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Driver Tries to Sexually Assault Mom in Front of 3 Kids: NYPD

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Police are looking for the driver they say told a 26-year-old woman he was a cabbie before driving her and her three children to a homeless shelter, where he allegedly tried to sexually assault her in front of her children.

The driver picked up the woman and her children on 207th Street in Manhattan early on Sunday, police say. The woman asked the driver to take her and her kids -- ages 1, 3 and 5 -- to the shelter at Queens Boulevard near 51st Avenue, the site of the former Pan Am hotel.

When they got there, police say the man drove around the back of the building and started to assault the woman and her children.

Surveillance footage released by the NYPD (above, warning: some may find the footage disturbing) shows the man pulling the 5-year-old out of the car and putting the child on the sidewalk.

The suspect is then seen trying to grab at the woman, who fights him off. Then, the man is seen grabbing the 3-year-old out of a back seat and tossing the child to the sidewalk.

The man gets in the car, and he and mother tussle briefly before the he puts the car in gear and drives off.

The children were taken to Elmhurst Hospital with minor injuries. It wasn’t clear if their mother was hurt.

Aaron Ling, whose family called 911 after hearing screaming, said the mother was panicking.

"She kept screaming, 'Policia! Policia!'" Ling said. "I just ran over here because I thought someone was dying."

Anyone with information on the driver is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. 


SDUSD to Open Quality Assurance Office

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San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten talks with NBC 7's Marianne Kushi about Common Core, the upcoming open house for the district's Quality Assurance Office and that ice bucket challenge video with City Council President Todd Gloria.

Photo Credit: NBC 7

Postal Service Changes Coming to Neighborhoods

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Raising the price of stamps by 3 cents isn’t going to cut it if you’re trying to stop the huge losses at the U.S. Postal Service. That’s why Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe is looking at more dramatic ways to cut costs but not everyone is buying into it.
 
“Eventually we will go to five-day mail delivery,” said Donahoe. He says by cutting back on one day of delivery, the Postal Service can save billions of dollars, but that’s not all.
 
“We’re looking at changes with mailboxes,” said Donahoe, “some more flexibility in terms of what we do with centralized boxes.”
 
The idea is to stop door-to-door delivery and instead go to “cluster boxes” where 10 to 20 different boxes can be placed within a neighborhood, making it faster and easier for delivery.
 
But San Diego congresswoman Susan Davis doesn’t like the idea, “Man of our older, more dense communities would be plagued in their eyes by these cluster boxes,” said Davis. “And they would really lose that vital service.”
 
But 73-year-old Jim Metts said he’s not opposed to the change in his San Diego neighborhood, “If it would save the post office, I’d be all for it."
 
Today the Post Service has 300,000 fewer employees than 10 years ago. During that time first-class mail has dropped nearly 60 percent. Patrick Donahoe said changes are needed throughout the system.
 
“We deliver packages now on Sunday,” said Donahoe. “We’d like to get into things like beer and wine delivery.” But they may not happen soon as it goes against various state and federal laws. Some changes that are already in the works include closer tracking and text messaging to customers.
 
As for Sunday delivery and cluster boxes, it is very much on the drawing board but it won’t happen without a fight. Clearly change can be hard to deliver.

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt Secretly Wed in France

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were married Saturday in Correns, France, a spokesman for the couple said, The Associated Press reported.

Jolie, 39, and Pitt, 50, tied the knot in a small chapel in a private ceremony attended by family and friends, according to the AP. Their six children participated in the wedding.

Jolie walked the aisle with her eldest sons Maddox and Pax. Zahara and Vivienne threw petals. Shiloh and Knox served as ring bearers, the spokesman told the AP.

The wedding comes after years of speculation on when the couple would officially tie the knot. Both had publicly said that they planned to but also insisted that they wouldn't marry unless the nation's laws allowed all couples to marry.

In the early days of her career, Jolie was known as much for her wild ways as for her work onscreen. In recent years she made the transition from hedonist to humanitarian by speaking publicly about pressing global issues and through her work as a special envoy on refugee issues for the United Nations.

Jolie surprised fans and industry insiders when she announced in early 2013 that she had a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried a gene the made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer. She made the announcement in the form of an op-ed she authored for the New York Times under the headline “My Medical Choice,” and revealed she had completed three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts.

The “Tomb Raider” actress wrote the she made the choice with thoughts of her six children after watching her own mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, die too young from cancer. Bertrand died in January 2007.

She also wrote that Pitt was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Southern California for "every minute of the surgeries.”

Advocates for same-sex marriage, Pitt and Jolie publicly stated they would not wed until all couples were granted the same rights. But pressure from their six children to see their parents walk down the aisle eventually swayed the couple and they announced their engagement in 2012.

“I am getting more pressure from my kids, and it is something I want to do within their lifetime, but I also feel like the time has come,” Pitt told People in November 2012. "We've had a family, we've raised the kids," Pitt added. "I am surprised how much [marriage] meant to me once you had that."

The newlyweds became involved after they appeared together in the big screen spy caper “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” in 2005. Pitt had previously dated his “Seven” co-star Gwyneth Paltrow from 1994 to 1997. He was famously married to “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston.

Pitt and Aniston met in 1998 and were married in a much publicized ceremony in Malibu in 2000. They announced their decision to split in January 2005, with Aniston filing for divorce two months later citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Jolie, the daughter of Hollywood star Jon Voight, was awarded the best supporting actress Academy Award for her role in “Girl, Interrupted.” This is her third marriage. She was married to her “Hackers” co-star Jonny Lee Miller from 1996 to 1999. Jolie wore black rubber pants and white T-shirt to her nuptials with Miller.

After a two month courtship, Jolie married actor Billy Bob Thornton in 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They met on the set of “Pushing Tin.” Jolie and Thornton announced the adoption of a son from Cambodia in March 2002, but separated three moths later. Their divorce was finalized in 2003.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: FilmMagic

Tree Lights to Help Revitalize C Street

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Who knew a string of lights could serve so many purposes? 

The Downtown San Diego Partnership is asking for your help lighting up the trees along C Street to both beautify the area and add a sense of safety for pedestrians.

The organization is raising money to string lights through the branches bordering both sides of the road, where the trolley runs.

The C Street corridor is in dire need of revitalization, the partnership says, so they want to relieve at least part of the darkness.

The effort is part of an ongoing project that began in April. So far, the partnership has illuminated trees in 400 locations across downtown.

The plan was so successful, businesses started requesting that their areas be brightened with the year-round Christmas lights.

According to the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a review of civic lighting studies in the U.S. and U.K. found that crime dropped 21 percent in areas that got better street lighting.

On Wednesday, the group also partnered with the Local – a bar that sits on C Street and Fourth Avenue – to hold a fundraiser to continue the effort. The organization will also be accepting donations on its website.

Leaders say their goal is to one day have tree lights on every downtown street.

Woman Dies at Burning Man After Falling Under Bus: Sheriff

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A woman died at Burning Man early Thursday morning after falling under a bus carrying attendees of the weeklong gathering in northern Nevada's Black Rock Desert, authorities said.

The Pershing County Sheriff's Department in Nevada confirmed the death, referring all other questions to Burning Man's promoter, who said the 29-year-old woman from Wyoming died just after midnight near the Central Camp Area.

Event organizers said Alicia Louise Cipicchio was killed afterapparently falling underneath a "large vehicle" at the festival.

The last time a person died at Burning Man was seven years ago when a woman died when she fell under a trailer being pulled by a bus, promoter Jim Graham said.

"This is a terrible accident," Burning Man co-founder Marian Goodell said on the blog. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and campmates. Black Rock Rangers and Emergency Services Department staff are providing support to those affected."

According to her Facebook page, Cipicchio worked at a Jackson Hole art gallery and previously studied art at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

At its peak, Burning Man had 68,000 "Burners" attend this year, Graham said.

The festival describes itself as a gathering of those who "dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance."

Bay City News contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Carlsbad Roundabout Gets New Public Art

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Carlsbad residents and visitors have something new to look at next time they’re driving around: a shiny, steel sculpture at a new roundabout that now defines the entrance into the coastal community.

On Thursday, a giant crane installed the public art as the final touch on the North County’s first coastal roundabout at Carlsbad Boulevard and State Street, at the south end of Buena Vista Lagoon.

The sculpture, dubbed “Coastal Helix,” was created by award-winning Bay Area artist Roger White Stoller. His masterpieces have appeared at public buildings and corporate locations, including Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California.

According to city officials, the top of the “Coastal Helix” sculpture is mounted about 17 feet from the road’s surface. The piece weaves abstract images drawn from Carlsbad’s culture and environment into a metal lacework.

Both the public art and roundabout are designed to create an improved and welcoming entrance to Carlsbad’s northern border. New bike lanes and widened sidewalks also add to the upgraded area.

The project was partially funded by SANDAG and the Carlsbad City Council. Stoller’s sculpture design was approved by the Carlsbad City Council back in March as the artwork that would ultimately greet visitors and residents entering the city.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Mom Not Charged With Choking Bully

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A North Bay mother arrested three months ago, accused of choking her daughter's so-called bully, won't be charged.

After the brief court hearing at the Sonoma County courthouse in Santa Rosa, Delia Garcia-Bratcher smiled as she turned away from the judge, fanning her hands in front of her face in nervous excitement.

She spoke to a crowd of reporters waiting for her in the hall.

"I was just really scared," the 30-year-old mother of six said in the hallway. "I'm really glad this is over and done with. I'm done with this. They put it over so long, I didn't know what to expect."

Garcia-Bratcher made national headlines in May when a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy arrested her on one felony charge of inflicting injury on a child. The deputy said Garcia-Bratcher came onto the campus of Olivet Elementary School and choked a 12-year-old boy, leaving red marks on his throat.

“The simple story is, I talked to the boy – I didn’t want to get him in trouble, I didn’t want to make it a big issue, and it backfired on me,” Garcia-Bratcher said outside the courtroom.

After court Thursday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Bill Brockley said he declined to charge Garcia-Bratcher because "I only file cases I feel I can prove." He said many of the 25 witnesses corroborated both the story of Garcia-Bratcher and her 9-year-old daughter, and with all the "diametrically opposed" testimony, he didn't feel he could prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime had occurred.

In a previous interview with NBC Bay Area, Garcia-Bratcher's lawyer, Ben Adams, said the boy had been making "racial slurs" at his client's 10-year-old daughter, who is part Native American. “Everyone rushed to judgment that she was guilty,” Adams said Thursday, “and then they had to cover their tracks and try to come up with some sort of story that she actually was.”

Adams said he believes the investigation took three months because the district attorney was running for re-election and didn’t want to dismiss the case before Election Day.

Garcia-Bratcher has steadfastly claimed that she talked to the fifth grader about the alleged bullying and told him to stop, but never put her hands on the boy's throat. At the time, the sheriff's office stated they couldn't find evidence that Garcia-Bratcher's daughter was ever bullied. On Thursday, Brockley said his office never looked into the original bullying allegations, because that wasn't in the prosecutorial scope of the case.

After the arrest, Adams launched a zealous defense of his client. He hired a private investigator who wrote in a seven-page report that the boy actually choked himself and then blamed her for the red marks on his neck, which were photographed at school.

The investigator for Whitestar Group wrote that he interviewed another boy at school who imitated what he saw the 12-year-old do on the day in question by placing "both thumbs together on the center of his neck with his palms facing upwards and grabbing his owns cheek bones." This boy said he told a teacher and a deputy, but he didn't think the deputy believed him. Brockley said that his own investigation found this self-choking allegation to be "inconclusive."

Adams forwarded this report to the district attorney's office, where prosecutors reviewed it and conduction their own investigation.

While Adams said he's never seen a "simple assault case" take three months to investigate, he's ultimately glad "they made the right decision in not filing charges. A lot of people rushed to judgement that she was guilty."

In an interview, Brockely countered it wasn't a simple assault, and took so long because of the gravity of the charge on school grounds and the age of the boy. Also, his office added that it was hard to interview everything because many were on summer vacation.

Garcia-Bratcher, who lost the $3,000 bail money she had to put up, said she learned a grave lesson from this experience. "I talked to the boy. I didn't want to make it a big issue and it backfired on me. I'll never do that again. Next time, I'll just make complaints, complaints, complaints."

She said this entire ordeal has been awful for her – and her kids.

"My kids have been stressed out thinking their mother would be in jail," she said. "They're going to be happy when I get home." 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Roller Coaster Colossus Gets a "Twisted" Update

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Remember just a few weeks back when thousands of people flocked to Six Flags Magic Mountain to ride the iconic roller coaster Colossus one last time before it shut down for good?

Well, there’s a twist to that: The Valencia-based amusement park is keeping the Colossus’ recognizable white wooden frame, and even its name, when it opens Twisted Colossus in its place, a ride they say will update the classic coaster.

Twisted Colossus, a four-minute journey that includes a 128-foot drop, an inversion and a “High Five,” where two trains pass through a turn facing each other, giving riders the illusion that they can reach out and touch one another.

The new take on a classic ride will be the highlight of a newly themed area, Back Alley, according to a news release from Six Flags.

Colossus opened back in June 1978, running for more than 36 years before its farewell rides earlier this month. The new ride is expected to open in 2015.



Photo Credit: Six Flags

Lifeguards Rescue 73 Near The Wedge in Newport Beach

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Lifeguards rescued more than 70 people along the Wedge in Newport Beach Wednesday as strong surf attracted thousands of spectators, creating traffic headaches and parking problems in the area.

City officials were expecting large crowds once again Thursday, with traffic delays reaching up to two hours or more in the area. Visitors were urged by city officials to not drive to the peninsula.

"Typically our busiest days are when the swell is in that 3 to 5 or 6 to 8 foot range," said Asst. Chief of Newport Beach Lifeguards, Rob Williams. "People have the confidence that they can go in and handle the surf. Really, they should not be doing that."

One of those people is Kevin "Mel" Thoman, who said he had to get out to the beach today.

"It's so addicting, I don't know how else to explain it," Thoman said. "It's about fun, whatever your passion is."

Waves were expected to gradually decrease into the weekend, but large sets reaching up to 10 feet -- higher near The Wedge -- were still possible for Thursday.

Officers would be on scene to keep traffic moving.

On Wednesday, lifeguards made 73 rescues and 8,000 preventative actions in Newport Beach. More than 170 rescue operations were recorded in Los Angeles County on the same day.

Waves Destroy Building, Damage Pier in Malibu

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High surf continued to damage the pier in Malibu and even destroyed a lifeguard building in Point Mugu that some considered historic Wednesday.

Though the high surf peaked Wednesday, more damaging waves were expected in parts of the Southern California coastline Thursday as a result of swells generated by Tropical Storm Marie.

Witnesses in Malibu reported waves of 10 to 16 feet crashing down on and around the pier. The Cove House Lifeguard Administrative Building in Point Mugu ended up in the Pacific Ocean. Employees had anticipated the destruction earlier in the day and as prepared by removing computers, first aid supplies and other equipment from the building.

The building had been planted on the beach since the 1950s, and seasoned lifeguards said they were sad to see it go.

"It's more than just a building to us, it's more than just a headquarters," said Nathan Hadar. "A lot of us did most of our growing into who we are today, here."

Waves of 5 to 10 feet are expected Thursday, with a maximum height of 15 feet, according to NBC4 meteorologist Crystal Egger. High tide is expected around 11:30 a.m., which could result in minor flooding of beach communities.

The National Weather Service has referred to this week’s high surf as “the most significantly southerly swell event” in 18 years. A high surf advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. Friday in LA and Ventura counties. The advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Friday in Orange County.

During high tide, there is the possibility of strong and dangerous rip currents as well as minor coastal flooding. There is also the possibility of sneak waves, which are much larger waves that wash up the coastline without warning and can sweep swimmers into the water.

NWS advises swimmers and inexperienced surfers to stay out of the water. Lifeguards made more than 100 rescues by 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Thousands crowded the beach along The Wedge in Newport Beach Wednesday morning to watch veteran surfers take on the big waves.

"It used to be just a few people down here and riding and no one ever knew the place existed," said Dennis Proud, a long-time visitor to The Wedge, who has been visiting for 40 years.

Even after sunset, a crowd of over a thousand people watched Laguna Beach surfer Nate Zoller.

"I couldn’t see anything because its pretty much dark but I got here kind of late so I decided to go for it," Zoller said. "This is one of the bigger swells ive ever seen in southern California so, it's been a good day."

Though the high tide may be a blessing for the experienced surfers, residents near the water in some communities continue to brace for the possibility of more flooding.

A storm surge powered by Marie sent water into oceanfront streets and flooded garages Tuesday night in Seal Beach.

Rising seawater cleared a wall along East Seal Way and flowed toward beach homes. Residents reported water in garages, carports and ground floors of apartments.

Thousands of sandbags were in place in the Seal Beach community.

Body Is Missing NJ Man's: Sources

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A body found on the outskirts of an Israeli forest has been identified as that of a New Jersey student who went missing nearly a week ago, police sources say. The remains were confirmed by his parents, sources say, who were holding out hope that the man was still alive.

The body of 23-year-old Aharon Sofer was discovered around 3:30 p.m. Israeli time on Thursday just a few kilometers from where the Lakewood, New Jersey, man was last seen while hiking with a friend in the Jerusalem forest.

There were no reasons to believe foul play was involved after the body was found, officials said. They believe the man may have slipped and fell while navigating difficult terrain.

The discovery came a day after emotional pleas from Sofer's family as they prayed for his safe return. Chulda and Moshe Sofer had flown from the U.S. to Israel over the weekend to join the search for their son.

"We believe he is still alive and out there," his mother, Chulda Sofer, said from Jerusalem after being briefed there by police.

"And if everyone could think of him as their own," she said, "we really beg everyone, and we plead with everyone, if anyone knows any lead to where Aaron is, if you could please contact the police immediately."

Sofer, who is one of 10 children, grew up in an ultra-Orthodox family in the Ocean County, New Jersey, town. He went to Jerusalem to study and was between semesters on Friday when he went hiking with a friend in the woods. The two got separated, and Sofer hadn't been seen since.

Former Lakewood Mayor Meir Lichtenstein said Sofer wasn't an experienced hiker.

"He actually called his mother and asked her permission," he said.

There were fears the yeshiva student may have been abducted due to the Israeli war in Gaza. But no group ever took credit for the disappearance.

As dictated by the Jewish faith, Sofer's body must be laid to rest within 24 hours. A family friend says the burial will take place at 9:30 a.m. Israeli time on Friday.

Audio from the service will be fed back to New Jersey so family members at home can take part.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: Family Photo

Obama's Tan Suit Lights Up Social Media

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President Barack Obama sported a tan suit Thursday at a press conference, and scores of self-appointed fashion police and Twitter analysts took note.

The comparatively summery shade marked an unusual style choice for the president, usually clad in sober navy and shades of gray, and instantly sparked a flood of comments on Twitter, as well as its own Twitter account, @Tan_Suit.

Obama may have had his reasons. Labor Day is fast approaching, as one Twitter user noted, and along with it some old-fashioned rules of fashion.

Some people were quick to point out that the tan suit was not exactly unprecedented among presidents. 

Obama had busted out the dapper look back in the spring, too.

And one user noted that the kind of scrutiny Obama's attire was being subjected to was just a daily reality for many women in the public eye.



Photo Credit: AP

Seat Fight Forced AA Flight to Land

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A fight over a reclined seat was what forced an American Airlines flight to divert to Boston on Wednesday night, federal and local prosecutors said Thursday, just days after a heated fight over a seat recliner forced a United Airlines flight to divert earlier in the week.

A French man who was on the American flight en route from Miami to Paris on Wednesday now faces federal charges in that altercation, after prosecutors say he became furious at the passenger who reclined the seat in front of him and then angrily grabbed a flight crew member.

Sixty-year-old Edmund Alexandre of Paris was arraigned at Massachusetts General Hospital on charges of interfering with a flight crew. Prosecutors recommended $500 cash bail and the judge imposed personal recognizance.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said Alexandre became upset when the passenger in front of him reclined her seat. When a flight crew member tried to calm him, he allegedly became angrier and followed the crew member down the aisle of the plane and grabbed him by the arm. The D.A. said an air marshal on board American Airline Flight 62 subdued Alexandre and handcuffed him while the plane landed at Boston's Logan Airport.

Officials say Alexandre was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment of a pre-existing condition. His next court date is Dec. 29. Alexandre is being represented by attorney Janet Macnab, who did not immediately return a call.

Earlier this week, two United Airlines passengers got into a heated argument over one passenger using a Knee Defender, a device that prevents another person from reclining in an airline seat, which resulted in the plane, which was traveling from Newark, New Jersey, to Denver, being diverted to Chicago.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Driver Plows Into Light Pole

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A driver crashed into a light pole on a busy street in Santee Thursday, causing the pole to topple over onto both the car and the street.

The accident happened around 3:15 p.m. in the 8300 block of Carlton Oaks Drive. Injuries were not immediately reported, but the pole did wind up resting on top of the vehicle.

San Diego Gas & Electric crews were called out to the scene to remove the busted light pole. Deputies said the vehicle would be towed once the pole was cleared.

Deputies provided traffic control in the area as crews worked to clear the site of the crash.

The SDG&E website showed an unplanned power outage impacting approximately 200 customers in the Santee and Carlton Hills area right around the time of the collision. Power was expected to be restored by 4 p.m.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

New SDUSD Office to Handle Any, All Concerns

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Parents of students in San Diego County’s largest school district have a new place to go when issues, such as bullying or discrimination, arise.

The San Diego Unified School District will cut the ribbon on its Quality Assurance Office (QAO) at 10:30 a.m. Friday. The office is located at 4100 Normal St. Annex 10 in University Heights.

The new office is meant to streamline the process when parents and employees have questions, concerns and complaints, Superintendent Cindy Marten told NBC 7 News Today.

“We have 110,000 students, 14,000 employees. On any given day, something might not quite go right,” Marten said. “We want the public to know we have one number to call, one place to go. Any question you have, any concern you have about anything in public schools in San Diego Unified, the quality assurance office is there to help you navigate the large school district that we are.”

The QAO isn’t meant as a first defense, according to its website. Parents are asked to try to resolve the problem with the individuals involved and their child's school principal before bringing in the QAO.

Curbing bullying has been one of Marten’s platforms since becoming superintendent one year ago. She created an adult-on-child bullying task force in January after the Grand Jury determined the district did not have an effective away of investigating teacher bullying.

In July, the family of 14-year-old Matthew Burdette filed a lawsuit against the district. Matthew committed suicide in November 2013 after another student videotaped him in the restroom and posted it online. The teen’s family said school employees knew Matthew was being bullied because of the video, but did nothing to protect him. The school district would not comment because of the ongoing investigation.

The Quality Assurance Office will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office can be reached by calling 619-725-7211 or by emailing qualityassurance@sandi.net.

Classes at SDUSD begin Sept. 2.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Mission Bay Leak Stumps Water Crews

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After digging and refilling two holes, San Diego City water crews aren’t any closer to finding a leak that’s caused an overnight outage at a popular Mission Bay hotel.

A water main burst around 5 p.m. Wednesday near the Mission Bay Hilton Resort just west of Interstate 5 along East Mission Bay Drive.

Water service was shut off around 7:30 p.m. when city water crews began looking for the source of the problem.

More than 14 hours later, crews were still looking.

They have dug and refilled two holes and say they are following a 16-inch pipe running east to west that has been in the ground for at least 50 years.

One worker told NBC 7 it’s necessary to break a casing around the pipe to find the break. Once the crews realize the break is not in that section of pipe, they have to repair the casing.

If the break is under I-5, the worker said it’s “a whole different ball game.”

The Hilton Resort told NBC 7 guests had water service this morning because the city was able to patch them through to an alternate water main.

"Pressure is a little weaker than our normal capacity, but it is sufficient to supply the entire resort, so there should be no impact on our guest’s enjoyment of the facilities," said Don Dennis, GM of the Mission Bay Hilton Resort & Spa.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

2 Charged in 2008 Cold Case Killing

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The case of a man shot to death in Lakeside more than six years ago may finally get some closure now that two suspects have been charged in the cold case homicide, officials confirmed Thursday.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Destin Withers, 38, and Brian Baldino, 29, have each been charged with one count of murder for the shooting of Mark “Randy” Vogler.

On Feb. 11, 2008, just after 10:30 p.m., Vogler was fatally shot as he walked in the 12200 block of Woodside Avenue. Over the years, his homicide case had gone cold.

However, after an exhaustive search by the Sheriff’s Cold Case Homicide Team and other agencies, Withers and Baldino were identified as suspects in Vogler’s killing. Details on the motive behind the deadly shooting were not immediately released.

Officials said both men were already in custody on unrelated cases when they were charged with first-degree murder. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 3.

Anyone with additional details about Vogler’s shooting should contact the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Couple Marries Amid Napa Earthquake Damage

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After a damaging earthquake altered plans for their dream wedding in Napa, a La Mesa couple says the shaky start only reinforced what's truly important to them.

Newlywed Caitlin Rasmussen recalls the moment a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck on her wedding day. But despite the rubble and the wreckage, her love and commitment weren't shaken. There was no way she was not going to marry the love of her life.

Thanks to the creative spirit of her friends and family, the bride and groom got to just that. And the Big Day was even better than they expected.

“I seriously thought I was going to die,” she said. “I thought the building was going to fall over just because I thought it was swaying.”

Sunday’s earthquake caused an estimated $300 million in damages and left hundreds of homes and private buildings red- or yellow-tagged in the community east of San Francisco.

Caitlin and her then-fiance, Matt Rasmussen, immediately checked in with family and friends to make sure they were okay. Many reported damage in or around their homes.

Just hours before they were to say their vows, the young couple didn’t know if the 125-year-old home they had picked for a venue had survived.

Churchill Manor had sustained damage. However, the management offered to host the ceremony if most events were held outside.

With manor employees unable to work, wedding guests cleaned up the outside of the venue and set up the tables and chairs before the ceremony.

When the restaurant hired to cater the wedding suffered so much damage they had to cancel, friends and family stepped up.

Instead of the obligatory meat, fish and vegetarian wedding entrees, the Rasmussens had a barbecue food truck.

Their wedding cake - something many couples discuss and plan for well before the ceremony - was purchased last-minute.

“They were literally stopping at a Costco and Whole Foods picking up desserts for us,” said Matt.

Caitlin says the day really put things into perspective for her.

“None of those things matter. Getting married is really about us and our family,” she said.

“Disasters bring communities together.”



Photo Credit: Courtesy photo from the Rasmussens

High Surf at North County Beaches

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Hurricane Marie continues to bring high surf and strong rip currents to Southern California. In Encinitas, surfers enjoyed huge waves. NBC 7's Bridget Naso reports.

Photo Credit: NBC 7
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