Quantcast
Channel: NBC 7 San Diego - Top Stories
Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live

2 Charged in Shooting Spree on Chicago's South Side

0
0

Two people were charged Monday evening in the Chicago basketball court shooting that injured 13 people Thursday, including a 3-year-old boy.

Bryon Champ, 21, and Kewane Gatewood, 20, both faces felony charges in connection with the shooting at Cornell Square Park near 51st and Wood.

Each man faces three counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

According to a Chicago Police Department news release, both offenders played significant roles in the shooting, but neither is believed to be an actual shooter. The investigation into the shooting continues, according to police.

Police say Champ is a "convicted felon and documented gang member" who was convicted of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon in July 2012 and sentenced to boot camp.

Earlier in the day, Supt. Garry McCarthy told reporters arrests would be made "in the near future" thanks to what he called great cooperation from the community.

Deonta Howard -- known as "Tay-man" -- was shot in the jaw and listed in critical condition after the shooting. Family friend Mekiya Menefee said she was "thankful" after hearing about charges in the case.

"They need to think for a very very long time about what they did," Menefee said. "The violence, the guns, the crime needs to stop."

The family's pastor, Rev. Corey Brooks says Tay-man is expected to make a full recovery and is communicating with his family by nodding his head, although he's not able to speak yet.

"The baby is still in intensive care. He's had surgery, he'll have more surgeries, he's awake, he's alert, he's attentive, however he's still in a great deal of pain as anyone would be," Brooks said.

Brooks says the boy is still in pain and will be left with some scarring.

The victims included 10 males and three females.

McCarthy said an assault-style rifle with a high capacity magazine was used in the shooting at Cornell Square Park, on the 1800 block of W. 51st Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Witnesses said several gunmen fired at least 20 shots at a group shortly before 10:15 p.m., and the spray of bullets sent a mass of people to the ground on the basketball courts.

McCarthy used the incident to renew his call for "three-year mandatory minimum sentences for illegal gun possession and truth in sentencing for gun crimes in Illinois."

The shooting revived the city's reputation for violence and drew plenty of commentary over the weekend.

"Senseless and brazen acts of violence have no place in Chicago," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "and betray all that we stand for. The perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I encourage everyone in the community to step forward with any information and everyone in Chicago to continue their individual efforts to build stronger communities where violence has no place."

Emanuel reportedly canceled his appearance at a rally for U.S. Senate cadidate Cory Booker to deal with the shooting.

In shootings following Thursday's attack, at least 25 people were shot, five of them fatally, in Chicago between Friday and Sunday, police said.
 



Photo Credit: Pastor Corey Brooks

Cyclist Riding for Charity Injured in Hit-and-Run While on His Way to Miami

0
0

A man cycling 10,500 miles in a charity bike ride from Maryland to Florida was injured in a hit-and-run crash en route to Miami.

Jacob Landis, 24, suffered a severe concussion, broken nose, a small fracture on each cheekbone, a chipped front tooth, a swollen lip and cuts and bruises to his nose and face in the weekend crash.

He was treated at Florida Hospital Heartland in Sebring, where doctors recommended that he not ride his bike for at least two weeks.

“I don't remember anything that happened until I woke up at the hospital,” Landis said in a statement. “I just want to thank everyone for their kind words through my Facebook account, and special thanks to all of my supporters who made this ride possible."

Landis, who was completing Jacob's Ride, was born with normal hearing but was deaf by the age of 10. He decided to ride his bike across the U.S. to raise $1 million for children who need cochlear implant surgeries to help them hear but cannot afford it.

The ride began in April 3 in Annapolis, Md. and was expected to end in Miami on Sept. 24. Landis stopped at 29 Major League Baseball stadiums across the country. His last stop was scheduled to be at Marlins Park.

Although Landis was not able to ride the last 180 miles to complete his goal, he will be at his finale party in North Miami Tuesday.

He will also be at a finish line rally at Marlins Park and at the last game of Jacob’s Ride: Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies at 7:10 p.m. The Marlins Foundation, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine are expected to come in support of Landis.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation that will look into the hit-and-run crash.

More Local Stories:

 

S.C. Man Claims $400 Million Powerball Jackpot

0
0

The man who recently won an almost $400 million Powerball jackpot has come forward, but don't expect to learn the newly minted South Carolina millionaire's name. He is remaining anonymous, lottery officials said.

The unidentified Columbia, S.C.-area resident presented the winning ticket to state officials Monday afternoon, they said, and declined to be identified.

He said this was only the second time he had ever played the lottery. He was home alone Thursday when he checked his Powerball ticket and turned around and around in his kitchen, telling only his dog that he had won.

The winner told officials he had stopped for gas at the Murphy Express station in Lexington, S.C., the day of the Powerball jackpot drawing because his wife had asked him to pick up hot dog buns. He bought $20 worth of Powerball tickets — but no hot dog buns, because the store did not sell them.

The man won the jackpot with the winning numbers of 7, 10, 22, 32, 35 and a Powerball number of 19.

Just as he collects more than $399 million, the Murphy station that sold him the tickets will get a $50,000 bonus.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

School Administrators Use N-Word to Describe Students, Teachers

0
0

Racially charged text messages are behind the recent resignations of two Philadelphia-area school administrators, district officials say.

A 100-page transcript provided by sources reveal a series of N-word-laden text messages were exchanged between Coatesville Area School District Superintendent Richard Como and Director of Athletics and Activities Jim Donato. The messages were written and received on district-issued cell phones.

The messages, first reported by The Daily Local of West Chester on Sunday and obtained by NBC10 Philadelphia on Monday, were uncovered by a district IT employee before the start of the school year, according to officials. That employee brought it to the attention of the school board on August 18, prompting Como and Donato to later resign. Chester County prosecutors eventually launched a criminal investigation.

"All should just have whatever first names they want...then last name is N-----! Leroy N-----, Preacher N-----, Night train n-----, Clarence n-----, Latoya n-----, Thelma n----- and so on," read one message sent from Donato’s phone on the night of June 4.

"Great idea! Joe n----- bill n----- snake n----- got a nice ring to it," Como replied.

“hahahahahahahahahahahaha could have whole homerooms of N-----,” came another message from Como’s phone.

“hahahahahahahahaha! Will N----- report to office, pardon the interruption but will N----- report to nurses office. N----- to lunch now!” Donato said.

The Coatesville Area School District confirmed late Monday the two men left their posts after the school board began the legal process to terminate them over the texts.

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said once he learned about the racist messages, he asked the district to turn over copies of the conversations and the phones used. A request to which the district complied.

"The texts that we have reviewed are appalling," Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said Monday. "They look like something from the 1800s, not 2013."

DA Hogan would not elaborate on any additional details about the case citing the on-going investigation.

NBC10 made multiple attempts to speak with Como and Donato by phone and in-person, but at the time of publication, have been unable to make contact.

Como, a longtime and well-liked administrator, shocked the school community when he abruptly resigned from his post in the beginning of the school year on August 29. Donato left his job the same day. Coatesville is a predominately black community and both Como and Donato are white.

More than a week later, on September 10, school board officials said the two left their posts amid a criminal investigation by the county prosecutor. Officials, however, would not comment further, citing the investigation.

School board member and Coatesville Area NAACP Chapter President Dr. Tonya Thames Taylor was the first official to learn about the text messages on August 18. Officials say she immediately notified other board members and that an investigation was launched.

Following the initial report, Dr. Taylor posted a message on her website explaining her involvement in the situation.

"Despite this newspaper reporting, I am still bound by a legal responsibility to protect the school district from any liability that could be caused by any statements that I make which could be misconstrued," she wrote. "I cannot comment about any matters that involve district personnel, which are confidential matters. Also, I cannot comment on any matters that are associated with an ongoing criminal investigation."

The resignations of both Como and Donato are pending approval from the school board, which is scheduled to vote at their next meeting on Tuesday evening.

“The racist and sexist language expressed by the two men was sickening and obviously unacceptable. The Board followed state and federal laws and moved as expeditiously as possible while simultaneously cooperating with the District Attorney,” Board President Neil Campbell said in a statement Monday.

District officials say they will now provide mandatory sensitivity training to all staff, faculty and administrators in light of the text messages.

Como and Donato have not been paid since their resignations, but will be allowed to collect their pensions unless they are convicted of a crime, officials said.

Furious over the messages, residents protested outside the district's headquarters on Monday. One man held a sign reading "Como worse than KKK!"

"They shouldn't even be in the school and they shouldn't be able to get a job no other place teaching anybody," said another resident Willie Woods.

Beyond the racism, the text messages also included discussions on money, normally reserved for on the record public meetings.

"Gonna give them til Aug 1st to raise coin still want district to give at least 40k on top," wrote Donato in one of the texts.

Some critics say the school board did not respond forcefully enough when they found out about the texts.

"I believe they could've acted quicker," said Stuart Deets, a school board candidate. "I believe they could've opened an investigation immediately."

The school district's lawyer disputes this however, claiming he was already reviewing the matter when Hogan took the case over.

Tuesday's school board meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m.


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



Photo Credit: Coatesville Area School District

Artist's Studio Torched: Investigators

0
0

An artist’s studio was set on fire early Monday, threatening an attached home in the Mid-City area, officials said.

Just after 4 a.m., a neighbor said she awoke to the sound of crackling flames and saw fire shooting out of the home on 36th Street near Orange Avenue.

The garage had been converted into an artist's studio where the resident used a blow torch to make glass, officials said.

Despite the intense heat and flames Taci Herrera managed to get her son and an elderly woman in her care to safety.

“It was so hot, I barely even got to my car to get it out of the way,” she told NBC 7 News.

San Diego police were called to the home a few weeks ago according to San Diego-Fire Rescue spokesperson Maurice Luque.

There was a fire in the backyard a month ago that a neighbor helped extinguish. That fire was not considered suspicious, Luque said.

While neighbors claimed the resident used the blow torch to make glass bongs, officials did not find drug paraphernalia on the property, Luque said.

No one was inside the studio at the time. No one was injured.

Convicted Cop Killer to Spend Decades in Prison

0
0

A convicted cop killer will likely die in prison for the murder of a San Diego police officer on a 2010 raid even though he wasn't the one to fire the fatal shot.

Alex Charfauros was convicted of second degree murder in August for his role in the death of 17-year police veteran Christopher Wilson.

On Monday, he was sentenced to 85 years to life plus 11 years even though prosecutors admit he didn't fire the shot that killed Officer Wilson. Charfauros, in his 20s, will not be up for parole for 96 years.

On Oct. 27, 2010, Officer Chris Wilson was part of a law enforcement team trying to locate a parole violator inside an apartment at 479 S. Meadowbrook Drive.

A man and woman barricaded inside a back bedroom shot Wilson in the head after Wilson kicked down the door with three other officers.

Wilson died in a hospital the next day.

His daughter, Kaylee Wilson, spoke at the sentencing Monday and told Charfauros that his daughter has to go to bed at night knowing her dad killed a hero. Watch Video

Charfauros did not fire the shot that killed Wilson, but lied to police about the potential danger to officers after he was pulled from the apartment.

Before he was sentenced, he told the court, “I am not an evil person... I am not a cop killer." Watch Video

Defense attorneys asked Judge Kenneth So to follow a probation report suggesting Charfauros could be released on probation if he stays on the right path with help from his family.

However, Judge So denied probation and sentenced Charfauros to 25 to life for the death of Officer Wilson and 15 to life on four counts of attempted murder of four other police officers.

All counts will be consecutive so he will spend a total of 85 to life plus five years before his first parole hearing.

Prosecutor Michael Runyon says Charfauros had opportunities to do well, but made bad decisions to get involved with drugs and guns while still in high school. Runyon said even Charfauros' 10-year-old daughter begged him to change his ways.

Investigators believe one of two heavily armed suspects, Holim Lee and Lucky Xayasene, fired the fatal shot in Officer Wilson's death. The two suspects killed themselves before capture, officials said.

Two other people pleaded guilty for their roles in the shooting.

Melissa Ortiz pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. She admitted to investigators that she turned out the light in the back bedroom, giving Lee and Xayasene the advantage against the police.

Patrick Luangrath pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Wilson was survived by his ex-wife Tracy, his daughter Kaylee and son Conner.

Poll: McAuliffe Leads Cuccinelli Ahead of Debate

0
0

Fueled by support with women and better likability ratings, Democrat Terry McAuliffe leads Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli 43-38 percent, with Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis at 8 percent among likely voters in the Virginia governor's race, a new NBC4/NBC News/Marist poll out Monday finds.

The poll of 546 likely voters and 1,069 registered voters, conducted from Sept. 17 to 19, comes two days before a debate between McAuliffe and Cuccinelli sponsored by NBC4 Washington and the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and moderated by NBC News Chief White House Correspondent and Political Director Chuck Todd.

The numbers are a reversal from May, the last time Marist polled the race, when Cuccinelli led 45-42 percent. McAuliffe has the narrow advantage, something both campaigns privately acknowledge, but with six weeks to go until Election Day, the race is far from decided.

"Overall, as we look through these numbers, neither of these candidates has really passed the comfort level with Virginia voters," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the poll. "There's still a ways to go with where they are."

A big reason for McAuliffe's narrow edge is because he leads with women by 18 points (50-32 percent). Cuccinelli, on the other hand, only leads by 8 among men (44-36 percent). In the 2009 governor's race, Republican Bob McDonnell won women 54-46 percent and men 62-37 percent in his 18-point victory.

After a summer of mudslinging and negative campaign ads, neither candidate is well liked, but Cuccinelli has taken a bigger hit. Just 34 percent of registered voters view Cuccinelli favorably, while 47 percent say they have an unfavorable impression of him. Back in May, it was the reverse – 42 favorable, 27 percent unfavorable.

McAuliffe, on the other hand, is on the positive side – 41 favorable, 34 percent negative – though those unfavorable numbers are up 10 points as more people have gotten to know the former Democratic National Committee chairman under Bill Clinton and party fundraiser.

"The more they’ve gotten to know these candidates," Miringoff said, "the negatives have taken hold."

Sarvis is the wild card in the race and presents a potential threat to Cuccinelli. Sarvis' 8 percent is in line with a Quinnipiac poll out last week that had him at 7 percent. Sarvis gets 15 percent of independents, 5 percent of Republicans, and just 2 percent of Democrats. (McAuliffe and Cuccinelli split independents, with McAuliffe holding a statistically insignificant 36-34 percent edge.)

"If this ends up very close, there is a factor there," Miringoff said.

Sarvis may be something of an outlet for disaffected Republican voters who are calling themselves independents. With the national GOP brand suffering, there has been a trend nationally and in Virginia that more Republicans are identifying as independents. Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president in 2012, after all, won independents, but lost the election.

The same number of respondents in this poll call themselves Democrats (33 percent) as in 2009, but the numbers of Republicans and independents have switched. In 2009, 37 percent said they were Republican and 30 percent independent. In this poll, 30 percent say they are Republican and 36 percent say they are Republican.

"He's tapped into something," Miringoff said of Sarvis. "I don’t know that he gets 8 percent in the end, but he's certainly going to get something in there. There's a lot of dissatisfaction." Cuccinelli "doesn’t want to hemorrhage any more votes than he" can afford.

But McAuliffe is not close to 50 percent and not at even 45 percent. "McAuliffe has a marginal lead, but it's very marginal," Miringoff noted.

The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3% among registered voters and +/- 4.2% for likely voters.
 

Details Released in Deaths of Christina, Ethan Anderson

0
0

The San Diego County Medical Examiner has released its report in the deaths of Christina Anderson and her son, Ethan.

The two were found dead at the home of family friend James DiMaggio in Boulevard last August.

The ME report indicated Christina Anderson was found bound with zip ties around her wrists and ankles. She was also gagged.

In addition, her skull was fractured. Christina had cuts and swelling on her face and scalp. She had been hit with a blunt object at least 12 times, according to the report.

Ethan's body was so badly burned it took days to identify him. According to the ME report, his identity could only be established through a DNA comparison.

Ethan's remains showed fractures to his skull, ribs, legs and arms. However, investigators have not determined whether that was caused by the killer or the heat of the fire.

The cause of Ethan's death remains undetermined.

The 8-year-old's body was found a day after his mothers in the charred remains of James Dimaggio's home.

Christina was found under a green tarp in the garage.

The family dog was also found in the garage. The ME report said the dog was shot and killed.

Christina’s daughter, Hannah, was found with DiMaggio six days later in the Idaho backcountry. FBI agents killed DiMaggio and brought Hannah home safely.

Timeline: The Search for Hannah Anderson



Photo Credit: Courtesy of Alan McNabb

Car Pins Customer in Serra Mesa 7-Eleven

0
0

Four people, including a toddler, were injured when a car drove into a San Diego convenience store.

A Nissan Murango rolled over the sidewalk and through the front doors of a 7-Eleven on Sandrock Road around 9:30 a.m. Monday.

The car came to stop in the back of the store, pinning someone against a refrigerator, San Diego police said.

A child wearing a neck brace loaded into an ambulance and taken to nearby Rady Children's Hospital. Officials said the 2-year-old boy had minor injuries.

Three other people were hurt, but their injuries were also non-life threatening, according to officials.

The 52-year-old driver told officials the car had some kind of mechanical issue and described the brakes failing.

Police have not charged the driver.
 

Other Car's Speed Caused Sweetwater Trustee Crash: PD

0
0

The near-fatal crash involving Sweetwater trustee John McCann was caused by another vehicle traveling 87 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to Chula Vista Police.

The South Bay school official nearly died after a July 24 collision on Telegraph Canyon Road at the intersection of Old Telegraph Canyon Road.

"It potentially could have winded up in a fatality if he had been driving any faster," McCann said.

McCann, 45, sustained a head injury in the crash and was taken by ambulance to UCSD Medical Center. He is returning to his work on the school board at Monday night's meeting, but continues rehabilitation therapy for his injuries.

The driver of the other vehicle, Martin Duncan, a 50-year-old Chula Vista resident, sustained a small laceration to his right forearm and complained of pain to his back and knee. He was taken by ambulance to Scripps Hospital.

The investigation report has not yet been released, but a spokesman from the Chula Vista Police Department confirmed the cause of the crash was determined to be Duncan driving at an unsafe speed.

Traffic investigators used data from the "black box" in Duncan's crashed 2011 gray Dodge Challenger to determine what caused the accident. Similar to a flight cockpit recorder, the device is officially called an Event Data Recorder -EDS. It records everything that is happening in a car and can help investigators determine what was happening milliseconds prior to a collision.

A reenactment of the crash determined that if Duncan had been traveling at the posted speed limit, McCann would have been able to safely turn left across Telegraph Canyon Road from Old Telegraph Canyon Road.

Data from the "black box" in McCann's 2006 white Saturn SL showed he didn't try to "punch it" to beat Duncan during his turn, police said.

"Mr. McCann's turning movement was not an associated factor in the collision," Chula Vista Police Department Gary Wedge wrote in an email update about the crash investigation.

McCann served two terms as a councilman on the Chula Vista City Council after being elected in 2002. He was elected as a Sweetwater trustee in 2010.

He also serves as a U.S. Navy reserve officer and was deployed to Mosul, Iraq in 2009-2010 and for a month to the Korean peninsula in 2013.



Photo Credit: NBCSanDiego

2 Missing in Navy Helicopter Crash

0
0

The U.S. Navy is preparing to call off the search for two San Diego-based crew members missing in the Red Sea.

A Navy helicopter rolled into the water Sunday while trying to land on the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence.

The MH-60S Knighthawk reportedly slammed onto the deck.

While the cause of the crash is under investigation it’s believed the destroyer was buffeted by a bow wave that caused the rear deck to suddenly pitch upward as the helicopter attempted to land,
according to NBC News Chief Pentagon Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski.

There were five people inside the helicopter at the time of the crash. Three were accounted for and stable.

The helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 based at NAS North Island — nicknamed the HSC Indians — went down in the Central Red Sea at about noon local time during a routine flight, according to an official with the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Jordan Kelley, who lives in Coronado and knows several men in the group, was stunned to hear the news.

"I don't know, my stomach dropped," he said.

Kelley's cousin used to be in the group and came to know some of them very well.

"I went to concerts with them and they came over for football games. it could be anyone," he said.

While he doesn't know who is missing, he's very worried for them.

The crash was not a result of any hostile activity, the official said.

USS William P. Lawrence was deployed with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in January, Navy officials said.

Hillcrest Pet Shop Catches Fire

0
0

San Diego firefighters responded to a fire at a pet boutique in Hillcrest Monday afternoon.

The fire was reported just after 1:30 p.m. at Uptown Pets at 1251 University Avenue.

Smoke and flames could be seen coming from the store. The fire started in a back alley, according to officials.

According to the store’s Web site, it does not sell live animals, but does offer grooming services. Fire officials told NBC 7 no animals were inside at the time of the fire. No one was injured.

Officials are investigating the fire as a possible arson.

“Right now, the fire appears to be somewhat suspicious in nature because of some eyewitness reports that we have, that somebody was deliberately setting cardboard on fire at the rear of the store and putting that cardboard up against the building,” said Maurice Luque, San Diego Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson.

So far, no arrests have been made.


View 1251 University Ave in a larger map



Photo Credit: Artie Ojeda

Mom Pleads Not Guilty in Kids’ Drowning

0
0

A San Diego mom was arraigned Monday in the drowning deaths of her two children.

Tassie Behrens, 27, pleaded not guilty to all counts, including felony child endangerment and drug charges.

2-year-old Jason Bradford, Jr. and 16-month-old Harley Bradford drowned May 13 in a pool at a home in unincorporated La Mesa. Instead of calling 911, Behrens and a friend drove the children to a fire station 15 minutes away.

Deputy District Attorney Chantal De Mauregne explained why Behrens was charged with child endangerment instead of manslaughter: 

“We’ve reviewed every single possible document and piece of evidence that there is to review to make an appropriate charging decision," De Mauregne said. "And certainly, it’s a very sad and tragic situation. But the charges filed against her, those are the ones we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”

According to investigators, Behrens lied about where the children died to cover up a marijuana growing operation inside the La Mesa home.

Larry Dangelo, 44, was arrested on drug charges. Child cruelty charges were later added. Deangelo is free on bail.

Behrens was arrested last week. She remains at Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility on $500,000 bail.
 

Bill Clinton on Letterman: No Idea About Hillary's 2016 Run

0
0

Former President Bill Clinton admitted to David Letterman Monday night that he doesn't know whether his wife, Hillary Clinton, is planning a run for the White House in 2016.

"There's a lot of stuff out there," Clinton said, telling Letterman that the former secretary of state is still finishing her book and setting up a new project initiative.

But most of all, the former president said he and his wife are having a lot of fun, going to movies and for walks in the time since she stepped down as secretary of state in February.

"At our age, that counts for something – being able to have a little fun," Clinton said.

It's the first time in years that both of the Clintons do not hold elected office, have time to focus on pet project and not being in the limelight. Last spring, they joined forces along with their daughter, Chelsea, to forge a partnership in the Clinton Global Initiative.

The non-profit foundation is in New York City for its annual meeting this week, with President Barack Obama joining forces with Bill Clinton for a discussion about the benefits and future of health care reform in America and health care access across the world on Tuesday.

During his talk with Letterman, Clinton spoke of some of the CGI initiatives concerning global health including getting people access to clean drinking water.

"I get to deal with a lot of these things that are ignored," he said.   

As for his wife's rumored 2016 presidential run, Clinton said he doesn't know, nor does his daughter. But he asked that instead of focusing on who the next president might be – with nearly three years until the next election – the nation should consider focusing on fixing the nation's current problems.

"We should focus on these big challenges now and try to get this country back on track," he said.
 



Photo Credit: AP

For Medicare Recipients, Online Exchanges Don't Apply

0
0

Seniors and the disabled, who are signed up for Medicare and concerned about the start of online health exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act, will not have too much to worry about once the law goes into effect. However, the law does make some changes Medicare beneficiaries should know about. 

Seniors on Medicare Do Not Need to Apply in Affordable Care Act's Online Exchanges (Kaiser Health News)

  • The nearly 50 million elderly and disabled Americans enrolled in Medicare will not have to enroll in the online health exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act. Medicare is not part of the health insurance exchanges.
  • Medicare beneficiaries will receive more preventive care services, which include a yearly "wellness" visit, mammograms, colorectal screening and more savings on prescription drug coverage.
  • The Affordable Care Act cuts the expected growth of Medicare spending by about $716 billion over the next decade.
  • Medicare beneficiaries who earn more than $85,000 ($170,000 for a couple) will have to pay more for their Medicare Part B premiums, which cover physician and outpatient services. That scale will also apply for to prescription drug coverage.

Analysis: Benefit firms create tremors for insurers in U.S. healthcare shakeup (Reuters)

  • American companies are moving a rapidly growing number of employees on privately run online exchanges for their medical coverage.
  • Health insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers who once had a more direct relationship with employers could lose out to the new marketplaces.
  • The new exchanges received a big boost when Aon Plc insurance broker said Wednesday that it had signed up 18 companies to participate in its health exchange, which includes the largest drug store operator, Walgreen Co. That would result in the coverage for an estimated 600,000 people.
  • Corporations hope the move to the new private exchanges will keep healthcare spending in check and force their employees to manage more of their own healthcare costs.

 



Photo Credit: AP

Kerry, Albright Debut Social Media Accounts

0
0

It looks like the old guard is getting in on the new media action.

Madeleine Albright sent out her very first tweet on Monday from a brand new Twitter account. The pithy message was accompanied by a diptych: one photo shows Albright typing on her mobile device and the other photo shows off a colorful Twitter pin to mark the occasion.

"First of 3 female Sec State's - last to join Twitter. Better late than never!" the tweet reads.

The former Secretary of State is known for the shiny decorative pins she wore with her suits. Her famous collection even inspired the book "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box."

 

Under her @madeleine handle, Albright describes herself as a "Grateful American Czech immigrant, mother & grandmother, fmr SecState, passionate democrat, author, prof, bizwoman, pin collector, & occasional drummer."

On the same day, the State Department launched its own Instagram account with current Secretary of State John Kerry appearing in the first video post.

"Finally, the State Department is on Instagram and we hope you will follow us around the world," Kerry said. The Instagram launch coincides with Kerry's participation at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York City.

The agency currently has a Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Tumblr and Twitter presence, all of which "serve as a conduit for the U.S. Department of State to inform and engage publics around the world on foreign policy issues," according to the department's press release.

 

Check out John Kerry in the first video post below:

 



Photo Credit: AP

Hundley Powers Padres Past Diamondbacks

0
0

The Padres took the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park Monday night.

Tied at one in the sixth inning, Nick Hundley hit a three-run shot scoring Chase Headley and Tommy Medica to put the Padres ahead 4-1. It's Hundley's 12th homerun of the season. He's reach career highs in homeruns and runs batted in with 43.

Padres closer Huston Street came in for his 33rd save of the season.

Tyson Ross faces off against Wade Miley tomorrow in the second game of the four game series at 7:10 p.m. PT at Petco Park.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tourist Who Lost Leg in Midtown Crash Recalls Taxi Barreling Toward Her: "I Couldn't Move"

0
0

The British tourist who lost her leg after she was hit by a taxi that jumped a curb near Rockefeller Center last month says she vividly remembers her day leading up to the accident -- visiting Times Square, stopping for a drink and exploring the city for the first time with her best friend -- and the moment before she was hit.

"I couldn't move. If I had gone left, it would've hit me. If I'd gone right, it would've hit me," Sian Green, 23, tells the "Today" show in her first interview since she lost her leg in the accident five weeks ago.

Green had just arrived in New York for vacation and was walking with her friend on Sixth Avenue at 49th Street Aug. 20 when a yellow cab hit her.

The cab driver accepted a 30-day license suspension after the wreck, but says the crash was not his fault. An angry bike messenger banged on his car, he told authorities, which startled him into hitting his gas pedal and running up on the curb.

Green says she and her friend heard the argument between the cab driver and the bicyclist. Then she saw the yellow cab barreling toward her. She was pinned to the sidewalk in the collision, and her left leg was severed. A plumber used his belt as a tourniquet, but doctors were not able to save the limb.

Green, who has spent more than a month at Bellevue Hospital, started rehabilitation for her injuries about three weeks ago. Her live "Today" appearance marked her first time out of the hospital since the crash.

Seated in the studio, just a block from the accident that changed her life, Green told Matt Lauer it's unnerving to be around the busy streets of midtown. Seeing a yellow car makes her anxious, she said.

"We came here thinking we were coming on holiday, and it's been a whirlwind. It's turned upside down," Green said. "I've got to adjust to everything. I'm having to learn how to walk again."

The accident plays on her mind often, Green added. But she churns all the frustration -- about the crash, about being so far from home -- into momentum toward rehabilitation and adapting to her new body.

Though the young woman faces a long road to recovery, she remains optimistic -- and she thanks the plumber who used his belt to stem her bleeding and the other bystanders who came to her aid.

"They saved my life," Green said. "If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here right now."

The city said Tuesday that the driver who hit Green may have been flagged for violations prior to the crash if not for a computer glitch. She says it's crucial the city -- and any cities with dense vehicle traffic and pedestrian-packed sidewalks -- review safety procedures and develop improvements.

"Look what can happen if you don't take your time on the roads. If you're feeling a little bit flustered, take a minute, because it's people's lives that you're messing with," Green said.

As for having to learn to use a prosthesis, she says, "It's just one of the things that I'm going to have to live with -- because a taxi driver lost his temper."

The Manhattan district attorney's office has been investigating the crash. Green’s attorney has said they would wait until after that investigation is complete before any other legal decisions would be made. 

Meanwhile, the cab driver who hit Green and the Federation of Taxi Drivers have raised thousands of dollars for a fund to help with her recovery.

Green says that she plans to return home to England as soon as she is able and return to school to finish earning her fashion degree. Once she gets her prosthesis, she plans to get back to work.

As for whether she'll ever visit New York City again, Green says she believes she will.

"I'll probably have the courage to come back one day. It's a beautiful city. I'm not blaming the city; it's just a mistake that somebody made," she said. "I'd love to come back one day and finish my holiday."



Photo Credit: "Today" Show/NBC 4 New York

Transgender Student Loses Battle to Be Put on Pa. School Homecoming King Ballot

0
0

A transgender Pennsylvania teen will not be allowed to run for homecoming king following a school board's decision not to weigh in on his dispute with the school.

"Honestly, I was again disappointed by the board. By not making a decision, they're sweeping this problem under the rug," Kasey Caron told NBC10.com.

Caron, a senior at Richland High School in Johnstown, Pa., was told he could not be put on the ballot for homecoming king because his gender was listed as female on his driver's license. The 17-year-old identifies as male and plans to undergo gender reassignment surgery in the future.

When the high school administration denied Caron's request, he appealed to the school board. Caron argued that his driver's license had since been changed to reflect his identifying gender.

During a meeting Monday evening, the Richland School Board decided not to take up the appeal and deferred to the earlier decision by school administration.

The teen said he was told by the board that while the sex on his driver's license had been changed, his birth certificate, which is legally binding, still listed him as a female.

"Another transgender kid is going to come through this school again one day and there will be no precedent set for their case, and they will have to fight the same battle," Caron said.

The board said they would meet again to discuss the issue, but gave no time frame, according to Caron. He says the next scheduled school board meeting is set for October 7 -- two days after the high school's homecoming game on October 5.

Requests for comment from school officials were not immediately returned.

Caron was voted onto the homecoming court by his peers, but due to the decision, will appear on the ballot for homecoming queen.

"I still plan on attending, and if I happen to win queen, then I will just have to make the best of it," Caron said adding that he feels the homecoming vote is simply a popularity contest.

"The reason I fought this so hard, is for the simple fact that it's my right to run for king as much as it is anyone else's," he said. "It shouldn't even really be a fight."

This dispute is similar to another earlier this year in the Red Lion Area School District in York County.
 
In that case, a transgender student wanted his male name announced at graduation.

That student was allowed to wear a boy's-style black graduation gown, but school officials issued a diploma in his female birth name and announced his birth name because the diploma is a legal document.

While the homecoming fight may be over, Caron is still waiting to hear how they'll decide on three other LGBT related issues.

He's asked to be sat on the male side of the stage during graduation in the spring and be allowed to wear blue graduation garb, which is provided to male graduates.

Caron is also seeking the creation of a Gay-Straight Alliance at the high school and has asked that gender identity be added to the school's anti-discrimination policy.

"Just because I can't win this doesn't mean that it's over. We lost this battle, but there are plenty left for me to fight and I'm not backing down anytime soon," he said.


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



Photo Credit: Kasey Caron

Ex-Qualcomm Exec Faces Insider Trading Charges

0
0

A former president of Qualcomm’s Global Business Operations faces 20 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine after being accused of insider trading.

Jing Wang, 51, of Del Mar was charged Monday with insider trading in shares of both Qualcomm and Atheros Communication stock.

He’s accused of using a secret brokerage account and phony company in the British Virgin Islands to hide the transactions.

U.S. attorney Laura Duffy said Wang, who was taken into custody by FBI agents Monday morning, made nearly $250,000 in profits from three illegal trades between 2010 and 2012.

“If this case has a message, it signals that no matter how vaulted your position, no matter how successful you are in business, you are not above the law when you cheat and defraud people to line your pockets with profits,” Duffy (pictured below) said at a news conference Monday. 

At his arraignment, prosecutors said Wang’s net worth is $10 million. Wang pleaded not guilty to the charges. His bond was set at $3 million.

He’ll be confined to his home and monitored via GPS until Oct. 8, when he will be required to secure the bond with sufficient assets.

Wang is also charged with conspiring with his brother, Bing Wang, and his former Merrill Lynch stock broker, Gary Yin, to obstruct an ongoing Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and laundering the proceeds of his insider trading using an offshore company and secret brokerage account.

Yin appeared in federal court Tuesday and pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He faces five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced December 16.

Bing Wang currently lives in China.

Jim Wang left Qualcomm in May.

In a statement, the company said it has been aware of the investigation and has been cooperating fully with the government’s investigation.

“This is an individual matter involving Mr. Wang, who is no longer employed by Qualcomm, and this matter will now be addressed through the legal system," read the statement.

Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images