Our neighbors south of the border are starting a fundraising campaign to support Mexican and Mexican-American college students in the United States. The Mexican Consulate in San Diego launched the three month IME BECAS campaign called "For a Better Life."

The Gaslamp Quarter is bumping. The East Village is happening. Now San Diego officials may start to focus on another part of downtown.

Starting on Friday, San Diego lifeguards will be raising money to help under-privileged kids learn to swim.

The region's leading economic indicators paint a positive picture for the local economy. The index has now risen eight straight months.

Last month protesters outside Comic-Con held signs urging people to "Read Their Bible." You will see similar signs in the Globe's new production of "Inherit the Wind" (running through September 25 at the Globe's Lowell Davies Festival Stage). Listen to my radio feature.

A U.S. Navy sailor returning home from deployment Tuesday surprised his young son who thought he'd only be able to connect with his dad through video chat.

Follow Dr. Albert Barnes’ remarkable rise from Philadelphia’s working-class neighborhood to the top of the modern art world. This unique tale bounces back and forth through time as the late Dr. Barnes travels the world to collect works of art by some of history’s most famous artists — Picasso, Cezanne, Matisse, Renoir and many others. The film digs deep into the intricacies of each painting, offering a rare look at the priceless collection and the new Philadelphia museum that houses it.

A California university professor who was arrested on arson charges wrote in an email that he was thinking of getting a dozen machine guns and shooting at least 200 students at his late son's high school, according to court papers obtained Wednesday.

One home was destroyed and others are threatened by a brush fire in Murietta, just north of San Diego County.

Despite American victories in the Solomons and New Guinea, the Japanese empire still stretches 4,000 miles. In November 1943, on the Pacific atoll of Tarawa, the Marines set out to prove that any island can be taken by all-out frontal assault. Back home, the public is devastated by color newsreel footage of the furious battle and grows more determined to do what's necessary to hasten the end of the war. Mobile, Sacramento and Waterbury have been transformed into booming, overcrowded "war towns"; in Mobile this leads to confrontation and racial violence.

Health insurance premium rebates are heading to about 1.9 million California policyholders this week. The rebates are the result of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Marine Corps free fall instructors honored late Marine Corps Sgt. Brett Jaffe last week by releasing his ashes in mid-air, above the Phillips Drop Zone on Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.

Small business owners, particularly in the southern part of San Diego County, and general contractors are more confident in their outlook this year than two years ago, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce reported today.

Iraq War veteran and Marine Corps Sgt. Jamel Herring was eliminated from the Olympic Games after losing his boxing match to Daniyar Yeleussinov of Kazakhstan.

When does a casual political discussion at the workplace cross the line? Can your boss urge employees to donate to a political campaign, or can your pastor tell you how to vote? We take a look!

San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob is leading the charge against a new fire fee. She told KPBS the fire fee asks too much of rural residents.

UC San Diego's eighth chancellor started work at the La Jolla campus today, with a long list of events scheduled.

After a weeklong international trip took the focus off of Bain Capital and taxes, the Mitt Romney campaign may be ready to take the focus off of its international trip. As Romney wrapped up his three-nation tour, his campaign announced a new app to keep track of the running mate selection process.

President Obama chose Castro, the 37-year-old mayor of San Antonio, to be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., in September.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters today that U.S. military force is an option in stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Panetta is visiting Israel today as part of a five-day trip to the Middle East.

Former local artist returns to San Diego with new work inspired by his time living in Alexandria, Egypt. The show opens Saturday at Voz Alta Project in Barrio Logan.

The month of July saw 46 deaths among NATO International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, the highest number of fatalities in Operation Enduring Freedom in almost a year.

What came first, the Chick-fil-A recantation — or the protests?

One San Diego summer camp opens the door to science courses for Latin American students by offering classes in Spanish.

Councilman Carl DeMaio outspent and outraised Congressman Bob Filner in the primary election for San Diego mayor, but pro-Filner forces are lining up to make the runoff in November competitive and expensive.

Federal regulators warned Southern California Edison about fire safety lapses at San Onofre two years ago. Now KPBS has learned of continued employee complaints of fire risks at the nuclear plant. Edison wants to reopen San Onofre by the end of the year. If that happens, some insiders worry the violations – left unchecked –could injure workers and jeopardize safe operation of the plant.