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Man Visits Disneyland 2,000 Days in a Row

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A Huntington Beach resident marked his 2,000th consecutive visit Thursday to the parks of the Disneyland Resort.

Jeff Reitz, a Disneyland Resort annual passholder, began his daily sojourns to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park on Jan. 1, 2012, according to Disneyland Resort officials. Back then, the resort was putting the finishing touches on Cars Land, which opened that summer.

Reitz, a 44-year-old Air Force veteran, was unemployed when he started his streak and was looking to keep up his spirits.

"It was something to do to keep things fun," he said.

He had initially intended to end his daily visits after a year, but decided to keep the streak going.

"It's become a living, breathing thing along the way," Reitz told the Orange County Register.

Now that Reitz has a regular day job again at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, he typically spends evenings at the park.

"He said it helps him decompress at the end of the day," Disneyland spokesman John McClintock said. McClintock isn't aware of any other attendance streak that would compare.

"I do think that it's an unbreakable record," he said.

Reitz has experienced the newest attraction, "Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: BREAKOUT!" in Disney California Adventure more than a dozen times and says he's looking forward to seeing the nighttime spectacular "Fantasmic!" when it returns in an enhanced version on July 17 at Disneyland. But the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which he first rode as a 2-year-old with his mom, is his favorite attraction.



Photo Credit: Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort

Gorilla Dances Like a 'Maniac' in Hilarious Video

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The Dallas Zoo needed three things to make a viral video: a happy gorilla, a blue plastic pool and some water.

Add Michael Sembello's hit "Maniac" from the 80s movie "Flashdance" and the result is pure joy.

Zola, who's no amateur at reaching social media fame, was captured Tuesday afternoon splashing around during a swimming pool enrichment session. Then, Zola begins dancing like he's never danced before.

The video was shot by Primate Supervisor Ashley Orrand and posted on the zoo's YouTube page.

Bob Hagh, a Fort Worth Star-Telegram video producer, upped the ante by adding music to the raw video, and Zola's inner "steel-town girl on Saturday night" shined through. It's not clear if Zola has ever watched "Flashdance," but his moves definitely emulate Jennifer Beal's perfectly.   

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The Dallas ZooTube video has been viewed more than 67,000 times as of Friday morning. Hagh's tweet has been retweeted over the 20,000 times.

This isn't the first time Zola's moves have attracted attention. In 2011, a video of him "breakdancing" and splashing his feet at the Calgary Zoo also went viral.

According to the Zoo, enrichment therapy "helps enhance the environment and lives of animals, like Zola, by providing them with mental and physical stimulation to increase natural behaviors."

"Enrichment can take many forms, but for this spunky great ape, it means playing and spinning in his favorite blue pool!"

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Photo Credit: Dallas ZooTube
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New Grocery Outlet Opens in Fallbrook

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Emoryville-based discount retailer Grocery Outlet Bargain Market has opened a new store in Fallbrook, its 14th location in San Diego County.

A company statement said the new store, which opened June 22 at 1101 S. Main Ave., will employ more than 25.

Started in 1946, Grocery Outlet has more than 270 U.S. locations under a franchised business model in which individual stores are owned by local, independent operators. The new Fallbrook store is owned by Mary and Jeff Brantley, who reside one mile from the store.

Officials said Grocery Outlet purchases excess inventory and seasonal closeouts directly from manufacturers, then sells the items at discounts ranging from 40 to 70 percent off the prices seen in traditional supermarkets.

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Photo Credit: Bob Hansen
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Spike Strips End Slow-Speed Pursuit From OC to Cardiff

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A woman was arrested in San Diego’s North County Friday morning after leading officials on a slow-speed pursuit that began in Orange County.

The chase on southbound Interstate 5 approached the San Diego County line at around 5:40 a.m. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said the driver – in a gold-colored Toyota Corolla – was traveling at slow speeds of about 10 to 50 mph, driving mostly on the right shoulder of the freeway.

CHP issued a traffic alert at southbound I-5 at Las Pulgas Road while officers pursued driver.

Officials said the chase began near California State University Fullerton; the woman behind the wheel was wanted for a traffic violation but refused to stop for officers.

Spike strips were deployed, causing damage to the tires of the Corolla. At around 6:15 a.m., the pursuit came to a halt in the parking lot of a Jack-in-the-Box at San Elijo Avenue and Birmingham Drive in Cardiff.

No one was hurt in the pursuit.

No other information was available.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

More Americans Believe Comey Over Trump: Poll

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By a 2-to-1 margin, Americans say they are more likely to believe former FBI Director James Comey than President Donald Trump in regard to their differing accounts of the events that led up to Comey’s firing, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

Forty-five percent of respondents say they are more likely to believe Comey's version of events from his June 8 testimony to the U.S. Senate, versus 22 percent who are more likely to believe what Trump has said, NBC News reported.

Eight percent of respondents said they believe both Trump and Comey, while 21 percent responded that they believe neither of them.

By party, 76 percent of Democrats side with Comey, while 50 percent of Republicans believe Trump. Independents break for Comey over Trump, 47 percent to 17 percent.

The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted June 17-20 of 900 adults — including more than 400 by cell phone — and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.3 percentage points.





Photo Credit: Getty Images, File

Rep. Scalise and Other Shooting Victim Out of ICU

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The congressman who was shot and wounded at a GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, last week has been moved out of an intensive care unit, hospital officials say. 

Lobbyist Matt Mika also has been moved out of intensive care, George Washington University Hospital said in an update Friday. He has been upgraded to good condition.

Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth paid Mika a visit on Thursday. A photo shows Mika smiling and holding up a Werth jersey, with Werth at his hospital bed.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is now listed in fair condition and continues to make good progress.

U2 lead singer Bono met with members of Scalise's staff Wednesday and signed a card wishing the congressman a speedy recovery.

Mika is expected to make a full recovery, his family said in a statement last week. Mika is a lobbyist for Tyson Foods and had previously served as an aide to U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan.



Photo Credit: George Washington University Hospital

Man Sought in Mission Beach Skateboard Attack

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Investigators are searching for a suspect accused of repeatedly hitting a man with a skateboard in Mission Beach, rendering him unconscious in the brutal attack.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), the assault happened on May 31 at around 5 p.m. in a parking lot in the 2600 block of Mission Boulevard.

The victim was delivering wood pallets to a bonfire pit along the rock jetty wall on the south side of the lot and parked his truck next to a silver-colored SUV.

Inside the SUV was a man, a woman and four children between the ages of 4 and 9, plus a Chihuahua. The man in the SUV got out and began talking with the victim.

Police said their conversation went on for about 30 minutes before it turned violent. For unknown reasons, the man from the SUV began striking the victim on his head with a skateboard, hitting him multiple times until he was unconscious.

The suspect got back into the SUV and fled the scene with the woman, children, and dog in tow.

Police said the victim was taken to a hospital with severe head injuries, including a brain bleed.

Mark Herring, of the SDPD, said the victim survived the beating and has since been released from the hospital. He’s currently being treated at an inpatient recovery center.

Nearly two months after the attack, the suspect remains at large.

The SDPD said the suspect was possibly in a 2005 to 2010 Honda CRV or Toyota Rav4. He is described as being in his mid-30s, 5-foot-10, and weighing around 190 pounds. He wore a gray tank top and blue jeans. The woman in the SUV had blonde hair, police said.

The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information on this case can reach out to SDPD’s Northern Division at (858) 552-1726 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Medical Groups Hate the 'Heartless' Senate Health Care Plan

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Both versions of the Republican plan to fix the American health care system would make things worse, not better, according to groups that represent a variety of physicians.

NBC News reported that pediatrician, cancer specialist, cardiologist and family doctor groups were denouncing the Senate version of the bill within hours of its release Thursday.

"The Senate draft health care bill is literally heartless," American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said.

Among the reasons so many medical professionals oppose the changes Republicans have proposed to the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare," is that it reduces funding for Medicaid, the state-federal health plan that covers many low-income, disabled and pregnant people, as well as a large portion of American children.



Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

USS Carl Vinson Strike Group Returns to San Diego

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The USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and its military service member returned to San Diego Friday morning after a nearly 6-month deployment in the Western Pacific.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), along with Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 arrived at Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Base San Diego just before 10 a.m.

Deployed since Jan. 5, the group has been part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-led initiative to extend the command and control functions of the U.S. 3rd Fleet into the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. During the deployment, the strike group conducted operations with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. This included a variety of drills and air, surface, and anti-submarine warfare training, according to the U.S. Navy.

The strike group also patrolled the Korean Peninsula after North Korea began testing ballistic missiles. North Korea called the dispatch of the U.S. aircraft carrier toward its waters "outrageous."

The 7,500 sailors and Marines in the strike group also made port visits to Fiji, Guam, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Saipan, Singapore and Solomon Islands. At each port, the service members took part in community events including volunteer service at schools, animal shelters, and food banks.


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Man in Controversial Chokehold Case Found Not Guilty

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A San Diego man accused of trying to pepper-spray a plainclothes San Diego County Sheriff's Detective during a confrontation in 2015 was found not guilty on all charges Friday.

Robert Branch was bound over for trial last year and faced charges of reckless driving, resisting arrest and attempting to pepper spray an officer.

On May 4, 2015, Branch was involved in an altercation with now-retired Detective Paul Ward in Del Cerro during a traffic stop. Ward was not in uniform and was driving an unmarked car.

He videotaped the incident on his cellphone and shared it with media.

But prosecutors said Branch was speeding and driving erratically when he almost struck the detective’s car. 

Branch had been wearing a tactical vest and was non-compliant during the traffic stop, Ward had previously testified. 

He claimed the detective, who has since retired from the department, used excessive force in the traffic stop when he took Branch in a chokehold.

Branch was acquitted of all charges against him in court Friday.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Refugee Youth Adjust to Life in San Diego

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Friday was a special day for dozens of refugee students from El Cajon Valley High School.

Outdoor Outreach, with support from California State Parks and Southwestern College, held a day of kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding activities at Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado for 30 newcomer and refugee high school students. The majority of students were from Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.

For many kids and students taking part in this event, the outdoors was a dangerous place where they came from. This program aims to teach them how to swim as well as enjoy the outdoor activities that San Diego has to offer.

When asked about her experience Friday, Hosneia Fnu stated: “I’m so excited, I just can’t believe it!”

She is a refugee student who participated in the Outdoor Outreach program for the first time.

Before coming to San Diego, Fnu said she could never hang out at the beach with friends. The Outdoor Recreation Program has allowed Fnu, and many of the students, to feel like a kid again and adapt to their new life in San Diego.

The event was part of El Cajon Valley High School’s HOPE/PRIDE Summer Program, a three-week innovative summer school program that works to acculturate vulnerable refugee students to a new life in San Diego.

San Diego County is the nation’s largest resettlement site for refugees from around the world. Many struggle to connect and acclimate to their new life.

Outdoor Outreach is a San Diego-based nonprofit that runs year-round programs for disadvantaged youth that address critical community needs--such as mental and physical health, success in school, and employment.

"We appreciate Outdoor Outreach as a partner with California state parks. Outdoor Outreach does a great job being an advocate for parks and connecting youth to the outdoors, particularly here at Silver Strand State Beach,” stated Richard Dennison, Sector Superintendent for California State Parks.

To learn more about Outdoor Outreach, visit their website.

Ex-Official Linked to ‘El Chapo’ Arrested on Drug Charges

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A former Mexican government official once romantically linked to drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was arrested in San Diego on suspicion of conspiracy to distribute drugs, a federal complaint confirms.

Lucero Guadalupe Sanchez Lopez was detained Wednesday at around 9:30 a.m. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry as she tried to enter the United States from Mexico using her visa.

According to a complaint filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer working the inspections booth at the border crossing used a database to check Lopez’s visa and discovered it had been canceled by the U.S. State Department.

Additional checks of the database revealed Lopez is believed to have been involved in illegal drug trafficking and money laundering activities linked to Guzman.

The federal complaint accuses Lopez of conspiring with others to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine in the U.S. between January 2013 and June 21, 2017. Lopez was arrested Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

She made her first appearance in a federal courtroom in San Diego Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major. Lopez did not enter a plea, Kelly Thornton of the Office of the U.S. Attorney Southern District of California told NBC 7.

Thornton said there was a question in court about whether Lopez was truthful on a financial document that judges use to determine if a defendant is eligible for court-appointed counsel. That matter will be the subject of a hearing set for June 29.

For now, Judge Major appointed federal defenders to represent Lopez temporarily. She is considered a flight risk, so the government moved to detain her, Thornton said. Lopez’s preliminary hearing is set for July 6.

Lopez made headlines in 2014 after Mexican authorities accused her of meeting secretly with Guzman while he was imprisoned in Mexico. Officials claimed Lopez had a romantic relationship with the drug kingpin.

The federal complaint filed against Lopez this week details some of her alleged involvement in an elaborate drug trafficking conspiracy for Guzman and other leaders of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel. She is one of many suspects under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in a case out of Nogales, Arizona, targeting an El Chapo-led drug ring known as “DTO.”

The federal investigation has found that DTO transports large quantities of cocaine and other illegal drugs into the U.S., including via Southern California. This is done through a complex, "tiered," secret communications system between Sinaloa Cartel leaders and lower-level members.

According to the complaint, Lopez communicated with Guzman's operatives via cell phones, at times using cryptic messages. She also went by several aliases during those communications.

Many messages detailed in the complaint were about delivering drug proceeds – between $100,000 and $500,000 – to certain people in Guzman’s network.

The complaint also details encounters Lopez allegedly had with an informant who told federal investigators that Lopez claimed she was with El Chapo on Feb. 16, 2014 – the day the cartel leader famously escaped through a tunnel hidden under a bathtub as Mexican authorities raided his house.

Per the informant, Lopez allegedly told Guzman to go to Cosala, Sinaloa, with her because she worked there as a government official. To read the full complaint, click here.

While Lopez will be back in court next week, El Chapo’s trial is slated for April 2018.

He faces charges for allegedly overseeing the multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking operation responsible for murders and kidnappings. He has pleaded not guilty.

El Chapo is famous for twice escaping from prison in Mexico.

He was recaptured in early January and extradited to the U.S. and has since remained in solitary confinement, in a 20-by-12-foot cell for 23 hours a day. The U.S. government has said severe restrictions are necessary for El Chapo, as he has used coded messages, bribes and other means to continue operating his drug empire from behind bars.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Police Searches Drop in States That Legalized Marijuana

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Traffic searches by highway patrols in Colorado and Washington dropped by nearly half after the two states legalized marijuana in 2012, NBC News reported.

In Colorado, the change occurred gradually, with searches dropping initially by 30 percent, and then flatting out to a more than 50-percent drop within a year.

In Washington, there was a drop of more than 50 percent in searches within three months of legalization. The search rate remained low thereafter. The 12 states in the Stanford study that did not pass marijuana decriminalization legislation during the period did not experience significant drops.

The drop in searches also reduced the racial disparities in the stops, according to a new analysis of police data, but not by much. Latino and Black Americans are still searched at higher rates than whites.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Corner: Students Build Skateboards for Refugees

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Skateboards won’t solve the world’s refugee crisis, but they may help a little. 

At least that's what a group of freshman and sophomore students at San Diego's High Tech High are hoping.

The students are taking part in something they call the "San Diego Sanctuary Project," part of a semester-long lesson in teacher Lisa Griffin’s humanities class which, in part, has the students building skateboards to send to refugees overseas.

The project aims to teach students about the refugee crisis spreading millions of Syrians around the world right now. San Diego is now the largest resettlement site in the U.S. for those refugees.

“I feel just really grateful, and moved, and inspired,” said Griffin when talking about how her ninth-graders have embraced the project.

The students have held supply drives for local refugees. They organized a postcard campaign to send messages to refugee camps overseas, and then they decided to build skateboards. 

The ninth and tenth-graders worked with fourth-graders to design the boards.  Each board is painted with bright colors and some sort of encouraging word written in Arabic.

The school is working with a group in Jordan to set up a program where Syrian refugee kids there can check out the boards.

"Each skateboard could be something that many, many kids have access to," said Griffin.

The High Tech students are also gathering donated skateboards and helmets to send along with the boards. Any extra equipment will be given to Syrian refugees in San Diego.

“It feels great because we’re kind of making a difference, making a change," said Amir Alamin, a ninth-grader. "You know, we’re helping people who are going through hard times right now."

Ethan Kelley, also a freshman, feels the same.

“I feel amazing, honestly,” he said. “To me, it’s just a good feeling inside. It’s heartwarming.”

Griffin said a lot of times kids can feel like they are always preparing to do something later in life. She said projects like this show them they can do something right now.

“I think one of the hugest things students tell me they’ve learned in this project is that they can do something about things that matter to them,” said Griffin.

Call it a humanities lesson in humanity.

Click here, if you’re interested in helping donate to the cost of shipping the skateboards.

Purple Heart Recipient Graduates Police Academy with Highest Honor

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A wounded U.S Marine veteran, distinguished with a Purple Heart, was one of the newest officers to join the ranks of the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD), Friday.

Christopher Lawrence, 30, originally from Milwaukee, is a decorated combat veteran who overcame severe war injuries and a rejected admission into another police department before finally graduating at the top of his class from the Southwestern Community College Police Academy on June 10.

In 2007, Lawrence served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As he crossed a bridge to the mainland, insurgents watched from a distance and detonated an IED placed beneath it.

Chula Vista police said he suffered life-threatening injuries in the explosion, badly damaging his arms and legs. His comrades said the blast tossed him into the air as high as a palm tree.

In the U.S., doctors initially worked to save both his legs, but said he'd always need to use a walker.

In 2008, Lawrence made the decision to have one leg replaced with a prosthetic, in the hope of prolonging his military career.

After dozens of surgeries, Lawrence was told he would never walk again without assistance or have normal use of his arm, according to Chula Vista police. But he never stopped working to rehabilitate himself.

Lawrence honorably retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2010. In the end, his decision to remove one leg actually helped secure his career in police work.

Despite a few rejections in the application process to different police agencies, Lawrence decided to enroll in the Southwestern Police Academy to prove that he could physically do the job, said Chula Vista police. Word of his courage, physical ability and personal character spread, and soon multiple agencies competed to hire him.

"I have never met a more abled-body person in my life,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy said of Laurence, “The power of his attitude and character and the strength in his heart easily overcome the physical challenges. His life and the challenges he has overcome are an inspiration to others."

On Friday Laurence was sworn in with his academy classmate, Stephanie Campolo, as the two became the newest Chula Vista Police Officers.

He's the first to admit his childhood didn't resemble that of a boy scout. Lawrence grew up living in and out of various foster homes in Milwaukee's inner city. But he believes his back story will help him succeed and connect with different people.

"I could understand what some people are going through and they could maybe appreciate what I've gone through, and we can connect on another level," said Lawrence. "You needed someone to look past the story, exactly, to look past the injuries, to say the injuries don't really hold me back," explained Lawrence.

"I couldn't be more proud to have Christopher become part of the Chula Vista Police Department family," said Chief Kennedy.

In addition to the Purple Heart, Lawrence has received multiple military awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (Iraq), Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.



Photo Credit: Chula Vista Police Department
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San Diegans Meet Local Olympians in Chula Vista

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Fifty kids had the chance to meet local Olympic athletes and participate in some of their sports at the Olympic day celebration in Chula Vista Friday.

The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, the South Bay Family YMCA and the San Diego Associations of Olympians came together for the festivities.

The event was held at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, formerly known as the Olympic Training Center.

Olympic Day, held annually on June 23, is celebrated by millions of people across the United States and more than 160 countries. San Diegans regularly participate in this event.

A former track and field Olympian and the current President of the San Diego Olympians and Paralympians Chapter, Erin Aldrich Sean, says the event is not just about sports, but also ethics and passion.

“We are here to inspire these kids and share the message about what Olympic Day is,” said Sean.

Olympic Day’s mission is to promote fitness, well-being, culture and education, while promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

Nicholas Long, who placed fourth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for BMX, is a San Diego native.

“Olympic Day is a special day to bring awareness to something I’ve dedicated my whole life to achieving, and I hope it inspires today’s youth to strive for something greater in life," said Long. "Don’t be afraid to push back and stand out.”

Community Rowing of San Diego, Inc will be celebrating Olympic Day with an event for Olympic Rowing Day on Saturday, June 24. It will be held at the National City Aquatic Center, located at the 3300 block of Goesno Place, National City, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

At this event you can learn more about one of the original sports in the modern Olympic era. All are welcome to participate in this “hometown” sport. Just bring casual workout attire. Every participant gets to take home a memento.

To see a map of all the organizations involved in Olympic Day 2017, click here.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Steve Powell/Allsport

Legoland Displays Life-Size Batmobile Made of Legos

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A life-size batmobile made of legos is now on display at the Legoland California Resort in Carlsbad for park guests to see.

The vehicle from Chevrolet was inspired by the Lego Batman Movie, according to Legoland officials.

The batmobile was designed and assembled in the Lego Model Shop in Enfield, Connecticut by Lego Master Builders, and it took them 222 hours to design and 1,833 hours to build, said park officials.

It was built using 344,187 lego bricks and measures 17 feet long. It weighs a total of 1,695.5 pounds, with each tire weighing just over 100 pounds. The interior frame is made from more than 86 feet of square tube aluminum and weighs 282.5 pounds.

The Lego Batman Movie from Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment debuted on Blu-ray on June 13.

The batmobile will be on display until July 4, 2017, according to Legoland.



Photo Credit: LEGOLAND California

SeaWorld Commemorates Oldest Operating Skyride in California

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SeaWorld celebrated the 50th anniversary of the "Von Roll" Bayside Skyride, the oldest operating skyride in California Friday.

The iconic skyride was built in 1967 by the Von Roll company and has provided more than 20 million park guests a scenic ride across nearly 3,000 feet of cable above Mission Bay.

At the time of its construction, the trip was the longest span of any skyride and it remains the only one that travels over a body of salt water.

Rob Von Roll, descendant of the Von Roll family who founded the modern day gondola rides, helped commemorate the occasion along with the SeaWorld park President Marilyn Hannes.

Five decades later, SeaWorld’s Bayside Skyride stands as only one of 11 operating Von Roll-type gondola rides in the United States and just one out of 18 worldwide.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Prison Art Program Rehabilitates Inmates

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Inmates at the Richard J. Donovan State Prison have been enjoying the Paint It Program, volunteer-based art and writing classes offered weekly.

"It keeps us out of trouble," said Michael Wilson, an inmate. "It is something positive and constructive to do with our time.”

Inmates are invited to use paintbrushes, colored pencils and other materials to create drawings, paintings, and sketches. They also work on an illustrated children's book.

"We benefit as a society from people who are incarcerated being in arts programs because they're way less likely to return to prison and that leads to safer neighborhoods," said Laura Pacenco, Ph.D., the founding director of the program and Assistant Professor of Sociology at San Diego Miramar College.

Pacenco added any prisoner who commits a violent act in prison will not be able to return to the class, which motivates inmates to stay on the right track.

Jose Cuen is being released in three weeks. He has been serving 17 years for an armed robbery and wrote a poem to his wife while in the class Thursday night.

"I'm not a very patient person, so it has taught me to relax, calm down and take my time," said Cuen.

For more information about the program, click here.

Police Release Surveillance Video of Suspect in OB Homicide

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New surveillance video released Friday appears to show the suspect in connection with the stabbing death of a homeless man in Ocean Beach, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said.

Walter Riley was found with multiple stab wounds on a sidewalk on the 1900 block of Bacon Street, near Newport Avenue around 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

Riley was transported to UC San Diego Medical Center and later pronounced dead.

A man believed to be the suspect was captured by the camera at a local business off Newport Avenue, just moments before the attack happened, police said. He was wearing a hoodie that covered his face.

According to homicide investigators Thursday, the suspect had been described as a man wearing a white or gray hooded sweatshirt and baggy blue jeans. 

A witness told NBC 7, he saw the suspect running away.

Riley was known as Ras by locals in the area and his death was a blow to their community.

Janet Walsh owns Temptress Fashion--a business near the area where the attack happened. She told NBC 7, the homicide investigation shocked her because their community is so tight-knit.

"That person who did that shouldn’t be walking the streets. There is no excuse for having taken that man—that poor man’s life," Walsh said. "He was almost—I think he had to be in his 60s. Gentle soul. I mean, how gentle do you have to be for people to leave you alone."

"What we know right now, this does appear to be an unprovoked attack," SDPD Homicide Lt. Mike Holden told NBC 7 Thursday. 

Holden said it appeared the victim and the suspect had a conversation before the attack. 

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