Divers experience rare encounter Three divers captured rare footage of a mola mola, the heaviest-known bony fish in the world, off the coast of La Jolla on Sunday, Sept. 27. “I’ve been diving for a while and I’ve never seen one this close to shore,” said diver Julie Lorenzen, education coordinator at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The sighting took place near the southern wall of the Marine Room Canyon, about 34 feet from the surface. The mola mola, also known as an ocean sunfish, has an average adult weight of more than 2,000 pounds, however the two seen Sunday were babies — about two feet long. “Most molas are about 25 feet,” said Jim Kinane, who was with Lorenzen and diver Michael Bear when the sighting happened. Kinane is an Internet technician specialist for the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla. Bear was able to catch video footage of the molas on a wrist-mounted, high-definition underwater camera. Bear’s footage can be viewed on his blog, www.raptureofthedeep.org. Burglary, assault suspects to stand trial A La Jolla woman testified Sept. 21 that she recognized two men who broke into her house, one who sexually assaulted her before he fled. The woman said she met the men at a beach party and they apparently followed her home. Bryan Patrick Silva and Xavzier Pernell Paschal, both 21 and from San Diego, were both ordered to stand trial for burglary and possession of stolen property from the victim’s home. Silva was ordered to stand trial for sexual assault upon an unconscious victim in the Aug. 11 incident. The woman, 22, said she was sleeping and awoke around 4 a.m. to find a man fondling her. She said both men ran off after she began screaming. The pair left with her cell phone, an iPod and a computer, she said. A police officer later pulled over the suspect’s car on Nautilus Street and arrested the men. San Diego Superior Court Judge Margo Lewis also ordered Silva to stand trial for sexual battery. After the preliminary hearing concluded, both men pleaded not guilty to all charges and Lewis set a trial date for Nov. 10. If they are convicted, Silva and Paschal each face maximum terms of nine and six years in prison, respectively. Silva remains free on $50,000 bond, while Paschal remains at the George Bailey Detention Facility on $35,000 bail. — Neal Putnam Torrey Pines Elementary hits academic high The State of California recently released its results for academic performance and growth with Torrey Pines Elementary School’s (TPES) scores making it the No.1 elementary school in all of San Diego County. In addition, the school ranked 14th out of more than 5,000 schools in the state. The scoring is based on an annual Academic Performance Index (API), which charts school’s academic progress based upon demographics, standardized testing and other factors, said Linda Zintz, the San Diego Unified School District’s communications director. TPES has exceeded base scoring once again and now, for 2010, it has raised its score by 15 percent. According to a recent statement by the school’s principal, Jim Solo, the school is extremely pleased with the results and achievement, crediting the schools recent success to its teachers’ high curriculum standards. “It’s the gold standard in terms of what state and federal officials want to see from a school,” Zintz said. “As for parents and families, the API results are an excellent way for them to measure how the school is doing and the level of learning that’s happening.” Volunteers needed for La Jolla Shores Association The La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA) is seeking a talented volunteer to assist with the redesign of its website. The goal of LJSA is to work with the local community to enhance and protect La Jolla Shores, preserve parks and beaches while also staying up-to-date and involved in permitting and transportation issues as they impact the local environment and businesses. LJSA would like its website to represent these core values and hopes to find a savvy Web designer and content management systems expert to convey these goals. For more information regarding this position, contact chairman Joe Dicks at (619) 685-6800. The Preuss School wins prestigious award The Preuss School UCSD, a combined middle and high school, was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education this month. The Blue Ribbon School award honors schools that help “close gaps in achievement,” which is a goal of Preuss as well. “Preuss has been named a California Distinguished School for years and this national recognition from the Department of Education is an incredible honor,” said Preuss Principal Scott Barton. “It’s a testament to the achievements of Preuss’ teachers, students, staff and our support from the University of California, San Diego, the Unified School District and partners in the community.” San Diego Unified School District schedules meeting On Thursday, Oct. 7, Mike Price, area superintendent for La Jolla schools, will be leading a town meeting at University City High School. Top issues to be discussed on the agenda will be how the community can address and improve student achievement, the budget cuts for 2011-12 — which total more than $141 million — and information regarding the Proposition J Emergency Parcel Tax. The meeting will be located at 6949 Genesee Ave. and begins at 6:30 p.m. Office manager exits Town Council post A vital member of the La Jolla Town Council’s office left her post Sept. 25. Cindy Hoye worked as a part-time office manager for two years, serving as the go-to contact for La Jollans’ needs. Darcy Ashley, a former Town Council president and volunteer, hired Hoye two years ago and said it will be hard to fill her spot because she was “so good at what she does.” “Cindy would help people get connected with whoever they needed,” said Ashley. “She had a broad resource base and knowledge of the community.” A few tears were shed in response to Hoye going away, according to a statement by Egon Kafta and Maureen Murphy of the La Jolla Village Lodge. “At the busy, best of times over the last several years, we have observed conscientious Cindy Hoye virtually functioning as the unofficial mayor of La Jolla, running the little Town Council office across the street at the Crosby Center,” the statement said.