Two Canadian sailors were sentenced to 30 months in prison for intentionally setting their sailboat on fire, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Emerson Rome and Bradley Wise, both now 31-years-old, were off the coast of Washington State on Oct. 28, 2016, when they set their vessel, named "Tarry-A-Bit," on fire.

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter, Steadfast, began to approach Rome and Wise on their sailboat when one of them started to light parts of the boat on fire, causing flames to spread across the boat.

Rome and Wise then began steering their boat in circles, making it difficult for Coast Guard personnel to put out the fire.

When the boat was engulfed in flames, the men jumped off the vessel and had to be rescued from the frigid waters by Coast Guard crewmembers, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Rome and Wise were convicted of conspiracy to commit violence against maritime navigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

“The actions of these individuals created a great danger to themselves and the crewmembers of the cutter Steadfast,” said Rear Admiral Todd Sokalzuk, Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard district in Alameda, California, in a statement. “The conviction and sentence demonstrate that the Coast Guard will seek to bring justice to those that endanger others on the open ocean.”

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Steadfast crewmembers did attempt to put out the fire, but Tarry-A-Bit ended up sinking.

Rome and Wise’s clothing tested positive for methamphetamine, according to a government sentencing memo.

Rome and Wise set their boat on fire to prevent Coast Guard members from boarding, according to a plea agreement. No contraband was recovered from the debris.

The IRS said last year that an audit does not prevent individuals from releasing their tax returns. Still, as NBC News reports, White House press secretary Sean Spicer cited an audit as the reason President Donald Trump's tax returns cannot be made public.

"It's the same thing that was discussed during the campaign: The president is under audit," Spicer said Monday when asked if Trump would release his 2016 returns.

Protest marches were held in cities across the U.S. over the weekend, with demonstrators calling for the president to make his returns public, as presidential candidates have customarily done for decades.

A reporter asked the press secretary Monday if the time had come to say that Trump would never release his returns. "We'll have to get back to you on that," Spicer responded.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is suing two California charities claiming to support veterans in a civil lawsuit filed Monday.

The lawsuit seeks to reclaim hundreds of thousands of dollars that were collected through raffles by the operators of Wounded Warriors Support Group and Central Coast Equine Rescue and Retirement, announced the State Department of Justice.

The charities are run by Matthew G. Gregory, his wife Danella J. Gregory and their grown children Matthew J. Gregory and Gina D. Gregory.

The organization owners spent donated money on personal expenses such as shopping at Victoria’s Secret, paying off credit cards, traveling, dining, traffic school and more, according to the State Department of Justice.

The lawsuit seeks general damages, civil penalties, the forced closure of both charities and an order to prevent all four adults from operating a charity in California again.

"It’s a breach of the public trust to deceive and exploit the goodwill of generous Americans,” said Becerra, in a statement. "It’s worse when you do so at the expense of our veterans. I will vigorously investigate and prosecute any charity falsely claiming to help our veterans."

Becerra warned donors to be cautious with charities using the term "veterans" in their name, since that does not guarantee the donations will benefit veterans directly.

Tips for supporting veteran organizations can be found on the Attorney General’s website.

A U.S. Army veteran from Connecticut is one of the lead plaintiffs on a class-action federal lawsuit on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder that are seeking to have their general discharges upgraded.

“I spent 14 months in Iraq expecting that I was going to be blown up,” said Stephen Kennedy, of Fairfield, who developed PTSD while serving overseas. “And eventually when that explosion I was expecting still never came, I started to plan to take matters into my own hands.”

The army kicked the 30-year-old out after he went AWOL to attend his own wedding, he said Monday morning at a press conference at the Yale Law School’s Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization.

“Already dealing with depression and then undiagnosed PTSD,” Kennedy recalled. “I was told my service was less than fully honorable.”

The complaint filed against the Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer argues that despite a 2014 Department of Defense order for the Army Discharge Review Board to give “liberal consideration” to veterans claiming their discharges were connected to PTSD or mental health, the ADRB is systematically failing veterans like Kennedy.

“Instead, the ADRB routinely and callously denies the upgrades to veterans who raise mental health as a factor in their applications,” said Jonathan Petkun, a veteran and law student in the Yale Veterans Legal Services Clinic representing the plaintiffs in this lawsuit.

Kennedy filed an application to have his discharge upgraded in 2015, but his request was denied.

Conley Monk is one of the many Vietnam War veterans to suffer from PTSD. After waiting almost 45 years, his less than honorable discharge from the Marines was finally upgraded after the Yale Law School won a legal battle on behalf of Vietnam War veterans in 2014.

“It stigmatized me,” Monk said at the press conference. “It prevented me from getting housing, jobs and also services that I needed for my PTSD and I pray that everything works out for Steve.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Senate Committee on Armed Services, pointed out that Kennedy and the plaintiffs are not seeking monetary compensation.

“This cause is a matter of justice, plain and simple,” Blumenthal said. “I strongly support this legal action to assure that veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress receive the medical care and recognition they deserve. A lawsuit is necessary because the Pentagon is failing to adequately review bad paper discharges resulting from post-traumatic stress and other invisible wounds of war.‎ Having worked on this cause for years-- helping lead legislation-- I am proud to stand with these brave veterans.”

A Department of Defense spokesperson said she could not comment on the pending litigation or Kennedy’s specific case. She said in an email that not providing sufficient evidence of a mental health diagnosis is one of the most common reason the ADRB denies a discharge upgrade.

United Airlines won't forget Dr. David Dao.

The company's chief executive, Oscar Munoz, said Monday that Dao's forced, bloodied — and viral — removal from a flight that he had paid for last week would serve as a "watershed moment" for the airline, NBC News reported.

"The incident that took place aboard Flight 3411 has been a humbling experience and I take full responsibility," Munoz said in a statement accompanying its better-than-anticipated first-quarter earnings report. "This will prove to be a watershed moment for our company."

Dao, 69, suffered a broken nose, a concussion and lost two front teeth after refusing to leave the April 13 flight from Chicago to his home state of Kentucky.

A 37-year-old man with a hatchet trying to enter a home in Encanto Monday morning was arrested, San Diego Police (SDPD) said.

Officers rushed to the home on 63rd Street and Imperial Avenue when they were told the suspect was headed toward the trolley station on 62nd Street.

The victim, a 40-year-old man, was attacked outside his home. He suffered two non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the suspect was under the influence of a controlled substance. 

There was a brief struggle with officers near the trolley station before the man was eventually taken into custody.

He was put onto a gurney and taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

No details were given on the man’s injuries.

No other information was available.

Oceanside police are looking for the driver of a silver Honda Civic believed to have been involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision late Sunday.

A woman was found unconscious in the westbound lanes of Mission Avenue, east of Interstate 5 just before 8 p.m., Oceanside police said.

Witnesses told police the woman was walking southbound across the street when a vehicle traveling at approximately 70 or 80 mph struck the woman.

Residents familiar with the crosswalk said it is usually a safe intersection. 

I'm shocked, I hate to see members of the Oceanside community killed, hit by drunk drivers, things like that," said Johnathan Lorenzo, an Oceanside resident.

The vehicle was described as a silver, 1998 Honda Civic with California license 7HJW533. The driver, police said, was described as male with a beard and a baseball hat.

The Honda was last seen getting on Interstate 5 north from Mission Avenue.

One witness followed the suspect vehicle and saw it exit eastbound SR-76. Oceanside police said the vehicle was last seen near Loretta Street.

The pedestrian died at the scene, police said.

Anyone with information can call (760) 435-4900 or (760) 435-4882.

A New York man was arrested at Coachella Friday with more than 100 cell phones in his backpack, Indio police said.

Reinaldo De Jesus Henao, 36, faces grand theft and possession of stolen property charges. Officers say Henao was walking through the crowded California music festival picking pockets.

The crime spree was discovered when several people noticed their phones were missing and activated the “Find My Phone” feature, police said. Those signals led the victims to Henao.

Security guards detained him and when Indio police arrived they found more than 100 phones in Henao’s backpack, according to police. Some of the phones were returned to the victims that day or the next.

Dan Marshall with Indio police said most of the phones were taken from concert-goers near the Sahara Tent and they seemed to be a mix of Apple and Android devices. He wasn't sure whether customers had used the iPhone or Android version of the "Find Your Phone" app. The common thread was that many of the stolen phones were "phablets," phones with big screens, he said. 

Jail records did not list an attorney for Henao who could speak to the accusations.

Between 90,000 and 125,000 people were expected to attend the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival over two weekends this year, with Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar among the dozens of bands playing.

If you're still missing your phone, check in with the festival's Lost and Found or call Indio police at (760) 541-4291.

Marshall said that the festival had reconnected hundreds of lost phones to patrons, well beyond the number that were stolen. 

A beached sailboat washed ashore in Blacks Beach, prompting a response from emergency personnel, confirmed police.

When San Diego lifeguards arrived, they found the sailor on the beach without injuries. He was apparently pulled into shore around midnight, but was unable to make any distress calls, said lifeguards.

The boat is dry and high up on the shore. Currently, it does not pose any environmental concerns, said lifeguards. U.S. Coast Guard and San Diego police are aware of the incident.

Now lifeguards are working on a plan to remove the vessel.

If you look up into the sky this week you may catch a glimpse of a rare visitor roaring above the East County.

The “Madras Maiden”, a Boeing B-17 bomber, arrived at Gillespie Field in El Cajon Monday as part of a national tour.

Not only will World War II history buffs be able to see the flying fortress up close, but people can also pay for the rare opportunity to fly inside it. The Madras Maiden is one of only 12 B-17 bombers still flying.

The United States relied heavily on the 12,700 B-17s produced during World War II for missions deep into European territory.

More than one third of the bombers were lost in combat.

The Madras Maiden was build towards the end of the war and never saw any combat, according to information distributed by the Liberty Foundation, which took over operation of the aircraft in 2016.

Today, the B-17 allows people all over America to travel back in time with flights aboard the historic bomber.

Flights are available on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23.

For more information on tickets you can click here.

A military helicopter crashed onto a golf course in Leonardtown, Maryland, Monday afternoon, killing one crew member and injuring the two others on board.

The UH-60 Black Hawk based at Fort Belvoir, the Army installation in Northern Virginia, crashed about 1:40 p.m. Monday, U.S. Army Military District of Washington officials said in a statement. The crew was conducting a routine training flight. 

One of the crew members was pronounced dead, a second person is in critical condition, and a third person is in serious condition. Their names will be released once their families are notified, the Army said. 

"We are deeply saddened by this loss within our community," Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Becker said in the statement. "Our condolences go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy, and our team is focused on supporting them during this difficult time."

A photo from TheBayNet.com shows firefighters appearing to peer into the wreckage at the Breton Bay Golf and Country Club, near Society Hill Road. 

A woman who lives near the golf course said she saw helicopters flying overhead. Then, one appeared to lose control.

"One of them just started to lower, and it started to spiral down, and it disappeared below the trees. It looked like it had flipped over, upside-down, and then we heard a big explosion sound," Bianca Melton said.

Kevin Bowen, who works in the golf course's pro shop, said he saw the helicopter "flying kind of low" and then "saw it spinning" before it went down between the third and fourth holes of course. 

Milt Hein said he and his brothers saw the helicopter plummet to the ground.

"We watched the helicopter come by, sitting very low, and my brother made a comment: 'Look how low it is.' Then I was like, 'Oh my God, it's going sideways. Then, it started to go backward, and I said, 'It's going down,'" he said, shaking his head.

Dorothy Harper, who lives across the street from the golf course, said she saw the helicopter just before it crashed.

"I was outside in my front yard when I saw the helicopter come over right across the street from my house. I saw pieces actually falling off the helicopter," she said.

Harper said she didn't see smoke or flames, "just pieces falling out of the sky."

Shortly after, emergency vehicles started rolling in, she said.

Many people who live in the area were concerned for their family members and friends, Joy Shrum, a reporter for TheBayNet.com, said.

"Being a military community, something like this hits home very hard. There's a lot of people very concerned for their loved ones," she said.

Leonardtown is about 60 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.

The Army is investigating the cause of the crash. Investigators were driving around the course in golf carts Monday evening, placing evidence markers near pieces of debris. A team from the Army Combat Readiness Center, in Fort Rucker, Alabama, will be on site Tuesday to conduct the investigation.  

Fort Belvoir is home to the 12th Aviation Battalion, housed at the base’s Davison Army Airfield. The battalion has more than a dozen H-60 helicopters and helps serve senior leaders of the U.S. Army and Defense Department.  

The 12th Aviation Battalion lands at the Pentagon, provides support for military training, and participates in funeral flyovers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Congressional sources say there are plans to budget $1.1 billion this year to buy 61 new UH-60s. According to National Guard Bureau, the Army Guard’s H-60 fleet is the oldest in the Army; more than half of the aircraft are 30 years old.

The crash comes less than two weeks after another military aircraft accident in Maryland. A D.C. Air National Guard F-16C fighter jet crashed April 5 in a wooded area near Joint Base Andrews in Clinton, about 6 miles southwest of the military base that is home to Air Force One, base officials said.  

The pilot in that crash parachuted out of the F-16 after he had mechanical trouble and steered the aircraft away from a neighborhood. The pilot was on a routine training mission at the time. No one on the ground was hurt.

Hein, one of the witnesses, said seeing a crash in person was nothing like seeing one on television or in a movie. 

"You see it on TV all the time, and you think it's pretty cool. It's not. When you see it live, it's not," he said. 

On getaway day in Atlanta, the San Diego Padres received timely homers from a couple of players not necessarily known for their power.

The chance to grab a win – and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Braves – was in their grasp.

Unfortunately, Atlanta rallied in the final two frames to pull out a 5-4 victory and complete a sweep of the Padres.

The Friars ended their rough four day stay in Atlanta with their 4th straight loss and a 5-9 record.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was a huge reason why San Diego left new SunTrust Park empty-handed.

His 2-run homer in the 3rd inning off of Jered Weaver gave the Braves a 3-1 advantage.

Freeman also went yard a second time in the 8th inning when he faced left-handed pitcher Ryan Buchter and tied the game at 4.   Freeman raised his batting average to .400 and finished 4-for-4 with 3 RBI.

Highly touted shortstop Dansby Swanson provided the game-winning theatrics for Atlanta with a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.

Prior to that base knock against Padres closer Brandon Maurer, Swanson was 0-for-4 in the contest. Maurer suffered his first loss of the season and Buchter was saddled with his first blown save.

Weaver held the Braves to three runs (two earned) over six innings of work.

But Freeman’s initial blast casts some more doubt on Weaver's ability to keep the ball in the park.

In his first three starts as a Padre, Weaver has already given up five homers.

That’s especially disconcerting because he gave up a 37 dingers in 2016 in his final season with the Angels.

That number was second-most out of all MLB pitchers to former Padre James Shields - who allowed 40 homers last year in 33 combined starts for the Friars and the White Sox.

The loss spoiled a milestone for Padres outfielder Allen Cordoba. The Rule 5 draft pick hit his first major league home run in the 7th off of Braves starter Jaime Garcia.

Catcher Austin Hedges later gave the Friars a 4-3 advantage when he lofted a 2-run shot off of reliever Arodys Vizcaino.

Yangervis Solarte collected his 11th RBI of the young season with a single that plated Manny Margot in the 1st inning.

As of Monday evening, Solarte ranks tied for 4th in the National League for runs batted in.

The Padres open up a six-game homestand Tuesday when they welcome the Diamondbacks to Petco Park.

San Diego’s Jarred Cosart is slated to throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. while Arizona will counter with Shelby Miller.

Crews were responding to a fire in a drainage pipe covered with heavy brush in Vista Monday night.

According to Vista Fire officials, the fire began around 7:42 p.m. on the 1200 block of Hacienda Drive. 

As of around 9 p.m., crews were still trying to make access to the fire. It was spreading at a slow rate.

Vista Fire Department has requested helicopter and Cal Fire hand crews for assistance.

The fire was burning in an area with heavy brush, fire officials said. The closest structure to the fire is a BMW dealership.

Crews were attempting to access the fire from the dealership.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

A bat caught alive at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has tested positive for rabies, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency announced Monday.

County officials are urging anyone who may have touched the bat to contact County Health officials as soon as possible at (619)692-8499.

On Apr. 15 at about 3 p.m., trained park staff captured the bat near the Oasis Deli in Nairobi Village. According to County officials, it was a wild bat not obtained as part of the park's animal collection.

"Although the bat was found in an area where many park visitors pass by, there has been no reported human or animal contact with it," said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer, in a statement.

At this point in time, no human or animal has reportedly been exposed to the bat, said County officials.

"We want to be sure that no one had contact with the bat because human rabies is usually fatal without prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment," said Wooten.

If anyone touched or held the rabies-infested bat, this should raise alarm bells. Unless someone physically touched the bat or held it, there is no risk of contracting rabies, said County officials.

"People should always stay away from bats and other wild animals to prevent possible exposure to rabies," said Wooten. "If you see a bat, dead or alive, don’t touch it."

Last summer, two other bats were also discovered in this same location in the Safari Park that tested positive for rabies. Nobody appeared to have been exposed at that time.

It's possible for rabies to be transmitted through a bat bite, or if a bat's saliva comes in contact with a cut or the eyes, nose or mouth. The best way to prevent rabies is to avoid contact with wild and stray animals, said County officials. Also, make sure any domestic pets are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations.

Bats are the most common animal to be tested positive for rabies in San Diego County, according to County Health officials.

The Administrators Association of San Diego (AASD) is planning to meet Thursday with the San Diego Unified School District to address the budget shortfall.

AASD is the union representing principals, vice principals, managers and supervisors.

In a union newsletter, the union and the district say they will talk about possibly shortening the work year. It's part of the effort to make up for the budget shortfall. Already, 85 positions have been eliminated.

That includes some vice principals for elementary schools and administrators at some child development centers. Now, those who still have a job could be faced with less work, which means less pay.

Mary Todd is a grandparent to students at Serra High School in Tierrasanta.

"I don’t think they need to cut the hours, because people got to live, people got to pay bills," Todd said.

Parent Cheri Korobkin told NBC 7, "I feel bad for the people being cut, but I guess they have to stick to the budget."

The Executive Director and President of the union, Donis Coronel, said she does not know how many people could be affected, or how many days of the work year could be reduced.

"Obviously, work load is an issue. Losing 85 positions and potentially losing some of the work year translates to a work load issue," said Coronel.

Until there is a proposal from the District, she does not want to comment further.

A man and his dog broke the Guinness World Record for the longest trip on an electric bike, and thanked San Diegans for their support.

Since he started, the dynamic duo pedaled more than 14,000 miles together on their electric bike. That's nearly triple the current Guinness World Record for the longest electric bike trip, Minnick told NBC 7.

The longest journey on a motorized bike is 4,612 miles, according to the Guiness World Records.

Fans of Mike Minnick and his 15-pound rescue dog 'Bixby' may remember when the pair had their bicycle stolen in Mission Beach back in 2015. At that time, Minnick and Bixby had biked over 9,300 miles through 31 states while advocating for pet adoption.

Now the two have been biking around the country for three years promoting local animal shelters. Currently, Minnick and Bixby are adding even more miles to their record as they pass through San Diego.

When his special Yuba Mundo cargo bike was stolen, he lost Chicken Charlie (his rubber safety chicken), Bixby's crate, lights, toys, bluetooth speaker, ipod, GoPro and more, according to his GoFundMe page.

That forced him to place his Hug Your Dog tour on hold, but he quickly raised $16,870 including local donations.

"San Diego reached out to me in a way that was really humbling. I mean people offered us places to stay, a complete stranger offered me their car," said Minnick.

Locals also kept an eye out for Minnick's bike once it was stolen and eventually were able to get it returned to him.

As Minnick headed back to San Diego, he said he will never forget how San Diegans went the extra mile to make sure he could go back on his bicycle journey.

"I mean people came from everywhere and made sure that we didn’t go without, that we were taken care of. And they took care of us in a really real way," said Minnick.

The pair will head north after they leave San Diego to wrap up their world record. In the future, Minnick says another bike tour to raise money for animal shelters is on the horizon.

Since President Donald Trump took office, deportations of undocumented immigrants without a criminal record have more than doubled.

While Former President Barack Obama's administration targeted immigrants with felony convictions or serious misdemeanor charges, Mr. Trump's administration is taking on a different approach.

According to an article by the Washington Post, more than 5,440 undocumented immigrants with no criminal records were deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)--more than double from last year.

In San Diego though, those numbers have actually decreased.

There have been 168 deportations of non-criminal undocumented immigrants in San Diego. Last year, there were 292 during that same period.

In a Meet the Press interview, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said immigration agents are also focusing on people with overstayed visas.

“It's time consuming, but at the end of the day they came here with a promise to leave, and we have to track them down and if they're still in the country, and put them in the proceedings to deport them," Kelly said.

NBC 7 spoke with Itzel Guillen, a student at San Diego State University (SDSU), who is also a DACA recipient. 

Guillen said she came to San Diego illegally in 1999 when she was just 4-years-old with her mom and 11-year-old brother. She said she worries her mom, who has worked odd jobs since they came to San Diego, might be deported.

“Having to sit at dinner and talk about these things constantly is taking a toll on our family," Guillen said. "It's a worry that never really goes away.”

She added that the increased number of deportations of undocumented immigrants has created a hightened sense of fear for her family.

When her mom goes out to do everyday errands, like grocery shopping, Guillen said it makes her nervous. 

"Having to hear this anti-immigrant rhetoric of 'send them back or go back home,' at least for myself I don't identify as Mexico being my home because I didn't grow up there," she told NBC 7.

Andrew Nietor, Chair of the local Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said he has been getting a lot more calls recently from people fearing deportation.

Parents who are undocumented are sorting out custody plans for their children in the event they are deported.

"The types of calls we're getting now are so different from the types of calls we got about a year ago," Neitor said. "Dreamers, DACA--coming out of the shadows."

Guillen said her mom was deported, she would have nowhere to go.

"We can't continue to separate families," Guillen told NBC 7.

Under a proposed law modeled after one in New Jersey, California judges could release non-violent defendants without imposing bail.

Our state's bail industry warns it's an idea that could boost crime.

Assembly Bill 42 comes up for a preliminary vote in the Legislature on Tuesday.

It's aimed at keeping defendants who can’t afford bail from being held indefinitely before the trial process.

And it could put bail bonds companies out of business.

Law enforcement groups haven't taken a position on the legislation.

Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court is studying the issues for a report in December.

But opponents say early results in New Jersey show an increase in crimes committed by people who were just released on "their own recognizance", at no cost.

Under AB 42, counties would conduct pre-trial "assessments" as to whether someone arrested is a safety threat or risk not to show up for court.

Based on that, judges would decide whether to release those booked for serious felonies, domestic violence, stalking or violating a court order.

While the legislation also is aimed at reducing jail costs and overcrowding, critics say there have been big "hidden costs" in New Jersey, and questions raised about factors in the assessment methods.

“I believe it’s sort of a slippery slope,” said Steffan Gibbs, CEO of All-Pro Bail Bonds. “We’re running into a place where the government is going to be deciding who gets out a who doesn’t and what conditions they have to follow.”

In an interview Monday with NBC 7, Gibbs offered this cautionary note: "There are many unforeseen circumstances down the road where before, people could have gotten out of jail, and now they're waiting three or four or five days for the government service that's provided through pre-trial to get themselves out."

The Assembly bill is identical to one in the state Senate, SB 10, which already has crossed its first hurdle.

Seven other states are looking at similar reforms.

Gibbs suggests that instead, California should adopt a centralized bail schedule and explore other ways of reforming the system.

State data shows more than 300 schools in San Diego County are testing their water for lead, following an NBC7 Investigates series on water quality in schools.

A state spokeswoman said more schools are testing in San Diego County, by far, than any other county in the state.

At least 17 of schools, across several school districts, have received lab results of lead in school water at levels greater than five parts per billion.

Some public health advocates argue results greater than five parts per billion are a concern for children, while state guidelines suggest only results at levels greater than 15 parts per billion require further attention.

In California, most schools have never been required to test their water for lead under the current federal Lead and Copper Rule.

New state guidelines require public water systems to test schools for free, if the school requests the optional tests.

Prior to NBC7 Investigates series “Safe to Drink,” very few schools had accessed the free program across the city and state.

As of March 29, the latest state data available, more than 300 schools in San Diego County had reached out to their water utility to set up the tests.

Water with levels of lead greater than 15 parts per billion, which is also the federal Environmental Protection Agency action limit, must be treated for contamination, according to regulations set by the State Water Resources Control Board.

The state regulations require the school district take action to fix problems when lead is discovered in water higher than the action limit.

At San Marcos Unified, two schools had lead in water at levels greater than that action limit of 15 parts per billion, according to the most recent data available.

Twin Oaks High School had two fixtures with lead coming from the drinking faucets at 15 parts per billion and 31 parts per billion.

San Marcos Unified confirmed to NBC7 last month that contaminated water was found coming from a gym drinking fountain at San Marcos Middle school.

A spokeswoman said the district then moved to have all schools tested for lead in the water.

“Because it is critical to San Marcos Unified to ensure that the water used by our students, staff, and community is safe, the district elected to have all of our school sites tested,” said Communications Coordinator Anna Lucia Roybal. “We recently received the results from this latest round of testing, and Twin Oaks High School was found to have two fixtures with lead levels at or above the acceptable limit.”

One drinking fountain located near the basketball courts, came back at the action limit of 15 parts per billion, Roybal said. Another drinking fountain near a wood shop class had lead levels at 31 parts per billion.

“As was the case with the San Marcos Middle School, both of these results were due to bad fixtures, not a contaminated water supply, and they have been removed. We will be replacing the drinking fountains and hydration stations,” Roybal said.

Public Health Advocate Jason Pfeifle said it’s wrong for schools to allow children to drink from fountains measuring even five parts per billion.

"There is no safe level of lead in drinking water for kids," Pfeifle said. "These schools must protect children's health and shut off access to these water outlets immediately."

Lead poisoning in children can cause symptoms ranging from headaches and hearing or speech problems to learning and behavioral problems or damage to the brain and nervous system, Pfeifle said.

He said CALPIRG suggests the district install filters on all water sources or shut off access to water measuring anything over one ppb.

Thirteen of the 18 school districts in the county, and some private schools, have now requested their school water tested for lead, according to the state data released Friday afternoon.

More than 100 of the schools requesting testing are in San Diego Unified, which recently announced it plans to test all of its some 200 schools for lead in water.

One school district, Warner Springs, was already required by the state to test their taps for lead (and copper), and have been performing this testing for many years.

That’s because they are permitted as a public water system and have their own water supply – a well that is currently contaminated with arsenic.

A spokeswoman said the Warner Springs school district has been working to lower dangerous levels of arsenic in its water supply and has been providing kids with bottled water for some time.

As of April 4, only about 3.5 percent of schools in the state had requested the new and free lead and copper testing.

The SWRCB released this map last week showing where schools have requested testing.

The agency sent updated data on which San Diego schools have requested testing to NBC7 on Friday.