More fires are reported on July 4 than any other day of the year; fireworks also cause many serious injuries each July

With the Fourth of July approaching, the Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit reminds San Diegans that it's illegal to possess and use fireworks in the county. It's also illegal to transport fireworks from elsewhere into San Diego County or to make homemade fireworks or explosives.

Under California law, illegal fireworks include sky rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, aerial shells, firecrackers and other items that explode, go up in the air, or move across the ground in an uncontrollable fashion. Those convicted can be fined up to $50,000 and sent to prison or jail for up to one year.

June 25, 2013 (La Mesa) – The Senior Resource Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital offers free or low-cost educational programs and health screenings each month. The Senior Resource Center also provides information and assistance for health information and community resources. For more information, call 619-740-4214. For other programs, call 1-800-827-4277 or visit our web site at www.sharp.com.

By Meg Jensen

June 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – Fueling criticisms of a Republican “war on women,” the GOP-controlled House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1797, a bill that would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks in all 50 states.

Nationwide, only 1.1% of abortions occur after 21 weeks; 98.9% are done before 21 weeks. Supporters of the bill contend that it would prevent fetuses from feeling pain.  Opponents voice concerns over the bill taking away the option for parents to terminate a pregnancy when tests available only in the later stages of pregnancy show severe fetal abnormalities.

June 20, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news each week that could impact your health and our future.

• Possible Alzheimer's drug shows promise (U-T San Diego)
• How CT Scans Have Raised Kids' Risk For Future Cancer (NPR)
• NASA wants your help lassoing an asteroid (Christian Science Monitor)
•  True cost of Britain’s wind farm industry revealed (UK Telegraph)
• Is BPA making girls obese? (Mother Jones)
• In-car dashboard 'smart' technology is distracting, AAA warns (Christian Science Monitor)
• Surgery reduction hope on cancer (BBC)
• The LandFillharmonic (YouTube)

Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

June 12, 2013 (Santee) – Sharp Healthcare will be providing free health screenings in East County. These screenings could help prevent heart problems, diabetes and other risk factors.  The screenings will only take about 15 minutes and are offered on eight different dates this summer.

The screenings will measure your cholesterol, blood sugar, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure. Sharp Healthcare will also provide personalized strategies to improve your overall health and well-being. No appointment is needed. All adults over the age of 18 are welcome to participate.

By Miriam Raftery

June 2, 2013 (San Diego) – If you’ve eaten Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased at Costco in the past couple of weeks, you may have been exposed to hepatitis and should see your doctor immediately. Thus far, 30 cases in five states have been reported, including two in San Diego County. But the disease  can take up to six weeks to occur after exposure, so cases are expected to rise.

One concern is that retailers may have purchased the product in bulk for use in other products such as smoothies or frozen drinks.

Dr. Eric McDonald, the county's deputy public health officer warns that those exposed should seek medical treatment now, which may include  a vaccine for Hepatitis A or treatment with immune globulin – unless you have already had the vaccine or the disease. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, call the County Epidemiology Program at (619) 692-8499.

May 22, 2013 (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 senior discussion group presentation on “Alternatives to Google: Finding Health Information Online,” from 10 to 11 a.m. today. The public is invited to attend, and RSVP is not required. The speaker will be Kathy Quinn, library director of the Herrick Library.

Quinn, with 21 years of experience as a librarian and researcher, will share tips on how to find reliable, accurate and trustworthy information on the Internet about your health. The presentation will include a demonstration of the links to health information available on the Herrick Library website. Handouts on how to evaluate health websites and reliable sites to search will be provided.

May 16, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights brings you cutting edge news each week that could impact your health and our future.

• New Closed-Captioning Glasses Help Deaf Go Out To The Movies (NPR)
• A powerful use for spoiled food (Los Angeles Times)
• Why wind farms kill eagles with federal impunity (Christian Science Monitor)
• Is It Safe To Use Compost Made From Treated Human Waste? (NPR)
• Fears grow over deadly new virus (BBC news)
• Agent Orange Linked To Lethal Prostate Cancer In Veterans (KPBS)
• Ice wave comes ashore in Minnesota (Christian Science Monitor)

Click "read more" and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

Campers and Hikers Warned to Take Precautions

County environmental health officials urged campers and hikers to take simple steps to protect themselves  Friday after routine monitoring and testing showed that a ground squirrel on Palomar Mountain had Bubonic plague.

The squirrel, which was trapped at the Cedar Grove Campground, marked the first case of plague found this  year.

Department of Environmental Health Director Jack Miller said it’s not unusual to find plague in local mountains during warmer months  and that people could take simple steps to protect themselves from exposure.

By Nadin Abbott and Sierra Robinson;  Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

“This is an epidemic and we need help.” – Rowena Elliott, Manzanita tribal member

(photos left, David and Rowena Elliott)

May 6, 2013 (San Diego) –At a press conference outside the county administration building today, backcountry residents living near wind turbines told the media of serious health conditions they are suffering.  With Wednesday’s vote on a county wind ordinance looming, residents called on the county’s top health official, Wilma Wooten, to revise her report and recognize health concerns linked to wind turbines.

According to Donna Tisdale, President of the Boulevard Planning Group and founder of two community nonprofits, the vote is critical. Supervisors will “either sell us out, remove our human and property rights, or the Board (of Supervisors) will vote to protect the community.” 

If that doesn't happen, residents are prepared to file suit, they said.

Measure Ends Use of Preexisting Condition Exclusions, Excessive Rates

May 2, 2013 (Sacramento)--A bill by Senator Ed Hernandez, O.D. (D – West Covina), Chair of the Senate Health Committee, that would put in place for California the vital consumer protections and reforms included as part of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), cleared its final legislative hurdle this week and is on its way to the Governor for signature.  The legislation, SB X1 2, was introduced as part of the special session on health care called for by Governor Brown during his State of the State Address in January.

Disease is on the rise in San Diego County

By Janice Arenofsky

April 29, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--In early April, some of the world’s foremost experts in coccidioidomycosis presented published papers on the epidemiology, laboratory science and clinical status of , a fungal disease endemic to Southwestern states like Arizona, California, New Mexico and Nevada.  Valley Fever attacks the human and animal respiratory systems and can disseminate to other organs in the body, proving fatal in some cases.

April 29, 2013 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Rotary will host Sweet Retreat on May 4^th to benefit Volunteers in Medicine and other East County non-profit organizations at the Visitor and Interpretive Center at Mission Trails Regional Park, 1 Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego.  The event featuring gourmet desserts, appetizers, wine and beer will be from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and include a silent auction.

Two probable cases of illness also identified

April 24, 2013 (San Diego) – A 22-year-old man died last week and a 47-year-old man is currently hospitalized from confirmed meningococcal disease, the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) announced. Two cases of probable meningococcal disease were also reported. The general public is not at risk for exposure from any of the cases reported.

April 19, 2013 (Alpine) – Bird singers, resources, food, activities, crafts for kids, entertain and more are all part of the Southern Indian Health Clinic’s annual Spring Gathering set for April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alpine Clinic, 4058 Williows Road in Alpine.