The Capistrano Dispatch

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

F E B R UA RY 2 5 – M A R C H 1 0, 2 0 1 1 VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4

CAPISTRANO’S NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS AND SPORTS

Calvert: No Federal Dollars

Likely for SJC EYE ON SJC/PAGE 6

A Full Soapbox: Allevato, Freese, Nielsen,

O’Brien and SwerdlinSOAPBOX/PAGES 8, 10

John Perry and Trevor Dale were adversaries in a referendum against development on the golf course, but have teamed up to fi ght Distrito La Novia. Photo by Jonathan Volzke

Back to the Ballot BoxDistrito La Novia decision will go before voters, the fourth planning decision before Capistrano voters in 8 years E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 4

INSIDE:Festival of Whales

Event ProgramSPECIAL INSERT

1LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON SJC

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February 25–March 10, 2011 • The Capistrano Dispatch • www.thecapistranodispatch.com

What’s Up With...San Juan Capistrano’s Top 5 Hottest Topics

…Galindos as Grand Marshals?

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THE LATEST: Art and Maria Galindo will serve as grand marshals for the 53rd Swallows Day Parade Saturday, March 26. The Galindos are longtime San Juan Capistrano residents and owners of Las Golondrinas Restaurants.

“We just love everything about San Juan Capistrano and are honored and humbled to serve as grand marshals of the Swalllows Day Parade,” said Art and Maria Galindo.

Art and Maria met at their hometown high school in San Antonio, Texas. Growing up, they frequented many neighborhood taquerias with freshly made tortillas, tamales and other region-al food. After high school, the Galindos married before Art joined the Marines and became stationed at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Maria joined him soon after, and the couple settled in Santa Ana to raise their fi ve children.

Art Galindo fi rst came to San Juan Capistrano in the early 60s as manager of The Colony Kitchen. He always dreamed of opening his own taqueria-style, and in 1984 that dream became reality when they opened the fi rst Las Golondrinas in the Ortega Business Center. They made $31 on their fi rst day.

…Potential Changes in Los Rios?

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…One Less Train Stopping?

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THE LATEST: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) launched its Pacifi c Surfl iner Express Service between San Diego and Los Angeles on February 15, promising to shave 18 minutes off the trip to Los Angeles.

Trouble is they’ve also shaved San Juan Capistrano off the list of stops.

As part of the new service, Pacifi c Surfl iner Train 563 will replace Train 565, and feature four stops between San Diego and Los Angeles: Solana Beach,

THE LATEST: A design team hired by the Southern California Association of Governments met with about 30 Capistrano residents Wednesday night for input about potential changes to the Historic Los Rios District.

The regional planning agency is working with cities to improve key areas, such as mobility and livability. Los Rios residents wrestled with how to keep the historic, tranquil nature of the district, while making it safer for pedestrians and vehicles.

The designers, from MIG, Inc., wrote down residents’ ideas and concerns and will shape potential improvements in coming meetings.

WHAT’S NEXT: The second of three meetings will be scheduled shortly, city Historic Preservation Manager Teri Delcamp said.

FIND OUT MORE: See www.thecapistra-nodispatch.com for earlier staff reports.

—JV

SAN CLEMENTEEleven homeowners affected by January land-slides fi led a lawsuit February 16 seeking more

than $10 million in damages from Shorecliffs Golf Course while also making a claim of up to $15

million from the City of San Clemente. The lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court includes the

four “red tagged” Via Ballena properties as well as other homeowners along the street. “Disappoint-ed” was the word Course Manager Joseph Leicht used to describe the lawsuit against his company.

Attorney Serge Tomassian, who represents the homeowners, said in a press release the golf

course’s parent company LHC Investments was named because it owns a “substantial portion” of the slope behind the affected properties and did not properly maintain the area to “support

and protect” the homes. The course does have an attorney but Leicht said legal counsel hasn’t

weighed in yet. — Stacie N. Galang

NEWS NEXT DOOR

DANA POINTThe U.S. Border Patrol San Clemente Station will be holding a town hall meeting in Dana Point on March 3, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Dana Cove Room at the OC Sailing & Events Center, 34451 Ensenada Place in the Dana Point Harbor. Newly selected San Diego Sector Chief, Paul A. Beeson, Patrol Agent Alfaro Gonza-lez and other Command Staff from the San Clemente Border Patrol Station and other law enforcement agencies will be in attendance to provide information and answer questions regarding Border Patrol operations within the community. For more information, call Diana Hinojosa at 619.216.4259. The meeting room holds only 300, so RSVPs to [email protected] will be appreciated. —Andrea Swayne

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING

TOWNS

…the Steam Generators at SONGS?

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THE LATEST: Unit 3 at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station went last week, mark-ing the end of a 10-year upgrade that included replacement of the plant’s steam generators.

“This is a moment of pride for the men and women who maintain and operate the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station,” said SCE Chief Nuclear Offi cer Pete Diet-rich in a press release.

The utility company decided to replace the plant’s steam generators after a cost-benefi t assessment determined the over-haul could save $1 billion during the plant’s current license period through 2022. The total project cost was $671 million.

“Our highest priority during this project was to protect the health and safety of the public,” said Project Manager Mike Wharton. During Unit 3 construction, the plant logged 26 fi rst aids and fi ve OSHA recordable accidents, he said.

WHAT’S NEXT: The plant expects to receive its next Nuclear Regulatory Com-mission end-of-cycle review sometime next month. SCE’s fi nal decision on whether to apply to the NRC for license renewal for San Onofre’s two units is pending.

FIND OUT MORE: Check out www.thecap-istranodispatch.com. — Stacie N. Galang

…Layoff Notices Headed to CUSD Employees?

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THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unifi ed School District trustees voted Tues-day to send notices to 346 temporary certifi cated positions, including 10 counselors and two school nurses, that their jobs may be eliminated.

The cuts were approved 4-2, with Trustee Gary Pritchard absent. Trust-ees Ellen Addonizio and Sue Palazzo voted against the potential cuts, saying they didn’t make sense after the district recently restored two furlough days and partial salary cuts to teachers.

The jobs targeted for possible cuts also include 103 positions in grades K-6. The remaining cuts are at the sec-ondary level, including 47 in English, 39 in Math and 24 in Social Science.

Statewide, school offi cials are working on two budgets: one for the governor’s proposal to extend certain taxes, leaving CUSD to cut $1 million. But if the tax-extension plan is rejected, CUSD cuts are expected to hit $17.5 million. With fewer students, the dis-trict also expects to decline.

WHAT’S NEXT: Trustees next meet March 8.

FIND OUT MORE: See the Beyond the

There are now fi ve Las Golondinas restaurants, which employ nearly 100 people, including one of their daughters and two sons.

The Swallows Parade is a long-stand-ing tradition for the Galindo family, which now includes 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

WHAT’S NEXT: The parade is March 26.

FIND OUT MORE: Call 949.493.1976 or visit www.swallowsparade.org.

—Jonathan Volzke

Art and Maria Galindo. Courtesy photo

Blackboard blog at www.thecapistrano-dispatch.com —JV

Oceanside, Irvine and Anaheim. But fear not: Metrolink will still provide

service along the route and will serve those stations within 10 minutes of the Pacifi c Surfl iner Train 565 departure time.

WHAT’S NEXT: Rail offi cials say the express train represents the beginning enhancements to be implemented along the rail corrirdor.

FIND OUT MORE: See www.amtrak.com—JV

EyE on SJC

www.thecapistranodispatch.com • The Capistrano Dispatch • February 25–March 10, 2011

Fate of Distrito will be in Voters’ Hands

apistrano voters must be getting used to making planning deci-sions at the ballot box. Since 2002,

voters have rejected two projects in referendums, shut down Home Depot in an advisory vote and taken away the City Council’s authority to make general-plan changes to open-space land.

And on June 7, voters will again decide the fate of another project, the Distrito La Novia mixed-used project approved off Valle Road in November.

The City Council decision to hold a vote came February 15 after the project developer announced his firm will fight a referendum against the project. Ad-vanced Real Estate officials said earlier they were considering abandoning the Distrito plan and continuing with 440 homes already approved for the site.

But Robb Cerruti, a Capistrano resi-dent and vice president of Advanced Real Estate Services, told the City Council on February 15 his firm believes the project suffers in the public eye from misconcep-tions and that supporters urged Ad-vanced to continue with Distrito.

“We think there’s a lot of misconcep-tions out there …We think if we were to campaign on this, we will be able to clear those up,” Cerruti said. “We want this new project because it is better with the community...We have a lot of supporters. They’ve asked us to stand up and fight this referendum.”

Distrito was approved in November with 90 condominiums, 40 apartments, and about 82,000 square feet of primarily retail and restaurant space on the north

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side of La Novia and 94 single-family homes and a 500-horse stable on the south.

Alan Oswald, the city’s traffic official, said the project would generate 2,043 daily vehicle trips more than the previ-ously-approved project of 440 houses and a hotel, although fewer trips in the morning rush hour and just 200 more in the afternoon peak.

Opponents, however, said the traffic increase was too much, the project too big and the horses an inappropri-ate addition to the residential area. In less than 30 days, they gathered more than the required 1,973 signatures of

registered voters to put the issue before voters.

The city’s cost for a special election is approximately $76,500 to $85,500. The Registrar of Voters’ cost to verify the referendum petition signatures was $7,503.80. Council members picked the June 7 date because the city will save a significant amount of money if the state sets a special election on Governor Brown’s tax-extension proposal for the same day.

The Distrito ballot designation is of-ficially known as Measure B.

The City Council members on March 1 will also consider adopting a

By Jonathan VolzkeThe Capistrano Dispatch

resolution directing the city attorney to prepare an impartial analysis on Mea-sure B. California election law states that when a local measure qualifies for a place on the ballot, the City Council can direct the election official to pass on a copy of the measure to the city attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of it on the existing law and operation of the measure.

The up-to-500-word analysis would then be printed before the arguments for and against the measure. During the earlier discussion about placing the issue before voters—the council could have just rescinded the November approval—Mayor Sam Allevato and Councilwoman Laura Freese indicated they would be willing to write the supporting statement.

At that meeting, resident Judy Morgan told council members that voters had spoken through the petition and the council should just rescind its earlier approval.

But others spoke in favor of Distrito.Richard Hill Adams said he lives closer

to the site than anyone, and he believes the new proposal is far superior to the earlier approved 440-home project.

“That was approved in the 1980s,” Hill Adams said. “This is the 21st Century; we need a plan for the 21st Century.”

Resident Debi Kellerman was discuss-ing the project at the dinner table on the Tuesday evening the council was consid-ering the Distrito referendum when her daughter Taylor, a third-grade student at Ambuehl Elementary School, asked why she wasn’t sharing her feelings with the City Council.

So Kellerman rushed to City Hall, with Taylor in tow. “A lot of people I talked to who signed petition didn’t really under-stand it. They thought signing it for de-velopment or non development,” Keller-man said. “That is not really the case.”

She said the second project was better for the city

But standing at La Novia and Valle Road on Wednesday morning, refer-endum leaders John Perry and Trevor Dale argued it wasn’t. The council had the chance to reduce the project’s traffic impact, but didn’t, and didn’t seem to respect opponents’ concerns.

Ironically, Perry and Dale were on op-posite sides in the referendum over the golf course project, but said they agreed to disagree to work together against Distrito. As for all of the referendums in town, they said it might be time to consider an ordinance that would give the public a vote on any major project, similar to rules in place in Newport Beach and Yorba Linda.

“If we had that,” Dale said, “the devel-oper would have to respect residents and the City Council would have to look out for the public…This project would have never gotten off the ground.” CD

Capistrano voters are pretty familiar with what it takes to put a project to referen-dum, and generally residents have turned thumbs down when asked about develop-ment projects in Capistrano.

Here’s a list of recent referendums and other land-use votes and their outcomes:

2002Capistrano Unified School District pro-poses San Juan Hills High School and 175 homes on 356 acres off Avenida La Pata. The council approves it; voters challenge it.

Vote Count Percentage Yes 4,422 43.7%No 5,694 56.3%

In the same election, the City Council asks voters in an advisory vote whether to move forward with a deal to bring Home Depot to the Lower Rosan

property off Stonehill Drive. Residents advise against it.

Vote Count Percentage Yes 3,258 30.9% No 7,285 69.1%

2006San Juan Hills Golf Course owners propose a project that would see condos built on the driving range between San Juan Creek and San Juan Creek Road. The council approves it; voters challenge it.

Vote Count Percentage Yes 3355 33.3% No 6730 66.7%

2008In the same election voters approve a $30 million open space bond, they also put protections into place to protect open space. The City Council and Open Space

Committee supported Measure X, which requires a vote of the public before land designated open space in the general plan is used for another purpose. Voters agree with that.

Vote Count Percentage Yes 10,556 78.8% No 2,839 21.2%

2011The City Council approves the Distrito La Novia mixed-used project, housing and an equestrian center for land on both sides of La Novia east of Valle Road. Opponents challenge it, turning in 3,362 signatures on referendum petitions. The county Registrar of Voters certifies that at least 1,973—10 percent of the city’s registered voters—are valid. The City Council sets the referendum election for June 7.

—Jonathan Volzke

Ballot Box Planning

Capistrano prepares for third referendum since 2002

An artist’s rendering of the mixed-use Distrito La Novia project. Courtesy rendering

EyE on SJC


All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Web site (www.ocsd.org) and reflects data available from calls placed from the field by the responding officer(s). An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD Web site.

Wednesday, February 23

ARREST Ortega Highway/La Novia Avenue (11:49 p.m.) A 44-year-old woman was taken into custody on suspicion of drunken driving.

TRESPASSINGCamino Capistrano, 32000 Block (8:04 p.m.) A business owner called to report a man refusing to leave. He was described as being in his 40s, wearing a green shirt and light green pants, with a shopping cart.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONSSpotted Bull Lane/Rancho Viejo Road (7:01 p.m.) A caller phoned police about a group of juveniles loitering in the dark by the stop sign. The caller was con-cerned because of recent graffiti.

STOLEN VEHICLEVia Anzar, 28300 Block (5:02 p.m.) The client of a recovery home was re-ported to have taken off in the company’s white Ford van. The suspect used his cell phone to text his father from the van saying he planned to return home. The vehicle was last seen heading towards Calle Arroyo.

DISTURBANCEEdgewood Road, 29400 Block (3:56 p.m.)A caller phoned deputies about a large group of students headed westbound on Village and scattering. A second caller told deputies about seeing 12 people, including one who got out of a car with a bat. Another call came to deputies of 10 people outside a residence, but no weap-ons were seen. The caller said the group outside was trying to fight his best friend who was currently inside the residence.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLECamino La Ronda/La Novia Avenue (1:58 p.m.) Deputies were called about a man in a gold colored Toyota sedan parked in the red zone. The caller told deputies that he asked the man what he was doing and told he was a private investigator.

TRAFFIC STOP (ARREST)La Novia Avenue/Camino La Ronda (10:46 a.m.) A 55-year-old woman

SJCSheriff’s Blotter

C O m p i l e D b y S TA C i e N . G A l A N G

driving a Toyota Prius was taken into custody on suspicion of drunken driv-ing after a traffic stop.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONS IN A VEHICLEPaseo Tamara, 27500 Block (8:44 a.m.) A caller phoned police about three men in a four-door truck who said they were in the area to work on a neighbor’s roof. The caller didn’t believe the men and told officers they were possibly casing the neighbor-hood because of burglaries in the area.

BURGLARY REPORTVia La Senda, 31400 Block (7:56 a.m.)Deputies were called about a theft from a car.

Tuesday, February 22

DRUNK DRIVINGPaseo Adelanto, 32100 Block (10:22 p.m.) A caller told police he had been watching a woman crawl out of her car and then back into it. She was trying to start her car and leave but seemed unable to figure it out.

INVESTIGATE A PERSON DOWNRancho Viejo Road/Ortega Highway (8:16 p.m.) Deputies were called about a man with long blond hair and glasses passed out with his head lean-ing against the window of his black sedan.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-INJURIESOrtega Highway/Interstate – 5 (7:14 p.m.) Deputies responded to a hit and run. The driver leaving the scene was in a cream-colored, mid-sized SUV with front-end damage and leaking radiator fluid. The passenger in the other car was complaining of minor pain.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Paseo Adelanto/Del Obispo Street (4:24 p.m.) Deputies were called to assist the transportation of a drunken juvenile. Deputies were following the ambulance to San Clemente Hospital.

PETTY THEFT REPORTCamino Santo Domingo, 27900 Block (1:34 p.m.) A woman called to report her BMW emblem and rooftop anten-na were removed from her 2008 BMW X3 that was parked in her driveway.

FOUND PROPERTYPaseo Adelanto, 32500 Block (12:50 p.m.) A bicycle was reported found.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONSLa Zanja Street/Los Rios Street (7:51 a.m.) A caller reported a group of men loitering in the apartment com-plex and cat calling women and girls who walked by.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONSCamino Capistrano/Verdugo Street (7:14 a.m.) A caller reported that a

male juvenile was standing next to the train tracks and appeared very disori-ented. The caller had no idea what the juvenile was doing.

DISTURBANCECharro Drive, 25600 Block (6:54 a.m.)A woman called to say her husband was outside her front door and mentally unstable. He was off his medication. The man was given a ride to a hotel by a family member.

Monday, February 21

DISTURBANCECalle Resplendor/Calle Lorenzo (11:01 p.m.) Deputies received a call about a group of gang members yell-ing and possibly beating someone up. Three were detained by deputies and were later released to parents.

VANDALISMLa Novia Avenue/Via Capri (4:47 p.m.)A caller reported the wall of the en-trance had been vandalized.

PATROL CHECKValle Road/Las Ramblas (3:29 p.m.)Deputies received a call about dirt bike riders in the old dump trail and head-ing down toward the new construction on Valle Road. One rider was reported down. Deputies parked at the end of the intersection. They detained one of the riders and walked another rider to the front of a nearby home.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Camino Capistrano/Stonehill Drive (11:11 a.m.) A man called deputies demanding they respond after he was bit by a dog. No medical attention was needed.

Sunday, February 20

ROBBERY IN PROGRESSOrtega Highway, 27100 Block (8:34 p.m.) Deputies responded to a rob-bery in progress after a caller reported a male in a hoodie and black jacket and possibly armed with a handgun had come into the business. Cash was reported stolen. Deputies did bring a male into custody.

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTYVia Belardes/Calle Delphina (5:27 p.m.) Deputies received a second call about a disturbance. The caller told po-lice neighbors turned their music back up after the deputies left the first time.

WELFARE CHECKCalle Chueca, 30800 Block (5:05 p.m.)Deputies responded to a report of a toddler between age 18 months and 2 years trying to play with other children and wandering into the street. The boy apparently lives in a nearby house where the front door is open and the family does not speak English.

CITIZEN ASSIST

Calle San Remo, 2790 Block (3:09 p.m.) A grandfather called deputies because he believed his granddaughter and four friends had taken the car of her other grandfather without permission.

WELFARE CHECKCamino Capistrano, 33500 Block (2:19 p.m.) A caller reported seeing small children left inside a parked car for the past hour.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCYPlaza Baja del Sol, 0 Block (8:59 a.m.)Deputies were assisting Orange County Firefighters who had been called by a woman who believed someone had laced her medication with Clorox.

CITIZEN ASSISTBrook Court, 29500 Block (6:52 a.m.)A mother called deputies to report a female keeps harassing her son.

DISTURBANCE – MUSIC OR PARTYPaseo Toscana, 26400 Block (2:55 a.m.)Deputies responded to a second report of a loud party. This time the subjects were screaming and yelling profanities.

Saturday, February 19

RECKLESS DRIVINGCamino Capistrano/Del Obispo Street (3:55 p.m.) A caller reported to depu-ties seeing the driver of a Prius hit an electrical box. The car’s front tire was flat and the driver’s door was open. The driver had staggered out of the vehicle. The man was possibly having a medical emergency.

DRUNK DRIVINGJunipero Serra Road/Camino Capistrano (3:45 p.m.) A caller had been following a car that had hit a curb and was drag-ging a car part. The car was getting onto Interstate-5 from Junipero Serra Road.

DRUNK DRIVINGOrtega Highway/Sundance Drive (2:02 p.m.) A woman called deputies to say her husband was drunk and driving her car. He was headed to the liquor store.

STOLEN VEHICLECalle Resplendor, 30700 Block (12:47 p.m.) A caller reported a Ford Focus stolen sometime overnight.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTOrtega Highway/San Juan Creek Bridge (12:33 p.m.) Deputies were called to an accident where a pickup truck had driven off the road and flipped into the creek. Onlookers were trying to rescue the victim.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONCamino Las Ramblas/Avenida Calita (8:58 a.m.) A passerby to an accident called deputies to report seeing a man in an SUV looking very disoriented. The driver had possibly hit a raccoon that was walking around and looking very disoriented also.

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The Capistrano Dispatch

Elks Honor Capistrano Deputy Sprattapistrano Sheriff’s Deputy Thom Spratt was among those honored by the Mission Viejo/Saddleback Val-

ley Elks Lodge this month. Elks Lodge No. 2444 hosted its South Orange County Law Enforcement and Firefighter Appre-ciation Awards Dinner for more than150 firefighters, law enforcement personnel and family members of the personnel being recognized for their work over the past year. The dinner was funded by the Lodge’s bingo operation, which is managed by Newt Seal, Lodge Secretary and Past Exalted Ruler and Jim Wessling, House Committee Chair.

Honored guests included Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Sandra Hutch-ens, Highway Patrol Captain Sandra Houston, Orange County Fire Authority Division Chiefs Mike Boyle and Rick Rob-inson, Capistrano Chief of Police Services Lt. John Meyer and other South Orange County sheriff and city officials.

The honored guests were welcomed by event chair and Lodge officer Roger Yarnell. Following the opening prayer from Lodge Chaplin Mike Alarcon, the

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OCFA Honor Guard presented the col-ors and led the pledge of allegiance to the America Flag. The OCFA Pipes and Drums group then marched with great style into the dining room filling it with

music from the bag pipes and drums. After the Pipes and Drums perfor-

mance, Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Pat Martino introduced the dignitaries in attendance. Dennis Keffer, PER, was

Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s program. The Elks volunteers preparing the beef filet and shrimp dinner were led by Elks Lodge PER, Harvey Boelts. To serve the dinner, the Elks obtained the services of members of the girls Laguna Hills Lacrosse team. The Elks provided a donation to the team.

“Listening to the heroic work of the award winners was awe inspiring. On our behalf, the dangers that law enforcement and firefighters face on a day-to-day basis is at times unimaginable,” Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Pat Martino said. “The communities of Saddleback Valley are so blessed to have such dedicated person-nel. They are the reason we live in an oasis of relative security and tranquility in an increasingly stygian world.”

The Mission Viejo / Saddleback Elks Lodge No. 2444, celebrating 41 years of service to the Saddleback Valley commu-nities, is one of 10 lodges in the Orange Coast District of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), whose headquarters is in Chicago. The BPOE is a charitable organization with a 143 year history of giving, “Elks Care, Elks Share.” CD

Elks Exalted Ruler Pat Martino, left, with Lt. John Meyer in the back and Deputy Thom Spratt.Courtesy photo


Calvert Gets Earful, but Capo Unlikely to Get Federal Cash

bout 30 people, including mem-bers of the public and city staff, filled San Juan Capistrano City

Council Chambers Wednesday afternoon to ask Congressman Ken Calvert to sup-port key projects and political goals.

But that came after Calvert, a Republi-can who annually meets with city officials and the public in his district, warned that federal officials were tightening their own fiscal belts, hoping to cut $100 million from this year’s national budget.

Calvert said he was working on laws that he thought would help cities and address residents’ concerns. Among those was a bill that would eliminate the need for federal environmental reviews if California environmental-review laws were being followed, as well as requiring employers nationwide use E-verify to en-sure employees are in the country legally and allowed to work.

Calvert authored the E-verify bill, which created the free database for employers to use. Arizona, Mississippi and Utah man-date the system, and San Juan Capistrano requires those receiving city contracts to use E-verify, but Calvert said the system needs to mandatory nationwide.

On local projects, City Engineering and Building Director Nasser Abbasza-deh outlined a $30 million project to extend Alipaz Street north to Oso Road. The project is about 1.2 miles, and includes a bridge over Trabuco Creek to connect with Oso. The city asked Calvert

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for $700,000 in federal funding to pay for an environmental study and the project’s design.

For water, City Manager Joe Tait told Calvert the city is in a “massive rebuild-ing mode” with its pipelines, wells and groundwater recovery plant. Tait said the goal is for the city’s system to ulti-mately supply 90 percent of Capistrano’s water needs.

The city is also seeking $600,000 to expand the groundwater recovery plant and reclaimed water system, a $2.73 mil-lion project.

During individual council members’ comments, a tussle broke out after Mayor Sam Allevato spoke of the continuing efforts to complete the 241 South toll road. That road would link Ran-cho Santa Margarita with the San Diego Freeway south of San Clemente. But that spurred Councilman Derek Reeve to warn Calvert that some in Capistrano do not sup-port the toll road. He said those against it, if not a majority, are a plurality.

His comments spurred Allevato to respond in defense of the toll road. Al-levato represents Capistrano on the toll road agency. He likened those leading the effort for the toll road, the southern extension of which was rejected by the Coastal Commission, as pioneers

leading the charge with arrows in their backs from detractors.

After the council comments, resi-dents got a turn a microphone. John Perry, Ian Smith and Kim Lefner told Calvert they opposed the city’s efforts at expanding the groundwater plant. Af-ter those two speakers, Allevato asked staff to respond, and City Manager Joe Tait reported that a settlement with Chevron, pending since before the No-vember 2 election, remains imminent, with attorneys going back and forth over details.

As for the groundwater plant, Assis-tant Utilities Director West Curry reported the plant has no ma-jor problems—Perry said it has consis-tently failed to meet its production goals, last year by a wide margin—and will work fine when new wells and a MTBE-scrubbing system is installed. That is under construction now and expected

to be finished in June, Curry said. He said the plant should be able to produce 5 million gallons a day in April, then moving toward 6 million or 7 million after June.

Curry said the city plans to sell excess water produced by the plant in the winter when the plant is running at full capacity.

But Lefner said Capistrano’s water is already too expensive, even unaffordable to some residents, and asked “at what point do you stop throwing good money after bad?”

Calvert said he supports the city’s ef-fort to become water dependent.

Lefner, Kim McCarthy and other residents also complained about the city’s level of debt. The city’s Chief Financial Officer Cindy Russell broke down the debt for the council, saying voters have approved $33 million in debt for open space, while the redevelopment agency has $47 million in debt and the utilities division has $64 million in bond debt.

The general fund has about $200,000 in debt, which costs the city $24,000 a year, she said.

The debt is not a burden on the city, however, Russell said, because the open-space debt is paid on residents’ property taxes, while the redevelopment agency debt is paid for by existing property taxes within the agency. The utilities debt is “quite large,” Russell said, but went to pay for the groundwater plant and three reservoirs. That debt is supposed to be paid by water rates.

Russell said efforts to compare Capistrano’s debt to other cities are unfair because nearby cities are served by separate water districts, so the burden of water improvements do not appear on city books.

Calvert did not comment on the debt concerns.

The meeting ended about 3:40 p.m. with a round of applause. CD

“Calvert, a Republican who annually meets with city officials and the pub-lic in his district, warned that federal officials were tightening their own fiscal belts, hoping to cut $100 million from this year’s

national budget.”

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

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 9, Issue 4. 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.sanclement-etimes.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 2011. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

CEO > Norb Garrett

EDITORIAL

Group Editor, Editor, The Dispatch> Jonathan Volzke

City Editor, DP Times> Andrea Swayne

City Editor, SC Times> Stacie N. Galang

ART/DESIGN

Senior Designer> Jasmine SmithGraphic Designer> Heidi Mefferd

ADVERTISINGAssociate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

> Michele Reddick (San Clemente)

> Sergio Sanchez (San Juan Capistrano)

Sales Associates> Angela Edwards > Buddy Purel

OPERATIONS

Finance Director> Mike Reed

Business Operations Manager> Alyssa Garrett

Distribution Manager> Andrea Swayne

INTERNSKirsten Amavisca Sacher, Madi Swayne

SPECIAL THANKSRobert Miller, George Mackin

CONTRIBUTORSTawnee Prazak, Christina Scannapiego, David Zimmerle

EDITORSTORIES, NEWS, CALENDAR, ETC.

Jonathan Volzke, 949.388.7700, x108 [email protected]

ADVERTISINGPRINT AND ONLINE

Sergio Sanchez, 949.388.7700, x104 [email protected] Purel, [email protected]

DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Andrea Swayne, 949.388.7700, [email protected]

BILLINGAlyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 [email protected]

HOW TO REACH US

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

2VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTSSOAPBOX

2Make sure to sound off each week on

“The Dispatch Poll of the Week” at www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

Then go to our community Message Board and share your opinions.

The Dispatch Online Reader Polls are not scientifi c and do not refl ect the opinion of The Dispatch.

ONLINE READER POLLS


Letters to the CommunityTHE REFERENDUM SCAM

—Carole Matson, San Juan CapistranoI am sick and tired of reading the letters against

Distrito/Meadows. The recent letters state that “nearly double the required number of signatures was collected by residents” opposed to the project.

The very critical fact that they leave out is: Lies were told to voters to obtain those signatures! I personally went to the sights where signatures were being obtained and asked questions. I was given com-pletely false information just to ensure that I would sign their petition!

So don’t tell me that most of the residents are against this great project! Let’s gather signatures again, without the lies, and see what the end result will be!

I pray that the City Council sticks by their decision and eventually we can have a world-class multi-use district for all of San Juan Capistrano to enjoy!

FIGHT THE REFERENDUM—Ray Turner, San Juan CapistranoI support Robb Cerruti and the development of

Distrito La Novia as approved by our City Council. I admire this developer’s decision to fi ght this ridicu-lous referendum vote that will result only in addi-tional costs that we taxpayers would have to pay for a

because it’s Wednesday! Great appetizer? How about the pate, brie and fruit plate? Great patio dining? Enjoy sipping a glass of wine and slurping the wonderful on-ion soup while taking in the lovely view of the Mission. And don’t tell anyone, but that’s my pick for where to sit for the Swallow’s Day Parade! And, yes, it is the people and the small-town feel that are a big part of why this is a great place to live.

So when looking at the Best of San Juan, how did corporate companies like Starbucks, Marie Callendars, and Ross Dress for Less get on the list? And ZPizza? Have you tried Tannins’ pizza??!

needless special election vote. This would accomplish nothing of value to our community.

The current development as proposed and already approved is far superior to the earlier proposal that the developer would have to revert back to if this silly referendum were to succeed.

‘BEST OF’ DISPUTE—Rhonda deHaan, San Juan CapistranoWhile there are a number of worthy winners in this

year’s “Best of,” I am again disappointed at the obvi-ous absence of some true gems we have in San Juan Capistrano… dedicated to quality and community.

Among those that more than deserve mentioning: The Dutch Bakery—talk about a great cup of coffee, outstanding customer service, and THE most amaz-ing treats. I’m always greeted by name—Michelle always remembers my coffee order and no one knows how to bake like Richard!

The Ramos House—there is no better breakfast or ambiance. This is not a place to have a plate of pancakes tossed in front of you; it is a truly special place serving outstanding, thoughtful food by a guy who really cares.

Le Hirondelle—another unique family-owned place with fresh yummy food. Go there on your anniver-sary; take a friend for their birthday; or visit just

enhancements to the city which can be accomplished within the next fi ve years and do not confl ict with the I-5 construction.

The lovely new hotel at the old Walnut Grove site jumps to mind fi rst. Its construction will establish a strong new gateway into San Juan Capistrano (the existing welcome into SJC being the Jack in the Box) and will bring an infl ux of revenue into the city from visitors.

Improvements to Ortega in that one block area in front of the Mission will include increased sidewalk widths, sidewalk furniture, trees, fl owers, a change in street parking, and restriping of the road. It will have a powerful impact on the way people perceive and use the space in front of the Mission and will encourage lingering and sidewalk use.

A change to and preservation of the Mission

entrance and wall is in mid-stream currently. As part of the preservation of the Mission, the “new” entrance is really the old entrance, as it was in the 1920s. A beauti-ful museum storefront with a portico and windows will become part of the wall, easily entered from the street or from within the Mission.

Camino Capistrano can be restriped, without removing any curbs, to allow for better parking, wider sidewalks, landscaping and a calming effect on traffi c, which makes for a truer main street of a historic city.

These necessary improvements will be a boon to us all. They will help bring in better businesses to our downtown and entice us, the residents, to spend more time in the heart of our beautiful city. Old attitudes, like old cities, need to be updated now and again.

Businesswoman Laura Freese serves on the City Coun-cil and chairs the Redevelopment Agency.

LAURA FREESE: My View

Downtown, Downtown, Downtownld cities have old buildings, old infrastructure and sometimes old attitudes. Beautiful San Juan

Capistrano is no exception.The 2010 Master Plan for the

downtown is founded on the strengths of the downtown core. It is based on the 1995 Master Plan from which the beloved Historical Town Center Park stemmed. It is designed to be used as

a GUIDE only, which protects our historical buildings, our unique SJC charm and keeps us from becoming “yuppyfi ed.” It creates a more pedestrian friendly city and more walkability. It will instill a strong sense of our unique SJC identity.

This article is about the recommended short-term phase of the implementation plan. They are the easier

O

LAURAFREESE

A PRICE FOR ‘PUBLIC’—Dave Solt, San Juan CapistranoDemocracy requires transparency. Without it, there

can be no democracy, so I am supportive of the Free-dom of Information Act. A small group of residents is making freedom of information requests that I view as excessive. At the last city council meeting, one individual made a list of requests that will take the city staff —what—30 or more hours to prepare? Perhaps more?

This group of individuals is on record demanding smaller government. When government staff mem-bers are tied up with excessive requests, they

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-sub-mitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.

SOAPBOX


PATRICKO’BRIEN

PATRICK O’BRIEN: The Way I See It

It Pays to Be Ignorantrole that media opinion played in that tragedy.

On a personal level, I have “liberal” friends who no longer watch MSNBC because they find themselves so angry and frustrated that their lives become a raw nerve. Many have told me that they have simply dis-carded all their “conservative” friends, friendships of over twenty years. “Rather than show my furious hos-tility towards them, I just avoid them and don’t accept invitations nor invite them anymore,” said one friend.

My “conservative” friends never mention FOX news to me, knowing that I will ridicule Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck as the three stooges of Rupert Murdoch’s Alice in Wonderland world. One tells us the moon makes the tides. Another never seems to know what he is talking about and the third seems to be on a conspiratorial drug high as he sells gold coins and Obama’s roots in Islam and Obama’s world plot to turn us all into fanatical jihadists.

When I was a newsboy in the streets of San Francis-co, selling papers on the corner of Geary and Powell, there was such a man who sat on the sidewalk with his hat out, his knees showing through threadbare, grimy jeans, mumbling about Dwight Eisenhower and his plot with North Korea and the end of the world. Every-one called him ”Crazy Willy,” but never to his face, and many dropped a quarter into his hat when the rush hour was over and the papers were gone. The flower vendor did the same. “Crazy Willy” was born several decades too early.

I am reminded of that old program on radio in the late forties: “It Pays to Be Ignorant” where the week to week contestants pretended to be the dumbest people in the world and pretend to answer such questions as—

“How many ounces are there in a 10 ounce can?” One contestant would query: “What is the can made

of?” Another would ask: “How tall is the can?” A third would shout: “I got it. I got it!”“Yes?” The moderator said.

merica is more fragmented and divided than it has ever been in its history,” said

Scott Spitzer, professor of political science at California State University, a panel participant on “Civility in Poli-tics, Can It Be Mended?” The panel included Beth Krom, mayor of Irvine

and our own Jonathan Volzke, editor of this newspaper and former reporter for the Register for 13 years. The discussion took place at the Community Center and was sponsored by the South Orange County Democratic Club (SOCD). (Yes, there are Democrats in South Or-ange County.) This was, indeed, a civil discussion with civil disagreement.

Beth Krom pointed out that often a political candidate who is in nonalignment with a newspaper’s political point of view may be misquoted and her op-ed piece seen as a letter to the editor, rather than a response by a public servant on a governmental issue. In her case, she cited the Register and its unwillingness to include serious and informed views with the same print space if it conflicted with the Register’s libertarian point of view.

Jonathan Volzke pointed out that print journalism medium is suffering and that a visit to a daily news-paper will reveal that many of its reporters tend to be under the age of 25, thus inexperienced, and they have deadlines that require five or six stories instead of the historical one story a day. Too much work. Not enough time. Too shallow. Too many errors.

All agreed that the media have an influence on incivil-ity and national fragmentation.

“There is MSNBC on the left, FOX on the right, far right, and CNN dabbling in the middle, endlessly repeating a headline story,” said Mayor From. Scott Spitzer agreed. He pointed out that viewers of news shows sought those programs that seemed to verify their own point of view, further creating political polar-ization. All agreed that the Tucson murders were the product of a deranged mind and were skeptical of the

“A“Tomatoes!”From there they spun off into a quasi-philosophical

discussion of the thickness of tomatoes.“We make stuff up,” said a recent spokesman at FOX.

No kidding?At the Community Center the audience was remind-

ed that cable news is a profit making enterprise. Hence, it seems to me, if you are a “newsman” who makes of 30 million a year as do all three of the FOX tele-read-ers, you don’t stay at that handsome income unless you can get the television land folks excited. Their fellow traveler in radio, Rush Limbaugh, makes over 40 mil-lion a year by insulting the President, the first lady, all Democrats and he would insult your Aunt Tilly with the artificial foot if he could be reassured that it would make headlines on national television.

The panel at the Community Center was extremely well informed, interesting, and very civil. What a re-freshing night. It went too fast. Oh, that we could have such discussions and observations and differences in on a regular basis, ignoring party, political rhetoric, and really seeking solutions on the national level, devoid of petty politics and commercialism. “Crazy Willy” might suddenly stop mumbling and those who “make stuff up” might report instead of perform, and in the case of Mr. O’Reilly would not interrupt the POTUS 54 times in an interview and allow at least one complete thought to be broadcast. It is well to remember that money is not the root of all evil. The quote, as you remember, is: “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

As a carnival barker once told me and my teen friends at a fair near Clear Lake in the 1950’s as he pocketed our money: “Boys, let that be a lesson: Guys like me make money off the sheep. Don’t ever get sheared again. Now get out of here and ask your teacher what the word ‘ignorant’ means. Don’t be fooled by all the lights and excitement.” And we went home broke and angry—at ourselves.

Patrick O’Brien is an author, community college profes-sor and Capistrano resident.

SAM ALLEVATO: Mayor’s Message

Understanding the Importance of Redevelopmenthas been successful in bringing two new car dealerships to town. Tuttle Click’s Capistrano Ford - 169,357-square-foot dealership—with 100 employees—is expected to open sometime next month. Orange Coast Chrysler Jeep Dodge of San Juan Capistrano—28,271-square-foot dealership—with 38 new jobs should open in May.

Our City is also moving forward with the amend-ment to the Historic Town Center Master Plan, which will unify the businesses east of Del Obispo and the historic downtown into a more robust and intercon-nected district over the next 20-30 years. This update to the 1995 plan includes implementing 220,000 square feet of retail; 140,000 square feet of commercial/office; 1,200 square feet of public/institutional; 240 residential units; 214 hotel rooms; and more. This plan, which will still maintain our village-like character, will benefit our community for many years to come.

Our CRA is also helping to ease traffic in town. Traffic improvements at the intersection of Junipero Serra/Rancho Viejo Road and Del Obispo Bridge Wid-ening are partly funded with CRA funds. The intersec-tion improvements, which should be finished by May, will allow for much easier access to and from the I-5 freeway, currently a daily bottleneck. Additional turn pockets and lanes will provide

s you’ve heard it from me and many other mayors throughout our state, redevelopment agen-

cies are vital to our local economies, and it’s necessary for our citizens to under-stand the value of our redevelopment agency and how its assistance impacts everyone.

Redevelopment agencies are responsi-ble for creating jobs and economic growth, especially in a time when you have a 12.5 percent unemployment rate in California. For the governor to smother that effort is counterintuitive.

Redevelopment serves as a catalyst for private invest-ment by providing the initial plan and seed money that ultimately breathes new life into many areas. Our San Juan Capistrano Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has done just that time and again since it began nearly three decades ago. A couple recent examples include the re-opening of the downtown movie theater, which created 25 jobs, eliminated blight and has already made a huge difference to the downtown restaurants and businesses. Across from the theater, we will also see 10,026 square feet of retail and office space at the old Vaquero West building next year. In addition, the agency

Agreater capacity for traffic flow. The bridge widening will also align a pinched section of the roadway where morning and night-time rush hour traffic slows to a crawl every day of the week.

As you can see by just a few examples, our CRA certainly benefits this town, but you may wonder who pays for it. Redevelopment agencies don’t levy taxes and don’t have the ability to raise taxes. Instead, they receive a portion of the property tax revenues generated when property values rise because of new private investment. Property values rise when our CRA takes steps to im-prove deteriorated areas - hence increasing property tax revenues or tax increment revenue. State law enables the CRA to pledge the tax increment to finance bonds and other types of debt that can then be invested in proj-ect area improvements. So essentially, the CRA funds itself through the financing of these improvements by stimulating increases in property values that otherwise would not have happened. Of course, other agen-cies—like school districts, counties, etc.—also share in increased property tax revenues resulting from rede-velopment actions but the CRA retains a bigger portion of these increased revenues so it can pay back the debt that was incurred to kick-start revitalization.

Sam Allevato is Mayor of San Juan Capistrano.

SAMALLEVATO

SOAPBOX

MARKNIELSEN


DAVID SWERDLIN: In My View

I’m So Confused ... Again! councils developed a pretty darn good General Plan to guide the growth and lifestyle of our town, which, by the way, includes a balanced economic plan based onthe zoning when the plan was approved. The small town feel promoted by the Genera lPlan is why most of us moved here, and not Irvine.

“But this Redevelopment Agency on its own seems to have changed the priorities of our General Plan. Ap-parently our tax base is now the highest priority for our City Council fellows, much more so than the lifestyle and balanced economic plan within our General Plan,” said Oliver.

“You mean to say that now all our City Council fellows care about is money, and not the small town lifestyle we moved down here for?” Gussie asked. Gussie, one of our finest of heart ladies, is also respected for her suc-cinct summarization of long-winded wordsmiths.

Oliver quickly responded. “Well, Gussie, our fine Mayor Sam Allevato justifies our Redevelopment Agency as better than apple pie, ‘cuz it not only cures blight but creates jobs, while not costing us anything. Kind of reminds me of the old time con men.”

“Of all that Redevelopment tax money collected for the Agency, about 23 percent pays interest on the bonds, 17 percent pays down the principal bond debt, 20 percent must go to low-cost housing, 6 percent for land acquisition, 12 percent for administration (city salaries), and 22 percent to help develop the project.”

Oliver quickly continued, “Our Redevelopment Agency can only use future tax money for Agency proj-ects like Tuttle Click Ford and Home Depot, and not the General Fund, which would use that tax money for our parks, libraries, schools, fire, police, etc.”

“Sounds like our taxes are paying part of the salaries of the jobs created by Sam and Laura’s Redevelopment Agency,” Gussie said.

e was down at the barn this morning grooming Little Nelly, my good ole Mule.

Young Billy came running in all excit-ed and all, and immediately stumbled over an old wood crate.

“Did you hear what our City Council done gone and done now!,” Young

Billy said, picking himself up. Little Nelly made a very strange noise. I suspected right then that I would need to call on

my Navy training this evening, and begin another long consultation with my friend, Gentleman Jack, to clear up the forth coming confusion generated by our esteemed City Council members.

Well, Young Billy done brought us all up to date on the first action taken by our staff-lead City Council. “Seems like they done jumped on the bandwagon to save our Community Redevelopment Agency from Governator Brown’s chopping block. Why, Big Spend-er Laura Freese even flew up to Sacramento, on our tax money, to tell the Governator how good redevelop-ment is for our small town.”

Lester, an old timer if there ever was one, was the first to pipe up. “Seems to me I remember back in the 1960’s that our Redevelopment Agency was first formed to cleanup blight around town, and generate a few jobs, or so them City staff fellows said. Didn’t have much blight then, so I thought it wouldn’t take long. Guess I was wrong.”

“I think them City Council fellows must’ve got mixed up about the purpose of our General Plan when they act as the Board of Directors of our Community Rede-velopment Agency,” Bubba chimed in.

Oliver, our retired country lawyer, was the next. “I tend to agree with Bubba. Our town’s earlier city

W“You know, I now realize our future taxes are also

part of the profits for corporations like Home Depot as well, since these taxes subsidize their business model,” Gussie succinctly said. “It is Corporate Welfare!”

Billy interjected, dropping the other shoe. “The coun-cil done said that those 3,200 good people who signed the petition to stop the La Novia/Distritio shopping and horse center aren’t smart enough to understand what they signed, ‘cuz they really wanted this project to be voted on by all the people.”

“How come the Council didn’t make the developer volunteer the $75,000 to put this on the ballot, since he wants this project?” said everyone at once. “That’s insult to injury.”

“Yes,” said Gussie, “and the reason that Nielsen and Uso lost the elections was because they didn’t listen to their base. Those two didn’t get my vote because they supported changing the General Plan to allow a development us neighbors didn’t want then, and don’t want now.”

“Great point, Gussie. Even though John Taylor and Larry Kramer said they supported La Novia, it wasn’t why we voted for them. They promised to listen to the us residents, not the developers, something that already slipped their minds.”

Confusion slowly settled in. This wasn’t the change we had hoped for in last November’s elections. Why isn’t the council listening?

Young Billy said he had to go, leaving the barn just in time.

Little Nelly made another strange sound, but this one began tearing up our eyes.

“Might be cause for a recall,” said Gussie, and she too ran out of the barn.

David Swerdlin is a former San Juan Capistrano City Councilman.

DAVIDSWERDLIN

MARK NIELSEN: Straight Talk

No More Drive-Thru’s on ‘Fast Food Row’on the road and would add horribly to the traffic issues. Not to mention that I don’t see how having a regular parade of dozens of cars waiting in line will in any way enhance the pedestrian character of our downtown.

For those who claim we are losing two fast food drive-thru’s with the new I-5/Ortega interchange (Jack in the Box and Arby’s), so adding one new one is good; why not take the loss of two as a side benefit of the interchange and help correct a past mistake? Given that In-N-Out will only add about $25,000 to $30,000 a year in sales tax revenue to the city, is that really enough money to put up with all the pain of shifting more traffic and dozens of cars lined up on the city’s worst stretch of road? To those who claim we are only going to mon-etize the traffic that is already coming from commuters through our town and not add more traffic, I can only say Horse Puckey. Does anyone believe for a moment that all of us who now drive to Avery and Camino Capistrano from San Clemente, Dana Point or San Juan will keep lining up there instead of diverting to a new drive-thru in downtown SJC?

Consider too that the landowner has had offers from a number of sit-down restaurants or sports bar/restau-rants that would force people to park and get out of their car (and add another nice eating venue just a short walk from our Historic Town Center Park). The revenue to the city from such restaurants would likely match or exceed that from an In-N-Out, and the business would enhance the pedestrian character with a fraction of the

ast April while on the City Coun-cil, I voted against allowing an-other fast food drive-thru on Del

Obispo. Many have complained about the negative traffic impact of all the fast food drive-thru’s along Del Obispo and how “Fast Food Row” detracts from the character of our historic town. The com-munity had such a negative reaction that a moratorium was put in place years ago

to prohibit any additional drive-thru restaurants.However, with the recent change in the City Council,

a new fast food drive-thru on Del Obispo is back before the city for approval. The former Sizzler site is once again being touted as a great place for a new drive-thru. No matter that the stated goal of the city is to make our downtown more pedestrian-friendly and to alleviate traf-fic congestion. Merely because the brand of fast food is iconic and well-liked, do we appear to be ready to throw out logic and common sense to justify what will bring even more traffic congestion to the worst stretch of road in our city. Let’s be honest. Would anyone be supporting another fast food drive-thru on Del Obispo if its name was anything other than In-N-Out?

Now I am quick to admit that I am a great proponent of In-N-Out. It is the only fast food burger that my family regularly enjoys. However, I am not so blinded by that enjoyment to ignore the foolishness of attracting a whole slew of cars to Del Obispo that normally would not be

Ltraffic. Such a restaurant would also be more aligned with the longer-term downtown Master Plan that expands the pedestrian center to include the Del Obispo corridor.

As I said, I support In-N-Out; just not at the old Sizzler site. Almost anywhere else in the city would be prefer-able and likely supported. I have heard that there was interest in having them be along Camino Capistrano by the car dealers where they would have freeway visibility (and where the traffic and road is far more open). Or they could go on Stonehill by the Lower Rosan property. The issue is whether we are willing, for the paltry sum of $30,000, to further mess up a stretch of road that is severely impacted today and will be far worse when the new interchange funnels even more traffic onto it in the future. The cost/benefit analysis of such a move pretty obviously concludes that it would be a mistake for the city and its citizens. I have also heard argued that it would attract more people to town and that other busi-nesses would benefit. While I agree with that argument for the sit-down restaurants proposed for the site, the argument fails for In-N-Out since a drive-thru by defini-tion encourages drivers to stay in the car and just keep driving. So the only benefit to the city is $30,000 a year. And the cost of added traffic is how much? We spend far more annually to reduce traffic impacts without half the success than we could gain by merely saying “No More Drive-Thru’s on Fast Food Row!”

Businessman Mark Nielsen is a former San Juan Capistrano City Councilman.

GETTING OUT

YOUR FOURTEEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

THE LIST

saturday26

A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town the next two weeks.

friday25AN EVENING AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS7 p.m. The Library presents a special evening with local favorites and Hollywood producers Robert Kline and Stephanie Heredia as they discuss the Academy Awards. Tickets $10. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.248.5132, www.ocpl.org. JANE FULLER7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Live music at The Vintage Steak House. 26701-B Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.661.3407, www.thevintagesteakhouse.com. KEIKO MATSUI8 p.m. Contemporary jazz concert at The Coach House. Cole Collective also performs. Tickets $25. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com. DEBRA LEE & TRIGGER HAPPY8:30 p.m. Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

GARDEN ANGELS8 a.m.-11 a.m. Volunteer your time gardening with Goin Native at Los Rios Park. Bring gardening tools. 31661 Los Rios St., 949.606.6386., www.goinnative.net.

PAJAMA STORYTIME7 p.m. Sunshine readers tell entertaining storie’s for kids and families at the SJC Library. Wear your PJs! 31495 El Camino Real, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

SPANISH LANGUAGE BOOK GROUP7:30 p.m. Discuss the book, Fe en Disfraz in Spanish at the library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.248.5132, www.ocpl.org.

$5 MONDAY’S!5 p.m.-8 p.m. Join SC Wine Company for happy hour featuring three wines for $5, glasses of selected wines for $5 and mugs of beer from $5 and up. 212 1/2 Avenida Del Mar, 949.429.7067, www.scwinecompany.com.

PATRIOTS DAY MARINE CAR WASH9 a.m.-3 p.m. VFW Post 9934 hosts a car wash at South Shores Church featuring Marine table displays, police and fi re vehicles, food, drinks and more. 32712 Crown Valley Pkwy., Dana Point, www.danapoint.org. THEY CAME FROM OUTER SPACE11 a.m.-4 p.m. Casa Romantica’s NASA Space Exploration Exhibit is on display featuring historical space stories, photos, equipment and more. Adults $5. Kids 12 and under $3. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, www.casaromantica.org.

PET ADOPTION10 a.m.-2 p.m. The ARK of San Juan, San Juan Capistrano, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org. EVITTE PALMER7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Live music at The Vintage Steak House. 26701-B Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.661.3407, www.thevintagesteakhouse.com. LIVE MUSIC AT SWALLOW’S INN2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Helicopter and at 8:30 p.m. Rob Staley Band. Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

PEPPER AND FRIENDS OF LAW RECORDS8 p.m. Must-see concert at The Coach House. Tickets $25. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

monday28

tuesday01PRESCHOOL STORYTIME11 a.m. Children ages 3-6 and caregivers are invited to the library for stories, songs, crafts and fun. No registration required. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

POUL PEDERSEN6:30 p.m. Acoustic artist at Renaissance. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.renaissance-danapoint.com.

sunday27

COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

GIRL SCOUT PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT6 p.m. Find out all about Girl Scouts and why girls K-6 should join; meeting at Ambuehl Elementary School. 28001 San Juan Creek Road, 949.461.8868, www.gscoc.org.

OLD CAPISTRANO FARMERS MARKET3 p.m.-7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba; 949.493.4700.

BILINGUAL STORYTIME11:30 a.m. Stories and crafts in Spanish and English every Wednes-day at the SJC Library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

GARDEN TOURS10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Explore the Mission grounds with a tour guide. Free with paid admission of $5-$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., SJC, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

wednesday02

thursday03CALIFORNIA MISSIONS RESOURCE STUDIO8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mission San Juan Capistrano presents its new studio with information on all 21 missions for students, teachers and more. Free with paid admission of $5-$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

ITALIAN MOVIE NIGHT 6 p.m. Enjoy happy hour at Rick’s Cafe then at 7 p.m. watch the award-winning fi lm Pane e Cioccolata at San Juan Capistrano Regency Theater. 26762 Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.661.3456, www.rickscafesanjuan.com.

IMAGES FROM SPACE7 p.m. Casa Romantica presents NASA’s John Hoot and a presen-tation on the development of space-related technology. Admis-sion $7, Casa members $6. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139, wwwcasaromantica.org.

KID’S PET PARADE1 p.m.-3 p.m. The Fiesta Association presents the annual parade for kids ages 5-12 and their pets to dress up and enter contests for the chance to win awards in several categories. Held at Cook Park. Rain Date: March 6. 27551 Calle Arroyo, 949.493.1976, www.swallowsparade.com.

NATURE HIKE9 a.m.-10 p.m. Join Park Rangers Sunday mornings for an easy 1-mile hike on the Nature Trail at Caspers Park. Free. Parking $5. 33401 Ortega Hwy., 949.923.2211, www.ocparks.com/caspers.

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR1 p.m. SJC Historical Society leads a tour to see Los Rios Historical District, O’Neill Museum, Montanez Adobe, the Mis-sion, Rios Adobe and more. Meet at the train depot on Verdugo Street. Every Sunday. $2 adults, $1 children. 949.493.8444, www.sjchistoricalsociety.com.

HEARTLESS2:30 p.m. Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

SIDESHOW SHENANIGANS8 p.m. Camino Real Playhouse presents a family-friendly circus-themed melodrama with magic, mystery and mayhem of the 1870s Big Top Circus, as well as treats for the audience. Perfor-mances on select dates March 4-26. Tickets $24-$40.

FIRST FRIDAY FILM7 p.m. Watch The Town with Ben Affl eck at the library. $2 dona-tion. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.248.5132, www.ocpl.org.

FERNANDO RAMOS6 p.m.-9 p.m. The solo mariachi guitarist plays at El Adobe every Friday and Saturday night. 31891 Camino Capistrano, SJC, 949.493.1163, www.eladobedecapistrano.com.

friday04

(Cont. on page 14)


THE KID’S PET PARADEGO SEE DOThe San Juan Capistrano Fiesta

Association will host the annual Kids Pet Parade on Sunday, February 27 at Cook/La Novia Park in San Juan Capist-rano. (Rain date is Sunday, March 6). Children 12 and under can bring their pets in costume for contests includ-ing Cutest, Most Original, Best Team Costume (owner and pet), Funniest and Most Obedient.

The top award, the “judges choice” winner, will be featured in the 53rd Swallows Day Parade on Saturday, March 26.

Pet Parade registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the judg-ing and pet parade starts at 1:00 p.m. Each contest has a $3 entry fee and all pets must be leashed, haltered or caged

during the entire event. All children in the parade will be treated to a hot dog lunch.

The all-volunteer Fiesta Association meets weekly on Wednesday evenings to plan the parade. New volunteers and members are always welcome. The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. with a social period before the 7 p.m. business session. Complimentary food is avail-able with beverages for purchase. The meeting is at the Nydegger Building,

31421 La Matanza Street.For more information about the Kids Pet Parade or other

Fiesta de las Golondrinas events, call 949.493.1976 or see www.swallowsparade.org. —Jonathan Volzke

Courtesy photo

GETTING OUT

sunday06Saved By The MiSSion Bell8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Children and adults can listen to Spanish-speaking audio tours at the Mission daily. Admission of $5-$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

SignaTure SafariView dolphins, gray whales and more marine wildlife onboard Capt. Dave’s Dolphin Safari’s high-tech catamaran sailboat. Departures daily, call for times. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.

SaShaMon7 p.m. Artist plays a blend of reggae and Hawaiian music at The Coach House. Inited Dread and Stone Senses also perform. Tickets $15 ($13 advance). 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

tuesday08

2-for-1 TueSdaySHalf price on all fishing trips, whale watching and other adven-tures at Dana Wharf every Tuesday. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

CoMpuTer laB8:45 a.m. Computer lessons at the library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

monday07saturday05faMily filM feaTure11 a.m. Families are invited to the library to watch Megamind. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.248.5132, www.ocpl.org.

Swallow’S parade/hooSgow orienTaTion & Town walk-aBouT9 a.m. The Fiesta Association hosts the event meeting in the ROP lot. 949.493.1976, www.swallowsparade.com.

40Th annual feSTival of whaleS10 a.m.-4 p.m. For two weekends, Dana Point celebrates with whale watching, art shows in the harbor, a parade, concert and much more. Dates: March 5, 6, 12, 13. Info: 888.440.4309 or 949.496.1045, www.festivalofwhales.com.

de angeliS voCal enSeMBle: pariSian delighTS8 p.m. Concert at Mission Basilica that combines the vibrancy of Re-naissance Paris paired with composers from the 20th century. Tickets: $25 general admission, $20 student and seniors. 31520 Camino Capist-rano, San Juan Capistrano, 714.928.9567, www.missionparish.org.

granT langSTon & The SuperModelS9 p.m. Special musical performance at Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, SJC, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

Mardi graS greek STyle6 p.m. The Greek Orthodox Mission of South Orange County holds a Mardi Gras event at the El Adobe with live Greek music, dancing, dinner, a “best costume” contest and a raffle. Dinner tick-ets $50 adults, $15 for children. 31891 Camino Capistrano, SJC, 949.542.3445, [email protected], www.eladobedecapistrano.com.

CounTry danCin’ wiTh dJ BuBBa6:30 p.m. The fun starts early and goes till late at Swallow’s Inn every Monday. 31786 Camino Capistrano, SJC, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

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

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

wednesday09karaoke7 p.m. Joel and Les host Karaoke at Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, SJC, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

vine wine TaSTing & food pairing7 p.m.-8 p.m. Educational wine tasting at Vine featuring four wines paired with food; $40 per person. 211 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.9376, www.vinesanclemente.com.

thursday10$1 ThurSdayS5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. San Clemente Wine Company has $1 tastings of wines off the daily tasting menu. 212 1/2 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.429.7067, www.scwinecompany.com.

hulaville open MiC nighT6 p.m.-8 p.m. Hulaville invites all musicians, along with singers and hula dancers, to step up and showcase your talents for an appreciative audience. Every Thursday. 2720 Camino Capist-rano, San Clemente, 949.369.1905, www.hulavillecafe.com.

(Cont. from page 13)

About our rEviEws: In each issue we’ll highlight universally critical points including “Most Popular Dish,” “Best Known For” and “Price Range.” But most importantly, we’re inviting you to participate each week and rate the restaurant based on your experiences. Go to www.thecapistranodispatch.com and under “Restaurant Guide” share your thoughts about this week’s restaurant.


31952 Del obispo st., san Juan Capistrano (in Alipaz Plaza), 949.248.1281

bEst Known For: All day buffet Most PoPulAr itEM: Crispy Deep Fried Chicken Wing

We’ve always got our eye out for a great dining bargain, and our stomachs and our wallets are equally thrilled with Yoon Kee Chinese Restaurant. The restaurant now has $6.99 all-you-can-eat buffets all day long. The offerings are fresh and vast, but that’s no surprise: Yoon Kee’s menu offers 123 (they’re numbered) items. If you decide the buffet’s not for you, you can pick from the appetizers, soups, moo shu, seafood, chicken, egg fu young, beef and pork, vegetable, lo mein and fried rice. Another bargain: The family dinner that includes soup, an egg roll and choice of chicken chow mein, pork fried rice, beef broccoli, orange chicken (the restaurant’s most popular item), kung pao chicken and sweet and sour pork. All that for $9.50 per person—which is about the average price of an entrée. The restaurant also has a variety of house special combination plates ranging for $6.95 to $8.95. Did we mention Yoon Kee also has cold beer, wine and sake?

PriCE rAngE: $5.50 (lunch menu)-$14.95 PAyMEnt: Cash and credit card rEsErvAtions: Not necessary Hours: 10:30 a.m.¬–9 p.m. daily

By Jonathan VolzkeDispatch Restaurant SpotlightYoon Kee Chinese Kitchen

yoon Kee Chinese Kitchen. Photo by Jonathan Volzke

Savoy Brown 45th Anniversary

Release Party

ON STAGE

egendary rock-blues guitarist Kim Simmonds, will be fronting the venerable, albeit refreshed, version of Savoy Brown at the Coach House on Saturday, March

5th, 2011 at 8 pm. Please relate to our readers the essence of your upcom-

ing show and how the evening will progress.Kim simmonds: The evening will be a mix of new mate-

rial — from our forthcoming Voodoo Moon release — and also songs from the band’s past, covering the past four decades. A mix of 60s nostalgia and 2011 blues-rock.

How is a Kim simmonds solo concert different from when you are fronting savoy brown as in the upcoming show at the Coach House?

Ks: For starters, my solo shows are totally acoustic. I am unable to do the things on guitar that I can do electric with the band so the perfor-mances become a

one-man show experience. I feature stories from my past, old Savoy material from the vaults as well as solo songs, which have a more personal slant.

the cover of your latest solo release, “out of the blue,” showcases one of your paintings. How does your passion for art influence your music or is it vice versa?

Ks: Painting is all about problem solving and that keeps the artistic side of my brain ticking and therefore keeps me fresh for solving song arrangements or for thinking of new song ideas.

Blues fans rejoice, it doesn’t get any better than this. Just get to the Coach House, get a good seat, have a drink and get your blues on. Visit www.savoybrown.com for more info. For the uninitiated, there are music clips on the site that will bring you into the fold as a fan of this guitar master.

Savoy Brown plays Saturday, March 5 at The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com. Tickets are $20, doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. CD

—A.J. Bardzilowski

L

savoy brown. Courtesy photo

4LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY

SJC LIVING

4COMMUNITY CALENDARfriday 2.25

Coffee Chat8 a.m. The Capistrano Dispatch hosts a spirited town hall forum on community issues. All are welcome. Camino Real Playhouse, on El Camino Real, just south of Ortega Highway. Occurs every Friday

saturday 2.26

Oil Filter ExchangeBring a used oil fi lter and a fl yer from the city’s website, www.sanjuancapist-

rano.org, between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to A&S Auto Parts for a new oil fi lter free. A&S is at 31921 Camino Capistrano

monday 2.28

Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Meeting 6 p.m., City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto

tuesday 3.01

City Council Meeting6 p.m., City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto

friday 3.04

Open Space, Trails & Equestrian Meeting Noon, City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. The committee, and public in attendance, will tour Capistrano’s open space.

friday 3.11

Next regular issue of The Dispatch publishes.

*Meeting agendas at www.sanjuancapistrano.org


After Cityhood Approved, Capistrano Moves Forwardhe election to incorporate San Juan Capistrano

had passed. A new City Council had been elected. Now what? How does a city start to govern?

On April 24, 1961, the fi rst City Council meeting was held in the brick building on the east side of Camino Capistrano, a few yards south of the corner of Ortega Highway. As stated by Pam Gibson, in Two Hundred Years in San Juan Capistrano, the building was the vacant Conners’ Department Store, and it was rented to the city for $75 per month.

By secret ballot, Carl Buchheim was elected Mayor and Don Durnford Mayor Pro-Tem. Edward Chermak, William Bathgate and Tony Olivares were the other three members of the Council.

By motion, Ernest Thompson was appointed City Clerk Pro-Tem and John Dawson was appointed City Attorney. The Coastline Dispatch was approved to publish all legal notices and ordinances.

The County of Orange Code and Ordinances were the guidelines for the new city. The new ordinances established Building; Electrical; Plumbing; and Heat-ing, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Codes. Regulations for the issuance of permits for laying, construct-ing, reconstructing, repairing of curbs, sidewalks, gutters, driveways, roadway surfaces, storm drains, culverts, and other appurtenance highway structures in public streets, ways or places and the excavation, fi lling and obstruction of public highways. The regulation of the size, weight and loading of vehicles upon the public highway also passed, as did the fencing of swimming pools, a curfew on minors and the prohibition against intoxication.

An ordinance of the city required the capping or covering of abandoned wells and provided penalties for any violation. Another ordinance was relative to the

Tassessment of property and the col-lection of taxes. Also, an ordinance provided that the City Council may create offi ces and positions, defi ne the duties of offi ce, fi x salaries and the time of payment. An ordinance also autho-rized the establishment of a depositary for the General Fund of the City, which specifi ed procedures for deposits and determined authorized signatures necessary for withdrawals. And the last ordinance passed at that fi rst meeting, required the bonding of the City Clerk and the City Treasurer and setting the amount of bonds.

And that was the fi rst Council Meet-ing. As the months followed many interesting issues arose for the new City. And the decisions that were made would set the tone for our community for the next 50 years.

One of the fi rst actions taken by the new government was to contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Offi ce for police protection. Six months later, it was proposed to hire a police chief for the city, but it was defeated because most of the citizens wanted to retain the service of the County Sheriff. The council, in those fi rst few months, also opposed, according to Pam Gibson in Two Hundred Years in San Juan Capist-rano, “a grandiose plan of the county’s to extend Ortega Highway from the Mission to Del Obispo. Plans called for six lanes and would have destroyed much of the Historic Los Rios area.” The council also, in this time frame, set up an architectural control district in the area around the Mission. “It was to preserve the historical area of the city, including not only the world-famous jewel of the Mission itself, but also other structures in the area.” The council wanted to annex Capistrano Beach to provide a corridor to the sea, but the county opposed that move.

In 1962, Ross Cortese approached the city with his plans for a 40,000-resident senior citizen community to

be built on the northern boundary of San Juan Capistrano. The City Council voted against such a huge undertaking. The City Attorney said the council was being short-sighted and was making a mistake in “turning down this chance to grow in stability and stature.” Cor-tese offered his plans to other cities, including Laguna Beach and Santa Ana. None would take his offer. Laguna Hills did, and that development became

JAN SIEGEL: Moments in Time

JAN SIEGEL

Leisure World. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary

of cityhood, take a Moment In Time and think about the early years, the decisions that were made and how San Juan Capist-rano has maintained its culture and sense of community.

Jan Siegel is a longtime downtown tour guide and member of the Cultural Heritage Commission. Her name appears on the city’s “Wall of Distinction.”

SJC LIVING



Kinoshita Elementary Marks 10 Years

chool officials, community lead-ers, parents, students and even graduates were on hand February

11 when Kinoshita Elementary School celebrated its 10-year anniversary.

S

Left: Principal Peggy Baerst welcomes visitors to the before-school ceremony. Right: Members of the Kinoshita family, for whom the school is named, are recognized by the audience. Photos by Jonathan Volzke


Capistrano Announces Teachers of the Year

ifty-seven teachers have been selected as the top educator at their schools, officials from the

Capistrano Unified School District and Capistrano Unified Education Associa-tion announced recently. They will now compete to be named one of three District Teachers of the Year.

The teachers are selected by their peers at the school site level before being evaluated by a committee at the District level.

“Teachers are at the core of what we do and I want to thank them for their excellent work in the classroom,” Board of Trustees President Jack Brick said. “I know whoever is selected to represent the District at the next level will do so proudly.”

The District winners will be an-nounced in March and recognized at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebra-tion at Ocean Hills Church in San Juan Capistrano on Thursday, April 28. The three winners—one each at the elemen-tary, middle and high school levels—will then compete in the Orange County Teacher of the Year contest.

F

Teachers of the year at Capistrano-area schools are:

Kim Weirath, Ambuehl Elementary;

Carol Allen, Del Obispo Elementary;

Terri Arndt, Kinoshita Elementary;

Martha Garcia-Serrato, San Juan Elementary;

Eric Takach, Marco Forster Middle;

Michael Grabowski, Capistrano Valley High;

Robin Mairs, Dana Hills High;

Greg Young, San Clemente High;

Betsy Schmitz, San Juan Hills High

Rebecca Bailey, Junipero Serra High

The current District Teachers of the Year are Jennifer Henchel, Bathgate Elementary School; Jennifer Todd, Fred Newhart Middle School; and Kathleen Sigafoos, San Clemente High School.

CUSD employs about 2,100 teachers at 56 school sites. They average more than 15 years of experience as teach-ers and more than half have earned at least a master’s degree. Just over 20 percent of teachers statewide have a master’s degree. CD

The school also honored and recog-nized members of the Kinoshita family, which used to farm the land off Alipaz and Camino Del Avion. Members of the family continue to read to students there weekly.

Principal Peggy Baerst said her as-signment at Kinoshita has been the most

rewarding in her educational career.“Kinoshita Elementary has continued

to Achieve Excellence in the 21st cen-tury for the past 10 years. Our teaching staff of highly qualified professionals are dedicated to delivering rigorous quality first instruction by focusing on meeting content standards and objec-

tives,” Baerst said. “Our students are dedicated to work hard and continue on their path to college and achieve their goals and their dreams for the future”

Kinoshita was in the “program im-provement” status because of low test scores, but improved at an astonishing pace to move out of that program. CD

The only directory featuring San Juan Capistrano businesses exclusivelyB u s i n e s s D i r e c t o r y

A L S O O N L I N E A T W W W . T H E C A P I S T R A N O D I S P A T C H . C O M

Locals Only

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.132131648RanchoViejoRd.,Ste.A,www.oasisair.com

AiRConditioning&HEAting

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.538831942PaseoSagrado,www.jarvisrestoration.com

WAtERdAMAgE

Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc. 949.212.049933208PaseodeCerveza,Ste.B

RooFMAnAgEMEntSERViCESBlu:Echo 949.496.481031878delobispo(MarshallsCenter)

WoMEn’SClotHing

Independence Bank 949.373.1570MarbellaPlaza31107RanchoViejoRd.,www.independence-bank.netPacific Mercantile Bank 949.487.420031601AvenidalosCerritos,Ste100,www.pmbank.com

BAnking

Del Obispo Terrace 949.496.880232200delobispoStreet,www.delobispoterrace.com

ASSiStEdliVing

Law Office of Skinner & Skinner 949.248.026031461RanchoViejoRd.,Ste.103

AttoRnEy

Star Motors 949.443.197032959CallePerfecto

AutoREPAiR

Charisma Salon & Supply 949.240.120032301-FCaminoCapistranoCurtis Michaels Hair Salon 949.240.924031882delobispo,Ste.150,www.curtismichaels.com

BEAutySAlon

Capistrano Health & Life 949.697.9454www.capistranohealthlife.com

inSuRAnCE

Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design 949.493.363232382delobispo,Ste.C-3,www.abbysdesigns.com

JEWElER

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools 949.493.568332032delobispoStreet,www.cvcs.org

SCHoolS

SCP Plumbing/ CuraFlo of O.C. 949.493.242627126PaseoEspadaStE.705,www.curaflo.com

SlABlEAkREPAiR

Reeltime Sight and Sound 949-240-055526381ViadeAnza,www.reeltimesightandsound.com

tElEViSion

Lightning Technology, Inc. 949.488.002932963CallePerfecto,http://www.lightningtechnology.com

BuSinESSCoMPutERSERViCES

Las Golandrinas Mexican Food949.240.344027124PaseoEspada#803,www.lasgolondrinas.biz

REStAuRAntS

Printing OC 949.388.488827134PaseoEspada#B203,www.printingoc.com

PRinting

San Juan Photo & Digital 949.661.566832301CaminoCapistrano,www.sjcphotodigital.com

PHoto&digitAllAB

Kitchen & Bath Designs 949.661.408027231ortegaHwy.,unitB

kitCHEndESign

Jarvis Restoration949.362.538831942PaseoSagrado,www.jarvisrestoration.com

MoldREMoVAl

Capistrano Health & Life 949.697.9454www.capistranohealthlife.com

MoRtgAgE

A to Z Leak Detection 949.499.4464www.atozleakdetection.comPronto Plumbing (El Plomero) 949.246.358931878delobispoSte.118-227,www.prontodrain.comSCP Plumbing/ CuraFlo of O.C. 949.493.242627126PaseoEspadaStE.705,www.curaflo.comDC Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning www.dcplumbing.net 949.365.9044

PluMBing

Adelanto Studio Yoga & Life Arts949.705.734432118PaseoAdelanto,Ste.9,www.adelantostudio.net

yogA

Historic Mission San Juan CapistranoExciting New Audio Tour 949.234.130026801ortegaHighway,www.missionsjc.com

ExPERiEnCEtHEMiSSion

Mother Earth Flowers 949.493.440032158CaminoCapistrano,Ste.105www.motherearthflorist.com

FloRiSt

Four-A Electric 949.240.884432432Alipaz,Ste.C,[email protected] Electric-CA#793860949.493.776932238PaseoAdelantoE-i,www.excelelectric.com

ElECtRiCContRACtoRS

San Clemente Computer & Network [email protected] of Waiting I.T. Services [email protected]

CoMPutERSERViCES

Friess Electric 949.248.422232332CaminoCapistrano,Suite102

ElECtRiCiAnS

Capistrano Beach Steam Clean 949.240.5875steamcleaningdanapoint.com

CARPEtClEAning

Bayside Window Cleaning 949.290.8230www.baysidewindowcleaning.com

WindoWClEAning/PRESSuREWASHing

Xeriflo Plumbing Systems949.276.7000www.xeriflo.com

WAtERConSERVAtion

B U S I N E S S • S P O T L I G H T

949.493.7769Electricalinstallation&repairforallyourneeds.Familyowned,operatedandproudlyservicing

SJCsince1988.Seniorcitizendiscountsavailable. Call today for a free estimate.

WWW.EXCELELECTRIC.COM

LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN “LOCALS ONLY”

thishandy,cost-friendly,go-toreferencetoolkeepsyourbusinessinfrontofpotentialcustomers24/7.

Get your Business listeD toDay.

CallAngelaEdwardsat949.682.1667oremailaedwards@thecapistranodispatch.com.

ClassifiedsSubmit your ad online at www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Garage sale listings are FREE!Call 949.388.7700, ext. 103

949.388.7700 ext. 104

Do you want to reach 11,500+ people in the San Juan

Capistrano area every week?

Then you need to be in the Capistrano Dispatch.

Call us today!

Help WanteD

GaRaGe SalelIStInGS aRe FRee!

E-mail your garage sale to classifieds@

thecapistranodispatch.com

DEADLINE 5PM MONDAY

Business Directory


plaCe YOUR BUSIneSS CaRD

HeRe

plaCe YOUR BUSIneSS CaRD

HeRe

SOLAR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY$ 14,900 call 818.528.8520

BUSIneSS OppORtUnItY

Help WanteDNEWSPAPER SALES MANAGER WANTEDExperienced newspaper sales veteran with South Orange County (Calif.) sales experience sought to head sales effort for community media group’s print and online sales team. Candidate will have min. 5 years newspaper sales experience, great personality, proven track record in sales and willingness to sell space and run small sales team. Competitive base salary, commission and full benefits. Send cover let-ter and resume to [email protected]

FOR Rent2 bed 2 bath townhouse in paradise. South San Clem-ente, walk to Trestles. Enclosed yard with golf course view. Pets OK. $2000/mo. (+ security/negotiable)Available March 15. 724-630-3217

RUMMaGe SaleNATIONAL ChARITY LEAGUE -MONARCh ChAPTER 4Th ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE, Sat 3/26 8AM-2:30PM, Something for everyone! San Clemente Presbyterian Church 119 North Avenida de la Estrella. Proceeds to local charities.

5STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

SPORTS& OUTDOORS

5


Avalanche vs. Ducks, Honda CenterFeb. 27, 5 p.m.

The Ducks square off against its foes from Colorado as Anaheim looks to stave off the Ava-lanche at home ice.Info: www.ducks.nhl.com

5 BEST BETSCIF PlayoffsSan Juan Hills High SchoolFeb. 25, 7 p.m.

Senior Will Acromite led the Stallions past Irvine in the fi rst round and now face fourth-seeded Ingle-wood in the second round. Info: www.sjhhs.org.com

CIF Master State Qualifi er, Temecula Valley High SchoolFeb. 25-26, 2 p.m.

Hit the road with four of the Tritons-fi nest wres-tlers as they move on to compete for glory at the state level.Info: www.sctritons.com

Barstow vs. SaddlebackSaddleback CollegeFeb. 25, 7 p.m.

After beating Irvine Valley in the fi rst round of the SoCal playoffs, the Gauchos take in a round-two game at home.Info: www.saddleback.

edu/athletics

BASKETBALL WRESTLING COLLEGE BASKETBALL HOCKEY

Tigers vs. AnteatersBren CenterFeb. 26, 5:30 p.m.

UC Irvine’s men’s basket-ball team hits the fl oor in its fi nal home game of the regular season against University of the Pacifi c.Info: www.ucirvinesports.com

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Eagle Weightlifters Claim National Title

Capistrano-based Water Polo Club Finds Success

range County Water Polo Club (OCWPC) recently fi nished strongly at the Kap7 Interna-

tional, a high-level tournament geared toward top water polo clubs in South Orange County.

Taking fi rst in their respective divisions were OCWPC’s 19 & Under and 16 & Under Boys. Also fi nishing strongly were two 14 & Under Boys teams placing second and tenth within their divisions. And fi nishing seventh, a young 10 & Under Coed team—many of whom have never played in a tourna-ment before.

“Our club is developing some of the

O

best athletes in the sport right now, and our success continues to grow with strong fi nishes like these,” said Head Coach Peter Asic. “I’m very proud of these guys; their work is really paying off.” With local players in college such as Nick Santala at UC Berkeley, Ben Clinkinbeard at Ford-ham University, and Chris Meinhold at UCLA, OCWPC is setting the bar high for its players. Macrae Carden, currently a senior at JSerra Catholic High School, recently signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Southern California. Macrae was OCWPC’s all time leading scorer in the 2010 High School Water Polo season with 140 goals.

That bar is equally set high for OCWPC’s younger athletes who

recently had success qualifying for USA Water Polo’s Olympic Develop-ment Program (ODP). Athletes in this program learn advanced techniques, are seen by National Team coaches, and have an opportunity to raise their college profi les. For the 9th Grade & Under Boys level, four local OCWPC athletes were selected: Bailey Harris, Trevor Collins, Brody Zachary Grady Williams. For the 8th Grade & Under Boys team, fi ve local OCWPC athletes were chosen: Bennie Seybold, Riley Zachary, Dylan Elliott, Luke Wyatt, Bennett Williams. And from the newly formed OCWPC Girls Program, San Clemente’s Aly Perkins was chosen to train with the 8th Grade and Under Girls Team.

Now, OCWPC plans to expand its


apistrano Valley Christian School’s Phillip Wilhelm and Tim Aney became National Champions at the

US Olympic Weightlifting Junior Nation-als earlier this month.

Kean Coleman placed 5th in his weight class. Iron Man Weightlifting Team of Capistrano Valley Christian School was the only boys’ team to have two national champions. Impressive to take the title of this prestigious event with only three athletes it was a truly outstanding perfor-mance by three of their lifters to repre-sented the Eagles.

Senior Phillip Wilhelm, CVCS’ Iron Man Club Representative, will be offi -cially attending college at Louisiana State University of Shreveport on a Weightlift-ing Scholarship. He plans on lifting at the Collegiate Nationals in Shreveport, Louisiana this April to compete with college students from all over the nation. He is expected to medal with his current

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national standings.Many national coaches from the fi ve

current college weightlifting programs are also considering CVCS’ athletes that

The Capistrano Dispatchare available, as well. Several colleges are already in the process of adding Olympic Weightlifting Programs to their sports because of the Internation-al success that many from the United States have been receiving.

CVCS invites any potential students to consider being a part of one the best and highest performing Olympic Weightlifting Programs in the nation—their Iron Man Weightlifting team. They are currently California’s second largest youth lifting program and boast over 30 plus medals from local to na-tional competitions. For those that have a desire to lift, challenge themselves, work hard and achieve goals, their program encourages responsibility and a positive environment for success, not only in Weightlifting but for other sports.

Contact Head Strength and Con-ditioning Coach- Chris Wilhelm at [email protected] or 949-493-5683 x 123. Coach Wilhelm is USA Weight-lifting Certifi ed, and credentialed. CD

Girls Program to include 16 & Under & 18 and Under teams. This will help many local-area high school girls hone their skills that the regular high school season doesn’t have time to develop. “There’s no question that signifi cant improvement happens for players who play club during the off-season,” said Girls Coach Kevin Perkins. “Athletes come back to their schools with a clear advantage over their competition.”

Orange County Water Polo Club trains at the world-class aquatics center at JSerra Catholic High School, and is open to all ages from 10 & Under to college. New players are welcome and encouraged to do a free trial. For more information visit the club website at www.ocwpc.com or call Lada Asic at 949.769.4038. CD

The winning team: Tim Aney, Coach Chris Wilhelm, Phil Wilhelm. Courtesy photo

INSIDE:

Sometimes a gray whale will reward a boatload of admirers by “spyhopping.” This magnifi cent mammal surprised whale watchers aboard a Dana Wharf boat off the coast near San Onofre. Photo by Lawrence Hartmann

Page 3 | 2011 Festival of Whales Event Program | www.danapointtimes.com

BY SCOTT SCHOEFFEL, MAYOR OF DANA POINT

he whales are back and so is the Dana Point Festival of Whales. The Festival gets better each year, with activi-ties and events to entertain and enlighten all ages.

I encourage you all to come and join in the celebration.The Dana Point Harbor and Festival of Whales both cele-

brate their 40th anniversary this year. I would like to congratu-late the Festival founders and organizers on creating our city’s signature event and keeping it going for nearly half a century!

It all starts on Pacifi c Coast Highway with the Festival of Whales Parade on Saturday, March 5, at 10 a.m. Dana Point welcomes our 2011 Celebrity Grand Marshal Henry DiCarlo from KTLA morning weather television. The parade will also feature Community Grand Marshals Brad and Judy Brand-meier, Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year. Minute-man Press and Citizen of the Year, my deserving colleague on the City Council, Lara Anderson. After the parade, come to the Whale of a Block Party at La Plaza Park for family fun with rides, food, live music, education and crafts.

Activities are planned for each day of the two-weekend Festival of Whales to appeal to many different interests:

Explore Marine Life Become well acquainted with our wealth of marine resources through whale watching excur-sions, fi shing, a marine mammal lecture series, the moving and informative Lily the Whale story and seashore interpretive hikes. Ocean and environmental programs are showcased through interactive displays, demonstrations and entertain-ment at Ocean Awareness Day on Sunday, March 6.

Art, History, Music and Education Interested in local his-tory? The Dana Point Historical Society will be conducting walking tours each of the four weekend days. The Doheny State Beach Mobile Marine Mammal Museum will display authentic marine artifacts for visitors to gain an appreciation of our magnifi cent sea life on Sunday, March 13. Art exhibits will be on display in various locations throughout the Festival and “Shark Tale” will be shown at the Movie on the Beach on Saturday, March 5. The Whale of a Concert will close out the Festival on Sunday, March 13, with live bands performing on a fl oating stage accompanied by a sumptuous BBQ feast.

Car Shows After watching them cruise through the parade, the rare collection of Woodies, Nash Metropolitans and Hot Rods can be seen up close along the Harbor walkways.

Land and Sea Sports Whale watching cruises, sailing rides, canoe races, and “on-the-water” stand-up paddling (SUP) clinics will be featured at various times throughout the Festi-val. Additionally, the Mickey Muñoz Mongoose Cup Stand-Up Paddleboard Relay Race, Fun Paddle and Whale of a Beach Cleanup on Saturday, March 12, provide active ways to enjoy the water and help improve our marine environment.

Grunion Run The 10K, 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ 1K Run will be staged on a fast, fl at and fun race course along Doheny State Beach in the early morning of Saturday, March 12, fol-lowed by a Whale of a Pancake Breakfast. For more informa-tion, go to www.festivalofwhalesgrunionrun.com.

Family Fun Bring the whole family to the Whale of a Rubber Ducky Race, Baby Beach Sand Sculpting and Diamond Dig on Sunday, March 6. Parents and kids can also have a great time together at Captain Dave’s Kids’ Carnival on Saturday, March 12.

Whether you want to splash in the ocean or enjoy from the land, the Festival provides many opportunities to experience our maritime heritage and discover more about our treasured coast. For a daily calendar of events, music, artist schedules and shuttle stop information, turn the pages of this Festival Program or log on to www.festivalofwhales.com. The city web-site, at www.danapoint.org, is also a great source of informa-tion about our beautiful city of Dana Point.

t’s time to hail the whale again as Califor-nia’s largest visitors are staging their annual winter parade close to the Orange County

shore. During the months these thousands of gray whales are migrating from the Arctic’s Bering Sea to Baja California lagoons, just as many human visitors from all over the West

(and beyond) rendezvous with them out of Dana Point Harbor. From December through spring, Dana Point Harbor’s

ocean-going fl eets turn to whale watching, possibly tak-ing more people to sea to see whales than any other port! This coastal point is thought to be an important navigational landmark for the parading whales, and the harbor and city celebrate their annual appearance with the Dana Point Festival of Whales each March.

The herd of grays—which once numbered at least 30,000, then neared extinction from whaling, twice in history—came back in strong numbers after being protected by international treaty since 1938. It is estimated that there are now about 20,000 grays in its coastal parade, approximately the same number of people who sail out of this port to view them each year.

As if thanking the public for following them to sea to admire them instead of harpooning them, the grays are also consid-ered to be the friendliest of all whales toward people. In their shallow calving lagoons down south, they seem to enjoy the touching attention they receive from watchers who observe them with respect. No other great whale species stays as close to land in its travels—within sight and sound of mankind.

It is also signifi cant that the Festival includes a land parade of people; in its fi rst years it was a children’s parade along the marina walkways. Gray whales can be spotted off Dana Point each winter day, usually parading by in pods of three as they enact the longest migration of any mammal on earth—about 6,000 miles in each direction. On frequent daily cruises from this scenic coast, whale watchers can view the mammoth adult mammals—40-plus-feet long and 40 tons heavy! On their spring parade back to the Arctic, they are accompanied by their young calves, all moving slowly and close to shore.

From this historic anchorage of 19th century sailing ships, it is less than fi ve minutes out to sea and usually no more than a mile until the spout of a whale can be seen. Small grays have even been spotted adventuring within the channels of the harbor, along with playful dolphins and sea lions. While at sea, the whale watching ships’ skippers are adept at following the marine mammals without crossing or interfering with their narrow migration path.

The pregnant females head for the warmer waters of

the Baja lagoons to give birth, where the shallow salt-water helps buoy up their two-ton newborns as they learn to swim. However, some mothers have been known to produce a calf prematurely in the shallow coves of Orange County. It is even thought that the present site of Dana Point Harbor was a prehis-toric calving lagoon within Capistrano Bay—eons ago when the shoreline extended miles inland.

Grays also come into local coastal coves to scratch against the rocks, thought to be attempting to dislodge the barnacles that attach themselves to these slow moving mammals along the way. These white parasites and resulting scars when they are rubbed off the whales’ black skin create a mottled visual effect that prompted their name “gray.”

Sometimes a gray whale will reward a boatload of admirers by “spyhopping”—lifting its 15-foot-long head entirely out of water as if to watch back, literally standing on its tail. And at rarer times a whale will “breach”—leaping well out of the water, exposing two-thirds of its up-to-40-foot length and then splash-ing loudly down on its back.

When spring arrives, the pattern of migration reverses and the fi rst arrivals and their babies begin to swim north again, to their main feeding grounds. The parade continues until the last of the herd travels past this coast. By then the adults are slimmer for having lived off their blubber all winter, though the babies are gaining fast on a diet of only their mothers’ rich milk.

We must remember that many fossil skeletons of gray whales’ ancestors have been unearthed well above the present sea level in the hills and valleys around Orange County. They had lived and died here millions of years ago, when most of the area was under the sea. Their remains sank to the ocean bottom. Interestingly, the structure and size of today’s coastal migrants are little changed from those who vacationed here 20 million years in the past.

The changing geological history in this area—the land risen from the sea several times by earthly upheavals—has revealed the remains of these ancient marine mammals on and under the modern dry land, where the entire whale family tree is thought to have originated—right here—before whales evolved from the land into the ocean. Their modern sea-living descendants, who are little changed living fossils themselves, swim by each winter as if to stay in touch. © 2011 by Doris I. Walker

Co-founder of the Dana Point Festival of Whales, author Doris Walker is compiling her adventures with gray whales into a chil-dren’s book. It will combine her activities on behalf of gray whales here and her adventures in the lagoons of Baja California, illustrated by her own close-up photographs. One chapter will describe the local excitement in recent years caused by the “summer vacationing” of the largest of all whales—the blues.

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BY DORIS I. WALKER

I

WINTER WHALE PARADES ON LAND AND SEA

BY SCOTT SCHOEFFEL, MAYOR OF DANA POINT

Welcome to DANA POINT

| 2011 Festival of Whales Event Program | www.danapointtimes.com

he dive of a whale is quite an amazing feat to behold. Cetaceans spend nearly all their lives underwater, sometimes at

considerable depths. Since whales are mam-mals, like us, they breathe air directly, instead of extracting oxygen dissolved in water as fi sh do. Whales must return to the surface at regular intervals to take in air, and when they dive, they too must hold their breath.

As a SCUBA diver, I can descend beneath the waves but to imitate the fantastic dive of a whale, for a human is a futile attempt, at best. When humans dive longer than we can hold our breath, a cylinder of compressed air is neces-sary. The scuba tank is a must because the air pressure within our lungs must equal or slightly exceed the pressure of the water around us; otherwise our chests would be crushed. Under compression, the nitrogen of the air dissolves in the fl uids and tissues of a diver’s body to their full capacity. During ascension, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of the solution as bubbles of gas, causing a sometimes lethal condition known as “the bends.”

In contrast, when a cetacean dives, it takes very little air with them; only a portion of the air is nitrogen, so that the amount that could dissolve in the body fl uids and tissues from one fi lling of the lungs is rather miniscule. This small amount does not enter the blood and tissues, because as the whale dives its lungs compress and drive the air in them into the windpipe and extensive nasal passages. The thickened mem-brane lining these passages helps stop nitrogen bubbles from entering the blood. Whales can store more than twice the amount of oxygen in their blood than we can; this allows them to have effective muscle function for much longer during a dive.

Whales also conserve energy while they are underwater, by slowing their heartbeat and by pumping blood to only a few organs—the brain, heart and muscles. Humans have this “diving refl ex” also, although it’s not as well developed. If a whale gets low on oxygen, it can gener-ate a small amount of energy without using oxygen, but this process creates lactic acid—the substance that makes your legs “burn” if you run too far or too fast. Whales, however, don’t seem to mind the “burn” as much as we do. So

the whale’s secret to staying under water for a long time is to store up a lot of oxygen before it dives and then use as little of it as possible while it’s submerged.

As a cetacean returns to the surface, the lungs gradually expand again, its blowhole opens wide and the foul air accumulated during the dive is expelled explosively. “Ah, the spray, the spout, the blow of a whale,” we whale watchers exclaim with joy at the sight—then the resulting scent wafts our way.

This “fragrant” spout is produced by the water from around the blowhole being forced into the air. As soon as the animal has exhaled, it takes in fresh air, the air sacs of the lungs return to their expanded condition and then it dives again.

You may view many spouts and dives off Dana Point during the current gray whale mi-gration. Perhaps you’ll even catch a whiff of that lustrous odor emanating from a blowhole during your very own whale encounter.

With whale watching season in full swing, there are many opportunities to experience these amazing animals during the 2011 Dana Point Festival of Whales. Among the choices are the Ocean Institute’s Marine Mammal Cruises, where you can join expert marine

BY JULIANNE E. STEERS, MARINE BIOLOGIST

T

The misty spout of a gray whale lingers in the air. Photo by Ocean Institute Chief Aquarist Julianne E. Steers (Inset)

eave the car at home and let OCTA and Metrolink get you there for less with a Metrolink Friends and Family 4-Pack

for just $29 and local bus routes for as low as $1.50 or $0.60 for seniors. Kids under 6 ride OCTA buses for free (limit 3). Even if you live close, consider enjoying a weekend mini “stay-cation,” and present your ticket to save on lodging at area hotels. From the San Juan Capistrano Metrolink station, it’s an easy hop on OCTA Bus Route 91 south to Dana Point. A list of schedules and stops can be found at www.octa.net/whales and directions from bus

ana Point Restaurant Week runs March 4 through 13 featuring some of the best and most unique restaurants in south-

ern California. Take a break from the festivities, relax and refuel at these fantastic eateries. You will be treated to special Restaurant Week pricing in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Dana Point Festival of Whales. Contact the restaurants directly or log on to www.festivalof-whales.com to see more about the Restaurant Week specials being offered in honor of this year’s festival celebration.

CafE Mezzaluna2 Ritz Carlton Drive #102, 949.276.7900, www.mycafemezzaluna.com

Harbor Deli / Slice of New York34667 Golden Lantern, 949.496.0424, www.myharbordeli.com

The Harbor Grill34499 Golden Lantern, 949.240.1416, www.harborgrill.com

Harpoon Henry ’s34555 Golden Lantern, 949.493.2933, www.windandsearestaurants.com/harpoonhenrys

Jolly Roger34661 Golden Lantern, 949.496.0855, www.jollyrogerrestaurants.com

Luxe24582 Del Prado Avenue, 949.276.4990

Mahe24961 Dana Point Harbor Drive, 949.240.6243, www.eatatmahe.com

Olamendi’s Mexican Restaurant34664 Pacifi c Coast Highway, Capo Beach and 8 Monarch Bay Plaza, 949.218.7394, www.originalolamendis.com

Stacks Pancake House34255 Pacifi c Coast Hwy #110, 949.429.2223

Wind & Sea34699 Golden Lantern, 949.496.6500, www.windandsearestaurants.com

stops to Festival events can be found at www.festivalofwhales.com. And, while you’re out and about, look for the special Dana Point Festival of Whales 40th anniversary graphics adorning OCTA buses.

Using public transportation to and from the Festival is not only an environmentally friendly way to attend, a ride aboard a bus or train can add to the adventure and get you great discounts at area businesses. Below are a few of the special deals riders can enjoy.

• Present your OCTA and/or Metrolink ticket voucher and receive $5 off any whale

biologists on an ocean journey to witness these magnifi cent marine mammals in their natural habitat. And, be sure to stop by the Institute to participate in a hands-on learning adventure into the fascinating lives of whales, including how they eat, commu-nicate and to learn how pollution can effect them.

For Ocean Institute program and cruise information, call 949.496.2274 or visit www.ocean-institute.org.

Marine Biologist Julianne E. Steers is a gradu-ate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona. She is the Chief Aquarist for the Ocean Institute. Steers is also active in the local marine science community as a founding Board Member of the Beach Ecology Coalition.

watching excursion ticket price at Dana Wharf Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, 949.496.5764, www.danawharf.com.

• Present your OCTA and/or Metrolink ticket voucher and receive a special room rate of only $69, single or double occupancy, at Dana Point Marina Inn, 24800 Dana Point Harbor Drive, 949.496.1203, www.danapointmarinainn.com.

• Present your OCTA or Metrolink ticket voucher and receive a special room rate of only $169, at Doubletree Guest Suites, 34402 Pacifi c Coast Hwy., 949.661.1100, www.dohenybeach.doubletree.com.

L

Ride Big Buses, See Big Whales

Restaurant Week

D

To Dive Like a Whale

BY ANDREA SWAYNE

| 2011 Festival of Whales Event Program | www.danapointtimes.com

Headlands Park and Nature Interpretive Center Interested in catching a glimpse of migrating gray whales from land? Visit the Headlands Conservation Park and Nature Interpretive Center. Situated high atop the 200-foot cliffs of the headlands, the park trails and scenic overlooks offer a great van-tage point for viewing the whales passing below. The three-mile trail system is open daily from 7 a.m. to sunset and Interpretive Center hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From the Ocean Institute visi-tors can walk up Cove Road to the park. The Interpretive Center is located adjacent to the park, at the terminus of Green Lantern. It’s a steep walk, but the spectacular views are worth it. For more information, log on to www.danapoint.org and click on the “visi-tors” button then on “nature interpretive center.”

Captain Dave’s Whale & Dolphin Safari Guests aboard the hi-tech catamaran Manute’a can view dolphins and whales from an underwater viewing pod and hear them with an onboard hydrophone. Experienced marine natural-ists narrate the trips and provide engaging question and answer sessions. All trips are broadcast live on www.WhaleWatchingTv.com so passengers can wave hello to friends and family watch-ing on the internet. Mrs. Capt. Dave’s scrumptious triple fudge brownies are a sweet treat served free on each safari. Tickets are $55 for adults, $35 kids 3-12 and kids under 2 are free. Call 949.488.2828 for departure times and reservations. For more information, log on to www.dolphinsafari.com.

Aventura Sailing The sounds of the sea and the wind in the sails await you aboard an Aventura luxury sailboat. Join a

small group adventure or hire a private boat and enjoy the quiet as you listen for the sound of a spout or the splash of a breaching whale. Prices are $30 per person or $180 for a private, six-passenger maximum boat. Call 949.493.9493 for reservations or visit www.aventurasailing.com.

Ocean Institute Whale’s Tail Tallship sailing cruises aboard the Spirit of Dana Point leads guests on an exploration of how time and discovery have shaped man’s perception of the gray whale. Cruises run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Member pricing is $36 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under (minimum age 4). Non-members, $40 for adults and $23 for kids 4 to 12. Marine Mammal Cruises aboard the R/V Sea Explorer introduce participants to whales and other marine animals using state-of-the-art equipment including satellites, plankton nets, sediment samplers and video microscopes. Cruises are offered at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. both weekends. Member pricing is $22 for adults and $19 for children 12 and under (minimum age 4). Non-member pricing is $35/adult and $22/children 4 to 12 years old. Weekend admission to the Institute is included with the cruise ticket purchase. For information and reservations contact the Ocean Institute at 949.496.2274 or log on to www.ocean-institute.org.

Riviera Yacht Charters The Riviera is a custom 40-foot yacht with an exceptionally wide beam for a comfortable and stable ride and a cruising speed of 18 knots to reach the whales and dolphins quickly. Guests can choose to ride in a climate-controlled cabin or enjoy the sounds and sights of

WHALE WATCHING ADVENTURES

t’s been a long time coming since Ocean Awareness Day at the

2008 Festival of Whales commenced its fi rst ever com-munity art project—a beautiful mosaic whale tail sculpture public art piece. It all began when the Dana Point Harbor Association commissioned local artist Eric Danton to sculpt a 6-foot tall iconic image of a whale tail. Danton completed the tail and then community art coordinator Karin Schnell enlisted Dana Point artist Aileen May to help facili-tate the implementation of an art medium on the tail. May devoted considerable time and talent to create a beautiful mosaic application and got the ball rolling by applying the initial octopus mosaic to the sculpture. She then, with the help of Schnell and Harbor Association representative Kim Tilly, painstakingly prepared the mosaic tiles for installation on site by the community.

“The Harbor Association is pleased to donate this public art piece to the county and its residents,”said Tilly. “It is our hope that this beautiful work will serve as a permanent and moving tribute to the whales’ annual migration past Dana Point.”

The Harbor Association worked with the OC Dana Point Harbor Department to fi nd the perfect home for this beautiful and special sculpture. Now, they are pleased to announce the dedication of the sculpture will take place at the OC Sailing & Events Center on Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. Orange County 5th District Supervisor

resh off completing their fi rst photographic book The Spirit of San Clemente, the Photographic Art Club has a new focus—documenting the 40th Annual Dana Point

Festival of Whales through the lenses of 40 photographers. The photos taken at this year’s Festival will be added to those

taken by the club during many other city events to produce the club’s second book, a photo art volume that will present a complete picture of life in Dana Point by capturing the essence of this lovely coastal city. The book is scheduled to be in pro-duction by May 2011 and part of the proceeds will go to support photography classes at the local Boys & Girls Clubs.

“We have yet to name our Dana Point book and are welcom-ing suggestions from the public,” said club founder and presi-dent Frank Ritenour. “While enjoying your day at the Festival, be on the lookout for our 40 photographers. They will be wearing badges identifying them as event photographers and club mem-bers. Who knows, your Dana Point Whale Festival adventure may be documented in the pages of our book.”

The club holds monthly meetings at 6 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month, at the Wind & Sea Restaurant in Dana Point Harbor. Interested members of the public are welcome to join. For more information, log on to www.meetup.com/photo-graphicartclub. —AS

the whales from the deck as a marine naturalist narrates. A television is on board to give the little ones an up close view. Tickets are $35 per person and children under 3 are free. Call 949.496.5891 to make a reservation. For more information and a departure schedule, log on to www.rivierayachtcharters.com/2011-festival-of-whales.

Dana Wharf Whale Watching Dana Wharf is celebrating its 40th anniversary too! Back by popular demand and to cele-brate 40 years—the Whale of a Deal—all tickets on the 8 a.m. trip are just $8. Regular hour-long excursions depart every hour on the hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Festival weekends. Tickets are $29 for adults, $24 for seniors and military and $19 for kids 3-12 years. Children 2 and under are free. Two-hour excursions following their Marine Mammal lectures on both weekends at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. are also available. Marine bi-ologists will narrate aboard the 63-foot, state-of-the-art OCean Adventures catamaran—featuring a spacious viewing deck and full-service deli-style galley. For those who want a one-on-one educational experience, prior to the 11:30 a.m. departure, a lecture session from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and continental breakfast at Harpoon Henry’s will be included with all 11:30 a.m. reserva-tions. Tickets are $39 for adults, $29 for children 3-12 and free for kids under 2. Check out the schedule and purchase tickets online at www.zerve.com/DanaWharf/OceanAdv. Use a Promo Code (FOW11) to save $5 per adult fare (not valid on 8 a.m. special). For more info, call 800.979.3370 or 800.590.9994 or visit www.danawharf.com. Sightings of whales or dolphins are guaranteed, or come back again and ride free.

40 Photographers for 40 Years

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A child helps place mosaic tiles on the sculpture at the 2008 Festival of Whales Ocean Awareness Day. Photo by Karin Schnell

Tale of a Tail BY ANDREA SWAYNE

I Patricia Bates is expected to

offi ciate the ceremony.While you’re there, check

out this year’s Ocean Aware-ness Day, also on Sunday March

6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Baby Beach. Participating groups present

an array of fun and interactive activities that both educate and entertain.

For more information on the sculpture and Ocean Awareness Day, log on to www.festivalof-

whales.org.

mosaic whale tail sculpture public art piece. It all began when the Dana Point Harbor Association commissioned local artist Eric Danton to sculpt a 6-foot tall iconic image of a whale tail. Danton completed the tail and then community art coordinator Karin Schnell enlisted Dana Point artist Aileen May to help facili-tate the implementation of an art medium on the tail. May devoted considerable time and talent to create a beautiful mosaic application and got the ball rolling by applying the initial octopus mosaic to the sculpture. She then, with the help of Schnell and Harbor Association representative Kim Tilly, painstakingly prepared the mosaic tiles for installation on site by the community.

“The Harbor Association is pleased to donate this public art piece to the county and its residents,”said Tilly. “It is our hope that this beautiful work will serve as a permanent and moving tribute to the whales’ annual migration past Dana Point.”

The Harbor Association worked with the OC Dana Point Harbor Department to fi nd the perfect home for this beautiful and special sculpture. Now, they are pleased to announce the dedication of the sculpture will take place at the OC Sailing & Events Center on Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. Orange County 5th District Supervisor

A child helps place mosaic tiles on the sculpture at the 2008 Festival of Whales Ocean Awareness Day. by Karin Schnell

ness Day, also on Sunday March 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Baby

Beach. Participating groups present an array of fun and interactive activities

that both educate and entertain.For more information on the sculpture and

Ocean Awareness Day, log on to www.festivalof-whales.org.

Photo above: Frank Ritenour (left) with club members. Courtesy photo

Event MapEvEnt Locations coordinatE with Listings on pagEs 10 & 12

E1 Festival of Whales Parade 10 a.m. The parade, themed 40 Years of Magical Migration, features fl oats and balloons and runs along Pacifi c Coast Highway from Selva Road to Golden Lantern. Arrive early, enjoy breakfast harbor side, board the free shuttle and spend the day visiting all the events located throughout the Harbor and Dana Point Plaza.

E2 A Whale of a Block Party 10 a.m.–5 p.m. at La Plaza Park. The Block Party, hosted by the Dana Point Cham-ber of Commerce, is a fun and educational event with interac-tive booths for the whole family. Stay all day and enjoy rides, food, live music, crafts and more.

E15 Dana Outrigger Canoe Club Race In its 21st year of historical paddling, Dana Outrigger Canoe Club will once again host a competition with paddlers from across Southern California. The event will take place at Baby Beach and spectators are welcome.

E11 Metropolitan Club Beep, Beep! Take a stroll down the Harbor walkway and enjoy an impressive display of Nash Metropolitans. Immediately following the Festival parade, the Nash Metropolitans will be escorted to the Harbor for display along the Harbor walkway grassy areas.

E14 Hot Rods Unlimited The Festival welcomes back Hot Rods Unlimited! Stroll down Dana Point Harbor Drive and enjoy a display of vintage hot rods and classic cars.

E15 Movie in the Park 6:30 p.m. Join us for a special showing of “Shark Tale,” rated PG. FREE popcorn, hot bever-ages and snacks will be available. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic dinner and enjoy this family-friendly movie.

E8 Whale of a Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m.–11 a.m. Hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars post 9934 at the OC Sailing & Event Center’s Dana Cove Room. Start your day with delicious, fl uffy pancakes with strawberry topping served hot off the griddle, tasty sausage and bacon, served with juice, milk or coffee. Over 25 great gifts raffl ed plus surprise entertainment. All proceeds will benefi t the VFW. Adults $6, children under 12 $3.

E8 Whale Tail Sculpture Dedication 1 p.m. Join the Dana Point Harbor Association at the OC Sailing and Event Center for a dedication ceremony for their fi rst ever community art project. Dana Point artist Eric Danton was comissioned to sculpt a 6’ tall iconic image of a whale tail at the 2008 Ocean Awareness Day. With the help of Dana Point artist Aileen May and the community of Dana Point, the sculpture is now ready for its close up!

E15 Ocean Awareness Day 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Located at Baby Beach, the event features interactive displays, demon-strations and entertainment showcasing ocean and environ-mental programs and issues related to our ocean.

E15 Diamond Dig 12 p.m.–1 p.m. on Baby Beach. You have a whale of an opportunity to become rich by digging for treasure. Kids and adults can pay for a shovel and dig for pirate’s booty—cash, toys and diamonds! Dress as a pirate and receive a clue to the buried treasure!

E15 Whale of a Rubber Ducky Race 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Hosted by the Dana Point Woman’s Club, this fun spin on a traditional “Rubber Ducky Race” will be held at Baby Beach.

Ducks can be pre-purchased at Art in the Park on March 5 and at Baby Beach the day of the event for $6 per duck, or two for $10. Or, beginning March 1, ducks can be purchased at Beacon Printing and Dana Wharf Sportfi shing. Prizes will be awarded to the fi rst three ducks.

E15 Festival of the Whales Baby Beach Sand Sculpting Competition 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Choose one of fi ve categories: Castles, Whales and Ocean Creatures, Pirates and Ships, Woodies and Surfboards, or Patriotic Emblems. Judging begins at 2:30 p.m. with awards to follow. Bring your own buckets and tools. Dyes and stabilizers not allowed—all natural. Sand provided free. Bring a team of fam-ily and friends and join the fun! Sculpting creation areas are limited—fi rst come, fi rst served.

E15 Whale of a BBQ 12 p.m.–4 p.m. Delicious BBQ specialties at affordable prices will be served up adjacent to Baby Beach. Choose from tri-tip sandwiches, mouth-watering chicken sandwiches, salads and more!

E10 Kids Free Fishing Clinic and Trip 12 p.m.–12:30 p.m./ 12:45 p.m.–5:45 p.m. Dana Wharf Sportfi shing invites children to come to their dock side fi shing clinic and learn hands on techniques from the experts. Prizes will be raffl ed off at the end of the clinic. After the clinic, Dana Wharf will be running a fi shing trip. Adults are $39 plus license and equipment, children 12 and under fi sh for FREE (includes equipment). Call 949.496.5794 for reservations.

E4 Lily The Whale–Behind The Scenes 1 p.m.–2 p.m. Join Captain Dave at the Dana Point Marina Inn to learn about Lily the Gray Whale’s headline-making disentangle-ment in Dana Point Harbor with exclusive video, photos and a question and answer session. For info call, 949.488.2828.

E11 So Cal Woodies The best of the best woodie cars will be on show from the offi cial Southern California Chapter of the National Woodie Club. Stroll along the Harbor walkway and enjoy this one-of-a-kind display!

E10 Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.–11 a.m. at Harpoon Henry’s. Marine mammals are among the most beloved icons of the California coast and yet much of their life history and biology remains a mystery to us. Enjoy a continental breakfast as special guests (March 5: Marine biologist and great white shark expert Mary Blasius, March 6: Dennis Kelly, Director of Coastal Dolphin Survey Project) present recent fi ndings on sharks, local whales, dolphins and other marine mammals. Following the lecture, go on a whale watching trip aboard the OCean Adventures Cata-maran to get up close and personal with these magnifi cent creatures. The lecture is free with purchase of the whale watching cruise aboard the OCean Adventures Catamaran and includes a continental breakfast. To attend the lecture only (with breakfast), $5 per person will be collected at the door. To purchase tickets, visit www.danawharf.com or call 949.496.5794.

E8 Sailing Rides 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Westwind Sailing takes you on a sailing ride to learn how to steer and sail a Capri 14! $15 per boat, three people max. Ages 5 and up. Call West-wind Sailing, 949.492.3035 for details.

E8 Stand-Up Paddling Clinics 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Join the SUP craze and learn fi rst hand why it’s the fastest grow-ing water sport today! Westwind Sailing will host 45 minute on-the-water clinics held each hour on the hour. Ages 12 and up (12–14-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult). $10.

E9 Dana Point Historical Society Walking Tour 2 p.m. Meet at Bella Bazaar (corner of Blue Lantern and PCH) for the historic town center Walking Tour showing historic buildings discussing the early building of the city. FREE, donations gladly accepted. Call 949.248.8121 or visit www.danapointhistorical.org for info.

E10 Harbor Music Series 12 p.m.–3 p.m. Presented by the Dana Point Harbor Association in the Jolly Roger Court-yard, Harpoon Henry Grassy Area and Art in the Park. FREE.

E4 Whale watch from land! FREE Film and Live Whale Watching Broadcast 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Stop by the Dolphin Deck offi ce (next to Baby Beach), for an exclusive FREE viewing of Captain Dave’s award win-ning documentary “Wild Dolphins and Whales of Southern California.” Screenings every hour. Throughout the day relax and enjoy their boat’s live whale watching broadcast from WhaleWatchingTV.com right on their deck overlooking the harbor. Sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, and refreshments are available for purchase.

E7 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show and Sale 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. The Dana Point Fine Arts Association will host an art show and sale along the Harbor Boardwalk in Mariner’s Village. Dana Point Fine Arts will donate a portion of artist’s sales to Dana Hills High School Art Department.

E12 Art in the Park Local artists will be displaying a variety of works on the grassy areas at the corner of Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive.

E6 Ocean Institute Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 2 p.m.–4 p.m. Join us for a tallship sailing adventure as you gain new insights into man’s evolv-ing relationship with the ocean and the giants that roam our California coast. Non-members, $40 adults, $23 children 12 & under. Members, $36 adults, $21 children 12 & under (min. age 4).

E6 Seashore Interpretive Family Hike 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Guided family tidepool hikes through the Dana Point Marine Protected Area with Ocean Institute naturalists. Hikes are available on a fi rst come fi rst served basis. Space is limited. Sign up at the front desk of the Ocean Institute after admission is paid, no additional charge.

E6 Ocean Institute 10 a.m.–4 p.m. During the festival, a hands-on journey into the mysterious and fascinating world of whales will allow visitors to explore a variety of fascinating phenomena unique to these magnifi cent animals. There will be opportunities to examine how they communicate and eat, to see how pollution can affect them, learn about ongoing research, and create fun whale-theme crafts. Admission: $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for children (3 -12 yrs); Children under 2 and members are free.

E2 & E10 2011 Festival of Whales Merchandise T-shirts, sweatshirts and notecards will be on sale through-out the Harbor and are available for purchase online at www.festivalofwhales.com.

Dana Point Restaurant Week March 4–13. Try out some of Dana Point’s best restaurants at a bargain price. Turn to page 4 for a list of participating eateries.

all weekend

Saturday, March 5 SUNday, March 6


*Free Shuttle 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

E15 Second annual Mickey MuNoz Mongoose Cup Join Mickey and his friends for a day of pad-dling fun, camaraderie, a Waterman Expo and delicious BBQ at Baby Beach. Mickey Muñoz, an avid stand-up pad-dler, is an early pioneer of surfi ng and well-known surfboard shaper. Once described as the “surfer’s surfer,” Mickey has been riding waves since the 1950s and has been featured in many popular surfi ng fi lms and documentaries. Winning the fi rst professional surf contest and pioneer-ing big wave surfi ng at

Waimea Bay are a few of Mickey’s surfi ng accomplishments. His event will directly benefi t local charitable organizations. There will be an open fun paddle, a lively Waterman Expo and SUP relays. The event will start at 9 a.m. with a Fun Paddle and harbor cleanup sweep. The Mickey Muñoz Mongoose Cup is an event open to everyone. The Fun Paddle is open to any type of paddling craft and the Mongoose Cup will be contested solely as a stand-up paddleboard relay race (SUP relays). Event participants will receive a commemora-tive Mongoose Cup tee, delicious BBQ lunch and chance to paddle with surf legend Mickey Muñoz. Save money by reg-istering online at www.mongoosecup.eventbrite.com. Beach registration will open Saturday, March 12 at 7:30 a.m. The BBQ is open to the public as well. For more info, email [email protected].

E17 Whale of a Beach Cleanup 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Festival of Whales Toast to the Coast! Bring your work gloves and a recyclable bag or bucket and help clean up Doheny State Beach. Meet Ranger Vicki at the Lifeguard Headquarters and learn more about how you can help maintain our precious coastal resources. FREE shuttle service from most Harbor parking lots.

E17 Festival of Whales Grunion Run Featuring a 10K, 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ 1K Run. 10K begins at 7 a.m., 5K begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by the Kids’ 1K at 9:15 a.m. Awards are scheduled for 9:40 a.m. Proceeds to benefi t the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association, a non-profi t organization which supports interpretive, educational programs at Doheny State Beach. Pre-registration and more information is available online at www.festivalofwhales-grunionrun.com. FREE pre-run shuttle service will begin at 6 a.m. and will have pick ups from the Ocean Institute, OC Sailing & Event Center and Dana Point Harbor Drive at Golden Lantern.

After the run enjoy a Whale of a Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m.–10 a.m. inside Doheny State Park. Adults $6, Children under 12 $3. Bring your racing bib and receive $1 off breakfast! Proceeds from the breakfast will benefi t Doheny Longboard Surfi ng Association and our local State Lifeguard Association.

E10 Kids Free Fishing Clinic and Trip 12 p.m.–12:30 p.m./ 12:45 p.m.–5:45 p.m. Dana Wharf Sportfi shing invites children to come to their dock side fi shing clinic and learn hands on techniques from the experts. Prizes will be raffl ed off at the end of the clinic. After the clinic, Dana Wharf will be run-ning a fi shing trip. Adults are $39 plus license and equipment, children 12 and under fi sh for FREE (includes equipment). Call 949.496.5794 for reservations.

E15 Whale of a Concert and BBQ 12 p.m.–4:30 p.m. In honor of the whales migrating by Dana Point Headlands “sing-ing their song” the Festival of Whales festivities will include a FREE outdoor concert at Baby Beach with bands performing on the water on a specially designed stage. Bring your beach chairs, towels and blankets and enjoy an afternoon of musi-cal entertainment. Concert will begin with “Steel Parade”


all weekend

*All events are weather permitting

E4 Captain Dave’s Kids Carnival 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Fun for the whole “pod”! Bring the kids by the Dolphin Deck (near Baby Beach and OC Sailing and Events Center) for FREE fun, educational games and awesome prizes. Win or purchase an autographed copy of Capt. Dave’s new family book, “Tales From The Pod: The Lily The Whale Story.”

E10 Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.–11 a.m. at Harpoon Henry’s. Marine mammals are among the most beloved icons of the California coast and yet much of their life history and biology remains a mystery to us. Enjoy a con-tinental breakfast as special guests (March 12: Alisa Schulh-man-Janiger, American Cetacean Society, March 13: Doug Thompson, marine naturalist) present recent fi ndings on local whales, dolphins and other marine mammals. Following the lecture, go on a whale watching trip aboard the OCean Adventures Catamaran to get up close and personal with these magnifi cent creatures. The lecture is free with purchase of the whale watching cruise aboard the OCean Adventures Catamaran and includes a continental breakfast. To attend the lecture only (with breakfast), $5 per person will be col-lected at the door. To purchase tickets, visit www.danawharf.com or call 949.496.5794.

E8 Sailing Rides 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Westwind Sailing takes you on a sailing ride to learn how to steer and sail a Capri 14! $15 per boat, three people max. Ages 5 and up. Call West-wind Sailing, 949.492.3035 for details.

E8 Stand-Up Paddling Clinics 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Join the SUP craze and learn fi rst hand why it’s the fastest growing water sport today! Westwind Sailing will host 45 minute on-the-water clinics held each hour on the hour. Ages 12 and up (12–14-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult). $10.

E9 Dana Point Historical Society Walking Tour 2 p.m. Meet at Bella Bazaar (corner of Blue Lantern and PCH) for the historic town center Walking Tour showing historic buildings discussing the early building of the city. FREE– donations gladly accepted. Call 949.248.8121 or visit www.danapointhistorical.org for info.

E10 Harbor Music Series 12 p.m.–3 p.m. Presented by the Dana Point Harbor Association in the Jolly Roger Court-yard, Harpoon Henry Grassy Area and Art in the Park. FREE.

E4 Whale watch from land! FREE Film and Live Whale Watching Broadcast 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Stop by Captain Dave’s Dolphin Deck offi ce (next to Baby Beach), for an exclusive FREE viewing of Captain Dave’s award win-

ning documentary “Wild Dolphins and Whales of Southern California.” Screenings every hour. Throughout the day relax and enjoy their boat’s live whale watching broadcast from WhaleWatchingTV.com right on their deck overlooking the harbor. Sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, and refreshments are available for purchase.

E7 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show and Sale 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. The Dana Point Fine Arts Association will host an art show and sale along the Harbor Boardwalk in Mariner’s Village. Dana Point Fine Arts will donate a portion of artist’s sales to Dana Hills High School Art Department.

E12 Art in the Park Local artists will be displaying a variety of works on the grassy areas at the corner of Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive.

E6 Ocean Institute Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 2 p.m.–4 p.m. Join us for a tallship sailing adventure as you gain new insights into man’s evolv-ing relationship with the ocean and the giants that roam our California Coast. Non-members, $40 adults, $23 children 12 & under. Members, $36 adults, $21 children 12 & under (min. age 4).

E6 Seashore Interpretive Family Hike 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Guided family tidepool hikes through the Dana Point Marine Protected Area with Ocean Institute naturalists. Hikes are available on a fi rst come, fi rst served basis. Space is limited. Sign up at the front desk of the Ocean Institute after admission is paid, no additional charge.

E6 Ocean Institute 10 a.m.–4 p.m. During the festival, a hands-on journey into the mysterious and fascinating world of whales will allow visitors to explore a variety of fascinating phenomena unique to these magnifi cent animals. There will be opportunities to examine how they communicate and eat, to see how pollution can affect them, learn about ongoing re-search, and create fun whale-theme crafts. Admission: $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for children (3 -12 yrs); Children under 2 and members are free.

E10 2011 Festival of Whales Merchandise T-shirts, sweatshirts and notecards will be on sale through-out the Harbor and are available for purchase online at www.festivalofwhales.com.

Dana Point Restaurant Week March 4–13. Try out some of Dana Point’s best restaurants at a bargain price. Turn to page 4 for a list of participating eateries.

Saturday, March 12

Sunday, March 13

performing from 12 p.m.–1 p.m., “The Eliminators Surf Band” from 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., and the “Surftunes” from 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Concessions for scrumptious BBQ specialties will also be available, including a Spirits Garden for those over 21 years old with a valid I.D.

E17 Doheny State Beach’s Mobile Marine Mam-mal Museum 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Meet at Doheny State Beach’s promenade north of the snack bar at the picnic tables. There will be a variety of genuine marine mammal artifacts for visitors to actively learn and gain an appreciation of these magnifi -cent creatures of the sea. Please Note: Free vehicle parking at Doheny State Beach for Doheny State Beach’s Mobile Marine Mammal Museum is limited to one hour only. FREE

Mickey Muñoz. Courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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