Source: California Office of Traffic Safety

January 3, 2018 (Sacramento) -- Just like drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs is a crime – even if your impairment is due to prescribed medications, illicit drugs, over-the-counter medications or marijuana – medical or recreational. The legal and monetary consequences are the same – up to $10,000 in fines, fees and insurance costs, restricted licensing, days off work to go to court, a criminal record and more.

January 3, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Marijuana users risk schizophrenia, but the drug helps pain (NBC)
• FDA Takes Too Long to Recall Tainted Food, Federal Investigators Say (NPR)
• Why spending time outdoors could help your child's eyesight (BBC)
• World first for dog's broken leg (BBC)
• Is Pollution Causing Obesity and Asthma in Children? (Apple News)
• Flu Cases On The Rise In San Diego, Patients Pack Into Sharp Grossmont (KPBS)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

•  Apple apologizes after outcry over slowed iPhones (Reuters)
• Researchers Discover Two Major Flaws in the World’s Computers (New York Times)
• This should freak everyone out: the Arctic will never be frozen again (Mother Jones)
• 9 Ways You Can Use Your Devices for Advanced Scientific Research (Singularity Hub)
• Police arrest alleged 'Nigerian prince' email scammer in Louisiana (USA Today)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by James Kecskes

January 3, 2018 (San Diego) - A 12-month-old baby is one of 34 new flu deaths recently reported in San Diego, bringing this season’s total to 45, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

The infant died Dec. 31, 2017. The ages of the deceased this flu season range from 1 to 100 years. All the people who died, for whom there is information available, had underlying medical conditions.

East County News Service

Photo: from left to right: GHD board members Randy Lenac, Gloria Chadwick, Gabi Charo, Jewish Family Service; GHD board members Michael Emerson, Virginia Hall, Robert “Bob” Ayres.

January 2, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is continuing its support of Jewish Family Service (JFS) of San Diego’s food assistance program, which alleviates food insecurity in San Diego’s East County region.

East County News Service

January 1, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) recently reelected its 2017 board officers to serve in the same roles for 2018. Michael Emerson was reelected as board president, Gloria Chadwick as vice president, and Virginia Hall as secretary. In addition, board member Robert “Bob” Ayres was selected again by Emerson to serve as board treasurer. Also serving on the five-member board is Randy Lenac.

By Miriam Raftery

Updated 12 p.m. to include comments from Pat Landis.

December 30, 2017 (Julian/Cuyamaca)—On January1st,  the full-time staffed San Diego County Paramedic Fire Engine serving the Julian and Cuyamaca areas will be permanently closed. The action leaves the communities to rely solely on volunteer firefighters and one ambulance for fire and life safety services, which could lead to long delays in medical services if that unit is transportation a patient to a hospital, critics contend.

The paramedic engine had been providing fire and emergency medical response services 24 hours a day, seven days a week under a temporary agreement between the County of San Diego and the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. The CAL FIRE Firefighters that were assigned to the engine have been reassigned to other facilities within San Diego County.

The action comes after the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District voted to reject consolidation with the County Fire Department and remain independent—the last remaining volunteer fire department in the County.  Cal Fire firefighters blame the board for the current problems, but a former board member faults the district's fire chief.

Source: County of San Diego

December 28, 2017 (San Diego) -- The flu is here and it’s hitting San Diegans hard. So far, 11 people have died locally of the flu this season and more than 3,000 cases have been reported. The rate of new cases is also climbing fast.

East County News Service

December 21, 2017 (La Mesa) – A soon-to-be-released book chronicling the history of Grossmont Hospital is now available for online ordering prior to its scheduled Jan. 8 release date in local bookstores.

December 20, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Burners beware: Calif. pot sold January 1 could be tainted (AP)
• Haemophilia A test results ‘mind blowing’ (BBC)
• Trump administration gives CDC list of forbidden words: fetus, transgender, diversity (Washington Post)
• NIH Lifts Ban on Research That Could Make Deadly Viruses Even Worse (NPR)
• First Gene Therapy for Inherited Disease Gets FDA Approval (NPR)
• Food and Drug Administration Plans Crackdown on Risky Homeopathic Remedies (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

•  Regulator warns Bitcoin buyers: be ready to lose all your money (BBC)
• Senate Democrats to force vote on FCC net neutrality repeal (Reuters)
• Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage (NPR)
• Facebook reveals rise in official data requests (BBC)
• Facebook Expands Use of Facial Recognition to ID Users in Photos (NPR)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Santee middle school age youth and high school students learn about the health risks associated to secondhand smoke and how tobacco waste like cigarette butts hurt their environment.

December 13, 2017 (Santee) – Santee is the last city in San Diego County to still allow smoking in public parks. But that could soon change.  On Thursday, December 14^th at 6:30 p.m., the Santee Parks and Recreation Committee will consider a smoke-free ordinance and recommendation to the City Council to make parks and open spaces smoke-free.  The meeting will be held at Santee City Hall’s Community Services building #7, 10601 North Magnolia Avenue in Santee.

Update December 9, 2017: A boil water has been aded for Vallecito County Park, 37349 Great Southern Overland in Julian, as well as the sites below.

December 8, 2017 (San Diego's East County)--The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Advisory and Public Notification effective immediately for the following:  

• Boulevard Pines Mobile Home & RV Park at 39375 Old Highway 80, Boulevard, CA 91905
• Butterfield Ranch at 14925 Great Southern Overland, Julian, CA, 92036
• Cameron Corners at 31484 Hwy 94, Campo, CA 91906
• Campo Group at 31471 Hwy 94, Campo, CA 91906 

Due to the recent power outage, these public water systems have lost pressure in their water distribution systems.  As a precaution, Boil Water Advisories are being issued until laboratory results demonstrate the water is free from bacterial contamination. 

Click here for instructions on boiling water and alternative methods of disinfection

December 6, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Five ways Congressional tax legislation would transform health care (NPR)
• As scarlet fever cases rise, baffled researchers investigate (CNN)
• CVS To Buy Health Insurer Aetna for $69 Billion (NPR)
• Early baldness higher heart disease risk factor than obesity, says study (BBC)
• Tylenol May Help Ease the Pain of Hurt Feelings (NPR)
• Asthma sufferers urged to wear scarves in cold to stop attacks (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Apple is sharing your face with apps. That’s a new privacy worry. (Washington Post)
• FCC reveals plan to repeal net neutrality, giving Internet providers power to favor websites (Washington Post)
• E-government sounds great, until it's hacked (Jewish World Review)
• Gravity signals rapidly show true size of giant quakes (BBC)
• U.S. scientists take step toward creating artificial life (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

November 29, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Women advised to sleep on side to help prevent stillbirth (BBC)
• VA study shows parasite from Vietnam may be killing veterans (AP)
• Hospitals are rationing saline solutions. Patients are starting to worry. (Sac Bee)
• Girl taking medical marijuana for seizures suing Jeff Sessions and DEA (CBS)
• Breast cancer tumors 'larger' in overweight women (BBC)
• Counting the costs: U.S. hospitals feeling the pain of physician burnout (Reuters)
• What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us (NPR)
• Obscure vomiting illness linked to long-term pot use (KQED)
• Flies more germ-laden than suspected (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• FCC Unveils Plan To Repeal Net Neutrality Rules (NPR)
• Uber Data On 57 Million People Stolen In Massive Hack (NPR)
• The driverless revolution may exact a political price (Los Angeles Times)
• 20 countries agree to end coal use by 2030 (CS Monitor)
• Google to 'derank' Russia Today and Sputnik (BBC)
• FAA Approves Drone As 'Cell Phone Tower In The Sky' For Puerto Rico (NPR)
• Germany bans children's smartwatches (BBC)
• This Living Light is powered by a houseplant (Inhabitat)
• Artificial lights are eating away at dark nights — and that's not a good thing (Los Angeles Times)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

November 22, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Last year, 69 firefighters in the U.S. died in the line of duty, the National Fire Protection Association reports. But far more --139–took their own lives.

So far this year, 86 firefighters have been lost through suicide—including Cal Fire Captain Ryan Mitchell, who killed himself at the Pine Valley Bridge in San Diego’s East County earlier this month.

Jeff Dill, CEO and founder of the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (www.ffbha.org) , is determined to save firefighters’ lives  through special workshops designed by a firefighter, for a firefighter.

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 15, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - The County’s Health and Human Services Agency is warning anyone who uses an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card to access benefits to be aware of a text messaging scam.