A San Diego woman who gave birth at Petco Park Thursday night said her labor and delivery progressed so quickly, she didn’t even make it to her seat before she realized she was having her baby boy right then and there.

Jaime Stiles gave birth to 6-pound, 14-ounce Levi at the ballpark around the third inning of the San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants game.

Cradling her perfectly healthy, sleeping newborn in her arms at the hospital Friday, Jaime recounted the incredible, unexpected birth story that was a huge hit with fans all over San Diego.

Jaime said she began having contractions earlier in the afternoon, but decided to go to the Padres games with her mother, Estelle Stiles, as a “distraction” to “see if things could move along.”

And, boy, did they ever.

They got in the car, drove downtown and bought tickets to the game. As she and her mother walked into the ballpark, Jaime's contractions got a bit more intense.

“[I thought] ‘Okay, it’s kind of getting a little bit stronger,” she explained. “Honestly, we didn’t even make it to our seats.”

Jaime and her mother decided to turn around and head back to the car so they could drive to the hospital. As they rode in a packed elevator – stopping at nearly every floor – Jaime realized they weren’t going to make it to the hospital.

“All of the sudden, it was go time,” she recounted. “It was just starting to come so fast.”

As they reached the ground floor, Jaime walked over to a bench at the park’s Palm Plaza. Security guards called for help and an on-call nurse who is a midwife came over to assist.

“[I thought], ‘I’m going to have this baby, like, right now,’” Jaime said. “This is the thing that happens in the news – this is not what happens to me!”

Soon medics arrived and put Stiles on a gurney.

Her water broke, she had one more contraction, and moments later, Levi was born.

“It happened so fast I didn’t really have time to think about it. It was seriously from zero to 60 in like 30 minutes,” she said. “I was in total shock. It was the craziest thing that I could’ve ever imagined. There it was, me having a baby at Petco Park.”

“It was fast. He was crying – he was pink and perfect,” she continued. “Everybody was cheering. It was really kind of funny. It was an out-out-body, very surreal experience.”

Jaime said only one hour had passed from the time they parked their car downtown to the time she gave birth – a much different experience than when she gave birth to her first son, Grayson, a few years ago.

With Grayson, Jaime said the process was lengthy, so she thought Levi’s birth would be similar.

“It was just so crazy and unexpected. I thought I was going to be in labor for days like I was the first time and that there was no way this baby was going to be born at Petco,” she explained.

The mother said Levi was originally due Sept. 25 – so he was almost spot-on with his due date.
She said she’s looking forward to one day sharing the amazing birth story with her 20.5-inch bundle of joy.

“The whole thing was really cool. “I can’t complain about anything. It’s awesome,” she said with a smile.

Jaime said her quiet, content baby boy is doing well – nursing, sleeping and doing everything a healthy newborn should be doing.

“He’s very, very happy,” she said.

Her husband, Steven, joined her and the baby at the hospital soon after the birth. Levi was born so quickly, Steven had no time to get there to witness the birth himself.

“It was supposed to be a ladies’ night, but I guess guys always run ladies’ night,” he joked.

He said becoming Levi’s dad is really an indescribable feeling and loves his epic birth story.

“It’s one of my favorite sports, so it’s fitting that my son was born at a ballpark,” he added.

Jaime said her birth plan for Levi had long been to “just go with it,” but she didn’t exactly have this in mind.

“I was just going to take it one step at a time,” she said. “It’s a good thing I went into it flexible.”

Jaime’s mother, Estelle, said witnesses the birth of her fifth grandson at the ballpark was unforgettable.

“I thought she was overreacting at first,” Estelle said. “I was very surprised – I didn’t ever dream that would happen.”

Estelle said a security guard at the ballpark offered to help snap some photos of the occasion while she helped Jaime. The proud grandmother even got to cut the cord.

“It was really, really special,” Estelle said, beaming. “To watch your daughter give birth is about the hardest thing you can do. You’re right there with them, doing it. It’s a blessing – to watch your daughter give birth.”

The family is grateful for the support from fans, Petco Park and the Padres.

The team sent a basket filled with goodies to their hospital room Friday, including a teeny, tiny Padres jersey with Levi’s name on the back. The family even got a special visit from the Padres mascot, the Friar.

The family has big hopes for Levi’s future and joked that he has no choice but to play T-Ball in a few years.

“I think he’s going to be a baseball player!” Jaime said.

The ballpark birth was the talk of the night among fans at the game – especially after the news was announced over the loudspeaker.

The stands erupted with cheers, all in honor of San Diego’s newest little Padre.
 

A San Diego-area doctor was sentenced for sexually assaulted female patients and taking photos of their naked bodies while they were treated at the only free health care clinic in the East County.

Jeffrey Joel Abrams, 68, was sentenced to one year in jail to be served as house arrest and five years formal probation. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, three counts of sexual battery and one count of possession of child pornography, involving pictures of an 8-year-old girl, according to Deputy District Attorney Kerry Conway. Abrams faced 25 years in prison.

During his house arrest, he will be monitored through a GPS device and will not be allowed to leave his residence. As a part of his sentence, he will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and will be barred from practicing medicine. 

In a Probation Department report obtained exclusively by NBC7, probation officials recommended Abrams receive time in state prison for the crimes he committed. 

“However, given the facts of this offense, the impact it has had on the victims, the distrust he has instilled in the community and medical profession as a whole, and for the protection of the community, it does not appear probation is appropriate in this matter," the report says.

"Consecutive sentencing" is appropriate, the report says, even taking into account the fact that it was his first offense. 

The department recommended sentencing Abrams to state prison for 20 years and 8 months. 

At the sentencing, the victims and defense both supported having Abrams sentenced to house arrest. The defense explained during sentencing that Abrams had complications from kidney cancer and could not receive care in prison. 

Eight victims were seen by Abrams at the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) free clinic in El Cajon between June 1, 2010, and June 2014.

When Abrams was arrested in November, investigators claimed to have found more than a thousand photos of women’s vaginas, breasts and buttocks on his work phone.

There was also a video of a patient touching herself in the exam room with Abrams, a search warrant alleged.

Attorney Jessica Pride, who represents victims in the case, sent NBC 7 this statement: 

"My clients are happy that their voices were heard and that they were able to make a difference. They are thankful that justice was served."

Abrams’ medical license has been temporarily suspended by the State Medical Board, and he has been ordered to surrender his passport.

A lawsuit was filed by five women who were patients to the clinic VIM in El Cajon.

One of the plaintiffs in the case said that she initially went to the clinic to get a referral to a psychologist and a therapy group. Another woman requested a fertility specialist to help her conceive. A third woman said she went to VIM for a rash on her hand.

All say they were instructed by Abrams to remove their clothes so they could receive a vaginal exam. In some cases, the women were given rectal exams.

The Southern California man who once voiced the affable “Peanuts” TV cartoon character, Charlie Brown, is now facing new charges linked to making criminal threats, including writing letters from his jail cell in which he offered $50,000 to have someone kill the Sheriff of San Diego County.

Peter Robbins, 59, was supposed to be sentenced in a downtown San Diego courtroom Friday for violating terms of his probation.

In 2013, Robbins pleaded guilty to threatening his ex-girlfriend and stalking a doctor who performed breast-enhancement surgery on her.

Robbins served his time for those charges. Shortly after his release, he was arrested against for violating the conditions of his probation, including cutting off his GPS bracelet, drinking alcohol and failing to complete court-ordered classes. He has been in jail since late February 2015.

But, now, prosecutors say the troubled ex-actor has gotten himself into even more hot water.

At the courthouse Friday, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Brenda Daly said Robbins is now being charged with four new felony counts associated with making criminal threats and vandalism.

Daly said those threats include writing letters from his jail cell to undisclosed recipients in which Robbins offered to pay $50,000 to have San Diego County Sheriff William “Bill” Gore killed.

“He has solicited and attempted to solicit many members through letters and writings to kill Sheriff Gore,” Daly told the judge. “He has attempted to intimidate many, many people. He has acted out in jail numerous times.”

The deputy DA said the counts also include the very public threats Robbins has made to one of the San Diego judges overseeing his case, Judge Robert O’Neill.

During a previous attempt at completing his sentencing hearing on June 5, Robbins had an angry, profanity-laden outburst in the courtroom, yelling at Judge O’Neill, “I hope you drop dead of a heart attack.”

He also screamed obscenities, tried to withdraw a guilty plea and told Judge O’Neill he wanted to fire his public defender. The judge stopped the proceedings, postponed the sentencing and granted Robbins’ attorneys a request that he be evaluated for mental competency.

Daly said Robbins is also being charged with vandalism for defacing his cell with “numerous writings” all over the walls, although she would not specify the content of those writings. She said he has caused more than $1,000 in damages to his cell.

The deputy DA said these latest charges are just the latest examples of bizarre behavior from Robbins, who has been unpredictable – to say the least – since his original arrest in January 2013.

Before these new charges, Daly said Robbins was facing four years in prison for the probation violations. With the new counts, his time in prison could double.

“He is looking at a significant amount of time,” she said.

For now, a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 7 for the defendant.

While facing a judge Friday, Robbins appeared somber, and at times confused and frustrated.
The judge had to stop several times so Robbins could speak with his attorney when he needed clarification on what the judge was telling him.

During one of those brief breaks, Robbins decided to speak -- out of turn -- to the judge himself.

“I’ve been in jail without bail for eight months,” Robbins said. “Previously I was in jail for a bail amount of $550,000…”

The judge cut  him off and suggested he stop talking, as the comments could be used against him.
The judge then advised Robbins to speak with his lawyer and only make comments through his lawyer before making any further remarks.

“Do you understand that?" the judge asked him.

“Yes, sir,” Robbins replied, putting his head down.

The judge also explained that the likelihood of him being released from jail anytime soon is “not very high.”

At the end of his court appearance, as the judge explained the new charges, the shackled Robbins
sat with his hands crossed, staring straight forward, sighing and softly crying.

Daly said she wasn’t surprised or preoccupied with Robbins’ behavior in court.

“His reactions in court have been all over the spectrum, so I try not to pay attention to what his reactions are,” she told reporters.

Given Robbins’ reputation for courtroom outbursts, she said deputies are always prepared to protect the courtroom when he has an appearance in court.

Robbins was first arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Ysidro in January 2013 for allegedly threatening and stalking his ex-girlfriend, Shawna Kern, and La Jolla plastic surgeon Lori Saltz.

Investigators said Robbins, a resident of Oceanside, began stalking Saltz after she performed a breast enhancement surgery on Kern.

Robbins and Kern broke up following her plastic surgery. Robbins then repeatedly demanded a refund from Saltz, stalking and threatening to kill the surgeon if she didn’t pay him back for his ex’s surgery, according to prosecutors. Robbins called Kern up to 37 times in a 24-hour period saying he would kill her and her son if she didn’t give back his dog and car.

In May 2013, Robbins was sentenced to jail time and ordered to enroll in a residential drug treatment program to tackle his problems with substance abuse. He was also sentenced to probation for five years. If he violated his probation, he stood to serve four years in prison.

To prevent that from happening, the judge had a few familiar words of advice for Robbins in court in May 2013: “If I can borrow a line from 'Peanuts,' sir, I'm going to grant [you] probation. If you adhere to those terms, you won’t go to prison. So, don’t be a blockhead.”

Robbins – who began his acting career at age 9 – was the voice of Charlie Brown for the iconic television specials "A Charlie Brown Christmas,” "It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and “A Boy Named Charlie Brown.”
 

Pope Francis' last day in the U.S. could also be the most poignant, as he celebrates Mass in front of his largest North American audience yet. Here's a look at the agenda for Sunday.

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Here's a look at the agenda for Sunday:

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, 9:15 a.m.

The first part of Francis' day is spent with the clergymen who live in the building where he's staying; he'll reportedly speak with the oldest priest and youngest seminarian, then meet with 300 bishops.

Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, 11 a.m.

Philadelphia's largest prison hosts the pope for about an hour. Francis is scheduled to helicopter into the 20-year-old facility, where he'll have two meetings: one with 100 young prisoners and their families, another with 30 corrections officers.

The chair Francis will sit in was constructed by inmates and staff at the prison, and his speech will be broadcast to all the roughly 3,000 inmates inside its walls.

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Mass, World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 4 p.m.

About 2 million people are expected to pack the boulevard between City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art for Sunday Mass, the Spanish-language finale of the World Meeting of Families.

Francis will make one more appearance in the popemobile before the service begins. Mass is his last scheduled public event in the country.

Want to Watch the Events?

We will cover all the day's biggest events live with live streams on our website and in our app. Click here for full coverage of the papal visit.

Philadelphia Forecast

Expect a cloudy Sunday with temperatures in the mid-to-high 70's, according to NBC10's First Alert Weather team. 

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If You're in Town: 

Francis' arrival means the virtual closure of the city's core, major interstates and more. Here's a schedule of what's closing when. But don't despair. Google Maps will help drivers navigate road closures and it turns out that parking may not be so hard to find. For those taking public transit, check out this survival guide. Still have questions? Check out this list of FAQs. 

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In Case You Missed It

• 'Unbelievable': Pope Francis Blesses Band Director's Son on Airport Tarmac
• Pope Francis Puts Immigrants Center Stage at Independence Hall
• Pope Francis Asks Pilot to Circle Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island
• Rainbow Connection: Refracted Light Follows Pope From NY to Philly
• Feeding Francis: Celebrity Chef Serves Pope Simple, Healthy Fare
• WATCH: 'Tonight Show' Thank You Notes: Pope Francis, Autumn

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Standing at a famous lectern in a location where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed, Pope Francis gave a much-anticipated speech Saturday that focused on two hot-button social issues in America today — immigration and religious freedom.

Pope Francis spoke in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia as a religious leader for whom the treatment of immigrants is central to his doctrine.

Using the same lectern President Abraham Lincoln used to give the Gettysburg Address, the pope had a specific message to America’s Hispanic population and recent immigrants to the U.S., who he addressed with “particular affection."

“Please don’t ever be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which are something you can bring to enrich the life of this American land," he said. "I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you, your life blood."

He called on immigrants to be "responsible citizens," and to contribute to the life of the communities in which they live.

"I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values which you have inherited," he said. "By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from within.”

Francis, who came out of Independence Hall to Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," said that the United States was built on the ideas that all men and women are created equal, and that people have certain inalienable right, but that they always have to be "reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended."

"We remember the great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive waves of new Americans," he said. "This shows that, when a country is determined to remain true to its founding principles, based on respect for human dignity, it is strengthened and renewed."

The pope also went off script, as he is known to do, when he talked about globalization, saying that a globalizing tendency is good and brings people together.

"But what may be bad is the way this happens," he said. "If globalization would seek to make everyone the same, as if it were a single sphere, that globalization destroys the richness and the particularity, the individuality, of every person and every people. If globalization seeks to bring all of us together, but to do so respecting each person, each individual person’s richness and peculiarity, respecting all people and their own distinctness, that globalization is good and makes us all grow and leads to peace."

Among those in attendance were Jack Shapey, 52, a sales professional, and Steven N. Pyser, 55, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University in Camden in the School of Business. They are both Jewish, and said they would not have been drawn by previous popes.

"This transcends faith," Pyser said. "It's humanity. It's dignity."

Said Shapey: "He’s inspirational, motivational and very much needed in today's world."

Also in attendance was Erik Sanchez, 14, who is from Brooklyn.

"I thought it was heartwarming," said Sanchez, whose parents are from Mexico. "And true because we should never forget where we come from. It felt good because usually the people don’t have that respect and sometimes the people aren't heard. And for some public figure to say something like that -- a big public figure can make people notice."

On immigration, Pyser said that the way Pope Francis framed the topic invited a conversation and allowed people to momentarily sidestep the polarization that has engulfed it.

"But it's a very knotty subject and it will be vigorously debated," Pyser said.

Said Shapey: "It needs to be addressed."

Before his speech, the pope rode his "Popemobile" through the streets leading to Independence Hall, waving to the crowds and kissing babies along the way. He also blessed a 5-foot-tall cross symbolizing the journey of faith of Latino Catholics.

The South American son of immigrants himself, Francis is making immigrants one of the focuses of his first visit to the United States. At a time when a top Republican presidential contender, Donald Trump, advocates for a wall along the Mexican border to keep out what he labels rapists and other criminals, Francis urges respecting the reasons that children, women and men leave their homes.

Speaking to the U.S. Congress on Thursday, Francis urged its members to be humane and just as they responded to the migrants pouring into Europe and the immigrants, often undocumented, coming to the United States from Latin America.

"We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best as we can to their situation," Francis said.

A volunteer for the pope's visit in Philadelphia on Saturday, Kim Vinch, said Francis' address was coming at the right time given the anti-immigrant rhetoric that has become part of the public discourse.

"I think it's perfect timing because our country just seems to need it," said Vinch, 51, of Lawrenceville, N.J. "We need reform. We need this kind of guidance."

Nearby on Market Street, Mary Sue Gorman and her 15-year-old daughter, Sarah, stopped to take a photo with a life-sized cut-out of Francis on their way to Independence Hall.

"He says what he wants to say," Gorman, a pension consultant, said of Francis and his views on immigration. "Hopefully people will hear and be compassionate and come to a compromise."

Francis' worldview is from the bottom up, with immigrants at the core of what he cares about, said John Carr, director of Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.

When Francis visited Lampedusa in 2013, the tiny Sicilian island toward which tens of thousands leaving North Africa have fled, he said the drownings of migrants was "a thorn in the heart." Two years later, with masses of Syrians refugees arriving in Europe, he is calling on every Catholic parish, monastery and convent to take in a family.

"For Pope Francis this is personal not political. This is moral not ideological," Carr said.

Francis' visit is replete with reminders of his appeal for better treatment for immigrants, including meetings with day laborers and children who crossed the border unaccompanied by adults. Francis had talked about arriving in the United States via a border crossing, though in the end he flew into Joint Base Andrews.

"To enter the United States from the border with Mexico would be a beautiful gesture of brotherhood and support for immigrants," Francis said.

Francis’ views on immigration and some other topics are out of step with many in power in the United States. A Gallup poll found that his favorability rating had dropped from 76 percent in February of last year to 59 percent in July, a decline driven by Catholics and conservatives.

In the last Congress, the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have offered citizenship for many of the United States' 11 million unauthorized immigrants, but the bill died in the House.

By contrast, this Congress has opposed President Barack Obama’s executive orders to stop the deportation of some undocumented immigrants.

The death toll in a crush outside the holy city of Mecca on Thursday has risen to 769, Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday.

"The latest statistics up to this hour reveal 769 dead. That is an increase of 52 on the previous figures," Falih told a news conference. "Those are the ones who died in various hospitals since the event," he said, adding that 934 people were wounded.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani used a major United Nations speech on Saturday to demand an investigation into the crush at the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, signaling Tehran not intend to tone down criticism of its regional rival.

A Florida woman wanted after a picture of her riding a sea turtle went viral on social media was arrested early Saturday, police said, NBC News reported.

Stephanie Moore, 20, was jailed on a $2,000 bond on a felony warrant on charges of possessing, selling or molesting a marine turtle or eggs nest, the Melbourne Police Department said on Facebook.

Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act makes it a third-degree felony to injure, harm, harass, capture or attempt to capture any marine turtles, eggs or nests.

Moore was allegedly one of two women sitting on sea turtles in photographs from early July.  

The following are the remarks by Pope Francis at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, as delivered by Francis and translated from Spanish:

Dear Friends,

One of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before Independence Hall, the birthplace of the United States of America. It was here that the freedoms which define this country were first proclaimed. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that governments exist to protect and defend those rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today, even as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight for the freedom to live in accordance with their dignity. 

But history also shows that these or any truths must constantly be reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended. The history of this nation is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our own day, to embody those lofty principles in social and political life. We remember the great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive waves of new Americans. This shows that, when a country is determined to remain true to its founding principles, based on respect for human dignity, it is strengthened and renewed. 

All of us benefit from remembering our past. A people which remembers does not repeat past errors; instead, it looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and the future. Remembrance saves a people’s soul from whatever or whoever would attempt to dominate it or use it for their interests. When individuals and communities are guaranteed the effective exercise of their rights, they are not only free to realize their potential, they also contribute to the welfare and enrichment of society.

In this place which is symbolic of the American way, I would like to reflect with you on the right to religious freedom. It is a fundamental right which shapes the way we interact socially and personally with our neighbors whose religious views differ from our own. Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families. "Religious freedom isn't a subculture, it's a part of every people and nation.

Our various religious traditions serve society primarily by the message they proclaim. They call individuals and communities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and happiness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of every claim to absolute power. We need but look at history, especially the history of the last century, to see the atrocities perpetrated by systems which claimed to build one or another “earthly paradise” by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights. Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and direction, “they have an enduring power to open new horizons, to stimulate thought, to expand the mind and heart” (Evangelii Gaudium, 256). They call to conversion, reconciliation, concern for the future of society, self-sacrifice in the service of the common good, and compassion for those in need. At the heart of their spiritual mission is the proclamation of the truth and dignity of the human person and human rights.

Our religious traditions remind us that, as human beings, we are called to acknowledge an Other, who reveals our relational identity in the face of every effort to impose “a uniformity to which the egotism of the powerful, the conformism of the weak, or the ideology of the utopian would seek to impose on us” (M. de Certeau).

In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom, or try to reduce it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the various religions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and rights of others.

We live in a world subject to the “globalization of the technocratic paradigm” (Laudato Si’, 106), which consciously aims at a one-dimensional uniformity and seeks to eliminate all differences and traditions in a superficial quest for unity. The religions thus have the right and the duty to make clear that it is possible to build a society where “a healthy pluralism which respects differences and values them as such” (Evangelii Gaudium, 255) is a “precious ally in the commitment to defending human dignity… and a path to peace in our troubled world” (ibid., 257).

There's a tendency to globalization. Globalization isn't bad, on the contrary, the tendency towards globalization is good, unites us, it can be noble. But if it pretends to makes us all the same, as if we were an sphere, it destroys the individual things (particularidades) of each people and each person.

If globalization tries to unite respecting the person and it's individualities, each people and it's individualities, it's good and led to peace.

If it's an sphere, where everyone is an equal dot, at the same distance from the center, it cancels. If it's like a polihedron, everyone united but with their own identity, it's good and gives rights to the peoples.

Then he repeated this: Don't be ashamed of that wich is an essential part of you. You're also called to be responsible citizens.

The Quakers who founded Philadelphia were inspired by a profound evangelical sense of the dignity of each individual and the ideal of a community united by brotherly love. This conviction led them to found a colony which would be a haven of religious freedom and tolerance. That sense of fraternal concern for the dignity of all, especially the weak and the vulnerable, became an essential part of the American spirit. During his visit to the United States in 1987, Saint John Paul II paid moving homage to this, reminding all Americans that: “The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones” (Farewell Address, 19 September 1987, 3).

I take this opportunity to thank all those, of whatever religion, who have sought to serve the God of peace by building cities of brotherly love, by caring for our neighbors in need, by defending the dignity of God’s gift of life in all its stages, by defending the cause of the poor and the immigrant. All too often, those most in need of our help are unable to be heard. You are their voice, and many of you have faithfully made their cry heard. In this witness, which frequently encounters powerful resistance, you remind American democracy of the ideals for which it was founded, and that society is weakened whenever and wherever injustice prevails.

Among us today are members of America’s large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. I greet all of you with particular affection! Many of you have emigrated to this country at great personal cost, but in the hope of building a new life. Do not be discouraged by whatever challenges and hardships you face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to your new nation. You should never be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which are something you can bring to enrich the life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you, your life blood. You are also called to be responsible citizens, and to contribute fruitfully to the life of the communities in which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values which you have inherited. By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from within.

Dear friends, I thank you for your warm welcome and for joining me here today. May this country and each of you be renewed in gratitude for the many blessings and freedoms that you enjoy. And may you defend these rights, especially your religious freedom, for it has been given to you by God himself. May he bless you all. I ask you, please, not to forget to pray for me.
 

After hearing a series of people tell their personal stories of faith, love and family, Pope Francis capped the Festival of Families on Saturday by discussing his own vision of the family, talking about the roles that faith and family play together, and the importance of love and commitment. 

"The most beautiful thing that God did, says the Bible, was the family," said Francis, speaking before a huge crowd on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 

Francis strayed far from his prepared remarks, getting animated as he talked about the role families played in the Bible - from Adam and Eve to Cain and Abel to Mary and Joseph - and how family and love can help overcome problems.

"Some of you might say, ‘Father, you speak because you’re not married,'" Francis said. "Families have difficulties. Families will quarrel. Sometimes plates can fly. And children bring headaches. I don’t want to speak about mothers-in-law. But in families, there is always light.

"In the family, there are indeed difficulties. But those difficulties are overcome with love. Hatred is not capable of dealing with any difficulty, and overcoming any difficulty. Division of hearts cannot overcome any difficulty. Only love is able to overcome.

"Family is beautiful, but there’s effort involved, and there are problems. Husbands and wives quarrel, and end up badly, separated. Never let the day end without making peace. Let’s protect the family, because it’s in the family that our future is at play."

After each testimonial, Pope Francis approached the family and spoke to them, shook their hands and gave them kisses. He hugged the boy in the wheelchair with cerebral palsey. And at the final event of the Pope's fifth day in the United States, the focus was clear: The importance of faith in family.

In between the testimonials, musicians sang, dancers danced and Mark Wahlberg served as the Master of Ceremonies. 

"All that is beautiful, all that is beautiful, all that is beautiful leads us to god," Francis said, thanking those who performed at the event. "Because God is good, God is beautiful, God is good."

The event caps the fifth day of a whirlwind six-day U.S. trip in which Pope Francis has visited the White House, addressed a joint session of Congress, participated in a multi-religious service at Ground Zero and addressed world leaders at the United Nation's General Assembly.

The Pope took yet another trip in his Popemobile en route to the festival, but this time the inside of the partially enclosed dome was lit so those standing in the Philly twilight could get a good look at the spiritual leader.  

Once at the festival, he was greeted by the thousands of people who have been dealing with strict security measures all day for a chance to catch a glimpse of him. Many people were still trying to get past security lines as the Popemobile was slowly making its way through Philly's streets.

After waving to the crowds, he arrived on stage, where he watched the show and listened to the testimonials. 

Singer/songwriter Marie Miller performed while being accompanied by the Pennsylvania Ballet, as did The Fray.

 With Pope Francis sitting up in his chair on stage and listening intently, the "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin, performed a stunning edition of "Amazing Grace" with a choir behind her that drew large cheers from the crowd. As she finished her rendition and exited stage right, she caught the Holy Spirit and did a bit of a praise dance.

Planned Parenthood backers crashed a Carly Fiorina campaign football tailgate on Saturday.

"I-O-W-A, women's rights are here to stay!" chanted supporters of the organization toward Fiorina, just several feet away.

Since the release of secretly recorded videos showing Planned Parenthood employees talking about handling fetal tissue for scientific research, the organization has been a target for Republicans. During the second GOP debate, Fiorina brought up the tapes and said, there was "a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, 'We have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.'"

Planned Parenthood have said Fiorina's description is not true and there is no evidence that the video clip the presidential candidate describes was shot inside one of the clinics. 

"I think we're making a difference, that's my reaction," Fiorina told reporters in Iowa, trying to speak over the chants. "I think they're scared that the people of America are starting to look at what's really going on in a Planned Parenthood clinic."

 A Sig Alert has been issued for a stretch of State Route 78 in Escondido after a fatal crash, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said. 

The incident happened at 1:35 p.m. Saturday at Whispering Pines, CHP officials said. The crash involved a car and motorcycle. 

It is unclear how long the roadway will be blocked. 

No further information was immediately available. 

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story. 

News that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to hobnob with Northern California's leading tech executives has sparked outrage among human rights advocacy groups.

National advocacy group Sikhs For Justice plans to protest Modi’s visit at Facebook’s Menlo Park headquarters on Sunday morning and, later in the day, outside the SAP Center. 

The group argues that Modi’s tenure as Indian's leader has resulted in deteriorating religious freedom for its citizens. They allege that he is aggressively trying to turn the world’s largest democracy into a Hindu nation through forced conversion of Muslims and Christians.

Sikhs For Justice has also offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who poses specific questions to Zuckerberg and Modi regarding the prime minister's treatment of Sikhs. 

"We urge everyone to remind [Facebook CEO Mark] Zuckerberg that hosting a known human rights violator runs counter to the core American value of upholding religious freedom,” said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an attorney and legal advisor for Sikhs For Justice.

Modi, who was in the United States last September, is slated to visit Tesla, Google and meet with Indian-American startup founders. He believes that the technological innovation that these companies are known for can help to raise the standard of living in India.

The SAP center is expected to be at full capacity for Sunday evening's event. More than 45,000 people requested tickets to hear Modi speak, but the arena can only hold 18,000. Video screens will be set up outside to accommodate those who were unable to secure a spot inside.

 Iran vowed to take legal action against Saudi Arabia after more than 700 people were killed in a stampede at this year's hajj.

The pilgrims suffocated or were trampled to death on Thursday when two massive crowds converged on a narrow street. At least 136 of the those who died were Iranian, making up the largest group of causalities identified.

Shiite Iran is accusing Sunni Saudi Arabia of not handling the annual pilgrimage, which draws over two million people, correctly.

Saudi Arabia has not responded to the Iranian accusations regarding the convoy.

 Starting cornerback Brandon Flowers is a late addition to the Chargers Injury Report. On Saturday night the team announced Flowers has a knee issue and is listed as Probable, meaning he has a 75% chance of playing in Sunday in Minnesota.

Flowers missed practice time with the knee ailment before the Cincinnati game a week ago and did not have the same success against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green that he had in the season opener against Calvin Johnson and the Lions.

Fellow starting defensive back Jason Verrett is also nursing a foot injury. He's questionable for the game against the Vikings so the Chargers might be missing their top two corners. Patrick Robinson, Steve Williams and rookie Craig Mager would likely get the bulk of the snaps in their absence. Safety Jimmy Wilson also played on the edge for the Dolphins and could rotate over in a pinch.

A group of local San Diegans rallied outside the Planned Parenthood on 1st Avenue in Downtown Saturday in support of the healthcare provider.

“I think the attacks on them recently are atrocious and the attempts to defund them are not right,” Kali Gochmanosky, a supporter at the rally said. “We are in support of Planned Parenthood and all the health services they provide. They’re a huge health service provider to men and women for things like Pap Smears, breast exams, STD testing.”

House Republicans passed two bills September 18 that would defund Planned Parenthood if it didn’t stop performing abortions except in the case of incest, rape, and threat of life of the mother.

This came after questionable videos were released last summer alleging Planned Parenthood is selling body parts of aborted fetuses.

“Planned Parenthood has made all the difference in my life,” Gochmanosky said. “They were there for me for my healthcare from 15 on. So anytime I didn’t have health insurance I knew I could still go there and get healthcare, get taken care of for any issues that I was having. And it always made me feel extremely safe and comforted to know that I could go there.”

Senate Democrats blocked Republican legislation Tuesday prohibiting most late-term abortions, the second time since this summer's release of videos that they've derailed an abortion-related bill by Republicans.

According to Planned Parenthood in 2013 they performed 10.6 million medical procedures for 2.7 million people across the county, and 78% of their clients have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. 42% of their services in 2013 went to STD testing and prevention.
 

California children with cystic fibrosis hit the waves in Malibu with some of the world's top professional surfers on Saturday.

About 20 children, both local and out-of-state, flocked to Surfrider Beach to experience surfing with pro surfers Sage Erickson, Allen Sarlo and Kala Alexander as part of the Mauli Ola Foundation's Surf Experience Day.

"We're having a great time," said Sarlo, an original member of the Dogtown Z-Boys, which sparked the skateboarding and surfing culture in the 1970s. "I took Josh surfing this morning. He got a couple of really nice waves, and he told me it was better than Disneyland."

Organizers touted the event as fun and beneficial to their health. Saltwater helps clear out the thick mucus in the lungs of those with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease.

The Mauli Ola Foundation promotes surfing as a natural treatment for genetic diseases.

The San Diego State Aztecs (1-3) faced Penn State (3-1) in Happy Valley for the first time ever. It wasn’t a very happy occasion for the Aztecs as miscues cost them in a 37-21 loss.  

Marine Cpl. Carlos Torres knows about service and he knows about sacrifice.

He was on his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 when he lost both of his legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device.

He had spoken to his mother only the night before telling her he was fine and would be home in a few weeks.

Saturday morning Homes for Our Troops presented Torres with the keys to his new specially adapted home in El Cajon. The nonprofit held a military ceremony that ended in the ribbon cutting of Torres’ house.

“I was not expecting anything so big,” he said after surveying his new place. At four bedrooms, two baths and nearly 3000 square feet he’ll have a lot of room to move around. The home features more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops.

“It’s very humbling to be here and see this great home that Home for Our Troops has built for me and can’t wait to move in and make it my own,” Torres said. “It’s a dream basically. I’m waiting to wake up.”

Torres, now an avid surfer, SCUBA diver and runner, plans to live in the home with his mother, brother and sister.

"We at Homes for Our Troops do not believe giving a home to a severely injured Veteran is charity,” said Tim McHale, President and CEO of Homes for Our Troops. “We believe it is a moral obligation of our society. They fought to protect our freedom and independence, and we are now giving them back some freedom and independence by building them a specially adapted home."

All costs for the home will be covered by Homes for Our Troops and its supporters. The nonprofit builds adapted, mortgage-free homes for severely injured veterans across the country.
 

More charges have been filed against an Escondido man accused of multiple counts of child molestation across a five-year span.

Richard Sears, 47, was arrested in August when Riverside County Sheriff's Deputies served a search warrant at his home. At his arraignment, his bail was set at $5 million. 

On Friday, prosecutors brought 13 new charges against Sears, including lewd acts with a minor and oral copulation with a minor. 

The investigation began Aug. 6 after deputies received multiple reports of child molestation that allegedly occurred several years ago in an unincorporated area of Perris.

The incidents allegedly happened between 1999 and 2004, Riverside officials said.

Their investigation led them to Escondido, where the suspect lived.

News of Sears' arrest stunned his neighbors of eight years.

"That shatters my heart to know that that might have happened to some child," said neighbor Ed Coffey.  

According to Sears' online profile, he was the founder and president of an internet and web services company. He was also a pilot of 25-years and a U.S. Marine veteran - an honor he proudly displayed on his vehicles. Neighbors said he was an avid pilot for the past 25 years. 

"I'm surprised by it," neighbor John Montville told NBC7. "I think he had European students, exchange students come stay with him once in a while. I always thought that was a a good thing."

"I believe...he'd bring over [foster children] and house [them] for a week and take them places. I believe he was one when he was young and that is what I thought he did that for, to pay back and give back to those who need help," Coffey said.

Another neighbor said her mother always thought something was off with the way so many young boys would come and go from the home. 

"He always had a lot of boys at his house. That's what I noticed," said neighbor Isabella Jimenez. "There was barely ever any girls. But, the boys never seemed like they were traumatized or like there was anything going on. They were always so happy and always running in and out of his house."

Sears' Defense Attorney Paul Pfingst would not comment specifically on this case, but said generally, cases where victims remember alleged abuse after many years can be problematic. 

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator Tom Salisbury, at the Perris Police Department, by calling (951) 210-1000.

 It was Star Wars night at Petco Park Saturday, and you could say the force was with the Padres.

 San Diego beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0, mostly due to starting pitcher Robbie Erlin, who took the mound for only his second start since being called up earlier this month.

The first one didn’t go so well, but the second one was strong. Erlin pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and one walk.

The Padres were off the board until the sixth inning, when infielder Jedd Gyorko hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Cory Spangenberg. In the eighth, outfielder Justin Upton delivered a double into left field, again scoring Spangenberg, and one batter later, Gyorko notched another sacrifice fly R-B-I to bring in Matt Kemp.

It was the sixth shutout of the season for the Friars, who have only seven games left to play this season.