Consumer News

Urban farming comes to the Bay Area

During the partial federal shutdown in December 2018 and January 2019, news reports showed furloughed government workers standing in line for donated meals. These images were reminders that for an estimated one out of eight Americans, food insecurity is a near-term risk. In California, where I teach, 80 percent of the population lives in cities. Feeding the cities of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area,…


Field to Fork: Avos from Carlsbad to Davis

Avocados are all the rage these days. My sons don’t seem to understand their important role when it comes to supplying avocados to the family. Our older lad, who has a house in Los Angeles, has a large back yard filled with successful fruit trees — limes, lemons, grapefruit and two large guava trees. For six months, I pressured him to rip out a guava…


Social change doesn’t happen in a silo

Live Well San Diego: Creating Social Change Through Collective Impact The recent Sustainable Brands conference was a fitting stage to share the success story of Live Well San Diego, a visionary partnership that’s creating measurable progress toward a region that’s healthy, safe, and thriving. While San Diego is known for its beautiful beaches, perfect weather, and an active lifestyle, like much of the nation it’s…


Dangerous human research at local VA?

Rep. Scott Peters on Monday requested a congressional hearing into allegations of dangerous human research at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, as detailed in an inewsource investigation last week. If Peters’ request is granted, Congress will investigate the allegations of two whistleblowers – Martina Buck and Mario Chojkier – who said former San Diego VA division chief Dr. Samuel Ho performed unapproved liver research…


New China tariffs pressure state farm exports

In the escalating trade conflict between the U.S. and China, more California agricultural products now face new retaliatory tariffs in one of their export markets. On Monday, Sept. 24, China implemented a new round of tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, including a wide range of foods and agricultural products. The tariffs came in response to new U.S. duties on $200 billion in…


AARP membership practices under fire

In its newsletters and magazines, in congressional testimony and on its website, AARP warns seniors about deceptive direct mail and other dubious marketing come-ons as part of its mission to protect members from financial abuses. But the huge advocacy group’s own aggressive efforts to coax seniors to join or renew their memberships also have drawn a burst of criticism this year. Angry members say AARP’s…


Clean vehicle rebate project test begins

Starting in San Diego County this week, The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) is rolling out Rebate Now, a pre-approved rebate program that makes it easier and faster for California residents to lease or purchase electric vehicles. If the local rebate test proves successful, it will be applied statewide. San Diego’s diverse communities and car buying options make it an ideal test ground for this…


Don’t get ripped off this holiday season

(Editor’s Note: Every year officials from the San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspect thousands of stores to ensure price accuracy at the checkout counter. Inspectors have discovered the vast majority of those errors were in the store’s favor. Of the 5,230 inspections by the county’s Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, nearly 20 percent showed price-scanning errors, according to county data….


Skimming, scamming, recycling, aging

Skimming much worse than swimming in the ATM and gas tank pool With summer in full swing and travel on the rise, visits to the ATM and gas pump are increasing, and if you’re like most of us, debit and credit cards are the way to pay. But you want to make sure you don’t fall victim to credit card skimming. That’s one of the…