As security checkpoint lines backed up, several people reportedly passed out due to heat exhaustion while waiting to get into Wednesday's 'Let Freedom Ring' ceremony on the National Mall.

D.C. resident Lauren Breland got in line at 10 a.m. -- and two hours later, she said she could stretch out and touch the spot she started in. But it's not the crowd that's concerning her; it's the fact that emergency crews are having trouble getting through.

"People have heat exhaustion, you have all ages here," she said. "Somebody just went down. And the problem is you can't get to your folks.... And if you just see folks waving their hands, you're not going to think it's a 911 situation. I haven't seen any emergency vehicles."

• FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE of the events, click here.

Some emergency medical technicians are on foot in the crowd. Around noon, NBC Washington's Mila Mimica (@MilaMimica1) said EMTs are whistling every six or seven minutes, trying to get through the throngs to reach those having trouble.

At least four people have passed out, Breland said.

A large crowd standing behind a metal barrier chanted "Let us in, let us in" repeatedly as mounted U.S. Park Police officers stood watch.

Several people took to social media to describe the problems.

four people standing near me behind WWII memorial have gone down. Fortunately people in crowd w/med experience coming to help.

— Robert C. Bobb (@RobertCBobb) August 28, 2013

Temperatures at mid-day Wednesday were hovering around 80. At the 1963 March, the high reached just 83, but more than 1,300 attendees were treated for heat exhaustion.

There’s only one checkpoint at Breland's location east of the Lincoln Memorial, near the Pacific side of the World War II Memorial -- and a crowd of thousands, she estimated.

"It is just a mob that comes in straight from Constitution and 17th, because they only have three ways that they're letting folks in...." she said. "It's a ruly crowd, it's not unruly..."

• FOR ROAD CLOSURES Wednesday, click here.

The attendees who spoke to News4's Tom Sherwood were split -- some were patient; some were furious. Several ambulances were standing by, with one man sitting on a gurney, he said.

Breland said there were only a handful of checkpoint lanes, and no end in sight.

"It's incredible. It's dangerous," Breland said. "There's no lines, there's no orderliness of it. Folks are taking it in stride; it's just the damages that could result from this."

Two cooling buses are nearby, but far enough away that not everyone might be aware of them, Sherwood said.

Watch NBCWashington Wednesday for live streaming of the events starting at 11 a.m.

 MORE COVERAGE:

• 50 Years Later, Thousands Begin to Arrive for "Dream" Speech Anniversary
• Federal Workers Urged to Telework Wednesday
• Getting Around on the 50th Anniversary of the March
• 10 Things You Didn't Know About the '63 March
• Thousands March, Rally Honoring MLK's Legacy
• Key Events of the Anniversary

The U.S. Justice Department is providing almost $2.5 million in funding to organizations that responded to the school shooting in Newtown in December.

The funding compensates organizations, including the Connecticut State Police, the Newtown Police Department and partner agencies, for costs related to overtime, forensics and security during and in the aftermath of the shooting that took the lives of 20 first graders and six staff members.

First Selectman E. Patricia Llodra said in a statement that the town “sincerely appreciates” the support from the federal government. 

“For many months we have been working with representatives of the DoJ to document and justify expenses related to police overtime, forensics, and security subsequent to the shootings at Sandy Hook School on Dec 14,” Llodra said in a statement. “These substantial expenses were borne by municipal budgets in Newtown and Monroe, by state police, and by our many mutual aid and partner police agencies.”

She said that the town "borrowed" from cash reserves, and the grant will allow Newtown to repay what town officials took from savings.

“Providing support to the law enforcement agencies that responded to the horrific scene that awaited them at Sandy Hook Elementary School is one small action we can take to bring healing to a community that’s been devastated,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. “Just over eight months after this senseless tragedy, those who lost their lives, and those who continue to grieve, remain in our thoughts and prayers.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• Connecticut State Police: $663,444 for State Police troopers’ overtime to assist Newtown Police with tactical response and law enforcement activities in the aftermath.
• Town of Newtown: $602,293 for police officers’ time during the past school year (December 14, 2012 – June 2013) to respond to the shooting, provide public protection services in the aftermath and monitor schools.
• Town of Monroe: $882,812 for police officers’ time to secure and monitor SHES Chalk Hill during past school year (December 14, 2012 – June 2013) as well upcoming school year (August – December 2013), and surveillance equipment for the SHES Chalk Hill school.
• Partner agencies: $296,836 for local police officers’ time to provide “mutual aid” during tactical response as well as during the aftermath through June 2013.

These include the jurisdictions of Avon, Bethel, Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Clinton, Coventry, Danbury, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Groton, Meriden, Middletown, New Britain, Newington, New Canaan, New Milford, Norwalk, Orange, Plainville, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Southington, Stratford, Trumball, Waterbury, Watertown, Wilton, Weston and Wolcott.
 

Solar advocates protested an assembly bill on Wednesday that could leave solar panel owners without a lower energy bill.

Assembly Bill 327 would authorize the California Public Utilities Commission to change the existing rate structure, that solar energy customers believe would increase their rate.

Protesters said they want the bill amended so it doesn't impact solar panel investments.

Sempra Energy said they need to revisit their rates because right now many of their large consumers are paying a bulk of the energy bill. Now the company is proposing to rewrite energy conservation measures implemented more than a decade ago.

In 2001, a bill was passed to protect California ratepayers from price fluctuations which capped rates for some consumers (including low income).

Because of this, the energy company said it has seen that their large energy consumers are paying more. They think it’s only fair to change their rate system--making more fixed charges.

Solar power advocates said the energy company has not been clear about what the new set of rates will be, but said it will put an end to net metering. This gives solar power owners full credit for the energy they produce with their panels and then put back into the energy grid.

The group against the bill says it won't make sense for solar panel owners anymore because they will be getting much less from their investment.

“These new rules change it so you don't get full retail credit. You might get some smaller version of what you would have otherwise got. That's problematic because people have put up thousands of dollars expecting a certain rate of return,” said Daniel Sullivan, president of Sullivan Solar Power.

The bill will have to be voted on by Friday in order to go to the California Senate floor.

A woman died in an explosion at her New Jersey home Wednesday morning, and police say she had called neighbors for help on her cell phone, but they couldn't reach her. 

State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said authorities received a call about a possible explosion at a home on New Street in Hunterdon County's Hampton Borough shortly before 7 a.m.

The house was engulfed in flames when first responders arrived, and part of it collapsed, he said. 

Authorities found her body in the basement, police said.

Fire officials said there was no natural gas line to the house, and the owner may have used a propane tank in the backyard. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Houses on either side of the wrecked home were evacuated as a precaution. 

--Tracie Strahan contributed to this story

"He stood over top of his longtime friend and fired nine more times, shooting him in his head and killing him."

That's how Philadelphia Police Homicide Cpt. James Clark described Daquan Crump's "vicious" shooting death, all over a video game console.

The day before a teenager is laid to rest, his childhood friend was charged with shooting him multiple times in the head. Police say he was angry because he wasn't included in the sale of a stolen PlayStation.

Police arrested Malik Anderson, 18, around 5 this morning in his home on Tomlinson Road and charged Anderson with killing Crump.

A construction worker found Crump's body around 7:15 a.m. on Aug. 19 at the former site of Black Red White Furniture along the 10000 block of Northeast Avenue in the Somerton section of Northeast Philadelphia. Clark said the killing happened about two hours earlier.

According to Clark, Anderson and Crump grew up together and were together with three or four other friends the night before the killing hanging out at each other's houses, playing video games, going to 7-Eleven and watching television.

Clark said that Anderson, angry over being left out of the $60 PS3 sale, lured Crump to the demolition site and shot Crump in the back of the head causing him to fall to the ground. Clark said Anderson then shot Crump nine more times in the head as Crump laid on the ground.

"Be very careful how you choose your friends," warned Clark.

Investigators believe Anderson acted alone in the murder. The killing stemmed from a disagreement over a scheme to sell a stolen PlayStation 3 game console.

"Daquan and Malik, who were childhood friends, had conspired to steal another childhood friend's PlayStation console game," Clark said Wednesday afternoon. "Allegedly Daquan carried out this plan alone without Malik."

Crump allegedly cut Anderson out of the sale when he sold the unit on the street for $60.

"In their mind, this is worth a human life," Clark said. "Because I didn't get a cut of a $60 profit from a used PlayStation game I'm gonna stand over top and shoot a kid that I've been friends with since I was 10, 11 years old. It's really unconscionable and it's just very, very sad and very tragic."

Investigators found Anderson's .22 caliber automatic handgun inside the teen's refrigerator. Clark said it wasn't clear where Anderson got the pistol.

Earlier, Clark said "it was very personal and very vicious" attack. 

Crump's death rocked his Northeast Philadelphia community.

"He doesn't deserve whatever happened to him," said Crump's mother Sherron Kaba.

The construction site where Crump was found is located across the street from the fields behind George Washington High School not far from Red Lion Road and the Roosevelt Boulevard (Route 1).

Police say Crump both lived and worked in the neighborhood and that he never had any trouble with the law. Crump was a GW High grad who began working at a neighbor Wendy's a couple weeks before his death, according to his family. Clark said he got that job in part due to pressure from his family being upset that he wasn't doing much.

Crump's backpack, which he always carried, was near his body. Inside was his Wendy's uniform. The fast-food restaurant was the last place he was seen when he left work around 11 p.m. the Saturday before the shooting.

Crump's family plans to bury the teen Thursday morning after a viewing and service at Bethel Deliverance International Church in Wyncote, Pa.

Mei Xiang, the National Zoo's giant panda, is proving to be a doting mom. Today, her zookeepers couldn't tempt her to eat a snack; instead, she preferred to keep cuddling her days-old cub.

Avoiding food and drink is typical for female giant pandas who have just given birth.

But her keepers tried. They offered up some of her favorite treats: diluted apple juice, a sweet potato and a pear. Mei Xiang licked the sweet potato, but wouldn't eat. She did drink some apple juice.

The entire time that she was drinking, she did not put her cub down. Zookeepers said they could hear the cub squawking, and that it sounded healthy.

Mei Xiang gave birth to the cub Friday afternoon after approximately two hours of labor. The zoo said a second cub birthed by the giant panda the next day was stillborn.

Zoo personnel have examined the cub once, on Sunday. But other than that Mei Xiang has kept her cub close.

While they won’t know the sex of the cub for another couple of weeks, they were able to take vital sign readings Sunday. The cub weighed 137 grams or 4.8 ounces, had good heart and lung sounds, and good signs for intestinal function.

• WATCH: National Zoo's Panda Cam

Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice March 30 after failing to breed naturally with the zoo's male panda Tian Tian. It's not clear who the proud father is: Mei Xiang was inseminated with previously frozen semen from both Tian Tian and Gao Gao, a panda at the San Diego Zoo.

Mei Xiang has given birth to two cubs in the past. A female cub, born last September, lived only six days. Her birth was a surprise; she had not shown up on any ultrasounds. An autopsy determined she may have been born prematurely. Mei Xiang's only surviving cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and now lives in China.

According to an agreement with the Chinese government, the cub will stay at the National Zoo for four years and will then be sent to China. 

MORE ON NBCWASHINGTON.COM

• DC Zoo on 24-Hour Panda Pregnancy Watch
• DC Zoo: Panda Behavior Hints at Possible Pregnancy
• Pregnant Panda? National Zoo Temporarily Closing Part of Panda House
• Panda Pregnancy Watch: Back On for 2013
• National Zoo's Upgraded Panda Cams Go Live
• National Zoo Inseminates Giant Panda
• Zoo: Mei Xiang Settling Back Into Routine
• Panda's Distress Call
• National Zoo Panda Cub Dies

A $50,000 reward is being offered for information in the Mid-City slaying of a 21-year-old man, who apparently pulled over to look at a map and was gunned down, police said.

Dejon Ward was shot and killed on July 12 at 12:45 p.m. in Arlington Heights as he was sitting in his parked car, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He found himself lost near Crenshaw and Venice boulevards and pulled over to look at a map when he was approached by a pair of men.

Surveillance video, embedded below, captured two men believed to be the shooters in a silver sport-utility vehicle near the parking lot where Ward was killed.

Police released the footage July 16 in the hope of garnering leads in the case, but so far, they’ve been unable to solve the slaying.

The video shows a male driver parking a silver Nissan Armada SUV and walking away. Moments later, a passenger exits the SUV and walks in the same direction as the driver.

Some 6 seconds later, according to a timestamp on the video, the pair is seen running back to the SUV and they drive away.

After the shooting, Ward's bullet-riddled car, pictured at right, crashed near Bronson Avenue and Venice Boulevard, police said.

A motive in the shooting is not known, but Ward’s family has told media that their loved one has no gang ties.

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

In San Diego’s East County, business owners are threatening legal action after city officials approved a controversial decision targeting small liquor stores.

Members of the El Cajon City Council believe the city's small liquor stores are fueling public nuisance crimes ranging from public urination to homelessness.

The city even has a “Do Not Sell List” with 30 names and faces representing their most notorious offenders.

“If they behave themselves and be responsible business people and don't sell to these individuals. It won’t cost any money,” said El Cajon City Councilmember Bob McLellan.

The new ordinance, a first of its kind in the county, gives the city local control to dole out fines and fees - ultimately even pull a store's license for non-compliance.

"This will be the kiss of death for the business climate in the East County and El Cajon specifically,” said Neighborhood Market Association President Mark Arabo.

The association says the city’s new ordinance has too many hidden rules, 24 pages worth, and holds liquor stores accountable for things they can’t control

“Excessive loud noises outside, and we told them ‘How can a store control that?’ They said, “That's your fault.’ I said, ‘That's the city's fault, because we have to bring good business to El Cajon,’" Arabo said.

He said he believes the city's Chaldean business owners are scapegoat targets for the city's bigger social problems.

But as councilmembers targets stricter local enforcement some are already considering further restrictions;.

"The little small airline bottles, the flasks, the 32 oz bottles or bigger. the malt liquor," said McLellan. "I think we're going to regulate the sales of those so they can’t be sold anymore in El Cajon."

Arabo said the Neighborhood Association President is preparing to file a lawsuit against the new ordinance in court.
 

Washington, D.C. Councilman Marion Barry’s son was charged with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana in Virginia earlier this month.

Police observed 33-year-old Marion Christopher Barry driving a gray PT Cruiser erratically in Hampton about 9:10 p.m. Aug. 16, authorities said.

After stopping Barry, officers found he was carrying suspected marijuana, police said. A search of the vehicle revealed more suspected marijuana and synthetic marijuana.

Barry was arrested and charged with DUI, possession of marijuana and possession of synthetic marijuana.

He was released on his own recognizance and is expected in court Nov. 13.

Barry pleaded guilty in July 2011 to possession of marijuana and PCP and received a nine-month suspended sentence. His lawyer told News4 Washington he has completed his legal commitments on those charges.

The younger Barry is the only child of the D.C. councilman and former mayor, who was arrested in 1990 after he was caught on videotape smoking crack cocaine in an FBI sting. The elder Barry, who was in his third term as mayor at the time, was found guilty on a misdemeanor drug possession charge and served six months in prison.

RELATED STORIES:

• Barry's Son Gets Suspended Sentence For Drug Possession
• Marion Barry's Son Faces Drug-Dealing Charge

A New Jersey woman admitted to beating her mother to death with a baseball bat in their home Wednesday morning, police say.

Hopatcong police said the suspect, Mirna Bolanos, 30, called 911 to report her mother was harassing her, then hung up.

When officers arrived at the Flora Avenue home, Bolanos was outside on the steps and told them she beat her mother to death with a baseball bat. 

Police found Bolanos' mother, 56-year-old Ligia Bolanos, dead inside the hallway, with a bloody baseball bat nearby. She had injuries to her skull, authorities said.

Mirna Bolanos was arrested and taken to Sussex County Jail. It wasn't immediately clear if she had an attorney.

Police said they have responded to Bolanos' home several times in the past for minor disputes between mother and daughter, including arguments over whether Mirna Bolanos had taken her medication for bipolar disorder.

Five students from a high school in Plano, a southwest suburb of Chicago, were released to the custody of their parents late Wednesday after being arrested and charged in a case of ongoing hazing at the school.

The Plano High School students, all boys younger than 17 at the time of the incidents, were charged with criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery and unlawful restraint, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis said.

Principal Eric Benson said he learned about one incident in early February involving the school's basketball team. Other incidents were revealed when the state's attorney's office got involved, he said.

Weis said there were multiple incidents between August 2012 and February of this year involving three victims. He said the five boys would attack the victims -- members of the same sports teams and not randomly selected -- in the locker room after practice.

He said there could be more incidents and more victims, and that the crimes might have been part of ongoing hazing rituals involving the football and boys basketball teams.

"There are indications incidents could have occurred before August 2012," Weis said. "It’s possible other victims could come forward."

For that reason, Weis and Plano Police Chief Steve Eaves said the investigation remains open.

Weis confirmed the incidents involved multiple students holding another student down. One of the offenders would then penetrate the victim with a finger.

He said only one of the youths charged did the penetrating, while the others held the victims down.

"It doesn’t appear to be a sexually motivated crime," Weis said. "It’s dominance, humiliation … this would be on the extreme end of hazing incidents I have heard of or dealt with."

Nick Ferazzo, a junior at the school, said the attacks were common knowledge among many of the student athletes and the reason he quit participating.

"If it were someone's birthday, they'll be messing around with him and they'll get too far into it," he said. "I didn't like what was going on so I just quit sports."

Benson said the school has taken measures to increase supervision in locker rooms and throughout the school, and did so immediately after an incident was first reported seven months ago.

Each of the boys have separate court dates through the end of October.

Anyone with information about the incidents should call Plano police at 630-552-8275.

Earlier this week a fifth student alleged hazing at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. That scandal has already cost two coaches their jobs.

A group of young patients from Rady Children’s Hospital were invited to SeaWorld Wednesday to train, ride and play with bottlenose dolphins as part of a special annual program held at the park.

About a dozen children, including cancer survivor Aidan Inman, got to hop in the water and make a splash at Dolphin’s Point as part of the park’s “dolphin interaction program.”

Aidan told NBC 7 his favorite part of the day was riding the dolphins.

“It’s pretty cool to just hang out with dolphins. You get to swim with the dolphins, pet them, train them and make them do tricks,” he said.

Aidan’s mother, Jen Inman, said she was thrilled to watch her son live out one of his dreams.

Inman said Aidan has been a cancer survivor for the past four years. In 2009, he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and has been in remission for three-and-a-half years.

His mother said that early on in Aidan’s diagnosis, when he was very sick, his big dream was to become a dolphin trainer.

So, for Inman, watching a happy, healthy Aidan interact with dolphins on Wednesday was unforgettable.

“He loves it. This is three-and-a-half years later, and he’s feeling much better, and he actually gets to enjoy it. I’m sitting over here crying because I’m just watching his face,” Inman told NBC 7.

SeaWorld’s dolphin interaction program for Rady Children's patients began seven years ago. It was inspired by SeaWorld dolphin trainer and cancer survivor Joy Clausen-Soto.

Clausen-Soto underwent chemotherapy herself at a Children’s Hospital in Southern California, where she met many other children going through similar intense treatment for their illnesses.

As an adult, she became a dolphin trainer and was inspired to create a program for child patients to interact with dolphins as a welcome distraction from their daily routines.

Each year, Rady Children’s patients ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old are able to visit SeaWorld through this program and pet, feed, train and interact with bottlenose dolphins.

For many kids, like Aidan, the experience means the world.

Inman said it is moments like this that make her son realize his difficult battle is worth fighting.

“He’s beaten a lot of odds. He has a rare form of cancer and participating in things like this has really helped bring his spirits up and make him feel like he had a purpose to get better and get through it,” she said.

SeaWorld trainer Lauren Ford said the annual program is a real treat for trainers too, and said the dolphins seem to enjoy the extra petting, treats and attention, too.

Man bites dog. That's the classic example of what makes news.

And it really happened. But the headline in this case should technically be, "Man Bites Police Dog."

A man believed to be under the influence of a controlled substance stabbed himself in the chest three times, fought with Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies and then bit a German Shepherd named "Ski" on Monday night.

The bizarre arrest was caught on a cell phone video, which shows a deputy - gun raised - trying to talk down a man believed to be high on drugs in a confrontation on Raymond Avenue in unincorporated San Jose.

The man, armed with what deputies are saying was a knife, slashed a tire and smashed several car windows during the scuffle with the deputy.

After more officers were called to the scene, the man continued to resist arrest and stabbed himself three times, according to the sheriff's office. His injuries are not considered life-threatening.

The deputies then released "Ski," which the man allegedly choked, punched and bit. Deputies were at that point able to tackle and subdue him, who remained in the hospital Wednesday night.

A relative said she was thankful that the officers did not open fire on her cousin.

"Can you please tell the officer thank you for not shooting my cousin," Maxine Gonzales said. "I appreciate that he was really good and he handled himself really good."

The dog, who sustained scraped paws and elbows in the fight, is expected to return to work soon.

NBC Bay Area's Kristofer Noceda contributed to this report.

For the man who will become San Diego’s acting mayor shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, the next 12 weeks represent a ripe audition opportunity handy tryout period for the last three years of Bob Filner's unfinished term.

Council President Todd Gloria hasn't made up his mind on running in the special election yet -- but all signs point to his candidacy.

And given his modus operandi during five years as a Councilmember, City Hall observers see him as a strong contender.

"He already has shown that he can act in a bipartisan manner with the City Council,” says Lisa Halverstadt, who covers civic issues for Voice of San Diego. “And some of the ideas that he wants to push through seem to be the things that the Council -- both Republicans and Democrats -- will be on board with. So he's going to look like a team player who can potential be a leader by consensus."

Gloria's bipartisanship got him in Filner's doghouse a month into the recently installed mayor’s tenure.

And by the time Filner made his last visit to the Council chamber last Friday, the mayor's desk was awash with uncompleted projects and initiatives -- the executive branch riddled with 12 department head vacancies and others down the organization charts.

Gloria is left not only to pick up that slack, but restore an air of transparency after a veil of secrecy dropped during Filner's fast fall from grace.

"One of the first priorities is to look at the backlog of Public Records Act requests that have been languishing in the mayor's office -- I think that's something we can fix rather quickly, I hope to do that,” Gloria told NBC 7 in an interview Wednesday. “And on a going-forward basis, having weekly briefings with the media and the public, to make sure everyone knows what's we're working on. And hopefully to hear back from them about what we should be working on."

It won't be hard for Gloria to run the city as an anti-Filner.

Where the soon-to-be departing mayor was, by many inside accounts, a micro-manager whose style didn't produce results, Gloria -- a Democrat -- is well-respected among his Council colleagues, admired for a low-key personality and wonkish grasp of policy.

He’s not expected anything approaching the heavy-handed, top-down management style that Filner exercised, because he trusts his deputies with delegated tasks.

"I have a wonderful team of staff that I've worked with for years -- many of them will be joining me on the 11th floor,” Gloria says, referring to a move from the Council’s 10th floor at City Hall up one flight to the mayor’s floor. “And we're going to be working closely with the ten thousand city employees who know how to do public service."

But for an acting mayor with a 12-week stretch at the helm, moving a backsliding city forward while running for office figures to be a tricky undertaking.

There'll be the demanding mechanics of municipal government.

Plus the art and science of quickly raising money and selling himself to a politically manhandled electorate.

Voice of San Diego’s CEO and columnist Scott Lewis says a Gloria campaign may be hampered by “a hostile base of labor and other people who think he hasn’t been loyal enough. On the other hand, his voting record’s been pretty strong. So I think he’s just going to have to bridge that gap. That’s really his big challenge.”

Veteran campaign strategists say Gloria will need to avoid grandstanding if he's in the special election.

"You know, he's a pretty shrewd guy; he seems to be a pretty smart political decision-maker,” says Jason Roe, who specializes in Republican candidates and conservative causes. “I'd be surprised if he did anything as the acting mayor that looked like he was taking advantage of that for political benefit."

Roe predicts that Gloria will be under a big spotlight, facing a high bar of expectations: “It's not just that he's the 'guy on the 11th floor,' it's that he's the guy right after Bob Filner. "And everything that he does is going to be examined, and re-examined. And so in that regard I think he has to be very careful how he manages these responsibilities."

Will mayoral politics get in Gloria's way while in charge of municipal government?

He says, not if he can help it.

"We will do our best to take on the issues that can help us heal the city,” Gloria told NBC 7. “I'm not looking to create a great deal of controversy. What I want to do is yield great results for San Diego."

As of Wednesday, 13 people have filed papers for the special election.

Among the five people who became mayoral candidates on Wednesday alone, two have moderate name recognition – but not within shouting distance of the biggest name in the field so far, Nathan Fletcher.

They are:

Bruce Coons, executive director of the "Save our Heritage Organisation, whose lawsuit scuttled Irwin Jacobs' Plaza de Panama makeover plan in court.

And Hud Collins, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, attorney who ran for mayor last year, and frequent ‘non-agenda’ public commentator at Council meetings.
 

Yet another woman has come forward claiming San Diego Mayor Bob Filner touched her inappropriately and exposed his "dark side," this time during an event at an elementary school.

Marilyn McGaughy, who's being represented by San Diego attorney Dan Gilleon, claims Filner made unwanted sexual advances on May 17 when she attended an event at Johnson Elementary School where the mayor was making a special appearance.

McGaughy’s friend’s son is a student at the school, and McGaughy was there that day because she often attends the boy’s school functions with his mother.

Gilleon says McGaughy approached Filner at the event because she had volunteered at a telephone bank during his campaign and finally wanted to meet the mayor in person.

Special Section: Mayor Under Fire

When McGaughy interacted with Filner, she claims the mayor touched her inappropriately, kissing her on the forehead and rubbing her breast before asking her out.

McGaughy, a workers compensation secretary in her 50s, spoke with NBC 7 on Wednesday regarding her experience with Filner.

On the day she met Filner, McGaughy says the mayor was respectful towards her at first, but then quickly became “aggressive,” allegedly tugging at a nametag she was wearing on her blouse and touching her breast.

“I was so shocked; I was just absolutely speechless,” she recalled. “I just stood there. I couldn’t believe it.”

McGaughy says Filner told her she was beautiful and said he liked her before asking her out on a date. He also inquired about a ring she was wearing. He then allegedly touched her face before planting a kiss on her forehead.

McGaughy says her friend – the mother of the 8-year-old boy who attends the school – witnessed the interaction and was also taken by complete surprise.

“I thought he was honorable. I thought he was a great man until he showed his dark side,” she added.

McGaughy says that after the kiss and unwanted groping, Filner put his arm around her waist, “yanking” her towards him as they walked across a school playground. She says she tried to pull away as they walked.

McGaughy says that as she left the school with her friend, the shock of what happened set in and she became very upset. She asked her friend to stay with her until they saw Filner and his security detail drive away from the school.

“It was just so unwarranted. I don’t know why he would behave that way. A man with his power,” she added. “He violated my space.”

McGaughy feels it’s finally time she came forward with her story.

“I thought it was important for me to finally speak out because I felt very uncomfortable when the incident happened, and I was really concerned that my friend’s son had seen what happened.”

McGaughy says her friend later told her that the young boy had been aware of her interaction with Filner.

“He said, ‘Mom, I think Mr. Filner was flirting with my Auntie Marilyn. Mommy, that’s how you act when you’re a boyfriend,’” McGaughy recalled.

According to Gilleon, McGaughy has not yet filed any formal complaints or a civil suit. However, through her attorney, she is now submitting a “demand for payment” from the City of San Diego for $250,000.

On Wednesday, she declined to comment on the "demand for payment" money, saying her attorney would address that portion of her case moving forward.

San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith says the city won’t just start handing out money to accusers.

“I don’t want to be insensitive to people that had inappropriate conduct directed to them, but not every time there’s inappropriate conduct, do you get to recover $250,000,” said Goldsmith.

Goldsmith says the city will handle each claim concerning Filner on its own merits, first determining whether or not the city is liable by looking to see if the accuser is a city employee, volunteer or contractor.

“We’re responsible for sexual harassment on employees, should it be proven,” he added.

Meanwhile, Filner’s last day in the mayor’s office is Friday, given his resignation announcement. His term as mayor officially ends at 5 p.m.

Convicted Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death by lethal injection in an unanimous decision of 13 jurors at the Texas Army base on Wednesday afternoon.

The jury also stripped Hasan of his pay and dismissed him from the service. As NBC 5 DFW Investigates first reported, since his 2009 arrest, Hasan has received $300,000 in pay. According to Fort Hood officials, any forfeiture of pay and allowances included in a sentence of a court-martial does not take effect until 14 days after the sentence is adjudged. 

Deliberation began about 11 a.m. after Hasan declined to make any closing statement in the sentencing phase of his trial. The jury returned at about 2 p.m. and sentenced him to death.

Hasan had no visible reaction when the sentence was read.

The same jury convicted Hasan last Friday on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder for the 2009 mass shooting.

Hasan will now be flown on the first available flight to the maximum security U.S. military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he will be placed on death row while awaiting lengthy, automatic appeals.

Legal experts said appeals will likely last for years, delaying Hasan's execution by lethal injection.

Before Hasan’s turn came to speak Wednesday morning, prosecutor Col. Mike Mulligan spent around 45 minutes recalling for the jury the testimony of victim's families and other evidence of the crime presented during the prior 16 days of trial.

“We ask you now, with your sentence, to make him accountable,” Mulligan said. “Today will be his day of reckoning.”

Anticipating what Hasan could say in a closing statement, Mulligan refuted what Hasan has said before in documents released to the media about religious motives for the crime.

“He is not giving his life. We are taking his life. It is not his gift to God. It is his death,” Mulligan said.

Hasan mentioned religious motives in a brief opening statement at the beginning of the trial.

He told an Army sanity review board in 2010 that he would be a “martyr” if he is executed for the crime which he considered part of a holy war to stop soldiers from fighting in Afghanistan.

“He will not now and he never will be a martyr. He is a criminal. He is a cold-blooded murder,” Mulligan said.

Representing himself in the trial, Hasan rarely raised any objections and presented no defense evidence.

The judge repeatedly asked if he wanted to have lawyers but he declined.

Stand-by attorneys again Tuesday attempted to intercede on Hasan’s behalf but the judge told them Hasan is the “captain of his own ship.”

The stand-by lawyers have said before they believe Hasan is helping prosecutors win the death sentence they are seeking.

Hasan was forbidden from pleading guilty in the death penalty case under military law.

Follow the story from Fort Hood via @KenKalthoffNBC5 who is tweeting from the Army base.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article said that Maj. Nidal Hasan would be stripped of his rank.  According to Fort Hood officials, that is an error.

Silvia Aguiar says she is haunted every single day by questions she believes no mother should ever have to ask herself.

"Where is she? Who has her? What did they do to her?" she wonders about the child she gave birth to about four decades ago.

Her daughter Milagros was born May 17, 1977 to a mother who was just a child herself.

Aguiar became pregnant at age 16. The daughter of a struggling, Cuban exile father, Aguiar was often left without parental supervision while he worked. It was not long before she landed in Florida's foster care system, then overseen by the now-defunct Department of Human Rehabilitative Services.

Fugitive Wanted on Sex Charges Arrested in Miami: Officials

Aguiar told South Florida's NBC 6 that she and her newborn were placed in a Carol City foster home where she was sexually abused by her foster parents' older son. Aguiar said she and Milagros were separated after her foster sister made the sexual abuse known.

"You don't rob a child from a mother when she hasn't done nothing wrong," Aguiar said.

At about the time Milagros turned 1, Aguiar and her baby's father were sent letters to appear at Miami's Juvenile Justice Center, where Aguiar fears she may have signed her parental rights away without knowing it.

"I signed a paper that she gave me, a board with a paper," she said, adding that the baby's father signed it too. "Then, I said, 'OK, so where do we go,' and she goes, 'No, that's it. The baby was put up for adoption.' I was like, 'How could you do that,' and I got really upset, and she goes, 'Listen, you abandoned your daughter,' and she goes, 'If you don't leave quietly, we're going to have you removed out of here."

18-Year-Old in Coma After Breast Augmentation Needs Tracheotomy

Aguiar believes HRS had Milagros adopted, without her knowledge.

NBC 6 reached out to the Department of Children and Family Services, but they could not comment on the case.

Aguiar now lives in New Jersey, and has other children and grandchildren. Now that she is battling lupus and other ailments, she is desperate to reconnect with Milagros. In recent months, she has launched Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and blog sites in hopes her firstborn will find her before it's too late.

"I just want to tell her that I love her and I didn't give her up for adoption, and I want her to know her family," Aguiar said.

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After Sunday's devastating destruction of a popular Bay Area camp just outside of Yosemite, firefighters have been making steady progress on battling the Rim Fire just outside the national park.

Increasingly confident fire officials said they expect to fully surround the blaze in three weeks, although it will burn for much longer than that.

"We continue to get line around this fire," California fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said. "It's not nearly as active as it was last week."

On Thursday, Cal Fire reported they had contained 30 percent of the fire, which had grown to 192,466 acres - or 300 square miles - becoming the state's 6th largest fire in state history. Four people have been injured, and the price tag is now at $39 million spent on fighting the wildfire.

MORE: Rim Fire Incident Command Page

Fire commanders from Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest service have been using a Predator drone to give them early views of any new flare-ups across in the remote and rugged landscape.

The California National Guard drone deployed Wednesday was being remotely piloted hundreds of miles away, allowing ground commanders to keep an eye out for new fires they otherwise wouldn't have immediately seen.

"The drone is providing data directly back to the incident commander, allowing him to make quick decisions about which resources to deploy and where," Berlant said.

Previously, officials relied on helicopters that needed to refuel every two hours.

While unmanned aircraft have mapped past fires, use of the Predator will be the longest sustained mission by a drone in California to broadcast information to firefighters in real time.

The plane, the size of a small Cessna, will remain over the burn zone for up to 22 hours at a time, allowing fire commanders to monitor fire activity, determine the fire's direction of movement, the extent of containment and confirm new fires ignited by lightning or flying embers.

The drone is being flown by the 163rd Wing of the California National Guard at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside and is operating from Victorville Airport, both in Southern California. It generally flew over unpopulated areas on its 300-mile flight to the Rim Fire. Outside the fire area, it will be escorted by a manned aircraft.

Officials were careful to point out the images are being used only to aid in the effort to contain the fire.

In 2009 a NASA Predator equipped with an infrared imaging sensor helped the U.S. Forest Service assess damage from a fire in Angeles National Forest. In 2008, a drone capable of detecting hot spots helped firefighters assess movement of a series of wildfires stretching from Southern California's Lake Arrowhead to San Diego.

The Rim Fire had been the 7th largest fire in history, until it edged out the Klamath Theater Complex fire in Sikiyou County, which burned 192,038 acres in June 2008 when lightning struck, according to a Cal Fire chart.

The Rim Fire fire has been raging in the heart of the Stanislaus National Forest since Aug. 17, and investigators still haven't announced what sparked it.

A total of 5,500 structures still remained threatened, and so far, 111 buildings were damaged - 11 of them were homes, despite earlier reports that 31 homes had burned. Nearly 5,000 firefighters have now been called in to battle the blaze.

The biggest loss was the complete destruction of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp, a family camp run by the city of Berkeley since 1922. Friends of the camp set up a Facebook page to collect old photos of good times at the camp. As of Thursday, the Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp Photo Memorial had 1,732 friends.

The other camps in the area, including San Jose Family Camp, San Francisco's Camp Mather and Camp Tawonga were evacuated safely shortly after the fire broke out.

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 Associated Press writers Brian Skoloff, Tracie Cone and Scott Sonner contributed to this report.