La Jolla News Nuggets: 'Spaces as Places,' 100 Wave Challenge, UCSD engineering hall, youth baseball, more

San Diego hoping for December hearing on ‘Spaces as Places’ program

Despite the hope that the city of San Diego’s “Spaces as Places” program would be heard by the California Coastal Commission this month, local government officials are now eyeing a December hearing.

The Spaces as Places initiative, which went into effect in most of the city in mid-July, establishes regulations for eating and drinking areas placed on parking spaces on city streets and other outdoor public places and provides a process for existing temporary operations to transition to permanent. Businesses must comply with the new regulations to be granted a permit under Spaces as Places.

However, the program can’t take effect in the coastal zone — which includes most of La Jolla — until it is reviewed and certified by the Coastal Commission. That review is necessary because the ordinance requires a change to Local Coastal Programs, which serve as planning documents for coastal communities.

Steve Hadley, representing the office of City Councilman Joe LaCava (whose District 1 includes La Jolla) said at the La Jolla Community Planning Association’s November meeting that “we are getting word from the Planning Department that they anticipate Spaces as Places to come before the Coastal Commission at the December meeting. … We know that is [the commission’s] intention.”

The Coastal Commission’s next meetings are Nov. 16-18 in Salinas and Dec. 14-16 in Long Beach. The commission will not meet in January.

Locals take on the 100 Wave Challenge in La Jolla

Members of the Soledad Surf Rats and Original Gangsters get together Nov. 5 at La Jolla’s Scripps Beach for the 100 Wave Challenge to benefit Boys to Men Mentoring.

(Molly Bowman-Styles)

Sunny weather and sets of 2- to 4-foot waves greeted two dozen members of the Soledad Surf Rats and Original Gangsters who shared waves, coffee and pastries Nov. 5 at La Jolla’s Scripps Beach in taking the 100 Wave Challenge to benefit the Boys to Men Mentoring network.

The 13th annual 100 Wave Challenge calls on teams of San Diego County surfers to organize paddle-outs on a date between Sept. 17 and Nov. 20 to ride 100 waves as a fundraiser for Boys to Men Mentoring. The Spring Valley-based nonprofit works “to build communities of male role models” for teenage boys at middle schools, high schools and community centers.

To register for the 100 Wave Challenge, go to 100wave.org.

UC San Diego opens new engineering facility

The 186,000-square-foot Franklin Antonio Hall on the UC San Diego campus features 13 large research facilities called “collaboratories.”

(UC San Diego)

UC San Diego’s newest engineering facility designed for collaborative research, Franklin Antonio Hall, opened recently and will welcome students next fall.

The 186,000-square-foot facility features 13 large facilities called “collaboratories,” which will pursue research in areas such as renewable energy, “smart” cities and “smart” transportation, wearable and robotics innovations, real-time data analysis and decision making, digital privacy and security, nanotechnology and precision medicine.

“This building is about collaboration. It’s a wonderful new example of what UC San Diego is all about,” said UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla. “This building is about encouraging our engineers to add richness to disciplines all across campus in ways that we have not imagined before.”

La Jolla Youth Baseball clinics open this month

After completely filling up last season, La Jolla Youth Baseball is getting the word out that clinics will open this month for all age groups to kick off the next season.

Continuing LJYB families are encouraged to register by Tuesday, Nov. 15, after which registration opens to new players.

Clinics for November, December and January are listed at ljyb.org, and more may be added. The clinics are available only to players who are registered for the 2023 season.

Assessments, team assignments and practices will take place in February, with opening day Saturday, Feb. 25.

La Jolla Rotary helps with food drive for military families

The Rotary Club of La Jolla joined forces with San Diego Rotary to participate in a food distribution event Oct. 27 to serve those who have served.

“The Armed Services YMCA, with which I’ve been involved for some time, distributes food twice a month to local military families as part of their service to this community,” said former Rotary president Cindy Goodman. “This food distribution was somewhat larger than normal, as it included a thrift shop and the surprise giveaway of a car to one active-duty military member who also volunteers with the distributions.”

She estimated that “something close to 500 cars representing at least 1,000 families” went through to receive food supplied by the San Diego Food Bank.

Hundreds participate in ‘Fall Back Storytime’ in La Jolla

The La Jolla Village Merchants Association and the La Jolla/Riford Library presented a “Fall Back Storytime and Scavenger Hunt” on Nov. 6, drawing 250 people.

San Diego Public Library mascot Odi the Coyote and La Jolla youth services librarian Katia Graham led story times with Warwick’s bookseller Sonia Teder-Moore at Sotheby’s Plaza.

Participants then dispersed to local shops to solve a reading-related word puzzle and earn free giveaways including Häagen-Dazs ice cream coupons.

Ron Jones of Voice of La Jolla played live music and California Highway Patrol officers handed out stickers and gave children the chance to climb inside their vehicle.

La Jolla family to hold ALS fundraiser in Pacific Beach

The Witt Wolfpack, a team of several members of the Witt family of La Jolla that has been raising money for ALS research after Todd Witt’s diagnosis last year, will hold a fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at Green Gardens Nursery, 4910 Cass St., Pacific Beach.

The event, called “Holiday of Hope,” will include wine and cheese along with holiday gifts, decor and plants for purchase.

All proceeds will go to the ALS Association’s Greater San Diego chapter.

Seaside chapter of National Charity League seeking new members

Members of the Seaside chapter of the National Charity League volunteer at the Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast in La Jolla.

(Tracey Arminio)

The La Jolla-based Seaside chapter of the National Charity League has launched its annual membership campaign.

NCL fosters mother-daughter relationships through community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. The Seaside chapter is open to those who live or attend school in central San Diego and surrounding areas.

The chapter is accepting applications for mothers and daughters entering grades 7-10 in the fall. Informational meetings will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, and Sunday, Dec. 4, in La Jolla.

Seaside members support the ALS Association, Birch Aquarium, Challenged Athletes Foundation, I Love a Clean San Diego, Kitchens for Good, La Jolla Kiwanis, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Miracle Babies, Traveling Stories and more.

For more details, email seasidencl@gmail.com.

La Jolla student gets Youth Leader of the Year honor

The International Rescue Committee San Diego named Daxton Gutekunst, a student at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, as Youth Leader of the Year.

Daxton earned the honor for his work as founder of Kid by Kid, which provides tutoring sessions by students to elementary and middle school students from refugee and immigrant families.

La Jolla Shores Association to seek six trustees

The La Jolla Shores Association will have six board seats available in March.

To become a board member, candidates must be registered LJSA members by January.

For more information, visit lajollashoresassociation.org.

UCSD will help lead three-year study on pandemic learning recovery tactics

A team of researchers from UC San Diego, the Public Policy Institute of California, UC Berkeley School of Education and state Department of Education has been given a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to study school pandemic recovery.

The team will launch a three-year study to see which of California school districts’ learning recovery strategies matched most closely with learning gains, as measured by state test scores and other positive outcomes like higher attendance.

The team will survey districts to see what stumbling blocks are hindering districts’ recovery efforts and how and why districts decided to spend their COVID-19 aid dollars.

The researchers plan to report their findings at least once a year to help inform state leaders and school districts. — San Diego Union-Tribune

Scripps MD Anderson starts countywide lung cancer screening program

In an effort to improve early diagnosis for people who are at increased risk of developing lung cancer, Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, which has a location in La Jolla, has launched a new, multidisciplinary lung cancer screening program for residents across San Diego County.

The new program is open to people who meet current guidelines for annual lung cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently broadened its guidance to include adults starting at age 50 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and either currently smoke or have quit in the past 15 years. A 20 pack-year smoking history equals smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years.

Less than 10 percent of patients who were eligible for lung cancer screening under the previous Preventive Services Task Force guidelines were screened in the United States in 2018.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for the most common form of lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer) is significantly higher when diagnosed at an early, localized stage.

While it’s considered important to screen people who have a significant smoking history, lung cancer also can develop in non-smokers. About 20 percent of lung cancer deaths occur in people who have never smoked, according to the ACS. Lung cancer in non-smokers occurs more frequently in women and tends to develop at an earlier age than lung cancer in smokers, according to the National Cancer Institute. The task force does not recommend lung cancer screening for people who have never smoked, but physicians and patients are advised to be aware of possible symptoms.

For more more information, call (800) SCRIPPS.

— Compiled by La Jolla Light staff ◆