Since Russia was knocked out of the tournament, this turns into the rematch we've all be waiting for: the U.S. vs. Canada in the Olympic semifinals.

The U.S. wanted another shot at Canada after the heartbreaking overtime loss in the gold-medal game in 2010 in Vancouver, and they're going to get it. The winner of this game will be guaranteed a medal and will play either Finland or Sweden in the finals.

Here are three things to keep an eye on as you're avoiding your boss and watching the game at noon ET/9 a.m. PT on the NBC Sports Network or on nbcolympics.com.

1. Will Canada Click?

There has been some concern in the Great White North about Team Canada. Sure, the team hasn't lost in the tourney, but Canadian fans expect blowouts and domination, especially against teams like Latvia and Norway.

That hasn't happened.

Team Canada's coaching staff has used the early rounds of the tournament to experiment with line combinations and systems, which has led to uneasiness and a bit of confusion among the players.

Is there real cause for concern, or is head coach Mike Babcock just playing possum? There's a good chance Babcock has been biding his time, waiting until when the games really count to show off the full capabilities of his all-star squad.

Think of Babcock as Darth Vader and the Death Star as Team Canada: You may fire when ready.

2. Can the U.S. Maintain Its Sochi Success

Team Canada's issues may be real, or they may be a game of rope-a-dope. But Team USA, on the other hand, has yet to truly struggle in the tournament.

Sure, they went to a shootout with Russia, but that was a fierce game on the Russians' home ice.

The team has looked solid from the get-go in Sochi, which is not only surprising, but could bring a false sense of security heading into this matchup with Canada.

Is the U.S. really this good? Or perhaps their opponents in the early rounds were really that bad? Intriguing questions to ponder, for sure.

And if the U.S. is really this good, how long will the good times last? The worst thing that can happen is the high-powered U.S. offense suddenly goes cold.

Luckily for coach Dan Bylsma, he's installed a good defensive system, as well, which the team can fall back on if Canada stymies the offensive attack. Oh, and he's got Jonathan Quick in goal, too, if all else fails. No offense to Carey Price and Roberto Luongo, but I'd put my money on Quick when the game is on the line.

3. Who Will Be the Hero?

Take your pick. The obvious hero on the Canadian side is Sidney Crosby, who scored the game-winner in the gold medal game four years ago. But Sid the Kid has yet to light the lamp in four games in Sochi. It's not very often that Crosby doesn't score in five straight games. He may be due.

On the U.S. side, T.J. Oshie has already played the role of hero in the shootout against Russia. And if you remember the Vancouver Games, Zach Parise tied the gold-medal game with a goal with just 24 seconds left in regulation. Captain America could have some more heroics in store in Sochi.

But if you're looking for a surprise pick for both teams, how about Matt Duchene for Team Canada? He's going to get a lot more playing time now that John Tavares is done for the Olympics (and the rest of the NHL season) with a knee injury. Duchene will be looking to take advantage of his new role, and to prove he can be counted on with regular ice time in a winner-takes-all game.

On the U.S. side, keep an eye on Blake Wheeler. He hasn't received a ton of ice time yet in Sochi, but the coaching staff loves the way he plays. Could he be the answer to Canada's Death Star approach?

In any case, this should be one heck of a game. So sit back, grab a sandwich (or a breakfast sandwich depending on where you live) and enjoy.

Bonus: Paul Martin Out

Word came out just hours before the game that Team USA defenseman Paul Martin will not play in the game.  Some reports have it being an illness, while others suggest that it could be a hand/wrist injury.

In any case, this is a huge blow to the U.S. defense. While not a well-known name on the squad, he is a steady, methodical defenseman who can log a ton of minutes and play in all situations.

Justin Falk will be added to the lineup to take his place. Keep an eye on how much ice time he gets and how Canada will look to exploit Martin's absence.

If snarky comments on social media over an eye infection weren't hard enough on NBC's Bob Costas, "Today" show host Matt Lauer added to the barrage in person on Friday's show.

The prank started innocent enough. A stone-faced Lauer asked Costas, who took off five days from primetime Olympic coverage due to the ill-timed affliction, when he was leaving Sochi -- a perfect setup to the deed.

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"I will leave on Monday," Costas, who was wearing sunglasses to conceal his healing eyes, replied.

"You are? Taking the red eye (flight) home?" Lauer quipped.

The laughter from the crew and subsequent off-camera high-five from Al Roker sealed the deal.

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The long-time Olympics host started duty in Sochi with his left eye reddened from viral conjunctivitis that he hoped would clear up quickly. Instead, it spread quickly to his right eye. It made his vision blurry and sensitivity to light made working impossible. His red eyes were a popular topic on social media.

Lauer and Meredith Vieira filled in for him. Costas thanked the two, and viewers for expressing concern.

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"My apologies to everyone for the unavoidable but uncomfortable circumstance of a broadcaster's ill-timed affliction getting in the way, even for just a moment, from what we all came here for," Costas said when he returned on Monday.

Bode Miller's Olympic career is over. The kid who came to the 2002 Salt Lake Games full of moxie and miraculous saves, left Torino with a bad attitude and nary a medal, only to rise from the ashes in Vancouver to become America's most decorated Olympic skier, has officially left the building.

As far as stories go, Sochi proved a fitting conclusion, the feel-good character arc to Miller's own myth. He might not have walked away with an Olympic gold in downhill (as his own lightening quick training runs portended) and fell short in the super-G, but seeing him — at 36 — satisfied with a bronze, smiling in the arms of his new beautiful bride Morgan, dedicating his skiing to his kids and shedding heartfelt tears for his late brother Chelone, was enough to satiate American fans. We'd seen the once brash kid from New Hampshire finally grow up just before he bowed out.

And isn't that all we ever wanted? Let's face it, in America, we're only fair-weather fans of Olympic sports, glued to the TV (or web or phone) every four years, equally enamored by the personality, the story, as we are the athlete.

Miller's story paid in spades. The son of off-the-grid hippies, he burst onto the Alpine scene with big results and an even bigger mouth, confounding traditionalists with his ragged, win big or crash out technique. Not only did Miller do it with speed, but he also did it with style, sitting back when you were supposed to dive forward, flailing his arms when you were supposed to remain composed. For Miller, there was never a middle ground, every run a high-wire act that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.

Often, Miller's chaotic skiing and candid comments eclipsed his consistent — as in, consistently brilliant — results. Beyond his storied Olympic career, Miller has won 33 Alpine World Cup races, the most of any American man, and collected the coveted overall title twice. On top of that, he's a four-time World Champion and ranks as one of only a handful of racers to have won a race in all five of Alpine's disparate disciplines. In the 2004-2005 season, then arguably at the height of his powers, Miller made history by winning a World Cup downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom in the record-setting span of 16 days (again, only a select few skiers have ever done this, and it took most an entire career to do so). By the time the World Championships rolled around that February, he lit up the races with two gold medals, but made an even bigger splash by losing a ski in the downhill portion of the combined and skiing the rest of the way down on one leg — a typically non-traditional move from the American that further endeared him to his already fawning fanbase (at the expense of royally ticking off his U.S. Ski Team coaches).

With all that behind him, Miller could have easily retired in 2012 as a legend. Instead he opted for knee surgery, sat out the 2013 season and returned this year a full 20 pounds lighter with a new wife and eyes on a final Olympics. Not even a controversial custody battle for his son could derail his focus, but critics wondered if he was past his prime in a sport that favors the quickness, agility and energy of far younger men.

True to form, Miller defied the odds. By the time the Alpine World Cup tour hit Beaver Creek, Colo., in December, the 36-year old rallied to his first podium, finishing just behind Sochi gold medalist Ted Ligety in a giant slalom. The result silenced doubters and ratcheted up expectations, but the big win never came. Just as he did in the downhill at these Sochi Games nearly two weeks ago, Miller often dazzled in World Cup training runs only to come up just short on race day. At Kitzbuhel, Austria's Hahnenkamm downhill (the most feared stop on the circuit and, some would argue, more important on a racer's resume than Olympic gold), he scorched the sole practice run by nearly a second before finishing third. The race remains one of the few Miller has failed to win.

Which leads to one last question: While Miller the Olympian is finished, is Miller the ski racer done, too? Unlike the ambivalence he showcased in Torino, Miller came into Sochi telling the press he wanted to win, but was forced to settle for bronze. Sure, he was happy, but just as the rest of his World Cup season suggested, there could have been so much more. Not exactly a note a competitor — even one with a bum knee and new family — wants to end on. 

Fortunately, redemption, as it were, could be right around the corner. With the 2015 Alpine World Championships taking place in Beaver Creek — a venue Miller has won a record three downhills in — next February, here's betting there's one more encore left in the Bode Miller Show.

Same-sex couples don’t have to wait until June to get married in the Chicago area, thanks to a federal judge’s ruling issued Friday.

"There is no reason to delay further when no opposition has been presented to this Court and committed gay and lesbian couples have already suffered from the denial of their fundamental right to marry," said U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, in a ruling that appeared to affect only Illinois' Cook County, where Chicago is.

The ruling drew quick praise from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and from Equality Illinois, the state's oldest and largest gay rights organization.

"Chicago welcomes all couples to get married here to celebrate their love and to have the bonds of their family acknowledged under law," said Emanuel. "I look forward to the day where every American enjoys the same freedom to marry, and when our country can provide equal rights to every man or woman -- gay or straight."

Cook County Clerk David Orr said his office would remain open until 7 p.m. Friday for couples who wish to get their marriage licenses, which cost $60 and are valid for 60 days.

"This is a day that’s been a long time coming," he said.

Some -- like Charlie Gurion and David Wilk -- saw news of the judge's ruling on Facebook and became the first couple to get a marriage license.

"We were actually planning to have our marriage in September," said Gurion. "But things apparently are going to be pushed up a bit."

In December, Coleman ruled that a same-sex couple in which one or both partners has a life-threatening illness doesn't have to wait June to get married, when Illinois’ gay marriage law take effect statewide.

Friday’s ruling appears to technically affect only marriages in Cook County.

With Gov. Pat Quinn's signature, Illinois last November became the 16th state to legalize same-sex marriage, but the law was not to have taken effect until June 1.

A child used a gun to rob an ice cream truck Thursday, according to San Diego police.

The ice cream truck driver told police he was held up at the corner of Black Oak Road and Meadowbrook Drive Thursday just before 7 p.m.

San Diego police said a boy approached the truck on foot, displayed the handgun and demanded cash.

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Once he got the money, the boy got away riding a skateboard.

San Diego’s robbery division is investigating the case. They are taking the crime very seriously.

"He believed it was a real weapon, and that's what we're going with," said Officer James Johnson. "Now, whether it turns out to be a pellet gun or an air soft, who knows, but at this point it's described as a very real handgun."

Officers said the boy was described as 10 to 12 years old and about 100 pounds, wearing a white T-shirt and red basketball shorts.

The ice cream truck driver was not injured.

Officials originally said several children were involved in the robbery. There were other children in the area, but officers say it now appears that those children were not involved.

A pregnant woman and her unborn baby died in Los Angeles County after succumbing to influenza-related symptoms in what has been a severe flu season in California.

Health officials urged county residents to get a seasonal flu vaccine following the South Bay woman’s death.

"Most individuals who get sick are able to treat themselves at home with over-the-counter medications, drinking plenty of fluids, resting and staying home from work or school," Jonathon Fielding, director of public health for Los Angeles County, said in a statement Thursday. "Others may develop complications such as pneumonia."

That was the case of the mother-to-be. Fielding said she developed inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection, the clinical definition of pneumonia.

Further details about the woman, including her age and how far along she was in her pregnancy, were not released because of patient privacy protection. Fielding said he was not aware of any other complicating health factors for the woman, besides her pregnancy.

"It is critical that all pregnant and postpartum women get vaccinated to protect themselves against the flu," Fielding said.  "We recommend that everyone, six months of age or older, receive either the influenza shot or the nasal spray vaccine."

Fielding also said practicing basic hygience, such as washing your hands and covering coughs and sneezes helps in preventing the spread of the flu and other respiratory diseases. 

A total of 52 children, men and women have died due to influenza-related illnesses in Los Angeles County this year.

Doctors recommended that pregnant women suffering from a flu-like illness should start antiviral medication even before testing is confirmed. Symptoms include fever, cough, headache and muscle pain within the first three to five days of illness.

More than 200 people have died in California during this flu season, and officials said the flu will remain widespread through at least March.

A car plunged headfirst into a 10-foot-wide sinkhole on Long Island Friday as a woman was parking in her driveway after returning from an acupuncture appointment.

Authorities said the woman had just arrived at her Rockville Centre home when the ground opened up, swallowing her four-door Subaru.

The driver, 65-year-old Gayle Sorrentino, said she was in shock but managed to call 911 after the car toppled into the hole.

"I was only afraid -- the sand around started to come down a little bit, and I just didn't know if it was going to stay stationary or going to collapse," said Sorrentino. 

A friend, Howard Osborne, said he was inside the home and came up the stairs to see the car sticking up in the air.

He rushed outside and Sorrentino told him she had already called 911. Rescuers arrived and were able to pull her out the driver's side window, Osborne said.

Sorrentino was not hurt.

Osborne said he believed that the sinkhole opened up over a dry well from the 1920s, while authorities described it as a cesspool.

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The man accused of sneaking into two little girls’ rooms in San Marcos has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

At an arraignment Thursday, a judge called Dwayne Farrell, 23, an extreme danger to the community and ordered he be held on a $1 million bail.

Farrell is suspected of breaking into two units at the Terra Cotta Apartments in the 500 block of Rush Drive on Sunday morning.

In the first incident, Deputy District Attorney Ryan Saunders said Farrell sneaked in through an unlocked sliding glass door and went into a room where an 7-year-old girl was sleeping in her bed near her 3-year-old sister’s crib.

“He was kneeling down next to her bed, rubbing her back under her covers but on top of her shirt,” said Saunders.

Thinking the man was her father, the girl noticed he may have been filming her with his phone’s camera. However, when she pulled on his beanie, she realized he was a stranger. Farrell quickly fled after that, according to Saunders.

The second incident took place just 25 minutes later. Saunders said Farrell got into a second-story unit through another unlocked sliding door and walked into a bedroom where a mother and her 8-year-old daughter were sleeping on two twin beds.

The 8-year-old awoke to find a strange man asleep on the floor beside her bed. She woke up her mother, and the woman chased the man out the room.

Farrell ran to the balcony, jumped off and hit his head on the ground, causing it to bleed, Saunders said.

That blood – later recovered by San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies – helped them identify Farrell as their suspect.

Investigators compared the blood’s DNA to the DNA in their lab’s system. Within a day, they had a positive match.

Farrell had a previous felony conviction for attempted burglary in 2012, as well as two misdemeanor charges for peeping and resisting an officer, which is why he was in the system.

Deputies arrested Farrell on Monday outside his home.

On Farrell’s confiscated phone, detectives discovered downloaded images of sleeping, nude teenage girls, according to Saunders.

“Again, these were images that were sexual in nature, and the titles of the images were things such as ‘nude sleeping girls,’ ‘sleeping teens,’ things of that nature,” said Saunders.

Farrell was charged Monday with two counts of residential burglary, two counts of annoying or molesting a minor and one count of lewd conduct on a minor. The last count stems from allegations that he rubbed the 7-year-old girl’s back.

“Considering the fact that he went into a bedroom where a parent was also sleeping with one of these girls, you know, the bold nature of these acts is extremely frightening,” said Saunders.

If convicted on all charges, Farrell faces up to 11 years and 4 months in prison. 

Follow @nbcbayarea

What's cooler than a Girl Scout selling cookies?

A business-savvy Girl Scout who sets up shop outside a cannabis clinic to rev up her sales skills.

Thirteen-year-old Girl Scout Danielle Lei did brisk business last Monday selling Dulce de Leches and other flavors outside The Green Cross medical marijuana clinic in San Francisco, Mashable reported.

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Danielle was able to sell 117 boxes within two hours outside the cannabis clinic -- 37 more than what she sold within the same time frame at a local Safeway the next day, according to Mashable.

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"It's no secret that cannabis is an appetite stimulant -- so it's not shocking that a lot of our patients came and purchased cannabis, and then saw the cookies and purchased them," said Holli Bert, a spokesperson for The Green Cross. "But it wasn't just patients, staff members and neighbors also bought the cookies. I personally bought five boxes. It turned out to be a big success."

Bert said that Danielle's mother had contacted The Green Cross to set up the sale outside the store.

"We were happy to have her (Danielle) come -- she is extremely business savvy," Bert said.

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Danielle's mother Carol takes her two daughters to different places around San Francisco to sell cookies so that "they can learn about different environments," Mashable reported.

Carol told NBC Bay Area that the family is not doing any interviews.

Green Cross is so happy with the outcome that they have invited Danielle back to their store on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. for a repeat performance.

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The Green Cross posted about Danielle's visit on its Facebook page, including a link to an external poll, which asks people whether Girl Scouts should sell cookies outside legal marijuana shops.

The Girl Scouts of Northern California don't have a problem with this business strategy.

Dana Allen, the organization's marketing and communications director, told Mashable that "the mom decided this was a place she was comfortable with her daughter being at."

"We're not telling people where they can and can't go if it's a legitimate business," she said.

City officials will name a day in honor of a great-grandmother who claims she was harassed by former mayor Bob Filner.
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Monday, Feb. 24  will officially be “Peggy Shannon Day" in the City of San Diego.

Special Section: Mayor Under Fire

Shannon was the city hall volunteer who claims Filner kissed her, asked her out several times and allegedly told her “I can go 8 hours.”

On July 18, the 67-year-old great-grandmother filed with Equal Employment Investigations Office, claiming that Mayor Filner had sexually harassed her.

Watch Video: Great-Grandma Claims Mayor Harassed Her

She has since settled with the city.

“I didn’t ask for any money,” she said adding that she requested an apology from letter.
“I’m getting an apology from the city council and to me, that is worth more because I know they really are sorry,” Shannon told NBC 7.

“It’s going to be a good day for me,” she said.

Shannon's settlement with the city does not involve any money because she was a city volunteer.
“I’m not doing it for the money. I didn’t do it for the money to begin with,” she said.

Shannon said she is still stopped by people in the community thanking her for what she did. She credits her family and friends for supporting her decision to go public with her allegations.

Mayor Under Fire: Interactive Timeline

Shannon’s claim resulted from her volunteer work at the Senior Citizens Service Desk in the lobby of San Diego City Hall.

Two weeks ago the City of San Diego settled a $250,000 civil lawsuit brought by Filner's former communications director Irene McCormack.

In October, 2013, Filner pleaded guilty to felony false imprisonment and two misdemeanor charges of battery.

He was ordered in December to 90 days home confinement.

Under the terms, Filner was put on probation for three years with six months of custody stayed.

He must agree not to seek or hold public office, undergo treatment as recommended by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist and surrender his city retirement.

For the first 18 months he has to report periodically to a probation officer. If there aren't any problems, he will be unsupervised though still on probation.

A new allegation has surfaced in the widening scandal involving San Diego police officers accused of misconduct on the job.

The same week an officer appeared in court to face criminal charges and San Diego's police chief admitted his staff is investigating accusations involving another officer on staff, a woman has come forward alleging sexual harassment against the department.

In a declaration filed in U.S. District Court, a woman only identified by the initials "DB" claims she was sexually harassed by an SDPD supervisor in March of 2002.

According to the declaration, DB was pulled over in the Gaslamp Quarter for a traffic violation. She says the male officer first called a female officer to do a pat down. Then, he called a supervisor to bring a Breathalyzer.

The male supervisor arrived with a police trainee. DB took the Breathlzyer test and was handcuffed.

Then, she alleges the supervisor told her he needed to give her another pat down:

I told him that the female officer had already done that, and he said it was okay for him to pat me down again. He then instructed me to turn my back to him and he patted down my buttocks. His pat down felt inappropriate.

Read the full declaration here

According to the statement, the supervisor propositioned the woman while in the police car. DB claims he offered to “make this all go away” if she had sex with him.

She declined and was driven to Las Colinas.

The woman came forward as part of a current lawsuit involving “Jane Doe.” Jane Doe was a key witness in the case against former SDPD Officer Anthony Arevalos, who is serving an 8-year prison sentence for sex crimes committed while on the job.

“I believe that what happened to me is an example of how SDPD supervisors train younger officers about the power they have over others,” she said in the statement.

Former SDPD Officer Chris Hays resigned from the department after being charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment.

Timeline: Officer Chris Hays

On Wednesday, Chief William Lansdowne announced that another officer was being investigated for separate allegations of “touching and exposure.” 

Multiple police sources tell NBC 7 the officer that is the subject of this latest investigation is Donald Moncrief, a six-year veteran of the force, a former Marine and a member of the SDPD Honor Guard.

Lansdowne also announce department policy has been changed as a result of the most recent allegations. Effective immediately, two officers must accompany all female detainees or arrestees.

It's NFL Combine week, the time when Draft hopefuls run, lift, jump, stretch, and occasionally throw and catch in front of the entire NFL power structure.

Last year Keenan Allen was supposed to be a first round pick, but a knee injury kept him from participating in the N-F-L Combine. It's no coincidence he slid to the 3rd round, where the Chargers were more than happy to scoop him up.

So is one of the intriguing mysteries of the Combine. A great showing can move a player up Draft boards. A bad one can move him down. Every team looks at it a little bit differently.

Obviously, the Chargers have decided to take a few other things in to consideration.

"The Combine is important, but I will say it's only a piece of the puzzle," says Chargers general manager Tom Telesco. "It's not the end-all, be-all. For us it's very important how they played in the fall as a college football player. That's a big part of the evaluation process.

"The background and work we get from the schools is very important. And then, the Combine is that other piece of the puzzle where we get to sit down with kids in interviews."

During the week each N-F-L team is only allowed to interview 60 players. Well, they're only allowed 60 formal interviews with players.

"We also do a lot of talking with players that aren't on that list at different points of the week," says Telesco. "It is nice to get a player in front of you, get a little better feel for them, get a feel for their football intelligence.

"The big thing for us that people forget is it's a big medical process for us, to have our doctors get a chance to evaluate each player, their medical history, because football is a physical game. To have all the players in one spot, we have our doctors look at them, that's still part of the process, too, when you're evaluating and deciding who you want to bring in."

That's one of the reasons they were comfortable with Allen and his knee. Let's take a quick look at the Combine by the numbers:

• There are 1000 Draft-eligible players.
• 335 of them have been invited to Indianapolis for the Combine.
• About 250 of them will be selected in the Draft.
• Between 500 and 600 more will catch on at NFL training camps as undrafted free agents.

One team can't possibly scout every single guy. Can it?

"Believe it or not we do, for a couple of different reasons," says Telesco. "We have to have a good feeling of where they may be drafted because that helps us with our Draft management as far as who may go before us. We pick at 25 this year so it's a little more difficult to figure who may be there in the pick."

The Chargers will not be taking a quarterback in the first round, but they still do a full analysis on the likes of Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, because they have to.

"You just never know when your needs are going to become needs. I think if you wait until it's an actual need it may be too late. So, we scout all the positions in the Draft equally because we never know this year, next year, the needs may change. They change month-to-month sometimes, especially with the way injuries are in this business, so those quarterbacks we evaluated just like we would need one."

It is information overload. But, when you are only going to end up with 25 guys out of 1000, you want to know everything you possibly can.

Players and coaches started their media meetings on Thursday. The first on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium are Saturday morning, when the Tight Ends, Offensive Linemen and Special Teams players are featured.

A Bridgeport, Conn. schools administrator said Friday that a video showing a principal dragging two young students down a hallway should have led to the principal's firing.

The videos, made public this week, show Tisdale School principal Carmen Perez Dickson dragging two kindergartners through the halls on different occasions, according to Sandra Kase, chief administrative officer for Bridgeport Schools.

The incidents took place in the spring of 2012.

The Board of Education investigated the incidents, and in October 2013 it voted to suspend Dickson for six months, rather than to fire her, something Kase had recommended.

"The Board did not exactly agree with us, so the action that was taken was not what we recommended. If I saw the same evidence and saw the same video today, we'd support the same recommendation we made at the time," Kase said.

Video of the incidents was provided to NBC Connecticut by the mothers of each of the children involved.

Board members were divided on the punishment for Dickson. Leticia Colon voted to have her fired.

"Children go to school to learn and to be respected and we are an example. And if we start to bully, then we can't expect much from these children. They will learn to bully others," Colon said.

Dickson's attorney said her client's actions were within Board of Education policy guidelines in using reasonable force.

Dickson will return from her six-month suspension next month, but she will not return as principal at Tisdale School, according to Kase.

The 50th anniversary swimsuit issue of “Sports Illustrated” hit the stands this week and for one San Diego-based fashion designer, the pages of the popular magazine marked a milestone moment in her career.

Inside the magazine, Victoria’s Secret models like Lily Alridge and Chanel Iman are sporting swimsuits created by Alejandra Boggiano, designer and owner of the up-and-coming local brand, Solkissed Swimwear.

Boggiano told NBC 7 that seeing her designs in “Sports Illustrated” was a dream come true. When she spotted her swimsuits, she “jumped up and down” and couldn’t stop screaming.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Boggiano. “People who have seen me start from my little Etsy store and here I am now, a real brand, that’s been the best part.”

Boggiano’s brand is really brand-new. Her designs make up the first-ever full Solkissed collection available on the market.

Thus, she said getting her work into the magazine alongside established brands was an unexpected but very welcome surprise.

She sent samples to “Sport Illustrated” and about three weeks ago, magazine editors told her that her swimsuits might appear in the 50th anniversary issue, pending possible last-minute editorial changes. In the end, Boggiano’s modern, sexy swimwear made the cut.

She still can’t believe it.

“I’m definitely celebrating,” she said, with a smile, adding that she saw her designs in print on the night before her birthday.

From concept and design, to sewing machine and “Sports Illustrated,” Boggiano’s journey has been interesting. Though she currently designs all swimwear in San Diego, her collection is handmade in Peru and inspired by her South American heritage.

Boggiano was born in Peru and spent her childhood in Chile before moving to San Diego as a teenager. She attended San Diego State University and, about four years ago, moved to New York City where she studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Soon enough, she bought a sewing machine and began making her own swimsuits out of her tiny apartment in New York City, selling them on the shopping website, Etsy.

Eventually, Boggiano said she moved back to San Diego and hit the ground running with her brand, selling her designs to local shops, including Gone Bananas in Pacific Beach.

Solkissed made a splash and within months, Boggiano said she went from selling her pieces at one store to more than two dozen stores.

Now, the young designer has more than 20 people working for Solkissed in both San Diego and South America. She said her mother, who still lives in Peru, has become her business partner, handling operations for the brand from there while Boggiano holds down the fort in San Diego.

Many of the bikinis are handmade in Peru by female micro-entrepreneurs who work from their homes bringing Boggiano’s designs to life.

With the swimwear taking the spotlight in “Sports Illustrated” this week, Boggiano said she’s inundated with new orders that she’s prepared to fulfill.

“I’m extremely ready for this. It feels good,” she said.

Boggiano’s swimsuits sell for about $100 and can also be purchased on the brand’s official website.

Her debut collection is called “Inca Sirena,” which translates to “Inca Mermaid.” The line is heavily influenced by Peruvian and South American culture, boasting Inca prints, tribal patterns and bold, bright colors. She also designs hand-woven bracelets and accessories inspired by Peruvian art one might find in places like Machu Picchu.

Learn more about Solkissed here.

Another day, another heartbreaking U.S. loss to Canada in hockey.

This time it was the men who let their chances at gold slip away.

That was the biggest story line out of Sochi on Friday, day 14 of the Winter Olympics.

But the day wasn't totally depressing, thanks to an 18-year-old skier who won slalom gold. Her commanding performance helped keep the Americans on top of the medal board.

D'oh! Canada wins again

One of the Olympics’ most anticipated showdowns, between the U.S. and Canadian men’s hockey teams, ended Friday with another American disappointment.

A day after the U.S. women’s team lost to Canada in the gold-medal final, the men fell 1-0 in the semifinals, losing their shot at gold.

The game was seen as a rematch of the 2010 gold medal final in Vancouver, in which the Canadian men beat the Americans in overtime.

Friday’s loss means that the U.S. men will end another Winter Games without a gold medal, which they haven’t won since 1980, the year of the “Miracle on Ice.”

A bronze is still within reach, though. The U.S. will play Finland for that medal on Saturday.

Canada, meanwhile, will take on Sweden in the gold medal match on Sunday.

Gold for the kid

The brightest moment for the U.S. on Friday came courtesy of a teenaged skier.

Mikaela Shiffrin, 18, became the youngest woman ever to win slalom gold, beating defending champion Mari Hoefl-Riesch of Germany by half a second.

The victory brought the U.S. its second gold medal in Alpine skiing, after Ted Ligety won the giant slalom earlier in the week.

The U.S. has won five total Alpine medals in Sochi, down from its seven in Vancouver four years ago but still a bright spot given disappointing performances from some of America’s highly touted stars.

Shiffrin came within inches of losing the race. In her second of two runs, she briefly lost control on a turn, lifting a leg up to catch her balance. She recovered and still finished faster than her closest rivals.

Exit Bode

With Shiffrin representing the future of American ski racing, its aging champion ended his Olympic career.

Bode Miller decided to sit out Saturday’s men’s slalom competition and returned home to nurse a bum knee. He said he wants to finish out the current World Cup season.

But Sochi seemed a fitting conclusion.

Brash and unpredictable, Miller, 36, sat out the 2013 season with a knee injury but roared back this year. He showed flashes of brilliance in his downhill training runs in Sochi but failed to make the podium.

He held it together in the super-G, winning bronze, his sixth career medal, a finish that brought him to tears and made him America’s most decorated Olympic skier.

Now his fans have to wait to see if he’s got anything left to give.

The speedskating debacle is complete

It’s time for American speedskaters to do some serious soul-searching.

They were by far the U.S. team’s biggest disappointment in Sochi, getting shut out of the podium in long-track events for the first time 30 years.

Two final defeats came Friday in the men’s and women’s team pursuit events.

“Worst Olympics ever,” said American star Shani Davis, according to the Associated Press.

The lone consolation happened Friday on the short track, where the U.S. men’s 5000m relay team won a silver medal.

Speedskating had traditionally been one of the U.S.’s strongest sports at the Winter Games. But no longer.

They have been totally eclipsed by the Dutch, who have won a whopping 22 long-track speedskating medals in Sochi.

U.S. leads medal count

Shiffrin's gold and the short-track silver raised America's total medal count to 27, tops in Sochi.

The U.S. has nine golds, which leaves it in a three-way tie with Russia and Canada behind Norway's 10.

That slim overall lead could still evaporate in the final weekend, with the culmination of 10 more medal events.

A squeaking teething toy sold at a popular big-box retail store is being recalled because the monkey-shaped teether may pose a choking hazard to young children, the company announced.

Made of soft orange rubber, the Squeeze & Teethe Monkey was sold at Target stores nationwide from December 2012 to January 2014, the manufacturer, Infantino, said in a recall alert. It cost about $12.99 and was marketed for ages newborn and up.

• Baby Given Life-Saving CPR on Side of Expressway

There have been at least seven reports of infants choking or gagging on the toy’s tail, according to the Associated Press. No injuries have been reported.

"Infantino" is marked on the back of the toy toward the rear and model number 206-647 is marked on the inside of the rear left leg.

• How to Minimize Flu Risk

About 191,000 Squeeze & Teethe Monkey teethers are included in the recall, the AP reported. A similar toy with the model number 206-949 is not affected, the company said.

Customers who have the recalled toy should stop using it immediately and call Infantino for a free replacement product. The company can be reached weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT by calling 888-808-3111, or customers can request a new item by clicking on this link.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles announced a slew of federal charges, including bribery and influence peddling, against California State Sen. Ron Calderon on Friday.

A Democrat serving Montebello, Calderon took about $100,000 in cash bribes plus plane trips, golf trips and gourmet meals, according to prosecutors. The alleged scheme involved working for or against certain state legislation.

“When public officials choose to callously betray the trust of the people that they serve and selfishly line their pockets with money for the privilege of holding the office they serve," U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte said in a Friday press conference, "then it’s up to us to take the steps responsible to make sure we hold these individuals accountable."

The indictment charges Calderon with mail fraud, wire fraud, honest services fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aiding in the filing of false tax returns.

The 56-year-old lawmaker has agreed to surrender next week, the FBI said. If convicted, Calderon faces a statutory maximum sentence of 396 years in federal prison.

• FBI Raids Sacramento Offices of Local State Sen. Ron Calderon

Tom Calderon, 59, the senator's brother, also is charged in connection with the scheme. He is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and seven counts of money laundering for allegedly funneling bribe money through a non-profit group and consulting company he operates, prosecutors said.

The charges -- in the form of a 24-count indictment -- come nearly four months after Al Jazeera America published a sealed 125-page FBI affidavit, which explained the FBI’s alleged "probable cause to believe" Ron Calderon was involved in a handful of bribery schemes including an offer to:

• halt workers' compensation laws to benefit a Long Beach hospital executive
• an undercover agent for a state-funded job in the state Senate
• support legislation that would help independent film studios receive tax credits

The lawmaker’s attorney, Mark Geragos, called the allegations in the affidavit “false and defamatory,” and Ron Calderon alleged that his office was raided in 2013 after he refused to “secretly record conversations with Senator [Darrell] Steinberg and Senator [Kevin] de Leon.”

In the wake of the FBI raid on Ron Calderon’s office, the senator filed a complaint in Sacramento in 2013 accusing Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Miller of involvement in “a string of illegal leaks” that date back to 2010.

Federal prosecutors allege that Ron Calderon accepted $28,000 in bribes from Michael D. Drobot, former owner of the now-closed Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, in exchange for supporting legislation that “delay or limit changes in California’s workers’ compensation laws relating to the amount of medical care providers are reimbursed for performing spinal surgeries.”

• Read: Calderon Bribery Case Indictment

In another case announced by the U.S. Attorney’s office Friday, prosecutors said Drobot has agreed to plead guilty regarding a major health care fraud scheme.

The charges against the hospital executive involve tens of millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks in exchange for a glut of patient referrals who received spinal surgeries. The referrals, according to prosecutors, led to more than $500 million in bills, which were fraudulently submitted and, in large part, paid by the California worker’s compensation system.

Law-enforcement sources described the allegations as what could be one of the largest health care fraud cases in state history.

Drobot is suspected of having had a heavy hand for some 15 years in the alleged kick-back scheme, which was financed by inflated prices on medical devices implanted in state workers’ compensation patients.

The scheme exploited the spinal pass-through law, which Ron Calderon allegedly kept on the books after receiving bribes from Drobot, authorities said.

Drobot was not indicted in the Calderons’ corruption case, but admitted to paying bribes to the senator, the FBI said. He is scheduled to be arraigned March 31.

As part of a plea agreement, Drobot has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation of the health care fraud scheme, as well as the government’s prosecution of the Calderon brothers.

• FBI Interviews Suggest Link Between Senator Calderon Probe, Southland Water District

In addition to accepting bribes from Drobot, Ron Calderon allegedly also accepted $60,000 from an undercover FBI agent posing as a film studio head, authorities said.

After Calderons’ indictment was made public Friday, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia said she hopes “the days where special interests have the ability to unduly influence elected officials” are coming to a close.

“Much of this corruption has occurred in my own backyard, where I have fought for ethical behavior and public accountability at all levels of government,” Garcia, who is the co-chair of the Assembly Ethics Committee, said in a statement. Friday’s charges “are a setback and damaging to our political system.”

Ron Calderon will be arraigned Feb. 24. Tom Calderon self-surrendered Friday morning, prosecutors said, and will be arraigned Friday afternoon.

“Corruption victimizes each and every one of us,” Bill Lewis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said Friday. “Perhaps more than robbing us of money, corruption robs of us trust in government.”

NBC News' Andrew Blankstein contributed to this report.

With a clutch performance down a choppy course, 18-year old Mikaela Shiffrin skied to a gold medal under the lights in Friday's night slalom, becoming the youngest ever Olympic champion in the event. She beat Austrian slalom legend Marlies Schild, the skier she grew up idolizing.

After setting the fastest first run with a smooth, near-flawless performance down the soft, soggy snow, Shiffrin — running 30th in the evening leg — stood atop the course looking incredibly relaxed, even as she watched the world's best female slalom skiers get rocked by ruts resembling a bobsled run.

Shiffrin was so cool and calm, in fact, that even a near race-ending bobble in the second run couldn't derail her destiny. On the upper section of the course's pitch, she got thrown wide around a gate and almost came off course.

"There I was, I'm like, 'Great. I'm just going to go win my first medal.' And then in the middle of the run, I'm like, 'Guess not.'" Schiffrin told reporters. "So like, 'No. Don't do that. Do not give up. You see this through.' My whole goal was to just keep my skis moving."

Aside from the mistake and impressive recovery, everything else went according to plan.

Shiffrin is that rare skier who doesn't let nerves disrupt fast turns, no easy task in a sport that leaves little room for error. It's this ability to keep her composure no matter how high the stakes (or slim her experience) that's allowed Shiffrin to quickly become the world's best slalom skier in a span of only two years.

In 2011, the then 16-year old high school student burst onto the U.S. Ski Team by winning a national title in slalom. Nine months later, she landed on her first World Cup podium in the same discipline, and last year she broke through with four World Cup wins en route to winning the overall slalom title, plus a World Championship gold in the same event.

This season, Shiffrin — still a two-event skier who focuses on the technical disciplines — added giant slalom to her repertoire, netting two podium finishes in addition to her three slalom wins.

All this success added up to one thing: Pressure. The teenager came into Sochi as a threat in giant slalom (she'd go on to finish a respectable fifth in that event) and the favorite in slalom. So rather than merely soak up the experience of her first Olympics, Shiffrin had to deal with an intense media spotlight firmly trained on her as news outlets scrambled to find an American replacement for the injury-sidelined Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn comparisons have been inevitable during the young skier's career. But despite making her World Cup debut at 16, Vonn went four years before scoring her first win on the circuit, and another six before she claimed gold in Vancouver.

With seven World Cup wins to her credit and now an Olympic gold medal dangling around her neck, Shiffrin is on the accelerated program. And with her skill set rapidly expanding, the Colorado native is poised for many more Olympic medals, not to mention a potentially record-setting career.

For now, however, the youngster is just enjoying her moment.

"Today was one of the most special days of my life," said Shiffrin, clutching an American flag, beaming in the damp Russian night air and finally letting herself soak up the experience.
 

A convicted felon and registered sex offender may be headed to Mexico and could be in Southern California, the FBI warned Thursday.

Kevin Anthony Briggs is wanted for allegedly assaulting a female and a police officer in Bozeman, Montana. He was last seen in Northern California and information obtained by the FBI indicates he may be traveling south toward Mexico.

Briggs allegedly assaulted a woman on Feb. 1. After police located him, he allegedly resisted arrested and hit an officer in the face. He managed to escape custody and is believed to have traveled to Missoula, Montana later that evening, where he bought a one-way bus ticket to Spokane, Wash.

At the time of the incident, Briggs was on probation for previous convictions in 2004 of sexual intercourse without consent, aggravated kidnapping, escape and burglary.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the location and arrest of Briggs.

He is described as having brown hair and hazel eyes, 5 foot 5 inches to 5 foot 7 inches, weighing 120 to 150 pounds.

Briggs has a sunburst tattoo around his right nipple, a nipple in his armpit, and a tattoo on his lower lip. He also has a double “snake bite” piercing on his bottom lip. Briggs also has a bellybutton piercing and pierced ears, according to information released by the FBI.

He has used several aliases, including Kevin Bacon, Aimee MacIntire, Timothy McCoy, and James Meismer. He is used multiple dates of birth, and is either 28 or 24 years old based on those dates used.

Briggs has previously worked at a hotel and as a laborer for a landscaping company.

According to the FBI’s website, Briggs may be staying in homeless shelters while earning money to travel. He should be considered armed and dangerous, suicidal, and a flight risk, as Briggs has violent tendencies.

An 83-year-old Clairemont woman missing since Thursday morning was located by authorities in Los Angeles Friday evening, the San Diego Police Department confirmed.

At 5 p.m., the SDPD confirmed that Doris Wilma Hargis had been located off Interstate 405 near LAX. Officials said she was in good health.

According to police, Hargis had last been heard from at approximately 8 a.m. Thursday. Detectives believed Hargis drove away from her home in Clairemont in her 1998 Nissan Frontier pickup truck.

A missing person bulletin was issued by police describing both Hargis and vehicle and license plate. 

The missing woman’s family told police that Hargis suffers from a medical condition and needs prescribed medication.

Though police said Hargis was found safe, officials would not elaborate on how she wound up in Los Angeles as this type of information is not typically released by police in cases of missing persons.