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Sgt. Reunited With Military Dog

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Smiling from ear-to-ear, a U.S. military sergeant was reunited with his four-legged best friend Friday: a contract dog that served side-by-side with him in Afghanistan.

With a whistle, clap and enthusiastic hello, U.S. Marine Sgt. Sam Wettstein reunited with his 3-year-old Labrador, Belle, at San Diego’s Lindbergh Field.

“Belle! Hello, gorgeous!” Wettstein called out as the Lab ran into his arms, licking his face. “Come here.”

The sergeant and his pooch served together in Afghanistan for seven months, watching one another’s backs and keeping each other company.

Together, Wettstein said they became a team trained to seek out Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

Belle was trained to sniff out IEDs, while Wettstein was trained to sense and understand her reactions. He said their mission was to clear the way for following forces and make sure everything was safe for those coming behind them.

“She gives a certain change that I am supposed to focus on and realize what it is,” he explained, adding that the two were good at reading each other’s cues.

“She did her best, I did my best. When you’re both on the same page and you’re doing your job correctly things seem to look a lot better at the end of the day,” he added.

Wettstein said having Belle as his buddy while on deployment helped him immensely. It gave him something to care for while being away from home and missing his wife and family every day.

“It helped a lot. It helped me a lot to focus on Belle and her well-being,” he said.

Wettstein returned home a few months ago but had to leave Belle behind. He hoped the day would come when he would see her again.

Now, together once more, the Marine said reuniting with his dog just feels right.

“I was missing a part of me. I was trying to fill the void and now my void is filled,” he told NBC 7. “Having that kind of a relationship with a dog, you know, you get this bond.”

Wettstein’s wife, Jessica, said she’s grateful her husband was able to rely on Belle while deployed.

“Obviously it’s hard not to worry when they are in that kind of situation, but having a companion I think definitely helped,” said Jessica, adding that she’s excited to welcome Belle into their family.

“It’s an incredible opportunity. It’s meant to be. She’s obviously meant to be part of our family,” she added.

Wettstein said it’ll take a little bit of adjusting, but he’s confident Belle will love her new home.

“It’s going to take some reacquainting and some relaxing, but I think it will be a really good thing for all of us,” he said.

It is estimated that dogs like Belle save the lives of up to 200 troops during their service.

Organizations like the American Humane Association and Mission K-9 Rescue help connect these dogs with service members through generous donations.

Kristin Maurer of Mission K-9 Rescue said reuniting the animals with their military comrades is an important cause.

“It’s a beautiful sight. These guys deploy together – they’ve been through something that we will never understand. These dogs protected them day in and day out. They were their battle buddy and vice versa, so they have a deep bond,” said Maurer.

“They deserve to be together,” she added.

For these reasons, both the American Humane Association and Mission K-9 Rescue are lobbying Congress about the need to bring these dogs home. To learn more about Mission K-9 Rescue, click here.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Taggers Deface Mobile Pet Clinic in Lincoln Park

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A mobile clinic that offers low-cost spay and neuter services for pets says it will not stop helping the Lincoln Park area, even after its bus was tagged with graffiti there.

Friday morning, workers with Spay Neuter Action Project (SNAP) left their “Neuter Scooter” bus unattended near the Market Creek shopping center as they went to stock supplies.

When they came back, they found “you disrespec” scrawled in spray paint across their vehicle’s side.

Dorell Sackett, the director of SNAP, said in their 11 years driving around San Diego, nothing like this has ever happened.

"It's really disappointing because when we park in these neighborhoods, we meet lots of residents and lots of locals who are so thankful that we're here,” she said.

Some neighbors have even offered to help look out for the Neuter Scooter as it is on patrol.

"This particular night, it didn't happen,” Sackett said.

As news spread about the tagging, one SNAP volunteer, an auto-detailer named Mark Badders, immediately offered to use his expertise to wash away the paint.

Sackett then put out a call to action on SNAP’s Facebook, asking for others to come clean up the bus.

By Saturday afternoon, the Neuter Scooter looked as if the disrespectful message had never been there. The whole situation gave Sackett another idea: to renovate the 11-year-old vinyl covering the bus.

“So we’re going to wash off that spray paint, we're going to raise some money and peel those old vinyls off and put some new images on the neuter scooter and start fresh,” said Sackett.

As an incentive for a big donation, Sackett offered to put the face of a philanthropist’s furry friend on the Neuter Scooter. SNAP is accepting donations on its website.

The director said she hopes whoever did the tagging will realize SNAP is trying to save lives by helping pet owners avoid unwanted litters.

"Keep the spray paint across the street at the graffiti arts center [Writerz Blok], which is right there,” said Sackett. “They're welcome to paint there anytime.”

Nevertheless, SNAP will forge ahead with clinics on Monday and Tuesday in Lincoln Park, during which they expect to fix at least 50 dogs and cats.



Photo Credit: SNAP Facebook

Friends Mourn Boat Crash Victim

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Grieving friends of one of the two young men killed in a boating accident in San Diego’s East County said the victim had a promising future and was taken far too soon.

Russell Mendez, a former Patrick Henry High School student, was one of the victims killed after two boats collided Thursday evening along the north arm of El Capitan Reservoir near the east shore.

Officials said a blue and white Nitro boat was traveling at a high rate of speed when it plowed into a smaller, stationary boat. The vessels both flipped over, throwing four people into the water.

The two occupants of the Nitro boat were pulled from the reservoir with minor cuts and bruises.

One of the men in the stationary boat died in the crash. The second occupant of that boat was found dead in the water hours later. The victims were 21 and 20 years old.

On Friday night, Mendez’s friends spoke briefly with NBC 7 about their devastating loss. Loved ones said Mendez was a star linebacker in high school and a very kind person.

Patrick Henry’s football team posted the following message on its website:

“It is with great sadness and sorrow that we say goodbye to a former Patriot. Russell Mendez, a former varsity Linebacker for Patrick Henry died yesterday in boating accident at El Capitan Reservoir. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family.”

Mendez’s former girlfriend called him “the best boyfriend anyone could ask for.”

Friends and former teammates also took to social media, including Twitter, to express their sorrow.

“It’s a sad day for everyone in San Diego,” tweeted one friend. “Rest in paradise Russell Mendez, you’ll be missed dearly.”

“RIP Russell Mendez. Taken too young,” said another online post.

Those who knew the victim said he was currently enrolled at Miramar College majoring in aerospace mechanics. He had high hopes for his future.

An online fund has been established for the victims to help their families cover memorial and funeral costs.

The boating accident remains under investigation.

Marine Safety Captain Nick Lerma with San Diego Lifeguards said he was not sure if the people involved were wearing safety vests. He also there is no speed limit along that particular stretch of the reservoir but the area was recently converted into a no wake zone due to the drop in water levels.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Cop Donates Life-Saving Kidney to Dispatcher

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Jeff Monis and Ivan Sablan turned out to be the perfect match.

Monis is a San Diego Police dispatcher, Sablan is a San Diego Police officer, and both have an O-Positive blood type.

So when Monis found out he needed a new kidney, Sablan stepped up.

“We worked together, but we didn’t even know each other, and he expressed that he wanted to offer me his kidney,” said Monis.

Once the two found out they were a perfect blood match, they set a surgery date.

“There’s so much we have in common. Jeff’s Filipino; I’m Guamanian, Hawaiian , Japanese and Filipino. It’s amazing,” said Sablan.

As of Saturday, Monis had been living about seven weeks with Sablan’s kidney -- which explains why the two have become as close as family.

“He’s been over to our house many times,” said Monis. “He’s been at parties with my family, and he’ll continue to be a part of my family from now on.”

The unlikely duo came together again Saturday to help encourage others to donate organs.

To kick off Minority Donor Awareness Week, local officials joined the John Brockington Foundation and organ donor-recipient pairs to ring “Transplant Bells” as a celebration of life.

Those ceremonial bells were then given to transplant centers at Rady Children’s Hospital, Scripps Green, Sharp Memorial Hospital and UC San Diego Health System.

Former patients took the podium at the county administration building to complete the sentence: “I celebrate being able to…”

Among the answers: “be here for my family and my brother who gave me a gift I can’t repay” and
“skip 12 hours of dialysis each week and to spend that time with my family.”

Donor pairs like Monis and Sablan shared their stories so others could follow their lead.

“You’re not impacting just one person’s life,” said Sablan. “You’re impacting a family. You now take a person off the recipient list, and everybody moves up the list. It’s all worth it.”

In the U.S., 123,000 people – 69,000 of whom are minorities – are desperately waiting for an organ donor, according to the Gift of Life donor program.

In California, about 81 percent of the 21,000 patients on donor lists are minorities.

Minorities tend to need more organ donations because they have higher rates of hypertension and diabetes. Some ethnicities also face cultural objections to organ donations, officials with the Brockington Foundation say.

Liberians Pray for Ebola Patient

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As Dr. Kent Brantly continued treatment in Atlanta for Ebola, his wife released a statement about his recovery. And his church in Fort Worth received visitors from Liberian natives who now call North Texas home.

Amber Brantly issued the following statement:

“Our family is rejoicing over Kent’s safe arrival,” said Kent’s wife Amber. “We are confident that he is receiving the very best care. We are very grateful to the staff at Emory University Hospital, who have been so nice and welcoming to us. I was able to see Kent today. He is in good spirits. He thanked everyone for their prayers and asked for continued prayer for Nancy Writebol’s safe return and full recovery."

Elder Kent Smith with Southside Church of Christ said Brantly played a large role at their church for about five years.

“He was active with our missions program, taught some bible classes, he and his wife coordinated meals for people who were in the hospital or just had babies,” he said.

So it was only fitting that the congregation gave back to the man whose most recent mission was to live out his faith. Sunday’s service was filled with prayers for Brantly and his family.

“We’re going to have a special contribution that will allow people to contribute to his family and also to the work of Samaritan’s Purse organization,” said Smith. “There’s [also] going to be a time when our children can do something special to express their love for his kids who are their friends.”

Among those who gave and worshipped in service were members of the Liberia Community Association.

“It just touches us so much that people would leave here to go to Liberia to treat our people over there,” said Albert Lloyd.

Many of those who came out from the organization said they have loved ones in Liberia who are dealing with the Ebola virus threat firsthand.

“I have family members in the hospital. I have friends who lost their family from Ebola. A friend that lost his mother, lost his cousins,” said Ernestine Morgan, “It’s heartbreaking to see people, it’s already a Third World country where you have to be out there to survive, and now you have to stay in the house and it’s very very heartbreaking.”

Alfred T-Max Davis said being in lock down is very difficult for his family in Liberia. He also said it’s keeping them from being able to express themselves freely.

“One of our tradition is that we hug, we touch a lot. And so the fact that this disease can spread through bodily fluid, it poses a grave situation for us,” he said.

The Liberians hoped Brantly’s story will shed more light on the reality of the crisis going on in their home country. They’ve set up an account online for those who wish to donate.



Photo Credit: Jose Sanchez, NBC 5 News

Mass. Doctor Going to Fight Ebola

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Dr. Nahid Bhadelia is taking her knowledge about infectious disease to Sierra Leone, where she'll be in the trenches, treating people who are suffering from the deadly Ebola virus.

"My parents are scared, but they know that this is something that I've wanted to do since - as long as I can remember," she said.

Bhadelia is with Boston Medical Center and Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories. She'll be doing the same kind of work as Dr. Kent Brantly, who was infected with Ebola in Liberia and returned to the United States Saturday, walking on his own from the ambulance into Emory University.

"I was so glad, not only to see him walking, but the fact that he's here and he's going to get the advanced supportive care that I think he should be getting," said Bhadelia.

Infected American relief worker Nancy Writebol will be coming home Tuesday, as well. The cases are raising worries in the U.S. about a potential outbreak.

Hospitals like Massachusetts General say they are prepared. Still, Dr. Paul Biddinger says the chances of an Ebola outbreak here are small, given that it's spread only by contact.

"There is a chance that this could spread because of how globalization of air travel and how fast people move around the globe is changing, but any one person is at very, very low risk," said Biddinger.

That's not be the case for Bhadelia. She'll be working in a country where they've declared a state of emergency and troops have been called in to quarantine victims.

But the doctor is getting her shots and reviewing her safety protocols, convinced even more than ever that she needs go.

"We're going there to contain that epidemic, but we're also doing it because by containing it there, we're keeping folks on this side safe," Bhadelia said.



Photo Credit: NECN

2nd Suspect in Girl's Death

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Police have issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect in the shooting death of a 3-year-old girl.

Authorities are searching for 22-year-old Brandon Ruffin for his role in the shooting on a Philadelphia street Friday that wounded three adults and took the life of Tynirah Borum, who was hit by a stray bullet.

Investigators already charged his alleged accomplice, 22-year-old Douglas Woods, with murder and other offenses, but witnesses tell NBC10 Ruffin was the gunman.

Woods, of the 1400 block of South Ringgold Street, was denied bail and remains in custody.

Ruffin, however, is still on the loose.

And court records show he has had multiple run-ins with the law in the past.

The at-large suspect was released from prison July 3 -- less than a month before he allegedly pulled a gun when he got into an argument, according to police.

Ruffin, Woods and another man, 24, were arguing on the the 1500 block of South Etting Street in the Grays Ferry section of the city around 9:40 p.m. Friday, according to police.

In a moment the neighborhood street, where Tynirah was getting her hair done by a family friend, turned violent.

Ruffin pulled out a gun and started firing, according to witnesses.

The intended target -- the 24-year-old man involved in the argument -- suffered a gunshot wound to the head and three others -- 3-year-old Tynirah, a 21-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman -- were also hit, according to officials.

Tynirah was struck in the left side of her chest, according to investigators.

Police officers rushed the child to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, but doctors were unable to save her. She was pronounced dead at 10:21 p.m. Friday.

The three others were transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

The 28-year-old woman was treated and released, according to police. The latest conditions of the two male victims are unknown.

Woods' preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20.

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Anyone with information on the crime or Ruffin's wherabouts is urged to contact police.


Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.

9-Year-Old Boy Gets Lost in NYC, Calls It Best Day of Life

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A 9-year-old boy who got separated from his family at the Central Park Zoo says being lost for two hours in New York City was the greatest day of his life.

The Daily News reports that Chris Villavicencio of Union City, New Jersey, got separated from his parents and younger sister Saturday afternoon.

He left the zoo and wandered around Times Square until police found him at the Port Authority Bus Terminal more than a mile away.

Meanwhile, the boy's panicked parents reported him missing to police in Central Park.

When the family was reunited, the boy's father clutched him tightly and wept.

The boy told the Daily News, "This was the greatest day of my life because this was the first day I was at the police station!"



Photo Credit: AP

Tortoise Reunited With Human Family

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A tortoise that was found strutting the streets of Alhambra by police was reunited with his human family Sunday, police said.

After an adventure that may have tired out a lesser reptile, Dirk was taken back to his home in Alhambra to spend his days munching on leafy greens. 

Police said they received a call about the tortoise on Saturday after he was found moseying at a leisurely pace near Sixth Street and Norwood Place.

Finding Dirk wasn’t too much of a problem, but bringing him into custody proved to be a bit of a challenge.

Officials said it took two officers to bring in the hefty 150-pound pet. The animal was later put into the care of animal control who released him into his family’s custody.

Police joked on Facebook that while possession of a dirk, which is a type of dagger, is a punishable offense, possession of a Dirk can only result in a lovable scaly slowpoke.



Photo Credit: Alhambra Police Department

Fans Say Final Goodbye to Candlestick Park

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Fans had one more chance to say their final goodbyes to Candlestick Park Sunday.

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department held the Candlestick Farewell Community Day for the public.

It was the last free admission event before its final closure. The park will be demolished in 2015 to make way for a mixed-use housing and commercial development.

There were carnival rides, food trucks, and stadium tours. Fans said it was a fun way to spend time with the family.

"This is awesome to be here because it's going to be no longer, so it's really awesome for our children to experience this day if they haven't before," 49ers fan Vanessa Banks said.

"Today is a day to let every kid to have one last memory on the field," said Phil Ginsburg, who is the General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Dept.

Fans also had the chance to take photos on the field with Lou Seal and Sourdough Sam, and they also could get autographs from former 49ers and San Francisco Giants players.

The final event at Candlestick Park is a concert by Sir Paul McCartney on Aug 14.

Football Family Remembers Boat Crash Victim

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Patrick Henry High School students and staff are mourning the loss of a former student killed in a boating accident.

Russell Mendez and his friend, Jeff Ingram, died Thursday at the El Capitan Reservoir.

Friends remember star linebacker Mendez and his family as a fixture at Patriot games. They say his death is a huge loss to their football community.

Former Booster Club President Richard Owen says thumbing through old yearbooks never gets easier. He has experienced five deaths of former students in the last 10 years.

“This is always the hard part,” Owen said. “You get to see them and you remember what they meant, what they did.”

But this death of a former student hit even closer to home

“Shock. Devastation. His mom and dad both worked with the program, and my heart just sank for them,” Owen said. 

A football family, he says Russell's mother ran the concession stand at every home game while his father manned the grill.

“He was there, He was there every single practice, every single day cheering on his teammates and always a competitor on and off the field,” Owen said.

As a Patriot, Mendez broke his leg in freshman year, keeping him off the field. But Owens says it never kept him away from the stands.

“When you have a kid that is special, that through adversity, through everything in life, he's always got a smile on his face no matter what he's facing,” Owen said. “It's a huge loss."

The Football Booster Club says there were will be a memorial service Tuesday at Lake Murray from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ousted Grocery CEO Ready to Return

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The former Market Basket CEO whose ouster sparked massive employee protests says he will return to helm the grocery chain "immediately" if the board accepts his offer to buy the company.

Arthur T. Demoulas, who was pushed out by his cousin's allies in June amid a decades-long family feud in the boardroom, said in a statement Sunday night that he and his full team could return within hours if his bid were accepted so they could "begin to restore the business."

A spokeswoman for the man better known to loyal employees as Artie T. said his side of the family was working to buy the 50.5 percent of shares they don't own.

"These steps are critical at this point and are in the best interests of associates, customers, vendors and shareholders. Time is of the essence," spokeswoman Justine Griffin said in the statement. "Arthur T. is hopeful, but resolution depends on the response of the other shareholders in order for an agreement to be reached."

The region-wide supermarket chain has suffered this summer as worker protests, walkouts and a boycott have left stores, and their shelves, empty in the wake of Arthur T.'s ouster.

Arthur T. was fired back in June by a board controlled by allies of his cousin Arthur S., and two co-CEOs, Felicia Thornton and James Gooch, were tapped to replace him.

Two wings of the Demoulas family, all descendants of Market Basket's founder, have been feuding since 1971 for control of the company.

Meanwhile, current Market Basket executives are preparing to hold job fairs Monday and Tuesday for current employees looking for a promotion or to change positions. They are scheduled to take place both days from 4 to 8 p.m. at the company's IT center in Andover, Massachusetts.

CEOs Felicia Thornton and James Gooch released a statement Monday, reading, in part, "We have heard from many associates who are interested in applying for internal positions, but are concerned for their safety if they attend the scheduled job fair. In response to their concerns, we are making available an email address to which associates can apply. Any associate interested should dsend a copy of their resume to jobfair2014@demoulasmarketbasket.com."

A fair for outside candidates will be held Wednesday.



Photo Credit: Boston Globe via Getty Images

SoCal Floods Kill Driver

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A flash flood swept a car off a mountain road and into a creek, leaving one person dead inside as heavy downpours from a summer storm hit Southern California and stranded hundreds of people on Sunday.

The victim was at Mt. Baldy Road and Bear Canyon Drive in Mt. Baldy when the rush of water came, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said. The coroner's office identified the victim as Joo-Hwan Lee, a 48-year-old El Segundo man.

A cause of death was not immediately determined.

Emergency crews spent the day performing rescues and evacuations in the mountains and searching for potential victims who could be trapped in vehicles submerged in debris and mud. A family of five and their dog were airlifted in Mt. Baldy, where storm waters and mudflow were rushing through the canyons, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department tweeted.

"They were still questioning why they needed to leave, fortunately we had a couple of seconds before that debris flow did hit them, or hit that area, and they were able to be safely evacuated," said Robert Ethridge of the U.S. Forest Service.

In the mountain community of Forest Falls, crews rescued one resident from rising waters, San Bernardino County fire officials said. Crews were also checking vehicles in that area for anyone who could be stranded. Residents were asked to shelter in place until flood waters receded.

An evacuee who was caught in a flash flood in the wilderness north of Azusa said he fled moments before the rush of water wiped out a campsite.

"We just ran, we didn't carry nothing," said Ronnie Morales.

Morales said crews were out alerting campers about the imminent danger before the water began to rise.

"If they wouldn’t have come within 30 seconds it would’ve got us walking," he said.

A flash flood watch was extended until 11:15 p.m. for central San Bernardino County, the NWS said.

In Forest Falls, the creek bed along Valley of the Falls Drive was evacuted due to the flooding. A portion of the street was closed to non-residents, fire officials said. However, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damages, officials said.

Roads blocked by mudflows forced 500 children and adults to stay overnight at Forest Home, a church camp in Forest Falls, said San Bernardino Fire Capt. Kyle Hauducoeur. Another 1,000 residents have been impacted by flooding and mudlsides, Hauducoeur added.

Significant flooding stranded residents in Oak Glen with five separate debris flows blocking access to the community, Cal Fire Information Officer Elizabeth Brown said. Aerial video showed mud and debris across mountains road Monday morning near Mt. Baldy.

Flash flood warnings and watches were issued in Southern California for most of Sunday, including areas of Riverside County, the eastern San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, the Coachella and Antelope valleys, and San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Los Angeles County mountains.

Los Angeles County was expected to see scattered showers in the afternoon and evening with a chance for thunderstorms as temperatures linger in the upper-70s and mid-80s.

By late Saturday night, scattered rain was coming down on the Westside to the Inland Empire after the system moved in from San Diego.

This period of showers are only a brief respite from California’s drought, one of the worst in the state’s history.

The monsoon conditions that led to the slow-moving thunderstorms will likely clear out by Monday afternoon for sunshine and clear skies.

Gadi Schwartz and Elita Loresca contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: San Bernardino County Fire Department, Chris Prater, Firefighter/PIO

Dog Saves NY Family From Fire

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A family dog is being hailed a hero for waking up a sleeping couple and their son as a fire raged in their Long Island home early Monday, authorities say.

Kevin Herlihy, the 24-year-old son of Susan and Michael Herlihy, says he was in bed with the family's 6-year-old English bulldog, named Roxanne, when the dog began barking around 1:30 a.m. Monday.

He awoke to a raging fire he believes started in an office on the first floor of his family's two-story home on Dumbarton Drive in Huntington. Herlihy woke his parents up and the three of them, as well as Roxanne, got out of the house unharmed.

Nearly 50 firefighters using seven trucks battled the blaze for 90 minutes before it was brought under control.

Driver Killed in Crash Off I-5

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One man died in a crash off Interstate 5 in Chula Vista.

California Highway Patrol officers found the wreckage along Bay Boulevard, west of I-5 just before 2 a.m. Monday.

It appears the driver struck a tree then crashed into a chain-link fence below the highway.

Officers say they’re not sure when the crash occurred or what may have caused the driver to travel off the highway.

The man killed in the crash has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office as David Antonio Sanchez, 29, of San Diego.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

San Diego to Host New Pediatric Research Center

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Rady Children's Hospital announced Monday it will create a genomics research center that will focus on helping children suffering with diseases that are difficult to diagnose.

“This is going to change the world and we’re doing it in San Diego,” said Donald Kearns, President of Rady Children’s Hospital.

The Rady Pediatric Genomics and Systems Medicine Institute will assemble scientists, researchers and clinicians to work on treatments and cures for childhood diseases.

The research center was made possible by a $120 million donation from Ernest Rady and family.

“This is the beginning,” Rady said calling on others to offer future grants and endowments to build a world-renowned research institute.

One location will be at the hospital’s location on Frost Street. A second location will be in Torrey Pines amid other biotech companies and labs.

“We have the ability and we have the duty to save the lives of millions of children worldwide through the scientific advancements we make here in San Diego,” Kearns said.

The Board of Trustees of Rady Children's Hospital has pledged $40 million to help fund the operations of the center.

Retta Beery said she and her husband Joe “know the despair and intense pain that comes with having children with life-threatening medical ailments that are mysteries.”

She believes her children are alive today because of the advancements in genomic medicines.

Their son Zack is now 20 and their twins Noah and Alexis will be 18 this year.

"You have no idea that anything is wrong with them," their mother said.

Through genomic sequencing, doctors were able to find the mutations in the Beery's genes that caused the birth defects in their children.

"It's totally treatable," Beery said.

There are other genomic institutes connected to children's hospitals around the country. One thing Rady Children's Hospital will be doing differently is outsourcing the sequencing of genomes. Kearns said the San Diego center will invest funds in staffing instead of equipment.

UC San Diego will work with the Rady Pediatric Genomics and Systems Medicine Institute in the project.

Truck Crash Leaves Hole in Retaining Wall

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A tractor trailer collided with a retaining wall along State Route 125 Monday and left a gaping hole.

The damage can be seen along SR-125 near Interstate 8.

California Highway Patrol officers said the semi drove off the road and plowed into the retaining wall along the right shoulder of SR0125.

Aerial video of the damage shows chunks of concrete on the ground below the area of impact.

One lane of traffic was blocked while CHP officers investigated the incident.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Marine Jailed in Mexico Appears in Court

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A U.S. Marine confined in Mexico since April on weapons charges appeared in federal court in Tijuana on Monday.

In the appearance – his third in the case -- Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi's lawyer questioned both agents and members of the Mexican military who detained Tahmooressi for eight hours.

Tahmooressi’s attorney said he believes his client’s rights were repeatedly violated, while prosecutors said they were using proper procedure. They also claim to have proof that Tahmooressi did not stop or ask for help once he crossed the border like he said he did.

The judge did not make a ruling in the case on Monday. The Marine will remain in jail.

Meanwhile, his mother, his attorney and other supporters will hold a news conference Tuesday to present more evidence in his defense.

The veteran of two tours of Afghanistan who is now in the reserves was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on April 1. Mexican officials say they found a rifle, shotgun, pistol and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his pickup truck.

The 26-year-old Tahmooressi told authorities he accidentally entered Mexico when he made a wrong turn at the border crossing.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

2 Sentenced to Federal Prison for Starting SoCal Fire That Burned 1,900 Acres

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Two men found guilty of starting the Colby Fire which burned 1,900 acres and destroyed six residences in Southern California earlier this year were sentenced to federal prison, officials said.

Clifford Henry, 22, and Steven Aguirre, 21, were sentenced to serve 6 months and 5 months, respectively, in federal prison. They also must serve three-year federal probation terms. They were convicted of starting the the Jan. 16 wildfire in the hills above Glendora, prosecutors said.

"The devastation directly caused by defendants conduct points to the incredible seriousness of their offense," prosecutors wrote in a brief filed in relation to the sentencing. "But the fact that it could have been worse underscores that degree of seriousness. But for the quick thinking and courageous reactions of the Glendora and Azusa Police Departments to evacuate the residents in harm's way; but for the heroic actions of individual fire fighters, helicopter pilots and aircraft tanker pilots in battling the blaze; but for the winds dying down and the humidity increasing...this could have been so much worse."

They were found guilty in May of one felony and three misdemeanor counts of lighting and failing to control an illegal campfire, officials said.

A third man, Jonathan Jarrell, was also found guilty in connection with the fire. He's scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

They were accused of starting an illegal campfire amid dry brush of the Angeles National Forest, 30 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

A federal complaint alleged the men were camping, smoking pot and watching videos on a laptop when they lost control of their campfire.

The fire likely spread when the men used paper to fuel the flames, according to investigators.
Prosecutors said that the fire cost an excess of $6 million and damaged eight residences and 17 other structures, and injured a civilian and two firefighters.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care Takes in Bear Cub that Burned Paws, Face in Washington Fire

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Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care received its 10th bear cub of the season Monday – a badly burned black bear cub rescued from a wildfire in Washington state.

According to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the bear cub, now named “Cinder,” was found at a house destroyed in a fire in Methow Valley, which is near Wenatchee, Washington. Homeowner Steve Love told KOMO News his “dog was barking and horse was prancing and snorting” to sound an alarm. That’s when he first saw Cinder. 

“She was basically walking on her elbows because her paws had been burned from hot coals -- there are abrasions on her paws and a lot of other burns on her body that are healing already,” said Tom Millham, who runs Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care along with his wife, Cheryl.

According to the wildlife center’s vet, Cinder suffered the burns a week ago.

When Love first approached the cub, she made “menacing sounds” and backed away, but he was able to give her some apricots and water.

"Later in the evening, she was lying down making pitiful whimpering noises," Love told KOMO. "I got about six feet away, sat down and talked to it in a soothing way, telling it things would be okay. It seemed to make it feel better. It stopped making the noises."

Love alerted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, who captured and transported her to Wenatchee. State biologist Rich Beausoleil cared for the cub, dressing her 3rd degree burns and feeding her yogurt and dog food.

Millham said Cinder’s story reminds him about a cub named “Lil Smokey” the center rehabilitated in 2008 after he suffered burns in a California wildfire.

Pilots for Paws – a volunteer group of pilots – flew Cinder from Wenatchee to Tahoe Monday morning.

“Burn victims suffer a lot of pain,” Millham said. “In addition, she’s not as heavy as she should be – she came in at 39 lbs, but our vet says that since she’s a year and a half, she should be at least 80 lbs. Our job is to get some weight on her so she can be released back to Washington.”

Millham said the center would care for her until her paws and other burns are healed so she can go back to climbing and digging and doing other “bear things.” Right now, Cinder is on a diet of watermelons, peaches, apples and nectarines.

“She ate everything in a heartbeat – she has a great appetite, so that’s a good sign,” Millham said.

Follow Lake Tahoe WIldlife Care on Facebook to stay up-to-date on how Cinder is doing.



Photo Credit: Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care
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