Residents in Kensington are frustrated by transformation of two power poles into cellphone towers over the weekend, they told NBC 7 on Tuesday.

Amid the palm tree-lined Hillsdale Road, one of the poles stands roughly 50 feet tall and just 20 steps from the front door of Gino Gonzalez and his wife.

“It’s hideous,” he said. “Look at it. I mean with the modern tech we have, that's the best they could do?”

On Saturday, two poles in front of Kensington homes were outfitted with cellphone equipment.

Kensington locals have taken to their online forum to blast the wireless company and city of San Diego for the damage done, which includes cracked bricks and broken sprinkler heads in Gonzalez's yard, he said.

While Gonzalez said he got a notice about the cellphone tower in August, others say fliers with no installation date appeared on their doors Sunday – the day after the work was done.

Patt Shinsky snapped pictures as a pole already in the ground was transformed into the second tower across the street from her home.

According to a city of San Diego spokesperson, becasue the antennas were installed on existing poles, no public input or community approval was needed for the project's permit.

"The city does require the contractor who is doing the installation to provide the adjacent property owner with 24-hour advance notice prior to the work being done in the public right-of-way in front of their home, but only if there is trenching. If an antenna is being attached to an existing pole in the public right-of-way and no trenching is being done, then no notice to the adjacent property owner is required," the city's statement said.

Neighbors say not only is the pole intrusive, but so is the big brown box warning construction crews that being six feet or closer to the radio frequency equipment may exceed government exposure rates.

Gonzalez said he’s worried about his daughter.

“I'd like to know the hard research on what the dangers are because we have a 5-year-old daughter. We have no idea what’s going to happen,” he told NBC 7.

NBC 7 reached out to Crown Castle, which installed the equipment. Neither has returned our request for comment at this time.

Friends and family say they may know why a man shot a brother and sister to death on his Mountain View driveway.

San Diego police say after an argument, Felipe Vega, 39, killed Alexis, 22, and Arline Velarde, 20, Sunday outside Vega's home in the 1100 block of 43rd Street.

According to the victims’ siblings, Vega was like family to them, and many family members and friends told NBC 7 why they believe Vega pulled the trigger.

The suspect is gay, and friends say he was “obsessed” with a cousin, who was not one of the victims. That cousin is not gay and did not return the feelings.

The family believes Alexis and Arline confronted Vega about the cousin, which led to the argument.

Still, all those who knew the victims want to find out why the incident turned fatal. Police are still on the hunt for Vega, who is considered armed and dangerous.

Jose Guadalupe Pina, the Velardes’ uncle, owns a car wash in the city, and he told NBC 7 Vega had a hotdog stand right outside of it. Pina’s mother taught the suspect how to cook the hotdogs.

“The guy’s a nice guy,” said Pina. “He come to talk to him, to everybody here working.”

Vega has a mother and brother who live in Tijuana, Pina said, but he has been living in the U.S. for more than 15 years, often helped by the victims’ family.

“I think all the family wants answers. You know, why?” said Carlos Jacobo, another relative.

According to the SDPD, Alexis died trying to shield his sister from gunfire.

The group created by the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders to build a joint-use stadium in Carson, California has hired one of biggest names in the entertainment industry to lead the effort.

The head of Disney has agreed to join the efforts to move an NFL team to Los Angeles and "build a stadium worthy of their fans" according to the teams.

Bob Iger, currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Company, will serve as the Non-Executive Chairman of Carson Holdings, LLC.

Carson Holdings, LLC is the group working to build a joint-use stadium for the Chargers and Raiders in Carson, California.

Iger will lead the effort for five years, with an automatic two-year renewal option at an annual salary of $1.00 according to the statement released Wednesday. In exchange, Iger will have the option to buy a minority, non-controlling equity ownership interest in either the Raiders or the Chargers.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is in New York to show the NFL Owners group why the Chargers should stay in San Diego.

About half the NFL's owners, including Dean Spanos and members of the LA relocation committeee, will listen to Faulconer present the city's plan for a new stadium in Mission Valley.

The mayor's presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.

The Chargers maintain the Mission Valley stadium plan - with its rushed EIR process - is not a viable option for the team.

The NFL wants a final decision on LA by January 2016.

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story. 

Fossils found in southwest China reveals 520-million-year-old brains and some were preserved in fool's gold.

The brains belong to shrimplike creatures just a few centimeters long named Fuxianhuia protensa, which scuttled around the seafloor during the Cambrian Period. Before this time, most life on Earth was very simple; during the Cambrian, life exploded in diversity and complexity.

The research clarified that soft tissue like that in the brain could survive for half a billion years in fossil form. The brain fossils appear as black shadows on otherwise yellowish fossils, the researchers wrote. 

A Virginia man died in police custody after his arms and legs were shackled and he was tased repeatedly, according to video footage. 

Police said they were taking Linwood Lambert to the emergency room in South Boston, Virginia, because he was speaking delusionally during the morning hours of May 4, 2013. But Lambert was never given any medical care even though he was driven to the hospital.

Over two years later, there have been no charges and no full public accounting of what happened. But a new investigation, including police videos obtained exclusively by MSNBC, shows the deadly trip for the first time.

If you’ve flown recently, you know how expensive it can be to check your luggage. Carrying on your bag will help you avoid the fees and save you time. But as Consumer Reports discovered, it’s flyer beware.

The maximum dimensions for a carry-on for most American-based airlines is 14 inches by 22 inches by 9 inches. But not all bags truly measure up. Consumer Reports put eleven bags to the test, measuring each one several times with laser precision. Nine of the eleven were bigger than their manufacturers claimed, including ones from American Tourister, Samsonite, TravelPro, and Victorinox.

Consumer Reports found that many manufacturers don’t count factors that affect the dimensions of a bag, like the wheels and the handles. But the expectation is that when you buy a carry-on bag, it’s going to fit in an overhead bin.

Take the Tumi Alpha-2 Frequent Traveler. The manufacturer says it’s a carry-on, and testers found the measurements on the tag to be accurate. But it is still several inches too large to be carried onto most airlines.

To help avoid a problem, Consumer Reports suggests measuring a bag yourself before you buy it, and don’t forget to include the handle and the wheels. Pack with care, particularly outside pockets. Overstuffed can easily become oversized.

One thing is universal: If it doesn’t fit, you must check it.

Consumer Reports also recommends checking with your airline. Be aware that some airlines, including Spirit Air and Frontier Air, charge fees even for carry-ons.

San Diego Comic-Con fans, get ready. It's already time to start thinking about Comic-Con 2016. 

Pre-registration for next year's event will begin shortly after 9 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Pre-registration is available for all paid 2015 attendees who validated their badge number prior to Sept. 15, 2015. You can see if you are eligible to participate by logging into your member account and clicking on the 'Registration Info' tab.  

Here's how the process will work: At least 24 hours prior to the 9 a.m. start time, Comic-Con fans with member ID accounts will receive an email containing a link to the EPIC Registration waiting room, which opens at 8 a.m. PST.

Once the room is open, fans with registration codes will be able to authorize them. You can also find your personal registration code on your Comic-Con member ID account under the 'Registration Info' tab. 

Fans must enter the registration room before 9 a.m. PST. Once they're in the virtual room, pre-registration will begin around 9 a.m. 

You will be able to buy badges for up to three people, including yourself, but you must have their full name and member ID on hand to do so. The people must be eligible to participate as well. 

Members will have 15 minutes to complete their purchase. Here's how much different badges will cost:

There are more people than badges available, so not everyone will be able to purchase a badge pre-registration. 

For a step-by-step guide to the pre-registration process, click here. 

If you're not able snag a badge during pre-registration or aren't eligible, don't worry. Comic-Con International will have open online registration at a later date. 

An extremely large blue diamond netted 48.6 million Swiss francs ($48.5 million), setting a new record price for any jewel at auction, Sotheby’s said.

The "Blue Moon" diamond, which weighs 12.03 carats and is set in a ring, was said to be among the largest known fancy vivid blue diamonds. It was the showpiece jewel at Sotheby’s jewelry auction, the Associated Press reported.

The blue diamond was purchased by a Hong Kong private collector and was renamed “The Blue Moon of Josephine,” according to Sotheby’s Twitter account.

The previous record was set by the Graff Pink, which was sold at $46.2 million five years ago.

International peacekeepers could be deployed to Burundi if violence in the African nation spirals into an ethnic conflict, Reuters reported.

The U.N. Security Council will vote on Thursday to ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report on options to boost the U.N. presence in Burundi.

At least 240 people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled after President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a third term. He won a disputed election in July.

The United Nations warned on Monday that the country could face catastrophe with escalating violence. Burundi said there is no impending genocide.

The “November Witch” is casting its spell on millions, threatening severe gusty winds and thunderstorms across the Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley through Friday, NBC News reported.

The powerful low-pressure weather system has spawned 10 suspected tornadoes, flooded streets and knocked out power to tens of thousands across Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.

It was forecast to move into southwest Minnesota and eastern South Dakota early Thursday before clobbering the Great Lakes, the northern Plains and the Ohio, northern Mississippi and Missouri valleys.

By Friday, remnants are expected to still be causing high winds as far east as northern New England. Several more inches of wet, lake-enhanced snow could accumulate in the Lake Superior region.

Millions of people from around the world are celebrating one of the largest and brightest festivals from India.

Diwali, the festival of lights, is the third of a five-day celebration in the Hindu lunar calendar, and is typically celebrated in the autumn every year. Falling on Nov. 11 this year, the celebration signifies the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Each year, people light lamps and fireworks, pray for wealth and prosperity, and give out sweets.

In the two days preceding Diwali, people spend time preparing their homes for the festivities. On the first day, Hindus will clean and decorate their homes. On Day 2, families will buy or prepare sweets for the main festival.

Families hand out gifts on the day after Diwali. This day also marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for merchants. The fifth day, known as Bhai Dooj, is a celebration of the brother-sister relationship — and is marked with gifts and sweets between siblings.  

For Sikhs, Diwali is a day to commemorate the freedom of one of their gurus from a Mughal emperor. Each year, the Golden Temple in Amritsar is lit up.

Diwali also holds a special significance for Jains, who believe Mahavira attained enlightenment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about the phone call he received from President Barack Obama to mark the occasion.

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton offered greetings on her Facebook page, wishing "a bright year ahead to all celebrating the Festival of Lights."

Former Maryland Gov. and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and New York Sen. Kristin Gillibrand also extended their greetings for the holiday.

The Republican National Committee also released a message wishing a "happy festival of lights" on the first day of Diwali. 

“From the lighting of the Diya, a lamp, to feasts and prayers, this joyful celebration continues to represent the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. As Republicans, we continue to support religious freedom throughout our great nation," the RNC's message said.

While the San Diego Chargers have not won in the last month, the local pro hockey team cannot lose.

The San Diego Gulls improved to 6-0 at home and 9-2 overall after demolishing the Bakersfield Condors 6-1.

In a matchup of the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliates, the Gulls swooped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st period in front of more than 6,700 fans.

Brandon Montour finished with 2 goals and 2 assists, Antoine Laganiere added a power play goal in the 3rd period and the rout was on.
Gulls goalie John Gibson stopped 30 of 31 shots and the lone goal the visitors scored came late in the 3rd when the game was long out of reach.

The Gulls wore camouflage sweaters on Veterans Day as part of Military Appreciation Week and will do so again Saturday evening against the San Jose Barracuda.

Players will autograph their game-worn camo jerseys after the game Saturday and you can bid in an auction for those special sweaters during the contest.

San Diego also hosts San Jose Friday evening at the Valley View Casino Center.

The family of a Florida man shot and killed by a Palm Beach Gardens police officer in October is asking for answers.

Corey Jones, 31, a drummer in a local band, was heading home in the early morning hours of Oct. 18 when his SUV broke down off Interstate 95. He was waiting for help when Officer Nouman Raja, working a string of burglaries, stopped to check out what he believed to be an abandoned vehicle around 3 a.m., police said.

According to the Palm Beach Gardens police chief, Jones, who was armed, suddenly confronted Raja. The officer fired, striking him three times.

Jones' registered gun, purchased just a few days before the deadly confrontation, was never fired, according to the law firm representing his family.

Raja remains on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

"I'm expecting the truth to come out," said Jones' grandfather, Sylvester Banks Sr.

The family spoke exclusively with NBC 6 about Jones' death Wednesday at the Faith Center in Sunrise.

"We don't want this to be just something that happened that night and forget about tomorrow. We want answers and we want the truth," said Banks, who helped raise Jones after his mother died of cancer. "Like a son, like a son, and he looked up to me like a father."

Raja was in an unmarked police car and in plainclothes. The officer never displayed his badge during the encounter, according to NBC News.

Banks said he wants to see change within police departments to make officers more recognizable.

"I would like to see them wear police cameras and it would be nice if they were in uniform. We would be able to recognize them more," Banks said.

As questions continue to swirl around Jones' death, his family is honoring the memory of the man they lost.

Jones' cousin, Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Tye Tribbett, is using music to express his emotions.

"I can't really explain the feeling I felt. It was numb," Tribbett said.

He's now planning a concert at the Faith Center and will dedicate a song to his cousin.

"'Now it's time to celebrate, I got the victory. I got the victory.' It's going to work for our good in the end, and I believe that," Tribbett said.

The free concert to honor Jones will be held at the Faith Center in Sunrise at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Israeli army confirmed its forces raided a West Bank hospital and fatally shot a Palestinian on Thursday, Reuters reported.

The raid took place to detain Abdallah Azzam al-Shalalda, a stabbing suspect who was in the hospital. Forces shot the man’s cousin when he suddenly entered the room from the bathroom.

Al-Shalalda was wanted in connection with the stabbing of an Israeli settler near Hebron two weeks ago. After stabbing the settler, he was shot by his victim but managed to escape.

A military spokeswoman said he and his family, including the cousin, were known Hamas operatives, according to Reuters.

Wal-Mart has broken its silence about its plans for Black Friday.

On Thursday, the retailer announced it will open its doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, the same time it has for the last three years.

For those looking for a head start, Wal-Mart said the majority of its deals will be available online at 3:01 a.m. ET on Thanksgiving, including some of the most sought after items like televisions, video game consoles and small appliances.

Rivals Macy's, Sears and Target already announced their plans to open on Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. Toys R Us will be open an hour earlier.

A number of stores, including H&M, have decided to keep their doors closed, opting to give their employees the chance to spend the holiday at home with friends and family.

Outdoor retailer REI said it would skip Black Friday altogether. According to its website, “the outdoors, and the website are always open.”

An Oceanside woman is back at home after she says she was held for ransom during an alleged kidnapping.

On Tuesday evening, a 23-year old woman called her parents, telling them a man had kidnapped her and was demanding money in exchange for her life.

NBC 7 is not naming the young woman due to the ongoing investigation.

Many questions remains in this bizarre case.

Ten days ago, she stormed out of a townhome in Oceanside after a fight with her parents. During that time, everything seemed to be normal.

Just before midnight on Tuesday, she called her parents to meet outside a store with $1,000 to $2,000 or, she said, the man who kidnapped her would kill her.

A while later, her parents were called again, and this time, they were ordered to meet at the AM/PM in Vista.

A deputy found the 23-year old inside that convenience store at 3 a.m. Wednesday. A man ran out immediately and drove off in a getaway car.

Right now, Oceanside police say there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Lt. Leonard Cosby says one of things that might make the kidnapping look suspicious is the amount the suspect was asking. He says it’s too low.

“Even if she’s calm when she’s saying someone is making these comments, I understand parents can hear the threats of the guy behind her on the phone. That’s going to be very frightening to the parents. I think a lot of times as cops, we look at things very suspiciously,” said Lt. Cosby.

Lt. Cosby told NBC 7 the 23-year old has a bump on her head because the alleged kidnapper stuffed her into a trunk.

Oceanside police and the Sheriff’s office are still investigating.

A woman charged in the death of her infant daughter — who authorities say was killed by an 8-year-old boy — disputes allegations that she left the children home alone to go to a nightclub with a friend, her attorney said Wednesday.

Police say Katerra Marsha Lewis, 26, left the 8-year-old boy to watch over five younger children on Oct. 11. The boy beat Kelci Lewis to death when she wouldn't stop crying and placed her back in her crib as if she were asleep, police said.

The boy was charged with murder in juvenile court and placed into the custody of child welfare workers, Birmingham Police spokesman Sean Edwards said. Lewis is charged with reckless manslaughter.

"I know they're saying she left her child there without any type of adult supervision, but that's not what she's saying," Lewis' attorney Emory Anthony said.

The boy's mother hasn't been charged.

Editor's Note: Wendy Fry previously worked at a restaurant with Francisco, his two brothers and his father.

A Vista family is searching for answers to who and why someone fatally assaulted their brother at a 7-Eleven on North Santa Fe Drive and West Los Angeles Drive.

The May 6 blindside attack left 33-year-old Francisco Castro bruised on nearly every inch of his body and with a serious head injury from which he never woke up, his family exclusively told NBC7.

His family said the blow that ended his life was a beer bottle to the back of his head as he tried to walk away from his attackers.

Castro's tight-knit family visited him nearly every day in the hospital for more than six months, hoping he might wake up. But he never did, and he died early this week.

"We just miss him," said Florecita Castro, the victim's sister. "And I wish we had him back, but it's not going to happen."

The victim's sister pleaded with the public for any information on the May 6 assault.

"Whoever did this, my brother is gone," she said. "Please just come forward, anyone. Any leads. If you want to be anonymous, it's OK. We just want the person who did this to be caught."

Castro worked at a North County restaurant for 15 years. He is survived by his extensive family, including his 2-year-old son.

Vista Sheriff's deputies were at the location of the May 6 assault Wednesday. They said they patrol the area heavily and were not able to comment on the investigation.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with some of the medical, funereal expenses.

Commuters using the Coaster train may face some delays Thursday morning due to a fatal collision on the tracks near the Carlsbad Village station.

San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) Deputies are investigating the death of a 30-year-old man at milepost marker 229.38 near the intersection of Oak and Washington streets.

Deputies say it appears the man was sitting or lying next to the tracks before he was struck by a northbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) freight train around 2 a.m.

SDSO investigators said witnesses reported that as the train approached the area, the man rolled onto the tracks and was fatally struck.

Officials said the freight train had activated its emergency braking system upon first spotting the man on the tracks, but the train was unable to stop before hitting the man.

The man, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident caused some short delays for morning commuters who take the 5 a.m. train out of Oceanside. North County Transit District officials said the train would likely fully restore service on time for those early morning rides but if delays continued, buses would be provided for Coaster passengers in Oceanside.

By  6 a.m., train services were up and running.

The investigation is ongoing. Any witnesses should contact the SDSO at (858) 565-5200.

 With El Nino on the way, many San Diego business owners are overwhelmed and inundated with calls from concerned homeowners, looking to fix their homes up before the expected heavy rain.

La Jolla homeowner Colin Haggerty has lived in the San Diego area since 1989.

“Having been through some El Ninos here, I realized a lot of water can be dumped and I just wanted to make sure our house was prepared,” said Haggerty.

So Haggety said he had his 18-year-old roof restored this month and had the shingles on his roof replaced --- a job he initially had scheduled for the following year.

“You never really know until it happens,” Haggerty said. “Hopefully, we will get rain, I’m kind of hoping it occurs more evenly instead of the massive downpours.”

Mitch Hanson, owner of San Diego Roof Savers, said people like Haggerty are not alone in repairing their roofs.

“A lot of people could have done this before the eleventh hour, which is right now,” Hanson told NBC7.

Homeowners taking a proactive role, however, means they save money in the long run, Hanson said, as repairs after-the-fact would cost a lot more. A home’s roof should be checked out every three to five years, depending on where the house is located.

As homeowners rush to get work done, many companies like Hanson’s have seen an influx of requests.

“We don’t even have someone to answer the phone all the time,” Hanson said.

Hanson has owned his company for decades and said, in those 30 years, he has never any influx of requests quite like he has this season. In more ways than one, this season is unprecedented for him, he said.

“The amount of calls, the revenue generated from anxiety from El Nino,” Hanson said.

Alisa Cuellar with Davey Tree Service said they’ve also seen an uptick in the requests for El Nino-related work.

“They’re afraid, with the winds and the rain,” Cuellar said. “Their tress, you know, are at risk.”

Davey Tree Service has been completely booked for months now, Cuellar said, during usually calmer months – and many of their clients have mentioned their concern with the upcoming El Nino.

Hanson said if someone were to call today to set up an appointment to have work done on their roof, it would likely be a two month long wait, unless it was an emergency.

When it comes to preparing for El Nino, Haggerty said. all homeowners can do is make sure they are prepared in advance.

“Button down the hatches, I guess, is all you can do,” Haggerty said.