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Grocery Chains Take Over 12 SD County Haggen Stores

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Twelve soon-to-close Haggen stores across San Diego County have officially been acquired by grocery store chains.

Smart & Final has purchased 11 locations and Gelson's Market has secured one Carlsbad location.

These Haggen stores will now be operated by Smart & Final, the chain announced on Monday:

  • 955 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad
  • 9870 Magnolia Avenue, Santee
  • 13439 Camino Canada, El Cajon
  • 2800 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon
  • 10740 Westview Parkway, San Diego
  • 2235 University Ave., San Diego
  • 10633 Tierra Santa Blvd., San Diego
  • 3681 Avocado Av., La Mesa
  • 150 B Ave., Coronado
  • 360 East H St., Chula Vista
  • 350 W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro

Officials with Gelson's also announced on Monday that the chain had successfully bid on two Haggen locations in Southern California: one at 7660 El Camino Real in Carlsbad and the other at 30922 Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach.

The official takeover of the Carlsbad store joins to two other San Diego County acquisitions; Gelson’s also successfully acquired Haggen stores in Del Mar and Pacific Beach.

“We have heard from many North County residents who have sought a Gelson’s store and we are pleased for the opportunity to serve Carlsbad in the coming months,” the news release said.

Since Haggen announced it was departing from Southern California, resulting in the shuttering of 25 San Diego County locations, a number of grocery store chains have made bids to buy the stores.

Gelson’s started in Burbank in 1951 and is known for its upscale atmosphere, restaurant quality meats and produce along with other higher end products.



Photo Credit: Consumer Bob

Man Accused of Killing Grandmother, Uncle

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A San Diego man accused of killing two relatives in a violent stabbing was released just hours prior to the crime, court documents show.

On Monday, a roommate found the bodies of Donna Chatterfield, 78, and Kenneth Chatterfield, 54, at the Rancho Chula Vista mobile home park in the 1000 block of Beyer Way.

Investigators arrested 29-year-old Raymond Chatterfield at a fast food restaurant about a block away from crime scene.

He is the grandson of Donna Chatterfield and the nephew of Kenneth Chatterfield, police said. Court documents also show Raymond Chatterfield was released from jail just hours before he allegedly killed his grandmother and uncle.

Chatterfield, who has a history of arrests for possession and use of methamphetamine, was most recently sentenced to 90 days custody for violating a restraining order meant to keep him away from Donna Chatterfield.

With credit for time served and other jail time credits, Chatterfield was released from jail some time Monday.

Just before 8 p.m., police found Chatterfield at a Jack-in-the-Box about a block away from his grandmother's home. Officers soon detained him.

NBC 7 News has learned Raymond was declared mentally unable to make decisions regarding his health in August 2014.

San Diego judges issued at least three orders designed to protect homicide victim Donna Chatterfield from her grandson.

Court records obtained by NBC 7 News confirm that on April 7, Raymond Chatterfield was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his grandmother and have no written or electronic communication with her.

Court records show Chatterfield violated that order on October 16.

Another, identical "stay away" order was issued against him on October 20, and a third protective order was issued November 5.

That order, designed to protect Donna Chatterfield from her grandson, was in effect when he alleged stabbed her and his uncle to death.

Raymond Chatterfield was charged with felony elder abuse in June 2007, court records show. He pleaded guilty and the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.

Court records also show Raymond was arrested and charged with illegal possession of methamphetamine in July 2014. Raymond claimed to be a Navy Seal and the son of a member of the rock band Slayer at the time of his arrest, according to the documents.



Photo Credit: SDPD

Vigil Planned to Mourn Fire Victim

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A vigil was planned Tuesday to mourn the loss of a middle school student killed when fire swept through his San Diego home.

Fernando Castro, 12, was found inside the burned out single-story home on J Street near Toyne in the Mount Hope community.

The boy’s cousin Ramon Vasquez shared a photo of the Millennial Tech Middle School student known as "Nano" to family and friends and who school administrators called a happy boy.

Vasquez stopped by the neighborhood before heading to UCSD Medical Center where his two other cousins were in critical condition with burns covering 80 percent of their bodies.

Family members have told NBC 7 that 3-year-old Esmeralda and 5-year-old Luis were so badly burned in the fire that they have been placed in medically induced comas.

Ramon is the nephew of the victim’s mother who was not home when the fire broke out just after midnight Monday.

A babysitter and her boyfriend were with the children while their mother drove her eldest child back to college after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

When San Diego Fire-Rescue crews arrived, flames engulfed the small home. Crews were told by neighbors that there were three children trapped in the flames. They rescued two children and rushed them to a waiting ambulance. The third child, Fernando, was found dead inside.

A neighbor told NBC 7 he heard the babysitter say one of the children may have put a space heater by the bed.

Fire officials have not determined the cause of the fire although they say they are ruling it an accident.

A vigil was planned to take place at 6:30 p.m. outside the home on J Street. 

There are several online fundraising accounts set up to help the family handle memorial and medical costs as well as replace their belongings.

Here are the links:

Help Raise Money for Juanitas Kids

Mt Hope house fire - Please support

Support the memory of 12 year old Fernando Castro



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Thief Steals SUV With Girls Inside It: Kansas Police

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Two girls were accidentally abducted Tuesday when their family’s SUV was stolen, according to police in Kansas.

The two children were waiting for their dad in his vehicle parked outside a business in Olathe, Kansas.

A suspect who was fleeing a nearby auto mechanic shop stole the SUV, according to NBC News.

The girls’ father called 911, where officers issued an Amber Alert. Patrol officers later found the missing vehicle with both girls safe inside.

"The suspect, who was described as a white male in his 40s, was not located at the scene," police said.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Guantanamo Bay Detainee Is Case of Mistaken Identity

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A militant who fought for the Taliban in Afghanistan and held without charge at Guantanamo Bay for 13 years was largely a victim of mistaken identity, NBC News reported.

Captured in 2002, Mustafa Abd-al-Qawi Abd-al-Aziz al-Shamiri was believed to be a member of al Qaeda, the Department of Defense said in a document Tuesday.

"We now judge that these activities were carried out by other known extremists" with similar names or aliases, the profile of the Yemeni detainee dated Sept. 25 added.

The department conceded there was no evidence he was part of al Qaeda’s October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, despite finding links to fighting in Bosnia in 1995. He also admitted that he fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2000 to 2001, according to the document.



Photo Credit: AP

NATO Invites Montenegro to be New Member, Defying Russia

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NATO foreign ministers invited Montenegro to join their military alliance on Wednesday, despite Russian warnings that doing so would be a provocation, Reuters reported.

“This is the beginning of a very beautiful alliance,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg declared.

Stoltenberg said inviting the tiny country sends a message to Moscow that it doesn’t have a veto on NATO’s eastward expansion. Moscow opposes any NATO extension to former communist areas, and has even called the group's so-called open door policy “irresponsible,” according to Reuters.

NATO foreign ministers broke off formal contact with Russia in April last year after it annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and sparked conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Montenegro's prime minister called the invite a "historic day." 



Photo Credit: AP

Russia: Turkey's President 'Involved' in ISIS' Illegal Oil Trade

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his family are "involved" in ISIS' illegal oil trade and personally benefit from it, Russia alleged Wednesday, NBC News reported.

"Turkey is the main destination for the oil stolen from its legitimate owners, which are Syria and Iraq," Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told journalists in Moscow. "Turkey resells this oil."

Antonov alleges the country's top political leadership, including President Erdogan and his family, is involved in the illegal business .

 

Russian military officials displayed satellite images that they said showed columns of tanker trucks being loaded with oil at installations controlled by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and then crossing the border into Turkey.

 

Antonov did not say what evidence Russia had of Erdogan's involvement — an allegation that the Turkish leader has previously denied.



Photo Credit: AP

Dog Stands Guard Over Injured Owner

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A dog belonging to the victim of a house fire stood guard over his injured owner while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze Wednesday morning. 

Fire crews were called to the home in Landover Hills, Maryland, early Wednesday. Firefighters said they had trouble getting to one of the two people hurt in the fire because the woman's dog was standing over her.

Firefighters tried to call the dog away from the woman, but the loyal pooch wouldn't budge. Firefighters eventually deployed a powder fire extinguisher in the direction of the dog, giving them time to get the woman out of the house.  

The dog was never aggressive toward the firefighters, said department spokesman Mark Brady. 

The woman and her injured father were both removed from the home and taken to an area hospital. Both are expected to be OK.

Even after firefighters pulled the victims from the burning house, the dog could be seen sitting next to one of its injured owners.

A dog, two turtles and several puppies inside the home were removed safely. Animal control officers took the animals from the scene. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials do not believe the home was equipped with smoke detectors. 


Consumers Warned of 'Porch Pirates' as Online Sales Soar

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As online holiday shopping sales soar to record levels this year, consumer groups are warning that thieves are ready and waiting to take advantage of packages that linger on your doorstep.

With this year's "Cyber Monday" set be the biggest U.S. online shopping day in history with nearly $3 billion in sales, there will certainly be more opportunity for thieves to swipe packages from stoops before they even get to their rightful owners.

A new report from insuranceQuotes.com finds an estimated 23 million Americans have had packages stolen from their homes, and with more people shopping online, they expect that number to grow. 

"We call these 'Porch Pirates' -- thieves literally walking up to your front door and taking your packages," said Laura Adams, a senior analyst with insuranceQuotes.com who conducted the survey.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gas Tanker Erupts in Flames, Forcing SoCal Highway Closure

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All lanes of the Corona (15) Freeway in Lake Elsinore reopened in time for the Wednesday morning commute following a gas tanker fire that forced both sides of the highway to be shut down, the California Highway Patrol said.

Mile after mile of red tail lights from drivers stuck on the freeway were still visible from NewsChopper4 at 11 p.m. Tuesday - nearly 10 hours after the fire was reported.

The freeway reopened between Lake Street and Nichols Road just before 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, the CHP reported.

Morning commuters had been warned to plan alternate routes.

The fire was reported at 1:05 p.m. on the right shoulder of the freeway north of Nichols Road. The tanker was reportedly carrying 8,700 gallons of fuel when a tire shredded, contributing to the fire, according to the CHP.

All traffic was diverted off the freeway at Lake Street in the afternoon, according to CHP logs.

The fire was so intense, it melted the truck down on lanes.

No injuries were immediately reported.

Traffic was bumper-to-bumper at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.
 



Photo Credit: Alex Vasquez - KNBC

East Village Urban Progress Signals Moving Time for Tenants

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For small business owners, making a living in downtown San Diego can be a big challenge.

High rents and parking issues go with the territory -- and now, more and more, urban renewal figures into the equation.

Progress can’t be stopped, and those in the path of it are obliged to make new starts elsewhere.

"You've got to ride the wave or get sucked up by it," says Anthony Farmer, a native New Yorker, Navy veteran and fitness trainer who practices his trade in "The Lab," a 35,000 square foot workout space on 15th Street in East Village.

"Being from the city, you see it all the time," Farmer said in an interview Tuesday. "It's what happened to Manhattan. It's what happened to Brooklyn. It's going to happen to the Bronx. And East Village is just one of those cities that you can chalk up."

The old warehouse district where Farmer has set up shop for the last couple of years is giving way to high-rise buildings and homes of an upscale urban neighborhood.

He’s operating under the shadow of civic progress -- hanging tough on a month-to-month lease, pushing a women-with-toddlers clientele through "Mommy & Me" workouts.

The Lab occupies part of the site of a soon-to-be built, 29-story residential tower called "Streetlights Makers Quarter" -- the first outpost of a five-block, billion-dollar redevelopment project by the Jerome's Furniture family.

The developers, Lankford & Associates, are looking to turn East Village into a high-tech business and jobs epicenter.

Farmer's business eventually will have to go.

“I was talking about it with my wife today,” he noted, “and I'm going to miss being downtown.”

As he seeks and finds new premises for The Lab, Farmer’s clientele will face decisions of their own.

But most seem inclined to follow him to where he winds up.

“I live in the South Bay so honestly, I'm used to commuting,” says Diana Verissimo, who lives in Bonita. “Even if he goes to Point Loma, or the State area or wherever.”

She quickly added, with a laugh: “As long as it's not Del Mar."

As for the high-rise building, it comes up for approval by Civic San Diego's board of directors next week.

Stacey Lankford Pennington, an overseer of the project, tells NBC 7 the Makers Square venture is working to create a real spirt of community in the fast-gentrifying neighborhood that East Village has become -- not just a commercial success.

The Streetlights tower is planned for 291 dwelling units and 22,000-square feet of commercial space -- space that'll be anything but affordable for Anthony Farmer.

“But I'm not mad, not mad, “ he insists. “Just a little sad. Not upset. Just a little sad."

Stabbing Victim 'Worried' About Grandson's Release: Roommate

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The roommate of two stabbing victims said she is “totally surprised” the suspect, who court records indicate had a long history of mental illness and domestic violence, was allowed to go free after his recent stint in jail.

Raymond Chatterfield, 29, is now back in custody, accused of killing his grandmother Donna Chatterfield, 78, and uncle Kenneth Chatterfield, 54, at their Otay Mesa mobile home Monday afternoon — just hours after he was released from county jail.

Connie Ferraro, the victims’ roommate, told NBC 7 Donna had been terrified of her grandson for years.

“She was worried. Yesterday, she knew he was getting out,” Ferraro said. “They kept her updated; they should have called her or something but they didn't. The last time they let him out on the 14th of October, the 16th he got arrested here again. And then the 30th, it didn't take him long to get here.”

She said Donna was a “very caring, very giving” lady who was like family to her.

A year ago, a court psychiatrist warned that Raymond "posed a substantial danger of physical harm toward others" and needed antipsychotic medication, according to court documents obtained by NBC 7.

The suspect had told the psychiatrist he thought his grandmother was running a sex trafficking ring and that he was a Navy SEAL fighting a war-- all delusions of a dangerous schizophrenic, the records say.

In August, Raymond admitted to violating a restraining order meant to protect Donna. In October, court records show he violated the order again. He told police at the time he could go anywhere he wanted because he owns all the land and is the president of Brazil.

He was sentenced to 90 days in jail on Oct. 20, but he got credit for 41 days of time already served. With good behavior, he was released Monday.

"I am totally surprised. I am totally surprised,” said Ferraro. “They should have committed him to a mental health facility or something. They should have known he was going violent. They had him in there for over 45 days."

Raymond was in and out of jail multiple times over the last three years. He was arrested on multiple misdemeanors for drugs, elder abuse and violating the restraining order, according to court documents.

Local judges issued at least three orders to protect Donna from her grandson. None of them prevented Raymond from entering her home Monday, Ferraro said.

“The manager of the park here says she saw him ranting and raving about how his grandmother and uncle should die,” she told NBC 7. “And the park has a restraining order against him. Why didn't they call police?”

NBC 7 reached out to the Rancho Chula Vista Mobile Home Park for their response to Ferraro’s question. We have not heard back.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Woman Ties, Robs 74-Year-Old Man

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A 74-year-old man said he thought he could have been living his "last day on Earth" after a woman broke into his Maryland home and violently restrained and threatened him before ransacking the house.

Police said the woman knocked on the victim's door in Kensington on Nov. 9 and asked to use the bathroom. The victim, a retired computer specialist, told the woman no, but she returned 15 minutes later. This time, she pushed her way into the home and punched him in the face.

She then held a pair of scissors against him and ordered him to his bedroom, according to police. 

"It's scary," the victim told News4 on Tuesday. He didn't want his real name used, so News4 is calling him Joe. "You think that they might use them, and with the tone of her voice, (it) sounded like she could do it."

Using an electrical cord and a sock, the woman tied Joe's hands behind his back and made him lie on a bed facing the wall while she ransacked the house.

"You think, 'Well, this may be my last day on Earth'" he said.

She also went out of her to show the victim how strong she is, Joe said.

"She showed me her bicep; she had this big, bulging bicep, and she hit me, she hit me right here," he said, gesturing to his face. "And she said, 'If you (expletive) with me, I will kill you in a second.' With the tone of her voice, she was like a maniac."

Montgomery County Police said the woman threatened to stab and shoot the victim if he resisted. Before leaving, she threatened Joe, "If you tell the banks, the police or anybody, we'll come back and we'll kill you," he said.

The woman left the home with the victim's credit card, cash and PIN.

Joe said he was tied up for hours but eventually got free and called police.

"I couldn't get out until the end," he said. "I finally got out."

The victim described the suspect as a Latina woman in her 40s with a medium build, black hair and maroon clothing. Joe told police she introduced herself as "Maria."

Montgomery County Police said they believe the intruder targeted the victim because she knew he lived alone. 

Police have released surveillance photos of the suspect taken in a Walmart. Investigators said she used the victim's credit cards at stores in Wheaton and Rockville, Maryland, and in Vienna, Virginia. She also used the cards at an ATM. 

A man and a younger female also used the cards to withdraw money.

Investigators later discovered the Kensington robbery was not the suspect's first attempt. Four residents on Wexford Court, a street very close to the victim's home, reported that a woman matching the suspect's description had knocked on their doors within the past few weeks. She was not able to gain entry into those homes. 

Anyone with information about any of the three suspects is urged to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered to those who can provide tips that lead to the arrest of any of the suspects.



Photo Credit: Montgomery County Police Department

Suspect Sought for Following, Annoying Teen

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San Diego County Sheriff's officials are searching for a man accused of following and annoying a 16-year-old girl in the Alpine community.

On Tuesday, Crime Stoppers released a composite sketch of the suspect, who is wanted in connection with incidents on Nov. 4 and 18.

In the first, authorities say the man drove up to the girl near Alpine Boulevard and West Victoria Drive and asked if she needed a ride to her car.

As the girl ran away, she said the suspect circled the block multiple times in an effort to find her.

The teen saw the same man on Nov. 18 when she was walking to school. She told deputies he followed her to the bus stop, never getting out of his car.

The suspect is described as a heavy-set, dark-skinned man between 65 and 70 years old. He was bald, had a mustache and was wearing wire-rimmed glasses, officials say. 

His car is an older model, tan Toyota Camry or similar vehicle, according to authorities. The girl was not able to get the license plate number.

If you know anything about this incident, call the sheriff's department at 858-565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.



Photo Credit: San Diego County Crime Stoppers

Rock Church Opens Campus in City Heights

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 A ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened The Rock Church’s fifth campus in San Diego Tuesday.

The Rock Church, located at 4001 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood, is one of San Diego’s largest churches.

City leaders, including San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Police Chief Shelly Zimmerman, attended the opening and helped snip the red ribbon. 

Pastor Miles McPherson, a former NFL player, founded the Rock Church in 2000. McPherson introduced the pastor for the new campus at the ceremony.

The grand opening of the new campus will be on Dec. 6th.



Photo Credit: The Rock Church

Father Remembers Son Killed in Fire as Smart, Playful

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A father who lost his 12-year-old son in a midnight blaze remembered his son as a playful, smart young boy, saying he has been thinking about Fernando constantly.

“I mean, it hurts. It hurts a lot. I miss him,” said Sal Castro, father of Fernando. “I just can’t get his voice out of my ear. I can hear him.”

Fernando Castro, 12, was found inside the burned-out single-story home on J Street near Toyne in the Mount Hope community in the early hours of Monday morning.

Sal came to the scene of the fire and got the news that his son had died. Fernando’s half-sister, 3-year-old Esmeralda, and his 5-year-old half-brother Luis, were both seriously burned.

The grieving father told NBC 7 he appreciates all the neighbors who tried to help save his children.

“Once they saw smoke, they tried to break the window and do their best before the fire department got there,” he said. “They got hurt, and I want to thank them too for doing what they could.”

Sal also thanked the friends and strangers who left flowers and notes on his home’s gate.

Fernando’s cousin Ramon Vasquez stopped by the Mt. Hope area before visiting his two family members at UCSD Medical Center, where they were being treated for burns covering 80 percent of their bodies. Both are in critical condition and had to be placed in medically induced comas, family members say.

“Everybody’s in there trying to get as much… we haven’t even eaten,” Vasquez said. “Hard to eat, hard to go on, and thank God so many have helped out.”

A babysitter and her boyfriend were with the children while their mother drove her eldest child back to college after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. A neighbor told NBC 7 he heard the babysitter say one of the children may have put a space heater by the bed.

Fire officials have not determined the cause of the fire although they say they are ruling it an accident.

There are several online fundraising accounts set up to help the family handle memorial and medical costs as well as replace their belongings.

FDA Expands Celery Recall to 155,000 Items

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A recall of food products containing celery potentially contaminated with the E.coli bacteria was expanded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday and now includes more than 155,000 items at several major grocery stores, NBC News reported.

The scare began with contaminated celery found at Costco in late November. Stores carrying the potentially contaminated products, all of which were manufactured by California-based Taylor Farms Pacific Inc., now include Walmart, Sams's Club, Costco, Albertsons, 7-11, Target and Safeway, primarily in the Western states.

Also included were over 45,000 Starbucks Holiday Turkey Sandwiches. The celery is found in the stuffing. The CDC says that so far 19 people across 7 states have been infected by the celery.

The FDA posted a complete list of recalled products on their website and urged consumers who bought chicken salad from Costco on or before Nov. 20 to throw it out as a precaution. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

These Water Districts Missed Conservation Goals

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More San Diego County water districts are beginning to miss their conservation goals, according to new numbers from the State Water Control Board.

In October, 10 districts failed to meet their state-mandated water savings, which are compared to water usage in October 2013.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jerry Brown announced the state must save a cumulative 25 percent of its water to fight four years of drought. The State Water Control Board then determined how much each water agency would need to conserve to reach that goal.

Here are the districts that fell short last month:

If you’re having trouble viewing the graph on your mobile device, click here.

The Fallbrook Public Utility District and San Dieguito Water District have failed to meet their conservation goals every month since the state board made them mandatory in June.

As a regional whole, San Diego County must save about 20 percent of its water each month to reach California’s goal. In October, the districts cumulatively saved 24.6 percent.

Statewide, Californians have reduced their water by an average of 27.1 percent over the last five months; however, last month, the state's conservation rate was 22.2 percent, down from 26.4 percent in September.

San Diego water district officials hope the El Nino to come will do the watering on local lawns, helping homeowners and businesses save more.

Beginning Tuesday, Carlsbad residents will only be allowed to water one day a week under new restrictions.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

OPD: Witnesses to Deadly Accident Sought

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Oceanside Police are asking for the public’s help as they investigate the death of a man who was struck by a car two months ago.

The victim, identified only as a 64-year-old Oceanside man, was walking on San Diego Street near Higgins Street on Saturday, Sept. 26.

At approximately 7:35 p.m., a blue Ford Escort struck the man, knocking him unconscious, police said.

After several weeks, the man died in the hospital having never regained consciousness.

Now, Oceanside Police are looking for witnesses to the collision.

If you or anyone you know saw the incident, you can call traffic investigators at (760) 435-4801 or (619) 717-0612.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Man Charged in Deaths of Mom, Baby

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A South Jersey woman's former lover has been charged in the deaths of the woman and her infant daughter, police said Wednesday.

Police in Vineland, New Jersey, announced two homicide charges against Ricardo Santiago, 34, of Millville. Police said Santiago is the father of Neidy Ramirez's 5-year-old child.

Vineland police Lt. Matt Finley said the bodies of 34-year-old Ramirez and her 3-month-old daughter Genesis were found in western Cumberland County, New Jersey. A source told NBC10 the bodies were discovered in a swampy area near the Cohansey River Watershed Boat Ramp in Fairfield Township. Their bodies were placed in the area at some point between Friday and Saturday, according to the source.

Ramirez's grieving family called her a "loving mother who adored her kids."

"They were her life and would do anything for them," said the family statement. "She was someone who you could talk to for anything -- and count on. She always liked to laugh and make jokes with family and friends. She will always be loved and be in our heart's."

Ramirez and Genesis had been missing since Black Friday, when family members last saw them in Vineland, police said. A day later, New Jersey State Police found Ramirez’s 2005 Chevy Trailblazer along Route 55 after a family friend spotted it near milepost 45.3, according to investigators.

Investigators said Ramirez was reported missing after she failed to show up for work Monday.

Santiago was held on $1 million bail. Police said he was taken into custody and questioned Tuesday. He was charged Tuesday night. Information on an attorney for Santiago was not immediately available.

Finley said Ramirez and Santiago were co-parents, but did not live together. The two were involved in a dispute, Finley said, but he did not elaborate.

Finley said the biological father of Genesis has been notified.



Photo Credit: Vineland Police / Family Photos
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