La Jolla High ASB funds misuse investigated
A former La Jolla High School clerk is being investigated by San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) for shifting $25,000 in Associated Student Body (ASB) funds earmarked for student activities to other purposes.
The investigation stems from a 52-page audit of La Jolla High’s ASB funds.
La Jolla principal Dana Shelburne and Area 3 superintendent Julie Martel said the school would comply with all of the district’s recommendations to ensure its ASB funds are properly managed.
The most serious audit findings dealt with the dealings of the financial clerk, who allegedly used a series of accounting manipulations to shift money from one account to another to cover missing funds, the audit report said.
 “The public can be assured that SDUSD takes very seriously our responsibility to properly spend funds from taxpayers and donors alike,” said SDUSD superintendent Cindy Marten.
 “In cases where an audit has shown that policies or the law are not followed, all appropriate action will be taken,” Marten said.
Marten noted district employee-privacy rules preclude officials from always sharing the consequences of audits with the public.
“However, the district will follow through with appropriate discipline/legal action as required,” Marten said adding that, as superintendent, she expects all district employees to “understand and follow our district policies, procedures and the law. It is the district’s responsibility to provide relevant, timely and clear information and training to our employees for this important function.” —David Schwab Woman ordered to trial in attempted carjacking at school
A 20-year-old woman was ordered Monday to stand trial for attempted carjacking after she allegedly tried to steal a car outside La Jolla Country Day School.
No one was hurt in the June 26 incident. Jennifer Anaiz Gomez could not the car in gear and could only rev the engine. Gomez was pulled out of the car by someone passing by and attempted to run off, only to be caught by the head of the school’s security.
The car’s driver was a relative of an 8-year-old child who was dropped off at 8:35 a.m., after which Gomez allegedly pulled the driver out of the car. A detective who interviewed the driver testified about what the relative told him.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert Longstreth heard the detective and another witness in the preliminary hearing and set a trial date for Sept. 3. Gomez has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $50,000 bond. A prosecutor said Gomez could face 4 years in prison if convicted. —Neal Putnam Trio in University City bank robbery Three people involved in a June bank robbery in University City in which one robber was shot will have a preliminary hearing on July 22 in San Diego Superior Court.
The trio is accused of holding up the Wells Fargo Bank on June 11, but a security guard shot Casey Allen Wilson, 27, who was later found at a hospital and was arrested there. Police also arrested Laura Joyce Elshire, 42.
Mexican police arrested Robert Anthony Hodge, 28, and he was turned over to police on July 6. All three have pleaded not guilty, and they all remain in jail on high bail. Elshire has a misdemeanor case in El Cajon that involves possession of drug paraphernalia, records say. —Neal Putnam La Jolla physician fined, ordered to repay Medicare
The corporate medical practice for La Jolla physician Joel I. Bernstein has been ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution to Medicare for his billing and purchase of unapproved foreign cancer drugs.
His practice was also fined $500,000 and he was placed on probation for one year with no jail time on July 2. Bernstein, 59, pleaded guilty in January to a misdemeanor charge of using interstate commerce to market a new drug, Mabthera, which is made in Turkey but is not approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
His medical practice pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare, which paid for the use of foreign prescription drugs — a practice Medicare is barred from doing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Bernstein purchased $3.4 million of foreign cancer drugs despite the fact they had not been approved for use in the U.S. There are no allegations in any of the documents that state any of Bernstein’s patients were harmed. —Neal Putnam Playhouse and DonorNation partner for schools
DonorNation announced the La Jolla Playhouse will donate a pair of tickets for every performance in the Playhouse’s 2013-14 season to be sold on DonorNation.org at half price for $65. Theatergoers can purchase the tickets (sold only in pairs) at half price, and the Playhouse will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to a school of the purchaser’s choice. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. Police seeking retired La Jolla senior volunteers
San Diego Police Department’s Northern Division is looking for volunteers for its Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol (RSVP) to assist uniformed officers.
RSVP duties include patrolling local neighborhoods, assisting with accident and crime scenes, and supporting disaster preparedness and homeland security efforts.
Volunteers also visit elderly residents to check on their welfare, as well as performing vacation house checks.
The next RSVP Academy dates are Oct. 21-25. Background application packets must be completed by Aug. 10.
For more information and to schedule a ride-along, call (858) 552-1737 or email [email protected].
 
La Jolla biopharmaceutical company raises funds to fight cancer
Celgene Corporation raised $8,500 at its “Baskets and Beverages” benefit recently for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk.
“Our 2013 fundraising goal is $25,000 and this event put us off to a good start,” said Patty Waymire, executive assistant at Celgene Corporation at 10300 Campus Point Drive. “We still have our work cut out for us and appreciate any additional financial assistance we can get as we not only work to reach our goal, but surpass it.”
The Light The Night Walk will be Friday, Nov. 8 at Petco Park. Teams and individual walkers will join together in twilight holding illuminated balloons — white for survivors, red for supporters and gold to remember those lost to cancer.  First responders get ticket break with Padres
The San Diego Padres have launched the first online-verification ticketing service for U.S. military and government first responders.
The program, offered through technology and verification partner GovX, which is based in La Jolla, will offer discounted Padres tickets for active and veteran military and police, fire, medical and related government personnel. The Padres offer $6 off any ticket priced $14 or higher to all military personnel and first responders. First responders may also purchase $10 tickets in right field, lower reserved sections.
For the first time, those who have been deployed can now buy discounted tickets in advance online.
To access the discounts, qualified fans can visit Padres.com/military or Padres.com/firstresponder. For information on all GovX MLB and team deals, visit www.GovX.com.