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Padres Shutout Braves in Series Win

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Pitching can make or break a game and Dinelson Lamet made Wednesday night’s match up against the Atlanta Braves one for the books. The righty led the Padres to their fifth season shutout on the way to a 6-0 victory to seal the series.

Lamet may have found his new lucky number. The Dominican pitcher tossed a career high 7-inning shutout in his seventh career start. He allowed just four hits and finished the night with eight strikeouts.

The Friars offense brought some serious heat. In the bottom of the third inning the Padres were up 1-0 when Wil Myers sent a two run homer 408 feet to the left field seats. That marked Myers’ 16th homerun on the season.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Hunter Renfroe had us feeling some Deja-vu when he sent a two run dinger of his own to center field. That was home run number 16 for Renfroe as well. He now has the fourth most homers among Big League rookies.

The Friars scored again in the seventh inning to take the series two games to one.

Next up the Padres will host their NL West rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers over the long holiday weekend. The first of three games against L.A. gets under way Friday evening at 7:10 p.m. PST at Petco Park.




Photo Credit: Getty Images

San Diego Judge Blocks Ban on High-Capacity Gun Magazines

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A San Diego-based federal judge has temporarily blocked a new state law that required the disposal of high-capacity gun magazines.

The law was set to take effect on Saturday.

U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez issued the stay, ruling that Prop 63--passed last November with a 63 percent majority--took away the Second Amendment rights of the gun owners.

Any magazine holding more than 10 rounds is considered high-capacity. Only those federally licensed can sell them. In California, only law enforcement can purchase high-capacity magazines.

Prop 63 is the first state law to make it illegal for a civilian to possess high capacity magazines.

"Criminals aren't going to follow the law so I don't see why this is going to prevent anything," said Matthew Sloan, a firearms sales associate.

"I don't know that high-capacity is really necessary," said former probation officer Charlotte Beer.

But proponents of the ban cite mass shootings, like the San Bernardino terrorist attack as a reason for the ban. High-capacity magazines were used in the attack, killing 14 people.

"What's the point of having that? What are you going to do with it," pre-school educator Jennette Petrak said.

National Rifle Association attorney Chuck Michel's firm argued against the ban and was granted a stay by the judge Thursday.

"There is no evidence a ban on these particular magazines would save one life," Michel said.

Michel added that there would have been a "massive display of civil disobedience" if the injunction had not been issued since no many gun owners were turning in their high-capacity magazines.

The magazine ban joins several other laws passed last year that have ended up in a gun control battle in the courts.

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom was one of the main proponents of Prop 63.

Thursday, he issued a statement that reads, in part,

"I am very confident that the will of California's voters to ban these devastating large capacity magazines will be upheld and supported by federal courts in the long run and consistently with those other federal court decisions."

Those who own high capacity magazines can hold on to them while the ban is argued in court.

It could take several months to resolve.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Court Rules in Favor of Point Loma High School

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Frustrated homeowners voiced their concerns after a long-awaited court ruling tipped in favor of Point Loma High School.

Neighbors surrounding the high school worry that a big stadium renovation will lead to bright lights, noise pollution, and extra traffic--especially after-hours.

Dave Dick is a member of the Pro-Point Loma organization that filed a lawsuit in Superior Court to stop an overhaul of the stadium last year.

The 17 plaintiffs argue the renovation will encourage hundreds of people to flood what Dick calls, a quiet community.

"Those people are going to park on the streets of this community whenever they have a game," he told NBC 7.

Dick is concerned that the use of the stadium when the school hosts 18 lighted events will also encourage the increase in crime in the community.

"It’s disappointing," he said. "We really thought we had the right case and we still do. We’re going to revisit out options."

Point Loma High School Principal Hans Becker said the stadium will be renovated to accommodate the large crowds.

"Point Loma has been around for 92 years and it's never had permanent lights," Becker said.

He stressed the addition of lighted events will encourage students to thrive and participate in sports, overall improving their educational experience.

Becker added he is aware that many homeowners share fence lines with the campus and can be inconvenienced by the extra cars parked in front of their homes.

"There is, in the works, a modernization project to increase parking," Becker said. "It still would not be enough parking for a night of event but what we are going to do is create the flow of traffic of pedestrians. Once they park to go through the campus and not try to park in people’s front yards."

The school is allowed to start using the lights starting next fall.

The Pro-Point Loma organization has two months to appeal the ruling.

Police Emphasize Safety on Roads, Beaches For July 4th Holiday

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Authorities around San Diego County will be cracking down on drunk driving during the Fourth of July Holiday weekend. 
Increased DUI patrols and checkpoint are already in place.
According to San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Chief Shelley Zimmerman, last year, 37 people were arrested for driving under the influence during the Fourth of July weekend. 
In addition, there were 12 DUI-related collisions, an increase in previous years. 
A lot of cars are expected on the roads. Gas prices have hit its lowest point in 12 years. 
And according to the Automobile Club of Southern California, a record 44.2 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more this holiday weekend, 
The beaches will be especially crowded on what's set to be a warm weekend. 
Police say even though signs are posted throughout the beach area, a lot of people don't seem to know the rules on the beach also apply to the adjacent parking lots, and the boardwalk.
Dogs are not allowed in any of those areas between 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
After 6 p.m., dogs must be on a leash, and you must clean up after your dog
Police want to remind you, smoking, alcohol, glass containers not permitted on the beaches. 
Police say bonfires must be in designated fire rings, no higher than 12 inches, and the fire wood must not have any nails.
Also, parking lots will be full, so officers encourage you to be patient. The parking spaces are for cars only, not chairs of barbecue tables.  
Between May and September, extra patrol officers from around the city are brought in to help SDPD's Northern Division handle the crowds.
The beach team cruises the sand in off-road vehicles, making sure people are following the regulations.
Police say say thefts also increase at beach parking lots during the summer, and advise you to lock your car, conceal your belongings, and bring your car keys with you.
The beach team also patrols Mission Bay by boat, in case someone needs help or is involved in a crash. 
Boat patrol officers also want to make sure boaters are not speeding in the water or going in the wrong direction. 
Mission Bay has a counterclockwise traffic scheme. 


Authorities around San Diego County are cracking down on drunk driving during the Fourth of July Holiday weekend.

Increased DUI patrols and checkpoint are already in place. 

According to San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Chief Shelley Zimmerman, last year, 37 people were arrested for driving under the influence during the Fourth of July weekend.  

In addition, there were 12 DUI-related collisions, an increase in previous years. 

With gas prices at its lowest point in 12 years, a lot of cars are expected on the roads.

According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, a record 44.2 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more this holiday weekend.

The beaches will be especially crowded on what's set to be a warm weekend.  

Police say even though signs are posted throughout the beach area, a lot of people don't seem to know the rules on the beach also apply to the adjacent parking lots, and the boardwalk. 

Dogs are not allowed in any of those areas between 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

After 6 p.m., dogs must be on a leash, and you must clean up after your dog. 

Police want to remind you, smoking, alcohol and glass containers are not permitted on the beaches.  

Fully enclosed tents are not allowed at the beach.

Any shade canopy or covering must be 50% open. 

Police say bonfires must be in designated fire rings, no higher than 12 inches, and the fire wood must not have any nails. 

Overnight camping at any San Diego beach or within Mission Bay Park is not permitted. 

Also, parking lots will be full, so officers encourage you to be patient. 

The parking spaces are for cars only, not chairs or barbecue tables. 

Police say say thefts also increase at beach parking lots during the summer, and advise you to lock your car, conceal your belongings, and bring your car keys with you. 

Between May and September, extra patrol officers from around the city are brought in to help SDPD's Northern Division handle the crowds. 

The beach team cruises the sand in off-road vehicles, making sure people are following the regulations. 

The beach team also patrols Mission Bay by boat, in case someone needs help or is involved in a crash.  

Boat patrol officers want to make sure boaters are not speeding in the water or going in the wrong direction.

Mission Bay has a counterclockwise traffic scheme.  

'Unbelievably Alarming': Brzezinski Fires Back at Trump

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Mika Brzezinski fired back at President Donald Trump on Friday, calling his recent Twitter attack on her "unbelievably alarming" and also claiming that Trump's White House said her "Morning Joe" co-host could get a salacious story about them in the National Enquirer spiked by begging the president's forgiveness.

"It's been fascinating and frightening and really sad for our country," Brzezinski, seated next fiance and co-host Joe Scarborough, said on their MSNBC show. "I'm very concerned as to what this once again reveals about the president of the United States. It's strange."

Trump mocked the two TV personalities on his personal Twitter account Thursday, calling them "Crazy Mika" and "Psycho Joe." He wrote that Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a facelift" when he saw the pair at his Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump tweeted the insults soon after Brzezinski joked on the show about his fake Time magazine cover.

On Friday, Brzezinski and Scarborough alleged that members of the Trump administration had told Scarborough to call Trump and apologize for their coverage in order to get the plug pulled on a story about them in the National Enquirer.

"I had three people at the very top of the administration calling me," Scarborough said. "The calls kept coming. They said, 'you need to call. Please call. Just pick up the phone and call him.'"

Trump responded to the claim on Twitter Friday, alleging that Scarborough had called the president in an attempt to get the story killed. 

"Watched low rated @Morning_Joe for first time in long time. FAKE NEWS. He called me to stop a National Enquirer article. I said no! Bad show," Trump tweeted.

Brzezinski said her children were being harassed by the tabloid, which pinned the story on her ex-husband. Brzezinski said she knew that was a lie.

"My response was screw it. Let them run it,” she said.

NBC has reached out to the White House for comment.

Scarborough and Brzezinski first responded in detail to Trump's attacks in a Friday morning op-ed in The Washington Post titled "Donald Trump Is Not Well."

"We are both certain that the man is not mentally equipped to continue watching our show," the pair wrote in the Post. "It is disturbing that the president of the United States keeps up his unrelenting assault on women."

In the piece, the two also denounced Trump's specific claims that they visited him for three nights at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago and that he refused to see them. Trump had requested their presence, they wrote. 

They also claimed Trump lied when he wrote Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a facelift."

On "Morning Joe," Brzezinski explained that however "frightening" the president's attack was, it is not keeping her up at night.

"I'm fine. My family brought me up really tough," she added. "The president's tweets, that doesn't bother me one bit."

Brzezinski continued: "It is unbelievably alarming that this president is so easily played… by a cable news host. What is that saying to our allies, to our enemies?"

Scarborough joined in the criticism, calling Trump "vicious."

"Unfortunately, we learned what we always learned: He for some reason he takes it so much personally with women. He is so much more vicious with women. For some reason, he always goes after Mika. It's always personal with Mika."

The hosts have said they've known Trump for over a decade, but Scarborough added that the former businessman has changed.

"The guy that’s in the White House now is not the guy we knew two years ago," he said.

Willie Geist hosted the MSNBC broadcast, as Brzezinski and Scarborough were scheduled to take time off beginning on Friday. He opened the show by addressing the controversy and offering support for his MSNBC colleague.

"She does not need me or anyone else to defend her," Geist said of Brzezinski before her last-minute appearance. "She's smart. She's strong. She makes people in power feel uncomfortable, and she fears absolutely no one."

Much of Friday's show was dedicated to the tweets, with Geist and various panelists describing the president as insecure, childish and impulsive. They addressed Washington directly numerous times, demanding politicians to stand up against Trump and calling for an apology and retraction from the president. They even debated how the tweets could affect foreign relations and the ongoing health care battle.

Though Trump fired off Thursday's tweets while Brzezinski was on the air, she did not respond at the time beyond tweeting an image of a Cheerios box, in a tweak about the size of the president's hands.

Trump's tweets drew heated responses from politicians on both sides of the aisle saying the president crossed a line. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the messages "not appropriate," while several congressmen added that they were sexist and beneath the dignity of his office.

As critics brought up Trump's other past personal insults directed to prominent women, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the president's actions, saying he had the right to fight back.

"I think that he's been very clear that when he gets attacked, he's going to hit back," Sanders said at the daily White House press briefing. "I don't think that it's a surprise to anybody that he fights fire with fire."

Another Trump defender, Sean Hannity, tweeted Friday, "Joe and Mika call @POTUS a schmuck, thug, goon, liar, idiot, anti trump Music video, daily hysterical breakdowns, who's unhinged & not well?"

MSNBC spokesperson Lorie Acio responded Thursday by saying, "It's a sad day for America when the president spends his time bullying, lying and spewing petty personal attacks instead of doing his job." CNN also issued a statement in solidarity with the rival cable network's hosts. 

NBCUniversal is the parent company of MSNBC and this site.



Photo Credit: Evan Vucci/AP, File
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Things to Do This Weekend: June 29-July 2

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Hello, weekend! As we head into the Fourth of July holiday, there are plenty of fun, patriotic things to do around America's Finest City. Check out a community festival or concert, or head to Del Mar as the San Diego County Fair wraps up its season. Make the most of your summer with these offerings. Get up. Get out. Play!

Thursday, June 29

2017 San Diego County Fair
11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Del Mar Fairgrounds
It’s the final weekend of the San Diego County Fair, so if you haven’t been yet this season, now is your chance. Enjoy the rides, entertainment and, of course, gloriously unhealthy fried food. This year’s theme is “Wild, Wild West,” so expect a rootin’ tootin’ good time. The fair runs through July 4. Admission is $18 for adults ages 13 to 61; $11 for those 62 and older and for kids ages 6 to 12. Little ones 5 and younger get in free.

Liberty Public Farmers Market
2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Near Liberty Public Market at Liberty Station
Liberty Station’s brand-new weekly farmers market goes down every Thursday near Liberty Public Market, off Perry Road. The farmers market features more than 60 vendors, from local produce growers and specialty food purveyors, to artisan gift merchants. While you peruse vendors, enjoy live performances from local musicians.

National City Lions Carnival
5 p.m. to 11 p.m. (other times throughout weekend), Kimball Park
An annual multi-day carnival hosted by the National City Lions Club kicks off Thursday night at Kimball Park at 12th Street and D Avenue. The community event features rides, games, food, and entertainment. It goes down from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and from 12 p.m. to midnight on July 4, culminating with patriotic fireworks at 9 p.m. that night. 

Music in the Gardens: Michael Tiernan
5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Escondido
Enjoy craft beer, live music and lush gardens at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido (1999 Citracado Parkway) during the brewery’s summer music series. All season long, patrons can groove to all kinds of musical styles – from folk and soul, to rock and pop. On June 29, Michael Tiernan takes the spotlight.

Shop With the Chef: Liberty Public Market
5:45 p.m., Soda & Swine (Liberty Station)
Once a month through August, Liberty Public Market will host its “Farmers Market Dinner Series,” which invites guests to hang out with a chef from a local eatery. Patrons will walk with that chef through Liberty Public Market and check out fresh ingredients harvested by local farmers – ingredients that will be used to create that evening’s dinner. After learning about what goes into culinary greatness, guests will enjoy a multi-course dinner back at the chef’s restaurant. The first chef in this series will be Phil Esteban, of Soda & Swine at Liberty Station (2750 Dewey Rd.); the event starts at the restaurant at 5:45 p.m. Tickets cost $50 per person and can be purchased ahead of time by calling (619) 501-9989.


Sculpture & Cocktails
6 p.m., San Diego Museum of Art
The San Diego Museum of Art’s popular 21+ sundown series returns, this time dubbed “Sculpture & Cocktails” as the evening celebrates the contemporary sculpture exhibition, “Richard Deacon: What You See is What You Get.” The party takes place under the stars, in an outdoor garden space near some of the museum’s “Art of the Open Air” works. Attendees will enjoy sculpture-inspired cocktails, snacks, and activities including an area where they can make screen-printed T-shirts with motifs from Deacon’s art or pose for a hand-cut paper portrait created by a silhouette artist. An LED-illuminated outdoor game area will offer table tennis, foosball and more. Tickets are $35 (cheaper for members of the museum).

California Dreaming Beach Party
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Bahia Hotel
Every Thursday this summer – tonight through Aug. 31 – The Bahia Hotel in Mission Bay will host its “California Dreaming” Beach Party, which includes a clam bake, BBQ, brews and live beachside concert performed by The Mar Dels. Tickets are $49 for adults and $26 for children ages 5 to 12; kids age 5 and under get in free. This is summer, SoCal style, that’s for sure.

San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves (College Night)
6:10 p.m., Petco Park
The Padres wrap up their three-game series against the Braves at Petco Park Thursday with a 6:10 p.m. game. It’s College Night, too, which means special ticket prices for college students (starting at $10 with the online promo code COLLEGE), plus a DJ and summer fun on the Budweiser Patio. All other tickets start at $15.

Sunset Poolside Jazz Series
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., The Westgate Hotel
Downtown’s Westgate Hotel continues its “Sunset Poolside Jazz Series,” a summertime series featuring a different performance every Thursday night, through Aug. 31, from Southern California’s finest jazz talents at the hotel’s pool. The event includes drinks and appetizers, available for purchase. Attendees are asked to spend at least $25 on drinks and food; the entertainment is free. Coral Mcfarland Thuet is the headliner on June 29.


Santee Summer Concert: The Kings of 88
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Town Center Community Park East
Santee’s Summer Concert Series returns this week with The Kings of 88, paying tribute to the greatest artists of piano rock. This free community event runs each Thursday through the summer, with a different band taking the stage at Town Center Community Park East (550 Park Center Dr.) and family-friendly activities. Bring the family and a blanket – and some money to buy snacks from several food trucks lined up on the field.

LeeAnn Rimes
7:30 p.m., Heineken Grandstand Stage at San Diego County Fair
Country star LeeAnn Rimes takes the main stage Friday night at the San Diego County Fair. The show is free with paid fair admission in the floor section (standing area only) and unreserved seats in the third and fifth levels. Other seats start at $17, with paid fair admission. 

Latin Thursdays
9 p.m., Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Enjoy live Latin music at Harrah’s Resort Southern California every Thursday night this month at this 21+ fiesta. The shows cost $10 and are available at the door.

Friday, June 30

Coronado’s Free Summer Shuttle Service
8:57 a.m. to 9:42 p.m. (shuttle service times), Coronado
Coronado’s free summer shuttle service is back, running now through Labor Day. The service aims to make it easier for locals and visitors to cruise around Coronado and catch a ride to popular spots during the busy summer months. Hop on!

Food Truck Friday
4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Plaza de Panama at Balboa Park
Balboa Park’s “Food Truck Friday” continues, a summertime event that brings more than a dozen food trucks to the Plaza de Panama and El Prado walkway every Friday evening through Sept. 29. As you grab some food, you’ll also be able to enjoy live entertainment at the park. Stick around and check out “Balboa Park After Dark” (see below), happening simultaneously at the park Friday nights this summer.

Cruisin’ Grand Escondido
5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Downtown Escondido(235 East Grand Ave.)
Downtown Escondido’s free, weekly vintage car show continues, running every Friday night through Sept. 29. Cruisin’ Grand Escondido takes over historic Grand Avenue, with more than 500 cool cars lining the streets. The event, now in its 18th year, draws thousands of attendees. Each Friday night, awards are given to the most impressive pre-1973 American-made cars. This Friday night, the theme is “Little Guys Street Rods.” Musical entertainment includes: DJ Dino (spinning on Broadway); Rooster Envy (performing on Juniper Street); The Rudy T Band (playing at Maple Street Plaza); Sum Bucks (performing at Kalmia & Grand).

Balboa Park After Dark
5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Balboa Park
Balboa Park’s sundown summertime program continues, with eight museums offering extended late-night hours every Friday through Sept. 29. Some museums are even offering $5 admission deals. Food vendors and live entertainment will also fill the landmark during this “Balboa Park After Dark” series.

Summer Movies in the Park
6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Otay Lakes County Park and Fallbrook Community Center
San Diego’s fun and free “Summer Movies in the Park” is back this week with two screenings on Thursday: “Trolls” at Otay Lakes County Park (2270 Wueste Rd., from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and “Sing” at Fallbrook Community Center (341 Heald Ln., from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.). Parking at Otay Lakes County Park is $3 per vehicle; parking at Fallbrook Community Center is free across three lots on Heald Lane and the street. Both venues will offer pre-movie activities but no concessions – so bring a picnic to munch on.


Sunset Luau on the Bay
6 p.m., Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa
Dreaming of Hawaii? The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa in Pacific Beach hosts its 16th season of Sunset Luaus on the shores of Mission Bay, a Friday night event complete with tropical drinks, Polynesian cuisine, and authentic island-inspired music and dancing. The Sunset Luaus take place through Sept. 1; tickets are $69 for adults, $32 for kids ages 5 to 12, and free for little one 5 and younger.

San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
7:10 p.m., Petco Park
The Padres start their three-game series at home against the Dodgers Friday night. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m.; tickets start at $17. Besides baseball, fans can also enjoy another round of “BeerFest” at the ballpark on this night – an ode to craft brews for the 21+ crowd.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
7:30 p.m., Horton Grand Theatre
This musical, presented by Intrepid Theatre and New Village Arts, is set between 1957 and 1958, when Buddy Holly and the Crickets had seven Top 40 songs, including “Peggy Sue.” The production celebrates the legacy of the young man with thick-rimmed glasses whose career during the golden period of rock ‘n’ roll was cut short by his tragic, untimely death. Tickets to this toe-tapping show start at $24. The musical runs at this venue through Sunday.

Dan + Shay
7:30 p.m., Heineken Grandstand Stage at San Diego County Fair
It’s another night of country music at the San Diego County Fair. This time, duo Dan Smyers and James Shay Mooney take the Heineken Grandstand Stage at 7:30 p.m. The show is free with paid fair admission in the floor section (standing area only) and unreserved seats in the third and fifth levels. Other seats start at $17, with paid fair admission.

Star-Spangled Pops
7:30 p.m., Embarcadero Marina Park South
The San Diego Symphony pays tribute to America with this three-day “Star-Spangled Pops” concert at Embarcadero Marina Park South. The Symphony will perform patriotic tunes in a show that culminates with a salute to the armed forces and fireworks. Lawn tickets start at $24.

Saturday, July 1

Trek with the Trackers
8:30 a.m., Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor’s Center
The Tracking Team at Mission Trails Regional Park takes you on an adventure this Saturday. Follow tracks and other critter evidence as you track lesser-seen animals in the park. The team recommends you wear long pants to enable you to get up close. The trek is free.

Meet and Greet With Padre Yangervis Solarte
11 a.m., Cox Solutions Store (9349 Mission Gorge Road)
Come out to Santee this weekend and meet Padre Yangervis Solarte, who will be at the Cox Solutions Store for a meet-and-greet with fans. Solarte will be at the store for an hour and will sign autographs for the first 150 people to arrive. The event is free.

Imperial Beach's Red, White and Blue Event
12 p.m., Imperial Beach Pier Plaza
Start your 4th of July weekend down at the Imperial Beach pier with delicious food, live music, raffle prizes, live performances and more. Additionally, the event will feature local businesses. The event is free.

Independence Festival at the Border
3 p.m., Larson Field-Cesar Chavez Park (Camino De La Plaza)
Spend a fun-filled day by the U.S.-Mexico Border this Saturday and celebrate the Fourth of July weekend with a Latin spin. The festival features live music, food, drinks, a bouncy city for the kids and more. The festival runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and ends with fireworks. The event is free to attend.

B-Side Players & Sol Y Mar
5 p.m., Arts District Liberty Station
This month, the Arts District at Liberty Station will host a series of free outdoor concerts on the North Promenade (located between Stone Brewing World Bistro and Garden and the “Greetings from Naval Training Station” mural). The all-ages concerts start at 5 p.m. This weekend’s show starts with opening act Sol Y Mar – complete with Brazilian Samba dancers – followed by headliners The B-Side Players, who fuse the sounds of Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica and Brazil to create funk, rock and jazz-inspired rhythms.

Spirits at Sunset: Summer Cocktail Cruise
5:30 p.m., Flagship Cruises and Events
Treat yourself to a lovely evening on the Bay this Saturday for the all-new Spirits at Sunset cruise. Board an 82-foot yacht for an evening for 360 views of the beautiful San Diego and bay and your favorite cocktails. Tickets start at $42.50.

Little Italy Summer Film Festival
8 p.m., Amici Park
Every Saturday night this summer, stop by San Diego’s Little Italy Amici Park and enjoy a series of Italian films with English subtitles. The screenings start at 8 p.m. The entry fee is a $5 donation.

 

Sunday, July 2

Amazing and True Tales
9:30 a.m., Mission Trails Regional Park (Visitor’s Center)
Hear some of the amazing and fun stories of the animals and inhabitants of the park. This informative walk, led by a trail guide, will teach kids and adults of all ages more about the region. The walk is free.

Wildlife Family Fun Day
11:30 a.m., San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy and County Park Rangers will come together once again for this fun ongoing series on our changing climate for kids and adults alike. Kids will get a chance to get their hands dirty with interactive experiences. This month’s theme is Wildlife Corridors. The event is free.

La Jolla Playhouse’s “Escape to Margaritaville” 
2 p.m., La Jolla Playhouse
The world premiere of “Escape to Margaritaville” kicks off its first weekend at the Playhouse. The production features some of Jimmy Buffett’s best-known hits, in addition to new songs written especially for the musical. The story follows a part-time bartender, part-time singer on a Caribbean island who falls for a beautiful tourist, a woman who makes him question the life he thought he had figured out. Playwrights Greg Garcia ("My Name Is Earl," "Raising Hope") and Mike O'Malley ("My Name Is Earl," "Justified," "Glee") blend a story in the works for years with Buffett classics, under the direction of award-winning director Christopher Ashley. Read more about how the cast and crew paid tribute to Buffett’s music here. 

Barefoot Music Cruise
3 p.m., Hornblower Cruises and Events
Here’s a unique way to enjoy happy hour in San Diego: a two-hour cruise along the San Diego Bay, featuring live music, cocktails, and snacks. Tickets start at $25 per person.

Summer Sundays
5 p.m., Village Walk at Eastlake in Chula Vista
Come out and enjoy your summer evening with music from Lady J and Soulful knights at this family-friendly event. For kids 12 and under, there will be craft activities, free face painting, and free balloon sculptures. Merchants will be giving away food samples and giveaways.

The Old Globe’s “King Richard II”
8 p.m., Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park
Shakespeare favorite “King Richard II” continues its run at The Globe. Actor Robert Sean Leonard takes on the title role in one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. The play runs through July 15.

Free or Cheap Things to Do in San Diego
Times and locations vary

Looking to save some cash, but still enjoy the city? In San Diego, there are still plenty of activities to enjoy for free or on the cheap. Go for a hike at Torrey Pines State Park or Cowles Mountain, stroll Balboa Park, try a new craft brewery, admire the murals of Chicano Park or read a book at a downtown park. Get out there and explore America’s Finest City.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Photo Illustration

Famed DC Restaurateur Chokes to Death at District Eatery

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Famed Washington, D.C., restaurateur Jeffrey Gildenhorn died after he choked while having dinner at The Palm Wednesday night.

Gildenhorn, the owner of American City Diner in Northwest Washington, was taken to George Washington University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 74.

The diner was closed Thursday. A handwritten note hung on the eatery's door Thursday that read, "R.I.P. Jeffrey Gildenhorn!!!"

"He was a character, but he loved this city incredibly. He loved this city and he loved everything about it," customer Brian Mulholland said.

Other longtime regulars to his diner were shocked by the news of his death.

"He was a good person, a down-to-earth guy," one woman said.

"His employees really seemed to care for him and spoke very highly of him and we've been coming here forever," another woman said.

Gildenhorn's business career began in 1965 when he took over his family's business, Circle Liquor Store, a biography published on the restaurant's website said. The business evolved into Jeffrey Gildenhorn Enterprises, which eventually included 11 retail businesses.

Gildenhorn opened the diner in 1989, the same year he made a bid to purchase the Atlanta Braves and move the team to the District. The restaurant is meant to capture the nostalgia of the 1950s, according to a newspaper article published on the diner's website.

Beyond his business ventures, Gildenhorn also pursued a career in politics. In 1998, the Ward 3 resident ran for mayor of Washington, D.C., but lost in the primary.



Photo Credit: NBC Washington

Gas Leak Reported Near Grant Hill

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San Diego police and firefighters responded to the report of a broken gas line near Grant Hill.

Two buildings were evacuated after the gas leak was reported at 8:10 a.m.

A construction crew working on Imperial Avenue near 32nd Street, west of Interstate 15 ruptured the gas pipe, police and firefighters said.

Officers were conducting traffic control. Crews from San Diego Gas & Electric were enroute to the scene.

No other information was available.

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



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

Trump Endorses Repeal-First Strategy for Health Care

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With Senate negotiations continuing over the stalled GOP health care bill, President Donald Trump endorsed Friday a proposal for Republicans to pass a simple repeal of Obamacare then focus on replacing it later this year should no deal be reached.

Republican leaders considered the proposal after Trump took office. But it was dropped over concerns that going outside of the reconciliation process would be too difficult because the Senate would need the support of Democrats, NBC News reported.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb, had been working quietly to advance the idea, a Senate Republican aide told NBC News. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul also voiced support for a simple repeal bill.



Photo Credit: Molly Riley-Pool/Getty Images

Preterm Birth Rates Have Increased in the U.S.

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Almost 10 percent of newborn babies in the United States are born premature according to a new report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NBC News reported. 

The report also included the rising births of more low birth weight babies than in previous years and births overall fell across the U.S., while high-risk births became more common, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. 

“The increase in the preterm birth rate is an alarming indication that the health of pregnant women and babies in our country is heading in the wrong direction,” Stacey Stewart, president of the March of Dimes, a charity organization, told NBC News.



Photo Credit: AP

ICE Abuses Solitary Confinement, Lawyers Say

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When Jose Mendez was held at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, he met another young undocumented immigrant who over time became his boyfriend. They would hold hands and occasionally steal a kiss, he said. Mostly, they shared love letters.

Early last year, as Mendez’s boyfriend was telling him how afraid he was of deportation, Mendez reached over to rest a hand on his. Just then a female guard passed. Fifteen minutes later, Mendez was isolated and accused of having oral sex in the recreation room, said his attorney, Bryan Johnson.

An official told Mendez that there was visual evidence, which he demanded to see it, confident of his innocence. But his request was denied and he was sentenced to 30 days in disciplinary segregation — the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement equivalent of solitary confinement.

“Segregation is the worst thing that could exist,” he said.

Mendez, who does not have a criminal record and sought asylum in the United States after fleeing El Salvador when he was 19, averaged two hours outside of his cell each day as punishment for something he said he did not do. Even if he had, lawyers said, as a civil detainee he should not have faced the same punishment as a felon.

“These are civil detainees,” said R. Andrew Free, an immigration attorney based in Nashville, “Solitary confinement is a tool of a criminal detention system that is geared toward punishment, and in some cases rehabilitation.”

But undocumented immigrants across the country are being held in private prisons and government centers that lawyers say follow rules intended for criminals. They have “grafted all of the rules and all of the infrastructure” from the prison industry onto immigrant detention, according to Free.

The facilities operate with little oversight even as the detainees have no right to lawyers or other protections. Undocumented immigrants who can't find pro bono representation are particularly at a disadvantage, lawyers say. And as President Donald Trump promises to ramp up enforcement of immigration laws, advocates fear even more detainees will get caught up in unreasonable and dangerous situations.

Solitary confinement can be abused easily, lawyers said. Their clients are punished for indefinite periods and arbitrary reasons, they say.

Mendez’s confinement record, for example, doesn’t mention oral sex. The reporting officer wrote that Mendez admitted to “kissing and holding hands in the rec. yard,” enough to find him guilty of committing a “sexual act.”

After about a month in segregation, he was released from Stewart, a private prison run by Corrections Corporation of America, and he boarded a plane to New York thanks to Johnson’s efforts.

His boyfriend was deported.

ALLEGATIONS OF WEAK OVERSIGHT
Both Republican and Democratic presidents have used solitary confinement for undocumented immigrants. It was practiced during Barack Obama’s administration, and George W. Bush’s before that. ICE has arrested more than 41,000 undocumented people since Trump took office, so more people could be at risk of solitary confinement at detention centers around the country.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a White House memo that circulated among top Department of Homeland Security officials in late January said that DHS would bump up the number of immigrants in detention to 80,000 people a day, nearly double the figure under Obama. Over 5,000 immigrants without criminal records were arrested between January and March, more than double Obama’s figure from the same period in 2016.

On top of disciplinary actions, ICE facilities also use segregation as a means to isolate vulnerable people, those who are LGBTQ or mentally unstable, for their own safety, according to the agency.

“ICE’s policy governing the use of special management units protects detainees, staff, contractors, volunteers, and the community from harm by segregating certain detainees from the general population for both administrative and disciplinary reasons,” an ICE official wrote in a statement. “ICE provides several levels of oversight in order to ensure that detainees in ICE custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments and under appropriate conditions of confinement."


The duration of segregation for some immigrants exceeds international regulations, even for humane criminal practices. In 2015, the United Nations ruled that “prolonged solitary confinement” should be prohibited, and equated the practice to torture. The UN defined “prolonged solitary confinement” as more than 15 days in unwanted isolation.

When a guard recommends an immigrant for segregation, there’s almost no oversight, lawyers say. A judge has to rule that the detainee deserves punitive solitary, but in the meantime, he or she can be placed in administrative segregation, as Mendez was for two days before he was found guilty.

ICE had an average daily population of 1.1 percent of detainees in segregation during 2012 and 2013, and more recent estimates show similar numbers. In a system that holds tens of thousands of immigrants and is expanding, that means hundreds are being kept in solitary cells. In 2015, 13 percent of those in segregation were part of ICE's non-criminal population.

ICE sent out a directive about protocols for solitary confinement in September 2013. The memo said that “placement of detainees in segregated housing is a serious step that requires careful consideration of alternatives.” It also mandated regular review of long-term segregation cases to ensure that a detainee is not held in solitary confinement for longer than necessary.

When asked how long segregation could last for an undocumented immigrant, an ICE spokesperson did not respond directly. She instead referenced the 2013 directive that "requires agency reporting, review, and oversight of every facility decision to place detainees in segregated housing for over 14 days, and requires immediate reporting and review of segregation placements when heightened concerns exist based on the detainee’s health or other factors."

But from Free’s vantage point, the standards aren’t followed.

“Oversight is really weak and lax, and there are no real consequences to these facilities if they engage in serial violations,” Free said. “In my experience [with clients], the solitary confinement went on for months -- literally months -- without any indication of an official sign-off.”

He said that ICE never actually used the phrase, “solitary confinement,” substituting euphemisms such as “medical isolation,” “administrative segregation,” and “disciplinary segregation.”

“They use everything but ‘solitary confinement,’ and one has to ask why,” he said.

OUTSIDE IN A CAGE
Mulugeta, an Ethiopian immigrant who came to the United States as a child, asked to only use his first name because he intends to re-apply for U.S. residency after being deported. He was in immigrant detention between 2010 and 2014 while he fought his case and says he spent more than a year in segregation.

“It was a very long time, and a very tough experience,” he said. “Through those four years, I went through a lot of ups and downs.”

Mulugeta had a green card as a child. When he was 18, he and his friends were playing with a BB gun at one of their homes and someone called the police. Officers searched Mulugeta and found a Ziploc bag of marijuana, more than half an ounce but no more than five pounds, according to his 2009 court indictment. Though he said he had bought the drugs for personal use, he was convicted of intent to distribute. When he was released from prison, ICE was waiting to deport him. But first he was detained for another four years.


While in immigrant detention, Mulugeta was placed in a special housing unit after a fight broke out at the Oakdale Federal Detention Center in Louisiana, which then held immigrant detainees alongside convicts. He said he was defending himself from attackers when he accidentally fell onto a guard, whose leg broke in several places. As a result, Mulugeta was put in solitary confinement.

“There was no charge,” he said. “They just kept me there for no reason.”

While in segregation, Mulugeta received maybe one phone call a week, but he spent most of his time reading, he said. Sometimes, he went outside for sunlight; even then, they put him in an enclosed "cage" so he did not feel free, he said.

ICE does not comment on specific cases and did not confirm his account. Nor would an ICE spokesperson comment on whether detainees in special housing units are confined during recreation time.

Guards let Mulugeta shower sporadically, but they didn’t follow a regular schedule. When the cafeteria served pork, Mulugeta, an Ethiopian orthodox Christian, didn’t get to eat.

“What they did to that kid, I’ll never get over it,” said Paul Scott, his attorney.

Because ICE detainees are often mixed in with prisoners at county jails and private prisons, Mulugeta said that he and other immigrants were treated like serious offenders.

“Immigration detainees and a criminal are not the same,” he said. But, to the guards at the detention centers where he was held, he continued, “Everybody is the same.”

SEGREGATION FOR SAFETY
Many undocumented immigrants in the United States are seeking refuge from violence against them in their homes countries because of their gender or sexuality. Members of the LGBTQ community are especially at risk of being put into solitary cells because they are targets for sexual assault and bullying by other prisoners.

“I know that they’re also scared to remain in some cases in the housing unit with their biological sex, so it’s kind of a no-win situation when the only answer is to put people in a box,” Free said.

But solitary confinement does not always make people safe. Guards also have been accused of taunting transgender or gay prisoners about their lifestyles and other harassment.

In 2005, ICE detained trans woman Bamby Salcedo after she filed a request to change her legal name. According to her online bio, during her early life, “she fell into a deep cycle of drugs, crime, juvenile institutions and later, after immigrating to the US, prisons.” She told NBC that in California she survived by dealing illegal substances. After Salcedo got to San Pedro Detention Center, which lost its accreditation in 2007 and has since been shuttered, the guards placed her in a dorm with her biological sex, where men put their genitals in her face, grabbed her breasts and buttocks, and made sexually suggestive comments to her, she said.

“It was constant, and it was too much,” Salcedo added.

After she told officials that she had been assaulted, she said she was placed in segregation for a week.

“They said they were trying to protect me, but I was actually being punished further for just being me,” she said.

In 2015, ICE outlined a Transgender Care Memo, and an agency official wrote that its “ultimate goal with regard to this population is to find facility partners willing to adopt the best practices.”

But immigrant detainees are often put in solitary after accusing staff members or other residents of sexual assault, according to NBC News. Victims often believe they are being punished by ICE for reporting abuse.

Salcedo, who founded TransLatin@ Coalition, said that when she visits detention centers as an advocate, she hears similar stories to her own. She said that “really, things have not changed.”

ICE detainees can also be placed in solitary for protesting or for expressing mental health problems, advocates say.

Azadeh Shahshahani, legal and advocacy director at the Atlanta-based non-profit Project South, said that other immigrants at the Stewart Detention Center have been segregated “in retaliation” because they’ve gone on hunger strikes to spark administrative interest.

“They have filed complaints,” Shahshahani said. “Nobody has paid attention to them. And so basically their last option is to put their bodies on the line.”

And a mother at Karnes County Residential Center in Texas alleged that she and her 11-year-old son were put in medical isolation there as punishment after going on a fast. The account came from a congressional employee who had visited the center, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) told NBC.

“I believe they were putting women and children -- young babies, infants even -- into solitary confinement for punishment measures,” he said.

During a hearing of the House Committee on the Judiciary in April 2015, Johnson asked former ICE Director Sarah R. Saldaña about the charge.

“I am not aware of that incident,” Saldaña said. “... If that is a fact, that disturbs me greatly.”

In its directive, ICE says that detainees on hunger strikes can be placed in segregation for their medical safety.

An ICE spokesperson wrote that, “The ICE family residential centers do not have segregation areas. Special monitoring or cohorting may be done in cases where it is deemed medically necessary.”

Advocates respond that while family detention facilities do not have cells explicitly used for solitary confinement, rooms in the medical wing can be used as segregation chambers.

If detainees admit to considering harming themselves, they are often subjected to segregation, which can exacerbate their issues. In its 2013 memo, ICE says that immigrants can be placed in solitary for “mental illness” or “suicide risk.”

“It has been my experience that detainees are reluctant to express anxiety or depression out of fear that that would lead to them being put into segregation,” Free said.

Attorneys sometimes try to use their clients’ segregation as a reason for release or transfer. Scott, for example, cited Mulugeta’s long-term stay in the special housing unit in a letter to the New Orleans field office director advocating for his discharge. He wrote that Mulugeta had been maced in his cell, and that he had been denied the opportunity to meet with his attorney on multiple occasions, which he called a “serious constitutional violation.”

But when asked, immigrant attorneys could not think of any lawsuits that specifically targeted the use of solitary confinement at ICE facilities. They also couldn’t cite any larger movement fighting against the systemic employment of segregation by ICE officials.

“As immigration lawyers, we do have unified efforts on a lot of things, but it’s usually not that,” Scott said.

Free echoed him, saying, “I don’t think that that exists.”

A little over a year after his release, Mendez recalled how many of those in segregation hadn’t done anything wrong, and how unreasoned discipline was. While he and other detainees were shut in for months, actual bullies and troublemakers faced no consequences for their actions, he said.

“There were some people they punished for no reason, and others who were guilty but were allowed to live freely,” Mendez said.

Even after leaving detention, he insists that he never had sexual relations with his then-boyfriend while they were at Stewart.

“We only sent each other letters,” he said. “What they accused us of never happened.”


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Man Attacked With Razor Blade in Nestor Neighborhood

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A man was attacked with a razor blade while he walking his dog in the Nestor neighborhood of San Diego Friday, and the suspect was arrested, confirmed San Diego police.

The victim was walking on the 1900 block of Rimbey Avenue when he was approached around 6:10 a.m., according to the SDPD Watch Commander. The suspect accused the man of stealing his dog and an argument ensued.

While they argued, the suspect struck the victim with a razor blade, said police. A minor laceration was left on his neck.

The victim went to a neighbor's house and called police. He was later hospitalized for minor injuries.

Police arrested the suspect at the park and booked him into County Jail at 9:20 a.m. He was identified as 35-year-old Ivory Daniels.

Daniels was held on one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO). He was held on a bail amount of $30,000, and is set to appear in court on July 5.

An investigation is underway with the Southern Division Detectives, said police.

Comic-Con Staying in San Diego Through 2021: Mayor

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San Diego Comic-Con International – the pop culture convention that shines the spotlight on America’s Finest City each July – will stay put – at least for the next few years, city leaders confirmed Friday.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced Comic-Con would continue to operate out of downtown’s San Diego Convention Center through 2021.

“As people around the world know, Comic-Con goes with San Diego, like Spock goes with Kirk,” Faulconer said at a news conference, referencing the famous "Star Trek" duo. “And every four days in July, San Diego becomes the center of the pop culture world for fans, celebrities, and studios.”

“Every year, thousands of fans turn the convention center and downtown San Diego into a playground full of superheroes, aliens, princesses and zombies, and over the last 48 years, Comic-Con has become an event that people of all ages look forward to, right here in San Diego,” he added. “Today, I’m proud to announce that this tradition is going to last even longer: Comic-Con is staying in San Diego through 2021.”

The fate of the pop culture event – and whether it’ll move out of San Diego – has been murky for years. In 2015, Comic-Con organizers agreed to stay in San Diego through 2018.

The event’s residency goes hand-in-hand with Faulconer’s ongoing efforts to put a measure on the ballot asking citizens to vote to raise hotel room taxes to fund a $685 million expansion of the San Diego Convention Center.

On June 12, the San Diego City Council voted against holding a special election in November that would’ve placed the hotel tax measure on the ballot. Faulconer said the tax hike would also be used to fund street upgrades and programs to help the local homeless population.

While Comic-Con’s future in San Diego is safe for at least a bit longer, Faulconer used Friday’s announcement to stress his stance: the proposed expansion of the convention center is critical to keeping the event in San Diego for good.

The mayor said Comic-Con has an economic impact of $135 million in San Diego each year, money that funds things like street repairs, libraries and real-life superheroes in local police and fire departments.

“Despite the recent delay, expanding the convention center is too important for us to curb our efforts,” Faulconer said. “I’m continuing to do what we must do, together, to get this expansion across the finish line. Let’s not waste time in getting this convention center moving, to make sure that we have the opportunity for San Diegans to weigh in.”

Comic-Con founder David Glanzer spoke at Friday’s news conference, too, saying he’s happy with negotiations to keep the event “home” for at least a few more years. He said those negotiations were long and, at times, difficult.

Glanzer said limited space at the San Diego Convention Center and hotel room rates continue to be main factors that could someday force Comic-Con out of downtown San Diego.

The Comic-Con board has had to cap its attendance for years due to the lack of space. Hoteliers have had to work to keep room rates reasonable so attendees can afford to come back to the event year after year.

“We love San Diego,” said Glanzer. “We’ve made it very, very clear that we would love to stay here.”

But, he said, organizers have operated shows across other California cities – Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim – with success.

“If the worst thing were to happen, and that is we had to leave, we all could still live in San Diego, and the convention could be in another city. That’s not what we want, and that certainly isn’t ideal, and I’m glad that today, we’re calling San Diego ‘home’ for another three years.”

Joe Terzi, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, called Comic-Con San Diego’s “longest and most important convention.” In 2019, the event will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

“The huge economic impact that they have for our community is awesome,” Terzi said. “When you think about it – over 60,000 hotel rooms consumed over four nights – and the huge economic impact; this is our Super Bowl; this is what puts San Diego on the map.”

Rip Rippetoe, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center, said Comic-Con – which has been held at the center since 1991 – is the facility’s premiere event. He also touted the economic impact of the annual affair and said he’s grateful to Glanzer for his business.

Backers of the convention center expansion plan say more than 400 conventions are turned away every year due to a lack of space at the facility, leaving millions of dollars on the table.

The project requires that two-thirds of voters agree to hike the hotel tax. Voters have rejected three times since 2004, but those prior proposals did not include funding for an expansion of the convention center or to aid the homeless.

Another hurdle for the project is Fifth Avenue Landing, a yacht dockage company that controls some land along San Diego Bay. The company wants to build a hotel on the same land where city leaders would like to expand the convention center.

Comic-Con returns to the San Diego Convention Center next month, from July 20 through July 23; preview night is on July 19.

Comic-Con was born in 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel in the heart of San Diego, California. Over the decades, the “little event that could” has grown into a behemoth, taking over the Convention Center, neighboring hotels and downtown San Diego for a long summer weekend every year.

Comic-Con’s fervent fans typically attend the convention in elaborate costumes, transforming the city into a metropolis straight out of the pages of fantasy and science fiction. The event has also become famous for celebrity sightings.

NBC 7 will bring you coverage from the event in this special online section.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2 Hospitalized After Fiery Plane Crash on Calif. Freeway

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Two people escaped the fiery wreckage of a small plane that crashed Friday morning on the 405 Freeway in Orange County and skidded to a stop against a median as it burst into flames. 

The crash occurred at the MacArthur Boulevard exit ramp near John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana as the Cessna 310 arrived for a landing. Two people -- a man and a woman in their 50s and 60s -- were on the plane, which caught fire and produced a tower of smoke that could be seen for miles around by drivers and workers in nearby office buildings.

"It was a very surreal moment," said witness Korosh Torkzadeh, who works in the area. "I didn't really hear an impact. I thought the plane had actually made it to the airport, but then we saw it on the 405 Freeway."

Torkzadeh said authorities' response time was "almost instant."

The plane went down around 9:30 a.m. just short of the runway, which is adjacent to the freeway, at John Wayne Airport, said Deanne Thompson, public information officer for the airport. The pilot declared an emergency shortly after taking off from John Wayne Airport and trying to return to the airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Witnesses said the plane appeared to crash on the northbound side of the freeway and ended up on the southbound side. 

"There was debris all over the freeway," said witness Christian Romo. "It was insane. It was really scary. We were just praying instantly that they're ok and that their families are ok."

Romo said the plane tilted to its side and almost turned upside-down as it crashed into the freeway median. Several drivers stopped to help the plane's two occupants before firefighters arrived to douse the flames and treat the injured.

Aerial video showed a line of cars stopped on the shoulder of the freeway.

"It seems like they managed to pull people out," Romo said.

The plane appears to be a Cessna 310, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

Airport departures were not affected, but the airport was closed to arrivals until about 10:30 a.m., according to airport officials.

The freeway was closed after the crash.



Photo Credit: Terry Luh

At Least 3 Shot in NYC Hospital; Gunman Down: Sources

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Multiple people have been shot by a gunman wearing a doctor's coat inside a New York City hospital, sources say, and police are responding to what's being called an active shooter situation. 
Multiple people have been shot by a gunman wearing a doctor's coat inside a New York City hospital, sources say, and police are responding to what's being called an active shooter situation. 

The rifle-wielding gunman at Bronx Lebanon Hospital was dressed in a white doctor's-type coat when he shot at least three people shortly before 3 p.m., sources tell News 4.

Sources say they believe the shooter is "down" inside the hospital and the immediate threat has been contained, but the police response remains heavy and cautious as authorities make sure he was a lone actor.

Members of the NYPD's most-armed units were responding, and police could be seen on the roof of the building at one point with their guns drawn. 

A staff member at the hospital tells News 4 it was under lockdown as police helped to bring people out floor by floor.

Chopper 4 over the scene shows a sea of NYPD vehicles gridlocking the streets around the hospital.

The FDNY, meanwhile, says they've gotten a report of a smoke condition on the 16th floor of the hospital. They are on standby and not inside the hospital yet. Chopper 4 shows firefighters gathered outside the hospital entrance. 

Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center describes itself as the largest voluntary, not-for-profit health care system in the south and central Bronx.

The 120-year-old hospital claims nearly 1,000 beds spread across multiple units. Its emergency room is among the busiest in New York City.

The hospital is about a mile and a half north of Yankee Stadium.

This is a developing story. Check back for details. 


NHL Champ Brings Stanley Cup Home to San Diego

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The Stanley Cup, one of the most iconic trophy’s in professional  sports, is in San Diego with Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman and National Hockey League  Champion Chad Ruhwedel.

“It’s here! The best trophy in sports  is here in San Diego,”  said a smiling Ruhwedel during an event at San Diego Ice Arena .  Over a thousand people showed up to get their picture with the Stanley Cup and get an autograph from Ruhwedel.

“It’s so cool. I was thinking a hundred, maybe two hundred, when I heard it was going to be around a thousand  people or more, it just blew, my mind it’s crazy. I’m fortunate to have this kind of support.  I am glad I can bring it back to San Diego.”

Ruhwedel, who was born in Sand Diego and attended Scripps Ranch High School, grew up playing youth hockey at the San Diego Ice arena.  Ruhwedel called bringing the Stanley Cup back to his hometown a dream come true.

“That’s exactly what it was… a dream.  I never thought it would necessarily come true, but I’m glad it did.”

The Penguins defeated the Nashville Predators on June 11th in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Per tradition, each member of the championship organization gets a day to spend with the cup. Today was  Ruhwedel’s day.  After the public showcase, Ruhwedel and his family have some private events planned for the rest of the day.

Every player on a NHL championship team gets his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, that means Chad Ruhwedel’s name will be on the cup just like Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe and many more of the NHL’s all-time greats.

“It’s so cool, it’s just covered in Hall of Famers, it’s an honor.”

Ruhwedel recently signed a 2 year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins, so maybe this San Diego hockey player will have another chance to bring the Stanley Cup back to his hometown.

Oceanside Assault Leaves Victim in Critical Condition

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A man was hospitalized in critical condition after he was assaulted in Oceanside Friday morning, said Oceanside police.

Around 1 a.m., Oceanside police received a radio call of an injured man left on the ground in an alley. Officers arrived in the west alley of the 300 block of South Coast Highway to find the 20-year-old man.

Paramedics rendered aid to the victim at the scene and transported him to a nearby hospital. Once at the hospital, doctors determined that the victim's injuries were consistent with an assault, according to Oceanside police.

The injured man was placed on life support, and is currently in critical condition.

His identity will be withheld pending notification of his family, said police. Oceanside Police Detectives are currently investigating the scene.

No further information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

In Pictures: Active Shooter at New York City Hospital

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At least six people were shot and one killed at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in New York City on Friday. Police confirmed the shooter, Dr. Henry Bello, was dead.

Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer/AP

'Armed and Dangerous' Man Wanted in Vista Killing

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San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies are asking the public to be on the lookout for a man considered armed and dangerous who is suspected of killing a man in Vista earlier this month.

Pablo Duran, 32, may be known as Pablo Lorenzo, Pablo Duran-Gutierrez or Michael Cox, officials said.

He has a number of tattoos on his body that can be used to identify him. They include a State Route 78 tattoo on his right hand and a crown tattoo on his neck, deputies said. He also has horns on his forehead, deputies said.

Duran is wanted on an active felony warrant and is believed to have contacts in North County including Vista, Escondido, and Oceanside.

He's described as approximately 5-foot, 9-inches tall and 190 pounds.

Duran is suspected in the a homicide that occurred in Vista on June 7.

Deputies found 51-year-old Robert Pierro dead inside a home on the 2200 block of San Clemente Avenue near Rancho Minerva Middle School.

According to SDSO Lt. Kenn Nelson, construction workers came back to the property and found Pierro unconscious inside. Despite first aid efforts, he remained unresponsive and the workers called the police.

Deputies arrived at the scene and found Pierro with trauma to his upper body.

Anyone with information on Duran's whereabouts is urged not to contact him but instead, call SDSO Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321/after hours at (858) 565-5200.

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



Photo Credit: San Diego County Sheriff's Department
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500 Students Must Retake AP Exams Due to Testing Error

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About 500 students will have to retake their Advanced Placement (AP) exams due to errors involved in the administration of the test, officials with the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) said Friday.

Several AP exams taken at Scripps Ranch High School have been declared void because the chairs in which the students were seated during the testing session were placed too close together in the exam room.

There is no evidence of cheating, according to SDUSD. The problem was purely a breach of seating protocol.

The College Board and its test administrator, Educational Testing Service (ETS), notified school officials that the test results had been invalidated on Wednesday.

The SDUSD Board Vice President for District B, Kevin Beiser, said he is disappointed in the board's decision to void the students' AP exams.

"I'm very disappointed the proper protocols were not followed at this site for some AP tests," said Beiser. "I'm equally disappointed the College Board and ETS test company is invalidating the scores, which I think is an overreaction as there is no evidence of student cheating."

The investigation began when the College Board received a seating chart after the AP exams were conducted.

Based on the investigation, the students were seated too closely together with partitions placed between their desks. The College Board's seating rules prohibit any kind of partitions.

According to the College Board, those seating rules are in place to make sure no student gains an unfair advantage.

Scripps Ranch High School consulted their legal department and decided not to take legal action upon realizing that similar efforts by districts have previously failed in the courts, said Beiser.

The school will do everything in its power to minimize the impact on students, he added. 

"The dedication of our teachers at Scripps Ranch High School is unparalleled as they have all volunteered to come in and teach review classes to help the students prepare for the free retest opportunities we will provide in July and then again in August," said Beiser.

Parents and students will be able to visit the Scripps Ranch Falcons' website and click on the AP Free Retest link at the top for further information about free review opportunities and to sign up for retesting.

Students who choose not to retake the test will have their fees refunded, according to SDUSD.

"We want to stress again that the students of Scripps Ranch have not done anything wrong to precipitate this decision by the College Board and ETS," said SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten. "On behalf of Scripps Ranch High School and all of San Diego Unified, we deeply regret the fact established procedures were not followed in this instance."

"We have accepted responsibility for that fact and are conducting an internal review of all AP test taking procedures at other high schools," she added.

Marten said more changes are coming; the annual training for proctors that is currently optional will now be a mandatory requirement. A new testing proctor has also been assigned to the Scripps Ranch High School community.

Students will have several opportunities to take make-up exams, with the first retest dates set for July 17 through July 20. The next opportunity will be in August.

A parent and student forum is planned at Marshall Middle School on July 5 at 6 p.m. to discuss this incident further.

School officials said students will not receive their scores from the invalidated AP exams. Scores from the makeup exams should be available within weeks following the exams, in time to send to colleges.

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