People in the Golden State can sometimes be described as aloof or unapproachable. Certainly the famous are often described that way, probably quite unfairly. But we all can take our knocks 'round these parts.

There was, however, a well-known and beloved figure who was always approachable and always ready to chat: Mr. Huell Howser. People who met the congenial, big-spirited television host just once immediately felt as if they were a part of something special and, well, something warm and kind, too. That was part of the popular host's appeal, the way he drew people in and his natural warmth.

When Mr. Howser passed away last month at the age 67 a sunset gathering at Griffith Observatory helped fans grieve and bid goodbye. But there's now a new chapter in the host's legacy: The Huell Howser Archive and California's Gold Scholarship are set for their "official launch" at Chapman University in Orange on Friday, Feb. 8. Time is 2 to 7 p.m.

A few people featured on the host's "California Gold" series will be in attendance. Also of interest? "Artwork and memorabilia" from Mr. Howser's series and love of California will be on display, as well as a recreation of the host's office. Oh, and this is the fun and quirky side fans always loved: "found objects" from Mr. Howser's road trips will be in the mix as well.

The public is welcome to attend.

Perhaps one of the most stirring parts of the day is the fact that the first person to receive a California's Gold Scholarship will be in attendance.

Mr. Howser often ended his shows with an upbeat wish for the future, whether it was the future success of the people he was visiting or that the little-known place he was at would get some recognition. The scholarship is very much the host's look-to-tomorrow spirit in action, as is the archive as well.

All southbound lanes of I-5 were closed Friday morning during peak commute times after a multi-vehicle crash.

The lanes were closed near Mile of Cars Way in National City at about 7:45 a.m. By 8:15 a.m., the lanes were re-opened, but traffic was still backed up to Downtown San Diego, according to the CHP. 

Check traffic conditions here.

By 8:30 a.m., the traffic began to clear. 

CHP reports indicated that between two and five cars collided, causing heavy damage to the cars. The damaged cars were spread across all the lanes. 

A Sig Alert was issued for about an hour-and-a-half.

Check back here for more information .

See live video streaming from the top of Manhattan's Rockefeller Center as the storm moves through.

See live video streaming from Times Square after the storm moved through.

It’s been nearly three months since Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from Congress, but now NBC News confirms that Jackson has signed papers in a plea deal within the past several days. 

Jackson’s case is being handled by the US Attorney’s office in Washington, DC. While no public announcement is expected today, those with knowledge of the investigation believe the loose ends now deal with Jackson’s wife, former Alderman Sandi Jackson, and whether or not she is ultimately charged.

For full politics coverage, visit NBCNews.com.

Under the terms of the deal Jackson signed, he pleads guilty and his fate – as to jail time – would be in the hands of a federal judge, not yet assigned. 

He would repay the government hundreds of thousands of dollars – for items like the $40,000 Rolex watch, travel expenses for a woman he described as a “social acquaintance” and furniture purchased for his home.

Converting campaign contributions for personal use is strictly prohibited by federal law. It opens Jackson up to “not more than 5 years” in prison.  

• Feds Investigating Sandi Jackson: Report
• Sandi Jackson Explains Her Moved Money
• "Our Public Service Will Continue:" Rev. Jackson
  

It’s clear Jackson’s move to resign from Congress works in his favor as his attorneys negotiate this plea deal.

Just last month his wife also resigned from her elected position as Chicago’s 7th Ward alderman, however her role in the alleged misuse of campaign funds still may land her in legal trouble. For years she received a $5,000 a month check from her husband as his political consultant.

2002: Christopher Dorner joins the Los Angeles Police Department, and is assigned to the Harbor Area. He also serves in the military, as a reservist in the Navy.

2006: In September, Dorner is highlighted in an internal LAPD newsletter as an example of how the police agency is supporting its personnel who serve in the military. He is photographed with then-chief William Bratton, and is in the following month’s newsletter as well.

In November, he is deployed to the Persian Gulf for six months, where he serves in Bahrain and provides security for offshore oil platform. He receives several honors, including the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Rifle Marksman Ribbon and a Pistol Expert Medal.

2008: Dorner’s employment with the LAPD is terminated. He is accused of falsely accusing a fellow officer of kicking a suspect.

2011: Dorner’s appeal of the dismissal of his lawsuit challenging his firing is rejected by the California Court of Appeal.

Feb. 1, 2013: Dorner separates from the Navy with a rank of lieutenant.

Feb. 3, 2013: Monica Quan and Keith Lawrence and her fiancé are shot to death while sitting in their car on the top floor of the parking garage of their Irvine condo complex. Quan is later identified as the daughter of Randal Quan, the LAPD’s first Asian-American captain, whom Dorner's manifesto states was involved in the ex-officer's firing.

Feb. 6, 2013: LAPD officers identify Dorner as the man they suspect of killing Monica Quan and her fiancé, Keith Lawrence.

The LAPD releases a manifesto allegedly written by Dorner that names Asian-American, lesbian and Hispanic police officers as "high value targets."

10:26 P.M.: Dorner is believed to be connected to an attempted boat theft in the San Diego area. San Diego police were called to the Southwestern Yacht Club located at 2702 Qualtrough Street for an apparent boatjacking.

Feb. 7, 2013

1:25 A.M.: In Corona, a man police believe is Dorner shoots at two LAPD officers who had been assigned to protect people targeted in the manifesto.

1:45 A.M.: A man police believe is Dorner ambushes two Riverside police officers, killing one and severely wounding the other.

5 A.M.: Police shoot and injure two people when they think they spot Dorner's truck in the 5 a.m. hour in Torrance and Redondo Beach.

8:30 A.M.: A burned-out vehicle of the same model as Dorner's is found abandoned in the woods near Big Bear Mountain ski resort, which is shut down for the day. Area schools are placed on lockdown, and sheriff's deputies and SWAT teams conduct door-to-door searches into the night.

Feb. 8, 2013:

Overnight: Law enforcement agents conduct an overnight search amid temperatures that dropped into the 20s.

9 A.M.: San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon says conditions are "extremely dangerous" in the search area in and around Big Bear.

A mentally ill man who thought he was meeting someone linked to the Taliban was arrested Friday morning after federal agents say he tried to detonate some sort of car-bomb at a Bank of America branch near Oakland's airport.

But the explosive was a fake, prosecutors said, adding that the FBI had been eyeing Matthew Aaron Llaneza, 28, of San Jose for a while during an undercover investigation monitored by the FBI's South Bay Joint Terrorism Task Force.

"He has stated that he supports the Taliban, wants to engage in violent jihad and wants to conduct a terrorist attack inside the United States," the FBI affadavit said.

LaRae Quy, a former FBI counterintelligence and undercover agent, said the FBI's ability to gain Llaneza's trust likely saved lives.

"The undercover agent was able to establish a rapport and real trust so this individual was able to feel comfortable with trusting him with this bigger plan, and even involved him in it," Quy said. "If that bomb hadn’t been assembled with the FBI's assistance, it would have gone off and it would have possibly killed someone.”

However, the FBI documents also provide no evidence that Llaneza could have pulled off the operation without the undercover agents, had ties to other terrorists or had any bomb making materials in his possession. Separate court documents filed in Santa Clara County show Llaneza is mentally ill.

One civil rights expert, Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Santa Clara, indicated that this smells of entrapment. 

 "Did the FBI take a [mentally ill] aspirational terrorist, make him an operational terrorist and then thwart their own plot?" Billoo asked. "CAIR has been saying this for years now: It's the FBI's job to stop operational terrorists. It's not the FBI's job to enable aspirational ones."

• Read Matthew Llaneza Criminal Complaint (pdf)
• Court Docs Show Suspect Suffered from Mental Illness
• Read Probation Report on Llaneza (pdf)

Llaneza was released from state prison in November 2011, the FBI affadavit states (PDF), after serving a one-year sentence for transporting an AK-47. Efforts to immediately reach Llaneza or his supporters were not immediately successful. NBC Bay Area knocked on a door of a home where records show Llaneza once lived, or still lives, but no one answered the door.

His attorney, Oakland-based Asst. Federal Public Defender Jerome Matthews, declined on Friday to comment about the case.

Probation records obtained by NBC Bay Area show that Llaneza suffered from mental illness and had already served 186 days in county jail for the gun charge.

                       San Jose Alleged Bomber Suffers From Mental Illness

He was formally charged in Oakland on Friday before U.S. magistrate Donna M. Ryu on a charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, which is punishable with life in prison.

According to the federal affidavit, Llaneza met with a man on Nov. 30 who led him to believe he was connected with the Taliban and the mujahidin in Afghanistan. The man was really an undercover FBI agent.

At the meeting, Llaneza proposed conducting a car-bomb attack against a bank in the San Francisco Bay Area, the complaint alleges. He proposed structuring the attack to make it appear that the responsible party was an umbrella organization for a loose collection of anti-government militias and their sympathizers, according to prosecutors.

Llaneza’s stated goal was to trigger a governmental crackdown, prosecutors said, which he expected would trigger a right-wing counter-response against the government followed by, he hoped, civil war.

Llaneza identified the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco as a good target, the affadavit states, or a local bank as good targets for the attack.

After figuring the Federal Reserve would have "too much security," on Dec. 7, Llaneza ended up choosing the Bank of America branch at 303 Hegenberger Road in Oakland as the target for the attack, the complaint states. That bank is near the city's airport.

A week later, Llaneza found a spot next to a support column of the bank building as a good location for the bomb, expressed a desire for the bomb to bring down the entire bank building, and offered to drive the car bomb to the bank at the time of the attack, prosecutors alleged in a statement.

According to the complaint, in January and February, Llaneza and the undercover agent constructed the fake explosive device inside an SUV parked inside a storage facility in Hayward.

As part of the process of assembling the device, Llaneza allegedly bought two cell phones to be used in creating and operating the trigger device for the car bomb. One of these cell phones was incorporated into the trigger device itself. The other was reserved for use on the night of the attack.

The criminal complaint alleges that on Thursday evening, Llaneza drove the SUV containing the purported explosive device to the target bank branch in Oakland.

He parked the SUV beneath an overhang of the bank building where he armed the trigger device, according to the complaint.

He then allegedly proceeded on foot to a nearby location a safe distance from the bank building, where he met the undercover agent. Once there, prosecutors Llaneza allegedly attempted to detonate the bomb by using the second cell phone he had purchased to place two calls to the trigger device attached to the car bomb, according to prosecutors.

That's when the FBI placed him under arrest.

NBC Bay Area's Arturo Santiago and Stephanie Chuang contributed to this report.
 

There is much speculation about where quarterback Alex Smith will land in 2013.

Is he a fit in Kansas City, where new coach Andy Reid will be looking for an upgrade from Matt Cassel? Could he be headed to the Arizona Cardinals, where Kevin Kolb hasn’t worked out? Might he go to the Jaguars? The Browns? The Jets?

Plenty of teams in the NFL reportedly are intrigued by Smith, who lost his starting job with the 49ers in November when head coach Jim Harbaugh decided to stay with Colin Kaepernick when Kaepernick stepped in when Smith suffered a concussion.

Smith had led the 49ers to a 6-2 record in 2012 and was leading the NFL in completion percentage when he was knocked out in a game against the St. Louis Rams, And, he had quarterbacked the 49ers into the NFC Championship Game in 2011 after helping the team to a 13-3 regular-season record.

If the 49ers were to release him, Smith undoubtedly would be a hot commodity in the free-agent market.

Smith’s ability to play mistake-free football the past couple of seasons – while making the big play when necessary – has vaulted him to wanted-man status and wiped away the shaky reputation he had in his early years in San Francisco, when he struggled under a succession of head coaches and offensive coordinators.

“I’ll tell you what you’ve got,” former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt told the Kansas City Star, when assessing Smith’s talents recently. “You ever play golf? Scramble? Well, Smith’s the guy you want on your team because he won’t win it for you by hitting it 500 yards and all this other stuff, but he might win it for you by hitting it right down the middle every time.”

But what if the 49ers throw the rest of the league a curveball and decide to keep Smith? The common line of thinking is he’s too expensive to keep around on the roster as a backup to Kaepernick, due for a salary of $7.5 million and a roster bonus of $1 million.

But as Bay Area News Group Columnist Mark Purdy wrote earlier this week, the Niners might be able to afford that in 2013 because Kaepernick will cost so little – just about $1.2 million against the salary cap – and Smith is an excellent insurance policy.

Kaepernick, after all, is a running quarterback and always vulnerable to injury (if, that is, defenders can catch him).

As Purdy wrote, who would the 49ers feel more comfortable coming in to lead the team, Smith or Scott Tolzien, the current No. 3, if Kaepernick goes down? Obviously, it would be Smith.

Plus, Smith has been nothing but a good teammate since Kaepernick took over. It’s hard to picture him making a fuss about being kept on the team in a backup role. It just doesn’t seem to be in his nature.

“If Smith were a different type of personality, it might be a risk to keep him around,” Purdy wrote. “But he’s the kind of guy who understands the NFL’s business model.”

As Jim Harbaugh said this week, just because Smith would like to go somewhere else to be a No. 1 doesn’t mean that’s in the best interest of the 49ers to accommodate him.

“I don’t think any player (asking for his release) has those wishes granted when they’re under contract,” Harbaugh told reporters, noting Smith is signed for two more seasons. “And everything’s different. Every scenario is unique. It’s certainly not something we’re going to delve into and get into specifics.”

Plus, the 49ers could hold on to Smith for a while and see what develops while also playing keep-away from the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals have some good talent and a new head coach in Bruce Arians, but have struggled to find an effective quarterback. Smith might be the perfect fit – yet it would boost a division rival, something the 49ers might want to avoid. Especially with the Seahawks emerging as a power and the Rams also likely to improve under Jeff Fisher.

NFL analyst John Clayton of ESPN spoke about that scenario this week.

“I would have to think that if (Smith) is released, he’ll make a beeline to Arizona and compete against the 49ers two times a year for the next several years,” Clayton told an Arizona radio station, according to CBS Sports. “Knowing the 49ers probably don’t want (that), the best thing to do is hang on to him and see if you can trade him to an AFC team, maybe the Cleveland Browns. I think the Browns would be the most interested.”

Law enforcement officers were searching on Friday afternoon the Southern California home belonging to the mother of a former LAPD officer accused in a plot to kill police officers and their families.

Timeline: Revenge-Plot Slayings | Read: Full Manifesto | Map: Search Locations

Aerial video showed officers in protective gear outside the single-family house, one of several locations investigators have visited since ex-Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner was accused in the Feb. 3 slayings of a couple in Irvine and Thursday morning's slaying of a Riverside police officer.

Irvine and La Palma police and U.S. Marshals Service officials were at the location in La Palma, Calif., a small Orange County city about 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

They removed many brown paper bags of evidence from the home after serving the search warrant at about noon.

"At this point, we're looking for any evidence that would lead us to Dorner's whereabouts or anything in connection with the crimes that he is alleged to have committed," said Irvine Police Lt. Bill Whalen.

An Orange County Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory unit also was at the home in the 4900 block of Sharon Drive, in a residential neighborhood.

Dorner's mother and sister were at the home and were cooperating, officials said.

The search for Dorner had turned to the Big Bear area east of Los Angeles Thursday after the discovery of the suspect's burned-out Nissan Titan pickup in the woods south of Big Bear Lake. Authorities said there is nothing to indicate the 33-year-old former Navy reservist remains in the mountain resort community.

Dorner, who was fired from the LAPD in 2008, outlined plans to kill law enforcement officers and their family members in an 11,400-word document posted online. In the document, Dorner addressed his reporting of a fellow officer for excessive use of force, and stated he wanted to get his "name back," and that the actions he was taking were his "last resort."

Dorner began the shooting rampage Sunday when he targeted Monica Quan, 28, and her fiancé, Keith Lawrence, 27, according to investigators. Quan's father is a retired LAPD captain referenced several times in Dorner's document.

Monica Quan and Lawrence were fatally shot Sunday while sitting in their car in a parking structure in Irvine, according to police. Authorities also suspect Dorner in Thursday's shooting death of a Riverside police officer.

Dorner "ambushed" the officer and a trainee at a stop light in Riverside, police said. 

Authorities are expected to hold a news conference at 9 a.m. to provide updates on a search for a fired LAPD officer who went on a deadly rampage across Southern California, killing three people and wounding two since Sunday.

Law enforcement officials searched the ski resort area of Big Bear Thursday after discovering the burned truck of Christopher Dorner, a former officer, who outlined his plans to target law enforcement and their families in an online manifesto.

The search prompted the shutdown of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit and some of the schools, but the resorts were scheduled to reopen on Friday. The closures were prompted by door-to-door searches for Dorner after authorities found his truck on a forestry road.

Schools in the Rim of the World and Bear Valley Unified districts said campuses will remain closed Friday.

Officials cannot say for sure that Dorner is no longer in the area after an overnight manhunt.

Residents were warned not to open their doors for anyone unless they know them or they are uniformed law enforcement officers.

Authorities found Dorner's truck about 2:30 p.m. and used the vehicle identification number to confirm it belonged to Dorner, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of officers injured and killed this morning," McMahon said. "It's truly a sad and tragic day in all of law enforcement."

Deputies, assisted by local, state and federal police and forestry experts, combed through neighborhoods in the mountain community 100 miles east of LA as sunlight faded and cold set in. Snow was expected through Saturday.

Additional deputies were detailed to patrol the area around the clock to "make sure the community's safe," McMahon said. Extra officers were also posted at the bottom of the mountain on highways 18 and 330, checking vehicles coming down and going up, he said.

Deputies will search until they either capture Dorner or determine he's no longer in the Big Bear area, McMahon said.

"He could be anywhere at this point," McMahon said. "That's why we're searching door to door.

"We're doing everything we can to search the area in an attempt to find him."

The burned-out carcass of the truck was first reported about 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the 2000 block of Club View Drive south of Big Bear Lake, near Bear Mountain ski resort.

Nearby schools were placed on lockdown about 12:30 p.m., according to the Bear Valley Unified School District.

"Due to an ongoing law enforcement investigation in the Bear Mountain area, we have made a decision to keep all of our students at our school sites until a parent and/or guardian is able to pick them up," Superintendent District Kurt Madden wrote on the district's Facebook page earlier in the day.

SWAT officers were dispatched to the area as a precautionary measure, said Jodi Miller of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Aerial video showed a pickup truck that was charred, making it difficult to distinguish its original color.

Dorner was last seen in a gray or dark blue Nissan Titan with California license plate 8D83987. Authorities also put out an alert for plate number 7X09131 linked to Dorner.

Irvine police said a vehicle similar to Dorner's was found with its plates stolen. The truck, called a "vehicle of interest" in the Dorner investigation, was searched for evidence and prints at a San Diego County Sheriff's Department substation in Poway.

By late-afternoon in Big Bear, Dorner's truck was towed to a command post for inspection.

Dorner is accused of fatally shooting a newly engaged couple in Irvine on Sunday as part of a revenge plot against law enforcement. One of the victims was the daughter of Randal Quan, LAPD's first Asian-American captain who was mentioned by name in a manifesto apparently written by the disgruntled Dorner.

Dorner also allegedly shot at four police officers early Thursday morning in two separate encounters. One officer was killed and another severely wounded.

In between the two shootings, the suspect was likely in San Diego, according to police.

An LAPD badge along with Dorner's photo ID were discovered by a shuttle driver near the city's airport, and a man meeting Dorner's description attempted to boatjack a 42-foot sundeck cruiser from a San Diego yacht club at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Correction: An earlier version of this story erroneously reported that a badge found in San Diego was that of Dorner's. Police discovered a photo ID belonging to Dorner and an LAPD badge that's authenticity and original owner were unclear. This story has been updated.

Emergency crews responded to Clairemont Friday afternoon to assist a man who was stuck in a ravine.

According to the San Diego Fire Department, a man unfamiliar with the area misstepped and fell 50 feet down the ravine in the 4200 block of Balboa Avenue.

Fire officials arrived to help the man at about 1 p.m. By about 1:30 p.m., they had successfully pulled him out.

The man was conscious when crews pulled him from the ravine on a stretcher, but was stabilized and transported to the hospital, according to John Fisher, Battalion Chief with San Diego Fire Rescue Department.

Firefighters rappelled down and conducted a low-angle rescue using a system of rope pulleys. 

On his way down the cactus-covered canyon, he "suffered quite a few cactus injuries," Fisher said.

His condition is not known at this time. 

Police arrested multiple suspects in a stabbing that turned fatal last month. 

The stabbing happened on the afternoon of January  29 in the 1000 block of Center Avenue, near Oceanside High School, according to the Oceanside Police Department.

Officers responded to the stabbing and a 16-year-old male injured. Medics responded, and transported him to the hospital via helicopter. 

The teen later died in the hospital due to the trauma to his chest, according to police. He was identified as Javier Luna. 

Thursday evening, OPD detectives served several search warrants and arrested five people they believe are responsible in Luna's death. 

Initially, authorities listed one suspect in the case. On Friday, they announced that five to six additional juveniles or young adults were also possibly involved. The suspects were last seen running from the crime scene southbound onto Horne Street.

The area has seen a number of high-profile violent crimes over the past several months. Lt. Leonard Mata with the Oceanside Police Department said of all eight homicides in the area last year, four were gang-related. 

In November, just a few blocks from where police said the stabbing Tuesday occurred, officers arrested Frederick Hengl, 68, after the discovery of his wife's body in the couple's N. Ditmar Street home. Officers reported finding the dismembered remains of 73-year-old Anna Faris cooking in pans in the couple's kitchen.

Later that month, residents Inez Martinez Garcia, 43, and husband Marcial Garcia Hernandez, 45, were arrested and accused of allegedly abusing a young girl who had been smuggled into the U.S.

Then, earlier this month, an Oceanside man was found with a gunshot wound inside an apartment about a block away from Tuesday's stabbing. 

A resident told NBC 7 in a previous article that the area is known for gang activity adding that there have been five shootings on the street since November 1. A crime report shows that in that period of time, Oceanside Police have reported 12 assaults in Oceanside.

A cluster of assaults were reported near the high school. The map below uses the red icon to show where assaults happened:

Source: Oceanside Police Department

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Detective Tyrone Dunn at 760 435-4054.

The strong winter storm has already produced enough snow to close schools and force drivers to use chains on a main route through San Diego's mountains.

A warning was issued at 1 p.m. Friday advising Lindbergh Field of possible lightning. A thunderstorm with cloud to ground lightning will move over or be within 5 miles of the airport from now until 2 p.m.

A chance for thunderstorms will be possible through the evening for Lindbergh Field. Shortly after noon, a Jet Blue flight was struck by lightning 15 miles outside the airport area. The plane landed safely and all 147 people aboard were uninjured.

"We saw a bright flash outside and we wondering. Was that lightning?" said Heather Fellmeth of the Marist College water polo team.

She said there was no change in the planes flight but they did hear a pop that accompanied the bright flash around noon.

Fellmeth said the flight crew later told the passengers that they were struck by lightning. The captain of the plane told authorities the bolt struck the nose of the plane and exited the tail. Crews are checking the plane to ensure that all systems on the plane are working properly.

Roadway flooding was seen on Quarry Road between Lemon Grove and La Mesa. Officials shut down the road to all vehicles until the water clears.

It will be cold, wet and windy at times Friday. San Diegans should expect rain showers on and off throughout the day.

As of 10 a.m., rainfall was meager across the county with a trace of precipitation recorded at Lindbergh Field.

Hail fell in areas like Carlsbad and Mira Mesa. The same powerful band of storm activity produced thunderstorms and lightning some communities.

The winter storm warning was in effect for San Diego’s mountains through 3 a.m. Saturday and called for the potential for one to four inches of snow in areas like Mount Laguna and Palomar Mountain.

Get Your Forecast

Gusts of winds have been recorded at up to 30 mph in mountain regions according to NBC 7's Whitney Southwick.

The Mountain Empire Unified School District east of San Diego closed schools Friday because of the snow and hail forecasted for the area.

“Up in our mountains, this is the one we’ve been waiting for,” said NBC 7 San Diego Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh. “When all is said and done tonight, that snow level could be down to the 2,000-foot or 2,500-foot level.”

Visibility for drivers on local roads could drop to below a quarter mile at times in the snow with blowing snow possibly and fog according to the National Weather Service.

For some parts of the local mountains that could mean black ice or slippery roads.

Check Interactive Radar

Also, before you head to the mountains check with Caltrans Road Conditions on chain requirements. By 9:30 a.m. Friday, chains were required on Sunrise Highway according to the California Highway Patrol.

There was also a coastal flood advisory in effect for parts of San Diego County through 10 a.m. Saturday. Among the areas that may be affected were Cardiff, Del Mar, La Jolla and Imperial Beach according to the NWS.

While snow and rain will taper off late Friday night and into Saturday morning, San Diegans can expect cooler than normal temperatures.

The Department of the Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps have declared their stance against listing North County’s Trestle Beach on the National Historic Registry.

A representative for the Marine Corps Installations West presented the objection at a hearing Friday before the State Historical Resources Commission.

The representative cited a potential disruption of military readiness and “unacceptable risks to military training” as the reasons for objecting to the historic designation of the beach area.

According to Camp Pendleton officials, the Marine Corps has used the waters and beach areas within the boundaries of the proposed Trestles Historic District for military training and exercises since 1942.

The surf and beach spot provides the only amphibious access to much of the base’s training areas, and Marines argue that this continued access is crucial to Camp Pendleton’s mission, base officials said.

The proposed Trestles Historic District includes the stretch of beach and famous surfing points along San Onofre State Beach, Trestles Beach and the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton.

Proponents, including preservationists and surfers, say the beach meets all the criteria for listing on the National Historic Registry. Surfers believe this stretch of beach has been significant to the development of the quintessential California sport.

However, Camp Pendleton officials say the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps have thoroughly reviewed the Trestles Historic District nomination and believe it does not meet eligibility criteria.

The Navy and Marine Corps say they will continue to support the shared use and accessibility of Trestles Beach, regardless of what happens.

As for the final decision on the historic designation, that’s up to the Keeper of the National Registry.

At this point, preliminary approval has been given for the Trestles Historic District. The final decision from federal officials is expected sometime later this year.

The Texas congressman who is the oldest member of the House of Representatives in U.S. history has joined social-networking site Twitter.

Even at 89 years old, Rep. Ralph Hall is still trying to keep up with what all the kids are doing.

"First thing — the name fascinates me. Twitter — where did they get that?" he said.

The Texas congressman is the oldest serving member of the House of Representatives in recorded history.

"All I know is, I want to get to my people, reach my people, reach the young people," Hall said. "You can say an awful lot in two sentences to let people know how you voted or why you voted, how you voted or what you're going to do or where you're going to be next week. I think it will be helpful."

In his first tweet, Hall used the handle @RalphHallPress to reminisce about the past, wishing former President Ronald Reagan happy birthday on what would have been his 102nd birthday.

"I did work with him, and he was a great, great president," Hall said. "He was a great guy, and I was very fond of him."

Hall, who said keeping things at 140 characters or less is growing on him, said he plans to become an expert at tweeting.

Hall is the last member of the state's congressional delegation to join the social network. He represents Texas District 4, which includes parts of North Texas that include Rockwall, Sherman and Paris.

More: Ralph Hall on Twitter

A former student candidate at California State University San Marcos was arrested yesterday for attempting to manipulate votes, according to officials.

Matthew Weaver, who ran for president of the Associated Students last year, is suspected of casting hundreds of fake votes.

Weaver used "key-swiping" technology to steal user-names and passwords from other students, according to a criminal complaint.

The FBI led a yearlong investigation of Weaver on suspicion of wire fraud and access device fraud.

Last year, Weaver had four friends run for vice president positions. He then allegedly cast hundreds of online votes for himself and his friends. But just hours before the voting ended, college employees found evidence of the alleged fraud.

If the plan had succeeded, Weaver and his friends would have received a total stipend of $36,000 for their work in the student government.

A spokesperson for the FBI said this case sends a strong message about computer hacking.

“They may think that that's not a big thing,” said the FBI’s Darrell Foxworth. “It won't get them in trouble. And I'm here to tell you that it can get you in trouble. It can create big problems for you.”

Weaver was also charged with unauthorized access of a computer. He appeared in federal court Friday where a federal judge set his bond at 20 thousand dollars, and ordered him to return to court later this month.

NBC 7 San Diego could not reach Weaver for comment and a CSUSM spokesperson declined to speak about the situation because the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.

Are you doing enough to protect your email?  For scam artists, your email account is a treasure trove of information that can be mined for a variety of purposes.

Recently a hacker claimed to have taken photos, addresses and other personal information from family members of Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush.

Scam artists look for email accounts because they often have financial, banking and investments information that can be used to steal from your online accounts.

"It's kind of putting all your eggs in one basket," said Stephen Cobb with eset Security. "That is what is making it attractive to bad guys who are always thinking of new ways to exploit that information."

Tanya McAnear is store owner of Bad Badge & Company is South Park. She says she could not live without her email account. But she worries what could happen if a hacker got into her account.

"Personal information is not safe anymore," said McAnear.

Stephen Cobb suggests that people change their password often and, if possible, create a second tier of password protection to their email accounts.

"I think we will see more of this use of additional means of verifying who you are," said Cobb.