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Police Search for Suspected Carmel Valley Burglars

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The San Diego Police Department interrupted a home burglary near Carmel Valley and is now searching for the suspects who successfully fled the scene.

Officers received a call of a burglary in progress at around 6:15 p.m. Monday.

When police arrived at the home on Cypress Meadows Trail, they spotted the suspects’ vehicle parked outside.

The two suspects, described as men, then attempted to drive away from the scene, SDPD said.

Officers pursued the men until the suspects crashed their car near State Route 56 and Carmel Valley Road.

One of the suspects may have called an Uber to pick him up, according to SDPD.

The men then ran from the crash site into a nearby canyon, police said.

Officers continued to look for the suspects in the canyon.

No other information was available at this time.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Violent, Tense Confrontations Not New at U.S.-Mexico Border

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Five years ago, more than 150 undocumented immigrants stormed the U.S. border at San Ysidro.

Some threw rocks and bottles; U.S. border agents responded with pepper spray and tear gas.

The immigrants who rushed the border wall in Nov. 2013 had a different motive than members of the caravan who tried to breach the boundary Sunday.

In 2013, many of the undocumented immigrants who tried to cross had been deported from California after living and working for years in the U.S.

Roberto Hernandez, a professor of Chicano/Chicana Studies at San Diego State University, researched the 2013 incident.

He told NBC 7 that, just like Sunday, there were concerns about border security and the ability of undocumented immigrants to overwhelm border barriers.

But Hernandez also noted that “part of the reaction was also alarm [on both sides of the border] at the level of reaction on the part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, because the tear gas from helicopters, that was unprecedented."

Years earlier, in the 1980s and 1990s, there were similar but much less violent incidents.

Groups of undocumented immigrants would rush the border, hoping to overwhelm Border Patrol officers and run north to San Diego.

The 9-11 terror attacks also slowed vehicle and foot traffic to a trickle at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa crossings and at other border crossings across the U.S.

At the time, one pedestrian told NBC 7 that pedestrian traffic waiting to clear U.S. Customs from Tijuana had backed up a quarter-mile.

“They have metal detectors, they have [agents] standing [everywhere] down there, everyone's watching you walking up and down the hall, everyone's looking you up and down."

Last year, a decision by the Mexican government to dramatically increase gas prices in Tijuana also caused disruptions on both sides of the border.

Protests over the price hikes broke out in Tijuana, said University of San Diego professor David Shirk.

Mexican authorities responded by closing their side of the Otay Mesa border crossing, according to Shirk. U.S. authorities also closed the southbound entrance at San Ysidro several times as a result of the Tijuana protests.

But Hernandez said shut-downs are limited and invoked as a last resort, because people and businesses on both sides of the border suffer significant delays, inconveniences and financial hardships.

"At all levels of government, except the federal government, there is a clear understanding of the symbiotic relationship that exists across the border,” Hernandez said.

'Managed Retreat' Could Be Imperial Beach's Answer to Rising Sea Levels

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If you want to see an example of how climate change is impacting San Diego County, ask someone who lives along the coast in Imperial Beach.

Seacoast Street, just steps from the shore, is one of the most flood-prone streets in IB. If a big storm hits, it could go underwater.

"The sea level is definitely rising,” said Steve Prothero who owns a condo on Seacoast. “It's an issue to be concerned with."

According to a city assessment, the flooding is only going to get worse. In a few decades, sea-level rise and coastal flooding will impact 30 to 40 percent of the city.

Everyone agrees something needs to be done but exactly what still needs to be figured out.

That’s why the city held an open meeting Monday to discuss plans for “managed retreat” project, a possible solution to the problem that’s been met with skepticism from some in town.

“Potentially you can mitigate it with seawalls but if it continues to rise to eight feet, IB is in a lot of trouble and managed retreat means there will be a lot of houses under water and abandoned,” Prothero said.

IB Mayor Serge Dedina says the concept of managed retreat, physically moving property and infrastructure inland, worries people who are uninformed about what it actually entails.

"I think unfortunately in the connotation for some of the public, they've confused that with impacts to private property,” Dedina said.

Dedina says the concept of managed retreat only applies to public infrastructure. The city would move sewer lines and some public schools inland, for example, not private property.

"In terms of coastal flooding and sea level rise, we have decades and decades and decades and decades to address this, so we're getting a jump start on that process,” he said.

Dedina says the city is expecting little to no state or federal assistance with a future project.

NCPD Announces Arrests in Teen's Killing 3 Years Later

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The National City Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects in the 2015 killing of high school student Juan Carlos "J.R." Munoz, Jr.

Munoz was sitting in a car with friends along Prospect Street the night of October 11, 2015, when a four-door Nissan Altima pulled up next to them.

A passenger in the Altima got out, walked up to Munoz in the driver's seat and asked the friends where they were from before pulling out a handgun and firing five rounds into the vehicle.

Four struck Munoz in his left shoulder, and one hit the passenger in his left thigh, according to police. The two men in the Altima then drove off eastbound on E. 16th Street.

Munoz died from his wounds.

More than three years later, NCPD said Monday that 30-year-old Roger Hernandez and 29-year-old Luis Karam were in custody as suspects in the killing.

The family of the teenager held a candlelight vigil in his honor last month to commemorate the third anniversary of his death.

His parents led the vigil with friends and family members by their side. They shared stories, talking about the kid he was and the man he could've grown up to be.

"Junior was a real loving kid. He had a big heart," his mother Elizabeth said. His family told NBC 7 he had plans to study psychology after graduating from Montgomery High School, a milestone he never got to experience.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the National City Police Department at (619) 336-4411 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.



Photo Credit: National City Police Department

Father To Vouch for Son's Killer's Rehabilitation at Parole Hearing

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A father's forgiveness may be the very thing that helps free his son's killer.

Azim Khamisa's son Tariq was murdered by teenage gang member Tony Hicks, the youngest person ever sentenced for murder as an adult in California.

His first parole hearing is Wednesday, and Azim will be one of the people speaking for him.

Almost 24 years ago, Tariq came to a fictitious address on Louisiana Street in North Park to deliver a pizza. Little did he know that delivery order was a set-up.

Then just 14-years-old, Tony Hicks and two other teen gang members shot and killed Tariq after he refused to hand over the pizza or his cash.

Six years later was the beginning of a journey to reconciliation perhaps like no other.

The death or Azim’s son at the hands of Ples Felix's grandson, Tony Hicks, brought Azim and Ples together in an uncommon bond.

"There were victims at both ends of the gun. The enemy wasn't the 14-year-old that killed my son, rather the societal forces that force many young men," Azim said.

The tragedy and the ensuing bond Azim and Ples developed led them to found the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, which has, over the last 23 years, taught thousands of kids to turn away from violence and instead embrace responsibility, education and leadership.

"I can't bring my son back but what I can do is make sure other young people don't end up dead like my son or in prison like [Hicks]," Azim said.

Tony Hicks was the youngest person in the state to be given 25 years to life in prison for murder. Now 38-years old, Hicks goes before the parole board for the first time on Wednesday.

Over the phone, Hick's attorney Laura Sheppard said his chance of release is good.

"He has a reason to succeed when he gets out. He has far more than the majority of lifers,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard shared with NBC 7 a recommendation for release letter from sentencing Judge Joan Weber.

In another letter, former District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Dumanis wrote that "Hicks has been punished enough.”

Azim will speak at the hearing, and Ples will be at his side by request.

Having a defendant's relative present is highly unusual.

"Mr. Felix has a very peaceful presence. He is a very spiritual man so I think he is really trusting in God," Sheppard said.

Azim wants to assure the board that Hicks is rehabilitated and that there is a job at the Tariq Khamisa Foundation waiting for him.

"He will be a lot more useful working with the Tariq Khamisa foundation than spending more years in a very negative environment," Azim said.

Azim says there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't miss his son, but he sees hope in forgiveness.

While it won't bring back Tariq, Azim's message of peace may save someone else's son.

The hearing will take place at the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo where Hicks has served for the past two years.

It is expected to last some six hours, but the parole board will make its recommendation that day.

Governor-elect Gavin Newsom will have 30 days to review the decision.

Hick's Attorney says statewide, only 1 percent of prisoners sentenced to life terms and given release reoffend.

The recidivism rate for paroled prisoners with lesser sentences is 60 percent.

Zuckerberg Skips Facebook Grilling on 'Fake News' in UK

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Lawmakers from around the world questioned a top Facebook executive over "fake news" on Tuesday at a hearing that CEO Mark Zuckerberg refused to attend, NBC News reported

Politicians and other top officials from nine countries were questioning Richard Allan, the company's vice president of policy solutions in London. Representatives from the U.K., Canada, Australia, Ireland, Argentina, Brazil, Singapore and Latvia invited Zuckerberg to give evidence, even by video link, but he declined. France and Belgium also attended the hearing.

The event was billed as the inaugural "Grand Committee on Disinformation.” Organizer Damian Collins, the British lawmaker who chairs a parliamentary committee investigating disinformation and the use of people's data, said he was "deeply disappointed by Zuckerberg's decision to ignore summons from so many nations."

The committee turned up the heat by seizing confidential Facebook documents from the developer of a now-defunct bikini photo-searching app.



Photo Credit: U.K. Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

50K Women Killed by Partners, Family Last Year: UN Report

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The United Nations' Office on Drugs and Crime says about 50,000 women around the world were killed last year by their "intimate partner" or a member of their family, NBC News reported.

That means nearly six women were killed every hour, according to the UNODC report released Sunday, the U.N.'s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Partners or family members were responsible for more than half of all the killings of women in 2017.

The findings didn't surprise Rachel Goldsmith, an official at U.S. victim's assistance organization Safe Horzion. She pointed to last week's shooting at a hospital in Chicago, in which a man fatally shot his former fiancee and two bystanders.

"This is happening all across the country where women who have made the decision to leave a relationship and their partners have decided to respond with firearms or violence," she said.



Photo Credit: Christian Palma/AP

Mothers of Missing Students Want Answers from Mexico's President

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More than four years after the disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, the mothers of two of them protested on Monday in front of the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles and demanded the disappearance to be clarified.

Cristina Bautista and Joaquina García have lived four years and two months of anguish and despair since their children disappeared on Sept. 26, 2014 in Ayotzinapa, Mexico.

Joaquina Garcia says that the last thing her son Martín Sanchez García, 19, told her before he left that day was that he would be back early to have lunch with her.

Garcia never saw her son again.

"That day was the saddest day of our lives," said Garcia. "We went to where the accident happened and we did not find them."

The two moms recall the chaotic day when the students traveled from the town of Ayotzinapa.

"Some of the people looked dislocated, others were without shoes. It was a sad thing," García said.

The students intended to take buses to travel to Mexico City to participate in the annual commemorative march of the student massacre of 1968.

"I will not rest until I find him because my son has to fulfill his dreams of being someone in life," said Bautista about her missing son.

Both women traveled to Los Angeles to continue with their search and to ask current Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador to clarify the disappearance of their children and to punish those responsible.

Bautista said, "I left my harvest. I quit my job. I left everything to come here to demand that the Mexican government gives me my son alive."

López-Obrador met with the families of the disappeared students during his election campaign and assured them that he would seek justice.

According to the Mexican Attorney General's Office, local police opened fire on the students because the couple in charge of the group had an alleged relationship with an organized crime group, and the police thought that the students were going to interrupt a public event.



Photo Credit: KVEA

Things to Do This Weekend: Nov. 29 - Dec. 2

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TGI Weekend! As December rolls in, the holiday activities around San Diego County are plentiful. Of course, if ice skating and Christmas music aren't your thing, there are still other ways to enjoy our city, from foodie tours and outdoor markets to a craft beer fest or a nature walk. Get up. Get out. Play!

Thursday, Nov. 29

Holidays at Legoland
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Legoland California Resort
Legoland California Resort is decked out in festive décor now through Dec. 31 as the theme park celebrates the holiday season. One highlight: an impressive 30-foot-tall Christmas tree made of Lego bricks and outfitted with twinkling Lego ornaments, which comes to life with light and music each night. Guests will be able to meet their favorite Lego characters dressed in seasonal attire – plus Santa Claus himself – and enjoy live entertainment throughout the park, including a new holiday light show. The park will also be dishing out exclusive seasonal treats, like peppermint shakes and Nutella and peppermint crepes, to name a few. The holiday bells and whistles are included with regular paid admission into Legoland, which starts at $75 for ages 3 and up.

North Park Thursday Market
3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., North Park Way & Granada Avenue (North Park)
Shop local produce at this year-round farmers market located on the corner of North Park Way and 29th Street. Farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, sauces, bread and even handcrafted gifts will be available for purchase from local small businesses. The free festival also features live music and is surrounded by gourmet dining options in the heart of North Park.

Viejas Outlet Center Ice Rink
Times vary, Viejas Casino and Resort
Hit the ice skating rink at Viejas Casino & Resort – one of the largest rinks of its kind in sunny Southern California. A $16 ticket for adults or $14 ticket for kids (12 and under) gets you 90 minutes on the ice, or you can buy a season pass if you plan to visit several times this season. The rink is typically open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends. Check the schedule here before you go.

Taste + Tequila Old Town San Diego
5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Old Town San Diego
Eat and sip your way through Old Town San Diego’s best Mexican food and tequila at this annual self-guided, walking foodie tour. A $35 ticket gets you a tequila sampling and cocktail, plus food samples at each participating restaurant. Eateries on the list this year include Café Coyote, Casa de Reyes, Old Town Mexican Café and Old Town Tequila Factory, to name a few. Visitors can also buy a food-only ticket for $25.

Oceanside Sunset Market
5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Main Street Oceanside
As if anyone needed another excuse to head to the beach for an evening sunset over the Pacific Ocean, the Main Street Oceanside business association is giving you one anyway. The Oceanside Sunset Market is taking over four city blocks of the downtown area so that about 200 local merchants can feature homemade crafts and tasty grub as live music wafts through the sea breeze-driven air. The free market is located on Pier View Way between Pacific Coast Highway and the Ocean every Thursday.

Thursday Beer Run
6:30 p.m., Eppig Brewing (Point Loma)
Need a little motivation to get you through that evening workout? How about the promise of discount pints of beer after a run around San Diego Bay? Eppig Brewing is teaming up with Step by Step Run Co. to host two- or three-mile runs for athletes of all levels at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday through December. The run starts and ends at Eppig (2817 Dickens St.), where suds will be served with a $1-off discount. The run is free to attend.

Dr. Seuss's ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’
7 p.m., The Old Globe
The Grinch can't stop Christmas from coming this year but he can bring his shenanigans to The Old Globe. For the 21st year, the theater in Balboa Park is showcasing "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" the classic musical with catchy tunes like, "You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," and "Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze)." See the show on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage with tickets starting at $54.

Friday, Nov. 30

Rady Children’s Ice Rink
10 a.m to 10 p.m., Liberty Station
Grab your skates and take a spin on the ice while supporting a good cause this holiday season. NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 are partnering with Rady Children’s Hospital for this festive ice rink in the heart of Liberty Station. All proceeds benefit the hospital’s Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. The Rady Children’s Ice Rink is open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Jan. 6 at Liberty Station, except Christmas Day. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children. Discounts are available for military personnel.

San Diego Gulls vs. Manitoba Moose
7 p.m., Valley View Casino Center
Cheer on the San Diego Gulls at this Friday night home game as the team takes on the Manitoba Moose. Tickets start at $23; the puck hits the ice at 7 p.m.

Ten Tenors: Home for the Holidays
7:30 p.m., California Center for the Arts Escondido
Australian singing sensations the Ten Tenors take the stage at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido for a night of holiday classics – both traditional and contemporary tunes. The group’s festive hit list includes “Joy to the World,” “Last Christmas,” and “The Christmas Song,” to name a few. Tickets to this show range between $35 and $70.

Waitress: The Musical
8 p.m., San Diego Civic Theatre
“Waitress” – inspired by the film – heads to the live stage at the San Diego Civic Theatre this weekend, bringing along its original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles. The Tony-nominated production follows the story of Jenna, a waitress and pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage who finds inspiration to rebuild her life. The musical’s stop in San Diego stars two local young actresses, Kensley Dibble of Temecula, and Sloane Viora of Point Loma. Tickets start at $26.50. If you can’t make the Friday performance, there are four more shows: 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday.

Liberty Station Tree Lighting & Holiday Festivities
5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Liberty Station’s North Promenade
Liberty Station will deck the halls Friday night at this tree lighting and holiday festival in the North Promenade. Enjoy live entertainment before or after the 88-foot Norfolk Pine lights up; a holiday movie will also be played outside. NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 will attend this festive affair. Stop by our booth to say hello.

Saturday, Dec. 1

Del Mar Craft Beer Fest
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s Grandstand
The Craft Beer Fest returns to the Del Mar Racetrack, boasting more than 100 samples of local and international brews, as well as rare ales and ciders. A pre-sale $22 ticket includes racetrack admission and five 7-ounce samples of suds. The event will also include a DJ, silent disco dance party and beer-centric activities like a Stein Holding Contest. Local brewery reps will be on-hand to answer questions about their beers, too. Cheers!

Chula Vista Starlight Parade & Children’s Faire
2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Memorial Park (Faire) and Third Avenue (Parade)
This Chula Vista holiday tradition returns, bringing festive cheer to all. The Children’s Faire runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Park and will boast holiday activities, crafts, games and pictures with Santa. The Starlight Parade – which starts at 6 p.m., making its way north on Third Avenue, from H to E streets – will feature local marching bands and other community groups. This event draws a big crowd each year but limited parking is available at Chula Vista City Hall and the Chula Vista Library. http://www.starlightparade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/StarlightMap-1.pdf NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 will be there; stop by our booth to say hello!

Little Italy Tree Lighting & Christmas Village
4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Little Italy
The 20th annual Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village rings in the holiday season in the heart of Little Italy with festive décor, seasonal vendors, live music, holiday treats, and even horse carriage rides. Santa plans to visit at 4 p.m. and listen to kids’ Christmas wishes in “Santa’s Living Room” on India Street. The community has two Christmas trees: A 25-foot-tall beauty made of more than 1,100 poinsettias in the center of Piazza Basilone and a 20-foot-tall tree in the Piazza della Famiglia, which lights up at 6:30 p.m.

Holiday by the Bay
5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Looking for a little more excitement this holiday season? New this year, the Hilton Bayfront is opening a holiday adventure park along San Diego Bay. Holiday by the Bay features reimagined traditions -- like a two-story ice tubing slide, “iceberg” bumper cars and a dynamic light show centered around a Christmas tree, to name a few. For adults, festive cocktails will be doled out at the Yule Lodge cocktail bar. The adventure park is open through Jan. 5, 2019, to those with a ticket, starting at $20 or $15 for those under 12. Some activities cost extra. 

Jesus Adrian Romero Live in Concert
8:30 p.m., Copley Symphony Hall
Jesus Adrian Romero, an author, Latin Christian singer, composer and pastor from Sonora, Mexico, brings his talents to Copley Symphony Hall. Romero has been nominated for three Latin Grammy Awards and runs Vastago Producciones, a record label dedicated to the production and distribution of music with a Christian message. Tickets to his show start at $58.

Sunday, Dec. 2

Guided Nature Walk
9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Mission Trails Regional Park
Start your Sunday with a little nature walk at Mission Trails Regional Park. A trail guide will take visitors through one of three trails -- the Oak Grove Loop, the Visitor Center Loop or the Riverside Grinding Rocks -- while talking about the plants, animals, geology, history, and ecology of the park. These weekly guided walks are free and open to the public and begin at the Visitor Center. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Rain cancels the walk.

Skating by the Sea
Times Vary, Hotel Del Coronado
There are few places in the world where you can glide on an ice rink just feet from the ocean. The Hotel Del Coronado offers just that at their annual Skating by the Sea event. Through Jan 1, 2019, guests can take a spin on this beachside rink and enjoy sweeping views of the San Diego Bay with the purchase of a $35 ticket. Times vary by day so be sure to check the schedule here before you go.

Three Decades in the Rearview
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., San Diego Automotive Museum (Balboa Park)
Over the past 30 years, the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park has exhibited cars and motorcycles from across the globe. This retrospective exhibit, “Three Decades in the Rearview,” showcases a variety of unique vehicles that encapsulate the automotive culture including race cars, hot rods, low-riders and more. The anniversary exhibit runs through Jan. 26, 2019, and is included with the purchase of a general admission ticket, which costs $10 for adults and $4 for kids age 15 and under.

It's Electric
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fleet Science Center
Explore the nature of electricity through several interactive exhibits at the Fleet Science Center. The museum’s newest exhibit, “It’s Electric,” uses 16 fun activities to teach about fundamental properties, like magnetic fields and batteries. The exhibit is included with the purchase of a general admission ticket, which costs $22 for adults and $19 for kids up to 12 years old.

Escape the Nat
12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesday through Sunday), San Diego Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in Balboa Park is getting in on the "Escape Room" craze with a fun puzzle game of its own on the lower level of the museum. The premise: there's a deadly viral outbreak and you must help find the cure by combing through the museum archives in search of clues that must be solved to save the world. Groups of two to six players can join the game, and ticket prices vary depending on the number of people participating. For instance, two people can play for $80; the ticket price includes admission to the museum. Guests must make reservations in advance for a slotted time Tuesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Live Music at Liberty Public Market
1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Liberty Public Market
Enjoy some free, live music Sunday on the patio at Liberty Public Market as local group, The Counterfeits, jam to top 40 covers and their own feel-good originals. It’s the perfect break between bites at the marketplace.

Free or Cheap Things to Do in San Diego
Times and locations vary

Looking to save some cash, but still enjoy the city? In San Diego, there are still plenty of activities to enjoy for free or on the cheap. Go for a hike at Torrey Pines State Park or Cowles Mountain, stroll Balboa Park, try a new craft brewery, admire the murals of Chicano Park or read a book at a downtown park. Get out there and explore America’s Finest City.



Photo Credit: Instagram/@tracycg13

San Diego Team to Return from Camp Fire Search & Rescue

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A San Diego search and rescue team is heading home after spending a week supporting crews on the ground of a devasting wildfire in Butte County that was finally fully contained on Sunday. 

The San Diego Urban Search & Rescue California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) team, which, for this mission, consisted of 37 members from fire agencies across the county, is scheduled to arrive in San Diego on Tuesday. 

While in Northern California, the team was part of the effort to search through the rubble for victims of the Camp Fire, which consumed more than 133,000 acres of land and took the lives of 88 people before it was fully surrounded on Sunday. 

The team -- made up of crews from the Chula Vista, San Marcos, Santee and Heartland fire departments -- left for Butte County on November 19 and spent their time searching through the rubble in towns like Paradise, California, one of the towns most widely affected by the Camp Fire. 

David Gerboth, a San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighter and the team's battalion chief, wrote in a Facebook post that it was hard to describe the loss they were seeing in Paradise.

"It is difficult to put into words the scope of the devastation in and around Paradise. Along with the loss of over 12,000 residences, the impact to commercial property is overwhelming. For the most part, the entire town of Paradise has been destroyed," the message read just days after the team's arrival. 

A doctor from Sharp Memorial Hospital and an engineer from the city of San Diego also supported the search and rescue team. 

2 Deputies Charged With Assault in Vista Arrest Investigation

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Two San Diego County sheriff's deputies face criminal charges in the May arrest of a Vista man and his father that sparked outrage in the community. 

Deputy Nicholas Morgan and Deputy Joshua Nahan will both face criminal charges in the Monday, May 7th arrest in Vista. 

Gerardo Martinez, Jr. and his father were arrested on Monday, May 7, after deputies were called to a domestic violence incident. 

A neighbor captured the arrest on video and posted to Facebook.

In the 22-second video, two deputies walked a handcuffed Gerardo Martinez Sr. down a walkway and pushed him head first into a wooden fence.

While deputies were walking Martinez Sr., two other deputies were attempting to take his son into custody on the ground.

One of the deputies was seen striking Martinez Jr. in the back of the head as he lay face down on the concrete.

Deputies were heard telling him to "stop fighting."

Morgan, 27, has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault without lawful necessity by an officer and faces two years behind bars if convicted, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday. 

Nahan, 31, has been charged with one misdemeanor count of assault without lawful necessity by an officer and faces one year in jail if convicted. 

The day after the arrest, the sheriff's department said the deputies were responding to a call involving a domestic violence victim who was being held against her will.

"After initial review by command staff, two deputies were placed on paid administrative assignment pending an internal investigation. As we continue to gather and evaluate the facts of this case, the internal review might change in scope," the statement said.

The SDSO said it would be reviewing the deputies’ body-worn camera footage as part of its investigation.

"The family here is very hurt," defense attorney Francisco Aldona said in an earlier interview. "They're Americans. They want justice. They want not only to teach the police they can't do that to them, to their family but to all citizens of Vista. 

Martinez Sr. was charged with obstructing a public officer and bailed out days later. The charge was dropped.

The younger Martinez was initially booked on false imprisonment, domestic violence, assault and resisting arrest charges. The resisting arrest charge was later dropped.

Martinez was ordered bound over for trial on charges of domestic violence and false imprisonment.

Fire Damages Home in Chollas View

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A fire broke out inside a garage at a Chollas View home Tuesday. 

No one was injured when the smoke and flames filled the garage at 730 47th Street just after 8 a.m. 

San Diego Fire-Rescue responded to the fire along with San Diego police.

No other information was available.

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



Photo Credit: Audra Stafford/NBC 7

Camp Fire Contained But Fight Not Over for Survivors

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A deadly wildfire in Northern California has been contained but for the people who survived the devastating blaze, the next step is surviving the day-to-day.

Fred Kuhlmann woke up in a tent next to his cat. Cecelia Weeks woke up in her car alongside her dogs. 

"She stayed in her car I slept in a tent," Khulmann told NBC 7's Rory Devine, who this week visited some of the people affected by the Camp Fire. 

This is the reality for residents of what was once the community of Paradise, California. 

The more than 153,000-acre wildfire, the nation's deadliest in a century, took more than people's property and lives as it burned for two weeks; victims of the Camp Fire lost their communities and neighborhoods.

The Camp Fire killed at least 85 people and nearly 250 people are on the list of those unaccounted for. 

This Giving Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, NBC and Telemundo are partnering with the Red Cross to raise funds for the California Wildfire Relief Fund in support of victims of devastating wildfires across the state. Consider making a donation here

"I'm not going back to paradise way too many bad memories now," Weeks said.

For some, that community is now a tent city.

"I've got an air mattress so I'm up off the cold," Jerry White said. He has been sleeping in a donated pop-up tent with a sleeping bag and a blanket but he said he will be OK. 

"I'm a trooper," he said. 

Rubyjade Rogers, on the other hand, is not so certain. With a baby on the way, a one-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son, Rogers is "scared," she told NBC 7. 

"I have no clue what's next," she said. Rogers told her son this was a fun camping trip but she said he knows the reality. 

"He said 'That's because of the fire, huh,' he said, 'A lot of people lost their homes that day,'" Rogers said. 

What she wants -- as do others devastated by the Camp Fire and others like it across the state -- is a place to call home again.

"I tell my son, I tell my daughter all the time, a home is not a home until it's 'home sweet home.'"

'Godsend': Blasey Ford Closes GoFundMe Page With Life Update

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Christine Blasey Ford has closed donations on her crowdfunding page and is hoping that things will go back to normal for her and her family two months after she testified at Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing that he sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Ford's neighbors in Palo Alto, California, say they still haven't seen the psychologist and professor at Palo Alto University since before the extraordinary Senate hearing in September. Threats forced Ford from her home, but she said last week in an update on the GoFundMe page set up for her that the crowdfunded donations were a "godsend" that helped her and her family cope.

The GoFundMe page raised about $650,000 from nearly 14,000 people over two months. Ford said the money has been used to pay for security to deal with the "frightening threats" she received since reluctantly coming forward with her allegation. She added that she'll donate whatever is leftover to trauma survivor support groups.

"Your tremendous outpouring of support and kind letters have made it possible for us to cope with the immeasurable stress, particularly the disruption to our safety and privacy," Ford said in an update posted the day before Thanksgiving.

The hearing pitched Ford's word against Kavanaugh's and nearly prevented his confirmation to the Supreme Court. But Kavanaugh forcefully denied that he ever sexually assaulted Ford or anyone else and he was narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court in a vote that polarized the country.

Ford told the Senate in September that she'd always lived in fear of what would happen if she spoke out against Kavanaugh, who was a White House lawyer before becoming a federal judge. Coming forward brought out "constant harassment and death threats" that was worse than what she'd expected and left her terrified, she said. 

She also said in the GoFundMe update last week that the donations went toward a new home security system, housing costs while she and her family have been displaced and a security service that is beginning to taper off. The support has left her hopeful that "our lives will return to normal," she wrote.

"Although coming forward was terrifying, and caused disruption to our lives, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill my civic duty," Ford wrote, adding that she sends love and support to others who have shared their experiences of sexual assault with Ford and the world.

Neighbor Kristen Podulka, who hasn't seen Ford since September, said, "my number-one hope is that she can move home."

Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss said she hopes to welcome Ford home with a proclamation, when Ford is ready.

"Everything she has done is brave and courageous that certainly is a brand-new path for women to follow," Kniss said.



Photo Credit: Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images, File

Vegetation Fire Burns Behind Homes in Chula Vista

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A vegetation fire was burning behind homes in Chula Vista, east of State Route 125 or the South Bay Expressway toll road Tuesday.

The slow-moving fire was reported along Agua Vista Drive and Via Ponte Tresa just after 9 a.m. and had grown to about 10 acres in about an hour, according to fire officials. 

It was burning near the community of New Cielo, which was still in the process of being built, according to an NBC 7 crew on the ground. 

The neighborhood is north of Proctor Valley Road and at the base of Mt. San Miguel. Smoke could be seen rising above the mountainside. 

Cal Fire said no homes were being threatened and no evacuations were in place. 

The firefight was a joint effort between Cal Fire and Chula Vista Fire Department crews. A helicopter was circling the blaze and making water drops at about 10 a.m.  

Firefighters were working with humidity at less than 15 percent and easterly-blowing winds in that area. 

No other information was available.

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


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CVFD Chief Recounts ‘Total Chaos’ of Woolsey Fire Fight

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The first 48 hours on the ground of the Woolsey Fire in Ventura County was "total chaos" for a Chula Vista fire team sent to support crews as the fast-moving blaze spread towards Malibu. 

"There was horses running around that were burned, lose animals, people literally running from the fire on foot because their vehicles had run off the road," Chula Vista Fire Department Battalion Chief David Albright recounted in an interview with NBC 7. 

Albright and his team of firefighters were called to the Ventura County the night after the Woolsey Fire erupted, on Nov. 8, and as residents were being evacuated. For nearly 50 hours, the team worked non-stop to do what they could to save homes and aid residents. 

One of their first firefights was near Mullholand Highway as the fire began spreading towards Malibu, Albright said. 

The team on that day, "saved four or five houses and unfortunately saw 40 or 50 of them burn down around us," he recalled. "Initially the excitement gets you through, but then you got to deal with everything that you saw."

Chula Vista firefighters battled erratic winds and walls of flames that were quickly spreading flames from home to home. Albright said most of the time, they had to react to the "dynamic" fire. 

The blaze would eventually grow to 97,000 acres and claim the lives of four people. At least 1500 buildings were destroyed and hundreds more were damaged, according to Cal-Fire.

Albright said he hopes firefighters get a break soon from devastating wildfires that appear to no longer abide by what was once dubbed "fire season." 

"Something in the last five or six years, whether its drought, global warming, something is changing the fires and they are absolutely burning as intense as they ever have, if not more intense than I have ever seen," he said. 

Meanwhile, firefighters will continue to put their lives on the line to do what they can to save people's property and lives, he said. 

"You do risk your life but it’s our job… You talk to any firefighter, we do it because we believe in it." 

Justin Timberlake Announces San Diego Show

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'What goes around...comes around': Multi-Grammy-winning artist Justin Timberlake finally brings his globe-spanning “Man of the Woods” tour through San Diego next year with a stop at Valley View Casino Center on Feb. 21, 2019.

The tour, which wrapped up its European leg over the summer, has been racking up impressive reviews with its 360-degree multi-stage layout, cutting edge lasers, 3-D projections and fresh takes on some of multi-platinum-selling artist’s hit songs.

Tickets for the Valley View Casino Center show start at $49.50 (plus service fees) and go on sale to the general public starting Monday, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. PST at LiveNation.com.

Of course, there are pre-sales too: American Express cardmembers can purchase tickets starting on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 10 a.m. PST through Sunday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. Members of Timberlake’s official fan club are also eligible for a separate pre-sale. For more information, head to JustinTimberlake.com.

Timberlake, who headlined the Super Bowl LII halftime show this past February, hasn’t performed in San Diego since his Jan. 8, 2007 tour stop at the then-named iPayOne Center (aka Sports Arena). And my, hasn’t the time just flown by?

The chart-topping actor/musician has sold more than 32 million albums throughout his solo career (of course, he was also a member of NSYNC from 1995-2002, one of the best-selling boy bands of all time), and has won 10 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Brit Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards since 2002.

Most recently, his four-times-platinum single “Can’t Stop the Feeling” (from the soundtrack to the 2016 animated film “Trolls”) became his fifth Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, and in addition to winning the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, earned him nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

This year’s “Man of the Woods,” Timberlake's latest studio full-length, was also his fourth album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Justin Timberlake’s Man of the Woods Tour Dates

  • Nov. 27: Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
  • Nov. 29: Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
  • Dec. 1: Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
  • Dec. 3: Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
  • Dec. 5: Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
  • Dec. 8: Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center
  • Dec. 10: Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
  • Dec. 13: St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
  • Dec. 14: Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
  • Dec. 17: Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
  • Dec. 19: Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
  • Dec. 21: Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
  • Dec. 22: Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
  • Jan. 4, 2019: Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
  • Jan. 6, 2019: Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
  • Jan. 8, 2019: Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
  • Jan. 10, 2019: Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
  • Jan. 12, 2019: Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum
  • Jan. 15, 2019: New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
  • Jan. 17, 2019: Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
  • Jan. 19, 2019: San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
  • Jan. 22, 2019: Houston, TX – Toyota Center
  • Jan. 24, 2019: Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
  • Jan. 26, 2019: Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena
  • Jan. 28, 2019: Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
  • Jan. 31, 2019: New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
  • Feb. 4, 2019: Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
  • Feb. 6, 2019: Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
  • Feb. 7, 2019: Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
  • Feb. 10, 2019: Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
  • Feb. 11, 2019: Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
  • Feb. 14, 2019: Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
  • Feb. 15, 2019: Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
  • Feb. 18, 2019: Portland, OR – MODA Center
  • Feb. 21, 2019: San Diego, CA – Valley View Casino Center Arena
  • Feb. 22, 2019: Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
  • Feb. 24, 2019: Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center


Photo Credit: Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Grant Supports Salk Team’s Cutting-Edge Alzheimer’s Studies

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A team of Salk Institute researchers has been awarded $19.2 million to study interactions among brain systems thought to underlie disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Sparking new therapies is another goal.

The eight-year grant comes from the American Heart Association and Allen Institute.

Salk’s interdisciplinary group believes a failure of one area critical to brain health — proteins, genes, metabolism, inflammation and epigenetics — can lead to brain disorders like Alzheimer’s. Led by Salk President Rusty Gage, they’ll investigate brain networks, and they hope to uncover new targets for therapeutic research.

“At the Salk Institute, we have devised a completely new way of approaching Alzheimer’s and aging research,” Gage said in a news release.

The news release goes on to say: “Salk research teams are developing cutting-edge methods to study aging and diseased neurons and other brain cells through cell cultures, brain organoids and a new primate model of cognitive aging. In addition to these technological advances, the team will use sophisticated machine-learning algorithms that can integrate diverse datasets, allowing scientists to identify the cell types and biological pathways most critical for brain aging."

To date, there are no therapies to effectively treat Alzheimer’s. Pharmaceuticals have dumped billions into the disease, without much to show. Worth noting, though: Carlsbad-based Ionis Pharmaceuticals last year started clinical testing for a drug to treat milder cases of Alzheimer’s.

Earlier this year, the American Heart Association and Allen Institute announced $43 million in funding to combat age-related dementia. Their joint effort is called the American Heart Association-Allen Initiative in brain health and cognitive impairment.



Photo Credit: Salk Institute
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Gamer Overheard Fla. Man Rape Teen Through Game Console: Police

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A Florida video gamer was arrested after another gamer overheard him committing a rape through an online multiplayer network, authorities said.

Daniel Enrique Fabian, 18, was arrested last week on a charge of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between 12 and 15 years old, according to Pasco County jail records.

According to an arrest affidavit, Fabian, of New Port Richey, was playing "Grand Theft Auto" on June 28 when told another gamer there was a girl at his house who he planned to "smash," WFLA reported.

After they stopped playing the game, Fabian remained logged on to the network and didn't turn off the microphone on his Playstation 4 console. The affidavit said the other gamer overheard the girl groaning and saying "no." The 15-year-old girl told detectives she was sitting on Fabian's bed when he put his hand over her mouth and raped her, the station reported.

Fabian and the other gamer resumed playing after about 15 minutes. It was not known if the other gamer was the person who reported the incident to authorities.

A spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said Fabian was charged in June with raping another 15-year-old girl. Kevin Doll said Fabian was arrested after the incident, which also took place in his home. 

He remained behind bars Monday, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.



Photo Credit: Pasco County Sheriff's Office

In Photos: Fire Burns Close to New CV Community

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A slow-moving vegetation fire began burning near a new housing development in Chula Vista Sunday morning.

The development, called New Cielo, is north of Proctor Valley Road and at the base of Mt. San Miguel.

It began just after 9 a.m. and grew to about 44 acres within the hour.

Cal Fire said no homes were threatened and no evacuations were in place.

Take a look at firefighters battling the blaze and its damage to the area:
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