A small gathering reopened the Poway Community Swim Center Wednesday, marked by the first tossing of the beach ball.

The soft opening at 11 a.m. heard from Poway Mayor Steve Vaus.

“It’s great to finally have it back online,” Vaus said.

The remodeling project was delayed five months, missing its initial June opening date. The swim center closed in January to start work.

“Our attitude is better to have to it right than right now,” Vaus said. “And here we are on a beautiful summer day in November.”

The concrete deck was replaced, the pool was retiled, and code-required renovations were competed on the locker rooms and family changing areas, according to the Poway Community Swim Center.

The city council approved $3.8 million for the update, but the total cost spent is not available at this time.

After a few remarks from the mayor, the new splash pad was turned on for the first time and a water aerobics class jumped right in.

“I think we outta have our city council meetings here,” Vaus joked.

The City of Poway is planning a larger celebration in the spring as part of the swim center’s 30th anniversary.

Wednesday’s hours were limited for the soft opening, but starting Thursday the pool will begin its normal winter hours.

A serial killer convicted of murdering three women in California and recently charged with killing a woman in Texas could be connected to more than 90 murders committed across more than a dozen states and three decades, Texas authorities said Tuesday.

Samuel Little, 78, has provided investigators details on a "multitude" of murders he may have committed between 1970 and 2005 in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Ohio, California, Indiana, Arizona, New Mexico, South Carolina, according to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office.

Little is incarcerated in Ector County, Texas.

A Ramona home caught fire Wednesday morning, making it the second house fire in the area this week.

The fire broke out around 11 a.m. on Cedar Street where Cal Fire crews responded.

The house was a single family home, said Jon Heggie with Cal Fire San Diego.

Heavy smoke could be seen in the area, but the fire was quickly put out, Heggie told NBC 7.

The fire was contained to the garage, according to Cal Fire San Diego.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Bomb and Arson Unit was not dispatched to the scene, said Sgt. Greg Hampton with the unit.

Another Ramona home caught fire Monday.

"[My mother] went outside and saw the fire. She was going to get the garden hose and try and put it out but it just took over," Patrice Doona, the homeowner, told NBC 7.

No other information was available on the Wednesday fire.

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

Go long for a chance at thousands of dollars in tuition at the San Diego County Credit Union 2018 Holiday Bowl.

Three contestants will compete to throw the most footballs into giant Dr. Pepper cans on the Mission Valley field, as part of the pop’s Tuition Giveaway.

The event will take place between the third and fourth quarters of the Holiday Bowl set for Dec. 31.

San Diegans can enter to take to the field on Dr. Pepper’s website.

A total of 10 grand prizes will be awarded, each of which will include two VIP pre-game party passes and two game tickets to the SDCCU 2018 Holiday Bowl.

From these winners, three will be selected to compete in the passing challenge.

The winner of the throwing contest will receive $10,000 in tuition and the ability to test their luck in an additional throw to skyrocket their total school winnings to $100,000.

The two runners-up will each get $2,000 in tuition.

Entries will be accepted until Nov. 28. Players must be at least 18 years old.

The contest is part of the Holiday Bowl festivities. The game features two of the nation's top college football teams from the Pac-12 and Big 10 conferences.

The 41st annual game will kick off at 4 p.m.

An NBC News investigation has found that more than 1,000 out of HUD’s nearly 28,000 federally subsidized multifamily properties failed their most recent inspection — a failure rate that is more than 30 percent higher than in 2016, according to an analysis of HUD records.

From his earliest days in office, HUD Secretary Ben Carson has repeatedly said he joined the Trump administration to fix the “rats, roaches, bed bugs, mold, lead and violence” that he witnessed as a surgeon in low-income communities. Under the Trump administration, the number of HUD apartments cited for unsafe, unhealthy and physically deteriorating living conditions has been on the rise.

HUD notes that the vast majority of federally subsidized apartments — more than 96 percent — passed inspection. The department says the recent increase in failing properties is due to changes previously made to strengthen the inspection system. After lawmakers led by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., drew attention to poor conditions in other privately owned Section 8 properties, including some with passing scores, HUD tightened its standards for repairs and for certifying inspectors in 2016. The department is continuing to overhaul the process, according to HUD spokesman Brian Sullivan.

Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing Stormy Daniels in her legal battle with President Donald Trump, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of domestic violence.

The police report was filed Tuesday at a residence on the 10000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

It was not immediately clear when the alleged incident occurred or what the nature of the charges are. 

Avenatti was arrested Wednesday, but had not been booked as of 3 p.m. 

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates. We'll have the latest details live on the NBC4 News at 4.

NBC News Investigations' Andrew Blankstein contributed to this report. 

A retired deputy U.S. Marshal was killed in a motorcycle crash along a freeway in La Mesa last week and investigators are still searching for a driver involved in the deadly collision.

On Nov. 7, at around 5:10 a.m., Heartland Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to westbound Interstate 8 at State Route 125, east of Severin Drive, for reports of a motorcycle collision.

California Highway Patrol officials confirmed one person was killed in the accident. The victim was soon identified by the U.S. Marshals Service as retired deputy John Brady, 65, of Ramona.

Ben Walker, public information officer with the U.S. Marshals Service, told NBC 7 Brady had worked for the agency for nearly 26 years before retiring on Jan. 3, 2007.

Brady was currently working as a court security officer at the federal courthouse in San Diego, Walker confirmed.

A former U.S. Marshals colleague and friend described Brady as a “gregarious and generous man” who loved riding and racing motorcycles. Brady leaves behind a wife and children.

One week after the deadly crash, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) revealed new details in the investigation, including the search for another driver possibly linked to the crash.

According to the CHP, Brady – riding his 2017 Yamaha motorcycle – likely collided with another vehicle on the freeway. The impact knocked him off his motorcycle and into the roadway, where he was then hit by an oncoming BMW sedan as he lay in the roadway.

While the driver of the BMW stopped at the scene of the crash, the driver of the initial car involved in the collision did not. That driver remains unknown, CHP said, and the investigation is ongoing.

Drugs of alcohol are not suspected to have contributed to the crash, the CHP said.

Anyone who witnessed the events leading to Brady being thrown from his motorcycle can reach out to CHP Officer Travis Garrow at (619) 401-2000.

The wildfires ravaging California, which includes the most destructive and deadly in the state's history, together cover hundreds of thousands of acres.

That’s a size larger than all but a handful of U.S. cities -- and as large as 16 Manhattans.

To get a sense of the scale of the wildfires, NBC News created a map to compare each blaze to any of the 1,000 most-populous cities or towns in the U.S.

Check your town below.

As the Woolsey Fire in Ventura County continues to burn, hundreds of animals have died and countless more have been displaced. From pets to livestock to wildlife, animals are in need of help. 

Christine Arevalo of Oceanside is helping thousands of animals get to safety in Ventura County, all remotely from her home. 

Arevalo is the founder of Burton's Pride Animal Rescue and has a background in incident response management. 

She has set up a mobile command post that she uses to coordinate with 200 volunteers helping to get animals out of harm's way. 

“We’re working with credentialed personnel who go into fire lines and into the heat of the disaster and help people with animals that are sending me SOS calls,” said Arevalo. 

That could mean hauling horses with trailers, finding proper evacuation sites, catching distressed animals and more. 

Arevalo is currently working on 2,000 "tickets" for animal rescues. One ticket could include multiple animals, like a group of 80 chickens, for example. 

"Chickens are some of the hardest animals for our crews to rescue," said Arevalo. "They are difficult to catch and tend to run towards danger." 

Arevalo has also helped to rescue dogs, cats, tortoises, livestock, coyotes, camels and even a giraffe. 

The crews work with Ventura County officials and are made up of mostly volunteers. Efforts are privately funded. 

"I am on two-way radios and am hearing these first-hand reports," said Arevalo. "I'm seeing the graphic visuals from the loss and devastation. I've also been providing a lot of emotional support." 

To find out how you can donate to the efforts or volunteer, click here. 

NBC News reports the United States faces a "crisis of national security" because its historic military supremacy has eroded drastically, leaving it likely unable to fight more than a single war at a time, according to a congressionally chartered report released Wednesday.

"U.S. military superiority is no longer assured and the implications for American interests and American security are severe," said the report, which was issued by the National Defense Strategy Commission, an independent agency whose board is appointed by the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

The report concludes that the Defense Department isn't financially or strategically set up to wage two wars at once and could even lose a war against China or Russia individually.

"The U.S. military could suffer unacceptably high casualties and loss of major capital assets in its next conflict," it said.

Two fires broke out in the Carmel Valley area Wednesday.

One of the blazes was a half-acre first alarm fire that broke out in Carmel Valley, authorities said.

It began near Carmel Mountain Road and Canter Heights Drive just after 5 p.m.

The Carmel Valley fire threatens nearby structures, said Mónica Muñoz with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department .

"It’s heavy fuel with a slow rate of spread at this time," Muñoz said.

Air strikes are expected to control this fire, SDFD said.

The other blaze was a one-acre fire that broke out near a roadway in Sorrento Valley, according to the San Diego Police Department.

It began near Camino Santa Fe and Calle Cristobal moments before the Carmel Valley fire.

Several fire spots popped up alongside the roadways, roughly 150 feet away from homes, SDFD said.

Helicopter water drops doused some of the flames, fire crews said.

Around 5:50 p.m., the forward rate of fire for the Sorrento Valley fire was stopped, Muñoz said. No nearby buildings were damaged.

SDFD is responding.

No other information was available.

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

A House committee will hear testimony Thursday from Department of Veterans Affairs officials over delayed GI Bill payments potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of veterans.

NBC News reported Sunday that IT glitches at VA have caused GI Bill benefit payments covering education and housing to be delayed for months or never be delivered, forcing some veterans to face debt or even homelessness.

NBC News learned on Wednesday that one of the key witnesses called to testify from VA was reassigned by the federal agency to a regional office in Houston.

Robert Worley, executive director of Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), based in Washington, D.C., has been appointed to serve as the executive director of the VBA’s Houston Regional Office, according to two sources close to the VA and an email reviewed by NBC News.

Higher-ups at VA decided to reassign Worley due to the delayed GI Bill payments, as well as other issues within his office, sources said.

San Diego police were investigating a homicide in Old Town Wednesday night.

SDPD said the homicide took place before 6:30 p.m. on Juan Street between Sunset Road and Heritage County Park.

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call them at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

No other information was available.

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

The San Diego County Office of Education said only one school district would remain closed Thursday as San Diego Gas & electric returns power service to customers living in fire-prone areas.

Spencer Valley School District will be closed but all other districts closed Wednesday would reopen, according to the county.

Julian Union and Julian Union High School District will start school Thursday at 9:20 a.m., the county said.

SDG&E decided to shut off power to some communities starting Tuesday as a precaution due to dangerous fire weather brought on by low humidity and high winds.

Though a red flag warning expired Wednesday evening and a high wind warning expired Tuesday evening, NBC 7 meteorologist Dagmar Midcap said conditions will remain at borderline critical fire weather status through Friday afternoon.

Humidity was expected to stay between 5 and 15 percent in the mountains and deserts Thursday and would return to seasonal levels on Friday, Midcap said.

Home warranties are usually thrown in as a gift by the realtor. But whether or not to renew that home warranty after it expires is a difficult decision to make. NBC 7 Responds has some information to help you make that decision.

The first thing to remember; these warranties are not the same as insurance policies. They should always be considered as service contracts. That means there are exceptions on what is and what is not covered.

In addition, the service calls are not free. There is a charge for the technicians to come to your home. And, these service fees are not included in the annual premium.

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But there are other exceptions written into the warranties as well. Some appliances covered by the warranty may be excluded if required preventative maintenance was not done.

Another thing to remember, if you are concerned about appliances breaking then you should keep in mind that some may already have extended warranties in place. Even some credit cards offer warranties attached to certain appliances if you purchased them on that card.

If you are concerned about the cost of the warranty then we suggest you think about setting aside a small amount of money each month for any emergency repairs that pop up. 

Doing so may save you some money in the long run.

The New Jersey couple who became famous for raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for a homeless man after he helped with their disabled car — as did the homeless man himself — will all face charges for allegedly providing a false story in order to raise money for themselves, a source familiar with the case told NBC10.

Mark D'Amico, Kate McClure and Johnny Bobbitt will face charges including conspiracy and theft by deception, according to the source.

A complaint obtained by NBC10 alleges that the three conspired with one another to make up a false story in order to raise more than $400,000.

Investigators say the three deliberately prevented donors for their GoFundMe campaign from gaining information "that would affect their judgment about solicited contribution to that fundraising effort."

D'Amico and McClure turned themselves in Wednesday to Burlington County prosecutors, the source said. The source did not confirm whether or not Bobbitt turned himself in as well.

A lawyer for the couple had no comment Thursday. NBC10 has also reached out to a lawyer for Bobbitt for comment.

The three initially gained fame in 2017. The couple claimed Bobbitt used $20 to help McClure get gas when her car ran out on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. McClure and D'Amico then launched a GoFundMe page to supposedly raise money for Bobbitt, and the page brought in over $400,000 from 14,000 contributors.

At first, the account led to appearances for Bobbitt and McClure on national TV programs. But it turned into a dispute over the money.

Bobbitt accused the couple of dipping into the funds and using them as a "personal piggy bank" to bankroll a lifestyle they couldn't afford.

Bobbitt later sued the couple over mismanagement of the funds and a judge ordered sworn statements to determine what happened to the cash, which Bobbitt's attorney, Chris Fallon, said had disappeared.

The couple denied any wrongdoing and accused Bobbitt of spending $25,000 in less than two weeks last year on drugs as well as paying for overdue legal bills and sending money to family.

The couple's lawyer, Ernest Badway, later said Bobbitt had gotten about $200,000. But Fallon said his client had received only about $75,000.

The couple also bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the cash and parked it on land McClure's family owns in New Jersey. But Bobbitt became homeless again after D'Amico told him in June that he had to leave the property.

In September, police raided the couple's home in Florence, New Jersey, hauling away a new BMW on a flatbed truck. Badway said that all the couple's personal and business financial statements, along with jewelry and cash, were seized in the raid.

At that point, officials said the couple was under investigation, though no charges had been filed.

D'Amico was arrested in September in Burlington County on an unrelated $500 warrant for an October 2017 traffic stop, according to officials. At the time, he was driving on a suspended license and also had a broken tail light. He also failed to appear in court on two separate occassions, according to court records.

North Korea will not be required to provide a complete list of its nuclear weapons and missile sites before a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Vice-President Mike Pence told NBC News Thursday. 

The U.S. has pressed the North for information on the entirety of its nuclear operations since an initial agreement for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula was reached in June. But the Kim regime has refused to provide details of the nation's operations and postponed scheduled meetings with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York last week. 

Now, the second summit between the two leaders — slated for after the New Year — will be where a "verifiable plan" to disclose the sites and weapons must be reached, Pence said. 

This week, a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies outlined a number of missile operating bases that the North Koreans have continued to develop since the Trump-Kim summit five months ago.

Firefighters attacked a small brush fire that ignited near the base of Cowles Mountain in Santee overnight Thursday.

The fire, which has since been put out, was reported at about 12:45 a.m. in brush near Mission Gorge Road and West Hills Parkway. 

Fire crews responded to the scene and a water-tending helicopter could be seen circling the area but it was not clear if any water drops were made. 

It was not clear how the fire started. 

No other information was available.

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

Trump confidante Roger Stone was told that Hillary Clinton's "campaign will die this week" six days before WikiLeaks began releasing her campaign chairman's emails, according to copies of text messages Stone provided to NBC News.

The message came from Stone's friend, radio host Randy Credico, who told Stone he had insights into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's plans through Assange's lawyer.

The messages show that Credico appeared to be providing regular updates to Stone on Assange's plans ahead of the release of the hacked emails that changed the trajectory of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Stone is a focus of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, sources have said. Stone has denied colluding with WikiLeaks and said the messages he shared support his claim that his only information on WikiLeaks came from Credico.

Credico told NBC News that the messages don't show he "had any knowledge of anything that Assange was going to do because I didn't."

A pre-winter storm was being blamed for five deaths as it spread icy conditions on roads in the South and Midwest on Wednesday before it hits the Northeast Thursday, NBC News reported.

Two people were killed and several dozen hurt when a tour bus headed to a casino overturned in Mississippi. In Arkansas, three people died in separate crashes on icy roads, prompting authorities to shut Interstate 40 overnight.

A winter weather advisory covered more than 89 million people up the East Coast from Washington, D.C., as officials prepared for storm damage.

Tens of thousands of people were without power in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.