Like so many of our troops, Navy veteran Bryan Fazio has been courageous on the frontlines. These days, however, Fazio is displaying his bravery once again by fighting a very different kind of war against an adversary that doesn’t fight fair.

At glance, Fazio, 26, looks like any other healthy young man.

He’s been diligently working on his MBA, and his mentor, Dr. Helen Eckmann, assistant professor at Brandman University, is a huge fan.

“We need more people like him in this world. He’s a problem-solver and he's smart and he's definitely hard working,” said Eckmann.

While accomplishing his academic goals, Fazio must frequent the hospital to undergo chemotherapy treatment. Fazio has terminal cancer and has been given only months to live.

“It’s been really tough the past three years, going through this at my age. This just isn’t something you expect to get stuck with,” said Fazio.

For Fazio’s mother, Sheryl Silver, watching her son battle his illness is extremely difficult.

“You’re up at night and you’re throwing up and sometimes he’d just look at me, and there were a couple times when he would just look at me and go, ‘Does God just hate me, mom?’” said Silver.

Fazio joined the Navy in 2009 with big dreams. However, shortly after, he was diagnosed with aggressive Hodgkins Lymphoma.

The diagnosis ended his Navy career.

But Fazio says he never left the Navy – and everything it stands for -- behind.

“The Navy really taught me how to have commitment and to move forward,” he said.

Fazio is using that commitment to defy his cancer.

For example, achieving an MBA had been a lifelong goal for Fazio, so enrolled in a program despite his diagnosis.

“Even though I’ve been given this so-called death sentence, I want to continue to make the most out of what life I have left,” he told NBC 7.

Meantime, Fazio has been fighting cancer in every way he can: chemotherapy, radiation, and two bone-marrow transplants.

But in February he was given just nine months to live by doctors.

So, with the odds against him, Fazio doubled down by doubling up at school.

“I knew the timeline that the doctors gave me and kind of what was going on, so I doubled up on my classes so I'd be able to graduate this year,” he explained.

And, with that determination, two weeks ago, he finally did it and graduated with his MBA with a big message to his disease.

“Cancer may have won the battle, but I’m just trying to not let it win the war,” said Fazio.

Fazio has been a huge inspiration to students and faculty at Brandman University. So much, they've created a scholarship for ill or wounded veterans in his name.

If Fazio were to go by his prognosis, he would only have three more months to live.

Instead, he's thinking about his next goal -- to achieve his doctorate.
 

General Mills has issued a recall on some refrigerated Pillsbury cinnamon rolls because the dough may contain pieces of plastic, the company said in a news release on Friday.

The recalled products, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing, come in 8-count single packages and have a "better if used" dates of October 30, 2013 and October 31, 2013. Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing 2-pack with dates October 18, 2013, October 26, 2013 and October 31, 2013 are also being recalled.

Other flavors or varieties of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls or Pillsbury dough products are not included in the recall.

General Mills decided to proceed with the recall due to a broken piece of plastic on the production line. The products were sold in grocery stores across the U.S. 

Consumers that have any of the recalled products should contact General Mills Inc. at 1-800-775-4777 for a replacement.

Michelle Luciano is still coping with the painful reality. Her son and husband are gone.

"I couldn't sleep," she said. "Because my baby wasn't there."

Michelle's 13-year-old son Jordan Luciano and her husband Pete Luciano died in the waters known as "Devil's Pool" in Pennsylvania Friday afternoon as three of Pete's other children watched.

Pete Luciano, of Gowen Street in the Cedarbrook section of Philadelphia, was at Wissahickon Creek with his children on Friday around 2:40 p.m. when Jordan Luciano began to have trouble swimming. Luciano jumped in to help his son but both Lucianos didn't resurface.

"Our dad went to get him and he didn't come out," said Jordan's brother, Justin Luciano.

Luciano's other children ran to nearby Valley Green Inn to get help, Philadelphia Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan told NBC10.

The kids ran to the inn, and the inn used its land line to contact dispatchers, since cell service is spotty in the area where the father and son went under.

By the time the police marine unit arrived it was too late. The bodies of the teen and his 41-year-old father were pulled from the creek near Valley Green Road and Forbidden Drive just after 4 p.m. 

"Jordan was my baby," Michelle Luciano said. "My sweetheart. He would wake up every morning and say good morning. I will always be indebted to him[[Pete Luciano]]. In life and memory. He risked his life to save our baby."

The Wissahickon Creek runs about 22 miles long from Lansdale in Montgomery County into Philadelphia where it flows into the Schuylkill River. It is illegal to swim in the section of the creek where the man and his child drowned.

NBC10's Daralene Jones searched police records that show 17 people have been rescued from the creek since 2010. Police say warning signs are posted near the area because the waters are shallow and then instantly drop.

Jordan's older brother plans to petition the city to seal dangerous creeks and rivers off in the hopes of preventing another loss of life.

This isn't the only creek that has claimed the lives of local swimmers. This summer, six people have been killed in area creeks, including today's two deaths.

In mid-August, 15-year-old Sebastien Sanon drowned in the Pennypack Creek. Sanon was with three of his friends near the creek when police say Sanon and a friend dipped their feet into the water to cool off when he slipped and was carried away by the current.

In late July, Dan Tadrzynski and Perry Krewson, both 18, were swimming in the Neshaminy Creek when they were swept away in the fast-moving current. Their bodies were found two days later.

11-year-old Brandon Boyle was playing with his brother in the Pennypack Creek in early July, when they were both swept away by fast-moving waters. His younger brother was rescued, but Boyle drowned.

The two leading Republican candidates for mayor faced each other in a final debate Sunday, with billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis trying -- sometimes awkwardly -- to explain himself and score points on his rival, former MTA chairman Joseph Lhota.

Lhota, a former Giuliani administration official who enjoys a large lead in polls, seemed to follow a strategy of disengagement, repeatedly passing up opportunities to attack Catsimatidis. Lhota often looked like an annoyed schoolteacher, scrunching his face or quietly shaking his head while Catsimatidis spoke. 

The candidates also exchanged sharp words throughout the 90-minute debate -- particularly when Lhota felt the need to defend himself.

The first such volley came during a discussion of keeping the city safe from terror.

Asked about their qualifications on emergency preparedness, Lhota cited his work as Rudy Giuliani's deputy mayor for operations, saying he'd been responsible for getting the city back to normal -- traffic, garbage, paychecks, assistance checks -- after 9/11.

Catsimatidis said vaguely that he'd "served in government in various ways that I choose not to talk about." 

Lhota squinted his eyes disapprovingly.

Then Catsimatidis accused Lhota of not accepting responsibility for the failures of police and fire radios during 9/11.

"They had the ability to fix those phones from 1993 to 2000," Catsimatidis said.  

He also suggested that Lhota was part of a decision to build the city's emergency management center "on a high floor" in 7 World Trade Center, a building at the site that collapsed the afternoon of 9/11.

Lhota said that the trade center was believed, at the time, to be among the safest places in the city, despite the fact it had been bombed before. The CIA and Secret Service also had offices there, Lhota said.

He also pointed out that the emergency management center was on the third floor, which he didn't consider "high."

"John, get your facts straight," Lhota said.

"I always get my facts straight," Catsimatidis said.   

Lhota and Catsimatidis — and a third candidate, Doe Fund founder George McDonald, who wasn't included in Tuesday's debate because he didn't meet Campaign Finance Board criteria for the leading contender debate — are competing for the votes of New York's relatively tiny Republican voting bloc to earn a spot on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

Find your polling place here.

The winner of Tuesday's GOP primary faces tough odds, because Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1 in the city, and polls consistently show the leading Democratic candidates beating a Republican by large margins.

But there is at least one historical fact in the Republicans' favor: the city hasn't elected a Democrat since 1989, when David Dinkins beat Giuliani. Giuliani won four years later, and was succeeded by Mayor Bloomberg, who ran as a Republican but switched to independent while in office.

Lhota has held considerable leads in recent primary polls, and has relied on support from Giuliani, who has appeared in campaign ads and is co-hosting a fundraising event on Monday. On the campaign trail, Lhota touts his experience in government affairs, and paints Catsimatidis as a rich guy with no government experience.

Catsimatidis, a blunt-talking, self-made billionaire whose business holdings include the supermarket chain Gristedes, has used his money to blanket the airwaves with ads.

Despite their frequent campaign-trail criticisms of one another, Lhota and Catsimatidis found a good amount of common ground during Sunday's debate. They agreed on a lot of law-and-order items -- both said they wanted to keep Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, would support appeal of a federal judge's finding that the NYPD's stop-and-frisks were illegal, would maintain the NYPD's intelligence-gathering operations on Muslims, and would hire more police officers. 

They also described themselves as middle-road, pro-business and socially moderate Republicans who would be capable of appealing to traditionally Democratic voters in the general election.

On Sunday, Catsimatidis called himself a "visionary" CEO with long experience creating jobs. He described Lhota -- whom he has called a "bureaucrat" in television ads -- as "more of a technical person."

"Joe is very qualified in technical items and there's nothing wrong with that. But you need a visionary and you need someone who creates jobs," he said.

Lhota said he wasn't a bureaucrat, but had plenty experience in cutting red tape.  

In one of the debate's odder moments, Catsimatidis said he was more electable because he had the "ability to reach out to the minorities."

"All of the minorities I've been to in the last three months, they love me," Catsimatidis said. "I have a love factor with minorities…They all give me hugs." 

Another cringe-worthy answer came when Catsimatidis was asked about his response in an earlier debate about how he'd respond if his son was stopped and frisked by police. Catsimatidis said at the time he'd ask his son if he'd been walking or dressing "funny."

Explaining that response on Sunday, Catsimatidis said: "If he had his pants half down with underwear showing or if he had his hat turned backward … walking down street as if you were drunk … you know, walking funny. That's what I meant."

Lhota looked mildly amused, but did not comment.

Both candidates said they disagreed with Bloomberg's remarks to New York Magazine that Democratic front-runner Bill de Blasio was running a "racist" campaign by featuring his mixed-race family in advertisements and on the trail. 

"The fact of the matter is, the choice of words was a little bit harsh," Lhota said.

But when asked about Bloomberg's statement in the same article that rich New Yorkers contributed taxes that helped poorer residents, Lhota said the mayor had it right. 

"That's the way our system works," Lhota said.

Then Lhota went on the defensive when a panelist brought up a campaign ad that notes Catsimatidis' past donations to Dinkins, a black Democrat. "He's not one of us," the Lhota ad says of Catsimatidis.

Lhota said that statement was aimed at Republicans, to show "who the real Republican is in this race."

Catsimatidis passed on an opportunity to criticize Lhota. But he said he supported Dinkins' Republican opponent, Giuliani, too.

In a "lightning round" question about the spread of electronic cigarettes, Lhota said they ought to be banned, just as regular cigarettes were under Bloomberg. Catsimatidis said he needed more information to make a decision.

By the debate's conclusion, it appeared that Lhota was having a difficult time restraining himself from criticizing Catsimatidis.

After hearing Catsimatidis repeatedly mention the changes he'd make upon taking office Jan. 3, Lhota, visibly annoyed, finally pointed out that inauguration day was Jan. 1, and has been for over a century.

"I thought it was Jan. 3," Catsimatidis said.

"No," Lhota responded.

The last question was supposed to be on the light side, about their responses to the MTA's decision last week to halt subways to avoid hurting two kittens that strayed onto the tracks.

Lhota, who said after the incident that he was against inconveniencing passengers for such reasons, insisted that he wasn't "the anti-kitten candidate."

"I have pets," he added. "I love pets. I grew up with cats."

Then, remembering that Catsimatidis goes by the nickname "Cats," Lhota gestured to his rival and said, "Not this Cats."

Catsimatidis, smiling, acted like he was insulted.

Lhota didn't seem to realize Catsimatidis was joking. "John, I don’t say anything bad about you. You’ve got to start telling the truth."

"I always tell the truth," Catsimatidis said.

"You think you do," Lhota said.

"I always do," Catsimatidis said.

At least two people were killed and fourteen others were wounded in shootings across Chicago this weekend, including three people shot while sitting on their porch in the Roseland neighborhood, authorities said.

Late Friday, two men were shot in the Wicker Park neighborhood after police said two groups of people began attacking each other.

Witnesses reported hearing between six and 10 gunshots in the 1400 block of North Damen Avenue.

The two wounded men were taken to area hospitals in stable condition, officials said.

The weekend’s latest shooting took place around 4:45 a.m. Sunday when a 34-year-old man was shot multiple times in the leg and chest.

Police said an offender approached the man's vehicle in the 3900 block of West Wilcox Street and fired several shots. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition and no one was in custody as of Sunday morning.

Less than an hour earlier, a 24-year-old man was shot in the 5500 block of South Mozart Street. The man was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital with wounds to the lower back and buttocks, accoridng to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

Details surrounding the shooting were not immediately available, but police said the incident appears to be gang-related.

Around 2:50 a.m., three people were shot while sitting on their porch in the Roseland neighborhood.

Authorities said a light-colored vehicle drove up to the porch and fired several shots.

A 27-year-old woman was taken in stable condition to Roseland Hospital with a gunshot wound to the foot, a 19-year-old woman was shot in the right hand and also taken to Roseland Hospital and a 25-year-old man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition with wounds to the left leg and abdomen.

No one was in custody for the shooting as of Sunday morning, Mirabelli said.

On Saturday, a 19-year-old man was shot in the hand and treated at Stroger Hospital, officials said.

The man said he was shot in the 6800 block of South Champlain Avenue, but police said the wound appears to be self-inflicted.

7:05 a.m. Saturday when police responded to a call of a man down in the 5100 block of North Ellsworth Drive.

A man in his 20s was found shot in the head and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Hospital, according to Chicago police News Affairs Officer Michael Sullivan.

Another fatality took place around 6:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of West Monroe Street, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Michael Sullivan.

An off-duty Chicago police officer fatally shot a man on the Near West Side. 

The shooting took place around 6:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of West Monroe Street, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Michael Sullivan. 

According to a statement from Chicago Police, the off-duty officer was working a part-time job as a security guard at the Chicago Housing Authority building when he observed a female guard in a physical altercation with a male offender attempting to gain access to the property and shot at him. 

Less than an hour earlier, a teen was left in serious condition after he was shot near 26th Street and Lawndale Avenue.

Police said the man was hanging out of the rear window of a car shouting gang slogans at a group when someone from the group shot him.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the back.

Around 2:20 a.m. police said a 22-year-old man was shot in the chest and buttocks in the 7800 block of South Shore Drive.

Police said the shooter was refused entry into a house party and began firing into the house, striking the victim.

He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition.

Just before 2 a.m., a man was shot in the face near the United Center on the city’s near west side.

The man was shot in the 2100 block of West Van Buren Street, but no further details were immediately available, Sullivan said.

Around the same time, a police officer shot someone in the 6300 block of South King Drive.

Police said the officers observed a man firing shots at an unknown target and when they approached him, the man turned towards the officers with his weapon raised.

Officers fired at the man and struck him in the leg.

The man was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries and was placed into police custody.

No others were injured in the incident and the Independent Police Review Authority is investigating.

Around midnight, an 18-year-old woman was shot in the 3000 block of South Tripp Avenue, police said.

The woman suffered a gunshot wound to the upper right arm and transported herself to Loretto Hospital.

No one was in custody for her shooting as of Saturday morning, officials said.
 

Authorities say an immigrant suspected of entering the country illegally attempted to make his journey in an unusual but hot place — a shipment of red chiles.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at a New Mexico border checkpoint said the man was discovered Thursday face down among a commercial load of the spicy stuff.

Columbus Port Director Robert Reza says next to the "highly intoxicated" 35-year-old was a bottle of tequila.

The man, who authorities described as a Mexican national, told agents that he climbed into the commercial hopper while it was being staged in Mexico. He got into the truck-full of chile in hopes of catching a ride to Chicago, the El Paso Times reported.

Agents said he got less than 100 yards into New Mexico before he was discovered. He will be returned to Mexico, officials said.

The red chile shipment was later released. 

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• Missing Woman Found in Vegas
• 3 Hurt in Veggie Fest Explosion
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On Saturday, the Dallas Police Department identified a suspect in connection with one of nine sexual assaults in South Dallas.

Dallas Police said there was a DNA match from one of the cases to the suspect, Van Dralan Dixon. He is a black male, born November 21, 1974. He is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds.

An arrest warrant for Aggravated Sexual Assault has been issued for Dixson. That warrant carries with it a $1 million bond.

Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating Dixson.

"Officers are working diligently to locate the suspect," said Major Jeff Cotner.

Anyone who knows Dixson's whereabouts is urged to contact Dallas Police.

Dixson does have an extensive criminal record, including an arrest in early August for Deadly Conduct by Dallas Police, court records show. However, police would not say how they got a sample of Dixson's DNA.

Major Cotner said investigators are awaiting more laboratory tests to come back on the other assaults. So far, Dixson is only officially linked to the one assault and police would not specify which of the cases Dixson's DNA is connected with.

"Detectives will continue to investigate all leads, even though a suspect has been identiteid," Major Cotner said.

Officers identified a person of interest on Thursday. Alan Mason was taken into custody on outstanding warrants but police said he is not a suspect in the sexual assaults.

Residents Still Concerned

In south Dallas on Saturday night, residents NBC 5 spoke with were still very concerned that no arrest had been made in the rape cases.

"Tthere's a lot of people afraid," one woman said.

"Very scary, makes me want to be very careful," said Delilah Andrews.

"Normally I go in the house at 12, now I changed it to 9 or 10, not trying to stay outside at night," said Latyoie King.

NBC 5 showed the residents the picture of Dixson. No one recognized him, but said they hope he is caught soon and that they'll keep an eye out for him.

Another Sexual Assault in Area

On Saturday morning another sexual assault happened near Pennsylvania Avenue and Holmes Street. It happened around 5 a.m.

Okema Thomas says her cousin heard something outside about the time of the attack.

"She heard some noise about 4 o'clock this morning and a guy in her apartment went outside, you know to see what it was, and found a woman," Thomas said. "She was putting up her clothes and she has been sexually assaulted, she had been raped."

Dallas Police said that sexual assault is still under investigation and has not been linked to the other rapes in the area.

At least 13 children were injured after a swing ride malfunctioned and fell to the ground at the Oyster Festival at the Norwalk Veterans Memorial Park in Connecticut on Sunday, according to police.

Authorities said a swing ride in Kids Cove lost power causing children on the ride to forcefully fall to the ground.

Multiple people suffered injuries. Several others were more seriously injured, including two which appear to have more serious injuries, police said.

Police said the injured have been transported to Norwalk, Stamford, and Bridgeport hospitals.

The Connecticut State Police Fire and Emergency Investigative Unit is investigating the cause of the accident.

According to a statement from the Norwalk Seaport Association, the event's organizers, other rides at the amusement park were closed following the accident but reopened later in the afternoon after being inspected.

"Our concerns remain for the well-being of those involved and their families. We are continuing to cooperate with the authorities."

Richard Stewart, owner of Stewart Amusements of Trumbull, said the swing ride is licensed by the state and was inspected on Friday. Stewart says he is cooperating with officials.

Benjamin Jealous, the president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, says he plans to step down by the end of the year.

On the eve of the first game of the San Diego Chargers 2013 season, let us take a quick look back at all the changes the franchise has undergone since the final game of the 2012 season.

After that 24-21 win over the Raiders, the Bolts changed their general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator, special teams coach, quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach, wide receivers coach, secondary coach, strength and conditioning coach, a handful of assistant coaches, and to top it off they have 22 new players on the 53-man roster.

To quote Dr. Evil: "Riiiiiight."

The massive turnover can be attributed to a few different factors.

One is, the new front office and coaching staff has an idea of a way it wants to do things. That inevitably leads to roster turnover as they search for players that fit their ideal or system.

Two is, the guys who departed apparently left the cupboard insanely bare. The term I hear most applied to the 2013 Chargers is "rebuilding project." The overall talent level was nowhere near where it needed to be to compete in the NFL, which is amazing when you consider Turner took over a team that was considered one of the most talented in the league.

In 2006 the Chargers sent 11 players to the Pro Bowl. In 2012, they sent zero players to the Pro Bowl. In football circles, that is known as a problem. It was a combination of Smith losing his draft touch, and Turner's inability to make players improve under his tutelage.

Enter Tom Telesco and Mike McCoy. Telesco learned in Indianapolis under Bill Polian, one of the greatest talent scouts in NFL history.

McCoy grew up in the Bay Area watching Bill Walsh's 49ers, then played under several former Walsh assistants. His take on how to build a team is eerily Walsh-esque. McCoy wants to coach the players in the way they learn best. Seems like an obvious way to do things, but in pro football that doesn't happen as often as it should.

Many coaches show the players what to do, then expect them to do it, but don't take the time to walk them through the process of getting from point A to point B. McCoy and his staff are doing just that, almost breaking it down to the fundamentals so they can build it back up again.

It's happening everywhere, but the most drastic renovations came on the offensive line. Only three players from last year's group (Nick Hardwick, Jeromey Clary and Mike Harris) are back for 2013, and only one of them is playing the same position.

Hardwick stays at center, where he's been since being drafted in 2004, the same year quarterback Philip Rivers joined the Chargers. Clary moved from right tackle to right guard to make room for first round draft pick D.J. Fluker. Harris will back up at left and right tackle.

In three preseason appearances the new group played about enough snaps to cover about one full game together. So, they'll have to rely on their time in training camp and hope it was enough to get them all on the same page.

If that has not yet happened, Rivers is going to be in deep trouble ... which brings us to Monday Night Football.

San Diego's first game is against the Houston Texans and reigning Defensive Player of the year J.J. Watt, a man who had 20.5 sacks last year. Watt recorded 26 sacks in his first two seasons. Only one defensive lineman in NFL history had more in his first two years, and that was the late, great Reggie White, who dropped the QB 31 times (It is worth noting, the NFL made sacks an official stat in 1982, so Deacon Jones is not on the list. Legend has it he would have been credited with 50 sacks in his first two years).

The Texans finished 5th in the league with 44 total sacks in 2012. While the 1-game suspension of defensive lineman Antonio Smith will slow them down a little bit, Houston gets linebacker Brian Cushing back from an injury that kept him out of 11 games.

The very simple truth is, if the Chargers rebuilt offensive line can give Rivers time to throw, and open a couple of holes for running back Ryan Mathews, San Diego will be much improved in 2013. If they don't, we'll see a repeat, if not a degradation, of 2012's misery.

In the latest development in the race to replace former Mayor Bob Filner, Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña, said she's forging ahead after another candidate was endorsed by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.

Saldaña said that she was hoping for the endorsement that ended up going to David Alvarez after a lengthy discussion Friday.

Saldaña told NBC 7 that the decision might have to do with the fact that both Alvarez and Filner have ties to southern communities in San Diego and that the Labor Council may want to use that to their advantage.

With the Labor Council decision behind her, Saldaña shifted to discussing her strategy for winning.

"We only have two months to build this up,” she said, “so we're looking at using smart technology, new media and social media."

Saldaña added that her top campaign issue will be clean energy.

Also on Saturday, interim mayor, Todd Gloria, opened up to voters about why he wasn’t planning on running.

"I would have enjoyed running for mayor. I like the job. A week on I can tell you it's a pretty sweet gig," joked Gloria, "but you need me to govern, you don't need me to campaign right now."

City Councilman, Kevin Faulconer, said his campaign for mayor won’t get in the way of his duties.

"Laser focused on the job at hand,” Faulconer said.

Saldaña, Faulconer and Alvarez are part of a growing group of people hoping to become the next mayor.

The field of mayoral candidates now includes 25 people hoping to replace Filner, including former Mayor Candidate Nathan Fletcher, and Former City Attorney, Mike Aguirre.

San Diego has experienced record setting temperatures for what has seemed like an eternity, but the weather cooled down Saturday evening.

This past week alone brought eight record highs across the county.

Saturday evening, Escondido, Alpine, and Ramona all saw higher temperatures than usual.

However, the heat did let up, giving residents a much needed break.

"Tonight is much better than last week," said Spring Valley resident, Tim Faville. "Last week was awful. Reminds me why I left Phoenix."

More than just causing discomfort, the weather sparked a thunderstorm warning Saturday in the Ramona area that lasted until 4:15 p.m.

Radar indicated that the storm was capable of producing quarter size hail and damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour.

Higher temperatures have been a nuisance to local businesses as well.

"Here at the Waterfront it's definitely knocked us down just a bit," said Waterfront employee, Phil Alvarez.

"We've not noticed so much that our doors are closing, but obviously the heat is going to keep almost anybody from going outside and not really wanting to be out there," Alvarez added.

Meanwhile, pet owners have been encouraged to be on heightened alert due to the risk of dehydration and heat stroke to their animals.

"Many of these cases could be prevented through vigilance and reduced outdoor activity," said veterinarian Dr. Juan Pablo Romero. "Pets can become dehydrated even on overcast days that are not 'hot'. Vigilance and early intervention are key to preventing more serious health problems."

Looking ahead to the coming week, the forecast includes partly cloudy days and high temperatures in the 70s.

Dallas police are searching for a man they say is linked by DNA evidence to a sexual assault case in South Dallas.

Sunday, Dallas police said in a statement that 38-year-old Van Dralan Dixson, identified by police Saturday as a suspect one of the nine sexual assault cases believed to be connected, has left his children in the care of family members and that his car was found in a Garland parking lot.

Dixson has, at this time, only been implicated in one of the cases.  Police said they are waiting on more laboratory tests to be returned in the other cases.

Also on Sunday, NBC 5 reporter Ray Villeda confirmed that Dixson was part of a neighborhood crime watch. The Mill City Community Association said Dixson's duty was to inform other participants of future meetings.

Dixson has a long criminal history, with charges of aggravated robbery and even aggravated sexual assault.  Sources familiar with his criminal record, tell NBC 5 he was arrested for deadly conduct, for pointing a gun at someone, just four weeks ago.

NBC 5 learned that, at the time, Dixson used an address on Oberlin Drive, where neighbors said he hasn't lived for at least two years.

“He is still getting mail here, from lawyers, my girlfriend was sending it back,” explains David Lewis. He now lives at the home.

On Sunday night, we broke the news to Lewis and his old neighbors; telling them about the arrest warrant out for Dixson.

“It’s a surprise to know it’s someone I know,” said Lewis. A sentiment echoed by many neighbors.

Lewis said he was in the neighborhood several months ago.

“He seemed like a pretty nice guy, raising dogs, selling cars, making money off of it. Had a business head like he was doing real estate, he moved, he use to come by here frequently,” he said.

Equally shocked was Dixson’s grandmother. Over the phone, she told us Dixson was a father of four, worked at a Plano warehouse and went to church. She added that he had been in trouble in the past but was doing good by his children, even taking them to Sunday school.

State Fair of Texas Concerns

With a rapist on the loose in South Dallas, fair organizers tell NBC 5 the State Fair of Texas already has plans in place to make sure attendees are safe.

There will be more surveillance cameras this year; a plan already in place before the rapes took place. Every year, Dallas police and fair organizers meet to finalize security plans. A spokesperson said the rapes will definitely be brought up and discussed.

Safety in South Dallas is already making some concerned about showing up to the fair. One mother told us usually she reassures her daughter every year they’re going to the fair, however this year may be different.

“This year, I don’t know if I can say, ‘Yes we are’ (going),” said Henrilyn Fennell.

A Florida dance teacher has been arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old she met through the Coral Springs studio she manages, officials said Sunday.

Detectives arrested Jennifer Efre Deberry, a 30-year-old instructor and manager at Dance Effect Studio, after an 8-month investigation that uncovered 117 pages of text messages between Deberry and the victim detailing their sexual relationship, police said.  She was charged with felony lewd and lascivious battery and taken into custody Friday, Coral Springs Police said.

"This child is under 16 years of age and she's 30 years old and taking advantage of that role of being an authoritative figure or a grown-up," said Sgt. Carla Kmiotek with the Coral Springs Police Department.

Deberry first met the male victim at the dance studio when he was 13 years old, according to an arrest report. The sexual relationship began when he turned 15, sometime in September of 2012, and lasted until Jan. 26, 2013, police said.

The last time the two were together sexually, they spent more than five hours alone together at Deberry's house in Coral Springs, the report said. Messages exchanged through texts, Facebook and e-mail accounts made it "very evident they were involved in some kind of relationship," Kmiotek said.

• VIDEO: Coral Springs Teacher Arrested for Sending Sexual Emails to Minor: Cops

"Oh my love its so amazing that today was so incredible for you ;D It really was very incredible for me too <3 It was so perfect and amazing and making love with you was just the greatest feeling in the whole world <3 :D XOXO," read one of the texts, according to the arrest report.

Deberry, who is married, also allegedly sent the minor messages about building a future together.

"I hope one day I will be their daughter-in-law. I can't believe how I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I'm sure of it <3 I love you more than anything and I have loved you for a long time."

Deberry was released on $10,000 bond following her arrest.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Coral Springs Detective Lisajo Smith at 954-346-1301.

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Tropical Storm Humberto continued strengthening Monday as it moved west over the Cape Verde Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

As of 5 p.m., Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as it moved west at 13 mph about 95 miles southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.

A tropical storm warning was discontinued for the southern Cape Verde Islands of Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava, according to the NHC. There are no coastal watches and warnings in effect.

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Humberto is expected to strengthen and could become a hurricane on Wednesday. A turn toward the west-northwest with a decrease in forward speed is expected by Tuesday.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach Maio and Praia Monday morning and spread across the remainder of the southern Cape Verde Islands Monday afternoon. Rainfall of three to six inches is expected over the southern Cape Verde Islands with isolated maximum amounts of eight inches possible.

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An 83-year-old grandmother was shot – on National Grandparents Day – as two brothers fought over a cell phone Sunday in a Southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood, police said.

The grandmother, Marian Hall, was trying to break up the fight between her two adult grandchildren outside a Goulds home at 223rd Street and 117th Place, according to Miami-Dade Police.

At one point, one of the brothers, identified as 23-year-old Kenneth Smith, went inside and picked up a gun, officials said.

• Arrest Made in Deerfield Beach Hit-and-Run Crash: BSO

"Once inside the home, one of the brothers armed himself with a firearm where he intended to shoot at the brother and struck the grandmother in the leg," said Miami-Dade Police spokeswoman Robin Pinkard.

Hall was airlifted to Kendall Regional Trauma Center, but close friends said she is in stable condition.

Smith, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a person 65 or older and battery.

He was being held on $19,000 bond Monday and it was unknown whether he has an attorney.

The other grandson, 28-year-old Robert Hill, wasn't charged.

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A male student and two fraternities at the University of Texas at Arlington campus were suspended Sunday after a woman reported being sexually assaulted at a fraternity house.

UT Arlington said its campus police responded Saturday at 11:38 p.m. to an unconscious woman in a residence hall. She was transported to the hospital, where she said she had been sexually assaulted at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house.

In a statement released Sunday, UT-Arlington said it suspended a male student. 

"Additionally, an interim suspension has been issued for two fraternities - Sigma Phil Epsilon and Pi Kappa Phi - related to unregistered parties and possible use of alcohol by individuals under the age of 21," said the statement.

"We take these issues very seriously. We are taking decisive and appropriate action while the investigation continues and due process is served related to these unfortunate circumstances," President Vistasp M. Karbhari said in the statement.

"We are deeply committed to the well-being of our University community and will not tolerate behavior that is potentially dangerous for our students and others."

Bill de Blasio, the Democratic mayoral candidate whose progressive message upended his party's primary campaign this summer, has widened his lead over his rivals just days before the election, a new poll shows.

De Blasio, the city's public advocate, has the support of 36 percent of likely Democratic voters, while his closest rivals, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, are tied at distant second with 20 percent each, the NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist Poll found. Eight percent are undecided.

The poll reveals that de Blasio's populist, left-wing appeal to disenfranchised New Yorkers is cutting into voting blocs that would traditionally go to his rivals.

More blacks back de Blasio than Thompson, the race's only black candidate, by 39 percent to 25 percent. And more women support de Blasio than Quinn, the race's only female and once the clear front-runner, by 34 percent to 21 percent.

See the full poll here.

The winner of Tuesday's primary needs 40 percent to avoid a runoff.

The results reflect trends seen in earlier polls that showed de Blasio gaining ground through the summer, moving from the middle of the pack to first.

"The surge is real," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. "Right now he's within striking distance of 40 percent. And if he doesn't reach 40 percent, he would certainly be the early favorite for the runoff."

Another past front-runner, disgraced former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, has dropped to 7 percent, just ahead of Comptroller John Liu's 5 percent. Bronx pastor Erick Salgado and former City Councilman Sal Albanese remain stuck at 1 percent.

The last NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist Poll on the race, done three weeks ago, had de Blasio and Quinn in a statistical tie for first, at 24 percent among likely Democratic voters, and Thompson at 18 percent.

De Blasio seems to have seized the right issues at the right time, Miringoff said. His campaign rhetoric has tapped into voter anger over stop and frisk, income inequality and Mayor Bloomberg getting city law changed to run for a third term in 2009.

De Blasio's rivals have accused him of flip-flopping on many of the issues that make up the foundation of his campaign. Leading that effort has been Quinn, who backed Bloomberg's quest for a third term. She has pointed out de Blasio statements in support of ending term limits years before he opposed Bloomberg.

But those arguments don't seem to have stuck.

De Blasio does better than his rivals among Democrats who approve of the job Bloomberg is doing, and among those who disapprove of the mayor, the poll shows.

"In a sense, he's cornered the market on the kinds of issues that have been driving this campaign," Miringoff said. "He's fighting on the turf he wants to be fighting on."

Among all registered Democrats -- not just those deemed likely to vote at this point in the race -- 66 percent said they had a favorable impression of him, up from 48 percent in February. The number of registered Democrats who said they had a negative impression of him remained about the same, at 21 percent.

The poll was conducted Tuesday through Friday. It included 936 registered Democrats, 556 of whom were deemed likely to vote. The responses involving the likely voters carry a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. The responses from all the registered Democrats carry a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

If de Blasio seems to be hitting all the right notes, Quinn's campaign is appearing increasingly discordant. The most powerful of the candidates, and the one in charge of doing council deals, Quinn is suffering for her past alliances with Bloomberg. At the same time, she hasn't attracted enough voters who think the mayor has done a good job.

"It's been hard for her to navigate that for the entire campaign," Miringoff said.

Quinn's negative ratings are now at an all-time high, according to the poll. Among registered Democrats, 42 percent said they had an unfavorable impression of her, up from 17 percent in February.

Meanwhile, 46 percent of registered Democrats said they have a favorable impression of Quinn, down from 65 percent in February.

"This is the worst time for Quinn and the best time for de Blasio," Miringoff said.

Quinn has also been unable to tap into the fact that her election would mark the first for an openly gay woman.

Quinn spokesman Mike Morey said Sunday that the campaign is "confident that voters will put Christine Quinn into the runoff because they want a mayor who doesn't just talk like a progressive, but has a history of delivering like one."

For his sake, Thompson doesn't seem to have gotten much of voters' credit for coming close to defeating Bloomberg in 2009, despite being outspent by tens of millions of dollars.

Asked how they'd vote in various hypothetical runoffs, registered Democrats picked de Blasio in wide margins: 56 percent to 34 percent over Quinn, and 50 percent to 38 percent over Thompson.

Then there is what Miringoff calls "the Dante effect" -- de Blasio's use of his teenage son, Dante, in a campaign ad.

De Blasio's wife is black, and their kids are biracial; Dante sports a huge Afro that has attracted its own attention on the campaign trail.

Asked which of the candidates had the best commercials, 51 percent of registered Democrats chose de Blasio's.

Poll respondents were also asked about the primary contest for comptroller between Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. In that race, Spitzer is at 47 percent among likely Democratic voters and Stringer is at 45 percent.