Student receives her diploma from teacher Tracy Yates.

Canyon Crest Academy students and their families celebrated student achievements and bid a fond farewell to the school at a graduation ceremony held June 14 at Canyon Crest Academy.

–Photos/Jon Clark

Torrey Pines High School graduation 2013

Torrey Pines High School students and their families celebrated student achievements and bid a fond farewell to the school at a graduation ceremony held June 14 at Torrey Pines High School.

–Photos/Jon Clark

Carmel Valley Middle School Spring Concert

Carmel Valley Middle School held a Spring Concert event on June 6.
Guests enjoyed a variety of student performances.

Photos/Jon Clark

“This year we have an exciting schedule,” says Sharon Fornaciari, the event organizer for more than eight years.  “Our concert series has something for everyone, from oldies Rock and Roll to the best of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the smooth sound of Reggae music, and the return of the string quartet playing classical music.  This year, new to our lineup, is a patriotic concert put on by the Navy Band Southwest.”

The Recreation Council has six excellent concerts lined up, which will run from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday evenings, and this year they will all be held in the amphitheater at the Carmel Valley Rec Center, located at 3777 Townsgate Drive.

The series begins June 30 with the Navy Band Southwest.  This 45-piece concert band will be playing your patriotic favorites along with sounds from the big band era and hits by current pop and country artists.  This concert is sure to put you in the mood for the 4th of July.

Back for their second year is Plato Soul who will be performing on July 7.  With the amazing vocal talent of KT and their solid rhythm and horn sections, they will again be performing music that will make everyone smile and get up on their feet.

No Summer Serenades would be complete without the amazing sounds of Atomic Groove. If you are looking for energetic dance music for the whole family, this is the concert for you.  Atomic groove is high energy from the first beat to the last.  They will be performing on July 14.

After the introduction last year of Quartetto Sorrento, they are back again performing classical music for everyone’s enjoyment.  They will be appearing on July 21 when these four talented musicians will be playing their wonderful and spontaneous music.

Headlining the Family Fun Evening on July 28, Upstream returns with their smooth reggae sounds.  Originally formed in the republic of Trinidad and Tobago and then relocated to southern California in the early 1990’s, they have an energetic eclectic style of Reggae. Performing with them this summer will be the Caribbean Gems, a Calypso dance group that is sure to entertain and amaze.

Later that night, as part of the Family Fun evening, the Rec Council will be hosting Family Movie Night.  The movie showing will be Wreck It Ralph.

Wrapping up the series this season will be Left4Dead performing on Aug. 4.  This seven-member band plays a variety of great dance music that will have the audience dancing to the beat!

The Summer Serenades concerts are free to the public thanks to the generous support of the Carmel Valley Recreation Council along with Pardee Homes, Kilroy Realty Corporation, and our new sponsor this year, Sampson California Realty.   “We have had a longstanding relationship with Pardee Homes going back more than 20 years.  Pardee Homes continues to support this wonderful community event year after year.  This year we again thank Kilroy Realty and we welcome Sampson Realty in what we hope will also become a long term relationship” said Pat Collins, Chair of the Council.  “Additionally, these concerts could not be held without the continued support of the City of San Diego and its Parks and Recreation Department,” Collins adds.

For more information on the Summer Serenades, contact the Carmel Valley Recreation Center at 858-552-1616 or go to www.CVSD.com.

Upper row, left to right: Coach Sanjay Nichani, #27 Matthew Cheverton, #33 Arjun Nichani, Manager Kirk Foate, #7 Jack Rosoff, #8 Sam Zilberman, #42 Jonathan Durgana, Coach Cliff Durgana, President SBLL David Crean; Bottom row: #12 Jack Foate, #6 Ryan Crean, #9 Nick Larson, #36 Catcher Ryan Michalski, #2 Alex Oliver. Not pictured #55 Chance DePaul, Chad Bailey.

Solana Beach Little League Majors All-Stars won the overall two-event skills competition at the recent District 31 Little League All-Star skills competition.

Fourteen all star teams participated in the competition, including two each from Encinitas, Del Mar,  Escondido, and Poway, and one each from  Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, Valley Center, and Solana Beach.

Solana Beach scored 50 points in the around-the-horn contest on the four bases which involved all players on the team throwing from base to base in two minutes.

In the Home Run Derby each team provided a pitcher, catcher and batter.  Solana Beach scored 63 points to overtake several teams and win the Home Run Derby portion of the skills competition, as well as overall skills competition.

The skills competition was the start of the District 31 Little League All-Star Tournament. Games start on Saturday, June 22, and is first step on way to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

Crimes in Del Mar increased nearly 16 percent last year, a trend police attributed to a spike in property theft.

During a presentation at the Del Mar City Council meeting on Monday, June 17, San Diego Sheriff’s Capt. Robert Haley said the total number of crimes in Del Mar increased from 195 in 2011 to 226 in 2012.

An increase in bicycle thefts accounts for almost one-third of the spike in crime, Haley said. Seven bicycles were stolen in 2011, and 19 were stolen in 2012.

While the overall crime rate increased in Del Mar, violent crimes decreased 6.25 percent in 2012.

Violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and auto theft. There were 16 violent crimes in 2011, and 15 in 2012. No robberies took place in Del Mar in 2012.