August 8, 2014

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

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICEFOUNDED IN 2002

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Capo Girls Softball All-Stars Finish Fifth

at Nationals SPORTS/PAGE 18

Incumbents File Papers for Reelection Run, Edison Sets Time-line for SONGS Decommissioning

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

4th Annual West Coast Film Festival Returns

to San Juan Capistrano EYE ON SJC/PAGE 6

E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 8

A PREVIEW OF RODEO WEEK, RANCHO MISSION VIEJO RODEO

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 4

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO AUGUST 8-21, 2014 • VOLUME 12, ISSUE 15

Downtown Hotel Project Against the Ropes

A tie vote hinders the San Juan Hotel & Villas project but the developer remains committed

The latest rendering of Urban Village’s San Juan Hotel & Villas project. At the San Juan Capistrano City Council’s meeting on Tuesday night, a plan to allow homes in downtown failed, halting the project. But the developer said he remains committed. Courtesy of Urban Village

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON SJC

All 3 City Council Incum-bents File Election PapersTHE LATEST: With all three incumbent San Juan Capistrano City Council members having turned in their nomination papers, the deadline for other potential candidates is fi rmly set for Friday, Aug. 8.

Both Councilmen Derek Reeve and John Taylor fi led their papers with the re-quired 20 signatures on Thursday, July 31. Councilman Larry Kramer fi led his papers on Monday, July 28.

As of press time, Thursday Aug. 8, the three candidates are joined by four others who have fi led papers: Kerry Ferguson, a former school teacher and owner of a tutoring business; Stephanie Frisch, a former Chamber of Commerce executive and insurance agent; Jan Siegel, a Cultural Heritage Commissioner and active volun-teer; and Rob Williams, the former chair of the Planning Commission.

WHAT’S NEXT: Four potential candidates have yet to turn in their papers. They are Greg Acho, owner of a digital marketing business; Kim McCarthy, a candidate for City Council in 2012 and editorial board member for the local watchdog newspaper Community Common Sense; Jim Schneider, a geologist and council candidate in 2010; and newcomer Pam Patterson, who pulled papers Monday, Aug. 4.

The remaining potential candidates have until 4:30 p.m. to fi le their papers at the City Clerk’s offi ce.

FIND OUT MORE: For an update on the fi lings, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – Brian Park

Mexican Market Facing Closure Buys More TimeTHE LATEST: A popular Mexican grocery store on the brink of closure has bought itself more time but now must work with the city of San Juan Capistrano to fi nd a solution to its parking confl ict with nearby businesses.

Mercado El Rey and property owner Dan Malcolm received a temporary stay on a court-ordered injunction that called for the market to close on Friday, Aug. 1. The market and Malcolm had been seek-

ing the Planning Commission’s approval for a permit to establish a shared parking plan but were denied 3-0 last Monday.

The issue stems from a lawsuit brought on by Dan Friess, owner of Friess Prop-erty Investments and landlord to several tenants near the market. He successfully sued to have the City Council’s 2011 ap-proval of the market overturned, arguing that the market had insuffi cient parking and that delivery trucks obstructed his tenants.

WHAT’S NEXT: Friess argued that the market has been illegally using a outdoor storage for market operations. He said it could be converted into six additional parking spaces. Laura Hess, attorney for the market, indicated her client would be willing to convert the area for its intended use.

The commission voted down the permit without prejudice allowing the market and Malcolm to immediately come back to the city with a new request. Gina Austin, Mal-colm’s attorney, said she’s been trying to work with the city, although appealing the commission’s decision to the City Council was also an option. – BP

Edison Provides Early Timeline for SONGS DecommissioningTHE LATEST: Southern California Edison is hoping to complete the demolition of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station by the end of 2032, which the utility estimates will cost $4.4 billion.

Both the timeline and cost estimate

are among details in a draft version of the post-shutdown decommissioning activities report released last week.

The utility has $4.2 billion in a decom-missioning trust fund to pay for the process.

The timeline provided by the company currently indicates that spent nuclear fuel, currently in cooling pools, would be transferred into dry-cask storage by June 2019. Edison’s preliminary timeline indicates fuel would be held in dry-cask storage though the end of 2049. The utility then would take three years to restore the property and terminate its easement with the Department of the Navy.

WHAT’S NEXT: The report will be the subject of the next meeting of the utility’s Community Engagement Panel meeting. The group was scheduled to meet Aug. 14 in Oceanside, but that meeting has been postponed and no new date or location announced. – Jim Shilander

CUSD Hopes to Find Middle Ground on School ImprovementsTHE LATEST: The Capistrano Unifi ed School District Board of Trustees received its annual look at its facilities master plan, including an overview of all the needs of its schools, last month but fi nancial issues put into doubt how much of the plan can actually be accomplished.

During their meeting on Wednesday, July 23, the trustees unanimously agreed that keeping schools at a similar state would be their chief concern.

But Trustee Anna Bryson said the district should not expect to receive any funding from the state next year and that much of the funding for facilities updates must come from either community facili-ties districts or facilities bonds.

Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton noted that the master plan included some ambitious elements and that not all of its recommendations are expected to be acted upon.

San Clemente Mayor Tim Brown was in attendance and urged the board to return excess funds to Talega residents from a 2006 refi nancing of a CFD, stating that it wasn’t fair to them to not receive their fair share of the funds.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board asked district staff to provide them with more specifi c information about each school’s needs. A vote on the Talega CFD funds is likely to come in August. – Steve Sohanaki

Reata Park to Serve as Temporary Fire Station

THE LATEST: The Reata Park and Event Center will serve as a temporary base of operations for the Orange County Fire Authority during the upcoming closure of the Ortega Highway overpass.

As part of the ongoing Ortega/In-terstate 5 interchange project, Caltrans is scheduled to close Ortega, from the bridge to Del Obispo Street, for about three weeks, starting in mid-September. Construction crews will be realigning Ortega to curve into Del Obispo.

During that time, OCFA will be allowed to use a portion of the city’s newest park to mitigate any delays in emergency service to the eastern portions of San Juan Capistrano, following the City Council’s unanimous approval on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

OCFA Station No. 7, located west of the overpass on Del Obispo Street, will have limited access during the closure.

WHAT’S NEXT: The temporary station will be operated 24 hours a day and will house a fi fth wheel trailer, a fi re engine, a temporary awning and three OCFA personnel, including a paramedic. It will cost OCFA between $15,000 and $20,000 to operate the station. The city will provide trash and water service for about $647.50. – BP

What’s Up With...Five things San Juan should know this week

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 8-21, 2014

Mercado El Rey, a popular Mexican grocery store in San Juan Capistrano, remains open for now after it was granted a temporary stay on a court-ordered injunction to close last week. Attorneys for the market and the property owner are working with the city to craft a solution to its parking confl ict with nearby businesses that sparked a lawsuit. Photo: Brian Park

The Capistrano Dispatch August 8-21, 2014

EYE ON SJC


Third Annual Rodeo Week Returns to San JuanThe Chamber of Commerce has planned four days of Western fun, leading up to the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo

IBY BRIAN PARK, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

n the week leading up to the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce is getting the town into the Western spirit

with the third annual Rodeo Week.The chamber will host its Kick-Off BBQ

on Friday, August 15, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Hamilton Oaks Winery, 29943 Camino Capistrano. The event includes food from Mission Grill, live music by Swing Shift, dancing and more. The winery will also be serving their special edition wines, “Rodeo Red” and “Wrangler White.”

The event costs $35 per person. Space is limited and reservations are required by contacting the chamber at 949.493.4700 or emailing [email protected].

The barbecue is followed by the return of the Rodeo Ride, a horseback trail ride along San Juan Creek, on Sunday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ride starts at Reata Park and Event Center, costs $50 per person and includes a T-shirt and lunch. Rental horses are available for $200.

On Tuesday, August 19, the Spirit of the Cowboy Concert welcomes back Rusty Richards, a member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Richards, along with his son Jason and a special guest, will be singing songs and telling stories of the American West, starting at 8 p.m., at the Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real. Tickets are $20.

Rodeo Week closes with a tequila tast-ing event at El Adobe de Capistrano on Thursday, August 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The festive evening includes tastings of nine tequilas, appetizers and live music. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at El Adobe or the chamber office, 31421 La Matanza Street.

CommunityMeetings

Free Back-to-School Back-pack Giveaway for Local Students

City Sanctuary Church in San Juan Capistrano wants to make sure local grade school students have all their books in order by giving away 500 free backpacks on Saturday, August 16.

The church will be hosting its Back to School Backpack Giveaway from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Saddleback Valley Christian School, located at 26333 Oso Road.

Students in the third through sixth grades are eligible to receive a free back-pack filled with school supplies. Children

NEWS BITESCOMPILED BY BRIAN PARK

must be accompanied by a parent or care-giver and must bring a recent report card. Advanced sign-ups are required by calling the church at 949.584.0073.

The event also includes music, food from The Bagel Shack and prizes, includ-ing a 20-inch Haro BMX bike donated by Buy My Bikes.

Strength in Support Hosts Golf TournamentSeeing a need for affordable access

to mental-health services among their military clients, founders of the nonprofit Strength in Support began working to ensure military personnel, both past and present, and their families have needed low- to no-cost counseling at hand.

The organization is now asking for com-munity support to further strengthen their

Have something interesting for the

community? Send your information to

[email protected].

Isaac Diaz competes in the saddle bronc-riding event during last year’s Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo. Photo: Brian Park

TUESDAY 8.12

Planning Commission Meeting6:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adel-anto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

WEDNESDAY 8.13

CUSD Board of Trustees Meeting7 p.m. Capistrano Unified School District Office Board Room, 33122 Valle Road. www.capousd.org.

FRIDAY 8.15

Coffee Chat8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs every Friday. All are welcome. Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano. www.facebook.com/sjccoffeechat.

SATURDAY 8.16

Movies in the Park6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Free movie at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park. Bring a blanket or beach chair and a picnic basket to watch The Lego Movie. No glass contain-ers, alcohol or smoking. 30753 La Pata Avenue. For more info, visit www.san-juancapistrano.org or call 949.234.1696.

MONDAY 8.18

Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission Meeting6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adel-anto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

TUESDAY 8.19

City Council, Housing Authority and Successor Agency Meeting6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adel-anto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

WEDNESDAY 8.20

San Juan Summer Nites Concert Series6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The third installment of the popular summer concert series fea-turing country western musician Brent Payne. Also includes food, beer and wine, local businesses with information and product tables and fun activities for kids. Free to attend. Historic Town Center Park, 31852 El Camino Real. For more info, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org or call 949.493.5911.

FRIDAY 8.22

Next issue of The Dispatch publishes

operation. On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Strength in Support will host its inaugural golf tourna-ment where participants will play alongside those who served their nation. The event will also remember the men and women who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks and those who followed in the nation’s wars.

The tournament will be held at Mon-arch Beach Golf Links, located at 50 Mon-arch Beach Resort. Registration begins at 10 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Individuals can sign up to play for $300 and foursomes for $1,200. There are also opportunities to sponsor a veteran.

For more information, visit www.strengthinsupport.org. —Andrea Papagianis

For more information on Rodeo Week, visit www.facebook.com/sjcrodeoweek.com.

The 14th annual Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo will take place Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24.

It’s heralded as the richest two-day rodeo in the nation with a purse worth over $200,000. The top 30 cowboys in six events will compete in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer wres-tling, tie-down roping and team roping. The rodeo is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association season and is an im-portant competition for many cowboys who are hoping to secure a spot in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.

On Saturday, gates open at 2 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 3:45 p.m. and the rodeo at 4 p.m. The competition will be

followed by a concert and dance featuring Chancey Williams and the Younger Broth-ers Band at 6 p.m.

Gates open at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday with the rodeo beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Admission is $30 for adults, $10 for kids 4 to 12 years old and free for kids 3 and un-der. Parking is included with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets are on sale at seven locations in south Orange County: The Swallow’s Inn and Ortega Tack and Feed in San Juan Capistrano, Hennessy’s Tavern in Dana Point, Boot Barn in Lake Forest, Jerry’s Dogs in Ladera Ranch, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo and the Sendero Guest House in Rancho Mission Viejo. Cash, debit and credit cards are also accepted at the gates.

For more information about the rodeo, visit www.rmvrodeo.com. CD

EYE ON SJC


4th Annual West Coast Film Festival Returns to San JuanTBY BRIAN PARK, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

he West Coast Film Festival is back in San Juan Capistrano, starting Wednesday, Aug. 27 through Sun-

day, Aug. 31.Now entering its fourth season, the

festival has become a popular attraction for local residents and cinephiles, and for this year’s installment, co-founders Robert Kline and Stephanie Heredia wanted to pay homage to the city they call home.

“We tried to make all the movies relevant to San Juan,” said Kline, a former studio executive and veteran film producer.

Kline highlighted several films to be showcased, including Clint Eastwood’s 1986 war film, Heartbreak Ridge. The film was primarily shot at Camp Pendleton, but for one bar scene, Marines used as extras suggested to Eastwood that he film at San Juan Capistrano’s own Swallow’s Inn.

“It’s going to be an afternoon for local history and filmmaking,” Kline said. “It’s a commemoration … How many films do you know that have been filmed here in San Juan Capistrano?”

This year’s festival also includes some classic Hollywood films, some that many younger audiences might have never had the chance to watch on the big screen. Kline and Heredia will be screening The Wizard of Oz at the Regency Theatre, just in time for the film’s 75th anniversary.

For younger audiences, the 4th Annual West Coast Film Festival will provide the chance to watch The Wizard of Oz on the big screen at the Regency Theatre on Friday, August 29 at 8 p.m. Courtesy of Warner Bros.

WEST COAST FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

All films will be scheduled at Regency Theatre, 26762 Verdugo Street, unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, August 27

Gigi, 2 p.m. $10. A tribute to MGM musi-cals and Leslie Caron.

Heartbreak Ridge, 5 p.m. $15. A tribute to director, producer and actor Clint East-wood and his film highlighting San Juan Capistrano and Camp Pendleton.

All the President’s Men, 8:15 p.m. Pre-sale $20, $25 day of. Preceded by The Impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton at 7:45 p.m.

Thursday, August 28

Ocean’s 11, 12:30 p.m. $10.To Catch a Thief, 4 p.m. $10. Preceded

by the theatrical premiere of A Moment in Time: Grace Kelly at 3 p.m.

Looney Tunes: Back in Action, 4:30 p.m. $10. Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point.

Goodfellas, 8 p.m. Pre-sale $20, $25 day of. Preceded by a screening of an interview with Martin Scorsese at 7 p.m.

Friday, August 29

The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie, 1 p.m. $10. Including a USC School of Cinema short film, Searching for Squatch.

King Kong, 4:30 p.m. $10. Including a

USC School of Cinema short film, Danger Island.

The Wizard of Oz, 8 p.m. Pre-sale $20, $25 day of. Ticket holders receive a 75th anniversary commemorative gift set. There will also be an after party, costume contest and no-host bar at Rick’s Café, located on the second floor of the theater.

Saturday, August 30

Warren, 1 p.m. $10. Writer and director Alex Beh will be present for a Q&A session.

USC School of Cinematic Art Films, 3 p.m. $10. Student filmmakers will be pres-ent for a Q&A session.

A Clockwork Orange, 7:30 p.m. Pre-sale $20, $25 day of. Preceded by the premiere of Stanley Kubrick in Focus at 7 p.m. Jeffrey Baker, vice president of Warner Bros. Home Entertain-ment, will discuss Kubrick’s work.

Sunday, August 31

A Night at the Opera, noon. $10. A film starring the Marx brothers, Groucho, Harpo and Chico.

Amadeus, 2 p.m. $15. St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Performing Arts Center. Preceded by a pre-film presentation at 1:30 p.m.

3 Nights in the Desert, 4 p.m. $10. Director Gabe Cowan will be present for a Q&A session.

The Shawshank Redemption, 7 p.m. Pre-sale $20, $25 day of. The closing night of the film festival includes an after-film party at Thai Juan On with a no-host bar for ticket holders.

“It came out in what is truly the golden age and year of film, 1939,” Kline said. “We think it’s a film that appeals to three genera-tions, grandparents, parents and kids.”

Kline said he also hopes to educate film-goers and increase their appreciation for quality films. On what is the 40th anniver-sary of President Richard Nixon’s resigna-tion, the festival will be screening All the President’s Men, featuring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford as Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the two Washington Post investigative reporters who covered the Watergate scandal. Kline also highlighted the films Amadeus, which won eight Acad-emy Awards, and The Shawshank Redemp-tion, which is currently the top-rated film on the online movie database, IMDb.

Again this year, the festival will be featuring independent films and ones produced by the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where Kline has taught for over 25 years. Following the films, many of their writers and directors will be on hand to discuss the film-making process.

“We’re not at that point of a Sundance (Film Festival). This is not a film town,” Kline said. “But we’ve got to constantly get people out and give them a reason to come. At the end of August every year, we want to make San Juan a great place to watch great films.” CD


EYE ON SJC


SJC Sheriff’s BlotterAll 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 in-cident 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.

Tuesday, August 5

CITIZEN ASSISTPaseo Del Sol, 27700 Block (5:41 p.m.) A caller reported receiving a “harassing letter.”

Monday, August 4

DISTURBANCE Calle La Purisima, 31500 Block (10:40 a.m.) A group of men were seen drinking beer and smoking mari-juana in a garage.

Sunday, August 3

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/ CIRCUMSTANCEVia Banderas, 26900 Block (1:18 a.m.)A woman said her dog was barking at the garage. She said it was unusual and sus-pected someone was outside but she could not hear or see anyone.

Saturday, August 2

WELFARE CHECK Summerfield Lane, 27600 Block (10:53 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for a girl, described to be 7 to 9 years old, who was screaming and whin-ing.

KEEP THE PEACE Capote De Paseo/ Via Chiquero (9:06 p.m.) A man needed as-sistance retrieving his stolen iPhone after tracking it down through an app.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Calle De Bonanza, 33800 Block (8:58 p.m.) A caller said there was a dark colored sedan with “kids in it doing drugs.”

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Verdugo Street, 26700 Block (5:20 p.m.) Dispatch received a call about passengers who had threatened employees in the train’s café car.

RECKLESS DRIVING Alipaz Street/ Del Obispo Street (7:58 a.m.) A gray truck was seen racing a black truck. Both vehicles were going over 80 miles per hour.

Friday, August 1

RECKLESS DRIVING Mission Hills Drive/ Rancho Viejo Road (10:29 p.m.) A white Lexus station wagon ran a red light and almost hit another vehicle.

COMPILED BY CATHERINE MANSO

RECKLESS DRIVING Camino Capistrano/ San Juan Creek Road (8:55 p.m.) A gold Lexus was driving on the wrong side of the road.

SUSPICIOUS PEROSN/ CIRCUMSTANCERancho Viejo Road/ Ortega Highway (5:54 p.m.) A caller said there was a bee hive at a shopping center on Ortega Highway. The caller said they had been swarmed by the bees.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/ CIRCUMSTANCECamino Capistrano, 31900 Block (3:54 p.m.) A group of people were seen soliciting near an ATM.

LOST PROPERTY Del Obispo Street, 31800 Block (10:36 a.m.) A 33-year-old man wanted to file a report about losing $900.

DISTURBANCE Avenida Evita/ Calle Aspero (7:13 a.m.) A woman, described to be be-tween 50 to 60 years old, was seen looking through garbage cans.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/ CIRCUMSTANCESea Breeze Court, 33000 Block (4:20 a.m.)A patrol check was requested for a group of people smoking drugs.

Thursday, July 31

TRESPASSING Avenida Aeropuer to, 26000 Block (7:22 p.m.) A caller reported finding two dir t bikes behind

the residence.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/ CIRCUMSTANCECalle San Juan/ Calle San Luis (3:35 p.m.)Sheriff’s deputies were asked to look into bushes for hiding gang members.

WELFARE CHECK El Camino Real, 31400 Block (1:34 p.m.) A man without a shirt and carrying a backpack was seen near the tennis courts by the library.

Wednesday, July 30

DISTURBANCE Calle Santa Rosalia, 31000 Block (11:38 p.m.) Between 10 to 20 people were seen smoking drugs in a backyard.

DISTURBANCE- MUSIC OR PARTY Mariner Drive, 25600 Block (8:50 p.m.) A group of people by a pool were heard breaking bottles.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/ CIRCUMSTANCEDoheny Park Road, 33900 Block (3:09 p.m.) A female driver in a gray and blue sedan was driving the wrong way in the Costco parking lot and got stuck near El Pollo Loco.

CITIZEN ASSIST La Calera Street, 31400 Block (2:25 p.m.) A caller said they had bought an item on Craigslist but had never received it.

Sendero Grows with Positive Home Sales

IBY THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

n just over a year, San Juan Capist-rano’s newest neighbors in Rancho Mission Viejo’s first village of Sendero

have begun to make themselves at home, and if recent housing trends continue, more are likely on their way.

Sendero debuted late June 2013 to much fanfare, with more than 10,000 homebuyers attending its grand opening, according to ranch officials. Since then, around 665 of the 941 homes available for sale have been sold and about 1,175 residents have moved into 470 homes.

In addition to attending community-wide events, Sendero residents have already begun fostering their own sense of neighborhood spirit. To celebrate the Fourth of July, residents spontaneously organized an Independence Day parade, replete with pets dressed up in red, white and blue and children being pulled down streets in wagons.

“For us, that’s gratifying and it demon-strates we’ve achieved the success any master plan community developer wants to see,” said Dan Kelly, Rancho Mission Viejo’s senior vice president of govern-mental relations. “The community is successful and it’s great to be able to drive down there and see people populate it and

enjoy it.”About 25 percent of homebuyers are

coming from existing cities and com-munities developed by Rancho Mission

Viejo, including Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch and Rancho Santa Margarita. Kelly said home sales have seen a “good solid increase over time,” and construction is

ongoing in some neighborhoods, includ-ing a 286-unit apartment complex across Antonio Parkway.

Kelly said steady job growth in Orange County and low interest rates have made it a good climate to buy homes. He also attributed much of Sendero’s early suc-cess to its intergenerational model. Within Sendero, there’s the 55-plus gated com-munity of Gavilan, comprised of primarily single-story homes in four neighborhoods. Already, one of those neighborhoods, built by Del Webb, has been sold out.

“There are a lot of people who are in that age group who had perhaps been in a home for a long time and were looking for something new,” said Kelly. “The market is not a monolithic one. It’s not one big group. We tried to make sure we were ad-dressing all needs.”

Sendero’s variety of homes, as well as its proximity to outdoor amenities, makes it an appealing option for all family types, said Buck Bennett, president of SeaCountry Group. The company has just over 100 homes in the community, all two stories and ranging in price from $570,000 to $625,000. Last month, they sold 10 homes in two weeks and 49 of 51 homes that have been released since the grand opening. CD

Since debuting late June 2013, Rancho Mission Viejo’s first village, Sendero, has sold 665 out of 941 homes and about 1,175 residents have moved into the neighborhood. Photo: Brian Park


EYE ON SJC


Downtown Hotel Prohect Against the RopesA tie vote hinders the San Juan Hotel & Villas project but developer remains committed

T

“ The project is not dead. We do have a strategy we’ve put together … I think if anything this has emboldened us.” —Joshua Host,

Principal of Urban Village

BY BRIAN PARK, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

he San Juan Capistrano City Council was scheduled to give final consid-eration to a proposal to build a hotel

and 30 homes in downtown Tuesday, but it never gave itself the chance after an at-tempt to allow residences in the area failed to pass on a tie vote.

With an important part of his project now suddenly void, Joshua Host, principal of Urban Village, withdrew his San Juan Hotel & Villas proposal. But in an inter-view with The Dispatch Thursday, Host said he remains committed to the project.

“The project is not dead. We do have a strategy we’ve put together,” said Host, who declined to go over specifics. “I think if anything this has emboldened us.”

The vote drew a strong reaction from the standing-room-only crowd.

Tom Scott, president and co-founder of the Camino Real Playhouse and a support-er of the project, left his seat and exited council chambers, yelling, “Time to get a new city council, guys.”

Before the council that night was an amendment to the General Plan that would have allowed residences in San Juan Capistrano’s historic downtown. May-or Sam Allevato and Councilman Larry Kramer voted in favor while Councilmen Roy Byrnes and Derek Reeve rejected it. Councilman John Taylor had to recuse himself because of his residence nearby.

A vote on Host’s project was originally slated in June but was rescheduled to Tuesday after Charlie View, the city’s development services director, discovered the General Plan had not been updated to comply with the Historic Town Center Master Plan, which was approved in 2012 and cost the city about $500,000 and two years of studying.

Host said former planning directors Grant Taylor and Bill Ramsey informed him in February 2013 that an amend-ment was not necessary, and his land-use attorney, as well as others he consulted with, agreed. But in June, View and City Attorney Hans Van Ligten said the project could not legally move forward unless the two plans were harmonized.

“The liability they put themselves into is shocking,” Host said.

While city staff and the Planning Com-mission recommended approving the amendment, neither supported a change to allow detached, single-family homes because the HTC Master Plan intended for townhomes. But the council never considered the change after doing away with residences entirely.

“It’s still a planning document, but once they opened Pandora’s Box, you can’t shut the lid,” said Host, referring to Byrnes’ and Reeve’s vote against the HTC Master Plan’s intent.

Former planning commissioner Rob Williams, who has previously spoken out against the project, supported the amend-ment but was against allowing detached homes.

“We need to clean it up. We obviously missed something when we were going through the historic town center and we didn’t update the General Plan, so it’s a no brainer for that,” Williams said. “The intent of the downtown was an urban feeling downtown, not a suburb. If you allow single-family detached, you’re now opening it up.”

Reeve, who has been a vocal critic of the HTC Master Plan, said he was worried that allowing residences in downtown would adversely affect the city’s “small town, special atmosphere” and encourage future developers to possibly build multi-family homes.

“We’ve got to look at where we’re going in the future,” Reeve said. “Economics is going to drive this … It will in time change the characterization of downtown.”

City officials, business owners and community leaders have long expressed a desire to build a hotel downtown. When the HTC Master Plan was adopted, it already included an approved plan to build the 124-room Plaza Banderas hotel, across from the Mission. But after struggling to find a hotel developer for five years, landowner Gretchen Stroscher Thomson

San Juan Capistrano resident Joshua Host, principal of Urban Village, addresses the City Council on Tuesday. An attempt to allow residences in downtown San Juan Capistrano failed to pass on a tie vote, putting Host’s project in jeopardy, but he said Thursday he remains committed to the project. Photo: Brian Park

abandoned the project last November in favor of building a retail center, The Shops at Capistrano.

San Juan Capistrano resident Jonathan Volzke, who previously worked with Urban Village as a public affairs specialist, urged the council to approve the amend-ment, as the project was not viable without the homes.

“We want a hotel in town. The homes support the hotel, so there is some eco-nomics there,” Volzke said. “The homes are more valuable and they will under-write the cost of the hotel, so this zoning change is important.”

Byrnes said he was not ready to con-sider the housing issue, saying, “When things are unclear, that’s not the time to forge into water.” But Reeve urged Byrnes to vote, one way or another, because Host

had been delayed long enough.Host criticized Byrnes for his initial

hesitance, noting that the council had two months since the delayed vote to con-sider the amendment and the project as a whole.

“That was shameful. Businesses every-where will take notice,” Host said.

Allevato, who favored the project, noted that no new buildings had been built in downtown in 20 years. He said he hopes Host will be able to find a way to keep the project alive.

“I think it’s a sad night for San Juan Capistrano. I think we just blew our op-portunity to get a first-class hotel … and launching a true renaissance of downtown to bring economic growth and vitality,” Allevato said.

Host’s plan will involve keeping San Juan Capistrano resident and movie pro-ducer Steve Oedekerk on board. Oede-kerk owns the land the project would be built on.

When the city was developing the HTC Master Plan, they approached Oedekerk and told him his land was a key piece to the future revitalization of downtown. He told the council in June that he had been approached by several developers inter-ested in purchasing his property, but none had proposed to build anything less than 125 residential units. He said he ultimately partnered with Host because “(Urban Village’s project) was astronomically the opposite of anything anyone else has brought me because it’s not a greed-based plan.”

The council’s delayed vote in June irked Oedekerk, who initially chose not to extend his purchase agreement with Host before reaffirming his commitment.

But for years, Oedekerk has allowed the city to use his land as free public parking and said the number of tenants in an office park on his property has been dwindling. Citing a growing homeless population and drug use at nearby Historic Town Center Park, Oedekerk has said if the project fails, he may be forced to privatize the lot and no longer consider his property for future development. Oedekerk declined to comment after the meeting but said last week, “I definitely will not be entertaining any new development from a developer, from scratch.”

Host’s project has been vocally opposed by several residents, many with back-grounds in architecture, development and real estate. The council’s split decision denying the amendment, he said, affects his critics as well.

“Do we live in a democracy or an oli-garchy? All those folks who felt like they were able to pull off some victory, it’s done exactly the opposite,” Host said. “I’m not going away.” CD

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at [email protected] 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.

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTSSOAPBOX

The Capistrano Dispatch August 8-21, 2014 www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 12, Issue 15. 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.

PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

EDITORIAL

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FOLLOW THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Letters to the EditorOVERDEVELOPMENT THREATENS SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Margaret Chard, San Juan CapistranoYesterday, I received The Local Dish

magazine in the mail and on page 13 is an ad for Laguna Glen.

It seems to me that the developers are pretty certain that this project will be ap-proved. I have lived here in San Juan Cap-istrano for 40 years and I believe that this current band of three in our City Council do not have the approval of our citizens to make the change from agricultural zoning to this very high density project.

I believe that the Continuing Life LLC should be told to stop advertising a proj-ect that has not been approved. It bothers me that our city has more regard for developers than for its citizens. Sendero is another example of high density without any regard to utilities, roads, traffi c, etc. When is enough, enough? Overcrowd-ing a small area like San Juan Capistrano should not be allowed.

DECOMMISSIONING SONGS SHOULDN’T FALL ON TAXPAYERS

Marilyn Man, San Juan CapistranoWhy should the taxpayer be on the

hook and have to pay for the decom-missioning of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station?

The responsibility should be the de-signer, the developer and the builder.

The design was fl awed and who knows what happened in the building of the station.

The city and the state are too quick to push the cost to the taxpayer.

Put the blame and the cost where it belongs.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS PUT A STRAIN ON WATER

Henrietta Kincer, San Juan Capist-rano

I’m so weary of hearing about our wa-ter situation in our community with strict limitations and fi nes for excess use, but I totally agree with the crucial problem here, along with the state of California.

However, what really upsets me and makes me very angry is when I see hun-dreds of new homes being built all around our small community and the greedy developers want to eat up what we have left in our open areas with more residen-tial housing.

Are they not going to use enormous amounts of water that long-time residents here are required to ration? What a contradiction of common sense. Enough is enough. I’ve always said: It’s all about

revenue, not the quality of living here.

COUNCILMAN REEVE OWED AN APOLOGY

John Perry, San Juan CapistranoIn the July 25-Aug. 7 issue of The

Dispatch, letter writer Dave Solt accuses Councilman Derek Reeve of Joe McCar-thy tactics by “spreading misinformation” about what is going on in San Juan Capist-rano political circles.

It seems like the liberals just can’t get over Joe Mc McCarthy and his program of exposing Communists in government, academia and in Hollywood. As you may recall, many Communists were uncovered and activities documented.

Any connection between Reeve and Mc-Carthy exists only in the twisted liberal mind of Solt. Derek is a true American success story with his achievements of overcoming extensive handicaps to become a graduate law professor and a sitting councilman of San Juan Capistra-no. His courage in just dealing with daily ordeals of being a husband and father of two young boys is truly inspiring.

Solt accuses Councilman Reeve of lying about the magnitude of the water rate increase enacted by Mayor Sam All-evato and Councilmen Larry Kramer and John Taylor, effective on July 1. If Solt had read the water rate study, he would understand that the council majority voted to increase the tier one water rate from the existing $3.18 per cubic feet in 2014 to $4.16 per CCF in July 2020. According to my mathematics, this is an increase of 30.8 percent. Likewise, tier two increases from the current $4.24 per CCF to $5.79 in 2020; an increase of 36.6 percent.

Most ratepayers are included in tiers one and two, so the impact will certainly be felt (and by the way, the percentage increases far exceed the annual rate of infl ation). Also the fi xed charge for a 5/8-inch meter increases by 43.3 percent for the fi ve-year period.

Dave, you owe Councilman Reeve an apology, but I don’t expect see one any time soon. I don’t think you have it in you.

YOUR NUMBERS MAY BE OFFLou Losordo, San Juan CapistranoFirst, I do like Marianne Taylor’s

article (The Dispatch, July 25-Aug. 7) and agree with her. We do need to save water. However, I thought the numbers she presented were not just incorrect but very far off. If someone fi nds errors with the article, they might dismiss the whole article as inaccurate.

I checked on the Internet and found the following information: Marianne states that 75 percent of our state’s water use is in landscaping and that a typical lawn con-sumes 10,000 gallons a year. However, on the Internet, I found that 80 to 85 percent

of all developed water is used for agricul-tural purposes. I don’t think that means our lawns. I also found that the average use for homes is 23,275 gallons per month. I use over 17,000 gallons per month and I try to conserve.

You might want to have her check her numbers and see what she says.

Finally, I do appreciate The Dispatch and the service it provides.

SAVING WATERJim Elder, San Juan CapistranoDirt Therapist, you are right. We all

need to help to conserve water. We need the City Council to understand that when they want the residents to save water, they should help by not building those new hotels, large housing developments and commercial buildings, so that they can use up our precious water.

I live in a senior community and if we all shut our water off at the curb we would still not save the amount of water that a big hotel in downtown San Juan Capist-rano would use. Something is wrong here. As some other cities have done, we need a building moratorium until the state’s water problem is resolved.

URBAN VILLAGE PROJECT UNLIKE HOTELS OF OLD

Shelley Bachelder, San Juan Capist-rano

I’ve been enjoying Don Tryon’s articles about the history of San Juan, including the two he’s written recently about past hotels in our town. What’s irritating me is that he’s using these stories as a way of showing that he thinks a new downtown hotel would be just as fi tting today as the ones that were here 50 and 100 years ago. The problem with that comparison is that a development as massive as what Urban Village is proposing is not in any way comparable to the two-story hotels he writes about from the late 1800s and mid-1900s. In 1867, 1875 and 1920, the population here was very small, and the town was able to support the small num-bers of visitors coming to those hotels at that time.

Urban Village is proposing a three-sto-ry, 136-room hotel with a two-level parking garage, a spa, a restaurant, retail shopping space, as well as a 30-unit, three-story housing component and is expected to add 1,662 daily vehicle trips to our small down-town. We already have traffi c gridlock in this town as it is. The impact that this kind of hotel would create today in that location would be a disaster for us all if the City Council approves it.

Navigating the VA system can be tough, but local efforts can go a long way

YOUR EVENT PLANNERGETTING OUT


Saturday | 09SECOND SATURDAY ART AND ANTIQUE FAIR 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Over 60 artists, crafts-people and musicians exhibit their work in downtown San Juan Capistrano, along Camino Capistrano and Los Rios, Verdugo and Yorba streets. Occurs the second Saturday of each month, from March to December. www.sjcartfair.org.

ORANGE COUNTY SEAFOOD FESTIVALNoon-7 p.m. Sample ceviche, lobster, crab, paella, fi sh tacos and all the seafood your heat desires at this festival celebrating food coming straight from the sea. Also, taste your way through California’s winer-ies at the Orange County Wine Mixer and enjoy live tunes. Admission is free. Lan-tern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point, www.ocseafoodfestival.com.

BACKYARD SKILLS: FOOD AS MEDICINE1 p.m. Explore the world of culinary herbs and learn which herbs are best for your particular constitution. Take home seeds and seedlings to grow your own blend of health-based herbs. $20 for members, $30 for non-members. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

SECOND STAGE STAND-UP7:30 p.m. The Camino Real Playhouse hosts a lineup of four comedians on the second Saturday of each month. Admis-sion $15. To purchase, call 949.489.8082 or visit www.comedyintheoc.com. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

Sunday | 10EARLY MORNING NATURE WALK6 a.m.-8 a.m. Start your day with a walk through The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Pass through grasslands, coastal sage and oak wood-lands. $10 for adults, $5 for kids, free for supporters. Register by 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8. To RSVP, directions or more info, visit www.rmvreserve.org.

COMMUNITY TABLE: SUNDAY BRUNCH11 a.m. Celebrate local, seasonal and organic food alongside the individuals responsible growing and producing it. $55 for members, $65 for non-members, $25 for children 10 and under. The Ecology

Center, 32701 Alipaz St., San Juan Capist-rano, 949.443.4223, www.theecologycenter.org.

PYRATE ADVENTURE SAIL4:30 p.m. Learn the truth about “pyrates” aboard the Ocean Institute’s schooner Spirit of Dana Point on this adventure at sea. Cost is $40 for adults and $23 for children. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

MULTICULTURAL ARTS SERIES6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Jazz musicians Gregg Young and the 2nd Street Band perform live as part of the Multicultural Arts Series at the San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495 El Camino Real. Tickets $20. To pur-chase tickets or for more info, visit www.musicatthelibrary.com or 949.218.4512.

Monday | 11I HEART YOGA IN THE PARK10 a.m. Join fellow yogis at Lantern Bay Park for an hour-long class each day, rain or shine. Evening classes held Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Classes also held at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Historic Town Center Park in San Juan Capistrano. Donations suggest-ed. 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point, www.iheartyogainthepark.com.

HOPE GOLF TOURNAMENT11 a.m. Laura’s House, a nonprofi t dedicated to providing domestic violence prevention, hosts its second annual charity golf tourney at Marbella Country Club. The tournament includes a putting contest and box lunch, followed by a shotgun start at noon and concludes with an awards re-ception at 5:30 p.m. with wine and spirits, a stationed dinner and a silent auction. Individual player fee $250, dinner tickets $50. For more info, visit www.laurashouse.org.

Tuesday | 12PRESCHOOL STORYTIME11:15 a.m.-noon. Stories, songs and crafts for kids 3-6 at the San Juan Cap-istrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

SJC WRITERS GROUP6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Discuss and improve your writing skills or learn how to publish with the San Juan Capistrano Writers Group. You must be actively working on a writing project. Occurs the second Tuesday of each month at the San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real. For more info, call Lori Lawson at 949.493.1752 or visit www.ocpl.org.

The ListWhat’s going on in and around town

BIKE NIGHT AT THE SWALLOW’SGraham Nancarrow performs live at The Swallow’s Inn. Enjoy $1 tacos, $2 shot specials and $2 domestic drafts. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

Wednesday | 13DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET3 p.m.-7 p.m. Fresh fl owers, 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. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.

STRETCH AND STRENGTH6 p.m. This partnership between I Heart Yoga in the Park and the Mission San Juan Capistrano brings yoga enthusiasts togeth-er to help in the fi ght against cancer. $10 donation. Proceeds benefi t Relay for Life San Juan Capistrano. 26801 Ortega High-way, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1321, www.iheartyogainthepark.com.

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO LECTURE7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Learn about the history and future of Rancho Mission Viejo and The Reserve during a free lecture at the RMV Presentation Center. To RSVP, direc-tions or more info, visit www.rmvreserve.org.

Thursday | 14GARDEN ANGELS8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet every Thursday in front of the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park in San Juan Capistrano to help maintain the garden and more. Bring gloves and wear close-toed shoes. 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

SAN CLEMENTE BEACH CONCERT6 p.m. until sunset. DSB Band, a Journey Tribute band, comes to the sand. Enjoy live music with the San Clemente sunset as the backdrop. Concert takes place near the San Clemente Pier. Free. 949.361.8264, www.san-clemente.org/recreation.

Friday | 15LUNCH WITH THE LEAGUENoon. Join the League of Women Voters for lunch and a presentation by keynote speaker, UCI Earth Science Center profes-sor Jay Famiglietti, on water shortage and conservation issues. $20. RSVP with menu choice to Barb Wood, 208.284.9167 or email to [email protected]. Marie Cal-lender’s restaurant, 15363 Culver Drive, Irvine. Menu and more info can be found at www.orangecoast.ca.lwvnet.org.

COMPILED BY STAFF

TARANTULA LECTURE AT THE RESERVE7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Learn all about tarantu-las, spiders and other nocturnal critters through photographs, stories and live

At the Movies: ‘Lucy,’ the Great and Powerful

ast year Scarlett Johansson starred as a seductive, man-eat-ing alien in the indie hit Under the

Skin and maintained all the knowledge in the world as the title character of the acclaimed Her.

Her newest role is a combination of both as the invincible young woman in Luc Besson’s latest sci-fi blockbuster, Lucy. Already exceeding expectations, reaching No. 1 at the box-offi ce on its opening day, the fi lm proves both its fi lmmaker and movie star haven’t lost

their mojo after two decades of success.

In Taipei City, Taiwan, an Ameri-can student abroad named Lucy (Johansson) is tricked into delivering a suitcase to a dangerous gangster

(Min-sik Choi). Lucy is manipulated by the gangster’s team to deliver the illegal content out of the country by sewing the drug into her stomach.

When she doesn’t cooperate, Lucy absorbs too much of the synthetic drug attached to her body and becomes stronger and more powerful by the minute.

Morgan Freeman co-stars as a biologist who helps Lucy and Analeigh Tipton plays her roommate. Besson’s direction here is some of his artsiest in a long while, especially for an action fl ick.

Johansson marvels around a catchy soundtrack and cool editing, but there are also continuity errors in the story— the most obvious being the power behind the drug, which includes an out of date scientifi c fact.

Nevertheless, while Lucy isn’t particu-larly brilliant or mind-blowing, it’s enter-taining enough for devoting 90 minutes to on a weekend.—Megan Bianco

L

Courtesy photo

GETTING OUT


specimens at the RMV Presentation Center. The following evening, Saturday, Aug. 16, meet at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy to search for tarantulas and spiders. Register by 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15. To RSVP, directions or more info, visit www.rmvreserve.org.

Saturday | 16THE ARK OF SAN JUAN RESCUED PET ADOPTIONS 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dogs and puppies at PetsPlus, 32022 Camino Capist-rano. Noon-4 p.m. Cats at PetSmart. 33963 Doheny Park Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org.

FAMILY STYLE2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The Dalton Gang performs live at The Swallow’s Inn. Nitro Express takes the stage at 8:30 p.m. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

LOBSTER FEST4 p.m. Don’t miss this annual celebration at Doheny State Beach where lobster reigns supreme. Tickets start at $75. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, www.danapointlobsterfest.org.

SATURDAY MOVIES IN THE PARKDusk. The San Juan Capistrano Eques-trian Coalition invites families to enjoy the film The Lego Movie at the Rancho Mis-sion Viejo Riding Park, 30753 La Pata Rd., San Juan Capistrano. For more info, call 949.234.1696 or visit www.sjcec.org.

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS CONCERT6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Kenny Cetera’s Chi-cago Experience tribute band performs as part of the Mission’s popular summer con-cert series. Enjoy live music, dancing and a picnic in the Mission’s central courtyard. Proceeds benefit Mission preservation ef-forts. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. For tickets, visit www.missionsjc.com.

Sunday | 17ART OF COOKING1 p.m.-2 p.m. Chef Kiel Anderson from Wa-termarc will lead guests on a cooking dem-onstration, as part of the Festival of Arts’ summer cooking series in the Festival Art Center. Free with $10 weekend admission. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 800.487.2787,www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.

J.D. CRAWFORD1:30 p.m. J.D. Crawford performs live at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capist-rano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

THE GRASS HARP2 p.m. The On-Impulse Acting Troupe and

Emmy-nominated producer/director Pamela Peak present an auto-biographical story by playwright Truman Capote. Tickets $15, 949.492.0465, www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

FARM-TO-FEAST4 p.m.-8 p.m. Help support local farmers and artisans at this event highlighting cu-linary offerings at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa. Guests will be treat-ed to cheeses, fresh oysters and seafood, espresso and coffee, fresh produce and various offerings from Orange and San Diego counties. Tickets $55 and includes a $10 donation to The Ecology Center. St. Regis, 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, 949.234.4200, www.stregismb.com.

Monday | 18COUNTRY DANCIN’ WITH PATRICK & FRIENDS 6:30 p.m. Enjoy happy hour prices, steak night and live music and dancing at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

Wednesday | 20 $2 TUESDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’SEnjoy $2 tacos, shot specials and domestic drafts at The Swallow’s Inn. Chris Cram will perform live. 31786 Camino Capist-rano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

Thursday | 21ART TALK: DÉJÀ VUNoon-1 p.m. A panel of longtime Festi-val of Arts exhibitors will look back on the past 30 to 40 years and share their experiences. Jacquie Moffet, the festi-val’s longest exhibiting artist, will lead the discussion. Admission $7 for adults, $4 for students and seniors. Festival of Arts Grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 800.487.2787, www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.

YAPPY HOUR5 p.m.-8 p.m. Follow Fido to happy hour at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel for this monthly cocktail party. Four-legged friends can enjoy complimentary biscuits while lapping up beef and bacon flavored water. Their human counterparts can purchase burgers, brews and wine. Funds raised will help support Canine Compan-ions for Independence which provides ser-vice dogs to the disabled and the nation’s veterans. 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point, www.ritz-carlton.com.

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

Have an event? Send your listing to [email protected]

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 8-21, 2014

GUEST OPINION: Old San Juan by Don Tryon

OLD SAN JUANBy Don Tryon

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITYSJC LIVING

or Dominic Puntoriero, the sky is not the limit.

Just three days after his 16th birthday, Puntoriero, a San Juan Capist-rano resident, took to a Robinson R22 helicopter on July 16 and became one of the youngest Americans to every fl y a chopper solo.

After logging about 70 hours of fl ight training with an instructor, Puntoriero fl ew the single-engine helicopter out of Long Beach Airport and stayed in the air for about six minutes.

“I was defi nitely nervous, but once I got in there and picked it up, I relaxed and knew what to do,” Puntoriero said.

There are only a handful of others who have fl own solo at 16, the minimum age required to do so. Puntoriero began train-ing when he was 12, after taking a family trip to Hawaii and going on an aerial tour aboard a helicopter.

“He got to sit in the front seat and he just became fascinated,” said Puntoriero’s mother, Adriane.

When the family returned from their vacation, Puntoriero expressed his inter-est in fl ying helicopters. His father, Mike, enrolled Puntoriero in a training program at Revolution Aviation in Newport Beach.

“Once I got behind the seat, my trainer Mike Robinson told me how to do it and how it worked,” Puntoriero said. “The most challenging part is defi nitely hover-ing and holding it within 5 to 10 feet off the ground.

“It’s a lot of control and fi ne motor skills that you really need,” Puntoriero said.

vast majority of scientists say the earth is going through a dry spell that is being aggravated by man-

made pollution. This is quite evident when we see photos of the ice poles and glaciers radically retreating. Our great hope is that California will not experience another great drought like we had in the 1860s when we had fewer people.

In the winter of 1861-1862, rains fl ooded much of California. A storm started about mid- December and lasted almost a month.

In the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys of central California, an inland sea about 250 miles long and 60 miles wide was created by rain and run off from the mountains. In some places, only the tops of telegraph poles could be seen. California lost about 200,000 cattle, an estimated loss of about a quarter of the state’s taxable wealth. Farming was totally disrupted.

That was bad enough, but then began a devastating period that caused ranchers and farmers to be almost completely wiped out. Southern California in particular suf-fered the most.

Starting in the winter of 1862 and lasting through the fall of 1865, rains disappeared and never before or since has this area suffered as much. Withering winds swept in from the desert. The land dried up, grass turned to dust and farming became almost non-existent. Rancheros lost thousands more head of cattle.

Don Juan Forster reported having lost almost everything on his ranches. Through-out the county, it was reported that 71 percent of cattle were lost. Along roads and in fi elds, large piles of dead cattle or their bones could be seen. What few cows were standing looked like skeletons. They couldn’t be sold for meat and rancheros tried to sell

Local Teen Becomes One of the Youngest to Fly Helicopter Solo Our Drought is Not New

For nearly three years during the 1860s, California experienced one of its most devastating droughtsFA

“You defi nitely need to adjust for wind be-cause the slightest gust can make it tough.”

Puntoriero said he prefers helicopters over planes because he enjoys the ability to hover over a place and take in the view.

“It’s just the options you have. You can hover and go backwards, instead of just going forward,” said Puntoriero, who was able to share that experience with his family, including his younger brother, as well as three of his friends. “It’s defi nitely the view and everything you can see. Sometimes, if it gets too hot, we can take the doors off and can see a complete 180 degrees. On a beautiful day, it makes it that much better.”

When he turns 17, Puntoriero will be eli-gible to obtain a private helicopter pilot’s license but must fi rst log 10 hours of solo fl ight and complete a cross-country fl ight, which doesn’t actually require a pilot to fl y across the country but rather take off, fl y and touchdown at three airports before returning back. So far, he’s fl own solo for about 20 minutes. CD

hides and bones. Then a plague of grasshoppers came through and ate what little vegetation was left. More tragedy oc-curred when a smallpox epidemic added to the misery. Our community alone lost about 129 Na-tive Americans. People were dying everywhere

and some ranches posted guards to prevent strangers from coming onto their land. The entire labor force was disrupted by all these tragedies and wandered all over, trying to fi nd work to feed their families. The poor became poorer.

After all this tragedy you would have thought that our legislature and governor would have been sympathetic and generous by giving this area some relief. But taxation in this part of the state was onerous and unbalanced. The north had mining and wealth. The south’s income was nowhere near as great, even before all this tragedy. But the north wanted to break up the large ranch holders, so they imposed heavy taxa-tion on property, including each head of cat-tle. They did show a small token of mercy by lowering the tax minutely. However, ranchers still had to pay them or else.

Now, the state has many millions of people, considerable amount of industry and extensive farming in some parts, all placing a huge burden on our present water resources. If we are to go through a drought like the one in the past, one can’t help but wonder what tragedies lie in wait.

Don Tryon is a 25-year resident of San Juan Capistrano. He is currently the vice president and archivist for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. CD

San Juan Capistrano resident Dominic Puntoriero takes off in a Robinson R22 helicopter at Long Beach Airport on July 16. At 16 years old, Puntoriero became one of the youngest Americans to fl y a helicopter solo. Courtesy of the Puntoriero Family

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 diffi cult. Level: Medium

Sudoku

See today’s solution in next week’s issue.

Last week’s solution:

BY MYLES MELLOR

BY BRIAN PARK, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

SUBMIT YOUR CLASSIFIED AD ONLINE AT WWW.THECAPISTRANODISPATCH.COM

CLASSIFIEDS

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE!

E-mail your garage sale to classifi [email protected]

DEADLINE 5PM MONDAYPLACE YOUR

BUSINESS CARD HERE

Call 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email [email protected]

BUSINESS DIRECTORYBUSINESS DIRECTORY

FOR SALE

QUEEN SIZE PILLOWTOP MATTRESS - NEW Never Opened - $150 Made by SERTA, still sealed in the MFRs original factory plastic; Not refurbished, Not used. 949-842-9994

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS

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

[email protected]

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating27126 Paseo Espada, Suite 1604, 949.420.1321, www.oasisair.com

BANKING

Independence Bank32291 Camino Capistrano, Suite A, 949.373.8963, www.independence-bank.net

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

Organics Out Back949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

ELECTRICIANS

After-Hours ElectricCa Lic #697355714.396.2188, 949.573.8386,www.bbb.org

Excel Electric32238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, 949.493.7769, www.excelelectric.com

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

Excel Electric - CA #79386032238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, 949.493.7769, www.excelelectric.com

HOME ORGANIZATION

Karen Fischer, Professional Organizer, Get Organized and Move!949.355.3487, www.getorganizedandmove.com

JEWELER

Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design32382 Del Obispo, Ste. C-3, 949.493.3632, www.abbysdesigns.com

MOLD REMOVAL

Jarvis Restoration31942 Paseo Sagrado, 949.362.5388, www.jarvisrestoration.com

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

San Juan Photo & Digital32301 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.5668, www.sjcphotodigital.com

PLUMBING

Chick’s Plumbing949.496.9731, 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

TILE & STONE INSTALLATION/RESTORATION

Yorba Linda Tile & Marble, Inc. 714.757.3490, CA License #789312www.yorbalindatilemarble.com

WATER DAMAGE

Jarvis Restoration31942 Paseo Sagrado, 949.362.5388, www.jarvisrestoration.com

WOMEN’S CLOTHING & HANDBAG BOUTIQUE

Dress Well Boutique33712 Calle Miramar, 949.922.8044, www.DressWellBoutique.com

The Capistrano Dispatch August 8–21, 2014 www.thecapistranodispatch.com

LOCAL MAN GRADUATES UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BOOT CAMP

Private Cameron T. Jafar, (19), of San Juan Capist-rano graduated from United States Marine Corps boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on July 25, 2014. Private Jafar suc-

cessfully completed 13 weeks of intensive basic training at MCRD San Diego as one of 47 recruits in Training Platoon 3203. Following ten days home on leave he will report to Camp Pendleton for one month at Military Combat Training then Military Occupation Specialty school.

ANNOUNCEMENT


STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Will Schmidt paddles from Canada to Mexico

he Capo Girls Softball 14U All-Star team ended their most successful season to date with a fi fth-place fi nish

at the American Softball Association 14B Western National Tournament on Aug. 3.

The local club, which draws players from San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point, came into the tournament fresh off a win at the ASA C State Champi-onship tournament. During their regular season, the team compiled an overall record of 59-4 and won seven consecutive tournaments.

The Capo Girls team won both of their pool play games and entered the knockout round as the No. 1 seed in their bracket.

The team started off their bracket play with a convincing 15-0 win over Oregon Thunder. In the third round they defeated

Will Schmidt recently completed an unassisted solo stand-up paddleboard journey that stretched from Canada to Mexico. Courtesy photo

Battling Depression and Setting Records

FBY STEVE SOHANAKI, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

ive years ago, Laguna Niguel resident Will Schmidt considered taking his own life.

After a long battle with depression and anxiety, his struggle reached the point where he decided suicide might be the only way to end his misery.

While pensively standing in his bed-room, the former U.S. Marine got an unex-pected call from his mother. She told him she “sensed something was wrong.” She feared he wouldn’t make it through the day and advised him to go out paddling on the water because it had always made him happy in the past.

That marked the beginning of Schmidt’s remarkable journey.

Shortly afterward, in 2012, he began stand-up paddleboarding long distances in order to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project, an organization that assists combat veterans suffering from injuries and mental illnesses.

“I knew there was something more to what I was doing,” Schmidt said. “Around that time, my friend came back from serv-ing in Iraq and committed suicide. He left behind a wife and two daughters. I knew I needed to spread awareness about vets with depression.”

On the fi rst of Schmidt’s long distance solo treks, he paddled from Dana Point Harbor to Catalina Island. Next, he paddled across all of the Channel Islands, landing on each of the eight islands in the process.

And in his latest feat, Schmidt traveled 1,386 miles unassisted from the Canadian border down to Mexico.

He began this epic trip on May 24 at the Washington side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Canada. Before reaching Border Field State Park at the U.S.-Mexico Border on July 26, Schmidt made many stops on land to rest. One of those stops included Dana Point and he hugged the coastline of San Clemente as he headed south.

The trip lasted 61 days in its entirety, with Schmidt stopping for only three complete days of rest in between. For 58 days, six to eight hours per day, Schmidt

paddled his way down the West Coast. He estimates he made roughly 1.25 mil-

lion paddle strokes and burned an average of 3,850 calories per day, causing him to lose more than 20 pounds by the end of the trip. He also suffered blisters all over his hands, two broken toes and lost two fi ngernails.

Despite all of the physical challenges of the trip, Schmidt maintained that the hard-est part of completing the journey had little to do with his body.

“My lower back would get really sore and my hands and feet would be very swollen in the mornings,” Schmidt said. “After a while though, it stops being a

physical challenge and starts being men-tal. At a certain point, it just becomes all mental.”

During his time on the water, there was rarely a moment when he was far from danger.

“There were times when the fog would roll in and you couldn’t see the shoreline,” Schmidt said. “The shore wasn’t always there as a guide. I would have to rely on GPS and satellite tracking.”

The furthest Schmidt ever distanced himself from the shoreline was 12 miles. On average, he stayed one to two miles away from the coastline.

During his stops, Schmidt would either sleep on the beach, in a sea cave or in a hotel room. One night he washed up on a private beach house in Smith River, Cali-fornia. Schmidt told the residents what he was doing. They were so impressed they allowed him to stay in their guesthouse.

“Every day I had a very high point and a very low point,” Schmidt said. “At least once a day I’d think this was the greatest idea I’ve ever had, and then it would get to a point where I’d think ‘What the hell am I doing?’ In the end, it was all worth it.”

As for the future, Schmidt said he’s not sure what task he’s looking to take on next, but he said he wants to continue spreading awareness and helping the Wounded Warriors Project by paddling long distances.

For more information about Schmidt’s stand-up paddling, visit www.areyouin-spiredyet.com. CD

regional rival Garden Grove 6-3 before falling to TABU Scramblers 6-4 in the next round. In the consolation bracket, the Capo Girls team lost to Newport Mesa 9-3, securing their fi fth-place fi nish.

Kyra Massucco had a standout tourna-ment at the plate, collecting seven hits over fi ve games. Pitcher Nicole Arico picked up four wins, highlighted by her performance against Garden Grove when she allowed only four hits. Shortstop Grace Collier fi elded her position well, recording 22 putouts with one error.

The team includes: Riley Dungan, Caitlyn Sung, Alexis White, Angelica Gonzalez, Taylor Hopper, Arico, Claire Steines, Collier, Massucco, Alyssa Peter-son, Alyson Salas, Mariah Bohl, Elibeth Flores and Regan Salas. The team is coached by Dan Massucco. CD

Capo Girls Softball All-Stars Run Ends at Nationals

The Capo Girls Softball 14U All-Star team fi nished fi fth at the ASA 14B Western National Tournament on Aug. 3. Courtesy photo

BY STEVE BREAZEALLE

T

August 8, 2014

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Transcript of August 8, 2014