March 13, 2020

62ND ANNUAL SWALLOWS DAY PARADE POSTPONED, DATE TBD FOR UPDATES VISIT

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MARCH 13-26, 2020 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE 5

Swallows Day Parade Postponed

Coronavirus Concerns Impact Events in South Orange County E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 3

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Concerns about coronavirus have caused the postponement of the 62nd Annual Swallows Day Parade.

Image: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS

March Primary Election Results EYE ON SJC/PAGE 5

Guest Opinions: Point,Counterpoint of Kinoshita Farm SOAPBOX/PAGE 8

CoastLines: Highway 101 Heritage

SJC LIVING/PAGE 17

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EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

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Five things San Juan should know this week Swallows Day Parade Postponed Due to Coronavirus THE LATEST: The 62nd Annual Swallows Day Parade—scheduled for Saturday, March 21—has been postponed due to growing concerns about coronavirus, according to a press release from the City of San Juan Capistrano.

The San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association hosts the annual event. No rescheduled date was given in the press release.

“After careful consideration and based on guidance from public health professionals, the City of San Juan Capistrano and the Fiesta Association have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 Swallows Day Parade,” the press release said.

“City staff remain in daily communication with the County Health Care Agency and emergency managers, and will continue to follow guidance from state and federal authorities related to upcoming community events and City programs in order to protect the health and safety of our residents, visitors and business community.”

The number of coronavirus cases in Orange County had increased to six as of press time, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency website. Four are confirmed cases and two are presumptive. One man who had coronavirus has since recovered.

Los Angeles Times reported a Quest Diagnostics lab in San Juan Capistrano is able to process tests for coronavirus.

“On March 9, 2020, Quest Diagnostics introduced a new COVID-19 lab-developed test. Providers anywhere in the U.S. are now able to order the new test service,” Quest Diagnostics said in an emailed statement on Wednesday, March 11. “We are also scaling capacity now with the aim to validate and perform testing at other Quest Diagnostics high-complexity laboratories serving the United States.

We expect to be able to perform tens of thousands of tests a week within the next six weeks.”

The Quest Diagnostics statement further said the test is performed on respiratory specimens collected by health care providers and forwarded to Quest Diagnostics, and providers should not refer any The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

A rendering shows what the Inn at the Mission will look like when it opens. Photo: File

patient suspected of or confirmed to have coronavirus to a Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Center or other phlebotomy site.

The World Health Organization labeled coronavirus a pandemic. As worries over a potential coronavirus pandemic continue to grow, local medical and government officials are encouraging the community to remain calm, stay informed and, most importantly, wash your hands.

“The more you look for something, the more likely you are to find it,” Dr. Nichole Quick, County Health Officer for the County of Orange, said in a press release.

“Now that our Public Health Laboratory is able to perform COVID-19 testing, we expect to see more cases here in Orange County.”

Dr. Rodney Rohde is a clinical and medical laboratory professional with a specialization in virology. He is also the Associate Dean for Research for the College of Health Professions at Texas State University.

“Nothing is really considered an accurate case (of coronavirus) without a confirmed laboratory test,” Rodhe said.

“We see numbers like 90,000 . . . but it all depends on case definition.”

Dr. Jim, Keany, an emergency physician and former chief of staff at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, have said they are working to stay on top of the situation through coordination with county health agencies.

Officials from Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano previously stated that they’re closely monitoring the coronavirus situation as the issue continues to develop and evolve.

In emailed statements from the cities of San Clemente and San Juan, both cities stated that information will be provided and updated to respective staff and residents as it becomes available.

San Juan City Manager Ben Siegel wrote on Feb. 28 that “we are communicating with City employees and providing information from the Centers for Disease Control on proactive steps that employees can take to minimize the potential expo-

sure to the virus, what the symptoms are of the disease, and where they can turn for accurate information on the topic.”

Keany emphasized that the coronavirus isn’t necessarily fatal.

“You would get the sense from the way that people are anxious of this that it’s a death sentence, and it’s not,” he said. “As far as we can tell from the numbers, 98% do just fine, and the 2% are people who aren’t doing well to begin with,” such as the elderly.—Collin Breaux, Lillian Boyd and Shawn Raymundo

Behind the Scenes: Inn at the Mission THE LATEST: Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, Autograph Collection, plans to open in downtown San Juan Capistrano between late April and early May. Hotel staff gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the boutique hotel on Thursday, Feb. 27. The hotel is near Mission San Juan Capistrano.

“As we look at the different architecture, there’s three different buildings.

The largest one is the one you see here to the right,” hotel general manager Pam Ryan said. “It’s a Spanish Revival style.

It’s the main building. It was purposefully set back, and they dug into the ground, being careful of any artifacts that were here. They set it back and down because they didn’t want it to compete with the Mission.”

Inn at the Mission will have parking, a spa, fireplaces, fire pits, water fountains and other amenities. Several areas of the property will have balcony views of the downtown area, including of Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Camino Real Playhouse.

“At the spa entrance, we’ll have a waterfall feature. There will be a desk area,” spa manager Donna Sullivan said. “I’m going to be doing rooms for esthetician work and massages. There will be men’s and women’s locker rooms.”

Citrus and lemon trees, as well as an

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olive grove, will also be on the property.

Olives, including olive oil, will figure into the theme and food for Inn at the Mission since olives played a role in the earlier days of Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Inn at the Mission will also have valet services and live music.

“There’s something really magical about this property and the significance to the Mission,” Ryan said.

A restaurant and bar will be open at the hotel. Suites will also be available. In addition, guests can enjoy a fitness center and pool on-site.

Adding to the ambience, hand-selected art will also be displayed throughout the property.—CB

Landscaping Project Moving Forward for Ortega/Del Obispo Gateway

THE LATEST: An intersection considered a key entry point into San Juan Capistrano will undergo renovations.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council unanimously approved creating and funding a landscaping project for the Ortega Highway/Del Obispo Street intersection during a regular meeting on Monday, March 2. Funding for the project will be $500,000, appropriated from the city’s general fund.

“Staff anticipates that these funds will be returned to the general fund when the downtown playhouse property is sold,” Public Works Director Tom Toman said.

“The proposed improvements would also add about $5,000 to $10,000 a year in annual maintenance costs to the city’s operating budget.”

The area receiving focus under the city project is the city-owned parcel at the southwest corner.

The downtown entry point is being renovated to complement the Inn at the Mission sprucing up a portion of the corner. The Ortega/Del Obispo intersection will get low-stone masonry walls, citrus trees, shrubs and other features under the first phase of the city project.

There will also be enhanced drainage and irrigation in the parcel.

“The proposed project provides for a phased approach to improve the appearance of this gateway to the city,” Toman said. “The initial phase will construct hardscape and landscape improvements on the city-owned parcel at the southwest corner of Ortega Highway and Del Obispo Street.”

The property at the southeast corner is privately owned, but the owners of that property reportedly will be renovating it in accordance with city plans.

(Cont. on page 4) thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 3) The second phase of the city project would involve construction of a raised landscape median just west of I-5, subject to Caltrans review and approval since it is in the state right-of-way.

City staff solicited a detailed proposal on the project from Land Concern, which served as the landscape architect for the Inn at the Mission, to ensure consistency with the hotel’s landscape design and “to take advantage of some pre-design work.”

“Because of this unique opportunity to coordinate public and private improvements at a key city entry point, staff is recommending the City Council waive the formal request for proposal process to procure the design firm and approve a professional services agreement with Land Concern in an amount not to exceed $62,310,” Toman said. “This would allow for a coordinated design theme and avoiding additional costs for a new design firm to become familiar with the hotel’s landscape and hardscape plans.”

Councilmembers and audience members did not comment on the matter during the meeting.

WHAT’S NEXT: Design work will begin immediately. Final plans and specifications could be completed by April. Approval of designs and advertising for bids could come by May or June, with a construction contract possibly being awarded in the summer.

“Phase 1 construction would be completed in fall 2020, and construction of the median improvements for phase 2 would be pending Caltrans approval,” Toman said. “We would move onto that phase of the project.”

In other meeting news, the city issued a proclamation designating Feb. 1 through April 30 as Fiesta de las Golondrinas. The Fiesta celebrates the annual return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano, with numerous events held by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, including Swallows Day Parade which was scheduled for Saturday, March 21, and has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

Fiesta Association members showed up to the council meeting in their traditional black-and-white Western attire, and as part of a yearly tradition jokingly levied numerous mock allegations against the mayor before the proclamation was issued.—CB

Dan Almquist Discusses Downtown Development THE LATEST: Developer and local resident Dan Almquist discussed downtown projects in the works during a San Juan Capistrano Historical Society General Meeting on Sunday, March 1.

One of the projects Almquist discussed was the River Street Marketplace, an agrarian-themed and pedestrian-oriented commercial village that will border the Los Rios District. The main entry will be off The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

River Street Marketplace will feature green space and amenities for the community. Photo: File.

River Street.

“We’re getting ready. We hope to have construction drawings into the city by April 1,” Almquist said to a standingroom-crowd at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center. “It’ll probably take three or four months to get them formally approved. Hopefully, the project is under construction sometime in the summer.”

River Street Marketplace plans to have a Farmstead Building, central green area with outdoor seating and other amenities.

“This project is probably the most meaningful thing to me that I’ll be involved with just in terms of what the process was to get it entitled,” Almquist said. “The idea is to create a community gathering place.”

Almquist said the reception has been welcoming inside and outside the San Juan Capistrano community.

“Another thing we gathered in talking to a number of people here was the role large family-style tables played in the heritage of San Juan,” Almquist said. “We’re trying to be very reverential to some of the heritage of San Juan.”

Other new businesses Almquist mentioned included Heritage Barbecue and Capistrano Brewing, which will come to the former Mission Grill site. Heritage Barbecue plans to open in San Juan Capistrano sometime in the spring under owners Brenda and Daniel Castillo, a married couple.

Capistrano Brewing will complement Heritage Barbecue, Alqmuist said.

“This will be a great space to come,” Almquist said. “Daniel and his wife are amazing. Daniel’s food is phenomenal.”

Trees will be added to the patio site at the former Mission Grill property. In response to an audience question about how smoke from Heritage Barbecue could affect the community, Almquist said that has been studied.

“The amount of smoke that comes out is very little. Daniel cooks literally overnight,

so the cooking he does is late night to early morning,” Almquist said. “Right now, we don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”

Almquist also voiced support for public art going up in town, an idea recently proposed by resident Rich Heimann.—CB

Los Patrones Extension, Toll Road Nixing Considered THE LATEST: The board of directors for the Transportation Corridor Agencies unanimously voted on Thursday, March 12 to further pursue the extension of Los Patrones Parkway—an arterial, untolled route—as part of the efforts to relieve South County traffic, formally removing any possibility of extending the 241 Toll Road through San Clemente.

Last week, Assemblymember Bill Brough, who has staunchly opposed the TCA, having drafted measures to limit its authority, announced that the agencies will instead further pursue extending the new county arterial road, Los Patrones Parkway, down to the San Clemente city limit as part of the ongoing South County Traffic Relief Effort (SCTRE).

The extension, known as Alternative 22 in the SCTRE, would be an un-tolled road alignment plan that connects Los Patrones from Cow Camp Road in Rancho Mission Viejo to Avenida La Pata, running along the east side of the Prima Deschecha Landfill. The proposal could potentially impact San Juan Capistrano as well.

San Juan Capistrano Mayor Troy Bourne issued a statement last week, saying the city of San Juan Capistrano was very pleased to learn that the TCA will only be advancing the non-tolled Los Patrones extension alignment for continued study.

“My colleagues on the city council and

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I committed to our constituents that we would stridently oppose any alignments that would negatively impact San Juan Capistrano,” Bourne said in an email. “To that end, we have been working with TCA to focus on a viable alternative to enhance the region’s mobility needs, and we are confident that the proposed arterial highway concept will achieve that purpose.”

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the TCA have been working on the Relief Effort.

Bourne said he fully supports Caltrans’ efforts to construct the “Lower Ortega Highway Widening Project,” and he is eager to continue discussions with Caltrans, TCA, OCTA and the county to identify funding and advance that long-overdue public safety and traffic relief project.

The SCTRE had included a series of proposed routes, including some to extend the 241 Toll Road through San Clemente and connect to Interstate 5—proposals that have drawn vehement rebuke from local residents.

During a sit-down interview, Sarah King, media relations manager for the TCA, explained that the benefits of going with the un-tolled Los Patrones extension “blew out of the water the alternatives that would connect to the (I-)5.”

“So, really, it was a no-brainer for us to move all of those alternatives for any further consideration,” she said.

According to a breakdown of how each alternative was screened, the un-tolled option for Alt. 22 is estimated to be able to reduce vehicle hours per delay, or VHD, on I-5 by 3,270 hours and by 4,520 hours on all other roadways.

“I know at times it seemed liked a really challenging process to go through the public meetings and what have you, but having this go through this formal scoping phase and listening to that public input—I mean 1,600 comments is really overwhelming for a project—and their input helped what alternative we were able to provide our board of directors,” she said.

Brough, whose re-election hopes were dashed last week after coming fourth in the state’s Primary Election, recently introduced Assembly Bill 3331, which proposes to amend section 541 of the highways code in an effort to make it clear that the 241 cannot run through San Clemente.

The state lawmaker had previously introduced a bill to limit the TCA’s authority, preventing it from building new projects and incurring additional debt. The measure, AB 1273, died in committee back in January.

WHAT’S NEXT: The proposal will still need to go through the environmental phase, which is likely to take up another two to three years and be followed by a design phase before construction.

“So, we’re looking at maybe another seven years out,” before completion, King said. “Seven years, that’s probably a little aggressive.”—SR, LB and CB thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

Early results indicated incumbent Bill Brough will likely not go on to the General Election in November.

Laguna Niguel Mayor Laurie Davies, a Republican, and Democrat Scott Rhinehart will presumably appear on the November ballot. Photo: File.

Early Results Show 73rd Assembly Incumbent Levin Leads Maryott in Likely Unseated Congressional Primary Election

(From left) Congressman Mike Levin, the Democratic incumbent, and San Juan Capistrano Councilmember Brian Maryott, the Republican challenger, likely will face off in the general race for the 49th Congressional District seat this November.

BY LILLIAN BOYD, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Election results as of Wednesday, March 11 indicated that Assemblymember Bill Brough, a Dana Point resident, apparently will not be a contender in the General Election in November.

While serving his third term for the 73rd Assembly District, Brough came in fourth place out of five candidates. Laguna Niguel Mayor Laurie Davies, a Republican, took the majority of the votes with 27.5%. Democrat Scott Rhinehart, who formerly worked as a real estate broker and now works for his partner’s business Robert Puleo Design Inc., took 23.2%.

As the top two vote-getters, Davies and Rhinehart presumably would appear on the November ballot, if the numbers hold up.

Votes are still being tallied, according to the Secretary of State website.

Brough received 17% of the votes as of Wednesday. The official canvass period goes through April 3.

“We anticipated there was going to be a fight,” said Rhinehart, who unsuccessfully ran against Brough in 2018. “But we’re very pleased with where we’re at.”

In a prepared statement, Davies said she wanted to thank the volunteers, voters and the other candidates in the 73rd Assembly District election.

“I know each of them put a lot of time and energy into their respective campaigns,” Davies said.

The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

“Now, as we move towards November, I plan to share my record and how I believe our community should be represented in Sacramento.”

The results reflect a major shift in Orange County politics. In the 2016 primary election, Brough took 99% of the vote, with his only opponent being a write-in candidate. Brough faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of campaign finance.

While complaints against him go back about a decade, sexual misconduct accusations resurfaced in 2019 when Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett urged the Republican Party of Orange County not to endorse Brough. She referenced a 2011 incident in which Bartlett allegedly had to wriggle away from Brough’s grasp at a retirement party. Multiple accusers followed suit and came forward with additional allegations—all of which Brough has denied.

In August 2019, the California Ethics Commission announced it would investigate Brough’s alleged misuse of campaign funds totaling $200,000. He is accused of spending campaign contributions to pay his family’s cell phone bill, take a personal trip to a Boston Red Sox game, among other personal expenditures.

The General Election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3 to determine who will represent the 73rd Assembly District in the California Legislature. CD

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A week after the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 3, Democratic incumbent Mike Levin had increased his lead over Republican challenger Brian Maryott, with votes still being tallied in the 49th Congressional District.

As of Wednesday, March 11, Levin had 55.5% (or 110,308) of district-wide votes, compared to Maryott’s 44.5% (or 88,288).

Maryott is still leading in Orange County with 54.2% (or 27,012) of votes, compared to Levin’s 45.8% (or 22,815).

Levin came out ahead in San Diego County, with 58.8% (or 87,493) of votes, compared to Maryott’s 41.2% (or 61,276).

The 49th Congressional District primary was a bit closer on the day after Super Tuesday, with Levin getting 52.8% (or 67,434) as of Wednesday, March 4, and Maryott receiving 47.2% (60,184).

The race could essentially be considered a forecast for the general election in November, when the two candidates likely will face off again.

Both candidates were in good spirits when commenting on March 4.

“I am deeply grateful for all of our volunteers and staff who worked countless hours to help us #KeepThe49th!” Levin said on his Twitter account. “Since I was sworn

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in 14 months ago, we’ve made incredible progress by working across the aisle to strengthen veterans’ benefits, protect our environment, and more.”

Levin also said he was optimistic that when all ballots are counted, he’ll be in a “very strong position to carry our bipartisan message into the general election.”

Reached by phone on March 4, Maryott said he was pleased with how Super Tuesday went. Maryott said he did well with independents.

“We’re going to beat Mike,” Maryott said.

As for the presidential primaries, Donald Trump won California in the Republican primary with 92.1% (or over 1.9 million) of votes. Bernie Sanders won the Democratic primary in California with 34.2% (or over 1.6 million) of votes. Joe Biden, however, won several other states, including Michigan.

In Orange County, Sanders received 35.25% (or 114,418) of votes and Biden got 27.51% (or 89,290) for the Democratic primary, while Trump got 93.29% (or 245,775). All unofficial presidential primary results were as of the morning of March 11.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The cited results are as of Wednesday, March 11, from the Secretary of State website. Votes are still being tallied. CD

thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

Kingston Technology Helps Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano

Kingston Technology, an Orange Count tech company, made a $28,000 donation to Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano’s College Access and Completion Program, according to a press release.

“One out of every 10 first-generation students from a low-income background will graduate from college after six years, according to the Pew Research Institute,” the press release said. “Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano’s vision is to change that statistic and improve the odds for its students through its recent program expansion to guide them through college graduation.”

Breakthrough’s program provides monthly check-ins with students to address any concerns or questions related to financial aid, connectedness on campus, coursework, summer internships and their sense of well-being.

Kingston Technology’s gift will strengthen additional support and close resource gaps for students, the press release said.

Change.org Petition Calls for Continuing Investigation into Woman’s Death A petition on change.org is urging investigations to continue regarding the death of Erica Alonso, who was found dead in April 2015 east of Ortega Highway after being missing since February of that year.

Her cause of death was determined to be an overdose involving GHB and alcohol, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Officials determined that the death was not a homicide, but Alonso’s family disagrees.

The petition had more than 3,400 signatures as of Feb. 3, with a goal of 5,000 signatures.

Water District Smart Meter Program Launching Moulton Niguel Water District is launching its full-scale smart meter program to proactively detect water leaks, improve operations, and enable all customers to monitor their hourly water usage through an online customer portal. Customers in the District’s service area, serving all or portions of the cities of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Dana Point, and San Juan Capistrano, will receive upgraded meter technology by 2021.

The South Orange County-based water district recently began installing smart meters at 2,000 homes in its service area, with plans to continue installing in batches for all residential customers through 2021.

The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

MONDAY, MARCH 16 Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission Meeting 5:30 p.m. The City’s Parks, Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, Trails and Equestrian Commission will meet. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

Greg Spiro, Co-Founder and Principal of Protea Capital Management, and Richard Westin, Co-Founder and CEO of Agemark Senior Living, joined The San Juan Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Troy Bourne at the groundbreaking for Serra Sol, a new memory care community. Photo: Scott Schmitt

The technology will provide customers with hourly water usage data, the ability to view and pay bills, and sign up for leak notifications, according to a press release.

When complete, the District’s smart meter program is expected to conserve 500 million gallons of water every year.

Community Members Serve as ‘Principal for a Day’ Members of the community in Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) recently served as “Principal for a Day” to connect with students and understand the perspective of education officials, according to CUSD Insider, a CUSD news source.

Notable San Juan Capistrano residents participated, including Ricardo’s Place owner Ricardo Beas, who served as principal at Kinoshita Elementary School with principal Jose Pedraza, and Mayor Troy Bourne, who visited San Juan Elementary School.

Participants also attended a luncheon to discuss their experiences while eating food catered by San Clemente High School culinary arts students.

Visit cusdinsider.org for more information and photos.

CUSD Board of Trustees Passes Second Interim Financial Report During a special meeting on Wednesday, March 4, Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a second interim financial report. The reports show CUSD can meet its financial obligations for the rest of the fiscal year.

Trustees approved the first report in December 2019.

According to a slide presented at the March 4 meeting, CUSD will see an increase of about $1.5 million for special education funding. The second report

was approved after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget was released.

Multi-year projections in the CUSD report show CUSD will be able to meet a required 2% minimum reserve through the 2022-23 fiscal year.

In other meeting news, trustees approved an agreement with Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center to provide an overnight outdoor science school trip. Clarence Lobo, Canyon Vista, and Del Obispo Elementary School would reportedly like to utilize the program for fifth-grade students.

City Congratulates Wall of Recognition Honorees Jim Taylor, Marianne Taylor and Raymond Miller were named to the San Juan Capistrano Wall of Recognition during a ceremony at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center on Monday, March 9.

Jim Taylor is president of the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, which hosts the annual Swallows Day Parade and Fiesta de las Golondrinas events. He is often seen around town in the traditional black-andwhite Western wear of the Fiesta Association. Marianne Taylor started Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens to teach gardening and life skills as a way of empowering and connecting people, focusing on people with special needs, the military and others.

She can often be found gardening at Los Rios Park. Miller has served on the City’s Utilities Commission and as Commander of American Legion Post 721. He has also been involved in other charitable organizations and public service advisory boards.

The Wall of Recognition is at the Community Center and spotlights people who have significantly contributed to San Juan Capistrano.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com.

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Utilities Commission Meeting 8:00 a.m. The City’s Utilities Commission will have a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Council Meeting 5:00 p.m. The City Council will have a meeting. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19 Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee Meeting 5:30 p.m. The City’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will hold a meeting.

City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 24 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.

Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting 4:30 p.m. The City’s Cultural Heritage Commission will meet. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 The next issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.

EDITOR’S NOTE: DUE TO THE GROWING CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS, ALL COMMUNITY MEETINGS COULD BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON RMV

NEWS & HAPPENINGS AT THE RANCH

Events at The Ranch MARCH 13

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 Ranchresident-only event. 65 Esencia Drive, Rancho Mission Viejo. 949.768.1882. ranchomissionviejo.com/events.

MARCH 18

Volunteer Orientation and Training

An upcoming butterfly walk at The Reserve offers a chance to identify butterflies and enjoy nature. Photo: File

See Butterflies at The Reserve in RMV

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

W

ith the arrival of spring, now is the perfect time to visit The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo and experience nature and all that it offers.

The Reserve will have a butterfly walk on Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Education and Public Programs Manager Leeta Latham said the event should be a fun walk and beautiful time.

“They can probably expect, if there’s no weird weather, for it to be beautiful out there,” Latham said.

Butterfly enthusiast Gary Meredith will lead the hike and discuss butterfly behaviors and other trivia related to the colorful creatures, such as learning to identify butterflies and the different species.

“Gary always has some tidbits of information,” Latham said.

There are lots of different butterflies at The Reserve, including swallowtails and buckeyes. Coastal plants are blooming as the official start of spring gets near, meaning butterflies are drawn to their host plants.

“Butterflies are important pollinators,”

Latham said.

Even if you’re not into butterflies, the March 21 event is a nice time to enjoy the wilderness and serene environment at The Reserve. For butterfly aficionados, the walk is a chance to learn about the important roles butterflies play in the ecosystem.

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 20.

Latham encouraged people to sign up as soon as possible. The event is for ages 10 and up.

“It usually fills up quickly,” Latham said.

6-8:30 p.m. Take the first step in becoming an official volunteer at The Reserve. Learn about helping members of the public and the history of The Reserve. This event is for adults 18 and older. Rancho Mission Viejo Presentation Center, 28811 Ortega Highway. 949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

MARCH 23

Yoga in Nature 10-11 a.m. Enjoy stretching outdoors and the pristine conditions at The Reserve. Teacher Dale Eisenberg will instruct you on poses, breathing techniques and meditation tips. This event is for ages 18 and up. Adult admission is $10. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters, 28811 Ortega Highway. 949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

Experience the Final Grand Opening at the Village of Esencia on March 21 New homebuyers have one final opportunity to experience a Grand Opening in the award-winning Village of Esencia at Rancho Mission Viejo, when The New Home Company unveils the highly anticipated neighborhood of Sterling on Saturday, March 21. A collection of stunning two-story, single-family residences on a hilltop setting, Sterling is the last new home neighborhood at Rancho Mission Viejo until early 2022.

New homes in Sterling offer an inspired combination of size and cost with some of the most desirable floorplans available

in Esencia. Depending on family size and lifestyle preferences, Sterling homebuyers can choose from four-bedroom, loft or potential five-bedroom floorplans in the popular Transitional and Interpretive Farmhouse architectural styles created by Bassenian Lagoni. The homes feature up to 2,595 square feet of living space and are priced from the $800,000s.

“As the final neighborhood to open at Esencia, anticipation and interest in Sterling has been growing since we announced our plans for these hilltop residences last fall,” said Joan Webb, Chief Marketing

Officer for The New Home Company.

“With its world-class amenities, excellent schools, convenient access to employment centers and an overall exceptional quality of life, Rancho Mission Viejo is one of the most sought-after addresses in Southern California, and we are pleased to add Sterling to its impressive portfolio of newhome neighborhoods.”

From its scenic South Orange County hilltop location, the Village of Esencia offers a full range of single-level and multistory homes designed for a wide range of lifestyles, including first-time homebuyers,

couples, families, adventurous emptynesters and, at the Gavilan neighborhoods, for residents age 55+. Strong sales throughout the Village of Esencia have increased the urgency for new homebuyers interested in enjoying this unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as new home purchase opportunities have become limited.

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

A D V E R T O RI A L The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

Page 7

thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS GUEST OPINION: By Carolyn Nash, former mayor of San Juan Capistrano

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

Debra Wells, 949.322.4765 debra@wellsadsolutions.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

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

Real Estate Sales > Debra Wells (SJC) ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed

Special Projects Editor > Andrea PapagianisCamacho

General Manager > Alyssa Garrett

ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes > Lauralyn Loynes (SC) (DP)

W

e bought the farm—literally! In l990, the residents of San Juan Capistrano voted to give the City $21 million of their property taxes over 20 years to buy the Kinoshita Farm that is located at the corner of Alipaz and Camino Del Avion. The residents own this farm. The City Council is supposed to be caretaker of the Farm and preserve it permanently for all of us and for future generations.

The residents of San Juan began the efforts to preserve the Farm as a permanent part of our agricultural history in 1973, and for 46 years we have been successful in maintaining it as a row crop farm providGUEST OPINION ing vegetables that are sold

By Carolyn Nash at the Farm and elsewhere.

The City leased the Farm to The Ecology Center (TEC), and they are 17 months into a 3-year lease. In December, TEC sent a plan to the City to develop the Farm. They are asking approval to “cement over” almost

half of the farmland for 18 buildings, parking lots, and roads. They are asking to use the farm for restaurants, art studios, farm stores, commissaries, cafés, barns, greenhouses, camping facilities, a school and many other uses not currently allowed on the Farm. They are proposing to eliminate more of the usable farmland by moving the City’s Community Garden to the Farm. In addition, they intend to eliminate a significant portion of the row crops and substitute over 5,000 fruit trees, which is not the type of farm that the residents supported.

The City has initiated, on behalf of TEC, a change to the current “Agriculture/Specific Plan” zoning, which is primarily agricultural zoning, to just “Specific Plan.” The real meaning and effect of this request is to change the zoning to “Commercial” and allow all the buildings and uses that TEC is proposing to be built on our Farm. If this zoning is approved, it will transform our permanent agricultural open space to permanent “Commercial” use.

TEC’S development plan was turned into the City in December and started through

the City’s review process on Feb. 27. Now is the time to make clear to those serving us in City government that ALL of the farmland on our property, The Kinoshita Farm, is to be preserved for agriculture, and that our community heritage continue to be protected for current and future generations.

WE BOUGHT THE FARM. We bought this property to forever save the farmland, to preserve open space for us in 1990, and now, for you, and for future San Juan residents. WE BOUGHT THE FARM to preserve it, not to save it for development 30 years later! I am going to do everything I can to make sure this project does not get approved. Please join me in opposing The Ecology Center’s development of the farmland we bought in 1990. The Farm belongs to the citizens of San Juan Capistrano.

Carolyn Nash is a former mayor of San Juan Capistrano. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

> Debra Wells (SJC)

Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh

Copy Editor > Randy Youngman

Preserving Our Farmland in San Juan

Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Tim Trent EDITOR EMERITUS Jonathan Volzke

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 18, Issue 5. 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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The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

GUEST OPINION: By Evan Marks, Founder and Executive Director of The Ecology Center

A Response to Carolyn Nash’s Op-Ed

W

ithout a doubt, one of the most historic, heroic and profound things the residents of San Juan Capistrano have ever done is to vote to purchase and preserve Kinoshita Farm as part of our city’s collective cultural and community heritage. As one of the last remaining farms, and one of the only organic farms in Orange County, this land is incredibly important to not only the rural character of San Juan Capistrano, but to the very health, fabric, and future of our community.

In 2008, The Ecology Center leased the 140-year-old Congdon House that sits on one acre of the Kinoshita Farm property.

Over the past 12 years, with the support of the community, we’ve transformed a dirt lot into a thriving farm, Farm Stand, education center, and community hub that inspires and nourishes over 3,000 local families every month through our Farm Stand—and hundreds more through immersive workshops, a homeschool co-op, farm-to-table dinners, festivals, and youth-centered programs. In 2018, the city council unanimously voted in favor of our nonprofit taking over operations of all 28 acres of Kinoshita Farm to revive the land, maximize agricultural production, and become a working model for the future of food, farming, and community.

The most abundant future for this farm is a regenerative model of agriculture that

focuses on healthy soil, integrating rotational row crops with highly productive fruit trees, and farming a large diversity of fruits and vegetables. This is why we have planted over dozens of varieties of crops, including over 100 varieties of fruit trees that regenerate the soil and pay homage to the tree crops that have been a part of this farm and region since the 1870s. With these additional crops, we’re able to maximize yield that is directly available to our community at our Farm Stand, in our Farm Share CSA, and through our educational programming.

For us, stewardship of this land means not only a beautiful, productive and thriving farm, but one that has a realistic, GUEST OPINION economically beneficial,

By Evan Marks and sustainable model of agriculture. Additional operational support structures and updates to existing structures will enable us to add productivity and capacity to the farm and its everyday operations.

The new proposed structures, such as a barn, greenhouse, and culinary education center, will take up no more than 1% of the total farmland, and all orchards and parking lots will remain unpaved.

Additionally, we are excited to bring, at

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the request of the City, the City’s Community Garden onto the farm, because we want to tear down the chain link fence that separates San Juan residents from their farm and invite families and individuals to engage and connect with the land in any way we can.

We have a responsibility to steward this farmland with utmost respect to its history and with great consideration for its future.

This effort is an extraordinary opportunity to impact our community today, while ensuring the preservation of essential natural and agricultural resources and practices for generations to follow.

Evan Marks is the founder and executive director of The Ecology Center. CD EDITOR’S NOTE: The City of San Juan Capistrano also issued a response to Nash’s op-ed, saying in part, “as directed by the City Council on October 15, 2019, staff is currently studying The Ecology Center’s proposal, and the public review process is just getting started.” The city further stated that “on March 24, a preliminary review of the proposed project will be conducted by the City’s Cultural Heritage Commission and Planning Commission.”

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

thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

Letters to the Editor THE INN AT THE MISSION . . . 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING

—LAURA FREESE, San Juan Capistrano I just returned from a tour of the soon-to-be completed Inn at the Mission, and it is fabulous!

Back in 2007, I wrote a Dispatch article about how badly we needed a hotel in the downtown area so we could stop bleeding revenue to our neighboring cities. Luckily for us, a hotel was approved in 2010. Now, at last, 10 years later, the Inn at the Mission is coming to fruition, and it is better than I ever envisioned.

It is part of the exclusive Marriott Autograph Collection of boutique hotels, which is 4-star. Their tagline is “Exactly like Nothing Else,” which fits the City of San Juan Capistrano perfectly.

Attention to detail makes the difference. It is the approved hotel of 2010, with enhancements and upgrades such as higher-end corbels, pavers, decorative tile, enormous trees, downspouts and meandering paths that are better than I ever imagined. Much of the interior art will be from local artists, too. With its well-appointed 124 rooms, a bar, a restaurant, a spa, mul-

A rendering shows what the interior of the Inn at the Mission will look like. Resident Laura Freese is excited about the new downtown hotel that will open soon. Photo: File tiple event rooms, and valet parking, the downtown businesses anticipate the hotel will help their bottom lines, so they are excitedly awaiting the Inn to open its doors.

The Inn at the Mission is just the beginning of a renaissance of downtown SJC. Now with the makeover of Capistrano Plaza, the redo of the Mission Grill and the addition of our muchneeded hotel, we have lots to look forward to

in 2020. Let’s help welcome them all.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Laura Freese is a former San Juan Capistrano City Councilmember.

THE DIET OF LENT —LOBART IKLE, Laguna Beach February 26 marks the beginning of Lent, the period leading up to Easter, when devout Christians abstain from

animal foods in remembrance of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness.

The call to abstain from eating animals is as traditional as Genesis 1:29, yet as current as the teaching of evangelical leader Franklin Graham. Earlier religious leaders, including Methodist founder John Wesley, Salvation Army pioneers William and (Cont. on page 10)

SOAPBOX (Cont. from page 9) Catherine Booth, and Seventh-Day Adventist Church founder Ellen White, all abstained from animal flesh.

A plant-based diet is not just about Christian devotion. Dozens of medical studies have linked consumption of animal products with elevated risk of heart failure, stroke, cancer, and other killer diseases. A United Nations report named meat production as the largest source of greenhouse gases and water pollution.

Today's supermarkets offer a rich array of plant-based meats, milks, cheeses, and ice creams, as well as traditional vegetables, fruits, and grains. Entering "vegan" in our favorite search engine provides lots of suitable products, recipes, and transition tips.

RESPONSE TO RONALD BACON’S LETTER —JOANNA CLARK, San Juan Capistrano In Mr. Bacon’s letter to the editor response on Feb. 14, he implies that “the question of whether or not humans are the driving force in climate change is unproven and unsupported by the latest evidence.” To answer the question, let’s do a little math.

The global human population at the beginning of our Industrial Age (1750 C.E.) was about 700 million. Today’s population is over 10 times larger—at about 7.76 billion. In other words, given those numbers, our population grew by 1,008.57% in the last 270 years.

For over a million years before the arrival of our Industrial Age, atmospheric CO2 has remained relatively stable between 200 and 300 parts per million (ppm). Thus, for about one million years, the Earth developed in a CO2 safety zone with a width of 100 ppm.

On February 17, 2020, atmospheric CO2 reached 413.85 ppm. This CO2 concentration is 38% above the maximum levels observed in the last million years.

So, who is responsible for this increase in atmospheric CO2? Which life forms on the planet burn fossil fuels to warm and power their homes, or fuel their automobiles, trucks, ships, and airplanes?

HUMANS ARE THE CAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

—MARY BRESKIN and JUDITH ANDERSON, San Juan Capistrano As members of the South Orange County chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, we feel compelled to respond to Ronald Bacon’s letter to the editor, published on Feb. 14. Mr. Bacon’s claim that there is no proof that humans are the driving force in climate change, is, in fact, incorrect.

A total of 97.2% of authors of peer-reviewed climate change studies agree that humans ARE the cause of climate change.

In addition, 100% of major international science organizations agree with this consensus among scientists. These statistics

were published in 2018 in Beyond Debate,

by Dr. Shahir Masri, an air pollution scientist from University of California, Irvine.

It is past time for us to move beyond questioning the cause of climate change, and accept the fact that we must act now.

Thank you for your attention to science facts.

ADDRESSING BRIAN MARYOTT’S COMMENTS ON GREEN NEW DEAL —STEWART WINKLER, San Juan Capistrano I wanted to thank the paper for creating a learning opportunity on the timely subject of fake news. In your Feb. 14 article, "The Road to Capitol Hill," Brian Maryott is quoted/wrote, "Nor will I accept that the halving of defense spending, advocated for by the repulsive Green New Deal, should it ever be given any credence..."

Having taken the time to read the Green New Deal, I turned that quote into a teachable moment with my 14-year-old daughter Charlotte. I showed her the quote, because she is interested in climate change. I said it is always a good idea to check your facts and suggested we find the language in the Green New Deal that Brian Maryott referenced.

It took us about 15 minutes to go through the Green New Deal because of the legal language she did not know. If you haven’t read it, it is 14 pages total.

Keeping Brian’s statement in mind, we

went through it, and she was surprised because not only was there no mention of cutting the defense budget, but she was baffled why, if that was the basis of Brian’s argument, he would call the Green New Deal “repulsive.” How can he feel so strongly about it if his argument has nothing to do with the document?

I know Brian personally, and I consider him to be an affable and smart person, so it is surprising and disappointing to see untrue statements leveraging language which is divisive. In my opinion, leaders in any capacity are chosen to manage teams, which means collaboration. How can you propose to be a leader, to rally the people behind you, to build consensus, by suggesting anyone’s ideas are “repulsive”?

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.

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

At the Movies: ‘Emma’ at it Again

Photo: Courtesy of Box Hill Films / Focus Features

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

W

EDITOR’S PICK An upcoming event will address the state of the equestrian community, particularly the latest on stable water and waste management updates. Photo: File

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18: STATE OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY 5-8 p.m. Julie Beeman, environmental consultant from VCS Environmental, will discuss the latest on stable water and waste management updates. Lecture will start at 6:30, and there will also be a happy hour. American Horse Products, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite C4, San Juan Capistrano. 949.248.5300. sanjuanequestrian.org.

The List 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.

Saturday | 14 LIVE MUSIC AT THE BREWHOUSE 5-8 p.m. Jim Plays Dan will perform at this craft beer spot. Order a round, sit back and enjoy musical renditions of Steely Dan tunes. The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano. 949.481.6181. thebrewhousesjc.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT SWALLOW’S INN 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Jimi Nelson Band will perform at this popular downtown bar.

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

The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

Sunday | 15 ADOBE BRICK MAKING 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Kids can make their own adobe brick with this fun interactive activity as they examine the lives of Native Americans at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Several other fun Mission activities will also be held the same day. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano. 949.234.1300. missionsjc.com.

Friday | 20 LIVE MUSIC AT TREVOR’S 3-6 p.m. Branch & Arrow will perform at this popular downtown eatery. Grab a bite to eat, enjoy the outdoor atmosphere on the patio and listen to some music.

Trevor’s at the Tracks, 26701 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.9593. trevorsatthetracks.com.

Rhonda Goldstein directs. The play runs through April 12. Tickets can be purchased online. Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. caminorealplayhouse.org.

Saturday | 28 A MAD HATTER TEA PARTY 3-5 p.m. The event will support two local nonprofits, Otra Mas and Unique Diamond. Enjoy some snacks, make a tea cup craft and have a chance to win prizes with a “mad drawing.” Attendees are asked to bring a $40 donation and unwrapped toy. Ortega Equestrian Center, 27252 Calle Arroyo, San Juan Capistrano.

949.661.3130. otramas.net.

EDITOR’S NOTE: DUE TO THE GROWING CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS, ALL EVENTS IN OUR GETTING OUT CALENDER COULD BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Friday | 27 CAMINO REAL PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS LARRY SHUE’S ‘THE NERD’ 8 p.m. Have a laugh with The Nerd, a comedy set in 1979. Ex-GI Rick Steadman visits fellow veteran Willum and gradually causes chaos with his odd behavior.

Page 13

hen the trailer dropped for Autumn de Wilde’s remake of Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy Emma, my first reaction was “why?” —the same as it was with Greta Gerwig’s new version of Little Women two months ago.

How many more on-screen versions of this popular tale do we need? Over the decades, we’ve already seen a dozen or so adaptations, including an impressive feature film and stellar miniseries. So with these quality screen takes to live up to, can the new movie for a new decade hold up on its own?

As we know, it’s 1815 in Austen’s fictional Highbury, England, where 21-year-old Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy) is pretty, rich and precocious. She can afford to put off getting married, so rather than waste time looking for a husband she may not love, her primary interest is playing matchmaker for her friends and acquaintances (and more for her own amusement than anything else). Emma’s latest protégé is a new orphan girl in town named Harriet Smith (Mia Goth), whom she feels is in desperate need of some guidance and social advice. The only person who sees through Emma’s façade and calls her out on her shenanigans is her brother-in-law’s brother, George Knightley (Johnny Flynn).

Visually, this Emma is straight-up eye candy, combining the art direction, costumes and many colorful food decorations during the tea time and dinner party sequences. De Wilde’s vibrant direction and Eleanor Catton’s witty script make for possibly the funniest retelling of Austen’s tale yet.

Indie film star Taylor-Joy’s delivery has Emma at her brattiest, but not at a disadvantage. In fact, I’d say it makes her character arc by the end even more rewarding. Among Emma, Little Women and Celine Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, fancy period pieces currently are the go-to genre for female filmmakers. CD

thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT

On Stage at The Coach House: Yächtley Crëw

Yächtley Crëw will perform high-energy renditions of soft rock hits at The Coach House on Saturday, March 28. Photo: Dustin Jack.

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

S

an Juan Capistrano isn’t quite a fullon coastal area, but that won’t stop “yacht rock” band Yächtley Crëw from wearing their sailor hats and outfits when they play The Coach House on Saturday, March 28.

The outfits are part of the band’s fun persona, as it performs lively renditions of classic soft rock hits. Lead vocalist Philly Ocean described the atmosphere as like a Kiss show but with soft rock like Hall & Oates, Lionel Richie and other easy-listening legends.

“We have almost every single weekend booked,” Ocean said during a phone interview before heading to a gig in Tempe, Arizona. “Our whole show is a performance.

We try to imbue the music with an energy.”

Videos of previous performances prove this, with Yächtley Crëw earning loud cheers and getting the crowd to sing along to songs including “Kiss You All Over” and “Come Sail Away.” Yächtley Crëw has played The Coach House previously and found it was an amazing atmosphere.

People generally go to The Coach House for a dinner before concerts begin, but they were jumping around and dancing in the aisles when they performed, Ocean said.

Page 14

Their maritime image came about because the band wanted something that would make them identifiable.

“We’re going to be going all the way with this,” Ocean said.

They are grateful for their fans and love all the music they cover. Ocean said Yächtley Crëw pays homage to the songs and songwriters of yesterday, noting the singles they play are examples of good songwriting, technically superior and influenced by jazz and funk. A lot of the music came from California, with artists collaborating, Ocean said.

“So many of these songs are iconic,” Ocean said. “You can see there was this enthusiasm for the music.”

Ocean went to school in Orange County and knows the area well, calling San Juan Capistrano a beautiful place.

“South Orange County is a paradise,” Ocean said. “It’s cool to see venues like The Coach House have live music.”

Yächtley Crëw has stayed active throughout California, with performances scheduled in San Diego and Los Angeles before their San Juan Capistrano date.

The March 28 performance at The Coach House will be at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Visit thecoachhouse.com for ticket information and more information. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE

Submit your classified ad online at thecapistranodispatch.com GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE - SATURDAY MARCH 14 March 14 8am- 12pm. Moving / Downsizing. Furniture, Electric Bike, Collectables, Home Decor and more. 15 Santa Lucia, Dana Point.

Call 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email debra@wellsadsolutions.com

COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE! SAT. 3/14 8:00 am -12:00 PM. Corniche sur Mer Community Garage sale at Camino del Avion at Ritz Pointe Drive Refer to 81 San Raphael, Dana Point, 92629. Call for detail Jim at 949-300-0900.

FORSTER RANCH COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE - SAT. 3/21 8am-12pm. X st’s Camino Vera Cruz andCamino De Los Mares.

OCEAN HILLS COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE- SAT. 3/28 8am to 2pm. X-streets are Calle Agua and Camino de Los Mares, San Clemente.

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.

WANTED WANTED: STAMPS! Buying Large U.S and Worldwide Stamp Collections. Nick (619) 672-0434 FOR SALE RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE FOR SALE (TYPE 47) Type 47 Restaurant Liquor License for sale. Text or call for details 949.510.9724

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 March 13-26, 2020

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SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: Moments in Time by Jan Siegel

Basque Families Contributed to History

T

he year of 1910 is best remembered as the year that Fr. St. John O’Sullivan arrived in San Juan Capistrano and started restoring the Mission.

But another person who would also have an enormous effect on our community also stepped off a train in San Juan Capistrano that year. He was Basque farmer Pierre Lacouague. One hundred and ten years later, the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society is honored to recognize the contributions the Basque community has made to our history.

Lacouague was not the first Basque to come to the Capistrano Valley, but his son would be the one who kept the records, stories and histories of these families that give us the insight to a way of life for an extremely hard-working group of people.

The Historical Society has compiled the notes from Jean Lacouague MOMENTS into a booklet that is on IN TIME

By Jan Siegel sale at the Society for $5. The notes are based on the work of Jean Lacouague, whose project in 1994 gave information on area Basques to the Historical Society. While Lacouague never finished his project, his notes are the catalyst for this project. This history is dedicated to Jean Lacouague in appreciation of his research, his life, and his contribution to the history of San Juan Capistrano.

Jean Lacouague passed away in 2008.

Besides being a farmer, he served the San Juan Capistrano Volunteer Fire De-

partment for 27 years, including 17 years as Volunteer Fire Chief. He also served on the Board of Directors of Consolidated Orange Growers, the Olive Heights Citrus Association and the Orange Heights Orange Association. He was active in American Legion Post 721 for 46 years, serving most of those years as Finance Officer. In 1998, Jean and Marie Lacouague were named Grand Marshals of the Swallows Day Parade. In 2007, Jean was placed on the City’s Wall of Recognition at the Community Center.

Three Basque families were the impetus for the migration to San Juan Capistrano. The Echeniques, the Lacouagues and the Oyharzabals were responsible for hiring many friends and relatives from Europe who came and prospered in the Capistrano Valley.

Spend a “Moment In Time” by purchasing this booklet at the Historical Society and learning about the early ranchers and farmers who helped create our community. All proceeds from the sale of the booklet support historic preservation at the Society.

Save the dates for events in which you can learn more about our amazing history. On April 15, Los Rios Stroll will highlight the importance of this historic neighborhood. On April 25, there will be the 8th annual Fiesta Day at the Historical Society. There will be more on these events next month.

Jan Siegel was a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and now resides in the neighboring town of Rancho Mission Viejo.

She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years, has been a

Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Hunn and OC Public Libraries

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This photo depicts children in a swimming hole.

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.

volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 26 years and is currently the museum curator for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year

in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. 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: Curly THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

S

even-year-old Curly has been waiting for her “purrfect” adopter for more than two years. She is a pretty kitty that often gets overlooked in favor of fluffy kittens.

Curly is a volunteer favorite and has been learning tricks and clicker training. Like most cats, she wants affection on her terms, but typically enjoys being brushed and pampered. Curly would enjoy a quiet home as the only pet, where she wouldn’t have to share the spotlight.

If you would like to know more about Curly, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

BY MYLES MELLOR

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:

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

Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with her at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. CD

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thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

CoastLines by Fred Swegles

An Easy Way to Share Our Highway 101 Heritage

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recent article I wrote, “PCH: A Tale of Two Highways,” struck a chord with readers. They told me they learned a lot and were captivated by the heritage of two storied roads that converge in Dana Point.

A beautifully designed monument celebrating Highway 1 in Dana Point inspired me to write about not just California Highway 1, but also U.S. Highway 101. They both share a “Pacific Coast Highway” heritage. My theme was that Highway 101, which intersects Highway 1, also deserves recognition by our local communities.

“Both 1 and 101 are celebrated roads,” San Clemente reader Bill Hart wrote in response to my article. “Perhaps we as a city should resurrect our Hwy 101 heritage.

Just a thought.”

The simplest way would be to obtain a few Caltrans “Historic Highway 101” signs.

You can see these brown highway badges, at COASTLINES

By Fred Swegles intervals, along old 101 through Oceanside and other San Diego County beach towns that take pride in their 101 heritage.

Along surviving segments of America’s most iconic bygone road, Route 66, you may have seen identically designed signs: “Historic Route 66.”

SAN CLEMENTE LOCATIONS

A Historic Highway 101 sign could go at each entrance into San Clemente. Northbound, a sign perhaps just past Rip Curl could inform motorists who just exited Interstate 5 at Cristianitos Road that they’re now on Historic Highway 101.

Southbound, Camino San Clemente would be a nice location to alert drivers on El Camino Real that they’ve just entered San Clemente on old 101. (A city limits sign would actually be nice, too, directly opposite the Arco station.)

DANA POINT & SAN JUAN

Both cities could likewise install Historic Highway 101 signs.

A sign northbound on PCH, somewhere around Olamendi’s, would be a highly visible location. On Doheny Park Road, how about outside the post office, just before drivers turn right onto historic Highway 1, formerly known as 101A? San Juan could put Historic Highway 101 signs along Camino Capistrano, along a straightaway paralleling I-5.

Tourists riding the summer trolley might stammer, “OMG, this road is historic!”

Trolley riders in Dana Point and in San Clemente might likewise want selfies with the 101 signs. Another good spot might be Camino Capistrano, north of Mission San Juan Capistrano.

IN-N-OUT?

I hesitate to suggest any Historic Highway 101 signs in the very core of downtown San Clemente or San Juan. There’s already a plethora of signs there. Then again, a historic one might be worthy.

And just for fun, maybe plant a Historic Highway 101 sign The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

Clockwise, from top left: Standardized signs saluting Historic Highway 101 can be found at intervals along San Diego County’s stretch of Coast Highway, this one in Del Mar. This replica mission bell in San Clemente is part of a statewide commemoration of how Highway 101 generally follows the original route of the Spanish king’s original highway in California, El Camino Real. This replica El Camino Real mission bell is on display inside Mission San Juan Capistrano. Photos: Fred Swegles

along Camino Capistrano, outside In-N-Out Burger. Fans waiting in line for a “double-double” deserve to know their elite place in history.

REPLICA MISSION BELLS

San Clemente and San Juan both display replica mission bells that were part of an early 20th Century statewide program to commemorate the path taken by California’s first overland Spanish explorers. Their explorers’ route eventually became the 1926 general alignment of Historic Highway 101.

They mapped out locations for a chain of Spanish missions.

Each mission would be a day’s horse ride from the next, along a trail known as the King’s Highway, El Camino Real.

WHERE ARE THEY?

Replica mission bells are easiest to notice along rural stretches of the 101 Freeway between Los Angeles and San Jose. They hang from atop a “shepherd’s staff” style pole. A few of the poles include a crossbar that says “Historic El Camino Real.”

San Juan has a replica bell along old 101 beside Capistrano Trading Post. There’s also one across the street, inside Mission SJC. A third one is on mission grounds at the corner of Ortega Highway and El Camino Real, a block from old 101. That bell threw me off, because it’s painted brown, unlike the other bells you see in the statewide network. If you look closely, the brown bell has authentic inscriptions.

I spotted two other authentic bells along San Juan’s ECR, which parallels Camino Capistrano (old 101). One bell is outside Basilica SJC, one outside Blas Aguilar Adobe.

San Clemente has replica bells along its El Camino Real, which is old 101, near Tommy’s Restaurant and outside Sit ’n Sleep.

Visitors and locals would likely appreciate having “Historic Page 17

El Camino Real” added to a few of these locations.

“Look, Ma, this road is older than you!”

THE ROAD FROM T.J.

During my highway research—which included purchasing four books, exploring decades of old news archives, obtaining early maps from the Auto Club and driving more than 2,000 miles—I spent a day driving to the Mexican border and back, to replicate Highway 101’s original 1926 route from San Ysidro through Chula Vista into San Diego and La Jolla.

You can do it. Just don’t expect to see any 101 signs.

My research also took me to the northern reaches of Highway 1, including a visit to a re-created Russian fort that dates back to 1812. Don’t miss Fort Ross State Historic Park.

At Leggett, where Highway 1 terminates with a sign that says END, I guiltily took a touristy photo of my car inside a tunnel carved into a 2,000-year-old giant redwood tree.

AN IDEA FOR DANA POINT

Dana Point could create its own bookend at our end of Highway 1 by adding a BEGIN sign. The existing Highway 1 entry sign from Doheny Park Road has an arrow at the bottom that you could ditch without confusing anyone, replacing it with the word BEGIN. Just a humble suggestion.

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

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Around the Horn

San Juan baseball teams open league play

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

SAN JUAN HILLS DROPS TIGHT SEA VIEW LEAGUE OPENER The San Juan Hills baseball team took a strong start to the season into Sea View League play, but the Stallions dropped their opener at reigning league champion Aliso Niguel, 2-1, on March 6.

San Juan Hills (7-3, 0-1) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Tommy Burleson drove in Ethan Pope, but it didn’t hold up. The host Wolverines scored one run in the fourth and one in the sixth off Stallions starter Josh McGonigle, who allowed only three hits over 5 1/3 innings.

San Juan Hills hosted Trabuco Hills on Thursday, March 12, but results were not available at press time. The Stallions continue league at San Clemente on Friday, March 13. San Juan Hills plays at Cypress on March 18 before returning to league on March 20 against Laguna Hills and

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

St. Margaret’s Enacts Two-Week Closure

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano will begin an organized school closure on Monday, March 16 with an online model beginning on Tuesday, March 17, the school announced on Thursday. The closure includes the cancellation or postponement of athletic activities. St. Margaret’s said this is a proactive measure, and there is no indication of cases of COVID-19 in their community.

JSerra Girls Soccer Falls in Regional Final

Despite not winning the league title or not capturing their fourth straight CIF-SS The Capistrano Dispatch March 13-26, 2020

March 25 against Aliso Niguel.

JSERRA RANKED NO. 2 IN CIF-SS, NO. 15 IN NATION The JSerra baseball team has earned an elite reputation as the Lions entered Trinity League play this week.

JSerra (9-1) was placed at No. 2 in the latest CIF-SS Division 1 poll on Monday, March 9 and sits at No. 15 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings.

Through the season’s first 10 games, the Lions have five wins over three of the top 10 Division 1 teams, including three straight wins over No. 7 Huntington Beach—in the championship game of the Newport Elks Tournament on Feb. 28 and a nonleague doubleheader on March 3.

JSerra has been powered by its robust pitching staff all season, and that was most evident in the doubleheader sweep of Huntington Beach. Jared Glenn had eight strikeouts in the 6-1 win in the first game, and Gage Jump threw what coach Brett Kay called “the best outing we have ever seen at our school by a pitcher” in the 3-1 closing win.

Jump allowed no runs on one hit with 13 strikeouts and no walks over 5 1/3 in that dominant performance against Huntington Beach.

JSerra’s scheduled Trinity League opener was rained out on Tuesday, March 10 against Santa Margarita, but the Lions and Eagles played a road-home doubleheader on Wednesday, March 11. Results were not avail-

Division 1 title, the JSerra girls soccer team still found itself in position for hardware on Saturday, March 7, but ultimately, the Lions came up just short.

JSerra battled to tie Upland with five minutes remaining, but Upland scored on a penalty kick after a JSerra foul in the final minutes to capture the CIF Southern California Regional Division I championship, 3-2.

Abby Lynch and Samantha Williams each scored a goal for JSerra.

JSerra (18-6) was playing in its fourth straight regional title game, including wins in 2017 and 2019. Upland beat the Lions at JSerra for the 2018 title, and the Scots captured the 2020 title at home.

After its historic run of three straight CIF-SS championships, JSerra lost in the Division 1 semifinals at Santiago of Corona on Feb. 22. However, as a semifinalist, the Lions continued on in the regionals.

JSerra won at Granada Hills Charter, 1-0, in the quarterfinals on March 3 and beat Mira Costa at home in penalty kicks, 2-2 (3-1), in the semifinals on March 5.

Lacrosse Notes

St. Margaret’s boys and girls lacrosse have maintained their CIF-SS rankings through the early season.

The Tartans boys (2-1) are No. 4 in Divi-

After a strong start to the season, the San Juan Hills baseball team dropped a tight league opener against reigning champion Aliso Niguel on March 6. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

able at press time. JSerra closes the threegame set at home against Santa Margarita on Friday, March 13.

ST. MARGARET’S CONTINUES UNBEATEN START The St. Margaret’s baseball team kept the zero in its loss column as the Tartans scored an extra-inning win over reigning San Joaquin League champion Capistrano Valley Christian

on March 5.

St. Margaret’s (6-0) posted a walk-off win with a wild play in the ninth inning against CVC. With the score tied, 2-2, and Wes Kim on first, Andrew Miehe laid down a bunt along the first-base line. CVC made a wild throw on the fielding play, and Kim ran all the way around from first to score the winning run.

The Tartans are hanging just outside the Division 5 top 10 rankings. CD

JSerra girls soccer advanced to its fourth straight CIF Southern California Regional Division I championship game, but the Lions came up just short at Upland, 3-2. Photo: Chris Carter

sion 1 with wins over San Marcos, 17-3, and Harvard-Westlake, 12-10, and a loss to Faith Lutheran of Nevada, 16-11. St. Margaret’s has had strong performances by outstanding freshmen, including Matt Groeninger.

The Tartans girls (1-2) are No. 5 in Division 1, with their only win over No. 6 Westlake, 13-9, and losses to No. 3 Newbury Park, 12-4, and San Marcos, 13-9.

The San Juan Hills boys have pushed up

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in the rankings with an unbeaten start at 6-0. The Stallions are ranked No. 6 in Division 2 and have scored 21 or more goals in three straight games and four out of six games. San Juan Hills hosts King of Riverside on Friday, March 13 and Division 2 No. 9 Redondo Union on Tuesday, March 17.

The JSerra girls (3-0) are just outside the Division 1 top 10, and the San Juan Hills girls (5-1) haven’t cracked the rankings page despite a string of strong wins. CD thecapistranodispatch.com