A young San Diego teenager who faced an extremely rare cancer diagnosis has something enormous to celebrate.

"I'm officially cancer free now!" Lauren Mullins recently told NBC7.

NBC7 first featured Lauren when she was selected to have her bedroom remodeled, thanks to a new charity in San Diego called Savvy Giving By Design. The organization hopes to provide a beautiful sanctuary where children with life-threatening illnesses can recover.

"During treatment you need a place where you can go to be alone because you're always with other people," Lauren, who was diagnosed with colon cancer, said. "To go to your dream space and be alone makes you happy and you forget you have cancer."

And Lauren now has her dream space as she recovers.

"I knew my room would be nice, but I was surprised at how nice," she said.

Interior designer Susan Wintersteen, who founded the charity, remade Lauren's room in a "Modern Country" style. Lauren loves horseback riding.

Both Wintersteen and Lauren said their favorite parts of the new room are the barn door window treatments and the custom vanity.

"We custom built a vanity with a quartz top, used knotty alder barn doors as curtains on the windows and shiplap for more texture on the walls," Wintersteen said, "There is a place for everything, it was one of the things she mentioned in our first meetings."

"I like that my room is unique. No one else has custom barn doors for window treatments," Lauren said.

Wintersteen also believes it's important to to remodel siblings' rooms as part of a project. Lauren's brother Ty has a remodeled room as well.

Wintersteen said there are many more children who she hopes to help with room makeovers though Savvy Giving By Design.

She plans to take on 3 new spaces this summer and is now trying to raise money on the Savvy Giving by Design website.

"It’s a BIG ask, but all three are struggling and I wanted to try and make their summer a bit more tolerable," she told NBC7.

She is also planning a fundraiser for September to try to raise money for the cause.

Two people were stabbed in separate incidents in Mission Valley East Saturday evening, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officers said. 

The first stabbing happened at approximately 8:06 p.m. on the 400 block of Camino Del Rio South, officers said. 

A 30-year-old woman was walking north when a black Chevy Tahoe stopped next to her. A woman got out of the truck, walked up to the victim and, without saying anything, hit her twice in the left shoulder, police said. 

The suspect got back into the truck and left. 

The victim walked into the Homewoods Suites to tell employees she was bleeding; it was only then she realized she had been stabbed. 

The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

Officials did not have a license place for the car. There was no clear description for the suspect. 

The incident is under investigation. 

The second stabbing happened at 6:39 p.m. Saturday when a 34-year-old man was walking to his camp on the 2100 block of Fenton Parkway, police said. 

He met a 25-year-old man, who has not been identified, and they began arguing over a flashlight. The suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed the 34-year-old in the right hand and back. 

Witnesses helped the victim up to the trolley and called police. Meanwhile, the suspect fled, police said. 

The victim was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. 

The suspect is described as 25-years-old and 170 to 180 pounds with short black hair and a goatee. He was wearing a white shirt and beige cargo shorts. The incident is under investigation. 

No other information was immediately available.

The American Red Cross apologized Tuesday amid backlash over a sign it created on swim safety guidelines for children that was perceived as racist, NBCBLK reported. 

The apology came after a photo circulated of the poster on social media. The poster, which was seen on display at pools in at least two towns in Colorado, read at the top: "Be Cool, Follow the Rules." Below the heading were depictions of children playing. The white children were labeled as behaving "cool" while children of color were depicted as misbehaving, or "not cool," for breaking pool safety rules.

The Red Cross said it has discontinued the production of the poster and removed it from its website and Swim App.

"We deeply apologize for any misunderstanding, as it was absolutely not our intent to offend anyone," the organization said. "As one of the nation's oldest and largest humanitarian organizations, we are committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do, every day."

Thirteen horses found severely neglected at a Ramona property earlier this month are now looking for a forever home, the County of San Diego announced this week. 

Some of the 15 rescued horses, found in early June, were taken in 150 to 300 pounds underweight, San Diego County Animal Services officials said. The seizure came after San Diego County Department of Animal Services workers had tried to work with the owner to ensure the horses were getting more food and care, officials said.

The horses were brought to the Animal Services' facility in Bonita. In addition to being malnourished, some horses had severe hoof problems. 

Two of the horses were so severely malnourished and had such extensive medical issues they were euthanized, County officials said. 

“All of these horses suffered from neglect and our staff has dedicated a lot of time, energy and hay to help the animals put on weight,” said Dawn Danielson, Director of Animal Services, in a statement.

The remaining 13 rescued horses are now ready for adoption and are looking for forever homes. The County has three Belgians, five thoroughbreds, four Quarter Horses and one Quarter Horse/Arab mix.

Some horses still have hoof issues, but officials say that with proper care, they are expected to heal. 

If you are interested in adopting a rescued horse, County officials urge you to visit the facility in Bonita. Prices will vary per horse, and the varying prices can be obtained at the Bonita facility. 

The special horse adoption application can be found here. 

Animal control officers are continuing to investigate the neglect case to decide whether to submit the case to the District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges.

In a decisive victory for supporters of abortion rights, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tough restrictions on abortions in Texas that have halved the number of clinics in the state that provide the procedure.

The 5-3 ruling on one of the most divisive issues in the country came at the end of the current term with only eight justices taking part. The challenge to the Texas regulations was one of the most important abortion cases in 25 years.

Texas requires clinics that provide abortions to meet the same building standards as walk-in surgical centers and doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. 

"We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes," Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the majority.

Each violates the Constitution, he wrote.

Since the law imposing the new regulations was passed in 2013, the number of clinics dropped from 42 to 19 and was predicted to fall further to fewer than 10.

Hillary Clinton called the decision a victory for women across America and said, "Safe abortion should be a right—not just on paper, but in reality."

"This fight isn't over: The next president has to protect women's health," the presumptive Democratic nominee for president tweeted. "Women won't be 'punished' for exercising their basic rights."

President Barack Obama said that it was clear that the regulations harmed women's health.

"We remain strongly committed to the protection of women's health, including protecting a woman's access to safe, affordable health care and her right to determine her own future," he said in a statement.

Breyer was joined by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented.

Thomas, citing an earlier abortion case heard by the Supreme Court, wrote that the decision exemplified, "the Court's troubling tendency 'to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue.'"

Former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis, who held a filibuster to try to block the law, said she was overjoyed at the news.

"It's incredible news for the women of Texas," Davis said on MSNBC. "It's incredible news for the women throughout this country."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton decried the decision and said that the regulations were an effort to improve minimum safety standards and ensure capable care.

"It’s exceedingly unfortunate that the court has taken the ability to protect women's health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly-elected representatives," he said in a statement.

Twelve other states have similar laws governing abortion, some of which have been on hold pending court challenges.

When the court heard the case, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, in March, Kennedy seemed to want more information about the law's effects on women.

Supporters of the restrictions said they were passed to improve the safety of clinics. Opponents said this law and others were intended to block access to abortion. The new requirements will make abortions more expensive but not safer, they said.

"The record ... contains evidence indicating that abortions taking place in an abortion facility are safe—indeed, safer than numerous procedures that take place outside hospitals and to which Texas does not apply its surgical-center requirements," Breyer wrote in the opinion.

The Center for Reproductive Rights said that complications from abortions were unusual and that patients rarely required hospitalization.

"We are thrilled that these dangerous provisions have been struck down," Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said in a statement. "This is a win for women. Every person must have the right to make their own personal decisions about abortion, and we will fight like hell to ensure they do."

A federal appeals court had upheld the Texas law. A tie would have left it in place.

The Supreme Court in the 1992 case "Planned Parenthood v. Casey" said that state laws could not create an "undue burden" on a woman's right to an abortion before the fetus becomes viable. Laws whose purpose is to place substantial obstacles to a woman's ability to get an abortion impose such a burden.

The death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February has left his seat empty. The U.S. Senate has refused to act on President Barack Obama nomination of Merrick Garland to replace him. 

Read the Opinion Here

A pedestrian has died following a fatal crash with a car, Oceanside police said. 

The collision happened at approximately 6:20 a.m. on the 4000 block of Mission Vanue, police said. 

The pedestrian died as a result of the crash. Police found the driver parked in a nearby neighborhood.

Police are blocking estbound traffic on Mission Vanue as they investigate. 

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $363 million after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday night. 

The numbers are 6, 13, 21, 49, 50 plus the Mega Ball 10.

The prize grew to $363 million since no winning tickets were selected last Friday night. The jackpot rolled again to an estimated $363 million ($244 million cash) -- the sixth largest jackpot in Mega Millions history -- for the next drawing on Friday, June 24.

This is the biggest jackpot Mega Millions has offered since March 18, 2014, when two tickets in Florida and Maryland shared a $414 million prize. The Mega Millions lottery is played in 44 states, including Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nevada, Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii are the only non-participating states.

Last week a lottery player in Rhode Island won the largest Mega Millions prize ever won in the state. The ticket included an optional Megaplier, which turned the $1 million win into a $5 million prize.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was won on March 30, 2012, when three tickets shared a $656 million prize. The largest single ticket jackpot was $326 million, which was won on Nov. 4, 2014.

The historic family-owned pizza parlor, Sanfilippo's Pizza, on La Mesa Boulevard, closed its doors for good Sunday. 

On the restaurant's final day in business, customers from across San Diego came to say goodbye to a place that served so much more than pizza. 

"You get good service, you you know you get to know the people they almost become part of their family or you become part of their family," said Les Ford, a customer. 

The owners have been serving slices since 1975. 

Ben Zigarelli has been playing music since the place opened. Sunday was his final show. 

"It hurts, you know," he said. "I hate that it's over."

Zigarelli said the corner pizzeria has been a fixture for many in La Mesa, including him. 

"When my wife died, all the holidays, I spent with these people, and they watch out for me, they phone me, they're good people," he said.

Dora Sanfilippo-Calcutt's mother and father started this business decades ago, and since then, she has helped take over. Closing was a choice they had to make, she explained. 

"We're closing now because we can do it our way," said Sanfilippo-Calcutt. "With what I see coming, it's going to be much harder to stay in business in the next couple of years, and I don't want to have to go out I don't want to have to sell this way we kind of did it our own way."

Still, there's a lot of sadness involved. Since the place opened, she has watched her family grow: from the cooks, to the workers to the customers.

"It's hard to see that end...saying goodbye to your family...Yup, it's hard to see that end," said Sanfilippo-Calcutt.

Many San Diegans agree with her. Sunday night, the restaurant was so packed, it ran out of pizza. Customers lined up out the door for their final taste of Sanfilippo's, because what was really on the menu at the restaurant for the past forty years was love.

"It's really kind of cool that we made a little piece of history here on our little corner in La Mesa," said Sanfilippo-Calcutt.

The owners say they will sell everything inside the restaurant on July 2nd. Meanwhile, they expect a new restaurant to take over by September.

One person has been injured after a train crashed into a car, Oceanside police said Monday. 

The crash happened at approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday on the 2600 block of Temple Heights Drive. 

The car was significantly damaged and is still on the tracks, police said. 

SPRINTER service between Melrose Station and College Station is delayed 1 hour.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $390 million for Tuesday's drawing, which is tied for the fourth largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. 

No ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night. Those numbers were 11, 14, 54, 57, 63 plus the Mega Ball 11. The jackpot rolled again to an estimated $390 million ($265.4 million cash for a lump sum) for Tuesday, June 28. 

The Mega Millions lottery is played in 44 states, including Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nevada, Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii are the only non-participating states. 

The top prize last hit on March 8.

This is the biggest jackpot Mega Millions has offered since March 18, 2014, when two tickets in Florida and Maryland shared a $414 million prize.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was won on March 30, 2012, when three tickets shared a $656 million prize.

The largest single ticket jackpot was $326 million, which was won on Nov. 4, 2014.

Last Friday's drawing had four tickets worth $1 million each sold in Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina and Texas. 

--Emilie Plesset contributed to this story

The San Diego County Fair will be honoring up to 100 ‘Hometown Heroes’ on July 4th and want people to submit heroes in their community for consideration.

They are looking for active or retired military, first responders, teachers, volunteers or anyone else doing good for the community.

Heroes chosen by the fair will receive complimentary tickets to the fair, participate in the fairs’ Hometown Hero parade at 1 p.m. and receive priority viewing tickets for the fireworks.

The nominations are due Wednesday, June 29.

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The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the 10 largest Fairs in North America, drawing more than 1.5 million visitors annually.

This year's theme is "Mad About the Fair", a take of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

At least six people were stabbed and others were struck by chunks of thrown concrete when a white nationalist group clashed with counter-protesters at the California state Capitol in Sacramento on Sunday.

Officials said a total of 10 people were hospitalized, some with "critical trauma" stab wounds. All were expected to survive, according to the Sacramento Police Department. Officers said people on both sides of the fight were stabbed.

A spokeswoman from UC Davis Medical Center said it was treating eight people with injuries related to the rally. Their conditions ranged from "good to critical" and included "various types of trauma," she said. 

The white nationalist group was identified as a California affiliate of the Traditionalist Worker Party. About 30 representatives protested at the Capitol, while the opposing group — the anti-fascist Antifa — numbered 400, the California Highway Patrol said. The Traditionalist Worker Party had a permit to hold the rally, police said.

Several people were seen walking through the crowd with bloodied faces, while counter-protesters chanted "get off our streets" at the supremacists.  A news reporter and photographer were reportedly injured in the mayhem.

Police said a window was shattered on the ground level of the Capitol building. 

Matthew Heimbach, chairman of the Traditionalist Worker Party, said in a phone interview with NBC News his group was "attacked by 200 anti-fascist people" as soon as they emerged from the parking garage.

Heimback said one member was undergoing surgery after being stabbed in the arm but "it's mostly the other side that were the aggressors who are injured."

"Some leaders were saying they were militants, saying they were going to kill us. It's premeditated attempted murder. This is a criminal conspiracy," he said. "They brought deadly weapons and chanted actively to kill us. ... This is political terrorism the other side has committed."

The Traditionalist Worker Party declaresd victory on its Facebook page.

"Our Golden State comrades in the Traditionalist Worker Party went up against ten-to-one odds and won," the post said. "We provoked the leftists into showing their true colors."

But one injured counter-protester from Oakland, who was wearing a thick, bloody bandage on her head, had a much different perspective.

"We shut down the Nazis, and in the process of that, they attacked us," said Yyvette Falarca of the group By Any Means Necessary. "But they were not successful in doing that on balance overall. This is about building a militant-integrated movement that's independent, organizes masses of people and takes militant direct action to stop it."

The Traditionalist Worker Party sent out a news release ahead of the march, calling the event "one to remember."

"Under the Traditionalist Worker Party banner, many Nationalists will unite and take a stand; never will we give away our right to speak and think freely," the statement said. 

Matthew Heimbach, a chairman of the Traditionalist Worker Party, told the Los Angeles Times his group organized the event with the help of the Golden State Skinheads, another white nationalist organization. 

The group acknowledged that a counter-protest had been planned, noting that members of the group would be prepared to fight. Members of the party appeared to carry large sticks. 

The area was shut down shortly after 11:30 a.m. as police tried to control the chaos. More than 100 law enforcement officers, including some on horseback, converged on the area.

The Capitol building was locked down around noon. Hundreds of people remained on the Capitol grounds until about 2 p.m., when police cleared the area.

Police said no arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon.

A 56-year-old Fallbrook man died after he crashed his motorcycle northbound on South Grade Road near Canfield Road Sunday afternoon.

The man dropped his bike in a curve and was thrown off around 3 p.m.

Both the bike and the rider slid into oncoming traffic where the man was struck by a car driven by a 40-year-old man from Temecula.

The motorcyclist was flown to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the car was not injured.

It is unclear what caused the motorcyclist to lose control of his bike.

The investigation is ongoing.

This Wednesday, the City of La Mesa will officially celebrate the opening of a new pocket park with a unique focal point, and history.

The Lookout at Legacy Park is located at the intersection of La Mesa Boulevard and Allison Avenue.

The focal point of the new public art project is a colorful gazebo, which illustrates the city's history and landmarks through mosaic panels.

"It really creates a community gathering spot," said Yvonne Garrett, the Assistant City Manager for the City of La Mesa. "I really think it will become a very important and integral part of our downtown village."

Mary Lynn and Jesus Dominguez, who moved to La Mesa in the 1970s, designed the gazebo and put it together in their home, with the help of their daughter.

"We've got the hills illustrated because its motto is La Mesa, the jewel of the hills," said Mary Lynn Dominguez. "There's also a jewel at the top, so there's symbolism here and there."

Mary Lynn said they called the gazebo "The Lookout" because La Mesa Boulevard was originally called Lookout Boulevard.

The initial challenge, she recalled, was deciding how to transform a small plot of landscape that served as a traffic island into a permanent tribute to the city of La Mesa.

"We started out with a sculpture, then realized maybe it would be more fun to have something more interactive and useful," she explained.

The Lookout project got the green light in 2012, the year of La Mesa's centennial.

"It was in celebration of the centennial, so there's actually one hundred years in tile on it, just as a design element," said Mary Lynn Dominguez.

In one corner of Legacy Park is a bronze casting of a helix aspersa. In 1872, a scientist discovered the snail on land that would eventually be called Mount Helix.

Jesus Dominguez, a former sculpture professor at San Diego State University, created the snail sculpture, with the help of current students.

"I'm so happy with this guy," said Jesus. "In fact, I missed it. I had it in my studio. Every day was like seeing my buddy."

It cost about $165,000 to build Legacy Park. Garrett says most of the money came from community donations. The city also used funds raised at centennial events as seed money to build the park.

"Not only did we have a wonderful year of celebrating our 100th birthday, you now have a permanent place that says, this is all about La Mesa," said Garrett.

Legacy Park will be considered the eastern gateway to La Mesa's newly renovated downtown village, where several months ago, the city debuted new street lights, benches and renovated sidewalks as part of a separate, $6 million dollar project.

"The fact that we now have these wide sidewalks, we have street trees, we have street furniture along the way, makes it an inviting place to stroll and shop," said Garrett.

La Mesa will celebrate the opening of Legacy Park Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.

"Not everybody gets to do something like this," said Jesus Dominguez. "I'm very proud to have a part in this. We love this little city."

Just before Wednesday's celebration, the city will bury a time capsule stored inside a concrete vault, in the middle of the gazebo.

Inside the capsule will be commemorative items from 2012, photos of the city, and other historical items.

It will be unearthed 50 years after the city's centennial, in the year 2062.

A destructive and fast-moving fire quickly consumed a family's home at a Spring Valley mobile home park Sunday evening, destroying the structure and sending towering flames into the sky. 

Huge flames shot up over the 10000 block of Jamacha Boulevard Sunday evening around 7:45 p.m., Cal Fire said, prompting some neighbors to pick up some of their possessions and run. 

"I said, 'Oh my God, it's fire in the house,' and (I) ran away I was so scared about it," Martha Zuniga, who lives next door, said.

The home burned extensively inside and out, but it did not spread to any other homes. San Miguel Fire officials quickly put out the flames. 

Fire Investigators with the Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit believe the blaze was set intentionally. They said two young teens were seen fleeing the seen, though officials did not have a clear description of the teens. They escaped into a drainage culvert nearby. 

No one was at home at the time of the fire; neighbors said the fire started outside of the home. 

"She asked me if I'm able to see her furniture and if stuff was still there, and I told her from the looks of it, it's gone. She just said 'oh my Gosh,'" neighbor Marissa Alvarez recalled.

Neighbor Charles Leflet tried to put out the fire.

"It was intense, the flames were about 30 to 40 feet in the air. It was hot, I had embers all over me," he said.

The Red Cross was called to help the affected family. 

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 with information to remain anonymous.

The construction of a new bike lane on a major Chula Vista street begins Monday, and may cause delays for commuters in the area.

A one half-mile of bike lanes will be added to a portion of East H Street in Chula Vista to close the space of the existing bikeway system.

The widening of the bike lane will start west of Buena Vista Way and go to the Southwestern College entrance on both sides of East H Street.

Currently, there are eucalyptus trees located on the side of the road. These trees will be removed to accommodate the project, but the City of Chula Vista said they will make every effort to maintain them.

Both directions of traffic will be reduced on East H Street from three lanes to two lanes during the bike lane project.

Motorists can expect delays especially during the morning and evening commute hours and are advised to use alternate routes if possible.

Construction may last up to five months, according to the City of Chula Vista, but the lane reductions will be removed once the fall semester begins at Southwestern College on August 18.

A 10-year-old child kidnapped from a Dallas home Monday afternoon has been found safe, according to his family and police.

The child, identified as Nicholas Fierros Jr., was visiting relatives at a home in the 800 block of Buick Avenue when three men dressed in black and wearing masks forced their way in at about 12:30 p.m. and demanded money at gunpoint, police said.

"They were like, 'Where's the money? Where's the money?'" said Nicholas' cousin, 14-year-old Janet Cabrales. "I was like, 'There's no money here.'"

Cabrales said she hid and called 911, begging the operator to talk softly.

"I was like, 'Will you please quiet down because I'm scared they're going to get me and kill me,'" Cabrales said.

The gunmen restrained Cabrales' mother with duct tape, while two other young relatives hid elsewhere in the home, police said. The gunmen then took Nicholas with them when they fled.

"One said, 'Hey grab the boy. The cops are coming,'" Cabrales said.

Dallas Police issued an endangered missing child alert and asked for the public's help with the investigation.

At about 7:15 p.m. a citizen passerby located Nicholas in the area of Ann Arbor Avenue and Frio Drive, and called police.

Police transported Nicholas to the Dallas Child Advocacy Center to be interviewed, and he will be reunited with his family.

"I actually feel pretty good now that he's here with us," Cabrales said. "I'm thankful for all the people who prayed for Nick."

The San Diego Superior Court is seeking short-term volunteers.

These new volunteers would help people access the New Central Courthouse for its opening in January 2017. After using the Old Court facility for 55 years, volunteers will be helping jurors and the public finding the new courtrooms and business counters.

Volunteers will not need computer skills as they will be helping the public with directions on the pedestrian bridges connecting the courthouses.

However, volunteers for the Hall of Justice and New Central Courthouse Information Desk will need computer skills to look up information on a Court computer to inform visitors of the courtrooms or offices they are looking for.

Volunteers are required to be available one day of the work week (Monday-Friday) and a minimum commitment of one six hour shift per week. The schedules will start in January with a commitment through the middle of March. Training and parking will be provided to volunteers. They must pass a background check via fingerprint (LiveScan) to be eligible.

For an application or questions, email the Court's Volunteer Program at volunteerprogram@sdcourt.ca.gov.

The United States Olympic Team will have a familiar face in Rio. San Diego’s Steffen Peters has earned a spot on Team America for the fourth time.

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) revealed its four-member Olympic Dressage Team on Monday. The team consists of:

Allison Brock
Laura Graves
Kasey Perry-Glass
Steffen Peters

Brock, Graves and Perry-Glass will me making their first Olympics appearance so they will be looking to Peters for advice. He competed in the 1996, 2008, and 2012 Games and was an alternate in 2004.

In case you're wondering, Dressage is a competition based on training of the horse to develop its natural athletic ability and willingness to work with the rider.

Peters is a native of Germany. He came to America in the summer of 1984 to work at the San Diego-area barn of Laurie Falvo and fell so in love with the area he moved to America’s Finest City the very next year. In 1992 Steffen became a U.S. citizen.

He won a bronze medal in the team competition at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games aboard Udon. In 2008 in Beijing he rode Ravel to a fourth-place finish, narrowly missing his first individual medal. His current mount, Legolas 92, will be with him in Rio. Those two won team and individual gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Games.

Peters is an eight-time USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Champion and three times was named USEF Equestrian of the Year. He and his wife, Shannon, operate Arroyo Del Mar, a training facility in San Diego.

The City of Poway will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its Tony Gwynn memorial statue on the baseball field at Lake Poway Park next month.

The statue depicts Gwynn, dubbed "Mr.Padre" in his Padres uniform, waving to the crowd with his cap in hand while holding a child on his hip. It will look over the baseball field at Lake Poway Park.

There were no taxpayer money used to fund the project despite a recent settlement made by a city manager that caused some confusion.

A benefit concert was held in early April to raise money for the tribute, and a Crowd Rise page was set up that, as of June 27, has received over $140,000 in donations.

A donor wall will accompany the statue, recognizing donations of at least $250.

The statue isn’t the first, and likely won’t be the last public gift honoring Mr. Padre. In October 2015, a 4.5 mile stretch of the Interstate 15 freeway from Scripps Poway Parkway to Camino Del Norte was dedicated to him.

The outpouring of affection on social media on what would have been his 56th birthday is a perfect example of the legacy left by one of San Diego’s most beloved men.

“The world knew him as a legendary ballplayer,” said Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, “but we knew him as friend, neighbor, family man and community contributor. He was Poway’s hometown hero.”

The ceremoney will be held on July 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Lake Poway Park.