Tenants' Rights, Two Kinds of Drills, Nuclear Waste and More

1. Know your rights: The Fair Housing Foundation is hosting a tenants’ rights workshop 3-5 p.m. Wednesday at the San Clemente Community Center. See the online flyer here for more info.

2. Do not be alarmed at the alarms: The community alert sirens will be heard Wednesday throughout the area. You will hear a long steady siren sound three times between 10 a.m. and noon. The sirens will be sounded for about three minutes each time.

You do not need to take action. This is only a test. DO NOT CALL 9-1-1.

This is an annual federal requirement for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. During a real emergency, the sirens would alert you to turn on your radio or television for instructions.

The city will also activate AlertOC, the mass notification system, on Monday, advising residents and businesses of the Wednesday siren test. It is important that residents and businesses know that this is only a test and there is no actual emergency.

For more information, visit the city’s website or contact the city’s emergency planning officer at (949) 361-6109 or tuckerj@san-clemente.org.

3. Shake it up baby now: The Great California ShakeOut is Thursday. The purpose of the ShakeOut is to practice how to protect ourselves during earthquakes and to get prepared at work, school and home. 

At 10:17 a.m., millions of Californians are expected to participate in the largest earthquake drill ever.

Earthquakes occur without any warning and can be so violent that you may only have seconds to protect yourself before strong shaking knocks you down or something drops on you. You will never know if the initial jolt will turn out to be the start of the big one. This year, more than 20 million people worldwide will participate in Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills spanning 43 U.S. states and territories and several countries.

According to ShakeOut.org, federal, state and local emergency management experts and other preparedness organizations agree that "crop, cover and hold on" is the appropriate action to reduce injury and death during earthquakes.

4. It’s the ballroom bash (not the monster mash):. From 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday dance and celebrate Halloween AND Oktoberfest at the monthly dancing event at the San Clemente Community Center, featuring a lesson in Merengue and Polka steps followed by open dancing to recorded music. Costumes encouraged. Admission $10. 100 Calle Seville, 949.498.0233.

5. Don’t waste your Saturday: San Clemente Green, part of the Coalition to Decommission San Onofre, is putting on a symposium about nuclear waste.  Spend Saturday afternoon discussing the future of San Onofre with two experts in the field of nuclear waste and decommissioning.  The event is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley. See here for more details.

For other fun events, check our events calendar.

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