A dog who faced intruders and took two bullets for her family is recovering from surgery at home thanks to a shelter's crowdfunding campaign.

Charlie, the now-three-legged dog, had to have a leg amputated after stepping in to save her family last weekend.

Charlie was at her Los Angeles home with her two pup siblings and family when two people broke into the home. The three dogs chased the intruders into the street.

One of the intruders fired shots at the pets as he ran away and struck Charlie in two of her legs, according to the North Central Shelter's Facebook page. One of the other dogs tried to push Charlie back inside the house after she was hurt.

If Charlie had not been in the line of fire, bullets may have struck one of the family's children, the dog's owner told the shelter.

After police arrived, Charlie had to be taken by Animal Control to the North Central Shelter since her owners could not afford to get her to an emergency veterinarian on their own.

The technician who put Charlie up for the night reached out to the North Central Shelter Intervention Program, which helps owners find resources for their pets, to see if they could help get Charlie medical help and reunite her with her family.

And help they did. The program, along with the Bill Foundation, started a crowdfunding campaign to help Charlie's family pay for surgery, and more than $8,000 has poured into the online bank account -- more than double the original goal.

"Please help us raise the funds to help this loyal and heroic dog get the care she needs. And reunite her with her family! She misses them very, very much Every little bit helps," the shelter posted on the YouCaring funding site.

Charlie successfully underwent surgery to have one of her legs amputated. The family says their pet pooch is as happy as ever, strutting around on three legs and giving plenty of kisses.

The family, overwhelmed with gratitude for those who stepped in to help, welcomed Charlie home Feb. 27, and the shelter stopped by Monday to take pictures of the happily reunited family, Charlie smiling and licking the faces of her parents and shelter program helpers (pictured at right).

Charlie's owner told the shelter that once Charlie got home and saw the children, she quickly stood up and started walking.

Though Charlie's surgery came with a hefty price tag, the extra thousands of dollars in donations will go to the Intervention Program to help other pet owners find help they need.

Anyone who wants to donate to the program, they can visit Charlie's crowdfunding page or email ncintervention@gmail.com.

San Diego homicide detectives have released the name of a man who was shot and killed in San Diego's Webster area Saturday morning.

San Diego resident Paris Pierre Von Hill, 20, was found shot and lying on a sidewalk with fatal injuries to his head Saturday at 6:30 a.m. on 47th Street and Federal Boulevard.

As a result of a gunshot wound, he was pronounced dead at the scene, SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings confirmed.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a fight broke out early Saturday morning near where the man was found. 

Witnesses said they heard at least one or two gunshots in the area early Saturday morning, and two men were seen leaving the area in a grey, four-door car.

Witness Abraham Ortiz is the stocking manager at Great Western Building Materials in the 4500-block of Federal Boulevard. He told NBC 7 he saw the victim’s body on the street Saturday morning, as well as police officers.

He told police that his building maintains surveillance cameras around the area and offered the footage to investigators.

Ortiz said he was shaken up by the victim’s death, describing it as something straight out of a crime show.

"It's scary -- I only see this on TV -- never in person," said Ortiz. "This guy, somebody killed him, he's been shot or something."

Ortiz said there’s a nightclub near the scene that often holds parties, so perhaps the victim was coming from there when he was injured.

The homicide remains under investigation. Police have not released a suspect description. Hastings said investigators are still working to determine whether or not the slaying is gang-related.

Anyone with information on this case should contact the SDPD's Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

A mother and daughter are accused of trying to smuggle more than 200 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of their car, according to U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Agents say they stopped a 2011 Chevrolet Impala on Interstate 5 in San Diego on Sunday.

Inside the car, agents talked with a 23-year-old U.S. citizen and her mother, a 54-year-old Mexican national.

Agents said the daughter told them that they were bringing the marijuana into the country and that it was in the Chevy’s trunk.

Nine bundles of pot weighing 206 pounds were discovered wrapped in green packaging and black garbage bags, agents said.

They estimate the drugs could be worth more than $123,000 on the street.

The mother and daughter were in custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration and will face federal charges, agents said.
 

One person was killed after being struck by a southbound Amtrak train Tuesday in Carlsbad, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The fatal accident happened at 1:20 p.m. near Poinsettia Lane.

According to sheriff's officials, the victim tried to cross the tracks at a crosswalk and walked into the path of the oncoming train. Officials said all train warnings were active and working properly.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. That person’s identity has not been released.

Rail enforcement deputies are investigating.

Check back for updates.

An explosion caused so much damage inside a popular organic market that it will close several days for repairs, the store owner told NBC 7. 

Customers arrived to Windmill Farms on Del Cerro Boulevard Monday morning to do some shopping and were met by signs telling them the store is closed.

The local family-owned grocery store was damaged when fire broke out Monday night.

An electrician was burned by an electric shock while working on the main electrical box. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses described several explosions inside along with flames and smoke.

“Basically inside there was an explosion in the meat department, which started some flames. Obviously a lot of smoke,” witness James Seastrom said.

The electric shock spread to nearby dry goods and prompted a two-alarm fire. Ten employees were evacuated.

Manager Matt Mann said firefighters did a great job putting out the fire without breaking anything inside.

He said the store hopes to reopen in two days.

‘We've had the health department out already. They're testing right now for lead, asbestos testing already happened,” he said explaining the steps to clear the store for opening. “Obviously we'll have to completely repair our meat department.”

Employees have had to throw away dairy and meat products because power was turned off.

The beads, feathers and fun will flow on Tuesday, Mar. 4, when San Diego celebrates Mardi Gras.

Downtown, the Fat Tuesday party will be poppin’ at the Gaslamp Quarter with the San Diego Mardi Gras Parade & Celebration nighttime block party along 5th Avenue.

The shindig will bring an energetic parade down 5th Avenue that begins with various live music acts and roving performers hitting the streets from 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Once the crowd is hyped, the main parade will kick off, boasting dozens of colorful, adorned floats and a mystery celebrity grand marshal. The parade runs from 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Street party entertainment will include multiple live DJs spinning fun beats. When you need a breather from the bash, stop in at a number of local Gaslamp eateries offering Mardi Gras deals, including drink and food specials at places like Bice, Dick’s Last Resort, Henry’s Pub and the Marble Room.

General admission ticket prices to this party cost $35 on Monday and $40 on Tuesday, while VIP tickets run up to $85.

For a pre-party, Fuse Nightclub on 4th Avenue plans to celebrate early on Saturday with the San Diego Brazilian Mardi Gras Ball, which brings the excitement of Carnival to San Diego, along with feathered, sexy Samba dancers and non-stop Brazilian music and performances. That party lasts from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., with general admission tickets priced at $29 and VIP tickets priced at $99.

Then, again on Tuesday, the uptown community of Hillcrest will host Fat Tuesday with a fun with a free street party from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. featuring an outrageous masquerade parade and lot and lots of beads.

This celebration will take over University Avenue between 10th Avenue and Herbert Street. A float parade runs from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. After that, all kinds of eclectic performers will take over the streets, including stilt walkers, trapeze performers, a fire dancer and DJs. Some ladies from LIPS will also be there.

On the west end of the street shindig, partygoers can enjoy some grub from gourmet food vendors and a lounge made for mingling.

All of these aforementioned local Mardi Gras events are 21 and up. Get there early to find parking.
Meanwhile, over in the North County, partygoers have a couple of options to ring in Mardi Gras.

In Valley Center, Harrah’s Rincon Hotel and Casino will celebrate the spirit of Fat Tuesday with live music and traditional New Orleans-inspired “Hurricane” drinks. Their buffet will morph into cajun heaven with a wide array of bayou favorites, including seafood gumbo. This celebration is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

In San Marcos, Alchemy of the Hearth – a kitchen dedicated to classes for aspiring and experienced chefs alike – will host a Mardi Gras-inspired cooking demo that includes lessons on how to make cajun classics like mixed jambalaya, steamed crawfish and bananas foster. Preregistration is required and seating is limited for this class, which runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
 

Facebook will become the first private company in the country to bankroll a full-time beat cop, and several experts say this is likely a blueprint for many more similar partnerships.

“It’s safe to say this is unprecedented,” said Jim Bueermann, president of the Police Foundation, the nation’s oldest police research nonprofit in Washington, D.C. “But this may be the model of the future.”

And while several experts think such arrangements are the product of what they call “good corporate citizenship,” critics are uncomfortable with the idea of a privately paid “Facebook Cop.”

• Teen's Facebook Post Costs Father $80,000

On Tuesday, the Menlo Park City Council unanimously approved Facebook’s offer to pay $200,000 a year for three years to hire a “community safety police officer.”

Facebook's headquarters is in Menlo Park, an affluent Silicon Valley city of about 30,000 considered one of the most educated cities in California. Other communities regularly pay for police to work security, such as at concerts or sporting events, but in most cases, those officers are off duty and earn the extra money by moonlighting.

“I find this particularly concerning,” said Alessandro De Giorgi, a justice studies professor at San Jose State University.

Giorgi worries about the ramifications of a private company paying for a historically publicly paid police officer. And in his opinion, any money should go to fund education, not police officers whose job it is to arrest people – especially students – and put them in jail or juvenile hall.

"I don't think there is anything ethically wrong with it," said Terry Francke, general counsel for Californians Aware, a nonprofit group that aims to keep governments accountable. "But I don't think it's good government. The notion is that government services are paid for by everyone. This comes awfully close to naming rights. So, what will things be called now, 'Google City Hall?' "

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Supporters of the plan shudder at nicknames like Facebook Cop and Google City Hall. To them, this is simply a creative way to pay for a public good when tax dollars are increasingly waning.

"This is a generous gift," Menlo Park Mayor Ray Mueller told NBC Bay Area before the meeting. "And it's a way to keep the community safe." He noted that the contract states the officer will spend most of his or her time near the schools, and not patrolling the campus of Facebook.

Specificially, this particular police officer  would earn an annual salary of $108,000 plus perks and be tasked to help out school campuses and large businesses in planning security measures. The officer would also gather intelligence on gangs, taggers and drugs and run fire and earthquake drills for schools and surrounding businesses, according to the recommendation written by Menlo Park Police Commander Dave Bertini. The plan is to find the position for three years before reevaluating.

“They’d be a regular beat cop with a special assignment,” Bertini told NBC Bay Area.

The officer would work out of a new substation in the Belle Haven neighborhood, about a quarter of a mile from Facebook headquarters, but a socioeconomic world away, because this particular section of town is relatively poor. According to the city council agenda,  Facebook employees John Tenanes and Carla Gray came to the police department in October 2013, to offer to pay for such an officer after hearing the city needed help. A Facebook representative wasn't immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

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Bertini added that once Facebook gives the money, the company will have nothing to do with the hiring or disciplining of the officer.

“They are bending over backwards to be good neighbors,” he said. “There is no quid pro quo here.”

Judy Nadler, the former mayor of Santa Clara and the senior fellow in government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, also has never heard of this particular relationship.

And she warned aloud that any city engaging in such a partnership must assure the public that “no priority is given to Facebook. The potential for the conflict of interest, if Facebook asks for an expansion or a waiver of a parking ticket” is certainly there.

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But ultimately, Nadler said that as long as that there is are transparent assurances that Facebook won’t get any special treatment, then she supports these type of “commendable public, private partnerships. Especially when the school districts can’t afford the officer themselves.”

Bueermann, from the police foundation, said there are several examples of when companies pony up money for K-9  dogs, and paying for a human officer is just a larger extension of that.

“I’m not sure what’s motivating Facebook,” he said. “But Mark Zuckerberg has been part of this philanthropic movement. I applaud them for their social consciousness.”

NBC Bay Area's Scott Budman and Chase Cain contributed to this report.

A case of tuberculosis has been reported at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) confirmed Tuesday.

According to health officials, a person on campus was recently diagnosed with TB, and may have exposed students and staff to the infection. The possible exposure period was from September 2013 to Feb. 21, 2014.

Health and school officials would not confirm whether the infected person was a student or teacher, but said the exposure to the infection could've taken place across several classrooms on campus during the aforementioned time period.

Health officials said symptoms of active TB include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. TB usually spreads through many hours of close, indoor contact with the infected individual. It can be treated and cured with medication.

“Most people who are exposed do not develop TB,” said Eric McDonald, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer. “TB is easiest to treat and cure with medication when identified early, which is why it’s important to identify those who have been exposed.”

The HHSA said free TB testing for students who may have been exposed will take place at the school Thursday and Friday. For more information on this potential exposure, contact the County of San Diego TB Program at (619) 692-8621.

According to the HHSA, TB is not uncommon in San Diego. To date in 2014, there have been 14 cases of the disease reported across the county. Last year, there were 206 cases of TB reported in San Diego, and in 2012, there were 234.

The San Diego City Council will consider approving the city’s first female police chief at a meeting Tuesday. Meanwhile, some community leaders are criticizing the speed and process by which she was selected.

Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman, a 32-year veteran of the department, was the choice of incoming Mayor Kevin Faulconer when he was tasked to replace retiring Chief William Lansdowne.

As city councilmembers prepare to discuss Zimmerman’s selection, the San Diego chapter of the Americans Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the choice as one with “zero community input.”

Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, the ACLU’s senior police advocate, told NBC 7 the decision should have involved San Diegans.

"Making this a quick decision about who would be interim makes sense but I don't really see that this was a net positive in terms of impression or what this communicates to San Diego," Dooley-Sammuli said.

Mayor Faulconer announced he would appoint Zimmerman once he took office on Monday, March 3. His announcement came just hours after Lansdowne publicly announced he had decided to step down.

Some community leaders like Todd Gloria had also asked for a national search for the right candidate for police chief.

• Read: Who Is Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman?

Mayor Faulconer argued that Zimmerman is an extremely qualified choice. She has worked in narcotics and internal affairs as well as served on the Mayor's Executive Protection Detail and as a field lieutenant.

The new police chief will be working through multiple accusations of sexual misconduct on the job.

In February, former officer Christopher Hays pleaded not guilty to charges of false imprisonment and sexual battery in his interaction with women while on duty.

A second officer, who has been identified by multiple sources as Officer Donald Moncrief, is under investigation for inappropriate contact with female detainees that may include exposing himself, accordign to police offiicals. No charges have been filed.

Zimmerman has said she does not tolerate officers dishonoring the badge and supports the plan to bring in an outside auditor to look at department practices and training.

• Timeline: Officers Accused of Sex Crimes

The San Diego ACLU has a meeting scheduled with Zimmerman Monday to continue discussing issues left from Lansdowne’s term.

Investigators are searching for the suspect responsible for starting at least nine fires inside different men’s restrooms at Palomar College in San Marcos, often using toilet paper to set the bathroom blazes.

According to San Diego County Crime Stoppers and the Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson Unit, the unknown suspect intentionally set the fires on campus between Dec. 2, 2013, and Feb. 21, 2014. The fires happened inside men’s restrooms in the SU, P, E, F and MD buildings at Palomar College.

In all cases, investigators say the arsonist used toilet paper, paper towels and toilet seat covers to spark the fires.

As is typically the case with arson cases, a $10,000 reward is being offered by authorities for information leading to the suspect responsible for these crimes, with $9,000 of that coming from the Felony Arson Restricted Reward Fund. Committing arson in an occupied building is a felony offense that is punishable by to eight years in state prison.

The arson series is under investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.
 

A veterans group wants the Supreme Court to end a decades-long legal dispute over a memorial cross on a San Diego mountaintop that a lower court has found unconstitutional.

“Only this Court can bring an end to this litigation,” the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association wrote in its petition to have the case heard by the high court.

At issue is a 43-foot-tall cross that has been on a hillside looking over La Jolla and Mission Bay since 1954. It is part of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial.

In December, a federal judge ordered the cross must come down because it violates the Establishment Cause of the Constitution, unlawfully endorsing one religion over others. Opponents of the cross have argued that it is a religious symbol on government land and violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

In their petition, however, the veterans group asks Supreme Court justices to step in and review the decision, explaining that there are hundreds of plaques honoring veterans of all religions surrounding the base of the cross.

“The context and history of the Memorial make clear that its primary purpose and effect is not to endorse religion, but to honor veterans,” the petition states.

In 2011, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the cross violated the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, and it was sent back to federal court in San Diego, where the December ruling was issued.

Veterans warned justices that by refusing to hear the case, they could be putting other war memorials in the same legal quandary.

“As long as the Ninth Circuit’s decision stands, it puts into question the legality of hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans’ memorials across the country,” the petition states.

If the Supreme Court does not review the case, it lets the lower court's ruling stand. The order states the cross must be moved within 90 days.

The San Diego City Council confirmed the appointment of the city’s first-ever female police chief Tuesday, voting 8-0 to have Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman become the new chief of the San Diego Police Department.

Zimmerman, a 31-year veteran of the department, was the choice of incoming Mayor Kevin Faulconer when he was tasked to replace retiring Chief William Lansdowne. On Tuesday, she was officially appointed to the position by the San Diego City Council.

“It is a privilege to wear this uniform and badge and I’m very grateful for the opportunity and challenge we are undertaking,” said Zimmerman after being appointed. “In 1981, I moved out here from Cleveland, Ohio. I did not know anyone. I did not have a job. I didn’t even have a place to stay. And, today, I am the chief of police of the San Diego Police Department.”

• Read: Who is SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman?

Though Zimmerman has the full support of Mayor Faulconer and other city leaders, some community leaders are raising concerns about Zimmerman’s appointment process, criticizing the speed and process by which she was selected.

While some believe it was rushed, the city council believes there’s no time like the present to recognize her qualifications and get the SDPD under new leadership amid recent scandals.

• Timeline: SDPD Officers Accused of Sex Crimes

For her part, Zimmerman said she’s ready to lead the department and has big plans for the future of the SDPD.

“We will instill a culture of excellence in our police department. We will demand it of ourselves because our community deserves it,” said Zimmerman, before the city council. “It starts with the chief of police all the way to our newest recruit and our entire civilian staff.”

“All of us will strive to be the very best at what we do in the very best police department and in the most beautiful city in the world,” she continued. “We are committing every single second of every single day to the words that are written on the doors of our police cars: “America’s Finest.” These are not just words, these are our core values.”

Last week, Mayor Faulconer announced his plans to appoint Zimmerman once he took office on Mar. 3. His announcement came just hours after Lansdowne publicly announced he had decided to step down.

Faulconer said Zimmerman was an extremely qualified choice for the leadership position, having three decades of service under her belt, including having worked in narcotics and internal affairs, as well as on the Mayor's Executive Protection Detail and as a field lieutenant.

As she takes on the role of chief, Zimmerman will be working through recent scandals involving SDPD officers accused of sexual misconduct on the job.

This includes the case of former Officer Christopher Hays, 30, accused of inappropriate interaction with women while on duty. Last month, Hays pleaded not guilty to charges of false imprisonment and sexual battery.

There’s also the case of SDPD Officer Donald Moncrief, 39, who is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct with female detainees that may have included exposing himself to a woman while on duty. No charges have been filed against Moncrief.

Zimmerman has said she supports the proposed plan to have an outside audit of the SDPD conducted in order to review department practices and training policies in the wake of the misconduct scandals plaguing the SDPD.

“Our officers and civilian personnel serve with honor, distinction and dedication every single day – united, as a team, for the betterment of our city. And for those very few who do not fulfill our standards, your failures will not be tolerated," said the chief. "Each of us is raising the bar, right here, right now and when we reach the bar, we’re going to raise it again. We’re going to strive for perfection every single second of every single day.”

“This badge that we all proudly wear is not just a piece of polished metal. It represents the people of San Diego,” she added.

On Tuesday, Council President Todd Gloria and Councilmember David Alvarez both asked Zimmerman about this proposed audit. They also asked the new chief whether she’d be committed with working with communities of color and diversity within the ranks of the police force.

Eight people were transported to the hospital after a multi-vehicle accident Tuesday evening, according to fire-rescue officials.

The accident happened around 5:15 p.m. near Dagget Street and Ruffner Street in the Kearny Mesa area.

The extent of the victims’ injuries is known. There is no word yet what caused the crash.

Check back for updates.
 

A man suspected of committing at least one dozen commercial burglaries was arrested Monday night in Fallbrook – caught in the act in the middle of one of his crimes, officials said.

Oscar Duran Ordonez, 26, was arrested around 10:45 p.m. at Joe’s Hardware Store located at 640 S. Main Ave., according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Ordonez was attempting to burglarize the store when the owner called deputies to report a suspicious person on the property.

Deputies found Ordonez inside the gated exterior of the business.

According to investigators, he matched the description of a man believed to have been involved in more than 12 other commercial burglaries and attempted burglaries in the Fallbrook area.

In each instance, the burglary occurred at night or in the early morning hours. In many cases, nothing was taken, but in the burglaries where there was a loss, cash was stolen, deputies said.

Despite an aggressive investigation, the identity of the suspect involved in those burglaries couldn’t be
established, that is, until Monday night.

Deputies found Ordonez in possession of clothing that linked him to several of the cases.

He was taken into custody and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on one count of attempted burglary and 11 counts of second-degree burglary. His bail was set at $300,000. He’s scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said that prior to his arrest Ordonez was not considered a suspect in the burglary series. He is new to the Fallbrook area and had no prior criminal record.

Traditionally, the library is supposed to be a quiet place. However, at the New Central Library in downtown San Diego, an ongoing noise has become a problem for nearby residents.

The noise – which some neighbors describe as an eerie howling – was discovered during construction of the new trademark dome library. Months later, it does not appear to be going away.

Downtown resident Claudette Cooper lives right across the street from the library in one of the three condominium buildings that directly face the dome.

Cooper said the sound coming from the large library is very distinct.

“It whistles, like it’s sort of eerie, like a haunted house,” she explained.

And closing the window isn’t enough.

“You still hear it. You can still hear it with the windows closed,” she said, adding that it’s even worse when there’s a storm or very windy weather.

During last weekend’s big storm, residents said the building was howling.

“It was really loud,” said Cooper.

Daniel Scott said he doesn’t hear the noise every day but he can hear it from where he lives two blocks away.

“It varies in pitch. It goes from ‘ohh’ [to] ‘ahh,’” he said.

The noise issue was first discovered when the building was under construction. During its grand opening event last September, the sounds stemming from the dome could not be ignored.

So, is anything being done to curb the noise?

NBC 7 put out calls to the library spokesperson, the city’s public works department and the mayor’s office Tuesday, but did not hear back.

Cooper isn’t sure what could be done to stop the howls, but she has an idea.

“Maybe a plastic sheet on the inside might stop it. Maybe something clear to get rid of the noise,” she said.

But, until that or something else, residents can expect more sounds from the library.
 

Approaching the 300-block of eastbound Elm, you might think it’s your lucky day. Ahead is what appears to be a free, downtown parking spot.

But take a closer look, behind that telephone pole, and there’s a parking meter. It’s the only meter on this block.

“There’s just no way to see it,” said Pacific Beach resident Jed Sundwall, who got a parking ticket at the location in late January. “I don’t know when the telephone pole was put in there, or when the parking meter was put in there, but it looks like somebody is just playing a prank.”

Sundwall said he’s supportive of paid parking downtown, believing it’s a valuable source of revenue for the city, but he takes issue with that particular meter because of its lack of visibility from the curb and sidewalk.

“There’s no sign … nothing. So, it’s just like this secret, hidden parking spot, and I felt like I had fallen into a trap,” he said.

The Data

NBC7 Investigates requested data from the city on the amount of expired or overtime parking citations issued throughout the city. We examined that data and made it available to residents here. We also compared the amount of citations issued at that location with others throughout the city, finding a relatively low number issued at that particular spot.

We found only four parking meter tickets issued in 2013 to drivers at 300 Elm. Based on that data, the maximum the city could have collected from the location in 2013 is $160 – a figure that does not include a $12.50 surcharge per ticket that goes to the state. By comparison, parking enforcement officers issued at least 1,026 parking meter tickets at 3600 5th Ave., raking-in at least $30,000 from that one location.

“And that is very telling, because this is a heavily patrolled area,” City Spokesman Bill Harris said. “If we were somehow getting a lot of traffic tickets at this particular location, it might be a question mark, but that just isn’t the case.”

City Response

NBC7 Investigates asked the city if there are less tickets issued at the location because officers know it’s located behind a telephone pole and therefore cut drivers some slack. Harris said that’s not the case.

“We’ve got very good parking enforcement officers all over downtown,” he said. “I suspect they know exactly where it is, and in fact are always looking to make sure people are paying the appropriate parking fee at this spot.”

Harris added that the parking meter at 300 Elm is not targeted for parking enforcement any more or any less than others throughout the city, even though it’s the only meter on the block.

Sundwall appealed his ticket, providing the city with pictures of the spot. He lost that appeal and now says he will pay his fine. He believes the city should at least provide better clearer markings for the metered spot and said he absolutely would have dropped some coins in the meter had he seen it.

City Spokesman Harris responded to that by saying people can voice their protests at City Council meetings, call the Parking Enforcement Department or go on the city’s website to learn more about parking downtown.

“I think people who are regular parkers downtown understand that they have to look for the meter,” Harris said. “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.”

By the Numbers

• The City issues almost 400,000 parking tickets per year, the equivalent of one ticket every 1 minute and 17 seconds.
• Of that, in 2013, 60,780 of those were parking meter tickets for expired or overtime meters.
• Based on the average fine of about $40 per ticket, the city could collect up to $16 million a year from parking tickets.
• Of that, $2.4 million would come from parking meter tickets.
• The top parking meter violator received 31 tickets last year in 2013, according to a review of the data.
• **Fines for parking tickets are not always collected within a year or even two years of the ticket being issued. Also, city officials say the money goes into the General Fund to cover city services such as street maintenance.

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has passed one of the strictest bans on bottled water in the nation.

The ban, approved Tuesday, will phase out the sale of bottled water of less than 21 ounces from city property.

The ban will eventually extend to large events like the Outside Lands festival.

As an alternative to bottled water, supervisors want the city to provide better access to Hetch Hetchy tap water.

• Mint Heist or Miser? Gold Coins Spark Speculation

“Bottled water is incredibly harmful to the environment,” Think Outside the Bottle campaign organizer Katherine Sawyer said. “It takes a plastic water bottle about a thousand years to biodegrade, and it’s just unnecessary to commodify water in a bottle when we have almost universal access to safe healthy tap water.”

Foot races and other sporting events would be exempt from the ordinance.

Recology estimates it collects about 15 million plastic water bottles a year.

Holy guacamole! Chipotle Grill fans will not be happy to hear what the company is considering.

According to the company's SEC filing last month, the Mexican fast food chain could temporarily suspend sales of guacamole and some salsas due to an increase in food costs.

The company says food and supply costs "escalated markedly" in 2013, and more increases are expected in 2014 for avocados, beef, dairy and chicken.

Freezing conditions, two years of drought and other weather volatility is blamed for the price increases.

But loyal Chipotle customers' ears will prick up with this warning contained in the filing:

"In the event of cost increases with respect to one or more of our raw ingredients, we may choose to temporarily suspend serving menu items, such as guacamole or one or more of our salsas, rather than paying the increased cost for the ingredients."

The company admits that removing a product like guacamole, even temporarily, will affect "restaurant traffic and comparable restaurant sales, and could also have an adverse impact on our brand."

Chipotle touts its commitment to organic, local, and sustainable farming practices for its ingredients, and claims to only use local produce grown on farms within 350 miles of the restaurants where it will be served.

The company is also on the record in blaming climate change for unpredictable weather conditions affecting crops.

March came in like a lion for the National Zoo.

The zoo's 9-year-old African lion Shera gave birth to four cubs on Sunday.

The cubs were born over a seven-hour period, the zoo announced Tuesday. Both mom and babies appear to be in good health. Zoo officials say the cubs are "nursing, moving and vocalizing well."

The zoo's Great Cat exhibit has been home to a recent baby boom. Back in Janunary, Shera's sister Nababiep gave birth to three cubs; two survived.

Both sisters also had litters within a month of each other back in 2010. Those seven cubs memorably celebrated their first birthday with "bloodsicles."

• Watch the National Zoo's Lion Cam

The zoo's 8-year-old male lion Luke sired all the cubs.

Both Shera and Nababiep have separate den spaces to bond with their new cubs. The zoo said in the wild it can take up to six weeks for a lioness to introduce her cubs to the rest of the pride.

The public won't be able to see Shera's cubs in-person until early summer; Nababiep's cubs may be introduced in the spring.

In the meantime, Nababiep and her cubs can be watched on the zoo's Lion Cam.

The Great Cat exhibit is also home to the zoo's Sumatran tiger cubs, Bandar and Sukacita, who made their public debut last November.