East County News Service

January 6, 2025 (La Mesa) – Tomorrow at 9 a.m., the Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors will consider a proposal by newly elected board member Nadia Farjood to change the board’s meeting times to evenings or weekends.  But a survey of board members shows no support for that plan. The board previously experimented with holding evening meetings but found that attendance by the public dropped, multiple members noted.

Farjood, an attorney, has said that her  day job prevents her from attending any meetings Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., when she has court appearances, as well as from 6 to 9 p.m. on the second and third Tuesdays each month.

East County News Service

County News Service contributed to this report

January 2, 2025 (San Diego) -- The County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Services has spent the last year organizing extensive planning and training to prepare for the biggest update to California’s civil detention and conservatorship laws in more than 50 years.  Advocates argue that the measure is needed to assure that severely mentally ill  people including some homeless individuals will receive treatment, though opponents voice concerns over forced institutionalization.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo courtesy of the CDC

December 21, 2024 (San Diego) - County public health officials are warning San Diegans not to eat or drink raw milk products or give them to their pets because of the heightened risk for H5N1, or bird flu. 

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2024 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that 68 cases of salmonella have been linked to cucumbers, including 18 people who were hospitalized. SunFed Produce, Baloian Farms of Arizona Co. and Russ Davis Wholesale have issued voluntary recalls of all sizes of fresh American/slicer cucumbers grown by Agrotato and sold in 19 states, including California.

Russ Davis also recalled multiple products containing recalled cucumbers: Crazy Fresh Garden Salad W/ Ranch Dressing, Quick & Easy Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing, Crazy Fresh Turkey Havarti Wrap, Quick & Easy Bacon Avocado Wrap, Crazy Fresh Bacon Avocado Wrap, and Kowalski’s Market Garden Salad.

By East County News Service

November 27, 2024 (San Diego)-- County Public Health officials are asking people to

throw away organic carrots tied to a nationwide E. coli outbreak. One person in San

Diego who consumed the carrots became ill from the same strain of Shiga Toxin producing E. Coli (STEC) that is part of a multi-state outbreak.

Thirty-nine people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli have been reported from 18 states, 15 people have been hospitalized, and one person has died. The implicated carrots are organic, whole bagged carrots and baby carrots sold under multiple brands by Grimmway Farm at many major retailers. Brand labels include Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, O Organics, Cal-organic, Bunny Luv, Good & Gather, Full Circkle, Compliments, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry, Raley’s, Simple Truth, President’s Choice, and Grimmway Farms, and in a variety of sizes.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 15, 2024 (San Diego) -- County public health officials are reporting an increased number of pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, in San Diego County this year. The increase is notable when compared to 2023 and is even more marked when compared to 2020 to 2022 numbers. 

October 25, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future

HEALTH

• What we know about the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak investigation (CNN)
• IV fluid supplies in US disrupted by Hurricane Helene (BBC)
• CDC updates COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for older adults (The Hill)
• Worst U.S. whooping cough outbreak in a decade has infected thousands  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• TikTok sued by 14 states over alleged harm to children’s mental health (CNN)
• Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting ‘attractive’ people (NPR)
• In an engineering feat, mechanical SpaceX arms catch Starship rocket booster back at the launch pad  (AP)

SpaceX pulled off the boldest test flight yet of its enormous Starship rocket on Sunday, catching the returning booster back at the launch pad with mechanical arms.

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

By Seraphina Eberhardt, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

October 22. 2024 (San Diego) -- Alcohol consumption is embedded in our social fabric, often marking celebrations, casual gatherings and daily routines. While moderate drinking is generally accepted, alcohol misuse brings significant social costs that affect our communities at large. Understanding and addressing these impacts helps build a healthier and safer society.

September 29, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future

HEALTH

• New COVID variant XEC now in half the states. Here’s what to know. (CBS)
• Utilities must comply with limits on PFAS chemicals by 2029 (NPR)
• A dramatic rise in pregnant women dying in Texas after abortion ban (NBC)
• FDA has new mammography rules regarding breast-tissue density   (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• It's A good time to revisit what Project 2025 would mean for hurricane forecasts (Huffington Post)
• Death toll from Hurricane Helene mounts as aftermath assessment begins (NPR)
• 'What a perfect world': First private spacewalk a success (BBC)
• Doritos dye makes mice transparent, Invisible humans next? (MSN)

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

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

September 12, 2024 (Sacramento) --Hundreds of thousands of older Californians will see huge savings on prescription drugs starting in January, according to a new report from AARP.

That's because the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act caps prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for people on Medicare, starting in 2025.

An estimated 271,000 people in the Golden State will hit the out-of-pocket maximum next year, Nina Weiler-Harwell, associate director of advocacy and community engagement for AARP California, said.

"Medicare drug plan enrollees nationwide who reach the new out-of-pocket cap will see an average savings of roughly $1,500," said Weiler-Harwell, "or 56% in 2025 for new prescription drugs."

On average, 40% of people on Medicare who reach the cap will save at $1,000 a year. And 12% will see savings of more than $3,000.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Centers for Disease Control

September 3, 2024 (La Mesa)  - If you or your children visited Rady Grossmont Pediatric Unit in La Mesa on August 20,  or Rady Children’s Hospital Emergency Room in San Diego on August 25, you may have been exposed to measles. 

A 13-month-old unvaccinated infant who contracted measles while traveling overseas was seen at these locations. The child is the fourth case of measles locally this year.  Measles is a serious illness that spreads easily, so anyone with symptoms is urged to contact their healthcare provider.