Bumble Bee seeks to toss labor violations lawsuit

June gloom is upon us, and I don’t just mean the weather. It’s a gloomy news cycle, with forced labor and violent federal raids dominating the headlines.

But there are bright spots here and there. A four-year-old girl identified only as “Sofía,” who was offered humanitarian parole by the Biden administration so that she could receive lifesaving treatments only available in the United States, had received a deportation notice; that order was rescinded this week and Sofía can now stay for another year. The La Jolla Music Society is offering residencies to artists now, taking San Diego a step closer to becoming a major musical center.

And finally, I’d like to talk about a story that is very near and dear to my heart: Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. The cult classic, which really was intended to be a one-off satirical romp mocking monster-of-the-week films, seems to have brought in every San Diegan around to work as an extra on the set, making it a sort of time capsule of the late 1970s in San Diego.

But its sequel, Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, is even more special, because my dad has a bit part toward the end, making it — to my admittedly biased eye — the best film in the franchise. (We’ll see how the latest movie, which is scheduled to hit theaters around Halloween, turns out.)

If you’ve never seen the films, you’re in for an important piece of local culture and history — and a really dumb, campy treat that ensures you’ll never look at spaghetti sauce in the same way again. Enjoy!

Thoughts? Opinions? Let us know what you think by emailing news@timesofsandiego.com.