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Oakland Building Fire Among US's Deadliest in 50 Years

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Dozens of people were killed Friday when an Oakland warehouse that was used as an unsanctioned residence and event space went up in flames.

The death toll at "The Ghost Ship," as the warehouse was called, is the seventh highest of any building fire in the last 50 years, NBC News reported. Thirty-six bodies have been recovered, with more expected to come.

The two deadliest fires came after massive explosions: The September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the bombing in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. The buildings burned after the initial blasts in both instances, killing more.

The next deadliest building blaze took place nearly 40 years ago, leaving 165 dead at a supper club in Kentucky in May 1977. And fires at a night club, social club and a Las Vegas casino also left more dead than in Oakland.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

California Considers Bills to Protect Immigrants Under Trump

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California lawmakers are planning bills to help protect immigrants from an expected increase in immigration enforcement under President-elect Donald Trump.

Lawmakers on Monday are expected to introduce a resolution committing the state to protecting its immigrant population. They are also expected to introduce bills to provide attorneys to immigrants in deportation proceedings and help public defenders weigh the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.

The moves come as the nation’s most populous state prepares for tougher immigration enforcement promised by Trump during the presidential campaign.

Immigrant advocates say state bills are also being considered to limit federal immigration enforcement and protect immigrants’ information in state databases.

U.S. Census Bureau data shows California has more than 10 million foreign-born residents.

Both houses of the California legislature have Democratic supermajorities.



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Dakota Pipeline Protesters Remain Wary of What's to Come

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Celebrations followed in the wake of the federal government’s announcement Sunday that it would not permit the completion of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, who lives on land adjacent to the construction project, and the thousands who’d gathered in Cannon Ball, N.D., to protest the pipeline saw Sunday’s news as a victory.

But some say they’re celebrating with caution, as NBC News reports, because with a new presidential administration right around the corner, the federal government may change its position.

President-elect Donald Trump, who has been shown to have financial ties to the pipeline construction company, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, would have the power to impact or change Sunday’s decision.



Photo Credit: Scott Olson, Getty Images

Judge: Prosecutors Can Use Bill Cosby's Deposition at Trial

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Damaging testimony that Bill Cosby gave in an accuser's lawsuit, including admissions that he gave young women drugs and alcohol before sex, can be used at his criminal sex assault trial, a judge ruled Monday.

The defense had insisted that Cosby only testified after being promised he wouldn't be charged over his 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand. But his lawyers at the time never had an immunity agreement or put anything in writing.

"This court concludes that there was neither an agreement nor a promise not to prosecute, only an exercise of prosecutorial discretion," Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill wrote in his ruling.

Cosby, 79, acknowledged in the 2006 deposition that he had a string of extramarital relationships with young women. He called them consensual, but many of the women say they were drugged and molested.

The release of the deposition testimony last year prompted prosecutors to reopen Constand's 2005 criminal complaint.

Cosby, asked about the 2004 encounter at his home with Constand, described being on his couch and putting his hand down her pants.

"I don't hear her say anything. And I don't feel her say anything. And so I continue and I go into the area that is somewhere between permission and rejection. I am not stopped," he testified.

Prosecutors describe Constand as being semiconscious after Cosby gave her three unmarked blue pills for stress.

The ruling on the deposition is one of two key pretrial issues that will determine the scope of the evidence against Cosby at trial. The other question is how many other accusers will be allowed to testify in prosecutors' attempt to show a pattern of similar conduct. Prosecutors hope to call 13 additional women who say they were assaulted by Cosby as far back as the 1960s. Two days of arguments on that issue are set for next week.

The release of the deposition testimony last year prompted prosecutors in suburban Philadelphia to reopen accuser Constand's criminal complaint and charge Cosby with felony sexual assault.

O'Neill has suggested that Cosby's decision to testify at the deposition could have been strategic. The actor -- known as America's Dad for his top-rated family sitcom, "The Cosby Show," which ran from 1984 to 1992 -- could have invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself. But jurors would have heard of that decision if the case went to trial.

Cosby instead settled Constand's lawsuit, for an undisclosed amount, after finishing four days of testimony about his extramarital affairs, his friendship with Constand and other topics.

In another excerpt, Cosby described a phone call with Constand's mother a year later, when he refused to say what the pills were.

"I'm not going to argue with somebody's mother who is accusing me of something," he testified. "And I'm apologizing because I'm thinking this is a dirty old man with a young girl. I apologized. I said to the mother it was digital penetration."

Cosby also described getting seven prescriptions for quaaludes in the 1970s, which he said he kept on hand to give women he hoped to seduce, "the same as a person would say, 'Have a drink.'"

Constand had met Cosby at Temple University when she managed the women's basketball team. He was a prominent booster and university trustee. She went to police in 2005 to report that he had sexually assaulted after taking what Cosby described as an herbal product.

The defense will fight strenuously to block the testimony of the other women, arguing that their accounts are vague, decades old and impossible to defend. They also say Cosby is legally blind and can no longer recognize his accusers or help with the defense.



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Children's Nature Retreat Offers Up-Close Animal Experience

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A new haven for animals is now open in Alpine.

The Children's Nature Retreat is home to about 80 animals, which include ostriches, zebras, camels, horses, cows, alpacas, goats, watusis, zebus, and a dexter.

Visitors can walk right up to the animals, to pet and feed them.

Fifteen animal species roam inside large enclosures on 20 acres of land, designed to mimic their native environments.

The retreat, which opened in November, is the result of a three-year endeavor by Agnes Barrelet, who wanted to share her love of animals and children with other people.

"All our animals are tamed. They want to be with people because of the way we treat them," said Barrelet. "We talk to them, we respect them, and they have a lot of respect for humans as well."

Most were in need of a home or medical care.

"If we can help them, if we can host them, we will take them," said Barrelet.

San Diego resident Sharon Regano heard about the retreat from her nieces, and brought her daughter to check it out.

They especially liked feeding hay to the two camels, Sheba and Banfora, rescued from a farm in Oklahoma.

"I would have never thought I would got this close to (a camel)," said Regano, who also liked walking through the retreat's quiet surroundings.

"I like that it's close, but you don't feel like you're in the city," added Regano.

The retreat has hosted several school field trips with O'Farrell Charter school in Encanto, and is organizing more excursions with other local schools.

Barrelet said the barn yard was a favorite among the children during their visit.

They were allowed to go inside the enclosure, which houses rabbits, chickens, and pot-bellied pigs, under the supervision of an animal keeper.

"That's what I want, for people to experience this connection that you can have with our animals," said Barrelet.

Some of the animals are especially affectionate. A 7-month-old Alpaca, named Neopolitan, sometimes shares a kiss with visitors upon request.

The pot-bellied pigs love having their bellies rubbed, and roll on the ground when they get that kind of attention.

The animals are fed organic sprouted barley, along with their regular diet. The fodder is grown on a hydroponic system at the farm.

The equipment can produce approximately 400 pounds of sprouted barley a day from 40 pounds of grain.

Twelve people now work at the Children's Nature Retreat, taking care of the animals and working on a number of projects needed at a new farm.

Workers have already planted an organic garden, and are preparing the soil for a vegetable garden in the spring.

Soon, they will carve out ponds inside the enclosures.

Right now, the workers are building shelters for the animals who like to sleep outside, and as a protective cover when it rains.

Over the next couple of years, the retreat will add an outdoor campground, so visitors can spend the night, and see the animals as they start and end their day.

"I was fortunate enough to be in the internet industry when it was the right time," said Barrelet. "After that, I wanted to give back."



Photo Credit: May Tjoa, NBC 7

'Newer' Red Corvette Used in North County Robbery: SDPD

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The man wanted for robbing a North County gas station Sunday drove away from the crime scene in a “newer red Corvette,” San Diego Police said.

The suspect wore a blue bandana over his face with a black T-shirt, blue jeans and black shoes when he entered the Chevron gas station on Rancho Carmel Drive. The station is located just east of Interstate 15 and south of Carmel Mountain Road.

He was described as 5-feet, 11-inches tall with a thin build and a short, “buzz” haircut.

The robbery took place just before 9:30 p.m. and the suspect drove away from the gas station in the red Corvette.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or the suspect’s getaway can call SDPD through the non-emergency lines at (619) 531-2000 or (858) 484-3154.

No other information was immediately available.

Stormtrooper Misses the Mark in Police Recruitment Ad

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Is the police force with you? Well, intergalactic combat experience may not be enough to qualify as a candidate for the Fort Worth Police Department, at least according to a new recruitment video.

The clip features an officer attempting to teach a stormtrooper how to shoot. He finds the trooper's lack of accuracy disturbing.

"Stop jerking the trigger," the officer says before firing a series of rounds into the dead center of the target.

The department is capitalizing on the excitement over the upcoming release of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" to draw applicants to its next civil service exams, which are scheduled for Jan. 10-11.

It's not the first time the department used "Star Wars" to help with recruitment. Last year police posted a video that showed Darth Vader interviewing for a position

El Centro Border Patrol Agents Seize 25 Pounds of Meth

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Border Patrol agents from the El Centro sector seized 25.02 pounds of meth from a Mexican national at the Highway 86 Checkpoint in Indio Sunday.

The seizure and arrest happened around 2:30 p.m. when a 26-year-old man drove up to the checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 alerted the officials, and he was sent for a second inspection where the K-9 discovered the drugs under the rocker panels of the Chevrolet.

After searching the vehicle they found 20 plastic wrapped bundles which tested positive for meth.

“This seizure not only denies Transnational Criminal Organizations the money and resources needed to continue their illicit activities but also helps keep our communities safe,” said David S. Kim, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $80,064.

The man, the drugs and his car were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Oakland Warehouse Fire Recovery

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The search for victims in the charred wreckage of an Oakland warehouse resumed on Monday after a brief break due to safety concerns, with 36 bodies recovered so far in what's become the city's deadliest blaze.  

Authorities have tentatively identified 33 of the bodies, officials said at a news conference Monday afternoon. The families of 16 victims have been notified and five more are pending notification that their loved ones were among the dozens killed.

The death toll from the "Ghost Ship" warehouse that burned down Friday is expected to rise as firefighters continue a painstaking search for victims. Flames quickly consumed the converted East Oakland warehouse during a dance party, leaving the structure a mess of blistered wood and twisted steel.

Seventeen names have been released to the public, while many others were witheld so that families can take a moment to grieve, Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Tya Modeste said at a news conference early Monday. One of the dead includes the son of a sheriff's deputy.

Three of the victims were foreigners from Finland, Korea and Guatemala, officials said.

The investigation into the fire and recovery of the bodies from the illegally converted warehouse on East 31st Avenue resumed Monday morning after it was temporarily suspended Sunday night because of an unstable wall that was deemed dangerous, Oakland Fire Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton said early Monday.

Drayton said Monday it appeared the "extremely hot fire" may have started in the back of the building and burned underneath the dance floor.

"We've got some areas where the steel is actually twisted and wrapped," she said.

Power was shut down at noon Monday to PG&E customers in the surrounding area so that a crane and large equiptment, which could hit power lines, could be moved to conduct work at the warehouse. It was expected to last for about 12 hours.

The fire ripped through the warehouse on Friday about 11:30 p.m. and the cause remains unknown, but occupants saying the place was a "deathtrap," littered with junk, electrical wires and butane cooking tanks. Artists, musicians and mostly 20-somethings had gathered for an electronic dance party, one of countless such gatherings throughout Oakland over the years.

The warehouse was an artist's "labyrinth" full of art, wooden structures, tapestries, musical equipment and other relics. People had been illegally living and partying there, according to witness statements, interviews and records.

The blaze burned for hours and has cast a pall over the entire California Bay Area. Survivors described chaos inside the building as flames quickly burned through the two-story space. The power cut out and smoke filled the halls.

"I feel like it was 30 seconds from when I looked down the hall to when it was pretty much engulfed. It was so fast," warehouse resident Nikki Kelber recalled.

She and a friend, Carmen Brito, were able to get out of the building along with others.

"We all looked out for each other, we all helped each other," Brito said of the people who lived at the space.

President Barack Obama sent prayers Monday to the victims of the "awful tragedy" and their families, and said his administration was ready to assist local and state agencies.

"While we still don't know the full toll of this disaster, we do know that an American community has been devastated, and many people – including young men and women with their whole futures ahead of them – have tragically lost their lives," Obama said in a statement.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office on Sunday into possible criminal negligence.

District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said Monday her office has sent a team to search for evidence of a crime in the warehouse, but has not yet determined whether a crime even occurred. She said potential charges could range from involuntary manslaughter to murder.

O'Malley said anyone with information about the warehouse and the people living there can call a hotline the DA's Office has set up at 877-288-2882.

Many in the artist's community are now focusing their anger at Derick Ion Almena, the founder of the collective who escaped the fire. His wife and children were at a hotel when the fire broke out.

Almena also has a criminal history.

People had long complained to Almena that his enclave was unsafe, and he had simply laughed it off, according to many comments on a now-deleted Facebook post.

Immediately after the fire, he had written to lament the fact that "everything I had worked so hard for is gone." Facebook users excoriated him for not being sensitive to the loss of life.

On Monday, he sent a statement to NBC News that read: "In my previous Facebook post, I had no idea there was a loss of life. This tragic event consumes me every moment. My heart is broken. My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends who have suffered the loss of loved ones."

The deadliest fire in Oakland history until Friday, the Oakland Hills Firestorm, took place in 1991, when about 3,000 homes were destroyed and 25 people killed.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area
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Jahi Turner's Mother Testifies in Pretrial Hearing

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Fourteen years after the disappearance of 2-year-old Jahi Turner, San Diego prosecutors present evidence alleging the toddler's stepfather was responsible for the boy's death.

Among the evidence was a nearly 12-minute 911 call made to report Jahi missing on April 25, 2002. Listen to the full 911 call here.

The child was being cared for by his stepfather Tieray Jones while his mother, Tameka Turner, was deployed aboard USS Rushmore.

Hundreds of volunteers and police officers spent weeks looking for Jahi near the playground at 28th Street and Cedar Street in San Diego's South Park neighborhood. That's where Jones reported the child was last seen.

Law enforcement officers raked through 5,000 tons of garbage at the Miramar Landfill, but came up with nothing.

Tameka Jones testified Monday that she had moved her son from Maryland to San Diego four days before he was reported missing. The family rented an apartment in the Golden Hill area of the city.

Then, Tameka Jones returned to Maryland to report for duty, leaving Jahi in the care of the defendant.

She said that after the cross-country trip, she and Tieray had about $40 in the bank while they waited for moving expenses to be reimbursed by the U.S. Navy.

She testified the defendant spoke with her by phone on Tuesday, April 23, 2002 and told her Jahi had suffered a bump on the forehead.

Detailed in the arrest warrant is a journal entry from that day.

According to the court document, Jones wrote, “Today for some reason he hasn’t been moving or really talking. Jahi is starting to act really funny he won’t get up off the floor. He’s not walking or talking when I tell him to get his cup he just looks at me. I know it’s going to take some time. But I don’t want him hating me for something I can’t control. The bump on his head has gone down I put ice on it. It’s gotten a little red.”

In the arrest warrant, authorities suggest that entry is evidence suggesting Jahi suffered a fatal physical injury while in Jones’ care.

Click here to read the search warrant.

Two days later Tieray called to tell her Jahi had disappeared from a nearby park, Tameka Jones testified.

Jones was arrested in March and charged with one count of murder and one count of felony child abuse causing death, authorities said. Both carry a 25-years-to-life sentence if convicted.

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

Jones' attorney Alex Ozols said in an earlier interview that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

“We believe in Tieray's innocence, we are going to fight for him until the end and we strongly believe that his son is still alive," Ozols said.

Under cross-examination, defense attorneys asked Tameka Jones about police interviews after Jahi's disappearance. She testified that she told officers Tieray Jones took good care of Jahi.

More witnesses were expected to testify Monday afternoon. Check back for updates to this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBC San Diego

Out-of-Control Car Strikes Homeless Man at Bus Stop

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A homeless man resting on a bus stop bench in Chula Vista Sunday was struck by a vehicle and later died from his injuries, police said. The driver involved in the incident faces a murder charge.

The collision occurred at 6:46 p.m. near the intersection of Orange and Third avenues.

Witnesses told police the driver had several collisions in a parking lot after leaving a bar.

When someone confronted the man about the smaller collisions, he sped off at a high rate of speed, witnesses told police.

At that point, the driver's car jumped a curb and struck a bus stop bench. The man sitting on the bench suffered an amputated leg in the collision and died at a nearby hospital, Chula Vista police said.

Faris Zillow, who manages the shopping center at Third and Orange Avenues where the bus stop is situated, says the homeless man often slept nearby.

"Cars come fast," Zillow says. "They can't make it with the curve. Maybe they need to move the bus stop."

Clerk Rony Zoro says he knew the victim for four years. "All the time I take care of him food stuff," Zoro tells NBC 7. "I am really sad - honest." 

Investigators identified the driver as a Nicholas Ramirez, 28, of Imperial Beach with four known previous DUI arrests.

He was booked into San Diego County Jail on charges of murder, manslaughter and DUI according to police.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Oakland Warehouse Operator Grief-Stricken by Tragic Fire

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The founder of the artists' collective at the Ghost Ship warehouse is grief-stricken by the tragic fire that took his home and many of his friends.

Derick Almena leased and operated the warehouse in Oakland where a blaze erupted Friday night during a dance party, leaving at least 36 people dead.

"I'd gladly would give my entire life of fortune, of wealth, of experience again and again," Almena said. "There's nothing more important than the lives lost there."

Almena, 46, said he did not organize or attend the event, which he described as a fusion of art and culture. He said he rented a hotel room Friday evening so that his wife and the couple's three children could get some rest.

City officials said the space was not permitted as a residential building, but Almena said about 20 people lived there. Almena said the group was a collective of young artists called Satya Yuga, and that he was like the group's grandfather.

"The center that we all lived there, was one of creativity, and beauty, and optimism," Almena said.

Almena said police had been in and out of the East Oakland building through the past few years to respond to break-ins and other concerns of the people who lived there.

"They'd come in and walk through our space, and they'd always say, 'Wow, what an amazing space,'" Almena said.

Almena and his wife, Micah Allison, are cooperating with investigators and want to offer their condolences to the victims and their families.

"We're sorry to the families and all the friends that have lost loved ones," Almena said.

Almena is on probation until 2019 after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property, The Associated Press reported. A former landlord accused him of stealing her Airstream trailer.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Alfred Olango's Father Demands Action From SDPD Chief, Mayor

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The father of a San Diego man who was shot and killed by police is demanding City leaders take immediate action on a newly released study regarding police traffic stops.

Richard Olango, father of Alfred Olango who was fatally shot in September, stood with community leaders Monday to publicly ask Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman to address the San Diego Police Department racial profiling data found in a study done by San Diego State University.

The study finds that black and Hispanic drivers are more likely to be searched after a traffic stop than white drivers.

Chief Zimmerman released a statement when the study first came out, saying her department would use recommendations to strengthen relationships with the community.

"If you're a human being you are going to have bias, so we need to make sure at the police department, that with our training, whatever bias anybody has that it never interferes with our fair and impartial policing and our constitutional policing,” she said.

Mayor Faulconer responded to NBC 7, saying in part:

"The City and the Police Department remain committed to implementing the recommendations by building upon current efforts to improve data collection, training and community outreach."

Video of the shooting shows Officer Richard Gonsalves approaching Olango in the parking lot of a strip mall in El Cajon, then firing several rounds just moments later.

El Cajon police said Olango refused multiple instructions to remove his hand from in his pocket before he pulled out an object and held it in front of him “like he would be firing a gun.” The object was later determined to be a vaping smoking device with an all-silver cylinder measuring approximately 1 inch in diameter and 3 inches long.

The officer, a 21-year veteran of the department, was placed on administrative leave, which is routine after an officer-involved shooting.

Lucy Olango, the victim’s sister, has sued the City of El Cajon, saying the police department was negligent in training and supervising Officer Gonsalves.

Olango’s shooting has caused outrage and protests in the weeks since his death.

UCSD Ranks in Top 10 Schools for Grads With Salary Over 100K

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UC San Diego makes the top ten list of public colleges where alumni eventually make six-figure salaries with just a bachelor's degree, according to the university's report.

The website Money.com used data from Payscale to rank UCSD as the fifth best college for students seeking high-paying jobs from an affordable public school, with students making a mid-career salary of $106,000 and an early career salary of $53,700 on average.

Almost two-thirds of UCSD undergraduates receive financial aid and approximately 35 percent of students receive Pell grants.

“UC San Diego offers a world-class education that is accessible and affordable, making our university an upward mobility machine with an economic impact that goes far beyond our region,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, in a statement. 

UCSD faculty, staff and alumni, have launched or produced technology for over 650 companies, including plenty of biotech and technology firms, according to the university.

Nearly 50,000 UCSD alumni live across San Diego County, said the report. Many become CEOs by starting their own businesses, which then contribute to the local economy by producing new products and providing more jobs.

The report highlighted some outstanding alumni including J. Craig Venter, founder and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute and innovator in the genomics field that helps identify and prevent illness, along with Christopher Yanov, Reality Changers founder and president, who raised over $1M to fund scholarships for inner-city youth.

It also noted Ashley Van Zeeland, co-founder and CEO at Cypher Genomics, who is currently conducting groundbreaking research on the genetics of autism, according to UCSD.

The university has been bestowed with numerous accolades recently from a breadth of sources. It's been ranked as No. 1 public university in the nation (Washington Monthly) and 1st in the nation for women graduates in STEM (BestColleges.com).

UCSD was also placed 2nd in the nation for educating low-income students and for its high grad rate of success (Washington, D.C.-based Third Way), 14th best university in the world (2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities) and 7th best public university in the world (Times Higher Education). 

Twenty-nine of UCSD's programs hold top ten rankings nationally and globally, according to the report.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

More Victims From Oakland Fire ID'd

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The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau positively identified 10 more victims of the Oakland warehouse fire late Monday night.

The latest victims names released were Em Bohlka, 33, of Oakland; Micah Danemayer, 28, of Oakland; Chelsea Dolan, 33, of San Francisco; Justin Fritz, 29, of Berkeley; Alex Ghassan, 35, of Oakland; Michela Gregory, 20, of South San Francisco; Edmund Lapine, 34, of Oakland; Jennifer Morris, 21, of Foster City; Benjamin Runnels, 32, of Oakland; and Jennifer Kiyomi Tanouye, 31, of Oakland.

The fire's death toll stood at 36 on Monday, with about 75 percent of the building searched. Officials say they've identified a total of 22 victims and notified their families. They've released 17 names.

An 18th name, Draven McGill, 17, was confirmed Monday by officials at McGill's school in San Francisco. He is the son of an Alameda County Sheriff's deputy.

The seven victims previously identified are Donna Kellogg, 32, of Oakland; Cash Askew, 22, of Oakland; David Cline, 35, of Oakland; Nick Gomez-Hall, 25, of Coronado; Sara Hoda, 30, of Walnut Creek; Travis Hough, 35, of Oakland; and Brandon Chase Wittenauer, 32, of Hayward.

The death toll in the warehouse fire may rise in the coming days, officials said.

Kellogg, one of the first people to be confirmed dead, was going to culinary school and worked at High Wire Roasters coffee shop in Berkeley. Her coworkers learned Sunday night that she was killed in the fire.

Kellogg was a former resident of Chico who graduated from Chico High. One friend described her as a freewheeling, free-spirited, candid person.

Wittenauer, better known by his stage name Nex Iuguolo, was an electronic music artist and vocalist for the band Symbiotix Fungi.

Hough was a musician with the Oakland-based electronic band Ghost of Lightning. Hough often went by the stage name Travis Blitzen.

Askew, another musician, was a member of the Bay Area dream pop band Them Are Us Too.

Gomez-Hall was an administrative assistant at Counterpoint Press who called himself a decomposer of music.

Cline was a UC Berkeley graduate, having earned degrees in cognitive science and computer science.

Hoda's friends on Facebook said she was a teacher, gardener and a hardworking person who loved children.

Hoda taught a first through third-grade class at the Urban Montessori in East Oakland. On Monday, Hoda's family attended a small meomrial on campus where students shared stories about their teacher and presented them with cards and art work.

The victims' families have been notified. Other names are expected to be released in the coming days. Some of the victims are non-citizens, officials said.


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2 Hours Less Sleep for Driver Increases Crash Risk: Study

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Not getting enough sleep every night doubles the risk of crashes on the road, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

The study, released on Tuesday, states that drivers who get one to two hours less sleep than the recommended seven hours every night nearly double their risk of being involved in a crash.

“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel. Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 35 percent of drivers sleep less than seven hours. Also, one in five fatal crashes every year involves drowsy driving, AAA said.

The research also reported that sleeping only four to five hours more than quadrupled the crash risk—getting less than four hours of sleep, the risk went up 11.5 times.

Signs of drowsy driving include drifting from lanes and having trouble keeping eyes open, AAA said.

AAA Foundation recommends giving yourself a break every two hours on long drives, not eating heavy foods, traveling with people and taking turns driving.

The data used by the study was taken from the NHTA’s National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey.



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida

Threat Against LA Subway: FBI

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FBI, LAPD and sheriff's department officials said Monday they received a telephone call about an imminent but uncorroborated threat against the Metro Red Line in Universal City.

The threat came from overseas through an anonymous phone call to a public safety line, said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Deirdre Fike in a news conference.

The caller indicated that something would occur at the station at Lankershim Boulevard across from Universal Studios on Tuesday, she said.

Law enforcement officials have stepped up security at the station and other transit stations across the area while authorities worked to determine the credibility of the threat.

Mayor Eric Garcetti urged caution but asked that the public go about their normal day on Tuesday. He said he intended to ride the Metro Red Line in Universal City on Tuesday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell is urging "people to always be vigilant as they go about their daily routine."

He said uniformed deputies will have an increased presence at stations, and
undercover deputies will also be on the job on the transit system.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says the threat was "very specific," targeting the specific station, "but the credibility still needs to be vetted out."

The timing and specificity of the threat also prompted officials to share the information with the public.

McDonnell urged residents to stay calm but remain vigilant.

"We've been running this to ground all day long," he said. "This could be real, it could be a hoax. But we must remain calm but vigilant. And we're asking the public to take the same precautions they would take on any other day. And we ask that people always be vigilant as they go about their daily routines. As far as actions we're taking, what you don't see is just as important as what you will see. You will see ... an increased uniformed presence especially at transit stations where we also deploy our K-9 explosive detection teams. We'll have undercover operations under way as well.''

Frequent riders of the Red Line shared mixed opinions Monday night.

"I'll come at same time, leave at same time," Armand Montalva said. "I'm sure people say crazy things all the time."

"You could never be too careful. You could never be too safe," Rashad Green said. "I'm definitely gonna do something different tomorrow. Believe that. I will definitely not be taking the Red Line tomorrow."

Officials repeated the mantra, "If you see something, say something,"  while urging people to go about their lives but to contact authorities if they notice something that doesn't seem right.

Residents can call 877-A-THREAT and officials urged people to download the LAPD's iWatchLA app from the department's website at www.lapdonline.org.

Struggling Artists Use Warehouses for Living and Work Space

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Artists have been using open warehouses to develop their art for years. When California's cost of living skyrocketed, many decided to live inside warehouses as a co-op with other fellow artists.

"I've been to spaces like these and they are great, and they are supportive," said local musician, Craig Oliver. "This is not some strange, isolated thing. Everyone knows somebody involved in a community like this. Everyone knows a struggling artist or musician who just wants to express themselves."

While the City of Oakland grieves over the tragic warehouse fire that killed at least 36 people, including a man from Coronado, artists like Oliver want to shed light on why artists chose to live in those open spaces in the first place.

"It's very much artists working on their art, photographers, musicians," Oliver said. "The high cost of living is driving artists out. For some, it's the only way they can make ends meet and still promote their music and art work."

However, security regulations for commercial buildings are far different from those required for residential units.

"There has to be sprinklers, there has to be smoke alarms in there," said San Diego's Fire Marshal, Doug Perry. "There has to be [carbon monoxide] detectors in there, you have to have the right exiting path, you've got to have the panic hardware if you're over 50 people. My gut is telling me that the lights went out [in the Oakland warehouse] so it was really dark and people didn't know how to get out."

For struggling artists, complying with codes and building regulations, isn't always a top priority.

"We are losing or have lost so many artists, because they can't afford to live here," said Robert Leathers, president of Space 4 Art, an East Village venue which provides living and work spaces for artists. "It is a challenge to get the permits and comply with the code, but it's definitely worth it."

Artists argue, they hope the city could be more flexible in providing affordable alternatives.

"Unfortunately there's not a lot of help on the city level for things like that," Oliver said.

He admits there is no easy solution, but the deadly fire in Oakland is shedding light on the issue at home and across the country.

Perry told NBC 7 what bothers him the most, is the fact that the deadly fire in Oakland could have been prevented.

"I'm sure every one of these people who passed away, thought they would be going to their families."



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Officers Investigating Armed Robbery in South Encanto

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A pedestrian was robbed by two suspects with bandannas covering their faces in the South Encanto neighborhood of San Diego Monday night, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirmed.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:10 p.m. on the 1200 block of Agapanthus Drive.

Police the suspects fired a round into the air from a pistol as they were running away.

No one was injured.

It is unknown was taken from the victim.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Biden Emotional at Cancer Funding Bill Partly Named for Son

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A bipartisan bill to speed government drug approvals and bolster biomedical research cleared its last procedural hurdle in the Senate on Monday in an emotional moment for outgoing Vice President Joe Biden, NBC News reported. 

The overwhelming 85-13 vote put the measure on track for final legislative approval by the Senate as early as Tuesday. President Barack Obama has promised to sign the measure, one of the last for the president and the 114th Congress, whose leaders hope to adjourn by week's end after a two-year session that has seen them clash frequently with the president. 

The bill envisions providing $6.3 billion over the next decade, including $1.8 billion for cancer research. Obama had placed Biden in charge of a "moonshot" to find ways to cure and treat the disease, which killed his son Beau, 46, last year. 

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sought approval for renaming a portion of the bill after Beau Biden. The Senate agreed, and lawmakers of both parties applauded and lined up to share quiet words and pats on the shoulder with the vice president, who sat teary-eyed in the presiding officer's chair of the chamber where he served as senator for 36 years. A clerk handed Biden a tissue.



Photo Credit: Senate TV via AP
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