La Jolla News Nuggets: Historic house, Casa de Mañana, San Diego Art Prize, research grants, more
News and events briefs
House on La Jolla’s Virginia Way is deemed historic
A home in La Jolla’s Village was designated historic during the San Diego Historical Resources Board’s July 27 meeting.
The house, at 1570 Virginia Way, was designated on the board’s consent agenda, which is approved all at once without discussion or presentation. The property, with a period of significance of circa 1911, was designated under HRB Criterion A, indicating it exemplifies or reflects special elements of a community’s or neighborhood’s historical, archaeological, cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, landscaping or architectural development.
The home “embodies the character-defining features of Beach Cottage architecture ... part of a finite and limited number of beach cottages remaining which reflect the early development history of La Jolla and retain integrity for that association,” according to a city report.
The designation includes the cobblestone retaining walls flanking the driveway but excludes the modified garage and 1957 second-story addition.
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Casa de Mañana seeking old photos for centennial celebration
As the Casa de Mañana senior-living facility prepares for its centennial celebration on July 4, 2024, residents are looking for photos of events at the property between 1924 and 1953 and any documents or stories related to Isabel Morrison Hopkins, the original owner and manager.
Casa de Mañana, originally a hotel, was sold in 1944 but remained a hotel until 1953, when it was sold to Pacific Homes Corp. and began operating as a retirement community.
“We know there were charity balls and holiday celebrations, lectures and musical concerts, as well as a horned toad derby and a bullfight, war-related activities and much more,” said resident Brigid O’Farrell.
To provide information, especially photographs, email mbrigidofarrell@gmail.com or call (650) 867-0745.
Two UCSD instructors claim 2023 San Diego Art Prize
Two UC San Diego professors in La Jolla are among the sculpture and mixed-media artists who received the 2023 San Diego Art Prize and whose work will be on display starting this fall. They are professor of visual arts Anya Gallaccio and assistant professor of visual arts Janelle Iglesias.
Other prize recipients are Joe Yorty and Mely Barragán.
Much of Gallaccio’s work is of an ephemeral nature, relying on organic materials to make site-specific installations. Iglesias has constructed works using a variety of media, from terra cotta pots and palm husks to plastic leaves and plastic foam coolers.
The four artists’ works will be showcased Oct. 28 through Jan. 13 at the San Diego Central Library Gallery in an exhibition curated by Lara Bullock, senior civic art manager for the city of San Diego. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
UC San Diego doctor receives grant to study children’s cancer
Dr. Hari Narayan, an assistant professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, has received a $330,000 research grant to develop new tools designed to prevent heart failure in children caused by cancer treatments that may injure the heart.
The grant is part of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s recent awards of more than $8.4 million in research money intended to accelerate scientific discoveries to fight pediatric cancer.
Scripps Oceanography is awarded $2 million for coastal monitoring program
As part of recent statewide budget allotments, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla was awarded $2 million for its multiyear coastal monitoring program that will conduct high-resolution airborne remote sensing surveys of the entire California coast.
“Analysis of the repeat annual surveys will update our baseline conditions and provide a new time series of coastal erosion at unprecedented resolution,” according to spokeswoman Lauren Fimbres Wood. “The results will provide quantitative assessment of the state’s changing coastal conditions, a crucial step toward developing robust coastal resilience approaches under our changing climate.”
La Jolla student named one of top leadership school graduates by Young Marines
The Young Marines National Leadership Academy has named Tristan Vuong, a student at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, one of its top 10 graduates of the 2023 National Leadership Academy Advanced Leadership School.
The Young Marines is a national youth organization for boys and girls from age 8 through high school. Tristan earned the honor by demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities.
At the academy July 8-15 in San Pedro, participants developed their leadership, mentorship and management skills while competing in physical challenges and being evaluated on their knowledge, skills and abilities.
Tristan graduated third in his academy’s class. His goal is to attend the Naval Academy as a cadet and basketball player. He plans to become a sports medicine specialist with the goal of treating NBA athletes.
Resident Brewing names beer after La Jolla ocean adventure company
San Diego-based Resident Brewing Co. recently announced a new beer named after La Jolla-based Everyday California, an ocean adventure and apparel company. The beer is called Everyday California Coastal Ale.
“This light, unfiltered ale embodies the adventurous offerings of Everyday California with bright, crisp and refreshing flavors featuring citrus peel and herbal spice,” according to a news release.
The 6 percent alcohol beer is available at select bars, restaurants and liquor stores across San Diego and at Resident Brewing’s tasting room in downtown San Diego.
“Our goal at Everyday California has always been to make fun happen and embrace the beautiful outdoors,” said Everyday California founder Chris Lynch. “We are excited to launch this beer that captures the essence of the California coast for people to enjoy after their next adventure.”
Ballot measure seeks to break up city attorney roles
A ballot measure proposed for the November 2024 ballot would chop the job of the San Diego city attorney into two parts — one person for criminal cases and another for civil matters.
The civil side of the job, which includes handling litigation and advising city officials on legal issues, would no longer be an elected position. Instead, the City Council would hire a lawyer to handle those duties.
The criminal side of the job, which includes prosecuting misdemeanors such as drunken driving and domestic violence, would be handled by someone who would continue to be elected by city voters every four years.
The proposed change got strong support from the City Council four years ago but didn’t make the November 2020 ballot because there wasn’t enough time to complete negotiations with labor unions representing employees who would be affected. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
La Jolla groups helping to bring Little Amal to San Diego
Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee girl, will interact with the public at multiple San Diego locations Nov. 3-5 as the finale of Amal’s 6,000-mile, 35-city walking tour of the United States.
Though Little Amal’s walking itinerary in San Diego has not been announced, the local partnering organizations that will collaborate on the local “welcoming” events were unveiled last week. Among the La Jolla partners are La Jolla Playhouse, UC San Diego, UCSD-CASA Community Station, UCSD-Alacran Community Station and UCSD Center on Global Justice.
Amal Walks Across America is the centerpiece of the nonprofit The Walk Productions, which is producing a global series of festivals and educational events to help draw attention to the plight of people, particularly young people, whose lives have been uprooted by war, famine and corruption in their home countries. The name Amal means “hope” in Arabic. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
Salk scientists study role of fat and muscle loss in fighting infection
Though infections can present with many different symptoms, one common symptom is the loss of fat and muscle, a process called wasting. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla wanted to know whether wasting is beneficial in fighting infections.
Researchers in professor Janelle Ayres’ lab determined that the wasting response to T. brucei infection in mice occurs in two phases, each regulated by different immune cells. While fat loss did not help the fight against infection, muscle loss did — a surprising clue that some wasting may help manage illness.
According to Salk, the findings, published July 24 in Cell Reports, could aid development of more-effective therapeutics that spare people from wasting and increase scientists’ understanding of how wasting influences survival and morbidity across infections, cancers, chronic illnesses and more.
— Compiled by La Jolla Light staff ◆
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