The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is asking the public for help in solving the beating death of an 8-year-old dog whose wounded body was found down an embankment in a Spring Valley neighborhood last month.

Authorities found the dog, a male Shepard mix, dead with multiple wounds to its body in the 1500 block of Ramona Avenue on Aug. 20, according to Randy Lawrence, Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA.

The dog’s body was discovered across the street from the home it was living in prior to its death, Lawrence said.

It’s believed that the dog may have been dead for up to four days prior to being found.

Authorities located the body after a tip from a concerned citizen familiar with the dog who noticed it had gone missing.

A necropsy performed on the dog at a Humane Society facility concluded that he had suffered blunt force trauma.

Due to the dog’s size it’s suspected that whoever committed the crime used some sort of instrument to inflict the injuries.

“The results of the necropsy were appalling,” said Lawrence. “There’s no doubt that this was an intentional act. I’ve been here for two years and seen four to five cases similar to this, but this is obviously one where this dog suffered based on the way it was beaten.”

After a preliminary investigation, authorities found that the dog did not live with its owner and was staying with several people the owner was acquainted with, Lawrence said.

The owner was reportedly unaware the dog had died until they were contacted about the incident.

Authorities suspect that one of the people the dog was living with is responsible for the crime. The suspects face felony charges of animal cruelty.

Crime Stoppers is asking the public for additional information in the case and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

“Based on the severity of the crime, we definitely believe that someone saw or heard something,” said Lawrence.

Anyone with information in the case can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-888-580-8477 or online at sdcrimestoppers.com.

A law that would punish scorned ex-lovers who post online nude images of their former partners is headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

Both the Senate and Assembly unanimously passed Senate Bill 255 Wednesday, which gives California law enforcement their first tool to combat so-called “revenge porn,” nude images posted online without the victim’s consent, with identifying information and the purpose to harass or annoy.

Brown has 30 days to sign the bill into law, though it’s unclear if he will. If signed, SB 255 would take effect immediately.

A conviction of distributing “revenge porn” – a misdemeanor – would be punishable by up to one year in a county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, according to the bill.

Much of the bill stayed intact during its movement through the state legislature, with a single change.

The final version of the bill does not cover “selfies” – that is, if someone takes a provocative image of themselves that then is published without their consent online, the person who posts the image could not be punished.

If the “revenge porn” bill becomes law, Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), author of the bill, will try to strengthen it next year to include “selfies,” according to a Cannella spokesman.

SB 255 faced little pushback from California lawmakers.

Only one California state senator, Leland Yee, a Democrat, voted against SB 255 when it came before the senate in August, NBC News reported. Lee cited concerns the law would infringe on First Amendment rights.

Still, many lawmakers said they recognized a need to update the law to keep up with changing technology.

And California’s SB 255 could pave the way for the rest of the nation.

Websites that can be accessed nationwide specialize in posting “revenge porn,” and charge the subjects "unreasonable" fees to take down the images, Cannella said.

The bill was inspired, in part, by a 15-year-old Northern California girl who killed herself after three boys allegedly took pictures of themselves sexually assaulting her while she was passed out at a party, then posting those images online.

Eight days later, Audrie Potts hanged herself.

Three teenage boys were arrested in April in connection with the case.

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A brush fire sparked in El Cajon Thursday evening, officials said.

The blaze began around 6:20 p.m. at East Bradley Avenue, just east of State Route 67.

Heartland Fire officials rushed to the scene and began tackling the flames.

Fire officials said the blaze was burning at a slow rate of speed in a brush-filled area that's difficult to access.

No structures or homes are threatened, and no injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

San Diego's interim mayor is wasting no time tackling problems and unfinished business inherited from the chaotic, nine-month reign of former mayor Bob Filner.

Todd Gloria already has reversed some of Filner's directives, including an order that kept city authorities from cracking down on marijuana dispensaries.

Right now police and code enforcement officers report no pending cases against medicinal pot shops.

Federal and state authorities have been busting city dispensaries ever since Filner opted the city out of enforcement actions earlier this year.

But the interim mayor says non-enforcement amounts to "rewarding bad behavior," and that he’s ending his predecessor’s stand-down posture.

"The solution is not to ignore the law; the solution is to change the law to allow them to operate in an effective fashion,” Gloria told reporters Thursday at the first news media briefing in a planned weekly schedule of such sessions.

“What I want to do,” Gloria added, “is provide some certainty for the patients who need it and to the neighborhoods who are afraid of it so we can tell them what the rules of the road look like. Right now we have none."

A proposed ordinance now making its way through community groups – one more restrictive than Filner had offered -- is expected to come before the Planning Commission and City Council early next year.

It would allow cannabis outlets only in certain industrial and commercial zones, and prohibit them for locations within a thousand feet of schools, playgrounds, child-care facilities, parks, libraries and churches.

Under the proposal, dispensaries would have to be non-profit operations with limited business hours, and staffed by security guards.

Armed robberies at pot shops in recent years have raised deep concerns among neighboring merchants and residents.

Another piece of unfinished Filner business involves a homeless program shelter that the former mayor boosted from winter-only operations to year-round status.

But may it soon may run out of money.

"The lack of adequate funding for homeless programs is another example of a mess left by the previous administration, that I must now clean up," Gloria said at Thursday’s news conference. "It's important that we recognize the possibility that these shelters may have to close in April."

It seems Team Filner had under-estimated the year-round cost of running a Barrio Logan shelter for single adults, and one for veterans in the Midway District, by more than $930,000.

The operators of the Barrio shelter are doing turn-away business every night -- because it's not only a roof over 220 heads and beds, it's got resources that have transitioned over a thousand homeless into a wide range of rehab, housing, and employment opportunities.

"It's saving the taxpayers millions of bucks, and we all know that,” says Bob McElroy, founder and CEO of the Alpha Project for the Homeless. “But the reality is, there's a lot of stress. The stress level's gone through the roof because our people need time. That's our biggest challenge -- to get people to literally detox from the street."

Others are just trying to find stability in times of crisis.

"It's terrifying,” shelter resident Pamela Cooks said of the uncertainty surrounding the program’s future. “I came here in February. I'm recovering from cancer. I had surgery. This is my home. I would be out on the street, recovering. I'm still getting chemo twice a month. And I need this."

From the politicians, bureaucrats and philanthropists, the folks housed there are hoping for solutions – fast.

"I wish they could just sit down and compromise and figure something out,” said Janice Phillips, another shelter dweller. “Put those biased opinions aside and just get along and work it out for the homeless and everybody."

Gloria told reporters today that he's taking a hard look at city administrative costs in all this, and will tour the shelters with his staff and Housing Commission officials "in the coming days" to "determine a path forward".

Another of the 15 items of pending Filner initiatives that Gloria outlined Thursday was moving beyond the former mayor’s work on Plaza de Panama, in the heart of Balboa Park.

Gloria has emphasized that another look at billionaire Irwin Jacobs' controversial makeover proposal for Plaza de Panama isn't 'in the picture' any time soon.

He's just focused on sorting out problems and issues raised by the former mayor’s autocratic June 10th removal of parking spaces from the plaza, to turn the Plaza de Panama into a pedestrian-friendly promenade while still maintaining circulation of through-traffic.

Not long after the dust and debris settled from the elimination of dozens of parking spaces, many of them allocated to the handicapped, came growing complaints from seniors and the handicapped.

Now it’s become clear to city officials that more senior-friendly spaces need to be designated in the nearby Alcazar Gardens parking lot -- which still may require a fair hike, scooter or wheelchair ride to certain attractions in the middle of San Diego's "Crown Jewel".

The interim mayor is tasking Park and Recreation experts with finding the best possible solution.

"Further, the trams that were promised to assist in circulation through the park are expected to be operational by mid-October,” Gloria said. “The previous administration neglected to consider the need for fuel tanks to run the trams. So those are now under construction, and hopeful to be completed soon."

Gloria noted that a CalTrans construction project will involve closing the Cabrillo Bridge for about four months starting January 2nd, temporarily leaving Plaza de Panama accessible by vehicle only from the east.

A permanent closure, long under discussion, would be an issue for the next mayor.

In other developments, Gloria announced that he’s moving to lobbyists to work on city issues in Washington D.C. and Sacramento, planning a meeting next week with the Chargers over the team’s hybrid stadium/convention center proposal, and jump-starting managed competition processes that would invite competitive private-sector bids for outsourcing stormwater, street-and-sidewalk maintenance and landfill operations.

Deputies seized seven weapons – including three firearms stolen in home burglaries – from a woman’s Encanto residence on Wednesday, officials said.

Convicted felon Jessie Collins, 38, was arrested for possession of firearms, ammunition and high-capacity magazines. She was also charged with possession of stolen firearms after investigators discovered that three weapons found in her home had been stolen from residential burglaries throughout the East County.

Detectives had been investigating various home burglaries in the area and evidence ultimately led officials to Collins’ home in the 1200 block of Evelyn Street. At around 8 a.m. Wednesday, sheriff’s investigators served a search warrant at the home and discovered six handguns and an assault rifle inside the residence.

Collins was arrested at the scene and booked into Las Colinas Detention Facility on at least four charges. Her bail has been set at $115,000 and she’s scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

Officials say the investigation into related burglaries in the area is ongoing.

A college student testified about the moment the photographer she thought she was meeting for a modeling job tied her up.

The victim said she met Matthew Terrell online and thought she was meeting him for a photo shoot on June 9.

The 20-year-old woman said she didn’t have time to resist when the “modeling opportunity” in a Carlsbad motel turned into a trap.

She testified Terrell pulled out a plastic cable tie or a zip tie.

“He tried to explain it as a better way for me to hold the pose,” she said. That’s when she says things started to click.

“That this was not something I wanted. I said ‘I did not agree to this,’” she testified.

She said she thought saying no would be enough but it was at that moment, she said Terrell zip tied her wrists, grabbed her shoulders and then threw her on the bed where the two started fighting.

“I had come to the realization that I should start screaming,” she said.

Then she bit the side of his neck and his hand in an attempt to get away. Once he opened the door, she ran out of the room and yelled for help.

Other motel guests heard the struggle and her screams from outside the room and reported the incident to authorities.

Under cross-examination, the victim said Terrell did not hit or strike her and did not remove her clothes.

Investigators said they found a backpack with duct tape inside it in the motel room along with zip ties and a small "point and shoot" camera.

There was also a large "ball gag" of duct tape found underneath the bed, an official testified.

Terrell, 27, of Oceanside was bound over for trial. He faces charges of suspicion of false imprisonment with violence and assault with the intent to commit rape or a sexual act.

Violent crime declined and property crime continued to increase in San Diego during the first half of 2013 compared to the same period last year.

The statistics come from a report released Thursday by SANDAG which gathered information from local law enforcement agencies between January and June of 2013 and compared them to the same period in 2012.

During that period, a total of 5,431 violent crimes, which includes homicides, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults, were reported throughout the county.

That averages out to 30 crimes a day, a decrease from 32 a day in 2012.

Homicides saw the biggest drop, with only 40 being reported in the first half of 2013 compared to 64 in 2012 during the same period.

"The turnaround in violent crime is positive news for the San Diego region," said  SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Director Dr. Cynthia Burke. "We know from our work with our law enforcement partners that even in the era of shrinking budgets, they have continued to direct resources to fight the most serious crimes."

The decrease comes amid a 30-year low in violent crime which Burke said may be the result of several actions including an increase in the prison population, an aging population, and improved communication between law enforcement agencies.

However, even with a decline in violent offenses, San Diego saw a 4 percent rise in property crime, according to the report.

Property crime was up to 22.28 per 1,000 residents from 21.39 in 2012.

In all, 35,012 property crimes were reported to local law enforcement in the first half of 2013. Sixty-four percent were larcenies, 20 percent burglaries, and 16 percent motor vehicle thefts.

Within the property crime category, the largest increase was seen in non-residential burglaries which increased 18 percent from 2,233 in 2012 to 2,630 this year.

The other biggest jump was in larcenies which increased from 21,058 reports in 2012 to 22,439 in 2013.

“Law enforcement is doing their job and they're doing a good job of targeting violent crime and violent criminals," Burke told NBC 7, "but property crime is continuing to increase so we really want to remind people that, especially as we get into fall and the holiday season, not to make yourself an easy target.”

A San Diego pediatrician was arrested near Burning Man, accused of possession of illegal drugs including Mdma, psilocybin mushrooms, GHB, and ecstasy.

Burning Man, a week-long art and music gathering, draws more than 50,000 people to Nevada's Black Rock Desert every year.

Mono County sheriff’s deputies said Bret Gerber was arrested along with Paul Neadow, 35, of Wilton Manor Florida.

Deputies said they discovered Mdma, psilocybin mushrooms, GHB, and ecstasy during a traffic stop, officials said.

NBC 7 News contacted Scripps Health where Gerber is listed as a physician. A spokesperson said it was the first time they had heard about the matter and are working with Gerber’s employer, Scripps Coastal Medical “to investigate thoroughly.”

The arrests were two of 17 felony arrests made the opening weekend of Burning Man.

The festival, considered the largest outdoor arts festival in North America, ended Sept. 2.

The wife of an Oceanside fisherman who went missing during an ill-fated boating trip made a tearful statement Thursday on the disappearance of her husband and the end of the extensive search for his body.

“I wish he could’ve been found, but that was not to be,” said Susan Ruden in front of her Oceanside home, accompanied by her three children. “Loren loved the ocean and he loved being on his boat. Our children, our family we all love him very much and we’ll miss him. Anyone who knew him will miss him as well.”

Loren Ruden, 53, has been missing at sea since Monday. Officials say the avid boater launched from the Oceanside Marina around 11:30 a.m. three days ago, along with his dog, Sadie (pictured below).

Sadie was found later that day sitting on the beach just north of the Oceanside Pier. A passerby called the phone number on Sadie’s dog tag, reaching Ruden’s wife and setting the search for the missing man in motion.

The U.S. Coast Guard and FBI, along with Oceanside Police and Harbor Police, led the charge in the extensive search for Ruden, which spanned more than 2,100 square nautical miles along the California coastline.

On Tuesday, Ruden’s 21-foot Striper, which he named “Lucky Dog,” was found 10 miles northwest of La Jolla traveling in circles at idle speed with no one aboard.

No trace of Ruden was found near the boat.

On Wednesday, NBC 7 spoke with Ruden’s sister, Angie Richards, about the search. Richards made an emotional plea to the San Diego community to help find her brother, begging boaters to get on the water and help search for Ruden.

By 7 p.m. Wednesday, U.S. Coast Guard officials announced they were suspending the search for the missing fisherman. The Coast Guard called it a “difficult decision” and sent deep condolences to the Ruden family.

On Thursday, Susan said she was overwhelmed by the support from officials and the local community in the search for her missing husband.

“I want to express my gratitude to everyone for their extraordinary efforts and personal sacrifices in searching for Loren,” she said. “The commitment and dedication made by Oceanside Police, Harbor Police, Lifeguards, FBI and of course the Coast Guard were truly remarkable."

“I also want to thank those who went out on their own boats to help in the search. Lastly, I want to thank my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and the communities of Oceanside and San Diego for all their love and support.”

As she spoke, Susan was comforted by her children: Maggie Ruden, 24; Sarah Ruden, 23; and son Anders Ruden, 21.

Their beloved family dog, Sadie – a 4-year-old Border Collie Labrador mix -- was also by their side, staying close to the family. The dog – the last member of the family to see Ruden alive – was in good health.

The family confirmed Sadie jumped or fell overboard on Monday and then either swam or floated to the shore in Oceanside, where she was found by a passerby.

Susan said a public memorial gathering for Ruden will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the north jetty at the Oceanside Harbor. She said anyone is welcome to attend the event.

NBC 7 also spoke with the family’s neighbor, Keith Stover, who said Ruden will be remembered as a great, down-to-earth man and dedicated father.

“[Loren] was always very gentle and industrious – always working real hard. He was always working on boats, cars – working in his yard every day. He raised his kids – he’s a stay-at-home dad. You couldn’t ask for a better neighbor,” said Stover. “He was always going out on his boat and had his dog with him continuously. He was just a great guy.”

Stover said Ruden and his dog shared a close bond and seemed inseparable. If either Ruden or Sadie ran into trouble aboard the boat on Monday, Stover believes they would’ve done anything to try to save each other in the water.

Radio communications between dispatchers and fire crews fighting Thursday's devastating Seaside Park fire reveal just how complex and confusing it was to battle a blaze that turned out to be not just on the boardwalk but also hidden below it.

“Station 45. Report of flames showing under the boardwalk near the Sawmill,” a dispatcher is heard saying on radio transmissions analyzed by NBC10.com and provided by PhillyFireNews.com.

That first call went out at 2:20 p.m. with an assistant fire chief being dispatched to The Sawmill Café at Stockton Avenue. Two minutes later, the assistant chief asked for a fire crew.

“Be advised, heavy smoke condition,” he said. “Re-dispatch my company for a confirmed fire at the boardwalk. It appears to be coming out of the Kohr’s ice cream store.”

A minute after that, dispatchers ask if more fire crews should be called. The chief says one station seems to be enough.

The fire, however, appeared to have been creeping and growing under the boards.

It wasn’t until nearly nine minutes into the response that crews realized they needed backup.

Officials call for a second crew, Station 44.

Ten minutes in, crews find the first flames near the rear of Kohr’s Frozen Custard shop, just across the boardwalk from the Sawmill Café.

Next, crews call for a third set of responders, Station 28.

Meanwhile, the first responders ask that saws be brought in to create a barrier in the boardwalk to try and starve the flames of fuel.

"We’re going to make a cut in the boardwalk here and make a trench to try and stop it," a firefighter says over the radio.

Crews would later do the same, on a larger scale, ripping up a 20-foot section of the boardwalk at Lincoln and Ocean Avenues to stop the fire’s northward spread.

The power just got shut off. They're cutting the boardwalk now to try and prevent the fire from spreading.

— Alex Cav (@AlexxCav) September 12, 2013

A lack of manpower and the availability of water continually handicapped fire crews during the firefight, according to the audio transmissions.

Answering questions about the response on Friday, Ocean County Chief Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel called the first three hours of the fire "bedlam" and said it was as organized as possible.

"I'll take any one of yous and you show up here and see how much fire was coming out this building and you tell me whether you would have been overwhelmed or not," he said. "These guys acted professionally, they made the decisions that they made, knowing that they were going to have an advancing fire, OK?"

Rapid response teams were called to the scene from nearby towns like Toms River and Mantoloking, but they weren’t enough to fight the fast-moving fire.

"We need more bodies," one fireman says 20 minutes into the fire response. Fifteen minutes after that, another firefighter calls for more help to fight flames on the defunct Funtown Pier, which was destroyed in Superstorm Sandy. But there aren’t enough firefighters to go around.

"I think we need to request more mutual aid," one commander says.

"We have, but they’re not coming fast enough," a firefighter responds.

More than 400 firefighters from counties across the state were eventually called in to join the fight.

Access to water was another hurdle crews had to overcome.

In a press briefing Friday morning, Governor Chris Christie touted a new water delivery system, called Neptune, that allowed crews to pump water from the bay. He also acknowledged that not all of the town’s infrastructure is operational post-Sandy.

“They’re not all 100-percent rebuilt,” he said. “We had significant capacity last night through the water system, but we also had a fire that was being fed by 30 mile per hour winds out of the south.”

The governor added that water had to be pumped out of motel and hotel swimming pools.

However, with all those efforts, crews still screamed for more water to drench the flames.

“Where’s the water on the rear,” one firefighter asks 20 minutes into the blaze.

"There is no water, I’m working on it," another responds.

Thirty-minutes into the fire, a chief asks officials to contact the water department and have water pumps turned on full blast.

“We’re going to need them to kick the pumps up and get everything going because we’re going to need a lot of water,” he said.

In the meantime, the fire spreads to more structures and into the air.

Crews reported having buildings exposed to flames and embers flying into the sky. Those embers started a fire at a condominium complex four blocks north. Luckily, those flames were extinguished before spreading.

Despite denials from officials and Gov. Christie, there were also reports of explosions inside structures engulfed in flames.

“Multiple explosions inside the building,” one official said over the radio just after asking for more engine companies to be dispatched.

While it has been widely reported that the fire started either at or around Kohr’s Frozen Custard, eyewitness accounts and radio calls paint a different picture.

Kohr’s employee Christine Hemingway told NBC10 smoke was seen rising from the boardwalk outside the shop, which she was helping close for the season, when the fire suddenly grew.

"Our manager came running through the stand and said 'get out,'" Hemingway said. "We go around the corner in front of Biscayne Candy and there was smoke coming up from the boardwalk. There was a little smoke and then all of a sudden, it got real thick and black."

Dispatcher communications also show the first call was for a report of fire under the boardwalk and that Kohr’s fire alarm did not activate until minutes after crews arrived on the scene.

“I’m sure it’s related chief, but you’re getting a fire alarm activation at Kohr’s Custard,” the dispatcher radios.

Bruce Kohr, owner of the boardwalk shop, told NBC News the electricity had already been shut down in his shop as it was being closed up for the winter.

"The walk-ins [large refrigerators] were cleaned out, the breakers were off, the store was de-energized," he said adding that workers were “getting it ready for the winter” when the fire began.

Asked if he’s heard from investigators, Kohr says he hasn’t heard from 'any officials.'

BREAKING: Fire reported at Kohr's on Seaside Park boardwalk http://t.co/mkp22Srmcm pic.twitter.com/Sf0xzfjMuJ via @AsburyParkPress

— WCAlerts (@WCAlerts) September 12, 2013

Officials have said it is too early to determine the cause of the fire, but the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has put out a call for photos and videos taken near the scene just before the fire began.

Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the county and state fire marshals are on the scene.

The fire is also being treated as a crime scene, both measures, officials say, is standard protocol.

Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

Deputies were called to Viejas Casino in Alpine Friday to investigate a suspicious device discovered by a casino employee in a trash can inside a restroom.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department said concerned casino employees called deputies around 1:15 p.m. to report that they had discovered what appeared to be some type of grenade.

When authorities arrived at the scene in the 5000 block of Willows Road, they secured the area and a Sheriff's Bomb Arson Unit began investigating.

After several hours, officials determined the device lin the trash can was a military smoke grenade.

Investigators do not know who left the smoke grenade behind or why it was left there.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said there were no threats made toward the casino and no one was injured.

The incident remains under investigation.

• Everton have the highest average possession (64.1%) in the 2013-14 Premier League
• Eden Hazard has created a joint league high 10 chances for his Chelsea teammates
• Roberto Martinez has won just one of his last 11 games as a manager in the Premier League
• Chelsea have gone 11 matches without defeat, the longest streak in the league

Chelsea make their way to Goodison Park to take on Everton this Saturday (12:30 pm ET on NBC, watch live via NBC Sports Live Extra) as both sides look to return to winning ways.

For Everton, it's an opportunity to put the skids on three straight draws and to avoid becoming the fourth side in Premier League history to draw their opening four.

After opening their season with a hard fought 2-2 draw at Norwich, Everton has gone scoreless in their last two matches, drawing at home to West Brom and on the road at Cardiff. The later two matches saw the Toffees create multiple opportunities with Nikica Jelavic, Kevin Mirallas (pictured, above right) and Marouane Fellaini all failing to take their chances.

For the full schedule of NBC Sports' coverage of Premier League Soccer, visit http://www.nbcsports.com/PremierLeagueSchedule

It's been over two weeks since Chelsea played their last Premier League fixture, a goalless draw at Old Trafford. For Jose Mourinho, the United clash was a tactical battle where his men sat back and absorbed the Red Devils' attack, hoping to strike on the counter. The likes of Gary Cahill and John Terry defended well but the Blues showed a lack of desire going forward, failing to create any real threat on goal. Fortunately that style of play - which was no doubt influenced by both the opponent and Mourinho's focus on the UEFA Super Cup match with Bayern Munich four days later - is one that audiences are unlikely to see come Saturday.

Everton have fared surprisingly well against Chelsea in Merseyside, taking points in eight of their last ten meetings, including six victories. In last year's corresponding fixture a high-flying Everton took the lead through Steven Pienaar only for Frank Lampard, a notorious Toffee killer, to strike once in each half to hand the Blues all three points. Chelsea then completed the double against Everton on the final day of the season, winning 2-1 behind goals from Fernando Torres and Juan Mata.

Everton are a side still adjusting to the style of play enforced by new manager Roberto Martinez. Formerly a direct, counter-attacking side under David Moyes, Martinez has re-shaped the Toffees into a possession based squad. Everton has responded well to the stylistic adjustment, averaging the highest possession figure (64.1%) in the league while managing to concede only on two occasions. But if the Toffees are to win games they must be more clinical in the box.

Everton were able to snap up Belgian sensation Romelu Lukaku on a season long loan from Chelsea but he will be ineligible to play against his parent club. That means the goal-scoring burden will fall on the shoulders of players like Mirallas, Pienaar and Ross Barkley. And don't be surprised if Jelavic, who has been ineffective in his first three matches, has a seat in favor of Arouna Kone or Barcelona starlet Gerard Deulofeu.

For Chelsea, a victory on Saturday coupled with a Liverpool loss at Swansea City will see the Blues go top of the Premier League table. The match could see the debut of Samuel Eto'o (pictured, left), who arrived at Stamford Bridge just before the transfer deadline on a free transfer from Anzhi Makhachkala.

It's unclear whether Eto'o will start but with Torres and Demba Ba failing to impress Mourinho and Andre Schurrle looking more dangerous on the wing, it's not out of the realm of possibility. The slippery movements of Eto'o, combined with sixth sense positioning, makes him a major threat to Everton center-backs Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin.

Regardless of the lineup Mourinho chooses, the message will be the same: consistency. Chelsea have shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in the first half of the 2-0 win over Hull City and throughout much of the Super Cup, but have yet to provide a complete performance worthy of the talent they possess.

What They're Saying

Everton manager Roberto Martinez [on Mourinho]: "He’s one of the best managers in world football and there’s no denying that. Our league wants them and it’s good for everyone to have the best at each job. I think whoever plays against Chelsea this season is going to have a real test, but in the same manner we feel it is a fresh start for us."

Chelsea defender John Terry [on Eto'o]: "I said to him (Eto'o) thank god you're here because I've had so many battles against him. He's such a threat, he's obviously a few years older but he still looks very sharp and hungry. He's got an eye for goal and I think he'll be a good addition, he was welcomed straight into the squad."

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard [on Cahill]: "Gary has been consistent in a lot of difficult games we have played like the Champions League and Europa League finals. He has always performed fantastically well on those occasions. He has come on so much considering he's only been with us [Chelsea] a couple of years and is now first choice for England."

Prediction

Chelsea come into the match in good health and with plenty of offensive firepower. The Blues will be looking to buckle down and focus on the Premier League and so long as they put in a consistent performance, will remain favorites to win. But despite not winning a match, Everton have played some good football only to come up short on the offensive end. With a bit more bite in the box and

The only mayoral contender who's won citywide office in San Diego has just formally announced his candidacy in upcoming special election.

Voters will go to the polls on Nov. 19 to fill the spot vacated by former mayor Bob Filner.

Filner resigned as of Aug. 30 after weeks of pressure from supporters and voters and amidst a recall campaign. He was the subject of several investigations stemming from allegations of sexual harassment, unwanted sexual advances and misuse of funds.

Former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre met with reporters Friday morning in Balboa Park.

Over the years Aguirre has run for Congress and the City Council. Finally, in 2004, he won the race for City Attorney only to lose a re-election bid four years later to Jan Goldsmith, by a 3-to-2 margin.

Aguirre's a private attorney specializing in plaintiff's cases involving corporate and white-collar crimes, such as securities and investment fraud.

He said his focus as mayor would be skyrocketing water rates, utility rates, escalating pension obligations and stewardship of city funds.

Aguirre may be known for his confrontational style as City Attorney but he says he's mellowed in the years since and has learned the ropes of collaboration and compromise.

He often clashed with then-mayor Jerry Sanders about whom he once raised ethical questions. While that earned him a lot of populist appeal, Aguirre alienated many allies and supporters eventually attracting five challengers in the 2008 primary election.

Aguirre is one of four big-name Democrats in the mayor's race for which 33 people have already filed papers.

He, and fellow Democrats David Alvarez, Nathan Fletcher and Lori Saldana are vying for their party's endorsement.

Republican Kevin Faulconer already has the GOP's backing. He's looking to divide and conquer the Dems in November.
 

The public just gave the sad-faced blobfish another reason to be miserable.

The sea creature, which bears a striking resemblance to a bald, grumpy old man -- or, perhaps the comic character Ziggy --  was named the world's ugliest animal on Thursday by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. It becomes the group's new mascot.

The gelatinous-looking fish nabbed 795 of the 3,000 votes in an online poll aimed at raising awareness for ugly animals that play an important role in the earth's ecology, AFP reported.

"The Ugly Animal Preservation Society is dedicated to raising the profile of some of Mother Nature’s more aesthetically challenged children," according to their website. "The panda gets too much attention."

The blobfish spends its life bobbing at the bottom of the sea, feeding off crabs and lobsters. Unfortunately, its unsightly appearance isn't the only thing marring its seemingly sad existence.

"The blobfish suffers a significant threat from fishing trawlers – although it is inedible itself, it gets caught up in the nets," according to the website of the National + Science Engineering Competition, which partnered with the society for the campaign.

Paul Foot, the cheeky man behind the blobfish's election campaign, expressed his gratitude for the recognition in an acceptance speech captured on video.

“On behalf of all the blobfish, thank you for this award. Thank you it means a great deal to me. Now, stay away from me and my family,” Foot said.
 

Check out the NSEC's video announcement below:

E is the new A in Del Mar, Calif.

The "A, B, C and D's" most of us are familiar with seeing on report cards will soon be replaced with "E, D, S, and B's," according to a new grading system adopted by the Del Mar Union School District.

The new way of evaluating student progress is part of the district's transition to California's Common Core standards.

Students in Ms. Pike's 5th grade class at Ashley Falls Elementary may not realize it but they're being evaluated much differently this year.

Parents in the seaside community north of San Diego gathered Thursday night to learn more about the new system that throws out the traditional letter grades. For instance, "B's" are bad in the new system.

The Del Mar Union School District, which covers Kindergarten through sixth grade, has moved to what's called a “standards-based scoring system.”

“We recognized a need to give clearer and more accurate information about student progress toward standards,” said Shelley Peterson with the Del Mar Union School District.

Every school district in California decides how to evaluate its students under the Common Core State Standards this is how Del Mar is doing it.

Gone are traditional letter grades, like “A, B, and C” that educators feel were too broad.

“It really gives us very little information about where student’s strengths and weaknesses are,” Peterson said.

With the new report cards, subject areas are expanded listing specific areas of skills and knowledge students are responsible for learning.

The old letter grades will be replaced with new letters:

An “E” being the highest score followed by an “S”, “D”, and “B” - the lowest grade which means a student is beginning to progress toward expectations.

“With this type of reporting system, we can report more accurately about a student’s strengths and areas where a student might need more work,” Peterson said.

The district is confident the new standards-based report will give more feedback to parents.

“Looks interesting, it can work, I think, it's possible,” said parent Jackie Weinstein. “You can try it, if it doesn't work; you go back to the old standard.”

The grading system is also more rigorous and requires more student evaluation from teachers.

“It requires teachers to really narrow in on each of those specific standards and ensure that we have good accurate data about student performance in each area of our standards,” said Peterson.

California’s Common Core state standards in education are asking more from students in Reading and Math. Schools throughout the state are making the transition to the new standards.

The program was designed to go beyond basic reading, writing and arithmetic and improve or provide skills in critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and communication – skills necessary in the current job market. 

A San Diego man busted in a prostitution sting wore a very telling T-shirt during his arrest that had this phrase scrolled across the front: “I Make Pimpin’ Look Easy.”

Alleged pimp Martell Davis, 34, pleaded guilty in federal court to acting as a pimp for a 17-year-old girl and transporting the minor from San Diego to Yuma, Ariz., to engage in prostitution.

In his plea agreement Thursday, Davis admitted he drove the teenager to Arizona so she could engage in commercial sex acts.

According to prosecutors, court records show Davis was arrested on Jul. 27 as the result of an undercover operation by San Diego police.

An undercover detective responded to an online prostitution ad and set up a fake “date” to meet the teenage girl involved with Davis at a Best Western hotel in the Mission Valley area. The ad was charging $80 for the date with t he girl.

When the detective arrived at the hotel room, he arrested the teenager and then used the girl’s cell phone to text message the person investigators believed was her pimp.

Posing as the teen, the detective texted the girl’s suspected pimp and asked how much she should charge for a particular sex act.

The person on the other end texted back: “Break the bank.”

Later, another text message came from the suspected pimp’s phone, this time asking how much the girl had made from the sex act.

Prosecutors say the detective texted back “5,” meaning $500, to which the person on the other end responded, “Damn cool.”

Still using the teen’s phone, the detective asked the girl’s suspected pimp to pick her up from the hotel.

A short time later, Davis arrived at the room – wearing a T-shirt that read “I Make Pimpin’ Look Easy’ – and was arrested.

Davis was charged with transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution and faces a minimum 10 years to life in prison. His sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 13.
 

More than 2,000 pounds of marijuana were seized and 18 people arrested after authorities busted a panga boat that came ashore at a Santa Barbara County beach Friday, law enforcement said.

It’s the latest bust in what officials have called an increase in illegal maritime drug smuggling along California’s central coast.

Members of the California National Guard first spotted the boat, pictured below, as it came ashore at Arroya Quemada Beach early Friday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. They saw nearly two dozen people offloading from the boat bales of what the guards thought could be narcotics.

The group took off running when sheriff’s deputies arrived at the beach, but were later found hiding in the bushes, sheriff’s spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said in a news release. Fourteen people were ultimately arrested at the scene.

Four more people were arrested hours later, found hiding near the beach where the bust began.

Later, Homeland Security agents in Camarillo stopped a truck suspected of being involved in the alleged smuggling scheme. Bales of marijuana and “other evidence” linked the truck to the panga boat found on the beach, authorities said.

Those traveling in the truck – authorities could not say how many – fled on foot, and authorities are asking anyone with information in the case to “immediately call law enforcement.”

Many of those arrested are from the Los Angeles area, officials said, adding that they would not be identified until they are formally charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The bust was called an “example of how federal, state and local agencies are coming together to address the recent increase of illegal maritime drug smuggling activity on the central coast.”

Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Ventura County Sheriff’s Department K9 Unit and air suppor, and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene.

Friday's discovery is one in a rising number of cases in recent years in which suspected smugglers use fishing boats -- called pangas -- from Mexico to ferry drugs and people into the United States, authorities said.

There have 10 panga boat busts – involving drug and human smuggling – in Santa Barbara County since October 2012, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security. More than 9,735 pounds of marijuana has been seized in those busts so far.

More Southern California Stories:

• Body Found on Supermarket Loading Dock
• Clint Eastwood Cutout Seeks Home in Glendale Hills
• Car Fire Jams Traffic Near LAX
• Brush Fire Burns in Foothills East of LA
• It's Time for Dodger Baseball, and Dream Come True
• FBI Joins Schools Gun Threat Probe
• Koreatown Bar Fight Ends in Gunfire
• Quake Warning Bill Sent to Gov. Brown

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will deploy crisis counselors to provide emotional support for Seaside residents in the wake of Thursday’s devastating fire.

The fire broke out Thursday afternoon and engulfed more than four blocks of the Seaside boardwalk that was rebuilt only five months ago after it was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Authorities in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights say more than 50 businesses were badly damaged in the blaze. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

“This heartbreaking tragedy comes so closely on the heels of Sandy devastation,” said Jennifer Velez, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, which oversees the Disaster and Terrorism Branch (DTB) and deploys crisis counselors to impacted areas.  “People still recovering from the stresses caused by Sandy are now experiencing more trauma, and likely will need some emotional support.”

Officials with the Christie administration say counseling will be available at the Seaside Heights Community Center at bay and Hancock Avenues from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and into the week if necessary.

“So many of these residents have just gone through an extended period of anxiety and uncertainly, and, now, the fire. We expect they will need emotional support,” said DTB Director Adrienne Fessler-Belli. “Many business owners already have seen their livelihood threatened and may be facing more losses.”

According to researchers, people who are dealing with a prolonged disaster recovery can experience increased anxiety and depression when the return to a regular routine is delayed.

“Following two large disasters in this community within 12 months, The American Red Cross wants to let the community know our resources are available for them," said Dr. Raymond Hanbury, a clinical psychologist who serves as the American Red Cross’ New Jersey State Lead for Disaster Mental Health. “One of these resources includes our Disaster Mental Health Unit to help individuals employ their own coping skills and resources to deal with these extremely stressful and tragic circumstances.”

There are currently more than 600 credentialed disaster crisis counselors in New Jersey and around 200 Hope and Healing counselors. For more information about New Jersey Hope and Healing, call 1-877-294-HELP (4357. For the Disaster Mental Health Helpline, call (877) 294-HELP (4357).

For confidential clinical mental health services, call 1-855-HOPE4U1.
 

Alan Mason will spend another weekend in jail, even though Dallas Police say he is no longer a person of interest in the South Dallas rape investigation.

"It's probably one of the worst weeks of my life. I'm glad it's almost over," Mason said Friday from the Dallas County Jail.

The 29-year-old insurance agent was arrested at his Arlington apartment last weekend after Dallas Police Chief David Brown named Mason as "person of interest" on Twitter.

An informant fingered Mason, but DNA tests later linked 38-year-old Van Dralan Dixson to several of the sexual assaults.

The DNA tests cleared Mason.

Nine women were raped since June in the area east and south of Dallas Fair Park.

"The women are the true victims," Mason said. "I don't want to take any attention from what happened to them because that was way worse than what I’m going through."

Mason remains jailed for an outstanding DUI probation violation but he believes the time he is serving in jail will satisfy that case by Monday.

He might never have wound up in jail for that case if not for the rape investigation.

His grandmother Shirley Clerkley is upset that police have not apologized. She worries Mason's good reputation will be tarnished by the incorrect connection to a rape investigation.

"He's not that type of guy. He's a real good guy. He's respected wherever he goes and he respects other people," she said.

Mason is considering a lawsuit over what happened, but he believes his job will still be waiting for him and he's hoping to get his regular life back in order.

"First step is to get out of here, go to the barbershop, get my appearance back right, visit my daughter, go to my grand mother's house, eat dinner," he said.

Dixson was arrested in Louisiana this week. He will be transferred to the Dallas County Jail at some future date.