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5 Can’t Miss Events at SD Fleet Week

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Ahoy, San Diego! Fleet Week 2014 is underway. It’s a celebration of military families and a chance to give San Diego civilians a glimpse or military life.

Fleet Week isn’t a week at all. The event runs Aug. 30 through Nov. 21. With more than two months of excitement and entertainment, it’s tough to see it all. Here are five highlights not to be missed:

Coronado Speed Festival (Sept. 20-21)
The “Race at the Base” is a must-see for any car enthusiast. Naval Air Station North Island will transform into the world’s coolest racetrack. Spectators can even watch V8 trucks fly off ramps 20 feet in the air and reach 130 mph speeds.

Navy Open House (Sept. 20-21)
Cars not really your thing? Climb aboard a Navy warship instead. The public can tour an aircraft carrier, a destroyer and an amphibious landing platform dock ship. Ship tours were canceled last year because of sequestration, so don’t miss your chance.

Boot Camp Challenge (Sept. 27)
What does it take to be a U.S. Marine? Find out as participants run, climb and crawl through a 3-mile obstacle course, all while being yelled at by 60 drill instructors. Try it yourself, or at least go watch. (That’s an order!)

Miramar Air Show (Oct. 3-5)
Last year, the Miramar Air Show was canceled just one day before the show started because of government restrictions. But this year, the largest military air show in the country is back with all your favorite acts, including the Blue Angels. “We have a mix of new and old aircraft see the folks, and I’m just thrilled to see the folks come on base and get a chance to interact with the base,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Rocco, Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Fleet Week Big Bay Bash (Oct. 18)
Bring the kids to the Broadway Pier for the Big Bay Bay. New for 2014, the event will feature Moonbounce, face painting, games, live music and more. (Military members, ask your command about getting free tickets to an exclusive party on the USS Midway.)

See the complete scheduled at the official Fleet Week San Diego website.


Man Who Killed Ex, Brother Executed

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A man convicted of gunning down his former common-law wife and her brother more than two decades ago in Houston was put to death by lethal injection Wednesday evening.

Willie Trottie's execution was carried out about 90 minutes after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his last-day appeals. He had contended he had poor legal help at his trial and questioned the potency of the execution drug.

Trottie repeatedly expressed love to witnesses -- both people he selected and relatives of his victims, Barbara and Titus Canada -- and several times asked for forgiveness as he was about to be executed.

"I love you all," he said. "I'm going home, going to be with the Lord. ... Find it in your hearts to forgive me. I'm sorry."

As the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital took effect, he closed his eyes and breathed quietly. After about eight breaths, he opened his mouth to exhale, then closed it. There was no further movement.

Trottie, 45, was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m. CDT -- 22 minutes after the injection began.

His was the eighth lethal injection this year in Texas, and the first in the nation's most active death penalty state since recent executions went awry in Oklahoma and Arizona. Unlike those states, where a drug combination is used for capital punishment, Texas uses a single lethal dose of pentobarbital.

Trottie had acknowledged shooting Barbara Canada, 24, and her brother, Titus Canada, 28, at their parents' home in Houston. But Trottie said the May 1993 shootings were accidental and in self-defense, and not worthy of a death sentence.

Prosecutors said he had threatened to kill Canada, who had a protective order against him, if she didn't return to him. They said he carried out that threat when barging into the house and opening fire.

His attorneys had argued to the Supreme Court that Trottie's lawyers at his 1993 trial were deficient for not addressing his self-defense theory and for failing to produce sufficient testimony about Trottie's abusive childhood with an alcoholic mother.

State attorneys scoffed at the argument, saying Trottie's self-defense claim was absurd and had been rejected in earlier appeals.

Trottie's attorneys also contended the dose of pentobarbital for his lethal injection was past its effectiveness date and could subject him to unconstitutional "tortuous" pain.

The state responded that the drug doesn't expire until the end of the month and that tests showed proper potency. They argued the appeal seeking details of the drug was merely another attempt to force prison officials to disclose the compounding pharmacy that provides the execution drugs, something the courts repeatedly have refused to order.
 

Well-Dressed Bandit Robs Wells Fargo

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Suspects in area bank robberies - caught in the act on camera.

Photo Credit: FBI

Giant Panda Chips Tooth, Heads to Dentist

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A dreaded trip to the dentist isn’t limited to the human race, a giant panda discovered Wednesday.

The San Diego Zoo’s Bai Yun has apparently been eating some tough bamboo, for keepers recently noticed a chip in one of her lower canines.

After a dental exam and x-rays, the veterinary team anesthetized the panda to repair the tooth.

They used a big dental composite to fill in the chip and cured it with a light to seal the filling. The vets also performed a restorative procedure to cover the chipped part and prevent further damage.

“The good news is the pulp canal hadn't been compromised, but it's very close to breaking into the pulp canal," said Meg Sutherland-Smith, associate director of the zoo’s veterinary services.

They topped the procedure off with a good, thorough cleaning and imaging.

Zoo officials explain that as pandas chew and break the bamboo with their mouths, their teeth get worn down over time. Many of these giant bears can spend up to 12 hours a day eating the rough plant.

After 23 years of chewing, Bai Yun’s teeth were due for some work.

All the giant pandas – one of the most popular attractions at the San Diego Zoo – are on loan from China. San Diego keepers work with the Chinese Academy of Science to study behavior, ecology, genetics and conservation of wild pandas.



Photo Credit: Ken Bohn

The Buzz on San Diego Coffee Shops

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September means school and school means caffeine. Whether you’re getting ready to return to school yourself or getting the kids ready for a new year, a freshly brewed cup of coffee might be just what you need to get you through the daily grind. Here’s a round-up of some of Yelp’s highest-rated coffee shops in San Diego.

Zumbar Coffee & Tea (Sorrento Valley)
Zumbar is a Spanish verb that means to purr, hum, or buzz. This elevated level of excitement is achieved by stepping into Zumbar. This coffee shop boasts not only the most delicious coffee, but also the most beautiful! The mochas are drizzled artfully with chocolate while the cappuccinos double as canvases, proving the baristas here are artists on and off the clock. Come to Zumbar for the coffee and leave with an Instagram-worthy shot, hashtags not included.

Better Buzz (Pacific Beach)
If you’re in the mood to get in, get out and get going, Pacific Beach’s Better Buzz is the place for you. The menu here ranges from mochas and teas to smoothies and everything in between. Better Buzz even has a drink dubbed the “Best Drink Ever” – a signature Americano with a touch of sweetness, cream and vanilla. The coffeehouse also serves a packed acai bowl, a snack fit for a San Diegan. As newcomers will quickly realize, life is definitely better buzzed.

Caffe Calabria (North Park)
Pizza, paninis, pastries, oh my! Caffe Calabria is the friend that can do everything, and do it all well. This coffee business brews and roasts its beans as a culinary art, taking advantage of its skilled baristas on hand. The menu includes neapolitan pizzas, colorful pies baked to perfection in a wood-fire oven. Other tasty treats include warm paninis and an assortment of pastries, all freshly made and locally-sourced. To top it all off, this place even serves wine.

Lofty Coffee Co. (Encinitas)
If you need coffee running through your veins, Encinitas’ Lofty is about to become your newest addiction. This locally-owned coffee shop serves organic drinks that are both environmentally-conscious and uniquely delicious. The salted caramel latte is a favorite among locals (dream of it while you wait in line, it’s a popular place!). Lofty’s commitment to coffee fundamentals is to be commended.

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters (Normal Heights)
Daniel Charlson, founder of Dark Horse, has always been fascinated with coffee culture, and luckily for San Diego, he brought that passion to our beautiful city. Using all organic ingredients, this Uptown hotspot produces memorable cups of “pour over” coffee, meaning each cup is individually brewed upon request. And, if a daily stop in doesn’t get you enough, get a new brew delivered directly to your home with through the shop’s monthly “coffee subscription” service. By the way, Dark Horse will open two more locations before the year’s end – one in North Park and the other in Golden Hill.


Lush Lounge (Vista)

It’s hard not to enjoy an organic, fair trade cup of coffee. But here you can enjoy it with comfortable seating, a lending library and even a koi pond. An earthly feel, great customer service and superior products are what make Lush Lounge one of the highest-rated coffee shops in San Diego’s North County. Come in and try their full-bodied coffee with a splash of soy, almond or coconut milk.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Police ID Person of Interest in SDSU Sex Assault

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San Diego State University police have released a surveillance image of a person of interest in a sexual assault of a student earlier this month.

Police describe the man as either a tanned white male or possibly Hispanic male. He appears to be in his early twenties, about 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches, with an average build, chocolate brown hair, short haircut, brown eyes and possibly unshaven.

He was wearing a baggie shirt with a gray center with multi-colored sleeves.

The alleged assault happened around 1:30 a.m. Sept. 6 at the campus-owned Granada Apartments. The apartment complex is located at Hardy Avenue and 55th Street, about one block from Viejas Arena.

According to a crime alert from the university, the victim told officers that a young man tried to befriend her as she was walking home. The SDSU student claimed the man followed her into her apartment and sexually assaulted her.

The suspect ran away when one of the victim’s roommates arrived, officials said.

It is unclear how the suspect gained access to the building.

The assault was the second one in just one week. On Labor Day, another SDSU student said she was sexually assaulted in a bathroom at an off-campus house party near College Place and College Avenue.

This person of interest is not believed to be connected to the Labor Day assault.

Anyone who may have information on the person of interest should call the campus police department at 619-594-1991 or email police@mail.sdsu.edu.

Boston Honoring Victims of Sept. 11 Attacks

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Thursday marks the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and the city of Boston is among those honoring the 3,000 people lost in the tragedy.

The attacks hold a strong connection with Boston, not only because of the 210 people connected to Massachusetts who died that day.

The two planes that struck the twin towers — United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 — took off from Boston’s Logan International Airport the morning of the attacks. More than 150 people were aboard the planes, which were both headed to Los Angeles.

Mayor Marty Walsh told people gathered at an early morning wreath-laying ceremony at Boston Public Garden that the day would never be an easy one for the city.

 "I want to thank the families of the 206 people connected to Massachusetts," Walsh said. "I want to thank the families of the 3,000 loved ones who were lost on that horrific day."

Bagpipers from the Boston Fire Department played and the Boston Fire Department Quartet sang "God Bless America" as victims' families honored their loved ones.

At 8:30, there was a flag-lowering ceremony at the Massachusetts State House led by Gov. Deval Patrick. The names of the 210 people from Massachusetts who died on Sept. 11 were read. During this event, at 8:46, the moment the first plane hit the World Trade Center, a moment of silencewas held.

At 9:30 in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, there will be a special memorial service for victims’ families and survivors.



Photo Credit: AP

American Flag Unfurled at Pentagon for 9/11

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Sept. 11 commemorations got underway in the D.C. area at dawn with the unfurling of an American flag down the side of the Pentagon. The tradition began the day after the Sept. 11 attacks when firefighters unexpectedly got onto the building's roof and draped a large flag across the damaged building -- a quiet symbol of America's determination.

Search for Man With Hatchet Leads to School Lockdown

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Law enforcement officials in San Diego's East County are on alert for a teenager accused of running through a neighborhood with a hatchet.

El Cajon Police officers say the commotion started Wednesday when Christopher Wilson, 19, was walking down the street and got into a confrontation with a homeowner, about a block away from Fletcher Hills Elementary.

Wilson pulled out a hatchet, witnesses say, and ran from the scene, possibly using the street right by the school.

Fletcher Hills was locked down around 2 p.m.as a precaution, but there was no direct threat to the school, police say. Students were released one grade at a time about 15 minutes later.

Officers covered the 2200 block of Chatham Street to chase Wilson, who they call a "dangerous subject," and they eventually zeroed in on one house, where they say the suspect lives.

However, a search of the house turned up nothing.

Wilson was described as having spiked hair and wearing a black tank top and jeans.

The subject's mother was called in to use a bull horn to speak to her son when they thought he was in the house.

She told NBC 7 Wilson's own father has a restraining order against him.

Hundreds Kicked Out of National City Complex

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Hundreds of people in National City have just found out they’ll be homeless in a matter of days.

The 170-unit condo complex at 801 National City Boulevard has been “red-tagged” by the city, meaning officials plans to shut down the crumbling structure before someone gets hurt.

Fliers posted to doors notified residents Tuesday that they have to be out by Sept. 21.

"It’s just out of nowhere,” said Charmain Medina, a Navy sailor who just had a baby. “They said you're gonna get kicked out and you have eleven days."

Many of her neighbors are already packing up after the notices appeared on their doors.

The fire marshal says it’s not something they want to do, but the building’s cracked stairwells and walls are not up to current fire codes.

The people living there – many of them active military or veterans – are stuck in the middle of a nasty dispute between the building’s prior owner Pacifica Companies and the current Home Owners’ Association.

Pacifica had converted the location from a hotel to a condo complex seven years ago. Residents say the HOA has been in litigation with the company over repairs, each blaming the other for the building’s current condition.

So instead, the city stepped in.

Gary Wasserman, an attorney for the homeowners, said an example of the lack of care is a twelfth story railing that came undone on Tuesday.

“It would’ve tumbled 12 stories and fallen on whatever is down below,” he said. “These are the types of issues we’re dealing with with this building.”

Medina said they got no hint of the closure when they recently renewed their lease. She felt taken advantage of, but at least she is aware of what’s coming, unlike some neighbors who will return from deployment to find they are homeless.

“From what I found out, up until yesterday they were renting units. People were moving in in the afternoon yesterday,” said resident Jay Lalwani.

Those who own their units are faced with an extra predicament, forced to find a way to pay their mortgage while renting another place to live.

There is no timeline on when anyone can return.

The Red Cross has been at the complex to help people find an interim home.

Could You Live on $51 a Week?

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Could you live on $51 a week?

That’s the question San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria is asking as a way to gain support of the minimum wage increase.

San Diego’s Earned Sick Leave-Minimum Wage Ordinance is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2015. It will raise the minimum wage from $9 an hour to $9.75 on Jan. 1, $10.50 in 2016 and $11.50 in 2017.

However, that doesn’t mean the minimum wage hike is a done deal. Opponents are trying to collect 34,000 signatures to get the issue on the ballot instead.

Gloria and two local business leaders tried living on the minimum wage for one week to illustrate why they believe it needs to be raised.

“This is just an experiment for me, but for thousands of San Diegans, roughly 38 percent of us, this is their life every single day,” Gloria said.

They calculated that after taxes and housing expenses, minimum wage workers would have $51 each week for food, transportation and everything else.

“Being poor in San Diego requires you to work very, very hard,” Gloria said.

Gloria said he couldn’t buy coffee, eat out, dry clean his clothes or wash his car. Gloria used groceries as an example: He typically spends more than $100 a week at the supermarket, but only spent $22.97 during the minimum wage challenge.

Arnulfo Manriquez, President and CEO of the nonprofit MAAC, said the money was gone by the third day.

“Everything I did was framed around how much money I had,” said Manriquez, a single father of three children.

But Ann Kinner, owner of Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma, said she’s struggling now.

“I’m already about as lean as I can get, so that means in order to keep what I have now comes out of my pocket,” Kinner said. I don’t spend as much on groceries. We don’t go out to dinner. We don’t do things people would like us to do because I don’t have the money to contribute to my own household.”

Kinner is a member of the Small Business Coalition and has a petition about the minimum wage hike inside her shop. She said raising the minimum wage will eliminate jobs.

“They’re not going to be able to get jobs because the people won’t be able to afford to hire them,” she said.

The 450 employees at MAAC make at least $11 an hour and have full benefits, Manriquez said. He said better pay and benefits will lead to fewer sick days and less employee turnover.

“You will have much more productive employees,” he said.

Alma Rodriguez, Director of Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center, also took the minimum wage challenge. She said the hardest part was not being able to buy her daughter a book she needed for school.

“I had to do dramatic changes that we take for granted every day,” Rodriguez said. “But these people that work for the minimum wage, they actually do it every day.”



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Fuse

Mountain Lion Killed Near Site of Attack on Boy

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Officers from California's Department of Fish and Wildlife have killed a mountain lion near the Cupertino hiking trail where a 6-year-old boy was attacked by a big cat on Sunday.

DFW confirms the animal was found Wednesday morning in a tree about 130 yards from the Picchetti Ranch Zinfandel Trail area, where the boy was attacked while hiking with his family. The 65-pound male mountain lion was killed with a rifle shot in an effort to protect public safety, wildlife officials said.

"The cat dispalyed unusually aggressive behavior -- it ignored the dogs, locked eyes with one of the wardens and appeared ready to pounce -- so they did shoot it," said DFW spokesperson Kirsten Macintyre. "These cats usually just don't want to come anywhere near people, and it showed no fear at all."

The animal's carcass was taken to Sacramento, Macintyre said. DFW’s wildlife investigation lab will be conducting a full forensics investigation, comparing evidence gathered at the attack to confirm the identity of the cat. Officials will conduct a complete necropsy and a rabies test.

It is unclear how long it will take for the rabies test to be completed.

Visitors who frequent the area are relieved to hear the mountain lion is no longer on the loose.

"Now I'm really happy just to go fishing knowing it's safe," said Hanna Karam.

Wildlife officials said that the fact that the cat was so close to the attack site coupled with its territorial behavior makes it likely that this was a local mountain lion and not one that was passing through the area.

Searchers have been working day and night since Sunday afternoon' s attack that took place on the trail near Picchetti Winery. Wildlife experts went to the scene and picked up the cat's scent. After three days of investigating within a one-mile radius from the attack site, experts and specialized tracking dogs found a cat and treed it.

"The cat was about 70 feet up in the tree and tranquilizing it was not a reasonable option and the fall would have killed it anyway," DFW said in a statement. "No one at the department wanted to destroy this animal but protecting public safety is a first and foremost priority."

DFW said relocation of mountain lions gets evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The animal that attacked the little boy wasn't eligible because it had attacked a human, the agency said.

The mountain lion in the initial attack came out of nowhere and bit the boy's neck and back, as if he were "a deer," Fish and Game Lt. Pat Foy said in a previous interview.

The boy's father and a family friend yelled and screamed at the lion, which ran off. The boy was taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose and released on Monday. His family has declined interviews.

On Wednesday, a scientist at the Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Sacramento determined the cat was a male based on saliva found on the boy's T-shirt.

Mountain lion attacks causing death and serious injury are rare in California. There have only been three deadly cases since 1986, when DFW began documenting them. They occurred in El Dorado, San Diego and Orange counties.

There have been 11 nonfatal cases in California during that time period – none in the Bay Area.

According to DFW, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 mountain lions live in California. For information on how to stay safe while living or recreating in mountian lion territory, click here.

NBC Bay Area's Lisa Fernandez contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Apps Offer Users Way to Stay Safe When Walking Alone

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In light of the recent assaults in North Park and the search for a sexual assault suspect on the campus of a local university, people are sharing ideas for ways to stay safe when walking alone.

Something as simple as a smart phone app can alert those close to you or even law enforcement authorities if you find yourself in trouble.

Emily Albertson lives further from San Diego than her friends and says when they go out at night she often has to driver herself.

“Often times I have to park and walk a few blocks to meet them wherever we're going,” she said. Albertson says she often feels uneasy and would like more options to feel safe in this situations.

Albertson isn’t alone and the tech world is noticing. More smartphone safety apps are available like Watchoverme, bSafe and Safetrek.

With Safetreck, you hold down a button until you're some place safe. If you let go and don't enter your secret four-digit pin police are notified.

With Watch Over Me, you set how much time you need to get to a safe spot. If the time runs out and you don't press the "I'm safe" button, your emergency contacts are sent messages.

Many of the apps are free, but some provide better versions if you pay.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

New California Law Gives Cyclists 3-Foot Buffer

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California drivers next week will have to follow a new law when sharing the road with bicyclists.

The new law goes into effect on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and calls for drivers to stay at least 3 feet away when passing bicyclists.

"If you're passing a person on a bike, you must give them at least 3 feet of space when passing them to ensure you are not buzzing by them or hit them with some part of your vehicle," said Kristin Smith of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Drivers must keep their distance from bicyclists until it is safe to pass.

"What we're trying to do in San Francisco is to get protected bikeways so you don't have to be interacting so much between people driving and people biking," Smith said.

The League of American Bicyclists report up to 40 percent of all fatal bike collisions are caused by unsafe passing. Those crashes usually take place when bicyclists get hit from behind.

"I've had definitely close calls with vehicles," said Althea Karwowski, who sees the law from two perspectives as both a a bicyclist and driver. "The scariest thing that happens to me is when I’m in a bike lane going through an intersection and a car after me doesn’t have their turn signal on, but they go to make a right hand turn and I fear for my life."

Motorists who are caught not giving bicyclist the mandatory 3 feet of space before passing may face a fine between $35 and $200. If a collision occurs, the fine could reach up to $1,000.

Images: San Diego Unified School District Gets MRAP

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MRAP vehicle arrives for San Diego Unified School District

Photo Credit: SDUSD

Ari Fleischer Recounts 9/11 Events on Twitter

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Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer used Twitter on Thursday morning to recall what the 9/11 terror attacks were like for President George W. Bush and the White House staff.

Fleischer went into great detail about what he heard and saw 13 years ago while being with President Bush while at an elementary school in Florida as planes struck the twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

The following is a collection of his tweets:

 



Photo Credit: Paul Morse/The White House/Getty Images

City Attorney: $250K Needed to Defend Ex-Cop Cases

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The City of San Diego may have to set aside $250,000 to defend against civil lawsuits after a former police officer admitted to misconduct while on duty.

The City Attorney's office is asking for that money in the event it was needed to hire outside council to defend former San Diego Police Officer Christopher Hays in any lawsuits stemming from his case.

Hays pleaded guilty to felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor counts of assault and battery under the color of authority by a peace officer on Aug. 22.

Hays had resigned from the police department after four women claimed he had inappropriately touched and groped them during pat downs while he was on duty.

Hays faces a maximum of five years behind bars but may wind up being sentenced to about one year. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26.

When news broke of Hays' arrest, then-Chief William Lansdowne ordered an outside audit of the police department from the U.S. Department of Justice.  Lansdowne’s successor, Chief Shelley Zimmerman, supported the audit.

When former SDPD Officer Anthony Arevalos was convicted and sent to prison for a number of sex crimes, the City Attorney said the city faced a dozen lawsuits from victims in the case.

In June 2012, one woman received a $45,000 settlement from the city, her attorney told NBC 7. Six months later, the San Diego City Council announced a combined $245,000 award to two women who claimed Arevalos sexually assaulted them.

In September 2013, the City of San Diego paid $795,000 to a woman identified in court documents as Jane Roe who was not involved in the criminal case.

Accomplice Helped Inmate Escape From Jail: Sheriff's Officials

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The San Diego suspect who escaped from the Central Jail downtown worked with another inmate –and former roommate – to fool jailers, San Diego County Sheriff’s officials confirmed.

Don Andrea Torrillo, 26, managed to walk out the lockup’s front doors Tuesday evening after going through the release process under a different name: Allen Morefield, according to sheriff’s spokesperson Jan Caldwell.

She says Torrillo and Morefield, 19, were housed on the same floor and were arrested around the same time last week on similar drug charges.

But Torrillo’s father told NBC 7 the two knew each other before jail. Torrillo was living with his parents as Morefield rented a room from them before his arrest. The two also look alike, according to Caldwell.

When placed in jail together, the two agreed to swap jail identification wristbands, Caldwell said. Morefield’s indicated he was to be released on Tuesday, though investigators are not sure why Morefield would want to stay locked up.

The ruse worked long enough for Torrillo to get through processing.

“[Officers] have a series of exit questions they go through. He answered properly,” said Caldwell said. “Similar in appearance, the wristband, and he was released.”

It took corrections officers nearly an hour to realize they had released the wrong person, at which point they launched a countywide search for Torrillo.

He was last seen wearing

Once the suspect is back in custody, Caldwell says they will be investigating how the escape happened.

“Thankfully this does not happen often, but one time is too much,” said Caldwell. “So while we do have some checks and balances in place, we are also looking into biometrics, facial recognition.”

Torrillo’s father said he has not seen his son since the escape. He did say that Torrillo plans to turn himself in through the family attorney but did not indicate when that may happen.

Morefield remains behind bars and could face new charges.



Photo Credit: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

9/11 Survivor Recalls Viral Email

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Editor's Note: This story was first published on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Adam Mayblum worked on the 87th floor of the north tower, just below where American Airlines Flight 11 struck, and he was one of the few who made it out.

Shortly after he walked down all those flights of stairs, past firefighters going the other way, he wrote an email to family and friends describing his experience. It quickly went viral, and Mayblum's words resonated around the world as people were able to relive those moments he spent inside the tower.

NBC New York met up with Mayblum nearly 10 years later, and found how how his life has changed.

You can read his email in full below. He titles it "The Price We Pay."

My name is Adam Mayblum. I am alive today. I am committing this to “paper” so I never forget. SO WE NEVER FORGET. I am sure that this is one of thousands of stories that will emerge over the next several days and weeks.

I arrived as usual a little before 8am. My office was on the 87th floor of 1 World Trade Center, AKA: Tower 1, AKA: the North Tower. Most of my associates were in by 8:30m. We were standing around, joking around, eating breakfast, checking emails, and getting set for the day when the first plane hit just a few stories above us. I must stress that we did not know that it was a plane. The building lurched violently and shook as if it were an earthquake. People screamed. I watched out my window as the building seemed to move 10 to 20 feet in each direction. It rumbled and shook long enough for me to get my wits about myself and grab a co-worker and seek shelter under a doorway. Light fixtures and parts of the ceiling collapsed. The kitchen was destroyed. We were certain that it was a bomb. We looked out the windows. Reams of paper were flying everywhere, like a ticker tape parade. I looked down at the street. I could see people in Battery Park City looking up. Smoke started billowing in through the holes in the ceiling. I believe that there were 13 of us.

We did not panic. I can only assume that we thought that the worst was over. The building was standing and we were shaken but alive. We checked the halls. The smoke was thick and white and did not smell like I imagined smoke should smell. Not like your BBQ or your fireplace or even a bonfire. The phones were working. My wife had taken our 9 month old for his check up. I called my nanny at home and told her to page my wife, tell her that a bomb went off, I was ok, and on my way out. I grabbed my laptop. Took off my tee shirt and ripped it into 3 pieces. Soaked it in water. Gave 2 pieces to my friends. Tied my piece around my face to act as an air filter. And we all started moving to the staircase. One of my dearest friends said that he was staying until the police or firemen came to get him. In the halls there were tiny fires and sparks. The ceiling had collapsed in the men’s bathroom. It was gone along with anyone who may have been in there. We did not go in to look. We missed the staircase on the first run and had to double back. Once in the staircase we picked up fire extinguishers just incase. On the 85th floor a brave associate of mine and I headed back up to our office to drag out my partner who stayed behind. There was no air, just white smoke. We made the rounds through the office calling his name. No response. He must have succumbed to the smoke. We left defeated in our efforts and made our way back to the stairwell. We proceeded to the 78th floor where we had to change over to a different stairwell. 78 is the main junction to switch to the upper floors. I expected to see more people. There were some 50 to 60 more. Not enough. Wires and fires all over the place. Smoke too. A brave man was fighting a fire with the emergency hose. I stopped with to friends to make sure that everyone from our office was accounted for. We ushered them and confused people into the stairwell. In retrospect, I recall seeing Harry, my head trader, doing the same several yards behind me. I am only 35. I have known him for over 14 years. I headed into the stairwell with 2 friends.

We were moving down very orderly in Stair Case A. very slowly. No panic. At least not overt panic. My legs could not stop shaking. My heart was pounding. Some nervous jokes and laughter. I made a crack about ruining a brand new pair of Merrells. Even still, they were right, my feet felt great. We all laughed. We checked our cell phones. Surprisingly, there was a very good signal, but the Sprint network was jammed. I heard that the Blackberry 2 way email devices worked perfectly. On the phones, 1 out of 20 dial attempts got through. I knew I could not reach my wife so I called my parents. I told them what happened and that we were all okay and on the way down. Soon, my sister in law reached me. I told her we were fine and moving down. I believe that was about the 65th floor. We were bored and nervous. I called my friend Angel in San Francisco. I knew he would be watching. He was amazed I was on the phone. He told me to get out that there was another plane on its way. I did not know what he was talking about. By now the second plane had struck Tower 2. We were so deep into the middle of our building that we did not hear or feel anything. We had no idea what was really going on. We kept making way for wounded to go down ahead of us. Not many of them, just a few. No one seemed seriously wounded. Just some cuts and scrapes. Everyone cooperated. Everyone was a hero yesterday. No questions asked. I had co-workers in another office on the 77th floor. I tried dozens of times to get them on their cell phones or office lines. It was futile. Later I found that they were alive. One of the many miracles on a day of tragedy.

On the 53rd floor we came across a very heavyset man sitting on the stairs. I asked if he needed help or was he just resting. He needed help. I knew I would have trouble carrying him because I have a very bad back. But my friend and I offered anyway. We told him he could lean on us. He hesitated, I don’t know why. I said do you want to come or do you want us to send help for you. He chose for help. I told him he was on the 53rd floor in Stairwell A and that’s what I would tell the rescue workers. He said okay and we left.

On the 44th floor my phone rang again. It was my parents. They were hysterical. I said relax, I’m fine. My father said get out, there is third plane coming. I still did not understand. I was kind of angry. What did my parents think? Like I needed some other reason to get going? I couldn’t move the thousand people in front of me any faster. I know they love me, but no one inside understood what the situation really was. My parents did. Starting around this floor the firemen, policemen, WTC K-9 units without the dogs, anyone with a badge, started coming up as we were heading down. I stopped a lot of them and told them about the man on 53 and my friend on 87. I later felt terrible about this. They headed up to find those people and met death instead.

On the 33rd floor I spoke with a man who somehow new most of the details. He said 2 small planes hit the building. Now we all started talking about which terrorist group it was. Was it an internal organization or an external one? The overwhelming but uninformed opinion was Islamic Fanatics. Regardless, we now knew that it was not a bomb and there were potentially more planes coming. We understood.

On the 3r floor the lights went out and we heard & felt this rumbling coming towards us from above. I thought the staircase was collapsing upon itself. It was 10am now and that was Tower 2 collapsing next door. We did not know that. Someone had a flashlight. We passed it forward and left the stairwell and headed down a dark and cramped corridor to an exit. We could not see at all. I recommended that everyone place a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them and call out if they hit an obstacle so others would know to avoid it. They did. It worked perfectly. We reached another stairwell and saw a female officer emerge soaking wet and covered in soot. She said we could not go that way it was blocked. Go up to 4 and use the other exit. Just as we started up she said it was ok to go down instead. There was water everywhere. I called out for hands on shoulders again and she said that was a great idea. She stayed behind instructing people to do that. I do not know what happened to her.

We emerged into an enormous room. It was light but filled with smoke. I commented to a friend that it must be under construction. Then we realized where we were. It was the second floor. The one that overlooks the lobby. We were ushered out into the courtyard, the one where the fountain used to be. My first thought was of a TV movie I saw once about nuclear winter and fallout. I could not understand where all of the debris came from. There was at least five inches of this gray pasty dusty drywall soot on the ground as well as a thickness of it in the air. Twisted steel and wires. I heard there were bodies and body parts as well, but I did not look. It was bad enough. We hid under the remaining overhangs and moved out to the street. We were told to keep walking towards Houston Street. The odd thing is that there were very few rescue workers around. Less than five. They all must have been trapped under the debris when Tower 2 fell. We did not know that and could not understand where all of that debris came from. It was just my friend Kern and I now. We were hugging but sad. We felt certain that most of our friends ahead of us died and we knew no one behind us.

We came upon a post office several blocks away. We stopped and looked up. Our building, exactly where our office is (was), was engulfed in flame and smoke. A postal worker said
that Tower 2 had fallen down. I looked again and sure enough it was gone. My heart was racing. We kept trying to call our families. I could not get in touch with my wife. Finally I got through to my parents. Relived is not the word to explain their feelings. They got through to my wife, thank G-d and let her know I was alive. We sat down. A girl on a bike offered us some water. Just as she took the cap off her bottle we heard a rumble. We looked up and our building, Tower 1 collapsed. I did not note the time but I am told it was 10:30am. We had been out less than 15 minutes.

We were mourning our lost friends, particularly the one who stayed in the office as we were now sure that he had perished. We started walking towards Union Square. I was going to Beth Israel Medical Center to be looked at. We stopped to hear the President speaking on the radio. My phone rang. It was my wife. I think I fell to my knees crying. The she told me the most incredible thing. My partner who had stayed behind called her. He was alive and well. I guess we just lost him in the commotion. We started jumping and hugging and shouting. I told my wife that my brother had arranged for a hotel in midtown. He can be very resourceful in that way. I told her I would call her from there. My brother and I managed to get a gypsy cab to take us home to Westchester instead. I cried on my son and held my wife until I fell asleep.

As it turns out my partner, the one who I thought had stayed behind was behind us with Harry Ramos, our head trader. This is now second hand information. They came upon Victor, the heavyset man on the 53rd floor. They helped him. He could barely move. My partner bravely/stupidly tested the elevator on the 52nd floor. He rode it down to the sky lobby on 44. The doors opened, it was fine. He rode it back up and got Harry and Victor. I don’t yet know if anyone else joined them. Once on 44 they made their way back into the stairwell. Someplace around the 39th to 36th floors they felt the same rumble I felt on the 3rd floor. It was 10am and Tower 2 was coming down. They had about 30 minutes to get out. Victor said he could no longer move. They offered to have him lead on them. He said he couldn’t do it. My partner hollered at him to sit on his butt and schooch down the steps. He said he was not capable of doing it. Harry told my partner to go ahead of them. Harry had once had a heart attack and was worried about this mans heart. It was his nature to be this way. He was/is one of the kindest people I know. He would not leave a man behind. My partner went ahead and made it out. He said he was out maybe 10 minutes before the building came down. This means that Harry had maybe 25 minutes to move Victor 36 floors.

I guess they moved 1 floor every 1.5 minutes. Just a guess. This means Harry wad around the 20th floor when the building collapsed. As of now 12 of 13 people are accounted for. As of 6pm yesterday his wife had not heard from him. I fear that Harry is lost. However, a short while ago I heard that he may be alive. Apparently there is a web site with survivor names on it and his name appears there. Unfortunately, Ramos is not an uncommon name in New York. Pray for him and all those like him.

With regards to the firemen heading upstairs, I realize that they were going up anyway. But, it hurts to know that I may have made them move quicker to find my friend. Rationally, I know this is not true and that I am not the responsible one. The responsible ones are in hiding somewhere on this planet and damn them for making me feel like this. But they should know that they failed in terrorizing us. We were calm. Those men and women that went up were heroes in the face of it all. They must have known what was going on and they did their jobs. Ordinary people were heroes too. Today the images that people around the world equate with power and democracy are gone but “America” is not an image it is a concept. That concept is only strengthened by our pulling together as a team. If you want to kill us, leave us alone because we will do it by ourselves. If you want to make us stronger, attack and we unite. This is the ultimate failure of terrorism against The United States and the ultimate price we pay to be free, to decide where we want to work, what we want to eat, and when & where we want to go on vacation. The very moment the first plane was hijacked, democracy won.

North Park Suspect's Friend: "They Got Wrong Person"

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The grandparents and friend of the man accused in a series of North Park attacks say police have the wrong man.

Family friend Everett Thompson expressed complete shock and disbelief when he heard David Angelo Drake, 23, was arrested.

"It's not him. It can't be him. That's what I thought when I seen it this morning," Thompson told NBC 7 on Wednesday.

San Diego Police say Drake is connected to the six attacks that started in June, spanning along Lincoln Avenue, Idaho Street, Meade Avenue and 33rd Street. The assaults kept the community on edge all summer.

But Thompson, who has known Drake since he was a toddler, said his friend could not be responsible, describing him as a quiet, innocent man who always kept a job.

The suspect – a graduate of Lincoln High School – was working at Brazen BBQ in Hillcrest when he was taken into police custody.

"He's a good guy. He's a good little kid. For him, some kind of crime like that is unbelievable. They got the wrong person,” said Thompson. In a phone conversation with NBC 7, Drake’s grandparents agreed.

Drake is expected to be arraigned on multiple charges Thursday, including six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, six counts of assault with the intent to commit sexual assault, five counts of battery and two counts of sexual assault with a foreign object.

Prosecutors have set his bail at $855,000. The suspect has declined NBC 7’s request for comment.

The string of assaults in North Park began on June 11 and ended on Aug. 28. Each was characterized by a lone woman being attacked from behind by one or two suspects. Many of the victims were knocked unconscious, and all but one suffered injuries to their faces.



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