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Lawrence Family JCC endures numerous bomb threats Following a Feb. 20 bomb threat, which caused La Jolla's Jewish Community Center to be closed and evacuated, officials are struggling to explain why — and what can be done about it. It was the third similar threat this year at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center at 4126 Executive Drive. A 31-year-old man, Juan Thompson, was subsequently arrested March 3 in St. Louis. Thompson has allegedly been linked with at least eight bogus bomb threats made against Jewish Community Centers across the nation, including La Jolla's, as part of a campaign to harass a former girlfriend. In a press release attributed to executive director Michael Cohen, the JCC stated that, at 4:30 p.m. on President's Day, “We received a bomb threat, similar to ones we received in the past and other JCCs have received throughout the country... Law enforcement quickly determined it to be a non-credible hoax. We followed our practiced emergency procedures, and safely evacuated our facility. By 6:20 p.m., San Diego Police had concluded its on site review and the JCC fully reopened to the community by 6:30 p.m.” Concerning such hate crimes, JCC commented, “It is the very nature of who we are, and the
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great diversity of those we serve, that draws attention to our work and our mission. As a JCC, we are part of a national Secure Community Network that monitors, advises, and supports the safety and security of Jewish institutions. “In response to these recent threats across the country, we have been working closely with our local police department and national security agencies to monitor the situation and review our protocols,” continued JCC's comments. “We have been continually briefed by SCN, the Anti-Defamation League and the JCC Association to help us understand the circumstances and support our safety and security efforts. “The JCC’s leadership team and staff continues to work together, practice safety protocols and are prepared to respond to this type of incidents with the support of local law enforcement, including our adjacent neighbors, the San Diego Police Department Northern Division. We continue to take numerous security measures to ensure the safety of our members and guests.” The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." One of the nation's
UCSD archaeologist discovers ancient Mayan pendant
PHOTO BY ERIK JEPSEN/UCSD PUBLICATIONS
Geoffrey Braswell, a professor of anthropology at UCSD, lead the expedition in Nim Li Punit in southern Belize that ultimately uncovered several treasure of the lost civilization. One jewel, in particular, a jade pendant worn on a king’s chest during key religious ceremonies, was first unearthed in 2015. It is now housed at the Central Bank of Belize, along with other national treasures. Braswell and his team have deduced the significance of the rare stone, saying that ‘It literally speaks to us. The story it tells is a short but important one.’ SEE PG. 2 FOR FULL STORY
SEE JCC >> PG. 5
Breeders’ Cup to make long-awaited debut in November BY BLAKE BUNCH Nearly three years in the making, the 34th running of Breeders’ Cup will finally grace the presence “Where the Turf Meets the Surf ” at Del Mar racetrack, on Nov. 3 and 4. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, a grand-scale press conference,
complete with Del Mar Mayor Terry Sinnott and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, worldclass jockeys and a statue of a thoroughbred horse, was held at Del Mar Plaza to formally announce the event. While ticket sales opened March 6 at 9 a.m., the sheer magni-
tude of this event is palpable, and the amount of jobs and revenue it can generate for the city are hailed to be exponential. Laffit Pincay hosted the press event, with Joe Harper, director,
SEE BREEDERS’ >> PG. 4