For 23 years it was called the Olympic Training Center.

Now, the sprawling 155-acre facility at the southeast corner of Eastlake has a new name: The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.

While the name change prompted a flurry of work this week to replace  signage, everything else about the property is pretty much the same, at least for now.

"I anticipate we'll see a pool here in the next five years, we're actually working on that. We might also see a gymnasium out here as well" said Kelley Bacon, Deputy District Attorney for Chula Vista.

Bacon spearheaded the huge transition of the property from the hands of the United States Olympic Committee to the City of Chula Vista.

The USOC wanted out of owning and operating the property, but promised to still provide a hefty chunk of the $8 million annual operating budget in the form of rent for its athletes.

The change marks a new opportunity for Chula Vista to keep the Olympians and elite athletes, while expanding the center to meet the needs of other sports teams and groups.

Following a thorough application and vetting process, city leaders selected Point Loma Trust to operate the training center. Point Loma Trust established Elite Athlete Services as the effective organization for day-to-day operations.

After a few months on the job, Elite Athlete Services CEO Greg Jamison says the Olympic athletes are happy and so is the bottom line. They say they’ve already booked enough athletes, teams, and groups to finish year one in the black.

"The Olympics is one of the main things that drove this, I think what this allows is you can open it up to have more types of different groups come on" said Jamison.

To mark the change in ownership, the city will host a “Celebration of Champions” event at the training center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday February 25.

The event is free to everyone and kids will be able to test out the archery range and ride parts of the BMX track.

Hillary Clinton has come up with a new equation for Democrats who are looking for change.

“Let resistance plus persistence equal progress for our party and our country,” she said in a video posted to the Democratic Party’s Twitter page.

The former Democratic presidential nominee released the statement Friday lauding recent solidarity efforts, from global women’s marches to actions against President Donald Trump’s travel ban at airports across the country.

“Nearly 66 million votes are fueling grassroots energy and activism, and everywhere people are marching, protesting, tweeting, speaking out, and working for an America that’s hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted,” Clinton said. 

She added, “Among those millions making their voices heard are future mayors, city and state officials, governors, members of Congress -- even future presidents.”

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Clinton thanked her base for supporting her presidential bid, which she called “the honor of a lifetime.” She said that during the general election she had run on “the most progressive platform in history” and emphasized the need for Democrats to pull together and “stay focused on the elections we must win this year and next.” 

“As Democrats, we have diverse views and backgrounds,” she said. “We are Democrats, after all. But we’re bound together by the values and hopes we share for our country.” 

Clinton’s call for unity comes before Democrats are expected to choose a new chair for the Democratic National Committee on Saturday.

Tom Perez, Barack Obama’s former labor secretary, is running to “protect President Obama’s accomplishments” and “listen to Democrats at every level,” according to his campaign website.

One of his opponents, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, has been endorsed by former presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and is perceived as an alternative to Perez's establishment background.

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana,  has emerged as an underdog among D.C. political veterans.

According to the Associated Press, the role of DNC chair is “part cheerleader, part fundraiser, part organizer and recruiter, part public messenger.”

Following recent Tijuana River sewage impacts, the closure for Silver Strand Shoreline has been lifted after tests reveal the water quality along the shoreline meets state health standards.

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has confirmed that the quality of the water at the shoreline is safe for the public.

The lift includes the beach line north of Imperial Beach through Avenida Lunar in Coronado.

These areas were closed off to the public due to the water being contaminated by the Tijuana River.

The ocean shoreline from the International Border to the north end of Imperial Beach will remained closed until sampling and conditions can confirm that the water quality is safe.

For updates on beach closure information, visit www.sdbeachinfo.com or call the 24hour hotline (619) 338-2073.

The suspected drunk driver involved in a crash that took the life of a tow truck driver in Tierrasanta Thursday evening had a suspended license, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Fred Griffith, 55, an employee of Road One San Diego, had gotten out of his truck to tow a disabled garbage truck on the side of the road on the State Route 52 near Mast Boulevard just after 5 p.m.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials told NBC 7, that's when the driver of another vehicle, identified to be 48-year-old Michael Gilbert Gray, struck Griffith.

Officers said Gray continued driving on the SR-52 for nearly a mile until an off-duty officer, who had witnessed the crash, stopped him.

According to CHP, Griffith was not in any traffic lanes on the freeway when he was hit.

"He was where he should have been, he wasn't doing anything, he wasn't sticking out in the lane, this individual came out onto the shoulder and struck him," said Jake Sanchez, CHP Public Informations Officer.

NBC 7 spoke to some of Griffith's co-workers who said he had a big heart and a big laugh. He had worked for Road One for 15 years.

Gray was not injured in the crash.

He arrested and booked into San Diego County Jail on suspicion of DUI causing injury or death, fleeing the scene of a crash and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Sanchez added that drivers need to be more aware on the road, especially for workers.

"If people see people on the side of the road working, whether it be highway patrol, Caltrans, tow drivers, fire department, whoever, you need to pass with due regard and give these individuals some space because it's so dangerous," he said.

Gray had been driving with a suspended license at the time of the crash, according to DMV.

His license was suspended on Jan. 10, 2013 and again in the same year on Jan. 17. DMV said it was due to driving with an excessive blood alcohol level.

A 10-year-old was struck by a vehicle in a hit and run in El Cajon Friday evening.

According to Heartland Fire officials, the crash occurred at 4:24 p.m. on E Madison Avenue and Orlando Street. 

As of 4:36 p.m., the child had not been transported to a hospital.

The extent of injuries is unknown.

No other information was available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news.

U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team legend Landon Donovan is bringing his talents to San Diego.

The San Diego Sockers announced Donovan will play in their 2^nd Annual Celebrity Game March 12^th at the Valley View Casino Center. The game will take place during half time of their first round divisional match against either the Ontario Fury or Tacoma Stars. The match is scheduled to start at 5:05 p.m.

Donovan, who moved to San Diego recently, is the all-time USMNT leader in goals (57) and assists (58). He is the MLS leader in regular-season goals (144), assists (136) and playoff goals (25). Donovan is also the Los Angeles Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer and is considered the best player in MLS history.

But in a press release by the Sockers, Donovan says it’s the local team that he grew up with.

“I grew up knowing the name Sockers, I knew the Sockers better than I knew the Galaxy or DC United. It’s obvious something special has been here for a long time and I’ve always wanted to experience it.”  

Recent county water test results show arsenic levels more than double the amount the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe for drinking water at the Warner Springs School District.

Water has been shut off and kids are being provided bottled water.

The small school district serves students in pre-school through high school in the far East County.

NBC 7 requested water quality tests throughout the county under the California Public Records Act after educators at San Ysidro School District found unsafe levels of lead coming from a drinking fountain at an elementary school in the South Bay.

"I didn't understand it. I still don't," said Warner Springs parent Kelly Little. "It is scary."

Little is new to Warner Springs, but found out quickly that the water is not safe to drink.

Educators and students here have been dealing with the issue for years, since 2013.

"We went above the maximum contaminant level and then below and then above and then just recently when we consistently started being above, we brought in bottled water for the kids and all the staff," said Warner Unified Chief Business Official Andrea Sissons. "We shut down all of our fountains, so there's no access to drinking water."

Long-term exposure to arsenic is linked to increased risk of kidney, bladder and lung cancer.

Sissons said as soon as officials discovered the issue, they shut faucets off; started quarterly testing and informed parents.

For years, they’ve been working to access state funding to pay for a kitchen sink filter, emergency water reimbursement and a long-term solution. Sissons said she thinks they are in the home stretch of accessing state funding for an engineer to build a long-term solution.

As a small water system with a well, the water district is required to test their water annually, unlike most water districts across the state. Once they discovered the arsenic, they began testing the water quarterly, she said.

Sissons says the water problem has really impacted the school beyond just worrying parents. Once a school with a large agricultural program, complete with vineyards that have now dried up because of the lack of water, Warner Unified has had to move some of its programs off-campus.

“We are a big agricultural school,” Sissons said. “We have a really healthy Future Farmers of America program. But, the last couple years, since we have no water, the kids have had to take the animals home with them, if they have a place at home to keep an animal.”

San Ysidro district officials shut off drinking water at La Mirada Elementary School following high lead results of tests in October. The drinking water was shut off as a precaution at Smythe Elementary and San Ysidro Middle School, officials said.

NBC 7 obtained one test result that revealed levels of lead in the drinking water at La Mirada that were nearly 18 times higher than the regulatory limit. Also, a dangerous bacteria was discovered coming from taps in several areas of the school.

In October, San Ysidro school officials ordered water quality tests after a substance described as blue and murkey was noticed coming out of the faucets during a pressure test.

In California, there are no requirements that schools test water quality. A trio of bills introduced this legislative session aims to change that. A bill by local Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher would require schools test for lead and report results to parents.

On the same day that the White House barred reporters from CNN, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Politico from a press briefing, a simple, stark message appeared in the sand at Coronado Beach.

A miniature White House was erected at the beach with a message from our third president: “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”

Displays at Coronado Beach that reflect current events have become commonplace. In the past, they’ve mainly showed solidarity following tragic events.

After the Paris terrorist attacks and the Orlando nightclub shootings, for instance, sand castles emerged to show sympathy for the victims.

Bill Pavlacka, dubbed “the Sandcastle Man,” has been the artist behind those sand creations.

We’ve reached out to Bill on this most recent sandcastle and will update this story when we hear back.

A 33-year-old woman from Santee was identified Friday to be the victim of a car fire in Lakeside earlier this week.

On Wednesday night, just after 11 p.m., a Lexus was found burning in the 11,000 block of Mast Boulevard in Lakeside.

Andrea Daves was identified to be the victim found inside the car, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) confirmed.

At this time, the cause and manner of death was not released.

NBC 7 spoke to some neighbors Thursday night who said they heard what sounded like gunshots during the fire.

One woman said she was afraid to look outside of her home after hearing the explosions.

SDSO said they are considering this suspicious until a cause of death is determined.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858)974-2321 or Crime Stoppers at (818)565-5200.

A $1,000 reward is being offered by Crime Stoppers for information leading to an arrest.

A high school music teacher who pleaded guilty to a sexual relationship with a former student was sentenced Friday to three years of probation.

Jason Mangan-Magabilin, 38, faced three years, eight months in prison when he faced a judge for his sentencing hearing Friday.

Mangan-Magabilin pleaded guilty in December to oral copulation and penetration by a foreign object with one of his former male students. The relationship occurred from 2010 to 2011 when that student was between 15 and 17 years old.

During the sentencing, Mangan-Magabilin also spoke to the judge about how sorry he was.

"The actions were absolutely inexcusable but the intent was not selfish," he said. "Boundaries were crossed but it was never malicious and I can only pray that John Doe and his family can find closure and happiness."

The victim, now in his 20s, recently reported the incident to police because of mandatory reporting at job training.

He also spoke in court, identified only as John Doe.

“These last few years, since ending my relationship with the defendant, my life has been turned upside down. I’ve had to face a lot of dense truths about myself and this grim situation. This journey has sent me down roads of depression, anxiety and self-loathing.”

Mangan-Magabilin works as a music teacher at Bonita Vista High School within the Sweetwater Union High School District. 

A website for the Club Blue Instrumental Music Program at the school said he has been with the school for 10 years, and also conducted the Crusader Girls Chorus at Bonita Vista Middle School.

He’s an alumnus of the University of Southern California, where he performed as a member of the Trojan Marching Band. He also earned a master’s degree in conduction from the American Band College of Sam Houston State in 2013.

Mangan-Magabilin was sentenced to three years of felony probation and spend a year in jail. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim and register as a sex offender for life.

An 87-year-old man, injured after the van he was riding in rolled across the State Route 54 in Paradise Hills, will be taken off life support, his family told NBC 7 Friday night.

Three other senior citizens are still recovering in the hospital.

California High Patrol (CHP) reported the crash happened at 10:40 a.m. Friday on the westbound lanes of the SR-54 near Woodman Avenue.

The medical transport van from Saint Paul’s PACE center in Chula Vista crashed into a Honda Accord, and moments after, slammed into a big rig.

The driver of the transport van, along with three of the seniors inside, sustained minor injuries.

But the fourth senior citizen suffered a concussion along with a severe cut to one of his legs.

Martin Duarte told NBC 7 earlier on Friday, his grandfather, 87-year-old Tomas Medina was in bad shape.

“He is in pretty critical condition,” said Duarte. “He broke his femur. He has been losing a lot of blood; they have him on blood transfusions.”

Duarte explained his grandfather suffered a concussion and has brain bleeding.

“They are trying to get him stable enough to where they can do surgery,” he added.

But at 11:15 p.m., the family told NBC 7, Medina will be taken off of life support because the doctors told them his was too fragile to undergo surgery.

Carol Hubbard, the executive director for St. Paul’s PACE told NBC 7, two of the seniors inside of the van were in wheelchairs.

A cargo trailer unhitched from a freight truck on the State Route 54 in National City Friday night, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The incident was reported at 10:42 p.m. on the transition from the westbound SR-54 to the northbound Interstate 805.

CHP was requested to shut down the transition to avoid traffic collisions.

As of 11 p.m., the trailer was hitched back to the truck and removed. The connector was also reopened.

There were no reports of injuries.

No other information was available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news.

For 23 years it was called the Olympic Training Center.

Now, the sprawling 155-acre facility at the southeast corner of Eastlake has a new name: The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.

While the name change prompted a flurry of work this week to replace  signage, everything else about the property is pretty much the same, at least for now.

"I anticipate we'll see a pool here in the next five years, we're actually working on that. We might also see a gymnasium out here as well" said Kelley Bacon, Deputy District Attorney for Chula Vista.

Bacon spearheaded the huge transition of the property from the hands of the United States Olympic Committee to the City of Chula Vista.

The USOC wanted out of owning and operating the property, but promised to still provide a hefty chunk of the $8 million annual operating budget in the form of rent for its athletes.

The change marks a new opportunity for Chula Vista to keep the Olympians and elite athletes, while expanding the center to meet the needs of other sports teams and groups.

Following a thorough application and vetting process, city leaders selected Point Loma Trust to operate the training center. Point Loma Trust established Elite Athlete Services as the effective organization for day-to-day operations.

After a few months on the job, Elite Athlete Services CEO Greg Jamison says the Olympic athletes are happy and so is the bottom line. They say they’ve already booked enough athletes, teams, and groups to finish year one in the black.

"The Olympics is one of the main things that drove this, I think what this allows is you can open it up to have more types of different groups come on" said Jamison.

To mark the change in ownership, the city will host a “Celebration of Champions” event at the training center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday February 25.

The event is free to everyone and kids will be able to test out the archery range and ride parts of the BMX track.

A traffic alert was issued for the on-ramp to northbound State Route 163 at Genesee Avenue Saturday morning after a driver slammed into a power pole.

The crash happened around 4:30 a.m. near the 2800 block of Health Center Drive. One person was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials were called to investigate the incident.

Northbound SR-163 at Genesee Ave. was shut down for four hours while SDG&E crews worked to repair the power line and restore power to some communities impacted by the crash, including parts of Clairemont, Linda Vista, Mission Valley, Kearny Mesa and Tierrasanta. Those communities did not regain power until around 6 a.m.

No further details were immediately released.

A local biotech company just got a big distinction by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could help speed up the approval of a brain cancer drug.

On Thursday, Tocagen, a clinical-stage cancer-selective gene therapy company based in Mission Beach, was granted a breakthrough therapy designation for the treatment of patients with recurrent high grade glioma.

"The real importance here is the continuous dialogue," Tocagen chief executive officer Marty Duvall told NBC 7. "The FDA has determined, based on its review of our product, that this has potential significant advantage over existing therapy."

High grade gliomas are among the most common and aggressive primary brain cancers. Approximately 160,000 patients worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with HGG a year. Median survival after recurrence is typically seven to nine months, according to Tocagen.

“What we’ve seen with the early trials with our regime is that patients who are responding are actually living multiple years,” Duvall said.

The way the therapy works is twofold: once the tumor is removed, a doctor injects a virus in the infected area. That virus spreads through the remaining tumor cells. Then patients take an oral medication, which converts the virus into a powerful anti-cancer drug.

“There’s an initial killing of the tumor, then there’s a second punch where the immune system is activated and turns on against the cancer and then the patients can get very long term remissions,” Tocagen President Harry Gruber said.

This twofold mechanism is what Tocagen believes is creating these promising, long-term results.

The parents of a San Diego teenager who was kidnapped and murdered while out on a run exactly seven years ago paid tribute to their daughter with a heart-wrenching message and video posted on social media.

Brent and Kelly King, parents of slain teen Chelsea King, posted a message on Facebook Saturday marking seven years since the last time they saw their daughter alive.

“Unspeakable sadness. Immeasurable love,” the message began. “These are some of the emotions that coarse through our hearts today. It’s been 7 years since we last saw our little girl. Chelsea radiated joy, and believed in the good in all people. We have learned that no amount of evil can diminish the compassion, conviction and beauty we witness daily. Nothing can separate us from Chelsea. You taught us that. We will never forget the gift you have given us.”

In a high-profile case that sent shock waves through San Diego County, Chelsea, only 17, was kidnapped on Feb. 25, 2010, while out on a run at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, by sexual predator John Albert Gardner III. The Poway High School senior’s body was found five days later in the Lake Hodges area.

On May 15, 2010, Gardner was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the rape and murder of Chelsea, as well as that of Escondido teenager Amber Dubois, 14, who vanished in a similar, disturbing case in February 2009.

The following year, the King family worked to pass Chelsea’s Law in California, which enhances criminal sentences for violent sexual offenders who commit crimes against children.

Today, Brent and Kelly King run the Chelsea’s Light Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to their daughter that aims to support youth and spreading positive change in the community.

Their social media message on Saturday was posted to the Chelsea’s Light Foundation Facebook page, and also included this paragraph for those who continue to support the work of their family.

“You also showed us that together we can make a difference in the lives of all kids by passing tougher laws that lock up the cowards that harm them. Help us protect more kids by asking one friend, co-worker, or family member to like us on social media. The larger our following the more the politicians pay attention to our goal!”

The post included a touching tribute video with snippets of home videos of Chelsea as a toddler, child and teen – and her loved ones talking about what made her so special.

“Everything about her – was light. She was one of those girls that would just light up a room,” Chelsea’s brother, Tyler King, said in the video tribute.

Next Saturday, March 4, the Chelsea’s Light Foundation will hold its 7th annual Finish Chelsea’s Run, a community 5K walk/run in memory of the teen and the run she was never able to finish.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the organization’s Sunflower Scholarship Fund, which will help award 10 scholarships to college-bound teens who embody “service over self” traits. NBC 7 is the television media partner for the event; our NBC 7 team will be there to support participants and Chelsea’s loved ones at the run.

President Donald Trump announced that he would not be attending the 2017 White House correspondents' dinner in a tweet Saturday evening. 

"I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!" Trump tweeted. 

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The dinner is traditionally attended by the President and the First Lady as well as other senior government officials and members of the press corps, according to the White House Correspondent Association.

At the annual dinner, the asscociation presents three major journalism awards to recognize distinguished reporting.

The announcement comes a day after Trump's spat with the media sharply escalated after he slammed the media in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. 

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In the speech Friday, Trump unloaded on the news media for using anonymous sources, just hours after members of his own staff insisted on briefing reporters only on condition their names be concealed.

Later Friday, news organizations including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CNN and Politico were blocked from joining an informal, on-the-record White House press briefing.

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Supporters of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rallied Saturday in Vista, urging lawmakers not to repeal Obamacare.

The rally was organized by Our Revolution, a nationwide group made up of Bernie Sanders supporters. Demonstrators gathered at the corner of Vista Village Drive and South Santa Fe Road, many holding signs with slogans such as “ACA For All.” According to organizers, the event was aimed at getting the attention of members of Congress.

“Don't repeal the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. Millions of lives are counting on the coverage provided by these programs,” a press release for the event said.

According to organizers, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R – 49TH District) was invited to attend the rally.

However, NBC 7 reached out to Issa’s office and his staff said that simply was not the case. His office said event organizers had not reached out to Issa in advance to invite the congressman to the rally.

Issa’s office said the congressman already had another public appearance scheduled for Saturday, to address the California Republican Party at their annual convention in Sacramento.

Issa released this statement to NBC 7 on Saturday: 

“Americans are worried about the uncertainty on healthcare reform and it’s a concern that I share. Americans deserve to have a plan they know -- and that they can trust -- to deliver the kind of care they need, at a price level that they can afford.”

“Despite Obamacare's grand promises, Americans are still hurting under Obamacare. Higher premiums, fewer coverage options, larger deductibles, and canceled plans, are all real life examples of the damage Obamacare has put on American families. Rather than preserving these failures, we should use this as an opportunity to work together to eliminate the consistent shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act to deliver the kind of healthcare we deserve.”

Lisa Stevenson, who lives with pre-existing medical conditions and heavily relies on health care, was among the demonstrators at Saturday's rally.

She said knowing she needs medical treatment to survive is much like, in her words, "getting a rug pulled right from under you."

She said that is ACA is repealed, she will be directly impacted.

"I’ll die. I have cancer. I won’t live," Stevenson told NBC 7. "I’m not the only one."

Debbie Mixon was also at the rally, showing her support for Obamacare with a sign that read: "Our Daughter Lives Because Obama Cared."

Mixon said her daughter is a breast cancer survivor who was able to receive treatment because of the Affordable Care Act. Her daughter is alive today, continuing her treatment.

While Congress is in recess, many lawmakers are back in their districts. Some are scheduling meetings with constituents. Issa has been criticized by some for not attending a town hall.

On Tuesday, Issa answered several questions from protestors outside his Vista office. What some would characterize as a protest, Issa described as a "wonderful town hall" on Friday.

U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas (D- 51st District) spoke about the tension lawmakers are facing during the Congressional recess while in San Diego this week.

U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D - 52nd District) and U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D- 53rd District) held a joint town hall in Liberty Station on Wednesday. They answered questions from a standing-room only crowd. Some in attendance demanded more outrage from their representatives.

NBC 7 sought out U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R - District) on Thursday to learn what meetings he's scheduled with constituents during his recess. A staffer from Hunter’s office said the congressman plans to hold a town hall on March 11, and also said Hunter had a lot of pre-arranged appointments already on his calendar during the recess.

A small act of kindness brightened the day of at least one person in Rancho Bernardo Saturday when someone went around a parking lot leaving sunflowers and nice notes on parked cars.

Cyndi Lundeberg told NBC 7 she was in the parking lot of a Vons grocery store on Bernardo Plaza Drive when she noticed a bright, yellow sunflower on her car. When she scanned the lot, she saw the flowers where on every car around her.

A typed note was attached to the stem of the sunflower. It was even hole-punched with tiny hearts.

The note read: “Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you.”