Bird Rock tree vandal still unidentified
A vandal who inflicted damage on a tree in Bird Rock that eventually fell has yet to be identified, according to Bird Rock Community Council board member Barbara Dunbar.
Dunbar reported at BRCC’s May 5 meeting that deep cuts had been made in a Canary Island pine tree in the median adjacent to 5443 La Jolla Blvd. on Feb. 13 and again two days later.
On May 6, the day after the meeting, Dunbar told the La Jolla Light that she saw more cuts in the tree that morning. Caution tape was wrapped around the tree after that, but it toppled around 4:30 a.m. May 9, Dunbar said.
The vandalism was reported to the San Diego Police Department and Parks & Recreation Department.
Bird Rock leaders continue to encourage residents with any information about the case to email Matt Mangano, manager of the Bird Rock Maintenance Assessment District, at admin@manganoconsulting.com.
Summer Reading Program offers books, activities, events and prizes
The San Diego Public Library system’s Summer Reading Program is underway through Saturday, Aug. 15, offering youngsters a chance to win prizes for their reading, including free books and food, passes to Balboa Park museums and a chance to win a pair of tickets to a San Diego Padres game in September.
The program also includes a list of activities participants can complete, such as visiting a community garden or a farmers market, planting seeds and more.
Prizes can be earned by completing any combination of 10 books read, hours spent reading or activities completed.
The Summer Reading Program is made up of three age categories: 5 and younger, 6-11 and teenagers and adults. All participants 17 and younger who register by Tuesday, June 30, will receive a free general admission ticket to the 2026 San Diego County Fair, valid Fridays through Sundays from June 12 to July 5.
Participants can log their books and activities online at sandiego.beanstack.org/reader365 or with a paper reading log available at San Diego library branches.
The La Jolla/Riford Library at 7555 Draper Ave. will host a special free Summer Reading Program event, Trinity Theater Company Storytime, at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 10.
To register for the Summer Reading Program online, view recommended books and see the complete list of activities and other events, visit sandiego.gov/SummerReading.
La Jolla author gets honorable mention at Festival of Books
La Jolla resident Loni Belle recently won an honorable mention at the 2026 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books for her tale “Moo-Nay R U Monet? An Art Adventure at Charlie’s Farm,” which was published last year.
In “Moo-Nay R U Monet?” Moo-Nay the cow wonders if she is like Claude Monet, the French Impressionist painter. (Provided by Loni Belle)
Belle’s books create animal characters that wonder if they are similar to master artists. She presents them in a way that aims to educate readers about both the animals and the artists who inspire them.
In “Moo-Nay R U Monet?” — co-authored by J.E. Laufer and illustrated by Lauren Ackerman — Moo-Nay the cow wonders if she is like Claude Monet, the French Impressionist painter. As Belle tells of Moo-Nay painting with her tail and learning about art, she also includes facts about cows and Monet in simple rhyming language for early readers.
Christmas Parade registration to close June 24
The La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival will close registration for entries on Wednesday, June 24.
“Unlike other years … [there will be] no fall registration,” parade organizer Ann Kerr said.
This year’s parade, planned for Sunday, Dec. 6, along Girard Avenue, is themed “A Village Christmas: Celebrating 70 Years of Holiday Tradition.”
“Due to the significance of the 70th-anniversary celebration, parade space is limited and entries are being reviewed carefully,” according to a statement. “Organizers are especially encouraging participants to fully embrace the holiday theme through decorations, costumes, creativity and festive presentation.”
Organizers also are introducing an initiative allowing the public to nominate someone to serve as a community holiday marshal. The honor will recognize community service, generosity, leadership, volunteerism and dedication to making a positive impact on others.
More details about nominations will be announced. To learn more or register for the parade, visit ljparade.com.
Bishop’s School student among college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners
A student at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla is among the newest batch of National Merit Scholarship award recipients announced last week.
Anna Yang was one of 2,500 students around the country awarded National Merit Scholarships financed by 138 colleges and universities in the United States. Corporate-sponsored awards were announced April 22.
Anna received the Tufts University National Merit Scholarship. College-sponsored awards provide $500 to $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.
More recipients of college-sponsored awards will be announced Monday, July 13.
La Jolla High softball team loses in regional semifinals
The La Jolla High School softball team, which was the No. 1 seed in the CIF San Diego Section Division V playoffs before losing in the championship game to Monte Vista on May 30, next went on to the Southern California Regionals as the fifth seed in Division V.
The Vikings started the tournament by routing No. 4 Franklin of Los Angeles 16-3 on June 2.
But in the semifinals June 4, they fell to top-seeded Arroyo Valley of San Bernardino 12-8.
La Jolla professor is elected to U.K. scientific institution
Jin-Quan Yu, a professor at Scripps Research in La Jolla, recently was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s national academy of science.
Yu is a pioneer in studying carbon-hydrogen activation whose work has transformed how chemists build and modify complex molecules, with implications for drug discovery and medical research.
The Royal Society dates to 1660 and serves as “an independent academy that supports scientific excellence and its use for the public good.”
Recently elected Fellows will participate in events this summer including a formal admissions ceremony and a seminar where they will present their work.
UC San Diego studies reducing cancer resistance to immunotherapy
Immune checkpoint therapy, a type of cancer immunotherapy that helps the immune system recognize and attack tumors, has been considered transformative in the realm of cancer treatment. Though the therapy can produce long-lasting benefits for some patients, many cancers don’t respond or become resistant over time.
One major challenge is the tumor microenvironment — a network of cells and signals surrounding a tumor that can act as a protective shield for cancer and prevent immunotherapy from working effectively.
Now, researchers at UC San Diego in La Jolla have investigated whether microRNAs — small RNA molecules that help control gene activity — play a role in creating such treatment resistance. The team concluded that blocking certain molecules did not significantly affect tumor growth on its own but did greatly improve how tumors responded to immunotherapy.
Further analysis indicated that removing certain molecules reshaped the tumor microenvironment and activated several anti-tumor immune responses.
The work eventually could help make immunotherapy effective for more cancer patients.
UCSD study indicates GLP-1 drug can slow cellular aging
GLP-1 based medications have gained widespread attention for treating obesity, lowering blood sugar and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some researchers have proposed that the drugs also may influence the biology of aging, though direct evidence in humans has remained limited.
Now, a UC San Diego study provides the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide, a widely used GLP-1 drug, slows the accumulation of biological aging markers in the DNA of adults with HIV.
Researchers at UCSD and several partner institutions analyzed data from a previously published clinical trial of 108 adults with HIV‑associated lipohypertrophy, a condition in which excess fat builds up around the abdomen. About half the participants received weekly injections of semaglutide, with the rest receiving placebo injections.
The research team used a set of biological “epigenetic clocks” to track cellular aging during the 32-week treatment period to assess whether the treatment was associated with a slower or faster biological aging pattern.
Participants treated with semaglutide exhibited a broad pattern of slower biological aging linked to inflammation and blood, brain, heart, kidney, liver and metabolic health.
Larger clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings, determine how long treatment effects last and establish optimal dosing and treatment duration both for people with HIV and the broader population.
Future studies also will be needed to test whether the effects of GLP-1 on aging biology are enhanced when combined with lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and sleep optimization. ♦