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Man Wields Machete in Carjacking

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A man used a machete in a carjacking in the Mira Mesa area, San Diego police said Friday.

The victim told police he was sitting in his car on Caminito Manso after 2 a.m. when another man walked up to the car and demanded his tablet. The location is south of Mira Mesa Boulevard and east of Camino Ruiz.

The would-be robber also demanded the victim get out of his car. When the victim refused, the suspect pulled out a machete, police said.

After the suspect carjacked the car, he made a U-turn and crashed into a parked car, police said.

The vehicle left the area westbound on Hillery Drive. It was later recovered less than a mile away near Ivory Coast Drive and Marauder Way, south of Mira Mesa High School and east of Camino Ruiz.

Anyone with information can call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.



SDPD Shortages Push City to Renegotiate Union Contract

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A lack of San Diego Police Department officers is pushing the City of San Diego to renegotiate their contract with the police union early. 

The department's employment numbers are at their lowest since 2000. 

Leaders of the San Diego Police Officers Association (SDPOA) say the pay is one of the biggest issues employees are facing. 

"Going 10 years without a salary increase has wreaked havoc on our recruiting efforts," said Brian Marvel, director of the SDPOA. He explained there are more sworn officers leaving the department than those that are being hired per year.

Marvel said candidates are being recruited to neighboring cities, and San Diego's city leaders need to realize something has to change. 

"In some instances, we are up to 20 percent below what other agencies are making here in the county," Marvel explained.

There are fewer than 1,800 sworn officers in San Diego, something that Reina Martinez believes is a problem. 

Martinez works at a hair salon on Highland, near 43rd Street. When she called the police for help responding to a threat at the salon, it took more than an hour for an officer to arrive. 

Marvel said issues like this arise because of short staffing. 

"Those are lower priority, having an officer show up could take up to two hours or longer," he said.

The City of San Diego will renegotiate a five-year contract with the police union to boost employment numbers.

Marvel said the low number of officers also has to do with veterans taking early retirement. 

The city is expected to face another tough budget in Fiscal Year 2018. 

The next step is for the SDPOA to set up a meeting with the city to begin negotiating changes. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Your Corner: The Night a Ninja Turtle Came to Life

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It’s been almost 34 years since a ninja turtle was born in a house in Dover, New Hampshire one November night.

That is 2,600 miles, and a lifetime away from where Kevin Eastman is today.

Sitting in his studio in San Diego, Eastman told NBC 7 about what started as nothing more than an attempt to make his friend, Peter Laird, laugh that night in 1983.

“So, I had this thought, if Bruce Lee were an animal, what is the silliest animal he would be,” said Eastman.

He chose a turtle and sketched it standing upright, dressed as a Ninja. It worked. Laird laughed, and the two worked together on a drawing with a group of turtles and titled it The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

“We looked at this drawing and said this is the dumbest thing we’d ever seen. We really need to come up with a story that tells how these characters came to life,” said Eastman.

The rest is history.

In 1984, the pair emptied their bank accounts and self-published 3,275 copies. Every one sold. By 1985 there were three more printings. In 1987, the first Ninja Turtles cartoon premiered. It aired for 10 seasons and 193 episodes which led to three live action movies.

Fast forward to 2017, Kevin Eastman has sold his rights to the Turtles, allowing him to focus on the creative part of what he created. Eastman still draws for the franchise, now owned by IDW which also publishes some of the biggest names in comics like Spiderman, Superman, and Batman.

“You know, I’m 55 years old and I still get that awesome feeling when I sit down and start drawing,” said Eastman.

Eastman worked with IDW’s Ted Adams to create the San Diego Comic Art Gallery at Liberty Station.

“When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, comics weren’t cool at all,” said Adams.

That has all changed.

“The value has just exploded. There was a piece by Robert Crumb that recently sold for $750,000,” said Adams, “It’s pervasive in pop culture, and certainly if you look at tv and movies, every other movie is based on a comic these days.”

San Diego’s Comic Con is the perfect example of that growth. This year the event sold out of more than 100,000 tickets in minutes.

In Eastman’s carefully cluttered studio at the gallery, there is an impressive collection of comic memorabilia acquired since he was a kid. It includes the 1985 Comic Con program. That was Eastman’s first year at the event. He’s watched it change and grow over the years but also stay very much the same in some ways.

“It’s like this really is the happiest place on earth for fans like myself and so many others that come from all over the world to celebrate themselves and their favorite things here at Comic Con.”

Few comic artists will ever enjoy the success Kevin Eastman has had, but he insists he would have followed this path with or without his turtle friends.

“I would have found a way to write and draw comic books, hands down, that was all I ever wanted to do.”

No Duty for Teens to Rescue Drowning Man, Legal Experts Say

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It may be reprehensible and morally outrageous, but legal experts say a group of Florida teens had no obligation to rescue a drowning disabled man who they instead mocked, laughed at and recorded on a video that was later posted online.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, in a 2012 legal argument, summarized that across the U.S. there's no general duty to render aid to someone in distress.

"You don't have the duty to rescue someone if that person is in danger. The blind man is walking in front of a car and you do not have a duty to stop him absent some relation between you," Kennedy said in arguments on the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare."

Kennedy added that there are "some severe moral criticisms of that rule, but that's generally the rule."

The case in central Florida's Brevard County involves the July 9 drowning of Jamel Dunn, 31, in a retention pond. Police in the city of Cocoa discovered later that five teenagers, ages 14 to 16, had made a video of the drowning, which was published Friday by Florida Today . The teens can be heard laughing at Dunn, telling him he's going die and that they weren't going to help him as he struggled and screamed.

Police identified and interviewed the five teens involved. The office of State Attorney Phil Archer determined there was no immediate indication that a crime was committed because state law does not require people give or call for help when someone is in distress. Archer's office said Friday prosecutors will review the entire police file to see if any other criminal violations might apply.

"We're doing to give a thorough review to all the evidence," spokesman Todd Brown said.

Many countries, including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Russia, do have laws requiring people to render aid, even if it means only summoning authorities. And violations in some countries can result in prison time.

But Florida's law is hardly unique across the U.S., legal experts said.

"Generally, throughout the U.S., there is no duty to rescue," said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice. Still, he added: "It seems like common sense that those kids should have tried to help the guy instead of filming it."

There are some differences in various states, but Weinstein said exceptions typically include required assistance in car crashes; for people in special relationships with others such as police officers, firefighters, teachers, married couples, common carriers such as bus drivers and employers; and if you yourself put the other person in danger in the first place.

Some states, such as Nebraska, require most people — especially professionals — to report suspected child abuse or face possible misdemeanor charges, said attorney Jeffrey Lapin in Lincoln, Nebraska. He agreed the Florida teenagers committed no crime.

"While it is morally and ethically wrong, it is not illegal to not render aid or make extremely despicable comments," Lapin said in an email Friday.

Lapin pointed that in the final episode of the sitcom "Seinfeld," the four main characters are convicted of violating a purported city ordinance by failing to assist an overweight man who is getting carjacked — instead joking about the man's large size and doing nothing. The judge character said the four had "callous indifference and utter disregard" for a positive society.

Most U.S. states have no such laws.

There are situations in which U.S. law does require assistance to be rendered. One of those is on the high seas, where federal law requires the "master" of any vessel under U.S. jurisdiction to help anyone "found at sea in danger of being lost," according to the statute. A 1989 international treaty extends that obligation to mariners around the world.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia also have "Good Samaritan" laws aimed at protecting people from being sued for anything they did while rendering aid or attempting to rescue someone in danger. There are exceptions to those laws as well.

DUI Driver Sentenced for Fatal Crash, Killing 21-Year-Old

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A drunk driver who had a blood-alcohol level four times the legal limit was sentenced Friday for striking and killing a 21-year-old driver coming home from work in Ramona last year.

Paul Schenk was sentenced to six years in prison, after he pleaded guilty to driving drunk with his children in the car, causing a fatal collision.

His BAC levels at the time of the crash were approximately the equivalent of 17 drinks.

He was convicted of several charges related to the fatal crash, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of felony child endangerment, DUI Causing great bodily injury as well as driving with a measurable amount of alcohol and injury to a child under 5 years old.

The crash happened on Sept. 12, 2016, when Schenk picked up his 5-year-old and 4-year-old kids from school, Deputy District Attorney Callie Bright said. He put his 5-year-old in the front seat and 4-year-old in the back seat without seat belts, according to Bright. 

At the time of the crash, he was driving with his kids in the back seat with a blood-alcohol level approximately more than four times the legal limit, at 0.33, according to Bright.

Bright said Schenk crossed the shoulder near Vista Ramona Road and E Old Julian Highway and over-corrected, smashing into the victim's car head-on at approximately 4:30 p.m. 

The impact of the crash instantly killed 21-year-old Racheal  Guarneros – Callahan, 21. Family members said she had just finished work at the Riviera Oaks Resort and was on the phone with someone when the collision occurred.

"She was just a beautiful person," Sandra Khoury, the victim's sister, said. "She just had a big heart and just doted on her family. My daughter, her niece, and her other best friends. So it's just a huge hurt."

During the preliminary hearing, the Judge heard from witnesses and law enforcement officials who first arrived on scene. 

One San Diego County Sheriff's Deputy described rushing to Guarneros-Callahan's car first, worried it may burst into flames. 

"I jumped in the backseat and pulled her seatbelt off, and that's when I noticed the steering wheel was wedged in her chest," the officer testified. 

When he went around to the Ford involved in the crash, he found the driver wedged between the seat and steering wheel. 

"He just kept saying, 'I messed up,'" the officer recalled during testimony. 

CHP Officer Brian Kattke, who responded to the crash soon after, said that when he first arrived on the scene, he spoke to Schenk, who he identified as the driver in court.

"His first statement to me though was a question," Kattke testified. "He asked, "am I going to jail?'"

Kattke said he did not respond, but the question led him toward a different path in his further questioning and investigations: that some other factor may have been involved in the crash besides driver's error. 

When he returned to get a more detailed statement later, Kattke testified that he could smell alcohol coming from Schenk from two to three feet away. When he asked if Schenk had been drinking, Schenk told him 'yes.' 

Schenk's attorney, Paul Pfingst, has argued that his client is a veteran with a 21-year service career pulling wounded warriors from combat. Because of his past, he suffered mentally, Pfingst has argued.

Six days before the crash, Schenk went to the VA Hospital in San Diego asking for help but was turned away, according to Pfingst. 

"In addition to regular mental health appointments, we offer our Psychiatric Emergency Clinic which is a walk-in clinic for Veterans in distress or if feel they need urgent care," a partial statement from the VA San Diego read.  

The 4-year-old involved in the crash was ejected from the backseat and had to be airlifted to Rady Children's Hospital, where he received stitches for his injuries; the 5-year-old was taken to Palomar Hospital.

Schenk faced a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Massive Geyser Floods Parking Lot in Mission Valley

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A vehicle knocked over a fire hydrant, sending a massive geyser of water high above a Mission Valley condo complex Friday.

The hydrant was knocked over just after 11 a.m. in the parking lot of Mission Gate condos at 954 Camino de la Reina.

The condo complex is located east of State Route 163 and north of Interstate 8.

No other information was available.

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



Photo Credit: Bob Dilley, NBC 7

SJSU Weather Lab Team Assisting With Wildfire Fight

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A team of meteorologists from San Jose State is helping fight the massive Detwiler Fire near Yosemite, using their knowledge and technology.

Two men from the team just returned from the front lines in Mariposa County after spending the past 36 hours there. What they found not only helped firefighters battling the flames now, but could also be used to fight fires better in the future.

The massive Detwiler Fire spread to more than 70,000 acres Thursday and has destroyed 50 homes -- not exactly an ideal setting for study and research. But that's what the San Jose State Fire Weather Research Lab team just finished doing. Specifically, the researchers collected data using a Doppler lidar and fed it to firefighters to protect them and homes in real time.

"It can see through smoke plumes fantastically," graduate research assistant Chris Camacho said.

The reason it's important is wildfires can create their own weather, the team said. On Wednesday night, for instance, flames and smoke from the wildfire started swirling like a tornado.

"When columns rotate, they become a dangerous situation for firefighters," said Craig Clements of the SJSU meteorology team. "One thing with the Doppler lidar that we have is we can scan across the fire, and we can detect that circulation before it's visible."

Those dangerous plumes can be hard to detect in situations like the Detwiler Fire, where it's tough to see anything from the ground. Or when large banks of flames break out.

"So you can't really see the overall height that the smoke is being ejected to," Camacho said. "Although we are able to see that with lidar. We're able to see through the smoke."

The researchers say their tool is one of a kind in the United States and can help fight future fires by analyzing all the data they collect, showing how fires behave and how they can be controlled.

"I'm very fortunate to be able to take something I'm very passionate about and apply it in a real world manner that can actually help," Camacho said.

The scientists also say they're the only fire weather research team on the West Coast to have fire credentials, enabling them to get right up close with firefighters.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Back-Slapping Hedge Fund Magnate Scaramucci Reaches WH

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Anthony Scaramucci, the back-slapping Wall Street hedge fund magnate, is a long-time Republican donor and fundraiser who once criticized Donald J. Trump, the presidential candidate, CNBC reported.

But he eventually became one of Trump's biggest defenders, and after months of delays he is finally getting what he has worked for behind the scenes since last year: a position in the Trump White House.

He was originally going to be a White House adviser and liaison to the business community. That didn't happen. Then he was offered the post of U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That didn't happen. In June, he was named chief strategy officer of the Export-Import Bank.

Now, he is White House communications director.



Photo Credit: AP

Hundreds of Homeless Veterans Seek Help at Stand Down

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Hundreds of homeless veterans attended the 30th annual Stand Down event in San Diego Friday to seek support from the community.

The three-day program offered comprehensive services, aiming to help veterans get off the street and reintegrate into the community. The Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) has been hosting their annual Stand Down event for 30 years, with the hope of guiding veterans towards a new beginning.

Stand Down was held at the San Diego High School on the 1400 block of Park Boulevard.

VVSD and the community helped provide the veterans with a food tent, showers, barbers, makeovers, medical, dental, optical services and more. Hundreds of volunteers and vendors were helping with Stand Down.

Even in the midst of all these resources, some veterans were struggling with anxiety. One female veteran who has been on the streets for 10 days, Lisa DiCarlo, told NBC 7 she is desperate to find help.

"It's mean out there," said DiCarlo. "It's cruel out there. I am a 60-year-old woman. I am fresh meat out on the street. I live in fear of getting raped."

Organizers said they saw lower numbers of homeless veterans attending the event compared to last year. That may be an indication this support system is having an impact.

"There are a lot of veterans that are here," noted DiCarlo. "There are a lot of veterans that are homeless. I wonder if there is enough help for all of us."

An entire support network works together to put on this event. One volunteer is well known in the community for helping at Stand Down for the past 30 years. 

Bill Glover has been in charge of organizing breakfast since the event was first created. For 30 years, he has been the first smiling face veterans see when they arrive at Stand Down.

He's stepping down from the job at age 82, but said this experience has left him with a lasting appreciation for the human touch.

"It makes me feel good because again, it is that human touch," said Glover. "It is saying I am with you. I am a part of you, and I am not afraid to shake your hand."



Photo Credit: Veterans Village of San Diego

San Diego Woman Convicted in Baby's Death

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A San Diego woman was convicted Friday in the 2013 death of her infant son. 

Guadalupe O'Campos, 35, was accused of causing the death of her 9-month-old son Kevin Machado at her City Heights home on September 5, 2013. 

Jurors found O'Campos guilty of assault on a child. 

Investigators arrested O'Campos a year after her son's death and accused of her shaking the baby, causing brain injury.

When she spoke with NBC 7 while in custody, she said she was scared and confused about the allegations and maintained the infant fell off the bed head first while she was laying with him and her husband. 

Homicide detectives said there were inconsistencies with the mother's version of events.

Prosecutors decided to retry the case after a previous jury acquitted O'Campos of murder and deadlocked on a charge of assault on a child. 

Now, O'Campos faces sentencing on August 18. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

San Diego Insurance Agent Charged in Senior Investment Scam

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Insurance agent Shawn Heffernan, 42, of San Diego, was arraigned Thursday on multiple felony grand theft and elder fraud charges.

Heffernan was arrested at his residence after an investigation by the San Diego Regional Fraud Task Force revealed he allegedly defrauded five senior victims out of more than $1.1 million promising investment returns.

Instead, he spent the victims' money on his own personal expenses including jewelry, rental properties, and a Maserati, according to investigators. 

Three of Heffernan's victims were seniors.

"Heffernan's alleged crimes are reprehensible," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones.

"Heffernan violated his fiduciary responsibility when he used his position of trust to take advantage of vulnerable seniors by taking their money and using it to live the high life."

According to investigators, Heffernan initially sold annuity policies issued by legitimate insurance companies, but then convinced clients to surrender their annuities and purchase new ones with different insurance companies.

This resulted in him collecting substantial commissions for the new sale, but cost his victims large early-surrender penalties.

In one case, investigators identified more than $490,000 in early-surrender fees for the client and $280,000 in additional commissions collected by the defendant. 

Evidence revealed Heffernan allegedly convinced victims to cash out their annuities or invest additional funds into vaguely defined investments.

Heffernan then deposited the money into a personal bank account and spent it on his living expenses.

If a client requested to withdrawal money from their investment, Heffernan used money taken from new investors to satisfy the earlier investors. 

"This defendant took advantage of some of the most vulnerable in our community, stealing their money and leaving them high and dry for his own personal gain," said San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan.

"This prosecution is a great example of our office's commitment to fighting financial elder abuse and helping seniors know how to protect themselves against it."

A team of law enforcement officials from a number of agencies worked on this case, including the investigators from the California Department of Insurance, the U.S. Secret Service, and the San Diego District Attorney's Office. 

The criminal complaint includes five felony counts of grand theft, three felony counts of elder fraud, and an aggravated white-collar crime enhancement. If convicted of all charges, Heffernan faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in state prison.

Investigators are concerned Heffernan may have more victims and are urging anyone who did business with Heffernan, and believes he may have defrauded them, to contact the California Department of Insurance at (858) 693-7100.

Car Bursts Into Flames at Gas Station

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San Diego Fire-Rescue crews were called to a gas station in Carmel Mountain Ranch when a car burst into flames. 

The car fire started just before 2 p.m. at the Chevron on Rancho Carmel Drive, according to SDFD officials.

Hazmat was requested, officials said. 

No other information was available.

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

Man Used Babies to Steal Sunglasses: Cops

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Police in Bucks County were on the lookout Friday for a man caught on camera using two babies to steal sunglasses. 

Officials said the man walked into the Design for Vision store in Newtown Township on Wednesday carrying two babies in car seats and tried on sunglasses for about a half hour.

The cameras show the man putting sunglasses on the babies before slipping the eyewear behind the babies into the carriers and then walking out of the store.

Officials said he made off with several pairs of the glasses worth about $1,000.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to submit a tip to the Newtown Township Police.



Photo Credit: Newtown Township Police Dept.

98 Pounds of Cocaine Discovered Inside Car: CBP

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro port of entry seized $1.5 million worth of cocaine that was discovered inside a car Wednesday.

CBP officers found more than 98 pounds of cocaine inside 33 packages concealed in the car.

This seizure occurred July 19, at about 1:35 a.m., when a CBP detector dog gave a positive alert to a 2002 Ford Explorer that was waiting in line for inspection. 

The driver, a 22-year-old male U.S. citizen, was the sole occupant in the vehicle. CBP officers referred the man and vehicle to a secondary inspection for further examination.

CBP officers utilized the ports imagining system and observed anomalies in the vehicle's floor. Officers pulled 33 packages from the drivers side floor and center console area.

The man was arrested and turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents for further processing.

"CBP utilizes a layered enforcement technique and our canine teams are one of our vital tools," said Pete Flores, director of field operations for CBP in San Diego. "CBP will continue their efforts in combating the trafficking of all illegal items and uphold the mission of CBP."

CBP has seized the vehicle and narcotics. No other information is known at this time.



Photo Credit: CBP

Unique Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher Items on Display at Comic-Con

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An auction house is showcasing some unique personal items belonging to Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher. The items will go to auction on Sept. 23.


The Cost and Labor of Comic-Con Costumes

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The elaborate costumes that fans wear to San Diego Comic-Con are often a labor of love – painstakingly pieced together, all while staying true to character – and sticking to a budget.

Twins Alisa Rhead, of Idaho, and Brian Messick, of Colorado, visited Comic-Con Friday with their friend, Duan Ting, also of Colorado. The trio dressed as Poison Ivy, Edward Scissorhands and The Joker, respectively.

Messick was the mastermind behind all three costumes. He said they spent about $500 putting the three outfits together – minus an expensive pair of shoes he wore, which he already had in his closet. This included wigs, accessories and, of course, makeup.

Messick said he typically tries to stay under $100 for each costume. He went a little over budget this time, but for the trio, it was worth it.

Many of their pieces – like Messick’s pricey shoes – are repurposed for cosplay. Rhead’s green dress was originally a prom dress that was altered into a costume and adorned with ivy leaves. Ting’s pants were a vintage pair from the 1970s; his jacket was dyed purple to look like the Joker’s apparel.

Messick said the three key pieces that pulled together each costume were the big, green eyebrows for Rhead’s get-up, his “Scissorhands,” and Ting’s thick, detailed Joker makeup.

Tiffany Agra, of Mission Viejo, California, also came to Comic-Con dressed as Poison Ivy. This marked her 11th time at the pop culture convention; each year, she comes in costume. She, too, repurposes.

“I’ve recycled it over the years,” she said, referring to her Poison Ivy costume. “I started this one in 2014, and I keep adding to it.”

The ivy leaves were hand-stitched and sewn on by her and some dedicated friends. In all, Agra said she spent about $100 on her costume. The accessories – including her red wig and shoes – cost a little more.

Agra said she like the idea of reusing her costumes for cosplay.

"[It] keeps it interesting; [I] get more use out of it that way," she told NBC 7.

Agra said the key to enjoying cosplay at Comic-Con is simple: love it and do it for yourself.

"[It takes] a lot of heart," she said. “Do it for yourself – and not for other people – because there’s always going to be somebody who has a better costume than you or a worse costume than you, so do it for yourself. Don’t get caught up in the competition.”

Friends Ryan Preskitt and Michael Ramos, both of Santa Maria, California, dressed up as Superman and Green Arrow.

Preskitt told NBC 7 he spent about $200 on his costume – not including spray paint and repairs. Ramos also spent about $200, not including his bow.

They said the fun behind making a costume lies in the customization and making it your own.

“I got the costume and I just altered it,” said Ramos. “Adding some things and adjusting it and whatnot.”

For those looking to cosplay, Preskitt suggested watching YouTube tutorials for tips on how to make costumes cool and comfortable. In fact, he learned to make soles for the bottom of his tights via an online tutorial. He also said costume networking is key

“Talk to people who can give you different information on how to fix up your costume,” said Preskitt.

And, when you can, dress up with a buddy.

“When you’re doing it, do it with other people – and do a theme – because you get noticed a lot more,” Ramos added.

Malis Vitterfolk, originally of San Diego now living in the Bay Area, attended the convention Friday dressed as Ms. Frizzle from “The Magic School Bus” – and then some.

She told NBC 7 her costume was a “mash-up” that combined Ms. Frizzle with a Time Lord from “Doctor Who” because, as some fan theory has it, Ms. Frizzle may actually be a Time Lord.

Vitterfolk said it took her about a month-and-a-half to put together her costume. She started with some cosmic-looking fabric from her dress, and the inspiration followed, right down to dangling earrings featuring mini planets.

Altogether, she spent about $100 on her dress, wig, and accessories. She also pulled some pieces from previous costumes into her outfits.

Vitterfolk brought something to share, too: tiny “gold star” stickers that she gave to fellow Comic-Con attendees who recognized her character. She was thrilled to play teacher and reward attendees for their pop culture knowledge.

Vitterfolk told NBC 7 cosplay is what makes Comic-Con so fun to attend year after year.

“It’s is pretty much the only reason why I come,” she said. “I love looking at the costumes. You can be anything – and it fits. It’s really cool to see what people come up with.”

She said she especially loves to see other “mash-up” costumes that combine characters from completely different worlds.

“Like the Disney princesses dressed as ‘Final Fantasy’ characters or ‘Star Wars’ clashing with almost everything,” she explained. “They get to put their own spin on it.”

San Diego Comic-Con runs through Sunday. The convention 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.



Photo Credit: Monica Garske
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Stabbing Left Man in Critical Condition in Oceanside

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A man was left hospitalized in critical condition after he was stabbed in Oceanside Wednesday night, confirmed Oceanside police.

Just before 11 p.m., Oceanside Police officers responded to a medical aid in the 2400 block of Winter Road. Officers arrived on scene and found the victim inside a residence with multiple injuries. 

Officers rendered medical aid until paramedics arrived.

The victim, a 38-year-old man from Oceanside, was taken to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Detectives from the Oceanside Police Department Investigations Division responded to the scene and are currently investigating this incident.

Due to the fact that this is an active investigation, no further details are being released at this time.

Anyone with information can call the Oceanside Police's anonymous tip line at 760-435-4730. 

Mid-Coast Trolley Developments Progressing 'Rapidly'

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The plan for an 11-mile Caltrans trolley extension is rapidly progressing, according to a statement from San Diego Associations of Governments (SANDAG).

The Mid-Coast Trolley Project will expand the current blue line trolley from Old Town to La Jolla’s University City area, according to Caltrans.

The extension will include nine stops, five of which will be aerial. Some of the stops include the Veteran’s Affair’s Medical Center, three beach communities, the University of California San Diego campus and the UTC mall.

Construction is currently active along Interstate 5, from the San Diego River to Genesee Avenue, according to SANDAG.

The Caltrans Mid-Coast Trolley extension project is predicted to cost as much as $2.17 billion to construct but will generate over 14,000 jobs during the construction period, according to SANDAG Division Director of Rail Implementation John Haggerty.

Once the construction is complete, the trolley service is expected to increase the county’s economy by cutting parking needs, reducing traffic and increasing access to jobs, according to SANDAG.

SANDAG said the project is also estimated to bring more than $116 million in economic benefits per year and provide transportation to 21,000 new riders.

Construction for the Mid-Coast Trolley Project began in September 2016 and is scheduled for completion by fall 2021.

Son Accused of Violently Beating Mother Pleads Not Guilty

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A North County man, accused of beating his 69-year-old mother at her Mira Mesa home, pleaded not guilty in court Friday.

Theodore Guenther, 36, is charged with premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, and assault with a deadly weapon, among other charges.

Guenther allegedly struck his mother, Cynthia Guenther, more than 30 times in the head with a copper pipe and then walked away to a nearby park.

The brutal attack happened Wednesday evening at the victim's home on Capcano Road.

According to San Diego police, she returned to her home and found her son standing in the front yard who used a hose to spray her with water.

After she told him to take her medication, the son began beating her with two copper pipes. The woman ran inside to call 911 but her son took away her mobile phone.

"Something she said to him set him off, so that he grabbed these large metal pipes and a foot and half long inch, and started beating her in the head with them," said Deputy District Attorney Scott Perrillo.

Police said Guenther struck his mother 25 more times in the head.

Investigators said the woman played dead and Guenther left the home.

At this point, Cynthia Guenther called for help using a house phone and was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

She is expected to survive.

Guenther was arrested later and booked into jail.

"This is everyone's worst nightmare--when we have again, these elderly abuse dynamics..of the gaps in the system leaving elderly vulnerable people to care for their mentally-ill children, and grandchildren," Perrillo said.

He told NBC 7 Guenther suffers from Schizophrenia.

Cynthia had filed a restraining order against Guenther after he was charged with a domestic abuse case involving her last year. He was supposed to be in a treatment program as part of his probation.

Guenther's bail was set at $1 million.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Illegal Pot Dispensary Shut Down in Vista: SDSO

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Deputies served a search warrant and shut down an illegal marijuana dispensary is Vista Wednesday morning, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) confirmed.

The $18 Shatter dispensary had allegedly been operating illegally on the 900 block of Vista Village Drive near the Vista Magnet Middle School and Wildwood Park.

During the raid, deputies found more than 15 pounds of processed marijuana, more than 16 pounds of marijuana concentrates, around four pounds of pre-rolled marijuana joints and cannabis-infused products. More than $3,500 in cash and narcotics paraphernalia such as bongs, vape cartridges, and pipes were also discovered.

The Vista Fire Department was also called out due to a fire hazard inside the shop.

According to SDSO, the search warrant was served after many residents complained about the illegal dispensary's proximity to the middle school and park. 

One employee was also arrested.

Fifteen illegal marijuana businesses have been shut down in the last 12 months and 39 illegal pot shops were closed since 2014.

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