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Rogue Fire Alarm Prompts Airport Evacuation

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A rogue fire alarm forced the evacuation of people at Lindbergh Field's Terminal 2 for about 20 minutes Saturday, airport officials confirmed. 

The alarm sounded around 7:30 p.m. at the San Diego International Airport, setting off emergency lights as well. 

Officials say the sprinklers were triggered outside the terminal to wet the building down, but no one inside was sprayed. 

An unknown number of people were forced to evacuate from about 7:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. 

Shop clerks told NBC 7 that the place was emptied out and the security checkpoint was shut down in one part of the terminal. 

Passenger Martin Asbosedo was evacuated onto the runway as he was going through the passport checkpoint. He had just landed on a flight from Italy. 

"It was very calm. I was surprised," said Asbosedo. "Nobody was running. Everybody was laughing. At first we think it was a joke or something like that."

So far, there have been no reports of flights impacted, according to the airport. 

Officials are still trying to determine what caused the rogue fire alarm to go off. 


Woman Recovering After Home Robbery

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A woman was recovering from a gunshot wound Saturday as police continued their search for three masked men who tied her and her husband up during a brutal nighttime robbery at the couple’s Beverly Hills home.

Police said the couple was confronted by the three men at their house in the 400 block of Doheny Road after answering a knock at their front door sometime before 8:30 p.m. Friday.

"The victims are elderly male and female couple who were tied up inside the location," said Lt. Lincoln Hoshino of the Beverly Hills Police Department.

The woman was shot in the leg before the robbers took off with some of the couple’s belongings, Hoshino said. Her injuries were non-life threatening.

One neighbor said officers searched her backyard with their guns drawn.

"They had guns, rifles," said the neighbor. "When they left they just told me, 'Lock your door.'"

After the men left, the husband was able to untie himself and call police, Hoshino said. They were both taken to the hospital.

On Saturday, the woman was hospitalized and the husband, who suffered severe bruising, was by her side.

Police have stepped up patrols in the area.

Jane Yamamoto contributed to this report.

Ex-Cop Investigates Father's Past

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First a cadaver dog, now chemical analysis support the suspicions of a retired police detective that human remains were buried in the foothills above Hollywood decades ago, NBC4 has learned.

Analysis of soil taken from a location indicated by the cadaver dog found chemical markers for human decomposition, said the scientist who performed the labwork at the request of the retired detective.

It's the theory of former detective that as many as 10 long-unsolved slayings of young women in Los Angeles in the 1940's were committed by a single serial killer.   

What adds poignance to Hodel's suspicion is his personal connection to the suspect he's identified: the late medical doctor George Hodel -- the retired detective's father.
 
"I see him as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," said Hodel, alluding to the fictional split personality depicted in one of Hollywood's first horror films.  "Unfortunately, the monster, Mr. Hyde, was stronger and
over-ruled the good."
 
Hodel's suspicions date back more than a decade.  After his father's death, going through possessions, Hodel came across evidence that implicated his father in the infamous 1947 dismemberment murder of a young woman named Elizabeth Short, remembered to this day as the Black Dahlia.
 
Writing books and continuing his research, Hodel came to suspect his father had killed repeatedly before fleeing to Asia in the late 1940s.
 
During that decade, the Hodels lived in what is now regarded as a Hollywood landmark, the Sowden House designed by the famed architect Lloyd Wright in the distinctive Mayan block style that was developed by his even more famous father Frank Lloyd Wright.
 
Records long stored in the District Attorney's office confirm that the doctor had come under suspicion in the Dahlia case, and that police had planted a listening bug in the house.  Transcripts reveal that detectives heard him discussing the Dahlia at one point.  At another time, they heard from the basement what sounded like a woman being attacked.
 
Hodel believes his father committed murders in or near the house, and in some cases buried the remains nearby in unmarked graves.
 
In 2012, Hodel was able to return to the Sowden house when he was invited to participate in a TV program being recorded there.  Hodel got permission to bring along another retired cop, former Mammoth Lakes Police Sgt. Paul Dostie, who has worked extensively with Buster, his search dog.
 
Buster indicated a scent of human decomposition at several locations, including in the alley behind the house.  But where the scent is picked up does not necessarily mean that is where the
chemical remains are located; carried over time by water or gravity, the marker molecules can migrate considerable distances, according to forensic anthropologist Arpad Vass, PhD, a pioneer in chemical analysis of human decomposition.
 
A soil sample was taken from the alley, and late last year Vass used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify the chemicals in it.
 
"The soil came up positive for human remains because there are a number of human specific markers," said Vass from his laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
 
What is more difficult is narrowing down how long ago death occurred.  Vass's estimate:  20-100 years ago. 
 
The chemical analysis cannot help determined cause of death, or even whether or not it was homicide, Vass noted.  But he said his findings are "consistent" with Steve Hodel's theory of homicide victims buried in shallow graves 70-80 years ago.
 
"We're talking about clearing potentially 10 cases," Hodel said.
 
But who?
 
Definitely not Elizabeth Short, Hodel is quick to say, pointing out that all of her remains were accounted for.
 
But the possibilities include actress Jean Spangler, then 26, her career on the rise in 1949 when she vanished.  Nothing more than her purse was found days later in Griffith Park, not far from the Hodel home.  A note inside hinted she was going to have an abortion, then illegal.  Dr. Hodel was one of the few physicians who then performed abortions in Los Angeles, Steve Hodel found in his research.  He also discovered Spangler and his father had a mutual friend.
 
Hodel hopes to search further for the human remains, but has been unable to get permission to go onto the privately owned hillside.
 
After repeated attempts by Hodel the past decade to interest LAPD in following up on his civilian 
investigation, LAPD passed again.
 
"Too old, too cold." was the feedback Hodel said he got.
 
But if it appears the ageless sleuth is running out of leads to pursue--don't count on it.
 
His research has led to three books, Black Dahlia Avenger, Black Dahlia Avenger II, and Most Evil, in which Steve Hodel lays out his case that when his father traveled to northern California in the 1960s he committed the infamous Zodiac murders.
 
Steve Hodel still hopes to find the source of the scent of human decomposition near his childhood Hollywood home.
 
"I'm going to keep digging," Hodel vowed--figuratively, if not literally.

Teen Pilot Begins Attempt at Record-Breaking Solo Flight

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A 19-year-old pilot geared up Saturday morning for a highly ambitious feat: a record-breaking, 29,000-mile solo flight around the world that took off from a small airport in east San Diego.

“I’m just really excited. It’s been a long time planning, and now here we are,” Matt Guthmiller told NBC 7 as he prepared to load his small aircraft and take off from Gillespie Field in El Cajon, Calif.

The teen pilot, who just finished his freshman year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is embarking alone on the long journey, which will include 25 stops in 14 different countries across five continents. He’s flying a 1981 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza N367HP.

In the process, Guthmiller hopes to break the Guinness World Record for the youngest person to circumnavigate the world by aircraft solo.

According to Guinness World Records, just one year ago that title belonged to Jack Wiegand, a pilot who flew a Mooney M20R Ovation from May 2, 2013, to June 29, 2013, at the age of 21. Wiegand completed his flight in Fresno, Calif., and flew approximately 24,000 miles during his trip around the world.

In September 2013 Australia Ryan Campbell broke Wiegand’s record, completing his solo flight around the world at the age of 19 years, seven months and 25 days old.

Guthmiller will turn that exact age on July 24, so time is of the essence.

Though the bar has been set high, Guthmiller is confident he’ll be able to complete his solo flight in just over one month while clocking about 160 hours of flying time. He said the other young pilots before him inspired him to take on this challenge.

“I thought, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” he said.

After taking off from El Cajon, his first destination is his hometown of Aberdeen, S.D., followed by far-off places like Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Manila, London and Greece. He plans to end his trip back in his South Dakota hometown on July 7.

Before take-off, Guthmiller said he wasn’t nervous, but admitted that might change.

“I think once I head out over the ocean for the first time that could change a little bit but right now I feel fine,” he said. “The biggest thing I’d like to accomplish is to go out and inspire other people to do similarly ambitious things.

Through his journey, Guthmiller hopes to raise money for Code.org, a non-profit that aims to introduce computer science in more schools. He’ll offer advertising space on his plane, apparel and website in order to raise those funds.

His entire journey will be tracked on this website, updated frequently with his whereabouts and progress.

Guthmiller said his love of flying dates back to when he was a young boy playing flight simulator games for hours on end.
 

"Bottle Bomb” Arrest

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Police have arrested a suspect for allegedly detonating a "bottle bomb" inside a Prince George’s County theater.

Manuel Joyner, 20, was arrested Sunday by officers from the Prince George’s County Office of the Fire Marshal with help from county police.  Investigators said Joyner made and exploded a "bottle bomb" inside the Magic Johnson Movie Theatre in Largo, Md., on May 24.

He is officially charged with manufacture/possession/detonation of a destructive device – a felony charge. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in jail.

After the arrest, ATF, FBI, Anne Arundel County Fire Marshal, Fairfax County Fire Marshal, City of Alexandria Fire Marshal and the Montgomery County Fire Marshal, executed a search warrant at a home in the 600 block of Stillwater Place in Bowie.

More charges against Joyner are expected, according to a release from authorities.

Investigators said those bottles were filled with chemicals and metal, and they consider the incidents possible acts of terrorism.

Two "bottle bombs" exploded recently at the AMC movie theater in Tysons Corner, Va. There have been no injuries in any of the cases.

The Associated Press reports online court records show Joyner pleaded guilty in late 2012 to malicious destruction of property and was given probation before judgment. A person who answered the phone at Joyner's home on Sunday said she was unaware of the arrest and did not say whether he had an attorney.

Rock 'n' Roll SD Marathon 2014

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Thousands kicked off their summers with a 26.2 mile run in the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on June 1, 2014.

Photos: 2014 San Diego County Fair

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From June 7, 2014, through July 6, 2014, the San Diego County Fair in will bring rides, games, live music and the aroma of fried food to its famous location in Del Mar. This year's theme is "Fab Fair," in honor of The Beatles and the British invasion that took over music and pop culture.

Photo Credit: Monica Garske

Motorcyclist Killed Near North County Campground

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Paramedics were unable to save the life of a motorcyclist who crashed Sunday afternoon in Pauma Valley, according to Cal Fire.

The motorcycle collided head-on with a Toyota sedan around 12:15 p.m. at State Route 76 and S Grade Road, near the Oak Knoll Campground.

Medics gave the motorcyclist CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials. The two people inside the sedan were not injured.

The victim’s name has not been released. The California Highway Patrol is investigating what caused the collision.


California GOP Governor's Primary Race A Dead Heat

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A new poll shows Gov. Jerry Brown heading into Tuesday's primary election with a huge lead while his top two Republican challengers have pulled into a dead heat.

The poll, released Sunday, shows Republican businessman Neel Kashkari is running neck and neck with state Assemblyman Tim Donnelly in the race to challenge Brown in the November general election.

Previously Kashkari had trailed Donnelly.

Among likely voters, 50 percent say they will vote for Brown on Tuesday. Eighteen percent support Kashkari, and 13 percent back Donnelly. Ten percent are undecided. The split between Kashkari and Donnelly is within the poll's margin of error.

The survey was conducted by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles Times. It questioned 1,511 registered voters.



Photo Credit: AP

Preview: 2014 San Diego County Fair

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You know it’s officially summer in San Diego when bright neon lights, live music and the wafting aroma of fried food lure you to Del Mar for the annual San Diego County Fair.

This year, the 24-day fair season begins June 7 and runs through July 6.

The fair -- located at 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. -- is closed Mondays and the first two Tuesdays of the season. On weekdays, the gates open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Saturday hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The theme this year the “Fab Fair,” which celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ first visit to the U.S., sparking the British invasion in music and pop culture.

In keeping with the groovy theme, the grand entrance to fairgrounds is framed by a giant yellow submarine prop. Once inside, fairgoers will spot additional decorations featuring the Fab Four and colors and motifs of the Flower Power era.

Admission to the fair this year is $14 for adults and $8 for children ages 6 to 12 and adults 62 and older. Kids 5 and under get in free. If you’re planning to visit more than once, the “Best Pass Ever” will get you admission to the all 24 days of the fair for $24. That pass can be purchased online now through July 5. Tickets are available here.

Parking is $10 per vehicle in the fair’s onsite parking lots or free is you park at the Horsepark Equestrian Center on the corner of Via de la Valle and El Camino Real.

Besides games, rides, exhibits, shopping and activities galore, the Fab Fair will also host several festivals throughout its run.

This includes The Toast of the Coast Wine Festival on June 14, the San Diego International Beer Festival on June 20-22, the Gospel Festival on June 28 and the Big Bite Bacon Fest on July 5. Additional tickets are required for admission into those events.

Of course, like every year, it wouldn’t be the fair without a loaded lineup of live music.

Third Eye Blind is set to take the stage on Opening Day. The rest of the fair calendar is filled with bands like the Huey Lewis & the News, REO Speedwagon, Lit, Smokey Robinson, Hunter Hayes and reggae favorite Matisyahu, among many other performers.

Finally, those looking forward to some gloriously unhealthy fair food will certainly have a lot of snacking options.

In addition to the fair’s regular fare, a few new menu items this year include the Mad Hatter’s double-decker funnel cake smothered in clotted cream and strawberries and Chicken Charlie’s triple-decker Krispy Kreme cheeseburger, a sweet meat treat that stuffs three beef patties between two donuts.

Of course, at every corner there’s fried everything, as well as fair classics like hot dogs, corn or the cob and ice cream. The craft beer and wine bar offers local, award-winning brews and wine. For a sneak peak of this year's fair fare, check out this photo gallery.

According to the San Diego County Fair website, the fair dates back to 1880, when a group of San Diegans organized an agricultural fair to bring county farmers together to share ideas and show off their goods. After that first gathering, the county fair was held annually with a few exceptions across different locations in the county until 1936, when it moved to its home in Del Mar.

The event was suspended during World War II, but has taken place in Del Mar every year since 1946.
Attendance is strong every year. In 2012, the attendance record was broken with more than 1,517,508 fairgoers walking through those gates.

This year, the one millionth visitor will receive a bunch of gifts, including a lifetime pass to the San Diego County Fair.



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

Food Galore at the Fair

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Those looking forward to some gloriously unhealthy fair food will certainly have a lot of snacking options at the San Diego County Fair where the aroma of fried food wafts through the air.

Photo Credit: Monica Garske

What a Mess: Camp Pendleton Mud Run

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Camp Pendleton hosted the first of five events of its annual Mud Run race series on May 31, 2014.

Young 'Prolific Tagger' Tied to $18K in Vandalism

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 Oceanside Police have arrested a boy they say is responsible for more than $18,000 worth of tagging throughout the city.

Investigators have been tracking the work of one “prolific tagger” for more than a year, and this week, they got a break in the case.

On Thursday, officers carried out a probation check on the juvenile’s home in the 5100 block of Barry Street as a follow-up investigation into a series of graffiti and vandalism incidents.

As they searched the house, the police spotted items in the boy’s bedroom that were “consistent with the juvenile being the suspected tagger,” according to a release from OPD officials.

Officers arrested the boy and took him to the police department.

During an interview, they say the youth admitted to more than $18,000 in tagging. He was booked into juvenile hall for felony vandalism.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2 Victims ID'd in Wrong-Way SR-67 Crash

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A man and a woman are dead after a wrong-way driver collided head-on with another vehicle on a Lakeside freeway.

The crash happened around 3:15 p.m. on State Route 67 near Winter Gardens Boulevard, blocking all the northbound lanes and prompting a Sig Alert. 

California Highway Patrol officials say a 29-year-old female driver from Jamul in a silver Ford F150 truck entered the freeway by going the wrong way on an off-ramp, cutting into the dirt portion that separates the ramp from the freeway. The Medical Examiner's Office later identified the woman as Trista Lynn Stier.

Patric Vargas told NBC 7 he saw the whole thing in his rear view mirror. If Stier had come down the ramp four or five seconds earlier, she may have hit him, he said. 

"She got to the middle and squared up facing oncoming traffic and stayed in that position," said Vargas. "That tells me that it was deliberate."

A 49-year-old male driver -- identified as Douglas M. Menegos of Alpine by the ME's Office --  in a Select Electric utility truck was pulling a trailer northbound in the fast lane.

The CHP says Menegos tried to avoid the truck that was coming toward him, but he was not able to swerve fast enough. The vehicles hit head-on. 

Witnesses say each vehicle was going about 60 miles per hour, and the drivers were the only ones inside.

The crash caused the vehicles to spin into the traffic lanes, and one collided with a 2002 Ford F450, driven by a 53-year-old man from El Cajon, according to the CHP. That man was uninjured.

Stier was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital, and Menegos was airlifted to Mercy Hospital. Both died from their injuries.

Multiple witnesses told investigators it appeared that Stier was driving the wrong way intentionally, but investigators are still looking into the incident and cannot confirm that information.

 A mattress, tires and other items from the pickup truck were strewn across the scene after the crash.

Vargas calls this crash the worst thing he's ever seen. 

"If I would gone to the drinking fountain before I went home, it would have been -- you know -- it would have been me," Vargas said. 

He has never been more grateful to be with his family than he was Friday evening, he told NBC 7.

Excitement, Triumph at Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

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 The sound of pounding feet and cheering echoed throughout San Diego Sunday as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon took over the city.

Freeways and roads shut down to make way for the annual races, both of which kicked off at 6th Avenue and Quince Street.

Among the runners was the 2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi, an icon of the San Diego running community.

“We can’t put in words or a sentence, but it’s just wonderful to be home. I live about 2.3 miles away from here. I train here every day, and to be here at this race is just an amazing experience,” Keflezighi.

San Diegan Ben Bruce reigned triumphant as the overall winner of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon with a time of 02:23:49.

"It's great to win in my hometown. I mean, that course goes past where the cross country championships was a couple of years ago, past... where my high school won CIF sectional, so it means a lot," said Bruce, tearing up. 

The soon-to-be dad said he was thinking about his little boy along the way: "It got me through the last few miles when it hurt."

The first woman to finish the marathon, 23-year-old Anna Corrigan of Washington, D.C., said her goal was to finish under three hours. She crossed the finish line at 2:44:27.

"Oh my gosh, the energy was amazing. I don't think I could have gotten through it without everyone cheering and all the bands," said Corrigan. This was her first marathon. 

While runner Harriette Thompson may not have had the fastest time, she surely had one of the most inspirational stories of the day. 

She took on the marathon at 91 years old. 

"I guess I could say it's never too late, and you feel wonderful if you -- I'm sure that if you exercise, you certainly know the benefits of it," said Thompson.

As she ran her 15th Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon, she raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 

Thompson herself suffers from squamous cell carcinoma on her legs, and she said she's recovering now from nine recent radiation treatments.

Other unique characters took their turn on the track.

One was runner Darren Weissman – a.k.a. Doctor Dribble. He trains basketball players for a living, and he said someone asked him if he could do anything while dribbling two basketballs.

Weissman thought he’d find out by running the marathon while dribbling a ball in each hand. He did it in part to raise money for his charity Doctor Dribble’s Helping Hands, which provides free basketball clinics for underprivileged kids.

“Along the course, people ask me, ‘Oh, well can you put it between your legs?’ Oh yeah, no problem, I’ll go between the legs; I’ll go behind the back,” Weissman said, showing the maneuvers. “I’m having fun out on the court, just making people happy.”

Both races started by taking runners through Hillcrest, but from there, the marathon and half marathon diverged.

The half marathon wound north through University Heights and west toward Normal Heights. With an abrupt turn south, the course ran through North Park and meandered to Balboa Park.

Finally, runners reached the finish line downtown at Petco Park.

Of course, the full marathon participants had more of a trek.

From Hillcrest, their path turned south through Balboa Park, wound through downtown and turned north onto India Street. Their journey took them to the far north side of Mission Bay Park, and from there, they veered south and made their way onto Friars Road.

Taking State Route 163 and Park Boulevard, the runners ran back through Balboa Park until they reached the same finish line at Petco Park.

As for the half marathon, Solomon Deksisa won in 01:00:10, and Birhane Dibaba was the fastest woman, finishing in 01:09:32.


Twitter Hidden Cash Hits Chicago

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It appears the Hidden Cash Twitter craze has made its way to Chicago.

Using the Twitter handle @HiddenCashChi, someone has been leaving envelopes of money around the city.

The hidden money movement, which sprouted as an experiment in San Francisco and generated a mini-Gold Rush that has since spread to cities across the nation, began in the Windy City Memorial Day and the first clue was posted Tuesday.

Juan Campos was the first to find the hidden stash of $40.

Campos was donating clothes at a donation box on Western and Grand Avenues on the city’s Northwest Side.

“I saw a note attached to the bin and I thought it was like people advertising for a yard sale or apartments for rent,” Campos said. “At first I didn’t know what it was, then I actually opened it and that’s when I realized.”

Campos said he was reading about the San Francisco events earlier in the day, but didn’t know it had to spread to the city.

“It was a bit of a surprise,” he said. “I wasn’t actively searching for it but I thought it was pretty neat that I happened upon it while I was donating clothes.”

Campos tweeted a photo to the Twitter handle, as requested on the envelope he found, and said the manager of the page asked him to “pay it forward.”

“We went back and forth and they suggested a random act of kindness,” he said.

The same day he found the money Campos said he decided to buy someone’s coffee. The next day he bought someone’s breakfast at Starbucks.

According to the Twitter page, at least four other envelopes were hidden around the city Tuesday, and one other person had found an envelope.

And apparently more envelopes are on their way.



Photo Credit: @HiddenCashChi/Twitter

LAPD Drones Raise Privacy Concerns

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The Los Angeles Police Department’s recent acquisition of two drones has the ACLU concerned over potential privacy issues.

While the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California applauded the LAPD for being transparent about the department’s acquisition of the Draganflyer X6 drones, the group “questions whether the marginal benefits to SWAT operations justify the serious threat to privacy,” said executive director Hector Villagra.

“They can be used for completely surreptitious surveillance that a helicopter could never perform,” Villagra said in a statement. “Drones equipped with facial recognition software, infrared technology, and speakers capable of monitoring personal conversations would cause real harms to our privacy rights.”

For now, the LAPD has not decided whether or not to use the unmanned vehicles. The drones are being held by a federal law enforcement agency and is pending review by the LAPD and the Board of Police Commissioners, a five-member group that is set in place to serve as the citizen’s voice in police matters.

The drones would be used in narrow cases such as to “prevent imminent bodily harm” or “a hostage situation or barricaded armed suspect,” according to a news release from the LAPD.

The drones were originally purchased by the Seattle Police Department with federal grants and were given to the LAPD free of cost. 



Photo Credit: draganfly.com

Pa. Gov Was Invited on Doomed Plane

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Gov. Ed Rendell says he was invited by Lewis Katz to fly on to Massachusetts. The return flight to Atlantic City never made it off the ground and crashed.

Sterling Attends LA Church Service

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Donald Sterling attended a predominantly black church service Sunday on an invitation from a pastor who said the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner should be forgiven after making racist remarks.

A gospel choir greeted Sterling as he walked into Praises of Zion Baptist Church on San Pedro Street in South Los Angeles.

“I'm here to support this wonderful group,” Sterling told NBC4.

The senior pastor, Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, met Sterling two weeks ago and invited him to worship.

“I want you to know, my friend, we pray for you',” Hardwick told Sterling.

Hardwick said he did not believe Sterling was a racist.

Asked if she believed that Sterling was there to improve his image, a church member said, "No, I don’t believe that. I believe that he did the right thing by coming here."

But not everyone agreed.

"I feel sorry for him because, first of all, he’s a slum landlord. And second of all, I don’t think he really cares for people as he should," said another church member.

Sterling was mobbed for pictures as he left the church. He told NBC4 that he thought the service was “fabulous.”

Sterling declined to comment on his battle over the ownership of the Clippers. On Friday, he filed a lawsuit seeking $1 billion in damages from the NBA after being forced to relinquish control of team.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined Sterling $2.5 million and sought to ban him for life from the league after Sterling told an ex-girlfriend not to bring black people to Clippers games.

Possible Shark Bite in Florida

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A 22-year-old woman was bit by what officials think may have been a shark Sunday in Fort Lauderdale.

The woman, Jessica Vaughn, was inner tubing with a friend at the Intracoastal Waterway near Bayshore Drive around 2 p.m., according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.

Vaughn was in the water when she felt something on her leg and then felt a fin hit her face, officials said.

"I got hit by something," Vaughn said. "And then I realized that my leg is cut open and it was pretty scary. It felt like somebody punched my leg. At first I wasn't sure, but then once I saw my leg, I was like, that's not just a fish. So then I realized it was a shark...and they saw it from the boat."

The attack happened when Jessica was tubing with her friends and she said she was already nervous before the attack.

"I don't like not being able to see the bottom," Vaughn said. "I don't know what's under there. Just go in there to go tubing, once I get to the tube, I'll be fine. On my way out there, it obviously happend. I was like, 'this really just happened to me.'"

"I turned around when I heard the splash and I seen the fin caught her in the face," friend Nick Russo said.

Vaughn's friend told her to get back on the boat, and when she did, that's when she saw what appeared to be a large bite mark on her leg, according to officials.

"One side is all cut in and the other side you can see the teeth marks, I mean it's a full, full bite mark," friend Kyle Branston said.

They made it back to 511 Bayshore Drive where they began yelling for help and someone nearby called 911.

First responders were on the scene in just minutes and when they arrived, Jessica's friends had done some of their work for them.

"I have to commend the crew of the boat for two things: One, they had a first-aid kit, and two, they used it. When we go tthere, she was very well bandaged," said Timothy Heiser of Fort Lauderdale Fire-R

Vaughn was taken to Broward General Hospital for treatment. Vaughn's surgeon said it was the biggest shark bite he had treated and the shakr just missed several key arteries and veins.

"It looks like he grabbed it and just pulled away," said Dr. Zoran Potparic. "So he pulled those tissues on the inner side of the thigh, leaving the big flap of tissue that was hanging and that was really the major wound."

The 22 year old is expected to make a full recovery.

"It's still surreal," Vaughn said. "I think about it and I can't believe it happened - especially to me."

She doesn't have insurance so thanks to social media her friends set up an account to help pay for expense here.

GRAPHIC PHOTO WARNING: Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue released the following photo of the injury on their Twitter feed:

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