SDG&E electric bills going up next month

San Diego Gas & Electric customers will see their monthly electric bill increase by about 7 percent Sept. 1, a utility executive said Tuesday.

THE REGION SAN MARCOS – A Los Angeles actor who had a role in the movie “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” was arrested Monday on suspicion of stabbing his former girlfriend more than 20 times Sunday night. Shelley Malil, 43, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of attempted murder, with enhancements of premeditation, use of a knife and causing great bodily injury. Kendra Beebe, 35, of San Marcos was hospitalized and expected to survive. TIJUANA – About 250 federal agents occupied a four-block area of the Avenida Revolucion tourist district for several hours Tuesday, searching for falsely labeled medications and controlled substances being sold without prescriptions. They also were on the lookout for pharmacies violating laws that prohibit the sale of medical samples and the sale of medications by the pill, rather than in packages. Americans frequent border pharmacies, searching for lower-priced medications. CHULA VISTA – The city will pay for Councilman Steve Castañeda's legal bills, which he incurred in successfully defending himself against felony perjury charges in April related to accusations that he used his position to seek free rent or a reduced price on a condominium. The City Council approved payment of attorney fees in a closed-session vote Tuesday night. The San Diego County Democratic Party endorsed Castañeda for re-election Tuesday. CAMP PENDLETON – Vice President Dick Cheney stopped by Camp Pendleton on Wednesday afternoon before heading to Orange County for a fundraiser. Marine Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert and Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland greeted Cheney, who flew on Air Force Two from a campaign stop in Colorado. Cheney took a 90-minute tour of Camp Pendleton's operations before heading to an appearance in San Clemente. OCEANSIDE – The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to support a new ordinance requiring store owners to take a greater role in keeping their shopping carts on the premises. In North County, Escondido approved a shopping cart ordinance in 2006 that officials said is working well. San Marcos officials have said they plan to consider an ordinance this fall. IMPERIAL BEACH – Cyclists along San Diego Bay may soon have a safer route into Imperial Beach, it was reported last week. The city is looking into adding a striped bike lane on Palm Avenue between Seventh and Third streets for what officials are calling an eco-bikeway, which would allow cyclists to see various species, especially birds, along the way. Cyclists would be able to exit the path that runs along San Diego Bay and ride the new bikeway, a few miles long, into the northern end of Imperial Beach.

Most of the change reflects an increase in SDG&E's base rate that was part of a general rate case that the California Public Utilities Commission approved July 31. The rest reflects increased electricity-transmission costs in an unrelated rate case approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said Lee Schavrien, SDG&E's senior vice president for regulatory affairs.

The combined effects of both rulings will increase the average homeowner's electric bill by less than $5 a month, SDG&E officials said. Typical natural gas customers will see their monthly bills rise by 33 cents.

Fair board asked to end drug abuse at concerts

A group of parents Tuesday joined a drug-prevention specialist who urged board members of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, operators of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, to clamp down on drug and alcohol abuse at concerts.

Lisa Silverman, a drug-prevention specialist for the North Inland County Prevention Program, said she observed rampant pot smoking and alcohol abuse at a recent Ziggy Marley concert.

“I was offered a couple of doobies myself,” Silverman said.

Tim Fennell, chief operating officer of the fairgrounds, said there is already a policy that prohibits the sale of items that promote drug use. The board agreed to consider the group's request, including a possible ban on smoking at the fairgrounds, at a future meeting.

6 San Diego scientists get $15 million in grants

Grants totaling almost $15 million will go to six San Diego scientists to support projects ranging from the development of a therapy to halt acute leukemias to research into therapies to prevent premature birth and birth defects.

The grants were awarded Wednesday by the state stem cell institute. They are part of a $59 million round of funding distributed to 23 scientists by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Five grants were awarded to researchers at the University of California San Diego, and one to a scientist from San Diego State University.

Candidates' lives will be in comic books

Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain will soon become comic book figures, complete with power suits.

IDW Publishing, a San Diego-based publisher of comic books and graphic novels, is working on comic books that will tell the life stories of the two presidential contenders, it was reported last week. The books, “Presidential Material,” will cost $3.99 and go on sale Oct. 8 in comic book stores and via download on cell phones.

On the covers, the senators look a bit superhero-ish. But the comic book creators say the candidates don't need super powers to make their tales compelling. Both men have led extraordinary lives, from McCain's harrowing years as a prisoner of war to Obama's meteoric rise. Writers say they are going for accuracy, using biographies and other published reports for material.

Insect blamed in deaths of oaks in backcountry

A report released Thursday by the U.S. Forest Service concluded a mysterious bug is killing oak trees by the thousands in the backcountry.

The insect – Agrilus coxalis – is a metallic-green, bullet-shaped wood borer that scientists previously had not linked to tree deaths in Southern California. The beetle is so rare that it doesn't have an accepted common name, and forest officials don't know how to stop its spread.

The report concluded that Agrilus coxalis is at least partly to blame for at least 10,000 dead oaks in the southern part of Cleveland National Forest and some private properties. Forest officials had considered drought to be the major cause of tree deaths in and around Pine Valley, Descanso, Laguna Mountain and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

Cleveland forest officials are creating anti-beetle plans for 2009, educating partner agencies about the infestation and preparing a public meeting for October, a Forest Service spokesman said.

Robot makes rounds at Pomerado Hospital

The Palomar Pomerado Health district, which operates Pomerado Hospital and Palomar Medical Center in North County, unveiled a new interactive robot Thursday that patients can use to interact with their doctors.

Dr. Ben Kanter visited a patient's bedside in Pomerado's intensive-care unit, demonstrating the new technology. It was a typical doctor's visit, except Kanter was sitting behind a laptop one floor above.

Standing at the door of the patient's room was a 5-foot-5-inch robot, wearing Kanter's white coat and stethoscope, with navigational tools that allow the doctor to hear and speak as if he's there. Kanter's face was on a screen that doubles as the robot's head. The robot isn't a replacement for doctors, Kanter said, but can enhance patient care.

The Palomar Pomerado district says it's the first in the county to use such an interactive robot to assist doctors.