Councilmembers delay hotel-funded park renovation after residents rally to save trees

By CLARA BEARD

A proposal to remove two groups of mature pine trees at Lantern Bay Park and replace them with a botanical garden, new walkways and an upgraded amphitheater was put on hold Tuesday night (Oct. 6) after residents packed the council chambers to object.

Councilmembers initially considered approving a conceptual plan and agreement that would allow Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point, a JW Marriott Resort, to pay for and build the improvements. That motion failed.

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Rendering courtesy of city of Dana Point

A conceptual rendering shows proposed garden landscaping and a harbor-view walkway at Lantern Bay Park

Instead, the council voted to bring the item back October 20 and created a subcommittee of Mayor Pro Tem Mike Frost and Councilman Matthew Pagano to meet with the resort and city staff on alternatives that could save as many trees as possible while keeping the project moving.

At Tuesday’s meeting, speaker after speaker said they supported repairs to the aging Smyth Brothers Amphitheater and other park improvements but opposed removing healthy trees to make way for the hotel’s new design.

City staff’s plan calls for removal of a grove of Italian stone pines in the center of the park and a row of Torrey pines along the amphitheater walkway. Staff said the stone pines are healthy but have outgrown the space and block harbor views. The Torrey pines are in poorer condition, with bark beetles, dead limbs and possible disease affecting several trees. Staff said at least two Torrey pines need to be removed regardless of the broader project.

The proposal would add Dana Point’s first public botanical garden, a rose-covered arbor walk, a new path from the Mosaic Stairway to the garden, a trail connecting to Golden Lantern and a walkway linking the resort’s event lawn with park paths. The amphitheater would be regraded to make it accessible and more usable for weddings and small gatherings.

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Rendering courtesy of city of Dana Point

The proposal includes a rose-covered arbor walk connecting landscaped areas near the resort

Resident Annie Garton asked councilmembers whether the project was being driven more by public needs or by the adjacent hotel’s desire for better views.

“Are we trying to turn Dana Point into a Newport Beach?” Garton asked. “What is the most important thing to you – the Marriott and their view, or how this park gets used and for whom?”

Alex Catrona urged the council to consider the value of mature trees during a stretch of unusually hot weather.

“Mature trees provide so much,” she said, citing shade, habitat, stormwater benefits and carbon storage. “The math ain’t mathing” when mature trees are replaced with young saplings, she added.

The city’s policy calls for two replacement trees for every city tree removed, although staff acknowledged the replacement trees are not all included in the current conceptual drawings. Staff said it would look for opportunities to add more shade trees in Lantern Bay Park or elsewhere in the city.

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Rendering courtesy of city of Dana Point

A rendering depicts the proposed botanical garden and open space overlooking Dana Point Harbor

Gwendolyn Oxenham said she counted more than 70 mature trees she believed would be affected by the plan and said the community had not been adequately notified about the proposal.

“The only thing shady about Lantern Bay Park should be the trees,” she told the council.

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Coastal Commission approves Doheny desalination permit change, moving wells to day-use area

By CLARA BEARD

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) has approved a major change to the planned Doheny Ocean Desalination Facility, allowing South Coast Water District to move its seawater intake wells from the Doheny State Beach campground to the park’s North Day Use Area.

The permit amendment, approved October 7, does not change the proposed size of the plant or the amount of water it would produce. It changes where the project’s underground slant wells will be built.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The revised desalination plan would temporarily close a picnic area and up to 225 parking spaces in Doheny State Beach’s North Day Use Area during construction

South Coast Water District (SCWD) plans to use the wells to draw seawater from beneath the ocean floor, where it will be naturally filtered through sand before reaching the proposed treatment plant near San Juan Creek. The facility is designed to produce up to 5 million gallons of drinking water a day for South Orange County.

The project was first approved by the Coastal Commission in 2022, with wells planned beneath the campground. But additional geologic studies found the sandy sediments needed for the wells are farther west, closer to the North Day Use Area.

Commission staff said keeping the wells at the campground site would not provide enough seawater for the plant and could risk affecting an existing wastewater outfall pipeline.

Marc Serna, South Coast Water District’s deputy general manager and chief engineer, said the change also allows the district to use a trenchless pipeline route rather than digging through Dana Point streets.

“The trenchless pipeline is now looking rather than going through the city streets in the city of Dana Point,” Serna told the commission during his presentation. “Further request, they were not favorable to have our open construction through the main streets of Dana Point.”

The revised plan avoids what had been expected to be a two-year closure of the Doheny campground for well construction. Instead, construction would temporarily close a picnic area and up to 225 of the nearly 700 parking spaces in the North Day Use Area for about two years.

That parking lot is one of the busiest public-access areas at Doheny, particularly during summer and during events such as Ohana Festival. The Coastal Commission included conditions requiring the water district and State Parks to develop a parking and public-access plan before work begins. The plan must address alternate parking, shuttle or transit options, drop-off areas and accessible parking.

The commission also required a storm contingency plan to protect the construction site, equipment and nearby coastal resources during periods of flooding, wave overtopping or erosion.

Serna said the district has pushed back its construction timeline because of anticipated El Niño conditions and pending funding work.

“We are looking at an anticipated start of construction in mid-2027,” he said. “We have considered the El Niño conditions that are expected this season as part of our concern that we would try to bypass that period as much as possible.”

The district estimates the full project will take about 37 months to build, with water delivery targeted for 2030. Serna said the project has reached about 60% design and has a current guaranteed maximum construction price of $296 million. The district has received $40 million in state and federal grants and is trying to secure additional funding.

The project remains controversial among some environmental advocates. Connor Everts, who spoke during public comment, urged commissioners to consider the effects of major storm conditions and the nearby San Juan Creek lagoon, where southern steelhead have been observed.

“I don’t think anyone should underestimate what a super El Niño is going to look like,” Everts said.

He also argued that water agencies should prioritize leak detection and water conservation, which he described as more immediate and cost-effective alternatives.

The approval covers the desalination permit amendment only. A separate State Parks proposal for campground improvements is still under Coastal Commission review.

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Rain and gusty winds expected in Dana Point Sunday as coastal flooding advisory continues

By CLARA BEARD

After almost a week of unusually high October temperatures, Dana Point and the rest of South Orange County are expected to cool down this weekend as showers, wind and rougher ocean conditions move into the forecast.

On Saturday, the National Weather Service forecasts mostly cloudy skies and a high near 76 degrees in Dana Point, with only a slight chance of showers late in the day. Rain becomes more likely Saturday night, with a 55 percent chance of showers.

Sunday is projected to be the wetter and windier day. Dana Point has a 55 percent chance of showers during the day, with rain likely Sunday night. The high is expected to be near 70 degrees. Forecasters expect southwest winds to pick up Sunday, with gusts up to about 25 mph.

The chance of rain continues into Monday, when the high is forecast near 67 degrees.

The National Weather Service said Tropical Storm Rachel, which was well southwest of Los Angeles on Thursday (Oct. 8), is expected to turn toward northern Baja California. Its forecast calls for potential for gusty winds and hazardous seas from Saturday through Monday, with the worst conditions expected Sunday.

A Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect for the Orange County coast through 2 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 13). High astronomical tides, combined with elevated surf, could lead to minor flooding in low-lying beach areas, including parking lots, boardwalks and roads. Minor beach erosion is also possible.

The Beach Hazards Statement expires at 11 p.m. Friday, but the surf forecast continues to call for a high risk of rip currents Saturday. Surf is expected to be 3 to 5 feet, with occasional sets to 6 feet.

The National Weather Service advises beachgoers to stay off rocks and jetties during hazardous conditions and to stay near an occupied lifeguard tower if they enter the water.

For anyone planning to be outside, Saturday daytime appears to be the better window. By Saturday night, the chance of rain rises, with Sunday bringing the best chance for showers, stronger winds and rougher conditions along the coast.

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Emergency sand placement planned at Capistrano Beach as shoreline work expands

By CLARA BEARD

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Emergency sand placement is expected to begin at Capistrano Beach on or before October 12, part of a series of county efforts to prepare the shoreline for incoming swells and winter weather.

About 9,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed at Capo Beach, according to Orange County officials. Heavy equipment operators have also moved sand farther up the beach to provide more coverage over exposed sand cubes.

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About 9,000 cubic yards of sand are planned for Capistrano Beach to help prepare the shoreline for incoming swells and winter weather

OC Parks has signed an agreement allowing the Capo Bay District to use the southernmost portion of the Capistrano Beach parking lot as a temporary staging area for boulders. The boulders will be used in the district’s shoreline fortification work.

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Signs describe an earlier Capistrano Beach sand nourishment project scheduled for May and June 2026

The local projects come as the Orange County Transportation Authority takes emergency action farther south to protect the rail line through San Clemente.

Earlier this month, the OCTA Board of Directors announced ongoing coastal erosion along the San Clemente rail corridor an emergency, allowing the agency to bypass normal competitive bidding requirements for shoreline protection work.

The plan calls for repairs to riprap and construction of an engineered shoreline protection structure at Reinforcement Area 4, along with the placement of about 690,000 cubic yards of sand at three locations along the San Clemente coast.

OCTA Vice Chair Katrina Foley said the emergency declaration could help move that sand years earlier than scheduled.

“For years, OCTA had the funding sitting in a bank account waiting to be deployed onto our shores, but needless bureaucracy and red tape at the state and federal level delayed our ability to proactively protect our beaches,” Foley said in a press release.

The rail line through San Clemente is part of the LOSSAN corridor, a major passenger and freight route between Orange and San Diego counties. Erosion and landslides near the tracks have led to repeated service disruptions over the years.

Foley said the action gives OCTA flexibility to move quickly before the winter storm season.

“Today’s action by the Board provides flexibility and the ability for quick action to save our beaches and critical coastal rail infrastructure in anticipation of a heavy El Niño winter storm season,” she said. “By aligning OCTA with the County and State’s declarations of emergency, we can potentially advance approximately 690,000 cubic yards of sand along San Clemente years ahead of schedule.”

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City ends year with extra $8.3 million, plans park and emergency spending

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point brought in more money than expected last fiscal year, ending with $8.3 million beyond what the city needs to meet its reserve requirements.

City staff presented the unaudited year-end report to the city council on October 6. The money will be set aside for emergencies, park work and other one-time costs rather than ongoing expenses.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Point City Hall

Dana Point collected $57.6 million in its general fund during the 2025-26 fiscal year, which ended June 30. That was $4 million more than the city had budgeted. The gain came mostly from hotel bed taxes, property taxes and fees for city services.

The city spent $48.2 million from the general fund, or about $3.8 million less than expected.

After covering its regular reserves, the city had $8.3 million left over. Staff proposes placing more than $3 million in an emergency reserve, about $2 million in a temporary savings account while the city updates its reserve policy, $1.34 million in its capital improvement program and $1 million in a fund for park improvements.

The city also plans to carry $629,000 in unfinished contracts and purchase orders into the current fiscal year.

Administrative Services Director Ryan Smith said the goal is to make sure Dana Point can keep operating if it faces a major emergency or a temporary loss in revenue.

“You really want to have three months or 25% of your expenditures,” Smith told the council. “Just in case revenue stops for three months, we’ve got reserves set aside that we can continue regular operations during that time.”

Staff will take a closer look at the city’s reserve policy later this month. The Financial Review Committee is expected to discuss it in October, followed by the city council in November.

The city is also projecting it will collect $500,000 more in hotel bed taxes than originally expected this fiscal year.

That prompted councilmembers to point to the importance of the local hotel industry during a discussion that followed an earlier debate over controversial improvements proposed for Lantern Bay Park that would remove the majority of the large shade trees.

Councilmember Michael Villar said the city profits when hotels, including the Marriott overlooking the park, are full.

“We do benefit, and being a good partner with the Marriott does benefit all of our residents,” Villar said.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Frost said the hotel tax revenue helps fund public services and city amenities.

“The Marriott’s the reason why the deputies show up at your house,” Frost said. “The Marriott’s the reason why the parks look the way they do. The Marriott’s the reason why the concerts are there.”

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Catherine Breed to visit Dana Point during 900-mile swim from Oregon to Mexico

Open-water swimmer Catherine Breed will be in Dana Point on Monday (Oct. 12) for a gathering at the Ocean Institute tied to her Swim California journey from the Oregon border to Mexico.

Breed is swimming the California coast in stages, covering nearly 900 miles and stopping along coastal cities along the way. In Dana Point, she will join the Orange County Marine Protected Area Council and the Ocean Institute for a free event from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Samueli Conference Center and Courtyard, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive.

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Photos courtesy of Swim California & Allez Sports

Open-water swimmer Catherine Breed will make a stop in Dana Point on October 12

The event, held on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, will center around Orange County’s marine protected areas, including the Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area.

“I’ve spent months in the water; the ocean doesn’t belong to any one of us,” Breed said in a release. “Every stop on this swim has reminded me that protecting the coast takes everyone: the scientists, the surfers, the fishermen, the kids in the tidepools and the Indigenous communities whose knowledge of this place goes back thousands of years.”

Breed said the Dana Point meet up is a chance to acknowledge the wide range of people involved in protecting the coast.

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Catherine Breed

OCMPAC was founded in 1999 and is California’s oldest marine protected area collaborative. Its work includes training tidepool educators, creating signs and educational materials for visitors, supporting research and monitoring and coordinating enforcement training.

Supervisor Katrina Foley, Calla Allison of the Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network, Makana Nova and Gabrielle Crowe of OCMPAC and representatives of the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California are slated to attend.

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Courtesy of Swim California & Allez Sports

Breed swims adjacent to the California coastline

The event is free. Attendees can RSVP here.

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Artist GG Banducci puts Spanish tile twist on Dana Point’s elephant parade

By CLARA BEARD

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, places and performances that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

After months of shaping, sanding and painting, Dana Point artist GG Banducci unveiled her full-size Spanish Tiles elephant to the public on September 24 at Project Social.

The tile-covered sculpture is Banducci’s contribution to Dana Point’s Biggest Little Elephant Parade, a public art project connected to the international Elephant Parade organization, which uses artist-designed elephants to draw attention to elephant welfare.

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Photo by Clara Beard

“Spanish Tiles” brings colorful patterns and a textured finish to Dana Point’s Biggest Little Elephant Parade

What began as a small, 15-centimeter elephant has become the largest project Banducci has ever taken on.

“I’ve actually never really done anything like this before,” Banducci said. “This is probably the biggest project I’ve ever done.”

The project started with a community elephant display organized by Gallery Dana Bay. Local businesses sponsored blank small elephants, and artists were invited to create their own designs. Banducci was selected to paint one of 50 sculptures and chose a Spanish tile motif for her piece.

The smaller elephant gave her a chance to work through the idea before organizers asked her to adapt the design for a full-size version.

“I got the call in March,” she said. “I got the elephant in my possession probably in mid-May.”

Her father helped her bring the unfinished elephant home from the gallery. It had a few paint marks left from children who had previously worked on it, but it was largely blank, she said. Banducci then spent about four and a half months turning it into a textured sculpture that looks less like a painted elephant and more like one built from ceramic tile.

She used an epoxy clay mixture to create and attach the tile shapes, then sanded the surface before applying multiple layers of stucco. She tested several colors before settling on the warm beige-gold finish that now covers the elephant’s body. The tiles were painted white, and Banducci used puffy paint around their edges to create the raised look of grout between mosaic pieces.

The Spanish tile design gives the elephant a handmade, old-world feel, but it also presented a challenge. Banducci had to translate a small, flat design onto a large curved surface while working with materials she had not used at that scale before.

“It took me so much longer than I expected,” she said. “I wanted it to be perfect, and it took me a long time to make it that way. Doing the small elephant first definitely was a good starting point,” she said. “It gave me a lot of perspective on how I would create the big one.”

Dana Point’s Biggest Little Elephant Parade is part of the wider Elephant Parade movement, which began as a traveling public art exhibition built around decorated elephant sculptures. Each artist approaches the same basic elephant form differently, turning the animals into individual works of art while helping raise awareness about threats facing Asian elephants.

More than 100 artists from across California submitted designs for the Dana Point project. Banducci’s design was chosen by a local panel to be developed as one of the larger sculptures and was submitted to the Elephant Parade team in the Netherlands to become part of the official international brand.

Banducci completed Spanish Tiles in late September, just before the unveiling.

Project Social is located at 24040 Camino del Avion, Suite J, Dana Point.

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, places and performances that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Planning Commission to consider Ocean Institute lease renewal

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point Planning Commission will consider Monday (Oct. 12) whether renewing the Ocean Institute’s lease at Dana Point Harbor is consistent with the city’s Local Coastal Program.

The item concerns a renewal of the Ocean Institute’s lease with the county of Orange for its waterfront campus at 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive. The proposed action before the commission is a consistency finding, which would determine whether the lease renewal complies with the city’s coastal planning rules.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Views from Cove Road looking down on the Ocean Institute campus

The Ocean Institute has operated at the harbor for decades, offering hands-on science and maritime history programs for students, families and visitors.

City staff is recommending that commissioners adopt the resolution finding the lease renewal consistent with the Local Coastal Program. The Planning Commission is not being asked to approve a new building or expansion as part of the item.

Also on Monday’s agenda is a proposed sign program for the Dana Neighborhood Arts Building (DNA) at 34118 Pacific Coast Highway and a request for a 572-square-foot rear addition to a home on Sidney Bay Drive.

The commission meets at 6 p.m. on October 12 at City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern.

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Low tickets remain for Dana Point Trolley Art & History Tour

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, places and performances that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

Art and history lovers have just a few days left to reserve a seat on the city of Dana Point’s upcoming Trolley Art & History Tour, with limited tickets remaining for the two tours set for Saturday (Oct. 10).

The 90-minute tours, offered at 10 a.m. and noon, will take passengers through the city for a closer look at its public art, local landmarks and the stories behind them. Each trolley will be led by a Dana Point Art & Culture Ambassador and a docent from the Dana Point Historical Society.

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Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Point’s Trolley Art & History Tour will take place this Saturday

The annual tour is held in recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month and created for those who may drive past some of the city’s sculptures, murals and historic sites every day without knowing much about them.

Past tours have included stops at the Lantern Bay Park stairs, the Doheny Village Mural, The Hide Drogher sculpture, Watermen’s Plaza and the historic Woodruff homes. Riders have also visited the Richard Henry Dana Jr. statue and the former Woodruff Real Estate Tract Office.

The tour launched in 2023 and has become a popular October event. Last year’s tour sold out.

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Award-winning artist Mia Tavonatti created this mosaic staircase, one of the stops in previous trolley tours, in 2023

Organizers say the tour will again feature a range of locations, from sculptures and murals to sites tied to Dana Point’s early development and culture.

Tickets are $20 and advance reservations are required. Walk-ons will not be available.

To reserve a spot, visit www.danapoint.org/recreation and search under Activities for “Trolley Art and History Tour.” Use Activity No. 9934 for the 10 a.m. tour or Activity No. 9935 for the noon tour.

Dana Point’s Ambassador Program includes local artists, nonprofit representatives and community members who help share the city’s history and character through events and visitor experiences. More information about the city’s public art program is available at www.danapoint-arts.com. Learn more about the Dana Point Historical Society at www.danapointhistorical.org.

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, places and performances that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Capturing iconic Newport Beach and beyond: Douro River, Portugal

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Artwork by Don Krotee

The city of Porto sits where Portugal’s Douro reaches the Atlantic. Famous for its centuries-old tradition of port wine production, is home to port, found on menus the world over. The distinctive winemaking process interrupts the usual fermentation process. The process changed because, in the early years of production, it was nearly impossible to transport the wine from a family vineyard to London, the eventual market. Initially, the boat journey descending the steep Douro was already hazardous, and the longer journey to reach London’s wealthy merchants added further challenges. The trips were so long that the wine often arrived sour or ruined. The solution began a centuries-long evolution of port wine as we know it today. Original production changed to include blending a brandy-type “spirit” into the wine, fortifying it to withstand the long transport. The brandy substance functioned as a preservative, stabilizing the wine. The result, over the years, was a process of trial and error involving complex ingredients, toil and technique, ultimately resulting in today’s famous port. This painting depicts a family vineyard along the Douro and is an 11” x 15” transparent watercolor on 300# Fabriano paper, originally painted during a small-boat cruise down the Douro.

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Artist Don Krotee is a Corona del Mar resident and has had a long interest in local politics, environmental issues and housing. He is an architect, sailor and SPON board member (Newport Beach’s oldest environmental nonprofit) who has provided Stu News with images of his paintings and drawings depicting Newport Beach and scenes from around the world.

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From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, performances and places that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Meet Pet of the Week Pepper

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Meet Pepper, a two-year-old kitty with striking eyes and a sweet personality. Pepper loves being petted and can be quite the lap cat once she’s comfortable.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Pepper is a sweet, affectionate kitty looking for a home where she can be the only pet

She lived with cats in her previous home, but would much prefer to be a solo pet who doesn’t have to share the spotlight. If you’re looking for a personable cat who’s ready to be your next best friend, Pepper might just be your purrfect match.

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

If you would like to know more about Pepper, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with her at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Son saves father during frightening surf rescue at Killer Dana

What started out as a regular day of father-son surfing turned into a fight for survival when an unexpected huge set pushed Keone Patterson and his father, Timmy, into dangerous inside waves.

Patterson had spent the morning surfing with his dad at Strands Point before the pair took a boat out near Killer Dana. During one of the biggest swells in years, they were caught out in a seemingly endless series of waves.

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Courtesy of city of Dana Point

(L-R) Mayor John Gabbard, Timmy Patterson and Keone Patterson

“Out of nowhere, just this massive set, probably 30 waves-plus, rolled in,” Patterson told Dana Point City Councilmembers during a recent recognition ceremony on September 15. “We got pushed from all the way out, all the way into kind of that point of no return.”

The two had been riding large boards in waves with faces estimated at 15 to 16 feet. Timmy, who is an experienced surfer, took several waves on the head and became exhausted. His son paddled to him, then realized they needed to abandon their boards and swim, Patterson said.

“I figured I needed to get us both to shore safely,” Patterson said. “The whole time I was kind of holding on to (him) and making sure (he was) all right.”

It took about 15 minutes for them to reach the shore. Patterson kept talking to his dad between waves, telling him, “We’ve got to get under here,” as they ducked beneath the breaking surf.

Timmy added he had surfed the area for more than 50 years and had never encountered a set like it.

“Where he got me from was not the place you want to be,” he recalled.

Timmy lost consciousness after they reached shore. Orange County lifeguards and paramedics took over, with Patterson specifically crediting lifeguard Jason Young for directing the response and beginning CPR.

“I woke up to firemen and lifeguards and just fragments of time,” Timmy said. “To have him save my life, to do what he did, was incredibly honorable for me. It was like, wow, this is what you teach your kids, and he did it full circle.”

Timmy was hospitalized about an hour later and was released after a few days.

Mayor John Gabbard presented Patterson with a certificate of recognition on behalf of the council, praising his bravery and calm determination during the incident.

“First and foremost, we’re thankful that you’re OK,” Gabbard told Timmy. “As frightening as that must have been, we are so thankful that you’re going to be OK.”

“On behalf of the City Council, we want to thank you,” Gabbard said to Patterson. “We’re very proud to honor you tonight.”

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Dana Point-based charity helps young patients feel like kids again

By CLARA BEARD

When Dana Point resident Taylor Carol was just 11 years old, he was diagnosed with cancer.

There were long hospital stays, medications and procedures. At one point, he spent about six months in an isolation unit, where visitors were limited to doctors and nurses in protective gear. Taylor was separated from his friends, school and little brother. During the worst of it, he lost the ability to walk, speak, eat and see.

His father, Jim Carol, remembers what doctors told the family during that time: Taylor might not survive.

“I made a promise,” Jim said. “If he lived, I would use my life to help other kids.”

Click on photo for a larger image

Photos courtesy of GameChanger Charity

Jim Carol and his son Taylor attend a baseball game

That promise became GameChanger Charity, a local nonprofit Jim and Taylor now run together. What began in 2007 as a drive to collect video games for children’s hospitals has grown into a bigger effort to make hospital life easier for young patients and their families.

GameChanger delivers new toys and games, gaming equipment, LEGO sets, hospital game rooms and family rooms, scholarships and technology designed to help children cope with treatment. The charity says it has helped more than 25,000 children in 250 hospitals on five continents, providing more than $39 million in cash and donated goods.

But the plan didn’t start this way. Jim had retired from the technology company he co-founded and initially thought he could help by getting games into hospital rooms. It soon became clear that hospitals could not accept used donations and that the need went far beyond entertainment.

“We learned fast that hospitals can only take new, sealed items,” Jim said. “Since then, we’ve adapted almost every year to what kids and hospital Child Life teams tell us they need.”

Those needs have changed. Video games remain important, but so do simple things that can hold a child’s attention on a hard day. Jim said LEGO sets are now in particularly high demand, and GameChanger sends them by the pallet to children’s hospitals across Southern California.

The point is not simply to fill time. A child in a hospital gown may feel as if every part of life has been reduced to a diagnosis. And Taylor knows that feeling all too well.

“When you’re a patient in a gown in a hospital room, so much of your identity gets stripped away,” he said. “A video game, a LEGO set or a Minecraft server where you can play with other sick kids gives some of that back.”

In the hospital, Taylor said, games gave him a way to connect with his brother and feel something resembling normal. His father still remembers seeing the two boys laugh together while playing.

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Taylor Carol plays video games with friends as a child

“It lets you express yourself, connect with people and forget the pain for a while,” Taylor said.

Jim’s years beside his son’s hospital bed also changed how he saw the families around them. The medical care may focus on the child, he said, but the situation lands on everyone in the household. A parent may be trying to keep a job while staying at the hospital. Brothers and sisters may be at home. The bills don’t stop coming.

“A child’s illness affects everybody: parents, siblings, caregivers,” Jim said. “The medicine comes first. But the fear, boredom and isolation that kids in the hospital face are real too.”

GameChanger has continued to build on its gaming roots, including safe, closed gaming systems and research with Yale University using wearable and virtual-reality technology that may help reduce stress for young patients. Yet Taylor said the heart of the work stays simple: bringing pieces of childhood into a place where children can lose so much of it.

“Some of that is cutting-edge,” he said. “But an important part will always be the LEGO sets and video games you can play with your brother or your friends, the way you would at home.”

The work has especially personal meaning for Taylor. He survived, but many of the children he came to know in the hospital did not. Returning to ordinary life came with health challenges, grief and survivor’s guilt.

“For years, I struggled to understand why I lived when they didn’t,” Taylor said. “GameChanger has helped me turn that pain into love.”

The charity is planning Hope Ranch, a retreat in Orange County for young survivors and caregivers, as part of its next chapter. Jim said support cannot stop once a child leaves the hospital, and Taylor agrees.

“Every child we reach is a way to honor the friends I lost and to make sure no kid feels as alone as I did,” he said.

More information about GameChanger Charity can be found at www.gamechangercharity.org.

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Ocean Institute, Hoffman California Fabrics collaborate on custom aloha shirt

By CLARA BEARD

Ocean Institute’s tall ship, research vessel and marine life will soon have a new, unique canvas in the form of an aloha shirt.

The Dana Point nonprofit recently partnered with Hoffman California Fabrics on an original shirt design celebrating the institute, its ocean education programs and upcoming 50th anniversary.

The shirts, now available in the Ocean Institute Gift Shop, feature a special pattern by Hoffman artist Hue Nguyen. The design includes the historic tall ship Spirit of Dana Point, the R/V Sea Explorer, local animals and landmarks around the institute.

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Courtesy of Ocean Institute

The new custom aloha shirt features Ocean Institute vessels, marine life and campus landmarks

To create the shirt, Hoffman team members visited Ocean Institute to take photos of the subjects that would appear in the print. Nguyen turned the images into a pattern meant to serve as a visual tour of the campus, where the nonprofit offers marine science and maritime history programs for students, teachers, families and visitors.

“This collaboration captures the spirit of Ocean Institute in a way that feels joyful, distinctive and deeply connected to Dana Point,” Riley Russell, the institute’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Every detail in the pattern represents an important part of the experience we share with our students and guests, from encountering marine life to stepping aboard a historic tall ship.”

Ocean Institute was founded in 1977 and will mark its 50th anniversary next year. The new shirt is the first item to use the Hoffman design, though the institute said it may be incorporated into other merchandise in the future.

The collaboration also connects two organizations with long histories in Southern California’s coastal culture.

Hoffman California Fabrics grew out of a family textile business and became closely tied to surf style through brothers Walter and Philip “Flippy” Hoffman, pioneering big-wave surfers whose fabrics were used by brands including Quiksilver and Billabong. The brothers were inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame’s Surf Culture category in 2006.

Their legacy is especially evident in Dana Point, where statues honoring Walter and Flippy Hoffman stand at Watermen’s Plaza near the entrance to the harbor. A statue of Walter’s daughter, world champion surfer Joyce Hoffman, is also part of the plaza.

“The team here at Hoffman California Fabrics appreciates the opportunity to celebrate the history, legacy and mutual love for the ocean and amazing sea life with Ocean Institute,” Tammy Melott of Hoffman California Fabrics said in a statement. “We congratulate Ocean Institute on its upcoming 50th anniversary and the important work of educating and inspiring children and adults to learn about and love the ocean and marine life.”

Proceeds from the shirts and other Gift Shop purchases support Ocean Institute’s nonprofit work, including educational programming, animal care and vessel operations.

The Ocean Institute Gift Shop is at 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive. More information is available at www.oceaninstitute.org.

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New law secures California library parks pass program

California’s popular State Library Parks Pass program is getting ongoing support under a new state law and the recently adopted 2026-27 budget.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1804, introduced by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara, approving the California Department of Parks and Recreation to keep working with the California State Library and local library systems to provide the passes.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The Dana Point Library will continue to offer those with library cards the opportunity to check out day passes to over 200 California State Parks

The program allows library card holders to check out a pass for free vehicle day-use entry at more than 200 participating state parks. Passes are available at public libraries throughout California, including the Dana Point Library.

The state budget also established an ongoing appropriation for the program, ending the previous need for lawmakers to renew its funding annually.

“Cost should not be a barrier to experiencing the wonders of our state parks,” Rachel Norton, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation, said in a statement. “AB 1804, paired with the permanent program funding approved in this year’s state budget, helps safeguard this important program.”

More information is available at www.parks.ca.gov/30806.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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During the Woodruff era, the Scenic Inn served lunches to prospective investors. Anna Walters, a Laguna Beach real estate agent and an early Dana Point developer, originally built the structure for her own investor luncheons. Developer Sidney H. Woodruff added its windows. At left, this 1920s photo shows a walkway leading to the Blue Lantern Gazebo and a viewpoint rest area. The inn was later destroyed by landslides and replaced with a picnic area and restrooms, which were also covered by slides, and one reason the historic gazebo is now fenced off.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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The Sacramento Chronicles

By ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIANE DIXON

October 2, 2026

Hello Dana Point!

Hello October! Last week, fall began. The humidity is finally retreating, yet we are anticipating a historic “super” El Niño storm coming our way.

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Courtesy of Diane Dixon

Assemblymember Diane Dixon

Earlier last month, after multiple rainstorms hit Orange County, my Orange County Assembly and Senate bipartisan colleagues sent a letter to Governor Newsom requesting that he declare a State of Emergency for our coastal communities. In addition, Assemblymember Davies and I called on the leaders of Orange County’s coastal cities to formally request the County Board of Supervisors to declare an emergency declaration, later declared by Chair Doug Chaffee. These requests were necessary to set in motion the emergency declaration request to FEMA.

This year’s El Niño is anticipated to be the strongest in recorded history.

My office and I are monitoring this situation closely and working with local and state agencies to ensure that our communities are prepared and kept safe. Please reach out to my office if you have any questions or need assistance.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is observed every October to raise public awareness, support survivors and honor victims. It was first observed in 1987, and by 1989, Congress passed legislation to make its observance permanent.

Last year, I authored AB 1239, which established a public database of human trafficking data and allowed law enforcement to allocate resources appropriately. This data hadn’t been updated in 13 years! This year, I introduced AB 1918, the Ink of Hope Act, which would require tattoo operators or artists to complete training on how to recognize, respond to and report signs of human trafficking. AB 1918 is awaiting the governor’s signature. I also authored AB 2261, which will clarify and restore judicial authority to issue criminal protective orders (CPOs) to a victim’s family and household members. I am proud to share that the governor signed AB 2261 into law earlier this week, further building on my record as a fighter for crime victims.

This month, we honor those who have lost their lives and those who continue to be crime victims. We have made significant progress in this space, but the work is far from over. I will remain committed to this important fight and to putting the safety of our communities and victims at the forefront.

I am hosting various district events to kick off the fall season!

Calling all animal lovers! I am hosting a Fur-Ever Friends Fall Festival with my colleagues, Assemblymembers Sanchez and Davies, on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. We will be joined by more than a dozen adoption partners that will provide wildlife education, hands-on activities for kids and more! Learn more about this special event here.

The holidays are approaching, and the scams are on the rise. Join me for a Senior Scam Prevention series throughout Orange County. I am bringing in the experts to educate guests on how to recognize the signs and stop a scam before it’s too late. I hope to see you at one of the events below. Spaces are filling quickly, so please secure your spot as soon as possible. These events are free and open to all.

Laguna Woods: Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Laguna Woods Village, Clubhouse 7 (24111 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods, California 92637)

Click here to RSVP.

Laguna Beach: Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Laguna Beach City Hall (505 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, California 92651)

Click here to RSVP.

Newport-Mesa: Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center (1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa, California 92627)

Click here to RSVP.

On Halloween, I am hosting a Spook-Tacular event on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Laguna Hills Civic Center. We will be joined by the Laguna Hills Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations for this free community gathering.

This family-friendly event will include games, a trunk-or-treat and much more. I hope to see you there.

Looking for a way to make a difference in your community? I am excited to welcome volunteers to help make our Spook-Tacular event come to life for the community.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a volunteer, you can sign up here. My staff will be providing a letter for community service hours upon completion of the event. Please feel free to share this opportunity with family and friends.

We are hiring a Paid Community Outreach Intern in my district office. This intern will gain hands-on experience in public service while serving as a vital bridge between our community and state government. In this role, you will assist with constituent services by connecting residents with vital state and local resources while also supporting the planning and execution of district events throughout Assembly District 72. To apply, please email your résumé to assemblymemberdixon@assembly.a.gov.

My team is ready to assist you with any state issues you may have, like DMV, EDD, Franchise Tax Board and more. We’ve assisted hundreds of your neighbors this year, and it’s always free.

Not receiving invitations to my events? Send an email to assemblymember.dixon@assembly.ca.gov to be added to our distribution list, or visit my website: Diane Dixon website. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you, Stu News, for keeping our local residents informed.

Diane Dixon is a two-term Newport Beach City Councilmember and two-time Mayor. She is currently serving her second term in Sacramento as Assemblymember of California’s 72nd District. She is also in a November-runoff for Orange County Supervisor, Fifth District.

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Adoption fees waived for dogs, cats and rabbits in October

New pet owners can welcome a new furry friend into their home without an adoption fee throughout October at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter.

Frank’s Irvine Subaru is sponsoring adoption fees for dogs, cats and rabbits all month through the Pet Project Foundation and Coastal Animal Services Authority.

The promotion comes as the shelter prepares to give its cat room a major makeover. The “Glow-Up Countdown” encourages locals to adopt available cats before the renovation begins.

Rabbit lovers also have several pets awaiting homes, including bonded pair Annika and Vera, as well as Cupid, Campion, Woodstock, Nora and Nikki.

Potential adopters can view available animals and submit rabbit adoption applications at www.petprojectfoundation.org. The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter is located at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente. For more information, call 949.492.1617 or email animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org.

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Midterms are on the horizon

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Voting begins Monday (Oct. 5) for the November 3 General Election, when mail ballots are sent to Orange County voters and ballot drop boxes open. Dana Point residents can vote in person at Dana Point City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern, beginning October 24. Additional Vote Centers are located at the Dana Point Library, 33841 Niguel Road, and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 33501 Stonehill Drive, beginning October 31. Vote Centers are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. before Election Day and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

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Meet Pet of the Week Archie

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

One-year-old Archie has the potential to be the perfect family pup. Sweet with a goofy personality, Archie is ninety pounds of “Good Boy” in the making. This big, strong guy loves meeting new people and dogs and is looking for an adopter who can help him continue with his training.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Archie is a sweet, playful one-year-old dog available for adoption at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Archie has previously lived with younger children and was a loving and enthusiastic playmate. Does this beefy buddy sound like the one for you?

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Archie can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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“Returning Home” monument honoring military families to be unveiled October 28

By CLARA BEARD

A life-size bronze monument honoring the reunions, sacrifice and resilience of military families will be dedicated October 28 at Dana Point’s Heritage Park.

The Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group and the city of Dana Point will unveil “Returning Home,” a sculpture by artist Sutton Betti that stands more than 6 feet tall, during a 10 a.m. ceremony at the park along Old Golden Lantern overlooking Dana Point Harbor.

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Courtesy of Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group

A rendering of the “Returning Home” statue to be dedicated October 28

The monument depicts a service member reuniting with family after deployment. Its focus is not on combat, but on the families who wait at home and the emotion of a loved one’s return.

Terry Rifkin, past president of the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group, spearheaded the project.

“‘Returning Home’ is about more than one Marine, one family or one homecoming. It represents every armed forces family that has waited, worried, sacrificed and finally experienced that moment when their loved one comes home,” Rifkin said. “We wanted to create something lasting that says to our military families: we see your sacrifice, we honor it and we will remember it.”

The Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group has supported Marines, Sailors and families of the 5th Marine Regiment, known as the Fighting Fifth, at Camp Pendleton for nearly 20 years. The nonprofit provides family and deployment support, holiday celebrations, emergency assistance, care packages and community events.

The Dana Point City Council unanimously approved funding for site preparation and park improvements surrounding the sculpture earlier this year, creating a permanent place for the new tribute.

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Photo by Clara Beard

The “Returning Home” monument will be installed at Heritage Park in the next few weeks

Marines, military families, veterans, local leaders and residents are expected to attend the dedication. A limited number of seats will be reserved for project donors and honored guests. Members of the public are invited to attend and are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

Heritage Park will also host Remembering Our Fallen, a national traveling memorial presented by Patriotic Productions, during dedication week. The exhibit will be on display October 27-30 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The memorial honors U.S. military service members and first responders who have died while serving the country since September 11, 2001. Rather than listing only names, the exhibit uses military and personal photographs to tell the stories of those who died.

Together, the two memorials will recognize both the joy of a military family’s reunion and the loss carried by families whose loved ones did not return.

The “Returning Home” dedication ceremony will be held October 28 at 10 a.m. at Heritage Park on Old Golden Lantern in Dana Point.

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Dana Point Trolley Art & History Tour set for October 10

The city of Dana Point is celebrating National Arts and Humanities Month with a Trolley Art & History Tour on Saturday, Oct. 10.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Point’s trolley will take passengers on an Art & History Tour on October 10

Two 90-minute tours will be offered at 10 a.m. and noon, highlighting public art and local history throughout the city. Each tour will be led by a Dana Point Art & Culture Ambassador and a docent from the Dana Point Historical Society.

Tickets are $20 and limited. Reservations are required through www.danapoint.org/recreation. Use Activity No. 9934 for the 10 a.m. tour and Activity No. 9935 for the noon tour.

Dana Point’s Ambassador Program includes local artists, nonprofit representatives and community members who help share the city’s history and character through events and visitor experiences.

More information about Dana Point’s public art program is available at www.danapoint-arts.com. Learn more about the Dana Point Historical Society at www.danapointhistorical.org.

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Dana Point artist unveils latest Elephant Parade design

By CLARA BEARD

What began as a 15-centimeter elephant became the largest project local artist GG Banducci has ever taken on.

Banducci spent nearly five months transforming her small Elephant Parade design, “Spanish Tiles,” into a full-size public art sculpture for Dana Point’s Biggest Little Elephant Parade.

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Photo by Clara Beard

GG Banducci with her “Spanish Tiles” elephant sculpture

“I’ve actually never really done anything like this before,” Banducci said. “This is probably the biggest project I’ve ever done.”

The project began with the smaller community elephant display organized by Gallery Dana Bay, which invited local businesses to sponsor blank elephants and artists to create individual designs. Banducci was selected to paint one of 50 small sculptures.

A few months later, organizers contacted her about adapting her design for a large elephant.

“I got the call in March,” she said. “I got the elephant in my possession probably in mid-May.”

Banducci’s dad helped her bring the unfinished elephant home from the gallery. It had a few paint marks left from kids who had worked on it previously but was largely blank. From there, Banducci developed the sculpture layer by layer.

She used an epoxy clay mixture to create and attach the ceramic-style tiles, then sanded them down before applying multiple layers of stucco. The artist tested several colors before settling on the warm beige-gold finish now covering the sculpture. She then painted the tiles white and added puffy paint around their edges to create a mosaic-like effect.

“It took me so much longer than I expected,” Banducci said. “I wanted it to be perfect, and it took me a long time to make it that way.”

The process became a lesson in working with unfamiliar materials.

“Doing the small elephant first definitely was a good starting point,” she said. “It gave me a lot of perspective on how I would create the big one.”

More than 100 artists across California submitted designs for the parade, which uses elephant sculptures as canvases for public art and community engagement. Banducci’s design was selected by a local panel to be developed as one of the large public sculptures. Her design was also submitted to the Elephant Parade team in the Netherlands for consideration as part of the official international brand, which raises awareness for elephant welfare.

Banducci completed the work in late September, about four and a half months after beginning the project.

“I’m so excited,” she said before the official unveiling at Project Social on September 24. “I can’t wait.”

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More than 400 volunteers remove 271.5 pounds of trash during Stand Up To Trash cleanup

By CLARA BEARD

More than 400 volunteers turned out for Stand Up To Trash’s Coastal Cleanup Day in Dana Point on September 19, removing 271.5 pounds of debris from the harbor, beaches and surrounding waters.

The cleanup drew 406 participants, including entire families, a Girl Scout troop, Lion’s Heart volunteers, a youth group from Laguna Niguel and the Whittier College swim team. Volunteers collected everything from a lobster trap and bicycle tire to countless small pieces of microplastics, while paddleboarders and kayakers focused their efforts on the water.

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Photos courtesy of Vicki Patterson

Volunteers pose with collected debris and cleanup supplies after removing 271.5 pounds of trash from the harbor area

“Coastal Cleanup Day is always one of those days that reminds me just how much people care about our ocean and this beautiful place we call home,” said Vicki Patterson, founder and president of Stand Up To Trash. “Seeing so many different groups come together for one purpose was pretty special.”

The event at Baby Beach included more than just collecting litter. The day started with a free yoga class before the cleanup, while a band performed Hawaiian music and Coffee Importers supplied refreshments. Even an osprey made an appearance during the Lunch & Learn program, which included an educational presentation on the ocean and local environment.

“We work really hard to make these cleanups more than picking up trash, we want people to learn, connect, have fun and feel like they’re part of something,” she said. “When people drive that far to spend their morning with us, you realize that sense of community is working.”

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Volunteers are serenaded by local ukulele players near the Ocean Institute

Patterson said one participant’s decision to come to Dana Point was a particular highlight.

“One of my favorite moments was meeting a gentleman who drove all the way from Huntington Beach to join us,” she said. “He told me he had passed probably 20 other cleanups along the way, but he wanted to come to ours. That meant so much to me.”

Jessica Cincotta and Spencer Thomas were recognized as the event’s Smallest Catch winners for their efforts to collect tiny pieces of microplastics. Those plastic particles, measuring less than 5 millimeters, can be difficult to remove once they spread through sand and water.

The organization also used the event to highlight cigarette butts, which have been the No. 1 item collected during California Coastal Cleanup Day since 1988. The filters contain plastic and can break apart into smaller particles while chemicals from discarded butts enter waterways.

Stand Up To Trash is watching the weather in hopes of organizing a San Juan Creek cleanup before the first major rain of the season. The organization said litter accumulating in streets, gutters and creeks can be carried downstream to the ocean during the first flush of stormwater.

The 100% volunteer-run nonprofit thanked its community partners, including Frank’s Irvine Subaru, Dana Point Harbor Partners, the city of Dana Point, Ocean Institute, the county of Orange, Supervisor Katrina Foley, Westwind Sailing, Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari, Dana Wharf Whale Watching, Coffee Importers and California Sea Grant.

More information is available at www.standuptotrash.com.

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Do Tell storytelling event raises more than $2,800 for Project Foster

By CLARA BEARD

A sold-out audience gathered in the Dana Point Community House on September 20 for Barron Harley’s seventh annual Do Tell storytelling event, raising more than $2,800 for Project Foster and giving five area speakers the chance to share their personal stories.

Mariana Williamson, Richard Sklarsky, Annie Wright, Merry Wong and Charley Wossman were featured at the event. Their stories ranged across life-changing moments, unexpected encounters and personal reflection, but the event’s focus went beyond entertainment.

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Photo by Clara Beard

(L-R) Storytellers Mariana Williamson, Richard Sklarsky, Annie Wright, Merry Wong and Charley Wossman

Do Tell was created seven years ago as a local live storytelling event inspired by the format of The Moth, where speakers share true stories before an audience. Harley told attendees that its success depends on finding storytellers who are willing to be open and vulnerable.

The Women’s Club has embraced the event as an annual fundraiser, with ticket proceeds supporting a different philanthropy each year. This year’s beneficiary, Project Foster, provides duffel bags and wheeled suitcases filled with necessities and comfort items for Orange County children entering foster care or experiencing housing insecurity.

Project Foster was founded after its organizers learned that children removed from their homes were often given a trash bag and little time to gather belongings before being taken to a new placement. The organization instead provides clothing, pajamas, socks, underwear, warm hoodies and personal items chosen with a child’s age and needs in mind.

“Our whole purpose in Project Foster is to tell the kids that you matter,” said Women’s Club Vice President Toni Nelson. “We’re not going to wipe out the trauma that they’re dealing with, but we’re giving them a message of abundance, a message that people care, a message that somebody knitted this or sewed this or put this together for you because you’re special and you matter.”

Project Foster works with Orange County Social Services, Laura’s House, which supports survivors of domestic violence, and students served through the McKinney-Vento Act, a federal program for children experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

The organization expects to distribute about 1,500 cases this year. More than 4,000 duffel bags have already been delivered to children in Orange County since the nonprofit’s formation, according to Nelson.

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CureDuchenne Golf Shootout raises more than $700,000 for research

The 15th annual CureDuchenne Golf Shootout raised more than $700,000 last weekend to support research and treatment development for Duchenne muscular dystrophy at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point.

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Photos courtesy of CureDuchenne

Leo Carlsson signs Henry Nilson’s jersey at the CureDuchenne Golf Shootout

Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry and his wife, Dani, hosted this year’s fundraiser, held on September 10 and 11, which brought together professional athletes, celebrities, local officials and supporters of the global nonprofit CureDuchenne.

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The CureDuchenne Golf Shootout

The weekend began with an MVP Dinner reception at Cannery Seafood of the Pacific in Newport Beach, followed by a day of golf and fundraising at Monarch Beach Golf Links. The tournament included appearances by the Anaheim Ducks Power Players, on-course games, food and hole-in-one opportunities for luxury prizes.

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Golfers tee off at Monarch Beach Golf Links

Ryan Getzlaf, a former Ducks star, and his wife, Paige, founded the annual event. The Terrys now serve as hosts.

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Anaheim Ducks players with the Wild Wing mascot

“Fifteen years of the Golf Shootout is a powerful testament to what’s possible when a community rallies around a shared mission,” CureDuchenne founder and CEO Debra Miller said. “We’re incredibly grateful to Troy and Dani for hosting this incredible event and to every participant, sponsor and supporter who made this year’s event possible. The funds raised will help us continue investing in promising research, advancing better treatments and driving toward the ultimate goal of a cure for Duchenne.”

The golf shootout has raised more than $7.5 million since its founding. CureDuchenne, established in 2003 by Debra and Paul Miller, has invested more than $28 million in research and helped move 20 projects into human clinical trials, according to the organization.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive condition that causes muscle weakness and degeneration. It affects about one in 5,000 male births and typically results in loss of mobility during adolescence, along with life-threatening complications in early adulthood.

Troy Terry, a two-time NHL All-Star who has spent his entire career with the Ducks, said the fundraiser’s focus on families living with Duchenne made the event especially meaningful to him and his wife. The couple have two young sons.

“Seeing so many people come together for this cause made the weekend incredibly meaningful for Dani and me,” Terry said. “We’re grateful to everyone who showed up, gave generously and helped make this year’s Golf Shootout such a success. As parents, we’re especially inspired by the strength of families facing Duchenne, and we’re proud to play a part in supporting the research and progress that can give them more hope for the future.”

The 2027 CureDuchenne Golf Shootout is scheduled for September 10 and 11. More information is available at www.cureduchennegolfshootout.org.

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Dana Point Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2026

Dana Point Library is joining Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL) in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed September 15 through October 15.

Throughout the month, OCPL is recognizing the contributions, cultures and histories of Hispanic and Latino communities with activities for all ages.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Point Library

Programs throughout the OCPL system include cultural arts workshops, hands-on cooking demonstrations, bilingual storytimes and family-friendly celebrations highlighting traditions from across Latin America.

Activities include Lotería, tortilla making, salsa and guacamole workshops and culturally inspired crafts reflecting the traditions of Latin American and Indigenous communities.

Special events include performances by Trio Renacimiento as part of OCPL’s Music Appreciation Series, exploring the sounds of ancient Mexico. Additional offerings feature interactive Peruvian music and dance, along with author events celebrating Hispanic heritage through food, folklore, music and storytelling.

One of the events taking place at Dana Point Library is a Mini Piñatas program on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. Families are invited to create their own miniature piñatas during the hands-on activity. Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a full list of Hispanic Heritage Month programs at Orange County libraries, visit OCPL’s Hispanic Heritage Month landing page here.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

Stone steps lead toward the beach below as the headlands rise in the background of this late-1920s scene near the Blue Lantern Gazebo. The building at right served as a Dana Point sales office, while tables shaded by umbrellas provided space for conversations with prospective buyers. The photograph is one of several showing developer Sidney H. Woodruff gathering visitors at the gazebo for sales promotions in the months and years following Dana Point’s January 1927 sales opening. The Dana Point Historical Society is currently working with the county to preserve the historic gazebo, which is threatened by coastal bluff retreat.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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A point of view

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Compass Point at the Doris Walker Overlook in Heritage Park looks out over Dana Point Harbor and the Pacific. The overlook honors Walker-Smith, a longtime local historian, who co-founded the Historical Society, and author whose work helped preserve the stories of Dana Point.

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Meet Pet of the Week Bleu

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Six-month-old Bleu is a bright, curious pup who loves learning and thrives during training sessions, especially when toys are involved. Her outgoing personality makes her a favorite among volunteers, and she enjoys meeting new people and spending time outdoors.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Bleu is currently up for adoption at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Bleu does well with children and would make a wonderful family companion. She would be happiest as the only dog in the home, as she can be shy around other pups.

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Bleu can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Capturing iconic Newport Beach and beyond: The Wedge above Newport Beach

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Artwork by Don Krotee

Across the rooftops on the north side of Goldenrod, south of Seaview, it is possible to see the sunset and this amazing rooftop view. Of late, I can hear the crash of the surf at the Wedge if the south swell accommodates, and the glistening spray can heave upward from the shore break. The plumes of water can show white against the dark ultramarine blue of the bay. There is the Wedge, where it joins the rock groin, welcoming sea traffic in and out of Lower Newport Harbor. The impressionist watercolor was painted in the studio on Fabriano 300# paper and is 15 1/2” x 15 1/2”. (Photo credit: Bill and Jinx Hansen)

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Artist Don Krotee is a Corona del Mar resident and has had a long interest in local politics, environmental issues and housing. He is an architect, sailor and SPON board member (Newport Beach’s oldest environmental nonprofit) who has provided Stu News with images of his paintings and drawings depicting Newport Beach and scenes from around the world.

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From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, performances and places that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Become a Laguna Food Pantry volunteer driver and help rescue surplus groceries

Laguna Food Pantry is looking for volunteer drivers to help rescue surplus groceries from local grocery stores on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and/ or Mondays.

Each week, local grocery stores in and around Laguna Beach and Dana Point donate fresh produce, dairy, meat, bakery items and other items they can no longer sell due to inventory, seasonality or space. Volunteer drivers pick up these donations and deliver them to the Pantry in Laguna Canyon, where they are sorted and distributed to individuals and families facing food insecurity.

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Courtesy of Laguna Food Pantry

Volunteer driver Esther arrives at the Pantry to drop off a car full of rescued groceries

It’s a simple way to make a direct impact. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles, and mileage reimbursement is available.

The Pantry currently rescues groceries from more than 25 local stores throughout the week, helping keep good food items out of landfills while providing fresh, nutritious groceries to neighbors in need.

As demand for food assistance continues to grow throughout Orange County, reliable volunteer drivers are essential to keeping these groceries moving from local grocery stores to the families who need them.

If you have a few hours to give on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and/or Monday mornings, consider becoming a volunteer driver. Your time can help turn surplus food into nutritious, well-balanced groceries for people in our community.

To apply, visit Laguna Food Pantry’s website at www.lagunafoodpantry.org/volunteer-application.

Laguna Food Pantry is open Monday through Friday, 8-10:30 a.m., offering free, fresh, nutritious groceries via a drive-through system. Visit www.lagunafoodpantry.org to learn more, volunteer, or donate. The Pantry currently needs more volunteer drivers to help with grocery rescue. Your support is vital to their mission of ending food insecurity and hunger in our community. They believe no one should go hungry.

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Our harbor in transition

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Wildflowers and coastal bluff vegetation frame Dana Point Harbor, where the wide-ranging revitalization continues below. The 15-phase marina project is more than four-fifths complete, while work on the new Commercial Core is currently underway.

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Orange County declares emergency as Dana Point recovers from Hurricane Marie

By CLARA BEARD

Orange County has proclaimed a local emergency following Hurricane Marie’s damaging coastal impacts, extending county support to Dana Point after the city declared its own emergency September 9 because of flooding that damaged multiple properties.

The county’s September 17 action also covers coastal damage in Laguna Beach and San Clemente and requests state and federal assistance as officials prepare for additional storm and tidal impacts this winter.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Waves wash against the rocky shoreline beside a coastal walking path in Dana Point

Doug Chaffee, chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and chair of the county’s Emergency Management Council, signed the proclamation at the request of the county’s director of emergency services. The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider ratifying the action at a special meeting next week.

The county said the declaration responds to “ongoing coastal impacts related to Hurricane Marie” and supports response efforts in Dana Point and other coastal communities affected by the storm.

Dana Point proclaimed its local emergency after Hurricane Marie caused coastal flooding and damage to homes and other properties. Laguna Beach declared an emergency September 10, followed by San Clemente on September 15.

Laguna Beach cited dangerous surf, rip currents, major sand movement and coastline erosion. Six oceanfront homes were yellow-tagged and the city temporarily closed beaches and facilities, according to the county’s proclamation.

County officials said coastal communities have lost sand that had served as a protective barrier for homes and infrastructure. That loss has left some wastewater facilities, retaining walls and other coastal infrastructure vulnerable to further storm damage.

The proclamation warns that the impacts of Hurricane Marie, along with potential El Niño-related weather this winter, could create “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property” beyond the capacity of local resources alone.

The declaration also addresses disruptions along the coastal railroad corridor between Orange County and San Diego, where track and slope damage have required emergency repairs.

Orange County’s Operational Area Emergency Operations Center has operated at a low activation level since September 11 and is staffed by Orange County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Management Division personnel.

The county is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency and make assistance available to Orange County, affected cities, eligible residents and businesses. It also asks the governor to seek a federal emergency declaration if necessary.

The proclamation seeks state support for damage assessments and erosion mitigation work on state-owned coastal property. It also requests streamlined state permitting, waived fees and remediation requirements for emergency projects, and faster funding for projects identified in hazard mitigation plans.

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Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point to replace Laguna Cliffs Marriott

Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa will undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation and transition into the JW Marriott portfolio as The Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point, a JW Marriott Resort, the hotel announced on September 14.

The blufftop property overlooking Dana Point Harbor will receive redesigned public spaces and guest rooms, expanded event facilities, a new resort pool, a signature chef-driven restaurant and a reimagined arrival experience as part of the phased transformation.

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Renderings courtesy of JW Marriott Resort

A rendering shows the redesigned arrival drive and entrance planned for The Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point

The resort, operated by Aimbridge Hospitality, has been a Dana Point fixture for nearly 40 years. It will retain its role as a destination for leisure travelers, meetings, weddings and other special events while adding upgraded gathering spaces and amenities.

“For nearly 40 years, this storied property has stood as a beacon overlooking Dana Point Harbor, calling both locals home and visitors to our shores to experience the quintessential Southern California coastal lifestyle,” General Manager Ben Ly said in a release. “This renovation evolves the resort to be in tune with the rising tide here in Dana Point.”

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The poolside will feature cabanas, lounge seating and palm trees beside the water

Plans include a central resort pool with ocean views, refreshed lounge areas and locally inspired food and beverage offerings. The property’s family pool area, cabana rentals, Kids Club and Splash Zone will remain, while the resort adds new outdoor activities and local programming for guests.

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An overview of the planned central resort pool and surrounding guest rooms

The project also calls for an expanded, relocated event lawn near the Richard Henry Dana Ballroom, along with upgraded ballroom and meeting facilities. A new 6,000-square-foot ballroom is planned to accommodate larger groups and simultaneous events.

Global hospitality design firms HKS and ROAM will lead the redesign. The firms will draw inspiration from Dana Point’s coastal history, Lantern District, painted cottages and surf culture, according to the announcement.

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The landscaped grounds and walkways overlooking Dana Point Harbor

The arrival drive, porte cochere and lobby will be renovated to create a more prominent entry and stronger connection to the resort’s ocean setting. The lobby is planned to open through dining spaces to an expanded ocean-view deck for cocktails and gatherings, while pre-function meeting areas will be redesigned as indoor-outdoor spaces.

All 371 guest rooms will be refreshed with a coastal-inspired design and updated furnishings.

The resort said it will continue to operate during the phased transformation.

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Coastal Commission OKs Baby Beach access mat

By CLARA BEARD

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) unanimously approved OC Parks’ plan to install a 114-foot-long beach access mat at Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor on September 10.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor, where OC Parks plans to install a 114-foot-long accessibility mat from the parking lot to the existing launch area

Commissioners highlighted the project’s accessibility benefits despite public concerns that the mat’s recycled polyester material could shed microplastics into the environment.

The 6-foot-wide AccessMat will run from the parking lot access point to the existing launch area, creating a solid path across the sand for wheelchair users and other visitors with mobility challenges.

The permeable, removable mat system will be installed by hand without grading, excavation or in-water work, according to a Coastal Commission staff report.

The item was approved on the commission’s administrative calendar without objection, subject to conditions requiring inspections, maintenance and removal before anticipated storm surge, coastal flooding or high surf.

Coastal Commission staff said the recycled polyester material was the most suitable option identified for providing ADA access at the site while minimizing coastal resource impacts. The project is funded through an Orange County Coastkeeper subgrant from the State Coastal Conservancy’s Beach and Coast Accessibility Program and must be maintained for at least five years.

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Courtesy of California Coastal Commission

A site map shows the proposed 114-foot-long AccessMat route from the parking lot access point across the sand at Baby Beach

The proposal drew criticism from environmental advocates who urged the commission to require a natural-fiber alternative, such as coconut-fiber matting, rather than a plastic-based product exposed to sun, sand and salt water.

Anne Cantrell of the Sierra Club told commissioners that, after breaking her hip last year, she understood the importance of wheelchair and walker access. However, she opposed the proposed material.

“Please require a natural material, not plastic,” Cantrell told the commissioners.

In written correspondence, Safe Healthy Playing Fields and other opponents also raised concerns about microplastic pollution, heat retention and the mat’s ability to withstand storm conditions. Commenters noted that beach wheelchairs are already available at Baby Beach and questioned whether the mat was needed.

Commission staff acknowledged that the material could generate some plastic debris over its service life but concluded that the risk could be managed through permit conditions. OC Parks must inspect the mat weekly from June through October, monthly during the rest of the year, and after major shoreline changes or storms. The agency must repair or replace the mat if it shows fraying, cracking, corrosion or other deterioration, or remove it if necessary.

The permit also requires OC Parks to recover displaced material immediately and remove the entire system if it cannot be maintained without recurring debris generation. The mat must remain landward of the mean high-tide line and be removed before conditions likely to inundate, undermine or displace it.

Commissioner Dan Kalmick, who helped bring the first MobiMat to Huntington Beach while serving on that city’s council, said the accessible pathways help a wide range of beachgoers, not just people using wheelchairs.

“It helps get folks down to the water just to see it,” Kalmick said. “These MobiMats are, I think, a good balance of trying to get folks to access the coast.”

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Dana Point deputies respond to nearly 2,000 calls in August

Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies assigned to Dana Point responded to 1,924 calls in August, according to monthly activity statistics shared by the department.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Orange County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicles

The report also listed 74 traffic stops, 1,439 citations, seven narcotic violations, seven warrant arrests and seven DUI arrests.

The citation total includes enforcement citations issued by deputies as well as those issued by the city’s Parking Enforcement team, according to the department.

OCSD said its calls-completed figure includes both calls assigned to deputies and deputy-initiated proactive activity throughout Dana Point. The department added that monthly totals may be updated as additional reports and data are processed.

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A tasty evening at La Plaza Park

By CLARA BEARD

The Taste of Lantern Village returned Wednesday (Sept. 16), bringing together Dana Point restaurants, a local brewery and foodies for an evening of samples, live music and more in support of the Lantern Village Association’s scholarship program.

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Photos by Clara Beard

Neighbors enjoy food and conversation at La Plaza Park

The annual event, held from 5 to 8 p.m, showcases Dana Point restaurants while raising funds for scholarships awarded exclusively to Dana Hills High School graduates who live in the Lantern Village.

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Elephant sculptures greet visitors near the Lantern Village Association’s ticket booths

Unlike some food-tasting events, participating restaurants do not pay a fee to take part. Restaurants provide sample-sized “bites,” while attendees can taste offerings from businesses throughout Dana Point, including many based in the Lantern Village.

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Live music accompanies the evening’s food tasting at La Plaza Park

Participating businesses included Hennessey’s Tavern, RJ’s Café, The Harbor Grill, Carlos’ Cantina, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern and Shelter Distilling.

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Musicians perform beneath the park’s pergola

The association’s scholarship program is intended to serve students with a connection to the Lantern Village and can support students attending two-year technical programs or four-year colleges and universities.

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Taste of Lantern Village guests sample food from local businesses

The organization awarded two $2,000 scholarships this year.

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Chips, salsa and colorful tasting cups

In addition to the Taste of Lantern Village and scholarships, the association has supported community projects including the Fifth Marines “Coming Home” statue and is partnering with the Dana Point Historical Society on efforts to preserve the Blue Lantern Gazebo.

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Food vendors prepare samples for visitors

The Lantern Village Association was created in 1991, two years after Dana Point became a city. Its early efforts focused on cleaning up and improving the area bounded by the coastal bluffs and Selva Road, while its current mission centers on supporting Lantern Village residents and businesses.

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A spotted elephant sculpture stands beside the event’s ticket booths

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Attendees stop for baked goods at The Coffee Importers booth

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Home field advantage

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Hills High School’s football field awaits the Dolphins, who will host Mayfair at 7 p.m. tonight (Sept. 18). Dana Hills enters the non-league matchup 4-0 after a 35-10 win over Woodrow Wilson.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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Sidney H. Woodruff, the developer behind Dana Point’s 1927 master plan and the earlier Hollywoodland development, overlooks Stillwater Bay while leaning on a simulated wood railing built by early Dana Point tract manager Anna G. Walters. The site is now home to the Blue Lantern Gazebo, built in 1927, which will mark its 100th anniversary next year.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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Meet Pet of the Week Marina

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Meet Marina, a two-year-old cutie pie ready for her forever family. A sociable girlie, Marina has a sweet temperament and enjoys meeting new people.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Marina is a sweet, sociable two-year-old pup looking for her forever family

She loves outdoor activities and playing with her toys in the yard. Marina has proved to be great on-leash and with her moderate energy level would thrive in a home where she could get her daily steps in. Could she be your new walking buddy?

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

If you would like to know more about Marina, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with her at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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City declares local emergency after coastal flooding damages Capo Bay homes

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point has declared a local emergency in Capistrano Bay after high surf and coastal flooding connected to Hurricane Marie damaged multiple homes along Beach Road, a private beachfront community along Pacific Coast Highway.

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Photos by Clara Beard

Homes hit by coastal flooding line Beach Road in Capistrano Bay

City Manager Kelly Reenders, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, signed the proclamation September 9, which mentions continuing high tides, coastal flooding and the need to monitor affected structures for damage.

As of September 9, nine homes in Capistrano Bay had been red-tagged and seven had been yellow-tagged following coastal flooding, according to a city release. The neighborhood was also under a National Weather Service coastal flood advisory through 11 p.m. that day.

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Barricades and a closure sign block the entrance to a parking lot located just outside the gated Beach Road community

The declaration also follows a series of high surf and coastal flooding advisories issued for Southern California during Hurricane Marie. The storm formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean September 1, was upgraded to a hurricane September 2 and became a post-tropical cyclone September 8.

High tides and swells from the storm drastically affected the local coastline, particularly the Beach Road properties, and wreaked havoc along local beaches.

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Capistrano Beach after this week’s high surf

The declaration allows the city manager to take additional emergency measures considered reasonable or necessary to address changing conditions. The Dana Point City Council must ratify the proclamation within seven days for it to remain in effect and must review the need for the emergency at least every 60 days until it is ended.

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Waves touch the rock barrier at Salt Creek Beach

The proclamation also cited a Climate Prediction Center forecast that gives a 69% chance that the current El Niño could become historically strong between October and December, surpassing the strength of previous El Niño events dating to 1950.

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Debris covers sand following high surf at Salt Creek

The city has not released details on the extent of damage to the 16 homes that were red- or yellow-tagged.

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A surfer looks out to the ocean during a hazy morning at Salt Creek following high surf conditions

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Booked for a good cause: Dana Point Women’s Club starts season with giving

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point Women’s Club members returned from their summer hiatus with a back-to-school gift for young readers: $1,500 worth of donated books and a $500 contribution to R.H. Dana Elementary School.

The club’s September meeting coupled its annual Project Literacy Book Drive with an exercise in budgeting, giving members a chance to support local students while considering the difficult financial choices facing other Orange County families.

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Photos courtesy of Women’s Club of Dana Point

Dana Point Women’s Club President Monique Wolff, left, with R.H. Dana Elementary Principal Juliana Mittino-Smith

“It was a meaningful start to DPWC’s new season, filled with learning, giving, sharing and a little sweetness (in the form of homemade lemon bundt cake) along the way,” said Toni Nelson, the club’s first vice president.

R.H. Dana Elementary Principal Juliana Mittino-Smith accepted the book donations and shared an update on the school and its students. The additional $500 Project Literacy donation will help supply books for the school’s library and classrooms.

Nelson described the annual book drive as one of the club’s “favorite traditions.” The club alternates its Project Literacy support between R.H. Dana Elementary and Palisades Elementary in Capistrano Beach.

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Photos courtesy of Women’s Club of Dana Point

Donated children’s books support R.H. Dana Elementary through the club’s annual Project Literacy Book Drive

The meeting also brought a different kind of lesson through Orange County United Way’s Paycheck to Paycheck interactive experience. Working in teams, members took on household financial challenges and decided how to stretch a limited paycheck.

Nelson said the activity asked participants to consider what happens when available income can’t easily cover a family’s needs.

“It was eye-opening, thought-provoking and definitely gave members a new appreciation of the phrase ‘making ends meet,’” Nelson said.

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Club members take part in Orange County United Way’s Paycheck to Paycheck interactive experience

The exercise and book drive gave members two ways to engage with local needs as the club began its new season: learning about financial pressures and helping put books into children’s hands.

Support for families at both elementary schools will continue in December through the club’s longstanding Project Angel Tree program.

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From left: Orange County United Way Administrative Coordinator Elaine Kwak; Orange County United Way Senior Financial Case Manager Daisy McCune; DPWC President Monique Wolff; Orange County United Way’s United for Financial Security Executive Director Taylor Montano; DPWC First Vice President Toni Nelson and R.H. Dana Elementary Principal Juliana Mittino-Smith

“We will once again be providing Christmas gifts and grocery vouchers to families with Title I students enrolled at both schools,” Nelson said.

For now, the September gathering brought members back together around books, learning and a shared slice of homemade lemon bundt cake.

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Flowers and bright table settings welcome members back for the club’s new season

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Coastal Commission clears Niguel Shores home project after appeal over landslide risk

By CLARA BEARD

A proposed new home in Dana Point’s Niguel Shores community will move forward after the California Coastal Commission (CCC) rejected an appeal raising concerns about landslide risk and slope stability.

In an 11-1 vote Thursday (Sept. 10), the commission found no substantial issue with the city of Dana Point’s approval to demolish a home at 33951 Nauticus Isle and build a larger replacement home.

The project, approved by the city earlier this year, calls for replacing a 1,850-square-foot, one-story house with a 2,686-square-foot, one-story house, an attached two-car garage, spa and new landscaping.

The property sits on a lot with a flat area where the home is located and a steep, undeveloped rear slope that is part of a slope-control easement.

Dana Point resident Laurie Smith appealed the city’s decision to the Coastal Commission. She argued that the city should have required a more detailed study of the slope before approving the home.

Smith said she has seen water seepage on the slope, including during dry months.

“I see seepage on this slope every time I walk past it,” Smith told commissioners. “The seepage is there, even in dry weather months.”

Smith said the rear slope has a 50 percent grade and asked the commission to require additional geological work before allowing the project to proceed.

Attorney Doug Karstens, speaking for Smith, said the property lies within a state-mapped earthquake-induced landslide zone and argued that the applicant’s geotechnical study was too limited. He said the study relied on three borings that reached only six to seven feet deep, while the slope is about 45 feet high.

“A residence at the crest of a 45-foot slope is at risk because the slope may fail, not because the building pad is steep,” Karstens said.

Coastal Commission staff said the city had enough information to approve the project. Staff found that the new home would remain on the flat part of the site, with no construction planned on the slope.

Staff also said the home would remain one story, would be similar in size to nearby homes and would not block public coastal views from the nearby Strands Beach access path.

Karl Schwing, the commission’s deputy director, said staff had reviewed the issues raised in the appeal and was satisfied with the city’s record.

The commission’s staff report said the city’s permit includes a condition requiring an updated geotechnical report before a grading permit is issued.

Commissioner Mike Wilson made the motion to find no substantial issue. Commissioner Linda Escalante seconded it.

The commission’s decision means Dana Point’s approval is now final. The project will not receive a separate, full hearing before the Coastal Commission.

Dana Point’s Planning Commission approved the project April 13. The City Council rejected Smith’s appeal June 2. Smith then appealed to the Coastal Commission on June 26.

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Behind the Lines: A powerful 9/11 story comes to the Irvine Barclay Theatre

By DIANNE RUSSELL

September 11 changed the world in a matter of hours, but for those who witnessed its aftermath, the story never truly ended. Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story explores the courage, sacrifice and deeply human cost left behind.

World Trade Center firefighter Bill Spade – the sole survivor of FDNY Rescue Company 5 – and Jaymes Poling, a three-tour Afghanistan combat veteran with the 82nd Airborne Division, take the stage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on September 27 at 5 p.m. to tell their stories.

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Photos and video courtesy of Dominick Farinacci

Dominick Farinacci moved to New York City just a few days before 9/11, and his first day of class at Juilliard was on 9/11. Although he was safe a few miles north of Ground Zero, that day has always been a deep part of his association with moving to the city.

Created by acclaimed jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci and Poling, Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story, is a live fusion of storytelling, music and theater exploring the human impact of September 11 and the war that followed.

“So as bizarre as this collaboration between a jazz musician and a veteran is, it made perfect sense once we started working together,” Farinacci said.

Farinacci and Poling previously created Modern Warrior LIVE, built around Poling’s story of fighting in Afghanistan and returning home. As they toured around the country, they found that bringing these two powerful mediums together – story and music – resonated deeply with audiences.

“Music allows stories to live in real time, giving us access to what is happening underneath the words – the fear, grief, anger, isolation, even moments of humor and beauty,” said Farinacci. “That’s where I think this format we created becomes uniquely powerful. We connect with each other on a human level by telling our stories, and music is often the soundtrack to our life experiences.”

Every musical moment in the production was inspired by each word of Poling’s and Spade’s stories, but Farinacci didn’t want the music to function as a soundtrack in the traditional sense. Every piece had to earn its place dramatically. In addition to the original music, the score is interwoven with reimagined works by artists including Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Gnarls Barkley.

Farinacci admitted that the words may already be doing all the work and sometimes the strongest musical choice is restraint – or silence. Where music becomes most meaningful is when it gives us access to another layer. “Maybe the person speaking sounds completely composed, but underneath that story there’s anxiety or anger or grief. Music can become that internal voice,” he said.

A lot of it ultimately comes down to trust Farinacci said. “I’ve spent years working with Jaymes, and through this process we’ve developed that trust with Bill as well.”

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Bill Spade (in the foreground) speaks as Jaymes Poling looks on

Although the production connects two very different experiences – a firefighter who survived the World Trade Center attacks and a soldier who went to war in Afghanistan afterward, there is a common thread.

What struck Farinacci was that their stories are significantly different on the surface, but emotionally they shared a tremendous amount in common. The show is ultimately about survival, but also about what comes after survival.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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Construction of the Dana Point Harbor breakwater began in 1966. A laser beam positioned above the cove provided a straight-line guide for placing rocks along the main jetty. In this photo, a crane positions the rocks along that line.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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Dana Point recognizes five new CERT disaster service workers

The Dana Point City Council recognized five newly credentialed Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) disaster service workers at its September 1 meeting, honoring volunteers who completed training in emergency preparedness, search and rescue and disaster response.

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Courtesy of City of Dana Point

(L-R) Mayor John Gabbard, CERT graduates Juan Ruano, Robert Wiltse, Lance Rzepiejewski, David Steele and Matthew Gora, and Emergency Services Coordinator Larry Meyerhofer

The city partners with San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente to offer the seven-day, 20-hour CERT course twice a year. Participants learn how to prepare emergency kits for homes, cars and workplaces, turn off gas and water service, use fire extinguishers, provide basic search-and-rescue assistance and support people following a disaster.

The five graduates took an additional step by completing background checks and FEMA courses to become credentialed disaster service workers, Emergency Services Coordinator Larry Meyerhofer told the council.

In a major emergency, the volunteers can assist their own families and neighbors before reporting to the city’s emergency operations center, shelters or search-and-rescue efforts if needed.

“There’s a good chance you can be on your own for the first three to five days in a major earthquake, so it’s best to be prepared for that,” Meyerhofer said. “After this training, you’ll feel much more confident that you can take care of yourself, your family and your immediate neighbors.”

The training is designed to help residents become more self-sufficient during emergencies while building a network of trained volunteers who can support city operations when professional responders are stretched thin.

Meyerhofer congratulated the volunteers for going “above and beyond the norm” by becoming disaster service workers.

The CERT recognition was the first presentation of the September 1 council meeting. The council also recognized Management Analyst DyAnne Weamire as Employee of the Quarter.

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Summer’s not over yet!

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Photo by Clara Beard

“Summer Fun,” a sculpture by artist Randolph Rose, depicts two children playing with a turtle at Pines Park. The work was dedicated by the Dana Point City Council during Arts and Humanities Month in October 2016.

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Deputy Karla Felix leaves Dana Point Police Services for new assignment

Deputy Karla Felix is leaving Dana Point Police Services after nearly two years serving the community, the agency announced this week.

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Photos courtesy of Dana Point Police Services

Deputy Karla Felix

During her assignment in Dana Point, Felix worked both patrol duties and in support of the agency’s administrative team. Dana Point Police Services said her positive attitude, sense of humor and willingness to help made her a valued member of the staff.

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Deputy Karla Felix and administration colleagues

Felix is moving to a new assignment within the department. Dana Point Police Services thanked her for her service to the community and wished her success in the next stage of her career.

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Meet Pet of the Week Rio

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

His name is Rio and he dances on the sand. Though realistically, he probably does prefer grass. Rio is a very well-mannered six-year-old Husky who is kind of up for anything.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Rio is a well-mannered six-year-old Husky

He gets along with other dogs and loves meeting new people. He has a very manageable energy level and is all around a pretty laid-back dog. With his sweet disposition, Rio would do well in just about any home.

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

If you would like to know more about Rio, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Taste of Lantern Village returns September 16

By CLARA BEARD

The Taste of Lantern Village returns to La Plaza Park on Wednesday, Sept. 16, bringing together bites from a dozen Dana Point restaurants to raise money for scholarships benefiting Dana Hills High School students.

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Photo by Clara Beard

The Taste of Lantern Village will be held on September 16 at La Plaza Park

Organized by the Lantern Village Association, the event will run from 5 to 8 p.m.

The Taste supports area businesses while raising money for the association’s scholarship program – which is reserved for Dana Hills High School students who live in Lantern Village.

“We have so many restaurant people here who are such good community people,” said Robin Valles, president of the Lantern Village Association.

Unlike some tasting events, participating restaurants do not pay a fee to be included, Valles added.

“Restaurants come in free, and they provide bites,” she said. “They’re all only Dana Point restaurants.”

Participating businesses include Bon Appétit Bistro, Carlos Mexican Restaurant + Cantina, Casanova Ristorante, Hennessey’s, Hook & Anchor, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, Lúa Asian Fusion Eatery, Lupe’s Mexican Eatery, Shelter Distilling, The Coffee Importers, The White Rooster and What a Dish Café. Shelter Distilling will offer both food and beer.

The association awarded two $2,000 scholarships this spring, including one to a student who arrived in the United States at the start of high school without speaking English.

“He graduated all college-prep classes, all A’s and B’s,” Valles said. “We were delighted to give him some support.”

The scholarship program supports students pursuing technical training, two-year programs and four-year institutions. It is the Lantern Village Association’s top priority, Valles said.

“We’re hoping that this year we’ll make enough money that we can give even more,” she said.

Founded in 1991, the association continues to focus on supporting local merchants and residents, as well as projects including the preservation effort for the Blue Lantern Gazebo.

Tickets for the Taste of Lantern Village are available here.

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Capturing iconic Newport Beach and beyond: Impressionism A Way to See

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Artwork by Don Krotee

While visiting back east, I visited the Westerly Museum of American Impressionism to see American artists who painted in the East and garnered success in the most popular artistic style – Impressionism. One artist, Frank Bicknell, caught my eye and I decided to paint my own country path, light, darks and a small, obscured cottage (a part of the broad overall subject) like the artists. In my own painting above, I felt and saw in watercolor my interpretation of some of what Bicknell experienced. The work is a 1/4 sheet of 140# Fabriano paper painted entirely in a family studio back east.

• • •

Artist Don Krotee is a Corona del Mar resident and has long had a local political, environmental and housing interest. He is an architect, sailor and SPON board member (Newport Beach’s oldest environmental nonprofit) who has provided images of his paintings and drawings to Stu News of iconic Newport Beach and around the world.

• • •

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, performances and places that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Dana Point to host permitting open house for businesses

The city of Dana Point will host a free permitting open house on Wednesday, Sept. 16, aimed at helping local business owners and entrepreneurs better understand the process of opening, expanding or improving a business.

The “Road to Opening Day” open house will take place from 9-11 a.m. at the Dana Point Community Center and will give attendees an opportunity to speak directly with city staff about permitting requirements.

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Photo by Clara Beard

The Dana Point Community Center will host the city’s free Road to Opening Day permitting open house on September 16

The event is geared toward business owners and operators, entrepreneurs, architects, commercial contractors and investors who are planning projects in Dana Point.

“Navigating the permitting process can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re a small business owner, first-time applicant, or still in the early stages of planning a project,” Dana Point Economic Development & Housing Manager Jaimie To said. “Dana Point is a business-friendly city and that means doing what we can to make the process of getting your business open as easy, smooth, and efficient as possible.”

During the drop-in event, city staff will provide guidance on which departments may be involved in a project, when various reviews and approvals are required and who to contact with questions about planning, zoning, tenant improvements and engineering.

Staff will also be available to explain additional permitting requirements that apply to restaurants and other food service establishments.

Business owners do not need to have a specific project underway to attend. Those considering a future project or looking to familiarize themselves with the city’s permitting process are also encouraged to stop by, ask questions and meet city staff.

For more information, contact the city’s Economic Development Division at econdev@danapoint.org.

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City moves forward with phased plan to protect palms from invasive weevil

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point is moving ahead with a phased plan to protect its Canary Island date palms from an invasive beetle that has already been detected in the city, though City Council members want more community feedback before committing to the program’s growing long-term costs.

The City Council on Tuesday (Sept. 1) approved a framework that prioritizes 331 city-maintained Canary Island date palms for preventive treatment against the South American palm weevil, an invasive pest that can kill palms once larvae burrow into the tree’s crown.

The city has already begun the first phase of treatment, covering 98 heritage palms along Camino Capistrano and Avenida Las Palmas in Capistrano Beach. Council members previously approved that work in July at an annual cost of about $68,745.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Dana Point is moving forward with a phased treatment plan to protect city-maintained Canary Island date palms

Tuesday’s action lays out three additional phases that could eventually expand treatment to all 331 city-maintained palms.

Phase two would bring the total number of treated palms to 166 at an estimated annual cost of $116,994. Phase three would cover 248 palms for about $173,087 per year, while treating all 331 palms under phase four would cost approximately $227,314 annually.

Rather than immediately committing to each phase, the council directed staff to move toward phase two as the threat warrants and return through the city’s annual budget process for funding. Council members also requested outreach to determine how strongly residents value preserving the palms before making further spending decisions.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Frost urged the city to slow down before making a larger financial commitment, asking where palm preservation ranks among residents’ priorities.

“I would just like to pump the brakes for a little bit,” Frost said during the discussion.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Rosaler said the South American palm weevil has now been confirmed at the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center and Sunset Park. The pest has spread north from San Diego County over the past decade, with University of California researchers estimating it has killed more than 20,000 palms across Southern California.

The Canary Island date palm is particularly vulnerable. Female weevils lay eggs in the crown, where larvae bore inward and destroy the palm’s single growing point. Because much of that damage occurs internally, an infestation can go unnoticed until the crown begins collapsing. By that point, according to the staff report, the tree cannot be saved and can become a source of additional weevils.

For palms not yet receiving preventive treatment, the city plans to use inspections and pheromone-baited traps to monitor for weevil activity. If activity is found near a city palm, staff would inspect the tree and either treat it or remove it if it is too heavily damaged. An optional citywide trap network is estimated to cost about $6,780 annually.

Staff developed a scoring system to determine which palms receive treatment first. Trees are ranked based on their historic or community significance, size and age, visibility, potential public safety risk and proximity to confirmed weevil activity.

The council discussion also focused heavily on whether continually treating the trees is more cost-effective than eventually removing and replacing them.

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Tall ships return to Maritime Festival next weekend

The Ocean Institute is bringing tall ships, cannon battles and hands-on maritime experiences back to Dana Point Harbor for the 42nd annual Maritime Festival, happening September 11-13.

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Photos courtesy of Ocean Institute

A tall ship fires its cannon during a previous Maritime Festival

The three-day event celebrates Dana Point’s maritime history with historic sailing ships, educational programs and family-friendly activities that let visitors experience California’s seafaring past.

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Visitors explore artisan booths and festival offerings

Visitors can board historic ships like the Spirit of Dana Point, Bill of Rights, Curlew, Mayflower, Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson. The festival also features live cannon battles, sailors showing traditional skills, pirate camps, mermaid encounters, artisan vendors, live music and local cuisine.

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Families enjoy some of the entertainment on offer at the Tall Ships Festival

“Ocean Institute was founded on the belief that the best learning happens through experience,” Robyn Takeshita, the institute’s director of education, said in a statement. “The Maritime Festival embodies that philosophy by inviting guests to experience our maritime heritage where it happened. Whether they’re climbing aboard a historic tall ship, watching a live cannon battle, exploring our marine science exhibits, or seeing their children become pirates for the day, every experience is designed to spark curiosity, celebrate our coastal heritage and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.”

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Tall ships sail off the Dana Point coast

Now in its 42nd year, the festival supports the Ocean Institute’s mission to preserve and share Dana Point’s maritime heritage, while inspiring future generations to care for the ocean and coastline. Festival Adventure Passes include tours of the tall ships, entry to the Ocean Institute campus, touch tanks, interactive marine science exhibits and other educational activities.

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A young festivalgoer dressed as a pirate takes the helm of a historic sailing ship

During the festival weekend, visitors can use the expanded morning service on the Dana Point Trolley, making it easier to get between the Ocean Institute, Dana Point Harbor and festival events.

The Maritime Festival takes place September 11-13 at the Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive. Festival Adventure Passes, cannon battle experiences, tall ship sails, escort cruises and other ticketed activities are available. Visit www.maritime-fest.org for tickets and more information.

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Planning Commission approves Ohana Festival parking plan

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point Planning Commission unanimously approved a coastal development permit allowing the Ohana Festival to reserve 600 spaces in the Dana Point Harbor parking structure during the three-day music festival later this month.

The permit covers festival parking from September 25-27 at the 984-space public structure at 799 Harbor Way. Ohana Festival will take place nearby at Doheny State Beach.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The Dana Point Harbor parking structure will provide 600 reserved spaces for the 2026 Ohana Festival under a coastal development permit approved by the Planning Commission

Senior Planner Alyssa Gonzalez told commissioners the festival used the same number of parking spaces last year, but city officials later discovered an additional permit was required.

“In 2025, the Ohana Festival applied for and obtained a special event permit through the Community Services Department,” Gonzalez said at the August 24 meeting.

She said the department was unaware at the time that Dana Point Harbor regulations also required a coastal development permit for temporary use of the structure.

Gonzalez added that city code enforcement received no complaints connected to the festival’s use of the parking structure in 2025.

Under the newly approved permit, festival spaces will be placed on the structure’s second and third levels. The first floor is intended to remain accessible to the public, including customers of harbor businesses that will remain open during the event.

“The request is still for 600 spaces,” Gonzalez said, adding that the first floor would be maintained for public access under Condition 13 of the permit.

Several commissioners questioned how parking operators would prevent festivalgoers without prepaid passes from occupying spaces intended for harbor customers.

Festival representatives said parking passes would be sold in advance for $55 per vehicle plus a transaction fee. Signs will direct prepaid festival traffic to designated lanes, where attendants will scan electronic passes.

Dan Conley, director of operations for the Ohana Festival, said organizers are working with a traffic-management company that has assisted the event for the past decade. The company has also coordinated with the city and its Public Works Department on plans intended to reduce traffic impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

Conley said different entrances will be used for festival traffic and for members of the public visiting Dana Wharf businesses. Attendants will guide prepaid vehicles into assigned portions of the upper floors.

“We’ll have traffic attendants that, almost Disneyland-style, if you will, park them as they enter into the parking structure,” Conley told the commission.

The operation will also include temporary directional signs, parking personnel and security personnel. Any lane closures or temporary traffic-control measures must receive city approval.

Parking data from the 2025 festival showed that demand peaked between 5 and 7 p.m. The highest occupancy was recorded on Friday, Sept. 26, when 678 spaces were occupied between 5 and 6 p.m. At that level of occupancy, approximately 306 spaces remained available in the structure.

Staff said current construction in the harbor’s Commercial Core has reduced demand because several former businesses have closed or been demolished. Some businesses that remain open will close during the afternoon or early evening on festival days.

Gonzalez said the proposed arrangement provides sufficient parking while supporting coastal access and reducing the likelihood that festival traffic will spill into nearby residential neighborhoods.

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City tweaks ADU rules, restores coastal regulations

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point City Council on Tuesday (Sept. 1) advanced two related zoning amendments governing accessory dwelling units, updating the city’s regulations to comply with state housing law while restoring separate standards that remain in effect within the city’s coastal zone.

The first amendment updates Dana Point’s regulations for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) outside the coastal zone. The changes are the latest in a years-long effort to keep the city’s rules aligned with evolving state requirements and comments from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Community Development Director Jonathan Lightfoot told the council that Dana Point has repeatedly revised its ordinance as state law and HCD guidance have changed.

“This is an item that has been before you in the past,” Lightfoot said, adding that the city first adopted its current framework in 2021 and later made revisions following state reviews.

The most significant change involves so-called “mandatory approval” ADUs that meet standards established under state law.

Dana Point previously applied additional review in designated Public Safety Areas where the city identified concerns about density, traffic, parking and emergency access. Under the revised ordinance, that further analysis will no longer apply to ADUs subject to mandatory approval under state law. The city will, however, retain its Public Safety Area standards for other ADUs.

Lightfoot said the change followed discussions with HCD.

“There was previously a designated, or a few designated, areas within the city where, due to density, traffic concerns, citation history, etc., we had had a discretionary process at play,” Lightfoot said. “That has been removed for the classification of ADUs that are mandatory under state law.”

A city-commissioned traffic analysis supported Dana Point’s underlying concerns, finding higher rates of parking citations associated with traffic safety problems in the designated areas. Staff nevertheless recommended complying with HCD’s interpretation rather than disputing whether the city could impose the additional requirements.

Mayor John Gabbard said an important distinction throughout the city’s negotiations over ADU regulations is that state housing requirements do not prevent Dana Point from enforcing construction safety requirements.

“The big takeaway for me on this entire process has been none of this limits our ability to enforce the building code at all,” Gabbard said.

The second ordinance addresses a separate issue inside Dana Point’s coastal zone.

When the city adopted updated ADU regulations in 2021, it inadvertently removed its older “Second Dwelling Unit” provisions from the written zoning code. Because the California Coastal Commission never approved a Local Coastal Program amendment replacing those regulations, the older standards technically remained the legally binding rules for coastal zone properties despite disappearing from the municipal code.

The council’s action restores that language to the zoning code, bringing the written code back into alignment with the city’s certified Local Coastal Program. The change does not establish new coastal regulations; it reinstates standards that city staff and the Coastal Commission already recognize as operative.

Those coastal-zone standards include requirements governing unit size, parking, compatibility with surrounding development and affordability.

Dana Point plans to consider a future Local Coastal Program amendment to bring its older coastal second-dwelling-unit rules into conformity with newer state ADU and JADU laws and recent Coastal Commission guidance.

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Dana Point Trolley service rolls into September

The Dana Point Trolley will continue running daily through Labor Day before shifting to weekend-only service for the remainder of September.

Daily summer service will continue through Monday, Sept. 7, with the trolley operating from noon-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. On Labor Day, Sept. 7, service will run from 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The free Dana Point Trolley will continue daily service through Labor Day

Following Labor Day, the free trolley will operate Saturdays from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. through the end of September.

Hours will be extended during two upcoming festivals. For the Maritime Festival, trolley service will run from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13.

During the Ohana Festival, the trolley will operate from 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, Sept. 26, and 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

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Capistrano Beach’s historic overlook

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Pines Park in Capistrano Beach overlooks the Pacific from land tied to the community’s early Doheny-era development. Originally known as Pines Bluff Park or Doheny Pines Park, the site was created in the late 1920s as a neighborhood park and once featured the “Bowl Gardens,” with a viewing gazebo, walking paths, rose gardens and stonework. The city took over stewardship of the park after Dana Point incorporated in 1989.

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The Sacramento Chronicles

By ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIANE DIXON

September 4, 2026

Hello Dana Point!

The 2025-26 Legislative Session has come to a close, and I am happy to be back in the district full time.

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Courtesy of Diane Dixon

Assemblymember Diane Dixon

On Monday, Sept. 7, we celebrate the great social and economic achievements of our nation’s incredible workforce. Labor Day recognizes the labor movement and the dedicated contributions of American workers to the progress and development of the nation. Labor Day honors the value of hard work and the collective strength of the communities and labor force. A quote that I love from President Ronald Reagan states, “Let us always remember that so much of what we are, we owe to working men and women.”

As you may know, the California Energy Commission (CEC) unanimously approved a ban on the sale of roughly 70% of tires sold in the state. According to the Commission, these new mandates will phase out the sale of replacement tires that don’t meet certain energy-efficiency standards and will require drivers to purchase “more efficient” tires, which will supposedly save Californians nominal amounts of money in the long term. Consumers will certainly feel these costs as manufacturers project higher purchase prices than the CEC claims. The Commission estimated that the price of replacement tires would rise by an average of $6.50 per tire upfront, but manufacturers are concerned that the actual cost couldbe higher than anticipated. California families need real affordability, not another Sacramento mandate.

The topic of pesticides and herbicides has been a prominent issue for Orange County this year, with the effects their usage has on our environment and public health – both of which must be held to the highest standard. I joined my colleagues for a Joint Oversight Audit Hearing in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee to get answers on the regulation, oversight and effects of pesticides in our community.

This hearing provided valuable information for the community, but it also made it clear that significant progress is needed to address pesticide safety in the state. Public health must remain at the forefront of this conversation, and the safety of our community remains a top priority. This is a complicated issue, and I will not stop working until we have assured safety for the families of Orange County.

Child marriage is a horrific practice that remains prevalent in the state. I am proud to be a lead author on Assembly Bill 1267 which will address the issue of child marriage. California has the second-highest rate of child marriage in the country, with more than 1,300 child marriages each year. Eighty-six percent of these marriages involve girls under the age of 18 marrying older men. The fight has been going on for many years, and we all must stand up today to end the reprehensible and barbaric practice of child marriage in California. I am pleased to share that AB 1267 has passed the Assembly Floor unanimously and is now on its way to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Another piece of legislation that I am proud of is Assembly Bill 1918, also known as the “Ink of Hope” bill. Human traffickers will often tattoo, burn or scar their victims as a way to denote ownership. To address this, AB 1918 would require tattoo shops to post a human trafficking notice with information on the signs of human trafficking and require tattoo artists to complete training to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to report those signs to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

In 2025, Tennessee Senator Becky Massey authored the “Ink of Hope Act,” and it passed through the legislature with unanimous, bipartisan support. It was an incredible opportunity to have Senator Massey with me on the Assembly Floor to witness AB 1918 move one step closer to becoming part of California law.

Human trafficking is a horrific crime that persists in California. We must take every step possible to help victims and their families and bring a swift end to this reprehensible practice.

I ended this legislative session as the most productive member of my party. I believe that my legislative success stems from my belief that if you’re going to make a new law, it should be one that the vast majority of California residents’ support.

My legislative package includes crucial, bipartisan solutions focusing on issues such as public safety and transparency. Stay tuned for future updates!

I enjoy hearing from you directly on how I can best represent you in Sacramento. Please keep writing! My team is also ready to assist you with any state issues like DMV, EDD, Franchise Tax Board and more. We’ve assisted more than hundreds of your neighbors so far this year!

Not receiving invitations to my events? Send an email to assemblymember.dixon@assembly.ca.gov to be added to our distribution list, or visit my website: Diane Dixon Website. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook!

Thank you, Stu News, for keeping our local residents informed!

Diane Dixon is a two-term Newport Beach City Councilmember and two-time Mayor. She is currently serving her second term in Sacramento as Assemblymember of California’s 72nd District. She is also in a November-runoff for Orange County Supervisor, Fifth District.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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This photo shows the Quiet Cannon restaurant just after a landslide that closed Cove Road for years. It opened in 1970, later became Cannons Restaurant, and is now closed; the site will soon become a hotel.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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Meet Pet of the Week Jib

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

This handsome guy is Jib, a five-year-old Australian Cattle Dog who is just about the snuggliest dog around.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Jib is Dog currently up for adoption

Like most dogs of his breed, Jib is very smart and has energy to spare, so he likes to stay active. However, when he is not playing, Jib loves nothing more than being cuddled by your side. If you are looking for a sweet and loyal adventure buddy, Jib is ready for just about anything!

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Jib can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Harwood House: A unique, new space to gather and create

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point’s newest gathering space is meant to be more than just a coffee shop, restaurant, art studio or retail store.

Harwood House, which opened July 11, blends it all together in one space where people can work, create art, share a meal, attend a workshop or simply hang out.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Harwood House Owner and Creative Director Nicole Harwood (right) and Assistant Manager Helena Weissenberger

Owner and creative director Nicole Harwood said her idea to open the space grew from a desire to create a welcoming “third space.”

“I really just felt like there was a need for a place where people could come together, gather, slow down, create, build community,” Harwood said. “We’re kind of a little bit of everything, but we really want to be a melting pot for the community.”

Harwood House’s tagline, “Come to the table,” mirrors that sentiment, literally.

Long communal tables create a more social experience than a traditional grab-and-go café. Harwood said she wanted the space to feel like a house, where people are seen, cared for and safe.

The new space has already attracted Dana Hills students looking to study and journal, as well as residents and professionals looking for a place to work or hold an informal meeting. Harwood House offers free Wi-Fi and a more private seating area for small groups.

Another unique feature at Harwood House is the Art Café, where guests can pick a hands-on project from a set menu, with all supplies included. Current options include watercolor painting, clay projects, pot painting and seashell decoupage.

Harwood said the Art Café has been especially popular since the business opened during the busy summer season. Because of its growing popularity, workshops and group gatherings require advance registration. The business also offers reserved tables for groups of up to 10 people, while larger parties can be accommodated through private-event bookings.

Harwood House serves a selection of coffee and food, with dinner offered Thursday through Saturday. Chef Craig Whittaker, who appeared on two seasons of Chopped, is in charge of the kitchen.

The space also includes a variety of items for purchase, like stationery and games, with a gift-wrapping service planned for October. Harwood House is also joining the Sunday Letter Project, an international letter-writing initiative. There’s even a house mailbox.

Supporting local artists is another part of Harwood’s vision. Work by photographer Sharon Williams and artist Ethan Espinosa is displayed inside and available for purchase.

Harwood said she hopes to continue bringing in local artists to lead classes and is planning a fall event inviting South Orange County creatives to apply to display and sell their work.

Before opening Harwood House, Harwood worked in community outreach and event planning at Harbor Point Church in San Juan Capistrano. She said that background helped prepare her for this latest undertaking.

“We just want to grow right now with excellence in all the ways that we’re able to serve people,” Harwood said.

Harwood House is located at 34200 Street of the Amber Lantern and is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Monday. For events, Art Café offerings and more information, visit www.harwoodhouseoc.com.

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OC supervisors continue to delay Dana Point Harbor hotel lease decision

By CLARA BEARD

Orange County supervisors took no action Tuesday (Aug. 25) on proposed new leases for Dana Point Harbor, once again delaying a plan intended to help Dana Point Harbor Partners finance two new hotels.

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Photos by Clara Beard

The Dana Point Marina Inn remains open while Orange County supervisors continue to mull proposed harbor lease changes

The proposed agreements would divide the harbor’s current master lease into separate 66-year leases for the hotel project, commercial core and marina and dry-stack boat storage facility. County staff and the developer have stated that the change is needed because hotel lenders want a standalone lease before providing construction financing.

The vote came after more than an hour of public comment, which focused on worker protections, boat slip rates, public oversight and the county’s financial return from the harbor.

The proposal put forward by Supervisor Katrina Foley would have instructed county staff to separate the hotel lease from the rest of the project and remove the clauses concerning an alternative plan to remodel the Dana Point Marina Inn, leaving those issues for future negotiations.

Foley said her proposal was intended to allow the developer to seek financing while the county continued discussing the existing hotel and its employees.

“There are no current considerations for laying off any employees,” Foley said. “The Marina Inn is open, and at this time, it will remain open for at least for now, an indefinite period of time.”

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The Dana Point Marina Inn sits next door to ongoing demolition and construction at the harbor

The motion failed 2-2, with one abstention. County counsel said new leases for county land would require a four-fifths vote.

In a statement released after the meeting, Foley said the county’s 2018 agreement was “lopsided,” but argued that delays and unresolved negotiations are now holding up the redevelopment.

“Multiple things can be true at once: the county entered a lopsided deal in 2018, the developers refused reasonable amendments to the renegotiated lease with the county, workers in our businesses and hotels deserve protections, and politics and bureaucracy now stall a project that finally began making progress,” Foley said.

Labor advocates urged the board to require protections for Dana Point Marina Inn employees if the hotel is eventually replaced. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said worker retention provisions should be part of any future agreement.

“I don’t want that to get lost in the record,” Sarmiento said. “My real goal is to make sure that there is continuing work for those who’ve made the Dana Point environment a positive one, and that is the workers.”

Board Chair Donald Wagner said he was not prepared to advance the lease changes without addressing that issue.

“We need to have the protection for the workers,” Wagner said.

Boaters also urged supervisors to slow the process. The Dana Point Boaters Association said the proposed percentage rent on marina slip revenue, 10% to 11%, is lower than rates in recent San Diego and Los Angeles County marina agreements. The group also sought a policy to limit future slip rate increases.

During public comment, Dana Point Harbor Partners co-owner Bob Olson urged approval, saying the project is about 70% complete and the new hotels would complete the final major portion of the redevelopment.

The overall Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Project includes more than $700 million in private investment, according to Foley’s office. The item may return to the board after county staff and the parties address the outstanding issues.

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Deputies issue 46 citations in bicycle and pedestrian safety operation

Dana Point Police Services issued 46 citations during a recent traffic safety operation focused on violations that can place bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists at risk.

Motor deputies conducted the specialized enforcement effort as part of a broader grant-funded, multi-agency operation that took place over several weekends in Orange County coastal communities from San Clemente to Seal Beach.

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Courtesy of Dana Point Police Services

Dana Point motor deputies

Violations observed in Dana Point included bicyclists failing to stop at stop signs, riders younger than 18 operating without helmets, pedestrians crossing against a red hand signal and drivers entering crosswalks while pedestrians were actively crossing.

Dana Point’s Motor Unit participated in three enforcement weekends, according to Crime Prevention Specialist Emma Peters.

“The operation was a multi-agency traffic safety effort conducted over several weekends,” Peters said. “Our Motor Unit participated in three weekends of enforcement, focusing on a variety of traffic safety concerns.”

The enforcement was not limited to bicycle and pedestrian activity. Deputies and participating agencies also focused on speeding, loud exhaust, electric bicycle and motorcycle violations and other traffic-related concerns.

The city’s August 13 traffic enforcement activity involving motor deputies was part of the same larger operation, Peters said.

“These enforcement efforts were part of a larger multi-agency operation focused on addressing speeding, loud exhaust, electric bicycle and motorcycle violations, and other traffic-related concerns throughout Orange County’s coastal communities,” she said.

Funding for the operation was provided through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Police Services said the goal was to bring additional attention to traffic violations that can endanger people traveling on foot, by bicycle or by vehicle, while improving safety on Dana Point roads.

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JC Beans says goodbye to longtime Dana Point home, seeks new location

By CLARA BEARD

JC Beans Coffee House will close its longtime Dana Point location Sunday (Aug. 30), after 32 years in business, according to an announcement posted on the café’s Instagram account.

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Photo by Clara Beard

JC Beans is closing its Pacific Coast Highway location after 32 years in business

“It has been our pleasure serving you these past 32 years,” JC Beans wrote in the post, adding that their doors will close at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The locally owned coffee shop has been a familiar stop along Pacific Coast Highway since the mid-1990s.

The closure applies to JC Beans’ current location, while the business is seeking another site. The Instagram announcement asked customers to follow its account, @jc_beanscoffee, for updates.

“We are looking for another location to move,” the post said. “Please stop over to say goodbye one last time.”

JC Beans is located at 34114 Pacific Coast Highway.

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Commission approves addition to historic Woodruff home

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point Planning Commission has approved a 1,334-square-foot addition to a designated historic home on Blue Lantern Street, allowing the property’s owner to expand the 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival residence while preserving its most prominent historic features.

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Photo by Clara Beard

The historic Woodruff home on Blue Lantern Street dates to 1928 and features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture

The commission voted 4-1 on August 24 to approve a site development permit and variance for the home at 33792 Blue Lantern St., one of Dana Point’s original Woodruff homes that is also listed on the city’s Historic Registry.

The project will add first- and second-story space to the rear of the existing 1,661-square-foot residence. Plans include a primary bedroom suite with a bathroom and walk-in closet, a family room, loft, office and an expanded second-story deck.

The existing second-story deck is not original to the home and will be demolished as part of the work.

Commissioners also approved a variance reducing the required setback along Valencia Place from 20 feet to about 15 feet. Although city zoning rules designate Valencia Place as the property’s front yard, the home’s main entry, façade and character-defining features face Blue Lantern Street.

City staff stated that reducing the setback would allow the extension to stay behind and alongside the historic building. They concluded that maintaining the full setback would require removing a large part of the historic rear façade to provide the requested living space.

Because of the building’s historic designation, the plans were reviewed under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The city also sent the original proposal to Architectural Resources Group, a third-party historic preservation consultant.

Planning Commission Chair Luke Boughen said he supported restoring and updating the house, but questioned whether the project’s size and setback reduction were appropriate for a historic property.

“The size of the new addition is such that it nearly doubles the original size of the house,” Boughen said, citing the historic consultant’s assessment. “The size and scale of the project change the massing and spatial relationship as seen from the right-of-way.”

Boughen cast the sole dissenting vote.

Other commissioners said the revised design appropriately balanced preservation with the owners’ needs. They agreed the existing home is unusually shallow, measuring about 15 feet deep, making an addition difficult to accommodate without affecting the historic portion of the structure.

Applicant Christopher Bird said the project was designed to retain as much of the historic resource as possible.

“This project was designed first and foremost to protect the historic property,” Bird said. “We set everything back behind the garage to leave the structure as much as possible alone.”

Bird added that the ground-floor primary suite would accommodate multiple generations of family members.

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Pups take over Baby Beach for charity paddle

By CLARA BEARD

Dogs and their owners took to Dana Point Harbor for the Dana Point Pup Paddle on Sunday (Aug. 23).

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Photos by Clara Beard

A pup paddle participant takes a break

Westwind Sailing hosted the event in partnership with The Doggie Barkery and Dana Point Harbor Partners. Dog owners brought their furry friends aboard single and double kayaks or stand-up paddleboards for a guided harbor paddle, following a meet-and-greet with treats for both people and dogs.

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Dogs wearing life jackets join their owner on a paddleboard

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Participants and event staff help dogs and paddlers prepare to exit the water

The event benefited the Pet Project Foundation, which supports the care of rescued, lost and abandoned animals while helping them find permanent homes. Participants also had the opportunity to purchase Dana Point Harbor dog bandanas, with proceeds going directly to the foundation.

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A dog takes it all in

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A black Labrador takes a ride in a kayak

Westwind Sailing provided life jackets for rental paddlers and offered a limited number of dog life jackets for loan. Coffee Importers donated coffee and hot chocolate for the pre-paddle gathering.

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Paddlers and their dogs gather at Baby Beach

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Owners guide their dogs between kayaks and paddleboards

The Pup Paddle paired an active morning on the water with a good cause, giving Dana Point dog lovers and their four-legged companions a chance to enjoy the harbor while supporting animals in need.

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A dog sits between two kayakers as they paddle through Dana Point Harbor

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Classic Car Show takes over Lantern District

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point Classic Car Show returned to Del Prado Avenue on Sunday (Aug. 23), bringing classic, vintage, muscle and custom vehicles to the Lantern District for the annual event.

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Courtesy of Dana Point Chamber of Commerce

Wayne Arguello and his white and red 1959 Chevrolet Impala Convertible, winner of the Best in Show award

Hosted by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, the free show stretched along Del Prado between Old Golden Lantern and Pacific Coast Highway. Car enthusiasts, residents and visitors spent the day viewing restored vehicles, talking with owners and collectors and visiting nearby restaurants, boutiques and vendors.

The event’s Best in Show award went to Wayne Arguello for his white and red 1959 Chevrolet Impala Convertible.

More than 325 vehicles rolled in for the show, which has become a longtime summer tradition in Dana Point.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Crowds fill Del Prado Avenue during the Dana Point Classic Car Show

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Photo by Clara Beard

Classic vehicles, vendor tents and car lovers line Del Prado Avenue

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Photo by Clara Beard

A young car enthusiast cruises through the show

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Photo by Clara Beard

More than 325 vehicles filled the Lantern District during the event

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Photo by Clara Beard

A dune buggy sits on display

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Photo by Clara Beard

Attendees stop to look under the hood of a black Pontiac GTO

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Photo by Clara Beard

A red and white classic convertible gleams

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Photo by Clara Beard

Car enthusiasts gather around a blue Triumph TR6

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Photo by Clara Beard

A vintage Chevrolet pickup gets some attention

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First San Juan Creek cleanup removes 583 pounds of trash

By CLARA BEARD

A new community cleanup brought 107 volunteers to San Juan Creek, where they removed 583 pounds of trash in just an hour and a half.

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Photos courtesy of Stand Up To Trash

Volunteers carry buckets and cleanup tools through San Juan Creek

Dana Point-based nonprofit Stand Up To Trash co-hosted the event with the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation. The morning began with a welcome and blessing and a discussion of the creek’s cultural importance before volunteers spread out through the waterway.

Stand Up To Trash has adopted two sections of San Juan Creek through the county of Orange’s Adopt A Channel program, covering an area from Alipaz Street in San Juan Capistrano to Stonehill Drive in Dana Point. Organizers said the cleanup marked the beginning of a long-term effort to care for the area.

“Co-hosting our first San Juan Creek Cleanup with the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation made this event especially meaningful,” Stand Up To Trash founder and president Vicki Patterson said. “Beginning the morning by learning about the cultural significance of San Juan Creek gave everyone a deeper understanding of the waterway we were there to care for and why it matters.”

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The San Juan Creek cleanup was a family affair

A watershed model at the event showed children and families how litter travels from neighborhoods through creeks and waterways before reaching the ocean. Patterson said the demonstration brought the organization’s message, “The Ocean Starts at Your Front Door,” to life.

“This cleanup was about so much more than removing trash,” Patterson said. “It was about education, cultural connection and inspiring our community to understand the role we all play in protecting our waterways.”

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A mother and child work together to clear debris

Volunteers worked across uneven terrain, rocks and loose soil while gathering debris from the creek. The event also highlighted the waterway’s role in Acjachemen history as a travel corridor connecting villages with the ocean.

Stand Up To Trash said the combination of environmental education and Indigenous knowledge was intended to help participants see the creek as more than a drainage channel and recognize it as part of the region’s cultural history.

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A volunteer searches among rocks in the creek bed for litter

Stand Up To Trash’s next community event will be held Saturday, Sept. 19 at Baby Beach and the Ocean Institute in Dana Point. Yoga on the Sand will run from 8 to 9 a.m., followed by a coastal cleanup from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and a free Lunch & Learn at the Ocean Institute from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

The event is open to families and community members.

For registration and more information, visit www.standuptotrash.com/events.

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Dana Point deputies move on to new assignments

Two Dana Point deputies are beginning new assignments within the Orange County Sheriff’s Department after serving the community in patrol, community outreach and school safety roles.

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Courtesy of Dana Point Police Services

Deputies Margarita Torres and Kyle Pendergast begin new assignments within the Orange County Sheriff’s Department after serving Dana Point

Deputy Kyle Pendergast, who served Dana Point for nearly five years, has been assigned to Harbor Patrol. During his time with Dana Point Police Services, Pendergast worked patrol and served with the Community Services Unit, representing the department at community events and supporting outreach efforts.

Dana Point Police Services praised Pendergast’s work ethic, professionalism and dependability in a Facebook post, noting that he supported fellow deputies and residents alike.

His new assignment moves him from Dana Point’s streets to Orange County’s coastline and harbors. Harbor Patrol provides law enforcement, search-and-rescue and marine firefighting services along the county’s 48-mile coastline and in Dana Point Harbor, Newport Harbor and Sunset-Huntington Harbour.

Deputy Maggie Torres, who served Dana Point for more than four years, has been assigned to the School Mobile Assessment and Resource Team, known as SMART.

Torres was familiar to many local families through her role as school resource officer at Dana Hills High School. Dana Point Police Services said she built strong relationships with students, staff and families, and was known for her care for students and commitment to supporting local schools.

In her new role, Torres will continue working with students as part of the SMART unit, which responds to school-related incidents involving threats, violence, weapons, unstable behavior and suicidal actions or tendencies. The team works with school officials, law enforcement, probation, the district attorney’s office and health-care providers to assess incidents and connect students and families with resources.

In a Facebook post, Dana Point Police Services said Pendergast and Torres made meaningful contributions to the community and will be missed by their partners and department staff as they begin their new assignments.

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Dana Point to host inaugural Senior Wellness & Resource Expo

Dana Point will host its first Senior Wellness & Resource Expo on Thursday, Sept. 17, offering older adults and families an opportunity to connect with local health, wellness and support services.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Dana Point’s inaugural Senior Wellness & Resource Expo will take place at the Dana Point Community Center

The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo St.

The expo is designed for residents ages 55 and older, as well as family members seeking information and resources to help support aging loved ones.

Attendees can meet with local organizations, service providers and businesses offering services intended to help seniors remain healthy, active and engaged.

“We have long sought to create and provide events that bring together our senior community,” said Melissa Muraira, Dana Point’s deputy community services director. “This expo is an important opportunity to do more by providing a single day dedicated to helping seniors connect to much needed resources and services that hopefully add to the quality of their lives here in our city.”

The expo will include informational breakout sessions, live entertainment, raffle prizes and light refreshments. Leah Vickers, author of A Quick Guide to Managing Care for Your Aging Relative in California, will give a presentation during the event.

Participating organizations and businesses include FirstLight Home Care San Clemente, Vedova Insurance Services, Caregiver Resource Center of Orange County, Saddleback: Emeritus, The Village San Clemente, Community Care Hospice, Assisted Living Locators, Rausch Physical Therapy & Wellness, Home Instead South Orange County and Age Well.

For more information, email mgonzalez@danapoint.org.

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Meet Pet of the Week Qi’ra

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Meet Qi’ra, a pretty and distinctive 2-year-old cat with polydactyl toes and big yellow eyes. Back from maternity leave, she is ready to find a quiet forever home where she can be someone’s everything.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Two-year-old Qi’ra

Qi’ra has a sweet personality but can be a little shy when first meeting someone. Once she feels comfortable, this striking black cat loves to show off her extra toes and bright yellow eyes.

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Qi’ra can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Capturing iconic Newport Beach and beyond: Diego Sepulveda Adobe, Estancia Park, Costa Mesa

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Artwork by Don Krotee

As early as 1780, the Capistrano cattle were driven and grazed in today’s Costa Mesa. This original mesa had abundant groundwater (developed eventually into wells) and rich grasses allowing the herdsmen to best tend a growing population of cattle. The Mission of San Juan Capistrano employed the herdsmen, owned the cattle and eventually constructed this simple mud/brick adobe outpost sometime during the early 1800s. The site also shows archeologic evidence of prior indigenous cultures. The Costa Mesa Historical Society has a full and wonderful history. The scene shows plein air painters in the right foreground and the adobe at the center. The work is an 11” x 15” transparent watercolor.

• • •

Artist Don Krotee is a resident of Newport Beach and lives in Corona del Mar. He is an architect, board member of SPON (Newport’s oldest environmental nonprofit), a sailor, and for some years has donated images of his paintings and drawings to Stu News.

• • •

From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, performances and places that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.

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Letters to the Editor

California’s crazy courts and Coastal Commission land in Dana Point

Meet the Pacific pocket mouse, a tiny rodent that has been the focus of extensive conservation efforts in Dana Point. It’s about two inches long, not including its tail, roughly half the size of a gerbil. Snakes and cats dine on them like appetizers at a restaurant.

The mouse lives at the Headlands within the 29-acre Dana Point Preserve, an area of coastal sagebrush permanently set aside to help protect and support the recovery of the species. A museum and trail were built for families to learn about the mouse. By all appearances, both are sparsely attended.

The public is allowed on the trail Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends. The gate is locked Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the reduced access intended to help protect the mouse population.

Think of those days as scheduled conjugal visits.

You can’t make this up.

Litigation between the Center for Natural Lands Management and Dana Point, along with actions by the California Coastal Commission, has centered in part on whether public trail access should be further restricted to protect the mouse.

Apparently, three mouse-only days a week aren’t enough.

Perhaps they haven’t been in the mood on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – or maybe mouse voyeurs are ruining the moment.

This is a small example of how crazy California has become. Our courts are populated with liberal judges who, in my view, lack common sense, while the Coastal Commission has become certifiably crazy.

And Dana Point taxpayers are paying the price.

Brandon Day

Dana Point

Stu News Dana Point welcomes letters to the editor from local residents for consideration. To submit a letter, email editor Clara Beard at clara@stunewsdanapoint.com.

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Spectrum to replace Cox branding in Dana Point following Charter deal

Cox Communications customers in Dana Point will soon see Spectrum branding, pricing and service offerings following Charter Communications’ completed transaction with Cox Communications and acquisition of Liberty Broadband.

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Courtesy of Charter Communications

Spectrum branding, pricing and service offerings are expected to roll out to former Cox markets, including Dana Point

Charter completed the transactions on August 20, creating what the company describes as the nation’s leading broadband and video company, with an expanded Spectrum footprint across 45 states. Former Cox markets, including Dana Point, are expected to begin receiving Spectrum’s full lineup of internet, mobile and television products in mid-September.

For local customers, there are no immediate required changes to existing service, pricing or products. Charter said current Cox customers can keep their existing plans unless they choose to make a change.

Cox internet customers who do not already subscribe to Cox Mobile are also eligible for one free mobile line for one year. In mid-September, Charter plans to extend Spectrum’s pricing and packaging to both existing and new customers in former Cox markets.

Cox has long been one of the principal providers of cable television, broadband internet and phone service in Dana Point.

Charter said former Cox markets will gain access to Spectrum Internet, Spectrum Mobile and Spectrum TV offerings. The company is promoting bundled internet and mobile services, as well as television packages that combine live TV with a range of streaming applications.

Within the next year, former Cox customers are also expected to receive Spectrum’s customer-service commitments. Those include 24-hour, U.S.-based customer service, same-day technician dispatch for requests made before 5 p.m., next-day dispatch for later requests and automatic credits for outages lasting more than two hours.

Charter said it will apply its sales and service workforce model to Cox markets during the next 18 months and return Cox customer-service operations to the United States. The company said employees will receive a starting wage of at least $20 per hour, along with benefits including medical coverage, retirement contributions, discounted company services and tuition-free education programs.

The transaction also combines Spectrum Business with Cox Business, Segra and RapidScale, expanding the company’s portfolio of services for small businesses and enterprise customers.

Charter President and CEO Chris Winfrey said the deal will allow the company to bring its products, pricing and customer-service model to more customers while continuing investment in its fiber broadband network.

Through the Cox transaction, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises received approximately $4 billion in cash, $5 billion in Charter partnership units and $6 billion in convertible preferred units. Cox Enterprises and its subsidiaries now own approximately 26% of the combined company’s fully diluted shares, according to Charter.

Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, has become chairman of Charter’s board. Charter said it expects to rename its parent company Cox Communications within a year while continuing to operate under the Spectrum brand in all markets.

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Blue Bell Foundation for Cats hosts talk at The Susi Q on September 14

The Blue Bell Foundation for Cats will host an educational presentation, “Golden Years in the Canyon: Inside the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats,” on Monday, Sept. 14 from 2-3 p.m. at The Susi Q.

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Photos courtesy of Blue Bell Foundation for Cats

Blue Bell Foundation for Cats Director Jenn Mikula with one of the resident cats

Presented by Director Jenna Mikula, Board Member Lydea Swit, and Communications Manager Sarah Bottum, the event will offer community members an insightful discussion on the organization’s work, why planning for a pet’s future matters and what goes into maintaining a local cat sanctuary.

Key discussion topics include:

Legacy Planning for Pets: The importance of estate planning for pets to ensure their ongoing care.

Mission and Purpose: The history of the foundation and how it serves senior cats and pet owners in the community.

Assisted Living for Cats: What lifetime care and daily support look like for the residents of Blue Bell.

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The sanctuary provides a loving forever home and lifelong care for aging felines

Founded in 1989, the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers assisted living for senior cats in a historic Laguna Canyon cottage. To learn more, visit https://bluebellcats.org/.

Located in Downtown Laguna Beach at 380 3rd St., The Susi Q serves as a community hub offering a wide range of educational programs, wellness services, resources and activities for local seniors and residents.

To register, sign up here.

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CureDuchenne Golf Shootout returns to Monarch Beach September 11-12

The CureDuchenne Golf Shootout will return to Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point on September 11-12 for its 15th year, bringing professional athletes, celebrities and community leaders together to support research and therapies for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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Photos courtesy of CureDuchenne

From left: Paul and Debra Miller, founders of CureDuchenne and Troy Terry of the Anaheim Ducks and his wife Danielle

The event was started by NHL All-Star Ryan Getzlaf and his wife, Paige. It is now hosted by Anaheim Ducks player Troy Terry and his wife, Danielle.

Festivities begin Friday, Sept. 11 with the MVP Dinner reception. The Golf Shootout follows Saturday, Sept. 12 at Monarch Beach Golf Links, 50 Monarch Beach Resort N.

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CureDuchenne supporters pose on the course during a previous Golf Shootout at Monarch Beach Golf Links

Saturday’s tournament will include appearances by Anaheim Ducks Power Players, on-course games, food and hole-in-one opportunities for luxury prizes.

According to CureDuchenne, the Shootout has raised more than $6.8 million to fund research and advance new therapies for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Tickets, sponsorship information and additional details are available at www.cureduchennegolfshootout.org.

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Gabbard, Pagano and Riggs appointed to City Council seats, District elections canceled

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point will not hold City Council elections this fall in Districts 1, 2 and 3 after only one qualified candidate filed in each race, prompting the council to appoint incumbents John Gabbard and Matthew Pagano and newcomer Hydee Riggs to four-year terms starting in December.

The city announced the appointments Monday, saying only one candidate in each district filed nomination papers and qualified by the August 7 deadline. The three will take office as if elected in the November general municipal election.

Despite the local races being canceled, Dana Point residents will still receive ballots for statewide and county contests and measures.

Gabbard will continue representing District 1, while Pagano will continue representing District 2. Riggs will represent District 3, succeeding Councilmember Jamey Federico, who is leaving office after serving the city’s two-term limit.

Dana Point City Manager Kelly Reenders said the unopposed appointments will provide continuity on the five-member council.

“The continued service of John Gabbard and Matthew Pagano underscores our city’s emphasis on stability and fiscal stewardship,” Reenders said in a city release. “We’re also thrilled to welcome Hydee Riggs to the council.”

Gabbard and Pagano each served one four-year term and will begin their second consecutive terms in December. Dana Point council members are limited to two consecutive four-year terms.

Councilmen Mike Frost and Michael Villar, who were not up for election this year, are serving their second full terms, which expire in 2028.

Riggs, a Dana Point resident and member of the city’s Financial Review Committee, will join the council for the first time. She has also volunteered with the Pet Project Foundation, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and Dana Point Women’s Club and served as 2021 commodore of Dana West Yacht Club, according to the city.

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Photos courtesy of city of Dana Point

Hydee Riggs was appointed to represent District 3

Riggs, who has a law degree from Loyola Law School and attended the University of Southern California, said she plans to bring her legal and financial experience to the role.

“I am excited to bring my legal and financial background to this council role as I seek to analyze issues carefully, protect the city’s financial interests and make thoughtful decisions,” Riggs said. “Strong communities are built through service, collaboration and civic involvement.”

Gabbard, a longtime Dana Point resident, served in the Marine Corps from 1988 to 2005, first as an enlisted Marine and later as an officer. His deployments included Operations Joint Endeavor, Assured Response, Quick Response, Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom, according to the city.

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John Gabbard will represent District 1 for a second term

He said his second-term priorities include residents’ quality of life, public safety and the city’s fiscal position.

“For the past four years, I have focused on protecting the quality of life for our residents,” Gabbard said. “That also means keeping Dana Point safe, financially strong and locally controlled. My commitment looking ahead is to maintain excellent city services and ensure our city remains a safe, beautiful and peaceful place for everyone who lives here.”

Pagano was born and raised in Dana Point and attended R.H. Dana Elementary School, Marco Forster Middle School and Dana Hills High School. He and his wife have four children.

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Matthew Pagano, representing District 2, will serve his second term on City Council

“Serving on the City Council is an honor, and I continue to be committed to a rational and pragmatic approach to problem solving for residents,” Pagano said. “It’s incredibly special to represent the city that raised me, and now, the city where I’m raising my own family.”

Pagano said fiscal responsibility and support for local law enforcement will remain among his priorities.

Reenders said the council’s returning members and newest appointee will play a central role in implementing the city’s strategic plan and addressing local concerns.

“I’m looking forward to working with the City Council to advance our City’s Strategic Plan, address everyday quality-of-life issues, and ensure Dana Point remains a world-class city,” Reenders said.

The appointments preserve the council’s existing balance through 2028, when the terms of Frost and Villar are scheduled to expire. Riggs’ term will be her first in elected office, while Gabbard and Pagano will enter their final consecutive terms allowed under the city’s term-limit rules.

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County begins long-term planning for OC Sailing and Events Center

By CLARA BEARD

The Orange County Sailing and Events Center was standing room only on Wednesday (Aug. 19) as residents, local boaters and harbor users packed an OC Parks community workshop on the future of the county-managed side of Dana Point Harbor.

The meeting launched public input on a long-term plan for the Orange County Sailing and Events Center (OCSEC), Baby Beach, surrounding parkland, docks, parking and the boardwalk. County officials said the effort focuses on improving public amenities, recreation and nonprofit space on the harbor’s county side, not commercializing or privatizing the area.

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Courtesy of OC Parks

An aerial view shows the Orange County Sailing and Events Center, Baby Beach, surrounding docks and parkland on the county-managed side of Dana Point Harbor

“For more than 40 years, this sailing and event center has also been known as OCSEC and served as a treasured community resource,” Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said. “We’re not trying to change that.”

The center has hosted sailing classes and camps, Sea Scouts, community events, galas and private celebrations, Foley said. As the broader harbor revitalization continues, she said the county wants to ensure Baby Beach, the park, docks and facilities used by nonprofit groups also receive attention.

“We are not talking about commercializing or privatizing this area at all,” Foley said.

The planning area includes the sailing and events center buildings, public park and picnic areas, Baby Beach, the boardwalk, parking areas, drop-off zones and the main entrance from Dana Point Harbor Drive. The county owns the harbor, but different portions are managed by OC Parks, Dana Point Harbor Partners and other organizations, including the Ocean Institute.

Pamela Passow, director of OC Parks, said the August 19 workshop was meant to begin, not end, public outreach.

“The big thing is we’re here to hear from all of you,” Passow said. “We don’t know what we’re going to do because we haven’t heard from you yet.”

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Photo by Clara Beard

OC Supervisor Katrina Foley introduces the county’s vision for the Orange County Sailing and Events Center

The county hired LPA Design Studios to guide the planning work and Circlepoint to assist with community engagement. Workshop participants rotated among five stations to identify features they value, areas that could change, present and future activities, potential building improvements, and broader access and function needs across the site.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Workshop participants view renderings of the harbor’s revitalization project

Charlie Williams, a principal and architect with LPA Design Studios, said community participation will shape the project’s long-term vision.

“We can’t start the design process until we’ve heard from you as the community,” Williams said. “The people who love this area, who know this area, and who have a strong understanding of where this should go.”

The county and design team are expected to use the feedback to develop a plan for the next 20 to 30 years.

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Photo by Clara Beard

Attendees pinpoint where they live during the interactive portion of the community workshop

At the workshop, LPA Design Director Franco Brown identified several early “opportunities and constraints.” These include the site’s arrival and drop-off sequence, aging parking configuration, access between parking areas and public amenities, underused drainage areas and the boardwalk’s circulation challenges.

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Foundation connects patients, caregivers with practical support

By CLARA BEARD

When patients and their families face a cancer diagnosis or other chronic illness, sometimes the biggest challenge can be not knowing where to turn.

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Photos courtesy of NPH Foundation

Dana Point Mayor John Gabbard presents NPH Foundation co-founder and president Rani Khetarpal with a city certificate of recognition

The NPH Foundation, a new nonprofit organization based in Dana Point, offers that practical assistance. They help people prepare questions for their doctor’s appointments, arrange transportation, get food aid and find support for caregivers.

The foundation, which had its ribbon cutting a couple of weeks ago, is now starting its local outreach program after launching earlier this year. Rani Khetarpal, who is both president and co-founder, said that the organization was set up so that people dealing with cancer and other chronic illnesses could obtain practical advice, regardless of whether or not they could afford to pay for it.

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NPH Foundation celebrates its recent Dana Point Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony with city and chamber officials

“We wanted to be approachable,” Khetarpal said. “We wanted to put our face out there. I am the founder and president of this organization, and I’m here. I’m here in your community.”

The foundation is affiliated with NatPoint Health, a fee-based patient-navigation service. Khetarpal said the nonprofit was created as a way to fund navigation for people with financial need. The organization’s purpose, she said, is simple: “We don’t turn anybody away.”

Patient navigation is not a form of medical care, and it doesn’t take the place of a doctor or a care team. Instead, it helps people understand what happens after they have been diagnosed.

What questions should they ask? How can they get to their appointments? What will happen if treatment interferes with their work, childcare or family duties? Where can they get help with food, transportation or other basic needs?

“A lot of patients don’t know what they don’t know,” Khetarpal said. “We help them kind of organize everything.”

The foundation is initially focusing much of its attention on cancer patients, though it can also assist people dealing with other chronic conditions, including kidney disease, diabetes and congestive heart failure. Its navigators focus on nonclinical support, or helping people sort through the process and locate resources rather than advising them about drugs or treatment plans.

Khetarpal said the first conversation often reveals that a patient’s greatest concern is not necessarily what they first say it is.

A person might be scared of a possible side effect of a treatment, for instance, but their real concern could be that the side effect would prevent them from working. On the other hand, another person might be worried about the chemotherapy timetable, but what they actually need is a plan for getting their children to school and their activities.

“You are venting, but I am now understanding what your issues are,” Khetarpal said of the navigator’s role. “I can’t solve them for you, but I can help work through them with you.”

The service also offers help to caregivers and loved ones who may not have a diagnosis themselves but are trying to support a parent, spouse, sibling or friend while managing their own jobs, homes and families.

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51st Annual Boat Parade of Lights returns with “Harboritaville” theme

Dana Point Harbor’s annual Boat Parade of Lights will return for its 51st year this December, bringing three evenings of festive vessels and various holiday events and activities to the marina.

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Photos courtesy of Dana Point Harbor Partners

Parade participants wave during last year’s boat parade

This year’s newly announced theme, “Harboritaville,” calls on boaters to decorate their vessels with tropical island flair, holiday lights and coastal decor. The parade will run December 11-13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. each night, with participants competing for a total of $10,000 in cash prizes.

The boat parade is at the heart of the harbor’s Happy Harbor Days holiday events, which also include light displays, the popular Merry Kiss Me arch, Boat Rides with Santa and a holiday market.

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Visitors pose beneath Dana Point Harbor’s illuminated Merry Kiss Me arch

Spectators can watch free from the harbor boardwalk and surrounding park areas. Those opting for an on-the-water view can book a special boat parade cruise through Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching.

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Parade boats fill Dana Point Harbor

Free first-come, first-served parking will be available throughout the harbor. The new harbor parking structure offers four hours of free parking, with more parking available on adjacent streets.

The 51st Annual Boat Parade of Lights takes place at Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. For more information, visit www.danapointharbor.com.

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A park with a past

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Heritage Park sits on a landscape shaped by the Acjachemen people, the hide trade era chronicled by Richard Henry Dana Jr., the initial construction of the harbor in the late 1960s and the city’s 1989 incorporation

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Coastal Commission approves Dana Point zoning update, requires Beach Road changes

By CLARA BEARD

The California Coastal Commission approved an update to Dana Point’s coastal zoning rules on August 14, requiring several changes before the plan can take effect.

The update brings Dana Point’s current zoning code in line with its certified Local Coastal Program (LCP), which governs development in the city’s coastal zone.

The city’s proposal combined 18 ordinances adopted through 2019 that the Coastal Commission had not previously approved. Those ordinances cover a range of issues, including building heights, accessory structures, housing, parking, signs, alcohol outlets and permit procedures.

Dana Point Community Development Director Jonathan Lightfoot called the proposal a “reconciliation effort” meant to make sure the city’s regulations match the language in its certified coastal plan.

Coastal Commission staff generally supported the update but recommended 12 changes. Several are technical corrections, while others address coastal access, flooding and development in hazard-prone areas.

One change protects two public beach access parking lots from being used in the future to serve multifamily housing. The lots are at 33333 Salt Creek Beach Road and 23749 Selva Road.

Other changes direct the city to use “future base flood elevation” when considering development in flood-prone areas. That standard is meant to account for sea-level rise and ensure new homes and buildings are built high enough to reduce flooding risks.

The main debate involved parking rules, particularly for homes on Beach Road.

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Photo by Clara Beard

An oceanfront home at the end of Beach Road. The Coastal Commission’s zoning update requires Dana Point to retain covered parking rules for the flood- and erosion-prone neighborhood while the city pursues a separate Beach Road amendment.

Dana Point had proposed requiring garages for some new duplexes and detached single-family homes. Coastal Commission staff removed that language and kept the existing term “covered stalls,” which can allow either a garage or a carport.

Commission staff said enclosed garages can create problems on Beach Road, where homes are vulnerable to waves, flooding and erosion. During storms and high tides, garage doors and breakaway walls can be damaged, creating debris and safety concerns on the beach.

The city asked the commission to make a narrow change that would allow it to keep garage requirements in other parts of Dana Point while requiring covered parking, such as carports, in the Beach Road flood hazard area.

Lightfoot said the city agreed that Beach Road needed special rules.

“The city supports the term covered parking instead of garage for this neighborhood,” he said. “That can be accomplished in a more targeted fashion. We, on the city side, will be connecting with that Beach Road district and commission staff to launch that new LCP effort.”

Mayor John Gabbard said the city supported the overall recommendation but worried the commission’s change could affect areas well beyond Beach Road.

“The city’s request to change is very narrow,” Gabbard said. “We don’t seek to alter the development standards for Beach Road.”

He said the city is committed to a separate process focused on Beach Road that would include public outreach, Planning Commission and City Council hearings before returning to the Coastal Commission.

Coastal Commission staff declined to make the requested change, saying the issue should be handled through that separate amendment rather than through the broader zoning update.

The Coastal Commission unanimously rejected the city’s proposal as originally written, then unanimously approved it with the staff’s required changes. The Dana Point City Council must accept those changes before the updated coastal zoning plan becomes final.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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A rock-lined trail winds down a Dana Point bluff toward the beach in this undated historical photo. Early promotional brochures described two such routes as leading “from the heights to the beaches.” This trail is believed to have been near Blue Lantern, according to the Dana Point Historical Society.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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Dana Point approves electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz for city events, recreation

By CLARA BEARD

Dana Point City Council has approved the purchase of a used 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric vehicle for $58,036.17, replacing an aging Recreation Division cargo van and adding a city-branded vehicle for community events.

Courtesy of city of Dana Point

Dana Point’s Volkswagen ID. Buzz will support Recreation Division programs, community events and public functions

The city will buy the white, rear-wheel-drive Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro S from Capistrano Volkswagen. The vehicle has 7,257 miles and will receive a two-tone Dana Point wrap designed to resemble the city’s trolley fleet.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Rosaler told the council during a special meeting on Monday (Aug. 17) that the vehicle will replace the Recreation Division’s aging cargo van, which he said has “reached the end of its life” and is costly to maintain.

The current white Ford Econoline cargo van carries staff, equipment and supplies for city-sponsored recreation programs and community events. But Rosaler said the vehicle has become increasingly unreliable and has its limits.

Rosaler said employees must open the hood and engage a battery toggle switch before starting the van. The vehicle has no passenger seats and “isn’t functional much beyond hauling materials,” he told the council.

The electric ID. Buzz will be used for Recreation Division event support, while also serving the city’s economic development and public representation functions at ribbon cuttings, grand openings and business milestone celebrations.

“It’s a practical modern replacement,” Rosaler said, describing the vehicle as fully electric with a flexible seven-passenger interior, range suitable for city use and a long battery warranty.

The rear seats can be removed to carry event materials, including giveaways, coolers and other supplies. Rosaler said heavier loads will continue to be handled with the city’s trailer and truck.

The new vehicle has an estimated range of about 234 miles and an eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty. City staff expect it to reduce fuel and maintenance costs compared with the gasoline-powered Ford van.

The city sought quotes from three Volkswagen dealerships. Capistrano Volkswagen’s recommended vehicle cost $58,036.17 out the door, including the vehicle, taxes and fees, a documentation fee, estimated Department of Motor Vehicles registration, an electronic filing fee and California tire fee.

A less expensive white ID. Buzz, priced at $54,958.43 by Volkswagen Pasadena, had 17,466 miles – more than twice the mileage of the Capistrano vehicle. The other quotes were for higher-priced configurations: a two-tone blue 2025 ID. Buzz First Edition with 11,219 miles for $62,111.34 from McKenna Volkswagen in Cerritos, and a new, all-wheel-drive two-tone blue ID. Buzz Pro S Plus for $71,513.28 from Capistrano Volkswagen.

Rosaler said the Capistrano vehicle was the best fit because of its low mileage and single-tone white exterior, which will provide a base for the planned city wrap.

“We will wrap it in Dana Point branding styled after the city trolley,” he said, so the vehicle can support recreation events and represent the city at public functions.

The wrap and city branding will be paid from the current fiscal year budget and will not exceed $3,320, according to the staff report. The council also approved a $58,036.17 budget adjustment for the vehicle purchase.

The purchase required council authorization because it was more than the city manager’s $35,000 spending authority.

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Meet Pet of the Week Marcel

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Say hello to Marcel, a four-month-old Siamese kitten who is patiently waiting to meet his forever family. A quiet little guy, Marcel mostly keeps to himself but is quickly learning the joys of a nice scratch behind the ears.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Marcel, a quiet four-month-old Siamese kitten with striking blue eyes, is currently available for adoption at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

He also enjoys sunbathing and taking long naps with his twin sister, Mochi. Marcel doesn’t ask for much, but is simply looking for a loving adopter in a quieter home where he can lounge around to his heart’s content.

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Marcel can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Low-cost pet vaccine and microchip clinic open to Dana Point, San Clemente residents

Dana Point and San Clemente residents have a chance to get their dogs low-cost vaccinations, free microchips and licenses during a community pet clinic on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Coastal Animal Services Authority will host the clinic from 5 to 7 p.m. at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 North Calle Seville. The clinic is only intended for residents of Dana Point and San Clemente, the two cities served by Coastal Animal Services Authority.

Rabies vaccinations will be provided for free with the purchase of a dog license for Dana Point and San Clemente residents. A $10 fee will apply to those living outside those communities.

The Da2PLP combination vaccine will be available for $15. It helps protect dogs against several contagious illnesses, including distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis and parvovirus.

Bordetella vaccinations will be offered for $10. The vaccine helps protect against Bordetella bronchiseptica, a common cause of kennel cough. It may be especially important for dogs that frequently visit boarding facilities, dog day care centers, grooming businesses, training classes or dog parks.

Microchips will be available at no cost, with the fees sponsored by the Pet Project Foundation. A microchip provides a permanent form of identification that can help animal shelters, veterinarians and rescue organizations return lost pets to their owners.

Pet owners who have their dogs microchipped should make sure the chip is properly registered and that their contact information remains current. A microchip can only help reunite a pet with its family if the connected telephone number, email address and home address are accurate.

This clinic is being held in partnership with the Coastal Animal Services Authority, the Pet Project Foundation and the city of San Clemente. The Coastal Animal Services Authority provides animal care and control services for Dana Point and San Clemente, and the nonprofit Pet Project Foundation supports the animals and programs of the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter.

Residents planning to attend should bring their dogs’ available vaccination records and any existing licensing information. Those purchasing or renewing a license may also want to contact Coastal Animal Services Authority in advance to confirm which documents are required.

For more information, contact Coastal Animal Services Authority at animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org or 949.492.1617.

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Supervisors again delay 66-year Dana Point Harbor lease package

By CLARA BEARD

Orange County Supervisors again postponed a sweeping package of new Dana Point Harbor ground leases on August 11 after unresolved concerns about protections for hotel workers and other terms prevented the proposal from securing the four votes required for approval.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

An elevated panoramic view shows Dana Point Harbor’s marina

The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to continue the item to its August 25 meeting, with Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley opposed. Foley moved to approve the agreements, which had been continued from the board’s June 23 meeting.

The agreements would establish new 66-year leases for the harbor’s hotel, commercial area, marina and dry storage. By separating the hotel lease, Dana Point Harbor Partners hope to finance two approved hotels: a 169-room select-service hotel and a 130-room full-service hotel that will replace the Dana Point Marina Inn.

The existing lease combines the hotels with the already-financed commercial core and marina, complicating hotel financing. The revision would restart a full 66-year term. If financing cannot be obtained and the developer instead refurbishes the Marina Inn, all harbor leases would revert to the original term that began October 28, 2018.

The estimated cost of the revitalization has risen from $337.8 million in 2018 to $705.3 million, due to pandemic delays, inflation, supply chain issues and longer permitting times, according to the staff report. New estimates show the county could collect $349.9 million in ground rent over the first 25 years and $2.18 billion over 66 years. State law requires this revenue to remain in the harbor fund.

“The responsible path now is to move the hotels forward, keep the county at the table to advocate for all of the user groups that are at the harbor, all the stakeholders, and make sure that we have strong community benefits,” Foley said.

Much of the concern centered on approximately 20 Marina Inn employees who would be affected by the hotel’s closure. The revised report says the operator considers retention a priority and would seek to place eligible workers at other hotels “whenever possible.” Others would receive accrued paid time off and remain eligible for rehiring.

Robert “Bob” Olson, president and CEO of R.D. Olson Development and a partner in Dana Point Harbor Partners, said the Marina Inn’s manager plans to offer employees positions at other Southern California hotels. When Foley asked whether the developer would provide 60 days’ notice, Olson agreed.

However, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said a spoken promise was not enough.

“It is very hard to have commitments made at a podium without seeing something in writing, and I just don’t feel comfortable doing that,” Sarmiento said. “I just want to do it right with no regrets.”

Chair Doug Chaffee agreed that the employee language reflected intent rather than a firm commitment and moved to continue the item.

“I don’t sense we have the four-fifths votes, and I’m sorry about that,” Chaffee said. “But I don’t want to see it die either.”

Supervisor Donald Wagner raised additional concerns, including a lease term that lets the county use hotel meeting or banquet rooms for free up to six times a year, subject to availability and the hotel’s right to cancel. Wagner questioned whether the county should receive the benefit for free.

“There is a difference between a good deal and free stuff,” Wagner said. “A good deal benefits everybody.”

Wagner also questioned why the proposed protections focused on Marina Inn employees but not the 198 workers he said lost their jobs when Wind & Sea Restaurant closed. Foley said her office was working with Orange County Workforce Development Services to help those employees transition to other jobs.

During public comment, Dana Point Mayor John Gabbard urged approval, calling the harbor “our home, our kitchen, our family room.” Boaters and labor advocates called for stronger safeguards involving slip rates, public access and displaced workers.

Although the board delayed action for a second time, Chaffee emphasized that the continuance was not intended to end the project.

“I would express my intent that I don’t want this project to die,” he said. “I think we can work things out to where we will get there.”

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Dredging work is changing the sandbar known as “Danalina”

By CLARA BEARD

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is dredging a sandbar that made Dana Point Harbor’s channel narrower as they get ready to repair the harbor’s west breakwater.

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Photos courtesy of Capo Cares

Offshore dredging operations are underway near Dana Point Harbor as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed shoaled material to create access for repairs to the west breakwater

The Army Corps expects to remove up to 70,000 cubic yards of material so construction equipment can reach the breakwater. As of August 11, about 5,000 cubic yards had been dredged, according to the agency.

“Shoaling did narrow the available channel width although there was sufficient depth for vessels to pass in the un-shoaled portion of the channel,” Army Corps Public Affairs Specialist Shawn Davis said.

The channel was not formally closed because of the accumulated sand, according to the Army Corps. However, the narrowing has created problems for some boaters, particularly sailboats and other vessels with deep keels, Dana Point Boaters Association President Anne Eubanks said.

“It’s definitely affected boaters,” Eubanks said.

Eubanks said sailboats have had trouble getting around the sandbar, and shoaling in other parts of the marina has caused some boats to touch bottom at certain tides. These slip areas are not part of the Army Corps’ current dredging work.

“Sometimes you just have to sit there and wait for the tide to change,” Eubanks said.

In places with a lot of shoaling, channel depths ranged from 20 feet below to two feet above Mean Lower Low Water, which is based on the average of the lower low tides each day. The goal is to dredge down to 12 feet below this level.

The Army Corps stressed that this dredging is to allow construction access, not for regular channel maintenance.

“The current dredging is for access to the breakwater for repairs, not maintenance dredging,” the agency said.

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A panoramic view looks north toward Dana Point Harbor, where dredging and west breakwater repair work are underway near the harbor entrance

The Corps does yearly hydrographic surveys to check the federal channels. Orange County last dredged this channel in 2016, according to the agency.

The breakwater project began its engineering and design phase in 2022. That year, plans and specifications were prepared, and an environmental assessment was conducted to prepare for the construction contract.

The harbor’s public construction schedule lists September 3 as the anticipated completion date for the breakwater repair and dredging project; however, the Army Corps said that date refers to the expected demobilization of the dredge.

A crane barge is set to arrive in mid-September and stay through November to help with the breakwater work. The construction contract lasts 308 days, and the contractor has until February 2027 to complete the work. Right now, the contractor is expected to leave in October or November, but the Army Corps cautioned that these dates are subject to change.

The dredged material is being placed offshore in the littoral zone, where waves and currents move sand along the coast.

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Dana Point Classic Car Show drives into town August 23

More than 325 classic, vintage, muscle and custom vehicles are expected to line Del Prado Avenue when the Dana Point Classic Car Show returns Sunday, Aug. 23.

The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lantern District, with the show extending along Del Prado between Old Golden Lantern and Pacific Coast Highway.

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Photos courtesy of Dana Point Chamber of Commerce

A car show participant poses with an award at a previous event

Car lovers can see a variety of restored and vintage automobiles and speak with the owners and collectors. The show is open to spectators of all ages.

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Chrome details shine on an orange classic Chevrolet

The chamber is also encouraging attendees to check out nearby restaurants, boutiques and retail vendors during the event.

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The Dana Point Lantern District becomes an outdoor showcase of classic cars during this annual event hosted by the chamber

Vickie McMurchie, president of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, said the gathering is built around a shared interest in classic cars while also giving residents and visitors an opportunity to experience local businesses.

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Crowds and vendor tents fill Del Prado Avenue

“While the stunning collection of classic cars is the centerpiece of the event, what makes the day truly special is seeing residents and visitors gather to experience everything Dana Point has to offer,” McMurchie said.

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Spectators pack the Lantern District as classic cars and vendor booths stretch across both sides of Del Prado

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An orange hot rod is among one of the many custom vehicles attendees can expect to see at the car show

Admission is free, and additional information is available at www.danapointcarshow.com.

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A lineup of vintage and muscle cars line Del Prado

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OCTA starts plans for 30-year protections for seven-mile rail corridor from Dana Point to San Clemente

By CLARA BEARD

Orange County transportation officials have narrowed a long list of ways to protect the coastal railroad through Dana Point and San Clemente, but the eight remaining concepts are drawing concern from residents and environmental advocates who fear shoreline armoring could accelerate the loss of public beaches.

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Courtesy of OCTA

A Metrolink train travels along San Clemente’s coastal rail corridor, where OCTA is evaluating strategies to protect the tracks from waves, erosion and bluff failures

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) presented its draft Coastal Rail Resiliency Study during an August 11 virtual meeting, one day after an in-person session at San Clemente City Hall. Project manager Rebecca Soto asked the public to think of the study as “a toolbox or a menu of potentially feasible options,” rather than approval of a construction project or selection of one solution for the entire corridor.

The approximately seven-mile study area extends from Dana Point through San Clemente to the San Diego County line. The LOSSAN corridor carries Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passengers as well as freight.

The meeting came after another strong reminder of the railroad’s significant exposure to the elements. Soto said high tides in late July and early August brought waves of up to eight feet that crashed over the tracks, sometimes interrupting freight trains and prompted delays on passenger trains.

“Through this study, we are trying to shift to a more proactive position and get ahead of what we know will eventually require work to stabilize and protect the railroad,” Soto said.

OCTA began with 23 strategies: three addressing the railroad, nine focused on bluff hazards and 11 intended to protect the tracks from beach erosion, flooding and waves.

The shortlist includes two rail concepts: alternative materials for critical infrastructure and ground improvement and two bluffside approaches: catchment walls and slope-stabilization systems. Four beachside concepts would restore large protective rocks called riprap, build an engineered rock revetment (a rock barrier designed to protect the track), construct a seawall or combine a seawall with a revetment.

Each beachside concept would include a one-time placement of sand intended to cover the structure and leave the rock or wall as a last line of defense. Soto said that sand would be in addition to 540,000 cubic yards already tied to four emergency projects and still undergoing environmental review and permitting.

Much of the public discussion centered on why OCTA did not carry forward a sand-focused alternative or commit to recurring nourishment. Mitch Silverstein, California policy senior coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation, said continued armoring would result “not only in the loss of the beach that we love, but it will also fail to protect the rail corridor.”

Silverstein described an accelerating “doom loop” of armoring, beach loss, waves moving closer to the tracks and still more armoring. Michaela Coates, speaking for Surfrider’s South Orange County chapter, offered a similar warning.

“Protecting the railroad cannot come at the expense of destroying the very beach that surrounds it and the beaches that ultimately belong to the public,” she said during the virtual meeting.

Soto said a sand-only approach could not be put in place quickly enough to address near-term threats because sand must be found, tested, funded, transported and permitted.

“There is no way that we could get enough sand to protect the railroad in place within the year,” she said. OCTA is working with the county and coastal cities on a beach-sand inventory and annual retention and replenishment plan.

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Acjachemen Nation and Stand Up To Trash come together to clean up San Juan Creek

By CLARA BEARD

A new community cleanup is sparking a long-term effort to care for San Juan Creek from San Juan Capistrano to Dana Point.

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Photos courtesy of Stand Up To Trash

Stand Up To Trash founder and president Vicki Patterson stands at two sections of San Juan Creek adopted by the nonprofit through Orange County’s Adopt A Channel Program

Dana Point-based nonprofit Stand Up To Trash has adopted two sections of the creek through the Adopt A Channel Program, covering an area stretching from Alipaz Street in San Juan Capistrano to Stonehill Drive in Dana Point. The organization is launching the new adoption with a cleanup event from 9 to 11 a.m. this Sunday (Aug. 16) in partnership with the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation.

“People often think ocean pollution starts at the beach,” said Vicki Patterson, founder and president of Stand Up To Trash. “In reality, the ocean starts at our front door. Every piece of litter we prevent from entering San Juan Creek is one less piece reaching the Pacific Ocean.”

Patterson said the event is intended to be more than a one-day cleanup.

“This isn’t just a cleanup, it’s an investment in our community and future generations,” she said.

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An Adopt A Channel sign recognizes Stand Up To Trash’s commitment to keeping litter out of San Juan Creek and the ocean

During the cleanup, volunteers will gather trash from the creek while learning about the watershed and the everyday actions that affect it, according to an event release. A Watershed Education Station will explain how pollution travels downstream and why keeping inland waterways clean is an important part of protecting the ocean.

The cleanup will also highlight the cultural history of the creek and its connection to the Acjachemen people.

Georgia “Chena” Edmundson of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, will open the morning with a traditional welcome and blessing. Tribal representatives will also discuss the creek’s historical importance as a travel corridor connecting Acjachemen villages with the ocean.

Organizers said the combination of environmental education and Indigenous knowledge is intended to help participants see the creek as more than a drainage channel. It is also part of the region’s cultural history and a living connection between inland neighborhoods and the coast.

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The adopted channel area follows San Juan Creek from Alipaz Street in San Juan Capistrano to Stonehill Drive in Dana Point

Volunteer check-in begins at 9 a.m., followed by the welcome, blessing and safety instructions at 9:15 a.m. The cleanup will run from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and ends with a final weigh-in of the collected debris and trash.

Because volunteers will be working in a natural creek environment, participants should expect uneven terrain, rocks, loose soil and a steep entry into the creek. Organizers recommend waterproof boots or sturdy closed-toe shoes, work gloves, comfortable outdoor clothing, sunscreen, a hat and plenty of drinking water.

Children may participate with adult supervision. South County Carts will provide transportation within the cleanup area to help volunteers safely reach different sections of the creek.

The event is supported by the cities of Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Frank’s Irvine Subaru, Starbucks, South County Carts and Dana Wharf Whale Watching.

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San Juan Creek before reaching the ocean at Doheny State Beach

Volunteers will meet at the end of Alipaz Street, off Camino del Avion in San Juan Capistrano. The event is free and open to all ages.

Registration is available at www.standuptotrash.com/events.

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Planning Commission postpones decision on Ohana Festival harbor parking

By CLARA BEARD

The Dana Point Planning Commission has decided to wait before letting the Ohana Festival reserve 600 spaces in the harbor’s new parking structure, asking for details to ensure there will still be enough parking for boaters, businesses and other visitors during the festival.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Dana Point Harbor’s 984-space parking structure is the focus of a proposal to reserve up to 600 spaces for Ohana Festival attendees

Commissioners voted unanimously to continue the coastal development permit hearing until their next meeting on August 24. The applicant was asked to come back with parking-use data supporting the request for 600 spaces and a revised plan that places more public parking on the structure’s lower level.

Dan Conley, representing Ohana Festival producer C3 Presents, requested that festival attendees with prepaid passes be allowed to use 600 of the structure’s 984 spaces from September 25 to 27. Ohana Festival takes place at Doheny State Beach.

The parking structure is at 799 Harbor Way in the Dana Point Harbor commercial area, where much of the area is under construction. City staff recommended approving the permit because the closure and demolition of several harbor buildings have temporarily lowered parking demand.

The proposal would allocate about 61% of the parking structure to the festival. The other 384 spaces would be shared by the general public, employees, Catalina Express passengers and Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching customers.

However, commissioners questioned whether the application included sufficient evidence that the remaining spaces would meet demand during one of Dana Point’s busiest weekends.

Commissioner Eric Nelson said the numbers left him concerned about how little parking might remain once spaces designated for existing harbor operations were accounted for.

“I think we have to take care of the harbor before we take care of anything else,” Nelson said.

In the updated parking plan shared during Monday’s meeting (Aug. 10), 120 spaces would go to Dana Wharf, 100 to Catalina Express and 125 to general public parking on the upper level. The first level would still have 14 electric-vehicle spaces, 23 accessible spaces and two ambulance spaces.

Boater parking is being managed separately while the commercial core is under construction. According to an addendum to the staff report, 93 boater spaces have been temporarily moved from the structure to the wharf, where there are 106 spaces available. This means there are 13 extra boater spaces for now.

Nelson asked if the boater parking plan considers more fishing activity and possibly higher demand in September. He said he visited the harbor the day before the meeting and saw that about 80% of the structure was full.

“We have limited information on a significant amount of parking that’s being dedicated off-site,” Nelson said.

Representatives from Dana Point Harbor Partners told the commissioners that the request for 600 spaces was based on parking data from last year’s festival. They explained that LAZ Parking Management uses a prepaid reservation system and can track how many festival passes are sold each day.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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This circa 1980 photograph shows the historic Woodruff Real Estate building during its years as Brookside Winery. The family that operated Brookside Winery still owns the property and is working with the city to preserve its historic character as the Dana Point Historical Society prepares to commemorate the building’s 100th anniversary and its original January 1927 grand opening.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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Meet Pet of the Week Babadook

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Meet Babadook, a 7-month-old kitten who spent his early months living in squalid conditions before being abandoned in a box at the shelter with his brothers. Now safe at the shelter, he has a chance at a better life.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Babadook is an affectionate and curious 7-month-old kitten looking for a home where he can continue to thrive

Babadook quickly transitioned from a scared and shut-down little guy to an affectionate and curious kitten learning what it is like to play. He gets along with other cats and is looking for a home where he can continue to thrive. Could he be the one for you?

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Babadook can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Guest Column

Katrina Foley

Supervisor, Fifth District

County of Orange

AUGUST FOLEY REPORT: OC Supervisor Katrina Foley Updates on the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Ahead of August 19 Community Meeting

Hi Neighbor,

Residents deserve clear, timely updates on the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization. In 2023, my office worked urgently to gather all of the relevant Dana Point Harbor contracts, board actions, renderings and permits, and posted in one central location on our website at bos5.oc.gov/dph-revitalization. You can always check the site for updates and construction timelines. A project of this magnitude naturally invites speculation, but one thing is clear: regardless of differing opinions about whether the original 2018 agreement created best value to the taxpayers, we all share the goal of completing this transformational project in time for the 2028 Olympic Games. I also remain committed to preserving the unique character and coastal charm of the County’s non-commercialized side that helps make Dana Point Harbor a South County treasure.

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Courtesy of the Office of Katrina Foley

OC Supervisor Katrina Foley

The County and I remain committed to pushing this revitalization across the finish line. Over the past three years, my office helped Dana Point Harbor Partners move a stalled project forward by securing unanimous California Coastal Commission approval for hotel entitlements, breaking through utility and County permitting logjams to start and complete the new parking structure, helping longtime businesses relocate during construction, and cutting red tape in Development Services and Environmental Health so businesses can open quickly when construction finishes. My office also worked closely with OC Parks to improve the Harbor’s remaining public assets and keep them public, including the Orange County Sailing and Event Center and Baby Beach.

In direct partnership with our local harbor user groups and non-profits serving our youth, we created a list of needed improvements for the county managed areas, and got right to work securing funding for new docks for Harbor Patrol and the Sailing and Event Center, finding a home for our Outriggers, fixing the beach stairs at Headlands Beach, creating storage space for all the programs, and identifying ways to expand the park, improve parking, and upgrade the sailing and event center buildings for public use. The future of Dana Point Harbor must be guided by the people who know and love it. Your voice matters, and together we can ensure the iconic Orange County Sailing and Event Center receives a much-needed upgrade and remains a public community space for the future.

Please join my office for a community meeting on August 19, 2026, at 6 p.m. at OC Sailing and Events Center to receive the latest project updates and help shape the future of the Harbor’s remaining public spaces: the Orange County Sailing and Event Center, Baby Beach and Dana Cove Park.

Follow my social media @supervisoryfoley and sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://d5.ocgov.com/newsletter.

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Dana Point unveils packed fall lineup featuring food, festivals and holiday traditions

This fall, Dana Point will offer food tastings, cultural celebrations, holiday traditions and family activities from mid-September through Thanksgiving.

This week, the city shared a schedule of eight events organized or supported by city departments and local community groups.

The first event is Taste of Lantern Village on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at La Plaza Park, 34111 La Plaza. Hosted by the Lantern Village Association, it will offer samples from a variety of Dana Point restaurants. Tickets are available at www.lanternvillageassociation.org.

The city’s popular Halloween Spooktacular is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. in the Dana Point Community Center parking lot, 34052 Del Obispo St.

The Recreation Division and Dana Point Police Services are partnering up with local nonprofits for games, crafts, entertainment and, of course, Trunk or Treat. According to the city, DPPS is pulling out all the stops, bringing its bloodhounds, the bomb squad, K-9 unit and mounted patrol.

The children’s costume parade will begin at 3 p.m. on the baseball field, with prizes awarded for the best costumes. Food trucks will be on site.

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Photos courtesy of city of Dana Point

A happy participant takes part in the Halloween Spooktacular children’s costume parade

The city’s Día de los Muertos celebration is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1 from 2 to 7 p.m. at La Plaza Park. The family-oriented event will feature ofrendas, live music, dancing, art, food and beverages while supporting local nonprofits.

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Dancers perform during the Día de los Muertos celebration at La Plaza Park

Next on the calendar is the Veterans Day service hosted by the Dana Point Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9934, Auxiliary 9934. The service, recognizing veterans for their military service and sacrifice, starts at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Strands Vista Park, 34201 Selva Road. More information is available at www.vfwpost9934.org or by calling 949.248.1419.

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A veteran salutes at a past Veterans Day ceremony

The Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay Craft Fair will follow Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Dana Point Community Center. Find out more at www.sicapistranobay.org.

The Ecology Center, together with the city and Prado Square, will host the Gratitude Market from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19 at Amber Lantern and Prado Square. The market will showcase ecological producers and makers.

Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary and the city will sponsor a free Thanksgiving Luncheon for seniors from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Dana Point Community Center. The annual event features a traditional Thanksgiving meal and entertainment. Advance registration opens September 1. Seniors may register by calling the city’s Recreation Division at 949.248.3530.

The fall schedule concludes Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26, with the 49th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot. Organized by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, the event includes a 5K, 10K, Combo 15K and Kids’ 1-Mile Gobble Wobble, along with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo. Registration and race information are available at www.turkeytrot.com.

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Registration opens for free disaster preparedness training

Want to be better prepared in case of an emergency? The cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano will offer free Community Emergency Response Team Basic Training this fall to help residents prepare for emergencies affecting their families, neighborhoods and communities.

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Photos courtesy of city of Dana Point

CERT volunteers practice patient stabilization and transport during hands-on disaster response training

Classes will meet Mondays and Wednesdays, Sept. 14-30, from 6:30-9 p.m., at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion. A final session will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

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CERT students attend classroom instruction on recognizing and responding to shock

Participants will receive hands-on instruction in disaster preparedness, light search and rescue, fire safety, fire extinguisher use, medical operations, disaster psychology, radio use and terrorism-related topics.

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Participants work together to secure a patient to a backboard during a CERT exercise

The program will conclude with a course review, disaster simulation, final exercise and graduation.

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Dana Point CERT members gather with the team’s emergency response trailer

Registration is required by Friday, Sept. 4. For more information or to register, contact Dana Point Emergency Services Coordinator Larry Meyerhofer at 949.234.2800 or . Additional information is available at .

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Dana Point takes a starring role in locally filmed romantic comedy

A new romantic comedy has arrived on streaming platforms, and Dana Point is one of its biggest stars. From Strands Beach and Heritage Park to the iconic harbor, several of the city’s most recognizable landmarks appear throughout the film, giving local audiences plenty of familiar scenery to enjoy.

Inspired by a true story, Laguna Niguel author Maureen Anne Meehan’s memoir, 60 Dates in 6 Months (with a Broken Neck), quickly drew attention from the film industry.

The result was 60 Dates in Six Months, a 93-minute feature film adaptation that follows a widow in her 50s as she attempts to go on 60 dates in six months while recovering from a serious injury.

Directed by Scott Leslie, the film was released April 17 by Freestyle Digital Media and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

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Photos courtesy of Maureen Meehan

Author and executive producer Maureen Anne Meehan at the premiere of “60 Dates in 6 Months” at the Rivian Theater in Laguna Beach

“Dating at any stage is challenging, and I lost my husband now 12 years ago,” Meehan told Stu News. “A couple years ago, I thought, ‘I’ll try to get back out there and give it a go,’ and it was daunting and a lot of things shy of fun.”

Meehan, who had already written 19 legal thrillers, began documenting the experience partly as a cathartic exercise and partly as an opportunity to step outside her usual genre.

Dating, she discovered, was very much a numbers game. Meehan kept track of the people she met, assigning each a nickname rather than using real names in the memoir.

The result explores misleading profile photos, awkward encounters and the uncertainty of reentering the dating world later in life.

“It’s kind of a bait-and-switch world out there a little bit,” she said.

Many of the dates took place between Newport Beach and northern San Diego County, including coffee meetups in Laguna Beach and outings along local hiking trails. Meehan recalled arranging one date on Laguna Beach’s Dartmoor Trail partly to see whether the man was as physically fit as he claimed.

The memoir’s imperfections became part of its appeal, she said.

“It’s not a real polished novel; it’s messy, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, all at the same time,” Meehan said. “I think people remember those kinds of stories because they can relate to them.”

Fast forward to 2025, when Josh Nadler adapted the memoir into a screenplay, with Meehan serving as executive producer. Scott Leslie, Kelli Lessie and Meehan are credited as producers.

Meehan said she was involved in nearly every aspect of the production, including casting, filming and selecting the music.

“I was there for every stage of it, every day of it,” she said. “It’s very grassroots in that regard.”

The cast and crew stayed with Meehan for about three weeks during production, giving her a firsthand education in filmmaking. She said watching another actor recreate moments from her life was surreal.

“Seeing someone else play you and going, ‘Yes, that date,’” Meehan said. “Seeing it before my own eyes is like, ‘Wow, that was my life. It still is my life.’”

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Author Maureen Anne Meehan

The production filmed at several recognizable Dana Point locations, including Strands Beach, Glasspar, It’s All About the Cake and Heritage Park. Drone footage captured a sweeping view of Dana Point Harbor before much of the current redevelopment began, Meehan said.

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Public gets look at coastal rail options

Residents will have an opportunity next week to weigh in on proposals to protect approximately seven miles of coastal railroad tracks through Dana Point and San Clemente over the next 30 years.

The Orange County Transportation Authority will present the final draft feasibility report for its Coastal Rail Resiliency Study during an in-person meeting Monday (Aug. 10) at San Clemente City Hall and an online meeting Tuesday (Aug. 11).

The study looks at options for protecting the LOSSAN Rail Corridor from coastal erosion, bluff movement, high tides, storms and ocean swells that have repeatedly disrupted passenger and freight service through South Orange County, according to a release from the county.

“This study ensures we protect the vital transportation corridor while preserving our coastline,” Orange County Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley said. “As we evaluate long-term solutions, I continue advocating for nature-based solutions and sand nourishment.”

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Courtesy of OCTA

A passenger train travels along the coastal rail corridor between Dana Point and San Clemente, where officials are evaluating long-term rail resiliency options

The draft report doesn’t specify a select project or propose a solution for the entire corridor. Instead, it outlines 23 rail, bluffside and beachside concepts that could be used at different locations based on existing conditions.

The options include rail foundation improvements, alternative railroad materials, catchment walls, bluff stabilization and beachside protection measures.

As the project progresses, all of the beachside concepts will include sand placement. Depending on the location, work could include repairing or restoring existing riprap, constructing engineered revetments or seawalls, or combining multiple approaches.

“I encourage residents, businesses and stakeholders to participate in these meetings, learn more about the science behind the study, and help shape a comprehensive path forward for our rail line, beaches and local economy,” Foley said.

The in-person meeting will be held from 5-6 p.m. Monday (Aug. 10) in the council chambers at San Clemente City Hall, 910 Calle Negocio.

The virtual meeting will be held from 5-6 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 11). The webinar ID is 858 8924 9103. Participants may also call 669.900.6833.

Spanish interpretation will be available at both meetings. Additional interpretation services and special accommodations may be requested by emailing at least 72 hours before the meeting.

The LOSSAN Corridor serves Metrolink, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, freight trains and military transportation. OCTA’s study focuses on protecting the railroad in its current location for up to three decades while a separate state-led effort examines longer-term options.

Any proposal moving toward construction would need further analysis, engineering, environmental review, public input, permits, regulatory approval and funding, the release stated.

The study is expected to go before the OCTA Board of Directors this fall.

More information, including virtual meeting registration and study documents, is available at www.octa.net/crrs.

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Hidden habitat

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The San Juan Creek Trail runs approximately one mile through Dana Point between Stonehill Drive and Doheny State Beach, paralleling the creek before it reaches the Pacific Ocean. At Doheny, the creek widens into a coastal lagoon that is a habitat for black-crowned night herons, snowy egrets, black-bellied plovers, sanderlings and more. This photo shows the lower creek and lagoon looking inland toward the Coast Highway bridge.

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Sea Coast Symphony announces young artist scholarship winners

The Dana Point-based orchestra Sea Coast Symphony has just announced the winners of its 2026 Young Artist Music Scholarship Competition, recognizing four Orange County students for performances in piano, violin and cello.

Xiaowei Zhao of Lake Forest earned first place in the graduating senior division for a piano performance. A graduating senior at Trabuco Hills High School, Zhao will receive a $1,500 scholarship and an opportunity to perform with Sea Coast Symphony during its 2026-27 concert season.

Jiyu Lee of Fullerton placed second and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Lee, a graduate of the Orange County School of the Arts, was recognized for a violin performance.

Third place went to Arnold O. Beckman High School graduate Verena Lo of Irvine. Lo was recognized for a cello performance and will receive a $500 scholarship.

Dana Hills High School violinist Abbygail Martinez Camacho received the Outstanding Rising Senior Award. She will receive $1,000 in private music lessons with instructor Ji Yeon Shin.

“Supporting young artists is an important part of our mission to foster artistic excellence and bring music, art and culture to Dana Point and the surrounding community,” Sea Coast Symphony President Scott Schoeffel said. “We congratulate these talented musicians and look forward to seeing their continued success.”

Sea Coast Symphony is entering its 14th season.

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Dana Point – A Look Back

Photo series courtesy of Dana Point Historical Society

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This 1970s photo looking down Blue Lantern shows the gazebo with its windows removed. The Blue Lantern Inn had yet to be built, and the lookout had not yet been named for Ken Sampson. The Dana Point Historical Society has formed a committee dedicated to saving the gazebo.

The Dana Point Historical Society is located at 33282 Golden Lantern St., Suite 104, Dana Point. It is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m., Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. General admission is free on all days. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 949.248.8121, visit www.danapointhistorical.org, or email contact@danapointhistorical.org.

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The Sacramento Chronicles

By ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIANE DIXON

August 7, 2026

Hello Dana Point!

Happy Summer is in full swing! Earlier last month, the legislature adjourned for Summer Recess, allowing legislators to return to their respective districts for a month full of district opportunities. I enjoyed being back in Assembly District 72 to host events, attend community celebrations and meet with constituents directly to understand their concerns.

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Photos courtesy of Diane Dixon

Assemblymember Diane Dixon

This past Monday (Aug. 3), my colleagues and I returned to the Capitol to begin the last month of the 2025-2026 legislative session. Each house has until August 31 at 11:59 p.m. to pass bills so they can move on to the governor’s desk. With hundreds of bills that need to be voted on, legislators will be working late into many nights to meet this deadline.

I was proud to welcome the next generation of leaders to my 2026 Young Legislators Program. High schoolers eager to learn about law and policy joined me for a week of learning, discussion and discovering how the government works behind the scenes to impact our daily lives. We visited local agencies, businesses and even had a mock legislative session in the Newport Beach City Council Chambers to conclude the week.

I was delighted to work alongside our smart and eager young legislators to give them an inside look at the legislative process and how to make meaningful changes in our communities.

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Assemblymember Diane Dixon with participants of her 2026 Young Legislator Program

As you may know, nearly a dozen children in Ladera Ranch have been diagnosed with rare cancers, with the majority having Ewing sarcoma, a cancer so rare that it only affects 220 children nationwide each year. Sadly, the full scope of these cancers came to light following the tragic passing of 17-year-old Brody Matteson earlier this year.

No family or community should have to endure a tragedy like this. I led a bipartisan letter petitioning the U.S. EPA, CalEPA, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the California Department of Public Health to formally request a joint investigation into the cluster of pediatric cancer cases affecting Ladera Ranch families.

To build upon existing efforts and continue to raise awareness about what is happening in Ladera Ranch, I’ve jointly authored two resolutions, HR 129 and AJR 35 to ensure we see proper accountability for this tragedy.

House Resolution 129 would designate the month of July as Sarcoma Awareness Month and recognize the urgent need for public awareness, expanded research and improved clinical resources regarding sarcomas.

Assembly Joint Resolution 35 would officially petition the President and the U.S. Congress to direct the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to prioritize, fund and oversee targeted scientific research into environmental co-factors and potential triggers of Ewing sarcoma and other rare pediatric bone cancers.

Additionally, AJR 35 would request Governor Newsom to direct the California Department of Public Health and CalEPA to establish a formal scientific partnership with UC Irvine Health and Children’s Hospital of Orange County, enabling joint access to epidemiological data, state testing resources and specialized research support.

Finally, it would urge the NIH and NIEHS to make federal research grant funding available to agencies to investigate chemical exposure pathways and localized cluster dynamics in South Orange County.

These families deserve answers, and I will keep pushing until we get them. The safety of our children remains the highest priority.

On July 30, we recognized World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness about human trafficking and to promote efforts to combat this horrific epidemic. I’ve made the fight against human trafficking a priority during my time in the legislature and plan to continue my advocacy. We must take every step possible to help victims and their families, and bring a swift end to this reprehensible practice.

Last year, I authored AB 1239, which was signed into California law, requiring the Department of Justice to include information on arrests for human trafficking and the number of individuals who have been victims of human trafficking on the OpenJustice Web portal. This year, I introduced AB 1541, which builds on my success with AB 1239, to require additional information on human trafficking to be recorded and published on the OpenJustice Web portal, including the number of individuals arrested and convicted for adult sex trafficking, child sex trafficking and labor trafficking, as well as the number of victims of those same crimes. This will provide the desperately needed data on human trafficking in the state of California to further guide and inform decisions on funding and targeted efforts. I also introduced AB 1918 this year, which would require tattoo shops to display anti-human trafficking notices and require tattoo artists to complete training on how to recognize, respond to and report signs of human trafficking. This bill has passed the Assembly and is currently on the Senate floor.

With this year’s World Day Against Trafficking theme being “Trapped behind the scam,” we shine the light on a darker reality. Individuals are recruited, held against their will and forced to perform the very scams that target us. As we recognize the fight to put a stop to fraud and cyberscams, we must also stand up against human trafficking and bring awareness to help break the cycle of exploitation.

As legislators are hard at work to meet legislative deadlines, I am proud to share that I have a total of seven bills moving through the legislative process and two bills already signed into law – AB 1614 and AB 1951. Assembly Bill 1614 will prohibit “piggybacking” on bicycles or electric bicycles (e-bikes) on a Class I bikeway. The increased speed and accessibility of e-bikes have consistently led to higher rates of injury with an increasing number of injuries occurring when riders piggyback. This bill will significantly improve the safety of all riders and pedestrians. Assembly Bill 1951 will modernize California’s court filing fee statutes and provide clarification on many electronic filing practices. These changes will promote transparency, fairness and administrative efficiency in California’s court system.

My legislative package includes crucial, bipartisan solutions focusing on issues such as public safety and transparency. Stay tuned for future bill updates!

I enjoy hearing from you directly on how I can best represent you in Sacramento. Please keep writing. My team is also ready to assist you with any state issues, like DMV, EDD, Franchise Tax Board and more. We’ve assisted more than 220 constituents just this year alone.

Not receiving invitations to my events? Send an email to assemblymember.dixon@assembly.ca.gov to be added to our distribution list, or visit my website: Diane Dixon website. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Thank you, Stu News, for keeping our local residents informed.

Diane Dixon is a two-term Newport Beach City Councilmember and two-time Mayor. She is currently serving her second term in Sacramento as Assemblymember of California’s 72nd District. She is also in a November runoff for Orange County Supervisor, Fifth District.

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Meet Pet of the Week Sweetie Pie

Stu News Dana Point is delighted to be working with the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

Sweetie Pie is a white-and-black domestic shorthair who is about one year and three months old. This little lovebug is just as lovable as her name suggests. A recent mama to six baby boys, Sweetie Pie had her work cut out for her but never once wavered in her happy personality. Now that her kittens are grown, she is ready for a home of her own.

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Courtesy of San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter

Sweetie Pie is ready for a loving home of her own

Friendly and easygoing, Sweetie Pie adores people and is always happy to soak up attention and affection from volunteers. She is also a playful and active kitty whose favorite activity is chasing her toys.

While she doesn’t mind other cats, Sweetie Pie would prefer to be the only pet so she can finally enjoy some well-earned “me time.” Could you be the one to give this hardworking mama the pampering she deserves?

The San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible.

Those interested in learning more about Sweetie Pie can contact the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617 or visit the facility at 221 Avenida Fabricante in San Clemente.

For more information on adoption procedures at the shelter, visit www.petprojectfoundation.org.

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Palm trees at Doheny

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Palm trees rise above the picnic lawn at Doheny State Beach. The public space was established in 1931 after Edward L. Doheny donated 41 acres to the state, making it California’s first state beach.

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Tall ships return to Maritime Festival

The Ocean Institute is bringing tall ships, cannon battles and hands-on maritime experiences back to Dana Point Harbor for the 42nd annual Maritime Festival, happening September 11 to 13.

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Photos courtesy of Ocean Institute

A tall ship fires its cannon during a previous maritime festival

The three-day event celebrates Dana Point’s maritime history with historic sailing ships, educational programs and family-friendly activities that let visitors experience California’s seafaring past.

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Visitors explore artisan booths and festival offerings

Visitors can board historic ships like the Spirit of Dana Point, Bill of Rights, Curlew, Mayflower, Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson. The festival also features live cannon battles, sailors showing traditional skills, pirate camps, mermaid encounters, artisan vendors, live music and local cuisine.

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Families enjoy some of the entertainment on offer at the Tall Ships Festival

“Ocean Institute was founded on the belief that the best learning happens through experience,” Robyn Takeshita, the institute’s director of education, said in a statement. “The Maritime Festival embodies that philosophy by inviting guests to experience our maritime heritage where it happened. Whether they’re climbing aboard a historic tall ship, watching a live cannon battle, exploring our marine science exhibits, or seeing their children become pirates for the day, every experience is designed to spark curiosity, celebrate our coastal heritage and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.”

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Tall ships sail off the Dana Point coast

Now in its 42nd year, the festival supports the Ocean Institute’s mission to preserve and share Dana Point’s maritime heritage, while inspiring future generations to care for the ocean and coastline. Festival Adventure Passes include tours of the tall ships, entry to the Ocean Institute campus, touch tanks, interactive marine science exhibits and other educational activities.

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