Republican presidential candidate John McCain courted Latino voters yesterday, when he spoke to the annual meeting of the National Council of La Raza in San Diego. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama addressed the group on Sunday. And like Obama, Senator McCain touched on the economy, education, and immigration reform. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.

She helped create one of the first

So, why such a frenzy and apparent want for a scapegoat? Why is the American media so shocked and awed that a third party is gaining such momentum?

Two plagues in California, fires and foreclosures, may be increasing the risk of another: West Nile virus. Wildfires have sullied the air in the Sacramento area so badly that officials there have held off aerial spraying of insecticide to combat the virus, which is spread to humans and animals by infected mosquitoes.

San Diego’s city attorney has won the first case against a company for violating the city’s Living Wage Ordinance. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

Senator John McCain says he remains committed to immigration reform, but securing the nation's borders must be part of the deal. The Republican presidential candidate made his remarks in San Diego today at the National Council of La Raza meeting. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.

Democratic legislative leaders are putting forward a plan to pump money into California's economy to deal with the state's water issues. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata are pushing legislation to speed up grant funding for some water projects.

North County high school students have adopted an unconventional tactic to urge motorists to drive slow and save gas. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

Sixty may not quite be the new forty. But people are living longer and living healthier into what we call their retirement years. So why do most people still stop working at age 65... or even earlier? Working a couple of extra years does a lot to bolster individual retirement accounts and it would improve the health of entitlement programs like Social Security. We'll talk about the challenges of continuing to work, and we'll hear what are listeners have to say about what they want, or what they've gotten, out of their lives over 65.

Acclaimed author Anchee Min talks about her latest historical novel, “The Last Empress.” The book follows Orchid’s transition from a strong-willed young woman to a politically savvy leader who ruled China for more than four decades.

Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease now affects 24 million Americans, or 8 percent of the population. An additional 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes. While diabetes is treatable, there is no cure. We'll talk about the rise in diabetes and how to manage it with local experts.

The National Council of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., is wrapping up its annual conference in San Diego today. Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are both speaking at the convention. Organizers hope to hear the candidates address some of the issues of concern to Latinos, like healthcare, immigration and the housing crisis. We'll get analysis of Obama's address from KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg.

Officials in this San Diego County city are trying to discourage illegal immigration by enacting ordinances that crack down on border-crossers and the residents who harbor them.

Hundreds of homeless veterans gathered at San Diego High School's athletic field this weekend to get help from volunteers and community groups.

The Latino vote is considered to be crucial in this year's presidential election. That's why both major candidates are actively courting Latinos.To that end, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama came to San Diego yesterday. He spoke at the annual meeting of the nation's largest Latino civil rights group. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.

The California state budget is now almost two weeks late and still $15 billion short. So, what are lawmakers doing to come to some agreement? From Sacramento, Jenny O'Mara checks in.

Senator Barack Obama says the Latino community holds the upcoming presidential election in their hands. He made the remark in San Diego yesterday at the annual convention of the nation's largest Latino civil rights organization. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.

The last place Padres enter the All-Star break at 37 and 58. They are 10 games behind Arizona in the National League West. We're joined on Morning Edition by North County Times sports columnist Jay Paris.