By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

April 22, 2014 (Sacramento) -- Changes to some health insurance policies under the Affordable Care Act are winding their way through the California Legislature. The bills aim to free patients from surprise charges and outrageous co-pays.

Get Ready to Kick-off Summer with a fitness Boot Camp for all levels and instruction provided by Fit-X San Diego. Whether you are a seasoned athlete, just beginning a fitness routine, or merely thinking about increasing your physical activity this workshop is a “no risk” opportunity to learn what the Boot Camp craze is all about. Instructors will identify exercises for all fitness levels. Wear appropriate workout clothing, sports shoes, and bring a towel.  Not sure but curious? Join in the observer section – but dress appropriately and bring a towel anyway – you might catch Boot Camp fever!

Source: La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

April 23, 2015 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Chamber members and local business owners joined together on Tuesday, April 14th to learn of upcoming Chamber activities and hear from the guest speaker, Supervisor Dianne Jacob. 

Supervisor Jacob shared her accomplishments from the past several years, discussed new ordinances for agricultural activities within the county and shared her new passion, The Alzheimer's Project: A Call To Arms.

The Supervisor shared the startling statistics of the negative and detrimental impact of this disease. Supervisor Jacob also informed the audience that not only does Alzheimer's impact the deterioration in the health of the patient, but it has a huge negative impact on the family members that are care givers. She is encouraging partners on this project and challenged groups to come on board and be a part of this project.

East County News Service

Photo by Michael Pereckas

April 22, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – A divided Supreme Court has ruled that police cannot detain a motorist pulled over for a traffic stop any longer than required to issue a ticket or warning for the driving infraction.  An officer cannot delay a motorist to allow for inspection of the vehicle, such as by a drug-sniffing dog when the cause for the stop was a traffic violation.

April 23, 2015 --  (San Diego’s East County)-- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• El Cajon event brings hope, help to homeless (UT San Diego)

• Where San Diego Gets Its Water – and Where it Goes (Voice of SD)
• Federal official admits taking bribes, theft (U-T San Diego)
• 3 top staffers leave supe's office (U-T San Diego)
• Iraqi official seeks local Chaldean support (U-T)
• San Diego jobless rate falls to 5.1 percent (UT San Diego)
• Surprise! San Diegans are good budgeters (SD Reader)
• Schools That Best Prepare Neighborhood Kids for Graduation Also Retain Them, or Vice-Versa (Voice of San Diego)
• David Glismann, 91, Grossmont choral director (U-T San Diego)

STATE

• Bill would ease CPUC appeals (U-T)
• Regulators back higher electric rates for some (U-T)
• A call to invest in safety of the power grid (Marketplace.org)
• Elizabeth Warren to headline California Democratic convention (Sacramento Bee)
• Are race relations in California better than rest of US? (CS Monitor)
• Chairman: Scrap San Onofre deal (U-T)

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

By Suzanne Porter, Public News Service

Photo credit: chilombiano/morguefile.com

April 22, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Over the past 30 years, the Latino population in the United States has risen by 243 percent. But during that same period, according to a UCLA study of census data, the number of Latino doctors has decreased 22 percent.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Greg Hume

April 22, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, is the latest company that has pledged to eliminate deforestation from its global supply chains. Palm oil deforestation leads to destruction of habitat for endangered and threatened species such as orangutans, elephants, rhinoceros and tigers.

Story and photos by Susan A Mahalick

April 20, 2015 (Baja, Mexico)--Located as an exit off the toll road, or Cuota, is La Salina at Km 73. Two exits after crossing the bridge with the estuary to the left as you travel south from Rosarito is a public beach with palapas to the right. It is Easter weekend which traditionally starts the official camping on the beaches, no matter the weather, as Mexicali, Tijuana and Tecate empty out for all the free camping in this part of Baja. Here the fee is $500 pesos, around $4 at the current exchange rate, per vehicle which accounts for this beach not being overcrowded.

April 20, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Greg and Dianne Dunne have submitted this tempting recipe – ideal for hiking enthusiasts and nature lovers in our high desert regions.   Spanish Yucca blossoms are “growing everywhere and in bloom right now,” says Greg Dunne, a produce manager, though the special ingredient here is one you’ll have to harvest yourself.

East County News Service

April 20, 2015 (San Diego)—The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota have announced that six Somali-American men have been charged with conspiracy to support a terrorism organization, including two who were arrested in San Diego.

April 19, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The 9^th annual Campo-Lake Morena Roundup is set to be held on Saturday, May 2^nd at the Camp Lockett Event and Equesterian Facility (799 Forrest Gate Rd.) in Campo. Gates open at 7 a.m. with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. and presentation of this year’s grand marshall at 10 a.m. Period costumes are welcome.

Playing now through April 25 at Valhalla High School Theatre Arts

By Kathy Carpenter

Associate and Youth Reviewer sdtheatrereviews

Recipe:  Sauteed Sherry Kale

By Greg Dunne

April 19, 2015 (Alpine)--Wow, Easter dinner was good! Most of the dinner was healthy – but maybe I had a bit too much dressing on the salad, or went a little heavy with gravy on the mashed potatoes and then sampled all of the desert items even though I was full. Sautéing some fresh greens this week will be delicious and healthy and will do the trick on getting back to eating healthy.

By Janice Arenofsky

Illustration: U.S.Centers for Disease Control

April 19, 2015 (La Jolla) --The 59^th annual meeting of the Cocci Study Group, an academic network of scientists, physicians and health activists dedicated to researching coccidioidomycosis (widely known as Valley Fever), met on April 10 at UCSD in La Jolla.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2015 (San Diego)—A video released by the Islamic State, or ISIS, shows the apparent killings of 15 Christians in Libya—half by beheading, the rest by shooting. The victims are believed to be Ethiopian Christians, CNN reports.  A message in the graphic 29-minute video makes clear the executions were motivated by religious hate, stating “Muslim blood shed under the hand of your religion is not cheap.”