Start saving your spare change.

Gas taxes in California are going to climb nearly 4 cents per gallon next week when a fuel tax hike meant to make up for lost revenue goes into effect.

Come Monday, an extra 3.5 cents will be tacked onto every gallon of gas bought in the Golden State.

A gallon of regular gasoline is California is among the most costly in the country at $4.026 Friday afternoon, according to AAA's daily fuel gauge report. That’s 51 cents more than the national average of $3.514 per gallon of regular gasoline.

The average driver in California burned 600 gallons of fuel in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, according to data from the California Energy Commission.

By those numbers, the average driver will pay an extra $21 next year under the raised excise tax.

The tax hike – meant to keep California’s sales tax rate at a constant 7.5 percent – will bring the state gasoline excise tax to 39.5 cents per gallon, said Venus Stromberg, spokeswoman for the California Board of Equalization.

Nationwide, the average state excise gas tax is about 21 cents, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute.

Stromberg said that while gas prices are going up, there’s a silver lining. The overall state sales tax remains the same. And tariffs on other purchases – like clothes and computers – have dipped.

Dubbed the Fuel Tax Swap, the requirement to keep the sales tax at a constant rate by adjusting fuel and diesel excise taxes went into law under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010, Stromberg said.

It allows for a combination of lowering the sales and use tax rate while simultaneously raising the state excise fuel tax, so that the total amount of revenue is equal to what would have been generated had the taxes remained unchanged.

Money generated from the fuel excise tax goes toward mass transit projects and public roads in the state, Stromberg said.

Same-sex marriages resumed in California on Friday just after an appeals court issued an unexpected order clearing the way for such unions — and the two couples whose Supreme Court challenge helped torpedo Proposition 8 were two of the first to wed.

Paul Katami and Jeff Zarillo, two of the lead plaintiffs who had challenged California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, were married in outgoing Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's press office at L.A. City Hall, with Villaraigosa officiating.

A few hours earlier, just before 5 p.m. Friday, Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier were married at San Francisco City Hall by California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

The jubilant public ceremony, shown below at right, marked the resumption of same-sex unions in the country's most populous state after a 4-1/2 year break. California is now the 13th state, along with the District of Columbia, to allow same-sex marriages.

"Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier, I now declare you spouses for life!! #Prop8 #MarriageEquality," tweeted Harris just minutes after the ceremony.

Less than two hours earlier, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had issued a brief order lifting a stay ordered in 2012 that had allowed time for an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2010, a federal trial court judge found California's Proposition 8 unconstitutional, a finding that was upheld by the 9th Circuit.

The appellate court order came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to rule on the Prop 8 a case, effectively paving the way for same-sex unions in California.

Full Coverage: Prop 8 Page | Read: Supreme Court's Prop 8 Opinion | Prop 8 Timeline

Same-sex marriage opponents who had argued in court on behalf of Proposition 8 -- the 2008 ballot measure that state officials refused to defend -- said the appellate court's order Friday was an "outrageous act" that denied the group its rights.

But the state's top elected officials celebrated the shift, which came just as San Francisco was beginning its massive annual gay pride celebration.

"LOVE WILL RULE THE WEEKEND. CONGRATS TO ALL THOSE PLANNING TO GET MARRIED," tweeted Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who as San Francisco's mayor in 2004 had ordered the issuance of the state's first same-sex marriage licenses.

"Same-sex marriage is now the law in California!," Gov. Jerry Brown tweeted after the federal appellate court order came down Friday afternoon.

The Prop 8 plaintiffs' wedding ceremonies marked the end of an historic week for the gay rights movement, which also saw the Supreme Court strike down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, a law that allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages permitted in other states.

In its 5-4 ruling on Proposition 8, the Supreme Court on Wednesday had decided the ballot measure's backers lacked standing under federal law to appeal the case, effectively leaving in place the 9th Circuit's 2012 finding that the law was unconstitutional. State officials had refused to defend the ballot measure in court, leaving a group including ProtectMarriage.com to argue on behalf of the measure.

The Supreme Court decision meant same-sex marriage could soon resume in California pending a legal process that many expected would mean a wait for the lifting of the stay on the 9th Circuit Court's order overturning Prop 8. It seemed it could takes weeks for same-sex marriages to resume.

Under Supreme Court rules, rulings are usually final after 25 days, and the court said earlier this week that it would not finalize its ruling in the Proposition 8 dispute until after that time had elapsed.

It was not immediately clear whether the appeals court's action would be halted by the high court.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had said after Wednesday's ruling that it would take at least the 25 days for the Supreme Court's ruling to become official. The San Francisco-based appellate court had also said it might continue to bar same-sex marriages beyond that time if proponents of Proposition 8 ask for a rehearing.

But Attorney General Harris had on Wednesday called for the stay to be lifted as soon as possible, after Gov. Brown said he wanted counties to prepare for same-sex marriages to resume once the 9th Circuit confirmed the stay was lifted.

And on Friday, the federal appellate court did so.

“The stay in the above matter is dissolved effective immediately,” said the one-sentence order, issued just after 3 p.m. Friday.

County clerks in several of the state's 58 counties had on Wednesday put out statements that they would begin issuing marriage licenses once the stay was lifted.

With that done on Friday, same-sex marriage supporters in California celebrated.

"On my way to S.F. City Hall. Let the wedding bells ring! #Prop8," Harris tweeted Friday afternoon.

“I am thrilled that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted its stay to allow same-sex couples to legally marry in California,” Harris said in a statement issued just before 4 p.m. “Gay and lesbian couples have waited so long for this day and for their fundamental right to marry. Finally, their loving relationships are as legitimate and legal as any other.”

Anthony Pugno, the general counsel for ProtectMarriage.com, said in a statement that the court order deprived the group of its “right to ask for reconsideration.”

"This outrageous act tops off a chronic pattern of lawlessness, throughout this case, by judges and politicians hell-bent on thwarting the vote of the people to redefine marriage by any means, even outright corruption,” Pugno wrote. "The resumption of same-sex marriage this day has been obtained by illegitimate means."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

A North Philadelphia man is in critical condition after investigators say he tried to attack police officers while naked and was shot in the process.

Officials say a 39th District Police Officer was patrolling the area of 22nd and Allegheny Avenue around 5:10 a.m. when he spotted a naked man acting in a very "unstable and violent manner."

Police say the man, identified as Markim Summers, threw a large metal newspaper box as well as large rocks at cars that were passing by. Summers was also lying on the ground in the middle of the street in front of a SEPTA bus, according to investigators.

The officer requested backup and then began to follow the suspect as he walked down 22nd Street and onto Westmoreland Street. Summers was then met by two other responding officers, according to investigators.

Summer then allegedly slammed his hands on the driver's side door of one of the police vehicles. He then allegedly turned toward another police vehicle and punched the windshield, causing it to shatter and explode. Officials say the officer inside drew his weapon while in the driver's seat and fired through the windshield. The suspect was struck once in the right chest and once in the right elbow.

Police say the Summers walked down to Westmoreland and Woodstock streets before collapsing to the ground. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he is in critical, but stable condition. No officers were hurt during the incident.

In an exclusive interview with NBC10’s Na’eem Douglas, Summers’s father, Gregory Lassiter, says that his son was high on drugs but did not deserve to be shot twice by police.

“My son ain’t no saint but he ain’t no devil either, Lassiter told NBC10. “You don't go around shooting people like that.  You expect that from the people off the streets when they get mad at each other, the first thing they do is pull out guns you don't expect that from no police officers.”

“He didn’t have nothing on. He had on his boxers…high. There are different ways to handle this situation than with a gun.  I'm quite sure they knew that,” Lassiter said.

The officer who shot Summers will be placed on administrative duty as internal affairs investigate the incident. The District Attorney's Office will also review the case.

Another shooting took place in North Philadelphia shortly after 3 a.m. Police say a 16-year-old boy was walking home on the 1500 block of Judson Way after buying food at a Chinese restaurant. Suddenly, investigators say, someone opened fire and the teen was struck in the upper left thigh.

The teen was taken to the hospital where he is in stable condition. Investigators are unsure at this point whether the teen was the intended target or an innocent bystander. No arrests have been made.
 

As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War buffs gathered in Pennsylvania to prepare for a massive re-enactment.

Organizers are expecting 80,000 people in the Gettysburg area every day through July 7. Many of them are already checking in online, but they're not only doing it on social media -- they're also checking in at motels. There's not a single vacancy for miles, reports News4's Richard Jordan.

"It takes a little time to get them all here, but it's a lot of fun once it happens," said re-enactor Chuck Stephens.

"We're got people here from California, Oregon, Germany," said volunteer Bill Scott.

Thousands are eager to bear witness to mark the anniversary of the bloodiest battle in American history. Combined, the Union and the Confederacy suffered 51,000 casualties. Fought July 1-3, 1863, the battle is considered a turning point in the Civil War, forcing Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's troops out of the north.

Over the next several days, re-enactors on horseback will portray the reality of a war far back in time. The clothing is heavy and hot -- these men and women are wearing wool from head to toe.

"Wool in July. They call it the Jenny Craig weight-loss program of 1863," quipped re-enactor Rex Orton.

"I'm just in awe, when I saw the cavalry go by," said visitor Pamela Yates. "Where we're from, we have a lot of cavalry at the Moore Park event, which is the largest in California, but it's nothing compared to this."

Those taking part in the re-enactment have prepared for weeks to create an authentic representation that brings Gettysburg's past to the present for all to see. The battle isn't all -- re-enactors also represent scenes of camp life, drill demonstrations, period music and more.

"We just love history, and the camaraderie," Orton said, while donning a Union uniform. "You know, we're friends with all the Confederate people, and it's just like a big family."

Indianapolis Colts safety Joe Lefeged was arrested overnight in Northeast D.C. after officers found an unregistered semi-automatic pistol in the car in which he was riding, police said.

Lefeged was ordered held without bond during a brief court hearing Saturday afternoon. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Lefeged, 25, was a passenger inside a Chevrolet Camaro that police attempted to pull over at around 12:05 a.m. Saturday in the 4600 block of Central Avenue NE. Police said they stopped the car for speeding and because another passenger -- 23-year-old Aaron Timothy Wilson of Potomac, Md. -- was standing upright in the backseat of the convertible.

After police told the driver to put the car in park, the driver sped off, nearly striking the officers, the court records show. Police were able to pull over the vehicle again less than half a mile away, in the 4200 block of Blaine Street NE, where Lefeged and Wilson ran from the car in different directions.

Wilson got away, but Lefeged was arrested as he tried to flee, authorities said.

Officers smelled marijuana in the car, and found a container of vodka and orange juice in the center console and a semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger seat "in plain view sticking out from underneath the front passenger seat," they said.

Lefeged is facing multiple charges: carrying a firearm without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition, presence of a firearm inside a vehicle, and possession of an open container of alcohol.

A receipt shows Lefeged bought the gun this year for about $900, police said.

"We are aware of the reports regarding Joe Lefeged in Washington, D.C.," the Indianapolis Colts said in a brief statement late Saturday afternoon. "At this time, we will have no further comment on the pending matter until we gain more information."

Lefeged is originally from Gaithersburg, Md., and was a star high school football player at Northwest High School in Germantown. He played college football at Rutgers and was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

He started four games last season and recorded two tackles and a forced fumble in a playoffs loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

A lawyer listed as representing Lefeged did not return a call seeking comment Saturday afternoon.

The arrest comes as the NFL grapples with gun violence. Tight end Aaron Hernandez was charged this week with orchestrating the execution-style slaying of a semi-pro football player and was quickly released by the New England Patriots.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for more information.

MORE FROM NBCWASHINGTON.COM:

• College Student From Md. Killed in Egypt
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• Police Seek Suspects in Shooting of Transgendered Woman
• National Mall Gets Ready for Fourth of July
• Crash Kills Mother, Injures Children in Maryland
• Stricter Texting-While-Driving Law Goes Into Effect in Virginia Monday
• Seven-Year Sentence for Hate Crime Stabbing of 16-Year-Old

An Ohio college student from Chevy Chase, Md., was killed during skirmishes Friday in Alexandria, Egypt.

Andrew Driscoll Pochter, 21, was fatally stabbed while watching a protest as a bystander, his family said in a statement Saturday.

Gen. Amin Ezzeddin, a senior security official in Alexandria, told Reuters that Pochter had been taking photos with a phone camera near an office of President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood as it was being ransacked by protesters.

Pochter died at a military hospital.

"He had studied in the region, loved the culture, and planned to live and work there in the pursuit of peace and understanding," his family's statement read in part. "Andrew was a wonderful young man looking for new experiences in the world and finding ways to share his talents while he learned."

He had been in Egypt to teach English to 7- and 8-year-olds and to improve his Arabic, his family said. He was an intern at AMIDEAST, a U.S nonprofit focused on education, job training and development in the Middle East and North Africa, Kenyon College said in a statement.

Mark Ellis, news director at Kenyon, told NBC News that the college is working with Pochter's family and friends to plan a memorial service to be held this fall.

Pochter was a rising junior at Kenyon, a liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio. His AMIDEAST internship was not affiliated with the school, Kenyon said.

Two years ago, he wrote about his experience living with a host family in Morocco in an article published on the Al Arabiya news web site, discussing the effect of the Arab Spring on the family and in the community as a whole.

"Neighbors are re-connecting with old neighbors by marching together; strangers are finding common ground; and average citizens are realizing their true potentials in the real world," Pochter wrote. "...By their participation in community protests, members of my host family and friends are trying to reinvent themselves as members of their society and changing how the rest of the world perceives them."

Pochter was also a student leader of Hillel, a Jewish campus organization group with chapters across the country, according to a November 2012 article in The Kenyon Collegian.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Rockets Fired from Egypt's Sinai Hit Southern Israel
• 2012: A Year of Turmoil and Progress
• Egypt Protesters Defy Curfew, Death Toll at 60

A child fell 15 feet down from the cliffs near the Children’s Pool in La Jolla Saturday, officials confirmed.

The incident happened around 11:45 a.m. near the 1200 block of Coast Boulevard.

According to fire officials, an 11-year-old child somehow lost footing and fell from a cliff.

The child was transported to Rady Children's Hospital with unspecified, non-life threatening injuries.

Further details regarding the incident were not immediately released. Check back for updates.

A taco shop in La Jolla was robbed at gunpoint overnight, the San Diego Police Department confirmed.

Just before 1:30 a.m., police say two armed suspects dressed in dark clothing entered the back door of the Rigoberto’s Taco Shop located at 7345 La Jolla Boulevard.

Police say the suspects pointed guns at the heads of employees, and then fled with an unknown amount of cash. No one was injured.

The robbery is under investigation.

Just two weeks ago, another Rigoberto’s Taco Shop was robbed at gunpoint on the very same street, also by two armed suspects.

It is unknown if the two incidents are related. No suspects have been arrested in either robbery.

Two people were killed in a glider plane crash in San Diego's Jacumba area Saturday, FAA officials confirmed.

The deadly crash happened just before 12:30 p.m. near the Jacumba Airport (pictured below) in the 45000 block of Old Highway 80, about 75 miles from San Diego.

An Allstar PZL glider was involved in the crash.

The two occupants aboard the aircraft were killed, officials said. The names of the victims have not yet been released.

Law enforcement officers surrounding the plane following the crash and blocked off the site.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will now take the lead on the investigation into the fatal accident.

Further details about the cause of the crash were not immediately available.

According to the FAA, the glider is registered to the Associated Glider Clubs of Southern California (AGCSC).

The AGCSC website says the group was set to fly in Jacumba all weekend long. A photo of the exact glider that went down in Saturday's crash can be seen here.

According to the AGCSC website, the glider that crashed is a relatively new aircraft called a “Perkoz” that was put into production in 2011. The aircraft seats two people and has a wingspan of 65.5-feet, with a maximum airspeed of 149 mph.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

A fire brush fire scorched one acre in Escondido Saturday, officials confirmed.

The blaze began just one block away from a fire station around 2 p.m., burning brush in an open yard close to a residential area in the 1000 block of Ball Avenue.

The fire burned between five homes, but none of the home were damaged. A few fences and backyard sheds sustained some burn damages.

Despite hot and breezy conditions, firefighters were able to quickly get a handle on the fire and prevent it from spreading to surrounding houses.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

An excessive heat warning is in place for parts of San Diego County, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

In the mountains, the excessive heat warning will remain in effect until at least 8 p.m. Monday.

The NWS says maximum temperatures in the mountains and through the deserts for Saturday and Sunday are expected to be between 100 and 105 degrees.

In Borrego Springs, the heat is expected to break the all-time high record of 122 degrees, according to NBC 7's Dagmar Midcap.

The NWS is warning people to avoid being outside, as exceedingly high temperatures can cause heat-related illnesses or even death. Children, the elderly, and those with health conditions are most vulnerable.

It's important to also stay hydrated throughout the heat wave.

Here are some tips from the NWS to beat the heat:

• Schedule outdoor activities for the early morning or evening
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke
• Wear light weight clothes
• Drink plenty of water

The county has also designated local Cool Zones, which are now open so people can chill out during the hottest parts of the day. Local libraries, recreation centers and senior centers across the county are some examples of Cool Zones.

Although the hot weather will stick around for the next few days, by the middle of next week, temperatures are expected to cool down, according to the NWS.

For more weather updates, click here to take a look at the local forecast.

Of all the places in the U.S. to ring in the 4th of July, San Diego has been just been ranked one of the top celebration destinations.

According to a survey by CardHub, San Diego is ranked No. 7 among the best cities in the U.S. to celebrate Independence Day.

The ranking was based on a number of factors, including weather forecast, hotel prices, traffic congestion and the number of bars, restaurants and entertainment options in the area.

With zero chance of rain and hotel prices averaging at $93, San Diego came in at lucky No. 7 on the list.

The survey found that sunny San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco boast the best 4th of July weather forecasts, while Houston, Tampa and Baltimore have the worst, based on expected high temperatures and chance of rain.

Click here for your latest local weather updates.

Other cities that made the cut include Los Angeles at No. 1, followed by Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis, Boston, Detroit, Portland and Seattle.

To see the full list of top spots to visit on the 4th of July holiday, visit this website.

For a list of where to watch 4th of July fireworks in San Diego, click here.
 

Proud homeowner Tony Beecher welcomed dozens of people to his energy-efficient home in Scripps Ranch on Saturday morning.

The open house was sponsored by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), an independent, nonprofit organization that accelerates the adoption of clean and efficient energy solutions via consumer education, market facilitation and policy innovation.

Beecher recently went “green” and decided to upgrade his home. He had air-sealing done in all of the walls and ceilings, and insulation work in the roof.

The home improvements were installed through the statewide in Energy Upgrade California Home Upgrade initiative.

Beecher said one of his favorite perks is the installation of his new remote control high-efficiency pool equipment.

Although Beecher said he paid around $37,000 for all the energy-efficient upgrades in his house, he recommends people just “do the math” to figure out how much money they can save by going green.

“There are lots of rebates you can get back. I think we got $1,500 for the Chevy Volt. On the solar power we got a federal rebate of $11,000 in federal tax credits, which was really awesome,” he recalled.

He also mentioned his electricity bill has gone down significantly since he made the change.

“Before I was running $230 to $250 a month, and now I’m running $5 a month after putting the solar in,” he explained.

He said he has only turned on the air conditioner once since going green a year ago.

“With the solar I can use the air conditioning whenever I want because it does not cost me anything. I'm currently producing more electricity than I'm using," he explained.

“Now the house is sitting at a constant temperature. It doesn’t raise or lower like it did before. Our house just stays the same because it’s all sealed up,” said Beecher.

Beecher confirmed the upgrades will pay for themselves in about seven years.

On Saturday, visitors at the open house not only got the chance to meet with Beecher, they were also able to talk to people from the CCSE about energy efficiency and the advantages of making home energy improvements.

The CCSE Program Assistant, Michael Arvizu, said there’s a lot more to keeping a home cool than an air conditioning system.

“A lot of people are thinking that the air conditioner is running. It’s really air sealing and insulation that is the foundation of this program,” Arvizu explained.

Arvizu also talked to visitors about the cost of “going green.”

“I can say that our average project cost for an energy upgrade in California is between $9,000 and $12,000, with a $2,500 to $3,000 rebate,” he said.

For more details about green home upgrades, visit this website.

It has been 16 years since the last time BART workers walked off the job, but with each passing hour the threat of a strike seems more and more likely come Monday.

The unions contract expires Sunday at midnight with a threatened strike to start the workweek commute. 

Saturday's negotiation session ended before 5 p.m. with the union saying that management was "a no show."  A union spokesperson told gathered reporters in Oakland that a strike was likely. 

Union officials said they would move forward with plans for a BART strike on Monday after walking out of the contract talks today.

"BART management is engaging in what is called "surface-bargaining," said Jose Mooney, spokesperson for Service Employees International Union 1021. "They're trying to appear in public like they are working to keep the trains running, but they're doing nothing to respond to good-faith offers by BART workers aimed at avoiding a strike."

BART officials said they had told the union they would have a proposal ready by 5 p.m., but when they submitted it to the mediator at 3:45 p.m., they were told the negotiators had already walked out.

BART spokesman Rick Rice said management delivered a new economic proposal to the mediator Saturday afternoon, and received a response from the union to a proposal made Thursday. He said the latest BART proposal increased the salary offer and reduced the amount employees would contribute to pensions and health care.

"We're disappointed," Rice said of the union's decision to break off talks.

Friday's negotiation sessions did not go well either. The session started late and ended at 10 p.m. with no reported progress. 

Talks are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. each day. It was not clear if any talks would take place Sunday. 

  Antonette Bryant with ATU Local 1555 said Saturday morning that negotiators had their suitcases packed and were prepared to stay at the bargaining table until a contract is negotiated and a potential strike was averted, but he session didn't last even six hours. 

On Friday, negotiations were supposed to begin at 11 a.m. but were delayed for hours.

They were pushed off until after the BART Board of Directors’ meeting, set to end around 6:30 p.m. Both sides blamed the other for the stall.

BART’s two employee unions, SEIU Local 1021 and ATU Local 1555, are asking for a higher salary increase: a five percent increase for the next three years, plus a cost-of-living adjustment. BART is offering a one percent increase for the next four years. The biggest concession from either side has been BART’s decision to remove conditions off of the increase and make it a guaranteed raise.

Talks began April 1 and quickly soured.

“They refused to allow us to come to the table to work together, get resolution early so we would not put the public through this,” said John Arantes, president of SEIU Local 1021. “Instead they pushed us off till May 13.”

MORE: Oakland Unions Threaten General Strike

“We have been waiting since 11 a.m. We have not met with the district and we are still waiting,” said Antonette Brown, president of ATU Local 1555.

But BART said the unions did not give a response to the agency’s latest proposal Thursday night, and as of 6 p.m. Friday, still had not heard back. Rick Rice, a BART spokesman, said the agency finished responding to every part of the unions’ requests, agreeing to half a dozen of them and changing others in hopes of moving the talks forward. Rice would not get into specifics.

“They’re currently paying nothing for their pensions we feel they should pay a small part of that,” said Rice. “We’ve got debt interest to pay, millions of dollars committed to new train cars already ordered. The benefits part of the package for all BART workers is $50,000 - it’s one of the fastest rising costs in the system. It’s something we can no longer ask taxpayers and riders to pay for.”

But union leaders are calling BART’s offer an “insult.” Brown said union members gave back more than 100 million dollars in concessions in 2009 and deserve to get paid back. Union members also don’t believe BART’s statement that the agency has no surplus.

“In ‘09 they said they had a deficit. It ended up being 300 million dollars in the plus,” said Leo Ruiz, a member of ATU Local 1555. “Now, they’re telling us there’s no surplus. There’s 125 million dollars a year for next ten years. Who do you trust? They lied to us in ’09. They’re lying to us now.”

If talks don’t smooth out and a settlement cannot be reached by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, when the unions’ contracts expire, the strike is on.

And that isn’t just stranding the estimated 400,000 people who ride BART every day. AC Transit workers may also go on strike Monday morning. It has an average of 175,000 riders every day. Other transit agencies are set to try and help, including Caltrain and SamTrans, but it won’t be nearly enough to prevent what could be gridlock on the roads.

If there’s a strike, BART is set to offer a courtesy shuttle during peak commute hours, but that will only serve an estimated 2,000-4,000 people each direction each day. Riders are encouraged to plan ahead: telecommute and carpool. If people choose the latter, they can park in any of BART’s 33 station parking lots for free.

A 36-year-old woman says she was drugged and then raped in a Manhattan hotel Thursday night, according to police.

The woman says she was drinking at the bar of the Dream Hotel on West 19th Street in Chelsea when a man started flirting with her. Police say that after she refused the suspect's advances he drugged her and then followed her to the room she was staying in, where he raped her.
 
Officials are reviewing surveillance video from the night of the attack.

Two teenagers died and another was seriously injured in a car crash early Saturday morning on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, according to officials.

Police say a driver who was later arrested lost control and hit a guard rail near exit 17, throwing three people out of the vehicle.

Two were pronounced dead at the scene, officials say, and a third was taken to New York Medical Hospital of Queens in serious condition.

Authorities say everyone in the car was between 17 and 21 years old.

The driver, 20-year-old Madosh Hansraj, was charged with multiple felonies, including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving while impaired.

Information on a lawyer for Hansraj, who sustained minor injuries, was not immediately available.  

Authorities say 17-year-old Meera Dukharan and 18-year-old Anil Persaud, both of Queens, died in the crash.  

A man wanted on a felony warrant led officers on a bizarre pursuit through National City Friday night that ended with the suspect in handcuffs, covered in laundry detergent.

San Diego Police Department Lt. Paul Rorrison said it all began around 10:15 p.m. after officers responding to a shooting in Paradise Hills spotted a suspicious vehicle fleeing the area at a high-rate of speed, near State Route 54 and Woodman Street.

When police ran the car’s plates they found the vehicle was stolen, and a pursuit ensued through Paradise Hills and National City.

A short time later – near East 8th Street and South Euclid Avenue – the driver stopped the car, got out and fled on foot. He began running through residents' backyards in order to evade police.

Lt. Rorrison said police set up a perimeter around the area and about an hour later, officers captured the suspect – a 30-year-old man who, coincidentally, was wanted on a $100,000 felony warrant.

The suspect was found hiding underneath a tarp in the backyard of a home.

Lt. Rorrison said the man had doused himself in laundry detergent, likely in an effort to cover his scent as police dogs searched the area, but his strange tactic didn’t work.

He was taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including vehicle theft and felony evading. Lt. Rorrison said the man is also a suspect in a string of burglaries in San Diego County.

His name has not been released.