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House Passes Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood

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The House passed two abortion-related bills on Friday, one of which would take away funding for Planned Parenthood if they do not stop performing abortions.

Senate Democrats have enough votes to block the two bills and the White House has promised to veto them. 

The bill does not include abortions for unwanted pregnancy as a result of rape, incest, or if the woman suffers from any physical injury or illness that would put a woman's life in danger if an abortion was not performed. 

Conservative Republicans are moving ahead with the bills after secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing taking tissue from aborted fetuses for medical research was made available to the public.

Carly Fiorina targeted Planned Parenthood and top Democrats during the second GOP debate.

"I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes, watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking," Fiorina said.

Planned Parenthood shot back calling Fiorina's claims "completely false" and went on to say the videos were "heavily edited."  One of the fetuses came from a woman who had miscarried, Planned Parenthood wrote in a letter to the Republican presidential candidate. 

Clinton also responded to the outrage over the Planned Parenthood videos.

"Planned Parenthood has served to provide necessary healthcare for millions of women," the former Secretary of State said in an interview with CNN.

The federal government could shutdown at the end of the month over this Planned Parenthood funding issue is not resolved by Oct. 1.

Planned Parenthood gets approximately $450 million a year from federal funding mostly through Medicaid reimbursements, according to the Congressional Budget Office. A majority of the money goes to contraceptive counseling, pregnancy testing, and other healthcare services for women. Federal money can only be used on circumstantial abortions, like ones needed because the mother is at risk of dying. 

With over 700 clinics across the country, federal funding is only about one-third of Planned Parenthood's $1.3 billion annual budget. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Garth Brooks Ticket Sales More Hat Than Horse

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Move over Kim Kardashian, but the one-man country megaticket that is Garth Brooks broke the internets on Friday.
 
OK, maybe not the whole web, but certainly the AXS ticket system, which was handling sales on Friday morning for Brooks' shows on Nov.  6-7 at the Valley View Casino Center, his first local appearances in nearly 20 years. In fact, say concert organizers, a third show "was added to try and meet demand but the system still could not meet it."

AXS is gonna give it another shot next Thursday starting at 10 a.m. PT -- fans lucky enough to get tickets on Friday will have theirs honored, and the balance will be sold on axs.com/garth next week.

Tickets cost about 75 bucks each to see Brooks, who started selling out arenas in the late '80s but "retired" in 2001 and then started playing a extended Vegas residency at the Encore in 2009. According to some reports, Brooks has sold more albums than anybody in the U.S., with the exception of the Beatles. The country star is known for such singles as "If Tomorrow Never Comes," "The Dance" and "Friends in Low Places."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

What Will Be on Stage With Pope Francis?

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Expect much symbolism and excitement for Pope Francis' very first trip to the U.S. — just don't expect to see anything too lavish.

Hailed for his unextravagant approach to the papacy, Francis won't be surrounded by gilded decorations when he preaches to the masses at several stops on his East Coast trip, which culminates with the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia next weekend.

On stage with Francis at that meeting's main event, a Mass outside Independence Hall, will be just two chairs made by local craftsmen and a simple, though very historic, wooden lectern, said Fred Stein, event organizer for the World Meeting of Families.

"They’re simple in nature and that reflects Pope Francis’ feelings," Stein said.

It's not the only simple part of the pontiff's visit. Take a look backstage of Pope Francis' very first visit to the U.S. for a preview of what you'll see when you're watching at his stops in Washington, New York and Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Student-designed altar: For his first public Mass in the U.S., the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Francis will sit on a temporary altar designed by three students.

The architecture and planning students from Catholic University of America won a competition with their design, whose arch mimics the Basilica's Romanesque-Byzantine architecture. It was delivered in late August. Learn more >>

The Basilica's symbolism: The cathedral itself carries its own symbolism: It's the largest Catholic church in North America, and in it, the first pope from the Americas will in Spanish canonize Junipero Serra, who brought the faith to California. The event fits into Francis' larger theme for this trip, immigration.

Francis' Mass will highlight Hispanics' contributions to the U.S. and the church, according to Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. Learn more >>

NEW YORK CITY

Laborer-built chair: Though he'll be in the "World's Greatest Arena," Francis won't be seated at a grand throne for his Friday, Sept. 25, Mass at Madison Square Garden. Instead, he'll take his seat at a plain wooden chair made in a New York City suburb by immigrants and day laborers.

"It's more than a chair, it's a spiritual connection we have," said Hector Rojas of Don Bosco Workers in Port Chester, one of the carpenters who built the chair in a garage. 

"The Holy Father likes things simple," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York. "He doesn't like a lot of expense." Learn more >>

Broadway-style processionalWhen Francis enters the arena, he'll be accompanied by music that's rung out for two different popes' visits to New York.

Broadway composer Michael Valenti's song "Processional for a Pontiff," to be played at the Mass, was written for John Paull II's visit to Central Park in 1995. Valenti's music was also used for Pope Benedict XVI's visit seven years ago.

"Imagine three popes using your music and to be alive for it," he said. Learn more >>

 

PHILADELPHIA

The Pope's visit to Philadelphia will be by far the largest on this this tour, closing down much of central Philly to outside vehicles and requiring 40 Jumbotrons for the more than 1 million people expected to attend the World Meeting of Families.

Gettysburg Lectern: When Pope Francis speaks at Independence Mall, his printed remarks will rest on the same lectern that once held one of the most iconic speeches ever given: Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

The Nov. 19, 1863, speech was given to dedicate a cemetery for soldiers killed fighting to end slavery, and many see similiarities between Lincoln's message and Francis' expected speech on inclusiveness of the immigrants and the poor.

The lectern's "simple beauty and humble role in one of American history's most important moments reflects, in many ways, Pope Francis' own world view," said Robert Ciaruffoli, president of the World Meeting of Families. Learn more >>

Nuns' Communion Bread: The Poor Clares, cloistered nuns from a Pennsylvania monastary, spent months baking the wafers that will be used for communion at the pope's public Mass.

"It is a very special work for us, and we take very good care — extra care — with how we make them," said Sister Anne Bartol. Learn more>>

Knights' Programs: The programs the faithful will be reading when the pope gives Mass in downtown Philadelphia will be imported – all the way from New Haven, where the Knights of Columbus donated about $100,000 worth of materials and labor to print up the 24-page booklets. Learn more>>

The Liberty Bell: Looking out on Independence Mall when he gives Mass, Francis will be able to see the Liberty Bell.

Long associated with the War of Independence, the bell was actually a gift to the colony of Pennsylvania before the war even started, and, fittingly for the pope, represented religious freedom, said Fred Stein, the World Meeting of Families organizer.

"Whatever he says standing at the simple wooden lectern rings out, figuratively and literally," he said.

The musical acts playing in the hours before Francis speaks will have their own signfiicance. From a Ukrainian singer to Vietnamese fan dancers, the acts come from various communities around the world that reflect the immigrant communities that settled in Philadelphia, "a city of neighbors," Stein added. 



Photo Credit: ESM Productions

Sewage Spills into Glorietta Bay

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County health officials closed Glorietta Bay to swimmers Thursday morning after sewage spilled near the Coronado Golf Course.

The sewage came from a manhole at the 1100 block of Monterey Avenue in Coronado around 10:35 am.

The sewage, from a root and debris blockage on a force main sewer line, flowed along the curb finally reaching a storm drain that goes into the bay.

Coronado’s Department of Public services cleared the blockage just after 11 am Thursday.

Sewage contamination signs posted by city officials will stay up until water testing shows the bay is safe.

The swimming closure sign is posted near the bay side of the 15th hole of the Golf Course.

Coronado’s Department of Public Services is monitoring the situation.

There is no word yet on when the bay will reopen to swimmers.

 


 



Photo Credit: livinginthedetails/Instagram

District Offers Free Recycled Water in East County

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A water district in drought-stricken east San Diego is tapping into a program that offers free recycled water for residents to use on their dry lawns.

Padre Dam Municipal Water District – which provides water service to 100,000 residents in some of San Diego’s East County communities – has just launched a recycled water program for customers in its service areas, including Santee, El Cajon, Lakeside, Flinn Springs, Harbison Canyon, Blossom Valley, Alpine, Dehesa and Crest.

Beginning Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., residents can visit Padre Dam’s new Residential Recycled Water Fill Station in Santee, located at 9300 Fanita Pkwy., and fill up on free recycled water for residential landscape irrigation.

To get the free water, each customer must complete a short training, fill out an application and agreement available at the Fill Station and purchase a $5 identification card from the water district.

Padre Dam says residents must bring their own leak-free containers to the Fill Station to transport the water. Containers are limited to no smaller than one gallon but no bigger 300 gallons, and must have watertight lids. Fill Station attendants will approve the containers and give out stickers to those that meet the requirements. Customers with containers that don’t fit the bill will be asked to return with appropriately-sized containers.

Padre Dam says it’s important for residents to remember that water is heavy and make sure their vehicle can handle the amount of recycled water they intend on transporting.

Also, if residents wish to use their containers at a later time for drinking water, Padre Dam says the containers should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected using one tablespoon of bleach per quart of water.

In addition to containers, residents who would like to receive the free recycled water must verify they’re Padre Dam customers by bringing a copy or printout of their Padre Dam billing statement and a valid ID with an address that matches the billing statement.

For now, the recycled water program will be available twice a week at the Santee Fill Station: Tuesdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

Short training sessions will be held at the boardroom on site each day the Fill Station is open. Residents with questions about the program can contact customer service at (619) 258-4600 or visit this website.

Earlier this month, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District tapped into this same concept, opening the first-ever recycled water station in the county for 4S Ranch residents.

That free Fill Station is located at the corner of Campania Avenue and Camino San Thomas and residential customers can pick up water through self-serve pumps on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The recycled water offered in 4S Ranch is also meant to be used to irrigate gardens and yards.
 



Photo Credit: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

Bush, Candidates Speak at Heritage Action for America Forum

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The Heritage Action for America Foundation sponsors a special presidential candidate forum in Greenville, South Carolina.



Photo Credit: AP

Park Officials I.D. 7 Flood Victims

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Six of the seven hikers killed in Zion National Park this week in a flash flood were from Southern California.

The hikers were killed when fast-moving floodwaters rushed through a narrow park canyon Monday afternoon.

The park listed the Southern California fatalities as Mark MacKenzie, 56, of Valencia; Linda Arthur, 57, and Steve Authur, 58, both of Camarillo; Gary Favela, 51, of Rancho Cucamonga; Muku Reynolds, 59, of Chino; and Robin Brum, 53, of Camarillo. The seventh flooding victim was Don Teichner, 55, of Mesquite, Nevada.

Park officials said Linda Arthur's body was found Thursday a few miles from the sandstone gorge where the group got trapped during a violent rainstorm, in an area that had been unreachable previously amid fears of more flooding. The rest of the victims were found earlier this week.

Some in the group were new to rappelling and were swimming through narrow canyons in a sport called canyoneering, but park policy prevents rangers from assessing their skill level or stopping them from going, even after repeated warnings of the flood risk Monday.

The park is investigating what led to the deaths and reviewing its policies, but the process for canyon entry permits is decided at the national level and any changes would likely need to come from the top down, park spokesman David Eaker said.

The flash flooding also killed at least 12 other people, including nine children, in a nearby polygamous town on the Utah-Arizona border. Raging waters swept two cars downstream, leaving a 6-year-old boy still missing. Three other children survived.

Authorities in Mohave County, Arizona, said Thursday they were searching for a 33-year-old man from the area who has been missing since the flash floods hit Monday. Ryan Mertlich's car was discovered heavily damaged in a flood plain about 15 miles west of Colorado City.

Mertlich's family reported him missing Tuesday, saying he typically drives the back roads in the area, said Mohave County sheriff's spokeswoman Trish Carter.

North in Zion, the seven hikers were clambering through a popular canyon when a deluge seen only once a century unleashed a wall of churning water. The flooding likely rushed over their heads in moments and carried them miles downstream, Eaker said.

"It would be just like a drain, it just funnels down in there very quickly, very fast," he said.

Officials believe the group entered Keyhole Canyon late Monday afternoon, after some of those new to canyoneering took a course, he said. The route is considered entry level, according to canyoneering experts.

In an earlier identification, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department in Southern California said Sgt. Steve Arthur and his wife Linda were part of the group.

Only 80 people a day can visit Keyhole Canyon. The group was told of the danger of flash flooding when they got their entry permit, a common warning during the rainy season, park officials say. They decided to go anyway.

Rangers closed the park's canyons after the storm hit, but there was no way to warn those already inside the majestic slot formations, which can quickly fill with rain water and leave people with no escape.

Aside from one spot near the entrance of Keyhole Canyon, "there really is no high ground. You're in a slot pretty much the whole way," Eaker said.

Exploring slot canyons found in the desert Southwest can require a combination of hiking, climbing, swimming and caving. Canyoneering has grown in popularity in recent years, attracting people who enjoy the challenge and the beauty of the canyons.

Even a small amount of rain can turn a trip deadly as the moisture runs off the desert landscape and fills the canyon with water, branches, rocks and debris.



Photo Credit: AP

Vista High School Ends Lockdown

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The lockdown has been lifted at Vista High School according to school officials. The lockdown was put into place Friday after nearby Guajome Park Academy received an unspecified threat according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Classes have resumed as usual.

Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating but so far have found nothing.

According to officials Guajome Park Academy in Vista received threatening phone calls around 12:30 pm Friday. As a precaution both the academy and nearby Vista High School were locked down.

Most of Guajome's students had already gone home since they were on a half day schedule. Deputies escorted the remaining students to their parents.

Thursday morning ten local schools went on lockdown after specific phone and text threats were made to each school. All lockdowns from Thursday have been lifted, but extra police remain at the schools Friday. Vista was not among the schools from Thursday's lockdown.

Officials are still investigating those threats.

Check back on this breaking story for updates.



Photo Credit: NBC7

11th Annual ‘Kick the Flu' Summit

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On average more than 200,000 people are hospitalized in the US each year for the flu, but over half of Americans don’t get a flu shot. The flu has one of the lowest vaccination rates among diseases according to the CDC.

At the 11th Annual ‘Kick the Flu Summit’ Friday afternoon experts and doctors from around the country will come together to promote vaccinations, flu awareness, and provide flu shots to the public.

The summit allows health professionals to learn and share new ideas about flu prevention and the latest news about vaccines.

They will strategize on how best to deliver immunization services and help the public fight the disease.

The summit is at the AMN Health Care Auditorium at 12400 High Bluff Drive in Carmel Valley until 4:30 pm Friday.

Participants at the summit will include: Paul Offit, MD, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Mark Sawyer, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Pediatric Disease Specialist at USCD School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, Jeffrey Johnson, Senior Epidemiologist for the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Zoo Releases Baby Flamingo Images

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The Lincoln Park Zoo in Illinois has released images of its Chilean flamingo that hatched Sept. 11.

The chick is the first of its kind at the zoo, which hopes that several eggs in incubation also hatch in the coming weeks. It weighed 95g, which is about the size of a bar of soap.

The chick’s gender has not been determined yet, but fragments of its shell have been sent in for DNA testing as a non-invasive way of figuring it out, the zoo said.

“We are absolutely elated to welcome our first Chilean flamingo chick,” said Curator of Birds Sunny Nelson. “As a first hatching for Lincoln Park Zoo and for the flock, the chick is currently raised behind-the-scenes and will be re-introduced to the flock once the chick is more independent.”

Man in Prison For Strangling Nurse

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A 43-year-old New York man has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for strangling a nurse co-worker to whom he had offered a room when she lost her home in Sandy.

A judge sentenced Richard Bloomfield to 21.5 years in prison, followed by five years post-release supervision, the district attorney's office said Friday. Bloomfield previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.

Bloomfield was a dialysis tech who worked with 22-year-old Madonna Martin at the Columbia-Presbyterian dialysis center. According to prosecutors, Bloomfield had romantic interest in Martin, who had a boyfriend. When Sandy swamped Martin and her boyfriend's Far Rockaway apartment, Martin lived in her boyfriend's office for a few weeks, but then he moved to Florida for a new job.

Martin was expected to join him in Florida but needed a place to stay in the meantime, and Bloomfield offered her a room in the Mott Haven home he shared with his mother, prosecutors said.

Martin moved in Nov. 19, 2012. Less than five days later, she packed up, ready to move out to join her boyfriend in Florida, and Bloomfield strangled her hours before she was supposed to leave, prosecutors said. He then dragged her body into her car, stuffed all her clothing and belongings in the vehicle and drove off, according to court documents. He dumped her belongings in a dumpster a mile and a half away, maneuvered her body into the driver's seat and waited. Hours later, he called 911.

When police and EMTs responded, he admitted what he’d done, telling them, “I killed my friend. I killed my friend.” And when police went to his apartment and met his mother, she handed them her son’s handwritten note. It was an apology for killing Madonna Martin, court documents said.

At Bloomfield's sentencing, Martin's boyfriend, Mario Perez, said, "Madonna showed me how to enjoy life."

“Five days she was out of my sight – and that’s all it took for this man to kill her. No time will ever replace the time I would have had with her," he said. "You took pure joy from this world."



Photo Credit: Handout

Judge Reinstates Arkansas' Planned Parenthood Funding

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A federal judge ordered Arkansas to temporarily reinstate its Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood after the state's governor, Asa Hutchinson, announced last month he was terminating the contract. 

Planned Parenthood said the cancellation of the contract—which took effect on Sunday— affected Medicaid patients schedules to visit its health centers.

According to the state, Planned Parenthood received more that $51,000 in Medicaid payments in Arkansas over the past fiscal year for family planning and gynecological services—not abortions. 

The cancellation came after concerns about secretly recorded videos released by an anti-abortion group that showed Planned Parenthood employees discussing selling fetal tissue from abortions for profit. Planned Parenthood has said these videos were "highly edited."



Photo Credit: AP

San Diego Restaurant Week Returns

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Some nosh news for foodies: San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW) is making its tasty return, showcasing more than 190 eateries across our local dining scene over the course of eight days.

This year, SDRW runs Sept. 20 through Sept. 27 with a familiar, scrumptious set-up: participating eateries will offer special two and three-course, prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. Two-course lunch menus will be priced at $10, $15 or $20 per person, while three-course dinner menus are priced at $20, $30, $40 and $50 per person.

The popular culinary event spans local restaurants across 12 regions throughout San Diego County including downtown San Diego, La Jolla, Uptown, Central San Diego, Mission Bay and Beaches, and North County Inland and Coastal, to name a few communities.

As always, no special passes are required to attend SDRW. Just pick the participating restaurant that sounds good to you, go there and ask for the SDRW menu – easy as pie.

SDRW 2015 participating eateries include Stake Chophouse + Bar in Coronado, Bo-Beau Kitchen + Garden in La Mesa, Indigo Grill in Little Italy, Bali Hai on Shelter Island, Barrio Star in Uptown, Bleu Boheme and Pampas Argentine Grill in Central San Diego and Sea180 Coastal Tavern in Imperial Beach.

Those are just a few samples, however, in the very long, mouthwatering list of SDRW restaurants, which can be seen in full here. The SDRW website also includes the special menus each eatery will serve during the foodie event.

This time around, SDRW has partnered with Sysco and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank to raise funds for the organization's many programs for hungry children and families in San Diego County, including the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program.

SDRW organizers say diners can get involved in the fundraising efforts by posting a photo of their SDRW experience on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #Food4Kids and tagging the SDRW restaurant where they are dining.

Sysco will donate $1 to the Food Bank’s program for every #Food4Kids post during the event so the program, which provides weekend food packages to chronically hungry elementary school students, can be launched in as many local schools as possible.

By the way, SDRW has been such a hit over the years organizers have extended the event by a full week in the past. Here’s to hoping that happens again. Bon appetit!
 

Victim in Fiery Crash ID'd as Marine: Officials

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A BMW driver died Friday after his vehicle struck a highway sign and then crashed head-on into a bridge pillar.

California Highway Patrol officers say the man was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital just less than a mile away from where he crashed.

The county's medical examiner identified the man as a 24-year-old active duty U.S. Marine based at Camp Pendleton.

The fiery crash closed down two lanes of State Route 163 at Laurel Street just after 3 a.m.

The young male driver coming from downtown failed to negotiate a turn on the northbound SR-163.

The BMW crashed head-on into a freeway sign and then collided with a pillar of the Cabrillo Bridge.

Witnesses say they tried everything they could to save him. They were able to pull the young man through a window just before the vehicle exploded into flames.

One of the witnesses was an Uber driver who had served in the U.S. Marine Corps. His passenger was a woman with medical training, officers told NBC 7.

They say the victim was unconscious while they rendered CPR.

CHP officers say alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

SDPD: San Diego Man Missing 8 Days

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It's been more than a week since family members have seen a 71-year-old San Diego man and police are asking for the public's help in the case.

Investigators say Luong Le was last seen Sept. 9 driving away from his home in the northeast area of San Diego.

Le recently suffered a heart attack that landed him in the hospital, his daughter Vickie Dang told NBC 7. Three days later, after his release from the hospital, Le walked into his garage and drove off in the family’s minivan.

"When he left, he just slowly walked out to the garage without saying goodbye or without saying, 'I'm going here or going there,' so my mom just assumed he go out to the garage," said Dang. 

However, when he didn't come home, Le's wife contacted police. He left without his medication and phone.

Dang said she searched some familiar areas around the couple’s home with her dad's dog but found no trace of him.

"I think it must be something in his mind or something I don't know," his daughter said. "We already called; we did everything we could. I don't know what else can we do."

Le may be driving a black 2003 Honda Odyssey with the California license plate 5DTL675.

He was wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt, tan pants and Adidas sandals, according to police.

Le left his medication at home, police said.

The van has a 3x5-inch yellow duck sticker on the rear window.

If you have any information about the vehicle or Le, you can call the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000.
 



Photo Credit: SDPD

Driver Hits 2 Brothers, Then Also Gets Hit by Car

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A driver, apparently blinded by the sun, struck and injured two young brothers walking in Normal Heights Friday morning and was then hit by a car herself, San Diego police said.

Officials said a 29-year-old woman was driving a Toyota Matrix eastbound at 36th Street just before 7 a.m., turning onto El Cajon Boulevard, when she accidentally hit two boys – ages 14 and 12 – walking in the crosswalk.

The 14-year-old boy was thrown onto the sidewalk from the impact of the hit, while the 12-year-old was flung into a traffic lane. The boys' backpacks flew off, landing on a nearby sidewalk.

Police said the driver stopped and got out of her car to help the boys. Other passersby also stopped to help.

At this point, a 72-year-old driver in a Honda Accord approached the scene and struck both the woman and 12-year-old boy in the street, the San Diego Police Department said. A passerby who had been helping was also hit.

The 12-year-old boy suffered major injuries in both hits and was rushed to a local hospital. Police said he was being treated for a broken left femur and several other unspecified injuries.

The first driver and 14-year-old boy suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals, police confirmed. The passerby suffered a minor injury to his torso.

NBC 7 spoke to witness Abdul Ahmed, who said he saw the boys using the crosswalk when they were hit by the first car and stopped to help.

Ahmed said another bystander also stopped to render aid to the younger boy in the street. Abdul said that bystander had the boy in his arms when the second car hit the group.

He said the impact took the boy right out of his hands.

Police said all four injured victims were expected to recover.

The crash is under investigation, but police said it appeared the first driver was traveling against the sun and the sunlight prevented her from seeing the two young pedestrians.

Further details were not immediately released. Police investigated the site of the crash throughout the morning. They collected evidence and spoke with witnesses to figure out exactly what transpired leading up to the accident. Police said alcohol did not appear to be a factor.

No citations were given to either one of the drivers at the scene.

Officers directed traffic in the area, as lanes were blocked off from 35th to 36th streets following the crash. Police expected the streets to be cleared by 9:30 a.m.

Check back for updates on this developing story and also watch NBC 7 News at Midday for more details.
 



Photo Credit: Liberty Zabala

Bank Bandit Uses Fake Facial Hair as Disguise: FBI

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A man using what looks like a fake mustache and beard as a disguise is wanted in the robbery of a San Diego credit union, officials said Friday.

The man walked into the Mission Federal Credit Union on West Washington just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

He was wearing black sunglasses, a San Diego Chargers hat, a long-sleeved black shirt with blue jeans. Most notably, he also had fake facial hair, according to FBI investigators.

The suspect demanded money from several tellers.

Once he got some cash from one teller he walked out of the bank heading southbound toward University Avenue.

Officials describe the man as approximately 5-feet, 6-inches and 165 to 170 pounds.

Anyone with information concerning this robbery can call FBI investigators at (858) 320-1800 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. You may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.
 



Photo Credit: FBI

Ky. Clerk Kim Davis May Be Violating Judge's Order: Lawyer

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Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who was found in contempt of court and sent to jail, may be violating a federal judge's order to not further interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses, according to the lawyer for one of her deputies in the Rowan County office. 

"Those changes were made in some attempt to circumvent the court's orders and may have raised to the level of interference against the court's orders," wrote Richard Hughes, who represents Brian Mason, a deputy county clerk who has issued marriage licenses under the judge's order.

The changes include deleting her name, all mention of Rowan County, and references to deputy clerks. Only Mason's name is on the form, not his title, with a place for him to initial rather than to use his signature.  
Davis was found in contempt of court for refusing to issue any marriage licenses, claiming that granting them to same-sex couples would violate her religious beliefs. 


Photo Credit: AP

Bomb Hoax Petition Wants Apology

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Petitions delivered at Irving Independent School District headquarters in Texas on Friday seek an apology and suspension reversal for MacArthur High School freshman Ahmed Mohamed.

The 14-year-old student was handcuffed Monday for bringing a homemade clock to school that was initially suspected to be a hoax bomb.

“We understand that school safety is very important and we understand that was already taken care of once this interrogation started. Everybody knew this was not a bomb,” said petition supporter Shayan Elahi.

Petition supporters said they gathered 13,000 signatures, 9,000 from Texas and 400 from Irving.

“We send our children to school to be educated, not to be humiliated,” petition supporter Terry Meza said.

Irving ISD Communication Director Lesley Weaver offered no apologies.

“We stand behind our teacher. We believe she followed the correct process when she heard the homemade device beeping in her classroom,” Weaver said.

A group of more than a dozen Mohamed student supporters demonstrated Friday afternoon outside MacArthur High, where the freshman would have been free to return Friday after completing a three-day suspension.

“They’re saying that what they did was right and they didn’t do anything wrong and I think that is ridiculous,” said Muram Ibrahim, a student at Irving ISD’s Singley Science Academy.

A man who declined to give his name interrupted the student protest with comments being voiced in social media on another side of the issue.

“You bring something looks like a bomb, you get what you deserve,” the man said. “This whole thing is stupid. It’s outrageous. It’s stupid.”

Mohamed’s family has been overwhelmed the past few days with mostly social media support and national media attention. He accepted an invitation to visit the White House. He refused to return to MacArthur High School.

His father, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, spent another day on the phone Friday receiving media requests and considering school options.

“We cannot sleep, rest, relax, go to work, our job, because of the media. People are so eager to know what is going on and what’s happening. I don’t blame them. All this is caused by this incident,” he said.

The father said his son has received offers from many schools, but will request a week of leave from Irving ISD to rest and consider which school to attend.

The family also had not picked up the homemade clock from Irving police. The President said he wants to see it when the teen visits.



Photo Credit: AP

School Superintendent Defends Board President Under Fire

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San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten said School Board President Marne Foster did not violate any district policies when she demanded action at her son’s school after he received a negative college recommendation.

“As a parent, Marne Foster brought a concern forward about her son, and any parent should be able to bring a concern forward. That's what she did,” Marten said during an unscheduled interview Friday morning.

A School of Creative and Performing Arts counselor who wrote the original recommendation was placed on suspension, and the principal is no longer at the school.

The Voice of San Diego, NBC 7’s media partner, reported Thursday that Foster “used her influence to meddle in day-to-day operations at her son’s school,” against board policy.

Emails, obtained by the Voice of San Diego through a public records act request, show Foster messaged a top district official demanding a copy of the negative college evaluation written about her son, and she requested it be replaced with a positive evaluation.

She got her wish when another counselor wrote a new, positive recommendation.

In 2013, Foster said she was “disgusted” with the leadership at her son's school, according to emails.

Board policy states: “The board will not give direction to any employee other than the superintendent and any other employee who may report directly to the board.”

Marten, responding for the first time to the accusations, said Foster was within her rights as a parent to do so.

“That email was written to that staff member by Marne Foster, my understanding is, from her personal email account and it was signed by her as a parent,” Marten said. “She brought that forward as a parent and as a parent she has a right to do that and our board policies are really clear about that.”

The superintendent said she receives all types of input about San Diego schools staff, all the time.

“I love getting input from the public,” Marten said. “I go to school events, and parents come up to me with opinions about staff members; sometimes great opinions and sometimes not so great opinions.”

Marten said Foster’s opinion about the School of Creative and Performing Arts staff had no more impact on the district’s decision-making than any other parent raising a concern.

When asked how often a parent gives their input and shortly thereafter, a principal is no longer at a school, Marten said, "It's hard to say how often that happen or doesn't happen. I don't know."

“I want to assure the public that all decisions that we make regarding personnel go through a very intense, rigorous process, including legal counsel, HR (Human Resources) counsel, and we use a fair, HR approach, and that any undue influence by any board member was not part of that,” Marten added.

Foster did not respond to NBC 7's request for comment on this story.

The school board president also came under fire for a July 25 private fundraiser she held to raise money for her two sons’ college tuition. The event was held at the Neighborhood House Association headquarters — a nonprofit with a district contract that Foster voted on for the past two years.

An attendee said guests included contractors with financial dealings with the district and employees who may seek favors in return. Foster has since apologized for the fundraiser, calling it a “mistake of the heart.”

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