City of San Diego opens Children’s Pool, promptly closes
-The City of San Diego closed the beach at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla on Dec. 16 – to protect harbor seals during their pupping season. This closure occurred just a few days after officials said the area would remain open to the public to comply with a court ruling. The turnabout stemmed from an appellate court ruling that lifted an automatic stay in the case. If the stay had remained in place, the city would have had to allow people onto the beach.
The city appealed and asked for the automatic stay to be removed now that pupping season has started. City park rangers and lifeguards will monitor the Children’s Pool during the beach closure to keep the public and wildlife safe.
In the past, the city has closed the pool from Dec. 15 to May 15 during harbor seal pupping season for the beach and surrounding area. The existing rope line which serves as a guide and reminder for the public to keep a safe distance from any seals that may be present will remain in place while the beach remains open.The decision to close the pool was approved by City Council on Mar. 18, 2014.
**In the Dec. 16 edition of the La Jolla Village News, it was reported that the Children’s Pool would remain open. While that information provided (by the city) was correct at the time of publication, the decision was later reversed. We will update this information pending further developments. Canyon Crest Academy ranks No. 7 public high school in CA
– Niche just released their 2017 Best Public High Schools ranking. Out of 1,753 ranked schools, Canyon Crest Academy is the No. 7 best public high school in California.
– Here’s a first look at the 2017 Best Public High Schools in San Diego:
1. Canyon Crest Academy
2. Westview High School
3. Torrey Pines High School
4. Del Norte High School
5. Coronado High School
These new rankings analyze over 18,000 public high schools, weighting factors like academics, culture & diversity, and teachers, as well as millions of student and parent reviews about the school. 
Scripps Rock Dental event, “Cookies With Santa” benefitting Becky’s Gift
– This event will be held on December 15th from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Scripps Rock Dental Office: 12112 Scripps Summit Dr, San Diego, CA 92131. Lee Swanson retires from SDFD
– Media Services Manager, Lee Swanson, retired from San Diego Fire-Rescue on Dec. 2. The City is in the process of hiring a replacement, and in the interim, Capt. Joe Amador will again be stepping into the PIO duties.
Gateway co-founder Ted Waitt has been named Chairman of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies’ Board of Trustees.
– Waitt, chairman of the Waitt Foundation and one of America’s most generous philanthropists, will succeed Irwin Jacobs, philanthropist and founder of San Diego-based QUALCOMM, who has led the Salk Board since November 2006.
Several members of the UCSD women’s soccer team receive honors
– Junior striker Katie O’Laughlin (Carlsbad/Pacific Ridge School), the D2CCA West Region Player of the Year, and senior center back and co-captain Meghan Berry (Austin, Texas/San Diego Miramar College/Mt. Carmel HS), were chosen to the 13-player second team. Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez and junior winger Jordyn McNutt(San Diego/University City HS) made the 13-player third team. Fifth-year senior winger and two-year co-captain Kiera Bocchino, junior right back Makenzie Brito, and sophomore forward Mary Reilly (Chula Vista/Hilltop HS), all garnered D2CCA All-America honorable mentions.
UCSD men’s soccer All-Americans
– Stars Cameron McElfresh and Kuba Waligorski were officially unveiled Thursday morning as 2016 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division II All-Americans.
McElfresh is the consensus top goalkeeper in the land in Division II, adding NSCAA All-America First Team distinction to Wednesday’s announcement of being the first-team Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American goalie.
UCSD among top “10 Public Colleges Where Grads Make Six Figures”
-An analysis of graduates’ compensation from Money.com data shows that UC San Diego is the fifth best college for students seeking a path from an affordable public college to a high-paying job. The personal finance news and advice website ranked the nation’s top public universities with alumni that earn an average of more than $100,000 within 15 years of graduation — without having to attend graduate school.
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is pleased to announce two new exhibitions: -Over The Moon: A collaborative project created by San Diego Book Arts members, in the Joseph Clayes III Gallery; and Derli Romero: small works on paper and books, in the Rotunda Gallery. Selections from the Fred and Erika Torri Athenaeum Artists’ Books Collection will be on view in the North Reading Room. The works will be on display from Jan. 7 through Feb. 11. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.