The La Jolla Light -

Gliderport facing pressures from construction, lawsuits

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:29:00 CST

Perched high atop the Pacific bluffs, La Jolla's Torrey Pines Gliderport, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, finds its legal position is getting as precarious as its physical location. The site is facing nearby development encroachments and is wrangling with an environmental watchdog group over its permitted operating conditions.

Two proposed developments nearby would encroach on its domain: a 135,000-square foot, four-story research facility proposed by the San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine and a new 14-story student housing complex planned by UCSD. Aviators believe either development could disrupt - and eventually doom - their facility.

Another development, planned expansion of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has temporarily been shelved due to environmental concerns raised over the existence of vernal pools on its expansion site.

Coincidentally, the gliderport has expansion plans of its own in the works: A proposal to expand the borders of its designated airfield has been submitted to the California State Historical Resources Commission. It requests creation of a 2,000-foot-long, 450-foot-wide landing perimeter.

Finally, the gliderport is contending with the Coastal Law Enforcement Action Network, an environmental watchdog group. In a lawsuit, the Network alleged the city of San Diego, which leases the land at Torrey Pines City Park to gliderport owner David Jebb, illegally allowed Jebb to develop the site with an 800-square-foot trailer, a kitchen, concession stand, bathroom and an observatory deck constructed atop two shipping containers without coastal development permits. The suit also said that Jebb had introduced non-native vegetation to the area, posing a risk to the coastal bluff. The structures involved all have been present on the gliderport site since the 1980s.

A recent settlement of Coastal Law's suit against the city seeks to force Jebb to remove unpermitted structures and irrigation at the site, as well as requiring him to pay legal costs for the city.

"With hundreds of acres of open space on the (Torrey Pines) Mesa, why would you destroy a historic facility like the gliderport, one of five historically designated flight parks in the United States?" asked Jebb. "UCSD's student housing center would interfere with the flight path for gliders which have been flying here for over 80 years, which no longer would be able to fly behind that building and come in to land on the gliderport property."

Jebb, who has owned the gliderport for 12 years, said he believes the university's expansion plans for the site won't stop with its high-rise student center. "I think UCSD has grand plans for developing the entire back lot instead of leaving it as open space," said Jebb. "I believe they want to put buildings and high rises on it which will eventually make this historic site unusable. I think they plan to just take a little at a time."

UCSD disputes that its student housing high-rise will interfere with Torrey Pines Gliderport's functioning. The university also disputes the notion that it "covets" the gliderport's property.

"The student housing high-rise will have no effect on hang gliding, paragliding, or flying remote controlled airplanes at the Gliderport," said the university in a prepared statement. "It is not clear whether the high-rise will affect the operation of fixed-wing glider airplanes that sometimes operate in the area, although we believe the high rise will not.

"UC San Diego is working closely with the fixed-winged glider community to work on solutions that will allow continued fixed-wing glider operations of this site. We are also exploring options with the fixed-wing gilder community that will allow development of future projects including the San Diego Consortium of Regenerative Medicine building as well as the other campus projects and allow continued operation of fixed-wing gliders. UC San Diego has no plans that would impair hang gliding, paragliding, or flying remote controlled airplanes at the Gliderport."

Marcia Hanscom of the Coastal Law Enforcement Action Network said her environmental watchdog group intends to keep holding Jebb's feet to the fire to ensure the gliderport is meeting all its legal obligations.

"Most of what Jebb and his company have done there is unpermitted," said Hanscom. "Most of those structures he's built out there have no permits whatsoever with the city or the Coastal Commission."

Hanscom alleges the gliderport's operations imperil the surrounding environment. "He has installed a lawn and a serious irrigation network ... bluffs are very sensitive geologically and you start watering heavily into bluffs and they can easily fall, presenting a safety hazard given there is a state beach down below."

Jebb said he believes he's been unfarily treated. He compared the situaion to David vs. Goliath - only David might not win this time. "I've been cited for some really dishonest and really hypocritical enforcement," he said. "UCSD is such a big gigantic power, even the Coastal Commission won't bother them. They can throw gravel down, knock down beautiful trees, put in driveways and move thousands of tons of dirt around. I move a wheelbarrrel and I get cited for it. They've sued me for having palm trees here."

"This is one of the few open space parks left," Jebb said. "We do free flying here, share the joy of free flight with the city of San Diego and pilots from all over the world. It's really an asset for the city, and particularly for the citizens of La Jolla and thousands of guests here every week. This is one of the last places on Earth of its kind. It's not right for a political entity to come in and say, 'We're going to do what we want to do and we couldn't care less about your historical significance.'

"I'm a little businessman. My wife, son and daughter work here. We're just getting by. We're the caretakers of this property. It seems like every time we turn around, we're getting kicked by someone or stomped on. Once this place is gone - it's never going to come back. It's going to be gone forever."

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Six UCSD scientists receive NARSAD's prestigious 2008 Young Investigator Award

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:32:00 CST

Six scientists from the University of California, San Diego have been selected by NARSAD, the world's leading charity dedicated to mental health research, to each receive a 2008 Young Investigator Award.

The UC San Diego scientists are six of 220 early-career scientists in the United States and 11 other countries who will receive funds this year from NARSAD (formerly known as the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression) to advance their research on psychiatric disorders.

Each of the scientists will receive $60,000 from NARSAD over the next two years to study a variety of topics:

Adam R. Aron, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, plans to evaluate hypomania, or a mood state characterized by racing thoughts and �disinhibited� behavior, by examining the neuropsychiatric effects of deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson�s disease.

Tiffany A. Greenwood, Ph.D., assistant adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry, will utilize DNA microarray technology, which facilitates the simultaneous study of multiple gene interactions, to construct a custom �gene chip� to identify candidate genes related to mental illness. This research builds on a previous NARSAD-funded study led by UCSD colleague David Braff, M.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Schizophrenia Program at UCSD School of Medicine, who was awarded a NARSAD Distinguished Investigator award in 2007.

Arpi Minassian, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry, will study the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene in 84 patients with manic bipolar disorder. The study will assess the impact of varying levels of dopamine in the frontal cortex, with the potential to predict inhibition and other types of behavior in bipolar patients.

Terunaga Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will study gross anatomical defects in the brains of individuals with mental disorders. By evaluating the development of glutamate receptors at the molecular level, this research may help pave the way for future therapeutic and diagnostic methods.

Martin Weber, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry, will use animal models to study potentially novel drugs for schizophrenia and biochemical pathways central to the disease.

Jared W. Young, Ph.D., postdoctoral employee in the Department of Psychiatry, is using mice to determine a viable way to utilize nicotine as a therapeutic treatment option for cognitive therapy in patients with schizophrenia. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) may exert pro-cognitive effects of nicotine without any deleterious side-effects, thus paving the way to development of a drug that will improve the lives of schizophrenia patients.

NARSAD created the Young Investigator Award to help the most promising scientists who are now entering research post-doctoral fellows, advanced-standing medical residents, and assistant professors to generate pilot data necessary for larger grants. The awardees were selected by NARSAD�s Scientific Council, comprised of 103 prominent leaders in mental health research, which reviews the project proposals to select innovative, promising studies for funding support.

Traffic delays expected July 23; emergency training at Scripps

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:23:00 CST

Motorists can expect temporary traffic delays Wednesday, July 23, from approximately 8 to 9 a.m. near the Genesee Avenue vehicle entrance to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, located at 9888 Genesee Ave.

The expected delays will stem from an emergency training event at the hospital, where Scripps care givers and law enforcement personnel will conduct a simulated response to a mock bio-terrorism attack. The event is part of Golden Phoenix 08, a coordinated training event that will take place around the county July 21-24.

At approximately 8 a.m. on July 23, two H-46 military helicopters will land on the helipad at the rear of Scripps La Jolla and will dispatch two dozen law enforcement officers dressed in full decon gear. The officers will proceed to the main traffic intersection at the hospital just off of Genesee Avenue, where they will practice traffic control by setting up barricades and inspecting all vehicles that enter the hospital campus from approximately 8 to 9 a.m.

Local law enforcement agencies will practice protecting the hospital as one of the critical infrastructure assets to maintain operational during any disaster. The San Diego Fire Department will also practice "wash downs" of victims and first responders "contaminated" with bio-terrorism materials.

Scripps Health has a strong track record of planning for and responding to disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the 2007 San Diego wildfires. Scripps also has an office of disaster preparedness that is staffed full time to develop disaster response strategies for its five hospital campuses and 10 Scripps Clinic locations.

ABOUT SCRIPPS HEALTH
Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion non-profit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 11,600 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of clinics, physician offices and outpatient centers. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.

'Inside SDPD': Citizens go behind the scenes

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:27:00 CST

The San Diego Police Foundation and San Diego Police Department officers invite citizens to an interactive "Inside SDPD" program from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 12, at Miramar College.

The suggested donation is $20 per person ($15 for senior citizens and students over 18).

Registration is available online, e-mail info@sdpolicefoundation.org, or by calling (858) 453-5060. Registration deadline is July 9.

Participants will have a unique opportunity to test their law enforcement mettle in use-of-force, vehicle stop and firearms training scenarios. Executive Police Assistant Chief David Ramirez and some of "America's Finest" police officers will participate.

The program is part of the Foundation's outreach efforts to foster greater understanding between the community and law enforcement officers.

Founded in 1998, the San Diego Police Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been benefiting communities through public safety and law enforcement solutions. It has awarded grants totaling more than $2.8 million through the support of individuals, service organizations and businesses. The grants are filling training, equipment and program needs vital to law enforcement efficiency.

A-list superheroes and comic artists mingle at the Athenaeum

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:19:00 CST

The crowd chuckled as comic artist Oliver Nome drew a shirt with the words "Leave Britney Alone" on his creation. As you probably well know, those were the words that made no-name Chris Crocker an Internet celebrity after millions of people watched his video � complete with thick eyeliner and crying � defending Britney Spears' lackluster performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Pop culture is humorous, even idiotic at times. But, most important, it's entertaining.

Nome captured that notion, along with the audience, at last Thursday's pre-opening look at "Thought to Pop," which really wasn't about washed-up pop princesses. The event, put on by the museum's A List committee, introduced this exhibition that's about superheroes and the people who draw them.

The work of eight WildStorm Productions artists, including that of the legendary Jim Lee, is featured in the exhibit. Along with Nome, Joel Gomez, Eddie Nunez and several others from La Jolla-based comic arts company were there drawing on the walls, signing autographs and meeting their fans.

Comic worshipers came dressed as Batman, Superman, Clark Kent, Aquaman, Catwoman and the Green Hornet's sidekick, Kato. The women on The A List committee wore T-shirts that donned a pseudo-Superman logo, only instead of a giant "S" theirs read, "The A List."

The A List committee is made up of eight women who put together bimonthly events geared toward Gen X and Y. These events, which are open to both A List members and nonmembers, are all about mingling among those who love contemporary art and music.

At the "Thought to Pop" event, Hellhound performed electro-pop music while wearing pirate garb, then Cathy "DJ OMG" de la Cruz spun club tracks. Karl Strauss provided the beer and The A List committee gave away door prizes and stick-on tattoos.

The event was attended by Annina Torri, Sandy Webster and Kristina Meek, who are on The A List committee. Cyndy Stalmaster, Blair Tuckman, Barry Raspotnik, Vic Ferreira, Percy Bojador and Erika Torri, who is chair of the art committee, were also there.

"Thought to Pop" will be on view at the Athenaeum through July 26. For more information, click here.

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Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:00 CST

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Costs skyrocket for Cove fireworks

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:53:00 CST

It wouldn't be the Fourth of July without the annual fireworks display at the Cove, which is co-sponsored by restaurateur George Hauer and First Republic Bank.

The pyrotechnic classic, now in its 24th year, not only gets bigger and better each year, but more expensive.

The primary reason: The city no longer is willing - or able - to pick up the whole tab for required public services such as police protection.

"In 2003, the City Council passed an ordinance establishing rates for special events," said Lt. Dan Christman of the San Diego Police Department, who is in charge of special events for the city of San Diego. "The city has been making a concerted effort since then to bring all the events under compliance with the municipal code. It is simply a more transparent process. You know what the community pays for versus what the city pays for."

In prior years, Hauer has only had to obtain a park use permit to host the Fourth of July celebration. Now he's being required to get a special event permit to stage the event. While there is not a great difference in the cost of the two permits, the scope of services mandated by a special use permit adds to the expense.

"George (Hauer) was hoping maybe we could put the billing off for another year," said Christman. "But it's not fair to people we billed last year for events like this."

How much additional expense will a special-use permit entail?

"Police services for this will be in the neighborhood of $2,500 to $2,600," said Christman. "Then there are additional costs, like some $400 for posting of event notice signs, which organizers of events through the city always pay. This needs a special event permit because it requires the closure of a street. It's got a large gathering of people, and it requires police services, that pretty much means you need a special-event permit."

Christman noted there are 400 special event permits issued by the city of San Diego throughout the year for all manner of public events that require streets to be closed down, or public parks to be used. "We do 1,600 to 2,000 park-use permits a year," he added.

Regardless of increasing costs, Hauer said the show will go on again this Friday, July 4. But, he noted the amount of bureaucratic red tape that is now required to stage the fireworks display, compared to the way things were when he started out doing it more than 20 years ago, is alarming.

"I really can't complain because it's been a big event, and for quite some time they have been cutting us some slack on all the approvals," said Hauer. "But this year, I've got seven different (city) departments I have to get approvals from, the most difficult being police and fire, and for good reason."

It's not so much the event itself but the aftermath that proves troublesome, when it comes to crowd control and traffic circulation. Said Hauer: "After the event is over, everybody is so intent on getting out of there that cars start roaring around and there are still people on the street and the concern is that some people are going to get run over."

Hauer added Coast Boulevard will be closed from the lifeguard staCosts skyrocket for Cove fireworkstion over to South Coast Boulevard, which will be closed to parking from 5 to 10 p.m. on the Fourth. Cave Street going down to the Cove will also be closed to through traffic during the same hours on the holiday.

Hauer would not say if costs might weigh against future Cove displays. "Right now we have to deal with today," he said. "I can't make any comment on what's going to happen next."

There are a couple of other popular Independence Day events celebrated elsewhere in LA Jolla. The 29th annual Beaumont Avenue 4th of July Celebration in Bird Rock, will have a parade beginning at 10 a.m. starting at Camino de la Costa and ending at the cul-de-sac behind the Methodist Church.

At the end of the parade, there is a celebration with music and food, hot dogs, popcorn and homemade cookies. Live entertainment is being provided once again by the Sophisticats band.

Julie Cockrell, co-chair of the Bird Rock parade, along with Erica Meyer, said the event is now intricately woven into the fabric of the community. "It's just a real neighborhood tradition," she said. "Everybody in the community looks forward to it. The spirit of the holiday, the summer: It's just part of the community."

Also not to be missed is the homegrown Beach-Barber Tract parade begun by Max and Melissa Elliott in 1974.

The bash started out small, 10 kids and some parents. Cookie tins with straps on them and chopsticks for drums and wagons with stuffed animals in them. Somebody's kid had a bugle. Someone else had a pair of old, gold go-go boots they wore. Neighborhood kids went around the block then through to White Sands Retirement Center. At the end, watermelon and lemonade were consumed and participants sang "God Bless America."

Fireworks Schedule
Law Enforcement for Fourth of July

Store fire caught before catastrophe

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:16:00 CST

Smoke- and fire-damaged Seaside Home, an upscale home design store and atelier at 7509 Girard Ave., has one of its neighbors to thank for their business sustaining $200,000-plus in damages to structure and contents rather than being a total loss.

The Seaside Home fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, June 20, said a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department dispatcher. Flames burned the store's roof and part of its attic, the dispatcher said, adding that it took firefighters about 40 minutes to knock down the blaze.

Chance, and a good sense of smell, led computer technician Shaun Salehyan, employed with PC Help Desk at 1010 Pearl St., Suite 10, which shares the same building as Seaside, to first detect the fire at the La Jolla furniture store and then report it.

"I happened to be attending a birthday party for a friend at The Living Room (coffee lounge at 1010 Prospect St.)," said Salehyan, who commutes to work from Tierrasanta, "and on the way home about 2:30 a.m. I decided to stop in at the office to check to see if our neon light had been turned off, grab a book and see if there were any computers that needed to be taken care of. I smelled smoke and I looked around the office, but didn't see anything."

Salehyan went outside the building to check for smoke, but it was so foggy he still couldn't detect anything. Undaunted, he decided to go up on the roof of the building accessed by a trap door inside his boss's office. "I said to myself, 'Check one more time,' " he said. "When I got to the top I saw that one corner section of the building was just blazing, so I rushed down and called the fire department."

Due to the weather conditions at the time and the fact that it was 3:30 a.m. by that time, responding firefighters told Salehyan he almost certainly saved the building - and the day - through his tenacious curiosity and fortuitous timing. "A fireman told me if I hadn't smelled it and realized it was a fire," said Salehyan, "that with the fog, probably no one would have noticed it until 5 or 6 a.m., and by that time the building would have been gone."

The computer technician added that a power line near the building was also in danger of igniting an electrical fire which could have further spread the blaze.

"It was just a coincidence that I happened to be there," noted Salehyan. "I'm usually not in La Jolla at that time."

Salehyan added the latest wildfire outbreak last October, in which his Tierrasanta residence was threatened, has taught him that "you might as well be safe, than sorry."

Damage to La Jolla's two-story Seaside Home business sustained an estimated $100,000 to its structure. There were no injuries as the business was unoccupied in the wee hours of the morning.

Sheryll Jackman, owner of Seaside Home Corporation, which includes two other stores in the county, said her La Jolla store reopened later the same day of the blaze. "We had to replace the door that the firemen broke into," Jackman said, "but there were so many people who wanted to come in, we decided to reopen."

Jackman said her business was fully insured, but added the smoke and water damage was extensive. "We lost $150,000 of product," she said, "and we have to fix the building."

Concerning the cause of the blaze, Jackman passed along what she was told by fire investigators. "The building was being reroofed and it was mops covered with tar that were left that had gotten hot during the day that ignited spontaneously and the ocean breezes spread it," she said she was told.

A buzz at the library

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:16:00 CST

The La Jolla Library, 7555 Draper Ave. was buzzing and chirping, June 25, as the Lovebug Band persented an interactive musical program for pre-school to third-grade children.

The event was part of the library's summer reading program. Click here for details on the program.

Campaign season gets going

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:12:00 CST

"50 over 50 for Obama" held a rally at the La Jolla Recreation Center on June 28 as one of 4,000 "Unite for Change" events organized by volunteers last Saturday across the country.