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Rain, Chilly Temps Sweep San Diego

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Showers and chilly temperatures swept San Diego County amid the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

Locals woke up to slick roadways and rainfall Friday as many headed out to malls for Black Friday shopping. NBC 7’s Whitney Southwick said scattered showers were moving throughout the county, bringing steady, heavy rainfall.

“We’re seeing the rain become more scattered through mid-morning and isolated showers this afternoon,” Southwick explained. “Snow continues to fall in our mountains, down to 4000-feet, in fact, so places like Julian and maybe even Pine Valley could see some snowmen pop up.”

He said coastal, inland and mountain regions would continue to see rain throughout Friday, with temperatures in the lower-60s at the coast, breezy highs in the upper-50s inland and highs in the upper-30s in the mountains, plus snow flurries there. The deserts will experience a mix of broken clouds and a few sprinkles, with temps in the upper-50s, Southwick said.

At night, Southwick said the storm will move out, leaving behind clearing skies and very cold temperatures. He said snow will continue to fall in our mountains into Friday evening and possibly early Saturday morning.

As of 9:25 a.m., Southwick said between a half-inch to four inches of snow had fallen in the mountains. Laguna Mountain and Palomar Mountain saw much of that fresh powder.

He forecasted temps in the mid-40s for the coast, mid-30s inland, upper-20s in the mountains and lower-30s in the deserts Friday, and said it should be even colder Saturday night throughout the county – though a bit warmer during the day.

To that end, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a freeze watch for San Diego Friday in effect through Saturday morning. Another freeze watch will be in effect from late Saturday night through Sunday morning, the NWS confirmed.

Areas impacted by this freeze watch include central and eastern San Diego County valleys, including Ramona, Jamul, Alpine and other country regions. Valley Center and Rainbow Valley would also be affected, the NWS said, by “several hours of sub-freezing temperatures.”

Those temps will likely be between 26 and 32 degrees.

The chilly weather can harm unprotected crops, sensitive plants and pets who are outside, so the NWS said locals should take precaution to protect their crops and bring their pets indoors in a house or barn.

Get weather updates from NBC 7 here, plus track the rain with our interactive radar and map tools.



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

Pet Predictions: Chargers at Jaguars

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The Chargers aren’t taking the holiday weekend off as they head out east to face the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at 10 a.m. local time.

Since the pets of San Diego were in holiday mode, I put tortoise Voldetort to the test to see who will come out victorious Sunday. We also got a must see video from our friends at the Helen Woodward Animal Center (AnimalCenter.org) with alpacas Kuzco and Kronk.

Does your pet want to be featured next week? Just send a video of them predicting the AFC West showdown between the Chargers and Broncos by December 4th to Becki.Schildhouse@nbcuni.com or tweet/intagram it to @BeckiSSD.

*NBC 7 will not use any video where it appears an animal is being forced to do something it does not want to do.

'Black Lives Matter Not Black Friday': Protesters

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As part of the nationwide movement, protesters gathered in downtown San Diego Friday because ‘Black Lives Matter not Black Friday.'

“I felt it was important to support the movement because just so many black lives are being wasted – not only black lives – but all lives. All lives matter. I felt it was important for my children to be a part of it,” mother Sindhu Sadhaka told NBC7.

During the press conference at the Hall of Justice, the group called for Black Friday to be permanently renamed 'Black Lives Matter' Friday.

“We are asking that our people hold back their money on Black Friday, which is today up until after January 1,” David Muhammad of Justice or Else said at the press conference. “Once we pull back economically from the corporations – corporations dictate to politicians what must be done. So the corporations will feel it and they in turn will tell the politicians to give the people justice.”

After the press conference protesters marched through the streets of downtown amid the Black Friday shoppers.

“These are my sons and they’re twelve and statistically they could be like right there in the mix,” Sadhaka said. “I don’t want them to become another statistic. I want somebody to care about their lives as much as I do.”

The group was created in 2012 after the controversial death of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman.
 



Photo Credit: NBC7

NSA's Bulk Phone Data Collection Program Ends

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The federal government's collection of bulk data from the telephone calls of virtually every American stopped at midnight Saturday, ending a raging controversy that began two and a half years ago with disclosures about the secret program by whistleblower Edward Snowden, NBC News reported. 

Beginning Sunday, if the government wants to check on a specific phone number in a potential terrorism case, a request must be made to the relevant telephone company for a check of its own data. The government will no longer retain the information.

Except in emergencies, the records can be obtained only with an individual order from a special federal intelligence court.

President Obama said in January that the bulk data collection would end, and Congress in June formally banned it but allowed for a six-month transition period that ended Saturday.

For now, the National Security Agency, which ran the massive government data collection program, will retain access to the data it collected before the program ended.



Photo Credit: Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Target Groping Victim Discouraged From Calling 911

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A local woman groped at a Target said Friday she had been dissuaded by store employees from reporting the incident to police.

She was so bothered by the ordeal that she later called police from her car.

“When I called dispatch … they were appalled that they weren’t called to the scene,” she told NBC 7.

Now the woman’s case rests in the hands of prosecutors at San Diego City’s Attorney Office, who have received investigative tips from police about the assailant’s identity.

The woman, who did not wish to be identified out of fear for her safety, spoke to NBC 7 on Friday about the incident.

She said she was shopping at the Target store in Clairemont on Halloween night when the man approached her, asking for a date.

She politely declined, but he persisted.

“I said, ‘Excuse me. Enough.' And he kept coming at me and he grabbed me and groped me,” she said.

He then rushed away, she said. And what happened next was also upsetting: Store employees discouraged her from calling 911.

“When I was in the store, you know, I wasn’t in my right mind. I was hysterical,” she said. “But I did not know what constitutes a sexual assault. I knew it was wrong what happened to me and it was scary and wrong and awful and I felt violated.”

After local TV news stations ran the story, which include surveillance footage of the suspect, a number of people called police with tips of his identity.

As she waits for the investigation process to unfold, the woman says she has important message to other women:

“If anybody touches you in any way, it is not OK,” she said. “And you immediately need to call 911 from your cellphone … The appropriate action is to call authorities immediately because sadly someone isn’t going to do it for you.”

Attempts to reach Target on Friday were unsuccessful.



Photo Credit: San Diego Police Department

At Gunpoint, Woman Forced to Drive to ATM

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Police are searching for a man accused of kidnapping a woman at gunpoint in Mission Valley East, forcing her to withdraw money from an ATM and take him shopping at a liquor store.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the victim was at 4404 El Cajon Blvd. at around 10:30 p.m. when she got into the driver’s seat of her car, leaving the door open for a moment.

Just then, a stranger approached the 23-year-old woman’s car and tapped a gun against the frame of the vehicle. The suspect then hopped into the backseat of the victim’s car and ordered her to drive to an ATM.

Once at the ATM, police said the woman was forced to take out an unknown amount of cash from her bank account.

But the suspect was still not satisfied.

Police said he then made the victim drive to a nearby liquor store where she was ordered to go inside and buy several items from the store for the suspect. After the victim handed over the items, the suspect fled on foot in an unknown direction.

The victim was not harmed, police said. The suspect was only described as a man with curly hair wearing a dark-colored jacket.

No further details were released. The investigation is ongoing, and police are considering this case a kidnapping and robbery.
 



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Putin Orders Economic Sanctions Against Turkey After Downing of Plane

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called for sanctions against Turkey, following the downing this week by Turkey of a Russian warplane.

The decree published on the Kremlin's website Saturday came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had voiced regret over the incident, saying his country was "truly saddened" by the event and wished it hadn't occurred.

The decree includes a ban on some goods and forbids extensions of labor contracts for Turks working in Russia. It doesn't specify what goods are to be banned or give other details, but it also calls for ending chartered flights from Russia to Turkey and for Russian tourism companies to stop selling vacation packages that would include a stay in Turkey. 



Photo Credit: AP

King Tut's Tomb May Conceal Egypt's Lost Queen

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Chances are high that the tomb of Ancient Egypt's boy-king Tutankhamun has passages to a hidden chamber, which may be the last resting place of the lost Queen Nefertiti, experts said on Saturday.

There is huge international interest in Nefertiti, who died in the 14th century B.C. and is thought to be Tutankhamun's stepmother, and confirmation of her final resting place would be the most remarkable Egyptian archaeological find this century.

New evidence from the radar imaging taken so far is to be sent to a team in Japan for analysis. The results are expected to be announced in a month. 



Photo Credit: AP

Community Park Set to Open in Logan Heights

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A much-needed park long in the works for San Diego’s Logan Heights community is just about ready to open to the public -- a safe space to be enjoyed by local families.

The idea for the Gilliam Family Community Garden and Park came about more than a year-and-a-half ago.

Organizers with Bame Community Development Corporation (CDC) in Logan Heights found a vacant space on Imperial Avenue, between 28th and 29th streets. They contacted the owner of that space, Derrick Gilliam, and asked to transform site into a safe place where people who live in the area could meet up, and feel like they belong.

Gilliam donated the 5,000-square-foot space to the community for five years.

But there was much work to be done.

“It was all covered with trash. It was really like an eyesore. So basically we're turning it into a neighborhood beautification project,” explained Paige Newman, Community and Economic Development Coordinator with BAME CDC.

Bame partnered with Space 4 Art and asked for input from the community on how to best utilize the space.

Newman said those planning meetings brought the community closer together.

“[They] brought people together, by collecting input from children, adults, residents, and non-residents as to what everybody wanted to see in this space,” she said.

Now, residents, including Elizabeth Rodriguez, are looking forward to seeing the end result.

Rodriguez said she moved to Logan Heights for its affordable housing and sense of community. She thinks the park will improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.

“There's a diverse race of people here, and ages of people here,” she told NBC 7. “The sense of community when you're here, you really feel like part of a family. People walk the streets, they talk to each other. They get to know each other.”

Rodriguez, who also volunteered to help with the project, said money to build the park came from grants, private donations, businesses, and even tip jars placed at local businesses.

Hundreds of people, from students to community groups to neighbors, have helped to clean up the abandoned space and built the fixtures.

The centerpiece is a three-story treehouse.

It was designed by artists at Space 4 Art and built by students at King-Chávez Community High School in downtown and High Tech High in Chula Vista.

“It ties to the horizontal maze, which is the only way you can enter into the treehouse,” explained Space 4 Art co-founder Bob Leathers. “This is unique to Logan Heights.”

The artists and students are also building shade trees, using recycled materials like bicycle wheels and telephone poles.

“They have learned how important recycling is and have learned what it means to be resourceful when you can't afford to buy the big shade trees that cost over $1,000,” said Leathers.

Leathers said the students learned a lot about structure and design while working on the project, and also something else that's equally important.

"Old-fashioned stick with-it-ness,” he said, “That they in fact had the perseverance to do the whole thing and put all those together.”

They also built an outdoor amphitheater, with seating for 120 people and picnic tables on the side.

Over the next several weeks, volunteers will finish up the teaching gardens, where families can learn about drought-tolerant plants and how to grow vegetables.

“The key is to empower residents,” said Newman. “They can learn how to garden and then they can take that into their homes, and if they like to, design a small garden in their homes, and possibly sell the produce.”

Leathers said because the space is on private property and all the fixtures are temporary, they were able to bypass some of the city permits that would be needed for permanent structures.

Also, everything inside the park can be taken apart and moved after the lease expires in five years.

The Gilliam Family Community Garden and Park is set to open in January 2016.
 



Photo Credit: May Tjoa

Aztecs Fall To West Virginia In Las Vegas

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The Aztecs needed a lot more than some Vegas luck against West Virginia in the Intercontinental Tire Invitational Championship. The Mountaineers defense crushed the Aztecs, to claim the tournament title with a 72-50 win.

It was a tale of 21 turnovers for the Aztecs that lead to 30 West Virginia points. The Aztecs had just seven points off 15 Mountaineer turnovers. But turnovers were not the only problem. SDSU shot 34.2 percent, making just 13 field goals. None of which came from their nine attempts from beyond the arc. 
Freshman Jeremy Hemsley was the only Aztec to reach double figures in scoring with 14 points. He also led in rebounds for the Aztecs with four and tied for most assists with one. That’s right, just one assist was needed to lead the Aztecs. The Aztecs had three compared to the Mountaineers 12.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and the Aztecs may want to leave this loss there as they prepare to travel to Long Beach State on Tuesday. The Aztecs drop to 4-3 on the season. 


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Survivor: Colorado Gunman 'Was Aiming for My Head'

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A man who came face-to-face with a gunman at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic Friday said he felt "helpless" as he watched the shooter, who killed three people and injured nine others, NBC News reported.

Ozy Licano, 61, of Manzinola, Colorado,had driven some friends to the Colorado Springs clinic and was at a nearby Costco while they waited for their appointment.

When Licano returned, he was shocked to find bullets flying into the clinic's entry way as the the gunman shot "up and down," shattering the glass door.

"I just kind of lost it there. I tried to get out of my car and run. I thought about that, and I said no. I got back in the car, started it, put it in reverse," he said.

The shooter, identified as 57-year-old Robert Dear, turned his focus away from the clinic and took aim at Licano as he frantically tried to back up.

"He was looking directly at my face, and he was aiming for my head. I could see it in his eyes," Licano said.



Photo Credit: Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP
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Thanksgiving DUI Arrests and Fatalities Up

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Traffic fatalities and DUI arrests on Thanksgiving were up this year from last year statewide, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Across the state, officers arrested 372 drivers for DUI, up from 334 last year, and there were twice as many fatalities in 2015.

There were 14 fatalities across the state in 2015 while last year there were 7.

In San Diego, DUI arrests were slightly down -  22 this year compared to 23 last year, but fatalities were up. There were two this year and none last year.

Five of the people killed weren’t wearing seat belts and one was a pedestrian fatality.

The statistics are from Wednesday at 6 p.m. to Friday at 6 a.m.
 



Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

Beloved Restaurant in Carlsbad Closing

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When he was 21 years old, Eddy Shakarjian’s family fled Lebanon during the war and made a home in north San Diego, opening a family business, The Armenian Café. Now, after 27 years in business, the beloved restaurant plans to shutter its doors.

“We’re gonna miss this location. It’s unique,” Shakarjian, the owner, told NBC 7. “There are a lot of memories.”

The restaurant is family-owned and operated in every sense. Shakarjian's daughter, Leah, is the manager. His sons, Matthew and Andrew, also work there.

But soon, all of this will change.

A hotel, a Springhill Suites by Marriott, is being built at the site of the restaurant, and Shakarjian said his business has to be out by the start of the New Year.

In 2007, the Carlsbad City Council approved plans for the 104-room, three-story hotel. The new hotel will take over the site currently occupied by The Armenian Café, the 28-room Surf Motel, and a single-family house.

A fixture in Carlsbad for the last three decades, Shakarjian is determined to keep his family business going -- some way, somehow. He's hoping the restaurant can perhaps take up shop inside the new hotel.

“I’ve been here 27 years,” Shakarjian said. “My kids were raised here and it's gonna be a tough one, but we're gonna do it and hopefully the landlords will come through and we'll be in the new building down the road. There’s no restaurant in there right now, but we hope we can do it."

If this plan doesn't pan out, Shakarjian said he's also looking into other locations for his restaurant, including a site near his home in Vista.

For more information on The Armenian Café, visit this website. For now, the café, will remain open through the end of 2015.
 



Photo Credit: NBC7

'Calm, But Crazy': Planned Parenthood Shooting Suspect ID'd

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A man armed with an AK-47-style weapon burst into a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs and opened fire, killing three people, including a police officer, and injuring nine others during the ensuing five-hour standoff, NBC News reported.

Police identified the gunman as 57-year-old Robert Lewis Dear of North Carolina, the Associated Press reported.

Dear began firing in the parking lot of the facility on Centennial Boulevard and then entered the building, a law enforcement official told NBC News. The shooting unfolded Friday during a regular working day, as patients waited for appointments and staff members attended to them.

The gunman "seemed calm, but crazy," Kentanya Craion said, describing the man in a hunter's jacket and hat as "mumbling and ranting while he was shooting."

The slain officer was identified as Garrett Swasey, 44, of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs police department. The nine wounded were taken to area hospitals and reported in good condition, Colorado Springs Police Department Lt. Catherine Buckley said.

President Obama condemned the violence in a statement Sunday and called for action on gun control.

"Enough is enough," he said.



Photo Credit: Colorado Springs Police Department
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'Spice' Use Prevalent in San Diego: SD Fire Rescue

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A community emergency erupted after a bad batch of the drug spice was distributed earlier this week.

San Diego Fire-Rescue said its sign of just how prevalent spice use is right now locally.

But there was one aspect emergency responders didn't expect - the challenge of teens ending up victims of toxic spice.

“We had some young people that were impacted, which is kind of unusual as far as the severity and the number of young people,” said Mike Finnerty, Battalion Chief, San Diego Fire Rescue.

Emergency responders were not only faced with getting five kids to the hospital, one of whom was only 13 years old, but because some of the teens were high on the drug, they actually created a problem for first responders.

Synthetic marijuana or spice can cause hallucination, psychosis and agitation.

“A lot of times they don't really understand, because of the impact of the substance, what's happening to them,” Finnerty told NBC7.

Finnerty explained that's what happened as firefighters rushed to help a teenage girl. Other teens, also on Spice, wouldn't let firefighters get to the teen.

“The crew had to call for police back up in order to be able to access that patient,” said Finnerty.

Teenagers fall under implied consent because they are not adults.

“We're obligated to care for the patient,” Finnerty explained. “You have to balance as far as how far you push in to try to gain access to the patient versus your own safety and backing away and calling in for police to assist.”

Right now firefighters call Spice use the middle of a trend and say the community needs to be aware of it.



Photo Credit: NBC7

Cops Hone in on 2 Suspects in Teen's Killing

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A juvenile has been arrested on suspicion of accessory to murder charges and another suspect is being sought in connection to the killing of 14-year-old San Diego resident Anna Hernandez.

News of the suspects came Friday night, hours after Nelly Espinoza, a 12-year-old friend of the homicide victim, was found safe in Tijuana.

Nelly was found in Tijuana by her grandfather. Her grandfather notified Baja California State Preventive Police and then brought his granddaughter to the border, police said in a news release. 

Officials then escorted Nelly to meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and San Diego police officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Friday afternoon, officials said. There, she was reunited with her mother after being interviewed by San Diego police.

Just before 10 p.m., San Diego police issued a news release, stating that a minor was booked in juvenile hall in connection to Anna Hernandez's murder. Police would not release the minor's name.

Meanwhile, police said a second suspect, 19-year-old Daniel Flores, is being sought by investigators.

Nelly and Anna were last seen together in Grant Hill on Nov. 13. Anna’s body was found five days later wrapped in a blanket in a canyon at 29th and Market streets – just behind an apartment complex in the Grant Hill area where the girl lived.

SDPD investigators said the body was decomposed and homicide detectives launched an investigation, but did not immediately identify the body as the teenage girl.

San Diego police said Friday afternoon that Nelly was not the victim of any crime, nor was she injured during her disappearance.

Further details on her case were not yet released on Friday afternoon.

The whereabouts of a third girl tied to this case, Janeth Mendoza, 16, are still unknown. She has not been seen by her loved ones since Oct. 28, police said.

Janeth is described as 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She has several tattoos, including a Chargers bolt on her neck, the word "Bella" on her right forearm and "Perla" on her left forearm.

Police characterized the disappearances of Nelly and Janeth as runaways and said they were interested in talking with them, as the teens could have information about Anna because they were the last people to be seen with her.

Police confirmed Saturday morning that the case against the unnamed juvenile suspect has been handed over to the San Diego District Attorney's office.



Photo Credit: SDPD

Calif. Newborn Found Buried Alive

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A newborn girl was found buried alive near a riverbed in Compton, California, Friday and now officials are seeking the public's help for information on her abandonment.

Two women described the moments when they heard the cries as they walked on a bike path near the riverbed.

"She said, 'I hear a baby crying,'" Angelica Blount said of her sister Evangelina McCrary. "I saw the baby, but not 100 percent of the baby's face."

Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of a baby heard crying near the riverbed located between 136th Street and Slater Avenue at 4 p.m. Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"Anytime you have a helpless newborn child who can't help themselves, it is frustrating," Blount said.

As deputies canvassed the area, they heard a baby's "muffled cry" and discovered a newborn girl buried alive a foot deep under pieces of asphalt and rubble inside a crevice located along a bike path, LASD said.

Deputies had to remove pieces of asphalt and debris to rescue the baby, who was wrapped in a blanket and cold to the touch, officials said.

The newborn was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital. She was in stable condition and remained at the hospital for observation.

According to the Safe Surrender law, parents can drop off their newborn at any hospital or fire station confidentially within 72 hours without fear of prosecution, said Sgt. Marvin Jaramilla of the LASD.

The newborn was 24 to 36 hours old when she was found.

As of Saturday she was two to three days old, which is within the Safe Surrender window.

"They could have done the right thing, and instead they came and dumped it here," said Angel Flores, a nearby resident. "I don't know the situation they have or what's going on, but this is not right. This is not human."

The person who did this, if found, could be charged with attempted murder and child endangerment, detectives said.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department - Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-LASD (5273).

Information on the Safe Surrender law can be found at the following sites:

Safe Surrender in Los Angeles at BabySafeLA.org

Safe Surrender in the state of California at BabySafe.CA.gov



Photo Credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

FB Post of Dog Muzzled With Duct Tape Sparks Investigation

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Police in Connecticut and Florida have been inundated with messages of outrage and concern over a Facebook post showing a dog muzzled with duct tape that has gone viral on social media.

A Facebook account under the user name "Katie Brown" posted a photograph Friday of a dog that looks like a chocolate lab with duct tape wrapped around its mouth. The image was captioned with the message: "This is what happens when you dont (sic) shut up!!!" According to the page, the woman lives in South Daytona, Florida. It is not clear if the photo is Brown's.

A subsequent post, published only a minute later, attempted to justify the controversial image by explaining that the duct tape was only left on the dog for "a minute."

"Don't panic everyone it was only for a minute but hasnt barked since...POINT MADE!!! (sic)," the caption read.

The post was shared over 280,000 times by Saturday afternoon and has sparked an outcry from animal lovers criticizing the Facebook user who posted the image. The post and photo have not been authenticated.

South Daytona Beach police initially told NBC Connecticut that the alleged incident was believed to have happened in Florida but that the woman wasn't at her residence in the state. They also said she may live in Torrington, Conn.

South Daytona Police Lt. Dan Dietrich later said they made contact with the woman's adult son, who lives in Florida, and he confirmed the his mother moved to Connecticut over a year ago and has been living in Avon with a boyfriend, possibly a fiancé. She doesn't own any vehicles registered in Florida but does have rental properties in the state, Dietrich said.

The son also said his mother is en route back to Florida and was passing through the Carolinas Saturday morning. Her son told police he hasn't heard from her and believes she may have shut her cell phone off after getting threatening calls when her phone number began circulating online in connection to the Facebook post.

According to police, the legal name of the woman they are looking to speak with is different than the one listed on the Facebook account. 

South Daytona police said they don't plan on taking any further action until they can speak with the woman believed to be behind the Facebook post and check on her dog's well-being, as well as any other animals she may have.

Daytona animal control officials reported receiving tens of thousands of calls about the Facebook post, including calls from Canada and Australia.

South Daytona Police, a department that covers a jurisdiction of four square miles, said they had to bring in 20 percent of their off-duty workforce to handle the high volume of calls about the Facebook photo of the dog. According to the department, their entire switchboard crashed at one point after being overwhelmed with calls about the alleged incident 

"Please help us out by not flooding our emergency phone numbers, which may impact other emergency calls. We appreciate your concerns," city of South Daytona officials said.

Most recently, city of South Daytona officials posted on Facebook that the woman in question hasn't lived there for about one and a half years despite the fact that the Facebook page under her name says she lives there.

Avon police dispatchers say they have been bombarded with numerous calls about the controversial post over the holiday weekend as well, as messages circulated on social media reporting the Facebook user also lives in the town.

However, police responded to the "home of the alleged abuse and determined that the case did not occur in Avon," city officials said. They also said that the woman whose name is on the account no longer lives in Avon and hasn't for awhile.  

"While we share your concern with the abuse of animals we want to assure all concerned individuals that we have fully investigated this case," Avon Police Chief Mark Rinaldo said.

Avon police said they have closed the investigation at this time and have contacted Florida authorities about the case because they believe she lives there.

Meanwhile, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida reported being "inundated with hundreds of Facebook messages" from across the country and world at its communications center.

"Please rest assured that we're aware of the photo and, as the dispatch center for all of Volusia County, have notified the appropriate local police department of the incident," the sheriff's office said. "We appreciate your concern for the welfare of all the members of our community! We've attempted to respond to as many individual messages as we can, but we hope this post will help put minds at ease in case we didn't reply to every last one. Have a great night and rest of your Thanksgiving weekend!"

The Facebook post has also been brought to the attention of Torrington Animal Control officials in Connecticut, who said there is an animal cruelty investigation underway after being flooded with messages about the incident.

"Be assured that there is an active animal cruelty investigation in progress. We are taking this very seriously. Please don’t send further emails or messages as our email system is overwhelmed. We thank you for your help," Torrington Animal Control officials said on Facebook. ".... Thank you everyone for sending us info and links to help the Chocolate Lab. We are actively investigating this case and searching for the individual involved."

Just before 3 p.m. Saturday, Torrington Animal Control posted an update on Facebook, stating their "inbox is not currently working" and requesting patients while they "try to read through all of your messages."

"We are still diligently working on tracking down the owner who posted that dreadful picture to Facebook earlier this morning but it appears that she is no longer residing in Avon ... or Connecticut for that matter. All new, and pertinent information that we get is being immediately forward to Daytona PD as that is where the suspect is believed to be living/heading," the post read. 

The woman whose name is on the Facebook account hasn't been located at this time. The Facebook account list's Brown as self-employed and a former Central Connecticut State University student, but that has not been confirmed.

A Change.org petition began circulating online, asking Torrington, Avon and South Daytona police to charge the woman with animal abuse. It has garnered over 25,000 supporters since its creation early Saturday morning.

South Daytona police said that if they verify the duct-tape incident with the dog occurred, then they would contact the police in the town where it occurred.

"We just want to get eyes on her first and figure this whole situation out," Dietrich said.


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Brothers Take Selfie With Rescued Bald Eagle

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Two Canadian brothers who rescued a bald eagle from a trap took the rare chance to snap a selfie with the stately creature before setting it free.

Michael Fletcher, 29, said he was hunting with his brother, Neil, near Ontario's Windy Lake on Tuesday, when they stumbled upon the majestic bird caught in a hunting trap.

They knew they had to do something, but freeing the animal was no easy task. "When we got close to the bird, it tried to fly away. So I took my hoodie off and put it around its head, it calmed it right down," Fletcher told NBC News on Saturday. 



Photo Credit: Michael Fletcher via Facebook

Small Business Saturday Getting Big

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As big as Black Friday is 'Small Business Saturday' has become a profitable day for local businesses as well.

For many shoppers the day is more about supporting local than finding bargains.

"I'd just like to say spend your money on something local, locally made, support a local person. We have enough big screen TVs out there," Brian Beever of Simply Local said.

At Simply Local in North Park there are no big boxes or big crowds – just products with purpose selling everything from organic honey to artwork.

“We're a great alternative to the malls,” Becki Kaplan of Kaleidoscope told NBC7. “We have completely different types of assortments than any place else and that's true of many of the stores in North Park."

Kaleidoscope, also in North Park, sells colorful kitchen and home products as well as gifts.

"It's incredible; I mean it was overwhelming the support the last year. I mean that sincerely,” Kaplan said of Kaleidoscope’s first Small Business Saturday in 2014.

American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010 as a way to help small businesses get customers during the Recession.

"We like to support our local neighborhood and we can walk instead of drive and have a cup of coffee," customer Julie Cline said.

For merchants it's a viable platform during the most critical time of the year.

"These are the days that allow us to be around the rest of the year, “Kaplan explained.

For local companies and customers shopping small is just good business.



Photo Credit: NBC7
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