Five months after their friend was killed in a Glastonbury crash, police have arrested three 17-year-old boys who are accused of letting her drive drunk.

Police said the boys knew Jane Modlesky, 17, of Glastonbury, was “highly intoxicated” when she got behind the wheel of an SUV early on the morning of Sunday, July 14 and hit a tree on Woodhaven Road.

Modlesky, who would have been a senior at Glastonbury High School this year, was alone in the car when the crash happened and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The SUV, a 2008 Honda Pilot, belonged to the parents of one of Modlesky’s friends, police said, and she had been in the car with four 16-year-old boys prior to the crash.

The teenage boy who was initially driving dropped a friend off at a Glastonbury home, police said, then drove to his own house and got out.

Another 16-year boy got behind the wheel and drove to his own house, where he and another teen got out of the car, police said.

Modlesky then got behind the wheel and was killed when she struck a tree half-a-mile away, police said.

Police determined that Modlesky’s blood alcohol content was 27 percent, which was more than 13 times the legal limit of .02 for someone under the age of 21.

Police said the last two teens in the car with Modlesky were well aware that she was "highly intoxicated," but allowed her to drive.

The first teen to drive the car was charged with violation of passenger restrictions and operating a motor vehicle between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. He is due in court on Dec. 20.

The boy he dropped off was not charged.

The second teen to drive was charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree, violation of passenger restrictions and operating a motor vehicle between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. He is due in court on Dec. 18.

The other teen was charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree.

In August, police charged the girl who they said threw a party hours before the crash and served alcohol to minors.

San Diego gets a little more festive tonight as Interim Mayor Todd Gloria kicks off Balboa Park December Nights. The holiday event at the park runs through Saturday night and is expected to draw more than 350,000 people.

At 5:30 p.m., Gloria will flip a candy cane switch on the lights at the Botanical Building, which is in front of the lily pond on El Prado.

The event will also coincide with the announcement of a renovation project by the Balboa Park Conservancy.

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s iconic former president whose lifelong struggle against apartheid helped break the country’s system of racial discrimination, died Thursday at the age of 95.

South African President Jacob Zuma announced the anti-apartheid crusader's death at a somber press conference Thursday.

"Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together, and it is together that we will bid him farewell," Zuma told his country.

Mandela had been in and out of the hospital for months. In June, he was admitted to a Pretoria facility for treatment of a recurring lung infection, according to a statement released by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma. He returned home three months later, on Sept. 1, even though his condition remained critical and at times unstable, according to the government. His family applauded the move, saying it would allow them to better provide "love and support" for the ailing icon.

Mandela had suffered from lung problems since he contracted tuberculosis on South Africa's Robben Island, where he spent 27 years as a political prisoner. Controversial images of the former leader broadcast by state television after an April hospitalization for pneumonia showed him blank-faced and visibly ailing.

Though his declining health kept him from the public eye in his final years, Mandela’s home on the country’s Eastern Cape remained a routine stopping point for world leaders and dignitaries seeking a visit with one of the century’s most beloved statesmen.
 
Perhaps even more than his improbable path from South Africa’s most-wanted man to its first democratically elected president (not to mention the first member of the country’s black majority to hold such an office), it was Mandela’s public composure and grace in the face of injustice that elevated him to pantheon of civil rights heroes.
 
As a young lawyer and leader of the African National Congress’s Youth Wing, an anti-apartheid activist group, Mandela challenged the white establishment with walk-outs, protests and marches that displayed the frustrations simmering throughout the country’s impoverished townships. When the government responded by tightening its grip, Mandela and his fellow activists pushed harder, enduring beatings and jail time for their defiance.

As the government ratcheted up its brutality, killing 69 unarmed protesters in the Johannesburg suburb of Sharpeville in 1960, Mandela eventually resorted to sabotage, applying pressure through attacks on state-owned property. For that, he was convicted of treason. At his sentencing, moments before he would vanish behind bars for 27 years, he gave a famously stirring speech on the “ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities”—an ideal for which he said he was prepared to die. 
 
Nearly three decades later, he walked out of prison, 71 years old with a head of gray hair, and pumped skyward. Unbroken by years of hard labor, he soon embarked on an international tour urging supporters to continue their sanctions against the South African government, despite President F. W. de Klerk’s reforms, which included freeing Mandela from prison. (The pair shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for "laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.")

From the U.S. to Japan to the U.K., Mandela was received with euphoria, drawing throngs of banner-waving supporters. In London, luminaries from the music and movie world gathered at Wembley Stadium for a tribute concert to the recently freed icon. In a visit to New York two months later, according to a New York Times report, Deputy Mayor Bill Lynch wept as Mandela praised David Dinkins, the city’s first black mayor.
 
Amid all his travel, Mandela, as a leader of the ANC, was also faced with the domestic challenge of negotiating a path to peace in a country that was arguably more polarized than ever. Working with the government and other opposing political factions, he helped lay the groundwork for the country’s first democratic presidential election, which he won in 1994 with more than 60 percent of the vote. In his victory address, he said it was time to “heal the old wounds and build a new South Africa.”
 
His five-year tenure was tumultuous, as both crime and unemployment spiked. But his single term was also marked by inspiring glimpses of what a multi-racial democratic South Africa could be. One such glimpse, recalled in Clint Eastwood’s 2009 film “Invictus,” was the country’s unlikely 1995 rugby World Cup victory over New Zealand, when South Africans of all races united to cheer the home team and “their” president, whose name they chanted from the stands.
 
Even after his presidency, he continued his role of mediator, conciliator and adviser, participating in a variety of peace talks and negotiations between sparring nations. He established the Elders, a group of retired political figures including Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan, who campaigned for human rights, equality and peace. He established the Mandela Rhodes Foundation to help young, talented Africans develop into future political and social leaders, and in 2010, he campaigned for and  appeared at South Africa’s 2010 FIFA World Cup when he was 91 years old and still a powerful living symbol of hope and unity.
 
Mondli Makhanya, the former editor-in-chief of South Africa’s Sunday Times, called Mandela “the glue that binds South Africa together” in a 2009 interview with The New York Times, and said that upon his death, the fearful question facing the nation would be, “who will bind us?”

Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mthatha, formerly Umtata, in eastern South Africa. His birth name was Rolihlahla Mandela. He was raised by the chief of the Tembu tribe after his father, a prominent tribal adviser, died when Mandela was still a child. Mandela would come to be known affectionately in South Africa by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba. He was educated at a Christian school, where he was given the English name Nelson, and later went to college, where he first became politically active. He earned a law degree from the University of South Africa. His first two marriages — to Evelyn Ntoko Mase, a nurse, in 1944 and Nomzamo Winnie Madikileza, a political activist, in 1958 — ended in divorce. He had four children with his first wife, three of whom died, and two children with his second wife. He remarried again at the age of 80 to Graca Machel, a human rights activist and the widow of the late president of Mozambique.
 
In addition to his wife, Mandela is survived by three children and more than 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The life of South African anti-apartheid crusader and democracy icon Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95, was one marked by scores of extraordinary moments.

From his earliest involvement in the black liberation movement via the African National Congress, through his decades in prison and to his successes toppling apartheid in South Africa and leading it as president, here are six such moments:

August 1952: South Africa's first black law practice.

Mandela and his friend Oliver Tambo — both encouraged by Walter Sisulu, their colleague in the African National Congress, to study and practice law — together opened their own law firm, Mandela & Tambo, in Johannesburg.

It was the first black law firm in South Africa, and it handled a number of cases resulting from post-1948 apartheid laws, including many involving the country's pass laws — laws which required blacks to carry pass books with them in designated white areas and restricted their travel.

"Those were the days of pettiness of the regime. Africans were carrying passes, and they were arrested at every little excuse, by the police. The office was always full of people who came there to ask for help," Tambo's wife Adelaide Tambo told PBS' "Frontline."

The same year the pair founded the law firm Mandela also helped launch a nationwide campaign of resistance against the pass laws, in an effort to encourage a spirit of nonviolent protest against them.

March 21, 1960: Sharpeville massacre.

Protests against the country's pass laws weren't uncommon in 1960. But in the black South African town of Sharpeville on March 21 police fired into a peaceful crowd of protesters, killing 69 people and wounding more than 180.

The massacre marked a turning point not just in South Africa's political climate but in Mandela's own resistance tactics. A state of emergency was imposed in South Africa, during which Mandela and thousands of others would be detained. The African National Congress was banned.

Also in the wake of the massacre, Mandela began his shift from peaceful resistance toward an armed struggle against apartheid, inspired by guerrilla fighters in Cuba and Algeria. He went underground, helped form the militant wing of the African National Congress — known as "Umkhonto we Sizwe," or "Spear of the Nation" — and started planning a national strike.

April 20, 1964: Speech from the dock.

Mandela delivered his famous speech in defense of liberty in the form of a statement to the court during the Rivonia Trial — one of South Africa's most significant political trials — where he and 10 other leading apartheid opponents were tried for sabotage, treason and violent conspiracy. The speech concluded: 

During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

• Read the full text of the speech here.
  

Less than two months later, Mandela and his co-defendants were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life in prison. He was imprisoned on Robben Island and would spend nearly two decades there, before being transferred to other prisons.

Feb. 11, 1990: Release from prison after 27 years.

Over his decades in prison, Mandela had routinely turned down conditional offers of release, refusing to compromise his political goals. "Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts," he had told his captors.

During those years Mandela had also become the world's most famous political prisoner, thanks in part to international efforts by the African National Congress — then led by his lifelong friend and former law partner Tambo. By early 1990, Mandela's cause had also begun to carry with it the weight of international pressure, as world leaders tightened their existing sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Under that pressure, South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk lifted the country's ban on the African National Congress on Feb. 2, 1990. Just nine days later, he freed Mandela from Victor Verster Prison.

Oct. 15, 1993: Nobel Peace Prize.

Mandela and then-President de Klerk were jointly awarded the shared prize in 1993 for their work on together negotiating an end to apartheid and a future of democratic rule in South Africa. In his acceptance speech and Nobel lecture, Mandela said of his country's future:

The value of our shared reward will and must be measured by the joyful peace which will triumph, because the common humanity that bonds both black and white into one human race, will have said to each one of us that we shall all live like the children of paradise.

Thus shall we live, because we will have created a society which recognizes that all people are born equal, with each entitled in equal measure to life, liberty, prosperity, human rights and good governance.

• Read the full text of the speech here.

May 10, 1994: Presidential inauguration in South Africa's first multi-racial government.

Just after he himself cast a vote for the first time in his life, Mandela was overwhelmingly elected president of South Africa in April 1994 — making him not only the nation's first ever black president but also its first ever democratically elected one. He was inaugurated May 10.

During his term in office, Mandela established a commission to investigate human rights violations under apartheid and launched housing, education and economic programs to improve the lagging living standards of black South Africans after decades of apartheid. A new democratic constitution was also instituted during his presidency.

Mandela led his country as president for a single term before stepping down, as he had initially promised. After retiring from politics, he continued to advocate worldwide for peace, social justice, conflict resolution and HIV awareness and treatment.

‘Tis the season for family time, parties and really getting into the holiday spirit. In San Diego’s North County, there are plenty of ho-ho-holiday happenings to make the season bright.

Check out this round-up of the most popular Yelp events happening throughout December, from shopping parties to traditional theater and ballet performances. No doubt, you’ll be feeling jolly in no time.

San Diego’s Mini Maker’s Faire: Saturday, Dec. 7 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Gather the family to be amazed! As the event description states, this “one-day family-friendly event showcases innovation and creativity: part science fair, part county fair.” Located at the Del Mar Fairgrounds at 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., this shindig will boast some truly extreme exhibits and ingenious inventions. Visitors will see everything from 3D printers to rockets, all handmade by tech enthusiasts of all ages. Think DIY projects taken to the next level. Tickets range from $5-$10 per person.

Encinitas Holiday Parade 2013: Saturday, Dec. 7 (5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)
New York may have the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but in San Diego’s North County, Encinitas has its own community parade that is not to be missed. Thousands of locals line the historic Coast Highway 101 to watch over 100 festive floats along the parade route. Not to mention, Santa Claus comes into town, too. This year’s parade theme is “Growing Holiday Cheer,” celebrating the rich agricultural history of Encinitas, from local flowers to fruit trees. The free event starts with a tree-lighting ceremony at The Lumberyard shopping center at 5 p.m. Grab the kids, some hot cocoa and enjoy!

'A Christmas Carol' Comes to San Marcos: Playing from Dec.12 – Dec. 22 (show times vary)
Charles Dickens has stumbled into Walnut Grove Park as The San Marcos Historical Society hosts this year's production of "Mr. Scrooge & Mr. Dickens.” Tickets are a just a couple shillings (okay, they’re between $5 and $10) and this family-friendly performance even includes a Santa surprise at the end. All proceeds benefit the Historical Society. The play will take place in the perfect setting of Connor’s Hall.

Yelp’s Totally Bazaar: Friday, Dec. 13 (6 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
North & South yelpers alike will join forces and spread the shop local love at this exclusive holiday event at SILO in Makers Quarter, located at 753 15th St., near downtown San Diego’s East Village area. This giant shopping and mingling mixer will boast free food, alcohol and, yes, plenty of beloved local artisans including friends from Etsy selling those perfect, quirky holiday gifts. RSVP to get on the guests list, as it’s not open to the public. The event is 21+ only.

The Nutcracker, West Coast Ballet: Dec. 21-22 (show times vary)
A cast of more than 200 performers create the magic that is Tchaikovsky's classic Christmas ballet at the Center for the Performing Arts in Escondido. You’ll hear every nostalgic note live, played by the San Diego Civic Youth Orchestra. Add the stunning seasonal sets and dancers, and this is a tradition you won’t forget. Tickets range between $21.50 and $42, and will likely sell out, so buy them early.
 

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.

La Costa Canyon graduate Aaron Loy is proof that life can change in an instant.

Loy was one of four UC Santa Barbara students who contracted the meningococcus bacterium last month. Doctors amputated both of his feet to stop the spread of the disease. The freshman lacrosse player remains at a San Diego hospital.

Family friend Dallas Hartley is in disbelief.

“I sat with Mike Loy watching Santa Barbara play Cal Poly just three weeks ago,” Hartley said. “Watching Aaron play on the field, scoring goals. Just watching him in his element as a lacrosse player.”

Meningococcus causes Type B meningitis, a strain not covered by the meningitis vaccine given in the U.S.

Type B is also to blame for a meningitis outbreak at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J.

“When people gather from many different parts of the country and live together, as they do in the military or on college campuses or at camps, that puts them at risk of bacteria from other parts of the country they haven’t seen before,” said Dr. Eric McDonald, Deputy Public Health Officer for the County of San Diego.

McDonald said infants, teens and young adults are most at-risk for complications from meningitis. Type B meningitis comes on rapidly and can be especially dangerous.

“Someone who’s young and healthy one day can within 24 hours be dead from this illness,” he said.

According to McDonald, San Diego typically sees 7-19 meningitis cases each year. There have been 15 cases in 2013. The county gives antibiotics to people who have been in close contact with the infected person.

UCSB has given antibiotics to 500 students as a precaution. Princeton even distributed a vaccine not approved in the U.S., but used in Europe where Type B is more common.

NBC 7 talked to students at UC San Diego, and most said they would be interested in taking a preventative vaccine.

“It’s definitely in the back of my head,” UCSD junior George Alcaraz said. “Knowing that there’s a vaccine that will get approved just for those campuses that do have outbreaks kind of eases your mind a little bit.”

McDonald says standard healthy habits, like hand washing, can prevent meningitis; no special precautions need to be taken.

As for Loy, Hartley says he has the right personality to overcome this illness.

“He’s everybody’s favorite player on the team. He’s a nice kid. When you think about Aaron, you think about his smile,” Hartley said.

“He’s a fighter.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Meningitis Symptoms and FAQs

To donate to Aaron Loy’s recovery efforts:

HelpHopeLive – In Honor of Aaron Loy

Aaron Loy Recovery Fund
Pacific Premier Bank
781 Garden View Court, Suite 100
Encinitas, CA 92024

A Chula Vista physician has been missing for two weeks and police shared details about the disappearance Thursday in an attempt to locate the man.

Hugues Bellevue, M.D., 59, was last seen in early November according to police.

Bellevue owns the Saint Marc Hospital in Playas de Tijuana but lives on McCloud River Road in Chula Vista.

Police and family members will hold an 11 a.m. news conference to discuss the case.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

A San Diego man whose prank phone call shut down a major highway and inconvenienced drivers for three hours on Thanksgiving says it was all a misguided joke.

"It was a joke meant for me and my sister. I didn't mean anyone to be affected in San Diego," Victor Diaz told NBC 7 Thursday.

Diaz called his younger sister twice as she was driving on Interstate 15, heading to her family’s Thanksgiving gathering in Escondido. Disguising his voice, Diaz said there was a bomb in her car and it was about to explode.

Diaz' sister pulled over to the center divide on northbound I-15, near Miramar Way and called 911.

After officials determined there was no bomb in the vehicle, Diaz was called to the scene for questioning and arrested for the bomb hoax.

Diaz returned home early around 3:30 a.m. Thursday after being held in jail for seven days pending possible charges.

He did not want to appear on camera but spoke to the media and expressed regret for the prank.

“It was just a joke between me and my sister and wasn’t supposed to involve anybody else and it just went wrong, and just took a turn for the worse,” Diaz said.

He didn't realize the prank had gotten so out of hand and was even stuck in the traffic himself before knowing it was his prank call that had caused the gridlock.

“I understand a lot of people missed their flights. A lot of people were late to Thanksgiving and I know what that felt like because I was in a jail cell for Thanksgiving,” he said. “It wasn’t pretty for anybody.”

"I apologize to San Diego, the police department, and everyone involved,” the 28-year-old said.

Diaz said he didn't expect his sister to get that scared.

"I would've done the same thing if I didn't know who it was," he said of her reaction.

When he first learned he would be arrested and booked on felony charges, Diaz said he felt lightheaded and couldn't believe it.

He was released from custody Wednesday after the San Diego County District Attorney's Office chose not to file charges.

The case will now be passed onto the San Diego City Attorney’s office for review. Prosecutors within that office have received the case but would not comment on possible misdemeanor charges.

When NBC 7 asked Diaz if he's worried about any new potential charges, he said he was just happy to be released from custody.

Family members said Diaz is very embarrassed about his role in the incident.

"I messed up a lot of people's day," he said adding credit to the San Diego police officers and the bomb squad for a fast response.

Diaz said he wasn't sure if he still has his job as a truck driver since he missed a Thanksgiving night shift with the arrest.

He has two kids and a daughter on the way and missed a baby shower held last Saturday. He said the first thing he did when he got out of jail was kissed his wife.

As for his practice of pranking his sister, Diaz said that's over.

"I think I picked the wrong joke," he said. "No, that’s it. No more."

The bomb squad investigated a suspicious device in the Mission Bay area Thursday afternoon.

At 2:20 p.m., a caller reported seeing a suspicious-looking pipe at Interstate 5 and SeaWorld Drive, according to fire officials.

The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert and shut down the northbound I-5 off-ramp between Interstate 8 and SeaWorld Drive.

Get traffic alerts here.

Around 3 :30 p.m., fire officials confirmed there was no hazard, and crews started clearing the scene.

A teenager riding a bicycle on a busy Spring Valley roadway was injured after colliding with a vehicle in traffic, officials confirmed.

The incident happened around 4:40 p.m. at Jamacha Road near Sweetwater Road.

California Highway Patrol officials said the teen collided with an SUV and was transported to Rady Children’s Hospital with minor, unspecified injuries.

The driver involved in the collision remained at the scene and was questioned by authorities. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Check back for updates.
 

San Diego police officers and SWAT officials were called to a neighborhood in Grant Hill Thursday evening to deal with a disturbance involving a suspect armed with a butcher knife.

Law enforcement swarmed 30th and L streets at around 5:20 p.m. Officers began setting up a command post and perimeter around the area.

According to an officer, authorities received a phone call from inside the house regarding an argument between a man and woman who had both been drinking heavily. The man was armed with a butcher knife and was allegedly holding the weapon near the woman.

Officials staged an emergency rescue and used bean bags to get the woman out of the house safely. No gunshots were used against the man, officials said.

At one point, officers began a conversation with the man inside the house and he repeatedly said "kill me," an official said.

Just before 6 p.m., officers were able to gain entry into the home. The man was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital. It is unclear what type of injuries, if any, he sustained.

An officer said it is unclear what caused the argument in the first place. The relationship status of the pair involved in the incident is unknown.

A neighbor told NBC 7 San Diego he heard a woman screaming inside the home right before law enforcement arrived in the neighborhood.

The woman is being questioned by police as they continue their investigation. Further details were not immediately released.

Police are investigating a string of six armed robberies at convenience stores in Oceanside and looking for the suspect who carried out the crimes.

According to officials, the robberies have occurred over the past two months under similar circumstances.

Each case involves a man who enters the store with his face covered with a shirt or bandanna and demands cash and cigarettes from a clerk. The robberies have all occurred between 11:30 p.m. and 1:40 a.m.

Investigators said the first robbery in the series was on Oct. 13 at a Circle K store located at 1990 College Blvd.

The suspect – believed to be a Samoan or Hispanic man between 20 and 25 years old – entered the store armed with a small, silver revolver and demanded money and cigarettes from a clerk. The lower half of his face was covered with a shirt of bandanna. He’s described as 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 with a heavy build.

Since then, officials said there have been six similar robberies allegedly committed by the same man. His image has been captured time and time again on surveillance video.

The suspect has been armed with different weapons, including a gun, knife and screwdriver, but no clerks or customers have been injured in the robberies.

Officials said the most recent robbery in the series happened Wednesday just after midnight at a 7-Eleven located at 2255 Mission Ave. This time, the suspect was joined by an accomplice who followed him into the store. This second man was also caught on tape, and is described as an 18 to 20-year-old Hispanic or white male with a thin build.

The robberies between the first and last incident happened as follows:

• Oct. 16, just before 1:30 a.m., at a 7-Eleven located at 2850 Thunder Dr.
• Oct. 25, 11:35 p.m., at Mohsen’s Gas located at 3213 Mission Ave.
• Oct. 31, around 11:45 p.m., at Mohsen’s Gas located at 628 S. Coast Hwy.
• Nov. 8, just before 1 a.m., at a 7-Eleven located at 1749 S. Coast Hwy.
• Nov. 26, around 12:40 a.m., at a Circle K store located at 1801 S. Coast Hwy.

Anyone with information on this robbery series or suspect(s) should contact Oceanside Police Det. Bill Wallace at (760) 435-4892 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

World leaders and social media followers alike are mourning South African former president and anti-apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 95.

Scroll down to see reactions from leaders and from around the web.

For those who want to take to social media to share their reaction, NBC News is using the #RememberingMandela hashtag across the network on Twitter.

President Barack Obama: "He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages. Madiba transformed South Africa and moved all of us. His journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that human beings and countries can change for the better."

Former President George W. Bush: "Laura and I join the people of South Africa and the world in celebrating the life of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. President Mandela was one of the great forces for freedom and equality of our time. He bore his burdens with dignity and grace, and our world is better off because of his example. This good man will be missed, but his contributions will live on forever. Laura and I send our heartfelt sympathy to President Mandela's family and to the citizens of the nation he loved."

Former President Bill Clinton: "History will remember Nelson Mandela as a champion for human dignity and freedom, for peace and reconciliation. We will remember him as a man of uncommon grace and compassion, for whom abandoning bitterness and embracing adversaries was not just a political strategy but a way of life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Graça and his family and to the people of South Africa. All of us are living in a better world because of the life that Madiba lived. He proved that there is freedom in forgiving, that a big heart is better than a closed mind, and that life's real victories must be shared."

Former President George H.W. Bush: "Barbara and I mourn the passing of one of the greatest believers in freedom we have had the privilege to know. As President, I watched in wonder as Nelson Mandela had the remarkable capacity to forgive his jailers following 26 years of wrongful imprisonment -- setting a powerful example of redemption and grace for us all. He was a man of tremendous moral courage, who changed the course of history in his country. Barbara and I had great respect for President Mandela, and send our condolences to his family and countrymen."

Former President Jimmy Carter: "The people of South Africa and human rights advocates around the world have lost a great leader. His passion for freedom and justice created new hope for generations of oppressed people worldwide, and because of him, South Africa is today one of the world's leading democracies. In recent years, I was gratified to be able to work with him through The Elders to encourage resolution of conflicts and advance social justice and human rights in many nations. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family at this difficult time."

Former Vice President Al Gore: Today marks the passing of one of the greatest leaders and visionaries in the history of our world, Nelson Mandela. President Mandela has already been immortalized as an enduring symbol of compassion and courage. I had the honor of working with Madiba often during my time as co-chairman of the U.S.-South Africa Binational Commission. Each and every time I was with him, I was awed by his commanding yet graceful presence. Along with hundreds of millions, I still vividly remember the day Madiba was released from Pollsmoor Prison just outside of Cape Town. My son and I were home in Nashville; the only ones awake early on a Sunday morning. We sat on the couch and watched as Madiba was set free. I remember thinking that whatever important milestones my children and grandchildren witness in the coming century, few will rival this one. Madiba once wrote, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." We should take a moment today to bow our heads and pay our respects to an extraordinarily courageous man who truly changed the world for the better and, in the process, inspired us all.

House Speaker John Boehner: "Nelson Mandela was an unrelenting voice for democracy and his 'long walk to freedom' showed an enduring faith in God and respect for human dignity. His perseverance in fighting the apartheid system will continue to inspire future generations. Mandela led his countrymen through times of epic change with a quiet moral authority that directed his own path from prisoner to president."

Television personality and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey: One of the great honors of my life was to be invited to Nelson Mandela's home, spend private time and get to know him.  He was everything you've ever heard and more - humble and unscathed by bitterness. And he always loved to tell a good joke. Being in his presence was like sitting with grace and majesty at the same time. He will always be my hero.  His life was a gift to us all.

Congressman and former Civil Rights leader John Lewis: "There was this unbelievable relationship between what was happening in s Africa and what was happening in America. Mr. Mandela learned to stand in prison for 27 years and he came out committed to peace. Through his leadership he liberated the spirit of oppressed and spirit of the oppressor. He just made me  feel more human.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi: "With the passing of Nelson Mandela, the world has lost a leader who advanced the cause of equality and human rights, who overcame a history of oppression in South Africa to expand the reach of freedom worldwide. He led the campaign to defeat apartheid through non-violence, peace, and dialogue. He never allowed resentment to drive him away from the path of reconciliation. He emerged from prison to set free an entire nation; he shed the bonds of slave labor to reshape the fate of his people."

Senior Senator John McCain (R-AZ): In the moment of his triumph, when South Africa became a true democracy, and he became its President, he did not seek or encourage vengeance. He didn't demand retribution for the years stolen from him and others. He simply went about his work building a better country from the ashes of its tortured past, a country that would honor the sacrifices made for freedom by respecting the dignity of all its citizens. "

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: "My thoughts are with Nelson Mandela's family and with the people of South Africa during this difficult time. As both the emancipator of a people and the founder of a modern democracy, Mandela was one of the truly unique and transcendent figures of our time. Mandela embodied the very spirit of democracy, freedom, and equality. He leaves behind an incredible legacy that will not be forgotten, and which will continue to inspire current and future leaders for generations to come."

Cardinal Timothy Dolan: "As Blessed Pope John Paul II noted during his visit to South Africa in 1995, Nelson Mandela was for many years, 'a silent and suffering "witness" of your people's yearning for true liberation,' who, as President of South Africa, had to then 'shoulder the burden of inspiring and challenging everyone to succeed in the task of national reconciliation and reconstruction.' In succeeding in these crucial and difficult tasks, Nelson Mandela truly made the world a better place. May he rest in peace."

Musician and activist Bono: "It was as if he was born to teach the age a lesson in humility, in humour and above all else in patience.  In the end, Nelson Mandela showed us how to love rather than hate, not because he had never surrendered to rage or violence, but because he learnt that love would do a better job.  Mandela played with the highest stakes.  He put his family, his country, his time, his life on the line, and he won most of these contests.  Stubborn til the end for all the right reasons, it felt like he very nearly outstared his maker.  Today, finally, he blinked.  And some of us cry, knowing our eyes were opened to so much because of him."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg: "Today, we lost one of the most transformative and influential figures in modern history. Nelson Mandela was a global icon who broke the back of apartheid in South Africa and inspired generations of people around the world with his spirit of resolve and reconciliation. The tickertape parade Mayor Dinkins organized for him in 1990 was a great moment for our city, and his visit here in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 helped give our city strength and hope — for which we will be forever grateful."

Education Activist Malala Yousafza: "Nelson Mandela is physically separated from us but his soul and spirit will never die. He belongs to the whole world because he is an icon of equality, freedom and love, the values we need all the time everywhere. His long, long struggle is a great demonstration of humanity. I have learned so much from Nelson Mandela and he has been my leader. He is a perpetual inspiration for me and millions of others around the world.''

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: "Madiba's patience through imprisonment and insistence on unity over vengeance in the delicate period in which he served stand as a permanent reminder to the world of the value of perseverance and the positive influence one good man or woman can have over the course of human affairs. The world mourns this great leader. May his passing lead to a deeper commitment to reconciliation around the world."

Philanthropists and Business Magnates Bill and Melinda Gates: It was an honor to meet President Nelson Mandela a number of times. We left each visit inspired and more optimistic about the opportunity to improve the lives of the poor throughout the world. From prisoner to president, Nelson Mandela was tireless in his pursuit of equality and justice for all people. President Mandela was a remarkable example to us, to our foundation, and to the whole world thanks to a life imbued with courage, dedication and compassion. Our thoughts and prayers are with Graca Machel and President Mandela's family. We join with the people of South Africa in grieving the loss of this extraordinary and inspirational leader.

Two men are accused of stealing a part of the wrecked Porsche that "Fast and Furious" actor Paul Walker died in.

The theft happened as the Porsche was being towed to an impound yard on Saturday night, hours after Walker and his friend and fellow fast-car enthusiast Roger Rodas died, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The two perished when Rodas' 2005 Porsche Carrera GT smashed into a light pole and tree, then exploded in flames. The posted limit was 45 mph.

At 10 that night, as the car was being towed to an impound yard for further investigation, a witness saw someone take a piece of the wreck from a flat-bed truck as it was stopped at a red light.

The tow truck driver reported the theft and an investigation was launched. Police identified Jameson Witty, 18, of Tujunga, as one of the suspects in the case.

Authorities later recovered a red roof panel from the Porsche at a location in Canyon Country.

A second man, described only as 25 and from outside of California, was is in communication with sheriff’s detectives making arrangements to surrender, authorities said.

The crash happened while Walker and Rodas had taken what was expected to be a brief drive away from a charity fundraiser and toy drive at Rodas' custom car shop in Valencia, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Walker's publicist said the action star was the passenger.

Thousands of fans of Paul Walker and car enthusiasts are expected to gather Sunday at noon for a memorial and car cruise in honor of the late actor.

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A D.C. police officer is being investigated for allegedly “pimping” teenage girls, police sources said, but there's no indiction that investigation is connected to another officer who was just arrested on child porn charges.

Linwood Barnhill, 47, was found with a girl who had been reported missing inside his Southeast D.C. apartment Tuesday. Police executed a search warrant on Barnhill's home Wednesday, and seized several cell phones, marijuana and a laptop computer.

Neighbors told News4 they would often see young girls going in and out of his apartment.

Barnhill, who has been with D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department for 24 years, has been on light duty since September 2012. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier declined to comment on why Barnhill has been on light duty, citing medical privacy laws.

In a press conference Friday, Lanier said this investigation is not connected to the Monday arrest of another D.C. police officer on child porn charges.

In that case, officer Marc Washington, who has been with the department since 2006, went to the home of a 15-year-old girl who had previously been reported missing, ordered her to remove her clothing and took photos of her, all while he was on duty.

The girl's mother notified police, and Washington was arrested within hours.

During a hearing Thursday, it was revealed Washington, 32, had hundreds of photographs on his digital camera dating back to 2011, many of which depicted women who were victims of domestic violence.

The police department has strict guidelines on what officers can and can't do with photographs they take while on duty. All images are supposed to become property of MPD and officers are not supposed to use their own cameras, Lanier said.

Court documents allege that Washington attempted to delete the pornographic images from his digital camera prior to the arrest.

"I would say to any member of the public... if you ever have an interaction with a police officer you are not comfortable with," call 911 and ask for a supervisor, Lanier said.

A third officer is also under investigation for possibly tipping Washington off about his forthcoming arrest earlier this week, sources said. However, Lanier would not confirm that claim Friday, saying only that is was placed on no-contact status.

Washington did not enter a plea at a hearing Thursday. A U.S. magistrate judge ordered Washington released to home detention pending trial, but a 24-hour stay was granted so prosecutors could appeal the decision.

All three officers work in MPD's Seventh District, law enforcement sources said.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier released the following statement Thursday afternoon, referencing officers Barnhill and Washington.

The Department is very concerned about the recent allegations of egregious conduct by two officers. We recognize that the actions of individual officers reflect on the entire Department. To uncover any potential malfeasance by officers, the Department regularly conducts audits and investigations of their conduct and behavior, both when on-duty and off-duty. The misguided actions of a few in no way reflect on the professionalism, dedication, and integrity of the Department. As we have seen several times this year with three officers shot in the line of duty, MPD officers put their lives on the line every single day to protect residents and visitors in the District of Columbia. That will not change.

Batkid will return to Gotham City -- err... San Francisco.

This time, it won't be to arrest the Penguin or to capture the Riddler.

Five-year-old Miles Scott of Tulelake, Siskyou County, will arrive in San Francisco (most likely in the family van instead of a decked-out Lamborghini ) on Saturday to cheer folks on at "Brave the Bay," formerly known as the SFPD Challenge, Make-A-Wish spokeswoman Jen Wilson said Thursday.

MORE: SF Morphs into Gotham City for Batkid Battling Leukemia

Batkid, aka Miles, will lead the "Santa Walk" with his family, who recently set up a "Batkid Fund" to support three groups that helped him during his treatment.

The shy kindergartener with bright blue eyes was last in town on Nov. 15 when he was the recipient of an internationally inspiring volunteer effort, noted by everyone from the Harlem Globetrotters to President Obama.

While sick with leukemia - from which he is now in remission  - Miles told the Make-A-Wish people that he wanted to be "Batman for a day."  He was able to realize his dreams and beyond when 12,000 volunteers got wind of his request, and the city of San Francisco morphed into Gotham City for a day.

Now, Miles is helping the police officers realize their goal to raise $75,000 to help grant wishes for 357 children with life-threatening medical conditions. Organizers are hoping to help 10 children on Saturday alone.

MORE: "Batkid Fund" Created to Help Other Sick Kids

The police-run Brave the Bay, now in its 6th year, features a 5K Santa Walk/Fun Run, a Santa plunge in the bay and the Santa Car Pull. Participants can join in either one event or all three to complete the “Santa Triathlon. Each event costs between $25 or $60 for all three.

Miles' parents, Nick and Natalie Scott, said in a statement that it seemed "only fitting that following a day when the world demonstrated caring and compassion for Batkid, Batkid can now help others."

DETAILS:

Brave the Bay runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Aquatic Park at Jefferson and Hyde Streets.  To register, visit www.bravethebay.org.

All locations are Aquatic Park, Jefferson and Hyde Streets.

• Santa 5K Walk and Fun Run: 8:30 a.m.

Batkid Miles Scott and family will be lead lead the walk.

• Santa Plunge in the Bay: 10:30 a.m.

This also includes the Executive Challenge, where local CEOs, along with Police Chief Greg Suhr, will be plunging in order to fund individual wishes.

• Santa Cable Car Pull: 11:00am-1:00 a.m.

Teams of up to six people compete to see who can pull a cable car the fastest. The challenge is to beat the SFPD teams.

• Cops & Coffee: 9:00am-3:00 p.m., Buena Vista Café

Enjoy a traditional Irish Coffee served by San Francisco police. All tips will be donated to Make-A-Wish.

Crews were unable to find a missing San Jose pilot and his four relatives during a search Thursday, and it is unclear if the search will continue Friday.

Thursday was the fifth day rescue crews searched for the missing plane and passengers, with efforts intensifying and prayers flowing in from around the country, despite the odds and the cold.

"We're praying hard," Michael Morgan posted on Crystal Marie Chistensen's Facebook page on Thursday.

"Been thinking of your family all week, keeping you in our prayers. You and your family are such amazing examples of faith to so many people," posted Kat Bernfeld Andrus.

Christensen's father, Dale Smith, founder of SerialTek in San Jose, was piloting a BE-36 Beech Bonanza on Sunday when it disappeared in wilderness near the central Idaho town of Yellow Pine about 3:30 p.m.

Aboard his plane were: daughter, Amber Smith, who graduated from Santa Teresa High in San Jose; her fiancé, Jonathan Norton of Salt Lake City; Smith's son, Daniel Smith; and Smith's daughter-in-law Sheree Smith.

Amber Smith, a graduate of Santa Teresa High in San Jose, and Norton are both students at Brigham Young University in Idaho, and set their wedding date for Jan. 4. A friend, Aaryn Preece, provided NBC Bay Area their engagement photos. 

Smith's business partner, Randall Kriech, told NBC Bay Area the family had all left Baker, Ore., after celebrating Thanksgiving with Dale's father, and then headed to Butte, Montana, to drop off Daniel and Sheree Smith. Then, mid-way to Idaho, Kriech said Smith lost contact with air traffic controllers in Salt Lake City.

Smith's wife, Janis Hansen Smith, is in Idaho with search crews, along with Christensen, who lists that she now lives in Provo, Utah on her Facebook page. The couple have five children in all. They are also very active at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Jose.

The Valley County Sheriff's Office in rural, western Idaho said on Thursday that ground teams were focusing on drainages east of Johnson Creek airport in Idaho, and aerial crews are flying in grid patterns to locate the missing people.

MORE: Crews Search Idaho Wilderness for San Jose Exec, Family

Aircraft from the Civil Air Patrol and the Idaho Department of Transportation, as well as helicopters from the US Customs and Border Protection, the Idaho Army National Guard and a private Bell- 407 helicopter are helping out. Some have infrared technology, and helicopters can survey the area at a lower altitude and at slower speeds than fixed-wing aircraft.

“Today we have clear weather and are continuing the search using every available asset,” Sheriff's Incident Commander Lt. Dan Smith said in a statement.  “The terrain of the search area continues to be a challenge, and our thoughts are with the family of those believed to be on the plane.”

Smith's wife told KSL.com on Wednesday that her family has been amazed at the outpouring of love and faith.

"We are indebted to the search and rescue crews working long, cold days in the rugged terrain of the search area," she told the news organization. "We appreciate the resources being pulled in as the search continues for our family."

While the Smith family is Mormon, the extended family, according to KSL.com, includes members of many faiths.

"We've got Lutherans praying, Mormons praying, Catholics praying, and I've got many friends of different religions who have been sending prayers throughout the day," Norton's Uncle Matt Dayton told KSL.com. "The religion doesn't matter at this point. As long as they're praying, that's the key."
 

The holiday spirit is going viral in Chicago thanks to a cover of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" by the city's Gay Hockey Association.

The players took to the ice last month in red jerseys and Santa hats to tape a music video complete with the team's own recording of the popular tune. The result exudes a heart-warming reminder of acceptance with a catchy, singing-in-the-shower quality that keeps the song in your head all day.

"Please take a moment to reflect on the real meaning of this project," the team posted to Facebook. "It's a lot deeper than you might expect. Embrace one another for our differences and have some fun!"

People took notice. The YouTube video was watched more than 10,000 times in the first 24 hours, and since the Nov. 28 debut, its popularity has skyrocketed.

Members of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association made the rounds on local TV stations and have been quoted in national outlets like Sports Illustrated. The video got a mention on comedian Daniel Tosh's Tosh.0 blog and even writer Dan Savage gave it a hat-tip on Twitter: "Another way the gay community 'out-markets' the Catholic Church (per Dolan): our viral videos are way more fun."

There's no arguing the video's booty-shaking, head-bobbing fun, but for the team, it's all about a message of acceptance.

Stephen Leonard, who produced and directed the video, told GoPride.com it captures the spirit of the team. "We're all about having fun and inviting others to do the same, both on and off the ice," Leonard said.

That's the theme of the note the team left on its video, which as of Thursday afternoon had 80,000 views.

"We want you to put aside your differences. And to spend some time getting closer to your family and friends. If you take a step back and look, you may surprise yourself with how much you have in common with people. The person next to you on the train could become your best friend. After all, aren't we all just looking for love? Don't forget to laugh a little. And sing a little. Happy Holidays y'all!"

Thousands of baby rattles are being recalled because they could break into small pieces that could be dangerous if swallowed, a company announced this week.

Manhattan Group is recalling The Quixel baby rattle because the toys’ “colored arches can break, and the resulting small parts can pose a choking hazard for small children,” according to a recall notice.

More than 8,000 of the recalled rattles were sold in the U.S. and more than 4,000 were sold in Canada after the company received four reports of rattles breaking.

No injuries have been reported, according to the notice.

Anyone who purchased a now-recalled rattle can return it to the store where they bought it for a full refund.

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Tributes honoring former South African President Nelson Mandela continued pouring in from all over the world -- including one from out of this world.

NASA remembered the nation’s revered first black leader by highlighting an image of South Africa as seen from the International Space Station.

"In honor of the anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, who passed away today at the age of 95, here is an image of Cape Town, South Africa, from space," NASA said Thursday on its Google+ page.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield captured the image on May 9, 2013, while living and working aboard the International Space Station, according to NASA.

Hadfield tweeted the image and wrote, “’Cape Town, South Africa and the South Atlantic calling to forever,’” NASA said on Twitter.

The agency shared the image with 5.4 million of its Twitter followers and 1.7 million Google+ followers.

Others in the space industry also remembered Mandela, who was known affectionately in South Africa by his clan name, Madiba.

SpaceX's billionaire founder and a native of South Africa Elon Musk wrote in a Twitter message, "Rest in peace, Nelson Mandela. A man both good and great."

Legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin called Mandela "a true inspiration and role model for peace and international collaboration."

"We will continue to learn from him," Aldrin said in a Twitter post.