Farmers Insurance Open Returns Free on $25,000 Bond
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LA JOLLA HAPPY NEW YEAR! La Jolla and San Diego’s oldest plumbing company. READERS CHOICE Thank you for 110 AWARDS RETAIL/SERVICES 5771 La Jolla Blvd. #5 years of friendship 2019 BEST PLUMBER VILLAGE NEWS 858-454-4258 • erlingrohdeplumbing.com 11 years in a row! LA JOLLA’S LOCALLY OWNED INDEPENDENT VOICE SERVING UNIVERSITY CITY AND LA JOLLA TODAY & EVERYDAY 858.270.3103 | LAJOLLAVILLAGENEWS.COM SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020 THIS WEEK Former teacher to stand trial for sexual relations BY NEAL PUTNAM | LA JOLLA VILLAGE NEWS A judge Thursday, Jan. 16, ordered a former teacher at La Jolla Country Day School to stand trial on three felo- ny counts of having unlaw- ful sexual relations with a 17-year-old female student in 2016. The student, who is now 21 MAD discusses beautifcation and in college, testifi ed about issues in the Village the sexual contacts. She re- called the fi rst time she snuck SEE PAGE 2 out of her house at midnight to meet her teacher, Jonathan Sammartino, then 33, out- side her Torrey Hills home in his car. She said the two only "made out" in the back seat of his car, but sometime later they en- gaged in sexual intercourse and oral sex in his car and his home. Sammartino was mar- Fans were happy to see professional golfer Bud Cauley back on his game after surviving a nearly fatal car ried at the time, but he is now crash just eight months ago. EMILY BLACKWOOD / VILLAGE NEWS divorced. Sammartino, who is now 36, is on leave from a private school in San Jose. He remains Family-owned Nau Builders Farmers Insurance Open returns free on $25,000 bond. He has celebrates 35 years pleaded not guilty. BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | LA JOLLA VILLAGE NEWS The $7.5 million, 72-hole year. Last year I started it in Sammartino's mother, who SEE PAGE 7 tournament will have par- Hawaii, but I decided to spend is U.S. District Court Judge Ja- Tiger Woods, Jason Day, ticipating golfers vying for a Christmas and New Year back nis Sammartino, was in the Rory Mcllroy, Phil Mickelson prize of $1,350,000 and 500 home in Ireland. It's already a audience with her husband, a and more than 150 other no- FedExCup points. Justin Rose big trip from the East Coast to retired judge. Another federal table top golfers are taking won the title last year and is go to Hawaii, so even more judge who is a family friend over Torrey Pines Municipal the defending champion. so from Ireland. Gave me a also attended the hearing. Golf Course in La Jolla for the On Jan. 22, pro-am tee times couple of weeks to practice at Jonathan Sammartino has PGA Tour’s 2020 Farmers In- were held, which gave fans of home and prepare. a doctorate in experimental surance Open this week. the sport an exclusive chance “It's a golf tournament I've psychology. Starting on Thursday, Jan. to compete with one of the top always enjoyed watching on San Diego Superior Court 23, and running through 100 players on the tour. Golf- TV. A lot of really cool things Judge Charles Rogers heard Sunday, Jan. 26, Torrey Pines ers also conducted interviews have happened here over the the testimony in a two-day Golf Course will be flooded with the media to discuss the years and it was exciting to get preliminary hearing. He or- with professional golfers and upcoming tournament. to play it for the fi rst time last dered a trial after saying there fans alike as it plays 7,765 “It feels good to be back,” year. One year in, I feel a little was suffi cient evidence pre- yards this season. According said Rory Mcllroy, who said he bit more comfortable with the sented. New mural unveiled to CBS Sports, that makes the fi rst visited San Diego playing golf courses. on Girard Avenue course the longest ever to host Junior World in 1999. “It's a SEE TEACHER PG. 4 SEE PAGE 8 an offi cial PGA event. beautiful place to start the SEE GOLF PG. 14 FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020 2 LA JOLLA VILLAGE NEWS News La Jolla native James P. Rudolph talks City Council District 1 run BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | LA JOLLA VILLAGE NEWS the La Jolla Town Council proposed companies like Sweep, Inc. should [for the sea lions], which is essential- contract with the city of San Diego The afternoon light fi lls the nearly ly using the Marine Mammal Pro- to impound illegally placed scooters. empty booths of Harry’s Coffee Shop. tection Act to lawfully remove them We also regulate scooters by main- It’s nearing 3 p.m., and the typical from the area. The proposal would taining registration fees (initial fee morning bustle of breakfast and be in compliance with the federal of $5,000 plus $150 per scooter) brunchers has all but disappeared. law regarding the marine mammals and imposing fi nes when there are Decades ago, you might fi nd James in that area and really pushing back violations. P. Rudolph cleaning off one of those to a certain extent on the city’s idea LJVN: What are the biggest chang- booths or assisting any remaining of coexistence between humans and es you’ve seen in La Jolla? customers, but now he sits with a the sea lions. JR: The growth. When my par- diverse career in law and politics un- For short-term vacation rent- ents came here it was just a small, der his belt, ready to make his run als, the main requirement for me sleepy beach town, and when I grew for San Diego City Council, District 1. would have to be that it’s a primary up, it was still mostly a small beach Recently the La Jolla Village News residence. That would eliminate so- community. Now it’s a major tourist sat down with Rudolph to discuss his James P. Rudolph spent many years behind the coun- called Wall Street investors coming destination, and people come from all decision to enter the race and what ter at Harry’s Coffee Shop. in and buying up housing to rent out over the world to visit. he’ll do if elected. EMILY BLACKWOOD / VILLAGE NEWS on a short-term basis. I’m in favor LJVN: What kind of changes do LJVN: What made you want to of a permitting process, registration you hope to see in the future? run? You’ve worked in politics before. All Hallows for a short period. My are intertwined. You build affordable with the city, paying taxes and regis- JR: I certainly think there’s room JR: I worked in Washington, D.C. parents moved here in the ’50s and housing next to public transporta- tering as a business. for more autonomy for local groups at the U.S. Agency for International opened the restaurant and we’ve tion and that’s mostly because peo- As for the scooters, I want to en- like the town council. Dissatisfaction Development, and then ultimately at just been involved in the communi- ple are living in affordable housing courage technology. I’m a big pro- with the city of San Diego is mostly the U.S. Department of State in the ty for a long time. So, I really wanted and depend on public transportation ponent of technology advancement, because of the perceived lack of ser- Clinton administration and later in to combine my local roots and my to get to work. And as well known, and I think these tech companies vices in San Diego. So, growing up in the Obama administration. So, I’ve national-level experience to City most of our roads are in pretty bad have a role to play in fi lling the gap La Jolla, I would want to be the kind been involved in politics and cam- Council. shape. between the so-called last mile. So, of candidate to represent some of paigns before but I’ve never run for LJVN: What other sort of skills LJVN: What about La Jolla in par- I’m about promoting innovation, but those grievances and to get the city my own offi ce. and expertise would you bring to the ticular? also protecting public safety. to be more responsive to the needs of It’s been an interest of mine for a table if elected? JR: With respect to La Jolla, you Let's foster innovation and tech- La Jolla. long time, and in September, people JR: Given my legal background have this issue with the sea lions at nology while simultaneously ensur- The perception at least is that were asking me about City Council and given what the City Council does the Cove. For the district as a whole, ing public safety. We can do this by the police aren’t always in La Jolla, and if I was going to run. So, when on a daily basis, which is reviewing it’s certainly short-term vacation requiring that scooters are placed the services are a little slower in La Barbara Bry decided not to run, I just contracts and other proposals, I rentals, scooters and the process of in corrals; that geofencing slows Jolla, and the roads are crumbling, decided to throw my hat in the ring would like to think my legal knowl- regulating those two things. They are down a scooter in certain areas; that and that La Jolla in many ways gets and go for it.