A recreation vehicle's driver had to veer off the freeway Monday afternoon when it caught fire.
The RV pulled off of northbound Interstate 15 just north of Interstate 8, near Qualcomm Stadium, around 5 p.m.
At least two San Diego Fire-Rescue engines responded as large plumes of black smoke rose from the vehicle.
There is no word if the driver was injured or if there was anyone else inside.
Check back for details on this breaking news story.
Brittney Hunter admits she is driving more these days with her gas tank on empty.
"I try to push the limits as much as I can," said the college freshman.
She is not alone. According to the Auto Club of Southern California, fuel related calls were up 15 percent in March as gas prices start to rise.
They don't have the figures for April yet, but prices in San Diego are up nearly 25 cents and that could mean even more people running on empty.
"I think the fuel prices are causing members to be a little bit more hesitant in actually going out and spending the money," said Michael Hoshaw with the Auto Club.
Eric Lawler said he goes to the gas station just as much but he doesn't spend as much money.
"I tend not to go with a full tank, just three quarters," said Lawler.
Lori Hupp operates the Bonita Point 76 station and said it's hard for her customers to keep up with rising prices.
"I mean it costs $100 or more for some cars," said Hupp, "and people just have that."
The Auto Club warns drivers that trying to save money by not filling their tank could end up costing them even more. A low gas tank can lead to damage to the fuel pump, and running out of gas can send sediment from the bottom of the tank into the car's engine.
A local organization that helps kids across San Diego County says it's fallen victim to car thieves and is asking for the public's help.
A 12-passenger van was stolen from the back of The Boys and Girls Club of San Dieguito in Solana Beach early Monday.
Staffers said the van was parked just outside their security camera's view and there was shattered glass in the parking lot.
"You feel like someone has taken the rug right out from underneath you," Chief Executive Officer David Crean said.
"It's terribly disappointing," he said.
The van is used to take kids to school and field trips.
"Parents rely upon us to provide a quality, caring service and when you're without a vehicle, sometimes you have to scramble," Crean said.
He said they are making adjustments but the solutions they are using now will not be sufficient long term.
They will replace the van but the funds will be diverted from other programs.
Authorities are asking everyone to look out for a 2002 white Ford E-360 super duty van, license plate is 4KZS809.
The attorney for Pearl Quinones argued for a light sentence Monday, saying his client has already been punished enough.
In the end, Judge Ana Espana sentenced the former Sweetwater Union High School District board member to three years of probation, 90 days parole and a nearly $8,000 fine for her role in a “pay to play” scandal in the South Bay.
Quinones and more than a dozen other school officials from Sweetwater, San Ysidro and Southwestern College, as well as contractors, were indicted in the bribery and corruption scandal.
Prosecutors say the school officials traded their votes on multi-million dollar construction contracts for gifts and other favors.
On March 18, Quinones pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime and one misdemeanor related to filling out paperwork concerning gifts.
Per state law, she was supposed to immediately resign from the school board.
“Just for the record, I never resigned from the board,” Quinones said after Monday’s sentencing.
During the court appearance, Quinones begged the court for leniency.
“How sorry I am for making a mistake, but it was not intentional,” she said. “I made a mistake. I failed to educate myself.”
Her attorney Marc Carlos tried to persuade the judge to reduce the felony to a misdemeanor, citing her community service and clean criminal record.
However, the prosecutor asked the court for jail time or house arrest to send a message that the culture in Sweetwater needs to change.
Judge Espana upheld the felony conviction. She sentenced Quinones to three years of probation, 90 days parole monitored by the county, a $7,994 fine and public work service. She will be allowed to travel to Texas to care for her sick mother.
“What they said in there wasn’t true. I know if I had my day in court I would have won,” Quinones said, reacting to her sentence.
Quinones says she’s become a “scapegoat” in the case. Two other board members, President Jim Cartmill and Trustee Bertha Lopez, had their felony charges reduced to misdemeanors.
“I think it’s really unfair that everyone got away with misdemeanors, and I didn’t. Why?” she asked.
The felony will be reduced to a misdemeanor when she completes probation.
A big rig driver lost control of his truck, traveling down an embankment and coming to rest beneath Interstate 805 near National City.
CHP officials declared a SigAlert at 5:58 a.m., temporarily closing ramps from I-805 southbound to State Route 54 in both directions.
The driver was traveling along I-805 southbound when the truck drove off the highway and landed near the base of the overpass without hitting any other vehicles, CHP officials said.
No one was injured.
CHP removed the tractor trailer at around 6:50 a.m. so the ramps could be reopened.
Check back for updates in this developing story.
Eight people were injured Tuesday morning after a reported explosion and fire at a commercial property in northwestern Orange County.
The explosion was in the 500 block of Commercial Way (map) in La Habra. Three of the injured are considered in critical condition, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
At least two ambulances responded to the location, about seven miles north of Anaheim.
Details regarding the type of business were not immediately available. Aerial video showed firefighters on the roof of a building identified by the signage as Gorilla's Chrome, Inc., a plating and metal polishing business.
The business was evacuated and nearby roads are closed for the fire investigation.
The initial report was received from occupants of a nearby building.
NBC4 crews are headed to the scene. Refresh this page for updates.
Nearly 50 subway break dancers have been charged with reckless endangerment this year for performing on trains amid an NYPD crackdown on quality-of-life nuisances in the transit system.
Officials say 46 dancers -- typically performers who swing from bars and do tricks over the heads of commuters -- have been charged this year with reckless endangerment, compared to two dancers charged with that count last year.
Another 50 or so dancers have been charged with a lesser count of disorderly conduct, officials say. In past years, most subway dancers who were arrested were given that charge.
To find and arrest the dancers who fly through the air in often-crowded train cars, police are partly relying on rider complaints. Officials say the MTA is now immediately relaying complaints to the NYPD, allowing officers to go out in real time to find them.
Police are also cracking down on panhandling and selling goods without a license.
Subway panhandling arrests are up 271 percent over last year, with 371 arrests in 2014 over 100 by this period last year.
And 120 people have been arrested for illegal peddling, up from 66 by this date last year.
--Andrew Siff contributed to this story
Got a song in your heart? From rock to classical to mariachi, music is in the air this weekend in San Diego.
Thursday, May 1
SoundDiego LIVE
6 p.m. at the Hideout
Hosted by beloved 91x radio DJ Robin Roth, SoundDiego’s free monthly party hits the Hideout on Thursday. Performers include the New Kinetics and Hit Dog Hollar – as well as a hosted Jack Daniel’s Happy Hour before the show. RSVP here.
Cooking Class: Southwestern Cinco de Mayo
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Great News! in PB
Skip the Cinco de Mayo crowds and cook a Mexican feast at home. Learn to make fish tacos, chimichangas and more.
Live Band Karaoke
8:30 p.m. – 2 a.m. at the 710 Beach Blub in PB
Forget that rinky dink karaoke machine and sing your heart out accompanied by a real band.
Friday, May 2
Gaslight Gathering
1 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Town and Country Hotel
Question: What do you get when you combine steam-powered technology and the Victorian era with costumes and fantasy? Answer: Steampunk. Join other steampunk enthusiasts for this one-of-a-kind convention.
San Diego Brews Cruise
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on the San Diego Bay
You’ll sample craft beer while watching the sunset on the San Diego Bay. Best of all? You’ll help kids desperately in need of reconstructive surgeries.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Tribal Seeds
7 p.m. - 10 p.m. at SDSU's Open Air Theatre
One of the world’s premier reggae rock groups comes home! Yep, San Diego’s own Tribal Seeds return to town for the release of their new album, Representing, at San Diego State’s Open Air Theatre. It’s sure to sell out, so get tickets while you can.
San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamond Backs
7:10 p.m. at Petco Park
Welcome the Friars home after 10 games on the road. #OnFriar
Symphony MAYnia
8 p.m. at the Copley Symphony Hall
The San Diego Symphony begins its first weekend of MAYnia with Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Danny Brown
8 p.m. at Porter’s Pub
Danny Brown is one of the hottest stars in the rap world right now and for good reason – his 2013 album, Old, is ferocious.
Saturday, May 3
Kentucky Derby Day
Starts at 7 a.m. at Surfside Race Place at Del Mar
Where else is there to watch the biggest race of the year besides Del Mar?
San Diego Ho’olaule’a Hawaiian Cultural Festival
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Mission Bay Park
You don’t have to fly 2,000 miles to attend an authentic Hawaiian luau, including hula dancers, ukulele music and, of course, delicious barbequed food.
31st Annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo
11 a.m. – 12 a.m. in Old Town
The largest Cinco de Mayo festival in Southern California features mouthwatering Mexican fare, lowrider cars and music from morning ‘til night.
California Bookstore Day
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Grove in South Park
Put your Kindle on the charger and visit your neighborhood bookstore for California Bookstore Day.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Unwritten Law
7 p.m. at the House of Blues
Speaking of hometown heroes, Unwritten Law return home for a killer rock throwdown at the House of Blues, which also includes local metal-heads Sprung Monkey. Not to be missed.
Sunday, May 4
Safari Park Half Marathon and 10K Run
Races start at 6:30 a.m. at the Westfield North County
Channel your inner cheetah for the wildest race around.
46th San Diego Antique Drags
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. in in Lakeside
Are you a fan of classic cars? Watch vehicles pre-1975 go full throttle on the Barona Drag Strip.
Spring Festival
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in La Mesa
Watch as kids from NUA Sparrow perform the iconic Maypole dance.
SoundDiego Suggestion: The Bad Plus
5 p.m. at the Loft at UCSD
Make sure to catch the Bad Plus at the Loft – they’re one of NYC’s most inventive and genre-smashing jazz trios.
San Diego has paid out more than $1 million in pothole damages over 10 years but denied about a quarter of those claims, NBC 7 Investigates has found.
San Diego’s crumbling infrastructure is a common theme during elections and at council meetings - with street conditions as perhaps the most tangible daily example of a $1 billion backlog in maintenance and capital improvement projects.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s recent budget proposal allocates an additional $400,000 a year to increased staffing for streets resurfacing and the Regional Pothole Repair program – a new initiative that tackles pothole problems in geographic clusters.
With all this attention to those deep ruts in the road that can puncture tires and damage vehicles, our NBC7 Investigates team wondered how many claims the city pays out to drivers who have had their car damaged.
We found many people don’t even realize they can file a claim.
During the past 10 years, the city’s risk management department received 2,219 pothole claims from people who said their car was damaged when they hit a pothole on city streets, according to data released to NBC7 Investigates.
Connie Ybarrondo of Sabre Springs hit a pothole on Poway Road about a mile away from Interstate 15, which is within the city limits of San Diego.
“It actually jolted the car, as if I’d hit a curb, and so my purse flew on the floor, and I kept driving because I was just stunned a little bit,” Ybarrondo said. “It took me a second to realize, ‘Oh. I hit a pothole.’”
Ybarrondo took her car to the dealership where they informed her she had suffered $1,200 in damage to her tires and rims of her BMW. She went online to file a claim with the city of San Diego, including detailed documentation from the dealership and maps.
About a month later, her claim was rejected with no explanation from the city.
“I was a little upset. It was disappointing, to say the least,” Ybarrondo said. “But, I felt like, it wasn’t something I wanted to go fight. I didn’t want to spend any more money to risk maybe losing the court hearing.
“I ended up just writing it off, but it was disappointing, especially since I didn’t feel like I had done anything wrong.”
NBC 7 Investigates found that Ybarrondo was not alone.
The city denied almost exactly 25 percent of claims filed during a 10-year period, rejecting about 565 of the 2,219 of the pothole claims it’s received – or 1 in 4 claims.
Sometimes, the city issues an initial denial letter, but ends up paying out damages.
NBC7 Investigates removed those cases to calculate the total amount of claims rejected.
City spokesperson Bill Harris said the city examines each claim very carefully, but cannot comment on the rejection of specific claims like Ybarrondo’s.
“Really for us, it’s not a matter of percentages or trying to meet a percentage or keep it below a percentage,” Harris said. “It’s to treat each individual claim fairly. We treat each individual claim with as much due diligence and as much background and research and investigation as we can.”
Harris says it's best to return the claim form with all the back-up documentation either by mail or in-person. The more documentation and detail a claimant has, right up front, the more likely they are to get their claim paid.
“I was actually able to get a check back in six months,” said Logan Kranstover, who hit a pothole on Friars Road in the Mission Valley area. The pothole blew both his tires and bent his rims and an outer axle shaft, he said.
“I had actually probably suffered about $1400 in damage, and I went back and forth to the mechanic for probably about four months time,” Kranstover said. “I got about half back, so …. Not bad. I’m happy, I guess.”
Kranstover believes his success depended on providing extremely detailed information, along with the fact that Friars Road is a known trouble-spot for the city. During a one-year period alone, the city received 16 claims from incidents that occurred on Friars Road, making it one of the top spots for pothole claims.
“It was probably more work than I wanted to do, but I’m a perfectionist when it comes to that sort of thing, so I wanted to make sure the information was brought across accurately and detailed enough so I would get this done in a reasonable time frame,” Kranstover said.
Harris said, when filing a claim, it is helpful if you take a picture of the pothole, but definitely do not put yourself in any danger trying to snap pictures while driving or in the middle of a busy road.
“Remember that with any claim, accuracy counts,” Harris said, adding that many claims are rejected because they occur outside of city limits.
If the city does reject your claim, you can go to small claim courts and file your documentation with the courts.
Just when the Navy was trying to put an eight month deployment plan in place, there is talk in Washington, D.C. that sailors could end up out at sea for even longer without a balanced budget in 2016.
It used to be six months was the maximum, and now eight month deployments are common place.
But if Congress can't agree on a budget for 2016 and sequestration becomes reality once again, there is talk -- based on the testimony of U.S. Navy officials -- that the Navy may have to scrap or mothball USS George Washington, which would leave only ten carriers.
That could result in deployments of nine to ten and a half months.
NBC 7 talked to military families who say that number would make an already unbearable separation unthinkable.
Kathy Robinson is a mother of three, and her husband has been at sea for the majority of his nearly three years in the Navy. She said it has taken a toll on the family.
"He's missed Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, deaths in the family twice, everything," said Robinson.
Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates criticized long deployments approved under his watch, saying " The consequences include more anxiety and disruption inflicted on children, increased domestic strife and a corresponding rising divorce rate."
And while this move may save tax dollars, military families tell NBC7 they will be paying the price.
El Cajon police are investigating a brief chase that ended with a fatality just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
An officer attempted to make a traffic stop at Granite Hills and Madison, but the driver fled and drove westbound on Madison, crossed Main and struck a parked car, officials said.
The driver was ejected and died at the scene, according to the El Cajon Police Department.
An ambulance was nearby and a medic rushed to the scene to aid the patient, but it was confirmed he had died on impact.
It is not known at this time what the vehicle was being pulled over for. The traffic division will continue its investigation into the incident.
Middle school students are accused of breaking into a Santa Clara high school and killing at least three animals as part of a weekend crime spree.
Santa Clara police said the teens broke into Adrian Wilcox High School over the weekend. Once inside, the students damaged a snack shop and vandalized cars that were being used in an auto shop class.
Police also said the students also found a rabbit, duck and a rooster and killed the animals.
"Obviously it is disturbing when you have middle school-aged children involved that did this act," Lt. Kurt Clarke said. "And the welfare of the animals war our primary concern."
Investigators on Monday night interviewed three students suspected of the crimes. The students interviewed do not attend the high school, police said.
Authorities also said the students will likely be charged with cruelty to animals, vandalism and burglary.
The NBA announced in a sweeping decision Tuesday that Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been "banned for life" from any association with the team or league following an investigation into recorded comments that the league has determined were made by Sterling.
"Effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices. He may not be present at any Clippers facility, and he may not participate in any business or any personnel decisions involving the team."
Silver, who became the league's commissioner Feb. 1, said the league will "force a sale" of the team -- a process that he said will start immediately. The owners have the authority subject to three-quarters vote of the ownership partners to remove him as an owner, Silver said.
The NBA's constitution is not public, though it is understood the commissioner's powers are broad when it comes to dealing with matters deemed "prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of basketball."
Sterling, who has owned the team since 1981, also faces a fine of $2.5 million, the maximum allowed under league rules. NBC News initially reported that the fine was to be $5 million, citing an NBA official. Silver issued the official announcement at a press conference to discuss the league's investigation of Sterling.
The money will be donated to anti-discrimination groups selected by the NBA, Silver said.
Silver addressed a key point of the investigation during the news conference -- whether the male voice heard on the recording is that of the 80-year-old Clippers owner. The investigation included an interview with Sterling, during which it was determined that the voice on the recording is that of Sterling, Silver said.
"The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful," said Silver, adding that Sterling acknowledged the voice was his.
The development comes just hours before the Clippers are scheduled to play their first home game since the comments — part of a recorded conversation with a female companion posted on TMZ and Deadspin — came to light. The Clippers organization released a statement after the announcement: "We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins."
The investigation has been conducted amid on- and off-court protests, backlash from Clippers sponsors and calls for action from current and former NBA stars. More protests were expected Tuesday afternoon at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles before the Game 5 playoff game between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors.
The decision drew a swift and positive response from current and former players, including Lakers and UCLA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
"I'm just thrilled with what Commissioner Silver did," Abdul-Jabbar said at a news conference outside Los Angeles City Hall. "He got to the bottom of this and figured out what the truth was. He handled it the right way.
"It's going be a new day in the city."
Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers teammate Magic Johnson, who found himself embroiled in the scandal, tweeted: "Former and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner Silver's ruling."
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former player who serves as a special adviser to the National Basketball Player's Association, said Monday that players called for the most "severe sanction possible." He applauded the league's decision at a news conference after Silver's announcement.
"There will be zero tolerance for institutional racism no matter how rich or powerful," Johnson said. "Sports, once again... provides a place for fundamental change for how our country should think and act."
V. Stiviano, the woman identified by her attorney as the female heard on the recording at the center of 
the investigation, told NBC4 from behind a reflective visor outside her home Monday that she has no comment. The man heard in the recording can be heard criticizing the woman identified as Stiviano for posting online about bringing black friends to games. The man is also heard chastising the woman for posting a photo on Instagram with Lakers great and Dodgers co-owner Johnson.
Stiviano's attorney said she did not leak the recording to the media.
Andy Roeser, the Clippers' president, released the following statement: "Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life."
The National NAACP requested Tuesday a meeting with Silver to discuss the investigation. Roslyn M. Brock, the chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, said the National NAACP wants to talk to Silver about what it calls, "the influence and impact of racism in the National Basketball Association."
The request comes a day after the organization's Los Angeles chapter announced Sterling would not be receiving a lifetime achievement honor he was slated to accept at an awards event next month.
San Diego County is under a high wind warning and Cal Fire has increased its staffing in response.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the warning Tuesday through Thursday, forecasting gusts of 55 mph along with low humidity.
NBC 7's Meterologist Jodi Kodesh says the winds will make driving extremely difficult and could result in downed power lines.
NBC 7 has learned San Diego Gas and Electric has no plans to preemptively cut power.
SDG&E says they are monitoring, but there are no red flag warnings at this time.
Those conditions present a danger for residents living in areas of San Diego County prone to wildfires.
The state’s fire agency is staffing additional fire engines, bulldozers, fire crews, and aircraft under a Fire Weather Watch in place for many areas of Southern California, according to Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott.
“The drought has set the stage for a very dry and potentially dangerous fire season,” Pimlott said in a news release.
"Fire season never really ended last year in Southern California and these strong winds will only elevate the current fire risk."
However, residents are warned to stay on top of wildfire prevention.
Got a song in your heart? From rock to classical to mariachi, music is in the air this weekend in San Diego.
Thursday, May 1
SoundDiego LIVE
6 p.m. at the Hideout
Hosted by beloved 91x radio DJ Robin Roth, SoundDiego’s free monthly party hits the Hideout on Thursday. Performers include the New Kinetics and Hit Dog Hollar – as well as a hosted Jack Daniel’s Happy Hour before the show. RSVP here.
Cooking Class: Southwestern Cinco de Mayo
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Great News! in PB
Skip the Cinco de Mayo crowds and cook a Mexican feast at home. Learn to make fish tacos, chimichangas and more.
Live Band Karaoke
8:30 p.m. – 2 a.m. at the 710 Beach Blub in PB
Forget that rinky dink karaoke machine and sing your heart out accompanied by a real band.
Friday, May 2
Gaslight Gathering
1 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Town and Country Hotel
Question: What do you get when you combine steam-powered technology and the Victorian era with costumes and fantasy? Answer: Steampunk. Join other steampunk enthusiasts for this one-of-a-kind convention.
San Diego Brews Cruise
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on the San Diego Bay
You’ll sample craft beer while watching the sunset on the San Diego Bay. Best of all? You’ll help kids desperately in need of reconstructive surgeries.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Tribal Seeds
7 p.m. - 10 p.m. at SDSU's Open Air Theatre
One of the world’s premier reggae rock groups comes home! Yep, San Diego’s own Tribal Seeds return to town for the release of their new album, Representing, at San Diego State’s Open Air Theatre. It’s sure to sell out, so get tickets while you can.
San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamond Backs
7:10 p.m. at Petco Park
Welcome the Friars home after 10 games on the road. #OnFriar
Symphony MAYnia
8 p.m. at the Copley Symphony Hall
The San Diego Symphony begins its first weekend of MAYnia with Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Danny Brown
8 p.m. at Porter’s Pub
Danny Brown is one of the hottest stars in the rap world right now and for good reason – his 2013 album, Old, is ferocious.
Saturday, May 3
Kentucky Derby Day
Starts at 7 a.m. at Surfside Race Place at Del Mar
Where else is there to watch the biggest race of the year besides Del Mar?
San Diego Ho’olaule’a Hawaiian Cultural Festival
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Mission Bay Park
You don’t have to fly 2,000 miles to attend an authentic Hawaiian luau, including hula dancers, ukulele music and, of course, delicious barbequed food.
31st Annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo
11 a.m. – 12 a.m. in Old Town
The largest Cinco de Mayo festival in Southern California features mouthwatering Mexican fare, lowrider cars and music from morning ‘til night.
California Bookstore Day
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Grove in South Park
Put your Kindle on the charger and visit your neighborhood bookstore for California Bookstore Day.
SoundDiego Suggestion: Unwritten Law
7 p.m. at the House of Blues
Speaking of hometown heroes, Unwritten Law return home for a killer rock throwdown at the House of Blues, which also includes local metal-heads Sprung Monkey. Not to be missed.
Sunday, May 4
Safari Park Half Marathon and 10K Run
Races start at 6:30 a.m. at the Westfield North County
Channel your inner cheetah for the wildest race around.
46th San Diego Antique Drags
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. in in Lakeside
Are you a fan of classic cars? Watch vehicles pre-1975 go full throttle on the Barona Drag Strip.
Spring Festival
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in La Mesa
Watch as kids from NUA Sparrow perform the iconic Maypole dance.
SoundDiego Suggestion: The Bad Plus
5 p.m. at the Loft at UCSD
Make sure to catch the Bad Plus at the Loft – they’re one of NYC’s most inventive and genre-smashing jazz trios.
More than a dozen military amputees from the Republic of Georgia are now receiving prosthetic care at a local company, Peter Harsch Prosthetics.
They're being fitted with the world's most advanced prosthetic leg called the X-3.
It's described as the first intelligent prosthetic leg, with an accelerometer and gyroscope able to tell where a user's leg is in space.
Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania also traveled to San Diego and calls the amputees heroes.
"They gave everything they could for their country, for the international security and peace and shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. and other allies they were defending freedom and the choice of
Afghan people," Alasania said.
The defense minister says the amputees will soon return to Georgia and go back on active duty.
They fought in Georgia's 2008 war with Russia, and were also a part of the coalition troops in Afghanistan.
Legislation called "Audrie's Law" that would expand California's definition of rape to include the sexual assault of an unconscious or developmentally disabled person cleared a senate committee Tuesday morning, though the teeth of the bill was watered down.
The state Senate Public Safety Committee unanimously supported the measure sought by the family of Audrie Pott, a 15-year-old Saratoga High School who was sexually assaulted while unconscious at a house party in 2012, and later committed suicide.
The Public Safety Committee amended the bill to set a minimum sentence of two years for juveniles who are convicted in juvenile court of raping an unconscious or developmentally disabled person and to allow such cases to be tried in an open courtroom.
Audrie's parents had wanted juveniles to be charged in open, adult court.
"I feel we've made some significant changes here that Audrie would be proud of," Audrie's mother, Sheila Pott said. "I still think there's a lot of work that needs to be done."
The bill stems from what happened to Audrie at a party in 2012. She drank too much and passed out. Later there were photos of her lying unconscious with words scribbled on her body, images that would be shared with others. On her Facebook page, Audrie expressed that her life was ruined and that others knew what happened. She killed herself on Sept. 12 of that year. The three teens involved were sentenced under the juvenile justice system with penalties of 30 to 45 days.
Audrie's father, Lawrence Pott, testified at the hearing, saying that because of social media, his daughter had to relive the rape 1,000 times. Posting the photos made the "rape worse than it ever was."
Audrie’s Law, or SB 838, introduced by Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose), would close a statutory loophole that fails to recognize the sexual violation of an unconscious or developmentally disabled victim as forcible rape. It also proposes to change the California Welfare and Institutes code by adding a criminal sentencing enhancement if the offender electronically shares photos or messages regarding the crime to identify, harass, humiliate, or bully the victim.
The bill was written by the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney. "The time has come to pull these predatory perpetrators out of the shadows and make the juvenile justice system live up to its promise to protect victims,’’ Deputy District Attorney Chris Arriola said. “By allowing for increased penalties and a public forum for many of these cases everyone can be held accountable."
The amended version of the bill not only would guarantee a mandatory minimum two-year sentence in the juvenile system for youth who rape an unconscious person, but if photos are taken and shared on social media, the offender would face an additional mandatory one year. The bill would also open the juvenile proceedings to the public - a big change from the normally secretive juvenile process.
Audrie's stepmother, Lisa Pott, expressed some disappointment but said the amended bill is better.
"I can't say that we're pleased, this is hard," she said. "But we also feel like we've accomplished something. If we can help people and make changes it gives us some purpose. It helps us grieve, it helps us move forward because it's too difficult to look back."
SB 838 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will examine its potential fiscal impact. The bill requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to advance to the Governor’s desk.
UCLA officials have rejected a $3 million donation pledge Clippers owner Donald Sterling recently made to the university for kidney research, saying the racially charged comments he made in a recorded telephone conversation were "divisive and hurtful."
"Mr. Sterling's divisive and hurtful comments demonstrate that he does not share UCLA's core values as a public university that fosters diversity, inclusion and respect," according to UCLA.
University officials said they have been receiving inquiries about an advertisement that appeared in Sunday's Los Angeles Times, "falsely suggesting that it was UCLA publicly thanking him for the gift.
"The ad was placed by Mr. Sterling, not the university,'' according to UCLA.
A teen accused of stabbing his classmate to death at a Milford high school Friday, hours before the prom, was arraigned Tuesday and charged as an adult with murder.
Christopher Plaskon, 16, is accused of fatally stabbing Maren Sanchez, also 16, inside Jonathan Law High School on Friday morning, in an attack some students said may have been motivated by anger that she would not go to the prom with him.
Plaskon was spotted just after the stabbing with blood on his hands and clothing, police said. "I did it. Just arrest me," he told authorities, according to police paperwork released Tuesday.
Police documents released Tuesday offered new details of the deadly stabbing and its aftermath.
Police said they recovered a knife in the hallway, not far from where Sanchez was stabbed.
One witness reported seeing Plaskon on top of Sanchez and being unable to pull him away from her, according to police. Another witness told police he saw Plaskon throw a bloody knife onto a hallway floor shortly after taking him away from the scene.
As a school resource officer was heading to the scene of the attack, he was called to the principal’s office and saw Plaskon, who had blood on his hands and clothing, police said. He asked the teen what happened.
"I did it. Just arrest me," Plaskon said, according to police.
The officer handcuffed Plaskon and went to the scene of the stabbing, where he found Sanchez in grave condition. Plaskon was taken into police custody, and Sanchez was rushed by ambulance to Bridgeport Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Sanchez died of stab wounds to the torso and neck, the medical examiner concluded after an autopsy. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Plaskon is being held in a psychiatric facility and has been placed on suicide watch.
His attorney, Richard Meehan, said Tuesday that Plaskon will continue to receive psychiatric care and medication. Afterward, he will be transferred to an age-appropriate correctional center.
Bond has been set at $3 million. Plaskon is scheduled to appear in Milford Superior Court on Friday.
Plaskon’s family expressed sympathies with the Sanchez family in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
"In prayer we ask for comfort for the Sanchez family and all of us so deeply affected by this tragedy," the Plaskon family said. "We pray for the wisdom to guide us as we desperately try to pull together the shattered pieces of our families. And finally, we pray that time may soften our wounds and reveal forgiveness in the hearts of all."
Moments after being approached in a shopping center parking lot, a San Diego man withdrew thousands of dollars from his bank account and handed it over to two con artists, officials said.
The theft began just before 1 p.m. on Monday, March 10 as the victim – a 71-year-old man – walked to his car outside the Home Depot on Broadway in Lemon Grove.
San Diego Crime Stoppers released an image of one of the suspects who they claim convinced the victim to withdraw $10,000 from his Wells Fargo Bank account and “donate” it to a charity.
Unfortunately, after the man withdrew the money the two suspects disappeared.
Investigators say this scenario involved the first suspect befriending the victim and asking for a ride to meet the second suspect outside another store.
Then, the two suspects went to work, asking the victim for a donation.
After suspect #2 pretends to withdraw $30,000 from what’s presumably his bank account for the “charity” the victim follows suit.
Now both suspects are wanted in the elder abuse/theft case.
Anyone with information on this case should call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580‐8477.
