Police are searching for a woman suspected of targeting houses in the Talmadge neighborhood of San Diego in several burglaries.

The burglaries occurred near Monroe and Highland avenues.

One of the break-ins happened Saturday around 11 a.m. while police happened to be responding to another call just next door.

Surveillance video shows a woman jumping over homeowner Carlos Padrigan’s backyard fence and walking into his home through an unlocked back door.

Padrigan said no one was home at the time.

"It’s a violating feeling that you thought you are safe," said Padrigan.

Prior to breaking into Padrigan’s home, surveillance video appears to show the woman running away from a neighbor’s house with a garbage bag in hand straight into his home.

"She came out of next-door neighbor, went around and into my back door and climbed gate," Padrigan said. "I saw it on camera."

That neighbor--who did not want to be identified--told NBC 7 that she scared the suspect off after coming face-to-face with her as the suspect was peeking into her window. She then called police.

Approximately 15 minutes after the encounter with that neighbor, officers arrived at the home. While they were investigating the incident, the suspected burglar made herself at home in Padrigan's house--right next door.

Padrigan said when he arrived home, he noticed his garage door was up, water spilled across the floor of his house and his kitchen cabinets open.

He told NBC 7, that’s when he checked the camera and realized the woman had broken into his home.

According to the time stamp on the surveillance video, the suspect appeared to have stayed more than an hour.

"I don't know if she was eating food...I can't say for sure," Padrigan said.

She walked out of the garage with a blanket over her head. She stole Padrigan's travel bag and about $3,500 dollars in jewelry and electronics.

"She came in with a plastic bag and got out with a traveling bag," Padrigan said. "So it was like Christmas for her."

About one in three Americans used prescription opioid painkillers like OxyContin or Vicodin in 2015, according to a survey released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NBC News reported.

The NIDA study calculated 91.8 million Americans used prescription opioids, with nearly five percent of adults surveyed saying they took them without their doctor’s permission.

“The most commonly reported sources were friends and relatives for free,” the study reported. “Or a physician.”

Also Monday, a presidential opioid commission chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie released an interim report that said the U.S. "is enduring a death toll equal to September 11th every three weeks." The report urged President Donald Trump to "declare a national emergency."

The commission suggested expanding treatment facilities across the country, educating doctors about the proper way to prescribe pain medication, equipping all police officers with the anti-overdose remedy naloxone, developing new fentanyl detection sensors, and improving data-sharing among law enforcement agencies.

This "Bidi Bidi Baby" is going viral after starring in a photo shoot themed around Tejano pop star Selena.

The baby, Natalia Gallegos, is just 15 days old in the photo and dressed up with a sparkly brimmed hat, lipstick-stained microphone and white rose, resembling a miniature version of the late singer.

Texas-based newborn photographer Sofi Guerra said that the baby's mother immediately noticed a tiny replica of Selena's hat among the photo props when she came for the shoot.

That's when Guerra knew that the woman's daughter was the right baby to dress up as Selena. It was a picture she had wanted to take for a while.

"I knew this photo was different," Guerra said. "But I didn't realize the magnitude of how many people would fall in love with it." 

After Guerra shared the post on Facebook, it became a social media sensation. Selena's sister, Suzette Quintanilla, found the photo and posted it to her Facebook page where it got more than 12,000 reactions and hundreds of shares.

Guerra thinks that it's the detail of the photo that made it so popular. When Guerra ordered the microphone, she made sure that it was designed to be stained with red lipstick, just like Selena's microphone often was.

She also made the felt hat by hand, personally attaching more than 200 Swarovski crystals to its brim.

"That's what Selena used to do. She would be finishing her hats before she went onstage," Guerra said.

Both Selena super fans, Guerra and the baby's mother, Helen Gallegos, said that they saw the picture as a sign that the Mexican-American singer's legacy would live on in the next generation.

Helen Gallegos was in the fourth grade and already a huge fan of Selena when the singer was shot and killed in 1995. She recalled crying for a week straight.

"When I see the picture it makes me feel good that after all these years I haven't forgotten about her," Gallegos said. "I'm glad I have daughters that will grow up knowing who she is and listening to her music."

U.S. stocks kicked off August by opening higher on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average nearing the 22,000 mark.

The Dow is coming off its strongest monthly performance since February, having risen 2.54 percent, CNBC reported.

Major indexes hit record highs in July as investors shrugged off Washington turmoil and geopolitical tension.

"Stock Market could hit all-time high (again) 22,000 today. Was 18,000 only 6 months ago on Election Day. Mainstream media seldom mentions!" President Donald Trump tweeted.

The gains come with many companies beating expectations for earnings lately. Tech giant Apple is set to report its earnings Tuesday after markets close.

With 74 people killed in July alone, Chicago has reached more than 400 homicides for the year so far, a number that keeps the city on track to outpace 2016, one of the bloodiest years recorded in decades. 

According to Chicago police, there have been 402 murders in the city so far this year, though the department's statistics don't include killings on area expressways, police-involved shootings, self-defense killings or death investigations. 

Last month saw 74 murders, 321 shootings and 410 shooting victims, police announced Tuesday. 

More than 25 shootings have been reported on Chicago expressways so far this year, according to Illinois State Police, with at least six people wounded on expressways in July alone. 

Despite the high number of fatalities, police said the number of shootings in the city has dropped by 13 percent compared to this time last year. 

"The lethality of the shootings, we can’t really control that," Johnson told NBC 5 as the numbers were released. 

Fueling the latest burst of shootings was a violent weekend that saw four people killed and nearly three dozen others, including a 4-year-old boy, injured. 

The month also recorded one of the city's most violent Fourth of July holidays, with more than 100 people shot over the four-day weekend. That's compared to 66 people shot over the holiday in 2016, though that year the weekend was only three days long. 

Chicago police reported last month that they have removed more than 5,000 guns this year off Chicago streets. The department has also rolled out several initiatives this year, including a high-tech ballistics van that was sent as part of the partnership with the ATF. That same partnership also sent 20 permanent ATF agents to the city, along with federal prosecutors, with the purpose of "prioritizing prosecutions to reduce gun violence, and working with our law enforcement partners to stop the lawlessness.”

"One of the things that I think people miss about this whole violence reduction is the fact that CPD - we’ve recovered over 5,000 guns this year, we’re up 30 percent in overall gun arrests - but the communities being affected, I don’t think they recognize the power that they have in the communities, their voices, to reduce this gun violence," Johnson said. 

He added that he knows trust has noticeably divided communities and police in the city.

"The trust issue was a factor for so long but we’re regaining that trust now," he said. "When the communities finally say enough is enough then we’ll see this reduction go down." 

Last year, the month of August became the deadliest month in two decades with 90 murders in 31 days. By the end of the month, the city had recorded just over 470 homicides for the year. 

In just six months, California will officially license businesses to sell marijuana for recreational use.

That provides a limited window of time for health providers to prepare.

“We really don't know what to expect yet,” said Kristin Steele M.D. “This is uncharted territory.”

Steele spoke with NBC 7 Monday about Sharp MacDonald Center, a local facility that deals with addiction including what she called “cannabis use disorder.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports in 2015 about 4 million people in the United States met the diagnostic criteria for the disorder.

“In decades prior, it wasn’t really thought that someone could actually become dependent on marijuana,” Steele said. “What we’ve seen is that can actually occur.”

She described someone with a problem as one who spends a lot of time getting and using marijuana. The person may be facing consequences because of the use of marijuana.

She described chronic pain, anxiety, and lack of sleep as possible symptoms.

Insurance companies sometimes need to be convinced to cover treatment for marijuana dependency.

“It really was a school of thought that people didn’t need formal treatment if they wanted to stop using marijuana,” Steele said.

Some people question the concept of marijuana dependence.

The website MedicalJane suggests high doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could trigger anxiety in some patients but points out that more study needs to be done to prove a connection.

Also, the use of cannabis has been shown to help those dependent on other, more stronger, narcotics according to the website.

Steele said that it’s common to compare smoking marijuana to having a beer at the end of the day. What’s not known is why some people grow dependent on marijuana and others don’t.

“If someone is using marijuana every day they have a 20 percent chance of becoming addicted to it,” Steele said.

California voters passed Proposition 64 in November 2016, allowing those over age 21 to legally use marijuana, and the sale of the drug to be taxed.

Previously, marijuana was legal only for medicinal purposes and with a doctor's authorization.

San Diego is working to put measures in place to license local pot dispensaries to sell marijuana without a medical prescription by January 2018. 

Months after claiming his innocence, the father of a 5-year-old South Pasadena boy who was reported missing after the two visited Disneyland in April pleaded guilty to murder at a Tuesday court appearance.

Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, was charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Aramazd "Piqui" Andressian Jr. Andressian and estranged wife Ana Estevez were in the midst of a divorce and custody battle over Andressian Jr., and authorities said the killing was his way of getting back at his wife.

Estevez was in court for the brief hearing. Family members could be heard sobbing as Andressian answered the judge, who repeatedly asked him to confirm that he was changing his plea from not guilty.

Andressian faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 23.

Speaking outside the courthouse after the plea, Andressian's attorney said his client took responsibility for what he did. Andressian might speak at his sentencing, he added.

The disappearance of young Ara set off a widespread search that involved dozens of volunteers around Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. The boy's remains were found June 30 near the Lake Cachuma Recreation Area in Santa Barbara County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators believe the boy was killed April 21 after a trip to Disneyland. Surveillance footage captured Andressian Sr. and Andressian Jr. leaving the park around 1 a.m. The following day, the youngster's father was found unconscious at Arroyo Seco Park in South Pasadena, unable to recall the whereabouts of his son.

As searchers fanned out across Southern California looking for his son, Andressian traveled to Las Vegas, where he was arrested in late June and brought back to Los Angeles.

The investigation into the boy's disappearance included several weeks of surveillance, during which the suspect "significantly" changed his appearance, acted in a manner inconsistent with the behavior of a grieving parent and appeared to be planning to flee to a country from which he could not be extradited, according to sheriff's depatment officials.

Andressian Sr. was originally arrested in Los Angeles County shortly after his son went missing, but was later released for lack of evidence.

Investigators contend that the boy's father killed him to get back at his estranged wife. The couple were in a year-long bitter custody and divorce case.

Authorities haven't disclosed how the boy was killed or what evidence links the boy's father to his death.

Houston, we have a problem.

NASA's Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston is in desperate need of a restoration after years of neglect has left the Texas nerve center for the United States space program in disrepair and looted by souvenir-seekers who walked off with pieces of space history.

"This is a place where things happened," former NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz, who served during the Gemini and Apollo missions, told NBC's "Today" show.

Kratz is best known for his role in leading the successful Mission Control team efforts to save Apollo 13 astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise. The rescue later became the subject story of the film "Apollo 13," in which he was portrayed by actor Ed Harris.

"Every time I enter this room, I can feel the history of this room and feel the timber of the controller's voices and the energy and passion," Kranz told KPRC Houston.

Forty eight years later, there's a new mission to preserve that energy for future generations, beginning on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

The total cost: $5 million, according to the Space Center Houston nonprofit group, which launched an online crowd-funding campaign.

The Historic Mission Control project would restore the Mission Control room, including rejuvenating flight control consoles and reactivating wall displays with projections that would recreate what Apollo-era engineers would see during missions.

"This is not only important to the U.S., but to humanity and the entire world," William Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston, told KPRC. "The men in this room achieved something that no one else had done before."

"We want of give you a sense of what it was like and what the experience was for the men who worked in this room and all the challenges they face during those missions," Harris said.

The city of Webster, a Houston suburb bordering the Johnson Space Center, has already donated $3.5 million of the $5 million needed for the project.

The Mission Control room at the Johnson Space Center is classified as a National Historic Landmark.

ONLINE: Donate HERE to Restore Historic Mission Control

Hundreds of volunteers have been searching for a Westminster duo after the pair went missing in Joshua Tree.

Rachel Nguyen and Joseph Orbeso have been missing since July 27 after the pair went on a hiking trip for Nguyen's birthday.

The family of the California State University, Fullerton students grew concerned when the two friends failed to check out of their Airbnb on Friday. The duo left all of their belongings behind.

"We're definitely worried about Rachel and her friend," Nguyen's uncle, Son Nguyen said. "We've gone through five days of prayers."

Volunteer searchers found Nguyen's car near a Maize Loop and have since been working to find Nguyen and Orbeso.

Officials are working with helicopteers and K-9 assistance to find the missing hikers and urge anyone with information on the pair's whereabouts to contact authorities.

Anyone who has seen the two friends or has had contact with them is encouraged to call San Bernardino Dispatch at 909-383-5652.

Parents in Scripps Ranch are concerned about possibly dangerous playground equipment at Jerabek Park.

Representatives from the Scripps Ranch Civic Association say someone noticed missing security screws from the platform on equipment at that park. 

They says the screws have special heads, so they think someone went out of their way to remove them.

A police report was not filed, so there's no investigation underway. 

The area is now taped off until the equipment is fixed. 

The clock is ticking. In just six months, California will officially license businesses to sell marijuana for recreational use.

Those representing dispensaries say the City of San Diego is cutting it close for new rules for handling the drug.

“We're playing chicken to a degree,” said Phil Rath, Executive Director of the United Medical Marijuana Coalition. “But hopefully we'll be able to get some clear rules of the road for everybody.”

San Diego is working to put measures in place to license local pot dispensaries to sell marijuana without a medical prescription by January 2018.

The City Council will meet on September 11 to discuss the rules surrounding the growing, cultivating and transporting marijuana.

Rules regarding licensing dispensaries have already be set, allowing up to four dispensaries in each district to sell weed, keeping a strict distance from schools, churches, and other dispensaries.

Many of those coveted licenses will go to existing medical marijuana dispensaries.

Rocky Goyal who runs apothekare in Kearny Mesa hopes there are more around the county to offer an alternative to black market weed sellers.

“We're seeing Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas have the discussion,” Goyal said. “It wouldn't surprise me in the next year or two, you see a lot more cities come online with it.”

“You could potentially have 100 or 150 of these throughout the county,” he added.

California voters passed Proposition 64 in November 2016, allowing those over age 21 to legally use marijuana, and the sale of the drug to be taxed.

Previously, marijuana was legal only for medicinal purposes and with a doctor's authorization.

Developer McDonald Property Group recently broke ground on a two-phase industrial complex within Pacific Coast Business Park in Oceanside. Company President Bruce McDonald said the estimated cost of the four-building project at full build-out is $52 million.

In an email, McDonald said the Laguna Beach-based company has begun construction on Phase 1, a 125,000-square-foot building at 1319 Rocky Point Drive. Phase 2 will include another three buildings, on which construction will begin in six months.

Tenants have not been announced for the speculative project, known as Pacific Coast Collection, which is being built across from the FedEx distribution facility that opened last year at the business park. The project at full build-out is expected to total 396,220 square feet on approximately 25 acres.

In late 2016, McDonald Property Group entered into a development agreement with an affiliate of Denver-based Industrial Property Trust Inc. (IPT) to develop the project. IPT, which owns and operates distribution warehouses throughout the United States, earlier acquired the land and three existing buildings on the Oceanside property from an affiliate of New York-based Blackstone Group, for $25.7 million.

McDonald’s previous industrial developments in San Diego County include First Park at Ocean Ranch in Oceanside and North County Corporate Center in Vista.

The family of a 12-year-old New Jersey girl who took her own life in June is planning to sue the school district she attended, saying she was relentlessly bullied for months before a "preventable tragedy." 

The family announced Tuesday in Roseland, alongside with their attorney, that they’re suing the Rockaway Township school district because they say it did nothing to stop months of bullying that led to Mallory Grossman’s suicide. 

Mallory was an accomplished cheerleader and gymnast who family and friends say was well-liked and sociable. But her family’s attorney says she was tortured for months by several girls online.

Beginning last October, Mallory would come home and tell her mother about "the dirty looks and the constant harassment and the name-calling and the cold shoulder, the exclusion," to the point that the girl suffered chronic headaches and stomaches, and her grades plummeted, her mother says. 

The family repeatedly asked school officials for help to stop the bullying, Nagel said, but the school district did nothing. The day Mallory died by suicide, her mother had gone to the school to complain — yet again — that her daughter was being relentlessly bullied. 

"For months, there were texts, there was Snapchat, there was Instagram. For months she was told she's a loser, she has no friends. And finally, she was even told, 'Why don't you kill yourself?'" said family attorney Bruce Nagel, who said a cellphone could be "a lethal weapon" in the wrong hands. 

The messages were "vile and malicious," Nagel said. Two of the last Snapchats sent to the girl were taken on school grounds, without Mallory's permission, her mother said. 

Mallory's mother, Dianne Grossman, says she believes schools have a responsibility "to look a little below the surface." 

"Dirty looks, snide comments, things like that are important for administrators to pay attention to. It's not enough to say, 'We don't have evidence.' Just because it's not in writing doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," she said. "To a child who's 12, constant dirty looks, it does change the makeup of who you are." 

Nagel said the family will sue the Rockaway Township school district for gross negligence. The family is also considering suing the parents of "three or four" children for allowing the bullying to go on for months. Mallory's mother said the night before her daughter died, she spoke to the mother of one of the alleged bullies, and the mother dismissed it "and said it was just a big joke and defended her daughter." 

It's not clear why Mallory was targeted. Her mother said because Mallory was popular, an athlete, a quiet child and a good student, "she kind of represented what they couldn't be," Dianne said. "She had a target on her back. It really was about the humiliation and the intimidation."

"It's hard to understand that while she had a great circle of friends and she was liked among her peers and active, that still doesn't quiet the noise of the girls that didn't like her and who decided to put a target on her back and constantly taunt her," said Dianne Grossman.  

Though New Jersey has some of the strongest Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) laws in the nation, the school district never filed a mandatory HIB report, Dianne Grossman alleges. 

The Rockaway Township school district had no comment, but in a self-assessment last year it gave Copeland Middle School an "A" grade of 94 percent for how it dealt with bullying at the school, including in the areas of curriculum and instruction, investigation procedures, and incident reporting.

A number of families from Morris County told News 4 that cruel comments posted online are a far bigger problem than face-to-face bullying, and that cyberbullying is even an issue with young kids in elementary school. 

"There are a lot of people putting things on Instagram, and other people make mean comments, and I just hate it," said 10-year-old Eric Gjelsvik. 

Morris County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Fred Snowflack said that the investigation into Mallory’s suicide is still under investigation.

Mallory’s former gymnastics coach remembered her as a good student and athlete who was popular among her peers.

“Wonderful child – sweet, smart, kind, quiet,” coach Paula Gehman said.

According to her obituary, Mallory loved the outdoors and would often donate her own money and handmade jewelry for sick children.

Her family announced Tuesday they've set up a nonprofit foundation in the girl's name, called Mal's Army, to educate people about bullying and to prevent it. 

A GoFundMe page set up for Mallory’s family has raised more than $75,000 in her memory. 

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.

President Donald Trump has mentioned the possibility of waging war against North Korea if they continue to aim their missiles at the U.S., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday.

"If there’s going to be a war to stop [Kim Jong Un], it will be over there. If thousands die, they’re going to die over there. They’re not going to die here. And he has told me that to my face," Graham said.

Graham said he believed Trump and "if I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it." 

On July 4, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching Alaska. The regime fired another ICBM on Friday. 

Military experts say the options for reaching a peaceful resolution with North Korea are scarce. 

"There is a military option to destroy North Korea's program and North Korea itself," Graham said. 

A local psychiatrist accused of groping and having "sexual contact" with a female patient had his license suspended by an administrative law judge who said the doctor is a danger "to public health, safety, and welfare."

Doctor Leon Fajerman was educated in Argentina and has practiced medicine in San Diego for almost 40 years but last October.

According to the state medical board, Dr. Fajerman violated one of his profession’s most important rules of conduct.

According to the suspension order, at the end of an appointment, Fajerman allegedly sexually assaulted a patient, identified by the initials "S.D." to protect her privacy. Court records show the alleged victim was a patient of Fajerman's for almost ten years.

The woman reportedly told Fajerman what he did was "not right and she needed to leave". According to the document, Fajerman told the patient to "return next week, when no one was in the office in order to have sex."

Investigators said the woman contacted law enforcement and agreed to record two phone conversations with Fajerman, on December 22, 2016, and January 6.

A transcript of those conversations, cited in the judge’s order, reveals Fajerman "...admitted that he engaged in sexual misconduct with S.D." and told her that "when you like something, you go for it." But Fajerman also allegedly told the woman "... it was not like someone attacked her, or (that) he made her engage in the conduct with him."

The administrative law judge heard the evidence July 27 and issued the interim suspension order the next day.

NBC 7 Investigates has learned these suspensions are rare.

According to statistics gathered by the Medical Board of California, only 37 of the state’s 111,000 physicians were ordered to immediately stop practice in fiscal year 2015-16. By comparison, 299 doctors were allowed to keep working, while allegations of negligence or wrongdoing against them worked their way through the legal system.

Another hearing related to the suspension order is scheduled for Aug. 14, at the state office of administrative hearings. The state court website does not show any felony criminal charges against Fajerman, but it is unclear whether or not the doctor is facing misdemeanor or other criminal charges.

Fajerman did not return two phone messages seeking a response to the allegations and license suspension.

But his attorney, Robert Frank, told NBC 7 Investigates that the judge's order was "...issued without any consideration of evidence from Dr. Fajerman, nor any opporutnity for Dr. Fajerman to present his side of the story."

The defense attorney said the legal process is "...slanted heavily in favor of the (Medical Board) and complaining patients whose stories cannot be tested for their truthfulness at these one-sided hearings. We look forward to (presenting) Dr. Fajerman's side of the story at next month's scheduled hearing, in which the judge can reconsider and rescind his order."

NBC 7 Investigates is reporting on medical professionals accused by the public and the California Medical Board of wrongdoing in order to bring information to the public and increase transparency of medical practices in the San Diego region. Currently, this information is reported by the Medical Board on its website.

Medical professionals are not required to disclose this information to their patients.

A moisture surge brought scattered showers to San Diego County early Tuesday and may bring pop-up thunderstorms through Wednesday morning.

Imperial Beach experienced a good 15 to 20-minute downpour just before sunrise. 

Other communities in the North County reported rain including Carlsbad.

“It’s going to be very warm and very humid today,” NBC 7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh said. “Dress lightly. Take a water bottle and umbrella for today.”

Kodesh said the potential for rain will likely result in a light shower but there is the chance for a thunderstorm and lightning. 

Temperatures along the coast could reach the high 70s with high 80s expected in the inland valleys.

If you have images or video of weather happening in San Diego, send it to isee@nbcsandiego.com or share it through the NBC 7 Facebook page.  

A young man from Florida who threatened violence at Escondido Charter High School just north of San Diego has been sentenced to a state-sanctioned boot camp as punishment for the crime.

The Escondido Police Department (EPD) said Tuesday that the man, now 20 years old, was sentenced in late June to complete the program for youth offenders. If he doesn’t comply, he could be sent to prison.

The man, who lives in Miami, admitted he was responsible for posting messages on social media on Jan. 16, 2014, in which he threatened violence at Escondido Charter High School – all the way on the other side of the country. The EPD said the message contained details on violent crimes that would be committed on the campus, specifically at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2014.

The EPD took the threat seriously. As a precaution, all school activities were canceled that day. Students and parents were shaken by the incident, and police were left trying to figure out who had made the threats.

The investigation eventually led detectives to the suspect in Miami, who was 17 years old at the time. On March 18, 2014, the minor confessed to the crime; his case was then transferred to the Florida State Attorney’s Office.

More than three years later, the EPD said this case serves as a reminder that all crimes – even cyber threats from far away – will be prosecuted.

EPD Chief Craig Carter said this case was a collaborative effort made possible with the work of the San Diego Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Team (CATCH), the Miami State Attorney’s Office and the FBI.

New lung cancer screenings could save thousands of lives from the leading cause of fatal cancer, according to the American Lung Association.

Lung cancer is the most common form of deadly cancer for both men and women in the United States, said a spokesperson for the organization.

The organization launched a public service announcement campaign Tuesday "Saved By The Scan" in partnership with the Ad Council. Their aim is to educate the public about the importance of screenings to prevent lung cancer.

Former and current smokers considered at high risk could detect cancer early through screenings when the disease is more curable, said organization officials.

The campaign focuses on former smokers who may not realize that they are considered high risk and eligible for lung cancer screenings.

There are about 9 million people in the U.S. at high risk for lung cancer who should consult with their doctor about getting screened, according to the organization.

Individuals at high risk include anyone age 55 to 80 who has a smoking history of 30 "pack years." That would amount to one pack a day for 30 years, two packs for 15 years or any combination of packs over time that equal 30 years.

They could still be a smoker or have quit in the last 15 years to qualify as high risk, said organization officials.

To learn more about the campaign and take a lung cancer screening eligibility quiz, click here. 

U.S. Senator Cory Booker is introducing a bill to legalize marijuana at a federal level. 

The New Jersey Democrat, and former mayor of Newark, announced in a Facebook Live video his intention to introduce the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017. The legislation seeks to remove the classification of pot as a Schedule I drug, the same category as heroin, with no recognized medical use or value.

The bill would also allow people serving time for marijuana-related offenses to be resentenced and automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes, according to NorthJersey.com.

Booker says the current federal drug laws "divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impact low-income communities and communities of color and waste billions in taxpayer dollars each year."

Booker said on Facebook the bill is an effort to "remedy many of the failures of the War on Drugs." 

"This is the right thing to do for public safety, and will help reduce our overflowing prison population," he wrote. 

The legislation comes in the face of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' stiff opposition to the drug. Sessions has said he wants to crack down on the drug even as a growing number of states legalize it.

Marijuana is legal for medical or adult use in 28 states, accounting for more than 60 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), an advocacy group that lobbies for federal marijuana reform.

Under President Barack Obama, federal authorities largely took a hands-off approach to state-level legalization efforts. But Trump's Justice Department has started rolling back some of the previous administration's policies aimed at granting more leeway to drug offenders, NorthJersey.com reports.

Animal Services employees gathered with community activists Tuesday to protest against the outsourcing of their jobs, which they say could create public safety threats.

They rallied outside of the San Diego County Administration Center to protest the Board of Supervisors and call attention to the damage that outsourcing their positions to the San Diego Humane Society would do to the community.

“The only decision that has been made regarding Animal Services is that after June of 2018, we will no longer provide service to San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Santee,” stated Michael Workman, San Diego County Communications Director.

According to Workman, the San Diego County is currently in the process of gathering community input so that a thoughtful decision can be made that is best for the animals and the taxpayers we serve.

"If this department is eliminated, it is gone forever in favor of a private nonprofit known for low pay and high turnover, which is under absolutely no obligation to comply with the state Public Records Act, open-meetings laws or even to speak to any reporter [or citizen]," said Katie Reid from Ramona. "So, goodbye accountability."

Members of the Board of Supervisors have not followed their own procedures required by the managed competition policy and the County charter, according to the group.

The group claims that Animal Services offers expertise, experience and accountability that is not possible to match using an outside agency.

Animal Services officials said they deal with a breadth of safety threats such as dog fights, rattlesnakes, quarantines, animal hoarding and abuse. Outsourcing could lower the training for officers, causing issues that would threaten public safety, according to the group.