A federal judge in Texas on Friday struck down the Affordable Care Act, ruling that former President Barack Obama's signature domestic legislation has fallen down like a losing game of "Jenga."

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth sided with the argument put forward by a coalition of Republican-leaning states, led by Texas, that Obamacare could no longer stand now that there's no penalty for Americans who don't buy insurance, NBC News reported.

On any given Thursday night at the Mad House Comedy Club in downtown San Diego, standup comedian Brian Apprille takes the stage and makes people laugh.

Apprille is incredibly animated on stage and is a master of impressions, but in May of 2009 viral meningitis and a disease called Ramsey Hunt Syndrome paralyzed half his face and nearly stole his smile.

"I went into like a very dark place. I was depressed and I didn't want to die but I didn't want to exist if that makes sense,” he said.

For Apprille, the physical impairment and its emotional impact were equally devastating.

“Your sense of self dies,” he said. “So you're dealing with the loss of who you were and what your life was.”

Embarrassed and self-conscious, his standup career came to a standstill.

“I couldn't go on stage with my face drooping,” Apprille said. “My eye didn't close for over nine months. That's when I first started getting some healing. I had total hearing loss in my left ear and it just shattered my world."

Apprille said he also struggled in public.

“People thought I was drunk,” he said. “People thought I was angry. People think I'm antisocial. I just can't express myself with my face the way that I normally used to.”

But with time, Apprille developed an ability to find humor in his challenges and quickly realized that humor was the key to rediscovering the zeal he had lost.  

"I said I have to go out and make fun of this because there's no other way for me to feel better. I have to in order to remove the power that it had over me and get out of that depression,” he said.

Apprille started testing out his facial paralysis jokes on family and friends. After some fine-tuning, he began incorporating them in his material. Finally, he said he was ready to get on stage again.

“When I first start doing the joke it gets really quiet in the room because it's kind of a serious topic. But when everyone sees that I'm OK with it and I found a positive twist to it, everyone kind of laughs and goes along with it,” he said.

The ability to joke about his disability has helped Apprille heal emotionally and now he's now using his platform to create awareness and support.

His friend and fellow comedian Lisa Gilbert said he is inspiring people everywhere.

"It's anywhere from 50 to 2,000 people that are looking at you,” she said. “And if it's a big audience then you're on a big screen with your face with paralysis and all on that big screen. Yeah, that's very vulnerable. But Brian does it with grace."

Friend Matin Atrushi, also a comedian, said he admires Brian for his talent and courage.

"He just lets people know what is happening in his life. And that it's OK. He's doing OK. And he’s making people laugh, which he loves," Atrushi said.

Apprille is currently in the process of auditioning for "America's Got Talent" and was even considered as a replacement voice actor on "The Simpsons."

Off the stage, Apprille attended a support group near Los Angeles for people suffering from facial paralysis and Bell’s Palsy. The experience connecting with others who could relate to his situation was life-changing.

“I saw this big community of people who could just walk into a room and look at somebody and go, ‘I know,’ without saying a word,” Apprille said.

The experience was so meaningful that it inspired Apprille to start a support group for people with facial paralysis and their loved ones, the first of its kind in San Diego.

“I've been able to touch so many people's lives with my story, and those relationships and those comments and those hugs -- you can't really put a price on that,” he said.

Apprille has also launched a podcast called Unique Smiles, to reach out to an audience he uniquely understands.

"I remember what it was like when I first got Ramsey Hunt Syndrome and how low I was and how sad and how alone I felt and to find those other people and just have that human connection of kindness, it makes all the difference in the world," he said. “I also want to encourage people that they can still chase their dreams and still live an amazing life and still be great no matter what you look like as far as that or how you feel about yourself,” he said.

Rediscovering laughter has also helped him restore his health. He's lost 152 pounds. He jokes about that too.

“I think in life if you can laugh at whatever is causing you pain you remove the power that it has over you,” he said.

Apprille's facial paralysis and the daily pain he suffers will likely never go away. And while his condition may have partially stolen his smile, finding the humor in his reality has helped him rediscover the joy of living.

"If you'd told me ten years ago that I would consider this a blessing I would say you're crazy. But it really has been a blessing. It's changed my life tremendously," he said. “And if I can help be that face of facial paralysis and raise awareness for people then I'm so happy and so blessed to do so.”

To join the San Diego Support Group for Facial Paralysis, send an email to facialparalysisgroupsan@gmail.com.

You can follow Apprille on Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook.

Former Padres outfielder Xavier Nady may be retired after playing 15 years in the major leagues but he still knows how to step up to the plate when needed.

Nady donated a package full of signed cards, photos, baseballs and a pair of batting gloves he used as a pro to a 10-year-old Northern California boy named Colton who lost his prized baseball memorabilia collection in the fast-moving Camp Fire.

The Camp Fire is the most destructive wildfire in California history and for Colton it will be remembered as the awful thing that destroyed his home, including the 51 signed baseballs he kept tucked away in his room.

A friend of Colton's family recently put a message up on a closed Facebook group of "Physician Moms" with roughly 70,000 members worldwide asking for anyone with baseball connections to help get the boy a ball or two.

Namrita Kapoor, a San Diego mom and doctor, saw the message and even though she didn't know anyone involved felt the need to do something.

Kapoor reached out to a friend, who reached out to another friend, who happened to be Nady.

Not only did Nady play professional baseball, but like young Colton, he is a fan of the game. During his playing days, he collected autographs from teammates and players he admired.

Kapoor knew Nady would help out, but she never expected such a large donation.

"I just thought maybe one or two baseballs," she said. "So I look in the package and it was just the most thoughtful sweet thing, especially the handwritten letter to Colton."

Nady didn't just donate his own autographed items, he threw in signed baseballs from other players such as Chipper Jones, Eric Hosmer and Stephen Strasburg.

Kapoor says Nady's generosity is proof of the good that can come through the power of social media when people make connections in an effort to help one another.

The first deadline to sign up for health insurance for 2019 through California's health insurance exchange is quickly approaching.

Those who want to have their health insurance coverage to start on Jan. 1, 2019, must sign up on Covered California by midnight on Friday, Dec. 21.

Unlike the federal open-enrollment period, which ends Dec. 15, California's open enrollment continues through Jan. 15.

So far, roughly 1.2 million people have renewed their insurance through Covered California. That number is slightly lower than last year's. The agency said the reason could be a lack of awareness.

Though the open enrollment period started Oct. 15, the agency decided to wait until after the mid-term election to start advertising. Another reason for lower enrollment is the removal of the individual mandate penalty. 

The original Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare," required everyone to have insurance or pay a penalty. The Republican Congress, in December 2017, removed the penalty effective Jan. 1, 2019.

"While we know that the financial help offered through Covered California is the big motivator for many people to enroll, with the penalty removed we do expect some consumers to roll the dice and go without health coverage," Covered California executive director Peter V. Lee said.

The agency said enrollment is expected to drop between 7 to 18 percent because of removal of the mandate.

The high cost was another reason why some are forgoing health insurance. Trey Barkley, 32, went without insurance last year after his company stopped providing health insurance for its employees.

"I could not afford it," he said. "The cost was too much for me per month because I ended making just enough money that it was going to cost way out of my range."

Barkley was referring to subsidies offered by Covered Calfornia. About 90 percent of people enrolled through Covered California qualify for some sort of subsidy, which covered an average of 80 percent of their monthly premium, the agency said.

According to its research, 82 percent of uninsured people do not know that they qualify for financial assistance. 

"Being covered means you are protected from medical bills that can range from tens of thousands of dollars into the millions," Lee said. "That's why it is so important to take a look their options and find out if they are eligible for financial assistance to help bring that coverage within reach."

Craig Gussin, a licensed health insurance underwriter with the Auerbach & Gussin Insurance and Financial Services in Carlsbad, said high-deductible policies are available for as little as $1 a month for qualified California residents.

Gussin said the Bronze-level plans typically offer three doctor visits per year for $75 per visit. Those basic plans have a $6,300 deductible, and typically pay 100 percent of medical costs after the patient has paid a total of about $7,000 in "out-of-pocket" costs.

Despite that high deductible and co-pay, such basic coverage can help the policyholder avoid crushing medical debt and possible bankruptcy from an unexpected major illness or accident.

Nearly 250,000 people are uninsured in the San Diego-Carlsbad area, of that more than 102,000 are eligible for coverage through Covered California. Statewide, an estimated 1.1 million uninsured people are eligible to enroll in Covered California or Medi-Cal, the agency said.

Gussin said his typical customer pays about $50 to $100 a month for a more comprehensive Covered California policy with a lower deductible. Some families qualify for premium subsidies of up to $1,000 a month on a $1,800 premium.

Barkley said he plans to look at Covered California's site again this year to see if he qualifies for any subsidies now that his girlfriend has health coverage through her work.

Covered California has a Shop and Compare tool for people to see if they qualify for any assistance.

A veteran-owned business in Chula Vista was the target of thieves this week who took more than $20,000 worth of power tools.

Edgar Deleon owns FedVet Construction, 3513 Main St. His work trailer, parked at his business’ parking lot, was broken into early Monday morning.

His surveillance camera was able to catch one of the thieves in the act shortly after midnight. A man was seen pushing a tool cart next to the trailer and using a bolt cutter to break into the trailer.

"It was a bit frustrating,” Deleon said. “I was shocked. I was upset as much as anyone would."

The tools are professional-grade tools that cost him thousands. Deleon, a Navy veteran, said he put his savings into the business, mostly on the high-end tools.

"It was more of disappointment because we worked so hard to get these tools,” he told NBC 7.

The suspected thieves, however, returned to the scene of the crime a few days later. Thursday afternoon, the camera caught the same pickup truck circling the parking lot.

“It was the same truck and one of our employees saw the truck and got that plate,” Deleon said.

Both the surveillance video and truck's license plate number have been turned over to the Chula Vista Police Department, but Deleon said the theft has put a damper on his holiday spirit.

"It' Christmas time people have different agendas,” he said. “If it was a money thing, If it was someone we knew, if they needed money, all they had to do is ask.”

Chula Vista police are still looking for the people behind the theft.

Anyone with any information was urged to contact the CVPD at (619) 691-5151.

Strangers, friends and family gathered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Bankers Hill on Friday evening to honor the 20 first-graders and six staff members killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School six years ago.

A bell rang 26 times during the ceremony, a ring for each person who lost their life Dec. 14, 2012.

Victoria Koenitzer shared her experience living through a mass shooting at the service. She was a student at UC Santa Barbara in 2014 when the Isla Vista shooting happened.

"Tidbits of my own experience linger and they just become more prominent when another shooting happens," Koenitzer told NBC 7.

Two of Koenitzer's friends were killed. She wants people to know what it was like that horrific day and every day after.

“I hope there's someone out there, even just one person in the audience who hears one thing that I said and it might stick with them," she said.

For Kasey Zahner, remembering Sandy Hook takes her back to hearing about the shooting.

"The idea that first graders would be murdered in their classrooms was unimaginable," she said.

Her group, San Diego Moms Against Gun Violence, started as a response to Sandy Hook.

"Seeing the images of these children for me as a mother, I have a 6-year-old and an 18-month-old, imagining sending my daughter off to school one day and not return,” Zahner said. “Schools should be a safe place. Church should be a safe place. Movie theatres should be a safe place."

In addition to remembering the Sandy Hook shooting victims, the vigil was also a call to end gun violence in the U.S.

Luxury fashion company Prada has pulled a set of monkey trinkets from its lower Manhattan store amid outcry that the items depict blackface.

In a statement Friday, Prada said that the images have been removed from the windows of its flagship in Soho and that it "abhors racist imagery." 

But it added that the items -- which are part of the brand's Pradamalia line and depict a monkey with a black face and bright red lips -- are "certainly not blackface."

"Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery," the company concluded in its statement. "In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation."

Backlash to the items grew quickly after Chinyere Ezie, an attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights, posted to Facebook that the items bore a resemblance to blackface imagery used in Jim Crow-era minstrel shows and illustrations.

"I don’t make a lot of public posts, but right now I’m shaking with anger," she wrote.

She was in such disbelief that she sent the photos to family and friends to verify what she was seeing. 

"I messaged my mother of all people, 'Hey, is this blackface?'" she said. "Everyone who saw those images was as shocked as I was." 

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Ezrie added that when she confronted store workers, they told her "a black employee had previously complained about blackface at Prada, but he didn't work there anymore."

Since Ezie's post Thursday, thousands of people have tweeted using the hashtag #BoycottPrada. Groups have also begun picketing outside the store. 

"That's unacceptable," said Brittany Cooper, a passerby in the area. "That's blatantly obvious that's blackface." 

"Prada is trash for this," said Althalie Paynting. "They know better. We all know better. I'm a white person; we know better." 

Ezie also was unmoved by Prada's explanation and apology.

"That sounds no more realistic than people who say Confederate flags are about southern heritage," she said. "We have an obligation to be educated about historical legacies of racism." 

New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams, also a candidate for public advocate, has also called on the store to donate proceeds to anti-bigotry groups. 

"The question is who the hell approved this," he said. "They have to apologize. They need to come out and say we fucked up."  

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To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories in San Diego County, each Saturday we'll revisit five stories from the previous week and capsulize them in this digest with the most recent updates.

300 Take Option for Early Retirement From Sweetwater Union High School District: Teachers Union

A San Diego-area school district is struggling to revise a budget that's estimated to be $30 million in debt by the end of the 2018-2019 school year. The teachers union is working with the district in offering early retirement options for some of its members. On Thursday, Artie Ojeda reported that 300 district employees have agreed to the early retirement, including nearly 100 teachers that may leave the classroom by the end of the month.

Trashed Trash Cans Frustrate San Diego Residents

Did you know, hundreds of trash containers get dropped into trash trucks every year leaving residents forced to buy new ones? Consumer Bob talked with San Diego’s Environmental Services Department about the average lifespan for that trash container you use every week.

Flooding Wipes Out Man's Pilates Studio and Connected Apartment

A gutter failed and stormwater roared down B Street, flooding the home and pilates studio owned by Bruno Bosardi. Water filled the rooms and caused thousands of dollars in damage. “It got this high!” Bosardi told NBC 7's Omari Fleming, pointing to a line on the cabinet about 5 feet off the ground. “It was up to here.” See just one of the stories involving storm damage we covered this week.

Almost Half of All Women Killed in US Were Killed by Their Partner: Report

An in-depth analysis of a decade of killings of women in 47 major U.S. cities, including San Diego, reveals that almost half those women were murdered by an intimate partner. A closer look at homicide data in San Diego and four other cities found that 36 percent of the men accused of those deaths were publicly known to be a potential threat to their partner before the fatal attack. Here's Mark Mullen's report. 

Lead in Your Water Lines? City of San Diego Says It Doesn't Know

Our investigative team produced a startling piece this week about the pipes used to move water through the city of San Diego. NBC 7 Investigates and Voice of San Diego found the city does not know the material used in two-thirds of all water service lines in the city. The city was required to provide the data after a state law was passed last year. However, as Tom Jones reports, the city is still working to be in compliance with that law. 

A teen was stabbed nine times after an argument turned physical Friday night outside an Egger Highlands home, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Two 19-year-old men were standing in the doorway of the suspect’s house just before midnight when they began to fight.

The victim thought he was being punched, but it turned out he was being stabbed with a knife, said SDPD.

He was stabbed in his chest, stomach, and both of his arms, officers said.

SDPD arrived at the scene near Imperial Beach and arrested the suspect.

Police identified the suspect as Homero Lunaosuna.

The victim, who has yet to be named, was taken to a nearby hospital with no life-threatening injuries, SDPD said.

The knife was recovered by police.

The SDPD Southern Division is investigating the incident.

Thousands of San Diegans helped lay wreaths at five local cemeteries Saturday in part of a nationwide day of remembrance.

Wreaths Across America started as a way to honor fallen soldiers during the holiday season and bring grieving family members comfort, but has grown to include any veteran gravesite with a cross, indicating the Christian faith.

More than 3,000 people attended the event at Miramar National Cemetery where parking spots ran out by 9 a.m., forcing many guests to walk more than a mile or catch a shuttle.

"You place a rock if there's a Star of David for people of Jewish faith, you set a stone on the top of the headstone. And for Christians... you place the wreath which celebrates Christmas which is very appropriate," said Jim Bradford, a Cub Scout leader from Pack 594 in the Del Sur area.

Some of the participating cemeteries include Fort Rosecrans, Miramar National Cemetery, and Greenwood Memorial Park.

Since 2006 the Worcester Wreath Company has donated all of the wreaths.

A Poway teen was killed in a car crash Thursday on her way home from finishing her first quarter of college, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Kim Huynh, 18, died just north of the Murrieta Hot Springs Road overpass on Interstate 215, CHP said.

A friend of Huynh’s mother created a GoFundMe page to help cover memorial costs and any expenses for the family in the meantime.

The page said Kim worked diligently at the University of California, Riverside. She had just finished her first quarter of classes and was on her way home for the holidays.

Kim’s sister, April, was in the car with her at the time of the crash, according to the GoFundMe page.

The crash happened at around 8:15 p.m., and Huynh died 15 minutes later, officials said.

The accident occurred roughly halfway through the 80-mile trip from UCR to Poway.

More than 300 people were welcomed back to an East Village homeless shelter after it flooded, forcing them to evacuate for a week.

The group was taken to the SDCCU Stadium in Mission Valley amid the countywide flooding.

“We had one goal, which is to help get people back to the bridge shelter, because it’s more than just a roof over their head, there’s so many services that happen there,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

Those services included help with jobs, housing, and mental health, he added.

“We’re only 24 inches away from each other, and yet our folks live here with peace and dignity,” said Bob McElroy, CEO of the Alpha Project, a local non-profit that owns the shelter.

Faulconer toured the downtown facility on 16th Street and Newton Avenue with McElroy.

“It was a logistical effort,” Faulconer told NBC 7. “This has been a 24/7 operation over the last week, and to see the smiles on people’s faces, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Faulconer, McElroy, and some of the shelter’s residents said they were grateful for the crews that made the move and clean-up possible, including those with the city, the SDCCU Stadium, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

“The night I was standing inside the tent with knee-deep water, I felt a little nervous, but when I saw the city crews roll out… just the precision, the teamwork was phenomenal,” McElroy told NBC 7.

McElroy said “resilience” wasn’t a good enough word for it all.

“The enthusiasm from all the different agencies, all the different city departments that came together and say we’re going to make sure that these folks get back in their place as fast as they can, I mean, that to me, is just a tremendous blessing,” McElroy told NBC 7.

Restrooms, showers, and mattresses have all been fixed or replaced, according to the city.

Donations poured in from around the county as San Diegans helped replace many of the personal belongings that were destroyed during the flooding, the city said.

“To see the community all acknowledge them as human beings and that they want to help them,” McElroy said. “This renewed my faith in humanity, believe me.”

Two residents who spoke with NBC 7 echoed this sentiment.

“Fantastic. The generosity I’ve seen here, the dedication from Bob and his team is an amazing adventure. The people are dedicated to helping us,” said resident Ed Bidwell.

Mary Foster, another resident, said she hadn’t seen anything like flooding in San Diego before. “I’m just thankful that we got out safely,” she added.

The large Christmas tree in the tent shelter was a beacon of hope for Foster.

“It felt great to come back, you know, I didn’t want to leave, but it’s great to come back and see the Christmas tree still here,” she said.

The shelter closed for nine days after a rainstorm on Dec. 6 caused significant damage.

As the migrant crisis continues to play out along the U.S.-Mexico border, dozens of people on Saturday joined in prayer in solidarity with the migrants while another group rallied in support of President Donald Trump’s policies.

At the Posada without Borders event held at Border Field State Park. Faith leaders and other supporters recreate the story of Joseph and Mary as they seek shelter before the birth of Jesus.

For minister Jennifer Guerra Aldana, the crisis at the border hits especially close to home. She is originally from Guatemala and came to the U.S. as a child.

“It brings my own emotions of ‘Am I also not welcome?’ if those who are like me and come from the land where I'm from are not being received in this way,” she said.

Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan with the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego was also part of Saturday's Posada. He said that the diocese has helped house and place dozens of migrants over the last several weeks.

Just a few miles away, a couple dozen people were rallying to show their support for the president.

“Build that wall! Build that wall!” the group chanted, repeating Trump's popular mantra. This crowd waved U.S. flags near the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

These demonstrators called for Congress to fund the border wall. They also pushed back on critics of the administration's border policy. One demonstrator placed the blame squarely on the migrants

“Why would they drag their innocent little children, go thousands of miles?” Vaughn Becht said. “If they really love their children why would they put them through that?”

Both groups at the border demonstrations remained peaceful.

A San Diego County sheriff's deputy was hurt Saturday afternoon in Encinitas while trying to take a man who was attacking a red-light camera into custody, authorities said.

Deputies received a call about the man attacking the red-light camera with a baseball bat shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

A deputy approached the man to take him into custody and the deputy was injured in the ensuing struggle, the SDSO said. 

The deputy possibly has broken bones but did not sustain any critical injuries, the agency said.

The man was taken into custody for resisting arrest and assault with a deadly weapon.

The annual closure of Children's Pool Beach for harbor seals pupping season started Saturday.

The beach and the surrounding area will remain closed until May 15.

The rope that serves to keep the public at a safe distance will also be removed since the entire beach is closed.

Children's Pool Beach was opened in 1932 after Ellen Browning Scripps paid for a seawall to built so that inexperienced swimmers can enjoy the beach. Seals started to use the relatively calm water for the beach to rear their pups in the 1990s.

The city started closing the beach in 2014 after environmentalists complained that beachgoers were disturbing the marine mammals. The California Coastal Commission issued a permit allowing the beach to close to protect the seals.

A group advocating for beach access called Friends of the Children's Pool sued the city arguing that the closure violated the California Coastal Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

A lower court sided with the group but the issued was resolved in the city's favor earlier this year when an appeals court reversed the decision, allowing the city to close the beach for 5 1/2 months each year.

A man was killed Saturday night when he was hit on a highway in Oceanside, according to the Oceanside Fire Department.

The collision happened shortly before 10 p.m. on westbound state Route 76 at Douglas Drive, the agency said.

Westbound 76 was shut down and all traffic diverted to Douglas Drive. 

It was unclear what caused the accident.

This is a developing story, please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Six in 10 Americans say President Donald Trump has been untruthful about the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, while half of the country says the investigation has given them doubts about Trump’s presidency, according to a new national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

The survey, conducted a month after the results of November’s midterm elections, also finds more Americans want congressional Democrats — rather than Trump or congressional Republicans — to take the lead role in setting policy for the country. 

And just 10 percent of respondents say that the president has gotten the message for a change in direction from the midterms — when the GOP lost control of the U.S. House of Representatives but kept its majority in the U.S. Senate — and that he’s making the necessary adjustments.

“The dam has not burst on Donald Trump,” said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, whose firm conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. “But this survey suggests all the structural cracks [that exist] in the dam.”

A man was rushed to the hospital with a head injury after his scooter collided with a car Saturday in the Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego police said. 

The man, identified by police only as a 30-year-old, was riding a scooter on the sidewalk near the Balboa Theatre just after 11 p.m. when he entered an intersection and collided with a Toyota Prius. 

The Prius was traveling southbound on 4th Avenue and had the green light, officers, said. 

The scooter rider ran the red light and broadsided the Prius, according to the SDPD. 

He was rushed to a nearby hospital with a head injury, according to police. 

Investigators said there is no indication alcohol was involved in the incident. 

No details were given on the type of scooter or if the rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

To help make sure you stay informed, each Sunday we'll revisit five stories from the previous week and capsulize them in this digest with the most recent updates.

Today's collection highlights some of the positive news events that happened this week. 

Clients, Locals Support North Park Barbershop After Racial Slur Vandalism

On Wednesday, husband and wife Christopher and Melissa Cage arrived at their barbershop and salon in North Park to find hateful graffiti scrolled in front of their small business; they didn't let it get them down. Danny Freeman visited the couple a few days later and found out they were receiving support from people they didn't even know.

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Father, Son Stranded Overnight on Borrego Springs Hiking Trail: SDSO

A father and son were grateful for help from emergency services after they found themselves stranded on a hike in the desert last Sunday. The pair were able to find cell service and call for help before deciding to bunk for the night on Juniper leaves over large rocks. Luckily they had a had a lighter and were able to start a small fire. See Artie Ojeda's interview with the dad after he safely returned to the family's campsite.

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Theatre Box's TCL Chinese Theatre, Sugar Factory Restaurant Open in Gaslamp Quarter

If you've been wondering what is being developed in the two-story building taking up an entire block of the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue and G Street, you won't have to wait any longer.  The Theatre Box entertainment complex celebrated its grand opening on Friday night with celebs and all sorts of fan fare.

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'Small-Format' Target Store Planned for Spring Valley

The community of Spring Valley in San Diego’s East County will soon be home a new, small Target store. The retail giant announced plans Tuesday to open a “small-format” store at 935 Sweetwater Road, near the Jamacha Road intersection, in 2020.

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NBC 7's Marianne Kushi traveled to NYC to take in some of the sights and discovered some amazing storefront displays. She shared the video with us. There's a lot more than the tree in Rockefeller Center! Grab your cup of coffee and stay through to the Saks Fifth Avenue Lightshow! 

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Sunday said President Donald Trump is preventing a deal to avert a partial government shutdown because of a “temper tantrum” over his demand for more funding to build a border wall.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” just five days before funding deadline to keep several key federal agencies open, Schumer, D-N.Y., said that he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are standing firm in their offers to Trump and that it’s up to the president to come to the table.

"We Democrats, Leader Pelosi and I, offered the president two options as to how to avoid the shutdown,” he said.

“We should not let a temper tantrum, threats, push us in the direction of doing something even our Republicans colleagues know is wrong," Schumer said.