Family opens letter with suspicious white powder A La Jolla family called police Saturday, June 20 after opening a letter containing suspicious white powder, said San Diego Police Department Capt. Shelley Zimmerman. “The family said that they had received other threats, so with caution, we called the Hazmat team and they found nothing hazardous,” Zimmerman said. At about 12:41 p.m. June 20, a letter sent through the mail to the 1000 block of Avenida Amantea in La Jolla contained a white substance, police said. A family member opened it and then called police. Although the letter was not threatening, police called the San Diego Fire Rescue Department and the Hazardous Material Team (Hazmat) since family members said they had been previously threatened. Zimmerman said the family filed a criminal complaint with the police. Two lobster poachers sentenced Two lobster poachers were recently sentenced to jail time in unrelated cases. Binh Q. Chau will spend 90 days behind bars after he was arrested by a Department of Fish and Game (DFG) warden March 18 at the La Jolla Marine Preserve, where it is illegal to take any marine resource. Chau, who was fishing for lobsters with a handline, tried to throw the line into the ocean when the warden approached but it was still attached to a spool in his pocket. When searched, the warden found four lobsters and a cabezon (fish) in Chau’s possession. Chau pleaded guilty to the charges June 3 in San Diego Superior Court. Since he has a prior record of arrests for poaching, he was also prohibited from fishing anywhere on the coast within San Diego city limits for three years, the DFG said. Jason Bryan Chavez pleaded guilty June 11 to poaching undersized lobsters in the ocean off South Mission Beach. He was ordered to serve 120 days in custody and placed on probation. According to the City Attorney’s Office, police arrested Chavez around 4:30 a.m. May 18. A police officer noticed Chavez taking an empty backpack to the ocean and returning to the car with it full. Upon searching Chavez’s car, police discovered 46 lobsters, which were confiscated and returned to the ocean. Chavez had poached the lobsters with a pole and a net. Chavez’s conviction included five charges: fishing without a license, taking spiny lobsters by unlawful means, possession of an undersized lobster, possession of an over limit of lobsters and possession of spiny lobster out of open season. Since 1997, Chavez has had a total of six fish and game violations – past offenses include illegal means of taking fish and over fishing clams and ghost shrimp. Citizens can report a poacher by calling the California Fish and Game hotline, (888) 334-2258. Torrey Pines Extension holds photo contest As part of this summer’s 35th anniversary celebration of the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension, youngsters in grades K-6 are invited to submit photos taken at the Extension for a photo contest. Color or black and white 8×10 photos will be accepted. The deadline for submission is Aug. 8. Winning photos will be exhibited at an Aug. 22 “habitat” party. For more information, visit www.torreypines.org.