Nearly 20 years ago, 3-year-old Matt Grodsky stood up in front of his entire preschool class, and declared that he would one day marry classmate Laura Scheel. And then on December 30, 2016, he did, the “Today” show reported.
The two, both now 23, met in preschool in Phoenix, Arizona, and Grodsky was immediately drawn to Scheel, according to the report.
"I don't remember the first time I saw her, but she was always a girl who let me follow her around," Grodsky said. "I'd always try to impress her by reciting lines from movies like 'The Lion King' and stuff like that."
After their preschool relationship blossomed later in high school, Grodsky decided to pop the question just before their senior year of college.
On December 30, 2016, the preschool sweethearts said "I do."
Grodsky's uncle, who officiated the marriage, put it best during their ceremony: "For most kids in preschool, it's about finding your snacks and your sleeping mats, but for them it was about finding their soulmates."
A brush fire that sparked along a trail near a park in Escondido earlier this week was intentionally set by a man suspected of arson, officials confirmed Saturday.
Cal Fire Capt. Jon Heggie said the Escondido Police Department (EPD) and Cal Fire jointly arrested Jose Duran Aguirre, 31, in connection with the wildfire that burned three acres along Hidden Trails Road just east of Frances Ryan Park on Thursday.
Aguirre, a transient from Escondido, was booked into San Diego Central Jail on two counts: recklessly setting fire to forest land and discharging an emergency signaling device in a manner other than that permitted for use. Heggie said the arson suspect is slated to appear in court on Wednesday.
The “Trails Fire” sparked around 2:40 p.m. Thursday; it spread to vegetation in the area of Old Guejito Grade and Stonebridge roads. Firefighters – on the ground and by air – were able to quickly gain control of the blaze and knock it down.
No one was hurt and no structures were damaged.
EPD officers detained Aguirre immediately following the fire after someone reported suspicious activity near the area where the fire started.
The Trails Fire was one of several brush fires that sparked Thursday amid hot, dry weather conditions increased the risks of wildfires across San Diego County.
Cal Fire Chief Tony Mecham said that if arson is suspected in a case, investigators will work aggressively to seek justice.
“Cal Fireworks diligently in arson cases to aggressively investigate and prosecute those suspected of intentionally starting fires,” Mecham explained.
Cal Fire said anyone who sees something suspicious near a fire should make note of a few key things: the time; the suspect’s physical description; any suspect vehicle descriptions, including a license plate number. Witnesses should reach out to Cal Fire’s Arson Hotline with those details at (800) 468-4408. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
With patriotic parties aplenty, there will be no shortage of fireworks in San Diego this 4th of July. Here's our guide to the dazzling shows that will illuminate our skyline on Independence Day.
Big Bay Boom
9 p.m., San Diego Bay
San Diego’s largest 4th of July fireworks show, the Port of San Diego’s Big Bay Boom, returns to the waterfront this year. Fireworks will launch at 9 p.m. from four barges along the San Diego Bay. Prime viewing locations include Shelter Island; Harbor Island; North Embarcadero; Marina District; Seaport Village and South Embarcadero; Coronado Ferry Landing. From wherever you are watching, get there early with your lawn chairs and blankets. The Big Bay Boom draws a huge crowd year after year, typically between 300,000 to 500,000 spectators.
San Diego County Fair Fireworks
9 p.m., Del Mar Fairgrounds
The 2017 San Diego County Fair will end with a bang on July 4th with a lineup of patriotic events, including a 9 p.m. fireworks show launching from the west end of the racetrack, but visible throughout the fairgrounds. Fair, fireworks and fried food? That sounds like summer for sure.
Chula Vista 4th Fest
9 p.m., Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center
What could be more patriotic than watching Independence Day fireworks at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (CVTC)? The center (2800 Olympic Parkway), where Olympic athletes train for the big games, will put on a fireworks show at 9 p.m. set to tunes from three radio stations: 91X; Magic 92.5; Z90.3. Launched from the athlete training grounds, the best spots to watch this show are at the CVTC and Mountain Hawk Park (1475 Lake Crest Dr.). The CVTC can accommodate a maximum of 5,000 spectators; parking at the visitor's entrance is limited to 400 cars and costs $10 per vehicle (cash only). The gates will open at 6 p.m. Free parking is available at the New Hope Community Church (2720 Olympic Parkway) adjacent to the center.
[[69191782,C]]
July 4th in Coronado
9 p.m., Coronado Island
Coronado Island will celebrate Independence Day with a host of fun events including a 10 a.m. parade down Orange Avenue, a 2 p.m. parachute drop, a 4 p.m. concert at Spreckels Park and, of course, fireworks, which start at 9 p.m. over Glorietta Bay. KYXY 96.5 will provide the patriotic tunes; good spots for viewing the show include the golf course of Stingray Point.
Escondido’s Independence Day Festival & Fireworks
9 p.m., California Center for the Arts Escondido
Head to the Great Green at the California Center for the Arts Escondido (340 N. Escondido Blvd.) for the 54th annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks, an event that typically draws about 20,000 attendees. The fun starts at 4 p.m. with lots of live music and entertainment, food vendors, and activities and games for the kids. Camp Pendleton’s 1st Marine Division Band will perform, too, followed by fireworks at 9 p.m.
Ocean Beach Fireworks
9 p.m., Ocean Beach Pier
Ocean Beach will celebrate July 4th with dazzling fireworks off the OB Pier, which begins at 9 p.m. -- OB time. Free parking, though limited, is available at the Main Beach Lot and the Pier Parking Lot. The show will be synced to songs from KyXy 96.5. In year’s past, the Ocean Beach July 4th celebration also included a “marshmallow war, ” but the sticky mess left behind – and a whole lot of controversy – led to the end of that. Now, attendees are free to eat marshmallows, just not throw them.
[[203053351,C]]
Ken Grody Ford 4th of July Camp Pendleton Beach Bash
9 p.m., Del Mar Beach Resort at Camp Pendleton
This beach bash at Camp Pendleton includes a DJ, activities for kids, food trucks, prizes, a “Margaritaville” area and tribute to our U.S. military heroes on this special day of freedom.
The 4th of July at La Jolla Cove
9 p.m., Ellen Browning Scripps Park
Enjoy friends, family, freedom, and fireworks at La Jolla Cove on the Fourth. Fireworks start at 9 p.m. at Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Park.
Santee Salutes Fireworks Show
9 p.m., Town Center Community Park East
Santee Salutes – a festival featuring live music, a patriotic ceremony, food and family-friendly fun at Town Center Community Park (550 Park Center Dr.) – will culminate with a 4th of July fireworks display at 9 p.m. The event is free; parking is $5 per car. The party at the park starts at 2:30 p.m.
El Cajon Fireworks
9 p.m., Kennedy Park
El Cajon’s July 4th fireworks are set for 9 p.m. at Kennedy Park (1675 E. Madison Ave.). Get there early, spread out a blanket and enjoy food vendors, games, prizes, kiddie train rides and more at the park. The 4th of July event starts at 1 p.m.; live music starts at 3 p.m.
[[384895761,C]]
Lake Murray Fireworks Show
9 p.m., Lake Murray in La Mesa
After several years on hiatus, La Mesa’s Fourth of July fireworks show returns to Lake Murray (5540 Kiowa Dr.). The all-day event starts at 11 a.m. with a long lineup of live performances, plus food and activities; the fireworks go on at 9 p.m. The show is funded through donations, managed by the Lake Murray Fireworks Committee.
National City 4th of July Carnival Fireworks
9 p.m., Kimball Park
National City’s multi-day July 4th carnival at Kimball Park (12th Street and D Avenue) wraps with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. on Independence Day. The fun starts at 12 p.m. at the park. The annual carnival draws a huge crowd; the National City Police Department advises motorists to avoid using D Avenue from 12th to 16th streets until the event is over.
San Marcos Fireworks
9 p.m., Bradley Park
Bradley Park (465 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd.) in San Marcos will roll out the red, white and blue for “Celebrate Freedom: A Fireworks Extravaganza,” at 9 p.m. – a show entirely funded by donations from citizens and businesses in the community. Before the fireworks fly, enjoy live music – including a performance by Liquid Blue at 6 p.m., plus carnival games, bounce-houses, nd food vendors.
Mira Mesa Fireworks
9 p.m., Mira Mesa High School
Following an all-day July 4th celebration that includes a parade and family-friendly fun in the park, take in the colorful Scripps Mesa Fireworks show at Mira Mesa High School (10510 Reagan Rd.). Bring a blanket and chairs and get there early.
Poway Fireworks
9 p.m., Poway High School
Fireworks will light the sky over Poway High School’s (15500 Espola Rd.) stadium after the community’s all-day Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration at Old Poway Park. The gates open at 6 p.m. so get there early to snag a spot and enjoy games, activities and a DJ spinning tunes. This event costs $5 per person at the gate; kids 11 and under get in free.
[[241159331,C]]
Vista Fireworks
9 p.m., Brengle Terrace Park
Vista’s fireworks show goes down at 9 p.m. from the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Brengle Terrace Park (1200 Vale Terrace Dr.). Admission to the amphitheatre is $5 per person; children 5 and under and active and retired military (and their families) get in free. Parking in the park is $15 per car.
Ramona Fireworks
9 p.m., Olive Peirce Middle School
Ramona’s fireworks go down at 9 p.m. at Olive Peirce Middle School (1521 Hanson Ln.). The Ramona Rotary group has been busy collecting donations for this show and so far, so good.
Red, White & Boom! LEGOLand Fireworks
8:30 p.m., LEGOLAND California Resort
LEGOLAND hosts this star-spangled Red, White & Boom! Party, which runs from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., with fireworks set for 8:30 p.m. Prime viewing spots will be designated around the amusement park. Before fireworks, patrons can enjoy picnic-style games like burlap sack races and LEGO building challenges for the whole family. Activities are included with paid admission into the park.
Oceanside Fireworks – July 3rd
9 p.m., Rancho Del Oro Blvd. between Mesa Dr. & Oceanside Blvd.
Oceanside will ring in the 4th a day early – on Monday, July 3 – with its fireworks display at 9 p.m. staged Rancho Del Oro Boulevard between Mesa Drive & Oceanside Boulevard. The family-friendly event includes music and food trucks, too.
[[384898401,C]]
Sheriff's officials say the remains of missing 5-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr. have been found, over two months after he was last seen with his father at Disneyland in Anaheim.
"Based on additional leads developed in the Andressian case, homicide detectives returned to the Lake Cachuma area of Santa Barbara County on Friday, June 30, 2017 in an effort to locate additional evidence," read a statement from Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
"Homicide Detectives have located the remains of victim, Aramazd Andressian Jr.," the statement read. No additional information was immediately available.
"Yes it's true," the boy's mother, Ana Estevez, told NBC4 Saturday morning.
A vigil was initially planned for Saturday evening in Arcadia, but Estevez said it has been postponed.
The boy's father, Aramazd Andressian, 35, is accused in his disappearance. He arrived back in Southern California Friday after being extradited from Las Vegas to face a murder charge, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Investigators said Andressian spent nearly 50 days in Las Vegas as authorities searched Lake Cachuma, parts of the Santa Ynez Mountains northwest of Los Angeles and other areas in Southern California for his son.
Estevez spoke with NBC4 after a hearing earlier this week in Las Vegas, where the South Pasadena man was arrested last week.
"No justice in the world will bring my Piqui back," Estevez said, using her son's nickname. "However, Ara will pay tenfold for all that he has done."
Aramazd Andressian Jr. was last seen on the evening of April 20 at Disneyland in the custody of his father, who was found unconscious at Arroyo Seco Park two days later and was unable to account for his son's whereabouts.
The elder Andressian was initially jailed for three days on $10 million bail before being released. He told investigators he had arrived at the park with his son and waited for the golf course to open, and admitted ingesting prescription medication that was not prescribed to him, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Joe Mendoza has said.
The father said he did not remember what happened to his child or any details that were useful in locating the boy, according to Mendoza, who said a prescription bottle was found inside Andressian's vehicle, which was doused with gasoline inside and out.
Andressian was in the middle of a divorce and custody battle with the boy's mother who investigators have said is not a suspect in the child's disappearance.
According to a sheriff's department statement, detectives have examined evidence indicating that in addition to spending April 21 visiting the Lake Cachuma Recreation Area, the father traveled around the area near Solvang and Nojoqui Falls.
On April 28, the day a search warrant was served at his South Pasadena home, Andressian released a statement through his attorney about his son's disappearance, his only public statement.
"I hope and pray for the safe return of my only child, my namesake, who has been missing since last Saturday morning, April 22nd," he said then.
The elder Andressian said he and his family "are heartbroken and grief-stricken that Aramazd Jr. is missing and may be in harm's way."
"I am pleading with the public to come forward with any knowledge of Aramazd Jr.'s whereabouts or information regarding the circumstances leading up to his disappearance,'' he said.
The boy's mother contacted police at 9 a.m. April 22 to report her son missing. She said her estranged husband had failed to drop off the child at a pre-arranged meeting place.
A San Diego family of hikers stranded for days on Baja California’s highest peak said there were times on that treacherous terrain when they weren’t sure if they would come out of the ordeal alive – or if help was even coming.
“It was looking grim,” Claire Fox, 25, told NBC 7 on Saturday. “It was definitely one of the best moments of my life knowing that we were going to come back [to San Diego] and see my mom.”
“There were definitely times when we were scared for our safety,” added her sister, Maura Fox, 20. “And all of us with our limited water; we were definitely concerned if we were going to be rescued – if people were coming.”
Claire and Maura, and their father, Morgan Fox, 61, left for a hiking excursion in Baja California on June 20.
The trio planned to hike the challenging trail of San Pedro Mártir Park known as "Picacho del Diablo," or the Devil's Peak, located more than a day's drive south of Tijuana and the U.S.-Mexico border.
At over 10,000 feet, it's the highest peak in Baja California.
Morgan's wife and the women's mother, Debbie Milligan-Fox, told NBC 7 on Friday that her husband was very familiar with the area, having hiked it four times prior. He had even made it to the summit of the Devil's Peak twice before.
Morgan had vowed he would one day take his daughters there.
"It’s a pristine area, and I promised the girls that we would go down there and do a backpacking trip," he said. "That area of Baja California is one of the most beautiful areas in the world."
The father and his daughters were supposed to hike to the summit on June 23 and return to their home in San Diego's East County by June 25.
Their return date came and went.
Morgan said it had been 20 years since he descended into the canyon. The trail, he said, was not quite how he remembered it.
“The terrain had changed quite a bit, so I think that threw me off a little,” Morgan told NBC 7. “And some of those small mistakes eventually led to the larger rescue operation.”
When Debbie didn't hear from her family on June 25, she became concerned and contacted authorities in Mexico. By Monday afternoon, a search had been organized.
In those days they were stranded, Claire said they tried a few different routes to get themselves out of the canyon, to no avail. With their water and food supply diminishing, they had to make big moves.
“Our water supply was running low; we only had a few packets of oatmeal left,” she said. “So my sister and I just made the decision that we want to make it to the top of this mountain so that we’re visible to helicopters and a little more out in the open.”
On Monday night, not knowing their fate, Maura said they went into survival mode, figuring out ways to let people know they were stranded on the trail.
“We got to the top, and we immediately made a fire – a signal fire,” she explained. “My sister and I were just trying to get that prepared.”
By Tuesday morning, Mexican authorities had 10 people searching along the remote trail. That same day, a helicopter spotted the trio stranded on a steep canyon off the trail.
Maura said their father had told them to bring reflective emergency blankets on the trip. She said those blankets were crucial in their rescue.
“Honestly, without the shiny safety blankets that my dad told us to bring, we wouldn’t have been seen; so, that’s my dad there,” she said.
The helicopter dropped six liters of water to the Fox family. Search and rescue crews also delivered food, water, and a glucose meter, as Morgan has diabetes and needs insulin.
Radio communications between the search crew and the family were conducted from the air because the terrain was steep and rocky, and it was not safe for the helicopter to land.
The rescue proved challenging. Finally, rescuers on the ground were able to make contact with the trio.
The father and his daughters were taken to a base camp on San Pedro Martir Park at around 6 a.m. Thursday. They spend the night in a hotel; Morgan Fox was taken to a hospital in Mexico but checked out in good health.
By Saturday, they were back in San Diego, grateful to be alive, together.
“We experienced a lot together,” said Claire. “I’m glad we were all together; strong family unit.”
“Strong before – now it’s stronger,” Maura chimed in.
“We’re glad to have our mom back with us,” Claire added.
“We’re a group of four – it needs to be like that,” Maura said.
Morgan nodded his head, looking at his daughters with pride.
“These girls did so good,” said Morgan. He hugged his daughters close and fought back the tears.
Morgan said he will forever be grateful to the volunteers in northern Baja who came to their aid.
“We want to express all of our gratitude for all the hard work and effort,” he said.
“We owe our lives to the Mexican people,” Maura added. “And, in a politicized time, I think community and family – that’s really at the heart of everything. I think, if anything, the connection between our two nations should be even stronger.”
“I can’t wait to get back down and share a meal with all of them,” said Claire.
The Fox family said that perhaps one day, they will set out on that hike again and finish the trek successfully. Claire said some of the rescuers in Mexico even offered to hike with them next time.
“So next time we’ll bring our new friends and we’ll definitely be hiking; it’s something we love,” she said.
“I am eager to get down there and finish the hike we always intended,” added Maura.
For now, they’re happy to be home.
The Sheriff’s Department is investigating an apparent drive-by shooting in the 1000 block of Gillespie Drive.
The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
No other information was immediately available.
Check back on this breaking story for details.
An injured bald eagle who was having trouble breathing, was lethargic and was unable to fly was rescued in southeast D.C. Saturday afternoon.
The Humane Rescue Alliance received a report that the bird was in trouble, the organization said on Facebook, and officers were able to capture the eagle, which has now been transported to City Wildlife for care.
Opened in 2013, City Wildlife specializes in wild animal rehabilitation. They are no stranger to big birds: On Thursday, it took in a red-shouldered hawk fledgling to get checked out before being released to a raptor center.
Bald eagles were once endangered, but they are no longer on the federal list of threatened and endangered species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
They've been making a comeback in Washington as well; at least two nests are closely watched by eagle fans. One is on the grounds of a D.C. Police facility in Southwest Washington and another is at the National Arboretum in Northeast.
Last year Jorge Ramirez supported Donald Trump for president. Now, the Oceanside Apostolic minister may be deported. His wife, Silvia says they feel betrayed by the president.
“He said he was going to deport people with criminal records, bad people. My husband is not a bad person; he doesn't have a criminal record,” she tells NBC 7.
Ramirez, who has been in the United States since he was 11, was detained on May 31st and has been in the Otay Mesa Detention Center since. Ramirez’s wife and three children were inside their home sleeping when Ramirez was detained while getting ready for work.
We're hard working people,” she says. “We’re just trying to live here with our kids.”
Silvia says she and her husband supported Trump for religious reasons.
“We didn’t think about the immigration side – but now that he’s in this situation – he [Trump] lied to us.”
Attorney Ruben Salazar says they are now going to file a motion to advance the bond hearing set for August 4 to July 17, the same day as Ramirez's deportation hearing.
“He's been here for over 30 years, he's a tax paying home owning individual,” Salazar tells NBC 7.
Silvia says she wants to be strong for her children.
“We're just waiting and having faith in God,” she says. “[Trump] needs to change the law.”
In November 2015, Trump told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" "You're going to have a deportation force, and you're going to do it humanely."
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson responded to NBC 7’s request for comment, saying:
“Jorge Ramirez-Navarrete was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 31, 2017 after agents had established that he was illegally residing in the U.S. and determined he had not previously filed immigration petitions or changes made to his immigration status on his behalf.”
A sea turtle covered with tumors was airlifted from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands to the Florida on Saturday to receive treatment.
Named Charid, the 28-pound juvenile green sea turtle was found with fibropapilloma tumors covering her head, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The turtle is named after the two children of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife official who found her in the Virgin Islands.
Charid arrived at Miami International Airport Saturday morning and was taken to receive treatment at the Florida Keys Turtle Hospital, which has been helping sea turtles for more than 30 years.
Bette Zirkelbach, manager of the Turtle Hospital, was at the airport to receive Charid and spoke on the turtle's condition.
"She has one good eye," Zirkelbach said. "She is releasable [back into the wild] because they don't have to chase their prey. They just feed on sea grass. We’re so hopeful. You can see she’s moving so she made the trip."
Getting Charid help took some teamwork. Mark Nelson, general manager of American Airlines Virgin Islands, aided in the turtle's transportation.
"I'm a diver so sea life is very important to me," he said. "So when I heard about it I wanted to do whatever I could. And American was behind me all the way."
Fibropapilloma is a virus that affects sea turtles in oceans around the world. The turtles are treated by having the tumors surgically removed. The animals are then nursed back to health for eventual release back into the wild.
"The disease is horrific," Zirkelbach said. "It's really hard to look at, honestly. But environment has a big play in this disease. Warmer water temperatures, water pollution, causes this virus."
A building caught fire Saturday evening when a car lost control and slammed into a business in Lakeside, Heartland Fire confirms.
The crash happened around 7 p.m. on Vine Street.
A witness told NBC 7 the suspect was being chased by the police when he crashed. The suspect then ran from the scene. It’s not clear if he was caught.
The Lakeside Fire Department was able to put the fire out quickly.
Faith leaders gathered Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas, to call for an end to violence after a nightclub shooting left more than 20 people wounded, NBC News reported.
"Little Rock tonight is a river city of tears," Rabbi Barry Block said at the interfaith vigil event, at which speakers prayed for the shooting victims.
"Unless our prayers tonight are a call to action, unless you and I — you and I — do something" more vigils for victims will have to be held, said David Freeman, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church of Little Rock. "Is our community too broken, is our humanity too broken? Instead of being formed by this tragedy we will be transformed."
The shooting took place at the Power Ultra Lounge nightclub early Saturday morning when concert attendees got into a dispute, police said. In the melee, 25 people were shot and three were injured trying to flee the scene.
The rapper who was performing at the Little Rock, Arkansas, club when a dispute turned into a gunfight has been arrested in connection to the shooting, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed.
Ricky Hampton, known by his stage name Finese 2Tymes, was arrested Sunday by the U.S. Marshals Service. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI were part of the arrest as well.
Hampton had two warrants related to violence in other cities, according to the New York Times.
One other person was arrested with Hampton, though the Marshals Service could not confirm if that second person was a suspect as well.
No other information was immediately available.
Calls made by the Associated Press to a number listed for Finese 2Tymes' booking agent weren't returned Saturday, but a message was posted on the artist's Facebook page offering thoughts and prayers for those injured: "THE VIOLENCE IS NOT FOR THE CLUB PEOPLE. WE ALL COME WITH 1 MOTIVE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THATS TO HAVE FUN. NOT TO BE HURT."
Hampton was headlining the show at Power Ultra Lounge nightclub on Saturday when at least 24 rounds were fired in about 11 seconds, leaving 25 people with gunshot wounds. A spokesperson for CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock confirmed one of its patients is in critical condition.
Three more people were injured while fleeing the club.
Little Rock police said the incident is believed to be gang-related.
On Saturday evening, community members and faith leaders held a prayer vigil for the victims, calling for change within the community and an end to gun violence.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dallas FBI investigators confirmed early Sunday the death of 13-year-old Shavon Randle, the Lancaster girl who went missing Wednesday and was at the center of an Amber Alert.
In a live Facebook video posted by the City of Lancaster, Eric Jackson, special agent for the Dallas FBI office, stated that officers had found two bodies inside a home in Dallas Sunday morning. The bodies were those of a young female identified as Randle and an unidentified man.
Officers responded to a home in the 2200 block of Kiest Boulevard just before 3 a.m.
There is currently a large police presence outside of the home near the intersection of East Kiest Boulevard and East Illinois Avenue as police continue to investigate.
This story is breaking. Please refresh your page for updates.
FBI Arrests 2 People on Saturday
Lancaster Police and FBI agents arrested two additional people on Saturday in connection with the disappearance of 13-year-old Shavon Le'Faye Randle.
The Lancaster Police Department and the FBI arrested Devontae Owens and Laquon Wilkerson, who was recently identified as an additional person of interest, on Saturday, July 1.
Police continue to search for Michael Titus, considered a person of interest in the girl's disappearance.
Two other people identified by Lancaster police Thursday as people who may also have knowledge of the abduction, 25-year-old Laporshya Polley and 26-year-old Darius Fields, are said to be talking with investigators. The FBI says the public helped investigators locate them.
Randle was last seen in the 1300 block of Southridge Drive at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 28. Police issued an Amber Alert that day, indicating she may be in grave or immediate danger.
Police said Wednesday she was taken from her home by an unknown man who they said later called a member of the girl's family.
"They confirmed that they knew who the victim was and they said, 'Well, we have her,'" Lancaster Police Department Det. Joseph Brickett said. "Then they called back later on the victim's cell phone and said, 'If you call law enforcement, then we'll harm her.'"
Brickett said investigators were able to trace Randle's cell phone location for a while before it was turned off. Investigators are checking locations in those areas for photos, surveillance video, or any witnesses who might have seen the girl or the suspect vehicle.
Family Gathers to Pray, Struggles for Answers Amid Disappearance
"It's hard when we don't have the answers," said Randle's aunt, Laura Roberts, who is also the family's pastor. "There's the 'why,' there's the 'how.' There are so many questions that are unanswered."
The family gathered to pray Thursday evening outside the Lancaster home from which Shavon was abducted Wednesday morning.
"I don't see why anyone would take her," said Jessie Randle, another aunt. "She's just bubbly. A lot of joy."
A man charged Friday with the kidnapping of a visiting Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois allegedly researched the "perfect abduction" before the crime, the FBI says.
Brendt Christensen, 27, was arrested on a criminal complaint for the kidnapping of Yingying Zhang on June 9, authorities said.
According to an affidavit filed by the FBI in federal court Saturday, Christensen used his phone to scan a forum on the website FetLife called "Abduction 101."
The forum included sub-threads called "abduction fantasy" and "planning a kidnapping" according to the statement, and the FBI alleges that Christensen looked over both forums.
Zhang, 26, was about a month into a yearlong appointment at the University of Illinois' Urbana-Champaign campus when she vanished June 9, the Associated Press reported at the time. Her friends told police she had gone out to sign an apartment lease.
Since Zhang was last seen in surveillance video entering a car, the FBI, the University of Illinois Police Department and the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement have investigated her disappearance.
The FBI said it located the black Saturn Astra Zhang was last seen getting into on Tuesday.
According to an affidavit filed in federal court by the FBI, on June 29, while Christensen was under law enforcement surveillance, agents overheard him explaining that he kidnapped Zhang.
"Based on this, and other facts uncovered during the investigation of this matter, law enforcement agents believe that Ms. Zhang is no longer alive," the Department of Justice said in a statement.
In Christensen's original interview with authorities, he claimed that he had picked Zhang up, but had dropped her off when she said he made a wrong turn, according to the FBI affidavit.
Members of Zhang’s family, the Chinese consulate, and University of Illinois officials have been advised of Christensen’s arrest and the evidence in the possession of the FBI, authorities said.
Christensen will remain in law enforcement custody pending his initial federal court appearance in Urbana scheduled on Monday, July 3, at 10 a.m., authorities said. Attorney information for him was not immediately available.
A prayer vigil planned for Saturday was canceled in the wake of the alleged kidnapper's arrest and news of Zhang’s possible death.
"We hope they are wrong, but trust they have creditable information to make this statement," organizers Kim Tee and Randy Tom said in a joint email late Friday night. "Please keep Ying Ying's family in your thought and prayers, and may God watch over them."
Zhang, from Jianyang, China, was working in the university's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, researching photosynthesis and crop productivity, the AP reported.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Sunday defended President Trump's dedication to passing a new health care law after the president sent numerous tweets this week instead focused on attacking the press, NBC News reported.
"The fact of the matter is that he can do more than one thing at a time," Price said on NBC's "Meet The Press."
Asked specifically about President Trump's tweets taking aim at the hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Price said, “what I am concentrated on is the job that he’s given me and that is to make certain that we fulfill the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services."
Price also affirmed that the Trump administration remains supportive of efforts in Congress to negotiate a bill aimed at both repealing and replacing parts of the Affordable Care Act, rather than repealing the law first and trying to replace it afterward.
After a dramatic manhunt that lasted several days and spanned multiple states, Chester County, Pa., authorities have charged David Andrew Desper, 28, with first-degree murder for the road rage killing of recent high school graduate Bianca Roberson.
Desper, of Trainer, Pa., turned himself in Sunday morning around 2 a.m., officials said.
He was also charged with third-degree murder, criminal homicide, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime with intent to use it criminally.
His preliminary hearing is set for July 13.
Police recovered the defendant’s red pickup truck at a location in Delaware County and Desper’s firearm from his bedroom. He has a license to carry and purchased the gun legally, according to court documents.
Desper is being held at Chester County Prison without bail.
Roberson's parents sat quietly in the room, sobbing, while officials announced the arrest. They lost another child, an adult son, four years ago to heart disease.
On June 28, Desper and Roberson played what investigators previously called a game of “cat and mouse” while attempting to merge into the same lane on Route 100 in Chester County around 5:30 p.m., officials said. Roberson was heading home from a shopping trip, and would have left for college later this summer.
Instead, she was shot in the left side of the head in an apparent road rage attack.
Her car was found in a ditch. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“This is a story of a savage and senseless murder," Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said during a news conference Sunday.
The shooter’s car fled the scene “at a high rate of speed on the shoulder of the spur before eventually crossing traffic and continuing southbound on the shoulder of Route 202,” charging documents said.
A witness described hearing a loud noise and then seeing one car, which belonged to Roberson, swerving off the road while another sped away, officials said.
A portion of the round that struck Roberson was recovered from her skull during an autopsy. The bullet’s markings indicated it came from a Smith and Wessen .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
A similar firearm was recovered from Desper's bedroom after he turned himself in to police. Ammunition was found in a nearby trashcan. Desper reportedly purchased the weapon in November of 2015, according to charging documents.
Using video surveillance from the scene and later recordings of a red pickup truck, police recovered Desper’s car in Glen Mills. It matched the description of the pickup seen moments after the incident.
Desper's attorney was not available for comment. Roberson's family declined to comment, but previously told NBC10 the death of their daughter is "surreal."
"How can you just shoot a baby, an 18-year-old girl, on her way to college and then just speed off like it was nothing? She didn't deserve to die like this," Roberson's mother, Michelle, said.
For Director and Choreographer Josh Rhodes, coming on board to helm The Old Globe's revival of the classic Broadway fable "Guys and Dolls" meant going back to basics.
Rhodes, back at the Globe for the fourth time, had grown up seeing the musical time and time again: in high school, in college, and on Broadway.
The classic American musical, considered one of the best of all time, follows Nathan Detroit, New York's infamous game organizer, who makes a bet with a notorious gambler: take mission girl Sarah Brown to dinner in Cuba. The musical features music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling.
But in Rhodes' decades of experience as a Broadway dancer, choreographer, and director, he had never dealt with the musical from the production side.
"So the daunting part of that is to now say, 'Okay, you now get to direct 'Guys and Dolls,', what are you going to do?" Rhodes said in an interview with NBC 7. "What are you going to do with it?"
Rhodes knew right away he wanted to create the kind of musical that made theatre-goers laugh and walk out of the theater happy and elated.
So when he started working on the musical, Rhodes said, he went back to basics with the revival -- back to the Damon Runyon short stories, the literature the musical is based on.
"I went back to those short stories and the writing and the eccentricity and the humor was so original and unique and delightful that I thought, okay, I want us to go there," Rhodes explained. "I want us to have a sense of this charming language and this humor."
He worked with the ensemble to create their own universe inside The Globe.
Terence Archie ("Rocky") stars as Sky Masterson, J. Bernard Calloway ("Memphis") as Nathan Detroit, Audrey Cardwell ("Cinderella") as Sarah Brown and Veronica J. Kuehn ("Avenue Q") as Miss Adelaide. Todd Buonopane joins as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Steve Greenstein as Big Jule.
The cast practiced speaking in the language from the books, telling old-timey jokes, and improvised.
"We just improved, every day, physically, with our language, with our mouth, and really wrapped around this world and we created a little universe that’s all our own," Rhodes said. "So I think what the audience will hopefully see is a well-rounded ensemble of everyone playing the same show."
The Old Globe's production of "Guys and Dolls", in partnership with the Asolo Rep Theatre, features all new costumes, scenery, orchestrations, sound design and more.
Rhodes was excited to bring the production to San Diego after a run in Florida for a number of reasons. He previously directed the Globe's production of Ken Ludwig’s "Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery," following his work as the choreographer on the award-winning "Bright Star".
One of his favorite parts about returning to San Diego to work at The Old Globe is the passionate theater patrons. Theatre goers in San Diego absolutely love and know theater, Rhodes said.
"They go see Shakespeare one week and they go see Guys and Dolls the next week and they go see something else," Rhodes said. "They’re varied, and they love theater, and I think that’s really inspiring for a director because you go, okay, my audience wants this. My audience wants to devour theater, so how do I make this as enjoyable as possible?"
Rhodes hopes his audience walks away from "Guys and Dolls" with a smile on their faces, even if they have seen an incarnation of the show before.
"I know that it's been around a long time, but it is not something to take for granted – that the writers did such a great job with the script," Rhodes said. "It’s really funny and the characters are really lovable and the music is so good."
"Guys and Dolls" runs from July 2 to Aug. 13 at the Globe's Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased here.
The famed aviator was last heard from on July 2, 1937, as she attempted to make the first around-the-world flight along the equator with navigator Fred Noonan. Amelia Earhart was officially declared dead in 1939 after the U.S. government concluded that she crashed somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, but her remains were never found.
Over the decades, her disappearance has mystified historians and fans, and fueled numerous conspiracy theories. Here are just some of the plane tales that have surfaced about the fate of the doomed pilot.
Here’s a look at what is happening in San Diego sports for the week of July third to the ninth.
PADRES: The Friars are off Monday as they had to the Midwest. Tuesday to Thursday they face the Indians in Cleveland before heading to Philadelphia to face the Phillies Friday to Sunday.
GOLD CUP: It’s a double header at Qualcomm Stadium Sunday when the CONCACAF Gold Cup comes to San Diego. Curacao plays Jamaica before Mexico takes on El Salvador.ALBION SC PROS: Saturday the Albion SC Pros in at the Corinthians.
SOCAL SURF: The Surf also hit the road. Saturday they are in Ventura to face the Ventura County Fusion.
