A woman whose husband has been missing since last month after crossing into San Diego at the U.S.-Mexico border made a tearful, heartfelt plea for his safe return Tuesday.

In Spanish, between tears, Denise Renteria begged anyone who might know anything about her husband’s whereabouts to please come forward and contact police.

“We’re asking for your help from the bottom of our hearts,” she said, crying. “We’re a family that has always been together. I need him, as a husband, as the father of my child. Please help me.”

Renteria’s husband, Jose Alberto Ortigoza, 26, was last seen crossing the U.S.-Mexico border checkpoint at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in south San Diego on Jan. 24 just before 3 p.m.

On Tuesday, San Diego Police Department Lt. Kevin Mayer said Ortigoza, a Mexican national, crossed the border on foot the day he went missing but may have gotten into a 2008 or later model GMC Acadia Crossover or similar type of vehicle once he crossed into San Diego.

Lt. Mayer said Ortigoza had crossed into the U.S. to conduct business on behalf of his employer – something he did on a regular basis. His boss dropped him off at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, and that was the last time anyone saw or heard from Ortigoza to date, Lt. Mayer said.

The lieutenant said Ortigoza has had no contact with his family, friends or employer since he vanished and hasn’t used his cell phone.

Lt. Mayer said police are “exploring all possibilities” regarding Ortigoza’s disappearance and haven’t ruled anything out yet, including the possibility of foul play.

“This is very out of character for him, to be missing like this. He frequently comes back and forth across the border for business,” said Lt. Mayer. “It is a concern. We’re trying to locate him and are asking for the public’s help.”

Accompanied by San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Adriana Uribe, Renteria said she was extremely distraught over her husband’s disappearance. She addressed anyone who may be holding her husband captive with this message:

“Have a heart. Remember he has a family and we want to have him with us. Let him go,” she sobbed.

Uribe, who is also with San Diego County Crime Stoppers, said Ortigoza has worked for his employer, Especies y Granos de Baja California, for more than four years and often crossed the border for business, always without incident.

On the day Ortigoza vanished, Uribe said Ortigoza called his wife, told her he was crossing into the U.S. and said would see her later that day.

“There was no indication that day that anything was amiss,” said Uribe.

Now, nearly three weeks into his disappearance, Lt. Mayer said the reward for information leading to Ortigoza has increased from $1,000 to $5,000.

Police describe Ortigoza as a Hispanic, 5-foot-6 and 170 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and also goes by the name “Alberto.”

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the SDPD Homicide Unit’s Adult Missing Persons section at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

Add wrestling a coyote to the list of things residents have done to save their pets.

A suburban Chicago man was taking his garbage out when he said he heard “ferocious sounds” over his shoulder and realized his 8-year-old Wheaten Terrier, Bailey, had followed him outside and was about to fight a coyote.

"I hear this fearsome roaring going on and there was Bailey standing toe to toe with this coyote," said Bob, who wishes to remain anonymous for privacy concerns.

Bob attempted to intervene, kicking and nudging the coyote away, but Bailey kept returning to fight the animal.

Not knowing what else to do, Bob grabbed the coyote by the scruff and lower back, spun around and threw it about 15 feet away into a snow bank.

"I grabbed the coyote here and here, by the scruff and the back, and gave him one of these Olympic tosses," he said. "Then he went head over tail into the snow drift...I didn't even think about it at the time."

Bob was then able to get his dog inside before he began a "stare down" with the animal that ended when he made a loud noise, scaring the coyote away.

"He immediately got up gave me a look, he looked confused," Bob said. "He had enough, I had had enough, it was time to have the bell ring for the round."

Bailey suffered two small bites in the fight, but is up to date on his rabies shots and will be OK, Bob said.

Earlier, in November, a Chicago boy was bit in the face by a coyote in the city’s Austin neighborhood.

Four coyotes were trapped and euthanized in a nearby park shortly afterward.

The stomach contents of the euthanized coyotes showed human food, including a pork chop and bologna. Experts say that's evidence they're adapting to a more populated environment, and relying more on gathering food and being fed instead of their natural hunting skills.

Some residents want all coyotes removed, but experts say the residents need to do a better job of coexisting with the animals.

Cook County Animal Care administrator Donna Alexander says it's important to not leave food out, and to not interact with the animals so they'll have to rely on their natural food sources -- small rodents, deer, geese, birds and fruit.

"They're coyotes ... stamp your feet, be angry, yell at them. Keep being humans," Alexander said.

Bob said he has been extra cautious since the incident, even bringing a machete with him to get the mail.

"Hopefully there's not a next round, hopefully there's not," he said.

A 53-year-old man was hospitalized Tuesday after a pack of pit bulls, which may have belonged to him, turned on him and attacked him so brutally that one witness said it looked like his face had been ripped off.

A neighbor who witnessed the attack intervened by ramming his van through a chain-link fence, hitting one of the dogs and scaring the rest away.

"Anybody would have helped. The guy was getting killed," the neighbor Ross Papish, pictured below, told NBC4.

The attack happened around 4:15 p.m. on Honey Lane, just east of Interstate 15 and north of Central Avenue in unincorporated Lake Elsinore, according to Riverside County Animal Services.

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The victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, according to Animal Control Officer Christina Avila.

Riverside County Animal Services impounded six pit bulls – four adults and two puppies. The dogs were not fixed or licensed, which are requirements for unincorporated areas of Riverside County. One dog has since been put down, according to an NBC4 report.

READ: Pasadena Police Shoot Dogs After Man's Attack

It is uncertain how many dogs were involved in the attack.

A neighbor told NBC4 Wednesday that she saw four dogs on top of the victim at the time of the attack. She added that the victim owned all of the dogs. Authorities said that at least one of the dogs belonged to the victim.

In an off-camera interview, the neighbor told NBC4's Jacob Rascon that the victim looked as if his face had been ripped off.

“It was bad," said neighbor Cecilia Smith. "There were pieces of his flesh on the ground."

The victim may have been trying to break up a fight between the two male dogs, according to Avila. However the investigation is still ongoing.

The dog owner's roommate told NBC4 that the pit bulls attacked when the victim tried to hit one of them.

Papish said he decided to ram the fence after he couldn't get it to open.

"My dad is epic," Papish's son told NBC4. "He saved someone's life."

A man who calmly walked up to a Los Angeles Police Department patrol car and took a metal bar to the windows Tuesday afternoon had tourists and superhero-look-alikes puzzled as they watched on Hollywood Boulevard.

Australian visitor Danielle Mitchell was one of those of observers, who captured the incident on camera.

WATCH: LAPD Car Windows Smashed in Hollywood

"I’m not really surprised. I’ve seen a lot of crazy things over the years happen on the Hollywood boulevard. This is probably the most interesting thing I’ve seen happen," Mitchell said.

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The incident began to unfold about 1 p.m. when a bar-wielding man approached the parked police car and smashed out all windows but the windshield. He then reached into the car, took out a laptop computer, opened it and began typing, LAPD officials said.

Not long after the car's glass shattered, police had the man on the ground and spread out across one of the Hollywood Walk of Fame's gold stars as they handcuffed him.

"Hollywood is a dynamic place, and if a crime is committed here, it will be dealt with immediately and decisively," city councilman Mitch O'Farrell told NBC4.

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The arrest went down in Hollywood fashion as folks dressed as "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader and Superman watched nearby.

"Just another day in Hollyweird, you know what I mean," a man dressed as Ironman said.

The man, who is a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, police said. He did not say why he smashed the windows.

The man was identfied as Leyston Rice, 27. Bond was set at $20,000.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter says he will retire after this season, ending one of the greatest careers in the history of baseball's most storied franchise.

The 39-year-old captain posted a long letter on his Facebook page Wednesday saying that 2014 will be his final year.

A 13-time All-Star who has led the Yankees to five World Series championships, Jeter was limited to 17 games last season while trying to recover from a broken left ankle sustained in the 2012 playoffs.

"I know it in my heart. The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball," he wrote.

Jeter was the last link to the powerful Yankees teams that won three straight World Series crowns from 1998-2000. Longtime teammates Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte retired after last year.

"Last year was a tough one for me. As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realized that some of the things that always came easily to me and were always fun had started to become a struggle," Jeter wrote. "The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward."

"So really it was months ago when I realized that this season would likely be my last. As I came to this conclusion and shared it with my friends and family, they all told me to hold off saying anything until I was absolutely 100 percent sure," he wrote.

"And the thing is, I could not be more sure," he wrote.

His agent, Casey Close, said Jeter wanted to declare his intentions before the Yankees start spring training later this week so that his future status wouldn't be a distraction.

Jeter is the Yankees' career hits leader with 3,316. He is a lifetime .312 hitter in 19 seasons, with 256 home runs and 1,261 RBIs.

Jeter has scored 1,876 runs and stolen 348 bases. He also is a five-time Gold Glove winner.

Last season, Jeter hit just .190 with one homer and seven RBIs.

Jeter has said he's fully ready for spring training this year and set to play.

Jeter worked out at the Yankees' spring training complex on Wednesday and left around noon, giving no hint that he was about to announce his plans.
 

Law enforcement officials have released a sketch in the hopes of finding a man who attacked a Vista woman as she was walking into her apartment.

The victim told San Diego County sheriff’s deputies that she was coming home to her apartment near Bonair Road in Vista around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9.

As she opened the door, a man walked up behind her and held what she thought was a gun to her head.

The man told her to get inside the apartment and forced her into the kitchen, deputies said.

The victim told officials the man attempted to blindfold her.

Deputies said there was a struggle and the suspect ran from the scene.

On Wednesday, San Diego Crimestoppers released the drawing of a possible suspect with a description provided by the victim.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, 20 to 24 years old, 5-foot-8 to 6-foot, weighing 130 to 140 pounds with a thin build.

He is believed to be clean-shaven with short, black hair combed back. He has brown eyes and medium brown complexion, officials said.

He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants and black shoes.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in this case. Call (760) 940‐4551 for more information. 

The Forensic Health Services center in Escondido will meet with community leaders on Thursday to find ways to keep its doors open after 30 years in the community.

The center has to find its own sponsors now after they lost funding from Palomar Health due to budget cuts from the hospital.

Law enforcement gives some funding to the center while Palomar Health was covering about $200,000 a year to keep it running.

The Forensic Health Services is the only center of its kind in the North County and works as a joint Child Abuse Program and Sexual Assault Response Team.

The team of ten is on call 24-7 and works with about 500 victims a year, many children of sexual abuse crimes.

The center is the first step in the investigation of child abuse and sexual assault and leaders conducts interviews with the victims as evidence for law enforcement.

“It’s not therapy but I think it can be therapeutic for children who come here to be able to tell everything and often it’s a difficult thing because they haven’t told anybody or have just recently told,” said staff member Christina Shultz.

If the center would close, the only centers available in San Diego for women would be in El Cajon and children would be sent to Rady Children’s hospital.

“There is not only consideration for the children and the families who will have to travel a long way for services but there is also the cost of law enforcement which is significant to them,” said Cathy McLennan from Forensic Health Services.

Two county Supervisors, the District Attorney’s office and sheriff’s officials will meet today to talk about a possible community partnership.

The center did find enough funding to stay open for the rest of this year.

To help Forensic Health Services, you can donate at this website.
 

The man who was knocked over by a wave of snow kicked up by a plow truck on a Brooklyn street last week was surprised Tuesday to learn that video of the blast has gone viral. 

Pedro Plaza, a 33-year-old married father of two, says he's the person in the video seen being knocked over on the sidewalk in front of a car dealership on Coney Island Avenue shortly after 5 a.m. last Wednesday.

"The video I don't see, but my friends say, 'I saw your video, very funny!'" said Plaza. "Very painful to me." 

Plaza said he wasn't paying attention to the oncoming plow until it knocked him down in a torrent of ice and snow. Even his wife didn't believe him until she saw the video on TV.

"She asked, 'What happened, you fight with somebody?'" he said. "No, the one truck came to the street and put the ice in my face."

"'No, I don't believe it,'" Plaza says his wife told him.

Plaza only thought to call 311 to report the incident later.

Plaza returned to the scene of the mishap Tuesday, where the employees inside the dealership who had put the surveillance video online greeted him. 

"We're excited that he came back, we're excited that he's in one piece," said Steven Sasson, co-owner of JM Legend Auto Group. 

The dealership's front door had also shattered when the wall of snow went up. The Department of Sanitation says it has apologized to the dealership owners.

The workers who were operating the sanitation truck are facing disciplinary action, according to a department spokeswoman. 

Oakland police on Wednesday named a "person of interest" after an elderly man and a teenage girl were reportedly carjacked from an Oakland Safeway, while also urging people to come forward to help find that man.

UPDATE: Oakland Amber Alert "Unfounded"

Spokeswoman Johnna Watson identified the man as Roy McCamey, 54, a Safeway regular, who was acting "aggressively" inside the grocery store on Redwood Road just before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

He is supposedly the African-American man with salt-and-pepper hair spotted stealing lobster tails and ribeye steak, moments before carjacking a red sedan. Inside that sedan was an older man and girl, who haven't been seen since.

The suspect was caught on security video inside the Safeway, which police released and are hoping community members will recognize.

MORE: Surveillance Video Inside Safeway of Carjacking Suspect

What's "concerning" about this case is that no one in Oakland filed a missing person's report for the older man and girl, who witnesses said looked to be about 13 years old, Watson said. She acknowledged she is fully aware of the "rumors" out there indicating that perhaps the trio all knew each other.

"There's always the possibility the suspect has a relationship with people in the car," Watson said. "But we have to stay on point and treat this as a carjacking and kidnapping that took place."

She added: "There are unanswered questions and we need those answers."

The FBI is also involved and Crime Stoppers has offered a $10,000 reward in the case.

More: Amber Alert After Oakland Carjacking of Elderly Man, Girl

Anyone who sees a red sedan with a California license plate number is 6JFM648 should call 911. If anyone has information about the case, they should call Oakland police at 510-238-3326.

All 16 riders have been safely removed from a Busch Gardens roller coaster after they were trapped on it Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Tampa Fire Rescue firefighters brought down the people from the Cheetah Hunt ride, the agency said on its Twitter account.

The park said on Twitter just after 6 p.m. that the riders had been safely evacuated.

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Personnel on a Tampa Fire Rescue ladder truck and a Busch Gardens bucket truck were working together to bring the riders down from the roller coaster, Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Penny told NBC 6 South Florida earlier Wednesday afternoon.

“There’s been no indication that anybody is in any sort of distress or anything, other than having to sit there,” Penny said.

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There have been no injures reported.

The ride malfunctioned near the loading station, Busch Gardens spokesperson Travis Claytor told NBC News.

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The Cheetah Hunt is a triple-launch roller coaster that has a length of 4,400 feet, making it Busch Gardens’ longest thrill ride attraction, Busch Gardens’ website says.

Chocolate is a language we all understand. Use it to say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day (or “I love me” whenever you want). This week, Yelp has a list of decadent bites and desserts worth swooning over in San Diego’s North County. Chocoholics, unite!

David Bacco Chocolatier (Online and at Select Farmer’s Markets)
Give your loved one the chance to eat a piece of art with a sweet treat from David Bacco Chocolatier. Trained by world-renowned European and domestic chefs, David Bacco creates bites that can only be described as mini masterpieces. Order the visually stunning Incantato, described as a “spritely passion fruit caramel and milk chocolate ganache” or captivate your lover with the Rio, featuring exotic fruits and tangy caramel. You’ll never see a prettier box of treats.

Dallman Fine Chocolates (Del Mar)
In 1954 Dallmann Fine Chocolates began operating in St. Gilgen, Austria, and now, you can get a taste of the tradition right in Del Mar. Stop in and have the chocolate shop create a beautiful, unique box of selections for your sweetheart. We suggest including the Rose Water Caramel, a mouthwatering morsel described as “sweet caramel infused with rose water sealed in a heart-shaped bittersweet chocolate shell, garnished with a dried organic rose petal.” You can taste the romance!

Carlsbad Chocolate Bar (Carlsbad)
In the Carlsbad Village there is nothing more lovely than a wine and chocolate-filled Valentine’s Day. For the perfect date night grab your darling and head to this café. Cuddle in a corner, order a glass of wine and pair it with the Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels or Chocolate Covered Oreos. We promise you, that item is a win and you’ll walk away with your sweet tooth satisfied. They can also box up several sweets that’ll have your cutie-pie in chocolate heaven.

Petite Madeline Bakery (Oceanside)
If your honey is into having more than just a bite, go the extra mile. Yelpers are in love with the Petite Madeline Bakery where the luscious the desserts have them raving. Favorites include the Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Domes topped with fresh fruit and the large selection of Petit Fours. And don’t forget the Chocolate Éclairs. This bistro boasts everything made from scratch and rooted in tradition, so if a delicious dessert is what you’re after, check it out.

Truly, Madly, Sweetly (Temecula)
Looking to break tradition? Get your cupcake, well, a cupcake! But make sure it’s chocolate and from this bakery in Temecula. The Blackout, a rich devils food cupcake with dark chocolate buttercream frosting, is a solid choice. Or, sticking with Valentine colors, you could try the red velvet with cream cheese. Either way, it’s an inventive alternate to your box o’ chocolates that’s sure to please your lover and score you all kinds of bonus points.
 

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.

Graco is recalling millions of its car seats nationwide in response to pressure from federal safety regulators, including the model a toddler in Los Angeles died in during a car fire after the buckle got stuck and her mom was unable to remove her from the seat.  

Graco Children’s Products is recalling nearly 3.8 million car seats after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Two-year-old Leiana Ramirez was killed in a car fire on the Arroyo Seco (110) Parkway in Highland Park while seated in a Graco Nautilus car seat.

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Leiana's mother tried to remove her from the burning wreckage, as did a bystander who was hospitalized after cutting his arms trying to extract the baby. 

The car seat investigation "revealed numerous instances where the harness buckle was difficult or impossible for consumers to unlatch," according to a letter sent to Graco by the safety agency.

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The letter cites a wrongful death suit filed by the Ramirez family over the August 2011 incident in which they allege Graco “designed their ‘Nautilus’ car seat with parts that made it extremely difficult to remove a child that was secured in the seat during an emergency.” The case was resolved in a confidential settlement, Graco told the New York Times.

A recall announcement posted on the agency's website, says a faulty Graco buckle can make it "difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency, in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required."

A statement issued by Graco contends that "food and dried liquids" can get stuck in the buckles and make them "progressively more difficult to open over time." Graco notes that the recall is voluntary. "Graco would like to stress this does not in any way affect the performance of the car seat or the effectiveness of the buckle to restrain the child," the statement said.

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The seats in the recall include the 2009 to 2013 model years of the Nautilus, Nautilus Elite Cozy Cline Comfort Sport, Classic Ride 50, My Ride 65, My Ride with Safety Surround, My Ride 70, Size 4 Me 70, Smartseat and Argos 70.

Graco will send replacement buckles to owners who registered their seats. Those who did not register but want a replacement can call their consumer hotline at 800-345-4109 or visit their website.

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The investigation into Graco’s car seats by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) began in 2012 after consumers complained that buckles were sticking in the seats. ODI data revealed that 53 of the complainants could not unlatch the buckle at all, leading some to cut the harness straps in order to remove their child.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the age of Leiana Ramirez as 11 months old.

San Diego police placed King-Chavez Academy on lockdown Wednesday as they searched the area around the school for possible shooting suspects.

Gunshots were reported around 3 p.m. near 31st Street and Island Avenue in Stockton. Classes were done for the day, but some students were still there for an after-school program.

About 45 minutes later, police lifted the lockdown and detained two people.

No one was injured, according to police.

There is no word if police found evidence that an actual shooting took place.
 

Officials have identified the man struck and killed by a vehicle along Highland Avenue late Monday but they have not arrested the driver who failed to stop.

Cris Ringor Dano, 49, of San Diego was pushing a shopping cart across the road when he was struck by an oncoming car.

The collision happened around 10:30 p.m. Monday on Highland Avenue near East 30th Street.

Dano died while emergency personnel were transporting to a nearby hospital, police said.

After the crash, officers said the car that struck Dano made a U-turn and headed southbound on Highland.

Investigators believe it’s a gold or silver vehicle with front-end damage, last seen driving westbound on State Route 54.

NCPD says the investigation is continuing, and they will be checking nearby businesses for surveillance video.

Anyone with information about the accident can call National City PD at 619-336-4411 ext. 0.

The women’s halfpipe competition was touted as a showdown among the sport’s decorated veterans: three past gold medal winners, two from America and one from Australia.

Instead, a relatively unknown American topped them all.

Kaitlyn Farrington, 24, outperformed defending gold medalist Torah Bright of Australia, 2006 gold medalist Hannah Teter and 2002 gold medalist Kelly Clark of the United States on Wednesday, scoring 91.75 on a mistake-free second round final run.

A late addition to the finals — she failed to make the cut in qualifiers and had to prove herself in the semi-final round — Farrington made her gold-winning run before the higher-ranked former champions took their turns. But she seemed to sense something special. Immediately after she crossed the finished line, she began celebrating, hollering with excitement and doing a little jig on the snow.

Then she watched as Teter and Bright, both 27, and Clark, 30, finished their final runs. They came close, but failed to pass her.

Bright won silver with a 91.50 run. Clark took bronze with a 90.75.

Farrington had no championships going into the 2014 Games: nothing in the World Cup or X Games, and no prior Olympic appearances.

Now she is the third U.S. woman to win halfpipe gold in four Olympics (the other two being Teter and Clark).

Clark, meanwhile, won her third Olympic women’s halfpipe medal, a record.

With two women on the podium, the U.S. put its foot down after a rough stretch for the American snowboarding team in Sochi. On Tuesday, no Americans made the podium in the men’s halfpipe, not even defending two-time gold medalist Shaun White.

Part of White's poor performance has been blamed on the subpar conditions of the halfpipe, which many boarders criticized over the weekend. But on Wednesday, opinions had changed among the women.

“The pipe is riding the best it’s ridden yet,” Clark told NBC Olympics before Wednesday's competition.

Since Babe Ruth first donned pinstripes in 1920, the Yankees have provided each generation with the privilege of watching an iconic player in their lineup on a daily basis.

With Derek Jeter’s announcement that he will retire after the 2014 season, the current era of fans will get one last chance to see a player who helped transform a franchise.

It’s easy to look at the Yankees now and consider anything but a playoff appearance a lost season -- 17 trips to the postseason and five World Series championships in the last 19 years have a way of spoiling a fan base.

But Jeter came to the Yankees in 1995, when the team was going through a championship drought like it hadn’t experienced since it changed its named from the Highlanders to the Yankees in 1913.

A baby-faced Jeter had just 12 hits in 51 plate appearances in 1995, and though he wasn’t on the postseason roster, the Yankees made the playoffs for the first time since 1981.

Entering the 1996 season, impatient owner George Steinbrenner wasn’t convinced Jeter was the answer and nearly traded away a young pitcher by the name of Mariano Rivera to the Seattle Mariners for a more experienced player at shortstop. New manager Joe Torre and the rest of the front office talked Steinbrenner into holding onto Jeter and gave him the starting job.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Jeter would lead the team in hits in 1996 and capture the American League Rookie of the Year trophy, en route to the Yankees’ first World Series ring since 1978. Winning four World Series over the next five seasons -- sporting an unbelievable 16-3 record in the Fall Classic -- the Yankees erupted as the most dominant team in baseball.

The success of the Yankees led to Jeter becoming the face not just of the franchise but of the entire city.

From a cameo on the hit show "Seinfeld" to a hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live," Jeter transcended the game and became a mainstream celebrity. Like Michael Jordan before him, he was signed by Nike and Gatorade to lucrative endorsement deals.

In the tabloids, Jeter was rumored to be romantically linked to the hottest names in modeling, music and Hollywood -- and still is to this day.

Through all the off-the-field headlines, Jeter continued to produce like no other Yankee before him.

Jeter is the franchise’s all-time leader in hits -- surpassing Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra along the way. With more doubles than Joe DiMaggio and Don Mattingly, he is just nine doubles shy of tying Gehrig for the most in team history.

A 13-time AL All-Star and two-time World Series Most Valuable Player, Jeter was always one of the best players in the game -- yet he seemed magically to take his game to the next level when it mattered most.

No player in MLB history has more hits, doubles, triples or runs scored in the playoffs than Jeter, and his five World Series rings are the sixth-most all-time.

From his miraculous flip to home plate in throwing out Jeremy Giambi in the 2001 AL Division Series to recklessly running into the stands to make a diving catch against the Boston Red Sox in 2004, Jeter's tremendous sense of the moment allowed him to make more than a few defensive plays he had no business making.

With New York grieving in the days after 9/11, Jeter and the Yankees provided a much-needed distraction when they clinched a berth in the 2001 World Series. The tragedy forced the season to be delayed and marked the first time the World Series would ever be played in November.

And though the team would end up losing in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jeter’s game-winning home run in Game Four, just after the clock struck midnight and turned the calendar over to November, sent the town into a frenzy and gave birth to the nickname “Mr. November.”

In a clubhouse with longtime teammates Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettite, Jeter’s grit and cool demeanor made him the undeniable leader. He wasn’t just given the title of team captain. He earned it.

Whenever the Yankees decide to hold the ceremony, Jeter’s number is a lock to be retired along with all the other legendary single-digit immortals that line the wall in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. And at a time when so many greats are being kept out of Cooperstown due to steroid allegations, Jeter’s clean reputation and more than 3,000 hits throughout his career make him a likely rare first-ballot Hall of Famer.

After 19 years, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees without Jeter in the everyday lineup. An injury-plagued 2013 made the transition seem a little more inevitable, though his announcement has a sense of reality attached to it more striking than anyone could’ve imagined.

It’s not hyperbole to say it will be a long time before we see anyone like Jeter in a Yankee uniform again. With Robinson Cano’s departure and no standout prospects in the pipeline, there’s no telling when the next time is we’ll see a player homegrown by the team who can cement their name into the Yankees’ storied record books.

The Yankees can spend however much they want on free agents, but there’s only one Jeter -- and his contributions to the team, as well as to the game of baseball, have been priceless.

Prime Snax Incorporated, a Salt Lake City, Utah, establishment, is recalling approximately 90,000 pounds of beef jerky products because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Wednesday.

The products were processed with a releasing agent containing soy lecithin, a known allergen that is not declared on the label. 

The products subject to recall were produced prior to Feb. 2, 2014, and were shipped to retail locations nationwide. The Beef Jerky products include:

Arizona Jacks Brand:

• 8 oz./24 count packages of "Original"
• 3.5 oz./24 count packages of "Peppered Rippled Cut" and "Original Rippled Cut"
• 6 oz./80 count packages of "Frontier Cuts - Hot," "Frontier Cuts - Pepper," and "Frontier Cuts- Original"
• 3.25 oz./12 count packages of "Super Giga Hot," "Super Giga Original," and "Super Giga Peppered"
• 6 oz./30 count packages of "Premium Peppered," "Premium Original Strip," and "Premium Teriyaki"
• 3.5 oz./30 count packages of "Peppered Thin Cut" and "Original Thin Cut"
• 7 oz./24 count packages of "Peppered Thin Cut," "Thin Cut," "Original Chunky," and "Peppered Chunky"

Desert Star Brand:

• 12 oz./18 count packages of "Desert Star Peppered" and "Desert Star Original"
• 3 oz. - 3 packages/case with 8 pieces/package of "Desert Star Original" and "Desert Star Peppered"

Southwest Trail Brand:

• 1 oz. - 6 packages/case with 12 pieces/package of "Southwest Trail Original," "Southwest Trail Peppered," "Southwest Trail Red Chile," and "Southwest Trail Green Chile"
• 3 oz. - 4 packages/case with 12 pieces/package of "Southwest Trail Original," "Southwest Trail Peppered," "Southwest Trail Red Chile," and "Southwest Trail Green Chile"

Terrell Brand:

• 3.5 oz. "Terrell's Original," "Terrell's Honey BBQ," and "Terrell's Pepper"

Kettle Creek Brand:

• 3.5 oz./12 count packages of "Kettle Creek Original" and "Kettle Creek Peppered"

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST. 18951" inside the USDA Mark of Inspection and a date on the packages prior to Aug. 11, 2015, in the format of "mm dd yy."

The problem was discovered by an FSIS in-plant inspector during a label review. The firm believed the releasing agent was a processing aid that did not need to be declared on the label.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Jackie Pappas at 801-977-0742.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. "Ask Karen" live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

Information from USDA FSIS.

A man on probation, along with his girlfriend, are now facing charges for allegedly stealing memorabilia and other valuables from the home of a deceased member of the Reuben H. Fleet family, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Wednesday.

According to officials from the San Marcos sheriff’s station, Edward Peek, 29, and Nicole Denny were arrested Tuesday morning in Escondido in connection with the burglary.

Deputies and Peek’s probation officer discovered items stolen in the burglary in Peek’s storage unit and in Denny’s vehicle.

The lifted loot included memorabilia from Reuben H. Fleet’s military career, as well as antique jewelry, antique furniture, oil paintings and other valuable property belonging to the Fleet family estate.

The suspects were arrested and booked into jail on charges of grand theft. Peek is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Deputies said the burglary remains under investigation. No further details were released about the home that was burglarized.

Reuben H. Fleet – whose name lives on at the famous Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park – was an aviation pioneer and army officer who founded may corporations, including the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation.

He was born in 1887 in Washington but business opportunities later brought him to San Diego. He died in San Diego in 1975, at the age of 88.

Caleb Acost has gone through more in his 15 years than most adults do in a lifetime.

"I've gotten used to drinking my pills, drinking like 15 pills at night,” Caleb said. “But the only thing that it affects is my energy."

The Florida teen has been diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer. He has undergone brain surgery, rounds of radiation and physical therapy.

"No words can describe the pain that we feel watching your child go through pain and having to take medication. You know, he was healthy just six months ago,” said Cathy Franco, Caleb’s mom.

But Caleb’s illness didn’t stop him from achieving his dream.

Many San Diegans are familiar with Ricochet, the dog seen riding the waves at local beaches. Caleb learned about Ricochet when his aunt showed him a video of the surfing dog.

“It really made me so happy to be like, oh that's so cool, I want to surf. It really inspired me," Caleb said.

That's when the Make-A-Wish Foundation flew him to the Del Mar Dog Beach to meet her.

On Wednesday, Caleb donned a wet suit, ditched his wheelchair and boarded a surfboard with Ricochet.

"It felt really good to be free, just to be not worrying about anything, having someone to be my balance," Caleb said when describing his surf experience.

"When he's under water, he doesn't feel pain. He doesn't feel pressure in his head," Cathy explained.

Now, Caleb is thanking the pooch in pink for helping him get on a surfboard for the first time.

"Ricochet can control the board and helped so many people," he said.

“I felt almost normal again. Finally.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Pray for Caleb

Surf Dog Ricochet