Michelle Obama is set to speak at the 2017 School Counselor of the Year event at the White House on Friday in what will be her final remarks as first lady.
Edgar Ramos never thought a night at the movies would turn violent and put his family’s lives in danger—but that’s what he said happened New Year’s Day in Chicago.
The family had just left a movie in suburban Melrose Park and were driving near Pulaski Road and Palmer Street in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood about 8:30 p.m.
“We’re singing the soundtrack from the movie we just saw ‘Sing,’ we’re singing hallelujah in the car,” Ramos said.
A man waved the family down and asked them to help jumpstart his car, he said. Ramos agreed.
“Right as I finish saying that, the shots rang out from the vehicle alongside of us,” he said. “The passenger side window explodes with glass.”
Ramos said he quickly sped off and made sure his 8- and 10-year-old daughters and wife were unharmed.
“The look in their eyes—I’ve never seen that look on a kid’s face before,” he said of his children.
He said three shots hit his car.
Ramos believes the man he tried to help had been the shooter’s intended target.
A witness told him that the person went back to his broken-down car after the shooting, grabbed something then ran off.
Chicago police responded to a report of a shooting in the area but it did not appear that anyone was in custody.
Ramos said the incident has forever changed him.
“I do feel like it’s my fault, like I should’ve just said ‘no’ and drove off,” he said. “But, I guess the good person inside me decided this is my time to help this guy—and someone else decided it wasn’t my time to die.”
A cashier's act of kindness is resonating with Southern California residents after she invited a teen with cerebral palsy to help check out groceries.
Jeanie Robinson said she and her 14-year-old son, Andrew, had gone to the store like any other day Dec. 30.
It was a little quieter due to the holidays as they headed out in the pouring rain to the WinCo on Winchester Road. But Robinson said every trip to the store is different.
"Some days he doesn't like the store, and some days he does. Not every day is the same as another," Robinson said in a phone interview with NBC4.
This day in particular for the teen with cerebral palsy was especially good.
His mother said his infectious smile got others in the store smiling back as he pushed the cart along.
"Throughout the store Andy had this contagious smile. There weren't lots of people so when I threw the salad mix across the aisle into the cart he about died laughing," she said in a Facebook post.
As mother and son went to check out, Andy asked to load them groceries onto the conveyor belt.
The cashier, who Robinson believes is named Shaylene, then did something very simple - but amazing.
She invited Andy to scan the groceries. At first, Andy didn't move - until his mom said to go for it.
"It was so kind of her because so many people get annoyed with special needs kids," Robinson said. "But she had all the patience in the world."
Robinson shot a video of the kind exchange and posted it to her Facebook where it's been viewed more than 10,000 times.
The family, which moved to Temecula from Germany 17 months ago, hadn't expected such a sweet gesture.
Robinson said Andy is one in a set of twins that were born prematurely in an emergency C-section.
From the beginning, his mother was told the prognosis "wasn't looking good."
Doctors even told her Andy wouldn't make it. After three days, they said he would never walk, talk or eat on his own.
"In my mind, I said, 'What can I do to fight that?'" she said.
Robinson took him to all kinds of physical therapy and pushed and pushed, fighting to help her boy.
Andy has a limited vocabulary and walks with a limp, but other than that, he's as healthy as can be, she said.
Robinson is hoping the video sends a message to people when interacting with people with special needs.
"Be kind. Be respectful. And smile - nothing in the world is so bad you can't smile," she said.
A man on the run from San Diego Police on Friday physically fought with an officer while trying to evade arrest, officials said Friday.
The unidentified police officer was said to be okay following the altercation.
SDPD officials said the suspect was driving in the area of 38th and Dwight, east of Interstate 15 in the City Heights community.
Just before 7 a.m., an SDPD officer identified the vehicle as a stolen car and attempted to pull over the driver.
When the driver jumped out of the vehicle and ran, the officer pursued him.
A perimeter of the area was set up and the suspect was spotted a block away.
The suspect physically fought with the officer, officials said.
The officer did not suffer serious injuries and the man was taken into custody.
The public report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election will be released Friday, a senior congressional staffer told NBC News.
The staffer, who has been briefed on the classified report, said the report will show Russian efforts to elect Donald Trump.
“What you will see is that there were evolving goals over time. At the end, they were trying to elect Trump,” the staffer said.
The news comes as the nation's top intelligence officials prepare to make their most detailed and persuasive case yet to President-elect Donald Trump that Russia interfered in this year's U.S. political process.
The officials — Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey — are preparing to point to multiple motives for Moscow's alleged meddling as they brief Trump on their classified report Friday in New York. President Barack Obama received a briefing on Thursday, and a declassified version of the report will be released on Friday, perhaps as soon as by the conclusion of Trump's meeting, a senior congressional staffer told NBC News.
Trump, for his part, in an interview with The New York Times on Friday, called the attention given to Russian hacking a "political witch hunt."
"China, relatively recently, hacked 20 million government names," he said about a computer breach at the Office of Personnel Management in 2014 and 2015. "How come nobody even talks about that?"
Poway-based GraceDigital unveiled a pair of new emergency power products under its EcoXGear brand on Jan. 5 at CES, the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas.
The products are a portable auto battery charger and an emergency smartphone charger. Both will be available in March.
Retailing for $149.99, the EcoJump battery charger will give users 25 jump starts per charge in a small, portable package. It communicates data about its charge to a user’s smartphone via a Bluetooth low-energy connection. EcoJump also contains USB ports, letting its owner charge a cell phone or tablet while far from an electrical outlet.
The pocket-sized EcoBump emergency smartphone charger will retail for $14.99. EcoXGear said it will retain its power for five years and is FAA-approved for taking on an airplane.
EcoXGear is probably better known for its line of waterproof Bluetooth speakers.
U.S. equities rose on Friday as the technology sector led, while investors parsed through key employment data, CNBC reported.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 90 points, with Goldman Sachs and Walt Disney contributing the most gains, lifting it to a new all-time high and within striking distance of 20,000. The S&P 500 gained 0.5 percent to reach a new intraday high, with information technology advancing 1 percent.
The Nasdaq composite outperformed, trading 0.8 percent higher, also hitting a new all-time high. Leading the tech-heavy index higher were the so-called FANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google-parent Alphabet), which all rose at least 1 percent.
Anyone can go watch Donald Trump be sworn in as president on the National Mall, but a ticket is needed in order to get within about a half-mile of the action.
Nearly 250,000 free tickets for seats and standing room were issued Jan. 5 by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC).
The tickets are color-coded, and ticket holders are required to enter the Capitol grounds through the entry point designated for their color-coded section.
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Go here to see a larger version of this map.
The JCCIC will release tickets to U.S. House members on Jan. 9 and to U.S. senators on Jan. 10. Trump also will receive tickets.
Every person headed to a ticketed area needs a ticket, children included.
How Do I Get a Ticket to Trump's Inauguration?
The recommended way to get a ticket to the inaugural ceremony is to contact your senators and U.S. House member.
Many members of Congress are accepting ticket requests online from their constituents.
The office of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has an online request form. Tickets will be issued through a lottery. The office had received about 1,400 requests as of Jan. 6, a spokesman said.
The office of Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, who ran for vice president on the Democratic ticket, also has an online request form and a lottery process.
The office of new Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen is receiving ticket requests by phone. They are recommending that Maryland residents, to increase their chances of getting a ticket, reach out to their House member, since members each represent fewer people.
The offices of Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner already had stopped accepting ticket requests as of Jan. 6.
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Not sure who represents you in Congress? Go here to find your senators and go here to find your House member.
JCCIC would not discuss the number of tickets Trump and each member of Congress will receive.
Can I Buy a Ticket to Trump's Inauguration?
Inauguration tickets have popped up for sale on Craigslist and GreatSeats.com, but JCCIC says the sales violate the spirit of the event.
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"Tickets to view the swearing-in of our next president are meant to be free, and it should remain that way," spokeswoman Laura Condeluci said in an email.
JCCIC is working with Craigslist, eBay and StubHub to prevent the sale of inauguration tickets, as the committee has done previously.
There is no federal law governing the sale of inaugural tickets, but buying or selling them may violate local and state laws on ticket scalping.
Tickets were advertised on GreatSeats.com on Jan. 6 for $449 to $14,900 each, and on Craigslist for $250 to $1,500 each. No inauguration tickets appeared on eBay or StubHub.
What If I Don't Have a Ticket?
If you cannot get a ticket, you can still watch Trump get sworn-in. Space on the National Mall west of 4th Street NW will be open to spectators. The presidential inaugural committee is expected to set up large television screens.
Soon after the death of Tilikum, the killer whale made famous by the controversial documentary "Blackfish," social media lit up with discussion over whale captivity and lifespan.
Many expressed frustration that the orca spent the majority of its life in captivity, while others shared support for SeaWorld and its care of Tilikum.
Here's a sampling of the discussion on NBC San Diego's Facebook page:
Two of San Diego's hottest eateries of 2016 have officially been ranked among the Top 10 best new restaurants in the United States, according to votes gathered in an online contest.
About a month ago, USA Today's "10Best" editors and a panel of food and travel experts nominated local hotspots Herb & Wood and The Grass Skirt for the "10Best" Reader's Choice Awards in the "Best New Restaurant" category. The restaurants were named among 20 new places across the country where travelers enjoyed dining in 2016.
The contest was then opened to online voters, who cast their ballots through Jan. 2. On Friday, the top 10 winners were announced and both of the San Diego standouts made the cut, making San Diego the only city to snag two spots in the awards category.
The Grass Skirt -- a cool, kitschy tiki lounge and restaurant in Pacific Beach -- landed the No. 4 spot on the list. Herb & Wood -- a hip, high-end restaurant from local celebrity chef Brian Malarkey -- landed at No. 6.
Last month, NBC 7 shared this in-depth look at both The Grass Skirt and Herb & Wood. The restaurateurs behind both businesses discussed what makes each spot special and unique, and why patrons keep coming back.
Matt Spencer, of SDCM, the creative restaurant group behind The Grass Skirt said he thinks the elevated, Polynesian-inspired, Asian-fusion menu created by SDCM’s corporate executive chef, Brian Redzikowski sets The Grass Skirt apart from other tiki lounges. He also thinks the eatery’s over-the-top tropical décor also commands attention.
“I think the fun kitschiness of the tiki bar, matched with an elevated food menu, somehow is really resonating,” Spencer told NBC 7, adding that the exotic cocktails on the menu help, too.
Malarkey, who called Herb & Wood his "passion project," told NBC 7 he's never been more excited about a culinary endeavor.
"I’ve never been so proud in my culinary life to walk up to a table because guests are in awe of everything – the service, the atmosphere, the food, the cocktails. This restaurant hits on all senses,” he explained.
Malarkey said Herb & Wood being named alongside The Grass Skirt as one of the best new restaurants in the country was "quite an honor" and a major nod to San Diego's thriving dining scene.
“Very proud of San Diego to have two restaurants in the Top 10, across the United States. It’s huge for us, it’s huge for him [Matt Spencer and The Grass Skirt],it’s huge for San Diego. We’re very honored. It’s definitely a big pride thing," Malarkey added.
Malarkey opened Herb & Wood in April 2016 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.
Meanwhile, The Grass Skirt opened in early November 2016 at 910 Grand Ave., the former site of Good Time Charlie’s in Pacific Beach. 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.
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.
In the end, voters named FLX Table in Geneva, New York, the No. 1 Best New Restaurant in the 10Best contest. Others that made the top 10, in order, include:
John Schlicher had just pulled his first piece of luggage from the baggage carousel of Terminal 2 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday when he started hearing "pops."
"The person right next to me fell to the ground," Schlicher, who had flown to Fort Lauderdale from Columbus, Ohio, told NBC News in a phone interview. "I turned around and a man with a black gun was right behind me and he started shooting randomly."
Schlicher survived the mid-day attack at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport that officials said left five dead and eight wounded.
"My wife and mother in law were traveling with me. Luckily none of us were injured," Schlicher said. "The two people to my left and the two people to my right were shot. There was blood everywhere. The people who were shot were shot in the head."
Schlicher said there appeared to be only one gunman and he looked like he was in his 30s.
"It's tragic. Just a horrible, horrible tragic scene. He was just randomly shooting at people," he said.
Eater San Diego shares the top stories of the week from San Diego’s food and drink scene, including a culinary bombshell from a high-profile chef, plus expansion news from two Orange County restaurants.
Star Chef Javier Plascencia Cuts Ties With San Diego Restaurants
In the first culinary shocker of 2017, high-profile chef Javier Plascencia announced to Eater that he is parting ways with the hospitality group behind his two local restaurants, Bracero in Little Italy and Romesco in Bonita. Plascencia is focusing on his concepts in Mexico, but hopes to return to San Diego with a new project.
Well-Known Orange County Concepts Coming to Westfield UTC
Two prominent, upscale Orange County restaurant concepts will be part of phase two of Westfield UTC's $585 million expansion, set to be completed in October. Wine country-themed The Winery will open an 8,000-square-foot restaurant and stand-alone wine bar, while Javier's will bring its elevated Mexican fare to San Diego.
Cutwater Spirits Launching Craft Distillery, Restaurant & Bar
Former top brass from Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits have teamed up for a new distillery in Miramar that will carry Ballast Point's spirits under the new label and expand the product line. The project will also include an on-site restaurant and bar.
Mega Dining & Entertainment Center Headed to Kearny Mesa
Chorus Karaoke & Bar is in the midst of an ambitious expansion which will include a huge new bar and restaurant and double the amount of its karaoke rooms, which will be individually themed. The venue will also feature an arcade and a nightclub.
New Convoy Eatery Brings Global Flavors to Fast-Casual
Café Stems, Convoy Street's newest restaurant, is a casual spot that aims to add a healthy option to the neighborhood with a menu of signature salads influenced by cuisines around the world. The shop also offers smoothies, acai bowls, and a variety of tea.
Law enforcement sources identified the Fort Lauderdale Airport shooter as Esteban Santiago, a 26-year-old man born in New Jersey who appears to have acted alone.
A U.S. intelligence official told NBC News it was too early to assess a motive.
Santiago, born in March 1990, had military ID on him when he was arrested, multiple senior law enforcement sources told NBC. Sources added that he arrived on a flight from Canada, picked up his gun at baggage claim in the airport's Terminal 2 and then began firing.
He was taken into custody unharmed.
Not much more was immediately known about Santiago, other than that he also appeared to have lived in Alaska for a time. Alaskan court records show an Esteban Santiago with the same date of birth was charged with two misdemeanors last year; one count was dismissed and Santiago was due back in court on the second this coming March.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said they received a call about the shooting around 12:55 p.m. Live video more than an hour after the attack showed people running across the tarmac between terminals while others took cover behind car.
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted, "Monitoring the terrible situation in Florida. Just spoke to Governor Scott. Thoughts and prayers for all. Stay safe!" Florida Gov. Rick Scott was traveling to Fort Lauderdale to be briefed by law enforcement, his office said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
A Vista school celebrated the addition of a water fountain that should make it easier for students to refill their reusable water bottles.
The so-called "hydration station" is similar to those seen in other cities and communities. Located next to a standard drinking fountain, it gives students the option of refilling a water bottle without spilling. The same task done at a conventional water fountain may involve spilling or touching the bottle to the water spout which is unsanitary.
“It’s just a convenient way for children to fill up their water bottles,” said Brent Reyes, Vista Irrigation District Water Conservation Specialist. The water district has partnered with the Vista Unified School District to install 10 new water fountains at schools.
The district had initially planned to install the stations at more than 30 schools but the cost of installation increased after one station was damaged during the pilot program. Increased reinforcement and bracing pushed the cost of each unit from an estimated $2,600 to about $12,000 to $14,000 per unit.
As a result, there will be 10 fountains installed at eight schools this school year. One was unveiled Friday at Monte Vista Elementary School on Monte Vista Road.
Student Amber Burgnette brings a water bottle to school with her and thinks the water station is cool.
“If someone doesn’t have any water they can just use a reusable one and they can just fill it up at the water station,” Burgnette said.
The hydration station design is also heralded as a way to prevent waste because it can replace bottled water purchased at the store.
“It will cut down on almost 167 bottles per student per year, which is over 90,000 bottles for the school at Monte Vista,” said Jamie Phillips with the Vista Unified School District.
Three schools were outfitted with the newly designed water fountain in the pilot project. They included Breeze Hill Elementary, Vista Innovation and Design Academy and Rancho Buena Vista High School.
In addition to the hydration stations, the Irrigation District handed out water bottles to students.
The nationwide protests in Mexico over rising gas prices have spread to Tijuana and other parts of Baja California. Some Mexican drivers are now filling up their gas tanks in San Diego to avoid the long lines at gas stations south of the border.
Dozens of gas stations closed this week in Tijuana and Rosarito, after demonstrators blocked trucks from transporting gas out of a fuel depot in Baja California.
Overnight, police were able to break the human blockade, and escort fuel trucks out of the distribution facility in Rosarito.
Gas stations throughout Baja California were rushing to re-supply their reserves and re-open their businesses on Friday. Customers were still reporting long lines.
Protests over rising gas prices have also taken place in Tecate, and several cities throughout Mexico. The demonstrations started after the Mexican government announced on January 1 that fuel prices would be rise by 20 percent. The government says the increase is needed to cover shortfalls in the federal budget.
Demonstrators have remained peaceful in Baja California, but in other parts of Mexico, there have been violence and looting. Protesters have also blocked highways and gas stations to show their anger.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, accused of accepting cash and sexual favors in exchange for allowing undocumented immigrants through his border lane, faced a federal court judge in San Diego Friday.
Officer Jose Luis Cota did not want to comment on the charges as he walked into the federal courthouse downtown.
However, his attorney said he accepted several terms of a possible plea deal in court and plans to plead guilty.
Cota is accused of accepting cash and sexual favors from a woman who has pleaded guilty to smuggling at least 10 people from Mexico into the U.S. between November 2015 and September 2016.
Miriam Juarez-Herrera, 35, of Mexico pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official and bringing in unlawful aliens for financial gain, according to federal officials.
Juarez-Herrera said she would use false paperwork to bring people into the U.S. through Cota’s vehicle lane at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Once the group was inside the U.S., a second defendant would transport them to family members and retrieve the $15,000 fee.
That defendant, 31-year-old Gilberto Aguilar-Martinez, also pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Cota has pleaded not guilty. In a statement, CBP said Cota first began with the agency in August 2001. He is on unpaid administrative leave.
"When there's criminal activity going on such as this and you have law enforcement officials who are engaging in criminal activity and permitting individuals to enter the U.S. you actually don't know who is entering the United States", said Lara Stingle, Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Cota's next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 10.
The three defendants were arrested in September 2016 after an investigation by the Border Corruption Task Force (BCTF).
FBI investigators say following smuggling events on Nov. 3, 2015, Nov. 16, 2015, March 15 and Sept. 7, large sums of cash were deposited into Cota’s bank accounts.
Juarez-Herrera and Aguilar-Martinez, both of Mexico, will be sentenced April 7.
The family of a World War II veteran celebrated his life Friday at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, and accomplished their hero’s final wish.
Harry Neil Adams died on Nov. 21, at the age of 96. He was a big fan of television and, before he passed, he wished for one last thing: to be on TV. Harry’s family sent photos of him to NBC 7 – including vintage snapshots from his U.S. military service – and, per his wish, Harry’s face aired on TV.
According to the veteran’s grandson, Sheldon Neil Adams, was born on Oct. 13, 1920.
Harry worked in communications for the U.S. Navy in the first major offensive against Japan in the Pacific Ocean known as the Guadalcanal Campaign. When Harry heard the military was short on men, he volunteered to fight on land.
“He shot a Japanese soldier out of a tree, then took the soldier’s weapon, brought it back to the United States and took a gunsmith course so he could put it back together with his own two hands,” Sheldon told NBC 7.
To this day, the veteran’s family still owns the artifact, which has become a family heirloom.
Sheldon said Harry fought in WWII in Germany as well, where he was captured as a Prison of War. Seven months later, once the war was over, Harry was released, Sheldon said.
But his military career wasn’t over just yet.
Harry then fought in the Korean War.
After his years in the battlefield, Sheldon said his grandfather lived off and on in Latin America for 70 years.
“He gathered intelligence for the CIA on Russian submarines travelling around Patagonia during the Cold War and he also collected intelligence for many decades on German Nazis who were hiding in Latin America,” Sheldon explained.
Harry’s family held a ceremony for him Friday at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego. Sheldon said his grandfather’s dream was to be mentioned on TV for his contribution to the U.S. military, and “to the country that he loved so much.”
A man shot by El Cajon police near Second Street and Madison has been identified, the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) confirms.
Danny Martin Baldwin, 56, was shot four times by an officer after police found him walking in traffic carrying a knife.
Baldwin did not comply with officers’ directions to get to get out of traffic and efforts to subdue him, including using a Taser, did not work.
Baldwin lunged at the officer with a knife, according to police, and it was at that time the officer fired his gun.
EDPD detectives are actively investigating the shooting in accordance with the San Diego County Officer Involved Shooting protocol.
The District Attorney’s Officer was called to the scene and will be reviewing the investigation.
Baldwin is still hospitalized, but his condition is unknown.
The investigation is still in its early stages, according to police. The officers-on-duty were wearing body cameras, and the footage is being retained as evidence pending further investigation.
