May 2, 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.

• Diabetes warning over soft drinks (BBC)
• Failure Of Latest HIV Vaccine Test: A 'Huge Disappointment' (NPR)
•  Researchers Find Hormone That Grows Insulin-Producing Cells (NPR)
• Want a solar home? Consider batteries. (Christian Science Monitor)
• Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA (Jewish World Review)

Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

May 1, 2013  (Spring Valley) – Under the direction and choreography of mother-daughter team Michelle Mullen and Chelsea Mullen, a Steele Canyon High School senior, and Beatriz Corral, musical director, Young Actors’ Theatre is pleased to announce the upcoming The Little Mermaid, a beloved and family-friendly tale. The Little Mermaid will run for eight performances in the intimate setting of the ENCORE! Theater located in Spring Valley.

The tale tells the story of a magical kingdom fathoms below, where the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice. The Little Mermaid is based on the Hans Christian Andersen Story and the Disney Film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker and Ron Clements.

MWD must show whether its rates are tied to the cost of its services

May 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A San Francisco Superior Court judge on Wednesday, April 24 ordered the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to produce information no later than May 10 that shows how it allocates its costs to rates or admit it does not have any evidence to support its current allocation of its costs to its rates.  The order followed a Tuesday hearing on the Water Authority’s motion to compel MWD to answer discovery and granted the Water Authority’s motion in its entirety.  Before the Court’s ruling, MWD had refused to respond to requests by the San Diego County Water Authority asking MWD to show what evidence it has to support its claims that its rates reflect its cost of providing its services.

National tour of “films to change our world” comes to East County

April 13, 2013 (Julian) -- May 17-19 brings the 2nd Annual Julian Wild & Scenic Film Festival-Films To Change Your World, with countless inspiring titles, to the Julian High School for the benefit of the Volcan Mountain Foundation and its work to protect and preserve Volcan Mountain in its natural state for all generations.

“The selection committee believes these are the best of over 100 films screened at the annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival hosted every January in Nevada City, California,” said Nancy Kramer, co-founder of the Julian Film Festival.  Click here for a full list of films.