In La Jolla, 2024 seems to have been the year of authors and anniversaries. Several local residents released books this year, and several local entities celebrated prominent milestones.
Here’s a recap of La Jolla’s year in lifestyle.
January
• “A Jamaican Mermaid Tale”: Looking to immortalize a beloved friend, professor Bill Gerwick of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography authors his first children’s book, “A Jamaican Mermaid Tale,” adapted from a folk tale he was told growing up.
• Meanley Hardware sells: As the last Meanley to own and operate the venerable Meanley & Son Ace Hardware store prepares for retirement, the La Jolla Light looks at the 70-year history of the one-stop shop at 7756 Girard Ave. and its future.
• Love and dance: La Jolla residents Stephanie Maiorano and Tona Gomez, married dancers with the San Diego Ballet, share their story of love and dance ahead of their performance of “The Many Loves of Don Juan” at La Jolla’s Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center.
• “Believe in Yourself”: La Jolla Country Day School student Trisha Rao writes a book about the power of self-belief, which is later translated into multiple languages and given to refugees and others facing adversity. “Believe in Yourself” is based on a story Rao wrote about her family dog traveling the world, learning life lessons along the way.
• Filming in La Jolla: “Hemet, or The Landlady Don’t Drink Tea,” a film that is part political satire and part dystopian adventure, is directed by La Jolla resident Tony Olmos and filmed partly in his La Jolla Heights apartment.
• Angel of the Forgotten: La Jolla resident Bob Cooper establishes the nonprofit organization Angel of the Forgotten in honor of his late wife, Karen. The charity donates more than 1,000 dog toys and treats to area animal shelters and humane societies.
• “In Pursuit of Extreme Greatness”: La Jolla resident Russ Reinbolt publishes the book “In Pursuit of Extreme Greatness: An ER Doctor and Ultramarathoner’s Prescription for Elevating Your Life Beyond Limits” and launches motivational speaking appearances to spread his message of seeking greatness.
• George’s at 40: George’s at the Cove restaurant celebrates 40 years on Prospect Street. In that time, George’s chef and owner Trey Foshee said, George’s has changed concepts and approaches over the years and the management team “continues to reinvent ourselves” to keep up with the times.
• “Chasing Cheese with Charlie”: Windansea resident Steven Sundberg publishes “Chasing Cheese with Charlie,” a story about a mouse that explores the world in search of cheese. Charlie “is intended to be someone children can connect to and a way to get the metaphor across,” Sundberg said. “It’s like how we chase money hoping to find happiness. It’s a big lesson that I’ve learned in my life and wanted to share it.”
February
• Las Patronas: Six vehicles, new lights and other equipment are among the tools that are paid for following this year’s Las Patronas beneficiary luncheon, where the La Jolla-based women’s philanthropy group distributed $405,864 to eight organizations dubbed major beneficiaries.
• “Ally Protects the La Jolla Seals”: Area resident Deborah Saracini writes a children’s book about La Jolla’s harbor seal population that looks to adapt the recent history of the Children’s Pool for a new generation of readers. “Ally Protects the La Jolla Seals,” told through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl named Ally, outlines how the current seal protections at the iconic coastal location came to be.
• Love stories: Residents at the Belmont Village La Jolla senior-living community share their secrets for decades of marriage, saying humor, respect and common interests and experiences create a solid foundation.
• Barbara Brown: La Jolla resident Barbara Brown, the first woman to join the Rotary Club of La Jolla back in 1987, is elected its president.
• The Whaling Bar: After an 11-year absence and much anticipation, The Whaling Bar reopens at La Jolla’s La Valencia Hotel. The return comes after a three-year effort to reinstate the nautical-themed establishment, which originally opened in 1949 and regularly played host to children’s author Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), novelist Raymond Chandler and Hollywood luminary Gregory Peck.
• Kyle Zimmer: Former Major League Baseball pitcher Kyle Zimmer returns to his alma mater, La Jolla High School, for the 30th annual alumni baseball game. Zimmer, his brother Bradley and groundbreaking athlete Malaika Underwood are inducted into the La Jolla High Baseball Hall of Fame, and their names are carved into a wall next to the field at Muirlands Middle School where the LJHS baseball team plays. Their photos also are displayed in the team clubhouse.
• Bishop’s water polo title: The Bishop’s School girls water polo team wins its sixth consecutive CIF San Diego Section Open Division title with a 13-5 victory over third-seeded Carlsbad. In all, the Knights outscore their three playoff foes 48-8.
• Country Day soccer championship: The La Jolla Country Day School girls soccer team wins its first CIF division championship in 18 years with a 3-1 victory over top-seeded Calexico. All three Country Day goals are scored by Hannah Eftekhari as free kicks due to penalties.
• Science Olympiad: The Science Olympiad team at Torrey Pines Elementary School in La Jolla takes first place in the San Diego Regional Science Olympiad Division. Torrey Pines competed in 13 of the 16 available events, which ranged from answering questions about the solar system to building a tower of straws that could hold various weights and engineering a package and parachute that protects an egg from breaking after falling from various heights.
March
• Stella Maris Academic Decathlon win: The Stella Maris Academy middle school Academic Decathlon team takes first place in the regional competition of the National Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon. The La Jolla school participates in the 20-problem Logic Quiz that must be solved in an hour; a Super Quiz with 50 multiple-choice questions about five broad academic themes; and individual quizzes that include Roman Catholic doctrine, English, literature, science, math, current events, social studies and art and music.
• Nierenberg Prize: For her work on COVID-19 vaccines using messenger RNA (mRNA), biochemist and Nobel Prize winner Katalin Karikó is awarded the 2023 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest, presented by UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
• “Clarkie Saves the Moon”: Inspired by her son Clark, La Jolla resident and burgeoning author Jillian Sterling Wilson releases “Clarkie Saves the Moon,” the story of a boy who looks out his window each night to see the moon and stars. But one night, he doesn’t see the moon and decides he wants to save it. In December, Wilson releases “Kaia and her Magical Kite,” based on her daughter, Kaia.
• Man cave: Aiming to create the ultimate “man cave” — or at least one deemed ultimate in the eyes of a 12-year-old — the Make-A-Wish Foundation builds a structure in the backyard of a La Jolla Shores home, complete with furnishings and all the puzzles a child could want.
• Women’s History Month: Several La Jolla women are honored during Women’s History Month for their efforts in everything from philanthropy and medicine to science and volunteer service. They are: Woman of Impact in Health and Human Services, Dr. Ayana Boyd King, chief of staff for Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla; Woman of Distinction, Margaret Leinen, director of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla; Women of Dedication, Lisette Farrell, Fran Shimp and Julia Ramirez-Stone; and Girl Scouts Cool Woman, Suzie Alarcón, co-founder of AUGenomics and director of the Next Generation Sequencing Core at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology.
April
• Seadragon debut: Five juvenile weedy seadragons that hatched last year at Birch Aquarium at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla make their public debut after living behind the scenes since their birth. The five are from a group of more than 70 weedy seadragons that hatched at Birch after a first-of-its kind egg transfer in the public eye.
• Gary Frank: La Jolla High School alumnus and longtime Vikings baseball coach Gary Frank is selected by the San Diego Padres as a Coach of the Week.
• Opera Wednesdays: The La Jolla Community Center celebrates a decade of hosting Opera Wednesdays, in which each monthly concert features three or four singers. “These aren’t orchestra seats — you are front row,” says center director Nancy Walters. “Some are literal inches away from the singers.”
• Model airplane contest: After three years of training and practicing in model airplane construction, La Jolla High School student Daniel Guo wins first place in his age bracket at the F1D World Championships for building a model that sustained flight for the longest time of 26 minutes and 38 seconds.
• Student art showcase: The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, home of the La Jolla Music Society at 7600 Fay Ave., hosts an exhibit of works by students in La Jolla High School’s Advanced Placement art program. All the works are for sale, with proceeds going to the artists.
• New Bird Rock principal: Eric Banatao, a longtime educator in San Diego County schools, takes the reins as principal of Bird Rock Elementary School. Banatao began his career in 1996 as a high school teacher and later transitioned to administrative roles. He has relied heavily on the idea of helping students have the resources and mindsets to create successful futures.
• Spelling success: Two La Jolla students take top honors in the third annual Coastwise Spelling Prize, spelling every word they were given correctly. Bird Rock Elementary School third-grader Levi Pancer wins in the younger age group and La Jolla Elementary fifth-grader Julia Schlachetzki takes the title in the older group.
• PlanetFlip: La Jolla resident Ron Kagan launches the app PlanetFlip, which provides users with tasks that researchers have said can help reduce emissions attributed to climate change, such as taking public transportation. Users can complete the tasks to earn points for prizes and bragging rights.
May
• Money Man: The San Diego Literacy Council holds its Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition, which invites youths ages 4-17 to submit comic-book-themed graphic art entries with a message about financial literacy or money management. The winner of the CEO’s Choice Award is 14-year-old La Jollan Diego Sopielnikow and his creation, Money Man.
• St. Germaine: The La Jolla-based St. Germaine Children’s Charity celebrates its 40th anniversary. Its mission since its founding is to provide financial and other support to San Diego County abused and neglected children through grants to local agencies that serve them. In that time, St. Germaine has raised $5 million in donations and supported 50 local service agencies that have reached 10,000 children and young adults.
• “Posh on Prospect”: The La Jolla Village Merchants Association and Fashion Week San Diego team up to present the inaugural “Posh on Prospect” fashion show May 11 at The Living Room Coffeehouse in La Jolla, with accompanying events at participating boutiques in The Village. Models sport pieces from various La Jolla stores.
• Booth dedications: La Jolla’s Whaling Bar dedicates booths to children’s book writer Theodor “Ted” Geisel (Dr. Seuss), philanthropist Joan Kroc and longtime La Valencia Hotel resident Selma Malk.
• Teachers of the Year: La Jolla’s five public schools name their Teachers of the Year, who are selected after being nominated and voted on by peers at their schools. They are: La Jolla High School teacher Kelley Bailey, Muirlands Middle School teacher Lori Trombley, La Jolla Elementary School teacher Kelly Wiskus, Bird Rock Elementary School teacher Kimberly Williams and Torrey Pines Elementary School teacher Sarabeth Wintringer.
• Little monsters: A month-long project between La Jolla Elementary and Muirlands Middle schools culminates. The LJES third-graders were asked to describe an imaginary monster in detail and draw their creatures. The stories and drawings were given to Muirlands students. Using materials donated by local design studio and sewing school Shapes to Forms, the middle school students made plush toys meant to look as close to the drawings as possible, based on the details in the story. The older students then hand-delivered the toys to the younger creators.
June
• Alison Brown: Banjoist, Grammy Award winner and one-time La Jolla resident Alison Brown performs in a benefit concert for the Rotary Club of La Jolla at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. Brown was born on the East Coast but grew up in La Jolla and graduated from La Jolla High School as a valedictorian. Her mother, Barbara, still lives in La Jolla and is the Rotary Club president.
• Casa de Mañana centennial: Casa de Mañana in La Jolla celebrates its centennial. In its 100 years — first as a hotel, then as a church-related facility and now a retirement community — Casa de Mañana has provided a place for retired religious leaders, visiting dignitaries, thousands of other people and even a Dalmatian named Tug.
• 300 miles around the track: La Jolla High School teacher and coach Tom Atwell completes his 16th annual run to raise money for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation. This year, Atwell bicycles 273.8 miles around the school track and runs 26.2 more for a total of 300 miles. In the process, he raises more than $10,300.
• “Hotel Cocaine”: La Jolla High School graduate Lola Claire — a San Diego native who attended Bird Rock Elementary and Muirlands Middle schools in La Jolla before attending La Jolla High — lands the role of Trini in a new show on the MGM+ streaming service called “Hotel Cocaine.”
• IlluminArt: Two La Jolla Country Day School students take home a pair of top prizes at the 2024 Jacobs Teen Innovation Challenge for their invention of a lightbox dubbed IlluminArt. The device provides stimulation for patients with severe mobility or cognitive disabilities at the Helen Bernardy Center for Medically Fragile Children at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego.
• Little literature lover: La Jolla 4-year-old Huxley Schwartz celebrates reading more than 800 books in his lifetime, many of which came from the local library or purchased from Warwick’s bookstore or the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla.
• Gold Awards: La Jolla Girl Scouts are recognized with Gold Awards for projects centered on American Sign Language, California history, horticulture therapy and high school mentorship. They are Daphne Mayer, Audrey Weishaar, Taliah Wendoll and Michelle Bryant.
• Eagle projects: Four Boy Scouts from La Jolla-based Troop 4 complete their Eagle projects on Coast Walk Trail, ranging from new benches to recycling bins and erosion control. They are George McCann, Leo Souza, Kaden Belt and Cooper Smith.
July
• Isabelle David: San Diego French American School’s new head, Isabelle David, makes a series of changes at the school, including creating a new position intended to improve after-school and weekend programming, establishing weekly meetings with parents, upgrading offerings for students and beautifying the campus.
• “Symphoninas”: La Jolla native David Fogel looks to bring symphonic music to the next generation of listeners by producing “symphoninas,” or short symphonies, that may be more accessible than some longer pieces.
• Gary Krahn: Gary Krahn retires after nine years as head of La Jolla Country Day School. Reflecting on his time there, Krahn says he is proud of establishing a campus culture of treating everyone with dignity, along with new school programs intended to foster it.
• Friendship Games: Athletes from La Jolla Youth Baseball prepare to depart for Japan as part of the Friendship Games exchange partnership there. During the Friendship Games, young Japanese baseball players came to La Jolla last year and La Jolla players go to Japan this year. The alternating trips will continue for the foreseeable future.
• James Brandt: Stella Maris Academy alumnus James Brandt takes the reins as principal of the La Jolla school following the retirement of former Principal Francie Moss. “It has been a real treat and a blessing to even be back here, to come back home to be the servant leader at this school that formed me and guided me into who I am today,” Brandt says.
• Mr. Padre mural: A new mural honoring “Mr. Padre” Tony Gwynn goes up at the Mandarin House restaurant in La Jolla.
• Beach toy collection: La Jolla Shores resident Gina Pellegrino starts picking up beach toys and supplies left behind at the beach but is soon shocked by the number of items she has collected and looks to unload some of them to a worthy cause.
August
• Mike Hynson: La Jolla surfer Mike Hynson is inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach. Hynson, known for “The Endless Summer” (a 1966 film that follows him and Robert August on a surfing trip around the world), also is inducted for designing and shaping a new type of board and for his overall surfing prowess.
• Troy Longwith: New La Valencia Hotel General Manager Troy Longwith tells the La Jolla Light he’s looking forward to ushering in the next few years of La Jolla’s “Pink Lady” on Prospect Street, including its centennial in 2026.
• People in Preservation: La Jolla historians Diane Kane, Molly McClain and Seonaid McArthur, the trio responsible for getting the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, are honored by the Save Our Heritage Organisation with People in Preservation awards.
• Back to school: Students at La Jolla’s public schools and all San Diego Unified School District schools report for classes on an earlier start date, Aug. 12. That date — just two months after the end of the previous school year in June — comes via a 2022 SDUSD board resolution that made changes to the 2024-25 school calendar.
• Torrey Pines Rotary anniversary: The Torrey Pines Rotary Club celebrates its first 60 years and announces it is looking to increase membership and donate money to more organizations.
• Speech and debate: After making it to the semifinal round of the California High School Speech Association State Championship in April with the La Jolla High School speech and debate team, students and twin sisters Sarah and Mira Lehman are finalists in the National Speech & Debate Tournament.
• Lynda Forsha: After nearly 15 years and almost 50 murals, Lynda Forsha announces her plans to step down in January from her role as executive director of the Murals of La Jolla program.
• Lifeguard Relay: Team La Jolla came out on top in the annual Lifeguard Relay, which pits teams against one another in several challenges for bragging rights. The event features four lifeguard teams of 17 members each from different areas of San Diego: La Jolla; Mission Beach and Pacific Beach combined; Ocean Beach and Sunset Cliffs combined; and the city boating safety unit and bay lifeguards combined.
September
• Pacific Lyric Association: The Pacific Lyric Association Opera, a La Jolla-based company that has been producing full-scale operas with up-and-coming performers for 18 years, faces closure amid a shortage of donations. The nonprofit has provided a “bridge” for young singers between when they graduate and when they can audition for larger opera houses.
• Scripps Health centennial: Scripps Health celebrates 100 years, including at two hospitals in La Jolla. Today, Scripps Health runs five hospitals — including Scripps Memorial and Scripps Green in La Jolla — and 19 outpatient centers and employs more than 13,000 people across San Diego County.
• Jeff Terwin: Looking to bring a sense of “joyful exploration” to the campus, La Jolla Country Day School brings on a new head of school, Jeff Terwin.
• McKinney YMCA at 60: The Dan McKinney Family YMCA celebrates 60 years in operation at 8355 Cliffridge Ave. in La Jolla. The center, founded in 1964 as the Northwest YMCA through a partnership of the La Jolla Optimists, Dutch Smith Pool Association and La Jolla Youth Inc., started as a way to house a pool that was seen as deeply needed.
• Bowing out: Christopher Ashley, artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse for the past 18 seasons, announces he has been hired to lead New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company and will depart La Jolla after 2025.
October
• Woman’s Club at 110: The La Jolla Woman’s Club celebrates the 110th anniversary of its namesake building and announces plans to return to its roots of helping others and enhancing the lives of women.
• Architecture awards: Franklin Antonio Hall on the UC San Diego campus and the Scripps Park Pavilion restroom facility win Orchid awards from the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
• Voices for Children volunteers: Young La Jolla brothers Will and Noah Stupin volunteer for Voices for Children — a nonprofit that seeks to help abused, abandoned and neglected children by providing them with Court Appointed Special Advocates — by collecting book and toy donations and advocating for the cause.
• 50 half marathons: Bird Rock resident John Newsam commits to running a half marathon (13.1 miles) in all 50 states within a two-year period — this year and next. From January to October, he has run half marathons in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, California, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, Alaska, Montana, Missouri, Tennessee, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
• Las Patronas: At the new-member luncheon of La Jolla women’s philanthropy group Las Patronas, a whopping 13 members are inducted and the group announces that this year’s 78th annual Jewel Ball, themed “Meet Me in Marrakesh,” raised $909,630 for San Diego nonprofits.
• New Lodge general manager: Jakub Skyvara is named general manager at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, a AAA Five Diamond-rated resort in La Jolla owned by Evans Hotels. He takes over for Bill Gross, who had managed the property since 2006.
• Jewel Awards: The La Jolla Historical Society bestows Jewel Awards to John and Nancy Jo Cappetta, owners of a house at 6210 Camino de la Costa in La Jolla; Mark Lyon and Sara Carpenter, who renovated a 1965 Russell Forester-designed home at 7834 Esterel Drive on behalf of the owners; Karen and Richard Taylor, owners of the 1928 Harold Muir House at 1205 Muirlands Drive; Hailey and Max Waitt, who renovated the Irving Gill-designed Orli Hotel, also known as the George Kautz House, at 7753 Draper Ave.; and Seonaid McArthur, Molly McClain, Nick Agelidis and Diane Kane for their efforts to create the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District and get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
November
• Big Wave Challenge: By tackling a wave estimated at 40-50 feet tall, La Jolla surfer Jojo Roper earns the Men’s Paddle-in Wave of the Year award in this year’s Surfer Big Wave Challenge. Roper also records a top-three finish in the Men’s Surfer of the Year competition.
• Holiday card: In expanding the reach of his Angel of the Forgotten charity, La Jolla resident Bob Cooper partners with Stella Maris Academy student Gia McNeal to design a holiday card to be sent to animal shelters and donors as a way of saying thank you and to encourage future donations. Angel of the Forgotten raises funds to buy and donate more than 1,000 dog toys and treats to area shelters and humane societies before the December holidays.
• Gold medals: La Jolla resident Jim Owen, 84, earns gold medals in all 10 of the events he entered in his age group at the San Diego Senior Games. The games are part of a national organization in which people 50 and older compete in 16 Olympic-style sports.
• Dog reunion: With the help of his daughter and two of his neighbors, La Jolla resident Frank Richardson is reunited with his dog, Arlen, after they became separated during a traffic accident.
• Emma Weibel: La Jolla High School student Emma Weibel is named one of San Diego County’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens for her work to raise awareness about climate issues among her peers. That has taken the form of informational videos, marches, formation of a club and even joining a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Sophie Zeng: For her work including environmental activism through Project ARISE and her LGBTQ+ advocacy through filmmaking, Sophie Zeng, a junior at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, is named one of San Diego County’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens.
December
• 100 million colors: La Jolla artist Concetta Antico — whose condition, tetrachromacy, allows her to see 100 million colors — opens a gallery to showcase her paintings.
• Windansea stories: Chris Ahrens releases his 12th book, “Windansea: Life. Death. Resurrection,” which tells the stories of dozens of prominent figures at La Jolla’s Windansea Beach from 1937 to 1981.
• Tommy Edman: La Jolla Country Day School alumnus and 2024 World Series champion Tommy Edman reflects on the whirlwind run he and his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates experienced this past season and what clicked for him during a remarkable postseason.
• Christmas parade: The La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival returns for its 68th year Dec. 8 with a record 14 bands and 25 marching units. The event, this year titled “Palm Trees & Poinsettias — A California Christmas,” also features its traditional decorated floats, plus horses, classic cars, community leaders and more on its route along Girard Avenue and Prospect Street. ♦
