Kyle Harrington

Scott Appleby & Kerry ApplebyPayne A Family Tradition of Real Estate Success 858-775-2014 TODAY LAJOLLALA JOLLA’S LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER DRE#01197544 DRE#01071814 SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013 LJTODAY.COM | VOLUME 18, NUMBER 21 Don’t Sea miss it! The La Jolla Half Marathon will run through La Jolla lion on April 28. scourge Photo by DON BALCH Local seeks funding to take Rescuers respond as crisis heats up FIGHTING TO SURVIVE Young rescue gear to FDNY By ETHAN ORENSTEIN sea lions recently stranded at By KENDRA HARTMANN La Jolla Cove were in a location In a small garage workshop s more and more sea lion pups inaccessible by SeaWorld’s ani- in North Pacific Beach, Kenney mal rescuers. Vast numbers of turn up in unexpected places Pierce, owner of Life 1 Rescue, the pups have been hauling onto — on roadways, in gardens, develops rescue gear designed A land in search of food since Jan- even lounging poolside on residential uary. DON BALCH to quickly and efficiently save and hotel patios — animal rescuers and lives. His products are used by marine biologists are fervently search- Barbara. Since January, more lifeguards in San Diego, Coron- ing for a clue to the deluge of malnourished pups that are than 1,100 sea lion pups have been stranded statewide, ado, Imperial Beach, Encinitas, stranding themselves in alarming numbers along the and the UME will allow the NMFS to determine the cause, the Border Patrol Search and Southern California coast. or rather the cause behind the cause. the San Diego County Sherriff’s The pups, said Dave Koontz, SeaWorld’s director of “We know what’s going on — the pups’ food source is Department. communications, venture inland in search of food when not available — but what they’ll try to determine is why,” On April 18 at Turquoise Cof- they can’t find adequate sustenance in the ocean. Weak Koontz said. fee, Pierce kicked off a crowd- and exhausted, they lack the strength to get back to their Sea lions feed mostly on baitfish like anchovies and sar- funding campaign to help get natural habitat and have been found resting in most dines. The NMFS’ task force, made up of veterinarians, his newest piece of equipment, unusual places, including on a patio lounge chair at La marine biologists and other experts, is attempting to deter- the Quick Collar, to the New ONE LIFE AT A TIME Kenney Jolla’s Pantai Inn. Though it’s typical to see young sea mine what has happened to that food source to make the York Fire Department. Pierce is Pierce shows off the Quick Collar, a lions stranding themselves after weaning — the pups sea lions strand themselves in such great numbers. The trying to raise $28,000 to cover rescue device that can save poten- turning up in recent months were likely born last summer causes could range from a depleted stock of baitfish to production costs, travel expens- tial drowning victims. Pierce’s other rescue gear is used by San Diego — the number of ill and dying pups this year is astronom- oceanographic issues (changing water temperatures or es and Quick Collar donations. lifeguards. ETHAN ORENSTEIN ical, Koontz said. currents that could cause the food source to relocate) to The Quick Collar, designed for “As a point of reference, we rescued 131 marine mam- disease components and a variety of other causes. swift-water rescue, is already mals (including sea lions and other marine mammals) in Adding to the problem is that sea lions get their hydra- used by the sherriff’s depart- departments with a research 2012, which is an average year,” he said. “This year alone, tion from the food they eat, not from drinking sea water. ment’s aerial-support units. and development unit and has a we’ve rescued more than 350, and of that, about 330 So, in addition to going hungry the stranded pups are Pierce hopes to get the Quick major influence on gear used have been sea lions. It’s been an extremely unusual year.” often severely dehydrated. Fortunately, Koontz said, the Collar on “every fire truck in the around the country. In March, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service animals, unlike those limited to the water like dolphins or world.” Getting a foot in the Packed in a compact, yellow (NMFS) declared an unusual mortality event, or UME, door at the FDNY is a good way throw-bag with a durable rope spanning the coast from the Mexican border up to Santa SEE SEA LIONS >> PG. 8 to do that, as it’s one of the few that can be tossed to a victim, the Quick Collar consists of a cinching, auto-inflating floata- Check out the Read up on the The arts are What’s up with tion tube that secures and pro- tects the victim as he or she is reports from several latest news coming flourishing in La the economy? pulled to safety. It can be civic meetings this out of La Jolla and Jolla. Check out Find out the latest with thrown from riverbanks, heli- month. University City schools. upcoming events in the our economic tips and copters and boats and can mean the difference between life SEE PAGE 4 SEE PAGE 7 art scene. tidbits. SEE PAGES 12 & 13 SEE PAGE 18 SEE RESCUE >> PG. 5 surf on over Pacific Beach... Go on-line for local news! ✔ New, enhanced features ✔ Local business listings ✔ On-line crossword puzzles ✔ More updates ✔ More local links ✔ Place your classified ads is your number one source for information about your community. FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013 2 LA JOLLA TODAY News Tax preparer gets 23 years in murder for hire By NEAL PUTNAM Steven Martinez, a Sorrento Val- former IRS agent, to pay several pleaded guilty to in August 2012 “The fraud case went on for a didn’t have the $100,000 needed ley tax preparer, was sentenced million dollars to the IRS and the were mail and Social Security number of years,” said Hayes, to pay the hit man, despite his April 12 to 23 years and 10 state Franchise Tax Board. fraud, aggravated identity theft, adding the fraud was “aggravated” statements, he said. months in federal prison for fraud Martinez has been in jail since money laundering and making because “he had trust of his Martinez apologized to his vic- and witness tampering that his February 2012 arrest, after the false tax returns. He also pleaded clients.” tims and said he would repay involved an unsuccessful murder- FBI investigated the murder-for- guilty to using a telephone in a Demergian told the judge Mar- them. for-hire plot of a La Jolla woman hire plot. No one was harmed as murder-for-hire plot, four counts tinez paid $100,000 in medical “I am very appalled for what I’ve and three others. the FBI arrested Martinez and his of witness tampering and solicit- costs in 2004 after his young son done. I’m truly sorry. Please forgive U.S. District Court Judge William limo driver before anything could ing a crime of violence. was diagnosed with autism. Mar- me,” he said. Hayes ordered Martinez, 51, to pay be carried out. Orabona said Martinez knew the tinez needed more money to pay He apologized to his limo driver, about $11 million to his former Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph routines of the four former clients for ongoing care and the fraud Russell Thellmann, 65, whom he clients, whom he defrauded by Orabona asked for a 29-year sen- and gave a hit man their photos began, he said. gave money to give to the hit man. preparing bogus tax returns and tence while Martinez’s attorney, and pictures of their residences. Years later, Martinez “tried to Federal agents found more than taking checks that were meant for David Demergian, asked for a 10- The would-be hit man contacted make it right and sat down with $42,000 in cash in a cereal box in the Internal Revenue Service. The year term. authorities and the FBI videotaped the victims to tell them what he Thellmann’s kitchen. Thellmann prosecutor said Martinez used the “The victim in La Jolla — she’s their meeting. had done,” he said. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to funds to pay for things like a “well- terrified every day,” said Orabona, Hayes agreed with the prosecu- Demergian said the murder-for- commit money laundering and designed” $700,000 pool and hot who added the vicitm was too tor the hiring of the hit man “was hire plot was never taken seriously was sentenced in 2012 to 34 days tubs at his house. afraid to attend the sentencing. not an impulsive situation,” call- and Martinez knew the guy would in jail, which was time he already Hayes also ordered Martinez, a The financial charges Martinez ing it “pretty cold blooded.” not go through with it. Martinez served before he posted bond. the La Jolla United Methodist Taco has been feeding the hungry, Hoehne had claimed the city’s mammal park at Children’s Pool. NEWSBRIEFS >> Church, 6063 La Jolla Blvd. All homeless and elderly in San Diego refusal to remove the seals from The legislation was adopted with proceeds are donated to TACO, the for more than 36 years. For more the Children’s Pool violated his bipartisan support. In the Hoehne GATHER FOR SOUP AND A Third Avenue Charitable Organiza- information, visit www.tacosd.org. constitutional right to fish. case, Pressman put to rest argu- GOOD CAUSE — The Empty Bowls tion, to fight hunger.

Load more