The Santee School District sent a warning to parents Monday about an alleged attempted abduction of a child waiting at a school bus stop.

The third grade student at Hill Creek School was waiting for the bus Monday morning when she said she was approached by a man who grabbed her arm.

Santee Schools' Superintendent Kathy Pierce said parents were notified as soon as possible.

"This is culture for Santee. We communicate with our parents in all respects and we try to do that in a timely and proactive manner," Pierce said.

• Read: Little League Coach Stops Attempted Abduction

Jeanette McCarthy said she was a little surprised when her granddaughter brought home the letter from the Santee School District.

Even though parents were notified within hours of the incident, they were still a little uneasy that something like this could happen in their neighborhood.

"This is a very quiet and safe neighborhood,” McCarthy said. “There's a lot of sports out here and families and everybody kind of knows everybody.”

Santee parent, Mike Vincent posted the letter to social media to help spread the word.

"You know get some parents to understand that they can't be really so relaxed and comfortable and allowing their kids to go out at night. Walking around by themselves because this stuff happens everywhere," he told NBC 7.

The alleged suspect was described as a dark skinned man in his mid 40s with a shaved head and a short beard.

Pierce said anyone who sees suspicious activity should report it to the San Diego County sheriff’s deputies.

“In addition, if the students experience something, they need to seek safety quickly, they need to find a trusted adult and that adult needs to contact the Sheriff's Department as soon as possible," she said.

Thankfully the third grader was able to get away and ran to an adult who called the authorities.

A man accused of a brazen and bizarre sexual assault inside the bathroom of a San Diego Big Lots, while wearing a stolen dress which made him look like a Barbie doll, pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday.

Gregory Philip Schwartz, 40, faces several felony charges stemming from the incident which occurred on Friday evening inside a women’s restroom at a Big Lots store located in Clairemont, according to police.

Schwartz was caught on surveillance footage entering the restroom wearing a dress he had stolen, according to San Diego Police Lt. Chuck Kaye.

When a woman walked into the restroom and went into a stall, Schwartz climbed under the stall, grabbed the woman, and attempted to sexually assault her, police said.

The woman fought back and was able to escape and run to a store employee.

Schwartz reportedly ran out soon after and was confronted by a security guard who he then threatened with what appeared to be a screwdriver.

He then fled the store, police said.

Investigators said surveillance footage helped them identify Schwartz as the lead suspect.

He was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon near Clairemont Mesa Blvd. and Diane Ave. Investigators said he was living out of his car.

During his arraignment Wednesday, Schwartz entered a not guilty plea for several charges including assault with attempt to commit rape, false imprisonment by violence, assault with a force likely to cause great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

“I have never handled a case like this before,” said Deputy District Attorney Mary-Ellen Barrett, prosecutor in the case.

“Based on the charges and what happened in the case, we’re taking it very seriously as a public risk and thankfully the victim came out fine. She’s injured and she’s scared, but she will recover and that’s all we want,” Barrett added.

The alleged assault victim was not in court.

Schwartz’ bail, which was originally set at $100,000, was raised to $110,000 for a parole violation related to a misdemeanor for child endangerment and cocaine possession conviction.

A readiness hearing was scheduled for Mar. 14.

If convicted on the assault charges, Schwartz faces seven years in prison.

Further details about why he had stolen a ladies' dress and why he was wearing it during the alleged assault were not revealed by prosecutors.

Getting around San Diego will be easier after two major transportation projects that will be officially opened to drivers in two weeks.

Two miles of carpool lanes along Interstate 805 in both northbound and southbound lanes will open between the I-5/I-805 merge and Carroll Canyon Road to serve the 150,000 to 160,000 vehicles that use that corridor every day.

“It will improve safety and hopefully reduce congestion but also will offer up another opportunity in HOV lanes for commuters as well as bus rapid transit,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

Close to $95 million was spent on the project with the bulk of the funds - $51.8 million – coming from federal stimulus grant money. Other contributions were made from San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the city of San Diego and Qualcomm.

Getting in and out of Sorrento Mesa is a real problem for the approximately 14,000 Qualcomm employees in the area.

A new Direct Access Ramp (DAR) at Carroll Canyon Road should help ease the gridlock.

“Working with the city to try and improve traffic congestion in the area is another way we can help our employees strike that work/life balance,” said Qualcomm spokesperson Christie Thoene.

Then, in the South Bay, a segment of carpool lanes opened along Interstate 805 northbound between State Route 54 and State Route 94 on Wednesday morning. The rest of the carpool lanes including the southbound lanes between East Naples Boulevard and State Route 94 will be opened within two weeks.

This expansion will create a new network of HOV lanes to offer a new transportation option for commuters and serve as the backbone for a new bus rapid transit system in the near future.

For the 200,000 people that use this section of the highway every day, I-805 Corridor Director Gustavo Dallardo said there is not a strong public transit option currently available.

“All of those people need more options. By creating this network of these HOV lanes, we’re creating the first steps to make that happen,” Dallardo said.

The South Bay I-805 Express Lanes project is part of a $1.4 billion effort that is scheduled for completion in 2015. 

And, just like that, March is here, which means spring is right around the corner. Last week may have brought some unusual rain to San Diego but this week, shake off that umbrella and step into the sun with some fun spring plans. Yelp has honed in on local events and activities happening in the North County that’ll surely make your month. Enjoy!

Circus Vargas Presents Magikaria Extreme! (Temecula Promenade, Temecula; Mar. 6-17)
It’s magic under the big top and it’s coming to Temecula! “Circus Vargas Presents Magikaria Extreme!” includes spectacular visuals, including high-flying, death-defying acrobats and illusionists, including the ever-so-handsome Patrick Gable. There are also rings of fire, dancers, and of course, clowns – if you enjoy that sort of thing. The show promises to keep you on the edge of your seat, so don’t spill that popcorn.

Spring Forward Musicfest (Grape Day Park, Escondido; Mar. 8)
This family friendly and free festival has a fantastic line-up of live music, not to mention the kid zone, hot dog eating contest, arts and crafts, and a food fair. Bring your dogs to the pet-friendly village (including an agility course) and don’t forget your dancing shoes to get down with all the featured local bands.

San Diego Bridal Show (California Center for the Arts, Escondido; Mar. 8)
Every bride knows that all that wedding planning and running around is exhausting, so what better than to cross each item off your list all in one place this weekend? The San Diego Bridal Show serves as a one-stop shop for blushing brides, boasting everything from bridal fashion shows to wedding exhibitors and vendors. There’s even a special Bridal Lounge area (with a cash bar) and cake samples. The first 100 brides or grooms get an awesome swag bag filled with goodies, too. See, tying the knot isn’t all that bad after all.

The Flower Fields (Carlsbad; Open for the season starting Mar. 1)
For the next couple of months, 50 acres of hills will be in bloom at the Carlsbad Flower Fields and it all begins on Mar. 1. The Flower Fields website has a full calendar of events for the season and each weekend, there are always tours, tractor and wagon rides, and Giant Ranunculus photo ops. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $6 for kids 3 to 10 years old. Children 2 and under get in free. Or, opt for a season pass for $25 per adult or $14 per child. Spring is definitely in the air here.

Seussical (California Center for the Arts, Escondido; Mar. 20-23)
Based on a number of Dr. Seuss books, with musical numbers like “Oh the Thinks You Can Think” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” you and the family will be sure to enjoy this Broadway classic brought all the way to Escondido. It’s a kid-friendly comedy filled with all things Dr. Seuss.
 

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.

A car crashed into a home in an upscale San Diego neighborhood on Wednesday.

Just before 5 p.m., a sedan ran into a ranch-style home in the 6700 block of Avenida Manana in La Jolla. The car drove through a wall and into the car port.

The woman behind the wheel was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to fire-rescue officials. At this point, it is unclear what caused her to drive into the home.

Officials said the residents weren’t home when the crash happened.

There is no word how much damage was done to the home. The incident is under investigation.
 

The iconic sweet treats chain, Dunkin’ Donuts, will open its second San Diego-area location Monday.

The donut shop will be housed at the Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown hotel located at 601 Pacific Highway. For now, the location plans to stay open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

The only other Dunkin Donuts location in San Diego is on the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in Oceanside. To grab a donut and coffee at that location, civilians must be affiliated with someone with a Department of Defense identification card.

In October 2013, the coffee and donut chain – an East Coast fan favorite – announced plans to open dozens of new locations over the next few years in Southern California. This included the soon-to-open locale at Embassy Suites in downtown San Diego.

The company said it planned to debut the new stores by 2015.
 

San Diego police are searching for an at-risk man last seen at the Fashion Valley Mall Wednesday afternoon.

According to police, Charles Ahnger, 49, was on a group outing to the mall with his social worker. He is considered at-risk because he has Down syndrome and early onset dementia.

Police said Ahnger may have boarded a bus in Fashion Valley and left the area.

Ahnger is described as 5 foot tall and 188 pounds with blond hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue windbreaker, jeans and white shoes. He also wears a bracelet with his emergency contact information.

Anyone with information on Ahnger’s whereabouts should call police at 619-531-2000.
 

Wednesday evening, at least four churches and four other local groups came together to call for peace after a homicide in Webster.

The body of Paris Pierre Von Hill, 20, was found last Saturday near Federal Boulevard and 47th Street.

Community leaders joined some of the victim’s friends at New Harvest Christian Fellowship in Oak Park to talk about getting involved in the lives of troubled youth before it’s too late.

“When you see these young people on the street, have the courage to walk up to them and say, 'good morning, how are you doing?' Shock them,” said Associate Pastor Rene Colon of City of Hope International. “We can’t just move on with our lives and forget there's people who need our help.”

NBC 7 spoke to close friends of the victim who say they are devastated and confused.

“He got along with everybody. I don't understand how this could happened,” said longtime friend Jessica White.

White visited the makeshift memorial near Federal Boulevard to pay her respects.

White and another close friend told NBC 7 that Hill had children and also a baby on the way.

Police have not released a suspect description. Witnesses at the scene in Webster said there was a fight before the shooting. Two men were seen leaving the area in a gray, four-door sedan.

Police are still trying to determine if this killing was gang-related. They’re asking anyone with information to come forward.

An expansion described as the single most important construction project in our region was included in President Barack Obama’s budget this week.

On Wednesday, the budget for fiscal year 2015 included $216 million to fund Phase II of the San Ysidro Port of Entry expansion.

Now, the money is in the hands of Congress whose members must approve the request through the appropriations process.

Members of the San Diego Congressional delegation – Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Susan Davis and Rep. Juan Vargas - along with Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein have pledged to work with others on Capitol Hill to get the funding approved.

An estimated 50,000 cars move northbound through the port of entry from Tijuana into San Ysidro every day. The project involving construction on both the U.S. and Mexico sides of the border crossing will help ease traffic between San Diego
County and Tijuana.

Mexico completed its side of the border project in 2012.

A Sexually Violent Predator has been released from prison and is living in San Diego County.

On Wednesday, sheriff's deputies went door to door to tell those who live in Jacumba Hot Springs about their new neighbor.

Mikel Wayne Marshall served 14 years for molesting four boys back in the 90. He is living in Jacumba and residents are concerned this area has become a dumping ground for predators.

On the same dirt road as a private property sign there now lives a sexually violent predator.

Marshall was released from Coalinga State mental Hospital Friday. He's living on Desert Rose Ranch Road in Jacumba.

"I don't think it's fair. I think there are other places they can go,” said David Landman, owner of Jacumba Hot Springs Spa.,

"There aren't words to explain how uncomfortable and scary and unsafe it is,” said Amanda Cunnington, a mother of three.

Marshall’s new home has people in this small quiet town talking. At Jacumba Hot Springs Spa, owner Landman has posted a picture of Marshall for his patrons to see. Right now he and others say they aren't afraid.

“It's my understanding that there's going to be 24 hour surveillance for the next two to three years. For the short time I'm not really that worried about the community,” Landman said.

"Well they found the perfect place. There's nothing out there,” said business owner Don Ruth. "No, I'm not concerned plus he's wearing a monitor.”

Officials say Marshall will have two security personnel living him for a certain time and will be required to wear a GPS bracelet. But for mother, Amanda Cunnington, it's still not enough.

“Your kids and walk to the store and back home and it's always been safe but having that around and it's not been the only one, it's unsafe and a very uneasy feeling,” Cunnington said.

The sheriff's department says it did not have a say in where Marshall lived. That was left up to the California State Department of Hospitals.

An arson investigation was under way Thursday after San Diego police said multiple fires were started in Pacific Beach.

A woman called 911 when she spotted a boat on fire in the driveway of a home on Thomas Avenue near Haines Street around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The residents were not home at the time of the fire, officials said.

Minutes later, someone set fire to papers left inside a parked Jeep in the 4200-block of Gresham. Officers said a door or a window may have been left open since there didn’t appear to be an attempted break-in to the vehicle.

Two blocks away and 20 minutes after the boat fire was reported, officers say a windshield wiper on a parked Toyota 4-Runner was set on fire. Neighbors called 911 to report the fire.

San Diego police say the fires are all connected although they haven’t yet released a suspect description.

All incidents produced minimal damage.

A few drinks at the airport and more on the way to a Las Vegas casino during Super Bowl weekend cost a Southern California man $500,000. Now he's suing the casino to try to get it back.

An attorney for Ventura resident Mark Johnston said the Downtown Grand Casino took advantage of his client by loaning him money and allowing him to play pai gow and blackjack while he was visibly intoxicated. A court fight is in the cards after Johnston filed a lawsuit last week to get his money back.

Johnston said he feels like they picked his pockets.

"It's like a drunk guy is walking down the street and you just go ahead and reach in his pocket and steal all his money," he said. "They should have cut me off. The bottom line is the casinos are not supposed to gamble to you and over-serve you in alcohol."

Johnston told NBC4 that the lawsuit isn't about the money. He has wealth from his ownership of Ventur County car dealerships and he himself drives a $200,000 Mercedes SLS sportscar. The lawsuit is about personal responsibility.

"I don't even remember being put to bed, I could have fallen asleep and died in my sleep. Choked, threw up, who knows,” Johnston said. "Let’s say i wasn't staying at the grand hotel and they allowed me to walk out the door and get in a car and I ended up killing somebody, then what would we be talking about?"

Johnston claims the Downtown Grand Casino violated Nevada gambling regulations by giving him up to 20 drinks in 17 hours and doubling his casino credit, even though he said an employee later told him he was too drunk to continue.

"It's not just for me, a gambler that gambles with larger amounts of money. How about the guy with a 1,000, how about a guy with 2,000, how about a guy a 5,000, 10,000, that's drunk leaning on the table, can't see the color of his chips, can't read his cards, do you think they should have taken his money?" Johnsto

• Read: Group Demands Removal of Roadside Cross

Nevada law bars casinos from allowing visibly drunk patrons to gamble and from serving them comped drinks.

"You certainly aren't supposed to issue half a million dollars in markers to someone who is obviously intoxicated," said Johnston's attorney, Sean Lyttle.

The costly night started after a Thursday arrival with drinks at the aiport and more drinks during a limousine ride. The drinking continued during dinner at Triple George Grill on 3rd Street next to the casino in downtown Las Vegas.

"I don't remember anything until Super Bowl night," Johnston said.

• Read: Mother Who Drove Into Ocean Spoke of Demons

The casino is countersuing Johnston for trying to shirk his gambling debts, according to The Associated Press. Johnston put a stop-payment order on the markers, or casino credits, the Grand issued. He is also seeking damages from the Grand for sullying his name, the AP reported.

Johnson told NBC4 that he only owes $400,000 because the casino gave him a 20 percent discount on any debt. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is investigating.

A casino spokeswoman told the AP the company does not comment on pending litigation. 

• Download: NBCLA Mobile App

Johnston, a retiree, owned Ojai Ford before selling it in 2006, according to the Ventura County Star.

The artist behind the "normal" Barbie is one step closer to making the prototype a reality.

Nickolay Lamm announced on Wednesday a crowdfunding campaign to create Lammily, a plastic doll that embodies real human proportions.

Lamm's photos of the prototype went viral last summer and left fans wondering where to get a doll like it. The renderings featured a blonde Barbie lookalike that is shorter in stature and more in line with the proportions of an average 19-year-old American woman.

Lammily is brunette and outfitted with plain clothes and minimal makeup. She is also made with articulated joints so kids can pretend she's running and moving instead of just posing.

As of Thursday afternoon, the project received nearly $133,000 in contributions. The doll is expected to ship in November.
 

Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are searching for a 14-year-old girl from Alpine last seen more than a week ago. This is the second time the teen has disappeared in the past seven months.

Venicia Ortiz was last seen on Feb. 26. Detectives say she may be in the company of her 28-year-old boyfriend, Edgar Morales, and may have run away from home.

Detectives say Morales is known to hang out along Imperial Avenue and 24th Street in San Diego’s Grant Hill area, as well as National City and Chula Vista.

According to detectives, Ortiz ran away once before – back in August 2013 when she lived in Chula Vista – but eventually turned up after media outlets aired her photograph.

Officials are hoping that getting the teen’s picture out there again can help bring her home safely.

Detectives say neither Ortiz nor her boyfriend have been answering their phones. At this point, there is no active search for the runaway, officials said Friday, but the minor does need to come home.

The teenager is described as Hispanic, with brown eyes and brown hair with highlights in it. Her ears are pierced. She’s 5-foot-3 and approximately 160 pounds.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ortiz should contact the sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200 and refer to her case number, #14110286.

A former San Diego police officer imprisoned for sex crimes feels he has been mischaracterized as a sexual predator, his attorney said Thursday.

Anthony Arevalos is relieved he won’t carry a sex offender registration requirement now that a judge has dropped two of the most severe counts against him, according to an attorney handling his appeal.

Judge Jeffrey Fraser issued a stay in the case Thursday after Arevalos’s attorney requested a re-sentencing.

The former police officer is serving a prison sentence for sexual battery and false imprisonment charges he committed while in uniform as a police officer patrolling the Gaslamp.

According to attorney Pat Ford, Arevalos is pleased the story is getting out that he may have been a bad cop, but that he’s not someone who would sexually take advantage of someone.

“He’s always been crushed by the storyline that he had done more than essentially propositioned women that he stopped,” Ford said.

Judge Fraser granted a stay and kept the status quo in effect while waiting for the appeals court decision on a recent ruling dropping two charges involving the victim known in court records as Jane Doe.

Read: Judge Throws Out 2 Convictions in Corrupt Ex-Cop Case

Last month the same judge threw out two convictions because not all the evidence was shared with the defense team. Specifically – handwritten notes regarding the meeting of Arevalos and accuser Jane Doe inside a 7-Eleven bathroom.

Jane Doe testified in court that Arevalos touched her vagina while in the bathroom but that fact cannot be found in the notes that were prepared before trial.

Arevalos' criminal defense attorney Gretchen von Helms said if she had known about the notes, she could have used them in cross examination to impeach the witness.

Read: Timeline in Anthony Arevalos Case

Outside court Thursday, Ford described the incident as “the hiding of evidence” that was “a product of decisions made by a detective of the San Diego police department.”

He added that when the state is caught cheating – intentionally or unintentionally – a clear message should be sent with a resentencing.

Even though the defense argued the appeal process may run longer than the sentence, Judge Fraser said he would cross that bridge when and if he came to it and refused to schedule a resentencing.

Ford said he expects his client to be due for release in September.

“He’s a very good lawyer but not a very good mathematician,” said Deputy District Attorney Martin Doyle said of Ford’s estimate.

According to Doyle,  added that the DA’s office will wait to learn the result of the appeals process. He said if the ruling vacating the two counts stands on appeal, the DA's office may decide to retry Arevalos on those counts.

It’s been nearly one month since investigators launched a homicide investigation into the death of a San Diego man whose girlfriend and brother were found shot to death outside a mall weeks earlier.

Ilona Flint, 22, and Salvatore Belvedere, 22, were shot and killed in Mission Valley on Dec. 24. Gianni Belvedere, 24, was found inside the trunk of his car in Riverside County on Jan. 17.

On Feb. 7, San Diego police confirmed that Gianni, who hadn't been seen since the day before Ilona and Salvatore were shot, was also the victim of homicide.

NBC 7 has learned that San Diego police homicide detectives hope to have major developments in the near future and bring closure to the victim’s families.

Lt. Mike Hastings wanted to assure San Diegans that his team is working very hard behind the scenes to solve the triple homicide that has many locals wondering who would kill three young people on the day before Christmas.

Hastings said he could not comment on specifics because that could jeopardize the investigation but he did say the amount of effort the department and other agencies are putting toward the case is “second to none.”

• Timeline: Belvedere, Flint Triple Homicide Investgation

Flint, who was shot in the head and torso, managed to call 911 officials said. She wasn’t sure of her location but told the dispatcher she was near the mall.

The most recent suspect information released by investigators was of a man wearing a black hoodie with white bands in the biceps area of the sweatshirt, tan pants and white tennis shoes. He was described as an unknown race, standing 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, police said.

It's believed that the suspect was at the Mission Valley mall at 11:15 p.m. the night before the shooting and returned to the mall at 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 24.

Anyone with information can call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

The grandmother of San Diego teenager and kidnap victim Hannah Anderson said her granddaughter is still in therapy months after her abduction.

Hannah went missing in August 2013 after her mother and brother were found dead inside the Boulevard home of family friend James DiMaggio. Five days later, DiMaggio was killed by FBI agents and Hannah was rescued in the Idaho wilderness.

The deaths of her mother and brother, Christina and Ethan Anderson, were ruled a homicide by San Diego County sheriff’s deputies. Authorities say DiMaggio kidnapped the teen and killed her mother and brother.

Anderson's grandmother Sara Britt said Wednesday that she expects the teen to continue therapy for "quite some time."

“She is still seeing therapists, which will be for quite some time, I'm sure, and it's helping. We try to talk to her and just be there for her,” Britt said.

• Timeline: The Hannah Anderson Story

The update came as Britt spoke to members of the media about the coverage of her granddaughter's ordeal. 

For the first week of Hannah’s disappearance, Britt rated the media coverage an "A+." However, her grade went downhill after that. She said it seemed the focus of news outlets' coverage became fueled by each other’s speculation.

Britt told the audience that she now finds it difficult to believe what she sees on the news.

“Now I watch the news and think, is that totally true? It sounds true,” Britt said.

Britt was a panelist at the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual Media Report Card discussion.The goal of the panel is to improve coverage through feedback.

Other panelists included Laura Fink, one of the first accusers in the Bob Filner scandal, Rachel Laing, spokeswoman for Nathan Fletcher’s mayoral campaign, and Matthew Tucker, CEO of the North County Transit District.

Faced with the dissolution of the Balboa Park Centennial planning group, San Diego’s mayor said he will look into getting back the millions of dollars already spent.

Newly-elected Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the celebration in 2015 will be one that is “fit for San Diego” but did not provide any other details now that the group that was originally tasked with planning the event has disbanded.

Balboa Park Celebration, Inc. (BPCI) was given almost $3 million of public money to plan an extensive, year-long celebration of Balboa Park.

As of last Friday, the group told NBC 7 the funds had dwindled to just $600,000.

On Tuesday, BCPI Chair Ben Clay told NBC 7 the group voted to disband amid complications.

• Read: Balboa Park Centennial Group Disbands

BPCI spent a good portion designing a year-long event they hoped would draw corporate donations of about $30 million.

But that didn't happen, according to the organization's spokesperson Gerry Braun.

Braun said for whatever reason, corporations in San Diego didn't see the event as a good investment for their dollars.

"I don't think it's appropriate to blame anyone. Some people say it's a perfect storm of over-expectations by the city, a mayor who gave us direction and wasn't able to execute his part of it, I think a lack of support from the community and from corporations," Braun said.

Mayor Faulconer had criticized the non-profit for refusing to disclose detailed financial information. On Wednesday, the newly-elected mayor assured San Diegans he would look into where the money was spent. 

"We need to make sure that we have a celebration that the community gets behind, that works for Balboa Park, that is open, that is transparent and has both the park and community support that we need," Faulconer said.

City Council President Todd Gloria assured San Diegans the upcoming celebration of Balboa Park would be “fantastic” and include “blockbuster attractions.”

“It’s my hope that some of those dollars are going to be able to form what we’re going to do going forward. It’s not all lost. We will make sure every dollar is accounted for and those are represented clearly to the public," Gloria said.

• Watch: Is Balboa Park Ready for a Centennial?

People visiting Balboa Park Wednesday were puzzled that organizers didn't better forecast issues.

"These kinds of problems should have been thought out before hand," said resident Nancy McCall. "Now that we have a new mayor things may shape up somehow."

Barbara Clark, President of the San Diego Floral Association, said her group's members were disappointed the event will be smaller.

"The plans sounded very gigantic and large and pretty overwhelming in my mind, but I had high hopes," Clark said.

BPCI said the decision to disband “culminates months of conversation between BPCI and city leaders, during which BPCI presented scaled-down goals and program plans to reflect its projected funding.”

Clay gave NBC 7 a look at some of the numbers and promised the group would post certified financial documents in the next week.

Braun reiterated Clay's promise saying that BPCI would release all financial information in the coming weeks so the public can see for themselves how the money was spent.

A mountain lion exhibited behavior considered "anything but normal" when it attacked and killed a 100-pound German Shepherd before standing its ground when the dog's owner and officers encountered the animal in the back yard of Southern California home.

Fontana police are urging residents to keep pets inside careful after the dog's death early Wednesday. The mountain lion is considered a "significant public safety threat," meaning it cannot be relocated, police said.

Police responded to the 4100 block of Fox Borough Drive after the dog’s owner went to his backyard and found the mountain lion standing over his deceased pet. The mountain lion hopped a brick wall to enter the property, part of what authorities described as a pattern of unsual behavior in an area where reports of mountain lion sightings are common.

The loss of the family's German Shepherd, Princess, has devastated her owners.

"I never thought this would happen," Princess' owner Jonathan Slater said. "It was a complete shock to me. My dad told this morning. He woke me up and said he didn't want me to go outside and see that my dog wasn't there."

"What was unique was the behavior of this mountain lion," said Fontana Police Chief Rodney Jones, adding that officials with the California DFW described the behavior as "very bizarre and very unique."

"Normally, they do not like to be around people, and they do not like the lights," Jones said. "This mountain lion stood its ground by growling at him and getting ready to jump on him.

"As officers arrived, a couple of officers got within 10 to 15 feet. The mountain lion was in a position where could pounce on an officer."

• FAQ: Mountain Lions in California

Officers retreated and fired several rounds, initially scaring it into a nearby canyon. The large cat returned four more times before eventually disappearing.

There is no evidence the lion was struck by any rounds, officials said.

"It ran away," Slater said. "Cops were shooting their guns, but the lion kept coming back."

The Fontana Police Department has deemed the mountain lion a threat to public safety and is working with Fish and Wildlife officials to track the animal. Residents are being warned to avoid hiking or jogging around dawn, dusk, and at night when the animals are most active and to keep pets inside.

"I panicked, because I walk these streets every day and my son goes into these hills all the time," resident Sandy Tetz said.

An animal is considered a public safety threat if there is "a likelihood of human injury based on the totality of the circumstances," according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The lion's behavior, proximity to schools and other factors are considered in making that determination.

The lion returned to the same street numerous times, and now police want to capture it and put it down. DFW agents and police have been deployed in the neighborhood. A helicopter with infrared sensors that allow for improved searching capability at night was assigned to the area.

Volunteers and Fontana police have been distributing information about the animal to residents.

"We live in a nice rural area up here," resident Melanie Decker said. "We're in their territory so we're bound to see them."