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'Workations' and Beyond: CEOs Taking Job Perks to the Max

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Some companies are going far beyond casual Fridays to keep employees happy, NBC News reported.

There are three-day weekends every week, tropical "workations" and bonus money set aside only for vacations. And these perks are being offered by more than just cushy start-ups — PR firms, ad agencies, even cosmetics and e-commerce businesses are getting in on it. 

"I wanted to create a company culture I actually wanted to, and could, work in," Media Minefield CEO Kristi Piehl said. "I was a TV reporter when both my boys were born so [bringing my kids to the office] wasn't an option, but in the kind of environment we have at Media Minefield, it would work. So we gave it a try and so far, so good." 

Such perks may sound extravagant, but industry experts say that the more CEOs invest in their employees, the more likely they are to hold onto them for the long haul.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

'Do You Still Throw Spears?' Philip's Most Memorable Quips

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Britain’s Prince Philip is known for his sometimes-offensive comments, including telling a British student in China they'd "go home with slitty eyes" if they stayed in the country much longer, NBC News reported.

Prince Philip, who's been married to Queen Elizabeth II for 70 years, announced his retirement Thursday, leading many to recall some of his infamous quips throughout the years. "You look like you’re ready for bed," he told Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 — he was wearing the national dress.

In 2002, he asked Australian aboriginal leader William Brin, "Do you still throw spears at each other?"

The prince, now 95, even once suggested halting tourism in London to curb the city's problems with congestion. 



Photo Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images, File

Southern California Family Booted Off Delta Air Lines Flight

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A confrontation caught on camera shows a Southern California family being booted off a Los Angeles-bound Delta Air Lines flight after they refused to give up a seat that was occupied by their infant son.

Brian Schear of Huntington Beach was headed home with his wife and two infant boys from Maui to Los Angeles International Airport on April 23 when they were kicked off the plane. 

In a video posted online, Brian Schear tells airline employees he purchased a ticket for his older son Mason. Mason ended up taking an earlier flight, so the family decided the younger son would instead occupy his place in a car seat instead of havng the child sit on the wife's lap.

"He won't sleep unless he's in his car seat," the father explains to the employees.

The staff tells Brian Schear his younger son can't sit on the seat because Mason's name is on it, not the infant's.

When the airline asked the family to give up the seat, at first, Brian Schear refused to abide. He claimed the airline ordered his family to do this because Delta overbooked the flight.

In the video, an employee tells him refusing to get off the plane was a federal offense and he could be jailed.

"What blew me away was when they said, if you don't give the seat up, you're going to jail, your wife is going to jail, and they're gonna take your kids away," he told NBC4 Wednesday.

The eight-minute-long video was filmed by his wife and posted on YouTube.

"When you're a mother, and they say they're gonna take the kids, it made my heart drop," said Brittany Schear. "I was shaking the rest of the time."

In the video, a flight attendant argues that it is Federal Aviation Administration policy to put children under the age of 2 on an adult's lap and not in a plane seat.

"He cannot be in a seat at all," the flight attendant tells Brian Schear.

Both Delta and the FAA state on their websites that children under the age of 2 could travel in a seat, so as long they are sitting in an approved child safety seat. In fact, the method of travel is highly recommended by both the airline and the FAA.

"What are we supposed to do?" Brian Schear asks an employee in the video. "I got two infants and my wife, I've got no where to stay, there's no more flights. What are we supposed to do? Sleep in the airport?"

At the end of what the family said was an hour-long exhange, the Schears left the plane. They said they were forced to find a taxi in the middle of the night, pay for a hotel room and buy tickets for a new flight. The family was never contacted or reimbursed, the Schears claimed.

Delta Air Lines issued this statement Wednesday to NBC4:

"We're sorry for what this family experienced. Our team has reached out and will be talking with them to better understand what happened and come to a resolution."

But the Schear family says there is nothing the airline can do to make up for their ruined vacation and frustrating traveling experience.

"They need to change the way they treat us," Brian Schear said. "They treat us like cattle. It's unbelievable. It's not fair to treat people this way. We're the customers, we're supposed to be treated with respect."



Photo Credit: Brian Schear via YouTube

Man Arrested in North Park Wanted for Robbery Spree

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The man Greenwich police believe committed three bank robberies in just two days has been arrested in San Diego. 

The robberies at a Chase bank on East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich were about a mile away from a Citgo gas station in Cos Cob that was also robbed during a 48-hour crime spree.

David E. Byers, 34, of Solana Beach, California, was arrested in San Diego on Wednesday for allegedly robbing the bank and gas station, Greenwich Police said.

Greenwich Police determined the 34-year-old suspect had fled to San Diego and informed authorities in California. He was arrested at 12 a.m. (PST) Wednesday. 

Elysha Ramin was behind the register of the Citgo on Monday night when a man he described as calm came in with his face covered and showed what looked like a gun.

“He said he would not hurt me, so I give him the money as quickly as possible and then he left,” Ramin said.

Byers was charged with robbery, larceny and reckless endangerment. 

“Clearly this person has some level of desperation to commit three crimes of this nature one after the other,” Greenwich Police Captain Kraig Gray said.

Despite a search for the robber by a slew of Connecticut law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and New York State Police, the robber managed to slip away. 

Byers bond was set at $200,000. 



Photo Credit: Greenwich Police Department
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TSA Issues Warning Over Terrorist Truck Ramming Attacks

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Truck owners and truck rental agencies are being warned to remain "vigilant" about an uptick in "ramming attacks" by terrorists who use vehicles to kill, NBC News reported.

An unclassified Transportation Security Administration report obtained by NBC News warns owners, operators and rental agencies to protect themselves from theft. Areas where large numbers of people congregate, such as parades or entertainment venues, are particularly vulnerable locations, according to a study of the attacks.

The report says that in the past three years, at least 173 people have been killed and more than 700 wounded in 17 ramming attacks worldwide. Thirteen of those attacks resulted in fatalities.

Vehicle owners are urged to report theft or other suspicious activities, such as attempts to reinforce the front of the vehicle with metal plates, immediately, the report says.



Photo Credit: Getty Images, File

Rifle in Shooting of Chicago Cops Could Penetrate Body Armor: Police

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Two Chicago policemen wounded in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Tuesday night were shot with a rifle powerful enough to penetrate the officers’ body armor, police say.

Chicago police were working around the clock, saturating the streets of the city's South Side as the manhunt for those responsible for shooting the plain-clothes officers intensified Wednesday night. 

“We’re all family, we’re all brothers and sisters and what you see in that greater presence is what you’d see if anyone else was hurt,” Cpt. Warren Richards said.

A rifle was one of the weapons recovered from the scene, police said.

"The use of rifles has increased the lethality in these gang conflicts, where in the past, it was fist fights or fights with objects," said Cmdr. Stephen Chung, of the 9th District. "Now it's the guns, then more recently the rifles have been introduced into our neighborhoods."

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officials say 70 semi-automatic rifles were recovered in Chicago so far this year.

The officers were conducting a follow-up investigation to a previous incident, when two vehicles pulled up alongside them and opened fire Tuesday evening in the high-crime Back of the Yards neighborhood. One officer was shot in the arm and hip and the other in the back, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

The officers were wearing civilian clothes with vests bearing police badges and their vehicle was unmarked. Police are investigating if the shootings were targeted or if the officers were randomly attacked.

“The fact that they shot specifically at officers is outrageous,” Ald. Ray Lopez said earlier Wednesday.

Three people of interest were being questioned but they are not suspects, police say.

ATF Special Agent in Charge Celinez Nunez says law enforcement is facing a "different criminal element" with regards to gang activity, "one that has a total disregard for human life and a total disregard for law enforcement."

Both of the wounded officers are back home with their families after being released from Stroger Hospital Wednesday. Kevin Graham, the president of the local Lodge 7 police union, spoke with both officers and said one of the officers is in "a lot of pain."

Graham said he will press state legislators for laws to keep active officers safe.

"We are there to help people and we are here to protect people," Graham said. "But we are not going to be targets."

Lopez repeated his support for such legislation. Investigators say a high powered assault rifle recovered from a seized vehicle at the scene was used in the attack.  

"We have to get serious about doing what it takes to keep guns out of the hands of repeat offenders," he said. "The government has to start banning assault weapons once more."



Photo Credit: NBC Chicago
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Police Uncover No Evidence of Racism in San Diego Shootings

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No evidence has been found that a deadly shooting rampage at a pool party with mostly black victims was racially-motivated, San Diego police said.

Assistant Chief Brian Ahearn said investigators have interviewed party guests and family members, associates and the ex-girlfriend of gunman Peter Selis.

Police also searched his apartment, social media accounts and email while determining he opened fire because he was despondent about a recent breakup with his girlfriend.

"He made no statements, gestures, and showed no behavior toward the group that were racially tinged that would then classify this as a hate crime," Ahearn said. "I'm not suggesting that maybe that didn't happen, but we have zero information suggesting that was the case."

Some survivors said they believe Selis selected minority victims at the upscale apartment complex where one woman was killed and six people were wounded. Five of the victims were black, one was Latino and one was white.

Navy Lt. j.g. Lauren Chapman, who was at the party, said the gunman avoided shooting at least one white woman.

Chapman later spoke to the woman, who said the gunman told her, "You can either leave or you can stay here and die," as she tried to help Monique Clark, a black woman and mother of three children who was killed. The woman could not be reached for comment by The Associated Press.

Dozens of mourners gathered Wednesday night outside the apartment complex for a candlelight vigil honoring Clark and the other victims.

Archie Robinson, a pastor, read a statement from Clark's family, which said in part: "No family should have to experience this type of loss and pain that is indescribable. The loss of Monique is a loss ... for the community, too."

Two white women sitting much closer to the gunman than those who were shot also escaped unharmed, Chapman said.

"I'm a realistic person and we need to acknowledge race was a factor," said Chapman, who is black. "Maybe it wasn't everything, but it was definitely something. We need to get that dialogue open. Yes, he was bankrupt. Yes, he had relationship issues, but I think we need to acknowledge the possibility of bias."

Selis had filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and again in 2015.

Mychael Gary, another black party guest, said Selis seemed to calmly pick out his victims. He wishes he could ask the shooter why it happened.

"You know what, we can never speak to him. We don't get a chance to ask him. He made his problem everyone else's problem and now he doesn‘t have the problem anymore and that’s the part that just kills me," Mychael told NBC 7.

Chapman said the white woman who was shot was sitting at a table surrounded by African Americans.

Ahearn confirmed that Selis told a white woman to leave the area and added that he told a black woman helping another victim that she could not move the person to safety but he would not shoot her if she stayed put. She did not move and was not shot.

Police have said the 49-year-old Selis briefly called his ex-girlfriend during the Sunday night shooting and said he was "shooting it out." He was killed by police after firing his .45-caliber handgun at a sergeant and two officers.

The ex-girlfriend and others who knew Selis told police they did not believe he was a racist, and investigators found no racist propaganda, emails or other materials, Ahearn said.

"Based upon the facts that we have, this group was shot at because it was compact and a large number of people in close proximity to Selis at the moment in time when he decided to shoot innocent people," he said.

Selis' family said they could not explain the "senseless acts" of violence.

"We cannot understand what would have caused Pete to do this," the family said in a statement sent to KFMB-TV. "Words cannot express our profound grief and sorrow for all the victims and their families. ... We will miss our beloved Pete forever."



Photo Credit: Hannah Hawkes, NBC 7

Local Firm Starts Work on $11M Ramona Townhome Project

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San Diego-based Pathfinder Partners plans a May 11 ground-breaking for Paseo Village Townhomes, an $11 million project in Ramona.

A statement from the investment and development company said the 31-unit, nine-building townhome project is being built in the Ramona Village Center area of the unincorporated North County community, with completion slated for spring 2018.

Officials said the development is being built at Day and La Brea streets, with Craftsman-style homes to be priced starting in the low $400,000s. Pathfinder acquired the 2.5-acre parcel and related architectural plans in late 2016.

Pathfinder Partners Vice President Matt Quinn said Paseo Village is the first community developed under the guidelines of the new Ramona Village Center form-based code, which promotes Ramona’s rural character while embracing development in the town center.

The project’s general contractor is Crowbar Construction Inc. of San Diego, and the architect is Ramona-based Progressive Images.



Photo Credit: Rendering courtesy of Pathfinder Partners
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Free Outdoor Movies Return to Liberty Station

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San Diego’s Liberty Station will moonlight as an outdoor movie theater for the next six months as the venue hosts a series of free outdoor film screenings focused on heroes of the silver screen.

“Second Saturday Cinema” returns next week, on May 13, with a screening of the highly-acclaimed Damien Chazelle musical “La La Land.” The film, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, will start at 8 p.m. at the Liberty Station North Promenade (2848 Dewey Rd.). Movie lovers are invited to sit on the grass (don’t forget that blanket or low-back chair, and maybe a snack from Liberty Public Market) and watch the flick under the stars, for free.

“La La Land” is the first in the series of free outdoor movies happening at the Liberty Station North Promenade now through October, on the second Saturday of each month. The 2017 series, produced in partnership with Pacific Arts Movement, will feature movies that spotlight the theme of “Heroes of the Arts on Film.”

Other films and dates in the lineup include:

  • “Strictly Ballroom” (1992) on June 10 at 8 p.m.
  • “Lego Batman Movie” (2017) on July 8 at 8 p.m.
  • “Sing” (2016) on Aug. 12 at 8 p.m.
  • “Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings” (2012) on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
  • “Ghostbusters” (2016) on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

According to organizers, the movies are reflective of the art forms represented by the diverse resident groups in the Arts District. The event aims to also bring more people to this part of Liberty Station, which is home to dozens of open art galleries, studios and museums.

Before the movies, a short film – experimental, independent or documentary – will screen. This part of the event is curated by Outside the Lens, a local program that teaches youth to use digital media to create social change and advocate for important issues. Those who arrive early to Second Saturday Cinema will also enjoy music and performances highlighting groups in residence at the Arts District.

Olympic Medalists Raise Awareness About Kids' Mental Health

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Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt are partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to raise awareness about children’s mental health.

They will chair a discussion Thursday night focused on the mental health care that kids need -- and how families can access mental health resources. 

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2017 will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Come back at that time to watch the event live in this story.

During the event, the two Olympians will be honored by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

The National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day event is a talk-show-style discussion that focuses on the importance of caring for kids' mental health, including substance disorders, just as families care for kids' physical health. 

This year’s theme is “Partnering for Help and Hope.”

The issue is important to both Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, and to Schmitt, an eight-time Olympic medalist. Both have been up-front about their own struggles with mental health and substance abuse. 

Phelps had been arrested for driving under the influence in 2004 and 2014; a photo of him using pot at a party in 2009 cost him sponsorships and led to a brief ban from swimming.

In an interview with NBC Sports’ host Bob Costas, Phelps said he thought about taking his own life.

He checked himself into a rehab clinic in October 2014. Now, his Michael Phelps Foundation works to support active lifestyles for young people.

Schmitt also experienced suicidal thoughts. She made her first Olympic appearance at the 2008 Beijing games. but depression hit after the 2012 London Olympics, CNN reports. Schmitt said she considered driving her car off the road on the way to her sisters’ hockey game after two seasons that did not land her a spot on the USA swim team. 

The two have since turned their stories into powerful messages of change.

"At the end of the day, no matter how many records you have, how many medals you have, any accomplishments you have, you’re still a human just like the person next to you," Schmitt told Swimming World magazine in 2016.

Join NBC Washington for the livestream on this page tonight at 7 p.m. ET. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stephen Lovekin
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Trump NYC Plans Change Last Minute: Later Start, No Midtown

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Donald Trump is still coming to New York City Thursday for the first time as president, but he won't be going home as initially planned -- or anywhere in midtown, apparently. 

The president had been expected to leave for New York early in the afternoon, but his plans changed shortly before the scheduled departure from Joint Base Andrews -- and so did his agenda in the city. 

Trump had planned to make at least a pit stop at his longtime home and office at Trump Tower, but the latest schedule has him skipping midtown altogether, much to the chagrin of protesters who had already started camping out in anticipation of his arrival. 

He also delayed his arrival in the city by about three hours and plans to head right from JFK Airport to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where he's set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, a critical World War II battle. Trump will meet with Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the museum prior to delivering his remarks. 

According to the Associated Press, Trump delayed his trip in anticipation of House passage of legislation undoing much of former President Obama's health law, a long-sought GOP goal and top Trump campaign promise. 

Security had been upped all over midtown in anticipation of the president's visit, with explosive-sniffing dogs canvassing the area outside Trump Tower, barricades erected and other safety and surveillance measures implemented. 

It’s a $300,000 price tag for a day of security — though Congress has approved $61 million to reimburse New York’s security costs. 

Trump's homecoming is expected to be less than welcoming. He received 18 percent of the vote in the city, and at least three protests have already been planned near the Intrepid and Trump Tower. 

In Brooklyn on Wednesday, residents opposed to the president were making signs. 

“I think it’s important that he hears all of our voices and we all stand united to fight him,” Will Sturdivant said. 

During the campaign, Trump would fly thousands of miles back to New York City to sleep in his own bed, leaving the impression that he would make frequent trips home after he became president. But Trump said in an interview last week that he has avoided returning to the city of his birth because the trips are expensive and would inconvenience New Yorkers. 

"I hate to see the New Yorkers with streets closed," Trump told Fox News. He has received some criticism for spending about half of his weekends as president at his waterfront estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

'Obamacare Lie' or 'It's a Trap': Health Care Battle Rages on Twitter

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As the House voted Thursday on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, President Donald Trump and legislators took to Twitter to argue their case up to the final moments.

Trump mocked "Obamacare," Democrats and independents mocked the GOP's replacement bill and some Republicans urged caution over a bill that could not win enough support last month to get a vote. That failure was a major defeat for Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan and exposed divisions among the GOP on how to handle a health care law that had grown popular among many in their districts.

But on Thursday, Republicans were confident that modifications made to the replacement, the American Health Care Act, were enough to pass the bill, which passed by a four-vote margin.

Here's a look at some of the tweets about the health care bill:

[[421360673, C]]

[[421361203, C]]

[[421361523, C]]

[[421345533, C]]

[[421360143, C]]

[[421360413, C]]

[[421361913, C]]



Photo Credit: AP
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Nightclub Opens at Kearny Mesa Entertainment Hub

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A Kearny Mesa business in the midst of an ambitious expansion is opening another part of its build-out Thursday night: a 1,800-square-foot nightclub generating some buzz.

Honeycomb is located inside Hive, a 20,000-square-foot entertainment hub at 4428 Convoy St.

Hive is an extension of the neighborhood’s Chorus Karaoke & Bar, a place known for its private karaoke rooms inspired by Korean pop culture.

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When the 18,000-square-foot space adjacent to the karaoke business opened up, Chorus owner Scott Na jumped on it. For the past several months, Na and his team have been hard at work building what is now taking shape as Hive.

The venue includes the original Chorus Karaoke rooms, a new 300-seat restaurant and 50-seat bar that opened earlier this year and, now, the Honeycomb club. When the full, multi-phase project is completed, Hive will also house an arcade and seven more karaoke rooms that can be booked for private parties of six to 100 people.

Honeycomb features a dance floor, DJs and a seasonal craft cocktail program centered on barrel-aged spirits curated by Hive’s bar manager, Jay Choi.

In March, Choi spoke with NBC 7 about Hive and how venue hopes to draw in revelers seeking to enjoy nightlife somewhere other than downtown’s busy Gaslamp Quarter. Choi said the hub will be one place to do it all, from dining and grabbing a drink to hitting the club and channeling your inner singing superstar.

“I want people to see that on the Convoy, there is something – this kind of place is out there,” he said.

Honeycomb officially opens its doors at 10 p.m. Thursday night. Hive is currently open daily, from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. The restaurant features a menu created by Executive Chef Q Yoo that includes Korean specialties and global twists on classic dishes.



Photo Credit: Hive

Reaction to Passage of GOP Health Care Bill

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Moments after the Republican-led House approved the bill aimed at replacing Obamacare, the public reaction started.

The measure passed the House by a narrow 217-213 vote. All voting Democrats and a group of mostly moderate Republicans rejected the measure.

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-49th District), who was described by one of the undecided going into Thursday's vote, decided to back the measure.

There were reports that Issa was the 216th vote, securing the measure's passage, but a spokesperson was unable to confirm the timing of Issa's vote to NBC 7.

“Today, we made good on our promise to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Issa said in a written statement. “Let's stop pretending Obamacare is going to fix itself or that somehow, someday, it’s going to get better. "

"Obamacare was a failure from the get-go," he continued. "Now is the time to make it right."

U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas (D-51st District) issued this statement: "In Congress, we should be working to increase access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans, not turn back the clock on progress. If we want to lower costs and make health care accessible for every American, Trumpcare is not the answer."

Earlier Thursday, U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D-53rd District) shared a post in which she explained why she would be voting against the bill.

On his Instagram account, U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-52nd District) posted video of protestors outside the Capitol as well as his colleagues boarding the bus for the White House.

The bill now faces an uncertain fate in the Senate, where even GOP lawmakers say major changes are likely.



Photo Credit: AP
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Fallen SDPD Officers, Families Honored at Memorial Ceremony

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Eighteen families of 33 San Diego Police officers killed in the line of duty were honored Thursday morning at an event outside San Diego Police headquarters.

The family of Officer Jonathan “JD” De Guzman who was killed in the line of duty on July 28, 2016, was among those 18 families awarded with a Police Cross to honor their loved one’s sacrifice.

The department also presented the name of Officer De Guzman etched into a memorial shrine that stands outside of department headquarters.

“There’s no words to say what this means to me,” Tina Call, the daughter of an SDPD officer killed in 1970, said. “It shows that the police department is not just saying that they back the fallen officers, they’re not saying that they support us, they’re showing us in a permanent way. There are no words for that. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Call's father, Officer James Lewis, was killed in 1970 when she was just two years old. Although she doesn’t remember her father, she feels ever-present pain, and says the emotional wound of losing a loved one in the line of duty is reopened every time another officer loses their life.

“It never goes away,” Call said. “It’s been 46 years and I still cry. And as I said, I see officers being killed all around the country. It affects me. It never goes away. I wish I had known my father, but I am very, very proud to have lost him in the way that I did. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to lose him. I know he did good.”

Call added that SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman has helped her feel a renewed sense of brotherhood on her father’s behalf, and call's the Police Cross "priceless" for herself and the other families.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer spoke at the ceremony, calling police officers “some of the finest men and women in our city,” and said that San Diego isn’t one of the nation’s safest big cities by accident.



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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'Life or Death': Doctors Warn Health Bill Changes Could Kill

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Diabetes, cancer and heart disease patients are among those with pre-existing conditions who could be affected by the new version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), NBC News reported.

Pre-existing conditions are diseases, injuries or conditions that affect a patient before he or she purchased their health plan policy. Before Obamacare, health insurers routinely refused to cover people with preexisting conditions. Or, they charged high premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

The new version of the AHCA doesn’t specifically let insurers refuse coverage, but it lets states ask permission to opt out of the requirement. The Health and Human Services Department will decide who can do it.

States can also set up high-risk pools under the bill, which are policies that cover people with preexisting conditions who have difficulty finding insurance.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/OJO Images RF

San Diego Tick Numbers Expected To Drop

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As the weather heats up, many people in San Diego like to get out and hike. But locals should also be aware that it is still tick season. 

While experts on the East Coast are worried this tick season could be the worst one yet, the tick population in San Diego is expected to decrease, according to the Land Use and Environment Group.

"Our tick season is a bit different than back East," said Alex Bell, program manager for the Land Use and Environment Group in San Diego. "It generally coincides with the rainy season starting in late October and going through May."

Bell added it is nearing the end of tick season locally, meaning tick numbers will start to drop in June.

However, Bell cautioned that hikers should still examine themselves for ticks after going outside. 

"Ticks can be found here any month of the year," warned Bell.

The tiny bug can transmit a variety of diseases, including Lyme Disease.

Early symptoms can include joint pain, aches, flu-like symptoms or a bulls-eye shaped rash.

San Diego County offers more information on ticks or other vectors at (858) 694-2888.



Suspect Arrested in Connection with Oceanside Homicide: PD

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A transient man who often slept at an Oceanside homicide victim's apartment has been arrested and charged with murder in the man's death, Oceanside police said. 

On April 18, Oceanside police officers responded to a call of a subject not breathing on the 300 block of S. Myers Street. 

Officers entered the apartment and found one of the residents, Donald Ross, dead on the bedroom floor. 

Crimes of Violence Detectives determined the death to be a homicide, police said. 

On Monday, detectives arrested and charged Ian Dewey Spencer, a local transient man, with murder in connection with the homicide. 

Spencer often spent the night at Ross' apartment. 

No further information was available. 




Photo Credit: Getty Images, File

US Coast Guard Offloads $56M Worth of Cocaine in Florida

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Operation Martillo netted and offloaded an estimated $56 million worth of cocaine in Florida, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

More than 1,730 kilograms of cocaine were seized and eight suspected drug smugglers were detained between April 12 and April 21 by Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment Teams in coastal waters along the Central American coastline.

The drugs were offloaded and suspected drug smugglers were transferred by the crew of the Cutter Tarpon homedocked in St. Petersburg.

“Overall, this offload represents our recent success in securing our borders and preventing illegal, regionally destabilizing narcotics from reaching our streets,” said Cmdr. Willy Carmichael, assistant branch chief of Coast Guard 7th District Response Enforcement.

Martillo is an international operation launched in 2012 to counter illicit trafficking by merging air, land and maritime assets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

The operation has supported the seizure of nearly 693 metric tons of cocaine, $25 million in bulk cash, 581 vessels and aircraft and more than 1,800 detainees, according to the U.S. Southern Command. 



Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Coronado’s Free Shuttle Revs Up for Summer Service

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A free shuttle service returns to Coronado this summer, making it easier for locals and visitors to cruise around the island and catch a ride to popular spots.

Now in its fifth year in service, Coronado’s Free Summer Shuttle will start to offer courtesy rides along the island’s busy commercial district from May 27 through Labor Day (Sept. 4).

A project approved by the City Council, the City of Coronado contracts with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) to operate the shuttle along the existing MTS 904 route. The service aims to improve mobility around the island during the peak summer season.

The shuttle comes in 15-minute intervals, offering rides from Coronado’s civic center to the Hotel del Coronado, the beach, the library and Spreckels Park. It also cruises through Coronado’s downtown and bayfront shopping and dining area to the Coronado Ferry Landing and Marriott Coronado Island Resort and back. Shuttles run from 8:57 a.m. to 9:42 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10:42 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The City of Coronado said there’s a change this summer to the shuttle’s layover location in the village area. Beginning on June 11, between the Civic Center and Coronado Shores, the layover will now be at the bus stop at Second Street and Glorietta Boulevard, near the Marriott.

This year, for Coronado Village-area residents, the shuttle service will expand its hours on the Fourth of July to 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. to ease traffic congestion and help give rides to the large crowds that typically gather for the holiday parade and fireworks display.

The service will also provide some new options this summer for Cays residents. The City of Coronado has partnered with Loews Coronado Bay Resort to run the Cays Curbside Shuttle Service. Cays residents can call (619) 865-2301 and request curbside pick-up seven days a week, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. A golf cart from Loews will be dispatched to pick up passengers from their homes and shuttle them to the resort. From there, they can catch a free shuttle ride into the Coronado Village.

A fleet of four shuttles makes up the free service. The buses will be wrapped by Discover Coronado (formerly the Coronado Tourism Improvement District), so that they’re easy to spot and board; the organization will foot the $25,000 cost of wrapping the buses. The City of Coronado said that, in all, the total projected costs for the Free Summer Shuttle and Cays Curbside Service this season are $157,500.

Over the past five years, the shuttle service has proven to be a popular way to hitch a ride around Coronado. In 2015, a third bus was added to increase service intervals, which were once at 30 minutes, to 20 minutes. With today’s fleet, the rides arrive every 15 minutes.

The City of Coronado said the first year of the shuttle service saw a 506 percent increase in ridership from the regular MTS 904 route service. Each year since, tie city said ridership has increased an average of 36 percent.


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