Hoverboards will no longer be allowed on any bus or train in the North County Transit District (NCTD).

Officials announced the new ban Wednesday, saying people cannot ride or even carry the devices onto public transit like the COASTER or SPRINTER trains or BREEZE buses.

To explain the decision, NCTD cited recent reports that the hoverboards’ batteries can start fires. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is now investigating 13 hoverboard manufacturers after at least 40 hoverboard-related fires.

“NCTD is taking this proactive step to protect passengers and NCTD property until more studies can be conducted that demonstrate the safety of these devices on public transit,” the district said in a statement.

Hoverboards join the list of skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, motorized scooters and bikes that cannot be ridden on NCTD property, though the other items can be carried on.

Last year, NCTD reversed a long standing policy to allow alcohol consumption aboard their trains. Drinking is no longer allowed.

Other banned items include weapons, large pets, smoking and hazardous materials.

NCTD added this disclaimer to the announcement:

"For those Back to the Future enthusiasts, don’t worry, we know these devices aren’t actual hoverboards. To be more accurate, these are battery powered, self-balancing, wheeled, personal transport devices; but that’s a mouthful, which is why for now, please forgive us—and the rest of the news world—while we call them hoverboards."

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum ended his campaign Wednesday and threw his support to Sen. Marco Rubio.

The former Pennsylvania senator finished 11th out of 12 candidates in the Iowa caucus.

In 2012, Santorum won Iowa and finished third in South Carolina.

He made his announcement during an interview with host Greta Van Susteren on Fox News’ “On the Record.”

Santorum said he decided, "The best way to do what I set out to do when we announced the run for president ... (is) by not furthering our campaign."

Of Rubio, Santorum said: "He's a tremendously gifted young man, he's a born leader."

Rubio responded, saying the endorsement "means a lot" to him.

"I have tremendous respect for Rick," Rubio said. "He's got a great agenda for blue-collar Americans — we need to grow our party among Americans that work hard with their hands everyday to make a living and move their families forward."

Santorum, 57, served in the U.S. House from 1991 to 1995, and the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2007.

In the Senate, he worked on welfare restructuring, achieved a federal ban on a type of late-term abortion procedure and supported the war in Iraq, along with aggressive moves against terrorists abroad. Santorum now says the war was a mistake.

His conservative views on issues like gay marriage and abortion came under scrutiny when he ran for his fourth term in 2006, as did the fact that he spent little time in his Pennsylvania home. Democrat Bob Casey dealt him a crushing defeat.

Since leaving office, Santorum has been on the lecture circuit, penned several books and served as CEO of a Christian movie studio.

Santorum and his wife, Karen, have seven children.

The Associated Press and NBC News contributed to this report.

Police are investigating a crash involving a mother, son and daughter walking in Oak Park. 

The incident happened at 4:07 p.m. Wednesday on the 5400 block of Bayview Heights Plac, San Diego Police said. 

The three pedestrians suffered minor injuries and were taken to Paradise Valley Hospital. 

No further information was immediately available. 

A cosmetology and barber school with a campus in the Miramar area is facing closure Wednesday amid accusations of mishandling federal funds, a move that may burden students who have already poured thousands of dollars into their education there.

This week, the Department of Education cut off federal funding for 23 Marinello Schools of Beauty in Nevada and California, directly impacting more than 2,000 students.

Not just that, student Antonio De La Rosa, a San Diego veteran who got his barber license there, told NBC 7 he believes the school's disorganization and unprofessional conduct has resulted in a waste of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.

School administrators are accused by the federal government of falsifying financial aid records, by allegedly offering funding to some students with invalid high school diplomas. They're also accused of cheating students out of money by either charging too much or withholding the financial aid they deserve.

The school denies the allegations. The company sent NBC 7 a statement, which says in part: 

"The allegations disclosed yesterday for the first time, which are unfounded, were accompanied by an organized and unprecedented press release. Without providing Marinello any time to refute or defend these untrue allegations, the Department chose to cut off funding to our students at 23 schools, none of which have ever been found to have any curriculum or instructional deficiencies by our nationally recognized accreditors or the states in which they operate."

Read the full statement below.

De La Rosa said he sought his barber license after serving in the Marine Corps between 2002 and 2014. The retired staff sergeant said he was "flabbergasted" at some of the practices at Marinello. He told NBC 7 he saw students get their high school diploma in one day, and courses were priced tens of thousands of dollars above classes at other schools.

De La Rosa, who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, said more than anything, he was shocked by unprofessionalism from school instructors and administrators.

"I deserve my education and they're not giving it to me," he said.

Here is Marinello's complete statement: 

“Despite Marinello Schools of Beauty’s long history of compliance with regulatory requirements, the Department of Education has delayed funding to our students for over two months without specifying allegations of wrongdoing or even allowing us to respond. Repeated attempts to get the most basic information from the Department of Education about their potential concerns were rebuffed. We repeatedly informed the Department that its actions could lead to the closure of the schools and it refused to provide any information about its concerns. This complete lack of due process has caused Marinello irreparable harm.

“The allegations disclosed yesterday for the first time, which are unfounded, were accompanied by an organized and unprecedented press release. Without providing Marinello any time to refute or defend these untrue accusations, the Department chose to cut off funding to our students at 23 schools, none of which have ever been found to have any curriculum or instructional deficiencies by our nationally recognized accreditors or the states in which they operate. We intend to appeal this decision and believe we have done nothing wrong and will defend ourselves vigorously. We object strongly to the lack of due process the Department has afforded, which in turn has put our operations at risk. If the Department is convinced of its position then it should have provided us with due process to contest its findings.

“The Department’s unilateral action risks the worst possible consequences for our students, faculty and staff: the disruption of education for approximately 4,300 students and the loss of approximately 800 jobs, all without providing us sufficient opportunity to respond to these unfounded allegations.”

“We have helped tens of thousands of deserving students obtain licensure in professional occupations for more than 110 years, but that may end due to these unprecedented and unfounded actions by the Department of Education.”
 

A 62-year-old San Diego man died last week from the H1N1 strain of influenza, the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reported Wednesday.

Health officials said this marks the first person under the age of 65 to die from influenza-related illness in the San Diego region this season.

The man died on Jan. 25, and HHSA officials said he had no underlying medical conditions. He did not get a flu shot.

His flu-related death is the fifth in San Diego County this season. Last year, 97 people died locally from complications from the flu, the HHSA said.

County public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said this man’s death serves as an unfortunate reminder that the flu can be deadly for people of any age, not just senior citizens.

“The H1N1 virus can be very severe for younger, healthy people, especially those who have not been vaccinated,” Dr. Wooten explained.

She urged San Diegans to get their flu shots as soon as possible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine annually. This season’s flu shot offers protection against several strains, including Influenza A H3N2, Pandemic H1N1-like and Influenza B strains.

The CDC said vaccination is especially important for those considered high risk for developing serious complications from influenza. This includes pregnant women, children under 5 years old, people 65 years old and older, people with chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes and lung disease and those who live with or care for others who are at higher risk.

The vaccine is available even if you don’t have health insurance at Community Health Centers or County public health centers. A list of those locations is available here.

As of Jan. 30, the HHSA said tallies show that 4 percent of all visits to local hospital emergency departments were for influenza-like illness. A total of 189 lab-confirmed flu cases were reported in San Diego over the past week.

To date so far this season, there have been a 925 lab-confirmed cases of influenza reported in San Diego County. Last season, there were 4,025 cases.

In addition to getting vaccinated, the HHSA said people should take other precautions against the flu, including consistent and thorough hand-washing and using hand sanitizers.

Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes, and often clean commonly touched surfaces. If you’re sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.
 

San Diego Police are looking for the driver in a police pursuit that ended early Thursday with two suspects running on foot near the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

Officers say they spotted a car speeding near Monte Vista and Fern around 3:30 a.m. When police tried to pull over the driver, the vehicle drove off.

Police say they chased the driver for approximately 30 seconds before ending the pursuit.

As officers canvassed the area looking for the vehicle, they found a white Ford sedan that matched the suspect vehicle description near Calle De La Plata and Paseo Del Ocaso north of Torrey Pines Road.

The sedan was parked in a driveway and two men were inside the vehicle. When officers approached, the men ran according to police.

The passenger was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of being intoxicated in public. Officers were looking for the 21-year-old driver of the vehicle.
 

Sheriff's deputies in Florida are searching for a man they said dressed up as Batman and robbed two Orlando dollar stores Tuesday night.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said the man entered the 123 Dollar Store around 8 p.m. Tuesday and demanded money from the clerk. About 90 minutes later, the same man robbed a Dollar General.

The clerks at both stores were unharmed.

Deputies describe the suspect as a white or Hispanic male with a thin build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and, of course, a Batman mask and costume.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Orange County Crimeline at 800-423-8477.

In November, a man attempted to rob a Jacksonville convenience store while wearing a Darth Vader mask. It's not clear wwhether the cases are related.

A Virginia mother of three has been diagnosed with the first known case of the Zika virus in the state after traveling to Guatemala on a mission trip.

Longtime missionary Heather Baker, who lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia, was confirmed last week to have contracted the virus. She told News4 she knew something was wrong starting in late November, when she returned from a trip to Guatemala, her fourth such trip in the past year and a half.

"It began with just a swollen lymph node, which definitely tipped me off that something was coming, and then progressed to some body aches and a really weird rash and joint pain," Baker said.

She initially was tested for another illness, but those results came back negative. After talking with friends in Guatemala, she decided to get tested for Zika. State Department of Health officials told her last week she has the virus.

Zika is transmitted from infected mosquitoes to people, from infected pregnant mothers to babies and possibly through sexual activity, according to ongoing research. Babies born to mothers with the virus can have microcephaly, a condition associated with small, undeveloped brains.

Although Zika is not airborne or easily spread, Baker said she's being extra cautious. She said she stopped sharing drinks or food with her children, and canceled a massage and nail salon appointments.

"We're just being very careful because there are so many unknowns," she said.

Baker advised women who are pregnant or hope to get pregnant to avoid travel to affected regions, echoing experts' advice.

"If you have a trip planned to one of these area, just postpone it," she said. "Find something to do local."

The Centers for Disease Control plans to release guidance soon on how to prevent sexual transmission of Zika.

"We have to have a healthy respect for this virus, but I don't think we have to be unduly alarmed just yet," Georgetown University infectious disease expert Paul Rope said.

Baker likely contracted Zika in Central America, but she said when she is fully recovered, she plans to return there to continue her missionary work.

A Clarksburg, Maryland, couple is facing child abuse charges after police say they restrained their 7-year-old son with plastic wrap and zip ties.

Craig and Nicole Williams were charged with first-degree child abuse on Dec. 2, 2015 after their son was treated at a local hospital for "multiple abrasions, blisters and bruises over his entire body," court documents state. 

Police said the victim told medical staff he was frequently restrained with plastic wrap and zip ties. When asked about the blisters on his hands, the boy said his hands had been stuck in hot water. According to court documents, the victim also revealed he sometimes thinks about not wanting to live anymore.  

Nicole Williams, the victim's stepmother, told police she had helped wrap her stepson in plastic wrap that is typically used for moving. She said the boy was wrapped from his shoulder to his knees, and a cloth belt or rope was then tied around him.

According to police, Nicole Williams told investigators her husband used zip ties to restrain the boy Dec. 1. Authorities said Craig Williams admitted to restraining his son, adding that the boy had been restrained that way for 30 days in the home. 

Police said Craig Williams told a nurse at the hospital he had been wrapping his son in plastic at bedtime for the past seven months. 

Neighbors told News4 they saw no sign of mistreatment of any of the couple's six children, who range in age from 1 to 17. 

In a statement to NBC4, David Driscoll, the attorney representing Craig Williams said, "I don't believe police looked as deeply as they could or should have into the back story of this case."

He went on to say, "Right now, what's out there for public consumption is nowhere near the full story."

United, Delta, Lufthansa and Air France are offering to re-assign certain flight crew concerned about going to Zika-affected countries, Reuters reported. 

The mosquito-borne virus for which there is no treatment or vaccine, has been linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil.

In an internal memo on Jan. 28, seen by Reuters, United said expectant flight attendants as well as those seeking to become pregnant could switch routes to avoid Zika-affected regions without repercussions. The airline has similar options available for pilots, according to United spokesman. 

Delta Air Lines Inc has also let flight attendants and pilots switch assignments since Jan. 17, and "a small number of crew members have swapped trips to date," spokesman Morgan Durrant said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said pregnant women should consider delaying trips to Latin American and Caribbean countries newly affected by Zika. 
 

Some emails forwarded to Hillary Clinton's personal server while she was secretary of state included contained references to undercover CIA officers, according to U.S. officials who have reviewed them.

But contrary to some published reports, three officials said there was no email on Clinton's server that disclosed the identity of an undercover intelligence operative. Rather, they said, State Department and other officials attempted to make veiled references to intelligence officers in the emails — references that were deemed classified when the messages were being reviewed years later for public release.

One of the now-classified email chain originated with a member of the CIA director's staff, leading some officials to question how Clinton could be blamed.

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said no intelligence officer had been identified in the emails, and that misleading details from the emails were being leaked to hurt Clinton's prospects. 

To all the lovers out there: Don’t get caught out in the cold this Valentine’s Day. Cupid’s holiday is around the corner and our friends at Yelp don’t want anyone to end up in the doghouse. To that end, here’s a list of romantic spots to take your date – from extravagant to budget-conscious – that will leave you feeling the love.

Starlite (Mission Hills)
This location is like a choose-your-own-adventure story. On one hand, you could cuddle up at the bar with a couple of craft cocktails and your cutie by your side. If you choose this path, the expertly-made drinks and stunning décor makes that a night out in and of itself. If you go another route, you could end up with late-night dining as the chandelier sparkles. Both choices would get you at least peck on the cheek, we bet.

Le Parfait Paris (Gaslamp)
Grab your Valentine by the hand and escort them to this delightful bakery in the heart of downtown San Diego. Over a couple of red Macaron a la Fraise and glasses of champagne you’ll be transported to Paris without ever leaving SoCal. There’s no need to spend a ton when it’s packaged up in French romance. Pastries and a coffee or cocktail won’t break the bank, but this experience comes packed with brownie points.

Alexander’s (North Park)
Now, to another land known for love:, Italy! This Italian-inspired gem in North Park is known to make hearts flutter so reservations are suggested, “andiamo!” The indoor white décor is chic and will win over any dining companion but if weather permits, the back patio is a solid win. Vintage black and white films are often played on the patio, and paired with the soft light and warm heat lamps your love is sure to burn brighter.

Addison (Del Mar)
For those who make Valentine’s Day a true ritual and want the night of a lifetime, the perfect choice is a table for two and Chef William Bradley’s nine-course Valentine’s menu at Addison in Del Mar. It’s a feast for the eyes and the senses and only served on Feb. 14 – with limited seating. Yelpers report the ambiance is the epitome of romantic and the service is both discreet and top notch. Make your reservations as fast as you can and ask about the wine pairing option.

Whisknladle (La Jolla)
Valentine’s day lands on a Sunday this year, so why not switch it up and take your darling out for a stroll by the sea and through the village, and then to Sunday brunch at Whisknladle. Snag your date some drinks from the “Lively and Spirited” or “Boozy and Unapologetic” menus and then dive into a mid-morning feast. The Cinnamon French Toast, topped with whipped cream and Mexican chocolate, is better than a box of candy.

BO-beau Kitchen + Bar (Ocean Beach)
A search for “Romantic” on Yelp in San Diego results in this location as a solid recommendation. The little Bo-beau Kitchen + Bar cottage aims to transport you to the feel of a small, French village. For around $50, the prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu invites you to dine your heart out with three courses – with plenty of option from which to choose. For instance, pick the melted Brie fondue to get the night going and end the night on a sweet note with desserts like a red velvet heart cake or cream cheese vanilla moose with tart cherries. Bon appetit!
 

 A new downtown construction project could place San Diego into the same category as some of the world’s largest cities.

Bosa Development’s Pacific Gate project, at the corner of Broadway and the Pacific Highway, will transform the land into a “super prime” luxury high rise condo tower.

"San Diego is getting ready to step onto the superstar city stage, and there are projects in New York, Dubai, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, cities like that that have properties like this, but nothing out here yet," said Rick Davis, a representative for Bosa Development.

When condo sales begin in early 2016, the least expensive unit will cost $1.4 million. The units have not gone on sale yet. 

The 41-floor building will tower 460 feet above the Bay and have 215 residences total. 

"This is a building unlike anything in San Diego, unlike anything even on the west coast. We dont' have any super prime buildings out here. This is the first of I'm sure many more to come,” said Davis.

The development comes amid booming construction on the downtown San Diego skyline. The area will soon include a Ritz Carlton hotel and a massive Pacific Gateway project along the waterfront.

Residents at the apartment complex will have access to shared boats and cars as well as a full-time concierge.

Downtown residents had mixed residents about the latest construction project on their skyline.

George Fotowat, who works in the area, said he thought the development would serve the local economy well. The land for the project would otherwise go wasted unused, he said.

"I think it's a great design, a great project for the city," said Fotowat. 

Howard Strauss, a worker in the area who has lived in San Diego since 1970, said he likes what's happening in San Diego. Developments like these, he said, help San Diego become a better city. 

"I've seen a tremendous amount of change down here, pluses and minuses, but overall, I think it's been a great improvement to the area," said downtown resident Armando Mora. 

Developments like these price people out of the neighborhood, he said, but it makes the area a more attractive place to live in now. 

"It's nice to have a mix of everything, but it does bring a certain type of customer for the restaurants, things like that," Mora said. 

The project is slated to be finished in winter 2017. 

After a trustee admitted to accepting gifts above the legal limit, the San Diego Unified School District board is evaluating what steps it needs to take to make sure this does not happen again.

On Tuesday, SDUSD Trustee and former Board President Marne Foster resigned from her position after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of receiving gifts in excess of the legal limit.

An amended form she filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission shows she received more than $3,000 for her son. A $2,000 donation paid for him to attend theater camp in Seattle, and $400 paid for his round trip tickets. The rest of the donations went to plane tickets and accommodations for her son to travel to and from New York for school.

Last summer, a county grand jury issued a report questioning Foster’s “overreach and abuse of power.” It recommended the district do more to prevent actual or implied undue influence by the school board.

Current SDUSD Board President Michael McQuary told NBC 7 when the report was completed, the board felt they had done enough training to prevent wrongdoing.

Now, they are reconsidering that thought.

“We want to establish a forum where we can do a workshop, take a look at our board policies and our procedures, take a look at ethic issues, see what we could have done differently to avoid this,” said McQuary. “Don’t want to go down this path again.”

They plan to find a replacement for Foster at their next board meeting on Tuesday.

The grand jury report was in response to accusations that Foster caused a staff shakeup at the School of Creative and Performing Arts because her son got a bad college evaluation from one of the counselors.

Foster also held a private fundraiser to raise money for her sons’ college tuition, but she invited guests who presented a conflict of interest for the school district. She later apologized and vowed to give all the money raised back.

Finally, Foster was accused of orchestrating a $250,000 claim against the district for allegedly sabotaging her son’s college options. Foster has denied those allegations, saying her son’s father was the one who filed the claim.

The issues prompted the SDUSD board to call for a civil investigation into Foster’s alleged actions.

But the same night they voted for the investigation, they also honored Foster with a proclamation for the work she has done in the district.

NBC 7 asked McQuary if they still would have held that ceremony, knowing that Foster would ultimately plead guilty and resign.

“No, it was absolutely the right thing to do. It was a person who stood up for her community, who did a number of great things, and she has done a number of marvelous things in her community,” said McQuary.

He told NBC 7 he thinks the board responded correctly with the information they had.

Community activist Sally Smith disagreed, saying she wished the issue had gone to trial to publicly expose Foster’s wrongdoing.

“This school district needs to look closely at itself and the policies so this doesn’t happen again,” she said.

Another activist, Gloria Tran, said while Foster many have done good things, they do not outweigh the bad. She believes as soon as the allegations about the fundraiser surfaced, Foster should have been censured by the board or put on leave until the accusations were proven or disproved.

Honoring Foster on the same day the investigation was called put the whole board in a bad light, Tran said.

Foster’s attorney told NBC 7 Tuesday that Foster is not making excuses and is taking accountability for her actions. She will serve three years of probation, spend 120 hours doing community service and will pay a fine and restitution, the judge ordered. She will not be able to run for any office for four years.
 

Three correctional peace officers are recovering after an inmate attacked them at a San Diego-area correctional facility, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. 

The incident happened at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday when inmate Timothy Green, 55, knocked a correctional officer unconscious by striking the right side of his face at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, authorities said. 

Green continued attacking the officer, prompting a lieutenant to try to subdue him, according to the CDCR. Green then allegedly head-butted the lieutenant in the face. 

A third officer responded to help restrain Green. 

Two officers and the lieutenant were injured and taken to an outside hospital for treatment. The first officer involved suffered a head injury, the second suffered a sprained forearm and the lieutenant suffered a sprained hand, authorities said.

They were later released and are all expected to make a full recovery. The inmate was not injured.

Green has been moved to the facility's Administrative Segregation Unit while authorities investigate. 

He was first admitted to state prison in 1988 in Los Angeles County with a 15-year-to-life sentence for second-degree murder. In 1991, he was sentenced to two years in prison for battery on a peace officer in Solano County. In 2014, he was sentenced to an additional two years in prison for aggravated battery on a peace officer by gassing and battery on a non-prisoner. 

It is unclear if Green will face charges in connection with the incident. 

The Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility provides housing and supervision for approximately 3,200 male minimum to high-security inmates. It sits southeast of San Diego near the Otay County Open Space Preserve. 

Angel Torres was only 12 years old but his best friend, Genoa Espinoza, says he marched to the beat of his own drum.

“He would always be the leader. Never followed in any ones footsteps if they were doing something bad,” Espinoza told NBC 7.

“He would always be so respectful. So happy. He was just the kind of child every mother would want to have. He was like an example to the other kids,” explained Mayte Field, Genoa’s mother and a family friend of Angel’s.

Torres suffered a gunshot wound to the head at his Chula Vista home off 1100 Industrial Boulevard in early January.

Family and friends called on a higher power hoping he'd walk out of the hospital and return to the soccer field. The boy died from his injuries. His family held his funeral on Wednesday.

Chula Vista Police and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office are investigating whether his death was accidental. Officials also want to know how the sixth grader had access to a gun.

“It killed me,” said Field. “It’s just a tragedy I don’t understand it. Nobody does,” said Field.

Torres loved playing soccer and served as a captain on Chula Vista's Rebel SC team. He played alongside Adrian Mancillas.

"He would try and make the best out of us and even though we were losing he'd still be happy enjoying the game," Mancillas told NBC 7.

Off the field friends say Angel excelled in his studies at Harborside Elementary School.

Last semester he was photographed with Espinoza showing off their perfect attendance certificates.

Now Espinoza is learning to live with his friend’s absence

“He was nice and funny and would always be there for me," Espinoza said.
 

Crews from several North County fire departments rescued a man trapped in a palm tree about 20 feet off the ground in Encinitas Wednesday morning.

Encinitas Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Ford said the tree rescue began just after 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of Eolus Avenue.

A tree trimmer was stuck in a palm after he was pinned underneath a large amount of dead fronds, Ford said. The man was unable to move as he waited for help from firefighters.

Fire department crews from Encinitas, Solana Beach and Carlsbad worked together to save the man. Using an aerial ladder truck, firefighters were able to reach the victim in the tree. They then began clearing the large, heavy fronds, eventually unpinning the victim.

During the rescue, Ford said the man was tied to the palm tree with rope and a safety belt so he wouldn’t fall. He was awake and alert during the rescue.

The trimmer, whose name was not released, suffered minor injuries and, once removed from the palm, was taken to Scripps La Jolla Trauma Center for evaluation. Ford said he is not sure for which company the victim works.

Ford said tree rescue are rare incidents for emergency responders, so quick, safe actions are essential. He said the careful work by firefighters across agencies resulted in a successful rescue.
 

In the mood for a beer? If you live in San Diego, you can now get booze delivered to your door in one hour through Amazon’s Prime Now service.

On Thursday, Amazon announced its Prime Now service had launched beer, wine and spirits delivery in San Diego, with orders being fulfilled through local retailer, Keg N Bottle. As seen on Keg N Bottle's website, the retailer sells a wide array of alcohol, from domestic beer and locally-produced craft brews to wine, champagne and moonshine.

San Diego joins Seattle and Manhattan on the short list of Prime Now cities offering alcohol delivery.

Amazon’s Prime Now service launched in San Diego in November, offering speedy delivery for Prime members on items such as groceries, prepared meals and baked goods, as well as daily staples like paper towels. Customers in San Diego can get their groceries delivered through Prime Now from places like Sprouts Farmers Market, Bristol Farms, Northgate Market and Sprinkles Cupcakes.

In San Diego, Prime Now is available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Two-hour delivery is free, while one-hour delivery is available for a fee of $7.99.

The service is accessible through the Prime Now app. When service is available in your zip code, the app sends you a notification.

San Diego is among 25 cities in the U.S. where the Prime Now service operates.
 

San Diego Police announced Thursday a dental assistant was in custody, accused of sexually touching a juvenile while the patient was under sedation for a dental procedure.

Police say a female reported she had been inappropriately touched on Jan. 21 while undergoing a procedure at the Park Boulevard Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Office at 4067 Park Boulevard.

"The victim is doing the very best that she can," said SDPD Cpt. Brian Ahern. "She is certainly brave and courageous, but I think she is traumatized."

SDPD launched an investigation and on Wednesday, Luis Ramos, 36, of El Cajon, was arrested and booked on two counts of sexual battery on a medically incapacitated person and two counts of oral copulation by means of anesthetic.

Ramos worked as a dental assistant at the office where he was arrested. He was being held on $2 million bail, according to his booking information. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

Officers said there was one juvenile victim but did not release the victim's age or identity. Investigators are not sure if there are other victims, Lt. Scott Wahl told NBC 7. Anyone with information can call the SDPD Sex Crimes unit at (619) 531-2210.

Wahl said the dental business was cooperative in the investigation.

Patient Maricla Juarez told NBC 7 she has visited the office twice in the last five years. During her second visit, Ramos was in the room with her when she had an anesthetic.

"The doctor is wonderful. I had no idea about the assistant," she said. "But that makes me wonder if something happened to me while I was put under. You never know."

One of Ramos' neighbors, who would only identify himself as "Rosely," described the suspect as a very nice guy.

"He's a cool man," he said. "Whenever I don't have food, he gives me food. Every time I go to hang out there, he asks me, 'You want water?'"

Ramos' dental assistant license was issued two years ago and indicates he is in good standing with the state board.

The Home Depot is looking to hire 900 employees across San Diego County locations in advance of spring, the home improvement retailer’s busiest selling season.

The company announced it plans to hire 80,000 associates nationwide – from sales and cashiers to operations and online fulfillment positions.

Job opportunities – including the nearly 1,000 Home Depot positions in San Diego – include both permanent part-time and seasonal positions in stores and distribution centers. Available positions vary by store.

Home Depot says college students, retirees and U.S. veterans are encouraged to apply.

To start the process, all candidates must apply online here and follow the instructions.

The Home Depot currently operates nearly 2,300 stores across the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. The company employs more than 370,000 associates.

In San Diego, there are nearly two dozen Home Depot locations, including Sports Arena, Chula Vista, Otay Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee and El Cajon, to name a few.