July 24, 2015

Inside/Outside Refine Your Space: A Guide to Home Improvement SPECIAL PULLOUT

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE

FOUNDED IN 2002

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

JULY 24–AUGUST 13, 2015 • VOLUME 13, ISSUE 14

Raising the Bar Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano celebrates a decade of educating, supporting low income students E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 5

Students, teachers and supporters of Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano celebrated the program’s 10th anniversary on July 21.

Photo: Allison Jarrell

Commission Approves Skatepark Size, Location EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

OCFA Opens New Fire Station in Sendero EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC Seniors Win Gold at National Games SPORTS/PAGE 18

YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE

EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING announcement earlier this month that City Manager Karen Brust is leaving San Juan to accept a city manager position in her hometown of Encinitas. Brust’s start date is Sept. 1.

The council began the search for a new city manager in closed session on Tuesday.—AJ

New Fire Station Opens in Sendero

The 2015-16 Chamber of Commerce Board was installed July 9 at El Adobe de Capistrano. Photo: Allison Jarrell

What’s Up With...

Five things San Juan should know this week Commission Approves Skatepark Size, Location THE LATEST: The San Juan Capistrano Parks, Recreation, Senior and Youth Services Commission agreed unanimously on July 20 to expedite a recommendation to City Council to approve a proposed 20,000 square foot skatepark in the northwest end of the San Juan Capistrano Sports Park, located near the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, Del Obispo Elementary and Marco Forster Middle School.

The Monday night approval increases the previous skatepark proposal by 8,000 square feet; a 12,000 square foot design was approved by the commission on June 15.

Capistrano Grind organizer Nathan Banda said the increased space will allow for a better flow for skaters, as well as a section where young beginner skaters can practice.

Presentations of different layout and design options were made before the commission Monday night by Banda and Aaron Spohn, a Los Angeles-based skatepark advocate and designer. Capistrano Grind held a design workshop on July 16 at Mission Grill, where skaters of all levels contributed their ideas for the future park.

Banda said Capistrano Grind has been researching grant opportunities and will begin fundraising soon. The estimate for The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

designing and constructing such a park ranges from $700,000 to $900,000.

WHAT’S NEXT: For updates and upcoming events, follow Capistrano Grind Skate Park on Facebook. Questions can be emailed to nathankbanda@yahoo.com. —AJ

City Planning Director, Utilities Directors Resign THE LATEST: Director of Development Services Charlie View has resigned from his post at San Juan Capistrano City Hall.

Following approval by the Dana Point City Council on July 21, View will become Dana Point’s Interim Planning Manager.

View was initially hired as San Juan’s development director in December 2013 following 28 years of experience in municipal planning and development. View came to San Juan from the city of Brea, where he worked since 2002 as development services director and since 2010 as public works director.

Dana Point City Manager Doug Chotkevys said the city was “looking to hire the best and the brightest” to complement their current staff. View will work for Dana Point for a total of six months.

Steve Kooyman, Assistant Public Works Director, also submitted his resignation effective July 24, which comes on the heels of Public Works and Utilities Director Keith Van Der Maaten’s July 9 departure.

Van Der Maaten took a position as the new general manager of the Marina Coast Water District as of Aug. 3, and Kooyman has accepted a city engineer position at the city of Brea.

WHAT’S NEXT: The departures of Van Der Maaten, View and Kooyman follow the

THE LATEST: The 1,200 residents of Ranch Mission Viejo’s Sendero community, located in the unincorporated area of south Orange County just south of Ladera Ranch, received their own 10,000-squarefoot fire station this month, which will staff four firefighters—including two paramedics—a brush fire engine and a paramedic fire engine.

On July 16, the Orange County Fire Authority, Rancho Mission Viejo and the county of Orange celebrated the grand opening of Fire Station 56—OCFA’s 72nd fire station, which will serve the communities of Sendero, Rancho Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch and San Juan Capistrano, in addition to taking all of the calls out on Ortega Highway to the Orange/Riverside county border.

Located at the corner of Sendero Way and Antonio Parkway, the station cost about $5 million to construct and sits on a one-acre site that was donated to OCFA by the Rancho Mission Viejo Company.

WHAT’S NEXT: Rancho Mission Viejo Chief Operating Officer Don Vodra addressed the crowd with news of a new retail center, Sendero Marketplace, coming this fall at the corner of Ortega Highway and Antonio Parkway. He also noted the opening of Rancho Mission Viejo’s next community, Esencia, in the next 60 days, which will be home to about 3,000 residents.—AJ

Chamber Installs New Leadership, Honors Residents and Businesses THE LATEST: The San Juan Chamber of Commerce installed its new board of directors and president on July 9 at El Adobe de Capistrano, while highlighting exceptional businesses and members of the community.

Former chairman-elect Larry Thomas from Independence Bank was named the chamber’s new board chair, taking over for travel agent and tour manager Ann Ronan.

American Horse Products, owned by Jim and Diane Carter, was recognized as the 2015 Business of the Year “for outstanding service to the business community.”

Former mayor and current city council-

Page 3

man Sam Allevato was named Man of the Year, and former councilwoman Laura Freese, of the Heritage Tourism Association, was selected as Woman of the Year.

Allevato and Freese were honored for their dedication to preserving San Juan’s history while also working to keep the town vibrant and thriving economically.

Sona Kamberg was named the 2014-15 Ambassador of the Year, and Jennifer Wolf, Marbella Country Club event director, was recognized as the chamber’s best new volunteer.

WHAT’S NEXT: For more information, visit www.sanjuanchamber.com or follow San Juan Chamber on Facebook.—AJ

Bank Robber “Snowbird Bandit” Arrested in Rancho Santa Margarita THE LATEST: Orange County Sheriff’s Department Officials said in a Thursday press release that Randolph Bruce Adair, 70, also known as the “Snowbird Bandit,” was arrested at about 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Rancho Santa Margarita.

Adair is suspected to be responsible for five bank robberies in the last four months in the cities of Dana Point, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo and Ladera Ranch. His most recent robbery was Tuesday at the First Citizens Bank in Rancho Santa Margarita.

The OCSD press release stated Adair is a retired Los Angeles Police Department detective. According to the release, several family members of Adair contacted sheriff’s deputies, saying they recognized him from “recent media reports.” The Orange County Bank Robbery Apprehension Team was led to Adair with the help of family members.

WHAT’S NEXT: Adair has been arrested for robbery and an outstanding warrant and was booked into Orange County Jail.

He is being held on a $205,000 bail bond and investigators intend to pursue federal charges against Adair, the release stated.

Anyone with additional information is asked by BRAT to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714.647.7000 or investigators at 949.939.8699. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855.847.6227 or at www.occrimestoppers.org. —Eric Heinz FIND OUT MORE For more in-depth stories, and to read about issues such as the residents of El Nido Mobile Home Estates petitioning against a rent increase and the newest lawsuit filed against the city of San Juan Capistrano by the Vermeulen Ranch Center and Spieker Senior Development Partners, visit www. thecapistranodispatch.com. www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

A Decade of Raising the Bar

Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer

BY ALLISON JARRELL, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

nything is possible.

That’s the advice Raul Navarro would give a student who’s unsure about his or her academic future.

Navarro, a native of San Juan Capistrano, remembers being a seventh grade student at Marco Forster Middle School when he first heard about Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano. The teachers presenting to his class explained that the program was for high-achieving students, and right away he knew he wanted to be one of them.

After Navarro applied and was accepted into the program in 2008, he spent three years as a Breakthrough student before becoming a junior teacher in 2012. Fast forward three more years, and Navarro is back teaching seventh grade science at Breakthrough. Only this time, he’s returning from his first year of studying marketing at the University of San Francisco.

While he enjoyed being a junior teacher in the program, Navarro said it was his eighth grade Breakthrough teacher, Lorena Martinez, who really inspired him to give back to the program that helped him to pursue a college education. Like Navarro, Martinez also grew up a low-income student—the first in her family to go to college—and today, she is the outgoing executive director of Breakthrough after serving in the position for about three years.

“That’s something I really want to do,” Navarro said of Martinez’ work. “I just really want to help my community.”

TEN YEARS OF CHANGING LIVES Students, teachers and community supporters of Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano celebrated the program’s 10th anniversary at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School on July 21. The Breakthrough Collaborative has 27 sites nationwide.San Juan is the only location in Southern California.

Breakthrough is geared toward lowincome children who need additional academic support, Martinez said, in order to end a cycle of poverty in families and

Raul Navarro, Breakthrough Teacher, University of San Francisco

The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

By the Numbers 236 students served since 2006

141 teachers trained since 2006

94 percent of the class of 2015 headed to college

94 percent of students who are the first in their family to attend college

94

Students joke around while talking about Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano at the program’s 10 anniversary celebration July 21. Photo: Allison Jarrell

percent of students of color

88 percent of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals

85 percent of students

10 years serving the San Juan Capistrano community

5 schools served *Statistics courtesy of Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano.

communities. In essence, the program is designed to increase academic opportunities for highly-motivated, underserved students while putting them on the path to college.

The program began with just 22 students and six teachers in San Juan, and has since grown to 20 teachers, 81 students in the summer—rising seventh, eighth and ninth-grade students—and 120 students during the school year from seventh to 12th grade. All of the middle school students come from Marco Forster, and many end up at Capistrano Valley High School, Dana Hills High School, San Juan Hills High School and some at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School.

Over the last 10 years, Martinez said Breakthrough has expanded to offer more high school services, including a tutoring program which began two years ago at the

Lorena Martinez, Outgoing Executive Director

Boys & Girls Clubs of San Juan Capistrano. They’ve also added once-a-month meetings with high school students to ensure they’re on the right track and thinking about college preparation throughout the year.

“It’s just hard when you don’t have parents who went to college and don’t know what the steps are like,” Martinez said.

“I would say the majority of our students have parents who didn’t even go to high school in this country. So there’s a huge unfamiliarity with the college application process.”

Martinez said in the Capistrano Unified School District, about 20 percent of Latino, low-income students graduate with the requirements they need to apply to Cal State or UC schools.

“With all ethnicities, we find that kids come into high school and their grades go right down,” said longtime Breakthrough advocate and CUSD Trustee Gila Jones. “If that is happening for an average middleclass and upper-middle-class kid, what’s it like for the kid who has less academic support at home? Expansion into high school really makes a difference for them—that’s part of the lessons learned over 10 years.”

In the Breakthrough program, 94 percent of the class of 2015 is headed to college, and 94 percent of their students are the first in their family to attend college. Those numbers, Martinez said, are achieved with individualized attention, focused education and encouragement.

“These students need a lot of support,” Martinez said. “We’re able to start at a really young age here and build in that knowledge at a middle school level.”

A NEW CHAPTER FOR BREAKTHROUGH Breakthrough’s 10th anniversary brought with it a bittersweet goodbye for Martinez, who begins a new journey next week in the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s School Leadership Program.

Following her time as the program’s executive director, Martinez said she

Page 5

How to Get Involved Over the last year, Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano has implemented a new website, an annual online report and quarterly newsletters.

Fundraising is done on a year-toyear basis—organizers have to raise roughly $180,000 every year to keep the program going. Executive Director Lorena Martinez said funding often comes from foundations, donors, grants and corporate sponsors. St. Margaret’s Episcopal School covers about 50 percent of the program’s operating and overhead costs—including facility use and transportation—so all donations go directly to the program.

To learn more about Breakthrough, call 949.661.0108 ext. 342, email breakthroughsjc@gmail.com or visit www.breakthroughsjc.org. You can also follow Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano on Facebook or @BTSJC on Twitter. hopes to one day become a principal and begin incorporating Breakthrough’s work on a larger scale. Her hope is to combat the odds against low-income—a one in 10 chance of graduating from college.

“I was a low-income student myself and the first in my family to go to college,” Martinez said. “I knew that having that degree changed my life, so I strongly believe that education can change the lives of communities and families.”

Looking back at her time in Breakthrough, Martinez said she most enjoyed seeing her middle school students off to college.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Martinez says as she begins talking about Raul Navarro—about how he began as seventhgrader, already eager to learn.

“He’s a perfect example, after a great first year at the University of San Francisco…he’s an example of the ability for people to grow as leaders.” CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

Community Meetings TUESDAY, JULY 28

Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting 4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Cultural Heritage Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

Planning Commission Meeting

6:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Planning Commission discusses area development at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29

Downtown Farmers Market

3 p.m.–7 p.m. Fresh flowers, produce and specialty foods from around 40 vendors in downtown San Juan Capistrano, on the corner of Camino Capistrano and Yorba Street. Occurs every Wednesday. Visit www.farmersmarketsjc.com to find out more.

FRIDAY, JULY 31

Coffee Chat

8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs every Friday at Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano. All are welcome. Go to www. facebook.com/sjccoffeechat for more.

MONDAY, AUG. 3

Trails & Equestrian Commission Meeting

4:30 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Trails & Equestrian Commission meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. Log on to www.sanjuancapistrano.org to see the body’s agenda.

TUESDAY, AUG. 4

City Council, Housing Authority and Successor Agency Meeting

NEWS BITES COMPILED BY ALLISON JARRELL

City Meets Water Conservation Goals in May, June The city of San Juan Capistrano has seen a 26 percent reduction in potable water use in both May and June compared to the same months in 2013, according to Francie Kennedy, San Juan Capistrano’s Water Conservation Coordinator.

That means San Juan met state mandated requirements to use 24 percent less potable water than in 2013. However, Kennedy emphasized the need to continue those efforts on a citywide level. To view a copy of the city’s latest water ordinance and watering schedules, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Kennedy said the city’s water savings are thanks in part to the creative, practical solutions customers are using to save water, such as changing landscaping and recycling water for multiple uses. The weather, she added, likely had something to do with the uptick in conservation.

“Remember to turn off those sprinklers and take advantage of that bonus rain for at least a week,” Kennedy advised.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved the display of a water conservation banner at the intersection of Camino Capistrano and Del Obispo Street. Kennedy said smaller versions of the signage may pop up around town in the meantime, as the next banner opening on the city’s calendar

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY EVAN DA SILVA

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.

Thursday, July 16 DEFRAUDING AN INNKEEPER Paseo Isabella, 31600 Block (3:11 a.m.) A man was refusing to pay his cab fare and would not come out of his home.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino Capistrano, 31700 Block (12:19 a.m.) Police responded to reports of a man in his 50s wearing a white fedora who was bothering women on the dance floor and trying to put a white cloth over their faces.

7 p.m. The Capistrano Unified School District governing body meets at district offices, located at 33122 Valle Road. To see the board’s agenda, visit www.capousd.org.

FRIDAY, AUG. 14

Next issue of The Dispatch publishes The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

As Year Ends, New Rotary President Installed

(R to L) Previous Rotary president Dave Adams presents flowers, Rotary gavel and bell to new president Paul Fulbright and wife Susan. Photo: Courtesy of John Caldwell

Dave Adams passed the Rotary Club president’s gavel to incoming president Paul Fulbright on July 8. The annual midyear transition into the 2015-16 Rotary year occurred on the Matanza Street site where the Rotarians built, and today maintain, a Scout Hut for 14 Scout groups and English as a Second Language classes that meet there regularly. Prior to Fulbright’s installation, Adams, a former San Juan Capistrano city manager, presented information about 23 club projects fueled by over $51,000 in Rotary-raised funds and countless Rotarian hours.

Infiniti 250 from the Mission Viejo Infiniti dealership.

5 p.m. The city’s governing body meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto.

To see the night’s agenda, visit, www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

CUSD Board of Trustees Meeting

is in October.

For questions about water conservation, contact the utilities department at 234.4400 or customer service at 493.1515.

CITIZEN ASSIST Alipaz Street, 32300 Block (5:03 p.m.) A woman at the clubhouse was teaching her son how to swim in the pool. She said he was “being dramatic” and saying he was going to drown. A man, who lives near the site, approached her, berating her for being “too hard” on her son.

TRAFFIC STOP Camino Capistrano/Junipero Serra Road (1:33 p.m.) A woman began having labor pains while she was driving and requested for an officer to follow her to Kaiser Permanente.

WELFARE CHECK Avenida Aeropuerto, 26000 Block (11:13 a.m.) The caller said something was “terribly wrong” at the residence.

WELFARE CHECK Avenida Aeropuerto, 26000 (9:09 a.m.) The office requested officers to check on a resident who hadn’t been seen or heard from in four weeks.

Wednesday, July 15

Tuesday, July 14

STOLEN VEHICLE Rancho Viejo Road/Ortega Highway (5:45 p.m.) Police arrested a man for stealing a silver 2015 model

PEDESTRIAN CHECK Buckingham Drive/ Highland Drive (11:53 p.m.) Police located a subject who trespassed into a pool Page 7

Over the last year, such projects included financial support of large and small local nonprofit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, Great Opportunities, CREER and J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. Rotary also supported local families, some in need of food at Thanksgiving, toys at Christmas, and funds to cover funeral costs for San Juan family members tragically killed in a house fire. Other recipients were families of deployed Camp Pendleton Marines in need of baby clothes, furniture and household goods. Eight college scholarships and 10 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards were given in recognition of student achievement and high academic potential. Rotarians also sponsored the San Juan Hills High School Interact Club, a Rotary International service club for young adults.

Aside from local projects, San Juan Rotarians donated and presented 200 pairs of shoes to poor children in Tijuana, Mexico, and with three other Rotary clubs built a house in one day for a deserving family in Tecate. Elsewhere internationally, the San Juan club provided funds to support 800 orphaned children in Vietnam, and through Rotary International’s Paul Harris Foundation, it supported what will be some of the last steps in eradicating polio around the world.

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

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

area that had posted trespassing signs.

After conducting a consent search of the person and vehicle, three syringes were found.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Camino Capistrano, 31800 Block (10:13 p.m.) A patrol check was conducted for a subject who was unknown to people living in the area and using a flashlight inside a building.

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTY Via Dulcinea, 31500 Block (10:03 p.m.) Police conducted a patrol check for loud, foul-language music coming from the location.

PETTY THEFT REPORT Starrise Lane, 27500 Block (5:25 p.m.) A man told police he thought another man had stolen from him.

The man who possibly stole his property was in Orange County Jail and allegedly trying to sell the caller’s personal property.

Monday, July 13 DISTURBANCE Los Rios Street, 31400 Block (12:53 p.m.) A blind individual reported an argument going on between a man and woman. The woman had a restraining order against the man and he was not supposed to be at the location. www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

GUEST OPINION: By City Councilwoman Kerry Ferguson

Making History with San Juan’s Free Summer Trolley

S

an Juan is set to blossom like never before with the soon-to-come Mission Inn San Juan Capistrano across from our internationally renowned Mission San Juan Capistrano, a proposed Kimpton Hotel near Heritage Park, and more.

New businesses are already cropping up downtown, such as the recently opened Rags & Stones across from the Mission.

More and more, people are discovering what those of us who live here know already—San Juan has the finest array of restaurants and wine bars anywhere, many within a two-block radius.

Our new free trolley system is making new friends every day that it runs.

Already, ridership is meeting or exceeding our goals each weekend, and people who ride have nice things to say about it.

Tiffani from North Carolina wrote: “Our entire family enjoyed the ride and (we) are hoping to hop on again this weekend. We are looking forward to touring the Mission and learning more about the history of San Juan Capistrano...thank you for your kindness and conversation...it made our visit here even more memorable.”

Riding along last Friday evening, we saw pickups of whole families, as well as a

mother with half a dozen girls in tow, at the Residence Inn, at the Train Depot, the Park ‘n Ride and at the cluster of senior apartments on Rancho Viejo Road. All came into town to the stop at the Mission and to enjoy restaurants, the theater and shops.

With the new trolley tracker, you can check the location of the trolley every 30 seconds on your smartphone or tablet and plan accordingly. We never had to wait more than five to 10 minutes for it to come to our chosen stop.

The trolley takes a Kerry Ferguson proactive approach to bring residents back to our historic downtown for dinner and shopping, while also alleviating parking challenges, easing traffic congestion and improving air quality. This is a way residents can support the fine restaurants and shops in San Juan Capistrano and have fun at the same time by bringing the kids, making a fun senior outing or enjoying a couples’ romantic night out.

The trolley is primarily funded by grants from the Air Quality Management District, with only $3,680 coming from San Juan Capistrano’s general fund. The Mission

San Juan Capistrano and the Heritage Tourism Association provided all the marketing and graphics for the program.

Next year, we hope to extend it to outlying neighborhoods for pickups and drop-offs, as well as connections to Dana Point and San Clemente by applying for grant funding from the Orange County Transportation Authority. The trolley has the potential to stave off large investments in infrastructure that cut swaths through our cities and fail to make things better on the highways. If we can make it more fun to make trips north and south on the train, there will be fewer cars on the freeways.

Now’s the time to get on board—every Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also take the trolley to the next San Juan Summer Nights Concert from City Hall or the Park ‘n Ride. Use the trolley tracker at www.missionsjc.com and enjoy the ride! 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@the capistranodispatch.com

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Allison Jarrell, 949.388.7700, x108 ajarrell@thecapistranodispatch.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

Debra Wells, 949.388.7700, x104 dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@thecapistranodispatch.com BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@thecapistranodispatch.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

EDITORIAL

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

City Editor, SC Times > Jim Shilander City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale

TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS

The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Group Senior Editor, City Editor, DP Times > Andrea Swayne

Letters to the Editor —Virginia Vermeulen Germann, San Juan Capistrano Our family has been part of San Juan Capistrano since we began farming our property on Del Obispo Street in 1959, over 55 years ago. I was a young girl at the time. We operated our farm for decades until the economics of small-scale farming became financially impossible.

Contrary to some of the misinformation published last fall, the city has not always planned for our property to be used for agriculture. The property was formally designated by the city for construction of a neighborhood of homes—like those now built all around it. However, a previous City Council revoked our residential rights in exchange for a promise to compensate our family for the loss in value. Despite the best of intentions, that compensation never came. Several times over the past decades, the city has raised public funds to purchase development rights and preserve open space on otherwise developable lands. Each time the city possessed the funds, its officials and unelected ap-

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624

Special Projects Editor > Andrea Papagianis

Real Estate Sales Manager > Michele Reddick OPERATIONS Finance Director > Mike Reed Business Operations Manager > Alyssa Garrett Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines

ART/DESIGN SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller, Jonathan Volzke

Senior Designer > Jasmine Smith ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point)

The Vermeulen’s on their family farm in the early 1950s. Virginia Vermeulen Germann is the child pictured second from the right with her father, Charles, standing behind her. Photo: Courtesy of Virginia Vermeulen Germann

pointees postponed their commitment to our family and opted to buy other properties—both in and outside the city limits.

It was not until after the city used public funds to purchase Reata Park in 2009 that we pursued restoring our property’s value through a development project. We selected a partner known throughout the state for its operation of high quality, low impact Page 8

senior communities—where we hoped to retire with our friends and neighbors. We followed every application requirement and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the city to pay for its study of every aspect of the proposal. The project was approved only after city staff concluded (after over a year’s worth of study) that (Cont. on page 10)

CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Evan Da Silva, Jacob Onofrio, Dana Schnell, Alison Shea, Tim Trent,

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 13, Issue 14. 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 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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SOAPBOX Letters to the Editor (Cont. from page 8) the impacts of the project would be far less than those of the uses built around it.

After the approval of the project, a new City Council majority was elected. As one of its first actions, the council stripped our property of its new approvals, blocking the public vote they promised during their campaign. We do not fault the members of the new council for not understanding decades of city history and commitments related to our property. Several of them are new to city management or new to our town. However, their refusal to even meet with us to discuss alternatives has forced our family to turn to the courts for help.

It saddens us that for the first time in our family’s history, we are required to take legal action against the town we love.

It is not our objective to damage the city’s finances but simply to require the city to keep its commitment to either allow us to use our property, as they have our neighbors, or compensate us for the rights they have taken.

GRATEFUL FOR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY —Jill Ferguson, Dana Point I just want to take this opportunity to commend the Friends of the Library as The Bookstore turns one year old. This is a remarkable and beautiful facility. The change and the community feel of this store versus the old one is remarkable, as is the commitment of its volunteers. Does the community know what it has here? In addition to the beautiful new bookstore, the Friends do special events like concerts and author lectures.

Having personally volunteered at many special events over the last couple of years, I am personally disappointed by the lack of attendance and sense of appreciation in town for these outstanding cultural offerings. What’s sad is that the concerts will not be back next year if the community doesn’t show up.

I would encourage everyone to support the upcoming magnificent summer concerts on Aug. 1, Aug. 15 and Sept. 12, as well as the third Sunday author lectures on Aug. 16 and Sept. 20. Other great opportunities to show support are the First Friday Films and weekly Saturday Architectural Tours, all provided by the Friends of the Library. There is much to be grateful for in this community, and the hard work done by the Friends is one of them.

OVERPASS CONSTRUCTION IS DANGEROUS —Tony and Lina Saltikov, San Juan Capistrano We just finished reading “Overpass Construction Lags On” by Ted Ury (The Capistrano Dispatch, July 10-23). My wife and I could not agree more. I think that he has expressed the feeling of a lot of people that have to drive through there. I live up Las Ramblas and travel through that section at least twice a day. It is very dangerThe Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

South Coast Simcha Band performs traditional Klezmer and Yiddish music at the July 18 Multicultural Arts Series concert, hosted by the SJC Friends of the Library at the San Juan Capistrano Library. Photo: Allison Jarrell

ous dodging the barriers and watching for merging traffic. It is a big mess.

PLEASE CONSIDER ANOTHER SUBSTATION LOCATION —Jodey Dugan, San Juan Capistrano My home for the last 30 years on Calle San Felipe has bordered Serra Park. I and my neighbors can walk directly from our yard to the park. This park is where the tall power line towers are bringing the power lines out from the SDG&E substation, which is being proposed for expansion.

This park also has proven high EMF readings. In the last four years, I’ve had a neighbor on each side of my house diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Bob, only in his 60s, died within three months of diagnosis. He was an avid health nut and did triathlons. To make matters worse, Beth, my neighbor Wayne’s wife, was just diagnosed with a brain tumor and lymphoma. She is currently in treatment. Sadly, one more story, a beautiful little girl named Mattie who lives across the street from the substation on Calle Bonita is fighting brain cancer.

Is this just a coincidence—high EMFs and so much cancer? I’m neither a doctor nor an electrical engineer, but if I were to look for someplace to live, it sure wouldn’t be in this neighborhood. Once these stories get out, what is our property value going to be? We love our neighborhood, we love San Juan Capistrano, but what cost are we going to pay with our health and our home values?

Please consider another location other than this substation. As many folks have pointed out, there is a bunch of land just east of us.

EXODUS OF CITY STAFF SERVES AS WARNING —Ted Rosenfeldt, San Juan Capistrano The city of San Juan Capistrano employs staff members who serve us, the citizens.

Page 10

These hard-working individuals seek to keep their jobs, as all of us who are employed do. Up until now, our financial stability promised job security and our city’s strong reputation enhanced staff resumes because of the work they performed on behalf of residents. Alarmingly, when a city’s financial stability is threatened, or a city ceases to be respected, city employees leave for better opportunities.

The recent exodus of key city senior management, those who know our town’s financial operations and standing best, should serve as a warning to residents and a condemnation of the current City Council’s leadership. In the few months since the new council majority was seated and proceeded to broadcast their agenda, we have lost our City Manager Karen Brust, Planning Director Charlie View, Public Works Director Keith Van Der Matten, Assistant Public Works Director Steve Kooyman, Senior Inspector Bret Caulder, Emergency Services Coordinator Michael Cantor and other public servants. They weren’t fired. They quit. And you can bet more resignations are on their way.

Additionally, as a result of another questionable decision, we lost the representa-

tion of the county’s top public law firm, Rutan & Tucker. They were unceremoniously dismissed after they wisely advised the new City Council majority against pursuing their referendum activities—activities that are now being investigated by the Orange County District Attorney.

On top of the potential criminal liability caused by the council members’ actions, the half-baked referendum petitions they instigated have resulted in civil lawsuits that potentially will cost the city (that’s you and me as taxpayers) tens of millions of dollars.

Ideally, Mayor Reeve and his cocampaigners will soon recognize the need to moderate their approach to city management. Moreover, the nastiness and pettiness of small town politics should give way to reasonable and balanced leadership before we lose more valuable human and finite financial resources that we will never recover.

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@thecapistranodispatch. com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. The Capistrano Dispatch reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.

Home improvements, inside and out, can be daunting.

We are here to change that. Right in our backyard, are a pool of experts who can make home transformations—both small and large—a simple, enjoyable task with a big impact. Throughout the pages of our inaugural Inside/Outside issue you’ll find tips directly from local know-it-alls in landscape architecture, interior design, general contracting and more, who have shared their in-the-field experiences and expertise to help you refine your personal spaces.

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or a wanting-a-changer, our latest special project has tools for you to tackle tasks around the home to make your dream space a reality.

Home Improvement Made Simple // 3 Quick Do-it-yourself Projects to Liven Up Your Space 2 When it comes to freshening up a home, small changes can have a big impact. You don’t have to break the back either. Are you ready to revolutionize your bedroom? Or give your front porch a surgical-free facelift? Here are a few simple weekend projects that can provide the breath of fresh air your space needs.

Adding color to a room, be it with curtains, pillows or rugs, is a great way to lighten it up. You don’t have to commit to a painted focal wall. Instead play with various textures and shades of the color palette. Accent pillows can add a nice pop to your couch during the spring and in a guest bedroom come fall.

Nothing has to be permanent. Search for versatile pieces you can use around the house.

Sometimes making an exterior change can provide inspiration for revamping the rest of your home. Start by creating a warm and welcoming feel to your entrance. Give the front door a fresh coat of paint, switch out the door’s hardware and clean up the light fixtures. Even upgrading your house numbers can make a difference. Have some fun with it and pull in color by adding potted flowers and succulents.

Holes in the wall can be patched up and painted over—so, don’t be afraid to switch up your artwork and photo galleries. Incorporate varying frames, of different shapes, sizes and color. Remember, you create the rules. Blend personal photographs with a flea-market find, mass-produced print and your child’s latest artwork. Then, switch it up every so often by changing out pieces and pics. This is your gallery, curate.

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3

Flow from Inside Out

STYLE-SPIRTATION FOR CREATING THE IDEAL INDOOR, OUTDOOR SPACE Indoor-outdoor spaces provide the perfect opportunity to extend your living space. To help us find the ideal balance between style and comfort, from inside to out, we recruited San Clemente-based home and lifestyle designer Paula Oblen, who opened her house to share her design philosophy—one that seamlessly incorporates boutique-hotel inspired elements with the personal touches of home.

BY PAULA OBLEN, HOTELEMENTS PHOTOS BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS

DESIGN TIP Be true to your style. Toss rules aside. Mixing together styles you love is what makes the space

feel personal. Let your individual style lead your design style—if you love bohemian and modern, like I do, sprinkle in a bit of both.

When designing a space, think about creating an experience. Take a step back, throw out the rules and embrace a carefree, playful and comfortable approach to design.

Believe me. This casual vibe will shine through, creating a space both you and your guests will love to live in.

People don’t live in model homes. The perfect compliment is when a guest wants to remove their shoes and sink into your home. When it happens, you’ll know you’ve achieved the ultimate space.

DESIGN TIP Get creative with plants. Whether

succulents or colorful perennials, add life to your space with plants. Think about varying heights to add depth and interest to a space.

Simple plant or succulent cuttings from your yard make the space feel effortlessly put together.

DESIGN TIP Illumination is essential. Lighting is

key to creating the perfect ambience in any indoor-outdoor space. Incorporate candles. A simple votive can work wonders in a metal hurricane or glass cylinder. Use simple lighting to accentuate elements you want to bring attention to like plants, architectural elements, pathways or pools.

DESIGN TIP Do the unexpected. Bring design el-

ements you love inside … outside.

Infuse texture with throws, pillows, trays, objects and elements. Outdoor pillows are a great way to add color and comfort and our awesome California weather affords us the opportunity to throw a few indoor pillows outside.

DESIGN TIP Create a seamless transition. A well-de-

signed outdoor space should feel like an extension of your home. Think about how the space will flow. French doors create a clear and unobstructed view.

With the addition of textured, sheer drapery that catches the breeze, open doors add a light, airy feel to the room.

DESIGN TIP Create a neutral furniture foundation.

Look for a neutral outdoor furniture collection with deep setting. Modular pieces are versatile and can be easily rearranged to mix things up.

For the past 20 years, Paula Oblen has expressed her passion for style and design through residential projects drawing inspiration from boutique hotel spaces. Often finding herself gazing around a lobby or guest room, she would ask: How can I bring this feeling home? That question combined with notes scribbled on a cocktail napkin ultimately fueled the idea for Hotelements. Hotelements, 1001 Avenida Pico, Suite. C-219, San Clemente, 949.697.3944, www.hotelement.com.

iStockphoto.com

Avoid Construction Pitfalls // Take the Chaos Out of Your Next Home Improvement

BY NOLAN HARRIS, RIVERIA CONSTRUCTION

You interviewed contractors for a home improvement project, collected bids, signed the contract and paid a deposit—now comes the easy part. Think again.

From the customers, family and friends I talk to about home improvement, I find a large number have had a bad experience with the construction process or their contractor. Why is this? I believe there are three things that lead to homeowner headaches and put a strain on the customer-contractor relationship: a poorly defined scope of work, lack of a realistic or detailed construction schedule and an unexpected amount of customer involvement in the process.

Not to worry. There are easy ways to make the construction process simpler.

Go beyond the price.

When collecting bids we are all tempted by the lowest price. Look for a detailed proposal that includes all items you expect the contractor to provide. If something appears to be missing, ask. A good contractor will know and identify potential areas where extra work may be needed.

Let’s say you want to remove a window and install a set of doors. Did the contractor include the cost of rerouting electrical wiring around the door? Is the interior trim included? How about paint?

Where costs addressed for protecting your hardwood floors?

Small projects come with simpler price tags.

On large projects a contractor should be able to provide a rough estimate to help with your budgeting. Once you have selected a contractor, it is fair to expect the exact scope of work to be defined with associated pricing. Accurate job costing takes a lot of time—for an average size addition that could be well over 40 hours for the contractor.

Most contractors I know are good people, but we tend to be overly optimistic when it comes a project’s timing. Before construction, ask for a schedule. For the

window-to-door project, that could be a verbal confirmation of the door’s arrival or when demo, stucco and drywall could be completed.

On a larger project, such as a kitchen remodel or an addition, a written construction schedule is critical. This helps the homeowner know when decisions need to be made, when materials provided by the owner need to be on the job and when to schedule that end of project party.

Home projects take time.

Schedule time during the day when work is being performed to look over the project. Get to know the people working on your home. Expect weekly meetings with the contractor. The investment of your time is equally important as the investment of money to get the results you want.

In order to ensure a successful project, take the time to come up with a solid plan. Then, take that plan and follow it—it’ll help you avoid the surprises and chaos that remodeling can bring.

Nolan Harris settled in San Clemente 14 years ago and began Riviera Construction, a general contracting company specializing in residential remodels and outdoor living spaces. Nolan enjoys surfing with his family and watching his boys play soccer.

127 Avenida Aragon, San Clemente, 949.412.5325, www.rivieraconstruction.com.

Owners of this contemporary San Clemente beach home reached out to Paradise Design, Inc. to give the home some needed curb appeal.

Designers removed the traditional lawn and got creative with the yard’s tight constraints. Large steel planter boxes and ceramic pots were installed to create a formal entry and an at-grade drip system was put in to maintain the low-water needing ground coverage.

EcoScapes: Designing for Our Future

CONSUME LESS, CONSERVE MORE WATER WITH A SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE The installation of low to no water landscapes isn’t a new practice.

But recently, here in the severely drought-punished region of Southern California, residents and municipalities are turning away from lawns and tropical landscapes and embracing ones closely tailored to the state’s desert environment. Whatever we choose to call it—xeriscape, water-conserving, drought-tolerant or sustainable—low water yards are trending.

We talked to Don Kansteiner, a landscape designer with the San Clementebased Paradise Designs Inc. to get insight on sustainable landscaping and water-saving measures in the yard.

What is sustainable landscaping? What can be done to make a yard sustainable?

As a landscape designer, I too have

been behind as far a sustainable landscapes go. Being open minded is the first step in the application or transition to sustainable landscapes. It is a practice that has been in place pretty much forever, but was lost in the throes of new, new, new and new.

In terms of residential landscapes, there are many improvements that can be made to create a sustainable yard: the use of permeable materials, native or adaptable plant installation, improvement of soil conditions, rain water capture and reuse, material sourcing from local suppliers, reuse of recycled materials, use of small turf areas and irrigation system improvements.

Did you know using native plants improves insect and bird cultures? Throw away your hedge trimmers. Design and allow plants to grow into their full cycles. This creates healthier plants and contributes to the other life cycles that depend on plants.

How can sustainable elements be incorporated without an entire landscape overhaul?

Hot topics now are turf and irrigation.

Irrigation can be improved to reduce water loss and increase water efficiency with better application and management. This can be done with sub surface and drip systems, or by using matched precipitation nozzles on existing systems.

The use of native grasses, or low-water use ground covers can reduce maintenance and its related impact—fuel and chemicals—and can provide a new look that actually changes with the seasons.

Synthetic turf has its place, but I am struggling a bit with its long range impact. As a comparative, I am using less and less plastic bags and bottles every day.

With our state’s water crisis, how can outdoor water usage be trimmed immediately?

A quick example: I live in an older home where it takes almost 3 gallons of water to get hot water to the shower. I now put a bucket in the shower, capture that water and use it in my courtyard planters, herb pots and curbside planter. By doing this two times a day, I will save 2,100 gallons over a year and repurpose it to the garden.

In most cases, an irrigation audit and

system review with recommended improvements by a landscape contractor is a great place to start finding the “leaks” in your garden.

Are there long-term measures that can be taken in the yard to conserve this natural resource?

There are too many to mention and more are being discovered and created.

It all starts with a design that includes the practice of sustainable landscape right from the beginning. This takes an open mind and a new way of looking at the landscape for a lot of us.

We do live in a desert here in Southern California, and the yards are not all large, but the impact is huge by the sheer numbers of houses. I love the “Think Globally, Act Locally” slogan when it comes to sustainable landscapes.

Who knows, we might even help the bees and the butterflies.

Don Kansteiner designs landscapes for Paradise Designs—a full-service landscape design, construction and maintenance company owned by brothers Tom and Jeff Garton. Started in a Dana Point garage 25 years ago, Tom and Jeff built Paradise on family. They’ve since shaped a team of designers, project coordinators and crew members who create their clients’ paradise. Paradise Design, Inc. 1395 Calle Avanzado, San Clemente, 949.498.2155, www.paradisedesigns-inc.com.

Give Waste New Life // Skip the Landfill and Recycle Construction Debris When taking on a large home project, be it landscaping or remodeling a kitchen, it is vital to consider where materials come from and where they go. Recycling what you can both inside and out has its benefits—it means less waste, lowered costs and more diversion from area landfills.

When demolishing a wall, kitchen or entire house you’ll likely find local requirements to divert recyclable construction and demolition debris from county landfills. Such waste, according to a 2008 waste characterization study, makes up 29 percent of California’s waste stream. All south Orange County cities have ordinances on the books to keep recyclable

materials out of the trash.

Contractors and homeowners completing a residential project in Dana Point of more than 150 square feet must obtain a permit and haul at least 75 percent of construction waste to a recycling facility. San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano also have a permitting process but only require at least 50 percent of waste to be recycled at city-certified facilities.

Tearing out a kitchen? Appliances, drywall, flooring and wood can be transported to the Prima Deshecha Material Recovery Facility. Redoing the roof or giving the front yard a facelift? Tierra Verde Industries will take your landscaping materials,

lumber and wood shingles.

Heavier materials such as asphalt, concrete and rock can be recycled at Greenstone Materials, Inc. where 100 percent of disposed materials are crushed, tweaked, scalped, screened and recycled for a new life and purpose. These recycled products become a top choice for materials to be used underneath structures, pavement, concrete, paving stones and even landscape bedding.

Before embarking on that next house overhaul, look into ways to reduce the project’s footprint by salvaging debris and utilizing recycled materials when possible.—Andrea Papagianis

Greenstone Materials, Inc. in San Juan Capistrano recycles asphalt, concrete and rock and gives it new life for home, road and landscaping projects.

Courtesy photo

Pipe Problems // Answers Straight from the Plumbing Expert Dripping faucets, clogged drains, running toilets and water leaks are unavoidable.

At some point in time, we all encounter plumbing problems.

To answer a few questions about do-it-yourself fixes and preventing costly pipe issues, we asked Clay Robinson, a technician at Chick’s Plumbing.

Here’s what he had to say.

How can a homeowner prevent costly plumbing repairs?

Have your home inspected once a year by a licensed plumber and stay on top of any plumbing problems that are brought up. Have preventative maintenance done to anything that may

need it—area drains, mainlines, water filtration systems, filter changes, etc.

Are there do-it-yourself or quick fixes for dripping faucets, low-water pressure, running toilets, and clogged/slow drains?

For faucets, replace cartridges and stems once a year. There really are no quick fixes though. To maintain good water pressure, clear aerators that are typically found at the tip of faucets. When it comes to running toilets, dye test them. Put food coloring in the tank. If you see the color in the toilet bowl after about 5 to 10 minutes, the flapper and/ or fill valve may need to be replaced. If the toilet is 10 years or older, you should replace it. To prevent clogged and slow drains, set up a maintenance program with a plumber that you trust for them to come out every 4 to 6 months to snake and/or jet your line.

Clay Robinson

When problems arise, when is it time to call a professional?

Anytime you see or hear water running when all the fixtures are off, call a plumber. If you feel warmth coming out of your floor, and you don’t have a radiant heating system, then you should call a plumber.

Chick’s Plumbing has provided quick, reliable and quality service to south Orange County residents and businesses for more than 35 years. From 24/7 emergency repairs to kitchen and bathroom remodels, Chick’s technicians are fully equipped to handle every plumbing need. Chick’s Plumbing, 34172 Doheny Park Road, Capistrano Beach, 949.496.9731, www.chicks-plumbing.com.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

HELP WANTED DANA POINT MARINA INN Laundry person, Housekeepers, Admin Assistant, Front desk, Reservations agents. Pay based on experience. Apply in person. 24800 Dana Point Harbor Dr. LINE COOK Responsibilities include: Prepare menu items in accordance to set standards. Ensure cleanliness of kitchen, coolors and storage. Basic cooking skills. Food handler certification. Apply in person. Tijeras Creek Golf Club, 29082 Tijeras Creek, Rancho Santa Margarita.

WEEKEND HOUSEKEEPER Las responsabilidades incluyen: servicios de limpieza, baños, pisos de casa club, trapear, aspirar... ventanas, basura. Sábado y domingo 7:00-3:30 aplique en persona. Apply in person.

Tijeras Creek Golf Club, 29082 Tijeras Creek, Rancho Santa Margarita.

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD HERE Call 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

WANTED HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED Local area home needs a housekeeper for 2 days a month. Must be dependable w/references. Please contact 949-361-9910

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@thecapistranodispatch.com DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

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

AUTOMOBILE REPAIR

Star Motors

32959 Calle Perfecto, 949.443.1970, www.star-motors.com

BANKING

Independence Bank

32291 Camino Capistrano, Ste. A, 949.373.8963, www.independence-bank.net

ELECTRICIANS

Excel Electric

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

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

Excel Electric - CA #793860

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

JEWELER

Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design

32382 Del Obispo, Ste. C-3, 949.493.3632, www.abbysdesigns.com

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

San Juan Photo & Digital

32301 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.5668, www.sjcphotodigital.com

After-Hours Electric

Ca Lic #697355 714.396.2188, 949.573.8386, www.bbb.org The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

YOUR BUSINESS HERE! Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100! Write-up of 50 words with logo.

Call Debra Wells at 949.589.0892 or e-mail dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

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PLUMBING

Chick’s Plumbing

949.496.9731, www.chicks-plumbing.com

ROOF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc. 33208 Paseo De Cerveza, Ste. B, 949.212.0499

SCHOOLS

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

LIST LOCALS ONLY

USE LOCALS ONLY In print and online 52 weeks a year.

View online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

The List

is limited. To RSVP, call 949.497.8915 or email lori@lagunabeachhorselovers.com.

For more information, visit www.lagunabeachhorselovers.com.

What’s going on in and around town

Friday | 31

COMPILED BY STAFF

Friday | 24 SUMMER OF THEATRE: GREASE 7:30 p.m. The Saddleback Community College Performing Arts Department performs Grease July 24-25. Seating opens at 6 p.m. and is first-come, first-served, with priority seating available for $20. The event will be held outdoors and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Picnic meals are permitted. Parking and admission is free. Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, 949.582.4656, www.saddleback.edu/arts.

Saturday | 25 AVENTURA COMEDY SHOW 7 p.m. Comedian Lowell Sanders—a national comedy club headliner currently touring with Tim Allen—and host/ opener Joey Bielaska—will present a comedy show with the Aventura Sailing Association to benefit Olive Crest for the prevention and treatment of child abuse.

Meet and greet starts at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include two house drinks. Appetizers will be available for purchase. Aventura Sailing Association, Dana Point Harbor, 24707 Dana Drive, 949.493.9493, www.aventurasailing.com.

At The Coach House: Iron Butterfly COMPILED BY STAFF

I

ron Butterfly was formed in San Diego in the late 1960s and rose to worldwide fame with a sound amplified by strong guitar and keyboard performances and exemplified by the revolutionary attitudes of the youth during that era. The band will be playing at 8 p.m. at The Coach House on Friday, Aug. 21, with doors opening at 6 p.m.

On Jan. 22, 1968, Iron Butterfly debuted their first album Heavy, which stayed on Billboard’s album charts for nearly a year.

Iron Butterfly released their next album InA-Gadda-Da-Vida six months later on June 14, 1968. The album features a 17:05-minute track and received global accolades. According to the band’s website, In-A-GaddaDa-Vida outsold every record in the history

The Capistrano Dispatch July 24-August 13, 2015

Actors portray an array of characters from Shakespeare’s A

Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo: Jacob Onofrio

FRIDAY, JULY 27: SHAKESPEARE UNDER THE STARS: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 7:30 p.m. Enjoy everyone’s favorite Shakespearean comedy under the stars. Theatregoers are invited to bring folding chairs and a picnic to enjoy before and during the performance at the Historic Town Center Park. Snacks and refreshments will be available for sale at intermission, or guests can purchase food to-go from one of San Juan’s many restaurants beforehand. The prettiest picnic each night wins a prize. Tickets are $15. Shows run July 24-26 and July 31-Aug. 2. Historic Town Center Park, 31852 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

Sunday | 26 THE 29TH ANNUAL DANA POINT CONCOURS 9 a.m. Peruse more than 400 beautiful cars at this Porsche celebration in Lantern Bay Park, presented by the 365 Club of Southern California. Judging begins at 9 a.m., lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. and an award presentation takes place at 1 p.m. 25111 Park Lantern Road, Dana Point, www.356club.org.

of recorded music within the first year.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida stayed on the Billboard charts for 140 weeks, with 81 weeks in the Top 10, a bio on that band’s website reads. “To date, the album has sold in excess of 30 million copies and remains an undisputed classic in the archives of rock with DJs and audiophiles worldwide,” the site states.

Within a year, Iron Butterfly released their third album, Ball, which surpassed In-AGadda-Da-Vida, and reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard, staying on the charts for 44 weeks, according to the band’s website.

Iron Butterfly’s next two albums, Live and Metamorphosis, each reached the Top 20 as well. Iron Butterfly was the first band to produce a platinum album, meaning they sold more than 10 million copies of the record, and has sold records that went four-time multi-platinum.

Drummer Ron Bushy said he would like to say “hello” to all Iron Butterfly fans and is glad that Iron Butterfly is back at The Coach House.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES STABLE TOUR 3 p.m.-5 p.m. In honor of National Parents Day, two San Juan Capistrano stables and the Laguna Beach Horse Lovers will be holding a free, family-friendly, behind-the-scenes stable tour in San Juan Capistrano. The event will include a greeting by equines, a view of classical horse training, a demonstration by a top trainer and a performance by young members of the Bridges Pony Club. Admission and parking are free. Call in advance as space

Iron Butterfly.

The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano.

Tickets are $20 and dinner reservations with priority seating are also available. For tickets or more information, call 949.496.8930 or visit www.thecoachhouse.com. CD

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ONCE IN A BLUE MOON HIKE 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Join The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo for a summer night hike under the light of a blue moon. Learn about what makes a blue moon unusual and what other rarities can be found on The Reserve. Ages 8 and up. $10 for adults, $5 for kids, free for supporters and RMV residents. Participants must be registered by 4 p.m. on July 31. The Richard and Donna O’Neil Conservancy, call for directions, 949.489.9778, www.rmvreserve.org.

Saturday | 01 FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY CELEBRATES RICHARD HENRY DANA 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

The SJC Friends of the Library will host a special event commemorating the 200th birthday of Richard Henry Dana, author of the classic memoir, Two Years Before the Mast. The celebration includes the annual Crazy Croquet tournament officiated by the U.S. Croquet Association; an author lecture, book signing and reception with David T. Dana III about his book Into the Tiger’s Mouth: A Novel of the China Trade, 1857-1863; a mid-1880s Southern California Shore Whaling Exhibit; “A Historian’s Look Back at Dana’s Three Lives; “A Culinary Journey Around Cape Horn;” and “A Musical History of the American West and Richard Henry Dana’s Human Rights Legacy” in the library courtyard.

The Bookstore, 31495-A El Camino Real, 949.493.2688.

TWO STEPPING UNDER THE STARS 6 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition and Blenheim Facility Management will host the third annual Two Stepping Under the Stars on the grass fields of the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

Live music will be provided by the Kelly Boyz, food and drinks will be available for purchase, and kids can enjoy an array of games and activities. The event also includes a silent auction and raffle, with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to the San Juan Capistrano equestrian community. Free line-dance lessons begin at 5 p.m. Admission is free and open to the general public. Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, 27174 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.395.8349, www.sjcec.org.

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 PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Business Beat News from San Juan Capistrano’s business community COMPILED BY STAFF

NOW OPEN RAGS & STONES 26850 Ortega Highway, Suite 1 949.290.9112 www.facebook.com/ragsnstones Located across from the Mission, Rags & Stones boutique officially opened its doors on June 7. Owners Melissa Hudson and Kristi Ritoch are excited to work with San Juan customers, offering bohemian chic clothes, accessories and jewelry at affordable prices.

“We love San Juan,” Hudson said. “It’s a great little town. And our business was needed; there wasn’t anything like it.”

Hudson has been in the business for 30 years and previously owned two boutiques, which she sold. Rags & Stones is the first store Ritoch has owned.

“We’re very trendy and constantly get new merchandise,” said Hudson. “There’s

always something new and fun.”

In particular, the boutique carries a lot of products crafted by local artists and tries to support them as often as possible. Hudson and Ritoch hope to eventually expand Rags & Stones into San Clemente and Dana Point. For now, the owners said they enjoy meeting new people, offering their services as stylists and helping women feel their best.

“I’ve already had repeat customers telling me they got a lot compliments. They want me to help dress them again,” Hudson said.

Rags & Stones is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rags & Stones boutique in downtown San Juan celebrated its official ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce on July 11. Photo: Claire Sussex

RIBBON CUTTING COURTESY SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 32881 Camino Capistrano 949.373.0100 www.courtesycdjroforangecounty.com Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Orange County took ownership of San Juan Capistrano’s Orange Coast Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership in October 2014. Most recently, the business celebrated its official ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce in June.

Currently, Courtesy owns three dealerships—one in San Juan, one in San Diego since 2007, and the flagship dealership in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona dealership was founded in 1955 and has been familyrun for 60 years.

“The family-oriented business is the backbone of our operation,” said Roland Schreiber, general manager of the San Juan dealership. “We want to create a comfortable and friendly atmosphere for both customers and employees.”

Schreiber has been in the dealership business for over 30 years and moved to San Juan from the Phoenix location.

“I know we do good job taking care of

Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Orange County held a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce on June 17. Photo: Allison Jarrell

customers,” said Schreiber. “It’s part of our daily routine. We treat all customers like family. They should get a good deal and experience whether they know employees or not.”

Schreiber said he hopes to reach out to San Juan customers and to create a revenue-generating business for the city.

“I hear a lot from customers that this was the best car buying experience they’ve had and they didn’t know the process could be this fun,” Schreiber said. “There’s a negative connotation with buying a car, but we make it easy and fun.”

Courtesy is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.—Katherine Nowicki

GUEST OPINION: Four Kids and a Dog by Elizabeth Bottiaux

Fat: Why it’s a Bad Word in Our House

S

wimsuit season has arrived. Ready or not, thousands of nearly nude sunshine seekers of all ages are flocking to beaches and pools. As moms, we must decide if we’ll partake or watch from the sidelines.

I grew up skinny. Never thought twice about what I put in my mouth. Friends joked that I had a tapeworm because I could eat anything I wanted and never gain an ounce. But, by high school, I’d developed an unhealthy relationship with food. I had to be skinnier. Smaller. Obsessed about the size of my newfound teen curves, I spent hours in front of the mirror, at the gym and pouring over weight loss literature.

As a kid, I remember my mom dieting constantly. Mom wasn’t obese but wasn’t thin either. She was always trying to lose weight. Weight. Diet. Calories. Fat. These were all words that were common in my home growing up. While my mom didn’t force any of us kids to diet, she was careful to provide low-fat food. Strangely enough, there was little or no emphasis placed on exercise.

To my wholehearted dismay, junk food rarely crossed the threshold of our childhood home. No sugar cereals, no chips or packaged cookies. The standard afterschool snack at our house in the 80s was graham crackers and apples. Every

The Capistrano Dispatch July 24-August 13, 2015

single night we choked down dark, leafy green salad with chopped scallions and vinaigrette.

Thin is in. Just standing in line at the market, we are inundated with magazine covers telling us how to lose weight.

Society seems to be dabbling in plus-sized, curvier bodies, but slim still wins.

I realize the impact that we, as moms, have on our children. Kids are always watching, imitating us. As a mom, I’m extremely cautious about how and when I use that F word, especially around my daughters. In FOUR KIDS our house, fat is a word AND A DOG we try to avoid.

By Elizabeth I don’t want any of Bottiaux my kids to develop unhealthy relationships with food like I once had. I want them to eat nutritious foods and exercise to be fit. We talk about making good food choices and living active lives. When they want ice cream for breakfast, we discuss how that’s not a healthy choice for our bodies.

And they’re watching; there are four impressionable young kids who are eyeballing me. The struggle is real.

On our family vacation, I was quite aware that all of those 5:30 a.m. cycle classes

hadn’t quite done the trick. Instead of hiding out in a cover-up poolside, I got out there. My kids and I took full advantage of the hotel waterslides and pools. I was definitely self-conscious about the bikini situation. However, it was more important to make lifelong family memories than worry about bulges and misplaced jiggle.

So, to the old man with whom I recently crossed paths at Costco, who slowly looked me up and down, then with squinty eyes proclaimed, “Well, I can tell that you like to eat.” Yes. Yes…I do. Thank you for noticing, and I shall continue to eat. I will model healthy food choices, exercise and

bravely go where no mom in a bikini has gone before, all in the name of blazing positive trails for my kids.

Elizabeth Bottiaux is mom to four small humans, ages 4, 6, 8 and 10. She’s a San Clemente resident and has lived in Orange County for the past 16 years. She publishes a blog, www.fourkidsandadog.com, about family life in our tri-city area. 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 Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR Solution:

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

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SJC LIVING GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor

Healing Spaces—Why We Feel Better Among the Trees

“I

t is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.”—Robert Louis Stevenson We are a product of nature; through thousands of years of adaptation and endless interactions with the natural environment, we are intrinsically linked to a relationship with nature. A body of research is mounting regarding the positive effects of contact with nature on our physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Think tree therapy.

Breathe, relax, wander, touch, listen and heal—welcome to forest bathing. Introduced in 1982 as a prescient move by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing, encourages people to visit and spend time in the forest. Current studies and research suggests spending time outdoors and in forests makes us healthier by supporting increased cerebral blood flow, strengthening immune defense and decreasing stress levels.

Studies also show that spending time around trees, or just looking at trees, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety and depression and naturally gives us an overall feeling of calm. How does this work?

According to studies cited in an article

by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, when we breathe in fresh air, we breathe in phytoncides—airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect themselves from rotting and insects.

The article, “Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health,” states: “Phytoncides have antibacterial and antifungal qualities, which help plants fight disease.

When people breathe in these chemicals, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK. These cells kill DIRT THERAPY tumor- and virus-infected

By Marianne cells in our bodies. In Taylor one study, increased NK activity from a three-day, two-night forestbathing trip lasted for more than 30 days.

Japanese researchers are currently exploring whether exposure to forests can help prevent certain kinds of cancer.”

Spending time in nature helps us focus.

Nurturing and caring for a garden allows us to slow down, focus better and renew our ability to be patient. We are busier than ever with technological advancement and the demands of jobs, family and school. Keeping up with life is sometimes hard to do, but a regular walk in the park or garden will calm the spirit and reduce

anxiety and stress.

Studies have also shown that children who spend time in natural outdoor environments have a reduction of fatigue and behavioral outbursts and have better focus. School recess couldn’t be more important—studies show juvenile diabetes rates drop when children spend less time

“

We are busier than ever with technological advancement and the demands of jobs, family and school.

Keeping up with life is sometimes hard to do, but a regular walk in the park or garden will calm the spirit and reduce anxiety and stress.

”

on computers and watching TV and take to the great outdoors. It’s hard not to burn calories when you’re running around in nature—maybe that’s why our moms kicked us outside when we were acting up inside the house. Running around outside burns calories, reduces stress and lowers cortisol, which is the culprit in diabetes.

Get your shoes on and come for a

walk at Los Rios Park; bring the kids and dog and enjoy the sights and sounds of songbirds and Monarch butterflies. Take a seat at a park bench and breathe in the phytoncides of the old oak and sycamore trees. Better yet, get into the dirt and become a garden volunteer at the Los Rios Park. We meet every Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Watch your stress melt away and the smile on your face grow.

Want a longer walk with winding trails?

Visit Reata Park and Event Center with numerous trails and California native gardens. Breathe, sit, ponder and daydream under the massive oaks, California peppers and sycamores.

Want to get involved? We’re looking for weekly docents to share this experience of local tree bathing—connecting community with nature while benefiting your well-being. Not a bad tradeoff. For more information, visit www.goinnative.net.

Goin Native Therapeutic Gardens is a 501(c)(3) teaching gardening and life skills as a way of empowering, engaging and connecting people through special outreach programs. Goin Native focuses on educating local families, special needs adults, seniors, at-risk youth and members of the military. 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.

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

Marriage vs. Living Together, an Age-old Question for Seniors

I

n May, my significant other, Greta, and I took a 15-day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. On the boat, the first question people asked us was “Where are you from?” The second was “How long have you ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50 and Greta been marBy Tom Blake ried?”

The boat had 190 passengers. Most of them were married couples ages 50 to 80.

They just assumed that we were married.

To avoid a lengthy explanation of why we aren’t married, we’d usually reply, “We’ve been together for 17 years.”

From there, the conversation would segue into “How many children do you have?” again assuming that we had a bunch of kids together.

Greta would answer, “I have four children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.” I wouldn’t answer the question because I have no kids.

From there, the conversation would The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

turn into disbelief that Greta looks too young to have three great-grandkids. By then, I could distract the marriage conversation by commenting how good the Austrian wine was or point out a historic castle up on hill that the boat was passing.

Sometimes I am asked, “Why aren’t you married?” I suppose I could answer, “Why should I be?” But if I am feeling particularly devilish, I get out a tissue or hankie, pretending to dab my teary eyes and say, “Greta won’t marry me.” That makes the person who asked the question feel bad and they quickly change the subject.

The true reason we are not married is we like our relationship the way it is.

We have been together for 17 years. Why change? We see no advantage to being married for us. Besides, we’ve both been married more than once before.

A month ago, I created a Facebook page, titled, “Finding Love after 50,” which has grown to 280 members. One member posted the “Marriage vs. living together?” question. Two men responded.

Gordon said, “At my time of life, in most

cases, I do not think marriage is the best answer. Exceptions could be if you want your future spouse to be included on your health plan and they will not cover unless you are married. Living together is fine; however, if further commitment is wanted, there is always a commitment ceremony done by many churches or independently.”

Kenny said, “I’m kind of leaning toward the fastest-growing relationship style for the older boomer ‘folk.’ It’s called a LAT relationship (acronym for Living Apart Together). The premise is you love each other to bits, travel together and are totally committed and perceived by all your friends, family and social circle as a couple, but you maintain separate residences and do not mix money or children.”

Christine Baumgartner, an Orange County dating and relationship coach (christine@theperfectcatch.com), who is also a member of the “Finding Love After 50” Facebook group, said, “Most people in the 50 to 80 age group I coach are very interested in being in a committed, longterm, monogamous relationship and not

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interested in getting married. The reasons vary from financial to property to living arrangements.

“I stress to the couples who make the choice to not marry the necessity of a few legal arrangements: health directive, power of attorney, etc. If either person becomes incapacitated or dies, someone will need to be legally responsible, and it won’t matter how long you’ve been together, you will have no way to legally help your partner if there isn’t something legally in place.”

So, when you see older couples holding hands, they may or may not be married and it really doesn’t matter.

Tom Blake is a San Clemente resident who has authored three books on middleaged dating. To read Tom’s previous columns, see www.FindingLoveAfter50. com. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com.

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Seniors Snag Gold at National Games

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he USA 80 senior basketball team has plenty of miles on their roster’s physical odometer. Some of the players, who are all over the age of 80, have knee replacements; others have pacemakers. There are even cancer survivors in their ranks.

Many would point to those ailments and use them as an excuse to stop being active. The San Juan Capistrano-based team refuses to accept that notion.

The team headed to the 2015 National Senior Games in Minneapolis last week and successfully defended their age-group title, winning the tournament’s championship match over a team from Texas by 12 points on July 15. The USA 80 team entered the tournament as the reigning champions of the biennial event.

Team player-manager and San Juan Capistrano resident Bob Messersmith’s trophy case has grown over the years. Decades ago Messersmith and a few other players founded the team with the goal of winning at every age level possible. The team has won national and international tournaments at the ages of 65, 70, 75 and 80.

This year’s effort proved to be the sweetest one of all.

“We like to think we’re setting a goal for people to get off the couch,” Messer-

smith, 82, said. “You can do it. I don’t care how old you are. We proved it … It can be done.”

Messersmith said that the feat was remarkable, considering they entered the five-day, 3-on-3 tournament a little banged up.

Seven players were scheduled to make the trip, but just weeks before they left Messersmith had to have surgery on his knee and remained in California. Messersmith, not wanting to miss out on his duties as in-game manager, made daily, sometimes hourly, calls to his team from his bed. When USA 80’s next opponent in the tournament was announced, Messersmith would make a call to his players with a game plan already set. He has been competing on the senior basketball circuit for roughly 20 years, and he said he knew certain teams and their players, which helped the group prepare for games.

The execution came down to the six players who took the court halfway across the country. Messersmith said the team was led by Don Salado, a former Fresno State men’s basketball standout and member of the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame, and Duf Sfredo, who Messersmith referred to as the “heartbeat of the team.”

Bill Voegpli, Joe Durrenberger, threepoint specialist Ernie Miller and Conrad Bohnen, the team’s oldest member at 85,

The San Juan Capistrano-based USA 80 senior basketball team won the gold medal in their age group at the 2015 National Senior Games on July 15. Photo: Courtesy

rounded out the squad.

“It seemed like somebody stepped up each game,” Messersmith said. “We were the underdogs this year because we were older, but we had a couple young guys that helped us and really came through.”

In pool play, USA 80 lost twice to the Texas senior team. The two losses earned them a lower seed in the tournament’s knockout rounds, but they were able to rally and exact revenge on the team from the Lone Star State by winning two more games against them, including the final match.

Team USA 80 plays pickup games three times a week at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center gym. Because they are

Scoreboard

Stanton, Alex Lunt and Kai Cameron. The team is coached by Justin Kroeze.

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

GOLF San Juan Hills High School’s soon-to-be senior Emily Lichty teed it up alongside some of the top amateur players from the area at the 94th Los Angeles City Women’s Golf Championship at Rancho Park Golf Course July 10-12 and came away with a solo 18th-place finish.

Lichty, a San Clemente resident, opened the three-round tournament with rounds of 78-77 to put her at 8-over-par. After making the cut, Lichty carded an 82 (+9) to finish with a total score of 237.

Alice Jeong, a junior on the Cal Berkeley women’s golf team, won the event with a 2-under score of 217.

Lichty had a breakout junior season for the Stallions that saw her medal six times and place fi fth in the South Coast League finals. Lichty also qualified for CIF-SS Individual play in 2014.

WATER POLO The Orange County Water Polo Club’s The Capistrano Dispatch July 24–August 13, 2015

all so active year-round, they were able to outpace the rest of the field at the tournament, proving again that when it comes to senior basketball, they are the team to beat.

“We can run and (our opponents) fade at the end of games,” Messersmith said.

“We do a lot of running (in pickup games) and that really helps our endurance in this age group … that really made the difference this time. To be able to accomplish this we are quite blessed, especially with the support of the city and community.”

Messersmith said the team plans on regrouping for the 2017 National Senior Games, where they will lace it up in the 85-year-old bracket. CD

San Juan Hills High School’s Emily Lichty placed 18th at the Los Angeles Women’s City Golf Championships this week. Photo: Courtesy of the Lichty family

boys 14U team recently qualified for the 2015 National Junior Olympics, which will take place in Orange County from July 25 to Aug. 2.

The club, which draws players from San Juan Capistrano, joins 95 other teams from across the country vying for the

top spot. The tournament’s finals will take place at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine.

The team includes: Tommy Kennedy, Preston Sanders, Ty Matson, Adam Engelke, Aiden Sullivan, Ryan Farrier, Will Clark, Colton Gregory, Cole Borlin, James Page 18

VOLLEYBALL The 949 Volleyball Club had a successful run at USA Volleyball’s Boys Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio June 28 to July 5.

The local club sent three teams to the tournament and all three earned medals.

The boys 15U team defeated a team from Puerto Rico in the finals to claim the gold medal in the open division. The 15U team went a perfect 11-0 at the tournament, defeating Huntington Beach and Manhattan Beach in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

The club’s 17 Black team placed third in their open division and the 17 White team won gold in the club division.

The 15U gold medal-winning team includes: Nathan Bowman, Brandon Browning, Sam Burgi, David Chou, Kevin Kobrine, Andrew McSweeney, Patrick Paragas, Diego Perez, Patrick Vorenkamp, Ian Warner, Griffin Webb and Patrick Wynn. The team is coached by Kari Pestolesi and McKay Smith. www.thecapistranodispatch.com