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Teacher Suspended for Comment

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A South Florida high school teacher who allegedly called a student a "rag head Taliban" was given a five-day suspension Tuesday.

Maria Valdes, a teacher at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, won't be paid during her suspension, the Broward School Board said.

The student, 14-year-old Deyab-Houssein Wardani, said he walked into Valdes' French class on Feb. 2 wearing a hoodie after gym class. "Here comes the rag head Taliban," Valdes said, according to Wardani.

"I was a bit shocked and disappointed she called me that. But first off, she was my favorite teacher, and I would never have expected that from her," the teen told NBC 6 earlier this month.

The family is Muslim. After he found out about it a few days later, the boy's father, Youssef Wardani, reported it to the school's principal.

Youssef Wardani stood before the school board Tuesday and let them know he found the punishment unjust and insulting.

"My son is Deyab-Houssein Wardani and he is not a rag head Taliban," Wardani said.

Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said the punishment was fair.

"I believe we have handled this case appropriately and recommended the board approved disciplinary action," Runcie said.

Youssef Wardani repeatedly interrupted Runcie and the board threatened to kick him out of the meeting at one point.


Officer Accused of Sex Abuse

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A D.C. police officer is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at police headquarters and a 16-year-old girl at the church where the officer is pastor.

Officer Darrell Best, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was ordered held without bond on charges of first-degree sexual abuse while armed, first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and third-degree sexual abuse. He is accused of sexually assaulting two members of God-A Second Chance Ministry Church on Southern Avenue SE.

A 16-year-old girl told police Saturday Best sexually abused her three times at the church beginning in December. He was off-duty during the incidents, police said. According to charging documents, Best was in uniform on one occasion when he raped the girl inside the church.

The second victim, who is now 18 but was 17 at the time of the alleged incident, says she was sexually assaulted in Best's office on the fifth floor of police headquarters after he took her out to dinner Dec. 3, according to charging documents. He was wearing his badge and gun at the time.

When investigators took her to headquarters to identify the location, they initially took her to another office on another floor and she was able to tell them that wasn't where it happened. When they took her to Best's office, she cried as she entered and said that's where the assault took place, according to charging documents.

Police said they have video of Best and the victim at headquarters together. They also have access key records placing Best there.

Both girls said they pleaded with Best to stop.

Best’s attorney, Elliott Queen, declined to comment.

"The allegations against off-duty officer Darrell Best are serious and disheartening," read a statement from Chief Cathy Lanier. "The fact that he used his position as a pastor and a counselor to gain access to his victims is extremely disturbing. Once MPD became aware of the allegations, we immediately conducted an investigation, obtained a warrant and arrested him."

Best's police authority was revoked and his gun taken when the 16-year-old came forward Saturday. He was arrested about 9 p.m. Monday at his attorney's office in Largo, Maryland.

“We won’t tolerate any employee preying on young people,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “We know that the accused was off-duty when this happened, but we think that the process has worked and we know that he’ll face justice.”



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com

Fire Personnel Mourn Loss of One of Their Own

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Friends, family and fire personnel gathered to honor one of their own in Poway Tuesday.

Peter George, an engineer for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, died earlier in March from an aneurysm at his home. He was 48.

A funeral was held for George at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Poway.

George joined the SDFD in 1990 and was a fire engineer at Station 42 in Carmel Mountain Ranch when he passed away.

Those that knew him said he was generous and kind and lived life to its fullest. His last text message he sent was to his son, telling him, “Put in the time studying and you will do well."

He is survived by his son, Carson; his father, George; his mother, Jo Ann; two brothers, Greg and Jeff; a sister, Jennifer; and his extended family and friends.

City Council OKs $1.2M Crystal Pier Restoration

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The San Diego City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to finish a $1.2 million restoration of the historic Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach before summer begins.

The City Council authorized the final $750,000 needed for immediate structural repairs on the city-owned portion of the pier, which was constructed in the 1920s.

"Pacific Beach's Crystal Pier is an iconic landmark and popular vacation destination," Councilwoman Lorie Zapf said in a statement. "With today's action, the city is investing in structural improvements to not only enhance the safety of the pier, but to allow the pier to be enjoyed by millions of visitors and locals for years to come."

The pier is owned jointly by the city and the Crystal Pier Hotel. The city will be repairing or replacing timber piles, pile caps, joists and bracing. The hotel will pay for work on its portion.

The project will use replacement materials that will preserve the historic aesthetics of the pier, and is expected to be done by Memorial Day, according to Zapf’s office.

It may necessitate the removal and storage of cottages and underwater work to replace deteriorated piles.


 



Photo Credit: Jack Zabawa

58-Pound Puppy Is ATF's New Weapon Against Terrorism

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A 58-pound puppy armed with a miniature camera is being touted as a new and vital weapon against terrorism in the New York area.

Kara, a Labrador-Golden Retriever mix, is one of just nine dogs in the entire country trained to sniff out nineteen thousand different kinds of explosives.

"She's just indispensable for law enforcement, another tool in our ever growing tool box," said Charles Mulham, spokesman for the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Kara herself is practically an ATF agent, a so-called SEEK dog, who has her own badge and business card.

"She amazes me every day," said her handler, Stephanie, who doesn't want to be fully identified because of her prior undercover work.

Kara works off-leash, moving as far as 150 yards from Stephanie, all while wearing a tiny camera tucked into her collar or attached to her back.

Stephanie can access the camera with her cellphone, allowing her to see what Kara sees, even if the two are separated.

"We can search much more efficiently than if I had to walk every step of it with her," said Stephanie.

To demonstrate Kara's prowess, the ATF hid a small bag with dynamite in a Nassau County park.

Within minutes, the dog located the bag and sat next to it - signaling there was explosive material inside.

Later, pieces of handguns were hidden in a playground and again Kara quickly tracked them all down.

Each time she discovered a dangerous item, Kara was rewarded with food.

Kara only eats while training, her handler said - a regimen that helps ensure Kara will be ready to work at any time of the day or night.

"For her it's fun," Stephanie said. "But for us, it's serious work."

Students School City Council On Plastic Bag Ban Issues

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The San Diego City Council got an educational visit Tuesday from a delegation of anti-plastic bag activists – not paid lobbyists, but schoolkids on a project to learn how people can influence local government.

The kids are aware it won't be until November 2016 that voters will cast ballots on a referendum challenging the Senate Bill 270, the state's plastic bag ban that was passed last year.

And while they’re much younger than voting age, they’ve learned that 138 local governments throughout California have enacted their own restrictions.

Now that a measure has just been introduced for San Diego, in the wake of the pro-bag referendum qualifying for the ballot, they’re pushing for more municipal momentum.

Several addressed the council in a “non-agenda, public comment” presentation during a morning session cablecast live on City TV 24, and with more scores of onlookers in the 12th-floor council chamber.

"Tens of thousands of whales, seals or sea turtles are killed each year from ingesting plastic bags," a third grader named Max told the gathering.

Max and his cohorts hail from Innovation Academy, a K-8 charter school in Scripps Ranch, and were accompanied by instructors and activists from Surfrider Foundation’s San Diego County Chapter.

"Plastic in the ocean, plastic in the streets, plastics in animals -- some animals we eat,” went a poem delivered by a sixth grader named Isabella. “It's such a shame to know we humans made all this mess. Will the plastics ever stop?"

The students appeared well-armed with research and passed around custom-designed samples of heavy-duty, long-life bags advocated by ecologists -- because an estimated 95 percent of plastic bags are thrown away, or blown away, into the environment instead of being recycled.

"If the largest city passes a bag ban ordinance,” Surfrider spokesman Mark West told the council, “then cities such as Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and Oceanside will all fall into place."

Council members complimented the kids on their academic inquiry and handiwork.

Said Councilman Mark Kersey, whose 5th District includes Innovation Academy: “It’s just truly impressive. I want to thank you for coming out today. You were very well-spoken.”

In an email later to NBC 7, the American Progressive Bag Alliance -- sponsors of the referendum to repeal the statewide ban – observed that the law mostly benefits "big grocers" who charge customers a dime for a paper bag, and that it will put thousands of industry workers out of work.

The group urged the council to “focus on more responsible policymaking until their constituents have the chance to vote on the (statewide) issue next year.”

But a former interim Councilman and career lifeguard Ed Harris argued for a full-speed-ahead approach.

"I am calling on the mayor to expedite the environmental process,” Harris said in an interview with NBC 7 following the hearing. “We can finish this in 30 days and it can be in front of the council … the mayor has done really good things for the environment, and I'm asking him to do this now."

In response, Craig Gustafson, a spokesman for Mayor Kevin Faulconer, said Harris' suggested 30-day time frame is "legally impossible" under state guidelines.

Gustafson pointed to the mayor's climate action plan and pure water program as prime examples of commitment to environmental protection measures.

Romano's Jewelers Employee Arrested on ID Theft

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A former employee of a San Diego jewelry company was taken into custody at a Vista courtroom Tuesday, accused of bribing a local Marine to get the personal banking information of other military members.

Nellie Noland started to tear up as a deputy placed her in handcuffs after she pleaded not guilty to 15 conspiracy and identity theft charges. Prosecutors say while she worked for Romano’s Jewelers in 2011, Noland, owner Randy Abalkhad and district manager Carlos Torres recruited and bribed Camp Pendleton Marine Corporal Kymani Tate.

They gave Tate cash and jewelry and zeroed out his balance with the store, and in return, he gave them the confidential banking pin numbers of other Marine customers, according to a court complaint.

Romano's employees are accused of taking that information and fraudulently setting up unauthorized allotments on those Marines’ accounts -- essentially illegally transferring money from the military members' paychecks to the store’s own account. Romano’s Jewelers has locations across Southern California, including four in San Diego.

“This was a jewelry store participating in predatory practices against military members and taking advantage of their lack of sophistication about financial instruments,” said Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas.

Read about how prosecutors say the scheme worked here.

Noland’s defense attorney William Halsey said his client didn’t understand what she was doing was wrong.

“I don’t think she had the level of sophistication that the owner and manager had and knew the business, had the practice,” said Halsey. “I don’t think she realized what it was was essentially identity theft.”

Abalkhad and Torres were charged last week with 15 felony counts each, which included identity theft and conspiracy. They both pleaded not guilty.

Noland is being held on a $75,000 bond, and all three defendants will be back in court on April 2.

For the first time, the Marine involved in the scheme, Tate, has responded to NBC 7’s request for comment.

He was convicted in military court and discharged on bad conduct.

“I would only like to say I am deeply apologetic to the Marines and sailors who have been hurt by this. I never meant for anything so wrong to happen,” he said in a statement. “Tell Marines to be careful who they give info to. Stores like Romano's target Marines."

"I just want to apologize to everyone involved and my chain of command,” he continued. “I paid my debt to the Corps and lost my dream career. I do however have remorse for Marines and sailors that got unknowingly involved."

The charges against the three defendants are connected to a 2012 U.S. Marine Corps criminal investigation obtained by NBC 7 Investigates under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

In November, NBC 7 Investigates first reported concerns of military members and their families that Romano’s was taking advantage of them. As the result of that report, the U.S. Navy warned all its sailors in the San Diego area about the company. Romano’s Jewelers is currently off-limits to Marines, according to U.S. Marine Corps Camp Pendleton spokesman Jason Johnson.

Woman Hit, Killed by Car in Vista

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A female pedestrian has died after she was hit by a car in Vista, San Diego County Sheriff's officials told NBC 7.

The crash happened near N. Santa Fe and E. California avenues at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

When deputies arrived, they found the woman lying on the ground, and they gave her CPR. However, after paramedics took over trying to save her, she died at the scene.

The driver involved stayed on the scene, according to deputies. The case is still under investigation by the sheriff's traffic accident reconstruction team. 

The woman's identity is being withheld until her family is notified.


Chargers Sign Veteran Wide Receiver

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The San Diego Chargers have acquired a new wide receiver.

Veteran Wide Receiver Stevie Johnson, a former free agent, has signed with the Chargers on a three-year contract.

Johnson is entering his eighth season with the NFL. In his career, he has caught 336 passes and 31 touchdowns in nearly 90 games.

He started his career with the Buffalo Bills in 2008 and played six seasons with them before joining the San Francisco 49ers last year. In a game against the Arizona Cardinals, the 28-year-old caught nine catches in a 103-yard performance.

The Chargers have signed eight players during the free agency period in 2015. 

So far, the team has also added defensive back Jimmy Wilson from Miami, guard Orlando Franklin from Denver, and return specialist Jacoby Jones from Baltimore, and re-signed left tackle King Dunlap, cornerback Brandon Flowers, defensive end Ricardo Mathews and center Trevor Robinson.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

15 Others Near Origin of Cocos Fire: Defense

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More than a dozen suspicious people were seen near the site of the devastating Cocos Fire, according to defense attorneys of the teenager accused of arson.

The 15 suspicious people and a transient seen in the area of origin were mentioned during cross-examination of a Cal Fire investigator Tuesday.

A 14 year-old San Marcos girl faces charges of felony arson in connection with the wildfire that swept through San Marcos, destroying close to 40 homes.

Prosecutors showed an 8-minute video shot by the investigator two days after the wildfire broke out on May 14, 2014. The video examined two spot fires that investigators believe led to the main fire.

The Cal Fire detective noted trees in the area that had been freshly cut.

Investigators from San Diego County Sheriff’s and Cal Fire looked into whether there had been a tree cutting operation that could have sparked the Cocos fire. Together the team was able to rule that theory out.

After a short recess, the defense questioned the same Cal Fire investigator in cross examination.

The investigator said there was no evidence of foot traffic or trash in the origin of fire.

The investigators testified there was trash on the ridge near the origin point but investigators ruled it irrelevant because it was too far from where the fire started.



Photo Credit: Lindsey Dealey

SUV Crashes Into Hydrant Downtown

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A driver slammed into a light pole and fire hydrant Tuesday afternoon, sending water shooting high into the air in downtown San Diego.

The crash happened at Broadway and Front Street at about 4:30 p.m. when the gray SUV swerved to avoid a cyclist.

When the hydrant was hit, the resulting geyser reached the fourth story of nearby buildings; a signal pole was also damaged.

The water has since been shut off, though the parking lot under the building experienced some flooding.

San Diego fire officials said traffic will be affected until 7 p.m.

Check back here for details on this breaking news story.



Photo Credit: Anthony McGinty/Instagram

Accused Zombie Walk Driver Pleads Not Guilty

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The deaf man whose car struck a pedestrian during a "zombie walk" near Comic Con last July pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony reckless driving resulting in serious injuries.

In court, Deputy District Attorney Anthony Campagna said Matthew O. Pocci Jr. initially turned off his engine when he saw the crowd approach. Several minutes later, he became frustrated, Campagna said, and honked his horn and drove forward into the crowd. 

Pocci's attorney, Ashby Sorensen, called the claims false. 

"Absolutely false! The prosecutor has never talked to myclient to make that assertion," Sorensen said. "It's pure speculation and it's completely incorrect. My client was completely in fear of his life, and in fear for the safety of everyone that was in the car with him. We had two other adults that were both deaf, and a 9 year old boy."

Passersby were hit by while the annual Comic-Con Zombie Walk took over downtown San Diego on July 26.

Police said at the time that a deaf family with small children in the black Honda Accord was stopped near 2nd and Island avenues just after 5:30 p.m., waiting for participants of the Zombie Walk to cross.

After several minutes the 48-year-old father Pocci slowly rolled forward, trying to get out of the area.
According to the SDPD, several people from the crowd of zombies allegedly surrounded the car and began punching it. Police said the car windshield was shattered by the crowd.

The woman was taken to a hospital for an injury to her arm. Two others sustained minor injuries. Witnesses to the crash say Pocci floored his car and his tires squealed seconds before impact.
At the time of the incident, Pocci was not cited or arrested.

"Seven months later. This is not a complicated situation. It's caught on videotape," said attorney Dan Gilleon, who is representing Pocci. "I mean, charges should have been filed -- if there was a real crime they would have filed charges within days normally."

Pocci later filed a claim against the San Diego Police Department and its Chief Shelley Zimmerman, saying the organizers did not file a permit for the event. He claimed the "SDPD caused and created a confusing and misleading situation for motorists."

"It turned into a crime to try and shield the embarrassment and liablity of the city because Chief Zimmerman is down there letting them do this unpermitted parade. The permit process would have required traffic control," said Gilleon.

The SDPD has not commented on Pocci's claim.



Photo Credit: YouTube

How to Avoid Getting Stung by a Stingray

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After the weekend’s hot weather drew crowds to the San Diego coastline — and a man stung by a stingray in Pacific Beach was hospitalized — lifeguards are reminding swimmers how to avoid injuries at the beach.

“The best thing to do is shuffle your feet especially if you’re entering an area where there are not a lot of other people,” said Lt. John Sandmeyer of the San Diego Lifeguard Service. “Because it usually means that the stingrays have not been disturbed there.”

Swimmers catching waves or running into the water and planting their feet in the sand are often the ones to get stung, he said.

Stingrays defend themselves by injecting the venomous spines on their tails and cause about 2,000 injuries a year in the United States. The painful wounds can take months to heal, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.

If you are stung, the San Diego lifeguards advise soaking your wound in water as hot as you can stand.

“And then we of course will also treat the wound for infection,” Sandmeyer said.

Stingray stings are a common occurrence, often up to 20 a day, he said.

“It’s variable but we get stingrays all the time, mostly during the summer,” he said. “It’s been unseasonably warm all year.”
 

Retiring 49er's Dad "Relieved"

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Jeff Borland didn’t let his son, Chris, play football until high school growing up in Ohio. He thought youth coaches didn’t know how to teach little boys how to be safe tackling.

So it was with great pride and relief for him and his wife, Zebbie, when their 24-year-old son, the sixth of seven siblings and a promising rookie linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, announced to the world this week that he was retiring from the sport because he had researched what concussions could do later in life.

“As a parent,” Borland said Tuesday night in a phone interview with NBC Bay Area from Kettering, Ohio, “you’re relieved.”

Relieved, he said, because football usually means “physical punishment,” which takes a toll on the mind and body.

Now, the elder Borland said, his son will be looking at what to do next: "I think there will be more school," he said, without indicating what his son's next career path would be, adding that Chris Borland graduated with a history degree at the University of Wisconsin.

"He did what he had to do, and proved himself successful in the NFL," the elder Borland said. "There were many good lessons learned from playing football - preparation, discipline, team work. The challenge now is to transfer those skills to the next career."

Chris Borland began researching and reading all about concussions and head injuries, and announced his retirement on Monday to ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru. The two Bay Area brothers wrote a book and created a documentary, the “League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for Truth,” that changed the national conversation about head injuries and football.

"I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," Borland told "Outside the Lines." "From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk."

The decision had nothing to do with his ankle injury and shoulder issues: “I feel largely the same, as sharp as I’ve ever been," he told ESPN. "For me, it’s wanting to be proactive. I’m concerned that if you wait ’til you have symptoms, it’s too late.”

Borland is the most prominent NFL player to leave the game in his prime because of concerns about brain injuries, the brothers noted. More than 70 former players have been diagnosed with progressive neurological disease after their deaths, and numerous studies have shown connections between the repetitive head trauma associated with football, brain damage and issues such as depression and memory loss.

As the regular season approached, Borland’s father, owner of The Borland Group, a financial advisory firm, said his son began starting to think, “What am I going to do with my life?” That led his son to do some “reading and researching,” his dad said.

“He became concerned this could compromise his career after football," Jeff Borland said. "And he didn't want to jeopardize the next one."
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Hampton Coach Calls Jesus For Help Against Kentucky

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Hampton University squeaked into the NCAA tournament after a first round win against Manhattan. Now the Virginia school is up against undefeated and top-seeded Kentucky – a favorite to take the tournament.

Hampton's head coach isn't counting on divine intervention.

When the coach, Edward Joyner Jr., was asked about his team's odds, he picked up his cell phone and pretended to make a call. He then joked that he had "Jesus on speed dial."

“Hey, Jesus?” Joyner told reporters. “They want to know how much of a mountain and what our odds are. Hello? Hello? I guess he'll get back to me so I'll get back to you."

Hampton is up against tough odds. No team ranked 16 in the tournament has ever won the big dance against a No. 1 seed.

“It’s a heck of a mountain,” Joyner said.

If they win that one game, it'll be an upset of biblical proportions. 



Photo Credit: AP
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Air Force Vet Pleads Not Guilty to Trying to Join ISIS

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A U.S. Air Force veteran and former airplane mechanic from New Jersey charged with attempting to join the Islamic State group in Syria pleaded not guilty Wednesday to terrorism charges.

A bearded Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, wearing prison-issued khaki pants and a blue short-sleeved shirt, repeated his full name when asked but said nothing else before Judge Nicholas Garaufis in a New York federal courthouse. His attorney, Michael K. Schneider, entered the plea on his behalf. He declined to address reporters after the brief court appearance.

Pugh, 47, of Neptune, was indicted Tuesday on charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group and obstructing justice.

He was stopped at a Turkish airport in January carrying a laptop containing information on Turkey-Syria border crossing points as well as 180 jihadist propaganda videos, including one featuring an Islamic State prisoner beheading, according to an indictment.

In a letter addressed to a woman investigators believe is Pugh's Egyptian wife, Pugh declared: "I will use the talents and skills given to me by Allah to establish and defend the Islamic States," according to court papers.

"There is only two possible outcomes for me," said the letter, which was recovered from his computer. "Victory or martyr."

The computer, as well as thumb drive data-storage devices and other recovered equipment, appeared to have been intentionally destroyed to deny investigators access, the indictment said.

Garaufis scheduled a May 8 status conference to review prosecutors' evidence and discuss any possible plea negotiations. Schneider said in court he would need time for his own forensic expert to review the data seized by federal authorities and to coordinate interviews with potential witnesses in Turkey, Egypt and elsewhere.

Pugh has been living overseas for the past year and a half, most recently in Egypt, the court papers show.

Pugh served in the Air Force from 1986 to 1990 and was trained in installing and maintaining aircraft engines and navigation and weapons systems. The airman first class was first assigned in July 1987 to the Woodbridge Air Base in England and then to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona in July 1989, the Air Force said. After leaving the air force, he worked as an avionics specialist and mechanic for companies in the Middle East and U.S.

The FBI got a 2001 tip about Pugh from a co-worker at American Airlines who said Pugh expressed sympathy for Osama bin Laden, according to court papers. The airline said he left in early 2000 after a few months at American. In 2002, an associate of Pugh's again told the FBI that Pugh was interested in traveling to Chechnya to wage war, the indictment said.

Pugh was stopped by Turkish authorities on Jan. 10, and returned to the U.S. five days later by way of Egypt. He told investigators he was in Turkey on vacation and to look for a job and had no intention of crossing into Syria, the indictment said.



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Arson Officials Investigating Series of Fires in City Heights

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Investigators are looking into whether a string of roughly a dozen fires in the City Heights area are connected. Fire officials believe the most recent fire in the area is likely not connected. 

The most recent fire happened shortly before 11 p.m. on Orange Avenue near Euclid Avenue Tuesday where someone tried to light a pickup truck on fire. The person left a spray-painted pentagram on the hood.

At this point in their investigation, fire officials do not believe the most recent fire on Orange Avenue is related to the other recent fires in the area, said Capt. Joe Amador, a public information officer with the San Diego Fire Department. Since the start of March, there have been roughly a doze or so fires in the area that investigators are looking into. 

On March 17, a suspicious fire was set in the bed of a pickup truck in the early hours of the morning.

On Friday morning, arson officials started investigating five fires set in City Heights within blocks of each other. A map of all the known fires officials are investigating are on the map above. 

Officials are investigating whether these fire are all connected.


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Poison Center Calls About Kids Hit 1.3 Million: Report

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Poison centers across the country get more than 1,100 calls a day that relate to children sickened by medicine, according to a new report.

In all, there were 1.3 million poison center calls about children 19 and under in 2013, the report by Safe Kids Worldwide found. The vast majority of those calls, 53 percent, involved 1 and two year-olds and medicine, a number that the organization Safe Kids Worldwide called “alarming” and “most surprising”

Older children are also at risk for unintentional medicine poisoning, the report found, sometimes experiencing far more serious outcomes. Teens 15 to 19 were six times more likely to experience "moderate or major effects" from unintentional ingestion than children 1 to 4 years old.

The report, “Medicine Safety for Children: An In-Depth Look at Calls to Poison Centers,” analyzed data from 547,042 calls made to poison centers across the country in 2013. It found that 81 percent of the children were given the wrong medicine, while the remaining got too much. More than 10,000 emergency room visits are made each year for over-the-counter medicine overdoses by adolescents, the report said.

The most common accidentally ingested items for children under age 4, according to the report, are ibuprofen, multivitamins and diaper care and rash products. Nearly half of the emergency room visits were connected to the consumption of those products, which the report said can fall into kids' hands after being found on the ground, a nightstand or in a purse.

For teens, the top medicine mistakes were related to forgetting to take drug and then doubling up, taking two medicines with the same ingredient and taking the wrong medicine.

NFL Player Devon Still Shares Encouraging News on His Daughter's Fight Against Cancer

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Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still announced encouraging news in his daughter’s fight against cancer.

Still wrote on his Instagram page Tuesday the family received his 4-year-old daughter Leah’s MIBG scans, nuclear imaging tests that help locate and diagnose different types of cancer in the body. Based on the scans, doctors said they didn’t see any active disease in her body. Still said they need to wait for Leah's MRI and bone biopsy results later this week.

"But the doctors feel very optimistic about them because of the results from today," he wrote. "So for now we celebrate!!"

Still and his daughter have captured the hearts of millions of people nationwide since she began to receive treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in June. Still, who had a tumor removed from her abdomen back in September, completed her latest course of chemotherapy last month, The Associated Press reported. 

Devon Still, a Delaware native and former Penn State Nittany Lion, was cut from the Cincinnati Bengals in August of last year. But the Bengals re-signed Still to their practice squad in order to help him pay for his daughter’s medical treatment after she was diagnosed with cancer.

The Bengals have said Still is considering a one-year deal to play next year. 

After the Bengals decided to donate proceeds from his jersey sales to the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati and pediatric cancer care and research, Still’s No. 75 jersey quickly became the team’s top seller. More than $1 million have been raised from sales of the $100 jersey, according to the AP. 

Still has kept his followers updated on his daughter’s progress through social media.


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Chief Addresses Criticism of Audit

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San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman appeared on NBC 7 News Today Wednesday to address the criticism over the audit from the U.S. Department of Justice.

There have been some concerns raised that the audit didn't address issues of racism or sexism within the ranks of the SDPD.

The 83-page audit released Tuesday contains 40 recommendations to handle gaps in policies and practices used to prevent, find and investigate misconduct in the SDPD.

Chief Zimmerman said her department will address them all.

However when it comes to issues raised by community leaders concerning other issues - namely racial profiling - the chief of police said the audit was specific in its parameters.

"It wasn’t geared toward those issues," Zimmerman said adding that the focus was on 17 misconduct cases between 2010 and 2017.

"It was to look at certain areas. And those areas were supervision, training, accountability, our hiring practices and that's what the report focused on."

The ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties issued a statement Tuesday: 

“While we support these recommendations, we are troubled that the report does not adequately address racial and ethnic profiling within the Department,” the statement read.


 

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