A Heartfelt Goodbye: Four years I’ll never forget as city editor of SC Times 

By Eric Heinz

Dear San Clemente,

Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to report in your town for the last four years. They have been full of memorable learning experiences and enjoyment in this little Spanish Village by the Sea.

Working with many of you as sources and passionate members of the community, I know that San Clemente is a town fueled by the motivation to protect one of the finest gems in California, if not the nation.

Although there are many difficult issues that lie in your path—not to forget the never-ending saga that is The Toll Roads, what to do with spent nuclear energy and development of some of the best real estate in the world—this is a very busy little town that sticks together.

San Clemente clings tightly to its small-town charm, but it’s hardly a small town; there are possibly hundreds of thousands of people who swarm to its sandy shores each year; its residents are tasked with lobbying their local, state and federal representatives to keep safe what they treasure.

This is easily one of the most politically, physically and rhetorically active communities I’ve ever seen.

In saying that, I hope the residents of this city continue to work together in a congenial way, even when your backs are against the ropes fighting off what can seem like a colossal task.

It is that unifying mantra, “One Town, One Team,” that binds all of the residents of the city together, and now more than ever I think it’s important to get behind that message again.

There are many memories that I will treasure from my tenure at the San Clemente Times. The coworkers and colleagues I’ve come to know over time are people who are always going to be near and dear to my heart.

Leaving the publication was not an easy decision, and I’m not exactly sure what lies ahead, but I know having spent time here has made me a better person and better prepared for anything.

In Cari Hachmann, who I’ve enjoyed getting to know over the past week, you have a diligent editor who I am confident will continue to navigate the paper in a meaningful direction.

Lastly, Triton Football is the best thing I have ever seen. If you’re ever looking for something entertaining on a Friday night, check it out.