La Jolla News Nuggets: Sidewalk vending law, new sports courts, UCSD funding, ‘Reading with Dogs,’ more
Coastal Commission may extend its review period for sidewalk vending law
The California Coastal Commission will consider a request to extend for up to one year its review period for the city of San Diego’s sidewalk vending ordinance.
Should the staff-recommended extension be approved at the commission’s September meeting, the panel would have until next fall to review and vote on the ordinance.
The entire ordinance went into effect in most of the city June 22, but restrictions focusing largely on where vendors can operate can’t be enforced in the coastal zone, including most of La Jolla, until the Coastal Commission approves them. Other regulations for permitting and health and safety are in effect.
Once the commission reviews the vending ordinance, the law would go back to the City Council for adoption of any amendments the commission recommends. Two council hearings would be required — one for discussion and one for a vote. The regulations would go into effect 30 days after the second hearing.
All Hallows Academy opens school year with new sports courts
All Hallows Academy in La Jolla opened for its first day of school Aug. 22 with a ribbon cutting for its new sports courts.
The new courts include more than 5,000 square feet spread over two basketball/volleyball courts and one peewee court. The hoops on the courts are adjustable and the courts are lined and equipped for All Hallows’ middle school volleyball teams.
In addition, the private school resurfaced three wall ball courts and seven foursquare courts and installed a new scoreboard for the peewee soccer field.
“Learning about sportsmanship is a big part of our school, and this ... will be enjoyed every day, along with our school site serving as host to parochial sports league games across basketball, soccer and more,” All Hallows Parent Teacher Group President Leigh Palmer said in a statement.
The courts were paid for by fundraising among parents.
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La Jolla philanthropists donate to support UCSD Health Emergency Department
La Jolla residents Leo and Emma Zuckerman have established the Leo and Emma Zuckerman Emergency Department Transformation and Wellness Fund at UC San Diego.
The gift, the amount of which was not disclosed, was made after the Zuckermans received emergency medical care from the Gary and Mary West Emergency Department at Jacobs Medical Center at UCSD Health last year.
In recognition of the gift, the Emergency Department will be home to the Leo and Emma Zuckerman Welcome Center and Team Wellness Center.
The Zuckermans designated their gift to support enhancements to the department’s waiting area and care spaces, as well as creation of a new staff wellness center.
The funds also will support improved implementation of technology within the department.
UC San Diego reports record research funding for everything from climate change to COVID
UC San Diego reported record research funding for fiscal 2021, enabling the university to explore everything from climate change to COVID-19 to tobacco use.
For the 13th consecutive year, UCSD broke the $1 billion mark, pulling in $1.64 billion — $100 million more than it received a year earlier.
The university averaged roughly $5 million a day in new money, keeping it among the 10 largest research schools in the country.
UCSD received hundreds of millions of dollars in health- and medicine-related studies, including grants to explore and fight COVID-19.
The campus also got $25.6 million from the National Science Foundation to look for better ways to integrate different sources of energy — including solar panels and wind turbines — into power grids. The school has become a test bed for such research.
And UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography received $11.2 million from the U.S. Defense Department to upgrade and improve computing, instrumentation and labs aboard the research ships it operates. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
La Jolla/Riford Library goes to the dogs
The La Jolla/Riford Library hosted a “Reading with Dogs” program Aug. 19.
Volunteers from the San Diego Humane Society took nine therapy dogs to the library for children to read to.
Youth services librarian Katia Graham said “it was paws-itively amazing” and that the children cozied up to read to the canine ambassadors.
Every child also received a free copy of the Humane Society’s “Baby Animals” book. The library’s Summer Reading Program ends Wednesday, Aug. 31.
For more information about the San Diego Humane Society, visit sdhumane.org.
La Jolla’s Sanford Burnham Prebys plants milkweed to help monarch butterflies
To help protect the monarch butterfly, which was added to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s list of endangered species July 21 due to its dwindling numbers, La Jolla research institution Sanford Burnham Prebys is planting milkweed on campus.
SBP has planted several milkweed plants along its walkways to provide shelter and a place for adult butterflies to lay eggs. Milkweed is the only plant monarch caterpillars eat. Dozens of monarchs already have been seen on the milkweed outside Building 1.
Combating the dimming kaleidoscope of monarch butterflies, a group of concerned senior citizens at the White Sands La Jolla retirement community is continuing its work to increase the local population of the colorful creatures.
Habitat destruction from agriculture and urban development, along with declining milkweed caused by drought and fire, have decimated the butterfly population, according to IUCN.
The milkweed planting is the latest in a series of environmental steps Sanford Burnham Prebys has taken. It has been recognized for its water-saving landscaping and recently completed a sweeping round of solar energy upgrades.
Country Day basketball players part of gold-winning Team USA
La Jolla Country Day School basketball players Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams (both members of the class of 2023) took home the gold medal as part of the Team USA U17 squad at the 2022 FIBA Women’s U17 World Cup last month in Debrecen, Hungary.
Cunningham “was running up her best numbers at the right time. She finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, a single-game-best five steals and one block,” according to a statement from LJCDS.
Last year, Williams signed a multiyear partnership with Spalding to become the sporting goods maker’s latest brand ambassador for basketball equipment and sportswear.
Hearing for Hillside Drive home project delayed
A city of San Diego hearing to determine the fate of a La Jolla home development project that was reviewed locally six times before ultimately gaining support was continued one more month.
Ahead of a planned Aug. 17 meeting with a hearing officer, city staff received a new set of plans for the development and requested a continuance to Sept. 22 to allow enough time to review them.
The project, planned for 7595 Hillside Drive, got the La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee’s approval in February 2021. The applicant seeks site development and coastal development permits to demolish a home and build a new 7,091-square-foot, two-story house. Little of it would be visible from the street, since much would be built into the hillside. However, the building’s overall height proved problematic at previous hearings.
La Jollan Phil Merten, who spoke against the project when it was reviewed by local planning groups, supported the city continuance because of what he called “a number of significant issues with building design and public safety issues along the street.”
— Compiled by La Jolla Light staff ◆
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