East County News Service

November 20, 2016 (San Diego) – The Sabra company has announced a voluntary recall of its hummus dip products after finding Listeria Monocytognes at the manufacturing facility, but not in tested finished product.

Consumers with any product with a "Best Before" date up through January 23, 2017 are urged to discard it. You can find code and "Best Before" date on the lid of each package. The recall includes all hummus products by Sabra except not organic hummus. The recall does not include other Sabra products such as guacamole, salsa, or Greek yogurt dip.

Hear our 2015 radio interview with Dr. Butcher:  http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/9ljhcdy6y7/Newsmaker-RichardButcherMD-heal...

By Miriam Raftery

November 18,  2016 (El  Cajon)—Dr. Richard O.  Butcher,  77, an El Cajon resident and  prominent San Diego physician honored nationally for his dedication to serving patients in poor and minority communities,  died of heart failure Saturday while attending the American Medical Association’s annual meeting in Florida.

Dr. Butcher was  highly respected in San Diego’s medical, philanthropic and sports communities,  as well as at the national  level.   Last year, he received the National Medical Association’s Practitioner of the Year Award.

By Miriam Raftery

November 15, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Nurses may soon be going out on strike at Sharp Healthcare facilities, including Grossmont Hospital here in East County.

The union, Sharp Professional Nurses Network, overwhelmingly approved a strike, with over 98% voting to strike unless wages are raised more than the 16 to 26 percent that Sharp has proposed over the next three years.

"Let's repeal ObamaCare, abolish Common Core, and get constitutional judges on the Supreme Court,"-- California Republican Party

"For the more than 20million Americans who gained health insurance coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act, repeal and replace means death and despair.”-- California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Leaders in the California Republican and Democratic parties are speaking out following the election of President-Elect Donald Trump. Reactions range from praise to condemnation.

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.