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New Jersey Woman Films Own Abortion

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A counselor at a New Jersey women's clinic says she filmed her own abortion to show that the procedure is "safe" and to help support other women through the process.

Emily Letts, a 25-year-old former professional actress, had been working at the Cherry Hill Women's Center for about a year when she learned in November that she was pregnant. In a column for Cosmopolitan posted this week, Letts writes that it was her first pregnancy -- an unplanned one -- and she had no long-term partner.

"I knew I wasn't ready to take care of a child," Letts wrote. 

Letts said she decided to have an abortion at her own clinic. It was early in the pregnancy, about two to three weeks, she said. Having searched online herself and been unable to find a video of what the procedure actually looks like, she decided to film it -- in part to educate other women who feared it.

"A first trimester abortion takes three to five minutes. It is safer than giving birth. There is no cutting, and risk of infertility is less than 1 percent," Letts wrote. "Yet women come into the clinic all the time terrified that they are going to be cut open, convinced that they won’t be able to have kids after the abortion. The misinformation is amazing."

The anti-abortion group New Jersey Right to Life said Tuesday "it's truly sad that an aspiring actress would use this venue" to achieve notoriety.

"Ending a pregnancy through the violence of abortion is not compassionate and is never safe for the defenseless baby who is torn to bits in his or her mother's womb," said executive director Marie Tasy.

Letts said she opted for a surgical abortion with local anesthesia and no IV sedation because she wanted to experience the type of procedure women considering abortions most feared and to be able to better relate to the women who visited the Cherry Hill clinic seeking her help and advice.

The video, which she posted on Facebook, is not graphic and shows Letts humming throughout the quick procedure. She says she received some hateful feedback, but also some that was positive. 

She says she hoped to inspire other women to not feel guilty about making the decision to have an abortion. 

"Our society breeds this guilt. We inhale it from all directions. Even women who come to the clinic completely solid in their decision to have an abortion say they feel guilty for not feeling guilty," Letts wrote. "I didn't feel bad ... and I am grateful that I can share my story and inspire other women to stop the guilt."

 


Brush Fire Shuts Down I-8 Freeway

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A brush fire shut down westbound Interstate 8 in the Jacumba area on Monday.

A Sig Alert started around 4:45 p.m. for I-8 at Carrizo Gorge Road after heavy smoke from the fire clouded the freeway.

As of 6:20 p.m., the California Highway Patrol said one lane was reopened. The entire westbound side of the freeway was cleared within the next hour.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire after it grew to 40 acres, according to Cal Fire.

No structures were threatened, and no injuries were reported.
 



Photo Credit: Twitter: @LisaSD

City Can Change Retiree Health Benefits: Court

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The California Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal over the city of San Diego’s ability to change retiree health benefits.

The high court’s denial leaves in place a Court of Appeal ruling that states the benefits may be changed like any other term or condition of employment and are not “vested,” according to San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.

Court documents show that plaintiff Denise Dailey brought the case against the city four years ago, claiming that her retiree health benefits were improperly capped at $8,880 per year -- $600 less than the cost of her premiums, she says.

Dailey and her attorney alleged that that all members of the city’s pension system would have to vote to enact such a change because the benefits fall under the city’s retirement system.

However, the Court of Appeal found the retiree health benefit does not fall under the retirement system because it is not a mandated benefit and is not funded by any assets of the pension plan.

The court also looked to a precedent that said the health benefits are an employee benefit, not a vested contractual right.

That means moving forward, health benefits won’t be completely guaranteed for city employees headed toward retirement.

Goldsmith said this Supreme Court action has statewide significance. Other cities and the state of California itself can take this ruling as guidance on how to handle the health benefit unfunded liability, which the state controller determined was $42.1 billion. That figure that does not include the unfunded liability of local governments.

“This series of court successes on retire health amount to San Diego’s biggest legal victory,” Goldsmith said in a release. “We have cleaned up a terrible financial mess caused by prior city councils granting benefits without paying for them. This City faced over a $1 billion unfunded liability.”

In 2011, a memorandum of understanding between the city and labor unions cut down the retiree health benefit, saving the city and taxpayers more than $700 million over the next 25 years, according to Goldsmith.

The city will also have the ability to negotiate the benefits in the future.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Whales Play Off Laguna Beach Coast

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It was a rare site for many beachgoers along the coast of Southern California last week when a gray whale and its calf splashed around about 10 yards from the shore.

The cow-calf pair were spotted by dozens of people on land and in boats Thursday afternoon, including riders from a whale-watching tour near 10th Street in Laguna Beach.

“We were still seeing large pods of whales swimming by over the weekend,” said Michael Hansen, president of Dana Wharf Whale Watching.

Spotting a gray whale so close to shore this late in the season was rare, he added.

As to why they would swim so close to shore?

“I’m guessing these whales are related to, and are the sons and daughters of other whales that have swam by in the past,” Hansen said.

Last Thursday was a particularly busy day at the beach, with a heat wave bringing temperatures in the high 80s near the coast.

Swimmers, who hoped to get a closer look at the cow-calf pair, swam within feet of the duo.

“The whales are actually loving the people in the water, it's amazing they are going over to them," said Capt. Tom White, who was in charge of the boat tour that day.

Hansen warned that although the whales don’t scare off easily, it’s best to to stay away. Mothers traveling with their offspring could become aggressive, he added.

Gray whales generally travel from Mexico up north to Alaska for the summer. Sightings off the Orange County beaches have doubled from last year with more than 1,000 so far.

Hansen expected to see several more of the traveling pods over the next couple of weeks. Friends of his to the south have reported sightings of the migrating herds.

Timeline: De Anza Cove Dispute

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The De Anza Cove Mobile Home Park was erected on approximately 70 acres of city-owned property in Mission Bay just west of Interstate 5. 

The establishment of a permanent resident mobile-home park on city land prompted a legal battle that spans several decades.

Here's a brief review of the dispute:

1940s: California leased the property to San Diego as part of Mission Bay Park.

1950s: City leased the land allowing the area to be used by visitors for “travel trailer” purposes.

Late 1970s: City officials questioned whether it was legal to have permanent residents in Mission Bay Park. State officials responded by saying the city should phase them out. At the same time, the state passed a law ensuring people could live there until the 50-year lease expired in 2003.

1980s: Residents signed an additional lease that would provide relocation fees if the land was developed into a hotel.

November 2003 – At the same time the state tidelands lease runs out, residents file a class-action lawsuit against the city. City leaders have said they want to turn the property into a public park.

December 2003 – Residents win a court injunction to stay in their homes during litigation with the city. Those legal matters were expected to last up to 18 months at the time.

October 2004 – The homeowners association files a motion to declare the city in violation of state law requiring the city to evaluate the local housing market for replacement housing.

June 2005 – Residents complain of harassment by security officers hired by the City of San Diego to protect the property.

March 2008 – A tentative ruling was issued, rejecting the residents’ request for $48 million in moving fees. City Attorney Mike Aguirre called the ruling a victory for the taxpayers.

May 6, 2014 – A retired judge issues a tentative ruling that recommends owners receive 48 months of rent differential and temporary lodging fees from the city. Non-owners would receive comparable two months’ rent and moving fees. The ruling also recommends all fees would be given in a lump sum.
 

Police Investigate I-805 Shooting Report

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 Police are investigating reports that a pedestrian was shot by Interstate 805 in Chollas View.

Around 8:10 p.m. Monday, a witness told police two men walked up to another pedestrian at the Market Street on-ramp to I-805 and shot the pedestrian.

One of the men allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at least one shot, according to San Diego police.  

Once officers arrived at the scene, they found a shell casing for at least one bullet. 

No victim was found in the vicinity. 

The investigation is on-going. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Scharbarth Family Helping Victims, Children

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The family of a North County single mother killed by her ex-boyfriend is turning their tragedy into hope for others.

The Scharbarth family have started Kathy’s Legacy Foundation to provide tangible protection for victims of domestic violence and offer support for surviving children.

On Thanksgiving 2011, Kathy Scharbarth’s birthday, she was reported missing. Her body was found the next day in Fallbrook. Police said her ex-boyfriend, Michael Robles, tried make contact with Scharbarth at her home in Carlsbad, but the interaction became violent and he strangled her as her daughter slept upstairs in their condo.

“When Kathy first filed her restraining order it was on November 17, 2011, and then a week later she was strangled by the person who she had the restraining order against,” said Michael Scharbarth, Kathy’s brother.

That’s why Michael, his family and friends created the foundation.

“The goal is to provide tangible protection for domestic violence victims,” said Michael. “We've been in talks with a company called Five Star and these pagers for domestic violence victims who may fear for their lives. They can click the button and someone else may be there.” He says the group is also working to provide self-defense classes.

The family has already helped pass "Kathy's Law" which aims to strengthen restraining orders, allowing judges to call for GPS monitoring devices for domestic violence suspects.

Michael also dealt with his grief in his own way. He signed up for an EMT class. He wanted to gain a better understanding of the work of first responders.

“I'd spend nights thinking about what the detectives had done for us,” he said. “On test day, whenever we had a test or a final, I always had a “Team Kathy” shirt underneath my uniform.”

The foundations first fundraiser is planned for Tuesday, May 6. It’s being held at Brett’s BBQ at 1505 Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas and goes from 11 A.M. to 9 P.M. Proceeds help Kathy’s Legacy Foundation.


 



Photo Credit: NBCSanDiego

Fire Burns Hollywood Businesses, Closes Streets

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A fire that burned businesses in Hollywood Tuesday morning forced street closures and generated a column of smoke that could be seen from as far away as the San Fernando Valley.

The fire, reported in the 5400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, started in the electrical room of an attic atop a two-story building, firefighters said. The business complex just west of the 101 Freeway (map) includes a shoe store, dental office, restaurant and other commercial operations.

Firefighters did not immediately determine a cause. Crews responded at about 7 a.m., and the fire was knocked down at about 9 a.m.

Nearby streets are closed for the final phases of the fire fight, which might not be completed until at least 11 a.m. Firefighters worked to contain the fire from outside the building because of the potential for partial roof collapse, fire officials said.

"It causes us extreme concern," said Los Angeles Fire Department Deputy Chief Joseph Castro.

The unreinforced masonry building was constructed before 1933, making it susceptible to collapse.

No injuries were reported. The businesses were closed at the time of the fire.

Refresh this page for updates.
 


1 Injured in Restaurant Flash Fire

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One person was injured after a fire started inside a Rancho Bernardo restaurant Tuesday morning.

Firefighters responded to Bernard’O Restaurant in the 12000 block of Rancho Bernardo Road around 11:15 a.m. for reports of a gas leak and explosion.

Fire officials told NBC 7 that a flash fire started in the kitchen as a worker was trying to light a grill.

One person was injured in the fire. The extent of the patient's injuries are unknown.

There was no visible damage to the exterior of the building, but water could be seen flowing from the restaurant. The fire did not appear to spread to other businesses in the shopping center.

Multiple fire engines and ambulances responded to the scene.

Check back for updates.

Clippers President Taking Leave

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Los Angeles Clippers President Andy Roeser will take an indefinite leave of absence, the NBA confirmed Tuesday, days after a scandal exploded over team owner Donald Sterling's recorded racist comments.

The recordings prompted the NBA to ban Sterling for life and try to force him to sell the team he's owned for more than three decades.

"This will provide an opportunity for a new CEO to begin on a clean slate and for the team to stabilize under difficult circumstances," said Mike Bass, executive vice president of NBA communications.

The league said May 3 that it planned to appoint a chief executive officer to supervise the Los Angeles Clippers' operations after Sterling's life ban.

Roeser's leave of absence is effective immediately, the league said. He is not the first figure embroiled in the scandal to step down since it broke.

Leon Jenkins, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP, resigned May 1, days after the civil rights group withdrew a lifetime achievement award it had been slated to present to Sterling.

"In order to separate the Los Angeles NAACP and the NAACP from the negative exposure I have caused the NAACP, I respectfully resign my position as President of the Los Angeles NAACP," Jenkins said.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million April 29 for making racist comments. Sterling, the NBA's longest-tenured owner, can have no association with the league or the team.



Photo Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bridge Collapse After Fire Slows 15 Fwy Drive

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Miles-long delays were reported early Tuesday on the 15 Freeway in the Mojave Desert after part of an overpass bridge collapsed a day after it burned in a fire that started during construction work.

The bridge's wooden supports caught fire Monday, closing a portion of the freeway and stopping traffic for hours.

Both directions of the 15 Freeway near Ranchero Road are closed due to the fire that sent debris falling on the freeway below. A large middle portion of the bridge completely collapsed early Tuesday morning as fire continued to burn parts of the bridge that firefighters cannot access.

Northbound lanes should reopen by 4 p.m. Tuesday and southbound lanes should reopen Wednesday, officials said during a news conference early Tuesday morning.

Traffic was backed up approximately 20 miles Monday and many drivers reported spending hours in gridlock.

"It's so bad that we actually had to put a movie on to entertain ourselves," driver Lena Razzo said Monday night.

The under-construction Ranchero Bridge in Hesperia caught fire around 1:30 p.m. Monday and continued to burn more than 16 hours later. The mddle portion of the bridge completely collapsed just after 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Both directions of the 15 Freeway near Ranchero Road were shut down Monday due to the fire that sent debris falling onto the highway below, fire officials said.

"Collapse was pretty scary, we actually had a firefighter standing on the ledge and the footing came from underneath him and he actually had to dive for his safety," San Bernardino Co. Fire Capt. Al Franco said of the Monday partial bridge collapse.

Workers continued to tear down the bridge early Tuesday while letting the fire burn out.

Traffic was being diverted to the north and south using on and off ramps near the Ranchero Road Bridge.

The fire was accidentally started by a construction worker’s blowtorch. Worker’s tried to put it out, but it quickly spread. Investigators said that high winds hampered firefighters’ efforts to stop the flames.

"We had to run out there pretty quick. And all that rebar on the ground, made it hard to get out of there," one construction workers said.

The bridge was part of a $27 million underpass project. It had been under construction for about a year and a half, and was supposed to be complete next summer.

Hesperia’s City Manager said Monday’s fire is sad news for nearby residents who had lobbied hard for the bridge.

"And the sad part here is that (workers) were way ahead of schedule," City Manager Mike Podegracz said.

The freeway is Southern California's main connector to Las Vegas.

For those traveling northbound on the 15 Freeway, NBC4 traffic reporter Alexis Delchiaro has provided this alternate route: two miles before Ranchero Rd, merge to the NB 138. Continue up NB 138 for 24 miles then merge on to the WB 18 (Antelope Highway) for 24 miles until you end up back on the 15 Freeway (see map below.)

Those traveling southbound on the 15 Freeway should exit Palmdale Road and then take the EB 18 (Antelope Highway) for 24 miles, merge onto the SB 138 for 24 miles and then merge back onto the 15 Freeway.

NBC4's Tony Shin contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Khalid Shabazz

Marine Found After Weeklong Search

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A U.S. Marine reported missing by family members in San Diego was found Sunday in a Tijuana hospital unaware of his surroundings, his family tells NBC 7.

Paul Bassett was last seen Sunday, April 27 when he left home to study. San Diego police say Bassett was spotted at a Mission Valley mall at around 6:35 p.m. The next day his Honda Accord was found abandoned in Tijuana.

Family members were in Tijuana over the weekend handing out flyers and checking hospitals and jails.

Bassett's wife, Jacqueline, said someone recognized him and led them to her husband being treated in a Tijuana hospital.

On Sunday night, she says an ambulance brought her husband across the U.S.-Mexico border to Sharp Chula Vista.

“It’s amazing. He’s still a little confused but it’s such a relief,” Jacqueline Bassett said Monday night.

“He has some sort of inflammation in the brain. He just got lost and he doesn’t know where he was or who he was at the time,” his wife explained.

San Diego police officials, who had released information to the public to help find the 26-year-old,  confirmed Bassett had been located.

Bassett is undergoing tests, according to his wife. No word yet on when he'll be able to leave the hospital.

Bassett was studying for a security management degree after serving several tours as a U.S. Marine, his wife said. 

SDPD Officer Arrested Twice in Two Weeks

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A San Diego police officer accused of domestic violence was arrested Monday for the second time in two weeks.

Gilbert A. Lorenzo, 31, of La Mesa, was arrested April 22, accused of domestic battery against his wife, San Diego police official said. 

At a scheduled arraignment, the San Diego District Attorney's Office postponed the hearing, saying charges against Lorenzo were still under review.

Then, on Tuesday May 6, Lorenzo was released from custody after spending the night in jail on suspicion of domestic violence.

According to the San Diego Sheriff's Department, Lorenzo was arrested Monday after an incident that took place in 1900 block of Terrakappa in Spring Valley.

A department spokesperson said he did not know if the victim went to the hospital for any injuries.

When NBC 7 contacted an SDPD spokesperson Tuesday for comment, the department did not have a statement on the new arrest. The spokesperson said the officers' police powers have been removed and he is not assigned to any police duties.

We were referred to the San Diego County sheriff's office for more information on the criminal case.

Lorenzo was working SDPD’s Northern Division and worked in the Mid-City Division in the past, according to police. He’s said to be a seven year veteran of the department.

Lorenzo’s arrest is yet another setback for SDPD which has dealt with a string of troubles in recent months, including allegations of misconduct against its officers.

Hours after Lorenzo's initial arrest, SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman faced the media.  The department revoked the officer's police powers and suspended him without pay as the investigation continued.

In 2009, the city settled a lawsuit filed after Lorenzo was behind the wheel of a patrol car that struck a woman walking out of a hospital in Hillcrest.

The plaintiff's attorney told NBC 7 then-officer Lorenzo made an illegal U-turn, ran a stop sign and struck his client.

The attorney claims Lorenzo initially said he didn’t do it. However, once security video of the collision surfaced, the officer changed his story.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Fallbrook Attack Not a Stranger Assault

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Investigators released new information in the sex assault reported in Fallbrook almost two weeks ago.

The victim told San Diego County sheriff's deputies that she was pushing a child in a stroller near Lake Shore Park April 23 when a man jumped from the bushes holding a knife.

Now, officials say the woman's story has changed.

Investigators said the assault didn't happen on the trail, the suspect did not jump from the bushes and he did not carry a knife.

An artist worked with the woman to create a suspect sketch.

Officials described the suspect as over 6 feet tall with a beer belly. He has neatly trimmed dark hair and a full mustache and beard cut high on the neck, deputies said. He was wearing a black T-shirt with holes and black work pants.

They are now saying the suspect was known to the victim and lives out of state.

In a written statement Tuesday, sheriff's investigators said, "the incident previously described did not take place and there is no danger to the community as a result."

 



Photo Credit: Lauren Lee

Man Killed Over Parking Spot: NYPD

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Police say a 24-year-old Queens man was shot and killed in a dispute over a parking spot Monday evening. 

The victim, Darrell Lynch of Jamaica, got into a fight with another man over a parking spot on 113th Avenue at about 7:30 p.m., according to police. The gunman shot Lynch in the leg and ran away.

The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

The Daily News reports that Lynch's 55-year-old mother was with him during the altercation, and Lynch pulled out his own gun during the fight but dropped it. His mother picked it up and started shooting at the suspect. 

No one was hit when she opened fire. 

The two got back into their SUV and tried to drive away, but Lynch lost consciousness and crashed into two parked cars. 

Police are searching for the gunman. 


Police Escort Geese Off Hwy.

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A family of Canada geese was shepherded to safety off a Chicago-area interstate Tuesday evening, after a special police escort crept behind the birds and snarled traffic for more than an hour during the evening commute.

Seven geese -- two adults and five goslings -- waddled along the side of the I-80/94 followed by two police cruisers and a tow truck.

A couple of good Samaritans in vehicles had initially provided an escort for the family of geese, before police showed up.

The birds headed west and crossed the Illinois state line into Lansing, approaching the Wentworth Bridge.

The goslings, which cannot fly, were occasionally ducking into traffic in the left lane, creating several close calls with passing vehicles.

Police closed the interstate temporarily and guided the geese into the right lane.

Police blocked the geese just past Wentworth Avenue at a turnaround on the shoulder.

The geese were then guided off the highway into an adjoining neighborhood and appeared to be acclimating well to their new surroundings, although not staying away from local roads.

The situation caused extensive traffic backups in the area, according to Sky 5's Mike Lorber.

California Motorcyclist Fatalities Down

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California motorcycle deaths have dropped 13 percent in the last two years, according to a study by the Governors Highway Safety Association released on Tuesday.

In 2012, California led all states in the number of motorcyclist traffic fatalities, with 345 deaths. In 2013, that number dropped to 299.

The study tracked motorcycle fatalities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (PDF) and in the majority of states death rates have decreased. Researchers say that the biggest reason for the drop was weather. The report suggests that warmer temperatures in 2012 made more people want to strap on a helmet and zip around on their bikes, which resulted in more deadly accidents.

When winters in 2013 were considerably cooler and rainier in most parts of the United States, motorcycle deaths dropped, the report noted, because less bikers were outside.

Still, California's declining fatality rate is exempt from this conclusion, because the sunny state typically has good weather year round, and in 2012 and 2013 Californians were walking aroudn in above-normal temperatures.

So, then, what's the Golden State's secret?

“Long-term gains in motorcyclist safety won’t occur because riders are deterred by bad weather, but from consistent use of proven countermeasures,” Kendell Poole, the safety highway group's chairman, said in a news release.

California Office of Traffic Safety spokesman Chris Cochran said in an interview on Tuesday that there are a lot of different reasons for the decrease of motorcyclist deaths in California - and weather is not one.

“Over the last three years there has been an increase in motorist awareness," he said. "Increase in training, emphasis on DUI with motorcyclist, emphasis on riding with helmets and, just in the last year or so, an awareness of the lane splitting."

California has been working very hard to teach drivers aboput the sometimes dangerous - but legal - act of lane splitting, when motorcyclists pass cars in the same lane. Cochran said the California Highway Patrol has stepped up efforts to make sure safe passage occurs, through education and ticketing.

The study recommends that states take the obvious precautions to continue reducing these fatalities.  Reducing alcohol impairment, decreasing speed and ensuring proper licensing were among the suggestions. But helmets were outlines as the “single most effective strategy” to keep motorcyclist safe on the road. Helmets are 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries for motorcycle drivers and 41 percent effective for passengers, the report stated.

The need for proper motorcycle training was also strongly encouraged. Only three states have taken serious measures to implement strong training programs for motorcyclist. And California is one of them.

“We are very heavily promoting that motorcyclist get the proper training because a large percentage of those that get into the fatal accidents didn’t get training,” Cochran said.

 



Photo Credit: NBC San Diego

Stalled Ship May Have Hit Whale

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A dead 30-foot whale found on the Brooklyn side of New York Harbor Monday morning is believed to have been struck by a cruise ship that was later disabled for several hours as it approached its Manhattan dock.

AnneMarie Mathews, a spokeswoman for Norwegian Cruise Line, said Wednesday the cruise ship's delay on Sunday was not related to the whale strike. 

"We take every precaution to avoid marine life and were saddened by the recent discovery," she said.

The 45-year-old whale was found near Pier 4 on Monday, and towed to the New Jersey side of the harbor. It was found during a necropsy Tuesday to have blunt force trauma and broken ribs.

The NOAA Fisheries Service said it's not known if the whale was killed by the ship or if it was already dead when it was hit. The ship then stalled for several hours in the Hudson River as it was preparing to dock in Manhattan.

The Coast Guard had to help tug the ship, which was returning from a seven-day Caribbean cruise, to Pier 88 on West 48th Street. The cause of the delay was a mechanical problem, Mathews said.

The 144,000-ton ship, called the Breakaway, accommodates more than 4,000 passengers, according to the cruise line.

 

 

 

911 Calls in Kaepernick Incident

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Police released 911 calls Tuesday from an incident last month at a Miami luxury hotel, weeks after they said they were investigating San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Miami police said last month that they were investigating Kaepernick, 26, over an alleged incident the night of April 1 involving a woman who said she passed out in a room at the Viceroy Hotel.

The woman, who said she was Kaepernick's former lover, told police she had partied with him and two other NFL players, passed out and later woke up at a hospital with no idea how she had gotten there.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, 27, and 49ers wide receiver Quinton Patton, 23, are both also mentioned in the police report.
 
Lockette reportedly called 911 just after midnight that night. Police released his 911 call Tuesday, as well as one made by a caller who identified himself as a security guard. The recordings were released in response to public records requests filed by NBC6  and NBC Bay Area, as well as other media outlets.

While the audio doesn’t shed much light on what happened the night of the alleged incident, it does depict both callers speaking with a calm voice as they alert dispatchers of the woman’s presence at the hotel.

“I was going to report that there’s a young lady in my friend's bed,” the 911 caller, apparently Lockette, tells the dispatcher on one call.

“He’s not here. She just wants to lay in his bed, and she’s not leaving. We asked her to leave, and told her he won’t be here tonight, and she said she’s not leaving till she sees him," the caller continues.
 
The other 911 caller that night tells the dispatcher that the woman was screaming and crying at Apartment 4710, where police later found marijuana and alcohol. On the call, the dispatcher tried to get more details.
 
Dispatcher: "What is her name?"
Caller: "Um, I'm not sure of her name."
Dispatcher: "What is she wearing?"
Caller: "She actually took her clothes off, and laid in the bed."
Dispatcher: "So she's fully naked in the bed?"
Caller: "Yes."
Dispatcher: "OK, so she's waiting for her boyfriend? Is that it?"
Caller: "No, no, no, he's not her boyfriend. He's just someone she wants to sleep with."

The woman went to Miami police's central station April 3 and gave a report of the incident.

Kaepernick took to Twitter just after reports of the incident first surfaced, slamming a TMZ report that he was being investigated for sexual assault.

"The charges made in the TMZ story and other stories I’ve seen are completely wrong," he tweeted.

"I take great pride in who I am and what I do, but I guess sometimes you have to deal with someone who makes things up. I want to thank all of the people who have shared their encouraging sentiments. I assure you that your faith is not misplaced."

TMZ first broke the news about Kaepernick, saying in its headline that he was being investigated for a sexual assault.

Later, Miami police released the police report the woman filed April 3.

According to that report, she said she went to visit Lockette at the Viceroy on April 1 about 9 p.m. Patton and Kaepernick were also there.

The woman said she mixed drinks for the men and gave them shots, according to the report. She said the men told her that if she wanted to drink she had to "hit the bong, which contained marijuana," the report states.

They chatted for a while and watched basketball. Before midnight, she started to feel "light-headed," she told police, and she went to lie down in the bedroom.

She told police that Kaepernick came into the bedroom behind her and started kissing her. He also started to undress her, and she ended up naked, she told police, according to the report. Kaepernick left the bedroom, and the couple didn’t have sex. He left the room, saying he would be right back, she told police.

When the woman called out that she was in bed naked, Patton and Lockette opened the door and "peeked" inside, she told police. She said she yelled, "What are you doing? Where is Colin? Get out!" according to the police report. The men closed the door and left, according to the report.

The woman could not remember anything else after that. She woke up in a hospital, unable to remember how she arrived there.
 
She also told police that she had previously had a sexual relationship with Kaepernick.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

WHO Polio Warning Worries Survivor

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A warning issued by the World Health Organization about the resurgence of polio concerns a California survivor of the virus, a man who was once the Shriners' national poster child.

On Monday, the WHO issued its first alert about polio, saying cases surfacing in at least 10 countries should be considered an international public health emergency.

The number of cases could grow over warmer months and may threatened the eradication efforts, the organization warned.

Rick Kneeshaw of Scripps Ranch, California contracted polio in 1950 when he was just over three years old.

"I can't remember not having had polio," Kneeshaw said. "I cannot remember ever having walked without braces or crutches." 

Polio usually strikes children under 5 and is most often spread through infected water. Kneeshaw said his doctors believe he got the virus from San Diego Bay.

The national poster child for the Shriners in 1953, Kneeshaw's photo was in mailboxes all across the U.S.

Now, as one of 600 polio survivors in Southern California, Kneeshaw uses his experience and knowledge to educate others. He regularly talks to rotary members, schools and medical students.

He said it's concerning that people are forgetting about polio.

"The virus is still out there," Kneeshaw said.

"It's not completely wiped out in this country but it's not talked about much either," he said.

In the first four months of 2014, there were 68 confirmed polio cases worldwide, compared with just 24 in the same period last year.

WHO described current polio outbreaks across at least 10 countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East as an "extraordinary event" that required a coordinated international response.

It identified Pakistan, Syria and Cameroon as having allowed the virus to spread beyond their borders.

WHO asked those three governments to require citizens obtain a certificate proving they have been vaccinated for polio before traveling abroad.

Pakistan scrambled Tuesday to meet the new international travel restrictions, including setting up vaccination points at all airports, officials said.

Some critics say it may even be time to accept that polio may not be eradicated, despite the approximate $1 billion a year spent on the effort.

Rotary has worked since 1985 to eradicate polio. At the time the project was identified, there were 145 countries with reported polio cases.

As of 2013, there were only three countries with reported polio cases.

“It’s very disturbing,” said Charles Pretto, President of San Diego Rotary of the report that polio is seeing a resurgence.

“It just means we have to double down our efforts to try and eradicate polio from the world.”

The San Diego Rotary committed $50,000 to the national organization’s efforts. An estimated $35 million was collected by members across the U.S . according to Pretto.

If10 new countries are reporting new polio cases, Pretto said it's likely Rotary will increase efforts to battle the spread of the virus.

Kneeshaw said the disease can be very debilitating and he hopes people will listen to his advice, and get their children vaccinated.

The San Diego Immunization Program recommends every child be vaccinated against Polio (IPV Vaccine) prior to age six.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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