Naturopathic Doctor Near Imperial Beach, CA

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Opening in theatres today from directors Christopher Miller, Phil Lord and Amazon MGM Studios is a journey in space to save the universe with PROJECT HAIL MARY.

Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is a middle school science teacher who wakes up on a spacecraft. After a bit of panic, he realizes that he is one of three on the ship that is light years away from Earth, but the only survivor. How did he get there? Before being a teacher, he was a molecular biologist and that is why Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) has come to see him.

The sun is dimming and it has to do with the Petrova line, a line that goes from the Sun to Venus. What is causing it is something scientist call Astrophage and that gives Earth only thirty years before catastrophe. Getting himself together on the ship, Grace realizes there is one planet not affected by the Astrophage. Heading that way, he comes in contact with another ship with a passenger dealing with the same problem.

Rocky, a five-legged-alien, becomes a partner with Grace in trying to discover what can stop the Astrophage. Learning to communicate and putting their brilliant minds together, they both have the chance to not only save their planet but get home. The partnership between Grace and Rocky cause them both to make sacrifices in the name of universal friendship.

Gosling as Grace is absolutely stunning and total perfection in this film. As a man who doesn’t mind helping the cause of saving the planet, he doesn’t see himself as brave enough to do what’s necessary. What Gosling does with this character is never letting him be anything other than himself. This film is wrapped up in so many emotions and Gosling delivers at every level. From insecurities, to sadness, to pure joy, Gosling never once lets the audience catch their breath. All of it is like a Christmas present in March! The relationship with Rocky melted me completely and, makes me think it’s time to bring pet rocks back…with legs.

Huller as Eva is the one person one earth who believes in Gosling. From the moment they meet, she sees that he is different than most of those working on the project. It is that difference that she needs to make everything work. Huller gives her character a quiet strength that seems to be the one holding the biggest candle of hope without letting anyone around her knowing it.

Two important shout outs here. The first, Lionel Boyce as Carl, the man assigned to Grace in the beginning. I just love how he is this government guard yet, there are moments where his character is less strict and works with Grace in the oddest and best way. James Ortiz is the voice of Rocky and, after laughing through all the voice choices, Ortiz gives the little alien such a personality that I’m in love with (feel free to send any toys of Rocky my way!). When there are characters like this in films, the voice is everything and Ortiz is everything and more.

Other cast include Travis Jay as Tilt-a-Whirl, Bastian Fuentes as Parker, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilukhina, Ken Leung as Yao, Priya Kansara as Mary, Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Annelle Olaleye as Olivia, Maya Eva Hosein as Rekha, Paul Lambert as Dr. Scyther, Orion Lee as Dr. Li, and Aaron Neil as Narender.

PROJECT HAIL MARY is from writer Andy Weir who has also brought about the film THE MARTIAN, another space films that I absolutely adore. ARTEMIS is still in the works. More than novels, Weir has written serial novels, short and long stories, comics and graphic novels. I’m excited to see what he writes next.

First of all, the film comes in at one hundred and fifty-six minutes and I loved every single, solitary moment. To be fair, THE MARTIAN (2015) is a film I have seen to many times I can’t even count and it is because of the mixture of intelligence and humanity. It has been my favorite since then but, the reign has come to an end. Now, PROJECT HAIL MARY has taken the lead and, for the very same reasons. The best part? They were both written by Andy Weird so, it’s a win-win.

Gosling runs away with the film with his love of science, even if it didn’t go in the direction he thought in the early years. Once called upon to help save the world, Grace might have hesitated but, in the blink, he’s in space doing just that. There is so much to say about Gosling’s performance but I have to admit, I don’t know if I can ever see him cry again because, the audience in the theatre with me were crying along with him. He wrecked an entire room and, he wrecked the unwreckable (insert me here).

The space scenes are so beautiful, colorful and could quite easily make anyone want to go to space. Inside the ship looks so complex in the beginning, but, with the help of Rocky, comes to be ever more complex yet, easy to follow along with each characters thought process. Thanks to Neil deGrasse Tyson, I even understood a lot of the space references. Now, about Rocky, I can’t even believe how dang cute he is and, although oddly shaped, I wouldn’t change one bit of him.

I loved the Easter eggs in the film, as I’m sure Steven Spielberg does as well. The humor totally had me laughing, the story is just so smart that I now need to read the book to see if I missed anything and tissues should be handed out before entering the theatre. This is a film that is such a must-see and my space favorite of 2026 and beyond. The ending, so you know, is amazing!

Go spent time this weekend weightless in space and cheer on the saving of the universe!

In the end – believe in the Hail Mary!

How do you become a superhero?

You don’t have to have superpowers, but your voice alone can make a difference. Bethany Case was recently chosen as one of 11 South Bay Super Heroes by Las Primeras.

Case has made a difference in Imperial Beach because she would not give up on a problem affecting her family and her fellow residents — cross-border pollution. Ten years ago, when Case was a mom with two little kids, she and a group of eight other women took over an organization called No Border Sewage and renamed it Clean Border Water Now. “The people running it did not live here, but were passionate about border issues,” she recalled. At the time Clean Border Water Now started, Case recalls that the sewage smell from pollution crossing into the U.S. was only an occasional occurrence, but even that was not okay. “What made it excessive was the exponential growth of Tijuana and the construction going on all the time, then the highway construction and the busted pipes. Every morning we would open the door, and the smell caused us to close all the windows,” she said.

The family moved to Imperial Beach in 2009, and Case taught music and history at Mar Vista High School. (Her husband Chip is still teaching math at the school.) They later became business owners, opening Red House Kitchen on 13th Street.

Over the years, Case and Clean Border Water Now have done a lot of advocacy to inform the community of the problem — talking to kids at schools, giving information at countless events, organizing a march for clean water in 2017, taking photos at the river mouth, social media posts, letter writing campaign to elected officials.

In time, Clean Border Water Now became part of the Surfrider Foundation. This move helped the women have a stronger, more powerful voice. Through the Surfrider Foundation, Case and her group have been busy. They have planned tours of the border for the foundation’s staff and other advocacy partners, done a lot of lobbying, followed legislation at the state and federal levels, and informed people on how they can support the cause and push legislation that is good for the region. “We still have some forward momentum, have local representatives at all levels of government to advocate for financial support for bi-national work. Legislators know that it needs to be a bi-national solution,” she said.

In 2018, with Surfrider, the group filed a lawsuit against the International Boundary and Water Commission and Veolia Water for failing to address cross-border pollution. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included the City of Imperial Beach, the City of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista, the San Diego Port District, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California State Lands Commission. “Joining Surfrider expanded our reach, our voice was elevated, and gave us access to a network of volunteers,” said Case.

When she found out she was chosen as one of South Bay Superheroes, she was surprised. “I’m very honored. I don’t need accolades, but being acknowledged this way helps create more knowledge about the issue,” she said.

Case is proud to be part of the Tijuana River Coalition, formed by Outdoor Outreach, YMCA San Diego, Surfrider Foundation, and Un Mar de Colores. About 607 organizations and individuals are part of it, and the group holds monthly Zoom meetings to discuss advocacy opportunities.

After 10 years, Case is one of the original eight women who formed Clean Border Water Now. She was there when her organization joined the Surfrider Foundation, and she is still the one who has carried forward the mission of Clean Border Water Now. She is the only original founder left, and she believes her longevity is part of the reason for the recognition. Her group now has four volunteers and one staff member, funded by the national Surfrider Foundation.

Case’s love and commitment to her community extend to her day job. Case is the Senior Community Relations Facilitator for the Sweetwater School District, which comprises 10 schools. She is the person who makes sure students, staff, and families have what they need with the goal of turning schools into a hub for the community. Her previous experience has helped in her current position. “My role as business owner and volunteer advocate has given me so many connections, and I use those to pull in resources for our students,” she said. Right now, she is working on a relationship with San Diego FC. In collaboration with the Surfrider Foundation, she is looking into offering swim lessons to students at the Border View YMCA. Following her passion for clean water and spreading the word, she would like to take kids to the water testing station at the YMCA, or bring the equipment to schools to show them how it works and inform them of the current pollution situation. “This is happening in the community where students live, and cleaning up is in the best interest of the students,” she said. Sometimes, when the students have been sick and the air pollution has been recorded as high, she asks them whether they have air purifiers in their homes and how close they live to the river. She then refers the family to the Air Pollution Control District to get air purifiers for their homes if they don’t have any.

Her mission for clean water and helping residents does not stop at her volunteer work; it’s part of who she is now.

Case will be recognized on April 11 as a South Bay Superhero during a gala and ceremony.

VOL. 42, NO. 11 - Mar. 12, 2026

After ten years of organizing, planning, fundraising, and construction, SunCoast Market Co-op has opened its doors, offering South Bay families, service members, visitors, and workers convenient access to a full-service grocery store that also offers healthy prepared foods. Whether you’re seeking a quick lunch or preparing dinner after work, SunCoast has curated a selection of tasty options to suit your needs.

The market’s mission is to provide the community with delicious and nutritious food. In addition to offering a comprehensive range of healthy groceries, meats, dairy products, beer and wine, and produce, the store’s deli serves daily selections of prepared foods, including hot main and side dishes and oven-roasted chicken. One of the most popular features is Imperial Beach’s only salad bar. In SunCoast’s Grab-n-Go section, you’ll find pre-made sandwiches, healthy side dishes, prepared salads, quiche, snack foods, fresh sushi, and beverages, catering to everyone’s busy schedule.

SunCoast’s Future-forward Silver Strand Kitchen:

Most of these offerings are prepared in the store’s Silver Strand Kitchen, one of the first all-electric commercial kitchens in San Diego County. Thanks to a generous grant from San Diego Community Power (SDCP), with additional support from San Diego Foundation and Calpine Energy Solutions, SunCoast was able to build an all-electric “clean energy” store with no gas appliances.

Grant funds facilitated the installation of cutting-edge equipment, including a six-burner induction range, kitchen appliances, a water heater, and energy-efficient refrigeration. These technologies eliminate greenhouse gas emissions at the store and position SunCoast for a carbon-free future.

Advantages of Induction Cooking for Homes & Businesses:

• Faster Cooking: Induction cooktops generate an electromagnetic field that directly heats the cookware, resulting in a 40% faster boiling time for water compared to traditional cooktops.

• Precise Temperature Control: Induction cooking provides instantaneous and precise adjustments for simmering, melting, and other specific heat requirements.

• Increased Efficiency: Compared to gas or electric coil cooktops, nearly all energy is transferred directly to the pan, significantly reducing waste heat that needs to be expelled from the kitchen, leading to lower utility bills.

• Safety: The cooktop surface itself does not reach as high temperatures as traditional surfaces, thereby reducing the risk of burns.

• No open flame: Induction cooking eliminates the production of hazardous carbon monoxide and fire hazards associated with gas stoves.

• Convenience: Spills are less likely to burn onto the cool, flat surface, simplifying cleanup with a damp cloth.

As an early adopter of these technologies, SunCoast, in collaboration with SDCP, provides periodic tours and demonstrations to businesses contemplating transitioning to all-electric cooking.

Beyond the kitchen, SunCoast has installed energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the store, resulting in reduced energy bills and heat from incandescent lights. Many of the back areas of the store utilize motion detection to automatically turn off the lights when no one is in the room.

SunCoast Market Co-op was built with the future in mind, and we welcome you to walk through our future-forward doors! The store is open to everyone and is located at 600 Palm Avenue, Imperial Beach, at the South end of the Silver Strand.

VOL. 42, NO. 11 - Mar. 12, 2026

Kia driver tries to circumvent a red light but just pulls a bunch of illegal manuevers, instead.

San Diego-area driver and Redditor /u/Sardawg1 shared head-shaking dashcam footage from earlier in February (Feb 11, 2026) to the /r/rIdiotsInCars subreddit, showing a driver in a KIA Stinger trying to be slick to avoid a red light but instead pulls off a bunch of illegal maneuvers.

Check out the dashcam footage below

The incident happened at the intersectino of 13th St. and Palm Ave. ()

As the dashcam shows, OP is travelling northbound on 13th. towards the aforementioned intersection.

As he approaches the intersection, a driver in a Kia Stinger can be seen unleashing a series of moves he thinks are perfectly legal, but are, in fact, not, all to avoid a red light.

First, the Stinger driver immediatly hits an illegal U-turn right after making a right.

That would be legal if he did it at an intersection with a green light (unless signed otherwise), across a double yellow line if safe, in residential districts with no cars within 200 feet, or at openings in divided highways.

That was not the case.

Then, to complete his idiotic series of moves, he does a right-on-red-type turn from the wrong lane.

Right on red is only legal if you’re doing it from the rightmost lane and only after stopping and yielding for traffic with the right of way.

Their right-on-red-type turn really just ran a red light in the most complicated way possible.

“This is just running the red light with more illegal steps,” the top comment from /u/Steeps5 reads.

“It’s no wonder that our insurance rates are so high when this mans cognitive brain function hasn’t fully developed, even in his mid 20’s. Even my elementary-grade daughters recognized the stupidity of this maneuver. I slightly wish I still had my old vehicle with steel bumpers to give him a good little love tap,” OP added.

“Heading there for a week next summer. I’ll keep both cams going. Some wild driving here,” /u/Wizdad-1000 shared.

In California, an illegal U-turn is a traffic violation carrying a fine of about $146 and adds 1 point to your driving record.(dmv.ca.gov)

Running a red light is also a traffic violation, typically fined around $490 (including penalties and fees) and adds 1 point to your record.(dmv.ca.gov)

Accumulating points can affect insurance rates and may lead to license suspension if multiple violations occur within a short period.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

A duo of love and music!

Coming to Bluray and Digital from writer/director Craig Brewer and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of love and music with SONG SUNG BLUE.

Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) is at a state fair to do a Don Ho impersonation when he meets Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson) who hits the state fair stage singing Patsy Cline. It is the 80’s and she suggests that Mike might want to be a Neil Diamond singer. Instantly, he finds himself drawn to her and, at the same time, decides that perhaps it’s time to try her suggestion. Meeting up with her again, they start to find their melody together.

Deciding to call themselves Lightning and Thunder, they become a Neil Diamond tribute band. They also marry and bring together Claire’s daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) and son Dana (Hudson Hensley) with Mike’s daughter Angelina (King Princess). As their shows start to take off, they find themselves opening for Pearl Jam and joined on stage with Eddie Vedder. As fast as they rise, the faster they fall when Claire is hit by a car and all their lives begin to change.

While Mike is keeping his health issues a secret, Claire goes into a depression from the accident, and the kids don’t know exactly how to deal with the adults. When Claire can’t handle the situation any longer, Mike steps in and tries his best to keep the family together doing odd jobs. Once she realizes the effects all of this is having on her family, she urges Mike to bring Lightening and Thunder back to the stage once again.

Their biggest gig is about to happen with a dream of meeting their idol about to come true.

Jackman as Mike is a man who just wants to perform for audiences. When he meets Claire, his life changes in ways he never expected. Once the performances take off, Mike, Claire and the family are thrilled going from one experience to the other. Jackman gives the performance of a man who has his past issues but he sees a forever future with Claire. The performance is charming and fun.

Hudson as Claire is a mom with two kids who finds a connection with Mike and music. Together they are a duo that works but when her life is changed by an accident, she doesn’t know how to deal with her feelings. It is the needs of her family and the music that brings her back for a performance that is filled love and excitement.

Anderson as Rachel is a young woman struggling with the adults around her. There comes a moment when she is stuck between her own problems and handling a family that feel broken. Anderson does a spectacular job. Hensley as Dana is thrilled with Mike and his mother and is their biggest fan. Princess as Angelina wants what’s best for her father and, like Rachel, is her parent’s biggest supporter.

Other cast include Mustafa Shakir as Sex Machine, John Beckwith as Eddie Vedder, Jackie Cox as Babs, Fisher Stevens as Dave Watson, Cecelia Riddett as Grandma Stengl, Sean Krill as Buddy Holmes, Michael Imperioli as Mark Shurilla and John Belushi as Tom D’Amato.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features include Extended Performances, One Plus One Equals Three, Lightning in a Bottle, Eye For Style and Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Craig Brewer.

SONG SUNG BLUE is definitely an emotional film and one that Neil Diamond fans can embrace. The characters are so complex with each having issues that could make or break any family. It is the music that is the glue to the story with a great chemistry between Jackman and Hudson.

It is definitely a ride into the 80’s with clothing styles, hair, cars and even the houses looking a bit Brady Bunch. The added nostalgia is the television show the family watches like Richard Dawson in Family Feud (Google it kids!). Every song is a Neil Diamon hit and fun to watch Jackman and Hudson perform. The film is a mixture of memorable music and the story of those who embraced it.

In the end – inspired by a legend and bound by a dream!