County offers consumer protection tips
San Diego County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis invite concerned citizens to the third annual Consumer Protection Day Saturday, March 24, at the Town and Country Resort Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle North. The free event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The event will provide information on how to protect oneself from identity theft and other fraud, John Weil, chief of staff for Slater-Price, said. Consumers will learn about the latest scams, including lottery scams, charitable trust schemes and identity theft. Attendees will also receive information on how to protect their investments and retirement funds.
“You may think that most people would not give that information out, but once someone who is trained in this kind of fraud makes an individual comfortable, you’d be surprised what kind of information gets out there,” Weil said.
A media panel on fraud will speak in the morning and a panel of consumer protection experts will answer questions in the afternoon. Panelists include representatives from the Better Business Bureau, Department of Consumer Affairs, AARP, Elder Law Advocacy and other agencies.
A light breakfast and boxed lunch will be served to all in attendance.
Approximately 600 people attended last year’s event and more are expected this year, Weil said. Reservations can be made at www.sharp.com/seniors or by calling (800) 827-4277 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Free movies bring starry nights to NTC
The San Diego Cinema Society and The Corky McMillin Cos. Will explore the former Naval Training Center’s connections to Hollywood with a month of free outdoor movies nights at Liberty Station.
Bring a blanket, beach chair, picnic dinner and the family to view movies that were filmed onsite or had some significant part at the Naval Training Center from 1935 until 1986.
“Part of what we are trying to do with Liberty Station is remember and tell the story of the history of the Naval Training Center.” Greg Block, community relations manager for Corky McMillin, said.
“NTC Nights at Liberty Station” will feature four movies every Sunday through April 22, excluding April 8. The next showing on March 25 screens 1944’s “Follow the Boys,” which was known as an “all-star” film because it featured almost all of Universal’s contracted actors, according to the event’s Web site.
Future films include “Sailor Beware” on April 1, “Battle Cry” on April 15 and “Top Gun” on April 22.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m., and movies start when the sun goes down.
The event will take place along Roosevelt Road between Truxton and Historic Decatur roads. Visit www.ntcnights.com for a complete schedule and synopsis of the movies.

Herb festival to spice up Quail Botanical Gardens
Cooks and gardeners know that nothing quite compares to the scent and taste of fresh herbs plucked from the garden, whether basil paired with pasta or rosemary with potatoes.
This weekend, Quail Botanical Gardens will host its first annual Herb Festival in Encinitas, featuring peninsula businesses and a plethora of information.
Among the new attractions is “The A to Z of herbs,” featuring six information tables on everything from how to grow herbs to culinary and medicinal uses.
“I want [people] to become comfortable with herbs,” Judy Dunning, Herb Festival committee member and vendor coordinator, said. “Sometimes you see things in the store and you don’t know how they got there, and it doesn’t occur to you that you can grow it in your backyard.”
Jody Shagg, owner of In Harmony Herbs and Spices in Ocean Beach, will share a booth with Point Loma’s Coastal Sage Gardening owner John Noble. The pair will bring a variety of books related to herbs and health as well as some herbal products to the event. Visitors to the festival can also sign up for In Harmony Herbs and Spices’ upcoming health classes to be held at Coastal Sage Gardening in April.
“What I am interested in is empowering people to take care of their own health,” Shagg said.
The sixth annual herb festival will be held alongside the gardens’ spring plant sale. Additionally, James Green will speak at the event to promote his book, “The Male Herbal.”
Admission is $10, and food will be available.
The Quail Botanical Herb Festival will take place at Quail Botanical Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. For more information, call the gardens at (760) 436-3036.