Weekly Web Flash

Health

Top Story: Building healthier communities

What does the width of your sidewalk have to do with the diameter of your waistline? What do shade trees have to do with how active you are? And what does bicycle parking have in common with farmers markets and community gardens? They’re all elements… [Read more]

Healthy Living

Some healthy plans that really pop

The new year is off and running in Los Angeles County—not to mention bicycling, walking and watching what it eats. January, the traditional kickoff month for diets and self-improvement regimes of every kind, promises to bring some healthy developments of the public policy variety to… [Read more]

• Wood-burning fireplaces feel the heat

Hospitals & Clinics

Urgent need, serene space

Most of us are familiar with “urgent care” as the place to go when a medical situation’s not dire enough for the emergency room—but too serious to ignore. Now apply that concept to mental health issues and you’ll have a picture of what the county’s… [Read more]

• New health chief rolls into town

Public Health

Putting the squeeze on Lap-Band ads

County supervisors squared off Tuesday with promoters of the Lap-Band, featured on billboards all over Southern California but drawing increasing attention from officials concerned that the publicity blitz is obscuring a wide range of medical dangers. After a series of sharp exchanges with representatives of… [Read more]