LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: La Jolla Light Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 issues

Where did the seals at Children’s Pool go?

Where are the harbor seals? Has La Jolla Light written about this turn of events? If not, here is a photo I took at La Jolla Children’s Pool, 11:37 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21.

Sage Tellew

Lack of parking hurts La Jolla Village most of all

After 20 years in business here in La Jolla, we are very concerned with all the empty retail locations and lack of parking. The parking is going to get worse when 1020 Prospect puts in 13 condominiums. They get three spaces each or 39, plus the owner is trying to sell 30 parking spaces for $100,000 each. We have rented two spaces for our employees for 20 years. We have no idea where we — or our customers — will be able to find parking. Everything seems full.

Why the landlords don’t reduce the rent on the empty storefronts is a good question. When we came to La Jolla, we ended up buying the business we are in because it was all that was available. La Jolla has a lot more competition from downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter today, as the Gaslamp’s 20 blocks of stores and restaurants were not there then.

Over the years, there have been many plans and meetings about the parking situation. Many of the proposed locations for a parking garage are no longer available. It’s a shame nothing was ever done. There are only a few ground parking lots left, if the owners would want to build a parking garage. Possibly there is the one by Citibank on Herschel Avenue or the one behind the 1100 block on Prospect Street between the alley and Ivanhoe. One other possibility would be a parking garage under the two cottages on Coast Boulevard. The only other alternative would be to tear some buildings down for a garage like they did in Santa Barbara for the shopping mall with an enclosed parking garage on State Street. Now Santa Barbara is really bustling with locals and tourists.

Clair Thelin, La Jolla Cove Gifts

It’s time for La Jollans to rally for improvements

I concur with Anne Gilchrist in her letter last week. La Jolla is looking more like a Third World city then the “jewel” it once was. All of us in La Jolla must get off our sofas and become involved, not only in our own neighborhoods, but in La Jolla overall.

Our curbs and streets are awful since the water, sewer and infrastructure projects that are underway are taking way too long, and instead of improving the Village, are having the opposite affect and trashing it.

Our city representatives must be held accountable for the condition of La Jolla, but so must we citizens. All of us need to become involved! We can do this! There are processes underway thanks to involved La Jolla citizens. Let’s all get behind their efforts and La Jolla will “shine” again.

Ed Witt

Re: Missing harbor seals at the Children’s Pool

In the Sept. 24 issue, The Light published a photograph of the Children’s Pool purportedly taken at noon on Sept. 21. There were no harbor seals in evidence. There was a rhetorical question asked, “Has La Jolla Light written about this turn of events?” No, they haven’t. And they likely shouldn’t.

Air temperatures in La Jolla have been in the mid- to upper-80s for the past several weeks (temperatures taken in the shade). The temperature on the sand will be 10 or more degrees above the reported air temperature.

Harbor seals are well insulated from the cold by a “fur coat” and thick layer of fat. They cannot long tolerate temperatures approaching or exceeding 100 degrees, hence they abandon the Children’s Pool for cooler climes.

David W. Valentine, Ph.D. Retired Marine Biologist

Seals are avoiding the heat

I am fond of reminding folks “Seals are built to sleep happily on an iceberg.”

Come back at dawn and you will probably see some before they head out for breakfast. Did you know seals sleep underwater to stay cool? I have video of them doing that in the Children’s Pool and waking up unconcerned that I was hovering over them.

John Leek

Less could mean A LOT more

A LOT has happened in our Village since the historic Cove Theatre closed down. Over the years, A LOT of times in La Jolla Light’s 10 Questions column, A LOT of La Jollans confessed they missed it A LOT. So, after finding out about the opening of a new Village movie venue, A LOT of us La Jollans were excited A LOT!

Biking on Fay Avenue A LOT of times, I saw A LOT of workers assuring that construction will not last A LOT of time. Surely, the completion took A LOT less than La Jolla Cove Lifeguard Tower construction, which has been delayed A LOT of times, causing A LOT of frustration to A LOT of beach-users at Scripps Park.

THE LOT looks classy, which makes me think A LOT of dollars were spent on a vision that this place will be suitable to accommodate A LOT of different activities, and offer its visitors A LOT of choices. (Plus the seats look A LOT more comfortable than in most other local public places.)

So will this be a dream come true for A LOT of movie lovers with A LOT of different tastes? Is this going to be a perfect place where you can bring A LOT of friends to have A LOT of fun, finding A LOT more than just films and popcorn? As a huge movie fan, I hope to become a regular user/enjoyer, but I heard the tickets cost A LOT. So let’s remember sometimes “less is more!” Jaruska Solyova

Poetry annual leads to art show

Residents of Vi at La Jolla Village exhibited artwork Sept. 22 that will be used for the San Diego Poetry Annual 2015-16, to be published March 1, 2016. Regional editor Seretta Martin and contributing poet/artist Alison Harding selected the eight winning entries.

“Balboa Park” by Ralph Lazar was chosen for the front cover, and his “Little Italy” will grace the back cover. Vi’s lifestyle director Mellany Hansen coordinated the event. The winning entries were announced at a Champagne reception. The San Diego Poetry Annual is part of the permanent collection of every university and college library in the county, the San Diego City and County Library systems, and the public libraries of independent cities throughout the region. The La Jolla Riford Library has hosted a special reading for the Annual each year, usually in July. For more information, call (760) 728-2088.

Bill Harding

Thoughts on La Jolla’s new movie theater, The Lot

Dear Mr. Fastlicht: You will have immense success in your new venture. We desperately needed movies in this Village! We know most of your customers will be teens and children, however, there are many senior citizens in town who also find movies a really good pastime. Our preferences vary from what’s usual these days. We don’t enjoy extra-terrestrials, vampires and loud special effects. Any afternoon specials you schedule with senior citizens in mind would indeed find us at your new movie house if you offer quality films.

Mabelle Daugherty

Names for La Jolla’s new movie theater

The new local theater should have an appealing name and logo — how about curling waves? I propose these names: Cinerama by the Sea, Breaking Waves, La Jolla Cinema Verité, The Pacific Pearl, La Jolla Cove Theater, Beside the Seaside Theatre.

Joan Wardani

Shop local and Village businesses will thrive

Online shopping is pretty amazing. A few clicks and your item shows up in a few days, if not the same one. Well, you know what else is pretty amazing? It’s the entrepreneurs who have the courage to start their own business.

We have hundreds of them in La Jolla and they need our support. So, here’s a suggestion: Take one purchase you would normally make online this week and buy it locally. Just one. It could be a shirt, a silver necklace or a saucepan. It doesn’t matter.

Local businesses are the heartbeat of our La Jolla community and we need to recognize that if we’re going to replace all those “For Lease” signs with vibrant storefronts. You are the economy, so make the effort to connect with your neighbors and buy just a little more locally. Jeff Bezos will be OK and so will you.

Peter S.W.

The Jewel needs some TLC to shine again

Can you write an article with phone numbers to call so residents can complain about the dreadful litter seen on La Jolla Parkway as one leaves La Jolla to enter the freeway? I’ve never seen it this dreadful. We deserve better!

Another problem is the state of La Jolla sidewalks and curbs. They are in terrible repair — chunks are falling off the curbs and the sidewalks are mismatched and badly patched. They need to be totally redone. The City of San Diego needs to get busy!

Anne Gilchrist

Editor’s Note: You can report street holes and cracks to the city at (619) 527-7500 or request repairs at sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd1 and click on “Service Requests.”