The Back Story On San Jose And Fluoridated Water
Meanwhile, Sacramento has become a destination for Afghan refugees, but their life here does not come without struggle; in San Diego, a group of churches have resolved to inspire improved public health; LA County opens its first "sobering center" on Skid Row; and other news.
The Mercury News:
Fluoride In San Jose: A Checkered Past
After decades of delay and decay, some 230,000 people who are customers of the San Jose Water Co. in East San Jose and Almaden Valley started to receive fluoridated water in December ...There is a back story here, one that does not reflect particularly well on the San Jose Water Co., the 1960s-era Santa Clara County supervisors, or the California Public Utilities Commission. (Sanchez, 12/31)
Associated Press:
Afghan Refugees Coming To California Struggle With PTSD
California’s capital has emerged as a leading destination for Afghan refugees who were awarded special visas because of their service to coalition forces in the war. But life in the United States for them has proven a constant struggle. (1/2)
San Diego Union-Times:
Faith Groups Seek Divine Inspiration For Health Improvement
In southeastern San Diego, 21 houses of worship have a head start on a New Year’s resolution that millions of Americans will make for 2017. These congregations are working together to embed heart-healthy habits into every aspect of their ministries, from sermons to Bible study groups. With the help of significant grants from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente, they have launched programs that focus on increasing exercise and promoting nutrition using locally developed technology to help them track their progress. They are tackling one of the toughest problems in modern health care: Getting people to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will aid their fight against heart disease. (Sisson, 1/1)
KPCC:
LA County's Plan To Keep Skid Row's Intoxicated Out Of Jail And The ER
Los Angeles County opens its first sobering center Monday, on Skid Row. It will primarily serve homeless, intoxicated people who might otherwise be picked up by police or paramedics and taken to jail or an emergency room. (Browne, 1/2)
East Bay Times:
Alameda County Study Finds Eden Health District Operations, Management On Track
A report that evaluated the Eden Health District’s management, operations and financial health has given the oft-criticized special district a clean bill of health but did not discount possible options to dissolve it. That 82-page study by Berkson Associates, of Berkeley, found that the district “provides a service of value, including significant expenditure of funds for community health care purposes consistent with its mission as a healthcare district.” It also found that the district’s expenditures for administrative and overhead costs “are not excessive relative to total costs.” (Moriki, 12/29)