VOLUME 11, ISSUE 16

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

News Organizations Told to Remove Stands

from City HallEYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

Cowboys Ride into Town for Rancho

Mission Viejo RodeoSPORTS/PAGE 22

Third Time’s aCharm for West Coast

Film Festival EYE ON SJC/PAGE 5

YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE AUGUST 23- SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

FOUNDED IN 2002

Jacob Gibson of San Juan High School tosses a pass during a summer practice. The Stallions are looking to build on their successful 2012 season. Photo by Steve Breazeale

San Juan Football Preview

A look at the fi ve teams that make up the San Juan Capistrano high school football scene

S P E C I A L P U L LO U T S E C T I O N

THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unifi ed School District Board of Trustees ap-proved an agreement with the teacher’s union last Wednesday, after a contentious debate in which one trustee sought to table a fi nal decision until staff could fi nd a way to restore a full school year.

The agreement with the Capistrano Unifi ed Education Association restores two instructional days to the calendar, going back up to 177 days after budget cuts forced a decreased to 175 days last year. The agreement also begins to bring down class sizes, although parents who spoke before the board said they would like them to decrease further and a full 180-day school year brought back before teachers received pay restorations.

Trustee Jim Reardon said he was sup-portive of the agreement but wanted to see the district make an attempt to fi nd $2.8 million in funds he estimated would be necessary to restore a full school year.

Board President John Alpay said what Reardon was proposing was “a fi rst,” and was tantamount to telling staff their work negotiating the contract had been for naught.

The board ultimately voted 4-3 to approve the proposed agreement, with Reardon and trustees Ellen Addonizio and Anna Bryson dissenting.

WHAT’S NEXT: The board will consider the 2013-2014 budget in September.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. – Jim Shilander

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 CUSD/Teacher’s Union Agreement?

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1LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTINGEYE ON SJC

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23–September 12, 2013

…the Dog Park?

…the Library Bookstore?

…a New Senior Community?

…Newspapers at City Hall?

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THE LATEST: City leaders and residents, including the four-legged variety, came together Saturday for the grand opening of the Dr. Joe Cortese Dog Park.

The 2.5-acre dog park features two separate roaming areas for small and large dogs, drinking fountains for dogs and their owners, picnic tables, benches and an access ramp for the disabled.

The park was built by the Open Space Foundation, with funding also from the Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort.

Cortese was a beloved local veterinar-ian who passed away in 2008. Affection-ately known as “Dr. Fleas,” Cortese was an active volunteer, as well as a founding member of CARE. His wife Goldee was in attendance to help cut the ribbon with Mayor John Taylor.

WHAT’S NEXT: The park is open seven days a week, 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. and closes at dusk during daylight savings.

FIND OUT MORE: For photos see www.thecapistranodispatch.com. –Brian Park

THE LATEST: The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library will fi nally be able to break ground on their new bookstore after the City Council on Tuesday ap-proved a $60,000 loan to the nonprofi t volunteer group.

The money will come from the city’s general fund reserve and will go toward moving the current bookstore to the Bland Garden, fronting El Horno Street. In addition to the loan, the council also approved a $327,000 construction con-

THE LATEST: City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to initiate a process that could amend San Juan Capistrano’s general plan to allow for the develop-ment of a senior living community at the property currently occupied by Arm-strong Garden Centers, between Del Obispo Street and Alipaz Street.

Menlo Park-based Spieker Senior Development proposes to build 415 units, ranging from one to three stories. The community is designed for resi-dents over 60 and includes a clubhouse, restaurants, recreation and more.

Armstrong Garden Centers sits on 34 acres of a 43.5-acre property known as the Vermeulen Ranch Center. An amendment to the general plan would change the land use designation to allow for development. The remaining acreage would be changed from farm-to-market retail use to a general commercial space.

WHAT’S NEXT: Nelson Miller, the city’s interim development services director, said the developer has proposed a “very

THE LATEST: Newspapers, including The Dispatch, will no longer be available at city buildings following a letter sent out to three local publications calling for the removal of newspaper racks.

Picket Fence Media, publishers of The Dispatch, and Capistrano Common Sense, which publishes a free monthly newslet-ter often critical of City Council policy, each received a letter Tuesday from City Attorney Hans Van Ligten requesting newspaper racks be removed at City Hall and the Community Center.

Van Ligten said the letters were prompted after CCS requested their newsletter be made available at city build-ings. City staff found no record of any of the publications receiving permission to place racks at those locations.

“It was one of those questions that was never put to anyone,” Van Ligten said. “We can’t pick and choose. That’s not right. So the choice was to have no one.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The two publications were given fi ve days to remove news-paper racks. Newspaper racks for The Capistrano Valley News, published by The Orange County Register, were removed prior to receiving the letter, according to News Team Leader Michael Coronado.

FIND OUT MORE: To fi nd issues of The Dispatch in town, contact editor@thecap-istranodispatch.com. – BP

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SAN CLEMENTEThe City Council also voted Tuesday to hold

an election by mail later this year for renewal of the city’s Clean Ocean Fee, while including the fi rst increase in the fee’s history as part of

the vote. The fee has been in place since 2002 with funds being used to support measures to mitigate the effects of urban runoff, including

efforts to clean up Poche Beach, and assist city departments in their own clean water efforts.

The fee was last renewed in 2007, with 75 per-cent approval. The council identifi ed renewal of the Clean Ocean Fee as one of its strategic priorities for the year, earlier this spring. The

fee renewal received unanimous support from the council. Mayor Bob Baker and other council members said the results of the program justi-

fi ed work done over the past decade, and asked voters to renew the fee.

NEWS NEXT DOOR

DANA POINTA waterfront restaurant at the Dana Point Harbor is getting new tenants and a facelift, as local restaurateurs are set to launch a new concept at the wharf location. John and Damian Collins, the owners of StillWater Spirits & Sounds in Dana Point and the Sun-sets restaurants in Capistrano Beach and San Clemente, will take over the vacant location, called home by the Jolly Roger for four de-cades. Last month, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a 10-year lease with the Pacifi c Harbor Hospitality Group with the option to renew for two additional decade-long periods. The group agreed to spend at least $800,000 on renovations and upgrades on the 6,000-square-foot, two-story building, which was built in the ’70s. The name and concept have yet to be fi nalized, but a sum-mer 2014 opening is planned.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORING

TOWNS1aggressive time frame” for the project and hopes to have a public hearing ready sometime between April and June 2014.

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

tract with Riverside-based Avi-con Inc.The Friends raised $287,000 for the

project over eight years, according to President Mary DeMers. However, construction bids were higher than pro-jected, with Avi-con’s being the lowest.

WHAT’S NEXT: The loan must be paid back within fi ve years. In a letter to the council, DeMers said the Friends expect to pay it with sales from the new bookstore and fundraising.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. –BP

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23-September 12, 2013 Page 5

EyE on SJC

Third Time’s a Charm for West Coast Film FestivalBy Brian Park

The Capistrano Dispatch

From the original Star Wars trilogy to Christopher Nolan’s realistic take on the Caped Crusader, movie

fans love a good trilogy and Hollywood loves making them. For the producers of the West Coast Film Festival, their hope is that the third installment of their summer movie showcase scores big with loyal fans, creates new followers and leads to yet another follow-up.

Veteran film producers Robert Kline and Stephanie Heredia, San Juan Capistrano’s resident husband-and-wife film duo, understand that festivals such as theirs need to evolve and adapt over time. While the first festival was about setting a foundation, the second was to expand its reach and introduce the community to a new way of experienc-ing films.

This year, Kline and Heredia have shaped the festival to give their guests a sneak peek into the filmmaking pro-cess, from the inception of a story to its creation.

“What’s fun for me is being able to talk filmmaker-to-filmmaker and seeing how they work,” Heredia said. “We bring our own experiences together, so we really have an empathy and under-standing. What we wanted to do this year was share that experience with the community.”

Many of the movies the festival has screened the past two years have also been accompanied by guest speakers,

including directors, writers and pro-ducers. Kline said that element of the festival has been warmly greeted by audiences, who gain new insight into some of their favorite films as well as new ones.

“People want to know how you get a film made,” Kline said. “Our message to the community is, ‘Let’s watch film to-gether. Talk to the filmmakers. Interact with them. Let’s share our passion and love of film.’”

The lesson in filmmaking kicks off the first night, Wednesday, August 28. The last two of three shows that evening focus on Clint Eastwood’s career as a director and producer, beginning with

Festival co-founders Robert Kline and Stephanie Heredia aim to educate and share the filmmaking process

West Coast Film Festival co-founders and veteran film producers Stephanie Heredia and Robert Kline are set to kick off their third annual event, August 28 through September 1, in San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point. Photo by Brian Park

WEST COAST FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Movie lovers will not have far to go for the third annual West Coast Film Fes-tival. Films will be showcased primarily at Regency Theatre in downtown, but also at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School’s Performing Arts Center and the Ocean Institute in Dana Point. Below is the full schedule of the film festival:

Wednesday, August 28

In the Good Old Summertime, 3 p.m., Re-gency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A tribute to actress Judy Garland.Pale Rider, 5:30 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A tribute to actor, producer and director Clint Eastwood.Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story, 8 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A

retrospective documentary on Clint East-wood’s career behind the camera.

Thursday, August 29

Singin’ in the Rain, 1 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. The classic MGM musical starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.Angels in Exile, 4 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A documentary following two homeless youths living in South Africa, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron.Free Willy, 4:30 p.m., Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor DriveEnter the Dragon, 7 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. The 40th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s legendary film. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. with a special martial arts demonstration by United Studios of Self Defense. An after party will be held at Guapas Tapas & Wine Bar, located next to the theatre.

his 1985 western Pale Rider, which he also starred in. At 8 p.m., the festival will screen Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story, a documentary chronicling East-wood’s career from behind the camera.

“It focuses on how unique he is as a director, who’s been going at it now for over 40 years. Most directors peak in their 50s or 60s, but he’s still directing,” Kline said. “It’s amazing how versatile he is, not just as a star, but as a direc-tor.”

On Sunday, September 1, the festival will also be showcasing a collection of student films from the University of Southern California, where Kline has taught for over 25 years. The festival

also includes several documentaries and independent films, including the romantic comedy Go with Le Flo, a German and French language film with English subtitles, written and directed by local residents and husband-and-wife team, Michael Glover and Robyn Rosenkrantz.

“The best way for a filmmaker to learn is to watch film with an audience, and for a lot of filmmakers, the only way to do that is with film festivals,” Rosenkrantz said. “It’s really fun to share the process … I still love hearing about what goes on behind the scenes. It’s really inspiring, and I hope we can inspire others.”

Glover added that screening mov-ies at small events like the West Coast Film Festival allows filmmakers to work intimately with the organizers who select which films to include.

“How often with anything do you get to talk to the people in charge? That’s one of the charms of smaller festivals like this. It’s going to be a lot more of a human experience,” Glover said.

Heredia said the goal of the festival is to educate their audience over time about the layers of film making, and that bringing in filmmakers like Glover and Rosenkrantz provides direct ac-cess to that knowledge.

“Film makers are storytellers, and we like to share the experience of film-making,” Heredia said. “That’s what’s really important about the West Coast Film Festival. Films are meant to be shared.” CD

Friday, August 31

The Paw Project, 2 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A documentary on a grassroots effort to stop the practice of declawing cats. Director and veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Conrad will also be available for a Q&A session.Crossroad, 5 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. The dramatic film’s director and producer Shervin Youssefian will be available for a Q&A session.Go with Le Flo, 7:30 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. The film’s producers and husband-and-wife duo Michael Glover and Robyn Rosenkrantz will be available for a Q&A session. The show begins at 7 p.m. with a special musical performance by the pair.

Sunday, September 1

An American in Paris, 2:30 p.m., Perform-ing Arts Center at St. Margaret’s Episcopal

School. A pre-film reception will take place at 1:30 p.m. at El Adobe de Capistrano.USC School of Cinematic Arts Films, 2 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A collec-tion of short films by students from the University of Southern California’s film program.Cruizin’, 5 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. A documentary on Olympic cyclist Tony Cruz as he and 14 of his friends ride their bikes 1,000 miles from North to South Vietnam over 12 days.Heaven and Earth, 7 p.m., Regency Theatre and Rick’s Café. West Coast Film Festival co-founder Robert Kline, the producer for the 1993 Oliver Stone film, will lead a discussion and Q&A session with Le Ly Hayslip, the author of the autobio-graphical memoir, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places, which inspired the film. An after party will follow the film at Thai Juan On, 31878 Del Obispo Street, and includes a no-host bar.

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www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23–September 12, 2013 Page 6

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 and andrea Papagianis

City Recognizes Retiring 21-year Staff Member

the city council on tuesday recog-nized retiring assistant Public Works di-rector sam shoucair, who is retiring after working 21 years in san Juan capistrano.

“along with bringing so much talent and experience to the job, sam has also demonstrated hard work, perseverance and endless personality,” Mayor John taylor said. “anyone fortunate to know sam will agree that he’s just a really nice guy … You’re going to be missed.”

shoucair began working in san Juan capistrano in 1992 as an associate civil engineer and was promoted to assistant public works director in 2008. during his tenure, he was responsible for managing and overseeing several commercial and residential development projects, includ-ing the construction of Jserra catholic, saddleback Valley christian and san Juan Hills high schools.

shoucair is a father of three and a grandfather to a 16-month-old girl. in retirement, he plans to travel the world with his girlfriend.

“this is what i call a happy ending,” shoucair said. “thank you san Juan cap-istrano for opening your arms to me for so many years and allowing me to love you back.”

Fundraiser for Boys & Girls Club Saturday, August 24

the south orange county Women’s network group is hosting a rummage sale in support of the Boys & girls clubs of capistrano Valley on saturday, august 24, from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. the fund-raiser will take place at the Boys & girls club, located at 1 Via Positiva in san Juan capistrano.

Have something interesting

for the community? Tell us about

awards, events, happenings,

accomplishments and more. Forward

a picture along, too! we’ll put your

submissions into “News Bites.”

send your information to

editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com.

the Historical society is also hosting a special fundraiser and dinner event to celebrate their 50th anniversary on thursday, november 7 at el adobe de capistrano.

in addition to dinner, there will be live music, dancing and a prize drawing for a basket of gift certificates to local restaurants worth over $1,000. guests are asked to come wearing historical san Juan capistrano or cocktail attire. the evening begins at 6 p.m.

admission is $75 per person. reserva-tions must be made by november 4 by contacting the Historical society.

Annual Horse Show Dedicated to Arizona Hotshot Firefighters

sycamore trails stables’ annual 9/11 Memorial Western charity Horse show returns to san Juan capistrano for its 11th year on sunday, september 8.

Proceeds from the event will continue to go toward supporting the fallen fire fighters relief fund. this year’s show is also dedicated to the memory of the arizona Hotshots, the 19 firefighters who were killed while battling an arizona wildfire in late June.

the show includes 20 events for both novice- and professional-level riders, at a cost of $15 per class. registration and warm-ups begin at 7:30 a.m. classes begin at 9:30 a.m.

food and refreshments will be available for purchase. local equestrian retail-ers have donated several items as raffle prizes and for a silent auction.

sycamore trails stables is located at 26282 oso road in san Juan capistrano.

for more information, contact gay gotses at 949.466.2516 or email ggot-ses@cox.net.

Wine Tasting Event at Sarducci’s

the south orange county chapter of the Women’s council of realtors is host-ing a special international wine tasting on thursday, september 19, at sarducci’s capistrano depot, 26701 Verdugo street, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

five wines will be available for tasting and a buffet dinner will also be served. guests are asked to come wearing busi-ness casual attire.

admission is $30 and a portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated to the Boys & girls clubs of capistrano Valley. to reserve a spot online, visit www.wcrsoc.org.

items available for purchase include donated clothing, appliances, furniture and toys. Bagels, donuts, pizza and baked goods will also be on sale. Kids can enjoy face painting stations and games.

for more information, contact Helen Blanchard at plumtreecorner@live.com or norma Benton at norma@njbenton.com.

Blood Drive Comes to San Juan August 27

in support of the american red cross, the city is hosting a blood drive on tues-day, august 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the community center, 25925 camino del avion.

all donors will receive a coupon for a free ice cream from cold stone cream-ery, as well as two complimentary tickets upon minimum purchase, at the laugh factory. all those who donate between august 26 and september 9 will be en-tered into a drawing for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card.

to sign up for an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code “cityofsjc,” or call 949.443.6322.

donors must provide an acceptable form of identification, be in good health, weight at least 110 pounds, be at least 17 years old or have parental consent, and depending on the type of donation, must have waited the minimum amount of time since their last donation. require-ments vary by state. for more informa-tion, call 1.800.red.cross.

Historical Society Hosts Annual Barbecue

the san Juan capistrano Historical so-ciety invites guests to its 27th Heritage Barbecue at the amantes campground at rancho Mission Viejo on saturday, september 7, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

a buffet of tri-tip, chicken, beans, salad and tortillas will be served. guests are also invited to browse through the Historical society’s extensive photogra-phy collection of people and locations of san Juan capistrano. copies of the photographs, as well as books about san Juan capistrano, will also be on sale.

admission costs $25 per person or $45 for couples. soft drinks are $1. res-ervations are required and can be made by contacting the Historical society at 949.493.8444 or by sending a check, with the number of guests, to their office, at 31831 los rios street.

Applications Available for CERT Program

applications are now available for the city’s community emergency response team program, which prepares citizens to prepare for and respond to emergen-cies or natural disasters.

the 20-hour course will take place on two consecutive weekends, september 21 to 22 and september 27 to 28.

through demonstrations and simu-lations, participants will learn how to prepare for disasters, fire suppression, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and how to respond to ter-rorism.

the program is free for san Juan cap-istrano residents and businesses and $25 for non-residents.

for more information, including an application, contact Michael cantor, the city’s safety and emergency services manager, at 949.234.4565 or email mcantor@sanjuancapistrano.org.

Free Landscaping Class Teaches Water Conservation

the san Juan capistrano Utilities de-partment is hosting a free course on how to be a conservation-minded gardener on tuesday, october 29, at the community center’s meeting room.

an instructor from the Metropolitan Water district of southern california will teach residential gardeners how to conserve water and six ways to make their yards california friendly, including the types of plants to include in a garden, using rainwater as a resource and build-ing a living soil sponge.

space is limited to 30 people but a waiting list will be created in case of any cancellations. a second class may be offered in the winter if there is sufficient interest. to register, visit the community center, located at 25925 camino del avion.

for more information, contact francie Kennedy, the city’s water conservation coordinator, at 949.487.4304.

Assistant Public Works Director Sam Shoucair will retire after 21 years with the city. Shoucair was recognized for his work during the City Council’s meeting on Tuesday. Photo by Brian Park

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter

Tuesday, August 20

KEEP THE PEACEAlipaz Street, 32300 Block (10:37 p.m.) A man called dispatch because he wanted to evict his caretaker and his caretaker’s girlfriend, who were living with him. The man was informed this was a civil issue, but he insisted that deputies take care of the situation.

DISTURBANCEDel Obispo Street, 31700 Block (10:23 p.m.) A group of five male juveniles were seen walking around parking lots while hitting and kicking parked vehicles.

Compiled by ViCToR CARNo

DISTURBANCEPaseo Carolina/Paseo Pamela (7:21 p.m.) A concerned mother called dispatch and said her son was getting beat up by two men outside her home. A second informant later called about the incident and said two gang members were fight-ing in the alleyway. Deputies arrived later and confirmed that one of the men in the fight was not the woman’s son.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT/UNKNowNINjURIESVillage Road/Creekwood Drive (6:01 p.m.) A Land Rover and a Honda SUV were involved in a head-on collision. The caller told deputies that it looked like no one was injured but requested that med-ics report to the scene, just in case.

RoBBERY IN PRoGRESSDel Obispo Street/Camino Capistrano (4:46 p.m.) A man called authorities after he claimed he was robbed and beaten by two men, and that he was following them in his car. The man said he suffered facial injuries and overheard the subjects say-ing something about heading to Mexico. The man stayed on the line with dispatch while following the subjects southbound on Interstate 5. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol were notified, but Sheriff’s depu-ties caught and arrested the men.

wELFARE CHECKLos Rios Street, 31500 Block (3:25 p.m.) A concerned mother called authorities after her 13-year-old son took beers from the refrigerator and left her house on foot. The mother was concerned that her son might get hurt.

MEDICAL AIDOceana Court, 26200 Block (1:18 p.m.) A caller told deputies a woman had overdosed on pills and alcohol. The caller said that the woman was an alcoholic and was hallucinating and foaming at the mouth. The caller was unsure if the overdose was done on purpose and how many pills the woman had taken.

SUSPICIoUS PERSoN/CIRCUM-STANCEVia Mayor, 33100 Block (10:57 a.m.) A woman was concerned because one of her dogs went missing. She report-ed seeing graffiti on a wall in the park saying something about animals. She was concerned that the two incidents were related.

CITIZEN ASSISTRancho Viejo Road, 29200 Block (12:27 a.m.) A locksmith called depu-ties after he received a call that some-

one was locked inside a building. The locksmith tried to gain entry but ended up having to cut the door open.

Monday, August 19

wELFARE CHECKPaseo Carolina, 32000 Block (4:59 p.m.) A concerned father contacted deputies because his daughter went through a divorce recently and he was worried she was going to attempt sui-cide. The father said his daughter didn’t have any past attempts or thoughts of suicide, but was just concerned.

PRowLERRidge Road, 29500 Block (3:32 a.m.) A woman reported a man for standing outside of her residence. She said the man was standing on the sidewalk in-side of her front yard. Deputies arrived at the scene and arrested the man.

wednesday, August 14

DISTURBANCECamino Capistrano, 32000 Block (2:16 p.m.) A man was reported to authori-ties for threatening employees for the way they parked in the Del Mar Reality parking lot. The man was described as being 25 years old and sitting in a blue pickup truck when the call was made.

EyE on SJC

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.

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23–September 12, 2013 Page 8

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 16. 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, Tawnee Prazak, Dana Schnell

CITY EDITORSTORIES, NEWS, CALENDAR, ETC.

Brian Park, 949.388.7700, x108 bpark@thecapistranodispatch.com

ADVERTISINGPRINT AND ONLINE

Debra Wells, 949.388.7700, x104 dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107tzines@thecapistranodispatch.com

BILLINGAlyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@thecapistranodispatch.com

HOW TO REACH US

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

To submit a letter to the editor for pos-

sible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at

letters@thecapistranodispatch.com or

send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B,

Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. The Cap-

istrano 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.

Letters to the EditorMONEY, ENERGY AND WATERRICHARD GARDNER, Capistrano Beach

Should the city supply diesel gen-erators for the seven production wells and also the groundwater treatment plant? It seems that this project will move forward despite the fact that the benefi t received from these genera-tors will probably never be realized.

The council pointed out that the majority of money, about $1 million, for the generators will come from a Proposition 50 grant. The logic is if we don’t use it, the money will go to Laguna Niguel or Mission Viejo. No-where in the staff report was the cost of operating and maintaining these generators provided. The additional operation and management costs could exceed $100,000 per year.

It is important to understand how this project got legs and why it was proposed. The major power outage of September 8, 2011 caused many utili-ties to review their systems to see if there were changes needed.

The staff report of November 15, 2011, set the ball in motion, but the analysis was overly conservative. The basis for reliability is a power outage lasting several days, which has never happened. Furthermore, the power outage would have to occur with a Metropolitan Water District failure to supply water for over a week. Neither of these events has ever happened, especially not simultaneously.

Finally, if the groundwater levels should drop below the well screens during a prolonged drought, the new million-dollar generators would be useless.

If the grant money was used to provide a regional recharge basin, the water levels of the San Juan basin

could be improved, even in times of serious climate changes.

Higher operational costs don’t always mean a more reliable water supply.

U.S. NOT FOUNDED ON ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’RUTH CLARK, San Juan Capistrano

A bloody Revolutionary War was fought by our founding fathers for freedom of religion and freedom from religious control, especially from the Anglican Church of England and the Catholic Church in France. Thousands of Huguenots, Protestant reformers from France, were massacred by the religious authorities, and many of those who survived, escaped and landed here in America to be free from religious and political control by the Catholics.

The United States was settled by people seeking to worship God in their own way. Belief in God was important to the founding fathers, many of who were Masons, including the fi rst 13 presidents. However, Christianity was never mentioned as the only religion to be practiced in this new county. In fact, that kind of oppression was exactly what they were escaping from.

America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion. The Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11, in par-ticular, makes this very clear. Ratifi ed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and signed by President John Adams, it became the law of the land on June 10, 1797. Here is an excerpt. You can read the entire treaty online:

“As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…”

“In God We Trust” has only been

the motto of this country since 1956. Prior to that, “E Pluribus Unum,” or “Out of Many, One,” served as our unoffi cial motto. What has happened to our sense of unity as a nation, no matter how diverse our heritage or be-liefs? I say we simply keep all religion out of politics. It causes disharmony and division.

STUDENTS NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GETLAURDEN DUNN, San Clemente

I cannot recall a time when I feared going to school, yet now I fear sending my own children to school. Schools are supposed to be safe, nurturing en-vironments where children can go to learn and grow. So my question is why are we failing to provide the necessary services to facilitate healthy minds and academic achievement?

Currently the average counselor-to-student ratio is 1:471, which is almost double what is recommended by the American Counseling Association. With suicide being the third leading

cause of death for adolescents and school violence increasing, this raises great concern.

As a graduate student in the masters of social work program at the Univer-sity of Southern California, I have had the opportunity to advocate for change by gaining support for H.R. 320, the Student Support Act. This act, which amends the Secondary Education Act of 1965, will require the secretary of education to provide $1 million in grants for schools to hire mental health professional in order to reduce the student-to-provider ratio.

I can say from personal experience, when I attended San Clemente High School, the school counselor made a large impact on my life; In fact, she is the reason why I chose to go into the social work fi eld. Unfortunately, because of budget cuts, schools have not been able to provide mental health services.

Considering the recent events involving school violence and bul-lying, I feel that this bill can make a large impact. If passed, there will be one school counselor for every 250 students, one school psychologist for every 1,000 students, and one social worker for every 250 students.

San Juan Capistrano’s City Hall received a makeover in July with the addition of the nation’s motto, “In God We Trust,” and a Freedom Shrine in its City Council chamber. Photo by Brian Park

San Juan Hills Schedule

August 30 vs. Thousand Oaks, 7 p.m.September 5 at Canyon, 7 p.m.September 12 vs. Artesia, 7 p.m.September 20 at Marina, 7 p.m.September 27 vs. Fullerton, 7 p.m.October 4 at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.October 11 at Laguna Hills, 7 p.m. BYE WEEKOctober 25 at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.November 1 vs. Capistrano Valley, 7 p.m.November 8 vs. Dana Hills, 7 p.m.

The seniors from this year’s edition of the San Juan Hills football team were part of the program’s winless 2011 season. They were also a part of the record-setting 2012 season that saw the Stallions flip the tables on the opposition and rattle off six consecutive wins to start their year. After a 0-10 Season, the Stallions suddenly found themselves in the hunt for a league title.

Head coach Aaron Flowers has preached steady progression since he took the job two years ago. Now, with a bevy of returning players who have been involved in a total culture change at San Juan Hills, they are looking to take the next step and emerge as a con-tender in the Sea View League.

OffenseAfter watching Sea View League op-

ponent Aliso Niguel wear them down with a no-huddle, up tempo offense during an October 19 matchup last year, the Stallions coaching staff decided they would implement that style over the offseason. Flowers and his staff felt that with eight returning offensive starters on the depth chart, now was the time to act.

The offense is now practicing at a higher tempo and they hope to carry that over into the regular season. Defen-sive coordinator Armando Gonzalez told The Capistrano Dispatch in June that the amount of reps taken by the varsity squad in the offseason was the most he has ever seen in the program’s history.

Flowers and his staff has made the up tempo offense a priority, but even with the added reps and his players growing familiarity with the system, the veteran coach knows it will not be a finished product right away.

“It’s a work in progress … The stuff we’re trying to do, you just can’t imple-ment in a month … it’s kind of an entire program situation,” Flowers said. “It is a culture shift and that takes a while. Even throughout the season we are going to be developing it as we go.”

The responsibility of making sure the

up tempo offense runs smoothly will fall to returning senior quarterback Jacob Gibson. Gibson threw for 1,852 yards and 15 touchdowns last year in what was his first year ever playing the posi-tion at the varsity level. It was a solid campaign, and Flowers is banking on the experience Gibson gained last year

Veteran Stallion roSter looking to improVe league ChanCeS

By Steve Breazeale

2013 Dispatch Football Preview www.thecapistranodispatch.com

translating to more consistency going forward.

“Last year was a big-time learning process for him … We just tell him, if you just execute the offense then those things come. Just execute the offense and the big plays that are within the of-fense will come.”

San Juan Hills Stallions29211 Vista Montana, San Juan Capistrano, Ca. 92675HC: Aaron Flowers2012 Record: 7-3 (2-3 Sea View League)PTS/G: 25.3PTS Allowed: 188

Key Stats: The Stallions managed to keep their preseason opponents at bay in 2012. Despite a narrow 21-17 win over Canyon and a 27-21 victory over Fullerton, the Stallions defeated their six non-league opponents by an average margin of 16 points. However, once they entered league play the tables turned on them. The Stallions were outscored 103-70 in their Sea View League contests. Chalk the disparity up to tougher opponents and defenses. The Stallions will need to translate preseason success into league wins in 2013.

Gibson will be without his top two receivers, Kyle Mucerino and Scott Hoover, but will have returning starters Matt Mucerino and Ilias Irby out on the perimeter.

The starting offensive line should be a strength for the Stallions as seniors Jake Nelson (tackle), Joey Casillas (center) and Brandon Leggett (guard) return.

DefenseThe defense has also stepped up their

tempo in the offseason practices, which is a direct result of the new offensive play calling speed, according to Gonza-lez.

The Stallions will employ a 3-4 defen-sive look and have a deep linebacking corps at their disposal. Senior middle linebacker Brennan Walsh, a first team All Sea View League defensive selection in 2012, will lead a talented group made up of returning starters Curren Lapes, junior Jacob Venegas and senior Steven Aguilar.

In all, the Stallions defense returns six varsity starters.

The secondary should be secure with senior strong safety Ian Hickey and senior William Blum back in the mix. Blum was a first team All Sea View League defensive selection in 2012.

“We have a chance to be a very good defensive team as long as we execute,” Flowers said.

With all of the steam built up from last year and the returning depth, the Stallions will look to gain ground in the Sea View League. With teams like Cap-istrano Valley and Laguna Hills losing a good amount of seniors to graduation, the league that saw three teams claim a share of the title last season could play out in the same manner again this time around.

“We expect to be in the mix. That’s become our expectation as a program and that’s not overconfidence,” Flowers said. “We prepared all year long to be in the mix at the end of the year … I see each game coming down to the wire.”

The San Juan Hills football team has increased the tempo of their summer practices. Photo by Steve Breazeale

JSerra Schedule

August 31 at Centennial, 11 a.m.September 13 vs. Huntington Beach at Saddleback College, 7 p.m.September 20 vs. Buena Park at Saddleback College, 7 p.m.September 27 vs. Dana Hills atSaddleback College, 7 p.m.October 4 at Trabuco Hills, 7 p.m.Otober 11 vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.October 18 vs. Mater Dei at Saddleback College, 7 p.m.October 25 vs. St. John Bosco at Saddleback College, 7 p.m.November 1 at Servite at Cerritos College, 7:30 p.m.November 8 vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College, 7 p.m.

JSerra Catholic High School Lions26351 Junipero Serra RoadSan Juan Capistrano, Ca. 92675HC: Jim Hartigan2012 Record 6-4 (1-4 Trinity League)PTS/G: 21.6PTS Allowed/G: 24/7

Key Stats: Casey Eugenio is the dynamo of the Lions offense and defense, and all eyes will be on him to see if he can put up the same big numbers he did in 2012. As the team’s go-to running back and kick returner, Eugenio amassed 1,006 total yards of total offense last season. He was also a defensive back and racked up 98 total tackles, which was second on the team. Another key stat to keep an eye on will be junior quarterback Nick Robinson’s touchdown-to-interception ratio. In his sophomore season, Robinson threw five touchdowns and 11 interceptions, seven of which came in league play. That ratio will have to improve if the Lions are going to get over the hump in the Trinity League win column.

JSerra football head coach Jim Hartigan said to break through into the upper tier of the county’s toughest league, his Lions are going to have to grow up fast.

After some tough early season practice helped to build depth, Hartigan said he’s excited to see how his team rises to the challenge of the season.

“I’m pleased with the work, I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made,” Hartigan said.

Like many teams, his players were worn down a bit from two-a-day practices, but the demanding schedule actually allowed some of that depth to come through.

“We just have to get through the injuries, and the fact that they’re tired.” Hartigan said, “We need to find a way to get game one under our belts. Hopefully on the bye week we can get healed up a little bit, then go back full bore with Hunting-ton Beach, because our schedule just gets tougher as we go.”

Hartigan said an improved non-conference schedule, opening with perennial Las Vegas power Centennial, will help prepare the Lions to get over the hump in Trinity League play, against an opponent other than Orange Lutheran.

Each of the last two years, JSerra has started 5-0 in non-league play before facing the jump in competition.

“We play Orange Lutheran off the get go, we had a big win against them last year. If we can string together five, or maybe six (wins) and then try and figure out who else we can beat in the league, it would be ideal,” Hartigan said. “We came close last year to beating Bosco. But we didn’t play well against Santa Margarita, we didn’t play well against Mater Dei and we were sloppy versus Servite. We have to find a way to capture a couple more wins in the Trinity League, other than the traditional one we’ve been doing in the past.”

OffenseThe continued progress of junior quarterback Nick Robin-

son will be an important part of that effort. “He’s done a nice job. Last year as a sophomore, we threw

him in the fire and he grew up, he had to,” Hartigan said. “He really got better as the league wore on. We’re going to be better up front this year, so hopefully he’ll take less hits. We’ve changed some things offensively to get the ball out quicker, so I’m expecting him to have a much better year. He’s going to be the key that gets this engine going.”

While Robinson will be the key for the offense, senior Casey Eugenio will be heart of both the offense and defense for the Lions.

“He’s just amazing,” Hartigan said. “He’s a playmaker. He’s proven, week in, week out, year in, year out, that’s he going to make plays on offense, defense and special teams. And sometimes he’s done all three. He’s just a good, solid, tough high school football player. He’s really the heart and soul of our team and we really need him to have a good year.”

Wide receiver/safety Ethan Aguayo is another player to

watch, coming off a solid JV season that also included time on the varsity squad. Dante Pettis, another receiver and corner, has received Division I interest, including scholar-ship offers from San Diego State and Nevada, as well as garnering interest from Villanova.

Defense Defensively, Hartigan said he’s liked seeing the im-

proved pass rush in fall camp, especially coupled with improvements in the weight room that will help the team be stouter against the run. Coupled with an athletic sec-ondary, and an active linebacking corps, Hartigan hopes to see the unit give up fewer big plays this season and force teams to have to sustain their drives.

Breaking into the upper division of the Trinity League, Hartigan said, would go a long way to securing the pro-grams first CIF-SS playoff invitation.

“I think it’s time,” Hartigan said. “This is our seventh year. Certainly we want to try and earn that for ourselves by taking third outright, which means you’d have to win three games. There’s always the chance of being the wild-card, but you have to win seven games to even be consid-ered for that. It’s important, but it’s only going to happen if we stay healthy and we progress.”

Looking for a BreakthroughLions hoping tougher nonconference slate will lead to more trinity League success

By Jim Shilander

2013 Dispatch Football Preview www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Senior Casey Eugenio will look to build on his solid junior campaign. Courtesy photo

St. Margaret’s Schedule

September 6 vs. Village Christian, 7 p.m.September 12 at LinfieldSeptember 20 at Whit-tier Christian, 7 p.m.September 27 vs. Laguna Beach, 7 p.m.October 4 vs. Frederick Douglass Academy, 7 p.m.October 11 vs. Sage Hill, 7 p.m.October 18 at Brethren Christian, 7 p.m.October 25 at Crean Lutheran, 7 p.m.November 2 at Mission Prep, 7 p.m.November 8 vs. Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

When St. Margaret’s head football coach Rod Baltau took over three years ago he inherited a team that was full of sophomores and freshman. It was a young squad, but that core group of players developed an identity and translated that into almost immediate success. The Tartans run to the second round of the CIF-SS East Valley playoffs in 2012 marked the end to much of that groups high school football careers.

There are still several players who had been a part of the Tartans dominating run in the Academy League on the 2013 roster but now, Baltau makes comparisons to that team he guided to a 9-3 overall record back in 2010.

“We were getting older but now we’re back to being younger but I guess that’s just how it works,” Baltau said. “It’s going to be fun to see some young guys that are going to need to step up. It looks like they are but when we go live we’ll see if they actually do.”

The Tartans steamrolled their way through the Acad-emy League last year, going 3-0. They outscored their in-league opponents 156-14. With a good portion of last year’s roster gone to graduation, it will be interesting to see if the Tartans can maintain the torrent pace set by last year’s veterans.

OffenseThe Tartans skill positions will be a strong point

heading into the new season. Senior quarterback Josh Davis is a three-year starter and provides the consis-tency and skill that is necessary for the position. Two years ago Davis was named the Academy League Of-fensive Player of the Year. Baltau describes Davis as a dual-threat quarterback who can make big throws but also burst out of the pocket and scramble to pick up yards.

Joining Davis in the backfield will be returning start-ing running back Oscar Gomez, who is the reigning league offensive MVP. Gomez had a breakout sopho-more season and will look to thrive again in the Tartans spread offense.

Baltau also likes the look of his young offensive line, which he says has good size.

Two-way player Jake Hines will look to sure up the Tartans receiving corps.

Defense St. Margaret’s has been able to put a lot of points on

the board in years past but where they have excelled is on defense. They recorded five shutouts last season,

including one in the playoffs, and will have several impact players returning.

Hines, who is going to the University of Massachu-setts Amherst to play college football next season, will be one of the team’s outside linebackers. Hines has started at the position since he was a freshman. He will play in tandem alongside junior middle linebacker Dalan Cragun. Baltau feels that the two have a special knack for the linebacker position and will provide the defense with veteran leadership.

Core Players return for

tartans title Defense

By Steve Breazeale

2013 Dispatch Football Preview www.thecapistranodispatch.com

St. Margaret’s Tartans31641 La Novia,San Juan Capistrano, Ca. 92675HC: Rod Baltau2012 Record: 10-2 (4-0, 1st in Academy League)PTS/G: 42.2PTS Allowed/G: 8.8

Key Stats: The trend over at St. Margaret’s in recent years has been a standout defense. Last year was no exception. The Tartans smothered their opponents in the regular season, holding three opponents to seven points or less while recording five shutouts, including one in the playoffs. The team took a hit to graduation so the stat to watch will be the points allowed. Time will tell if this year’s defensive group can be just as effective as the 2012 version.

“They’re experienced but they love playing line-backer,” Baltau said. A lot of our guys have to go both ways, and Hines will start on offense, but they just love playing defense and they love getting after it.”

The Tartans will run a multiple defensive scheme this season, switching between 4-4, 4-3 and even 4-2 defensive looks.

A game to mark off on the calendar will be the Tar-tans September 27 non-league matchup with Laguna Beach, who defeated St. Margaret’s last season.

Senior Quarterback Josh Davis returns for the Tartans in 2013. Photo by Steve Breazeale.

2013 Dispatch Football Preview www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Saddleback Valley Christian Schedule

August 30 at Firebaugh, 7 p.m.September 7 at Polytechnic, 2 p.m.September 20 vs. Rock Academy at San Juan Hills High, 7 p.m.September 28 vs. Riverside Christian at San Juan Hills High, 7 p.m.October 4 at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.October 12 at Indian Springs, 7 p.m.October 18 at Southlands Christian, TBAOctober 25 at Fairmont Prep, TBANovember 1 vs. Santa Clarita Christian at St. Margaret’s Episcopal, 7 p.m.November 7 vs. Capistrano Valley Chris-tian at San Clemente High, 7:30 p.m.

Saddleback Valley Christian Warriors26333 Oso Road San Juan Capistrano, Ca. 92675HC: Justin Reber2012: 6-5 (5-0, 1st in San Joaquin League)PTS/G: 33.6PTS Allowed/G: 21

Key Stats: The Warriors ran the ball 457 times in 2012 and attempted only 222 passes. The lion’s share of those rush carries went to Forrest Lohman, who graduated after a stellar senior season. With Lohman gone it will be interesting to see which player steps up and fills the production void in his absence. The War-riors have a deep receiving corps but will still need to find that go-to back if they are to repeat as league champs. Out of the returning players who saw time last year, only senior Marco Castellanos had more than 20 carries. Castellanos is listed as a receiver but could be an option head-ing into the new season.

Saddle-back Valley chriStian high School

The Saddleback Valley Christian foot-ball team steamrolled their way to the 2012 San Joaquin League championship last season and so far in the early going of fall camp, head coach Justin Reber likes what he sees out of his returning players.

“This is the biggest team, size and strength-wise, that I have had as a coach at this school,” Reber said. “This team could be twice as good as the team we put out on the field last season.”

That’s saying a lot, considering the Warriors pounded their way through league opponents with a devastating run game last year.

It’s been a while since the small San Juan Capistrano team got to don the pads and start tackling, which they finally did last week.

“We’re excited to get back on the field and start hitting again,” senior wideout Marco Castellanos said.

Castellanos and the rest of this year’s varsity team began practicing last week with hopes of putting together another league championship. With eight return-ing offensive players and six players returning on the defensive side of the ball, the 2013 Warriors team thinks they are ready and able to capture back-to-back San Joaquin League titles.

OffenseThe Warriors will be missing two key

pieces from their offense that contributed so much one year ago. Running back Forrest Lohman and quarterback Brandon Camarillo-Towes have graduated, leaving major holes to fill.

Lohman was an absolute force last season as he rushed for 1,969 yards and 25 touchdowns. Lohman accounted for 25 of the team’s 38 rushing touchdowns. Camarillo-Towles kept the offense flowing and balanced the run-heavy attack.

Coach Reber thinks they have found ways to fill those holes left by the gradu-ated seniors. All they had to do was look to their depth chart.

“We have four legit weapons at wide receiver who will fill the role on offense and we think Jake Markum is going to step in at quarterback without missing a beat,” Reber said.

The list of receivers that Markum, a junior, will have at his disposal consists of Charlie Morris, Caleb Ward, Sawyer Caso-Nogle and David Molina.

Markum isn’t worried about the offense missing any strides this season, despite losing their record-setting running back.

“Our offense is much better than last year. The offensive line is doing a great job, we have four really good receivers and we have the ability to score a lot of points,” he said.

By Kevin Dahlgren

Defense When asked how the team was prepar-

ing for the upcoming season, junior wide receiver and free safety Charlie Morris said, “I feel like our defense has gotten much better since last year, we are work-ing on getting the new players up to speed but we will be ready for the first game. Overall we’ve got a really great team.”

Senior linebacker Josh Sandberg and junior defensive lineman Asa Johnson are also slated to return.

This year, the marquee matchup for the Warriors will take place October 4 when they take on Aliso Niguel out of the Sea View League. It will be the largest school, by far, that the Warriors have faced in over two years.

“This team can compete with the bigger schools like Aliso Niguel. We might not have the size or strength they do, but we have great players who will go 100 per-cent for four quarters. I’m excited to see what our guys can prove,” Reber said.

The Capistrano Valley Christian football team is looking for a foothold in the San Joaquin League. Photo by Kevin Dahlgren

The Capistrano Valley Christian football team ended their 2012 campaign with a second-place finish in the San Joaquin League. Their only loss in league play came October 13 in the form of a 49-14 trouncing by inner-city rival Saddleback Valley Christian. This year, the Eagles will have plenty of time to prepare for the rematch of last season’s defeat as they take on the Warriors in their final game of the season on November 7 at San Clemente High School.

OffenseEntering the 2013 season, junior quar-terback Riley Babick and the rest of the Eagles squad are eager to redeem their second-place finish. Once again Babick will look to sophomore receiver Ben Sukut, who led the Eagles in receiving and all-purpose yards as a freshman,

By Kevin Dahlgren

Capistrano Valley Christian Schedule

August 30 at Maranatha Christian, 7 p.m.September 6 vs. Rock Academy at San Clemente High, 7 p.m.September 13 vs. Sage Hill at San Clem-ente High, 7:30 p.m.September 20 at Linfield Christian, 7:30 p.m.October 4 vs. Crean Lutheran at San Clemente High, 7:30 p.m.October 12 at Southlands Christian, 7 p.m.October 18 vs. Fairmont Prep at San Cle-mente High, 7:30 p.m.October 26 vs. Santa Clarita Christian at

EaglEs Taking FlighTafter a successful first season in 11-man football, Capistrano

Valley Christian looks to returning players for strength

for help in leading his team to a league championship. Sukut was easily Babick’s favorite target last year and the two combined for 11 passing touchdowns.

DefenseOn the defensive side of the ball, Sukut collected six interceptions totaling over 316 yards in interception returns playing at defensive back. Sukut’s all-around 2012 performance earned him a spot on the Maxpreps.com Freshman All-American Team. This year’s Eagles team is chalk-full of young talent, with 11 returning sopho-mores including defensive back Dylan Baird, who led all underclassmen with 40 tackles and tied with Sukut for the interceptions lead. Despite being a young team, the Eagles are prepared to make a run at a league title and the even more elusive CIF-SS championship.

Canyon High, 7 p.m.October 7 vs. Saddleback Valley Christian at San Clemente High, 7:30 p.m.

Capistrano Valley Christian Eagles32032 Del Obispo StreetSan Juan Capistrano, Ca. 92675HC: Dan Dodd2012 Record: 8-3 (4-1 San Joaquin League)PTS/G: 29.3PTS Allowed/G: 25.7

Key Stats: In their first season playing 11-man football, the Eagles definitely held their own. Riley Babick had a breakout sophomore season, throwing for 2,267 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also had 108 rushing yards and was effective at the goal line, punching in four rushing touch-downs on the year. Babick’s success can partially be accredited to sophomore wide out Ben Sukut, who caught 89 passes as a freshman for 1,252 yards and 11 touch-downs. If Babick and Sukut can fall into an even more effective rhythm, those eye-popping stats could get even bigger.

2013 Dispatch Football Preview

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23–September 12, 2013 Page 17

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

STEVE TYRELL 8 p.m. Concert at The Coach House. Tickets $35. 33157 Camino Cap-istrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoach-house.com.

CHANCEY WILLIAMS AND THE YOUNGER BROTHERS BAND 8:30 p.m. Live music at The Swal-low’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

friday 23

RMV RODEO 2 p.m. Saturday; 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The richest two-day rodeo in the nation with a purse totaling over $200,000, featuring rodeo contestants in saddle bronc and bareback rid-

ing, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding and team roping, as well as much more fun for the whole family. Admission $10-$25. Location: corner of Ortega Highway and La Pata, www.rmvrodeo.com.

PET ADOPTION 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Ark of San Juan has dogs, cats and kittens for adoption at PetSmart in the Costco/Staples plaza. 33963 Doheny Park Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.388.0034, www.arkofsanjuan.org.

THE BLUES & BOOZE TOUR 2013 3 p.m. Blues con-cert featuring Big Daddy Williams & Lexi G. and Jumpin Jack Benny at The Ribjoint, benefi ting The Orange County Blues Society. Tickets $20. 34294 Pacifi c Coast Hwy, Dana Point, 949.661.9500, www.ribjointdanapoint.com, www.bdmcgees.com.

saturday24

WEST COAST FILM FESTIVAL The 3rd Annual West Coast Film Festival at various venues in San Juan Capistrano begins and runs through

Sept. 1, featuring indie fi lms, documentaries, classics and much more. Tickets on sale at the local Regency Theatre. More info: 949.489.7771, www.westcoastfi lmfest.com.

MICROBREWS BY THE MISSION 4 p.m.-8 p.m. A 14-venue “pub crawl” featuring seasonal craft brews,

CURIOSITY CARTS10 a.m.-Noon. A hands-on learn-ing experience for kids 5 and older with replicas of Mission artifacts used by the Juaneño Indians at Mission San Juan

Capistrano. 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

PHIL VANDERMOST 8 p.m. Live music at The Swal-low’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

MIKE DEBELLIS 8:30 p.m. Live music at Montego Res-taurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

tuesday 27

wednesday28

COUNTRY DANCIN’ WITH PATRICK AND FRIENDS6:30 p.m. Every Monday at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

BLACK SHEEP DOWNED BIKER POKER RUN AND RALLY 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fun-draiser event and poker run at Historic Town Center Park to benefi t Harley motorcycle

owners who are injured in an accident with live classic rock, barbecue, games, raffl es, vendors and more. Tick-ets $20. 31852 El Camino Real, SJC, 714.215.2711.

monday 26

sunday 25

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

JUSTIN FOUTZ 1:30 p.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

THE SERRA CHAPEL TOUR 11:15 a.m. Tour at the Mission in honor of Father Junípero Serra, who was born 300 years ago this year. Offered Sundays. Admission $6-$9. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

live music, food and appetizers and more in downtown San Juan Capistrano, the last Wednesday of the month. Camino Capistrano and Ortega Highway, 949.493.4700, www.facebook.com/microbrewsbythemission.

THE HIGHWAY MAN SHOW7:30 p.m. Special live show at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

LOS RIOS GARDEN ANGELS 8:30 am-10:30 am. Join the SJC Los Rios Park Garden Angels in front of the Mon-tanez Adobe to volunteer in the garden, grow our butterfl y sanctuary and care for the native plants. Every Thursday. 31661 Los Rios St., 949.493.5911, San Juan Capistrano, www.goinnative.net.

thursday29

MIDNIGHT WHISKEY8:30 p.m. Live music at Mon-tego Restaurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

MARSHALL TUCKER BAND 8 p.m. Classic rock band in concert at The Coach House. Tickets $35; call for info. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

friday30

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music, dining and dancing in the courtyard of Mission San Juan Capistrano. The

fi nal show of the series features music by The Fab Four: Ultimate Tribute to the Beatles with “Ed Sullivan.” Ticket info online. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

THIRD RAIL BLUE AND GRAND JUNCTION 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn, day and night. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capist-rano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com. (Cont. on page 18)

saturday31

This summer’s movie season started on a high note, with hit blockbusters such as Iron Man 3 and This Is the End, and indie sleepers like The Way, Way Back and Blue Jasmine. But August 2013 has been relatively underwhelming. One of the most blasé of this month’s late summer releases is Paranoia. This not-so-thrilling thriller stars two fi lm legends and two attractive B-listers but lacks originality and bombed at the box offi ce. After losing his job at a phone company, Adam (Liam Hemsworth) blows his last use of the company credit card on partying with friends. Rather than call him out on it, his old boss Wyatt (Gary Oldman) offers a deal. If Adam agrees to spy on Wyatt’s old partner, and business rival, Goddard (Harrison Ford), he can have a new, bigger job. But the more Adam plays the part, the more connected he feels toward Goddard’s young protégé Emma (Amber

Heard). Embeth Davidtz, Richard Dreyfuss and Julian McMahon co-star. Directed by Robert Luketic, known mostly for rom-coms such as Legally Blonde (2001), and based on the novel by Joseph Finder, Paranoia is a blend of good looking people, lack-luster dialogue, bad editing and an obnoxious music score. With Luketic clearly out of his element in this genre and Dreyfuss’ and Hemsworth’s carelessly delivered lines, Paranoia failed to crack the Top 10 opening weekend. And it looks like Hemsworth and Heard will have to fi nd something less forgettable to make them household names. — Megan Bianco

AT THE MOVIES: ‘PARANOIA’ ANNOYS

Gary Oldman, Liam Hemsworth and Harrison Ford in Paranoia. © 2013 Paranoia Productions, LLC.

TASTE OF SOUTH COUN-TY AND THE CAPISTRANO AUTO SHOW 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Food and beverages from a host of south OC’s restau-rants and cafes, as well as

music, and new cars on display at Independence Bank in SJC. Cost $15-$25. 32291 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

GETTING OUT

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR 1 p.m. SJC His-torical Society leads a tour to see Los Rios Historical District, O’Neill Museum, Montanez Adobe, the Mis-

sion, Rios Adobe and more. Meet at the train depot on Verdugo Street. Every Sunday. $2 adults, $1 children. 949.493.8444, www.sjchistoricalsociety.com.

PANNING FOR GOLD 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Try your luck at fi nding gold in custom-designed troughs at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Cost $3 with admission. 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

sunday01

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

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

ALL STARS LIVE 8:30 p.m. Live music at Montego Res-taurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

FUNNIEST HOUSEWIVES OF OC 8 p.m. Popular comedy show at The Coach House. Tickets $20; call for info. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

NETWORK BREAK-FAST MIXER 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Join the chamber on the fi rst Wednesday of the month for breakfast at the

Vintage Steakhouse. Cost $15 members/$25 potential members. 26701-B Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

BISHOP’S CHESS CLUB 6 p.m.-7:45 p.m. The club meets the fi rst Wednesday of the month at the San Juan Capistrano Library for chess games, instruction, discus-sion and more. 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capist-rano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

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. Free with admission. 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com.

15TH ANNUAL LABOR DAY PIG ROAST 1 p.m. The Swal-low’s Inn and The Capistrano Eagles MC present a pig roast celebration with live music by Family Style and more fun.

Donation $15. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capist-rano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME11 a.m. Children ages 3-6 and their caregivers are invited for stories, songs, crafts and fun at the San Juan Capistrano Library. 31495 El Camino Real,

San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1752, www.ocpl.org.

HART & SOUL 8:30 p.m. Live music at Montego Restau-rant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

thursday 05

monday 02

tuesday 03

wednesday04

(Cont. from page 17)

Ottmar Liebert. Photo by Joe Mozdzen

EDITOR’S PICK: OTTMAR LIEBERT & LUNA NEGRA 8 p.m. Ottmar Leibert and his band Luna Negra bring southwest border-country fl amenco music to the Coach House stage. Far from old school fl amenco, songs from Liebert’s latest release, “Dune,” include a mix of acoustic and electric guitar, gypsy accordion, electric bass, funky drum-boxing and percussion. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30. Dinner reservations are also available. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

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

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Call today! Contact Angela Edwards at 949.682.1667 or email aedwards@thecapistranodispatch.com.

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

JEWELER

Vermeulen’s Landscaping Inc. 949.661.0967bvland@cox.net

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

PLUMBING

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

ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

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

ELECTRICIANS

Oasis Air Conditioning & Heating 949.420.132131648 Rancho Viejo Rd., Ste. A, www.oasisair.com

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

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

BANKING

San Clemente Computer & Network Servicesdaniel@sanclementecomputer.com 949.276.1581

COMPUTER SERVICES

GraCorp Coins & Collectibles 949.350.4692www.gracorpcoins.com

COINS

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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

Printing OC 949.388.488827134 Paseo Espada #B 203, www.printingoc.com

PRINTING

Bayside Window Cleaning, Inc. 949.215.2323 www.baysidewindowcleaning.comClear Windows 949.485.8793San Clemente, www.clearwindows-llc.com

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

WINDOW CLEANING/PRESSURE WASHING

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The only directory featuring San Juan Capistrano businesses exclusively

BUSINESS DIRECTORYBUSINESS DIRECTORY

PHARMACY CLERK TYPISTFulltime, San Clemente area, experience required, ins. benefi ts, call (949) 496-0123 for appt. or fax resume to (949) 496-0489.

PROGRAM AIDEPart-time position working members ages 7 – 18 in our after-school program. Duties include reg-istration and assisting with programs in the areas of the Arts, Health and Life Skills, and Education. Hours will be: 2 – 6 pm, Monday through Friday. Requirements: high school diploma, experience working with children, communication skills to deal with children and with the general public (bi-lingual in Spanish a plus), CPR and fi rst aid certi-fi ed. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley is an equal opportunity employer. If interested, please contact Nicole Watson, Area Director, at 949.240.7898 extension *19 or by email at nwatson@bgccapo.com.

4LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY

SJC LIVING

4COMMUNITY CALENDARTuesday 8.27

Cultural Heritage Commission Meet-ing 5 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.Planning Commission Meeting6:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Ad-elanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Friday 8.30

Coffee Chat8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues, hosted by The Dispatch founder Jonathan Volzke.

Occurs every Friday. All are wel-come. El Adobe de Capistrano, 31891 Camino Capistrano.

Tuesday 9.3

City Council, Housing Authority and Successor Agency Meeting6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adel-anto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Monday 9.9

Open Space, Trails and Equestrian Commission Meeting 6 p.m. City

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23–September 12, 2013 Page 20

Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Tuesday 9.10

Planning Commission Meeting6:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Ad-elanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org.

Friday 9.13

Next regular issue of The Dispatch publishes

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

ON LIFE AND LOVE AFTER 50

By Tom Blake

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 refl ect those of The Cap-istrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com

Finding Glee in the OCNo reason to take living in south Orange County for granted

ost everyone I know who lives in south Orange County feels blessed to be here. Besides the

incredible Southern California weather, this August not withstanding, we have a choice of beaches and Dana Point Har-bor in which to enjoy aquatic activities.

When outsiders come to visit, they marvel at the beauty and versatility of the area. I hear comments from them often in Tutor and Spunky’s, my Dana Point deli. They remind us that we should never take for granted what we have here.

That point was driven home when my brother Bill, his wife Linda and his two boys visited for fi ve days this month from Dallas. Bill is a masters swimmer and took part in the nationals at the Aquatic Center in Mission Viejo, along with 1,437 others. With the center’s three outdoor pools, it’s a swimming venue to be proud of. There must have been 300 volunteers helping out.

On one of the nights, our fam-ily enjoyed dinner at the Wind & Sea Restaurant in the Harbor, a landmark location for Dana Point. You dine at a table overlooking the marina entrance. Pointing toward the water, Bill asked, “What’s that guy doing?”

My partner Greta said, “He’s a stand-up paddleboarder, it’s quite the craze here now. Baby Beach, inside the Harbor down by the Ocean Institute, has calm water and that’s where most people learn how to do it.”

Besides the constant passing of boats in and out, a guy went by in a fl oat tube, fl y casting in every direction.

When you’ve been to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano over the years for a myriad of concerts, as

MGreta and I have (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Don Ho), it’s easy to take the venue for granted. But it took our Texas visitors to remind us of how special that little concert hall is. When Bill and Linda walked in, they marveled about

its quaintness and how there was not a bad seat in the house. And these are people from the state that is home to well-known venues such as Gilley’s and Billy Bob’s Texas.

They were thrilled with the con-cert, as were Greta and I. Bill Medley, the surviving member of the original Righteous Brothers, an Orange County native, put on an incredible perfor-mance, particularly for a 72-year-old guy. It was the anniversary of Bobby Hatfi eld’s birthday, the other half of the Righteous Brothers, who died Novem-ber 5, 2003. Medley often mentioned Bobby throughout the show. Medley’s daughter, McKenna, who reminded us of Reese Witherspoon, is a rising star in Nashville. She added lots of zip to the performance.

When you go to the Coach House, be sure to say hello to John the bartender. He’s been there for at least a quarter century and can make a drink in the blink of an eye.

The city of Dana Point has done a great job of promoting social activities. Pretty much every weekend, there is something fun to do. Nothing was more enjoyable for Greta and me than on Sunday, when we attended one of the summer concert series events the

city sponsors. Each summer, there are eight free outdoor concerts held in three different locations. This one was at Sea Terrace Park near the Dana Point Library. I’m estimating 4,000 people were there.

The band was called ABBAfab, an ABBA tribute band that had 10 mem-bers. Usually, at these events, Greta and I stay seated in our lawn chairs and just enjoy the music. But on that Sunday, we were down in front of the stage, dancing and singing along with about 300 other crazies. This was a really special concert for us.

Yes, we are huge ABBA fans (the Swedish group has sold close to 400 millions albums). In May of this year, we went to the new ABBA museum in Stockholm on opening day and got to watch original members Bjorn and Fri-da interviewed live by NBC personality Natalie Morales on the “Today Show.”

So, if you’re starting to take living in south Orange County for granted, check

out all of the diverse events that happen here and get out there and enjoy them. You’ll appreciate what we have.

The next singles age 50 plus Meet and Greet is Thursday, August 29, 5 p.m. to 7:30 at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point.

No cover charge. Happy hour prices. Featuring Carl the DJ.

For directions: www.tutorandspunkys.com

Call 949 248-9008 for questions.To comment: tompblake@gmail.comTom Blake is a Dana Point business

owner and San Clemente resident who has authored books on middle-aged dat-ing. See his website at www.fi ndingloveaf-ter50.com. CD

5STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

SPORTS& OUTDOORS

5he waning summer months and early fall can be a hectic time for cowboys on the professional rodeo

circuit. As the National Rodeo Finals in December draw nearer, cowboys aren’t just battling with the bucking horses and bulls they ride. For some competi-tors, they’re also jockeying with one another in hopes of earning a spot in the end-of-the-year championship.

For that reason, the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo can make or break a cow-boy’s season. The National Rodeo Finals accept only the top 15 money winners in eight categories: all-around, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, steer roping and bull riding. The Rodeo, now in its 13th year in San Juan Capist-rano, is known as the richest two-day rodeo in the country and typically draws the top 30 competitors in each category. For those cowboys on the bubble or sitting just outside the top 15, a win in San Juan Capistrano can mean a trip to Las Vegas.

Wade Sumpter of Fowler, Colo. is a former winner at the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, earning top billing as a steer wrestler two years ago. This year, he enters the Rodeo squarely at 15th in the standings and has accumulated $40,757 in winnings. Ahead of him is Bray Armes of Ponder, Texas ($41,872) and behind him, Seth Brockman from

Prestige and a Paycheck

By Brian ParkThe Capistrano Dispatch

www.thecapistranodispatch.comThe Capistrano Dispatch August 23-September 12, 2013 Page 22

T

Kilts will be optional as Celtic clans and strongmen descend on Dana Point Saturday and Sunday, August 24 and 25, for the California Celtic Classic and World Highland Games.

The games—which have a rich his-tory dating back to 632 B.C. in Ireland and served as an inspiration for the modern-day Olympics—include a variety of traditional Irish and Scottish sporting events such as the hammer throw, stone putt, caber toss and many other weight-lifting related contests.

Ten of America’s top Highland ath-letes will compete for one spot in the International Highland Games Federa-

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT CELTIC CLASSIC COMING TO THE OC

Country’s richest two-day rodeo brings top cowboys to San Juan Capistrano

In the saddle bronc event at the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, cowboys compete for style point while attempting to stay in the saddle for 8 seconds atop a wildly buck-ing bronco. Photo by Andrea Swayne

tion World Amateur Highland Games Championship, scheduled in Europe for 2014.

The event will also include a strongman competition, where 10 of

Wheatland, Wyo. ($40,539).“When you’re on the bubble, you have

to just keep chipping away,” Sumpter said. “You’re competing against the best in the world, with the top 30 guys there. Other rodeos might have the top 100.”

The life of a rodeo cowboy is strenu-ous, marked by painful bruises and long nights on the road, away from home. Cowboys typically pay their own way to different rodeos throughout the coun-try, even into Canada. In July, Sumpter came away with his second steer wrestling title at the Calgary Stampede, one of the world’s largest rodeos, and collected $100,000. However that win and those earnings don’t count toward the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Asso-ciation standings. According to Sumpter, rodeos like Calgary are a mix of busi-ness and gambling—a shot at earning a paycheck to feed the family.

“It still counts in the checkbook, even if it doesn’t count toward the standings,” Sumpter said. “It’s kind of like buying a lottery ticket and winning. It sure helps.”

As important as it is to make the

California’s top strength athletes are set to compete.

The festival grounds will be decked out to mimic medieval times and will also feature a Celtic food fair, live music, dancing, a haggis eating contest, clan gathering and a Celtic marketplace.

The two-day festival will be held at Sea Terrace Community Park, at the corner of Pacifi c Coast Highway and Niguel Road, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Kids under 13 are free.

For more information or to purchase tickets, log on to www.calcelticclassic.com. — Darian Nourian

fi nals, Sumpter has a lot more on his mind these days. His wife, Linsay Rosser-Sumpter, who grew up in a rodeo family herself, is pregnant with the couple’s fi rst child, a son, who is due in late December.

Linsay is the granddaughter of Cot-ton Rosser, the patriarch of the Flying U Rodeo, which produces the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo. Linsay is a former rodeo competitor, but now spends most of her time organizing the music for rodeos and coaching the rodeo team at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo. Linsay tries to make it out to her husband’s rodeos whenever she can, but Saturday in San Juan Capistrano will be the fi rst time they’ve seen each other in six weeks.

“It kind of goes with the territory of being raised in a rodeo family,” Linsay said. “The rodeo has blessed both of our lives. This year might be a little harder on him because he probably wants to be home. It’s a little different now because I can feel the baby move, and he hasn’t been here for that. But we’ve been lucky. I’ve always been in his corner.”

A Highland Games competitor. Courtesy photo

As a rodeo cowboy, Sumpter says distractions—even the best kinds, like impending fatherhood—don’t have much of an effect on performance. Much of what the cowboy does depends on the animal, which are also evaluated and given points.

“You can’t just show up to a rodeo, do your best and win,” Sumtper said. “There are a lot of variables.”

“I don’t think Wade lets stuff bother him. He’s very cool, calm and col-lected,” said Linsay’s aunt Cindy Rosser, also from the Flying U Rodeo. “He just goes.”

The 13th annual Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo takes place Saturday, August 24 to Sunday, August 25 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, on the corner of Ortega Highway and La Pata Avenue. On Saturday, gates open at 2 p.m. and the rodeo begins at 4 p.m. On Sunday, gates open at 11:30 a.m. and the rodeo begins at 1:30 p.m.

For more information on the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, visit www.rmvro-deo.com. CD