Californians are slightly more active than the average American -- one in four of whom do not participate in any voluntary exercise, according to new report by the Centers for Disease Control.

The 2014 State Indicator Report on Physical Activity looked at how states support exercise in local communities.

A survey of every state and the District of Columbia found that 25.4 percent of American adults engaged in no voluntary exercise. For young people the number is 15.2 percent.

The percentage of Americans that met this more rigorous benchmark was 20.6 percent.

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According to the report, Californians were a bit more active than the average American with only 19.1 percent of adults not engaging in voluntary exercise. Californian adults that met the government recommendations were 23.7 percent.

Numbers on youth exercise rates for the state were unavailable.

Physical activity guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Health recommend that adults participate in at least 150 minutes a week of aerobic physical activity and two or more times a week of muscle-strengthening activities.

The report is designed to help local governments create safe places for kids and adults to participate in physical activities, enhance activities in school and child care environments and develop policies in urban planning that allow people to walk or bike to work.

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This is especially important for the quarter of adults in the U.S. who reported no physical activity at all. Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama rounded out the top five most sedentary states in the country.

California does better than the national average of the percentage of youth that have access to parks and community centers and the state also has a policy on time spent on physical activity in PE class.

However, there is no state-provided policy guarantee for recess at school, unlike 30 other states.

Data for the report was taken from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual telephone survey with seven questions about exercise. For exercise behaviors in young people, data was taken from a classroom survey with questions about physical activities and education.

The driver of a silver Jaguar led officers on a high-speed chase through San Diego Wednesday then ditched the car and escaped, police said.

The car was parked in the Hazard Center garage on Hazard Parkway in Mission Valley.

Just moments earlier, police were pursing the driver at a high rate of speed along westbound Interstate 8 near Interstate 15.

The chase began around 9:30 a.m. when an officer tried to pull the Jaguar driver over for a traffic stop. As the officer approached the car, the driver took off police said.

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A high-speed chase lasted eight minutes, followed I-8 westbound to State Route 163 and then came to an end in the shopping center.

The suspect, Joseph Luis Gonzalez, 54, was wanted for multiple felonies, officers said.

A police helicopter announced the suspect’s description as it circled the shopping center. However, the search was called off by 11 a.m.

The vehicle was impounded by police.

More than $400,000 is sitting unclaimed at the San Diego County Treasurer’s Office.

County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister said Wednesday that his office is seeking taxpayers who have done business with the county sometime over the past four years – they may be owed a chunk of that $409,000.

McAllister said his office has 1,782 unclaimed accounts. Of that, $280,911 is unclaimed property tax refunds and another $128,000 is due to people who have done business with a number of county departments.

The lowest amount is $10.11 and the highest owed is $8,750 to a beneficiary of a woman named Elizabeth Beal.

Those who think they have unclaimed money should look at the county’s list here.

Any money still left unclaimed by Sept. 8 will be transferred to the county’s general fund. State law calls for property tax refunds that have been unclaimed for more than four years to be turned over to the county’s general fund (the timeline for other unclaimed county money is three years.)

To find out how to file a refund claim, call 877-829-4732 or visit this website.

Nearly 30 dancers who work at two San Diego-based strip clubs are filing a lawsuit against the city and the chief of the San Diego Police Department, claiming officers held them against their will and took inappropriate photos of them.

Exotic dancers at Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club in Kearny Mesa and Expose claim their Fourth Amendment rights were violated when officers visited the clubs on March 6 for a routine inspection.

During the inspection, officers checked the dancers’ licenses but after that, the women claim the visit went too far.

Attorney Dan Gilleon, who is representing the women and Cheetahs, said the dancers were held against their will by SDPD officers without a warrant and without probable cause. They were then forced to take nearly nude photos so officers could document the women’s tattoos.

Gilleon said the inspection was legal, the checking of ID’s was legal, but the holding of the dancers and the revealing photographs violated the women’s Fourth Amendment rights as well as an anti-paparazzi law.

He said photos are not normally part of a routine police inspection at a strip club and are only allowed to be taken if officers are investigating a crime scene.

“They crossed the line – and that was the Fourth Amendment line. They crossed it, went in there and held them against their will and forced them to pose for photographs,” said Gilleon.

Cheetahs dancer Brittany Murphy said she felt “uncomfortable” during the unexpected police photo session.

"I was wearing a sheer one-piece type thing and yeah, the flashes were going and they could definitely see stuff, so that’s kind of uncomfortable. I mean, I am a stripper but…” said Murphy. "I don’t understand why we were taking naked photos when the pictures are our faces on our license. I don't really get that."

Murphy said she and fellow dancers were left shocked by the incident.

"A lot of the girls, well not like a lot, but some of the girls have emotional disorders and stuff and I was like very weird about coming back here because I felt very violated," she added.

The lawsuit specifically holds SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman accountable for how the officers allegedly acted during the inspections.

Gilleon said the City of San Diego has sent Cheetah’s a letter to revoke its license on the basis that it is allegedly violated the rules for an adult entertainment business.

However, Gilleon argues he has not seen any evidence of this and believes it’s “retaliation” for the women filing a civil rights claim against the police department back in March.

The attorney claims this is just another example of wrongdoing by the police department, which has been plagued with scandals this year despite the appointment of a new chief.

“This is more of the same here with the San Diego Police Department,” he added.

Through the lawsuit, Gilleon is hoping to bring change to the municipal code tied to these types of inspections, as he believes it’s been abused by officers because they are interpreting and enforcing it however they want.

Back in late March and early April, SDPD officials said the department didn’t do anything inappropriate.

Officers are mandated to conduct inspections and check permits at adult entertainment businesses and officials said documenting tattoos is a critical way to verify a person’s identity. They said dancers often change their appearances, so tattoos are an important identifying characteristic.

NBC 7 reached out to the SDPD and San Diego City Attorney’s Office for comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.

An SDPD spokesperson released the following statement Wednesday afternoon:

"The San Diego Police Department is required by the San Diego Municipal Code to inspect police regulated businesses. Nude establishments are one of many police regulated industries for which SDPD regularly conducts inspections. These inspections occur on a consistent basis throughout the year to ensure that all clubs and dancers are following the law.

The SDPD is currently conducting an internal investigation into allegations related to recent enforcement at Cheetah's Adult Nightclub. As is standard protocol, we will not comment on this on-going internal investigation.

The SDPD is aware of a civil lawsuit being filed against the police department related to enforcement actions at Cheetah's. The City Attorney's Office is defending the actions of the SDPD against these allegations and would be the appropriate entity to consider comments related to their investigation."

The city attorney's office said it would not comment on the cases.

After a federal judge declared that the death penalty was "unconstitutional" in the state of California Wednesday, family members of victims whose killers were on death row are in disbelief.

The ruling overturns the death sentence of Ernest Jones, who was convicted in 1995 of killing his girlfriend’s mother in Orange County. Of the 748 inmates on death row, more than 40 percent, like Jones, have been there for longer than 19 years. Tiquan Cox is one of those inmates.

• Read: Death Penalty Ruled Unconstitutional in California

Cox was sentenced to death for killing four members of ex-NFL player Kermit Alexander’s family in 1984. Two other members of the Crips gang were also involved and sentenced to life in prison for the death of Alexander’s 59-year-old mother, 24-year-old sister and two young nephews.

"I’m saddened by this, deeply saddened, because I thought we had reached a point in society that we could be held accountable," Alexander said of the ruling.

The Crips gang members targeted the wrong home and killed Alexander’s family in a hail of gun fire. Alexander said he was supposed to be having coffee with his mom that day, but overslept.

He misses his mother every day and keeps a portrait of her in his home, one that he says "hello and goodbye" to everyday.

"I don't want to sacrifice my life because I'm angry," Alexander said. "I have kids to raise, I have a wife to love, so I need to move on with my life no matter what happens in society."

• Read: California's Death Penalty Ruling "Historic": Former DA

Rodney Alcala was sentenced to death for killing one girl and four women in the 1970’s – one of those women being Jill Parenteau, a 21-year-old torture victim killed in 1979.

"She was a gentle, gentle young woman," her sister Dee Dee Parenteau said. "She had just moved out of the house six months prior to (her murder)."

Dee Dee Parenteau was unhappy to learn that the man guilty for her sister’s death may have gotten a reprieve.

"I think that they should know fear," Dee Dee Parenteau said.  "I really believe, unfortunately, that most of them will die of old age, Alcala being one of them."

Only 13 inmates have been executed since 1992.

"I actually think that Alcala will never be executed just because there's so many on death row and it takes so long," Dee Dee Parenteau said.

US District Judge Cormac Carney called the death penalty process in California "dysfunctional" and said it amounted to “cruel and unusual punishment.”

• Read: SoCal Death Row Inmates

"He points out that the two points of the death penalty are to deter people and for retribution," Loyola Law School professor Lara Bazelon said. "How can someone be deterred if they know that the chances of them getting executed are so low? And retribution 25 years later isn't really the same thing."

The ruling could be overturned by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and possibly the U.S. Supreme Court. If it is upheld, it would overturn the decision by California residents who voted in favor of the death penalty in 2012.

Michelle Valles and Beverly White contributed to this report.

Stamford, Connecticut, police have arrested a Stamford High School English teacher who is accused of having a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student and then threatening to fail him when he tried to break off the relationship.

The teacher, Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, is on administrative leave, according to the high school. Police said she is a married mother of two.

On June, 23, the Stamford Police Department Special Investigations Unit learned that Watkins might have been involved in an inappropriate relationship with one of her students and started investigating.

Three days later, the student went to the police department and told authorities that he’d had several sexual encounters with his English teacher from September 2013 until June 2014. They took place in her car during school hours, but off school grounds, according to police.

• Slain Hostage Had Left Her Daughter in Car Before Bank Heist

The teen also told police Watkins sent naked messages of herself and allowed him to use her car even though she knew he didn’t have a license, police said.

In additional to the sexual allegations, Watkins supplied the teen and a friend with marijuana, which they smoked both on and off the school grounds during school hours, according to police.

At one point, the teen tried to break off the nine-month relationship. He told police Watkins assaulted him, accused him of being with someone else and threatened to fail him if the sexual encounters stopped.

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The teen needed to pass the class to graduate and confided in a counselor in late June, according to police. The state Department of Children and Families as well as the Board of Education were notified.

"We are aware of the allegations. We take these issues very seriously and always act to protect the welfare of our students.  The teacher in question has been, and will remain, on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.  We will continue to cooperate with the police and other authorities on this matter, " a statement from Stamford Supt. Winifred Hamilton says.

Police said they also identified a 15-year-old student who Watkins allegedly gave marijuana to.

When police spoke to him, he said he smoked marijuana with in Watkins in her vehicle on school grounds during school hours and that she also provided him marijuana and rolling papers on several occasions, police said.

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Police searched Watkins car, phone, and home on June 27.

When police tried to pull Watkins over during a traffic stop, she tried to hide her phone under the passenger seat and argued with police when they found marijuana in the vehicle, police said.

She was arrested and charged with interfering with a search warrant and possession of marijuana charges, police said.

When police searched the phone, they found more than 2,000 text messages and hundreds of calls between Watkins and the victim, as well as naked messages she sent, police said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant and charged her with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and sale of marijuana, Bond was set at $75,000.

A second warrant, issued for allegations concerning the second victim, charges her with sale of marijuana and risk of injury to a minor. Bond was set at $25,000 and she posted bail.

Watkins turned herself in to police on Thursday and is due in court on July 31.

Police also notified States Attorney Ornousky, who worked with the in conjunction with the special investigative unit.

 

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Three documented gang members walked into a Bank of the West at 7800 block of Thornton Road in Stockton and took three hostages - two employees and customer Misty Holt-Singh.

Holt-Singh and two suspects were killed in the gunbattle and brazen chase.

Stockton police provided a preliminarily timeline of events that unfolded.

Stockton Hostage Left Daughter in Car Before Fatal Bank Heist

July 16

2:11 p.m.: Stockton police receive call from bank security guard, who was later tied up by the suspects.

2:12 p.m.: A Stockton police officer arrived on-scene. He saw that the suspects were taking hostages at gunpoint. Within minutes, backup was requested including hostage negotiators.

2:16 p.m.: Suspects exit bank with three adult female hostages - two bank employees and one bank customer, identified later as Misty Holt-Singh, 41, of Stockton. They took one of the bank employee’s SUV, forced the women inside the vehicle, and they then fled the bank parking lot. Within a couple blocks, the suspects shot one of the bank employees and either threw her from the SUV or she jumped from the vehicle. An officer stopped and helped. She is expected to survive. Other officers continued to pursue the bank robbers.

Sometime after 2:16 for 45 minutes: High-speed chase from Stockton, to Lodi and Acampo, and back to Stockton. During the entire pursuit, police officers were constantly fired upon by the men with high powered assault rifles. Police said the suspects had "mass amounts" of ammunition, even with some firearm magazines taped or strapped to their bodies. The gunfire on police was "relentless." At least 14 police cars were riddled with bullets.

2:48 p.m.: Suspects briefly lost officers and then stopped at an off-ramp, aiming their weapons at police. One officer saw the primary gunman leaning over the back trunk ready to fire upon officers. He fired at the suspect and the SUV, likely thwarting a deadly ambush, police said.

3:16 p.m.:  Second hostage was either thrown from, or jumped from the SUV. Officers helped her, and she is also expected to survive.

3:18 p.m.: SUV became disabled in the area of Thornton and Otto roads in north Stockton. The suspects opened fire and there was a gunfire exchange. It also preliminary appears that one of the gunmen used Holt-Singh - the bank customer - as a human shield. She was killed. The two suspects inside the car were also declared dead.

July 17

7 a.m. Police identify Jamie Ramos, 19, of Stockton as the lone suspect who survived.He was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on homicide, kidnapping, robbery, and attempted murder charges. The suspects who were killed are "documented gang members" who live in Stockton. They were 30 and 27 years old.

When employees at Trio Animal Foundation in Chicago rescued a dog named Ellen, they said they couldn’t tell which end was front or back.

“We had to get a treat to see which end lifted up to sniff,” founder of the rescue group, Sue Naiden, wrote on Facebook.

Naiden said Ellen was found walking as a stray on the South Side of Chicago and was taken to Chicago Animal Care and Control.

After a weeklong stay at CACC, Ellen was transferred into the Trio Animal Foundation's medical and adoption program.

When Naiden picked Ellen up from the South Side facility, she was a “clump of pungent urine-soaked matted fur” and employees couldn’t tell if she was a male or a female.

“Flies and gnats swarmed around the pup and what appeared to be the dog’s back legs dragged on the floor and left a watery trail… just like a snail,” she wrote.

A day later, the 2-year-old, 8.5-pound pup was taken to a veteran groomer at Mutt Hutt who came to work early to see what she could do to help.

The grooming process took an hour and a half and at least 2 pounds of fur was shaved away.

“The amount of grooming tools that [the groomer] had to use to break through the hard shell of fur was unbelievable,” Naiden wrote. “The first time that she could feel the touch of my hand on her newly shaven back… She looked me in the eyes and it was as if she was saying thank you… Her past abuse was literally being shaved away.”

After her shave, Ellen was given a bath, another trim and was taken to the vet where should went through some tests and received vaccinations.

She is currently in a foster home awaiting a clean bill of health and will soon be available for adoption.

Those interested in adopting Ellen can fill out an adoption application here.

As we get catch our collective breath over the four-day All-Star break, it’s a good opportunity to look back at a first half on a Padres season filled with ups and downs, sadness and hope.

Off the field, we lost two true Padres legends in Jerry Coleman and Tony Gwynn. We also have the prospect of a new general manager, which fans hope will be a reason for optimism – although time will only tell.

On the field, the season’s first half probably felt like a disappointment to most. This lineup not only couldn’t hit its way out of a paper bag, it would probably get tripped up while trying and end up on the disabled list. They rank dead last in the league in most major categories and could very well set all-time records for futility.

But really, if you look at where the Padres are in the standings right now – third place, not necessarily in the division hunt but less than 10 games out before the Dodgers debacle last weekend – that’s probably right around where we thought they would be, right?

As we gear up for the second half of the season, let’s dole out some grades based on production so far.

Top of the class
Tyson Ross: He got a much-earned All-Star selection, even if he didn’t get to actually appear in the game (it seems nobody on the team does). Ross has been unhittable for a good part of the past two months. His seven wins are tied for the team lead and his 2.85 ERA is best among all starters except for the injured Andrew Cashner. With Cash sidelined for much of the year, Ross has taken the role of staff ace and run with it.

Seth Smith: It started with a pinch-hit home run in the season opener and continued with a red-hot .354 average in the month of May. Just imagine what this lineup would be like without his 10 homers, 73 hits and 42 walks. The longtime platoon player was rewarded with starter-like money when he signed a two-year extension last month. It was well deserved.

Huston Street: The other Padres All-Star earned his second trip to the Midsummer Classic in three years with a near-perfect first half. He blew just one of his 25 save chances while holding opponents to a miniscule .158 average, anchoring a bullpen that was the best in the league for much of the season. Now, if the offense can just work on getting some more leads to protect …

Above Average
The rest of the bullpen: Take out Nick Vincent’s struggles while dealing with a shoulder injury and a few recent hiccups from Alex Torres and Joaquin Benoit and this bunch is near perfect. Who knows who will still be around at the end of the year – Benoit and Street are both the subject of trade rumors – but it’s hard to complain about much no matter who Bud Black calls upon from the ‘pen.

Rene Rivera: The longtime journeyman was kept on as a third catcher to start the season mostly because of his rapport with Andrew Cashner, but he has proven himself a worthy every day starter.  Rivera has already set career highs with six homers and 22 RBIs and earned rave reviews for his work behind the plate.

Odrisamer Despaigne and Jesse Hahn: The two rookies have been a pleasant surprise, winning a combined seven of their 11 starts and holding hitters under .200. The future is bright for both of these guys, assuming they can keep it up.

Ian Kennedy: His impressive stats have been lost in the shuffle of Ross and the rookies. If it wasn’t for an ugly stretch in June, his numbers would be on par with the best of ‘em and his first three starts of July – just two total earned runs allowed – bode well for the second half.

Passing Grade
Andrew Cashner: What a frustrating year for the guy who was supposed to be “the guy” in this talented rotation. Remember that one-hitter against the Tigers back in April? Who knows how many more similar performances we would have seen if his arm hadn’t been bothering him. Here’s hoping the soreness is not too serious and Big Tex can get back on the mound soon. If nothing else, he brings a levity to the clubhouse that is always appreciated.

Jake Goebbert: He hasn’t done anything particularly spectacular since getting called up last month, but he hasn’t really been a liability at the plate while playing first base and outfield. In this lineup, we’ll take it.

Still Work to Do
Chase Headley: The high-priced third-baseman was flirting with disaster for much of the season, and that was before he got hurt. Thanks to a hot July – he’s at .327 for the month – Headley has brought his average up to .226. Along with seven homers, that’s at least respectable in this rag-tag lineup. 

Everth Cabrera: For the first few weeks of the season, it looked like the shortstop was going to build on last season’s All-Star selection as he hit over .300 out of the leadoff spot. Then he started drinking the same water as the rest of this lineup and the numbers sunk like a stone, bottoming out at .218 before a hamstring injury put him on the shelf. When he gets back, Cabrera can start by tempering that strikeout total – 81 Ks in 80 games is not a good ratio for a guy with just three homers.

Cameron Maybin: We didn’t even see him for the first month of the season, and he has managed to come up with some clutch hits since returning from the disabled list. But just nine RBIs in 171 at-bats is still confounding. Sure, base runners are at a premium on this team, but come on.

Epic fail
Carlos Quentin: Yeah yeah, he’s been injured much of the year. But a team with a huge hole in the middle of the lineup can’t afford his lack of production. Four home runs and a .322 slugging percentage are just unacceptable.

Jedd Gyorko: Ditto for Gyorko, who signed a big contract to start the season, then went out and hit a buck-sixty-two while slugging a dismal .270 for the first half before going down with a foot injury. Hopefully the second-baseman will be back soon so he can prove himself in the second half.

Josh Johnson: Tommy John surgery ended his season – and Padres tenure? – before it even began. We can only lament about what might have been.

And away they go!

The 2014 Del Mar Racing season kicks off July 17 and this means the famous seaside track will be filled with the following: fancy hats, horses, close bets and concerts.

Event organizers say Opening Day, which is on a Thursday rather than Wednesday this year, is expected to draw 45,000 revelers decked out in dresses, suits and, of course, big, colorful hats.

The annual “Hats Contest” will celebrate its 20th anniversary, so seriously top-notch toppers are certainly expected.

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Besides the horse races, the Del Mar Races will also boast an array of food, family-friendly activities, racing seminars and the annual Summer Concert Series. Check out the musical lineup here.

Also, visitors can also expect a couple of beer festivals this season, including the San Diego Craft Beer Fest on July 26 featuring more than 100 craft brews, including more than 40 locally-brewed suds. This event will go down in the Seaside Concert Area west of the Grandstand at 1 p.m. Entry is free with track admission and for another $18 attendees receive five 7-ounce beer tastings.

Another round of beer tasting will hit the track on Aug. 24 for the International Beer Fest boasting more than 100 craft brews, including 40 samples from around the world such as Belgian wheats, Irish reds and German pilsners.

That beer fest happens at the same time, same place as the first. Once again, entry is free with track admission and five 7-ounce samples can be purchased for $18 per person.

• READ: Weekend Events in San Diego

As for track snacks, a “Donuts and Del Mar” event is set for both July 19 and Aug. 13 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. While getting a behind-the-scenes look into the world of Thoroughbred racing from a track announcer, attendees will be treated to free coffee, orange juice and donuts. Jockeys and trainers will be on hand to answer questions while the horses partake in their morning workouts.

On Aug. 16, the track will host the 4th annual Gourmet Food Truck Festival featuring eats from 50 food trucks from the San Diego and Southern California area. The foodie affair runs from noon to 6 p.m. at the Seaside Concert Area, with gourmet items ranging from about $4 to $8.

For those who also enjoy wiener dog racing as much as horse racing, the Del Mar track will also host the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Dog Nationals on Aug. 30. The 16 fastest pups will compete for the title of top dog in San Diego County. The winner advances to the National Final.

By the way, if the turf looks a bit different this year, it’s because it is. Del Mar will debut its brand-new seven-furlong turf, a wider racing surface that accommodates more horses.

The new and improved turf helped make Del Mar eligible for to host the 2017 Breeder’s Cup Championship in an announcement made last month.

Oh, and we can’t forget the basics of the track: Racing takes place Wednesday through Sunday each week, with post time for the first race usually set for 2 p.m., except on Fridays when first post is at 4 p.m. The track is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The final day of Del Mar Racing is Sept. 3.

Finally, a little track trivia for the history buffs:

The Del Mar track opened 77 years ago on July 3, 1937. On Aug. 12, 1938, the track was put on the map when Seabiscuit’s historic win of a match race. The track grounds were repurposed for military use from 1942 to 1944 as the U.S. fought WWII.

On Aug. 10, 1996, the track hosted its largest crowd yet – 44,181 spectators – as an intense race went down. Champion Cigar attempted to surpass Citation’s record of 16 straight wins but in a stunning upset, Dare and Go shocked visitors.

After the summer race season ends, locals can look forward to a new, short, fall season from Nov. 7 through Nov. 30.

A product recall for a California chicken producer linked to a salmonella outbreak has been updated this past week to include additional "use or freeze by" and "best by" dates.

Earlier this month, Foster Farms issued a recall for 170 different chicken products that came from its Fresno facilities in March.

Then, this past week the USDA announced that also recalled are fresh and frozen chicken products with varying “use or freeze by” dates ranging March 16 through March 31, 2014, and Aug. 29, 2015 through Sept. 2, 2015.

Foster Farms also recalled frozen Sunland Chicken products with “best by” dates from March 7 through March 11, 2015, and Aug. 29, 2015, through Sept. 2, 2015.

These products have been distributed to California, Hawaii, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Oregon and Alaska.

The total amount of chicken involved was not known.

The salmonella Heidelberg outbreak has led to more than 500 illnesses in 27 states, but no deaths.

The competition for this year's annual Opening Day Hats Contest at Del Mar was fierce. Just ask last year's grand prize winner.

For 18 years, Chris Banner of Valley Center has entered into the annual contest that marks the first day of the Del Mar summer racing season. He's even been named champion a time or two.

As he looked around at this year's 331 contestants, he said the key to winning this year will be batteries.

“Competition is getting pretty good,” he said. “A lot of glitter, glare, a lot of showy stuff and I think moving parts.”

Thousands gathered Thursday afternoon to "see and be seen" as race fans stopped by the Plaza de Mexico to enter into the annual competition of flowers, feathers and tulle.

Lori Shelton of San Diego is another longtime contest participant and repeat winner.

She decided to go historic for the special 20th anniversary celebration.

Her gigantic red hat was filled with feathers and photos of all of the hats she’s created over the years.

Her most memorable, she said, may be the time she created a hat out of a lampshade and put her 15-month-old daughter on top.

In the end, Shelton's unforgettable 20th anniversary creation earned her first place in the contest's "Best Flowers/All Others" category.

Belinda Berry from Walnut Creek started working on her creation since the day after last year’s Opening Day.

Her hat named “Go Navy!” was a combination of feathers, fabric, jewelry and Christmas decorations perfectly balanced atop her head.

“You just have to let the creative juices take hold and go with it,” Berry said.

“You have to do a lot of re-dos, some things that you think are going to work, they fall off your head,” she explained. “There’s a lot of engineering.”

The hard work Berry put into her year-long project definitely paid off.

She was crowned first place winner of the "Funniest/Most Outrageous" category, followed by the ultimate victory: winner of the Bing Crosby Grand Prize -- the top honors at the hats contest.

Randy Wilson of Monrovia, California, won the grand prize back in 2006 and said this was his first time entering the contest again since his victory eight years ago.

With an elaborate racing-themed hat that included a replica of the track, mini horses, jockeys and an announcer figurine that actually talked, it was clear Wilson was serious about reclaiming his crown.

When the contest was said and done, Wilson took home first place in the "Best Racing Theme" category, so he considered his "comeback tour" a sweet success.

Of course there were those people who weren't interested in being the "most" anything with their hats but were just enjoying the spirit of the contest. For example, Chloe and David who arrived in coordinated lime green and purple.

“There’s only three days a year you can wear something like this, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and Opening Day,” David said laughing.

For those future hat contest participants who are serious about nabbing the prize, the veterans have some words of wisdom.

Several were painfully aware that the wind is not your friend. Others explained how they needed to deconstruct their hats to fit into vehicles just to get to the contest.

For "on-the-go" fixes? Shelton suggests fellow hat builders bring along a battery-operated glue gun.

And arguably the most important advice comes from Berry: make sure you can wear the hat "hands-free" to allow plenty of eating and drinking throughout the day.

Event organizers said additional winners of the 20th annual Opening Day Hats Contest included: El Cajon resident Natalie Spaans, who won first place for "Most Glamorous" topper and Carlsbad resident Melissa Cheng, who took home the top prize in the "Best Fascinator" category.

Second place winners in across all five categories included: Rancho Santa Fe resident Richard Polacek for "Best Racing Theme"; San Diego resident Kayla Carnevala for "Most Glamorous"; Emily Wiriters of Carlsbad for "Best Flowers/All Others"; and Vista resident Crystal Larson-Loonie for "Best Fascinator."

A driver in an SUV knocked down power lines and caused the closure of a North County road Thursday, officials said.

Just before 6:30 a.m., a person driving a black Toyota 4-Runner came around a corner on W. Via Rancho Parkway and somehow lost control, ramming into a wooden power pole and snapping it in two at Del Dios Highway, south of Escondido and west of Interstate 15.

The pole and downed lines blocked both lanes of traffic on the parkway. 

A SigAlert was issued, and hundreds of vehicles had turn around as California Highway Patrol redirected them to Interstate 15. 

SDG&E crews called in to repair the power lines estimate the route will be closed all day. They will have to dig another hole to plant a new pole and reattach the power lines, lifting them off the road. 

SDG&E officials say they are redirecting power from a different area so homes nearby do not lose electricity.

Eleven people were discovered on the campus of a San Diego-area school overnight, three of them inside the school

The alarm went off after 2 a.m. Thursday at Herbert Ibarra Elementary School on Orange Avenue in City Heights.

San Diego Unified School District police officers handcuffed 11 people including two adults and nine minors.

Three of those detained were found in a heat and air room. Officials say five were caught running from the school and three were found hiding on campus.

• READ: Slain Hostage Left Daughter in Car to Run Into Bank

A custodian told NBC 7 an alarm would be triggered by someone trying to get into the school through a door or a window.

Officials aren’t classifying the incident as an attempted burglary. They said those detained were cited for trespassing or violating curfew.

The minors were to be driven home. The adults were released from custody at the school.
 

Five years after her 14-year-old daughter Amber Dubois disappeared and was later found raped and murdered by convicted killer John Gardner, Carrie McGonigle stares at pictures of her daughter on a computer, wondering what if.

"I was looking at pictures of her today realizing she would be 19," she said Wednesday.

McGonigle's grief has turned to outrage now that a federal judge has ruled California's death penalty is unconstitutional because it violates the ban on "cruel and unusual punishment."

“What my daughter went through, that was cruel and unusual. That was horrible so they deserve what they get. An eye for an eye, " exclaimed McGonigle.

Amber's killer isn't on death row because to avoid the death penalty for killing 17-year-old Chelsea King, Gardner agreed to plead guilty to both murders.

U.S. District Court Judge Cormac Carney in Orange County called the system "dysfunctional" and "arbitrary" in his 29-page ruling on Wednesday.

Milena Sellers-Phillips' son, Jonathan, was one of two young boys raped, tortured, and murdered more than 20 years ago.

Their convicted killer is one of the 40 cases from San Diego that could be affected by the decision.

“My 9-year-old son didn't know he was going to die at 9. Charlie, he had no idea. They had no idea when they went for a bike ride they'd die. I think that's unconstitutional," Sellers-Phillips said.

Of the 900 people sentenced to death in California since 1978, only 13 have been executed. One reason why Brenda Van Dam believes in doing away with the death sentence even though her 7-year-old daughter Danielle's killer, David Westerfield, is still on death row 12 years after being convicted.

"If we aren't going to actually follow through , why waste money to put prisoners there. Put them in general population without possibility of parole," Van Dam said.

California has not executed anyone since 2006, when a U.S. district court judge decided to block the execution of a convicted murderer because of concerns over the administration of lethal injection.

Carney’s ruling can be appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

 Have you driven along State Route163 through Balboa Park recently? Most drivers will agree, it’s downright ugly.

What once was a lush, green grass gateway in and out of downtown San Diego is now an eyesore. For starters, the center median is mostly made up of dead grass.

But a landscape architect for Caltrans told NBC 7 there’s a good reason for the current look. It’s all part of a $4.4 million rehabilitation and beautification project.

“The median looks dead because we purposely killed the grass. It will all be replaced with new heat-tolerant grass and additional planting,” said Stephen Alvarez.

Alvarez said there has been a major pruning effort and the project will include an upgrade to existing infrastructure along the highway between Interstate 5 and Washington Street.

“And that includes new irrigation systems with smart technology so that we can manage those water resources better,” said Alvarez.

It’s the latest in a number of changes for Highway 163 in recent years. In 2004 wood barriers were put up for safety. Accidents have dropped drastically, but landscape aesthetics took a big hit.

The barriers prevented easy access for maintenance crews, and by 2010, the highway saw tall weeds, dying trees and dead grass.

But now, Caltrans says the hope is to return the landscaping of the highway to greener pastures. Caltrans says the beautification project is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

A man discovered unconscious in a Mountain View alley has died, and his half-brother may be to blame, according to San Diego Police.

The homicide investigation started after Jorge Medina Jimenez, 25, was found by a passerby in the north alley of 3700 Hemlock Street late July 7.

Suffering from a head injury, Jimenez was taken to a nearby hospital, but on July 9, he was pronounced dead. Two days later, the medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide.

SDPD homicide investigators say the night Jimenez was injured, he had gotten into a fight with his half-brother Jose Hernan Meza, 35. It’s unclear what the fight was about, but as it escalated, Jimenez suffered blunt force trauma to his head and was left lying in the alley.

Once Meza was identified as the suspect, police discovered he was already in custody on a separate incident.

Detectives charged him with one count of murder Thursday.
 

The suspects in Wednesday's deadly bank heist, police chase and gunfight in Stockton were known gang affiliates with deep criminal pasts and no qualms with taking human life amid their "reckless and chaotic" crimes, police said Thursday.

Stockton police detailed the bloody hour-long melee that followed the armed bank robbery — an attack that left dead two suspected robbers and a mother of two whom they took hostage and used as a human shield, just as it left police cars riddled with bullet holes and an entire community reeling.

“In my over two decades of law enforcement, I've never seen or experienced this type of total disregard for human life," Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones told reporters.

• Raw video: Stockton Police Press Conference on Deadly Bank Robbery

The lone suspect to survive the gunfight was identified as Jaime Ramos, 19, who police say was in the back seat of the getaway car and probably survived because he was using a hostage as a human shield. He is a known associate of Norteno gang members, Jones said.

Police say Ramos along with two other armed men robbed a Bank of the West branch in the 7800 block of Thornton Road just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. They took hostages, tied up the bank's security guard and were successful in taking money from the bank, police said. 

They also tried to kill numerous police officers in broad daylight, putting the entire city at risk, according to police.

Police got a report of a robbery in progress, with three armed men in the building, at 2:11 p.m., and the first officers arrived a minute later.

• Stockton Hostage Left Daughter in Car Before Fatal Bank Heist

One of the robbers was seen heading toward the door with a hostage but then went back inside. The Stockton Crisis Negotiation team was requested within minutes, Jones said, but the three armed robbers exited the building with two employees and a customer as hostages.

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The suspects shot one hostage, a bank employee, a moment later, and the hostage jumped from the SUV and survived, Jones said.

The police chase raced through Lodi and Acampo, on freeways and streets, then back to and though North Stockton.

At one point, a police commander in an unmarked car watched the SUV take a highway exit, lie in wait and point an assault rifle at police — in order, the commander believed, to ambush them. The commander opened fire, and the SUV fled.

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Throughout the police chase and gun battle, the suspects fired hundreds of shots at pursuing officers — disabling many patrol cars and an armored vehicle and hitting as many as 14 police vehicles, as well as a slew of houses and cars.

Police fired back several times, Jones said Thursday. “Our officers were in constant danger but continued to pursue, because they had a duty to not allow the suspects to get away,” fearing the suspects would take more hostages or harm other people, he said.

“There was serious risk to the officers and community all the time,” Jones said.

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Another hostage was thrown or jumped from the SUV at 3:15 p.m. and survived, police said.

The getaway SUV was eventually disabled and stopped on Thornton and Otto, in a residential neighborhood, where a furious shootout lasted until the suspects eventually stopped firing.

The gun battle left dead a hostage whom police say the suspects used as a human shield. The slain hostage has been identified as Misty Holt-Singh, a 41-year-old mother of two.

It is unclear when she died, and whose shots – the suspects' or officers' – killed her amid the spray of bullets, police said.

Two of the suspects, ages 30 and 27, were also killed.

• Timeline: Fatal Stockton Bank Heist

Police did not immediately release their names, but said they were "documented gang members" and Stockton residents.

The 30-year-old was driving the SUV, Jones said, and the 27-year-old was the "primary" shooter, sitting in the front passenger seat.

“The fact that these three gunmen put our community in jeopardy is deplorable,” Jones said. “The gunmen had not the slightest intent of a peaceful resolution as they continued to cause mayhem and havoc.”

The robbers were armed with massive amounts of ammunition, some taped or strapped to their bodies. An AK-47 assault rifle, a .45-caliber Glock pistol, a .45-caliber Ruger pistol and a 9mm Ruger pistol were all recovered from the SUV.

Jones said the investigation remains active and is being jointly conducted by the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin County DA and Sheriff’s office and the FBI.

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Ramos is due in court for his arraignment on July 21.

Over 20 Stockton police officers involved in the shooting with the suspects have been placed on paid administrative leave as per protocol.