San Diego police have arrested a student in connection with a threat of violence at a high school in Rancho Penasquitos.

On Friday, officers arrested a 15-year-old Mt. Carmel High School student for a threat written in pen on a boy’s bathroom stall.

Investigators said the scribbled message indicated the intent to use explosives and a firearm at the school on Friday.

After an investigation, officers took the unidentified male student into custody at 9:30 a.m. on the school's campus.

They say there was no evidence the student had the means to carry out the threat or that anybody else was involved.

One student, who did not want to be identified, told NBC 7 that news of the threat rattled the student body.

“There's a lot of people who are actually frightened about it. They don't feel safe at the school,” the student said.

As a precaution, four to five SDPD officers were present on the MCHS campus Friday.

Earlier this week, Greg Magno, principal at Mt. Carmel High School (MCHS), sent an email to parents regarding the incident.

The email said a student reported finding some writing on a stall door in a boy’s bathroom on campus that contained some type of threat to the school set to take place on Friday, September 20, during 5th period.

Magno’s email to parents said he contacted the San Diego Police Department, and an investigation was launched into the threat.

“The Poway Unified School District is committed to the physical safety of all of our students and staff. It is unfortunate that this has occurred,” Magno’s email read.

“Of course, our initial reaction is the shock,” said MCHS parent Mike Ritchie.

Ritchie was attending a freshman football scrimmage Thursday night.

"I almost don't want to give in to pranksters like that. They're in there to disrupt and if you let them disrupt how you're doing this, you've kind of given in to what they're trying to do," he said, adding that his children were going to classes Friday.

Another parent, April Anderson, said she immediately considered keeping her child home but agrees the students should report to school Friday.

“My initial reaction was well, my daughter is not going to school on Friday,” she said.

"In reality, something bad could happen at any time, and of course no us want that to happen, but I don't believe in letting these kids live their lives in fear."

The parents who spoke to NBC 7 were quick to praise the Poway Unified School District for its rapid response.

Vietnam veteran and San Diego Chief Deputy City Attorney Joe Cordileone was awarded a Silver Star for heroism during an event Friday at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.

Cordileone was honored for his actions when his company attacked Hill 881 South during the Battle of Khe San in 1967. The battle was recorded as one of the worst of the Vietnam War.

Surrounded by the enemy, then-PFC Cordileone exposed himself to enemy snipers to advance and recover the wounded. He was credited with saving the lives of 10 Marines.

“I accept this award on behalf of every single Marine and corpsman who went up Hill 881. If one of us earned it, all of us did,” he said.

Cordileone served as a rifleman with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

Also honored Friday, Robert T. Moffatt received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V' for his actions in the same battle.

As an assistant machine gunner, Moffatt suffered severe head wounds providing protective fire for his fellow Marines.

Moffatt said he accepted the award in the memory of 27 Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“It was such an honor to serve with the best,” he said.

Their actions went unnoticed for more than 45 years because of the heavy loss of Marine and corpsmen including key leaders.

It was only after many reunions and gatherings, that a former platoon commander investigated and submitted the recommendation for recognition for Marines like Cordileone and Moffatt.

Moffatt, a Riverside County resident, worked as a senior cost estimator and quality control supervisor for a Navy ship facility until his retirement.
 

Officials from multiple agencies were called to the North County Saturday to investigate a pipe bomb reportedly discovered in a rural area near San Pasqual Valley Road.

Crews from the San Diego Fire Department and San Diego Police Department made their way to the 17900-block of Bandy Canyon Road at Old Survey Road just before 11 a.m.

Assistance was also requested from the Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST).

The pipe bomb appeared to be in the middle of some kind of fruit grove. By 2 p.m., officials had safely detonated the device and were beginning to clear the scene.

No injuries were reported.

Officials have not released details about how the explosive device got there in the first place. The incident is under investigation.

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The body of a man discovered in Solana Beach Friday has now been identified by the county medical examiner.

According to the ME, the body is that of Jeffrey Coughlin, 47. 

On Friday, homicide investigators joined lifeguards looking into the identification of the body, which was found before 8 a.m. at Fletcher Cove Park on South Sierra Avenue.

A group of Tri-Club swimmers spotted Coughlin's body around 7:45 a.m, about 100 yards off shore, according to Solana Beach Lifeguard Cpt. Craig Miller.

Lifeguards confirmed to NBC 7 the body was not that of missing fisherman Loren Ruden.

Ruden was last seen before heading out on a fishing trip from Oceanside on Sept. 9.

The man whose body was found Friday was said to be in his 40's about 5'10", 165 pounds. He was wearing a thick gold chain with a gold cross and had a small tattoo on his left arm with an inscription that appeared to say 'Italia', according to Miller.

The body was nude, which is very unusual said Miller. He also says it does not appear to be an undocumented immigrant.

Detectives with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department were called in to investigate but NBC 7 was told the investigation was now in the hands of the medical examiner's office.

As of Saturday morning, only Coughlin's identity had been released. The ME report did not include a city of residence, but did note that Coughlin was divorced.

The parents of a young woman whose body was found in a water tank on the roof of a downtown hotel in February are suing the establishment’s owners.

David and Yinna Lam, father and mother of Elisa Lam, filed the wrongful death suit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Cecil Hotel Management Inc. They are seeking unspecified damages as well as compensation for the burial costs of their daughter.

The Cecil Hotel operators had an obligation to make the premises safe for Lam and “inspect and seek out hazards in the hotel that presented an unreasonable risk of danger to (Lam) and other hotel guests,” the suit states.

The hotel staff did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

The 21-year-old's body was discovered in one of four 4-foot-by-8-foot tanks on the roof Feb. 19 during an inspection after reports of water pressure problems at the 15-story hotel (map).

Lam's death was was ruled accidental due to drowning, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. The report also listed "bipolar disorder" under other significant conditions.

Lam, of Vancouver, was staying at the hotel on Main Street on LA's Skid Row when she was reported missing. Her parents called police after they had not heard from her for a few days.

NBCLA Wire Services contributed to this story.

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A security worker is charged with setting eight fires in two Manhattan hotels where he worked, Fire Dept. officials said.

Mariano Barbosa Jr., 30, allegedly set three fires between 2009 and 2010 in downtown's Soho Grand, where he was a security officer, and five fires between 2011 and this year in midtown's Yotel Hotel, where he was the director of security. 

Officials said the fires were set in hallways, stairwells and in front of exit doors in order to block people from escaping and impede firefighter access. All of the fires were quickly brought under control, the FDNY said.

Fire marshals believe Barbosa set the fires while he was working so he could slack off on the job.

Information on a lawyer for Barbosa was not immediately available.

A spokeswoman for Yotel said the hotel was cooperating with the FDNY and NYPD and that the hotel was "deeply concerned by the allegations" against Barbosa.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is searching for a man accused of making lewd comments towards an 11-year-old girl as she walked home from school in Poway.

According to investigators, the incident happened Thursday around 3:20 p.m. in the 14200-block of Tierra Bonita Road.

A girl was walking home from Twin Peaks Middle School when she noticed a man standing in a driveway on Tierra Bonita Road.

As the girl walked past him, investigators say the man walked past the girl on the side of the road and stopped in another driveway. He then allegedly approached the girl and made lewd comments and gestures towards her, which investigators say were sexual in nature.

As the man continued to do this, the 6th grader ignored him and walked faster until she got away. When the girl got home, she reported the incident to her mother, who then called deputies.

Detectives say the incident is under investigation. Deputies have been contacting nearby residents to see if anyone saw anything suspicious and are also working with the Poway Unified School District.

Following the incident, the district sent an email to parents of students at Twin Peaks Middle School and two other elementary schools in the area.

The warning is a stark reminder to Poway families that in any community, parents and children must remain on guard.

The case has rattled some Poway parents, including Karen Smith, who has a young son and daughter. They live just blocks from where the 11-year-old victim was approached by the stranger.

“It's hard to hear that that is in our neighborhood,” Smith said.

Parent Dawn Hubbard learned of the incident when she came to campus for a Girl Scouts meeting on Friday.

“I find it very disturbing being so close to school. Even though my daughter doesn't go to this school, being in Poway, I think it affects all of us,” Hubbard told NBC 7. “It's a sad reminder that we need to be vigilant and watch out for each other's children.”

Though the young victim escaped without harm, the case has left a lasting impact on Poway parents.

“It makes it that much more disturbing when you think you live in a safe community,” Hubbard added.

“I will definitely pay more attention – especially when driving outside our street,” said Smith.
Investigators describe the suspect accused of child harassment as a man between 35 and 45 years old, 5-foot-9 with a medium build and short, straight, brown hair.

Anyone with information on this case, or any additional victims, should contact the Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

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If you’re reading this article, you’re most likely a football fan. And if you’re a football fan, you’re probably familiar with the saying a football game might have 11 guys on both sides of the ball, but at its core the game is a series of 1-on-1 battles. If you have more guys win their battle than the other team, you win the play. You win the most plays, you win the game (for the most part. Murphy still has a say every now and then).

So, let’s take a look at three Chargers to watch for on Sunday against the Titans.

• KEENAN ALLEN, WR:

When Malcom Floyd was carted off the field in Philadelphia, Allen was thrown in to a close game. As offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said, the rookie “Answered the bell.” Philip Rivers threw to Allen on two of the next four plays. Keenan made both catches, both for first downs. Floyd will not play in Tennessee, and is likely out for the near future. How fast Allen can integrate himself in to the offense, especially in keeping up with all the changes at the line of scrimmage, will be critical to the Chargers’ offense keeping up its 30 point-per-game pace.

• MARCUS GILCHRIST, S:

Gilchrist knocked a ball away from Jason Avant at the goal line last week, forcing the Eagles to kick a field goal and setting up the Chargers’ game-winning drive. He’s still learning how to play safety, but signs of his progress are encouraging. Gilchrist won’t be needed as much this week in pass coverage as he will in run support. As long as it stays close, and Tennessee doesn’t fall behind to a point they have to throw to get back in to it, Chris Johnson will see the ball 25 to 30 times. With his elusiveness and cutback ability, safeties have to help keep him bottled up.

• MIKE HARRIS, OT:

D.J. Fluker is questionable with a concussion, but with all the attention being paid to head injuries (and the retirement of Kris Dielman still fresh in their minds) I find it hard to believe the Chargers would take a chance letting Fluker play. That puts Harris back in the starting lineup after his tumultuous 2012, when he was ranked as the worst left tackle in the NFL after being thrust unfairly in to a situation he was not prepared for. But, Harris is much more comfortable (and effective) on the right side. If he’s in there, he’ll be asked to block one of the most disruptive defensive lines in the NFL.

A UC San Diego professor and avid hiker collapsed and died along a trail in San Diego's North County two months ago. Now, officials say her death was caused, in part, by a rare condition that made it impossible for her to sweat.

A report from the office of the San Diego County Medical Examiner obtained by NBC 7 rules the July 5, 2013, death of UCSD professor Ellen Comisso, 65, accidental due to hyperthermia.

But, conditions that contributed to her death included a skin disorder called ichthyosis and a condition called anhidrosis, which results in the inability to sweat normally.

According to the report, Comisso’s daughter told officials that her mother had a medical history of anhidrosis and would “reportedly always overheat during hikes, and would seek shade underneath trees or bushes to cool off.”

Pediatric endocrinologist Sherry Franklin, MD, of the San Diego Medical Society, did not treat Comisso, but is familiar with anhidrosis in other patients.

Franklin told NBC 7 the condition is rare, but can be fatal.

She said that when the body is unable to sweat, it can’t cool itself, which can lead to overheating and symptoms of heatstroke, especially during exercise or in hot weather.

“Anhidrosis can lead to dizziness, weakness, muscular cramping, nausea, blurred vision and flushed skin,” explained Franklin. “There are different levels of anhidrosis. It can affect a few specific areas on the body or be diffused all over the body, which is more dangerous.”

Franklin said anhidrosis can be a primary condition inherited at birth or can develop later in life.

She said certain skin conditions, including ichthyosis, can cause anhidrosis. Comisso had a clinical history of ichthyosis, which can cause thick, dry skin that can build up and impact sweat glands.

Franklin said anhidrosis treatment involves curbing the heat-related side effects that stem from the condition by cooling down the body with rest, shade and fluids.

Comisso would often go hiking with her husband, Mladen Soic, who suffers from advanced dementia, the couple’s daughter told investigators back in July.

On the morning of July 5, hikers found Comisso’s body in the brush just off the 4-mile-long San Pasqual Clevenger Canyon Trail near the San Dieguito River Park in Ramona, Calif.

The hikers called 911, and responding officials confirmed Comisso’s death at the scene. There was no evidence of foul play, investigators said.

The report says investigators later learned that a person placed a 911 call to police on July 4 reporting an elderly, confused man in a car in the parking lot near the trailhead.

The man – who was later identified as Comisso’s husband – was taken to Palomar Medical Center. Due to his advanced dementia, he was unable to provide his name or any information.

When Comisso’s body was found on the trail the following day and her daughter was contacted by officials, investigators determined that Comisso had gone hiking with her husband on July 4, but collapsed and died while on the trail.

Soic walked back to their car in the parking lot, but was unable to report that his wife was in distress due to his advanced dementia, the report says. Comisso was found about a half-mile from the parking lot at the trailhead.

On the weekend of Comisso’s death, temperatures in the Ramona area where the trailhead is located ranged from 61 to 91-degrees, according to weather data from Wunderground.

Being that Comisso was an avid hiker, the report says she was found appropriately dressed and prepared for the activity. Her vehicle contained a backpack, hats and sunscreen. On her person, Comisso carried a backpack and fannypack containing water bottles.

Following her death, Comisso’s brother, Sid Turkish, spoke with NBC 7 and fondly remembered his sister as an educator and scholar who loved to hike and walk trails.

Comisso was a longtime professor for UCSD’s department of political science and had been teaching at the university for the past 30 years. She was a Yale graduate and an expert on eastern European economies, and had written a number of books on the subject.

Three military heroes were honored in San Diego Friday with a major gesture -- having three military destroyers named after them.

A special ceremony with the service members’ families and friends was held on Naval Base San Diego.

The ships, which have yet to be built, will carry the legacies of three men from three different conflicts into oceans around the world for decades to come.

The destroyers will be named USS John Finn, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Ralph Johnson.

“These three men are examples of the service, sacrifice, dedication and the heroism it took to be that anchor,” said USMC Lt. General John Toolan.

Lt. General Toolan, commander of the first marine expeditionary force, spoke during Friday’s naming ceremony.

Family members of John Finn took the stage for a picture. Among those in attendance was Finn’s son, Joe, who said his father would’ve thought it all a little much, but would’ve been very proud.

Finn, who lived on an East County ranch, died three years ago.

He was a Pearl Harbor legend who jumped behind a machine gun and stood his ground under enemy fire even after being hit by shrapnel all over his body.

The heroic act earned him the first Medal of Honor from World War II.

“He seemed to have a knack to be at the right place at the right time, and do the thing,” said Joe Finn, fondly remembering his dad. “He could wander off into nothing and come back with a great story and a great tale.”

The family of Rafael Peralta called Friday’s ship-naming ceremony a proud and emotional moment.

Peralta jumped on a grenade to save his fellow marines, an act many believe is worthy of the Medal of Honor.

Peralta's mother, siblings and extended family told NBC 7 San Diego they’re still holding out hope that he’ll be awarded that Medal of Honor – something that was recently denied because a previous Defense Secretary cited forensic evidence that Peralta was not conscious when he did that.

USMC LCPL Ricardo Peralta was 14 at the time of his brother, Rafael’s, death. Ricardo said he was inspired to join the service because of his older brother.

He isn’t alone.

"I've heard going through boot camp, people coming up to me and telling me they enlisted in the Marine Corps simply because they heard my brother's story," said Ricardo. “He started becoming less of a brother figure and more of an icon. He’s a legend in the Marine Corps.”

The third military ship to be named after a hero is USS Ralph Johnson, named after a former Camp Pendleton marine who threw himself on an explosive device in Vietnam – an act for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The destroyers, costing roughly $1 billion each, will be built and commissioned in the next several years.

It's not yet known if they'll be home-ported here in San Diego, but one thing is for sure: They'll all carry the names of memorable, heroic San Diegans around the world.
 

The production plant inside a San Diego-based Coca-Cola facility is set to shut down this fall, impacting nearly 100 employees.

According to Rebecca Hecksel, Director of Public Affairs & Communications for Coca-Cola in San Diego, production operations at the facility located at 1348 47th Street in the Chollas View area will end on Nov. 8. Hecksel says the closure of the production plant will lead to job loss for approximately 92 employees.

The Coca-Cola North American Group operates two other bottling cdnters in Southern California -- one in Los Angeles and the other in Downey. The company says they’ve decided to consolidate their San Diego production operations into the two other Southern California centers, leading to the closure.

Hecksel confirms that all other portions of the San Diego Coca-Cola facility will remain open.

In addition to the bottling plant, the facility consists of a warehouse and distribution center, a cooler services department and sales and administrative offices.

Though the production portion will close, Hecksel says approximately 430 employees in those other departments will continue to work in San Diego.

“We are fully committed to treating all affected associates with respect and dignity throughout this process. Severed associates will be offered severance packages and will be able to apply for other jobs in the Coca-Cola system,” said Hecksel.

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Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers said Saturday that he did not consent to a lawsuit filed on his behalf Friday in the U.S. District Court in Chicago that alleges the NFL and helmet maker Riddell failed to prevent repeated head injuries to the former running back, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune.

Sayers told the Tribune he spoke with an attorney last Thursday after a request from former Bears safety Shaun Gayle, but that he did not agree to sue the NFL.

Sayers reportedly said the attorney is John F. Winters of Winters, Salzetta & O’Brien, LLC in Chicago.

The lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago claims Sayers, who played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1972, suffers headaches, occasional short-term memory loss and other cognitive deficits. It says the affliction is caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

A spokesman for the NFL did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Rosemont, Ill.-based Riddell declined to comment.

Last month, in a deal with the players association, the NFL agreed to pay more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to settle lawsuits from thousands of former players who developed concussion-related health problems.
 

Foodies who didn’t get their fill of culinary delights this past week during San Diego Restaurant Week have another chance to wine and dine now that the event has been extended for another week.

That's right, prepare that discerning palate of yours because according to organizers, the second round of San Diego Restaurant Week will run from Sunday, Sept. 22 through Friday, Sept. 27.

The event showcases the tastiest culinary creations from more than 120 participating restaurants across the county. Diners can enjoy special, multi-course, prix-fix menus for $10, $15 and $20 per person during lunch, and $20, $30 and $40 per person during dinner.

This year, participating restaurants include Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant in Bankers Hill, Brooklyn Girl eatery in Mission Hills, Café Coyote in Old Town San Diego, 1500 Ocean in Coronado, Blue Point in Downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and Searsucker Del Mar.

Of course, that’s just a small sampling of the restaurants from which foodies can choose. For a full list of San Diego Restaurant Week eateries, click here.

Also, due to the success of the event, organizers recommend making reservations ahead of time. That can also be done through this website.

Bon appetit, San Diego!
 

A San Diego Superior Court Judge has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as a District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant, 53, was among President Obama's eight nominees to serve on District Courts across the nation, the White House announced Thursday.

Bashant has served on the San Diego Superior Court since 2000 where she handles both criminal and juvenile matters. Between 2009 and 2012 she was the presiding judge for the juvenile dependency and delinquency courts.

If Bashant is confirmed by the Senate she will fill a judgeship on the District Court for the Southern District left vacant by Judge Irma E. Gonzalez who assumed senior status in March of this year.

The position is one of 13 judgeships and is a lifetime appointment upon good behavior. According to a media release, the current annual salary is $174,000.

Bashant is a San Francisco native who received an A.B. degree from Smith’s College in 1982 and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1986.

After finishing at Hastings College of the Law, Bashant practiced civil litigation in San Diego until 1989 when she began working as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.

In addition to Bashant, President Obama also nominated Stanley Allen Bastian, Diane J. Humetawa, Justice Jon David Levy, Judge Steven Paul Logan, Judge Douglas L. Rayes, Manish S. Shah, and John Joseph Tuchi for District Court judgeships.

“These men and women have had distinguished legal careers and I am honored to ask them to continue their work as judges on the federal bench,” said President Obama. “They will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice.”

Thousands of volunteers gathered Saturday across different sites in San Diego for a massive annual outdoor cleanup event.

With trash bags in hand, approximately 7,500 volunteers simultaneously picked up litter at 102 designated cleanup sites across the county from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. as part of the 29th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day hosted by the “I Love a Clean San Diego” organization.

Organizers said the environmental event, aimed at battling coastal and inland pollution in San Diego, was expected to yield about 150,000 pounds of trash.

Over the course of the day, volunteers collected more than 75 tons of trash and recycling from coastal, inland and urban sites throughout the county -- from Bonsall and City Heights to Coronado and Mission Bay.

Organizers say some of the more unusual items removed during the cleanup event included an electric foot massager, a working iPad and iPod and a puppy.

One of the cleanup sites was a Gompers Park on Hilltop Drive. There, volunteers were joined by several San Diego leaders including Interim Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox and Councilmember Myrtle Cole.

Meanwhile, San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts joined volunteers at the San Dieguito Lagoon cleanup site, while Councilmember Lorie Zapf met volunteers at Mission Bay.

Councilmember Scott Sherman hosted the cleanup site at Fashion Valley and Councilmember Marti Emerald toured all sites within the City Heights area.

This year, organizers say volunteers cleaned more sites than ever -- 102, to be exact.

Coastal Cleanup Day is part of a statewide cleanup event across California that includes more than 60,000 volunteers from nearly every county in the state.

To learn more about Coastal Cleanup Day, click here. For details about I Love a Clean San Diego, visit this website.