La Jolla Light
Enlightening La Jolla Since 1913
INSIDE
Merchants Association hosts mixer for its members, A7
Vol. 100, Issue 40 • October 4, 2012
Online Daily at www.lajollalight.com
Residential Customer La Jolla, CA 92037 ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 1980
Commission cuts down year-round seal rope By Pat Sherman Despite the California Coastal Commission’s unanimous July approval of a Coastal Development Permit to install a year-round rope separating humans and seals at Children’s Pool beach in La Jolla, San Diego’s Planning Commission drew a firm line in the sand Sept. 27, once again denying the year-round rope. Planning commissioners voted 10-1 against their own staff’s
recommendation to allow the yearround rope. Currently, the rope is up only six months a year, during the seals’ winter pupping season. After hours of public testimony on both sides of the issue, the commissioners unanimously reached the same conclusion they had in December 2010 — the rope prohibits beach access in violation of La Jolla’s community plan. The Planning Commission was
technically hearing an appeal of the San Diego City Council’s May 2010 approval of a site development permit to install and maintain the yearround rope, which is intended as a buffer between humans and seals. Prior to the commissioners’ deliberation, public interest attorney Bryan Pease, who filed the initial lawsuit on behalf of the Animal Protection and Rescue League, demanding the year-round rope, questioned why
the issue was brought back before the Planning Commission. “The City Council has already made the exact same findings that the Planning Commission is being asked to make,” Pease said. “The Coastal Commission also made the exact same findings in granting the coastal development permit. The City Council …
See Rope, A4
Jane Goodall presides over benefit in La Jolla By Pat Sherman he world’s foremost authority on Chimpanzees, Jane Goodall, was in La Jolla Friday night, Sept. 28, to raise money for her Virginia-based wildlife and environmental conservation organization, The Jane Goodall Institute. The event was held at the La Jolla Farms estate of Michelle Lerach, owner of Cups bakery, and husband, William Lerach. Prior to the event, the 78-year-old primatologist, anthropologist and United Nations Messenger of Peace sat down with the La Jolla Light to share some of her observations on mankind’s closest living relatives. Though Goodall does not travel with a live chimp, a stuffed Congolese companion was at her side, similar to Jubilee, the toy chimp her father gave her as a child, which still sits on her dresser in London. “He’s too frail to travel,” Goodall said of Jubilee, introducing “Mr. H,” her
T
La Jolla High School to get athletic facilities upgrades, A17
Shores party leads the local Halloween schedule, B1
stuffed traveling companion of 16 years, which was given to her by young Marine who lost his eyesight. Asked about the moment at Gombe Stream National Park when Goodall discovered chimpanzees’ dark side — which includes a capacity for violent and aggressive behavior, including cannibalism — Goodall said it was “really shocking.” However, she said chimps also have a tremendous capacity for love, compassion and altruism. “The chimpanzees show both, just as we do,” she said. “They have very strong bonds between family members, and can live to be 70 years. … Brothers will support each other; adult females will rescue their fullygrown sons, or go to their help, anyway.” During her 45-year study on the social and familial interactions of wild chimps in Gombe Stream in Tanzania, Goodall became one of the first researchers to challenge two long-held beliefs — that chimps are strictly vegetarian and that
See Goodall, A9
Film festival presents salute to director Gus Van Sant, B12
Plein-air landscapes on exhibit at the library, B13
Acclaimed nature photographer Tom Mangelsen of La Jolla poses with Desiree Harris at the fundraiser for The Jane Goodall Institute.
A view of the Lerach estate courtyard prior to the dinner.
PHOTOS BY NANCEE LEWIS