The San Diego theater community is mourning the loss of one of its veteran actors, Sandra Ellis-Troy, who died unexpectedly in her sleep Saturday night.

Mayor Jerry Sanders is losing his right-hand woman. The mayor’s chief of staff, Kris Michell, has been named president of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. The group advocates for downtown businesses and development projects.

The California high school graduation rate went up in the most recent year for which figures are available, but so did the drop out rate.

A test flight for a new private spacecraft is set for Wednesday morning.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing state lawmakers to approve budget cuts before his term ends in January.

A weight-loss drug made in San Diego gained approval by an Food and Drug Administration advisory panel today.

Elizabeth Edwards' family has confirmed her death today in North Carolina from cancer.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said an Escondido house that contains bomb-making compounds will be burned Thursday instead of Wednesday.

Tijuana's controversial ex-police chief has been named second in command of public security for the state of Baja California. He was appointed despite pending torture charges.

A San Diego-based policy think tank called today on the city of San Diego to launch an investigation into excess methane accumulating at the Miramar Landfill.

A California federal appeals court is considering the fate of the state ban on same-sex marriage. Nonpartisan Sacramento political consultant Leo McElroy talks to Morning Edition about the case and the Governor's latest budget proposal.

Weather permitting, a North County rental home where a man allegedly built makeshift bombs and stored large amounts of explosive materials will be burned to the ground Thursday in an elaborate operation deemed the safest possible way to dispose of the highly volatile chemicals.

What has been learned from NPR's controversial firing of former news analyst, Juan Williams? What issues is NPR struggling with as it tries to decide how best to make corrections online? We speak to NPR Ombudsman Alicia Shepard about the fallout from the Juan Williams firing, and we'll discuss some of the most common complaints she received from listeners in 2010.

What kind of impact did Donna Frye have on the San Diego City Council? What will Frye do now that her tenure on the council has ended? We speak to Frye about her goals for the future, and look back on her nine years as the council representative for the city's Sixth District.

President Obama faces opposition from Democrats upset over his tax-cut deal with Republicans. The deal gives away a position many Democrats thought was a winner for the party — a refusal to keep reduced tax rates for the rich.

A British judge has denied ball for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told a London court that he intends to fight attempts to extradite him to Sweden on sex-crime allegations.

New research from San Diego State University shows kids who are involved in organized sports may not be getting enough physical activity. The study looked at young girls and boys who play soccer, baseball and softball.

Jackie Foglio's house was one of those going through the foreclosure process in the last two years. She's been fighting it every step of the way.

Every year, the quarterly magazine the Oxford American produces a southern music issue. Each music issue focuses on a different state and this year the editors and writers will celebrate the music of Alabama.