Stingrays

Re "Stingrays' Points Well-Taken," June 1: I was appalled when I read the article about the effort to reduce stingray stings on the beach by removing the rays' stingers. As a scuba diver for the last seven years, I have great respect for the beautiful animals that live in our oceans. I have been diving with stingrays, sharks, dolphins and the like. I always enter the water knowing that I am invading their space and that I take a risk every time I dive. But it is worth it to me to see these amazing animals in their natural habitat.

Unusually warm ocean water off Southern California has prompted a summer stingray invasion, especially along Orange County beaches, where swimmers and surfers in recent days have reported being stung by rays dug into the sand in shallow water. At Bolsa Chica State Beach, at least nine young pupils at Corky Carroll's Surf School in Huntington Beach hobbled out of the water Thursday morning in need of first aid after feeling the touch of a ray's barbed tail.

A vacationer from Michigan out for a family boat ride in the Florida Keys died Thursday when a 75-pound spotted eagle ray flew out of the water and struck her in the head. Judy Kay Zagorski, 55, is believed to have been killed by blunt force trauma, according to Jorge Pino, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Out of nowhere, a spotted eagle ray pops up in front of the boat and collides with the victim," who was standing at the bow, said Pino.

SeaWorld's Aquatica will introduce an innovative hybrid concept to San Diego on June 1 that combines a marine park with a water park, allowing visitors to interact with animals like dolphins, stingrays and flamingos as they zip down water slides. > Photos: SeaWorld San Diego's Aquatica water park SeaWorld San Diego purchased Knott's Soak City in Chula Vista from the parent company of Knott's Berry Farm for $15 million and plans an extensive renovation of the separate-admission water park about 20 miles south of the marine park.

For those who want to spend more time than money in Las Vegas, here are 21 things to do for less than $21, all aimed at keeping the bottom line low and the fun factor high. 1. Springs Preserve. Forsake the fake pyramid and fake Statue of Liberty for a power walk through the real Vegas: 110 acres of pre-Bugsy Siegel desert. There are miles of cactus-filled trails, botanic gardens and a museum that pays tribute to the city's Mojave Desert roots. Open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

DETROIT -- When General Motors built the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, it sought to combine 60 years of history with the best of today's performance, technology and design. And so the company also resurrected a long-dormant and storied name from Corvette's history: Stingray. The name Sting Ray -- two words back then -- debuted on the second-generation model in 1963, a car that would set a high standard for every subsequent Corvette. Reviving the name will no doubt invite a heated debate about whether the new model lives up to the first one. This was not lost on Ed Welburn, General Motors' vice president for global design.