December 24, 2021

DECEMBER 24, 2021-JANUARY 13, 2022 | VOLUME 19, ISSUE 24

INSIDE: Special Section

thecapistranodispatch.com

Photos: Collin Breaux

South OC Cities Gear Up for Statewide Organic Waste Regulations

Ridlands Talk Plans for Riding Park

Editor’s Pick: New Year’s Party at Swallow’s

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

GETTING OUT/PAGE 18

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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EYE ON SJC

What’s Up With...

TOP NEWS SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK

South Orange County Cities Gear Up for Statewide Organic Waste Regulations

BY COLLIN BREAUX

By the time 2022 rolls around, residents and businesses in San Clemente can generally expect to see a small increase in solid waste collection fees— part of a new state law that takes effect for the upcoming year.

Back in September, the San Clemente City Council approved the fee increases to adjust rates based upon the consumer price index and landfill disposal costs, as well as to comply with state-mandated services under Senate Bill 1383.

The bill, which passed in 2016, is intended to address environmental concerns (particularly regarding methane emissions) by requiring residents and owners of commercial and multifamily properties to subscribe to recycling programs that capture and separate organic waste, such as food scraps, from other trash. The goal is to reduce the amount of green waste disposed at landfills.

The program uses what is called Anaerobic Digestion technology to convert organic waste into renewable resources such as fertilizers and gas that powers collection vehicles for CR&R—the waste collection agency that contracts with California cities including Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

A 35-gallon residential solid waste collection receptacle with organics could see a fee increase of 21 cents by Jan. 1, according to a City of San Clemente staff report. Commercial bin services could increase by several dollars.

The coming new requirements are something cities in South Orange County are prepared for, including San Clemente. The City of San Clemente implemented the residential single-family home organics diversion program in 2016, explained Cynthia Mallett, the city’s Environmental Programs Supervisor.

“At that time, approximately 4,600 residential accounts requested exemption from the program because they did not generate landscape materials or had space constraints to add an additional cart to the existing trash and recycling carts,” Mallett said. “These accounts will soon be receiving (if they haven’t already) the organics cart, because they will need to participate in the food scrap diversion program beginning Jan. 1, 2022.”

Educational information, she further noted, will be disseminated to the affected accounts.

An informational chart that will be sent to San Clemente customers after Jan. 1 specifies what can be placed in an organics cart: fruits, vegetables, bread, wood scraps and chips, flowers, and other items. The chart also specifies the items that can be placed in separate recycling and landfill carts—cardboard and glass are considered recyclables, while mirrors and paper towels are deemed landfill trash.

San Juan Capistrano is also gearing up for the new requirements, and has taken steps beforehand. San Juan entered into a new franchise agreement with CR&R effective July 1, 2020 that “anticipated the new recycling laws and was structured to ensure compliance, including provisions for expansion of the City’s organic waste disposal programs,” Senior Management Analyst Matisse Reischl said.

“Pursuant to SB 1383, the new franchise agreement transitioned all residential customers to a three-cart source separated program that includes a refuse cart, a dry recycling cart, and an organics cart (i.e., green waste and food waste mixed),” Reischl said. “The new franchise agreement also discon-

Ridlands Outline Long-Term Plans for Riding Park

management of the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park—an equestrian property in San Juan Capistrano that is also turning into a budding event venue—will remain in the hands of current operators Hillary and Robert Ridland.

The City Council elected to move forward on negotiations with the Ridlands after other proposed bids to operate the park were withdrawn, following

BY COLLIN BREAUX

If negotiations with the City of San Juan Capistrano are successful, long-term

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

A new state mandate set to go into effect on Jan. 1 will require Californians to separate all of their organic waste, such as food scraps, from their other trash, by placing them into new organic waste bins, which are being delivered to households and businesses. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

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tinued commercial mixed waste bins and expanded commercial service to the source separated system.”

As required by the state legislation, the City of San Juan Capistrano adopted its own ordinance implementing mechanisms for future enforcement of the regulations.

“While adoption of the ordinance is required by Jan. 1, 2022, SB 1383 allows cities to take an educational and non-punitive approach for the first two years,” Reischl said. “This two-year timeline will allow the City and CR&R to inform and educate residents and businesses about the state mandated requirements with the goal of achieving voluntary compliance.”

Dana Point, in the words of Jennifer Anderson—the senior management analyst for the city’s Public Works and Engineering Department—is also ready.

Dana Point has also passed its own required ordinance pertaining to organic recycling, which was officially approved in November.

Residents in Dana Point have already

had organic recycling since January 2020, Anderson said. But the new ordinance formally brings Dana Point into compliance with the new state law.

As Anderson noted, SB 1383 is intended to bring about a 75% reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025.

The City of Dana Point is working closely with CR&R when it comes to the recycling programs, and CR&R is “instrumental” in getting the programs out into the community, Anderson said.

“We couldn’t do it without our partnership with CR&R,” Anderson said.

Maria Lazaruk, senior community relations manager for CR&R, said part of their educational outreach efforts include direct mailing and billing inserts that contain information on the waste recycling requirements.

CR&R also has a team of full-time sustainability coordinators who are helping show businesses and restaurants what is recyclable and what isn’t, Lazaruk said.

“All three cities have received the program with open arms,” Lazaruk said.

a request for proposals from the city launched earlier this year. The Capistrano Dispatch recently spoke with the married couple and longtime equestrians about what they have in mind for the park.

“I hope we all have the same vision.

I don’t think they’d ask us to do something that’s not sustainable,” Hillary said. “I’m pretty optimistic we’ll come

up with a good agreement that allows us to actually go do some stuff on the park here.”

More Western riding events will be added due to grassroots demand from the local community. Hillary said her dream is to have sliding in San Juan and “a really high-end group of reiners out here running and sliding for a lot of money.”

(Cont. on page 4) thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

San Juan Capistrano Library Temporarily Closes for Improvements STAFF REPORT

The San Juan Capistrano Library is undergoing renovations—necessitating a temporary closure.

The library—which is operated by the County of Orange—is undergoing what are called “tenant improvements.” Holds for books and other items can be picked up at the Laguna Niguel Library on Crown Valley Parkway.

The Friends of the Library Bookstore next to the San Juan library is still open.

Visit the Orange County Public Libraries website at ocpl.org for updates.

Visitors who enjoy the San Juan Capistrano Library can instead head to the Laguna Niguel Library for books, due to a temporary closure. Photo: File

(Cont. from page 3) “I think it’s going to preserve and salvage the horse world here,” Hillary said of what more Western events at the riding park will mean for the local equestrian community. “Orange County is going in different directions as far as the sport, and this is pretty much the last town that’s hanging onto it.

It’s going to help preserve the heritage here and add to the kind of people we can bring here for events.”

Securing a long-term lease is important for hosting Western shows since Western management companies are generally more likely to sign on for events, Robert said.

Robert pointed out more Western riding has already been incorporated into the park through the open Ride Your Park events every Monday (weather permitting), in which riders are invited to come ride their horse at the park for free.

A big event coming up is the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup USA, which is scheduled for May 10-15 in 2022. It serves as an opportunity for show jumping teams from North/ Central America and the Caribbean to earn points toward qualification for the annual final competition held in Barcelona, Spain in late September. The May competition marks the first time the event will be held on the U.S. West Coast.

The riding park is also expanding for non-equestrian events, including an upcoming concert by hip-hop artist Nelly scheduled in late January. The Ridlands are partnering with entertainment company TAG Presents for these events, which also included the recently held WinterScape holiday festival and the country music festival MissionFest.

The Capistrano Unified School District’s governing board last week selected Trustee Martha McNicholas to serve as board president for 2022. Photo: File

Trustee McNicholas Takes Over as New CUSD Board President

BY COLLIN BREAUX

The Capistrano Unified School District’s governing board promoted Trustee Martha McNicholas to the role of board president as part of its annual organizational reshuffling held during the Dec. 15 meeting.

McNicholas, who represents parts of Dana Point and Laguna Niguel, was nominated by the board to serve as president for 2022. She takes over for former President Judy Bullockus, whose area of representation includes Mission Viejo.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to be president of this board in working with my colleagues last year, but I am ready to hand over the reins,” Bullockus said.

McNicholas’ term will end in December 2022. She was first elected to the board in 2014 and was reelected in 2018.

Trustee Krista Castellanos, who represents parts of Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo, was named the new vice president.

Castellanos’ term ends in 2024. She was originally appointed to the board in September 2019 to fill a vacancy left by former Trustee Gary Pritchard, who resigned from his post because he relocated out of the area.

Castellanos won the 2020 election to keep her seat.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

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“They are tasked with doing more of the community stuff,” Hillary said.

“What we’re trying to do is, instead of our website just being about Blenheim Equisports and our equestrian events, theridingpark.com is where we’re going to work on the community being able to see all sorts of things that are happening here.”

Better stalls, permanent restrooms, and upgrades to fencing were some targeted enhancements Hillary mentioned.

Further improvements are planned for the park. As required by the city, one of the aims in selecting a long-term operator is providing funding to satisfy water quality improvements required under a consent decree reached after a lawsuit settlement with Orange County Coastkeeper.

The environmentally minded nonprofit sued the city over allegations the city’s Eastern Open Space—a part of which the riding park occupies—is inadequate due to horses at the park contributing to water pollution through excrement. Water quality improvements must be in place by December 2022.

The RFP process was something The Ridland Group had never gone through before, Robert said. Though “sleepless nights” were spent tweaking the proposal, they were impressed with how the procedure was handled by the city, he said.

“To me, this is an example of politics at its best,” Robert said. “It was competition, of course, and competition brings out the best in everyone.”

The appeal of the riding park is it has a lot of open space and grass, Hillary said.

“People let their dogs roam free. It’s kind of like Dog Beach in Huntington (Beach),” she said. “Perfect weather. It’s my happy place.” thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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2021 YEAR IN REVIEW Progress and Development in San Juan Capistrano

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

B

ack in January 2021, then-Mayor John Taylor predicted people and businesses would bounce back from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccines were widely available, and that people gradually would return to downtown restaurants and businesses.

For the most part, that forecast held true.

The year 2021 could be considered a year of progress and development in San Juan Capistrano, and a recovery of sorts for the world at large—even as the pandemic continues, and people struggle.

In-person gatherings returned and mask requirements were lifted in the state mid-year, before mask requirements were reinstated in December.

Locally, this year marked the official water utility transfer to the Santa Margarita Water District and opening of Putuidem Village in the town’s Northwest Open Space—finales for projects years in the making. The city also increased paid parking downtown and took steps to rezone certain areas in order to meet state housing requirements.

Councilmember Howard Hart led the charge in addressing human trafficking in massage parlors, and The Tea House and Ramos House Café on Los Rios Street got the green light to apply for extended alcohol services. A long-term operator for the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park is close to being secured, and likely staying

in familiar hands.

On the education front, pandemic measures—including an expected coming student vaccine mandate and ongoing mask requirements while on campus—continued to receive backlash from parents and community members who frequently protested in front of Capistrano Unified School District offices and spoke out during Board of Trustees meetings.

JANUARY A new Chick-fil-A location opens on Del Obispo Street.

Senior citizens in San Juan Capistrano start to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and most report feeling fine afterward.

Bryn Valaika wears a mask while working as a cashier at The Ecology Center on March 3. The continual wearing of masks is a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still not over. Photo: Collin Breaux

is reported, which leads to some parlors in town being closed.

Roy Nunn, a longtime San Juan resident and architect who had a hand in several local projects—including Serra Plaza—dies at the age of 71. Nunn also served on local government boards and coached youth sports.

FEBRUARY The City Council approves a request for proposals for uses at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park that would permit considerations of a variety of uses, including non-equestrian activities. This kicks off a consideration process that lasts throughout the year.

Councilmember Howard Hart authorizes city staff to review ordinances related to massage parlors, due to concerns about illicit parlors’ role in human trafficking. The city eventually revises regulations permitting parlors to be shut down and remain closed if illicit activity

MARCH The pandemic reaches the one-year mark.

The City Council approves a resolution to continue expanding the parking lot at Paseo Adelanto and Ramos Street, in anticipation of a busy downtown summer season.

APRIL The City Council approves the first reading of an ordinance regarding sidewalk vendors. The in-depth ordinance has numerous requirements, including limiting vending to paved sidewalks and walkways and being 100 feet away from other vendors.

Mayor John Taylor begins his Mayor’s Lunches at a different restaurant in San Juan almost every Friday to promote local dining and chat with residents. His first stop is at Mayfield’s Restaurant and Marketplace downtown.

Live music resumes at The Coach House, which had been halted throughout the pandemic. Attendance was limited at first, but eventually returned to full capacity after being allowed under state regulations.

Parmiss Restaurant, a new Mediterranean restaurant, opens in the Mercado Village shopping center.

Antonette Temple, 87, and Marilyn Tilmont, 84, residents at Del Obispo Terrace Senior Living—an assisted-care facility in San Juan—received their first COVID-19 vaccine shots on Jan. 28. More people throughout California and the U.S. gradually began getting their shots as well. Photo: Collin Breaux

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

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MAY The CUSD Board of Trustees approves renaming Serra High School—a continuation school in San Juan—and changing it back to its original name of Capistrano Union High School, partially due to scrutiny over Saint Junipero Serra’s treatment of indigenous people.

The Field of Honor flag display at Mission San Juan Capistrano paying tribute to military veterans over Memorial Day weekend draws thousands of visitors.

JUNE California lifts the majority of pandemic restrictions, including mask requirements for fully vaccinated people in most settings. The inside of Swallow’s Inn reopens with lots of people there to celebrate, and the Fiesta Association hosts an El Presidente Ball that fills up the back room at El Adobe de Capistrano.

Paid parking is instituted in the city’s multi-modal parking lot, near Trevor’s at the Tracks and Rancho Capistrano Winery.

The City Council approves the annual city budget and a seven-year capital improvement plan, which includes funding to address street maintenance and the installation of synthetic turf at Stonefield Park.

The CUSD Board of Trustees approves a resolution urging a change from the state when it comes to student mask requirements on campus, essentially requesting masks be optional.

The Coffee Chat forum returns to its in-person format at Hennessey’s Tavern for the first time since the pandemic. City Manager Ben Siegel is the guest speaker to talk about local projects on the horizon. thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

and townhomes will start from the high $700,000 range.

An announcement is made that the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park will host the FEI Nations Jumping CUP USA in May 2022. The event is a show jumping competition to qualify for the annual final competition held in Spain in late September and expected to provide a big economic benefit for San Juan.

JULY The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library bookstore reopens.

The City Council approves staff recommendations to initiate a study related to updating the city’s Housing Element and rezoning for such, which is required every eight years for municipalities throughout California by state law. An exception is made for rezoning the Avenida Los Amigos neighborhood after outcry from the area’s residents.

A new mural at Capistrano Plaza depicting San Juan Capistrano’s history by sculptor Randy Morgan debuts. It can be seen when passing Hennessey’s Tavern.

FKN Bread opens a downtown bakery across from Hennessey’s Tavern. The business is owned by married couple Dave and Bree VandenBerg and is named for their three young boys: Finn, Kane, and Nash. It sells fresh-baked bread and other food items.

DECEMBER

Diamond Holistic Massage on Ortega Highway was one of the massage parlors in San Juan Capistrano forced to shut down after reports of illicit sexual activity. City Councilmember Howard Hart spearheaded tightened regulations on massage parlors, in an effort to stop human trafficking. Photo: Collin Breaux

AUGUST The Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission approves the water utility transfer agreement between the city and Santa Margarita Water District, marking one of the final steps toward the annexation becoming official.

Ortega’s Capistrano Trading Post, a souvenir shop in downtown San Juan, is indefinitely closed after a vehicle crashes into the store.

Students and educators head back to campus—for a full five days a week—as the 2021-22 school year starts. Masks are still required.

Robert Ridland helps guide the U.S. show jumping team to a silver medal in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

SEPTEMBER Live in-person theatrical performances return to Camino Real Playhouse, which was mostly closed during the pandemic.

The performance season resumes with The Nerd, which was scheduled to be showcased before the 2020 shutdown.

The Ridland Group and Frontier Real Estate Investments, the latter headed up by local developer and resident Dan Almquist, give presentations to the City Council regarding their proposals to manage the RMV Riding Park. The two are the main candidates under the RFP put out by the city. A third candidate called Capistrano Experience withdrew its initial proposal.

Ramen Shack, a new ramen restaurant, opens downtown at Capistrano Plaza.

Customers can order ramen dishes on their phone while seated at a counter or table.

The City Council approves a General Plan and code amendment study that al-

lows high-density housing developments on four parcels on Doheny Park Road, to satisfy state housing requirements.

The city’s gateway landscaping project, which added low stone masonry walls and plants to the Ortega Highway and Del Obispo Street intersection, wraps up.

The renovations were done to complement the nearby Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano.

letter to state officials urging them to rethink the vaccine mandate.

Full-scale in-person Halloween events return to San Juan, including the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society’s Ghost & Legends Tour and trick-or-treating on Los Rios Street.

NOVEMBER The City Council approves turning the city-owned tennis courts on Camino Capistrano into pickleball courts, due to the growing popularity of pickleball and the underutilized nature of the current tennis courts.

Some parents and students praise CUSD’s Cultural Proficiency Plan, which is intended to rectify inequities through cultural awareness training and other means. Other parents and residents claim the plan equates to Critical Race Theory—a claim about education made nationally by conservatives—which is disputed by CUSD officials.

The City Council approves three new names for the city’s Wall of Recognition: former longtime Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ronald Denman, equestrian Kathy Holman, and past Mayor Joe Soto.

The city and Santa Margarita Water District celebrate the official water utility transfer with a reception at the groundwater recovery plant at City Hall.

Landsea Homes—a home developer based in Newport Beach—and the city hold a groundbreaking ceremony to herald new homes that will be built at the corner of Calle Arroyo and Paseo Tirador, near 24 Hour Fitness. The new communities are called Avelina and Petra, with a total of 132 homes. Single-family homes

OCTOBER The City Council approves setting a Pavement Condition Index score goal of 75 or higher, in order to maintain adequate roads. Further street maintenance funding is secured for San Juan through the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March.

A proposed affordable housing development at the end of Don Juan Avenue—a residential cul-de-sac with a narrow street—draws scrutiny in the community due to expected traffic increases and safety concerns. City staff relays these concerns to the out-of-town developer, and is currently waiting on a response from the developer. Numerous other residents also speak about the general need for affordable housing.

The council approves instituting paid parking behind Swallow’s Inn. Gov. Gavin Newsom announces a vaccine mandate will be required for students if they want to continue attending school in person once the Food and Drug administration fully approves the vaccines, which sparks backlash from some in South Orange County—including through a school walk-out and protest outside the CUSD offices. The CUSD Board of Trustees approves sending a

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

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Putuidem Village opens at the town’s Northwest Open Space, after years in the making. The cultural area honors the area’s early indigenous people. The Native American and San Juan community celebrate with a ceremony that includes ritual dances and remarks from descendants of the city’s ancestors.

The city announces it will begin negotiations with Hillary and Robert Ridland to continue managing the RMV Riding Park, this time for a long-term lease of at least 20 years. Almquist withdraws his proposal the day before the council was scheduled to decide on whom to negotiate with, and announces his desire to establish equestrian activities at the Northwest Open Space.

The council approves allowing The Tea House and Ramos House Café to move forward on requests to expand their alcohol services. The two restaurants want to start offering high-end cocktails and expand into dinner service. A final decision on the requests is expected to be made by the council next year.

The council also approves updating the city seal, with a proposed new seal featuring a bell (a symbol associated with Mission San Juan Capistrano, which has historic bells) and a swallow bird.

This means Saint Junipero Serra, who is on the current seal, will effectively be removed from it. Councilmember Troy Bourne, who brought forth the idea of updating the seal along with Councilmember Sergio Farias, said it should be updated because the extensive design of the current seal makes it hard to come up legibly on a smartphone. Input will be solicited from the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission, and a new design is expected to be implemented next year.

Derek Reeve is named the new mayor and Howard Hart the new mayor pro tem (replacing Reeve in the role) during the council’s annual reorganization.

Capistrano Lights, the Mission’s annual holiday program featuring a lighted tree and holiday carolers, returns at full capacity.

The Stand, a restaurant that sells what it calls “American classic redefined” such as burgers and salads, opens on Del Obispo Street. The fast casual eatery also has locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Newport Beach. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON RMV

Rancho Mission Viejo Moves Forward in 2021

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

s life returned to some sort of normalcy in 2021 for much of the world, so, too, did life in the master-planned community of Rancho Mission Viejo.

Some neighborhood events, including a butterfly release, returned in the unincorporated area, and educational events for students are back on at The Nature Reserve in Rancho Mission Viejo—the area’s outdoor preserve where children and other residents get to go on hikes and learn about local wildlife and fauna.

Los Patrones Business Park, an industrial center with business tenants, gradually began opening this year with new tenants variously setting up shop as the months went on. Among the center’s first tenants are Evolve CheckMat Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Muay Thai Academy (a martial arts gym), Frisby Winery & Brewing (a wine and craft beer spot), and SmartStop Esencia Storage Facility.

“2021 was a year of great progress and milestones for Rancho Mission Viejo,” said Mike Balsamo, senior vice president of governmental relations for Rancho Mission Viejo. “We officially sold all of the homes in the Village of Esencia and opened the highly anticipated Los Patrones Business Park. We also started construction on the Village of Rienda and Ranch Camp, our next incredible recreational amenity.”

Rienda will open for sales in just a few months and will have a grand opening a few months after that.

“There has been an incredible amount of progress made over the last year. We’re very excited about this new community, which embodies the true essence of living on The Ranch,” Balsamo said.

“Rienda will place special emphasis on housing attainability, nurturing neighborliness among all ages and life stages, utilizing our award-winning amenities and thoughtful programming to create a vibrant social life for residents.”

RMV prioritized well-being in 2021, and looks to continue that focus going into 2022. As part of that, The Ranch began working with the Global Wellness Institute on a new “Wellness Communities & Real Estate Initiative,” which explores the impact community environments have on health and wellness. The initiative will help identify elements that have the greatest potential to impact wellness in community design and development through conscious and effective land plans, facility designs, and other means, a news release said.

“This marks the first-ever collaborative effort between these two organizations,

Ranch Camp, a new amenity for Rancho Mission Viejo residents, is under construction. It will feature an artificial lagoon, fitness center and more, and it is expected to open next year. Photo: Collin Breaux

and Rancho Mission Viejo was featured as a leading wellness community at GWI’s inaugural Wellness Communities and Real Estate Symposium,” Balsamo said. “We’re looking forward to this partnership to continue to find ways to enhance well-being on The Ranch and beyond.”

Another highlight from 2021 includes the Sendero and Esencia areas receiving their Firewise USA Designation in recognition of the community’s fire protection planning and proactive approach to reducing wildfire risk.

“We’re one of the first master-planned communities to receive this designation, which is the result of years of collaboration with Orange County Fire Authority to ensure the Villages on The Ranch were designed and built with state-of-the-art fire protection technology,” Balsamo said.

RMV also brought back longtime and recently instituted programs, including the annual Turkey Trot and an outdoor internship program for students at The Nature Reserve. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

Evolve CheckMat Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Muay Thai Academy owner Todd Aimer (left) observes as his students practice grappling. The martial arts gym is one of numerous business tenants that have opened at Los Patrones Business Park. Photo: Collin Breaux

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WINTER 2021-2022

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GO. SEE.DO

Welcome to Go.See.Do Our corner of the world is just as beautiful when it’s chilly as when it’s warm—with plenty of activities and events that live up to the festive season. As live theater returns to South Orange County, learn more about your local playhouses and upcoming performances. Get tips for the best spots and time frames to go whale watching right off our coast. We’ve also profiled local recording artists who are well on their way to stardom. For those in search of their next watering hole, check out our guide to South OC’s Great Dive Bars, which includes a quick tour of Turk’s, The Outrigger, Swallow’s Inn and other favorite haunts. We hope that the Go.See.Do winter edition serves as a guide to fulfil your seasonal sense of adventure.

Photo: Courtesy of Casa Romantica

Making Cultural ‘Connections’ at Casa Romantica

F

BY ZACH CAVANAGH

or its 2021-22 season of programming, Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is spanning the globe to expand the “cultural” side of its name.

Casa Romantica introduced its Connections programming in September for a yearlong program that consists of clusters of events related to selected themes. The themes range from the culture of different communities, such as India and China, to the culture of the arts with dancing, music and more.

Each of the program’s themes features a variety of events in visual and performing arts. The events are all low-cost or free to remove barriers to allow people of all ages to experience arts and culture and build a stronger bond with Casa Romantica and the community.

The themes began with a fall program called “Beyond Bollywood,” in which the center highlighted Indian-American performing artists who showcased traditional and contemporary arts. A centerpiece was the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. There was an energetic performance by the Blue13 Dance Company and a fusion of Indian music with American blues by Bollywood Blues musician Aki Kumar.

The upcoming winter program will celebrate Chinese New Year with events from Jan. 29 through March. This program will be

highlighted by several musical performances of traditional Chinese music and a blend of contemporary music.

The program begins on Jan. 29 with the Pacific Trio, which presents traditional music of China with the zither, pipa, dizi, er-hu and other authentic instruments. The concert is free with general admission to Casa Romantica.

The other headlining musical performances are back-to-back shows by one of the world’s premier guzheng musicians, Bei Bei. The guzheng is a Chinese plucked zither, which has strings stretched over a wooden table. On Feb. 10, Bei Bei will perform on the ancient Chinese instrument, as she had recently on the soundtrack for Disney’s live-action Mulan. Tickets for this event are $25 to general visitors and $20 for Casa Romantica members.

Bei Bei will follow up on Feb. 11 with a performance titled “Year of the Funky,” in which she blends her traditional zither skills with contemporary pop/funk music. There is a $12 cover charge for this event.

The winter program will also feature a Chinese herb gardening workshop every Tuesday from Feb. 1-22, ink brush painting classes every Wednesday from Feb. 9-March 2 and a classical Chinese dance and drum performance on Feb. 17.

This program will be followed in the spring with a celebration of hip-hop as a music and dance form for “The People’s Poetry” from April to May, and the Connections programming will wrap in the summer with “Art in the Gardens” from May to July.

Expand your cultural breadth with a trip to Casa Romantica in the coming months. Tickets and classes are available online at casaromantica.org or by calling 949.498.2139.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

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GO. SEE.DO

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WINTER 2021-2022

They’re all coming in at a different level,” Knowles said. “It’s a good challenge for me, and it’s forcing me to become a better musician and a better singer myself.”

Before the pandemic, Knowles constantly traveled to perform at events. These days, she stays in the area more. Her local gigs such as at Casa Romantica are her favorites since she can practically walk down the street to the venue—literally with the Casa.

“I’ve just always wanted to sing. I’ve been singing since the day I could speak,” Knowles said. “I love it. I get a high from it. It can distract you from anything that’s going on in your life.”

If you’re eating at a restaurant in downtown San Juan Capistrano, chances are you might get to enjoy the musical stylings of local performer Olivia Rohde.

Photo: Alura Delgado

Sweet Sounds

San Clemente musician Lark Knowles enjoys performing for audiences at Casa Romantica and other venues. Photo: Collin Breaux

A Look at Musicians in South OC

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BY COLLIN BREAUX

n a fall weekday night, Lark Knowles sits behind a piano and entertains supporters of Casa Romantica with renditions of familiar pop songs.

Knowles lives in San Clemente and makes her living as a musician and music teacher.

On any given day or night, you can either find her instructing students in her apartment or performing at a venue in Southern California.

“I’ve been singing my whole life. I’d always wanted to be a singer, but my family was in the restaurant business in New Jersey,” said Knowles, who has been in San Clemente for four years. “I went to school for hospitality at (the University of Nevada, Las Vegas) and got a babysitting job. I ended up being matched with a family where the mother and father were dueling piano players, and I had never played piano, so I didn’t think that was something I could do.”

The couple began training her after hearing her sing, though, and from there, she gradually set upon her current path of playing covers—including requests from the audience. Her first gig came in Las Vegas 14 years ago, when there wasn’t anyone else available to play.

“I knew about 12 songs, and I got on stage

at a dueling piano show, and I just did the same 12 songs over and over,” Knowles said.

“From there, I just put the pedal to the metal learning songs. The gigs just kept coming, and even though I was a complete musical disaster, I was confident with the crowd and the singing—which is really what dueling pianos is about.”

That rapport with people shined through during her Casa Romantica performance, when Knowles chatted and smiled with audience members between songs, which ranged from Oasis to Petula Clark. She enjoys country and female folk, but she is willing to adapt her style to her audience. Knowles describes herself as “entertainer first, singer second, piano player last.”

As for her musical teaching, that side of her life picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowles has a full schedule of students from Monday through Friday, and is trying to balance that out with the gradual return of musical gigs. Her tutoring of students—including a session that took place right before her Casa Romantica show—includes tips on vocal singing. Knowles is up to 20 students a week, who range from afterschool kids to homeschoolers during the day and even some adults.

“Every kid is so different, and they all have their different strengths and weaknesses.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

Over in San Juan Capistrano, Olivia Rohde also keeps busy performing music at local venues—including Rancho Capistrano Winery and Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano. Rohde was born and raised in San Juan, and she has been working as a professional musician for nearly 10 years.

She loves her hometown, and she won Junior Miss Fiesta with the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association in 1997. Rohde has been in the Swallows Day Parade numerous times, always announcing her local heritage during gigs.

“I do the restaurant circuit here in town. I generally like to keep all of my gigs within one minute of my house,” Rohde said. “Pretty much every restaurant is offering live music, which is great for artists like myself, because I definitely stay busy in San Juan Capistrano. The music is booming. There’s a lot of great musicians from the area, and there’s a lot of variety.”

Rohde has two full-length cover albums out, as well as a few music videos. She is also in a band called Sapphire Road, which recently released some new music. Rohde’s go-to on the restaurant circuit is performing covers, from the ’50s through today. She goes from The Mamas and the Papas to Post Malone.

“Pretty much all genres, so I have hundreds if not thousands of songs in my wheelhouse. I do take requests, which is a cool thing for a lot of the restaurants, because it gets the crowd interacting and I’m not just the musician shoved in the corner playing background music,” Rohde said. “I’m always up for a challenge.”

Rohde also works as a lifeguard (a job she’s been in since 2001), jet ski guide, and

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first responder for aquatic emergencies. She loves to sing because of how it makes her feel and brings people together in a “beautiful ambience with good food.” Rohde played the French horn throughout middle and high school.

“No one in my family is musical whatsoever,” Rohde said. “I got a little guitar from Santa when I was just a little kid, and I only knew basic chords. (In) high school, one of my teammates at Dana Hills High School water polo had a boyfriend who would just always hang around and play the guitar, doing Sublime and stuff like that. I say, ‘Hey, let me check it out.’ ” Rohde began practicing chord progressions from there and got involved with surf music bands with friends. She’s also a surfer and skateboarder.

Over in Dana Point, Ava August is continuing with her musical career after receiving national exposure on American Idol. Since she last spoke with Dana Point Times earlier this year, August has been writing and working on music with different producers and collaborators, along with spending time in Nashville.

“Now I’ve got 40 songs that are in demo form,” August said. “I have all these songs ready to go. They just need to get mixed and mastered.”

August is looking at releasing an EP in early 2022, which she said will have a singer-songwriter feel and story-like elements.

“I want the EP to appeal to a lot of Gen Z people and 16-year-olds,” she said.

On the live performance side of things, she recently sang the national anthem for a Chargers-Rams preseason game.

“It was so big,” August said of that performance. “Hearing the crowd chanting was one of the most thrilling things ever.”

As for her next steps, August is working on signing with a management company and will sing the national anthem again for a Lakers game in January.

“I’m really excited for the future,” August said.

Dana Point-based musician Ava August is working on new music after a successful run on American Idol.

Photo: Tiffany Perry Photography

FIND THESE MUSICIANS ONLINE Lark Knowles: larkknowlesmusic.com Olivia Rohde: oliviarohdemusic.com Ava August: avaaugust.com

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WINTER 2021-2022

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SOUTH COUNTY’S A STAGE

T

Live Theater Is Back

BY COLLIN BREAUX

hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no actors on stage at Camino Real Playhouse in San Juan Capistrano, no audience members to laugh or clap, no crowds heading out to the nearby downtown restaurants to eat before or after performances.

The community theater was closed, like many venues during the outbreak, but it has since roared back to life after in-person performances returned in September. Since then, Camino Real Playhouse has had a steady season of comedy shows—the chuckles a welcome reprieve from these stressful times.

The San Juan venue will host an international playwriting festival from January 7-16. The event will feature seven 10-minute plays from different playwrights and directors.

The festival is suitable for teens and adults, and the audience will vote for the winner.

Further ahead in 2022, Camino Real Playhouse will also host performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time from Feb. 25-March 13. The stage play is an adaption of the 2003 novel about a 15-yearold boy who works to solve a mysterious death while dealing with behavioral difficulties.

Over in San Clemente, Cabrillo Playhouse is

also back to onstage performances. The theater reopened for indoor performances of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon, the show they had to close down when the pandemic started.

“We have since been doing performances inside and are back to a ‘normal’ schedule for our seasons of shows,” said Cabrillo Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Michael Lopez.

“Opening on Jan. 14 will be the comedy Play On by Rick Abbot.”

Play On is about a performing arts group putting on a play and dealing with an interfering author in the process. The show runs through Feb. 6.

“A little over a year ago, when I realized that the pandemic was not going to end anytime soon, I came up with the idea of doing outdoor performances,” said Lopez.

“The CDC and Orange County were starting to allow outside dining, and theater with specific regulations, so we were able to come up with a performance space that would allow us to keep live theater going, break even, and keep the Cabrillo going. We were able to do a few shows before the city stopped us and told us we couldn’t.”

Visit caminorealplayhouse.org and cabrilloplayhouse.org for tickets and more information.

South OC’s Great Dive Bars South Orange County is certainly an area associated with fine dining, classy cocktails and rich-tasting wines. But for those who aren’t looking for a bougie night out, the three towns here also have plenty of dive bars, where the music is loud, the beers are cheap, and the drinks are stiff. u MULLIGANS Tucked away in San Clemente’s “surf ghetto,” Mulligans is a fun hideaway, perfect for friends and sports fans to gather. The pool tables, of which there are plenty, are free to play and the TVs always have a game on.

And when it comes to food and drink, well, there are daily specials on beers and cocktails, and every month, the bar features a specialty burger.

1401 Calle Valle, San Clemente. 949.492.4400. mulligansbarsanclemente.

TURK’S Fishermen, sailors, or those hoping to one day live a pirate’s life flock to Turk’s at the Dana Point Harbor. This waterfront saloon is adorned with nautical antiques, archival photos of Dana Point and other seafaring memorabilia, which helps create the allure of drinking out at sea. Turk’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering daily specials on food and drinks. u

34683 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.496.9028. turksdpharbor.com.

u SWALLOW’S INN Swallow’s Inn is the quintessential dive bar among the three South Orange County towns.

Located just down the street from the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano, Swallow’s Inn has earned its own reputation as a beloved haunt for those who love country music and line-dancing. Just about every night at Swallow’s, there’s bound to be something fun happening, whether it’s live music, karaoke or even country dancing lessons. Swalllow’s outside patio is spacious for those who enjoy the fresh air or need a smoke.

31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.3188. swallowsinn.com.

OUTRIGGER TAVERN Outrigger Tavern, which dubs itself “The Local Dive Bar” in San Clemente, is another fun spot to knock back a few beers or cocktails, which are regularly on special. Patrons can play pool and enjoy the bar’s never-ending-summer atmosphere on the patio area. u

1920 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.492.1935. outriggertavern.com.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

u GOODY’S TAVERN Goody’s in Downtown San Clemente knows how to keep the fun times going, as there’s always something happening. Located in an area colloquially referred to as The Triangle, Goody’s has pool tables and sports on the TVs, regularly hosts karaoke nights, as well as live music with bands and DJs. Goody’s just generally knows how to attract a fun crowd with its bevy of happenings and daily drink specials.

206 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.3400. u OLE’S TAVERN Though Ole’s is well known as a sports bar in San Clemente’s downtown corridor, it certainly fits the bill for what makes a great dive—a full liquor bar, cheap (and strong) drinks, a contingent of locals and a welcoming neighborhood vibe. The tavern, which is a safe haven for Green Bay Packers fans, also offers patrons pool tables and other games, a jukebox, and a plethora of TVs so everyone can watch live sports.

127 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.498.9400.

u KNUCKLEHEADS SPORTS BAR Self-proclaimed as Orange County’s No. 1 dive bar, Knuckleheads, which also promotes that it’s sorry for being open, knows how to not take itself too seriously—perfect for those who aren’t fans of hoity-toity cocktail and wine bars. Located in San Clemente’s North Beach district, Knuckleheads rocks and rolls by offering customers stiff drinks, good food, and billiards, as well as a venue for local artists, musicians and comedians to show off their talent.

1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

949.492.2410. knuckleheadssportsbar.com. u RED FOX LOUNGE Though technically a lounge, the Red Fox deserves an honorary mention as a dive.

This downtown San Clemente bar is a favorite for many locals. The bar is reminiscent of an old-time speakeasy, while the covered back patio gives smokers a cozy place to continue sipping on drinks. And there’s always great music playing.

220 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.3403.

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WINTER 2021-2022

Photo: Courtesy of Loriannah Hespe/danawharf.com

WHALE WATCHING

Explore Local Shores

A

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

s the trademarked Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World and a Whale Heritage site, Dana Point offers a unique, year-round opportunity to see dolphins and whales galore.

WHAT SETS DANA POINT APART Donna Kalez, of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, and Gisele Anderson, of Capt. Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari, assert that Dana Point has the best whale watching scene around.

The deep coastal canyons right outside the Dana Point Harbor offer an ideal environment for whales and dolphins, and the water has the perfect depth and temperature.

“Everything about it is ambient for these whales, and so they like coming here and bringing their babies by, and it’s actually pretty easygoing,” said Riley Russell, director of Education at the Ocean Institute.

On a whale watching tour, passengers may also see common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins and Risso’s dolphins.

Unlike other local harbors, Dana Point’s

deep coastal canyons and shorter harbor mean that whales can be seen just outside the harbor, Anderson explained.

“We don’t have to go three, four or five miles out to go find them, or north to go find them,” Anderson said. “Sometimes we do, because they’re not just hanging around waiting for us, but because we have these really deep coastal canyons, that’s where the cold water is, and when you have cold water, you have nutrients and phytoplankton, and that feeds plankton and small fish; and when you have small fish, you have dolphins.”

More than 450,000 dolphins reside off Southern California, according to Dana Point Whale Watching.

Russell added that there’s etiquette among boaters to respect whales; because of this, there typically are never more than three boats around a whale at a time.

“There’s a lot of respect for whales here,” Russell said. “And I think you do enough of that type of behavior for decades, whales remember that. So, they like coming to these types of places.”

DANA POINT AS WORLD HERITAGE SITE The City of Dana Point was named the

Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World and a Whale Heritage site by the World Cetacean Alliance in 2020. Kalez and Anderson, co-directors of the Dana Point Whale Watching Company, successfully trademarked the city as the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World in 2019.

Dana Point is among only a handful of Whale Heritage sites in the world, and the first of its kind in the U.S. Other sites include Hervey Bay, Australia; The Bluff, South Africa; Tenerife-La Gomera Marine Area, Spain; and Algoa Bay, South Africa.

“Being the first Whale Heritage Site in the Americas is an amazing accomplishment and serves to further recognize Dana Point and the whales and dolphins that live and visit here the recognition they deserve, as well as send a message to the world that Dana Point is also a place that protects and responsibly watches cetaceans,” Anderson wrote on the Dana Point Whale Watching Company website.

Dana Point’s Festival of Whales is the longest-running celebration of the gray whale, the city’s biggest migratory whale.

“Dana Point is home to the longest-running festival of whales in the world, and we have never had to cancel a festival, even due to COVID,” Kalez said. “That’s why we were able to obtain the World Heritage Site designation, because they recognized our location as someplace that celebrates whales, and whale watching is in their heritage.”

Dana Point will be celebrating the 51st annual Festival of Whales this coming March.

Experts believe gray whales travel so closely to the Dana Point shoreline because the Dana Point Headlands serve as a landmark for their journeys.

Kelsey Reimer, program development manager at the Ocean Institute, explained that gray whale migration has already begun.

“We’ve already started to see a couple come through, and then that will go through March, which is the big Festival of Whales,” Reimer said. “And so, we’ll see them on their path down to Mexico and back up. And so, we kind of get a double showing of those gray whales; they’ll go down pregnant and come back with calves.”

WHEN TO SET SAIL Another unique aspect of the local whale watching scene is that Dana Point has an abundance of whales to see year-round, Kalez said.

There isn’t necessarily a best time of year to go whale watching; rather, there’s a “best time of year” to see particular species of whales.

GIVE THE GIFT OF NATURE WITH OC PARKS ANNUAL PASSES

HOW TO BOOK u Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari offers whale watching tours daily. Tours can be booked at dolphinsafari.com/cruises.

24440 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point.

949.577.8403. dolphinsafari.com. u Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching offers three 2-hour cruises daily. Tours can be booked at danawharf.com/whale-watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point 888.224.0603. danawharf.com. u The Ocean Institute offers whale watching every Saturday and Sunday, unless the boat is booked for a private event. Tours can be booked at oceaninstitute.org. The Ocean Institute campus is open for general admission from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point.

949.496.2274. oceaninstitute.org.

EXPERIENCE HOW DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH

Looking for a holiday gift? OC Parks’ annual passes cover a full year of parking at all OC Parks. The All County Parks and Beaches Parking Pass is $80 for all county-operated parks and beaches. The County Regional and Wilderness Parks Parking Pass costs $55. A stand-alone County Beach Parking Pass is also available for $55. Discounted passes are available for seniors and disabled visitors. Distinguished military veterans are eligible for a nofee pass. Purchase your pass at ocparks.com or at most park offices.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

“Dana Point is a year-round destination for whale watching,” Kalez said. “So, it really depends on what you want to see. Right now, we’re entering the gray whale season, so from December until May is when we see the majority of the gray whales, and so our focus is really going to be on the gray whales. And then when they leave, it becomes humpback to fin whales and blue whales, the largest animal on the planet.”

As for the best time of day to go whale watching, Anderson explained that comparing sightings from morning, afternoon, and evening cruises, there isn’t a significant difference in one’s chance to sight a whale throughout the day.

On occasion, the morning fog makes it a little harder to see, but it’s generally a smoother ride in the morning.

“In general, boating is more comfortable in the mornings, because it’s not typically as windy out there or as many waves, so I’d say if you’re someone who wants a more smooth ride to gear towards those earlier morning cruises,” Reimer said. “Although sunset cruises are always beautiful.”

For residents who have yet to go out on a whale watching cruise, November through March is a perfect time to watch the migrating gray whales that the city celebrates at its Festival of Whales.

“If someone is living here, and they haven’t done this yet, it’s time,” Anderson said. “What are you waiting for? This is the best season to come to see gray whales; it just started with our first gray whale. It’s time to come and see what the world would love to come and experience.”

Jurassic Quest is coming to the Los Angeles Convention Center, Dec. 29-Jan. 2, with more than 100 lifelike dinosaurs, dinosaur-themed rides, live shows, interactive activities, bounce houses, inflatable attractions and more. Visitors will see the dinos that ruled on land and deep-dive into the “Ancient Oceans” exhibit with a moving, life-size, 50-foot megalodon. For more information and tickets, visit jurassicquest.com.

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The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 19, Issue 24. The Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly

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GUEST OPINION | by Mark Loper

Do You Know Where Your Ancestors Are?

I

’ve been claiming for years that I’m descended from royalty, and for years my claims have elicited raucous laughter.

So I decided to put an end to this humiliation and prove to my naysayers that my blood runs blue.

I sent my saliva to the ancestry site 23andMe . . . and I was stunned.

Because the first thing the report revealed was I had 71% more Neanderthal DNA than all other customers!

So maybe there is a kernel of truth to my wife saying I have a sloping forehead and the table manners of a Neanderthal.

I was also shocked to see how many people registering with 23andMe share my DNA: 1,506 folks!

Now, admittedly, some of these relatives might only share a great-great grandsomething on my 6th cousin’s side, but it’s still an overwhelming family reunion.

In fact, speaking of relatives, my son— against his mother’s vocal wishes—also sent his DNA to 23andMe’s lab.

And, frankly, I’m a bit puzzled why his match with mine is 0%.

The report also breaks down my ancestry composition, which, not surprisingly, is 80% British & Irish and 12% Scandinavian—all countries that had lots of kings!

The other 8% is less definitive, but

Letters to The Editor NOT PLEASED WITH THE PROPOSED NEW CITY SEAL JEROME PIERCE JR., San Juan Capistrano My wife Irene and I have been proud residents of San Juan Capistrano for the past 22 years.

We understand, though don’t necessarily agree with, the modern concerns about legacy images relating to our city’s origin. Thus, the removal of Junipero Serra from the official city seal was probably inevitable based on present sensibilities.

But the new seal, really? Who was responsible for its design? Block lettering, no color, no artistry, no imagination; its design has all the charm of a men’s room sign in a bus station.

City leaders, please show some civic pride. Redesign the seal to reflect the beauty and sophistication of our historical city. Let it be a source of pride,

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

reading between the lines, I see my lineage reaching back to Marco Polo (I’m pretty sure my parents knew this before naming me), to Stephen King (at a book signing, he gave me an avuncular smile) and (because I actually scored a 00 on an accounting GUEST OPINION exam), to James Bond.

BY MARK LOPER I’m very confident that what 23andMe has delineated is much more accurate than that sketchy family tree search that my aunt did years ago.

Most of the branches were incomplete but, from what I can recall, on my father’s side, I had a great-aunt who was a logger and a cousin who read.

On my mother’s side, I had an uncle in San Quentin.

But 23andMe took my DNA analysis much further and examined my maternal and paternal haplogroups.

I found this word a bit puzzling but, in layman’s terms, haplogroups (haplo, in caveman-speak, meaning happy or drug-infused) are ancestors with similar DNA in which, for example, on my maternal side, go back 180,000 years!

rather than an embarrassment for all our citizens.

CELEBRATING PUTUIDEM VILLAGE JERRY NIEBLAS, San Juan Capistrano 1776. The lives, traditions, culture, religion, lands, villages and the family units of our Juaneno/Acjachemen ancestors come to an abrupt and forceful ending as the result of the establishment of a “foreign” Spanish Mission! Absolutely nothing would survive or ever be the same for our people or for our Ancestral Village of Putuidem again …

2021. The great RESURGAM of a small portion of our most ancient and sacred Village of Putuidem occurs and becomes a reality! It’s unbelievable, as we’ve waited for so long for this day. We celebrate Putuidem and all our ancestors!

Putuidem is the well-documented ancestral village of my 6x great-grandparents, Zodut and Zoget, and my 5x great-grandmother, Chigilia Maria Bernarda. They were forcibly removed from these lands shortly after the Mission and its new boundaries were established. Their lives would forever be changed and would never again be the Page 15

(This number, 180,000, is one of those unfathomable numbers to grasp . . . much like saying you have a thousand dollars in the bank.)

But where it truly got exciting was in looking at my paternal haplogroup!

Because my distinctive haplogroup, R-M405, can be traced back to royalty!!

I was right!

I am descended from a blue blood!

Because my DNA is shared by Louis XVI of France!

I felt pretty good about myself!

Until I discovered my royal ancestor lost his head to the guillotine.

Mark Loper has been a San Juan Capistrano resident for more than 30 years and has written for several kinds of media, including The Capistrano Dispatch. His writing has been scorned and rejected countless times, but, while hanging onto a wisp of self-esteem, he’s managed to have the occasional scribbling published in book form, in columns, online, on TV and as advertising. He has yet to tweet. 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com.

same—all forced upon them!

Now we have, are able to celebrate and use a small area of Putuidem. It is called the Putuidem Village Cultural Site. I was very moved and humbled to stand on those sacred grounds and deliver a talk on the occasion of our Putuidem ceremonial opening. It was very emotional for me, because I’m a direct descendant of those I’ve mentioned. They came to life that day, and I felt their powerful presence. I wonder if they are as proud of me as I am of them. I was moved by all those in attendance. My direct line to this Sacred Village is unbroken and me and my cousin, Gigi, frequently visit this land to leave our tobacco bundles and sage offerings at our Great Grandmother Oak. A very special thank you to Ben Siegel, Tom Toman, all involved city staff, Mayor John Taylor and the City Council, Kerry Ferguson, Bob Cardoza (RIP) and all the Putuidem Committee. It is definitely a time of unity, renewal and celebration for our Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation! Always and forever to the memories of all our ancestors! Our great RESURGAM journey is just beginning …

(Cont. on page 16)) thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

GUEST OPINION | Citizens’ Climate Education by Christine Kramer

ADULT BOOKS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE FOR HOLIDAY GIVING

W

ith Christmas just about a day away, I’ve compiled a list of books as some possible last-minute gift ideas. Many of these book suggestions come from our congressman, Rep. Mike Levin, an environmental attorney, his staffer Colton Roughen, as well as my husband Larry Kramer, who reads voraciously on climate change, and a few from me.

John Grant’s 2009 book Debunk It! Fake News Edition: How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation, is intended for adults— but useful for teens—and explains how to use critical thinking skills to identify bad evidence and poor arguments.

Grant summarizes the rhetorical tricks people use to mislead, and offers advice on dealing with people who intentionally misinform.

Roughen suggests 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuyval Noah Harari.

“Great comprehensive book about liv-

ing in this time that also includes some perspectives on the climate and environment,” Roughen describes of the 2018 book.

Katharine Hayhoe, CITIZENS’ CLIMATE EDUCATION a Christian conservaBY CHRISTINE KRAMER tive climate scientist, talks about how our choices will determine our future in her 2021 book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. The author has also led TED Talks and has a series on YouTube for young people called Global Weirding.

Andrew J. Hoffman examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change in How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate.

Shi-Ling Hsu examines the four major approaches to curbing CO2 and demon-

strates why a carbon tax is currently the most effective policy in The Case for a Climate Tax: Getting Past Our Hang-ups to Effective Climate Policy.

Michael T. Klare’s 2019 book, All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon’s Perspective on Climate Change, shows how the U.S. military sees the climate threat as imperiling the country on several fronts at once.

UC Irvine author Shahir Masri answers many common misconceptions about climate change in Beyond Debate: Answers to 50 Misconceptions on Climate Change.

The book is suitable for a younger audience, as it serves as a great first dive into the subject.

David Remnick’s The Fragile Earth: Writing from The New Yorker on Climate Change covers three decades of New Yorker essays about climate change. It includes Bill McKibben’s seminal essay “The End of Nature,” which popularizes both the science and politics of climate

change for a general audience.

One of Larry’s suggestions is Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life, a book by Edward O. Wilson. The book, he says, “makes the case that about half the Earth should be left natural. It may seem unrealistic until you realize that about 40% of San Juan Capistrano is open space.”

Chris Kramer is a longtime resident of San Juan Capistrano and a member of the South Orange County chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby/Education. She and her husband, Larry, have moved 26 times in their married life, including to India (Andhra Pradesh) and Africa (Ghana). She has a MLIS from University of Hawaii and a BA from University of Michigan (Go Blue). CD

(Cont. from page 15)

embrace all the historical elements that make San Juan Capistrano so historically important. I personally think it’s time that we create a logo that would include an appropriate symbol that represents our first people of these lands, our Juaneno/ Acjachemen people. Consideration should also be given to include symbols that would honor our early Californio Rancho history, our early Mexicano history, early European contributions and citrus production period—appropriate symbols that would truly represent and honor all our rich and layered history. These are the very first lands and inhabitants of what is now Orange County. A possible new logo design should honor and respect their heritage and contributions. Again, some-

thing very much long overdue.

Let me be clear that my desire for a new logo has nothing to do with Saint Father Junipero Serra—absolutely nothing. I fully supported his canonization. Anyway, my personal problem/issue has always been with the way our ancestors were treated, were forced to change, were forced to adapt or else, and then the forced and damning silence inflicted on our ancestors by the very early Mission Spanish soldiers.

They were the very cruel individuals who were forcefully acting under the direction of the Spanish Crown of that time period.

I would respectfully ask that involved city staff, City Council and the appropriate involved city commissions please move forward with creating a new city

logo design that would represent all of San Juan Capistrano. A new logo design that definitely respects and incorporates all our very rich and layered history.

INCLUDE JUANENO/ACJACHEMEN PEOPLE IN NEW CITY SEAL JERRY NIEBLAS, San Juan Capistrano I personally feel that it is definitely time for our San Juan Capistrano logo to be changed and “updated.” It is certainly encouraging and very much a positive move that our City Council and appropriate city commissions will finally be taking a serious look at a possible logo change — an issue long overdue.

I would certainly hope that our City Council and all involved commissioners would work together to create a new logo design. A new logo design that would be all-inclusive, would honor and would

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Capistrano Dispatch reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. 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.

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The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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GETTING OUT

Editor’s Pick

The List What’s going on in and around town this week THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Get a curated list of the weekend’s best events sent straight to your inbox every Friday! Sign up for The Weekender at thecapistranodispatch.com/weekender

SUNDAY | 26 10TH ANNUAL ELF CRAWL 4-7 p.m. It’s the elves day off, and they’re ready to have an “elfin’” good time!

The San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce hosts this annual Elf Crawl, which will start at Hennessy’s Tavern in downtown. There will be elf specials, elf line dancing, as well as games and other fun activities. RSVP with the Chamber at sanjuanchamber.com. 31761 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

LIVE MUSIC AT TREVOR’S 11 a.m. Eat some food, grab a drink and

AT THE MOVIES

‘C’mon, C’mon’ Has a Unique Charm for This Winter

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A decade ago, I never would have bet on the acclaimed, under-the-radar actor Joaquin Phoenix legitimately settling down as a family man, both on camera and off. But he’s done just that with real-life fiancée Rooney Mara and their baby son. And on screen, he does

Say goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022 with a New Year’s celebration at Swallow’s Inn. Photo: File.

FRIDAY | 31 NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY AT SWALLOW’S 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Ring in the start of the New Year with live music by Grand Junction, drinks, and fun times. Tickets are $25 pre-paid and $30 at the door. Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. swallowsinn.com.

unwind while listening to live music at Trevor’s at the Tracks. Susan Bach will perform. 3 Mile Radius and John Michael will perform later in the day at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. Trevor’s at the Tracks, 26701 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.9593.

so in Mike Mills’ latest critical darling C’mon, C’mon.

Following in the same vein as his previous hits, Beginners (2011) and 20th Century Women (2016), Mills reminds us that he is at his best when he finds the quaint and endearing aspects of dysfunctional families.

Set in the present day, Johnny (Phoenix) is an audio producer traveling through every major city in the U.S. to record documentary comments from real-life teens on their thoughts of everyday life and how they see the future.

Back home in Los Angeles, his younger sister, Viv (Gaby Hoffmann), lives a hectic schedule of working—aiding her on-again/ off-again lover, Paul (Scoot McNairy), who is unpredictably manic and paranoid up north; and raising their eccentric 9-year-old son, Jesse (Woody Norman).

To help ease Viv’s load, Johnny offers to

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

trevorsatthetracks.com.

WEDNESDAY | 29 MUSIC AT PADDY’S STATION 7-10 p.m. San Juan Trio will perform.

Photo: Courtesy of A24 Films

watch over Jesse for three weeks while he works on the East Coast as she tries to convince Paul to get professional help.

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Drop by, order a pint and some fish and chips, and relax while enjoying the view of downtown San Juan Capistrano, as well as seeing faces old and new. Paddy’s Station, 26701 Verdugo Street, Suite B, San Juan Capistrano. 949.301.2276. paddysstation.com.

Despite the R rating (which is only for two brief instances of foul language), C’mon, C’mon might be the best family film of 2021.

Like Kenneth Branagh’s own family piece Belfast, Mills’ movie is shot in black and white, but with a more introspective quality.

Phoenix and Norman have a natural, candid chemistry that flows between them in scenes, which makes you feel like a fly on the wall. Norman successfully comes across as a legitimately precocious, yet adorable, kid; and Phoenix is his usual stellar self on film.

The film has some striking cinematography from Robbie Ryan and a lovely, retro soundtrack by Aaron and Bryce Dessner.

Phoenix’s and Hoffmann’s performances as brother and sister make it one of the best sibling castings in recent memory. Altogether, C’mon, C’mon is one movie to catch this month. CD

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CLASSIFIEDS

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Submit your classified ad online at thecapistranodispatch.com

GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to info@thecapistranodispatch.com DEADLINE 12PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

LAND TRADE/EXCHANGE LAND TRADE/EXCHANGE 80 acres of land, Kern County, California Trade or Exchange, Call (909)985-2677

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call Debra Wells at 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or debra@wellsadsolutions.com

LIST LOCALS ONLY USE LOCALS ONLY In print & online. View online at thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

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SJC LIVING

GUEST OPINION | The Cowgirl Designer by Marlene Holmquist

Are Interior Designers Becoming Obsolete?/ So… You Want a White Kitchen?

INTERIOR DESIGNERS Baby Boomers have loved us for decades, the Gen X generation is starting to distance from us, and now the millennials love our occupation so much they want to do it themselves. The enjoyment of designing interiors is undeniable. As a trained professional and accredited member of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), our members have always considered the health and well-being of our clients as we design.

Interior design is powerful and very much alive.

Interior design is a feeling. It is personal reflection of who you are, illustrated in a space. It can change lives for the better, resulting in a healthier existence. How can an interior designer, who has only known you for a mere few days or weeks, interpret your needs and who you are? I always start by asking new clients, “What is your definition of luxury?” Once I give them my personal definition of how I interpret luxury, they tend to become extremely creative in their responses, helping me to design for them.

Interior design uses intuition and education, for sure; however, information gathering, and synthesis (what we

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Lord Hare-ington

call programming) is the most crucial step to amplify and customize your style.

For larger projects, programming is essential, takes time, and I guarantee it is time well spent.

Programming leads THE COWGIRL to accurate planning DESIGNER and budgeting. You

BY MARLENE HOLMQUIST cannot determine a budget without a plan.

As an alternative, if you wish to do most of the work yourself, I offer “design coaching.” Design coaching is prepaid hours of design consultation offered in 5-hour increments.

WHITE KITCHENS White kitchens are currently still popular and have been a trend for years. They are neutral, safe and have a clean and organized look. But have you considered what it would be like to actually live in one? They have definite pros and cons.

Make sure this look reflects your personality and lifestyle. More importantly, your white kitchen should not look out of place with the rest of your décor. Here are a few guidelines and considerations:

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

This handsome gentleman is none other than Lord Hare-ington, a 1-year-old neutered male Dutch dwarf rabbit. Hare-ington was initially rather timid, but through the loving attention of our volunteers, he has since blossomed into a friendly and interactive rabbit. Lord Hare-ington is litter-box trained, loves to be petted, and would make a great house rabbit for someone looking for an entertaining and sweet bunny companion.

If you are interested in adopting Lord Hare-ington, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@ scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

• Define your perception of what a white kitchen is; they vary greatly.

• All white cabinets can be overly reflective and need to be ‘grounded’ with a darker floor or island, so the space does not have a ‘floating’ effect.

• Consider natural and artificial lighting sources. Too much reflection and light can be hard on the eyes.

• White ‘frames’ everything and can make counters look messy. Maintaining the clean look you desire may take too much effort.

• Painted white kitchens (especially the lower cabinets) tend to get dirty and chip easily. I recommend a natural wood lower cabinet combined with white uppers for easier maintenance.

• Sleek reflective surfaces will feel like a laboratory. Add textures for a more calming result.

Marlene Holmquist, ASID, owns Luxury Ranch Interior Design, a full-service interior design company specializing in remodels for residences and small businesses. An

Photo: OC Public Libraries.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This photo shows members of the Ricardo family and Juaneno tribe in 1900.

Every issue, The Capistrano Dispatch will publish a historical photo. 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.

avid equestrian known as “The Cowgirl Designer,” she is a member of the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition and Las Vaqueras Women’s Riding Club. luxury-ranch.com or thecowgirldesigner.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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch .com.

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

SOLUTION:

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

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The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS

2021 San Juan Sports Year in Review PHOTOS & TEXT BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he year began with returns to the field and finished with a flurry of successes as San Juan Capistrano athletes and teams adapted to the new normal of 2021.

Here is a look back at some of the memorable San Juan Capistrano sports moments of 2021:

JANUARY #LetThemPlay

Ten months after high school sports were shut down in California due to the pandemic, student-athletes, parents and coaches held rallies statewide on Jan. 15, including two at JSerra and San Juan Hills, to support a return to play. Cross country was the first sport to return on Feb. 6, and the rest of the outdoor sports were eventually given the OK to return on Feb. 26 and indoor sports on March 5.

FEBRUARY Twelve Honored on Signing Day

With masked-up, on-campus ceremonies or at-home photo ops, 12 San Juan Capistrano athletes made their college choices official on National Signing Day. San Juan Hills recognized six signees in various sports, JSerra had three football signees, and St. Margaret’s had three East Coast-bound signees.

MARCH Delayed Football Seasons Begin Nearly 16 months after the last city

JUNE

football game had been played, San Juan Hills, JSerra and St. Margaret’s all took to the field to open their 2020 football seasons in the spring of 2021. Unfortunately, each team would struggle in the short season.

CVC Boys Volleyball Wins First CIF-SS Title

JSerra Baseball Throws First of Three No-Hitters

Tristan Lamaison and Matt Champion combined for a no-hitter, the third at the time in school history, on March 22. Eric Silva would throw the program’s first solo no-hitter on May 5, and Gage Jump and Lamaison threw a combined no-hitter in the Lions’ playoff opener on June 8.

APRIL Capistrano Coyotes Compete in First USA Hockey National Title Game

The Capistrano Unified School District’s combined high school hockey team, the Capistrano Coyotes, advanced to the USA Hockey Division II national championship in Omaha, Nebraska on April 19. The Coyotes qualified for the tournament by winning the CAHA Division 2 state title.

MAY San Juan Hills Girls Tennis Wins First CIF-SS Title

After a third-place league finish, the Stallions went on a run through CIF-SS Division 2 and upset No. 1 seed Palm Desert for the program’s first CIF-SS championship. San Juan Hills swept its doubles matches, and junior Kaia Wolfe’s swept her matches at No. 1 singles.

The Capistrano Valley Christian boys volleyball team was dominant in its Division 6 run and dropped only one set on its way to its first CIF-SS championship on June 5. The Eagles followed up with a CIF State Regional championship one week later.

JSerra Baseball Advances to CIFSS Title Game, Wins Regional Title

The JSerra baseball team rode its No. 1 seed in Division 1 and stellar pitching performances to the program’s first CIFSS championship game appearance. The Lions lost to Harvard-Westlake, 2-0, but the team rebounded with a strong run to its first CIF State Regional Championship one week later.

JULY Three JSerra Players Selected in MLB Draft

Eric Silva (San Francisco, fourth round), Gage Jump (San Diego, 18th round) and Wilson Cunningham (Chicago Cubs, 20th round) were picked in the MLB Draft.

However, only Silva signed with his team.

AUGUST Trenten Merrill Earns Long Jump Bronze at Paralympics

The San Juan Capistrano native competed in his second Paralympic Games in Tokyo and earned his first medal, a third-place bronze in the long jump.

Merrill has a prosthetic right leg.

SEPTEMBER Football Seasons in Full Swing

After their delayed and shortened seasons in the spring, the high school football teams of San Juan Capistrano began their full fall seasons in earnest.

St. Margaret’s overcame early struggles to make the playoffs, and CVC finished 8-2.

OCTOBER San Juan Hills Boys Water Polo Wins League Ahead of Playoff Run

San Juan Hills girls tennis wins first CIF-SS title. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021-January 13, 2022

The San Juan Hills boys water polo team took the Sea View League championship for another season, which prepared the Stallions for a deep run in their highest division placement yet. San Juan Hills fell in four overtimes in the Division 2 Page 22

SoCal Challenge at JSerra. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

semifinals.

NOVEMBER JSerra Girls Cross Country, Tennis Win Championships

The JSerra girls cross country team won its sixth CIF-SS championship in Division 4 and captured the Division IV state championship, the program’s fourth. The JSerra girls tennis team won its first-ever CIF-SS title with a Division 2 win.

St. Margaret’s Football Advances to CIF-SS Title Game The Tartans rode their high-powered offense to the CIF-SS Division 9 championship game, but St. Margaret’s lost at Colony High School in Ontario. The Tartans qualified as a freelance team.

SoCal Challenge Hosts College Basketball at JSerra

The first-ever SoCal Challenge, a major college basketball multiteam event, was contested in San Juan Capistrano ahead of Thanksgiving. TCU, Santa Clara, Fresno State and Pepperdine were among the teams that squared off at the JSerra Pavilion.

DECEMBER San Juan Hills’ Pegan, Monach Sign on Early Signing Day

Stallions wide receivers Braden Pegan and Cole Monach kicked off the football early signing period, as Pegan signed with UCLA and Monach signed with the University of San Diego. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch December 24, 2021–January 13, 2022

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