The Conrad goes solar
The La Jolla Music Society this month completed installation of an array of solar panels on the roof of its home, the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. With 237 panels each generating 425 watts, expected monthly savings on energy are projected to be 25 percent, or more than $1.3 million over the next 30 years.
Music Society donors Raffaella and John Belanich and Bebe and Marvin Zigman led fundraising efforts with major donations to cover the $307,000 cost of installation.
The Conrad’s construction was completed in 2019. Though the solar array was not included in the original building design, infrastructure was designed to help with future expansion, according to a news release.
The Conrad is at 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla.
La Jolla students are regional winners in Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Several students from La Jolla schools were chosen as regional winners in the 2022 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which honor teenagers in grades 7-12 in 28 categories of art and writing.
La Jolla Country Day students Asya Lyubavina and Rachel Yang won Gold Key awards for art. Rachel also won a Silver Key for art. Gold Key entries are considered for national awards, which will be announced in the spring.
La Jolla Country Day student Elinor Amir-Lobel earned a Silver Key award in writing.
In art, Bishop’s School students Annie Fang, Annika Haagensen, Elizabeth Jin, Grace Sun and Ellen Wang were Gold Key winners. Annie, Annika and Aria Lui won Silver Keys.
Bishop’s students who won Gold Keys for writing are Jeremy Feng, Emma Hong, Kasie Leung, Crystal Li, Katelyn Wang and Shirley Xu. Emma, Crystal, Grace, Katelyn, Shirley, Eli Browne, Emmie Kao, Angelina Kim, Kasie Leung, Sabrina Li and Alicia Zhou won Silver Keys in writing.
La Jolla High School student Madeline Sornson won a Gold Key in writing.
City collecting feedback on infrastructure repairs
The city of San Diego is collecting feedback through Monday, Feb. 28, on how it should prioritize infrastructure projects citywide. A survey has been created and can be found at sandiego.gov/prioritizingCIPsurvey.
The survey asks questions such as what projects the community needs the most (from water pipelines to parks, bike lanes and libraries), how participants rate streets and sidewalks in the community, and more.
At a recent talk about how the city prioritizes infrastructure projects, Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla, said potential projects up for funding are scored. The system “invests in our areas of greatest need, not addressing the same amount of money in all neighborhoods,” he said. “I’m fighting for every infrastructure dollar for District 1, but equity is an important question.”
He added that the city is accepting feedback “on how we should approach the scoring system, not necessarily individual projects.”
Timken names La Jollan Jeanne Jones to board
The Timken Museum of Art has named La Jolla resident Jeanne Jones to its board of directors.
(Courtesy of Timken Museum of Art)
The board of directors of the Timken Museum of Art in San Diego’s Balboa Park has named philanthropist and cookbook author Jeanne Jones to its ranks.
Jones, a longtime La Jolla resident, has been involved with the Timken for years, including chairing its Orange and Black Gala and raising funds for its various community programs.
New Children’s Museum includes two La Jollans on board
La Jollan Lynda Forsha has joined the board of The New Children’s Museum.
(Courtesy of The New Children’s Museum)
The New Children’s Museum in San Diego welcomed 10 new trustees recently to serve on its board of directors, including La Jollans Lynda Forsha and Maryanne Pfister.
Forsha is the principal of Art Advisory Services and is executive director of Murals of La Jolla.
La Jolla Presbyterian Church to host blood drive March 6
La Jolla Presbyterian Church will host a blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at 7715 Draper Ave. in the Sun House Hall.
Donors must present a photo ID, be 17 and older, weigh at least 114 pounds and be in good health. The blood bank recommends having a meal and plenty of fluids before giving. To schedule an appointment, call (619) 400-8251 or visit mysdbb.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/70742.
Coastal Commission still taking feedback on short-term rental ordinance
The California Coastal Commission is still taking residents’ feedback on the city of San Diego’s proposed amendment to regulate the operation of short-term rentals and rental hosting platforms.
The next meeting of the Coastal Commission is Wednesday, March 9. The agenda has not yet been posted.
Feedback on the STR ordinance is accepted via email at [email protected].
Kiwanis Club of La Jolla grants $1,000 to Global Communities
Kiwanis Club of La Jolla members Wally Matranga and Susan Callahan (right) present Uli Heine of Global Communities with a check for $1,000 on Feb. 18.
(Courtesy of Kiwanis Club of La Jolla)
The Kiwanis Club of La Jolla presented a $1,000 check Feb. 18 to Uli Heine, senior director of engagement for the nonprofit Global Communities.
Global Communities works to implement programs for sustainability and growth in communities impacted by poverty, disasters and conflict.
The Kiwanis Club of La Jolla grants about $200,000 yearly to area nonprofits, funded by the club’s annual half-marathon.
La Jollans can ‘fill the boot’ for local firefighters
Local firefighters will take to the streets on Thursday, March 10, for the Burn Institute’s annual Firefighter Boot Drive. Hundreds of uniformed firefighters will be stationed at intersections across San Diego County to collect donations for the institute’s fire and burn prevention education and burn survivor support services. Banners with QR codes will hang at participating fire stations throughout March for a contactless payment option.
La Jolla-area locations will include Station 35, 4285 Eastgate Mall; La Jolla Scenic Drive at Nautilus Street; Torrey Pines Road at Girard Avenue; and Torrey Pines Road at La Jolla Parkway or Torrey Pines at La Jolla Village Drive.
La Jolla Elementary School to host information meeting for families
La Jolla Elementary School will hold an informational meeting for prospective students in universal transitional kindergarten through fifth grade at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, on Zoom.
The meeting with Principal Stephanie Hasselbrink will provide information about the school, its academic and enrichment programs, opportunities for parent involvement, UTK/kindergarten-specific information and more ahead of the 2022-23 school year.
To RSVP, call the LJES office at (619) 605-3300 or email Lisa Schrift at [email protected].
La Jolla Playhouse designer Hal Sadler dies at 91
Hal Sadler, known as the “Mr. San Diego of modernist architecture” and responsible for the La Jolla Playhouse among other projects, died Jan. 21 at age 91 after suffering a stroke.
His legacy also includes three bank towers on B Street, the San Diego Central Library and the 2001 expansion of the San Diego Convention Center with its distinctive Sail Pavilion. He also was instrumental in many San Diego Zoo projects, including what is known today as the Dickinson Family Center for Lifelong Learning, Polar Bear Plunge and Hippo Beach.
Sadler founded Tucker Sadler Architects in 1957 with fellow architect Thomas Tucker and structural engineer Edwin Bennett. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
Share of foreign students at UCSD slips again
The percentage of international students at UC San Diego has dropped for a fourth consecutive year.
New figures from the University of California president’s office indicate that the 8,159 international students who enrolled at UCSD last fall represented 19.5 percent of the university’s approximately 42,000 students.
Foreigners accounted for 19.6 percent of the student body in 2020, 21 percent in 2019, 21.3 percent in 2018 and 21.6 percent in 2017.
Lawmakers began exerting pressure over the past decade to enroll greater numbers of students from California after some UC schools started to heavily recruit foreigners, who pay more than twice as much in tuition, helping campuses balance their budgets.
The Legislature last year told UCSD, UCLA and UC Berkeley that they had to make a roughly 4 percent cut in the number of undergraduates from outside California. That will collectively free up 4,500 slots for Californians over the next five years. — The San Diego Union-Tribune
Warwick’s partnering with United Way for book drive
Warwick’s bookstore in La Jolla is partnering with United Way of San Diego County on a book drive through Thursday, March 31, to commemorate National Read Across America Day.
Local companies and individuals are encouraged to donate new children’s books to promote reading among students throughout the county. The United Way hopes to collect 1,000 books through the drive. The books will be donated to children in need.
Donors can buy books online and choose from a list of recommendations at warwicks.com/wishlist/1 and in person at Warwick’s, 7812 Girard Ave.
Monetary donations also will be accepted. For more information, visit uwsd.org/read.
— Compiled by La Jolla Light staff ◆
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