Tuesday’s rainy weather left thousands of San Diego residents without power throughout the county, San Diego Gas & Electric confirmed.

In the East County, SDG&E said 1,747 customers in parts of Fletcher Hills, El Cajon and Santee were impacted by a power outage that began around 10:40 a.m. As of 12:55 p.m., the utility company had no estimated time of restoration to power service in those areas. The cause of the outage was weather-related, SDG&E said, with rain causing a problem in the electric system.

Meanwhile, the wet weather left about 55 customers in the dark in parts of the Mission Bay and Pacific Beach areas when a power outage struck just before 11 a.m.

In portions of Carlsbad and La Costa, the weather also caused problems in the electric system, leaving 18 customers without power around 10:45 a.m. in another unplanned outage.

Just before 12:45 p.m., the rain caused another power outage in parts of City Heights, Chollas Creek, Oak Park, Logan Heights, Mountain View, Lincoln Park, Encanto, Emerald Hills and Valencia Park that affected approximately 600 customers. SDG&E was not sure when the power would be restored in those areas.

At around 2:30 p.m., another unplanned, rain-related outage left some residents without power in Mission Valley, Kearny Mesa and Tierrasanta.

A talented home chef from San Diego County is among the finalists vying for the title of “MasterChef” on the reality TV cooking competition starring Gordon Ramsay.

The television show – which pits amateur home chefs against one another in a series of challenges in front of culinary experts-turned-judges – airs its season 6 finale Wednesday night on Fox.

La Mesa resident Claudia Sandoval is one of the top three finalists in the competition.

She currently chronicles her cooking journey – including recipes – on her website, Chef Claudia’s Cocina. According to her biography online, Sandoval has a 9-year-old daughter and previously worked as an events manager at a San Diego-based marketing agency.

When she’s not whipping up tasty dishes in the kitchen, she writes a blog called “The Adventures of a Single Latina Mama.”

In an interview posted on the "MasterChef" website, Sandoval says her biggest culinary inspiration is her mother. Sandoval says she admires her mother’s zest for experimenting with flavors as well as reinventing traditional flavors. She also says she’s inspired by professional chef Enrique Olvera.

Sandoval’s favorite comfort food, according to the website, is her mom’s menudo -- a traditional, spicy, Mexican soup typically made with tripe.

“This meal reminds me of my childhood, and more importantly, reminds me of stormy weekend mornings when the windows were foggy because of the warmth inside our house,” Sandoval says in the online interview.

The contestant says that if she had to pick her last meal on earth, she would go with another classic Mexican dish prepared by her mother: tostadas. Sandoval touts the “texture, spice and the perfect balance of salt and acidity” in that dish.

Other ingredients she can’t live without include rice, beans and corn, which she knows how to cook "in about 20 different ways."

According to the MasterChef website, Sandoval says the best culinary advice she’s ever received came from the TV show’s very own judge and chef, Graham Elliot.

“He told me to stick to what I know and trust my instinct. He reminded me that my style is nothing like anyone else’s and trying to be like someone else means, you aren’t being true to your food. I want to cook Claudia food… not Graham Elliot food,” Sandoval said.

The San Diegan has been posting updates about the show on both her Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The “MasterChef” winner will walk away with several prizes, including $250,000, a deal to pen their own cookbook and the “MasterChef” trophy.
 

A 33-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his three young sons inside an SUV in South Los Angeles on Thursday has been charged with three counts of murder.

The murder charges filed against Luiz Fuentes on Tuesday include the special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, making him eligible for a possible death sentence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek death.

The boys were identified as Luis Alfanso Fuentes, 10, Juan Daniel Fuentes, 9, and Alexander Fuentes, 8.

Police responded around 7 a.m. to an SUV parked in the 300 block of East 32nd Street on a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in South Los Angeles. The three boys were found dead in the back seat, while the father was found bloodied and suffering from stab wounds, police said.

"It's a pain that I can't describe," aunt Xiomara Mena said. "They were happy. They were kids, normal kids, happy kids."

The father, who is accused of killing them, was hospitalized in critical condition, police said. It was unclear if he had an attorney, according to a spokeswoman for the DA's office. He is schdeuled to appear in court Wednesday.

A knife was recovered at the scene.

"The biological mother of the children we believe to be deceased. We believe there is a stepmother and she is safe," LA Police Chief Charlie Beck said. "These are incidents that scar not only a community but the first responders who have to handle them. It is a sad day in Los Angeles."

The Rev. Rudy Cruz said the family visited an Aug. 29 block party where community members distributed backpacks and other items.
 
"They were a very sweet family," Cruz said. "It's really difficult. All we can do is offer hope and love and prayers. I believe he lost his way, he lost hope."

Residents in South Los Angeles held a memorial Wednesday night for the slain brothers at 32nd Street near the scene where they were found dead. Family members said they were shocked to learn from police that the father allegedly killed his sons.

"He loved his kids and it's hard for me to see him do something like this. It's unbelievable. I don't know what drove him to do something like this," said Rene Chanquin, the father's cousin.

Movie buffs, this one is for you: the San Diego Film Festival is coming to town for five days of screenings, panels and everything that pertains to the art of filmmaking.

The 2015 San Diego Film Festival takes place Sept. 30 through Oct. 4 at two “festival villages” – The Reading Cinemas in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego (701 5th Ave.) and the ArcLight Cinemas in La Jolla (4425 La Jolla Village Dr.).

After combing through nearly 2,000 submissions from 65 countries across the globe, organizers have chosen just over 100 films to highlight at this year’s festival, including independent films, American and international features, short films, documentaries and studio flicks vying for Academy Awards.

Besides screenings, the massive filmmaking fest will also boast panel discussions with filmmakers. On Oct. 1, “Variety’s Night with the Stars” will bring Hollywood glamour to San Diego with a star-studded awards ceremony, red carpets and parties in La Jolla.

Passes and tickets to the film fest can be purchased online. Options include a $75 day pass that gets you in to all films and panels on Oct. 2, Oct. 3 or Oct. 4, or the 10-ticket bundle, which includes entry into any 10 screenings or panels throughout the entire festival. Single tickets to just one screening, panel or event of your choice are also available for purchase for around $15 per ticket.

The full, five-day schedule for the 14th annual San Diego Film Festival can be seen here.

The mother of a Carlsbad high school teacher killed in his home took the stand in the trial of her daughter-in-law.

Jason Harper, a math teacher at Carlsbad High School, was found dead inside his home in August 2012. Investigators found Harper's body buried in clutter in the master bedroom.

When she was tried on first-degree murder charges, Julie Harper told jurors she shot her husband because she feared he would kill or rape her.

Prosecutors argued Harper was spiteful over the marriage and had just filed for divorce in the days before the killing. They questioned why, if she were innocent, she would bury the gun and not immediately report the shooting to police.

A jury acquitted her of those charges last October but deadlocked on lesser charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Now, Julie Harper is on trial on second-degree murder charges.

In court Tuesday, Jason' mother Lina said on the morning on Aug. 7, 2012, she knew something was not right. 

Lina said she remembered calling her son when she hadn’t heard from him and leaving a voice mail, saying, “Are you safe?” She just had a bad feeling, she recalled in court.

Then, she got the call from police, telling her that her son was dead.

“I screamed and said, It’s so final! She, she, she couldn’t have. She couldn’t have. It’s too final. because of retaliations in the past, and having arguments to be volatile at a time and suddenly being nice. This was something you couldn't undo” Lina said.

Defense lawyers said Julie’s behavior was the result of major health problems. She screamed about separating the family for good for those reasons, the defense said. 

"Julie was out at the curb and she started screaming at me that if I came to their house she would call the police," Lina recalled. "So Jason told the children that they could stay-the two older children, and they would take Josh home. She continued to yell that if they stayed, she would call the police that we were kidnapping the children. And she also screamed at me that she was going to separate our family for good."

She said Julie had forged two checks from her husband for $4,500 each and described the tense mood following that discovery.

Lina said she remembered when Julie would not come to their home while she was there. 

After a fight in 2011, Jason called her and told her it was over. 

"It was that time I asked him if Julie had a gun," Lina said, talking in court about Julie's change in behavior.  

Following that encounter, Lina said she stopped thinking of Julie as a daughter-in-law. 

The Harpers' children were in the home watching cartoons in a separate room when their father was killed.

At 8 and 6 years old, the children told investigators they heard a thump and heard their father yell, officials said.

Harper took the children for coffee and sandwiches, tried to set up a play date with a neighbor, stopped at a children's activity center and then arranged for her sister to watch the kids during the afternoon, prosecutors said. 

A newly released report on mid-year crime stats across San Diego County reveals a decrease in property crime, but an uptick in homicides and domestic violence incidents.

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) unveiled a report Monday that analyzes the overall crime, violent crime and property crime rates across the San Diego region compiled using the most updated statistics from local law enforcement agencies.

SANDAG says crime rates across all three categories have remained relatively stable, with a slight increase in homicides.

According to the report, between January 2015 and June 2015, local law enforcement agencies reported four more homicides than during the same period in 2014. The report says a total of 43 homicides have occurred thus far this year in the region, compared to 39 during the first half of last year.

Domestic violence incidents have also seen an uptick in the first half of 2015, up 4 percent from mid-year 2014, SANDAG reports.

Meanwhile, stats indicate a slight decrease in property crimes for the first half of this year. The report says there was an average of 29 violent crimes reported each day in San Diego between January 2015 and June 2015, and a total of 5,335 violent crimes for the half-year period.

SANDAG says violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Burglaries declined by 13 percent while residential burglaries dropped by 11 percent, according to the report. Non-residential burglaries fell 15 percent compared to mid-year 2014.

The stats show aggravated assaults were down 6 percent from last year, perhaps related to a new change in how rapes are now under the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. SANDAG’s research notes that because of this expanded definition of rape, this year’s rape and overall violent crime statistics cannot be compared to previous years’ numbers.

The report says 30,449 property crimes were reported across the county. Of that figure, 68 percent were larceny – up 4 percent – 16 percent were burglaries and 16 percent were motor vehicle thefts. Robberies were up 1 percent from last year while vehicle thefts decreased by 5 percent.

Meanwhile, arsons were down 10 percent across the region, with 195 reported – down from the 216 arsons recorded at this point in time last year.

Dr. Cynthia Burke, Director of SANDAG’s Criminal Justice Research Division, says the take away from this mid-year check-in is stability in local crime rates amid initiatives such as Assembly Bill 109.

“The relative stability in the region’s crime rates is notable, given legislative changes enacted in recent years that have resulted in more ex-offenders returning to local communities after incarceration,” Dr. Burke explained. “There have been concerns that crime rates would rise drastically based on these changes, but we’re not seeing that reflected in the numbers at this point.”

To read the full SANDAG report, click here.
 

Fire inside a La Mesa motel spready quickly early Tuesday, consuming the second floor and causing the roof to collapse. Many guests who were awakened by the fire alarm had time to only grab a few belongings before they could escape the flames.

Dozens of firefighters responded to the Rodeway Inn on Spring Street just before 5 a.m. Flames were shooting from the roof of the two-story motel located along Interstate 8.

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The fire started high inside the building, made its way through the attic and moved very rapidly, according to Heartland Fire Chief Rick Sitta.

The building is in "imminent" danger of collapsing, investigators said. 

"We have some structural issues right now, that the building is in imminent collapse right now," said Heartland Fire Fire Marshal Chris Jensen. "The building has no roof system holding up walls and so forth."

The water firefighters used to put out the fire is now trapped in walls and ceilings, compromising the structure. The heavy rainfall across San Diego added to the problem, he said. 

Firefighters cannot enter the building to investigate until the building dries out. 

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One of the owners was watching the security cameras when several cameras fogged up. Right after that, the fire alarm activated.

Dinesh Botta's family manages the hotel. He was awakened by the sound of the alarm and immediately realized he needed to get as many people out of the building as possible.

“The flames went up very huge,” Botta said. “I was really terrified.”

He went door to door to make sure the motel was evacuated.

Fire destroyed the entire second floor of the motel, fire officials said. The first floor sustained significant water damage.

When fire crews arrived there was light smoke rising from the center of the roof area. Then they noticed flames from the same area and called for a second alarm, according to Chief Sitta.

“Once they made access inside, they found heavy fire conditions on the second floor and the attic space,” he said.

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Seventeen rooms were occupied when fire started, according to the manager. Guests evacuated themselves before fire crews arrived.

“I had my passport documents everything I don’t know if they’re burned or if they’re still there," Botta said.

There were no injuries to firefighters or residents.

The San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross was requested to come to the scene and offer help to those displaced by the fire.

More than 30 firefighters from Heartland Fire Department, Cal Fire and San Diego Fire-Rescue were called to the two-alarm fire.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

San Diego State men's basketball is under investigation by the NCAA for allegedly committing recruiting violations, according to a report by CBS Sports.

The NCAA could eventually charge San Diego State with Level 1 violations, which are violations "that seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model."

The alleged infractions would most likely have to do with "impermissible benefits to recruits," according to the violation definition.

However, neither the NCAA nor the school has confirmed anything on the record to NBC 7 about an impending investigation.

San Diego State University released a statement Tuesday afternoon around 3 p.m. PT:

“Earlier today, San Diego State reached out to representatives of the NCAA’s Enforcement staff following a media report regarding allegations involving the school’s men’s basketball program,” stated Mike May of the SDSU Athletics department in an email. “Members of the NCAA staff confirmed for the University that they have not commenced a formal investigation." 

The email continued saying “Prior to the media report (Tuesday), the NCAA had not contacted any member of the University regarding an investigation into the program. San Diego State takes all potential NCAA issues seriously and will cooperate fully with the NCAA.”

When asked about the media report at his regularly scheduled football press conference Tuesday, Aztecs football coach Rocky Long stated his support for his peer, Steve Fisher and the entire SDSU hoops program.

"Well I don't really have any thoughts on the thing except that I really respect coach Fisher and what he's done and what he's done all the time," said Long. "I'm sure that program will handle everything the right way."

Firefighter Robert Taylor is in a situation he's seen others go through countless times before: The Cal Fire fireman is among hundreds who lost their homes over the weekend in the Valley Fire that's ravaging part of Northern California.

The 24-year-old was dispatched to his own Middletown neighborhood hours after battling another fire in Butte County.

Taylor said he could barely believe his eyes.

"We're making our way into Cobb Mountain. That's my hometown I was seeing just covered in flames," he said. "Your body wants to stop and just be emotional, and slow you down a little bit, and taking that hit is hard, but with all the fire and everything going on around you, just the chaos, you didn't have time to think about it. All I could do was just get a photo and keep going."

Taylor had the duty of having to tell his family their home was gone.

Taylor's mother, who is staying with the rest of the family at an evacuation center in Napa County, said her son called on Saturday night to give her the news she didn't want to believe.

"He said, 'No, mom. I'm sitting right in front of the house in the engine, and the house is gone,'" she said.

Despite the loss, Taylor said he's determined to stay in Lake County and keep fighting fires. In fact, he kept working through the night even, after discovering his house was gone.

"Just the thought of 'What can we save?'" Taylor said. "I know how I feel and I don't want anyone else to feel what I feel."

Taylor said that, for the first time in his career, he can tell fire victims he knows exactly what they're going through.

A crash has closed down all eastbound lanes of Interstate 8 at Taylor Street, prompting a Sig Alert Tuesday night.

The California Highway Patrol says one person suffered major trauma in the crash, which happened at 8:15 p.m., though the extent of injuries is unclear.

Traffic was backed up for at least a mile.

No further information was immediately available. 

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story. 

Dramatic cell phone video captured by a California family shows a desperate attempt to escape from the Valley Fire that’s been burning since Saturday.

Julie Wolf, a long time resident of Anderson Springs near Middletown, was unaware of the massive fire burning in the area until her son and daughter-in-law visiting from the Bay Area told her about it later that day. Her son, who was in the car in front of her, captured the dramatic 8- or 9-mile drive through the inferno.

"Everything looked like the inside of an oven," she told NBC News Tuesday night.

Wolf and her family, who did not know of the mandatory evacuations ordered around 4 p.m., decided to leave the house at 8:30 p.m. The family saw just how devastating and massive the fire had grown once they got on the only road out of the small community toward Middletown.

"All I could see was tail lights and fire," Wolf said.

After sparking Saturday afternoon, the Valley Fire has charred in excess of 95 square miles and ripped through the town of Middletown.

The Valley Fire has scorched 67,200 acres in Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties and claimed a life. More than 13,000 people have been displaced from their homes and forced to take shelter at evacuations centers due to a massive wildfire bursting through Northern California.

The fire is 30 percent contained, Cal Fire said late Tuesday.

NBC News contributed to this report.

 Students sitting in hot classrooms may soon see a little relief.

The San Diego Unified School District discussed hot weather procedures at their meeting Tuesday night after students across the county have struggled with triple digit temperatures during school hours with little relief.

The item was on their agenda before the heat wave that left students wilted. A team reviewed the hot weather protocols during the 2014-2015 school year and updated policies.

At a previous meeting, officials decided all sites need a hot weather plan and need that officials needed to clarify staff’s ability to release students on hot days and better formulate a heat plan with staff members.

Of the 118 schools in the district, 68 are fully air-conditioned. Forty-seven schools have fewer than half of their instructional classrooms with air conditioning, while 37 have no air-conditioned classrooms at all. 

“In the past, the board has voted to fast-track air conditioning in 2,000 of our hottest classes and tonight, I look forward to engaging the board in conversation of expanding that so we can have air conditioning in all our schools,” said SDUSD Board Member Kevin Beiser.

Beiser said he also wants to discuss taking swift action to let students out of school early on days that are too hot for a classroom.

Even schools on the coast dealt with temperatures in the 90s during this recent heat wave. "And that means kids are suffering and that's not healthy for children," said Beiser. "it's not a good learning environment." 

At the very least, the board member wants his staff to find out how many classrooms still need AC and how much that would cost.

As fire investigators work to find the cause of an East County apartment fire, the single mother and children who lived there find themselves homeless and in need of help.

Andrea Lopez, a single mom raising three daughters, said life was already difficult, but now she struggles with the stress of unexpected circumstances.

“Some days I’m still in shock," she said. "Some days I honestly don’t believe it. I feel like we’re on vacation and we’ll wake up from this. I can’t believe it." 

The family’s second-story apartment unit at Mollison Terrace in El Cajon caught fire Saturday morning, and nearly everything they own was destroyed.

“We have a TV in our living room and a vacuum in our living room corner,” said Lopez.

The family’s temporary home, while Lopez figures out her next move, is a one-bedroom suite at the Residence Inn in Mission Valley. The hotel room is fairly uncluttered because they have barely any possessions.

A co-worker set up a GoFundMe page to try and help raise funds for the family. Unlike many similar pages, this one isn’t just asking for cash, but clothing and donations as well.

Lopez said fire investigators haven’t officially ruled on a cause, but she believes it was an electrical malfunction based on years of problems with electricity inside the unit.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is urging the federal government get the nuclear waste left behind in the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) decommissioning out of San Diego County.

The board voted 4-0 Tuesday to send their concerns in a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy. Supervisor Greg Cox recused himself from the issue.

The plant, which sits in the northernmost part of San Diego County, was closed in 2012 after a radiation leak led officials to discover damage to hundreds of tubes inside virtually new steam generators.

As SONGS is slowly taken out of commission, nuclear waste is still being stored in the facility, vulnerable to an earthquake, natural disaster or terrorist attack, according to Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

“As long as all that radioactive waste sits at San Onofre, it poses a serious risk to San Diegans and millions of other Southern Californians,” said Jacob in her comments to the board.

The Energy Department has, in the past, talked about a long-term plan to store the spent fuel. Now is the time to formulate a permanent strategy and put it into action, the supervisor said.

In April, Southern California Edison, the utility that oversaw SONGS, said a contracted company has moved about one-third of the waste into dry cask storage containers until the federal government decides what to do with it. The remaining fuel should be transferred into storage and buried by mid-2019.
 

Sister Helen Prejean, best known as the "Dead Man Walking" nun, will witness her seventh execution on Wednesday.

Richard Glossip, who has been on death row for 18 years, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 3 p.m. CT in Oklahoma despite pleas for a last-minute reprieve from Prejean, football coach Barry Switzer and actress Susan Sarandon, who played the nun in the 1995 Oscar-winning film.

Glossip reached out to Prejean in January, a few weeks before his last execution date. That was delayed after the U.S. Supreme Court took up his challenge to the particular combination of drugs that Oklahoma uses to kill inmates.

The high court eventually sided with the state, and Glossip's more recent appeals have been rejected by the courts.

 A six car crash along northbound Interstate 15 temporarily shut down the freeway and prompted a Sig Alert, officials said. 

The crash happened Tuesday morning at approximately 10:33 a.m., just north of Interstate 8 in Mission Valley. At 1:30 p.m., all lanes were reopened to traffic. 

The crash involved a tractor-trailer and at least one person was injured and taken to the hospital. It is unclear if others were injured or the extent of their injuries. 

San Diego Fire-Rescue officials and California Highway Patrol officers are on scene. 

Over in University City, a Sig Alert was also issued for a stretch of Genesee Avenue. At approximately 10:36 a.m., several cars were involved in a car and San Diego Police shut down northbound and southbound lanes to investigate. The road was reopened at approximately 1:50 p.m. 

No further information was immediately available. 

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story. 

Locals had to grab for their umbrellas Tuesday as showers swept San Diego County.

Rainfall was reported across various communities, including Cardiff, Encinitas, Oceanside, Mira Mesa Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mission Valley, Santee and Eastlake, to name a few.

NBC 7 meteorologist Jodi Kodesh said the county would experience widespread light to moderate showers, mostly over the west of the mountains. As much as a half-inch of rainfall was predicted west of the mountains through Wednesday morning, Kodesh added.

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Meanwhile, Kodesh said there was a 70 percent chance of rain on the coast with temps in the upper-70s to low-80s. Inland areas stood a 90 percent chance of showers with the same temps as the coast during the morning and daytime hours. In the mountains, a 90 percent chance of rain would likely bring patch fog and thunderstorms to those areas, Kodesh said, plus temperatures in the low-70s. The desert regions had a 40 percent chance of showers, plus windy conditions, with temps in the low to mid-90s.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood advisory for San Diego County at 10:30 a.m., effective through 2 p.m., for coastal, valley and mountain areas.

Kodesh said Doppler RADAR confirmed a large band of rain moving through the county, from west to east, producing wind and moderate to heavy downpours.

The NWS said moderate to heavy rainfall over one inch was expected in some locations. Communities that could experience flooding include: Chula Vista; Oceanside; Carlsbad; Temecula; El Cajon; Vista; Encinitas; National City; La Mesa; Lake Elsinore and Mission Beach, which may be heavily impacted if water fills the streets.

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Kodesh said excessive run-off from heavy downpours will cause ponding of water on city streets and highways.

As of 11 a.m., North County cities had seen the brunt of the showers, with Oceanside reporting over an inch of rain.

"Once this particular band passes, most likely by 1 p.m., showers will become more scattered, and not as intense," said Kodesh.

The county has a good chance of showers through 11 p.m., when odds will drop to 20 percent into the early morning hours of Wednesday, Kodesh added.

The rain caused some crashes and closures on local freeways, including a six-car collision on northbound Interstate 15.

The wet weather also led to flooding in parts of the county, as well as some rain-related power outages.

As of 3:30 p.m., NBC 7 meteorologist Dagmar Midcap said showers would continue throughout the county Tuesday evening and into the overnight.

“Most will be light to moderate, but a few could be heavy,” Midcap said.

Tuesday night’s forecast included a 40 percent chance of scattered showers inland and along the coast with temps in the mid-60s and low-70s, respectively.

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A rain storm that swept through San Diego on Tuesday caused flooding in the Midway area and Ocean Beach, where several businesses and even a Lamborghini were damaged by high waters.

The luxury car became half-submerged as an Ocean Beach garage filled with water.

Cross Fit Humanity, Coastal Die Cutting and a concrete all saw knee-deep flooding outside their businesses along Pacific Highway.

Street flooding is nothing new for Philip Kavanaugh, the owner of Cross Fit. He said the business gets flooded at least twice a year when heavy rains sweep through. It’s cost his business more than $40,000 in damages.

He's frustrated because he believes the city could be more proactive in draining the roadways sooner.

Kavanaugh said city workers have to respond from a pump station to “flip a switch” to drain the water, but only respond after a report of flooding has been made.

“It’s not the end of the world. But it’s human error if someone can just flip the switch in a timely manner," he said.

A city spokesman told NBC 7 workers do ensure the roadway is drained.

A flood advisory for San Diego County ended at 2 p.m. Tuesday, though occasional showers are in the forecast through Wednesday morning.

Former employees who brought allegations of misconduct against embattled San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts will receive a total of $310,000 after filing claims with the County, according to a settlement approved by Roberts' colleagues Tuesday.

Roberts former Chief of Staff Glynnis Vaughan will be awarded $150,000, his ex-scheduler Diane Porter will get $40,000 and ex-staffer Lindsey Masukawa will receive $120,000. In their claims, the women say Roberts misused County funds, practiced favoritism and in one case, attempted to bribe one of the former employees with a higher position if she lied to County Human Resources.

The three women were among eight staffers in Roberts' office who have resigned since the beginning of the year. Roberts had a total of 11 people in his employ.

"In the opinion of the Board, activities that occurred in the District 3 Supervisorial office, at a minimum, showed poor judgment by the Supervisor," a statement from the board of supervisors reads. "And, although not conclusive, the investigative material surrounding the inappropriate use of County funds, promoting a hostile work environment, an alleged bribe, campaigning on County time, improper use of a County vehicle and retaliation against District 3 staff members is significant and a matter of concern for the Board of Supervisors." 

The supervisors' statement said Roberts has made inconsistent statements during the investigation, in closed sessions and in media interviews, which "certainly challenges his credibility as a witness during a potential trial."

Porter told NBC 7 she hopes the County has learned "that regardless if nobody's watching, that regardless if you're behind closed doors, you still have to do the right thing. And the truth is going to come out."

In a statement sent through her attorney, Vaughan said as a chief of staff, she was required by law to bring her concerns to County administrators. "Ms. Vaughan appreciates the Board's willingness to revisit her formal Claim, to resolve it, and to move forward," the statement said.

The board previously denied severance payments to two former staffers because Roberts insisted that the matter be settled without County funds, the supervisors say. However, when the women filed claims that sought $1.075 million in compensation, the board decided it would be best to approve the $310,000 for Vaughan, Porter and Masukawa instead of go to trial.

"We believe it is unlikely we would prevail on all three claims," the supervisors' statement says. 

However, the statement concluded by saying the settlement does not mean the supervisors believe all the claims made by the former staff members are true. They thought it would be in the "best interest of taxpayers" to settle the claims as soon as possible. Read the full statement by clicking here.

In response to news of the settlement, Roberts said he takes full responsibility that the transition to a new chief of staff in his office did not go as well as expected.

"While I strongly oppose the action taken today by a majority of the Board of Supervisors, I respect my colleagues' right to make such a decision. I have said consistently that no taxpayer funds should be used to resolve these issues," he said in a statement. Read his full response below.

Allegations of Office Turmoil

Vaughan, Porter and Masukawa alleged they were retaliated against “and forced to resign because they identified, criticized and/or attempted to correct the inappropriate actions” of Roberts, according to the County.

In addition, Masukawa asserts she was forced to resign because “she refused to engage in potentially illegal conduct,” her claim states. The summary of the women's allegations run the gambit from misuse of County funds for campaign and personal purposes to the “inappropriate relationship with staff member Harold Meza” as well as “preferential treatment” for Meza.

The supervisors released supporting documents with their decision, which include a 900-page history of the County's investigation into the allegations. It addresses the appearance of favoritism and inappropriate conduct by Roberts toward Meza.

The documents detail how “Roberts shared a room with Meza” while on an overnight tour of the Colorado River Aqueduct System in January 2015. For the trip, Porter was ordered by Roberts to book two hotel rooms - a suite with a kitchen and a standard room with two beds. Roberts told staff the suite would be the hospitality room for a Lion’s Club event and he and Meza would share the other room.

The 900-page history also addresses another big complaint: how Meza spent his time chauffeuring the supervisor around. Based on Meza’s calendar entries, mileage reimbursement claims and daily vehicle reports required by the County, “it appears that his job was to drive Supervisor Roberts to work, County events and non-County events,” the documents say.

 Meza was given time off during the week for working after hours or on weekends as Roberts' chauffeur, “whether or not related to County business."

NBC 7 has reached out to Meza and his attorney for a response, but we have not heard back.

Tensions Come to a Head

During a meeting in early March, Roberts’ office drama went from simmering to high heat. The meeting involved the supervisor, Vaughan and Porter.

The women wanted to talk to him about fellow staffer Harold Meza, who they said was goofing off and receiving special treatment from Roberts. According to their claims, Meza did little besides driving Roberts to various events.

Meza was bought into the meeting and, according to the women, Roberts defended him, using him as an example of the kind of employee they should be.

The staffers say Roberts call Meza “perfect.” According to their claims, Roberts then attacked the women’s work habits, saying they didn’t work hard enough, they didn’t put in enough hours.

Brittany Shaw, the first Roberts’ ex-employee to provide on-the-record details into the workings of the office to NBC 7, said the women were reduced to tears after their meeting with Roberts.

“The ladies were pretty teary-eyed after that meeting,” while Meza left with a big smile on his face, Shaw said. She is not involved in any of the claims and lawsuits swirling around this story.

Several days later, frustrated for being ignored, both women went to County Human Resources to report the problems. At the end of the week, Vaughan left on a leave of absence. Porter resigned soon after.

It was then that NBC 7 Investigates began to follow the story, pushed along by the fact that a number of other employees had quit Roberts’ office since the first of the year. When first commenting on the conditions within his office, Roberts initially said they had no employee issues and Vaughan was on a short leave. “She will return next week,” he told NBC 7. She never did.

Roberts: I Did Nothing Wrong

Roberts’ spokesman Gary Gartner defended his boss in a May 20 news conference. “Dave Roberts has held himself to the highest ethical standards,” Gartner said.

A week later, Roberts made the rounds with local media saying the same thing: he had done nothing wrong. All he did, he said, was make a couple bad hires, referring to Porter and Vaughan.

Both Gartner and Roberts have maintained the supervisor never did anything unethical or inappropriate with his staff members. They say the supervisor’s work was exemplary.

Roberts full statement on the settlement is below:

"When my Chief of Staff retired after 22 years in that position, the transition to a new Chief did not go as well as I expected and I take full responsibility for that. Now that the settlement has taken place, we are moving forward.

"While I strongly oppose the action taken today by a majority of the Board of Supervisors, I respect my colleagues' right to make such a decision. I have said consistently that no taxpayer funds should be used to resolve these issues.

"It is unfortunate that they occurred, but they are now behind us. My staff and I will continue to work hard delivering results for the people of the Third District as I have strived to do since my first day in office."

Legal Challenges Not Over

While the settlement clears some of the dust-up around the supervisor and his employees, other agencies still have an interest in the alleged problems. As NBC 7 Investigates revealed, the San Diego District Attorney’s office is interested in the supervisor’s actions while in office, according to Shaw, who was contacted by a DA investigator. The investigation is still ongoing.

There is also a lawsuit filed on behalf of Harold Meza, the staffer whose name was often mentioned during the office infighting. Meza sued Porter and Vaughan, saying they conspired against him. Meza says the women described him as unfit for his position, as having an affair with Roberts and he was nothing but a “barista” who was favored by the Supervisor over other employees. Meza said he never had sex relations with the supervisor something the women didn’t accuse him of though they did say Roberts and Meza had an inappropriate relationship.

After Meza sued, the County announced they would defend Porter and Vaughan against the lawsuit and, if the court rules against them, possibly pay the damages. If the conduct in question is within the “the course and scope of employment under the law” the County is financially liable for a judgment.

Roberts — the first Democrat elected to the Board of Supervisors in two decades and the first openly gay man elected to the position — now faces re-election challenges from two Republicans, Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar and Escondido Mayor Sam Abed.