February 12, 2021

February Fundraiser for Shea Center PAGE 10

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

FEBRUARY 12-25, 2021 • VOLUME 19, ISSUE 3

Taking Inventory

Biennial Homeless Count Canceled for 2021 E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 6

A tent is shown at Historic Town Center Park in San Juan Capistrano, a place where some homeless people gather. Photo: Collin Breaux

Local Seniors Feel Fine After First Shot of COVID-19 Vaccine EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

San Juan Photo & Digital Serves Community SJC LIVING/PAGE 14

thecapistranodispatch.com

HS Cross Country Brings Return to Sports SPORTS/PAGE 18

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 2

thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things San Juan should know this week South Orange County Seniors Describe Experiences with COVID-19 Vaccinations THE LATEST: It was Jan. 16 when Samantha Hammer went to get her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Huntington Beach.

Hammer, who is 78 and lives in the Rancho Alipaz mobile home park in San Juan Capistrano, is one of several seniors who recently received an initial shot, and is now waiting for her second dose.

As many seniors are still waiting for an appointment and have expressed frustration with the slow vaccine rollout, several locals who secured a shot recently spoke with The Capistrano Dispatch on what the process was like and their reaction to it.

None reported long-lasting side effects.

Hammer found more than 100 other cars in line when she drove to her appointment, and she waited a while before she was seen.

Hammer had never had a flu shot before, and she had allergic reactions in the past.

She said she felt fine a half-hour after getting the shot, though reporting that she momentarily experienced shortness of breath and lightheadedness afterward.

Hammer, however, did note she hadn’t eaten prior to the appointment that day.

Hammer, who is scheduled to get her second shot on Feb. 13, said she felt the medical staff on-site were generally helpful.

“I can’t say anything unkind, because we’ve

San Juan Capistrano

Antonette Temple, 87, and Marilyn Tilmont, 84, residents at Del Obispo Terrace Senior Living—an assisted-care facility in San Juan Capistrano—received their first COVID-19 vaccine shots on Jan. 28.

Photo: Collin Breaux

never had anything like this before,” she said.

Marilyn Tilmont, 84, and Antonette Temple, 87, residents at Del Obispo Terrace Senior Living—an assisted-care facility in San Juan—received their first shots on Jan. 28.

Tilmont said she “didn’t even feel” the shot.

Temple said the experience, which took place at Del Obispo Terrace, went quickly and that the person administering the shot walked her through the experience.

Temple had contracted COVID-19 before the vaccine, saying the illness was “horrible.”

“The brain fog is horrible. I was in the hospital two times,” Temple said. “It’s disgusting. I still can’t smell, and I can’t taste food. I’ve completely lost interest in eating. I can’t walk. I used to walk. I have a lot of difficulty walking, thinking. I just forget everything. I can’t sleep at night.”

Temple doesn’t think the world will “ever be the same” due to the pandemic.

Over at Reata Glen, a retirement community in Rancho Mission Viejo, several residents reported feeling fine after receiving their first vaccine doses that were doled out during a communitywide clinic on Jan. 25-

TOTAL CASES

COVID-19 UPDATES as of 2/10/21

cases

deaths

TOTAL

2,639

51

LAST 30 DAYS

588

24

est. population • 36,318 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for daily local & county statistics. Source: Orange County Health Care Agency

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

LAST 30 DAYS

26. A follow-up clinic to administer second doses (and first doses for those who missed the initial clinic) is scheduled for Feb. 15-16.

Resident Cynthia Mayer thought the pharmacists and Reata Glen personnel did an excellent job with the “organized” event. Mayer found it convenient, compared to what other seniors outside Reata Glen reportedly are going through.

“Everyone was happy to get the vaccination,” Mayer said.—Collin Breaux

Coronavirus Death Rate Takes Positive Turn as State Nears 5 Million Vaccinations THE LATEST: As the state approaches 5 million coronavirus vaccine doses administered, the COVID-19-related death rate in the state and in Orange County is finally trending downward, matching the continued declines in case rate, transmission rate and hospitalizations based on the state’s reported numbers on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

The state reported it had administered 4.9 million vaccine doses, including a total of 408,645 in Orange County as of Tuesday. Orange County, which reports its vaccine numbers weekly on Thursday, said it had administered 196,360 first doses and 91,978 second doses as of Feb. 2.

For the first time in nearly two months, the death rate declined in the state and locally after setting record highs shortly after the new year.

Statewide, the 14-day daily new death average has gone down 2.7% in the past 14 days, from an average 510.0 deaths per day to 496.4. Last week, the state average had increased 9.4% in the previous 14 days. In Orange County, the 14-day daily average has gone down by 0.3% in the past 14 days, from an average 44.2 deaths per day to 43.9. Last week, the county average

Page 3

had increased 24.2% in the previous 14 days.

In the state’s four-tiered, color-coded coronavirus monitoring system, Orange County’s numbers continued to improve in the state’s weekly tier update on Tuesday, but the county remained high in the highest-risk purple “widespread” tier.

Daily new cases per 100,000 residents continued to dip, as the metric dropped to an adjusted 29.4 daily new cases per 100,000, down from the 39.0 new cases last week, 46.6 new cases two weeks ago and a record 78.8 new cases per 100,000 on Jan. 12. The threshold for the purple tier is 7.0.

The state reports an adjusted case rate, which is adjusted for the volume of testing. The unadjusted rate is 29.7 daily new cases per 100,000, down from 43.1 last week and from 66.1 two weeks ago.

The county saw a drop in its testing positivity—the share of swab and saliva tests coming back positive—as the countywide number dipped to 9.4% from last week’s 10.9%. The metric was at 12.9% two weeks ago. The threshold for the purple tier is 8%.

The county’s health equity positivity rate was reported at 12.4%, down from last week’s 13.9% and the 16.6% of two weeks ago. The threshold for the purple tier is 8%. The health equity rate measures the testing positivity in a county’s low-income and more racially diverse neighborhoods.

There are still 53 counties in the purple tier, two in the red “substantial” risk tier, and three counties in the orange “moderate” risk tier. One county (Del Norte) dropped from purple to red.

Statewide, the testing positivity continues its sharp drop as well, with a 5.6% 14day testing positivity rate in California, the state’s lowest number since Nov. 22. It’s a decrease from last week’s 7.2% 14-day average and the 9% of two weeks ago.

Those dropping positivity rates are good news for the state’s hospital system, for which the outlook continues to improve.

The Southern California region is now at an adjusted 10.6% available ICU capacity.

Based on the state’s four-week projection model, Southern California is set to be at 46.3% ICU availability on March 8.

Hospitalizations again saw even larger decreases than the week before, with a 35.5% decrease statewide over the past 14 days and a 25.5% decrease in ICU patients over the past 14 days. California has its lowest number of hospitalizations since Dec. 7 and lowest number of ICU patients since Dec. 14.

As of Tuesday, Orange County hospitalizations had decreased 36.9% in the past 14 days, and ICU patients had decreased 25.9% over the past 14 days. The county is at its lowest number of hospitalizations since Dec. 9 and lowest number of ICU patients since Dec. 16.—Zach Cavanagh (Cont. on page 4) thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 3)

Public Agencies, Prevention Advocates Discuss Suicides During Pandemic THE LATEST: As mental health remains a concern during the COVID-19 health crisis, public agencies in Orange County shared suicide statistics for 2020 and previous years with The Capistrano Dispatch, after an informational inquiry.

The preliminary number of suicides was 273 in Orange County during 2020. The number of countywide suicides was 336 in 2019, 370 in 2018, and 328 in 2017. Health officials and mental health advocates stress the “preliminary” aspect of the 2020 numbers.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not seen an increase in deaths attributed to suicide by the (county) coroner,” said Mark Lawrenz, division manager for Prevention and Intervention Behavioral Health Services with the OC Health Care Agency (OCHCA). “However, it is important to note that there is a significant lag in the final reporting of this data due to investigation and reporting requirements.”

Officials with OCHCA and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department also provided individual data for Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, which collectively accounted for 19 of the total recorded suicides in 2020.

In San Juan, the number of residents who committed suicide is currently nine in 2020, six in 2019, and two in 2018. In Dana Point, the number is five in 2020 and 2019, and three in 2018. In San Clemente, the number is five in 2020, seven in 2019, and 17 in 2018.

The age group with the highest number of suicides in 2020 in the tri-city area was the 55-64 age group, with seven suicides.

The 0-17, 18-24, and 25-34 age groups each had one suicide in 2020 among all three cities.

Broken down by gender, the number of men who committed suicides in 2020 largely outnumbered the women by roughly 3-to-1. According to the data, 14 men took their own lives, compared to the five women who committed suicide.

That disparity was particularly felt in both San Clemente and San Juan, where a dozen of the suicides occurred among men. In Dana Point, the suicides in 2020 were generally split evenly between men and women.

Lawrenz said while OCHCA cannot predict the future trend, they are aware of the emotional impact that the coronavirus outbreak is having on the community.

“The increased stresses due to the pandemic puts the community at greater risk of mental health problems, and increased risk for suicide,” Lawrenz said. “There is a part for all of us to play in preventing suicides. Take some time to learn about the risk factors, warning signs of suicide The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

and the words to use to start a conversation with someone that you are concerned about at suicideispreventable.org.”

San Juan Capistrano resident Jim Taylor—a notable mental health and suicide prevention advocate—said current coroner statistics do show a decrease in deaths by suicide in Orange County compared to 2019, but those numbers are a snapshot of where we are today in closed cases, and there are a substantial number of deaths still under investigation.

“Please also factor in a 58% increase over last year in the unplanned accidental death category,” Taylor said. “Those include illicit or prescription overdoes and ethanol toxicity deaths.”

Taylor attributes much of the steady decline from 2015 through 2019 in county suicides to the grassroots outreach by suicide prevention advocates, such as high school groups including The Green Ribbon Club, Taylor said.

“In addition, the county has been very proactive in their efforts to improve mental health in our communities,” Taylor said. “Reducing the stigma of suicide has gone a long way towards encouraging people to talk about it, recognize the signs and either avail themselves of resources or to assist others in getting help.”

Taylor encourages people to be proactive in reaching out to family members and friends who are at risk for self-harm and suicide and getting them to someone who can help, which may be a therapist, interventionist, the Prevention Lifeline, or 911, depending on the level of urgency.

“If you are having thoughts of suicide, please know that your life matters,” Taylor said.

Additional resources to reach out for help include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255 (TALK); the Crisis Chat at didihirsch.org/chat; the OC WarmLine phone number at 877.910.9276 (WARM); and OC WarmLine Live Chat at namioc.org.

The deaf and hard of hearing can access the Crisis Text by texting HEARME to 839863. OC WarmLine can also be accessed by text at 714.991.6412.—CB

Dr. Keany Discusses Flu Rates, Drop in COVID-19 Cases THE LATEST: James Keany, the associate director of the Emergency Department at Mission Hospital, barely saw any flu cases this recent winter season.

“The whole country is green—meaning minimal activity—as far as flu,” Keany said, citing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The minimal number of flu cases during the COVID-19 pandemic is a drastic decrease compared to past seasons, Keany said. As to why, he mentioned the concept of viral interference—meaning when a

new virus takes over, it can potentially block out another virus.

Recommended health guidelines to prevent COVID-19 transmissions could also be halting a flu outbreak.

“The fact that we’re all doing a better job of washing our hands, wearing masks, and social distancing is probably reducing the flu,” Keany said.

Asked how health care professionals can tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19, Keany said COVID-19 has unique symptoms, including a loss of taste and/or smell. Medical professionals usually look for COVID-19 as the first thing wrong in a patient, given it’s the major illness out there, he said.

A specialized swab test that does four tests at once—for influenza A, influenza B, COVID-19, and respiratory viral infections—is also used.

“The main way we tell the difference this way, now, is through testing,” Keany said.

Keany also addressed the recent drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU cases in Orange County. Keany confirmed there has been a sharp decline in cases, adding that other people note conditions seem to be better.

“We’re not getting as many new cases,” Keany said.

However, Keany did note the pandemic still challenges ICU capacity, given an average case can mean an approximate 25-day stay in the ICU, and that long-term care facilities are overwhelmed.

“We have some people that are going to need lung transplants to survive,” he said.

Keany said the stay-at-home order issued for Southern California, which has since been lifted, was a factor in the drop.

If everyone wore masks and socially distanced, a stay-at-home order wouldn’t have to be issued—and it takes just a minority of people not following health guidelines to endanger others, he said.

“The more people interact, the more cases we get,” Keany said. “Closing businesses is not what stops COVID. Social distancing is what stops it.”—CB

Saddleback College Removes Gauchos Mascot, Calls for New Ideas THE LATEST: After more than a decade of calls for removal, Saddleback College has officially dropped the Gaucho as the school’s mascot, which many saw as a racist and misappropriated representation.

The Gaucho, which has been the Mission Viejo school’s mascot since its founding in 1968, is an Argentinian cowboy. However, many felt the logo of a cartoon cowboy— which featured a large black mustache, sombrero, large nose and crazed expression—was a racist Mexican caricature.

“We pride ourselves on being welcoming for all, for being inclusive,” Saddleback

Page 4

College President Elliot Stern said in a letter to the community, “and for helping you meet your educational goals by making sure you know how much we care about you in every interaction. Our mascot inflicted a sense of otherness on those we care about. We cannot look our brothers and sisters in the eyes, having heard their stories, and turn away, or cling to history or tradition.”

Saddleback is now accepting new ideas for the school’s mascot through March 2.

Students, employees, alumni and community members are encouraged to submit ideas at saddleback.edu/mascot.

Students and faculty had been calling for modification or removal of the Gaucho mascot since at least 2010. In 2018, the school stopped using the Gaucho logo, and images of the logo were being removed from the campus through 2019.

In 2020, the college had been in the process of redesigning a new Gaucho logo, so as to keep the name, and online community discussions about the mascot were held in September. However, after faculty members formed a “Retire the Gaucho” group and more than 200 signatures were gathered for a petition for the mascot’s removal, Saddleback decided to remove the name altogether and start anew.

“Your fellow students and my Latinx colleagues who shed tears and told of their pain at our open forums over the last few months were not the first to do so,” Stern said in the letter.

“We heard of their embarrassment and humiliation, and how our mascot reminded them, each time it appeared, that they were seen at this college not as different but as other, not as part of a culture we appreciated, but a culture that was lesser, so much so that our predecessors depicted the proud horseman of the Pampas plains in South America as a mad Mexican cowboy.”

In a release on Feb. 2, Saddleback listed three main points for the Gaucho’s removal.

First, the Gaucho was a “cultural misappropriation that dishonored a symbol of South American culture.” Second, the depiction of the Gaucho as an “angry, racist caricature that relied on stereotypes and tropes” was in contrast to Saddleback’s status as a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution of which 30% of employees and students are Latinx.

Third, the school said the Gaucho was a representative of “all-male culture” and did not provide equal representation of its female athletes and women, which make up 60% of Saddleback students.

On the Saddleback website, criteria for the new mascot include being unifying for the school and community, a positive image for enthusiasm and spirit, broadly relevant across the community, representative of the “Saddleback experience, history or geography, either generally or specifically,” represented in a visually pleasing way and work equally for women’s and men’s sports teams.—ZC thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

City Undertakes Maintenance Work on SJC Park People walking around the Los Rios area may have noticed portions of Los Rios Park are fenced off.

That’s because the City of San Juan Capistrano is getting started on renovation efforts at the popular recreation spot. The Public Works Department is in the process of undertaking several park maintenance projects, with Los Rios Park the current focus, Senior Management Analyst Matisse Reischl said.

“Two weeks ago, Public Works repaired the drinking fountain and has now begun refurbishment of the picnic tables and benches,” Reischl said.

Public Works will be repairing and painting various trellis structures at the park in March. Come April, the city hopes to schedule repair and new paint work for the restroom building.

“Ongoing efforts include tree trimming, landscape maintenance and irrigation repairs,” Reischl said.

Orange County United Way Offers Tax Services for Low-Income Families Orange County United Way is offering free tax preparation and electronic filing to low- and moderate-income individuals and families through its OC Free Tax Prep program, a United for Financial Security Initiative.

OC Free Tax Prep was established in 2005 to help qualifying individuals keep more of their money and increase the number of financially stable households in Orange County to break the cycle of poverty. To date, the program has served more than 121,000 taxpayers, which amounts to more than $23 million saved in tax preparation fees.

“Every year, low-income residents miss out on millions of dollars in federal and California tax refunds and credits that they are entitled to and deserve. Our OC Free Tax Prep program helps these hardworking people keep more of their earnings,” said Susan B. Parks, President and CEO, Orange County United Way. “Many of these families already face financial struggles, and the pandemic has caused even greater strain. These tax refunds and credits will provide a much-needed boost to help pay for rent, food or medical expenses.”

For households earning less than The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

SATURDAY, FEB. 13 Citizens Climate Education 10:45 a.m.-noon. This nonpartisan climate action group conducts meetings on the second Saturday of every month through Zoom video conferences. To join, email larrykramerccl@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16 City Council Meeting 5 p.m. The city council will hold a meeting.

The public can watch the meeting online at the city website, sanjuancapistrano.org.

A portion of Los Rios Park is fenced off for renovations on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Photo: Collin Breaux

$30,000 in 2020, the expanded California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) may qualify them for hundreds or even thousands of extra dollars in their refund.

In addition to CalEITC, they may also be eligible for the Federal EITC if they earn less than $57,000, increasing their refund even more.

New this year, the CalEITC has been expanded to tax filers who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

If anyone who qualifies for CalEITC has children younger than 6 years of age, they may also be eligible for the Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC). Orange County United Way is working with First 5 Orange County in the hope of reaching young families.

Households that earned less than $60,000 in 2020, but don’t qualify for EITC, are still eligible for free tax filing services.

The program offers three ways of filing—virtually by uploading your tax documents to a secure online portal with your mobile device, online at MyFreeTaxes.com, or at contactless drop-off locations with IRScertified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) preparers on-site. There are 18 contactless VITA sites in Orange County, with locations at community resource centers, churches and schools. Multilingual preparers are available upon request.

In partnership with the City of Irvine, the County of Orange and the office of Supervisor Don Wagner, free tax prep will be available in the parking lot of Cypress Community Park through a new mobile unit (E- Bus), complete with Wi-Fi and computer stations. Tax prep is available every Wednesday through April 7. Appointments are required.

In 2020, Orange County United Way and its coalition partners filed 14,200 tax returns, securing $17.6 million in federal and

state refunds for individuals and families.

A full list of VITA contactless drop-off locations can be found at ocfreetaxprep.com.

To make an appointment for the E-Bus or get answers to questions, call 888.434.8248. Masks are required for all contactless drop-off locations. The deadline to file is April 15, 2021.—Lillian Boyd

OCTA Finishes Work on Railroad Project Work has been completed on a new railroad track in San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Niguel that is expected to “deliver more efficient and sustainable transportation infrastructure for the future of Orange County,” the Orange County Transportation Authority said in a news release.

The new passing siding track—stretching 1.8 miles and adjacent to the current track— was added between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station and Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. The price tag for the project was $36.4 million.

“Fewer delays and faster trains in South Orange County benefit our entire rail network,” OCTA Chair and Orange County First District Supervisor Andrew Do said in the news release.

The new track allows trains traveling in opposite directions to pass each other without stopping.

“Previously, trains often had to wait for rail traffic traveling in the opposite direction to pass before proceeding,” the news release said.

The project also improved the private crossing from Camino Capistrano to Saddleback Rancho Capistrano and raised approximately 600 feet of Camino Capistrano near the private rail crossing.

Details can be found at octa.net.

Page 5

San Juan Hills Parent Exposition 5-7 p.m. San Juan Hills High School will host a virtual event for incoming eighthgrade parents and new families so they can learn about available programs and activities at the school. Principal Manoj Mahindrakar and Assistant Principal Michael Kim will give a presentation, and parents can talk with an academic advisor afterward. Another exposition will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23. sjhhs.schoolloop.com.

FRIDAY, FEB. 19 Coffee Chat 9 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs virtually on Fridays through Zoom. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for more information.

Weekly Farmers Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for fresh goods at this community farmers market, held every Friday. Masks are required. Farmakis Farms, 29932 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. farmakisfarms.com.

THURSDAY, FEB. 25 A Virtual Whodunit 7 p.m. Camino Real Playhouse will air this online performance, directed by Bob Berman and written by Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus. caminorealplayhouse.org.

FRIDAY, FEB. 26 The next print issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.

Have something interesting for the community? Tell us about awards, events, happenings, accomplishments and more.

We’ll put your submissions into “News Bites.” Send your information to editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com.

thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

Taking Inventory Biennial Point-in-Time Homeless Count Canceled for 2021

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

E

very couple of years, near the end of January, local volunteers join homeless advocacy groups across the state for a single night to tally unsheltered individuals living on the street, providing a snapshot, or window in time, of the area’s homeless population.

The count, conducted every oddnumbered year, is intended to provide government agencies and lawmakers with the necessary data to guide legislative policy, funding allocations and planning to address homelessness.

However, with the pandemic still raging, last month’s unsheltered count, led locally by the nonprofit agency City Net, has been canceled by a majority of the state’s Continuums of Care, including Orange County’s.

A Continuum of Care, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s program for communities to coordinate responses to end homelessness, is a regional or planning body that coordinates housing, services and funding for homeless families and individuals.

Though California’s Continuums of Care, or CoCs, are encouraged to reschedule their counts in 2022, barring any more setbacks related to the public health crisis, the delay in counting the unsheltered homeless could mean lawmakers rely on outdated data until 2023.

“There are lots of uses for the data,” City Net Vice President Matt Bates explains.

Such uses, he says, inform cities and Service Planning Areas (SPA) of their local impacts and what their needs should be. It also provides agencies and service providers with demographic data to aid in their response and outreach on homelessness.

“One of the biggest (uses),” he adds, “is to establish funding allocation (and) distribution guidelines for money that enters the Continuum of Care.”

Asked whether the absence of the unsheltered PIT Count this year is likely to pose any consequences, Bates says, “Probably not immediately,” though adding that the county’s CoC “will likely continue to rely on the distribution percentages from 2019 until a new PIT is completed.”

By the Numbers The report from the 2019 PIT Count The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, most counties across the state have canceled their biennial Point-in-Time Counts to survey how many homeless are living unsheltered on the streets. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

found that the county’s homeless population had risen sharply by roughly 43% over the two-year period. Accounting for both sheltered and unsheltered, the total homeless population recorded at the time was 6,860 individuals—up from the 4,792 recorded in 2017.

Much of the homeless population resided in the county’s central region, which accounted for 3,332 individuals. The North County tally was 2,765, while South County had a homeless population at the time of 763.

In San Clemente, the county reported a population of 145 homeless individuals, 96 of whom were recorded as unsheltered.

As for Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, the count found 32 and 62 homeless individuals, respectively, residing in those towns.

Gary Walsh chairs the city of San Clemente’s Joint Homeless Subcommittee, comprising members from the city’s Human Affairs Committee and Public Safety Committee, of which he is an appointee.

He tells The Capistrano Dispatch this month that he didn’t see the downside in canceling the biennial PIT count, citing his experience participating in the 2019 event, which he found to be ineffective down here.

“It seems to me the PIT count is somewhat designed for cities with homeless who sleep in tent cities—a lot of them in areas where there are a lot of sidewalks.

And the Point-in-Time data that they had us gather, it was really restricted to that,” he says, noting that in San Clemente there’s a considerable contingent of homeless who sleep in more remote areas.

Acknowledging that volunteers are restricted to certain areas, Bates explains that participants are provided with maps that differ from person to person and represent various areas of the city that the

agency and law enforcement feel comfortable allowing people to explore.

“We gave them the maps that had been vetted through law enforcement,” Bates says, adding: “It’s true that when you’re assigned a map, we want you to use that map and not wander, even if you have an idea of where there might be other homeless, because you might be in someone else’s map and double counting.”

Walsh says the delay could be used by agencies to gather input on where to make improvements for future counts.

If there’s one aspect of the biennial count that the county’s CoC has been looking to rethink or adjust, Bates says, it’s how to accurately count transitionalaged youth (18- to 24-year-olds) who are experiencing homelessness.

The Methodology Ahead of the 2019 PIT count, the county’s CoC made the switch to a survey methodology, rather than using the observation methodology that had been previously employed.

The difference, Bates explains, is volunteers under a survey approach are able to speak with the homeless, asking them various questions to get additional information and sub-category data, whereas an observation-based count requires volunteers to simply hand count those on the street.

The observation approach, he adds, is “statistically valid, but Orange County wanted to conduct a survey-based count where you try to interview because you get more information—personal information and local information.”

However, when it comes to transitionalaged youth, attempting to count them through observation in places such as

Page 6

community colleges is far from accurate, as appearances can be misleading. And as for surveying them, they’re unlikely to self-identify as homeless or self-stigmatize, Bates says.

“It’s a tricky proposition … you have to engage a different methodology,” says Bates, who sits on the county’s CoC board, and adds, “I can speak confidently for the CoC that that’s an area in OC where we’re going to be looking to further improve the count.”

Sheltering in Place While CoCs are required by HUD to hold an unsheltered count every other year, they continue to count the homeless living in shelters on an annual basis, also at the end of every January.

In 2020, the county reported a sheltered homeless population of 3,017, an increase from the 2,899 recorded the previous year.

Among the sheltered homeless population, most—a total of 1,110 people—were staying at emergency shelters in the Central SPA. Touching on one silver lining of the pandemic as it relates to the county’s homelessness woes, Bates says that agencies in Orange County’s CoC, including City Net, have had “their hands full with the current opportunity presented by COVID-19.”

That opportunity, he says, “is that there are shelter and housing availabilities for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of homeless neighbors that did not exist previously.”

Amid the pandemic this past year, the state has led efforts to set up more temporary housing opportunities for the homeless as a method of curbing the spread of the coronavirus—an initiative referred to as Project Roomkey. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON RMV

NEWS & HAPPENINGS AT THE RANCH

Irvine Educator Benefits from Rancho Mission Viejo ‘Home to Heroes’ Housing Program

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

J

oyce Lam and her family used to rent a home in Irvine, but they had somewhere else in mind—specifically, Rancho Mission Viejo.

Lam, who works as an education specialist for Irvine Unified School District, had the South Orange County master-planned community on her radar for a while.

“We fell in love with the community and how beautiful it was,” Lam said.

Lam, her husband and their two kids moved to RMV in October, taking advantage of The Ranch’s “Home to Heroes” program, which offers a $2,500 homeowners association credit toward new home purchases for educators, first responders, and other people considered heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She heard about the program from a homebuilder, saying it helped her family a lot.

“We were really excited to hear there was a program like that,” Lam said.

Stephanie Walker, Director of Marketing for Rancho Mission Viejo, said the program accounted for nearly 20% of all Esencia sales during the initial program period, which ran from May to November. The program is being extended through June.

“We were very pleased with the success of the program, and are proud to support these heroes as they become part of our community,” Walker said.

The move itself was a bit chaotic for Lam, but she finds herself settling into life on The Ranch, saying she has enjoyed meeting other Ranch families. Their community is across the street from a children’s play area, and neighbors have been welcoming, Lam said.

“We’re enjoying all the play amenities,” Lam said. “Being able to go on a hike on the weekends is nice.”

The peace of mind comes as Lam, like many other educators, deals with a school landscape that has been practically turned upside down by the health crisis. Lam said the pandemic has made student instruction challenging, but Irvine Unified has ensured she has what she needs to help kids learn.

Walker said the Home to Heroes program was created to acknowledge and give back to the homebuyers who have served and protected local families and communities.

“We very much appreciate the commitment and sacrifice of these heroes and want them to know that they are always welcome at The Ranch,” Walker said. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

New Rancho Mission Viejo resident Joyce Lam said she and her family, including her children, enjoy the amenities in the community. Photos: Courtesy of Joyce Lam

Rancho Mission Viejo

TOTAL CASES

Events at The Ranch

COVID-19 UPDATES FEB. 18

as of 2/10/21

cases

deaths

TOTAL

309

<5

LAST 30 DAYS

77

N/A

Getting Friendly with Fungi

LAST 30 DAYS

est. population • 10,000 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for daily local & county statistics. Source: Orange County Health Care Agency

Page 7

7-8:30 p.m. Join this free virtual event from The Reserve to learn about wild mushrooms. Mycologist Joanne Schwartz will go over the mushroom’s importance to nature.

Fungi-themed food and drink recipes will also be shared, if you want to take the experience to a personal level. Registration for the talk closes on Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. RSVP online. rmvreserve.org.

thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 thecapistranodispatch.com

HOW TO REACH US C I T Y E D I TO R Collin Breaux • 949.388.7700, x109 cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com

SPORTS Zach Cavanagh • 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com

ADVERTISING PRINT & ONLINE

Debra Wells • 949.388.7700, x104 debra@wellsadsolutions.com

DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Inna Cazares • 949.388.7700, x111 icazares@picketfencemedia.com

GENERAL MANAGER Alyssa Garrett • 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

Advertising Sales (SJC) Debra Wells

EDITORIAL

ART + DESIGN

City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch Collin Breaux

Art Director Jasmine Smith

Senior City Editor, DP Times Lillian Boyd City Editor, SC Times Shawn Raymundo

Graphic Designer Chelsie Rex O P E R AT I O N S General Manager Alyssa Garrett

Sports Editor Zach Cavanagh

Group Operations & Production Coordinator Inna Cazares

Columnist Fred Swegles

FINANCE

Special Projects Editor Andrea PapagianisCamacho Copy Editor Randy Youngman ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes

Finance Director Mike Reed Accounting & Finance Manager Tricia Zines CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Jake Howard, Tim Trent, Chloe Anady

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 19, Issue 3. The Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly

by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (sanclementetimes. 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 2021. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

F O L L O W T H E C A P O D I S PATC H

FACEBOOK.COM/CAPODISPATCH • INSTAGRAM @CAPODISPATCH TWITTER.COM/CAPODISPATCH • LINKEDIN PICKET FENCE MEDIA

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

I need to hear directly from you about your priorities and the challenges you face, and that’s what this column is all about. I encourage everyone I represent to contact my office. I take time to read your messages, and I try to get back to each of you as quickly as possible. You can email me and find other contact information by visiting mikelevin.house.gov.

Each month, I plan to share some of your stories and report back on what I’m doing in Congress to help. That might mean introducing a new bill or fighting for more federal resources. I also want to share updates about the constituent services my office provides to help people with federal agencies.

For example, Damond in San Juan CapTHE LEVIN istrano was having a LETTER problem with his passBy Mike Levin port and couldn’t get assistance in fixing it until he contacted my office. We got to work, and Damond had this to say once we were able to resolve his issue: “I truthfully did not think that this would be given attention based on the exhausting experience I had before I reached out to you. I cannot say enough about your responsiveness and how it made me feel that you actu-

GUEST OPINION: The Levin Letter by Rep. Mike Levin

I Want to Hear from You

I’

m proud to raise my family in South Orange County. I was raised here, went to public schools here, and grew up going to the beaches and businesses that make our region so special.

I ran for Congress in 2018, because I wanted to give back to this community.

I felt like we needed a representative in Congress who would be more accessible, listen to the people they serve, and focus on our local priorities, rather than national politics and partisan pandering.

Since I took office in January of 2019, that’s exactly what I have tried to do.

I’ve said many times that while my name may be on the door, this office really belongs to you, the people I serve. That’s why I work hard to be responsive and focus on constituent services.

I’ve held dozens of town halls to answer your questions and keep you informed about the latest updates on COVID-19, my work in Congress, and other timely issues. To do my job well,

GUEST OPINION: A Bit About San Juan Capistrano

by Jessica DiCostanzo

Is Everyone into Horses?

W

e had the opportunity to sit down with Robert Ridland, President of Blenheim Equisports and US Show Jumping Chef D'Equipe, to discuss the closure of the Del Mar Horse Park to equestrian activities in 2021.

The Del Mar Horse Park has hosted large-scale local, national and international equestrian events for more than 26 years.

Due to environmental demands, horse show facilities now fall under the CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) governmental regulations that mandate an extensive infrastructure investment. It was, in fact, a consequence of the impending CAFO restrictions that forced Blenheim to relocate several shows from Del Mar to San Juan Capistrano this summer.

“The closing of the Del Mar Horse Park has a grave effect with respect to

competition venues,” explains Ridland. He continues, “We only have four facilities in Southern California—two in Del Mar, Galway Downs, the Desert Horse Park and the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park—that's it! We just lost 20% of major horse shows.”

Due to climate and other uses of show facilities, there is a large restriction on use of the other facilities. Ridland warns, “Losing the horse park is a major blow. This should be a huge wake-up call.” If we all get together, we have a chance to preserve the equestrian heritage.

CAFO regulations were written due to the major environmental issues that are caused by the byproducts of dairies, feedlots and swine farms. The CAFO regulations were not written with horses in mind, but because they are legally considered livestock, they also are included. Currently, the requested changes are illogical, irrelevant and expensive for the horse industry.

But there is hope if we can work together to actually make some environmental advancements using the horse as the model.

“We in the sport need to take the lead on this movement!” states Ridland. The nature of our sport is good for the environment.

Environmental organizations including Orange County Coastkeeper have made it their mission to enforce the environmental acts

Page 8

ally cared about the situation. This makes me feel so much better, that there are people like yourself in high places that will actually take the time to help the little people, like myself, and the somewhat insignificant problems we might have.”

I hope to share more stories like that here, so you know what kind of issues I can help with. And while we’re not always able to get every constituent the outcome they’re hoping for, we’ll always do our best to come to a positive resolution.

So, whether you’re having trouble with a federal agency or simply wish to share your priorities, please reach out. I’m here to help, and I look forward to sharing more updates about our progress along the way.

U.S. Representative Mike Levin represents the 49th Congressional District, which includes the South Orange County cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. He was reelected for a second term in 2020 and resides in San Juan Capistrano with his wife and two children. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch 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 The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

by using the courts. The equestrian facilities look forward to learning from nonprofit organizations such as Coastkeeper and exploring realistic solutions with green solution companies and agencies. We need to be at the forefront of environmental protection.

Robert pleads with the community to “get involved!” Get educated. Know what CAFO regulation is and how you can do your part.

This includes, but is not limited to, residents, dog walkers, competitors, trail riders, western riders, hikers, English riders, horse trainers, farriers and those who like to wear boots, parents and families. Protect the equestrian heritage on the West Coast by protecting the environment. Find out how to become a horse activist by going to sjcec.org and join the horse community.

Jessica DiCostanzo is a San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition Board Member, lifelong equestrian, and co-founder of equivont.com. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch 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 The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 9

thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

EDITOR’S PICK

Colt Fasl, 16, rides the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center’s horse, Superman, during riding lessons on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Photo: Collin Breaux

FEBRUARY 2-27: DRIVE TO RIDE FUNDRAISER FOR SHEA CENTER The J. F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center is hosting a monthlong fundraiser to help provide financial aid for clients, as well as for horse care and programs for military families and veterans. The annual event has collectively raised more than $1 million over 10 years, and this year’s goal is $175,000. Clients are sharing their stories online, and clients can take photos of a horse cutout on-site. The narratives that raise the most money will receive incentives. sheacenter.org.

At the Movies: ‘The Little Things’ Has Little New to Offer

BY MEGAN BIANCO

J

ohn Lee Hancock’s The Little Things wants and tries to be something along the lines of Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs (1991) or the first season of Nic Pizzolatto’s True Detective (2014).

Unfortunately, it misses the mark considerably. Whether it be that Hancock’s a little out of his element with the crime drama genre, or just a fluke, the new feature has the signs of a typical January release.

Set throughout LA County and Central California in 1990, The Little Things follows Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) as he is haunted by an old murder case that suddenly becomes relevant again with a recent string of young female murder victims.

Deacon is under pressure by his

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 10

peers to retire after the circumstances surrounding the past case, and he now has competition with hotshot detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek). Along the way, Deacon’s still vulnerable mental state is challenged by the new investigation, and Baxter is struggling to get a handle on repairman Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), the top suspect of the killings.

The atmosphere and mood of The Little Things get it right with neonoiresque cinematography from John Schwartzman and a fitting music score

by Thomas Newman. Yet, the vibe is wasted on a mostly boring story and film direction, with Hancock not even really allowing any legitimate twists or stakes to be interesting.

The third act also suffers from the mediocre thriller cliché of cops making unrealistic stupid decisions for the sake of moving the plot along. Washington and Malek are fine as the leads, though both have much better and intriguing performances in their past work.

Leto, on the other hand, is hamming it up with some obvious dark contact lenses, but isn’t even amusing or memorable enough to make up for the dullness elsewhere on screen. CD

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 11

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 12

thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Moments in Time by Jan Siegel

Days of Our Lives in SJC: Part 3

A

s the story continues, while Pablo Pryor was trying to draw up more maps, Henry Charles acquired 160 acres worth of “Valentine Script.” According to Phil Brigandi, “Thomas Valentine had owned a rancho in Northern California, lost it, but finally secured 13,000 acres worth of land script in return, which gave him the right to claim an equal amount of government land anywhere in the United States. Henry Charles now used his share to claim San Juan Capistrano, forcing a lawsuit to determine the status of the various titles to land in the Capistrano Valley. There were a host of claimants all anxious to have their holding confirmed.

“Out of this lawsuit came an unusual idea. Federal law allowed existing communities to claim the land where they sat.

If the community was unincorporated, the land would be granted to a judge, who in turn would deed the lots to their occupants and owners. It was a law that had never been used in Southern California, but it fit San Juan Capistrano perfectly.

“In 1874, Los Angeles County Judge H.K.S. O’Melveny began the process of securing a grant to 640 acres. He appointed three commissioners to supervise a survey of the town site. The three commissioners were Jonathan Bacon, Frank Riverin, and of course, Fr. Joseph Mut. The survey was finalized in December 1875, and in 1876 Judge O’Melveny began issuing deeds to the residents of what was now an officially recognized town.”

Fr. Mut finally had had enough. Since

the land grab incident and his stabbing, he was afraid and nervous. He asked to be transferred to another parish. After 20 years in San Juan Capistrano, he was finally assigned to Mission San Miguel in 1886, where he spent the rest of his life.

He died in 1889 and is buried at San Miguel.

But the story continues.

Although much has been MOMENTS written about bandits IN TIME such as Joaquin Murietta

By Jan Siegel and Tiburcio Vasquez, the one outlaw who murdered more people has escaped with very little local notoriety. His name was Sylvestro Morales. His crime sprees resulted in prison terms in San Quentin and Folsom. The year was 1889. On July 23, Morales stopped a man on horseback and demanded his money.

The man handed over his money, horse and a gold watch. As Morales started to ride off, he turned back and shot the man he had just robbed, but only wounded him.

The man was able to give Marshal Keno Wilson of Oceanside a good description of his assailant. It was Morales, who had just been paroled from Folsom on April 12. He was released after seven years of a 10-year sentence for good behavior.

Jan Siegel was a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and now resides in the neighboring town of Rancho Mission Viejo. She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years, has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural

Photo: Courtesy of Carmen Northen and OC Public Libraries.

FROM THE ARCHIVES This photo depicts workers harvesting lettuce at Kinoshita Farms. The year is unknown.

Every issue, The Capistrano Dispatch will publish a historical photo. Online, The Capistrano Dispatch will create a gallery of the month’s photos. To submit your historical photo for consideration, provide information about the photo along with your name, date, location and a small description to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com.

walking tour for 26 years and is currently the museum curator for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a multipart series.

Parts 1 and 2 ran in previous issues.

Sudoku

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Arthur

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

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

BY MYLES MELLOR Solution:

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

Part 4 will run in the Feb. 26 issue of The Capistrano Dispatch. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Dispatch 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 Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

S

even-year-old Arthur is just about as sweet as they come. He is very sociable and loves to hang out on your lap. He also seems to get along well with other small dogs.

Arthur doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods of time but would be wonderful for someone who wants a constant companion.

If you are interested in adopting Arthur, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form.

Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and

Page 13

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

you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

Processing & Developing San Juan Photo & Digital Overcomes Trials and Tribulations to Serve Community

BY LILLIAN BOYD, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

O

wning and running a photo lab and studio for 35 years, Scott and Diana Schmitt are offered intimate glimpses into the various stages of life and death.

“One day, all you’ll be able to leave behind is photos of you,” said Cheryl Wayland. “Make sure you’re in them; it won’t matter what you look like or how your hair looks—what will matter is what you meant to the person holding onto the photo.”

Wayland has been with the company since 1990 after previously working in bookkeeping.

“I had no prior experience with photography,” she said. “I remember being hired and Diana saying to me, ‘Welcome to the wonderful world of photography.’”

Whether tasked with developing photographs or hired to take photos, the staff at San Juan Photo & Digital have seen it all: babies, birthdays, graduations, weddings, memorials. Scott says the crew now handles orders for second- and thirdgeneration customers.

“We’ve come a long way since we first started our journey,” Scott said. “We were here before Costco and other major corporate photo labs came to the region.

We’re still here.”

The journey began when the Schmitts took over a Moto Foto franchise location in San Juan Capistrano in 1989. By the end of the ’90s, the couple broke away from the franchise to become San Juan Photo & Digital.

“When we started, it was a good time to be in the industry,” Diana said. “Then Costco came in, they bought Fuji machines, using all the vendors that make up the industry. At the expense of other businesses struggling to compete, Costco was charging 19 cents a print.”

San Juan Photo & Digital withstood the competition, while continuing to offer employees with workers’ compensation, retirement plans and insurance.

“When you run a business like that, as hard as it sometimes is, we still had this feeling that we were doing the right thing,” Diana said.

The business also withstood the trials

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

(From left, clockwise) The late Jenna Wayland, Scott Schmitt, Diana Schmitt and Cheryl Wayland celebrate the community’s recognition of San Juan Photo & Digital. Photo: Courtesy of Scott Schmitt

of 2020—a pandemic that continues to weigh on the economy, as well as personal tragedy. Jenna Wayland, a San Juan Photo & Digital employee and daughterin-law to Cheryl Wayland, passed away in September after her diagnosis of cancer.

“She was the kind of person where if you met her once, you’d remember her,” Cheryl said. “She’d light up a room.”

Before Jenna died, she arranged to have photos taken of her and her family.

“It’s so important to have these memories,” Cheryl said. “Her daughters are now 4 and 6. They absolutely love the photos of their mommy, and that’s all they’re going to have for the rest of their lives. These kinds of photos are so important.”

Diana says the loss of Jenna reminds her how fragile life is.

“I’ve had my own bout with cancer. I am humbled by life. There is no judgment here,” Diana said. “People come in with so many great stories and experiences, whether in dealing with life, love, tragedy … we see that in their photos.

We get to see the humanity—which is a privilege.”

The Schmitts say they hope to continue serving the community, despite the shifts and challenges in the industry.

In January, Costco announced it will be

closing all of its photo centers companywide, effective Sunday, February 14.

While customers can still order various print products through Costco’s online services, it will no longer offer ink refills, passport photos, photo restoration or the YesVideo Home Movie Transfer service.

San Juan Photo & Digital continues to offer printing, camera repair, scanning, photo restoration, classes for those looking to take their skills to the next level, and film processing. Scott says he and Diana have seen a wide range of new clients come in—from first-time film users in their teens and 20s, to people bringing in their parents’ rolls of film, to older photographers who never migrated to digital shooting.

“It’s bringing the joy of photography back,” Scott said. “They’re coming in, and it’s like Christmas morning. They can’t wait to see their prints—they have something real to hold onto.”

Scott has previously said that years ago, he and Diana could count on 150 rolls of film coming in every Monday. But after film fell out of fashion, there were times when they considered getting out of the processing business.

“But we hung in there,” Diana previously said. “That’s a good message in life—just stick with it. We’re glad we’re

Page 14

still doing it. We’re the last man standing.”

She adds that one benefit to film photography is you have to be methodical before you click.

“The thing about film is it’s definitely organic ... the actual process of film is interesting,” Diana said. “It’s a tough medium. Film is actually plastic with a gelatin top and bits of silver sitting on top.

It’s got that grain and grit to it. When you press that click button, it’s an intimate experience. It really makes you think.

It’s like vinyl albums … a throwback to another era.”

Cheryl works primarily on the technical side of photography, processing and developing film and overseeing equipment.

“I ended up loving the technical side.

As years have gone on, I’ve been needed more at the machine, doing customer service, spreading photo happiness across South County,” Cheryl said. “I get to help bring joy to people through their own memories.”

San Juan Photo & Digital is located at 32281 Camino Capistrano, Suite C-104, in the Plaza Del Rio Shopping Center. For more information on services offered, call 949.661.5668 or visit sjcphoto-digital.com. CD

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 15

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 16

thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at thecapistranodispatch.com FOR RENT FOR RENT - LARGE ROOM $825 Large room, Capo Beach. Internet, cable. $825 949-661-5879

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

HELP WANTED P&C LICENSED TEAM MEMBER Get 2021 off to a great start!

Local Insurance Agent seeks a P&C Licensed Team member for a Customer Sales/Service Position. Income based on your efforts, Flexibility available, Experience Preferred, apply at www.elainelavine.net

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call Karen Banse at 949.244.1560 or karenwill4usc@gmail.com

Submit your info online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Do you want to reach 24,150+ people in the San Juan Capistrano & Rancho Mission Viejo area?

Then you need to be in The Capistrano Dispatch.

Call us today!

Contact Karen Banse at 949.244.1560 or karenwill4usc@gmail.com The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

Page 17

thecapistranodispatch.com

SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

High Schools Honor 12 on National Signing Day

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

N

ational Signing Day on Feb. 3 was far from the typical affair, as San Juan Capistrano’s high schools honored their top athletes in private oncampus ceremonies or photo ops at home.

San Juan Hills recognized six signees in various sports, JSerra saluted three football signees, and St. Margaret’s honored three East Coast-bound signees. CD

Here is the list of San Juan Capistrano signees:

San Juan Hills Macey Leonard Women’s Soccer • Brown University Emma McChristie Women’s Soccer • Humboldt State Lola Fuhs Women’s Water Polo • Mount St. Mary’s Leah Carey Softball • Brown University Chloe Klein Women’s Lacrosse • Scripps College Jack Johnson Men’s Swimming • Augustana University

JSerra Jaden Genova Football • Army Mason Murphy Football • USC Jordan Washington Football • Dartmouth

St. Margaret’s Jackson Adelman Men’s Cross Country/Track • Williams College Bryce Chan Soccer • NYU Nick Ostlund Football • Penn The Capistrano Dispatch February 12-25, 2021

Photos: San Juan Hills Athletics, JSerra Athletics, St. Margaret’s Athletics

And They’re Off After 11 months away, sports return as cross country teams open seasons

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

fter many delays, wading through California’s coronavirus monitoring tier system and outlasting a regional stay-at-home order, high school sports competition made its long-awaited return on Saturday, Feb. 6.

For the first time in nearly 11 full months, San Juan Hills and St. Margaret’s took part in competitive athletic events, as the Stallions and Tartans boys and girls cross country teams opened their seasons. San Juan Hills’ boys hosted Tesoro, and the Stallions girls raced at Aliso Niguel. Both St. Margaret’s teams raced against Laguna Beach at Crean Lutheran in Irvine.

JSerra will join the fray on Saturday, Feb. 13, when the Lions host a Trinity League multi-dual and take on Mater

Dei. Servite and Orange Lutheran will also compete against each other.

San Juan Hills will next race on Feb. 20, with the boys at Capistrano Valley and the girls hosting the Cougars.

As the only fall sport allowed in the purple “widespread” risk tier, cross country was the first sport to return to action on the state’s Jan. 25 date for the start of competition. That date was only applicable if the regional stay-at-home order had been lifted, which it was on the morning of Jan. 25, luckily for cross country teams across the state.

Unlike the usual long grind of invitationals far and wide, league meets and a championship-event season in the fall, the new 2021 season is a condensed fiveweek schedule of dual meets pitting two schools against each other on on-campus courses. For San Juan Hills in the Sea View League, there is the possibility for a league-finals meet at the end of the schedule, but it still needs approval of the district and health officials because of the multiple schools that would be participating.

Of all of the San Juan Capistrano-based runners who kicked things off on Saturday, St. Margaret’s senior Jackson Adelman had the top performance of the day.

Adelman, who signed with Williams

Page 18

College in Massachusetts on National Signing Day, posted a time of 15:36 to win the dual race against Laguna Beach and pace the Tartans to a team victory.

St. Margaret’s Calvin Capelle (16:00) and Everett Capelle (16:16) finished second and third, respectively. St. Margaret’s beat Laguna Beach, 20-35.

On the girls side, St. Margaret’s had a rougher time, with the results flipped.

Laguna Beach took the top three spots and beat the Tartans, 25-30. Claire Mullen (18:40) was the top finisher for St. Margaret’s in fourth, and Kat Collier (18:42) finished right behind in fifth.

The Tartans’ scorers finished fourth through eighth.

For San Juan Hills, junior Taylor Samerdyke had a dynamite debut at Aliso Niguel. In her first race ever after trying out only a few weeks ago, Samerdyke ran away from the field for the win at 21:23. The Orange County Register reported that no other runners were even on the track at Aliso Niguel when she crossed the finish line.

The San Juan Hills boys had a tough home opener, as all seven Tesoro runners finished ahead of every Stallions runner. San Juan Hills’ top performer was senior Chance Waller, who finished eighth at 17:14. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 19

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch February 12–25, 2021

Page 20

thecapistranodispatch.com