LJ parking plan to be re-examined
The City of San Diego’s Community Parking District Program discussed implementing a parking plan for La Jolla, which has been in the works for several years, at the La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA) meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
The plan, which is specific for Avenida de la Playa, would consist of creating new parking spaces, loading zones and brick crosswalks, as well as making timed parking zones uniform at 90 minutes, according to LJSA chair Sherri Lightner.
The plan was approved several years ago by the association, as well as by the city’s Traffic Division and the La Jolla Community Planning Association, and was sent to the City Council. The council, however, took no action, Lightner said.
Ken King, the LJSA representative for the Community Parking District Program, presented the already approved plan at Wednesday’s meeting, and the association will most likely vote on it at next month’s meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 8, according to Lightner.
The current plan could not be approved because many of the community businesses listed as geographical markers had changed locations since it was first drawn up, Lightner said.
Although the Parking District does have funds to complete the project, it was unclear to the Lightner how the new parking would be maintained and enforced, she said.
A community walkabout tour is scheduled for an upcoming weekend, which will allow people to see where the new parking changes will take place.
The Community Parking District will also discuss the preliminary parking plan at Promote La Jolla’s public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m., at La Jolla Recreation Center, 615 Prospect St.

Accident victim expected to recover
The man who was hit by a driver while trying to cross North Torrey Pines Road in a crosswalk on Monday, Oct. 2, has been identified as Morteza Vaghefi, 57, and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Jeff Fellows, detective sergeant for the San Diego Traffic Division.
Vaghefi suffered a broken pelvis, and will be released from Scripps Memorial Hospital after receiving several surgeries, Fellows said. The woman he was crossing with, Zahra Paradoosh, 53, of Carmel Valley, was killed in the accident, which occurred when a 67-year-old woman drove through a red light. Charges against the driver are pending.

College Fair tonight
The San Diego and Imperial Counties California Student Opportunity & Access Program (Cal-SOAP) presents the annual University/College Fair tonight, Oct. 19, at the Scottish Rite Center, 1895 Camino del Rio South.
More than 100 colleges and universities will be on hand to talk about admission requirements, campus life, the application process, financial aid and more.
Workshops will also be offered. Admission is free. For information, visit www.sandiegocalsoap.com.

Registrar’s office open for early voting
Registered voters can now cast their ballots before Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Registrar of Voters office, 5201 Ruffin Road, Suite 1, during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
No appointment is necessary.
For information, call the Registrar of Voters, (858) 565-5800.

LJ Christmas Parade registration under way
Registration for the 2006 La Jolla Christmas Parade is open from now until Saturday, Nov. 11. This year’s theme will be “Legends of the Season.” A mandatory safety workshop for those who will be entering a float will be held at 6 p.m. at the La Jolla Town Council, 7734 Herschel Ave., Suite F.
Maps, instructions, entry and volunteer forms and other parade information can be found by visiting www.ljparade.com.
For more information, e-mail parade chairs Michele Addington and Lynda Hunt, or Annette Bradbury, the parade secretary, at [email protected].

Lecture Series brings Amy Tan to MCASD
Author Amy Tan will kick off the three-part 2006 KPBS Lecture Series Friday, Oct. 27 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St.
“We are always looking for intriguing people, and Amy Tan is a very talented writer and has a following here in San Diego,” said Jessica Lee, a promotion and public information representative from KPBS. “We developed the series as a response to the 45th anniversary of KPBS and it was so successful we decided to do it again.”
Born in Oakland, Calif., and brought up in the Bay area, Tan is best known for her novel “The Joy Luck Club,” which is a New York Times bestseller and was turned into a major motion picture in 1993.
Her latest book, “Saving Fish from Drowning,” will be available to purchase at the event. Tan is scheduled to discuss her life as a writer, host a question-and-answer session, and read from her new book.
General admission tickets for the event are $40 for KPBS members, $50 for non-members and $35 with a student ID. VIP tickets, which include a pre-lecture reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and a chance to meet Tan and receive a free copy of her book, are $90 for members, $100 for non-members.
For more information, or to purchase a ticket, contact Jessica Lee, (619) 594-4051 or visit www.kpbs.org.

Wine dinner will support Prudential charities
A four-course dinner to benefit Pickford Realty Cares, a foundation formed by Prudential California Realty that supports local charities, will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m., at Nine-Ten Restaurant, adjacent to the Grande Colonial Hotel, 910 Prospect St.
“Pickford Realty Cares is a wonderful organization because all the money raised stays right here in San Diego and benefits the community,” said Clair Coon, a real estate professional at the La Jolla office. “This dinner is a great supplement to the other programs Prudential has in place to support the foundation.”
Each dinner course will be paired with wine, and experts will be present to discuss each beverage selection. Bottles of wine will be auctioned, with funds going to the foundation.
Since its inception in 1999, Pickford Realty Cares has aimed to support education, the environment and healthcare issues in communities within San Diego.
The dinner is $100 per person, and seats are open to the first 60 people who RSVP to the restaurant. Reservations may be made by contacting Shani Greene, (858) 551-7202 or [email protected].

Standley MS art classroom catches fire
A fire broke out Thursday, Oct. 12 at Standley Middle School in University City after wax dripped from a lit candle in an art room and caused nearby paper to go up in flames.
An art teacher had lit the candle shortly before 9 a.m. to do a classroom project, and had then left the room, according to responding patrol officer Joy Brugeman of the San Diego Police Department’s northern division.
Fire traveled up the walls and into the school’s attic, but there were no injuries. Students were sent home for the day and resumed classes on Friday, she said.

Weird Al to appear at festival opening
Parody singer Weird Al Yankovic will meet fans and sign autographs during this weekend’s opening of Spike & Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, returning after a three-year hiatus to the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St.
Weird Al will be joined by festival co-founder Spike on Oct. 20 and 21, 7:15 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Two Weird Al videos are included in the fest, which features 21-plus new animated shorts. Tickets are $15 opening weekend, $10 on Oct. 28, Nov. 3, 11, 18 and 25. Attendees must be age 18 with ID.
For more information, call (858) 454-3541.