Category: San Diego

For the second consecutive year, UC San Diego hospitals in La Jolla and Hillcrest find themselves among 20 medical centers nationwide named to the honor roll of the newly released “Best Hospitals” report published Tuesday by U.S. News and World Report. The annual rating of specialty care examined nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide, using data from care provided to Medicare patients and from other sources, to highlight those that provided at least one “high ranking” service among 15 specialties assessed. For the first time this year, the publication also published a “Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access” report that highlights 98 facilities “for their success in caring for patients from historically underserved communities. Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center was the only hospital in San Diego County, and among seven statewide, to make the equitable access list. As has perennially been the case, UC San Diego and Scripps Health had the most nationally ranked specialties listed in the Best Hospitals report. UC San Diego’s hospitals in La Jolla and Hillcrest jointly received national specialty rankings for: cancer care; cardiology, heart and vascular surgery; diabetes and endocrinology care; gastroenterology

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Mayor Todd Gloria’s pick for the next San Diego Fire-Rescue Chief, current Deputy Fire Chief Robert Logan II, was unanimously approved by the city council on Monday, setting up his swearing in for next month. Gloria announced the appointment last month following a three-month, nationwide search to find Fire Chief Colin Stowell’s successor. Stowell will be retiring from duty in August after six years in the role and 36 years with the department. As Logan approached the speaker stand for his remarks prior to Monday’s vote, the council chamber erupted into a boisterous applause for the deputy fire chief, who currently oversees the department’s Employee Services. Coast Guard rescues two from sinking boat off Point Loma “Mayor Gloria, I am deeply humbled my your appointment of me as Fire Chief,” Logan said during the meeting. “I am truly honored to have your trust Mayor Gloria, and the trust of the department and our residents and visitors.” He also went on to thank Stowell for his leadership over the years and his mentorship in preparation to serve in the position of

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — With Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signing of a bill barring school districts from enacting polices requiring teachers to inform parents of pronoun changes in the classroom, some San Diego-area schools that have implemented these policies are now wondering what the new law means for them. Lakeside Union School District, whose board passed a “Parental Bill of Rights” in May with the stated goal of increasing transparency between parents and teachers, has been thrust into a legal gray area between local policy and what is now state law. Assembly Bill 1955, which is known as the “SAFETY Act” and was authored by State Asm. Chris Ward (D-San Diego), would prevent schools from requiring teachers to disclose a student’s sexual orientation or changes to their gender identity to parents without the child’s permission. California to add fentanyl education to high school health classes Proponents of the measure argue preventing what they describe as the “forced outing” of students helps keep those who live in unwelcoming households safe, while protecting teachers and staff from retaliation if they refuse to comply with a parental disclosure

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Convention heads into its second day Tuesday in Milwaukee — now with Donald Trump officially as its presidential nominee. Trump energized the crowd Monday night by entering the arena with a bandage on his right ear after being injured during an assassination attempt Saturday. Expect more speakers Tuesday to mention what they described as the former president’s strength and resilience after the shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania. 5 takeaways from the first day of the Republican National Convention That will likely include Nikki Haley, a onetime primary rival who was a last-minute addition to the schedule. Here’s what to watch for on the second day of the RNC: Nikki Haley will speak on Tuesday The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor was the last major rival against Trump in this year’s primary contest. She waited two months after dropping out in March to say she would vote for him. Then last week, she announced she would instruct her convention delegates to vote for Trump but wasn’t planning to attend the convention. It wasn’t until Sunday — hours after the shooting — that her office reversed

By Marta Zaraska For The New York Times Your grandma’s brownies, the scent of rain on a pine forest, a whiff of cardamom — smells can be powerful time machines, unlocking memories almost like magic and transporting you to specific moments more vividly than vision or hearing. But just like vision and hearing, our sense of smell diminishes with age (and as a result of infections like COVID, smoking and pollution). About 11 percent of Americans in their 50s experience trouble smelling; that number rises to 39 percent for those over 80. When our noses lose their sharpness, our mental health often suffers too. A diminished sense of smell is associated with worsening memory, cognition and overall well-being — as well as dementia and depression. “Our brains need a lot of olfactory stimulation in order to maintain their health,” said Michael Leon, a professor emeritus of neurobiology at the University of California Irvine. Fortunately, a diminished sense of smell may be reversible, perhaps by something as simple as spending some time with your spice rack. Why smell is so important in the brain A cup

For The San Diego Union-Tribune Bloody hot New research indicates that when temperatures climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, heat can cause restricted blood flow and boost heart attack risk. In a study, volunteers wore special suits that slowly raised the surrounding temperature. All of the participants experienced increased blood flow with more heat, a sign that their hearts were working harder, in part to cool their bodies. Blood flow increased twice as much in the youngest, healthiest group compared with the oldest, least healthy group. One-third of that oldest, least healthy group — 7 out of 20 volunteers — had blood flow blockages, despite feeling no angina symptoms during the experiment. “Our hypothesis was that the reason why heat exposure might be bad is because it makes the heart work harder,” study author Daniel Gagnon told STAT. “We didn’t know to what extent does it work harder, and does it work sufficiently hard to think that it could lead to something, especially something like a heart attack.” Get me that. Stat! In a newly published report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it

By Talya Minsberg The New York Times If you wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker, you probably already have access to a steady stream of data about your heart health. Beyond basic heart rate monitoring, smartwatches and fitness trackers can also measure and track heart rate zones, heart rate variability and heart rate trends. This information can be powerful for your health and fitness, if you’re open to experimenting with different intensity levels during exercise — and if you understand the limits of the data. To make the data useful, Kathryn Larson, a cardiologist at the Sports Cardiology Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., asks patients about their health and fitness goals. “The discussion changes a lot based on what that patient or athlete wants to do with that data,” she said. For people looking to develop an exercise habit, heart rate data can be a great tool for understanding how their fitness levels change over time. For more experienced athletes, heart rate zone training can help improve speed and endurance. How to measure your heart rate To measure your heart rate without

The California State University system will be required to establish clear policies and guidelines for how sexual harassment cases are investigated and tracked under a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday. The new law obligates the 23-campus network to implement recommendations from a 2023 state audit that examined how officials investigated and tracked complaints at the nation’s largest public four-year university system following outcry over the failure to properly handle sexual misconduct cases across multiple campuses. Lawmakers requested the audit in 2022 after Los Angeles Times investigations revealed inconsistencies and breakdowns in how officials responded to student and faculty sexual misconduct and retaliation complaints. The audit found a lack of oversight by the chancellor’s office, which oversees the system, and said officials did not properly document or investigate sexual harassment accusations. It also recommended the chancellor’s office implement the roughly two dozen reforms by this July. Lawmakers questioned whether the CSU would make changes without the Legislature’s oversight during a hearing last year. The CSU will now be required to follow through on last year’s recommendations that include the development of clear guidelines for investigations

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — When most people see the big puffy clouds on the eastern horizon, they see the wonder of shape-shifting animals and objects rolling across the sky, but experts and rescuers see one more thing to be concerned about. “We are seeing unusual fire activity, but that’s because we have a lot of fuel from the result of two wet years. So brush is deep and thick, and there’s a lot of it,” said Alex Tardy from the National Weather Service.   These cumulonimbus clouds the puffy, tall brilliantly white isolated monsters hovering over San Diego can also bring lighting. “We’ve seen a lot of strikes down in the southeastern part of our county and up through some of the desert areas,” said Capt. Mike Cornette from Cal Fire San Diego. Group calls for city management at La Jolla Cove after three sea lion pups found dead Cal Fire crews have been monitoring the cloud activity for the last few days as the monsoon weather slides over the county. So far, no major fires to speak of but the “potential for a

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A homicide investigation is underway Monday after a 38-year-old woman was shot and killed during a robbery in the Talmadge neighborhood, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 8:43 p.m. in the 4400 block of 47th Street, Lt. Judd Campbell with the San Diego Police Department said during a news conference. When officers arrived on scene, the woman was found dead in the home. Authorities say a man was inside in his apartment when a suspect forced his way into the door, pointed a gun at him and robbed him of his wallet. Suspect arrested in string of armed robberies in San Diego, El Cajon “While that was happening, the woman tried to intervene in the robbery and the suspect shot and killed her,” Campbell said. A 30-year-old man is in custody as a possible suspect in the case, per SDPD. Check back for updates on this developing story.

The number of migrant encounters in the San Diego sector dropped 21 percent in June compared to the previous month, which officials attributed in part to a presidential order limiting asylum during periods of heavy illegal border crossings. Still, with more than 25,000 encounters last month, the San Diego sector was again the busiest corridor along the U.S.-Mexico border, followed by the Tucson sector with more than 22,000, according to the latest data by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. While numbers released Monday by the federal agency reflect last month’s encounters, volunteers in San Diego who provide humanitarian aid to migrants arriving at the border said they have noticed an even more dramatic change this month. “The decline is now noticeable,” said Adriana Jasso, program coordinator for the U.S.-Mexico border program of the American Friends Service Committee. Sister Sandra Salazar of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary organizes the tent area along the fence in the Tijuana River Valley on Monday, July 15, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Jasso and other volunteers help migrants waiting to be picked up

A driver fleeing from San Diego police flipped the car in freeway lanes not far from Hotel Circle after a short chase Monday evening, leaving his passenger injured, police said. Shortly after 5 p.m. police tried to pull over the car, a Nissan sedan with expired registration, in the area of SeaWorld Drive and Friars Road, Officer John Buttle said. The driver ran a red light and jumped onto southbound Interstate 5, striking another vehicle as he tried to get away, Buttle said. The fleeing driver soon made his way onto eastbound Interstate 8. In the area of Taylor Street, he lost control of the Nissan and it overturned, the officer said. The driver got out and ran north across the freeway. He remained at large early Monday evening. His female passenger was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. The extent of her injuries was not clear. When the Nissan rolled, it struck another vehicle, Buttle said. No one was injured in either of the two vehicles the Nissan struck during the pursuit.

Authorities have released the names of a man who was fatally stabbed last week at a Mira Mesa home and the woman who has been arrested in connection with the killing. Officers were summoned to a hospital shortly before 3:30 a.m. Friday to investigate the death of Reginald Hancock Jr., 40, according to the San Diego police. Detectives suspect that Hancock was stabbed by a woman he was dating, 27-year-old Brena Siquiera, at a home on Mont Blanc Drive, east of Camino Santa Fe, homicide Lt. Jud Campbell said. The “exact events” that led to the death, which occurred during an argument between the victim and suspect, remain unclear, the lieutenant said Monday. Siquiera was booked into county jail on suspicion of murder.

MILWAUKEE — Former President Trump entered the convention hall to rapturous applause as he made his first public appearance since being injured in an assassination attempt on Saturday. Trump is wearing a bandage on his ear where he was hit with an assassin’s bullet during a Saturday rally. The crowd roared at the site of him on the video screen. He waved and fist pumped at the crowd as he made his way to his box seat. He shook hands with Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), running mate JD Vance (R-Ohio), and his family members before taking his seat. While Trump was shown on the video board in the arena, Lee Greenwood performed “God Bless the USA,” the song that plays at the start of every Trump rally. At the conclusion of the song, the crowd broke out in a chant of “fight,” a reference to what Trump said to his supporters in Pennsylvania after getting to his feet following Saturday’s shooting. Two hours before Trump arrived, word spread that he would enter the convention hall from a hallway in the corner of the

The video above was broadcasted on July 10, 2024. CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A man who was shot dead by police last week after firing in the direction of officers in Chula Vista was identified, authorities said. Moises Colunga Jr., 50, was announced as the suspect, Lt. Daniel Meyer with the San Diego Police Department said in a news release Monday. Authorities first received a call on Wednesday around 1:01 a.m. about a car crash at Marina Parkway and Sandpiper Way, according to police. When officers arrived on scene, they found the sole driver of a white sedan with front end damage inside the vehicle. Police told the man to exit the car, but instead the engine revved as it appeared he was trying to drive away. The vehicle, however, did not move likely due to the front end damage, per SDPD. The man continued to stay in the vehicle when officers prepared to use less lethal options, such as the use of pepper balls, to get him out safely and apprehend him. City considering eminent domain to advance stalled 1.8 mile bikeway

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds more that could house future astronauts. An Italian-led team reported Monday that there’s evidence for a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon. It’s located at the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 mile from Apollo 11’s landing site. The pit, like the more than 200 others discovered up there, was created by the collapse of a lava tube. Researchers analyzed radar measurements by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and compared the results with lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appeared in the journal Nature Astronomy. Perseid meteor shower begins: Here’s the best time to watch it The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity, according to the scientists. They estimate it’s at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide and tens of yards (meters) long, probably more. “Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A woman has been arrested and police have identified the victim in a fatal stabbing in Mira Mesa early Friday. San Diego police identified the victim in the stabbing, which police believe happened in the 11000 block of Mont Blanc Drive, as 40-year-old Reginald Hancock Jr. Police say preliminary information shows the man and woman involved in the incident were believed to be in a dating relationship. Man fatally stabbed at Mira Mesa home in apparent domestic dispute: SDPD According to police, during an argument, a knife was present and Hancock suffered a fatal stab wound. He was rushed to the hospital by a woman, but was pronounced dead while undergoing treatment. Homicide detectives are investigating and working to determine what led to the stabbing. According to SDPD, the woman involved in the argument with Hancock has been arrested and is facing a murder charge. She has been identified by police as 27-year-old Brena Siquiera. Anyone with more information is asked to call the San Diego Police Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.  

A unanimous San Diego City Council on Monday confirmed the mayor’s pick to be the city’s next fire chief, a department veteran and area native who won the strong backing of firefighters and community members. Robert Logan II will take over the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department in August, taking the seat occupied by Chief Colin Stowell, who is retiring after 34 years with the department. “I commit to leading with honesty, equity and justice by keeping lines of communication open and being completely transparent with all of you,” Logan told the council before the vote. “I pledge to face obstacles, head on together with fortitude, seizing opportunities with excitement, and be a clear leader who creates platforms for spreading ideas that work. It’s important for me to clarify — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — this is about all of us.” His parting words to the council before the vote: “Now let’s get to work.” Logan, 51, came up through the ranks, starting as an emergency medical technician in 1999 and becoming a firefighter the following year. He’s worked across

A federal judge in San Diego has dismissed the criminal gun possession case against Louisiana rapper Boosie Badazz after his attorney argued that a recent federal appeals court ruling set a new precedent allowing some convicted felons to possess firearms, rendering the criminal charge against the musician unconstitutional. The 41-year-old rapper, whose real name is Torence Ivy Hatch and who previously performed under the names Boosie and Lil’ Boosie, had been indicted in San Diego on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm based on prior convictions in Louisiana for non-violent drug charges. But in May, a three-judge panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers California and other western states, ruled in a similar case that it was unconstitutional to disarm a Los Angeles man who had served his sentence for non-violent drug offenses. With that precedent-setting ruling to point to, defense attorney Meghan Blanco filed a motion asking for U.S. District Judge Cathy Bencivengo to dismiss Hatch’s case. Federal prosecutors who had successfully defeated a similar motion last year, before the new 9th Circuit ruling, did not oppose

Two men were rescued off the coast of San Diego early Monday after they called 911 when the 25-foot boat they had just bought began taking on water, a Coast Guard spokesperson said. A Coast Guard boat and helicopter, as well as a Navy ship and San Diego lifeguards, responded to the emergency call, which came in around midnight, Coast Guard spokesperson Adam Stanton said. The two Mexican nationals, ages 58 and 64, were driving the boat south when it began to take on water. At one point, the men fired off a flare, which helped rescuers pinpoint their location. Stanton said the men had bought the cuddy cabin in North County and intended to take it to Ensenada. Coast Guard crew members could not “secure the source of the flooding” so the vessel was deemed unsafe to tow, a Coast Guard press release said. The two men, who were unhurt, were rescued, and the boat was left adrift. Boaters in the area were notified of the navigational hazard. The men were holding visas and were brought to Shelter Island. After being questioned by Border

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California became the first U.S. state to bar school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change under a law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law bans school rules requiring teachers and other staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to any other person without the child’s permission. Proponents of the legislation say it will help protect LGBTQ+ students who live in unwelcoming households. But opponents say it will hinder schools’ ability to be more transparent with parents. The legislation comes amid a nationwide debate over local school districts and the rights of parents and LGBTQ+ students. “This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents,” Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Newsom, said in a statement. “It protects the child-parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations.” The new law comes after several school districts in California passed policies requiring that parents be notified if a child requests