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Affordable Housing Plans Shake Up Encinitas

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Encinitas residents are putting up a fight against new development plans that they fear will make their city loud and full of traffic.

A meeting was held at Encinitas City Hall Tuesday night that was intended to get residents involved in those housing plans, but residents that spoke to NBC 7 said they want nothing to do with it.

"I mean, you've seen Encinitas Blvd and El Camino Real," said Kathy Montanez. "It's, there's a lot of speed on that road. I mean, I don't want to see that here."

Montanez and residents like her said they live in the area because it's quiet. But the housing element implemented by the state of California will mean rezoning areas of Encinitas to build more affordable housing.

"That's what everybody gets tripped over," said resident Jeni Hawkes. "Everybody thinks, 'oh affordable housing is good for people who are struggling,' but it's not. Affordable housing just means apartments are cheaper than houses."

City officials from Encinitas were not willing to interview, but according to their website, the Encinitas general housing plan has not been updated since the 1990's and it is needed to accommodate the growing population.

Federal, state and local housing plans and grants have been worked together to create safe and sanitary housing for low income families. Federal assistance programs such as teh Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership programs and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) make housing possible for families who otherwise could not afford it.

According to the City of San Diego's affordable housing website, the Section 8 program alone pays the rent for 14,626 low income families and another 41,000 are on a waiting list.

The Encinitas plan includes developing hundreds of dense housing units in partnership with these programs.

But Hawkes says she doesn't get it.

"I don't understand why we have so many apartments in Encinitas, and we have so many vacancies," she told NBC 7.

And because affordable housing is mandated by the state, other communites may be facing the same issues.

Montanez said she's concerned with the traffic and the safety of the children in the area.

"We have young kids here who ride up and down the street on their scooters or bicycles," Montanez said. "It's busy enough on Encinitas Blvd. I don't want to see that happen here."

City council member Mark Muir said involving the community in creating a plan that meets the state law and completion dates is a great idea.

The process will be long and residents will get a chance to vote on the housing plan in the November 2016 election.

For information on how to get involved, click here.


No Threat Found at La Jolla Country Day

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A security sweep of La Jolla Country Day School found nothing suspicious the morning after someone called in a bomb threat.

The school's Interim Head Judy Fox disclsoed the potential threat Tuesday evening and announced there would be no school or after-school activities the following day.

In a message emailed to parents, school officials said the threat was made over the phone relating to "a personal matter between individuals not employed by the school." 

San Diego Police, Bomb and Arson and the FBI worked together using two patrol dogs to search the campus, located at 9490 Genessee Avenue.

As a precautionary measure, officials decided to cancel Wednesday classes and after-school activities, Fox said. However, a Tuesday night basketball practice at the school continued. Along with the email to parents, a message on the school's website notified visitors about the closure.

After the security sweep, Fox sent another email to parents letting them know school and other activities would resume Thursday.

"I am relieved that nothing was uncovered today and I look forward to bringing our students back to a safe and secure school tomorrow," Fox wrote to parents.

La Jolla Country Day is a private, college preparatory school with about 1,200 students, ages 3 through grade 12.

Body of Toddler Who Fell Into Tijuana Drain Found

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The body of the little boy who fell down a black water drain in Tijuana Sunday afternoon has been found.

According to Tijuana Fire Department Director Carlos Gopar Uribe, a call came in just after 1 p.m. Sunday that a child had fallen into the drain and needed emergency help.

The boy's mother said he was playing near the drain when he fell in, Uribe said. She apparently tried to save him, but was unsuccessful.

Using video cameras and fire crews, they attempted to go into the drain to save the boy. Uribe said the crews worked overnight and into Monday, but still had not found the toddler.

His body was discovered Wednesday afternoon, according to Secretaria de Seguridad Publica. Details on the discovery were not immediately available.

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.



Photo Credit: Secretaria de Seguridad Publica Municipal Tijuana

Boy Almost Shot in Bed Speaks Out

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What may have been a night of target practice for an unidentified gunman almost turned deadly for a young Philadelphia-area boy who was nearly struck by a stray bullet while he was sleeping.

"They could've murdered a child," said Zach Marino. "Like me."

The 12-year-old boy was asleep in his room inside his home on the 600 block Bryn Mawr Avenue in Radnor Township around midnight Wednesday when he woke to a noise in his room.

"It just sounded like, I don't know, like wood cracking in half, " he said.

Zach and his parents initially thought an animal had struck the outside wall of the home.

"We heard that noise, and we thought a deer hit the house," Zach's mother, Laura Marino, said.

It wasn't until Saturday that Laura Marino discovered a bullet-sized hole in the wall in her son's room. They then found shrapnel on the floor and, finally, a bullet that police believe came from a .38-caliber gun.

Police determined that a stray bullet had ricocheted off a wall inside the house and then pierced the wall of Zach's room as he slept just five feet away. The bullet then bounced off a dresser before it landed on the floor.

Investigators later found two bullet holes in the "Route 320 South" sign on the 300 block of Bryn Mawr Avenue, located about 70 feet away from Zach's home. Police determined that an unidentified gunman fired several shots at the sign and one of the bullets missed, ultimately striking Zach's house before it landed in his bedroom.

"We have somebody who was doing something extremely dangerous that could have caused very serious injuries to the family and we'd like to get it resolved," said Radnor Township Police Lieutenant Christopher Flanagan.

No arrests have been made, and police have not yet released a description of any suspects. They also told NBC10 recent snow on the ground is hampering the investigation, as they’ve been unable to locate any rounds on the street.

They are asking anyone who was in the area of Bryn Mawr Avenue at midnight on Wednesday and saw something suspicious to give them a call.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Curator, Exec Dead in Train Crash

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A jewelry store worker, a finance executive and a museum curator were among the six people killed when a Metro-North train crashed into an SUV stuck between crossing gates in Westchester Tuesday, those who knew them told NBC 4 New York, as medical officials work to identified the three other men killed.

Family members identified 53-year-old Eric Vandercar of Bedford Hills as one of the five male passengers who died when their train, on the railroad's Harlem line, crashed into a Mercedes SUV stopped on the tracks in Valhalla Tuesday afternoon.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art confirmed Wednesday that Walter Liedtke, a curator of European paintings at the museum, was another victim in the train crash.

The driver of the SUV was identified as 49-year-old Ellen Brody by the owner of the Chappaqua jewelry store where she worked for 15 years, ICD Contemporary Jewelry.

"She was our beloved colleague, and we pray for her and other families whose loved ones were lost and injured in yesterday's tragedy," the owner said in a statement to NBC 4 New York.

Co-worker and friend Varda Singer said, "I describe her as a saint because she was the most selfless person." 

Making the tragedy more unbearable for friends is not knowing how Brody, a mother of three, got stuck on the train tracks. 

"She's a very responsible person, a very reliable person," said Singer. "I just cannot believe that she's gone." 

Vandercar's family declined to comment to NBC 4 New York Wednesday, but said they were meeting with a rabbi. A woman walking near Vandercar's home said he was "a wonderful husband and loving father."

Vandercar worked for Morgan Stanley for 16 years before leaving his position as executive director of the municipal finance group in January 2014, according to the company. 

"Those of us who worked with Eric for many years at Morgan Stanley are deeply saddened by this tragic loss," a spokesman said in a statement. "Our hearts and prayers go out to his family at this difficult time." 

Liedtke was a "brilliant, respected curator and scholar of Dutch and Flemish paintings who was part of the Met family for 35 years," said Elyse Topalian, vice president for communications for The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"He organized dozens of major exhibitions that brought the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and many other great artists to millions of our visitors. He will long be remembered for his vast knowledge, his wit, and a passion for art that inspired all who came in contact with him," Topalian said in the statement. 

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said Wednesday that medical officials are using dental records to identify the remains of the six people killed in the crash because all but one of the victims were severely burned in a fire that was sparked by the impact. The crash caused the front of the train to burst into flames and the electrified third rail to slice into a train car as it pushed the SUV nearly 10 car-lengths down the tracks. 

Astorino said it could take as long as a day to identify each body once the records are received.

"Victims' families are in total shock," he said.

Fifteen train riders were hurt in the crash, some of them seriously. Twelve of those passengers were treated at Westchester Medical Center, including one who remained in critical condition Wednesday afternoon. One other passenger is in serious condition, and six others remain at the hospital in good to fair condition, hospital officials say. Four others were released.

The passengers treated at Westchester Medical Center had injuries including, cuts, bruises, dislocations, open fractures, smoke inhalations and burns. All of the injured passengers are adults. 

"The injuries were not as serious as they could have been," Dr. Joseph Turkowski said. "There could have been a lot more deaths."

The train engineer was also treated for his injuries at a hospital, but was not believed to be one of the casualties, MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast said.



Photo Credit: AP
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Powerball Climbs to $317M After Jackpot Drought

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A Powerball jackpot that has been building since December is expected to reach $317 million by Wednesday night's drawing, marking the first time in about a year that the jackpot passed $300 million.

List: CA Lottery Lucky Retailers

Powerball's last major jackpot was in February 2014 when it reached $425 million. The total reached $326 million for a Mega Millions winner in November.

Here's a look at the latest jackpot, what's behind the lull and what it means to state lotteries.

Link: Prizes and Odds

Game Changes: The $317 million prize would be the 11th largest Powerball jackpot ever and the 22nd largest in U.S. history when including Mega Millions, the other national lottery game. The pot has been rolling since early December. Since 2012, officials have sought to increase revenue by tinkering with Powerball and Mega Millions, primarily changing some ticket prices and lowering the odds of winning jackpots. Thanks to those moves, jackpot sizes have repeatedly climbed to record levels. More than half of the top 10 U.S. jackpots have been reached in the past couple of years, including a $590.5 million Powerball jackpot in May 2013 and a $648 million Mega Millions jackpot in December 2013.

Jackpot Drought: Before the latest prize, Powerball's last major jackpot was in February 2014 when it was $425 million. There was a $326 million jackpot won for Mega Millions in November, that game's first major jackpot since March 2014, when it reached $414 million. Lottery officials said there's no particular reason for the lull. Terry Rich, president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and CEO of the Iowa Lottery, said lottery jackpots are inherently random. The game is expected to have slow periods based on projection models, he added.

Ticket Sales: Fewer giant jackpots can mean smaller ticket sales because casual players are not jumping in as often. In this case, ticket sales for Powerball and Mega Millions slightly declined during the first six months of the fiscal year that began in July, according to data. For Powerball, more than $1.6 billion in ticket sales was collected between July and the end of December. For Mega Millions, it was just over $1.4 billion. Both figures reflect a decline from the halfway point of the previous fiscal year. During that period, ticket sales for Powerball were over $2.7 billion and for Mega Millions, it was more than $1.8 billion.

Overall Outlook: It's not all doom and gloom. Rich said it takes just one large jackpot to balance things out. Plus, people are still playing other games. In the fiscal year that ended in June 2014, total ticket sales from all of the nation's lottery games was about $70 billion dollars, up from about $68 billion the previous year. Popular options like instant-scratch games bring in consistent revenue. As a result, state lotteries do not always heavily rely on jackpot ticket sales, according to Paula Otto, lead director for Mega Millions and executive director of the Virginia Lottery.

Jackpot Fatigue: While huge jackpots draw more players, the downside is people become unfazed by smaller prizes. Otto called it jackpot fatigue and said lottery officials plan to do more research this year to examine the games.

"Why do people play? Why don't they play?" she said of the kind of questions they want to answer. "What could we do to change the game to make it more attractive at all jackpot levels?"



Photo Credit: Archivo Getty Images

1 Dead in Rollover Near Del Mar

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One person is dead after a vehicle rolled over on a busy North City road Wednesday afternoon.

The crash happened at 1:40 p.m. on Via De La Valle near El Camino Real, police say.

Traffic was closed down between San Andres Drive and El Camino Real, prompting a Sig Alert for that stretch of Via De La Valle. The closure is expected to last several hours.

Police are still investigating the crash.



Photo Credit: Mark Sackett

Adorable Zoo Babies: Florida's Baby Giraffe

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See all the newest arrivals at zoos around the world. Baby lions, tigers and bears step into the spotlight.

"We Need to Get Out": Passengers Recount Deadly Metro-North Crash

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Passengers who survived the Metro-North crash that killed six people and caused the front of the packed train to burst into flames experienced everything from loud explosions to small "jolts" when the train hit an SUV stopped on the tracks in Westchester Tuesday afternoon. 

Six hundred and fifty people were on board train No. 659 when it slammed into an SUV stopped at a crossing in Valhalla at about 6:30 p.m., less than an hour after leaving Grand Central. The train burst into flames and pushed the SUV nearly 10 car lengths down the track, killing the driver of the SUV and five passengers in the first car. 

Fifteen other people were hurt in the crash.

Passengers sitting in the front of the train described an alarming scene following the impact, with many hearing a loud explosion before smoke filled their cars. Commuters in the back of the train reported only feeling small "jolts" or "jerks" upon impact. 

Jamie Wallace, who was sitting in the back of the second car, described escaping the train after the crash. 

"We started to hear people further up toward the head of the second car start to panic a bit, and they were calling for a fire extinguisher," he said. 

But as passengers rushed to help, "we could not get the head car doors open for some reason, it was jammed," he said. "We then were trying to break the glass to no avail." 

"A number of us started smelling fumes from the car, the fuel, and we said, 'You know what, we need to get out.' The fire was starting to spread back toward the second car, and the second car finally did ignite," he said. 

Another passenger named Fred was on the fourth car from the front. He hurt his fingers when he smashed his hand through emergency glass during the evacuation.

"The thing that precipitated people really starting to freak out and break the glass and open the door was there was a loud 'bam,' explosion-type thing, and once we jumped off the side, there was another explosion to a lesser degree," he said. 

Neil Rader of Katonah was sitting in the middle-back of the train when he felt a "small jolt."

"It felt not even like a short stop, and then the train just completely stopped," he said. 

He said passengers in his car also had to evacuate by breaking glass on the doors to get out. He said he saw 50 to 60 ambulances at the scene as he walked to a nearby gym, which was acting as a holding area for the escaped train riders.  

"I've never seen anything quite like it," said Rader. 

Stacey Eisner, an NBCUniversal News Group employee, was sitting in one of the rear two cars of the train, and said she felt the train "jerk" at some point. The conductor walked through the train to explain what had happened, and passengers were calm at first, but tension began to build when they learned the train had hit a car, she said. 

About 10 to 15 minutes after the train "jerk," Eisner's train car was evacuated, with ladders used to get people out. People were taken either to a nearby rock-climbing gym called The Cliffs or allowed to walk to the Hawthorne Funeral Home, she said. 

Amateur video captured at the scene shows frantic passengers crowding a train car's aisle to get out, then trudging through ankle-deep snow near the tracks. 

Ryan Cottrell, assistant director at The Cliffs, told NBC News that the passengers who were brought there appeared to be shaken up but generally OK.

Staffers who saw the incident from the front door went to the scene to help bring passengers into the gym, where they were providing shelter and warmth until MTA buses arrive to transport commuters to Pleasantville, Cottrell said. 



Photo Credit: @bizzz23/Instagram
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SkySpire San Diego Proposed: Report

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The Port of San Diego is reportedly proposing a new tower on the San Diego Bay which could rival Sea World's sky tower.

“SkySpire San Diego" would be least 250 tall, just 70 feet shorter than Sea World's sky tower.

According to U-T San Diego, the new tower would have gondolas which would carry passengers up to an observation deck.

They could also take an elevator to the top, to a restaurant of up to 200 seats- offering 360 degree views of the bay.

The project would cost about $40 million to build by developer U.S Thrill Rides. It could generate $22 million a year.

The Port of San Diego was recently pitched the idea of a giant Ferris wheel by three separate developers. No decision has been made on their proposals.
 

Pedestrian Struck, Killed on Sprinter Tracks

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A woman was struck and killed on the tracks of the light rail service in San Diego's North County Wednesday.

The Sprinter car struck the pedestrian at approximately 6:12 a.m. near West Mission and North Pacific in San Marcos. The woman was killed in the collision, officials said.

Witnesses told San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies that the woman walked onto the tracks as the train was approaching the intersection.

Officials have not released the woman's identity.

The North County Transit District sent an alert to its customers via Twitter just before 6:30 a.m. that service would be delayed for up to an hour.

All trains eastbound and westbound were scheduled to operate to and from those stations. A Breeze bus bridge was planned between Civic Center Vista and Palomar College.

Duplex Destroyed by Fire in El Cajon

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Flames destroyed one home and killed a pet pitbull in El Cajon early Wednesday.

Heartland Fire responded to the two-alarm fire just before 5:30 a.m. at a duplex on East Madison Avenue.

Two adults and two children escaped injury. The family's pitbull puppy, King, was killed and a cat was missing.

Neighbor Rafael Black awoke to flames and smoke and said he tried to help the family living in the duplex.

"Smoke was going everywhere," Black said.

"I stepped out to see if I could help and his daughter was trapped in the back. He got his daughter out and after that everybody just got evacuated," he said.

Firefighters say they were able to knock down the flames within 10 minutes. Everything inside the unit was destroyed, officials said.

The San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross will be assisting the family to obtain temporary housing.

The fire occurred just across the street from El Cajon Valley High School. 

NTSB Giving Updates on Train Crash

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Federal accident investigators arrived in New York Wednesday to begin piecing together Tuesday night’s fiery Metro-North Railroad crash that killed six people and injured more than a dozen in what officials say is the commuter rail's deadliest accident in history.

Five passengers on the train and the driver of a Mercedes Benz SUV were killed when the train slammed into the SUV, which was trapped between crossing gates in Valhalla, at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 45 minutes after it left Grand Central with hundreds of commuters aboard.

After the collision, the train burst into flames and pushed the SUV nearly 10 car lengths down the tracks before coming to a halt. The force of the impact also caused the electrified third rail to come up and pierce part of the train.

"This is truly an ugly, brutal sight," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a briefing shortly after the accident Tuesday night. "The third rail of the track came up from the explosion and went right through the car, so it is truly a devastatingly ugly situation to see."

The SUV driver killed was identified Wednesday as Ellen Brody by the owner of the Chappaqua jewelry store where she worked, ICD Contemporary Jewelry. Among the five men killed aboard the train were financial executive Eric Vandercar of Bedford Hills and museum curator Walter Liedtke.

Officials initially said six passengers aboard the train and the driver were killed, but the death toll was lowered Wednesday morning to include five male passengers and the SUV driver, believed to be a married mother, a law enforcement source told NBC 4 New York.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino called the death toll reduction a “minor miracle." 

Fifteen train riders were hurt in the crash, some of them seriously. Twelve of those passengers were treated at Westchester Medical Center for injuries including, cuts, bruises, dislocations, open fractures, smoke inhalations and burns. One patient remains in critical condition.

The train engineer was also treated for his injuries at a hospital, but was not believed to be one of the casualties, MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast said.

Astorino said that all but one of the victims who were killed were burned beyond recognition and will have to be identified by dental records, a process that could take up to a day. 

“To think about what some of these commuters went through, they got on the 5:45 p.m. train, probably talked to somebody at home to say, ‘I’m on the way,’ and the world became upside down,” Astorino said. “That train had so many flames in it, so engulfed, the inside of that first car is just melted and charred with the third rail going right through it.”

A National Transportation Safety Board team was dispatched to the Valhalla scene Wednesday morning. At a briefing in Washington, D.C., before his team left for New York, NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said teams would likely be at the scene for about a week gathering facts and insight, and will look into a myriad of factors that may have contributed to the crash. 

"We've got several busy days ahead of us," Sumwalt said. "Our goal is to not only find out what happened, but to find out why it happened."

Investigators will look at data from recorders from the train, the signal system and the crossing gates. They'll also investigate medical records, highway conditions and will have fire officials on scene because of the blaze sparked by the crash, Sumwalt said.

"We've officially taken command of the accident scene," Sumwalt said. 

Cuomo and Prendergast said that an event recorder on the train will lend investigators valuable insight. Sumwalt said recorders at the crossing and in the signaling systems will also be inspected. Investigators Wednesday began documenting what they called "perishable" evidence from the scene, requested aerial photos of the crash site and asked witnesses to contact out to the agency.

It may be a year before the NTSB issues its final report on the crash, Sumwalt said, but he added the agency may recommend some essential safety measures sooner based on preliminary findings. 

The MTA and the Federal Railroad Administration are also conducting their own investigations. 

Federal railroad administration guidelines -- which MTA complies with -- mandate a minimum 20-second warning for motorists at a railroad crossing. The design for warning times can range in seconds from 20 to the high 30s, with the timing depending on the speed of the train in that location, officials say. 

Crews were Wednesday to remove the train from the tracks so work can begin to repair the section of electrified rail that was damaged, Astorino said. The wreckage will be moved to an indoor hangar while NTSB teams investigate. 

Six hundred and fifty people were on board train No. 659, which departed Grand Central at 5:45 p.m. The train made one stop at 125th Street in Harlem before it proceeded express toward Chappaqua, the MTA said. Since the train wasn't stopping in Valhalla, the engineer had no reason to slow down or stop before seeing the SUV on the tracks, a law enforcement source told NBC 4 New York. 

Passengers' accounts of the crash varied according to where they were sitting. Those in back reported feeling only small "jolts" or "jerks" upon impact, while those sitting toward the front heard a loud explosion and saw smoke quickly filling their cars. 

The collision comes a little more than a year after new Metro-North President Joseph Giuletti took over, with a vow to make safety the top priority.

Multiple derailments in 2013 and 2014 -- including one in December 2013 that killed four people when a fatigued engineer fell asleep at the controls -- had prompted a federal review in which investigators concluded that Metro-North sacrificed safety in 2013 to accommodate an obsession with on-time performance.

The MTA says it has made dozens of recommended changes, but big-ticket items like automated train control could still be months or even years away. It appears too early to tell whether safety controls could have prevented Tuesday's collision. 

Metro-North has established a family assistance center at the Mount Pleasant Town Hall at 1 Town Hall Plaza in Valhalla and a phone hotline at 1-800-METRO-INFO (800-638-7646).



Photo Credit: AP
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Fire in East County Is Controlled Burn

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A fire burning to the east of San Diego is part of a controlled burn, Cal Fire officials said.

The column of smoke rising from the East County is visible to many residents across the county around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The project area is Cuyamaca Rancho State Park west of State Route 79 and Lake Cuyamaca.

Cal Fire officials say they have necessary staff and equipment on hand including engines, tankers, and may include helicopters.

Still, there may be residual smoke visible throughout the week.

Cal Fire and California State Parks officials were working together to set the fire as part of Cuyamaca's on-going reforestation project.



Photo Credit: Monica Dean NBC 7

Drugs, Guns, Ammo Seized After 3-Hr Vista Standoff

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A three-hour standoff in Vista ended in an arrest and the seizure of guns, drugs and ammunition Tuesday.

The Vista Gang Enforcement Team responded to a report that wanted felon Sergio Weik, 32, was inside a residence at 644 Rancho Vista Road, and may have been in possession of multiple firearms, according to the San Diego Sheriff's Department.

Weik was wanted for a felony warrant and a search warrant was obtained to enter the home, sheriff's officials said Wednesday.

The Sheriff's Department Special Enforcement Detail and Crisis Negotiation Team worked together with the gang unit to execute the warrant.

There was a number of other people inside the home, but they all came out voluntarily and confirmed the suspect was inside, sheriff's said.

Deputies said they tried to coerce Weik out of the home, but it took three hours and several rounds of chemicals to apprehend him.

Members of the Gang Enforcement Team found two guns, methamphetamine, heroin, hundreds of rounds of ammunition of various calibers, burglary tools and evidence of drug sales inside the home, sheriff's said.

Weik was arrested for the outstanding felony warrant, weapons charges and drug-related charges. He was booked into Vista Detention Facility.


Driver Leaps as Train Hits Truck

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A truck driver leapt from his tractor-trailer after getting stuck in snow on train tracks, just moments before an MBTA commuter train smashed into it at a Braintree, Massachusetts, crossing Wednesday afternoon.

The truck driver escaped unscathed, while a few train passengers suffered minor injuries.

The tractor-trailer driver, who identified himself only as Herman, had just made a delivery of racks and dollies to Frito-Lay when his empty truck had gotten stuck on snow and ice next to the tracks along Grove Street, wheels spinning in the path of an oncoming northbound train.

"It would spin, it wouldn't go forward or backward, then I hear [a man who was helping] screaming, 'Train, train, train!'" said Herman. "'What do you mean, train?' I heard the dinging, and I saw it coming at the truck, so I jumped."

Herman, a Red Wings fan from Michigan, was wearing a borrowed Bruins hat and winter jacket but was still in his shorts, shaken up from the traumatic afternoon. "An explosion, a bomb. Boom!" he said. "It happened so fast."

One witness described just how narrowly Herman escaped from the path of the oncoming train.

"He waited until maybe 50 yards. It was a gray box over there. That train was going 45-50 miles an hour. And he finally jumped out at the last second," said witness Bill Bradford. "Personally, I think he waited a little too long. But if he ever fell, he would've been crushed by the train."

The damaged train made its way to Braintree station and train service was interrupted for a few hours after the crash. The tracks reopened later to commuter trains, which were more crowded than usual with revelers heading home from the Patriots' victory parade in Boston.

"Everybody's doing the best they can to keep up the roads as clear as possible," said Transit Police Deputy Chief Kenneth Sprague. "But, you know, sometimes, with these industrial areas, the trucks are coming out, and the tractor-trailers will keep hitting the snowbanks and constantly knocking snow back down. So it's a constant battle."

The debris field illustrated how fortunate Herman was to have escaped, just a day after a commuter train outside New York smashed into an SUV and killed six people.

But it also illustrated just how much he had lost.

"Everything is in there. I think they found one of my phones. But that's my home. That's my home on wheels. That's what I do for a living. It's what I've been blessed with. Now it's all gone," Herman said.

The trailer was expected be towed away after rush hour Wednesday, around 7 p.m.



Photo Credit: NECN

Fire Spreads Through Home in City Heights

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Smoke and flames poured from two abandoned buildings in City Heights as firefighters tried to control the blaze Tuesday evening.

Crews rushed to the small homes at 50th Street and University Avenue at about 5:15 p.m. At least three fire engines lined the street nearby.

Firefighters doused the flames within 30 minutes, but they are still trying to determine the cause.

Witnesses reported seeing someone running from the scene, but the San Diego Fire-Rescue captain said it is too early to put out a description of a possible person of interest.

He said he is glad the fire was put out quickly because it had the potential to spread to thick brush, wooden fences and apartments around it.

No injuries were reported.



Photo Credit: Candice Nguyen

Rights of Disabled Inmates Violated: Judge

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Using segregated cells for disabled inmates at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility has been deemed a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act Tuesday.

Between January and November 2014, Donovan was home to 134 disabled inmates that were housed in isolation - more than all other California prisons combined.

Susan Thornton-Zetino, a former teacher from Donovan, said the segregated housing is meant as a punishment and is being imposed on inmates not being punished.

Guards are instead using the segregated cells for inmates with disabilities because they offer more room for the use of wheelchairs and canes.

Those inmates, though, said they spend most of their time in their cells with limited access to exercise.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said the officers at Donovan also failed to report the number of disabled inmates being housed for more than 72 hours to headquarters.

The CDCR said the segregation unit policy has been effective at its 33 other facilities, and that 90 percent of disabled inmates are moved into new housing within a day.

"If it's only that institution, then it needs to be looked at," Thornton-Zetino said. "What else is going on at that institution?"

Pink and Black Prisoner Organization member Cathy Mendonca said the situation is both concerning and heartbreaking.

"It raises a concern for the county of San Diego," Mendonca said. "Is this how they're treating folks with a disability?"

The CDCR is now requiring specialized training, enhanced monitoring and daily reports on disabled inmates placed at Donovan, as they wait to build a 700-bed facility to treat disabled and mentally ill inmates.

"I almost feel in a way, it's their way of perhaps justifying the expansion," said Thornton-Zetino of the disabled inmates' treatment.

The CDCR would not grant an interview, but said they're reviewing the court order and have 30 days to respond.

Amateur Golfers Ride Emotional Swings at Pro-Am

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Peter Salvati stood off the green on the first hole just hoping to chip it close to the pin. In view of one of the greatest golfers in history, Tiger Woods, he hit a shot that sailed over the green. “Fore!” someone yelled. His ball came within five feet of hitting a spectator. He picked up his ball and moved to the next hole.

This was the pressure of playing the Zurich Pro-Am at San Diego’s Torrey Pines Golf Course. Golf can be frustrating on its own. Adding cameras, spectators and the excitement of playing next to Tiger Woods can be enough to throw anyone off their game.

Salvati, who works in the commercial construction industry in San Diego, said he knew Tiger likes to keep the pace of play moving quickly, so he quit playing the hole. “I’m not going to have people watch me hit back and forth over the green,” he said.

Others were equally frazzled. Young Kwan from Orange County said he usually scores in the high 90s. Young hadn’t played in about a year. He had hoped to get some practice time before the tournament, but his busy schedule did not allow it.

He revealed his strategy before teeing-off with pro golfer Marc Leichman. “Have a great time and don’t be the worst one of the course,” said Kwan. After sinking a birdie putt on the third hole of the North Course, he said, “I’m having fun!”

Pro-Am tournaments like this one allow amateurs or occasional golfers a small taste of the pressures felt by the professionals: clicking cameras, a gallery of eyes glaring at every move, reactions from the crowd that exacerbate the extraordinary excitement of great shots and the miserable disappointment of a stroke gone awry.

The bigger picture was not lost on San Diego amateur golfer Jeff Baglio while he waited to start his round with professional Carl Petterson. “No matter how frustrating it is, you have to remember that you’re out here playing golf with a pro,” he said. “And that’s a lot of fun.”

After finishing the ninth hole, Peter Salvati followed Tiger to watch the cluster of reporters pepper him with questions. Outside the press area, his caddie revealed he shot 46 on the front nine holes of the North Course, which he called his usual performance.

Salvati said he had a great time, remarking that he does business with Zurich, the sponsor of the Pro-Am. This allowed him an invitation to play with the Tiger. “It was the invitation of a lifetime,” he said.
 



Photo Credit: Chris Chan

Woman Says Lotto Spat Cost Her $50K

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Crystal Ellis and her mother are convinced that they won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket, but the New Jersey Lottery says it’s worth just seven dollars.

The dispute is over just one letter printed on the ticket.

The family from Millville, New Jersey, claims it is an “O,” which would lead to the top prize on the Super Crossword ticket. But the New Jersey Lottery says he letter is actually a “C” and that part of the latex covering was not removed completely, hence the confusion.

“There is no discrepancy on this ticket,” said Judith Drucker of the New Jersey Lottery. “Unfortunately, she just misread the ticket.”

Ellis says that she purchased the ticket for her mother at a local 7-Eleven in mid-December, and that she scratched it off in front of an employee, in the store.

“We’re not trying to make a big deal out of nothing,” Ellis said.

“It looks like 'O' to me," the 7-Eleven's owner Ashish Shah said. "She’s my regular customer. She comes every day.”

After receiving a visit from a lottery investigator and hearing that it was not a grand prize winner, the family threw out the ticket. Only a cellphone picture and a photocopy remain.

“That photocopy was taken before the latex had been removed from the actual playing card,” said Drucker.

Lottery officials say they have no recollection of prior complaints about misprints on lottery tickets.

Ellis told NBC10 the entire experience has left her feeling insulted.

"You're going to make me look like an idiot," Ellis said. "Like I couldn't scratch a ticket!"

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