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John Lewis Clarifies Comments on Sanders' Civil Rights Participation

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Rep. John Lewis on Saturday clarified comments he made earlier this week saying he had never met Bernie Sanders during the civil rights movement, NBC News reported.

"I was responding to a reporter's question who asked me to assess Sen. Sanders' civil rights record. I said that when I was leading and was at the center of pivotal actions within the Civil Rights Movement, I did not meet Sen. Bernie Sanders at any time," Lewis said in the statement.

Lewis also clarified that he crossed paths with Hillary and Bill Clinton in the South in the 1970s, and not during his time as chairman of the SNCC in the 1960s.

On Thursday, Lewis, along with members of the Black Congressional Caucus, supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic race.  



Photo Credit: AP

Man Rescued Along Sunset Cliffs

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A man seen by witnesses being pounded against the rocks off the coast of Point Loma was rescued by lifeguards Friday afternoon.

San Diego Lifeguards rushed to the top of the cliff along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Froude Street.

Mary Wall watched the rescue just before 2:30 p.m.

“It looked like he was going to drown,” Wall told NBC 7. 

No further information was immediately available.

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story.

Port Mulls Changes to Parking

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The Port of San Diego will consider changes to public parking along the waterfront that could result in millions of dollars in increased revenue over five years, according to a preliminary report presented to board members this week.

Just 34 percent of parking spaces supervised by the port is free. If the Port of San Diego were to approve a change in how rates were assigned to current metered spaces or paid lots, revenue could grow from $14 million in 2016 to $20 million in 2020, according to a business plan presented to the board Wednesday.

“We want to get more intelligent about what the profitability is for each individual space,” said port consultant Ken Wallis.

The Navy Pier, the most lucrative parking area for the Port, currently charges $10 for 12 hours of parking. At $.83 per hour, those spaces charge less than half of what it costs to park on the street, according to Wallis.

By setting parking rates slightly below market average, he suggested the Port could offer reasonably priced public parking that would be competitive with other lots and garages.

An Environmental Health Coalition representative asked the board to carefully consider whether to add pay meters to Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan.

“The Barrio Logan community has very limited access to the waterfront,” said Joy Williams who added that for decades, people have parked for free on surface streets in that community.

She suggested the public be allowed input into any change to parking rates in the area.

There was also discussion of improving notification of empty spaces.

“With the use of technology, we could help reduce drive times for people looking for available parking spaces,” Wallis suggested.

The investment needed for renovations would range from $112,000 to $1.3 million, according to the discussion on Wednesday.

No decision was made at Tuesday's meeting.  Results from a North Embarcadero Parking Study will be presented to board members in March.  Also, a real time traffic counter will provide data on the parking problems in the area.

Once those are presented, the board will discuss if they want to go forward with public outreach of the proposal.



Photo Credit: Steven Luke
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Teen Tied Up in Home Invasion Speaks

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A Carmel Mountain teenager who was tied up in a violent home invasion spoke to NBC 7 Friday about the moments he was at the mercy of a group of armed robbers.

Jordan Cheng, 15, was robbed in the middle of the night Thursday after three men entered his family’s home through an unlocked door.

More than a day later, welts were visible on his wrists where zip ties were used.

“I first realize what is going on when I see the guys and them telling my brother and father to get on the ground and then tying them up and telling me to put my hands behind my back,” Cheng said.

He said the robbers also tied their feet together with shoelaces.

Cheng, his father and his 25-year-old brother were all tied up in his room in their Carmel Mountain home.

The men pointed a gun at his brother and began to demand money, he said.

The family gave them money that was in their wallets but the thieves also took gaming consoles.

The suspects in the home invasion have not been arrested.

Cheng told NBC 7 he wants the community to help police track the robbers down.

San Diego Police say this home invasion is connected to others.

Investigators are asking any home owners with surveillance cameras living near Breezeway Place to check the video for any signs of the three hooded men involved.

Cheng says he hopes police catch them soon.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

House Fire Sparks in Scripps Ranch

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A house fire in Scripps Ranch sent heavy smoke billowing into the area Saturday.

The blaze sparked around 11:45 a.m. in the 10800 block of Red Rock Drive. Thick, dark smoke lingered in the sky as crews from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) rushed to the area.

SDFD officials said two residents were displaced by the fire, and two cats were being treated at the scene.

No further details were released. Check back for updates.
 



Photo Credit: Steven Luke

Cuba Returns Missile Mistakenly Sent in 2014 to U.S.

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American officials said Saturday that Cuba returned a dummy U.S. Hellfire missile that was mistakenly shipped to the country in 2014, NBC News reported.

The weapon was an inert training missile that was sent from Europe, where it was used in a NATO training exercise. Officials had been trying to recoup the missile for several months, according to the Associated Press. 

While it didn’t contain explosives, there were concerns that Cuba cold share technology with American advisories like North Korea or Russia.

The Hellfire is a laser-guided, air-to=-surface missile that weighs about 100 pounds.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Motorcyclist, 24, Dies in Sorrento Valley Crash

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A 24-year-old motorcyclist died after being hit by a car in Sorrento Valley Friday night, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said.

SDPD Officer Robert Heims said the man was riding his Suzuki motorcycle northbound on Camino Santa Fe at around 9:10 p.m., making a right turn onto the 6800 block of Calle Cristobal.

The motorcyclist crossed over into the westbound lane and, for unknown reasons, laid down his motorcycle and got off.

Just then, police said a 37-year-old woman driving a Toyota 4-Runner approached the roadway and ran over the motorcyclist. He died at the scene.

The victim’s name has not yet been released. The deadly crash is under investigation.
 

Trump Slams RNC for 'Deceptive' Fundraising Email

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Donald Trump criticized the Republican National Committee Saturday for “illegally” using his name in a fundraising email sent to party supporters, NBC News reported.

In a press release and a series of tweets, the GOP frontrunner accused the RNC of “deceptive Washington tricks,” saying he never authorized the use of his name to fundraise.

"The RNC, which is probably not on my side, just illegally put out a fundraising notice saying 'Trump wants you to contribute to the RNC,'" his campaign said. "The RNC does not treat me well and then they use my name, without my knowledge, to raise money for themselves." Trump said much the same in a tweet from his personal account.

The RNC did not respond to MSNBC’s request for comment, but communication director Sean Spicer told CNN that the email was in response to a star poll that allows supporters of all candidates to contribute to the “presidential trust.” 



Photo Credit: AP

911 Call Impossible From Broken Call Box

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After bystanders saw a man being pounded against the surf off Sunset Cliffs Friday they tried to use a nearby call box to call 911.

They weren't able to because the call box was broken.

“It's always happening here. It's one of the most dangerous spots in San Diego,” visitor Hobie Tillman said.

The beauty at Bird Rock draws a crowd, and more than a few daredevils have found themselves overwhelmed by the rugged cliff face and surf.

Tillman is a regular visitor. He said the call box has been broken for three years.

“It's real serious. That's your only line of defense really to let someone know what is happening,” Tillman said.

First responders verified the phone failure Friday, after they arrived to rescue the 23-year-old man trapped against sunset cliffs by the high surf.

“He got pounded on these rocks for a while. He looked like he was actually drowning,” witness Mary Wall said.

Despite the malfunction there was no delay in the response. The victim was safely returned to the street level without injury.

Lifeguard Sergeant Ed Harris told NBC7 there are five shoreline call boxes in the county, but he said the system is antiquated and unreliable.

The problem is compounded by poor cell reception. Portable phones aren't always at the ready.

“You leave [your cell phone] up in your car, if anything happens you are on your own and hopefully somebody sees you,” Tillman said.

Fortunately for Friday's victim Sunset Cliffs was packed with holiday weekend shutter bugs, which proved more reliable an emergency than the phone for that express purpose.

The phones ring directly into the main lifeguard station and, while lifeguards are responsible for responding to those calls, they are not responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the call boxes.

Rady's Unveils LEGO Waiting Room

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At the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady's Children's Hospital, the staff is learning the building blocks of happiness sometimes start in the waiting room.

The center, down the street from Rady's main campus, unveiled a new LEGO-themed waiting room Friday, complete with an under the sea motif.

"You have the ocean waves kind of flowing through in the sea life themed area in the tunnel," Charles Wilson the director of the Chadwick Center said. "I arrived at that door the other day and there's a little girl laying on the other side of it and she was 'swimming'."

The fifth floor waiting room is for children dealing with traumatic situations such as abuse. Decorated with more than 20 LEGO models, including a geyser periscope built from 17,000 LEGO bricks the room also features interactive displays.

Merlin's Magic Wand Foundation, a charity tied to LEGOLAND, paid for the renovation.

It’s the first of its kind in San Diego, but executives promise it won’t be the last.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

SANDAG Poised to Ask Voters For Public Projects Sales Tax

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Regional planners are wrestling with how to sell voters on a sales tax measure to improve the quality of life across the county.

They're looking to spend billions of dollars on all kinds of projects, about half of the funding targeted toward transportation.

The proposed sales tax hike would be a half-cent on the dollar, to raise $18 billion over four decades -- just a small piece of the $200 billion spending puzzle the region hopes to solve with money also coming from federal, state and local taxes.

It won't be easy to get a required two-thirds of the voters in the November election on board with a sales tax hike.

So directors of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) know they've got to steer a fairly mainstream course among choices on a long wish list of public improvement needs that go far beyond transportation.

"Quality of life is everything,” Little Italy resident Anne MacMillan Eichman told SANDAG directors at a downtown hearing on Friday. “You can't have safe, walkable, bikeable streets if you don't have sound infrastructure. Widening highways does not a transit system create."

But 41% of SANDAG's survey respondents prioritized road and highway investments versus 33% who preferred a public transit emphasis, with the rest favoring technology improvements, or undecided.

Says Bankers Hill resident Cynthia Turner, who backs more spending on transit: “It’s for our kids, for the disabled, for our military that don't have cars and are stationed here, our tourists, who don't want to rent cars."

And why should SANDAG spend more on roads and highways?

"Because everybody's comfortable in their car," El Cajon resident Kim Springs told NBC 7 in a Friday interview at a downtown trolley stop. “They don't want to get on the trolley and sit next to somebody. The time it takes to get where you're going, you can get there quicker in a car."

For SANDAG directors, prioritizing 'trolleys versus cars' quickly gets them to a variety of neighborhood, environment and climate change issues – all within the framework of alternatives that favor more local control over the spending, versus regionwide projects.

"It's like a family right before Christmas, where Johnny wants a bicycle and Susie wants a pony and the Mrs. wants something else,” says Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. “ We have to be the wise parents here of this big family in San Diego County and figure out those needs, and how to come closest to fulfilling the ones that are important."

If all that isn't enough of a challenge, that half-cent sales tax figures to be on the November ballot with other big measures.

Especially ones affecting San Diego voters, such as an infrastructure spending plan and possible stadium and hotel room-tax hike initiatives.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

'Troubling': UC Campuses Monitor Computer Activity

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Officials at University of California campuses, including UC San Diego, have been monitoring all campus computer activity since last summer.

The decision to install monitoring software on all UC computers came after a huge data breach last year at UCLA Medical Center. Unfortunately the UC president Janet Napalitano forgot to inform students.

“I find it a little troubling that I had no idea that it happened at all,” psychology student Maddie Ebel told NBC 7.

Without telling anyone the schools installed software operated by a third party last August to monitor what it calls ‘digital traffic.’

A group of professors at Berkeley said the software raises privacy concerns especially since it’s not clear exactly what data is being collected.

Napalitano’s office released a statement in response saying, "Unfortunately, many have been left with the impression that a secret initiative to snoop on faculty activities is underway. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Her office said the intent is to prevent, detect and respond to any future cyber-attacks.

UC San Diego Junior Matthew Zamudio, who writes on the school newspaper, agreed that it’s a privacy issue.

“An email sent to a professor is going to be entered into this spyware system, where it can be read by the office of the president,” Zamudio explained. “So, it just creates a general sense of uncomfortableness on campus and doesn't make people feel very welcome.”

The ACLU weighed in on the issue saying, "Surveillance should not be used without first consulting with the community and ensuring that transparency and safeguards are in place."

“They have to accept the fact that all of the things that are being exchanged aren't going to be private,” Zamudio said. “They're going to be read by possibly a third party.”

The UC President said there is no intention of putting a stop to the monitoring, but moving forward, faculty will be ‘deeply involved.’


 

Soldiers Pull Crash Victims From Mission Bay

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Three U.S. military service members sprang to action and rescued a group of men from Mission Bay overnight after a car plunged into the water in Fiesta Island.

The soldiers, in San Diego on vacation from Texas, were relaxing bayside around a bonfire just after 12:30 a.m. when, suddenly, they witnessed an SUV veer off the road and plunge into Mission Bay, about 200 feet away from them.

The service members rushed over to the water.

One man in the SUV had managed to make his way to the shore, but the soldiers soon released two more young men were still in the water, screaming for help.

The soldiers jumped into the bay and pulled the men out. All of the crash victims were unharmed.

The crash is under investigation.

Police say there were reports of a driver speeding and honking in the area about 30 minutes prior to the crash, though it is unclear if those reports are related to the driver of the SUV that crashed into the water. At this point, it is unknown if alcohol played a factor in the crash.

No further details were immediately released.
 



Photo Credit: Liz Bryant

Woman, Clearing Graffiti, Killed in Hit-and-Run

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A mother and community leader, cleaning up graffiti in Mission Beach Friday, has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver suspected of being under the influence, loved ones confirmed Saturday.

The victim, a 69-year-old woman not yet formally identified by police, was hit around 5:45 p.m. at the entrance to the Jetty at 800 San Diego Place.

A former educator and school principal, the victim was identified by many friends and neighbors as Maruta Gardner, who was well-known for making the community a better place.

Residents describe her as a beloved mother who often found ways to give back to Mission Beach, including clearing graffiti from public spaces.

“She’s a wonderful, dedicated person,” the victim's friend, Dr. Ed Thile, told NBC 7. “You know, there are givers and takers. She was a giver. She was sensitive and responsive and she gave to this community. “

For years, residents say the victim has ridden around Mission Beach and Pacific Beach on her bike, carrying supplies that she uses paint over graffiti. Thile said the victim has been recognized by the San Diego City Council for her graffiti-clearing efforts and other efforts to upgrade the playground at Bonita Cove.

Officers with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the victim was in the process of cleaning up some graffiti on Jetty Road and Mission Boulevard Friday when she was struck by a black Toyota Corolla driven by a 23-year-old man.

She was standing on the curb when the Toyota Corolla driver was involved in what police believe was a road rage incident with the driver of a white Ford Mustang.

The driver in the Toyota Corolla sped to the right of the Mustang and struck the woman on the curb. He turned into a nearby parking lot for a few minutes, and then sped away.

Police stopped the hit-and-run suspect a short distance away and arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence.

The woman suffered a skull fracture and was taken to Scripps La Jolla hospital with life-threatening injuries. The hit-and-run is under investigation.

The victim was in the surgical intensive care unit on Saturday, but as of 12 p.m., police could not confirm her condition.

However, two neighbors told NBC 7 Gardner died just before 11 a.m. Saturday.

"[It's] a real loss to us all," one neighbor said.

The Mission Beach Women's Club, a group the victim was very involved with, also said she passed away, confirming the sad news on Twitter:

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer posted a message to his Twitter feed Friday night in which he identified the victim as “community leader Maruta Gardner.” The mayor said he was praying for her.

On Saturday, San Diego City Councilwoman Lorie Zapf also tweeted about the unfortunately incident and identified the victim as Gardner:



Photo Credit: NBC 7/Facebook
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Presidential Candidates Respond to Scalia's Death

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The 2016 presidential candidates Saturday reacted with surprise and sadness to the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, but that soon gave way to a debate over his succession.

Even before President Barack Obama vowed Saturday evening to nominate a successor "in due time," Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ben Carson had called for the next U.S. president to make that decision.

Cruz took to Twitter to call Scalia "an American hero."

"We owe it to him, & the Nation, for the Senate to ensure that the next President names his replacement," Cruz said.

Cruz said at a Republican debate in South Carolina later that the "Senate needs to stand strong" against confirming Obama's pick. Cruz, a former clerk to then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist from 1996 to 1997, made the case that conservatives were at risk of losing the Supreme Court for a generation.

Donald Trump, who tweeted that Scalia's death was "a massive setback for the conservative movement and our country," also called for a fight over Scalia's successor.

"Delay, delay delay," he said during Saturday's debate.

On Facebook, Ben Carson said that Scalia's "towering intellect and trenchant wit has characterized the deliberations and decisions of the high court."

"Given the dire condition our democracy currently finds itself under Obama's lack of leadership, I call on the Senate to stop any attempts to fill this crucial seat until We The People elect a strong Constitutionalist this November," Carson wrote.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio argued that holding off on a nomination would not be unprecedented.

“In fact it's been over 80 years since a lame duck president has appointed a Supreme Court justice,” he said.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich also argued against a pick before the general election. He said he hoped Obama would nominate someone with "unanimous approval" but he didn't think that would happen.

Jeb Bush conceded during the debate that the president "has every right" to nominate who he wanted, but he doubted that person would be a consensus pick.

Bush earlier called Scalia "a brilliant defender of the rule of law."

The Democratic candidates also weighed in before the Republican debate.

Senator Bernie Sanders sent along his thoughts to Scalia's family and colleagues, "who mourn his passing."

Hillary Clinton, the last major candidate to release a statement online, sent her thoughts and prayers to Scalia's family, but also castigated Republicans for urging Obama to leave the seat open.

"The Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail who are calling for Justice Scalia's seat to remain vacant dishonor our Constitution," she said. "The Senate has a constitutional responsibility here that it cannot abdicate for partisan political reasons."

--Daniel Macht contributed to this article 



Photo Credit: AP
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2 San Diegans Qualify for 2016 Summer Olympics at Marathon Trials

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 Two San Diego area runners have qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics with their second place finishes in the men and women’s U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials.

The trials, which took place in Los Angeles Saturday morning, looped through parts of Los Angeles. The top three men and top three women earned a spot on team USA for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Galen Rupp and Amy Cragg placed first in the men and women's trials, respectively, qualifying them for the Olympics. 

Meb Keflezighi, 40, of San Diego, placed second in the trials to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro games. He had the fastest qualifying time going into the race at two hours, eight minutes, 37 seconds, established when he won the 2014 Boston Marathon. He had previously said he expected to be slower because of the heat. The Olympian has been training in San Diego for his fourth round at the games.

Keflezighi finished with a time of two hours, 19 minutes and 42 seconds.

Desiree Linden, of Chula Vista, also qualified for Rio with a second place finish. She finished in two hours and 29 minutes exactly. 

The 373 runners fought through temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s at the start of the race and upper 70s to low 80s by the time it ended.

The loop course, winding through parts of Southern California, was similar to the expected set-up in Rio de Janeiro, organizers said.

The top three men and top three women earned a spot on team USA for the 2016 Summer Olympics.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

38-Foot Motor Home a Total Loss After Fire

After Cancer Took Play Away Little Girl Gets it Back

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Five-year-old Amelie likes to play. As she puts a blanket over her head to play hide-and-seek she giddily screams “I’m hiding! I’m hiding!”

To see how full of life she is you wouldn’t realize that last summer Amelie was diagnosed with pineoblastoma, a brain cancer found only in children. Doctors removed 60% of the tumor four days later but left the rest of it due to its location.

“She’s our point man. She’s the one actually leading us, which might be contradictory in most people’s minds,” Amelie’s dad Ben told NBC 7. “She’s showing us the way and we’re just kind of adapting.”

Cue Wienerschnitzel and the Roc Solid Foundation for the ‘Play it Forward’ program.

“The family has a lot of stuff to go through,” Wienerschnitzel employee Kim Zupfer said. “What we’re doing is nothing compared to what they’re going through.”

Kim and other volunteers helped build a playground in Amelie’s backyard – a playground that was a surprise to her.

“Play is replaced with doctor’s appointments, with needles, with chemo that makes you so sick you can’t stand it,” founder of Roc Solid Eric Newman said of children like Amelie. “That’s what gets us up in the morning at the foundation and what we go to bed thinking about.”

Amelie got in a limo provided to her that took her back to her house where she found the new play set complete with a tree house, swing and slide.

“When I pray now I say thank you for yesterday, thank you for today, and thank you for tomorrow,” her father said. “No matter what. Just to keep myself aware that what’s important is right now.”

Amelie immediately began to play in her house, swing on the swing and slide down the slide. Her parents have one more reason to celebrate – doctors can no longer find Amelie’s tumor.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Motorcyclist Hit and Killed in El Cajon

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A motorcyclist died Saturday night after a collision with a car in El Cajon.

The crash happened just before 8 p.m. in the 1100 block of Avocado Avenue.

The car had turned left and collided head-on with the motorcyclist according to witnesses. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The motorcyclist was a man in his 50s. His name is not being released pending notification of family.

The driver of the car remained at the scene and was cooperative with police.

The driver was not injured and has not been charged with anything at this point.

Alcohol, drugs or speed do not appear to be a factor police said.

El Cajon police and Fire Department paramedics initially responded.

The investigation is ongoing.

 

 


 

Body Found Floating Off Coast Identified

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The body of a man found floating off the coast last Sunday was identified as 38-year-old Martin Paul McDermott Saturday night.

A helicopter flying over the water noticed the body and lifeguards were dispatched to retrieve it.

The cause of death has not yet been determined.



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