Parents were on high alert at Willow Grove Elementary School in Poway after a report of a suspicious person nearby. 

A student said a stranger approached her Thursday before school through the playground fence and asked her to get in a vehicle with him, according to an email from the school’s principal.

A new kind of flash mob stopped traffic in Chicago's Loop this week after a group of people and children started a dance party on top of their SUV, in the middle of a busy intersection.

Police responded to disturbance calls around 1:15 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of LaSalle and Monroe Street after witnesses reported several adults and four children were on top of a Chevy Tahoe dancing in traffic, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Janel Sedevic.

The incident was captured on video by witnesses. The group is seen grooving to Ellie Goulding’s “Lights.”

Police said the three adults were taken into custody and the four children were turned over to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

A 59-year-old man, a 36-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of “causing a child to be endangered.”

The adults were from San Tan Valley, Ariz., Sedevic said.

WATCH the video here:
 

If you’re a regular on the Coaster, you’ll want to make different plans this weekend. 

Agents at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station spoke exclusively to NBC 7 San Diego Friday about finding a man in an Imperial Beach canyon and later discovering he was an American citizen who had been abducted as a toddler.

Agent Troy Matthews said around 9 p.m. on Oct. 30, patrolling agents found a disheveled David Amaya, 37, in Goat Canyon with several undocumented immigrants.

They learned Amaya had traveled several hundred miles from near Mexico City to cross the border into the United States.

Amaya told the agents he was an American citizen. Agents at the Imperial Beach station took initiative and looked into his case.

They found Amaya had a birth certificate out of Chicago, and were able to contact Amaya’s mother.

“I get a phone call, ‘Hey Sir, you’re not going to believe this. This guy is telling the truth. We contacted his mother. She’s been looking for him for over 30 years,’“ Agent Matthews said, describing the moment agents pieced everything together.

When they told Amaya they contacted his mother, Agent Matthews said Amaya was visibly overwhelmed with emotion.

“He kept looking around the room trying to make eye contact with somebody to verify. He was looking for the truth. When he realized it, he put his head in his hands and started crying,” Agent Matthews recalled.

Matthews told NBC 7 there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

“The most touching moment was when he said he was abandoned. His father told him his entire life his mother abandoned him and left him as a baby. The mother said, ‘Please tell him that’s not true. That’s not true. I’ve been looking for him,’“ he explained.

Imperial Beach Border Patrol agents say they were so touched by Amaya's story, they started a collection box for Amaya at the station. They raised about $175 and gave it to Amaya on Friday.

Amaya's story has received national attention, with many strangers coming forward offering donations to help cover travel costs for Amaya to finally reunite with his mother.

If you would like to donate to Amaya's fund, donations can be made at any Cabrillo Credit Union under the account name "David Amaya Barrick."

Additionally, donations can be mailed to:

Cabrillo Credit Union
Re: David Amaya Barrick
10075 Carroll Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92131

You can also wire money to Cabrillo Credit Union:

Attn: David Amaya Barrick
Routing number: 322274488

In support of David Amaya Barrick and the agents from the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station, Cabrillo Credit Union donated $250 to get Amaya started.

No matter how you slice it, the dessert of the season is pie.

From holiday favorites filled with apples, pumpkin and spice, to berry flavors and smooth cream creations, don’t bother baking when you can already buy the perfect pie. Check out these top-rated pie places in San Diego’s North County as ranked by Yelp users – no baking required.

Elizabethan Desserts (114 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas):
The perfect pies at the new location of this long established business in Encinitas are made to order so give them a call in advance. This shop offers a wide range of selections, from traditional pecan made with a signature butter crust to the decadent Mississippi mud pie made with Belgian chocolate pudding, marshmallow, brownie chunks and butterscotch swirls.

Village Kitchen & Pie Shoppe (9560 Tamarack Ave., Carlsbad):
If you like pies you’ll be like a kid in a candy shop when you see their jam-packed cold case. They bake them up daily and have a huge selection ready to slice up for you in-house a la mode, or will happily pack a whole pie for you to take home. Yelpers rave about the sour cream apple pie in particular.

Peace Pies (133 Daphne St., Encinitas):
If your food allergies cause you to be left out when it comes to traditional desserts, don’t fret. Everything in this bakery is gluten-free, raw, dairy and soy-free – now, that’s something to be thankful for. Try the cosmic coconut cream pie made with young coconut and cashew cream, topped with your choice of strawberry sauce or house chocolate.

Thyme In The Ranch (16905 Avenida De Acacias, Rancho Santa Fe):
It’s a bite of home-style baking in Rancho Santa Fe. Keep in mind this secret hideaway is cash only, but the lemon curd tart or the pumpkin pie (with hand-cut wild turkey decoration in the crust) is worth the stop at the ATM. This year, on their special Thanksgiving menu, you’ll also find a cranberry tart with walnut crust served with a sweet spice cream and the famous apple crumble pie. Are you withdrawing some cash? Thought so.

Village Mill Bread Company (12845 El Camino Real, Carmel Valley):
It’s not all about the bread loaves around here (or the famous cinnamon rolls and chocolate bread). Yelpers report this little gem has every flavor of pie you could want including blackberry and rhubarb. They’ve been baking up desserts fresh every day for more than 17 years, including an apple pie rumored to rival those famous pies made in Julian.
 

Trish Sanderson is the community manager and marketing director for Yelp North County San Diego. She leads the local community of Yelp reviewers both online and off.

For more than three years, the open-ended mystery of the missing McStay family has baffled San Diego law enforcement and captured international attention.

On Friday, San Bernardino County officials in Southern California announced a major break in the lengthy case, confirming that the Fallbrook family has been found dead.

The remains of four people were found in two shallow graves in the high desert outside of Victorville, Calif., earlier this week.

Through dental records, officials identified the two adult bodies as Summer and Joseph McStay. Investigators say the two additional bodies are believed to be those of the couple's sons, Joseph Mateo and Gianni.

Investigators said they will confirm the identity of the boys through their DNA evidence on file with the Department of Justice.

Timeline: The McStay Family Mystery

On Monday, sheriff’s investigators in San Bernardino were called to a remote, high desert area of Victorville, Calif., after a motorcyclist reported finding skeletal remains. The very remote location of the gravesite was approximately 50 yards from the nearest road.

When investigators analyzed the scene, they discovered more bones and two shallow graves, and determined the skeletal remains were human. Officials said the remains were that of four people and had been there for “an extended period of time.”

On Friday, Southern California’s San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said the remains were examined by a forensic anthropologist to determine the causes of death, ages and gender.

The remains were found buried about a foot or two and were primarily intact, officials said. Investigators would not detail any injuries that may have occurred to the McStays prior to burial.

Detectives would not discuss clothing found with the bodies.

Joseph's brother Michael McStay said he is determined to find the individual or individuals who caused his relatives' deaths.

“It’s not really the outcome we were looking for,” Michael McStay said, fighting back tears. "But it gives us courage to know that they’re together and they’re in a better place.”

“It’s been a tough road. We would ask that you give the family members their space and let us go through the grieving process.”

He was there for the announcement along with his wife Erin, his mother Susan Blake, Summer’s mother Blanche and her sister, Tracy Russell.

“My family appreciates all the support and the love we’ve been shown,” he said sobbing. “They are a loving family and I know that all of America loves the McStays.” 

“We’re going to find this individual, or individuals. I know the sheriff’s department, the FBI, everybody wants to bring this to justice. And, if it’s the last thing I do – I just want to know when it’s over,” he added.

The McStay family vanished February 4, 2010 and have been the subject of an ongoing investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the FBI.

A group of four people resembling the McStays was captured on grainy surveillance video crossing into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing on February 8, 2010. This was the same day a white Isuzu Trooper belonging to the family was found illegally parked at a nearby strip mall.

At the time, detectives felt it was “a very high probability” that the footage was of the missing family.

When officials showed the video to relatives of the McStay family, some recognized the white jacket the woman in the video was wearing. However, other relatives said they weren’t sure it was the McStays due to the poor quality of the video.

Since the family’s sudden disappearance, the McStays hadn't used their bank accounts, credit cards or cell phones, investigators have repeatedly said.

In April 2013, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department announced they were transferring the case of the McStay family to the FBI.

The sheriff’s department said they had “conducted an exhaustive missing person investigation in an attempt to locate the family” and hundreds of tips had been investigated without success.

At that point, the sheriff’s department said they had reached a consensus that the family went to Mexico of their free will.

Since the family vanished, their story has been featured across national news media and on TV shows such as “America’s Most Wanted” and “Disappeared.” Earlier this year, the Fallbrook family was the subject of a book titled, “No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family,” by author Rick Baker.

Over the years Michael McStay has managed and updated a website documenting the bizarre case and ongoing search for his relatives.

When asked if the McStay's may have been the victim of Mexican cartels, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said, “It’s too early to tell if it’s cartel-related or any other suspects.”

On Friday, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department issued a statement saying the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department would continue to lead the investigation into the remains. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department and FBI will assist with their efforts. The investigation remains active, according to officials.

More NBC 7 stories:

• Author: Killer Staged McStay Family Car
• Timeline: McStay Family Mystery
• Marines Died Making Firing Range Safer for Comrades
• Marine Killed at Camp Pendleton Remembered as "Great Man"
• Calif. Craigslist Ad: "Ghost Town with Liquor License"

Oceanside police have launched a homicide investigation after two citizens discovered the body of an 18-year-old man lying face-down on a bike path Friday evening.

According to the Oceanside Police Department, the man’s body was discovered by passersby around 6:40 p.m. near the 300-block of Neptune Way and the railroad tracks.

When the passersby realized the man was suffering from some type of trauma, they began life-saving efforts and called authorities. Medics arrived and continued life-saving efforts, however the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the young man sustained obvious trauma, including a single gunshot wound. Further details regarding his injuries were not immediately disclosed.

On Saturday, Sgt. Rick Favela confirmed the identity of the victim as local resident Ozzy Maturano. The victim’s family has been notified, Sgt. Favela said.

Sgt. Favela said investigators believe Maturano's death was neither an accident nor a suicide. A homicide investigation is now under way.

Anyone with information on this case should contact the Oceanside Police Department. Sgt. Favela said police are asking for the public’s help in gathering more details on this case.

One day after reports surfaced that a slain Transportation Security Administration officer received help more than 30 minutes after being shot at Los Angeles International Airport this month, federal and local agencies who responded to the incident issued a statement asking for patience while investigations unfold.

The joint statement, released by the Los Angeles World Airports and Federal Bureau of Investigation, among others Saturday, states, “Command officers and airport administrators were faced with a wide range of important objectives, including conducting a complete search to rule out additional gunmen or explosives, identifying all injured victims, and coordinating the needs of the thousands of arriving and departing travelers that were impacted by the incident.

“In the aftermath of an incident of such significance, we are rightfully evaluating where improvements can be made should we ever be faced with such an incident in the future,” the statement continues.

The release characterized some statements surrounding the shooting as untrue, while others “merit serious consideration” by the agencies.

The joint release comes just one day after reports surfaced that there was a more than 30 minute delay of help for TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez who was fatally shot Nov. 1.

Officials said a federal criminal investigation, an officer-involved shooting investigation and an After Action Workgroup, which analyzes all aspects of the emergency response, are currently underway.

The agencies are awaiting the findings of the After Action Workgroup, which will provide the "best perspective from which to draw conclusions, make recommendations, or take other corrective action,” according to the statement.

The joint release was also issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department and the Transportation Security Administration.

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• 'Anchorman: The Exhibit' Opens
• "Nightmare City": Typhoon Aftermath
• Crash Kills 1, Critically Injures 3
• PM Forecast: Cool Fall Weekend
• American Helps Town in Philippines
• No Resolution Yet for "Arab" Mascot
• Arrests in Check Cash Killing

A man caused a stir at O’Hare International Airport Saturday afternoon after he was spotted on the airfield.

Chicago Police responded to the disturbance at O’Hare Airport around 3:15 p.m. for a man in an “unauthorized area of the airfield,” according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada.

The man was not armed and was taken into custody, Estrada said.

“The incident had no impact on flight operations and posed no apparent threat to the traveling public,” Karen Pride, spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said in a statement.

A witness on a flight from Chicago to Detroit said the man “jumped a perimeter fence and ran toward the plane.”

“[Flight crews] said he jumped a fence, which is about a half-mile away,” said Mario Hernandez.

Hernandez said the flight’s captain said the plane almost hit the man and that he “started waving” in front of the plane.

Police could not confirm any details on the incident but said an investigation is ongoing.
 

A suspected prowler was arrested in La Mesa overnight after he allegedly drove his car toward officers while attempting to flee, the La Mesa Police Department confirmed.

The bizarre chain of events began around 2:15 a.m. when police were called to investigate a report of a possible prowler in the backyard of a home in the 6900-block of Wisconsin Avenue.

When officers arrived at the scene, they spotted a man in the fenced backyard of a residence. The man – now identified as suspect Paul Day, 49 – fled from police, jumping over fences.

Additional officers and the San Diego Police Department’s ABLE helicopter were called in for backup.

Police said Day then got into his car and sped down the 5400-block of Pennsylvania Avenue until he arrived at a dead end.

At that point, Day accelerated backwards, colliding with a La Mesa police vehicle, officials said. He then drove into a driveway and stopped at a closed gate.

As police officers approached Day’s car on foot, the suspect allegedly accelerated backwards toward two officers.

The officers quickly jumped out of the way to avoid being struck, and the vehicle crashed into a brick planter bed.

But still, it wasn’t over.

Police said Day then accelerated forward once more, crashing through the closed gate in front of him. His vehicle finally came to a stop at the back of a residence.

Day then fled on foot through foliage behind homes. Officers eventually caught up to him and took him into custody.

Police said Day was suspected of being under the influence.

Day was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on multiple felony charges including resisting a peace officer with violence and attempted burglary. He also faces a misdemeanor DUI charge.

He’s scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.
 

Online predators have long been a concern for parents and law enforcement, but the ease with which those predators connect with children may be surprising, even in this digital day and age.

The FBI says it’s not just computers, but cell phones, iPods – anything that can connect your child to the internet – that could put them in harm’s way and in the clutches of an internet predator.

And today, the definition of a predator has changed, according to Special Agent Dan Evans.

“Online predators now are everybody. They’re not just the creepy-looking guy that everyone associates [the term] with. A 13-year-old girl can be your online predator,” Evans explained.

With the trend of “sexting” among teens, or exchanging sexually explicit photos or text messages, a new culture has grown.

Evans says today’s teenagers are extremely comfortable sending naked and provocative pictures without thinking of the consequences.

Once those photos are sent, the “sextortion” begins.

“You’ve sent 10 pictures of yourself naked. I’m on your Facebook page and I’ll send the pictures to every single one of your friends,” explained Evans.

Evans says sexting is difficult to police.

“I don’t know how many calls we get a day about how my child got a picture or someone is sending pictures of my child to other people. It’s impossible for us to watch all that,” he said.

With technology everywhere, at everyone’s fingertips, the cycle is seemingly never-ending.

“You can do this all from the confines of your house. Parents don’t usually know about it,” said Evans.

Posing as a 13-year-old girl in an online chat room, the special agent showed NBC 7 San Diego how quickly and easily a predator could reach a victim.

In literally a matter of seconds, the special agent began receiving messages, including one from an online user who identified himself as a 45-year-old man.

“I said I was 13 and he continued to talk to me,” said Evans.

The conversations quickly turned from friendly to sexual.

“What does he do? He wants to talk about sex, and he’ll probably start slow and then he’ll ask what I’ve done,” he said.

And just like that, an online encounter turns dangerous.

It is a felony for children under 18 to receive naked pictures on their cell phones. So, authorities say this is a serious conversation that parents need to have with their children. Authorities also suggest parents learn the basics of new technologies to keep tabs on their online activity of their children.

Just last month, San Diego police announced that criminal charges would be filed in a sexting ring involving dozens of local students from several high schools and one middle school.

Investigators said that particular sexting ring case began with about a dozen teenage girls sending nude photos of themselves to their boyfriends. The boyfriends then passed the pictures on to their friends, creating a web of explicit – and illegal – photo sharing.
 

A memorial bicycle race and fundraiser was held in Carlsbad Saturday for a North County bicyclist who was killed in August when he was hit by a North County Transit District bus on Camp Pendleton.

Bicyclists of all backgrounds gathered at around 8 a.m. at the SPY Optic global headquarters to race in honor of Udo Heinz.

Heinz, a well-known cyclist, was killed on August 4 when he and two other bicyclists were hit by a NCTD bus while riding on Camp Pendleton.

Heinz grew up in Idar-Berstein, Germany and was said to have discovered the sport of triathlon as a teen, before going on to compete in several cycling races, contests and competitions.

Last weekend, sponsors and organizers of the Southern California Cyclocross Prestige Series (SoCal Cross) honored Heinz by changing the name of their "Cyclo-Cross" race to "Udo-Cross."

A board member of the Ranchos Cycling Club, Heinz is credited with helping develop the Ranchos Cyclocross Race at Lake Hodges, a race which now bears his name.

He also served as a cycling trainer for his wife, Anjte, who went on to become a four-time California and Nevada State Time Trial Champion and two-time SoCalCross Prestige Series winner.

Heinz, who was also a mechanical engineer and vice president at TUV Rheinland Global Group, is survived in death by his wife and two children.

The top candidates in San Diego’s mayoral race hit the pavement Saturday to kick off the final campaign weekend before Tuesday’s special election.

Front-runners David Alvarez, Nathan Fletcher, Kevin Faulconer and Mike Aguirre each held their own “vote walks,” canvassing different neighborhoods across San Diego County.

The candidates and their campaign volunteers went door-to-door speaking with voters about the election. They also manned their campaign phone banks, calling locals to secure votes.

Alvarez hit Naval Base San Diego and Kearny Mesa, among other parts of the county. He was also scheduled to attend the Asian Film Festival and fundraiser for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. He was enthusiastic as volunteers rallied around him before hitting the streets.

For his part, Fletcher met with voters in Mira Mesa and Kensington, among other neighborhoods. He said he was looking forward to Tuesday.

“I’m ready [for Election Day], there’s no doubt. I’m ready for the next phase,” he said.

Meanwhile, Faulconer and his group of more than 150 volunteers canvassed neighborhoods from Rancho Bernardo to San Ysidro in an effort to drive voters to the polls.

“I can’t wait for Tuesday to come,” said Faulconer. “Tuesday is our opportunity to get this city back on track.”

Finally, Aguirre and his campaign volunteers spoke with voters in Encanto and Paradise Hills, among other communities.

“You never know what’s going to happen. We’re hoping to get all of those undecided voters to move over to the Aguirre side,” he said.

All four candidates said they planned to campaign until the very end. Their schedules are all jam-packed through Election Day.

On Friday evening, Aguirre, Faulconer, Fletcher and Alvarez visited NBC 7 San Diego and faced off in the final debate before voters cast their ballots in the race for mayor.

The candidates answered questions for an hour on subjects ranging their personalities and character, to past behavior and experience. The entire debate can be seen by downloading the NBC 7 San Diego Podcast on iTunes.

The politician who wins San Diego’s special election will fill the position left vacant by former embattled mayor Bob Filner. Filner resigned in late August amid a highly-publicized scandal involving allegations of sexual harassment against a multitude of women.

Filner pleaded guilty to criminal charges last month involving several victims of sexual harassment.

View NBC 7's "5 Things About" series:

• David Alvarez
• Mike Aguirre
• Nathan Fletcher
• Kevin Faulconer

At least 10 people were hurt at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum football field Saturday when fans rushed the field after USC won a game against Stanford, officials said.

The fire department received calls about 8:33 p.m., said Katherine Main of the LA City Fire Department. Earlier reports suggested the calls were about someone going into cardiac arrest, but Main could not confirm whether that was true.

Five people were hurt after the game when fans rushed the field after the win, Main said. One person had a broken ankle, and another was hurt in a fall.

Five people were hurt during the game, but it was not clear how they were hurt.

Video of the field showed crowds of fans storming the field after the win.

USC took Stanford 20-17.

Refresh this page for updates.

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Three teens are being tried as adults for beating and raping a 16-year-old girl in Hollywood, according to reports.

Patricia Montes, 15, Ericka Avery, 16, and Dwight Henry, 17, were each charged with two counts of sexual battery with use of force likely to cause serious personal injury and two counts of kidnapping, reported the Sun Sentinel.

Avery and Henry made their first appearances in court Saturday, but were rescheduled to appear Sunday.

Two other teens, 19-year-old Jayvon Woolfork and 18-year-old Lanel Singleton, were also involved in the Nov. 1 incident and face similar charges.

• Man Tried to Extort Teen Over Topless Pic: Cops

Authorities say Woolfork raped the girl while the other four teens held her down inside his house on the 1600 block of McKinley Street. The victim told police she was kicked, had her hair pulled, was thrown down the stairs and even had her face smashed on the concrete. She broke bones by both of her eyes and stayed in the hospital for several days.

"This is one of the most hideous crimes I've come across in a long time," said a judge during Avery's hearing Saturday.

The victim was visiting one of the teens at the house when Woolfork and the others approached her. Police said they told her, "You have to have sex with Jay or we are going to beat you."

They beat her and dragged her through the house before forcing her into a bedroom where the sexual battery occurred. Meanwhile, one of the suspects captured the entire attack on cell phone video that police later recovered.

• Cop Impersonator Tries to Get Money Back From Escort: Police
  

She was then let go, but forced to walk to her grandmother's house barefoot. From there, she was taken to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital where police say she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

"The way I see it five, six young people's lives are ruined you know," neighbor Doris Rodriguez said of the incident.

Court dates have not been scheduled yet for Woolfork or Singleton, according to the Sentinel.

Anyone that may be able to give Hollywood detectives more information on the case is urged to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

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When you're celebrating your 150th birthday, a two-weekend-long bash seems to be the most appropriate way to do it.

For the second weekend in a row, San Diego landmark, the Star of India, celebrated 150 years by going out to sea, an event put on by the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

The celebratory trips for the big bash, which began last weekend, take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and are accompanied by the tall ship Californian and yacht America.

During this weekend's outings, the museum was turned into a floating marketplace to replicate San Diego's waterfront in the 19th century.

The Star of India is said to be the world's oldest active ship.

The storied history of the 212-foot-long vessel, originally named the Euterpe, began in 1863 when it was launched at a shipyard on the Isle of Man in Great Britain.

The ship began as a cargo vessel in the India trade and survived a mutiny, collision, cyclone and the death of a captain.

In 1871 the ship embarked on a quarter-century journey of transporting emigrants to New Zealand, during which she went around the globe 21 times, and once ran aground in Hawaii, according to museum officials.

American owners bought the ship in 1898 and renamed it the Star of India.

Years later, a group of San Diegans purchased the vessel and had it towed here in 1927.

Restoration on the ship didn’t begin until the late 1950s and once it was completed in 1976, the Star of India set sail on San Diego Bay for the first time in 50 years.

Today, the ship ventures out into the sea each November with an all-volunteer crew.

A man who swindled millions of dollars out of eleven people in a real estate scam was sentenced to nearly ten years in prison and ordered to pay $3.7 million in restitution, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

Officials said 44-year-old Timothy Mark Brachmanis will spend nine years and eight months in state prison after pleading guilty to three counts of grand theft, a violation of the tax code and admitting to aggravated white collar crime enhancements.

According to San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Brachmanis tricked his eleven victims out of more than $3 million by posing as a real estate investment attorney who wanted them to invest in a variety of properties which he said would be developed and later sold at a profit.

He told victims they would be equal partners in some of the investments, officials said.

Instead, Brachmanis reportedly used their money only as down payments, diverted it to fund other, unrelated projects, or in some cases kept the money for himself, according to prosecutors in the case.

Branchmanis’ scam was up after a joint investigation was launched by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Franchise Tax Board.

A Southern California racing star and world champion was killed in a crash during the SCORE Baja 1000 in Baja, Mexico on Friday.

The SCORE Baja 1000 is a racing tradition for many San Diegans who head to Mexico every year for the race, but it came to a tragic end Friday evening when Kurt Caselli, 30, died en route to an area hospital after the motorcycle he was driving in the race crashed.

According to a statement released by race officials, the incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. when Caselli reportedly lost control of his KTM motorcycle in a high speed, sandy section near the end of the 883.1 mile desert course.

Officials have said that Caselli's fatal crash may have occurred when he hit an animal.

“Our desert racing family has lost a very special person in Kurt,” commented SCORE President Roger Norman in the statement. “Kurt was a superb racer and this is a tragedy that affects us all. We extend our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Caselli family. Their loss is immeasurable and we grieve with them.”

Caselli resided in Palmdale, California.

Since Caselli’s death, speculation has grown over whether someone threw a booby-trap in front of the him, causing him to crash.

However, some aren’t convinced the incident is anything more than a tragic accident.

“Kurt Caselli just lost control of the bike. There was no sign of any kind of malice or man-made evening during the race.

Breauxman added that though booby-traps have been suspected in the past, what happened this weekend was different.

“We don't know, we'll never know exactly the circumstances behind the accident itself...,” Breauxman said.

Chilly White, a friend of Caselli said the impact of his death will be felt throughout racing.

“Kurt was a very well rounded racer, not only in the desert like here in Baja and in Southern California, but he also raced all around the world…he was the best American ever to participate in that particular discipline.”

As Caselli's family and friends begin to mourn a life taken too soon, for White it seemed like there was nothing anyone could do.

“It was really just a racing accident,” White said, “It was one of those things that happen and there was probably nothing that could have been done to avoid it.”

It’s no secret: Things at the La Jolla Cove stink. However, a new plan may change that for the better.

The saga of the stench at the cove stretches back years. Mostly recently in June, bacteria was sprayed to help reduce the odor of bird droppings in the area but sadly, to date, the bad smell persists.

City officials are now considering allowing people to walk on bluffs at the cove in the hopes that their presence will drive away sea lions and birds, and the scent they bring along with them.

Officials said they installed a fence in the area before 2002 and that, although it's currently legal to access the cliffs, it is discouraged for safety reasons.

Businesses and residents have been pushing for the last couple years to find a solution to the smell coming from the cove and now the city is looking at whether a fence legally needs to be in place along the cove at all.

The possibility of a fresh smell would be a welcome sign of change for some.

“It’s tarnished the image of La Jolla without a doubt,” says Mark DiBella who works at La Valencia hotel which sits just yards from the cove.

“The image of La Jolla is upscale. We don't want to be known in news for smell and stench," DiBella added.

Animal advocate, James M. Fitzgerald, said the city has been balancing their relationship with animals at the cove for decades and that the removal of the fence won't hurt them. Instead, he said, it would allow them to find another place to rest.

“Removing the fence will go back to what the situation was 20 years ago when we didn't have that problem,” Fitzgerald said. “We still had wildlife in the cove and we will still continue to have wildlife in the cove, just not in the concentrations we have now.”
 

Andy Soule’s life changed in 2005 when an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan took both of his legs below the knee while he served in the Army.

Forced to retire from the military, and after seven surgeries, Soule has become a Paralympic skier and is now training at Chula Vista’s Olympic Training Center in preparation for the upcoming 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.

He won a bronze medal in Vancouver four years ago, giving him the distinction of being the only American athlete to medal in Biathlon at an Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games.

“It was certainly very difficult at first,” Soule said. “But we make it look easy.”

In Chula Vista, Soule and teammates work out daily on “road sleds” – small go kart-like boards with wheels which allow Paralympic Skiiers holding ski poles to climb hills, work on endurance, and fine tune balance regardless of terrain or weather.

USOC numbers suggest veterans make up about 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. Paralympic team. The movement actually got its start shortly after World War II as a way to help injured vets.

Soule says he wishes he could still serve his country as a member of the armed forces, but since he can’t, he’ll represent it.

“This is a huge part of a guy who has acquired a new challenge in his life and learning to live with that,” he said.