The San Diego Unified School District board president says there are legitimate reasons why the district is not competing for federal stimulus dollars tied to the Race To The Top program.

Rick and his daughter, Lanie, check out a fabulous fish fillet at a neighborhood restaurant in Mexico City, and then, at a seafood street stall, they get rapturous over a plate of succulent garlicky prawns that rivals the best scampi in the world. The common denominator of these two dishes? It's one of the cornerstones of Mexican cooking, Mojo de Ajo (literally, "bath of garlic") - a sauce made by slowly simmering garlic in olive oil and seasoning it with lime and chiles. Back home in Chicago, Rick shows us how he plants, grows and cures this flavorful garlic variety, then uses some to make a big batch of Mojo de Ajo - a jar of "liquid gold" to keep on hand for enhancing just about anything.

This week on "Simply Ming," Chef Ming Tsai introduces tamari, the original soy sauce of Japan, to olive oil, which the ancient Greeks considered to be liquid gold. Using a wheat-free, organic tamari, Ming first prepares a Tamari Marinated Tofu-Cucumber Salad, a perfectly refreshing and safe dish for people with a wheat allergy. Then, putting a spin on a traditionally French recipe, Ming cooks up Asian Ratatouille with Couscous. Later, he prepares a New Style Salmon Sashimi, an understated appetizer sure to wow your guests. Finally, Ming is joined by his parents, Iris and Stephen Tsai, who put the East-West ingredients to work with Tamari Pork and Bell Pepper on Olive Oil-Noodle Cake.

About one-quarter of San Diego County's water supply could be affected by a court ruling. A California judge in Sacramento Thursday invalidated a landmark pact to curtail the state's overuse of water.

Several San Diego-based international aid organizations are swinging into action to help the relief effort in Haiti.

As many as 50,000 people perished in the earthquake that struck Haiti, according to a new estimate from the Haitian Red Cross, even as aid groups struggled to meet the overwhelming needs of the increasingly desperate survivors.

A pilot program in San Diego's east county court system is claiming greater success in keeping domestic violence offenders off of drugs.

Spectators gathered at San Diego beaches where huge swells and rough water proved too dangerous even for seasoned surfers. The big waves are expected to gradually subside by Friday afternoon.

Have you been thinking about installing a solar rooftop at your home? If you live in the City of San Diego, the fees for getting a solar power system approved and installed have substantially increased. We speak to San Diego Union-Tribune Staff Writer Onell Soto about the increase in local solar fees.

New Yorker writer and surgeon Atul Gawande devotes himself to learning how to improve the practice of medicine, from decreasing cost to decreasing errors. In his latest book, The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, he examines how people in a wide variety of disciplines have used the deceptively simple checklist to master extraordinary levels of complexity.

Raymond Carver, considered a master of the modern short story, lived a turbulent and dramatic life, but there has never been a biography of him until now. California writer Carol Sklenicka is author of the detailed "Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life" which traces Carver's struggles with alcoholism, marriage, poverty and his long-time editor Gordon Lish. Sklenicka will sign copies of her book at The Book Works in Del Mar.

2010 brings a wealth of new plays to San Diego stages, including the world premiere of "Whisper House" from Tony-award winner Duncan Sheik, and and a musical about the worst singer in history. We'll talk theater with the Union-Tribune's Jim Herbert and get a taste of San Diego Restaurant Week from Chef Bernard Guillas.

How are the Chargers preparing for Sunday's playoff game? We speak to all-pro kicker Nate Kaeding about the team's matchup against Jets.

The New York Times called the late William Kuntsler "the most hated and most loved lawyer in America." He defended everyone from civil rights activists to the Chicago 8 to the terrorist accused of bombing the World Trade Center. In the documentary “Disturbing the Universe” (opening January 15 at Landmark's Ken Cinema) Kuntsler’s daughters examine their father’s life. You can also listen to my radio review.

Our suggestions for a Culture Lustable weekend: new tunes from Booker T. Jones, ghost hunting with Duncan Sheik at The Old Globe, and gallery hopping galore.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts a variety of health care programs for the poor. Community clinics fear they would be forced to pick up the slack.

The California Building Standards Commission has approved a mandatory green building code. Dave Walls, the executive director of the commission, says the green code is a first, not just for the state but also for the nation.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders wants to get the city back on track financially in the next 18 months. Sanders spoke about his goals for San Diego in his State of the City speech Wednesday night.