La JoLLa Light
Enlightening La Jolla Since 1913
Vol. 99 Issue 33 • August 18, 2011
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
Aloha spirit flows at Luau event Dennis Carson to be honored
■ Art exhibit
showcases best of ‘Our Town’ Page B1 We’re looking for 9-11 Events
Is your group hosting any special programs in memory of the upcoming 10th Anniversary of the 9-11 attacks? Or do you know someone who was directly affected or involved in some way in what happened that day or the weeks following? The La Jolla Light is compiling a list of remembrance events for readers and would like to make it as complete as possible, including the arts and cultural institutions, faith communities and civic organizations. We’d also like to share your stories. Please send any announcements or contact information to kday@lajollalight.com by Friday, Aug. 26.
■ Local teams
gear up for start of football season Page A21
By Kathy Day kday@lajollalight.com Sunday culminates a year of hard work by more than 100 volunteers who have been working to make the annual Luau & Longboard Invitational happen.
It’s also the day that Dr. Dennis Carson, who this year went back to the lab after eight years as director of the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, will be honored at the event that has raised more than $5 million. He’s now working on finding drugs to treat breast and ovarian cancer and leukemia at the UCSD facility, one of
Celebrating
only 40 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute. Carson, known for discovering and pushing through to clinical use a novel anticancer agent marketed as Leustatin, will accept the Rell Sunn Award given each year to “the person or persons who best embody the
true aloha spirit and display the qualities shared by Rell and the Luau & Longboard Invitational — the battle against cancer, combined with unselfishness, compassion and a dedication to helping others,” according to the event website. At 32, Sunn was diagnosed
See Luau, a14
life a year later
Bird Rock crash victims, families gather with firefighters By Dave SChwaB Staff writer A year after a tragic drunken driving crash that seriously injured La Jolla teens Alani Aguerre, Ian Brininstool and Myles Polger, they, their families and the firefighters who ministered to them gathered to mark the occasion with food, camaraderie and good cheer. “Sometimes it’s an unpredicted series of events that turns strangers into friends — and that’s certainly what happened,” said Lorne Polger, Myle’s father, at a party at the Aguerre residence Monday night, the one-year anniversary of the incident. Noting the outcome “could have been dramatically worse,” Polger added, “We’re just incredibly lucky.” “To life … and you should all have happy, healthy lives,” he said leading a toast. See CRaSh, a14
the tone was upbeat at a party marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic Bird Rock crash. above: Firefighter Capt. tony Rivas shakes hands with alani aguerre. Left: Crash victims alani aguerre, Ian Brininstoll and Myles Polger. More photos online. Dave Schwab photoS
Robb havassy’s colorful depiction of surfers near Scripps Pier. courtesy
Beachfront home sells for $11.5 million By Kathy Day kday@lajollalight.com An oceanfront property in La Jolla sold Aug. 11 for $11,550,000, making it the highest-priced sale in La Jolla since 2009, according to Susana Corrigan of Prudential California Realty who was the listing agent. Sarah Flynn Tudor of Coldwell Banker Residential La Jolla represented the buyer, who is from out of state. Located at 5960 Camino de la Costa, the home sits on 0.8 of an acre and is over 6,000 square feet. “This sale positively impacts the luxury real estate market in La Jolla. It is an exceptional home with large ocean frontage and a huge, inviting yard,” said Corrigan. The properties on both sides of the subject property are listed by Corrigan. 5950 Camino de la Costa is a half-acre of pristine vacant land and is listed at $7,995,000. 5970 Camino de la Costa is offered at $12.5 million. Corrigan’s efforts on the sale drew praise from Nicki Marcellino, manager of Prudential La Jolla who said, “This sale is a result of Susana’s tenaciousness. She is tireless in her work.” See houSe, a8