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Black Ice Was DWI Cover-Up: Cops

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Two men were arrested on DWI charges after police say one of them wrecked a relative's car on a New Jersey road and then enlisted the other to help him dump water on the roadway on a frigid cold night to make it appear that  black ice caused the crash.

Brian J. Byers and Alexander Zambenedetti, both 20, were arrested after Byers allegedly crashed a 2001 BMW early Monday at Woodport and Sawmill roads in Sparta and then came back with Zambenedetti so he could dump water on the intersection to make it appear that black ice contributed to the crash.

Police say that Byers hit a guardrail with the car, which was registered to a family member, when he ran the stop sign early Monday. He allegedly drove off after the wreck, taking the damaged car to his house about a mile away.

Then, police say, Zambenedetti drove Byers back to the scene in a 2005 BMW. Police say they brought two five-gallon buckets full of water and allegedly poured them onto the intersection to create a black ice slick on the road. It is unclear if the duo made multiple trips to freeze over the road.

The pair was cuffed after an officer on patrol saw Zambenedetti standing outside on the 1-degree night without a shirt on. Byers was sitting in the passenger’s seat, and the officer found the two buckets in clear view.

By the time the officer arrived, the water on the roadway had frozen, making the intersection too dangerous to drive on. A snow plow had to come to the scene and drop about a half a ton of salt on the roadway to make it safe for travel.

Byers was arrested on several charges including DWI, leaving the scene of an accident and disorderly conduct for creating a dangerous condition by purposely icing an intersection.

Zambenedetti was also arrested on DWI charges after he allegedly failed a field sobriety test at the intersection. Police say he denied driving the car to the scene even though he had sat in the driver’s seat at one point.

Both men were released Monday morning and are set to appear in court later this week.


Dog in Crevice at CA Beach Rescued

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Firefighters rescued a dog out of a crevice high above the beach in Santa Monica on Monday afternoon.

The dog appeared to resist two firefighters on a tall ladder. Eventually, the firefighters, with the Santa Monica Fire Department, managed to remove the dog from the steep bluff.

The dog was caught in the 1300 block of Pacific Coast Highway, a fire official said.

After firefighters reunited the dog with its owner, they ran across PCH, stopping traffic.

It was unclear how the dog became stuck on the cliff.



Photo Credit: KNBC-TV

Chargers Special Counsel to Meet With Advisory Group

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Members of the Stadium Advisory Committee will meet with Chargers Special Counsel Monday for the first time to discuss building a new playing facility for the team.

The nine-member “Citizens Stadium Advisory Group” was assembled by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer in January and tasked them with developing a plan by this fall.

Monday’s meeting will mark the first time the group will meet with Mark Fabiani, Special Counsel for the Chargers.

In an exclusive interview with NBC 7 Monday morning, Fabiani said this year is a "different year" for the Chargers.

"Staying in San Diego without any option for the future, without any hope of getting a new facility, and one or perhaps two teams moving into the L.A. market and gutting the team's business there," Fabiani said in the exclusive interview. "It's not really an option, unfortunately."

The team only has three options, Fabiani said. First, to block anyone from getting to Los Angeles, to be the first in Los Angeles, or to stay in San Diego.

Fabiani gave NBC 7 the Chargers' talking points during the meeting. The four main talking points Fabiani plans to discuss during the meeting are quoted from a PDF of the presentation below.

  • "First, you should resist the political pressure you will feel to make a proposal simply for the sake of making a proposal."
  • "The second guiding principle is this: The Chargers have no intention of quietly participating in any effort to provide political cover for elected officials."
  • "The third principle: Any proposal that emerges from the work of your Task Force should be subjected to serious, real world stress tests. In particular, any Task Force proposal should pass each of the following three real world tests:"
    • First, is the proposal one that has a strong chance of being approved by two-thirds of the voters?"
    • "The second real world stress test should be this: Are the Mayor and a strong majority of the City Council prepared to support the recommendations of your Task Force?"
    • "The third real world stress test for any proposal should be this: Does the proposal recognize the economic realities of our local marketplace and of the NFL?"
  • "The fourth and final guiding principle is this: It should not be enough to suggest a plan that might succeed in the real world of San Diego politics."

Various documents related to the Charger’ decade-long search for a new stadium are now public and can be accessed by visiting this website and clicking on "Related Links" and then "Stadium Information and Research."

The Advisory Group held its first huddle on Feb. 6 and Adam Day, the group’s elected chair, said the group will meet regularly over the next several months and is optimistic about delivering a report well in advance of the mayor’s fall deadline.

Public input is key because the Chargers would likely need a two-thirds majority vote of approval if a proposal ends up on the 2016 ballot as planned.

Mayor Faulconer tasked the advisory group with finding the best answer to the two biggest questions in the stadium saga: where to put it? And how to pay for it?



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Fatal Crash on I-5 Leaves One Dead, One Injured

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An early morning crash on Interstate 5 left one person dead and another injured, the California Highway Patrol said.

The accident happened at approximately 3:15 a.m. when a man driving a 1992 black Nissan pickup northbound along Interstate 5 veered across two lanes and overturned several times before eventually hitting a light pole. The pickup ended up in a ditch off of Interstate 5 near Poinsettia Road.

The driver, an 18-year-old male from Oceanside, had to be cut out of the car and was transported to Scripps Hospital La Jolla with major head trauma. The teen later succumbed to his injuries.

The pole the driver crashed into then fell and smashed into a parked 2009 Sterling UPS Big Rig nearby that had stopped to check on the driver of the Nissan, CHP said. The driver was treated on scene after parts of shattered glass got into his face and eyes.

It is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The indicent remains under investigation.

The Medical Marijuana Debate for Pets

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A hemp-based product is gaining traction among some San Diegans using it to treat their pets’ illnesses, though veterinarians argue more research is needed. The issue has sparked a sort of medical marijuana debate for animals.

David Bourgouin’s 11-year-old dog Reef still wants to play like he’s a puppy. But about a year ago, the dog’s separation anxiety caused him to jump over a fence and injure his shoulder.

The pain for Reef was unbearable, his owner told NBC 7; the dog couldn’t put any weight on his front left leg after the injury. It turned out that Reef developed a cyst after the accident – the main source of his pain.

“It’s so large, the size of a lemon, that it’s pressing on the nerve that’s going on to this leg,” said Bourgouin.

He said the only options he had were a $6,000 surgery or something called cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is extracted from hemp-oil, which is in the cannabis family.

“Knowing what I know about CBD, I decided this is what I needed to do for him,” said Bourgoin. “I have to give him the best shot I can.”

Bourgouin went to Hemp Health Inc. in Carlsbad. Vice President Katarina Maloney told NBC 7 pet owners come in and ask for the product for many medicinal reasons.

“A lot of them are inflammation, pain, separation anxiety,” Maloney said.

Not enough research has been done to determine how exactly CBD works, but another big question on people’s minds: can your pet get high?

“You cannot get high from our products at all,” Maloney said. “Our oil is made from industrial hemp, where there is no THC in our product.” THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana products.

To find out what animal experts think of the treatment, NBC 7 reached out to the San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association to review these CBD products for our report.

Veterinary anesthesiologist Amber Hopkins with the association said she is no stranger to sick and nervous animals, and when it comes to using CBD products for medical purposes, she feels conflicted.

“I think there's been a lot of potential in it being used to be very beneficial in animals to management of various things - epilepsy, pain management, anti-nausea,” she said.

But Dr. Hopkins added, “There's very little scientific evidence that supports efficacy, safety studies, dose regimes that have been well defined in animals.”

Veterinarians cannot prescribe CBD since it’s not federally approved to be used medicinally. Right now, the FDA considers it as a “dietary supplement.”

NBC 7 reached out to other veterinarians across the county to see what they thought of CBD-use on pets. They were all for it and noted that they have seen benefits from its use, but that it’s a matter of the FDA performing the necessary tests and research so one day it can be legally prescribed.

Bourgouin knew all of this and when it came to Reef, he said he had no choice. Looking at Reef now after using the CBD products, he’s active and can spend more time playing like a puppy, the owner said.

For more information on Hemp Health Inc., click here to view the organization’s website.

New App to Deliver Alcohol to San Diegans

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San Diegans can now order alcohol with just a few taps on their phone.

The alcohol delivery app Saucey has launched in San Diego, the company announced on Twitter.

It also delivers to residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The application has its own team of drivers, according to the website, and promises delivery in 20 to 40 minutes.

To download the application, visit the application's website.



Photo Credit: Sauceyapp.com

Local Group Helping Abandoned and Abused Dogs

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One local shelter is asking for the public to open their hearts and their homes in an effort to save some of the nearly 200 dogs found abandoned in a San Bernadino home last week.

The pups were found abandoned at a San Bernadino home last week living in terrible conditions. San Diego’s Second Chance Dog Rescue took in eight dogs from a shelter in San Bernadino so they could make room for the 191 dogs found.

Next weekend, the organization is hoping to provide a home to two dozen of those nearly 200 dogs.
Before that can happen, the organization needs more foster families.

"It's an impetuous to move operationalize and gather troops," said Alison Fogel with Second Chance Dog Rescue.

Fogel is working with other shelters to ensure all the dogs are adopted. Some foster parents are already stepping up to help the dogs prior to their arrival.

“What motivates us is every dog we can take in and foster we know that's one less dog that can be euthanized at shelter,” said Michael Groch, who first fostered a dog years ago and ended up adopting him.

Since his first foster, Groch has been a temporary parent to 35 dogs.

Groch now plans to take in one of the abandoned pups found in San Bernadino and hopes others will do the same.

Right now the dogs are being cared for by Devore Animal Shelter. They cannot be released and adopted yet because authorities have not been able to find the owners of the dogs.

However, if you are interested in fostering or adopting a dog, you can visit their website by clicking here.

Man Found Dead at Oceanside Park Identified

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A man was found beaten to death early Monday morning at Buddy Todd Park in Oceanside, Oceanside Police said.

Officers responded to a report of a person down at approximately 5:44 a.m. Monday at the 2800 block of Mesa Drive. That person was later identified as 24-year-old Oceanside resident Moustafa Gordon.

Gordon was found dead at the northeastern edge of the park, the result of blunt force trauma. The trauma was mainly to the face, said Oceanside Police Lieutenant Cosby, and the body appeared to be there for several hours.

"This is an attack of great severity on a person," Cosby said at a press conference about the death. "Regardless of what your relationship to this person might have been or is, this is uncalled for."

One resident  found the body while walking his dog in the park Monday morning.

"I couldn't see him breathing at all, he wasn't breathing, and I shine the light in his face and all I could see was blood, all over the face," said Bill Stone.

Officers cornered off the park early Monday in their search for a suspect, Cosby said. Officers said a blue GMC pickup found by the body belonged to the victim.

No weapons have been found at the scene. Cosby said he believes the attack is singular and that residents should not be worried for their safety.

Officers will be talking to nearby neighbors to see if they heard anything or have surveillance footage from overnight.

Police currently do not have any information on a potential suspect and are asking anyone with information related to this incident to call the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4911.

The investigation is ongoing.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Chargers' Game Plan: 'Close Eye' on Los Angeles

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It seems there's finally a limit to the Chargers' patience for a new stadium in San Diego.

On Monday, at its first meeting with the mayor's recently appointed advisory group, the team said it's now keeping “a close eye on” -- and evaluating -- the Los Angeles market.

Why the shift in their perspective?

It's the stadium proposal in Inglewood being advanced by Stan Kroenke, the multibillionaire owner of the St. Louis Rams.

The Bolts are making it clear that they don't want to finish second in a race to greener turf.

They have serious doubts that the nine-member stadium advisory group will reach a “publicly acceptable solution” in the San Diego area.

In an interview with NBC 7 before his meeting with the group, the team’s special counsel Mark Fabiani offered a pessimistic rationale: “Staying in San Diego without any options for the future, without any hope of getting a new facility, and one or perhaps two teams moving into the L.A. market and gutting the team's business there -- is not really an option, unfortunately."

The stadium advisers have been asked to take another look at the current, Mission Valley site -- even as the target site for several years has been in East Village, near the MTS bus yard.

Any taxpayer land or money thrown into the deal would trigger a two-thirds voter approval requirement.

And the Chargers don't think that's attainable for a potential project cost of up to $1.5 billion.

Fabiani left some wiggle room with this caveat: "Somebody could come in and come up with an idea that we hadn't thought of. We hope that happens -- even though it'll make us look like bumblers for 13 years. It'll get us a solution here, which is what the Spanos family (the team’s ownership) wants. But we also have to be realistic."

The stadium group's chairman is preaching optimism, in hopes that a site and financing proposal aimed at next year's ballot cycle can be produced by late summer or early fall.

"I think a solution can be found if all of us agree to work together in a cooperative fashion,” Adam Day told reporters at a noontime news conference Monday. "You've got a group of nine volunteers who've got a fresh set of eyes on this issue. And we think there'll be a solution to be had.”

But the Chargers are telling politicians -- in effect -- to tread carefully.

Adding a bit of edge to their new focus on the Los Angeles market is some language in a memo of talking points that Mark Fabiani covered in the meeting with stadium advisers: "We have no intention of allowing the Chargers franchise to be manipulated for political cover, and we will call out any elected official who tries to do so."

All this strikes Bernie Wilson, San Diego-based sportswriter for the Associated Press, as the most stark threat the team ever has directed at local political leaders.

“If this isn't a haymaker followed by a flurry of jabs, followed maybe a kick to the midsection,” Wilson told NBC 7, “it's pretty close … in the real world it comes across as fighting words. And fighting words sometimes -- and often times -- it ends poorly."

The Chargers say they've spent $15 million since 2001, studying nine different sites around San Diego County.

The team has created a website with all that data for the advisory group and offered to bring NFL executives to future meetings.

As Fabiani told them at the beginning of his remarks: “We appreciate the enormous difficulty of the challenge before you.”



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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Two-Alarm Fire Breaks Out at PB AleHouse

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Thick black smoke hovered over beachgoers at Pacific Beach as a two-alarm fire grew in a popular restaurant, sending about 120 customers and employees rushing out of the building.

San Diego Fire officials say the fire started at about 3:15 p.m. in the kitchen of the PB AleHouse, located at 721 Grand Avenue. The grease trap was the main culprit, they said.

The flames then traveled through the exhaust system and sparked a second blaze in the attic. Most of the smoke and fire was coming from there by the time police arrived.

San Diego police said they saw flames escaping from the second-story window, so they started blocking off the road and controlling crowds in the area so firefighters could extinguish it.

Fire officials told NBC 7 the tough, thick roof presented a challenge, for it was difficult to find the fire's source. Firefighters tore some of the walls down to make sure the fire was completely out. Still, the fire was doused in about 25 minutes.

Investigators say the fire damaged the expensive microbrew equipment and beer lines in the roof. In all, they estimate about $300,000 worth of damage was done to the structure and $700,000 worth to the content inside.



Photo Credit: SDFD

Naked Man Shot by Police in Mira Mesa

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A naked man was shot by police after trying to break in to a home in Mira Mesa, police said.

The man was taken by ambulance to a local hospital following the shooting in the 7900 block of Merrington Place. San Diego police said on Monday afternoon that he was in critical but stable condition.

The incident happened just after noon. David Bacoka, who lives at the home, told NBC 7 that his mother was at the house when the intruder tried to break through several windows.

She called 911, he said.

"My mom called me and told me there was a naked guy trying to break in all the windows," Bacoka said. "And so he's pounding on the windows and all the doors and she said she ran, she called 911 and then ran to the neighbor's house."

Officers responded and confronted the intruder, who then attacked an officer, triggering the officer's gun to fall to the ground, said San Diego Police Capt. Al Guadarama.

The officer and man struggled over the gun, but the officer managed to grab his gun back ahd shot the suspect in the chest, Guadarama said.

"Somewhere in between, the officer even attempted to tase the suspect with negative results," Guadarama said. "The officer was able to grab the weapon back and fire one round at the suspect."

The name of the officer -- a 5-year veteran -- has not been released. The officer suffered some scratches in the tussle and has been placed on administrative leave.

The suspect's name also hasn't been released.

Boats Abandoned on Mission Valley Road

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Taxpayers may be on the hook for the costs of cleaning up a 32-foot boat that was dumped on the side of a busy road in Mission Valley. The abandoned boat had a second boat inside of it filled with garbage.

No one knows who dumped the boat or how they did it. But a tie down attaching the boat to a power pole is a good indication as to how it happened.

Kevin Brown with San Diego Boat Movers said whoever did this likely tied the boat down to the pole, and slid the flatbed truck or trailer out from underneath it, leaving it on the ground.

The boats were discovered on Camino Del Rio South at Mission City Parkway Monday morning by NBC 7 viewer Anthony Wagner on his way into work.

“You see people dumping their sofas and abandoning other household items,” Wagner said. “I’ve never seen anybody put a 32-foot boat on the side of the road and just walk away from it. It’s ridiculous.”

Jose Ysea, Public Information Officer for the City of San Diego, noted the high voltage power lines overhead near the dumping site makes the clean-up job dangerous for city works.

“It definitely puts a strain on our resources and what we’re going to need to be able to deal with this type of mess out here,” said Ysea.

Brown hauls and disposes of boats daily, but he says he’s never seen a 12,000- to 15,000-pound boat dumped on the side of the road.

“I’ve seen broken down trailers and stuff like that where we’ve had to remove boats, but not just dumped on purpose,” Brown said.

Brown told NBC 7 the job will likely cost the city thousands of dollars. Hazardous materials like gas tanks and wiring have to be properly disposed of before the boat can go to the dump.

On March 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the city is hosting a free community clean-up event at Qualcomm Stadium where residents can bring furniture, appliances and electronics, although hazardous waste will not be accepted.

In the coming days, the city will come up with a safe plan to remove the litter and then begin hauling it away.

Boston Transit May Be Slow a Month

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It could take up to 30 days for Boston transit service to be fully restored — but that would be if there is not another major storm, according to the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's chief Dr. Beverly Scott.

The news of the "Reduced Core Service" plan came Monday night, shortly after the agency announced it will continue to operate on a limited schedule on Tuesday. The Boston area is closing in on the record for snowiest winter.

Scott announced last week she was stepping down, effective April 11, amid criticism of how her agency has handled delays, suspensions and massive snowfall. On Monday, Scott said the goal of the reduced plan is to "take back the system."

Service was previously suspended Sunday due to blizzard-like conditions, and limited service resumed on Monday.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's office responded to the MBTA's move later Monday with a statement.

"The administration has been directing significant resources including heavy equipment and personnel to the MBTA to aid in recovery efforts over the past several days to restore a regular operating schedule for commuters as quickly and efficiently as possible after unprecedented impacts from recent storms," a Baker spokesperson said.

A string of snowstorms has wreaked havoc on the MBTA, and frustration among commuters is growing. 

The red line from Braintree to JFK is the top priority for the T, with dozens of inmates and union members pitching in to clear snow from the tracks one shovel at a time.

“It’s quite an undertaking, it’s a herculean task to get all the snow removed here and we’re all hands on deck at the MBTA right now,” said Tom Crowley the MBTA Supervisor of Transportation Contraction for Subway Operations.

Here are the details of Tuesday's limited schedule:

Red Line

  • From Alewife and Andrew. Will resemble off-peak service. Trains every 7-8 minutes.
  • From Andrew, transfer onto shuttle bus service to points south. That will be limited service, every 10-20 minutes.

Orange Line

  • From Sullivan to Back Bay. Less than normal weekday service.
  • Sullivan to Oak Grove will be limited shuttle bus service.

Blue Line

  • Normal service from Wonderland to Bowdoin Station. Every 6-7 minutes.

Green Line

  • From Lechmere to Kenmore. Every 5-6 minutes.
  • B Line – Switch to 57 bus. No service between Packards Corner and Boston College.
  • C Line – Substitute bus service.
  • D Line – Reduced train service.
  • E Line – Will go to Prudential station. Then 39 bus service to Heath.

Bus service

  • Will run a regular, weekday service tomorrow.
  • MBTA is warning riders of longer than average wait times.

Commuter Rail

  • On a limited schedule. Details still being finalized.

For complete information on all MBTA routes and schedules, click here

For your latest weather forecast, click here.



Photo Credit: NECN

Immigration Reform Confusion Encourages Scam Artists

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When A.J. Aguirre first met a woman billing herself as an attorney and asking her family for thousands of dollars to help with their immigration process, she said she immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Aguirre, who lives with her boyfriend and their 3-year-old daughter in South County, said she set those fears aside by concentrating on how much a legal status would help her family.

“We wanted this so much that we were willing to just pray to God that this is actually real,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre and her boyfriend borrowed money from friends and family, worked extra hours, cobbled together their savings and paid the woman more than $3,000 in cash.

“She took advantage that we were so desperate for this,” Aguirre said. “We all feel devastated, fooled, heartbroken. It’s just a horrible, horrible feeling because you lose your money, your savings, your trust.”

When Aguirre’s family started asking for proof of the woman’s work, the alleged attorney stopped responding to texts and calls.

“Some of that money was going to be for my daughter’s birthday. She’s going to turn 3-years old,” Aguirre said, fighting back tears. “That money went down the drain.”

Confusion over President Barack Obama’s immigration executive programs is helping scam artists target immigrant families like Aguirre's, according to state lawmakers and the Attorney General.

Lawmakers like State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-80th District) are trying to address the problem, but tracking down just how many victims are out there is difficult because they rarely come forward to report the fraud to authorities.

State officials do know that Aguirre’s family is not alone.

“This has been going on for decades,” Gonzalez said. “We have a bunch of scammers out there who know this is a vulnerable population, who are not likely to report it to the authorities, and the scam artists can simply take their money and run.”

NBC7 tried all day to contact the woman who Aguirre says took her family’s money. The name the woman gave the family is not listed on the state bar’s website, and phone calls requesting comment went unreturned.

Through public records, we did find more than half a dozen names the woman has gone by over the years, and we plan to report more details once we can verify her true identity.

In the meantime, Gonzalez is pushing for legislation that would require lawyers and consultants offering services under pending federal immigration reform to follow common sense business practices.

“It’s happening a lot and the problem is we don’t always hear about it,” said Gonzalez, who represents the district where Aguirre’s family lives and works. “Immigrants are prime targets for fraud because the people who are committing the fraud know their victims are in jeopardy even by just being here.”

On her website, California Attorney General Kamala Harris lists things to watch out for when selecting help with the immigration process. Those include getting a contract from the consultant or attorney, verifying their license and accreditation on the state bar’s website and always retaining your original documents, according to the website.

Harris also warns on her website that new immigration rules have not yet been implemented and that federal immigration authorities are not accepting applications yet.

“Beware of anyone who offers to help you submit an application or a request for any of these actions before they are available,” the website advises.

“I think it’s a red flag anytime an attorney asks for cash and if they ask for it upfront and there’s no contract and they haven’t give you specified expectations,” said Gonzalez. “There should be a schedule of things you’re getting with your payments, and that’s the kind of thing people need to look out for.”

Her proposed legislation, AB60, would help provide fraud victims a safer way to report wrongdoing without risking legal action and/or deportation. For now, her office directs people to the state bar to file complaints.

“Now you have a dynamic going on where people are getting braver and braver, so I think that you’ll find more people who will stand up for themselves,” she said.

Aguirre was first reluctant to talk on-camera about this all-too-common scam, not just because of legal concerns.

“You feel ashamed because you think you did something wrong,” she said.

She decided to speak out Monday to warn others in her community.

“Because these kind of people need to be locked up. They shouldn’t be doing this to us,” she said. “Because it should stop... It should stop completely. Not only that, but she didn’t steal the money from me, she stole the money from my child.”
 

SD Central Library: Success or Money Waste?

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More than a year and a half after its opening, San Diegans are still debating if the Central Library downtown was a resounding success or an utter waste of money.

At 500,000 square feet, almost four times the size of the previous central building, the library has become a quintessential part of the San Diego skyline.

"The other one was three stories, this one is nine. So we have some outdoor spaces, a big auditorium, it is very different,” said Misty Jones, the San Diego Public Library director.

The huge structure houses a charter school and rentable space, often used for weddings and other events.

But the administrators have had their challenges. About 3,000 people visit the library every day, and staff estimates about a third of those are homeless, an issue officials knew existed way before opening the $185 million facility.

So the library has stepped up its resources to stop misbehavior, partnering with the nonprofit Mental Health Systems, which has a case worker on site to help the homeless patrons inside. Just last month, the library opened a new resource center to help veterans receive local, state and federal benefits and services.

But in just a 60-day period, the Central Library had 60 calls to service by the San Diego Police Department. The types of disturbances included 11 calls involving some kind of violent behavior, four robberies and nine welfare checks.

"We do take a zero tolerance policy and we do take any misbehavior very seriously and get rid of those problems very quickly,” said Jones.

But she admits they have had to increase the number of temporary suspension letters to patrons because of behavioral issues. They also see the need to boost their uniformed police presence inside.

Even before the foundation was laid, the Central Library was not without controversy.

Back in 2010, two San Diego City Councilmembers voted against its construction. One was former Councilmember Carl DeMaio, who argued that the project would become an economic boondoggle or turn into a gold-plated day care center for the homeless.

Others like Councilmember Todd Gloria and then-Mayor Jerry Sanders reasoned that after 55 years, the old Central Library was due for an overhaul.

Many of those who spoke out for or against the library construction declined to talk with NBC 7 on Monday for a follow up interview.

So more than a year later, the project’s success depends on who you ask.

"I don't know, it's a lot to think about. It's a yes and no answer, I guess,” said Melody Ebner of Serra Mesa. “I don't know?"

"I think it's a good step forward for our city and we're lucky to have it,” said Nat Giraud of Point Loma.
 


Power Back for More Than 2,000 in Escondido

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More than 2,000 customers were without power for several hours early Tuesday morning in Escondido, San Diego Gas and Electric said.

The power went out at approximately 3:30 a.m. for 2,200 customers in the city and was restored just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to SDG&E’s power outage map.

The cause of the outage is unknown.

Massive Snowball Fight in D.C.

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SNOWBALL FIGHT! Crowds converged Tuesday for a massive snowball fight at Meridian Hill Park in D.C.

Much of the District was shut down after a storm dumped several inches of snow on the region -- all the more reason for the D.C. Snowball Fight Association to step into action.

The group, which has been organizing chilly battles for about five years, originally planned Tuesday's snowball fight to take place at Dupont Circle.

The battle was moved at the last minute because the National Park Service plowed Dupont Circle Park a little too soon, but the switch didn't keep the cold-impervious crowds away. About 150 people showed up, as well as about five dogs -- and 20 or so news crews.

The fight began around 11 a.m. Tuesday, and and afterward, the nearby James Hoban's Irish Restaurant & Bar (1 Dupont Circle NW) had a room reserved for snowballers. The pub was also offering a prize for the "best"-dressed (whatever that might mean) player.

Of course, there were some rules for the fight, organizers said:

  • "We'll respect any requests of the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. National Park Police
  • We hope you won't target members of the media (too hard) or damage anyone's camera
  • In the interests of safety, we urge everyone to play fair, NOT THROW ICE, and wear any protective gear that you think you need
  • Pelting moving vehicles could cause accidents, so we say: please don't go there
  • And we also want to state the obvious: anyone who behaves recklessly is responsible for the consequences."

Tuesday's battle was the group's first organized snowball fight of the year. It hosted four last year.

Past battles have drawn hundreds of revelers.



Photo Credit: Adam Tuss, News4
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Bicyclist Suffered Major Injuries Following Crash

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A bicyclist struck by a car late Monday night suffered serious injuries, Chula Vista Police said.

The incident happened just after 7 p.m. Monday on the 100 block of Broadway when a bicyclist illegally northwest across the street was hit by a car traveling southbound.

The bicyclist was taken to the UC San Diego Medical Trauma Center and suffered multiple injuries.

At the time of the release, the bicyclist was being treated for the serious injuries as a result of the accident.

Alcohol does not appear to be a fact, police said.

The CVPD Traffic Bureau is investigating.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Schooled, Not Skilled: U.S. Millennials Trail Peers

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American millennials are racking up more diplomas than previous generations.

But they still fall short in skills and smarts when compared to their peers across the globe, a new study found.

The study by the Educational Testing Service, a nonprofit that develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually, found that U.S. young adults between the ages of 16 to 34 demonstrate weak skills in literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments compared with international students. This comes even amid Census and Pew Research Center data showing American millennials are the country's most educated generation.

“While it is true that, on average, the more years of schooling one completes, the more skills one acquires, this report suggests that far too many are graduating high school and completing postsecondary educational programs without receiving adequate skills,” Irwin Kirsch, director of ETS’s Center for Global Assessment, wrote.“If we expect to have a better educated population and a more competitive workforce, policymakers and other stakeholders will need to shift the conversation from one of educational attainment to one that acknowledges the growing importance of skills.”

The 67-page report, available here, used data obtained by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, a study developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that assesses and compares basic skills and the broad range of competencies of adults around the world. The PIAAC compared the U.S. to 21 other member countries of the OECD, focusing on those residents born after 1980 and who were 16 to 34 years of age at the time of the study.

Researchers found that the average scores for American millennials were lower than in most other countries. American millennials also ranked at the bottom in numeracy and problem solving involving technology. Even the best performing and most educated milliennials, who study authors said are typically native born and starting with the greatest economic advantage, do not perform well compared to their international peers, the report found.

American millennials with a four-year bachelor’s degree scored higher in numeracy than their peers in just two countries: Poland and Spain. Those with a master’s or research degree scored higher than their peers in just three countries. And students whose highest level of education was less than high school or high school scored lower than their peers in nearly every other participating country.

ETS researchers Madeline Goodman, Anita Sands and Richard Coley, who wrote the report, said policymakers should take note of the trend, as the millennial generation will shape the economic and social landscape for America’s future.

“The findings are import across a lot of different issues," Goodman said. " … It does seem like it points out a systematic challenge that we have and need to confront. The largest take away here is that skills are an important part of the situation. … all of these issues should be set in the context of inequality of opportunity.”



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Man Airlifted After Mobile Home Fire

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One man was airlifted in critical condition after flames engulfed a mobile home in Pine Valley, officials said.

The fire started around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when a woman and her boyfriend, residents of the mobile home, woke up to a fire in their home, the woman said. She managed to escape, but her boyfriend did not.

By the time firefighters arrived, at least half of the mobile home was wrapped in flames and the windows were blown out. Firefighters battled the flames and found the man inside when they searched the place.

Officials treated him briefly on scene in an ambulance until a helicopter showed up on scene and took him to UCSD Burn Center in Hillcrest. He is being treated for his burns.

Firefighters are investigating.



Photo Credit: Matt Rascon
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