using their talents online to lift our collective spirits, families bonding around dusted-off board games with their homebound kids, and local businesses doing what they can to support the health care workers as they battle the coronavirus. The worst of times can sometimes bring out the best in people.

Here at Picket Fence Media, we have something to celebrate as well.

As we battle to keep our lights on due to the advertising budgets of local businesses being cut and events being canceled, on Monday, March 30, our staff learned we had won 10 prestigious editorial awards from the California News Publishers Association (CNPA).

It’s the most awards we’ve ever won in a single year and a testament to the work ethic and talent of our small, industrious group of reporters and designers. The San Clemente Times took five awards, the Dana Point Times three and The Capistrano Dispatch and SC Magazine one each.

Congratulations to Lillian Boyd, Shawn Raymundo, Zach Cavanagh, Fred Swegles, Jasmine Smith, Chelsie Rex, Randy Youngman and Andrea Papagianis on an amazing job covering our communities.

Our staff has stepped up big-time covering the COVID-19 crisis, too, working countless hours and weekends trying to keep you informed.

In response to the crisis, we launched a new daily e-newsletter in each community (SC Times Daily, DP Times Daily and The Dispatch Daily) to provide breaking news daily (go to our websites and click the News E-Blasts tab on the upper navigation bar to sign up).

We’ve also compiled a list (Local Eats) of area restaurants that are offering to-go and delivery services during the “stay-at-home” mandate, and every day we spotlight a local restaurant for free in our daily enewsletters to help those businesses stay afloat during the crisis.

You can help us continue to bring you free “Local News You Can Use” by becoming an “Insider” and doing your part to support local, independent journalism through this health crisis and beyond.

Please go to our websites, click on “Contribute” to learn how you can play an important role supporting the SC Times, DP Times and The Capistrano Dispatch.

We’re committed to doing our part to help keep you informed and aware of everything happening in our communities. Thanks for continuing to do your part, too. SC

4TH

PROFILE STORY

BY FRED SWEGLES

P L AC E

“Before He Made San Clemente, Ole Hanson Made Headlines as Seattle Mayor in 1919”

4TH P L AC E

INSIDE PAGE LAYOUT AND DESIGN STORY BY FRED SWEGLES, DESIGN BY CHELSIE REX

“A Doggone Good Time at the Ole Hanson Beach Club Pool”

2ND P L AC E

SPECIAL PUBLICATION JASMINE SMITH, ANDREA PAGAGIANIS, RANDY YOUNGMAN, FRED SWEGLES

SC Magazine 2019 SAN CLEMENTE TIMES D I G I TA L

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GENERAL EXCELLENCE SC TIMES STAFF

P L AC E

sanclementetimes.com

2ND

BREAKING NEWS

BY ZACH CAVANAGH

P L AC E

“Allegations of Racial Slurs

by Fans at San ClementeLincoln Football Game Incite Investigations”

4TH

BREAKING NEWS

BY ZACH CAVANAGH

P L AC E

“SCHS Football Removed from CIF-SS Playoffs, Player Ruled Ineligible” DANA POINT TIMES PRINT

3RD

P L AC E

COVERAGE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

BY LILLIAN BOYD, ADAM GILLES, SHAWN RAYMUNDO

“Allegations Disrupt Party Unity”

2ND P L AC E

FRONT PAGE LAYOUT & DESIGN CHELSIE REX, LILLIAN BOYD

May 24, Aug. 9, Dec. 27

5TH

SPECIAL SPORTS SECTION ZACH CAVANAGH, JASMINE SMITH

P L AC E

Dolphin Football Preview

Norb Garrett Owner and Publisher of Picket Fence Media Page 7

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH D I G I TA L

5TH P L AC E

LAND-USE REPORTING

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO

“City to Negotiate Plans for Glamping” sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX

Letters to The Editor EDISON’S FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC PAUL BLANCH, Hartford, Connecticut

I write this as an expert on nuclear plant radiation monitoring, being part of the American Nuclear Society dictating requirements for nuclear plant radiation monitoring. I was also an expert witness after Three Mile Island (TMI) and a member of the post-TMI Nuclear Regulatory Commission group for accident monitoring.

The recent San Clemente Times article titled “SONGS Representatives Explain Radiation Monitoring” should have read “SONGS attempts to mislead the public.”

The only concern during and after decommissioning is a radioactive release from either the spent fuel pool or the Holtec canisters, which are believed to be defective. Properly engineered air radiation is the only means to detect a leak, not a monitor designed to only detect background radiation. Southern California Edison needs a monitor to detect the

primary isotope of concern: Cesium-137.

The monitor depicted in the Edison photo appears to be aimed skyward, and unless a catastrophic canister accident occurs, these monitors will detect nothing. When there is a release, it will probably not be detected by these monitors, only seeing cosmic radiation from the sky.

These monitors are solely meant to provide a warm feeling of protecting the public, and I don’t believe they are capable of detecting any leakage from the spent fuel pool or Holtec canisters.

Mark Lewis stated: “I’ve been working here for 38 years, and my lifetime occupational radiation exposure at each millirem has been carefully counted throughout my career. My number is 1,004.”

So, what?

I have been in the industry for 55 years. My number is more than 5,000.

So, what?

I am happy to live on the East Coast, 2,500 miles from the devious PR from Edison and potential radiation from San Onofre.

SAVE OUR STORES SAM COCHRAN, San Clemente

Our local small businesses are a vibrant and vital part of San Clemente’s

wonderful culture. Now the coronavirus pandemic threatens their very existence. In short, our restaurants, shops, salons, and myriad other small enterprises are really hurting. Nobody wants to see boarded-up storefronts on Avenida Del Mar or anywhere else.

So, what can the average citizen do to help? Plenty, and in many cases, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

First, you can order gift cards online or over the phone. My wife and I are spreading out our gift card purchases among as many businesses as we can, but in order to make the purchase helpful to the proprietor, we never buy less than $100.

Remember these two things: 1. The longer you delay redeeming the gift card, the more you’re helping the business survive.

2. Don’t expect the return of any cash over the life of the card. The very reason for your purchase is to free up cash for the business in question.

The second thing you can do is adopt a business. Your “adoption” can take any form you agree to with the business owner.

These six words are a good start: “What can I do to help?” The better (and longer) you’ve known the owner, the more creatively you can work together.

Possibilities for your assistance abound.

For example, if you’re a retired teacher, you could homeschool an owner’s kids. If you’re a retired lawyer, you could represent an owner in revising his property lease and in postponing the landlord’s eviction action.

Our small businesses are facing a daunting task. Let’s give them all the help we can.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to sraymundo@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.

Beachside Chat will be suspended for the month of April

In an effort to reduce the possibility of spreading the coronavirus, the SC Times will abide by the state and federal government’s social distancing guidelines. The SC Times will reevaluate the evolving situation in early May.

SC GETTING OUT San Clemente

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

9 Style Sushi

Peet’s Coffee & Tea

102 Avenida Victoria, #E, 949.366.3669

801 Ave. Talega, 2A-101, 949.325.0487

Active Culture – Natural Foods Café & Yogurt

Pick Up Stix 415 Avenida Pico, 949.492.1226

111 S. El Camino Real, 949.276.4625

Aloha Acai Bowls & Coffee 111 W. Avenida Palizada, Ste. 306, 949.573.1129

Antoine’s Café 218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763

Avila’s El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant 204 Ave. Del Mar, 949.498.5000

BallPark Pizza San Clemente 831 Via Suerte, 949.218.0991

Barnoa Wine Bar & Bistro 831 Via Suerte, #106, 949.498.6604

List of Area Restaurants Open for Take-Out, Delivery During Coronavirus Shutdown The Picket Fence Media team has pulled together a comprehensive list of area restaurants that are open for take-out and delivery during this unprecedented “stay at home” order. We’ve put the list of San Clemente restaurants in alphabetical order. Please support these businesses if you can during these turbulent times and beyond: If your business was not listed, please email Zach Cavanagh at zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com, and we will add it immediately to the online version. Contributing Source: The San Clemente Chambers of Commerce SC

Ruby’s Diner 101 W. Ave. Vista Hermosa, 600, 949.492.7829

Sancho’s Tacos 1101 S. El Camino Real, 949.218.0488

San Clemente Wine Company 212 1/2 Avenida Del Mar, 949.429.7067

Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta 429 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.2540

Sur Coffee 118 S. El Camino Real

Bella Collina San Clemente

Taka-O Japanese Restaurant

200 Ave. La Pata, 949.388.4378

425 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.7111

Billy’s Meat, Seafood & Deli 111 Ave. Del Mar, 1A, 949.498.5924

Blaze Pizza 225 W Avenida Vista Hermosa, 949.612.2748

El Jefe Café

Left Coast Brewing Co.

106 E. Escalones, 949.492.4010

1251 Puerta Del Sol, 949.276.2774

Fred’s Market Liquor

Llama Llama Wine

220 S. Ola Vista, 949.492.5465

562.241.1699

Tamarindo 110 South El Camino Real, 714.640.9371

Thai Palace 1021 Avenida Pico, A, 949.369.1819

The Habit Burger Grill

Lost Winds Brewing Company

628 Camion de los Mares, 949.488.7826

924 Calle Negocio, C, 949.244.4288

Italian Cravings

Malulu Sushi

105 S. Ola Vista, 949.492.2777

415 E. Avenida Pico, 949.498.5331

Jimmy John’s Sandwiches

Mongkut Thai Restaurant

243 Avenida Del Mar, 949.481.6780

122 South El Camino Real, 949.481.6911

212 Ave. Del Mar, 949.492.3871

Café Rio Mexican Grill

Juice My Heart

Moulin

628 Camino De Los Mares, 949.627.4811

804 S. El Camino Real, 949.481.0700

120 W. Avenida Pico, 949.441.7040

Cassano’s Pizza

La Colombiana

OC Tavern

818 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.7611

1640 N. El Camino Real, A, 949.441.7656

2369 S. El Camino Real, 949.542.8877

Caterina’s Gelato Bar

La Siesta Mexican Restaurant

Panera Bread

614 Avenida Victoria, Ste C, 949.218.7085

920 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.3094

101 W. Ave. Vista Hermosa, 949.498.2387

Z Pizza

Dad’s Liquor & Deli

Las Golondrinas Mexican Food

Pedro’s Tacos

Zebra House Coffee

2421 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.8121

821 Via Suerte, 949.276.7464

2313 S. El Camino Real, 949.498.5904

1001 S. El Camino Real, A, 949.218.6976

Brick 216 North El Camino Real, 949.429.1199

Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar, #4, 949.366.9386

Café Mimosa

San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

Page 10

Thai Paradise 3551 Camino Mira Costa, B, 949.489.9914

The Cellar 156 Ave. Del Mar, 949.492.3663

The Grill 202 N El Camino Real, 949.492.8450

The Lobster Shack 111 W. Avenida Palizada, #104, 949.503.1119

Wahoo’s Fish Taco 641 Camino de los Mares, #100, 949.487.6995

1021 Avenida Pico, 949.498.3505

sanclementetimes.com

WELCOME TO THE GREEN ISSUE

The World Has Paused, but Green Living Continues to Grow This year marks the th anniversary of Earth Day—and 2020 is the year events are going digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social distancing has become a buzzword in this crisis era, during which people are staying indoors and being encouraged to not go outdoors so as to limit the spread of the outbreak. There are fewer cars on the roads, businesses have closed or scaled down operations, and people are turning to digital platforms as a result.

This is a challenging time for the world, but it is also a chance to pause and re ect. ews reports are coming in about reduced carbon emissions, less pollution and increased wildlife activity during the global shutdown.

As we travel less and limit our

Not Blowing Smoke Your Guide to Smog Tests

By Collin Breaux

Anyone who moves to California with an out-of-state vehicle or buys a new car here is likely familiar with a smog test. But what exactly is it, and how do you pass one? A smog test checks the emissions and engine performance of a vehicle and is part of environmental regulations. We spoke with Ashkan ean assir adeh, owner of Planet Smog Check, for insight, and also researched state government information. ere are some pointers PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT erhaps you’ve noticed the dreaded “check engine light” coming on while driving. f it happens before planning to get a smog check, you’ll have to get it repaired.

“If that light is on, it’s indicating that the sensor is on, assir adeh said. “It will not pass.”

Smog checks additionally check to ensure repair jobs done by others were done correctly, assir adeh said.

range of activities, that doesn’t mean environmentalism should stop. ow, more than ever, people reali e the value of community and life. ur annual arth ay Guide re ects that.

We have smog test tips, since incoming out-of-state vehicles still need to clear state guidelines. Check out our dive into a an Clemente nonprofit that aims for a clean ocean, and read our feature on community gardens where you can grow your own greens.

When the world returns to normal after this pandemic passes, we can all get back out there to visit these places in person and try out activities for ourselves. ntil then, we hope this guide gives you some valuable ideas about how to take care of the planet.

“ ’m pretty much an environmentalist at heart, said assir adeh, who is glad to explain smog checks to customers. “I’m here to make sure everyone is contributing to healthier air we breathe.”

MAKE SURE MODIFICATIONS ARE IN ORDER Emissions-related aftermarket modifications should be done within legal boundaries. llegal modifications could cause you to fail a smog check.

The California Bureau of Automotive epair says state and federal law generally prohibit modifications to vehicle emission control systems, and such parts must be original equipment from the manufacturer or be replacements for such. “ odifications to your emissions controls are not acceptable unless the parts used are approved by the California Air Resources Board,” the Bureau of Automotive epair website said. “A grants approvals in cases where the changes or aftermarket parts do not modify the performance of the emission controls in a way that increases emissions.”

SMOG CHECKS GENERALLY AREN’T P I R I I The good news is you won’t necessarily break the bank or spend a whole day on a smog check. Smog checks can generally run anywhere from $30 to $80, depending on the type of vehicle. sually when you get a smog check, you’re in and out of a smog check spot in a short time. Planet mog Check advertises minutes for walk-ins.

Always a Way to Recycle Despite closed centers, there are still plenty of ways to redeem CRVs

By Zach Cavanagh Personal recycling in California took a major hit in August 2019, as the state’s largest redemption recycling operator, rePlanet, shut down its 284 locations. RePlanet had operations in San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano.

At that time, Consumer Watchdog reported that 40% of California’s redemption centers had closed in the past five years.

The closures left many wondering where they could recycle and redeem their California Redemption Value (CRV) cans and bottles to do their part and earn a little money on the side.

Thankfully, for those in our South Orange County area, one company has swooped in to reopen some of the rePlanet centers under a new name. once ecycling has taken over a few centers, including the center in Dana Point behind the Ralphs between Del Prado and acific Coast ighway.

Ponce also has recycling centers paired with Ralphs grocery stores in Mission Viejo at 25104 Marguerite Parkway and in the Aliso Viejo Town Center at 26901 Aliso Creek Road.

When rePlanet shut down, many turned to local retailers to fill their recycling needs. owever, it was the retailers that had looked to rePlanet to handle their recycling programs.

In San Clemente, those retailers had to set up a plan to accept and receive the redeemable bottles and cans or incur a daily fine.

The retailers worked with CalRecycle, a state department, to acquire and set up an Option A a davit to redeem C containers in their

stores. According to CalRecycle, there are three locations in San Clemente, three in Dana Point and four in San Juan Capistrano that will redeem CRV cans and bottles in their stores. n an Clemente, the locations are Chevron at 1729 El Camino Real, Catalina Liquor at 102 Avenida ictoria and redi’s i uor at . la Vista.

In Dana Point, the locations are CVS at 32900 acific Coast ighway, Gelson’s at onarch each la a and Chevron at acific Coast ighway.

In San Juan Capistrano, the locations are ARCO ampm at 28662 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Liquor Mart at 31401 Camino Capistrano, l opal ercado at Camino Capistrano and armers arket at ancho Viejo Road.

If you can’t make it out to any of these locations yourself, there is another local option that can get there for you. irst featured in our Green ssue and on the cover of The Capistrano Dispatch back in 2016, -year-old yan ickman and yan’s ecycling can help you out.

While the job for Ryan and his dad, Damion, became more di cult with the re lanet closures last year, the ickmans’ an uan Capistrano recycling pick-up business is still rolling across range County. The ickmans pick up recycling from a patron and take it to a recycling center.

To schedule a pick-up of your recycling, go to ryansrecycling.com/contact. o matter the obstacles, there is always a way to do your part in the world of recycling.

Surfrider Foundation Defending the Seas for More Than 35 Years

By Shawn Raymundo In 1991, Surfrider Foundation earned national recognition when it won a landmark lawsuit under the federal Clean Water Act against two pulp mills that had been polluting the ocean o umboldt County.

The two companies, ouisiana- acific Corp. and impson aper Co., agreed to pay nearly . million in fines and stop polluting the water under a settlement agreement—the second-largest, at that time—under the Clean Water Act. “That case made national news, because it seemed so unlikely that these surfers would win this case, says urfrider C Chad elson. “That put urfrider on the map.

According to . . nvironmental rotection Agency o cials at the time, the two pulp mills had been dumping 40 million gallons of untreated waste into the ocean a day, Los Angeles Times had reported.

As a result of the e orts led by the small

organization of surfers, the two timber companies had also agreed to put in solar-heated showers at the nearby beaches, allowing surfers to wash o any toxic contaminants, according to the L.A. Times report.

After news broke of Surfrider’s major political victory, surfers from across the globe started calling the organization’s headquarters in San Clemente asking for help with their local issues. At that time, elson explains, urfrider’s operations were still small, having ust gotten o the ground a few years before.

“The organi ation was very small at that time—it might’ve ust been primarily volunteers, elson says. “ ut we started the grassroots e orts, and we said, We can’t solve your problems, but we can help you solve them.’

Thus began the expansion of urfrider oundation, which currently has more than chapters throughout the world. The first chapters were started right here in Southern California—one in range County and one in

an iego County.

“It’s been sort of organic growth since that time, elson says, later adding “ t is still an organi ation that is grassroots—very volunteer-driven. urfrider was first formed in

by Glenn ening, ance Carson, Tom ratte, Chris lakely and a host of other surfers. n the more than years since, the oundation has continued to address environmental threats to coastal environments worldwide.

As coastal defenders, Surfrider has focused its e orts on five key areas beach access, clean water, ocean protection, coastal preservation and plastic pollution.

Across the world, addressing plastic pollution has been at the forefront of Surfrider’s campaigns. urfrider lists more than campaigns in which the organi ation has been victorious in fighting plastic pollution, and has active campaigns right now to address the issue. elson notes that a large amount of the

“These single-use disposable items, although convenient, are causing great harm to our environment and in most cases are things that we can find better alternatives for.” Surfrider CEO Chad Nelson

plastic polluting the seas originated from trash and debris found on the beaches, including plastic wraps, straws and polystyrene.

“These single-use disposable items, although convenient, are causing great harm to our environment and in most cases are things that we can find better alternatives for, elson says. “ o we’re kind of approaching that by educating the public about personal choice— skipping the bag, using reusable mugs, skipping the straw—and at the same time utilizing our policies to minimi e these problems. ne statewide e ort urfrider is actively supporting is the California ecycling and lastic ollution eduction oter nitiative, which proposes to require that producers of singleuse plastic packaging transition to producing reusable and recyclable products by .

The proposed initiative, which re uires , signatures by April in order to ualify for the ballot in the General lection this ovember, is meant to complement similar legislation in the state Senate and Assembly—the California Circular conomy and ollution eduction Act, or enate ill and Assembly ill . elson explains that the measures are meant put some of the onus on the organizations that are producing the pollution in order to resolve the problem. ne of the ma or key areas urfrider is focused on in California is coastal preservation. “ ver of the California coastline is eroding, and we are starting to see the impacts of sea level rise, and that is causing sort of encroachment on the sea as the ocean encroaches on our beaches, elson says. e notes there are challenges when dealing with preservation pro ects because of the inner play between the ocean, public space, private property and infrastructure that are being damaged by erosion.

To mitigate the issue, elson explains that there are three potential responses. ne is beach nourishment or sand replenishment.

Another is armoring where shoreline structures are put in place to hold back the sea and prevent more loss of sediment. And the third is coastal adaptation. “ Coastal adaptation is also really challenging, because we’re talking about moving infrastructure and moving property lines, and that’s pretty contentious, elson says. “ ut in reality, that’s what we have to do to have healthy beaches in California. elson says a combination of those responses could be implemented to address the issue. ne example of this happening is at Capistrano each, where C arks recently presented some design proposals to help protect the amenities and public access to the local park. A couple of the current proposals are meant to be hybrids of those coastal preservation strategies. elson notes that up and down California’s coast, cities and counties are working to figure out how to ad ust, as the sea level is estimated to rise by three to six feet within the next years.

“That’s going to have ma or implication with how we coexist in our coastline, elson says. “ t sounds like a long way o , but we’re already facing these issues today. They’re only going to accelerate.

To learn more about urfrider’s history, to volunteer with its outh range County chapter or donate to its e orts, visit southoc. surfrider.org.

THE FRUITS OF LABOR

Harry Otsubo Community Gardens Offers Camaraderie, Creativity and a Culture of Caring in Dana Point

Lillian Boyd, Dana Point Times Catherine Waters waited six years for her first plot at the arry tsubo Community Gardens—and now, about years later, she gives thanks each time she walks through the garden’s gates. t began when she first moved to ana oint. A neighbor told her about the community garden and drove her to go see it. “ ive minutes later, was at the counter at the ana oint Community Center office putting my name on the waiting list, Waters said.

After six years, Waters was allotted her first plot.

“That’s when my ourney as a smallspace fruit grower began. The plot now have is arry tsubo’s former garden.

Gardens go into mourning when the loving gardener who fostered it leaves. ack then, in arry’s absence, that plot had become overrun with stinging nettles, not a ton of fun to weed out.

After clearing out the nettles, the first thing Waters did was plant four apple trees, one in each corner, with the intent of training them into espaliers. spaliers are the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame.

“Apples, in the theories available to home gardeners in those years, were not supposed to produce in ana oint’s almost no-chill climate, but decided to take a chance on low-chill varieties—Winter anana a good pollinator , Anna and u i—grow them as espaliers and see what

happened, Waters said. “ ost years, we have wonderful crops that stretch from une to ovember.

While a community garden o ers a solution for residents without backyards or space to garden, plots also allow for garden experimentation. ome landscapes in ana oint do not allow for certain vegetable gardening due to ooding risks.

“There is a camaraderie amongst many of the people who garden at arry tsubo Community Gardens, Waters said. “They come from all walks of life, all professions.

With very few exceptions, the gardeners are friendly people and also, some, uite rugged individualists. Gardening can definitely highlight individualism. ost of the gardeners are brethren in that we share a common interest.

Waters re ects back on her roots and how her grandfather’s gardening in uenced her love for growing from the earth. Waters’ grandfather had an allotment garden in akland in an integrated neighborhood. “ eople from incredibly diverse backgrounds did exactly what he was doing, Waters said. “Agriculture is a common thread that binds people, not an ethnic identity that divides them. think a community garden brings this out in people.

The arry tsubo Community Gardens consist of plots of gardens that are maintained by individuals within the city.

The gardens are open to the public for viewing. t is open a.m.- p.m. and is located at tonehill rive, ana oint.

While Planting a Seed, They’re Sharing the Love

By Fred Swegles What if you could grow organic fruits and vegetables at home, in a compact space without even having to mess with soil? And use very little water?

San Clemente residents Greg and Lori Licht have taken the concept from their backyard into a charity endeavor—a nonprofit that supports food banks and encourages local residents to grow their own food.

We interviewed Greg Licht of San Clemente Urban Farms: What inspired you and Lori?

We originally bought a Tower Garden six years ago and placed it in our backyard. I grew up spending summers on my grandfather’s farm and loved growing things from an early age. When I learned about Tower Garden, I was amazed at how easy and quick it was to grow at home. I haven’t planted anything in the ground since.

How did that morph into San Clemente Urban Farms?

We were growing so much food on our one tower at home that we started giving it away to family and friends. About four years ago, Lori and I and a small group of friends were looking for a community service project. We knew about Family Assistance Ministries and their need for food donations. We realized that we could grow high-quality food quickly and in great quantities. So we added a couple towers and started growing more and donating.

How do Tower Gardens work?

It’s an aeroponic growing system that runs a small pump to circulate a nutrient solution over the roots on a timer. We don’t use soil, pesticides or fertilizers. Our system uses 90% less water and 90% less space than normal in-ground growing. We grow non-GMO, beyond-organic, nutrientdense, clean food. We are truly hyper-local.

You can’t get fresher produce anywhere.

Who are your beneficiaries?

Our mission statement is “to help feed those in need and educate people about the benefits of growing their own food and living a healthy lifestyle.” We are currently supplying three food banks: FAM, Laguna Food Pantry and Southern California Indian Center. We are feeding people in need the very best.

Where do you grow the produce?

We are blessed to have been given space

by Mark Zane, owner of Bella Collina (San Clemente) golf club. We originally pitched the idea to Jay Pesicka, general manager of ella Collina. efore we could finish all the reasons why this was a good idea for the community, Jay said, “OK, done,” and took it to Mark. We moved in about a month after first talking to ay.

What are your challenges and opportunities to do good in the coronavirus pandemic?

Earth Day Events

By Collin Breaux Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines, we will be listing virtual Earth Day events this year. Though in-person events have been canceled, the quarantine era gives us a chance to slow down, reduce our carbon footprint, re ect on being in harmony with nature and brainstorm plans for being good stewards of the planet.

APRIL 19 | EARTH DAY 50 VIRTUAL KICKOFF Time TBD. Earth Day Initiative is “building out an online platform and livestream video experience” to establish an online experience reminiscent of in-person events, in time for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Plans include speakers, among them scientists and performers, as well as virtual workshops and virtual exhibitor booths promoting sustainability. earthdayinitiative.org.

Greg Licht, co-founder of San Clemente Urban Farms, arrives for a harvest. Photo: Fred Swegles

“We moved to San Clemente in January, 1997.

I was in the surf industry. After a long-term job as executive vice-president at Body Glove, I moved a new business and family here.” Greg Licht The food banks are in need now, more than ever. We just donated about 160 heads of lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, etc., and Laguna Food Pantry told us more people are coming in for food than before.

We are working every day and not slowing. We are following all federal and state recommendations and directives from Bella Collina.

Who supports you?

We want our local community to get involved and help. You can go to our website and see ways you can support the cause.

We have a great group of board members and family that help out on the farm. We also have two employees. Hopefully, we will get volunteers to help.

Who are your board members?

Myself and Lori, Mel Pasquale, Marco Gon ale and e onas. Ally orris of The Happy Hour Agency is helping. Joe and Tiana Bard of Banzai Bowls are supporters.

A disabled veteran-owned company, AVCS from Arizona, donated enough money for us to buy 10 towers.

You offer seedlings and growing systems to the public. How does that support the nonprofit? ur nonprofit is a Tower Garden distributor, so we make a little money each time we sell one. We are also planning arm tand sales. We o er seedlings for sale and plan to have classes and socials at the farm.

How can seedlings and systems benefit local residents?

There is no better way to feed your

family nutrient-dense clean food than from right o your own tower. We are here to help the community and want people to join our Community Collective, where everyone can contribute to our food donations. We want to build a community of equipped and educated growers who take care of their families and help others.

What does tower growing cost?

The cost of a tower can be financed for zero interest over 12 months, at $51 per month, on our website, but then you are set up to grow for decades. The cost to operate a tower is very low. Our farm uses less electricity in one day than a home oven running for an hour. We have 26 towers.

The only other costs would be seeds, growing media like coco coir and nutrients.

Seriously, pennies.

What do you see as the farm’s future?

Food insecurity is real. Food problems like e-coli contamination are real. We believe in “better for all.” It’s not that hard to do. We want to supply more food banks and help people. We will need to grow our farm to do that. We have 26 towers in service. Each tower has 44 growing spaces, so we are producing 1,144 plants that harvest every four to six weeks. Our goal is to get to 52 towers—2,288 plants.

Can you handle that?

We have the space and have made the investment into electrical and plumbing to handle that many towers. Let’s just see what happens.

Learn more by visiting sanclementeurbanfarms.com

APRIL 20 | LIVESTREAMED STANFORD WOODS INSTITUTE CELEBRATION 1:30 p.m. Stanford is a long drive from Orange County, but this year you can celebrate environmental mindfulness with the university from the comfort of your couch.

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment will host this event, and people are invited to join students and faculty for an online discussion of the progress made since the first arth Day, and what the future holds for the planet. woods.stanford.edu.

APRIL 22 | VIRTUAL CLIMATE UPRISING Noon-5 p.m. Participate in a variety of workshops, teach-ins, and acts of solidarity. sandiego350.org.

APRIL 20-24 | EARTH DAY WEEK Varying times. The 2020 “We Don’t Have Time Climate Conference” will broadcast discussions and daily shows from Washington, D.C., Stockholm and from almost all continents on Earth. The event is public, free and devoted to solutions on the climate crisis. wedonthavetime.org.

APRIL | EARTH CHALLENGE 2020 Time is up to you. Participate in a citizen scientist initiative to log and report environmental data. “The campaign will use a mobile app to collect billions of observations in air quality, plastic pollution and insect populations, providing a platform and valuable environmental insight to promote policy change in these areas,” the campaign website says.

This campaign comes at a time when turning to technology is a necessity for interaction. earthchallenge2020.earthday.org.

MAKE YOUR OWN EVENT Take the initiative and create your own event.

You could host a group chat on Zoom, FaceTime or other platform to discuss recycling, sustainable ways of living and tapping into green technology. Grassroots community discussions can often yield new insights and enable collaboration.

Boys & Girls Club

Green Programs The Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast Area is doing its part to be green-friendly while encouraging kids to be environmentally conscious and teaching the importance of recycling.

The nonprofit’s Torch Club—a leadership and service program for middle school kids—has been a shining example of how the youth can preserve and protect the local beaches.

“They started doing trash cleanups at the beach,” says Elizabeth Beas, the director of development for the Boys & Girls Club. “They’ve been doing it pretty regularly during the school year. So that was something they initiated on their own.”

Beas says that each school year, the Torch Club is encouraged to get involved in serving the community, finding ways to do something that’s meaningful to them.

“This year, they decided that they wanted to go outward facing in, really cleaning up the community,” she says.

And during the out-of-school program’s summer months, Beas notes that the Boys & Girls Club conducts its 10-week Brain Gain course that’s intended to help keep kids learning over the long break.

Throughout the course, she says, learning activities are done using recycled items such as water bottles, newspapers and toilet paper, to name a few.

“We’re really dependent on recycled goods; hand-me-down goods,” she says.

“We put them all to really good use.”

SC SC LIVING San Clemente

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Two “healthy plate visuals” Mama G designed to help make food choices easy and enjoyable. Graphics: Gina Cousineau

GUEST OPINION: Health and Nutrition 101 by Gina Cousineau

Self-Care in the Midst of the Pandemic

T

oday, we sit in the midst of a pandemic that affects every individual worldwide, threatening our very lives.

Interestingly enough, just a month ago, a large portion of us were afflicted by another pandemic, obesity. This, too, has endangered our lives and futures, yet no one took it seriously.

I want to take a moment to remind you that in order to care for those you love, you must put your face mask on first. That being said, self-care in the midst HEALTH AND of this crisis or any other is NUTRITION 101 paramount to your standBy Gina Cousineau ing strong against that which makes us vulnerable.

Step one is to ignore the fear-mongering and bullying by influencers who claim their

pills, potions and diet plans will protect you from the virus—all for their monetary gain.

I am going to suggest—based on science and evidence—that our best defense in the midst of any storm will come from wholesome, minimally processed food choices.

While we saw extreme hoarding of food and supplies at the start of our quarantine, I am happy to see shelves full, once again, allowing us to better plan healthy meals for our families.

Using my “healthy plate” visuals can help you to make food choices to not only bring joy and comfort to our very stressed bodies, but also to build our immune systems, while bringing the family back around the kitchen table.

Contributor: Pomona Public Library

FROM THE ARCHIVES This postcard created by Burton Frasher Sr. in 1948 shows a large group of people fishing on the San Clemente Pier.

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

Recommendations from Mama G: • Come up with a routine/schedule, especially when it comes to food, such as no alcohol during the week or closing the kitchen between meals.

for at least one meal in which electronics are put away.

• Limit the treats and splurges in the home, especially highly processed foods, and instead choose one day a week to make a special meal and/or dessert together.

• Consider group exercise opportunities for the household, taking advantage of the wide spaces we have access to here in South Orange County—with proper social distancing, of course—and online options.

Gina Cousineau works with clients virtually and is offering her services at no charge during the pandemic. Her extensive education with a BS in dietetics and MS in integrative and functional nutrition, chef training, and more than 30 years as a fitness professional, allow her to help clients with finding a practical nutrition that works for their lifestyle. You can reach her at mamag@mamagslifestyle.com, 949.842.9975, and on Instagram and Facebook @mamagslifestyle. SC

• And, most importantly, stay connected to those who are alone and in need. Visit unitedwayoc.org if you need assistance or would like to volunteer.

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

• Allow everyone to pick a meal theme night, and use the healthy plate as your guide for Taco Tuesday or Pizza Friday.

• Try to sit down at the dinner table together

• Keep bedtimes and wake-up schedules consistent Monday through Friday.

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Luigi

Last week’s solution:

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

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 San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

L

See the solution in next week’s issue.

uigi, a 2½-year-old Chihuahua mix, is patiently waiting until he finds his perfect match. Luigi is a mellow guy that would love to spend all day in your lap if you let him. He is often misunderstood, but once you get to know him, his lovable personality shines through. Luigi is a staff favorite and would do best in an adult home with a dog-savvy owner to call his own.

If you are interested in adopting Luigi, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed

Page 19

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

to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. SC sanclementetimes.com

SC LIVING CoastLines by Fred Swegles

A Good Deed Goes for a Ride J

ason Plunkett came up with the idea one night while lying in bed. The 22-year-old San Clemente resident so much enjoyed riding his electric scooter around town. What if he could put it to use to help with the coronavirus pandemic?

Since March 23, Plunkett has been spending his days grocery shopping, delivering to people hunkered down in their homes.

“I don’t ask for any money for my time or efforts,” he says. “If they can afford to donate or tip me, that’s great. If not, I just feel happy that I helped people. Everyone—even people I haven’t delivered to—have given me amazing feedback.”

“I’m so proud of him,” says his aunt, Terri Plunkett, with whom he lives and who has been his mentor since the passing of Jason’s mother. “He’s the kind of kid who has to come up with things on his own. He’s really independent. He came up with this on his own. It has just taken fire.”

Jason hatched his delivery idea on March 23 after posting tear-away fliers around town and announcing his service on the NextDoor app.

People who call in an order can pay for it using apps such as Venmo, PayCOASTLINES Pal, Cash App or Zelle. Or

By Fred Swegles they can pay cash, leaving an envelope out for Jason. He texts them, announcing a delivery and reminding them to sanitize every item purchased, then wash hands and face.

NextDoor, he says, has given him credibility, since “people are able to comment with reviews on my original post offering my services.”

Testimonials have been mounting.

A LITTLE BACKSTORY

Jason’s aunt, Terri, was a radiologist at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center San Clemente in 2011 when Jason, then growing up in Mission Viejo, lost his mother—Terri’s sister, Carol—to a congenital heart defect.

A San Clemente Sun Post news article described how Terri Plunkett performed an adventure-packed “Paddle from the Heart” fundraiser in memory of her sister.

She stand-up paddled 87 miles down the Colorado River, solo, from Davis Dam to Parker Dam, over a three-day period in 110-degree summer heat. Donations benefited the Children’s Heart Foundation.

“After my mom passed, she was a huge San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

Who is that masked man? Jason Plunkett, making a delivery. Photo: Terri Plunkett

role model in my life,” Jason said of his aunt.

“She’s the best and helped shape me to who I am now. She would support me with anything I wanted to do and helped me stay motivated.”

After working 22 years at San Clemente’s hospital, Terri Plunkett now is a radiologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas.

A BIGGER BACKSTORY

In 2008, Terri was in the news after she helped save a 55-year-old surfer stricken with a heart attack at San Onofre.

Fortunately, the surfer’s surfing buddy had watched him ride his last wave in, then, strangely, lie down on the shore. The surfing buddy paddled in to attempt CPR. As providence had it, another surfer then leaving the water nearby was Nancy May, a physician assistant in the ER at Western Medical Center, Santa Ana. A third surfer who scurried in to help was San Clemente hospital’s Terri Plunkett.

The three did all they could to keep the surfer alive, but he was blue in the face as Camp Pendleton paramedics took him away.

The rescuers feared they had lost him.

Just two weeks later, I got a call inviting me to San Onofre to witness a reunion of rescuers and rescuees.

It was one of the most heartwarming moments I ever got to photograph.

As I wrote in 2008, the stricken surfer had awakened in the ambulance, en route to San

Clemente’s ER. “How does it feel to come back from the dead?” the surfer quoted a paramedic as saying.

Terri Plunkett, not knowing if the patient could be revived, telephoned her coworkers.

“I said, ‘Did you get a full arrest in there?’ ” I quoted Terri as saying. “They said, ‘Yeah, we got some guy in here . . . he had come in from the beach. He seems like he’s fine. He was talking!’

“I was just blown away . . . are we talking about the same guy?” my article quoted Terri. “I was just totally awed.”

FAST-FORWARD TO TODAY

I don’t know which Terri Plunkett article I enjoyed writing more. When Jason mentioned that I had written about his aunt, I had to look up the articles. What a blessing it was to be able to relive both experiences.

Jason, after graduating high school, attended just two college classes before deciding “it wasn’t for me.” He has worked a variety of jobs, including enterprises he organized, never deciding what eventual livelihood he wants to pursue.

His scooter delivery service has been as beneficial to him as to the people he serves, Aunt Terri says.

“It has helped him in ways like, as with any 22-year-old, ‘Where do I fit in this world?’ ”

Page 20

WHAT’S NEXT

Jason started out delivering a handful of orders. Now it’s nearly nonstop, buying just a few things or orders up to $150. At first, he had to make multiple visits to a store to deliver big orders, carrying two backpacks.

“I figured out how to attach a trailer to my scooter with a few hose clamps and a random bolt I found,” he says. “It definitely helps!”

He also started a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to purchase an electric bicycle to deliver more efficiently.

“I was just telling a friend about it today, this is the best way I’ve spent my time in a long time,” he says. “It’s overall just good energy from everyone. It makes me feel good I can help.”

Fred Swegles is a longtime San Clemente resident with nearly five decades of reporting experience in the city. Fred can be reached at fswegles@picketfencemedia.com. SC

CONTACT INFO For more information, call Jason Plunkett at 949.449.0921 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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ONLY SC LOCALS B U S I N E SS DIRE CTO RY San Clemente

CLASSIFIEDS

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

Do you want to reach 42,000 people in the San Clemente area? *2.1 readership per 20,000 copies distributed

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

Then you need to be in the San Clemente Times.

Call us today!

Contact Lauralyn at 949.388.7700, ext. 102

Kelli Murrow Consulting www.kellimurrow.com 949.573.7725

ELECTRICAL Arcadia Electric 949.361.1045, arcadiaelectric.com Braker Electric 949-291-5812 Lic# 719056 Insured

JEWELRY BUCKLEY & CO. 415 E. Avenida Pico #D 949.218.1184, BuckleyJewelry.com

GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

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

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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

PLUMBING

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RESTAURANTS Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

SALONS

A to Z Leak Detection 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, atozleakdetection.com

Salon Bleu 207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, scsalonbleu.com

OBITUARY

Columba Broome O’Gorman Loving Father, Loyal Veteran, Gifted Businessman, Lifetime Scholar, Generational Mentor.

Born in Manchester, CT. Colly will be missed for his positive outlook on life regardless of circumstances. Colly joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served out of Pearl Harbor on the submarine, USS Baleo as a Quartermaster, Second Class. Colly was active in Submarine Veterans and led the last remaining WWII group. Colly settled in Los Angeles where he used his GI bill to attend USC and earn a degree in Sociology. While in Page 21

school, he met his wife Marilyn (McCourt) with whom he had five children.

They moved to Riverside for his work with W.Ross Campbell Co. in 1959, as an industrial real estate broker. From that time he continued to act as a consultant for O’Gorman Pacific Realty, Inc. with his son and mentee, Shawn. Eventually, he moved to San Clemente to be closer to his children. Colly was a voracious reader with an insatiable curiosity about the world. Colly was preceded in death by his wife Marilyn, daughter Peggy, son Kevin and grandson Christopher. He is survived by his daughters Errin Love and Maureen “Mymy” Cade, son Shawn, 10 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. sanclementetimes.com

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE 20206569852 1A. 20186526194 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: BRANOV CUSTOM HOMES 1B. BRANOV HOMES 1C. SHANGO PARTNERS 120 TUSTIN AVE #C NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663 Full Name of Registrant(s): BRANOV INC. 120 TUSTIN AVE #C NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663 This business is conducted by a CA corporation.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 01/31/2000.

BRANOV INC. /s/ BRYAN NICKEL, PRESIDENT This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 03/03/2020.

Published in: San Clemente Times April 9, 16, 23, 30 , 2020 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT ON APRIL 23, 2020 PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD

BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA RELATIVE TO THE FOLLOWING: 395 West Avenida Vista Hermosa – Site Plan Permit Amendment 20-006 – Outlets Buildings 9 – 11 Modification A request to allow a modification to the approved site plan permit for the Outlets at San Clemente development (SPP 99-16) including combining buildings 10 and 11 and adding a combined 3,540 square feet of floor area to the subject buildings, 9, 10, and 11.

Staff recommends that the project be found categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1: Existing Facilities) and Section 15303 (Class 3: New Construction of Small Structures).

205 West Paseo De Cristobal – Minor Exception Permit 19-445/Minor Architectural Permit 19-446 – Moran Addition A request to consider a 2nd story 788 square foot addition and lower level 2.5-car garage addition to a legal nonconforming single family home. The addition would continue the existing 4 foot 11 inch side yard nonconforming setback where 5 feet 6 inches is required.

Staff recommends that the project be found categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1: Existing Facilities).

These applications are on file at the City of San Clemente Community Development Department, 910 Calle Negocio, and are available for public inspection and comment by contacting (949) 361-6184.

If you challenge these projects in court you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearings described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of San Clemente at, or prior to, the public hearings.

Notice is further given that said public hearings will be conducted by the City of San Clemente Zoning Administrator and held on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at Council Chambers located at San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

TO ADVERTISE: 949.388.7700, EXT. 100 • LEGALS@PICKETFENCEMEDIA.COM

100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente, California.

All interested persons are invited to attend said hearings or to provide written communication to the Zoning Administrator to express their opinion for or against the requests.

For further details, please call or visit the office of the City of San Clemente Zoning Administrator at the Community Development Department where information is available for public inspection.

Zoning Administrator PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT ON APRIL 22, 2020 A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD

BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA RELATIVE TO THE FOLLOWING: 1844 North El Camino Real – Minor Cultural Heritage Permit 19-035/Discretionary Sign Permit 20-044 – Beach Hut Deli Façade and Signage A request to remodel the façade of an existing commercial building and install more than 25 square feet of signage for a business at 1844 N. El Camino Real within the MU1-A-CB-CZ zone.

Staff recommends that the project be found categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 1 Categorical Exemption (Existing Facilities) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (subsections a and g), because the proposed project involves the façade remodel of an existing commercial building and alterations to on-premise signs.

This application is on file at the City of San Clemente Community Development Department, 910 Calle Negocio, and is available for public inspection and comment by contacting the Community Development Department at (949) 361-6183. If you challenge this project in court you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of San Clemente at, or prior to, the public hearing.

To allow staff adequate time to confirm software compatibility, individuals wishing to utilize electronic visual aids to supplement their oral presentations at the meeting must submit the electronic files to the City Planner by no later than 12:00 noon on the day of the meeting. Only compatible electronic formats will be permitted to be used on City audio/visual computer equipment. Staff makes no guarantee that such material will be compatible, but will use its best efforts to accommodate the request.

PUBLIC NOTICE Order to Show Cause For Change of Name Case No. 30-2020-01138525 To All Interested Persons: Mary Michelle Poskaitis filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME A. Mary Michelle Poskaitis PROPOSED NAME A. Mary Michelle Lovely The Court Orders that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court of the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objective is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing Date: 05/21/2020 Time: 08:30 a.m. Dept.: D-100 Window: 44. The address of the court is Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Clemente TImes Date: March 16, 2020 JUDGE JAMES J. DI CESARE, Judge of the Superior Court Published: San Clemente Times April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2020 PUBLIC NOTICE Order to Show Cause For Change of Name Case No. 20-FL000293 To All Interested Persons: Gianna Simonelli on behalf of Luke Skywalker Draper, a minor, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME A. Luke Skywalker Draper PROPOSED NAME A. Luke Skywalker Simonelli The Court Orders that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court of the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is heard and must appear at the

hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objective is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing Date: 06/19/2020 Time: 08:30 a.m. Dept.: W10.

The address of the court is West Justice Center, 8141 13th Street, Westminster, CA 92683-4593.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Clemente Times Date: March, 9th, 2020 JUDGE LON F. HURWITZ, Judge of the Superior Court Published: San Clemente Times March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2020 PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20206570376 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: REVIVE 7040 SCHOLARSHIP IRVINE CA 92612 Full Name of Registrant(s): AGENT ANGEL LLC 7040 SCHOLARSHIP IRVINE CA 92612 This business is conducted by a CA limited liability company.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 01/01/2020. /s/AGENT ANGEL LLC/MICHAEL ALLADAWI, MANAGING MEMBER, MANAGER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on 03/06/2020.

Published in: San Clemente Times March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2020

Complete your required legal or public notice advertising in the San Clemente Times.

EMAIL legals@picketfencemedia.com CALL 949.388.7700, ext. 100

Notice is further given that said public hearing on this project will be conducted by the City of San Clemente Planning Commission and held on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at Council Chambers located at 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente, California. All interested persons are invited to attend said hearing or to provide written communication to the Planning Commission to express their opinion for or against the request.

For further details, please call or visit the office of the City of San Clemente Planning Commission Secretary at the Community Development Department where information is on file and available for public inspection.

Secretary to the San Clemente Planning Commission

Page 22

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SC n te S a n C le m e

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

Page 23

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SC SPORTS & OUTDOORS San Clemente

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

On Friday, April 3, the California Interscholastic Federation canceled the high school spring sports section, regional and state playoffs. Along with school closures, that likely ends the entire spring sports season. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Spring Dreams Over CIF cancels spring postseason, likely ends entire spring season

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), along with its 10 section commissioners, canceled the spring sports section, regional and state playoffs in an announcement on Friday, April 3. Along with school districts continuing to extend closures, that likely brings the end of the entire spring sports season.

“Based on the recent statements issued by Governor Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, regarding schools turning to distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the (CIF) does not see an avenue for the spring sports season to continue,” CIF executive director Ron Nocetti said in a statement. “We understand this is disappointing for everyone

San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

involved in education-based athletics and empathize with our student-athletes and all who are impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“As always, our top priority is everyone’s ongoing health and safety during this challenging time, and we all look forward to the day when education-based athletics resumes.”

Spring sports consist of badminton, baseball, competitive sport cheerleading, boys golf, gymnastics, boys and girls lacrosse, softball, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys tennis, boys and girls track and field and boys volleyball.

“In arriving at this decision, I know that my colleagues and I thought about our studentathletes first, as in everything we do and our entire organization does, each and every day,” CIF-Southern Section commissioner Rob Wigod said in a statement. “These are unprecedented times for all of us and the most difficult decision I have faced in my 20 years working for the CIF-Southern Section office.”

CIF initially delayed a decision on the spring sports championships in the annual spring meeting with the state’s 10 section commissioners on March 17 and announced they would revisit the issue in a meeting on April 3.

“It is my sincere hope that there will be a renewed appreciation for high school athletic

programs and how truly special they are,” Wigod said. “We now have the chance to reset our priorities and can utilize this opportunity to help us move forward in a positive way.”

CIF and Southern Section only control the fate of the spring sports playoffs and championships. The regular season is organized by the local schools and districts.

The Capistrano Unified School District closed its schools on March 13. CUSD had initially closed schools through April 3 and then pushed the closure until May 1. On Thursday, April 2, CUSD extended its distance learning until further notice.

While the schools are closed, no events— athletic or otherwise—can take place. CUSD will make a further decision at a board meeting on April 15, but with the CIF announcement and the CUSD distance learning extension, the writing appears to be on the wall for the full cancellation of the spring sports season.

“It’s a bummer for these seniors they don’t get the opportunity to showcase their skills,” Dana Hills baseball coach and athletic director Tom Faris said. “This is heartbreaking for them, the coaches, the coaching staffs, and the entire Dana Hills community.”

Faris mentioned that a full cancellation would cause trouble logistically for the dis-

Page 24

trict schools, whose teams would lose a year of league-placement criteria for movement between the South Coast and Sea View Leagues. Faris also acknowledged that those concerns pale in comparison to the current situation at large.

Faris’ daughter, Katie Faris, is also a senior at San Clemente High School and a swimmer signed on to continue her education at Boise State.

Faris said that the disappointment runs high for the individual athletes, like Katie, who don’t get to compete for championships, and furthermore, may have to go on without a senior prom or graduation ceremony.

The CIF decision will also have ramifications into the summer, as section commissioners, athletic directors and coaches figure out how to handle these empty periods and eventually summer camps, tournaments, football passing leagues and the like.

The next step in the high school sports community is to see what changes, if any, are made to the summer schedule and then if these decisions continue to affect fall sports, particularly the CIF-SS’ money-maker: football.

Until then, the spring season seems to be at a close as the latest coronavirus cancellation in the sports world. SC sanclementetimes.com

SC SC SURF San Clemente

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

Tanner Gudauskas Brings Back VHS Surf Movies

GROM OF THE WEEK

TALLON GORDON

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

T

allon Gordon is all about throwing shakas, and it’s a wonderful thing. Living that amazing San Clemente grom life, the 10-year-old goofy-footer defines what it means to stay stoked.

A regular at local spots such as T-Street and Trestles on his epic Cole Simler custom shapes, he’s also a regular in the area’s grom competitions—enjoying the camaraderie on the beach with his friends as much as he enjoys pulling on the jersey.

When the surf’s blown out or the swell’s dropped, Tallon, aka “T-Rex,” can be found ripping around town on his skateboard.

Whether he’s on a mini-ramp, at a skate park, or just skating streets with his buddies, the kid has some serious skills.

One of the things it takes to be a great skater is to have the determination and ability to take a fall and get up, and with his ever-growing arsenal of tricks, Tallon knows how to push himself.

And to round out his board-sport mastery, he also shreds on a snowboard. Long weekends at Mammoth have him as fired up as a good day at Trestles. SC

San Clemente surfer is sharing some of his favorite videos from yesteryear

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

L

ooking for something to do during these slow quarantine days? Well, you can keep the stoke level elevated and get a lesson in surf history courtesy of Tanner Gudauskas.

The San Clemente shredder has launched a website called The Paradise Awareness Outreach and a YouTube channel called Vibe Up. Tanner is not only streaming some of the most classic surf movies of all time, he’s also having live chats with some of the stars. From world champ Mick Fanning to high-flyer Dane Reynolds—and a whole crew of famous characters in between—his interviews are candid, insightful and highly entertaining.

“My brothers, Pat and Dane, and I have been talking about launching something like this just to keep the vibes up and the stoke levels high,” Tanner said, when we caught up last week. “We’re going to be launching a bigger version of it later this spring or summer, but with everything going on right now, I figured we could fire some people up right now.”

With his “pirate radio,” Tanner’s quickly learned the technical aspects of how to make a production like this work. Armed with a small, 14-inch TV with a built-in VCR and some other basic components, the learning curve has been steep, yet satisfying.

“In a technicality sense, I’m at a level white belt,” Tanner said. “I called a friend who had helped do all the Triple Crown broadcasts, and he’s working with Vans and lives in town. Really cool guy; we’re good friends. He had an encoder at his house.

“He walked me through how to set it up.

In my room, I have an ethernet cable to the Internet, an encoder that hits to YouTube live and my phone, and somehow they all sync and I can push it live.”

So far, Tanner’s streamed classics such as Searching For Tom Curren and Raw Irons, and he has a lot more classics on his list.

He’s kicking off his live streams around noon every weekday. As noted, he spends some San Clemente Times April 9-15, 2020

Tallon Gordon. Photo: Courtesy of the Gordon Family Original Positive Vibe Warrior Tanner Gudauskas is keeping things light and loose during these challenging times. Photo: Courtesy of Jimmy Wilson / Vans

time chatting with his favorite surfers before rolling into the film of the day. This week, he’s catching up with world champs Tom Carroll and Lisa Andersen, filmmaker and adventurer Chris Malloy, and outspoken icon Bobby Martinez.

And when the production’s wrapped, Tanner’s been grinding on the yardwork to keep his mind clear and his body tuned.

“I’ve been chainsawing a lot. I have a bunch of trees that are overgrown,” he says.

“I’ve also been weed whacking a whole bunch. So, I have a lot of yardwork to do, and that’s cool, because I just basically plug into that two hours every day, and at the end of the day, I feel good. Dude, you’d be surprised, like if you’re literally hiking like 40-pound pieces of plant up a hill, it’s a pretty good workout.”

His other current form of physical train-

ing? Dancing. He and his fianceé, Shelby, have been moving and grooving in the evenings to keep things light and fun.

“We have been turning up the music loud and dancing, which is funny. It seems just like a normal, fun, uplifting activity. But you do get a psycho workout on that one, too,” says Tanner. “Last time I surfed was at Cotton’s Point with Dane-O. He was on a Skip Frye. I was on a twin-pin. It’s been awhile. It feels like a ton of time now.”

In terms of how Tanner’s handling these slow days while he’s stuck at home and chasing swells has been temporarily put on hold, he’s taking it all in stride, making the most of the slow days like the rest of us.

“I’ve been having actually really nice days just hanging with Shelby and the dogs,” he says. “It’s just a rollercoaster ride, and I hope that we get through it sooner than later.” SC

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SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 59-61 Degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: 8-12’ Thursday: Long period South swell peaks, as small Northwest swell eases, providing surf in the shoulder high to 1’ overhead zone, (4-6’), along with the occasional set pushing 2’ overhead (7’) at standouts.

Light winds due early, then moderate+ southerly flow expected for most of the day.

Outlook: South swell tapers off Friday, along the a small Northwest swell, for waves running shoulder high to a foot overhead, (4-5-6’), with light onshore winds in the morning followed by a moderate westerly sea breeze during the afternoon. South swell continues to fade through the weekend for mostly waist-stomach high leftovers (2-3’+) by Sunday, as top spots occasionally see some sets up to chest high (4’). Diurnal winds with favorable morning conditions then moderate afternoon onshores expected over the weekend.

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