December 13, 2013

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 23

Three from San Juan Killed in San Clemente

Crash SaturdayEYE ON SJC/PAGE 9

San Juan Area Winter Prep Sports

Preview: Part 1 SPORTS/PAGE 24

VOTE FOR THE “BEST OF SAN JUAN” AT WWW.THECAPISTRANODISPATCH.COM

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE DECEMBER 13–26, 2013

FOUNDED IN 2002

The city of San Juan Capistrano is currently working to expand its controversial Groundwater Recovery Plant, despite objections from critics who call the plant a bad investment. Photo by Brian Park

The Debate Over WaterSan Juan’s controversial

Groundwater Recovery Plant and water rates have sparked a recall election and lawsuits

E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 6

INSIDE: Holiday Happenings and

Gift Guide PAGE 14

THE LATEST: San Juan Capistrano City Councilman Sam Allevato, who is the target of an ongoing recall effort, was selected as the city’s new mayor Tuesday, December 3, during the council’s annual reorganization meeting.

Allevato, a 37-year resident of San Juan who was fi rst appointed to the council in 2004, has served as mayor twice before. He was reelected to the council in November 2012.

Allevato found support from his council allies, outgoing mayor John Taylor and Larry Kramer, who was selected mayor pro tem. Councilman Derek Reeve voted against both Allevato’s and Kramer’s nominations while Councilman Roy Byrnes abstained from voting.

In recent months, the council’s frac-tured relations have fi ssured further with Kramer’s accusations of legal and ethical misconduct against Byrnes and Reeve. A 3-2 decision to begin an offi cial investigation into Kramer’s allegations was rescinded within a month in favor of seeking the opin-ion of the state Attorney General’s offi ce.

Allevato, Kramer and members of the community also recognized Taylor for his year of service as mayor.

“He really taught me to soften my rough edges because he truly is a man that really cares about this community,” Allevato said. “Truly, John, you’ve done a great job. You’ve been an inspiration for our residents.”

Mark Bodenhamer, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, thanked Taylor for his sup-port of the business community.

“Your dedication challenged me and made me better at my job,” Bodenhamer said.

WHAT’S NEXT: The council also selected Kramer as chairman and Byrnes as vice chairman of the city’s successor agency to

What’s Up With...S A N J U A N C A P I S T R A N O ’ S T O P 5 H O T T E S T T O P I C S

...the New Council?1

1LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON SJC

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch December 13–26, 2013

...the Newspaper Lawsuit?

...a Political Mailer?

2

3

THE LATEST: Newspaper racks may be on their way back to City Hall and the Com-munity Center after attorneys for the city and a local newspaper negotiated a deal in court Wednesday.

City Attorney Hans Van Ligten and fel-low Rutan & Tucker attorney Philip Kohn entered into negotiations with William P. Tate, attorney for Community Common Sense, publishers of a monthly newspaper in San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo, at the request of Orange County Superior

THE LATEST: Just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, thousands of San Juan residents received a politically-charged fl ier critical of the recall effort against Mayor Sam Allevato and the Capistrano Taxpayers Association’s water rate lawsuit against the city.

The double-sided glossy fl iers, 9,500 in all, were produced by Costa Mesa-based political consultant David Ellis and paid for by resident Rob Ferguson’s group, San Juan Cares.

The fl ier features a photo of resident Clint Worthington, who served Allevato with recall papers in September, lying shirtless on a beach with a woman lying beside him and her arm wrapped around Worthington’s chest. A caption on the photo identifi es Worthington as the leader of the recall ef-fort and a headline reads, “Local Beekeeper Celebrates Filing San Juan Capistrano Recall Papers.”

The fl ier also highlights court documents fi led by the CTA seeking $422,120 in at-torney’s fees. In August, an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the CTA and declared San Juan’s water rates illegal, but the city has since fi led an appeal.

Worthington objected to the fl ier’s state-ment that he fi led the motion for attorney’s fees, saying although he was initially part of the CTA, he hasn’t participated in the group’s efforts for several months.

The fl ier also mentions past, ongoing and potential lawsuits in San Juan, including a 2009 lawsuit from which the Capistrano Unifi ed School District was ordered to pay $653,350 to seven families who appeared on an “enemies list” compiled by former district offi cials. CTA member and current CUSD Trustee Jim Reardon, who was a plaintiff in the case, is mentioned in the fl ier.

(Cont. on page 4)

Page 3

SAN CLEMENTETim Brown was elected San Clemente’s new mayor by his fellow council members at the body’s annual reorganization meeting Tues-day, December 3. Brown was elected to the

council in 2010 and has served as mayor pro tem for the last two years, fi rst under Council-

man Jim Evert and then Councilman Bob Baker. Chris Hamm was selected as mayor pro tem. With an election next November

and three council seats opening up, including his own, Brown sounded a note of contrition upon taking his new seat. “There’s more that

unites us than divides us,” Brown said. “In the end, we all love the city of San Clemente.”

Brown said he appreciated the opportunity given to him by his fellow council members,

as well as the opportunity to serve and to meet residents he might not have been able

to. He also thanked his family.

NEWS NEXT DOOR

DANA POINTIn a series of Dana Point City Council votes last week, the city moved to alter its municipal code and Local Coastal Program to allow short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. Debate swirled over the practice’s legality for years, but in April, the council adopted an ordinance permitting and regulating short-term rentals of less than 30 days. Now, such rent-als are considered businesses in the city’s eyes. Beginning in January, rental owners must register and be in compliance with certain health and safety codes. Owners will now also be subject to the same 10-percent tax—transient occupancy tax—that hotels and campsites are. The votes addressed where these businesses can operate, as about 80 percent of vacation rentals fall within the Coastal Zone. Such a use requires an amend-ment to the city’s LCP, which must be approved by the California Coastal Commission.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING

TOWNS1Court Judge James Di Cesare.

“We talked about a location at City Hall to place news racks and roughly the same areas at the Community Center,” said Tate, who noted that the discussion took two-and-a-half to three hours.

In November, Common Sense fi led a lawsuit against the city, Mayor Sam All-evato, councilmen Larry Kramer and John Taylor and City Attorney Hans Van Ligten over the council’s closed session decision in August to remove newspaper racks at City Hall and the Community Center. The lawsuit accuses the parties of violating the First Amendment’s protection of free speech.

Common Sense’s lawsuit states the decision to remove newspaper racks came only after they placed their own papers at City Hall and the Community Center while two other newspapers, The Capist-rano Dispatch and the Capistrano Valley News, had racks at those sites for at least a decade.

Common Sense Editor Kim Lefner said the decision to remove newspaper racks is another example of the city targeting her paper and its supporters. Lefner also said Common Sense members and businesses who advertise in the paper have been heavily criticized and threatened by the paper’s critics.

“We’ve been called names, we’ve been targeted,” Lefner said. “This is a very small town and the relationships here have been developed over the decades. So many of these people have been here for a long time and they sort of see it as their town … This is about printing the truth, and they don’t like it. It makes them uncomfortable.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Tate said both sides will present the negotiated deal to their re-spective clients before returning to court Thursday, December 19. The City Council will consider the agreement Tuesday, December 17.

the redevelopment agency. Byrnes was selected chairman of the city’s Housing Authority. Reeve will serve as vice chair-man.

The seats occupied by Kramer, Reeve and Taylor are up for election in Novem-ber 2014.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. - Brian Park

FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – BP

New Mayor Sam Allevato recognizes outgoing mayor John Taylor for his year at the head of the City Council. Photo by Brian Park

EYE ON SJC

The Capistrano Dispatch December 13–26, 2013 Page 5

THE LATEST: The Juaneño Band of Mis-sion Indians received encouraging news this month regarding their continuing efforts to attain federal recognition.

In a letter sent Tuesday, December 3, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell supported the Juaneños’ petition for reconsideration as a sovereign nation. The Juaneños—also known as the Acjachemen Nation—were denied federal recognition in 2011 by the Bureau of Indian Affair’s Of-fice of Federal Acknowledgement, saying that the tribe failed to meet genealogical, historical and other criteria.

Following a petition for appeal sent by the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, on behalf of the Juaneños, Jewell found errors in the bureau’s final assessment, primar-ily the bureau’s own acknowledgement that they had overlooked some evidence. Jewell recommended the Department of Interior reconsider the Juaneños’ petition and suspend consideration until revisions are taken into account.

“This is incredible news for our Nation,” said Juaneño Tribal Council Chairwoman Teresa Romero in a statement. “On behalf of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, I say ‘Om paloov’ (thank you) to Secretary Jewell for her decision.”

Although the tribe is recognized by the state, tribal leaders have fought for federal status for more than 30 years. Tribes that receive federal recognition are considered sovereign nations and may buy land, on which they could govern themselves and receive federal aid and protection.

With 1,941 current members, the Juane-ños are the original inhabitants of San Juan Capistrano, as well as parts of Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside coun-ties. Members of the San Juan Capistrano-based tribe helped to build the Mission. Unsuccessful attempts at federal recogni-tion in the past, as well as in-fighting, have led to the fracture and the formation of factions in San Juan and throughout the county.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Department of Interior has 120 days from the date of the letter to reach a final decision on reconsid-eration of the petition.


THE LATEST: The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted Tuesday, December 3 to delay its decision on whether to allow a developer to build a 100-unit apartment complex near San Juan Hills High School after the developer presented a plan to al-leviate traffic concerns in the area.

Traffic consultants and representa-tives from Mission Viejo-based developer Woodbridge Pacific Group offered a plan proposing to designate two right-turn lanes from La Pata Avenue onto Vista Montana and extend two left-turn lanes on Vista Montana onto La Pata Avenue. In June, Woodbridge Pacific also offered to pay for a new traffic signal in the area.

The proposed development would sit on 4.6 acres of a 9.7-acre parcel of land on the northwest corner of Vista Montana and La Pata Avenue and would include 26 af-fordable housing units, which would help the city meet its state-mandated quota for low-income housing.

In August, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the council reject the project due to traffic concerns. Commis-sioners also felt the site wasn’t a suitable location for housing, citing its distance from community support services.

Mayor Sam Allevato and Councilman Larry Kramer disagreed with the commis-sion’s assessment. Kramer said the loca-tion could support new housing, especially with the county’s plan to extend La Pata Avenue to San Clemente, and Rancho Mission Viejo’s plan to build a commercial development near Ortega Highway.

WHAT’S NEXT: The council rescheduled their consideration of the project to Janu-ary 21 to allow city staff time to review the proposed traffic improvements.

While some residents urged the council to approve the project to bring more af-fordable housing into the city, others said the proposed improvements would not alleviate difficult commutes and that the development would worsen the situation.

Others who spoke said rezoning the land would increase its value in a rumored

…Juaneños’ Federal Recognition?

...Rancho San Juan?

5

4

(Cont. from page 3)In response, Reardon filed a complaint

with the state Fair Political Practices Com-mission, which responded quickly, saying that they found no wrongdoing.

“The FPPC took the position that the mailer attacked lawsuits, not the recall,” Reardon said.

In an interview with The Dispatch in November, Ferguson said San Juan Cares would not be registering with the state as a political action committee.

WHAT’S NEXT: Worthington called the flier a “slick tactic” and said litigation will now be filed against San Juan Cares and the photographer.


land-swap with the Capistrano Unified School District.

CUSD Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton told the council there had been discussion between the developer and the district about acquiring the property, which could be used for additional park-ing.


www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch December 13–26, 2013 Page 6

EYE ON SJC

The Debate Over WaterBy Brian Park

The Capistrano Dispatch

San Juan’s controversial Groundwater Recovery Plant and water rates have sparked a recall election and lawsuits

or the past several months, San Juan Capistrano has been drowning in controversy.

An ongoing recall effort seeks to remove newly appointed mayor Sam Allevato. The city is also in the midst of a legal battle brought on by a concerned group of residents, and from that, an-other resident has filed a complaint that could be the first step into the deep end of a multi-million dollar lawsuit.

The source of all this controversy? Water.

For more than half a century, Califor-nia cities, water agencies and the state have pondered the question of water. Rising population numbers and environ-mental concerns threaten to stretch the availability and security of fresh water for residents.

In south Orange County, where the overwhelming majority of municipali-ties rely on imported water, San Juan Capistrano is one of the few with its own source.

Through the Groundwater Recovery Plant, the city is steadfast in its belief that it can supply more than half of its water demand from its own backyard. The plant’s promise of securing San Juan’s water future, too, has drawn support from the city’s water officials, as well as the council majority of Allevato and coun-cilmen Larry Kramer and Jon Taylor.

However, the plant’s inability to pro-duce as advertised and its high mainte-nance costs have drawn the ire of many residents, including councilmen Roy Byrnes and Derek Reeve.

San Juan’s water rates landed in the legal crosshairs of two residents, Jim Reardon and John Perry, who formed the Capistrano Taxpayers Association and sued the city in August 2012. A year

later, an Orange County Superior Court judge found in favor of the CTA and ruled San Juan’s water rates illegal. The city has since appealed the decision, but within three months, a new complaint from resident John D. Jenkins seeks $20-30 million in contested water rate collections returned to ratepayers.

GWRP/water rate supporters and crit-ics have firmly entrenched themselves and have yielded little ground. Outside the echo chamber, many residents have questions that need to be answered before making the decision to sign a recall peti-tion or support a lawsuit.

THE BIRTH OF THE PLANTThe GWRP was born out of the San

Juan Basin Authority, a joint powers au-thority formed in 1971, currently consist-ing of four members: the city of San Juan Capistrano and the Moulton Niguel, Santa Margarita and South Coast water districts.

The SJBA manages a 26-mile ground-water basin, which underlies parts of San Juan, Dana Point, Mission Viejo and some unincorporated south Orange County communities. Since its inception, the SJBA has explored the feasibility of projects like the GWRP and shared in its initial costs.

In 1994, with the adoption of the San Juan Basin Groundwater Management and Facility Plan, the GWRP was identified as a project to construct, and in 2002, the city entered into an agreement for construc-tion of the plant for $35 million from municipal bond sales.

The city chose to construct the GWRP over a $50-90 million option to build ad-ditional reservoirs around town. The city’s decision was also necessitated by the need to create additional water storage in case of emergencies or disrupted imported water supply.

Local water agencies purchase im-ported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County, which buys water from the Metropolitan Water Dis-trict of Southern California, or Met. From 2004 to 2012, Met has had an average of just under five planned outages a year, primarily to complete work on the Diemer

F

Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda, according to Keith Van Der Maaten, the city’s utili-ties director.

While building reservoirs could have stored up to a week’s worth of water for San Juan—the recommended contingency by Met—the GWRP provided at least a month’s worth of water.

“In early 2000, it wasn’t pretty. Not just for us, but for all of south Orange County, in terms of how long we could last without Met. We were completely dependent on that,” Van Der Maaten said. “Reservoirs run out of water. So seven days and you’re down. When the city looked at its options, one of the key differences was that the plant actually provided 30-plus storage days because it’s a water supply. It’s new water. The ‘plus’ meaning that if we could curtail demand to a certain level, we could infinitely have water, as long as the GWRP was running.”

LOW PRODUCTION FIGURESWhen the GRWP came online in 2004, it

was billed as having a daily output capacity of five million gallons per day—around 5,000 acre feet annually—and that it would provide half of the city’s water needs dur-ing the summer.

The plant met its goal in its first full year of operation in 2006, but it saw dra-matic decreases in the next several years and has failed to meet its full capacity since. The plant experienced its lowest period between 2008 and 2011, with the

San Juan Capistrano Utilities Director Keith Van Der Maaten speaks to guests at the city’s water forum on Tuesday, December 10. Photo by Brian Park

Critics of the Groundwater Recovery Plant cite the high cost of maintenance. Filters and membranes that clean the groundwater break down more rapidly with increased use. Photo by Brian Park

EYE ON SJCdiscovery of colored water and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MtBE), a gasoline additive.

“It really impacted our production. It drove it way down, so there were defi-nitely periods of time when we weren’t producing water,” Van Der Maaten said.

The city also had issues with the plant’s operator ECO Resources, a subsidiary of SouthWest Water Company, which had entered into a 20-year contract to design, build and operate the plant. City officials weren’t able to enter the plant and diagnose the problem due to the contract, Van Der Maaten said, but following a settlement agreement, the city took over day-to-day management of the plant in November 2008.

“Since we’ve taken it over, the gates have been opened. We’re inside the plant, we’re seeing what’s going on and we’re fix-ing things that need to be improved,” Van Der Maaten said. “We’ve gone through a lot of improvements in that plant and, frankly, a little bit of a learning curve.”

Since taking it over, Van Der Maaten said the city has curbed its expectations for the plant to more reasonable levels. Although the plant could produce up to five millions gallon per day, Van Der Maaten said that’s assuming the system was running at full capacity. He noted that the high output in 2006 was partly due to running the plant at “full bore for a year.”

“It was basically like running a car in the red for a year, saying OK, let’s step on the pedal and show what the plant can do,” Van Der Maaten said.

In the past two years, the GWRP has consistently produced at around 3,800 acre feet per year—the ideal range to operate, according to Van Der Maaten.

“If you’re really talking about a treat-ment plant being consistent, this is the level you want to run it at,” Van Der Maaten said. “The expectations are prob-ably a little different in that we were sold that a 5 MGD plant means 5 MGD all the time, but in reality, that’s max capacity … Even if you were in a race, you wouldn’t run your car into the red line all the time. You want to finish the race, and that’s what we’re doing here.”

RISING COSTS, FINANCIAL WOESCritics say the city’s management of the

GWRP shows a series of poor decisions and bad investments.

Perry said ECO Resources’ failure to meet output numbers should have held the company in breach of contract, and in doing so, the city could have dissolved the project and the $35 million could have been paid off through its bond insurer.

“It should’ve been terminated and the bonds should have been paid off, but they decided not to do that, and so what they’ve got now is a self-inflicted wound,” Perry said.

The city is in the process of expanding the GWRP to push its daily capacity to more than seven million gallons. Funding for the project comes from Proposition

50, a bond initiative for water projects ap-proved by California voters in 2002.

“It’s all taxpayer money,” Perry said. “How many years does it take for some-body to say, ‘Wait a second. How many more millions are we cranking into this?’”

Perry and Reardon both noted that increasing the output of the GWRP may undermine the existing basin. In their final draft of the 2013 Groundwater Manage-ment Plan, the SJBA identified replenish-ing the basin as an urgent need.

“The replenishment cost is quite signifi-cant. One of the things you have to realize in all the cost figures is that one of them includes the cost to replenish the basin,” Reardon said. “They’re concerned the basin is being depleted and overdrawn by the plant.”

As more water is drawn from the basin, what’s pulled out can be more corrosive and damaging to the GWRP’s filters and filter membranes.

“As the water gets more salty, as it gets lower and lower and it gets more contami-nated, it’ll get more expensive to clean it up,” Perry said.

WATER RATESIn 2010, the city adopted a new tiered

rate structure that increased water rates by 22 percent in February 2010, another 18 percent in July 2010 and additional

Expanding the Groundwater Recovery Plant could push its daily output to more than 7 million gallons of water. Photo by Brian Park

“Since we’ve taken it over, the

gates have been opened. We’re

inside the plant, we’re seeing

what’s going on and we’re fixing

things that need to be improved

… We’ve gone through a lot of

improvements in that plant and,

frankly, a little bit of a learning

curve.”

– Keith Van Der Maaten, San Juan Capistrano Utilities Director

3 percent increases over the next three years.

The city presented its tiered rate struc-ture as a way to promote conservation. San Juan’s water customers are charged a base rate, but as more water is used, they are forced to pay at a higher tier.

In their lawsuit, the CTA alleged the city’s structure didn’t promote conserva-tion but acted as a penalty. In August, Orange County Superior Court judge Gregory Munoz sided with the CTA’s claim that San Juan’s rates violated Propo-sition 218, state law that requires rates be relative to the cost of service.

“The law does allow for tiers. It even al-low for conservation-based tiers,” Reardon said. “It simply says there needs to be a rational connection.”

In an article in the Association of Cali-fornia Water Agencies, the city’s attorney in the case, Michael Colantuono, wrote, “the city believes the court did not fully understand the city’s rate-making record.”

Munoz also found that the city was il-legally charging residents for recycled wa-ter, although not all residents had access.

Recycled water currently makes up less than 1 percent of San Juan’s water supply, but by January, the city expects to bring several recycled water sites online, increasing recycled usage to about 10 percent.

The CTA believes the city should provide water to its residents the cheap-est way possible—by importing water through MWDOC.

“If you look at the wholesale water mar-ket today, the city of San Juan Capistrano can buy an unlimited supply from Metro-politan Water District for $900 per acre foot,” Reardon said. “We can buy three times more than we consume. One would rationally ask then how do we justify tiers?”

Van Der Maaten said when all factors of cost are considered, from debt service payments to operating costs, the cost per acre foot of water produced by the GWRP is comparable to MWDOC.

“For us, the key is operating the plant leaves us money each year by not having to purchase water” Van Der Maaten said. “I think what’s unfortunate a lot of times is there’s the thought that the plant itself is the cause of high water costs.” CD


EYE ON SJC

Ricardo’s Place Owner Honored by Senator Wyland

u Sen. Mark Wyland, R-Carlsbad, recognized local restaurant owner Ricardo Beas for his extensive volunteer efforts with the San Juan Capistrano Community Spirit Award.

“Ricardo Beas personifies that which is the very best in community leadership, and he has made a lasting impression on those individuals with whom he has been associ-ated,” read a proclamation from Wyland’s office.

Beas came to the United States when he was 12 and got his first job as a dishwasher at Pete and Clara’s Mexican restaurant when he was 14. After becoming a cook and working at several south Orange County restaurants, Beas bought Pete and Clara’s and opened Ricardo’s Place in 2003.

Beas and his wife Rosa are on the board of directors for ATLAS, a youth soccer program, and the Mariachi For All Capist-rano Community Mariachi Program. He and his wife are also supporters of the San Juan Capistrano and Monarch Beach Rotary clubs and the Friends of the Library, for which Rosa also serves on the board. Beas also serves on the board of directors for the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Business Council.

Winter Wonderland Brings Snow to San Juan

u Historic Town Center Park in downtown San Juan Capistrano will be transformed into a “Winter Wonderland” on Saturday, December 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The city will be bringing in real snow for kids to play in and sled on, and the event will also include musical performances, interac-tive games, an ugly sweater contest and an appearance by Santa Claus at Los Rios Plaza. Entry is free.

The event is part of the Economic Preser-vation Committee’s “Follow the Swallows, Shop Local” initiative. Visitors who get their holiday shopping done in San Juan can bring their receipts to the event to receive free gift wrapping.

The shop local program is also encourag-ing patronage in San Juan businesses and restaurants through the Shop & Dine Local

Pledge Card program. Residents and visitors can pick up pledge cards at participating business, designated by the “Follow the Swallows” logo. Cards are filled with each purchase, and completed cards can be turned into the Chamber of Commerce for entry into a grand prize drawing the first week of January. Cards can be submitted until December 31.

For more information about the Win-ter Wonderland event or the Shop Lo-cal program, contact the chamber at 949.493.4700. The chamber is located at 31421 La Matanza Street.

Student Mariachi Show Celebrates Biblical Journey of Mary and Joseph

u The Mariachi For All Capistrano Com-munity Mariachi Program is inviting the community to a special performance that celebrating the Mexican Christmas tradition, Las Posadas, on Wednesday, December 18, starting at 7 p.m., at JSerra Catholic High School.

Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration that commemorates the Biblical story of Mary’s and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus.

Under the direction of Maestro Juan Man-ual Cortez, mariachi students will perform music and reenact the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. The performance will be followed by a candlelight procession with prayer and singing, and the event closes with more music and traditional Mexican fare, including tamales and pozole.

The event is part of the program’s 99-cent showcase and is free to attend, although donations are encouraged. The event will take place inside building 1. JSerra Catholic High School is located at 26351 Junipero Serra Road.

For more information, visit their web-site at www.mariachiforall.org or call Assistant Program Director Alex Ceja at 949.680.8972.

National Charity League Mother-and-Daughter Teams Help Serve Thanksgiving Meals

u Six mother-and-daughter teams from the Capistrano Coast Chapter of the Na-

tional Charity League lent a helping hand to families in need by serving hot Thanksgiving meals at Family Assistance Ministries in San Clemente on Wednesday, November 27.

NCL members joined with other volun-teers to welcome families, serve food and help set up and clean up after the event. Other NCL volunteers also donated food to the cause.

NCL aims to foster relationships between mothers and daughters through local phil-anthropic efforts. Mothers and daughters commit to a six-year program, starting when daughters are in the seventh grade, centered on community service. This Thanksgiving was the sixth year that NCL has volun-teered to help FAM, a San Clemente-based nonprofit which assists families in need by providing food, shelter and personalized counseling and aid.

In addition to FAM, the local NCL chapter also supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, Orange County Special Olympics and the Ronald McDonald House of Orange County.

For more information on the group, visit www.nclcapistranocoast.org.

Fiesta Association Opens T-shirt Design Contest

u The call is out for interested artists to submit their designs for the Fiesta Associa-

tion’s official T-shirt for the 2014 Fiesta de las Golondrinas season.

The Fiesta Association is the all-volunteer nonprofit group that organizes the Swallows Day Parade and all other events during the Fiesta de las Golondrinas. The association is looking for the design that best represents the parade. This year’s theme is “New Trails West.”

The designer of the winning submission will receive a $100 cash prize and be recog-nized at various Fiesta events. T-shirts featur-ing the design will be sold at Fiesta events, including the 56th edition of the Swallows Day Parade and the Mercado Street Faire, scheduled to take place March 22.

The contest is open to all ages. Designs must be original works of art, should be 12-by-15 inches and may include up to three colors. Entries must be submitted before January 7 by email at [email protected].

All entries may be used in future Fiesta events or publications. Entries can be re-turned upon request.

For more information on the Fiesta As-sociation and the Swallows Day Parade, visit www.swallowsparade.com.

Allevato Loses Friendly Mayoral Football Bet

u Mayor Sam Allevato’s “first official duty” as the new mayor didn’t turn out quite as well as he had hoped.

On Saturday, December 7, the St. Mar-garet’s Episcopal School football team fell to Jurupa Hills, 42-24, in the CIF Southern Section Easy Valley Division championship game. With the hometown Tartans’ loss, Allevato lost his friendly wager with Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren, who will now host Allevato at the NASCAR Auto Club 400 race at the Auto Club Speedway in March.

Had the Tartans won, Allevato would have invited Warren for a tour of the Mission and lunch in the Historic Los Rios District.

NEWS BITESP R O P S , R E C O G N I T I O N S A N D M O R S E L S O F I N F O

Compiled by Brian Park

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to

[email protected].

u There’s less than three weeks left to get your votes in for the 7th Annual Capistrano Dispatch “Best of San Juan” People’s Choice Horseshoe Awards.

Vote for your favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner spot. We want to know who has the best customer service, what’s the

(From L to R) Mayor Pro Tem Larry Kramer, Ricardo Beas and Sen. Mark Wyland, R-Carlsbad. Wyland honored Beas for his volunteering efforts in the city with the San Juan Capistrano Community Spirit Award. Courtesy photo

(From L to R) Jan Morris, Nancy Thee, Malena Thee and Alanna Verde, members of the Capist-rano Coast Chapter of the National Charity League, helped Family Assistance Ministries to serve Thanksgiving meals last month. Six mother-and-daughter teams from the group participated in the effort. Courtesy photo

best local tradition and where do you take out-of-town visitors?

Polls close December 31 and results will be published February 14.

Visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com and scroll down to find the link to “Cast Your Vote” on the right-hand side.

‘Best of San Juan’ Voting Closes December 31


EYE ON SJC

Four Killed in Saturday Morning CrashBy Jim Shilander


Three from San Juan dead, investigators believe alcohol and speed were factors in the wreck

our people were killed and a fifth injured in a single car accident early Saturday morning near the corner of

South El Camino Real and Avenida Valen-cia in San Clemente.

Three men and one woman, including the driver of the vehicle, were pronounced dead at the scene, Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Lt. Jeff Hallock said. Authorities responded to the scene around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The driver of the vehicle was identi-fied as Pablo Vargas Diaz, 25, of San Juan Capistrano. Three of the passengers have also been identified as Martin Nieto, 26, of Laguna Niguel, and Lucia Solis, 27, and Luis Silva, 22, both of San Juan Capistrano.

A 24-year-old female passenger, whose name has not been released, was trans-ported to a local trauma center. She is expected to survive.

Hallock said the investigation is ongo-ing, but speed and alcohol are believed to have been factors in the crash. The department’s major accident reconstruc-tion team is investigating. Hallock said it could be weeks until the final report on

the investigation is released, which should include toxicology reports on the victims.

Don Bolender, the owner of the Christ-mas tree lot near where the accident took place, and whose fence is now adorned with flowers, photos and candles remem-bering the victims, said he was sleeping

at the time of the crash. After a 22-hour day, he said, he and a friend fell asleep at approximately 1 a.m. When he awoke at 6 a.m. to take his friend to the airport, Bo-lender discovered deputies had blocked off the street on either side of the crash site.

Parts of the car and a light pole knocked

F

down by the crash were strewn through-out the lot, Bolender said, and bits of glass could also be found in some of the trees.

The last several days, Bolender said, have brought a nearly constant stream of mourners to the site. The crowd grew so large on Monday that community resource officers blocked traffic. Although he lives year-round in Washington, Bolender said he could tell the accident had a “profound impact” on the community.

One of the victims, Silva, worked as a barber at Señor Barber in San Juan Cap-istrano. His father, Jose, is an employee at the Mission.

A viewing for Silva was held Thursday at Lesneski Mortuary in San Clemente, according to a post on the Señor Barber Facebook page. A mass will be held Friday, December 13, at 1 p.m., at Mission Basilica Church. A reception will follow and the family has requested mourners not wear black but colorful clothing.

Friends of Silva organized a benefit Tuesday at El Adobe de Capistrano to help support the families of the four deceased. An online fundraiser has also been set up at www.youcaring.com/memorial-fundraiser/a-proper-farwell/114929. CD

Brian Park contributed to this story.

A makeshift memorial set up at the site of a fatal crash bears remembrances of the four people, all in their 20s, killed in Saturday morning’s car accident on South El Camino Real near Avenida Valencia. Photo by Jim Shilander

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter

COMPILED BY QUINN CONWAY

All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an in-cident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

Wednesday, December 11

BURGLARY REPORTOrtega Highway, 27200 Block (9:44 a.m.) A caller reported a possible break-in at the cross streets of Avenida Los Cerritos and Rancho Viejo Road. Deputies were dispatched to investigate.

Tuesday, December 10

CITIZEN ASSISTEl Camino Real, 31400 Block (7:55 p.m.)A man at the San Juan Capistrano Library said he thought someone sold his bicycle without his permission.

DISTURBANCECamino Capistrano, 3200 Block (5:59 p.m.) An irate customer was yelling at employ-ees at the front counter of a business. The manager called to report the erratic behavior.

DISTURBANCEVia Del Rey, 25600 Block (3:03 p.m.) The caller and his neighbor engaged in a verbal dispute over children playing on city property. Afterward, both returned to their homes. The caller said this was an ongoing issue.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE DRUGSEl Camino Real, 31500 Block (2:23 p.m.) A subject at Bridges Community Day School was reported to be under the influence of drugs.

DISTURBANCE-MUSIC OR PARTYLos Rios Street, 31300 Block (1:57 p.m.) Disruptively loud music was being played from a black pickup. The vehicle was occu-pied by five men in black hoodies and had been parked near the railroad tracks.

Monday, December 9

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURYVista Montana, 29200 Block (4:12 p.m.) A silver Mercedes drove into a ditch in front of San Juan Hills High School. The driver and passengers were able to exit the ve-hicle and walk away from the accident.

WELFARE CHECKOrtega Highway/5 Freeway (3:27 a.m.) A man was stumbling into the street on Ortega Highway. He was described as being in his 30s with no further details available.

Sunday, December 8

DISTURBANCESan Juan Creek Road, 31800 Block (2:05 p.m.) A group of adolescent boys were shooting Airsoft guns behind a caller’s home. The caller was afraid his home might be hit by the pellets.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCELa Novia Avenue/Calle Arroyo (10:08 a.m.) A caller reported seeing 12 vultures circling the air, west of the bridge. The caller suspected there might be something dead there.

Saturday, December 7

DISTURBANCE-MECHANICALCanyon Crest Road, 26900 Block (10:26 p.m.) A man was doing construc-tion work in his garage. The caller re-ported that this was creating a disturbance due to the noise.

TRAFFIC HAZARDStonehill Drive/Camino Capistrano (8:34 a.m.) A crib was left on the Inter-state 5 on-ramp, obstructing traffic. It was

unclear which side of the street the crib had been left on.

Thursday, December 6

SHOTS HEARDAvenida Calita, 33600 Block (8:07 p.m.) A caller reported hearing gunshots near the intersection of Via De Agua and Via La Mirada. No further information was given.

STOLEN VEHICLEMorningstar Lane, 27600 Block (6:58 p.m.) A caller reported a stolen vehicle. Depu-ties were dispatched and were able to apprehend a suspect described to be an 18-year-old man with brown hair.

ABANDONED VEHICLECalle De Bonanza, 33900 Block (9:27 a.m.) A white truck with an attached trailer had been parked in the same spot at the intersection of Camino Las Ramblas and Via De Agua for a week. The vehicle had Washington plates.

Wednesday, December 4

TRAFFIC HAZARDLa Pata Avenue/ Vista Montana (2:54 p.m.) A large bundle of landscape trash was in the roadway on La Pata Avenue. The trash was creating an obstruction in the intersection on the southbound lanes. Deputies were able to clear the hazard from the street.

The Capistrano Dispatch December 13–26, 2013 Page 10 www.thecapistranodispatch.com

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTSSOAPBOX

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

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 11, Issue 23. The Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch ) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (www.sanclement-etimes.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

EDITORIAL

Senior Group Editor> Andrea Swayne

City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch> Brian Park

Sports Editor> Steve Breazeale

City Editor, SC Times> Jim Shilander

City Editor, DP Times> Andrea Papagianis

ART/DESIGN

Senior Designer> Jasmine Smith

ADVERTISING/MULTI-MEDIA MARKETING

Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

> Michele Reddick (San Clemente)

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano)

Sales Associates> Angela Edwards

OPERATIONS

Finance Director> Mike Reed

Business Operations Manager> Alyssa Garrett

Accounting ManagerDistribution Manager> Tricia Zines

SPECIAL THANKSRobert Miller, Jonathan Volzke

CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Victor Carno, Quinn Conway, Tawnee Prazak, Dana Schnell, Tim Trent

CITY EDITORSTORIES, NEWS, CALENDAR, ETC.

Brian Park, 949.388.7700, x108 [email protected]

ADVERTISINGPRINT AND ONLINE

Debra Wells, 949.388.7700, x104 [email protected]

DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, [email protected]

BILLINGAlyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 [email protected]

HOW TO REACH US

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dis-patch 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 Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]

MY TURN By Jonathan Volzke

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

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

GUEST OPINION: My Turn by Jonathan Volzke

WThe Only Way We Win is by Working Together

e as a nation should applaud Congress this month. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Sen. Patty

Murray, D-Wash., negotiated a budget that should be palatable to both parties. I watched an interview with Ryan on televi-sion and he said the key was simple: both sides agreed they wouldn’t violate their personal principles–and that they’d get something done.

It is the fi rst bi-partisan budget pro-posal since the Reagan era. I’m sure the extremes at both sides will contend the proposal doesn’t do enough, but House Speaker John Boehner could not have put it better when he angrily told report-ers the extreme conservative groups are “using our members and they’re using the American people for their own goals.”

From his lips to Capistrano’s ears.Capistrano celebrated a wonderful tree

lighting event on December 7—Historic Town Center Park was full, the streets were full, shops and restaurants were full. I expect a similar day this Saturday, December 14, when snow is trucked into Historic Town Center Park for a “Winter Wonderland” of sledding and community booths. That event goes hand-in-hand with the Second Saturday Art Fair that will fi ll the downtown with craft venders and art-ists. Metrolink is also featuring Capistrano in a promotion that day, which should bring hundreds more to the downtown.

Sadly, though, the thoughts run-ning through many minds these days is “What’s going on in San Juan Capistrano?” A councilman is facing recall. The city is appealing a Superior Court judge’s ruling in a lawsuit over our water rates. Some-one’s fi led a multi-million-dollar claim in the wake of that decision. Now there’s a kerfuffl e with newspaper racks that has the city back in court.

Seems like things are falling apart at the seams, doesn’t it?

But they’re not. Not at all. We as a com-

munity are simply facing what brought our federal government to a standstill for two weeks in October. The issues that seem to be tying up the city can be traced back to a small group that seems intent on little more than paralyzing City Hall—then taking

over on claims it’s ineffi cient or ineffec-tive.

I bumped into a gentleman at Bad to the Bone the other evening. He lives in town and is a successful businessman. He’s busy and knew the headlines. To him, things seemed grave. We had a chance to chat over a cocktail or two, and by the end of our conversation, we’d both learned a bit. I think he understood the nuances a bit, and I certainly understood the city had created a lot of the issues it faces—by failing to communicate more clearly with residents.

He was worried about water. I explained the city’s water rates were derived pretty much the same as done by most cities in the county, if not the state. Setting water rates seems like a simple task, but it’s far more complicated than most realize. A Stanford think tank recently reviewed the Capistrano case and concluded new laws and new strategies are needed statewide. About Proposition 218—a law that says cities can’t impose taxes or fees without public approval—and the basis for part of the Capistrano ruling and wrote this: “While it remains to be seen whether the ruling will stand and just how far it may ultimately reach, its potential to further complicate the ability of California water agencies to provide reliable, clean water to communities should motivate decision makers in Sacramento and voters through-out the state to come to their rescue.”

Doesn’t sound like our leaders did anything outrageous from that perspec-

tive, does it?Of course, there’s more noise out there

about City Hall news racks and other such issues, but it really comes back to the same group of folks attacking wherever they can, trying a new strategy to gain City Council seats three of them failed to win in earlier elections.

As Rep. Boehner said, these aren’t citizens trying to make Capistrano a better place, it’s a group of people trying to further their own goals. Some say the extreme conservative movement is tearing apart the Republican Party—more than half of the Republican senators running for reelection next year face primary chal-lengers running to their right. Let’s not let

it tear apart our community as well.San Juan Capistrano resident Jonathan

Volzke is a former award-winning journal-ist for the Orange County Register and founder of The Capistrano Dispatch. He’s since moved on and now works for Commu-nications LAB, a public relations and com-munity outreach fi rm in Lake Forest. CD

Letters to the EditorCOUNCIL DRAMA BEGAN WITH SILENCING COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

—Jack Farley, San Juan Capistrano

The November 8-21 issue of The Dispatch was devoted in large part to the acrimony and bitterness manifested again in the City Council meeting November 5. I can’t help but to try to nail down the start of this nastiness.

Let’s see. Where to begin? Water rate hikes? A judge ruled them illegal. Ground-water recovery plant costs? We are going to run out of water in the not too distant future. Brown Act violations? Back room deals have been going on for decades. The recall? Ill-timed and expensive, but some think a message must be sent.

In my opinion, all of these issues are important, but none should cause the loss of civility as exhibited in the last council meeting. What could be the root cause of such unrest? Poor leadership? Perhaps. But maybe, just maybe, it started when a

local start-up newspaper critical of City Hall dared to place publications in a rack outside City Hall and was barred from that space by the powers that be. Maybe the citizens of a free country are disgust-ed when small town politics threaten to stifl e the freedom of the press on display in a public place.

Try to imagine what this country would be like if this smarmy tactic were projected at the national level.

www.thecapistranodispatch.comPage 12

SOAPBOX

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]

Susan Wilson

GUEST OPINION: Susan Wilson, Chairwoman of the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission

Discussions are taking place to consider the future governance of Orange County’s ‘last frontier’

W

South County Governance: The Answers Aren’t So Simple

ith most of Orange County now urbanized and the patchwork of city and special district service

providers largely in place, the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commis-sion still faces one significant challenge in south Orange County: identifying viable long-term governance options for south County’s remaining unincorporated communities—Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Wagon Wheel and the developing Rancho Mission Viejo prop-erty, located south of Mission Viejo and east of San Juan Capistrano and planned for 14,000 homes. When fully developed, the Rancho Mission Viejo community will be home to approximately 90,000 Orange County residents.

If history is our guide, why not just allow the remaining south Orange County unincorporated communities to incorpo-rate and become their own cities? Forming new cities was an effective governance so-lution for growing communities in Orange County in the 1950s and 1960s and again in the 1980s and 1990s. Unfortunately, in 2013, the answer is not that simple. From the state level, the way revenues are allo-cated to newly formed cities has changed dramatically, making the incorporation of a new city increasingly difficult. The new-est city to incorporate in California in July 2011, the city of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County, may also gain the notoriety of being the shortest-lived—and maybe the last—incorporated city in California’s 162-year history, according to City Manager Stephen Harding in an article published in Western City magazine. A last minute maneuver to balance the state budget re-sulted in the elimination of the single most important source of revenue to newly in-corporated revenues, vehicle license fees. Jurupa Valley is now considering filing for disincorporation unless the VLF funding issue is corrected by the state legislature. Simply stated, the city is running out of money to provide essential services.

As chair of OC LAFCO, I help oversee the network of local governments that provide municipal services to Orange County residents. What a network we have. As the third most populous county in California, we have 34 cities, 27 special districts and the County of Orange, each providing critical services to our county’s three million residents. Once a rural county dotted by orange groves, cattle ranches and vast expanses of open space, Orange County’s population boom started in the 1950s. We grew quickly as the result

of a post-demand for af-fordable housing in close proximity to the beach. From 1950 to 1970 alone, Orange County’s popula-tion grew from 216,224 to 1,420,386.

As the population continued to grow, new

unincorporated communities began to spring up in south Orange County—all under the guidance and governance of the county. As these communities matured and reached “build out,” the desire to make their own decisions over land use, budgets and governance issues became increasingly important. Beginning in 1988, a new wave of city formations began with the incorporation of Mission Viejo. Other unincorporated communities soon fol-lowed with Laguna Niguel and Dana Point in 1989, Laguna Hills and Lake Forest in 1991, Laguna Woods in 1999, Rancho Santa Margarita in 2000 and Aliso Viejo in 2001—all becoming cities within 12 years. These cities provided their residents a higher level of municipal services, im-proved access to local officials and offered an individual identity and long-term vision for their communities.

OC LAFCO can look back over the last 50 years with a level of pride in our success in guiding our local agencies toward provid-ing both effective and efficient municipal services delivery to Orange County residents. While incorporation may not be the short-term answer to the south County governance question, OC LAFCO has un-dertaken a deliberate and open “visioning” process to explore all viable long-term gov-ernance options for this area. The visioning process will likely be a multi-year, phased effort what will include the development of credible financial data and modeling and stakeholder discussions with local govern-ment and community leaders.

Susan Wilson is a Mission Viejo resident and is currently the chair of the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commis-sion and has served on the commission for 17 years. www.oclafco.org SC

HolidayHappeningsHappenings

and Gift Guide

Hawaiian Koa Wood Rings Sale $199

ZIA JEWELRY31761 Camino Capistrano #3,

San Juan Capistrano949.493.1322

ZiaJewelryOnline.com

HotPicks

Rosy Rings Hand Poured Candles

THE NEST31711 Los Rios StreetSan Juan Capistrano

949.661.1395

The Gathering of Friends Cookbook “A Year of Holidays” Vol. Six

$32.99

TWO DOORS DOWN32291 Camino Capistrano #B,

San Juan Capistrano949.443.1783Picks


YOUR TWO-WEEK EVENT PLANNER

GETTING OUT

THE LISTA day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET8 p.m. The classic holiday play at Camino Real Playhouse. Tickets $24. Shows through Decem-ber 22 with Thursday, Friday and weekend shows. 31776 El

Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

OCEAN INSTITUTE PARADE OF LIGHTS HOLIDAY CRUISE 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Listen to Christmas music and see the colorfully decorated boats cruising through the Harbor aboard an Ocean Institute cruise. Sweets, hot beverages and wine will be served. Tickets $50 adults, $40 children (age 4-12). 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

friday 13

SANTA PAWS EVENT 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Pet Project Foun-dation hosts the third annual event where pets can have their picture taken with Santa for a small fee at the Dana Point Har-

bor. All proceeds support the PPF. More info can be found online at www.petprojectfoundation.org.

WINTER FESTIVAL AND TREE LIGHTING Noon-7:30 p.m. The city of Dana Point presents a holiday event with activities, a tree lighting and more at La Plaza Park. Fees may apply. 34111 La Plaza St., Dana Point, 949.248.3530, www.danapoint.org.

CHRISTMAS TRAIN 4 p.m.-9 p.m. The Christmas Train at Irvine Park Railroad offers rides and other fun holiday activities. Ride tickets $10, available online only. Train runs through December. 23. 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, 714.997.3968, www.irvineparkrailroad.com.

SECOND SATURDAY ART FAIR 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Shop arts and crafts by local and regional artists. Event also features live music, business and restaurant specials, and more in downtown San Juan Capistrano along the streets of Camino Capistrano, Yorba, Verdugo and Los Rios. 949.493.4700, www.sjcartfair.org.

saturday14

SAWDUST ART FESTIVAL’S WINTER FANTASY 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Final day to visit the 23rd annual winter art festival with 175 artists displaying and selling original creations

including paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clothing and more at the Sawdust Festival grounds. Admission $3-$6. 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.494.3030, www.sawdustartfestival.org.

MIKE HAMILTON Noon-4 p.m. Live music at Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.240.8055, www.missiongrillsjc.com.

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR 1 p.m. Meet at the Depot platform for the Historical Society’s guided tour of San Juan Capistrano. Every Sunday. Cost $2-$4. More info: 949.493.8444, www.sjchistoricalsociety.com.

THE MANHATTAN TRANS-FER: CHRISTMAS SHOW8 p.m. Grammy Award-winning group performs holiday favor-ites at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Tickets start at

$39. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2121, www.scfta.org.

FRENCH MACARON CLASS 5 p.m. Cooking class with Chef Kat at The Cellar. Fees apply. 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, 949.492.3663, www.thecellarsite.com.

SAN CLEMENTE COMMUNITY MARKET HOLIDAY BAZAAR AND OPEN HOUSE 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Share some holiday cheer with the folks of the San Clemente Community Market at a member-owner’s private resi-dence. Listen to live music, browse handmade crafts and enjoy good company. Call or email for more info and loca-tion. 949.492.6021, [email protected], www.sanclementemarket.com.

(Cont. on page 18)

sunday 15

monday 16

Joel and Ethan Coen have been making strange fi lms their entire careers, since 1984. While not weird enough to turn off most audiences, like directors Terry Gilliam or Todd Solondz, the Coens’ movies are often strange enough to keep viewers interested while raising an eyebrow. The brothers have established a cult following with Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and became Oscar darlings with Fargo, No Country for Old Men and A Serious Man. Their latest feature, Inside Llewyn Davis, like their previous effort True Grit, tries to “normalize” the duo’s movies just a little bit. In 1961 Greenwich Village, a struggling folk musician named Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) sleeps on his friends’ couches regularly, owes money, can’t get his new solo album sold and is still mourning his music partner’s suicide. As if things aren’t bad enough, Llewyn discovers he’s impregnated Jean (Carey Mulligan), the wife of fellow musician Jim (Justin Timberlake). Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, Adam Driver and F. Murray Abraham make appearances throughout Llewyn’s short odyssey. Inside Llewyn Davis features some noticeable “Coenisms” but carries a bleak realism that sticks with the audience. Isaac delivers one of the best lead performances of the year, one deserv-ing of some award nods, and T Bone Burnett and Marcus Mumford create one of the great soundtracks of 2013. While Llewyn Davis fails as a successful musician, his story fi nds a small spotlight to shine. —Megan Bianco

AT THE MOVIES: IT’S A LITTLE WEIRD ‘INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS’

Courtesy photo

EDITOR’S PICK: Boat Parade of LightsGlowing vessels will brighten the chan-nels beginning at 7:30 p.m. as the 39th annual Boat Parade of Lights cruises the Dana Point Harbor for its last night. Decked

out boats of all shapes and sizes will parade around the county’s southernmost port, competing for judges’ awards. Holiday event-goers can view the parade from most spots in the Harbor. Visit www.danapointharbor.com for a parade map or call 949.496.5794 for more information.

Lighted boats cut the dark in the Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights. Photo by Lauralyn Loynes

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 7 a.m.-10 a.m. Join experi-enced birders for the annual bird count at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Bring binoculars and fi eld guide. $5. Call for info and direc-tions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org. SJC FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE10 a.m.-2 p.m. A wide selection of books offered at great prices in the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library Bookstore parking Lot, behind the library. 31495 El Camino Real, 949.412.4805, www.ocpl.org.

WINTER WONDERLAND 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Holiday event at Historic Town Center Park featuring real snow for kids to play in and sled on, musical performances, interactive games, crafts, ugly sweater contests, prizes and an appearance by Santa at Los Rios Plaza. 31806 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

CAPT. DAVE’S BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS CRUISE 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Be a part of the boat parade while enjoying beautifully decorated boats, holiday music and waving to the folks on shore from a Capt. Dave’s Dol-phin & Whale Watching Safari vessel. Tickets $25. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com.

THE ARK OF SAN JUAN PET ADOPTIONS 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Adoptions every Saturday; call for details. 10 a.m-2 p.m. puppies and dogs for adoption and noon-4 p.m. cats and kittens at PetSmart. 33963 Doheny Park Road, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org.

SWALLOW’S INN TOY DRIVE 8 a.m.-close. Drop off an unwrapped toy at The Swallow’s Inn to benefi t those less fortunate. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

DON MCLEAN 8 p.m. Legendary musician at The Coach House. Tickets $55. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.


GETTING OUT

KARAOKE WITH LES AND JOEL7 p.m. Every Wednesday at Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano,

949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FARMERS MARKET3 p.m.–7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba in San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.4700.

NEWPORT HARBOR CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. The 105th running of the holiday boat parade in Newport Harbor featuring the theme “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree!” Nightly shows through December 22. For route and more information, see www.christmasboatparade.com.

NATIVE AMERICAN BASKET WEAVING 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Experience the art of basket weaving, a Native American tradition, at Mission San Juan Capistrano. 26801 Ortega Highway., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

GARDEN ANGELS8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet every Thursday in front of the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park in San Juan Cap-istrano to help maintain the

garden and more. Bring gloves and wear close-toed shoes. 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.

LAGUNA BALLET’S THE NUTCRACKER7 p.m. Annual holiday performance featuring the nonprofit junior ballet company on the McKinney Theater stage at Saddleback College. Shows through December 22. Tickets $24. 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, 949.582.4656, www.saddleback.edu/arts.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Bring your cameras for a picture and visit with Santa in the retail area of the Dana Point Harbor. Find out more at www.danapointharbor.com.

LUNCH LOCAL 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Join the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce for lunch and net-working at Harlow’s Fine Cui-sine & Cocktails. 31111 Rancho

Viejo Road, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

DISNEY ON ICE: ROCKIN’ EVER AFTER7:30 p.m. Disney on Ice brings a rockin’ remix of roy-alty to Honda Center. Tickets $17-$79. Performances through December 22. 2695 E. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, 714.704.2500, www.hondacenter.com.

HALF-PRICED WHALE WATCHINGNoon and 2 p.m. Two-hour whale watching adventures are half-price year-round at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. Cost $22.50. Times may vary. 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME 11:15 a.m. Children ages 3-6 and caregivers are invited for stories, songs, crafts and fun at the library. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

GARY HO HO HOEY 8 p.m. Legendary guitarist plays holiday hits at The Coach House. Tickets $20-$23. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930,

www.thecoachhouse.com. OC ELVIS 8 p.m. Live music at Wind & Sea Restaurant. 34699 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.6500, www.windandsearestaurants.com. HART & SOUL 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Live music at Adele’s. 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente, 949.481.1222, www.adelesatthesanclementeinn.com. FIESTA ASSOCIATION CHRISTMAS PARTY 6 p.m.-11 p.m. The organization’s holiday celebration at the San Juan Hills Golf Club with dinner and more. Tickets $20 per person. 32120 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capist-rano, 949.493.1167, www.swallowsparade.com. MIDNIGHT WHISKEY 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Live at Mon-tego Restaurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Highway., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

CHARLES DICKENS CAROLERS 6 p.m.-8 p.m. The spirit of the season comes alive with musical performanc-es at the Kaleidoscope. 27741 Crown Valley Parkway., Mission Viejo, 949.582.1948, www.gokaleidoscope.com.

JERI CURL 9 p.m. Special “old school” concert at StillWater Spirits & Sounds. Cover $5. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

thursday 19

tuesday 17

friday20

wednesday18

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

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

SOUTH COAST SINGERS: SLEIGH BELLS RING 7 p.m. The South Coast Sing-ers present their annual holi-day concert at South Shores Church featuring traditional

favorites, new tunes and more to celebrate the season. Tickets $15-$20. 32712 Crown Valley Parkway, Dana Point 949.613.7840, visit www.southcoastsingers.org.

FOOD DRIVE Noon-5 p.m. The Capistrano Eagles Mo-torcycle Club hosts a food drive at Swallow’s Inn. Bring non-perishable food items to support Father Serra’s Pantry. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

UGLY SWEATER CONTEST 8 p.m. Wear your best ugly holiday sweater for a chance to win big at The Swal-low’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

BERLIN 8 p.m. Berlin rocks The Coach House. Tickets $25. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 8 p.m. The classic holi-day play at Camino Real Playhouse. Tickets $24. Final show December 22. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

JENNIFER KEITH WITH SPECIAL GUESTS 8 p.m. Jazz at StillWater Spirits & Sounds. $5. 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.661.6003, www.danapointstillwater.com.

CRAFT FAIR AND FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Fresh produce, crafted goods, flowers and much more at La Plaza Park in Dana Point every Saturday. 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

SAN CLEMENTE FARM-ERS MARKET 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Bundles of flowers, fresh pro-duce and more every Sunday on Avenida Del Mar in downtown San Clemente. Rain or shine.

SERRA CHAPEL TOUR 11:15 a.m. A tour of the Mission in honor of Father Junipero Serra, who was born 300 years ago this year. Offered Sundays. Admission $6–$9. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

PHOTOS AND VISITS WITH SANTA CLAUS 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit with Santa at the St. Regis Monarch Beach. Free. 1 Monarch Beach Resort, N. Dana Point, 949.234.3200, www.stregismb.com.

sunday 22

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS AT THE MISSION 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Make homemade crafts at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Cost $1-$3, in addition to admis-sion. 26801 Ortega Highway.,

949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. San Clemente Presbyterian Church holds two family services for the holiday. Communions by candlelight are held at 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. 119 Avenida De La

Estrella, San Clemente, 949.492.6158, wwwscpres.org.

MIDNIGHT MASS 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Special midnight Latin mass at Serra Chapel at the Mission. 26801 Ortega Highway., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300,www.missionsjc.com.

monday 23

tuesday 24

CHRISTMAS MASS7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. Christmas Day mass at Mission Basilica. 31522 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1360, www.missionparish.org.

wednesday25

THREE CHORD JUSTICE7:30 p.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capist-rano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

BAR VIBRATIONS 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Music at Mon-tego Restaurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Highway., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com

thursday 26

saturday21

CHRISTMAS DAY

CHRISTMAS EVE

ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOUR 10 a.m. Discover 200 years of San Juan architecture on a walk that includes adobes, Spanish-era dwellings and modern buildings. Meet at Verdugo Street. $5 donation supports the Friends of the Library. For more info, call 949.489.0736.

(Cont. from page 17)

4LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY

SJC LIVING

4COMMUNITY CALENDARSaturday 12.14

Winter Wonderland 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. As part of the Economic Preservation Committee’s “Follow the Swallows, Shop Local” program, the city is hosting a free holiday event featuring real snow for children to play in, musical performances, games, an ugly sweater contest, an appear-ance by Santa and free gift wrapping for guests with receipts from local businesses. Historic Town Center Park, 31852 El Camino Real. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 949.493.4700.

Monday 12.16

Parks, Recreation and Senior Ser-vices Commission Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Tuesday 12.17

Utilities Commission Meeting 8 a.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Council and Successor Agency Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.


PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not refl ect those of the The Dispatch or Picket Fence Me-dia. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]

Friday 12.20

Coffee Chat8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues, hosted by The Dispatch founder Jonathan Volzke. Occurs every Friday. All are welcome. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano.

Monday 12.23 – Wednesday 1.1

City Offi ces ClosedCity Hall and the Community Center will be closed for the holidays, Decem-ber 23 to January 1.

ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50

By Tom Blake

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

A

Finding the Right Time

s we age, many people develop serious health problems.

For singles who are dating, an important consideration is: When do you reveal your condition to a new person you meet and like?

You fear rejection. You are afraid if you reveal your ailment, the person will disap-pear. And yet you are an honest individual and want to be fair.

When do you have that health conver-sation? Is there a good time?

Yvonne said, “Maybe not on the fi rst date, but within the fi rst fi ve. At least then your date knows exactly what he or she is dealing with and can decide how to proceed. Some dates will run, and that’s OK. But with honesty up front, there is no sense of having been deceived later on.”

Mary said, “After a few dates and if you sense that it might become an on-going relationship, you owe it to your compan-ion to reveal health issues. It happened to me when I went on lymphoma cancer watch. I told the man I was dating, even before I told my adult children.

“After two years of scans and lab work, I was declared OK. The person I shared this with had cared for his wife for a num-ber of years and I thought he deserved to know so he could leave if this troubled him. He didn’t leave until a year later, for different reasons.”

Daryl met a man online whose profi le stated he loved fl ying his own plane and hiking at his cabin in Colorado.

She said, “He was a nice fellow who was anxious to meet for lunch. I arrived fi rst and was watching out the window when he drove up. The problem was immediately clear when he had diffi culty getting out of his automobile. Chunky but not obese, he commented that his knees needed ‘replacing.’

When to reveal health issues to potential mates“When I mentioned

that I walk every day with my 90-pound pooch, he was frank enough to say he was unable to walk down the block. The lunch was nice. Had he indicated he was scheduling the surgery, I would have kept up a phone

relationship, but he was ‘putting off the surgery.’ No way.”

Claire dated a man for two months. She noticed at times he had red blotches on his hands. When she asked about them, he said he had banged his hand on some-thing. Claire said, “Three months into our relationship, he confessed he was dying from a rare type of cancer from which there was no cure. We cried together when he revealed this to me.

“He said each time I came to his house, he hid the calendar that had his doctors appointments on it and his prescriptions, because if I knew about his illness I would break off the relationship. I broke it off because I was beginning to love him and feeling an attachment to him. I did not want to go through losing him.”

Sid, 70, said, “I was a care-taker for my wife for six years before she passed away from breast cancer, and I don’t want to go through that again, especially in my later years. My advice is to have the conversa-tion sooner rather than later and before becoming intimate.”

The consensus: Be honest. Reveal your condition within a few dates.

To share your thoughts, email Tom at [email protected].

The next Meet & Greet for singles age 50 plus is Wednesday, December 18, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Tutor and Spunky’s

Deli in Dana Point. The event will feature Carl the DJ and a fun, white elephant gift exchange. For more details, visit www.tutorandspunkys.com.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point business owner and San Clemente resident who has authored books on middle-aged dating. See his website at www.fi ndingloveafter50.com

for more dating advice. CD

www.thecapistranodispatch.comPage 22

GUEST OPINION: Moments In Time by Jan Siegel

MOMENTSIN TIME

By Jan Siegel

SJC LIVING

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Dispatch or Picket Fence Me-dia. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at [email protected]

Spanish and Native American cultures have long celebrated Christmas with chocolate

As we get ready to celebrate the Christmas sea-

son, it is important to remember that in the Spanish and Mexican cultures, the Christmas tree, the Christmas wreath and the punch bowl were not part of the early traditions.

What was important, however, was chocolate.

The Mayans and the Aztecs used chocolate in their religious observances. When the Spanish missionaries came to the New World, they were already aware of the power of chocolate within the na-tive populations. The missionaries found chocolate enjoyable, and so it was a natural culmination to include chocolate in services in order to attract the native people.

Even today, it is normal in the Native American community that after midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, in the crèches in the family homes, that the baby Jesus be given a cup of hot chocolate.

Perhaps the person most influential in bringing chocolate into California was Fr. Junípero Serra.

When leaving Spain for the New World, Fr. Serra packed chocolate, which had been available in Europe, since it was discovered by early explor-ers in Latin America, more than 100 years before his birth. In her book, On the Chocolate Trail, Deborah Prinz wrote that when Serra arrived in Mexico City, he “created a set of administrative guide-lines for the College of San Fernando, which included chocolate usage and con-cerns. His rules cautioned against giving women chocolate at any of the meals in the convent, perhaps to avoid possibili-ties of seduction or tempting distractions … Later, during a terrible cold spell, while founding the second mission at the Monterey Presidio, Father Serra noted ‘chocolate that, thanks God, we were not lacking up to now.’”

Serra carried chocolate with him while tending to the sick and also used it to motivate hard work. Chocolate was part of the welcoming mission hospital-ity. “Some 44 of Father Serra’s many letters mention chocolate, indicating its importance in the daily life of the mis-sions,” Prinz wrote.

In the list of objects, materials and foodstuffs which were shipped to Alta California in 1769 by land and sea were

576 pounds of chocolate and 11 pounds of pinole, an aromatic powder used in the making of chocolate. In 1771, another shipment for the missions included 224 pounds of chocolate. In 1773, Fr. Serra requested that the port of San Blas remain open to ship cargo to Alta California “not only for corn but for chocolate loads.”

In Fr. Serra’s time, chocolate was stone ground. Today, you can spend a Moment in Time and experience the same kind of chocolate enjoyed by Serra by purchasing a Taza chocolate bar from the Mission Store. Taza, a Massachusetts company, prides itself on making chocolate the old fashioned way.

Whether you toast the holiday season with a glass of wine or a cup of hot choco-late, remember the man who brought both drinks to California.

Happy holidays and a happy New Year to all.

Jan Siegel is a 26-year resident of San Juan Capistrano. She has served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 11 years and has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 15 years. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. CD

Fr. Serra’s Sweet Tooth for Chocolate

Chocolate was an important part of daily life in the California missions. In San Juan Capistrano, the Mission Store carries several brands of chocolate, including Taza, a Massachusetts-based company that makes chocolate using old fashioned methods. Photo by Brian Park

B U S I N E S S D I R E C T O R YLocals Only

SUBMIT YOUR CLASSIFIED AD ONLINE AT

WWW.THECAPISTRANODISPATCH.COM

CLASSIFIEDS

LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN “LOCALS ONLY”

Call today! Contact Angela Edwards at 949.682.1667 or email [email protected].

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

JEWELER

Vermeulen’s Landscaping Inc. [email protected]

LANDSCAPING

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.538831942 Paseo Sagrado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

MOLD REMOVAL

San Juan Photo & Digital 949.661.566832301 Camino Capistrano, www.sjcphotodigital.com

PHOTO & DIGITAL LAB

A to Z Leak Detection 949.499.4464www.atozleakdetection.comChick’s Plumbing 949.496.9731www.chicks-plumbing.com

San Juan Hills Dog Walking Services 949.542.4981Safe, Certifi ed, Insured & Bonded, www.sjhillsdogwalking.com

PLUMBING

PROFESSIONAL DOG WALKING SERVICES

Excel Electric - CA #793860 949.493.776932238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

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

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

HOME ORGANIZATION

Excel Electric 949.493.776932238 Paseo Adelanto E-I, www.excelelectric.com

ELECTRICIANS

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.132127126 Paseo Espada, Suite 1604, www.oasisair.com

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

Independence Bank 949.373.896332291 Camino Capistrano, Suite A,www.independence-bank.net

BANKING

GraCorp Coins & Collectibles 949.350.4692www.gracorpcoins.com

COINS

B U S I N E S S • S P O T L I G H T

Jarvis Restoration 949.362.538831942 Paseo Sagrado, www.jarvisrestoration.com

WATER DAMAGE

Bryan Krueger Enterprises, Inc. 949.212.049933208 Paseo De Cerveza, Ste. B

ROOF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools 949.493.568332032 Del Obispo Street, www.cvcs.org

SCHOOLS

Dress Well Boutique 949.922.804433712 Calle Miramar, www.DressWellBoutique.com

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

WOMEN’S CLOTHING & HANDBAG BOUTIQUE

TILE & STONE INSTALLATION/RESTORATION

The only directory featuring San Juan Capistrano businesses exclusively

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD

HERECall 949.388.7700, ext. 104

or email [email protected]

BUSINESS DIRECTORYBUSINESS DIRECTORY

FOR SALE

HELP WANTED

QUEEN PILLOW TOP MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING Brand New. Never Used. Still in Manufacturers sealed plastic with warranty. $195 Call 949-436-6850

FOR SALEQUEEN EURO PILLOWTOP MATTRESS $150STILL IN PLASTIC! GREAT BUY! 949-842-9994

MACHINE REPAIR TECHNICIAN – ENTRY LEVEL Job for Machine Repair Technician Trainee. Previous experience at tools a plus but we are willing to train the right person as apprentice trainee. Job requires candidate to repair and maintain industrial machinery. Must have clean CA drivers license record. Random drug testing. Local residents from Mission Viejo/San Juan Capistrano preferred. Send resume via fax to 94.276.4231 or email [email protected].


Holiday Sale & Chairty Event! *Top Qual-ity Handbag Sale* - Dooney & Bourke, Tignanello, B.Makowsky and more! By Dress Well Boutique. Co-Hosted with Cam Graeber, Keller Williams OC Coastal Realty (949) 533-7435. Mention your favorite charity and 20% of your total purchase will be donated to the charity of your choice! Saturday November 2nd, 10am-4pm. 33712 Calle Miramar, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 *(OR SHOW-ING ON OTHER DAYS BY APPOINT-MENT)* Call Toll Free (855) 445-9881. www.DressWellBoutique.com

SALES PERSON WANTEDPicket Fence Media, owner of the San Clem-ente Times, Dana Point Times and Capistrano Dispatch, is looking for an advertising sales rep to join our dynamic team. We’re looking for an organized, hard-working individual with a great personality who can create marketing solu-tions for local businesses and push for growth in both print and online media platforms. Ideal candidate will have prior experience with me-dia sales. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Alyssa Garrett at [email protected].

5STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

SPORTS& OUTDOORS

5his is part one of our two-part series of local high school winter sports preview issues. This week,

we feature the winter sports programs at Saddleback Valley Christian, Capistrano Valley Christian and St. Margaret’s. Next week’s issue will feature JSerra Catholic and San Juan Hills.

Follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports for in-game updates, news and more.

CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN

BOYS BASKETBALLLast Year: The Eagles went 22-5 overall,

fi nishing second in the San Joaquin League standings. They advanced to the fi rst round of the CIF-SS Division 5A Championships.

Players to Watch: Kci Thompson, Peter Abramsky, Diego Smith and Trevor Cantarini

Outlook: This version of the Eagles boys basketball team will be the deepest to hit the court in head coach Zach Brogdon’s four-year tenure. For a team that found its groove last year during a 22-win season, the loss of only one senior bodes well for the Eagles chances of maintaining momentum into 2014.

Four starters return for the Eagles, including Abramsky, last year’s leading scorer, Thompson, the starting point guard, and big men Smith and Cantarini.

Brogdon says following the loss of senior RJ Thompson, Smith and Canta-rini will be called upon to provide more offense in the paint. With the big men operating down low, that should free up Abramsky, who made 85 3-pointers in 2013, and Thompson to produce outside.

“Having so many returning players re-ally helps us focus on just the execution of our stuff instead of teaching the concepts,” Brogdon said. “We’re really excited for

San Juan Capistrano High School Winter Sports PreviewBy Steve Breazeale and Michael Vogeler



T

the veteran group we have coming back. We’re looking forward to a really good year.” – SB

GIRLS SOCCERLast Year: Capistrano Valley Christian

went 6-8-1 overall and fi nished fourth in the San Joaquin League.

Players to Watch: Emily Shanton, Lauren Messore, Mia Wallace and Alexis Rucker

Outlook: After lying dormant for fi ve years, the girls soccer program at Cap-istrano Valley Christian was revived last season. This year, the upstart team is un-der the guidance of fi rst-year head coach Jessica McDonnell.

The team’s offense will come from the duo of Shanton, a junior, and Messore, a sophomore. Shanton and Messore oper-ated as the team’s forwards last year and are among the limited number of return-ing Eagles players.

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

There was no shortage of drama in the St. Margaret’s football team’s run to the CIF-SS East Valley Division championship game.

First, there was the Tartans’ late goal line stand to defeat Rim of the World, the team that ousted them from the playoffs in back to back years, in the second round.

Then came a 35-28 overtime win over Big Bear in the semifi nals that ended on a Tartans fumble recovery. Big Bear had tied St. Margaret’s four times in the game, but never took the lead. St. Margaret’s senior quarterback

TARTANS FOOTBALL RUN ENDS AT CIF FINALS

Senior quarterback Josh Davis, 12, and the St. Margaret’s football team advanced to the CIF-SS East Valley Division championship game. File photo

Josh Davis was the offensive catalyst in the game, rushing for 173 yards on 18 carries for four rushing touch-downs.

Wallace, a junior, returns as the team’s goalie.

“We’re going to rely on a lot of ball movement from the backfi eld and speed,” McDonnell said. “They’re dedicated and they’re going to be in really great shape.” – SB

BOYS SOCCERLast Year: The Eagles went 6-11-3 overall

and fi nished fi fth in the eight-team San Joaquin League.

Players to Watch: Austin Aguas, Josh Anderson and Justin Burger

Outlook: The Eagles will look to make a foothold in the San Joaquin League in 2014 under the guidance of fi rst-year head coach David Anderson. Anderson was an assistant on the San Juan Hills staff last year, but joins the Eagles for the new season.

Anderson brings with him a coach-ing philosophy that revolves around the strength of the midfi eld and defensive back line. Luckily for the Eagles, they return several starters from last year who fi ll those positions.

Anderson (center midfi eld), team cap-tain Burger (midfi eld) and Jacob Castillo (midfi eld) all return.

Joining the offensive attack up top is senior forward Sam Sukut, a standout running back for the Eagles football team. – SB

ST. MARGARET’S

BOYS BASKETBALLLast Year: The Tartans came in second

place in the Academy League and ad-vanced to the quarterfi nals of the CIF-SS Division 4A playoffs.

Players to Watch: Willie Morrison, Brent Cahill, Matt Nicholas, David Nis-senoff and Jameson Edwards.

Outlook: With only one senior lost from last season, experience and depth are non-issues for the Tartans. Four of their fi ve starters return from last year, which head coach Brian Carmer attributes to the team’s great chemistry and confi dence.

The Tartans (3-1) have consistency, as well as leadership, throughout their lineup and have a history of relying on multiple players to lead the offense. In 15 of 29

(Cont. on page 26)

But in the fi nal game against Jurupa Hills on December 7 the Tartans fell behind 24-7 after the fi rst half and could not recover. They would go on to lose 41-24.

The appearance in the championship game capped off another success-ful season for the Tartans. They went undefeated in Academy League play and fi nished the year with a 12-2 overall record. The seniors on the team were the fi rst class of players to play all four years under the guidance of head coach Rod Baltau, who landed the job in 2010. — Steve Breazeale

Capistrano Valley Christian’s Justin Burger will captain the boys soccer team this season. Photo by Steve Breazeale

Capistrano Valley Christian’s Diego Smith puts up a jump shot during practice. Photo by Steve Breazeale


SPORTS & OUTDOORS(Cont. from page 24)

games last season, the Tartans had a dif-ferent leading scorer on the night.

Seniors Morrison and Edwards will be team captains this season, and both were key components in last year’s deep playoff run.

Junior brothers Brian and Chris Mur-phy highlight a strong group of under-classmen, and they are joined by freshman Sebastian Much (6-feet-6-inches), who pulled in 24 rebounds in the Tartans first two games.

The goal for the team is to win the Acad-emy league, which has been won by rival Brethren Christian the past two seasons.

“We just have a solid group of guys who buy into what we do. They play well together and enjoy being around each other. It’s just a great group,” Carmer said. –Michael Vogeler

GIRLS BASKETBALLLast Year: St. Margaret’s went 17-8

overall, finishing in second place in the Academy League. They advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS playoffs.

Players to Watch: Juliana Coleman and Yamilli Burgos.

Outlook: The Tartans have high hopes for their season this year. They have six seniors on the roster, who will help to provide experience and leadership.

Head coach Lori Fava scheduled a tough preseason lineup in order to get the team ready for Academy League play, which includes rival Crean Lutheran, as well as Whitney. The team is also playing in the JSerra Tournament later this month, which will feature some of the top ranked teams in the state.

Coleman and Burgos are both four-year starters for the Tartans, and are expected to have big seasons. – MV

GIRLS SOCCERLast Year: The Tartans captured the

Academy League title and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 5 Championships.

Players to Watch: Alexa Barbaresi, Hillary Beall, Blake Crowley, Taylor Short and Sarah Gencarella.

Outlook: The Tartans may have lost eight starters to graduation and transfers, but an influx in young talent has them poised to contend for the league title and yet another deep playoff run.

The Tartans have only one senior, Barbaresi, but are full of rising talent, including a strong crop of freshman.

Beall, a freshman goalie who is in the U14 USA National team pool, notched her first varsity start December 11 when the Tartans defeated Saddleback Valley Chris-tian 5-1. Crowley gave those in attendance a possible glimpse of things to come by recording a hat trick and tallying an assist in the victory.

The young talent will be surrounded by returning players like Short, a junior center back, and Gencarella, a sophomore midfielder.

“We have some retuning players who

are going to play a lot of minutes and do well for us and we have freshmen who will be really good,” head coach Johnny Marmelstein said. – Steve Breazeale

WRESTLINGLast Year: The Tartans went 4-6 on the

year, while sending 12 out of their 14 wres-tlers to the CIF Masters meet.

Wrestlers to Watch: Jason Kim and Logan Jones

Outlook: Head coach Jorge Carrizosa believes that his young Tartans squad won’t let their inexperience get in their way of competing for the dual league title.

There is only one senior on the team, Kim, and two juniors. With mostly all freshmen and sophomores on the roster, the Tartans lack experience, but have still developed since last year, according to Carrizosa.

This year the Tartans will honor the life of Jeff Fohrman, a volunteer coach who passed away last year after battling brain cancer. All of the proceeds from the Jeff Fohrnman Memorial Tournament, set to take place December 20-21, will be donated to brain cancer research at UCI Medical Center. – MV

SADDLEBACK VALLEY CHRISTIAN

BOYS BASKETBALLLast Year: The Warriors claimed the San

Joaquin League title and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 5AA Championships.

Players to Watch: Eric Rwahwire and Miles Seward

Outlook: The defending San Joaquin League champion Saddleback Valley Christian boys basketball team has a lot of promise this season.

The Warriors (3-1) return four start-ers from last year’s CIF-SS Division 5AA quarterfinals run and could benefit with the addition of transfer Mario Soto to their lineup. Soto is reportedly in the process of transferring from Mater Dei, where he was a part of their state championship effort last season, and is awaiting a ruling on his valid change of residence from the CIF offices.

Leading the way for the up-tempo Warriors offense will be Rwahwire and Seward, two play-making forwards.

It’s early in the season but the Warriors already have impressive wins over Foothill and Mission Viejo, both perennial Division 1AA playoff teams.

“Everybody’s goal is to win CIF so that’s our ultimate goal, as a team, to make it to the finals and win it,” head coach Tom Lewis said. – SB

GIRLS BASKETBALLLast Year: The Warriors went 11-13

overall and placed fifth in the San Joaquin League.

Players to Watch: Madelyn Seward, April McWayne and Amaris Perryman

Outlook: Last season the Warriors had to compete with only six players on their roster. This year, they will be a much

deeper team, thanks to the addition of five more players.

Although they will have a deeper bench to draw from, the Warriors will still rely on familiar faces. A quartet of returning seniors, featuring Seward, McWayne, Per-ryman and Maddi Bernier remain part of the core starting rotation.

Head coach Jesse Mercado, who enters his second year at the helm, says the team’s defense has been the key to the Warriors 5-0 start to the new season.

The Warriors depth increased over the offseason following the addition of San Clemente High School senior transfer Makenna Gilbert. – SB

BOYS SOCCERLast Year: The Warriors placed second

in the San Joaquin League and advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS Division 7 Championships.

Players to Watch: Brandon Adickes, David Zamora and Matt Misberg

Outlook: The Warriors lost three impact seniors to graduation over the offseason, including the 26-goal scorer Brock Pitt-man. Looking to fill that void will be team captains Adickes (central midfield) and Zamora (forward).

Head coach Stephen Jennings said the team may be down in the offensive cat-egory with the loss of Pittman, but where they have made strides over the offseason is on defense. The backbone of the defen-sive unit will be junior goalie Minsberg, who Jennings said is a physical presence in the box.

The Warriors (1-3-2) have faced tough competition in the early going and will continue to test themselves at the North Orange County Classic from December 20-21. The Warriors are in Division 7 of the CIF-SS but will face plenty of Division 3 talent at the tournament. – SB

GIRLS SOCCERLast Year: The Warriors did not lose a

game in league play en route to the San Joaquin League title. They advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS Division 7 Championships.

Players to Watch: Maddie Castle, Syn-dey Martin, Aubrey Snowball and Katelyn Sonksen

Outlook: The Warriors enter the new season as the five-time defending San Joaquin League champions and this year, head coach Josh Cummins is preparing the team not just for the regular season and league play, but for a deep playoff run.

In anticipation for the tough competition that they will face in the postseason, Cum-mins has scheduled a scrimmage against Newport Harbor and nonleague games against JSerra Catholic and St. Margaret’s in hopes that his squad will gain experi-ence in the process.

The Warriors will rely on the all-around game of Castle, who was second on the team in goals scored last year. Castle’s offensive playmaking abilities will be an-chored by the Warriors consistent goalie, Martin, according to Cummins. – SB CD

Saddleback Valley Christian junior midfielder Kara Carlson, 17, jostles for position during a nonleague game against La Harba. Photo by Jennifer Snowball

Documents

December 13, 2013