YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, SPORTS AND MORE AUGUST 10–23, 2012 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 15 Lights, Camera, Action! The West Coast Film Festival returns to San Juan for an encore performance EYE ON SJC/PAGE 6 West Coast Film Festival co-founders Stephanie Heredia and Bob Kline have expanded the festival into new venues in its second year. Photo by Brian Park Inaugural Rodeo Week San Juan Native Kessy Doheny Surf to Showcase San Juan’s Wins Silver Medal at Festival Kicks Off Western Heritage London Olympics Saturday EYE ON SJC/PAGE 5 SPORTS/PAGE 26 SPECIAL PULLOUT SECTION SAN CLEMENTE DANA POINT San Clemente received a $20,000 state A group of Capistrano Beach residents EYE ON SJC grant and will match it with $8,000 of NEWS organized to lobby City Council to ban its own funds to fi nd ways to reuse the vacation rentals. They’ve “had enough” they LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING boarded-up Miramar Theater and bowl- NEXT said, and the short-term rentals are not only ing alley. The city learned July 9 that it was disruptive, but illegal. The issue has been awarded the grant from the State Offi ce discussed since 2007, but at the April 3 of Historic Preservation. City Planner DOOR meeting, council directed staff to perform a WHAT’S GOING ON IN Jim Pechous said the city is working with OUR NEIGHBORING statistically valid survey of voters to assist property owner Marc Spizzirri. “We were TOWNS in deciding how to proceed. According to a defi nitely excited and hope this would be 2009 study, 134 homes were being adver- a catalyst to facilitate the rehabilitation of tised as short-term vacation rentals despite the property and the structures,” said John not being expressly allowed by the zoning Ciampa, staff planner on the project. The code. Mayor Lara Anderson said survey funds will be used to assess the building on results will be ready in time for the Septem- El Camino Real as a historic resource, con- ber 18 council meeting and will be on the sider its current condition and offer ways to agenda. “Whether we decide to enforce the rehabilitate it. Grant funding arrives October codes or change the codes, it’s time to make 1, and the fi nal report is slated for comple- a decision on what we want to do as a city,” tion by May 25. Anderson said. SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S1 TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS What’s Up With... “It has been my honor to serve on accept the lowest responsible bid for months. 1 … Ghost Trains and your City Council these past four years,” any project over $125,000—the city Freeway Construction? Freese said in a statement. “My decision never updated that fi gure when the state WHAT’S NEXT: The agreement is effec- is based primarily on a newly diagnosed changed it to $175,000, according to tive September 1 until June 30, 2014. health condition of my husband. It is City Attorney Omar Sandoval. THE LATEST: The results of a study on time to focus on the family.” FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit the ghost train issue, as requested by the As of press time, Melissa Abbott, WHAT’S NEXT: Work is expected to be- thecapistranodispatch.com —BP City Council, will be available this week, former Mayor Roy Byrnes and Tom gin by September, and the city has given Orange County Transportation Authority Marantz were the only candidates to Spiess until February 2013 to fi nish CEO Will Kempton told the council at its 5 … SONGS? fi le their nomination papers with the construction. The settlement requires Tuesday, August 7 meeting. required 20-30 signatures. Papers for the city to complete the project by June “I can tell you sincerely that I am THE LATEST: Activists want the Califor- incumbent Councilman Sam Allevato, 30, 2013. resolved to solving this issue,” Kempton nia Public Utilities Commission to forge Planning Commissioners Robert Wil- said. ahead quickly with its investigation of San liams and Ginny Kerr and resident Kim FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit The council also received updates on Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and McCarthy were still outstanding. Joe thecapistranodispatch.com. —BP Interstate 5 during Kempton’s presen- the costs to ratepayers for the outage of Love, a retired serviceman and current tation. OCTA plans on extending the its two reactors. student, pulled papers on Thursday, southbound I-5 carpool lane from San Last week, fi ve groups, including the August 9. 4 …Crossing Guards? Juan Creek Road to Avenida Pico. The Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility, sent project has been divided into three parts. THE LATEST: The City Council approved a letter to commissioners, saying little in- WHAT’S NEXT: Freese’s decision not to Segment 3 of the project, from San Juan an agreement on Tuesday that will formation about the costs to plant owner run for reelection automatically pushes Creek Road to Pacifi c Coast Highway, will provide crossing guards at six locations Southern California Edison has been the deadline to fi le papers to Wednes- cost $70 million and also includes the ad- near San Juan Capistrano schools. made public. The commission postponed day, August 15 at 5:30 p.m. dition of new sound walls, retaining walls Crossing guards from American the investigation from its Thursday, Au- and landscaping. Guard Services, Inc. will be situated gust 2 agenda. FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit near Ambuehl Elementary, Del Obispo For its part, SCE said in a statement thecapistranodispatch.com —BP WHAT’S NEXT: Metrolink is currently Elementary, Kinoshita Elementary, San that its cost to purchase power in the ab- developing a version of Positive Train Juan Elementary and Marco Forster sence of San Onofre’s reactors was $117 Control, a train traffi c monitoring and 3 …Sun Ranch Middle School during the regular school million as of June 30. Some of the costs control system, which will be available in Drainage Project? year and as needed during summer with the two reactors, which have been 2014. Kempton believes the system will school sessions. offl ine since January, may be covered by be a possible solution to the ghost train THE LATEST: Construction can now Councilmembers approved the agree- the original 2005 authorization to replace problem. begin on the Sun Ranch Drainage ment by a 3-1 vote, with Mayor Larry the steam generators for $665 million in Project after the City Council accepted a Kramer absent. Councilman Derek current dollars, the company said. FIND OUT MORE: To view the presenta- contractor’s bid on Tuesday, August 7. Reeve, who provided the nay vote, was SCE also indicated that the steam gen- tion, visit sanjuancapistrano.org. The council unanimously accepted concerned that the city was footing the erators are covered by warranty, and the —Brian Park Santa Maria, Calif.-based Spiess Con- bill for a service he believed the school company also carries outage insurance. struction Co., Inc.’s $2,094,645 bid district should pay for, even though the to install 1,500 feet of buried 48-inch- district isn’t required to do so. WHAT’S NEXT: The investigation of 2 …City Council Election? diameter pipeline near the Sun Ranch “The way the school district is run, SONGS is on the Wednesday, August 23 neighborhood. The project is part of a we’re going to be providing teachers for agenda for the California Public Utilities THE LATEST: A new member on next 2010 legal settlement between the city them soon,” Reeve said. Commission. year’s San Juan City Council is assured, and the Scalzo Family Trust. The new agreement lasts one year after incumbent Councilwoman Laura Spiess’ bid was $789,605 less than and 10 months, costing the city no FIND OUT MORE: For updates, visit the- Freese announced she will not be run- what city staff had projected. Under more than $62,000 for each school year capistranodispatch.com. ning for reelection this November. an old state law, the city is required to or a total of $124,000 for the entire 22 —Stacie N. Galang The Capistrano Dispatch August 10–23, 2012 Page 3 www.thecapistranodispatch.com EYE ON SJC Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo RODEO WEEK SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Gets its Own Week in 2012 SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 Kickoff Country BBQ Historic Town Western Art Walk 3 p.m. – 6:30 Center Park, 31806 El Camino Real. 11 p.m. Artists will display their original City hopes to benefit from popularity of the Rodeo a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The week begins with Western-themed artwork for the public with weeklong celebration in August a barbecue, Western-themed activities in two of San Juan’s most historic and live country music provided by Jus- neighborhoods, the Los Rios Historic By Brian Park tin Foutz and Brad Johnson & The Killin’ District and the Historic Capistrano The Capistrano Dispatch Time Band. Admission is free. Depot. t’s that time of the year again. SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 West Coast Film Festival Regency I The Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo Theatre, 26762 Verdugo Street. 7 p.m. is back in San Juan Capistrano for Cowboys & Chrome San Juan Hills The West Coast Film Festival presents the 12th consecutive year, but this time Golf Course, 32120 San Juan Creek the critically acclaimed Western film around, it will be a weeklong affair. Road. 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. A car show and The Wild Bunch. The film was selected In an effort to showcase the city’s barbecue buffet.