Officers on Camp Pendleton cut the ribbon yesterday on a new training facility that should help save lives. The course teaches Marines how to detect and survive Improvised Explosive Devices, which are the primary cause of death and injury to service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Toyota is asking that more than 200 lawsuits against the car company be consolidated. The lawsuits all allege safety problems with Toyota cars.

Host Mark L. Walberg meets appraiser Kathleen Bailey at Denver’s Kirkland Art Museum to view its collection of wild-looking Art Deco glassware known as Ruba Rombic. Program highlights include a poster of the famous Wright Flyer airplane, made by the owner’s great-grandfather, marking the Wright Brothers’ triumphant return to Dayton, Ohio, in 1909; a first edition copy of William Faulkner’s "Sartoris," inscribed to the owner’s father, one of Faulkner’s cousins; and an heirloom collection of jewelry that includes a fabulous diamond ring, crafted by “Jeweler to the Stars” Paul Flato, and valued at $215,000 to $270,000.

Okay here’s the pitch: three guys whose lives have not gone exactly as planned end up traveling back to the 1980s and their glory days by way of a hot tub time machine. Really? And what’s really amazing is that someone bought that pitch so now we do indeed have “Hot Tub Time Machine” (opening March 26 throughout San Diego).

In 1999, filmmaker Monika Navarro’s uncles were deported from the United States to Mexico, forced to leave the only country they knew and, as servicemen, had pledged to protect. Set against the backdrop of increased attention to the U.S.-Mexican border, “Lost Souls” explores national identity, the lives of immigrants and what happens after deportees are sent to a homeland they no longer consider home.

The slow economy is prompting contracting firms across the state to bid on construction projects in San Diego. But San Diego leaders would rather see the work for city contracts go to local companies.

Authorities released the name today of a man who was killed in a solo car crash on a North County road.

In 1817, soldier-adventurer Richard Sharpe comes out of retirement to quash a rebellion in British India and rescue his old friend Patrick Harper. Sean Bean ("The Lord of the Rings") returns as the swashbuckling hero of this long-running series, based on the best-selling novels of Bernard Cornwell, with Daragh O’Malley as Harper. The duo’s exploits put them at the center of a blood-thirsty insurgency, led by a psychopathic former English officer. “Top Chef’s" Padma Lakshmi guest stars as Madhuvanthi, a beautiful schemer who is out to seduce Sharpe.

Attorneys for Toyota Motor Corp. and people suing the Japanese automaker over sudden acceleration problems urged a federal panel to consolidate more than 200 lawsuits before a single judge.

The San Diego Index of Leading Economic Indicators is up for the 11th month in a row. However, unemployment remains high.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent killed in the line of duty in East County last year will posthumously receive the highest honor possible for an agent for acts of bravery or heroism, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today.

It was a different kind of rush hour in San Diego County where a herd of horses galloped wildly through town for up to two hours before they were led back to the corral.

Federal police have arrested Mexico's so-called "King of Heroin," a powerful drug trafficker allegedly responsible for running hundreds of pounds of heroin into Southern California each year.

From the unveiling of MCASD's exclusive exhibit to IndieFest, this weekend is teeming with Culture Lust-able options. Plus: the pirates of North Park!

A new Internet star is born! A San Marcos couple set up a owl barn with an attached 24-hour webcam and waited. Soon an owl they named Molly set up house and laid six eggs, two of which hatched on camera. Molly's daily life is being broadcast over the Internet, with over 2 million viewers from around the world. We'll talk with Molly's owner, Carlos Royal.

Ever thought about how you would whittle away California's $20 billion deficit? You can try your hand at balancing the budget in the newest edition of the "Budget Challenge," a game created by the non-partisan group Next Ten.

The Catholic Church is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world. The Church also faces unique challenges in Africa, where poverty, AIDS, political corruption, and violence plague countries. We'll talk with Ugandan Catholic priest Emmanuel Katongole about the future of the the Catholic Church in Africa.

Theater and food have our attention this weekend. We'll get recommendations from North County Times' Pam Kragen and Riviera Magazine's Troy Johnson.

In the wake of the rape and murder of 17-year old Chelsea King, some people are calling for tougher laws to regulate sex offenders. Others say the laws we have aren't working. We look at what's being proposed, what laws are in place and what needs to change.

San Diego IndieFest kicks off tomorrow in North Park. You may know this annual event as a place to find good live music but it also boasts a film festival. Listen to my radio preview and interview with festival co-producer Craig Wilson.