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Gwynn: Chewing Tobacco Caused Cancer

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The death of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn has once again raised concern about the relationship between baseball and smokeless tobacco.

The man known as “Mr. Padre” died Monday at Pomerado Hospital in Poway after a long battle with cancer of the salivary gland, the San Diego Padres confirmed. He was 54 years old.

After a celebrated 20-year career with the Padres, Gwynn became the head baseball coach at San Diego State University.

Gwynn underwent surgeries in 1997 and 2000 to remove benign tumors from his parotid gland. In October 2010, SDSU first announced that Gwynn was suffering from cancer. He underwent surgery as well as radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

His fourth surgery in February 2012 noticeably changed his appearance and speech. During the operation, surgeons removed a tumor inside his right cheek and grafted a nerve from his shoulder to replace the nerve damaged by the tumor.

Gwynn had said he believed the cancer was caused by chewing tobacco, an addiction that started in high school and continued his whole playing career.

Smokeless tobacco has been linked to various cancers, including mouth, tongue, cheek, gum and throat cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Gwynn continued chewing tobacco after his first two surgeries, but said he finally quit in 2010.

"That's probably been the hardest thing I've had to deal with," Gwynn said in a 2011 interview. "The cravings are still there. I've had to try to fight them."

Gwynn had spoken against the dangers of chewing tobacco and tried to keep young people, especially his college players, from trying it.

Gwynn took a turn for the worst earlier this year. In March, he took a leave of absence from SDSU.

Smokeless tobacco is still permitted in Major League Baseball. However, a 2011 labor agreement put new restrictions in place. Players cannot use tobacco during televised interviews and must conceal tobacco products whenever fans are permitted in the stadium.

According to the America Cancer Society, in 2003, more than one-third of major league players used smokeless tobacco products.



Photo Credit: Getty Images for Pepsi MLB Refre

Man Accused of 'Revenge Porn' Will Stand Trial

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A man accused of posting sexually explicit images of women to a website to extort them for money will go to trial on 31 felony counts, a judge said Monday.

Kevin Bollaert had a five-day preliminary hearing in a San Diego courtroom, facing felony counts of conspiracy, identity theft and extortion. Afterward, Judge David Gill decided enough evidence existed for Bollaert to move forward to trial.

The 27-year-old will be arraigned on the charges on July 16.

Bollaert had argued he wasn’t guilty because he simply received the images from the women’s ex-boyfriends.

But 16 women claim Bollaert took their photos, posted them to the website YouGotPosted.com and then asked them to pay hundreds of dollars to have the pictures removed.

Investigators say Bollaert posted more than 10,000 sexually explicit photos of women on YouGotPosted.com.

According to an arrest warrant, he then created ChangeMyReputation.com, where he allegedly charged the women $300 to $350 have their pictures removed from YouGotPosted.com.

According to investigators, Bollaert made $900 a month off advertising on his websites and thousands more from women desperate to have their pictures removed.

Both websites have been shut down.

The so-called “revenge porn” case is the first of its kind, filed by state Attorney General Kamala Harris.

There is now a California law that prohibits posting identifiable nude photos online after a breakup, punishable with a $1,000 fine or six months in jail.

Padres Fans Remember 'Hero, Idol' Tony Gwynn

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When Gregory Klemmer’s father was in the hospital awaiting surgery for cancer, he knew the situation was dire. He also knew he had to say something poignant to help his hero through it.

“I said, ‘You’re going to go 4-for-4, just like Tony Gwynn,” Klemmer recalls. Sure enough, his father made it through the surgery.

Klemmer had the privilege to tell that story to Gwynn a few years later when he saw Gwynn in the San Diego Airport.

“I had his full attention. He had tears in his eyes and he gave me a big hug,” Klemmer said.

The stories of Gwynn’s greatness were told all around Petco Park this morning, as fans came to pay their respects to “Mr. Padre” next to the statue that bears his name and likeness.

Gwynn died of cancer today at the age of 54. But his memory will live on forever in the hearts of so many Padres fans.

Summer Serrano, President of the San Diego Madres non-profit organization to encourage youth baseball, had tears in her eyes as she recalled Gwynn’s impact on baseball and the community.

“He’s always been the most amazing, giving person I’ve ever met,” said Serrano, who met him when she was 16 and worked on his charity golf tournament. “He was so good to the fans and the fans knew it. … To know we’re not going to hear that laugh anymore, it’s not right.”

San Diego resident Steven Casillas left flowers and a note for Gwynn at his statue, just like he did for Hall of Fame broadcaster Jerry Coleman, who died earlier this year.

“I know he knows what he meant to San Diego,” Casillas said of Gwynn’s legacy.

Fans were torn as to their greatest memory of Gwynn on the field. Many talked about his home run off the façade of the upper deck in Yankee Stadium during Game 1 of the 1998 World Series. Others remembered his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Padres fan Mark Brown remembers seeing him get five hits in a game at the old Jack Murphy Stadium, a feat Gwynn accomplished nine times (second most in baseball history only to all-time hits leader Pete Rose).

“How many people do you get to watch go 5-for-5?” asked Brown, who was wearing his signed Gwynn jersey this morning. “We were all yelling for him. I’d hate to be that pitcher.”

Brown also was in attendance for Gwynn’s speech after getting his 3,000th hit in 1999.

“I was sitting in the second deck over third base,” he remembered. “It was just so exciting.”

Larry and Mary Anne Berrones were also at the stadium that day, sitting down the first-base line. They were at Petco with flowers and balloons for Gwynn this morning.

“When you went and saw the emotion,” Larry recalls of the day. “You can’t re-enact that.”

The theme of family resonated throughout the crowd all morning for Gwynn, who played with his brother Chris and mentored his son, Tony Jr., a current player for the Philadelphia Phillies. Gwynn is considered an honorary family member by many fans who never even met him.

“He’s my idol, my hero,” said Chris Ayala, 20, who left a Padres hat on the Gwynn statue. “I saw him once, with my dad. It was the first game he ever took me to. I’ll never forget it.”

Follow developments in this story throughout the day by downloading our free NBC 7 App here.



Photo Credit: Matthew Wood/NBC7 San Diego

Photos Show Fathers of Isla Vista Gunman, Victim Embrace

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Newly released photos of the June 1 private meeting between the fathers of Isla Vista shooter Elliot Rodger and victim Christopher Michaels-Martinez show the two men together in the days after the tragedy that left seven people, including the gunman, dead.

Details about the meeting or its location were not disclosed. The three photos released Monday show the Richard Martinez and Peter Rodger seated together and talking, hugging each other and shaking hands.

UC Santa Barbara student Michaels-Martinez, 20, was the last of three shooting victims to be gunned down by Rodger May 23 in the Southern California college town about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles. He was shot and killed outside a deli after Rodger fatally stabbed three people at his Isla Vista apartment before the shooting rampage.

The violence ended with a shootout involving deputies and a crash. Rodger, 22, died from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to authorities.

Martinez told reporters in the days after the tragedy that he hoped to meet with Rodger, a film director and photographer. Both families have issued statements in which they expressed sorrow for all the victims. 

Just hours after learning of his son's death, Martinez issued an emotional plea to end gun violence. His son was an English major who was looking forward to spending his junior year in London. The son of a criminal defense attorney and a deputy district attorney in San Luis Obispo, he planned to attend law school after graduation.

He worked hard in school and enjoyed playing several sports, his father said during a campus memorial service last month for the victims.

Rodger family friend Simon Astaire, who provided the photos of the meeting, told NBC's Today Show last month that Peter Rodger and his wife tried to find their son after his social worker contacted them and brought their attention to a YouTube video in which their son talked of "retribution" and threatened students. They were headed toward Isla Vista in separate vehicles when they heard news of the shooting on the radio, Astaire said.

Astair also provided a statement from the Roger family during the interview:

"We're crying in pain for the victims and their families. It breaks out hearts on the level we did not think possible," the statement read. "The feeling of knowing that it was our son's actions that caused the tragedy can only be described as hell on earth. It is now our responsibility to do everything we can to help avoid this from happening to any other family. Not only to avoid any more innocents destroyed but also to identify and deal with mental issues that drove our son to do what he did."

 



Photo Credit: Simon Astaire

Assembly Public Safety Committee Postpones Vote on "Audrie's Law"

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The Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday postponed the vote on a proposed cyberbullying law.

The legislation, called "Audrie's Law,"  would expand California's definition of rape to include the sexual assault of an unconscious or developmentally disabled person. The measure is sought by the family of Audrie Pott, a 15-year-old Saratoga High School student who was sexually assaulted while unconscious at a house party in 2012, and later committed suicide.

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.

The bill would also require a mandatory minimum two-year sentence 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.

"We feel what we are asking for a two-year minimum sentence is completely reasonable and warranted," said Sheila Pott, Audrie's mother. "And the public wants this."

The Center of Juvenile and Criminal Justice opposes the bill.

"This bill would be the first mandatory minimum sentence in the juvenile justice system in our state," said Lizzie Buchen, Center of Juvenile and Criminal Justice. "It has been tried in adult court and is very ineffective, and it doesn't prevent crime."

Another group, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, sent a letter to Tom Ammiano, the chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee. The letter claims the proposed bill is using Audrie's death to wreak havoc on the juvenile justice system.

Sheila Pott disagrees with the letter's claim and said Audrie's Law will only help victims like her daughter.

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.


Jodi Hernandez and Christie Smith contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Pott Family

Foodie Voyage Via Taste of Little Italy

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San Diego’s Little Italy community – home to dozens of restaurants – will host its popular Taste of Little Italy event on Wednesday, an extravaganza of food sure to please the palates of the hungriest of foodies.

The self-guided walking food tour runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes approximately 30 participating eateries. This includes spots such as 98 Bottles on Kettner Boulevard, Ballast Point and Café Zucchero on India Street and Craft and Commerce on W. Beech Street, among many, many more businesses, as seen on the full list here.

Each restaurant will serve samples of their most popular dishes, including appetizers, entrees, desserts and drinks for foodies to savor and sip. As foodies stroll, live music will play throughout the neighborhood.

Attendees can guide themselves from restaurant to restaurant with a “Taste Passport,” which lists participating eateries with each location’s specific menu offering. After each bite, attendees can get their passport stamped before heading to their next delicious destination.

Those passports can be picked up at the Taste of Little Italy office at 2210 Columbia St. on Monday or Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or on the night of the event at 4:30 p.m.

The event offers three routes for attendees to take on their food journey: the south route – approximately 14 restaurants from north Fir Street to south B Street – the north route, 14 restaurants from north Kalmia Street to south Cedar Street, or the combined route, which includes all participating restaurants.

A single route ticket costs $29 per person, while entry to both routes costs $45 per person. Though online tickets are sold out, “week of” ticket sales begin Monday at 9 a.m. by calling the Taste of Little Italy office at (619) 615-1092.

Buon Appetito!



Photo Credit: Courtesy of Little Italy Association

Victim Stabbed Repeatedly at Beach Bonfire

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A victim was rushed to surgery early Tuesday morning after being stabbed multiple times at a beach bonfire, San Diego police confirmed.

The stabbing happened near the fire pits at Mariner’s Point at 1100 West Mission Bay Drive. Police were notified of the incident just before 4:30 a.m.

Officers said the victim was stabbed six times and was transported to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery. The identity of the victim has not yet been released, but police said the stabbing happened at a bonfire attended by a group of college students. A fight broke out between two men right before the stabbing, though it is unclear what the men were arguing about.

At this point, it is unknown if the victim is also a college student.

A witness told NBC 7 that he thought he heard the men fighting after one of them pushed a woman at the gathering.

Police are investigating the incident as assault with a deadly weapon. Further information was not immediately released.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Military Family Sues BMW and Navy Federal

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A military family has filed two separate lawsuits against BMW Financial Services and Navy Federal Financial Group for allegedly violating state and federal laws created to provide financial protection to military members and their families during deployments.

Patricia and Staff Sergeant Donald Mason live in Riverside County but say their cases have broad significance, especially in San Diego where there’s a large military community.

Patricia Mason tells NBC 7 when her husband left for deployment last October, she thought all their payments on their two leased Chryslers had been deferred. She now says that couldn’t be further away from the truth.

The couple believed they were protected under state and federal laws, which include the California Military Families Financial Relief Act and the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practice Act.

According to the complaint: “Plaintiff Donald…never once received a notice of default prior to entering active duty on October 18, 2013.” It goes on to explain, “As [Donald] was advised to do so by his Judge Advocates General representative, Plaintiff Donald delivered a letter to Defendant BMW’s business entity called Alphera dated October 15, 2013…informing Defendant BMW of his recent order to active duty and requested to defer payments under the laws applicable to active duty servicemembers.”

The Masons say a few months into his deployment, calls started coming in from both BMW and Navy Federal Financial Group.

Patricia says she was harassed by the debt collectors, which is why they’re suing the companies. The complaint against BMW also includes the parent company of American Recovery Service.

“Yeah, I have a problem with that,” said Marine reservist and attorney at Law John Schweitzer. He does not represent the Masons.

“The person calling is most likely, 99.99 percent of the time not a lawyer,” he told NBC 7. Schweitzer says in his 15 years in the Marines, he’s seen many cases like this where businesses are accused of either not knowing the laws protecting deployed military members and just not following them.

Staff Sgt. Mason, who is still deployed overseas, says the stress has been unbearable on him and his family.

“It's hard for me not to be able to reach out and hug them when they need it,” he said on a call with NBC 7.

When asked what she wants out of these lawsuits, Patricia Mason said, “I want to win this one. I do. I feel like I deserve to win this one for everything that they put me through knowing he's over there, and I'm over here and thinking everything is perfectly fine. I want them to see what they've done to people.”

NBC 7 reached out to the companies named in the complaint.

BMW responded in an e-mail, "We are aware of the lawsuit but we cannot comment as it is pending litigation."

A Navy Federal spokesperson wrote to NBC 7, "Our members are always Navy Federal's top priority, and as such, we are actively working to resolve this claim."

NBC 7 also tried contacting American Recovery Service and its parent company, but have not heard back.

Experts say if you find yourself in a similar situation, you should first seek free legal assistance from your judge advocate on base. However, if the situation doesn't get resolved, there is a good chance you'll have to find your own lawyer.


USS Peleliu Departs for RIMPAC, Deployment

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Amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu left Naval Base San Diego Tuesday morning for a six-month mission, just one year after returning from its last deployment.

“It’s sad, but we’re here to support our families,” said Chelsea Coulston, president of the Family Readiness Group.

Coulston said the ship has been underway on shorter missions in the months leading to deployment.

“I think on deployment day, most of us are really prepared,” she said. “But you can’t prepare fully prepare for missing your husband for six-plus months. There’s just no underway long enough to prepare you for that.”

The Peleliu’s first stop will be the Western Pacific to take part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

“Twenty-three nations, 47 ships, six submarines, over 200 aircraft, over 25,000 naval personnel across those countries,” said Amphibious Squadron 3 Commodore Clint Carroll.

The international exercise takes place every two years.

“The United States Navy can’t safeguard all the nations of the world, so being able to operate with other countries gives us the opportunity to further our power as well as help them secure their countries and their maritime areas,” said Capt. Paul Spedero, commanding officer of the Peleliu.

After RIMPAC, the ship will head to Japan to be part of the Navy’s forward-deployed – or “on call” – fleet.

“Their primary mission is presence,” Capt. Spedero explained.

When asked if the strike group could be called to help with the current unrest in Iraq, Commodore Carroll said, “When the ships are ready to go, when the task force is ready to go, we are ready to respond to any mission assigned.”

USS Peleliu has a crew of more than 1,000 sailors, many of whom Spedero said are on their first deployment.

Amphibious assault ships’ primary mission is to transport ground troops from sea to land.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Gwynn: The Business Owner, the Athlete, the Man

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Like so many others who met Tony Gwynn, the news of his passing is difficult for me to accept.

Gwynn was the consummate baseball player, the owner of eight batting titles (only Ty Cobb’s 11 beats him), and collected 3,141 hits over his Hall of Fame, 20-year career — all with the San Diego Padres.

He was also a businessman, and had several ventures, some good, others not so good.

One time towards the end of his illustrious career in 2000, he became a franchise owner of a national fried chicken business in Southern California. That investment triggered a story for the Business Journal by this reporter.

I can’t recall all that much of the interview, but I do know Gwynn was cordial, frank and one of the most straight-ahead, unpretentious athletes I’ve ever spoken with.

In the story, Gwynn said then that just because he was entering into the business arrangement, he wasn’t contemplating retiring anytime soon. He would retire two years hence. After the five-year minimum waiting period, he was elected to the Hall of Fame along with Cal Ripken.

My interaction with Gwynn wasn’t long, maybe 15 to 20 minutes and over the phone, but it was long enough for me to get a feel for who he was, and realize that his reputation as a good guy was well-deserved.

Tony, we’ll miss you terribly, but we will never, ever forget that smile, that swing, your loyalty and your humanity.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jury Deliberates in Deadly Neighbor Feud Case

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A jury began deliberations Tuesday in the case of a North County man accused of shooting and killing his neighbor over a tree-trimming feud last year.

Michael Vilkin has been on trial for the murder of his neighbor, filmmaker John Upton, who was killed in March 2013. The trial wrapped Monday and jurors began deliberating at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, preparing to reach a verdict.

Vilkin fatally shot Upton after a year-long dispute that began over tree-trimming.

Last week, Vilkin testified that Upton’s body language had become threatening over time and said he even saw Upton with a gun once. Vilkin testified that he feared his neighbor would hurt him.

On the day of the confrontation that led to Upton’s shooting, Vilkin said he “prepared for the worst.”

That day, as Vilkin was working on some property he owns next door to Vilkin’s Encinitas home, Vilkin testified that Upton approached him angrily and holding what looked like a gun.

Vilkin was armed and shot Upton on the stomach and head. Prosecutors said Upton was not armed at all, but was instead carrying a phone in his hand.

On Friday, Vilkin took the stand once more and said he wasn’t happy about killing Upton and called the shooting an “automatic action to protect my person.”
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Fans Mourn Tony Gwynn, Flock to Statue

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One day after the death of Padres icon Tony Gwynn, San Diegans continue to mourn the beloved baseball player, flocking to his statue at Petco Park to pay their respects.

Gwynn died Monday at Pomerado Hospital in Poway after losing his battle with cancer of the salivary gland. He was 54 years old.

All day Monday and well into the evening, fans visited the Tony Gwynn statue at Petco Park to mourn the baseball legend affectionately known as “Mr. Padre.”

In a steady stream, tearful strangers from all over the county left flowers and special mementos at the statue, taking their time to say farewell to Gwynn.

Murrieta, Calif., resident Vicky Torrescano drove from the North County to the stadium with her son, James, to pay their respects. She brought old newspapers clippings with her showing Gwynn in all his glory.

“It feels good to be here and participate in honoring Tony Gwynn,” said Torrescano.

Fan James Chmack told NBC 7 he found solace knowing so many others were feeling what he was feeling.

“It’s comforting because they all know how I feel, he's a legend – it’s a great loss, a great loss," said Chmack.

For most, it’s a slow walk to the huge statue now covered with flowers, baseball and personal notes. Many put on Gwynn’s old Padres jersey feeling it was just something they had to do. The realization that others are visiting the statue, doing the same thing, is comforting to many and validation that they aren’t alone.

“It’s heartwarming and I know everyone down here isn't necessarily a Padre fan, but that just shows you the love Tony Gwynn had because they're Tony Gwynn fans,” said Jacob Silva.

"You see all these people grieving and mourning and just wishing his family well, so I think it's kind of a cool thing at a very difficult time,” Danielle Forsgren added.

As fans poured in, the Padres played old video clips of Gwynn on the big screen in the outfield. His face and that unmistakable Mr. Padre laugh proved a welcome distraction, and a reminder of happier times.

Still, for many fans, the void will be difficult to fill.

“It kind of feels like a piece of my childhood is taken away because I grew up watching Tony Gwynn play," explained fan Jeffrey Wood.

At the end of the videos, people cheered. And, after a long stare at his statue, many of those fans also cried, shedding tears for a professional baseball player with a personal connection to a city that loved him and that he so obviously also dearly loved.

“I wasn’t expecting [his loss],” said one fan, holding back tears. “I wasn’t expecting that. [It’s] kind of crazy.”

On Tuesday, the gates at Petco Park opened bright and early, allowing fans to continue to pay their respects to No. 19. The park will remain open until 11:30 p.m. so visitors can spend time at the Gwynn statue.

One of those fans Tuesday was Francine Howell, who took a moment to express her love for Gwynn.

“Mr. Gwynn was a great guy. He was an icon to the city, an icon to the game of baseball. [It’s] such a fitting name for everyone to call him Mr. Padre because that’s who he was. He only played for one team and one team only. He loved this game, he loved the City of San Diego and the fans loved him,” said Howell.

Still in shock over his death, Howell said it'll take a while for San Diego to come to terms with the loss of Gwynn.

“I felt so taken back. He’s gone too soon. He’s so young. He will sorely be missed,” she added. “I’m having a hard time processing his death. He meant a lot. That laugh – it’s one of a kind. He was just a great guy.”

Georgette Jauregui was also at the statue, paying her respects. She said she had met Gwynn on multiple occasions and was always impressed by his kind, down-to-earth demeanor.

“He’s such a great family man, set aside from what sports things he’s accomplished in his lifetime. He’s just a really sweet, caring, loving person,” she said. “He never hesitated to say hello.”

Fan Michael Robinson said he'll never forget Gwynn or what he represented.

“Like everyone here in San Diego, we all have personal memories of Tony. For me, personally, he meant a lot. He was an ambassador for San Diego. He was a guy I could look up to," Robinson told NBC 7. "I liked his humility, his love for sharing his gift and his compassion for giving back. He seemed like a really humble, modest man.”

Many fans remembered how approachable Gwynn was, always smiling and taking the time to greet fans.

“He was always friendly to myself, my kids, my wife,” said Jerry Provansal. “It’s a sad day, but you try to celebrate for all of the good that came out of it."

Every single fan at the statue recalled Gwynn's "infectious," signature belly laugh -- one that could never be duplicated.

"His disarming belly laugh. It was beautiful. Beautiful from the inside," added Provansal.

"That laugh was very contagious. You just started giggling on the inside," said Marcia Herscovitz.

"It makes me laugh. Every time I hear him laugh, I'm chuckling myself. So him," added Bruce Johnson.

"It's part of what makes him a regular person. It brings a smiles to my face," said Jeff Herscovitz. "He's just so effervescent."

Plans are in the works for a public memorial for Tony Gwynn. Gywnn's longtime agent John Boggs said they are considering some dates next week.

Boggs said he had spoken to many of Gwynn's former colleagues and fellow baseball players who are eager to find out when services will be held so they can pay their respects to Mr. Padre.

NBC 7 also spoke with the Padres office Tuesday and a spokesperson said the team is in the planning stages of getting a public memorial together for Gwynn. The franchise will likely wait a bit so the Gwynn family can be part of the public event.

The Padres will have some sort of acknowledgment of Gwynn's passing before the Padres' game against the Mariners at Petco Park Wednesday night. The game begins at 7:10 p.m.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Police Investigate National City Shooting

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Police are looking for the suspect involved in a shooting in National City.

Officers have closed streets in the area of 314 Highland Avenue, where the shooting took place around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday. Traffic is being detoured.

One person was shot several times and taken to the hospital, according to the National City Police Department Twitter.

Police tell NBC 7 there are conflicting reports on a suspect description.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

Interest Renewed in Tony Gwynn Collectibles after Death

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When word got out that Hall of Fame baseball player Tony Gwynn had died, Dave Clauss started getting phone calls.  The owner of Clairemont Sports Cards says fans wanted something to help them remember Tony.

"We had complete families in here," Clauss said. "The husband, the wife and some kids and they all were picking things that they liked."

Since Tony Gwynn entered professional baseball, there have been cards and collectibles with his name on it.  For years, the San Diego Padres used his name for giveaways, like jerseys and bobble head dolls.  There are thousands of baseball cards just for Tony Gwynn, so seeking a collectible to remember Tony is not a difficult thing.

Henry Frank with Centre City Sports Collectibles sells signed photos, helmets, cleats and much more.  Frank says Tony's autograph is relatively cheap because he wasn't one to turn away a fan.

"Lots of his stuff out there because he signs, signs, signs and he never said no," Frank said.

Dave Clauss agreed. "I don't think he turned down many fans when somebody approached him," he said.

Sports collectibles have been around for many years.  In the late 1800s, baseball player pictures were included in packs of cigarettes.  Eventually, companies like Topps, Donruss, Fleer and Upper Deck capitalized on the popularity and produced millions of baseball cards.  They eventually created cards with pieces of player jerseys, balls and bats.  The industry has slowed down, but for players like Tony Gwynn, there are huge amounts of collectibles available to fans.

"I have customers who don't collect for the money," Frank said. "Just because they want a piece of everything he was ever on."

For fans, that will be easy.  Tony not only leaves behind great memories on and off the field, but also an ocean of memories in the form of collectibles.

Border Patrol Bill Being Mulled in Congress

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A "Border Patrol Reform Act" bill is before Congress. It's aimed at creating stability in pay and increasing border security. NBC 7's Lauren Lee has the story June 17, 2014.

Balboa Park Ranked Among Top U.S. Parks

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With its many museums, walking trails and picturesque points, travelers have ranked San Diego’s iconic Balboa Park one of the top parks in the United States, according to a list released Tuesday by TripAdvisor.

The popular travel website announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice awards for attractions, including top-notch parks around the U.S. Balboa Park was ranked No. 7.

The urban park, which celebrates its centennial in 2015, is the nation’s largest urban park and home to many performing arts venues as well as gardens. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, with the Balboa Park Visitors Center open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Other parks that made the top 10 on the Travelers' Choice awards list include: Garden of the Gods in Colorado Spring, Colo; Central Park in New York City; Millennium Park in Chicago; New York City’s High Line Park; Boston’s Boston Public Garden; Golden Gate Park in San Francisco; Bryant Park in New York City; Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga.; and Falls Park on the Reedy in Greenville, S.C.

According to TripAdvisor, the highly-ranked parks, including Balboa Park, were determined based on millions of reviews and opinions from travelers. The winners were then selected using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for parks worldwide, gathered during a 12-month period.

Top parks around the world that made the cut included: Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada; Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, Australia; Guell Park in Barcelona, Spain; Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain; and Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France.

To see the full list of pristine parks, click here.

By the way, TripAdvisor says 89 percent of travelers plan to take trips this summer. Last month, the travel website ranked San Diego one of the top travel destinations in the U.S. for a summer escape.
 



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

June 17 is Jimmie Johnson Day in El Cajon

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June 17 will now be Jimmie Johnson Day in El Cajon in honor of the six-time NASCAR champion.

Mayor Bill Wells as well as city councilors and Senator Joel Anderson bestowed the honor Tuesday to Johnson, a native of El Cajon, in a public celebration.

The response was fitting for a champion. Dozens gathered to snap photos of Johnson’s No. 48 show car on display at Centennial Plaza. Hero cards of the local star also were available to fans.

In El Cajon, Johnson is known as much for his philanthropic support as his successful racing career. He’s given more than $6.5 million to schools in El Cajon and throughout the United States.

Fans who turned out for Johnson’s celebration said the honor was a long time coming.

“He's a good guy. A really good guy,” said Johnson fan Paulette Sauln. "He doesn't forget where he came from. When he's here, he says 'hello.'"

“He’s a good person,” echoed El Cajon resident Grant Hodge. “He should be honored.”

Johnson won his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2013 and, at 38, is the youngest driver to win that many titles.

Just in the last four weeks, Johnson won three of his last four races: the Autism Speaks 400, the Coca Cola 600 and the Quicken Loans 400 in Michigan on Sunday.

Brazen Graffiti Suspect Tagged Courtroom

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A young man accused of dozens of cases of graffiti in San Diego County was busted for vandalism after he allegedly tagged inside the San Diego Superior Courthouse, leaving behind a moniker that led investigators straight to him.

Francisco Canseco, 18, was recently arrested after officials with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Court Services Bureau Investigations Unit executed a search warrant at his home, finding evidence tying him to graffiti vandalism.

According to officials, the investigation into Canseco began on April 25 when a deputy noticed fresh graffiti of a moniker tagged at several locations inside the San Diego Superior Courthouse.

The deputy used a Graffiti Tracker System to document the vandalism and check for other related cases and found that the San Diego Police Department had arrested Canseco in the past in connection with more than 60 cases of graffiti involving the same moniker.

Officials say the brazen, prolific tagger had even done graffiti in the very courtroom in he which he was being prosecuted for vandalism.

As a result of the investigation, officials obtained a search warrant for Canseco’s home. There, they discovered more evidence supporting the courthouse vandalism. Canseco was arrested again on June 12 on five new felony counts.

He’s scheduled to appear in court Tuesday and again on June 25.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Agent: Gywnn Lived "Great Life"

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NBC 7’s Rory Devine talked to baseball great Tony Gwynn’s longtime agent, who tearfully shared memories of his friend.

Brush Fire Burns Near Plaza Bonita Mall

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On Tuesday, firefighters from two departments battled a brush fire between the Plaza Bonita Mall and Interstate 805, the same area where a two-alarm fire sparked last April.

The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert in National City. Several lanes of northbound I-805 were blocked by emergency vehicles.

The blaze started around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in a riverbed between the mall and the freeway.

Firefighters had trouble accessing the flames because of heavy brush and requested a helicopter to make water drops. White smoke could be seen for miles.

Crews had the fire under control by 1 p.m. No homes are threatened, and no injuries have been reported.

National City Fire, San Diego Fire-Rescue, National City Police and CHP responded. Fire investigators are looking the cause.

On April 30, a fire sparked in a homeless encampment in the same area and flared up three days later. A body was discovered in the aftermath of that fire.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 News Chopper
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