January 10, 2014

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OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE JANUARY 10-24, 2014 FOUNDED IN 2002

VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

A Meeting of Mayors South Orange County leaders discuss regional issues E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 4

The newly selected mayors from San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, pictured (L to R) Tim Brown, Lisa Bartlett and Sam Allevato, respectively, met with Picket Fence Media staff on Tuesday, December 17 to discuss issues facing south Orange County. Photo by Brian Park

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

CUSD Opposes Rancho San Juan Apartment Project

Garden Club Donates $1,500 to Friends of the Library

San Juan Prep Teams Gear up for League Play

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EYE ON SJC

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

SAN CLEMENTE San Clemente City Councilwoman and Orange County Transit Authority board member Lori Donchak said Tuesday the OCTA added the extension of high occupancy vehicle lanes to the San Diego County line to its list of long term projects. With freeway widening construction beginning later this year, providing an HOV lane to Avenida Pico, San Clemente had appealed to the body to look the widening to the county line. City leaders wanted to avoid a bottleneck situation in San Clemente.

OCTA officials said the extension was not considered a priority. Donchak said a recent announcement of long term plans in San Diego County to create a toll lane north to the Orange County line played a role in the decision.

Donchak credited Councilman Bob Baker with helping to put the issue on the OCTA’s radar during his tenure as mayor last year.

DANA POINT

NEWS

NEXT DOOR WH AT ’S GOI N G O N I N OU R NE IGH B O R I N G TOWN S

Whale watchers in south Orange County saw migrating gray whales in record numbers throughout December, according to crewmembers of Capt. Dave’s Whale Watching & Dolphin Safari.

In just one trip last month, Capt. Dave’s crew recorded seeing 10 gray whales. On average, gray whales stretch 40 to 50 feet in length, and are not only among the world’s largest mammals but also make the longest migration of mammals.

Gray whales travel between 10,000 and 12,000 miles each year from their feeding grounds in the Arctic Ocean to the southern lagoons of Baja California where they mate and give birth to calves. This year, gray whales began an early migration with sightings in November that have steadily increased. In December alone, Capt.

Dave’s excursions had 75 gray whale encounters.

Last December only 21 sightings were logged, down from the 44 chronicled in December 2011.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s Up With...

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…CUSD’s Message to the City?

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District is asking the San Juan Capistrano City Council to deny a proposal to build a 100-unit apartment complex near San Juan Hills High School.

CUSD trustees on Wednesday, January 8 unanimously approved a resolution opposing the project, known as the Rancho San Juan Apartments.

The developer, Mission Viejo-based Woodbridge Pacific Group, is proposing to build the community on 4.6 acres of land on the northwest corner of Vista Montana and La Pata Avenue.

In August, the city’s Planning Commission recommended the City Council deny the developer’s request to rezone the land due to traffic concerns. The council voted in December to continue the item after traffic consultants for the developer presented a plan to reconfigure traffic lanes.

However, Trustee Jim Reardon, a San Juan Capistrano resident, said the issue was not about traffic but rather a “capacity problem.” With the impending extension of La Pata Avenue, students from San Clemente’s Talega community would be attending San Juan Hills. Students from Talega and Ladera Ranch also have priority access to the high school because taxpayers from the communities helped pay for the school through their Community Finance Districts.

Board President John Alpay noted that students from San Juan Capistrano would then be forced to attend school outside of their city, including Capistrano Valley and San Clemente high schools.

The district has also expressed interest in acquiring the land to build additional parking for the school and expand facilities onto the existing parking lots. Trustees noted that rezoning the land would significantly raise the value of the property, making any The Capistrano Dispatch January 10–24, 2014

potential land swap more difficult.

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – BP

WHAT’S NEXT: The San Juan Capistrano City Council is expected to make its decision at its next meeting, January 21.

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FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www. thecapistranodispatch.com. – Brian Park

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…the New School Name?

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District is considering several names for a new K-8 school that will be built in the Rancho Mission Viejo development.

CUSD trustees held a brief discussion and offered up their suggestions on Wednesday, January 8.

Trustee Anna Bryson suggested the name “Gabrielino,” after the native people that inhabited the location of the future school.

Trustee Amy Hanacek suggested “Gavilan,” the Spanish word for the sparrowhawk. Gavilan is also the name of a gated senior community within Rancho Mission Viejo’s first village, Sendero.

Hanacek said the name reflected the ranch’s dedication to preserving its open space.

Leading up to the meeting, Trustee Jim Reardon suggested naming the school after Richard J. O’Neill, a member of the family that has owned and managed the ranch’s land since 1882. However, Trustee Gary Pritchard said in speaking with the family, they asked the district to consider another family member, Marguerite “Daisy” O’Neill.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board voted unanimously to continue the discussion to March to allow trustees and district staff more time to consider and research potential names.

…the Flu?

THE LATEST: A 28-year-old San Juan Capistrano woman is the first person in Orange County under 65 to die of the influenza virus this flu season, county health officials said Thursday, January 2.

The woman, whose name has not been released, contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu virus and died sometime the week prior, according to Deanne Thompson, spokesperson for the Orange County Health Care Agency. The woman also had “underlying medical conditions,” Thompson said.

The strain is the same as the one behind the 2009 flu pandemic, which infected between 43-88 million people and killed between 8,720 to 18,050 people in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WHAT’S NEXT: County health officials recommend residents protect themselves against influenza by getting vaccinated annually.

FIND OUT MORE: For more information, contact the HCA Health Referral Line at 800.564.8448. – BP

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…the Toll Roads?

THE LATEST: Orange County commuters will no longer have to stop at toll plazas beginning in May. The Transportation Corridor Agencies, which collect tolls on the 73, 133, 241 and 261 freeways, will be phasing out its booths in May. Booths will be replaced with a system that will send bills to vehicle owners based on their license plates.

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The agency hopes eliminating the collection sites will encourage greater ridership.

Drivers will no longer worry about being stuck in long lines, and drivers unfamiliar with the toll roads may be more willing to use the roads without fear of being caught at a collection booth, said Neil Peterson, the TCA’s chief executive officer.

WHAT’S NEXT: Peterson said the agency will not be eliminating its FasTrak transponders, which will still allow users to pay at a reduced rate.

FIND OUT MORE: For more on the program, visit www.thetollroads.com. – Jim

Shilander

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…the County’s 2014 Platform?

THE LATEST: The Orange County Board of Supervisors passed the county’s legislative platform for 2014 last month, focusing on protecting local sources of funding and improving cost recovery from state and federal resources.

The platform calls for lobbying efforts to improve Medi-Cal reimbursement for federally-qualified health centers, as well as recovering costs of county searches when a resident acts in violation of the law or with reckless misconduct and disregard for their safety at the state level.

At the federal level, the platform calls for eliminating a Medicaid inmate exception rule for pre-adjudicated inmates and discount drug pricing, as well as work on San Juan Creek.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board will be seeking authors from the county’s delegations to try to pass favorable legislation.

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – JS www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

A Meeting of Mayors Local leaders discuss regional issues

By Andrea Papagianis, Brian Park and Jim Shilander The Capistrano Dispatch

S

outh Orange County faces a number of challenges in the coming year and in the decades ahead.

Some are basic, like how people living in the area will get from place to place and how they’ll receive affordable water. Other challenges are thornier. How best to manage growth in areas that are largely built out? How should cities balance the desires of residents with the business community?

And what roles should local governments take in making these things happen?

The newly elected mayors of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano—Lisa Bartlett, Tim Brown and Sam Allevato, respectively—gathered last month with members of the Picket Fence Media staff to discuss these and other issues facing the area.

What followed was a candid discussion of the challenges facing all three cities, how each is responding to its own unique issues and how much each could learn from the other.

PAVING THE WAY Thousands travel through the area every day on their way to San Diego or Los Angeles along Interstate 5.

However, unlike other areas of Orange County, there are no free alternate routes around the region.

The county Board of Supervisors recently named a contractor for the completion of Avenida La Pata, between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, which could provide an alternative route between those cities. The project is scheduled to break ground in March.

Over the next several years, I-5 will also undergo a major overhaul. As part of an Orange County Transportation Authority improvement project, the freeway will be widened and a high-occupancy vehicle lane will be added.

Later this year, the project moves south, ultimately culminating in the reconstruction of the Avenida Pico interchange in San Clemente, which will not likely be completed until 2017.

San Juan has also seen the effects of construction throughout the last year, as Caltrans continues work on its two-year, $86.2 million project to reconfigure the Ortega Highway interchange. The change was necessitated to brace the interchange for projected population growth and increased travel in the coming years.

“That interchange was built in 1959, when there were 2,000 people living in San The Capistrano Dispatch January 10–24, 2014

The mayors from San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and San Clemente, pictured (L to R) Sam Allevato, Lisa Bartlett and Tim Brown, respectively, met with Picket Fence Media staff at Olamendi’s Mexican Restaurant in Capistrano Beach to talk about issues facing south Orange County. Photo by Brian Park

Juan Capistrano and probably half of that in Dana Point and maybe 5,000 in San Clemente,” Allevato said. “You had an interchange that was woefully inadequate, but I’ve been on the City Council going on my 10th year and I’ve been dealing with it ever since … just to get the thing built.”

Allevato said San Juan’s experience over the last year showed the importance of preparation for the effects construction can have on local businesses.

“The City Council two years ago started the Economic Preservation Committee, and we partnered with Caltrans as much as we can, and OCTA as much as they’re able, to help us and all of our businesses,” Allevato said. “We meet every Thursday to design ways of bringing more business downtown.”

Caltrans, as a state agency, is limited in what it can do to help cities mitigate the economic effects of road construction. Meanwhile, OCTA can help with outreach efforts, and has, in the last year, encouraged Metrolink riders to come to San Juan for events by offering specials.

San Juan also created an emergency sign ordinance allowing businesses to add extra signage. Despite city efforts, there have still been issues. Allevato highlighted instances where businesses have seen a decrease in patronage and revenues during construction.

“There is a lot of planning you can do, a lot of proactive business things you can do to help sustain these folks during construction,” Allevato said. “But it has definitively had an impact on businesses.”

Both Brown and Bartlett said they hope their cities can learn from San Juan’s experience.

“An emergency sign ordinance is very intelligent and I’d like to see something very similar in San Clemente if it becomes a problem,” Brown said.

A proposed extension of the TransporPage 4

tation Corridor Agencies’ extension of the 241 Toll Road has been a major topic of discussion throughout the area in the last decade.

In 2013, an extension to just outside San Juan Capistrano was rejected by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Board. The TCA is appealing the decision. The board also voted in 2013 to redo its agreement with the state, allowing the agency to collect tolls until 2053 on its existing roads, but potentially limiting its ability to collect tolls south of its current Oso Parkway terminus.

Bartlett chairs the TCA’s Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (241) board. She remains an advocate for the extension, despite the recent setbacks, citing its necessity with the construction of Rancho Mission Viejo.

“That Tesoro extension, that five-anda-half miles from Oso Parkway to Cow Camp Road, is an essential component of the mobility pattern for the entire area,” Bartlett said. “We really need to get that project moving forward.”

Allevato, who also sits on the Foothill board, has much the same feeling but cited a need for an alternate route in case of disaster.

“I look at it, in a lot of ways, as a public safety issue. We have one major arterial going through south county. We’re the funnel for everything,” he said. “I just feel it is one more artery that has to be opened up to relieve the congestion.”

Brown said his concerns were primarily with what was best for San Clemente.

“As much as I love regional transportation questions, is it good for my city?”

Brown said. “I don’t think any of us would be happy if they decided to pave over our city center because it was good for the rest of California. That’s what happened in San Clemente in the ’60s. They ran right over the city center and bifurcated our town.”

OUTWARD, ONWARD AND UPWARD With the three cities being relatively built out, municipal bodies have turned to creative planning strategies to promote growth—both residential and commercial—within each respective city, while striving to preserve each locale’s identity, balancing wants of residents with the financial needs of businesses.

In some ways the cities are grappling with the same issues of building upward, parking residents and visitors, conserving historic character and maintaining views, but each have a set of rules completely differing from the next, decidedly guiding the direction its development takes.

“Each city is so different,” Brown said.

“What works in San Juan would not apply well in San Clemente, and what works in San Clemente won’t apply well in Dana Point, because each was born separately and so differently, in a different time, with different developers and different priorities.

“It’s almost as if you hit the city limit and you’re like ‘Great, we share Southern California, but all bets are off in terms of everything else,’ because we are playing the hands we are dealt,” he added.

In San Clemente, Avenida Del Mar boasts shops, restaurants and free parking, but downtown growth is limited by small lot sizes and a three-story height restriction.

It is something city planners, leaders and residents have spent the last four years debating, as changes are being made to San Clemente’s 20-year planning document. One alteration reflected in the city’s General Plan, which could have council approval by early 2014, is a twostory limitation in the city’s center.

“We are all atoning for the sins of the past in a lot of ways,” Brown said. “There was a whole series of planning decisions made in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s that have had an incredible impact on our quality of life. We have streets with no sidewalks, buildings with no parking and we are just grappling with the reality of what we are dealing with.”

While at the forefront of discussion in San Clemente, planning rules were set by Dana Point in its Local Coastal Program and approved by the California Coastal Commission. The LCP grants Dana Point the case-by-case ability to OK projects within the Coastal Zone without further consent.

But projects in the Coastal Commission’s appealable jurisdiction and those requiring amendments to the city’s LCP—like the county’s Dana Point Harbor revamp, the city’s Town Center revitalization and a development of the Dana Point Headlands—still required state approval, presenting some inherent challenges, Bartlett said.

Other large-scale developments, like a proposed five-story hotel near Doheny State Beach, fall just outside the appeals zone, providing a hot topic of conversation www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC for residents and planning commissioners over height limits, massing and just how far a developer can push the envelope.

“You need to develop strict standards, strict guidelines and adhere to them,” Allevato said.

This past year saw San Juan take a major step toward improving its relations with current and prospective developers.

Following a complete overhaul of the citizen committee and commission structure, the City Council held its first-ever public interview process to fill all five Planning Commission seats.

During interviews with potential candidates, council members asked what could be done to make the city’s development review more efficient and eliminate a “Ping-Pong process,” where applicants often took their plans back and forth between the commission and its subgroup, the Design Review Committee. Later, the council voted unanimously to do away with the DRC in an effort to remove at least one more layer of review, simplifying the development process.

“In the past we had a design by committee where we actually had people argue about the radius of a curve on a Spanishlooking building,” Allevato said. “And here you have a property owner who has hired all these professionals on an hourly basis in these meetings that is costing them money, it is costing them time, and time is money when you are a builder.”

But in all three cities, balancing the monetary wishes of a developer or business with those of preservation, traffic and aesthetics of the community often times collide.

“More often than not … If the developer and community are not in sync, you have to figure out a way to reconcile differences,” Brown said.

THE WATER STRUGGLE For more than half a century, city and state leaders have been working to protect California’s water supply for future generations.

In south Orange County, where the overwhelming majority of municipalities rely on imported water, city leaders and water experts have kept a close eye on the goings-on at the state level but have taken their own steps to make sure residents have a reliable source of fresh water.

San Clemente, which imports nearly all of its water from outside sources, has embarked on one of the largest infrastructure projects in the city’s history to expand its recycled water system and treatment facility. The $25 million project will expand the city’s current system out to business parks, located in the ranchlands east of Interstate 5, and is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2014.

Dana Point, through the South Coast Water District, is also heavily reliant on imported water to service its more than 33,000 residents.

In addition to purchasing water, the SCWD has tapped into San Juan Creek with its own groundwater recovery plant, The Capistrano Dispatch January 10–24, 2014

which produces more than 834,000 gallons of potable water daily, providing for approximately 15 percent of the district’s overall need. Plans to add an additional well to support the plant could boost its daily output to 988,000 gallons, or 18 percent of the supply.

Both cities are also part of a regional partnership in the Doheny Desalination Plant, a project to build a facility at Doheny State Beach that could pull in up to 30 million gallons of ocean water a day, treat it and produce about 15 million gallons of potable water, providing for about 25 percent of the area’s needs.

San Juan Capistrano was an initial investor in the project, but their future participation is up in the air.

Although Metropolitan Water District of Orange County still considers the city a partner, in 2012, San Juan declined to provide funding for the project beyond their initial $660,000 investment.

Within the city, the debate over water has been a controversial one that has sparked a lawsuit, a complaint that could lead to a multi-million dollar class-action

Court judge ruled in favor of the CTA and declared San Juan’s water rates illegal because they violated Proposition 218, state law that requires rates to be relative to the cost of service. The city has since appealed the decision, and statewide, many cities and water agencies that also used tiered water rates are closely watching the case.

FUTURE GOVERNANCE FOR RANCHO MISSION VIEJO Residents have begun moving into the first of Rancho Mission Viejo’s five villages that when complete, with more than 14,000 homes, will rival the size of Rancho Santa Margarita.

The developers behind Mission Viejo, Santa Margarita and the unincorporated Ladera Ranch and Las Flores communities are on what they’ve dubbed their “last ride,” building up nearly 6,000 acres of land east of San Juan. While homes in the development’s first village are being occupied, the rest of Rancho Mission Viejo will be built out over the next 20 to 25 years.

But questions surrounding the area’s

Residents have begun moving into Sendero, the first of five villages in the 14,000 home Rancho Mission Viejo community, located east of San Juan Capistrano. Photo by Brian Park

lawsuit and an ongoing recall effort against Allevato.

San Juan Capistrano is one of the few cities in the region with its own water source, through its Groundwater Recovery Plant.

At its best, the plant could produce up to 5 million gallons per day, enough to provide half of the city’s needs during the summer and entirely during the winter.

“The more water that we can produce locally at a cheaper rate, the better position we’ll be in,” Allevato said.

However, save for its first full year of operation in 2006, the plant has failed to produce its intended output and city officials have since scaled back their expectations. The plant’s rising maintenance costs and low output have drawn the criticism of many residents. The city’s water rates, too, have been challenged.

The Capistrano Taxpayers Association, a local taxpayers’ rights group, sued the city over its tiered rate structure in August 2012. The group has long argued that importing water through MWDOC would be cheaper for the city and ratepayers.

In August, an Orange County Superior Page 5

governance, accessibility and educational facilities are being asked sooner, rather than later.

When it comes to the area’s governance, decisions regarding Rancho Mission Viejo’s options are in their infancy.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, established 50 years ago by the state, handles boundary changes, including incorporations and annexations of cities and special districts. Orange County’s LAFCO board is comprised of several local officials, including supervisors Pat Bates, Jim Moorlach and Todd Spitzer, but works independently of the county.

While the commissioners have begun meeting with local governments and stakeholders, Carolyn Emery, LAFCO’s executive officer, said the commission prefers incorporation.

But incorporating cities has become more difficult as state funding for new communities has all but gone away. A 2011 state law shifted vehicle license fees providing a financial boost to new cities toward law enforcement grants, making the incorporation process more difficult,

according to Emery.

However preemptive they may be, south Orange County leaders want to be in on the discussion.

Both mayors Allevato and Brown tried their hand at getting on the 11-member board and failed. They hoped another south Orange County representative, in addition to Supervisor Bates, would be present on the board as talks about Rancho Mission Viejo’s annexation or incorporation continued.

Currently, a city representative from a town no farther south than Fountain Valley is on the body.

“There is no appreciation for the issues of traffic, water, crowding and overcrowding,” Allevato said. “I feel there should be someone on LAFCO that is closer to the epicenter of the growth in this county.”

RESTORING TRUST IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT The leaders also broached some basic questions about their own philosophies in governing the city and how to balance the needs of the city and business community.

Brown said a general distrust of government had filtered down to the local level, in part because he was sometimes asked to work outside of what he considered his purview.

“We as local officials pay the price, because we are the closest to the citizens, and it has been reinforced literally on every level of government,” Brown said. “I feel as if when we begin to push ourselves into arenas where we aren’t welcome, we erode the trust in the areas we really should have our strengths. If we really focus on infrastructure, water, planning and the things that we should do very well … I think you can restore a lot of that trust.”

Some of that was born out in the relationship with the business community in each city. Allevato said he’s been asked in the past by developers or property owners about what he, in particular, would like to see.

“Obviously, I’m thinking about something that will bring revenue into the city because the city needs that to fix the streets, to turn the water on and to keep the police there,” Allevato said. “I’m not one to be stepping out of my bailiwick, of my expertise.”

Bartlett said this was something every leader needed to think about when it came to the economic impacts in their cities and balancing that with the desires of residents.

“If businesses want to come into town and they’re being overregulated … they will take their business and go elsewhere,” Bartlett said. “It’s incumbent upon councilmembers to create a good, healthy business climate—not to overregulate, to have reasonable building ordinances and to work in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and the business community. That’s what we do in our city and I’m sure in San Juan and San Clemente it’s the same, because every business you lose is a travesty.” CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES

Compiled by Brian Park

PROPS, RECOGNITIONS AND MORSELS OF INFO Garden Club Donates $1,500 to Friends of the Library The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library received a helping hand from a group of local green thumbs last month.

The Friends were presented with a $1,500 check from the San Juan Capistrano Garden Club on Sunday, December 1. The money will go toward improving the historic library, which is currently in the process of building a new bookstore.

The Garden Club, which has long participated in philanthropic efforts, set aside their annual holiday gift exchange in favor of donating to a community garden project.

The club ultimately decided to support the Friends, where many club members also are involved. The board gave members a $400 matching-fund challenge, but donations far exceeded expectations, totaling $1,100.

For information about the Garden Club, including membership, visit their website at www.sanjuancapistranogardenclub.com. To learn more about the Friends of the Library, visit www.sjcfol.org.

All Hands on Deck for Boys & Girls Club Holiday Program The Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley partnered with some local companies and supporters in December to reward children for their hard work in their classrooms.

Through the Operation Holiday Homework program, the club transformed three locations in south Orange County into their own version of Santa’s workshop for club members. The incentive-based program offered kids the chance to earn points by participating in comprehensive homework and educational tutoring sessions. The points were then redeemed to “purchase” holiday gifts for family members.

“It amazes me when you see children shopping for their parents and siblings as opposed to themselves,” said the club’s Executive Director James Littlejohn in a

release. “Through Operation Holiday Homework, they’re able to get this opportunity when otherwise they couldn’t afford it.”

In San Juan Capistrano, more than 200 members filled the club’s Via Positiva location to participate in the event, which was funded by San Diego Gas & Electric, Fluidmaster and Acts of Kindness. The Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation also donated more than 30 bicycles to the cause.

In Aliso Viejo, Fluor Enterprises, an engineering construction company, donated funds, as well as a small army of volunteers, to host more than 125 children. In Rancho Santa Margarita, the club’s newest site participated in the holiday program for the first time, thanks to Cox Communications, which provided volunteers and donated gifts gathered from their regional stores.

Motorcycle Club Donates Food to Serra’s Pantry The Capistrano Eagles Motorcycle Club continued its giving ways by donating 1,200 pounds of food and hygiene supplies to Serra’s Food Bank and Pantry on Saturday, December 21.

The local motorcycle club has been a longtime supporter of Serra’s Pantry, a nonprofit volunteer group at Mission Basilica Church that provides food and other household items to low-income families in south Orange County. The club typically collects and donates food to Serra’s Pantry twice a year, including their Christmas food drive.

For more information about Serra’s Pantry, visit their website, www.serraspantryoutreach.org.

interact and join in on family meals.

The students will be arriving in January for the second semester of school, as well as in August for the fall semester.

Interested families can send an email and resume to Mary Makena, CEH’s local coordinator for the Southern California region, at marym@homestayme.net or call 949.207.3395. For more information on the company and program, visit www.homestayme.net.

Fiesta Association Hosts Membership Mixer January 17

Cottage Home and Garden Celebrates 5th Anniversary

The Fiesta Association is hosting their annual membership drive on Friday, January 17, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at San Juan Hills Golf Club, 32120 San Juan Creek Road.

The event includes an Italian buffet dinner, music, door prizes and a no-host bar. Admission is $20 or free for guests who sign up that night. Annual membership costs $30 for individuals and $50 for families.

The Fiesta Association is the all-volunteer profit that organizes the famous Swallow’s Day Parade and all other events in the Fiesta de las Golondrinas season, including the Taste of San Juan, Kids’ Pet Parade, El Presidente Ball, Fiesta Grande and Hoos’Gow Day. The group’s efforts are completely funded by membership dues, donations and other fundraising activities.

For more information about the event, send an email to ninaleaone@yahoo.com or visit the Fiesta Association’s website, www. swallowsparade.org.

January marks Cottage Home and Garden’s 5th anniversary, and to celebrate, the eclectic Los Rios Street shop is offering special deals for their customers.

From Friday, January 17 through Sunday, January 19, owners and mother-and-daughter team Richelle and Sydney Rowland are offering free refreshments, promotions and discounts. On Saturday, January 10, at 10 a.m., Sydney will also lead customers through a free terrarium workshop.

Cottage Home and Garden specializes in gardening, home décor and women’s accessories. The store is located in the Los Rios Historic District at 31720 Los Rios Street.

For more information, visit www. cottage-home-and-garden.com or call 949.493.3920.

Host Families Needed for International Students

Members of the Capistrano Eagles Motorcycle Club delivered 1,200 pounds of food and hygiene supplies to Serra’s Food Bank and Pantry during their Christmas food drive. Courtesy photo

California English Homestay, a company that sets up international students with American families, is looking for two-parent host families for students who will be attending Capistrano Valley Christian High School in San Juan Capistrano.

The company pays participating families $1,100 per month to house students, preferably in private bedrooms. Host families should live within a 30-minute drive of the school and should provide a safe and clean environment where students will be able to

City Council Recognizes Stallions Football The San Juan Hills football team was recognized for their achievements on the field and in the classroom by the San Juan Capistrano City Council on Tuesday, December 17.

It was a season of many firsts for the Stallions. This season, the team won its first Sea View League title and won their first CIF playoff game. The Stallions finished the season with an overall record of 10-2 and made it to the CIF quarterfinals. In the classroom, the Stallions compiled a 3.21 grade-point average, including 15 players with GPAs of 3.5 or higher.

“That is awesome on so many levels and shows the commitment of these players on and off the field,” Mayor Sam Allevato said.

The San Juan Hills Stallions football teams poses for a photo with the San Juan Capistrano City Council. Photo by Scott Schmitt

The Capistrano Dispatch January 10-24, 2014

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www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY BRIAN PARK All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Monday, January 6 ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Ortega Highway/Camino Capistrano (4:24 p.m.) An off-duty emergency medical technician attended to a subject, whose speech was slurred and who was being combative, in a white sedan. The Orange County Fire Authority was notified.

CITIZEN ASSIST Paseo La Serna, 27300 Block (12:08 p.m.)

A caller said their neighbor had been pounding on their door during the middle of the night in reference to a parking dispute. The

caller was unsure if their neighbor was home at the time of the call.

Sunday, January 5 DISTURBANCE Camino Capistrano, 31700 Block (7:41 p.m.) Ten or more people were reportedly involved in a verbal, possibly physical, argument behind the Swallow’s Inn. The caller said they were too far away to give a description, but they heard a female screaming.

DRUNK IN PUBLIC Los Rios Street, 31300 Block (3:13 p.m.)

A drunken man dressed in all black clothing was seen lying on steps.

DISTURBANCE Avenida de la Vista/La Zanja Street (2:03 a.m.) A caller reported hearing men yelling while running up and down the street. The men were last seen running toward Calle San Francisco.

loud bangs to the left of her house but no fireworks were seen.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Rancho Viejo Road/Junipero Serra Road (5:25 p.m.) A caller reported seeing a white SUV pulling a U-Haul trailer that had stopped at the closed Goodwill Store.

An unknown number of subjects dumped bags, boxes and furniture at the location.

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE Mission Hills Drive/Rancho Viejo Road (1:14 p.m.) A red Honda was parked over the cub and in bushes. The passenger-side door was left open but nobody was seen near the vehicle.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Aguacate Road/Calle Roberto (1:08 p.m.)

Three males, described as being in their 20s, parked a white Honda Civic at the end of Aguacate Road to smoke drugs in the vehicle.

DISTURBANCE Southwind Court, 33100 Block (8:35 p.m.)

A caller said four juveniles were making noise and possibly destroying things near the pool house.

ROBBERY ALARM-AUDIBLE Ortega Highway, 27700 Block (11:51 a.m.)

The panic button at a location was triggered. Dispatch reported hearing voices on a two-way communicator, and although they received no response, it sounded like a normal conversation.

SHOTS HEARD-NO SUSPECT INFORMATION Paseo El Arco, 30800 Block (6:51 p.m.) A woman said she heard a couple

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Camino Capistrano, 31700 Block (9:13 a.m.)A caller said a man who hit him was

Saturday, January 4

refusing to exchange information. The man eventually provided his insurance information.

Friday, January 3 DRUNK DRIVING Calle Cartagena/San Juan Creek Road (9:59 p.m.) A car described as a dirty white Honda Accord was seen swerving into oncoming traffic. The car was last seen turning onto Calle Cartagena, and deputies later located the vehicle.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Paseo Del Puerto/Avenida California (4:54 p.m.) Two males were seen smoking drugs in a light colored pickup truck parked on Via California.

Thursday, January 2 DISTURBANCE Golf Club Drive, 30800 Block (10:10 p.m.)

Juveniles were hiding nearby the Marbella Country Club security station and throwing pinecones at the booth.

INVESTIGATE DEAD BODY Rancho Viejo Road, 31700 Block (4:48 a.m.) The Orange County Fire Authority responded to the scene of a dead person, who had died of natural causes. No CPR was given because dispatch reported having a “do not resuscitate” on file.

SOAPBOX VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

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34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.thecapistranodispatch.com The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 12, Issue 1. The Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch ) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (www.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 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

ART/DESIGN

OPERATIONS

EDITORIAL

Senior Designer > Jasmine Smith

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ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING

Business Operations Manager > Alyssa Garrett

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Senior Group Editor > Andrea Swayne City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Brian Park Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale City Editor, SC Times > Jim Shilander City Editor, DP Times > Andrea Papagianis

> Michele Reddick (San Clemente) > Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano) Locals Only Business Listing Manager

SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller, Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Victor Carno, Tawnee Prazak, Dana Schnell, Tim Trent

GUEST OPINION: By Mark Nielsen, former San Juan Capistrano City Councilman

Apartment Project at Odds with our High School Council’s approval would benefit a private developer at the taxpayers’ expense

O

n January 21, our City Council will be voting on whether to support a rezone and general plan amendment that could cost the taxpayers millions of dollars, add significant traffic problems and remove the one feasible chance for the future expansion of San Juan Hills High School. The Planning Commission recommended the project be denied, but the developer is counting on getting three city council members to ignore the recommendation and rezone the property from low to high density.

There is a proposal for a 100-unit apartment complex on 4 acres adjacent to the high school. The land is currently zoned for only four residential units, but the developer is leveraging the city’s desire for affordable housing sites to give the developer a “gift” to build 100 apartments.

Back in 2002, city staff found that the Whispering Hills/high school project had too many homes and reduced the number from 193 to 140 for many good reasons, not

the least of which was traffic and meeting the objectives of our general plan. The proposed 100-unit apartment complex would violate all of these original staff findings.

The traffic analysis for this project is inadequate, ignoring the fact that every high school in our area ends up well above its target student population. San Juan Hills will be no exception. This will result in even worse traffic than what has been analyzed. The traffic model shown at the council meeting in December did not reflect reality, as evidenced by numerous residents who live in that new development testifying about the real world traffic issues they face daily.

But the core problem is that to approve this plan, the city will be put in the position of enriching a private developer at the expense of the taxpayer.

The school could possibly use this land for parking or sports fields and expand the buildings on some of the current parking.

However, if the city grants the developer

a zone change, that action will significantly increase the value of this property. This places the developer in a better bargaining position with the school district over trading to build affordable housing in a much more appropriate place—namely, the Camino Las Rambles site for which the school district currently holds an option.

Increasing the value of this parcel by ignoring our Planning Commission will therefore result in us taxpayers (CUSD) losing millions of dollars of benefit that otherwise would go toward improving our children’s schools, or at the very least remove any future expansion of the high school. Let the developer trade with CUSD for the Camino Las Ramblas site without a rezone, so the city still gets affordable housing but not an inflated cost to the taxpayers.

Let us also not forget this developer still owes the city a couple million dollars of housing in-lieu fees because they did not include any affordable housing in the original project. This rezone would get them off the

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, email us at editor@capistranodispatch.com

during the election cycle. This is what occurred slightly over a year ago when thousands of residents voted me back into office for my third full term.

This current recall attempt by a small group of residents seeks to disenfranchise those voters’ decisions and is motivated purely by politics. Recalls should be reserved for public officials that have violated the law, committed ethical violations and such, not on one’s voting record.

I am embarrassed for my wonderful city because of this unnecessary and wasteful

recall attempt. The true embarrassment is that this recall attempt will cost our residents $100,000 for a special election in July or August, just months before the general election in November. Why not wait until November and allow the electorate to exercise their vote on a candidate’s voting record and decision-making?

Sam Allevato has lived in San Juan Capistrano for more than 37 years. He is currently serving his third term as mayor and was first appointed to the council in March 2004. CD

hook for paying the city this money and instead wrap it into a new project that will put further traffic and infrastructure burden on our city. This is just plain wrong.

Given that the traffic is understated, that the developer has no property right to a zoning change, that other sites are more appropriate for affordable housing, and the project would impose unnecessary future constraints on our high school’s ability to expand, costing our taxpayers millions of dollars, approval is just bad public policy. Tell your City Council members to just say “No.” Mark Nielsen is a local business executive who served on the City Council from 2006 to 2010, including one year as mayor. He has lived in San Juan Capistrano for 25 years. CD

GUEST OPINION: By Sam Allevato, San Juan Capistrano Mayor

Your Questions Answered Mayor Allevato responds to a resident’s letter

I

am responding to Mr. Jim Schneider’s letter to the editor that appeared in The Dispatch (“I Want Answers, Mr. Allevato,” December 27, 2013). In this letter, Mr. Schneider requested answers to several issues primarily dealing with the Groundwater Recovery Plant.

I can tell you, Mr. Schneider, the GWRP is now operating at a very efficient level, providing millions of gallons of drinking water daily at a cost less than what we pay for imported Metropolitan Water District Water per acre foot.

The Capistrano Dispatch January 10–24, 2014

Sam Allevato

The GWRP provides us with the requisite seven days storage capacity. This production capacity is comparable to the city having to locate and building three or four additional storage tanks, which would have come with a much

higher price tag.

I believe my decision making is something residents should consider, that is

Page 10

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX GUEST OPINION: By Derek Reeve, San Juan Capistrano City Councilman

The Real Groundwater Recovery Plant Byrnes has it right, regionalizing the plant is the way to go

I

was heartened to read Councilman Roy Byrnes’ article in Community Common Sense where he advocated the regionalizing of the groundwater recovery plant.

I have been advocating for the city to get out of the water business and to regionalize the GWRP for more than three years, and it was exciting to be joined by a fellow councilman. However, I recognized the letter would bring a fierce response from the council majority. Sure enough, it arrived under the name of Councilman Larry Kramer in The Capistrano Dispatch.

Kramer acknowledged regionalization sounded good, but he incredulously rejected it for not being cost effective.

To justify his absurd understanding of economics, he cited “facts” wrongly and attempted to distract our residents in the process.

Throughout our city’s history, the Metropolitan Water District has reliably supplied water from its Northern California and Colorado River sources. The MWD has operated for more than 80 years without a major outage. Today, it serves more than 19 million Southern California residents.

Kramer alleges the cost of GWRP water is the same as MWD water and that water from the GWRP has actually gotten cheaper. He contradicts the city’s own Utilities Director. At the August 21, Derek Reeve 2012 Utilities Commission meeting, Keith Van Der Maaten reported that the cost of water from the GWRP for fiscal year 2012 was $1,372.77 per acre foot after the $250 per acre foot MWD subsidy.

The OC Grand Jury reports on page 15 of its 2012-2013 report on water sustainability that the “all-in” cost of MWD water is $930.25 per acre foot. That is $1,622,783 extra cost to the taxpayers to produce water at the GWRP instead of buying MWD water.

According to Kramer, if the GWRP were to close, something neither Byrnes nor I have advocated, the city would be required to build three or four storage tanks to ensure that a seven-day supply of water is available. This is a farce. The city has a total of 10 reservoirs totaling about 15 million gallons of stored water. The Upper Chiquita Reservoir has a capacity of 244

million gallons, of which 10.15 percent or 24.75 million gallons is owned by the city.

The city also has two wells that produce 1.2 million gallons per day of potable water. This combined total already exceeds the needs of the city for seven days.

One thing Kramer and I can agree on is the purpose of the GWRP is to provide water whenever supply from MWD is interrupted; in other words, an emergency regional source of water serving all San Juan Basin Authority members. However, as Kramer acknowledges this, he votes to spend millions of your money to make the GWRP our primary source of water: a source that cannot sustain a proper level of output at a true cost we cannot afford.

Kramer completely ignores that the underground water supply is actually not being naturally replenished fast enough. He knows it is going to cost about $100 million more to save the underground supply from depletion and seawater intrusion. After all of the required fixes, the GWRP water cost will exceed $2,500 per acre foot when capital and operating cost of basin recharge is included. Your water bill will skyrocket.

By regionalizing the GWRP, the cost of the bond repayment and the GWRP

operating cost and underground basin replenishment can be shared by all SJBA members who benefit. This would cost the city considerably less than our “go it alone” strategy and actually decreases the cost of water for you, the customer.

Councilman Byrnes and I are at a distinct disadvantage in this debate. The council majority has your money to pay numerous lawyers, lobbyists and public relations experts to tell you what is in your best interest. Byrnes and I have two things however they do not: the truth and your good sense. Together, through a real American grassroots effort, we can reverse these bad policy decisions and unnecessary lawsuits, and once and for all, return your city government to you, the residents.

Derek Reeve has been a resident of San Juan Capistrano since 1998 and has served on the City Council since 2010. He is a husband and father of two children, who currently attend school in San Juan Capistrano. Professionally, Reeve is an attorney who has been a member of the California State Bar Association since 1996. He is a constitutional scholar and graduate of the University of Southern California, as well as Claremont Graduate University. CD

GETTING OUT

ON STAGE AT THE COACH HOUSE: RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED The sons of the late Ricky Nelson and members of Ricky Nelson Remembered, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, will play the Coach House on January 12. This family band honors the music of Ricky Nelson, as well as his work on the television show, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” with Ricky’s parents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and brother, David Nelson.

Matthew and Gunnar preserve Nelson history while continuing to drive the family’s musical legacy forward. With their 1990 number one hit “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love and Affection” they became the first musical family to have had three successive generations with number one hits in the U.S. The Ricky Nelson Remembered show goes beyond the music, immersing the crowd in family stories and videos. “Our show is like a mix between an A&E biography episode and an epic rock show.” Gunnar said. He went on to say he and Matthew are excited to play in California because they are “Cali boys who grew up in Laguna Beach near Lagunitas,” and are looking forward to coming back home. Check out Ricky Nelson Remembered for an entertaining, multi-media experience celebrating the Nelson family story.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at www.thecoachhouse.com or by calling 949.496.8930. The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. —Victor Carno

YOUR TWO-WEEK EVENT PLANNER

Courtesy photo

THE LIST

A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

friday

BEER TASTING 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Flights of the manager’s favorite beers at San Clemente Wine Company. Tasting includes bar snacks. 212 ½ Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.429.7067, www.scwinecompany.com.

10

FIVE VINES WINE BAR FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Celebrate a successful first year at Five Vines Wine Bar with free catered food, champagne toasts, live music and much more. 31761 Camino Capistrano, #11, San Juan Capistrano, 949.800.9145, www.fivevineswine.com.

SHOWOFF! INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL 8 p.m. Camino Real Playhouse presents seven original 10-minute plays onstage with the audience voting for the winner. Final show January 12. Tickets $24. 31776 El Camino, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

ALBERT LEE 8 p.m. Legendary British rockabilly guitarist at The Coach House, also featuring Instigator and Second Hand Smoke. Tickets $20. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

saturday

GOIN NATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD 8:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Student volunteers are invited to do community service at Los Rios Park including gardening and maintaining butterfly habitats. Bring Gloves, wear close-toed shoes.

949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

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COYOTES, SHOOTING STARS AND OTHER TALES OF THE OLD WEST 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Docent-led walk with stories on local history and more at The Reserve/ Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Admission $5-$10. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

The Capistrano Dispatch January 10-24, 2014

AN EVENING OF COMEDY & MAGIC 7:30 p.m. A fun-filled, family-friendly show of amazing mysteries and more in McKinney Theatre at Saddleback College.

General admission $32. 28000 Marguerite Pkwy., Mission Viejo, 949.582.4656, www.saddleback.edu/arts.

LOS LOBOS 8 p.m. The popular band plays The Coach House, also featuring Jonah Smith and Shawn Jones.

Tickets $39.50. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

SECOND STAGE STAND-UP 8 p.m. Comedy night at Camino Real Playhouse featuring popular weatherman Fritz Coleman and other professional comedians.

Tickets $15. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

sunday

12

www.danawharf.com.

FREE FISHING FOR KIDS Noon. A fishing lesson and more for kids at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794,

DC BABYLON 3 p.m. Rock and soul band at StillWater Spirits & Sounds. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

THE DIAMONDS AND BILLY RICHARDS’ COASTERS 3 p.m. Performances by one of the greatest vocal quartets in the history of rock ‘n’ roll as well as a legendary R&B group at Soka Performing Arts Center. Tickets $28-$33. One University Drive, Aliso Viejo, www.performingarts.soka.edu, 949.480.4000.

RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED 7 p.m. Tribute concert at The Coach House. Tickets $20. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

monday

13

SAN CLEMENTE JUNIOR WOMAN’S CLUB 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Meeting at the RIO Adult Day Health Care Center. 2021 Calle Frontera, San Clemente, 562.754.8072, www.scjwc.org.

FAMILY STORYTIME 7 p.m. Wear your PJs to the San Juan Capistrano Library and listen to bedtime stories Page 13

read by the National Charity League Sunshine Readers; fun for the whole family. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

SMOKEY KARAOKE 8 p.m. Take your turn onstage at BeachFire. 204 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.366.3232, www.beachfire.com.

tuesday

AUTHOR READING: CALIFORNIA HISTORY LECTURE PART 2 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

The second talk in the threepart program titled “Mission Indians, Yankees and Mariners: California History Reconsidered” at the San Juan Capistrano Library. Tonight’s talk is “The Golden State in the Civil War.” 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

14

CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Open house for prospective students at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools. 32032 Del Obispo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.5683 x109, www.cvcs.org.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8 p.m. Brio Tuscany Grille. 24050 Camino del Avion, Dana Point, 949.443.1476, www.briorestaurant.com.

wednesday

NATIVE AMERICAN BASKET WEAVING 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Experience the art of basket weaving, a Native American tradition, at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Free with admission. 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

15

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FARMERS MARKET 3 p.m.–7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba in San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.4700.

MIGRATORY BIRD LECTURE 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Free lecture on the efforts to conserve migratory birds throughout the world at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

(Cont. on page 14) www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 13)

thursday

GARDEN ANGELS 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet every Thursday in front of the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park to help maintain the garden. Bring Gloves and wear close-toed shoes. 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

16

friday

WINE TASTING 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Staff favorites for the New Year at San Clemente Wine Company. Tasting includes complimentary cheese and chocolate. 212 ½ Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.429.7067, www.scwinecompany.com.

17

FIESTA ASSOCIATION NEW MEMBERSHIP MIXER 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Fiesta Association meeting with a T-shirt design contest, Italian buffet dinner, door prizes and more held at the San Juan Hills Golf Club. Tickets $20; fee waived for new members who join. 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1167, www.sanjuanhillsgolf.com.

BALLROOM BASH 7:15 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Monthly event at the San Clemente Community Center featuring a lesson in East Coast Swing followed by open dancing to ballroom music, swing, Latin and more. Tickets $10, includes refreshments. 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente, 949.498.0233, www.ballroombash.com.

saturday

WHALE WALK AND TALK 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center hosts a 1.5-mile walk through the Dana Point Headlands conservation area. 34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

18

ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOUR 10 a.m. Discover 200 years of San Juan Capistrano architecture on a 90-minute guided walk that includes adobes, Spanishera dwellings and modern buildings. Meet at Verdugo Street. Occurs every Saturday. A $5 donation supports the Friends of the Library. For more info, call 949.489.0736.

THE ARK OF SAN JUAN PET ADOPTIONS 10 a.m.4 p.m. The Ark of San Juan will be showing rescued pets ready for adoption at PetSmart; dogs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and cats from noon- 4 p.m. 33963 Doheny Park Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org.

MURDER MYSTERY SCAVENGER HUNT 11 a.m.3 p.m. Teams are given a list of suspects and a packet of clues, riddles and puzzles, to explore Downtown Laguna Beach and eliminate suspects and discover “Who done it?” Starting point is Main Beach in Laguna Beach. Tickets $24.99. More info: 949.369.0329, www.murdermysteryscavengerhunt.com.

FROM THE TOP 8 p.m. Live filming of the NPR show featuring the nation’s top young classical musicians at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $20. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, www.scfta.org.

The Capistrano Dispatch January 10-24, 2014

AT THE MOVIES: ‘THE HOBBIT’ DRAGON DIALOGUE A HIGHLIGHT J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” is 276 pages shorter than “The Lord of the Rings’” appendices, but director Peter Jackson has expanded Tolkien’s slim volume into a nine-hour epic, broken into barely digestible 200-minute chunks and released at yearly intervals. Memory of the previous foray, An Unexpected Journey, has since been reduced to an interminable musical number about drunken dwarves washing dishes. Its sequel, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, is thankfully more memorable, if somewhat overstuffed. Jackson frontloads the movie with action set-pieces, as if afraid of boring his audience. Yet all this hacking and slashing throws into relief just how little the story is moving forward. Jackson has taken a picaresque tale and blown it up to a massive scale, but he can’t sus© 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. And Metro-Goldwyntain interest with orc beheadings alone. It’s not until the two-hour mark, when Mayer Pictures Inc. the titular dragon makes his appearance, that the film achieves the level of grandeur Jackson has been aiming for. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a sly performance as Smaug, and his interactions with Martin Freeman are the highlight of the film.

Smaug is a shrewd conversationalist, whose attempts to root out the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins’ intentions in a game of wits are more entertaining than when he inevitably starts breathing fire and the movie resumes feeling like watching someone else play a video game. The film ends on a cliffhanger, meaning it will be another year before we see how the protagonists defeat the dragon and Jackson defeats three hours of third act problems.—Quinn Conway

sunday

THE SERRA CHAPEL TOUR 11:15 a.m. Tour at the Mission in honor of Father Junipero Serra, who was born 300 years ago this year.

Offered Sundays. Admission $6–$9. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

19

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR 1 p.m. Meet at the Depot Platform for the Historical Society’s guided tour of San Juan Capistrano. Every Sunday. Cost $2-$4.

949.493.8444, www.sjchistoricalsociety.com.

MISSING PERSONS 7 p.m. the Los Angeles-based new wave band plays at The Coach House, also featuring The Reflexx and Sixstep. Tickets $15. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www. thecoachhouse.com.

monday

GARDEN CLUB MEETING AND AUCTION 10 a.m. San Juan Capistrano Garden Club meeting featuring a “Trash to Treasure” auction. Bring useable garden items to be auctioned to other members. 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1167, www.sanjuancapistranogardenclub.com.

20

tuesday

21

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME 11:15 a.m. Stories and fun for children ages 3-6 at the San Juan Capistrano Library.

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

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8 p.m. Brio Tuscany Grille. 24050 Camino del Avion, Dana Point, 949.443.1476, www.briorestaurant.com.

wednesday

22

Page 14

BILINGUAL STORYTIME 11:30 a.m. Stories in English and Spanish at the San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495 El

Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

CAPO FARMER’S MARKET 3 p.m.–7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba in San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.4700.

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 8 p.m. Orchestra performance featuring Grammy-winning conductor and violinist Pinchas Zuckerman at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $35. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, www.scfta.org.

PHIL VANDERMOST 8 p.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

thursday

23

www.ocpl.org.

READ TO A DOG 3 p.m. Kids can practice reading skills with a certified therapy dog at the San Juan Capistrano Library.

31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752,

SENIOR TWILIGHT DINNER 5 p.m. Seniors are invited to dinner at the Dana Point Community Center. Donation $8. 34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point, 949.248.3536, www.danapoint.org.

COCO MONTOYA 8 p.m. Blues guitarist at The Coach House. Tickets $15. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

THE KALAMA BROTHERS 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Iva Lee’s.

555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.

FORTY 2 9 p.m. Electric hip-hop group at StillWater Spirits & Sounds. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

*For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

Have an event?

Send your listing to events@thecapistranodispatch.com www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING

4

LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Monday 1.13

Tuesday 1.21

Thursday 1.23

Youth Advisory Board Meeting 5 p.m.

City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Utilities Commission Meeting 8 a.m.

City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Tuesday 1.14 Planning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Council and Successor Agency Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Wednesday 1.22

Monday 1.20 Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission Meeting 6 p.m.

City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

CUSD Board of Trustees Meeting 7 p.m. Capistrano Unified School District Office Board Room, 33122 Valle Road. www.capousd.org.

Friday 1.24 Coffee Chat 8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues, hosted by The Dispatch founder Jonathan Volzke. Occurs every Friday.

All are welcome. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano.

Next regular issue of The Dispatch publishes

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 By Tom Blake

Everybody Needs a Little Space Whatever your relationship situation, space is the key to longevity

T

wo couples in their 70s recently had lunch at Tutor and Spunky’s, my Dana Point deli. They appeared to be having a good time and enjoying themselves. When they left, one of the men lagged behind and said, “Don’t you write that dating column?” I smiled and said, “Yes.” He said that even married couples can have relationship challenges. He had been married 40 years and retired a year ago.

He said he didn’t properly prepare for retirement and was around the house nearly all of the time. “My wife and I are driving each other crazy,” he said.

Then he added, “I’ve got to do something that will get me out of house.”

I said, “That would be a good idea. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize the marriage after all of these years.”

His wife poked her head back in the door and said sternly, “We’re waiting for you, let’s go.” He looked at me and said, “See what I mean, even that bugs me.”

Not an hour later, another older gentleman introduced himself.

He said, “My name is Tom Vlahos. My wife Julie and I live in San Juan Capistrano. We like reading your dating column in the newspaper even though we’ve been married for 50 years. I’ve been retired 20 years and our marriage is the best it’s ever been.”

I told him about the comments the other man had made an hour before and asked him, “How do you and Julie keep your relationship so fresh?”

Vlahos said that both he and his wife are very involved in outside activities. He volunteers at The Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente and at Habitat for Humanity.

Julie volunteers at their church and is an avid quilter.

He said, “For a marriage to last, there The Capistrano Dispatch January 10–24, 2014

are times when you need space, to be away from each other. There is nothing negative about that.”

Tom’s comment made me think about couples who meet later in life and say they want to ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50 be together 24/7. That

By Tom Blake makes me shudder.

That’s just not going to work. They are going to smother each other and then part ways. Everybody needs space, particularly as we get older.

At the December Meet and Greet for singles over 50, I was talking to two women about what the men had said.

Carol added, “Every self-help book tells us to have a life of our own, and I thank the heavens I have followed this advice.”

Yvonne said, “Fewer people attend church or temple. Fewer socialize in other ways, like the old bowling leagues of the 1950s era. Fewer people go out to movies, instead preferring to watch DVDs at home. Our homes have become so comfortable that people venture out less than they used to. That can lead to marriage unrest. Too much time together.”

The simple lesson of today’s column applies to all couples—married or otherwise—and to single people as well. To be an interesting person, each needs to have individual interests that keep them occupied. We’ve all got to take a break away from each other on a regular basis. Then, when we do spend time together we will appreciate each other more, just as Tom and Julie Vlahos do—even after 50 years.

Giving each other space can be nearly as important to a relationship as time spent together.

To share your thoughts and experiences

on marriage, dating and relationships email Tom at, tompblake@gmail.com.

The January singles Meet and Greet gathering will be held Thursday, January 30 at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend. For questions about the event, call Tom at 949.248.9008. CD

Page 16

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

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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HELP WANTED SALES PERSON WANTED Picket Fence Media, owner of the San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and Capistrano Dispatch, is looking for an advertising sales rep to join our dynamic team. We’re looking for an organized, hard-working individual with a great personality who can create marketing solutions for local businesses and push for growth in both print and online media platforms. Ideal candidate will have prior experience with media sales. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Alyssa Garrett at agarrett@sanclementetimes.com.

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MOLD REMOVAL

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.1321 27126 Paseo Espada, Suite 1604, www.oasisair.com

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

BANKING Independence Bank 32291 Camino Capistrano, Suite A, www.independence-bank.net

949.373.8963

San Juan Photo & Digital 949.661.5668 32301 Camino Capistrano, www.sjcphotodigital.com

PLUMBING

COINS GraCorp Coins & Collectibles www.gracorpcoins.com

949.350.4692

ELECTRICIANS

A to Z Leak Detection www.atozleakdetection.com Chick’s Plumbing www.chicks-plumbing.com

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS Excel Electric - CA #793860 949.493.7769 32238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

949.496.9731

San Juan Hills Dog Walking Services 949.542.4981 Safe, Certified, Insured & Bonded, www.sjhillsdogwalking.com

ROOF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

HOME ORGANIZATION

Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc. 33208 Paseo De Cerveza, Ste. B

Karen Fischer, Professional Organizer, Get Organized and Move!

949.355.3487 www.getorganizedandmove.com

949.212.0499

SCHOOLS

JEWELER Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design 949.493.3632 32382 Del Obispo, Ste. C-3, www.abbysdesigns.com

LANDSCAPING

The Capistrano Dispatch December 27, 2013–January 9, 2014

949.499.4464

PROFESSIONAL DOG WALKING SERVICES

Excel Electric 949.493.7769 32238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

Vermeulen’s Landscaping Inc. bvland@cox.net

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.5388 31942 Paseo Sagrado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

949.661.0967

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools 949.493.5683 32032 Del Obispo Street, www.cvcs.org

TILE & STONE INSTALLATION/ RESTORATION Yorba Linda Tile & Marble, Inc. 714.757.3490 www.yorbalindatilemarble.com, CA License #789312

Page 16

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LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN “LOCALS ONLY” Call today! Contact Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SPORTS

5

& OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

JSERRA BASEBALL TO HOST LOADED TOURNAMENT

During the high school baseball offseason, there are a lot of individual showcases on display. So when JSerra head baseball coach Brett Kay decided to start an annual offseason baseball tournament, he wanted the focus to lie on players rejoining their team and playing as one.

In the inaugural year of JSerra baseball’s Martin Luther King Holiday Tournament, Kay and the other event organizers succeeded in gathering some of the top teams from Orange County and beyond to don their school’s colors and get back into the swing of high school competition.

“We wanted to do a team-type tournament. Understanding the colleges are on a quiet period on recruiting gives the high school coaches an opportunity to get their teams going,” Kay said. “The goal right now is to offer a super competitive environment for these teams to get ready for the season.”

Some of the top local teams competing will be JSerra, Aliso Niguel, Capistrano Valley, Mission Viejo and San Clemente. Kay estimates around 35-45 Division 1 committed athletes to participate. — Steve Breazeale

Chase Strumpf and the JSerra baseball team will host the Martin Luther King Holiday Tournament January 18-20. Photo courtesy JSerra Athletics

From January 18-20, 16 teams will take the field at eight different host venues to take part in the exhibitionstyle tournament.

Winter Sports Teams Prepare for League Play coaches polls.

That leaves the Lions, who reached the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals last year, under the radar.

The team has been led by senior midfielder Ivan Canales, who has 10 goals and nine assists, and junior forward Julian Font (nine goals, three assists). Font has been particularly effective of late and notched two goals in the Lions league-opening win.

The Lions will host Servite on January 15 and follow that up with a match against Santa Margarita on January 17.

By Steve Breazeale The Capistrano Dispatch

F

or many of the San Juan area high school winter sports programs, league play starts this week. Here at The Capistrano Dispatch, we will attempt to identify several teams that are primed to breakout in their respective leagues.

SADDLEBACK VALLEY CHRISTIAN The Saddleback Valley Christian boys basketball team has had the San Joaquin League on lockdown for the past two seasons and are the favorites to repeat in 2014.

The Warriors (9-5) have played in several high-profile preseason tournaments and have benefitted from a balanced offense, led by Miles Seward, Eric Rwahwire and Irshad Hunte. The Warriors went 3-1 overall at the Diablo Inferno Tournament in December, rattling off impressive wins over San Clemente, Foothill and Mission Viejo.

Not many teams in league can match up with the Warriors size and athleticism, which has them positioned for another deep CIF-SS playoff run.

were set to open league play with a game against El Toro on January 9. Results were not available at press time.

SAN JUAN HILLS The San Juan Hills girls soccer team has lost only one game in the preseason and recently drew to a 0-0 tie with No. 8-ranked JSerra on January 7.

The Stallions (6-1-3) are a very young team but seem to have taken the loss of 10 seniors to graduation in stride.

At the start of the season, head coach Farrel Moore pegged the team’s back line defense as a strong point and so far, the Stallions have not disappointed. In 10 games, San Juan Hills has conceded only three goals and has recorded four shutout victories.

The young Stallions team will have a tough road ahead in Sea View League play but should be able to be competitive, as their preseason effort has shown. They

JSERRA The JSerra boys soccer team has had an up and down start to their preseason, but in the end, they came out with a winning record against some tough opposition.

They have defeated the likes of Capistrano Valley, Santa Margarita and El Toro and opened up Trinity League play with a 3-0 win over Orange Lutheran on January 8.

The Lions (11-5, 1-0 league) split the preseason series with Santa Margarita who, along with Servite, should make up the top three in the Trinity League. In recent years, it has been JSerra and Servite battling for the top two spots in league, but this year, the Eagles have reaffirmed their position as a contender. The Friars and Eagles are currently ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, in the CIF-SS Division 1

The Capistrano Dispatch January 10-24, 2014

Miles Seward and the Saddleback Valley Christian boys basketball team are looking to repeat as San Joaquin League champions in 2014. Photo by Steve Breazeale

ST. MARGARET’S The Tartans girls basketball team has finished second behind Whitney in the Academy League standings for three years in a row, with their last league title coming in the 2010 season. But with an experienced core leading the charge, the Tartans (9-3, 1-0) could be in the mix for the league title in 2014.

Senior guard Julianna Coleman is having a breakout year that has seen her average 16.6 points per game, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

The Tartans opened league play on a positive note with a convincing 44-29 win over rival Crean Lutheran, who finished third in the standings one year ago.

The first big indicator of where the Tartans are headed this year will be a January 21 match against Whitney.

CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN The 2014 version of the Capistrano Valley Christian boys basketball team is the deepest squad that has taken the court under the guidance of head coach Zach Brogdon, which bodes well for the Eagles as they attempt to dethrone league juggernaut Saddleback Valley Christian.

The Eagles (7-6) have played a tough preseason schedule, highlighted by wins over Los Amigos and Garden Grove.

The Eagles finished second in the standings last year, and if they want to establish any kind of a foothold in the San Joaquin

Page 18

League, they will have to get past Saddleback Valley Christian. With the Eagles experienced roster and the strength of the team lying in the paint with Diego Smith and Trevor Cantarini, Capistrano Valley Christian might have more than a puncher’s chance in league play.

BPA HOLDING YOUTH FOOTBALL PASSING LEAGUE TRYOUTS

B

ig Picture Athletics, a locally based youth non-profit, is holding free tryouts for their spring 7th-8th grade passing league team on January 12.

What sets BPA’s passing league apart from other youth football programs is the incorporation of high school-style offense and defensive coverage, according to staff member and San Juan Hills High School athletic director Armando Gonzalez. Passing leagues traditionally feature seven players on offense attempting to execute plays against a defense, accumulating points along the way.

“This is great opportunity for athletes to transition to the high-school style because they do not get this level of exposure to the intricacies of the high school passing game and coverages while playing Pop Warner or in the local flag football leagues,” Gonzalez said.

BPA owner and founder JT Stone and staff will be on hand to run players through individual and team drills. Gonzalez estimates around 15-17 players will be selected to BPA’s elite team as well as a developmental team.

Players who make the team will practice and compete during the season, which runs from February to June. For more information, visit www.bigpictureathletics.com. CD —Steve Breazeale

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