San Diegans will be crafting musical memories at the county fair this year, thanks to what officials have dubbed A Fair to Remember.

County music star Gary Allan will kick off the year's Toyota Summer Concert Series with a show on the Heineken Grandstand Stage on June 6. Barreling down the pipe will be Grammy winner Peter Frampton, who will be joined by platinum-selling stars Cheap Trick on June 10; pop tart Christina Perri a week later; then San Diego's own Grammy recipients, Switchfoot, on June. 19. Classic-rock gods Kansas blow in on July 3, while Texas’ Norteno act Grupo Intocable are set for June 21, "X-Factor" girl-group Fifth Harmony takes the stage June 23, country quartet Little Big Town are on the next night, Latin-music stars Espinosa Paz is slated for June 28, and Julion Alvaraz will close out the series on July 5.

That's not all, though: the Paddock Series features a fair amount of household names, too, including psychedelic rockers Iron Butterfly of "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida" fame on June 17, singer/songwriter Andy Grammer on June 23, as well as the Southern rockers of the Marshall Tucker Band on June 30 and Tanya Tucker -- no relation -- the next night, with the Average White Band, the last musical memory at the Paddock this year, performing on July 2.

The fair runs from June 5 to July 5 this year, and will be closed on Mondays and the first two Tuesdays. All the grandstand shows begin at 7:30 p.m. While most of the concerts are free with admission to the fair ($15 for adults; $8 for ages 6-12, and 62 and older; free for ages 5 and younger), some -- including Frampton and Cheap Trick, and Little Big Town -- will cost music fans extra. 

Officials with the fair said grandstand tickets will go on sale March 14, with something new, the Paddock VIP Concert & Cocktail Experience, featuring party tickets to the Red Star Cafe overlooking the Paddock, available March 28.

 Fair-goers last year were treated to shows by onetime arena rockers like Huey Lewis & the News, America (on the 4th of July), Hootie & the Blowfish and REO Speedwagon; plus R&B superstar Smokey Robinson; reggae toaster Matisyahu; Latin-music star Voz Demando; and the King of the Accordion, Ramon Ayala. 

A violent incident at Morse High School has prompted the San Diego Unified School Board to review its bullying policy after NBC 7 reported on the issue.

Members decided Tuesday night to accelerate plans for a new Office of Youth Advocacy, which is designed ot help streamline safety efforts for students.

Cellphone video sent to NBC 7 last month shows a Morse High student repeatedly punching a freshman in the face during lunch. When the victim tries to run away, the student chases him and pummels him to the ground.

“The child was horribly attacked because he’s gay, and that’s unacceptable,” said school board member Kevin Beiser.

While the altercation remains under investigation, the story about what happened is being described as a catalyst for Tuesday night’s discussion.

The school board asked for an update from the superintendent on the district’s policy to prevent bullying, harassment and intimidation. The school safe task force developed the policy four years ago, but it has been a work in progress.

“Certainly the incident at Morse led to a sense of urgency to really get a handle on what are we doing? What’s left to be done?” said school board member Richard Barrera. “What barriers are there, if any, to go forward and really make our schools the kind of safe environments that we need them to be for all our kids?”

Beiser said this type of violence cannot be tolerated at any school in the district. He vowed to take a closer look at it to see how they can prevent things like this from happening in the future.

They hope the Office of Youth Advocacy will allow them to be more systemic about the work done to address bullying.

"You don't raise the achievement gap when students are afraid," said SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten.

The family of the freshman victim has filed a claim against the school district over the alleged bullying.

The student in the video was arrested a few days after the incident, and he has been suspended for an indefinite period.

A National City police officer opened fire on an unarmed driver Tuesday after the man failed to pull over for a vehicle violation, officials said.

The driver, identified only as a 20-year-old man, was struck in his left arm during a traffic stop on Gladiola Street south of E Division Street and east of Interstate 5. 

However, the driver refused to stop when a National City Police officer tried to pull his car over at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

The officer said he wanted to speak with the driver about not having a front license plate.

When the car finally stopped in an alley off Division Street, three officers approached the driver for a "high risk vehicle stop," according to Lt. Robert Rounds.

The driver got out of his car, and a 15-year veteran NCPD officer shot him once in the left arm, police said. The man was taken to UCSD Medical Center for injuries that are not life threatening.

When asked if the suspect had a weapon, Rounds said, "I don't have the information on that because we're still in the process of talking to the officer, so I don't know what his mindset was at the time or what happened."

Investigators discovered the vehicle involved was not stolen, but the suspect did have a criminal record.

The NCPD posted on Twitter that traffic was being diverted around the 400 block of Division Street. They asked drivers to avoid the area.

When the suspect's mother and brother came to the scene, neighbors say they were extremely distraught. The frantic brother was detained by police because he tried to get in the scene, Rounds said. He has since been released.

An ember that prosecutors say may have drifted from a San Marcos teen's backyard to spark last year's devastating Cocos Fire could be at the center of the girl's arson trial.

Attorneys debated in court Tuesday whether an ember from a branch the girl tried to light on fire could have floated close to half a mile to spark the blaze that ripped through nearly 40 homes last May.

The teen suspect, who is charged with four felonies and was just 13 when she was arrested, is accused of setting a tree branch on fire in her backyard. That fire, prosecutors say, left behind an ember that floated away to cause the Cocos Fire. 

Prosecutor Shawnaysa Ochoa said that last May, the girl had used a lighter to set a fire in her backyard and laughed when she told her sister about it.

The next day, prosecutors say, the girl posted photos of the Poinsettia Fire on Facebook. She then went into the backyard to set a second fire on a bigger branch and did not tell her mother, prosecutors said.

An ember from that fire traveled more than four-tenths of a mile from the backyard and sparked the Cocos Fire, which torched dozens of homes and businesses, Ochoa said. 

"Her willfulness was demonstrated through her planning, her clear intention through her actions," the prosecutor said. "Her maliciousness was established by starting a second fire less than 24 hours after the first fire, and doing so with a bigger branch, she told the detective. All these actions she took on May 13, 2014, will show her actions were willful and malicious." 

The teen suspect's defense attorney McGlinn said that "phantom ember" could not have spread to cause another fire. 

"We're talking about a phantom ember, a magic ember, one ember, which happened to travel .44 miles and cause one spot fire in the canyon," McGlinn said in court. "Not multiple spot fires, just one spot fire in this canyon."

McGlinn said he was glad there were photos presented as evidence in the trial. 

"We are lucky that we have photos from people are the scene, far away, close, of what the fire looked like what the smoke looked like," he said. 

San Marcos' fire chief Brett Van Wey testified that in his 29 years as a firefighter, he had seen embers travel to start other fires, especially in dry weather conditions.

But in his opinion, he added, it was a spot fire from the Washingtonia Fire that caused the Cocos Fire. 

"Because of the amount of smoke and direction of smoke from the Washingtonia fire where I witnessed, and by the time I drove and saw smoke from Cocos, there was no other source," Van Wey said. "It was in direct line of the smoke."

The accused teen's parents previously turned down prosecutors' offer of a plea deal last month when she appeared in juvenile court. That deal would have required her to admit responsibility for one count, plus the allegations; the DA's office told NBC 7 the teen's parents and attorney did not accept the offer. 

The girl faces four felony charges, including two counts of arson of an inhabited structure or property in which multiple structures were burned and two counts of arson of a structure or forest land in a reckless manner. She also faces a misdemeanor of unlawfully allowing a fire to escape from one’s control.

The fire that sparked near Village Drive and Twin Oaks Road in May 2014 forced the evacuation of Cal State San Marcos and hundreds of other homes. It scorched 1,995 acres and cost the city of San Marcos approximately $10.4 million in damage and firefighting expenses.

Officials have set up an information line for victims, where they can call for basic info on the case and leave messages with questions. That number is 858-694-4241.

San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews is expected to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles Wednesday.

Mathews is meeting with the team today in Philadelphia and NBC 7's Derek Togerson confirms a contract is being discussed however length and terms of a deal are unknown.

Fox Sports is quoting an insider who says the team will go with Mathews after free agent Frank Gore decided to sign with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 12th pick in the 2010 draft, Mathews has played five seasons with the Chargers. However, in those five years Mathews has missed 20 games due to a myriad of injuries, literally from head (concussions) to foot (ankle). He's also broken collarbones and strained knee ligaments, leading to serious questions about his durability.

That's what makes landing in Philadelphia so intriguing. The Eagles traded their star running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills last week and are looking for a replacement. McCoy, along with several other veteran players, has been outspoken about Philly coach Chip Kelly's long, up-tempo practices and the toll they can take on a player's body.

That would not seem to be a good fit for a man who's missed 25-percent of his team's games because he's hurt.

The other part is the mentality of the Philadelphia sports fan. NBC 7 Sportswrap lead reporter Derek Togerson used to work in the City of Brotherly Love. He offers this analysis:

"It sounds like a cliche, but Philly fans have the mentality of Rocky Balboa. They're the underdogs. Sports fans there love the hard-working, grind-out-out brawlers even more than the superstars. I am not kidding when I say this, and it still shocks me to this day, but in Philly, Larry Bowa will always be more popular than Mike Schmidt. Moses Malone will always be more popular than Julius Erving. If you fill that tough mold they'll love you. If you're not, well ... ask Scott Rolen and Eric Lindros how fast they'll run you out of town.

"I like Ryan Mathews a lot. He's a good, hard-working kid. But was frustrating Chargers fans, a relatively patient group, with his injury woes. If those continue with Philadelphia, that fan base will turn on him in a hurry, and it's almost impossible to win them back."

A man struck by a car in Vista and left for dead early Wednesday was recently reported missing by family members according to San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officials.

A passing driver noticed the man in the road, lying face down in the right lane at approximately 3 a.m. Wednesday.

Deputies told NBC 7 all evidence points to a collision with a car that then left the scene.

There were no details given on the car involved.

The victim was described by deputies as an Oceanside man in his mid 20s who was reported to be missing as of March 9.

He was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

The man’s family has been notified and is meeting him at the hospital, deputies said.
 

A free mobile app intended to help prevent suicides by showing behavioral health-care providers how to better evaluate patients at risk was launched Wednesday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Called "Suicide Safe," it assists professionals to integrate suicide prevention strategies into their practice, including tips on how to communicate effectively with patients and referrals to treatments, according to the administration.

The app was unveiled to also mark the 10-year anniversary of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which has answered more than seven million calls since 2005, officials said. It is available on Apple and Android phones, as well as Google play.

“Suicide devastates lives throughout all parts of our nation, but it is a public health issue that is preventable and SAMHSA is working to provide people on the front lines with resources they need to save lives,” Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a statement. “Suicide Safe is a major step forward in suicide prevention. The app gives behavioral and primary care providers an essential and modern prevention tool at their fingertips to help address suicide risk with their patients.”

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death among people age 15 to 34, according to the administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It added that almost half of those who committed suicide have visited a primary care provider in the month prior to their death, and about 20 percent have had contact with mental health services.

Misha Kessler, who survived a suicide attempt and who spoke at the launch, said the app is a good tool for doctors to start conversations with their patients.

"I think that the interesting thing is that people kind of underestimate just how isolating depression can be," Kessler said.

"I do believe it will save more lives because there’s actually statistics about the amount of people that visit clinicians in the time before suicide attempts," he added.

Recalling that his attempt was a result of "self-hatred," he urged those with suicidal intentions not to be afraid to talk to people.

"The possibility that you’re experiencing something that you can get help for, I think that’s what’s most important," he said.
 

SUICIDE PREVENTION: If you know someone who needs help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Dozens of crates of live chickens fell from the back of a truck and spilled onto a Staten Island street Wednesday morning. 

A driver was transporting the chickens from New Jersey to Brooklyn when nearly 30 crates of the chickens fell from the truck near Steuben Street and Hylan Boulevard at about 7:15 a.m., according to police. 

The driver apparently wasn't aware of the spill because he continued on, police said. Other drivers came across the crates, with some chickens having escaped and at least one injured on the sidewalk, and called police, the Staten Island Advance reported. 

Responding police officers directed traffic around the area as they helped secure the chickens back into the crates and then bring them back to the 122nd Precinct station.

Police said they were able to locate the company driver, who returned to pick up the chickens a few hours later. 

Four Southern California men face federal charges for allegedly making and selling dozens of untraceable assault-style weapons at several locations including a private horse ranch.

Matthew Nutt, 29, of Escondido, Ruben Tovar-Ordonez, 45, of Temecula and Christian Romero, 21 and Clay Bautista-Marquez, 30 of Bonsall were arrested Friday on various firearms charges.

A complaint unsealed Monday describes a Jan. 6 meeting between Romero, a student at Palomar College, and a confidential informant in which Romero assembled guns for sale. Investigators claim the informant left the meeting with AR-15-type semi-automatic rifles for approximately $2,000.

“These weapons are particularly dangerous because they bear no manufacturer markings or serial numbers making them virtually impossible to trace,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Carlos Canino said in a written release.

It’s believed that Romero manufactured other illegal firearms at a home on the property of Moody Creek Farms, a private horse ranch on Via Maria Elena, according to investigators.

Federal prosecutors allege that similar gun sales occurred at the Olive Hill Road home of Bautista-Marquez three times between December 8, 2014 and January 21.

Agents seized 16 firearms from inside Nutt’s vehicle and the home on West Lilac Road that he shares with his father. Investigators say those firearms were to be sold through the illegal gun ring.

Multiple search warrants uncovered more than 50 firearms, including silencers along with thousands of rounds of ammunition, official said.

The guns included unfinished lower receivers or so-called ULRs and AR-15-style homemade assault rifles, prosecutors said.

Under federal law, it’s legal to purchase ULRs without a Federal Firearms License because the parts by themselves are not considered firearms. However, once the ULRs are manufactured into completed receivers, it’s a violation of federal law to sell them without a license.

Another Bonsall resident, Michael Martin, 38, faces charges of possessing silencers that were not registered to him, according to investigators.

All but Martin face a maximum of 5 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine if convicted. The four men were held without bond, pending upcoming detention hearings.

Martin faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars and a $10,000 fine if convicted. He was released on a $20,000 bond.

The NYPD is investigating after video surfaced online showing a group of girls viciously kicking and punching another girl inside a Brooklyn McDonald’s while dozens of fellow teens watch and jeer. 

The video, posted to Facebook, captures the Monday afternoon brawl at a McDonald’s on Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush. The footage shows four girls repeatedly punching and kicking another teen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt while throngs of bystanders shout in the background.

The larger group continues to attack the teen in the blue sweatshirt, even pulling out her hair extensions, until the girl huddles underneath a table with her hands over her head. At one point, one of the girls in the group stomps on the victim's head. 

At several points during the fight, bystanders can be heard saying, "She’s dead," and, "You murdered her."

The video ends with several students picking the girl up off the ground and putting her on a bench.

One boy who witnessed the attack told NBC 4 New York Wednesday he "felt bad for the girl," but was concerned about intervening.

"I didn't know what was going on and I was kind of scared, I'm not gonna lie," said the boy, who asked not to be identified.

Police said they do not recall getting a 911 about the brawl. Officers responding to an unrelated call in the area shortly after it broke up encountered another, separate fight outside the McDonald's and then learned about the brawl that had raged inside earlier.

Police, who had not seen the video of the brawl at that point, say the girl in the blue hooded sweatshirt did not want to make a report or go to the hospital. She ended up going to the hospital later and was treated for bumps and bruises, authorities said.

On Wednesday, after reviewing the cellphone brawl video, police say they took a report for gang assault and were able to identify the girl in the blue hooded sweatshirt and the girl seen stomping her head. Both are 16 years old, authorities said. Authorities say they believe all those involved in the brawl are students at Erasmus High School.

The investigation has been hampered by witnesses' unwillingness to come forward, police say; they have only the video to go on and neither the apparent victim nor the mother will cooperate with authorities.

Community activist Tony Herbert said the victim should file a police report, and asked all of the people involved to turn themselves in to authorities.

"The message has to be sent very clearly, that this kind of violence will not be tolerated whether in a mall or in restaurants and those involved should turn themselves in to authorities immediately so as to face the consequences of their violent actions,” Herbert said.

The Department of Education was notified of the fight shortly after the altercation; a staff member went to the McDonald's and accompanied the victim to the hospital, then waited until her parents arrived.

"The actions in this video are abhorrent and our primary concern right now is for the well-being of the student," the agency said in a statement. It said additional counselors would be available at the school.

Paul Goodman, the Flatbush Avenue McDonald's franchisee, said his employees contacted the police as soon as the brawl erupted, though it wasn't clear if they tried 911 or a non-emergency line.

"The safety of my employees and customers is my top priority," Goodman said in a statement. "As part of the Flatbush community, I will continue to work with the NYPD and community leaders to ensure the safety of customers."

McDonald's Corporation has not responded to NBC 4 New York's inquiries.

It’s not the first large fight involving teens and caught on video in recent days. Several male students attacked each other with bats and brass knuckles over the weekend on Long Island amid ongoing racial tensions between students at Connetqout High School in Bohemia.

Anyone with information about the McDonald's fight is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. 

-- Pei-Sze Cheng contributed to this report 

Police searched and found nothing after a driver reported hitting something in North Haven, Connecticut, late Tuesday night, but hours later, a neighbor found a body lying on the side of the road.

Officers responded to the area of Clintonville Road near Pool Road at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday after the driver reported that he'd struck something, according to police. They didn't find anything, and police let the driver go around midnight.

Hours later, after the sun rose, a resident called police with a chilling tip, reporting what appeared to be a body near a driveway where the reported crash occurred – Clintonville Road near Pool Road, police said. 

Officers again drove to the scene, and this time, found the body of a 50-year-old North Haven resident, dressed all in black clothing. The person had suffered traumatic injuries, according to police, who have not released the name of the victim or the driver.  

The South Central Regional Traffic Unit is investigating the crash and anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the department at 203-239-5321.

For most people, Wednesday morning starts off with a nice breakfast, maybe a run at the park, or just a trip straight to work.

But for some in the Bay Area, there’s a fourth go-to now: clubbing.

“I started coming to this over the summer, probably five to six times,” said Michael Garcia, who lives in San Francisco. “When I did first hear about it, it was an instant, ‘Well, yeah, of course, I’m going to do that,' and as soon as I got in here I was like, ‘Well, of course, I’m going to do this every time it happens because it’s the most fun ever!’”

Garcia is talking about a new, growing trend called “conscious clubbing” – parties that happen once a month in the morning before people head to work. The parties are sober, featuring smoothies instead of shots of liquor, yoga and even free massages.

“These people put together such a tight, fun event that if you need alcohol or drugs, then you’re not doing the party right,” added Garcia.

McKenzie Brill founded the San Francisco chapter of Morning Gloryville, a group that hosts these sober morning parties all around the world, starting in London in 2013.

“San Francisco’s a city that celebrates diversity, and celebrates art and artistic expression,” Brill said. “That hits on all key points of this event. I knew there’d be an appetite for something like this, and San Francisco would eat it up.”

It’s $20 to get through the door for the four-hour party that lasts until 10:30 am. The idea is to rejuvenate before going into work.

“It’s nice to wake up in the morning and come to a sober dance party, instead of one that stays up all night long,” Juliana Cochnar said.

Kyra Joseph drove all the way from Santa Cruz to join the party.

“Everyone is so happy to be here. You don’t have to be on anything, some fresh juice and you’re good to go,” Joseph said. “Friends of friends are also coming from Santa Cruz just for the party. A couple of them actually drove back to Santa Cruz to go to work after.”

Sober clubbing isn’t new. Rob Novotny of San Francisco said he’s gone to one party in Sausalito for the greater part of the last decade. There’s one big difference: those are not on the weekdays.

“It sells out with 150 people, a little bigger than this,” said Novotny.

Morning Gloryville San Francisco has hosted the most recent parties at Inner Mission, a venue mostly used to host arts events. Brill said there can only be one or two more at the same place because the building has been sold, on the verge of condo development.

“We really hope to see places like this stay alive and continue to spread,” added Brill. “They’re homes to artists who otherwise done have sufficient space.”

Garcia agreed there needs to be more attention paid to the changing city. That’s why he says he’s here to do more than just dance.

“So I’m one of the tech nerds gentrifying the city, but I like to work really hard on not only coming to events like this, but producing weird art expos so I can push against the gentrification I do during the week.”

Once Garcia was ready to head out the door, he said he just has one goal for the rest of the day.

“I’m going to go take shower sit at my desk and pretend I'm a normal person!”

San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews is now Philadelphia Eagles running back Ryan Mathews.

Mathews is heading to the NFC East for three years and $11.5 million. Ryan joins another former Charger, Darren Sproles, in the Eagles backfield.

The 12th pick in the 2010 draft, Mathews has played five seasons with the Chargers. However, in those five years Mathews has missed 20 games due to a myriad of injuries, literally from head (concussions) to foot (ankle). He's also broken collarbones and strained knee ligaments, leading to serious questions about his durability.

That's what makes landing in Philadelphia so intriguing. The Eagles traded their star running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills last week and are looking for a replacement. McCoy, along with several other veteran players, has been outspoken about Philly coach Chip Kelly's long, up-tempo practices and the toll they can take on a player's body.

That would not seem to be a good fit for a man who's missed 25-percent of his team's games because he's hurt.

The other part is the mentality of the Philadelphia sports fan. NBC 7 Sportswrap lead reporter Derek Togerson used to work in the City of Brotherly Love. He offers this analysis:

"It sounds like a cliche, but Philly fans have the mentality of Rocky Balboa. They're the underdogs. Sports fans there love the hard-working, grind-out-out brawlers even more than the superstars. I am not kidding when I say this, and it still shocks me to this day, but in Philly, Larry Bowa will always be more popular than Mike Schmidt. Moses Malone will always be more popular than Julius Erving. If you fill that tough mold they'll love you. If you're not, well ... ask Scott Rolen and Eric Lindros how fast they'll run you out of town.

"I like Ryan Mathews a lot. He's a good, hard-working kid. But was frustrating Chargers fans, a relatively patient group, with his injury woes. If those continue with Philadelphia, that fan base will turn on him in a hurry, and it's almost impossible to win them back."

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s stadium advisory group has recommended Mission Valley as the site for a new NFL football stadium.

The Mission Valley location, not the downtown site suggested by many, will be the focus of future stadium negotiations between the City of San Diego and the San Diego Chargers.

The announcement will be made official at an 11 a.m. news conference Thursday on the grounds of the Chargers' current home, Qualcomm Stadium.

By selecting Mission Valley, the city's advisory panel is not going with the team's preference.

As NBC 7's Gene Cubbison reported last week, the Chargers are resolute in their choice - a hybrid stadium/convention facility on a 12-acre site in downtown’s East Village.

There were also questions raised regarding how complex a build would be on the site given that nearly half of the 166-acre site belongs to San Diego's Water Utilities Department.

Read more about the complex legal issues that could be tied to a Mission Valley site here.

Chargers officials were made aware of the advisory group's recommendation Tuesday night.

Sources close to the team remain open minded to the site while they continue to work their options and plans for a downtown proposed site which they feel is superior over any plans to build in Mission Valley.

Mayor Faulconer released a statement thanking the group for "moving quickly."

"The Mission Valley site has been home to the Chargers for nearly 50 years and I know we can make it work for decades to come," Faulconer said. "Now that they’ve recommended a site, I look forward to the group continuing to move expeditiously on developing a fair and responsible financing plan for a new stadium.” 

Two horses that had escaped their Alpine-area pens were hit by separate vehicles early Wednesday morning, San Diego County Animal Services says.

Just before 3 a.m., one horse was killed instantly after car struck it going 65 mph on Interstate 8. A pickup truck, driving 35 mph, hit the second animal on Willow Road, injuring him.

While both vehicles were badly damaged, both drivers walked away from the crashes.

California Highway Patrol officers took the surviving horse on a trailer to the county shelter in Bonita. There, the bay gelding was treated for a serious injury to his rear leg and other cuts.

When the owner saw the story on the news, she recognized her horse. She found he was missing when she visited the ranch where she boards him.

“The gate containing the horses is normally clicked shut, but when she arrived, she said the main gate to the boarding facility was open and four horses had been let out of their pens,” said County Animal Services Deputy Director Dan DeSousa.

Two other horses stayed put in the pens. The owner picked him up Wednesday afternoon.

A woman whose body was found in a suitcase should not be defined by the bizarre circumstances surrounding her death, two of her teacher’s aides told NBC 7 in an exclusive interview Wednesday.

Brooke Macbeth's intellectual and physical disabilities, which left her a paraplegic, prevented her from forming words, but she engaged the world through a variety of expressions.

“She was an overall happy person and strong-willed,” Brandee van Alstine said.

Van Alstine and Sabrina Baltes, special education teachers’ aides, were Brooke’s hands when she could not hold and her balance when she could not stand for five of the eight years the girl attended Viking Academy.

“When she was in high school, she had a one-on-one aide. She was a person you could not leave alone at all,” van Alstine said.

So the aides were shocked to hear Brooke's remains were discovered in a large suitcase last week, duct-taped shut and stored in the Lakeside apartment she shared with her mother Bonnie.

“It's just sad,” Baltes said.

Bonnie alerted sheriff's deputies to her 28-year-old daughter’s body when they arrived at her door to evict her for failing to pay rent.

Bonnie was taken to a hospital for an undisclosed reason. The medical examiner’s office has not yet determined Brooke’s cause of death, and no charges have been filed in this case.

“Her mom loved her to pieces. She loved her so much,” Baltes said.

Neighbors said they were disturbed to hear Brooke’s body may have been in the apartment for more than six months, but the teacher’s aides have another opinion.

“She just lost her baby of 28 years, and that was her whole world,” Baltes said.

Van Alstine is helping to organize a vigil for Brooke at John F. Kennedy Park in El Cajon, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Friday. Most of the expected visitors will be Brooke’s teachers, assistants and staffers from Viking who knew her when she attended the school there.
 

A familiar face will be playing for the San Diego Padres on Thursday – familiar for his humor, not his athletic endeavors.

Funnyman Will Ferrell will be pinch hitting for the Padres against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 6:15 p.m. at Peoria Sports Complex.

His appearance will cap a frenzied day where he’ll be playing every position on the field for 10 different teams on the same day.The feat will honor player Bert Campaneris, who five decades ago played every position on the field for 10 different teams in one day.

It’s part of a new special from Funny or Die, in partnership with Major League Baseball, which will air on HBO later this year.

Ferrell also will be playing for the Seattle Mariners, the Oakland Athletics, the Chicago Cubs, the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox and the Dodgers.

The appearances are intended to raise money for Cancer for College, a charity for those impacted by cancer attending college, and MLB’s Stand Up To Cancer, an initiative for cancer research.

In a news release, Padres manager Bud Black said he was looking forward to “penciling him in to the lineup.”

It wasn't clear, though, which part of the field Ferrell would play.

The MLB Network will televise the Padres’ 6 p.m. game on both the MLB Network and Fox Sports San Diego. The game will be called by MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, Padres announcer Mark Grant and Rick Monday and Alanna Rizzo from the Dodgers’ broadcast team.

The Navy says negotiations are underway to decide what to do with a 50-foot yacht that washed ashore at a base near San Diego.

The Navy said Wednesday that strong winds and a high tide carried the Mona Mona more than two weeks ago to a beach at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado.

The Navy is trying to decide with the owner of the San Francisco-registered yacht whether the ocean-trawler can be saved.

Images shown on KSWB-TV show the once-luxury cruiser partially submerged in water. A witness says windows are broken and the vessel is filling with sand.

Thomas Ritter, Coronado's assistant city manager, says anchor lines occasionally break on boats that are left unsupervised for long periods of time in the upscale peninsular enclave.

Nothing whets the palate quite like a good appetizer. Whether it’s a little starter, hors d'oeuvres, an antipasto or amuse-bouche, San Diego eateries know the right ways to kick off a meal. Gather your friends around a shared plate or two and check out this list of bites from Yelp.

Blue Ribbon Pizza (Encinitas)
Blue Ribbon Pizza is famous for its perfect pies, but the starters are not to be missed and stand tall all on their own. Go for the Devil’s Eggs served with a smoked pimento oil and chili aioli, or try the delightful Whipped Laura Chenel Goat Cheese served aside pickled fennel, toasty bread and Black Mission Figs. Notable Deep-Fried Shishito Peppers won’t disappoint either.

The Smoking Goat (North Park)
Begin with the House-made Butternut Squash Ravioli, complete with kale, butter and sage or order a fabulous first course of Duck Fat Truffle Fries with Romano cheese and mustard aioli. Other starters include options like the Goat Meatballs in marinara sauce and the Tartiflette – a $10, must-try munchie featuring brie and taleggio cheeses, onions, bacon lardons, potatoes and ciabatta.

Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen (Oceanside)
Bring your appetizer appetite and your love for all things pork. The starters on this list include hearty, homestyle hits like the Cheddar Bacon Grits and Parmesan Truffle Fries. The Creamed Collards (also with bacon) are a total win and Polenta Fritters are a crowd pleaser for the whole table. Want more swine as you dine? Don’t miss the famous mac and cheese, made with bacon, naturally!

Saltbox (Downtown)
Savor the unique starters like Grilled Asparagus topped with truffle salt, egg, pancetta and beet puree or the Parsnip Soup with chives. Diners wanting to really dig in should try the Goat Cheese Fondue – cheesy goodness with tomatoes, herbs and olive – or the Lamb Sliders with tzatziki and arugula. Don’t forget the Seared Ahi topped with uni mousse!

Vincent’s (Escondido)
This local gem has been around for about 16 years and Vincent himself trained in France at Ecole Hoteliere D’Avignon. The menu boasts hors d'oeuvres that will wow the palate, including the duck, veal and pork pâté, served with pickled onions and prepared with cognac. Also not to be missed: Escargots Bourguignonne, created with fresh herbs, shallots and a garlic butter sauce.

Savoie Eatery (Chula Vista)
Settle into this French and Italian Mediterranean menu and kick things off with hearty Short Rib Polenta or the fresh filet mignon Meatball and Marinara. Reviewers also love the Steamed Mussels with creamy crème fraîche, white wine, butter and garlic and the Maine Lobster cocktail for $15.
 

Flu deaths in San Diego County have reached an all-time high of 72 this season, the county Health and Human Services Agency reported Wednesday.

The number tops the previous record of 70 flu deaths for the 2013-2014 season. Sixty-one people had died from influenza by this time last year.

Those who died this season range in age from 51 to 104 years old, and all had underlying medical conditions.

“This is the deadliest flu season we’ve ever recorded in the region,” said Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten in a news release. “Unfortunately, the majority of the people who died had not been vaccinated.”

Last week, influenza-like illness made up 5 percent of county emergency room visits. In total, San Diego has seen 6,234 lab-confirmed flu cases, compared to 3,789 last season.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has admitted this year’s vaccine is barely protecting people, reducing the risk of serious disease by just 23 percent.

Because of this, county health officials say people with flu symptoms should contact their doctor immediately to see if they need antiviral drugs, which are recommended for pregnant women, people 65 years and older, people who live and care for other high risk people, or those with chronic medical conditions.

The antiviral drugs work best if you start taking them within 48 hours of symptoms appearing.

Still, the HHSA says the vaccine covers some strains of the flu, so officials recommend getting it.

Other ways to avoid getting sick are washing your hands often, using hand sanitizers, avoiding touching your face, cleaning surfaces and staying away from sick people, the HHSA says.