East County News Service

November 8, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The Heartland Foundation, publishers of East County Magazine, an award-winning community publication, recently served as a media partner of the 2016 Kids Care Fest, which featured free health care screenings for children on Nov. 5 at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds.

November 3, 2016 (Lakeside)--The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a public agency that supports health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County, will present the 2016 Kids Care Fest, a free, family-oriented health event open to the public. Featuring free health care screenings, Kids Care Fest will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds,12584 Mapleview St., Lakeside.

Now in its 15th year, Kids Care Fest is an opportunity for children to receive free, potentially life-saving health care screenings, including vision and dental screenings and children’s wellness checkups. The event will also feature information from dermatologists, pharmacists and other medical professionals, along with free kids fingerprinting and free flu shots (while supplies last).

East County News Service

November 1, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Zika shrinks mice testicles, damaging fertility (CNN)
• Exclusive: EpiPen price hikes add millions to Pentagon costs(Reuters)
• An Alternative To The EpiPen Is Coming Back To Drugstores (NPR)
• A hormone injection for men has been shown to be 96% effective as contraception.(BBC)
• Can Poverty Lead To Mental Illness? (NPR)
• 'Super-parenting' improves children's autism (BBC)\   

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Report Declares Global Wildlife Populations Are Plunging. But It's Complicated(NPR)
• China's Xiongmai to recall up to 10,000 webcams after U.S. hack (Reuters)
• It Ain't Me, Babe: Researchers Find Flaws In Police Facial Recognition Technology(NPR)
• Apple finds security flaw in its operating system (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• NASA's New 'Intruder Alert' System Spots An Incoming Asteroid (NPR)
• FCC Vote Means Internet Providers Need Permission To Share Your Data (NPR)
• Flaws in connected cameras, recorders broader than bad passwords(CS Monitor)
• Nations Agree To Establish World's Largest Marine Reserve In Antarctica (NPR)
• Sweden bans cameras on drones(BBC)

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

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 24, 2016 (San Diego) - A student at San Diego State University was recently confirmed to have mumps after exposure to another student who had been ill and likely also had mumps, the County Health and Human Services Agency reported today.

East County News Service

October 19, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Time to clear out those medicine cabinets!  On Saturday, October 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. the El Cajon Police Department, working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, will be hosting a prescription drug drop off site in the parking lot of their police station, located at 100 Civic Center Way. Bring your outdated, unused or unwanted prescription pills, ointments, or liquids; no questions asked.

East County News Service

October 12, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Backyard Chickens Linked to Record High in Salmonella Infections, CDC Says (NPR)
• Immunotherapy cancer drug hailed as 'game changer' (BBC)
• Perdue Goes (Almost) Antibiotic-Free (NPR)
• Sons born with fertility treatment 'inherit problems' (BBC)
• Across The Globe, Our Diets Are Making Us Sicker, Report Finds (NPR)
• Animal TB threatens human health say vets and doctors (BBC)
• FDA Approves the First Automated Insulin System for Type 1 Diabetes (NPR)
• Does the contraceptive pill cause depression? (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Your home might be secretly carrying out cyberattacks (CS Monitor)
• Want double-strength silk? Feed the silkworms graphene.(CSMonitor)
• Hurricane Matthew: Why are birds flying in the eye of the storm? (CSMonitor)
• Rosetta Crashes into Comet, Bringing Historic Mission to End (NPR)
• Yahoo Allegedly Scanned Incoming Emails on Behalf of NSA, FBI (Reason)
• Facebook launches 'Secret' option for Messenger, joining encryption wave (CSMonitor)
• Phone Emergency Alerts Will Begin Including Links, Phone Numbers (NPR)
• Noto: Why Google wants one universal font to rule them all (CSMonitor)

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

East County News Service

Oct. 11, 2016 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free program on “Live Your Best Life” from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26. The program is part of the library’s “Wellness Wednesday” series, normally held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. Advance RSVP is not necessary. Handouts will be available.

East County News Service

October 3, 2016 (La Mesa) — Deborah McElravy, former board member and president of the Grossmont Healthcare District, passed away on September 19, 2016.

A native of Glassport, Penn., McElravy graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. She spent 40 years in the healthcare industry as a practicing pharmacist and over a decade on the Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors, working improve healthcare for the community.

East County News Service

October 2, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announce a new rule barring forced arbitration requirements at nursing homes that accept federal funds.

East County News Service

October 1, 2016 (Jamul) -- The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Indian Hills Camp water system located at 15763 Lyons Valley Road in Jamul, CA 92086, effective immediately. The water system serves 9 mobile homes, 15 RV spaces, 2 dorms, 15 camping sites, 4 restroom facilities with showers, 2 swimming pools, a kitchen and office building.

Source: County News Service

September 30, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- County Vector Control crews plan to hand-spray a neighborhood in Lemon Grove early next week to continue to prevent invasive Aedes mosquitoes from getting the chance to potentially spread the Zika virus.

Source: Chargers media release

September 23, 2016 (San Diego) - Susan G. Komen San Diego, the County’s largest funder of free breast cancer services and support will team up with the San Diego Chargers along with Family Health Centers of San Diego, Family Medical Clinic and La Maestra to host a free mammogram event for the community. Individuals who are underinsured or uninsured are encouraged to obtain breast cancer screenings at this event.

East County News Service



September 17, 2016 (San Diego) – California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein are among 27 Democratic Senators introducing a Senate resolution calling for every American to have the choice of a public health insurance option.  A broad coalition including labor and progressive groups are also calling for the public, Medicare-like option that would guarantee healthcare as a right for all Americans.

By Brooks Hill

September 14, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - Almost everyone enjoys hanging out at the pool. Whether it’s in your own backyard or at an apartment complex, people love splashing in the water. Often times, though, pools are viewed simply as a means for fun and not an effective way to workout. Believe it or not, swimming is actually one of the most effective ways to workout and promotes both physical and mental health, and although summer is coming to a close a heated pool or the right recreational swimming or triathlon wetsuit can have you swimming all year round!

East County News Service

September 13, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Over three years after the federal government found California in noncompliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 95 public water systems serving more than 55,000 people across the state are still providing water with illegal levels of arsenic, according to a new report by the Environmental Integrity Project.