The holiday weekend has created a need for type O-Negative blood at local hospitals.

O-Negative is always in high demand because it is the universal type blood, and emergency situations do not always allow time for doctors to figure out a person’s blood type.

The San Diego Blood Bank always keeps a good supply of O-Negative and O-Positive blood but a recent increase in emergencies has depleted the supply to critical levels.

People are encouraged to donate, especially if they are O-Negative.

A donation center or community drive can be found at the Blood Bank website.

Although O-Negative is universal, people who are O-neg can only receive O-neg blood.
 

A 2-year-old girl was hurt Thursday after falling out of a second-story building in Palm City, San Diego Fire-Rescue officials said.

The child fell through a screen onto the concrete below at the Pacific Point complex around 4:15 p.m. The unit is in the 2200 block of Palm Avenue, just east of Imperial Beach.

A neighbor who lives near the unit told NBC 7 said there was no blood on the ground where the girl landed.

The toddler, who suffered minor injuries, was taken to Rady Children's Hospital by ambulance.

San Diego Police say the girl is expected to be fine.

The accident reminded neighbor Edgar Alvarez that you can never be too careful, especially with children.

"I mean, if I would've seen the kid too, I would've been like, 'Ah, fine, no problem.' But who would've thought the kid would fall?" he said.

The SDPD child abuse unit is investigating how this happened, which investigators say is protocol in this type of case.

Photos showing a rainbow appearing to originate from the World Trade Center on the eve of Sept. 11 are quickly being shared online as they elicit emotional responses from admirers.

• WATCH LIVE: Memorial Services Mark 9/11 Anniversary 

Ben Sturner, CEO of sports marketing company Leverage Agency, stepped outside onto the terrace of his apartment in Long Island City, Queens, Thursday morning, part of his daily routine to check the weather. He has an unobstructed view of the World Trade Center and the Manhattan skyline from across the East River. 

It was just after 7 a.m., and "I see this rainbow, and it's coming from the World Trade Center and it's the most gorgeous rainbow I've ever seen," he told NBC 4 New York over the phone. "I took out my phone and started snapping photos." 

He posted them to his social media accounts, convinced others were posting images of the same beautiful scene. But he didn't find any others showing the same angle. 

Once people started noticing his photos online, the responses started pouring in, with many remarking on the timing — a day before the nation would pay tribute to victims of the terror attacks from 14 years ago.

One woman tweeted him, "Best birthday present in 14 years. This picture of hope and renewal that I feel coursing through me and out my fingertips. Thank you." 

One woman commented on the photo as shared on NBC 4 New York's Facebook page: "The message: let this rainbow be a sign of peace, strength and forgiveness. They are all angels, resting in peace. 9/11/01."

Another commenter said: "I'm on the bus and nearly cried when I saw this. Full body goosebumps."

And thousands of others have chimed in, describing the photo as "beautiful," "mysterious" and "incredible."

Sturner, who moved to New York City from North Carolina 12 years ago and wasn't in the city on Sept. 11, said he's touched that so many people have found their own special meaning in what he calls "a magical rainbow." 

"You never know when you see something that could be moving," he said.

"It gives me chills," he said of the reaction. 

The Sheriff’s Department seized over $10,000 worth of marijuana related products during a search in Fallbrook.

Officials simultaneously served search warrants at two separate locations at the 400 block of S. Main Avenue and the 600 block of Vine Street around 5 am Thursday.

The items seized include Butane Honey Oil products, 47 marijuana plants, and approximately 5 pounds of processed marijuana.

Sheriff’s Deputies have been conducting an ongoing investigation into an illegal marijuana dispensary in Fallbrook after several complaints from people in the community about drug activity.

No one is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information leading to an arrest is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (888)580-8477. The sheriff’s department is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department and Heartland Fire have both cleared after responding to an apartment water leak Thursday evening in Santee.

Residents were evacuated as a precaution after water began leaking from from the apartment located at the 9000 block of Erin Way around 8:30 pm.

According to the Sheriff's Department only one apartment was affected. The ceiling was leaking but did not cave in.

There is no word yet on what caused the leak.

The Sheriff's Department, Heartland Fire, and a hazmat team have cleared the scene of a hash lab in Lemon Grove.

After detectives obtained a search warrant they found a hash oil lab inside. Hash oil is an extract of marijuana. The person they were looking for in connection with the lab was not home, but a woman who was has been detained for questioning.

The hazmat team and Heartland Fire responded to the house at the 2000 block of Buena Vista Avenue around 4 pm because of the high explosivity of hash labs. 

It is not clear yet how big the lab was or how much hash oil was found. No injuries have been reported.

What should be a coordinated investigation into the death of a veteran police officer in suburban Fox Lake, has devolved into a bitter dispute over who is authorized to release information in a case where leads appear to be few and far between.

At issue, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd’s comments to NBC5 and other media, regarding the wounds suffered by Lt. Joe Gliniewicz, who was shot in a remote field in western Lake County September 1. On Thursday, Rudd told NBC5 that reports in some media that Gliniewicz was shot in the head or neck, were false. And while he continued to decline comment on how many times the officer had been hit, he did say that the fatal wound was a “single devastating shot to the torso.”

Those revelations came on the heels of Rudd’s comments to NBC5 on Wednesday, that he did not have enough information to certify a manner of death in the Gliniewicz investigation.

“I can’t rule out a suicide, I can’t rule out an accident, and I can’t rule in a homicide,” he said. “I can’t issue a manner of death, until law enforcement gives me everything they have.”

Asked if Gliniewicz had been shot at close range or from a distance, the coroner said the autopsy results did not support one answer over the other.

“I can’t tell if he was shot close, or far. I have a suspicion, but I need proof.”

The task force investigating the Lieutenant’s death has balked at releasing even general details about the case. And late Thursday, they issued a blistering statement, blasting Rudd for releasing any information about the ongoing investigation.

“We have not been contacted by or had communication with Doctor Rudd,” Task Force Chief George Filenko said in that statement. “Doctor Rudd, releasing information which is sensitive to this investigation, puts the entire case at risk. All of the progress made since this tragic incident is potentially in jeopardy.”

It didn’t stop there. Raymond Rose, the Lake County undersheriff, called Rudd’s comments about the investigation “outrageous”.

“Doctor Rudd’s actions are completely outside of policy, procedure, protocols, and are completely unprofessional,” he said. “The coroner should not release sensitive case information while an investigation is still underway. It’s completely irresponsible.”

Filenko said at a Thursday evening presser that it wasn't his department's protocol to release information that can jeopardize case.

The information released "could inhibit our investigation down the road," Filenko added.

Gliniewicz was found dead, after radioing dispatch that he was in foot pursuit of three individuals. But he gave only a general description, and nine days after the incident, authorities could point to no major leads in the case.

Ironically, in truth, Rudd deflected most questions about the nature of the officer’s wounds. He declined to answer even the most basic inquiries about how many times the lieutenant had been shot, citing the ongoing investigation. But in the interview with NBC5 on Wednesday, he made clear that if he did not get further information, he might be left no choice but to list Gliniewicz’s manner of death as “undetermined”.

“Based on what is coming from law enforcement, we are pursuing it as a homicide,” he said.“If we are told later that they don’t have evidence of a homicide, then we have to consider the other manners of death, which could be suicide, or accident.”

A bill inspired by an NBC 7 investigation into the security guard industry was passed in the California State Assembly Friday.

AB 1402 would require licensing, background checks and better training of security guards.

“If a guard or bouncer wears a uniform or performs a security role, they should meet minimum professional standards and pass background checks,” said Assemblyman Jim Cooper, author of the bill, in a statement. “AB 1042 would ensure individuals providing security services are properly trained and licensed.”

Recent incidents at concerts in San Francisco and with bouncers in San Diego have showed the need for more regulations.

An NBC 7 Investigates piece revealed the "underground industry" of unlicensed, untrained security guards in the county, where experts say buisnesses are hiring cheap officers and turning a blind eye to state requirements.

Click here to read the investigation that helped inspire AB 1402.

The bill was passed unanimously by the State Senate before it went in front of the Assembly.

Next it will go to the governor’s office. If passed by him it will go into effect in January 2017.

Cal/OSHA is urging employers to protect their outdoor workers during and after the heat advisory, which saw temperatures soar into the triple digits across the county Thursday.

“When temperatures rise to high, potentially dangerous levels, it’s imperative that outdoor workers are protected from heat illness,” said Christine Baker, Director of the Department of Industrial Relations of which Cal/OSHA is a division, said in a statement.

Employees with outdoor workers are required to train their employees and supervisors in heat illness prevention, provide at least a quart of water (4 glasses) each hour, give access to shade and encourage breaks and to comply with Cal/OSHA’s heat illness prevention standards.

“Workers can die when temperatures are elevated,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. “Employers are responsible for ensuring their outdoor workers have enough shade, water, and rest to prevent heat illness. DIR and Cal/OSHA have resources available to help employers comply with the requirements.”

OSHA does regular inspections of industries such as agriculture, construction, and landscaping during the summer months. They also consult and train.

Cal/OSHA’s heat illness training program has won awards, and is the first of its kind in the country.
 

Over the course of this season Tyson Ross rarely gives up homers.

He gave up 5 in all his previous games this year but the Rockies tagged him three times during his 7 innings on the mound.

Danny Descalso added Colorado’s 4th solo shot of the game off Padres reliever Joaquin Benoit in the 8th.

Those four home runs provided all the offense the Rockies would need to earn a split with the Friars.

They are not the Blake Street Bombers but Nolan Arenado (NL-leading 38 HRs) and Carlos Gonzalez (37 Homers) are a two-man wrecking crew for the Rockies.

Colorado centerfielder Charlie Blackmon robbed Brett Wallace of a potential game-tying homer with one out in the bottom of the 9th inning. It was a deflating moment for the home team but a great play by Blackmon.

Matt Kemp continued his sizzling second half with two more hits. Kemp crushed his 21st homer of the season and extended his on base streak to 30 consecutive games. He now has 94 runs batted in during the 2015 campaign.

Ross and Derek Norris added sacrifice flies to plate a couple more runs.

San Diego travels to San Francisco for the weekend. Andrew Cashner opposes former Padre Jake Peavy in Friday’s series opener.

The Giants are 8.5 games behind the first-place Dodgers and San Diego is 14 games behind LA in the division.

Iraq and Syria may have been permanently torn asunder by war and sectarian tensions, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency said Thursday in a frank assessment that is at odds with Obama administration policy.

"I'm having a tough time seeing it come back together," Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart told an industry conference, speaking of Iraq and Syria, both of which have seen large chunks territory seized by the Islamic State.

On Iraq, Stewart said he is "wrestling with the idea that the Kurds will come back to a central government of Iraq," suggesting he believed it was unlikely. On Syria, he added: "I can see a time in the future where Syria is fractured into two or three parts."

That is not the U.S. goal, he said, but it's looking increasingly likely.

CIA Director John Brennan, speaking on the same panel at an industry conference, noted that the countries' borders remain in place, but the governments have lost control of them. A self-declared caliphate by the Islamic State straddles the border between both countries.

One of two socially conservative Michigan lawmakers embroiled in scandal over their extramarital affair and a cover-up attempt resigned early Friday morning rather than be expelled by his colleagues.

Republican Rep. Todd Courser announced his resignation, effective immediately, and was escorted out of the chamber. His decision came amid a marathon overnight session in the House over whether he and Rep. Cindy Gamrat should stay in their jobs.

"I just felt like it was the appropriate moment to do it," Courser told reporters. "I put everybody through a whole bunch — across the state, my own family, the constituents, the people in this room. ... Whether it was the third vote or the fourth vote or the fifth vote, they were going to eventually get me."

On Thursday, a special six-member House disciplinary committee recommended the expulsion of both legislators. But the full GOP-controlled chamber had been deadlocked for hours.

The prison seamstress who pleaded guilty to helping two convicted killers escape a maximum-security prison in northern New York, sparking a three-week manhunt, said she got in over her head and didn't see a way out of the plot. 

"I was going through a point in my life — a lot of people go through depression. A lot of people go through that. And I just got in over my head. And I couldn't get out. And I couldn't tell anybody. I couldn't tell my husband. Couldn't tell my family. I couldn't tell my coworkers. I couldn't tell anybody. There's nobody you can tell," Joyce Mitchell told "Today's" Matt Lauer in an exclusive interview in Clinton County Jail, where she is awaiting sentencing.

Mitchell, who worked in the Clinton Correctional Facility tailor shop with the two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat, has pleaded guilty to first-degree promoting prison contraband, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal facilitation, a misdemeanor, for the help she gave the men, including smuggling hacksaw blades inside the prison in frozen hamburger meat. She could get up to seven years when she is sentenced.

Matt was shot dead June 26, and Sweat was shot and captured two days later near the Canadian border, ending a 23-day manhunt.

Asked whether Matt had "complete control" over her, Mitchell said, "Yes. He was good at that."

Mitchell also revealed how the prisoners got so close to her and addressed the rumors of intimate relationships with them. 

Lauer's interview with Mitchell will air in two parts on "Today," Monday and Friday, Sept. 14 and 18, and as a special two-hour Dateline Friday, Sept. 18 at 9 p.m. ET.

A man and his teenage daughter were jailed after robbing a bank then leading officers on a chase through North Texas with speeds that reached as high as 150 mph, sheriff's deputies said. 

At about noon on Thursday, Johnson County Sheriff dispatchers received a call about an armed robbery at Grandview Bank located at 105 Criner Street in Grandview.

Officials said a man wearing a hat and a bandana walked into the bank and pulled a handgun on a teller.

After fleeing the bank in a car, Grandview police started to follow the man and his 19-year-old daughter, who was also in the vehicle.

Johnson County Sheriff's deputies and Alvarado and Mansfield police officers chased the pair in a high-speed pursuit.

At approximately 12:40 p.m., the vehicle officials were chasing crashed into some trees on Davis Street in Mansfield.

After a brief struggle, the man and his daughter were taken into custody, officers said. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from their vehicle.

Michael Bailey, 41, is charged with aggravated robbery and evading arrest, and Megan Bailey, 19, is charged with aggravated robbery.

They were booked in the Johnson County Jail. It was not immediately clear if they had an attorney. 

No one was injured, and the FBI is assisting in the bank robbery investigation.

A former City Council member who was discriminated against by staff at a downtown hotel in the 1940s returned to the site Thursday to share a message of inclusiveness.

Leon Williams, 93, was the first African American to be elected to San Diego’s City Council when he took office in 1969.

When he first arrived in San Diego more than 70 years ago, Williams experienced racism and intolerance at restaurants and other businesses. He recalled the time he was refused service at the Piccadilly Lounge inside the Pickwick Hotel.

Williams chose the location to celebrate his new book, “Together We Can Do More.”

“They refused to let me in at one time, when I first came here,” he said with a smile. “So it's nice to be here, to be accepted and to feel like a human being that's respected by other people.”

The hotel has been renovated and renamed as downtown's Sofia boutique hotel.

In his book, Williams details his efforts to tear down racial barriers in our city.

He advises others thinking about public service to stick to their points of view and avoid compromising their principles.

And above all, he says, listen to each other more.

“Be less egotistical and more willing to see each other as equals,” he said.

“Being inclusive and listening to other people are keys to getting things done.”

As a member of the City Council, Williams helped launch the Southeast Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to steer development projects into those neighborhoods of the city.

An East County high school recently sent a letter home to parents warning of a stranger who approached a student after school and allegedly used a cigarette in an attempt to lure her into his car.

Grossmont High School principal Daniel Barnes sent the letter to Foothiller families on Wednesday. The note said an unknown man had approached a female student after school Tuesday, around 3:30 p.m., as she waited for her ride near the baseball field on Milden Avenue.

The letter said the stranger “attempted to beckon the student with a cigarette to his car.” He also told her to “get in” his truck, the principal said.

The student refused and the man was last seen driving away on Water Street. No one was injured.
The school’s letter describes the suspect as a Hispanic man between 30 and 40 years old with brown hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. He had a round face and a large mole on his right cheek.

His vehicle is described as an older model, maroon, single-cab truck — possibly a Ford F-150. The truck’s paint may have been chipped.

The high school warned parents to make sure students don’t walk to and from school alone, but rather travel with a group of friends.

"I have a lot of concerns," parent Max Ford told NBC 7 Thursday evening. "Maybe they should post more security in the back of the school instead of the front." 

He said he tries to give his son rides as much as possible, but when he can't, the father tells his teen to stay with friends and avoid walking alone.

There have been at least two other attempts to lure students away from Grossmont High School. Both were reported within a week of each other in May 2012.

Still, other parents remain confident the school is secure.

"[Officials are] out here every morning when I drop my son off at school. They are vigilant. They're always alert," said parent Chancy Clark.

The school’s resource officer is handling the current investigation, and parents can call the vice principal’s office directly with any questions or concerns.

Anyone with information on the suspect should contact the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400 or the El Cajon Police Department at (619) 579-3311.

Grossmont High School, which educates about 2,800 students, is located at 1100 Murray Dr. The school will celebrate its 95th anniversary during Homecoming on Oct. 16.

Google Fiber has agreed to consider San Diego for its super high-speed broadband internet service, the company announced Thursday.

By bringing fiber-optic cable directly to homes, the service can offer speeds up to one gigabit per second or 1000 Mbps, much faster than the average internet service speed of 11.9 Mbps.

With speed like that, a customer can buy and download a movie to a device in two minutes, the company says.

“We don’t just want modern infrastructure, we also want it smarter, faster and more accessible to families and businesses,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer, speaking to the media from a neighborhood in Barrio Logan. “This will help small businesses, start-ups, and neighborhoods, “ he said, and help close the digital divide.

Olympia Beltran is a resident of Barrio Logan whose children attend local schools. “This is an excellent development for our neighborhood,” she says.

Beltran says her children have access to the internet now, but she says, “They will have it at faster speeds, which will allow them to finish work a lot faster, it allows them to take on other projects, be involved in after school program, and work extra hours.”

The city says Google Fiber will apply for a permit to build the network, and pay for all costs.

In Austin, the cost for Google Fiber ranges from $130 a month for Gigabit and television to $70 for Gigabit Internet.

There is no monthly fee for basic internet from the date the address was first connected to the Google Fiber network but there is a $300 construction fee.

It is not known how much San Diego customers would pay to use the high speed internet access, but the mayor said, when additional providers come in to a city, pricing gets more competitive.

But how quickly could the high speed network get here? Faulconer says Google Fiber is doing its due diligence, and it will be months before the city will make a decision about whether the project is feasible here.

The company will look at the city's local topography, housing density, and the condition of existing infrastructure to determine if it's a fit.

Google Fiber service is now available in Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, Provo, Utah, and Austin, Texas.

Along with San Diego, Google Fiber is looking at building high speed networks in Irvine, California and Louisville, Kentucky. 

A 20-year-old San Diego man who caused a fiery crash that killed his two passengers pleaded guilty Thursday to DUI charges and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Antony Schoenle will face up to 12 years in prison at his sentencing on Oct. 16. Schoenle had originally pleaded not guilty, but changed that plea on Thursday.

Schoenle was behind the wheel of a 2000 Dodge Stratus in the early hours of Aug. 22 when he crashed his car in the 4800 block of Friars Road in Bay Park. Police said Schoenle, suspected of driving while intoxicated, slammed into a curb, drove onto an embankment and struck a large boulder.

The car then caught on fire, the flames spreading to nearby brush off the side of the road. Firefighters were the first to arrive on scene, thinking they were responding to a brush fire when they discovered the mangled, scorched wreckage.

Schoenle was driving with two passengers, Lizzy Garcia and Lupe Acosta, both in their early 20s, and Acosta’s puppy.

Schoenle was able to escape from the flaming wreckage, but his passengers and the dog could not get out. The young women and dog died in the fiery crash, police said.

Schoenle suffered severe burns and was hospitalized until his arraignment and arrest on Aug. 26. Sitting in a hospital bed at UCSD Medical Center, he was charged with two counts of felony manslaughter, felony DUI and providing false information.

At his arraignment last month, Deputy District Attorney Steven Schott said Schoenle decided to drive on Aug. 22 after 12 hours of partying the night before that included the use of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine.

Prosecutors argued that after the crash, Schoenle saved himself with no regard for the lives of his passengers.

“This defendant unbuckled himself and climbed over Miss Garcia, the front passenger, to get out – a woman he referred to in an interview as ‘dead weight,’” Schott said. “Both of these women were burned beyond recognition, actually burned down to the bone in some places.”

No other cars were involved in the deadly DUI collision.

Loved ones said the women killed in the crash were best friends who had attended Oceanside High School and played in the marching band together.

A San Diego girl who runs a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children made a generous donation Thursday, giving 400 teddy bears to local fire stations.

Jessica Carscadden,12, is the founder of We Care Bears, a project that donates stuffed animals to law enforcement agencies that officials can then give to kids as a source of comfort amid emergency situations.

The young philanthropist’s latest donation was given to Cal Fire/San Diego County Fire. The toys were received at the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District in Jamul, much to the appreciation of San Diego County firefighters, including Dylan Dabasinkas.

Dabasinkas told NBC 7 he and his fiancé were recently approached by Jessica and her mother, Kathleen, who told him about the We Care Bears project.

Jessica handed him a business card and said she wanted to give teddy bears to firefighters so they could distribute them to children while responding to emergency calls.

“She’s 12 and she’s out there giving people her business card, offering to help,” said Dabasinkas, praising the young girl’s efforts.

The firefighter said he ran the idea up the chain and Cal Fire was happy to receive the toys. The stuffed bears will now be carried on fire engines and ambulances throughout San Diego to be given out by firefighters and paramedics to local kids.

“When the bears are on the apparatus, they will be given out to children in need in any emergency situation,” Dabasinskas explained. “A teddy bear can mean the world to that kid. A lot of times, kids are pulled away from their parents and they’re in an unfamiliar situation with loud noises. What a bear does is it gives them something to hold on to, something of familiarity and of comfort to them.”

“I want every child who is scared, injured or alone to have a bear to hug,” Jessica said.

To date, Jessica has donated thousands of stuffed bears to first responders nationwide through her organization.

She has also taken on other pay it forward-type projects, including donating seven new mattresses to firefighters at a North County fire station in August 2014 after she found out the ones they had been sleeping on were worn down.

The girl also stopped by the Rancho Bernardo Fire Station 33 during the San Diego May Firestorm in 2014 to deliver dinner to firefighters as a “thank you” for keeping San Diegans safe.

Jessica, who was born with a cleft pallet and lip, spent the first five years of her life at an orphanage in
China. She was adopted by Bob and Kathleen Carscadden, who quickly realized she wasn’t a little girl who worried about herself as much as she worried about others.

"She was fully Jessica when we got her at 5, and I wish we could take some credit for her amazing personality and giving spirit, but that is just Jessica," her mother, Kathleen, told NBC 7 last August.

Jessica maintains a blog on her We Care Bears website where she writes about her latest projects. Her nonprofit organization accepts donations, so if you’d like to help, click here.
 

At 8000 square feet, eight bedrooms, a beautiful kitchen, smart TV, and every other conceivable amenity the Fisher House may sound like the home of a Hollywood star. In reality, though, it is a godsend to military families with loved ones in the hospital.

The Fisher House is on Camp Pendleton just steps away from the Naval Hospital – and it’s free to all who stay there.

“The Fisher House is a home away from home,” Molly Banta, a commanding general’s wife, told NBC7. “It's so near and dear to my heart. This place is just incredible.”

Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher established the Fisher House program in the early 1990s. The Camp Pendleton house is the 65th in the nation and the third in San Diego.

“When we walked in it was a home,” said Sandra Swain who is staying at the Fisher House. “Truly [it’s] a luxurious…home away from home.” Swain’s military husband has a medical emergency that required treatment far from home.

“We were overwhelmed. My first concern was to get him in an environment that he was safe, and then I was going to dwell on the housing situation, said Swain. “I didn't have to do that.”

The Camp Pendleton Fisher House opened last May fully funded by a $2.65 million grant from United Healthcare Military and Veterans according to the Navy.