The FBI and San Diego police say they have arrested the man they believe to be the "Chili Pepper Bandit." 

Roy Lee Belcher, 57, of San Diego was taken into custody Thursday as he was walking near 16th Avenue and Broadway downtown.

According to the FBI, Belcher is the lead suspect in a bank robbery at the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union Tuesday.

In the heist, the suspect walked into the bank -- located at 320 B Street -- and demanded money from the teller, pointing a handgun throughout the robbery.

Surveillance video showed the suspect wearing a black shirt with what appears to be a red chili pepper on it, which is how the FBI came up with the nickname.

After officials released his description to the media, an SDPD officer recognized Belcher as the potential suspect.

Belcher has been booked into Central Jail on one count of robbery, and his arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 17.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of a 1.8-mile zone around the Chinese port city of Tianjin on Saturday as fresh explosions were heard and fires continued to rage — and the death toll rose to 104.

The new toll from Wednesday's huge blasts, at a warehouse storing hazardous materials, includes at least 21 firefighters, state media said.

Rescuers also found an additional survivor Saturday as authorities evacuated much of the area to clean up dangerous chemical contamination. Several additional small explosions rocked the disaster zone as the clean-up continued.

Police have, for the first time, confirmed the presence of deadly sodium cyanide — fatal when ingested or inhaled, the state-run Beijing News said.

At least 40 migrants died in the hold of an overcrowded boat while trying to cross the Mediterranean, Italy's navy said Saturday.

A rescue operation was underway to try and save hundreds of others on board the vessel, it said.

The victims are thought to have suffocated after inhaling fumes from fuel after the boat took on water in the hold, the captain of the navy ship leading the rescue said on Italian state television.

The Mediterranean has become the world's most deadly crossing point for migrants.

The Federal Aviation Administration is reporting a ground stop for many flights along the East Coast due to a problem at the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center.

A statement from an FAA representative said they are trying to diagnose an automation problem at their facility in Leesburg, Virginia.

The FAA website is reporting flights to and from Baltimore-Washington International, Newark International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, New York John F. Kennedy International, New York LaGuardia International and Tampa International are experiencing delays because of the problem.

Washington National, Washington Dulles International, Philadelphia International, Miami International, and the Teterboro airports had been affected earlier in the day. 

A map indicates flights originating from or passing through those airports are currently being held on the ground. A status report from the FAA indicates they expect the problems at the control center to end around 2 p.m.

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Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center covers airports in the Washington-Baltimore area, New York and Philadelphia.

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With the question over which town the Chargers will ultimately call home looming, the Chargers' marketing team rolled out an ironic slogan for this season:

“We’re all in.”

We’re all in? Many fans took to social media to question the slogan and poke fun at the choice of words.

“Chargers ‘ slogan should be: “We’re all packed,” tweeted Art Leider.

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Jay Bandoy tweeted in response to NBC 7's Derek Togerson's tweet: "Oof. That gambling saying reminds me of that Snipes movie where he says, 'Always bet on black!'...like Raiders?! #sublanyard."

The team, whose legal counsel has indicated a strong desire to pursue a deal that would put the team in the LA area, rolled out the slogan on the team’s lanyards and on fan T-shirts and even in a promotional video.

NBC 7 posted a photo of the “We’re All In” lanyards on its Instagram page and dozens responded with negative comments.

“We’re all in?? Please…All in with LA,” @susiq1968 commented.

“Would that be the LA Chargers?” @jenthebrat wrote.

“The empty seats would suggest fans are over it,” @chuckintools commented.

We took the comments to a spokesman for the Chargers, who said the team was “going to pass” on giving a response.

What do you think – are you “all in” no matter where the team calls home? Leave a comment below.

On a swelteringly hot day, firefighters knocked down a series of spot fires that broke out along State Route 67 in Poway on Friday afternoon.

The spot fires popped up at about 12:45 p.m. in the area of SR-67 and Iron Mountain Road, fire officials said.

SR-67 between Poway and Ramona was shut down for hours as crews battled the blaze. The roadway was fully reopened to traffic by 5 p.m.

A helicopter made several drops as well as an air tanker that made three drops of fire retardant.

No one was injured.

Prison crews started mopping up the fire just before 2 p.m., as temperatures crested from the 90s to around 100 degrees in the area.

A mother and daughter, both of whom worked as veterinarians in San Diego, have been identified as the two women killed in a head-on crash in Chula Vista.

Friends confirm mother Diane Defenbaugh, 60, and her daughter, Kathryn “Katy” Defenbaugh, 29, died in the tragic collision on southbound State Route 125 in Chula Vista Thursday.

Katy was celebrating her 29th birthday. The duo were planning to go to SeaWorld for the special occasion but, sadly, never made it there.

Loved ones said Diane and Katy, both of La Mesa, were extremely close and shared a bond over their love of animals. Both the mother and daughter worked as veterinarians, Diane at San Diego’s VCA Angel Animal Hospital and Katy at Banfield Pet Hospital in Chula Vista.

Mark Sauer, a family friend of 35 years, said Diane was well-known and very much respected in the local veterinary community.

“Diane was so proud of her daughter being a veterinarian and following her footsteps,” Sauer told NBC 7 on Friday. “It’s just a stunning loss for us and everybody in the San Diego veterinary community. It’s a shock to us.”

On Thursday, around 10:10 a.m., Diane and Katy were driving together on southbound SR-125 near San Miguel Ranch Road in a Chevrolet Suburban.

At the same time, a 27-year-old Spring Valley man was traveling northbound on SR-125 in a GMC Yukon. For unknown reasons, the driver veered to the right and collided with the guardrail, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said.

After hitting the guardrail, the driver in the Yukon lost control and went across the center divider, driving the wrong way into the southbound lanes of SR-125 traffic.

The Yukon crashed head-on into the Defenbaugh’s SUV and then rolled over onto an embankment on the right shoulder of the freeway.

Officials said the women’s SUV came to rest in the middle of the freeway lanes. Both Diane and Katy suffered critical injuries and died at the site of the wreckage.

The victims were pulled from their mangled Suburban by firefighters, pieces of the car and other debris left scattered across the roadway.

"This is all so sad and unbelievable. Diane was one of the most selfless people I knew," said her brother-in-law Mark Malartsik. "The two of them were amazing. They were always about taking care of everyone else. We lost two incredible people and their memories will live on in our hearts. We really appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and all of the concern."

CHP officials said the driver of the Yukon, whose name had not been released as of Friday, sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital. A Chula Vista Fire Department (CVFD) battalion chief said the man is expected to survive.

The crash remains under investigation.

Sauer said friends, colleagues and family members are in utter disbelief over the sudden loss of Diane and Katy.

“It’s so hard to believe — you can’t even get your mind around it,” he told NBC 7.

Sauer said Katy was an only child whose father had died many years ago. This only brought Diane and Katy closer.

“Some folks have made the comment that it’s almost good they went together because it would’ve been so awful for either one to have survived. They were very, very close,” he added.

Sauer described Diane as an “outgoing” vet beloved by her colleagues and patients alike. He said she was vivacious, active and well-read.

“She was just full of life, and just so proud of her daughter and seeing her succeed as a veterinarian,” said Sauer.

He said Katy often played with his daughters when they were children. He described her as active and smart — and driven to finish veterinary school and start her career.

“She worked very hard to get to where she was and, of course, had her mom backing her,” he said.

Sauer said both Diane and Katy would’ve normally been at work on Thursday and not even driving on that freeway. They had each taken the day off to celebrate Katy’s 29th birthday together.

“They were mom and daughter, and best friends. They traveled together and really enjoyed each other’s company,” he added. “They were just inseparable.”

Dr. Shelly Ferris, the medical director at Banfield Pet Hospital, told NBC 7 Friday, "We are sad to confirm that we lost a valued member of the Banfield family this week. Not only is this a loss for Banfield and our clients, but the untimely passing of Dr. Kathryn Defenbaugh, and her mother, who was also a well respected veterinarian, signifies a loss for the entire San Diego veterinary community. Our hearts go out to Dr. Defenbaugh's family, friends and colleagues."

An Alpine woman is down one equine yard decoration, and San Diego County Sheriff's deputies have made it their mission to get it back before it's melted down to scrap metal.

On Aug. 8, a thief trotted off with a brass and copper horse statue, which officials say has become a "fixture" in the neighborhood over the past six months.

The $650, custom-made bronco was sitting in the 700 block of Clayburn Court when it was stolen.

The sturdy stallion weighs about 30 pounds and stands 2.5 feet tall and 3.5 feet long from its nose to its metal wisps of a tail.

If you spot the copper-colored horse, call the Alpine Sheriff's Station at 619-659-2600.

NBC 7 San Diego has partnered with animals shelters all across San Diego County to waive adoption fees for one day on Aug. 15!

The event will stream live from the San Diego Humane Society/ San Diego County Department of Animal Services on Gaines St. from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. NBC 7 Weather Anchor Dagmar Midcap is hosting the live steam that will feature adoptable animals, adopting families, and county-wide Clear the Shelters updates.

For more information about your local shelter visit: nbc7.com/community.

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Grocery chain Haggen announced Friday it will be closing or selling 27 stores in West Coast states, including six locations in San Diego.

Most of the stores slated for closure in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington were those acquired by Haggen when Albertsons and Safeway sold off 146 stores earlier this year, the company says in a news release.

Over the next 60 days, these San Diego locations will be closed: 

• San Marcos at 671 Rancho Santa Fe Road
• El Cajon at 2800 Fletcher Parkway
• La Mesa at 5630 Lake Murray Boulevard
• Chula Vista at 505 Telegraph Canyon Road
• Chula Vista at 870 3rd Avenue
• San Ysidro at 350 W. San Ysidro Boulevard

This spring, the Washington-based grocer opened or converted 25 stores across San Diego County.

But by July, the struggling company announced it would start laying off more than 700 workers and cutting back remaining employees' hours.

Haggen has not determined how many jobs will be affected by this round of closures.

“Haggen’s goal going forward is to ensure a stable, healthy company that will benefit our customers, associates, vendors, creditors, stakeholders as well as the communities we serve,” said Haggen CEO Pacific Southwest Bill Shaner in a news release. “By making the tough choice to close and sell some stores, we will be able to invest in stores that have the potential to thrive under the Haggen banner.”

When Albertsons and Safeway were forced to divest stores during their merger, Haggen grew from 18 stores and 16 pharmacies in the Pacific Northwest to 164 stores and 106 pharmacies across the western U.S.

In addition to the downsizing, Haggen has also been the target of a $41.1 million lawsuit by Alberstons. The chain alleges that Haggen failed to pay for a portion of the inventory that came with the stores, according to the Seattle Times.

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Thousands of animals in our area are in need of homes. That’s why NBC7 is partnering with shelters throughout the county to help find these animals permanent loving homes.

On Aug. 15  from 10AM-5PM, NBC-owned stations are taking part in “Clear the Shelters” Day, an initiative to help find new homes for cats and dogs waiting to be adopted.

Participating animal shelters have agreed to waive all adoption fees* (spay/neuter fees) that Saturday. Other shelter fees may apply.

The ultimate goal of the event is to help as many animals as possible find their perfect match.

Surprisingly, only about 20 percent of people looking for a pet choose a shelter animal.

No shelter wants to see any animals caged.

Finding these pets quality homes is even more critical during the summer after the populations at shelters swell due to abandoned and surrendered pets following spring births.

Please refer the list below to help identify a participating shelter:

Camp Pendleton
Camp Pendleton Animal Shelter
Marine Corps Base, Building 25132, Camp Pendleton, CA 92055
(760) 725-8120

Bonita
County of San Diego Department of Animal Services Southern Region
5821 Sweetwater Road, Bonita, CA 91902-2219
(619) 767-2675

Encinitas

Rancho Coastal Humane Society

389 Requeza St, Encinita, Ca 92024

(760) 753-6413

San Diego
San Diego Humane Society San Diego (Also hosting animals from Shelly's Shelter and Southern California Siamese Rescue)
5500 Gaines Street, San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 299-7012

San Diego
County of San Diego Department of Animal Services San Diego
5480 Gaines Street, San Diego, CA 92110-2887
(619) 767-2675

San Diego
San Diego House Rabbit Society Adoption Center
4807 Mercury Street, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 565-2869
 

Escondido
San Diego Humane Society Escondido
3450 E. Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA 92027
(760) 888-2275

Oceanside
San Diego Humane Society Oceanside Campus 1
2905 San Luis Rey Road, Oceanside, CA 92058
(760) 757-4357

Oceanside
San Diego Humane Society Oceanside Campus 2
572 Airport Road, Oceanside CA 92054
(760) 757-4358

Carlsbad
County of San Diego Department of Animal Services Northern Region
2481 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, CA 92011-1531
(619) 767-2675

El Cajon
Friends of Cats
15587 Olde Highway 80, El Cajon, CA 92021
(619) 561-0361

Coronado
City of Coronado Animal Services & PAWS
1395 First St, Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 522-7371

Chula Vista
Chula Vista Animal Care Facility
130 Beyer Way, Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 691-5123

El Cajon
City of El Cajon Animal Services
1275 N Marshall Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 441-1580

San Diego
Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego
3711 Mt Abbey Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 277-3557

Mother Nature has decided to turn up the heat on San Diego County this weekend, so officials are getting the word out about places to cool down.

The county has selected 115 buildings where you can stop by and get a little free air-conditioning.

Check out the cool zone closest to you with this interactive map, this list or by calling 211.

The Borrego Springs Library will also stay open for extended hours Saturday (from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) to help residents beat the heat in one of the hottest parts of the county.

Officials say even if you can spend a few hours in air-conditioning, your body will stay cooler. If the temperature creeps over 90 degrees, don’t just depend on fans to keep you cool.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning that should last until 9 p.m. Monday for the desert areas of East San Diego County. Temperatures there could reach 120 degrees.

Those over 65, infants, children and people with medical conditions are most likely to suffer heat illness. Officials say if you live near an elderly neighbor, you should check on their well-being during the heat.

Low-income, homebound seniors and people with disabilities can request a free electric fan through CoolZones.org if they cannot make it to a cool zone.

To avoid heat stroke or heat exhaustion, the county put together these tips:

• Stay in an air-conditioned area during the hottest hours of the day
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothing
• Drink plenty of water (avoid alcohol and sugary drinks) and don't wait until you are thirsty
• Take cool showers
• Never leave a child, elderly person, or pet unattended in a car
• Avoid unnecessary hard work or activities outside during the hottest part of the day
• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure and wear a wide-brim hat if you need to be in the sun
• Avoid using the oven to cook

If you or someone you know shows signs of heat stroke, such as dizziness, nausea, confusion and headaches, call 911 and cool them down. You can move them to a shaded area, spray them with cool water, place them in a cool shower and monitor their body temperature. However, the county says you should not give them anything to drink.
 

David Silverman can't understand why people don't want his bikes.

"It's green, clean, healthy," said Silverman, "I think there's better things to protest about."

But some Pacific Beach residents are protesting. In fact they are trying to collect 3,000 signatures demanding that the bike rental company pull up stakes from its boardwalk location.

DecoBike started setting up its self-serve, hourly rental kiosks around San Diego in January.  Since then they have established 85 locations. Most have not raised the ire of the local population, but when the company plopped down on the boardwalk next to Crystal Pier in P.B., the protesters started showing up.

"We were told that there would be no sites for rentals on the boardwalk or near the boardwalk," said Scott Chipman with the Pacific Beach Planning Group.  He said the company assured residents that they would not target tourists and take away bike rentals from local businesses.

Silverman said his bikes, which rent for $7 an hour and can be returned at any DecoBike location, help the community.

"It's a great way for people to spend more time at retailers and restaurants," said Silverman.

But knowing where the bikes will be established is sometimes a surprise. DecoBike makes requests to the San Diego Department of Transportation, and that request is then either accepted or denied.

Silverman says 80 percent of the stations are adjusted before they are ever installed because of feedback.

As for the protest, Silverman said, "depending on what the feedback is, just that we don't want it there, we might end up putting it there. If they have a legitimate cause then we consider that a little more strongly."

A devastated San Carlos man is mourning the loss of his wife, who was killed by a suspected drunken driver, and vows to be at the man’s first court hearing.

“I just want to see who it is. I want to see who the person is that took my wife, the mother of my kids, away from me,” said Victor Leamon.

Thursday evening, Rocio De Anda Leamon, 38, was crossing Navajo Road on Golfcrest Drive with a white walk symbol, according to San Diego Police. She was hit by the driver of Chevy Silvarado, who police say ran a red light.

Joshua Daniel, 38, was arrested for DUI. He’ll be arraigned next week on charges of first-degree murder, DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Victor was married to Rocio for 20 years. The couple has three sons, ages 19, 15 and 13.

Victor told NBC 7 his wife left their home just before 6 p.m. Thursday and set off for her daily hike on Cowles Mountain. When she failed to answer phone and text messages, he suspected the worst.

“I’m just devastated. I’m just at a total loss. She was a rock and the light of our family,” said Victor.

“It’s just so selfish of somebody to be able to put everybody else at risk and get into the car and drive and actually kill somebody and take such a beautiful person away from us,” he said.

The family has set up a Go Fund Me page to help return Rocio Leamon’s ashes to her native Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

You can find more information by clicking here.

San Diego police are searching for an unknown suspect who followed a 20-year-old man down a street in downtown’s East Village and then attacked him with a knife.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the victim was walking in the 1300 block of K Street just before 3:45 a.m. when a stranger walked up behind him and tried to start a conversation.

The victim walked away, but the stranger continued to follow him, police said.

A short time later, the stranger allegedly punched the victim twice in the face and then pulled out a knife and stabbed him on the head.

The suspect ran away. The victim was taken to a local hospital with a non-life threatening wound to his head, police said.

The victim told investigators the assault suspect was between 20 and 25 years old, about 170 pounds and had a beard. He was wearing a blue Padres shirt and blue shorts.

The incident is under investigation and anyone with information on the case should call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday called the slaying of four Marines and a sailor at a Chattanooga reserve center the act of a "perverted jihadist."

Biden's comments came at a memorial to the five servicemen killed in a shooting rampage by Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez.

"These perverse ideologues, warped theocrats, they may be able to inspire a single lone wolf to commit a savage act, but they can never, never threaten who wwe are," Biden said. "When this perverted jihadist struck, everyone responded."

The vice president's strong words contrast with the official comments of investigators who have not yet been able to determine a motive behind the attack. The FBI has said it has not been able to determine whether the 24-year-old Abdulazeez was "radicalized" before the July 16 attacks and has been treating him as a homegrown violent extremist.

Speaking before Biden, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said officials may never know "what combination of disturbed mind, violent extremism and hateful ideology" was behind the shooting, but vowed that the United States would present a strong response.

"The few who threaten or incite harm to Americans — violent extremists or terrorists, wherever they are — will surely, very surely, no matter how long it takes, come to feel the long arm and the hard fist of justice," Carter said.

Those killed were Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith and four Marines: Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, Sgt. Carson Holmquist, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan and Lance Cpt. Squire "Skip" Wells, who just moments before had texted his girlfriend in Savannah, Georgia, the words "ACTIVE SHOOTER."

Abdulazeez began the July 16 rampage by opening fire on a military recruiting center before driving his rented Mustang about 7 miles across town to a reserve center, crashing through the gates and killing the five servicemen. Abdulazeez died in a shootout with police.

Friends and neighbors recalled Abdulazeez as a happy, polite young man. But a picture has also emerged showing a darker side, with Abdulazeez's family saying he struggled with depression from his early teens, abused drugs, couldn't keep a job and was considering bankruptcy.

Abdulazeez spent several months with an uncle in Jordan last year as part of an agreement to get him away from drugs, alcohol and a group of friends his parents considered a bad influence, a person close to the family has said. That person spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid business repercussions.

Biden, whose son Beau died of brain cancer in May, said he could relate to the grief of the victims' families.

"I didn't have the privilege of knowing any one of them personally," Biden said. "But oh, I knew them. Confident, determined, trustworthy, compassionate and always, always loyal.

"I knew them," he said. "They were my son. And so many other sons I know."

Beau Biden was a major in an Army National Guard unit that deployed to Iraq in 2008.

The vice president drew applause for concluding his remarks with a defiant message for anyone who would target the United States.

"We have a message for those perverted cowards around the world: America never yields, never bends, never cowers, never stands down — (but) endures, responds, and always overcomes," he said. "For we are Americans, and never, never underestimate us.

"It's always been a bad, bad bet to do that."

A firefighter wounded by a gang member at the start of a six-hour standoff with police in Staten Island was released Saturday from a hospital, authorities said.

FDNY Lt. Jim Hayes was shot at about 6 a.m. Friday, when firefighters responded to a report of smoke in a building where U.S. Marshals were attempting to execute a parole violation warrant against Garland Tyree, 38, a high-ranking member of the Bloods street gang.

Hayes went into a basement apartment in the building to look for people inside and found Tyree hiding in the shower. That's when Tyree allegedly opened fire, hitting Hayes in the buttocks and ankle. 

A neighbor of Hayes, Fran Kezner of Livingston, New Jersey, said the firefighter was "hardworking man who raised two great kids with his wife," SILive.com reported. Kezner also said Hayes helped out during Hurricane Sandy when her home was flooded. Hayes comes from a family of civil servants with three brothers who are all firefighters, SILive.com noted.

This was the first time a firefighter has been shot on-duty in 21 years, according to SILive.com. 

During his 31 years as a firefighter, Hayes was a part of the rescue and recovery efforts for the 9/11 attacks, a FDNY spokesman told SILive.com.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said that Hayes ran from the apartment and didn't realize that he had been shot until he was outside. Police then moved to set up a perimeter, and Tyree fired two more shots.

Heavily armed tactical teams and uniformed officers alike then swarmed the house, which was relatively quiet for more than 6 hours. They set up a line of communication with Tyree at about 7:40 a.m. and negotiators worked with the man.

Tyree told negotiators that he would only surrender if his mother were there, Lieutenant Jack Cambria, the chief hostage negotiator of the NYPD, said at a news conference Friday. Although she was in Delaware, police managed to race her up to Staten Island on an NYPD helicopter and bring her to the scene in Mariners Harbor.

Tyree's mother was coached by police on what to say and joined his girlfriend and negotiators at the scene. The mother and son spoke and said they loved one another. Tyree then agreed to surrender, police said.

"I'm coming out, Mama," he said.

As he was coming out of the apartment, Tyree fired numerous rounds at police, hitting police cars and a neighbor's house, according to Assistant Chief Harry Wedin. Police fired back, and Tyree was found dead behind the apartment. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, according to police.

A 6 a.m. post on Tyree's Facebook page included the message "Today I die." Police said writings about gang activity were also on the Facebook page.

A smoke bomb was recovered at the scene, as well as a number of magazines and the AK-47 that Tyree used to fire at officers.

Tyree had been arrested 18 times and was out of federal prison on parole after previously violating another parole order, according to federal records. He had a violent history with weapon charges connected to a murder case and subsequently was convicted of two slashing assualts while in custody—one with a razor while aboard a correctional bus and another so vicious the other inmate received 60 stitches, the Associated Press reported. 
 

An equine yard decoration stolen from an Alpine woman's backyard has been found, thanks to the kindness of a man who saw the horse and called San Diego County Sheriff's deputies. 

On Aug. 8, a thief trotted off with a brass and copper horse statue, which officials say has become a "fixture" in the neighborhood over the past six months.

The $650, custom-made bronco was sitting in the 700 block of Clayburn Court when it was stolen.

The statue was returned to its rightful owner Saturday after it was found near the 700 block of South Glen Oaks Road in Alpine. The driver saw the horse statue on the side of the road as he passed by and called deputies after recognizing it from a community safety bulletin. 

The horse statue has some dents but is otherwise undamaged, officials said. It is unclear as to why the statue was found on the side of the road, and there are no security cameras in the area. 

The sturdy stallion weighs about 30 pounds and stands 2.5 feet tall and 3.5 feet long from its nose to its metal wisps of a tail.

The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information about the incident, call the Alpine Sheriff's Station at 619-659-2600.

Fidel Castro begrudgingly admitted that Cuba was so desperate financially in the 1980s that he turned to a banker from the one country he hated the most: the United States.

"It was the year of the Marielitos"—the 1980 Cuban boatlift— "and he was under a lot of strain to be able to service the debt to the European banks who had lent to him, and also to some Canadian banks," Bill Rhodes, a former Citigroup executive and author of "Banker of the World," said. For decades, Rhodes was Citigroup's Latin America liaison for decades. 

Castro requested a meeting with Rhodes for financial advise. The prime minister told Rhodes he regretted kicking the International Monetary Fund out of Cuba in his early days of the communist revolution. 

Child support payments can now be made at some 7-Eleven stores in San Diego County, the Department of Child Support Services announced this week.

In its latest effort to help parents provide for their children and make the child support payment process more convenient, the department is now offering a new service at participating local 7-Eleven stores, found on this map.

Here’s how the “PayNearMe” service works: customers are given a personal “PayCode” to use when they visit a 7-Eleven. They then give their code to a cashier, along with the cash payment. The cashier scans the code, accepts the cash and hands the customer a receipt as proof of payment. The biller will be notified immediately thereafter.

The “PayNearMe” service charges a $1.99 fee per transaction and payments could take up to three days to post, the Department of Child Support Services says.

This is the second cash payment option offered this year to parents in San Diego paying child support. In January, the department introduced the “MoneyGram” cash payment service option available at various retail chain stores, including Walmart and grocery stores.

Since January, the Department of Child Support Services says it has collected more than $2.4 million in 9,000 cash payment transactions with MoneyGram across California.

The department is hoping for the same success with the PayNearMe 7-Eleven option.

“Supporting their children is the responsibility of every parent. Making it easier and more convenient for parents is our responsibility,” said Alisha Griffin, Director of the California Department of Child Support Services. “Now with the two cash pay services in retail stores throughout the state, we are helping even more customers where they live and work.”

Of course, cash payments are still also accepted in person at some local child support offices. Credit card, check and money order payments can be made online, by phone and by mail, too. There are no fees charged to make payments this way.

For more details on all payment options, visit the California Department of Child Support Services website, or call (866) 901-3212.