Last weekend I attended The Blacklist Art and Film Festival. Since I was unable to review any of the films in advance of the festival, I wanted to offer shall we say this post mortem review.

University of San Diego economist Alan Gin joins us to discuss the latest trends in the local economy. We discuss the impact high unemployment and reduced consumer spending are having on the slow economic growth our region is experiencing.

13 Tijuana police officers, who were jailed for more than a year for allegedly working for drug cartels, have been freed. The case raises questions about the efforts in Tijuana to fight police corruption. Tijuanapress.com editor Vicente Calderon and KPBS Border reporter Amy Isackson bring us the story.

The editors will discuss the impact Chelsea's Law could have on California's ability to prosecute violent sex offenders and the state's overcrowded prison system. We'll also discuss a controversial budget proposal to send some state prisoners to county jails.

Next Tuesday will be the first day of school for many students throughout San Diego County. KPBS Education Reporter Ana Tintocalis join us to discuss the biggest challenges local school districts are facing this year.

"Carrier" is a character-driven, edge-of-your-seat, nonfiction drama and a once-in-a-lifetime total immersion in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. In this episode, as the "Nimitz" makes its final transit from Hawaii to California, the sailors and Marines on board prepare to return to their homes and families. For those still on board, the "Tiger Cruise" provides a buffer, but there's no such transition for those who fly home early from Hawaii. As the "Nimitz" returns to her home port of San Diego, sailors and Marines reflect on the deployment and take stock of what they've achieved.

In the shadow of modern Naval vessels, two old warships exchanged cannon fire on San Diego Bay Friday afternoon. The sailing vessel the Californian was defending its home port from the invaders on the Spirit of Dana Point.

"Carrier," a 10-part series filmed aboard the "USS Nimitz," is a character-driven immersion in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. In this episode, a six-month absence places a heavy burden on relationships. The Navy holds seminars to counsel sailors on what to expect when they return home - and how to make the transition smooth. The "Tiger Cruise" ritual allows sailors to invite their family members aboard for the last leg of the deployment.

Last Saturday at the Blacklist Art and Film Festival (more on this later) I was exposed to one of the most original horror shorts I have seen in years, "Treevenge." Now those filmmakers have a feature: "Hobo with a Shotgun."

America's top gumshoes are back to prove once again that an object found in an attic or backyard might be anything but ordinary. How could one clock regulate time for an entire region, and is this it? A document seems connected to an early controversial religion, the first founded by an American-born woman. So where is her name? What went wrong during a WWII dog-training program on Cat Island?

By the end of today, the November election ballots for San Diego county will be set in stone -- or at least in permanent typeface.

A bill that would release sick prison inmates on parole is one step away from becoming law. Both houses of the state legislature passed a medical parole bill that would save the state millions of dollars.

Pack your pesos if you plan to fly out of the Tijuana airport. The airport will not accept U.S. dollars starting September 11.

It's every collector's dream: turning a modest outlay into a staggeringly high return on investment. "Jackpot" rolls the dice on those heady moments when luck smiles on flea market mavens and yard sale savants. This special recalls such spectacular windfalls as a 1951 Minneapolis Millers baseball uniform worn by Willie Mays, scored at a sports collectibles show for $50 and valued at $60,000 to $80,000.

What is it like to be torn from your Chinese foster family, put on a plane with strangers and wake up in a new country, family and culture? "Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy" is the story of Fang Sui Yong, an 8-year-old orphan, and the Sadowskys, the Long Island Jewish family that travels to China to adopt her. Sui Yong is one of 70,000 Chinese children now being raised in the United States. Through her eyes, we witness her struggle with a new identity as she transforms from a timid child into someone that no one -- neither her new family nor she -- could have imagined.

The discovery of a body on an Oxford bus leads Lewis and Hathaway to a sprawling Oxford estate where Hathaway spent much of his childhood. Guest stars include Nathaniel Parker ("The Inspector Lynley Mysteries") as a house guest with suspiciously close ties to the estate owner's wife.

On this episode of "Wonderland," host Noah Tafolla ventures into the North County community of Poway. He visits the Poway Historical Society Museum, tries fishing at Lake Poway and does a little horseback riding.

Test cook Yvonne Ruperti shows host Christopher Kimball how to make the best upside down apple cake, while gadget guru Lisa McManus reveals the test kitchen's top choice for apple slicers. Then, tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges Kimball to a tasting of vanilla, and finally, test cook Julia Collin Davison makes an easy, yet elegant berry gratin.

Heading into Labor Day, we bid an unofficial farewell to summer leisure and welcome the traditional beginning of the work cycle. In this stagnant economy, we'll continue to discuss job loss, an increased unemployment rate and, earning enough to make ends meet.

We'll look at the prospect of loading up San Diego County's jail population with prisoners from the state. Will the county have enough cells and money to take on that burden?

Homelessness awaits some sex offenders after release from prison. Jessica's law already imposes tougher restrictions and Chelsea's Law waits in the wings for the Governor Schwarzenegger's signature. We'll discuss the possible unintended consequences of stricter limits on paroled offenders.

The official start to a new school year in San Diego County begins next week after Labor Day. This week can be a nerve-wrecking time for many school kids as they think about the year ahead. But many teachers are feeling the same way.

Legislation to ban plastic grocery bags in California failed to pass this week. Supporters say election year politics and a down economy were among the reasons the bill didn't succeed.