An 11-year-old girl allegedly escaped the clutches of a possible kidnapper in the Logan Heights area Saturday morning, according to San Diego police.

The San Diego Police Department said a parent called authorities around 10:45 a.m. to report that an unknown man had tried to grab her daughter in the 2900-block of Franklin Ave.

The parent said her child was able to get away and run home. She was not harmed.

Police say the alleged attempted kidnapping suspect is described as a white man in his 30s wearing a white T-shirt with two horizontal stripes. He had short, black hair.

No vehicle description was immediately available.

As of noon, police had not yet contacted the suspect.

According to the Coronado Police Department, a suspected kidnapping involving a suspect with a similar description to the Logan Heights incident happened in Coronado Saturday just before 10:30 a.m. Officials said the incidents may not be related but the similarities have police investigating both incidents further.

The investigation is ongoing. Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

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Current sports commentator and former NFL player Darren Sharper has been arrested on suspicion of rape in Los Angeles, officials said.

Sharper, a Miami resident, was arrested Friday in connection with sexual assaults in October 2013 and January 2014 in the West Los Angeles area, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Sharper, currently a commentator with the NFL Network, was booked and held on $200,000 bail. He posted bail just before midnight on Friday, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.
 

Humble. Modest. Passionate. Funny.

Those were just a few of the words loved ones and colleagues used to describe Jerry Coleman at a public memorial service Saturday in San Diego dedicated to the iconic Padres baseball announcer.

“Humble, modest beyond means, caring beyond kind, valor above duty,” said San Diego Padres broadcaster Dick Enberg, describing his friend and colleague to a crowd of nearly 5,000 fans at Petco Park. “He left us, as he lived: gracefully and without fanfare.”

“I feel he’s still up in the booth – like I should look up there and we should see that San Diego Padres cap and microphone and [him] chanting away: ‘Use both hands, don’t catch it with one hand!’”

Coleman’s daughter, Chelsea Coleman, also spoke before the large crowd, thanking fans on behalf of her family for their outpouring of love and support not only now, but throughout the years.

“Thank you for listening to 42 years of Padres baseball. Thank you for laughing with us. Thank you for sharing your memories of him. And thank you for being here today,” said Chelsea.

“If he were here, he’d probably play this moment down, ask if we’d known that he’d won the war single-handedly or suggest we should all have something better to do than focus on him,” she added.

“But deep down, he would be proud because here, represented in this space, are the three things he cared for most: his country, his game and the people who loved him and who he, in turn, loved. That includes you, San Diego baseball fans, because you were his second family.”

Chelsea also thanked the Padres and Marine Corps for their support during such a difficult time. And, in closing, Coleman’s daughter showed her playful side, undoubtedly inherited from her father.

“Semper Fi – and Beat L.A.!” she said with a smile, as the crowd went wild.

Saturday’s memorial, organized by the San Diego Padres, celebrated the life and legacy of Coleman, who died on Jan. 5 at the age of 89.

Featuring several key speakers, the baseball announcer's colleagues, friends and loved ones shared fond memories and stories of Coleman long, eventful life.

For instance, Padres broadcaster Bob Chandler – Coleman’s former broadcast partner who’s known him for more than four decades – recalled the moment he and Coleman first started working together.

“He told me, ‘You know, Bob, it’s a long season and it’s a small booth,’ so in other words, it’s a good idea to get along,” recalled Chandler with a chuckle.

“I can honestly say I never had a serious argument with Jerry in all those years of broadcasting and I guarantee you, there aren’t many broadcast booths that can say that,” he added.

Chandler also said that he and his colleagues would agree that Coleman is “the most beloved sports figure in the history of San Diego.”

Padres broadcaster Randy Jones also spoke, recalling memories of sitting with Coleman at the ballpark, taking in a game and munching on peanuts. He said that in their 40 years of friendship, there was never a dull moment with Coleman.

“I can’t remember one day in the 40 years that I looked up at Jerry Coleman and wasn’t excited to see him,” said Jones. “I’m honored to call Jerry Coleman my friend and he’ll be part of our Padres family for life.”

Between tears, Coleman’s longtime radio partner Ted Leitner also shared some emotional words and anecdotes about his dear friend.

“That’s my partner. That’s my guy,” said Leitner.

“You are the best man I have ever known,” he said, speaking directly to Coleman.

Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said Coleman’s death has left a large void for the Padres, but he will never be forgotten.

"Jerry was the very soul of this organization," said Fowler before the crowd.

Coleman – who coined the memorable phrases “Oh, Doctor!” and “You can hang a star on that baby!” during his long career in the Padres announcer booth – spent more than 70 years in pro baseball, a career that included four World Series titles with the New York Yankees.

His baseball career was interrupted by World War II and the Korean War, when he served as a Marine Corps pilot. He flew 120 missions combined in the two wars.

In honor of his time as a U.S. service member, the U.S. Marine Corps paid their respects to Coleman with a 21-gun salute. The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Band played “Taps” and more than 150 Marines attended the service.

There were two flyovers at the stadium – including one by a T-6 SNJ aircraft from 1942, similar to the one Coleman flew in World War II – all to honor the former Marine, Hall-of-Famer and one of San Diego’s most recognized voices and heroes.

For fans who’d like to make a donation in Coleman’s memory, the Padres say the Coleman family recommends making a contribution to the Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit that supports injured and ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

Farewell, Mr. Coleman.
 

The East County community of Alpine is about to get a brand-new grocery store as Barons Market moves into the neighborhood.

The small grocery store chain – which focuses on all-natural, healthy, fresh and affordable food – announced their newest location Friday, slated to open sometime this spring at 1347 Tavern Rd. in the Alpine Creek Shopping Center.

On their Facebook page Friday, Barons Market owners posted a photo of the shiny, brand-new keys to their new location.

This new store will be the fifth Barons Market location to open in Southern California, joining the company’s list of existing stores in Point Loma, Rancho Bernardo, Temecula and Wildomar, Calif.

Company reps say the 15,000-square-foot space will be transformed with the help of architect Dan Mortorana and interior designer Julie Dugas – the same duo behind the company’s four existing markets.

The new location will bring approximately 25 new, local jobs to the neighborhood. Management plans to prioritize hiring locally from Alpine, reps said Friday. An announcement about a special job fair for interested applicants is expected six weeks prior to the store’s grand opening.

Rachel Shemirani, marketing manager and daughter of Barons Market founder, Joe Shemirani, said the new store will serve an area of the far East County that has limited shopping options.

“Alpine was one of our most requested new store locations,” she said in a statement released Friday.

“This community has a thriving outdoors culture with more hikes and running paths than places to buy healthy, fresh food. We noticed a gap, heard the demand and took advantage of the opportunity to become a part of the community. We are thrilled to be opening our newest location in such a tight-knit neighborhood,” she continued.

Like Barons Markets before it, this location will feature a large selection of organic, natural and specialty foods and fresh produce from local farms. The store will also boast more than 500 gluten-free items, a hot soup bar, fresh salad bar and antipasto bar and more than 400 microbrews showcasing San Diego’s craft beer culture.

To find out more about this new grocery store and upcoming job fair, visit the Barons Market website.

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A 65-year-old Avon man is facing charges after investigators found more than 3,000 child pornography files at his home, according to police.

The arrest came about after state police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which discovered that one of Kevin Brownell’s email accounts may have been associated with child pornography, authorities said.

Investigators searched Brownell’s home on Lakeview Boulevard and found more than 3,000 child pornography pictures on his electronic devices, according to police.

Brownell was arrested Friday morning and charged with possession of child pornography.

His bond was set at $85,000. Brownell appeared in court Jan. 17.

Brownell is a former NBC Connecticut employee.

It's not unusual to be asked to show identification in order to make certain purchases, but now there's a growing trend among retailers to swipe your driver's license through an electronic reader.

That action has many consumers wondering what is being tracked and why.

The strip works like a credit card, but it contains all the information that's on the front of your license: name, address, and driver's license number. It's personal information, and the gathering of that personal info has consumers asking questions – with few answers from businesses.

"I don’t have any problem with being carded, but they actually take your driver’s license and actually swipe that data into their computer," said Escondidio resident Eric Abel.

“They swipe license to verify age," she said. “(They) leave an audit trail so that if they get audited they have proof that they did verify they were of legal age when purcahsing alcohol."

Target is  not alone in swiping IDs. Victoria’s Secret, Rite-Aid and other businesses swipe IDs for purchasing certain medicines or returning items. But what happens to your personal information? Legally the data cannot be retained for any other purpose.

Target did not respond to repeated inquiries on the issue, and in light of recent security breaches concern among consumers is rising.

"Frankly, I don't think they throw data away,” Abel said. “Nobody ever throws data away."

Consumers are generally OK with business asking for identification, but they don't trust the businesses to protect their personal information. As retailers and consumers get more high tech few see this problem going away.

A car connected to a man missing since the deadly Christmas Eve shooting of his fiancée and brother outside a San Diego mall was found in Riverside, Calif., on Friday, officials confirmed. Inside the trunk, police found the body of a yet-to-be-identified man.

According to the San Diego Police Department, the 2004 green Toyota Camry tied to missing Tierrasanta resident Gianni Belvedere, 24, was found at 12:30 p.m. in the 19500-block of Van Buren Boulevard by Riverside police officers.

On Friday night, the website of the Riverside County coroner's office listed the person in the trunk as 24 years old, adding that the person was the "victim of a homicide." The man's name has not yet been released.

Police said a passerby called authorities around 11:45 a.m. and told dispatchers a vehicle was parked in the area and there was a foul odor coming from the trunk area.

When officers arrived on scene, they met with the caller, who pointed out the vehicle. When officers popped open the trunk, they the man's body inside.

After running the license plates on the vehicle, officers learned the car was connected to the missing person case of Gianni Belvedere out of San Diego.

San Diego Police Department homicide detectives were called to the city north of San Diego County to investigate. They are now working alongside the Riverside Police Department on these latest developments.

As of 8:30 p.m. Friday, police had not yet released the identity of the man inside the trunk, nor the specific manner of his death. That information will be officially released at a later time by the coroner's office, police said.

On Dec. 24, 2013, at around 1:15 a.m., San Diego residents Ilona Flint and Salvatore Belvedere were critically shot by an unknown suspect in a parking lot outside a Macy’s department store at Westfield Mission Valley Mall.

Flint was shot in the head but still managed to call 911 to report the shooting, telling dispatchers she was injured near the mall. Salvatore was shot in the head and torso.

Officers located the wounded duo inside a vehicle in the 1600-block of Camino Del Rio North. Flint was pronounced dead at the scene shortly thereafter, while Salvatore was transported to a local trauma center with life-threatening wounds. His death was confirmed by the SDPD and Belvedere family on Dec. 27.

Both Flint and Salvatore were 22 years old. Flint was Gianni's longtime girlfriend-turned-fiancée, while Salvatore was Gianni's younger brother.

Following the shooting, police released a vague description of a possible shooting suspect described as a man wearing tan pants, between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-11. Police also said a possible vehicle of interest in the case is a 2008 to 2011 dark gray Honda sedan.

A couple of days later, police and the Belvedere family confirmed that Gianni was missing and that loved ones hadn't heard from him since the fatal shootings of Flint and Salvatore.

San Diego police said Gianni has been missing since the night of Dec. 23 and was last seen at his Tierrasanta home just hours before shooting. The Belvedere family has said that Gianni may have been at the mall with Flint and Salvatore in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve.

Over the last few weeks, police have said there was no trace of the missing man. On Jan. 9, SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings confirmed Gianni’s cell phone and credit cards had not been used since he vanished.

At that time, Lt. Hastings also told NBC 7 that police had been in constant contact with the Belvedere family as investigators continued searching for leads in both the slayings and Gianni’s disappearance.

The Belvedere family has pleaded for Gianni’s safe return too, offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to their loved one.

Police issued a missing person bulletin for Gianni describing him as an Italian-American man with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6 feet tall, 165 pounds and likely driving a four-door, dark green 2004 Toyota Camry XLE with the Utah license plate B154VZ.

On Friday, police confirmed the car featured in that missing person bulletin was the vehicle discovered in Riverside. Detectives had not yet determined how long the car had been parked in that lot.

Meanwhile, San Diego police have yet to name a suspect in the slayings of Flint and Salvatore but investigators have said it does not appear the mall parking lot shooting was tied to any sort of robbery.

Last week, Lt. Hastings told NBC 7 that this is one of the most unusual cases he’s seen in his 20-year career. Though the Belvedere brothers and Flint are originally from Utah, Lt. Hastings said he had no reason to believe that Gianni had ever left California.

On Saturday, Riverside officials said an autopsy on the man found in the trunk would not be performed until next week, possibly on Wednesday.

Two family dogs were killed in a fire that engulfed an Oceanside home early Saturday morning, officials confirmed.

The Oceanside Fire Department said crews were called to a house fire in the 4400-block of Pebble Beach Drive at 5:40 a.m. Upon arrival, firefighters could see large amounts of heavy fire and smoke coming from the back of the residence.

Officials said the residents of the home had been able to safely evacuate and were found uninjured in front of the house.

There were seven family dogs inside the home. Firefighters were able to rescue five of those pets but two of the dogs were not found in time and died in the fire, officials said.

The surviving dogs were reunited with the family.

A total of 30 firefighters and emergency personnel were called to battle the blaze, including five engines, two trucks, one medic unit, a fire investigator and three battalion chiefs.

The fire was knocked out within 30 minutes.

The Oceanside Fire Department said the blaze was difficult to locate because it extended into an attic space. This also made it challenging for crews to stop the fire from spreading into other parts of the home.

Officials said the home sustained heavy damage throughout, with the exception of the garage. Everything inside the home was heavily damaged and destroyed, officials said, and the structure is considered a total loss.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No firefighters were injured. The Oceanside Police Department provided this photograph of the scene Saturday, which shows the challenging blaze:

The family of a man killed in a hit and run accident involving a San Diego Gas & Electric employee driving a company utility truck plans to sue SDG&E over the accident, the victim's stepson confirmed in an exclusive interview with NBC 7.

Robert Fisher, 54, was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Jan. 6 involving an SDG&E truck.

According to the El Cajon Police Department, Fisher was crossing the 200-block of Jamacha Road south of East Main Street at around 10 p.m. that night when the Ford 550 truck fatally hit him. He was left lying in the middle of the street and moments later, a second, separate vehicle approached the street and accidentally ran over him again. That second driver stayed at the scene and called police.

After a few days of searching for the hit and run driver, witnesses and evidence led investigators to an El Cajon address where the suspect was found and the SDG&E utility truck was seized.

Police say the SDG&E employee was not on the job when he hit Fisher.The victim was a transient who frequented the El Cajon area.

On Friday night, nearly two weeks after the deadly accident, Fisher's stepson, Jared Bye, spoke with NBC 7 about his stepfather's sudden death.

While dealing with his mother’s death, Bye says he had been looking for his stepfather on the streets on El Cajon for months. He learned about the accident from his father’s friends.

Bye wonders how the hit and run driver couldn't left his stepfather on the street, and why.

“Why didn't they come back, you know?” Bye said. “They just left him for dead. I just want to see justice on this whole thing.”

Attorney Dan Gilleon says the family is looking to sue SDG&E.

“If I were to hit anybody and flee the scene and the police knew that, I would be arrested. You would be arrested,” Gilleon said. “I just wonder myself why is it SDG&E's employee is getting treated differently from what it seems most of us would be treated.”

Both the El Cajon Police Department and SDG&E are conducting investigations.

The company says it can't provide more information about the driver because of personnel privacy rules. A spokesperson released this statement regarding the incident:

"SDG&E continues to cooperate fully with authorities. This is a tragic accident. The employee is no longer with our company."

NBC 7 has reached out to the El Cajon Police Department. So far, no word on an arrest or charges in this hit and run.

A car connected to a man missing since the deadly Christmas Eve shooting of his fiancée and brother outside a San Diego mall was found in Riverside, Calif., on Friday, officials confirmed. Inside the trunk, police found the decomposed body of a man.

On Saturday, a family member of the missing man confirmed the body is that of Tierrasanta resident Gianni Belvedere, 24.

According to the San Diego Police Department, the 2004 green Toyota Camry tied to Belvedere was found at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the 19500-block of Van Buren Boulevard by Riverside police officers.

On Friday night, the website of the Riverside County coroner's office listed the person in the trunk as 24 years old, adding that the person was the "victim of a homicide."

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, the man's name had not yet been formally released by authorities, pending a full report from the Riverside coroner's office.

Police said a passerby called authorities around 11:45 a.m. Friday and told dispatchers a vehicle was parked in the area and there was a foul odor coming from the trunk area.

When officers arrived on scene, they met with the caller, who pointed out the vehicle. When officers popped open the trunk, they the man's body inside.

After running the license plates on the vehicle, officers learned the car was connected to the missing person case of Gianni Belvedere out of San Diego.

San Diego Police Department homicide detectives were called to the city north of San Diego County to investigate. They are now working alongside the Riverside Police Department on these latest developments.

On Dec. 24, 2013, at around 1:15 a.m., San Diego residents Ilona Flint and Salvatore Belvedere were critically shot by an unknown suspect in a parking lot outside a Macy’s department store at Westfield Mission Valley Mall.

Flint was shot in the head but still managed to call 911 to report the shooting, telling dispatchers she was injured near the mall. Salvatore was shot in the head and torso.

Officers located the wounded duo inside a vehicle in the 1600-block of Camino Del Rio North. Flint was pronounced dead at the scene shortly thereafter, while Salvatore was transported to a local trauma center with life-threatening wounds. His death was confirmed by the SDPD and Belvedere family on Dec. 27.

Both Flint and Salvatore were 22 years old. Flint was Gianni's longtime girlfriend-turned-fiancée, while Salvatore was Gianni's younger brother.

Following the shooting, police released a vague description of a possible shooting suspect described as a man wearing tan pants, between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-11. Police also said a possible vehicle of interest in the case is a 2008 to 2011 dark gray Honda sedan.

A couple of days later, police and the Belvedere family confirmed that Gianni was missing and that loved ones hadn't heard from him since the fatal shootings of Flint and Salvatore.

San Diego police said Gianni has been missing since the night of Dec. 23 and was last seen at his Tierrasanta home just hours before shooting. The Belvedere family has said that Gianni may have been at the mall with Flint and Salvatore in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve.

Over the last few weeks, police have said there was no trace of the missing man. On Jan. 9, SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings confirmed Gianni’s cell phone and credit cards had not been used since he vanished.

At that time, Lt. Hastings also told NBC 7 that police had been in constant contact with the Belvedere family as investigators continued searching for leads in both the slayings and Gianni’s disappearance.

The Belvedere family has pleaded for Gianni’s safe return too, offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to their loved one.

Police issued a missing person bulletin for Gianni describing him as an Italian-American man with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6 feet tall, 165 pounds and likely driving a four-door, dark green 2004 Toyota Camry XLE with the Utah license plate B154VZ.

On Friday, police confirmed the car featured in that missing person bulletin was the vehicle discovered in Riverside. Detectives had not yet determined how long the car had been parked in that lot.

Meanwhile, San Diego police have yet to name a suspect in the slayings of Flint and Salvatore but investigators have said it does not appear the mall parking lot shooting was tied to any sort of robbery.

Last week, Lt. Hastings told NBC 7 that this is one of the most unusual cases he’s seen in his 20-year career. Though the Belvedere brothers and Flint are originally from Utah, Lt. Hastings said he had no reason to believe that Gianni had ever left California.

On Saturday, Riverside officials told NBC 7 that an autopsy on the man found in the trunk would not be performed until next week, possibly on Wednesday.

The family source that spoke to NBC 7 Saturday did not want to be identified and asked for privacy for the Belvedere family at this time.

A Pennsylvania priest was arrested on Friday after he allegedly groped a man inside a YMCA locker room.

Police say Father John Roebuck, 64, of Lansdale, was at the North Penn YMCA back on December 15 around 7 p.m.

Roebuck approached another man inside the sauna and the two talked briefly, according to investigators. Police say Roebuck then followed the man into the locker room a short time later. As the man began to leave, police say Roebuck extended his hand to say goodbye. Roebuck then allegedly grabbed the man’s genitals with his other hand.

Police say the alleged victim reported the incident to the YMCA staff. An employee confronted Roebuck and questioned him but Roebuck denied the accusations against him, according to investigators.

Roebuck met with detectives on December 19 and was interviewed about the alleged incident. After an investigation, police issued a warrant for Roebuck’s arrest. Roebuck surrendered to police on Friday and was arraigned with bail set at $50,000 unsecured. He is charged with indecent assault without consent and harassment.

Roebuck is a parochial vicar at Saint Stanislaus in Lansdale. He has been placed on administrative leave by the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
 

At least 14 people were arrested at a rally outside the Fullerton Police Department on Saturday to protest the acquittal of two former Fullerton, Calif., officers accused in the beating death of Kelly Thomas.

The protest, organized mostly through social media, drew a few hundred people and came in the wake of a jury’s decision to acquit former Officer Manuel Ramos and former Cpl. Jay Cicinelli in the 2011 death of the 37-year-old homeless man outside a Fullerton transit station.

Full Coverage: Kelly Thomas Case

Ron Thomas, Kelly's father, was at the protest gathering the crowd and asking them who would join him at a Fullerton City Council meeting in a few days, attendee Ky Sisson said via Twitter.

Protesters were peaceful for the majority of the rally until police ordered the crowd to disperse when some people turned violent, according to the Fullerton Police Department.

One group of protesters surrounded a news photographer and attacked her, then surrounded her news van to keep it from leaving, police said.

Crowds took over intersections and blocked streets, intimidated drivers and vandalized businesses, police said.

"At this point, we had no choice but to step in and issue a dispersal order, declaring the protest an unlawful assembly," Fullerton Police Chief Dan Hughes said.

Ten people were arrested for refusal to disperse, and two people were arrested for vandalism, and one person was arrested for robbery, Fullerton police said. One person was arrested in connection with the assault of the news crew.

All were cooperating with officers, police said.

Multiple Attempted Kidnappings in Santa Monica

The Kelly Thomas case ignited outrage in the community and led to the recall of three Fullerton City Council members, the departure of the city’s police chief and a scathing report that accused the department of ignoring misconduct among its ranks.

Jurors reached their decision after only one day of deliberations. After the decision came down, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced it would drop charges against Joseph Wolfe, the third former Fullerton police officer accused in the beating death of Kelly Thomas.

Gov. Brown Declares CA Drought Emergency

Hours after the officers’ acquittals, the FBI announced it would examine evidence in the trial to see if further investigation is needed.

Police search teams in Queens are continuing to scour a site where human remains were found as tests are underway to determine if the remains are those of missing autistic teen Avonte Oquendo.

A human arm, a torso and pair of legs were found just southwest of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge earlier this week. Police divers and cadaver dogs recovered more remains this weekend, including teeth and another arm.
     
Most of the remains were found on a rocky shore near the College Point Yacht Club, about 11 miles from where Avonte disappeared more than three months ago. 
     
The remains were found in clothes and sneakers similar to those Avonte wore the day he ran from his school in Long Island City and vanished.

The remains were taken to a morgue where the medical examiner's office will try to identify them and determine a cause of death.

"It's not Avonte until the DNA evidence comes in and says it is,” said Avonte's family's attorney, David Perecman Saturday. “On the other hand, it's not looking great."

Is the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park worthy of its own postage stamp? California Congresswoman Susan Davis thinks so, and she’s asking the United States Postal Service to make this happen before the San Diego landmark’s big 2015 centennial celebration.

According to Davis’ office, the representative for the 53rd congressional district recently introduced this resolution, which requests that the USPS’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) issue a postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition at Balboa Park.

Davis’ proposal goes on to ask that the CSAC “recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.”

“Balboa Park is a crown jewel in the heart of San Diego,” said Davis in a media release.

“It is an integral part of the lives of San Diegans and we are so proud of it. As Balboa Park prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2015, this stamp will honor the Panama-California Exhibition and would provide an opportunity for San Diego to once again show off Balboa Park to the rest of the world,” she continued.

According to the USPS website, the CSAC – a group established in 1957 – responds to as many as 40,000 inquiries each year recommending stamp subjects and designs.

The committee, which currently includes 13 members, gathers for two-day meetings four times each year. During those meetings, the members review all eligible proposals.

Criteria for consideration include the historical significance of the subject and that the subject is of “broad national interest,” according to the USPS. The subject should be educational, contemporary, relevant and timely.

Once a stamp is approved, the USPS consults with art directors under contract with the Postal Service to find artists to execute the designs.

Davis’ proposal for the Balboa Park 100th anniversary stamp is co-sponsored by Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Zoe Lofgren; Rep. Scott H. Peters and Rep. Juan Vargas.

Julie Dublick, CEO of Balboa Park Celebration, Inc., also supports the effort.

“We applaud Congresswoman Davis for making possible this colorful extension of the Centennial Celebration's worldwide brand," said Dubick.

Next year, the 2015 Balboa Park centennial will include a host of special events, world-class exhibits and special programming in Balboa Park’s museums and theaters. Those exhibits and programming will be designed to transport visitors back in time 100 years.

From 1915 to 1917, San Diego played host to an exhibition recognizing the historic completion of the Panama Canal. Many of Balboa Park’s iconic buildings were originally constructed solely for this exhibition. Balboa Park was designated a Natural Historic Landmark in 1977.

A water main break in the Southbay flooded roadways and forced residents out of their homes early Sunday morning, according to city officials.

Officials say a 16-inch cast iron water main broke in the 1400 block of 45th Street just before 2 a.m.and began gushing water down the street.

At about 5:30 a.m., crews were able to shut off the valve, but not before the water seeped into several homes and an apartment complex.

The water reached as far as the 43rd Street exit ramp off Interstate 805.

Initially, there were worries that the flood waters included sewage, but officials later determined it was only fresh water.

The break left several customers in the 1300 and 1400 blocks of South 45th Street, and the 4400 blocks of Mayberry Street and Z Street without water service, officials said.

"I'm just like pretty shocked," said one resident who spoke with NBC San Diego. "I guess I'll have to be without water ...I [don't know] how long," he continued.

Officials have provided water wagons to those without water.

Crews estimated they will be able to return water service to residents affected by the break on Sunday evening.

As retailers continue to do damage control after recent security breaches, an expert is warning shoppers that similar attacks are likely to continue.

It's been a long road for retailers in recent weeks.

At least 110 million Target shoppers were the first to get the news that their personal information could be stolen by cyber hackers and Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. recently announced a data breach of its own.

All of this could be just the beginning of more stores bringing the same bad news to their customers says Dr. Murray Jennex, Professor of Management Information Systems at San Diego State University.

Dr. Jennex says consumers may see more of this kind of news coming as stores begin looking into their data for possible breaches.

"[Retailers] have to wonder if they have been ...all stores will have to check their systems. Several chains getting hit is a wide spread problem."

News has come out that the breach at Target and Neiman Marcus may be part of a broader scam.

Dr. Jennex believes this security breach could be the biggest of its kind since TJ MAXX's hack just four years ago.

"I have to assume as a consumer anytime I use my [card] that there is a potential to get hacked and data to be stolen," Dr. Jennex said.

Neiman Marcus spokespeople say the security breach in their system went undetected for six months.

Meanwhile, on Saturday news broke that a cyber-security company called IntelCrawler identified a 17-year-old from Russia as the person believed to be the alleged mastermind behind the virus.

The virus reportedly worked by stealing personal data as soon as the customer swiped their card, taking card numbers, pins, phone numbers, and emails.

Dr. Jennex warns consumers to be on alert when shopping, but also to go back and check their data for inaccuracies.

"Keep good paper records to know what your charges are to easily dispute anything that comes up," Dr. Jennex suggested.

A woman was stabbed at Camp Pendleton on Saturday, U.S. Marine Corps officials confirmed.

Officials would not reveal many details, except to say “there was a significant event that occurred yesterday.” They did confirm the victim had been stabbed multiple times.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

Sheriff's officials report that they received a call about possible mountain lion sightings in San Marcos' San Elijo Hills area on Sunday morning.

Deputies at the San Marcos Sheriff's Station report that they received a call just after 9 a.m. from witnesses who reported seeing a mountain lion in the 1500 block of Glencrest Drive, 1700 block of Melrose Drive, and 2200 block of Silverado Street in San Elijo Hills.

Sheriff's officials dispatched the ASTREA helicopter to fly over the area in search of the mountain lion, but were unable to confirm any of the sightings.

Deputies notified the California Department of Fish and Game and its officers also did a check of the area, but they too were unable to find a mountain lion.

CDFG officials said they also received reports of mountain lion sightings over the weekend.

Anyone with questions or concerns was asked to call the California Department of Fish and Game at (951) 443-2969.
 

An 8-year-old girl managed to escape from a man who attempted to kidnap her in Coronado on Saturday morning, according to Coronado police.

Police say the girl was rollerblading near Star Park Circle at around 10:15 a.m. when a man, driving the wrong way in the area, got out of a van and told her to get inside of it.

Although the man yelled at the girl, he did not touch her, according to police.

The young girl managed to get away from the man and skated home where she then told her mother about the incident.

Police described the suspect as being a Hispanic male who stood about 6 feet tall with a large stomach and build.

He is said to have a dragon or snake tattoo on his right arm and was last seen wearing a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans.

Police say he was driving a red van with a partial license plate of 773.

According to police, there was also a black and white dog in the van.

Anyone with information in the case was asked to call the Coronado police at (619) 522-7350.