A UCLA Center for Health Policy Research brief shows that despite a high number of licensed dentists in the state, more are choosing to leave and practice elsewhere.

Over 35,000 dentists were licensed in California in 2012 – more than any other state. However, between 2008 and 2012, the number of dentists who worked or lived out of state grew 6 percent.

Among new dentists, there's an even greater recession. In 2012, 86 percent of those licensed in the last five years chose to stay in California to practice. That’s compared to 96 percent in 2008.

Age may also play a role in the looming shortage. The report found that nearly one-quarter of active, licensed dentists have been practicing for 30 years or more and are drilling down to retirement age.

More and more new dentists are specializing, which means it may become harder for people to get basic oral care than gum surgery. Thirteen percent of newly licensed and active dentists said they were specialists in 2012 – up 6 percent from 2008.

Finally, an uneven supply of licensed dentists is affecting the rural parts of the state.

For example, there are 5.1 dentists for every 5,000 people in the greater Bay Area, but there are only 2.4 for every 5,000 in the San Joaquin Valley.

"There is a lopsided distribution of dentists," said Nadereh Pourat, the lead author of the study. "They cluster in areas like San Francisco and Southern California, but don't settle in rural and underserved areas. Many areas of the state don't have enough dentists."

The most underserved areas were the San Joaquin Valley, Northern and Sierra counties.

In San Diego and other Southern California counties, the study said there are roughly 3.8 active dentists per 5,000 people. About 29 percent are women, 14 percent have been licensed in the last five years, and 20 percent are nearing retirement.

As for the reasons behind these trends, Pourat suggests that a lingering recession and the elimination of Medicaid dental reimbursements may come into play.

The study’s authors suggest options such as assistance with dental school loan repayment, small business loans and higher Medicaid reimbursements to provide incentives for dentists to stay in state.

A JetBlue flight made an emergency landing at JFK after the plane slammed into a flock of seagulls and one blew a hole in the nose of the aircraft upon takeoff from Westchester Airport Friday morning, authorities said.

The FAA said the Airbus A320 bound for West Palm Beach, Fla. with 142 passengers declared an emergency at about 9:30 a.m.

"On departure we hit numerous seagulls, one took a direct hit right on the nose, just below the windshield," the pilot said on air traffic recordings posted by LIVEATC.net.

The bird remained stuck in the nose of the plane.

"The way I'm looking at it right now, I don't think we can carry on to West Palm, because it does look like we have some damage to the nose here," the pilot said, adding that the damage appeared to be "part of the pressurization capsule."

The plane, which took off from the airport in White Plains at 8:53 a.m., landed safely at JFK Airport at 9:55 a.m.

JetBlue said the captain chose to land at JFK "out of an abundance of caution."

No injuries were reported.

Customers were given the choice of being taken back to Westchester County or being placed on another flight to West Palm Beach.

• Young Couple Mysteriously Found Shot Dead in NYC Apartment

According to the FAA, Westchester had 22 reported bird strikes in 2013, down from 44 in 2012. This is the first reported bird strike in 2014.

Eight of the strikes in 2012 and 2013 involved JetBlue aircraft.

• Entenmann's Closing Bakery Plant

A blazing house fire forced an Escondido family out of their home and one man into a hospital early Friday morning.

The family got the rude awakening around 1:30 a.m. when flames began to burn through their house on Avocado Crest Lane.

It took a solid dozen firefighters to put out the fire, which appears to have started in the guest house before continuing into the main residence.

One man who lives in the guest house was taken to a hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the family was told by the Red Cross that they would have to find another place to stay for now. They collected some of their belongings and left.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
 

After a brief foot chase in a residential Santa Monica neighborhood, authorities had Sophie surrounded.

To clarify: Sophie is a pet pig.

In a call that officers don’t see every day, the loose pig was reported roaming around by residents on Wednesday. When park rangers and officers arrived on scene, they found Sophie and a foot pursuit ensued. And if the photo above is any indication, there may have been a brief standoff as well.

Officers said on Facebook that they were able to take Sophie into custody without incident, and she was safely transported to the Santa Monica Animal Shelter.

Sophie was later reunited with her Los Angeles owner who was visiting a friend in the area when the pig escaped.
 

A federal judge has thrown out claims against nine San Diego Police supervisors, brought by a victim of corrupt former officer Anthony Arevalos.

The victim, known as Jane Doe, had filed claims against Arevalos’ past superiors, alleging they intentionally covered up Arevalos’ misconduct and violating her constitutional rights, according to the San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.

Those listed in the claims included then-Chief William Lansdowne, David Bejarano, Rudy Tai, Danny Hollister, Kevin Friedman, Victoria Binkerd, Robert Kanaski, Max Verduzco and Jorge Guevara.

U.S. Federal District Judge Michael M. Anello ruled Thursday that the claims of wrongdoing were not supported by the evidence, and he granted a partial judgment to dismiss them.

• Timeline: Anthony Arevalos Case

In his decision, Anello states that there was no evidence to show that SDPD supervisors had "knowledge that Arevalos was engaged in conduct that posed a pervasive and unreasonable risk of constitutional injury” or that they decided not to act on continuing misconduct.

However, the City of San Diego is still ultimately responsible for Arevalos’ misconduct while on duty, regardless that the supervisors could not have prevented it, according to ruling on March 17.

“Judge Anello based his decision on the body of law that protects government employees from liability for many types of misconduct,” said Doe’s attorney Linda Workman in a statement.

In July, Jane Doe and the city will be going to trial to determine how much money she should be awarded in compensation for the injuries she suffered.

The claims against SDPD superiors aimed to broaden the scope of that trial, Goldsmith said, but Anello’s ruling narrows it.

• READ: Judge Grants Ruling for Corrupt Ex-Cop's Victim in Civil Case

"She says she fears being outside because of the incident, for example, and should be awarded damages for that. We want the jury to see all the evidence and set a reasonable amount for whatever injuries they find she, in fact, suffered. That's what the case is about," said Goldsmith in the release.

Doe’s attorneys said the lawsuit seeks an independent outside monitor of the SDPD with authority to change the department.

Arevalos was sentenced in 2012 to more than eight years in prison of sexual battery by restraint, bribery and assault and battery by police involving five women. Jane Doe’s testimony was crucial in helping the prosecution secure that conviction.

The Department of Justice announced earlier this week it has launched an independent investigation into the SDPD. It is expected to look at the department's hiring process, supervision of officers and the processes in place to prevent misconduct. 

Attorneys for Doe said in a statement that recommendations from an audit do not go far enough and that they would prefer an outside monitor inside the SDPD.

When it comes to choosing a grocery store, shoppers are picky.

"I expect the produce to not be bruised and to not be old," said customer Melinda as she walked the aisles of her local Sprouts store. 

Another customer, Brooke Gonzales, says she wants good prices and plenty of room to get around.

"Some stores you can't even get down the aisles," Gonzales said.

Consumer Reports surveyed 27,208 people for its annual supermarket buying guide. 

East Coast chain store Wegmans topped the list, followed by Trader Joe's, Publix and Costco.  Also on the list was Sprouts Farmers Market, a store chain that has its roots in San Diego.

"Sprouts has been local in San Diego since the 1940s with the Boney family," said Sprouts regional director Dennis Clyde. 

He said the chain store with 150 markets in the Western States specializes in offering fresh produce and more than 100 items sold in bulk.

Buying food from nuts to granola in bulk is a big incentive for Melinda.

"I can get the right sizes of the items I want, I have less waste," she said.

Walmart Supercenter was at the bottom of the Consumer Reports survey.  While it did well in pricing, it earned low scores in open checkouts, out-of-stock regular items and confusing store layout.

Tired of having packages stolen from his front door, a Chula Vista resident caught a group of teenage thieves in the act by hiding in some bushes and jumping out just as the teens were grabbing more loot.

Turns out, the teens had accumulated quite the collection of lifted items – and not just from the man who caught them red-handed.

According to police, Chad Bear set up the sting to bust the teens in front of his home in the 1400-block of Trailwood Avenue on Thursday. One day earlier, Bear learned his neighbor had found some packaging material in his yard with Bear’s address on it.

Bear quickly realized the U.S. Postal Service had been delivering packages to his home, only he wasn’t getting them. Someone had stolen the packages, unwrapped them, taken the items inside and thrown the packing material into his neighbor’s yard.

With another delivery en route, Bear decided to hide in the bushes across the street from his home to see who would take the package.

After waiting for more than two hours, police said Bear saw four teenagers – all between 15 and 16 years old – walk past his house and grab the package from his porch. As the teens were nabbing the package, Bear jumped from his hiding place and ordered the teens to stay put while he called 911.

When police arrived, they took the juveniles into custody.

The Chula Vista Police Department said the teens were found to be in possession of other items believed to be stolen as well, including toy airsoft guns.

The teens were questioned and released to their parents. Police then recovered even more property believed to be stolen by the teens (photos above).

Investigators believe the accused thieves got a hold of other items in a similar way, possibly by stealing packages from front doors.

Their haul included stolen toys, silver Canadian coins, Kenneth Cole dress shoes, cell phones, Canon camera accessories and an LED picture light. Officers also discovered a stolen fireproof suit meant to be used while working on motorcycles which also happened to belong to Bear.

He had ordered the $160 suit but had never received it in the mail. It was returned to him by police.

As for the rest of the stolen goods, the Chula Vista Police Property Crimes Division is now in possession of the items.

Police are asking citizens to call and claim their belongings if they recognize an item they may have ordered in the mail but never received. If that’s the case, contact Det. Joe Page at (619) 409-3875 or the Chula Vista Police Department non-emergency line at (619) 691-5151 and ask for Property Crimes.

The San Diego Regional Fugitive Task force is searching for a man wanted on a felony arrest warrant for three counts of child endangerment and one count of burglary known to frequent several communities across the county.

Robert Ranqul Nowlin, 33, is known to visit the Skyline area, as well as the East County, Chula Vista and Southeast San Diego. Police say the fugitive often associates with Skyline gang members.

According to investigators, Nowlin’s felony arrest warrant stems from his participation in endangering and pandering juveniles. Nowlin also has a misdemeanor domestic violence warrant.

The fugitive is described as being 6-feet-tall and 175 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and a tattoo on his right wrist with the letters “GD.”

Anyone with information on Nowlin’s whereabouts should contact Crime Stoppers at (888) 58-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
 

San Diego’s North County Transit District (NCTD) has settled a claim with a female passenger who was forcibly removed from a Coaster train by employees who believed the woman’s train pass was invalid. The entire altercation was caught on tape.

Encinitas resident Colinesha Sutton sued the NCTD over the case in small claims court back in February. The NCTD has now agreed to pay the plaintiff $10,000 to settle the case for good, in a way that won’t cost taxpayers money.

According to documents, the incident happened at around 2 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2013, at the Poinsettia Carlsbad Coaster Station.

In Sutton’s account of the day’s events, she said a Coaster employee – known only as “Paul” – was inspecting tickets asked her for proof of fare. Sutton said she gave him her Compass Pass and ID.

• Read the full claim in this case

Paul then allegedly told Sutton her pass wasn’t activated and she needed to get off the train immediately. When the Coaster came to the stop in Carlsbad, Sutton said things got physical.

In moments caught on surveillance tape, employees are seen forcibly removing Sutton from the train.

Before ejecting her from the train, Sutton said Paul grabbed a cart filled with her belongings out of her hand and threw the cart out onto the platform. The cart can be seen lying on the ground in the video footage.

“He then proceeded to throw me off,” Sutton stated in her claim documents, adding that Paul asked for help from another NCTD employee and a passenger while kicking her off.

“Paul threw me off, my body hitting the concrete. He then got on top of me and cuffed me. He kept pushing me down and taunting me about ‘how come I’m familiar with the police.’ The police came and proved to him that my Compass Card is in fact valid and paid,” said Sutton.

Documents in this case also include statements from the ticket inspector and conductor, who recall things happening a bit differently.

The ticket inspector said he scanned Sutton’s Compass Card on his handheld unit and it showed the words “No fare product,” meaning the pass was no good. He told Sutton her pass was invalid and she said she had just used it on the bus. He asked to see her ID and the back-and-forth exchange went on for a while, escalating.

The employee said things turned physical when Sutton refused to get off the train. In case documents, he stated that Sutton was “combative,” threatened to sue him and called him a racist.

Once Sutton was taken off the train, the NCTD employee stayed with her until police arrived. Police soon determined that her train pass was, in fact, valid.

Aside from the $10,000 settlement to be paid to Sutton, the NCTD said they have apologized to the passenger over the incident. The employee involved in the case no longer works for the NCTD.

This week, the Transit District released this statement regarding the settlement:

“NCTD acknowledges that this unfortunate event occurred and we are disappointed that it happened. We have expressed our sincere apology to the customer involved in the incident. We have taken appropriate action in response to this incident that clearly falls outside of our expectations. The contracted employee involved in this incident is no longer working and will not in the future work on any of the services provided by NCTD. We have legally settled this matter without incurring any financial impact to taxpayers. NCTD takes great pride in the safe, reliable, and efficient services we provide to our customers.”

An employee at a Mission Hills business was punched in the face and robbed at gunpoint by two men while opening up shop Friday morning, according to San Diego police.

Just before 9 a.m., police say the woman was opening a business in the 2100-block of Hancock Street when two men came behind her and pushed her inside.

The suspects reportedly then punched the woman before taking her cell phone and an undisclosed amount of marijuana from her.

Police say the suspects then fled the scene in a white sedan headed northbound toward a freeway.

The victim was left with minor injuries. Police had only a vague description of the two suspects.

SDPD’s Robbery Unit was said to be investigating incident.

The robbery wasn’t the first one to occur in the area.

Last year, a marijuana dispensary was robbed by two men armed with handguns.

During this robbery, the suspects ransacked the dispensary, ordering people to the ground, and took marijuana and cash before fleeing the scene.
 

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story said the woman was an employee of a yoga studio in the area, per information from police. That is not the case. We regret the error.

After a long offseason of high expectations for both squads, we finally start the 2014 baseball season on a national stage between two division rivals. Here’s a look at the season-opening series between the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.

When they play: The teams kick off the Major League season with a nationally televised game on ESPN Sunday at 5:05 p.m. After a day off, they play Tuesday at 3:40 p.m. in the Padres’ “official” opening day. That’s followed by a 7:05 p.m. game on Wednesday.

Who to watch: Padres opening night starter Andrew Cashner takes his place atop a rotation the team hopes will be one of the best in the league. It will all start with him. If Cashner can handle the role of staff ace, it will take a lot of pressure off the back of the rotation that will be without Josh Johnson for a month with a forearm injury. Aside from one start, Cashner looked impressive in his spring outings.

He will be followed on the mound by Ian Kennedy and Tyson Ross in the series.

Outfielder Cameron Maybin is out for at least the first month of the season and probably more, and he will be replaced in center by Will Venable. Shouldering much of the offensive load in his absence will be Carlos Quentin, who is back from a knee injury that cost him most of last season.

It will be interesting to see if catcher Yasmani Grandal is in the lineup. He is recovering from an ACL injury but has looked ready to roll in spring training.

For the Dodgers, it’s more a case of who not to watch. The team boasts the highest payroll in all of baseball, but many of their big names are on the shelf to begin the season.That starts with ace Clayton Kershaw, arguably the best pitcher in baseball. He threw a gem as the Dodgers kicked off the season last week in Australia, but had back trouble and was scratched from opening night. It’s unlikely the Padres will see him in the first series.

The Dodgers haven’t name an opening night pitcher, but it will most likely be Hyun-Jin Ryu or Dan Haren. Why not fellow big-name (and big-money) starter Zack Greinke? He’s been battling a calf injury that apparently wasn’t just a ploy to get out of traveling to Australia. He will probably go on Tuesday.

Add Matt Kemp to the list of inactives. The outfielder is out until later in the month after last year’s disastrous season ended with ankle surgery.

So, who will be on the field? Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig is back in the lineup after missing some time with a back issue. He wowed fans as a rookie last season, helping lead the Dodgers to the NLCS. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez are other stars in an L.A. lineup that has no shortage of household names.

Finally, outfielder Carl Crawford will be in the lineup after coming off the paternity list. His son, Carl Leo Crawford, was born last weekend.

Why go: Well, you better have tickets for Sunday’s game, as it’s sold out. Tickets are still available for the rest of the series. Giveaways include a schedule cling for all three games and an opening day hat for Tuesday. Sunday will also be military appreciation day, meaning the Padres will wear their camouflage jerseys and have a ceremony before the game.

There will also be a tribute to legendary broadcaster Jerry Coleman, who passed away in the offseason. His daughter will throw out the first pitch.

On Tuesday, former Padres David Wells, Brian Giles and Mark Loretta will throw out ceremonial first pitches as the Padres celebrate the 10th anniversary of Petco Park.

San Francisco’s notorious, self-described “sun of the underworld” goes by many names: Kwok Cheung Chow, Raymond Chow, Ha Jai or "Shrimp Boy.”

A former gangster and leader of the Chee Kung Tong Free Masons in San Francisco, Chow was among 26 people charged in a federal criminal complaint alleging firearms trafficking, money laundering, murder-for-hire and drug distribution. State Sen. Yeland Lee, a Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, was also arrested on Wednesday.

Chow’s arrest during a FBI raid has drawn attention to the gangs that operate out of San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Moments after Chow’s arrest, his Facebook and Twitter accounts came under intense scrutiny by the media, with some saying that the case of the senator and former street gang leader resembles a real-life version of the “The Wire,” “American Hustle” and “House of Cards” all rolled into one.

A History Channel documentary about Chinatown gang wars has resurfaced, in which Chow opens up about his childhood, his violent past and his path to reform.

“I run this city. Who can tell me something I cannot do? Nobody,” Chow says, matter-of-factly, in the opening scene, admitting that at one point he controlled the majority of Chinatown’s gangs.

“The world is under my feet. I have my own security. I have everything,” he says. “You make so much money you don’t even want to count it. I’m not thinking I’m God, but in this city, I’m the man that calls the shots.”

• California State Senator Leland Yee Arrested on Public Corruption Charges

Born in Hong Kong in 1960, Chow joined his first gang when he was only 9.

“I just want to be the best gangster, be the best fighter, and party, making money, and also selling a lot of drugs, even back then in Hong Kong.” he says.

As for how someone so powerful came to be known as “Shrimp Boy,” the documentary reveals that Chow’s grandmother gave him the name because of his small stature (Chow is 5’5” tall).

The documentary gives an insight into Chow’s life after he moved to San Francisco with his family in 1976. He talks frankly about shooting a classmate at Galileo High School “in the a**,” and his subsequent departure from school, leaning toward practicing martial arts instead.

He eventually joined the Hop Sing Tong gang, rising quickly within the ranks, and eventually doing jail time at San Quentin.

“I did time with a bunch of amazing people (he called Charles Manson a ‘good friend’),” he says. “Each person you talk to, you learn something from them. Ain’t no stupid people inside a prison. You can say that.”

After being released from San Quentin, Chow started working for the Hong-Kong-based Wo Hop To triad, a Chinese underground society linked to organized crime.

He admits in the documentary that he ran prostitution rings, smuggled drugs and extorted money from business owners in the 1980s.

At the end of the video, he says: “I just want to be the normal people, just be accepted by my community. Not to be alone like inside a prison."

Those who know Chow described him as “gregarious” and “charismatic,” something that comes across easily in his many Facebook and Twitter pictures online.

Nathaniel Halverson, a reporter for UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting program, has been following Chow since last year for a PBS Frontline documentary on U.S. casinos in Macau which is due to be released this spring.

Halverson told NBC Bay Area he tracked Chow down to his doorstep last year because he wanted to interview him about triads, money laundering and the underworld. “Raymond was very helpful in talking about criminals and introduced me to people who work in the underworld,” Halverson said.

Chow's name shows up on a UC Berkeley Logan Symposium panel for Halverson's documentary "Gods of Gambling," next to a New York Times correspondent and a hedge fund manger.

"We wanted to get his perspective," Halverson said. "Raymond might still post bail and make it, who knows."

Halverson said that Chow’s arrest took him by surprise.

“But the fact that he was under federal surveillance didn’t,” he said. “He (Chow) would often say that he was under surveillance. But he also said that he was clean – that he had ‘gone legit.’ He was working to get his life back.”

• California State Senator Leland Yee Withdraws Secretary of State Candidacy

Halverson said that Chow’s legal status prohibited him from working and mandated that he wear an ankle bracelet all the time.

Halverson, who visited the Chee Kung Tong after the FBI raid, said that the agents broke into a safe inside the building and took ceremonial knives, scarves and a 100-year-old letter with them.

“People in the tong were really disappointed, especially since the tong is a connection to modern China,” he said. “Raymond’s arrest really puts a dent on everything since he was helping them turn the tong into a museum.

Tongs, or meeting halls, have been a part of Chinatown’s history since immigrants arrive in San Francisco to make money during the Gold Rush.

Ignatius Chinn, a former California Department of Justice agent who spent years investigating Chow in the early 1990s, described him as a ”forceful brute.”

"If he didn't get his way, he would just beat the door down and that was how we put cases on him,” he said.

Although Chow ultimately was convicted of gun charges and sentenced to 25 years to life in the 1990s, he cut a deal to win release and returned Chinatown several years ago, pledging to stay straight.

On what appears to be Raymond Chow's Facebook page, Chow displayed a picture of a certificate of honor presented to him by San Francisco Myaor Ed Lee that honored him "for his tenacity and willingness to give back to the community and working 'in the trenches' as a change agent."

Chow has also posted pictures of him with other notable public figures and local business owners, including former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, and a picture of another certificate of recognition from state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano.

• Download the Criminal Complaint vs. Sen. Leland Yee (pdf)

Chow also appears to have been tweeting from the Twitter handle @RaymondChow10, using hashtags that included "sunoftheunderworld," "mafia." and "chinatown."

His last tweet was on Nov. 17, which shows him at his sister's birthday, enjoying a glass of red wine.

But the federal complaint alleges that Chow used his position as the dragonhead of the Ghee Kung Tong to launder money, receive and transport stolen property and traffic in contraband cigarettes during a FBI sting.

Longtime residents and observers said the startling allegations revealed the continued presence of organized crime in the popular tourist attraction and home to one of the largest Chinese communities outside Asia.

"Chinatown is a very safe place and usually the crime you hear about there is just robberies and people being taken advantage of," said Joseph Leung, editor for the San Francisco edition of The Sing Tao Daily, the largest circulation Chinese newspaper in the U.S. "That's why this is all so shocking."

 Below: A photo of Chow posted to his Facebook page March 4, 2013.

I

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The coming 2015 fiscal year will see tourism efforts focused on bolstering hotel stays in local markets outside of the core downtown area, as the region recovers from last year’s political disputes that
slashed funding for promoting the San Diego region.

Another priority is boosting San Diego County’s share of the rising influx of Asian tourists visiting California, especially those from China, tourism experts said at an annual industry outlook gathering, presented by the San Diego Tourism Authority.

Organizers said the March 27 meeting was expected to draw about 900 people to downtown’s Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel.

San Diego County is expected to finish 2014 with a total of 33.6 million visitors, generating $8.8 billion in direct spending and filling 58,830 hotel rooms, according to researchers at A.D. Little Inc. and CIC Research Inc.

The Tourism Authority said the local region greeted 32.8 million visitors during fiscal year 2013, up 3.7 percent from the prior year.

New efforts for the fiscal year starting July 1 will include those aimed at increasing overnight hotel stays in markets like Mission Valley, Mission Beach and La Jolla.

For more on plans to bolster local tourism in the coming year, see the San Diego Business Journal’s coverage in the March 31 issue. 

The Business Journal is the premier business publication in San Diego. Every day online and each Monday in print, the Business Journal reports on how local business operate and why businesses leaders make the decisions they do. Every story is a dose of insight into how to run a better, more efficient, more profitable business.

Parents among others are being warned by county health officials of an increase in pertussis, or whooping cough, cases compared to this time last year.

On Friday, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported ten new cases of pertussis where others in the county may have been exposed to the disease.

This brings the total of cases reported so far this year to 154, a large increase compared to the only 33 reported cases during the same time last year.

The ten new cases affected children between the ages of two and 13-years-old.

Pertussis usually begins with a cough or runny nose that lasts for one to two weeks and is followed by months of rapid coughing fits that will sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fevers can also occur and are usually mild.

It’s said that antibiotics can help reduce the severity of pertussis symptoms and also prevent the spread of disease to others.

Infants younger than 1-years-old are especially vulnerable to pertussis as they have yet to receive the full five-dose series of pertussis vaccinations.

Health officials urged locals, especially children, to obtain recommended vaccines.

“We’re seeing a very high level of pertussis activity throughout San Diego County,” Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer, said in a media release. “Parents, caregivers and educators should be on the lookout for symptoms so those with pertussis get treatment so they don’t infect others.”

To help prevent pertussis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children receive doses of DTaP vaccine at the following ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years.

Preteens and adults are encouraged to get a Tdap booster.

Both the DTaP vaccine series and the Tdap booster can be obtained for parents and their children from primary care physicians or local retail pharmacies. The County Public Health Center also offers both for little to no cost to those not covered by a medical insurance plan.

A total of 430 pertussis cases were reported in 2013, 165 in 2012 and a recent high of 1,179 in 2010.

For more information about vaccination clinics, visit the San Diego Immunization Program website.

Frustrated by what they see as slow progress, organizers who are asking that the city build a sidewalk for school children in San Ysidro gathered for a “Safety Walk” Friday morning to bring attention to the issue.

NBC 7 Investigates and our media partner, Voice of San Diego, were first to report the story of a dangerous dirt path, sandwiched between a busy road and a steep canyon, which is being used by school children as they head to class.

The path is along a half mile stretch of the Old Otay Mesa Road and about three feet outside a Pardee homes development in San Ysidro called "Ocean View Hills.”

For some students, the path is the only direct access to San Ysidro High School.

Locals to the area have been concerned about the path for nearly a decade and it’s a situation that organizers of non-profit Casa Familiar say they have been trying to fix with the city’s help for months.

At about 8 a.m. Friday at Beyer Boulevard and Otay Mesa Road, the group gathered with supporters for what they called a “Safety Walk” in the hopes of pushing development of the sidewalk along.

The sidewalk, which was originally supposed to be in place by 2010, has been delayed for years. NBC 7 Investigates learned that the sidewalk was promised to be completed in 2011 and then again in 2013.

Last year, the city said they would break ground on the new sidewalk this spring and yet, so far, not much has been done to remedy the issue.

Meanwhile, city officials have said the project is forthcoming after claiming funding for a fix was shaky. They added that they credited NBC 7 Investigates in helping to bring the issue to light.

Earlier this month, Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilman David Alvarez reconfirmed their commitment to laying down the sidewalk.

“Kids should have sidewalks to walk to school on and as I’ve talked about many times, when it comes to infrastructure, that’s an area where there is absolute agreement on this council,” said Faulconer.

“What I’ve been doing is making a lot of noise, making sure this project gets done, trying to hold people accountable, trying to find the money to make it possible,” Alvarez said.

Funding for the project hit a snag with the delay of the Otay Mesa Community Plan Update and many months after promising our media partner, Voice of San Diego, that funding for the full $8.5 million price tag was secured, it appears more issues have pushed the project back further.

One of those issues involves a small portion of the project crosses paths with a trail and needs special site distances and no guardrail. City officials just learned of that issue this month.

The last timeline the city gave NBC7 Investigates were that bids would go out in late Fall or early Winter and shovels will be in the ground in early 2015. NBC7 Investigates will continue following up with the city on progress on the project.

Casa Familiar organizers said they may hold a monthly Safety Walk until the sidewalk is in place.

Employees of the San Diego Opera held a petition drive Thursday in a fight to keep the longtime cultural institution from having its final curtain call.

On Mar. 19, the Opera announced plans to shut down after nearly 50 years in San Diego. The San Diego Opera Board of Directors voted 33-1 to close instead of going bankrupt, CEO Ian Campbell said.

In response, supporters of the opera have started an online petition to keep the company alive. As of Friday morning, the petition had collected more than 16,000 signatures.

On Thursday night, opera employees kept the petition efforts going by holding a signature rally near the Civic Theatre, passing out flyers and cards to drum up more support. In all, the opera employs approximately 120 people, including seasonal staffers.

• Read: San Diego Opera Prepares to Close

Also on Thursday night, NBC 7 learned more about an unfair labor claim filed against the company, and why the CEO's salary has sparked concerns about expenses, despite the company's $15 million in assets.

As the San Diego Opera prepares to sing its final swan song, the singer’s union has filed an unfair labor dispute against the company.

“It doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t add up,” said singer’s union steward Chris Stephens. “They requested financials. They didn’t receive financials. They wanted to make sure that every existing contract down the road was going to be fulfilled.”

Plans to close the opera blindsided some employees, including makeup and wig designer Steven Bryant.

• Read: Supporters Rally to Save Opera

“No one said tighten your belts a little bit, no one said watch your budget. I just spent $3,500 for equipment for future seasons,” said Bryant.

NBC 7 reached out to Campbell for comment Thursday, but we didn’t hear back. In an interview last week, however, Campbell told NBC 7 the writing was on the wall for the opera after three years of declining ticket sales and donor fatigue.

“It is simply a matter of revenue, not expense,” Cambell said.

However, employees are now starting to question whether expenses were out of whack, considering tax documents that show Campbell made more than $1 million from 2011 to 2012, even though he took a salary cut.

Last week, Campbell explained exactly what his duties are for the company.

“I’m occupying two positions. If we had a general director and artistic director, it would cost more than it does just having me,” he said.

Regardless, the reality of the opera closing is hard for employees to take.

“There are concessions that we could’ve made. Every union was willing to make concessions, but we were never asked,” said opera employee Jim Boydston.

For now, petition organizers say no one has come forward saying they’d like to take over the San Diego Opera.

The opera will start laying off employees and selling assets on Apr. 14, the day after the company’s final performance of “Don Quixote.”

Ten people were arrested for trying to solicit a prostitute during a police sting Thursday night. 

According to San Diego Police Lt. Chuck Kaye, undercover detectives posed as prostitutes at several locations across the city from 3 p.m. until after midnight. 

Their job was to identify potential customers who seek prostitution. 

In the course of the night, ten men were taken into custody through the sting. They were booked into the county jail for soliciting prostitution.

Kaye said this is just one way the SDPD prosecutres prostitution, and it also serves as a way to find potential vicitms of human trafficking. 

Police are looking for the suspects who tried to rob an armored car employee at a hardware store in San Diego's South Bay. 

Around 12:40 p.m. Friday, man with his face covered by a hooded sweatshirt walked up to the employee, who was carrying money in the parking lot of the Otay Mesa Home Depot at 950 Dennery Road. 

San Diego Police said the suspect pointed a handgun at the employee to demand money. However, his scheme was ruined when the employee saw that the gun was not real. 

The employee grabbed the suspect and started struggling with him. Soon, a second suspect came to help free the first.

They both were last seen running southbound on Dennery Road.

One suspect was described as a man between 22 and 23 years old, about 5-foot-7-inches and 160 pounds with brown hair and wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt, black shirt and black pants. 

Witnesses say the second was 18 or 19 years old, roughly the same height with thin, black hair and an unshaven face. He was also wearing dark pants and a dark shirt. 

Nothing was stolen and no one was injured, but the SDPD's robbery unit will continue investigating. 

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver was arrested Friday, after police say he struck a bicyclist in a hit-and-run crash and then threatened a witness with brass knuckles.

Culliver is charged with suspicion of hit-and-run, reckless driving with injury and weapons possession, San Jose police said.

The 25-year-old was driving a white Ford Mustang Friday morning when he struck a bicyclist and attempted to flee the scene, according to police.

The collision was reported at 10:21 a.m. in the area of Tully road and South 7th Street in San Jose. Police said the bicyclist was struck while crossing the intersection.

A witness followed Culliver to the area of Mekler Drive and Senter Road, and attempted to block the NFL player from leaving, police said.

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When he was cornered by the witness, police said, Culliver threatened the witness with brass knuckles before getting back into his car and driving away, striking the eyewitness' vehicle in the process.

When police arrived, they took Culliver into custody without incident.

The 49ers cornerback was booked in Santa Clara County jail for felony hit-and-run, felony reckless driving with injury, felony possession of brass knuckles, misdemeanor hit-and-run and misdemeanor driving on a suspended license.

Culliver posted bail and was released at about 5:30 p.m. Information regarding Culliver’s lawyer was not immediately available.

The bicyclist suffered minor, non-life threatening injuries and was released from the scene.

In a statement, the San Francisco 49ers told NBC Bay Area the team is "aware of the recent matter involving Chris Culliver."

"We will remain in contact with Chris and the local authorities as we continue to gather the facts regarding this situation. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will reserve further comment at this time.”

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Culliver has been with the 49ers since 2011 when he was drafted 80th overall by the team.

Two years ago, he started six games at cornerback. Culliver tore his ACL in training camp last year, missing the entire 2013 season.

Culliver has made headlines before, for anti-gay remarks he made during a media day interview prior to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. He later apologized for those comments and was making strides toward reforming his image by working with LGBT organizations such as the Trevor Project.

Culliver also has been active in promoting animal welfare, and received a “Champion of Compassion” award earlier this month from Critter Lovers at Work (CLAW), a volunteer group that works with the San Francisco SPCA. He’s also scheduled to play host to the ABKC Dog Show on April 5 at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, an event benefiting his “Chris Culliver Foundation,” an organization “helping inner city youth and promoting the welfare of animals.”

The 49er was projected to fight for a starting position at cornerback this season.

Culliver is not the first 49er to run into trouble in San Jose.

His teammate, All-Pro linebacker Aldon Smith, was wounded while breaking up a fight at a party at his home. The incident resulted in police later charging him with three felony counts of  possessing an illegal assault weapon.

Then last September, following a car accident, police arrested Smith on suspicion of DUI and possession of marijuana. The linebacker then entered rehab. Smith faces a court appearance next month.

A couple is on the run and  facing felony charges for alleged welfare fraud while living on a luxury yacht in Florida.

Colin Chisholm III, 62 and Andrea Chisholm, 53, were charged with milking public assistance programs, mainly in their home state of Minnesota, for more than $165,000 between January 2005 and March 2012 in that state alone.

The prosecutor in Minnesota that was looking for them isn’t amused.

“Mr. Chisholm is a conman of the first order, he created all sorts of false companies, claimed he was a Scottish heir and Lady Chisholm participated in these frauds,” said Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney.

The criminal case against Chisholm details a lavish lifestyle. Records show they had three million dollars in various bank accounts during that period.

They are also accused of receiving welfare benefits from Florida as well.

The couple lived in a house in Lighthouse Point while they lived in the sunshine state. It has since been demolished but they paid several thousand dollars a month while living there.

They made a few payments on the yacht they bought while in Florida for $1.2 million, but it was repossessed by the Coast Guard.

With no criminal history, people convicted of fraud are typically sentenced to probation but Attorney Mike Freeman hopes this case will be different.

“We will not allow that to happen…I want them to do time, this is abdominal and offensive,” he said.