Several San Diego schools were placed on lockdown Thursday morning after receiving alleged threats.
This is live aerial footage of NBC 7's news chopper over those schools impacted in the incidents.
Check here for updates on this developing story.
General Motors agreed Thursday to pay the federal government $900,000 and appoint an independent monitor to oversee safety issues in a settlement with the Justice Department over the carmaker's faulty ignition switches.
GM admitted that the defective switches could move unexpectedly from the "run" position, cutting off power to a car's airbags and disabled the power steering and power brakes in some models of Chevrolets, Saturns, and Pontiacs.
The company has determined that the defective switches caused accidents that led to 124 deaths and 273 injuries.
No criminal charges were filed against current or former GM employees or executives.
These brothers are one in a million.
Owen, Noah and Miles Fenley, an incredibly rare set of identical triplets, were born at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola on July 1, hospital officials said at a news briefing Thursday.
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The infants were born about a month and a half premature and each weighed less than three pounds, but they're all healthy and already proving a welcome handful for their weary parents, who already have a 2-year-old named Aiden, hospital officials and the parents said.
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"Some people hit the money lottery. We hit the genetic lottery and we couldn't be happier," said their dad, Jason Fenley, a 38-year-old attorney.
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Their mother, Kelli, a 33-year-old assistant principal at a special needs school in Queens, spent more than 50 days at the hospital leading up to the delivery.
Fenley said the births were "chaotic and intense," with 40 to 50 people in the delivery room.
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The Patchogue couple said that after they found out that they were having triplets in December, they wondered how they would be able to make ends meet with three extra mouths to feed.
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They quickly found that their newly-bought three-bedroom house was too small and they had to trade in their pickup truck for a minivan.
Now, the parents are spending up to three hours per day just feeding the triplets, and their big brother -- who calls all three triplets Noah -- is getting used to not being the center of attention.
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Each triplet has a toenail painted a different color so their parents can tell them apart.
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Parents protested in front of Sweetwater High School Thursday morning over their belief that the head football coach was pressured to resign.
According to parents the school did not have enough jerseys or equipment for everyone on the team, so head coach Brian Hay asked the school district for more money.
When the district didn't give any he and several parents raised the money to buy equipment for the team.
Many of the parents feel the coach was punished for trying to help the kids and forced to resign.
Judith Rosales, mother of a freshmen player, got emotional talking when she recalled a conversation she had with her son.
“Last night he told me, 'Mom, they took away my dream. They took away my dream of being on a winning team,'" Rosales said.
Her son had moved schools because he wanted Hay as a coach.
The district said if a student is participating in a sport he/she gets the equipment needed to play.
“If a student is participating in the sport, if they are part of the team, we’re going to make sure they have the proper equipment," Manny Rubio Director of Communications for the Sweetwater Union High School District told NBC7. "We’re going to do that regardless of what happens.”
The district said the coach resigned for personal reasons. Hay is still on staff as a P.E. teacher.
NBC7 reached out to Hay for comment but has not yet heard back.
A well-known Broadway composer, Michael Valenti, has been selected to play his music for a third time during a papal visit to New York City.
Valenti's "Processional for a Pontiff" will serenade the faithful at Madison Square Garden next Friday for a special Mass at Madison Square Garden during Pope Francis' first time visiting the country.
Valenti's music was also used for Pope John Paul II's visit on Oct. 7, 1995, and for Benedict XVI's on April 19, 2008.
It was 20 years ago that Valenti's eight-minute procession was written and played for Paul II's visit to Central Park. The Broadway composer told NBC 4 New York that the work had to span the length of time it took the pontiff to get from Fifth Avenue to the park's entrance.
"You feel like you're out of water," he said of Paul's visit.
"Imagine three popes using your music and to be alive for it," he added.
Valenti is also well-known for his Broadway works in "Oh Brother!," "Clothes For a Summer Hotel," and a children's theatrical show of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
Pope Francis begins his U.S. visit in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday then heads to New York on Thursday night. Francis will fly to Philadelphia next Saturday and wrap up the visit the following evening.
The Valley Fire has claimed the lives of two more people, bringing the death toll to three people, the Lake County Sheriff said Thursday.
Lt. Steve Brooks tentatively identified the bodies as retired Mercury News reporter Leonard Neft, 69, whose body was found in the Anderson Springs area, and Bruce Beven Burns, whose body was found in Hidden Valley. The coroner hadn't positively identified the man, but Brooks said authorities presumed the ID's based on the location of where their bodies were found.
On Saturday, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said the fire claimed the life of an elderly woman with a disability who was unable to evacuate from her house.
As of Thursday, Cal Fire had contained 35 percent of the blaze, which had scorched 73,700 acres and destroyed 585 homes. Nancy Ward, deputy chief director of the state Office of Emergency Services said Thursday that there are more than 15,000 people displaced because of the Valley Fire, and the final cost on fighting the blaze and finding places for everyone to live could soar "in the hundreds of millions of dollars." The area is about 100 miles north of San Francisco.
Neft's daughter, Joslyn Neft, told NBC Bay Area on Thursday that her father, who retired in 1985 from the Merc after writing crime stories and obituaries without a byline, didn't really want to leave his home, which was "his whole world pretty much." Her father didn't want to flee the area, but had driven to a nearby road and perhaps was walking around in the forest. His body was found on Wednesday by search teams in Lake County, Brooks said.
Family and friends identified the first victim of the Valley Fire as 72-year-old Barbara McWilliams who had severe multiple sclerosis, making it difficult for her to move around.
Before the identification of Neft and Burns, the sheriff had reported that four people were missing. Neft had been one of those missing people, but the sheriff didn't immediately confirm if Burns was included in that group. If he was, however, then there are two people who still haven't been found as the Valley Fire continues to scorch earth.
The Valley Fire, which possibly started in a shed, was first reported Saturday.
NBC Bay Area's Jodi Hernandez contributed to this report.
According to county officials Alzheimer’s is the third leading cause of death in San Diego.
The Alzheimer’s Association had good news Thursday afternoon though when they unveiled a new notification procedure for sufferers.
San Diego county officials are launching a new type of public alert that would send out mass emails and text messages when a person with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive disease goes missing.
The community alerts would be similar to Amber Alerts for abducted children, allowing officials to quickly get the public’s help to find the person.
The alerts could be extremely beneficial as the association estimates six out of ten Alzheimer’s patients will wander off at some point.
About 60,000 people have Alzheimer’s in San Diego and that number is expected to double by 2030.
San Diego has long been known as America’s Finest City, but now it’s also the sexiest, at least according to a list of what’s hot released by Victoria’s Secret.
The intimates and apparel company revealed its 2015 “What Is Sexy?” list Tuesday and, as voted by fans, the round-up ranked San Diego the “Sexiest City.”
Victoria’s Secret said fans submitted their vote earlier this week on Twitter using the hashtag #SanDiegoSexiestCity for the win.
To celebrate, Victoria’s Secret says the brand’s “Angel” and model Martha Hunt will visit San Diego Saturday for a special appearance at the Victoria’s Secret store in Fashion Valley Mall on Friars Road from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The meet-and-greet event will feature in-store giveaways, a DJ and other special promotions for customers. Fans can RSVP for the event here.
Besides San Diego, the “What is Sexy?” list also includes rankings for sexiest actress, sexiest celeb style, sexiest TV cast, sexiest red carpet look and sexiest sense of humor. To see the full list, click here.
Nearly a week after a driver plowed into a fire hydrant at an Oceanside shopping center, the front door to Submarina is back open.
Instead of making sandwiches employees were at the restaurant near Vista and Avocado Thursday to continue the cleanup.
Just five days earlier, a busy lunch hour turned to chaos when water shot out of a nearby hydrant, showering the building with thousands of gallons of water.
A geyser shot approximately 60 feet into the air and sent so much water onto the roof of the building that a section of it collapsed.
Some of the businesses were flooded by 12-inches or more of water.
Firefighters quickly showed up, shut off the hydrant and then helped to push the water out.
They worked for nearly two hours to help with the cleanup, officials said.
“Thank God they got here in time,” said Vic Camarena. “Quick response. They were able to save my store and some of the other stores.”
It was an incredible sight for Submarina employees who, just one day earlier on 9/11, brought sandwiches to the firehouse to show appreciation for their service to the community.
Little did Camarena know the Submarina employees would need the firefighters to help save their restaurant the very next day.
“That's what it's all about. Everybody's got to help each other out,” he said.
Oceanside police are still looking for the driver of a black four-door Toyota who ran over the hydrant and then drove off. The car, believed to be a Camry, could have damage to the right front fender and right front end. Witnesses say a woman was driving the car, police said.
The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Vista Way and Avocado.
Anyone with information can call Oceanside Police at (760) 435-4900.
Fleet Week San Diego 2015 is in full swing – and racing into the weekend with the annual Coronado Speed Festival.
Known as “The Race on the Base,” the 18th annual Coronado Speed Festival runs Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Naval Air Station North Island.
The family-friendly motorsports event, which also serves to salute our nation’s military, is a favorite among racing enthusiasts and gearheads. The fest features fast-paced auto racing and exhibitions all on a live runway on base used by the U.S. Navy.
In addition to racing thrills, the unique venue gives attendees a chance to catch a glimpse of daily activities on Naval Base Coronado, home to more than 20,000 active-duty military and over 4,000 civilian employees.
The big event is produced by the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation and and hosted by the Naval Base Coronado and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Program (MWR), which benefits military personnel and their families.
Tickets can be purchased online and range between $25 and $45. Children 12 and under get in for free, and the same goes for active-duty military and immediate dependents, with proper IDs. For all details on the Speed Fest, including a schedule of races, visit the event website.
The Coronado Speed Festival is just one of many highlights and events taking place during Fleet Week San Diego 2015, which runs through Oct. 4.
Fleet Week is held annually as a way to thank sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen for their services to the U.S. The event celebrates our service men and women through entertaining public events that support our heroes.
On Thursday, Fleet Week hosted its Enlisted Recognition Luncheon at SeaWorld San Diego, which honored 200 distinguished military enlisted guests from various commands.
For the entire lineup of Fleet Week San Diego 2015 events, click here.
Fewer than half of California students passed the new test tied to Common Core State Standards, but what exactly has changed and what remains the same under the new approach?
For one thing, the test was harder, requiring much more critical thinking. And while San Diego Unified’s numbers showed that the district scored as well or better than both the county and state average, the numbers are still low overall, especially for Latinos, black students and English-learners.
In this week's San Diego Explained, NBC 7's Catherine Garcia talks with Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis about that disparity - often referred to as the achievement gap - and other problems uncovered by the new test.
A landlord in Bristol, Connecticut, who has been in trouble with the law before is facing new charges after using a tenant's identity to open a T-Mobile account, according to police.
Anthony Cammariere was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree identity theft and fourth-degree larceny.
Police said Cammariere used a tenant's personal information to open a T-Mobile account and rack up more than $1,300 worth of charges. The tenant was unaware until receiving the bill.
It's not Cammariere's first run-in with the law.
He was arrested twice in two weeks in late April and early May for allegedly failing to keep his properties up to code, prompting the city to condemn a 12-unit apartment building and evict the residents.
Unsanitary conditions, electrical problems and falling-apart fire escapes were among the issues city officials cited.
Court records show Cammariere was charged with several counts of building code violations and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Cammariere was released from custody Thursday after posting $2,500 bond and is due in court Sept. 30. It's not clear if he has an attorney.
Firefighters are rushing to the scene of a vegetation fire in Emerald Hills Thursday afternoon.
San Diego Fire-Rescue officials say the blaze started near 51st Street and Winston Drive.
It's unclear how large it is.
Check back here for more on this breaking news story.
My, how time flies. It seems like just yesterday that Kaaboo Del Mar festival organizers announced the event, and now it's here. The Sept. 18-20 music/art extravaganza is set to transform one of our beloved beachfront areas -- "where the surf meets the turf" -- with a lineup these parts haven't seen in quite some time.
The three-day festival (or rather the 'mix-perience' according to Kaaboo's website) crams seven stages of awe-inspiring musical acts and beloved comedians into the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack including the Killers, No Doubt, Snoop Dogg, Zac Brown Band, Counting Crows, Train, 311, Joel McHale, Lewis Black, Tig Notaro, and so many others.
Sunday's headliner, the Killers, who played the Fairgrounds eight years ago for San Diego's last huge music festival, Street Scene, haven't been to town since headlining the 2012 91x Wrex the Halls showcase. And No Doubt, who headline Friday's lineup, is even less visible on the music scene. While frontwoman Gwen Stefani recently took a turn in the judges' chair on NBC's hit show "The Voice," the on-and-off-again rock-ska band has been quiet, booking just five shows for the year.
Even though the festival officially kicks off on Friday, Sept. 18, VIP ticketholders will be able to partake in an exclusive Thursday (Sept. 17) night party featuring live performances by Sheryl Crow and Ed Kowalcyzk, as well as food and drinks. The party starts at 7 p.m.
Kaaboo claims to be less of a typical music festival, and more of an 'experience,' underwritten by claims of cleanliness, fewer lines and maturity ordained by its "unwritten codes of conduct." You can get a hot shave or a massage. You can get your hair cut or your nails done. Oh, and it's San Diego, so there will be plenty of art and craft beer.
Festival organizers are hoping for more than 25,000 attendees on each day (the site can hold much more than that) and with our sunny weather forecast set to be ideal San Diego temperatures (expected highs of 78 degrees on Friday, 83 degrees on Saturday, and 84 degrees on Sunday), you can believe the place will be bumping.
If you're traveling by car, and ever been to the San Diego County Fair, you'll know about the giant off-site, general admission parking lots for concertgoers to park in -- one lot is located next to the fairgrounds, the other two are located off adjoining streets (go here for information). Be sure to purchase parking passes here. VIP valet parking passes (for one, two, or all three days) are also available on Kaaboo's website.
If you're going green, public transportation is the way to go: Kaaboo has partnered with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) to offer a "RegionPlus Day Pass" -- an all-day $12 unlimited transportation pass for each day of the festival. The passes can be used for Coaster, Sprinter, Breeze and all MTS/NCTD buses and trolleys (except Rural routes and Access services), including Rapid Express buses. The RegionPlus Day passes are available for purcahse at NCTD customer service locations, Albertsons, the MTS transit store, bus fare boxes, and Coaster/Sprinter ticket vending machines.
All MTS/NCTD transit services will operate on regular schedules throughout Sept. 18-20. Please visit GoNCTD.com or SDMTS.com for complete schedule information.
Also, the closest transit stop to Kaaboo is the Solana Beach Station, which is about one mile away from the site. Do not fret: there will be complimentary double-decker buses waiting for those arriving patrons to take them to Kaaboo's main gates.
Enough with all the details -- let's look at the individual lineups for each day and start making our must-see lists:
Friday, Sept. 18: No Doubt; Snoop Dogg; Foster the People; Bonnie Raitt; Sheryl Crow; Fitz & the Tantrums; Dirty Heads; Icona Pop; Griz; Brett Dennen; Los Lobos; Ozomatli; Allen Stone; Delta Rae; Nahko & Medicine for the People; Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers; The White Panda; The Floozies; The Revivalists; Jamestown Revival; Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers; Knox Hamilton; Wheeland Brothers; Peter Matthew Bauer; The Burning of Rome; Fairground Saints; Larry Kolker; The Midnight Pine; Lewis Black; Chris D'elia; and Anthony Jeselnick.
Saturday, Sept. 19: Zac Brown Band; Slightly Stoopid; Counting Crows; Young the Giant; The Roots; Spoon; Neon Trees; AWOLNATION; Rodrigo y Gabriela; Girl Talk; Big Gigantic; Tribal Seeds; Cherub; X; Lucero; Ozomatli; Old 97's; Justin Townes Earle; Goldfish; Stick Figure; thenewno2; The Revivalists; Fortunate Youth; Natural Vibrations; The Silent Comedy; Corsicana; The Drowning Men; Joe Firstman; The Nervous Wreckords; Tracksuit Wedding; Joel McHale; Jeff Garlin; Ron Funches; and Hasan Minhaj.
Sunday, Sept. 20: The Killers; Train; 311; Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals; Grace Potter; O.A.R.; Michael Franti & Spearhead; Brandi Carlile; Switchfoot; Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue; Donavon Frankenreiter; Dawes; Lettuce; JJ Grey & Mofro; The White Buffalo; Minnie Driver; MarchFourth!; Dirty Dozen Brass Band; Orgone; The Apache Relay; David Rosales; The J Band; Katastro; Open Air Stereo; Tig Notaro; Tim Meadows; Iliza Schlesinger; and more.
The San Diego community is rallying around a single mother and her three daughters who lost everything in a recent fire.
One person, who wanted to remain anonymous, donated $5,000 to help the family get back on their feet.
"This single mom and her three daughters don't have a big family support system, but what they do have is a heart breaking story that seems to be resonating with strangers," said Bobbielee Eisenbarth.
Eisenbarth launched an online fundraising page for the family who escaped a fire Saturday in their second-story unit at Mollison Terrace in El Cajon.
When she met the victims - Andrea Lopez and her three daughters – Eisenbarth decided she would try to help them by collecting donations.
The money, including $5,000 dollars from one man, means the family now has enough to put down a deposit down for an apartment.
“He said he’s been through some rough stuff in life but all he wanted to do was pay it forward and now he's in a position to do so," Eisenbarth said.
She added some businesses were offering donations.
“Fantastic Sam’s in El Cajon wants to do hair and styling for the girls and the mom,” she said. “Just overall a lot of community support. It's really awesome"
Schools have contacted Eisenbarth offering to make cards for the girls to support them during this hard time.
Lopez works full time, but her tight budget didn't have room for starting over.
Fire investigators said the cause is undetermined. The family has said they believe a faulty electrical system could be to blame.
The driver of a high-performance Ferrari LaFerrari who was captured on camera speeding through a Beverly Hills neighborhood with the driver of a Porsche might have left the United States, police said Thursday.
Beverly Hills police identified the man as Khalid Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, who claimed to own the Ferrari. He and the cars are gone, police said.
Several witnesses caught the drivers of the yellow million-dollar hybrid-power Ferrari and white Porsche 911 GT3 on cameras Saturday, blowing through at least one stop sign, performing hard launches and stops, and speeding around other drivers, possibly clipping at least one car.
No arrests have been reported, but police announced Thursday that they have learned more about one of the cars seen in the videos.
It is a limited-production LaFerrari, a supercar powered by a howling V12 engine and lithium-ion battery pack that crank out a combined 950 horsepower, said Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti.
"Our officers are on alert for the vehicles seen in the video and are prepared to take enforcement action, including issuing citations impounding the vehicles and arresting the individual when appropriate," Rivetti said.
No arrests have been made because officers did not witness the reckless driving, police said.
Police say arriving officers were told by al Thani that he owned the cars and had diplomatic immunity.
But Rivetti says it's unlikely Al Thani has such immunity.
Police say they haven't confirmed whether Al Thani was driving either car, but a reckless-driving investigation continues.
The video captured Saturday includes an exchange between a journalist who recorded the drivers on camera and a man outside the house where the Ferrari, smoke coming from its engine bay, was parked. Video journalist Jacob Rogers said a man he believes was the Ferrari driver confronted him over his filming.
"He told me verbatim, 'I could have you killed and get away with it,'" Rogers said. "I told him, 'the press is allowed to be here on the sidewalk on a public street.' He said, '(Expletive) America' and threw a cigarette at me."
While police were conducting their investigation, they were approached by a man who said the vehicles belonged to him and denied speeding, running stop signs or driving recklessly. Police said they have been in contact with the United States State Department about the diplomatic status of the people involved and the legality of the vehicles driven on the road.
The renters of the $10 million home where the cars were seen did not want to talk to NBC4 on Monday.
The LaFerrari, priced at about $1.5 million, represents a new breed of hybrid supercars, along with the Porsche 918 and McLaren P1. The actual value of the LaFerrari is probably much higher, according to Kelly Blue Book. The GT3 model seen in the video represents the highest-performance version of Porsche's iconic 911 sports car.
In the aftermath of the 8.3-magnitude earthquake that shook Chile Wednesday night, many Facebook users utilized “Safety Check,” a feature on the social media website used to give updates to friends during a disaster.
Facebook users with friends in the quake-prone nation –including residents of the Chilean capital, Santiago – were prompted to access Safety Check when they logged on. The feature displayed a list of Facebook friends near the disaster, divided into three categories: all friends in area, friends marked safe and friends not marked yet.
As each friend in the impacted area marked themselves “safe,” users connected to them were sent notifications. Friends could also mark others “safe,” in case that person was unable to access the social media website following the earthquake.
The social media website describes the safety feature as a way to “connect with friends and loved ones during a disaster” and adds, “If you're near a natural disaster, you can tell friends if you're safe and check to see if they're safe, too.”
According to this post from Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Safety Check first launched in October 2014. Facebook previously used the Safety Check feature in late April 2015 to connect survivors of the deadly Nepal earthquake with their loved ones.
“Over the last few years there have been many disasters and crises where people have turned to the Internet for help. Each time, we see people use Facebook to check on their loved ones and see if they're safe. Connecting with people is always valuable, but these are the moments when it matters most,” Zuckerberg wrote.
Zuckerberg said the feature was inspired by the devastating, 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the epicenter of Wednesday’s earthquake was approximately 29 miles west of Illapel, a town of about 35,000 residents approximately 175 miles north of Santiago.
The quake killed at least eight people and forced more than 1 million residents to evacuate. Homes and businesses were damaged and rumbles were felt across the country and South America.
Chilean leaders said the death toll could rise as emergency crews are able to access the areas hardest hit by the earthquake.
In its wake, several coastal towns were flooded from small tsunami waves set off by the quake. Authorities issued a tsunami warning for the Andean nation's entire Pacific coast as residents sought safety on higher ground and inland regions. Those tsunami warnings were lifted Thursday.
Tsunami advisories were also in effect for Hawaii and parts of California following the quake.
The earthquake lasted for three minutes and caused buildings to sway in Santiago. Dozens of aftershocks then continued to rattle the country.
The natural disaster was the strongest tremor since the 8.8-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2010 that killed hundreds and caused heavy damage to the nation.
Santiago resident Carolina Barros Urzua had just gotten home from the Santiago Metro railway when the earthquake struck.
She said the three-minute duration of the earthquake was by far the worst part, and the abrupt shaking felt like it lasted an eternity.
“The sensation was horrible because the movement would not stop,” Barros Urzua told NBC 7 San Diego. “It was horrible. Thank goodness it’s over.”
Barros Urzua said many Santiago residents felt the quake was less intense than the deadly 2010 tremor.
This time around, electricity in the capital did not cut out, she said, though patchy service to landlines, cell phones and the Internet made communicating with loved ones difficult.
Barros Urzua was among the many Facebook users who marked herself “safe” on Safety Check.
Santiago resident Francisca Saavedra told NBC 7 the aftershocks were as frightening as the earthquake because they were very strong and consistent.
“The earthquake wasn’t very loud, but there was so much shaking,” Saavedra explained.
She said the tsunami warnings added to the concern and anxiety felt by many across the city.
Meanwhile, Santiago resident and mother of two Danisa Lonza Robledo also told NBC 7 the quake wasn’t as strong as the 2010 tremor, but very scary nonetheless.
“During the 2010 earthquake it really felt as if everything was going to fall,” Lonza Robledo explained. “This one was strong – but not as strong. Perhaps Chileans are just accustomed to big earthquakes by now.”
Lonza Robledo said she and her family were on the third-story of a residential building when the tremor hit.
"When we realized that it was getting stronger and not stopping, we went downstairs and went outside to the streets. We heard the windows on our building rattling, alarms sounding off and trees swaying violently back and forth. Everything was moving," she described.
Lonza Robledo said she tried to open a gate near her building, but couldn't immediately open it due to the constant motion moving the ground and objects all around her.
After a few minutes, she said the shaking began to subside. Then, she heard the sirens of ambulances rushing throughout her neighborhood.
Soon thereafter, the aftershocks rolled in.
Accustomed to the aftershocks, Lonza Robledo said she and her husband and children slept through most of them Wednesday night.
She said what kept her up and worried was her brother, who was near a community under a tsunami warning. Fortunately, he eventually got in touch with her to report that he was fine.
The earthquake came just two days before Sept. 18 – Chile’s Independence Day – a very significant and widely-celebrated holiday in the country.
Schools and businesses are closed throughout the nation for Sept. 18 each year, and Barros Urzua said many Chileans had traveled to coastal cities to celebrate the long holiday weekend.
“Many of these people planned to set up booths along the coast this weekend during the festivities,” she explained. “All of them were impacted.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred as the result of “thrust faulting on the interface between the Nazca and South America plates in Central Chile.”
The Nazca tectonic plate, which plunges beneath the South American plate and pushes the towering Andes cordillera to ever-higher altitudes, makes Chile one of the world’s most quake-prone regions.
The strongest earthquake ever recorded on earth happened in Chile: the infamous 9.5-magnitude quake in 1960 that killed more than 5,000 people.
A man crashed through a security gate while trying to steal a Learjet from the Waco Regional Airport in Texas on Thursday, police said.
The man may have been using narcotics before he crashed his car through a security gate to the airport's tarmac, police said in a statement.
According to Waco police Sgt. Patrick Swanton the man is "known to our department and has a history of mental issues." The suspect has not been identified.
An off-duty police officer approached the man who was armed with a stick and refused commands. The officer unsuccessfully used a Taser before he handcuffed the man. He was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation, police said.
In what sounds like a plot from 101 Dalmatians, 29 dogs arrived in San Diego Thursday on a very special flight from San Francisco en route from South Korea.
The dogs, which were headed for slaughter in the Korean dog meat trade, were saved as part of a Humane Society International (HSI) rescue effort, officials with the organization say.
The dogs are all around one to two years old with a few four- to nine-month-old puppies.
“ Our goal is to end animal suffering in any form it takes. The dog meat trade is one of the most horrific forms of cruelty and we’ve taken on helping these animals as an urgent mission for San Diego Humane Society,” says Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO, said in a statement.
Nationwide the HSI saved more than 100 dogs from being killed.
The dogs are mostly mastiffs but include Jindo-mixes and Chihuahuas.
Vets and care staff will spend the next few days checking the health of the dogs to prepare them eventually for adoption.
HSI officials say they are working in Asian countries to help dog meat farmers transition to more humane ways of making a living.
Seven Marines remain in the hospital Thursday after a vehicle rollover last week killed one and injured 18 service members.
Of the seven still hospitalized, four are in critical condition, and three are in stable condition, according to 1st Lt. Colleen McFadden. All others have been sent home to recover.
On Sept. 10, Corporal Bryan Michael Lauw, 21, died and 18 others were hurt when a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) rolled during routine training Thursday.
Lauw, a resident of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division. During his career, Lauw was awarded multiple prestigious medals and four letters of appreciation, according to Marine authorities. Read more about his achievements by clicking here.
Marine officials have not detailed how the MTVR — also known as a 7-ton truck — toppled over at the base, north of San Diego.
MTVRs are primarily used to transport people, fuel, food and supplies.
Retired Navy veteran Mitch Finley, who said he trained to drive MTVRs, told NBC 7 the vehicle is a very automated, solid vehicle that is not top heavy.
Finley works on base and said the accident happened on a corner of a main road where there have been other problems, though he is not sure why.
An investigation into the incident is underway.
