While scooters and dockless bicycles have changed the transportation industry in San Diego, some business owners and residents don't like the look of them on their properties. 

A new local service, called Scooter Removal, LLC., is hoping to serve those customers by removing the unwanted scooters and bikes, free of charge. 

"They're doing a service to the community," said Jonathan Freeman, who lives in the Gaslamp District. "They're getting more scooters off the streets." 

Freeman said he has not felt safe walking downtown ever since a scooter crashed into his blind dog. 

"A scooter came up behind us and hit his head," said Freeman. "If he would've hit his body, it would've killed him." 

The app caters to property owners in San Diego of businesses and homes. They can also call the number on the website to have a truck pick up Lime and Bird Scooters, as well as dockless bicycles.

The company says that they remove unwanted scooters and bikes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The removal service usually arrives within 30 minutes of the call.  

The company invoices the scooter and bicycle company, and sends a notice to pick them up at their facility. 

The owners of Scooter Removal added customers and pedestrians can trip over scooters on the property of a business owner, which can lead to liability. 

"We help to set up 'no parking zones' if you register with us," said Dan Borelli, Co-Owner of Scooter Removal, LLC. "We put up signs on the property and alert the company that a private property owner has created a zone." 

Companies like Bird and Lime then must inform their users that they have parked in a 'no parking zone.' If nothing is done, Scooter Removal will come move the item from the property. 

"It's our service to the community," added Borelli. "We're not anti-scooter, we're just helping to clean up the city." 

Scooter Removal also adds that scooter removal will improve access to the business by removing obstructions that block customer access. 

The company said they developed the service from a need to help clean up the community and protect business and home owners. 

In two weeks, the company will fully launch an app, called Scoot Scoop, for Androids and iPhones. 

The San Diego Police Department launched an investigation after a man died in custody Sunday night.

Police received a call about a possibly drunk man yelling on Estrella Avenue in the neighborhood of Colina Del Sol at 4:04 p.m. Sunday.

The 52-year-old man told officers he had been drinking and had no medical complaints, according to SDPD.

Officers arrested the man for reportedly violating his probation.

The man was then taken to SDPD headquarters downtown for processing. From here, police said he was moved to Central County jail.

The man was then found unresponsive at the jail, SDPD said.

An officer began performing life-saving measures with assistance from the jail nurse. San Diego Fire-Rescue arrived shortly after to help.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to SDPD.

Detectives from the SDPD Homicide Unit are investigating.

At this time, officials said there was no indication any force was used on the man.

SDPD did not release the name of the officer who transported the man to the jail; however, police said he has been with the department for four years.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call SDPD at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Two University of Oklahoma students who faced backlash over a blackface video posted to social media "will not return to campus," the school's president said Monday. 

In the video posted late last week on social media, a young woman is seen painting her face black, laughing and uttering a racist slur, while the other student was filming.

OU President James Gallogly said the students, both sophomores, were not expelled but "decided on their own to withdraw," NBC News reported.  

"This type of behavior is not welcome here and is condemned in the strongest terms by me and by our university," Gallogly said. 

The school is still investigating to determine if any other students were involved in making the video. The Tri Delta sorority confirmed earlier in the day that at least one of the women involved in the video is now a former member. 

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office will announce Tuesday funding to provide prevention and awareness training about the dangers of human trafficking to students within the San Diego Unified School District. 

The human trafficking education will be available to students in every public school in San Diego County, the DA's Office said. 

Human trafficking is a form of human slavery and can involve someone being forced to work as a laborer, a restaurant worker, a helper in the home or a prostitute. It affects adults and children and the threat can be either physical or psychological. 

San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco are three of the ten worst child sex trafficking areas in the U.S. The large immigrant population in our state and the access to the U.S.-Mexico border draw for those looking to exploit people, officials say.

Sex trafficking survivor Jaimee Johnson was expected to be present at a news conference Tuesday held by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan.

In a previous interview with NBC 7, Johnson said she was sold into prostitution and for five years amassed customers in several southern California cities by placing ads online.

Johnson is now an advocate and works to expose the horrors of sex trafficking.

“These people need to look at their daughters and look at their sisters and their wives and mothers and remember that these women are no different than that and they definitely shouldn't be used as sexual commodities or expendable products," Johnson said.

Dr. Paul Gothold, the San Diego County Superintendent of Schools and San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten were expected to attend the 10 a.m. news conference. 

Watch NBC 7 News Midday at 11 a.m. for the latest on this announcement.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is hiring California residents to assist in the recovery efforts in the aftermath of the Camp, Hill and Woolsey Fires in Ventura, Butte and Los Angeles counties.

Residents who get hired will join a team composed of both local and federal workers, voluntary agencies and community organizations.

In order to apply, residents must create a profile at USAjobs.gov, search for the key words “FEMA Local Hire” and select “California” as the location.

Below are some of the positions available:

• Engineer
• Floodplain Management Specialist
• Geospatial Information Systems Specialist
• Administrative Support Assistant
• Insurance Specialist
• Emergency Management Specialist
• Equal Rights Advisor
• Customer Service Representative
• Analysts
• Voluntary Agency Liaison
• Resource Manager
• Media Relations Specialist
• Digital Communications Specialist
• Mass Care Specialist
• Applicant Services Specialist
• Housing Coordinator
• Reports Writer

 For more information on the hiring process, click here. 

Mayor Kevin Faulconer will join mayors from Mexico and Canada to discuss free trade between the North American countries. NBC 7's Audra Stafford has more.

A 29-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Clairemont Mesa late Monday, the San Diego Police Department said. 

The motorcyclist was speeding westbound on Balboa Avenue east of Clairemont Mesa when he struck the curb and then a guardrail just before 11 p.m., SDPD officer John Buttle said.

He slid across lanes and came to a stop in the far right lane of Balboa Avenue. 

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, Buttle said. 

There were no other vehicles involved. 

No other information was available.

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

Nearly a dozen local businesses are teaming up with Yelp San Diego to provide a free luncheon for hundreds of federal workers affected by the government shutdown on Wednesday. 

The event at the San Diego Air and Space Museum will feed at least 500 people who have not been receiving a paycheck as the government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, stretched into its fifth week. 

The free lunch was pulled together in less than a week by Yelp’s San Diego Community Management Team led by Brad Bohensky and Danny Wurst.

The two wanted to find a way to help and began texting, calling and emailing local eateries last Friday. They were happy to find several local businesses agreed to participate within hours. 

"Instant clap back of 'Yeah, we want in,' 'We want to help,' the generosity was overwhelming," Wurst said.

Those businesses include: Cali Comfort BBQ, Lucha Libre Taco Shop, Donut Bar, El Pollo Grill, Valley Farm Market, The Pioneer, Corbin's Q, Coop's West Texas BBQ, The Waterfront Bar & Grill, Grand Ol BBQ Y Asado and Simsim Outstanding Shawarma. 

To attend, workers must RSVP through Yelp's event page. Their government issued ID will be checked at the door and matched to their RSVP on the day of the event. Attendees are able to bring a loved one with them to the event. 

The event is from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Donut Bar chef Santiago Campa thanked Yelp for giving his eatery a way to help affected federal workers. 

"They're the unsung heroes that keep our whole society kind of working," Campa said, "Whenever suddenly they're left out in the cold, literally, that’s not cool. So we gotta do our part." 

Bohensky and Wurst said the goal is to feed as many people affected by the government shutdown as possible and if demand for the event is overwhelming, they may expand the event to accommodate more people.

"It’s just such a weird time right now and there’s a lot of people struggling so we just wanted to use our community as a resource to really help those who are really in need," Wurst said. 

For more information on the event and to RSVP, click here. 

More than 191 million people in the United States wear prescription glasses, contacts, or uses some type of vision correction, according to the research group The Vision Council. [LINK: https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/media-room]

But for Athletic Trainer Holly Stroschine, wearing glasses and contacts wasn’t enough and often got in the way of her training.

Two years ago, eye doctors diagnosed Stroschine with Keratoconus, an eye disease that affects the corneas. Shortly after the diagnosis, Stroschine says the FDA approved a new procedure called cross-linking, aimed at curing the disease.

“There aren’t very many doctors who do it in the area,” said Stroschine. “I finally managed to find two or three in San Diego.”

Stroschine decided on having the procedure done at La Jolla Lasik. During her consultation, Stroschine requested that staff make sure that her insurance would cover the procedure.

“She said yes it was approved by the FDA and so, therefore, it should be covered by my insurance companies,” Stroschine said.

Staff at the clinic scheduled the surgery and told Stroschine that she would have to pay $7,000 up front for the procedure and she would be reimbursed by the clinic once the insurance company paid them. She agreed and moved forward.

But two weeks later, during a follow-up appointment, she asked the doctor whether her claim had been submitted to her insurance company. Stroschine said the doctor told her the claim had not yet been submitted.

“I've gone to so many doctors in my life you know for all sorts of injuries,” added Stroschine. It’s always the same, they send a claim to your insurance company and usually, you get your money back within a month or two. But, of course, this turned out nothing like expected.”

Weeks turned into months. And Stroschine said she never received the check.

After the fourth month, she decided to take action. She filed a claim directly to her insurance but the company rejected it because it did not have an itemized receipt with it.

“Six months went by, then seven months, eight months. I was concerned because I know that a claim has to be filed within one year or the insurance company is not responsible,” said Stroschine.

Not long after Stroschine was watching the Olympics and something caught her eye.

“During the Olympics, I saw an ad for NBC 7 Responds,” said Stroschine. “I thought, ‘Hey maybe this will work,’ Nothing else was, so I contacted you.”

Producers got to work and a few weeks later Stroschine finally got her check.

“I don't know what NBC 7 Responds said but as soon as you called we got some response about that claim. Thanks for making such a difference.”

NBC 7 Responds reached out to La Jolla Lasik. They were unable to comment citing doctor/patient confidentiality.

The American immigrant experience takes center stage in The Old Globe's "Familiar," a new play by an award-winning playwright perhaps best known for her starring role in "Black Panther." 

"Familiar", by Danai Gurira ("Eclipsed"), tells the story of African couple Donald and Marvelous and their daughter, who is set to get married soon. But when she insists on a traditional African wedding ceremony, tensions begin to rise. 

When Director Edward Torres (The Old Globe's "Native Gardens") first saw the play several years ago, he loved it. When the opportunity came along to direct the play: "I was ecstatic," he told NBC 7. 

"What drew me in about her work is the passion she writes with," Torres said. "The fact that she's telling stories that matter and most of them are about the African culture."

Gurira, a Zimbabwean-American actress and playwright known for her roles in "Black Panther" and "The Walking Dead," picked Torres to direct the piece after talking with Torres and The Globe's Barry Edelstein.

"Familiar" speaks to him, Torres said, especially because of the way it explores the American immigrant experience. The play is beautifully written, Torres said; it's clear, smart and funny. Gurira's storytelling is detailed and precise. 

"For me, what was great about (the play), and what's - pun intended - familiar about that to me, is my own parent's immigrant experience and my experience being first-generation Puerto Rican," Torres explained.

In many ways, Torres said, he felt audiences would be able to relate to the play - not because the play was telling their exact life story or experience, but because there were elements of the play that would ring true for many. 

"You laugh when you go, 'oh you know what, that happened to me at my wedding.' Or, that happened to me at my Bar Mitzvah," Torres said. "The experience is different, but sometimes the issues are the same, and that can bring us together."

When Torres prepared to direct "Familiar," he sought advice from a friend, who helped him understand traditions, culture and family dynamics in Zimbabwe. He wanted to make sure he could direct the piece in a way that kept intact the importance of the culture and language -- especially given its specific references. 

When theatergoers come and see "Familiar," Torres said, he hopes theatergoers take away a theme of universality, and an understanding of other cultures -- and a realization that there is no reason to fear other cultures, especially in this day and age. 

"I want audiences to come and see that even though we can be different, and we come from different places, the American experience is very similar," Torres said.

"So that they understand that we are all kind of in the same boat," Torres continued. "This is a country of immigrants. This is an African story, this is a Black story, that is also very universal and can be applied to any culture here in the United States that's been part of the melting pot."

"Familiar" runs at The Old Globe from Jan. 26 to March 3. You can get tickets here.

The partial government shutdown has forced many federal employees to continue to work without pay in what is now the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Some San Diego businesses and non-profits are working alongside national companies to offer relief to impacted workers. Here is an overview of those helping out.

Food

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is providing groceries, including non-perishables and produce, to families affected by the shutdown. Those seeking temporary assistance and have a federal ID card can go to the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Campus located at 8788 Balboa Avenue in Kearny Mesa. Food will be distributed every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. until the shutdown ends.

“As a community with a lot of federal government employees and contractors, plus multiple military bases, we are committed to stepping up our food assistance efforts to help furloughed or unpaid workers during these challenging times,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “By offering supplemental groceries, we hope to ease the burden for affected workers and their families.”

Yelp San Diego is teaming up with nearly a dozen businesses to provide a free luncheon to hundreds of federal workers on Jan. 23. The event will take place at the San Diego Air and Space Museum from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Workers must RSVP on Yelp’s event page.

"Instant clap back of 'Yeah, we want in,' 'We want to help,' the generosity was overwhelming," said Danny Wurst with Yelp’s San Diego Community Management Team. "It’s just such a weird time right now and there’s a lot of people struggling so we just wanted to use our community as a resource to really help those who are really in need."

Museums

The San Diego Botanic Garden is offering free admission to federal employees and contractors along with their spouses and children from Jan. 14 to Jan. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To receive free admission, employees and contractors must show a valid federal ID or badge at the Welcome Center.

Banks

Cabrillo Credit Union is offering a Payroll Assurance Loan (PAL). Members who sign up for PAL will receive a line of credit equal to the amount of your last paycheck, up to $5,000.

Cal Coast Credit Union will offer special relief programs to Cal Coast members who are federal employees. They are offering a 90-day personal loan for the amount of the member's last net payroll or they can choose a 90-day loan payment deferral for existing Cal Coast Loans.

Wells Fargo will work with "individuals and business banking customers whose income is disrupted as a result of the shutdown.” For more information visit its website.

Bank of America is providing client assistance tailored to customer needs. You can call or schedule an appointment with a specialist. Visit its website for more information.

Non-profit Organizations

San Diego Humane Society offered free pet food to federal employees Monday in three of their campuses across the county, Escondido, Oceanside, and San Diego. The group provided two bags of pet food for any federal workers and their families.

The Balboa Park Carousel and the Friends of Balboa Park will offer free rides to furloughed federal employees and their families for as long as the shutdown continues. Just show your federal employee identification for free admission for you and up to three guests.

Local Businesses

Reel Axis Inc. President Christopher Lee said he wants to help furloughed federal employees by paying their rent or mortgage payments. Lee said this is a “no strings attached gift,” and hoped to encourage other business owners to join him in helping out the community. He can be reached at chris@reelaxis.com.

Punchbowl Social is offering a 25 percent discount on all food, beverage, and games to any federal employees impacted by the shutdown. To receive the discount, just show a government ID card to the server prior to ordering.

D3 Home San Diego, a retail store located in Little Italy, will donate a $50 Von's gift card to support a furloughed worker for every $1,000 spent on any products in their store. 

Sports

The San Diego Sockers will host Furloughed Workers Night during its Jan. 20th game. All federal employees and contractors can receive free tickets. The tickets can also allow accompanying children under the age of eight. Any additional tickets within the government worker's group can be bought at a discounted rate of $12. The Sockers will face off against Turlock Express at Pechanga Arena San Diego at 5:05 p.m.

“So many families in our community are suffering right now, and it is our goal to knock down the wall between making ends meet and treating the family to a fun night out,” said Sockers Chief Marketing Officer Craig Elsten.

The Harlem Globetrotters will offer free tickets to all furloughed workers. The Globetrotters have games in San Diego this February.

“As the Ambassadors of Goodwill, we want to show our support to all those government workers whose paychecks, and by extension, their families, are directly impacted,” said Globetrotter President Howard Smith. 

Furloughed workers can receive their two complimentary tickets at the box office by showing their government ID, while supplies last. 

To view dates for games visit their website.

Cell Phone Companies

T-Mobile is providing flexible payment support options to customers, including deferring payments or spreading payments out over time.

AT&T is helping workers impacted by the shutdown by offering flexible payments.

Verizon launched a Promise to Pay program, which allows customers to set a future payment date via their application.

To view more companies that are offering assistance click here. 

Investigators renewed a plea Tuesday for information in the shooting death of a National City teen more than a decade ago.

Romel Velarde was only 16 years old when he was gunned down in front of his home on E. Division Street in National City on January 19, 2007.

Investigators have been following leads associated with the killing for more than 12 years and are again asking the public to come forward with any information they may have.

San Diego County Crime Stoppers said two males who were reportedly seen running from the scene, and a brown van or SUV was seen driving away immediately after the shooting.

Anyone with information about Velarde's death can call NCPD's Homicide Unit at (619) 336-4472. Up to $1,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest.

A blind San Diego resident is getting ready for the journey of a lifetime: a 60 day sailing trip to Fukushima, Japan. 

“I can feel nature very much with sailing,” said Hiro Iwamoto. “And I can be a driver. I can’t do that in a car on the street but I can in the ocean with a boat!”

With the help of a sighted sailor, Doug Smith, the two will leave on February 24 aboard the Dream Weaver, a 40-foot sail boat. 

"The boat is big enough to be comfortable and safe for a voyage but still small enough," said Smith. 

Iwamoto was born in Tokyo and now lives in San Diego with his wife and daughter. He lost his sight as a teenager. 

"Growing up, my father had a fishing boat," said Iwamoto. "I have always loved the ocean." 

If the trip is successful, Iwamoto will be the first blind person to complete a crossing of the Pacific as part of a two-person crew.

Iwamoto attempted to make the journey in 2013, but the voyage ended prematurely. 

"We had a collision with a whale and the boat got a giant crack and sank," said Iwamoto. "We were floating around in 15 foot waves before rescue came." 

After that, Iwamoto did not want to sail for a long time. He said he will be sailing again both to raise money for charity and to show people that you should conquer your fears. 

"Failure can make your future success one thousand times greater, so never give up," said Iwamoto. 

The boat will have a tracking device on it so that fans can follow Iwamoto online during his journey. 

After being closed for roughly 19 months, the busiest boat launch site in California held a reopening ceremony Tuesday to show off its multi-million-dollar upgrades, according to the Port of San Diego.

The Shelter Island Boat Launch Facility in La Playa saw $9.6 million in renovations, including a larger basin and a public walkway and viewing area.

“It became very congested, so this new ramp enlarged the basin area by 80 percent,” said Marguerite Elicone with the Port of San Diego. “It’s such a busy, popular launch ramp – now a lot easier to maneuver.”

The facility has 50,000 launches every year, according to the Port, making it the busiest site in the state.

“We have a lot of visitors up and down the coast that use the launch ramp,” Elicone told NBC 7.

Construction began in May 2017 and was completed in late December 2018. Crews remained on site through January to perform minor clean-ups.

The launch facility had previously been repaired in 1976 and 2005 since it was created in the 1950s.

With this new round of renovations, the Port completely demolished the launch ramp and rebuilt it from the ground up, the Port said.

Families should expect faster pick-up and drop-off times, according to Elicone.

Other improvements included updated restrooms, longer boarding floats, and new signage and lighting.

The Port said it worked with the public for the past decade on creating the best facility for the area.

“We had several public meetings, dating back 10 years,” said Elicone. “The public gave input on the design – three design alternatives.”

Elicone said the chosen design had the most public input.

“We’re very proud of the project. We thank the boating commuting for their patience,” she said.

More than 100 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including local leaders like Councilmember Jennifer Campbell whose district is where the facility is housed and Randa Coniglio, the president and CEO of the Port of San Diego.

Polynesian dancers performed at the ceremony. “It was very festive. A lot of the boating – everyone was really happy with the outcome,” Elicone said.

A reception was held at the Outboard Boating Club on Shelter Island Drive.

The new facility was planned and constructed by local companies, the Port said. Triton Engineering designed the project, and R.E. Staite Engineering built it.

“Those are two respected companies with years and years of experience,” Elicone told NBC 7.

The $9.6 million project was funded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, and the Port of San Diego.

California, compared to other states, is ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing roadway laws that keep commuters safe.

According to the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS), a little more than 37,000 people died on U.S roadways in 2017. The organization says car crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans age 5 to 34 years old.

In California, more than 3,600 passengers were in killed in auto crashes in 2017. But the AHAS says California, 5 other states and Washington D.C. are “significantly advanced” when it comes to adopting recommended laws.

Drivers in San Diego still say the roadways aren’t safe enough.

“Slowdown. Slowdown. Everybody's in a hurry,” one driver said.

AHAS’s ratings are based on the number of vital laws in place in each state. California has 10 and other advanced states have 9 or more. South Carolina (2) and Wyoming (3) are at the bottom of the organization’s rankings.

Vital laws include restrictions on cell phone use, which driver Sean Muth said is one of the scariest things she sees on the road

“I think that's my biggest issue, biggest concern I have when I am driving. Especially when I have my son in the back and I'm looking over like ‘Oh my God.’”

California is also at the forefront of restricting driving under the Influence (DUI). A law implemented at the beginning of 2019 allows judges to require some drivers convicted of DUI to use an ignition interlock device.

One way drivers can help keep themselves safe – in addition to following safety laws already in place, of course – is driving cars with technology that help reduce accidents.

“My car lets me know when there's somebody on my left, somebody in my right, you know, backing up is easy because I've got a camera in the back,” driver Natalie Gerard said.

Statistics show automatic emergency braking, also known as AB, has been shown to reduce rear-end crashes with injuries by 56 percent.

And not only do crashes cost lives, they also land an estimated $836 billion punch on the economy every year, according to AHAS.

AHAS says every American pays an annual $784 “crash tax.”

A call for help to find a missing Spring Valley teenager ended with allegations that Sheriff’s deputies violated a family’s constitutional rights, used excessive force and triggered an elderly woman’s heart attack.

According to a legal claim filed against the county, the incident happened last October, in a Spring Valley apartment complex. NBC 7 Investigates obtained the claim through a request under the California Public Records Act.

Cesar Jamarillo said he was eating dinner when he heard a loud knock on the door of his family’s apartment. “I looked out the window, and it’s a (deputy),” Jamarillo told NBC 7 Investigates.

He said the deputy told him he was looking for the parents of an African-American teenage girl, who had reported their daughter missing.

Jamarillo said he told the deputy that he knew the girl and her parents and that they lived in an apartment with the same number (17), but in a different building, across the courtyard.

Jamarillo claims he politely gave the deputy directions to the other family’s apartment but said the deputy and a colleague continued to ask him questions.

When Jamarillo told the deputies that he’d given them all the information he had, and assured them no one other than his own family was inside his apartment, one of the deputies allegedly grabbed him by the arm, pulled him out the front door, handcuffed him and shoved him to the ground.

“That’s when my grandma came out,” Jamarillo recalled. “She was scared. She was like, ‘What’s going on?’ She thought I’d done something (wrong).”

Jamarillo’s grandmother, Teodora Villalobos, who speaks only Spanish, told NBC 7 Investigates she was upset and frightened by the situation and her inability to get an explanation from the deputies.

"I just started screaming, ‘What's happening? Why is he arrested? Why is he in handcuffs? What did he do? ’” Villalobos recalled.

The family’s attorney said Villalobos had a mild heart attack, that required emergency medical transport to a hospital for a five-day stay.

“I collapsed,” Villalobos recalled. “I had chest pains, I couldn't breathe."

The family’s attorney said medical records confirm that Villalobos suffered a mild heart attack that caused permanent medical problems.

“I was a hard-working woman, always on top of what needed to be done in my house,” Villalobos said. “Now, I”m not the same. I have constant pain in my chest and throughout my body.”

"(That) heart attack that changed her life dramatically” said attorney Chris Morris. “And it’s unfortunate, (because) had the officers acted reasonably, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Morris claims sheriff's deputies had no right or reason to detain and handcuff Cesar and violated his constitutional rights when they did so.

“Under the law, under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, you have an absolute right not to talk with the police, to not come out of your home, to be safe in your home,” Morris said.

The legal claim filed by Morris on behalf of Jamarillo and Villalobos seeks $725,000 in damages for each of them.

The Sheriff’s department declined to comment on the legal claim or any of the allegations made by the family and their attorney.

As the partial government shutdown continues to affect families across the county, one San Diego Coast Guard family has begun bracing for the worst.

Summer Pelland spent most of her January at home watching her four-year-old daughter Delany.

“A week before Christmas, a drunk driver plowed into my husband’s truck,” she said.

The car was totaled, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Summer’s husband, Jeff, is an active-duty Coast Guard member who has served for 22 years. Because of the partial government shutdown, the family cannot afford to add new car payments to the monthly bills.

So, the Pellands became a one-car family.

“I haven’t been able to really participate in some of the activities to help other Coasties, so I’m kind of at home, feeling a little helpless,” said Summer.

Summer said hers is just one small story of the “devastating” impact the shutdown has had on San Diego’s Coast Guard community.

Four Coast Guard members she knows are facing difficulties with rent as some landlords are unable or unwilling to be lenient during the shutdown.

“We have service members that are married to each other, so both incomes are not coming in,” Summer added.

Though, Summer said perhaps the most frustrating part has been some people belittling the Coast Guard’s pain online.

“We’ve gotten people attacking us, saying the Coast Guard isn’t a real military branch or ‘You’ve only missed one paycheck,’ or people I know post online, ‘Suck it up buttercup, go get a job!’” she said.

But San Diego’s 600-plus Coast Guard servicemembers continue to work —without pay — through the shutdown.

And Summer acknowledged the bulk of the reaction has been incredibly warm and generous from San Diegans.

“The outpouring has been amazing, and it’s heart-warming to see the food pantries, the donations, but it’s also gut-wrenching to see Coasties having to line up for food,” she said. “It really feels like we’ve been forgotten, that their sacrifices don’t matter, and it breaks my heart for them.”

San Diego is one of only 25 cities in the country to be a designated Coast Guard City.

A rare Bengal cat separated from its family as a kitten five years ago was reunited with its rightful owner after it was turned into a San Diego Humane Society shelter.

The shelter says Mufasa was just a kitten when he went missing in Arizona. His family surely tried to find him, but he ended up in the hands of another family.

In the five years he was lost, his owners had moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the SDHS said. Twenty-four hours after Mufasa’s pride was contacted, his owner got on a plane to San Diego and took him back home.

“The cat was understandably a little bit fussy being in a new shelter,” Dariel Walker with the SDHS said. “And as soon as he saw [his owner], he immediately recognized him and turned into a puddle of mush. His personality totally transformed when he saw him.”

Walker said Mufasa was “surrendered” to the shelter on Jan. 6. It was unclear if they found Mufasa or if they had him for a while and decided not to keep him, Walker said.

Walker said Mufasa’s Bengal-like print is very rare.

“It’s not a type of cat we see very often,” she said.

Walker said Mufasa’s story is the perfect example of why everyone should microchip their animals. She said Mufasa’s journey is also a reminder that pet owners need to make sure they update their contact information if it ever changes.

The SDHS hosts microchip and vaccination clinics ever. For more information, click here.

https://www.sdhumane.org/what-we-do/programs/vaccinations/ --

“The first thing we do is scan for a microchip,” Walker said. “It’s a really simple procedure, the size of a grain of rice into the back of the neck.”

Walker called microchipping the “best thing you possibly do to protect your pet.”

A pedestrian suffered major injuries when she were hit by a truck in San Ysidro Tuesday night.

Police say the woman was in a crosswalk when they were hit by a truck turning right onto E. San Ysidro Boulevard from Olive Drive at around 5 p.m., San Diego Police Department Lt. Andra Brown said.

The woman was taken to UCSD hospital with head injuries. Brown said the victim's injuries appeared superficial at first and she was taken to the hospital as a precaution. When she was at the hospital, she went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated, Brown said.

The driver of the stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

The truck was stopped at the light before it accelerated and hit the woman, Brown said.

Drugs or Alcohol are not suspected factors in the crash.

No other information was available.

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San Diego County’s second largest city voted Tuesday to welcome dockless bikes and scooters with open arms.

The Chula Vista City Council voted 5-0 in favor of starting a year-long pilot program that will help city leaders gather data and set regulations.

They plan to look at information like where and how often the scooters and bikes are being used so they can determine how many should be allowed on City Streets.

The maximum amount allowed during the pilot program will be set a 5,000. Each company permitted to have their scooters or bikes in the city will only be allowed 500 units the first month of the program.

Ricardo Pina is one of the Chula Vistans who sees the benefits of the dockless phenomenon.

“I mean it’s a good alternative to driving, you know, with all the emissions from cars,” Pina said.

But he still has some concerns about safety.

Just last month Esteban Galindo was hit and killed on Third Avenue while riding an electric scooter.

Bill Valle, Director of Engineering and Capital Projects for the city of Chula Vista, said the city will work with the bike and scooter share companies to set speed limits.

“We've got the geofencing regulations so we can work with company to restrict speeds,” Valle said.

Riders will have to abide by the California vehicle code and be 16 years old or older to ride. Riding on sidewalks will be prohibited and if you're under 18 a helmet is required.

City leaders also suggested everyone exercise common sense.

“It’s like driving a car. You want people to pay attention and be alert when you’re driving a car and not texting or doing something else. It’s the same with a scooter. Use them smartly."

Scooter and bike share companies will be required to share ridership data and prove that all of their units are being utilized before more can be deployed.

Chula Vista resident Sarah Carillo isn’t worried as much about street clutter as she is about riders being responsible.

“I don’t think it’s much of a clutter. I mean, I think if you can be responsible enough to ride it, you can be responsible enough to put it somewhere not in the way.”

The city expects to collect at least $70,000 from the bike and scooter companies during the pilot program.

That money will be used to analyze data and could be used to help pay for bike lanes and designated parking spaces.