SAN DIEGO (SDJW) — Ron Evans, the who discovered how hormones can switch on and off receptors in cells, has been awarded the Japan Prize for his work at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The Japan Prize is so prestigious, it has often been described as a precursor of the Nobel Prize.
Evans, who now occupies the office of his mentor, Dr. Jonas Salk, was the subject of a chapter in Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5, a book written by San Diego Jewish World’s publisher and editor Donald H. Harrison in which Evans described how taking a pill suffused with artificial hormones could have the same effect on a person’s body as a rigorous course of exercise.
Evans, a member of Congregation Beth Israel, said his Judaism attunes him to ethical values. He commented that an exercise pull could be used or misused. It would be unethical for someone competing in an athletic contest to take such a pill, as it would give that person an unfair advantage over those who have trained by exercising. On the other hand, such a pill may help people who are confined to bed or a wheelchair, or even those whose addiction to computers has resulted in an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.
Another pill Evans created makes the body “think” that it just had a meal. “It activates fat-burning pathways but since there are no calories coming in, you actually windup burning energy and losing weight,” he said. “The body ‘thinks’ that you are overly full, so it shuts down your appetite,” he explained. “It uses energy to try to grab the calories that aren’t there,” the molecular biologist said.
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How does The Joan sound to you? That’s the familiar nickname they were using for the future Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at groundbreaking ceremonies at Roosevelt and Truxton Roads in “Liberty Station,” as the former Naval Training Center is now known. The renovation of the interior of Building 178 will include a 289-seat performance space that will be a permanent home for the Cygnet Theatre and a 150-seat studio along with an orchestra space, dressing rooms, costume shop, three patios, and two bars. Liberty Station is under the departure flight path of San Diego International Airport so extensive soundproofing is planned in the $43.5 million project which is expected to be completed in spring of 2025. Speakers at the groundbreaking included San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria; NTC Foundation CEO Lisa Johnson, Cygnet Artistic Director Sean Murray, and Irwin Jacobs, the co-founder of Qualcomm, who said a flourishing arts scene is good for business because it attracts the most talented employees. Looking at his beaming wife Joan, who was sitting in the audience with their son Joan, he predicted, “We will be here very often.”
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With support from the other two Democrats on the technically non-partisan County Board of Supervisors, Terra Lawson-Remer cobbled together on Tuesday, Jan. 23, a 3-2 majority vote in favor of a resolution supporting Proposition 1 on the March 5 ballot, a $6.4 billion bond issue that backers say will improve California’s mental health services by providing new infrastructure and redirecting resources to those in most critical need, including homeless people who are mentally unstable. Opponents say the bonds will increase California’s staggering debt and endanger those already-existing patients who may not be homeless but are in need of mental services. Lawson-Remer’s allies on this issue were Nora Vargas and Monica Montgomery-Steppe with Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson in opposition.
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The Jewish Federation of San Diego and the Shalom Hartman Institute have created the “Courageous Leader Initiative” designed to strengthen discourse and relationships among the leaders and professionals shaping the San Diego Jewish community. The newest cohort recognizes executive leaders, board leaders, and community leaders.
Executive leaders are Moshe Adatto, Sara Brown, Pam Ferris, Josef Fradkin, Heidi Gantwerk, Javier Guerrero, Michael Hopkins, Betzy Lynch, Nicole Malina, Elliot Nahmias, Noy Nehardea, Gabriel Nissan, Karen Parry, Jeremy Pearl, Fabienne Perlov, Suzy Sostrin, Dana Toppel, Simcha Weiser, and Zvi Weiss.
Board Leaders are David Bark, Deborah Bucksbaum, Theresa Dupuis, Kira Finkenberg, Graeme Gabriel, Laurie Greenberg, Wayne Harris, David Kamper, Alexis Larky, Doron Malka, Brian Marcus, Lisa Pearl, Steven Ratner, Elliot Scott, Karen Weil, Michael Weiner, and Heather Wolfson.
Communal Leaders are Clifford Boro, Jenny Camhi, Kate Clark, Jordan Daniels, Kesha Dorsey, Rebecca Fletcher, Jordan Fruchtman, Rachelle Jagolinzer, Jacob Kamaras, Miri Ketayi, Jessica Kort, Raquel Kramer, John Lefter, Carly Lobenstein, Carl Measer, Adam Nicolai, Adam Simon, Tom Stewart, Carole Yellen, and Dan Zagursky.
Here is a link leading to photos and biographical sketches of these leaders.
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Coastal Roots Farm, a proponent of farming with Jewish ethics, has announced that it will be adding dates to its regular Nature Play program for children up to the age of 10. In addition to the dates every Thursday and Sunday (excepting Jan. 28), it is now adding 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. times on every Friday in February — that is on Feb. 2, 9, 16, and 23. Cost of the program featuring play and learning in the outdoor, natural environment is $8 per child and $8 for the first accompanying adult, with other adults in the party admitted free. Coastal Roots Farm is located at the Leichtag Commons, 441 Saxony Road, Encinitas. More information is available via this link.
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SDJW staff report