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Hikers Find Body on North County Trail

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Law enforcement authorities were called to a popular North County trailhead Friday after hikers found the body of a woman on a trail.

San Diego police say the body was found along the San Pasqual/Clevenger Canyon Trail near the San Dieguito River Park at around 10 a.m.

According to a report released by the medical examiner's office, the 65-year-old victim is a resident of La Jolla. Her name has not yet been released.

The trail where she was found is part of an open space preserve located east of Interstate 15 near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The city of San Diego manages the park known for its challenging hiking trails.

The ME will now schedule an autopsy examination and determine the woman's official cause of death. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 News

Navy Uniforms Welcome at 2013 SD Pride Parade

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The United States Navy Region Southwest has given the green light for active-duty Navy servicemembers under its command to wear their uniforms in the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade on Jul. 13.

For the third year, servicemembers are invited to proudly don their uniforms while participating in the Military Contingent that leads the Pride Parade through the streets of Hillcrest.

This year, organizers expect more than 300 servicemembers to partake in the parade, either in uniform or wearing a branch-specific T-shirt. The parade runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. along 6th Avenue.

This inclusion of Navy uniforms follows a historic week of marriage equality victories, as same-sex marriages return to California.

Given San Diego’s standing as a military city, parade organizers believe it’s important for LGBT servicemembers to be able to march and express their pride in uniform.

“San Diego has a strong military presence and a large LGBT community, and it is important to our LGBT servicemembers that we honor their full identity and service to our country,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego LGBT Pride general manager. “We are grateful to the Navy Region Southwest command for extending their support to our event and to these courageous servicemembers.”

Per the authorization, Region Southwest members of the Navy (officer or CPO) can wear their Summer White or Service Khaki uniforms. E-1 through E-6 servicemembers can wear their Service Dress White or Service Uniform.

To register for the Military Contingent, visit this website.

Organizers will host an informational session for participating servicemembers ages 21 and older on Jul. 11 at Bourbon Street Bar & Grill on Park Boulevard at 6 p.m.

For more details about San Diego Pride – including this year’s appropriately titled theme, “Freedom to Love and Marry” – click here.



Photo Credit: San Diego LGTB Pride

Beach Cleanup Finds: 12,000 Cigarettes, Fake Moustache

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Crowds of locals and tourists alike spent Fourth of July along the San Diego coastline and left behind thousands of pounds of trash.

On Friday, several hundred volunteers spent the morning picking up after the party.

The Surfrider Foundation estimated 12,685 cigarette butts were picked up from San Diego County beaches.

That’s just part of the 2300 pounds of trash and 195 pounds of recyclables the group says it cleared from the beaches Friday.

In Ocean Beach, most of what was left after the traditional Fourth of July Marshmallow Fight was gooey.

“Just look at it. I live here. It's a disaster,” said Chuck Hardwick of Ocean Beach.

Don’t paint Hardwick a victim just yet.

“I feel guilty because I was out here but I feel I should pick up what I threw,” he admits.

City crews got up early to pick up the trash left behind in Mission Beach filling dozens of trash bags to capacity.

Locals say it could have been worse---but thanks to large cardboard trash boxes on the beach and an outlaw on drinking each year seems to get better.

“Back a couple years ago when you could drink it was bad. People just didn't care,” said Steven Bennett of Mission Beach.

Cleanups were held at Belmont Park, Crystal Pier and Ocean Beach Pier, and the beach at the south harbor jetty in Oceanside.

Along with the cigarette butts, Surfrider Foundation organizers say they collected 764 plastic bags and 1,163 pieces of Styrofoam.

Here’s the group’s breakdown:

Ocean Beach Pier
168 volunteers
2,395 cigarette butts
407 plastic bags
131 styrofoam pieces
1,802 lbs trash
32 lbs recycling
Most unusual item(s): BBQ, marshmallows and marshmallow guns

Belmont Park
190 volunteers
8,911 cigarette butts
298 plastic bags
703 styrofoam pieces
389 lbs of trash
125 lbs of recycling
Most unusual items: fake mustache, glow sticks, pipe, landline telephone base, TV (x2), golf tees

Crystal Pier
57 volunteers
109 lbs trash
Oceanside Harbor
54 volunteers
1,379 cigarette butts
59 plastic bags
329 styrofoam pieces
72 lbs trash
38 lbs recycling

SDPD Detective Determined to Make Comeback

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A San Diego Police Department detective who lost part of his leg in a motorcycle crash last month is now on the mend and extremely determined to get back to his active lifestyle.

Detective James “Chappie” Hunter says he’ll soon be fitted with a prosthetic and hopes to stand and walk on his own within the next month. In the next six weeks, his goal is to run again.

On Jun. 16, Hunter’s motorcycle collided with a sedan in the 2100 block of Alpine Boulevard while off duty. He was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital via helicopter following the crash.

The detective had to have his left leg amputated below the knee. He was also treated for a broken arm and internal injuries, and released from the hospital on Jun. 20.

Hunter – a 19-year veteran of the SDPD who works on the Human Trafficking Task Force – spoke with NBC 7 on Friday, nearly two weeks after the crash.

Hunter says he’s grateful to be alive, and is already envisioning himself walking, running and fully back to his active lifestyle, which includes a passion for CrossFit.

“My whole mindset is that I see myself already in the future, that I’m going to be walking, running and eventually right back to work very soon,” Hunter told NBC 7. “The fact that I can still hug my wife and my son, what do I have to be depressed or whiny about? Let’s just get going.”

Hunter is thankful for the support he’s received from his SDPD colleagues, family, friends and total strangers in San Diego since the accident.

“I’ve had the most amazing support from friends and family, which turned into people that I didn’t even know, that were contacting me to not only wish me well, but to say I’ve been an inspiration to them,” he said. “The overwhelming love, the overwhelming support that I have received, that drives me to get better. I can’t, I don’t even know where to begin to start appreciating those people.”

Hunter says he’ll soon be fitted for a prosthetic, which will speed up his recovery – and perhaps even make him a better athlete than before.

“The prosthetics that they make these days are amazing. There’s no reason I don’t see myself even fast or stronger than I was before,” he added.

Hunter, who spent eight years on the SDPD SWAT team, says he’s set a big goal for himself. Within the next year, he wants to participate in SWAT tryouts again, not necessarily to get back on the team, but to push himself through the physical fitness part.

“The quicker I can get walking, the quicker I can get running, the quicker that I can start working with other people that are in the same position I am,” he said.

The detective says he harbors no hard feelings toward the 17-year-old driver who clipped his motorcycle in Alpine on the day of the accident. The teen was driving with her mother at the time of the crash.

“An accident is an accident. I don’t believe in a single second that she had any intention to hurt me in any way whatsoever. I instantly forgave [her and her family],” said Hunter.

Two fundraisers will be held for Hunter over the next few days.

On Saturday, CrossFit RSD will host the “Chappie Challenge” at Skyline Church in La Mesa from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All proceeds raised at the fundraiser will go toward purchasing a prosthetic for Hunter.

On Monday, the San Diego Police Officer’s Association (SDPOA) will host “Bowling for Chappie,” a bowling fundraiser at Viejas Bowl on Willows Road from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds will go toward Hunter’s continuing recovery.

Meanwhile, the SDPOA has established a fund to help Hunter, his wife and young son. Checks should be made payable to SDPOA with “Detective Chappie Hunter” in the memo line. They can be sent to:

San Diego Police Officers Association
Widows and Orphans Fund
8388 Vickers Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Donations may also be made by contacting the SDPOA office at (858) 573-1199.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

SoFla Woman Receives Envelope With White Powder

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Miramar Police said they are investigating after a woman received an envelope containing white powder.

A Sunrise Hazmat team responded to 3051 SW 163rd Ave. in Miramar’s Silver Isles neighborhood Friday evening, authorities said.

A piece of mail delivered to the home was addressed to a doctor who lives there. His wife, who is also in the medical field, opened it and found a powdery, creamy substance inside, postal inspector Ivan Ramirez said.

Man Charged With Planting Hoax Bomb at MIA

It turned out that nothing inside was hazardous, but the woman was scared and had a bit of a panic attack, according to Ramirez.

"Mailing, even if it's a hoax device, is a crime. It is a federal crime, it does carry some stiff penalties," he said. "You don't have to actually be successful in causing any real particular damage or harm to anyone."

WATCH: Bomb Squad Detonates Suspicious Bag

The addresses on the letter were typed, he said.

More Local Stories:

 



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida

Thawing Permafrost Could Speed Global Warming

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Six to eight times a month, a Sherpa airplane with special instruments takes off from Fairbanks, Alaska, in search of data to answer the question: Is global warming causing changes to the environment that inevitably accelerate the climate change?

That is the suspicion of Charles Miller, principal investigator for a research project that is focusing on greenhouse gas emissions in the skies above the Arctic tundra, the vast treeless region that produces only grasses and low brush during the brief growing season.

"Climate change is already happening in the Arctic, faster than its ecosystems can adapt. Looking at the Arctic is like looking at the canary in the coal mine for the entire Earth system," said Miller, who is based at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, but who now spends much of the year in Alaska.

The carbon compounds implicated in global warming are often associated with combustion, and that is a significant source. But Miller said the amount of carbon compounds such as methane and carbon dioxide that are trapped in the permafrost beneath the tundra is staggering -- comparable to all of the greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution two centuries ago.

During the summer thaw, the very top of the permafrost melts -- a few inches to no more than a few feet -- releasing only a small amount of the carbon that has built up over eons from the annual die-back of vegetation. It decomposes slowly in the tundra environment and historically is recaptured during the winter freeze.

Enter global warming.

“As temperatures warm, it’s thought that these organic materials could decompose more rapidly and give rise to gases such as carbon dioxide and methane," Miller said. “The anticipated release of carbon should accelerate climate change...I think the experts all agree that that’s the case. The question that we’re grappling with is how much carbon might be vulnerable to release, and how fast might it be released."

One possible scenario is what scientists call a “positive feedback loop,” akin to what’s known in the more common vernacular as a vicious circle that feeds on itself.

“The warmer it gets the more of this carbon gets released from the thawing permafrost. And it then itself contributes to the warming. So you get this positive buildup -- more and more warming.”

Determining whether that is actually happening is the mission for CARVE -- Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment, a five-year study now in its third summer.

Ask Miller now if any trends are apparent, and he demurs, wanting to wait for more data. But he does say the airborne surveillance periodically encounter large “plumes of methane,” as much as 150 kilometers (90 miles) across.

There are nuances, as well.

It turns out not all carbon compounds are created equal when it comes to effect on the atmospheric greenhouse. Methane, for example, has a much greater impact than carbon dioxide, as much as 100 times greater over a 20-year period, according to Miller.

What’s more, the climate itself can influence the type of carbon compounds thawing permafrost is more likely to release. Warm and dry is more favorable for carbon dioxide. Warm and wetter would be expected to produce more methane, and it would not take much of a shift to have a significant impact, Miller said.

“Iif the amount of methane to carbon dioxide shifts just a little bit in favor of methane, just one or two percent, then without increasing the amount of carbon that’s released from the soil tremendously you can actually double or even triple the amount of ‘radiative forcing’ and greenhouse gas warming," Miller said. "That’s why we’re really interested in -- whether the arctic is becoming warmer and drier or warmer and wetter.”

With the data CARVE is generating, Miller hopes climate scientists would be able to produce moreaccurate mathematical models for predicting the effects of climate change.
 



Photo Credit: NASA

Mom Who Left Baby in Hot Car Charged with Neglect

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A Virginia mother who left her 8-month-old baby boy in a hot car for about 6 hours has been charged with felony child neglect, according to police.

Arlington County police arrested Zoraida Magali Conde Hernandez, 32, of Alexandria, on Saturday. She is currently being held on no bond at the Arlington County Detention Facility.

Police said Hernandez drove to work on Friday, forgetting she had left the infant boy in the car. When she left work later that day, she saw her baby in the car and immediately drove to INOVA Alexandria Hospital.

The baby was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police recommend parents of young children are extra careful during hot summer months.

"Slow down and be careful... try not to let things get too busy," Lt. Mark Bergin with the Alexandria Police Department said.

Also on Friday, a 16-month-old girl died after being left in a car for about four hours in Baltimore.

According to KidsAndCars.org, approximately 38 children die from being trapped inside hot cars every year.
 



Photo Credit: Zoraida Magali Conde Hernandez, 32, of Alexandria

Main Break Leaves Businesses Without Water

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Several businesses in the Midway District were left without water service Saturday after a main break.

The water main break was reported just before 10 a.m. near Midway Drive and Sports Arena Boulevard, officials confirmed.

City crews had to shut off the main water line while working to repair the problem. As a result, several businesses in the area will likely be without water for the next 24 hours.

Officials said a 6-inch line feeding a Home Depot store and surrounding shopping center burst underground. The cause of the main break is under investigation.

Businesses deeply impacted by the water main break include a car wash and pet store.

A fast-acting Petco pet store manager began filling buckets for drinking water and water circulation for fish tanks right before water service was shut down.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

2 Killed, 182 Injured in SFO Plane Crash

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Two people were killed and 182 were hospitalized after Asiana Airlines Flight 214 from Seoul, South Korea, crashed and burst into flames at San Francisco International Airport, forcing passengers to jump down the emergency inflatable slides to safety.

The Boeing 777 with 307 people on board crashed as it was landing on Runway 28 Left at SFO at 11:27 a.m. PDT.

Officials confirmed two people who were found outside the wreckage died in the crash. The two were female Chinese teenagers who were seated at the back of the plane, President of Asiana Airlines Young-doo Yoon said in a press conference in Seoul. Autopsies will be performed Sunday on both victims.

SFO officials said 182 people were transported to area hospitals, 49 of those with critical injuries. Initially, 60 people were considered unaccounted for, but San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee confirmed at a 7:45 p.m. press conference that every one on board the plane had been accounted for.

"This could have been much worse," Lee said. "We are very lucky that we have so many survivors, but there are many who are critically injured. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them."

Federal investigators said it was too early to determine a cause. A representative of the National Transportation Safety Board arrived on scene late Saturday and took control of the investigation.

The sources who spoke with NBC News said the pilot did not make a distress call before landing. The plane crashed in favorable weather — partly cloudy skies and light wind.

SFO officials said a total of 307 people were on board, 291 passengers and 16 crew members. Asiana Airlines reports the passengers included 77 Koreans, 141 "of Chinese descent," 61 U.S. citizens, three from India, one Japanese, one from Vietnam, and seven of unknown origin.

"It was a bit surreal," said Flight 214 passenger Benjamin Levy, "a lot of people screaming, not believing what was happening. I couldn’t believe it either."

Helicopter video of the scene showed a large plane with severe burn damage to its midsection. The tail section was detached. Runway No. 28 was strewn with debris. The line of debris stretched to the bay.

An eyewitness on the ground described what she saw: “I was sitting on the 4th floor of at my room at the Marriot, overlooks the runway, saw the plane tumbling, nose was down, tail in the air, flipped over and landed, couldn’t tell if it was upside down or right side up.”

A firewoman was onboard the plane before all the passengers were evacuated, Levy said.

At least two passengers came out of the water -- although the plane was not in the water -- when firefighters arrived on the scene. It is possible they sought out the water to deal with flames or burns.

Nine Bay Area hospitals attended to victims of the crash.

San Francisco General Hospital received 52 patients from the crash, a hospital spokeswoman said. The hospital received four waves of patients, including an initial wave of  10 critical patients, hospital spokeswoman Rachel Kagan said. Of those initial 10, two were children.

Stanford's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital treated 45 patients. Sixteen of those were admitted. Three of those were in critical condition and 10 were in serious condition as of a 7:45 p.m. update.

Flights in and out of SFO were suspended for about four hours. Two of the airport's four runways were reopened by 3:30 p.m., allowing limited service, according to SFO. Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said the airport's other two runways will not reopen until NTSB investigators give approval.

Arriving flights were being diverted to Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento and Los Angeles. Extra staff and shuttle buses were on hand at Mineta San Jose International Airport to handle the 27 planes that were rerouted there from SFO.

The flight, which originated from Shanghai, China, left Seoul's Incheon International Airport 10 hours and 23 minutes before its crash landing, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air traffic control. The website reports a total of 242 flights originating at SFO and 186 scheduled to land at SFO were canceled.

NBC Bay Area spoke with passenger Levy shortly after the crash: “We were approaching perfectly well, but we were too low, when the pilot realized it, he put some more gas to correct it, but it was too late, so we hit the runway pretty bad, and we started going up in the air again, and we landed pretty hard.” NBC Bay Area's full interview with Levy is posted below.

Federal sources told NBC News that there was no indication of terrorism. President Barack Obama has been made aware of the situation, according to White House officials.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Federal Aviation Administrator Michael P. Huerta released a joint statement in response to the crash: "The Department of Transportation and the FAA are working closely to assist the NTSB with its investigation. Our thanks go to today's first responders and our thoughts and prayers go out to the passengers and crew of Asiana Flight 214 and their families." 

National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrived on the scene in San Francisco late Saturday night, according to NTSB's Twitter feed.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by today’s incident at SFO,” Boeing said on its Twitter account. “We stand ready to assist the NTSB.”

"The 777 has a fantastic record," said Tom Haueter, who retired last year from the National Transportation Safety Board, where he was the head of aviation accident investigations.

In a statement, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "Our city is immeasurably grateful for the swift response of the flight crew who quickly evacuated passengers; for the air traffic controllers who effectively diverted traffic; for the brave first responders and the hospital staff who are ensuring the swift recovery of the injured.  Their actions are a testament to the strength, courage, and selflessness that defines the Bay Area."

"We are grateful for the courage and swift response of the first responders whose actions surely prevented an even greater tragedy," said California Governor Jerry Brown in his own statement.

Last year, SFO saw 317,000 takeoffs and landings of commercial airplanes, all without a fatality. There had not been a fatal accident at SFO in the past 75 years, until Saturday, NBC Bay Area's Stephen Stock reported.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was supposed to be on the flight, but chose United instead.

She posted the following on Facebook:

Taking a minute to be thankful and explain what happened. My family, colleagues Debbie Frost, Charlton Gholson and Kelly Hoffman and I were originally going to take the Asiana flight that just crash-landed. We switched to United so we could use miles for my family's tickets. Our flight was scheduled to come in at the same time, but we were early and landed about 20 minutes before the crash.

Our friend Dave David Eun was on the Asiana flight and he is fine.

Thank you to everyone who is reaching out - and sorry if we worried anyone.

Serious moment to give thanks.

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Cancellations, Delays at SAN Linked to SFO Crash

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Several inbound and outbound flights between San Francisco and Lindbergh Field were either delayed or canceled Saturday following a fatal plane crash at San Francisco International Airport.

According to the San Diego Airport Authority, 13 flights were delayed locally, including eight Southwest Airlines flights, three United Airlines flights and two Virgin America flights.

Four Southwest flights between Lindbergh Field and SFO were cancelled, including a flight from SFO to San Diego scheduled to arrive at 3 p.m. and another scheduled to arrive at 8:15 p.m., according to the San Diego International Airport website. A Southwest flight departing to San Francisco at 6:20 p.m. was also canceled.

On Saturday, just before 11:30 a.m., an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crashed as it was touching down at San Francisco International Airport. The airplane was coming in from Seoul, South Korea, and apparently crashed as it was landing on Runway No. 28 at SFO, NBC News reported.

Two people were killed and dozens of others were injured.

Read more about the plane crash at SFO here

Gene Sullivan, a traveler at the San Diego International Airport,  was on a flight to San Francisco when he heard the news of the SFO plane crash.

“We were on the plane ready to go, doors closed, about to back up when they made an announcement that there was an aborted take-off or landing in San Francisco,” Sullivan told NBC 7.

He said he found out more details about the crash from a woman sitting behind him.

“There was a gal with an iPhone right behind me and she told me the details of the crash, ” Sullivan recalled.

NBC 7 spoke to an Ambassador for Travelers Aid, Malvina Abbott, at San Diego International Airport.

Abbott said she was helping to make alternate arrangements for people traveling to San Francisco.

“Passengers need to be re-routed or find a place to stay tonight. Some people have elected to rent a car and drive,” she said.

Abbot also mentioned travelers did not seem to be too upset over the trouble.

“People have been very calm. A little bit frustrated but we’re glad to help them make other arrangements,” she said.

One Massachusetts man,  Steve Weinstein, said he was concerned about the passengers on the plane that crashed.

He was also trying to make arrangements to get to San Francisco by tomorrow morning for a special cycling event.

“We initially rented a car to drive to San Francisco, but now due to the help of someone at the airport, we were able to make flight arrangements to Sacramento, and we’ll hopefully rent a car there and drive to San Francisco,” said Weinstein.

He also mentioned employees at SAN were very helpful.

“The people behind the information booth here were extremely helpful, because we have no idea where these cities are or how we’d get to San Francisco," he said.

SFO officials told NBC News that no flights would be coming in or out of the airport for several hours. NBC Bay Area reported that some flights scheduled to land at SFO on Saturday were being diverted to LAX.



Photo Credit: San Diego International Airport

RAW VIDEO: Plane Crash at SFO

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Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at SFO. Raw video from our chopper of the aftermath of the crash.

'Chariot Fire' Spreads Near Julian

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Crews battled a fire that sparked near Julian on Saturday, Cal Fire officials said.

The blaze -- dubbed the "Chariot Fire" by officials -- broke out around 2 p.m. about 10 miles southeast of Julian, just east of Sunrise Highway.

By 6:30 p.m. Cal Fire reported the blaze had scorched 700 acres. It grew about 650 acres in under five hours.

Cal Fire updated the size of the fire just before 10 p.m. at 1300 acres and 10-percent contained.

No structures are threatened.

Officials say the fire reached  the Sunrise Highway and was below the Shriner Campground. Nearby campgrounds may be evacuated.

Portions of Sunrise Highway were closed between State Route 79 and mile marker 26 and on Sunrise Highway from mile marker 26 to Interstate 8 as fire crews worked to get a handle on the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Check for updates on this developing story.

 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

RAW VIDEO: Eyewitness Description of Plane Crash

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Eyewitness Brian Piper describes what he saw when an Asiana Airlines plane crash landed at SFO.

U.S. Commercial Airline Crashes 2001-2013

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The Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash while landing at San Francisco International Airport Saturday is the fifth crash involving commercial aircraft in the United States since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Here's a look at the four other commercial airline crashes since then:

February 12, 2009: Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed into a house as it approached an airport in Buffalo, New York, leaving all 50 aboard dead. Federal investigators said one of the main causes of the regional carrier's crash was pilot error.

January 15, 2009: Roughly three minutes after takeoff, US Airways Flight 1549 hit a flock of Canada geese and was left with no power in both engines. With no chance to land at any nearby airfields, Capt. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger glided the plane into the the Hudson River. All 155 passengers were unhurt.

January 8, 2003: Air Midwest Flight 5481, operating as a US Airways express flight, crashed into a US Airways hangar after leaving Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, 37 seconds after takeoff. All 21 aboard perished and one person on the ground was injured.

November 12, 2001: American Airlines Flight 587 was traveling from Queens to the Dominican Republic and crashed into the Queens neighborhood of Belle Harbor, killing all 260 on board and five people on the ground. The plane got caught in turbulent air after taking off right behind a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-aircraft on the same runway. In the first officer's attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the vertical stabilizer snapped off, causing the plane to spiral out of control.



Photo Credit: AP

Audio Transmission From Flight 214

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Audio transmission between air traffic control and pilot of Asiana Airlines Flight 214.

Animation of SFO Crash

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Animation of the plane crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 at SFO.

SF Crash Survivor Describes Normal Flight That Went Suddenly Wrong

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Nothing seemed amiss aboard Asiana Airlines Flight 214 from Seoul, South Korea, as it approached San Francisco International Airport just before noon Saturday: the plane was on time, the sky was clear, and everyone, including the crew, was getting ready to land.

Benjamin Levy, a businessman seated in the Boeing 777 jetliner's 32nd row, watched through the window. A world traveler, he'd flown into the airport many times. He knew what to expect. So, as the plan approached a runway along the San Francisco Bay, he saw right away that it was too low. It didn't look like the plane was going to make the runway.

The pilot must have seen the same thing, because the plane suddenly lurched upward with a sudden jolt of power, Levy said.

"When he realized that, he put more gas to try to correct the plane again and it was too late," Levy recalled in a phone interview with NBC Bay Area. "So we hit the runway pretty bad and then we starting going back up in the air again. And then we landed again pretty hard."

Levy added: “It felt like the guy missed the runway quite completely. He tried to correct, which probably helped. We would have hit the rocks.”

Now the plane was on the ground, but panic was just starting to set in.

"It was surreal," Levy said. "A lot of people screaming and not really believing what has happening to them. I wasn’t believing it either."

Many of the 291 passengers were hurt, but Levy wasn't in too bad of shape. He looked out the window again. A piece of a wing was gone. There was debris all over the place. He got up, helped to open an emergency exit and started ushering people through the opening.

"People were pushing each other out," Levy said. "The hostess was trying to help as well. There was a lot of commotion going on."

Firefighters were climbing aboard. Smoke was starting to appear. Soon, the plan would catch fire.

Someone told Levy to get out of there. So he did, making it into one of the first ambulances to San Francisco General Hospital. He was pretty lucky: some cuts and bruises and maybe a broken rib.

"I am (in pain), but not too bad compared to other people," Levy said.

At least two people are confirmed dead in the crash, 182 people were taken to one of nine Bay Area hospitals, including 49 with serious injuries. 

Levy said he felt terrible for the people injured worse than he was. But "it could have been a lot, lot worse," he said.



Photo Credit: Levy Family

Brother Remembers Late UCSD Professor

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A UCSD professor found dead on a North County hiking trail is being remembered by loved ones as an accomplished educator and an active, outstanding woman.

On Friday around 10 a.m., hikers found the body of La Jolla resident Ellen Comisso, 65, along the San Pasqual/Clevenger Canyon Trail near the San Dieguito River Park. Officials soon confirmed her death.

Comisso was a longtime professor for UCSD’s department of political science, her family told NBC 7 on Saturday. She had been teaching at the university for the past 30 years.

She was a Yale graduate and an expert on eastern European economies, and had written a number of books on the subject.

At 65 years old, she was also an avid hiker and loved to walk the trail in San Pasqual, her brother Sid Turkish told NBC 7.

“She’s always been an outstanding student; an outstanding person. She’s just exemplary in everything she ever touched,” said Turkish. “She was committed to all the good things in society.”

Comisso was the youngest of four siblings and is survived by her husband and one daughter.

Turkish said he never imagined having to bury his sister, who is 11 years younger than him.

“Other than my wife and daughter, Ellen was part of that little universe that I have total respect and love for. She’s irreplaceable,” he said.

Turkish said his sister was married for more than 30 years to Yugoslavia-born diplomat Mladan Soic. The two shared active lives together, hiking all over Europe and the U.S.

“They had both been in love with hiking ever since they met,” recalled Turkish.

As of Saturday afternoon, the medical examiner’s office had not yet released Comisso’s cause of death. The investigation is ongoing.

UCSD is not commenting on Comisso's death at this time.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Mayor Bob Filner Takes on Jack in the Box

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There’s a burger battle brewing with Mayor Bob Filner taking on Jack in the Box on behalf of the North Park community.

The mayor says the remodeling of a Jack in the Box restaurant at the corner of Upas Street and 30th Street could be potentially illegal because the developer has violated the conditions of their permit by destroying nearly all of the existing restaurant.

Filner believes the North Park community was “misled” by the remodeling project which, in his words, “is essentially an entirely new restaurant in North Park.”

Some say the project is an eyesore. Filner is championing opponents’ cause, but his goal is change beyond the borders of the Uptown neighborhood.

The mayor wants to use this case to change development codes that allow a company like Jack in the Box – or a private homeowner for that matter – to obtain a remodel permit and effectively create a whole new structure.

“We should respect that community plan and the ordinances should reflect what we want to do,” Filner said in a written statement Friday.

While Jack in the Box has been a fixture in North Park since 1961, some say the fast food spot has simply worn out its welcome.

“It doesn't fit in with the neighborhood,” resident Kristi Benedetto said. “I see a lot of cars that pile up into the drive thru. I have to move my stroller around to sometimes maneuver around these cars.”

The current community plan prohibits drive-thru service in a new business, so some residents are wondering why it’s permitted in a “like-new” remodel.

Initially, this Jack in the Box location was denied a permit for a new building.

“They essentially built a new restaurant under the guise of a remodel,” Filner said in a statement Friday.

The mayor says the burger giant was deceiving when it made this promise.

In a letter to the planning committee, Jack in the Box construction manager Mike Hogenboom said workers would not be demolishing any of the exterior walls.

NBC 7 reached out to the construction company about the alleged deviation from the plan.

Over the phone, spokesman Brian Luscomb told NBC 7:

"Probably a poor choice of words. It was not our intent to mislead anyone. We are remodeling the restaurant in accordance with the city permit."

And, while the Jack in the Box in North Park may get its new building, Filner is determined that the next big remodel be city building codes.

The mayor has asked the City Attorney to review the permit for the restaurant and approve the issuance of a “Stop Work Order” to halt any further construction at the site.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Comic-Con 2013 Programming Schedule Released

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More of the highly-anticipated programming schedule for Comic-Con 2013 has been released.

You can find the entire schedule here but we scanned the list of things to do for this quick look at what's coming when the convention opens July 17 in San Diego.

Special Section: Comic-Con 2013

Must sees in Hall H will include a final farewell panel for “Dexter” with Michael C. Hall and cast, Hollywood’s Harrison Ford from “Enders Game”, the upcoming science fiction film “The Zero Theorem” starring Matt Damon and Comic-Con’s fun “Trailer Park” tradition.

There’s also the collection of acclaimed (not to mention handsome) young actors "Doctor Who" Matt Smith, Kit Harington of "Game of Thrones", "The Walking Dead" Steven Yeun, "Teen Wolf" Tyler Posey and David Giuntoli of "Grimm" all in one panel.

Sneak peeks you’ll want to get in on include the highly-anticipated new NBC drama series “The Blacklist”, the new CBS Thriller “Intelligence” and the futuristic epic romance tale “Star-Crossed.”

Fans will get a paranormal experience with actor Jack Black as he talks about his quirky web series "Ghost Ghirls."

Elijah Wood along with co-stars and producers will bring a screening and Q&A on the comedy “Wilfred.”

Anniversaries to be celebrated Thursday include a look back at 35 years of “Battlestar Galactica” and 20 years of “The X-Files“ as well as the ten years of existence for the underground video game show Mega64.

Enter to Win Comic-Con Badges from NBC7

"Psych" fans can breathe a sigh of relief. They’ll get to see their favorite stars from the psychic detective series everyone loves.

The crew from Comedy Central’s “Workaholics” are promising a few special surprises that are guaranteed to be "Tight Butthole."

PBS Masterpiece Classic comes to Comic-Con with a panel on its upcoming series “Sherlock.”

A look at the sophomore seasons for NBC”s “Hannibal” with star Hugh Dancy ,CW network’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “Mortal Kombat” are also planned.

The Comedy Legends of TV Land panel gets you up close and personal with the most hilarious and adored sitcom stars in TV history.

Entertainment Weekly will present Marc Webb, Alfonso Cuarón and Edgar Wright in the fan-favorite panel “The Visionaries.”

There’s also the ever-popular “Women of Steampunk” panel planned for Thursday.

Friday’s schedule revealed a fun "The Big Bang Theory" writer's room discussion, in addition to fan-favorite Veronica Mars panel.

Two of this summer’s highly anticipated films Kick Ass 2 and Riddick are also joining forces with Vin Diesel answering fan questions.

Popular television show "The Walking Dead" will bring the cast to Hall H on Friday to talk about upcoming season 4.

Filmmaker Joss Whedon is also planning to attend to talk about Marvel’s "Agents of S.H.I.EL.D." and other new projects in the works.

"Game of Thrones" fans won’t be disappointed when cast members from the popular fantasy show discuss the bloody ending to this past season.

Also attendees can discuss other issues affecting the industry like fighting public library bans on comics, digitally inking content and making comics available digitally to schools. 

Saturday’s programming schedule includes panels with the producers and stars from A&E’s “The Bates Motel” series and the hit animated series “Futurama,” including actress Katey Sagal.

Also, for the first time ever, the cast and producers of the comedy series “How I Met Your Mother” will make their Comic-Con debut to discuss their show’s final season. Stars Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan will be there.

A panel will also be held for “The Simpsons,” which is celebrating its 25th year on the air, as well as a panel for “Family Guy” featuring actors Seth Green and Alex Borstein.

Fans of NBC’s “Grimm” can enjoy a Q&A session with the cast and crew, including David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz, Bree Turner and Claire Coffee.

Entertainment Weekly’s Women Who Kick Ass panel will boast fearless females like “Fast and Furious” actress Michelle Rodriguez and “The Walking Dead” actress Danai Gurira.

Vampire-lovers can get their fang fix with the “True Blood” panel and Q&A session in Ballroom 20 and a “Vampire Diaries” panel featuring series stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Candice Accola and Kat Graham.

NBC’s “Revolution” will host a special video presentation and Q&A session.

SyFy’s hit series “Warehouse 13” will give fans the latest scoop on the series at a panel featuring series stars and producers.

Comic book fans and writers can also attend a Saturday workshop titled “Comic-Con How-To: Writing Your Superhero Novel.”



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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