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PETA Offers $5,000 Reward for Suspect Tips on Parrot Shootings

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PETA is now offering a $5,000 reward for suspect information about the shooting of at least five parrots in Ocean Beach and Point Loma.

Animal activists from PETA raised the money as an incentive for the public to help identify the culprits for the animal cruelty case, which involved using a pellet gun to shoot the endangered birds.

Police have not yet made any arrests in connection with the animals’ deaths, which mainly occurred in a neighborhood near Gage and Talbot streets.

"At least five beautiful birds have been shot and left to die from grievously painful injuries," said PETA Senior Director Colleen O'Brien. "PETA is urging anyone with information about their deaths to come forward immediately, before anyone else gets hurt."

With signs from residents reading “Stop Shooting the Parrots,” there is a visible level of community disapproval for the string of bird shootings that occurred over an eight-day period.

Jamul-based SoCal Parrot, a wild parrot conservation group, said the birds are part of endangered species that include Lilac Crowned Amazons and Red Masked Conures.

Anybody with information should contact the San Diego police at 619-692-4800. An investigation of the animal cruelty case is under way.

The parrot shootings are considered a federal offense and could be punished with jail time and a $20,000 fine.


Police Investigate 2 Overnight Robberies

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Police are investigating whether two robberies that happened overnight in Hillcrest and Golden Hill just minutes apart are connected.

In the first case, the robber entered the La Posta Taco Shop at Third Avenue and Washington Street in Hillcrest just after 4:30 a.m. Thursday. The suspect pointed a gun at an employee and demanded cash, police said.

Then, less than a half hour later, in very similar fashion, a suspect entered a 7-Eleven convenience store at 24th Street and Broadway in Golden Hill and pointed a gun at a clerk, demanding money, San Diego police said.

In both cases, the suspect was wearing a black bandanna, though in the second case he’s described as wearing a bright blue sweatshirt and white gloves.

No one was hurt in either case.

No arrests have been made.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

America's Hospitals Still Riddled With Infectious Bacteria

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America’s hospitals are teeming with infectious bacteria, including drug-resistant superbugs, according to two reports released Thursday, NBC News reported.

One-third of hospitals rated by Consumer Reports got low scores on preventing infections. Many include teaching hospitals like Johns Hopkins University or Harvard Medical School. The list also includes the Cleveland Clinic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say hospital staff are responsible for spreading infections by not washing hands, not cleaning rooms thoroughly, and slow detection of outbreaks.

Officials at Johns Hopkins said they are working on the problems.  



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Crews Tackle House Fire in Chula Vista

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A fast-moving fire gutted a home in Chula Vista on Thursday afternoon, fire officials said.

The fire was reported just before 4:30 p.m. in the 200 block of San Miguel Drive. The home was fully engulfed in flames, Chula Vista firefighters said.

Witnesses told NBC 7 the home went up in flames in just 10 minutes. The four people who live there, a husband and wife with two grown sons, were not home at the time.

The family has lived there 23 years, a family member told NBC 7.

The fire was reported just before 4:30 p.m. An hour later, crews said the home was a total loss.

Chargers Release Linebacker Donald Butler

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It was a busy day for the Chargers front office on Thursday as the team released four players. One notable pink slip goes to former third-round pick and 2013 team captain, inside linebacker Donald Butler. Butler missed his rookie season with an Achilles injury, but he returned to play in 71 games over the last five seasons, including 62 starts.

Butler shared the news on his twitter before the Chargers released an official statement. Butler’s message to his followers read, "It's been an amazing ride SD. To my teammates and fans who have supported me throughout (the) last 6 years I am forever appreciative and grateful. Also, to the Spanos family for giving me the opportunity to play in a great city in front of great fans. So excited for what's next and the opportunities ahead! To God be the glory!"

It was just two years ago Butler signed a lucrative seven-year, $51.8 million contract, but then faded away during the 2015 season. His career totals include 432 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three interceptions.

The Chargers also released running back Donald Brown and linebackers Kavell Conner and Chi Chi Ariguzo.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2 Cases Link Zika to Paralyzing Condition

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French doctors said Thursday that two people suffering from Guillain-Barre in Martinique had evidence of Zika infection, NBC News reported.

Staff at a Martinique hospital reported that two people seriously ill with the paralyzing nerve condition spent weeks on ventilators. Neither had any other infection known to cause Guillain-Barre, but they did have the Zika virus in their urine.

Zika had not been known to cause the rare paralyzing nerve condition before, but its spread across Latin America and the Caribbean is affecting larger numbers than ever infected before.  



Photo Credit: AP

Mission Bay High School Alum, Arian Foster is released from the Houston Texans

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After seven years with the Houston Texans, running back Arian Foster has been released from the team. He played just four games last season after suffering injuries to his groin and Achilles tendon. His lengthy list of injuries also includes a torn meniscus, multiple hamstring injuries, a knee injury and a back injury. The last time Foster played in all 16 games was in 2012.

Foster rushed for a total of 6,472 yards and 54 touchdowns with Houston. After six seasons Foster will leave as the franchise's all-time leading rusher. He was set to receive a $6.5 million base salary with a salary-cap of almost $9 million for the 2016 season.

The soon to be 30 year old running back shared his gratitude towards the fans and the Houston Texans organization with a heartfelt message on Instagram. It read in part, “I’ve got 7 years of beautiful memories with teammates, staff and coaches I’ll never forget. Thank you all for being a part of this journey.” Fans responded by thanking foster for what he added to the Texans team. Foster graduated from Mission Bay High School and rounds out a long line of strong NFL running backs coming out of San Diego.
 

Saldana Boards Bolts Bandwagon for New Downtown Stadium

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Mayor Kevin Faulconer's leading challenger for re-election came out today in favor of a downtown stadium for the Chargers — which is not the incumbent’s first choice of sites.

Former Assemblywoman Lori Saldana wants the current Qualcomm Stadium site converted to other uses.

Saldana may be a long shot in the mayoral race, but she's got the gravitas of three terms as a state lawmaker in Sacramento.

Now teaching in the community college system, Saldana favors expanding San Diego State University and creating parkland where the Chargers now play.

"And what we don't need is more development to pay for expanding a stadium that the Chargers franchise has already said they will not support,” she told reporters during a Thursday news conference on a Normal Heights bluff overlooking Qualcomm Stadium."

Saldana made her announcement in the company of attorney Cory Briggs, author of the “Citizens Plan” initiative, and endorsed the Chargers' proposal for a downtown venue in East Village -- which the team would have to pay for – in conjunction with a convention center facility that could be funded through a hotel room tax hike.

"What we need is to be investing in our future,” Briggs said. “And the way you do that is to be thinking about your institutions of higher learning, thinking about how to do that along transit lines, and thinking about how to do that at the least cost with the most benefits for the public."

The city's plan for replacing Qualcomm Stadium on-site calls for $350 million in subsidies from the city and county.

But the team considers the Mission Valley approach so unworthy that it pushed for a new home in Carson -- until the NFL said no.

Now the Bolts are bucking the city again with their East Village scheme, leaving Faulconer in a corner.

"He doesn't want to be having this fight with the Chargers, he doesn't want to be having this fight with Briggs in the first place,” says Andrew Keatts, who covers City Hall for NBC 7’s media partner Voice of San Diego “Why engage it on another front, with a person who's actually running for office against him?"

In response to Saldana's announcement, Faulconer's press secretary issued this statement: "The mayor believes a stadium plan must represent a fair deal for San Diegans. We remain in discussions with the Chargers and are currently awaiting the release of their stadium financing proposal."



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Trump Campaigner Charged in 2014 Ranch Standoff

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Twelve people were arrested Thursday in connection with an armed protest on the Bundy ranch in Nevada in 2014, NBC News reported.

The arrests include two more of Cliven Bundy’s sons — Melvin and David Bundy — and Gerald DeLemus, a New Hampshire man linked to Donald Trump’s campaign. Trump’s campaign did not respond to questions from NBC News about DeLemus’ arrest.

Federal agents who seized Bundy's cattle over unpaid grazing fees backed off after being confronted with armed protesters and snipers on Aug. 12, 2014.

A federal grand jury in Nevada indicted 14 people in all on charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and other counts, federal prosecutors said. Two of those indicted Thursday were already in custody in Oregon. 



Photo Credit: AP

Santee Explores Ways to Ease Traffic

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The City of Santee held a public meeting Thursday to launch a study into how to ease traffic on State Route 52.

Experts say the problem with traffic in the area is only going to go from bad to worse. A traffic engineer told NBC 7 the problem has gotten so bad it's even impacting the reliability of services for bus and freight trips.

"That commute coming home is just diabolically awful," said Santee resident Barbara Thronson. "Most of the time it will be just dead stop traffic. I can't tell you how many times I've called my husband and said 'I'm stuck! Go get the kids! I'm not going to make it on time."

Jim Stone with Circulate San Diego says the problem isn't isolated to SR-52.

"This is true for a lot of areas of San Diego County. We've created areas for people to live and areas for people to work and they're separated by many miles and we say, 'just get on the road, drive on the freeway,'" he said.

One piece of good news: San Diego is ranked as one of the better cities for commute times across the nation, in a study released Thursday by Trulia.

Rodney King Video 25 Years Old

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Twenty-five years ago, on the cusp of the home video era, a drunk and speeding Rodney King led officers on a pursuit that ended in front of George Holliday's Lake View Terrace apartment in northeast LA.

Then living in a unit facing Foothill Boulevard, Holliday heard the commotion outside and got out something few owned in 1991: a home video camera.

What he captured – LAPD officers brutally beating King, who was on parole for armed robbery, on the ground with batons – was broadcast worldwide and became a symbol of police brutality.

Holliday has rarely spoken with the media, an exception being an interview with NBC last year.

"I thought, I should film this," Holliday recalled. "When I went out to the balcony, they were already hitting him."

When four officers charged with felony assault on King were acquitted by a jury with no black members, the verdict sparked a riot that lasted for six days and brought U.S. military presence to patrol LA streets.

"I was just wondering, what had happened? What led to this?" Holliday said.

TV news broadcasts of the video triggered outrage, more when King left custody fractured and bruised in a wheelchair.

"Watching it unfold, it was not so much about Rodney King as about all of us. We've all been in a place that was similar," said Melina Abdullah, a professor and Black Lives Matter organizer.

An appointed commission called for reform.

"I remember watching the first time and wondering what the hell was going on," said current Chief of Police Charlie Beck. "I think it was the beginning of a lot of self-examination."

Training changed, among other things. The baton was shunted aside as the favored tool for getting compliance from a combative suspect to be handcuffed.

During the unrest, which left more than 50 people dead and caused more than $1 billion in property damage, King famously pleaded for peace by asking, "Can we all get along?"

That confrontation on Foothill Blvd illuminated the value of video, though perhaps few envisioned how technology would make it so widely available to the public as today. Police as well have embraced video monitoring in police cars and increasingly on officers themselves.

"Everybody I know is walking around with a camera and that has changed the world and changed expectations," Beck said.

Holliday's video was largely responsible for getting King a nearly $4 million settlement form the city of LA. Holliday recalls King told him it did more than that.

"He said, 'You saved my life,'" Holliday recalled.

King never succeeded in overcoming his addiction issues, and drowned at age 47 in his Rialto home swimming pool four years ago. His death was ruled accidental in an autopsy by the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office, which also noted he had marijuana, cocaine and alcohol in his system.

Even as the King case ushered in the modern era of the video camera watchdog, it also demonstrated that even when it's on video, not everybody sees the same thing.



Photo Credit: File – Getty Images

San Diego Offers Free Sandbags Ahead of Storm

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Ahead of a predicted El Nino storm this weekend, the City of San Diego is offering free sandbags to residents.

The sandbags will be available at nine various locations throughout the city.

Those who show proof of residency can pick up bags between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or between noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Here are the sandbag locations:

  • Standley Recreation Center: 3585 Governor Drive.
  • Robb Athletic Field: 2525 Bacon St.
  • Golden Hill Recreation Center: 2600 Golf Course Drive.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center: 6401 Skyline Drive.
  • Scripps Ranch Recreation Center: 11454 Blue Cypress Drive.
  • North Clairemont Recreation Center: 4421 Bannock Ave.
  • Allied Gardens Recreation Center: 5155 Greenbrier Ave.
  • San Ysidro Community Activity Center: 179 Diza Road.
  • City Heights Recreation Center: 4380 Landis Street.

String of Burglaries Hit Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe

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Three people have been arrested in connection to a string of home burglaries in the area of Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe.

Jonathan Valdez Flores, 18, Joe Estrada, 18, and Joshua Gomez, 20, were arrested in connection to the four burglaries. Flores is accused of possession of stolen property and Estrada and Gomez are facing charges of residential burglary and possession of stolen property.

Both Estrada and Gomez also have outstanding warrants for theft and burglary.

San Diego County sheriff’s deputies said the burglaries happened between Feb. 17 and 23; in total, the loss of property was estimated at $100,000.

Investigators searching Estrada’s home found suspected stolen jewelry, officials said.

Deputies say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could follow. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.



Photo Credit: San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.

Roving Robots Train Marines at Camp Pendleton

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Roving, wig-wearing robots are the latest state-of-the-art technology on Camp Pendleton helping to prepare U.S. Marines for the battlefield.

The standup robot on two wheels costs approximately $250,000 but, as seen in a demonstration by the Australian company Marathon Targets, they are much different from the traditional firearms training.

It’s a test that one U.S. Marine said is as close to real live combat at you get while firing a weapon.

“It's a lot harder to hit him and it's a lot more realistic as real as you can get in training I think,” said Cpl. Aleksandr Bulymba.

The robots allow Marines to enhance skills during training to including threat assessment, handling a weapon under duress and tactical patience.

Unlike the traditional rail system that move left and right on the same rail, these targets are unpredictable.

“Just like a human, so it will go at different speeds, slow down speed up, it might swerve, it won't just going to straight-line,” said robotics engineer Nathan Fung.

The Autonomous Robotic targets do not require remote operation or a joystick to operate. The on-board software allows the robot to react the way that combatants might behave using sensors.

As for stamina, Fung said these robots can sustain thousands of shots.

NBC 7 reached out to Camp Pendlton to find out how much of an investment they're making in these new targets and are waiting for the information.

In the meantime some published reports estimate the Corps is investing more than $50 million in the technology.



Photo Credit: U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. John Baker

Matt Bush Excited to Be Back in Baseball: Report

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A San Diego prep baseball standout whose Major League dreams were sidelined by prison and substance abuse is excited to be around baseball again, according to a published report.

Mission Bay High School alum Matt Bush was offered a multi-million dollar contract in 2004 when the San Diego Padres took him as their first pick in the MLB draft.

After spending 34-months in prison, Bush is now looking to compete again. He's been invited back to spring training.

"It might not seem like much to anybody," Bush told a Dallas-based newspaper last week. "But it means the world to me. Every day I walk to and from the park and feel free. Little things like that are important to me."

Bush's problems off the field started almost immediately after he was drafted. There was a bar fight in Arizona that ended his relationship with the Padres. Then, in 2009 when he was 23, Bush pleaded guilty to assaulting students at Granite Hills High School during a lacrosse practice. He tearfully told the judge he had a problem with alcohol. He was ordered to enter rehab.

Three years later, as a minor leaguer with the Tampa Bay Rays, Bush accepted a plea deal for driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of a crash. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.

Now, Bush is 30 years old, out of prison and in recovery. In fact, he told ESPN he's been sober since March 2012.

Just three months ago, the Texas Rangers organization signed Bush for its Frisco RoughRiders team.

Bush said he's been excited to be around other baseball players in Surprise, Arizona as the pros gather for spring training.

"My past has been full of mistakes," he told the Dallas Sporting News. "I have to understand that I'm an alcoholic and that I can't be around that. I can't control myself when I am. But the past is also the past and the mistakes were made when I was younger. I feel like I'm more aware of my situation now."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

San Diego No. 2 City for Night Owls: Groupon

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Bring on that late-night Happy Hour: San Diego has been ranked among the top cities in the nation for night owls.

Groupon has released a list of the top 10 cities in America for night owls and it turns out San Diego ranks No. 2, just after Hartford, Connecticut (that’s right, the “Insurance Capital of the World”).

Groupon says the rankings were compiled by analyzing sales data for offers on late-night deals such as beer and wine – deals often used by those who like to hit the town at night.

In Hartford, for example, Groupon says customers buy deals for breweries and wineries more frequently than any other market.

After Hartford and San Diego, these other cities, in order, rounded out Groupon's list of “Top Cities for Night Owls”: Charlotte; Sacramento; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Omaha; Louisville; Washington, D.C.; Indianapolis; Columbus.

Groupon also ranked the “Top Cities for Morning People” based on data from offers on things like coffee and breakfast. San Diego did not make that cut.

Instead, that list says Minneapolis is the No. 1 city for early risers, followed by: Austin; Denver; Chicago; Kansas City, Mo.; Dallas; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Boston; Nashville.

Where is your favorite night owl spot in San Diego? Share in the comments section below the article.
 



Photo Credit: Chuck Lapinsky

'I Saw Him Fly': Witness Describes National City Crash

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A man was crossing the street with what appeared to be takeout food when he was struck and killed in National City Wednesday, one witness told NBC 7.

Carlos Romero saw the man who appeared to be eating or drinking something as he crossed the street just before midnight.

“Suddenly I saw him fly, just flying in the air,” Romero said. “Then I realized there was an accident.”

The man was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Sweetwater Road just west of Interstate 805 and north of State Route 54.

The driver stopped and cooperated with National City Police in their investigation. At this time, the driver of the vehicle was not facing criminal charges.

Officers say there is a possibility that the victim in the collision was jaywalking at the time he was struck.

Officers say the collision may have occurred as a result of the driver not seeing the pedestrian before the collision and didn’t have enough distance or time to stop before striking him.

The man was transported to a UC San Diego Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.

They have not released his identity pending notification of next of kin.

The driver was not injured. 

No further information was immediately available.

Uber Driver Resists Arrest in Gaslamp Quarter Crash

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An Uber driver was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under the influence after colliding with a party bus in the Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Police said.

The crash occurred just before midnight on F Street between 6th and 7th avenues amongst restaurants and nightclubs.

The Uber driver ran a red light and crashed into the back of the charter bus, police said. Only the driver was on board the bus at the time of the crash.

The Uber driver’s vehicle burst into flames, SDPD Lt. Dan Smith said.

“He was on his Uber shift. We don’t know if he had driven anybody yet but he said he had driven downtown to pick up a fare,” Smith said.

However, a spokesperson for Uber denies that the unidentified driver was on his way to pick up a fare.

"This individual was not logged in to the Uber app at the time this incident occurred or on his way to pick up a rider," the spokesperson said in a statement to NBC 7.

Video captured the driver fall the ground as officers and firefighters attempted to restrain him.

He was eventually cuffed and masked before being transported to a nearby hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash.

The party bus driver was also injured and taken to a nearby hospital, police said.

Smith said the Uber driver failed a field sobriety test.

It’s likely the driver will face charges of misdemeanor driving under the influence and resisting arrest, Smith said.

He's also no longer an Uber driver according to the company.

"We are clearly disappointed that this occurred and have permanently removed this driver-partner's access to the Uber platform," an Uber company spokesperson said.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

'Rainmaker' El Nino Storm Heads Our Way

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The first storm in a while to hit San Diego will make itself known, first by pounding surf, then by howling wind, before moving into Southern California this weekend and early next week.

“The storm itself will move into the county in two waves,” said NBC 7’s Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh. “The first round of showers will arrive late Saturday night, into Sunday. The second, bigger round, will arrive later Sunday into Monday. But, the surf and wind will certainly be noticeable, as it approaches.”

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory for San Diego County beaches, in advance of the storm. It goes into effect Friday at 10 am, and lasts through Tuesday at 4 pm. Waves of 5-8 feet are expected, with sets to 10 feet possible, Friday and Saturday. Sunday, waves will be abnormally huge, with sets to 15 feet possible. Dangerous rip currents will pose an additional threat to swimmers.

Saturday, the approaching storm system will bring a slight chance of sprinkles to San Diego, with gusty west winds in the mountains and deserts. Saturday night, and early Sunday, the cold front will move through, with light to moderate rainfall and strong winds.

A more intense portion of the storm will move through late Sunday into Monday, with gusty west winds and numerous moderate to heavy rain showers. Monday will also include a chance of thunderstorms.

Showers may linger into Tuesday morning.

“When all is said and done, this could be a great rainmaker for us,” said Kodesh.

Kodesh says coast and inland areas could see anywhere from 0.75 to 1.25 inches of rain. Mountains could receive 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain. Deserts could see anywhere from 0.25 to 0.40 inches of rain.

Mountain elevations above 5000 feet could receive anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of snow, mainly on Monday.
 



Photo Credit: Gary Backus

Playboy Says It Looks Better Not Naked

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Playboy's first non-nude issue has been on sale for the past month, and the media empire claims its re-robed strategy is working with advertisers, NBC New reported.

The 63-year-old magazine's March issue featured 42 advertising pages, which is a 55.5 percent increase from the same issue last year.

In addition, 1,200 more newsstands carried the issue, and Playboy claims it's selling well. About 75 percent of the stock has sold out at Barnes & Noble. 

The company claims that ever since it announced the new direction in October, it has held more than 300 meetings with new and existing advertisers.



Photo Credit: AP
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