By Donald H. Harrison

B Marty Block, chairman of the San Diego Community College Board of Trustees, will be pushing for passage this November of an $870 million bond issue for capital construction projects for more than 20 buildings.  "I think the strength of San Diego's economy in the long run depends on the strength of the community college district," Block told San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Eleanor Yang Su. "There are no frivolous projects on the list. Almost all of them are for academic buildings."

D District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Sheriff Bill Kolender and Mayor Jerry Sanders will be speakers at a 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. fundraising reception Monday, August 14, to promote passage of Proposition 83, "Jessica's Law," on the state's November election ballot. Featured guest will be Mark Lundsford, whose 9-year-old daughter Jessica was kidnapped, raped and murdered last year by a sexual predator who without knowledge of authorities had moved into the Lundsfords' neighborhood in 2005..  The proposed law, more formally known as the Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act of 2006 will, according to its sponsors, provide for the following: 

• Ensure that all child molesters who molest children under the age of 14 are put into a prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or 25 years to life. Closes all loopholes in California’s “one-strike” laws.
• Eliminate all “good-time” credits for sex offenders ensuring that these sex offenders are required to serve their entire sentence and will not be released for good behavior.
• Electronically monitor convicted sex offenders for life, if they are ever released from prison, through GPS tracking.
• Create a 2,000 foot “predator-free” zone around schools and park to prevent sex offenders from living near where our children learn and play.
  

More information on the $150-per-person reception may be obtained by telephoning Mary England at (619) 466-1111

L  Risa Levitt-Kohn will become an increasingly well-known figure in the San Diego Jewish community in her two new positions: curator of the Museum of Natural History's upcoming (July-Dec 2008) exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls and director of San Diego State University's Judaic Studies Program.  The professor has written a piece on the upcoming Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit for Makor, the Agency for Jewish Education publication that tracks Jewish learning opportunities in the community.  She also has scheduled speeches to various groups, including one at last night's Shabbat services at Congregation Dor Hadash.

Nomi Levy, librarian at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School, has won a national Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.  She was cited for helping the day school design its derech eretz program, which emphasizes respect and good manners as the appropriate way for children to behave.  She will be honored in November at the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities.
 
N Leon Natker, general director of the San Diego Lyric Opera, has developed an Academy for the Performing Arts, which is recognized by San Diego City Schools as a venue for providing "comprehensive hands-on skill development to middle and high school students who have expressed an interest in pursuing careers in the performing arts."  Recently, the San Diego Foundation granted $5,000 for the program, thereby providing five students with $1,000 scholarships. 

O Igor Olshanksy is to his San Diego Chargers teammate Luis Castillo the guy with "that cocky Russian personality – 'I'm the strongest guy in the room. I'm the best guy at playing the run in the whole league,' ” according to an article by sportswriter Kevin Acee in The San Diego Union-Tribune.  In Russia, more than likely, he would have been known as that "big Jew." Whatever his religion or former nationality,  Olshansky's opponents on the field don't have much time to think about anything other than trying to get out of the way of the 300 pound, 6 foot 6  defensive right end. 

P Jenny Poliakoff recently was presented a certificate by Sheriff Bill Kolender at an appreciation dinner for volunteers of the Friendship Circle, a group which pairs youngsters with children with special needs.  Those interested in participating in the program may contact Elisheva Green at (858) 487-4879.

Sheila Potiker has been named chair of the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation, succeeding Edgar Berner.   Meanwhile, Marcia Hazan has become chair of the Jewish Women's Foundation of San Diego, succeeding Betty Byrnes.

R Alan Rusonik, executive director of the Agency for Jewish Education, recently made a guest appearance for the Jewish segment of the "Interfaith Nights" series sponsored by the Poway Interfaith Council. His lecture about Judaism to attendees of many faiths was well received, according to Rev. Gail Albert of the Child Centered Church, who urged attendees: "Let us all keep his daughter in our prayers knowing she will return home from Israel safely."

S Jeffrey Stein, a partner in Sofinnova Ventures, was the subject of a "People to Watch" write-up in the technology portion of the business section of the The San Diego Union-Tribune.  He told interviewer Teri Somers, that "for someone with a science background, getting to evaluate the latest and greatest technologies at their earliest stages is fantastic. If you add to that having the opportunity to create companies that will discover drugs to treat life-threatening diseases, and having the financial and other resources at your disposal to do so, it's difficult to imagine a more interesting and rewarding job."