Senior planners from all 18 cities around San Diego are meeting to build a forecast of future growth in the region. California law now requires cities to think more long term.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says the eyes of the nation are on California as Sacramento lawmakers battle to approve legislation aimed at education reform.

The Leichtag Family Foundation donated $10 million to Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas for the construction of a 60,000-square-foot critical care building, it was announced today.

Saudi Arabia is a major dissident at the global climate conference in Copenhagen, where representatives of more than 190 countries are trying to agree on a new international initiative to combat climate change.

Researchers at the Salk Institute in La Jolla have found a way to slow the development of Alzheimer's disease in mice. Scientists hope the discovery could lead to new ways of dealing with the disease in humans.

This weekend in San Diego offers tidepooling, gingerbread architecture, a west coast film premiere, and a bike ride in tweed. Believe it or not, that's just a taste of what Culture Lust recommends for your weekend fun.

I’m not exaggerating. Did you ever think that you could exercise such power that you and 13 other Californians would be responsible for saving democracy in our state? In this case, democracy means that voters actually choose their legislators rather than their legislators choosing their voters. It also means that the results of elections are not preordained, and that elected legislators will be representative of the people of the state.

The California Coastal Commission Thursday rejected a request from three environmental groups to revoke a coastal development permit for a desalination plant in Carlsbad.

Sorry for the late notice on this but I wanted to give a plug to the Sippin Shorts Social tonight, December 10 at 8:00pm, where you can find Alcohol, Short Films, and Networking at 1410 Rosecrans St.

Even if you've got a lot of shopping to do this weekend, you still have to have some fun. We've got music and art options for you to consider, including San Diego artist Matt Stallings, the neo-soul band Fitz & The Tantrums, and Grant-Lee Phillips at Lestat's.

San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio has been in office one year. We ask him about the accomplishments of the year past, the current and on-going budget crisis, his views on outsourcing city services, his relationship with the Mayor and what he hopes to see for the city in 2010.

On December 4, University of California San Diego researchers completed a 53-hour procedure methodically slicing and sectioning an entire human brain. The process was recorded and broadcast via live webcast. Viewers blogged, tweeted and debated the ethics of the experiment, communicating with researchers, all in real time.

President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize during a ceremony in Norway Thursday, acknowledging the paradox of receiving the award as the U.S. is embroiled in two wars and maintaining that instruments of war have a role in preserving peace.

What's the latest on the discussions between the Chargers and the City of San Diego about building a new stadium downtown? We speak to Mark Fabiani, the Chargers' point person on stadium-related matters.

Today is the deadline for San Diego County residents to pay the first installment of their 2009-10 property taxes. Late property tax payments will be assessed a 10 percent penalty.

What do local Marines on the ground in Afghanistan think about President Obama's troop increase plan? We speak to Los Angeles Times reporter Tony Perry about the plan to increase troops, and the challenges that local Marines are facing in Afghanistan.