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Pediatrician Retires After Serving San Diego for Decades

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A pediatrician who has served generations of people in one San Diego community was honored with a letter from President Barack Obama as he retired Monday.

“You’re not from Southeast if you don’t know Dr. Kelley,” one patient told NBC 7 at the celebration for Dr. Leon Kelley who practiced medicine in the same community for 47 years.

Patient Larry Milton said Kelley has been his doctor since he was 11 years old. Now at 62, Milton said he described the 77-year-old pediatrician as an angel who has been a support to his family and the community for decades.

“He has done so many things and has inspired so many people that it’s amazing,” Milton said.

Among his accomplishments, Kelley launched a process for sickle cell anemia testing in southeast San Diego which colleagues credit with saving thousands of lives.

He often saw patients seven days a week, sometimes without pay and treated area families for decades.

“I have grandparents who bring their grandchildren – the grandparents were my patients,” he said.

At his retirement party, someone read a personal letter to Kelley from President Barack Obama, thanking him for his years of service and touching thousands of lives. Kelley said it's a momento he will cherish.

Kelley is retiring because Children’s Primary Medical Group has an age limit for their doctors – a policy the doctor doesn’t dispute.

He’ll still be involved with CPMG but in a new role as mentor or advisor.

“My goal is to always have something here to be present in this community,” Kelley said.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

San Diego Skateboarder, 70, Killed in Crash

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A popular San Diego-based skateboarding company is mourning the death of one of its own: a 70-year-old veteran skateboarder killed in a motorcycle crash in Santa Ysabel.

Sector 9 Skateboards posted a tribute on the company’s Facebook page to Victor Earhart – the man who died in a Nov. 25 crash at State Route 79 and State Route 76. According to the California Highway Patrol, the victim was killed when his motorcycle collided with a Toyota Prius just after 9 a.m. that day. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s (ME) office later confirmed the impact from the crash caused Earhart to be thrown from his motorcycle. He landed on the roadway and was pronounced dead at the scene.

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“Victor worked at Sector 9 for 15 years during which time he performed a number of jobs as well as being a team rider,” Sector 9’s Facebook post read. “Most of all, he was a great ambassador for skateboarding and a legend to many. He was always down to ride skateboards rain or shine, dirt or asphalt. He was very loved by all and will be sorely missed in the skateboard community.”

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Sector 9 said it plans to organizer a “skate service” in honor of Earhart, but those details have not yet been released.

Earhart started his career with Sector 9 in 1997. Over his many years with the company, the bearded, gray-haired skateboarder was featured in several Sector 9 videos, including an April 2010 video in which Earhart discussed his longtime passion for the sport.

“The first seven years of my life were wasted. Then I discovered skateboarding – and my life has been downhill ever since,” Earhart said, adding that he had been skateboarding since 1954.

According to the ME, Earhart was born on July 18, 1946 putting him at around seven or eight years old when he rode a skateboard for the first time.

“Did you have fun?” a camera in the Sector 9 video asks Earhart after he skateboards down some dirt terrain, a small dog trailing him.

“You know I had fun!” he replies.

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In addition to social media tributes, Sector 9 dedicated this “Legends Never Die” photo essay to Earhart on its website, which shows him in his natural element: barreling down hills on his skateboard, often with an ear-to-ear smile as he did what he loved to do.

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Photo Credit: Sector 9 Skateboard Co./Facebook
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Minimum Wage Fight Sparks Protests

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Protesters in San Diego joined others in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago as workers took part in a National Day of Action to Fight for $15. The campaign seeks higher hourly minimum wages, including for workers at fast-food restaurants and airports.

A group of protesters ended Tuesday by marching with signs through Downtown San Diego after a day of protesting across the County. The event was part of a larger national effort by the Service Employees International Union, in over 20 cities in the U.S.

The local protest was put on by local unions and organizers from "Fight for Fifteen."

"Fifteen dollars an hour won't be until 2022 and right now it's ten-fifty an hour and that's poverty wages," said Mickey Kasparian, President of the San Diego Imperial Counties Labor Council.

While the protests were largely peaceful, there were reports of arrests across the country.

About 25 protesters were arrested in lower Manhattan after linking arms and sitting on a lower Manhattan street. They were among about 350 people at the rally. Participants chanted "We shall not be moved" and waved signs that read "We won't back down" and "Strike for $15 and our future."

Workers across Chicago, including at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, began to walk off the job over union rights and an hourly wage of $15.

About 500 workers at O'Hare committed to strike on Tuesday. They include cabin cleaners, janitors, wheelchair attendants and baggage handlers. The workers are employed by private contractors. Strike organizers say many work for minimum wage. They're trying to unionize with the help of Service Employees International Union Local 1.

Organizers say they expect delays and disruption, particularly for United and American airlines. But Chicago Department of Aviation officials say they don't anticipate disruptions.

Thirty-four Boston-area workers were arrested after protesters gathered in Central Square in Cambridge, at Logan International Airport.

In Los Angeles, the first protest began at 6 a.m. in downtown L.A. with another rally scheduled for noon at Airport and Century boulevards just east of Los Angeles International Airport. Officers made several arrests. 

In San Diego, the protesters chanted "Si se puede" and held up signs demanding an increase in the minimum wage. They argue $10.50 is not enough money to live in a city with such a high cost of living.

"Considering the fact that I do have things such as rent, I guess $10.50 would be okay if I don't have those things but unfortunately I do," said fast-food employee Bobby Jones.

In the City of San Diego, all employers must pay each employee $10.50 an hour worked under the current minimim wage ordinance. That wage will increase to $11.50 on January 1, 2017. That is $.50 higher than the minimum wage under state law.

Rev. Beth Johnson with the Interfaith coalition for Worker Justice marched with the group.

"The disparity between what the CEO's get and what the workers get it's phenomenal," Johnson said. "It's not going to hurt them to pay a living wage."

In a statement, McDonald's spokesperson Terri Hickey said the company, " takes seriously our role in helping strengthen communities as we and our franchisees separately employ hundreds of thousands of people, providing many with their very first job."

She went on to say the company supports employees as they finish their education and develop the skills necessary to start a career within or outside the restaurant chain.



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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OB Holiday Parade to Include 30-Second Wedding

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A 30-second wedding ceremony, bagpipes and unicycles are among the sights to see at this year’s Ocean Beach Holiday Parade, trekking down the heart of the beachside community Saturday night.

The free 37th annual parade starts on "OB time," about 5 minutes after 5 p.m. in the business district at the intersection of Newport Avenue and Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. The route continues west down Newport until it reaches the OB Tree, a 30-foot Christmas tree planted in the sand on the beach at the end of the street.

The colorful procession includes floats, a fleet of classic cars, Celtic bagpipe performers, San Diego Roller Derby stars, marching bands and kids on unicycles, plus a cameo from Santa Claus.

But the quirkiest feature of this year’s parade in the free-spirited OB community will be the quickie wedding of Ocean Beach native John Ambert, the Chair of the OB Planning Board.

Parade organizers say Ambert will be married to his fiancée in a 30-second ceremony as their float reaches the end of Newport Avenue near the OB Tree.

“Our parade is one of Ocean Beach’s favorite holiday traditions,” said Melyssa Roark, Community Relations Chair for the Ocean Beach Town Council, in a press release. “We are working hard to make this year’s event our best one ever, and having a wedding ceremony incorporated into the parade only adds to the excitement.”

This year’s parade theme is “Year of the Pier with Holiday Cheer,” a nod to the 50th anniversary of the centerpiece of Ocean Beach: the OB Pier, the longest pier in Southern California.

For a map of the parade route, click here.



Photo Credit: Ocean Beach Town Council
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Helping Carlsbad Family with Home Warranty Repairs

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A Carlsbad mom says her family struggled with sweltering temperatures this past summer after their home’s air conditioning unit broke. 

The Kisch family says they were excited about their new Carlsbad home when they moved to San Diego this year. But within a few months, the young family says they couldn’t sleep in their upstairs bedrooms. 

“Our showers are upstairs so we shower quickly and then we come back down because it’s been unbearably hot,” Tracy Kisch said. 

Tracy said two months after her family moved in, their air conditioner quit working. Kisch said her home came with a one-year home warranty under the company Old Republic Home Protection. She contacted them and they sent out a contractor to fix the broken air conditioner. 

But that didn’t stop the Kisch’s problems. 

“It had been at least a week where water was excessively leaking while the unit had been running,” Tracy said. 

The leaking water from the replaced air conditioner caused water damage to Tracy’s roof. Tracy said Old Republic Home Protection told her it was the contractor’s fault who installed the new A-C Unit and that Tracy should contact them for assistance. 

The contractor said it wasn’t their fault and blamed it on a defective air conditioner. 

“They kind of kept pushing us off on the warranty company and then the warranty company kept pushing us off on the contractor,” Tracy said. 

Tracy says all this was happening in the heat of the summer and the family was sleeping on an air mattress downstairs and using a portable crib. 

“It’s been stressful on us, having the baby and having dogs and just being confined into one area of our house, it’s been super stressful,” Tracy said. 

With nothing changing, Tracy decided to contact NBC 7 Responds. 

The day after NBC 7 Responds contacted Old Republic Home Protection, the warranty company contacted Tracy. Old Republic Home Protection hired a second contractor to replace her air conditioner and fix the damage left by the first contractor. 

NBC 7 Responds reached out to Old Republic Home Protection by phone and email for comment regarding the Kisch’s situation but no one from the company has gotten back to us.

Large Construction Project Could Benefit Lagoons in Area

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Could a multi-year, $700 million construction project right in the middle of multiple San Diego lagoons actually be beneficial to those wetland areas?

The Director of the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy says yes.

“Our organization looking at this saw a major opportunity, knowing that the end result is a positive for the lagoon,” said Doug Gibson.

A big benefit is the improved flow of ocean water in the San Elijo Lagoon. The current railroad tracks and freeway bridges hinder the movement of salt water. Gibson says the old bridges were not designed with the environment in mind.

“Redesigning bridges with the environment in mind can help focus flows and increase the in and out capability of water,” he said.

Gibson also claims the current railroad bridge has creosote-soaked wood that releases harmful toxins.

Increased water flow will benefit thousands of plant and animal species in the lagoon, and it will also expand their habitat into the eastern, inland areas of the lagoon, Gibson said. 

Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said this project will “improve the environment and leave it better when we’re done, rather than worse off when we’re done.”

The North Coast Corridor Project will also contribute $80 million to other environmental improvements and coastal research.

“We’re going to be able to monitor and track climate change and sea level rise, and how they impact the coastal system,” Gibson said. 

Aztec Trio Wins Mountain West Awards

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The Mountain West football regular season is over and a trio of San Diego State Aztecs swept the conference Player of the Year awards for the second straight year.

It comes as no surprise that senior running back Donnel Pumphrey was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year again. The Las Vegas native is the first running back in MW history to take home the award twice.

Pumphrey set a school mark in rushing yards per season this year with 1,908 and is closing in on the NCAA all-time rushing record. He also has a team-high 26 catches for 205 yards. Pumphrey is a finalist for the Doak Walker Award that goes to the top running back in the nation and semifinalist for the Maxwell Award for college player of the year and the Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year award.

Cornerback Damontae Kazee took home Mountain West Defensive player of the year for the second time and became the first cornerback to take home the award twice. Kazee ranks second in the MW in interceptions per game (0.42) and recorded 54 tackles, six pass breakups and scored a touchdown this season.

Rashaad Penny rounds out the Aztecs award winning trio. The return specialist took home Special Teams Player of the Year honors once more. Penny returned 16 kicks for 462 yards for the Aztecs in the regular season including two kick return touchdowns. He’s seventh in the nation in kick return average with 28.8 and leads the MW.

Man Donates $1K to Couple Who Had Belongings Stolen

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A couple is getting a helping hand from strangers after their trailer was stolen outside of their apartment complex in El Cajon right after they moved to San Diego County.

On Sunday morning, Maria and Nathaniel Castro's locked trailer filled with furniture and woodwork was stolen.

"We were too tired to unload and we were just thinking, you know it's a safe place," Maria Castro told NBC 7.

The couple says most of everything they owned was inside the trailer, including their passports and social security cards. 

Jeffrey Richmond heard the Castro's story on NBC 7 and said he felt like he had to do something to help. His company, Kushy Punch makes it a point to give back to charities during the holidays.

This time, they donated $1,000 to the Castro's.

"I can put myself in their shoes and imagine the anxiety that they're going through and it's unreal. I just feel so bad," Richmond said.

Richmond met the couple for the first time on Tuesday and they were moved to tears by his generosity.

"It's really amazing. I've been trying to keep it together but I'm just really happy that you did this," Castro said.

The couple told NBC 7, this will really help them get back on their feet. they said they are planning to use it to buy furniture for their apartment.

In La Mesa, a man saw the story and reached out to NBC 7 to offer help to the Castro's on Tuesday.

"You've got your whole life in your van, in the back of your U-Haul, wherever, so for someone to just take off with that, that's pretty low," said Tommy Tomeny.

Tomeny is offering furniture and other household items to the Castro's.

San Diego County Sheriff's Department is investgating the theft. There are no leads on the trailer nor the stolen belongings.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Calif. Jail Escapee Caught

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Law enforcement sources close to the investigation tell NBC News that 26-year-old Laron Desean Campbell, one of the Santa Clara County jailbreak suspects, was apprehended late Tuesday without incident in Antioch.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office later confirmed the escaped inmate was captured. Sources tell NBC News Campbell was arrested by U.S. Marshals.

Campbell will be booked into Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County and then will be transported back to the Santa Clara County Main Jail, sources said.

The Sheriff's Office has planned a news conference for late Wednesday morning at its headquarters to provide further details of Campbell's arrest.

Meanwhile, authorities continue to search for the other escaped inmate, 33-year-old Rogelio Chavez of San Jose.

Campbell and Chavez made a daring escape from Santa Clara County Main Jail on Thanksgiving Eve, using bedsheets to rappel down their second-story jail cell window.

Chavez stands about 6 feet tall, weighs 190 pounds and has the letter B tattooed on the left side of his neck. He also has a line tattooed over his left eye.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Rich Glennon said Chavez was held since Aug. 17 on various charges including burglary, extortion, false imprisonment, resisting arrest, and firearms violations.



Photo Credit: Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
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Carlsbad City Council Approves Raising Water Rates

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Residents in Carlsbad will start to pay more for their water after the City Council approves a hike on Tuesday night, a spokesperson for the City confirmed.

The council approved a 4.85 percent hike, which is approximately $5 per household.

According to the Carlsbad Municipal Water District, the rate hike is needed to cover the increasing costs of imported water and pay for water from the new desalination plant.

The city purchases its water from the San Diego County Water Authority. 

The rate hike will be effective beginning January 1, 2017.

A spokesperson for the City of Carlsbad says even with the hike, Carlsbad’s rates are in the lower third in the country.



Photo Credit: Consumer Bob

House Dems to Vote on Leadership as Pelosi Faces Challenger

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House Democrats will decide Wednesday if they want to give Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi another term or if they want to pass the gavel to Rep. Tim Ryan, NBC News reported. Ryan poses a long-shot, but serious challenge to her leadership post, the first she has faced since 2010. 

In a closed-door election, the 194-member Democratic caucus will decide the race between Pelosi and Ryan as well as other top positions that will help steer the Democrats for the next two years. The election was originally expected to take place November 17, but Pelosi was forced to move the date to November 30 because of pushback from some members of her caucus who wanted more time to process the party's Election Day defeat. 

Ryan stepped up to challenge Pelosi after Democrats picked up just six seats on November 8 — far fewer than expected. He says that Pelosi and her team, also in their mid-70s, have served their time and that new leadership and new ideas are needed. 

"We are not winning elections," Ryan told NBC News Wednesday, pointing to the loss of nearly 60 seats in the past six years. "There is just no easy way to say this. When I talk to my colleagues, I said, 'Look, this is that uncomfortable family discussion you need to have, like when your parents or spouse tells you something you really don't want to hear but down deep you know it's right.'"



Photo Credit: AP

Mitt Romney Praises President-elect Trump After Dinner

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Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney offered effusive praise for President-elect Donald Trump's "impressive" transition effort and "message of inclusion" following their dinner together Tuesday night — a striking change of heart by a man who once called Donald Trump "a phony, a fraud." 

The dinner was Romney's second meeting with Trump as part of the president-elect's interview process for deciding who to nominate as Secretary of State, NBC News reported. Romney remains a top contender, along with longtime Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Bob Corker and several others. Trump also met with Corker on Tuesday at Trump Tower.

Speaking to reporters gathered at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan, Romney gushed about the "wonderful" evening he had with the president-elect, where they were joined by incoming Trump Chief of Staff Reince Priebus as they dined on steak, frog legs and scallops. 

Romney described the dinner's conversation as "enlightening and interesting and engaging," before going on to praise the president-elect for besting him in the race for the White House.



Photo Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Alabama Tornado Slams Church and Daycare; 3 Dead: Officials

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A tornado killed at least three people, NBC News reported, when it slammed into northeastern Alabama early Wednesday, authorities said. 

Four other people were also critically injured after a 24-hour daycare center was "completely destroyed" in Idler in DeKalb County, according to the National Weather Service and local sheriff's office.

All three victims died in one home, Jackson County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen told NBC News. 

A baptist church and a plaza were among the 15 to 20 buildings in Rosalie that were destroyed just after midnight local time, he added.



Photo Credit: Jake Berent, WAFF

Phase One of North Coast Corridor Kicks Off

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A $6 billion project to reduce traffic congestion along the Interstate 5 between Solana Beach, Encinitas and Carlsbad kicked off on Tuesday.

The Build NCC project, spearheaded by Caltrans and SANDAG, along with local and state leaders, began construction on the first phase for the North Coast Corridor Program.

The program includes some of the following changes:

 

  • 14 miles of carpool lanes on I-5 between Solana Beach and northern Carlsbad.
  • 2.25 miles of new double track across the San Elijo and Batiquitos lagoons.
  • Construction of two new separated bike and pedestrian paths at the I-5/Encinitas Boulevard and Santa Fe Drive interchanges.
  • 10 miles of new North Coast Bike Trail
  • More than 200 acres of enhanced or preserved coastal habitat.

 

"As the region continues to grow, it is critical our leaders look to increase transportation choices that address our future needs, and Build NCC represents just that,” said SANDAG Board Chairman Ron Roberts.

The project is also expected to invest in preserving the coastal resources in San Diego County, including resoring the San Elijo Lagoon.

“Our coastal lagoons are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna and are enjoyed by thousands on a daily basis. The NCC Program will ensure that these resources can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come," said Doug Gibson, Executive Director of San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center.

According to Caltrans, more than 700,000 daily trips are made on the Interstate 5.

While critics say the project will not do enough to ease traffic congestion since most people commute alone, Caltrans says the addition of carpool, pedestrian and bike lanes will counter that.

2 Pit Bulls Accused of Mauling Horse Still Not Located

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Two pit bulls who the San Diego Humane Society says are responsible for mauling a family horse to death have still have not been located, days after the attack.

The attack happened Saturday around 9 p.m. off Woodland Parkway when the family heard an unfamiliar bark outside their family's home on Fulton Road in San Marcos. 

Bill Barclay said he heard dogs in his backyard and ran out right away, where he saw them attacking his beloved horse, Smokey. 

He attempted to beat the dogs off with a shovel, but they continued to attack.

When Barclay went to get a gun, the dogs took off. By then, Smokey was gravely injured.

His daughter, Michelle Barclay, says her father was very close to Smokey.

“It was really traumatic for him to see him like that,” she said. Smokey’s injuries were so grave he had to be put down following the attack. 

Flowers, balloons and some of Smokey’s favorite treats rest outside the corral that the beloved horse occupied for nearly 15 years. Now, neighbors are coming by on Fulton Road share their grief.

Smokey was a familiar sight around San Marcos. Bill would ride him around the neighborhood and he would often be spotted pulling a buggy through the streets.  

“People would come to visit Smokey bring him apples and carrots so he was quite popular in the neighborhood,” Michelle said.

Additionally, Bill Barclay was an extra in several movies, including Back to the Future 3, where Smokey played a role as well. 

As the family grieved the loss of their beloved horse, they learned the two dogs responsible - who initially escaped - were picked up by a woman who lived nearby. The dogs were bloody and appeared injured, the family said. 

The family contacted Escondido Humane Society officials, who picked up the dogs and took them to a nearby emergency vet hospital, where the micro-chipped pit bulls were tracked to their owner.

The owner arrived and took them home. The owner was cooperating with officials, but since they went home with the woman, there has been no sighting of the dogs. 

The San Diego Human Society’s Chief of Humane Law Enforcement, Steve MacKinnon, explained what happened. 

“After being picked up from the hospital, due to some errors at the home, the dogs were allowed to escape once more,” he said, adding that it was the owner's responsibility to make sure the dogs were contained. 

Michelle Barclay says she can’t believe the dogs could be loose once again.

“I've never heard in all my life dogs who attacked a horse and killed it," she said. "And the community is very concerned, there are a lot of people out here, around here, to walk their dogs and obviously there's children with a school right behind us.”

San Diego Humane Society's Kelli Schry said officers are searching for the dogs. Once they are found, a medical team will see if the dogs are a match to the ones who attacked the horse. 

Anyone with information on the dogs is asked to call San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement division at (619) 243-3466.

Escondido Humane Society


Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bri Valdivia

Former City Council President Will Not Face Charges: Atty.

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Former City Council President Tony Young will not face criminal charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident, San Diego City Attorney spokesman Gerry Braun said. 

Young was arrested on Aug. 16, 2016 at his Valencia Park home on multiple charges: domestic violence battery, brandishing a weapon, and a misdemeanor charge of making a threat.

San Diego Police Lieutenant Misty Cedrun said the alleged weapon involved was not a gun or a knife, and that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the incident.

It’s not the first report of a domestic violence incident at the former councilman’s home.

San Diego Police were called to his home on Feb. 16, 2009 for a report of a domestic violence incident, but no arrest was made.

Officers arrived at Young’s home at 11:26 a.m. on President’s Day, according to an incident report.

That report states Young and his wife were having a fight, but she did not want to report if he had hit her.

Following Young's August arrest, the District Attorney's office sent the case to the City Attorney's office for review and possible prosecution. 

Spokesman Braun said they found insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges. 

Braun said Young's former position as a council member and current role as a lobbyist did not have an effect on the review of the case. 

Man Sentenced in Murder of Marine's Wife Found in Mine Shaft

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A former Marine was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole after the body of a fellow Southern California Marine’s wife was discovered at the bottom of a mine shaft, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office announced Tuesday.

Christopher Brandon Lee, 27, was found guilty Nov. 3 of one felony count of murder in the death of 19-year-old Erin Corwin. Tuesday he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole with a sentencing enhancement of "having intentionally killed the victim by means of lying in wait."

Lee confessed to strangling the 19-year-old woman and tossing her body into a desert mine shaft just outside Twentynine Palms.

Lee pleaded not guilty to killing Erin Corwin, the wife of another Marine, in June of 2014.

But a few days ago at trial, Lee said he strangled Corwin in a fit of anger and threw the body down a 140-foot-deep abandoned mine shaft near Joshua Tree National Park.

"I'm no longer scared to tell the truth. People have to know what I did," Lee testified in San Bernardino County Superior Court.

Friends told investigators that Corwin believed she was pregnant and Lee might be the father. Authorities say Lee wanted to hide the affair.

Lee testified that he was angry because he suspected Corwin had molested his daughter.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.



Photo Credit: ocate Erin Facebook page

‘Jungle Bells’ Returns to San Diego Zoo

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‘Tis the season of twinkling lights, jolly carols and merrymaking at the San Diego Zoo as the annual “Jungle Bells” celebration returns this holiday season.

The 2016 Jungle Bells presented by California Coast Credit Union runs from Dec. 10 through Jan. 2, and will transform the San Diego Zoo into a wild winter wonderland filled with holiday-themed programming, decorations, festive foods and live performances.

Jungle Bells attractions this year include the “Twinkle Light Trolley,” which takes visitors on a tour of animal light sculptures and other surprises. The trolley leaves every 15 minutes from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. daily. Meanwhile, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily, visitors can trek through trees glowing in lights to visit the zoo’s winter-loving animals at the Northern Frontier’s Holiday Forest.

There’s also Santa’s Igloo – located at Skyfari East on Front Street – where the kids can stop by for a visit and photo with a jolly old elf. That attraction will be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 10 through Dec. 16; Noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 17 through Dec. 24 and on Christmas Day; Noon to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

On the Front Street Stage, visitors can partake in Reindeer Games, at 5:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. daily, inspired by the fun, cheery games played by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends, including hula-hooping and a little jig dubbed the “Reindeer Dance.”

Live music during Jungle Bells includes performances from the Jingle Brass band, taking the Front Street Stage daily at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The caroling group, The Tinseltones, will sing a capella at 6 p.m. at the Wegeforth Bowl.

Special holiday-themed programming includes Dr. Zoolittle’s “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” at the Koalafornia Boardwalk at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily. Also “The Journey,” a show that uses huge puppets and stilt walkers to tell the 100-year history of the San Diego Zoo, will trek down Front Street, all aglow for the season.

Throughout Jungle Bells, Albert’s Restaurant at the zoo will offer seasonal specials from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on drinks and appetizers.

The San Diego Zoo will extend its daily hours during Jungle Bells – from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. – so visitors can enjoy the lights at night. On Christmas Eve, the zoo will be open until 5 p.m., with no Jungle Bells activities that day.

Jungle Bells activities are included in the price of admission to the zoo or with a zoo membership.

To check out the full list of the holiday activities, click here.



Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo

Saudi Prince: It's Time to Let Women Drive

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A member of the Saudi royal family issued a public call for women to be allowed to drive in the conservative kingdom, calling the longstanding ban "unjust."

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal took to Twitter late Tuesday, writing in Arabic and English: "Stop the debate: Time for women to drive." His tweet included a link to an opinion article arguing for the change that cited economic, social and religious considerations.

Alwaleed does not hold a formal position in the Saudi government but is an influential and wealthy business magnate. The billionaire leads the Riyadh-based investment firm Kingdom Holding Company, which holds stakes in several Western companies, including Twitter, Citigroup and Euro Disney theme park.

"Preventing a woman from driving a car is today an issue of rights similar to the one that forbade her from receiving an education or having an independent identity," Alwaleed said.

"They are all unjust acts by a traditional society, far more restrictive than what is lawfully allowed by the precepts of religion."

He also detailed the economic costs of women having to rely on private drivers or taxis, since public transit is not a viable alternative in the kingdom. Not only is the expenditure a financial burden to families who have seen revenues diminish in today's economy, Alwaleed argues, but using foreign drivers drains billions of dollars from the Saudi economy, he said.

Saudi Arabia follows an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam. It is the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive, and women's rights activists have been detained for defying the ban.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: AP

Ohio State Attacker Visited DC

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Days before an 18-year-old man plowed his car into pedestrians and stabbed people on the Ohio State University campus, he visited Washington, D.C., and bought a knife, sources tell NBC News and NBC 4 New York.

Abdul Razak Ali Artan visited D.C. late last week and bought a knife at a Home Depot store there, law enforcement officials said. 

Investigators said they do not know if Artan was planning an attack in D.C.

"It's a mystery at this point. Was he planning to do something here? Was it something else? We simply don't know," one official said.

D.C. has one Home Depot store, located on the 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE. A man there who said he was a manager said he had not been contacted by law enforcement officials. 

Officials have said Artan bought another knife at a Walmart store in Columbus Monday morning, before he began the attack at Ohio State shortly before 10 a.m.

Officials said they do not know which knife he used in the attack that injured 11 people.

The FBI said Wednesday that it "appears" Artan was inspired by radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, but cautioned that that conclusion was based on a Facebook post he wrote. 

"We don't yet know if he watched propaganda videos," one official said.

The effort to go through Artan's social media pages and electronic devices is in the early stages.

Stay with News4 for more details this developing story.



Photo Credit: Columbus State Community College / YouTube
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