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'Patriots Day' Films at Marathon

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Actor Mark Wahlberg was flanked by film crews Monday morning at the Boston Marathon finish line, where he shot scenes for an upcoming movie based on the deadly 2013 marathon bombings.

Wahlberg stars in the film "Patriots Day," set to premiere in 2017, which recounts the terror attacks that killed three spectators and wounded more than 260 others on April 15, 2013. An MIT officer was killed in a subsequent shootout, bringing the death toll to four. 

The actor’s appearance came as runners and spectators converged on the area ahead of Monday’s race, the 120th annual. Thousands are expected to participate. 

"Patriots Day" will film at locations around Massachusetts — including MIT, where Officer Sean Collier was killed while confronting bombers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Movie producers were previously denied a request for permission to film at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, which Dzhokhar Tsarnaev attended. He returned to his dorm room after placing improvised explosive devices near the finish line with his older brother, who was killed during the manhunt that followed. 

The younger Tsarnaev was convicted of 30 federal charges and sentenced to death for his role in the attack.



Photo Credit: necn

Celebrities at Coachella 2016

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Indio, California, was celeb-central when Coachella 2016 hit town. Rihanna (pictured), Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton, Seal and more hit the desert.

Jerusalem Bus Bomb Injures More Than 20

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At least 21 people were injured after a bomb blast tore through a bus in Jerusalem on Monday, Israeli officials said.

The blast was caused by an "explosive device" at the rear of one bus, with fire then spreading to a second bus and a car, officials said.

"Police bomb disposal experts confirm (an) explosive device went off on (the) bus that caused 21 injuries," police spokesman said on Twitter.

The incident happened in Derech Hebron, an area in southwest Jerusalem close to the boundary with the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to The Associated Press.



Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

How Trump Can Still Clinch Nomination Before Convention

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To all the political junkies yearning for a contested Republican convention this summer: not so fast.

It's still possible for Donald Trump to clinch the nomination by the end of the primaries on June 7. His path is narrow and perilous. But it's plausible and starts with a big victory Tuesday in his home state New York primary. 

Trump is the only candidate with a realistic chance of reaching the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination before the July convention in Cleveland. His rivals, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, can only hope to stop him. 

If Cruz and Kasich are successful, politicos across the country will have the summer of their dreams — a convention with an uncertain outcome. But Trump can put an end to those dreams, and he can do it without any of the 150 or so delegates who will go to the convention free to support the candidate of their choice.

What comes next isn't a prediction, but rather, a way in which Trump could win the nomination outright on June 7. 

To be sure, Trump will have to start doing a lot better than he has so far. He gets that chance starting Tuesday, beginning the day with 744 delegates.

___ 

NEW YORK

There are 95 delegates at stake in the Empire State, and it's important for Trump to win a big majority of them. It won't be easy. 

There are 14 statewide delegates and three delegates in each congressional district.

If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the statewide vote, he gets all 14 delegates. Otherwise, he has to share them with other candidates. 

If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote in a congressional district, he gets all three delegates. Otherwise, again, he has to share. 

Trump leads statewide in the most recent preference polls, with right around 50 percent. New York is a large and diverse state, so he probably won't win all the congressional districts.

Let's say Trump does make it to 50 percent, but Kasich or Cruz wins five congressional districts; Trump will take 77 delegates on the night. 

Trump's running total: 821 delegates.

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APRIL 26

Five states have primaries on April 26, with 172 delegates at stake: Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Rhode Island. 

Pennsylvania could be trouble for Trump. The state has a unique system in which 54 delegates — three from each congressional district — are listed by name on the ballot, with no information for voters to know which candidate they support. 

That means even if Trump wins Pennsylvania, he's only guaranteed to claim 17 of the state's 71 delegates. 

Connecticut awards 13 delegates to the statewide winner and three to the winner of each congressional district, for a total of 28. The New York real estate mogul needs to win his neighboring state. If he does well, he could get 22 delegates.

Delaware's 16 delegates are winner-take-all, increasing the importance of this small state. If Trump loses Delaware, he has to make it up elsewhere. 

Maryland awards 14 delegates to the statewide winner and three to the winner of each congressional district, for a total of 38. Recent polls show Trump with a significant lead. If he does well, he could get 32 delegates. 

Trump can afford to lose Rhode Island, which awards its 19 delegates proportionally.

In all, it's a day on which we'll say Trump claims 93 delegates. 

Trump's running total: 914.

___ 

MAY 

Five states hold contests in May, with a total of 199 delegates at stake: Indiana, Nebraska, West Virginia, Oregon and Washington State. 

Indiana's May 3 primary is important for Trump. The state awards 30 delegates to the statewide winner and three delegates to the winner of each congressional district, for a total of 57. If Trump can win the state and a majority of the congressional districts, he could collect 45 delegates. 

West Virginia is another unique state in which voters elect 31 delegates in the May 10 primary. In West Virginia, however, the delegates will be listed on the ballot along with the presidential candidate they support. If Trump does well here, he could pick up 20 or more delegates. 

Nebraska's 36 delegates are winner-take-all. But if Nebraska is like its neighbors Kansas and Iowa, two states Cruz won earlier in the race, Trump can't count on these delegates. 

Oregon and Washington state award delegates proportionally, so even the losers get some. 

We'll give Trump 70 delegates for the month. 

Trump's running total: 984.

___ 

JUNE 7

This could be Trump's D-Day. Or his Waterloo. 

Five states vote on June 7, with 303 delegates up for grabs. The biggest prize is California, along with New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and New Mexico. 

The only state Trump can afford to lose is New Mexico, which awards 24 delegates proportionally. 

New Jersey, South Dakota and Montana are winner-take-all, with a total of 107 delegates.

California is more complicated, with 172 delegates at stake. The statewide winner gets only 13. The other 159 are awarded according to the results in individual congressional districts. 

Each of the state's 53 congressional districts has three delegates. You win the district, you get all three. 

For Trump to clinch the nomination on June 7 — the last day of the primary season — he has to win a big majority of California's congressional districts. If he wins 39 districts, he gets 130 delegates. 

On the last voting day of the primary campaign, we'll say Trump wins 242 delegates. 

Trump's running total: 1,226 — or 11 delegates short of the magic number.

___ 

OH, WAIT! 

Missouri has certified the results of its March 15 primary, with Trump beating Cruz by 1,965 votes. If the results survive a potential recount, Trump wins Missouri and another 12 delegates. 

Trump's total: 1,238.

Cue the balloons.



Photo Credit: AP

Last-Minute Tax Day Filing: How to Pay Uncle Sam at Deadline

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Waiting until the last minute to pay your taxes can cost you if you are expecting a refund, since the government hangs on to your money and receives more interest on it. However, if you owe money to the government, that same principle applies to you.

Extending your deadline to file does not extend your payment time. You are expected to pay the amount you owe, or your best estimate, by the April 18th deadline.

If you do have to make an estimate, it is usually best to err toward overpaying. Paying too much can always be applied to next year’s taxes, but paying too little requires that you pay interest on the difference – and could expose you to an audit if you greatly underestimate the amount.

You have four general payment methods from which to choose: 

Check/Money Order – The classics never go out of style. The IRS accepts checks or money orders payable to the United States Treasury. Include your phone number, Social Security number, and the 1040-V payment voucher (or other voucher as appropriate for the tax form you are submitting). 

Credit/Debit Cards – There are six IRS-approved payment processors for credit or debit cards. Links to these vendors may be found on the IRS website. Debit card charges are usually flat fees ($2.50-$3.95) and credit cards are charged as a percentage fee (1.87 percent -2.25 percent).

Electronic Funds Withdrawal (EFW) – Essentially, this is the reverse of direct deposit. Most e-filing methods require EFW. This has to take place as part of the electronic filing process – you cannot initiate EFW after your taxes have been submitted.

Check with your financial institution and verify that they allow EFW transactions. If so, they will supply you with the routing number and account number for the account from which you wish to have the funds withdrawn. Do not assume that the routing number on your checks is the correct one – sometimes extra internal routing digits are included, and the numbers need to conform to the IRS standards.

You will need to supply a contact phone number, Social Security numbers for every filer, and a payment date. You can still choose to have your payment made on April 18th, even if your form is filed earlier.

Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) – This is the IRS-run equivalent of EFW. It has the advantage of allowing same-day wiring of funds from your account, and is useful for scheduling regular estimated tax payments for the self-employed. 

EFTPS requires registration with the IRS. It can take five to seven business days to register, so make sure you leave enough time for your registration process to be completed before your payment deadline expires.

Electronic methods can be used on all 1040 Series forms, but not all tax forms or taxes can be handled through electronic payments. For details, check the links available on the IRS website. This page also contains links for businesses to use in electronic payments.

Should the computer gremlins attack or you spill coffee on your keyboard, you can still pay by phone using one of the IRS-approved credit/debit card processors, or by calling the IRS directly and using EFTPS.

Choose whichever payment method works best for you, and pay at the last minute with confidence. Just do not forget to make that payment before the deadline, or you’ll have to make a much bigger payment later.

This story first appeared on Moneytips.com. More from Moneytips: 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

ISIS Files: What Leaked Docs Reveal About Recruits

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A collection of ISIS personnel records obtained by NBC News and analyzed by experts at West Point provides new insight into the group's ambition and the people who make up the group.

The files reveal that the jihadists who joined the Islamic State in 2013 and 2014 were largely uninterested in suicide missions, better educated than expected and, to the alarm of those trying to stop the export of terror, very well-traveled.

NBC News received the dossiers from a Syrian man who said he stole the information, stored on a flash drive, from a senior ISIS commander. Over the last month, NBC News has worked with the Combating Terrorism Center at the elite military academy to transform them into a database of more than 4,000 foreign fighters from 71 countries.

"The largest takeaway from these documents is the massive diversity of the population," Brian Dodwell, deputy director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, told NBC News.



Photo Credit: AP

Injured Hiker Rescued in Chula Vista

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Crews rescued a hiker with an ankle injury on Monday morning in Chula Vista.

The hiker was spotted in distress at about 11 a.m. in the area of Proctor Valley Road and Agua Vista Drive, near the Centennial Trail.

Crews, including a Heavy Rescue vehicle and a helicopter, took the person to a local hospital, fire officials said.

The hiker had an ankle injury, but no other information was available.

Record-high temperatures were predicted for Monday afternoon.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Boston Survivor Throws 1st Pitch

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Three years after a bomb took both his legs at the Boston Marathon finish line, Jeff Bauman joined actor Jake Gyllenhaal in throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park.

An iconic image of Bauman — ashen and injured — was etched into the minds of Americans reeling in the wake of the 2013 attack. His photo and recovery came to symbolize the resilience of a Boston that couldn't be broken.

Now a bestselling author, Bauman took the mound at Monday's Red Sox game as thousands converged for the 120th Boston Marathon.

He was flanked by Gyllenhaal, who portrays Bauman in a film version of his memoir, "Stronger." The movie, directed by David Gordon Green, tells the story of Bauman's recovery and was filming Monday at Fenway.

"It's not every day you film a movie scene during pregame! Thanks for joining us, Jeff Bauman & Jake Gyllenhaal!" the Red Sox tweeted, along with photos of the pair talking to players David Ortiz and Brock Holt.

Bauman, who was treated at Boston Medical Center, spoke Sunday night with Gyllenhaal at the hospital's pre-marathon pasta dinner.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Helicopter Lands In National City

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The low-flying object in the skies above National City was not a bird or even a plane, it was a helicopter preparing to land.

Residents of National City were able to witness San Diego Fire Department’s (SDFD) Copter 1 land at Sweetwater High School on Highland Avenue Monday morning.

The copter’s visit was not a result of an emergency but rather an educational visit for students in the school’s Health and Fire Science Academy.

“The helicopter visit helps students realize dreams,” explained Mike Diaz, a Career Technical Education Fire Technology teacher at Sweetwater High School.

Students were able to learn about the fire helicopters first hand. This is part of a nearly three-year fire education program used to prepare students for careers in fire services.

“We create students that are able to be more competitive when applying for fire service jobs and academies,” said Diaz.

Fire academies can be very difficult to get into. Diaz explained how Sweetwater’s program prepares students by exposing and training them in fire service essentials such as basic medical care and search and rescue.

At the end of the program, students take a capstone class to wrap up their fire service education before potentially moving onto a career.

Encinitas Brush Fire Knocked Down

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A two-alarm brush fire that threatened homes in Encinitas is now out North Comm confirmed. 

The fire started Sunday evening after a weekend of hot, dry and windy weather. 

"It seemed very close. There was a lot of glow in the sky," resident Sam Dale said. "We walked down to the end of the street to see what the situation might be. You couldn't tell if it was lapping up to a home or down in the canyon."

Dale was relaxing in his backyard when he smelled smoke. Once in the front yard he saw the swarm of fire engines. 

The fire started in the 1000 block of Camino Real and Town Center Drive just before 8 p.m. 

"When I first arrived behind Home Depot it was maybe 100 yards or less from the top of the houses. And it really wasn't doing too much until it got to the top of the hill," Batallion Chief Robbie Ford with Encinitas Fire said. "Once it got to the top of the hill it really kind of started to take off towards the south a little bit." 

Ford said the large amount of brush on the ridge heavily fueled the blaze. 

The fire was out by 8:30 p.m. A quarter of an acre burned, but there were no reported injuries or homes damaged.  

The incident has been turned over to fire marshals to further investigate and find a cause. 

Encinitas wasn't the only community threatened by fire Sunday. Cal Fire crews were called to a brush fire that destroyed vehicles in a small cul-de-sac near San Marcos. 

Read more on that story here.



Photo Credit: SDNCN.tv

Church Broken Into, Woman Slain: PD

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A fitness instructor was found slain inside a North Texas church Monday morning, and Midlothian police are looking for a man seen on video wearing tactical clothing with police markings in connection with her death. 

Fitness instructor Missy Bevers, a 45-year-old mother of three, arrived at the Creekside Church of Christ shortly after 4 a.m. to prepare for a Camp Gladiator class, police said Monday afternoon.

When her students arrived at 5 a.m., they found her unresponsive and called 911. EMS workers arrived minutes later and noticed broken glass and other indications of a struggle around the woman's body.

Police arrived soon after, searched the building and determined there were visible signs of forced entry. No one else was found in the building but a review of surveillance video recorded inside the building indicated a man entered the building shortly before Bevers and was using a tool to pry open doors.

Midlothian police said the man was dressed in tactical gear with police markings, including a heavy helmet, gloves and military-style battle-dress pants.

In a news conference Monday afternoon, Midlothian Chief of Police Carl Smith said the man was "designed to look like a police officer."

Police said the motion-activated surveillance cameras did not record any interaction between Bevers and the man, and while a motive has not been determined, police said it's possible Bevers interrupted a burglary.

Investigators said the first time the man appeared on camera was about 3:50 a.m., shortly before Bevers arrived. Since there are no working cameras outside the church, it is not clear when the man arrived.

It was not immediately known if anything was taken from the church and police were not sure if the man was carrying a weapon.

The woman was declared dead at the scene by Ellis County Justice of the Peace Bill Woody. Due to Bevers' injuries, police are investigating her death as a homicide.

Bevers' body was transported to the Dallas County medical examiner who will determine her cause of death.

Anyone with information on the man's identity is asked to call the Midlothian Police Department at 972-775-3333.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News
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Unpopularity Contest: Poll Shows Little Faith in 2016 Field

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As the American public views the 2016 presidential campaign, it's seeing many more flaws than strengths, according to results from a national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

Nearly seven-in-10 registered voters say they couldn't see themselves supporting Republican frontrunner Donald Trump; 61 percent say they couldn't back fellow Republican Ted Cruz; and 58 percent couldn't see themselves voting for Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton.

What's more, 65 percent of all voters have a negative view of Trump - making him the most unpopular major presidential candidate in the history of the NBC/WSJ poll. Fifty-six percent have an unfavorable view of Clinton, which is up five points from last month. And almost half of voters view Cruz in a negative light.

Just 19 percent of all respondents give Clinton high marks for being honest and trustworthy, while only 12 percent give Trump high scores for having the right temperament.



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Trump Hits 40 Percent Support in National Poll, But Cruz Close Behind

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Donald Trump has extended his support in the 2016 presidential race among Republican primary voters to a record 40 percent as the field has narrowed, but he is still locked in a tight battle with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows.

Trump gets the support of 40 percent of Republican primary voters, while Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas gets 35 percent. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in third place, has the support of 24 percent of GOP primary voters.

The margin of error for Republican primary voters in the poll is +/- 5.6 percent.

Trump outperforms Cruz most decisively among Republicans who do not have a college education (45 percent to 38 percent) and men (42 percent to 35 percent).   



Photo Credit: AP

Small Plane Crashes at Catalina Airport, 2 Injured

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A man and woman remained hospitalized a day after they were injured in a plane crash single-engine plane crash Sunday at Catalina Airport.

The pilot was in critical condition and his female passenger was in serious condition Monday, according to family members. One of the victims was thrown from the wreckage, another trapped inside after the crash on Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.

Family members said the crash victims are expected to recover.

The FAA said the plane is a Cessna 172 that departed from Long Beach. A family member of the victims told NBC4 the pilot overshot the runway, which begins at the edge of a cliff and features an uphill slope, during the landing.

The plane went down around 4:40 p.m.

Fire crews hoisted the injured via helicopter to transport them to the hospital. A medic was hoisted down to the victims during a complex rescue operation on the mountainside. 

"You're kind of limited on what your resources are on that type of terrain," said deputy paramedic Daniel Aleman, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "

The FAA was handling the subsequent investigation.

NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd and Rick Montanez contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

US Marine Fatally Shot Outside Strip Club ID'd

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A U.S. Marine who was fatally shot outside a San Bernardino strip club early Sunday morning has been identified.

The 20-year-old marine was identified as Douglas Rivas-Rauda of Twentynine Palms by the San Bernardino County Coroner's officials on Monday. 

The shooting occurred in the parking lot of Flesh Club Showgirls located in the 100 block of Hospitality Lane shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, according to Sgt. Vicki Cervantes with the San Bernardino Police Department.

When officers arrived, they found a victim with multiple shotgun wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Rivas-Rauda was with a group of other marines at the club, Cervantes said. He was stationed at Twentynine Palms.

Preliminary reports indicate there was no altercation before the shooting, police said. 

A suspect description was not made available. The cause of the shooting was under investigation.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Houser at 909-384-5626 or Sgt. Kokesh at 909-384-5615.



Photo Credit: On Scene TV

Firefighters Battle Brush Fire Near San Marcos

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A brush fire threatened homes and destroyed vehicles Sunday in a small cul-de-sac near San Marcos. 

Cal Fire and North Comm Fire crews tackled the flames threatening three homes on Esplendido Avenue at midnight. 

The fire was contained in about half an hour but a big challenge for crews was poor access to the area. The homes are located on a one way road. Crews could not all of their equipment down the road. Also, the vegetation and wood chips in the area fed the fire, officials said.

No homes were damaged. Two vehicles were destroyed. One of those vehicles was a pickup truck, officials said. 

Firefighters will watch over the area Monday because high temperatures are expected again. 

San Marcos wasn't the only community threatened by fire Sunday. Homes in Encinitas were evacuated after fire broke out in the evening.

Get coverage of that fire here.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Arrest in Killing of Toddler Jahi Turner

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San Diego police announced the arrest Monday of a man in the killing of his stepson, Jahi Turner, a toddler whose disappearance "rocked the community to its core" almost 14 years ago.

Tieray Jones allegedly killed Jahi, 2, according to San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman. His mother was deployed aboard a Navy ship at the time.

Hundreds of volunteers and police officers spent weeks searching for traces of the 30-pound toddler when he first was reported missing in 2002. Law enforcement officers raked through 5,000 tons of garbage at the Miramar Landfill, but came up with nothing.

"Jahi's disappearance rocked the community to its core 14 years ago," DA Bonnie Dumanis said. "It's without a doubt one of the highest profile unsolved cases here in San Diego County."

Dumanis and Zimmerman explained that U.S. Marshals arrested the boy's stepfather on a fugitive complaint Monday in North Carolina without incident and took him into custody. 

"I have no doubt that the announcement of today's arrest and subsequent charges will jolt the community again and may reopen emotional wounds, but it will finally start the process of bringing some closure to those who were so deeply affected by Jahi's dissapearance, especially his mother and family," Dumanis said.

Though new evidence has been uncovered in the case, authorities have not yet found Jahi's body or remains, police said.

Jones is charged with one count of murder and one count of felony child abuse causing death, authorities said. Both carry a 25-years-to-life sentence. It wasn't immediately clear if Jones has an attorney. Prosecutors will work on his extradition at a hearing Tuesday.

The arrest comes one week before the 14th anniversary of Jahi's disappearance. On April 25, 2002, he allegedly disappeared from a playground located at 28th Street and Cedar Street in San Diego's South Park neighborhood.

According to police, Jones told police he was with the toddler at the park when he left to get a drink. Jones said he returned 15 minutes later and Jahi was gone.

However, officials were unable to locate Jahi's fingerprints on playground equipment, prompting speculation that the child never visited the area at all, authorities announced Monday.

Officials say the last reported sighting of Jahi was April 22.

SDPD Asst. Chief of Police Terry Mcmanus said he still vividly remembers taking the call that Jahi was reported missing. 

"I personally remember the day of Jahi's disappearance vividly, as I was then assigned as the watch commander receiving the initial information from our field units that Jahi was missing from the small playground in the South Park area of our city," McManus said. 

At the time of the child’s disappearance, Jahi’s mother, Tameka Jones, was deployed aboard USS Rushmore.

A huge search for Jahi ensued, including a week-long police search of the Miramar Landfill where authorities took the extreme measure of systematically raking through 5,000 tons of garbage.

Domanis said authorities could not file charges earlier because they didn't have enough proof, though they began uncovering new evidence in the case two years ago.

"We never gave up on finding justice for Jahi. In 2003, we assigned a prosecutor and full-time investigator to the case," Dumanis said. "Unfortunately at the time we didn’t have the evidence required: proof beyond a reasonable doubt, to proceed with criminal charges."

Jahi’s family eventually moved to Frederick, Maryland.

Residents from across San Diego reacted to news of the arrest on NBC 7 San Diego's Facebook page on Monday.

"This hit so close to home for me back then and now. Little Jahi shares a birthday with my son and they would both be 16 today if he wasn't so tragically taken from his family," San Diegan Michelle Keperling posted to NBC 7's Facebook page. "I can't imagine what his family has been going through the last 14 years."

RK Hunt posted that he was happy to learn of an arrest. "I remember when that happened because my kids were young and we visited that park often," Hunt said on NBC 7's Facebook page.

Officials said because this is a criminal case, they are not able to discuss any of the facts or the criminal evidence, including any new evidence they unconvered since the case went cold. 

Check back for updates on this breaking news story.



Photo Credit: NBC San Diego

Suicide Blast Rocks Kabul, at Least 28 Killed

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At least 20 people were killed and almost 200 injured after a suicide bomb rocked the heart of Afghanistan's capital on Tuesday, NBC News reported.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said fighters had entered an office of the country's main national security agency.
Counterterrorism forces "pinned down the terrorists" inside the National Directorate of Security building, according to interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
The target of the blast was not immediately clear but it struck close to the Afghan Ministry of Defense and just a few hundred yards from the Afghan presidential palace and NATO's local headquarters.

At least 28 people were killed and almost 200 injured after a suicide bomb rocked the heart of Afghanistan's capital on Tuesday, NBC News reported.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred outside of the country's main national security agency.  

Counterterrorism forces "pinned down the terrorists" who entered the National Directorate of Security, according to interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.

Kabul police chief Gen. Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters at the scene that 28 people had been killed and 180 injured. The Ministry of Public Health, meanwhile, put the number of wounded at 327.



Photo Credit: AP

Obama Wedged in 9/11 Debate Ahead of Saudi Trip

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President Barack Obama travels to Saudi Arabia this week amid mounting tension over a bill backed by many families of 9/11 victims, who believe that the Gulf country played a role in the attacks.
The legislation would allow Americans to sue foreign countries if they are found to be responsible for terror attacks on U.S. soil.
Saudi Arabia, which has always denied involvement in the attacks, has responded by pledging to sell off $750 billion in American assets if efforts to hold the country responsible for 9/11 are successful.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that he can't say whether the matter will come up between Obama and the Saudis in the upcoming trip, but that the recent attention on the bill "might change that equation."

 

President Barack Obama travels to Saudi Arabia this week amid mounting tension over a bill backed by many families of 9/11 victims, who believe that the Gulf country played a role in the attacks.

The legislation would allow Americans to sue foreign countries if they are found to be responsible for terror attacks on U.S. soil.

Saudi Arabia, which has always denied involvement in the attacks, has responded by pledging to sell off $750 billion in American assets if efforts to hold the country responsible for 9/11 are successful.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that he can't say whether the matter will come up between Obama and the Saudis in the upcoming trip, but that the recent attention on the bill "might change that equation."



Photo Credit: AP

Former NY Man Dead in Ecuador Quake

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A man who once lived on Long Island was among the hundreds of people who died in a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated Ecuador over the weekend, his family said.

Many other Ecuadoran families in New York expressed frustration with the Ecuadoran consulate, which they say has been slow to provide information about survivors and ways to donate money and clothing to the relief effort.

In the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, which has large a population of Ecuador natives, several residents were planning to make donations and clothing drives. 

Officials in the South American country are working with U.S. agencies to help coordinate aid efforts. But New York City officials say communication has been a problem.

"They've been very slow in getting back to us on what they need," said Jackson Heights Assemblyman Francisco Moya, who is Ecuadorian. 

The earthquake victims with ties to Long Island has been identified as former Patchogue resident Anibal Ulloa Espinoza and his wife Betty, who were both killed in the massive seismic event, which flattened buildings, ripped open roadways and left at least 413 dead and thousands more injured.

Ulloa Espinoza lived on Long Island for several years before moving back in the late 1990s. 

His cousin, Jaime Hechtam-Ulloa, said she and her husband were devastated to learn about the 46-year-old's death. 

"The plates of the earth were moving for the earthquake and they separated and he fell, him and his wife fell into the hole," she said. "When they were trying to get out, a wall fell on them and killed them."

Ulloa Espinoza's death was first reported by Newsday.

On Monday evening, hundreds of people eager to help crowded into the midtown Ecuadorian consulate offices. Several people had to be turned away because of overcrowding, and one emotional woman tried to force her away inside. 

"Is your family without f------ slaughtered right now? Is your family without electricity?" she screamed. 

The passionate turnout was no surprise to those in the Ecuadorian community. Karina Roman from the Bronx couldn't stay away.

"So many things that we can do from here," she said, crying. "Being in this country, we got a better chance to help." 

The Ecuadorian consulate was telling New Yorkers Monday to visit its website to find ways to help, including a link to Red Cross to donate and a list of things they're looking for.

Any questions can be directed to cecunewyork@cancilleria.gob.ec



Photo Credit: AP
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