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Mayor Shares $80M Plan to Solve San Diego's Homeless Crisis

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Under increasing pressure from the community, Mayor Kevin Faulconer unveiled his $80 million plan to address San Diego's expanding homeless problem Wednesday.

San Diego's housing problem is now being called a crisis, with entire city blocks turned into encampments downtown. Faulconer's plan starts with setting $50 million aside to create permanent housing for the homeless.

NBC 7 spoke with the president and CEO of Alpha Project, Bob McElroy, who has been serving the homeless in San Diego through his organization for more than 30 years. McElcroy said the problem is the worst it's ever been.

"I've never seen, you know, many times when this was a warehouse district, homeless folks were kind of a hidden little secret, a dirty little secret," said McElroy.

The latest numbers show more than 9,100 homeless individuals reside in San Diego County, with nearly 30 percent more people sleeping on downtown streets over the past year.

"But now it's just blatant, all over the streets, all over the sidewalks. Because we don't have a central intake facility. We don't have a place for people to go. There's no alternative right now to being homeless," said McElroy.

Nearly six months after calling homelessness his administration's top priority, Faulconer unveiled his three-year strategic plan.

"We all know the best way to start ending the cycle of homelessness for some is putting a roof over their head," said Faulconer.

"Particularly for those suffering with mental health and mental illness issues. So the fact that we're targeting that population with significant additional dollars, I think it's going to make a huge difference," he added.

The program offers financial incentives to private landlords who rent to homeless individuals in San Diego.

City leaders have called this strategy a tried-and-tested model. This has already housed 800 veterans in a similar initiative.

City officials said they do not expect the private sector entrepreneurs to lose money on social programs. The goal is to help private landlords make money, while also solving the homeless crisis.

McElroy said he is optimistic to see so many different players finally working together to solve this problem in San Diego.

"I've stood at hundreds of press conferences over the decades," said McElroy. "But to see all the different parties that used to work separately, all working together now, it has to happen."

Altogether, the plan will create permanent housing opportunities for 3,000 people. Implementing the plan will likely be the most challenging part for the city.


Man Charged with Arson for Setting Fire to School, Church

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A 20-year-old man has been arrested for an arson spree in San Diego's North County that left an Encinitas church and nearby middle school damaged, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. 

Tyler Carender, 20, of Encinitas, was arrested on three federal charges of arson in connection with the 2016 fires at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and Oak Crest Middle School. 

Carender, who lives adjacent to the middle school in Encinitas and a block from the church, was taken into custody Wednesday morning. 

In a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo, federal prosecutors accused Carender of the arson spree.

Carender's spree began on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, when he set fire to the Friendship House Counseling and Youth Center on Balour Drive, owned and operated by the church, according to a newly unsealed indictment. 

Firefighters on the scene stopped the spread of the fire to nearby buildings, but the flames swallowed the Youth Center. Fire officials said the building sustained $200,000 in damage. 

The second alleged arson happened a week later. 

On Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, Carender allegedly set fire to the middle school's Administration Building in the early hours of the day. 

The flames weakened the ceiling and roof, leading to a partial collapse of the building. 

No firefighters were injured while battling the flames, but the building suffered approximately $300,000 in damage, according to the indictment. 

Then, two weeks later, the third alleged arson happened. 

Carender allegedly used an incendiary bomb - also known as a Molotov Cocktail - to set fire to the church's preschool building, according to the indictment. 

Responding firefighters contained the flames to the preschool's office. The building suffered an estimated $34,000 in damage. 

Carender will next appear in court on July 11 for a bail hearing. 



Photo Credit: Anita Pupping

Asuaje Leads Padres To Third Straight Win

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San Diego’s offense appeared to be stuck in neutral halfway through Wednesday’s game in Cleveland.

But thanks to Carlos Asuaje and Jose Pirela, the Padres got back on track against Indians starter Trevor Bauer.

Asuaje collected two RBI singles and a double to help the Padres build a 4-2 lead.

Pirela also added three hits, including a RBI triple off the right-centerfield wall in the fifth inning.

Cory Spangenberg provided some insurance with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh.

That capped the scoring and proved to be enough firepower to help Luis Perdomo and the bullpen close out the Padres third straight victory, 6-2.

Throughout the evening, Asuaje also showed some defensive prowess. He helped turn two double plays and collected seven putouts on grounders to the right side of the infield.

The Indians tried to rally, but Hunter Renfroe saved a run from scoring in the eighth inning when he gunned out Jose Ramirez after a single by Yan Gomes.

Cleveland never threatened again.

Perdomo worked five innings and allowed only two runs (one earned).

The right-hander struck out four batters and tiptoed around nine hits to improve to 4-4 on the year.

Rookie pitcher Phil Maton continued his dominance racking up three more strikeouts in 1.2 scoreless innings.

After that, Padres All-Star Brad Hand and teammate Craig Stammen finished the last two frames to keep the Indians at bay.

Friars rookie Dinelson Lamet toes the rubber Thursday when the visitors try to finish off a sweep.

Cleveland will send Josh Tomlin to the mound for the first pitch which is scheduled for 4:10 p.m.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rep. Scalise Readmitted to ICU; Condition Listed as Serious

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U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise has been readmitted to the ICU due to new concerns about infection, according to a statement from MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

The one-line statement was released late Wednesday. Scalise was injured June 14 when a gunman opened fire at a Republican baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

Scalise, 51, was struck in the hip and the bullet shattered blood vessels, bones and internal organs along the way. Doctors said he had arrived at the hospital after the shooting at imminent risk of death.

An update from Scalise's Twitter account Wednesday said his condition is listed as serious. Another update is expected Thursday.

The congressman had been moved out of ICU on June 23. Four other people were also shot James Hodgkinson, who was shot and killed by responding police officers.



Photo Credit: Andrew Harnik/AP, File

Two Vehicle Crash Reported in Escondido: CHP

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At least two vehicles were involved in a crash in Escondido Wednesday night, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers confirmed.

The incident is being investigated as a hit-and-run, CHP officials said.

The crash occurred at 8:43 p.m. on Bear Valley Parkway and Birch Avenue.

Officials said at least two vehicles collided and went over the side.

Three people were taken to Palomar Hospital with minor injuries.

No other information was available.

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



Photo Credit: NBC 7

‘Disruptive Passenger’ Removed From Chicago-Bound Flight: Airline

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A flight bound for Chicago was forced to return to the gate and delayed several hours after a passenger caused a disturbance on the plane, according to an airline spokesperson.

The "disruptive passenger" aboard American Airlines Flight 218 from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson to O'Hare was removed from the flight after she refused to sit down and got into an altercation with flight staff, an airline spokesman said. The incident was captured on cellphone video.

Michael Nash, who posted the video to Facebook, says the woman "attacked" a flight attendant and that he was struck during the scuffle.

It was not clear what sparked the cacophony, but the woman can be heard several times on the video saying someone threw water in her face. Passengers and staff shout at the woman, who is seen in a blue dress and carrying a small dog, to sit down.

“You’re gonna get us killed, lady!” a man is heard yelling as the woman paces the aisle.

After the she confronts what appears to be a flight attendant, more passengers bellow for her to go back to her seat. The woman eventually picks up the dog and sits down as a passenger can be heard saying “we just want to go home.”

“You’re mother f------’ lucky I want to get home, too, cause it’s gonna be a problem when we get to Chicago,” she says, before plugging her headphones into her ears.

“No, we’re going back to the gate, we’re not going to Chicago,” a staff member retorts, prompting lamentations and moans from the passengers.

In another video, a law enforcement officer is seen boarding the plane and escorting the woman off the flight. Nash said he believed the officer was an FBI agent. Atlanta police said it may have assisted in escorting the woman from the plane but the arresting agency would have been a federal one since the flight had technically departed.

“Once the plane leaves the gate it is no longer classified as our jurisdiction,” said Officer Stephanie Brown of the Atlanta Police Department’s Public Affairs team. “Our department may have assisted with escorting her from the airline because of the disturbance; however we would not be the agency that is responsible for making the charges.”

The FBI’s Atlanta office, which would have jurisdiction in the incident, did not immediately respond to request for comment.

American Airlines initially said the woman was arrested by local law enforcement, but Hartsfield-Jackson spokesman Reese McCranie said Thursday she was removed from the flight and released.

The flight later re-departed for Chicago Wednesday night after the woman was removed, American Airlines said. The woman was re-booked on a later flight.

The video of the incident had been viewed more than 1,000 times only three hours after being posted.



Photo Credit: Michael Nash

Muggy Weather Brings Chance of Dry Lightning

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A heat advisory and excessive heat warning have been issued for San Diego County as firefighters are on alert for the potential of dry lightning in the mountains.

Muggy weather brings the chance for afternoon thunderstorms in the mountain areas of San Diego County.

“The threat right now is, really, of dry lightning,” NBC 7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh. “That really is a possibility today, tomorrow and through the weekend.”

In addition, a heat advisory has been issued for Friday with temperatures reaching triple digits in Ramona, Escondido El Cajon and Alpine.

Strengthening high pressure above the desert will bring hot weather inland Friday and Saturday, the National Weather Service forecasts.

For Thursday, temperatures will be in the high 70s along the coast and mid-80s inland.

“It will actually be very pretty at the beaches today,” said Kodesh. “It’s the inland valleys that are going to feel it more.”

An excessive heat warning is in effect this weekend for San Diego County, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning was issued beginning at 11 a.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Temperatures in the Inland Empire could reach 105 to 110 degrees with Palm Springs expected to see 119 degrees on Saturday.

A warning like this means heat illnesses are likely if preventative measures are not taken. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room or stay out of the sun

and check on relatives and neighbors.

Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.


Cheating Student Led to AP Exam Probe: District

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A cheating student sparked the investigation leading to Advanced Placement test scores being thrown out at Scripps Ranch High School, according to school district officials.

More than 540 students must retake the exam if they want college credit. The scores were invalidated on June 28 by the College Board and its test administrator Educational Testing Services.

The student accused of cheating was apparently leaning back from his desk and reportedly looking at someone else's test, according to Cindy Marten, Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District.

“That student was taken out of the testing situation so there are no scores for that student,” explained Marten.

“The 547 students we're talking about,  specifically, there was no incident of cheating on those scores,” said Marten who noted there was just the one allegation of cheating.

A counselor giving the test self-reported the wrongdoing sparking the College Board to investigate.

NBC 7 first reported the investigation began when the College Board received a seating chart after the AP exams were conducted.

While only one student is accused of cheating -- the board found issues with certain testing regulations: the size of the tables, the seating chart and privacy partitions separating the students.

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

AP students aren’t happy their scores were invalidated.

“It’s hard to know that they told us to have integrity and not cheat, but we have to deal with their irresponsibility,” exclaimed Scripps Ranch High School junior Katrina Marie who has to retake her AP exams.

"They should definitely pay for what they did,” said Analicia Uribe, another Scripps Ranch HS student who’ll have to retake the test. “It was their fault and we had nothing to do with it.”

The principal and an AP coordinator responsible for following the testing rules announced their retirements before the tests, according to Superintendent Cindy Marten.

Marten says they're looking at what type of disciplinary action can be taken against them though they've retired.

Marten will meet Thursday with the College Board to talk about how to proceed. In the afternoon, she'll meet with the school board and attorneys to talk about legal options.

Despite pleas from parents, it appears the results will remain invalidated.

Students have to register to re-take the tests by this Friday. Here’s a link for additional information. 

The voided AP exams could have big consequences for students who aren't staying in San Diego this summer and won't be available to retake the exams. It's especially significant for seniors who already planned their first semester of college feeling confident with their prior test performance.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Cohn Affiliate Buys Coaster Saloon in Mission Beach

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An affiliate of San Diego’s Cohn Restaurant Group Inc., led by co-founder and President David Cohn, has acquired the mixed-use Mission Beach building currently housing The Coaster Saloon for $2.1 million, according to The Franco Realty Group.

The sellers were John and Darren Renna, a father-and-son duo who have operated the bar and restaurant at 744-748 Ventura Place since 1982. Brokers said the property buyer, recorded as Davies LLC, also acquired the business itself for an undisclosed price, with plans to continue operating it as The Coaster Saloon for now.

A statement from Franco Realty Group said the transactions included the property’s three upstairs apartment units and the Coaster’s alcohol and entertainment licenses. The sellers, who received “numerous offers” from various restaurant operators, were represented by Franco Realty’s Tony Franco, Cody Wippel, Joe Rote and Joseph Medina.

Brokers said this was the first commercial property sold on Ventura Place in more than a decade.

Cohn Restaurant Group, started in 1981 by David and wife Lesley Cohn, operates more than 20 Southern California restaurants under numerous concepts, including Coasterra, Corvette Diner, BO-beau, Vintana, Coin Haus and Draft Republic.



Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Franco Realty Group
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Plumber Joins Police Chase on SoCal Streets

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The driver of a plumbing truck joined a  chase involving another pickup Thursday morning on narrow and winding streets northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

The chase began in the Altadena area after officers responded to a man who called authorities, saying that he needed some type of medical assistance. The driver sped away when officers arrived at his location. 

The chase was on the 210 Freeway before the driver exited onto streets in the Eagle Rock area northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The driver came to stop with officers behind him outside a house at about 8:30 a.m., refused to get out, then took off again.

He encountered an unoccupied green and logo-emblazoned pickup belonging to the Right Price Rooter service parked in the middle of the street, but squeezed between the truck and another vehicle to continue into the hillside neighborhood. The plumbing pickup driver could be seen running from a residence to the pickup before chasing the driver for several blocks.

NBC4 has reached out to the plumbing service for comment.

The chase eventually came to a stop in the 3100 block of Weldon Avenue and a standoff ensued when the driver entered a house. It was not immediately clear whether the man lives at the house.

At least four people were escorted by law enforcement officers from the house.

Refresh this page for updates. 



Photo Credit: KNBC-TV

Man Accused of Running Down Oceanside Officer to Face Judge

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A North County man faces a judge Thursday on charges he intentionally struck and seriously injured an Oceanside police officer.

Officer Brad Hunter, a 29-year veteran of the department, is on his way to making a full recovery.

Hunter was struck while conducting a traffic stop at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 20. The collision happened at Foussat Road, just south of Oceanside Blvd.

The impact was so forceful, Hunter shattered the vehicle's windshield and landed in the street.

Roberto Ignacio Flores, 26, of San Marcos, pleaded not guilty to a first-degree attempted murder charge.

Police said Flores was behind the wheel of a silver Dodge Neon that traveled straight down Foussat Road in the direction of the officer until they collided.

Flores then drove away, police said, and then got out of his car and ran off.

Witness Toni Lessard said the car involved in the traffic stop had pulled over and the driver was pulling out his registration when the suspect's car drove toward the cop.

Lessard said the suspect was swerving prior to the crash and sped up when approaching the officer.

Officer Hunter is expected to testify in court Thursday at a pretrial hearing for Flores. A judge will consider whether there is enough evidence to force the defendant to stand trial.

Despite suffering a shattered leg and severe head injury that left him in a medically-induced coma for a few days, Hunter is on his way to making a full recovery.

In the past few weeks, he's received dozens of cards and gifts from NBC 7's viewers from around the country.

"It has bothered me that someone made a choice to hurt me. In this case, [it] happened to be me," said Hunter. "See other officers attacked and killed. You never think it will happen to you --  it's very disheartening. Scary."

"I'm a lucky guy. That is what I focus on. I'm focusing on all the positive that has come to me," said Hunter. 




Photo Credit: Oceanside Police Department

'Emotional': Vista Deputy-Involved Shooting Witness Speaks

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A man who witnessed a fatal deputy-involved shooting in Vista Wednesday said the suspect had been laying on the ground and was unarmed at the time.

"They shoot him right there. 'Boom, boom, boom,'" the witness said. He did not want to be identified by name.

Around 10:30 a.m., deputies chased a man with a warrant for a probation violation into the witness' yard on North Melrose Drive near Knoll Road.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO), the suspect was a 24-year-old documented gang member.

The witness said he had been working in the patio area at the time. The suspect tried to hide near the children's pool and asked him to keep quiet.

“I looked at my wife and my two daughters. I was, 'No. I can't put my daughters in danger,'" he told NBC 7.

The witness said he told the suspect to give up and not resist authorities.

"I was worried for my daughter[s], for my family," he said.

SDSO said there was a confrontation between the pursuing deputy and the suspect before the deputy fired several times, killing the suspect.

According to the witness, the suspect was unarmed and lying on his stomach.

"I have the suspect down on the ground already and they shot at him. So that was wrong," the witness said.

He added it was an incident he won't soon forget.

"Emotional. Big time, I mean," he said.

An SDSO statement did not indicate if the suspect was armed at the time of the shooting. 

"There was a confrontation between the deputy and the suspect, which resulted in the deputy firing his weapon multiple times, striking the suspect," the statement reads.

The incident is under investigation by the SDSO homicide unit.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Low-Income Housing in Rancho Penasquitos Could be Cut

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The Rancho Penasquitos Planning Board has given the go-ahead to a housing development that will cut low-income housing in the area.

A vote was taken Wednesday night after the board heard dozens of community members in opposition to the project.

Right now, the area known as PQ Village provides low-income housing. There are 332 units on the land.

The new development will have 600 apartments, condos, and single-family homes. The units will cost from mid-$400,000 through mid-$600,000 to purchase. 

There will be a dog park, amenities, and playgrounds for kids. The apartments will rent out starting at $1,500 a month to upper $2,000’s. There will be 27 low-income units in the new complex.

At Wednesday night's meeting, developers said the price will still be affordable for many.

"The owners, both APP (Atlantic Pacific Properties) and Lennar have complied with every legal requirement imposed upon them as owners and developers.  That’s what they intend to do for the next 40 years as they have for the past 40 years, is to be good neighbors," said Kenneth Lounsbery, attorney for Lennar Homes.

But many residents will have to move.

Peter Gabriala, along with his wife and daughter, have lived in PQ Village for five years. He told NBC 7, the new apartments will be too costly so they are looking for somewhere else to live.

"It's so hard now, especially on apartments. If you can see the rate of the apartment, it's killing the people," he said.

The board's recommendation will now go to San Diego’s Planning Commission and then be presented to the City Council for consideration.

Councilmembers will most likely take up the proposal in the fall.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Semi-Truck Crashes on I-15 in Mira Mesa

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An overturned semi-truck caught on fire and caused major traffic delays on Interstate 15 in Mira Mesa Wednesday morning.

The semi-truck was transporting furniture when it crashed into the HOV cement divider on southbound I-15, just north of the Mira Mesa Boulevard exit.

The driver was able to get out of the semi-truck cab. Paramedics were treating him at the crash site.

Firefighters quickly put out the fire before it spread to the back of the semi-truck.

Some fuel did spill onto the highway.

Hazmat crews with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) and Caltrans are working to remove the truck and clean up the fuel and debris.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officer saw the crash Wednesday 4:20 a.m. and reported it.

That officer was not involved in the crash.

No other information was available.

Smelling Your Food Leads to Weight Gain: Study

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Joey Tribbiani once famously claimed on "Friends" that, “Half the taste [of food] is in the smell.” And according to a new study, the more delicious that meatball sandwich smells, the higher the likelihood that your body may pack on the pounds.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that smell-deficient mice who ate the same amount of fatty foods as mice who could smell, gained twice their normal weight. In addition, mice with boosted scent receptors, “super-smellers,” gained even more weight than those with a normal sense of smell.

The results of the new study were published in the journal Cell Metabolism, and the findings point to an unexplored link between olfactory neurons and weight gain.

The study also found that the genetically-altered rodents who could not smell lost around 16 per cent of their body weight. The study suggests that not being able to smell food could have a surprising effect on the metabolism, potentially helping those struggling with weight loss remain thin even when eating fatty foods.

"Sensory systems play a role in metabolism. Weight gain isn’t purely a measure of the calories taken in; it’s also related to how those calories are perceived," said senior author Andrew Dillin, the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Distinguished Chair in Stem Cell Research, professor of molecular and cell biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "If we can validate this in humans, perhaps we can actually make a drug that doesn’t interfere with smell but still blocks that metabolic circuitry. That would be amazing."

While it seems like something out of the Twilight Zone, Dillin pointed out eliminating a person’s smell may act as a future alternative for gastric bypass surgery.

"This paper is one of the first studies that really shows if we manipulate olfactory inputs we can actually alter how the brain perceives energy balance, and how the brain regulates energy balance," said Céline Riera, a former UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow now at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Batter Up: Over-the-Line Returns to Fiesta Island

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Bust out the wacky costumes and clever team names: San Diego’s summertime tradition, the Over-the-Line (OTL) Tournament, is taking over Fiesta Island for the next two weekends.

Hosted each July by the Old Mission Bay Athletic Club (OMBAC), the annual sporting and merrymaking event typically draws about 1,200 teams from around the world to Mission Bay to partake in OTL, a bat and ball sport first played in Mission Beach in the 1950s. The tournament marks its 64th anniversary this month.

The rules of OTL are simple: games last three or four innings, no one has to run bases, and the main goal is to hit the ball “over the line” about 55 feet in front of the batter.

Teams dress up in matching costumes and bring tents, chairs, beer, and funny signs to the beach for the carefree, daytime tournament under the San Diego sun.

The games start at 7:30 a.m. each weekend and continue until sunset. This weekend, the games will be three innings long. On July 15 and July 16, they will last four innings. The final, the Men's Open Championship, will take place on the afternoon of July 16. Organizers say the tournament will follow a double-elimination format.

OTL is open to the public and typically brings a lot of spectators. There is no ticket or entrance fee to watch the games and enjoy the tournament, though organizers say several rules will be strictly enforced, including no bottles on the beach. Also, no bicycles, dogs, and kids are allowed at the tournament.

Parking for OTL will be available at three locations this year: the Linda Vista trolley stop parking lot on Friars Road, beneath the Morena Boulevard overpass; the Bonita Cove parking lot on West Mission Bay Drive, across from the Bahia Hotel; the parking lot on the north corner of Fiesta Island and East Mission Bay drives at the entrance to Fiesta Island.

Organizers say a free shuttle will pick up OTL attendees from these lots and drop them off near the playing area at Fiesta Island starting at 6:30 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday and on July 15. Shuttle pickups stop running at 3 p.m. More info on shuttles can be found here.



Photo Credit: OMBAC

2 Killed, 62 Arrested in DUI Charges Over Holiday Weekend

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Two people were killed and 62 drivers were arrested in DUI-related charges over the Fourth of July weekend in San Diego County, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP).

One 20-year-old was killed in a single-car crash in Pacific beach, and a motorcyclist was killed in a hit-and-run in Chula Vista Tuesday. 

Compared to last year, there were 17 less DUI arrests in San Diego County but one more person was killed this year. Last year, there were 79 DUI arrests and one fatality, according to CHP.

Orange County had zero fatalities but also had 62 DUI arrests. Last year, the region had one fatality and 64 DUI arrests.

Across California, there were 47 fatalities and 1,244 DUI arrests. Both these statistics are higher than last year, with only 35 fatalities and 1,118 DUI arrests in 2016.

The fatalities included 26 passengers, one motorcyclist and two pedestrians across California, according to CHP. Fifteen of the victims killed in DUI-related crashes were not wearing seat belts.

Law enforcement across San Diego County worked together to crack down on drunk driving by holding extra DUI checkpoints and patrols. The four-day, countywide effort aimed to prevent drunk driving and underage drinking during the Fourth of July celebrations.

Deprogramming the Children ISIS Taught to Kill

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One feature of the brutal life under ISIS rule was the creation of schools and mosques that let the terror group inject its ideology into a new generation, one that's now scattered across Iraq in refugee camps, NBC News reported.

"When Daesh came, they taught us how to be suicide bombers and make IEDs," said a tearful Atallah Saleh, 15, in a camp south of Mosul. "They distributed books about their propaganda. The teachers at school taught us how to hold a Kalashnikov, how to shoot and kill, how to become a suicide bomber and fight the jihad."

While ISIS is likely on its way out of Iraq, local leaders worry that the conditions that Atallah's generation face in sometimes inhumane or unsafe refugee camps could fuel an ISIS resurgence in several years.

"When a chicken lays eggs, and then the chicken dies, the eggs stay and turn into new chickens," said Qassem Maslah, a militia brigade commander who has been fighting ISIS.

At At the Hammam al-Alil camp, where Atallah now lives, teachers are trying to undo ISIS' influence and dealing with the deep trauma the kids were left with.



Photo Credit: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images, File

Woman Weds Man 3 Years After Twitter Joke About Marrying Him

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Twitter, she married him. It just took a while.

Almost three years after Llia Apostolou sent a joking message on Twitter in search of a blind wedding date, she and the stranger who answered her made it to a different wedding: their own.

Apostolou, a social media manager from London, explained the romantic saga on her blog. She and a friend went to a pub on Valentine's Day in 2014 to "distract ourselves from our singleness" when she saw a photo of Paul Gibson pop into her Twitter feed.


"I can’t explain what happened next, I felt something shift in my heart," Apostolou said on the blog. "Perhaps it was the whiskey, but I wanted to know you."

A few months later, still in search of a date to her sister's wedding the coming weekend, Apostolou sent that joking tweet.

Gibson responded almost immediately, and the two exchanged light-hearted messages about the idea, even joking about getting married themselves.

She writes, "So our conversation moved from tweets, to direct messages, to long and rambling emails about our lives."

And three years later, that Twitter exchange took them to the altar — and Apostolou's callback to the moment when their romance took off has gone viral, getting retweeted more than 15,000 times.

Apostolou said in another Twitter message that she and Gibson are unavailable to speak to the media because they are on their honeymoon.




Photo Credit: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images
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Homemade Sunscreen is Not Safe Sun Protection: Report

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Consumer Reports has warned beachgoers that people who like do-it-yourself projects should skip making their own sunscreen.

Homemade crafts are not a wise approach to sunscreen, despite Pinterest and Instagram crafting competitions.

Do-it-yourself sunscreen could place beachgoers at risk for sunburns at first and skin cancer in the long run. Without a way to professionally test the SPF protection of a homemade sunscreen, there is no quality control. Crafters can't determine what the SPF of the product is. They often don't even know if those ingredients have any kind of sun protection.

Zinc oxide is one of the potential ingredients in homemade sunscreen. But this mineral protects skin by deflecting the sun’s UV rays, rather than absorbing rays the way chemical-based sunscreens do.

The common ingredient is found in many mineral-based sunscreens available on store shelves. Consumer Reports' tests have consistently found that even in store-bought sunscreens, the chemical ingredients are more effective than the ones only containing zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both, as active ingredients.

Effectiveness should be the most important goal when using any kind of sunscreen, according to Consumer Reports. In childhood, one blistering sunburn can increase the risk of skin cancer by 50 percent.

To minimize harmful sun exposure, it's best to not only use sunscreen but use it correctly. Consumer Report officials say it's also important to consider when the sun rays are strongest.

The best protection is to avoid the midday sun, when the rays are most intense. Also, plan most of your activities early or later in the day, and wear sun-protective fabric and clothing, hats and sunglasses, in addition to your sunscreen.



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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