La Jolla News Nuggets: June 4-10

‘Big Bang’ star stops by UCSD, musician preps Stones’ digs, Lightner and Surfrider team up ... and more

‘Big Bang’ and ‘Blossom’ star stops by UCSD

With Mayim Bialik” on May 27 at RIMAC Arena where the TV star known for her roles in the series “The Big Bang Theory” and “Blossom,” which aired 1990-1995, addressed students, faculty staff and alumni. Bialik, who was born in San Diego, began her acting career at age 12. One of her first roles was playing a young Bette Midler in the 1988 film “Beaches.” She later went on to pursue neuroscience at UCLA where she earned a Ph.D. in 2007.

On CBS-TV’s “The Big Bang Theory,” Bialik plays neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler, a role for which she has received one Screen Actors Guild nomination and two Emmy nominations. At the event sponsored by UCSD’s Sixth College, she shared her life’s journey and signed her new cookbook.

La Jolla musician preps Rolling Stones’ digs

La Jolla musician Declan Halloran (of the bands Neveready, Pumphouse and Hand of Gavrilo) helped set up the Rolling Stones’ dressing rooms when the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band kicked off their Zip Code Tour May 24 at Petco Park.

Halloran, a tech employed to help set up and break down stages and haul equipment for local concerts, moved sound equipment and ran cable in the days prior to the Stones’ show. He said it was “a huge job — probably the biggest show I’ve worked.”

He also helped prep the band’s dressing rooms. “Mick Jagger’s dressing room was the entire visiting ball club’s locker room,” he said, noting that lockers and walls had to be obscured from view with black draping. He also helped place loveseats, couches and coffee tables in the dressing rooms.

“It was pretty nice,” Halloran said. “Mick Jagger had one of those seats like you’d sit in if you were going to go see a shrink or a therapist. They had code names for each of the rooms. … Someone said, ‘OK, let’s go into the X-ray,’ which was the code for Keith Richard’s room.”

Sherri Lightner, Surfrider urge area restaurants 
to reduce trash and waste

Surfrider Foundation San Diego along with City Council President Sherri Lightner urge area restaurants to reduce their trash output via Surfrider’s new “Ocean Friendly Restaurants” campaign.

The goal is to reduce beach pollution by having restaurants voluntarily decrease the use of plastic food service items, such as Styrofoam containers, plastic bags and disposable cups and utensils.

“Disposable plastic food-service items made up nearly half of all garbage picked up by Surfrider and Coastkeeper in 2014 during organized beach cleanup efforts,” said Jason Rubin, co-chair of Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics Committee.

During a May 20 campaign kickoff at Wonderland Pub in Ocean Beach, Lightner encouraged restaurants to sign on to the program, which rewards those that voluntarily agree to help decrease beach and ocean pollution. Restaurants that adopt the ocean-friendly requirements are eligible for marketing and promotional support from Surfrider.

ollowing three requirements: No polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) is used; only reusable tableware is used onsite; and proper recycling practices are followed.

Participating restaurants must also meet at least three of the following six criteria: Plastic straws provided only on request; takeout food and beverage containers are recycled, recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable; takeout bags are not made of plastic; takeout bags are provided only upon request (or takeout customers are asked to provide their own takeout bags); disposable utensils are provided only upon request; no beverages are sold in plastic bottles. More information at surfriderSD.org/OFR

San Diego names must-reads for 2015

“The Shadow of the Wind” (La Sombra del Viento) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón is the 2015 “One Book, One San Diego” selection. Set in post-World War II Barcelona, Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, it centers on a young boy who is taken to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library of old titles lovingly preserved. According to tradition, everyone initiated into this secret place is allowed to take one book and must protect it for life. The book the boy chooses opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, madness and love.

The chosen “One Book for Kids” is “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” by William Joyce. The “One Book for Teens” is the graphic novel “The Dumbest Idea Ever” by Jimmy Gownley.

In its ninth year, “One Book, One San Diego” is a community reading program that aims to bring residents together through discussing one book. A committee chose the selections based on 450 nominations submitted by local readers. sandiego.gov/public-library

La Jolla Light reporters win blue ribbons

La Jolla Light reporters Ashley Mackin and Pat Sherman were Blue Ribbon Finalists in the California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA) 2014 Better Newspapers Contest.

Mackin was recognized in the Education Coverage division for her story “Accepting Rachel’s Challenge,” about an anti-bullying program at La Jolla High School.

Sherman was recognized for Best Feature Story with his “Village Street Tale,” about the history of Ivanhoe Avenue.