By Lydia O’Connor, Huffington Post

The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that a state law barring sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park is unconstitutional.

The ruling immediately affects only San Diego County, where the case originated, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, but will “almost certainly apply to other densely populated counties.”

The housing restriction known as Jessica’s Law passed by voters in 2003 aimed to create predator-free zones. But it unfairly infringes on registered sex offenders’ personal liberties, Justice Marvin R. Baxter wrote, and has “severely restricted their ability to find housing in compliance with the statute, greatly increased the incidence of homelessness among them, and hindered their access to medical treatment, drug and alcohol dependency services, psychological counseling and other rehabilitative social services available to all parolees.”

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Publisher’s note: March 3, 2015, marks 100 years of the U.S. Navy Reserve.

By Dana Ayers

In addition to his dental practice and involvement with his local Catholic church, Lt. Tim Durkin of South Lake Tahoe also serves our nation as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve attached to Navy Operational Support Center Reno.

Durkin, a Bay Area native, graduated from Woodside High School in 1971 and enlisted in the Navy one year later. He served as a radioman for four years before separating from service to attend dental school and start a family.

Lt. Tim Durkin

“Looking back, it was a mistake to leave,” said Durkin, now 61. “When the opportunity was presented to apply for the Navy Reserves several years ago, I jumped at the chance. The Navy was good to me in my early years and I wanted to give something back. My skill as a dentist gives me that opportunity. I am hoping to deploy overseas to relieve a young officer with a family.”

The Navy provided numerous opportunities for Durkin, from his first ride in an airplane, to introducing him to his wife who was working for the Navy when they met 38 years ago. Durkin was also able to finance part of his dental education through the GI bill and purchase his first home using a VA loan, all due to his service. Durkin continues to gain opportunities as a reservist.

“The Navy Reserve has enriched my life with fellowship and a purpose beyond myself,” said Durkin. “I use the leadership training I am receiving daily with my employees, and hopefully they will tell you I’m becoming a better employer.”

Durkin also touted the Reserve’s commitment to physical and mental health, adding, “I am in better shape both physically and mentally than I have ever been, and I’m 61 years old.”

Vice Admiral Braun, chief of the Navy Reserve, is proud to lead such a talented and dedicated group of Sailors.

“The commitment of our talented Sailors to the Navy, their shipmates and their community is truly inspirational,” said Braun. “Their continued dedicated service in support of the Navy, Marine Corps and Joint Force lends credence to our motto: ‘Ready Now. Anytime, Anywhere’.”

Dana Ayers is an ensign in the Navy.

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Note: The Navy Reserve contributed 84 percent of the Navy manpower during World War II. Since 9/11, more than 70,000 Navy Reserve sailors have been mobilized and deployed to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, including more than 8,000 who have done a second combat tour. Today, at least 20,000 Navy Reserve sailors, or about one-third of the Navy’s Reserve component, is providing fully integrated global operational support to the fleet and combatant commanders.

By Lynn Norton

In January, studies in the Journal of American College of Cardiology and JAMA Internal Medicine discussed heart disease. Some findings are familiar: poor diet, an inactive lifestyle, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and obesity are all linked to heart disease. But another risk factor is gaining attention: chronic inflammation.

Lynn Norton

Chronic inflammation is not a swollen knee or a full stomach. It relates to our body’s ability to combat disease. Our bodies have an immune response to fight injury or sickness, but chronic inflammation occurs when these messages go on for too long and cause healthy cells to be attacked and destroyed.

Just being overweight or obese can increase the body’s inflammatory response. By shedding some pounds, exercising, and eating a nutrient-rich diet, you can reduce chronic inflammation. This, in turn, reduces your risk of heart and other serious diseases.

Here are five goals to reduce stress on the immune system and maintain a healthy heart.

Find healthy fats. Eat foods rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados.
Goal No. 1: Avoid coconut oil, palm oil, and trans-fats as well as saturated fats that come from meat and dairy.

Eat antioxidant-rich foods. Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, including citrus, berries, cabbage, greens, onions, garlic, carrots, melon, broccoli, cauliflower and tomato products.
Goal No. 2: Eat at least five fruit and vegetable servings daily.

Choose whole, unprocessed grains. Examples of whole grains include whole wheat, bulgur, brown rice, barley, oats, millet, wild rice, and plain popcorn.
Goal No. 3: Half the grain products consumed should be whole grains. Cook with it, bake with it, or, if eating out, order it.

Eat less animal protein and keep it lean. Reduce meat portions and go meatless several days a week. Beans, tofu, and nuts are healthy protein alternatives. Trimmed and lean meats, skinless chicken, fish, egg whites and skim or 1% dairy products are also healthy options.
Goal No. 4: Eat fish twice a week.

Manage life’s stresses. Get a good night’s sleep and exercise regularly. Smoking or drinking two or more servings of alcohol a day is not a healthy way to unwind. Also, the newest “super food” or supplement is not a solution. Spend your money on fresh foods and your time in fresh air.
Goal No. 5: Exercise two to three hours a week and increase intensity as time goes on.

These goals are something we all can strive to achieve. Commit to healthy changes and reap the benefits of a longer, healthier life.

Lynn Norton provides nutrition services to patients at Barton Health. She will give a free wellness lecture on March 4 from 6 -7pm at Lake Tahoe Community College. 

By Associated Press

Costco says it struck a deal for Citi to be the exclusive issuer of its co-branded credit cards, with Visa replacing American Express as the card network.

The deal is subject to Citi buying the company’s co-branded credit card portfolio, Costco said.

Costco and American Express ended their partnership after failing to reach an agreement on renewal terms. American Express said earlier this month that the relationship, which goes back 16 years, is set to expire March 31, 2016. Costco says the deal with Visa and Citigroup Inc. would take effect the next day.

The company said it would provide its customers with information about the transition in coming months.

Costco Wholesale Corp., based in Issaquah, Washington, has 474 locations in the United States and 88 in Canada.

By Tom Philpott, Mother Jones

Not long ago, the great processed-food companies like Kraft and Kellogg’s towered over the US food landscape like the high hat that adorned the head of Chef Boyardee, the iconic canned-spaghetti magnate whose empire is now owned by ConAgra.

But now, Big Food has fallen on hard times. Conagra, which owns Hunts, Reddi Whip, Ro-Tell, Swiss Miss, and Orville Redenbacher, along with Chef Boyardee, recently slashed its 2015 profit projections and sacked its CEO. Kraft — purveyor of Oscar Mayer deli meats, Jell-O, Maxwell House coffee, and Velveeta cheese — also recently shook up top management and reported sluggish sales in 2014. Cereal titan Kellogg’s has seen its sales plunge 5.4 percent over the past year, Advertising Age reports.

There’s a “mounting distrust of so-called Big Food, the large food companies and legacy brands on which millions of consumers have relied on for so long,” said Campbell Soup’s CEO.

What gives? Part of the problem is currency fluctuations. Having conquered the U.S. market, Big Food for years has looked overseas for growth. Recently, a strong U.S. dollar has cut into foreign profits, because a pricier dollar makes overseas sales worth less when they’re converted to the US currency, as the Wall Street Journal recently reported.

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By Anahad O’Connor, New York Times

Do you have chronic sleep problems? You may be able to significantly improve your ability to get a restful night of sleep by practicing a popular form of meditation, a rigorous new study shows.

The findings may be particularly relevant to Americans older than 55, about half of whom have some form of sleep trouble. The research, a clinical trial published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, recruited about 50 older adults with moderate sleep problems and assigned them to follow one of two programs.

In one group, the adults learned behaviors that could help them develop good sleep hygiene, like establishing a regular bedtime routine and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed.

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Washoe Lake State Park is offering three guided hikes in March, including a full moon hike through the sand dunes and along the beach, a Dune Trek/Beach Stroll, and a hike to the overlook on the Deadman’s Creek trail.

Registration is required for the full moon hike only.

Participants will learn about the natural and cultural history of the park and surrounding area.

March 5, 7-8pm, full moon hike: This is an easy, one-mile roundtrip walk beside the sand dunes and along the beach at Washoe Lake. Call 775.687.4319 or -mail washoelake@hdis​s.net to make reservations. Dogs are not allowed.

Meet at the Overflow parking lot at 4855 Eastlake Blvd. From the main (south) entrance to the park, turn left and it’s the first parking lot on the right.

Guided hikes are included with the park’s entrance fee of $7/vehicle. Nevada residents receive a $2 discount.

March 14, 10am-noon, dune trek hike: This is a moderate, 2.5-mile, roundtrip hike through the sand dunes on the south east side of Washoe Lake. Bring good walking shoes, as the trail may be sandy, muddy, or snow-covered. The history of the park and the Washoe Valley will be talked about.

Meet at the equestrian area in the main (south) part of the park. After passing the fee booth, turn right, pass the campground, and park near the group pavilion.

March 22, 1-2:30pm, Deadman’s Creek hike: This is a moderate, one-mile, round-trip hike to the overlook on the Deadman’s Creek trail. There is a short, steep climb to the top, where there will be views of Washoe Lake and the Washoe Valley. Learn some history about the park and the Washoe Valley on this hike.

Meet at the equestrian area.

Six people were hurt in a two-car crash Feb. 28. Photo/LTN

Names of the six people injured in a head-on crash on Highway 50 on Feb. 28 have been released by the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Paul P. Yang, 33, of San Diego was going east in the left lane “in a manner too fast for conditions,” according to the NHP. The Toyota Camry crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a Volvo driven by James R. Killebrew, 33, of Carson City.

The collision on Saturday occurred about 8:48am near Hidden Woods.

Passengers in the Camry were Abraham Kong, 19, Emily Chan, 29, Romando Sai, 29, and Weo F. Ye, 32, all of San Jose. All six were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Eric Hartley, Las Vegas Review-Journal

After they applied with the state to open a medical marijuana dispensary, the owners of Euphoria Wellness faced an odd choice: Did they want to keep their name secret from the public?

For them, the answer was easy.

“I have nothing to hide,” co-owner Joe Lamarca said. “I’m going to have a sign out that says ‘Euphoria Wellness.’ I’m not trying to be secretive about it — I’m running a business.”

But others made a different choice, shielded by a state law that keeps much of the information about Nevada’s emerging marijuana industry hidden from the public.

In all, 199 of the 519 applicants for medical marijuana licenses — 38 percent — chose to keep their names confidential, including more than 40 percent of would-be dispensary operators.

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By USSA

The weather finally lifted in Bansko, after a weekend of delays and cancellations due to heavy fog. In a sun-drenched, technically set super G, Lindsey Vonn grabbed third place on March 2. Podium regulars Anna Fenninger of Austria and Tina Maze of Slovenia went one-two —identical results to Sunday’s alpine combined.

After a tough alpine combined for skiers on Sunday, the Italian coach set a demanding super G on Monday. The race, rescheduled from Friday’s cancellation, tripped up many speed skiers, but the best were able to pull out brilliant runs on the tricky track. The surface, which was not good during Sunday’s race, hardened up overnight — perfect for a super G.

Running 20, Vonn was a bit unstable on top — almost horizontal on the snow at one point in the top section — but worked to close the half-second gap in the middle of the course. She found that extra gear and skied into third place, 0.28 off of Fenninger’s winning run.

“I’m happy with my run today,” said Vonn. “I made some mistakes on the top part, but I skied well on the bottom and made up some time so I’m really happy.”

Fenninger absolutely tore up the course. She even lost the grip on her pole on top and put on a show of high-speed multitasking. It didn’t seem to matter, as she skied down in front of Tina Maze by 0.16, which she didn’t lose for the rest of the race. This win put her in the lead of the World Cup super G standings, taking it from Vonn.

“Anna Fenninger is obviously skiing very well, but Garmisch is a hill I know very well,” warns Vonn, who wants the super G title. “I just have to have another good race, and hopefully at the finals as well.”

Vonn had a tough day in Sunday’s alpine combined, fighting fog and inconsistent snow to a 24th finish in the super G. She did not start the slalom. “After a bad day comes a good day,” laughed Vonn.

Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley), Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain) and Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore) all skied into the points at Bankso. Mancuso grabbed 16 place, Cook was 21 and Ross 22.

Rounding out the American women, Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) was 47 and Abby Ghent (Eagle, Colo.) was 48. Jackie Wiles did not finish.