DOWNPOUR’S DOWNSIDE
Traffic backed up from La Jolla Parkway onto the 52 freeway Jan. 6 as wet conditions caused a Jeep driver to lose control and crash the vehicle, ending up facing the wrong way.
Meanwhile, steady rain flooded the road under the Regents Road bridge at Marian Bear Park making for a tricky drive.

Town Council changesits meeting time
The La Jolla Town Council will begin meeting an hour later, at 5 p.m., beginning with this week’s meeting on Thursday, Jan. 10.
The later time will better accommodate work schedules, LJTC President Anne Cleveland said.
The council will still meet on the second Thursday of each month at the same location, the La Jolla Recreation Center, 615 Prospect St.

Newsweek editor to discuss election
UCSD presents a free public lecture on “The Race for the Presidency 2008” by Evan Thomas, managing editor for Newsweek magazine.
The lecture begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 at UCSD’s Price Center Ballroom, 9500 Gilman Drive. The lecture is free, but parking on campus is $3 after 4:30 p.m.
Before becoming editor, Thomas was Newsweek’s Washington bureau chief from 1986 to 1996, after nine years at Time magazine.
For information, visit http://ucsdnews.ucsd,edu.

Three LJ/UC schools make prestigious list
Some of the nation’s best high schools can be found in San Diego. Nine San Diego Unified School District sites made the U.S. News and World Report list for the top schools in the nation, with The Preuss School at UCSD ranking No. 10.
U.S. News and World Report examined 19,000 high schools across the nation and placed 1,591 on its “Top High Schools” list. The top 100 schools were designated as gold schools and the remaining as silver and bronze schools.
La Jolla and University City high schools were named silver schools and High Tech High in Point Loma was named a bronze school. This is the second time that San Diego Unified School District campuses have been recognized by a national magazine for stellar academia.
School Evaluation Services, a paid service that forms ratings based on college readiness, student performance on advanced placement tests and the performance of economically disadvantaged students, assessed campus rankings.
The “Top High Schools” list was released on Dec. 1 and is available at www.usnews.com.

Audubon Society will work at wildlife preserve
The San Diego Audubon Society is inviting the public to join the group and pitch in on some activities.
On Saturday, Jan. 12, volunteers will help gather scientific data on mangrove plants and remove non-native species at the Mission Bay wildlife preserve from 1 to 4 p.m.
Tools and gloves, along with water and snacks, will be provided for volunteers.
Volunteers can access the preserve from Campland on the Bay, 2211 Pacific Beach Drive.
Parking is available outside the campground. For info or to RSVP, email [email protected]. or call (619) 682-7210.

Mayor names Barrett water units director
Mayor Jerry Sanders has announced the selection of Jim Barrett as the director for the City’s Water and Wastewater departments.
Barrett, currently the director of the Water Department, will supervise both departments as the city continues to implement reforms and improve the efficiency of both operations.
Barrett will report directly to Jay Goldstone, the city’s chief operating officer, and has been tasked by the mayor with analyzing how to better coordinate the administrative and operational functions of both departments.
Barrett’s new assignment will leave the general services, environmental services and engineering and capital projects departments under the supervision of the city’s deputy chief operation officer (DCOO) for public works. David Jarrell, who has been serving as the interim DCOO for Public Works, has been appointed by the mayor to permanently fill that position. Barrett will manage water and wastewater departments in conjunction with the assistant directors in place in those areas.

Chargers team with SD Blood Bank
The San Diego Blood Bank is giving away powder-blue Division Championship Chargers Blood Drive XXIX T-shirts to blood donors at all San Diego Blood Bank donor centers and bloodmobile blood drives.
The shirts will be given away as the Chargers move forward toward the Super Bowl, following last Sunday’s big win over the visiting Tennessee Titans.
To donate blood, donors must be at least 17 years old, in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds.
There are three blood drives this week in the La Jolla/University City area. The first is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11 at La Jolla Village Center parking lot, 8813 Villa La Jolla Drive.
The second is from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 at University City High School’s activity room, 6949 Genesee Ave. The third is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16 at the National University parking lot, 11355 N. Torrey Pines Road.
For donor centers and blood drive information, call (800) 469-7322 or visit www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

Rosecrans columbarium expansion announced
Congressman Bob Filner has announced the expansion of the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery columbarium to provide an additional 4,000 spaces for the cremated remains of veterans, according to a statement released by the representative’s office.
The action by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will keep present levels of service at the cemetery until the scheduled completion of the first phase of the Miramar Annex Cemetery in 2010, which was originally scheduled for completion in August 2008.
Construction of the entire annex is scheduled for 2012.
The Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery was scheduled to reach full capacity earlier than the Miramar Annex development project would be ready to receive burials, causing concern that families of deceased veterans would have to keep loved ones’ remains at Riverside National Cemetery, according to the statement. The annex at MCAS Miramar would ensure burial capacity up until 2040.

Dershowitz to speak
The United Jewish Federation of San Diego County Men’s Event will present civil liberties lawyer Alan Dershowitz Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Dinner cost is $85 plus a minimum contribution of $200 to the UJF.
For information call Rachel De Quesada, (858) 571-3444, or register online at www.jewishinsandiego.org/me.