OPINION
Page a18 - MAY 19, 2011 - LA JOLLA LIGHT
online Poll should la Jolla be unified in council District 1 during the redistricting process? Absolutely
37%
What is it?
37%
No, I like it now
26%
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La JoLLa
Light 565 Pearl St., Suite 300 La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 459-4201
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The La Jolla Light (USPS 1980) is published every Thursday by San Diego Suburban News, a division of MainStreet Communications. Adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation by Superior Court No. 89376, April 1, 1935. Copyright © 2011 MainStreet Communications. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this publication may be reproduced in any medium, including print and electronic media, without the express written consent of MainStreet Communications.
Phyllis Pfeiffer Publisher Kathy Day Executive Editor kday@lajollalight.com SUSAN DeMAGGIO Lifestyles Editor lifestyles@lajollalight.com Phil Dailey Sports Editor phildailey@lajollalight.com GraiG harris Online Manager graigh@lajollalight.com Daniel lew Page Designer Karen BillinG, Dave schwaB, Marlena chavira-MeDforD Reporters Matt crist, ashley GooDin, roBert lane, claire otte, anna Mitchell, Jennifer Bryan Advertising Dara elstein Business Manager John feaGans Graphics Manager Melissa Macis Senior Designer
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La Jolla’s finest bloomed beautifully at tour time Our View Each week, the La Jolla Light gives kudos to those shopkeepers and property owners who go the extra distance to make the town more visually appealing. This week, we wanted to give a special kudos to the La Jolla Historical Society for its knock-your-socks-off garden tour last Saturday. And what a coup the society pulled off. The final house on the 13th annual Secret Garden Tour of Old La Jolla (which doubles as a fund-raiser for the society’s programs and projects) was the estate of Ron Burkle, the self-
made billionaire founder of Yucaipa Companies. The six-acre property, perched atop a La Jolla Farms prominence, has got to be one of the most exquisite properties in the country if not the world. Those lucky enough to buy tickets to the garden tour felt as if they were transported to one of the great estates of Europe. Text messages were flying all day Saturday as tour-goers encouraged family and friends to join the tour and see the fabulous home above Black’s Beach.
Each of the gardens on the tour provided a view of some of the best outdoor spaces enjoyed by La Jollans. So thanks to the La Jolla Historical Society and the residents who graciously opened their gardens and homes for the community to visit. And special thanks to Ron Burkle for allowing us a glimpse of a small slice of heaven. Kerry Klein is next year’s chair of the garden selection committee and is asking the community to nominate great gardens for the tour. If you know of one, call her at (858) 692-3983. Her goal is to top this year’s successful event.
Generosity raises a total of $156K for ‘conquer the cuts’
COMMuNiTY LeaDer’s View
COMMuNiTY LeaDer’s View By BeTh PeNNy ANd dANA irwiN Chairs, La Jolla High School Conquer the Cuts Committee
Thanks to our generous donors, the Conquer the Cuts campaign raised a grand total of $156,000. We were thrilled with the outpouring of support from parents and the community for “Conquer the Cuts,” and it was inspiring to see the ASB pep rallies and donations from our students and teachers, too! It may have seemed a bit strange to end the campaign during the week that the district distributed 700 lay-off notices, and the day that the PTA rallied at Seaport Village against the budget cuts. We promised a campaign that would have a clear beginning and end, and so we “officially” concluded on May 13 as promised. However as these difficult weeks of budget negotiation progress, the Foundation of LJHS “Conquer the Cuts” account will remain open to accept any donations to help preserve the outstanding reputation of La Jolla High School. We were so happy to have started the
campaign out with a $10,000 gift from the Roger, Rosalind and Chance Abbott Family. It prompted a wonderful domino effect throughout the parent community of La Jolla High. In the final days of the campaign, a matching grant offered by a member of the La Jolla Foundation, elicited another $10,000 within 15 hours. Teacher Appreciation Week yielded several tributes to our dedicated teachers and really got the students involved. We were particularly moved by the pep rallies and donations from the students. We are so grateful to the La Jolla Light for their weekly coverage and feel reassured that La Jolla High has strong partners in the battle to preserve the academic excellence of our school. Although there are many budget battles ahead, we think “Conquer the Cuts” was a great lesson in civic responsibility for the students. They were not required to participate, but they saw the problem and decided they wanted to make a difference. This generation will need energetic leaders who can be creative and positive in seeking efficient solutions to the world’s challenges.
YOur View
Dog ban upholds Marine Mammal act In the recent ban of dogs from the La Jolla Children’s Pool, the City Council has committed to uphold the 1975 Marine Mammal Protection Act, which bars any interference with the natural behavior of marine mammals. Although I love dogs and volunteer with a local animal shelter, I distrust the dogs’ owners who don’t respect the seals’ needs for protection and repose.
entrepreneurs CONNeCT with future innovators
In prohibiting dogs from the vicinity of Casa Beach (The Children’s Pool), seals have one fewer battle to fight when resting on the shore because owners don’t always restrain dogs from scaring the seals. The next step is for the city to create a Marine Mammal Park at Casa Beach, which would serve public education, promote safe viewing of harbor seals and guarantee quiet interlude for the seals while they’re not hunting for food. Courtney Hibbard La JoLLa
By sTeve hOey Senior Program Manager CONNECT Currently, San Diego faces an alarming mismatch between the interests of students and the workforce needs of our growing innovation economy. According to a survey by the regional trade organization San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego alone faces a shortage of 5,000 to 10,000 engineers. In an effort to combat this emerging problem, CONNECT has developed the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program. Supported by grants from Biogen Idec and SDG&E, CONNECT’s program brings entrepreneurs from local technology and life science companies with unique and interesting products into the classrooms of San Diego’s middle and high schools to impress upon the students the importance and relevance of an education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and inspire and encourage students to pursue courses, degrees, and careers in related fields. Participating schools include The Preuss School, High Tech Middle and High Schools, and Horace Mann Middle School. Using their innovative products as tangible examples, these entrepreneurs connect with the students
on a personal level and encourage them to think about future career possibilities. “Not only can they speak to the benefits of a background in the sciences, technology, engineering and math sectors, but they can also relate their personal experiences with the lifechanging discoveries and fascinating creations that come out of these empowering subjects,” said Kevin Dunn, who manages the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program at CONNECT. Still in its first year of operation, the Entrepreneurs for Young Innovators program has effectively inspired over 900 middle and high school students to actively seek high school diplomas and pursue additional coursework in technology and life science by introducing them to charismatic entrepreneurs. Students surveyed reported their interest in life science and technology increased as a result of the presentation. In addition, 80% of students credited the program for having a positive impact on their aspirations to attend college. “I had never in my life heard the word ‘entrepreneur’ and now that I know its meaning it has inspired me to go to college,” commented one of the students participating in the program.
see CONNeCT, A19