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San Diego Ranks #5 City for Conventions

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For the third year in a row, America’s Finest City has been named as a top destination for conventions.

San Diego ranked No. 5 on Cvent’s annual list of the Top 50 U.S. Cities for business conventions, meetings and events. Cvent provides event management software to hotels. San Diego ranked fifth in 2013 as well.

Here’s a look at this year’s Top 10:

1. Chicago

2. Orlando, Florida

3. Las Vegas

4. Atlanta

5. San Diego

6. New York

7. Dallas

8. Washington

9. New Orleans

10. Nashville, Tennessee

Two other San Diego County cities – Coronado and Carlsbad – came in at No. 41 and No. 42 respectively.

Three other California ranked in the Top 25: #12 San Francisco, #19 Los Angeles and #25 Anaheim.

Cvent ranked cities based on hotel booking activity in its network, as well as the number of meeting and event venues in the area.

San Diego has a contract to host Comic-Con, the city’s biggest convention, through 2016.

There is ongoing debate over a $520 million proposal to expand the city’s convention center. Earlier this month, the plan was put on hold after a judge ruled that raising the funds through a hotelier tax was unconstitutional.


Passerby Discovers Crashed Car in Fallbrook

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One person was killed and two others were injured when a car struck a tree in Fallbrook Saturday evening.

The crash happened in the 4700 block of Olive Hill Road, just north of Morro Hills Road. The sedan missed a curve, ran off the road, hit a tree and continued down an embankment, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office.

Someone passing by the crash site called 911.

The front seat passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the ME. The driver and a back seat passenger were flown to Palomar Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

The ME did not identify the victim, but said he is a Hispanic man between 18 and 20 years old.

The California Highway Patrol in Oceanside is investigating the crash. The medical examiner's report indicated that the car was speeding.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Man Run Over After Neighborhood Fight: PD

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A feud between neighbors may be the reason a Serra Mesa man was run over by an SUV Saturday night, according to San Diego police.

The 25-year-old victim was struck around 9:20 p.m. in the 8500 block of Hurlbut Street, where he lives.

A week ago, the victim got into an argument with the driver of a green SUV because the vehicle was driving too fast down the street, according to the SDPD Watch Commander.

On Saturday, the victim confronted the SUV driver again for speeding. That’s when the SUV apparently ran over him, according to the watch commander.

Witnesses performed CPR before paramedics arrived. The victim was taken to the hospital with internal injuries described as serious but non-life-threatening.

The SUV fled the scene, according to police. There is no word if any charges will be filed.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Woman Falls 20 Feet Fleeing Crash Scene

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NBC 7's Elena Gomez reports from Lakeside where a woman jumped over a fence to flee a crash scene and fell nearly 20 feet into a storm drain.

Former Vt. U.S. Sen. Jeffords Dead at 80

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Former Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., died Monday at Knollwood, a military retirement home in Washington, D.C., a former aide said. He was 80.

A navy veteran, Jeffords made a name in politics as a state senator and attorney general before he was elected to seven terms in the U.S. House, once splitting with his fellow Republicans in opposing a President Reagan tax cut plan. Vermonters voted him into the Senate in 1988, where he was a champion for environmental causes.

The moderate, even liberal, Republican shocked Washington in 2001 when he said the GOP had drifted too far to the right for him. He quit the party, became an independent, and caucused with democrats.

“I am confident it is the right decision,” Jeffords said upon making his famous “jump.” “I hope that the people of Vermont will understand it.”

Jeffords announced in 2005 he would not seek re-election the next year, citing declining health.

"I think we have to bring back people like Jim Jeffords, who say running for office is really a form of public service," former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin said Monday.

Kunin remembered Jeffords as a good-hearted guy who just wanted to do what he thought was right; not tow some party line. "The comparison is rather painful, where we now have a Congress that prides itself on doing nothing, where in those days, people really went there to get things done and to improve the lives of the public," Kunin said.

"He's going to be very sorely missed," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who was in the U.S. House when Jeffords was in the Senate. "He was a guy who, I think, much preferred to be around Vermonters here in Vermont than among the big shots in Washington. It wasn't who he was."

Tom Vogelmann, the University of Vermont's agriculture and life sciences dean, told New England Cable News he thinks of Jeffords as "one of the giants." The University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is housed in the building that bears Jeffords' name.

"He was a very strong supporter of education, a very strong supporter of environmental legislation, and that's the curriculum that's basically taught in this building," Vogelmann told NECN. "So we have thousands of young people who are training here and that's all adding to his legacy."

Reflections on the life and legacy of Jim Jeffords poured in Monday. Here are several of those:

President Barack Obama:

Michelle and I send our deepest sympathies to the family of Senator James M. Jeffords on his passing. Jim devoted his life to service - as a Naval officer, a local leader in his hometown of Shrewsbury, and eventually as a U.S. Senator representing his beloved Vermont. During his more than 30 years in Washington, Jim never lost the fiercely independent spirit that made Vermonters, and people across America, trust and respect him. Whatever the issue - whether it was protecting the environment, supporting Americans with disabilities, or whether to authorize the war in Iraq - Jim voted his principles, even if it sometimes meant taking a lonely or unpopular stance. Vermonters sent him to Washington to follow his conscience, and he did them proud.

Our prayers are with the Jeffords family, including his son Leonard and daughter Laura. And we're grateful to Jim for his legacy of service to Vermont and the United States of America.

Vice President Joe Biden:

Jim Jeffords was a personal friend, a great senator, and a good man. He was not only beloved by the people of Vermont, but by anyone who ever worked with him. For the nearly four decades I served in the United States Senate, nearly half were spent with Jim as a colleague. Jim knew that with a country as diverse as ours, there is a need for consensus to move the country forward. He was a man who dealt with his colleagues without pretext and with complete honesty. And he always knew what he was talking about—and his colleagues and constituents always knew where he stood on an issue. Jim was a reflection of Vermont—independent and non-ideological and always about solving problems. Jill and I are saddened by his passing and join his family, friends, and his former staff in remembering all that he stood for: basic fairness and principled independence.

Former President Bill Clinton:


Hillary and I are saddened by the passing of our friend Senator Jim Jeffords, who served the people of Vermont and the United States for more than 30 years. Jim was one of our strongest advocates for better health and education, a cleaner environment, and increased opportunities for people with disabilities. I will always be especially grateful for his support of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Brady Bill, and our 1993 health care reform effort. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his many friends across the country.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.:


He was a partner in our work for Vermont, and he was a friend. He was a Vermonter through and through, drawn to political life to make a difference for our state and nation. Part of his legacy will also stand as an enduring chapter of the Senate's history.

Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt.:

I know I share the view of all Vermonters today in expressing condolences to the family of Senator Jim Jeffords on his passing, and our gratitude to him for his life of service.

While Jim would certainly wave away the notion, he was indeed a legend in Vermont and the nation. With characteristic decency, humility and civility, and a dogged persistence, he made his mark in Congress. Millions of children with disabilities are better off today because he lead the charge for their equal access to education. Americans are breathing cleaner air and drinking cleaner water because of his fierce advocacy for the environment and clean energy. And budding artists across the nation receive the boost of his encouragement every year thanks to his legacy as the founder of the annual Congressional Arts Competition.

And, in 2001, the world saw what his fellow Vermonters already knew: Jim Jeffords, above all, had the courage of his convictions.

Jim and his wife, Liz Daley Jeffords, were mentors to me in my early days in the House of Representatives. I am deeply grateful to them both for their friendship, their support and their contributions to Vermont and our country.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vt.:

I join Vermonters and citizens nationwide today in celebrating the life of Jim Jeffords, a true gentleman and an independent-minded maverick in the best tradition of our state. Jim followed in the footsteps of Senators Bob Stafford and George Aiken, always putting the interests of Vermonters and the nation ahead of partisan politics. He followed his sense of right in all that he did, and was never afraid to seek compromise by reaching across the aisle for the good of our country. Jim’s contribution to Vermont spanned his service in the Vermont House, as Attorney General, and as Vermont’s Representative in the U.S. House, where he developed his passion for high quality public education that forged his policy work on behalf of our kids and continued throughout his career. The passing of Senator Jim Jeffords will be felt throughout Vermont and our country. We need more like Senator Jeffords. My heart goes out to his children and extended family.

Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vt.:

The story of Vermont politics cannot be told without Jim Jeffords. He served in the most honorable way a person can serve: Selflessly, and always with the best interests of others at heart. He did what he felt was right, not what he felt would make him popular. Whether it was during his time in the Vermont Senate, or as Attorney General, or in the United States House of Representatives, or in the United States Senate, Jim valued the voices of Vermonters and leaves a legacy we can all learn from: Respect over rhetoric, pragmatism over pandering, and love for Vermonters overall.

In our large, and largely faceless, system of government, he demonstrated the power that one person speaking for their constituents can have. His example of moderation and independence is what I’ve tried to model my own career off of. My sincere condolences go out to Laura, Leonard, and the entire Jeffords family.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

City Council to Discuss Minimim Wage Veto

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NBC 7's Matt Rascon reports on the next step in the battle over a minimum wage increase in San Diego - the City Council will discuss a vote to override Mayor Faulconer's veto.

Photo Credit: NBC 7

Ceremony Honors 30+ Years of Service

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A San Diego native was honored Sunday for his decades of service to the Army and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Command Sergeant Major William "Bud" Mcleroy was working as a full-time firefighter when he lost his leg in a traffic collision in 1993.

In 2000, he made history by becoming the first amputee to serve in the Iraq War.

“I was there at the beginning of the war,” he said. “We led the way and I just happened to bring a couple spare legs with me to lead the way.”

He is also is a Purple Heart recipient, having been injured while rescuing wounded civilians in Iraq. He suffered injuries in that incident that led to spinal cord surgery.

After serving almost 33 years in the U.S. military, Mcleroy must retire because of medical issues.

"I never thought it would end. You always know it will, but I never thought it would," Mcleroy said.

Even in retirement, Command Sergeant Major Mcleroy plans to stay busy. He says he'll run for a school board seat in the Sweetwater School District.

“He does like to serve,” said his good friend LtCmdr Manny Sanchez. “Every bone in his body is urgent. He never likes to be idle.”

Mcleroy was a native of San Diego and joined the Marine Corps at MCRD. He served in the USMC Engineer Corps for six years before. Then in 1987 he joined the U.S. Army Reserves.

He said he feels fortunate to serve in almost every continent
 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Exec: Market Basket Self-Sabotage?

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The head of a seafood supplier who says Market Basket overpaid his company by nearly half a million dollars is suggesting that the move may have been a deliberate effort by new management to sabotage the beleaguered grocery chain.

Tim Malley, CEO of Boston Sword & Tuna, said in an open letter that the turmoil at Market Basket, kicked off by the ouster of longtime CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, has seriously hurt his company.

The seafood wholesaler is cutting ties with Market Basket's current management group after a 10-year business relationship with the chain. Malley believes the company can save itself only by bringing back its fired workers.

Market Basket has been roiled by employee protests, customer boycotts and near-empty stores for months, ever since a long-running boardroom family feud culminated in the June ouster of the man workers affectionately call Artie T. by allies of his cousin, Arthur S.

Malley says that after he tried and failed for more than a week to reach executives who had promised to offset the costs, Market Basket gave his company two checks overpaying him by nearly $500,000, once by $83,000 and the second time by more than $415,000.

"In my mind there could be only two answers to these accumulating mistakes and self-destructive strategies. One was that the CEOs were way over their heads," Malley wrote in the letter. "The only other explanation seemed to be a deliberate attempt to sabotage the future of the company."

"Could the Arthur S. side of the family be so embittered by the defiance of Arthur T. and all the stakeholders supporting him that their plan is to sell him – at full pre-conflict price – a pile of smoking rubble?" he went on to wonder in his letter.

According to Malley, Boston Sword & Tuna provided the supermarket chain with more than 30,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon weekly, as well as 15,000 to 30,000 pounds of other seafood. He says his company has a two-way contract with his partners who farm the salmon in Norway and with Market Basket.

Without Market Basket buying the product, Malley said, Boston Sword & Tuna had to sell the fish at a significant discount and faced potential layoffs.

"We're concerned about the inconsistencies with some of the statements and there's been inconsistencies with some of the financial arrangements. And we felt that we had an obligation to go public so that the shareholders, all the shareholders would know what's going on," Malley said.

Malley said that Market Basket proposed that Boston Sword & Tuna provide one box of 10-20 pounds of seafood to each of the 71 stores Tuesday.

"We didn't really see this as being a practical solution," Malley told NECN, adding that he wasn't sure they even had the staffing to distribute the product. "That's such a small amount that it makes us question their strategies and their priorities."

While he believes the chances of Market Basket being saved are dwindling, Malley voiced his hope of a return to the way things were.

"We've had such a good relationship with Market Basket. The former management treated us very well," said Malley. "We hope that they're restored to their positions and that we can all go forward, because we certainly do want to continue to do business with Market Basket."

Market Basket's new management responded to Malley's letter Monday afternoon in a statement that blamed the employee walkouts for the damage.

"When a distribution network set up over decades is shut down in one day, it is naive to assume any company would not suffer. The longtime employees that ran Market Basket's buying and distribution system walked out on their jobs, their customers and their vendors on July 18. That is precisely the reason Market Basket's stores have had only limited perishable items in stock since," they said. "We have been diligently working with vendors to limit the damage the walkout has caused."

Market Basket employees and customers insist they're not backing down until Arthur T. Demoulas returns.

NECN asked fired district supervisor Tom Trainor what would happen if ATD doesn't come back.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. We'll see what happens. I have full faith in Artie. And he said that he would never leave us. And I believe him," he said.



Photo Credit: Boston Globe via Getty Images

Man Dies Trying to Stop Drunk Pal

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A Coconut Creek teen was killed Saturday trying to stop his drunk friend from climbing behind the wheel, the late teen's family said. 

Joe Ianzano, 19, was clinging to the rear spoiler of his friend's high-performance car when it careened through the bushes and slammed into a palm tree, sending him flying and killing him, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

"It was a courageous act, but Joey was like that," his grandmother Barbara Ianzano said. "Joey would put himself on the line. He would do things like that. This time, he was too courageous."

She said her grandson had been trying to block the car, but his friend — whom sources identified as Patricio Javier Arias — managed to get in somehow.

"Joey [was] saying, 'You can't drive. You can't drive. You are too drunk.' I think he was trying to stop Pat," she said, adding that the driver didn't listen. "He peeled off and took off.”

After it hit the tree, the car drove across a driveway and hit another three cars before it came to a stop.

Joe Ianzano was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ianzano was about to start school to become a firefighter to help save more people. His family said he was a hunter and athlete who loved his big truck and was willing to give his life to do the right thing.

"I am really sorry that his family had to see this," his friend Cassandra Persaud said. "He did not deserve it, and I loved him a lot." 



Photo Credit: NBC 6

Motorcycle Crash Vic Finds Rescuers

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It turns out Larry Miles had two angels on a New Jersey highway August 8 when a motorcycle accident severed his femoral artery and almost took his life.

Two women worked together to tie a tourniquet around his leg that doctors say prevented him from bleeding out.

Debbie Parisi, a hospice nurse for Samaritan Healthcare, was driving to her aunt’s house to go swimming with her children that Friday morning.

When she came upon the accident, Parisi said the first thought to cross her mind was: "Oh man, this guy's in trouble."

Blood was pouring from Miles’ leg following a collision outside a Wawa on Route 30 in Winslow Township, New Jersey.

Parisi pulled over, sat down next to him and asked if anybody had a shirt to make a tourniquet.

“I don’t know why, but I just knew I had to stop the bleeding,” Parisi said.

Standing nearby, Maria Lopez offered her husband’s jacket.

The second woman to come to his aid, Lopez works at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital and has training to deal with emergencies, including first aid and CPR. 

“By the time I got there, there was too much blood,” said Lopez, who was driving to the Wawa Friday morning when she saw Miles lying in the middle of the road. “Nothing was being done.”

Unable to tie the jacket tightly enough on their own, the two women used a stick to constrict the blood flow as much as possible.

Minutes later, paramedics arrived and took Miles to Cooper Trauma Center in Camden. He remained hospitalized Friday evening, recovering from multiple surgeries to repair his severed artery.

Parisi and Lopez saw the story NBC10 published Thursday and reached out to Miles on Facebook. Parisi visited him Friday, and Lopez had plans to do the same.

Doctors said they expect Miles to make a full recovery, which would not have been possible without the help of Parisi and Lopez.

“There’s good people out there that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty — or in this case, their clothes bloody,” Miles said. “Girls rule, man!”



Photo Credit: Larry Miles

Hit-and-Run Driver Falls 20 Feet Trying to Escape Arrest

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A driver fell 20 to 35 feet trying to escape arrest after a hit-and-run crash in Lakeside Monday, officials said.

Emergency crews found the woman at the bottom of the concrete storm drain in the middle of a small residential neighborhood around 1 a.m.

Michelle Taylor, 40, of El Cajon, crashed a white Honda Accord into two parked cars near Los Coches Road and Del Sol Road, officials said.

One witness said she was awakened by the noise of the crash. Janett Sanchez told NBC 7 she ran outside to see if her new car had been damaged, but there wasn’t a driver behind the wheel of the other car.

California Highway Patrol officers said Taylor left the scene of the accident, ran behind a nearby home and jumped over a fence, falling into the storm drain.

Officials said Taylor was in and out of consciousness after a head injury and a broken ankle. They transported her to Sharp Memorial Hospital for treatment.

CHP officials said Taylor will face driving under the influence and hit-and-run charges.
 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Man Stabs Wife, Flees With Kids: Deputies

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Authorities are searching for a man they say stabbed his wife multiple times in a Vista church parking lot, then fled with two of their children.

Juan Gonzalez, 39, attacked his wife at First Lutheran Church on the 1400 Block of Foothill Drive around 5:40 p.m. Sunday after a verbal and physical argument began at a nearby apartment, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department said.

Gonzalez left the apartment with two of their four children and went and sat in his white Chevrolet pick-up in the church parking lot.

The victim told deputies that when she walked over to speak with her husband, he was drinking a beer with the two children sitting in the front seat. She said Gonzalez then took a pocket knife out and stabbed her repeatedly.

While the victim ran away to get help, she says Gonzalez threatened to physically harm her if she told anyone. He then fled the scene with the children, aged 1 and 3.

The victim was transported to Palomar Hospital. Her condition is unknown.

Vista deputies have been unable to locate Gonzalez and the children. They have placed the two missing children into the San Diego Sheriff's Missing Person System, while the other two children were taken into protective custody.

Authorities say Gonzalez has black hair and brown eyes, weighs about 200 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall. They say he was last seen wearing a plaid shirt and brown pants.

His vehicle has the California license plate 8W12407.

The Vista Patrol Station’s Detective Division is handling the investigation, and they are asking for the public’s help in locating Gonzalez, who is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon.

Anyone who has information pertaining to this incident is being asked to contact the Vista Sheriff's Station at (760) 940-4551 or the non-emergency number at (858) 565-5200.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego

Min Wage: Small Biz Pleads, Council Overrides Veto

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San Diego City Councilmembers voted Monday to override a mayoral veto on a minimum wage increase despite last-minute pleas from small business owners and other opponents.

Opponents of the ordinance argued higher minimum wages would lead to higher prices, less full-time employees and more lay-offs.

CEO of the San Diego County Chamber of Commerce Jerry Sanders said it's important for City Council members to protect San Diego jobs.

"We're not here today opposed to a wage increase, we're here today urging city leaders to allow the 25-percent increase the state just implemented last month to take effect rather than increasing it to 44-percent with automatic increases annually," said Sanders.

Less than two hours later, City Council members voted 6-2 pushing the minimum wage increase through despite the Aug. 8 veto by Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

Effective Jan. 1, the proposed ordinance will give approximately 172,000 San Diegans an increase to $9.75 per hour.

Through the proposal, 279,000 will have the opportunity to earn up to five sick days per year.

Already since the state's minimum wage hike some businesses have bumped up prices and stopped accepting coupons.

At the same time supporters of earned sick leave and higher minimum wages urged council members to override the veto.

They argue that nearly 200,000 San Diegans who are struggling to make ends meet would benefit from higher wages and even more from earned sick days.

Student Viviana Laguna works while going to college. She said her entire family gets paid minimum wage.

"We're not asking for riches," she said. "We're just asking for the basic things."

Councilmembers Scott Sherman (District 7) and Mark Kersey (District 5) voted against the measure.

The minimum wage will increase to $10.50 on January 1, 2016 and to $11.50 on January 1, 2017, with indexing to inflation starting in 2019.

Opponents of the minimum wage increase have said they will collect signatures this week to get a referendum on the ballot allowing the voters of San Diego decide.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Photo Mystery Stumps Sandy Family

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A Staten Island family is hoping to find the owners of a set of wedding photos that washed into their driveway during Sandy. 

When Sandy flooded Dominic and Patricia Guinta's Seaford Street home with 11 feet of water, friends of the couple quickly arrived to help clean up. Those friends found some waterlogged photos and took them back to Pennsylvania to dry them out.

They mailed the 53 black and white wedding photos back to the Guintas after Sandy, but the pictures went straight to storage while the couple spent a year repairing their home. It wasn't until last week that they found the pictures while they began remodeling the garage. 

"At first I thought they were my mother's wedding pictures. Then I looked and thought, 'Wait a minute. This isn't my family,'" said Patricia Guinta. 

Patricia Guinta grew up in Brooklyn and she believes the photos may have been taken there. 

"Anyone would be happy to get them back," she said. "Maybe it's a grandmother or an aunt." 

"They look to me like they were taken in the '60s. They look like someone's proofs," she said. 

The photo were in remarkably good condition. Patricia Guinta even put them in a photo album so they wouldn't get flat. 

The Guintas know the emotional and physical toll Sandy inflicted, and remain grateful for the kindness and generosity they received after the storm. They're hoping to pay forward some of the help they got by making sure the precious wedding photos find their way back to the family. 

"We had so much help. If we could find these people, it would be great because they would be really happy," said Dominic Guinta.

Do you know who these photos belong to? Please get in touch with us by tweeting @StaceyBell4NY or emailing tips@nbcnewyork.com

La Mesa Wants to Prohibit Driveway Ads

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Some La Mesa homeowners want to ban bundled and bagged advertisements they find left in their yards and driveways.

The city law director is researching an ordinance that would prohibit such advertising after the city council unanimously voted to prohibit it at their Aug. 12 meeting.

On Monday, one particular promotional flier for a landscaping company was left at several homes -- ironic to those who say this kind of advertising is actually ruining their lawns.

Complaining residents told NBC 7 they don't even open these bundles. Most of the time, they just throw them in the recycle bin.

One homeowner designated a trash can by the driveway for a more convenient disposal of the ads.

La Mesa Vice Mayor Ruth Sterling is leading the charge against such advertising.

She said it's an eye soar that is creating more garbage than commerce.

Homeowner Don Wood is concerned about taking an extended vacation because leftover mailers could show burglars he is not home.

“Not until after you pick up the first one or two and read what’s in them do you see they are just junk ads,” Wood said. You just stop looking at them. You just put them in the recycling bin.”

However, La Mesa could have a fight on its hands, should the fliers and ads fall under free speech.

NBC7 reached out to the landscaper that left the advertisement Monday and asked what we would need to do to stop him dropping these fliers in La Mesa yards and driveways. We were told only to leave a message or call back.

Since the law director is researching language to draft an ordinance, September is the earliest this issue could come to another vote.


Missing NYC Model Found: NYPD

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A New York City runway model who was missing for nearly two weeks has been found alive, police say.

Ataui-Deng Hopkins was found Monday at an area hospital, 12 days after she was last seen leaving the rooftop XVI Lounge on West 48th Street near Eighth Avenue on Aug. 6, according to the NYPD.

The 22-year-old models professionally under the name Ataui Deng. 

She has walked the runways for designers like Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Malandrino and Lanvin, according to New York Magazine. Hopkins has also appeared in Harper's Bazaar and Teen Vogue.

The Sudanese-born model has been modeling since she was 14 and lived in Texas before coming to New York City.

A spokeswoman at Trump Models, Hopkins' agency since 2008, said before the 22-year-old was found that everyone was worried about the "much loved" woman and had been making calls and trying to find her. Celebrities including Rihanna also tweeted her photo during the search.

Hopkins' friend, celebrity chef Roble Ali, said she had disappeared before for a day or two when she felt like she needed space. But he said he got worried about this most recent case because she'd never been gone so long.

In an Instagram post after she was found, Ali thanked police and friends for their efforts.

"She is safe and sound," he said. "I want to thank all of our friends and followers and especially the NYPD for their swift and dedicated response."



Photo Credit: Instagram/@AtauiD

NFL: Immune to State Labor Law in Raiderette Suit

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The National Football League made its first formal response to being sued by two Oakland Raiders cheerleaders, arguing that the Raiderettes can't pursue their claims to be paid at least minimum wage  because the NFL and its teams are "immune from all state Labor Code provisions."

The NFL rebuttal, filed on Aug. 5 in Alameda County Superior Court, argues that because the California Supreme Court found that players cannot bring antitrust claims against their teams, the NFL, therefore, is immune from state labor laws. 

"This is a very sweeping claim," said John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University and a Senior Research Associate University of California-Berkeley Labor Center. "It's surprising and probably not one that the courts are likely to agree with."

Logan has no direct knowledge of the case, but was asked by NBC Bay Area to review the NFL's brief.

It's not that the NFL disputes whether the cheerleaders have been paid fairly or not. But put more simply, the NFL argued the Raiderettes' "straightforward labor dispute," should be between the cheerleaders and the Raiders - not the league.

NFL attorneys Dale Barnes and Debra Fischer of Bingham McCutchen wrote that the NFL isn't immune from all labor laws, but the league cannot "be constitutionally burdened with challenges brought under divergent state legislation.”

Those "divergent" laws, the NFL replied, would "disrupt and have a significant impact on the whole league fabric, not just on the state's one or two teams."

"National sports leagues are 'unique,'" the lawyers continued. And the Raiderettes' claims that her wages are "depressed"..."would constitute an impermissible burden on interstate commerce and must be dismissed."

But the NFL's response  constitutes "legal absurdity," according to Drexel Bradshaw of San Fransisco's Bradshaw and Associates PC, who is representing Caitlin Y. and Jenny C., Raiderettes who sued the Raiders and the NFL in June.

Caitlin, Jenny and other cheerleaders around the country have sued various teams, alleging they don't even make minimum wage with all the time they are required to attend mandatory charity events and practices. Caitlin and Jenny are the only two to have taken on the NFL as well.

Caitlin and Jenny's case has not come to a final resolution. Neither has a previous case first filed in January by Lacy T. and Sarah G. in a case solely against the Raiders. But in the meantime, for the first time this season, the Raiders offered the cheerleaders a new contract, and began paying the Raiderettes $9 an hour - California's minimum wage - for the first time for all the hours they work. Before this, the cheerleaders were paid $125 per game, and hadn't received compensation for anything beyond that.

"There is no logical limit to their argument," Bradshaw added in a phone interview on Monday. "If what they say is true, then no employee of any club team is afforded protections. That means anyone who is not a player - coaches, custodian, secretaries, groundskeepers, no one would be treated as a legitimate employee."

When Caitlin - who made the squad again this year - was told of the legal reply, Bradshaw said she "just laughed."

In a separate email to NBC Bay Area, Fischer said: "Every employee of the Raiders is entitled to all appropriate protections under California law. The assumption of the plaintiffs' lawyer is that if they cannot successfully sue the NFL, then non-player team employees don't have such protections. Of course they do, from the team. The team is their employer, not the NFL."

That's because the underlying theme of the NFL argument is that the league is not the right entity to sue: The NFL has no control over the individual hiring, firing and day-to-day supervision of the workers supplying the labor. "The NFL is not a party to, and has no authority to enforce the Raiderette Agreement," the lawyers wrote. "The NFL simply does not belong in this case."

The NFL based its argument in part on argument on a 1983 California Supreme Court case called Partee v. San Diego Chargers where a former player sued under California antitrust law.

The court in that case found that California antitrust laws couldn't be applied to to players who have collectively bargained agreements because it could affect how the team would play on the field.



Photo Credit: Courtesy of Caitlin Y.

Boil Water Order Lifted for Most Escondido Residents

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Tap water is safe to drink again for all but 60 customers of the Rincon del Diablo Water District in Escondido.

The utility ordered about 6,300 customers, including Palomar Medical Center, to boil their water before using it to drink or cook with after workers found Coliform bacteria in a testing sample Friday. The bacteria live naturally in the environment, officials say, but they can show the presence of other, dangerous substances in the water.

While the district worked to isolate the Coliform bacteria, they replaced an entire sample station and underground piping.

By Sunday evening, the boil water order was lifted for all residents except those living on the following streets: 

  • Caraway Street, south of Country Club Lane
  • Jana Place
  • Sonia Place
  • Via Alexandra
  • Via Scott

For those still under the order, Rincon recommends boiling your water for five minutes and letting it cool before using it.

You can also use water disinfection tablets or small amounts of bleach.

Rincon officials are still trying to identify the source of the bacteria.
 



Photo Credit: NBC Local Media

San Diego Woman Writes Letters For Liberia

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A San Diego woman who runs a nonprofit in Liberia says she had no choice but to leave the country during the deadly Ebola outbreak. Now, she’s determined to get others to help.

Deborah Lindholm heads the Foundation for Women, an organization that gives women in impoverished countries microloans so they can start businesses and educate themselves and families. She was in Liberia when the U.S. State Department warned all Americans to leave or risk getting the disease themselves.

Lindholm told NBC 7 she was lucky enough to get out of the African country but is heartbroken to leave her friends behind.

Unwilling to sit and do nothing, she decided to raise awareness and money for the country by writing "Letters for Liberia.”

“I left Liberia yesterday,” read one letter, “and left so many dear and special people behind who have no options other than to stay and to pray."

Whether it’s survivor's guilt or strong compassion, Deborah Lindholm said she won't stop writing until she knows her friends are safe.

“The situation in Liberia is absolutely dire. It's not just a health issue in a small African country,” she said. “It's a global human tragedy, and all of us need to step up and realize this is affecting our human family.”

The nonprofit leader now writes these letters on her blog to mobilize others to help, and she makes daily calls to the Vice President of Liberia's Chief of Staff Sam Stevquoah, desperate to get updates.

“The sooner we can get as much help as possible to contain this, the better,” said Stevquoah. “Our limited resources have been really, really stretched to the max. They are at breaking point."

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola has killed 413 Liberians so far. Most airlines have stopped flights to West Africa.

But Deborah said she if she can't go back, she'll work for those she left behind.

“This is not an Africa story; this is a human family story, and we all can do something to help make it better,” she said.

Deborah and her Foundation for Women compiled a list of all the things people in Liberia need, ranging from bleach to hand sanitizer. To see the list and learn how to donate, visit the organization’s website.

Making Sense of Supermarket Labels

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Reduced sodium or low sodium? Low fat or light? Which is better for you? NBC 7’s Consumer Bob explains food label buzzwords that can trip up shoppers at the grocery store.

SUPERMARKET LABEL GUIDE
(Source: Consumer Reports)

“Natural”: Doesn’t necessarily mean that a food is free of additives. There is no formal definition of natural. Same is true with “Made with Natural Ingredients” and “Naturally Flavored.”

“Organic”: More trustworthy on a label because it is a term that is well regulated.

“Multigrain”: Just means that the food contains more than one type of grain. Can still be processed.

“Whole Grain”: Means the food is certified by the Whole Grains Council that you are getting at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving or 16 grams if the stamp says “100% Whole Grain.”

“Reduced Fat”: Only means food has at least 25 percent less fat than its regular version, which could be high in fat to begin with.

“Lite or Light Fat”: Can mean various things. The light version generally means it has no more than a third or half the fat content of the regular version.

“Low Fat”: Must have 3 grams or less of fat per serving.

“Sugar Free”: It means that the food has less than a half-gram of sugar per serving. Could still include artificial sweeteners.

“No Added Sugar”: Only means that sugar wasn’t added in processing, but that does not mean the product is without sugar.

“Excellent Source of Fiber”: Federally defined standard that a product must have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Same is true with “High Fiber”.

“Good Source of Fiber”:
Standard says must have at least 2.5 grams per serving.

“Extra Fiber”: Food with extra fiber should supply at least 10 percent more of the Daily Value per serving than a similar food.

“Low Sodium”: Must contain no more than 140 milligrams per serving.

“Reduced Sodium”: Food item only needs to be 25 percent lower than the regular version.



Photo Credit: Bob Hansen
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