DP Insider

Pedestrian Bridge and Dana Point Southern Gateway Officially Opens

The new pedestrian bridge and southern gateway to Dana Point officially opened this morning at 10 a.m. with a celebration attended by more than 200 spectators. Dana Point mayor Lisa Bartlett gave a brief speech before the city council gathered for a ribbon cutting. Dana Point artists Lubica Selecka and Lance Jost were on hand for the unveiling of four mosaics that decorate the inside walls of the pedestrian bridge.

Below are photos from the event.

Lisa Bartlett, above, gave a speech to open Friday morning's ceremony.

The ribbon cutting crew (l-r): Dana Point City Manager Doug Chotkevys, Councilmember Joel Bishop, Councilmember Steven Weinberg, Mayor Lisa Bartlett, Councilmember Lara Anderson, 5th District Supervisor Pat Bates.

Lance Jost (at left) crafted the mosaic behind him. At right is Christopher Lock, who originally took the photo while on a whale watching cruise with Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in the Dana Point Harbor.

Jost again, this time looking at his mosaic from afar.

And Jost again, posing in front of his second mosaic.

Lubica Selecka, above left, was the artist behind the historic mosaic. Standing with her is Gene Burrus, pointing the his own image. The mosaic was inspired by a photo taken in Dana Point in the early 1930s of the Burrus family. Gene, then a young boy, is in it.

Doheny Blues Festival Rocks Dana Point

Doheny Blues Festival organizer Rich Sherman estimated today that between 15,000 and 16,000 fans attended last weekend's festival. Read more about it here.

Below are our favorite shots from the festival from shooter Scott Woodruff.

BB King.

And another BB King.

Mr. Brian Setzer.

And another of Mr. Setzer.

Cedric Burnside on the porch.

The Derek Trucks band.

Ruthie Forster on the back porch.

New Dana Point Pedestrian Bridge to Feature Two Dana Point Artists

I reported this Friday's bridge opening in last week's paper, but I didn't have the room to post all of the photographs from my visit to Lubica Selecka's and Lance Jost's art studios in Capistrano Beach and Dana Point. Well, I just got off the phone with Karin Schnell over at Coastal Arts and now I'm posting them here.

Here's Lubica full tallship mosaic. I took this photo as she neared completion in her Capistrano Beach studio.

Here's a closer look at the sail. Lubica hand cut each piece of mosaic glass for this work.

A closer look at the star...

...and of the moon.

And the fish!

Here's a look at the protograph recreation. Lubica molded the dog out of clay.

A better look at the sign that once stood on the Dana Point headlands.

Here's Lance Jost's seascape. I apologize for the low quality photo. It was difficult to shoot in his workshop.

One of these surfers, according to Jost, is of the artist himself. The break is also Jost's tribute: Killer Dana.

Look familiar? This mosaic is after a shot by famous surf photographer Ron Stoner.

Dana Point Harbor Hosts Underwater Cleanup

The OC Dana Point Harbor and the Dana Point Marina Company hosted the first annual Underwater Cleanup Event at the Dana Point Harbor on Saturday, May 2. County and marina officials invited certified divers from throughout Southern California to search the Harbor bottom for trash and debris in docks A, B, C and D, and they didn’t disappoint.

A group of 30 divers found everything from cell phones to bicycles to a toilet, piling the foul smelling debris in the parking lot outside of the Dana Point Marina Company. Harbor director Brad Gross said the event was held to remove underwater pollution from the Harbor’s waterways, while divers took advantage of the rare opportunity to explore the murky waters under the protective watch of the Harbor Patrol and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Normally, divers are only allowed in the Harbor with a county business permit and are required to stay in or around boat slips.

Below are some photos of the event. Check back on Friday for the full story in the Dana Point Times.

Divers Larry and Ruth Harris found this set of tools at the cleanup. While the divers didn't have full salvage rights, Sgt. Whitman with the Harbor Patrol said that garbage-like tools submerged underwater-is free game. Had the divers found items of obvious value-jewelry for example-they would have been asked to turn it over to authorities.

Kyle Campbell, 18, found this LG cell phone on the Harbor bottom. He attended the event with his father Dan, a veteran diver of 20 years. The Campbell family owns a dive boat out in G dock.

That LG phone, as one may guess, looked pretty gross.

Victor Chu found this chair stuck in the muck, and then sat in it for photos.

Yes, a toilet.

This is one of two bikes discovered by divers.

Here's one pile of junk. Many of the discoveries remained on the docks for pickup, including the toilet and bikes mentioned above.

Looking for more? Check out the South Orange County Dive Club's video on the event on Youtube. There's even a quick bit from your's truly.

Dana Point Charitable Grant Subcommittee Awards 18 Grants to Non-profits for $25,000

Dana Point city clerk Kathy Ward was kind enough to forward on the final grant award list made yesterday, April 30, by the city's Charitable Grant Subcommittee. How was the $25,000 distributed?

Soroptimist International of Capistrano Valley $2,000

Laura’s House $1,150

The Helping Hand Worldwide $1,500

Camino Health Center $1,650

Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. $450

Community House, Inc. $1,000

GFWC Dana Point Woman’s Club $1,000

Dana Point Foreign Wars Post 9934 $900

South Orange County School of the Arts $1,000

Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association $1,500

The Marrow Foundation $2,000

Dana Point Coastal Arts $750

Assistance League of Capistrano Valley $2,000

YMCA of O.C. – Beach Cities Branch $2,000

Heart of Sailing Foundation, Inc. $500

R.H. Dana Elementary School $1,500

Toby’s House $2,800

Laguna Beach Community Clinic $1,300

Grants ranged from a reading program at RH Dana, new computers for the YMCA at the city's two public elementary schools, coaching for SOCSA, an acqarium for the Doheny Visitors Center to help with a Dana Point marrow drive.

The city of Dana Point donates $25,000 in grants twice annually to non-profits that serve the Dana Point community. These grants are selected by a three-person subcommittee, whose decisions are later approved by the Dana Point City Council.

Dana Point Relay for Life kicks off with Paint the Town Purple

The Dana Point Relay for Life kicked off this morning with Paint the Town Purple, an open invitation for the community to decorate their businesses, cars and even themselves purple in honor of those who have lost their lives to cancer and to celebrate the survivors.

Tomorrow, May 2, the Dana Point Relay For Life will bring together at least 15 teams and more than 100 walkers for a 24-hour fundraiser event at Lantern Bay Park. For the complete story, check out our feature story.

Pictured above, Dana Point mayor Lisa Bartlett presents a proclamation to Relay chairperson Kathy Martino. Below, a large group of Relay organizers and participants gathered at Plaza Park on Friday morning to kick off the 2009 festivities.