Laurie Black now represents San Diego on the Port Commission and plans to devote her tenure to revamping the long ignored waterfront. Her hope is that what is good for San Diego residents will also bring in the tourists and enhance commerce there.

As an arts and culture producer, a lot of stuff crosses my desk. I can't fit it all into the confines of a

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is a blog about the latest ideas stirring in the creative world, hosted by

A Forest Service official says more evacuations are under way after the Lake Tahoe wildfire jumped a fireline Tuesday night in a densely populated area.

In an era of 10-minute doctor's visits, many patients feel rushed out the door without answers to their pressing medical questions. We talk to a medical expert on how to prepare for the doctor's office, and make the most of the visit. Also, we'll find out when to seek a second opinion. Rebecca Tolin has the interview.

A developer wants National City to use eminent domain to acquire a building that now houses a community center for disadvantaged kids. The city must now decide whether to use its power of eminent domain. The community center says it won't give up without a court battle.

Home sales in San Diego continue to plummet and one local economist says this means a turnaround in the real estate market will likely take longer than expected. Full Focus reporter Amita Sharma has more.

Lake Tahoe area residents who have been burned out of their homes can get some help from the state to help put their lives back together. Jenny O'Mara reports a Local Assistance Center has been set up.

The ACLU and the City of Vista have settled a lawsuit regarding Vista's day labor ordinance -- the controversial ordinance that took effect last July. It requires people to register with the city before they hire day laborers. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has details.

In Washington, several hundred people rallied in favor of restoring legal rights to prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. But San Diego Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter says that's a bad idea. Charles Davis reports from Capitol Hill.

Providing retirement benefits to public employees in California is projected to cost hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 30 years. A proposed ballot initiative aims to reduce some of those costs. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.

The Port of San Diego contributes about $10 billion to the region each year. It also generates nearly 80,000 jobs locally. KPBS reporter Nicole Lozare has more.

One of three new national Bioenergy Research Centers will be based in Berkeley. The centers will research how ethanol and other biofuels can be cost-competitive with gasoline by 2012.

Dougie MacLean is one of Scotland's most famous singer-songwriters. His song "Caldonia" has become Scotland's unofficial national anthem and his music has appeared on film soundtracks, most notably for "The Last of the Mohicans."

Many webcasters have declared today, June 26th, a "Day of Silence" in opposition to higher royalty fees. On July 15th, retroactive royalty rates are due to be paid by webcasters who have been playing music on Internet radio. Last March, the Copyright Royalty Board imposed a new rate structure with higher fees designed to result in payments to artists. Webcasters say the rates are too high and will ultimately hurt musicians by pricing their work off the Internet, limiting their exposure to potential audiences. A webcaster and a performers' rights advocate debate the merits and pitfalls of the new royalty rate structure.

A new legislative package by California State Senator Joe Simitian targets governments, schools, and employers who use RFID, or radio frequency identification technology. Do tiny microchips compromise personal freedom or increase business efficiency? We hear from the senator who introduced the legislation, an organization who says RFID technology can promote identity theft, and a technology industry representative who says that the advocates are missing the point.

Have the preventive measures the U.S. has taken to avert a future terrorist attack made this country less safe? We speak with a Georgetown University law professor who says that the U.S. has become more vulnerable to possible terrorist attacks. We also discuss the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, and the detainment of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay.

San Diego County's freeway system would be geared to serve carpoolers and rapid bus service in coming years. A draft transportation plan would add more of those lanes on county freeways to reduce congestion. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.