La Jolla town hall with S.D. Councilman Joe LaCava coming March 4
San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava will hold a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, at the La Jolla Recreation Center, 615 Prospect St.
LaCava’s field representative Joaquin Quintero said “This is your opportunity to hear from the council president directly … and him taking questions so you will hear his candid answers to any number of topics related to the city.”
Last year’s La Jolla town hall was held March 5. LaCava fielded questions about wildfire prevention, wireless communications equipment, his role as City Council president, the city’s then-$258 million projected budget deficit and local projects.
The event drew a large crowd and was one of several held throughout LaCava’s District 1.
La Jolla Heights home project to be reviewed by hearing officer
A San Diego hearing officer will consider an application to renovate and add to a 4,764-square-foot one-story house to create a new one-story, 5,460-square-foot house spanning 7854 and 7856 La Jolla Vista Drive.
Modifications include 1,768 square feet of demolition and a 3,010-square-foot remodel of the existing structure, according to a city notice. Additions include 2,450 square feet to the existing primary structure and construction of a new detached 694-square-foot accessory dwelling unit separated from the primary structure by a covered exterior overhang, which will serve as an attached carport.
Other additions include a new detached 818-square-foot garage and a new detached 61-square-foot tennis pavilion. The project also will include new retaining walls and a new swimming pool.
The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, and will be streamed at youtube.com/channel/UCeUQjf-auekdzU_zpcfZa4Q.
The decision of the hearing officer will be considered final unless appealed to the city Planning Commission.
Preservation Awards nominations are open
The city of San Diego is accepting nominations for its Preservation Awards, which recognize historic preservation projects, activities and advocates.
The winners will be announced in May and honored at the May San Diego Historical Resources Board meeting to commemorate National Historic Preservation Month.
Preservation activities must have taken place between January 2020 and December 2025. Nominations must be emailed to historicplanning@sandiego.gov by Friday, Feb. 27.
Salk scientist studies cranberries’ role in breeding resilient crops
Scientists from the La Jolla-based Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently published a paper exploring how wild cranberry relatives can help breed more temperature-resilient crops.
Cranberries are one of only three native fruits to North America and the second most consumed berry in the country. But according to Salk, they are especially vulnerable to environmental stresses such as temperature and weather, as they’ve only been cultivated for 200 years, in contrast to crops such as rice and wheat, which have been cultivated for thousands of years.
Thus, wild cranberry relatives may hold the key to unlocking more resilient cranberry crops, scientists say. As part of a recent study, Salk researchers collected genomes from wild cranberries to find genes responsible for cold stress resilience. By breeding the wild relatives with their domesticated counterparts, the temperature-protective genetic expression patterns can be passed on to future cranberry generations.
Beyond cranberries, the findings underscore the value of crop wild relatives for resilient agriculture and food security, offering a blueprint for breeding hardier crops in changing environments. researchers say.
La Jolla resident joins Volcan Mountain Foundation as program coordinator
Layla Khazeni, a La Jolla resident and two-year Volcan Mountain Foundation volunteer, is joining the group for a newly created full-time position.
La Jolla resident Layla Khazeni was recently chosen to serve as the Volcan Mountain Foundation’s program coordinator. (Volcan Mountain Foundation)
Khazeni, 24, will be program coordinator for the Julian-based foundation, serving as “the face of programs that define the organization: conservation, stewardship and education,” according to a news release.
Her first big assignment is analyzing data that will assist in a reforestation project that looks to restore 165 acres.
The foundation is dedicated to preserving Volcan Mountain, a privately owned natural area around Julian. To learn more, visit volcanmt.org.
Museum of Contemporary Art names new advancement officer
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla has appointed Joseph “Scott” Anderson as its chief advancement officer.
Anderson will be responsible for overseeing fundraising, membership and external relations efforts for the museum while hoping to broaden MCASD’s impact and philanthropic base, according to a news release.
His appointment coincides with what the museum described as a “new phase of strategic planning” with a focus on long-term sustainability and increased accessibility.
Anderson is moving from Denver, where he was the RedLine Contemporary Art Center’s director of development. Overall, he has more than 20 years’ experience and has raised about $50 million for advancing arts, culture and education. ♦