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Motorcyclist Killed in Crash in Lakeside

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A motorcyclist was killed in Lakeside Wednesday night in a crash involving a truck, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirmed.

The crash happened at approximately 4:23 p.m. on the 11800 block of Wildcat Canyon Road near Willow Road.

CHP says the motorcyclist and truck collided but it's unclear who was at fault.

The motorcylist died at the scene.

Wildcat Canyon Road was closed in both directions for a more than 2 hours during the investigation. It was reopened around 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images/File

Cardinals Coach Released From Hospital

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Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was released from a San Diego hospital on Wednesday morning. Arians and the Cardinals are in southern California for a joint practice with the San Diego Chargers.

Before Tuesday night's session at Qualcomm Stadium, Arians complained of stomach pains. He was taken by ambulance to UC San Diego's Hillcrest medical center. He underwent multiple tests and doctors determined his condition, which was not made public, is not serious.

Team officials say Arians is resting at the team hotel. It is unknown if he will be attending Wednesday afternoon's dual practice at the Chargers' practice facility. After Arians went to the hospital, both teams met at midfield and Chargers Head Coach Mike McCoy said a few words before practice started.

"We wish him all the best and a speedy recovery," said McCoy, who has known Arians for several years. It was McCoy and Arians who set up the dual practice.

The 63-year-old Arians has had no health problems since taking over in Arizona prior to the 2013 season. He did miss a playoff game in 2012 when he was offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.

Cardinals assistant head coach Tom Moore oversaw the practice for Arizona. The teams split in to two sides of the field with the Cardinals offense taking on the Chargers defense and vice versa. Both teams said the practice was beneficial, with none of the scuffles we often see when two teams get together. Whether or not that's the case on Wednesday remains to be seen.

"I Imagine you'll get maybe a little more salt tomorrow," said Rivers after Tuesday's workout. "I thought it was good. Guys competed but it was clean. I think both sides respected each other and were able to get something out of it."

The Chargers and Cardinals will play their second preseason game against one another on Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Push-Up Challenge Raises Awareness of Veteran Suicide

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Veterans, celebrities and now Olympic Athletes are joining citizens in posting videos of themselves doing 22 push-ups to raise awareness about veteran suicide prevention.

Statistics from 2010 showed that 22 veterans a day were taking their lives.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson participated and then challenged Team USA Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer Simone Manuel to do the same. She, in turn, challenged 23 time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps to do 23 push-ups with his medals on.

The effort is being promoted by veterans' groups and a non-profit group called 22-Kill. The organization hopes to reach 22 million push-ups.

A new report was recently released from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that studied 55 million veteran records from 1979 to 2014. It showed that the number of veterans who commit suicide a day has declined from 22 in 2010 to 20 a day in 2014. 

Dr. Neal Doran is the Director of Clinical Improvement Mental Health at VA San Diego Healthcare and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego. He says things that put veterans at risk for suicide are the same things that put non-veterans at risk such as substance abuse, family conflict, financial or housing difficulties.

“I think there's a public perception that the majority of veterans who are dying by suicide are from the more recent, post 9/11, but actually about two thirds of them are older--fifty or older,” Doran said.

But the report showed that the highest suicide rates are for young veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve.

“It may be because their experiences are more recent, it's a little bit more acute,” Doran said.

He says there are signs to look for.

“Being isolated and being less interested in interacting with people giving away possessions and talking about death a lot.

The Veterans Administration report also showed while suicides were up by 8 percent since 2001 for veterans getting treatment at the VA, it was up by 38.8 percent of veterans who were not getting care from the VA.

Doran says that reaching out for help is the most important thing a veteran can do.

The VA has walk-in clinics at their health centers and the emergency room is open 24/7. There is also a 24-hour Veterans Crisis line at 1-800-8255 and there are follow-up counselors who continue to help the veteran after the initial crisis.

American BMX Riders Finish in Top 10

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The women of the U.S. BMX Olympic team took the track at the Olympic BMX Centre first and finished in the top eight.

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Both American riders put up strong times. Brooke Crain, after some much-needed experience in the London Games, posted a time of 35.345, which seeded her in 7th place. She was on pace to go under 35 seconds, but slowed a bit in the rhythm section on the final leg.

Alise Post finished in 8th place with a time of 35.509. Post is a University of San Diego student and has trained with the BMX team at thte Olympic-sized track in Chula Vista, California.

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The 2012 Olympic gold medalist proved why she owns that title. Colombian Mariana Pajon dominated the field with a time of 34.508. It was a relaxed but quick run where she landed each of the jumps softly.

Of the 16 women, the only other rider under 35 seconds was Australian Caroline Buchanan, who won the time trials at the BMX Worlds in May and a silver medal at the World Championships.

When it was the men's turn, the U.S. team showed up to compete.

Connor Fields ended the day in fourth place, Corben Sharrah in fifth and Lakeside native Nic Long in ninth.

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Fire Scorches 2,500 Acres in SoCal

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A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing tens of thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames.

By Wednesday evening, a day after it ignited in San Bernardino County brush left bone dry by years of drought, the so-called Blue Cut Fire had blackened more than 25,000 acres in San Bernardino County and was four percent contained, firefighters said, revising an earlier estimate of more than 30,000 acres. The flames advanced despite the efforts of 1,300 firefighters.

Authorities could not immediately say how many homes had been destroyed, but they warned that the number will be large.

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"There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing," San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said after flying over a fire scene he described as "devastating."

More than 34,000 homes and some 82,000 people were under evacuation warnings as firefighters concentrated their efforts on saving homes in the mountain communities of Lytle Creek, Wrightwood and Phelan. They implored residents not to think twice if told to leave, but it appears many were staying.

Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames during the fire's early hours, when occupants of a home refused to leave and the crew stayed to protect them.

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Hundreds of cars packed with belongings and animals left the town. The air for miles around the blaze was filled with smoke.

The fast-moving blaze forced Interstate 15 to shut down in both directions, leaving drivers to find alternates routes through the region Wednesday morning as the wildfire continued to grow.

At a morning news conference, authorities said the fire grew from 28 square miles late Tuesday to more than 46 square miles by Wednesday morning with no containment. Interstate 15 remains closed in both directions through the Cajon Pass, and State Route 138 is closed from State Route 2 to Interstate 15.

Multiple school districts in the area were closed due to poor air quality and tens of thousands of resident were evacuated.

"It hit hard. It hit fast," Hartwig said. "It hit with an intensity that we hadn't seen before."

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Crews battled the destructive blaze through the night after it charred more than 28 square miles Tuesday alone, forcing the closure of the Cajon Pass, and burning structures with no end in sight. The devastating blaze came as a punishing summer heat wave swept across Southern California, which is enduring its fifth consecutive year of drought and in the midst of one of its worst-ever fire seasons.

On Tuesday night, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency.

"This is not the time to mess around," said Battalion Chief Mark Peebles of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. "If you are asked to evacuate, please evacuate."

The Blue Cut Fire, named because it started near a trail called Blue Cut, erupted at 10:36 a.m. Tuesday in the Cajon Pass near Kenwood Avenue west of Interstate 15.

Less than 24 hours after the blaze began 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the fire command assembled a fleet of 10 air tankers, 15 helicopters and an army of 1,300 firefighters, many of them just off the lines of a wildfire that burned for 10 days just to the east. At a dawn briefing, half the firefighters raised their hands when an official asked how many had just come from the earlier blaze, part of a siege of wildland infernos up and down California this year.

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The fire erupted in a landscape ready to burn after years of below-normal precipitation. The weather at the time was hot, dry and windy — conditions not expected to begin easing until late Thursday or Friday.

The pass is a major route for travel from the Los Angeles region to Las Vegas and also carries significant daily commuter traffic for high desert residents. The speed of the fire's spread astonished those in its path.

"This moved so fast," said Darren Dalton, 51, who along with his wife and son had to get out of his house in Wrightwood. "It went from 'Have you heard there's a fire?' to 'mandatory evacuation' before you could take it all in. This is a tight little community up here. Always in rally mode. Suddenly, it's a ghost town."

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Big rigs were parked on both sides of the pass, a major highway and rail corridor through mountain ranges that separate Southern California's major population centers from the Mojave Desert to the north.

Road Closures:

  • South Bound 395 closed at Joshua
  • Highway 138 has been closed from Interstate 15 to Highway 2
  • State Route 2 closed from LA County Line to the 138
  • Hwy 138 closed between County Line to Highway173.
  • Old Cajon Blvd north of Devore Cutoff
  • Lytle Creek @ Glen Helen
  • Beekley Road from Phelan Road to the128
  • Hwy 38 to Lone Pine Canyon has been closed.
  • 15 Northbound at I-215
  • 15 Southbound at Ranchero

Detours

  • Eastbound I-10 to eastbound SR-62 to northbound SR-247 to westbound SR-18
  • Northbound I-5 to northbound SR-14 to eastbound SR-58 to I-15
  • SR-18 through Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley to SR-330 through Big Bear

    School Closures

    • Adelanto Elementary School District
    • Apple Valley Unified School
    • Barstow Unified School District
    • Helendale School District
    • Hesperia Unified School District
    • Oro Grande School District
    • Silver Valley Unified School District
    • Snowline Joint Unified School District
    • Victor Elementary School District
    • Victor Valley Union High School District


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      Evacuations Lifted for 15-Acre Brush Fire, 40% Contained

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      Evacuations have been lifted for a 15-acre brush fire in Spring Valley that is now 40 percent contained. The fire's forward rate of spread has been stopped. 

      The fire, dubbed the Pointe Fire, broke out Wednesday afternoon on the 2900 block of Pointe Parkway in Spring Valley, Cal Fire crews said. The location is south of State Route 94 and east of State Route 125 near Jamacha Boulevard. 

      Sheriff's officials said those evacuated from their homes near Ledge Side between Ledge View and South Barcelona as well as California Waters Drive and Pleasant Waters Court may now return with proper identification.

      Spring Valley residents said the brush fire started small, but quickly jumped and exploded in size. 

      Tina Daley, a South Bar Solona resident, said she only had a chance to grab a bag and a few items before she left her house. 

      “It was scary when it first started because it was going real fast," she said. "We were all watching it. And now it seems to be contained, so I’m alright now.”

      She went to a friend's house down the street who had not been asked to evacuate. 

      "I run a daycare, so I had one of my children," she said. "I had to meet the parent over there."

      A temporary evacuation point was set up at Monte Vista High School at 3230 Sweetwater Spring Blvd, Spring Valley 91977.

      While fighting the fire, one firefighter suffered a snake bike. He was taken to a local hospital, and is condition is unknown. Another firefighter suffered an ankle injury. 

      San Diego County's mountains and deserts are under a Red Flag Warning until Thursday at 9 p.m.; the National Weather Service (NWS) warned gusty winds and rising temperatures may increase the risk of wildfires. 

      No other information was immediately available.



      Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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      Portland Loo in East Village Attracting Crime, Neighbors Say

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      San Diego Police officers have responded to the intersection that’s home to the Portland Loo, 20 percent more often than before the free, 24-hour restroom was installed, data shows.

      Installed in January 2015, the Portland Loo located on the north-west corner of Park Blvd and Market Street in San Diego’s East Village is the second and only remaining of its kind in the City. The first, was located near the intersection of 14th and L Streets but was shut down six months after it was installed. San Diego officials said it became a magnet for crime and homelessness.

      Now, neighbors say the same issues associated with San Diego’s original Portland Loo, are happening at the one in East Village.

      Shelli Evers lives in East Village and is on the homeowners' association board of Park Boulevard East. She says she often sees more than one person leaving the loo at the same time, “often stoned or seemingly under the influence of drugs.”

      Evers has lived in East Village since 2009. She says she’s noticed a spike in homelessness since the Portland Loo was installed last year and fears for her safety when she walks her two dogs in the neighborhood. More than once, she says, she’s been stalked by transients loitering by her condo complex.

      “It’s terrifying not knowing how strong the person’s commitment is to stalking to me,” she said.

      When Evers asked SDPD what she should do to ensure her safety, she says they recommended she walk her dogs with a taser in hand.

      The Portland Loo is a real toilet, with running water and better ventilation than port-a-potties. It’s funded through tax dollars, open to the public and free to use.

      Using data obtained through the California Public Records Act, NBC 7 Investigates tracked the number of times SDPD officers responded to the intersection where the East Village Portland Loo is located.

      Since being installed, the data shows the total number of calls for service have gone up by 20 percent. The number of battery and disturbing the peace with violence reports have almost doubled and the number of psychiatric holds (5150s) have nearly tripled.

      Click here or look below to see a comparison of calls for service before the Loo was installed and with it installed.

      “It’s the perfect place for drug users to go and shoot up or do whatever they do, and then come around the area and cause problems,” says Chris Sohaey.

      Sohaey is a real estate investor who owns property on Park Boulevard and Market Street. He says his tenants complain regularly of seeing feces at their front door.

      East Village resident Sarah Watkins told NBC 7 Investigation similar stories. She says the area has become filthy, with defecation and trash. She’s also noticed an increase in crime.

      “I’ve seen and reported sexual acts on the streets too,” she said.

      Sohaey has complained about the Portland Loo to the City of San Diego, SDPD, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Downtown Partnership’s Clean and Safe Program. According the Sohaey, there’s a lot of finger pointing.

      “I’ve exhausted almost all of the my efforts in trying,” Sohay said. “I have about a 30 page document of emails that I’ve tried to address with the Mayor.”

      NBC 7 Investigates reached out to the SDPD, the City of San Diego and the Clean and Safe Program. None of the agencies responded.

      Sohaey, along with Evers and Watkins, say they would like the Portland Loo removed.

      As of right now, there is no plan in place to remove it.

      This story is part of #HomelessinSD coverage, an initiative by media organizations in San Diego County to raise awareness of homelessness in the region. For more information on the project and to see other stories, click here.



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      Deteriorating Roads Cost San Diegans $1,900 Annually: Report

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      San Diego's roads are costing drivers nearly $2,000 every year and are the lowest ranked, according to a new study released Wednesday by a national transportation safety group called TRIP.

      According to the report, 46 percent of roads in San Diego are ranked as poor. Only 23 percent are ranked good, which is the highest rank awarded to roads.

      It estimates that San Diego roads are responsible for a third of fatalities on the road, taking into consideration the number of lanes, rumble trips, the width of lanes, lighting and more. The fatality rate in California is lower than the national average.

      "If the roads were all in good condition, if you weren't experiencing traffic congestion, and there weren't any traffic fatalities, that number would be zero," said Rocky Moretti, Director of Policy and Research for TRIP.

      Over the course of a year, Californians will spend an average of 42 hours sitting in traffic.

      However, the TRIP report predicts that number will only get worse: funds and work need to be invested in the transportation system to prevent congestion and deterioration.

      But San Diego's roads are better off in some categories when compared to other U.S. cities.

      "Well, you have to look at different areas. If you look at pavement conditions, although with 46 percent of major roads in poor condition, those numbers are not as high as say, Los Angeles," Moretti said.

      He says the problems with road conditions have been accumulating for a while and will take some time to fix.

      "It takes a long range plan and then you have to fund it and implement it," he said.

      The deteriorating roads cost  San Diegans an estimated $1,900 a year. They spend an estimated $722 in vehicle operating costs, $249 for safety purposes and $887 in congestion.



      Photo Credit: NBC 7

      7 to Watch: Women's Volleyball

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      NBC 7 looks over the massive schedule of events from the 2016 Rio Olympics for Thursday, August 18 and brings you seven moments to watch:

      1. BOLT RACES FOR 2nd GOLD OF GAMES

      Usain Bolt attempts to capture his second gold medal in Rio as he competes in the men’s 200m final.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Coverage of track and field begins at 2:35 p.m. PT The Bolt run is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT.

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      2. TEAM USA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TAKES ON FRANCE IN SEMIS

      Team USA women’s basketball will face France with a spot in the gold medal match on the line.

      After a slow start in the quarterfinals against Japan, the U.S. went on an 8-0 run to close the second quarter and eventually won 110-64.

      With their 47th straight Olympic win, the U.S. now faces France, which has never beaten the U.S. in Olympic play.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Catch Team USA in its quest to best France live online at 3 p.m. PT

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      3. LOCALS COMPETE IN TRIATHALON

      Greg Billington, 27 and Joe Maloy, 30, will compete Thursday in the triathlon in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Both athletes moved to San Diego to take advantage of a triathlon coach. Before Rio, they would quietly go about their business in the middle of suburbia.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Catch coverage of the triathlon as it begins at 7 a.m. PT

      4. SHAKUR STEVENSON BACK IN THE RING

      New Jersey native Shakur Stevenson climbs back into the ring in the boxing semis to face Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin. Stevenson is guaranteed a medal in the bantamweight division following his decisive win in the quarterfinals, but he’s planning on bringing gold back to the Garden State.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Boxing coverage begins at 10 a.m. PT. Catch Stevenson live online in his quest for gold at 10:30 a.m. PT.

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      5. ADELINE GRAY AND HELEN MAROULIS ATTEMPT TO WIN TEAM USA’S FIRST GOLD IN WOMEN’S WRESTLING

      Adeline Gray was a strong candidate for the 2012 London Games, but her 67kg (148 lbs) weight class was not an Olympic division at the time. Forced to drop down to a lower weight class, Gray shed 30 pounds in order to compete in the Olympic Trials, but only managed a runner-up finish and did not qualify.

      After a tough defeat in the final round of the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012, Helen Maroulis bounced back to attain a world #1 ranking in her weight class. In the ramp-up to the Rio Olympics, the six-time national champion finally broke through for her first career world title in 2015.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Gray and Maroulis hope to win for the U.S., which has never had a woman win an Olympic gold in wrestling. Catch the elimination rounds coverage live online beginning at 6 a.m. PT.

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      6. ASHTON EATON CONTINUES QUEST TO DEFEND OLYMPIC GOLD IN DECATHLON

      Oregon-native Aston Eaton became the first decathlete to win the IAAF Athlete of the Year award after breaking his own decathlon world record. Now he’s looking to become the repeat decathlete Olympic champion.

      HOW TO SEE IT: Catch Eaton in his quest to defend his Olympic gold live online as decathlon coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. PT

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      7. WOMEN's VOLLEYBALL VS SERBIA

      Locals Karsta Lowe and Carli Lloyd are part of the team under the direction of coach Karch Kiraly and assistant coach Tom Black who spent was a student and coach at UC San Diego.

      Lowe, a Rancho Santa Fe native, competed in tennis when she attended La Costa Canyon High School. Students of Fallbrook High School will recognize Lloyd's name from her time as an athlete there.

      HOW to SEE IT: The match begins at 6:15 p.m. PT and is available online.



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      Woman Pulls Knife on Store Clerk, Demands Cash

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      Police are searching for a woman who pulled a knife on a clerk at a convenience store in San Diego after she asked the victim to break a dollar in an altercation caught on camera.

      The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the attempted robbery happened July 24 around 1:25 p.m. at a Quick Stop store located at 728 4th Ave.

      The suspect walked into the store and asked the clerk for change for a dollar. As the clerk opened the register, the woman pulled a large knife for her purse and demanded more cash.

      Police said the woman tried to grab the cash register but the clerk closed it before she could get her hands on any money. The clerk backed away and the woman walked out of the store, heading north on 4th Avenue.

      The clerk was not hurt, police said.

      Surveillance video captured clear images of the suspect, which were released for the first time by investigators on Thursday. The woman’s identity if unknown and police are hoping someone recognizes her from the pictures and can lead police her way.

      For now, the woman is described as being in her late 30s, standing at 5-foot-9 to 6 feet and weighing between 165 and 170 pounds. She has red hair and hazel eyes and was wearing a black tank top, light colored jeans and black Nike sneakers at the time of the crime.

      The purse from which she pulled the knife was a blue bag with a large, white stripe down the middle of it. The SDPD said the woman also has a tattoo on her left shoulder of unknown words.

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      The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can call the SDPD’s Robbery Unit at (619) 531-2299 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $1,000 reward leading to an arrest in this case.



      Photo Credit: San Diego Police Department
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      Local Athletes in Rio: Medal Contenders

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      On Thursday, the triathlon begins and there are two San Diegans who will be in the field of competitors.

      Greg Billington of Poway, California and Joe Maloy of San Diego gave their all in the triathlon Thursday, finishing 37th and 23rd respectively.

      Billington, 27, and Maloy, 30, moved to San Diego and quietly go about their business training for the world class competition in the middle of suburbia.

      A typical day includes a three-mile swim, an eight to 10-mile run, and a two hour bike ride, with lots of physical therapy along the way.

      See results from today's competition here.

      The top-ranked U.S. women's volleyball team lost in the semifinals Thursday in a fierce battle with Serbia.

      Locals Karsta Lowe and Carli Lloyd are part of the team under the direction of coach Karch Kiraly and assistant coach Tom Black who spent was a student and coach at UC San Diego.

      Lowe, a Rancho Santa Fe native, competed in tennis when she attended La Costa Canyon High School. Students of Fallbrook High School will recognize Lloyd's name from her time as an athlete there.

      The team will compete for a chance at the bronze medal on Saturday.

      Paris Henken and teammate Helena Scutt secured a spot in the medal race for Women’s 49er FX. However, it was not to be. The Coronado High School graduate finished the medal race in 9th place to end her first Olympics in 10th overall.

      Fellow U.S. Sailing and San Diego Olympian Briana Provancha raced for the gold Thursday in the women's 470. However, Provancha and teammate Annie Haeger finished in 7th place.

      Track and field contenders Joe Kovacs and Ryan Crouser competed in the men’s shot finals on Thursday afternoon; Crouser won gold and Kovacs took home the silver medal.

      Crouser beat Kovacs with an Olympic-record heave of 22.52 meters that topped Kovacs' 21.78. New Zealand's Thomas Walsh got bronze.

      Kovacs lived and trained at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Chula Vista, California before heading to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

      Crouser spent some time training at the Chula Vista OTC as well.

      Darrell Hill, another shot put athlete who trained at the OTC facility in San Diego's South Bay also competed in qualifications Thursday morning. He ranked 23rd with a distance of 19.56m. Hill did not advance to the finals.

      In the BMX quarterfinals Thursday, all of the men on Team USA advanced to the semifinals. Connor Fields finished in second place after his heat with eight points and Corben Sharrah third in the same heat with nine points. Lakeside's Nic Long finished third in his heat with 10 points. All move on to the semifinals.

      Watch the men's quarterfinal recap here.

      For updates from the 2016 Rio Games, including profiles of San Diego athletes, visit our Olympics section here.

      NBC 7’s Steven Luke is reporting from Rio during the 2016 Olympic Summer Games; follow him on Twitter and Facebook for exciting updates from Brazil through the end of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games.



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      Ambulance Bills Sent Straight to Collections

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      Three San Diego families say they received collection notices in the mail for a Rural/Metro Corp. ambulance ride they took two years ago but never received a bill for. 

      “We got this bill in the mail and it was from a collections agency, which I said, ‘What’s this?’ said Kenneth Howard of Rancho Penasquitos. 

      Kenneth said he couldn’t figure out why he was getting a collections bill from an ambulance ride he needed two years ago for chest pains. 

      “It’s very strange to receive a bill two years later when you’ve had no communication with the company at all,” said Ellen Hodgers of Chula Vista. 

      Ellen received a similar collections bill for her husband’s ambulance service in 2014. 

      “It was very irritating because I try to make sure all the bills are paid for my parents, that’s my job,” said Stephen Circo of Oceanside. 

      Again, a collections notice arrived two years later, this time in Stephen’s mailbox for his elderly father’s ambulance ride. 

      Kenneth, Ellen and Stephen have one thing in common: they all say they never received a bill from Rural/Metro ambulance service prior to a Texas-based collections notice arriving in their mailboxes. 

      When Stephen inquired about the bill by calling Rural/Metro directly, he said a representative told him Rural/Metro couldn’t speak about the collection because all of Stephen’s account information is in the hands of the collection agency. 

      Ellen is a retired school teacher and kept detailed records of the family’s medical bills but nowhere in her files is a bill for her husband’s Rural/Metro ambulance ride. 

      When Kenneth, Ellen and Stephen called the collections agency, Credence Resource Management, all that was offered to them was a payment plan. 

      “There’s got to be a mistake here someplace,” said Kenneth. 

      NBC 7 Responds reached out to Rural/Metro and within 48 hours, Kenneth, Ellen and Stephen were all offered an apology and had their accounts wiped clean. All three were told they no longer owed the money for the ambulance rides and no report would be sent to credit reporting agencies. 

      In an email, Rural/Metro Corporation Media Relations Manager Tom Milton told NBC 7 Responds, “The issue resulted from a processing change that was made when Rural Metro came out of bankruptcy. We have identified and corrected the issue and are handling each inquiry on a case-by-case basis." 

      When NBC 7 Responds asked Rural/Metro if there could be more cases similar to this, the company did not respond. 

      NBC 7 Responds is here to help you with your consumer issues and we want to hear from you. Submit your consumer problem through our online form by clicking here or you can call us 619-732-NBC7 (6332). Every call or online submission we receive will be answered because if you need help, NBC 7 Responds. 

      Naked Trump Statues Around USA

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      Unflattering, flesh-toned statues of naked Donald Trumps popped up in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle on Thursday morning, a sight that had many gawking and talking about the political art titled “The Emperor Has No Balls.”

      The looming, painted clay statues placed in traditionally liberal cities drew many laughs, especially over Trump's protruding gut, and miniscule you-know-what.

      "I think it's brilliant," Curtis Jensen said taking a picture of said private part in San Francisco's predominantly gay Castro district on Thursday alongside his partner. "He needs to be brought down a peg."

      And while many real-life Trump critics were nary to be found, at least in the San Francisco Bay Area, some jumped on social media in the Republican's defense. They wondered aloud what the Left would say if the same type of mockery had been made of Hillary Clinton.

      "Again the Leftists are showing how low class they are...wonder how well this would go over if conservatives did something similar too Hillary," Facebook user Christina Anderson wrote. 

      The same sentiment was echoed elsewhere, too.

      "I do kind of wish whoever did it would do Hillary as well," said Ken Warchol of New Haven, Connecticut.

      A self-described anarchist group called INDECLINE was the mastermind behind the painted statues, first reported by the Washington Post. Six people helped the group set up the statues in each of the five cities Thursday morning.

      The group posted a well-produced video of the creation of the statues. A soundtrack peppered with Trump's voice saying things like "You want some?" "The American dream is dead" and "I will build a great wall" bleats to a mashup of the national anthem.

      The Post reported that the group asked an artist called Ginger to create the statues, based on his past designs of monsters for haunted houses and horror movies. Ginger's signature was on the base of the statue in San Francisco.

      "When the guys approached me, it was all because of my monster-making abilities," Ginger said in an interview with the Post about how INDECLINE reached out to him for the four-month project. "Trump is just yet another monster, so it was absolutely in my wheelhouse to be able to create these monstrosities."

      A spokesman for INDECLINE asked for anonymity in the article and could not be immediately tracked down on Thursday. An email sent to INDECLINE's website was not immediately returned. The group's website showed an image of a roadside sign showing Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland as its main art, indicating its headquarters may have ties to the Bay Area.

      Trump also had not tweeted about the display as of Thursday evening. 

      People across the country had plenty to say about their feelings regarding the Trump statues that showed off the billionaire and his bottom.

      In San Francisco, a permit has not been issued for the artistic installation so the Dept. of Public Works reserves the right to remove the statue at any time. It was expected that it would be taken away on Thursday night because it was encouraging rubber-neckers and posing a threat to public safety, city officials said.

      On Thursday, onlookers stopped at the corner of Castro and Market streets to snap pictures of the statue, which also featured a second, tiny Donald Trump, wearing a suit and red tie, placed curiously underneath the ominous larger Trump.

      Passersby chortled about the Trump statue’s orange-hued, but “lifelike” pallor, quipping that the figurine had “better hair” than the man in question. The creation was also deemed "creative," "impactful" and "misdirected."

      But some described feeling torn because such a stunt could drive a deeper wedge between already polarized voters. Others disagreed, saying all public figures are fair game.

      Tourists from Los Angeles whipped out cell phones to document the odd sight. One man with curly hair smiled as he tried to see if he was taller than the eight- or nine-foot statue.

      Like others, Myces Garcia said the statue was perfect. "He's the guy with the biggest ego, an idiot." He said the city of San Francisco "should keep it. It looks great."

      When Dylan Higgins-Kiang of Alameda was asked what he might change about the Trump statue, the 9-year-old replied: "I think it’s fine, but just make the head a lot bigger.”

      Why?

      “Because he’s all about himself. I’m number one. I love myself. I’m great," came the reply.

      In Central Los Angeles, the statue of Trump, who has repeatedly said he would build a wall to prevent Mexicans from entering the United States, was placed in the Los Feliz neighborhood. The statue stood directly in front of the La Luz Jesus Gallery, showing the naked figure angrily looking out against a backdrop of colorful, Mexican designs.

      In New York’s Union Square, the statue drew crowds before it was ultimately taken down by the Dept. of Parks and Recreation.

      Marcos Alvarado, 10, of Queens passed by with his mother, pointing out the irony: "It's funny because he's being mean to everybody that is not from this country. It's funny because they're making fun of him."

      INDECLINE, the Post reported, was also behind covering up the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with the names of African Americans who have been killed by police.

      In the past, the collective has also claimed responsibility for an anti-Trump “Rape” mural on the U.S.-Mexico border and a massive piece of graffiti art in California’s Mojave Desert.

      NBC Bay Area's Pete Suratos contributed to this report.



      Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area
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      India's Most Famous Tiger Machli, 'Queen of Ranthambore', Dies at 19

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      India's Ranthambore National Park announced that the country's famed tiger, Machli, died Thursday at the age of 19, NBC News reported.

      Also known as the "Queen of Ranthambore," Machli was described as one of the world's most photographed tigers and the oldest female tiger living in the wild.

      She had not eaten for five days and had been unwell, the park said in a statement announcing her death.

      Machli's name — sometimes spelled Machhli or Machali — came from the Hindu word for fish because of a fish-shaped mark on her face.



      Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

      Pain Rules on Olympic BMX Course

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      The BMX course at the 2016 Summer Olympics has proved to be treacherous for many riders. The Rio course has led to several brutal crashes. Check out the aftermath of some of the worst.

      Photo Credit: Getty Images

      Brazilian Brewery Overflows With Olympic Spirit

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      A Brazilian brewery in Chula Vista is overflowing with lively culture and Olympic spirit – and even brews a Pale Ale named “Rio.”

      The brewery and tasting room – Novo Brazil Brewing Co. – is located at 901 Lane Ave. Amid San Diego’s booming brewing industry, the business opened in April 2015 and has already earned a medal in the very competitive world of craft beer. 

      In the 2016 World Beer Cup, Novo’s Russian Imperial Stout, Corvo Negro, brought home the Bronze medal for the United States. The brew medaled third out of 53 entries in that category, making the podium alongside a beer from Pennsylvania and a gold medal brew from Japan.

      A few of Novo’s brews also earned the Country Winner award in the 2016 World Beer Awards – which, in the beer competition world, is higher than gold – with the Quadruple Barrel-Aged beer winning Silver for the United States, the Otay IPA earning honors as the Best IPA of the U.S., and the brewery’s Chula Pils Pilsner winning as a lager.

      Gustavo Alvarado, event coordinator for Novo Brazil Brewing, said earning the Bronze and those awards couldn’t have come at a better time.

      “It’s funny how it coincided that way – the Olympics going on and then we won this competition for the Otay IPA and the Chula Pils,” he told NBC 7 on Thursday. “It’s a blessing for us. We’re such a small brewery in a place where the craft beer movement hasn’t really had a good grip – the South Bay. So being able to get that exposure [is amazing].”

      Novo Brazil offers 15 beers on tap that Alvarado said are “Brazil-inspired but San Diego-brewed.” Many of the beers boast notes of citrus, floral or fruit.

      “Think about the tropical flavor,” Alvarado said of the Brazil-inspired brews.

      Novo’s Rio Pale Ale is a medium-bodied, floral and citrus brew with a light finish. Alvarado said it’s an easy beer to sip and has been very popular on tap during the 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

      “It’s definitely the beer you want to drink while watching the Games,” Alvarado said.

      In the spirit of the Olympics, Novo has been screening the Rio Games for the past two weeks. Alvarado said patrons have been coming in by the dozens to watch the events on their TV, wearing their Team USA and Team Brazil jerseys.

      “We’ve had an astounding amount of business [this month],” he told NBC 7.

      The brewery is located less than three miles away from the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center (OTC), where many Olympians competing in Rio 2016 have trained, including men’s long jump gold medalist Jeff Henderson and men’s triple jump silver medalist Will Claye.

      “It’s exciting to know that our backyard here is producing some winners,” Alvarado said. “We get to cheer them on when we see them on the screen.”

      Alvarado said that every once in a while, OTC coaches will stop by Novo Brazil for a brew. The Novo crew is hoping that once the Olympic athletes return to Chula Vista, they’ll stop by for a celebratory beer too.

      “We’re really close to the Olympic Training Center and, you know, the athletes have to play hard, work hard. Every once in a while, they should stop by and have a beer,” said Alvarado with a grin.

      As the Rio Games wrap up this weekend, the craft brewery plans to send off the Rio Games with a bang.

      On Saturday, when Brazil takes on Germany in the medal match at 1:30 p.m., the brewery will host a party, offering deals on Brazilian brews. If the team beats Germany, it’ll really be a celebration.

      On Sunday afternoon, Novo will host a viewing party for the Closing Ceremony with beer, Brazilian food, music and dancers in a proper, lively Rio-inspired celebration.

      “It’ll be fun for everyone to enjoy the culture that we’re bringing here to San Diego,” Alvarado said.

      Once the Rio Games are over, Novo plans to keep the spirit of Brazil alive in the San Diego by participating in community events, including Brazilian Day on Sept. 10.

      Alvarado said the Novo crew will continue to tap into the South Bay as new ground for craft brewing with goals of developing the community into another hub for top-notch San Diego suds.

      In the future, he also said the brewery wouldn't mind collaborating with some craft brewers from Brazil on unique, new recipes.

      Novo Brazil Brewing Co. is open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. The brewery hosts teacher and U.S. military appreciation days, offering special deals to those who serve the community.

      The business is family-owned and operated under the helm of Eduardo Pentagna, with lots of help from Colorado-based brewing pro Mauricio Lima.



      Photo Credit: Monica Garske/NBC 7 San Diego
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      Rare Zika Complication Hits 30 in Puerto Rico; CDC Expects More

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      Thirty people have been diagnosed with a rare paralyzing condition caused by Zika virus infection in Puerto Rico, the territory's health department said Thursday.

      And Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Thomas Frieden says he expects even more cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in Puerto Rico because the virus is infecting so much of the population, NBC News reported. 

      "We think there will be as many as 200 additional cases, given the overall number of infections there," Frieden told NBC News.



      Photo Credit: Getty Images

      Lolo Jones' Mom Dreaming of a Bolt Baby

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      The spectators cheer on Usain Bolt. The fellow athletes flock to take selfies with him whenever possible.

      And the moms, well, they want him to get married and start a family.

      Bolt’s own mother, Jennifer, recently told CNN that she would hope “he’ll settle down, get married and start his family” once he stops competing.

      But she isn’t the only track mom that hopes wedding bells are in Bolt’s immediate future.

      Lolo Jones, who has competed at both the Summer and Winter Olympics, posted a video on Twitter Thursday of her own mom pondering a future for her daughter and Bolt, complete with “an Olympic baby.”

      Judging by the look on Jones’ face at the end of the video, she wasn’t amused.

      For his part, Bolt told a UK media outlet earlier this year that he has a girlfriend and that he wants to get married, but not before he’s 35. Bolt turns 30 on Sunday.



      Photo Credit: Valery Sharifulin/TASS
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      The World of 'Right Now' College Freshmen: USA Has Always Been at War

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      The majority of students entering college this year have grown up in a world where the beloved cartoon sponge, the mobsters from "The Sopranos," and the cocktail-sipping women of "Sex in the City" were the biggest TV icons of their defining years, NBC News reported.

      And because they've never known life without a DVR, they never had to miss an episode.

      Most of this year's freshmen, The class of 2020, were born in 1998, according to the Beloit College "Mindset List," an annual project that analyzes the cultural influences on the lives of incoming college students. In their lifetime, the U.S. has always been at war, John Elway and Wayne Gretzky have always been retired, and a Bush or a Clinton has always been campaigning for the presidency.



      Photo Credit: Getty Images

      #LochMess: Ryan Lochte Memes Sprout Up on Social Media

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      American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte's tale of a robbery in Rio seemed to unravel after his teammates were detained by Brazilian authorities and interviewed in Rio Thursday afternoon.

      The story was a lie, according to Fernando Veloso, Rio's civil police chief. Authorities interviewed witnesses, including off-duty police officers, and determined that there was no robbery.

      "We can confirm at this time that they were not victims of the crimes they alleged occurred," Veloso said.

      Lochte told authorities that he had been robbed at gunpoint after he and his swimming teammates Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and James Feigen left a party early Sunday morning en route to the Olympic Village.

      Earlier in the week, during an interview with NBC’s Billy Bush, Lochte said he and his friends were pulled over by police with just a badge, and that they told the group to get on the ground, but Lochte refused. Then he said an officer pulled out a gun, cocked it, put it to his forehead, and took his money and wallet.

      Lochte, who donned platinum blonde hair through the Olympics, returned to the United States before Brazilian authorities could stop him from leaving the country — a judge ordered his passport and Feigen's to be seized. Conger and Bentz were unable to leave Brazil, detained by authorities after boarding their plane so they could be questioned.

      Social media users began posting memes, such as Lochte as Pinocchio and the movie poster for "Liar Liar 2." See more of the memes here: 



      Photo Credit: AP Images
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