YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE LOCAL NEWS YOU CAN USE June 13-19, 2014 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 24 www.danapointtimes.com Roh Celebrates Three-year Surfing Milestone PAGE 22 Joseph Farley, superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District, is retiring at the end of June following four years at the helm. Farley is credited with stabilizing the district following financial and political turmoil over the past decade. Photo: Brian Park CUSD’s Mr. Fix It Leaves the Stage Superintendent credited with stabilizing district retires this month Fighting Fifth Marines Celebrate Regiment’s 97th Anniversary DP LIVING/PAGE 12 Masciorini’s Playoff Push Ends in CIF Tennis Semifinals SPORTS/PAGE 20 Harbor Development Permit Goes Before Council Tuesday EYE ON DP/PAGE 3 EYE ON DP/PAGE 7
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YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE
L O C A L N E W S Y O U C A N U S EJune 13-19, 2014
Joseph Farley, superintendent of the Capistrano Unifi ed School District, is retiring at the end of June following four years at the helm. Farley is credited with stabilizing the district following fi nancial and political turmoil over the past decade. Photo: Brian Park
CUSD’s Mr. Fix It Leaves the Stage
Superintendent credited with stabilizing district retires this month
Fighting Fifth Marines Celebrate Regiment’s
97th AnniversaryDP LIVING/PAGE 12
Masciorini’s Playoff Push Ends in CIF
Tennis Semifinals SPORTS/PAGE 20
Harbor Development Permit Goes Before
Council Tuesday EYE ON DP/PAGE 3
E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 7
LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON DP
www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 3
President Signs Water Bill, Could Benefit SCTHE LATEST: Beaches in south Orange County moved one step closer to a large-scale replenishment project this week after President Barack Obama penned his signature on a bipartisan federal bill to fund critical flood protection, ecosystem restoration and commerce port mainte-nance projects nationwide.
Cosponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) the Water Resources Reform & Development Act of 2014 successfully moved through the nation’s legislative bodies in a 412-4 congressional vote and a 91-7 Senate vote last month. Obama gave the final approval Tuesday, June 10.
“The president has signed into law a strong, bipartisan bill which invests in vital water infrastructure that protects communities in California and across the nation from flooding … and boosts our economy by creating jobs,” Boxer wrote in a statement.
WHAT’S NEXT: The bill includes $1 billion to strengthen National Basin levees near Sacramento and $734 million for flood con-trol measures in the Sutter River and San Joaquin River basins. It could also provide funding for an initial beach replenishment project in San Clemente.
The project would add 50 feet of beach from Linda Lane south to T Street Beach.
Costs are estimated at $11 million, with $7 million coming from the federal govern-ment.
The project was reviewed and recom-mended by the Army Corps of Engineers. Under the bill, San Clemente is eligible for $51 million in federal funding for the project, but state and local officials must match the funds to pay for the project’s $99 million cost over 50 years.
Even with the president’s signature, there is no certainty a project will come in the near future, said Tom Bonigut, San Clemente’s assistant city engineer. However, with the OK, the city and Army Corps can begin project design work and look at funding options.—Andrea Papagia-nis and Jim Shilander
Harbor Development Permit Goes Before Council THE LATEST: With an appeal filed by a local recreational boaters association, the Dana Point City Council on Tuesday, June 17 will consider the county’s coastal development permit for the long awaited revamp of the Dana Point Harbor.
The permit was approved by the Plan-ning Commission on May 12. With it, Orange County’s plans to demolish 13 buildings and reconstruct much of the Harbor’s commercial core were permitted. Plans would see the construction of seven buildings—adding 30,000 square feet of new retail, restaurant and office space—a two-level parking structure with more than 500 spaces and a 35,000-square-foot park.
Additionally, the commission approved the concept of a 50,000-square-foot, 400-boat storage facility. The building, dubbed the “boat barn,” must still gain California Coastal Commission approval.
This petition, by law, could have gone straight to the Coastal Commission, said San Juan Capistrano resident and boater Bruce Heyman, who represents the ap-
pellant, Boaters 4 Dana Point Harbor. But, given the CCC’s backlog, Heyman said the organization didn’t want to delay the revamp process.
“Our desire is to see the revitalization move forward quickly, but without the loss of recreational boating resources,” Heyman wrote in a May 21 email. “As a result, we will appeal this at the local level first with the hope boater resources can be preserved and we avoid any delays in the start of construction.”
The organization is mainly concerned with the boat-storage facility and the loss of dry-boat storage both during and after construction is completed.
Talks about rehabbing the Harbor have been in the works since 1997 and concep-tual designs were drawn up in 2002. More than 150 public meetings over Orange County’s $140 million project have been held, between community members and stakeholders, including the city, county and coastal commission.
WHAT’S NEXT: The five-member govern-ing body meets Tuesday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at the Dana Point Community Center, located at 34052 Del Obispo Street. If the decision is upheld, the county could be-gind construction sometime in 2015.—AP
Planning Commission Approves Cell Tower PlanTHE LATEST: The Dana Point Planning Commission approved a permit Monday, June 9 for AT&T Mobility to construct a cell phone tower at a Crown Valley Parkway-located office building.
The plan would construct a new 38-foot-tall wireless-communication facil-ity, designed to look like a clock tower, which will house 12 cellular antennas and accessory equipment. The commission approved the antenna use permit in a 3-2 vote. Commissioners April O’Connor and Susan Whittaker dissented.
The approved telecommunications site was approved for the Crown Pacific Center, located at 32451 Crown Valley Parkway near the street’s intersection with Camino Del Avion.
One resident, who lives in a develop-ment above the building and has young children, raised concerns about the tower’s aesthetics and potential impacts cellphone towers can have on health.
Groups nationwide claim exposure to ra-diofrequency energy by way of cell towers and cellphones can have negative health impacts, including causing cancer, while others maintain they are completely safe.
There are currently no federal stan-dards regarding safe levels of exposure to radiofrequency.
WHAT’S NEXT: The decision may be ap-pealed to the City Council.—AP
Hotel Investment Firm Sells Doheny DoubleTreeTHE LATEST: The hotel and real estate in-vestment firm that owns the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Doheny Beach has sold the 196-room property in a two-hotel deal for $54.1 million.
FelCor, a publicly-traded firm that owns 76 hotels throughout the nation, sold the Doheny hotel along with a 251-room Em-bassy Suites property near the Baltimore Washington International Airport. The sales were announced in a press release Wednesday, June 11.
WHAT’S NEXT: Further details on the sale have not been released, such as whether or not Hilton hotels will continue to man-age the property.
The firm is selling properties as part of a portfolio repositioning plan in order to pay outstanding debt, according to the release.—AP
Lantern District Budget Up for Council DebateTHE LATEST: Funding to round out the city’s rehabilitation of its downtown cor-ridor will go before City Council members and the public Tuesday, June 17 for dis-cussion, as the city is expected to decide whether or not to spend $10 million to finish the long-awaited project.
The official agenda was not released as of press time, but city staff confirmed a budget item regarding the Lantern Dis-trict project, formerly referred to as Town Center, would be on the docket. Agendas are released Thursday evenings, five days before the council’s Tuesday meeting.
Last year, the council unanimously approved spending $9.2 million dollars to add bus pullouts, replace sidewalks, add medians and return two-directional traffic to Pacific Coast Highway. Construction began in September, following the South Coast Water District’s preempted replace-ment of sewer and water utilities, as well as storm drains, along the roadway.
The council will now decide on funding the project’s remaining construction on Del Prado Avenue, considered by sup-porters as the crux of the city’s revitaliza-tion efforts.
An estimated $10 million is needed to cre-ate a pedestrian-friendly environment down Del Prado, where medians will be added, stoplights replaced with stop signs and traf-fic slowed through the business district.
WHAT’S NEXT: The hearing will be held at the Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo Street. It begins at 6 p.m.
FIND OUT MORE: See the full agenda at www.danapoint.org.—AP
What’s Up With...Five things Dana Point should know this week
DPDana Point
Dana Point Harbor revitalization plans would see the demolition of 13 buildings currently housing local retailers and eateries. Those buildings are slated for replacement with seven new structures and a 35,000-square-foot park. Rendering courtesy of Orange County
Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to [email protected].
Dana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 5
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Pilot Whales Spotted off Dana Point CoastIt’s been nearly three decades since they
were last seen but pilot whales have once again returned to waters near Dana Point, giving outdoor recreationalists a rare sight-ing of the marine mammals that went away with a depleted squid population.
On Saturday, June 7, captains command-ing vessels for Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, Dana Wharf Sport-fishing & Whale Watching and the Ocean Institute encountered a large pod of pilot whales that gave a show to guests onboard.
An estimated 50 pilot whales, which, like killer whales, are in the dolphin fam-ily, passed approximately seven miles from shore in what is the first believed sighting of the mammals since the early 1980s.
Pilot whales disappeared from local waters some 30 years ago after a strong El Niño—an oceanic disruption of warmer ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific that has impacts on global weather and climate. The pilot whale had once been a common sighting in Southern California, but with the water changes their food supply, of mainly squid, dropped in 1983 and the apparent resident population near Santa Catalina Island waned.
“When I was making my film on whales and dolphins in this area pilot whales were like the Holy Grail,” said Capt. Dave Ander-son. “Every time someone called me with reports of pilot whales in the area I went after them and they always turned out to be false killer whales or risso dolphin.”
Despite increased survey efforts along the coastal-western United States, few pilot whale sightings were observed by researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1984 to 1996. In a 2001 survey, no pilot whales were seen in Southern California.
Current population estimations place 300 pilot whales in California, Oregon and Wash-ington waters, 8,850 near Hawaii, 31,000 in the western-north Atlantic and 2,400 in the northern Gulf of Mexico. With an increase in the local squid population, local captains hope California sightings increase.
Surf Fest Rides into Doheny June 28-29Marking its third year celebrating
Southern California surf culture and beach lifestyle, the Doheny Surf Festival rides a wave into Doheny State Beach on Saturday, June 28 and again on Sunday, June 29.
“The Doheny Surf Festival embraces surf culture,” said Rich Haydon, superin-tendent III of California State Parks. “What was once a small community of surfers has grown to what we know today as the Southern California lifestyle.”
The annual summertime event is jam packed with surfing demonstrations, music performances and activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Aside from all the fun, the event has a distinct mission of providing support to the beach and the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association, the nonprofit that helps conserve Doheny’s beaches, facilities and natural refuge, as well as the historical, cultural and social stories of the area.
Thanks, in part, to the surf festival, along with support from other area festi-vals, businesses organizations, the state park and DSBIA reopened the doors of the beach’s visitors center earlier this spring. The building closed in 2007 due to dry-rot and mold, but through combined efforts, and much fundraising, the center is now open and touts the largest aquarium in the California State Park system.
The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days. Parking at the state beach costs $15.
This year’s festival lineup includes tandem surfing demonstrations and nose riding exhibitions. On the stage, perfor-mances from Common Sense, Trevor Green and Aloha Radio will accompany the entertainment on the water.
In the vendor village this year, visitors can peruse an art walk, booths from surf vendors, a kids’ zone and hundreds of vintage and collectible surfboards. Classic woodies will also be on display and food trucks and a beer garden will provide guests nourishment and hydration.
Find out more about the event at www.dohenysurffest.com.
Friends Bookstore to Open Temporary Location With the Dana Point Library and
Friends of the Library Bookstore soon undergoing closures for construction, the Friends have announced temporary measures to keep their store open.
At the end of June, the library will be closed for a roof renovation project that will replace large aging skylights that cover much of the library. The Friends, the all-volunteer group that supports the library, raised $70,000 toward the project.
In order to keep raising funds for future library projects, the Friends will open a temporary bookstore until the library reopens in September.
The bookstore will move to 34189 Pacif-ic Coast Highway for at least the months of July and August. Volunteers are needed to help box up and move the Friends’ stock of books. Interested volunteers can contact Friends president Paul Strauss at [email protected].
A book sale will also be held at the cur-rent bookstore location, at 33841 Niguel Road, during the last week of June. Dis-counts of up to 50 percent will be offered.
Target closure dates for the library are Monday, June 30 through Monday, Sep-tember 1. Library patrons can visit nearby branches in Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano during construc-tion. Visit www.ocpl.org for information on library services at neighboring branches.
Donate Used Instruments at Food, Music FestivalGoing along with the event’s name, at-
tendees of the Dana Point Food, Wine and Music Festival are being asked to bring along used musical instruments to help local students in need.
The local nonprofit Acoustic for a Change will be accepting instruments at the Saturday, June 21 event, which runs from noon to 7 p.m. at Sea Terrace Park.
The organization, started by husband and wife team Arturo and Susan Echarte, collects various instruments, refurbishes everything from guitars to flutes and donates the instruments to local students and organizations. Their goal: to change the lives of local children through music.
Those making instrument donations will receive a special gift and Arturo will be playing music throughout the festival. Instruments from bass to violins will be accepted and large instrument donations, like pianos and drum sets, can be ar-ranged for pick up.
To find out more about Acoustic for a Change, visit www.acousticforachange.com.
FRIDAY, JUNE 13
Movies in the Park 8 p.m.–10 p.m. Load up the family for this summertime tradition at Lantern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern Road, as Steve Carrell brings everyone’s favorite villain, Gru, to life in this showing of Despicable Me 2. Popcorn is free. View the upcoming movie sched-ule at www.danapoint.org.
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
Community Recycling Event 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Residents can drop off plastic bottles and aluminum cans at Dana Hills High School, 33333 Golden Lantern, in the rear parking lot near the pool and tennis courts. Event will be held rain or shine. No glass. Funds collected are distributed to student programs.
Farmers Market 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Seasonal produce, flowers and local-handcrafted goods are featured at this weekly market at La Plaza Park. Call 949.248.3500 or go to www.danapoint.org to find out about purchasing a booth.
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
History Tour 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Explore the region’s rich history on this two-hour, 1.5-mile, docent-led tour from the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center, 34558 Scenic Drive. Tour is held each third Sunday featuring rotating themes. RSVP required to [email protected] or 949.248.3527.
TUESDAY, JUNE 17
City Council Meeting 6 p.m. The city’s governing body meets at the Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo Street, to discuss Orange County’s revamp of the Dana Point Harbor and funding for the final phases of the Town Center-Lantern District project. Stay with www.danapointtimes.com for a look at the night’s discussions and visit www.danapoint.org to view the council’s full agenda.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
Traffic Improvement Subcommittee Meeting 3 p.m. City leaders and staff meet to discuss traffic. Meetings are held at City Hall, Council Chambers, 33282 Golden Lantern. Find out more about the subcommittee at www.danapoint.org.
CommunityMeetings
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SPONSORED BY Dana Point Police Serviceswww.HideitLockitOrLoseit.com
DP Sheriff’s BlotterAll information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially re-ported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.
Sunday, June 8
DISTURBANCE Street of the Golden Lantern, 34600 Block (10:43 p.m.) A bartender at Turk’s Restaurant called officials about a group of drunken customers, who took off their shirts and yelled at one another.
CITIZEN ASSIST Street of the Amber Lantern, 34000 Block (9:30 p.m.) A man told of-ficials that a man had knocked on his front door and asked for work. The visitor was dressed in tan pants and a white long-sleeve shirt.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Amber Lantern, 34000 Block (8:33 p.m.) The driver of a parked silver four-door vehicle received three guests within an hour. The caller said it appeared the man was dealing with the visitors out of a rear car door.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Big Sur Street, 33600 Block (5:23 p.m.) A passer-by found lock-picking tools hidden at Sea View Park. When the tools were reported to authorities, the locater said another person was looking for them.
DISTURBANCE Street of the Golden Lantern/Del Prado Avenue (12:19 p.m.) A group of juveniles were skateboarding and doing jumps in a parking lot.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Doheny Park Road, 34000 Block (11:37 a.m.) A pedestrian reported an individual lying on the ground behind Donut World. It was later discovered that the individual was sleeping.
ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Pacific Coast Highway, 34100 Block (4:14 a.m.) Of-ficials were notified of a possible alcohol poisoning after the caller reported having a “really strange headache.”
UNKNOWN TROUBLE Cordova Drive, 24600 Block (3:32 a.m.) A caller informed authorities of three loud noises. When the caller went to investigate the sounds, he found a person lying on the floor.
DISTURBANCE Domingo Avenue, 25900 Block (2:02 a.m.) A possibly drunken man with blond hair and green eyes was “screaming at the top of his lungs” and kicking at his friend’s front door.
Thursday, June 5
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Doheny Park Road, 34100 Block (10:11 p.m.) The caller entered a location where people were smoking marijuana. Due to the strength of the smell, she left and called authorities.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Blue Lantern, 34300 Block (9:16 p.m.) Two women were seen sitting in a gazebo on city property and smoking from a pipe.
DISTURBANCE-AUTO INVOLVED Camino Mira Costa/Camino Capistrano (9:15 p.m.) Loud motorcycles were heard racing up and down the street.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific Coast Highway, 34100 Block (8:17 p.m.) A caller told deputies that a driver fell out of his seat when he opened the door. He was wearing a brown shirt and shorts and was in his 50s.
FOUND PROPERTY Monarch Beach Resort, 0 Block (3:28 p.m.) Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were turned into a local security office.
WELFARE CHECK Pacific Coast Highway/Del Prado Avenue (2:56 p.m.) A woman in a wheelchair wearing “loud print clothing” stayed in the same spot for an hour. She was seen pushing her wheelchair with her feet.
DISTURBANCE Niguel Road, 33800 Block (1:03 p.m.) A woman holding a pink Adidas gym bag and wearing a beige coat, blue Levis and sandals yelled and cursed at library staff when they asked her to leave the location.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCEBig Sur Street, 33100 Block (2:34 a.m.) A man informed officials of a white, gold trimmed Nissan Pathfinder with passen-gers who were tipping over a trash cans before driving off.
Wednesday, June 4
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street of the Park Lantern, 25100 Block (2:52 p.m.) A patrol check was requested for the park where apparently homeless people were seen setting up tents and starting fires.
CITIZEN ASSIST Street Kitts, 0 Block (1:30 p.m.) A resident told officials that her neighbors putting “dates in her dryer exhaust hose.”
COMPILED BY CATHERINE MANSO
News Next DoorWHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO After nearly a decade of planning and
fundraising, and just over six months of construction and furnishing, the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library have their new bookstore.
The Friends, the all-volunteer group that supports the San Juan Capistrano Library, gathered with their own friends and city offi-cials on Sunday, June 3 for the official ribbon cutting ceremony for their new store, simply called “The Bookstore.”
“This town has the most tremendous volunteerism spirit of any town I’ve ever lived in,” said Mary DeMers, president of the organization. “We are dedicating this book-store to you, the residents of San Juan, for good learning and good reading.”
The bookstore was relocated from its original location in the back of the library to the former Bland Garden, fronting El Camino Real.
The store was designed by San Juan Plan-ning Commissioner Roy Nunn and received the approval of renowned architect Michael Graves, who designed the library. Graves’ design was recognized by the American Institute of Architects and Newsweek maga-zine called the library “the first authentic postmodern masterpiece.”
The City Council unanimously approved a request to relocate the bookstore in Sep-tember 2012, but plans go as far back as 2005. The Friends had initially considered a plan to expand the western wing of the library, but the $4 million price tag was deemed too high. Another plan to modify the library’s front entrance was halted, fol-
San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library and their supporters are joyous after cutting the ribbon to their new bookstore on June 3. Photo: Brian Park
lowing a dispute with Orange County. It was later determined that the library was a city-owned property and plans resumed.
“The church is right here and it nourishes the soul. Now we have the beautiful book-store here and that will nourish the minds of so many people,” Mayor Sam Allevato said.—Brian Park
SAN CLEMENTEThe San Clemente Planning Commis-
sion brought further clarity to rezoning for a homeless shelter in the city, zeroing in on land north of the Denny’s on Avenida Pico for a potential site for a 50-bed shelter.
To comply with state law, the city is re-quired to create zoning that would allow a shelter to be built or established in an area by right, in order to reduce potential delays in the development process.
The commission identified the Calle de Industrias area as a potential site because it provided an option far enough from resi-dences and close enough to areas of trans-portation and jobs.
While commissioners considered the area as a site for a pair of shelters that could potentially provide space for the city’s 70-person homeless population, but, out of a desire to diffuse it elsewhere in the city, opted for a 50-bed limit.
In an effort to find beds elsewhere, the commission also narrowly approved, by a 4-3 vote, allowing for two possible 35-bed shelters in the Rancho San Clemente Busi-ness Park, as well as a six-bed limit for all churches in the city. Business owners in the park have objected to that proposal, citing concern over property values.
A formal resolution must still be approved by the Planning Commission, which then must be approved by the City Council be-fore going to the state for the final OK.—Jim Shilander
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The Steward of Capistrano UnifiedSuperintendent Joseph Farley took a troubled district and set it on a better path to succeed
WBY JIM SHILANDER AND BRIAN PARK, DANA POINT TIMES
hen a journalist “buries the lede,” it means he or she fails to quickly get to the crux of a story.
For Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Joseph Farley, a former newspaper reporter, writing the story of the district’s recovery from years of tur-moil meant opening with a strong lede and acknowledging problems from the start.
“I was absolutely, brutally honest about the flaws and the strengths of the school district,” Farley said of his first days at the head of CUSD in 2010. “My es-sential message was we’re going to stop all these squabbles, all this political conduct that’s absorbing our time, and we’re going to focus on classroom instruction and on kids.”
Four years later, Farley’s deadline has arrived. As he promised when he was hired, Farley will retire at the end of his contract, June 30.
“Everyone knew from the first day I’d only be here for four years, then they would transition into another superin-tendent who would take the district from some relative tranquility and stability to even greater levels of achievement, which I think will be possible,” Farley said.
The school board has had a more dif-ficult time writing a follow-up story—that is, finding Farley’s replacement—than expected.
The district planned to name its next superintendent in May, after hiring the national search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, which initially recruited Far-ley and where he is expected to take on a part-time job. But last month, trustees hired a new consultant, La Quinta-based Leadership Associates—the same firm that recruited Farley’s predecessor, A. Woodrow Carter, who clashed with the board and was fired in 2009, after just two years on the job.
Trustee Anna Bryson, who was board president when Farley was unanimously hired, said the board was looking for someone specific to follow Farley.
“He has laid a magnificent groundwork that for whoever comes they will be very fortunate because the hardest turning around has been achieved and now it’s full steam ahead,” Bryson said.
INTO THE FIREWhen Farley was hired in 2010, he be-
came the district’s seventh superintendent in four years.
Longtime superintendent James Flem-ing retired in 2006, but less than a year later, he was indicted for allegedly compil-ing an “enemies list,” which identified par-ents who had been critical of the district. Charges were later dismissed.
Five superintendents followed, includ-ing Dennis Smith, who resigned after one month, three interim and Carter.
The board fared no better. In 2008, disgruntled parents successfully recalled trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper and replaced them with Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox. But in 2010, Maddox and Mike Winsten were recalled and replaced by current Board President John Alpay and Trustee Gary Pritchard. Trustee Lynn Hatton was also elected over incumbent Larry Christensen.
That year, before the election, the teach-ers union also went on a five-day strike over pay cuts.
When he came in to interview, Farley said he had to be brought in secretly to avoid picketers.
“That was kind of an unusual circum-stance,” Farley said.
At the time, the job was far from ideal, given the myriad of controversies sur-rounding the district, as well as the statewide financial crisis that would force the district to cut $150 million from their budget and shorten the school calendar.
But for Farley, the job was perfect.
MR. FIX ITFarley, who has been an educator for 41
years, developed a reputation as a prob-lem solver. Before coming to CUSD, he spent five years as superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District. Like CUSD, he brought an end to a period of high turnover, which saw three superin-tendents in as many years.
Public confidence in Anaheim Union was low, and just over a week after Farley started, the Orange County Grand Jury began an investigation into the district’s management of a multi-million dollar construction bond. A year later, the Grand Jury praised Farley’s work in handling the situation and said it was a model for other districts.
Bryson said Farley’s reputation as a problem solver was a definite factor in his hiring, which she called, “one of the proudest things I’ve ever done.”
“He had confronted problems that were very severe in his prior district, and with calm intellect and consistent strength of administrative oversight, he righted that ship,” Bryson said.
Alpay said early on in his dealings with Farley as a trustee, he understood the focus would be on the classroom.
“It became very clear to me that he was trying to reassert control,” Alpay said. “It was really a ‘Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,’ kind of thing.”
That attitude was key, Alpay said, to reestablishing a sense of district stability, reminding board members of their respon-sibilities to students. It had also carried over to the relations between the board members themselves.
“We don’t agree on everything. We’re seven people with seven different opin-ions,” Alpay said. “But I can say whole-heartedly that we’re all unified in our objective to provide our children with a quality education. I think we’ve all learned to be respectful and get along with each other because we’ve understood our inter-ests are aligned.”
Farley said, as a journalist, he enjoyed taking complicated issues and explain them as simply as possible. He applied those skills as a school administrator.
“I have to teach something. I have to do it briefly and succinctly with the fewest words possible,” Farley said. “I’ll take something incredibly complex—you
Superintendent Joseph Farley is set to retire at the end of June. As an administrator, he is credited with steering the district through a tumultuous political and financial period back to safer, calmer waters. Photo: Brian Park
could name it, there’s one every day in the school district—and I’ll have to communi-cate that to someone.”
After his first year, trustees, school administrators and parents praised Farley’s open-door policy and his honesty, even when the news was not always good. Farley challenged educators when he took over, said George Duarte, the former principal at San Clemente High School and current principal at Ladera Ranch Middle School.
“He recognized the high performance of the district, but he also said we could do better to meet the needs of all children,” Duarte said.
FUTURE ISSUES COME INTO FOCUSHaving restored a full-calendar school
year, Farley said the district was on surer footing financially going forward.
The greatest challenge, however, that will likely confront Farley’s successor is dealing with aging facilities found through-out the district. During the height of its fiscal crisis, the district was forced to raid its deferred maintenance reserves, mean-ing issues at some schools have not yet been addressed.
“It’s not just old campuses. It’s new or relatively new campuses that also have needs that when you total them up repre-sent an awful lot of money,” Farley said.
He also noted that the district is not growing evenly. Some schools, such as Marblehead Elementary in San Clemente and parts of Dana Point, have seen declin-ing enrollment in recent years. The district must also prepare to house Rancho Mis-sion Viejo students and is already planning for a K-8 school there.
“The trouble is that the growth isn’t where we have the decline,” Farley said.
Solutions can be found, but they will take time, Alpay said. The district also faces attendance boundary issues and must work to unravel its community facili-ties districts, especially when dealing with population pressures at San Juan Hills High School.
Farley said the district needs to find a way, over the course of several years, to fund the modernization of some of its facili-ties. The district currently has 10 Mello-Roos CFDs, which have restrictions about using funds for maintenance of existing buildings. Solutions might include creating a district-wide facilities bond or one spe-cific to certain areas, after paying existing CFDs. The board, while aware of the issue, has not yet formally discussed the solution, which would require public input.
“We didn’t get here overnight and it’s going to take a couple of years to get back out,” Alpay said.
But despite future challenges, Alpay said Farley has lived up to his reputation as a fixer.
“We’re a great school district,” Alpay said. “We had self-inflicted wounds and he came along and made a very good school district again. Because of him, we’re in a position to become an incredible school district.” DP
VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTSSOAPBOX
Dana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 8 www.danapointtimes.com
34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624
CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Kevin Dahlgren, Amanda Huff-man, Catherine Manso, Madison May, Sean Robb, Jenna Ross, Dana Schnell, Steve Sohanaki, Tim Trent
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Dana Point Times, Vol. 7, Issue 24. The DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodis-patch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
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Letters to the Editor
even more of what Dana Point and our local communities have to offer. I am sure my successor, Tammy McKennon, will continue to appreciate all that this wonderful community has to offer.
Having had the privilege of living and working all over the world, I want to thank all Dana Point Times readers for making this community a great place to do business and a fabulous place to enjoy retirement.
CITY LEADERS: DON’T IGNORE OUR YOUTH ANY LONGER
DEANA CHRISTAKES, Dana Point
I see the resistance to building a skate-park in Dana Point as emblematic of a much larger issue.
Needed change comes slowly in our fair city, with much opposition. As a direct result of this our “downtown” businesses have struggled or gone out of business, our harbor has languished in misuse and disrepair and our youth are being underserved.
While the fi rst two issues are fi nally be-ing addressed, the third is still a pressing issue. In order to be a vital city, we need to provide recreational opportunities for our kids—safe places they can be active
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY
RUSSELL KERR, Dana Point
Thirteen years ago I arrived in Dana Point not knowing one person in town.
I joined Edward Jones Investments and launched my own fi nancial advisor business from scratch in a new offi ce at Monarch Bay Plaza. Last Friday, June 6, dozens of clients and friends joined me at Luciana’s Ristorante in a delightful celebration of my decision to retire.
Looking back over these years, I have to say that Dana Point is a fabulous place in which to have a business. The residents are friendly, the city well managed and the location is both convenient and attractive. Also, the Dana Point Chamber of Com-merce provided me the opportunity to meet lots of people and I quickly made many friends through the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club.
People are asking me what I am going to do now. I plan to enjoy and celebrate
To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclu-sion in the paper, e-mail us at [email protected] or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.
and hang out with their peers. We currently have parks for our young-
er kids, but the kids that skate are forced to go out of town or to break the law by skating in areas not designed to accom-modate them. Dana Point needs a more proactive approach. We need to give these kids a place where they can skate safely and where they feel that they are part of a community that values them.
As community members, we are encour-aged to “keep it local,” yet we are forced to go to neighboring cities because our City Council members choose to turn a blind eye to the needs of the community. As a result, we are frequenting restaurants in Aliso Viejo, skate shops in Lake Forest and spending the majority of our week-ends (and money) outside of Dana Point.
Dana Point is a great community; it’s just a shame that our youth are being ignored in favor of developers and short sighted planning.
GUEST OPINION: by Mike Powers, Chairman of the Town Center Committee
Lantern District Brings Civic PrideCouncil votes on funding Town Center-Lantern District fi nal phases Tuesday
n January 2013, a group of interested business and community leaders, merchants and property owners met
to form a committee with the sole purpose of encouraging the city of Dana Point to move forward with the Town Center project, now referred to as the Lantern District.
We met with then Mayor Steve Wein-berg and asked him to include the matter on the City Council’s February 2013 agenda. He was gracious enough to do so.
Discussions were held between the city and South Coast Water District. As a result the city and SCWD formed an alliance whereas the SCWD would take the lead in upgrading their water and sewer lines sev-en years ahead of their planned schedul-ing and the city would follow behind with improvements, which includes changes in sidewalks, traffi c lights, turn lanes, sig-nage and lighting, streets lined with date palms, a tree-lined center median on Del Prado Avenue and much more.
The project took wings in September 2013 when SCWD began their work on Pacifi c Coast Highway and the city began their construction in February 2014. The initial phases of the project, which includ-
ed the funding of improvements for PCH, would return the roadway to two-way traffi c. These phases of the project are well on their way and should be completed by October.
The remaining phases, which primarily focus on Del Prado, will ideally create the jewel of the project, a pedestrian-friendly setting that will give rise to an infusion of restaurants, upscale shops, sidewalk dining, entertainment venues and other places for people to gather. When com-pleted we will all be proud to call this our Lantern District.
The City Council will meet on Tuesday, June 17 to fi nalize the budget to fund the remaining Del Prado phases which could complete the project as early as March 2015. At that point in time, the city will have done its job by planning and car-rying out a return of two-way traffi c on both PCH and Del Prado and added all of the necessary amenities that will set the tone to encourage the development and improvement of commercial and mixed use properties.
The surrounding property owners as well as the entire residential community of Dana Point should realize a boost in
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide vari-ety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not refl ect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]
Iproperty values as a result of this project. The city will also realize a gain in rev-enues from new development fees, retail sales tax and increased property taxes brought on by development of vacant land or improvement of existing commercial properties.
To date, city staff and the council have set a tone for success. They are working on parking programs and have encour-aged developers to move ahead now rather than later by offering a discount of development fees. We hear there are ap-proximately six to eight projects in various phases of city approval that could break ground within the next six to nine months.
Lantern District is a big win for the community as a whole and we encour-age the community to join on June 17 to encourage council members to fund the remainder of Del Prado improvements, as initially envisioned, so we can all realize the benefi ts of our Lantern District. DP
YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNERGETTING OUT
Dana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 10
Friday | 13FINE ART SHOW6 p.m.–8 p.m. Explore the area’s talent through this art show sponsored by the Dana Point Fine Arts Association, where student paintings, ceramics, photographs and multimedia designs will be on display. Dana Hills High School, 33333 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, www.danapointfinearts.org.
JIMMIE JAMES8 p.m. Live music at Wind & Sea Restau-rant. 34699 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.6500, www.windandsearestaurants.com.
Saturday | 14LANDSCAPE WORKSHOP 9 a.m.–noon. Learn about building healthy soil, using rainwater as a re-source, employing irrigation techniques and choosing water-wise plants. RSVP to 949.499.4555 or [email protected]. Dana Hills Tennis Center, 24911 Calle de Tenis, Dana Point, www.scwd.org.
BEST OF BARBERSHOP2 p.m. South County Sound shares the
stage with barbershop quartets and high school singers. $20 for adults, $10 for stu-dents. Concordia University Center for the Performing Arts, 1530 Concordia, Irvine, 949.661.2394, www.scsound.org.
DON PEDRO & THE RIFFTIDE 6 p.m.–10 p.m. Enjoy live music, cocktails and appetizers. Vivo Rooftop Lounge, Double Tree Suites by Hilton Doheny Beach, 34402 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.661.1100.
SECOND STAGE STAND-UP7:30 p.m. Four comedians hit the stage the second Saturday of the month. Admission $15. To purchase tickets, call 949.489.8082 or visit www.comedyintheoc.com. Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.
HARBOR MUSIC CRUISE8 p.m. Enjoy music from Grand Junction while cruising the Harbor. $15. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watch-ing, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.
Sunday | 15FATHER’S DAY BRUNCH SAIL10 a.m.–1 p.m. Celebrate dad with brunch aboard the Ocean Institute’s tall ship Spirit of Dana Point. Steer the ship, raise the sails and watch the crew fire the cannon. Tickets are $45 for adults, $35 for children 4 and up. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.
The ListWhat’s going on in and around town this week
www.danapointtimes.com
PLAY ON!2 p.m. This comedic take on a theatre group desperately trying to put on a play hits the stage through June 29. Show times vary. Tickets $20, $15 for students. Cabrillo Playhouse, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente, 949.492.0465, www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.
Monday | 16CAPT. DAVE’S WHALE WATCHINGTimes vary. Get up close to marine life aboard a Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari trip. Call for more infor-mation. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.
Tuesday | 17HOUSE OF DESIGN TOUR10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tour a home in the Dana Point Headlands. Tickets $40. Free park-ing at Strand Vista Park. Shuttle runs every 10 minutes. Selva Road at Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 714.840.7542, www.philharmonicsociety.org. PRESCHOOL STORYTIME11:15 a.m. Stories, songs and crafts for kids 3-6 at the San Juan Capistrano Library. Occurs every Tuesday. 31495 El Camino Real, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.
Wednesday | 18CHRIS CRAM7:30 p.m.–11 p.m. Live music at Iva Lee’s.
COMPILED BY STAFF
DPDana Point
Attendees of last year’s Dana Point Food, Wine & Music Festival enjoyed complimentary sushi from Mahe. Photo: Andrea Papagianis
Food, Wine and Music Festival • June 21Noon-7 p.m. Spend the day in Dana Point sampling regional food and wine. Event includes art exhibitions, cigar bar, kids’ zones, live music, and the Great Southern California Beer Festival with more than 100 beers. Free shuttle service available from Dana Hills High School. Sea Terrace Community Park, Pacific Coast Highway and Niguel Road, Dana Point, www.foodwineandmusicfestival.com.
EDITOR’S PICK
For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.danapointtimes.com.
555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949.361.2855, www.ivalees.com.
Thursday | 19YAPPY HOUR5 p.m.–8 p.m. Follow Fido to happy hour. Funds raised will help support Canine Companions for Independence which pro-vides service dogs to the disabled and the nation’s veterans. The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point, www.ritz-carlton.com.
THIRD-THURSDAY MIXER5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. The Dana Point Chamber of Commerce hosts this monthly networking event where business is discussed over hors d’oeuvres and drinks. $12 for members, $20 for non-members. Fountains at Sea Bluffs, 25411 Sea Bluffs Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.1555, www.danapointchamber.com.
Courtesy photo
D
On Stage at the Coach House: Spencer Day
escribed as an artistic vagabond, Spencer Day is making a stop at the Coach House on Sunday, June
22 to showcase his newly released album Daybreak.
Born in Utah, Day moved to Arizona before eventually deciding to pursue music in San Francisco. This subsequently led to his move across the country to the New York music scene. Day truly lives up to his musical vagabond image. Picking up musical styles everywhere he went, Day’s nomadic tendencies really show through his music.
“I wanted to create a musical hybrid,” Day said in his artist bio, and he did just that.
Pulling together several genres—in-cluding big band, jazz and a touch of pop—Day refuses to be pigeonholed while simultaneously appealing to listen-ers across the music spectrum.
Day received national attention with his debut album Vagabond, and his perfor-mance credits include the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Great American Music Hall and the Herbst Theater. Day’s resume, and fan following, grew even stronger after opening for Rufus Wainwright at the Napa Valley Opera House.
See Spencer Day at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, on June 22. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tick-ets are $30. Dinner reservations are also available. For tickets and a full schedule of upcoming shows, visit the Coach House online at www.thecoachhouse.com or call 949.496.8930.—Victor Carno
UPCOMING EVENT R.H. dana BeacH BasH • June 202:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Fun for the whole family abounds at this end-of-the-year carnival bash at R.H. Dana Elemen-tary School. Food, games, inflatable bounce houses and entertainment will round out the festivities. 24242 La Cresta Drive, Dana Point, www.rhdanapta.org.
www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 13-18, 2014 Page 12
PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITYDP LIVINGDP
Dana Point
t had been 15 years since Carole Regan sat in the pilot’s chair of her four-seat Cessna 172. In fact she hasn’t piloted
any aircraft in that decade and a half. Regan began flying in 1984 out of a
small airport in Wilmington, Delaware. Working long hours in a demanding job, Regan was looking for an escape. And with her children grown and off to college, she wanted a hobby. Flying had always been of interest to the former manager of a national consulting firm, but the factors of time and money had finally come together.
“There is just nothing like it, really noth-ing like it,” Regan said. “To be up in the air, mostly around 5,000 feet, and you look down and you see the terrain below … it is wonderful and it’s peaceful.”
As the daughter of a U.S. Air Force of-ficer, Regan was raised around planes. They were a matter of wonder to the young girl. So when the opportunity rose, she jumped and took to the sky, becoming one in a small field of private female pilots in the 1980s.
In 1999, after 13 years of freedom be-hind the controls of her own plane, Regan was grounded. She had done hundreds of trips with friends and family all along the East Coast and had moved across the nation—flying herself from Philadelphia to her new home in San Francisco.
Weekend trips to Montecito and Cali-fornia’s gold rush towns were the perfect lunchtime getaways for this pilot who made a yearly trek to Ashland for the Or-egon Shakespeare Festival. These jaunts ended when Regan was diagnosed with macular degeneration—an eye disease that causes vision loss.
“By some quirk of FAA (Federal Avia-
Flying BlindPilot returns to cockpit despite vision restrictions
IBY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES
tion Administration) rules, once you get your pilot’s license, it is yours for life,” Regan said.
The now resident of The Fountains at Sea Bluffs in Dana Point, put that pilot’s license to good use May 28 as her and six neighbors took to the skies on flight simu-lators. Most donned flight suits for their time piloting F-16 fighter jets at Flight Deck in Anaheim. Regan though, chose a slightly bigger plane and piloted a Boeing 737 through taxi, takeoff and landing at Los Angeles International Airport.
Regan is now exploring options to get her back in the pilot’s seat—but this time actually taking to the air.
She is also sharing her experiences adjusting to macular degeneration with fellow Fountains residents. Regan and Harvey Wickman started a low-vision sup-port group in January and hold monthly meetings with guests from the Braille Institute and presentations on macular degeneration, apps available on the iPhone and iPad and various devices people with low vision can utilize.
“It is all remarkable,” said Heather Oldfield, community life director at The Fountains. “Carole is a great motivator, always looking at the possibilities and always pushing forward.”
“Well, I’ve always been a closer,” Carole quipped. DP
he 5th Marine Regiment is the U.S. Marine Corps most decorated.
Activated on June 8, 1917 by Presi-dent Woodrow Wilson, the regiment’s Marines were deployed to the battlefields of France in support of Allied forces dur-ing World War I. It was in those western European trenches the regiment won its nickname, the “Fighting Fifth.” It’s a name the regiment has never backed down from in the 97 years since.
“Although our history is long, this is really only the beginning. No matter where, no matter when, the Fighting Fifth Marines will continue to serve our country where and when needed,” said Col. Jason Bohm, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment.
Marking the regiment’s 97th anniver-sary, Marines from the headquarters division and support staff remaining on base while the regiment’s 1st, 2nd and
Continuing Time-honored Marine Corps TraditionsFighting Fifth celebrates 97 years of service, sacrifice
TSTORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES
3rd Battalions are deployed, gathered at the 5th Marine Memorial Park on Camp Pendleton for a traditional cake cutting ceremony.
After the nation’s colors were presented, four Marines wheeled in the cake. With a saber in hand, Bohm sliced the first piece of cake, handing it to the guest of honor, Terry Rifkin, president of the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group.
The second slice was given to the oldest Marine present, a retired sergeant major, who after taking a bite, passed it to the youngest Marine, a 20-year-old private first class—symbolizing the passing on of Marine traditions.
“I am humbled to stand before you as a small part of this historic organization,” Bohm told the gathered crowd. “I can tell you with the upmost confidence that the Marines and Sailors of the Fighting Fifth today are carrying on the legacy of those who went before us and will never let our nation down.” DP
Carole Regan, a pilot who is now visually impaired, returned to the cockpit after a 15 year hiatus. On May 28, Regan took over the controls of a Boeing 737 on a flight simulator with the Anaheim-based company Flight Deck. Courtesy photo
Col. Jason Bohm, commander of the 5th Marine Regi-ment slices a cake June 10 on the 97th anniversary of the regiment being activated during World War I.
A Marine from the Camp Pendleton-based 5th Marine Regiment reads a proclamation honoring the regiment’s 97th anniversary.
A color guard from the 5th Marine Regiment presents the nation’s colors Tuesday, June 10 at a celebration of the regiment’s 97th anniversary.
Residents of The Fountains at Sea Bluffs, who are all over the age of 70, don flight suits before taking to the skies in fighter jet simulators at the Flight Deck in Anaheim. Courtesy photo
www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 14
DP LIVING
Signs backing chickens that read, “We Support Hens in Dana Point,” have popped up in Capistrano Beach
over the last week, in response to the city’s April eviction of local fowl. At the April 15 meeting, longtime resident Nancy Weagley asked the City Council to grant an exile ex-tension. Neighbors, Karen and Chad George, who played cellphone audio of the hens, countered. The city enforced a portion of chapter 9 of its municipal code that restricts homeowners from housing poultry in residential areas and Weagley’s chickens were moved. But with the signs, it ap-pears the debate is just settling in.
SCENE{ I N DA N A P O I N T }
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide vari-ety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]
DIRT THERAPYBy Marianne Taylor
n this age of protecting our health, pre-serving the environment and conserv-ing resources, the word sustainability
comes to mind. So what does it actually mean and how can these sustainable practices help you, your family and make a difference in the community?
There are various definitions and debates surrounding sustainability among leaders in the field. Simply put: It’s the concept of living within our limits, un-derstanding the interconnections among economies, society and the environment and providing equitable distribution of re-sources and opportunities. Still confusing? Think grandma pre-20th century.
Our grandmothers and society before them lived sustainably and naturally.
Past generations knew how to stretch a dollar, plan the day, the week, the month and the year ahead, made meals from scratch, sewed buttons and clothes, stitched socks, gardened, shared seeds and bulbs, harvested crops, canned food, made household products, ate well, slept well and didn’t need medicines to get up or go to sleep.
The daily demands of life exercised them, moved them and connected them to the community and the land. Their lives had meaning. They knew what it took to survive and used what was needed. Waste not want not was their motto. They lived simply to simply live.
We could all learn a lot from our grandmother’s generation about environ-mentally friendly green living. This lost generation has inspired a huge crop of to-day to again be green, using old-fashioned practices and avoid (or not rely as much on) technology. As populations explode and resources become limited, we can all be part of the sustainable revolution.
Where do you begin? You can start to-day using 10 tips I’ve found from grand-ma’s recipe book for a greener home.
1. Hang your laundry out to dry. The smell of fresh clothes is fabulous, the sun bleaches the whites and the practice saves on electricity.
2. Can seasonal foods. It was a necessi-ty back in the day. Canning today supports local organic farmers and gives you high-quality food all year round with essential vitamins and without pesticides. You can reuse the glass jars as water glasses too.
3. Use basic ingredients for cleaning. My mother’s favorite remedy utilized bak-ing soda and vinegar for everyday clean-ing—no nasty chemicals or gasses.
4. Learn to sew. Clothes today are so in-expensive, but what about sewing a loose button, patching a hole in your favorite jeans or shortening and letting out hems?
5. Reduce food waste. Grandma knew exactly what was in her fridge. She used everything from peelings to bones to make a soup stock. Leftovers were re-created into new dishes and scraps were composted. Fifty percent of all food
produced today is wasted.6. Grow your own food. Use a con-
tainer or create a raised bed. You don’t need much space, just time daily to watch your garden grow. Not only will the food taste better, you’ll feel better with personal satisfaction and good health.
7. Make a quilt. Nothing feels better then snuggling with grandma’s quilt. Re-purpose old fabrics, such as T-shirts and worn out clothes. Join a group, enlist your neighbors and start a new tradition. Pick up some knitting needles while you’re at it too.
8. Use dishtowels and rags. Reduce household waste and cut down on paper towels. Use newspaper to soak up and dispose of bacon grease.
9. Collect rainwater. Even though we’ve had very little rain these past few years, prepare for next season with a rain barrel at the end of the eaves trough and use it to water plants.
10. Resist the urge to upgrade and update. Oh, those magazines from our favorite stores. The must have dishes, bed-ding, blankets, decorations and furniture. My mom always had the same ol’ stuff with very little turnover. She was a living proof that while welcoming her guests she didn’t need to impress. Her home was lovely with smells of baked bread, fresh flowers cut from the garden and coffee waiting to be served.
Using any or all of these tips will start you on your way to greener living.
Get your children involved in many of these practices, it’s fun to garden or make a quilt together. These lasting traditions, along with quality of time spent together, will naturally create happy moments just like grandmother’s days.
Marianne Taylor is a 24-year resident of San Juan Capistrano, in the Los Rios His-toric District. She is married to City Coun-cilman John Taylor and mother to 24-year-old Harrison and 16-year-old Claire. She is the executive director and “dirt therapist” for Goin Native. DP
Take the lead from grandma’s book, live more simply
I
GUEST OPINION: Dirt Therapy by Marianne Taylor
Sustainability: What Does it Really Mean to be Green?
Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must
contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium
Sudoku
See today’s solution in next week’s issue.
Last week’s solution:
BY MYLES MELLOR
Photo: Andrea Swayne
www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 17
DP LIVING
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide vari-ety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]
Against All OddsSometimes, just some-times, older men out number older women
In the 20 years I’ve been writing about dating and find-
ing love for the age 50 plus group, the biggest complaint I’ve heard from single women, by far, is the lack of avail-able single men. Often these comments come at the monthly age 50 plus
singles meet and greet social gatherings at Tutor and Spunky’s, my Dana Point deli.
The deli has sponsored these events from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the last Thurs-day of every month for two years. Without fail, women have always outnumbered men. The ratio varies from two women to one man on a good day and has been as high as 5-to-1 on a bad day.
I’ve seen women show up, see that there aren’t enough men to go around,
and leave. When women comment about the lack
of men, I explain that we do our best to recruit guys but we have to keep finding new ones. Why? Fifteen romantic couples have formed who have met at the meet and greets, including a 92-year-old man and his female friend.
Once a couple, they tend not to come back. When I see the guys later around town, I ask them why they don’t attend anymore. Some wink and say words like, “She doesn’t want me to. With all of the nice women there, she thinks I might become interested in someone else.”
A woman named Joy didn’t attend but emailed, “Bob and I are engaged. We
Joy and Bob made a connection at one of Tom Blake’s Tutor & Spunky’s single’s events. Courtesy photo
are so blessed and are in the process of moving me into his home. We celebrated our nine-month anniversary of having met at your August 29 mixer. Without you, I don’t know if our paths would have ever crossed.”
It’s not just at our meet and greets where the ratios are difficult for women. I’ve given speeches to groups where the women-to-men ratios have been 15-to-1 or larger. It’s just the way it is in the age 50 plus dating world and it happens all over the United States. Plus, the older singles become, the greater the disparity between the number of women and men.
A RARE EVENTOur most recent meet and greet was
May 29. Something happened against all odds. The first nine people to arrive were men. When Bob, one of our regulars entered, he said, “Where are the women?” I hesitated, grasping at straws, and said, “They are running a little late tonight.”
By the time everyone had arrived, including Hyam, a delightful 96-year-old sculptor, who looks 70, the ratio was just plain bizarre: men outnumbered women by 2-to-1, which is absolutely unheard of for a 50-plus singles event.
The women loved it. Dee called her daughter on her cellphone and said, “Guess what? I’m sitting here with three men at my table and Tom just bought me a beer.” Dee was all smiles.
The men were speculating on what happened. One suggested that the women were home watching the NHL Kings-
Blackhawks playoff game on TV. Another guy corrected him, “No, that game is tomorrow night.” We were all puzzled.
My partner Greta commented on how much fun everyone was having despite the shortage of women. Perhaps it was the adult beverages. Bob kept cupping his hands and jokingly yelling, “Where are the women?”
COMING UPThis month’s meet and greet will be
held at Tutor and Spunky’s, located at 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 116, on Thursday, June 26. It starts at 5 p.m. Carl the DJ will be spinning oldies. Carl’s music always brings the women through the door. They love to hit the dance floor. I bet when the word gets out, the ratio will readjust itself.
Also, on Sunday, June 22, at 4 p.m., singer and entertainer Joe Cannon will perform at Wind & Sea Restaurant, 34699 Golden Lantern. He knows the words to 750 songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I used to see him in Sun Valley, Idaho, after skiing. He’s terrific. Tickets at the door are $15. For more information, call 702. 860.3172. Greta and I will be there. Say hello.
For more stories visit, www.findinglove-after60.com and to comment, email Tom at [email protected]. DP
ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50
By Tom Blake
GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by Tom Blake
ara Calannio remembers March 30, 1981 like it was yesterday.
Calannio, formerly Courtney, and her family had just moved from Laguna Beach to Laguna Niguel. She was 12, her big sister, Kim, was 18. The senior at Dana Hills High School was prepping for col-lege—UC Davis was the planned destina-tion for veterinary studies.
But on March 30, the Courtney’s lives changed forever.
Kim had just dropped her sister off at St. Catherine of Siena Parish School and was driving her new car, a Toyota Celica, down Stonehill Drive. An hour later, the
principal came to get Kara. After dropping her sister off, Kim had stopped along the side of Stonehill to pick up a friend when she was struck from behind by another Dana Hills student. On April 1, after two days on life support, Kim passed away.
“It is just one of those things that you never forget,” Calannio said. Thirty-three years later, Calannio keeps the positive memories
of her sister alive. The family received numerous donations after Kim died and in an effort to move forward and pay it forward, dad, Kye Courtney, founded a memorial scholarship in Kim’s name.
Family honors sister, awards 33rd scholarship to graduating senior
K
Caring for Her Sister’s Memory
Kim Courtney. Courtesy photo
Anne Millspaugh. Courtesy photo
BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES
Her best friend, Kathi Stephens, was the first recipient. It’s a scholarship they’ve maintained and awarded to one graduat-ing female senior since.
On Thursday, June 5, Calannio, along-side her mother Joan Courtney, honored Kim’s legacy by once again awarding the scholarship to a Dana Hills student.
This year’s recipient, Anne Millspaugh, will graduate with a 3.92 GPA and go on to attend the University of Washington. For the last four years, Millspaugh has been a member of the Dana Hills pep squad and has served as both junior varsity and varsity captain.
Millspaugh accepted the award before a large Dana Hills crowd that honored her fellow seniors for their achievements and highlighted their scholarship awarding. To see a full list of awardees, visit www.danapointtimes.com.
While Calannio’s father passed away 14 years ago, she and her mother have striven to keep the memorial scholarship going. Calannio even took her father’s lead and started a memorial scholarship in his name at Hawthorne High School where he taught and coached track for many years.
“I am so grateful and honored that we get to do this every year,” Calannio said. “We will continue to do this no matter what.” DP
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SEA CANYON COMMUNITY IS HAVING IT’S THIRD ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE. Saturday June 14th, from 8:00 am-1:00 pm. Cross streets are Golden Lantern and Acapulco. Merchandise includes toys, books, furniture, clothing and electronics. Sponsored by Leilani Serrao-Baker Realtor, Windermere So Cal BRE 01908226. 949-444-9175
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LOCAL HOUSEKEEPER OR OFFICE CLEANINGReliable, affordable, meticulous. Excellent references. 949-573-8733
www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 19
GARAGE SALE-SATURDAY, JUNE 14 from 9 Am to 3PM. Clothing, books, household items and many miscellaneous items. 400 Calle Vista Torito-San Clemente
BED FRAMEMetal bed frame. Adjustable for all sizes. $35/obo. New condition. 949.533.9761
HARLEY HANDLE BARSChrome, 8-inch, T Bars (drag specialties). Slight curve back. $70. Can send pictures. Text or call 949-633-3860 for more info.
STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORESPORTS & OUTDOORS
Dana Point Times June 13-19, 2014 Page 20 www.danapointtimes.com
DPDana Point
Dolphin Report
For in-game updates, news and more for all the Dana Hills High School sports teams and community sports news, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.
Ogden Races at Track and Field State Championships
Dana Hills sophomore distance runner Jake Ogden capped off a standout 2014 season with a fi fth-place fi nish in the 3,200-meter race at the CIF Track and Field State Championships in Clovis on June 7.
Ogden, who was a member of the Dolphins boys cross country team that fi nished third in the state meet last fall, posted a time of 8:59.12 in the event, less than fi ve seconds behind the winner Fred Huxham of Redwood High School.
Masciorini’s Playoff Push Ends in CIF Tennis Semifi nals
Senior Chase Masciorini has always been in the mix in the South Coast League and CIF-SS Tennis Individual Champion-ships throughout his high school career. The two-time league champion had advanced to the postseason tournament’s quarterfi nals as a junior, and improved on that in 2014 with an appearance in the semifi nals.
Masciorini, the No. 1 player out of the South Coast League, defeated Gabriel Rapoport of Malibu High School, 6-1, 6-4, in the second round and breezed past San Marino’s Danny Gealer, 6-0, 6-1, in the quarterfi nals to advance to the penulti-
BY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES
he billiards tables at Mulligans Sports Bar in San Clemente were teeming with activity over the week-
end, as 17 South Orange County American Poolplayers Association teams vied for two available spots and a berth in the APA Na-tional Team Championship in Las Vegas in August.
After the fi rst day of competition, eight eight-player teams remained in the double elimination tournament.
Teams Fox Force 5 and Dana Point-based Are We Solid? won their respective brackets on June 8 and were awarded the tournament trophy and travel assistance to the APA 8-Ball Open National Team Championships, which will run from August 17 to 23 in Las Vegas. The National Team Championships will consist of over 700 national qualifying teams from across
TCOMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE
he 14U All-Star Capo Girls Softball team is showing no signs of slowing down heading into postseason play.
The team, which is made up of players from Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, currently owns a perfect 41-0 overall re-cord and picked up two tournament wins over the past week.
The team captured the AGSA Foothill Classic Tournament in Arcadia on June 6, defeating an all-star team from Sierra Madre in a 13-0 victory in the champion-ship match.
On June 8, the team bested the fi eld at the French Valley Wine Country Classic, going 4-0 over the two-day span.
In 18 all-star games this season, the
Capo Girls Softball All-Stars Continue Winning Ways
TDANA POINT TIMES Capo Girls Softball team has outscored
their opponents by a combined 238-44 margin.
The team will play in one fi nal tourna-ment before heading to the district cham-pionships in Garden Grove from June 27 to 29. If the team advances through the district tournament, they will qualify to compete for the state championship.
The 14U All-Star Capo Girls Softball team includes: Regan Salas, Mariah Bohl, Nicole Arico, Elibeth Flores, Alexis White, Catherine Norby, Grace Collier, Riley Dungan, Claire Steines, Kyra Massucco, Angelica Gonzalez, Caitlyn Sung, Taylor Hopper, Alyssa Peterson and Alyson Salas. The team is coached by Dan Massucco and Cris Salas. DP
The 14U Capo Girls Softball All-Star team will compete at the district championships on June 27. Courtesy photo
Dana Hills senior Chase Masciorini advanced to the semifi nals of the CIF-SS Individual Tennis Champion-ships. Courtesy photo
Crash Ends Foust’s Hopes at Another X Games Medal
Locals Qualify for National Billiards Championships
apistrano Beach’s Tanner Foust is among the most decorated Ral-lycross racers in X Games history.
Foust, who is also the host of the popular television show “Top Gear” on the His-tory Channel, has medaled in Rallycross seven times in his career, including three gold-medal fi nishes, at the extreme sports tournament.
When Foust rolled into X Games Austin on June 8 to try for a second consecutive podium fi nish, he was among the favor-
ites. But in heat four of the quarterfi nals of the Rallycross event, Foust tried to take an edge on the fi rst turn of the fi rst lap and spun out of control. While he was drifting offl ine, his car fl ipped on its roof, ending his week and a chance at another medal.
Foust was not injured in the accident. It was the fi rst time Foust would not
compete in a Rallycross fi nal at X Games. Foust had momentum heading into the quarterfi nals, as he was the top qualifi er in the fi rst two preliminary heats. DP
CCOMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE
the United States, Canada and Japan, all competing for the $25,000 fi rst-place prize purse.
Are We Solid? includes: Duke Canell, Lisa Larson, Chris Maggay, Taryn Aimer, Cameron Fritzsche, Joel Holcomb, Aaron Kearns and captain Kim Henline. The team is based out of Blue Dolphin Restau-rant & Billiards in Dana Point.
The South OC APA runs tournaments in Dana Point and its neighboring cities on a regular basis. The South OC APA was founded in 2006 with the goal of offering beginners and amateur pool players a competitive outlet.
The league is set to run its nine-ball qualifying tournament at Mulligans Sports Bar from June 21 to 22. There will be 15 teams in attendance competing for one spot in the APA National Championships. DP
mate match. Masciorini was particularly effective in the quarterfi nals match, where he won the fi rst 14 points.
In the semifi nals Masciorini came up against Austin Rapp, the No. 1 player from the Desert Valley League and the reign-ing Ojai Valley Tournament winner. The match was a close one but Rapp ultimately prevailed 7-6, 7-6.
Masciorini is set to continue his playing career at UC Santa Barbara in the fall. He fi nished his senior season with a 50-2 overall record in singles competition.
Baseball Players Earn All-League Honors
After a successful season that saw them claim the Sea View League championship and reach the quarterfi nals of the CIF-SS Division 2 Championships, it’s no surprise the All-League fi rst and second team list is fi lled with Dana Hills baseball players.
Senior pitcher Louis Raymond was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Luke Williams, Jay Schuyler and Mar-rick Crouse were named to the fi rst team.
Reid Lundeen and Zach Wolf were named to the All-League second team.
DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:
SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITYDP SURFDP
Dana Point
wo local surfer girls have gained national attention recently for their talent and determination. Tia Blanco
and Meg Roh are still in high school. And while they have different stories both share a love of surfing and a promising future.
Blanco, 17, a junior professional surfer and vegan from San Clemente, has recent-ly become a spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, starring in one of the organization’s newest video campaigns.
“I feel great being vegan,” Blanco said. “And, I don’t want to be a part of animals’ suffering.”
Roh, 15, a longboarder from Dana Point, was also recently in the spotlight after completing 1,095 consecutive days of surfing, marking her third straight year of daily wave-catching.
Roh’s story began while in training for a contest. After the event, she realized she had been surfing each day of the summer.
Surfer Girls Make WavesTwo local surfers have gained attention as determined role models, successful competitors
TBY SEAN ROBB, DANA POINT TIMES When Roh was 10 days short of 100, she
heard about a friend who did 300 days and vowed to keep going.
“I did that and then I went to a year,” Roh said. “Then the goal kept getting bigger.”
Both girls are top performing com-petitors, well on their way to professional surfing careers.
As an up-and-coming pro shortboarder, one of the select group of girls invited to compete in the Surfing America Prime series and member of the USA Surf Team, Blanco travels around the world to compete in a mix of junior and professional com-petitions. She is also the reigning Surfing America Prime Girls U18 champion.
As a member of the San Juan Hills High School women’s longboard team, Roh became a Scholastic Surf Series Section B state champion.
Roh and Blanco said they have had to make sacrifices and work hard to stay focused on their goals. One thing both said they never expected is the amount of
Gavin Pellkofer, 14, has bodyboarded for the Vista Del Mar Middle School surf team for two years. We met up with him to talk about his athletic and academic plans as he looks forward to starting high school next year.DP Times: Why bodyboarding?Gavin Pellkofer: I feel like I’m a natural at it. I’ve tried a lot of sports and bodyboarding just seems to fit. DPT: Do you do any other board sports?GP: I get out there on a longboard every once in a while and I also like downhill skateboarding.
DPT: What are your plans for bodyboarding?GP: I’d like to go pro someday and travel around the world. Right now my friends and I are sponsored by Madrid Bodyboards. The owner, Tom Prince, has supported us throughout our journey so far. We really appreciate it.DPT: You mention your friends. How important are they to your bodyboarding? GP: We push each other to progress and without the team I wouldn’t be where I am now. It’s really important to me to have friends who share the same passion for my sport. It’s not just about pushing each other and preparing for contests. We have a lot of fun too.DPT: How are your grades in school?GP: I maintained a 3.85 GPA and earned only ‘A’s and ‘B’s throughout middle school.DPT: Are you looking forward to high school?GP: I am. I will either join AVID—it’s a college prep program—or the surf team. I’ve heard great things about AVID from past students. As a freshman I have to choose one or the other because of zero and first period scheduling. School is really important to me because I really want to get into a great college and succeed in life but my body-boarding goals are important too. I might have to take a year off of competing and I’m OK with that.DPT: What is the best thing about bodyboarding?GP: Being out in the water is really good enough for me but riding waves and getting air is really exciting.—Andrea Swayne
Gavin Pellkofer. Photo: Bob Pellkofer
GROM OF THE WEEK
Gavin Pellkofer
Tia Blanco of San Clemente stars as the spokesperson for a new PETA video campaign. Photo: Sean Robb
support they’ve received.Although Blanco has received a lot of
support for her vegan lifestyle, she has also been the target of some negativity—naysayers insisting she must not be get-ting enough protein and her diet could be a detriment to her performance—despite her many victories.
Whether standing up against animal cruelty or surfing every day, these young ladies have become role models.
“Recently I got a message on Tumblr from a girl saying that she and her friend went vegan because of me, “Blanco said.
Meg Roh of Dana Point recently completed three con-secutive years of surfing every day. Photo: Sean Robb
“It really makes me happy that I’m inspir-ing others.”
Roh also enjoys her new-found role model status.
“It’s pretty cool that I’ve inspired people to surf more,” said Roh. “It’s cool that I get to do what I love to do every day.”
Both say they don’t intend to give up.Roh will continue to make wave riding a
part of her daily schedule, despite reach-ing her three-year goal, and Blanco is pre-paring for the upcoming Surfing America USA Championships, June 12 through 20 at San Onofre State Park. DP
