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Stainless Steel Playground Slides Recalled Over Amputation Risk

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Playworld Systems Inc. is recalling 1,300 slides that are used in school and municipal playgrounds after a defect caused two children to suffer finger amputations.

The Lightning Slides were sold by independent distributors between November 2000 and October 2016. They are made of stainless steel and the welds on the slides can crack and separate. A child's finger can get caught in the space.

The company said it is aware of 13 incidents of broken welds and two children who have suffered finger amputations.

Consumers were advised to stop using the recalled slides. They were sold to parks, schools and municipalities for between $1,500 through $4,000.

Playworld, based in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, is contacting consumers who purchased the slides directly. Buyers can get a free replacement.

For more information, consumers can call Playworld at 1-800-233-8404 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, send email to info@playworld.com or visit Playworld.com's Slide Recall Safety Information for more information.



Photo Credit: Playworld/NBC 5 News

Former Astronaut John Glenn Hospitalized

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John Glenn, an astronaut who became an American hero and was later elected to the U.S. Senate, is hospitalized in Ohio.

Glenn, 95, was at The James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University on Wednesday. His condition and exact illness were not known, and officials said his stay at the hospital does not necessarily mean he has cancer.

Glenn had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in 2014 to replace a heart valve and suffered a stroke, according to Cleveland.com. His health, including his eyesight, has declined in recent years.

"Anybody who's 95, any illness is always bad," Hank Wilson, a spokesman for the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at Ohio State University, told Cleveland.com

Glenn, born in Ohio in 1921, was the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. One of the “Mercury Seven,” the first group of astronauts picked by NASA, he orbited Earth three times in 1962 aboard a spacecraft he named “Friendship 7." He spent five hours in space.

He returned to space in 1998 when he flew with six other astronauts on the space shuttle. He was 77 at the time.

Glenn was elected to the U.S. Senate from Ohio in 1974. A Democrat, he served for 25 years.



Photo Credit: AP

Man Racks Up More Than $3K in Fraudulent Charges: SDSO

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San Diego County Sheriff's deputies are looking for a man who stole a rental car and the wallet inside, racking up more than $3,000 in fraudulent charges.

The incident happened at approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday when the suspect sole a Kia rental car on the 2000 block of South Coast Highway 101, across from the San Elijo Campground. 

The man, spotted in surveillance footage, stole a Kia rental car, which was recovered later. 

However, he stole several items from the car, including a wallet with several credit cards. He racked up more than $3,000 in fraudulent charges, deputies said. 

Surveillance video from a gas station he visited showed the suspect walking with a limp in a camouflage outfit. 

He was last seen driving a blue Hyundai Tucson with yellow paper plates. 

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.



Photo Credit: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

2 Local Eateries Nominated for 'Best New Restaurant' Award

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Food and travel experts have nominated a couple of buzzy San Diego restaurants among the best new places to chow down while traveling in the U.S. – a spot in Little Italy and another in Pacific Beach.

USA Today’s “10Best” has nominated San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey’s newest project, Herb & Wood, for its “Best New Restaurant” awards category. Also on the list of 2016 standouts: The Grass Skirt, the latest concept from SDCM, the creative group behind other popular San Diego hotspots like Kettner Exchange.

Nominees for this contest were decided upon by 10Best editors and food experts who scoured the best restaurant openings across the U.S. over the past 18 months. Now, travelers can decide who wins by casting their votes online. You can vote daily for your favorite now through Jan. 2, 2017. The winner will be announced on Jan. 6.

Malarkey opened Herb & Wood this past April along with his business partner, Christopher Puffer. The eatery is located at 2210 Kettner Blvd. in Little Italy, at the site of a former art warehouse. The menu includes proteins and veggies cooked in a custom, wood-fired oven and housemade pastas, plus a cocktail menu focusing on fresh herbs.

Since it’s opening, the eatery has drawn big crowds and rave reviews. Just last month, Herb & Wood won Eater San Diego’s big award for Best New Restaurant.

Meanwhile, The Grass Skirt opened on Nov. 7 at 910 Grand Ave., the former site of Good Time Charlie’s in PB. The space includes many traditional tiki design elements, including fire pit tables, and a cool, rum-heavy cocktail menu spearheaded by beverage director Steven Tuttle. 

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During the day, the location serves as Good Time Poké, San Diego’s first grab-and-go poké shop offering different versions of the traditional Hawaiian fare. At night, the space transforms into the Polynesian-themed tiki lounge serving dishes like okinomiyaki fries with bonito, spicy mayo and hoison, as well as pork belly buns and kimchi fried rice.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the leaderboard for the “10Best” contest had The Grass Skirt at No. 5 and Herb & Wood at No. 8.

Malarkey posted a message to his Instagram page saying he was proud of his team for snagging the nomination, and urging patrons to vote for his restaurant.

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The Grass Skirt also posted a message to its Facebook page about the eatery's nomination, telling customers to visit and vote.

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Other eateries nominated for the “Best New Restaurant” award include Butchertown Grocery in Louisville, Kentucky, FLX Table in Geneva, New York, and UPTON 43 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.



Photo Credit: Becca Batista
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Man Shot in Head on State Route 94 Identified: SDPD

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A man shot in the head on State Route 94 late Saturday night has been identified, and police continue to search for two men who were on the freeway at the time, San Diego Police (SDPD) said. 

The shooting happened at approximately 11:35 p.m. Saturday when police received called for shots fired on State Route 94, on the north shoulder near Euclid Avenue in San Diego's Chollas Creek neighborhood.

A man was lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper torso, officers found when they arrived on scene. On Tuesday, he succumbed to his injuries. 

San Diego Police Homicide detectives are investigating the incident. Police said there was some sort of altercation near the side of the freeway, and that is when the man was shot. 

Police say they continue to search for the two men who were on the freeway at the time, though they do not have descriptions for the men. 

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office identified the victim as 22-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez, of San Diego. 

No other information was immediately available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Officials Identify Man Killed at Chula Vista Bus Stop

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A makeshift memorial has been left at the bus stop bench in Chula Vista where a homeless man was struck and killed Sunday.

William Gerling, 65, was sitting at the bus stop near Orange and Third avenues at 6:46 p.m. when a vehicle jumped a curb and slammed into the bench. Gerling suffered an amputated leg and died later at a nearby hospital.

The driver of the vehicle was identified by Chula Vista Police as Nicholas Ramirez 28, of Imperial Beach. He was arrested immediately after the collision and accused of irst degree murder and vehicular manslaughter charges.

Witnesses initially reported seeing the driver involved in several collisions in the parking lot after leaving a bar. When someone confronted him about the smaller collisions, he sped off and, as he was driving, his car jumped a curb and struck a bus stop bench.

Ramirez was initially scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday but the hearing was postponed until Friday. Ramirez’ attorney, Craig Leff, said his client was not in court because of a medical condition related to the case.

Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said there needs to be a "conscious disregard for life" to warrant such a serious charge in a collision involving an intoxicated driver.

Bright prosecuted Ramirez seven years ago for a prior DUI arrests. NBC 7 has learned the defendant has had four prior DUI arrests.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Poway to Host 'Christmas in the Park'

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With Christmas traditions aplenty, Poway will host its annual holiday celebration this Saturday in the heart of the community.

Christmas in the Park takes place Saturday at historic Old Poway Park, at 14134 Midland Rd., from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The free community event will boast festive music, holiday treats, vendors, food and lots of activities for the kids, including crafts, train rides and a visit from Santa Claus.

The celebration will take visitors back to a simpler time, with holiday traditions like caroling, horse-drawn carriages, pony rides and model trains. The fun culminates at 5:15 p.m. with the lightning of the community Christmas tree. After that, Santa arrives.

The event typically draws a large crowd and organizers say there are a couple of parking options for attendees: the Poway City Hall parking lot (13325 Civic Center Dr.) and the lot at the Poway Adult School (13626 Twin Peaks Rd.). Free shuttles will run from both of those lots, taking people to and from the event. The free shuttle service starts at 3 p.m. The last trip leaves from Old Poway Park back to the lots at 9 p.m.



Photo Credit: City of Poway/Christmas in the Park
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San Diego MTS Rolls Out New Alternative Fuel Buses

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San Diego’s transportation system just got a little more environmentally friendly with the addition of a fleet of buses fueled by propane autogas.

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) deployed 77 buses on Wednesday morning.

MTS says the new fleet reduces their operating costs as well as emissions by two million pounds per year.

"This is a great example of how MTS is realizing cost-savings and helping communities reduce emissions. MTS will save about $5.8 million over the five to seven year lifecycle of the vehicles and reduce the carbon intensity by 71 percent,” said Paul Jablonski, Chief Executive Officer for MTS.

All of the minibuses and paratransit buses will be fueled by propane autogas, which reduces 60 percent less carbon monoxide and 25 percent greenhouse gasses, MTS said.

“Propane autogas is a cleaner burning, domestically produced alternative fuel that also lowers total ownership costs,” said Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing at ROUSH CleanTech.

All of the models of buses are fitted with a propane autogas fuel system from ROUSH CleanTech.



Photo Credit: San Diego Metropolitan Transit Sytem

Two Injured in High School Fight in Escondido

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At least two students were injured and taken to a hospital following an after-school fight in Escondido.

According to the Escondido Police Department, they received the initial call at 1:45 p.m. from Escondido High School about rumors of a possible fight after school.

Officers doing extra patrol were directed to the fight on W El Norte Parkway and N Broadway. But when they arrived on scene, the fight had broken up.

One student had been hit in the chest with a hammer and was transported to Palomar Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Another student suffered minor injuries and was also taken to Palomar Hospital. 

Police say they are unsure of what caused this fight.

It's unknown how many students were involved, but all of them were from high school.

There was no arrests made and the fight is still under investigation, police said.



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

PD: Driver Shot in Head Before Crashing Near Escondido Home

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Escondido police investigating a car crash in the front yard of a home discover the driver had been shot in the head while driving. Now, officers are investigating if the shooter was driving a car or on foot at the time of the shooting.

The car crashed through a fence in the front yard of a home on West 15th Avenue in Escondido just after 12:30 a.m.

The driver suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was rushed into surgery at a nearby hospital.

No weapon was found inside the vehicle however, police said they did find several rounds in the passenger side of the victim’s car.

Investigators are not sure if the person who pulled the trigger was inside the car or if the victim may have been firing a weapon at the shooter at the same time he was injured.

The driver was conscious when officers arrived.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Man Falls to His Death From I-15 Overpass Near Lake Hodges

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One man died and another was in critical condition Wednesday after they fell off an Interstate 15 overpass near Lake Hodges Wednesday.

California Highway Patrol officers say a KIA parked in the carpool lane of southbound I-15 south of Via Rancho Parkway just before 3 a.m. Two of the five people inside got out of the car to relieve themselves.

The men fell over the K-rail and plummeted down more than 35 feet, CHP officers said. 

Pablo Barajas, 22, died at the scene. The second victim, only identified to be 22-years old as well, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Palomar Medical Hospital.

Barajas had lived with his family in San Bernardino.

"It's never safe to stop on the freeway, that's for emergency situations only," said Sgt. Armando Casas, adding that there were plenty of nearby exits with gas stations that are open 24 hours.

Casas said it's not known why the two men climbed to the ledge of the overpass to urinate.

"There was no need for them to stop on the freeway," he said. "There was no need for that."

CHP officers have arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was identified as Michael Jonathan Le, 25, of Sun City.

Casas said the victims were in rugged terrain approximately a half-mile hike from the nearest road.

The three other individuals in the car were distraught following the incident. One was heard yelling to the victims below that help was coming.

Home Lights Up for Holidays With Social Media Twist

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When it comes to holiday decorations in front of a house, there's nothing wrong with Santa on a sleigh or elves delivering presents, or reindeer. A tried-and-true holiday decoration always works.

However, there's something new this holiday season in Rancho Penasquitos.

"We're having a social media Christmas on Christmas Card Lane," said Victoria Bell.

Bell is spreading holiday cheer, socially. She's filled the front of her house with social media and Christmas themed decorations. The main attraction is Santa taking a selfie.

"I thought what a great idea to have Santa taking a selfie, hashtag Santa selfie," said Bell.

The social media influenced decorations include Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, emojis and more. There's even a selfie board if you want to pose and post.

Judging by the brake lights on the cars passing by, people seem to like this social twist on the holidays. Bell said the decorations on the street are very traditional and she wanted to do something current.

If you want to see this social media holiday house for yourself, it's located at 8913 Oviedo St. in Rancho Penasquitos.

Street Light Audit Finds Repair Process Ineffective

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Broken street lights are leaving some San Diego neighborhoods in the dark, a problem city leaders say could encourage vandalism and gang activity.

An audit released Wednesday found the city's street light repair service does not operate efficiently.

City Auditor Eduardo Luna found street light repairs are taking too long, beyond the 12 day goal, the department lacks documented procedures, and repairs are driven by citizen complaints.

"The employees rely on institutional knowledge because there are no documented street light repair policies or procedures," the audit states.

In Encanto, Kevin Horsch said the lack of street lights coupled with the lack of sidewalks makes evening exercise a scary endeavor.

"It's pretty dark, especially in the evening when people are walking around, it's pretty scary," Horsch said. "I'm a runner so when I'm out with my dog we carry flashing lights, but we're pretty much following behind cars so we don't get hit."

City Councilman Scott Sherman said the repair process is a "broken system."

"Coming from the private sector, that would just not be tolerated," Sherman said. "To have hundreds of street lights and not really even knowing where they are, it's unacceptable."

Street light repairs take an average of 17 days.

But the city does not prioritize work where lights are needed most, such as where there are more pedestrian accidents, in front of schools or in areas with high crime rates, according to the audit.

Repairs are mostly complaint driven, so the city only becomes aware of a broken light when someone requests service.

Luna says the ineffective system could lead to disparities in residents accessing city services. Neighborhoods that are more likely to complain are more likely to have their street lights repaired.

"We've seen that in other audits that we've done," Luna said. "There's some disparity in regards to who makes the request. Typically, it's a north of the I-8 vs. south of the I-8 disparity in regards to requests for city services, whether it's potholes or perhaps even street lights."

Currently, there are about 40 requests into the city for repairs to street lights, including one in City Heights next to an elementary school.

Residents can report graffiti, pot holes, and other issues by clicking here.

Some neighborhoods lack street lights in general. There is a $30 million backlog for installing new street lights in neighborhoods.

A breakdown of the number of lights per square kilometer can be found here



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Hofstra Frat's Hazing Accusations

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Hofstra University has asked police to investigate allegations of "extreme hazing" at a now-defunct campus fraternity after the Long Island college's student-run newspaper published disturbing images from a former pledge.

The college said in a statement that the photos -- which include images of a man locked in a dog cage, blindfolded students kneeling in front of a swastika with their bodies covered in hot sauce and pledges laying on the ground covered in what appears to be flour -- were allegedly taken off campus and show pledges of the Sigma Pi fraternity's Eta-Gamma Chapter in 2014 and 2015. The frat's chapter lost its charter from the national fraternity organization last spring.

"The University condemns the incidents depicted in the photos and reported in the story and has commenced an immediate investigation," the college said in the statement. " In addition, the University has also reached out to the Nassau County Police Department for their support and investigation of any potentially criminal behavior."

The Hofstra Chronicle reported that members of the class were subjected to what one former frat member, who was later expelled for an alleged sexual assault, called "extreme hazing."

The frat member told the student paper the frat forced members to chug milk and vomit one one another, locked a shorter pledge in a cage and forced members to kneel while blindfolded while they were covered in hot sauce. 

A former student and member of the fraternity emailed the national Sigma Pi Executive Director to report the hazing along with photos and videos of the depicting the described rituals. The fraternity's Hofstra chapter was revoked the next day, the Chronicle reported.

The university said it investigated Eta-Gamma after the national organization revoked the chapter's charter, but Sigma Pi's Grand Council declined to provide any additional information and members of the fraternity did not raise concerns about new member initiation practices. Hostra didn't see evidence of hazing until the Chronicle's story was published.

Several students at the university told NBC 4 New York that they were offended by the photos. 



Photo Credit: Provided by the Hofstra Chronicle

Locals Voice Concern, Support for North Park Bike Project

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A major thoroughfare from North Park into downtown is getting a lot of attention from supporters and opponents of a bikeway project.

If all goes to plan, in 2018, Pershing drive will have separated bike lanes, a walking path and fewer car lanes.

“Theyre going to reduce the lanes in half. We already have a traffic problem,” said North Park resident Michael Garrison, one of the concerned locals. 

“I’m 68 years old I’m going to start riding a bike?” Garrison said. 

The Pershing Bikeway project is one of several high priority projects in SANDAG's $200 million Regional Early Bike Program.

The 2.6-mile bikeway would begin at Utah and Landis streets, continue onto Pershing drive and then run down through Balboa Park, connecting to B and C streets in Downtown San Diego.

“It's a win win project,” said Kathleen Ferrier, who Circulate San Diego, a supporter of the project. She’s also a mom, cyclist and driver who lives in North park, and for her, the project is about safety.

“I tell my kids never to go on Pershing because I’m so concerned about the very high speeds,” Ferrier said. 

She says fewer lanes on Pershing will help bring down the speeds and more importantly increase safety for people biking, walking and driving.

“There have been numerous crashes on Pershing and it’s because they're speed related. And these are car-to-car crashes,” Ferrier said.

Still, Garrison calls the project “ridiculous.” He has voiced his concerns at a public hearing already.

“This isn't about biking," Garrison said. "I just think cutting the lanes in half on a major thoroughfare in and out of downtown from our community is not the answer.”

Wednesday’s public hearing began at 6:15 p.m. at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park.

The next chance people will have of learning about the project and voicing their concerns is at a public meeting on January 20 in front of the SANDAG Transportation Committee.



Photo Credit: NBC 4 New York

Trump Tweets Attacks on Carrier Union Boss

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President-elect Donald Trump pledged to be "so presidential you will be bored" during the election, but he continues to keep Americans on their toes after again taking to Twitter to battle his most recent critic.

Chuck Jones, the president of United Steelworkers 1999, has not been shy to tell publications that Trump broke his promise to save the jobs at the Carrier plant, a pledge on which the president-elect campaigned.

Trump recently proudly proclaimed that he saved 1,000 jobs at the plant, which is untrue. Instead the deal saves 800 positions and in return Carrier's parent company receives $7 million in tax cuts and incentives over 10 years.

Three hundred Carrier jobs are still slated to be sent to Mexico, NBC News reported.

Trump did not address the reasons for the feud directly, but instead — with no evidence or reason — stated via a tweet that Jones had done a terrible job and suggested the union president was the reason companies were leaving the country. A claim that is hyperbolic and baseless.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Two Uncompleted Tijuana Drug Tunnels Discovered: CBP

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Mexican officials have uncovered two uncompleted drug tunnels in Tijuana, Border Patrol officials confirmed to NBC 7 San Diego. 

Customs and Border Protection officials were notified by Mexican officials with SEIDO of the discovery, near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. 

There is no indication so far they reached the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico Border. 

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: Eligio Hernandez

Oldest Survivors Commemorate 75 Years Since Pearl Harbor

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More than 400 people gathered on USS Midway in San Diego on Wednesday to mark 75 years since Pearl Harbor.

Four survivors, there of whom were veterans also joined in the ceremony.

Clayton Schenkelberg, 99, a veteran, worked at the sub base in Pearl Harbor. He said he rushed to move explosives away from people after hearing the bombs going off over the Navy yard.

“A plane came over the Barracks..you could see the pilot, you could have hit him with a potato,” Schenkelberg said, adding that he could see the pilot’s smiling face.

Woody Derby, 98, served on USS Nevada. He told NBC 7, it was his job to send ammunition up to be fired from the battleship.

“Somebody hollered out ‘this is war’ and we headed to the armory to get guns,” Derby said.

He said most of the service members were scared but they did their job.

More than 2,300 people died and nearly 1,000 others were wounded during the attacks by Japan on Dec. 7, 1941.

A 94-year old veteran said the ceremony reminded him of just how many of his fellow survivors are gone.

“We haven't got too many guys left, so I'm lucky be here,” Gordon Jones said.

Jones tossed a wreath into the ocean during the ceremony to remember fellow Pearl Harbor veterans on Wednesday.

Several survivors from San Diego traveled to Hawaii to commemorate the day, including the oldest known survivor, Ray Chavez from Poway.

But 75 years after the attack, the message has not changed.

“We lost a lot of friends and family,” Jones said. “We don't ever want it to happen again.”



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Crane Carrying Hydraulic Fluid Tips Over on SR-56

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Photo Credit: NBC 7

Chargers to L.A. Not a Done Deal Yet

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On Wednesday Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer met in person to discuss the future of the Chargers in San Diego. That future could be very, very interesting, and a lot longer than many people think.

According to Save Our Bolts, the fan group that works closely with the team in all stadium matters, the Chargers are expected to exercise their option to move to Los Angeles at the end of the regular season … but that does not necessarily mean they will be joining the Rams in L.A.

Save Our Bolts leaders recently met with members of the Chargers front office, who revealed the team is assembling a backup plan to try and stay in San Diego. Part of that plan includes putting together a different initiative to build a new stadium in Downtown but to do that they will have to play a dangerous game of chicken.

According to Save Our Bolts the idea is this: The Chargers know the NFL wants to keep a team in America’s Finest City. The team thinks it is possible the league wants that badly enough that they would change their mind on allowing the Bolts to go immediately to Los Angeles, instead trying to find a way to keep them in San Diego.

That could include kicking in even more than the $350 million they pledged this year to help with Measure C, the Convadium initiative voted down by San Diegans in November.

That money could come from Rams owner Stan Kroenke himself, who would pay to, in essence, keep the Chargers and Chairman Dean Spanos (who is not on the best of terms with Kroenke) out of the L.A. market. By exercising the L.A. option the Chargers also clear what is likely the final hurdle to the Raiders announcing their intention to move to Las Vegas.

The league would likely say they want Kroenke to compensate Spanos for relinquishing Los Angeles for the next two years, as long as that money goes towards the construction of a new stadium in San Diego.

Getting that new facility would be more viable with an increase in private financing because it cuts down on the amount of public money the team would need to request. According to Save Our Bolts, the Chargers are willing to put together another citizens’ initiative to try and build in San Diego and put it on the ballot before voters in November of 2018.

They would again ask for a transient occupancy tax (TOT) increase but with the influx of more private money they need a smaller rate hike, potentially making it more palatable to voters. The Bolts believe that a new initiative will be subject to a simple majority vote instead of the two-thirds they needed for Measure C and were sufficiently encouraged by earning 43% of the vote a month ago to potentially give it another go.

They also believe the hoteliers, likely the largest obstacle over the last decade and a half to getting a new stadium built, will not have the same power to throw up road blocks after being involved in a legal battle over their own attempts at increasing a TOT for an expanded San Diego Convention Center.

If all that goes according to plan the Chargers would play the 2017 and 2018 seasons at The Q and take those two years to try and win back the support they lost in last year’s failed attempts to move to Carson while putting together a more complete campaign pushing their new stadium initiative.

This would be the path of most resistance. The instant the Chargers announce they intend to leave for L.A. they will lose what little good will they have left with the fan base and the process of attempting to build burned bridges becomes exponentially more difficult.

If it ultimately does not work they can move in to Kroenke’s facility when it is scheduled to open for the 2019 season.

The easy way to go would be to simply exercise the option and leave. The road to Los Angeles has been paved and things are lined up there. Kroenke cannot sell his lucrative Personal Seat Licenses (PSL) until the Chargers make up their minds so he wants a decision made as soon as possible.

Another option, although the team has reportedly said it is not interested in it, is to ask for another extension while they work on something in San Diego but that would keep Kroenke in a holding pattern with PSL sales.

The final decision on this will likely lay with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. During the 2015 season when the Rams, Chargers and Raiders were all angling for L.A. Goodell said several times he wanted to see progress from both the City and the team. If he believes there is now a united front in San Diego between the political structure and the Chargers he could very well prevent the Bolts from moving until one more shot is taken in the home city.

So it should be seen as a good sign that several members of the City Council are expected to put together a list of guiding principles; ideas and concepts they want to see during any stadium negotiations. Among the most important to them, according to Save Our Bolts, are more transparency and more interaction with a member of the Spanos family during the process.

Wednesday’s meeting between Dean Spanos and Mayor Faulconer could be the first step in that process. And of course there is always the possibility that Spanos could be too fed up with the last 15 years of haggling, scrap this plan, and go straight to L.A., but the fact they are looking at options to stay can at least provide hope for Chargers fans in San Diego.

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