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L O C A L N E W S Y O U C A N U S EJune 12-18, 2015

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 24

www.danapointtimes.com

E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 6

Lights Flickered and Dimmed Monday Due to

SDG&E Low Voltage IssueEYE ON DP/PAGE 3

Will BevMo! Be a Go?Planning Commission votes to approve a permit to allow Beverages & More to sell

alcoholic beverages at an approved building site in the Lantern District

A group of residents opposed to the Planning Commission’s approval of a conditional use permit for a BevMo! store at the Lantern District’s southern border, demonstrated at the site Wednesday. Photo: Andrea Swayne

Grom of the Week:

Patrick O’ConnorSURF/PAGE 22

Children Report Kidnapping Attempt,

Recant StoryEYE ON DP/PAGE 5

Dolphin Baseball Players Selected in MLB Draft PAGE 20

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON DP

www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 3

WHAT’S NEXT: The cause of the outage remains under investigation, but officials have said that “crews were completing planned maintenance work on a transmis-sion line that serves Orange County when the power fluctuations first occurred.”

SDG&E External Relations Manager Duane Cave said the transmission line in question is the one that feeds the Talega substation. Cave said the line was taken out of service to perform routine mainte-nance when the incident occurred.

“It appears that a device that monitors voltage failed during this work, impacting the distribution system,” the company’s statement said. “SDG&E is committed to providing reliable energy service and always working to improve reliability.”

FIND OUT MORE: People who have questions about the incident can contact SDG&E at 1.800.411.7343. — Allison Jarrell and Andrea Swayne

People press CUSD to Reinstate Halt as Principal at SCHSTHE LATEST: For many San Clemente High School students, parents and faculty, it was a bittersweet reunion June 4.

Hundreds of Michael Halt support-ers—many sporting red and black “I Like Mike” buttons— showed up to the special Thursday night meeting of the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trust-ees, some planning to speak in favor of

the board authorizing an independent investigation into the facts surrounding Halt’s dismissal in May—the sole item on the agenda.

The surprises continued following the board’s closed session, during which the trustees voted unanimously to reelect Halt as a CUSD principal. A roar of applause broke out before the board was able to finish relaying the verdict.

It wasn’t until after the cheers died down that Halt supporters received the kicker—his reelection wasn’t to San Clem-ente High School.

“Now that we are at the end of this deliberative process, I am certain that we have learned from this extraordinarily challenging experience,” Board President Lynn Hatton-Hodson said during a pre-pared statement.

“Based on extensive review of the available records and information, as well as candid in-person discussions in closed session, and after careful and thoughtful deliberation, the board unanimously voted 7-0 in favor to adopt the superintendent’s recommendation to offer Michael Halt reelection for the 2015-2016 school year, subject to his acceptance of an alternate administrative assignment within his area’s credential … Under the terms of the superintendent’s recommendation ad-opted by the board, if the offer is accepted, the probationary certificated employee may return to an administrative position at a different work site.”

Hatton-Hodson added that Halt will be invited to the San Clemente High School graduation ceremony. Later in the meet-

ing, it was clarified that the seniors’ diplo-mas will have Halt’s signature on them.

Halt said after the meeting that he’s “excited to be there and see them off.”

Following the announcement, Trustee John Alpay, San Clemente’s representative on the board, spoke during his open ses-sion agenda item to authorize an indepen-dent investigation into the facts surround-ing Halt’s personnel matters. If Halt were to accept the board’s offer, Alpay asked instead that the district focus on moving forward.

Twenty-one public speakers were called up to the podium, making last-minute adjustments to their prepared comments. The impromptu speeches shared a com-mon theme: thanks for listening, but it’s not enough.

Senior Grant Meyer presented the board with a petition signed by over 400 SCHS seniors. Meyer said the petition, which originally asked that a U.S. Marine Corps Commandant replace Halt at their graduation, was also a symbol of the impact he had on the class.

“Throughout this entire process, I’ve been overwhelmed and amazed by all the support that I’ve received from the entire community—parents, teachers, students, even people who don’t have kids at San Clemente High School,” Halt told the San Clemente Times. “They’ve rallied to sup-port me.”

WHAT’ S NEXT: Following the June 4 meeting, Halt said he’s looking “forward

(Cont. on page 5)

What’s Up With...Five things Dana Point should know this week

DPDana Point

City Manager to Speak at Next Coffee ChatTHE LATEST: The Dana Point Civic As-sociation’s Coffee Chat on Friday, June 19 will feature guest speaker Doug Chotkev-ys, Dana Point’s city manager.

Chotkevys will be discussing a variety of issues and updating information relat-ing to the recently adopted two-year city budget and taking questions from the audience.

The chat will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at The Coffee Importers, 34531 Golden Lantern in the Dana Point Harbor. All are welcome.

WHAT’S NEXT: Coffee Chats are held on the third Friday of each month. Guest speakers and discussion topics vary to include issues and items of interest to Dana Point residents. The event is always free and open to the public. Complimen-tary coffee is served, courtesy of Coffee Importers.—Andrea Swayne

Low Voltage Causes Flickering Lights in South Orange County THE LATEST: Flickering lights across south Orange County Monday morning were the result of widespread low voltage issues, San Diego Gas & Electric officials said.

Reports of dimming and flickering lights were first reported at about 7:30 a.m. Monday, June 8, and the problem was resolved by 9:30 a.m., said Amber Albrecht, SDG&E spokesperson.

According to a statement released by SDG&E, the company was alerted of the issue via smart meter technology and immediately began working to resolve the power fluctuation.

SDG&E’s outage map, posted online at www.sdge.com/safety/outages/outage-map, showed that cities/communities affected included San Clemente, Talega, Dana Point, Capo Beach, San Juan Capist-rano, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Ladera Ranch, Coto De Caza and Mission Viejo. SDG&E Communications Manager Hanan Eisenman said about 125,000 customers were impacted throughout south Orange County.

Surrounded by family and supporters, Michael Halt smiles after the CUSD Board of Trustees announced his reelection as a district principal on June 4. Photo: Allison Jarrell

EYE ON DP

(Cont. from page 3)

to the opportunity of really having a dia-logue with the superintendent and being able to see what might be next.”

Julie Hatchel, CUSD Assistant Super-intendent of Communications and Public Relations, said Tuesday “the district is working with Mr. Halt regarding place-ment for next year.” No further comment was provided, as the subject falls within Halt’s “personnel matters.”

The SC Times filed a Public Records Act Request June 1 in order to obtain records, emails and other documents pertaining to Halt’s employment in the district, beginning with his initial hire in May 2013. The district had not yet responded to that request by press time.

Since June 4, supporters of Halt have taken action by requesting that Super-intendent Kirsten Vital agendize “dis-cussion of CUSD practices used when evaluating principals” during a future open session.

According to the board’s bylaws listed on the CUSD website, “Any member of the public may request that a matter with-in the jurisdiction of the board be placed on the agenda of a regular meeting … The superintendent shall place the matter on a future regular board meeting agenda within 45 days of receipt of the request, taking into account orderly conduct of the district’s business … There is no requirement in state law that the board take action on, or even deliberate about such an item. It must, however, be placed on the agenda …” (BB 9322-(a)).

Alpay said Wednesday he thought the response was “going in the wrong direc-tion.”

“The district office needs to under-stand San Clemente,” Alpay said. “We rally around our own.”—AJ

NRC Grants SONGS Emergency Preparedness Plan ChangeTHE LATEST: In a June 4 press release from Southern California Edison, Thomas Palmisano, vice president of the

decommissioning and chief nuclear of-ficer, stated the Nuclear Regulation Com-mission had loosened its grip on some of the mandates for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

“The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted Southern California Edison’s request to alter the emergency prepared-ness plan for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to reflect the plant’s decommissioning status,” an NRC press release stated. “As a result, there will not be a 10-mile emergency planning zone identified in the license for SONGS. The plant will maintain an onsite emergency plan and response capabilities, including the continued notification of state and local government officials for an emergency declaration.”

Palmisano said in the release that SEC will maintain the majority of its safety preparedness, but the alterations mean

the company will no longer be required to maintain pre-planned, off-site radiologi-cal area emergency plans for the 10-mile designated zone.

The release stated since the reactors had been shut down, there is not as high a level of danger from accidents as in the past, but it does still have more than 1,600 tons of nuclear waste below the station. Emergency drills will continue be prac-ticed at SONGS.

WHAT’S NEXT: The SONGS Decommis-sioning Education Fair is scheduled 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9 at the Laguna Hills Community Center, 25555 Alicia Pkwy.

FIND OUT MORE: Update information about SONGS can be found at www.songscommunity.com. —Eric Heinz

Child Victims Retract Story after Reportedly Being FollowedTHE LATEST: Orange County Sher-iff’s Department Special Victims Unit investigators were seeking assistance in locating a child annoyance suspect Wednesday afternoon after the man reportedly approached two male juveniles on Camino Capistrano near the intersec-tion of Via Cannon. It was discovered later in the day that no crime had actually occurred, with the victims recanting their story.

The suspect, driving a white truck, was said to have approached 12-year-old and 9-year-old brothers as they rode their scooters down the street from their house to a nearby swim school, according to a release from Lt. Jeff Hallock.

Both juveniles became frightened and continued riding their scooters to the swim school as the suspect followed them a short distance in the white truck. Once at the swim school, the suspect did not stop and drove away in an unknown direction. The victims did not notify any-one at the swim school of the incident, but they notified their mother when they returned home.

The suspect was described as a “surfer looking” male, white, late 20s to mid-30s with a goatee and facial hair. The Toyota truck had a ladder in the back and two motorcycles in the bed.

WHAT’S NEXT: Lt. Hallock sent an email around 4 p.m. Wednesday asking those who received the earlier release to dis-regard the information and the suspect sketch. Hallock wrote that the “victim(s) recanted their account of the incident” and “no crime occurred.” —AJ

The NRC will allow changes to emergency plans for the decommissioning of the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Photo: Andrea Swayne

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Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 6

EYE ON DP

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he Planning Commission voted Monday to deny an appeal filed with the city of Dana Point opposing the

granting of a conditional use permit to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at a proposed Beverages & More (BevMo!) store in the Town Center-Lantern District.

The city received the appeal from Party Time Liquor store owners Mi and Yoon S. Lee on May 15, the last day of the 15-day appeals period. The store is located across the street from the proposed project.

Although the building and site plans for the property were previously approved by the former Planning Commission, and last considered as the potential site for a bank, the BevMo! plan conforms and qualifies for that previous approval, with the exception of alcohol sales, Community Development Director Ursula Luna-Reyno-sa said.

“There is a lot of untruthful informa-tion that has been circulated,” she began, addressing the planning commissioners. “And in an effort to ensure the record accurately reflects the facts, I have some information I want to share with you.”

Luna-Reynosa went on to tell the commissioners that the building site, layout and design had been approved in December 2014 by the past Planning Commission, and should BevMo! decide to proceed with their project, it would con-form with the previously approved plans and elevations.

The approved plan calls for square footage of just under 5,000 and the build-ing is over-parked per city parking code

Will BevMo! Be a Go?

TBY ANDREA SWAYNE, DANA POINT TIMES

Party Time Liquor as viewed from across the street at the site proposed for the addition of a new BevMo! store. Photo: Andrea Swayne

Planning Commission votes to approve a permit to allow Beverages & More to sell alcoholic beverages at an approved building site in the Lantern District

and some off-site parking spaces were included with the previous approval, she said.

BevMo! is proposing a small-format store that would include the sale of more than 300 types of cheeses, gourmet choco-late, stemware, premade sandwiches, party planning and wine tasting in addition to the sale of alcoholic beverages.

“It is within the parameters of the Town Center Plan as an allowed use, it is the sale of alcohol that requires the condition-al use permit,” Luna-Reynosa said.

Per city code, the granting of a minor CUP for the sale of alcohol can—as in this case—be approved by the community development director.

The site is located at the Del Prado Avenue/Pacific Coast Highway “Y” intersection at the south end of the Town Center-Lantern District at what used to be a boat storage facility. It is currently vacant and non-operational although some items remain stored on-site.

“The building was more or less ap-proved as a shell,” said Evan Langan, associate planner. “Because the final tenant wasn’t exactly known at the time, the building was designed and the site was planned to accommodate any of a range of potential uses.”

Included in the plan is onsite parking and the proposed use for a business such as BevMo! would require 16 parking spaces, per code, for this type of retail use. The site plan includes 20 spaces, as well as three offsite parking spots along PCH adjacent to the property.

The building would stand a little under

40 feet in height, at its tallest point, a cir-cular design element, but as a single-story building the majority of the structure would stand at 20 feet or less. Signage for the building has not yet been approved, Langan said.

“When the concept of signage for the building is complete, it will be submitted to staff and then ultimately presented to you in the form of a sign program permit,” Langan told the commissioners.

Luna-Reynosa added that BevMo! has indicated a willingness to conform to the city’s wishes for signage befitting a pedestrian-friendly, traditional downtown area, rather than that of a typical retail center.

Langan explained that in order to ap-prove a CUP staff must make seven find-ings qualifying an application’s approval. Conversely, in order to deny a CUP, findings would also need to be made for it to be denied. Under these guidelines the CUP application qualified for approval.

“The project was found to comply with the Town Center Plan,” Langan said, recommending the commissioners uphold the CUP approval and deny the appeal.

Luna-Reynosa reminded the commis-sion that the Dana Point Municipal Code does not consider potential economic im-pacts or competition of proposed business development and in making their decision they should only consider whether it is an allowed use.

Commissioner April O’Connor, who, along with Commissioner Liz Claus, were the only two of the five-member panel who were a part of the previous commis-sion that approved the building, asked if deliveries would be made at “curb cuts” adjacent to the site and how they would be carried out.

“A condition of approval requires that deliveries before 7 a.m. must enter the site and exit the site in a forward-facing fashion, to prevent the back-up beeping noise trucks make.

PUBLIC HEARINGAttorney John Cha spoke on behalf of

the appellants, Party Time Liquor owners Mi and Yoon S. Lee, questioning why, although the prior approval was for a new bank and Langan said the tenant had not been finalized, would there not be need to reconsider the entire application, as BevMo! and a bank are two “very distinct entities.”

“Perhaps the Planning Commission, in December of 2014, may have not had all the information that is relevant today,” Cha said. “The sense that I get from the director of the Community Development Department is that in making an admin-istrative decision for a minor conditional use permit, it’s being done on a very rote basis—meaning if the Municipal Code says I should do it, then I will do it. But if the Municipal Code doesn’t say I have to do it, then it is not done. What that does is take away the director’s discretionary authority … to apply the process in a way

that is fair and takes into consideration the sentiment of the community … the impact to the community.”

Cha stated that Luna-Reynosa’s com-ment about economic competition matters not being addressed within the Municipal Code does not fly, in his opinion.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t consider it,” Cha said. “Just because it isn’t there doesn’t mean you are blind to it, or that you should be blind to it, because that also is a part of the discretionary authority, or the ability to assess beyond the four corners of the Municipal Code.”

The consideration of the proximity be-tween BevMo! and existing businesses is another area Cha said he feels should be considered, despite its absence from the code. Other items he felt were not taken into consideration, but should have been, include an obligation to create a balanced mix of land-use that is consistent with the city’s long-range goals for the area and strengthen city identity.

Greg Endom of BevMo! responded by reminding the commissioners that the hearing is only about the CUP for the sale of alcoholic beverages, as the building plans are done, and that his company’s stores are different from the classic defini-tion of a “liquor store” due to their product selection.

“There’s a lot of things we refuse to car-ry,” Endom said. “We don’t sell cigarettes. We don’t sell fortified wines, we don’t sell half-pints. We don’t sell magazines … any type of adult literature. We really special-ize in wines, spirits, beers … People don’t come to BevMo! to buy their everyday wine with dinner … They come to BevMo! for special occasions.”

Endom said their product selection—roughly 1,000 spirits, 900 imported and craft beers and 3,000 wines—is something they’ve researched extensively and offers something not offered in the communities they operate in.

“I guarantee that whether it’s at Ralphs or my friends at Party Time … you’re not going to find that selection in their store,” Endom said. “They sell a lot of other things that we don’t offer in our store, so when we talk about competition … that comes clearly through in the appellant’s statement … there’s probably over half of the 11 items he sites … as competition … most of which we don’t sell … rolling pa-pers … Lotto … bait and tackle … pet food … cleaning supplies … health and beauty aids. That’s not our business. We are the largest retailer of fresh caviar in the state of California … we do sell glassware … have educational wine tastings … So this notion that BevMo!’s coming to town and their going to put Ralphs and Party Time out of business … I don’t wish that on anybody but we’re not that good. We are going to fill a niche.”

BevMo! is aware of over $1 million worth of business from people who live in the Dana Point zip code who are driving to their Laguna Niguel store, he said.

“This is what we call leakage,” Endom

Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 7

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NOW OPEN

BEACH HARBOR PIZZA 4473 Golden Lantern, 949.218.1920www.beachharborpizza.com

Beach Harbor Pizza has opened its doors with a new owner, an updated inte-rior and the same high standards for tasty Italian fare.

Formerly known as Beach Cities Pizza, the popular pizzeria has long been a staple of the Dana Point Harbor. After 21 years of making and serving savory pies, longtime employee Mario Bahena finally bought the space and opened his own business, renaming it Beach Harbor Pizza.

Even with the new changes, the menu still serves up familiar favorites like handmade pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and breadsticks.

“People have really responded,” Bahena said. “They’re glad we’re open again.”

Beach Harbor Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the options of dining in and take-out. Catering is also available.—Amanda Huffman

PURE THREADING AND SKIN BOUTIQUE 34255 Pacific Coast Highway, #116, 949.545.7968, www.purethreadingandskin.com

The newly-opened Pure Threading and Skin Boutique offers an array of natural ingredients and beauty methods to its clients. The spa’s services include natural hair removal techniques such as sugar-ing and threading. Facials are available as

News from Dana Point’s business communityDANA POINT TIMES

Business Beat

Dr. Dan Boehne, D.D.S. recently relocated his office from San Clemente to Dana Point. Aside from his end-odontics practice, Boehne is well-known as a surfboard shaper at his family’s business, Infinity Surfboards. Photo: Jacob Onofrio

Beach Harbor Pizza owner Mario Bahena bought the former Beach Cities Pizza location, where he worked as a chef, and reopened it under the new name. Photo: Amanda Huffman

Pure Threading and Skin Boutique owner Dana Bista is proud to offer skin care services utilizing natural ingredients. Photo: Amanda Huffman

well, also utilizing natural ingredients.“We try to use natural ingredients to

avoid the use of chemicals,” owner Dana Bista said. “For people who have sensitive skin. It’s better the natural way.”

The boutique carries a variety of skincare products, and Bista is looking to carry more organic lines. Sterling silver jewelry and cashmere products are also sold, handcrafted from Nepal.

Currently there is a promotion to sup-port relief efforts in Nepal. One dollar from each product and service sold will be donated to the organization Friends of Nepal to support two hospitals in Kathmandu. The promotion will continue through the end of June.

Pure Threading and Skin Boutique is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Sundays.—AH

NEW LOCATION

DANA POINT ENDODONTICS24981 Dana Point Harbor Dr., 949.4415965, www.drboehneendo.com

Originally operating out of San Clem-ente, Dr. Dan Boehne’s endodontics office moved to Dana Point Harbor this past November, and has officially been estab-lished as Dana Point Endodontics.

Dana Point Endodontics specializes in dental services such as root canals and periodontal surgery. This new location acts a monumental step for Boehne, drawing in both old and new clients from around the area.

A biology major from University Cali-fornia Irvine, Dr. Boehne began his dental career with UCLA’s Flying Samaritans, a volunteer group that provides free medical care in Baja California, Mexico. He says he liked the “immediate effect” he saw when it came to helping people with dental issues.

Boehne is also known for his work at Dana Point’s own Infinity Surfboards—his family’s business. A native to the sand and surf of Orange County, he said his work as a surfboard shaper and his dental work have

said. “They are not finding what they need in town … which is not an easy or conve-nient drive.”

He went on to list other reasons BevMo! is a responsible retailer—not hiring anyone under 21, using a secret shopper “sting” program similar to that of the ABC to ensure all customers’ IDs are checked, ID scanners to eliminate fraud and not al-lowing children who are not accompanied by someone over 21 into the store.

Cha rebutted Endom’s comments add-ing to his argument that his client and those joining in the opposition had submit-ted over 1,800 signatures on a petition opposing BevMo!

PUBLIC COMMENTSThe public comments portion of the

meeting included one member of the public speaking out for BevMo! and about a dozen against.

Included in the agenda packet for the meeting were written letters on the issue

sent to City Hall—13 were opposed to BevMo! and nine were in favor. Among the people who sent written correspondence, was Infinity Surfboards co-owner Dave Boehne who said he would welcome the addition of the store to the neighborhood.Advanced Dermatology, the business next door to the proposed BevMo! site, submit-ted a request for denial of the permit.

Project developer Pat Patterson said he and his clients, the Ware family, are excited to be ready to begin construction and are happy with the building design and think it will be a good addition to Dana Point.

“Dana Point is spending millions (of dollars) to beautify ... so why would we want to highlight a discount liquor store as one of the main attractions of Dana Point,” resident Gail Benda asked.

Resident Penny Maynard spoke in favor of granting the CUP.

“I know the city and I know the city gov-ernment and I have complete faith that they will not have some flashy chain big box,”

Maynard said. “It’s silly when you hear (it will be) 5,000 (square feet) as opposed to the size of Walmart … you can’t call them both big box. I hope BevMo! is built. We need people to come downtown. This is a draw and it will help all the other business-es and retail the city hopes to attract.”

Glen Ornsef, president of the Lantern Bay Villas Homeowners Association (across the street from the site) told the commissioners, “Legally you can do this … the question is should you do it.” He went on to point out the problem with the adjacent recycling center behind Ralphs being a hangout for homeless and/or addicted people as another reason for denial of the CUP.

Others referred to BevMo! as an assault on community character and culture as well as a potential cause of unwanted traf-fic problems.

Commissioner O’Conner asked En-dom what classifies a big box store and how the company plans to fit it into the 4,900-square-foot building.

Endom called the concept a refinement of an old business model, a boutique-style store they have been successful with in places such as San Jose, Solana Beach, La Jolla and about five others on the drawing board.

Commissioner Claus said she was not convinced that BevMo! is the “devil incar-nate” as it had been referred to in public comments.

“I’m not convinced that it is going to be terrible for the city,” Claus said. “BevMo! could jumpstart the Lantern District.”

“Just because a lot of people don’t want something, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing,” Commissioner Eric Nelson said, reiterat-ing that the panel’s decision is limited only to the CUP. “The building will suit the community well …”

The commissioners voted 4-1, with Scott McKhann absent, to approve the CUP for BevMo!

The public has the option to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision to the City Council. DP

gone hand in hand throughout the years. “I grew up shaping surfboards and

working with my hands,” Boehne said. “Dentistry seemed like a good fit.” –Jacob Onofrio

Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 8

EYE ON DP

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DP Sheriff’sBlotterAll 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, June 10

CITIZEN ASSIST Address not listed (6:55 a.m.) A man reported a hotel guest stay-ing in the room next door entered his room through the patio door, shouted, “Room service,” and then left.

Tuesday, June 9

BOAT ACCIDENT Dana Point Harbor, Area One (4:36 p.m.) An employee with wa-tercraft rentals claimed that one of their customers had been in a Jet Ski accident and could not be found. After requesting search and rescue, the man and his per-sonal watercraft were found near the San Clemente pier. No injuries were reported at the time.

WELFARE CHECK Crown Valley Parkway/Pacific Coast Highway (11:41 a.m.) A bearded man with no shoes was running in the street against oncoming traffic. The man appeared to be disorientated.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Titus Drive, 24300 Block (12:29 a.m.) A man in a white van pulled into a neighbor’s drive-way and got out of the car only to jump back in and speed off after being seen.

Monday, June 8

DISTURBANCE Malaga Drive/Selva Road (8:52 p.m.) A man was walking north on Malaga and “screaming racist rants.”

COMPILED BY JACOB ONOFRIO

Community Meetings

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Pacific Coast Highway, 32800 Block (3:42 p.m.) A homeless man was seen drinking a “big Budweiser” near the front door of a preschool.

Saturday, June 6

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Del Obispo Street/Stonehill Drive (7:29 a.m.) Two men were scaring customers outside of a Circle K and throwing trash every-where. They were believed to have been under the influence.

Friday, June 5

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE Del Prado, 24800 Block (6:22 p.m.) Police responded to a call regarding a woman who was driv-ing past bank clients and yelling at them to get out of the area.

VANDALISM REPORT Del Obispo Street/Vil-lage Road (7:24 a.m.) An employee for the city of Dana Point discovered several of the city’s storage units containing mainte-nance equipment had been vandalized.

Thursday, June 4

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Calle Monte, 34500 Block (11:11 p.m.) Multiple subjects were reportedly trying to break into a trailer at Palisades Elementary School.

UNKOWN TROUBLE Harbor Point Drive, 25700 Block (11:05 p.m.) A caller claimed she heard a woman yelling, “Help me.” The caller’s husband went out to look for her.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Street of the Crystal Lantern/Pacific Coast High-way (2:54 p.m.) A homeless man wearing a large backpack was looking into garages.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Chel-tam Way, 33400 Block (8:34 a.m.) Police ran a patrol check for a man and woman

who were drinking and “rolling around” in the bushes.

Wednesday, June 3

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Indigo Way, 0 Block (11:10 p.m.) Three men were apparently forcing another man into their white Audi. The caller heard one of the men yelling and howling.

ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY Dana Point Harbor Drive, 25300 Block (2:40 p.m.) Ten swim-mers, 200 yards off the coast, had trouble coming in to shore.

WELFARE CHECK Buccaneer Street, 33000 Block (11:18 a.m.) A caller from Arkansas wanted police to check on a friend who has no family in the area. The caller found it unusual he had not heard from his friend since May 16 and said the friend’s phone was shut off.

DISTURBANCE Doheny Park Boulevard, 34100 Block (10:14 a.m.) A Cox employee was working construction in a parking lot when someone in a vehicle tried to run him over.

Tuesday, June 2

SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCES Calle Dolores, 27000 Block (10:04 p.m.) Some-body tried to pull open a woman’s gate, and sped off in a blue Dodge van after being caught.

WELFARE CHECK Brookview, 100 Block (9:40 p.m.) A caller was concerned after notic-ing his neighbor’s back sliding glass door had been left open for the past couple of days. The caller was also concerned about the small dogs that lived there.

Monday, June 1

RECKLESS DRIVING Puerto Plaza/Dana Point Harbor Drive (8:11 p.m.) An orange muscle car was doing peel-outs in a park-ing lot and almost hit a couple of kids.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13

Second Saturday Book Sale at Dana Point Library 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The Friends of the Dana Point Library have a book sale on the second Saturday of the month, in the storage room adjacent to the library. Books at bargain prices. 33841 Niguel Road, 949.489.3956, www.ocpl.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 16

City Council Meeting 6 p.m. Dana Point City Hall, Council Chambers, 33282 Golden Lantern, 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18

Third-Thursday Mixer: Boneyard Café5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. The Dana Point Chamber of Commerce hosts this monthly networking event for at-tendees to meet contacts and discuss business over hors d’oeuvres and drinks. $12 for members, $20 for non-members. Boneyard Café, Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.1555, www.danapointchamber.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

Dana Hills High School Graduation4 p.m. Dolphin Stadium, 33333 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.6666, www.dhhs.net.

SATURDAY, JUNE 20

Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group Car Wash 8 a.m.-6 p.m. This year’s annual Marine car wash will be an eco-friendly event—water will be reclaimed and recycled—at Doheny Village Hand Car Wash. Complimentary coffee from Coffee Importers, baked goods and Krispy Kreme donuts will be served at breakfast. A barbecue lunch, courtesy of Waterman’s Harbor and StillWater restaurants, will be served. There will be a Marine Corps recruiting booth and police and fire equipment will be on display. Marines will be volunteer-ing their time to towel-dry guests’ cars. Donations will be accepted. Event is being held to honor and support Camp Pendleton-based Marines who have recently returned from the Middle East. 34241 Doheny Park Road, Capistrano Beach, www.danapoint5thmarines.com.

Participants in the 2015 Camp Pendleton mud run crawl their way up a hill on June 6. Photo: Courtesy MCCS Camp Pendleton

Marines Corps Mud Run Returns to Pendleton

TDANA POINT TIMES

he annual Camp Pendleton mud run’s first wave of participants descended upon the wet and sloshy

course assembled on the base June 6-7. The first weekend of the mud run saw 9,500 participants complete the 1K, 5K or 10K loops.

The mud run, which is put on by the Marine Corps Community Services, will be running again this weekend on base from June 13-14.

Each race offers participants a chance to get muddy and some, like the 10K, can

offer a physical challenge. Those taking part in both the 10K and the 5K will have to navigate their way up the daunting slippery hill, over mud pits and walls and complete a steeple chase segment.

The 10K’s route features stops where participants must complete sand bag overhead presses, tire flips, pushups and cargo net climbs.

Early registration for the event is closed, but those interested can purchase tickets at the gate. For more information on the event, visit www.mccscp.com/mu-drun. DP

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTSSOAPBOX

Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 10 www.danapointtimes.com

DPDana Point

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide vari-ety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not refl ect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

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Dana Point Times, Vol. 8, Issue 24. The DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodis-patch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Picket Fence Media Group Senior Editor,City Editor, DP Times> Andrea Swayne

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To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@danapointtimes.com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the infor-mation written by the writers.

WAVELENGTHS By Jim Kempton

GUEST OPINION: Wavelengths by Jim Kempton

iscovering and enjoying good wine is a lifelong pursuit. Luckily we have some great help right here in town.

There’s no denying the pleasure of wine. It can make almost any meal an occa-

sion, give every table a little elegance and provide every conversation an added sense of satisfaction.

Although I’m a rank amateur as wine enthusiast’s go, I learned a bit about the

topic while living in France. Miki Dora, one of surfi ng’s early icons and bona fi de bon vivant, knew the venerable Roth-schild family, France’s greatest vintners—and on the odd occasion invited me along. So in those “salad days,” while surf-ing France’s southwest

coast, I had the chance to taste a Premier Cru Classé Merlot, savor a Chateau Mou-ton Cabernet Sauvignon and try Chateau d’ Yquem, Bordeaux‘s great dessert wine. From then on I was hooked. Even today French reds are the only ones I know enough about to buy intelligently without the help of a wine connoisseur.

That’s not to say I don’t love California wines; far from it. I once acquired two cases of 1974 Beauleau Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet for $216 a case. A year later it was selling for $120 a bottle. You might think we would have held some of that Napa nectar for later years. But when you have a couple of cases of great wine lying around, its hard not to break it out every time good friends come over—which in those days was pretty constantly.

Life is a CabernetD

A selection of wines at DaVine Food & Wine. Photo: Andrea Swayne

SHOW US THE MONEY?

BETTY HILL, Capistrano Beach

The fi nancial statements presented at the June 2 City Council meeting did not “show us the money” as requested on the front page of the Dana Point Times; they lacked transparency and accountability.

The people of Dana Point deserve an understandable accounting of what the city has spent in the past and intends to spend in the future. The city staff present-ed no accounting of the expenditures re-

Letters to the Editor

sulting in years of defi cit spending and the depletion of $35,688,000 of the city’s re-serves from a high of $55,011,000 in 2008 to its present condition of $19,323,000.

At the meeting, Capo Cares, a group of Capistrano Beach residents, and Doheny Village businesses, asked the city to provide a timeline for the completion of the Doheny Village Plan instead of more unmet promises, but were dismissed. The City Council would not allocate any money in the budget to even clean up the side-walks and shrubbery in Doheny Village.

According to our city staff, Capistrano Beach residents should be satisfi ed with the money spent for needed repairs on sewers and streets in the area rather than ask for some improvements given other

parts of Dana Point. It should be noted that $3.5 million from

the sale of Capistrano Beach neighborhood parkland was transferred to Town Center by the City Council. Shouldn’t that money have gone toward needed improvements in Doheny Village and Capistrano Beach?

We went through those two cases in about eight months. But it was one of the best strings of dinner parties I ever remember.

Luckily for Dana Point we have several wine spots that rank among the best in Orange County. Coincidentally, they offer a varied and distinctive range of choices. Here are just a few:

Monarch Beach Market at 24040 Camino Del Avion is an upscale version of a deli /convenience/wine store that just so hap-pens to carry a dazzling array of wines and a strong beer selection as well. New owners Mosen and Ali Hashemi have stocked some prized California varietals in the store’s “Cabernet Corner” of big reds. And out of hundreds of wine shops in Orange County it is rated fi fth on the OC Hot List.

DaVine Food & Wine at Dana Point Har-bor in the Dana Wharf area, across from Golden Galleon and Waterman’s Grill, has brought a new level of casual elegance to the local wine experience. Steve and Marla Balmuth not only carry hard to fi nd vintages, they offer a formidable selection of gourmet foods too. And their evening wine tastings—complete with guest wine connoisseurs and musicians—create the perfect place to nurse a big red.

The Wine Bistro on La Plaza, next door to Hennessey’s and across from Hobie Surf Shop brings a full restaurant with spe-cial $20 wine dinners that pair chef’s cre-ations with a well matched vintage and are a total bargain. Late night happy hours, great food and nightly entertainment, offer a late night option in a predominately sleepy town. The young crowd creates a constant din, but it’s worth the effort to sample many of the world’s best regions and a wide-ranging menu.

Pay a visit and discover the beauty of these gems. After all there are only a few things that get better as they get older—sterling silver, good books, longtime friends, and vintage wine. To top it off, the word is that 2015 should be a very good year for wine—maybe even one for the ages. I heard it through the grapevine.

Jim Kempton, a professional writer and amateur wine lover, has personal proof that wine improves with age. The older he gets the better he likes it. DP

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNERGETTING OUT

Dana Point Times June 12–18, 2015 Page 12 www.danapointtimes.com

DPDana Point

EDITOR’S PICK

SATURDAY, JUNE 13: DANA POINT SYMPHONY - MUSIC OF VIENNA7 p.m. The Dana Point Symphony Orchestra continues its 2015 “One World” season with conductor Dean Anderson and featuring Amanda Squitieri, soprano. Program features the music of Mozart: “Impressario Overture,” “Dove Sono,” “Porgi Amor,” “Allelujah” from “Exultate Jubilate” and Symphony 41 “Jupiter.” Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, seniors and military. Buy tickets online or at the door. St. Edward’s Church, 33926 Calle La Primavera, Dana Point, www.danapointsymphony.com.

Friday | 12MIKE HAMILTON7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Live at Salt Creek Grille. 32802 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.661.7799, www.saltcreekgrille.com.

DANA POINT MOVIE IN THE PARK8 p.m.-10 p.m. Enjoy an evening under the stars watching Mr. Peabody & Sher-man on an inflatable screen in Lantern Bay Park. Admission is free and includes live pre-movie entertainment at 7:30 p.m. Movie starts around 8 p.m. Bring blankets or low-back beach chairs. Free popcorn courtesy of the city of Dana Point. Water, sodas, hot chocolate, coffee and snacks will be available to purchase. Proceeds from the snack bar benefit Dana Point elementary schools and nonprofit orga-nizations. The next film in the series will be Disney’s Maleficent on Friday, June 19. For more information, call 949.248.3530. Lantern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point, www.danapoint.org.

BIOLUMINESCENCE CRUISE8 p.m. The Ocean Institute’s night-time Bioluminescence Cruise aboard the RV Sea Explorer provides a unique opportunity to learn about and witness the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark. Cruises are also scheduled for June 13, July 18, Aug. 15, Sep. 19 and Oct. 10. (Oct. 10 cruise begins at 7:30 p.m.). $35 for adults, $22 for children ages 4 to 12. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.

The ListWhat’s going on in and around town this week

com or 949.248.3527. Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center, 34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point, www.danapoint.org.

PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ SOCSA STUDENT SHOWCASE12:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Support talented students as they display a culmination of a year of hard work and commitment to the arts at the annual year-end art and music showcase benefitting the South Orange County School of the Arts, presented by the SOCSA Founda-tion and Dana Hills High School. Lunch is served from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., with the matinee show running from 2 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Dinner is served 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the evening show runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets include lunch or dinner

COMPILED BY STAFF

Saturday | 13DANA POINT FARMERS MARKET9 a.m.-1 p.m. Seasonal produce, flowers and much more at La Plaza Park each Sat-urday. 949.248.3500, www.danapoint.org.

WHALE WALK AND TALK 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Learn about the area’s largest mammal visitor on this 1.5-mile walk through the Dana Point Headlands conservation area. Offered on the second Saturday of the month, except in October and November. Hear about California gray whale migration patterns, different whale species and learn how to spot, watch and identify whales. Bring binoculars or bor-row ours. RSVP to wgintern@danapoint.

and are $50 for mezzanine seats or $75 for orchestra seats. San Juan Hills High School, 29211 Vista Montana, San Juan Capistrano, 949.240.1994, www.socarts.org/boxoffice.

OLIVIA ROHDE6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Live music at DaVine Food & Wine. 34673 Golden Lantern Street, Dana Point Harbor, 949.493.4044, www.davine-wine.com.

HARBOR MUSIC CRUISE: WHEELAND BROTHERS8 p.m. Enjoy live music aboard the 95-foot vessel Dana Pride while cruising the Dana Point Harbor and watching the sunset. Boat features a full bar. Occurs each Satur-day through Oct. 17. Must be 21 or over, with proper ID. $19. Dana Wharf Sport-fishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.5794, www.danawharf.com.

Sunday | 142015 PORSCHE WHITE GLOVE CONCOURS7 a.m.-2 p.m. Peruse over 150 beautiful cars at this Porsche celebration at Lantern Bay Park, including 356s, 912s and the latest models. The event includes Porsche merchandise and services, a DJ playing songs from the ’60s, raffles and prizes. 25111 Park Lantern Road, Dana Point, www.356club.org.

SAN CLEMENTE CAR SHOW10 a.m.-4 p.m. Featuring more than 300 classic and exotic cars, the 20th annual San Clemente Car Show on Avenida del Mar is free and includes food trucks and vendors. A free shuttle will run from San Clemente High School. San Clemente Downtown Business Association, 949.218.5378, www.villagesanclemente.org.

(Cont. on page 15)

Dana Point Symphony Orchestra. Photo: Robin Gray

s part of their tour to celebrate the release of their newest album You Asked For It…Live!, Sacramento-

based Rick Estrin & The Nightcats will be preforming at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano Wednesday, June 24 with doors opening at 6 p.m. Estrin, who handles harmonica and vocals, is accom-panied by Chris “Kid” Andersen on guitar, J. Hansen on vocals and standing drums, and organ, piano and bass, courtesy of Lorenzo Farrell.

“I played the Coach House once as part of a harmonica player revue, but never

with our regular Nightcat line-up,” Estrin said. “We wanted to play the Coach House ever since because it’s such a great room with all kinds of cool history. I can’t wait to get in there with the regular band.”

For over 30 years, while producing nine albums and being nominated four times for Band of the Year by the Blues Music Awards, Rick Estrin fronted Little Charlie & The Nightcats.

After Charlie Baty’s retirement in 2008, Estrin brought Andersen aboard to fill the guitar void and renamed the band. Stay-ing with Alligator Records, their original label, the group released their debut album

Twisted in 2009, followed by One Wrong Turn in 2012.

The four have received universal critical acclaim praising them for their energetic and engaging live performances, as well as a musical style unique to the rock and blues genres. In 2013, Estrin himself was awarded Best Instrumentalist-Harmonica by the Blues Music Awards.

The Coach House is located at 33157 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. Tickets are $20 and dinner reservations with priority seating are also available. For tickets or more information call 949.496.8930 or log on to www.thecoachhouse.com. DP

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Come to the Coach House

ABY EVAN DA SILVA, DANA POINT TIMES

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats. Photo: Courtesy

GETTING OUT

(Cont. from page 12)

Monday | 15MOMMY MOVIE MONDAYS10 a.m. Moms and dads are welcome to bring their baby along to the theater every Monday at Krikorian Theaters. 641 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente, 949.661.7610, www.kptmovies.com.

TEEN TIME7 p.m-8 p.m. Teens 12 to 18 years old can enjoy a different activity every week in the Dana Point Library Community Room. This week’s activity is gaming. No pre-registration required. Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517, www.ocpl.org.

Tuesday | 16OPEN MIC NIGHT6 p.m.-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at the Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. 34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, Dana Point, 949.464.5700, www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

Wednesday | 17DOWNTOWN SJC FARMERS MARKET3 p.m.-7 p.m. Fresh flowers, produce and

specialty foods from around 40 vendors in downtown San Juan Capistrano, on the corner of Camino Capistrano and Yorba Street. Occurs every Wednesday. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.

Thursday | 18OPEN ARTIST STUDIO11 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy a creative workspace alongside a community of artists. Free. Ages 16 and up. San Clemente Art Supply, 1531 N. El Camino Real, 949.369.6603, www.scartsupply.com.

LECTURE: RATTLESNAKES OF ORANGE COUNTY 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Join the Reserve in learn-ing about Orange County rattlesnakes—how to identify them, where they live, and what to do if you encounter one. Local her-petologist Steve Bledsoe will give a free presentation about these unique creatures. Live snakes will be on display and Bledsoe will answer questions. Ages 8 and up. The Richard and Donna O’Neil Conservancy, call for directions, 949.923.2210, www.rmvreserve.org.

At the Movies: ‘Love & Mercy’ for Pop Fans

A

Photo: Courtesy

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

ll over Manhattan and down Doheny Way, people are famil-iar with the Beach Boys’ classic

songs, but now a new motion picture offers insight into the musical genius and mental illness of Brian Wilson, the famous surf-pop band’s front man and main songwriter. This June, music lovers and movie fans can unite to view the best biopic of 2015: Bill Pohlad’s Love & Mercy.

Switching off between the periods of 1965 to 1968 and 1987 to 1988, we see young Brian (Paul Dano) at the top of his game, composing his masterpiece Pet Sounds and the sessions for the aban-doned album sMiLe; and middle-aged Brian (John Cusack) at his most reclu-sively depressed. The audience grasps the pressure and stress Brian was under while experimenting with his music, the abuse he was dealt from his father Murry (Bill Camp), his cousin/band mate Mike Love (Jake Abel), his therapist Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) and also his rela-

tionships with wives Marilyn (Erin Darke) and Melinda (Elizabeth Banks).

Once you get past the fact that Cusack looks nothing like Wilson, there’s a fine performance underneath. It’s obvious Cusack did his homework on Brian’s man-nerisms and speaking patterns, as has Dano. The real standout sequences are in the past with Dano and the soundtrack of Sounds. Pohlad creates a beautiful mon-tage of a genius, mentally lost and in need of a real friend. Love & Mercy will appeal to a wide variety of viewers, but for fans of the Beach Boys, Wilson or a good period piece this film is right on the mark. DP

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

Have an event? Send your listing to events@danapointtimes.com

Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 17

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide vari-ety of opinions from our community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

Nathan Prather, 7, and Aidan Grose, 8, watch grunion eggs hatch at 11 p.m. Friday, June 5 at Doheny State Beach. A crowd

gathered at the picnic area for the park’s annual Grunion Run Night presentation before heading to the beach to see the tiny silver fish lay their eggs in the sand. The grunion finally made an appearance shortly before midnight.

SCENE{ I N DA N A P O I N T }

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITYDP LIVINGDP

Dana Point

Members of the Kirsch family make a toast on a bridge in Wurzburg, Germany. Photo: Courtesy of Tom Blake

ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50

By Tom Blake

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

People are Similar Wherever You Go

Friday, my partner Greta and I con-clude a seven-week trip to Europe. Before we left Dana Point on April

13, Joanne, single, age 70, a friend of mine, emailed that she had moved to Albuquer-que, New Mexico. I wasn’t too surprised because I knew she had lived in several different states.

She wrote, “I have lived all over the country and have enjoyed every minute. I have met so many people and learned so much from them. It has been a great experience.”

But what Joanne said next struck a chord with Greta and me as we visited Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands: “People are the same everywhere you go. They have different faces and names but still the same traits.”

Time and again on this trip, Greta and I were reminded of how similar people are

in the world. They want peace, love and harmony. They are willing to help each other and to work together, regardless of nationality. For the last two weeks of our trip, we were on a river cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Amsterdam.

The crew on the boat was diverse. The captain

was from the Czech Republic, the hotel manager from Germany, the program director from Austria, much of the dining room staff from the Philippines, the head chef from India and the maître de from Bulgaria. They worked together beautifully.

Greta and I believe that as we travel these foreign lands, we can make a very small contribution to world harmony by being friendly, considerate, respectful and interested in what the local people have to say. We can be de facto ambassadors of goodwill and peace.

For example, on the day we visited Bam-berg, Germany, it was cold and rainy. We popped into a coffee shop that was filled with college students trying to get warm. A young waitress, about 20, was excited when she found out that we were from California. She said, “Oh, I can’t believe this.” She was so friendly and welcoming to us, that we gave her our email address in case she wants to visit.

On another day, Greta and I were walking across a bridge in Wurzburg, Germany. Near the middle of the Main River, we sat on a concrete bench to enjoy the beauty around us—a large castle sur-

rounded by vineyards, beautiful churches, river barges passing below on the river and stately Roman statues adorning the bridge—when we noticed near us a family (grandpa, grandma, son and granddaugh-ter) taking a bottle of Wurzburg-labeled champagne and crystal goblets out of their shopping bag. The son popped the cork.

We photographed them toasting on the bridge. They saw us. The older gentlemen asked me in German to take a picture with their camera. He started explaining what the occasion was. We had no idea what he was saying. His son came over and trans-lated, explaining to his dad that we were from California.

With that, the older man switched to broken English, very broken, and excit-edly told us about his visit to the American West some 10 years before.

The older couple’s daughter was in Italy. It was her birthday. The man proudly showed us the gift and card wrapped in bright green paper he had for her.

The family had told the daughter they would be toasting to her at that time on that bridge. They wanted a picture with us. It was a small ambassador goodwill moment—very heartwarming. Borders, war memories and language barriers were replaced with friendships and handshaking.

Wherever we travel in the world, wherever we live, for the most part, people are the same—they want peace, love and harmony. We all can further that cause. DP

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must

contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

SudokuLast week’s solution:

BY MYLES MELLOR

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

Photo: Andrea Swayne

Locals Only Business Listings

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View online at www.danapointtimes.com

Call at Debra Wells for pricing at 949.589.0892 or email

dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHTAIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating31648 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. A, 949.420.1321, www.oasisair.com

AUTO REPAIR

Dana Point Auto34342 Coast Hwy., Unit B, 949.496.1086

CAFE - DELI

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

COFFEE SHOP

Coffee Importers Espresso Bar34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

DANCE/FITNESS

Club Salsa Dance Studio34202 Camino CapistranoCapistrano Beach, 949.230.0543, www.clubsalsadance.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

IMAGES/Creative Solutions117 Del Gado Road, 949.366.2488, www.imgs.com

ICE CREAM

Coffee Importers Scoop Deck34531 Golden Lantern, 949.493.7773, www.coffeeimporters.com

INSURANCE SERVICES

Patricia Powers24551 Del Prado, Ste. 364, 949.496.1900, pat.powers@cox.net

State Farm/Ted Bowersox34085 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 204, 949.661.3200, www.tedbowersox.com

Statefarm/Elaine LaVine34080 Golden Lantern, 949.240.8944, www.elainelavine.net

MASSAGE

Crystal Clyde Intuitive Bodywork32840 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. E, 949.584.2462, www.crystalclyde.com

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Danman’s Music School24699 Del Prado, 949.496.6556, www.danmans.com

PET GROOMING

Dawgy Style Groom Shop34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit 112, 949.496.3315, www.dawgystylegroomshop.net

PLUMBING

Chick’s Plumbing949.496.9731, www.chicks-plumbing.com

LOCALS ONLY BUSINESS LISTINGS

Dana Point Times June 12–18, 2015 Page 18 www.danapointtimes.com

REAL ESTATE - RESIDENTIAL

Dream Team Properties, Mike Rosenberg, Broker949.481.1788, www.FindMyOCHome.com

SCHOOLS

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools 32032 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Cap-istrano, 949.493.5683, www.cvcs.org

UPHOLSTERY

Jeddy’s Yacht & Home Interiors34212 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit C, 949.240.9569 www.jeddys.com

WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Offshore Construction949.444.6323, www.offshoreconstruction.org

PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD

HERECall 949.388.7700, ext. 102

or email lloynes@danapointtimes.com

Crystal Clyde Intuitive BodyworkNow Open! Are you searching for a passionate and skilled therapist in your area? Schedule a massage during the month of June and re-ceive a complimentary 30 minutes continued to your first session.

949.584.2462www.crystalclyde.com

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OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

BUSINESS DIRECTORYSan Clemente

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WITNESS TO ACCIDENT NEEDED ON 4/21 On PCH and Doheny Park Rd. at 1:30 pm. Black Honda Accord 2014 was hit by a Gray Acura MDX . If you saw this accident please contact 818 5789132. PLEASE HELP!

www.danapointtimes.comDana Point Times June 12–18, 2015 Page 19

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Dana Point Times June 12-18, 2015 Page 20 www.danapointtimes.com

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORESPORTS & OUTDOORSDP

Dana Point

“ We’ve been wanting to shoot a big tuna for years now. We were getting all freaking Hemingway about this fish ... It was so much fun.”

— Aaron Shook

Dolphins Baseball Players Williams, Crouse Selected in MLB Draft

Dana Hills High School senior Luke Williams was on his way to school on June 9 when he got the call he

had been waiting for. The standout shortstop was informed

that the Philadelphia Phillies had drafted him in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Williams was the 83rd overall pick.

“It was unreal. It’s a dream come true. I never thought this would ever happen to me. I still don’t believe it,” Williams said. “The Phillies are a great baseball organiza-tion. I’m just really excited and honored to be drafted by them.”

Dolphins senior pitcher Marrick Crouse was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th round as the 332nd overall pick.

The Phillies had contacted Williams on June 8, the first day of the draft, to show their interest and had been one of the more invested teams throughout his senior year. Williams said the Royals, Braves, Red Sox and Pirates were the other teams that actively scouted him and made visits to his home.

The Phillies have not discussed where they want Williams to play on the diamond yet, but they drafted him as a shortstop and he has the ability to play multiple positions. Williams showed his versatility over the course of his high school career, playing center field, shortstop and catcher for the Dolphins.

Williams had a solid all-around senior season at Dana Hills. He finished the year with a .315 batting average, 35 runs scored and got on base at a .454 clip. Wil-liams was among the toughest outs in the Dolphins lineup and struck out only eight times all year.

When he got on base, Williams was a constant threat to opposing teams. He stole 26 bases and was caught only once. He leaves Dana Hills as the programs’ all-time stolen base leader.

Williams, who holds a commitment to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, also proved to be sure-handed in the field. He completed just over 97 percent of his chances at shortstop and committed just four errors.

Crouse, the ace of the Dolphins pitching staff, finished the year with a 1.63 ERA and an 8-4 record. He struck out 75 bat-ters over 77 1/3 innings and pitched five complete games.

Batting in the heart of the Dolphins lineup, Crouse posted a .344 batting aver-age and drove in 16 RBIs. Crouse had a .390 on-base percentage and scored 11 runs. He was also the team’s first baseman when he wasn’t on the mound. Crouse holds a commitment to the University of San Francisco. DP

COMPILED BY STEVE BREAZEALE

Spearfisher Makes Record Tuna Catch

Aaron Shook was beginning to feel like he was a character in a Hem-mingway novel.

The spearfisherman has found plenty of success in the water but had also seen a lot of large prize fish get away. Memories of nearly missing out on a big wahoo last year meant replaying the moment in his mind over and over again. It was one of many missed opportunities at a catch of a lifetime.

Shook and his spearfishing buddies were even contemplating a trip to Africa, where they could take a transport boat to a remote island 1,000 miles off the coast for a chance at bagging a huge catch.

Turns out they didn’t need to travel that far to get it.

On June 3 Shook, a San Clemente resident, along with boat captain Jon Walla and fellow spearfisherman Dominic Vadala, sailed out of Dana Point Harbor and caught a 173.3-pound bluefin tuna a few miles off the coast between Dana Point and San Clemente.

Shook is in the process of filling out paperwork with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to verify what will be a new state spearfishing record. The cur-rent record is set at 98 pounds.

Large bluefins have been schooling in the area for several weeks now. One day before Shook’s catch, local angler Marc Levine reeled in a 122.9-pounder.

Encouraged by the reported activity, the trio searched for several hours before finally seeing a large swarm of tuna near the surface. Shook and Vadala jumped in and were met by a huge wall of bluefin.

Shook picked his target and fired his first shot with his spear gun, hitting the fish in the center. It was not an ideal shot and it did not penetrate very deep, but it held. The fish immediately dove down to around 80 feet and the hunt was on.

Vadala offered up his gun to Shook for a second attempt at a kill shot, but it was another strike that caught the fish in the center. A third shot to the head looked like it would stop the fight but the fish contin-ued to move. The buoys connected to the spears held the fish at bay and Shook had to get hands on to finish the job.

“I pulled out a knife that is for fish. It’s not a very menacing looking knife, espe-cially when you’re going down to knife fight something the size of a man,” Shook said. “I just stabbed it like five times in the head just trying to find the right spot.”

When Shook tried to bring the fish to surface, it continued to fight so he had to slit its throat.

When the first shots landed Shook was roughly 80 feet below the water, a deep level for catching fish. Hours of practicing deep to mid-level dives with his friends prepared Shook for the moment.

After years of hoping for a big fish and thinking he had to travel continents away just to get one, Shook can rest easy know-ing he got one in his own backyard and that his name will eventually go down in the record books.

“We’ve been wanting to shoot a big tuna for years now. We were getting all freaking Hemingway about this fish,” Shook said with a laugh. “It was so much fun.” DP

Aaron Shook holds up his soon to be record 177.3-pound blue fin tuna he caught while spearfish-ing off the coast. Photo: Courtesy

San Clemente's Aaron Shook spears 173-pound bluefin tuna off the coast of Dana PointBY STEVE BREAZEALE, DANA POINT TIMES

Dana Hills’ Marrick Crouse was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Photo: KDahlgren Photography

Dana Hills’ Luke Williams was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft on June 9. Photo: KDahlgren Photography

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITYDP SURF

Dana Point Times June 12–18, 2015 Page 22 www.danapointtimes.com

DPDana Point

UPCOMING EVENTSJune 12-14, 16-20: Surfing America USA Championships, San Diego, Cardiff Reef (June 12-14) and San Onofre State Park, Lower Trestles (June 16-20). June 13-15: NSSA Interscholastic College, High School and Middle School Championships, Dana Point, Salt Creek Beach June 13-14, 22-23: Volcom Totally Crustaceous Tour Global Cham-pionships, Newport Beach, River Jetties (June 13-14) and San Onofre State Park, Lower Trestles (June 22-23).

Clockwise from top: The AWOW team gathers for a photo Saturday at the Camp Pendleton event. Steven Lippman, AWOW co-founder takes an event participant with special needs along for the ride. Smiles on the faces of AWOW co-founder Pat Notaro and this young participant illustrate the mood of the day. Photos: Catherine Gregory/imagesbycatgregory.com

SURF FORECASTWater Temperature: 64-67 degrees F

Water Visibility and Conditions: 6-8’+ Fair

Friday: Fading South/southwest swell drops into the knee- to waist-high zone on Friday. Light/variable early morning winds turn light+moderate WSW-W in the afternoons.

Outlook: Old swell drops off going into the weekend for mainly small scale 1-2-3’ surf. Check the full premium forecast on Surfline for more details and the longer range outlook.

he Beach Boys famously sang, “Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world.” For many at the A

Walk on Water event at Camp Pendleton on Saturday, June 6, the chance catch a wave meant much more than just summer fun.

A Walk on Water offers water therapy for special needs children and their siblings through surf lessons. Five men founded AWOW in November of 2012—Steven Lippman, Jason Logan, Pat Notaro, Sean Swentek and Jason Wolk. Today there are 45 to 50 volunteers regularly involved at each AWOW event as the organization travels from Ventura to Orange counties.

“It’s about all the families,” Logan said. “Our goal is to let families relax and not have to worry about their child. There are people here to support and help them.”

Event coordinator Lee Nichnowitz agreed.“Some special needs kids speak (for the

first time) after surfing,” Nichnowitz said. “It’s amazing.”

Saturday was the second AWOW event

Surfers Share a Walk on Water

TBY KATHERINE NOWICKI, DANA POINT TIMES

AWOW hosts a day of surfing lessons at Camp Pendleton for children with special needs

Patrick O’Connor. Photo: Courtesy

GROM OF THE WEEK

PATRICK O’CONNOR

atrick O’Connor, 11, of San Juan Capistrano is one of our area’s most versatile groms, having started surfing

as a toddler. Whether ripping on a short-board or performing stylish maneuvers on a longboard, Patrick’s talent for wave riding is apparent.

At the recent Western Surfing Associa-tion West Coast Championships, May 30 and 31 at Church Beach, he wowed the judg-es and spectators on both types of boards. Patrick was the winner of the Boys U14 Longboard division (the No. 3 ranked surfer for the season) and in Boys U12 Shortboard (ranked No. 7) he took first place in his Round 1 and Quarterfinal heats to advance to the semifinal where his campaign ended.

After a successful season in the Volcom

PTotally Crustaceous Tour this season—with first-, second- and third-place finishes—he will be competing in the upcoming Global Championships.

Patrick is in fifth grade at San Juan El-ementary and works hard to keep his grades up although he admits school is not his favorite thing to do, as it pales in compari-son to wave riding.

“School’s not my favorite but if I didn’t go I wouldn’t have as many friends as I do, so it’s worth it,” he said. “And I would like to go to college, so that makes me want to try

harder in school.”Not really looking to professional surfing

as career, he instead has his heart set on becoming a surfboard shaper, a free surfer and WSA competitor for life and possibly taking over his dad’s private label surf ap-parel design company someday, “when he gets too old,” he said.

Patrick would like to thank those support-ing his surfing efforts: Jack’s Surfboards, Brink Surfboards, Dave Post, Ian Gottorn and his family.

When asked how he feels about his style being compared to that of pro surfer Taylor Knox, Patrick said he is flattered but that imitation is not what he is trying for.

“I don’t really try to have a style or surf like anyone,” Patrick said. “I just surf. I don’t try to look a certain way. I just go with it and whatever happens happens. My sister is cool about always telling me it doesn’t mat-ter what other people think and not to try to copy someone’s style and just make my own.”—Andrea Swayne

held at Camp Pendleton. The first was at the close of AWOW’s season last No-vember and about 200 people attended. This year AWOW began their season at Camp Pendleton and its participation was expected to jump to about 225.

“No money is exchanged,” Wolk said. “We donate everything to the families.”

AWOW is funded through merchandise sales, and items such as hats and shirts with the organization’s logos were avail-able for purchase at the event. In addition

to the surf instruction, AWOW provides food and beverages for participants. Meals are cooked at each event’s location and all ingredients are organic.

Families and volunteers came from as far away as Malibu and San Diego. Saturday was the fourth AWOW event the Malibu-based business Vintage Grocers has taken part in. Lippman originally persuaded founder and market director Eric Fuchser of San Clemente to become involved.

“(Lippman) showed me some videos

about what they do. After I dried the tears I told him I was in,” Fuchser said. “You can see the gleam in the kids’ eyes from the beach. The cause is bigger than all of us. It’s bigger than anything we could ever do.”

Michael Ford and his family came from San Diego after his 9-year-old son Ethan was invited to the event and his 14-year-old son Tanner, an accomplished surf com-petitor, saw an opportunity to volunteer.

“The kids are having a great time,” said Ford. “I just saw a kid riding on some-body’s shoulders and I thought that was amazing for someone who can’t walk.”

Participants on the beach watched those in the water and cheered.

Darren Jaffe attended the event with his children in hopes the activity would be a fun bonding experience as well as a safe environment for them to learn about being in the water.

“(The AWOW event) is well-run and they care about the families,” Jaffe said. “There’s genuine caring and community here. You don’t get that a lot.”

Another participant, Maria Rittenberg, seconded Jaffe’s thoughts.

“From the minute we got here, there was such a sense of love, acceptance and understanding,” Rittenberg said. “There are a lot of big hearts here. It brings tears to your eyes.”

When asked about her experience in the water, Rittenberg’s 9-year-old daughter Natalie said, “They helped me out and I got to stand on my knees!”

“Did that make you feel like you could do it?” asked her mother.

“It made me feel like I could do any-thing,” Natalie replied.

More information is available at A Walk on Water’s website www.awalkonwater.org or the organization’s Facebook page. DP