🌱 Patch AM: What does the battery project pause mean for Saddleback Church land?

Hey hey San Juan Capistrano! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• What does the battery project pause mean for Saddleback Church land?
• How fast are San Juan Capistrano home prices really rising?

Also on today's calendar: Trabuco Hills High School Marching Unit Performing in the 2026 London News Years Day Parade and 6 more events.

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Windy with rain, some heavy, with a high of 66 and low of 58 degrees.
• Thursday: Occasional rain, temps: high: 65, low: 58.
• Friday: Mostly cloudy, showers around, with a high of 64 and low of 49 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Engie Pauses San Juan Capistrano Battery Project for New Sites (iheart.com) — Plans for a large lithium battery storage facility in San Juan Capistrano have been put on hold, voiding a planned land sale with Saddleback Church. Engie North America is pausing the Compass Energy Storage Project to reassess locations and market conditions after community pushback over safety and environmental concerns, leaving related educational grant funding and future use of the site uncertain.
   

• Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Los Angeles metro area (thepress.net) — San Juan Capistrano homeowners are seeing values climb, with typical prices now around $1.28 million and up more than 58% in five years. A new metro-wide ranking shows how the city’s housing market compares with nearby coastal and inland communities across greater Los Angeles.
   

📸 Around San Juan Capistrano

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🗓 Upcoming Events in San Juan Capistrano

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 26

• Education | Eco-Tots
  The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz St, San Juan Capistrano
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday December 26

• San Juan Capistrano Farmer’s Market
  Farmakis Farms , 29932 Camino Capistrano , San Juan Capistrano
  9:00 am
• Jeff Livingstone @ Capo Leisure House
  Capo Leisure House , 31872 Paseo Adelanto , San Juan Capistrano
  6:00 pm
• Devotional - Depeche Mode Experience
  The Coach House Concert Hall , 33157 Camino Capistrano , San Juan Capistrano
  7:00 pm
• Shawn Jones Acoustic
  Trevor's at the Tracks , 26701 Verdugo St , San Juan Capistrano
  7:00 pm

Saturday December 27

• Education | Eco-Tots
  The Ecology Center , 32701 Alipaz St , San Juan Capistrano
  9:00 am
• 3 Mile Radius: 3MR @ Trevor's at the Tracks!
  Trevor's at the Tracks , 26701 Verdugo St , San Juan Capistrano
  11:00 am
• CeltHickMusic @ Hennessey’s SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
  Hennessey's Tavern , 31761 Camino Capistrano , San Juan Capistrano
  1:00 pm

Thursday January 1

• Trabuco Hills High School Marching Unit Performing in the 2026 London News Years Day Parade
  London, UK on PBS SoCal
  5:00 am

📣 San Juan Capistrano Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 24

• Feast of the Seven Fishes | Christmas Eve Dinner at Montage Laguna Beach 2025 — The Orange County City Guide
  Montage Laguna Beach , 30801 Coast Hwy , Laguna Beach
  5:00 pm
• Traffic & Transportation Commission Meeting
  Laguna Niguel City Hall , 30111 Crown Valley Pkwy , Laguna Niguel
  7:00 pm
• San Clemente's Secret Society: Mystery Hunt
  101 S El Camino Real , San Clemente
  10:00 pm

Friday December 26

• Totally Toys Art Camp (4-9y)
  Kidcreate Studio - Dana Point , 34255 Pacific Coast Hwy #113 , Dana Point
  9:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Reata Glen posted a job opening for Prep Cook in San Juan Capistrano. Apply here.
• Ralphs Supermarket posted a job opening for Online Grocery Pick-Up Clerk in Dana Point. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near San Juan Capistrano here.

🗞 Nearby News

Dana Point

• 9-Foot Waves, 40 MPH Winds And Flooding Possible In Dana Point Wednesday (patch.com)
• Crumbl Cookies store closures: See the list of doomed locations, even as the company plots a 2026 expansion (fastcompany.com)

San Clemente

• All-County girls volleyball: Layli Ostovar is the OC player of the year (ocregister.com)
• Ramaswamy-Backed Ambros Launches with $125M - Orange County Business Journal (ocbj.com)
• San Clemente's Long Struggle to Save Its Disappearing Coast (voiceofoc.org)

Laguna Beach

Ok San Juan Capistrano! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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