Federal agents arrested six Philadelphia Police narcotics officers as part of an ongoing corruption probe and accused the group of swiping more than half a million dollars' worth of money, drugs and other items over a period of years.

“Unfortunately, a very small percentage of police officers continue to toss their oath aside and act like the very criminals they have sworn to bring to justice,” said U.S Attorney Zane David Memeger.

The U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed the 26-count indictment Wednesday of the two-year joint investigation between the police department, FBI and U.S. Attorney's office. The officers, who have served anywhere from five to 13 years in the narcotics unit, face allegations of multiple acts of robbery, extortion, kidnapping and drug dealing from February 2006 to November 2012.

The officers under arrest are Perry Betts, 46; Thomas Liciardello, 38; Linwood Norman, 46; Brian Reynolds, 43; John Speiser, 42; and Michael Spicer, 46. The officers were taken into custody without incident early Wednesday morning. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said that each officer will be suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.

"Conduct like this is simply unacceptable, cannot be tolerated and is inexcusable," said Ramsey who noted the shame these allegations bring the officers and entire department.

Prosecutors say that the defendants would routinely rob the occupants of suspected dealers' cars or homes.

"The defendants used their positions of authority to target suspected drug dealers for purposes of stealing cash, personal property and drugs," said Memeger.

The indictment details about 22 separate incidents where the officers broke the law.  In total, prosecutors estimate the officers took more than $500,000 worth of cash, drugs and goods including fancy watches.

Some of the incidents outlined in the indictment includes one where Liciardello, Reynolds and Walker allegedly took $30,000 from an illegally detained suspect then took another $80,000 from the suspect’s home; an incident where Norman allegedly held a man over an 18-story balcony; an incident where Spicer allegedly dangled a man off a 35th-floor balcony in an attempt to swipe $79,000 and a designer suit; and an incident where Norman and Walker allegedly stole and distributed multi-kilogram quantity of cocaine.

Other incidents weren't as violent.

"They literally filed false police reports," Memeger said.

The allegations include declaring they collected less money than they would report.

Ramsey said that the officers tarnished their badges and that the badge numbers will be destroyed.

"I have been a police officer for more than 40 years and this is one of the worst cases of corruption that I have ever heard," Ramsey said.

Sources say agents were led to the officers after they nabbed former narcotics unit veteran Jeffrey Walker in a sting last May.

In that sting, authorities said Walker, while in uniform, planted cocaine in an alleged drug dealer's car, pulled over the man and stole his house keys. He then went to the man's home and stole $15,000, officials said.

Following that investigation, Walker was arrested and six other narcotics officers were pulled from the street. They were eventually moved into different roles in the department as the investigation continued.

Walker pleaded guilty to federal robbery charges and weapons offenses in February.

Memeger wouldn't divulge how much Walker helped in the investigation against his fellow former officers.

The probe has resulted in the overturning of more than 80 drug convictions and the dismissal of hundreds of open cases.

Ramsey said in no way are all narcotic officers dirty but he said the investigation continues into other alleged acts of corruption.

"It was a malignancy that's there and if you don't cut it out it won't go away on its own," said Ramsey.

The indicted officers, who have all pleaded not guilty, will each pay for their own defense.

The push is on to make prescription translations mandatory in California.

According to the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, a lack of universal standards for labeling on dispensed prescription containers is a root cause for patients misunderstanding the drugs they are taking.

"If people can't read the prescription bottle, it's a really dangerous situation," said Dr. David Margolius, who works in internal medicine and has been outspoken when it comes to pushing for mandatory translations for prescriptions. "If a label doesn't make sense to the people who are taking the medication, they are already at a disadvantage."

Statistics show more than 700,000 emergency room visits across the county are caused by not taking drugs properly. In addition, hospitals are spending nearly $6 million a year on treating those patients.

State Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, is pushing for legislation to conduct a survey on the controversial issue.

Jimmy Yuen, who owns Advance Medical Pharmacy in Walnut Creek, provides labels on his medications in both English and Spanish. He said it is not a problem for him because of the limited service he is providing for his Spanish-speaking customers.

But Yuen said making that service mandatory could become a problem.

"I think technology is not there yet to ensure a high level of accuracy," he said.

A public hearing on the issue is scheduled for Thursday in Sacramento.

Chula Vista police searched a neighborhood early Wednesday looking for a man who broke into a home and startled a woman while she was sleeping.

It was around 4:30 a.m. when officers were called to the Dorothy Manor Park apartments along Dorothy Street east of E Frontage Road and Interstate 5.

“It’s scary because you never know what they could have done to you,” said the victim’s sister Lindsay Miranda.

Miranda said her sister woke up to find a man who appeared to be in his 20s in her room and with his hand on her hip. The victim’s baby, brother and sister were all sleeping in the same room, Miranda said.

When the man saw the woman looking at him he ran away. The man was wearing a gray sweatshirt and a ball cap and stole $5, Miranda said.

She added that the apartment’s backdoor lock was broken so they think that may be how the man got inside.

Police say they’re trying to find out how the man was able to enter the woman’s home in the gated community and escape without being spotted.

The court of the historic Pauley Pavilion at the University of California, Los Angeles may have to be replaced as a result of flooding to the campus, athletic department officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

When asked about replacing the court, Guerrero said, "that's the course of action that we're looking for. No questions about it."

Guerrero said the upcoming Bruin basketball season will not be affected by the recent damage.

Ten million gallons of water gushed onto Sunset Boulevard and the UCLA campus Tuesday afternoon, causing the wood floor to buckle - just two years after the indoor arena underwent a multi-million dollar renovation.

"The court is showing signs of buckling and expansion," Kelly Schmader, assistant vice chancellor for UCLA, said Wednesday morning. "Whether we'll be able to get that saved, I don't know."

The break occurred at the Y-shaped meeting point of a 30-inch pipe installed in 1921 and a 36-inch pipe installed in 1956. Both pipes ruptured and blew open a 20-foot wide, 10-foot deep sinkhole in the 10600 block of West Sunset Boulevard, officials said.

Water gushed at a rate of 75,000 gallons a minute, damaging UCLA parking structures, buildings and flooding parts of campus. About eight inches of water covered the famed Pauley Pavilion court at one point, but crews had removed most of the water by Wednesday morning.

Ankle-deep water could be seen covering the court’s wooden floorboards Tuesday night. Crews were drying the court Wednesday morning and officials planned to have a better damage estimate later in the day.

"Unfortunately, Pauley Pavilion took quite a bit of water," Chancellor Gene Block said. "It's painful."

The locker rooms also sustained significant flooding, according to the school's athletic department. Water also entered Wooden Center, which houses recreation facilities, and the J.D. Morgan Center, which houses athletic staff and administration offices and UCLA's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Pauley Pavilion opened 49 years ago and is home to many of UCLA’s athletic teams, including the men’s and women’s basketball teams, men’s and women’s volleyball teams and women’s gymnastics. The arena recently underwent a two-year, $136-million dollar renovation and opened the renovated facility in November 2012.

"I'm just wondering how UCLA is going to pay for it, I mean, Pauley looked in really bad shape and they just remodeled it," UCLA student Peter Nauka said.

It is unclear how the flooding will affect the upcoming schedule. The Teen Choice Awards are scheduled for Aug. 10 and the US Volleyball Cup Aug. 16.

Pauley Pavilion can seat approximately 13,800 people.

NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd and Gadi Schwartz contributed to this report.

Remnants of an 18th-century ship found buried in soil 20 feet under the World Trade Center site four years ago have been traced to Colonial-Era Philadelphia, according to a new study.

The 32-foot piece of the vessel was found in July 2010 as bulldozers excavated a parking garage for the future building. At the time, historians said the ship likely dated back to the 1700s, and that it was defunct by the time lower Manhattan's western shoreline covered it up around 1818.

But the mystery of its origins persisted -- until now.

Scientists at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory analyzed the skeletal remains of the ship using dendrochronology, which relies on tree rings to determine dates and chronological order.

In a study published in the journal Tree Ring Research, the scientists say they traced the white oak used in the ship's frame to an old growth forest in the Philadelphia era. The article says the trees were probably cut around 1773, shortly before the Revolutionary War.

Wood sampled from Independence Hall in Philadelphia 20 years ago had growth rings that matched those from the World Trade Center ship, suggesting the wood used in both constructions came from the same area.

Scientists say they believe the ship is a Hudson River Sloop, designed by the Dutch to carry passengers and cargo over shallow, rocky water. The article says it was likely built in Philadelphia, a shipbuilding hub during the Colonial era, and used for 20 to 30 years before sailing to what would become its final stop in lower Manhattan.

Workers and archaeologists had also found a 100-pound anchor in the same area as the ship, but it wasn't clear at the time if it belonged to the ship.

Back in the day, San Diego Magazine writer Ron Donoho had the idea to get a hitting lesson from Padres legend Tony Gwynn. Needless to say, it didn’t go well.

“He was like, ‘I hate your swing,’ Donoho remembers. “I had somebody all set up to take some live pitching, but he wouldn’t even let me get that far.”

What he did was give Donoho his undivided attention for as long as it took – a trait so many people remember about the man they called “Mr. Padre.”

“He stood in the batting cage and made me take swings off the tee,” Donoho said. “He held my tape recorder. What pros would do that? He hung around for more than 3 hours for the piece.”

That was Donoho’s personal remembrance of Gwynn. He was one of the San Diego Magazine contributors who compiled other heartfelt memories of Gwynn from executives, coaches, players, media and fans in a 10-page spread in this month’s issue, titled “Remembering Mr. Padre."

It includes memories from players like Cal Ripken, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with Gwynn in 2007. It also includes a Padres fan who lived in San Francisco and would go see Gwynn every time the Padres were in town.

The memories are spliced with classic photos from his career and life as well as a “scorecard” that highlights the best stats of his career.

"We wanted to give fans a place to pay tribute to him alongside all the VIPs,” Editor Erin Chambers Smith said. “And you know what's cool? The memories and sentiments are very similar, whether from a major leaguer or a little kid. He treated everyone the same. It was an honor for our staff to work on this."

It also pays tribute by making every page in the issue number 19 – a little tricky if you want to navigate the mag, but we’ll let it slide.

Donoho’s favorite contribution was from former Padres president and current Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino.

“I appreciate that he called from Boston,” Donoho said. “I always liked him. He’s a smart guy.”

The issue hit newsstands this week. Or you can just read the digital version.

In case you missed them, here are some other great tributes to Gwynn, including a story from his batboy with the Padres.

Of course, NBC 7’s tributes to Gwynn are the best around, in our completely unbiased opinion.

Navy and Coast Guard crews rescued two people from a burning boat Tuesday west of Point Loma.

The Coast Guard received a report at 11:15 am. that a fire had broken out on a 45-foot recreational boat, the Happy II, about 17 miles west of Point Loma, according to a news release from the Coast Guard.

Guardsmen issued an alert to other boaters in the area and sent a response boat.

The U.S.S. Green Bay happened to be in the area and responded to the fire and sent an inflatable boat with a rescue team, the Coast Guard said.

That team brought one of the passengers onto the inflatable boat, while the other person was rescued by a passerby boat called the Allison Grace.

Both people were taken to back to San Diego via the Coast Guard’s response boat. No one was hurt, the Coast Guard news release said. 

Here is video of the burning boat from the Coast Guard:

A plane leaving LaGuardia Airport returned shortly after takeoff and was evacuated after the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, officials say. 

Envoy Air 3340, headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, turned around and made an emergency landing on Runway 22 at about 3:20 p.m., according to the FAA.

The passengers were escorted from the Embraer 145 and bused to the terminal.

The runway was closed briefly as officials responded. 

None of the 44 passengers or three crew members were injured, officials say. 

A water main break Tuesday in Los Angeles' Westwood area sent millions of gallons of water gushing onto the campus of UCLA, flooding parking structures, the famed Pauley Pavilion and other buildings.

These photos reveal the extent of the damage with images taken before and after the affected areas. UCLA officials have yet to establish a damage estimate, but several campus buildings and parking structures were flooded after two water mains burst at their meeting point near the campus.

The break sent an estimated 10 million gallons of water onto Sunset Boulevard and the UCLA campus.

These photos show Sunset Boulevard before and after the water main break. The break shattered pavement and created a large sinkhole from which a geyser of water sprayed for hours. The before photo is from Google Earth, and the after photo is from KNBC-TV's NewsChopper4:

These photos show UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, which suffered severe flooding as a result of the water main break. The court, home to the UCLA Bruins, showed signs of buckling and expansion after it was under about eight inches of water, campus officials said. The before photo was provided by UCLA; the after photo was shot by the Associated Press:

These photos show the plaza outside the Acosta Center, which was flooded after the water main break. The before photo is from Google Earth; the after photo is from Gadi Schwartz.

UCLA's campus became a swimming pool Tuesday after a water main break spilled up to 10 million gallons of water into roads, buildings and parking garages in the area.

Students posted photos and video to social media sites showing chest-high water, flooded cars and water cascading down stairs.

"I was knee-deep in water, I had to take my shoes off even though they still got soaked," student Aaliyah Ricks told NBCLA. "I almost slipped a couple of times."

Check out the most incredible photos of the gyser that punched a 15-foot hole into a street and caused subsequent flooding.

A woman believed to be the half-sister of Hollywood actress and producer Drew Barrymore was found dead outside San Diego.

Jessica Barrymore, 47, was found in her car parked along Hoover Avenue in National City just after 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29.

Resident Andres Alonzo was inside his home when he heard a car pull up outside. He saw that a female driver had parked strangely and said he wanted to step in to help but his grandmother warned him not to touch the car.

“Something was wrong with her when she parked right here,” Alonzo told NBC 7 Wednesday.

Several neighbors also noticed the car and someone called police to report it.

Officials have not released the cause of death.

The county medical examiner's report states that firefighters confirmed her death without medical intervention.

In a statement provided to NBC 7 from E! Entertainment, Drew Barrymore said, “Although I only met her briefly, I wish her and her loved ones as much peace as possible and I'm so incredibly sorry for their loss.”

On the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s report, Jessica Barrymore's birthday is listed as July 31, 1966.

The Barrymore family tree is extensive with Jessica's father, John Drew Barrymore, Jr. having four children from several marriages.

His marriage with Jaid Barrymore lasted 13 years and produced Drew Barrymore.

Jessica’s mother, actress Nina Wayne, had several minor television roles in the 1960s.

More than 20 million gallons of water were lost during Tuesday's massive water main break near UCLA, doubling the initial estimate, officials said.

Crews were still shutting off water to the busted pipe under Sunset Boulevard north of the UCLA campus Wednesday afternoon. Repairs weren't even expected to begin until after the water was shut off, said James B. McDaniel, the senior assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's water system.

"This is a very unfortunate incident," he said during an afternoon press conference. "This is one of our bigger ruptures. It is a major event for us."

Hundreds of vehicles are stranded in flooded parking structures and historic Pauley Pavilion's court shows signs of damage after a water main break Tuesday that sent up to 10 million gallons of water gushing onto Sunset Boulevard and the UCLA campus for more than three hours.

At a mid-day news conference, school officials said they are waiting for areas to "dry out" before they can provide detailed damage estimates. Campus officials characterized the campus as in a "drying phase" Wednesday after the water removal process continued overnight.

Large blower machines were being used in the historic Pauley Pavilion, Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, JD Morgan Center and John Wooden Center. School officials said Wednesday morning the Pauley Pavilion court showed signs of "expansion and buckling."

The break occurred at the Y-shaped meeting point of a 30-inch pipe installed in 1921 and a 36-inch pipe installed in 1956. Both pipes ruptured and blew open a 25-foot wide, 5-foot deep sinkhole at about 3:30 p.m. in the 10600 block of West Sunset Boulevard, officials said.

"I can't speculate on what caused the leak at this point," said Jeff Bray, of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. "This repair is at the Y where the 30-inch main comes in at an extreme angle to the 36-inch main. The top of the pipe just lifted up and created an opening in the pipe."

As for repairs and detailed damage assessments, crews must wait until after the closure of two leaks discovered along the pipes. The pipes deliver water to the area at a high velocity from Upper Stone Canyon Reservoir, a body of water about eight miles north of Westwood near the Sepulveda Pass.

"We cannot begin repairs until we get the water completely down," Bray said. "We're looking at an extended period of time."

Repairs are likely to cause traffic problems in the heavily traveled area through Thursday because Sunset Boulevard between Veteran Avenue and Hilgard Avenue will be closed for road work.

Two parking structures and six facilities on the UCLA campus were damaged. UCLA had crews working throughout the night to remove water from those buildings.

"Unfortunately, UCLA was the sink for this water source," said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said.

About 900 cars were inside Parking Lot 4 and Parking Lot 7, the two parking structures affected by the flooding. Officials say because the water may be mixed with toxic chemicals such as oil and gas, the water has to be safely removed and cannot just be pumped out into the street. UCLA is working with private companies to remove the water from the structure, Moore said.

Officials say the cars in the structure will not be accessible until Friday.

"A little less than half are totally submerged," said Kelly Schmader, assistant vice chancellor for UCLA.

Motorists traveling in the area should use Santa Monica Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard or Olympic Boulevard to avoid the road closure.

All UCLA summer camp programming, including recreational activities, were suspended Wednesday, according to campus officials.

NBC4's Samia Khan contributed to this report.

For eight or nine hours on Wednesday, California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins will be acting as the state's top chief executive— the first openly gay governor in state history.

That's because this week, the three above her on the state org chart are not in town.

Gov. Jerry Brown is on a trade mission in Mexico this week. As the Washington Post noted, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom filled in for a bit, but is on the East Coast for a Special Olympics event. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg then took over for a while, but he had plans to be in Chicago on Wednesday.

"I feel so grateful," Atkins said in an email on Wednesday forwarded by her spokesman. "I wish my parents could see this. Now I know that may sound hokey to many. But honestly, this is what is going through my mind. If Governor Brown wants a few more days away I'm here for him!"

Atkins spokesman Will Shuck confirmed Atkins will "hold the role of acting governor for approximately one business day, ending this evening on the return of governor." 

Atkins, D-San Diego, is the first openly lesbian leader of either California chamber, succeeding the first openly gay Assembly speaker, John Pérez, a Democrat from Los Angeles.

She shared on her Facebook page that filling in is nothing new: during her time on the San Diego city council, the now 51-year-old Atkins served as acting mayor after other city officials stepped down. She was the first lesbian to hold that position, too.

But Atkins was not focusing on making history due to her sexual orientation on Wednesday. She took the opportunity to highlight her roots -- growing up "in poverty in Virginia" -- and her journey to becoming acting governor for a day.

Atkins, who has focused on funding state universities and advocating for victims of violence and abuse during her time at the Capitol, had a full calendar ahead of her.

But the first act, she tweeted out, was to make sure the temporary first dogs of California - Haley and Joey -  got their morning walk. She shares her pooches with wife, Jennifer LeSar, in the South Park/Golden Hill community of San Diego.

A San Diego skydiver plunged to his death Wednesday after his parachute failed to open.

The deadly jump happened around 10:20 a.m. at Skydive San Diego, located in the 13000 block of Otay Lakes Road in the Jamul area.

Skydive San Diego owner Buzz Fink said the victim had brand new gear with primary and secondary chutes, plus an automatic open switch. Still, neither parachute deployed.

The skydiver fell at a tremendous rate of speed into a field not 100 yards from the facility.

The victim's identity has not been released, but Fink said he had 30 years of skydiving experience. He said the man jumped three times a month, doing eight or nine jumps each of those days.

The Medical Examiner has not released the cause of death.

Skydive San Diego was closed for the rest of the day.

The use of methamphetamine has increased among youth booked into juvenile hall in San Diego County, a newly-released report confirms.

According to new research by the SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division, 10 percent of youth booked into juvenile hall locally tested positive for meth in 2013.

This is a significant increase after record lows of 4 percent in 2011 and 2012, though still far below the record high of 21 percent reported in 2005.

The report says the findings coincide with recent reports showing meth abuse rising in the region. For instance, figures from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office show the number of unintentional deaths due to meth have risen in the past five consecutive years.

In San Diego, meth-related deaths jumped from 142 in 2012 to 190 in 2013.

The SANDAG research shows that out of 134 youth booked into juvenile hall, 13 tested positive for meth. Of that figure, 92 percent were male and 85 percent were Hispanic. SANDAG reports that 85 percent of those youth had been arrested previously and 54 percent had a reported history of running away.

The report shows that the average age of those who tested positive for meth was 14.6 years old.

Those who tested positive said they used the drug an average of 16.3 days out of the past 30 and 50 percent said the drug was “easy” or “very easy” to obtain.

The results were collected as part of a Substance Abuse Monitoring (SAM) program. SANDAG said it’s crucial that law enforcement continues to tackle the ongoing abuse of meth in San Diego County. For more info about meth use prevention and intervention, click here.
 

A 3-year-old boy died Wednesday after becoming trapped in a hot car in Sylmar, police said.

Officers were called about 3:30 p.m. to a home in the 14400 block of West Foothill Boulevard, where the child had climbed into a Toyota Camry and was unable to get out, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

The child was taken to a hospital in grave condition, police said. He was later pronounced dead.

Investigators believe the child was playing outside while his parents and 14-year-old brother were napping inside. Police say the boy's parents told detectives they all took a nap around noon. 

It was unclear how the child became locked inside the car. Investigators said the father found him around 3 p.m. in the car parked in the family's front yard and called 911.

It was 88 degrees in Sylmar at noon and 98 degrees by 3 p.m. In a car with the windows up, the temperature is exponentially higher.

No arrests have been made in connection with the boy's death, police said.

"Our investigation will determine if this was an accident or something worse, all we have to go on right now are the statements from the parents," LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Police said they were interviewing the parents at a relative's home Wednesday night. For now, investigators are treating this incident as an accident and awaiting the coroner's autopsy report to determine the exact cause of death.

"They had several kids running around the yard, they were really nice people and seemed to be really good with their kids," neighbor Kim Kesley said.

This is the 19th hot car death this year, according to San Francisco State University. 

NBC4's Samia Khan and Kate Larsen contributed to this report.
 

At least two people were shot outside a Vons grocery store in Escondido Wednesday night, dispatchers confirmed.

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the store located at 351 W. Felicita Avenue just before 8:30 p.m. The motive behind the shooting is unknown at this time.

Both victims were transported to local hospitals with unspecified injuries. As of 9:10 p.m. Escondido officials had not released further details of the incident.

Watch NBC 7 News at 11 p.m. for the latest updates on this developing story.
 

A group of do-gooders has started surprising New York City subway performers with big tips and cheers, swarming their underground performance spots and filling their instrument cases with cash in a practice called “tip bombing.”

Twice this month, groups of people have come out to listen to artists and drop them extra tips in a Facebook-organized act of kindness. Organizers have picked a busker to “bomb” and send out a message saying where and when they'll circle the artist and leave the tips.

The practice is similar to a nationwide trend also called "tip bombing," where diners leave large tips for waitresses at inexpensive restaurants.

Robert Leslie was the first subway artist to get tip bombed. The group surprised him in a lower Manhattan subway station last week. He was tipped $319 in just a few minutes.

“Midway through, I was thinking ‘this is going really well,’” Leslie said in a YouTube video. “But then more and more people kept coming and I was like, ‘Wow, I should play here every day.’ I felt like Jay Z or something.”

On Wednesday, a group surprised an artist known as “Guitaro 5,000” in a subway station in Times Square.

There are still a few weeks left until the kids go back to school but by now, you may be running out of ideas to keep them entertained. Don’t worry, Yelp has rounded up a list of fun and affordable activities to keep both the kids and parents happy through the rest of the summer in north San Diego.

Kidsville Playgym (Carlsbad)
“Open Day” admission to Kidsville Playgym is only $13 per child per day and $9 for each additional sibling. With this pass, your munchkin can run around until they need a nap in this indoor activity zone – just be sure to check the calendar for times and reservations. This facility is for kids up to 7 years of age and features gymnastics equipment, playhouses, slides and plenty to bounce and climb on at every turn. There’s a snack area where you can bring a packed treat from home, keeping this adventure affordable.

Temecula Duck Pond (Temecula)
How about a free activity that’s sure to delight you and your family? Grab some old crackers and your toddler – the ducks at this Temecula pond can’t wait to see you! We suggest bringing a blanket, as the benches tend to be full or too hot in the sun. Settle up close to the the pond and enjoy the inland wildlife for the afternoon. This park is also home to the “Letters Home Veterans Memorial,” dedicated to U.S. military vets. If you need a break from the crackers and quackers, there are shopping centers and restaurants within walking distance.

Hamilton Children’s Garden (Encinitas)
Located inside the San Diego Botanic Garden (and free to military and their families through Labor Day), you’ll find acres of activities and gardens to explore. You can bring a picnic and let your offspring seek out seedlings, climb to the top of the Toni’s tree house tower and race boats in the stream. Kids can help water plants, build with large wood blocks, make chalk art and find their way through a grass maze. General admission is $8 for kids and $14 for adults.

Carmel Valley Recreation Center (Carmel Valley)
This giant park complex has everything you need to keep your family busy through the rest of the summer (except for shade, wear sun block!). It’s packed with the following amenities: outdoor sports courts, a padded tot lot, a couple of playgrounds, picnic areas, a multi-purpose athletic field, tennis courts, a full-size gymnasium and a swimming pool nearby. The rec center offers summer camps, classes and coming up on Aug. 23, an outdoor movie in the park featuring a screening of the kid hit, “Frozen.”

Get Air (Poway)
Poway’s Get Air is an indoor trampoline park with over 20,000 square feet of floor-to-wall indoor trampolines for those under 46 inches tall. For $7 an hour, your energetic child can enjoy foam pits, dodge ball, tumble tracks and even get some serious air while making baskets in the Air Jam court. Not much of a jumper yourself, mom and dad? Don’t worry, parents can sit back and watch the action from the comfy couches. Oh, and kids will love this replay treat: there are cameras to record the jumps, which offer a delayed view on giant flat-screen monitors so kids can check out their moves.

Trish Sanderson is the community manager and marketing director for Yelp North County San Diego. She leads the local community of Yelp reviewers both online and off.