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Conn. Man Charged for Sexual Videos

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A Connecticut man is facing federal charges after allegedly setting up cameras around his house to record explicit video of teenage boys who he invited over for slumber parties that turned sexual.

Mark W. Irvin, 63, of Meriden, has been charged with production and possession of child pornography. Federal prosecutors said cameras placed throughout Irvin's house on Glen Hills Road – including in the bathroom – were constantly recording.

According to residents, Irvin handed out fliers inviting neighborhood teens to spend weekends at his house and play games that involved covering them with shaving cream and chocolate pudding.

Irvin provided the teens with alcohol, showed them pornographic movies, gave them sex dolls and touched them inappropriately, according to the warrant for his arrest. He also allegedly encouraged the boys to touch each other in sexual ways.

The neighbor who alerted police said one night she saw Irvin huddled in a backyard tent with a group of young people who were laughing and joking.

"You could see images on the tent of silhouettes of boys' naked bodies. You could see Mark. At one point, I saw Mark standing up. He was naked," explained Anna Roberts. "It was kind of gross. You could see everything, and you could see the movie he was showing. It was porn and it was really explicit."

Roberts said Irvin brushed off the issue when she confronted him about it.

"He stood there and he was totally naked and I asked him, I said, 'Mark, what are you doing outside standing there naked?' And he looked at me and said, 'What? They're all of age,'" she recalled.

Police arrived and searched Irvin's home, seizing camcorders, computers, VHS tapes, CDs, DVDs, thumb drives and storage devices. At least one contained naked photos of a 13-year-old boy, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Federal prosecutors said another teen told police Irvin "had had repeated sexual contact with him since he was 15 years old," and had watched Irvin engage in sexual activity with other boys.

Irvin was arrested Sept. 18 and appeared in federal court Monday. He's due back for a detention hearing on Sept. 24.

He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The investigation continues and additional charges are possible.

"I hope they throw the book at him. I really do. He's a piece of garbage," Roberts said.

It's not clear if Irvin has an attorney.

Meriden police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 203-238-1911.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Motorcyclist Dies in Vista Crash

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A motorcyclist died after colliding with a vehicle in Vista Monday night, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. 

The crash happened at about 6:15 p.m. at Prominade Circle and Emerald Drive.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, officials say.

It's unclear if the driver of the vehicle has been cited or who was at fault.

The intersection is closed while deputies investigate.

A burning candle and a bouquet of white flowers marked the area where the motorcyclist died.

No further information was immediately available. 

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story. 

Why Did Scott Walker Fall in 2016 Race

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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's decision to drop out of the presidential race on Monday came as he entered the kind of death spiral struggling campaigns often do, NBC News reported.

The candidate who had once led in polls in Iowa was now well behind in the Hawkeye State and outside of the top 10 GOP candidates in some national surveys. He was potentially in danger of not qualifying for the next GOP debate. And with donors unwilling to give money to a candidate who appeared to be a loser, Walker was running low on campaign funds.

But why was Walker struggling to raise money and maintain his standing in polls? Because the second-term Wisconsin governor was supposed to be the man who could satisfy both wings of the Republican Party but ended up pleasing neither.



Photo Credit: AP

More Details in Fox Lake Shooting

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Officials on Monday said that gunshot residue and ballistic tests done during the investigation into a veteran Fox Lake police officer's shooting "do not support or exclude any theory." 

The reports came in Monday morning, just as authorities were scheduled to meet following reports that they were at odds in their investigation, according to task force spokesman Chris Covelli. 

Covelli said they are still investigating the shooting as a "homicide," based on Fox Lake police lieutenant Joseph Gliniewicz's radio call that he was pursuing three suspicious suspects just before his death and the fact that a canine managed to trace a path from the crime scene.

Covelli addressed DNA evidence found at the scene, which investigators earlier reported did not match Gliniewicz. He said the DNA is currently being analyzed against a database of all convicted felons along with anyone interviewed during the process of the investigation. 

The shooting prompted a furious police manhunt when Gliniewicz was shot Sept 1. After flooding western Lake County with over 400 officers, as well as helicopters and canines, the trail now appears to have gone cold, and police have not taken reporters’ questions since Sept. 9.

Covelli noted that authorities are pursuing more than 300 leads in the case.

"There is no rock left unturned," he said. "We are looking at every angle in this investigation."

Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd has revealed that Gliniewicz died from a “devastating” gunshot wound and officials said he was struck by two bullets, but investigators have not revealed how many shots were fired and if the fatal round came from the Lieutenant’s own gun, which was recovered at the scene.

Last Tuesday, for the first time, officials with the task force investigating the officer’s death conceded they are considering both homicide and suicide.

Meanwhile, Gliniewicz’s son Donald "D.J." Gliniewicz told the Daily Herald, "my father never once had a single suicidal thought in his life."

"He has applied for several different chief positions at police departments and someone who wants to take their life, they don't plan a future," D.J. Gliniewicz told the publication.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

SDSU Not Only Mountain West Team Off To A Rocky Start

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San Diego State is not the only Mountain West football team off to a disappointing start.

Misery apparently does love company.

Almost the entire conference is struggling out the gate. All 12 teams in the league already have at least one loss and we are barely 3 games into the young season.

The only programs that sport winning records are Air Force, Boise State, and Hawaii. The Falcons might be the best of the bunch as they only lost to then-4th ranked Michigan State by a score of 35-21.

In the previous two weeks alone, Mountain West schools are a combined 2-20 against non-conference opponents.

In week 2, the MW went 0-10 vs non-MW schools, with the lone victory belonging to Air Force after the Falcons thrashed San Jose State 37-16.

With all the teams stumbling in the early going against non-conference foes, no clear favorite has really emerged as an impressive squad in the first month.

SDSU is coming off its 5th consecutive winning season and 5 straight bowl appearances. This squad was (and still is) expected to compete for the conference title. But there’s a good chance the Aztecs could be 1-3 heading into conference play.

Since cruising in their season opener over the crosstown San Diego Toreros, the Aztecs dropped back-to-back outings in disappointing fashion.

They battled California to a 7-7 tie at halftime, only to see the Bears outscore them 28-0 in the 2nd half and lose 35-7.

Then last weekend, SDSU had a chance to earn its 10th straight home game against visiting South Alabama but could not close it out. The Aztecs wound up losing in overtime to a team that was a double-digit underdog.

That loss ended in heartbreaking fashion as talented junior tight end Daniel Brunskill dropping a potential game-tying touchdown in Qualcomm Stadium.

Rocky Long’s squad is now sadly 1-2 as it prepares for a long flight out to Happy Valley to face Penn State.

While the MW appears to be down this year, the Big Ten is trending upward with the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes and the newly anointed #2 Spartans giving that conference its 1st 1-2 punch in the AP Top 25 poll since 2010.

History doesn’t play football games but it can tell us that the Aztecs are 2-and-11 when they play in the Eastern time zone. They dropped decisions at Ohio State and North Carolina the past couple of years.

Perhaps this is a good time to mention that the Aztecs have also never played a game before in the Keystone State.

San Diego State and Penn State are set to kickoff Saturday at 12:30 PT. It’s about 2,500 miles or roughly 38 hours from the Q to Beaver Stadium if you’re making the drive.

Let’s just hope the Aztecs aren’t stuck in reverse after their first ever road game in the state of Pennyslvania.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Cops: Sunrise Man Mutilates GF

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**Disclaimer: The content provided in this story contains graphic material**

A Miami-area man is accused of killing and disemboweling his girlfriend allegedly because the woman called out the name of her ex-husband during sex, police said.

According to an arrest report, 24-year-old Fidel Lopez called Sunrise Police just after 3:30 a.m. Sunday to his apartment located 11630 Northwest 128th Drive. Lopez told police that his girlfriend, 31-year-old Maria Nemeth, was not breathing.

Police arrived to find Nemeth's naked body on the bathroom floor surrounded by blood and bodily tissue. Police also observed holes in the dry wall and a closet door that had been removed and was lying on the hallway floor, and began to suspect a struggle and foul play.

Officers also reported seeing cut limes and a half empty bottle of tequila in the kitchen.

Neighbors told police they'd heard lots of yelling and loud noises coming from apartment 308, the unit Lopez and Nemeth had shared for about a week, for the past two hours.

During initial questioning, Lopez claimed that he and Nemeth had been having rough, consensual sex when she went into the bathroom, vomited and passed out.

Upon further questioning, Lopez claimed to police that during sex, Nemeth allegedly called out the name of her ex-husband twice. Lopez told police that upon hearing this, he became enraged and turned into a "monster."

The report indicates that Lopez flew into a rage, breaking things in the apartment and punching holes in the wall. He went into the closet where Nemeth was lying unconscious, and began to violently assault her, inserting various items, including a beer bottle, a hair flat iron, and both of his fists, into her as she lay unconscious, police said. Lopez admitted to police that he inserted his arm so far into Nemeth's body that he ripped out her intestines.

Lopez told police that Nemeth never regained consciousness during the attack, and that he attempted to revive her by splashing water onto her face.

He went to the bathroom to wash blood off of his hands, then went to smoke a cigarette on the porch. Police said a panicked Lopez then started grabbing various items to try and cover the bloody tissue he'd removed from Nemeth's body during the violent attack.

Lopez checked on Nemeth a final time, and upon discovering that she was not breathing, called 911.

Police arrested Lopez and charged him with first-degree murder. He was ordered held without bond. Records did not indicate whether Lopez had hired an attorney.

Neighbors remembered Nemeth as a sweet, kind person that everyone seemed to love.

"Very gentle, very private. Soft-spoken young lady. We all loved her. Very pleasant young lady," said Dan Carter.

"Very sweet, loving girl. Been here for years. I've been in and out of the office for eight years," said Debbie Katz.

Nemeth worked as a leasing agent at the apartment complex where she met Lopez.

Pope to Canonize Junipero Serra Despite Controversy

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To Pope Francis, the 18th-century priest Junipero Serra was one of the United States’ founding fathers, a missionary who brought the Gospel to the New World.

To Valentin Lopez, the chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of the Costanoan/Ohlone Indians, Serra was the architect of a brutal mission system that enslaved and terrorized Lopez’s ancestors in California.

Now, even as the fierce controversy over Serra continues unabated, one of Francis’ first acts during his visit to the United States will be to make the Franciscan friar from Spain a saint.

“We’re disappointed but we’re not surprised,” said Lopez, who plans to cut his hair as a sign of mourning. “The church has ignored indigenous people for over 500 years.”

Serra will be canonized at a Mass to be celebrated on Wednesday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Vice President Biden is expected to attend.

Francis has praised Serra’s willingness to leave his native Spain for hardships in the New World, asking in a homily in May, “I wonder if today we are able to respond with the same generosity and courage to the call of God.”

The pope said that Serra defended Native Americans against abuses by colonizers and that his writings showed respect for indigenous people and their ways.

Teresa Berger, a professor of Catholic theology at Yale University’s Divinity School said that a number of factors could have drawn Francis’ attention to Serra, among them Francis’ knowledge of the missionary work in the Americas and his devotion to St. Francis.

“There are some things that one can praise in Junipero Serra,” she said. “And those are the things that I think Pope Francis has in his mind. And there are also things that are deeply troubling. And that of course is what particularly Native American communities have in mind because they still suffer the consequences of that.”

Francis has been accused of hypocrisy for planning to canonize Serra after apologizing in June during a tour of South America for the “grave sins of colonialism,” a charge leveled by some Native Americans.

Berger disagreed.

“No, they are just seeing different parts of a complicated legacy,” she said.

Harvard Divinity School Professor Francis X. Clooney said that any choice for sainthood would likely be criticized.

“Rarely, in modern times, do you find historical figures about whom there would not be some controversy,” he said. “Even recently with Pope John Paul II — many people were delighted that he was made a saint, but many people had problems with his papacy and questions about it and wished he hadn’t been made a saint.”

Lopez and other Native American leaders said that ceremony would signal that the Roman Catholic Church still treated Native Americans as pagans and savages. Little has changed since official papal documents or bulls of the 15th century considered indigenous people to be pagans, savages and heathens, he said.

In defending the beating of Native Americans, Serra wrote in 1780: "That spiritual fathers should punish their sons, the Indians, with blows appears to be as old as the conquest of the Americas; so general in fact that the saints do not seem to be any exception to the rule."

Lopez wrote this month in a letter to Francis that Indians were never told that once baptized they were be confined involuntarily at the missions and forced to labor for clergy and soldiers. They were captured violently, enslaved, tortured and raped; their unhealthy diet and squalid living quarters resulted in the deaths of an estimated 150,000 California Indians at the missions.

“How the Catholic Church and you, Holy Father, can consider Serra’s actions to be holy, sacred or saintly is incomprehensible to our Tribe,” he wrote.

The first saint to be canonized in the United States, Miguel Jose Serra was born in 1713 on the island of Majorca off the coast of Spain. He was influenced at an early age by St. Francis, and when he decided to enter the priesthood choose the name Junipero after one of St. Francis' companions.

Serra set sail from Majorca in 1749 and after almost two months at sea, he and other missionaries arrived in Puerto Rico. He traveled on to Veracruz, Mexico, walked 250 miles to Mexico City and eventually made his way to San Diego.

He founded nine missions in California before dying in Carmel in 1784. He is buried under the sanctuary floor of the mission church, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo.

In California, many streets, highways, trails, schools and monuments bear his name. His statue is one of two representing California in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall along with one of former president and California Gov. Ronald Reagan. Its presence has come under debate as well. Some Californians want to replace him with astronaut Sally Ride, a proposal postponed until after the pope's visit.

Clooney said that the process to sainthood was typically a long one with multiple stages. A religious figure is usually identified by a local church, and when support grows, messages begin to be relayed to the Vatican.

“You don’t go from nothing to being a saint,” Clooney said. “What it’s supposed to be is that the pope and his advisors in Rome are recognizing a groundswell of the local church.”

Because the path to sainthood is complicated, Clooney said that the decision to canonize Serra probably preceded Francis’s papacy.

“The pope didn’t decide ‘Oh I have a trip coming up to the United States – who can we canonize while I’m there?’” said Clooney. “He probably was not the instigator of this in the first place, but allowed the process to be completed.”

But Berger said she thought it was Francis’ decision to move forward with the canonization during this trip. Serra was made “blessed” — the stage before sainthood — in 1988 by Pope John Paul II, and could have remained at that stage indefinitely.

The Vatican has recognized only one miracle performed by Serra, another controversial decision: A nun in St. Louis was cured of lupus after praying to him.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Teen Sexually Assaulted in Park: SDPD

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Two juveniles were in custody and a third was sought after a teenager was sexually assaulted in a public park Sunday, San Diego police said.

Someone called SDPD around 9 p.m. to report three males attacking a female at Mountain View Park.

Juan Ramirez said he saw the victim being attacked near a fence and moved in to help her.

"They were like already on her," he said. "I stopped them. My dad came, he helped me too."

Ramirez said it was his mother who called 911.

The victim was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital where she was treated.

San Diego police identified the victim as a 14-year-old girl.

Two juvenile boys were in custody and the third juvenile boy accused in the crime had been identified, police said.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Harper Trial: Accused's Son Describes Hearing a "Thud"

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A Carlsbad woman watched her son and daughter testify in court Monday as jurors consider whether she should go to prison for shooting and killing her husband.

“I really don't want to be here,” the son said at the beginning of his testimony. “I want to be in school.”

Prosecutors questioned the children about their mother, Julie Harper, who is on trial for second-degree murder in the shooting death of her husband Jason inside their home on Aug. 27, 2012.

Harper has said she shot her husband out of fear that he would kill or rape her.

Many San Diegans will recall the shooting took place inside the couple’s home while the children were in another part of the home watching television.

The defendant's son testified the he didn’t see his father hit his mother – a claim that Julie Harper has made.

“We were watching cartoons and we heard a thud,” the child recalled about the day his father was killed. “We heard a thud and we went upstairs to see what happened.”

“We tried to come in and we were told we couldn't come in,” he said.

The judge allowed jurors to see a video interview with Harper's son the day after the shooting. In the clip, the boy said he "knew when dad was angry."

The child also described a mother who kept “a huge drawer full of pill bottles” and a father who “wanted us to be good people.”

Testimony from Harper's daughter followed a similar line. She described how her mother took pills and slept a lot.

She said she refuses to call Harper her mother now.

"Julie told us that he was dead," the girl said. "When he fell off his chair, he got dead, I think."

The prosecutor asked her if looking back, does she think that's true? She said no, Harper killed her father.

Brian Harper, the victim’s younger brother, broke down in tears on the witness stand Monday as he recalled the day he learned his brother had been shot and killed.

His parents called him around 3 a.m. to check on Jason’s home.

“I passed one of those [police evidence] trucks and I knew Julie had killed my brother,” he said. “I was worried about the kids.”

He testified he never heard his brother talk or act in a violent way.

“Growing up I can’t even remember one instance where he was violent in any way,” Brian testified.

“I can’t even think of people who have relationship with their brothers of siblings where they didn’t get pushed around or anything and I can’t think of one time. Not once,” he told the court.

Brian also recalled a family dinner when he decided to leave early because he didn’t want to be around Julie. He said he had heard Julie withdrew $9,000 from his brother’s checking account using fraudulent checks.

This is the second trial for Julie Harper. Last October, a jury acquitted her on first-degree murder charges but was deadlocked on the second-degree murder and manslaughter counts.
Prosecutors decided to retry her on the lesser charges.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Angry Bees Sting Residents, Close Coronado Street

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A large swarm of bees temporarily shut down part of a Coronado street Monday afternoon, turning their buzzing anger toward unsuspecting residents.

The area around D Avenue and 5th Street was blocked off before 4 p.m. because of the huge hive, which sat next to a mailbox in a resident's yard.

Coronado Police recommended residents and visitors avoid the area. 

Joe Piepenkotter, who emerged barefoot from his home to see what the commotion was about, armed himself with a tennis racket to swat away the insects.

"I came out and there was a lady in one of these golf carts and she was going like this," said Piepenkotter, waving his arms frantically, "and I thought she was having an epileptic seizure."

As he explained the experience to NBC 7, Piepenkotter started swatting away a bee that began buzzing around his head.

It landed on his arm and struck.

"Oh he stung me, dang it!" Piepenkotter cried. "That's the first bee sting I've ever had." 

He decided it was time to go home when another angry bee flew into his mouth. Piepenkotter spit it out on the ground, struck it with his tennis racket and turned to go inside.

A bee expert removed the hive, and police had the intersection cleared by 6:50 p.m.



Photo Credit: NBC7

How Nuclear Material Was Handled at San Onofre: Docs

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Documents newly obtained by NBC 7 Investigates during secret talks about the condition of the land where the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) sits detail how nuclear material was handled at the plant since the 1980s.

The documents were released to individuals involved with the secret negotiations about the current condition and future handling of the 25-acre property. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the secret meetings have been going on for about 20 months and involve all the players with a stake in the prime coastal property.

Those players include the U.S. Navy, which owns the property; the U.S. Marines, whose base surrounds the property; and Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), both of which hold the lease to the property.

The current lease was signed on April 2011, and according to the agreement, ends on May 12, 2023.

A source close to the lease negotiations told NBC 7 Investigates that SCE and SDG&E want out of the lease as soon as possible. According to the source, the team representing the utilities has told all involved they want nondisclosure agreements signed so no one can go public with any information disclosed during the negotiations.

So far, one or more of the parties involved in the talks are refusing to sign the nondisclosure agreements.

This has caused the lease negotiations to go slowly, according to NBC 7 Investigates' source, who said the utilities are reluctant to provide full disclosure on what has occurred on the property since they took possession of it.

In an email, an SCE spokesperson  told NBC 7 Investigates the company has shared substantial information about the property lease with the public. Responses to other questions were left unanswered by the company. The Navy, Marines and SDG&E did not respond to questions or request for comment for this story.

Read the full response from SCE below.

NBC 7 Investigates received a copy of two documents the utilities have provided the team negotiating on behalf of the government.

One is a Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection report, written very early in SONGS' life. It is dated 1981, a relatively long time ago in human terms, but not so much, experts say, when it comes to radioactive materials.

After reviewing this document and one other document NBC 7 Investigates received, Joe Hopenfeld, an expert on the nuclear power industry, said, “It was unbelievable what they were doing there."

Hopenfeld, who lives in Maryland, has worked in the nuclear power field for 55 years.

"My general impression from what I have seen in that report is San Onofre was very very sloppy, very very careless in handling radioactive material," he told NBC 7 Investigates.

The property discussed in the documents includes the land in and around the reactor domes and across Interstate 5, which is called Japanese Mesa or the "Mesa,” according to the paperwork.

The two documents detail contaminated equipment was stored on both sides of the freeway and elevated radiation levels were found in January 1981 at "the beach area adjoining the tsunami wall.”

“You basically had hundreds of pieces of contaminated equipment," Hopenfeld said.

According to the documents, plant employees told an Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspector that they felt the waste monitor tanks inside of an auxiliary building were the probably source of radiation found on the beach. However, the inspector focused on a concrete block cubicle near the building which employees said contained "fairly high levels of radioactive waste.”

The radiation levels around the concrete cubicle were so elevated "the inspector did not perform a survey inside," according to the documents.

The report says it was determined the cubicle was “responsible for most of the radiation measured on the beach.” The leak problem was resolved by placing a 3/8-inch sheet of lead on the roof of the structure, the documents state.

The other document NBC 7 Investigates received is dated April 10, 2014. It is a historical assessment called "Radiological events at the Mesa.”

This document was provided by the utilities to "identify those locations at the Mesa that were affected by the inappropriate presence of radioactive materials." It's a foundation, they say, to determine whether "additional radiological surveys are appropriate to confirm the complete cleanup of radioactive materials."

The 900-page assessment shows radiation readings at the time on the property, photographs and a summary of what was determined. According to the document, utility officials don't believe any of the radioactivity spread, though they couldn't draw the same conclusion for materials left in the weather or exposed to the elements.

One potential problem, a former San Onofre Safety Officer Vinrod Arora said, was the "cordial relationship" between the plant and the agency that inspected them — the NRC.

Arora worked at the plant for 15 years. He told NBC 7 Investigates even if SCE turned over all property inspection documents, there's no guarantee of having a complete picture of the land's conditions. NRC inspections, he said, are thorough but limited.

"They have to do a lot of things in the given time frame, so they are focused on the problems identified by the operator of the plant,” Arora said.

As a safety officer, Arora saw internal reports as they came through the system and noticed a pattern in NRC inspections. According to Arora, the agency would usually only inspect a problem which SCE identified.

"It is very seldom they will discover a new problem on their own," he said.

Arora is currently suing SCE, saying the company fired him after he raised concerns about safety at the plant.

In the documents, NBC 7 Investigates did find examples of an NRC inspector alerting SCE to a safety issue. One happened during the inspection done in January 1981, according to the documents.

The report describes how an inspector alerted SCE that one of their security guards trailers had elevated radiation readings. According to the documents, a contaminated steam generator taken from the reactor exposed the workers for 10 days.

It also says initially the plant personnel did nothing until the inspector reminded them of the "unnecessary exposure being received" by occupants of the trailer.

After reading in the report about a steam generator system pipe that was "hot,” Hopenfeld said, "You have hot spots, you don't know what they are.” After reading more of the report, he told NBC 7 Investigates, "Apparently no one paid attention to this big pipe and they sent it off-site"

Eventually, according to the documents, an anonymous letter warned that the pipe was radioactive, and it was returned to the Mesa where inspectors "found radioactivity all over it."

Hopenfeld said that although most of the radioactivity problems described in the reports were at lower levels and these problems were reported early in the life of San Onofre, he is still troubled by them.

"This is an indication of the mentality and the culture at the time at SONGS," he said.

Arora said the plant grounds should be thoroughly inspected by an independent third party and not by SCE or SDGE or any of their subcontractors.

"Be very careful of the goods they accept from Edison with the blessings of the NRC," Arora warned. The concern, he said, is not just for the land but for those that might someday use it.

"We want to make sure our Marines and their families are taken care of and not subject to any unidentified contamination," Arora said.

After NBC 7 Investigates sent the Navy a series of questions, a Navy spokesperson responded in an email to each point. See the responses here: 

Question 1: It has come to my attention that secret meetings are taking place between representatives of the United States Navy, USMC and SCE/SDGE employees. Why are these meetings kept secret from the public?
Answer 1: The Department of the Navy (DON) is the lessor/grantor and SCE/SDGE are lessees/grantees of land at MCB Camp Pendleton. SCE, SDGE, and the DON hold regular meetings to address landlord/tenant issues.

Question 2: One could argue these meetings are of major public interest and the need for transparency is paramount. Or don't you agree?
Answer 2: The meetings between the DON and SCE/SDGE address issues that generally arise between the DON and tenants on its property.

Question 3: My understanding is SCE/SDGE have not been forthcoming in regards to the condition of the property. This is demonstrated by the unwillingness of the utilities to provide a thorough and complete set of documents and inspection reports in regards to the properties condition. Can you comment on this please?
Answer 3: The DON and SCE/SDGE have exchanged numerous documents related to condition of the property. The DON is reviewing the documents to assure the property is returned to it in accord with lease/easement provisions, statutory and regulatory requirements, and DON policy.

Question 4: I have learned reports provided by SCE were misleading and contain errors, and this was exposed recently by some parties involved in the discussions. Is this the case?
Answer 4: SCE/SDGE has provided and the DON is reviewing documents, and both parties are performing environmental due diligence in order to insure that the property is returned to the DON in accord with lease /easement provisions, statutory and regulatory requirements, and DON policy.

Question 5: My understanding there are other documents but SCE/SDGE are refusing to provide them unless all involved in the discussions sign a confidentially agreement. Why would SCE/SDGE request such a thing? Are there issues of national security at play?
Answer 5: The DON has not signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Question 6: The 2011 lease states the need for an appraisal in years ending with "5" or "0" as a requirement of the agreement. Is this the case? Why was the appraisal not done as required? How serious of an oversight is this?
Answer 6: The lease was executed in 2011. The lease requires an appraisal in years ending in "5" and "0." As it is 2015, the DON is performing an appraisal for the subject property this year.

 

NBC 7 Investigates also reached out to the NRC, U.S. Marine Corps and SDG&E, asking them the same questions. They have not responded.

Read the full response from Southern California Edison sent to NBC 7 Investigates by a spokeswoman Maureen Brown:

I’m following up to make you aware of substantial information that Edison has shared with the public regarding our lease with the Navy for the Mesa property. We have briefed the San Onofre Community Engagement Panel multiple times on this topic in the past 18 months. As you may know, the panel is led by UC San Diego Professor David Victor and meets regularly to discuss San Onofre decommissioning. More information is available at www.songscommunity.com, including video of all CEP meetings so you can review the discussion in more detail.
Below are links to specific references to the lease discussions.
Regards,
Maureen

 

Here is a briefing in March: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/cepqamarch25.pdf

See slides 12 and 13: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/Final_CEP.pdf

Minutes of Aug 2014 meeting mentioning Navy lease and site cleanup requirements: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/Meeting_Minutes_and_Action_Items_082814.pdf

Decommissioning Cost Estimate which references variety of lease costs:
http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/energysolutions2014songsdce_052114.pdf
 

Crews Fix Broken Propane Line in Unincorporated El Cajon

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 Crews have repaired a broken propane line in unincorporated El Cajon. 

Officials said the break happened at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday on the 1100 block of Greenfield Drive when workers at a construction site broke the line.

A strong odor was reported in the area. Residents were urged to shelter-in-place, but no evacuations were issued. 

San Diego Sheriff's officials were on scene and closed Greenfield between North 1st and Oro. 

No further information was immediately available. 

Fiorina on 'Tonight': Putin Is 'Charming,' 'Funny'

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Carly Fiorina has been making waves across the campaign trail - and she got right down to business when she appeared on the “Tonight Show” on Monday.

The Republican presidential candidate sat down with host Jimmy Fallon to talk about her campaign, her career and about some of her opponents.

Fallon asked how she felt about Ben Carson’s recent statements - that he believes a Muslim should never be able to become president of the U.S.

“I think that’s wrong. It says in our constitution that religion can’t be a test of office,” she said.

“Would you be fine with [a Muslim president being elected]?”

“Yes, I would be fine with that,” she answered.

Fiorina said her faith has been a very important part of her life, having helped her during her battle with breast cancer and following the death of her stepfather.

“Faith gives us humility, empathy and optimism,” she said.

"You've met Putin?" Fallon asked Fiorina.

Fiorina laid out her plan, if elected, on how she intends to deal with Russia.

"What I would do, is immediately, rebuilding the Sixth Fleet. I'd rebuild the missle defense program in Poland. I'd conduct regular military exercise in the Baltics. I'd put a few thousand more troops in Germany," she told Fallon.

"Putin needs to see that he faces strength and resolve and leadership from the United States of America. He would see that from me."

Fiorina said she met the Russian leader in Beijing when she was CEO of Hewlett-Packard. She described him as a formidable, confident adversary who can be funny and charming. 

“He’s a KGB guy. We shouldn’t forget this. He lusts for power,” she said.

The latest polls show Fiorina’s popularity among Republicans has spiked after her performance at the second GOP debates. She’s now sitting in second place right after frontrunner Donald Trump, who she likened to the Russian leader.

“He’s a lot like Putin. I won’t say anymore.”  



Photo Credit: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC

How Nuclear Material Was Handled at San Onofre: Docs

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Documents newly obtained by NBC 7 Investigates during secret talks about the condition of the land where the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) sits detail how nuclear material was handled at the plant since the 1980s.

The documents were released to individuals involved with the secret negotiations about the current condition and future handling of the 25-acre property. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the secret meetings have been going on for about 20 months and involve all the players with a stake in the prime coastal property.

Those players include the U.S. Navy, which owns the property; the U.S. Marines, whose base surrounds the property; and Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), both of which hold the lease to the property.

The current lease was signed on April 2011, and according to the agreement, ends on May 12, 2023.

A source close to the lease negotiations told NBC 7 Investigates that SCE and SDG&E want out of the lease as soon as possible. According to the source, the team representing the utilities has told all involved they want nondisclosure agreements signed so no one can go public with any information disclosed during the negotiations.

So far, one or more of the parties involved in the talks are refusing to sign the nondisclosure agreements.

This has caused the lease negotiations to go slowly, according to NBC 7 Investigates' source, who said the utilities are reluctant to provide full disclosure on what has occurred on the property since they took possession of it.

In an email, an SCE spokesperson  told NBC 7 Investigates the company has shared substantial information about the property lease with the public. Responses to other questions were left unanswered by the company. The Navy, Marines and SDG&E did not respond to questions or request for comment for this story.

Read the full response from SCE below.

NBC 7 Investigates received a copy of two documents the utilities have provided the team negotiating on behalf of the government.

One is a Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection report, written very early in SONGS' life. It is dated 1981, a relatively long time ago in human terms, but not so much, experts say, when it comes to radioactive materials.

After reviewing this document and one other document NBC 7 Investigates received, Joe Hopenfeld, an expert on the nuclear power industry, said, “It was unbelievable what they were doing there."

Hopenfeld, who lives in Maryland, has worked in the nuclear power field for 55 years.

"My general impression from what I have seen in that report is San Onofre was very very sloppy, very very careless in handling radioactive material," he told NBC 7 Investigates.

The property discussed in the documents includes the land in and around the reactor domes and across Interstate 5, which is called Japanese Mesa or the "Mesa,” according to the paperwork.

The two documents detail contaminated equipment was stored on both sides of the freeway and elevated radiation levels were found in January 1981 at "the beach area adjoining the tsunami wall.”

“You basically had hundreds of pieces of contaminated equipment," Hopenfeld said.

According to the documents, plant employees told an Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspector that they felt the waste monitor tanks inside of an auxiliary building were probably the source of radiation found on the beach. However, the inspector focused on a concrete block cubicle near the building which employees said contained "fairly high levels of radioactive waste.”

The radiation levels around the concrete cubicle were so elevated "the inspector did not perform a survey inside," according to the documents.

The report says it was determined the cubicle was “responsible for most of the radiation measured on the beach.” The leak problem was resolved by placing a 3/8-inch sheet of lead on the roof of the structure, the documents state.

The other document NBC 7 Investigates received is dated April 10, 2014. It is a historical assessment called "Radiological events at the Mesa.”

This document was provided by the utilities to "identify those locations at the Mesa that were affected by the inappropriate presence of radioactive materials." It's a foundation, they say, to determine whether "additional radiological surveys are appropriate to confirm the complete cleanup of radioactive materials."

The 900-page assessment shows radiation readings at the time on the property, photographs and a summary of what was determined. According to the document, utility officials don't believe any of the radioactivity spread, though they couldn't draw the same conclusion for materials left in the weather or exposed to the elements.

One potential problem, a former San Onofre Safety Officer Vinrod Arora said, was the "cordial relationship" between the plant and the agency that inspected them — the NRC.

Arora worked at the plant for 15 years. He told NBC 7 Investigates even if SCE turned over all property inspection documents, there's no guarantee of having a complete picture of the land's conditions. NRC inspections, he said, are thorough but limited.

"They have to do a lot of things in the given time frame, so they are focused on the problems identified by the operator of the plant,” Arora said.

As a safety officer, Arora saw internal reports as they came through the system and noticed a pattern in NRC inspections. According to Arora, the agency would usually only inspect a problem which SCE identified.

"It is very seldom they will discover a new problem on their own," he said.

Arora is currently suing SCE, saying the company fired him after he raised concerns about safety at the plant.

In the documents, NBC 7 Investigates did find examples of an NRC inspector alerting SCE to a safety issue. One happened during the inspection done in January 1981, according to the documents.

The report describes how an inspector alerted SCE that one of their security guards trailers had elevated radiation readings. According to the documents, a contaminated steam generator taken from the reactor exposed the workers for 10 days.

It also says initially the plant personnel did nothing until the inspector reminded them of the "unnecessary exposure being received" by occupants of the trailer.

After reading in the report about a steam generator system pipe that was "hot,” Hopenfeld said, "You have hot spots, you don't know what they are.” After reading more of the report, he told NBC 7 Investigates, "Apparently no one paid attention to this big pipe and they sent it off-site"

Eventually, according to the documents, an anonymous letter warned that the pipe was radioactive, and it was returned to the Mesa where inspectors "found radioactivity all over it."

Hopenfeld said that although most of the radioactivity problems described in the reports were at lower levels and these problems were reported early in the life of San Onofre, he is still troubled by them.

"This is an indication of the mentality and the culture at the time at SONGS," he said.

Arora said the plant grounds should be thoroughly inspected by an independent third party and not by SCE or SDGE or any of their subcontractors.

"Be very careful of the goods they accept from Edison with the blessings of the NRC," Arora warned. The concern, he said, is not just for the land but for those that might someday use it.

"We want to make sure our Marines and their families are taken care of and not subject to any unidentified contamination," Arora said.

After NBC 7 Investigates sent the Navy a series of questions, a Navy spokesperson responded in an email to each point. See the responses here: 

Question 1: It has come to my attention that secret meetings are taking place between representatives of the United States Navy, USMC and SCE/SDGE employees. Why are these meetings kept secret from the public?
Answer 1: The Department of the Navy (DON) is the lessor/grantor and SCE/SDGE are lessees/grantees of land at MCB Camp Pendleton. SCE, SDGE, and the DON hold regular meetings to address landlord/tenant issues.

Question 2: One could argue these meetings are of major public interest and the need for transparency is paramount. Or don't you agree?
Answer 2: The meetings between the DON and SCE/SDGE address issues that generally arise between the DON and tenants on its property.

Question 3: My understanding is SCE/SDGE have not been forthcoming in regards to the condition of the property. This is demonstrated by the unwillingness of the utilities to provide a thorough and complete set of documents and inspection reports in regards to the properties condition. Can you comment on this please?
Answer 3: The DON and SCE/SDGE have exchanged numerous documents related to condition of the property. The DON is reviewing the documents to assure the property is returned to it in accord with lease/easement provisions, statutory and regulatory requirements, and DON policy.

Question 4: I have learned reports provided by SCE were misleading and contain errors, and this was exposed recently by some parties involved in the discussions. Is this the case?
Answer 4: SCE/SDGE has provided and the DON is reviewing documents, and both parties are performing environmental due diligence in order to insure that the property is returned to the DON in accord with lease /easement provisions, statutory and regulatory requirements, and DON policy.

Question 5: My understanding there are other documents but SCE/SDGE are refusing to provide them unless all involved in the discussions sign a confidentially agreement. Why would SCE/SDGE request such a thing? Are there issues of national security at play?
Answer 5: The DON has not signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Question 6: The 2011 lease states the need for an appraisal in years ending with "5" or "0" as a requirement of the agreement. Is this the case? Why was the appraisal not done as required? How serious of an oversight is this?
Answer 6: The lease was executed in 2011. The lease requires an appraisal in years ending in "5" and "0." As it is 2015, the DON is performing an appraisal for the subject property this year.

 

NBC 7 Investigates also reached out to the NRC, U.S. Marine Corps and SDG&E, asking them the same questions. They have not responded.

Read the full response from Southern California Edison sent to NBC 7 Investigates by a spokeswoman Maureen Brown:

I’m following up to make you aware of substantial information that Edison has shared with the public regarding our lease with the Navy for the Mesa property. We have briefed the San Onofre Community Engagement Panel multiple times on this topic in the past 18 months. As you may know, the panel is led by UC San Diego Professor David Victor and meets regularly to discuss San Onofre decommissioning. More information is available at www.songscommunity.com, including video of all CEP meetings so you can review the discussion in more detail.
Below are links to specific references to the lease discussions.
Regards,
Maureen

 

Here is a briefing in March: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/cepqamarch25.pdf

See slides 12 and 13: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/Final_CEP.pdf

Minutes of Aug 2014 meeting mentioning Navy lease and site cleanup requirements: http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/Meeting_Minutes_and_Action_Items_082814.pdf

Decommissioning Cost Estimate which references variety of lease costs:
http://www.songscommunity.com/docs/energysolutions2014songsdce_052114.pdf
 

2 Crashes Slow South Bay Commute

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Two collisions on two major routes from the South Bay into downtown slowed the commute early Tuesday.

A traffic collision has blocked traffic from the westbound State Route 54 to northbound Interstate 5.

California Highway Patrol Officers were notified at 6 a.m. that two motorcycles were on fire.

Both motorcyclists were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of serious injuries.

Thirty minutes later, CHP issued a SigAlert for several hours with only three lanes open to traffic.

In a separate, unrelated collision, a car rolled over on Interstate 805 near SR-54.

The vehicle overturned in the HOV lane along northbound I-805 at Imperial at 6 a.m. The crash was cleared as of 7 a.m.

Follow @NBC7 for traffic updates.


High-Speed Chase Ends in Violent Crash

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A high-speed police pursuit ended with a violent crash Tuesday as the suspect’s vehicle struck a hydrant and then flew into the air, landing on two cars parked in a driveway.

San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies tried to pull over a driver for speeding at approximately 2:40 a.m. in Vista.

Deputies say the driver didn't stop and continued to travel about a mile before crashing in the middle of an Oceanside neighborhood off of Olive Drive and College Avenue.

Teresa Wu lives in the neighborhood and said the crash shook her home.

“I came to the window to see what was going on,” Wu said. “I opened the door but [officers] had their guns out so I just shut the door and went back inside.”

She said she waited for police to come to her door and update her on what was going on outside.

“They told us that all of our cars were smashed.”

The driver was airlifted to Scripps La Jolla. The extent of his injuries was unknown, officials said.

Before crashing into two cars, the suspect struck a hydrant. That collision sent water 20 to 30 feet into the air. Water crews were called to the scene to stop the flow of water.

Oceanside Police say the suspect’s car hit a dip in the road before crashing.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Charges in Nutella Waffle Fight

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A 24-year-old man has been charged in connection with punching a 78-year-old shopper in the face after the victim protested about how many samples the man had taken at a Nutella waffle tasting station at a Costco in Burbank, police said.

Derrick Gharabighi, of Burbank, has been charged with felony elder abuse and personal infliction of great bodily injury against a person over 70 years of age, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The suspect is accused of striking a man in the face Sunday morning when the man told him he shouldn't take so many waffles after the alleged assailant took multiple samples off the table at the Costco at 1051 West Burbank Boulevard, officials said.

The victim suffered a cut above his left eye and swelling around his face and was hospitalized, officials said.

Gharabighi was booked into jail with bail set at $50,000.

It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

Man Waving Gun at Resident Taken Into Custody: PD

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 A man holding a gun and waving it at a resident was taken into custody Tuesday, San Diego Police said. 

The incident happened at 11 a.m. on the 4700 block of Solola Avenue in Lincoln Park. 

A resident called and said a tenant's husband was holding a gun and waving it at a resident. 

The resident took off running and called police. 

Police then arrived and took the man into custody. 

Trump Tries Regaining Attention by Restarting Battle With Fox News

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Donald Trump tried to get the attention back on himself after Scott Walker's decision to end his presidential campaign dominated headlines by restarting his war with Fox News after appearing on the cable news channel.

Trump said Fox News host Bill O'Reilly treated him "unfairly" because the host didn't use polls that were more favorable to the Republican presidential candidate.

"He wants people to like him. When people criticize him, he takes it personally. And then, you know, this machine, this tweeting thing, that's like the worst thing you could give Donald Trump is this tweeting thing," O'Reilly told Matt Lauer on TODAY. "So I just think this is just an extension of his reality show."



Photo Credit: AP

Dogs Rescued From Korean Meat Trade Up For Adoption

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 Dogs rescued from a South Korean dog meat farm will be up for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society starting Thursday.

The San Diego Humane Society announced the arrival of 29 dogs saved from a dog meat farm Tuesday at a press conference. 

Efforts to save the animals began in July, when Adam Parascandola, the director of animal protection and crisis response at Humane Society International and a Special Response Team were introduced to the owner of a South Korean owner of a dog meat farm who was looking to shut down his farm in Chungcheongnam, South Korea. 

Over the process of several months, 103 dogs total were brought over from the farm. When the 29 dogs arrived in San Diego, they were treated for any medical conditions or issues and given food, water and shelter. 

Most dogs, however, needed time to adjust to their new environment. 

"They just did not know what was going on," said San Diego Police officer Steve McKinney. "They'd never felt grass before."

Parascandola said at the farm the dogs came from, the conditions the dogs were living in were brutal and inhumane. Even removing the dogs can be emotional because rescuers witness the horrible conditions the animals live in, he said. 

"This is a significant number of dogs because none of these dogs have any life experience off of the farm and out of the cages," Parascandola said. "Even though they're sweet wonderful dogs they all have a ways to go to become family companions."

Now, Parascandola and the many other volunteers are hoping to help the animals find new forever homes.

"I think that anyone who adopts the dogs needs to be prepared to put the work into them to get them used to everyday sounds. Will this ever be a dog that you sort of can take everywhere with you to somewhere that’s super busy? I don’t know," he said.

"But certainly this can be a dog that can easily integrate into somebody’s life and become a wonderful companion," Parascandola said. "There are many of the people that have adopted from the previous farms that have found that this has been a life changing experience for them."

At the joint press conference, the San Diego Humane Society and Humane Society International announced a new Emergency Placement Partners partnership to continue international and national animal rescue efforts.

To adopt the dogs, visit the Humane Society on Gaines Street Thursday. 



Photo Credit: NBC7
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