An accused shooter who relatives say suffers from mental illness has raised the question: Is the county of San Diego doing all it can to prevent future mental health-related killings?

Peter Haynes, 22, remains in jail, suspected of killing his parents Lissa and David in a Point Loma shooting last week. His sister told NBC 7 he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

The Haynes’ story is not a unique one. In less than two years, there have been at least four deaths, two shootings and a random stabbing attributed to untreated mental illness.

So what is the county doing to prevent such incidents? Not as much as they could be.

As it stands now, if a person with mental illness is over 18 and refuses treatment, there’s nothing anyone can legally do, leaving families to feel helpless and frustrated with their hands tied.

But the yet-to-be-enacted Laura’s Law, passed by the state legislature in 2002, allows a court to require people with serious mental illness to accept outpatient treatment.

Each county must decide individually to implement the law, but the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has not approved it. In August, Supervisor Dave Roberts said he would like to bring it before the board by February, but it’s unclear how each member would vote.

So NBC 7 reached out to all the supervisors to ask.

Roberts — a supporter of Laura’s Law — said incidents like the Point Loma double homicide make people stop and question how to better treat mental health problems.

“And sometimes that questioning is actually really good because people can see why there's need, so by you airing this story, people are gonna see this and they're going to be contacting the county Board of Supervisors and say we really believe you need to do this in San Diego,” said Roberts.

He said the issue crosses into the criminal justice, health care and mental health systems.

Supervisor Bill Horn’s office told NBC 7 it was a “tough issue” and “not something he was in front of.”

In a statement, Supervisor Greg Cox said, “I want to wait to see what recommendations come from the Advisory Board and from County staff before making an informed decision,” referring to the county’s Mental Health Advisory Board, which has been discussing Laura’s Law.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob said in a statement, “We’re making important strides and look forward to considering additional changes when the issue comes back to the board next year.”

Supervisor Ron Roberts has not responded to NBC 7’s requests for comment.

The County Health and Human Services Agency echoed Dave Roberts’ hope that major mental health reform will come by next month. Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco counties have all implemented Laura's Law.

In the meantime, the county has authorized 5270 holds, which allow the state to put a person in an involuntary psychiatric hold for an additional 30 days.

An officer's call for backup after seeing what he thought was a gun in a suspect's car prompted a large law enforcement response on Interstate 5 Monday night.

At 8:40 p.m., the officer tried to pull car over for speeding on the freeway near E Street in Chula Vista.

As the officer walked up to the vehicle, he saw what looked like a gun sitting between the suspect's seats.

When the suspect refused to cooperate, the officer called for backup, sending several units from multiple agencies to his aid.

Together, the police got the suspect out of his car, on the ground and in handcuffs.

Officers soon discovered the firearm was a BB gun, not a real weapon.

The freeway was closed briefly as officers investigated the scene.

Once again for another year, the name Sophia for girls, and Jackson for boys, continues to top the rankings of most popular baby names, according to BabyCenter’s Top 100 Baby Names of 2014.

This list is based on the names of over 400,000 babies born in 2014 that were registered on the BabyCenter website, Today.com reported.

An official U.S. government list comes out in the spring. The top names in 2013, according last year's government list compiled from Social Security applications, were Noah for boys and Sophia for girls.

BabyCenter found in their survey that nearly 20 percent of moms said TV-show characters inspired their choices, and 16 percent said that they looked up to celebrities for baby name ideas.

Names drawn from popular Netflix shows included Galina, Nicky, and Piper from “Orange Is the New Black,” and Frank and Claire from “House of Cards.”

The name Elsa from the popular Disney flick "Frozen" continued to be a favorite for parents.

Also big this year were “destination names” like Everest, Verona, and Bronx.

Here are BabyCenter’s top baby names for 2014. Did your kid's name make the list?

BabyCenter’s most popular names for girls:
1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Olivia
4. Ava
5. Isabella
6. Mia
7. Zoe
8. Lily
9. Emily
10. Madelyn

BabyCenter’s most popular names for boys:
1. Jackson
2. Aiden
3. Liam
4. Lucas
5. Noah
6. Mason
7. Ethan
8. Caden
9. Jacob
10. Logan
 

Drug overdose deaths more than doubled over the past decade, U.S. health officials announced in a report released Tuesday. Heroin-related deaths, in particular, more than tripled.

Deaths from drug poisoning linked to opioid analgesics (such as morphine, oxycodone and methadon) and heroin have jumped to 41,502 in 2012 from 16,849 back in 1999, according to the report compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heroin-related deaths grew to 5,925 in 2012 from 1,960 in 1999.

The report also stated that of the 2012 drug-related deaths, 16,007 involved opioid analgesics. 

By comparison, there were 27,762 alcohol-related deaths in 2012, according to the report.

Another 40,600 people died from suicide, 36,415 from motor vehicle accidents, 33,563 from firearms and 16,688 from assaults. The biggest killer by far was heart disease at 599,711 deaths.

Between 1999 and 2012, the age-adjusted drug-poisoning death rate nationwide also increased, from 6.1 per 100,000 population in 1999 to 13.1 in 2012.

There were also 14 states that had age-adjusted drug-poisoning death rates above the national average, according to the report. The states with the highest rates per 100,000 population were West Virginia (32.0), Kentucky (25.0), New Mexico (24.7), Utah (23.1), and Nevada (21.0).  

Click here to see the full report. 

Convicted felons in San Diego County are purposely violating parole so they can be sent to prison, smuggling illegal drugs and other illicit items with them to sell behind bars, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department says.

Sheriff’s Lt. Wayne Brooks told NBC 7 felons are purposely violating their terms of supervision so they can get “flashed” and sent to county jail for up to ten days.

Flash incarcerations were introduced in Oct. 2011 when the AB 109 prison realignment law took effect, shifting responsibility for some offenders from the state to the county. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of inmates under the influence or in possession of drugs and alcohol, says Brooks.

“Before, we just did strip searches,” said Brooks, “and there’s methods of hiding items in body cavities that we would never see.”

So the SDSO rolled out one $150,000 body scanner at each of its four booking centers. Since August, the x-ray systems have detected everything from handcuff keys to heroin.

Brooks showed NBC 7 one scan that revealed how a woman tried to smuggle in a knife in her bra and drugs inside a body cavity.

“Instead of going to state prisons and setting up their enterprises there, since they are staying with us long-term now, they are doing it here,” said Brooks.

County statistics show the rise in drugs through the flash incarceration mules.

In 2011, there were 145 in-custody drug and alcohol crime reports. In 2012, that number jumped to 211 and continued to rise to 279 in 2013.

From January to October 2014, the jails have seen 335 offenses.

Brooks said though they are expensive, the body scanners have been effective in stopping the influx of drugs. The trafficking has slowed considerably since arrestees discovered what they are up against, so the department plans on adding at least one more scanner.

San Diego Holiday Event Calendar

Rady Fantasy on Ice, Nov. 20 - Jan. 4
Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, the Horton Square Ice Rink is an outdoor winter wonderland that doubles as a fundraiser for Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady's Children's Hospital. Adults: $14. Children: $12. Military: $10. Season passes available.

Holiday on Horton Square Downtown Tree Lighting, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m.
The Downtown San Diego tree lighting ceremony featuring music, ice skating and famous Disney faces will be televised live on NBC 7 San Diego.

Hard Rock Cafe Family Day at Horton Square, Saturday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Entertainment, family activities and $10 admission.

Petco Park Holiday Wonderland, opens Friday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m.
Open on 12 select nights in December. Features Santa's Workshop, Polar Express trains, a winter Candyland, the opportunity to feed live reindeer and photos with Santa Claus. Adults: $15. Children: $10. Kids under 3 free. Military, group and event discounts available. Tickets on sale now.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas at The Old Globe Theater, Nov. 15 - Dec. 27
The Old Globe presents the 17th year of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Children under three admitted only during 11:00 a.m. performances.Sensory-friendly showing for families with children with Autism on Dec. 13 at 10:00 a.m. Performance calendar available online.Tickets on sale now

Legoland Holiday Snow Days & Winter Nights, Nov. 22 - Jan. 4
Opening night tree lighting; Sarah Michelle Gellar of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and musician Ben Harper turn the lights on Dec. 1. New this year, ice skating! Visitors can also enjoy building a snowman with Lego accessories, taking a ride on a snow tube, toss real snow balls, and Dec. 26 through Dec. 30, fireworks can be viewed over Miniland USA. There will also be a family photo opportunity with a life-sized Lego Brick Santa and Reindeer. FREE ticket to return when you visit between Nov. 11 and Jan. 4.

SeaWorld Christmas Celebration, Nov. 15 - Jan. 4
Snow World at SeaWorld's Arctic Plaza boasts 6,500 sq ft. of fresh snow every day, real sledding, Santa's Cottage, SeaWorld's Christmas Tree of Lights, Breakfast with Shamu and Santa (starting at $26, on sale now), Reindeer Training Academy and Christmas Village.

Balboa Nights, Friday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.
New this year: "December Flights" zip-line. Ride the 200-foot zip-line past the lit Moreton Bay Fig Tree. Museums will also feature free admission from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. both nights.

Sport Chalet Scuba Santa Event and Toy Drive, Saturday, Dec. 6, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Presented by the Dive Club of San Diego, dive with Santa for a free underwater photo! "Bring a towel, swimsuit and a smile!" Divers must be at least 10-years-old, but children under 10 can snorkel alongside Santa and a crew member. Proceeds benefit St. Vincent de Paul. Sport Chalet's PADI Five-star dive center, Point Loma Plaza, 3695 Midway Dr., San Diego, 92110.

San Diego Women's Chorus Winter Concert, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m.
SDWC presents a multicultural program of traditional choral pieces and contemporary selections such as Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You' and Ben Harper's 'My Own Two Hands." International pieces include songs from Nigeria, England and Puerto Rico. Sunday performance is ASL-interpreted for the hearing-impaired. Tickets on sale now. St. Andrew's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 1050 Thomas Ave., San Diego 92109

2014 Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis, Saturday, Dec. 13
Grab your jingle bells and holiday costumes and join the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis at Balboa Park (5K.) Funds are being raised to help find a cure for arthritis, the nation's leading cause of disability. Event also includes a Children's Dash with the Elves (1K.) Contact: Nancy Coate, 858-492-1090

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, Sunday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Best viewing from the water where the parade turns west for Coronado, near the 10th Street Terminal. Best viewing from land is at the north and south ends of the Embarcadero and the park behind Seaport Village.

Gaslamp Pet Parade, Sunday, Dec. 14, Registration starts at 12 p.m.
The 7th Annual Gaslamp Pet Parade in Downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District will feature a Pet Expo, costume contest, pet parade and awards ceremony. Awards will include Best of Show, Best Pet Costume, Best Non-Canine Pet Costume, Best Costume Duo, Best Costumed Group (3 or more), Best Pet Holiday Costume, Cutest Critter, Ugliest Holiday Sweater and Best Costume Made Out of Duct Tape. 104 K St., San Diego 92101. $15 pre-registration, $20 day-of.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 23, Kickoff at 6:30 p.m.
10th annual Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. $1 from every ticket sold benefits Make-a-Wish San Diego. Tickets on sale now. $45-$150. Family and VIP packages available.

National University Holiday Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 27, Kickoff at 5 p.m.
37th annual National University Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Tickets on sale now. $65-$140. VIP packages available.

San Diego Holiday Half Marathon, Sunday, Dec. 28, 7:30 a.m.
Second annual San Diego Holiday Half Marathon. The 13.1 mile course is located in Rancho Peñasquitos along Carmel Mountain Road and the 56 bike path. As of Dec. 1, only 380 registration spots are available. Registration cost is $109 per runner until sold out. A $10-off promo code is available online.

A Chula Vista woman who served on the PTA at her kids’ school was run over repeatedly by a pickup truck driven by her ex-husband, Chula Vista Police said.

Palomar Elementary School administrators sent a letter home to parents informing them of Leonor Castillo’s death.

Castillo, 37, was the vice president of the Parent Teacher Association at the school at Palomar Street and Melrose Avenue.

Her friend, PTA President Maria Espinoza, said Castillo put her children and family first.

“It's just a big ache,” said PTA President Maria Espinoza. “And to know we won’t see her, it's very sad."

Investigators have arrested Cesar Castillo, 37, and are still trying to locate the vehicle, a white 1998 Chevy Silverado truck.

Leonor Castillo was raising three children ages 10, 8 and 3 years old. Friends say she was a devoted daughter too and cared for her aging parents.

Her boyfriend who worked with her at the Lowes in Eastlake spoke to NBC 7 and claimed Cesar Castillo was a jealous ex.

Even so, Leonor agreed to meet Cesar Friday night and help him pick out Christmas presents for their daughters.

Investigators say Leonor died just a few blocks down the street from her home on 1st Avenue, moments after her ex-husband picked her up Friday night.

Leonor somehow got out of the truck in the 1100 block of Elm Avenue, the victim's boyfriend said.

Witnesses told police they saw a white truck run over Leonor in a home's front yard, circle back and hit her again, taking out a fence in the process.

Espinoza said even Cesar worked with the PTA. “They'd help each other out here,” she said. “So it's very sad this could even happen."

Cesar started getting aggressive in March when Leonor began dating, according to her boyfriend.

Leonor got a restraining order against her ex-husband in April after he allegedly held her hostage in his truck, driving her around and threatening to crash, her boyfriend told NBC 7.

After the restraining order was filed, Castillo made an effort to get his life together and get back into Leonor's by attending counseling, the boyfriend says.

Cesar Castillo surrendered to authorities at the San Ysidro Port of Entry around 2:15 p.m. Monday, according to the Chula Vista Police Department.

On Monday, the school sent out a note to parents, explaining that their "beloved" PTA vice president had been killed. Officials said psychologists would be on campus if any student or staff member needed to talk about the loss.

A 23-year-old male was struck and killed while walking along Interstate 805 shortly after midnight Tuesday, California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Jake Sanchez said.

A 2002 Honda struck the man as he was walking along the Southbound I-805 near Imperial Avenue and then pulled over to call for help. The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries as a result of the accident.

The driver was a 58-year-old male from Highland and will not face charges, Sanchez said.
 

The arrest of one man in Ontario in connection with an ATM theft in Oceanside may be connected to similar crimes in five Southern California counties, officials said.

Johnny Campbell was arrested in Ontario Tuesday when a police officer discovered Campbell allegedly had a large amount of cashalong with items from a stand-alone Bank of America ATM in Oceanside.

A torch was used to break into the ATM on Plaza Drive in the parking lot of the Tri-City Crossroads shopping center. Oceanside police arrived to the ATM at 3:55 a.m. Tuesday after security reported two suspects wearing masks and carrying a crow bar.

Officials estimate the amount stolen from the ATM to be $48,000.

Hours later, Ontario police say they found materials from that ATM on Campbell. He was taken into custody and investigators notified the FBI.

This theft may be tied to other similar incidents in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties, according to Oceanside police.

Residents worried about watering their lawns can stop worrying about them, at least for the next few weeks.

Before the rain falls Tuesday and Wednesday, The San Diego Water County Authority is urging residents to turn off their sprinklers and irrigation systems and leave them off for several weeks to let Mother Nature do the work.

The heavy rain expected to fall will provide enough water for lawns to survive without irrigation for up to two weeks.

“This week’s rain won’t end the drought, but it allows us to immediately reduce our water use by turning off sprinkler systems,” said Mark Weston, chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “It’s important that we take advantage of every opportunity to decrease outdoor water consumption and prepare for the likelihood of reduced water supplies next year.”

Once the storm passes, residents should wait until the top one to two inches of soil are dry before they start watering their lawns again.

A flash flood advisory is in effect through 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. Forecasts for this winter predict an above-average amount of rainfall for Southern California.
 

Some sailors and Marines aboard USS San Diego got their 15 minutes of fame during a visit from reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

Kardashian visited the amphibious transport dock ship in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 24, just a few days before Thanksgiving. She was already in the United Arab Emirates  for the launch of her fragrance Fleur Fatale, according to her Twitter account.

Dressed in army green and tan, Kim K toured the ship in her stilettos, posed for selfies with the troops and gave a salute while walking down the brow.

“Kisses to the troops! Thank you for all you do! Was an honor to meet you all,” Kardashian tweeted Monday when she posted photos from her patriotic visit on social media. 

USS San Diego left on her first deployment in July, along with 4,000 sailors and Marines from the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), according to the U.S. Navy. The San Diego is stationed at Naval Base San Diego, and the 11th MEU is based at Camp Pendleton.

USS San Diego transports Marine vehicles and equipment needed for land missions. The San Diego is the fourth Navy ship named after America’s Finest City and the first to be homeported here.

St. Louis County police are in a spat with the Rams over whether a team official apologized after five players made a "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" gesture on Sunday in support of protesters in Ferguson, Missouri.

Police Chief Jon Belmar sent an e-mail Monday night notifying staff that the Rams' chief operating officer called to apologize, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Kevin Demoff later said to the publication that a conversation did occur, but said he didn’t apologize for the gesture.

"I expressed to both of them that I felt badly that our players' support of the community was taken as disrespectful to law enforcement,” Demoff said. But he said that "in none of these conversations did I apologize for our players' actions."

The St. Louis County Police responded to Demoff’s comments in a Facebook post:

On Twitter, the department also posted a dictionary definition of apologize, along with a part of Demoff’s comments to the publication.

Rams tight end Jared Cook and receivers Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens gave the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" signal in pregame introductions ahead of their match with the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

The St. Louis Police Officers' Association condemned the gesture, saying the players "chose to ignore the mountains of evidence” released from a grand jury that decided against indicting former officer Darren Wilson over Michael Brown’s shooting death on Aug. 9, in Ferguson, Missouri. They also demanded “a very public apology.”

The NFL said the players would not be punished. Brian McCarthy, VP of communications, said in a statement Monday: “We respect and understand the concerns of all individuals who have expressed views on this tragic situation.”

Former San Diego State University head football coach Brady Hoke was fired at Michigan, according to published reports.

Hoke was very successful at SDSU in 2009 and 2010 and Aztecs finished 9-4 with a win in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl.

Hoke then left for the Big 10 powerhouse and a job full of prestige, pressure and a huge salary.

Speculation about Hoke's future with UM has been widely discussed this season. Michigan was 31-20 in the Brady Hoke era however the team won just five games this season. 

A man with Alzheimer's Disease has been missing for more than 24 hours and the family has filed a missing person's report with the San Diego Police Department.

Lidio Diaz, 75, left his home on Webster Street near South 31st Street Monday, Dec. 1.

Family members say they last saw him wearing a red sweater with a burgundy T-shirt, blue jeans and brown sandals. That sighting was at 11 a.m. Monday.

Diaz has early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia and is hard of hearing, officials said.

His family said Diaz banks at U.S. Bank, located at Broadway and India Street.

If you have any information, call the San Diego Police Department Missing Persons Section at (619) 531-2277.
 

A new holiday meant to promote charity after Black Friday and Cyber Monday has grow with help from social media.

“Giving Tuesday” has received support from charities and corporations alike. Only in its third year, it has also picked up steam with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Here are things to know about the holiday:

How It Started

Giving Tuesday was started in 2012 by 92nd Street Y, a cultural institution in New York. Although it isn’t clear how much money the holiday raised in its first year, it did gain high profile followers. Charity organizations like the United Nations Foundation, GlobalGiving, and Crowdrise, as well as companies like Microsoft, Sony and the Case Foundation, also joined the cause during that year.

What It’s About

The point of Giving Tuesday is to celebrate charity, but it isn’t necessarily about money. Rather, it is a movement to encourage people all around the world to think of ways they can show generosity. As the video above that explains the holiday says, this could mean giving a tweet, giving your time, or even giving everyone at the office something to smile about.

Who Is Taking Part

Many organizations are offering people ways to get engaged in Giving Tuesday:

• The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries will match donations made to one of its programs that assists in missions.
   
• Microsoft is matching donations made through YouthSpark on GlobalGiving, a site that supports education and employment for young adults.
   
• Walmart Foundation will donate $1.5 million in grants to food pantries which will help buy new equipment and pay for renovations. The company is also holding a campaign to get the public to join in on the support.
   
• PayPal is offering to match 1% of all gifts made in December though their Giving Fund, beginning December 2 and ending at the end of the month.
   
• The Salvation Army is supporting the holiday by incorporating it into its #RedKettleReason campaign to support the movement's social media presence.

You can see other organizations taking part in the holiday here.

How to Get Involved

One easy ways to get involved is to promote selflessness with a hashtag that will both appear on the holiday’s site as well as throughout social media. Simply take a photo, tag it with #Unselfie and #GivingTuesday, and upload it to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook on Dec. 4 to support the campaign. You can also contribute to campaigns listed above.

Want to do more? You can also become a partner or a social media ambassador on the holiday's website.

I Don’t Know, Is There An App?

Fundraising platform website Crowdrise created an app showing a virtual representation of charity. Each time someone donates, a block is placed on a visual tower that includes a photo of the donor and details the recipient, as shown in the video above.

“People can watch donations grow like a thermometer for measuring donations,” Crowdrise co-founder Robert Wolfe said to NBC about the app, which is available to download in the Google Play Store and iTunes. 

A seven-vehicle collision on southbound Interstate 805 near Market Street early Tuesday morning, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash occurred at shortly before 1 a.m. and closed the HOV lane and lanes one to four for several hours. Parties were transported with minor injuries, authorities said, though it was not immediately clear how many.

The crash was originally reported as a three vehicle collision in the fast lane on the I-805 Southbound.

There was no word as to how the crash started.

Hundreds of homeless individuals could have a place to stay year-round if a new, permanent shelter gets approval.

City leaders announced a plan Tuesday to open a 350-bed shelter to house homeless veterans and people throughout the year, not just in the winter months.

The location, however, is still up in the air, so the San Diego Housing Commission released a request for proposals (RFP) for an indoor facility. The city says it has roughly $1.6 million annually to put toward the project – the same amount being spent on the existing tent shelters and the Homeless Management Information System.

“This permanent, year-round shelter continues the City’s move away from just providing a bed for a few months. We’re trying to make a real difference by providing supportive services that help our fellow San Diegans get off the streets for good,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer in a press release.

Officials hope the permanent shelter will be up and running by July 1, 2015. It would replace the emergency winter shelter in Barrio Logan – which has 200 beds – and the veteran’s shelter in the Midway District – which holds 150 beds.

Forty beds in the new facility will be dedicated to homeless veterans, and the shelter will also provide support services for those trying to find permanent housing.

“The RFP is a welcome first step since no real effort has been made in the past to find a different site or to implement a permanent indoor homeless shelter to replace the temporary beds the tent provides,” said Councilmember David Alvarez.

He called the existing temporary shelter in Barrio Logan a “crutch, an excuse to pretend that putting up a tent in the middle of the street for a few months of the year is helping the homeless.”

The Housing Commission will be looking for RFPs from nonprofits with a plan on how to operate the new shelter. The city says interested organizations must be able to provide a permanent indoor facility and supportive services.

In September, the city allocated $400,000 as a one-time cost to start up the Homeless Management Information System, which allows anyone offering care to homeless individuals to work together and streamline the services.

The first gray whale of the season was spotted off Mission Bay by a whale watching tour on Friday.

The spotting of the gray whale, which migrates from the chilly arctic waters to the warmer waters off Baja, California, every winter was unusually early this year, San Diego Whale Watch operators said.

Operators of the whale watching company said on Friday, the boat captain had heard from a fisherman that the gray whale was spotted off the coast of La Jolla an hour before the scheduled whale watch trip.

Once the whale watching tour cleared the Mission Bay jetties, they spotted about 20 Pacific white-sided dolphins. As the boat stopped to watching the dolphins, the whale surfaced up amid the dolphin pod.

The whale was pregnant, company operators said.

Gray whales are generally not spotted until later in December, San Diego Whale Watch operators said, but are believed to be here early because melting polar ice caps are providing easier access to food.

Last year, more than 650 gray whales were spotted by the year-round whale watching company.

It's official: Former Sweetwater Board President John McCann has won a seat on the Chula Vista City Council by two votes.

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters Michael Vu certified the results Tuesday, confirming  McCann's win over former Mayor Steve Padilla, 18,448 votes to 18,446.

However, Padilla — or anyone for that matter — has five days to ask for a recount, though the requester must pay the cost, Vu says. That option would take more than a week and cost over $40,000.

If the results of the recount are not what the registrar's office initially announced and the results are overturned, the registrar's office would pay the recount fees.

Vu told NBC 7 overturning on an election on a recount is not common, though that assessment is based on races will much larger margins.

Recount or not, McCann will be sworn into the seat on Dec. 9.

The last time Chula Vista saw a close race like this was in June 2010, when U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) went up against then-Assemblywoman Mary Salas for the 40th state Senate District. The race did end in a recount, but Salas halted it on the third day, allowing Vargas to win by 22 votes.

The process to certify an election starts the day after all ballots come in. The county registrar's office goes through all votes, including mail-in and provisional.

Employees check and verify names and exhaust all measures before not counting a vote, Vu says. After those initial numbers are released, the office goes back and does it again to double-check their work.

As all this goes on, Vu says they select one percent of all votes and hand-tally them to make sure the results are accurate.