For all the attention that violence-related mental illness has gotten in the past two weeks, efforts to raise money to address those issues are going begging here in San Diego.
           
Experts in the field say the holiday season can be a "mental health cliff" for all too many people.
           
On Friday, local mental health activists issued a plea for financial support, to help assist those who have urgent needs for counseling, treatment and stability.

"One in four Americans suffer from some form of mental illness,” said Daphyne Watson, executive director of Mental Health America of San Diego County.  “And even here in San Diego, we have enough individuals to fill Qualcomm  Stadium ten times over.  That means 750-thousand people are affected with mental illness.

However, the mental health community here is having trouble selling tickets to its annual New Year's Eve celebration at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel & Marina.

They're hoping, in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. school massacre, that renewed concerns over mental illness will help drive sales and attendance.
           
The proceeds benefit a coalition of more than four dozen nonprofit organizations that provide intervention and treatment services under contracts with the county's Health & Human Services Agency, which has a $300 million annual budget for “behavioral health” spending.

Shannon Jaccard, executive director of the San Diego chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, told reporters that many disturbed individuals decide not to seek help because of the social stigma attached to mental illness.

“Mental illness is not shameful,” she said.  “It is not something that says you are a bad person.  So that’s the one thing I fear is getting lost in the shuffle of the communication that’s going on.”
           
Meantime, law enforcement officials say their agencies handle a disproportionate level of "first responses".

"I think what's going on is, we haven't addressed mental health issues well,” said San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne, a member of a law enforcement task force that's offering input to Vice President Biden's commission on mass shootings.

“I think it's a very tragic statement to make in any county or any state or any city -- to say that the largest providers of mental health services are the jails across this great country."

As for fundraising on behalf of the annual, black-tie-optional “Sand & Sea New Year’s Eve Ball” organizers are pricing guaranteed-seating tickets at $50 per person for “dance party” admission to late-night appetizers plus a midnight champagne toast and party favors.

VIP tickets run $175 per person for a four-course meal, wine with dinner, dancing, welcoming and midnight champagne receptions; VIP tables of ten are available for $1,500.

Ticket purchases can be made via www.namisandiego.org, or by calling (619) 543-0412 or (619) 584-5574.

Sheriff’s detectives are searching for a man accused of allegedly exposing himself several times around the Cardiff area.

According to investigators, the indecent exposure suspect was last seen in the 2200 block of Carol View Drive on Dec. 17 just before midnight.

In that instance, investigators say the man was wearing a green hooded sweatshirt and was reportedly naked from the waist down. He allegedly exposed himself to a female victim while engaging in a lewd act.

The suspect has been seen exposing himself on two prior occasions as well, once on Nov. 29 and once on Dec. 7. Investigators say the victims in all of these cases have been adult women who live in the Cardiff area.

On Friday, deputies released a sketch of the suspect. He’s described as a short, white male between 25 and 30 years old with light brown hair.

Anyone with information on this suspect is asked to contact the Encinitas Sheriff’s Station at (760) 966-3500 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

Police activity snarled traffic in both directions on State Route 163 Friday afternoon as officials shut down several freeway lanes near the Laurel Street Bridge.

The delay began around 4:20 p.m. when police were called out to a distressed person on the bridge near Balboa Park. CHP officials then began blocking off traffic on northbound and southbound SR-163 at the Laurel Street Bridge.

By 4:30 p.m., a SigAlert had been issued in the area, causing major traffic during rush hour that was backed up for miles. Traffic was snarled as far back as Genesee Avenue on the southbound side of SR-163. Commuters driving through the on and off ramps on the freeway also experienced long delays.

By 5:30 p.m., police said the suspect on the bridge had been taken into custody. The freeway lanes were re-opened shortly thereafter.

A police pursuit ensued through National City and Bay Terraces Friday night after officers spotted a vehicle on the road that was reportedly stolen.

According to authorities, National City police officers attempted to pull over the suspected stolen car in National City at around 8:25 p.m.

The vehicle, occupied by a driver and passenger, failed to stop. The driver fled north into San Diego, attempting to evade police, officials said.

After a short pursuit the car stopped at the Rancho Bonita apartment complex in the 6900 block of Alcona Street in the Bay Terraces area.

Police said the occupants exited the car and fled the scene. One of them was taken into custody a short time later.

Officers on the ground and in an SDPD helicopter immediately began scouring the area for the second suspect. By 8:50 p.m., both had been caught and arrested.

No further information has been released. Check back for updates.
 

An adult store in Escondido was allegedly robbed by two armed men Friday night, police confirmed.

Escondido police officers said the Romantix Adult Boutique located at 2322 South Escondido Blvd. was robbed by two armed men wearing masks at around 8:30 p.m.

The suspects were armed with a gun and a knife.

Police said the men stole money from the store and wallets from customers. They fled the scene.

No one was injured in the robbery. The investigation is ongoing.

Check back for updates.
 

Safety Eric Weddle can add another honor to his ever-growing list.

He was voted team MVP by his Chargers teammates on Friday.

Weddle said the honor of being chosen by his team is something he will cherish among his accomplishments.

“It’s amazing,” Weddle said. “It’s definitely up there with anything I’ve ever accomplished or been awarded for. I look at this team as my family. I’ve always been about the team and trying to gain the respect of my teammates.”

Earlier in the week, the Pro-Bowl selection came out and, unlike last year, Weddle’s name was not on it. The Pro-Bowl is selected around the league, while this MVP award was an in-house election.

Last year, Weddle was selected to All-Team and Pro-Bowl honors.

Head coach Norv Turner says Weddle’s consistency has helped his standing within the team.

“I think he’s played as well this year as he did last year,” Turner said. “He’s become one of the leaders of this team.”

Going into this Sunday's Raiders game, Weddle leads the team with three interceptions and 103 tackles.

Despite the disappointment earlier in the week, Weddle stood outside practice on Friday with a smile on his face when he was voted MVP.

“It’s definitely more meaningful in my opinion,” Weddle said. “I work daily with these guys. I would take this over that any day of the week.”

Wide receiver Malcom Floyd was voted Offensive Player of the Year. He was placed on the IR December 18th but before then caught 56 passes for 814 yards and five touchdowns.

Rookie receiver Mike Willie has found veterans like Floyd to be inspirational as he’s made the adjustment from college to the pros.

“He’s been a big brother to me,” Willie said. “I’m trying to get to where he’s at.”

Second-year Corey Liuget took home Defensive Player of the Year, and Nick Hardwick secured Lineman of the Year for the second year in a row.

Linebacker Takeo Spikes won Most Inspirational Player for his second consecutive year.
 

A van traveling southbound on Interstate 805 caught on fire Saturday morning, authorities said.

At around 9:20 a.m. black smoke and visible flames began stemming from the front of the vehicle on I-805 near National City.

Firefighters were called to the scene and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze. The occupants inside the van were not injured.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
 

A 25-year-old man was killed in a head-on collision with a wrong way driver early Saturday morning, officials confirmed.

The deadly crash happened at around 1 a.m. on eastbound State Route 52 near the Mast Boulevard exit in Santee.

According to a report released by the Medical Examiner’s office, Clairemont resident Jayme Midlam, 25, was driving alone in his 1972 Volkswagen Beetle on eastbound SR-52 approaching the Mast Boulevard overcrossing.

At the same time, a Chevy 2500 pickup truck was driving the wrong way, westbound in the eastbound lanes of the freeway.

The truck collided head-on with Midlam’s Beetle.

CHP officers and emergency crews responded to the crash and Midlam was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevy was transported to a local hospital with injuries.

The collision is under investigation. CHP officials have not yet determined whether alcohol played a factor in the fatal crash.
 

Police say they have a woman in custody in connection with the death of man who was pushed in front of an oncoming No. 7 train at a New York City subway station Thursday evening.

According to police, the woman has made statements implicating herself in the crime, though no charges have been filed against her yet.

Witnesses told police a female suspect had been walking back and forth on the platform of the 40th Street station in Queens and talking to herself before sitting down, alone, on a wooden bench near the north end of the walkway. When the train pulled into the station shortly after 8 p.m., the woman got up off the bench and pushed Sunando Sen, according to witness statements.

The suspect then fled the platform, running down a flight of stairs to the turnstile area and down a second flight to Queens Boulevard. It's unknown where she went from there. Police released surveillance video of her running onto the street.

Sen, a native of Calcutta, had been in the country for more than 20 years and was part owner of New Amsterdam Printing on Amsterdam Avenue, according to his three roommates. Sen had opened the business six months ago and worked seven days a week, commuting by subway daily, his friends and roommates said.

Naeem Davis, a 30-year-old deli worker, was recently arrested and charged with second-degree murder for allegedly pushing Ki-Suk Han, 58, off a midtown subway platform to his death on Dec. 3. Han was struck by a southbound Q train at the 49th Street station in Manhattan.

A small airplane crashed near a hiking area in the East County Saturday morning, Cal Fire officials confirmed.

The downed plane was reported at around 10:15 a.m. near Slaughterhouse Canyon Road in Lakeside, within the Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve.

Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler confirmed reports and said officials responded to the scene just west of State Route 67. Mohler said a hiker in the area first reported the downed aircraft.

A separate Cal Fire official told NBC 7 all three people aboard the plane were confirmed dead at the scene. There are no survivors.

By 11:20 a.m., Heartland Fire crews had hiked into the scene of the crash and made contact with the airplane. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are now investigating the crash.

According to Ian Gregor, public affairs manager for the FAA Pacific Region, the aircraft was an experimental Lancair IV-P plane. It crashed under unknown circumstances.

Gregor says the pilot of the plane had departed from Montgomery Field in San Diego and was headed for Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, Ariz.

The crash victims’ identities have not yet been released. Check back for updates on this developing story.

Approximately 1,600 residents were left without power Friday night after an outage hit the Logan Heights area, San Diego Gas & Electric officials confirmed.

The power outage was reported around 5 p.m. near South 38th Street and Logan Avenue. It also affected some customers in Mountain View and Lincoln Park, SDG&E said.

SDG&E officials attributed the cause of the power outage to a mylar balloon that somehow made contact with a power line. They're investigating to determine if any other factors contributed to the outage.

Crews worked to repair the damage Friday night and restore service as soon as possible. They expected power to be restored to customers by 11 p.m.

By Saturday morning, approximately 500 residents in the area were still without power. SDG&E expects power to remaining customers sometime between 12 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.

Meanwhile, a second unrelated power outage hit the South Bay area Friday night, leaving about 2,000 customers without power in parts of Imperial Beach and Nestor.

SDG&E officials investigated the cause of that outage and expected power to be restored to South Bay residents just after 9 p.m.

'Tis the season of trash, and no one knows that more than San Diego sanitation driver Thomas Clanton. 

"I would say [we collect] at least four or five more tons [of trash] considering the holidays," said Clanton.

The end of December and the first part of January is the busiest time of the year for trash collectors and curbside recyclers. Holiday presents are surrounded by elaborate packaging and Christmas parties add to the amount of cans, boxes and bottles.

Nearly 99 percent of it all can be recycled.

"All the cardboard and paper packaging, all the margarine tubs, yogurt tubs and all the clam shell packaging," said Ken Prue with San Diego Waste Management.

But the recycling program manager says people need to know what they can put in the blue curbside bins.

"There is still a learning curve but I think most people are doing a great job of it," said Prue.

Still, not everything can be put in recycling bins.

In San Diego, Styrofoam and plastic bags cannot be included in curbside pickup. Instead, packaging Styrofoam can be taken to certain recycling drop-off centers and supermarkets often recycle plastic bags.

The city has a website that details what can be recycled.

As for driver Thomas Clanton, he says people try hard to do what's right.

"We have stuff falling out of containers and customers coming out trying to refill containers with paper and other boxes," he added.

A man accused of brutally beating and sexually assaulting a female hotel employee pleaded not guilty in court Friday.

Suspect Christopher Stevens, 44, was taken into custody on Dec. 24 in connection with the beating and sexual assault of a female hotel employee in the Midway District.

According to officials, Stevens is accused of sexually assaulting a housekeeping employee at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in the 3700 block of Sports Arena Blvd. on Dec. 21 sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Detectives say the 54-year-old hotel employee was attacked while cleaning an empty hotel room. As she was leaving the room she was confronted by Stevens, who allegedly forced her back inside.

She fought back but Stevens overpowered her, allegedly beating her in the face and sexually assaulting her.

Investigators said Stevens fled the scene on foot following the attack, leaving the injured woman behind inside the vacant hotel room. Once he left, the victim called police.

The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Police were not able to immediately locate the suspect and they released a sketch to aid in their search. Stevens was described as a black male in his 40s with a tall and muscular build and short, afro-style haircut. Police said Stevens is an English speaker, but also speaks some Spanish and may have had a fresh scratch on his face.

The day after the attack, the hotel's director of operations, Viridiana Davila, told NBC 7 she couldn't disclose any details regarding the assault. She said the victim was still recovering at the hospital.

Davila said she had spoken with other employees about the incident, going over important safety tips. Employees told NBC 7 they were upset because nothing like this had ever happened at the hotel.

On Monday, SDPD Crime Lab personnel made a positive identification of Stevens as the suspect in this assault based on DNA evidence collected at the crime scene.

Police said that evidence was linked to evidence collected from another reported sexual assault that happened at Hourglass Park near Mira Mesa on Oct. 9. Police are linking Stevens to that crime as well.

Stevens was arrested without incident at his hotel room at the Vagabond Inn in Mission Valley. He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on multiple charges including sexual assault, attempted murder and false imprisonment.

Stevens appeared in court Friday, pleading not guilty to the charges. He's currently being held on $3 million bail, with an exposure of 256 years to life.

According to investigators, Stevens is facing a total of seven charges. Six of those charges deal directly with the alleged assault on the hotel housekeeper, including three counts of forcible rape.

Stevens’ seventh charge is for an alleged assault on another victim that occurred on Dec. 17 -- just days before the violent sexual assault at the Wyndham Garden Hotel.

He's due back in court on Jan. 9 and then again on Jan. 11 for his preliminary hearing.

A Grand Jury returned indictments for a few school administrators and key players in the Sweetwater Unified School Board scandal on Friday, according to one of the defendant's attorneys.

The Grand Jury began meeting in early November in a major "pay-to-play" public corruption case.

Prosecutors say the school officials traded their votes on multi-million dollar construction contracts for gifts and other favors. 

A notice letter issued to former Sweetwater Superintendent Jesus Gandara states the Grand Jury has filed 22 counts of felony crimes, and eight misdemeanors against the defendant, who has already pleaded not guilty to some of the charges.

According to court documents, the felony crimes against Gandara issued this week include extortion, receiving a bribe, conspiracy to commit a crime, perjury by declaration and conspiracy to defraud another of property. 

Gandara's defense attorney, Paul Pfingst, said he was not surprised about the indictments.

"We were anticipating an indictment with the possibility of new defendants being added," Pfingst said.

Current board members Bertha Lopez and Jim Cartmill are among those named in the indictment and the San Ysidro schools superintendent Manuel Paul, two separate law enforcement sources told NBC 7 San Diego.

As NBC 7 Investigates first reported in August, Paul said in a June 20 deposition that he accepted $2,500 in cash from a contractor in 2010 in a Chula Vista parking lot. The cash exchange came to light as part of a lawsuit between a former contractor, Art Castañares, and the San Ysidro School District.

The Grand Jury meetings were held in lieu of a preliminary hearing, according to Allen Bloom, the defense attorney for Arlie Ricasa, who has pleaded not guilty to prior complaints.

"In California, a defendant has a right to have an court evaluation of the evidence against them," Bloom said. "99 percent of the time that evaulation is done by a judge during a preliminary hearing who then says, 'Yes or No, We're going to trial.'" 

"The thing that concerns me whenever a district attorney goes the way of a Grand Jury is that the defense doesn’t have a chance to cross examine the witnesses or present their own witnesses or their side,"  Bloom added. "A grand jury will indict a sandwich. Our position has not waivered. Arlie is not guilty of any criminal offenses and she has always done the right thing in respect to her work." 

NBC 7 has reached out to the new defendants for comment, but none has provided an on-the-record statement.

The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 7, according to court documents.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

A Delta Airlines passenger jet en route from Japan landed without incident after being struck by lightning as it approached Los Angeles International Airport.

LAX spokesman Albert Rodriguez says rescue vehicles were dispatched to the runway after lightning struck the front section of the plane Saturday morning.

Delta flight 284 from Narita, Japan, landed safely and all passengers disembarked on time. Los Angeles was the final destination.

Rodriguez says the plane will be examined for possible damage.

Several lightning strikes were observed in West Los Angeles and Marina del Rey as a thunderstorm moved through Southern California.