January 24, 2020

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE

SJH Coach Gains New Perspective After Neuropathy Battle PAGE 18 FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

JANUARY 24-FEBRUARY 13, 2020 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2

Irish Pub Coming to Downtown SJC Owner David Woodnutt Details What’s in Store for New Business E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 7

thecapistranodispatch.com

Paddy’s Station owner David Woodnutt is excited to be opening an Irish pub next to Trevor’s at the Tracks. Photo: Collin Breaux

Utility Annexation Agreement Approved EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

On Stage at The Coach House: Pat Boone GETTING OUT/PAGE 15

Events Coming Up on The Reserve EYE ON RMV/PAGE 8

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

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things San Juan should know this week City Council Approves Annexation Agreement with Water District THE LATEST: An annexation agreement between the Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) and City of San Juan Capistrano was approved by the San Juan Capistrano City Council during a regular council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

The agreement means the city’s water and sewer utility systems will be transferred to SMWD. City Finance Director Ken Al-Imam said the agreement was a “major milestone” in the reorganization of utilities and builds upon a previously approved memorandum of understanding between both agencies.

The SMWD Board of Directors approved the annexation agreement during a meeting of their own on Friday, Jan. 17. There will be a “modest” initial rate reduction, though water rates will then gradually rise over the years.

“Water costs go up. They just do,” City Councilmember Derek Reeve said.

“When I advocate for this, I always say, ‘Your water rates are not going down.’

The reason this is important is because they’re not going to go up as high as they would have if we ran it ourselves.”

Reeve also said San Juan Capistrano residents will be able to vote for SMWD board members.

The annexation agreement will provide for $25 million of capital investment over 10 years by SMWD and transfer of assets, water rights, and responsibilities of ownership to SMWD. Benefits cited by SMWD representatives include residents being able to participate in regional water reliability projects.

Betty Olson, president of the SMWD Board of Directors, said it “seemed hard to believe a year has passed since the district presented its case for annexation.”

“I would like to thank both the staff of the City of San Juan Capistrano and the district for their comprehensive and excellent work in preparing this agreement,” Olson said.

Roger Bütow, executive director for Clean Water Now, a regional organization devoted to safe and sustainable water

The San Juan Capistrano City Council approved transferring water utilities to the Santa Margarita Water District. The district is constructing the Trampas Canyon Reservoir and Dam south of Ortega Highway to restore recycled water. Photo: Collin Breaux

supplies, said the agreement will bring a consolidation, and people having power over government is critical.

“Our water districts should be controlling water. The world of water has become so complicated,” Bütow said. “Let the water districts handle it. I think you’re making a very intelligent decision.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The annexation agreement now moves into the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) consideration phase, whereby LAFCO staff will review the agreement and then present it to the LAFCO Board of Commissioners.

Once the City of San Juan Capistrano and SMWD have completed all aspects of the LAFCO process, LAFCO is expected to issue a certificate of completion.

“Barring unforeseen setbacks or difficulties, we expect the utilities reorganization will be completed and the transfer executed sometime in the summer or fall of this year,” Al-Imam said.

SMWD is constructing the Trampas Canyon Reservoir and Dam south of Ortega Highway on land acquired from Rancho Mission Viejo to store recycled water.

In other city council meeting news, the council also approved a resolution for a five-year lease with SJC Mission

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Ventures, LLC on portions of land around the former Mission Grill site downtown.

In addition, the council recognized the San Juan Capistrano Garden Club for their work to beautify the La Sala Courtyard. It was also announced the council had decided during a closed session to defend a lawsuit the City of Santa Ana had brought against San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, and San Clemente regarding homelessness.—Collin Breaux

Santa Ana Sues South Orange County Cities on Homelessness THE LATEST: The City of Santa Ana filed a lawsuit against the County of Orange, as well as the three South Orange County cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano last week, alleging that the municipalities have leaned heavily on Santa Ana to take on the homelessness crisis.

In the complaint filed in federal court on Monday, Jan. 13, Santa Ana accuses the three South County cities of opposing and refusing to establish their own homeless shelters while instead relying on the Orange County Armory Emergency Shelter Page 3

Program at the National Guard Armory in Santa Ana (Santa Ana Armory) to resolve their homeless woes.

“Despite state requirements for each city to provide housing for homeless individuals, Defendants have made insubstantial progress or failed to do so entirely, instead unfairly shifting their obligations to Santa Ana,” the filing states.

Santa Ana also accuses the County of Orange of establishing “homeless services almost exclusively in Santa Ana, thereby further contributing to the dense concentration of homeless individuals therein.”

San Juan Capistrano City Attorney Jeff Ballinger said the city prefers not to comment while they are in active litigation.

“Dear Santa Ana City Council, if you are having internal political problems, instead of filing a frivolous and rather illogical lawsuit against your fellow Orange County Cities that just wastes both your and our taxpayers’ hard-earned money, just blame Trump, like most California politicians,” San Juan Capistrano City Councilmember Derek Reeve said in a Facebook post. “It’s equally effective and does not cost anything.”

(Cont. on page 4) thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

(Cont. from page 3) In response to the lawsuit, San Clemente Mayor Dan Bane called Santa Ana’s refusal to allow other cities’ homeless to access the armory “absurd” when it’s meant to be a countywide resource that’s funded in part with grants.

“The notion that certain cities can’t have access . . . I find absurd, particularly given that countywide resources were provided for those programs,” Bane said.

In a letter to Santa Ana’s legal counsel, Dana Point City Attorney Patrick Muñoz denies the accusation that Dana Point has any custom, policy, or practice to transport homeless individuals to the Santa Ana Armory.

“To be clear, Dana Point has no such practice, and has never transported, or arranged for the transportation, of any homeless person to the Armory. It cannot be held responsible for or bound by the alleged practices of nearby cities,” Muñoz states in the letter.

The City of Santa Ana is seeking monetary damages as a reimbursement for the costs associated with providing homeless-related services and resources.

It’s also seeking a prohibition of transporting homeless individuals to the Santa Ana Armory for sheltering purposes.

WHAT’S NEXT: A preliminary injunction hearing to hear from all parties has been scheduled for Feb. 4 at 8 a.m.—Shawn Raymundo, Lillian Boyd and CB

CUSD Board of Trustees Approves Safety Resolution Related to Proposed Toll Roads THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a resolution to protect students, teachers, and staff from “potential significant impacts and harm from encroaching projects” amid concerns about proposed toll road extension alignments that would convert Los Patrones Parkway into a toll road or add toll road lanes to the I-5.

Trustee Gila Jones brought forth the resolution, which passed unanimously during a regular meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Language in the resolution said Caltrans and the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), which published information on the proposed toll road projects in August 2018, “did not give the District accurate notice of these projects, and District staff only became aware of these projects through media and other public outlets.”

Trustees said the toll road projects could affect nearby schools, students, teachers and educational staff, particularly if there were an accident.

“The expression is we’re going to defend these schools,” Board of Trustees President Jim Reardon said during the meeting.

Further language in the resolution said Caltrans and the TCA did not consult with the District on “how to properly protect pupils, teachers, and parents” and “it is inequitable for the District to be forced to fund mitigation of the impacts caused by development projects that threaten the health, safety, and well-being of pupils, teachers, and parents.” The resolution also said comments about potential environmental impacts must be made during the comment period.

In other CUSD news, the Board of Trustees also heard a presentation about an early college partnership plan with Saddleback College for Capistrano Valley High School (CVHS) students.

The goal is for CVHS students to have a framework for an associate degree.

Three pathways mentioned were in automotive engineering technology, business, and information communication technology.

“The business pathway is very versatile. It doesn’t limit them into one industry or another,” said Susan Holliday, associate superintendent, education services. “It has a high labor market demand in many areas of Orange County. It has a lot of interest among our students as well.

The average earning in business and entrepreneurship is about $91,000.”

The pilot program would launch in fall 2020 with a target enrollment of 100 students for the first year. CUSD will work to educate students and parents about the program.

The Board of Trustees also approved designating Clarence Lobo Elementary School as a Title I school. Approximately $123,000 in Title I funds will be reserved for Clarence Lobo Elementary, though other Title I schools will not receive less funding. Title I funding is intended to help disadvantaged students with academic achievement.

WHAT’S NEXT: Trustee Amy Hanacek said a safety resolution regarding the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)—similar to the one passed about the toll roads on Jan. 15—should come before the board at a future meeting, noting the community should be made aware of developments with SONGS. Language addressing SONGS was originally included in the Jan. 15 resolution but was then taken out at the request of Trustee Martha McNicholas, who said the District has communicated with Southern California Edison.

Trustees said they supported a separate resolution addressing SONGS. McNicholas said similar resolutions have been previously passed by the Board of Trustees.—CB

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Assembly Candidate Discusses Homelessness, Toll Roads THE LATEST: Chris Duncan, an Assembly candidate for the 73rd District, spoke about several issues of concern during Coffee Chat in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, Jan. 17.

Duncan lives in San Clemente, is running as a Democrat, and has worked in the Department of Homeland Security as an attorney. The 73rd District seat is currently held by Republican Bill Brough.

“I felt a need for urgent action for this district, (for) a candidate who wasn’t tied to political or special interests and didn’t have a career in politics but was coming from a pragmatic approach to solving problems,” said Duncan, who was a guest speaker at Coffee Chat. “That’s what I did at DHS and Customs and Border Protections, working with people of all different politics and having one mission we all came together to achieve.”

Duncan talked about regional concerns with the audience, including homelessness and proposed toll roads. Local control is needed to solve homelessness, and affordable housing and direction needs to come from the state, Duncan said.

“The money needs to flow down from the state to local governments,” said Duncan, who is now in private practice.

“Well, the state’s not going to fund local governments if they don’t agree with the policy or if they haven’t been advocated to deliver money to local governments or aren’t confident the local government will use the money as intended, so you need a voice to advocate to the government and state agencies. . . . I will be able to make that connection.”

As for the fallout from the Supreme Court decision on Martin v. City of Boise, Duncan said beds should be provided for people sleeping in public spaces since it’s the law, and discussions can be held about where those would be located.

Housing should also be provided for people who want it and can get into it, he said.

“Talk to deputy sheriffs and the sheriff about this,” he said. “They want clarity.

They want to know what they can act on and what they can’t act on. If there’s a bed, there’s clarity. If they don’t go to the bed, they can be arrested.”

As for the toll roads, Duncan said he hasn’t seen anything so far that justifies building another one or that an extension is necessary to alleviate traffic. Duncan also said the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) is not the right agency to determine where to build a toll road. The TCA is working with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to conduct studies on proposed routes. Duncan said he wants to work against partisan

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forces in Sacramento, protect and help South Orange County, and get pro-business policies in place. The environment is also important to Duncan. “We need to have a plan to handle sea-level rise and not just sort of hope that things get better in the future,” he said. “We need to sit down and bring people together to have a plan to prepare ourselves for when the sea level rises and what we’re going to do.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The primary election is in March, and general elections are in November. Scott Rhinehart is also running on the Democratic ticket for the 73rd District.—CB

‘A Night at the Oscars’ Approaches 10th Anniversary THE LATEST: An annual San Juan Capistrano event celebrating the Academy Awards is coming up on its 10th anniversary at the Regency Theatres downtown.

“A Night at the Oscars” will celebrate the nominees, give background information on Hollywood, and be a fun event for the community. Local film industry figure Robert Kline—a former senior vice president at 20th Century Fox—will once again co-host with Stephanie Heredia.

“We do the major categories of best film,” Kline said. “We show clips from each of the films. We then do best actors and best supporting, then do best screenplay.”

The event will be Thursday, Feb. 6, three nights before the actual Oscars.

Eventgoers will also get to fill out their own personal ballots to predict who will win.

“They get a night of entertainment and information,” Kline said.

“A Night at the Oscars” pays tribute to aspects of the entertainment every year, and this year will be a tribute to To Kill a Mockingbird, marking the movie’s 60th anniversary, along with a retrospective on Jennifer Lawrence’s growth as an actress.

“It’s one of the most important films made,” Kline said of To Kill a Mockingbird.

The films nominated for best film this year—including Ford v Ferrari and Joker—are “quite good” and diversified, in Kline’s opinion.

Kline was working at 20th Century Fox around the time of the Sharon Tate murder, a topic referenced in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, another movie nominated for best film.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or ordered online at regencymovies.com with a purchasing fee. There will be a folk music performance at 6 p.m., and the event starts at 6:30 p.m. Call 949.661.3456 for more information.—CB thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

Woman Dead After Stabbing in San Juan Capistrano A female victim in San Juan Capistrano died after allegedly being stabbed by a man believed to be her husband, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim was confirmed by the Orange County Coroner to be Lydia Garcia.

The suspect was identified as Sebastian Garcia Ramirez.

OCSD deputies responded to a residential area in the 26000 block of Cedar Grove Court in the city of San Juan Capistrano after multiple calls of a domestic disturbance at approximately 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and found the victim inside a residence suffering from multiple stab wounds, a news release said. Garcia was approximately 45 years old and pronounced deceased at the scene.

“Deputies detained a male suspect, approximately 50 years old, at the scene. He was transported to the hospital for treatment prior to being booked into Orange County Jail,” the news release said. “He is believed to be the husband of the victim.

Homicide investigators responded, and the investigation is ongoing.”

There is believed to be no further threat to the community based on “initial witness information.”

“If you have information regarding this incident, contact OCSD Dispatch at 714.647.7000, or anonymous tips can be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 1.855.

TIP.OCCS,” the news release said.

SDG&E Explains Time-of-Use Plans SDG&E explained its Time-of-Use plans and billing rates during a community forum on Thursday, Jan. 9, at the San Juan Capistrano Library. Assemblyman Bill Brough hosted the forum and introduced SDG&E representatives.

Different plans have different rates, with 4-9 p.m. considered peak hours of use when energy costs can be higher. Users can save money if they reduce energy use and use energy outside of those peak hours. Some SDG&E users have already begun transitioning to Time-of-Use plans.

For instance, under the TOU-DR1 plan, typical baseline off-peak rates Monday through Friday would be 25 cents per km/h. Users going above 130% of their baseline would be charged 33 cents per km/h. Typical on-peak rates Monday through Friday would be 27 cents for the

TUESDAY, JAN. 28 Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting 4:30 p.m. The city’s Cultural Heritage Commission will hold a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

Planning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m. The city’s Planning Commission will hold a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29

SDG&E External Relations Manager Duane Cave talks during a community forum explaining Time-of-Use plans at the San Juan Capistrano Library on Thursday, Jan. 9. Photo: Collin Breaux

baseline and 34 cents above 130% of the baseline. Baselines vary depending on several factors, including the climate zone and number of days in a billing cycle.

SDG&E is encouraging users to conserve energy based on state standards, so that California is a cleaner state. Users have flexibility in changing plans, and Time-of-Use bills will provide regular data on energy usage. Visit sdge.com for more information.

City Council Candidate Announces Campaign San Juan Capistrano Planning Commissioner Howard Hart announced on Friday, Jan. 10 that he will run for a seat on the city council in this year’s election.

Hart is running for the District 5 seat currently held by Councilmember Brian Maryott. Maryott is currently running for Congressman Mike Levin’s spot in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council appointed Hart to the planning commission last year. Hart is active in the community and has hosted the local Coffee Chat meetings on Fridays at Hennessy’s Tavern.

Hart announced his candidacy at Coffee Chat on Jan. 10, saying that he will step down from hosting during his campaign.

Target Still Planning to Move into San Juan Capistrano Target is still on track to move into the former Ralphs spot on Del Obispo Street, according to building owner Andrew

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Stroscher.

Target has been renovating the building and will open later this year. No specific date has been given.

The general shopping center on Del Obispo Street is being redone, Stroscher said. The Citibank site will be taken over

by Chick-fil-A. There will be three tenants after renovation, whereas previously there had been nine.

“By this spring, the entire center will be shut down,” Stroscher said. “By the time it opens up, it will be a new shopping center.”

Senior Housing Complex Accepting Applications An affordable housing project for seniors 62 and older is accepting applications, according to a Jan. 16 weekly update from the city manager.

It is at the northwest corner of Camino Capistrano and Junipero Serra Road.

The developer, C&C Development, anticipates breaking ground later this year, according to the update. Contact the C&C Development leasing office at 714.289.7600 for applications or more information, or download an application online at grovesseniors.com.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council has approved the housing project. Mayor Troy Bourne has previously voiced support for the project.

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.

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Zoning Administrator Meeting 5 p.m. The city’s Zoning Administrator will hold a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31 Coffee Chat 8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs every Friday at Hennessey’s Tavern, 31761 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. All are welcome. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for more information.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4 City Council Meeting 5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano City Council will hold a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

MONDAY, FEB. 10 Youth Advisory Board Meeting 5:30 p.m. The city’s Youth Advisory Board will have a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 11 Because I Love You (BILY) 6:30-8:30 p.m. Meets every Tuesday.

Because I Love You (BILY) is free and can help parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, drug abuse, disrespect). San Clemente Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. bilysc.org.

FRIDAY, FEB. 14 The next issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.

thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

Paddy’s Station Coming to Downtown San Juan Capistrano

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

O

n a calm January afternoon, David Woodnutt was sipping coffee while explaining his big plans for a new Irish pub in downtown San Juan Capistrano.

Woodnutt is the owner of Paddy’s Station, a new business that will replace the Vintage Steakhouse in a prime spot next to Trevor’s at the Tracks and near Mission San Juan Capistrano. Woodnutt wants to have the pub open by March 1, in time for St. Patrick’s Day and Swallows Day. “We’re hoping to take possession on Feb. 1 and shut it down for repairs and changing the look,” Woodnutt said. “We’d like to emphasize this will be a pub, not a restaurant.

The fare will be Irish pub grub, which will consist of Irish stew, bangers and mash, fish and chips, cottage pie, that kind of stuff.”

Fish and chips is the “simplest dish in the world,” according to Woodnutt, with good oil and batter being key ingredients.

“You just drop it in there for two minutes, take it out, and it’s done,” he said. “We feel the food will be very reasonably priced, not a huge menu. Pub grub, but tasty.”

Currently, the inside of the Vintage Steakhouse has red curtains and other drapery drawn over the windows. The Vintage Steakhouse is well known to residents in San Juan Capistrano

The Vintage Steakhouse will be renovated to become Paddy’s Station. Owner David Woodnutt said they’re looking to open by March 1 in time for St. Patrick’s Day and Swallows Day. Photos: Collin Breaux

and throughout Orange County, Woodnutt said.

Though some people may assume the Vintage Steakhouse is closed, it is, in fact, open.

Woodnutt wants the inside to have more of an Irish feel and plans to take down some draperies to let outside light in, though he noted the interior building already has an “old” and Irish look that fits. Paddy’s Station will also promote the more mystical and whimsical side of Irish culture.

“We plan to have a lot of Irish dancing.

We’ll have dance classes there, pipers,” Woodnutt said. “We’re also going to do hiphop dancing, which we call jiving in the U.K. and Ireland, and probably some Latin tango.

The basis of the place is to have fun.”

Woodnutt lives in San Clemente, but he grew up in Ireland. His Irish accent is clear, and he spent time as an aviator before

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

getting into real estate and hospitality.

Woodnutt was born in Dublin and wanted to become an airline pilot when he was a kid.

“I initially joined air traffic control, and I then went into flying from there. I spent most of my career flying with British Airways,” Woodnutt said. “I had a friend who I’d done a contract with in Denmark, and he was from San Clemente, so when I came to visit him, I fell in love with the pier and town.

It was probably 1992, a long time ago.”

He ended up buying a home here, as well as buying and selling homes in the area. He retired from flying in 2015, and he also got into hospitality while in the area. He started looking around about a year ago for a possible location.

“We eventually found the Vintage was for sale,” Woodnutt said. “Now, it’s just the lease that we’re taking.”

Pubs remind Woodnutt of his youth and his homeland, since he and his grandfather owned one in Dublin.

Two Irish-themed movies will be featured in the carriage areas of Paddy’s Station: The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne, and Darby O’Gill and the Little People, which is about leprechauns. The outside deck will be dog-friendly.

“Because of that, we can’t serve food there,” Woodnutt said.

But for the parts of the pub where people can eat food, there will be a brunch on Sundays that will incorporate blues music and other entertainment.

“Sunday lunch to us is roast beef, chicken or pork, roast potatoes, vegetables, all that stuff,” Woodnutt said. “That’s very much a British/ Irish thing, just kind of a Sunday roast.”

Mock Irish passports—not official passports—will be issued to customers to add to the fun.

San Juan Capistrano is a “fabulous” town

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in Woodnutt’s view, and the pub’s location is ideal near the train station. Being near a train hits home for Woodnutt, as he recalls the public transportation system in Europe.

The town should be promoted since it’s an old and historic area, and the city is prodevelopment and pro-business, Woodnutt said. Opening up a pub downtown around this timeframe also works out given the renovations happening on Verdugo Street.

Downtown is an area frequently visited by locals and visitors stepping off the train, with nearby restaurants and other locations seeing a good amount of foot traffic.

Paddy’s Station will bring good things and employ numerous people, Woodnutt said.

He thinks the pub will be received “fabulously well” by the community since it will be an environment for everyone and attract all ages. Residents have already been chattering about the new pub coming into town.

“We’re really pleased about that,” Woodnutt said. “I’m so happy they’re going to welcome us. They will get a hundred thousand welcomes. That’s called céad míle fáilte in the Irish language.”

Woodnutt said Trevor Baird, the owner of Trevor’s at the Tracks, has been “unbelievably encouraging for us and helpful,” and they “hope to emulate his success and grow our businesses together in harmony.”

“What’s going to make us a unique Irish bar is going to be the staff,” Woodnutt said.

“When customers walk in, we want them to have an experience.”

Beyond the reaches of the brick-and-mortar location, Paddy’s Station is also willing to provide outside catering to bring the bar to events and weddings.

“Paddy’s Station will be on the move,” Woodnutt said. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON RMV

NEWS & HAPPENINGS AT THE RANCH

Learn About Fungi and Outer Space at The Reserve

Events at The Ranch JAN. 24

Hilltop Bar Night & Swirl. Sniff. Sip.

5-9 p.m. The spacious event bar at The Hilltop Club is open every Friday evening, so come grab a drink, then stay to hang out with good friends and close neighbors. This is a Ranch-resident-only event.

65 Esencia Drive, Rancho Mission Viejo.

949.768.1882. ranchomissionviejo.com.

FEB. 3

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo is a place people can visit on guided tours to check out animals and natural land. Come February, they’ll also get to learn about fungi and astronomy there.

A Fun Finding Fungi Mushroom Walk will be held on Feb. 8 in which people can learn about different species of fungi and mushrooms and snap a few pictures.

Mycologist Joanne Schwartz will lead the walk and give attendees a chance to look at and learn about mushrooms in the field.

“Everyone gets a chance to see different ones,” said Education and Public Programs Manager Leeta Latham.

Latham said Schwartz is a great presenter and always fun to have on The Reserve.

The mushrooms on The Reserve vary, with some resembling turkey tails and others sending out spores when they explode.

Fungi are important to the ecosystem because they are decomposers, Latham said.

“It’s a part of The Reserve we don’t think

‘Strong Sense of Community’ Found at the Village of Esencia New homebuyers searching for a wonderful quality of life are moving into the Village of Esencia at Rancho Mission Viejo, drawn by The Ranch’s award-winning amenities, vibrant social life, breathtaking views and variety of new homes.

“I love the lifestyle here,” said Brittany Ketchum, who purchased a new home with her husband, Kurt, in Aurora by William Lyon Homes. “There is a strong sense of community, and it feels that way.”

She added, “I love going out on my

Some fun events, including a mushroom informational walk and astronomy night, are coming up at The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. Photo: File

about as far as flora and fauna,” Latham said.

The crowds are comprised of a variety of people, with some being fungi enthusiasts and others having no idea what to expect beforehand.

“I hope they come away with more knowledge about The Reserve,” Latham said.

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7.

Later in the month, there will be an Astronomy Night on Feb. 22. Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Michelle Schiman has been running the event for a long time and said the volunteer astronomers bring telescopes.

“There’s a variety of different brands and styles,” Schiman said.

The program usually starts with a night-

time star tour to talk about constellations, constellation mythology, and other aspects of astronomy.

“There are times where it’s even clear enough to see the Milky Way,” Schiman said.

The astronomers will be able to answer questions, and sometimes satellites are visible in the sky. Some people who come are awed when they get to see Saturn for the first time, Schiman said. Schiman hopes people come away from the Astronomy Night with an interest in The Reserve and the outdoors.

“We always hope to inspire people to enjoy nature,” Schiman said.

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21.

Visit rmvreserve.org to RSVP and for more information.

balcony in the morning and taking it all in. It’s open. It’s not crowded. It’s not congested. It just feels peaceful.”

Strong sales throughout the Village of Esencia have increased the urgency for new homebuyers, as new home purchase opportunities become limited. In the Gavilan neighborhoods for residents age 55+, fewer than 35 new homes remain.

From its scenic South Orange County hilltop location, the Village of Esencia is just a short drive away from miles of idyllic southern California coastline, museums and preserved historic sites, natural wonders and theme parks. Neighborhoods offer a full range of single-level and multistory homes ranging in price from the $500,000s to more than $900,000. The beautiful homes were designed for a wide-range of lifestyles, including first-time homebuyers, couples, families, adventurous empty-nesters and, at the Gavilan neighborhoods, for residents age 55+.

Residents enjoy access to the robust

RanchLife program, which includes a number of fun daily, weekly and monthly events. Seasonal favorites, communitywide parties, cultural activities, happy hours, on-site programming by local organizations, and more are provided, exclusively for residents.

At completion, the villages on Rancho Mission Viejo will occupy approximately 6,000 acres or 25% of the historic 23,000acre Rancho Mission Viejo, Orange County’s last working ranch, which has been held in the O’Neill/Avery/Moiso family since 1882.

About 17,000 acres, or 75% of The Ranch, will be preserved for ranching, farming and the phased formation of a large habitat conservation area known as The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

To learn more, visit ranchomissionviejo.com or visit the Village of Esencia Visitors Center located within The NorthWalk Neighborhoods at Esencia.

A DV E R T O RI A L The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

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Monday Trail Clearing and Weeding

7:30-9:30 a.m. Spend your Monday morning volunteering at The Reserve to keep trails accessible for visitors. Event is for ages 10 and up. Participants must be registered by 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31.

Ladera Open Space East, 28811 Ortega Highway. 949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

FEB. 8

Saturday Trail Clearing and Weeding

8-11 a.m. Get up bright and early on the weekend for volunteering at The Reserve to keep trails accessible for visitors. Be prepared to eliminate weeds and handle other work. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring work gloves if you have them. Event is for ages 10 and up. Participants must be registered by 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. The Richard and Donna O’Neill Conservancy, 28811 Ortega Highway. 949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

FEB. 29

Shooting Stars Wildflower Walk

8-11 a.m. Explore The Reserve with local wildflower expert Bob Allen. Keep an eye out for early wildflowers such as the Padre Shooting Star. Event is for ages 8 and up. Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. The Richard and Donna O’Neill Conservancy, 28811 Ortega Highway.

949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

MARCH 2

Monday Trail Clearing and Weeding

7:30-9:30 a.m. If you aren’t able to make the February trail clearing, there’s one in March. Event is for ages 10 and up.

Participants must be registered by 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters, 28811 Ortega Highway. 949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS GUEST OPINION: Grow, Eat, Make at The Ecology Center

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

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Collin Breaux, 949.388.7700, x109 cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Zach Cavanagh, 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@picketfencemedia.com GENERAL MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Collin Breaux Senior City Editor, DP Times > Lillian Boyd City Editor, SC Times > Shawn Raymundo Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh Special Projects Editor > Andrea PapagianisCamacho

Real Estate Sales > Debra Wells (SJC) Multi-Media Assistant > Kendra Burns ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed General Manager > Alyssa Garrett

Copy Editor > Randall Youngman

Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines

ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING

SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller

Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Tim Trent

> Traci Kelly (SC) > Debra Wells (SJC)

EDITOR EMERITUS Jonathan Volzke

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 18, Issue 2. 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 2019. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Our Farm Is Your Farm

T

his year, every resident of San Juan Capistrano is receiving a free annual membership to The Ecology Center, starting this month. As a member, you’ll receive 10% off produce at the Farm Stand, discounts on events, workshops, educational programming, farm tours, and so much more.

Since we started 11 years ago, The Ecology Center has transformed a dirt lot into a working regenerative organic farm, nonprofit education center, and the heart of our community.

Right now, we’re harvesting lots of

Letters to the Editor SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S INEFFECTIVE AB32 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN —JOANNA CLARK, San Juan Capistrano I have been writing our city councils regarding climate change issues since early 2014. The lack of response indicates little to no interest in the long-term effects of what we’re doing to our environment. Instead, the focus has been on new shopping malls and homes, which only exacerbates our problem further.

San Juan Capistrano’s Climate Action Plan, adopted in April 2018, called on the county, state, and federal government to take action, but did little to address climate change on the local level.

The 25th session of the Conference of Parties (COP25) accomplished little, despite coming after the largest youth-led environmental protest in history. COP25 also followed a fresh batch of scientific reports highlighting the devastating impacts climate change is already having on our land and oceans. Unfortunately, we—assisted

by Brazil and Saudi Arabia—defeated efforts at COP25 to set mitigation goals.

“We’re currently injecting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere 10 times faster than during the End-Permian,” when 96 percent of all life went extinct. (If you compare it to the extinction crisis at the end of the Devonian, 360 million years ago, we’re pushing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at somewhere between 12,000 and 40,000 times the ancient rate.)

“There is now no conceivable way to stop

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

beautiful winter greens, broccoli, cauliflower and lettuces. Especially good at the moment are our Kyoto red carrots, an heirloom carrot perfect for roasting. With the chilly nights, cool days and aboveaverage rainfall we’ve been getting, our strawberry crop is taking a little longer than expected to mature, so picking might be delayed a little this year—making them all that much sweeter when they do come.

When you do swing by the Farm Stand to redeem your free membership, remember to bring a proof GROW, EAT, of residence for San MAKE Juan Capistrano. Also,

By Lindsey Bro if you’re looking to kick-start your journey into waste-free, eco-conscious living, check out the back of our farm stand, where we have a bulk section for you to refill soaps, oils, honey,

grains, and several other staples.

If you aren’t a resident of San Juan Capistrano, but would still like to get involved, you can buy a membership at the farm stand, volunteer, sign up for classes, donate, or just shop our store. Every bit counts, and we’re more than happy to have you come on by.

The Ecology Center is located at 32701 Alipaz St. in San Juan Capistrano, or visit theecologycenter.org to sign up for our newsletter, see our calendar of events, sign up for workshops, or to just learn more.

Lindsey Bro is a Southern Californiabased copywriter and content creator for purpose-driven brands. As a contributing writer and friend of The Ecology Center, her most recent work with them has been The Community Table cookbook. CD

climate change at this point; at best, it’s a battle to mitigate its impact, and we’re quickly running out of time. We can’t save the planet with half measures. We need to go all the way. We need to understand that recovery is all but impossible, without a World War II-style transformation of industry—an acceleration of the effort to halt carbon pollution and remove it from the atmosphere, and a new effort to reflect sunlight away from the Earth’s poles. This has to be done within the next eight years if our children and grandchildren are going to survive.”

We could start by planting a million trees on our hillsides, covering every parking lot with solar arrays, and banning fossil-fueled vehicles by 2025.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This author quoted from Skeptical Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

impounded, belongings had to be sold or stored and after more than 45 days of “help” was released to a group home, where others smoked, drank, did drugs, and got no psychiatric help whatsoever.

Welcomed her into our home, fed her, got her a car, gave her structure, and she seemed stable. She was eager to return to her neighborhood in Los Angeles County and claimed to have two jobs lined up and even rented and furnished a new place.

Less than two months later, she’s out on the street screaming at cars and got put in another mental ward. Has been released again with no psychiatric help, but because she doesn’t believe she is mentally ill, she refuses to take the medication she needs to think rationally. One cannot help someone who refuses to get help.

In both cases, I believe the dysfunctional families they were born into caused their emotional issues and have direct bearing on bad decisions, which has led them to being homeless. All the love and concern will not eradicate homelessness.

It takes time and money, and social and health agencies to provide the guidance and support needed to help those of us who do want to help.

RESPONSE TO JEFFREY HERMAN’S RESPONSE TO SANDRA WEAVER’S LETTER —CARMEN ESCAMILLA, San Juan Capistrano Yes, each homeless person is someone’s relative, and it would be grand if families assisted one another so that nobody would be homeless. But speaking from experience, opening one’s home to a stranger or a relative also requires outside help from agencies to provide an education, vocational training, counseling, medical services, etc., not to mention one’s time and money.

In some cases, the family is also homeless, as was the case with a young man I tried to help. Gave him a room, food; took him to enroll at college and to job interviews, etc. But there was little motivation, and vaping pot was an issue, so after three months he moved with help from a social worker.

Then an in-law ended up in a mental ward. Lost her apartment, her car

Page 10

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. 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. 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. thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

The List

Tuesday | 04 AFTERSCHOOL CLUB 3:30-4:30 p.m. Bring the kids down for activities after the school day ends, including arts and crafts and stories.

For ages 5 and up. San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1752. ocpl.org.

What’s going on in and around town COMPILED BY STAFF

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to The Dispatch by going to thecapistranodispatch.com, and clicking “Submit an Event”under the “Getting Out” tab.

Thursday | 06

Friday | 24 LIVE AT THE COACH HOUSE: SKELETON CREW 8 p.m. If you’re a Grateful Dead fan, come listen to this tribute band at this San Juan Capistrano concert venue. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

Saturday | 25 VINES AND WINES 2020 2-4:30 p.m. Attend a floral arranging workshop and wine-sipping opportunity.

Learn about floral arranging and take your creation home with you. A Stone’s Throw Winery, 29943 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.364.2063. eventbrite.com.

Sunday | 26 LIVE MUSIC AT DOCENT BREWING 2-5 p.m. Enjoy live music by the Hot Rod Trio at Docent Brewing, a neighborhood brewery and public house. Grab some food, too, if you’re hungry. No cover charge. Docent Brewing, 33049 Calle Aviador, Suite C, San Juan Capistrano.

949.767.8170. docentbrewing.com.

MISSION BASILICA SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Visit the campus for an open house after Family Mass. Chat with teachers and find out what goes into the educational experience for students.

Mission Basilica School, 31641 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.234.1385, ext. 2. missionbasilicaschool.org.

Wednesday | 29 VA HOMEBUYER SEMINAR 6-7:30 p.m. Learn about the VA home loan

EDITOR’S PICK The annual car show is returning on Saturday, Feb. 1. Photo: File

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1: SJC ROTARY CLUB 17TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy a family-friendly car show in the grass. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome. Food and refreshments will be available throughout the event, and there will be Best of Show trophies, prizes, drawings, exhibits and T-shirts. Car show registration is online. San Juan Capistrano Community Center and Sports Park, 25925 Camino Del Avion, San Juan Capistrano. sjcrotary.org/car-show.

process. Topics covered will include how the loan works, how to qualify for one, and the advantages of using a VA loan. Doors open at 6 p.m.; presentation starts at 6:30.

There will be free food and drinks for military members and veterans. El Adobe de Capistrano, 31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1163. eventbrite.com.

Thursday | 30 XCLUSIVE COOKING DEMO 7-8:30 p.m. Learn about cooking from Food Network star Chris Tzorin and Foodie Award winner Manny Velasco. Take the recipe skills they teach you, and impress your family and friends with new dishes.

The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano. 949.481.6181. thebrewhousesjc.com.

Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1167. sanjuanhillsgolf.com.

Saturday | 01 LEARN ABOUT CALIFORNIA BUTTERFLIES 9:30-10:30 a.m. Local butterfly enthusiast Brendan Radecki will discuss state butterflies and how you can attract them to your garden with native plants. Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.728.0685. californianativeplants.com.

Friday | 31

LIVE AT THE COACH HOUSE: MISSING PERSONS AND DIANE & THE DEDUCTIBLES 8 p.m. Have fun listening to a live concert featuring Missing Persons and Diane & The Deductibles. Tickets are $20. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT SAN JUAN HILLS GC 7 p.m. Classic rock and Americana fans can enjoy a live musical performance by West Coast Strayz. San Juan Hills Golf Club, 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San

LIVE MUSIC AT SWALLOW’S INN 2 p.m. Enjoy live music by Feed the Kitty.

Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. swallowsinn.com.

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Page 12

ANNUAL TOUR OF RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA Y LAS FLORES RANCH HOUSE 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society is hosting the annual tour of the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores Ranch House, the USMC Mechanized Museum and the Infantry Immersion Training Facility at Camp Pendleton. Cost is $65 per person. The bus leaves the Los Rios Park parking lot promptly at 8:30 a.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Society’s office in the O’Neill Museum, 31831 Los Rios Street, or by calling the office manager, Chevon Vermuelen. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and there is a limit of 56 available seats. Attendees are requested to wear comfortable closedtoe shoes. Los Rios Park, 31747 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.8444. sjchistoricalsociety.org.

TASTE OF SAN JUAN 6-9 p.m. Sample offerings from restaurants, pubs, and wineries during this annual event. General admission is $40; VIP tickets are $60. JB and the Big Circle Riders will provide live music.

Reata Park and Event Center, 28632 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.1976. swallowsparade.com.

STREAM CLUB MEETING 4-5 p.m. Meet other fans of anime and manga characters. The STrEAM Club meets the first Thursday of the month.

Watch anime as a group and enjoy other activities. For teens only, ages 12-18.

San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real. 949.493.1752. ocpl.org.

Saturday | 08 OC MASTER GARDENERS 9-10 a.m. The OC Master Gardeners will talk about how to maintain a container garden for your home. Develop your green thumb with this class. Reata Park, 28632 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.5911. sanjuancapistrano.org.

(Cont. on page 14) thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 12) SECOND STAGE STAND-UP 7:30 p.m. Laugh during an evening of stand-up comedy. Takes place the second Saturday of each month. Doors open at 7 p.m. Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.8082. caminorealplayhouse.org.

Sunday | 09 THE BÖSENDORFER CONSORT 3 p.m. The entire community is invited

out to a chamber music concert. The Consort will present a variety of music.

Community Presbyterian Church, 33202 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.1502. sjcpres.org.

Thursday | 13 BUILDERS CLUB 3-4 p.m. Build with LEGOs, Duplos and dominoes. San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1752. ocpl.org

The cast of ‘Parasite’ accepts the award for Best Ensemble at the SAG Awards on Sunday, Jan. 19. Photo: Courtesy of Robert Hanashiro/USA Today

At the Movies: 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

his month’s Screen Actors Guild awards remind us why they are still the smoothest-running televised awards show out there. No host and only a dozen categories within a two-hour runtime. Movie-wise, it’s probably a good thing everything this season is being held a month earlier, because all the acting contenders are bizarrely boring this year.

Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger won Best Actor and Best Actress once again for Todd Phillips’ Joker and Rupert Goold’s Judy, respectively. While Phoenix’s win could arguably be his “makeup” year, it’s still unfortunate for me, because I continue to not see the appeal of Joker. Zellweger’s win is even more baffling to me since she already got her Oscar 17 years ago, so one would assume it would be a rare, weak year for female lead roles. But it’s not even that, because Ana de Armas for Rian Johnson’s Knives Out and Lupita Nyong’o in Jordan

Peele’s Us are still around.

Brad Pitt and Laura Dern are also in similar circumstances as this season’s frontrunners for Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress. While fine in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Dern’s hype and current SAG win for Marriage feels a little belated.

Pitt was my favorite of the two male leads in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but was anyone expecting him to keep winning over legends such as Al Pacino and Joe Pesci in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman?

The night ended on the most interesting note, with Bong Joon-ho’s Korean satire Parasite winning Best Ensemble Cast, as the Guild showed some love for not only a well-performed feature but also a film made outside of our homeland. While the winners are looking to be a little underwhelming so far, at least we’re losing three weeks’ worth of Hollywood politics and attention-seeking this year. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Page 14

GETTING OUT

On Stage at The Coach House: Pat Boone

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

P

at Boone has seen and done it all—he’s been a musical performer, author, humanitarian, and all-around pop culture icon.

A Feb. 15 performance at The Coach House could be one of his last times performing music on stage, according to the man himself.

Boone will be 86 in June and while he still sings, rides his bike and stays active, he feels it could be time to wind things down.

“I know the clock is ticking, and this will be my last performance in the area,” Boone said. “My career spans 65 years now.”

Besides the San Juan Capistrano concert, the only other concert Boone has on the horizon is one in Branson, Missouri. The Branson show will be at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater, which Boone finds to be an appropriate location for a finale.

“It’s fitting, because Dick Clark and I were very close friends,” said Boone, who appeared on Clark’s TV show, American Bandstand.

When Boone takes the stage at The Coach House, he plans to perform all his hit songs, including “Speedy Gonzales.”

He’ll even perform one he doesn’t usually do but which holds local relevance: “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano.”

“I’m rehearsing these songs knowing this may be the last time I ever sing these songs,” Boone said.

The Feb. 15 show will also feature a tribute to his late wife, Shirley Boone, who died in January 2019. Along with his personal memories of his wife, Boone also wants the tribute to connect to the older couples and widows and widowers in the audience, and he is thinking of the Feb. 15 concert as his Valentine’s Day show since the performance is a day after the holiday.

“I sing this for them,” he said.

Boone reflected on his life and career in general, including the time he was Page 15

One of Pat Boone’s last concerts ever will be at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

Photo: Harry Langdon

shunned by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) for getting involved in heavy metal. Boone, a devout Christian, flirted with the heavy metal look and genre with a wink-wink attitude at one point in his career, which TBN initially wasn’t amused by.

“I had judged heavy metal music and the performers, but when I covered the music, I found I could perform some of the songs myself,” Boone said.

The audience members at The Coach House will be there because his music was woven into their life at some point in some way, he said—a connection he also feels on his end.

“If they come to The Coach House, they will be part of my life,” Boone said.

“I hope every seat will be full, because this will be a very memorable night.”

Even though Boone’s time on stage is coming to an end, he isn’t unhappy about stepping away from the spotlight and said his music will live on. He will continue to spend time with his family and attending to his other endeavors, including missionary work.

“It’s been an incredible career. I want it to be a party and a happy time,” Boone said. “I want to go out with flair, singing and feeling good. I won’t be sad by any means. This is going to be the capstone to an amazing career.”

The Coach House concert is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets are $49.50. Visit thecoachhouse.com for tickets and more information. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Wellness & Prevention by Gina Sisca Hazlett

BILY’s Principles Provide Pathway for Healthy Living

W

hen Susan Parmelee asked me to write a guest Wellness & Prevention column, the answer was an easy yes.

The Wellness & Prevention Coalition was established to bring resources together that support healthy youth and families in South Orange County. As the Program Coordinator for Because I Love You (BILY) San Clemente chapter, I value my involvement with the coalition, as the missions of the two organizations align and we work together to bring valuable resources to the community.

My personal involvement with BILY began in 2011, observing the BILY San Diego chapter with the goal of launching a group here in my hometown of San Clemente.

I have personally witnessed the great need as exemplified by the words of a local parent, “BILY has quite literally changed my life, my WELLNESS AND marriage and the lives of our PREVENTION kids. It all had to start with

By Gina Sisca Hazlett the changes I needed to make to be healthier and more effective.”

If you are a parent struggling with an adult child not moving through life or maybe a younger child who is headed in the wrong direction displaying attitudes of entitlement, disrespect or substance abuse, Because I Love You Parent Support Group can help.

Our meetings are a safe, confidential place for you to acquire the tools and support to establish structure and find the strength to work to develop healthy, cooperative family relationships.

BILY is an action-based program built upon 10 basic principles, which equip parents with constructive ideas in creating a

peaceful home. During the weekly meetings, trained leaders work with parents to develop a personalized plan for their particular household and provide guidance as how to respond differently to their child’s behavior.

The principles of BILY are designed to promote structure and consistency on the part of the parent and responsibility and accountability on the part of the child. It is important to note that the principles of BILY also provide a pathway of healthy living for the parent.

If practiced as a way of life, they outline the means by which parents will be able to meet other difficulties in life, as well. Many have seen in them a way to happy and effective living outside the family dynamics, which initially brought them to the program.

They are simple, yet if practiced with consistency, are powerfully effective.

Photo: Courtesy of OC Public Libraries and OC Archives

FROM THE ARCHIVES This photo depicts San Juan Capistrano, circa 1915. The identity of the man photographed is unknown.

The principles are as follows:

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.

• I will be No. 1.

• I will no longer feel guilty.

• I will not share in my child’s crisis.

• I will learn to let go.

• I will make the rules.

• I will follow through.

• I will keep the lines of communication open.

• I will avail my family of resources and materials.

• I will work towards a more realistic family life.

• I will become active in a parent support group.

BILY has proved itself successful for many participants. Knowing you are not alone in your struggle, and being able to walk away with strategies to implement immediately, set the program apart.

BILY is offered free of charge to those who are ready, willing and open to receive guidance in dealing with a family crisis. We are here to help. If you feel we can support you or just want to learn more, please attend an orientation meeting.

The Wellness & Prevention Coalition meetings are open to the public at 3:30 p.m.

on the second Tuesday of each month at the Wellness & Prevention Center, 189 Avenida La Cuesta, San Clemente.

Gina Sisca Hazlett has lived in San Clemente her entire life and founded BILY SC in 2015. Find out more info at bilysc.org or email bilysanclemente@gmail.org. 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

Sudoku

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Owen

BY MYLES MELLOR THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

O

wen came in with a cleft palate that made it hard for him to eat properly.

After corrective surgery and lots of love from the staff and volunteers, Owen is on his way to being the happy healthy pup he was always meant to be.

If you would like to know more about Owen, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. CD

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 Solution:

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

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Page 16

thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at thecapistranodispatch.com GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to info@thecapistranodispatch.com

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

DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED: MARKETING REP We are seeking an immediate hire for a part-time street team marketing representative. Our street team is responsible for opening dialogue with local businesses and maintaining a relationship in order to develop a route list of places that we can display our concert schedules at.Please email in a basic resume to Luna luna@thecoachhouse.com.

FOR SALE RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE (TYPE 47) Type 47 Restaurant Liquor License for sale.

Text or call for details 949.510.9724

WANTED WANTED: STAMPS! BUYING LARGE U.S and Worldwide Stamp Collections.

Nick (619) 672-0434

Submit your info online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Do you want to reach 24,150+ people in the San Juan Capistrano area? *2.1 readership per 11,500 copies distributed

Then you need to be in The Capistrano Dispatch. Call us today!

949.388.7700 ext. 104 The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

Page 17

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Fighting the Fire

Battling rare neuropathy, San Juan Hills’ Efstathiou coaches with new perspective

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

I

t started about a year ago.

San Juan Hills boys basketball coach Jason Efstathiou started to notice some things in his body last January. By March of last year, he found himself barely able to walk, and then by the summer, he was in bed for nearly 12 hours a day.

“I was like a burn victim on the inside,” Efstathiou said.

From May until late December and his full return as Stallions head coach on Jan. 3, Efstathiou was out battling an extremely rare form of neuropathy. Efstathiou, who is a type-one diabetic, said the disease attacks your nerves and affects 1% of diabetics.

Most neuropathies see the victim lose sensation in their nerves, but Efstathiou’s neuropathy was the opposite with a hypersensitivity and burning sensation.

“For three months, they didn’t know what I had,” Efstathiou said. “I was going to MRIs and CT scans and all that kind of stuff.”

Over those months, Efstathiou had been getting daily treatments with doctors and nerve therapists. Treatments consisted of machines that sent signals to his nerves.

Efstathiou said he had lost 35 pounds at one point, and with being out of work officially since May, the San Juan Hills parents and community held a fundraiser in September to support their sidelined coach.

“It sounds dramatic,” Efstathiou said, “but I was really bad, like almost died, that’s how bad I was. They all knew about it. People were being very supportive. I’m very grateful to the coaches. The coaches and parents in the program had my back big time.”

Over time, Efstathiou’s condition improved, and he returned to practices in September in a limited capacity. Efstathiou spends most of practice sitting on a stool near midcourt and relays instructions through his assistant coaches.

“I still limp around,” Efstathiou said.

“I can’t demonstate stuff. When I coach or teach I have to sit down. I’ve given my bench guys assignments. I don’t have a loud voice again yet. I use a whistle now.

I’d never used a whistle before.”

Efstathiou said he’s still healing, and his doctors and nerve therapist feel that Efstathiou will keep getting better. The

San Juan Hills boys basketball coach Jason Efstathiou coaches while seated on a stool after pushing through a battle with a rare form of neuropathy. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

amount of improvement he’s seen makes Efstathiou feel that it will go away, even if it takes another year or two.

On coaching, Efstathiou said the experience has changed him and has given him a new perspective.

“I’m more focused on the big picture than living and dying with each game,” Efstathiou said. “I don’t get as gnarly.

(With the players,) I’m trying to be more

The Capistrano Dispatch January 24-February 13, 2020

like, understand the situation, understand when something gets taken away. I feel fortunate to be here and coaching you guys. You guys should be grateful to be on a high school basketball team. There’s so many kids that never make it to their high school varsity team.”

Efstathiou also said the ordeal has bettered his sideline demeanor.

“It’s keeping me calmer,” Efstathiou

San Juan Preps Roundup

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

For in-game updates, news and more for all of the SJC high school sports programs, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @SouthOCSports

City Teams Populate CIF-SS Rankings

San Juan Capistrano teams can be found up and down the latest set of CIF-SS rankings from Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Page 18

Three boys basketball teams are in their respective division’s top 10.

JSerra (18-4, 3-2) is ranked No. 10 in Division 1 and remains on the watch list for the Open Division playoffs.

Saddleback Valley Christian (18-5, 1-3) is ranked No. 7 in Division 3A, and St. Margaret’s (15-6, 4-0) is No. 6 in Division 4AA. San Juan Hills is the only school in the girls basketball and girls water polo polls. The Stallions girls basketball team (16-5, 4-0) is No. 8 in Division 3AA, and the girls water polo team (11-5, 2-0) is No. 8 in Division 4.

Both of JSerra’s soccer teams are ranked in Division 1. The girls team (10-4, 2-3) slipped to No. 5, and the boys team (9-2, 3-2) entered the rankings at No. 10.

St. Margaret’s girls soccer team (81-3, 4-0) is No. 3 in Division 3. CD

said. “The more intense I get, then I start to get more burning. In my mind, I just have to stay calmer.”

With Efstathiou returning just before the start of Sea View League play, keeping calm is a taller task some nights more than others, but so far, the Stallions have been good with those things for their coach.

San Juan Hills (9-14, 3-1) won its first three league games in strong fashion with victories over Laguna Hills by 29 points, Dana Hills by eight points and El Toro by five points.

“I told them the way we’ve been starting games playing with intensity,” Efstathiou said, “we’re going to be tough. A lot of teams, we surprise them a little bit. I think if you come out and play intense, and I think our guys are a little inspired right now, as long as we execute, I think there’s a good opportunity.”

Efstathiou got more fired up in San Juan Hills’ Wednesday match-up as the Stallions battled league-favorite Tesoro for the league lead. The Stallions gave the Titans all they could handle and held a five-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, San Juan Hills couldn’t execute down the stretch, and Tesoro took advantage of a foul-filled physical game by making its final 14 points on free throws in a 65-57 win.

San Juan Hills still sits in second place in the Sea View League, and the Stallions will get another shot at Tesoro.

In the broad perspective, Efstathiou and San Juan Hills are right where they want to be. CD thecapistranodispatch.com