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Rio Day 4: Final Five Dominate, Phelps, Ledecky Win Gold

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The American women gymnasts dominated, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky won gold, the diving pool became a diving pond and a Brazilian rugby player got a surprise proposal. In case you missed any of the Olympic glory and the heartbreak from Day 4 at Rio 2016, here are the highlights.

The Final Five Takes Gold
The U. S. Women's Gymnastics Team — dominated by the phenomenal Simone Biles — won a second consecutive Olympics gold on Tuesday, and in recognition of the smaller team size that takes effect in Tokyo in 2020 immediately branded themselves as the "Final Five."

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"They might be the last team of 5, but we’ll be talking about the Final Five for years to come,” USA Gymnastics tweeted after the win."

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Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Madison Kocian were expected to outshine the competition and they did. The team beat their nearest rivals, the second place Russians, by a record 8.209 points. China came in third.

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Raisman, the team captain, and Douglas became the only two U.S. women to take three Olympic gold medals. The women won on every apparatus — the vault, the uneven bars, the balance beam — and in the floor exercise. They ended with the floor exercise, during which Biles performed the move that has come to be known as the "Biles" — a double layout with a half twist.

Phelps Wins 21st Gold, Ledecky wins 2nd
U.S. swimmers won dramatically Tuesday as Michael Phelps took his 20th and 21st Olympic gold medals Tuesday, in the 200-meter butterfly and the 4 by 200-meter freestyle relay and Katie Ledecky got her second gold medal, in the 200-meter freestyle.

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Phelps tied the overal medal count of the country of Ethiopia after the U.S. swimmers won the relay race. Earlier, in the butterfly he went up against his longtime rival Chad le Clos of South Africa, to whom he lost in London in 2012 by five hundredths of a second. Tuesday night, silver medalist Masato Sakai was only four hundredths of a second off Phelps' 1 minute, 53.36 seconds. Tamas Kenderesi of Hungary won bronze.

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Le Clos fell to fourth and failed to win a medal.

On the women's side, Ledecky said she sensed Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom, winner of the 100-meter butterfly in Rio, close behind her and had to "dig deep." She beat Sjostrom by about four-tenths of a second.

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"That's the closest I've gotten to having to throw up in the middle of a race," Ledecky said afterward.

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Ledecky won her other Rio medals in the 400-meter freestyle, where she got a gold and set a world record, and with teammates Dana Vollmer, Simone Manuel and Abbey Weitzeil in the 4 by 100-meter freestyle relay, where the team took a silver.

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Ledecky is the favorite for the 800-meter freestyle in which she is the defending Olympic champion.

Gold, silver, bronze and...green?
A mysterious color change took place overnight at the outdoor diving pool at the Rio Olympics, leaving even the athletes at a loss. What had been a clear light blue became a murky green.

David Boudia, a silver-medal winner from the United States, wondered on Twitter about the diving "pond." Was St. Patrick’s Day being celebrated out of season?

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Olympic organizers said in a statement that tests had determined that the water posed no risk to athletes but could not explain the color change, saying only that it was being investigated.

"If it were green and yellow, we would know it was a patriotic thing," a spokesman for the organizing committee, Mario Andrada joked to The Associated Press, referring to Brazil's national colors. "We did test the water using the same parameters we do every day, and the results were exactly the same as we got when the pool was blue."

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The Canadian team leader, Mitch Geller, said he suspected algae.

Whatever the cause, Tuesday’s competition went on and a pair of Chinese divers, Chen Ruolin and Liu Huixia, won the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform event. Chen told The AP that it did not affect them.

Diving events are being held outdoors for the first time since the Athens Games in 2004.

Tennis Upset, Again
Serena Williams is out. The tennis superstar lost in round three of the singles competition against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina on Tuesday.

Williams and her sister Venus had already been defeated in doubles on Sunday.

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Williams took a lead in the first set, but she made a number of unforced errors and moved sluggishly.

Until Tuesday, Williams had won all four matches she had played against Svitolina, dating back to 2012.

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Williams won the Wimbledon Championships last month.

But Who’s Counting?
U.S. Equestrian Phillip Dutton won a bronze medal in individual eventing on Tuesday in advance of his birthday next month. Which birthday? His 53rd.

The oldest American competitor, Dutton is a six-time Olympian who twice won gold for his native Australia before becoming an American citizen. This was his first individual medal.

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Dutton, who rode Mighty Nice, is not the oldest competitor in Rio. That was Sir Mark Todd of New Zealand, another equestrian whose disastrous showing on Tuesday cost his team an eventing medal. New Zealand came in fourth.

Hanging Up His Shoes
In one of the most emotional moments of the Rio Games so far, Colombian weightlifter Óscar Figueroa won his country's first gold medal of the games Monday night, ending his Olympic career on a high note.

After securing the gold but failing to break his Olympic record on his final lift, Figueroa fell to his knees with tears of joy, raising his hands to the cheering crowd. He then took off his shoes and left them on the mat, honoring a weightlifting tradition to signal his retirement from the sport.

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The 33-year-old won the gold medal in the men's 62 kg (136.6 lbs) weight class, lifting a total of 318 kg (701.1 lbs). Figueroa took home the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics with a total lift of 317 kg.

Figueroa's touching move continued to gain attention on social media on Tuesday. 

Rugby Returns to the Olympics
Men's rugby returned to the Olympic Games Tuesday for the first time since 1924, when Team USA took home the gold.

The U.S. men's team is defending its Olympic champion title, a gold won nearly a century ago. The rugby sevens team lost its first game against Argentina 17-14, but it ended the day with a 26-0 blowout of the Brazil team.

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The team includes Carlin Isles, a former track sprinter and known as the "fastest man in rugby," and Nate Ebner, an NFL safety for the New England Patriots.

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On the women's side, Brazilian rugby player Isadora Cerullo did not get a medal after Monday night's first women's ruby sevens final,  but she did get something special: a marriage proposal.

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After the medal ceremony ended, Marjorie Enya, Cerullo's girlfriend and a manager at Rio's Deodoro Stadium, where the competition was held, grabbed the microphone.

Television cameras and photographers captured the happy moment, which is making the rounds on social media.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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7 to Watch: Rio 2016 Olympics Day 5 Highlights

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NBC 7 looks over the massive schedule of events from the 2016 Rio Olympics for Wednesday, August 10 and brings you seven moments to watch:

Men's Basketball: Will Team USA Finally Work up a Sweat Against Australia?

The U.S men take on perhaps their toughest opponent of the Olympics so far when their third game tips off against Australia. The Aussies sport an NBA-studded lineup, featuring players from the last three NBA champions: Matthew Dellavedova (2016), Andrew Bogut (2015) and Patty Mills (2014).

While early U.S. round matches have been decided in blowout fashion, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and DeMarcus Cousins will be put to the test as the Australians possess one of the toughest frontcourts in the tournament in Bogut and the Detroit Pistons’ Aron Baynes.

The powerhouse U.S women’s team is up first against Serbia after two previous dominating wins.

How to Watch: Catch the American women at 11:30 a.m. PT then the men at 3 p.m. PT live online.

Michael Phelps Heads Back to the Pool

Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps both won their heats and advanced to the semifinals. Lochte had the better time, 1:57.38 to Phelps’ 1:58.41.

How to Watch: Catch the men’s 200m individual medley semifinals live online at 11:29 p.m. ET.

Men's Beach Volleyball: Cancer Survivor Jake Gibb and His Quest for Gold

U.S. teammates Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson face Spain's four-time Olympian Pablo Herrera Allepuz and his partner Adrián Gavira Collado. The youngest of 11 children, Gibb has a small army of family members rooting for him back in his hometown of Bountiful, Utah. That family was especially supportive back in 2010 when, while preparing for the 2012 London Games, Gibb discovered he had testicular cancer through a routine USADA drug test. Doctors were able to surgically remove the cancer and Gibb returned to the Olympics, placing fifth with Sean Rosenthal. This year, he’s aiming for gold with current partner Casey Patterson.

How to Watch: Catch Gibb and Patterson live online. The match against Spain airs at 7 a.m. PT.

Women's Beach Volleyball: Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross Battle Switzerland

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings formed a new partnership with London silver medalist April Ross just moments after defeating her in the 2012 Games. Now, the former combatants are eyeing gold in Rio. After sweeping their first match against Australia, the dynamic duo set their sights on Switzerland’s Isabelle Forrer and Anouk Vergé-Dépré.

How to Watch: Catch Jennings and Ross live online. Coverage of the event will begin at 5 p.m. PT. 

San Diego Sailor Slated to Begin Competition

In Olympic Sailing, 470 Men and Women will begin racing Wednesday. The list of competitors has not been released yet but it's likely Point Loma HS alum Briana Provancha will see some action in the bay today. Provancha talked with NBCOlympics about how she got her start in sailing. See that interview here.

Family Affair in Field Hockey

Katie and Julia Reinprecht, along with the rest of Team USA, square off against Japan in Pool B of the women's field hockey tournament. The sisters joined the national team in 2010 and, in their first major international competition, helped the U.S. take home gold at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Now they want Rio gold.

How to Watch: Catch the Reinprecht sisters live online at 1 p.m. PT.

Olympic Cyclist Taylor Phinney Ready to Medal Just Like Mom and Dad

Team USA’s Taylor Phinney says there is “something a little bit wrong with us” when describing endurance cyclists who push the limits of what their bodies can do on two wheels.

In the London Games, Phinney took to the pavement to compete in the road race and time trial where he finished fourth in both events. A horrific crash derailed his career in 2014, but Olympics is in the blood for Phinney. His father won bronze and his mother gold in cycling events during the 1984 Olympics.

Switzerland's Fabian won gold in the men's time trial, and U.S. cyclist Taylor Phinney finished in 22nd place.

American Kristen Armstrong won her third straight Olympic time trial, calling it "probably the hardest journey I've been through."



Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images
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Kaaboo Daily Lineups Announced

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Hope you're ready for oodles of Kaaboodles -- because Kaaboo Del Mar, the three-day San Diego mega-festival just announced their daily lineups for Sept. 16-18.

Back in April, we brought you the full lineup complete with none other than the grand surpreme parrothead himself Jimmy Buffett, rock & roll behemoths Aerosmith, pop-punk juggernauts Fall Out Boy and beach vibe god Jack Johnson.

In all, more than 80 bands (and more than 15 comedians) will take to the Del Mar Fairgrounds across three days this fall, and it's a veritable smorgasbord of genres and styles. It can be confusing, to be honest. To help you prepare, we've divvied up the lineups per day.

Also, want to see Aerosmith on Saturday but have no interest in heading out for Sunday's action? We've got you covered: purchase single-day passes right here.

Lineup for Friday, Sept 16:

 

  • Jimmy Buffett
  • Fall Out Boy
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates
  • Steve Aoki
  • Grouplove
  • Gavin DeGraw
  • Echosmith
  • Andrew McMahon
  • In the Wilderness
  • Citizen Cope
  • St. Paul and the Broken Bones
  • Sugar Ray
  • Shovels & Rope
  • Gin Blossoms
  • Matoma
  • Dumpstaphunk
  • Orianthi
  • Finish Ticket
  • Steve Poltz
  • Powers
  • Lawrence Taylor
  • Future Thieves
  • Lex
  • Andrew Luce
  • The Kickback
  • The Dustbowl Revival
  • Leroy Sanchez
  • Shawn Jones
  • Barley 

 

Lineup for Saturday, Sept. 17:

 

  • Aerosmith
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • The Chainsmokers
  • DJ Snoopadelic
  • Goo Goo Dolls
  • Third Eye Blind
  • Capitol Cities
  • Flo Rida
  • Ludacris
  • Steel Pulse
  • Collective Soul
  • The Struts
  • Colvin & Earle
  • Rac
  • Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
  • Rooney
  • The Mowgli's
  • Matt Costa
  • The Record Company
  • The Knocks
  • Judah & The Lion
  • Bahari
  • Bryce Fox
  • The Shelters
  • Stokeswood
  • Nancarrow
  • Scot Nery's Boobie Trap
  • Almost Monday

 

Lineup for Sunday, Sept. 18:

 

  • Jack Johnson
  • The Avett Brothers
  • Rebelution
  • Jason Isbell
  • Cypress Hill
  • Shakey Graves
  • Blues Traveler
  • G. Love & Special Sauce
  • The Wildfeathers
  • Atlas Genius
  • The Green
  • Donavon Frankenreiter
  • ALO
  • American Aquarium
  • The Aggrolites
  • Emily Warren
  • The Main Squeeze
  • The Walcotts
  • Adam Topol

 

For individual day and three-day passes, more information, as well as the the fest's daily comedy lineup, visit KaabooDelMar.com.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Men's Diving: US Duo Takes Silver

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Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon just started diving together two months ago.

But it turns out that was plenty of time to get acquainted. 

The pair won the silver medal Wednesday in the men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard in Rio.

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears of Great Britian won the gold, while the Chinese duo of Yuan Cao and Kai Qin took bronze.

There are no preliminary or semifinal rounds in synchronized diving events, which means they went right to the finals.

Each team performed five dives. 

Dorman and Hixon finished with a total scored of 450.21 after a final round score of 98.04. But Laugher and Mears recorded a 91.20 in the sixth round to end the competition with 454.32 points.

Team USA took home the bronze medal in the event in 2012.



Photo Credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Refund for Double Payment Takes Woman More than a Year

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Things were looking up for Atena Mohammadi when she decided to purchase a new purse for herself.   

“I had just gotten my job, I wanted to reward myself and I went to purchase this purse at Macy’s,” said Atena. 

Atena said she loved the purse so when she got her Macy’s card bill in the mail, she decided to pay the $360.99 bill in full, online.   

Little did Atena know, she had paid the wrong Macy’s account. Atena said she didn't learn of the mix-up until she received another bill from Macy's saying she still owed money on the purse and her account would be in jeopardy if she didn't pay up. Atena decided it was time to give Macy’s Corporate a call. 

“He [Macy’s representative] said in order for you not to accumulate interest and for you not to have a negative score put on your credit, you need to pay this right now,” Atena said. 

Atena made a second payment of $360.99, this time to the right account. Atena also asked Macy’s to refund the first payment she made. 

Macy’s employees told her she would have the money within weeks. But weeks turned into months and soon it had been over a year since Atena was promised the refund. 

“I want them to issue me a check in my name with the amount I am owed,” Atena told NBC 7 Responds. 

After Atena contacted NBC 7 Responds, we were able to get in touch with Macy’s Corporate office. 

Macy’s decided to refund Atena her first payment of $360.99 and give Atena a second refund for $360.99, along with a $75 Macy’s gift card.  

Jean Coggan, Corporate Communications Director for Macy’s Inc. sent NBC 7 Responds the following statement via email:

“We sincerely apologize to our customer Atena Mohammadi for the issues she experienced related to her credit account. Macy’s Credit and Customer Services investigated this concern and communicated with Ms. Mohammadi... The process of correctly applying the credit and issuing the check certainly took much longer than it should have. We at Macy’s always aspire to create the best possible shopping and services experiences for our customers. When we fall short of that objective, we work to learn from the experience, which we have done in this case.”

Death Verdict for 'Grim Sleeper'

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A former Los Angeles city garage attendant and sanitation worker was sentenced to death Wednesday for the "Grim Sleeper" serial killings of nine women and a teenage girl in South Los Angeles.

More than 15 family members of victims spoke during sentencing to the court and 63-year-old Lonnie David Franklin Jr., who was seated at a table in an orange jumpsuit and glasses, about their loved ones and the pain they've endured for decades. In her remarks at Wednesday's sentencing, Judge Kathleen Kennedy talked about what family members should expect.

"Closure is not what this trial is about," said Judge Kennedy. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, I don't think you are. At the end of the day... your loved one is still gone."

Kennedy earlier rejected a defense motion to set aside the death penalty verdict

Franklin was convicted May 5 of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007. Jurors also found him guilty of the attempted murder of Enietra Washington, who survived being shot in the chest and pushed out of a moving vehicle in November 1988.

During the penalty phase of the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that it contends links Franklin to four other killings for which he was not charged.

In a court filing this week, Franklin's attorneys contend that two sets of victims' families were created by presenting evidence about the charged killings during the trial's guilt phase, and then waiting to present evidence about the uncharged killings until the trial's penalty phase. The defense lawyers contend that jurors heard about the uncharged killings for the first time during the penalty phase, saying that any "reasonable juror would feel sympathy" for the victims' family members "with only one course of action available to the jury to acknowledge their pain."

"That was a finding that the death penalty was the proper sentence," the attorneys said in their filing.

In their court filing, Deputy District Attorneys Beth Silverman and Marguerite Rizzo countered that "a death sentence is clearly warranted based on the evidence and the law."

"The defendant is a serial killer who intentionally targeted victims who were easy to exploit," the prosecutors wrote. "The staggering number of murders in this case and the pattern displayed across these violent crimes highlight the defendant's goal-directed behavior. He routinely manipulated others to achieve his goal: doing evil."

The killings for which Franklin was convicted occurred between 1985 and 1988 and 2002 and 2007. The assailant, who was arrested in July 2010, was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because of what was believed to be a 13-year break in the murders. The uncharged killings occurred in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2005.

He was not charged in the other killings because proceedings would have been delayed a case that took nearly six years to bring to trial.

The killings terrorized communities in South Los Angeles and took police years to solve. Residents complained detectives didn't give the slayings enough attention because the victims were black and many were prostitutes who used crack cocaine. 

Franklin was arrested on July 7, 2010 after a task force took over the investigation after the most recent killing. Franklin came under suspicion in the final slaying in 2007, and DNA from his son showed similarities to genetic evidence found on some of the victims.

A detective posing as a busboy at a pizza parlor collected utensils and crusts while Franklin was attending a birthday party. Lab results connected him to some of the bodies and led to his arrest.

He denied any role in the killings to investigators, but did not utter a word during the trial.

Franklin was convicted in the following killings:

  • Debra Jackson, a 29-year-old mother of two who was found dead from three gunshot wounds to the chest in an alley in South Los Angeles on Aug. 10, 1985
  • Henrietta Wright, a 34-year-old mother of five who was shot twice in the chest and found in an alley with a cloth gag stuffed in her mouth in South Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 1986
  • Barbara Ware, 23, shot once in the chest and found under a pile of debris and garbage in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 1987
  • Bernita Sparks, 26, shot once in the chest and found in a trash bin with her shirt and pants unbuttoned in Los Angeles on April 16, 1987
  • Mary Lowe, 26, shot once in the chest and found in an alley with her pants unzipped behind a large shrub in South Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 1987
  • Lachrica Jefferson, 22, found dead from two gunshot wounds to the chest -- with a napkin over her face with the handwritten word "AIDS" on it --
  • in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 30, 1988
  • Alicia Alexander, 18, killed by a gunshot wound to the chest and found naked under a blue foam mattress in an alley in South Los Angeles on Sept. 11, 1988
  • Princess Berthomieux, 15, strangled and discovered naked and hidden in shrubbery in an alley in Inglewood on March 9, 2002
  • Valerie McCorvey, the 35-year-old mother of one, strangled and found dead with her clothes pulled down at the entrance to a locked alley in South Los Angeles on July 11, 2003
  • Janecia Peters, 25, shot in the back and found naked inside a sealed plastic trash bag in a trash bin in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2007

Some of the most emotional testimony during the trial came from a victim who Franklin left for dead on the side of a road nearly 30 years ago.

Washington described getting a lift from Franklin in his orange Ford Pinto. He then shot her in the chest while she sat in the passenger seat. As she was losing consciousness, he sexually assaulted her and she remembered seeing the flash from a Polaroid camera.

"That's the person who shot me," Enietra Washington said as she pointed at Franklin in the courtroom.

A photo of a bleeding and partly nude Washington was later found hidden behind a wall in Franklin's garage. Police found photos of other victims in the home, providing key evidence leading to the arrest and conviction.



Photo Credit: AP, File

Search for Man Who Knocks Victim Unconscious: CVPD

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Chula Vista Police are searching for a domestic violence suspect accused of striking a woman with enough force to render her unconscious before putting her back in his car and driving off.

Suspect Dorian Chavez Angiuano, 42, is accused of assaulting a woman outside a local motel Saturday at approximately 7:05 p.m., police said.

Police say surveillance video shows a car pull up to the motel parking lot; a couple can be seen sitting inside, arguing.

A man, identified by police as Angiuano, strikes a woman’s face, once, police said. The female fought back, police say, and hit Angiuano several times in the face.

Several minutes after pulling into the parking lot, Angiuano runs around to the passenger side of the car and kicks the victim from behind, knocking her to the ground, Chula Vista police say. He can be seen then immediately kicking her in the face with enough force to knock her unconscious.

The impact snaps her head backwards, police say.

When Angiuano picks the victim up, she is motionless, police say. He can be seen putting her back in the car and driving off.

The Chula Vista Police Department’s Family Protection Unit is investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Family Protection Unit at (619) 691-5192 or the Chula Vista Police Department’s Dispatch non-emergency number at (619) 691-5151.

Man Caught Scaling Trump Tower

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A 19-year-old man from Virginia who wanted a private meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump climbed his namesake building for nearly three hours before police officers finally grabbed him and hauled him inside Wednesday, officials said.

The man, identified as Stephen Rogata, began climbing Trump Tower, where the billionaire businessman lives and works, at about 3:30 p.m. from an outside atrium attached to the building on East 56th Street, NYPD officials said at a news briefing Wednesday evening. 

Hundreds of onlookers watched from the street with bated breath as the man used climbing ropes and several construction-grade suction cups to make his way up the side of the 58-floor building, evading officers the whole way.

Police, meanwhile, cut out metal grates, lowered window-washing rigs and busted glass windows as they slowly closed in on Rogata from different directions. 

Police spoke to Rogata as he climbed and tried to coax him in, and informed him at one point that the suction cups could cause the glass to crack. Rogata ignored officers and continued to climb. 

Finally, police pulled out an entire window at the 21st floor, creating a single-pane bottleneck for Rogata. He tried to climb past authorities, but two cops grabbed him and yanked him inside. Down below, the quiet crowd burst into thunderous cheers as the man was pulled to safety. 

One of the emergency services unit officers who made the grab told reporters they could tell he was getting tired. 

"I lowered a safety line to him and explained to him he should lock himself in, God forbid something happens. He was climbing for awhile, I could see he was getting tired," said ESU Officer Christopher William. "'If you lock this in, we will tie it, we will have you.' He refused to take the line." 

When William saw the chance to grab the climber safely, he took it. He said Rogata didn't resist after he was hauled in. 

NYPD Chief of Detectives William Aubry said Rogata is a researcher from Virginia who arrived in New York City Tuesday intent on meeting with Trump. He had no intention of hurting anyone, he told police. A law enforcement source said he was staying at the Bowery Grand Hotel. 

"I just want to climb. I just want to talk to Trump," he kept telling officers as he scaled the skyscraper, according to police officials.

Rogata had suction cups and climbing equipment in his backpack and several IDs, along with some Gatorade, according to officials. He has been taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he's undergoing psychological evaluation. He's expected to face charges afterward. 

Police officials said Rogata posted a video to YouTube on Tuesday indicating why he was climbing Trump Tower. A law enforcement source said he dropped a flier while he was climbing, and it referenced his YouTube video. 

There were several tense moments during the climb where the man appeared to stop and motion toward cops who were trying to coax him inside. At one point, he reached inside his book bag to get a white baseball cap and a swig of water. A piece of glass taken out by police also nearly fell on him. 

Officers threw a blue towel out of a window at another point in an apparent attempt to coax him in. 

Donald Trump didn't mention the incident during a campaign event in Florida Wednesday evening, but tweeted later: "Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber." 

Parts of the building, including the terraces, are open to the public during the day. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 NY
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Person at Southwestern College Diagnosed With TB

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A person at Southwestern College has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis and may have exposed others, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) said Wednesday. 

HHSA officials are working to notify people who may have been exposed to the disease between March 8 and May 27. 

“Most people who are exposed to TB do not develop the disease,” said Sayone Thihalolipavan, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer, in a statement. “But it’s important to identify those who have been exposed because TB can be treated and cured with medication."

TB generally requires many hours of close, sustained indoor contact to spread. 

School officials are offering free testing to students, faculty and staff who may have been exposed. The testing will take place at the Southwestern College Health Services at the Chula Vista campus student center on 900 Otay Lakes Road. For an appointment, call (619) 482 6354. 

Symptoms of active TB include a cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. 

According to health officials, TB has been decreasing in San Diego County, though it is not uncommon, Wooten said. There have been 120 cases of TB reported in the county in 2016 to date. There were 234 cases reported last year and 220 in 2014. 

Call the County TB Control Program at (619) 692-8621 for more information about the potential exposure.



Photo Credit: FILE - Getty Images

Study Finds Cleaner Air Could Save Lives in LA, Other Cities

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If air pollution standards were tightened just a little bit, thousands of lives might be saved each year in Los Angeles and other cities across the country, a new study suggests.

Researchers, who published their findings in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, parsed city data and found that Los Angeles could save the greatest amount of lives with stricter pollution control.

Overall, the team found that 9,320 lives might be saved annually by reducing of two types of air pollution — ozone and fine particulate matter — to levels below what the Environmental Protection Agency currently requires. In addition, 21,400 serious health conditions, such as non-fatal heart attacks, might also be avoided, according to the study.

Cities at the top of the list are the ones in which reductions in pollution would have the highest impact, explained the study's lead author, Kevin Comar, director of the air quality program at the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University. Comar's group collaborated with The American Thoracic Society in analyzing the data.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

US Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Twitter Over Islamic State Rhetoric

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Twitter Inc won a bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the widow of an American killed in Jordan which accused the social media company of giving voice to Islamic State, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday, NBC News reported.

U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick in San Francisco ruled that Twitter cannot be held liable for Islamic State's rhetoric, but gave the plaintiff a chance to refile an amended lawsuit.

Social media companies including Twitter have faced pressure to crack down on online propaganda linked to terrorism.

Tamara Fields, a Florida woman whose husband Lloyd died in an attack on the police training center in Amman last year, said Twitter knowingly let the militant Islamist group use its network to spread propaganda, raise money and attract recruits.

Versatile ESPN Sportscaster John Saunders Dies at 61

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John Saunders, the versatile sportscaster who has hosted ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" for the last 15 years, has died, the network announced Wednesday. He was 61.

Saunders joined ESPN in 1986. He did play-by-play on various sports, led NHL Stanley Cup Final and World Series coverage on ESPN and ABC, and hosted studio shows for baseball, college football and college basketball.

A cause of death was not announced.

Saunders took over as host of "The Sports Reporters," a Sunday morning staple of ESPN programming, after Dick Schaap died in 2001. Saunders played the role of calm traffic cop on the panel show that features three sports journalists volleying opinions on the top sports news of the day.

"John was an extraordinary talent and his friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades. His wide range of accomplishments across numerous sports and championship events is among the most impressive this industry has ever seen," ESPN President John Skipper said in a statement.

Saunders was also a founding member of the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a charity started by the network after former college basketball coach and ESPN announcer Jim Valvano died of cancer in 1993.

"He was as close to Jimmy V as anybody at ESPN," said Dick Vitale, who has worked at ESPN for decades with Saunders and considered him one of his closest friends.

Vitale said Saunders was a diabetic, but he was not ailing, and the death of one of his closest friends was unexpected. Saunders has been the master of ceremonies at Vitale's gala and V Foundation fundraiser in Sarasota, Florida, in 10 of 11 years the event has been held, said the longtime college basketball analyst.

When Vitale had to have throat surgery that threatened his career in 2008, Saunders surprised him at the hospital and was there with Vitale before and after the procedure.

"The doctor told me that there was a good chance it was going to be cancer," Vitale told the AP in a phone interview. "I said, 'John, do me a favor. When you come in that room after just give me thumbs up if it's not ... and if it is don't do anything.' And when I woke, the first guy I saw after surgery was John and I saw thumbs up and we hugged."

Vitale added: "He was like family. I'm so shocked."

The news of Saunders' death was reported on ESPN's morning edition of SportsCenter from the Olympics in Brazil by anchor Hannah Storm, who struggled to compose herself enough to get through the announcement.

"John's passion for his family, his nation, his favorite sport & the V foundation will stay with me forever," NBC's Mike Tirico, a longtime ESPN colleague of Saunders', tweeted. "As will his kindness and support."

Saunders' death comes less than two years after the network lost another popular broadcaster, Stuart Scott, at the age of 49 in January 2015 after a bout with cancer.

Saunders was born in Ontario, Canada, and played hockey at Western Michigan University from 1974-76.

He lived in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, with his wife, Wanda. They had two daughters, Aleah and Jenna.

"He was one of the most significant and influential members of the ESPN family, as a colleague and mentor, and he will be sorely missed," Skipper said. "Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this extremely difficult time."



Photo Credit: AP

Woman Intentionally Drives Into Bar: SDPD

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A woman was accused of slamming her vehicle into the side of a San Diego-area bar, apparently in an attempt to run over a man following an argument.

Charetta Evans, 33, was arrested under suspicion of assault with a vehicle following the crash at 2:38 a.m. outside the Last Call Bar on El Cajon Boulevard in Talmadge.

Evans got into a fight with a man when she walked away, according to witnesses.

San Diego Police say the man was standing on the patio outside the bar when a vehicle slammed into the area.

The man jumped out of the way, and Evans crashed into the patio instead, police said.

No one was injured.

A man who will be taking ownership of the bar on September 1 talked with NBC 7. He said the damage done "might make things easier" with his planned remodel.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

We Now Know Why Rio's Diving Pool Turned Green

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Officials said that algae was to blame for the green water in the diving pool at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday -- just as the adjacent water polo pool shifted its hue out of envy.

Rio spokesman Mario Andrada told The Associated Press that the pool at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center changed hues due to "a proliferation of algae" caused by heat and lack of wind at the outdoor venue. 

On Tuesday night, the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee said that water tests at the pool showed that there was no "risk to athletes' health" due to the green water.

Rio marks the first time since 2004 that Olympic diving events were held outdoor, so there is a greater chance of problems like algae than at a climate-controlled indoor environment.

It's probable that the green water in the adjacent water polo pool also turned green Wednesday for similar reasons, but officials haven't revealed the cause of the discoloration.

The black lines at the bottom of the water polo pool were still clearly visible, so play shouldn't be affected. But if the water gets any darker, it could become difficult for water polo referees to see what's going on under the surface -- leading to more physical play. 

The green water befuddled swimmers and viewers alike on Tuesday, including Tom Daley, who won bronze for Great Britain.

Observers on social media, meanwhile, were quick to poke fun at the pool's discoloration. 

The women's synchronized 10m platform finals went on as planned Tuesday despite the green water, with the Chinese duo of Chen Ruolin and Liu Huixia coming out on top.

Here's an image of what it looked like from above during Tuesday's competition:

And here is what it looked like on Monday:



Photo Credit: NBCOlympics.com
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Rescued Sea Turtle Released After Month Away From Home

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After more than a month away from home, SeaWorld San Diego released a rescued sea turtle named Salty back into the San Diego Bay.

Salty, an Eastern Pacific green sea turtle, was rescued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) after being found trapped in a 2-foot deep saltwater evaporation pond. He was nursed back to health at the SeaWorld Animal Rescue Center and released into South San Diego Bay on Tuesday afternoon.

The NMFS estimates that Salty was stranded in the pond for at least two days and decided to take him after he failed to demonstrate “normal behavior expected of an adult sea turtle.”

His sunken eyes and body chamber led researchers to believe that he was suffering from severe dehydration.

Veterinarians at SeaWorld stabilized his condition by giving him electrolyte-rich fluids and vitamins, and administered an in-depth medical exam complete with x-rays and a blood drawing.

“Without our care, this animal would have died,” SeaWorld Assistant Curator Mike Price said. “When Salty arrived at SeaWorld San Diego, I had never seen a sea turtle that shrunken in.”

SeaWorld estimates that Salty is around 40 to 50 years old. After gaining 40 pounds during his month-long rehabilitation, he holds a healthy weight close to 300 pounds.

He is the fifth sea turtle that SeaWorld has rescued in 2016.

SeaWorld is the only zoological facility on the west coast of the United States capable of providing long-term rehabilitation for rescued sea turtles.


Pacific Pocket Mice Pups Born at San Diego Zoo Global

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Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo Global

Facebook's Ban on Private Gun Sales

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Back in January, Facebook moved to ban private gun sales on its platforms, but its enforcement of the policy has been lax at best.

A reporter from BuzzFeed News decided to test the social network's policy last week and was able to pick up an AR-15 variant, a weapon similar to the ones used in recent mass shootings in Connecticut, Colorado and San Bernardino, according to his report Wednesday.

The reporter, Alex Kantrowitz, said he found the gun, negotiated a purchase price and agreed to buy the weapon, all through Facebook.

Kantrowitz reported that he found the seller through Facebook Groups, where there are hundreds of buy/sell/trade groups, including several gun enthusiast groups. In one of these groups, the seller had posted a photo of the AR-15, with all the specs, and Kantrowitz messaged him directly. The seller replied the next morning using Facebook Messenger.

Facebook released the following statement in response to the BuzzFeed report:

"The purchase, sale or trade of firearms between private individuals is not allowed on Facebook. When we become aware of any content that violates our community standards, we remove it immediately. We have teams around the globe, speaking more than 40 languages, that work 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week to ensure continuous review of more than a million pieces of content reported each day for violating our standards."

In January, Facebook said it would rely on its users to report any violations of the new rules and would remove any post that violated the policy, according to a New York Times report. Beyond that, the company said it could ban users or severely limit the ways they post on Facebook, depending on the type and severity of violations, the Times report said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

San Diego Zoo Global Welcomes Pacific Pocket Mice Pups

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What’s cuter than pocket mice? Baby pocket mice.

A Pacific pocket mouse gave birth to her third litter on Tuesday night, the San Diego Zoo Global confirmed.

According to the zoo, this is a new record for their breeding program.

There have been 15 litters of Pacific pocket mice born this year so far, bringing the number of pups to about 54. The zoo says some pups may not have emerged from the nests yet, so the number is expected to increase.

Earlie this year, 19 Pacific pocket mice pups were born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park between February and April this year through the captive breeding program.

In June, 50 Pacific pocket mice were relocated to Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in Orange County to help replenish their population. The zoo reported that the mice were thriving in their new habitat since being relocated.

This is the fourth year that researchers and scientists from the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research have bred the species.

Pacific pocket mice are an endangered species that is critical to the ecosystem. They are seed eaters and disperse the seeds of native plants throughout their habitat. According to the zoo, they also help the growth of native plants by digging burrows that hydrate and increase nutrition cycling in the soil.



Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo Global

Day 5: Highlights From the Rio Olympics

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Day 5, Aug. 10, of the Rio Olympics, features cycling, tennis, swimming, men's gymnastics, diving, women's basketball and boxing, among many other events. Check out the top moments here.

Photo Credit: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images

Olympic Games Warm Hearts, Lift Spirits in San Diego

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After months of tough news stories, from police shootings to terrorist attacks, many San Diegans say the Olympics are a welcome, positive change. 

"Oh, I can't get enough of the Olympics," said Riley Davis. 

He's not getting much sleep these days, but the Olympics fan is happy to be watching the games. 

"An extra cup of coffee a day makes the Olympics haze go away," he joked. 

Fan Gary Shafer, who liked watching the swimming events, had similar thoughts. He said watching Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky win gold has put him in a great mood all day. 

"We always get notices of murders and shootings or something else so we've avoided looking at our phones on occasion," he said.

"It's a nice change, and we enjoy it," Shafer said. 

That's a sentiment felt by many San Diegan fans watch the Olympics. They say the Olympics are a nice change to some of the recent headlines. 

Athletes are always impressive, their self discipline is more encouraging than listening to politicians complain about why things are bad," said David Evans.

For Courtney Sarouey, the Olympics are inspiring.

"We get to see sports and see winnings, and stories.. it's nice," she said.

Young girls at one San Diego gym have been buzzing about watching the woman's gymnastics at the Olympics for the last few months. 

Their coach, Solomon Kahn, says the Olympics are just what the world needs right now. He's been streaming the games during all his summer camps. 

"All of the protesting and the politics, it's something completely separate," Kahn said. "I always thought that sports brought people together and I hope that's what it does for us. We need it in this country right now."



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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