San Diego International Airport has received two grants totaling nearly $14 million, part of a $318.1 million package of grants to 78 airports in 34 states, to provide infrastructure upgrades. “The grant funding is to continue the airport’s Quieter Home Program,” said San Diego Airport spokesperson Rebecca Bloomfield. “It will help continue projects already under way within the areas the FAA has approved for sound attenuation.” The Quieter Home Program is the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s Residential Sound Insulation Program. The FAA has determined that residences within the 65-plus decibel level contour map around San Diego International Airport may be eligible for sound insulation treatments to mitigate aircraft noise. The FAA has set a goal of reducing interior noise levels for eligible residents by at least five decibels inside the home, providing a noticeable reduction in noise. The Airport Authority’s Quieter Home Program is the means to obtain that goal. The FAA said $8 million will be spent to mitigate noise for around 715 people who live around Lindbergh Field. Also, $5.7 million will be used to repair the longest of two east-west runways at Brown Field, the municipal airport nearest the U.S.-Mexico border. San Diego officials have been trying to spur development at Brown Field in recent years, including approval of a sprawling project that includes airplane hangars, industrial buildings, retail space and restaurants. The four-phase project, which could take two decades to build out, could get underway by the end of this year. “The airport improvement program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. “This is an important investment in these airports and the economic vitality of their respective communities.” Bloomfield noted the Quieter Home Program’s goal “... is achieved by treating windows and doors in habitable spaces. We also offer some form of ventilation treatment if they don’t already have one.” Bloomfield estimated 6,000 homes remain within the established noise contour for sound diminishment.  Homeowners may apply for the Quieter Homes Program at www.san.org/Airport-Noise/Quieter-Home-Program. “My husband, Mike, and I were completely happy with the Quieter Home Program and all the soundproofing made to our home definitely reduced airplane noise,” said Pam Carleton, who lives in Point Loma. “Catherine Darby, our program coordinator, was responsive, communicative, and on top of our project, which was done in August 2015. We had to be out of town for a week during this process due to an unplanned family medical emergency, and Catherine kept us posted and even emailed pictures when a change was needed and she wanted our approval. We had a very positive experience with the Quieter Home Program,” Carleton said. The average cost to sound proof a home against airplane noise? “The average cost is $30,000 per home,” answered Bloomfield, adding, “we estimate the $8 million grant will provide funding for approximately one year, or 286 homes within the program boundary.” With the exception of last fiscal year, Bloomfield said the Airport Authority has received an annual FAA grant for the Quieter Home Program since 2004. The program has provided sound attenuation to an estimated 3,500 homes within the program boundaries. Bloomfield pointed out each homeowner in the Quieter Homes Program is requested to complete a post-construction survey. San Diego International Airport is owned and operated by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. In 2015, traffic at San Diego International exceeded 20 million passengers, serving more than 500 scheduled operations carrying about 50,000 passengers daily. While primarily serving domestic traffic, San Diego has nonstop international flights to Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. SAN is the busiest single runway airport in the U.S. and third-busiest single runway in the world, behind Mumbai and London Gatwick. Due to the airport's short usable-runway, close proximity to the skyscrapers of downtown San Diego and steep landing approach as a result of the nearby Peninsular Ranges. SAN has been called "the busiest, most difficult single runway in the world."  SAN operates in controlled airspace served by the Southern California TRACON, which is some of the busiest airspace in the world.

JCompany Jubilee celebrates 25 years of youth theatre Over its 25-year history, JCompany Youth Theatre has brought hundreds of shows to the stage allowing thousands of young thespians to gain poise, confidence and self-esteem through the magic of the stage. On Sept. 9 all of San Diego is invited to celebrate JCompany’s 25th jubilee season with a trip down memory lane. The family friendly evening will feature a light reception (beer and wine for adults, cookies and milk for kids) along with tributes to JCompany stars and a curated collection of costumes, props and memorabilia from some of its most memorable shows.   Founded in 1993 by artistic director, Becky Cherlin Baird and executive producer, Melissa Garfield Bartell, JCompany is recognized as one of Southern California’s leading family-based youth theatre companies. JCompany’s professionally mounted performances are based out of the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, a 495-seat state of the art theatre facility located at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center.  “In honor of this milestone, and to commemorate our successes, we are raising funds to renovate the JCC’s rehearsal room,” says Krystle Hart, JCompany managing director. “Our goal is to create the very best, most professional experience for our young actors and improve the quality of their theatre education.” The evening will also include the unveiling of the JCompany Jubilee Exhibit: A Look on 25 Years of Excellence, which will be housed at the Gotthelf Art Gallery located at the JCC through Oct. 15, 2017.  The exhibit is a historical and visual retrospective of one-of-a-kind production artwork, Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Joseph’s coat of many colors, and so much more.  Jubilee Celebration and Gallery Reveal Sept. 9 at 7:15 p.m. David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, Gotthelf Art Gallery Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive Price: $10; Student Price: $5 For tickets, call the JCC Box Office (858) 362-1348 or sdcjc.org/boxoffice. Physician-Scientist and waterman to tackle water quality challenges San Diego Coastkeeper announces the addition of Dr. Jim Perry, University of California San Diego professor of pediatrics and bioengineering, to its board of directors. Perry, a lifelong competitive swimmer, sailor, surfer, scuba diver and co-founder of two Surfrider Foundation chapters, is now bringing his love of water, medicine and science to empower the work of San Diego County’s water quality watchdog. “When news broke that our federal environmental regulations were being dismantled in D.C., I started looking for what I could do to help protect our water here in San Diego,” says Perry. “I discovered San Diego Coastkeeper and found they were already entrenched in the work I knew was necessary but didn’t know was feasible: in-house water science combined with legal and policy work that gets major, measurable results.” “We’re thrilled to have Dr. Perry join our Coastkeeper team,” says Matt O’Malley, executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper.  “His passion and his experience in the public health and bioengineering arena will greatly complement our work to protect and restore our waters in San Diego County.” In addition to his professorships at UC San Diego, Perry is the director of the cardiac electrophysiology and adult congenital heart programs at Rady Children’s Hospital, holds medical device patents and has served as chief science officer for a biomedical device startup. Perry has also worked at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Texas Children’s Hospital and Yale University, has published 100 peer-reviewed medical reports and lectures in the field of pediatric cardiac rhythm disorders internationally. He lives in Ocean Beach with his wife, Nicole, and their two dogs, Elvis and Milo. Scripps celebrates 25 Years “On the Hill”   Though there have been several iterations of the Scripps aquarium since the very beginning of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1905, the opening of Birch Aquarium on Sept. 16, 1992 took the aquarium to the next level, expanding the reach of the institution’s public outreach arm. To celebrate this milestone, Birch Aquarium is hosting a family-friendly anniversary event featuring live music, face painting and crafts as well as science interactions highlighting the latest science from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Enjoy festive décor and family-friendly activities throughout the aquarium,  learn which aquarium residents have been there since the very beginning and contribute to the “Wall of Fishes,” sharing your hopes and dreams for the future of the aquarium. There will also be a scavenger hunt and craft activities. All 25th Anniversary events are included in Birch Aquarium admission and free for members. Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Over 100 sites to be cleaned at 33rd annual Coastal Cleanup Day On Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon, an estimated 7,500 volunteers will participate at more than 100 sites across San Diego County as part of the 33rd annual Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD). ILACSD has coordinated this event locally for 31 years and successfully mobilizes thousands of volunteers, while also supporting cleanup efforts in Tijuana. Volunteers of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up for a site in their neighborhood and help leave a lasting impact on the whole region. The media is invited to join ILACSD staff, event sponsors, and elected officials at the kickoff site at Golden Hill Park where volunteers will help with service projects at the park and the recreation center, including a mural project and mulching. For more information about sites and volunteer registration, please visit www.CleanupDay.org. While CCD is best known for its beach cleanup sites, ILACSD focuses the majority of its efforts along inland waterways and canyons where 80 percent of marine debris starts. Last year alone, CCD volunteers removed over 92 tons of trash and recyclables from local watersheds that otherwise would have polluted San Diego’s beloved coastline and the Pacific Ocean. In addition to trash removal, volunteers will also beautify San Diego County by removing graffiti, planting native species, building trails, and restoring habitats. ILACSD invites volunteers to take waste reduction into their own hands by pledging to “Bring Your Own” reusable items when they registering at www.CleanupDay.org. Each volunteer who brings a reusable water bottle, work gloves, and/or a bucket to collect litter significantly reduces the need for single-use bags and disposable gloves. Prizes will be awarded to the best decorated buckets entered into this year’s “Bling Your Bucket” contest. Third edition of healthcare reform released La Jolla-based physician and surgeon Dr. James Veltmeyer has released the third edition of his healthcare reform informational booklet, entitled "Health Care by the People, for the People." This edition includes new material concerning Emergency Catastrophic Care ( ECC ) as well as National Health Savings Accounts (NHSA), in addition to the more widely-known Medical Association Membership (MAM) model of direct primary care. Voted one of San Diego's Top Doctors in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017, Dr. Veltmeyer has announced his candidacy for Congress in California's 52nd District. UC San Diego Osher Lifelong Learning Institute open house Discover the joys of continued learning and enrichment at a free Open House on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m. at UC San Diego. Presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, this membership program for adults over the age of 50 offers daytime lectures, seminars, and guided discussions by the renowned UCSD faculty and community leaders.  There are no prerequisites, exams or credit—simply the joy of learning in a community of peers. For more information about Osher and its fall program at UC San Diego, visit olli.ucsd.edu or call 858-534-3409. Parking is free on Saturdays.  Barbara Bry statement on Trump decision to end DACA “Today’s decision by the Trump administration to rescind the DACA program is both callous and short-sighted. The roughly 800,000 Dreamers who live in this country contribute to our economy, our communities, and the future of our nation. The 40,000 San Diegans who are eligible for DACA have families here and are a part of the fabric of our local community. To heartlessly open these young people up to deportation is to forget that our country was built on the hard work and aspirations of immigrants. I stand firmly against any action to deport Dreamers, and I will advocate for the protection of DACA by Congress." Herringbone celebrates 5 years in La Jolla Herringbone’s 5 Year anniversary celebration is coming up on Sept. 10 from 3 to 6 p.m.  Save the date, and toast to 5 years with a glass of bubbly, while enjoying tray passed bites and live music by favorite local musicians in Herringbone’s sun-kissed lounge. Pedestrian seriously injured on high-speed road  A 51-year-old man suffered serious injuries after a driver hit the pedestrian in University City yesterday evening. At approximately 9:15 p.m., the driver, who was heading east on La Jolla Village Drive approaching Lebon Drive, unsuccessfully attempted to swerve to avoid the pedestrian, who may have been attempting to cross the street. La Jolla Village Drive is a high speed 45 mile-per-hour road with six travel lanes and no crosswalk on the side of the street where the collision happened. “Speed is the biggest factor that determines if a pedestrian survives a collision with a car,” said Maya Rosas, Advocacy Manager for Circulate San Diego. “Serious injuries and deaths are preventable with traffic calming and pedestrian infrastructure such as high visibility crosswalks.”   Circulate San Diego and a diverse coalition of 20 organizations have promoted a campaign for the last two years called Vision Zero, with the goal to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in San Diego by 2025. Mayor Faulconer and the San Diego City Council adopted a 10-year Vision Zero strategy in 2015. The concept behind Vision Zero is that traffic deaths are preventable – through safe street design, education, and enforcement. The program has been successful in other U.S. and European cities. To date, 20 cities across the U.S. have adopted a Vision Zero goal. Last year was the third year in a row in the City of San Diego with an increase in pedestrian deaths. In June, the City of San Diego recently committed to making improvements to the 15 most dangerous intersections, but yesterday's injury shows that more work is needed.