June 15, 2017

Laugh Track

Miramar Event Center is Moving Forward PAGE 7

Comedians performing in San Clemente discuss the craft of stand-up

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SPORTS/PAGE 25 FBI Begins Investigation of Sovereign Health, Vedanta Laboratories

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Triton Football Moved to Division 1 in Latest Playoff Groupings

Inaugural Cobblestone Classic Slated for Friday, June 16, at Lowers

SC SURF/PAGE 26

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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things San Clemente should know this week

FBI is Investigating Sov-

ereign Health, Vedanta Laboratories,

More Locations

THE LATEST: FBI officials confirmed on Tuesday that they are conducting investigations at multiple locations, which include Sovereign Health and Vedanta Laboratories.

“FBI agents as well as multiple partners at federal, state and local are executing search warrants, and the affidavits are under seal. We are prohibited from commenting on the case, but agents are expected to be out there for hours,” said Laura Eimiller, spokeswoman for the FBI in Los Angeles, on Tuesday.

Eimiller said the FBI cannot specify details of the ongoing investigation, but the agency is seeking evidence based on allegations of “criminal activity.” The warrants have been sealed by a judge.

Eimiller also said no arrests were planned to take place on Tuesday, but the locations of Sovereign Health and Vedanta Laboratories in San Clemente are being searched. She said there are other locations that are being searched as well. It is the FBI’s policy to confirm activity at locations with such an ongoing investigation, she said.

Sovereign Health CEO Tonmoy Sharma’s home in San Juan Capistrano was also searched on Tuesday, Eimiller said.

The treatment provider and the laboratory have been at the center of focus for its ongoing legal battle with the city of San Clemente. Although Sovereign Health is only one of many treatment providers in litigation with the city, the broader industry—including sober living homes—is currently under fire for allegations ranging from insurance fraud to patient brokering.

WHAT’S NEXT: It was not immediately clear when the content of the search warrants would be made public. As of press time Wednesday morning, Sovereign Health had not returned calls for comment to the San Clemente Times regarding the investigation and what will happen to the clients they serve in all of their locations. We will continue to follow this story and update it at www.sanclementetimes.com when more information becomes available. —Eric Heinz

I-5 Pico Expansion Closures

THE LATEST: The two inside lanes on northbound and southbound I-5 between El Camino Real and Avenida Palizada have been scheduled to close from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. on weeknights, which began Monday, June 12, according to an Orange County Transportation Authority press relese.

“The work, which will take several weeks, requires placing k-rail, demolishing the existing median concrete barrier, installing the sign structures and rebuilding the barrier,” the release stated. “All Avenida Pico ramps at I-5 will be closed intermittently from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the next several weeks for electrical and landscaping work. Motorists should use Avenida Vista Hermosa and Calle Frontera as detours.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Closures at Avenida Pico have been updated to remove falsework from the Pico bridge, which begins Monday, June 19. The work will require full nighttime closures of Avenida Pico at the freeway bridge from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. for up to two weeks. The northbound I-5 on- and off-ramps will also be closed. Motorists should use Avenida Vista Hermosa and Calle Frontera as detours, an OCTA press release stated. —Staff

Nonprofit Continues to Raise Money for Pier Maintenance

THE LATEST: A local nonprofit organization in San Clemente is raising money and proposing changes to the San Clemente Pier. Recently established as a nonprofit organization, PierPride is dedicated toward the long-term renovation and maintenance of the Pier, which was built in 1928. The nonprofit organization seeks to raise enough money to renovate and upgrade the popular local icon.

Before PierPride’s existence, the Pier received funding from the state government. California state redevelopment agencies used to allocate funds to local governments, cities and counties, to utilize a greater portion of state and local property taxes for redevelopment projects. California Governor Jerry Brown and the state legislature in Sacramento passed several bills in 2011 that would ultimately reduce funding for local redevelopment statewide and ensure that those specific portions of property taxes would continue to fund education as well as other public agencies at the local level. Currently, the city spends about $55,000 a year for the pier’s cleaning, but $1 million has been budgeted for the

overall maintenance. The organization would like to raise $1 million to $2 million as a reserve for future projects.

According to PierPride’s website, renovation and maintenance projects include more frequent painting, bathroom repairs, new bait tables, vandal-proof waste stations, bird fecal waste removal and more.

WHAT’S NEXT: PierPride will host a stakeholders’ meeting from 5-6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 19, at the Holiday Inn Express, located at 35 Via Pico Plaza in San Clemente.

The organization’s first major project will be a professional painting utilizing marine-grade epoxy paint designed to last more than 10 years. More than $70,000 in labor costs and $20,000 in paint costs have been covered by donations, PierPride band member Jim Nielsen said.

In September, PierPride is planning events called Light up the Pier and PierPride Month in order to raise awareness as well as money for the projects.

—Duane Paul Murphy

San Juan Capistrano Woman Charged with Defrauding South County Business Clients

THE LATEST: A 34-year-old San Juan Capistrano woman pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges of embezzling more than $1.5 million from her Orange County consulting business clients, which include small business owners in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.

Elizabeth Jane Mulder, who also goes by “Lizzie,” was the “owner and operator of Mulder Financial Consulting—a financial services company that provided accounting, tax and bookkeeping services,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mulder pleaded guilty to “wire fraud and subscribing to a false income tax return for failing to disclose the misappropriated funds to the Internal Revenue Service.”

Mulder spent the money she embezzled in a variety of ways—from renting a home in Laguna Beach, to purchasing cosmetic surgery, vacations and horse rentals, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“In total, Mulder’s fraudulent scheme resulted in the theft of approximately $1,538,771 from several Orange Countybased businesses, including JAC Wines in San Clemente, Kurtz-Ahlers & Associates in San Juan Capistrano and Andra Builders, Inc. in Costa Mesa,” officials said.

According to the Laguna Beach Police Department, other businesses that were impacted by the embezzlement include Toni & Guy Hair Salon (Newport Beach), Bella Pilates (San Clemente) and California Print 2 Copy (Irvine).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that Mulder stole the money from small business clients by gaining the trust of the business owners. Mulder then convinced her clients to make checks payable to “Income Tax Payments,” promising them that those payments would satisfy their outstanding IRS tax obligations and would be forwarded to the appropriate tax authority. Instead, Mulder deposited the checks into a bank account she created and used the funds for her own personal expenditures.

WHAT’S NEXT: Mulder is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Carter on Oct. 16. She faces a statutory maximum penalty of 23 years in prison and a fine of $350,000.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Laguna Beach Police Department, Investigations Division. —Staff

International Surf Day is Saturday, June 17

THE LATEST: This Saturday, June 17, International Surf Day (ISD) will be celebrated across the globe in over 30 countries through more than 200 official events. This young holiday, created in 2004 by the Surfrider Foundation and SURFING Magazine, presents a unique opportunity to honor as well as activate the entire coastal community.

On the global scale, Surfrider hopes to bring more than 2 million people to the beach to celebrate the day.

WHAT’S NEXT: The South Orange County event will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Doheny State Beach. A free barbecue, sponsored by South Cove, will accompany a beach clean-up, and all cleanup materials will be supplied on site. San Clemente Beach Conservation Program will host a beach clean-up June 17 at the San Clemente Pier from noon-1 p.m., sponsored by La Galette and Blackbird Artisan Pies. Preceding the clean-up will be a free breakfast from 10-11:30 a.m. at La Galette.

Shon Miller, founder of the conservation program, said there are many positive opportunities with ISD.

“Once we can make these changes in an influential beach town like San Clemente, we can model that approach elsewhere and spread that message to every shore on the planet,” Miller said. “Our greatest accomplishment thus far has been our ability to create positive change on a worldwide scale. With chapters established in Guatemala, Portugal, Australia, the French Mediterranean and the U.S., we have been able to educate local communities on current environmental issues as well as empower them to take action.”

—Danny Ritz

NEWS BITES

Bodyboarder Gives Lessons to Children at North Beach

Pro bodyboarder 18-year-old Tanner McDaniel made a special appearance at Bodyboarding Adventures summer camp in San Clemente on Thursday, June 8. McDaniel, who is on his way to the APB World Tour event in South America next week, stopped by the camp to offer tips and perform his signature moves during the Demo Day, sponsored by Science Bodyboards.

More than 450 Attend Casa Romantica Exhibit Opening

Officials with Casa Romantica said more than 450 people attended the 8,000 blooms exhibit opening reception on Friday, June 9. The exhibit features flowers, shells and more items strung together like vines that hang from the ceiling. Rebecca Louise Law is the artist behind the inspiration. The exhibit will be open until Aug. 13.

Left Coast Brewing Company Releases Big Office Double IPA in Cans

Left Coast Brewing Co. announced on June 5 that it is releasing the Big Office Double IPA, a summer seasonal beer, in cans for the first time. The beer is available in 16 oz. six packs and will be available throughout California, Nevada and Arizona.

Big Office Double IPA is a “West Coast style hop forward (Double) IPA,” according to a press release from Left Coast. For more information, visit www.leftcoastbrewing.com/tap-room.

Appointment of Assistant Superintendent of Special Education

The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees has appointed Donald Mahoney to Assistant Superintendent, Special Education Services (SELPA), effective July 1, 2017.

Mr. Mahoney began his teaching career with the District as an Elementary Teaching Assistant Principal in 1993 before his promotion to a K-5 site administrator. Mahoney advanced to the position of Special Education Instructional Leader and served as Elementary Principal at both Viejo and Canyon Vista Elementary Schools. His career in education, and breadth of institu-

tional knowledge, span nearly 20 years. Currently, Mahoney serves as Principal on Special Assignment for the District, providing targeted coaching support for elementary principals at schools with a high percentage of English language learners, students who qualify for free and reduced meals, and foster youth. Mahoney assists principals with planning, developing and implementing systems as well as strengthening leadership practices to ensure effective teaching and learning for all students.

Denise Whittaker to Serve as Interim President at Saddleback College

Denise Whittaker has been appointed as the interim president at Saddleback College beginning July 1, according to a press release from the South Orange County Community College District. Current pres-

Community Meetings

SUNDAY, JUNE 18

DEL MAR FARMERS MARKET

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh produce and much more every Sunday. Avenida Del Mar.

TUESDAY, JUNE 20

SUNRISE ROTARY

7:15 a.m. San Clemente Sunrise Rotary meets every Tuesday at Talega Golf Course Signature Grille. 990 Avenida Talega. www.scsunriserotary.com.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

ident, Tod Burnett, is retiring after having served as president since 2008.

“A nationwide search is currently under way for the permanent position,” the release stated.

“Ms. Whittaker has extensive higher education experience having served as college president, vice president, dean, faculty and counselor at colleges across the state and country. She has held leadership roles at Palo Verde, Southwestern, Orange Coast, San Bernardino Valley, El Camino, Oxnard and Citrus Colleges.”

Whittaker has completed coursework for a doctoral program in education and work at UCLA and holds a master’s degree in counseling; a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Illinois University; and an associate of science degree in liberal studies from Belleville Junior College in Illinois.

Gem And Mineral Society Meeting is June 21

South Orange County Gem and Mineral Society (SOCGEMS) will hold its monthly meeting from 7:15-9:30 p.m. on June 21 at the San Clemente Community Center, located at 100 N. Calle Seville.

The topics of discussion will center on turquoise, which will be presented by Dayton Simmons, a turquoise trader from New Mexico who has spoken throughout the U.S. Simmons speaks around the country on the criteria of education from the Gemological Institute of America. He will bring many samples and will have items for sale. Bring your own turquoise to be identified. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.

For more information, visit www.socgems.com.

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@sanclementetimes.com.

6 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting. 100 Avenida Presidio, Council Chambers. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org.

SAN CLEMENTE TOASTMASTERS

7 p.m. The club meets every Tuesday, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. for social and networking time. San Clemente Baha’i Center. 3316 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente. 805.794.0653. www.sanclementetoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org.

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (BILY) MEETING

7-9 p.m. Meets every Tuesday. Because I Love You helps parents find solutions to any crisis they are experiencing due to their children’s (adult or minor) poor choices. Presbyterian Church. 119 Avenida De La Estrella. www.bilysc.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

SAN CLEMENTE ROTARY

Noon. The San Clemente Rotary meets every Wednesday at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course Wedgewood Restaurant. 150 E. Avenida Magdalena. 949.233.7981. www.sanclementerotary.org.

KIWANIS SAN CLEMENTE

Noon. Kiwanis San Clemente works to help maintain the quality of life for all people through volunteerism. Tommy’s Restaurant, 1409 S. El Camino Real. 949.366.5423. www.sanclementekiwanis.com.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING

6 p.m. The San Clemente Planning Commission will hold its regularly scheduled meeting. 100 Avenida Presidio, Council Chambers. 949.361.8200. www.san-clemente.org.

Planning Commission Approves Renovation Application, Permits for Miramar Theater

Applicants will seek to strike parking contract with city of San Clemente

BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

major step toward revamping the Miramar Theater was taken on Wednesday, June 7, when the San Clemente Planning Commission voted 6-0-1 to approve the renovation plans and several permits for the center.

Commissioner Wayne Eggleston recused himself and spoke in favor of the project during public comments, as he has been a consultant with the owners, El Camino Real Estate Holdings, LLC.

The owners of the Miramar, which will be known as the Miramar Event Center, will now seek to forge a contract with the city of San Clemente regarding parking waivers, which has been one hurdle to moving the plans forward.

On Thursday, June 8, Daniel Conrardy, an architect with experience in renovating historic buildings and who has been working with the owners of the Miramar, took the San Clemente Times through the vacant buildings.

The Plans

The conditions are not great. While the structure itself is intact, minus the condition of the tower that will need to be almost completely redone, the inside is pretty grim. It’s riddled with mold, everything smells awful, masks must be worn just to go in and there’s more. This will be a lengthy process. The bowling alley is in similar condition, but the problems there are a bit different. The roof is all but dilapidated and weathered, and it will need to be rebuilt.

Various restaurants are planned to be put inside the bowling alley, and the interior of the theater will be interchangeable to allow for various events, such as plays, weddings and more. No restaurants have been selected to operate in the bowling alley at this time. The plans show that there will be a sound wall with some visibility into the center, and a bar is planned inside the main area of the facility.

Permits approved by the Planning Commission include allowing live entertainment with amplified music, alcohol sales and 92 parking waivers.

Looking Forward

According to Amber Gregg, the city’s interim planner, traffic studies have shown that although the number of parking spaces in the area may not seem like enough, the maximum usage of the spaces is not overly burdensome to the area.

The Planning Commission approved the project but with the caveat that the owners

enter an agreement with the city regarding parking.

“The project supports the city’s General Plan goals in creating a community and tourist-serving entertainment hub for the North Beach area,”

Conrardy said. “This project will complement the restored Casino San Clemente and Beach Club in creating Ole Hansen’s vision.

Rehabilitation of the Miramar could be essential to creating a historic district in North Beach. Gregg said following standards set by the Department of the Interior to fix up the location will maintain the district’s eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.

“(The standards are) basically a road

map to make sure there’s no damage to the historic property, and we would apply those to make sure the building was not going to lose its historic designation,” Gregg said.

Should the City Council approve the plans and the parking agreement, the Miramar project will be submitted to the California Coastal Commission.

There are also options for additional parking lots in the future across the street on the north side of El Camino Real, but if it ever comes to that, those projects would also have to be considered by the Coastal Commission.

Slides of the new Miramar Event Center plans are available in links in this article online at www.sanclementetimes.com. SC

25 Reasons to Dance

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY ERIC HEINZ, SAN CLEMENTE

The San Clemente Rotary Club raised more than $15,000 for local charities at its 25th Annual USO/Swing Night on Saturday, June 10, at the San Clemente Community Center. People danced to big-band music by Peter Jacobs Wartime Radio Revue. SC

MIRAMAR THEATER

• 1938: The Miramar Theater opens

• 1947: The theater café is added, replaced by Orange Julius in 1961

• 1992: The theater closed

• 2005: Theater sustains major fire damage

BOWLING ALLEY

• 1946: The bowling alley opens

• 1947: Texaco Gas Station opens on site

• 1963: Gift shop reopens

• 1971: Gift shop turns to produce market

• 1972-92: Bowling alley is used as multiple stores, offices and the Elks Lodge

Laugh Track

Comedians performing in San Clemente come from far and wide

BY ERIC HEINZ , SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Why do we pursue humor? Why do we laugh? What makes us laugh? And why is it important that we maintain that bit of our humanity?

Whatever the reasons, comics across the globe attempt to tap into that part of us that begs for laughter. The task can be arduous and unforgiving, as many comics travel tens of thousands of miles each year, performing at dozens of venues under various scrutiny.

Not everyone hits a meteoric rise, like comics Kevin Har t or Aziz Ansari. Most of the time, it’s a struggle just to get one big laugh.

At Molly Bloom’s Irish Pub in San Clemente, stand-up comedy is performed every Wednesday night. There are comics that come from just about everywhere, most of them based out of Los Angeles, but time is also reserved for locals and anyone else to do 5-minute sets.

“A lot of the comics work the Los Angeles audience; you sometimes get jaded audiences, and down here it’s a bit fresher,” said Doug James of Doug James Comedy Productions, who operates the comedy shows at Molly Bloom’s.

On May 17, San Clemente Times attended the show at the local restaurant and bar.

The Comics of the Night

Comics have to be prepared for just about anything the audience gives them, from hospitable laughter to malicious heckling. Traveling long distances over a great period of time can weather the artists.

Dave Nystrom has been on Comedy Central and various other networks. A transplant of Canada, he said he’s worked festivals, night clubs and just about every other way to perform the craft.

“Comedy is something I wanted to do since I was 8 years old,” Nystrom said, adding he’s done stand-up for more than 20 years. “I used to watch this comedy show every evening or I would record it. I would watch a lot of Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy and guys like that.”

Nystrom describes his comedic style as “conversational,” with a series of act-outs or improvisational humor. He said the more he’s performed, the more he’s found his own voice that connects with his audience. Much of his material at Molly Bloom’s was about everyday situational humor, such as being a father or common annoyances.

Jackie Monahan has been on The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Showtime’s Comedy Jam. She also co-wrote the movie The Foxy

Merkins that was accepted into the Sundance Film Festival.

“I was mar ried to a woman and she made me do stand-up comedy, and I just fell in love with it and I haven’t stopped,” Monahan said.

In 2007, British comedian Matt Kirshen, got his debut auditioning for Last Comic Standing, but he’s been doing stand-up since 2001. He also has seen how difficult comedy can be on the road. He said he was able to get a visa after NBC offered him a spot on the show, which he said helped his prominence as a comic.

“The first few years you’re not really touring; you’re performing at your local venues or pubs,” he said. “For whatever reason, Britain is really easy to travel. A lot of my American friends who do comedy say, when they’re cutting their teeth, they’ll drive for like half a day just to get to the next comedy club. In Britain, it’s so compact.”

Kirshen has performed in many different settings, and he said it’s important to remain flexible when per forming in a city one night and a rural atmosphere the next. Currently he’s writing for The Jim Jefferies Show. Kirshen said he came to San Clemente because James invited him.

“For a gig like this, it’s useful to be able to change gears,” Kirshen said. “As you get more experienced with comedy, you get more nimble. Sometimes, you’ll get audiences who really understand comedy, and sometimes you’ll get audiences who think ‘What is this thing?’ This audience was quite interactive, but in a very friendly way.”

James did stand-up comedy himself years ago. He said he finally decided to “take the plunge” after working in journalism as a freelancer in Boston.

“It’s a room full of people having a great time, and I provide that great time,” James said. He said more often than not he’s able to recruit comedians through a network of performers. James also runs a comedy show in Huntington Beach.

Hecklers

There is nothing worse in stand-up than seeing hecklers take over a performance. There are times when it’s almost justifiable—a comic comes on stage drunk, stagnant or completely out-of-sor ts—but most of the time, it’s disruptive and can lead to some pretty dark results.

“I don’t mind chatting with the crowd a little bit, but if someone’s really disruptive, I try not to encourage them,” Nystrom said.

Monahan said she was once heckled by a drunken audience member at a comedy festival in Montreal. She said she wasn’t able to get enough material into her set, but the festival organizers were impressed by the way she handled the situation.

“I try to fight them (verbally),” Monahan said. “But sometimes I welcome it a little because you can write jokes on the spot. Anyone who is trying to chime in on a set, they really wish they could be up there. You have the mic in your hand.”

Kirshen’s had his fair share of it, too.

“One of the places I started at was called The Purple Turtle, kind of this punk bar in north London, and they have rare, newish acts,” Krishen said. “One night there was a mother and daughter who were so drunk and got aggressive and the police were called, but they were so hammered that they were calling the police as the police were escorting them out. They didn’t realize…that they were the offenders.”

The Craft of Comedy

In his 2009 documentary, Pimpadelic, Kat Williams, a famous comedian who relies on the theme of being an alpha male and flashy patriarch, describes the progress of being a comic with the formula “time plus laughs.” Williams said when he started his career, he would try to get as many laughs in a 5-minute set as possible, then a 10-minute set, 15-minute-set and so forth until he was selling out theaters.

“If you fall into a patter n, where you just press ‘play’ and do the same material, where you’re not feeling what you’re performing…the audience will feel it if you’re not present,” Nystrom said. “I feel as I’ve gotten older, I have a better sense of who I am as a person, and I hope that comes across. I’m just more comfortable on stage now.”

Nystrom said he always encourages people who tell him they want to do standup comedy.

“I say go for it because anything that comes out of it will be a positive,” Nystrom said. “As long as you try it, you’ll gain a new appreciation for comedy.”

Monahan said the motivation to do stand-up comedy has to be a personal love with the performance and the will to make people laugh.

Going on the road can be difficult for many comics. Nystrom said he tries to limit his travel as much as possible.

“It can be pretty depressing, and I think that’s why you see a lot of comics end up with substance-abuse problems,” Nystrom said. “I’ve tried to maintain my personal life as much as possible. Family is most important to me.”

Nystrom said he is currently trying to bring his family into the United States permanently, but the family has had problems trying to obtain visas and eventual citizenship.

“You just have to have a sense of adventure and live on the edge a little bit,” Monahan said. “I used to say everybody should do it. Now, not so much, but once you do it, you kind of become addicted to it. Star ting out, I got a lot of positive responses, so it just kept me going; if I didn’t get those, I probably wouldn’t do it.”

Monahan said she tries to add in at least one new gut-busting joke in each of her performances.

“Why is the baby a bastard? The baby didn’t do anything wrong. The guy should be the bastard, not the baby,” Monahan said during her set. She said she adds subversive humor that makes people rethink conventions of society

Monahan’s material is mostly intended for “adult audiences,” tackling issues and pushing the audience to see the world through different perspectives.

Comedians also have to help each other out. James said many of the comics he works with promote their colleagues’ shows. James said if he likes a comic, he’ll invite them to do a show the next night, wherever that may be. SC

San Onofre Parks Foundation Summer Lecture Series Returns

Acjachemen Nation leaders to speak at first event

BY DANNY RITZ, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

On June 21, the San Onofre Parks Foundation will kick off its fifth annual Summer Lecture Series with the first of three scheduled lectures.

“The Acjachemen: First People of the San Onofre Coast” is an opportunity to connect with the historically rich and contemporarily relevant cultural values of the Acjachemen Native Americans, who have lived and continue to live in the South Orange County region for millennia.

Leading this lecture will be two esteemed community members. Rebecca Robles, an Acjachemen tribal member and a direct descendant of the Panhe civilization within the San Mateo Valley, is an active member of the California Cultural Resource Preservation Alliance, a co-director of the Coalition to Protect Panhe and host of the Ancestors Walk.

Alongside Robles will be Patricia Mar tz, Ph.D., a distinguished professor emeriti of anthropology and archaeology at California State Los Angeles and co-founder of the California Cultural Resource Preservation Alliance.

Together, Robles and Martz will discuss a combination of both traditional and academic perspectives. Working together for the better part of 25 years, this duo has successfully pioneered the establishment of several cultural heritage sites as well as worked diligently to save what is estimated to be the last remaining 10 percent of California Native American heritage sites remaining in Orange County.

“(The Acjachemen) recognized they were a part of their environment, not apart from it,” Martz said concerning some of the key messages of the upcoming lecture. “We are looking to honor their culture by sharing and promoting the inclusion of

OC Sheriff’s Department Drops Incident Summaries from Blotter

Department to switch to interactive crime map in the next few months

BY ALLISON JARRELL,

On June 12, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department officially stopped including detailed summaries for each of its sheriff’s blotter entries, a move that will change the way r esidents and reporters gather information about recent crimes or calls for service in their communities.

added that not providing blotter details and summaries is the industry standard.

their way of life in today’s conversations.”

The Acjachemen narrative, engrained in our local history for almost 10,000 years, can offer a variety of insightful parallels towards modern social and environmental dilemmas. Both women independently commented on the uniqueness of this social and educational event.

“We want to share our history, our knowledge, our culture,” Robles said. “With a lot of focus centered on development, people think there is no history. There is history, and we aren’t extinct. We are still very much here.”

San Onofre Parks Foundation Board Member and San Clemente resident Wendy Yoder is responsible for coordination of the Summer Lecture Series in addition to overseeing the Historic Cottage where the lecture will be held.

“The summer lecture series is a fantastic community outreach vessel,” Yoder said. “We want to encourage and enable people to become aware of and consider all the amazing pieces of our community. There are so many incredible places and so much histor y that I just don’t think people know enough about. We’re really excited to present such a well-rounded lecture series this year.”

“The Acjachemen: First People of the San Onofre Coast” will take place at the Historic Cottage within the San Clemente State Beach campground. The evening begins with a reception and gallery exhibit viewing with beverages available courtesy of official Summer Lecture Series sponsors BK Cellars and Artifex Brewing Company from 6:30-8 p.m., with the lecture to follow. The Summer Lecture Series is an all-ages event, and tickets are available for pre-sale at www.firstpeople.eventbrite.com for $15 and $20 at the door, if seats are still available. SC

Residents can still access the sheriff’s blotter at OCSD’s website and view the type of calls the department is responding to, as well as the date, time and location of each call. The only change is that viewers are no longer able to click “read” on the far right column and access detailed infor mation about each call.

In lieu of the detailed blotter entries, OCSD officials have announced that a transition to an interactive crime map is in the works. The new software, called Crime Mapping, will provide residents with the same information the current blotter does—type of call date, time and approximate location.

In an email fr om OCSD Capt. Andy Ferguson to depar tment personnel, various r easons wer e listed for the switch from blotter summaries to the interactive crime map. Ferguson wrote that the department has “received complaints that too much information has been provided in the past,” and that OCSD wants to be transparent in the types of calls they respond to, while also balancing that transpar ency with victims’ and witnesses’ confidentiality. He said the aim is to achieve consistency across OCSD’s cities and departments in the type and amount of information that is released.

OCSD Public Affairs Manager Jaimee Blashaw said the department does not keep a log of the number of complaints they’ve received about the blotter. However, she said that, anecdotally, the department has had residents contact them r egar ding privacy concerns.

“In weighing the importance of being transparent with the public and protecting the privacy of the residents we serve, the depar tment opted for this new for mat, which better reflects our commitment to both ideals,” Blashaw said.

Ferguson also wrote that working on the blotter is labor-intensive for officers, and OCSD’s “limited resources can be used elsewhere for increased public safety.” He

Lt. Scott Spalding, chief of police for San Juan Capistrano, said that in San Juan, the blotter could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half per day for a deputy to work on, which is time spent in an office instead of increasing public safety in town. That adds up, Spalding said, when you consider the 13 cities that make up OCSD.

Blashaw said OCSD was the only law enforcement agency in Orange County that provided additional narrative in its blotter. The Anaheim Police Department utilizes Crime Mapping, Huntington Beach uses a mapping software called Crime Reports, and the cities of Irvine and Newport Beach use software called Spot Crime.

Blashaw said that removing the additional blotter descriptions will not limit the public’s knowledge of what type of crime is going on in the city

“Residents will still have access to the type of call, block number, case number and time of day,” she said. “In addition, our new software will map the location of the calls so residents can more easily see where in the city crime is occurring.”

Lt. Spalding said he anticipates that OCSD’s crime mapping software will roll out within the next few months.

To view an example of the crime mapping system OCSD is switching to, check out the Anaheim Police Depar tment’s crime map at www.crimemapping.com/ map/ca/anaheim.

Any inquiries from the public on specific blotter entries can be directed to OCSD’s records department by emailing requests to prarequests@ocsd.org.

Editor’s Note: While the San Clemente Times will no longer be printing blotter entries on a weekly basis, we will remain dedicated to reporting breaking news and crime news in our community in print and online at www.sanclementetimes.com. In addition, we’ll keep readers posted on future blotter developments, including the launch of OCSD’s crime map.

Join us in saying farewell to the blotter by checking out our annual “Best of the Blotter” online—a collection of the most humorous or bizarre calls that we publish annually in our last issue of the year. Visit www.sanclementetimes.com and search for “Best of Blotter.” SC

SOAPBOX SC

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor

SAN CLEMENTE HOSPITAL SHOULD BE TRANSFORMED

DR. MARILYN L. DITTY, San Clemente

After serving over 10 years on the San Clemente Hospital Board, it is so sad to see that hospital closed. I suggested we turn it into a veterans’ hospital and keep the emergency room open for local residents. The need is great.

I called the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., and was led to believe that they have money to convert the hospital but the local community has to request the conversion. I have shared this idea with all the leadership in San Clemente, and unfortunately no one has followed up. I called Congressman Darrell Issa and Congressman Ken Calvert and no one wanted to carry the ball.

Unfortunately, our organization must take the local veterans to Long Beach, a two-hour ride each way and a very hard ride at that. Please, lift your voices to the people in leadership and see if we can’t get their attention.

I know that the hospital has a relatively new emergency room, and it can be reopened. Mission Hospital is totally impacted with over 33 percent increase in demand for their emergency room services.

HERE’S WHY SAN CLEMENTE RESIDENTS ARE UPSET ABOUT THE TOLL

ROADS

CORD BAUER, San Clemente

I want to explain why San Clemente residents seem to be so wound up about the toll road. It’s simple, actually.

Americans feel like they’ve been lied to by our own government. We’re told that if we like our doctors we can keep them, or that our insurance rates will drop by $2,500. In California, the bullet train boondoggle has doubled in price, while slowing down and seeing ridership estimates cut in half. Californians no longer want it, but Sacramento is too busy spending our money to pay attention.

Which brings us to the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA). This group once told us the toll roads would cost less than $800 million to build. The final numbers were over $4 billion. They overestimated ridership and then had to raise the toll rates 12 times to cover it. Now, tolls are some of the highest in the country, and flex-pricing to help fight traffic? Nonexistent.

At the recent public forum, one word stood out: “process.”

To San Clemente residents, “process” is government-speak for: sit back while we lie to you, again.

We see from the outside that the process is flawed. Toll road alignments stay on the map that are drawn within 500 feet of schools, over wetlands, over open space that has already been mitigated, over known landslide areas and next to neighborhoods that would devastate home prices. Even the “green route” is still on the map. This is why people are upset.

The TCA has an easy fix: remove alignments where eminent domain is required. Remove alignments that require the mitigation of lands that have already been mitigated by developers. This is a dangerous precedent that no one should feel comfortable crossing. Live up to the green legacy the TCA promotes and avoid wetlands and coastal sage scrub habitat. And most of all, show us that you can think critically. Alignments through San Clemente will make traffic worse, and any current traffic studies will be useless prior to the I-5 upgrades.

Otherwise, San Clemente will fight. That’s our process.

HEALTHCARE AND ENTITLEMENT

EARLE MCNEIL, San Clemente

There is no entitlement for healthcare. Your only rights are to life, liberty and your right to work hard (pursue) to attain happiness. This means that no one is entitled to take anything from another person. Now, if someone is in dire straits, the rest of us can chip in and help them, but they have to understand that they are not entitled to this help.

If you insist on the concept of entitlement:

1. Remember, that I too would be entitled, so sit down and write me a check.

2. Those who pay more in taxes should be entitled to vote more times in an election. If you do not believe this, then the converse is true, if you are only entitled to vote once, you are only entitled to pay the same tax as everyone else does.

The end result of this is that everyone ends up paying for their own destiny and healthcare.

TIME TO RETIRE THE TOLL ROAD

PETE VAN NUYS, San Clemente

Our current Tollway worries are based on one highly questionable guess.

“According to (Orange County Transportation Authority), agencies traffic is projected to increase 65 percent,” says the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA).

This is the same prediction we received on the Measure M2 committee heard 10 years ago. And it’s the context in which our group proposed the “Beltway” alterna-

Join the San Clemente Times for Beachside Chat, Friday, June 16 at 8 a.m. at Café Calypso

This week’s guest is the new group managing editor of Picket Fence Media, Rachael Mattice. Beachside Chat is a spirited, town hall forum on community issues, hosted by SC Times editor Eric Heinz every Friday at Café Calypso, 114 Avenida Del Mar. All are welcome.

tive—which studies, completed at that time, showed it would out-perform the north-south extension to the I-5. TCA’s tollway was not needed 10 years ago, and it’s not needed now.

The reality of induced demand confirms that, as Caltrans said 17 years ago, “We can’t build ourselves out of congestion.”

We don’t build six-lane superhighways to hold in reserve like a spare tire in our trunk, just in case we need it. Ignoring subsequent changes in transportation habits and even more dramatic elements, like platooning and autonomous vehicles, arterial solutions like La Pata are far more appealing and less destructive. Blade Runner predictions about density and future congestion require discussion of all possible alternatives, not the dog-and-pony shows TCA’s hired flacks orchestrate.

San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and San Clemente are being “divided and conquered,” manipulated into a Hobson’s Choice by TCA. Our elected officials should require Rancho Mission Viejo to provide adequate access for their customers. Future congestion on the I-5 must be addressed by Caltrans within the limits of their current right-of-way. OCTA must be assertive in developing diverse transportation solutions and new ideas.

But TCA has no place in any of these conversations. They have muddied the waters for 30 years with lots of cementproducing with little actual transportation value. It’s time to abolish TCA.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@ sanclementetimes.com. San Clemente 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. Please limit your letters to 350 words.

CITY EDITOR

Eric Heinz, 949.388.7700, x109 eheinz@picketfencemedia.com

SPORTS Steve Breazeale, 949.388.7700, x110 sbreazeale@picketfencemedia.com

ADVERTISING

PRINT AND ONLINE

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BUSINESS MANAGER Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

EDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor

> Rachael Mattice

City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz

City Editor, DP Times > Kristina Pritchett

City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Allison Jarrell

Sports Editor

> Steve Breazeale

Special Projects Editor

> Andrea PapagianisCamacho

ART/DESIGN

Art Director

> Jasmine Smith

ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING

Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

> Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Real Estate Sales

Manager

> Michele Reddick

OPERATIONS

Finance Director

> Mike Reed

Business Manager

> Alyssa Garrett

Accounting & Distribution Manager

> Tricia Zines

SPECIAL THANKS

Robert Miller

Jonathan Volzke

CONTRIBUTORS

Megan Bianco

Debra Holm

Tim Trent

Jake Howard

GUEST OPINION: Wavelengths by Jim Kempton

W Friends Among Us: The Shift in America’s View of LGBTQ Community

hatever perspective one might have on the subject of gender, last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage was a watershed historic event.

Most notably, it capped a paradigm shift in the attitudes Americans have regarding the community of gay, lesbian, transgender and people who identify with other affiliations. In a matter of five short years, support for the LGBTQ community has undergone an unprecedented and remarkable change. Our children may not be able to understand what the entire ruckus is about. But many of us baby boomers find it nothing short of astonishing.

Like most men of my generation, I was brought up in a culture that glorified macho attitudes and demeaned gay people without even really being aware of it. It never occurred to us growing up that dissing someone as a sissy or too butch might be unconsciously humiliating to others. I’d never even met a gay person until I was in my 20s. At least, I didn’t realize I had.

For decades, this unconscious prejudice prevailed. Then suddenly, the pendulum unexpectedly swung decisively toward gay rights. What caused this sudden transformation?

My hunch: The increasing number of gay people coming out of the closet has been a key influence. While it was (and still is) a risky and audacious act, it made us realize how many friends there are among us. Vice President Dick Cheney’s daughter came out. CNN newsman Anderson Cooper, NFL star draft pick Michael Sam and comedian Ellen DeGeneres did too. Olympic diving champ Tom Daly, teen heartthrob Ricky Martin, Academy Award-winner Jodi Foster, American Idol Clay Aiken, TV queen Rosie O’Donnell and pro wrestler Matt Cage have all publically proclaimed they are gay. Beloved songwriter Elton John, James Bond actor Daniel Craig, megarock star Freddy Mercury of Queen join the ranks of some we had studied in school, and the list continues with Herman Melville, Virginia Wolfe, D.H. Lawrence, Plato, Emily Dickenson, Lord Byron, Walt Whitman. It has an affect.

Simultaneously, personal friends in my life began to do the same. One was a Silver Star medal recipient. One was

a pillar in the local community. Another was one of the best surfers in the world, at one time. Suddenly, it became a coming out storm: one of my art directors, a favorite uncle, a son’s best friend, a revered teacher, a Sunday school mom, an old college chum. And then, in a turn of events, the homecoming princess I always had a crush on in high school came out.

Gradually, it began to dawn on me that not only did I have many cherished friends that were gay, but that I had probably unknowingly hurt them with thoughtless and clueless remarks during our friendship.

The fear, for many of us, was that if we stood up for gay rights, we would be accused of being gay ourselves. In those dark days, even the intimation of such a charge could hurt your chances of getting a date for the prom, let alone making the baseball team. So, even after I knew I shouldn’t, I continued to stay quiet on the subject.

It took one of my all time heroes, Paul Newman, to make me realize what I now know to be true for me. As one of the most masculine guys ever born, Newman said this: “I’m a supporter of gay rights. And not just a closet supporter. From the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being…by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant.” I can’t disagree.

Jim Kempton celebrates his 37th year of marriage in August. He hopes his children’s children grow up with the wisdom of Paul Newman. And as handsome and successful too. SC

GETTING OUT SC

SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

COMPILED BY STAFF

Thursday | 15

LIVE MUSIC: NOT FOR PROFIT BAND

7-10 p.m. Listen to live music at Iva Lee’s. 555 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.361.2855. www.ivalees.com.

SESSIONS AT STILLWATER

7 p.m. Listen to live music when artists from around the world perform together. Stillwater Spirits and Sounds. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. www. danapointstillwater.com.

LIVE THEATER: STEPPING OUT

8 p.m. The comedy chronicles several months in the life of a beginning dance class. Each of the eight students, who come from a variety of backgrounds, has his or her own reasons for joining. Along the way there is drama, but by the end, not only have the dancers developed some degree of skills, but they’ve overcome inhibitions, awkwardness and personality conflicts. The show runs through July 2. Tickets range $15-$20. Cabrillo Playhouse. 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.492.0465. www.cabrilloplayhouse.org.

Friday | 16

SENSATIONAL SUMMER BARBECUE

6-9 p.m. Executive Chef Brian Sundeen invites guests to join him for an evening of cocktails and cuisine which will be prepared in an outdoor kitchen. There will be a menu of classic American cookout dishes incorporating a Yakitori grill, mesquite charcoal grille and a smoker. Tickets are $95 per person. Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/laguna-niguel/.

MOVIE IN THE PARK

7:30-10 p.m. Bring the family and enjoy a free screening of The Jungle Book. Bring a low-back chair or a blanket and join the city this summer during the movies in the park. There will be free popcorn. Lantern Bay Park. 25111 Park Lantern Road, Dana Point. 949.248.3536.

Saturday | 17

THE WACKY WORLD OF POLLINATION

9:30-10:30 a.m. In honor of National Pollinator Week, BugBob will discuss the

THURSDAY, JUNE 15: BEACH CONCERT

6 p.m. Head down to the beach and enjoy music and surf. Fisherman’s Restaurant will provide a BBQ dinner for $8 per person while Wigs & Ties performs. The concert is part of the city of San Clemente’s beach concert series. 7 Pier. 622 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente.

EDITOR’S PICK

SATURDAY, JUNE 17: 8 A.M.-2 P.M. ELKS

The flea market is open to the public and there’s free admission. It takes place in the rear parking lot on Calle de Los Molinos. San Clemente Elks Lodge #2068. 1505 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente.

world of pollinators from bees and wasps to butterflies and hummingbirds. Tree of Life Nursery. 33201 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.728.0685. www.californianativeplants.com.

FATHER’S DAY OUTDOOR ART SHOW & SALE

9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Dana Point Fine Arts Association will host their Father’s Day outdoor sow and sale on June 17 and 18. There will be a variety of art and guests will be able to speak to the artists. The event is weather permitting. The event will be along Dana Point Harbor Boardwalk in Mariner’s Village. www.danapointfinearts.org.

surfing offers others. The Foundation aims to bring 1 million people to the beach to celebrate. All ages are welcome. Doheny State Beach. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. www.isd.surfrider.org.

MEET AND GREET: SHORELINE DENTAL STUDIO

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Join Dr. Kristen Ritzau and Dr. Colby Livingston during the meet and greet event. There will be free tacos, root beer floats, live music, family activities and more. Shoreline Dental Studio. 122 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente. 949.245.6046.

LASS YOUR AFF OFF!

7:30-9:30 p.m. The monthly comedy show will guarantee to put a smile on your face and keep you laughing the whole evening. The show features comedians from television, radio and comedy clubs across the country. This month’s headliner is James P. Connolly. The event runs the fourth Saturday of each month. Admission is $15 and tickets can be purchased at www.comedyintheoc.com. Adele’s. 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente. 949.481.1222. www.adelesanclementeinn.com.

BAT WALK

7:30-9:30 p.m. Take an evening walk with bat enthusiast Michelle Rivers to find out which bats live in Orange County. There will be “bat detectors” and guests can learn about the natural history of local bats. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Participants should register by 4 p.m. on Friday, June 16. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. 28811 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.9778. www.rmvreserve.org.

Sunday | 18

FATHER’S DAY ADVENTURE AT SEA

SMART GARDENING 101: WHAT’S BUGGING YOUR GARDEN

9:30-11 a.m. Learn about what’s bugging your garden during a free class during the 2017 Smart Gardening 101 Series with Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens and the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners. Reata Park and Event Center. 28632 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano. 949.606.6704. www.goinnative.net.

INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Join the Surfrider Foundation on International Surfing Day to help spread the joy, excitement and stoke the beach and

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hop aboard a voyage on a real tallship. For Father’s Day, families can enjoy breakfast on the historic maritime wharf and then set sail on the Spirit of Dana Point. Guests can join the crew in handling lines and raising the sails, steer the ship or just sit back and relax. Ocean Institute. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.org.

BEND & BREW

11:30 a.m. iHeartYoga holds a Bend & Brew session at Left Coast Brewing Company’s tasting room in San Clemente. It’s a one-hour yoga class followed by a pint of beer. Admission $10. 1245 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.363.3152. www.iheartyoga.com.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: OUTLETS AT SAN CLEMENTE

Noon-4 p.m. Listen to live music from San Clemente resident Taylor Hopper from (Cont. on page 16)

GETTING OUT

(Cont. from page 14) noon-2 p.m., followed by Troy Ritchie from 2-4 p.m. Oak Tree Court. 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente. www.outletsatsanclemente.com

Monday | 19

THIRD STREET WRITERS GROUP INK

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Serious writers who are working on projects including short stories, novels and plays, can meet and share feedback and support. Laguna Beach Library. 363 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach. 949.497.1733.

YOGA IN THE PARK

5:30 p.m. Join iHeartYoga for yoga in the park every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this summer. Bring a mat, water bottle and suggested donation of $8. Lantern Bay Park. 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point. www.iheartyoga.org.

ROSE SOIREE

6-8 p.m. Join The Cellar for a five tastes as well as a cheese and charcuterie display and other food tastings. Tickets are $65/ person and can be purchased at www. thecellarsite.com. The Cellar. 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.492.3663.

COA IMPROV & COMEDY CLUB

6:30-8 p.m. Community Outreach Alliance is partnering with San Clemente High School Theatre Arts Improv Team to keep teens laughing all summer long. The event is every Monday evening. The event is free and kids middle-school through college are welcome. 1050 Calle Negocio, San Clemente. For more information, contact Teri Steel at coa.teristeel@gmail.com.

Tuesday | 20

HALF-PRICE WHALE WATCHING

10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Hop onboar d this two-hour cruise to see dolphins, whales and other marine life in the wild. $22.50. Half price on Tuesdays

EDITOR’S PICK

TUESDAY, JUNE 20: UKULELE LESSONS AT SHACC

7-9 p.m. Classes will be instructed by Lincoln Kaio. Lincoln was born and raised in Laie, Oahu and is the brother of accomplished Hawaiian surfer, Kealoha Kaio. Lessons are $8 per person, and it is for SHACC members. To become a member, visit the organization’s website. 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente. 943.388.0313. www.surfingheritage.org.

but trips are available every day of the week. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

SUNSHINE READERS STORYTIME

11:30 a.m. The Sunshine Readers will entertain children of all ages during the hour-long storytime. Dana Point Public Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perfor m at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

At the Movies: ‘Dean’ is

BY MEGAN BIANCO, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

Thirteen years ago, Zach Braff’s Garden State made the TV star a name in film, helped rejuvenate Natalie Portman’s career and penned a subgenre an introspective angst of 20-somethings in indie cinema. It also gave us the now dreaded “manic pixie dream girl” trope. Amazingly, despite how dated the dramedy has become over time, it’s still somehow generating rip-offs. The most recent is stand-up comedian-turned-filmmaker Demetri Martin’s Dean Dean (Martin) is in the middle of a personal crisis. He has “artist’s block” with his new book of drawings, he can’t

50/50

escape his ex-fiancée Michelle (Christine Woods), his best friend Kevin (Barry Rothbart) has found someone else to hang out with and Dean’s mom recently died. While avoiding his father, Robert (Kevin Kline), who wishes to talk about selling the family house, Dean decides to run off to LA for a weekend. There, he falls for lovely Nicky (Gillian Jacobs). Dean is around 50 percent quality and 50 percent out-of-touch clichés. Martin was 42 when the film was shot, but it’s hard to decipher if his title character is supposed to be a decade younger or so, based on the events and his characteristics. His real age does show with pop-culture gags that would’ve been more appropriate

KARAOKE AT GOODY’S

8 p.m. Karaoke every Tuesday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

Wednesday | 21

COOKING CLASS AT ANTOINE’S CAFÉ

6:30-9 p.m. Join the class for a fun night filled with entertainment, learning and food. French chef Carolin Cazaumayou will demonstrate how to cook meals for the whole family. Classes include recipes, dinner and a glass of wine. Each class is $60 plus tax. Antoine’s Café. 218 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.1763. www.antoinescafe. com/cooking-class-san-clemente.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS 9 p.m.-1 a.m. All levels of musicians are welcome to perform at this weekly open mic. Bring your instruments, or voice, and show off your talent. 1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. www.knuckleheadsmusic.com.

FREE COMEDY AT MOLLY BLOOM’S 9:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Molly Bloom’s with food and drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120. www.mollybloomspub.com.

around 2009, and there are predictable story arcs. But there is a nice love subplot between Kline and Mary Steenburgen, Martin and Jacobs play off each other nicely,

and there’s a sweet soundtrack from Orr Rebhun. Dean would be worthy of a cable or video-on-demand viewing, more so than theatrical. SC

SC LIVING SC

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Business Beat

News from San Clemente’s business community SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

New Business

I ‘AM… ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WEAR 103 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente 949.606.2977 Website coming soon

Tina Shreeve, owner of I ‘AM… Active Lifestyle Wear, has lived in San Clemente for 15 years and she said she’s had the dream of opening a clothing store in the area for a while.

I ‘AM… is a shop in downtown San Clemente that carries active sportswear and a variety of other styles.

“It’s basically athletic wear, active leisure wear, yoga wear,” Shreeve said. “It’s for each individual.”

Shreeve said she wants to do some workshops to help people find healthy activities and to bring community members

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

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

together.

“It’s just something different that I haven’t seen,” Shreeve said.

She said she hasn’t found many businesses that promote active wear.

Shreeve’s initial profession is selling products for spinal surgery. She also has a clinical research background and experience in exercise physiology.

“I’ve always wanted to do this (open a clothing store), but I was kind of scared,” Shreeve said. “But this year, I thought, you know what, why not? I still have my medical job, but it’s something different and fun. It’s away from the politics of the healthcare industry. It’s a creative outlet.”

Shreeve said she doesn’t design the clothes herself, but she does carry clothing from local designers, such as The Mind’s Eye Way. Artwork in the shop is also from San Clemente artists. The rest of the designers are based in southern California, mostly based out of Los Angeles.

“I’m still trying to feel out San Clemente and to figure out what the customers want and need,” she said. “I’m trying to keep up. It’s exciting and fun.”

The name of the business is such to avoid trademark infringements, Shreeve said.

Now Hiring

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

COLLABORATIVE

949.267.1660 www.adcollaborative.com garrett@adcollaborative.com

Architecture Design Collaborative (ADC), is hiring for its corporate headquarters located in Laguna Hills, California. Currently we have a need for PM’s, job captains, entry level or intern designers. Call today or ask for Shaun Garrett. ADC is a top-30 national design firm, according to a press release from the business.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY Locals Only

dwells@picketfencemedia.com.

ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT

Body Mind Spirit Intensive Outpatient Program

665 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 104, 949.485.4979, www.bodymindspiritiop.com

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

Solstice Heating and Air 2208 El Camino Real, Ste. #1, 949.573.3607, www.solsticehvac.com

APPLIANCES

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

ART GALLERIES

San Clemente Art Association 100 N. Calle Seville, 949.492.7175, www.scartgallery.com

CHIROPRACTIC

Spinal Vitality Integrative Chiropractic

647 Camino de los Mares, Suite 220, 949.616.5470, www.spinalvitality.com

CHOCOLATE/CANDY

Schmid’s Fine Chocolate 99 Avenida Del Mar, 949.369.1052, www.schmidschocolate.com

CONCRETE

Costa Verde Landscape

Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

Exquisite Epoxy Concrete Floor Coatings Lic.: 1020002, 949.632.8400 exquisiteepoxy.com

DENTISTS

Eric Johnson, D.D.S. 647 Camino de los Mares, Ste. 209, 949.493.9311, www.drericjohnson.com Shoreline Dental Studio

Kristen Ritzau, DDS 122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.245.6046, www.shorelinedentalstudio.com

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

Organics Out Back 949.354.2258, www.organicsoutback.com

EDITING SERVICES

Perfectly Clear Editing Services

Judi Heidel: 949.281.6364 www.perfectlycleareditingservices.com

ELECTRICAL

Arcadia Electric 949.361.1045, www.arcadiaelectric.com

FURNITURE

South Coast Furniture & Mattress

109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

HOME DÉCOR

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

HOME REPAIRS/IMPROVEMENT

Capistrano Valley Raingutters Scott Williams, 949.542.7750

JEWELRY

Paradise Jewelers

166 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6661, www.paradisejewelers.com

LANDSCAPING

Costa Verde Landscape Lic.: 744797 (C-8 & C-27) 949.361.9656, www.costaverdelandscaping.com

MATTRESSES

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

MORTGAGES

Brian Wiechman, Equity Coast

Mortgage A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage 949.533.9209, www.equitycoastmortgage.com

MOTORCYLE PARTS & SERVICE

SC Rider Supply

520 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.0521, www.scridersupply.com

MUSIC LESSONS

Danman’s Music School 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

OFFICE FURNITURE

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

PET SERVICES/HOUSE SITTING

2-dogswalking.com Ricky, 949.973.4128

Pet care –Insured & Bonded

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT

YOUR BUSINESS HERE!

Sign up to be featured as our monthly Locals Only Business Spotlight for only $100!

Contact Debra Wells at 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email dwells@picketfencemedia.com

PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dr. Alice P. Moran, DMD 1001 Avenida Pico, Ste. K, 949.361.4867 (GUMS), www.moranperio.com

PLUMBING

A to Z Leak Detection

1001 Calle Recodo, 949.481.7013, www.atozleakdetection.com

Bill Metzger Plumbing 1001 Calle Recodo, 949.492.3558, www.billmetzerplumbing.com

Karl Aiken Plumbing-Rooter San Clemente, 949.366.8302

POOL SERVICE, REPAIR, REMODEL

Radiant Pool & Spa Service Lic # 985800, 949.290.5616, www.radiantpoolservice.com

SC Pool & Spa Works 1311 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.7665, www.scpoolworks.com

RESTAURANTS

Café Calypso 114 Avenida Del Mar #4, 949.366.9386

SALONS

Salon Bamboo

150 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. A, 949.361.3348, www.salonbamboo.com

Salon Bleu

207 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.2060, www.scsalonbleu.com

Syrens Hair Parlor 217 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. E, 949.361.9006, www.syrens.com

SECONDHAND/ CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

South Coast Furniture & Mattress 109 Calle de los Molinos, 949.492.5589, www.southcoastfurniture.com

SWIMMING SCHOOL

Waterbabies Swim School 142 Avenida Granada, 949.488.2512, www.waterbabiesswimschool.com

TERMITES

Colony Termite Control 1402 Calle Alcazar, 949.361.2500, www.colonytermite.com

WEBSITE DESIGN

San Clemente Website Design 949.246.8345, www.sanclementewebsitedesign.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction 877.774.1492, www.offshoreconstruction.org

In print and online 52 weeks a year. View online at www.sanclementetimes.com. Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or email dwells@picketfencemedia.com

your classified ad at www.sanclementetimes.com

CUSTOM AREA RUGS

You pick style, color and size. Typically made in 2 weeks. Stainmaster nylon, wool, polyester or designer carpet. Carpet showroom in Lantern District of Dana Point. Carpet and flooring remnants also available - all shapes, sizes and kinds of flooring. We sell tile too! Mike 949-240-1545.

GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@sanclementetimes.com. Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

LINE COOK AT THE COACH HOUSE

Please send your resume to bfolgner@thecoachhouse.com. Must be willing to work nights and weekends.

DENTAL ASSISTANT

Looking for a dental assistant to join our fun, professional team in a highend periodontal practice located in San Clemente! We are looking for someone who is dynamic, highly self-motivated, fun, positive and professional. Experience in dental Back and/or Front Office is a plus, but we are willing to train the right person. Current x-ray license and experience taking digital x-rays is a plus. Duties will include: Assisting the doctor, Assisting hygienist when needed, Greeting and seating patients, Taking patient x-rays, Taking impressions and pouring models, Sterilization, Room setup and break down, Dental tray setup, Occasional front office tasks. Applicant Should: Have professional appearance and a customer service approach, Be capable of working in a fast-paced environment, Have excellent phone, conversational, verbal and written skills, Be a proactive team player and work well with all members of our team, Be detail-oriented and extremely well-organized, Be comfortable working with computers and be able to quickly learn dental software, Be an excellent multi-tasker and efficient with prioritizing tasks, Have a positive personality that is energetic and always motivated to do your best work. Pay determined by experience. Please respond via e-mail to: pammylee987@gmail.com with resume. We will call you for a quick phone screen, then schedule an in-office interview.

GUEST OPINION: Life’s a Beach by

Shelley Murphy

Graduating High School Seniors Learn Life Lessons Outside the Classroom

School’s out for summer, but graduating high school seniors may find they have lessons to learn before continuing on to college.

When my older son left for college, I focused on the fun dorm-room shopping list instead of a dull life skills checklist. I sent him off completely color-coordinated but only partially real-world educated. My mistake became evident his first visit home from college when he walked through the door announcing “laundry sucks” and emptied his shrunken, tie-dyed clothing onto the floor.

Last week, my younger son and his friends, rising college juniors, returned home for summer. Curious, I asked them how well-prepared they felt facing their freshmen years. I wish I could share all their sage advice ranging from silly to sublime, but the following highlights represent reoccurring themes of my informal poll.

Unanimously, those who responded said they wished they’d understood balanced nutrition and grocery shopping on a budget.

The college meal plan is tricky and many include fast food restaurants as options. My son picked a plan with fast food, and the first month his diet consisted mainly of fried rice and crispy chicken. He came to realize just because you can eat junk food every day doesn’t mean you should. The poll responders said they wished they’d known how to better balance their diets, not because of the infamous “Freshman 15” weight gain, because their food choices left them feeling unhealthy.

New to grocery shopping on a budget, they were clueless about costs, some

Jeremy Conrad

949.542.8348

Jconrad@conradrealestate.com

949.542.8349

BillC@conradrealestate.com

struggled estimating food and said, “In the beginning we ended-up throwing away a lot of food and wasting money.” To freshmen unable to cook in their dorms they suggest, “Get a microwave and stock-up on food for late nights.”

By Shelley Murphy

They all admitted to experiencing varying degrees of homesickness, agreeing it hits hardest the first month and at bedtime.

“The first few nights it’s tough to sleep in a new place—but you get used to it,” one respondent said.

Even the most outgoing students may find themselves anxious or gloomy their first semester.

Speaking of sick, they said, “You will get sick in the dorm—everyone does. Bring medicine. Health Services can be too busy, and sometimes you’re too sick to go off campus.”

Freshmen should understand the basics of over-the-counter medications and follow the dosage directions on the bottle, not a friend’s instruction. A familiarity with analgesics is useful as is the knowledge that they shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol (not that students drink in college).

Knowing how to navigate the healthcare system is essential. When your child turns 18, they become responsible for their healthcare decisions. Trust me, it’s shocking the first time a doctor won’t share information about your 18-year-old without written consent.

It’s also important students carry their health insurance cards in their wallets. The group of friends acknowledged hav-

ing to leave campus quickly to find a walkin clinic or an emergency room.

The most surprising advice they gave is for roommates to share their locations by utilizing an application on their cell phones.

The subject first came up as my son prepared to embark on an eight-hour road trip. Obviously, I worried and wanted reassurance of his whereabouts. After accusing me numerous times of being a stalker, he reluctantly revealed the “pin drop” locator. I’m not tech-savvy, so he explained it’s an application that allows users to drop the pin icon on an area or map to share their locations on their phones.

My son and his two roommates used the pin drop app allowing them to locate each other 24 hours a day in the event of an emergency.

The summer calendar races forward, but graduating high school seniors still have time to cram for college before they fly from the nest.

Arriving on campus in the fall, all firstyear-college students enter a new world. Remembering their freshmen years, the sage participants of my informal poll offered their best advice: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help on campus, everyone is as lost as you are.”

Shelley Murphy has lived in San Clemente with her husband for the past 18 years, where she raised her two sons. She’s a freelance writer and has been a contributor to the San Clemente Times since 2006. SC

Car Show 2017

More than 300 vehicles displayed at annual Car Show

The annual San Clemente Car Show drew more than 300 vehicles this year on Sunday, June 11, on Avenida Del Mar.

The show closes down the main street of downtown, and thousands of people attend. The show is put on the by the San Clemente Downtown Business Association. SC

• The average home sale in San Clemente in 2010 was $525,000, compared to today of $1,019,000

• Out of all the sales in San Clemente in 2017 so far, the average time on the market is running about 68 days

• Active inventory continues to be historically low, with about 5700 active listings in all of Orange County, while last year was over 6500 at this point in the year

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Report

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the San Clemente High School spring sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Triton Football Team Headed to Division 1 Next Fall

After several consecutive winning seasons the San Clemente High School football team is moving up. The Tritons, who claimed the CIF-SS Division 2 Championship last season, will play in Division 1 in the fall.

On June 8, the CIF-SS announced its

new divisional playoff groupings for fall sports. The Triton football team made one of the more significant jumps in the county, jumping from Division 2 to Division 1.

The new groupings are a result of CIF-SS’s competitive equity points-based system, which uses data like strength of schedule, league strength and past performance to place teams in certain divisions. The power rankings system is based off the previous two seasons. San Clemente reached the CIF-SS Southwest Division title game in 2015 and won the Division 2 title in 2016.

San Clemente had the third-most points of all public schools in Division 1, behind only Corona-Centennial and Mission Viejo, respectively. The division is loaded with powerhouse programs like St. John Bosco and Mater Dei.

The CIF-SS will have 16-team football playoff brackets, which means all but two of the 18 Division 1 teams will compete in the postseason next year.

In Search of Gridiron Glory

SC alum Dylan Reda prepares for his final football game at 2017 World Games

BY STEVE BREAZEALE, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

ylan Reda kept asking himself the same question over and over again for six months.

“Am I really going to end my playing career on a loss?”

He usually found success on the football field, earning second-team all-county honors his senior year playing linebacker at San Clemente High School. He played two years at Santa Ana College, where he shined at inside linebacker and drew the attention of four-year programs. He transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi and started 11 games right away.

A career overseas playing for the Triangle Razorbacks of the Danish League followed. Reda and the Razorbacks won back-to-back league championships his first two seasons.

But the success came with a price. All of the hits and injuries over a nearly 10-year football career had taken their toll on Reda’s body. He broke his collar bone and had a concussion while playing at Southern Mississippi his senior year. He

Scoreboard

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

FRIENDS OF SC FOUNDATION TO HOLD ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Friends of San Clemente Foundation will hold its seventh annual charity golf tournament at the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course on Friday, June 23.

The course is an important fundraiser for the Friends of SC Foundation, which donates funds and assists the city’s Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department initiatives.

The Friends of SC Foundation is seeking golfers who would like to play as singles, or create a foursome, as well as tee sponsors. Cost for an individual golfer is $150 and cost for a foursome is $500.

Each golfer will receive a complimentary pair of Rainbow Sandals.

For more information or to register, visit www.friendsofsanclemente.org.

TRITON RISING STAR YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP TO BEGIN IN JULY

The San Clemente High School football coaching staff will be conducting its annual Triton Rising Stars Youth Football Camp on campus beginning July 10.

The camp is open to interested youth players ranging from first grade to middle school. The first session, for first- to- fi fthgraders, will run from July 10 to July 13. The second session, for middle schoolers, will run July 17 to July 20. All camps run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and campers will be taught all aspects of the game.

For more information or to register, visit www.tritonfootball.com.

New Turf Field Going Down at Thalassa Stadium

SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

When students return to San Clemente High School in the fall, they will be greeted by a brand-new turf field at Thalassa Stadium.

Construction to tear up and replace the old turf field began earlier this month, and is expected to be completed by July 9.

The old turf had been in place for over

tore his ACL after college. Last year, he suffered another concussion while playing for the Razorbacks.

After the Razorbacks lost in the championship game of the International Federation of American Football Europe Champions League, Reda contemplated retirement.

Life was good. He had recently married his longtime girlfriend and was starting a budding sports training business in Coco Beach, Florida with his best friend from high school. Reda turned 26 this year, and thought it was the right time to hang up the cleats for good.

A letter from the IFAF’s USA contingent changed all that, and sparked that lingering question he had been pondering in his head all offseason.

The U.S. Federation of American Football invited him to be on its 45-man roster at the World Games in Wroclaw, Poland in July. The World Games occur every four years, like the Olympics, and feature thousands of athletes competing in a variety of disciplines.

The itch to take the field one last time,

10 years, and the new turf is expected to have the same lifespan. Capistrano Unified School District administration said the cost to replace the new turf was approximately $1 million.

Multiple Triton sports teams, the marching band and physical education classes call the turf at Thalassa Stadium home. SC

wear his country’s colors and go out a winner was too much for Reda to ignore.

“I was thinking I was done. Then this opportunity presented itself. It’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Reda said. “There’s something in me telling me I have to do this. In four years I’ll be 30. For my age, this will be it for me.”

The recent concussion worried him, so Reda went to Southern Mississippi for a medical evaluation and was given the go-ahead by his former college rehab specialist.

Reda is only guaranteed one more game. The American squad will open its World Games bid against Germany on July 22. If they win, they will advance to the finals on July 24.

After months of asking himself that question, Reda is finally ready to answer it.

“I’m confident that we’ll go over and be the dominant team that we should be,” Reda said. “I’m lucky … it’s going to be an incredible experience.”

Live online coverage of the 2017 World Games can be viewed on www.olympicchannel.com. SC

Surfers and Scholars

NSSA

National Interscholastic Championship coming to Salt Creek this weekend

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

This weekend, the NSSA National Interscholastic Championships will land at Salt Creek. Taking place from June 17-19, it’s more than just another end-of-school contest; rather, it’s an opportunity for some of surfing’s most talented academic performers to show the world that it is in fact possible to get good grades and still get barreled.

Drawing middle school, high school and college surf teams from around the country, a couple of south Orange County powerhouses are looking like strong favorites going into the weekend. Earlier this year, both San Clemente High School and Shorecliffs Middle School captured the NSSA Interscholastic State Title, and given the depth of talent both squads possess, it’s totally possible that they could run the table on the national level as well.

San Clemente High’s team is stacked with talent. At the state championships, the Triton’s boy’s squad more than made their presence felt. While the varsity players didn’t have a surfer that won the division outright, Liam Murray, David Economos and Amor Cayres finished second through forth, respectively. The team’s success was even more profound on the junior variety level. San Clemente junior varsity all-star Curran Dand won the division, while others on the team claimed five of the top six places.

Reef Tsutsui, Chad Clifton, Jacob Atwood and Dakota Albers all made the podium and contributed massive points to the team’s winning effor t. It’s also worth noting that Blue Engleking finished second in the junior varsity longboard division as

For the Bros

Ocean-friendly surf industry comp comes to Lowers

BY

Introducing the inaugural Cobblestone Classic, a one-day surf contest coming to Lowers this Friday, June 16. The contest’s unique for mat will feature a team competition with squads comprised of pro surfers, amateurs and employees from some of the biggest surf companies in the business.

well. At the state championships, San Clemente High won by a remarkable 50-point margin. Competition on the national level will be considerably stif fer, but year in and year out, San Clemente is considered to be one of the most elite programs in the country. Last year, the Tritons missed out on a national title by eight points. Given the depth of the team and the abundance of experience they’re carrying with them this season, “San Clemente High National Champions” does have a nice ring to it.

And if you thought the Triton offense was stout, Shorecliffs Middle School really packs a wallop. At the NSSA State Championships in March, Shorecliffs had three teams finish in the top six, so not only is their A team extremely dominant, but so are their B and C teams. That spells trouble for the rest of the middle schools in the country. In the middle school boys division, Kai McPhillips took first (and also won the longboard division), while fellow classmates Nico Coli, Hagan Johnson, Taj Lindblad and Braden Burch rounded out the podium. In the girls division, it was Shorecliffs’ Taylor Stacey taking home the win, while Makayla Moss finished sixth. It was the 12th straight state title for the Shorecliffs team. Again, the competition will be considerably more seasoned this weekend when the best middle schools in the country congregate at Salt Creek, but given their track record, they’re not exactly underdogs.

On the college level, Saddleback will also be in the national title hunt. They finished seventh at the state championships, and last year finished seventh in the national championships. The college scene is highly

“The Cobblestone Classic is a great opportunity to bring brand employees, pros and groms together. The goal is to have a fun day surfing Lowers in a competitive environment with the prospect of taking the top spot and bragging rights,” said Brad Dougherty, Volcom’s global vice president of surf.

The contest is being sponsored by Volcom, SURFER Magazine and Sustainable Surf, and is being billed as an oceanfriendly event.

“Sustainable surf is stoked to par tner with Surfer and Volcom to make the 2017 Cobblestone Classic a ‘Deep Blue Event.’ This sustainability designation for surf events means that Surfer, Volcom and all of the brands participating have made a

competitive with a number of quality surf programs in contention. Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego is the defending champs, while UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State University all typically field deep, talented teams.

As far as waves and weather go, it’s setting up to be a nice weekend at the beach. According to Sur fline.com, on Friday, the first day of the National Interscholastic Championships, we should enjoy a nice little bump in south swell, bringing wave heights into the waist-to chest-high range. The swell tappers off through the weekend, but traces of southern hemisphere energy with an additional shot of shor t-period northwest wind swell should keep the surf in the competitive zone. Weather-wise, look for sunny skies with some cloud cover in the morning. Beach temps are expected to climb into the high 70s. It is looking like there’s a potential for a touch of southwest wind, but overall things should stay relatively clean at Salt Creek.

After the National Interscholastic Championships, the NSSA Explorer and Open National Championships will take place in Huntington Beach from June 26 through July 3. To be eligible to surf in either of the NSSA championships, surfers must maintain over a 2.0 grade point average and qualify over the course of the regular competitive season. SC

commitment to holding a more oceanfriendly event,” said Michael Stewart, the co-found of Sustainable Surf. “We look forward to working with everyone at the Cobblestone Classic to keep waste out of our oceans and landfills, go plastic-straw-free, minimize our carbon footprint, use gr eener transpor t and support the The San Onofre Parks Foundation Summer Enrichment Program.”

After the winners are crowned and the champagne is flying, a presentation will be made to the San Onofre Parks Foundation to help fund its program that helps underserved youth in Santa Ana and the Los Angeles areas experience the majesty of the Pacific shore. SC

BY JAKE HOWARD, SAN CLEMENTE TIMES

zzy Benson is one of my favorite surfers. Not because she does big airs or rides big waves, but because she’s always stoked. An 11-year-old attending Lobo Elementar y School, her old man, who works for Electric Sunglasses, taught her to how to ride in style. These days, “I sur f most of the local beaches, but my favorite is San O,” she said.

Izzy’s what you might call a modern, multi-sport athlete. When she’s not cruising San Onofre, you may find her in a session at Ryan Sheckler’s skateboard facility in San Clemente, or riding a mountain or motorbike in the hills behind town. She also plays a mean guitar—“Stand By Me” is a personal favorite of hers. But even with so much going on, Izzy still finds a way to stay stoked and go surfing.

“I really like the water, and I just like when you stand up and you’re just riding the wave and you feel really good,” she said.

This summer, Izzy and her family are moving to Utah to ride mountains and chase more dreams. We’re going to miss them, but we’ll be saving a spot in the lineup for them when they come back… because once that surf bug bites, there’s no escaping it. SC

Water

Thursday: Fun-size SSW swell with minor NW windswell mixing in. Surf is in the knee-waistchest high (2-3’+) range with shoulder high (4’) sets at standouts. Light winds in the morning, becoming light+ onshore in the afternoon.

Outlook: Modest SSW swell and NW windswell mix keeps surf rideable (knee-waist+ range) through the end of the weekend. Winds are lightest in the early mornings. Be sure to check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.