A gas leak in Mira Mesa forced police to shut down part of Black Mountain Road late Tuesday night.
Fire officials told NBC 7 that a tractor on a construction site hit a large gas line. The incident happened around 9:45 p.m.
Black Mountain Road was closed between Hillery Drive and Gold Coast Drive, near Walker Elementary School, Wangenheim Middle School and San Diego Miramar College.
Crews capped the gas line and reopened the road to traffic.
Some North Texas hospitals are so overwhelmed with flu patients that they have run out of available rooms to admit them, medical officials say.
“It’s a very serious situation,” said J.R. Labbe, a spokeswoman for John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. “Our beds are full. It’s pretty dramatic.”
In Dallas, the director of emergency medical services also said hospitals are very, very full.
“Our hospitals are pretty much near capacity,” Dr. Paul Pepe said. “There is concern we haven’t hit the peak yet.”
In Tarrant County, 10 of 19 hospitals reported capacity issues – from no room in intensive care units to backups in emergency rooms, according to a summary reviewed by NBC DFW. Still, officials stressed that hospitals remain open and are able to care for seriously ill patients.
But Labbe said JPS is asking patients with simple flu symptoms to consider going to emergency clinics or doctor’s offices for treatment. At the hospital, she said, some patients are waiting in the crowded emergency room for a bed to become available.
Pepe said some hospitals would go on divert status, meaning ambulances would be turned away. But so many hospitals are so busy, he said, none can divert patients because they would have nowhere to go.
In Fort Worth, the board overseeing emergency care has not allowed hospitals to go on “divert” status for several years because it overwhelms other hospitals, said Medstar spokesman Matt Zavadsky.
Not all hospitals are sounding the alarm.
Megan Brooks, a spokeswoman for Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth hospital, said the facility is not full and is accepting patients.
For the second day in a row, San Diego County is under a red flag warning. That means the hot, dry, windy conditions are favorable for wildfires.
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning, which is in effect until noon Wednesday. The strongest winds expected Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night.
After the high wind warning expires, a wind advisory takes effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Meantime, San Diego Gas and Electric has meteorologists manning its control center 24 hours a day. They’re monitoring the 149 weather stations around the county.
One weather station recorded gusts of more than 70 mph Tuesday.
In addition to meteorologists working round the clock, the utility also has crews staged near some of the windiest spots of the county.
“If there was wind gusts that did cause damage to our system, they're already there or pretty darn close,” SDG&E Spokesperson Stephanie Donovan said.
“If there's any sort of fire potential, they're there to put it out and then as much as possible restore the service as quickly as possible," she said.
SDG&E did shut off one of its transmission lines Tuesday because of high winds, but it only affected one customer.
A man who tried to save a friend who fell into the Chicago River while trying to retrieve a cell phone Monday, is speaking out about the ordeal that killed two of his friends.
Ken Hoang, 26, from St. Paul, Minn., was swept away after climbing over the fence on the 400 block of East Water Street shortly after midnight.
Quoc-Viet Phan Hoang and a 21-year-old woman fell into the water while trying to help Hoang. The woman's body has not been recovered and recovery efforts were suspended Tuesday afternoon due to inclement weather conditions.
Quoc-Viet is recuperating at Presence Saint Joseph Hospital-Chicago, and released a statement Tuesday thanking everyone for their "prayers and support," particularly Luis Bertrand, who came to his aid and called 911.
“I lost two good friends,” Hoang said in the written statement. “It’s not easy seeing your friend drift away and having one die in your arms. I have never felt so helpless in my life. This situation is very emotionally difficult and out of respect for the families involved I would like to leave it at that.”
Hoang is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Wednesday.
An autopsy conducted Tuesday found Ken Hoang drowned, and listed alcohol toxicity as a secondary factor, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled an accident.
Navy divers have recovered the remains of Lt. Sean Christopher Snyder, a Santee native who went missing after a helicopter crashed Jan. 8 off the Virginia coast.
According to the Department of Defense’s DVIDS website, Navy divers found the downed helicopter’s cockpit with human remains inside Monday. They recovered Synder’s body on Tuesday.
Snyder, 39, was one of five men on board an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter that crashed during a routine training exercise. Two sailors were killed, and two others were rescued alive. Snyder was the only one unaccounted for.
The search had to be called off several times because of frigid ocean temperatures.
Snyder, who has four children, moved his family to the East Coast several years ago.
The Snyder family released this statement:
Divers have recovered the remains of Lt. Sean Snyder. The family is truly thankful to the men and women of the United States Navy. Sean was a man of honor and a true hero, not only to his country, but also to his wife, children, family, and friends. Our strength and trust remain in Christ.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Target has announced how shoppers can enroll in a free credit monitoring and identity theft protection program in the wake of a massive data heist.
The retailer will offer the service for one year, according to Target's site.
The announcement comes after Target revealed on Friday that the massive security breach during the holiday shopping season may have affected up to 110 million of its customers and included more kinds of confidential information than previously disclosed.
The company said last month that about 40 million credit and debit cards may have been affected by the breach that occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.
But Target followed up by saying an ongoing investigation into the hack found that names, phone numbers, email and mailing addresses for 70 million customers were also compromised. Some of the stolen information belonged to customers who had shopped at stores before the holiday season breach occurred.
A Target spokesman told NBC News that some overlap exists between the two data sets.
"I know that it is frustrating for our guests to learn that this information was taken and we are truly sorry they are having to endure this," Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Target said in a statement. "I also want our guests to know that understanding and sharing the facts related to this incident is important to me and the entire Target team."
The hack could become one of the largest data breaches ever for a retailer, surpassing an incident uncovered in 2007 that saw more than 45 million credit and debit cards stolen from T.J. Maxx and Marshalls customers.
MYSTERY OF THE DEEP: Not to be too controversial, but we'll posit that pretty much anybody who has ever stepped on a boat and stayed on the vessel for longer than, oh, twenty minutes -- or do we mean twenty seconds? -- has pondered what might be out there, under the waves. Or, more specifically, and maybe just as commonly, what's under the boat they're on. Just water? A few plankton? A centuries-old wreck? A shiver of sharks? Most boats don't have holes in the bottom, that would allow us to see, and thank goodness for that, but there are a few exceptions in the seeing-through-the-lower-part-of-the-vessel department. The glass-bottom wonders of Catalina Island are probably one of the most famous ways to see what's under your boat. And with good reason: The boats and the 26-miles-away-from-LA outpost are old pals, as in decades-old pals. Surely you've seen "The Glassbottom Boat" from 1966? Doris Day? Yep, the boats are iconic. Iconic and running daily, from Avalon, so make a reservation and check out...
SEA FORESTS... of kelpy tall strands. The school of fishes. The sunbeamy water that goes slightly murky and slightly marvelous just below the surface. Nope, your entire boat bottom will not be glass -- you have to sit somewhere, right? -- but there will be windows facing downward near the seating areas. How often do windows face downward? Not too often, is the answer, though we think the Winchester Mystery House may have a couple. The 40-minute tour leaves thrice daily all year long. Cost? Fifteen bucks. Not too much dough to soak in a lot of kelpy marvels from a windowside vantage point.
John Baca appreciates the simple things in life. So it makes sense you’ll find him living in Julian, where a slice of country living is best served warm with ice cream.
The 65-year-old Vietnam veteran moved to the small town east of San Diego, Calif. for a slower pace and quickly became friends with Debbie Gaudette, owner of Apple Alley Bakery.
Gaudette’s pie shop is a local favorite, and Baca is her best customer, sometimes ordering 10 pies a week.
Baca says he doesn’t own a television anymore or a computer. Instead, he spends his days talking with people. He listens to their stories and occasionally he shares his.
John Baca is a recipient of the Medal of Honor, one of only 77 still alive.
He says he should have died in Vietnam on Feb. 10, 1970. Baca, a 21-year-old soldier, found himself in the middle of a gunfight and watched a grenade land in the middle of his patrol.
“I saw my whole life flash through me. What do I do? Do I pick it up? Do I throw it? Where did it come from? It’s not supposed to be here, and do I run from it? Somebody is going to get wounded,” Baca said. “All these thoughts went through my mind.”
He covered the grenade with his helmet and then covered his helmet with his body, saving the lives of the men around him. He remembers praying to Jesus and feeling as if an angelic presence was holding him as he lay bleeding on the battlefield.
44 years later, Baca continues to be a giver.
The apple pies are proof. They aren’t for him, but for strangers all across the country: Wounded warriors who’ve lost limbs and families who’ve lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It’s just a delight doing this. Making some people happy, people we’ve forgotten about. But, pies…everybody likes pies,” Baca said.
“He is the most generous man I’ve ever met in my life. I don’t think he wants to own anything in this life. He wants to give it all away,” said Mike Murray, a friend and a veteran himself also living in Julian.
Thank you letters and pictures pour into Apple Alley Bakery every day from people around the country who have been touched by this unique gesture of kindness and comfort.
“It’s all just pretty amazing and overwhelming sometimes,” said Gaudette, who helps with the efforts.
So the next time you walk down Main Street in Julian, keep your eye out for a war hero on his way to the post office, a man more American than Apple Pie.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
A magnitude-4.4 earthquake, centered in San Bernardino County, jolted a widespread area of Southern California early Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The epicenter of the 1:35 a.m. earthquake was three miles north of Fontana and four miles west of Rialto, about 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
"It felt like somebody (crashed) into our building," said Sgt. Chris Hice of the Rialto Police Department.
READ: NBCLA Livetweeting the 1994 Northridge Earthquake in Real Time
Multiple aftershocks were reported in the minutes that followed the initial earthquake, according to USGS. The largest aftershock occurred at 2:07 a.m. It was a 2.3-magnitude.
"I just felt the house kind of rocking back and forth like it was on shock absorbers. It only lasted about five seconds. It sounded like a bomb going off, and the house just started rocking," Riverside resident Jeff Pracht said.
Earthquakes Page: Maps, Resources, Preparing
The shaking was felt all over the Southern Calfornia. NBCLA.com visitors outside the Inland Empire also say they felt the earthquake, including reports from West Covina, Anaheim, and even Santa Monica, which is 65 miles west of the earthquake's epicenter.
"It woke us all up in the house. First a loud pounding sound then the shaking delayed," Glendora resident Sabrina Maldonado said.
No major damage or injuries were immediately reported.
Sgt. Hice said the only report of damage in Rialto 25 minutes after the earthquake was of some broken glass at a school.
NBC4's Full Coverage of the Northridge Earthquake, 20 Years Later
Friday, Jan. 17th marks the 20th anniversary of Northridge Earthquake.
Carlsbad city councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to build a new power plant to replace the Encina Power Station.
Since the early decommission of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, San Diego Gas & Electric officials say, even with the Sunrise Powerlink, San Diego County needs more power.
They, along with the city of Carlsbad and NRG Energy have agreed to tear down the old Encina Power plant and build a new one on the same site but further from Carlsbad's coastline just north of Cannon Road.
NRG West owns the 95-acre Encina site and believes the new plant will be less visible because it will sit in a bowl-like area on the property.
“This amended project is much better than any other scenarios we had in the past,” said John Chillemi, NRG Regional President. “It meets the best control technology which means emissions will be as low as possible.”
Carlsbad resident Kerry Siekmann thinks the new location is still too close
“Why take a scarce resource like coast property and put a power plant on it,” she asks.
Siekmann admits this is a better plan than ones before, but she believes safety is still an issue.
Now with plan approved, NRG has to get permits which will address some of those safety concerns.
Construction is expected to take about two years.
If all goes as planned, NRG says the new plant could be online by November 2017. An image (below) of the proposed power plant was shared by NRG West.
This year’s flu season has seen a rise in hospitalizations and deaths across the country. Although the season typically reaches its peak in January and February, this round has already seen fatalities in several states. Experts urge that it is not too late to get a flu shot.
The predominant flu strain affecting the country is H1N1. Back in 2009, an H1N1 pandemic killed over 200,000 people worldwide. Swine flu is not expected to pose a similar danger this time because the current flu vaccine includes protection against H1N1. But the CDC warned that the 2013-2014 season will be most dangerous to young- and middle-aged adults, as it was in 2009. By contrast, common seasonal influenza victims are children and those over the age of 65.
As of early January, the CDC documented 2,622 influenza-related hospitalizations for the season.
In order to properly protect yourself from the rising rate of flu-related sickness, here are five things to keep in mind for a safe and healthy season:
Get a flu shot, even if you already got one last year
This year’s vaccine contains the most up-to-date protection against the circulating strains, including H1N1. An old flu shot will not protect you for a new season. There are also different types of vaccinations available for those with allergies. The flu vaccine finder on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ flu website is a good tool to find the nearest location that fits your need.
Practice proper hygiene
Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleanser after you go to the bathroom, cough, or sneeze. Don’t think that antibacterial gels will be a good substitute. A gel is only a worthy replacement for hand-washing if it is made from over 60 percent alcohol, ethanol or isopropanol, Dr. Roshini Raj said on “Today.”
Avoid touching your phone too often in between washes
Your phone could be a magnet for germs, especially if it’s a touchscreen, NBC DFW reported. Try a disinfectant every once in a while to remove those unwanted pathogens.
Learn how to recognize the symptoms
If prevention doesn’t help you avoid catching the flu, noticing symptoms early on is your best chance for ensuring proper treatment and recovery. Common symptoms include a cough, fever, sore throat, headache, fatigue, and muscle pains. If you think you may be coming down with the flu, see your doctor immediately. Dr. Keri Peterson warned on “Today" that even if you’ve already gotten the flu, you may be susceptible to a different strain.
Do your research
Check out the WHO, CDC, NIH and other trusted websites for more tips to avoid catching the flu. You can also use Google’s Flu Trends map to track the level of influenza nationally and locally.
A man heard frantic barking early Tuesday from the back yard of his northern San Fernando Valley before a mountain lion dragged away his 20-pound dog, one of several reported mountain lion sightings during the past week in the area.
Duke, a 6-year-old Chihuahua mix, was in his bed on the back patio when homeowner Harry Terdarsagyan heard the commotion. He looked out his upstairs window of his Sun Vally house, adjacent to a hillside, and saw the big cat dragging the dog away.
"He was fighting for his life," said Terdarsagyan.
A similar dog-mountain lion encounter was caught on a home security camera in the same area about one week ago. The homeowner's 80-pound boxer disappeared after the sighting.
Read: Lion Whisperer Rolls With Big Cats
On Jan. 3, two Rhodesian ridgebacks at a Burbank home near the Verdugo Mountains suffered cuts during a confrontation with a mountain lion.The homeowner estimated the mountain lion's weight at about 120 pounds.
Mountain lion attacks involving dogs also have been reported in San Bernardino County.
A motorcyclist was injured in a hit-and-run crash near Interstate 15 in Mira Mesa Wednesday.
San Diego police responded to the intersection of Mercy Road and southbound I-15 at 6 a.m.
The motorcycle rider was traveling eastbound on Mercy Road crossing the I-15 overpass when he was struck by a lowered white Honda Civic that ran the red light, officers said.
The driver of the Honda did not stop and went northbound on I -15 according to investigators.
Officers said the 33-year-old man suffered a head injury and a broken leg in the crash.
SDPD closed the intersection as officers investigated the incident, causing delays for commuters.
Investigators said the Honda is missing the driver's side mirror.
Check back for update on this developing story.
A fatal accident that killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist from San Diego caused major traffic problems during Tuesday’s evening commute along Interstate 805.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident happened just before 4 p.m.
Officials said the young motorcyclist was driving a 2000 Yamaha R6 motorcycle southbound on I-805 near Landis Street at a high speed when lost control and crashed into a 2012 International tow truck.
Officials said the motorcyclist was ejected from his bike and into the path of the oncoming tow truck, which was unable to avoid striking the motorcyclist.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the tow truck, a 35-year-old man from Imperial Beach, was not injured in the crash.
The CHP issued a Sig Alert for southbound I-805 from Interstate 15 to University Avenue following the deadly collision. At one point, at around 4:35 p.m., the entire southbound side of the freeway was closed. Traffic backed up for miles.
Get up-to-date traffic conditions here.
CHP, tow trucks and emergency crews all cleared the scene around 5:30 p.m.
The names of the victim or the driver of the tow truck have not been released.
Check back for updates.
Police are searching for a pair of men accused of distracting an elderly woman at a San Diego grocery store in a ploy to steal her wallet from her purse.
The theft – captured on surveillance video above – happened on the afternoon of Dec. 29 at a Whole Foods market located at 8825 Villa La Jolla Dr. Officials released details of the crime for the first time Wednesday.
According to investigators, the 80-year-old victim placed her open purse containing her wallet in the basket of her shopping cart as she walked around the store, catching the attention of two unknown men who then began following the woman around as she shopped.
At one point, in the frozen foods aisle, one of the men distracted the woman by asking her to help him find a food item. As she helped him, police said the second suspect approached the woman’s shopping cart, reached into her open purse and snatched her wallet in a move caught on tape.
Though the victim didn’t actually see the man steal her wallet, police said she quickly realized it was missing and reported the crime.
Both suspects, pictured clearly below, were last seen walking out of the store and remain at large two weeks later.
Police are hoping that releasing their photographs and the surveillance tape will generate leads. Anyone with information on this theft or these men should contact the San Diego Police Department’s Elder Abuse Unit at (619) 446-1063 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
A Chula Vista man has been arrested in connection with a string of brazen armed robberies targeting a local taco shop and convenience store over the past three months, officials said.
According to the Chula Vista Police Department, 23-year-old Victor Bernal is allegedly responsible for at least four armed robberies that took place between Oct. 28, 2013 and Jan. 12, 2014, at a 7-Eleven and a taco shop in Chula Vista.
In each case, investigators said Bernal wore the same outfit: camouflage fatigues, a ski mask and a possible tactical vest. After entering the stores, he pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded cash from the register. He then fled on foot.
Bernal was arrested Tuesday morning after officials served a search warrant in the 1400-block of Second Avenue. During the search, police said they discovered various pieces of evidence linking Bernal to the taco shop robberies. Detectives believe he acted alone in the crimes.
Investigators said the first in Bernal’s alleged string of robberies happened on Oct. 28, 2013, at around 1 a.m. at a 7-Eleven store located at 1482 Hilltop Dr.
After that, on Nov. 28, the El Ranchero Taco Shop located at 1324 Third Avenue was robbed at gunpoint by a man matching the same description as the 7-Eleven robbery. Then, on Christmas Eve around midnight, police said Bernal robbed that same El Ranchero Taco Shop once again, wearing the same clothes, while armed with a handgun.
Finally, police said the last in the series of crimes happened this past Sunday, again at the El Ranchero Taco Shop on Third Avenue.
Following his arrest on Tuesday Bernal was booked into jail on four counts of robbery. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Police are looking for the person who robbed a North County Verizon store at gunpoint.
The armed robbery happened around 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Verizon store in the 3700 block of Plaza Dr. in Oceanside.
Oceanside police said the suspect got away with 15 Apples iPhones and cash. No one was hurt.
No suspect description was given.
On Jan. 7, an armed man stole $17,000 worth of iPhones from a Sprint store in Poway. Surveillance video shows the suspect forcing employees to fill a bag with iPhones.
There is no indication the two robberies are related.
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There is a new addition to the Grevy's zebra herd at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
The foal, named Tanu, is on exhibit and visible to those using the park’s tram.
Bakagu, Tanu’s mother, keeps the newborn close to her side at all times, according to park officials.
The new zebra was born January 5 and can tell his mom from the other zebras in the herd by memorizing her stripes.
Park staffers are excited about the birth because it helps protect the endangered Grevy’s zebras, a species threatened by anthrax outbreaks.
There are estimated to be 2,250 of the animals in the wild and San Diego Zoo Global has had 140 Grevy's zebra births at its two facilities.
