By David R. Shorey, East County Program Director, Institute for Public Strategies

February 5, 2024 (San Diego) - Tara Stamos-Buesig hit rock bottom one Sunday night while working the streets on El Cajon Boulevard near Hoover High School. She was a sex worker wearing a mini skirt and fishnet stockings. She was snared in a San Diego Police sting operation in an area notorious for prostitution. It was after she had filled her hypodermic needle with the drugs she recovered off the dirty floor of a fast food restaurant restroom and injected them into her system. That’s when she decided to change her life.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 27, 2024 (San Diego) -- Flooding from Monday’s torrential storms was bad enough, but now residents cleaning up their damaged homes face the threat of mold.

The longer materials stay wet, the more likely mold will grow. It takes only two to three days for mold to form.

January 21, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• 1,500 Americans dying from COVID each week despite vaccines, treatments (ABC)
• Cases almost double as CDC expands warning of salmonella infections linked to recalled charcuterie meats (CNN)
• Researchers find a massive number of plastic particles in bottled water  (NPR)
• Why long COVID can cause exhaustion, or post-exertional malaise, after exercise 
• Red Cross declares an emergency blood shortage, as number of donors is down 40% (NPR)
• FDA clears first CRISPR treatment for a second disease, beta thalassemia (
  
  CNN)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Washington takes aim at facial recognition (Politico)
• His sock, shoe and iPhone were sucked out of Alaska Flight 1282. The phone still works (Los Angeles Times)
• Huge ancient lost city found in the Amazon  (BBC)
• State-backed Russian hackers accessed senior Microsoft leaders' emails, company says  (KPBS)

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

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 18, 2024 (San Diego) -- A Western Harvest mouse collected from the open space area on the eastern side of Mission Trails has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus.

Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in San Diego County, there were a total of 17 cases in 2023. However, people rarely come into direct contact with infected animals because wild rodents naturally avoid humans.

While exposure to hantavirus is rare, people should be careful around wild rodents as there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus.

Symptoms of hantavirus usually develop between 1-8 weeks after exposure and include:

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 11, 2024 (San Diego) - County health officials have linked 41 confirmed and probable cases of norovirus illness to raw oysters imported from a specific harvest location in Northwest Mexico.  

By  Suzanne Potter, California News Service

Suzanne Potter

January 9,2024 (Sacramento) -- Starting January 1st, California became the first state to cover health care for all income-eligible people regardless of their age or immigration status. 

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

December 31, 2023 (Sacramento)--People on Medicare who want to see a therapist often wait up to six months for an appointment, but relief is on the way.

Starting Jan. 1, licensed marriage and family therapists will be able to accept Medicare insurance.

December 18, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Uncle Sam wants you to help stop insurers' bogus Medicare Advantage sales tactics  (NPR)
• After the Dobbs decision, birth rates are up in states with abortion ban states (NPR)
• Ahead of the holidays flu-like illnesses slightly increase  (KPBS)
• Uptick in mpox cases raises concerns in San Diego County  (KPBS)
• FDA expands cantaloupe recall after salmonella infections double in a week  (CBS 8)
• Mexico closes cantaloupe plant temporarily amid deadly salmonella outbreak (Reuters)
• Researchers return to Alzheimer's vaccines, buoyed by recent drug success (Reuters)
• In death, one cancer patient helps to erase millions in medical debt  (AP)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• IBM, EU and Disney pull ads from Elon Musk's X as concerns about antisemitism fuel backlash (AP)
• Judge says evidence shows Tesla and Elon Musk knew about flawed autopilot system  (NPR)
• Jury decides Google's Android app store benefits from anticompetitive barriers  (NPR)
• UC San Diego Climate change panel points to progress (KPBS)
• Companies say they're closing in on nuclear fusion as an energy source  (NPR)
• USDA's plant hardiness zone map shows half the country has shifted  (NPR)
• Forest Service plans carbon dioxide storage on federal lands 
• Consumer Reports is adapting its automobile testing to include EVs (NPR)

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

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo courtesy USDOJ

December 7, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- There's no denying the urgency of addressing the opioid and fentanyl epidemic, which has claimed the lives of countless Americans. In the shadows of this crisis, another equally destructive menace is still lurking: methamphetamine abuse. We must continue to recognize that the methamphetamine crisis is very much alive, and we can't allow our focus on opioids to divert our attention from this problem that continues to claim lives and ruin communities.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

December  6, 2023 (Sacramento) -- Advocates for affordable health care are speaking out to remind people what is at stake if the Affordable Care Act is repealed in the wake of recent statements by former President Donald Trump.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 28, 2023 (San Diego)-- The Tuberculosis Program in the Public Health Services (PHS) department of the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is working in close collaboration with Father Joe’s Villages, and the San Diego Housing Commission to notify residents, employees, contractors, and volunteers potentially exposed to tuberculosis (TB) at the Golden Hall shelter at 1101 First Ave. in San Diego.

By Cristina Johnson

November 18, 2023 (San Diego) -- The U.S. armed forces employed asbestos-containing products throughout much of the 20th century. All five military branches used frequently contaminated products and as a consequence, many service members were exposed to asbestos while defending our nation. Today, as these brave men and women transition into civilian life after their service, they risk developing life-altering diseases that may be linked to their military years. Asbestos exposure remains a compelling concern for all veterans but remains a critical issue among those who served in the Navy.

Once praised for its fire-resistant and insulating properties, asbestos was widely used in naval construction during the last century. It was in every compartment on naval ships, and nobody thought about asbestos being a potent threat when its microscopic fibers were released into the air and inhaled.

Annual report highlights the public agency’s accomplishments

Photo, left to right:  Christian Wallis, CEO, Michael Emerson, Board Treasurer, Bob Ayres, Board Vice President, Gloria Chadwick, Board President, Virgina Hall, Board Secretary, Randy Lenac, Board Member

East County News Service

November 10, 2023 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) was recently recognized by the Association of California Healthcare Districts as its 2023 Healthcare District of the Year. 

Source: California Attorney General’s office

Image: CC via Bing

November 1, 2023 (Sacramento) -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a multistate coalition of 25 attorneys general, today submitted a letter to urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen guidance and provide clear warning labels regarding incorrect pulse oximeter readings for patients of color.

Source: U.S. .Food and Drug Administration

Photo:  Public domain image via Bing

October 31,2023 (Washington D.C.)  --The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) is warning consumers not to purchase and to immediately stop using 26 over-the-counter eye drop products sold at major retailers and online, due to the potential risk of eye infections that could result in partial vision loss or blindness. Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection after using these products should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately. These products are marketed under the following brands:

• CVS Health
• Leader (Cardinal Health)
• Rugby (Cardinal Health)
• Rite Aid
• Target Up & Up
• Velocity Pharma

See full list of product names at the bottom of this article.