Rattled by President Donald Trump's increasing frustration with the staff guidance he's getting and by the administration's unforced errors, White House officials are desperately hoping the president's first foreign trip beginning on Friday offers a chance to reboot what's become a damaging narrative, NBC News reported.

Preparations for the trip come as Trump's inner circle appears to be shrinking, fueling paranoia inside the West Wing among a fatigued staff battered by a drumbeat of reports suggesting some senior staffers are on the chopping block.

While some kind of shake-up appears nearly inevitable at this point, insiders caution it doesn't seem imminent — at least, not right now. The sources quoted in NBC News' article asked for anonymity to be able to discuss internal administration conversations.

And while the usual cadre of aides — like Jared Kushner, Gary Cohn, and Steve Bannon — are expected to be at Trump's side for all or part of the upcoming eight-day, four-country trip, not all the president's advisers hold the sway they once did.

A proposed 20 percent cut in federal investments in the National Institute of Health could affect research being done here in San Diego.

Leaders in the biotech industry met Monday with U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D-53rd District) to discuss the potential for such a cut and what it would mean not only to research but the San Diego economy.

President Donald Trump had proposed slashing NIH by $1.2 billion for the rest of 2017 to help pay for his proposed increases in defense spending.

Congress refused to slash medical spending earlier this month. Instead members gave the NIH a $2 billion raise, NBC News reports.

Davis, along with 206 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, wants to see a $2 billion increase in NIH funding for FY18.

“The more research we do for the future we can envision communities that no longer have to pay large amounts of dollars for health care but where they can receive that in a much easier way,” Davis told NBC 7.

For example, she said, someone who is taking a shot every day now may soon take a daily pill instead.

“How do we make sure we have the resources our scientific giants with the help and support they need to make those discoveries,” Davis said.

The Democratic congressional member said estimates 

put the number of Americans with pre-existing conditions as almost half the population, Davis said.

“We know if we can provide better care for people, then those pre-existing conditions will not be as great a factor when it comes to being able to afford health care,” she said.

San Diego's bio tech community is at the forefront of key developments in cancer research, alzheimer's treatment and gene sequencing.

Among the local community members at the roundtable were Jimmy Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer, Biocom, Dr. Larry Goldstein, Director of the UC San Diego Stem Cell Program and the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center, P. Kay Coleman, Board Chair, American Cancer Society, California, Susan H. Tousi, Senior Vice President, Product Development, Illumina and Katrina Young, Patient Advocate, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, organizers said.

Deputies rescued a two-year-old, injured pit bull left near a drainage pipe on El Monte Road, the Department of Animal Services confirmed.

The dog has numerous abrasions and puncture wounds, said Daniel E. DeSousa, Director at the Department of Animal Services in San Diego County. He is limping on both rear legs.

A concerned citizen called the Animal Services Department after spotting the dog limping off the road on Lake Jennings, said DeSousa. 

The dog was not wearing a dog license and is not microchipped, said Lorie Schwar, the Animal Control Officer.

Due to the dog's injuries, he was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital for treatment overnight on Wednesday, said Schwar. The dog was picked up Thursday morning by Animal Services and taken to a facility in Bonita on the 5000 block of Sweetwater Road. 

"He has some old injuries and is also dog aggressive, so our staff is seeing if there is a rescue that would be willing to take the dog," said DeSousa.

County Animal Service officials say there is no criminal investigation at this point. It was not known whether an owner abandoned the dog or if it got into a fight with another dog and ran away.

The goal is to find an owner for the dog, said County officials.

A vet has examined the dog, who is now back at the shelter in Bonita. All his injuries appear superficial. He has cuts, bite wounds, a tick infestation and dehydration. The dog has no broken bones.

The owner has until 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 12 to claim the wounded animal. He may need on-going veterinary care, depending on the intensity of his injuries.

A person was found dead Monday inside a vehicle that had collided with two cars in the parking lot of a business along Miramar Road.

San Diego police and San Diego Fire-Rescue crews arrived at approximately 7 a.m. to Miramar Road near Eastgate Mall.

One of the workers at an auto repair shop arrived to work and noticed the vehicle and a damaged car.

“We noticed there was a body inside. The car was in drive and the key was in ignition,” said Vincent Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said the employee put the car in park and checked the driver for a pulse. When they didn't feel a pulse, the workers called 911.

No other information was available.

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

Allegations of an attempted abduction in the parking lot of an East County Wal-Mart are unfounded, El Cajon police said.

A mother told NBC 7 she was "traumatized" after a man attempted to abduct her 3-year-old outside Wal-Mart located on Fletcher Parkway.

The mother, who didn’t want to be identified, said a smiling man walked past her, then came from behind and tried to snatch her daughter who was holding her hand.

The incident happened on Tuesday, April 11 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. she said.

“I said 'Hey! Did you just try to grab my daughter,'" the mother recalled in an interview last month.

The woman was walking with her daughters in the west parking lot when the reported attempted abduction happened. She went back into the mall for safety.

The mom said she went back to her car later and found a cup filled with urine and a note.

Video captured by surveillance cameras doesn’t show an attempted abduction occurred, according to Lt. Walt Miller.

Despite their best efforts, detectives have been unable to locate the sole witness to the alleged incident, he said.

It's believed the individual may have simply tapped the child on the head, Miller said.

Due to the lack of evidence, police cannot ascertain whether the individual is a public safety risk or if the incident presents a threat to public safety.

Anyone who witnessed this incident or may have seen the suspect described above is asked to contact the El Cajon Police Department at (619) 579-3311.

Wildlife officials captured an injured bear that lay hidden in bushes after it was struck by a car on a Southern California freeway Monday morning.

The approximately 200-pound animal had wandered onto the westbound lanes of the 210 Freeway in La Verne about 7:40 a.m. and was hit by a vehicle, the La Verne Police Department said. The bear scurried off the freeway and took refuge in an embankment flanked by freeway lanes and homes.

Officers shut down the Fruit Street onramp and officials with Fish and Wildlife closed in on the bear with tranquilizers. Just after 10:30 a.m., aerial footage showed officers using a tarp to load the bear onto the bed of a pickup truck.

A California Highway Patrol incident report indicated there were no human injuries in the crash.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Reports of a man trespassing at the Helix Charter High School in La Mesa prompted a lockdown Monday.

A school official saw the man and thought he might have a gun, but police later discovered that the suspect's black gloves were mistaken for a gun.

At about 10 a.m., La Mesa Police and a police helicopter were searching for a suspicious man around the 8000 block of Allison Avenue.

The suspect has since been detained and no weapons were found, according to a LMPD tweet. Officers will soon clear the area.

Police found the suspect a couple blocks away from Helix Charter High School.

Anytime there's a threat of violence near a school campus, police say they have to use all their resources while determining if there's a valid safety concern.

Surrounding schools were placed in a lockdown status as a precautionary measure.

"La Mesa PD is securing the perimeter of the campus and has several officers on campus," said a statement from Helix Charter High School. 

"Our students and staff remain in lockdown at this time. We will continue to update you as appropriate."

The Sheriff's helicopter will continue flying around the neighborhood to make announcements about the suspect, according to the letter.

Police requested that parents do not come onto campus.

No other information was available.

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

A woman was thrown across the border from Tijuana into San Diego when she was ejected from her vehicle and suffered major trauma in a car accident Monday.

Both the San Diego Fire-Rescue and Tijuana's Fire Department confirmed that she was traveling on a road along the border. It happened just before noon on Monument and Dairy Mart Road near the Tijuana River Valley.

She swerved to avoid an accident and went off the road. That's when her car went down an embankment and she was ejected from her vehicle into the U.S.

Border Patrol Officer Jose Hernandez told NBC 7 that agents were dispatched to this incident. They believe there was only one person in the car.

She appeared to be in her 50s and was taken to the UCSD Medical Center, confirmed the authorities.

The driver was involved in a car accident in Mexico on the Via International road parallel to the U.S.

She is conscious and breathing at the hospital. Her vehicle was towed from the scene.

No further information was immediately available.

Mexican authorities say well-known journalist Javier Valdez was shot and killed in the Sinaloa state capital of Culiacan.

A Mexican official says another journalist has been slain in the country, one of the world's most dangerous countries for media workers.

The government official in the northern state of Sinaloa says Javier Valdez was killed Monday in the state capital, Culiacan, near the offices of his newspaper, Rio Doce.

The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rio Doce confirmed the news of Valdez's killing on its webpage.

Valdez was a veteran reporter who also worked as a correspondent for the national newspaper La Jornada. He specialized in covering drug trafficking.

Five journalists have now been murdered in Mexico in just over two months. No other information was immediately available.

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

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to politics Monday with the launch of Onward Together, an organization dedicated to advancing "progressive values."

"We're launching Onward Together to encourage people to get involved, organize, and even run for office," she tweeted.

According to the website: "Onward Together is dedicated to advancing the vision that earned nearly 66 million votes in the last election. By encouraging people to organize, get involved, and run for office, Onward Together will advance progressive values and work to build a brighter future for generations to come."

Clinton, a Democrat who lost to President Donald Trump in last year's general election, also tweeted: "This year hasn't been what I envisioned, but I know what I'm still fighting for: a kinder, big-hearted, inclusive America. Onward!

San Diego police (SDPD) are asking for the public's help as they investigate a series of vandalism cases where the suspect(s) used a BB Gun or Pellet gun to damage property. 

SDPD Southern Division detectives said they have been investigating the series over the past 30 days, but are working with limited leads. 

Most cases have happened at night, when the suspect(s) used a BB or Pellet gun to shoot out or paint damage more than 30 parked vehicles.

Recently, the cases have escalated and some windows of residences have been found damaged as well, police said. 

If you have any information related to this series, you are asked to contact Detective Sergeant Deana De Los Reyes (619) 424-0425 or ddelosreyes@pd.sandiego.gov.

Data about trash collected by more than 6,500 volunteers at San Diego County beach cleanups in 2016 revealed that 80 percent of all trash contained plastic.

Cigarettes containing plastic foam filters were one of the most common types of trash found in the sand, according to the San Diego Coastkeeper and Surfrider Foundation in the San Diego County Chapter.

Thirty-two percent of all trash removed consisted of cigarette butts.

The plastic foam filters are full of toxins, creating an alarming pollution threat to San Diego's waters, said officials from the organizations.

Officials say the cigarettes leach a number of toxins such as arsenic, formaldehyde and heavy metals that could be particularly harmful to San Diego's marine ecosystems.

"Much of the trash we find on the beach is first littered miles away from the coast. It reaches the beach when wind and rain blow trash into our canyons, creeks and storm drains," says Kristin Kuhn, San Diego Coastkeeper Programs Director, in a statement.

"Small, lightweight plastics are particularly dangerous because they move easily to the coast, are hard to remove and look like food to aquatic and marine life," said Director Kuhn.

La Jolla Shores wins the title of cleanest beach in San Diego County in 2016.

Volunteers picked up nearly 188,000 pieces of trash last year alone, through the two organizations in San Diego. As they collected litter, they tracked the amount, type and weight of the trash. 

The purpose was to allow for end-of-year analysis, according to the organizations. 

The beach volunteers also picked up more than 4,300 plastic bags during 2016. This shows a continuing trend of slight decreases in the number of bags found at the beaches each year.

Cigar lounges and hotel bars continue to show up as venues for campaign spending by Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-50th District).

As NBC 7 reported in March, Hunter is under federal criminal investigation over what he says was mistaken use of a campaign credit card.

He has reimbursed more than $60,000 to cover campaign committee payments that went to personal and family expenses, including airline travel by a pet rabbit.

All that has been left to Department of Justice prosecutors by the House Ethics Commission.

Recent filings by Hunter's campaign show nearly $2,000 spent at a Las Vegas hotel and bar and $353 worth of food and beverages at the Alpine Tobacco Company, in his Congressional district.

Past expenditures of that nature have been explained as fundraiser events.

New campaign contributions came from donors linked to defense firms that got shipbuilding contracts from the Coast Guard, which is overseen by a House subcommittee that Hunter chairs.

His office didn't respond to NBC 7, but gave the San Diego Union-Tribune a statement saying any suggestion of influence is "categorically false", and that the Coast Guard, not Congress, decides on contracts.

Hunter has spent nearly $70,000 on attorneys, according campaign filings for the first three months of this year.

He denies any criminal wrongdoing.

The four San Diego County Sheriff's deputies involved in a fatal shooting on the Barona Indian Reservation last week have been identified. 

Deputies David Williams, Aaron Brooke, Patrick Farber and Matthew Addenbrooke all responded to the scene around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when a Barona Tribal Enforcement officer reported a reckless driver who tried to hit an officer with his truck. 

Deputy Adddenbrooke is a 3-year veteran of the department, Deputy Farber is a 9-year veteran of the department, Deputy Williams is a 10-year veteran of the department and Deputy Brooke is a 15-year veteran of the department.

When they found the car, a white truck, they tried to initiate a traffic stop. The suspect fled the scene, leaving one deputy with a minor hand injury from the suspect's car. 

Deputies chased the suspect across paved and unpaved roads on the reservation for several minutes. 

Eventually, the man stopped his car near the 3100 block of Ketuull Uunyaa Way.

When the suspect got out of his car, he was "extremely agitated and uncooperative," SDSO Lieutenant Greg Rylaarsdam reported.

In an attempt to prevent the suspect from getting in his car, Deputy Williams and Brooke fired less lethal bean bag rounds. Meanwhile, deputies tried to disable the car with a tire deflation device. However, the suspect got back into his car and continued to drive. 

That's when Deputy Farber fired a patrol rifle and Deputy Addenbrooke fired a shotgun at the suspect. The suspect collided with a marked patrol car, and then hit another, unrelated, occupied car with the two women inside. 

The suspect drove for a while further before the car came to a stop on the brush on the east side of Ketuull Uunyaa Way. When deputies walked up to the car, they found the driver was unresponsive. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene. 

Two women - one of which was a Barona Charter School board member - were injured when the suspect crashed into their car. The women suffered non life-threatening injuries.

An autopsy will be conducted on the suspect. The suspect is not a tribal member, Barona government officials said. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321/after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can also remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

San Diego police have arrested a man accused of driving over a woman lying in a parking lot in San Diego's East Village area, yelling for help, and then fleeing the scene. 

San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Officer Robert Heims said the victim was in the middle of an Ace Parking lot at 1344 National Ave. at around 2:30 p.m. Friday when a driver behind the wheel of a charcoal Grey Jeep Patriot entered the lot and ran over the woman.

The driver -- later identified as Ricardo Avila Carrillo, 34, -- paused for a second, got out, screamed for help, and then fled the scene, police said.

The victim was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. As of Monday, the 49-year-old remains in the hospital with life-threatening internal injuries. 

The aftermath of the hit-and-run was captured on cellphone video by witness Angela Davis, who was riding a bus near the MTS Transit Center at 12th Street and Imperial Avenue at the time of the incident.

On Monday, investigators learned the car involved was found on the 3400 block of Main Street in San Diego. Carrillo was taken into custody a short time later and the vehicle was impounded. 

Carrillo was booked into County Jail on a felony hit-and-run charge and a driving with a suspended license charge. 

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2000, or the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at 888- 580-8477.

For the National Football League, concussions are a real problem. The league knows it. The league is just not happy talking about it.

A 2016 congressional report concluded the NFL tried to improperly influence the National Institutes of Health when the NIH was conducting a study about the connection between Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), commonly known as a concussion, and the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is the disease that doctors believe contributed to the death of several former professional football players, among them San Diego native Junior Seau. Former players have tried relentlessly to try and figure out how to combat the symptoms of CTE and now thanks to a treatment being done in San Diego they might have a ray of hope.

First, a bit of background. Doctors believe 30 percent to 40 percent of people who sustain a concussion will experience some level of post-concussion syndrome. Post-concussion syndrome can cause neurological problems such as migraines, headaches and dizzy spells. It also comes with cognitive problems like memory changes, difficulty in planning or focusing and behavioral problems such as depression, mood disorders and sleep issues.

The multitude of symptoms makes TBI extremely difficult to treat.

“One of the big challenges when we do evaluations for traumatic brain injury is identifying which is the main driver in this constellation of symptoms and going after that,” said Dr. Mohammed Ahmed of the Kaizen Brain Center in La Jolla. “Often times we find that if depression comes in the setting of a concussion it’s often difficult to treat with medications.”

Resistance to traditional medications is one of the reasons the depression afflicting former football players is so difficult to deal with. At Kaizen Brain Center in La Jolla another technique is being utilized: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

“It’s a stimulation of your brain using a magnetic field,” said Dr. Ahmed. “It’s one very effective way of treating depression in people who are not responding to medications or who have very severe depression.”

TMS has caught the attention of former athletes and military veterans who are reporting symptoms of CTE. Dr. Ahmed says it is especially effective against depression because TMS sparks electrical activity in the brain cells, targeting and changing the brain function in a very specific area.

“We believe that people with depression have decreased activity in a certain are of the brain, which is the frontal lobe. Using this electrical activity you can change that and make that area more active and the depression symptoms can be improved.”

TMS was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of depression in 2008 and recently approved it for treatment of migraines, as well.

The treatment begins by getting TMS for a half hour every day for 6-8 weeks. After that the patient needs only to undergo “maintenance” treatments once every 4-6 weeks. Doctors say the process can decrease the need for, and in some cases completely eliminate, the need for medications.

“We are just beginning to unfold the connection between a head injury and CTE. But there is good optimism among the community of TBI and CTE researchers that we will understand this connection and understand this process so that we can come up with better treatment targets.”

The research with TMS has been so encouraging that Dr. Ahmed believes TMS can be used to treat other neurological ailments, including Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

“One of the reasons we started Kaizen Brain Center is we wanted to put traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s under one roof and treat it in an interdisciplinary manner,” said Dr. Ahmed. “One of my academic interests has been to understand how a head injury causes Alzheimer’s or CTE.”

It is important to note that this treatment is not a cure for post-concussion syndrome or CTE. But Dr. Ahmed believes it’s a way to deal with the aftermath.

“What happened happened. We can’t go back and treat a concussion. It’s a historical event. There is a brain injury and as a result there are symptoms, so what we do is go after the symptoms so that we can improve the function of that individual.”

That, in turn, improves the quality of life. Dr. Ahmed has spoken to the NFL Alumni Association and has several former football players as patients. He also treats military members who have suffered TBI and says every single one he has treated that displays post-concussive symptoms has reported an improvement, not just in physical and mental health … but in family health.

“Veterans that come back have can have difficulties adjusting to their spouses. Former football players have difficulties with their families. So the whole family is involved; the children are involved. Even if we’re able to make some changes and improvement, I think that’s a big victory.”

Dr. Ahmed believes this treatment could possibly open the door to a true medical miracle: finding a way to prevent CTE or Alzheimer’s.

“We want somebody to sit in the chair outside and feel that there is hope here. That’s the message we want to convey to people.”

For more information on the treatment, which is now being covered by several insurance providers, visit www.kaizenbraincenter.com.

President Donald Trump announced Monday his intent to nominate "Papa Doug" Manchester, a prominent San Diego developer, as ambassador to the Bahamas.

If confirmed, Manchester will serve as "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas," according to a statement released by the White House.

Manchester has a long history with San Diego, having developed Navy property in Downtown San Diego into the twin towers of Manchester Grand Hyatt. In 2011, he purchased the U-T San Diego. He later purchased The North County Times in 2012.

Manchester also voiced his support for Trump, who as a Republican presidential candidate visited San Diego on his campaign trail, calling him “the smartest man I know."

In January 2017, Manchester was honored by the USO for his work with the organization. At the event, he told a story of how he would hand his business card to active-duty military members in Iraq and would offer them a night's stay at the Manchester Hyatt when they returned home.

Manchester is a graduate of San Diego State University.

San Diego County Sheriff's officials are responding to a deputy-involved shooting in Solana Beach Monday afternoon, near a popular restaurant, the department confirmed. 

SDSO received a call of a stabbing at about 3:30 p.m. It happened on the 400 block of the South Highway 101, near Del Mar Dog Beach and the Brigantine Restaurant. 

A victim was stabbed in the face, SDSO said.

The suspect was injured in the shooting but the extent of injuries is unknown. No deputies were hurt in the incident.

It is unclear how the situation evolved to a deputy-involved shooting. 

Due to law enforcement activity in the area, the northbound Coaster service was suspended out of Sorrento Valley, according to the North County Transit Department (NCTD).

Passengers will be able to take a bus bridge at Via De La Valle.

According to SDSO, there are no outstanding suspects in the incident. 

Residents and drivers are being advised to avoid the area.

No further information was immediately available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story.

Californians are being urged to get rid of any standing water near their homes and businesses to help reduce the mosquito populations.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued the mosquito warning Monday, just ahead of the summer.

“Removing water will help reduce overall mosquito numbers and protect family members and neighbors from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne diseases," said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith.

Pet watering dishes, water-filled containers outside, potted plants can all become breeding ground for mosquitoes, according to the CDPH.

Mosquitoes carrying Zika and West Nile virus infections can spread them to humans through bites.

Zika, which can be sexually transmitted between humans, can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and severe neurological birth defects in newborns.

You can get more information about mosquito prevention here.

A new bill making its way through the California state legislature could soon provide financial relief to people who make less for minor traffic violations.

The bill, called SB185, is sponsored by State Sen. Robert Hertzberg. It aims to prevent the automatic suspension of a driver's license for people who aren't able to pay fines or fees for minor traffic tickets.

"The red light ticket right now, the minimum price right now is $490," said traffic attorney Mitch Mehdy. "You can't spend half your paycheck on a red light ticket."

Here's how the legislation would work: let's say you get a ticket and it's more than you can pay. The court can look to see if you meet certain income-based factors to put you either on a payment plan or reduce your payments all together.

Mehdy does caution that "the Danger here is that you can a backlash effect of while you're giving somebody back their license, the flip side is you've got somebody that might be encouraged to do the bad behavior or running the red light without those consequences."

Still, Sen. Hertzberg's office insists the bill does have teeth.

If a driver fails to meet the new court agreement or fine structure, they will loose their license. This bill does not raise ticket prices for people with more money.

Hertzberg's office believes this is a way for the state to recoup a portion of the billions in outstanding traffic violations. We should know next week if it the bill passes the appropriations committee.