Authorities are investigating whether the gas line in a basement below a sushi restaurant was rigged in a possible gas-theft scheme, causing the leak that may have set off Thursday's fiery explosion in the East Village. Two dozen people were injured and two still are missing after the blast that leveled three buildings.

"There is a possibility here that the gas line was inappropriately accessed internally by people in the building," but officials need to get access to the wreckage to explore it further, Mayor de Blasio said during a press conference Friday. He wouldn't say more about why officials believe that's a possibility.

Sources familiar with the investigation tell NBC 4 New York that in August inspectors found the gas line in the basement rigged with a rubber hose to circumvent the Con Ed gas meter. Safety violations were registered and an immediate shut down was ordered until the problem was corrected, the sources said.

No one was charged with any wrongdoing at that time and the case was treated as a safety violation by inspectors, the sources said.  Investigators now want to know if a similar gas-theft scheme was being employed again. The investigation is in its beginning stages and nothing has been ruled out, the sources said. 

The contractors working on the Sushi Park restaurant did not have permits for gas work, the mayor said Friday.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office has joined the NYPD, fire marshals and building inspectors in the probe into the cause of the explosion that sparked a fire that could smolder for days in the rubble of three buildings that once occupied Second Avenue and E. 7th Street.

Firefighters were still working to put out hot spots Friday, Chopper 4 video over the scene shows, and rescue workers with K9 units were on the scene searching for the two missing people. 

Inspectors with Con Ed had been to the East Village building to check on ongoing work to upgrade gas service. The utility said the work didn't pass inspection, so gas wasn't introduced to the line, and inspectors gave instructions and left at around 2:45 p.m. Con Ed said inspectors didn't smell any gas.

But at around 3 p.m., the sushi restaurant owner smelled gas and called the landlord, who then called a general contractor, Boyce said. No one called 911 or Con Ed, however, de Blasio said.

The contractor, Dilber Kukic, and the owner's son went into the basement and opened a door, and then the explosion happened, burning their faces, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said.

"The whole area was shaking," said Moishe Perl, who works next door. "We couldn't imagine what was going on." 

The building had an existing gas line intended to serve the sushi restaurant; the work underway was to put in a bigger line to serve the entire building, Con Ed President Craig Ivey said. As for whether the apartments were getting gas from the existing line, "That's a great question," he said.

"We'll have to find out, through the investigation, what's going on there," he said.

Calls to the building owner were unanswered. The owner's son reached by phone in his hospital room declined to comment. The listed contractor did not return messages. A subcontractor hired to handle gas lines did not return calls for comment. 

City records show the contractor, Dilber Kukic, got a permit last June for plumbing, flooring, removing partition walls and other work at the building.

Kukic had tried to help people escape the explosion and had been helpful to authorities, Boyce said.

The contractor -- who's facing unrelated charges of bribing an undercover investigator posing as a housing inspector -- was injured in the blast declined through his lawyer to comment on the circumstances surrounding the explosion.

Kukic is a relatively minor player in a 50-person bribery case that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. and other authorities unveiled last month. They said city inspectors, landlords and contractors formed a network of graft that exchanged $450,000 in payoffs to get safety violations dismissed, procure phony eviction orders and get fast, favorable and sometimes nonexistent inspections.

Kukic is accused of paying $600 in cash to try to get housing violations dismissed at two upper Manhattan properties he owned. He has pleaded not guilty. 

Meanwhile, businesses and residents who occupied the three buildings that were destroyed are trying to pick up the pieces. Dozens of people and businesses were displaced at least temporarily by the blast. Eleven buildings were evacuated following the explosion, though NYPD officers allowed some residents to return briefly to their apartments Friday to grab a few items. 

Chelsea Blampied, who lived in one of the leveled buildings, said she'd stopped home to get a work file from her third-floor apartment when she heard and felt the blast. 

"I thought a plane crashed into my building. Glass was blown everywhere, and it was just so surreal," she said. 

"I just heard a really loud boom," recounted neighbor Justine Miller. "I could feel it in my chest." 

Blampied left behind all her belongings and ran through smoke and debris down the stairs to safety as her building began to crumble. She's now staying with friends and is grateful she made it out alive. 

"It's so overwhelming. Everyone lost everything," she said. 

Gregory Dohdanowycz was in his top-floor apartment in the building next to where the blast happened. 

"I look out the window, and I see two buildings south of me, there's smoke rising from the windows and their roof windows," he said.

He only had time to grab his dog before running outside, and was overwhelmed by the horrific sights and sounds when he got outside. 

Neighbor Miller said: "There was blood on the ground. There were people laying up against buildings and other people trying to help them."

Actress Drea de Matteo is among the residents who lost her home and belongings in the explosion. She took to Instagram Thursday to share two dramatic photos of firefighters battling smoke and flames. "A hole where my NYC home of the last 22 years once stood," she wrote in one caption. "RIP 123 2nd Avenue." The photos appeared to be taken from a rooftop across the street.

Naya Jones, who spent the night at the YMCA after being told to leave her building near the blast site, went to the Tompkins Square Library Friday, where the Red Cross and other relief groups were offering financial assistance, food, vouchers and advocacy help. 

The Red Cross said it has helped more than 80 people since the blast and gave housing assistance to 30. The Standard Hotel is giving anyone displaced by the blaze three free nights of lodging. Sprint has also donated 25 cellphones. 

The ASPCA is also providing pet supplies for owners in the affected area.

"It's a small community," said Bohdanowycz. "I think everyone is trying to help out when something bad happens." 

Several long-standing businesses were also affected by the destruction. Pommes Frites, a favorite spot for fries, was destroyed by the blast, and the nearby Orpheum Theater had to cancel performances of the off-Broadway production of "Stomp."

Robert Seniuk, the chef at Stage restaurant across the street, is determined to get back to work.

"We open, we don't give up. This city is 24 hours," he said. 

Nevertheless, the frightening explosion has taken a toll on the psyche of New Yorkers everywhere.

"Yesterday was a very scary day. Now all I can do is think about the people who lost their homes and people who've been living here for decades," said neighbor Adam Mashaal. 

The explosion comes a week after the one-year anniversary of the East Harlem explosion that leveled two buildings and killed eight people. The blast also injured dozens of people and left many homeless for months.

Since the 2014 explosion, the FDNY has been given a much greater role in responding to reports of possible gas leaks and New Yorkers are now encouraged to call 911 about gas leaks and odors rather than 311.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a man suspected of calling in a bomb threat to La Jolla Country Day School, which shut down the campus in February.

The San Diego County District Attorney's office filed criminal charges against William John Cooper, 38, last week, including one felony county of threats to a public officer and four misdemeanor counts of telephone harssment.

A bomb threat shut down the school on Feb. 4, but a security sweep of the campus came up with nothing suspicious.

FBI officials later confirmed the threat was tied to dozens of harassing calls reported to San Diego Police. School administrators said the issue is a "personal matter between individuals not employed by the school." 

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

A sea otter that was being tracked by researchers for more than six years was killed by a shark in Monterey, California, on Sunday.

Biologists found a large, jagged tooth from a white shark in the open wounds of the otter’s body, according to a news release from the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Shark bites are currently the leading cause of death of sea otters and have increased in the last five years.

The sea otter was first discovered by the CDFW back in 2009 after she was found on a beach in Monterey covered in oil, which would give her the name, “Olive the Oiled Otter.”

She was rehabilitated through the CDFW, the Marine Mammal Center, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab. Olive spent her recovery in a pool of warm, softened fresh water. This method was being tested by researchers and helped bringing Olive’s coat and weight back to normal. Olive’s recovery became a point of interest to the public and gained her a Facebook page with more than 5,000 likes.

Because of Olive, researchers were able to develop the new washing method for sea otters. After her initial rescue in Feb. 2009, she was released into the wild in April with a very high frequency transmitter and colored flipper tags to keep track of her.

Scientists successfully captured her for a health evaluation in July 2012 in which she appeared very healthy -- and pregnant. Olive gave birth to three otter pups, which was a great contribution to the endangered sea otter population.

“She showed us that oiled sea otters can go on to live normal healthy lives, have healthy pups, be good mothers and then die of natural causes,” said David Jessup, a CDFW retired veterinarian who oversaw Olive’s recovery, in a news release.

Although shark bites are the leading cause of death in sea otters, CDFW wants people to remember that land and sea pollution is also a contributing factor. Fatalities in sea otters can be lowered if people take care of the habitats they live in.

Before her death, Olive was most recently seen on Feb. 15. Nearly 400 likes, shares and comments on Olive’s Facebook page expressed condolences for the sea otter’s lost life.

A high-profile South Jersey hospital CEO stabbed his wife to death and then set fire to their bedroom in a bizarre murder-suicide, according to a report released Friday by investigators in Somerset County, New Jersey, nearly six months after their deaths.

The determination brought no closure to the couple's family, though, who called prosecutors' investigative work flawed and vowed to sue.

Firefighters found Cooper University Health System CEO John Sheridan Jr, 72, and his wife, Joyce, 69, in the burning master bedroom of their Montgomery Township, New Jersey home on Sept. 28, 2014.

The revered top executive stabbed his wife multiple times in the face and once in the chest, perforating her aorta, which ultimately caused her death, according to the investigation results released on Friday.

He then turned a knife on himself, doused the room with gasoline and set it ablaze, trapping them inside, police said.

"Somebody's tapping on the window," said a neighbor in a chilling call to 911 that morning. "Somebody's trying to get out." That person very well have been Sheridan's wife of 47 years.

Initially, it was reported that Joyce Sheridan was alive when she was found by firefighters inside the couple's bedroom, but following the six monthlong investigation, it was determined that the retired schoolteacher was dead before her husband set fire to the room.

The coroner ruled John Sheridan died of "sharp force injuries" to the neck and torso and smoke inhalation. His body was found underneath a heavy, burning wooden armoire which fell on him, breaking five of his ribs, according to investigators. A large carving knife, covered in Joyce's blood, and serrated bread knife were found near the bodies.

Investigators conducted 180 interviews during their probe. Some colleagues of John Sheridan said he seemed "withdrawn," "very upset" and "out of character" because of work-related issues in the days leading up to the deaths.

The Sheridans' sudden and violent deaths shocked colleagues, family and friends who regarded the couple as liked and seemingly happy.

Sheridan joined Cooper in 2005 and is credited with helping transform the health care system, including adding a cancer center and medical school. Mrs. Sheridan was a teacher at South Brunswick High School who had a passion for helping students in need. They were friends of governors and other politicians.

"The death of our parents has left a hole in our hearts and family that can never be filled," the family said in a statement following the discovery.

But Friday, the couple's four sons — Mark, Matt, Dan and Tim Seridan — angrily blasted prosecutors' ruling calling it an "embarrassing bungling" of a murder investigation.

“From the outset we have said that no one wants answers about our parents’ deaths more than we do. The conclusion announced today fails to provide those answers," they said in a statement.

The men questioned several aspects of the investigation including how their father wound up under the heavy furniture after stabbing himself, why there was no motive for the suicide and why investigators failed to find the knife used to carry out the self-inflicted wounds.

Prosecutors admitted they could not locate the weapon, but did test a melted piece of metal on the bedroom floor. They couldn't, however, say if it was a knife that that melted in the fire.

The children went on to say one prosecutor told them he had "no idea what happened in that room." They also question the ruling out of foul play by an intruder.

"This conclusion seeks to convict our father based on little more than rank speculation," the men said. "We will be filing a lawsuit challenging the conclusion announced by investigators."

"We will not allow our father to be convicted based on guesswork resulting from an inadequate and incomplete investigation simply because he is not here to defend himself," they went on to say.

NBC 7's Gene Cubbison offers this analysis on the latest moves behind the Chargers stadium scramble.

After eight weeks of political shadow-boxing and misdirection plays, there's been a sudden, upward-momentum swing in the city's quest for a new stadium.

The county of San Diego has just checked into a lineup of civic interests dedicated to keeping the Chargers local, pledging help to move the long-awaited project forward.

"We're going to roll up our sleeves and we're going to do some work,” County Supervisor Ron Roberts told a scrum of journalists and TV camera crews at a noon-hour news conference Thursday outside the County Administration Center. “We’re going to join with the city in sharing some expenses so we can start to move forward on the first steps that are needed."

Setting aside frustrations and passive-aggressive hostility involving the Chargers' objections to rebuilding in Mission Valley, it would seem that confidence in San Diego’s big-ticket financing power has improved substantially.

Given the county’s credit ratings -- far superior to the city's – and newfound skin in the game, it’s clear the county could wind up being a game-changer.

Roberts has spoken of up-front “bridge loans” to bankroll construction efforts – but for modest starters, the county will split a half-million dollar tab for outside lawyers and investment bankers.

That alone could send a market signal to the NFL, and other cities hoping to land league franchises, that the entire region means business.

Said Mayor Kevin Faulconer: "For the first time, you're seeing the political will come together. I'm only interested in success. The people behind me are only interested in success. That is a powerful statement of where I think we need to go."

However, one of Roberts’ colleagues sounded a cautionary note – because observers including the Chargers warn of devils in the details such as downside investment risks.

"I love the Chargers, but I have to look at this as a business decision first," said Supervisor Dianne Jacob. "If county government puts skin into the game, we must make sure any agreement with the Chargers is a good deal for taxpayers … I will not support a deal that compromises essential public services and resources. We also will not put the county's financial health at risk."

It's been 50 years almost to the day that construction began on what later became Qualcomm Stadium, under a city-county "joint powers" authority that got the place built for $27 million.

Now it'll take that kind of teamwork to produce a billion-dollar plus replacement on the same site, which the Chargers are rejecting in favor of a hybrid stadium and convention facility in downtown's East Village.

Failing those options, and for bargaining leverage, the team is plotting a fallback move to a co-op home with the Raiders in the city of Carson -- efforts that are on a municipal fast track there.

Can San Diego overcome a potential underdog situation?

"We look forward to sitting down with the Chargers to negotiate and work with them in good faith -- as they have said they would do," City Attorney Jan Goldsmith

But there are growing doubts about whether the Bolts are really acting in good faith.

Will the merging of city and county efforts wind up keeping the team from leaving for greener turf in the L.A. market?

"We've had very positive conversations with the Chargers,” Faulconer said, “and will continue (to); very positive conversations with the NFL, for us to be successful."

Pressed on the sincerity of the Bolts’ commitment to a local solution, the mayor responded, dismissively: "I get asked a lot about Los Angeles. But I say, while I cannot control what's happening in Los Angeles, we can control what we're doing right here in San Diego. And this is what this is all about."

Meantime, the mayor's nine-member stadium advisory group is game-planning financial proposals they’ve vowed to submit by a May 20th deadline.

Whatever emerges from negotiations -- if something finally does -- will be subject to a countywide vote.

For their part, The Chargers issued a statement Thursday welcoming the involvement of the city attorney, outside counsel and investment bankers, and “look forward” to working with them.

A grocery store confrontation Thursday evening ended when a man hit a woman with his car in the parking lot and took off, San Diego Police said.

The victim was at a store near College and University avenues at about 4 p.m. Thursday.

She told NBC 7 she and a friend were shopping and accidentally left a cell phone behind inside a grocery store hand-basket. A man picked up the basket and allegedly tried to keep the cell phone, she said.

The victim and her friend confronted the man in the store, got the phone back and left.

As the women got into their car, they noticed the man in the parking lot. He happened to be parked right next to the women and they got into a verbal confrontation once again.

The victim said that's when the man started hitting her with his fists. In an effort to flee the parking lot, he then got into his car and struck her.

Police said the woman was forced up onto the hood of the car upon impact. The suspect drove away and has not yet been arrested.

Police are investigating the incident as a hit-and-run.

The victim told NBC 7 she suffered contusions to her head as well as leg injuries, but will recover. She said the suspect was driving a green car and had tattoos on his chest.

The San Diego Police Department has not yet released a full description of the suspect or his vehicle.

A federal grand jury charged a Southern California Border Patrol agent with 19 counts on Thursday, after prosecutors say he installed a hidden camera in a women's bathroom and collected video and photos of his colleagues for more than a year.

Supervisory Agent Armando Gonzalez, 45, is accused of placing the camera in a stall at the Chula Vista Border Patrol Station, telling others it was part of a drug investigation into one of his female employees. No such investigation was actually underway, according to the grand jury’s indictment.

Prosecutors say Gonzalez is shown in his own footage hiding the camera sometime in July 2013, and in over more than a year, it took an estimated 300 videos by automatically recording when someone entered the stall.

A woman with U.S. Customs and Border Protection found the camera on Jan. 9 and reported it to authorities. Not long after, investigators say they found close to 170 pictures of naked women or those wearing only undergarments in Gonzalez’ office.

When confronted about the device, he told investigators it had been there for several days, according to prosecutors.

Gonzalez is scheduled to be arraigned on April 2 on various counts, including a felony count of making a false statement and a misdemeanor count of video voyeurism.

His defense attorneys told NBC 7 Gonzalez is pleading not guilty. They said to allow the justice system to work.

A CBP spokesman previously said Gonzalez has been placed on paid administrative leave.

People are getting tired of scam artists.

Whether it's a bogus call from the IRS or an email from a foreign lottery, more and more people are skeptical of what they hear or read.

And that can be a problem. Raphael Tulino with the IRS said some people are ignoring legitimate letters coming from the federal government.

"It's asking you to verify your identity," said Tulino. "It is a legit letter."

That IRS letter is the 5071 C asking people to verify their identity before getting their tax refund.

Since scam artists have been filing phony tax returns to get refunds, the IRS has been trying to make sure the refunds go into the right hands.

That 5071 C letter asks people to go to the IRS website to continue the refund process. But some people are ignoring the letter thinking it is a scam.

"We're trying to help you," said Tulino.

Sheryl Reichert with the San Diego Better Business Bureau admits it is sometimes hard to determine what is real and what is not.

"It is very difficult these days to tell the difference between something that's actually sent from the government and something that's sent from a marketing firm or a con man," said Reichert.

And it's not just IRS letters that are getting passed over. Automotive recall letters are sometimes viewed with skepticism since some companies make look alike notices to solicit business.

"Unfortunately that's causing us to tend to throw mail out that might be actually significant or important," said Reichert.

The key is to verify emails, phone calls and letters. Don't feel pressured or rushed since scam artists often try to pressure people into making quick decisions.

Anyone who asks for personal information or money should also be looked at with a healthy dose of skepticism.

If the correspondence is asking for money through Western Union or a GreenDot card, there is a good chance it is coming from a scam artists.

A 33-year-old man died Thursday night from critical injuries suffered in a rollover crash in Escondido, police confirmed.

The deadly accident happened around 10:10 p.m. at Via Rancho Parkway and Camino Del Postigo. The driver – identified by the Escondido Police Department as Eric Robert Anderson – lost control of his Nissan 350Z and plowed into a retaining wall, causing his car to skid sideways and then flip onto its roof. In the process, the car also took out a small traffic light.

Investigators said speeding likely contributed to the crash.

Anderson sustained serious head injuries and was taken to Palomar Hospital. He died shortly thereafter.

There were no passengers in Anderson’s car and no additional vehicles were involved in the crash. Investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol were a factor.

The crash remains under investigation. Any witnesses should contact police at (760) 743-TIPS.

Those arrested for driving under the influence in California, even as a first-time offender, could be forced to install an “ignition interlock device” in their car under a new bill.

The devices, installed on vehicle dashboards, act like breathalyzers, allowing the car to start only after the mechanism receives a clean test. Senate Bill 61, approved by the Senate's public safety committee this week, now heads to the appropriations committee.

Proponents say the bill needs to become law because repeat DUI offenders account for one out of every three convictions.

“Families are devastated by this, and still we allow it. I don’t want to say we condone it, but the penalty is just not severe enough” said Jerry Hill, a state senator representing Calfornia’s 13th District who introduced the bill.

Roughly 15,000 people are arrested for DUI in San Diego County every year, but opponents don’t believe the bill will make a difference.

“SB 61 is a horrible idea that clearly is only designed to benefit the manufacturers and installers of ignition interlock devices, not traffic safety,” said DUI attorney Philip Gagnon.

Gagnon points to a DMV study this year analyzing the data from four counties, including Los Angeles, where pilot programs are underway as opponents say are proof SB 61 won’t work.

The study showed no evidence of general deterrence. Proponents say other studies have shown more positive effects, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control finding that the locks cut drunk driving recidivism offenses by 67 percent.

A suspected drunk driver passed out behind the wheel of her car in the middle of a San Diego freeway Friday morning prompting an officer to smash in her window to stop the car from moving into traffic.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. on northbound Interstate 805 at Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.

California Highway Patrol officials said the driver, identified as Amber McKinney Morgan, 25, had stopped her black Chrysler Sebring in the middle of one of the freeway lanes and left the engine running.

When CHP officers arrived on scene, McKinney Morgan was unresponsive.

CHP Officer Albert Udan said he and his partner approached McKinney Morgan, but didn’t have much luck communicating with her. The doors were locked and her windows were rolled up, officials said.
“The driver appeared unconscious,” Udan explained.

After several attempts to wake her up, Udan said the suspect’s car began rolling forward.
In an effort to stop the vehicle from rolling into traffic, Udan’s partner smashed the passenger’s side window.

“As a last resort, the officer had to break the glass in order to open the car and eventually gain control of the vehicle to get it to stop,” Udan explained, adding that, at that point, the car was an “extreme danger” to traffic.

McKinney Morgan eventually came to and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, Udan said.

Footage of the incident showed a large bottle of liquor and a soda bottle on the floor of the passenger’s side of the suspect’s car.

McKinney Morgan was booked into Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility on a DUI charge.

The giant alligator spotted at an Englewood, Florida, golf course is back -- and this time, he's hungry.

The Myakka Pines Golf Course posted a new photo to Facebook Thursday of their famous resident -- a giant alligator affectionately known as "Goliath."

This time, Goliath is chowing down on a giant turtle.

"Sorta nasty to see, but it's the reality of wild animals," the club says on their Facebook page.

Mickie Zada, manager of the club, estimates that Goliath is at least 12 to 13 feet long.

The reptile earned his name after the club polled fans on Facebook on what they should name him.

The other choices were "Viral" and "Myakka Mike."

Five people were hospitalized after firefighters responded to a report of an explosion Friday at a Riverside County middle school.

The explosion was caused when a student lit a firework inside of a trashcan in the main campus quad, according to a statement from Ethan Chase Middle School in Menifee.

Thirteen additional people suffered minor injuries after the fireworks explosion, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The explosion was reported just after 10 a.m.

A judge has ordered a jury to resume deliberations in a Silicon Valley gender bias case after a discrepancy was discovered in the jury count.

The development came Friday afternoon after a court clerk had announced in court that the jury had decided that the firm did not discriminate or retaliate against female worker Ellen Pao.

The jury was re-polled after the announcement and a discrepancy was found in the vote total. The jury was split 8 for "No" and 4 for "Yes" when polled on count No. 4. At least 9 votes are needed.

The jury in San Francisco was deliberating in a lawsuit filed by Ellen Pao against Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The lawsuit claimed she was fired when she complained about discrimination.

Jurors heard conflicting portraits of Pao during closing arguments. Her attorneys said she was an accomplished junior partner who was passed over for a promotion and fired because the firm used different standards to judge men and women.

"This case should be about what Ms. Pao did for Kleiner Perkins,'' her attorney Alan Exelrod said.

Kleiner Perkins' attorney, Lynne Hermle, countered that Pao failed as an investor at the company and sued to get a big payout as she was being shown the door.

"Her view of her skills and performance was far different than the views of the Kleiner Perkins partners,'' Hermle told jurors.

The lawsuit claimed she was fired when she complained about discrimination.

A study introduced as evidence during the trial showed that women are grossly underrepresented as partners in the venture capital sector. Industry consultants say the case has already sparked some technology and venture companies to re-examine their cultures and practices for potential gender bias.

During her testimony, Pao told jurors that her lawsuit was intended in part to create equal opportunities for women in the venture capital sector. Hermle, however, accused Pao of having less altrusitic motives.

"The complaints of Ellen Pao were made for only one purpose: a huge payout for team Ellen,'' Hermle said in her closing argument.

Kleiner Perkins officials also said Pao was a chronic complainer who twisted facts and circumstances in her lawsuit and had a history of conflicts with colleagues that contributed to the decision to let her go.

The case included salacious testimony about Pao's affair with a male colleague that was intended to bolster her allegations of gender bias. Pao said the colleague pursued her relentlessly before the affair began, and that she broke it off when she learned he had lied about his wife leaving him.

Pao told jurors the colleague later retaliated by shutting her out of key emails and meetings, and Kleiner Perkins did nothing to stop him when she complained.

Testimony showed the colleague was later found to have harassed another female employee.

Pao's attorneys also said she was excluded from an all-male dinner at the home of Vice President Al Gore; received a book of erotic poetry from a partner; was asked to take notes like a secretary at a meeting; and subjected to talk about pornography aboard a private plane.

Hermle, however, showed the jury emails and text messages that seemed to contradict Pao's claims that the colleague hounded her into a relationship. In one email from 2006, after the affair began, Pao wrote that she was always looking out for the colleague - "never stopped, never will.''

Jurors were asked to determine whether Kleiner Perkins discriminated against Pao because she is a woman; failed to take reasonable steps to prevent that discrimination; and retaliated against her after she complained about gender bias by failing to promote her and then firing her.

The jury was also tasked with deciding what, if any, money Pao should receive for past and future lost earnings.

NBC Bay Area's Mark Matthews contributed to this report.

Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. has an April 7 opening planned for its new restaurant in Ramona, which officials said will be California’s first drive-through location selling Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

The combination restaurant at 1410 Main St. will be operated by regional franchisee SAWS LLC, led by Mike Stout. The franchisee plans to develop several additional stand-alone Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in San Diego County.

The Ramona restaurant will sell coffee and other baked goods, in addition to donuts and ice cream.

Dunkin’ Donuts was started in 1950 and currently has more than 11,300 restaurants in 36 countries, including locations in downtown San Diego and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near Oceanside.
Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins are both owned by Dunkin’ Brands Group (Nasdaq: DNKN), headquartered in Canton, Mass.
 

Oh, the weekend. We’ve been waiting for you. From dining to running, there are lots of ways to enjoy your weekend in America’s Finest City.

Thursday, March 26

2nd Annual Taste of the Village 

6 p.m., The Rooftop Terrace of 16th & Market

A dining event with a serious purpose, Father Joe’s Villages will host its 2nd annual Taste of the Village Thursday. The culinary event will take place from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. atop the rooftop terrace of the 16th and Market permanent housing building to give attendees an insider’s glimpse into the homeless provider’s operations. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling (619) 446-2108.

Carlsbad Adventure Run 

5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Paseo Carlsbad

This free group run revolves around a 60-minute scavenger hunt filled with tons of giveaways, raffle prizes, music and a beer garden. Runners zip through checkpoints near the Carlsbad Road Runner Sports store and grab as many free raffle tickets along the route. The more checkpoints you hit, the more tickets you get, and those tickets are used to try to get prizes. The actual run is from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., with the prizes giveaway and after-party to follow.

SoundDiego Suggestion: 

Jeff the Brotherhood

8:30 p.m., Soda Bar

For fans of unabashed rock & roll, Soda Bar’s the place to be on Thursday: Jeff the Brotherhood has been making the rounds in the indie music scene for about 10 years now and the duo’s never sounded more raucous -- with even the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach pegging them as, “the next big thing in showbiz.”

Friday, March 27

Great American Foodie Fest 

4 p.m. to midnight Friday; 12 p.m. to midnight Saturday; 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Qualcomm Stadium

It’s a food lover’s paradise this weekend when the Great American Foodie Fest sweeps into Qualcomm Stadium. The event showcases some of the best gourmet food trucks from around the country all in one place. Single-day admission is $8 (pre-sale) and $13 (pre-sale) for a multi-day pass good for all three days. Kids 54 inches and under are free. Admission at the gate is $15 per person, cash only.

The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair 

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; Balboa Park

This event, in its 61st year, provides STEM opportunities to all 7th through 12th grade students throughout San Diego and Imperial counties. Students will get to showcase their award-winning science fair projects at public viewing sessions throughout the weekend at the Balboa Park Activity Center. Besides those presentations, there will be games, science demonstrations, scavenger hunts and prizes at this fun event fit for the whole family.

SoundDiego Suggestion:

Young Thug

7 p.m., the Observatory North Park

When you’ve got a style as, well, weird as Young Thug, his shows become must-see events. The Atlanta-based rapper’s tunes are anchored by his eccentric, sing-song flow – which are consistently landing him near the top of the Billboard charts. Don’t miss him.

Saturday, March 28

Crew Classic

All day on Saturday and Sunday, Mission Bay

Rowers from around the world will be unloading their boats and racing on Mission Bay Saturday and Sunday to compete in the 42nd annual San Diego Crew Classic. The event brings together high school, collegiate and masters rowers in one of the county’s premiere regattas.

Stone Brewing World Bistro Homebrew Competition

11 a.m., Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens

Experienced and new brewers come together in this annual competition to meet and collaborate with each other. Attendees can sample entrees in the 2015 competition and vote on a favorite. You can pay the $38 membership fee for the American Homebrewers Association at the door.

Red Door’s 2nd Annual Nature’s Egg Dyeing Party

10:30 a.m., The Red Door

Bring the whole family out to this workshop where Chef Karrie Hills will teach families how to dye eggs for Easter with plant-based dyes. Admission is $20 per person and includes three eggs, a selection of dye colors and a healthy lunch. Tickets for children under the age of 2 cost $10.

Sunday, March 29

Rolando Street Fair  

10 a.m., Rolando Blvd. between El Cajon Blvd. and Solita Ave.

This street fair features musical events, food, arts and crafts and service booths for the entire family. The 19th annual fair will go until 6 p.m. Admission is free.

Mead Making Seminar Workshop

1 p.m., Curds and Wine 

Learn how to brew an ancient and heady beverage this Sunday. A seminar taught by “Fringe Fermentation” author Matt Steiger will help teach you the ins and outs of making mead or melomel at Curds and Wine. The seminar costs $45 per person.

SoundDiego Suggestion:

Echosmith

7 p.m., House of Blues

This dance pop band comprised of four siblings has been riding a major wave of buzz over the last year or so, thanks to their million-selling “Cool Kids” single, addictive melodies and energetic live shows. Recent performances on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” and “Conan” sure don’t hurt either.
 

An after-school assistant in California was arrested after some bizarre behavior, including barricading several students into a classroom, taking off her clothes and upending desks, according San Diego County Sheriff's officials.

At about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Linda Lira, 31, started acting strangely at Lemon Grove Academy and shut herself into a room with students.

After several minutes, the children became scared by her behavior, so they used her campus radio to call for help and alert other teachers.

Staff fought Lira to get inside the classroom and get the children out, sheriff's officials say.

They told authorities Lira showed signs of being on narcotics or a hallucinogen. As she struggled with staff, she took off her clothes.

By the time deputies arrived, Lira had barricaded herself in the classroom again. Deputies say she was throwing things, toppling over desks and putting on and removing her clothes over and over again.

“She wasn’t threatening to harm the children, but her behavior was dangerous for those kids to be in the classroom,” explained Lt. Christopher May of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. “At one point she actually threw an object through a class window at the fire department, so that was a dangerous situation for the kids to be in.”

Law enforcement was eventually able to take Lira into custody, and she was first transported to the hospital for evaluation.

On Thursday, investigators returned to the school and interviewed students to count her offenses. Lira was taken to Las Colinas Woman's Detention Facility on 14 felony counts of child endangerment and 14 felony counts of false imprisonment.

The suspect could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

The Lemon Grove School District had social workers and therapists at the campus for those affected by the incident. Lemon Grove Academy is a seventh and eighth grade school located at 7885 Golden Avenue.

On Friday, NBC 7 spoke with Lemon Grove School District Superintendent Ernie Anastos about the odd occurrence, which he said happened in a classroom where children attend an after-school homework club. The children in the club are between nine and 11 years old.

“It was unsettling and upsetting for the kids. This happened over a period of 20 to 30 minutes,” Anastos said. “The attendant was acting strangely. She started saying things that were unusual and she started acting in a behavior that scared the kids.”

“She was saying they don’t have to follow the rules anymore. She maybe referenced Satan,” Anastos continued. “She was behaving strangely and was clearly not herself.”

“One of the little boys in the class had the sense to take the walkie-talkie and press the button down so everyone else could hear what was going on. Once that decision was made, everyone arrived on the scene,” he added, praising that student’s quick thinking.

Anastos said Lira had been working for the school district for two months. He said all staffers, including Lira, undergo an extensive background check before employment that includes a physical exam, drug testing and fingerprinting. Lira was completely cleared through that process, Anastos said.

“What happened in the last couple days is beyond explanation that I might have,” he added. “This was unexpected, baffling behavior.”

The superintendent said the principal of Lemon Grove Academy met with parents following the incident and all parents of children in the after-school program were given details on what happened in that classroom.

Anastos said the 14 children involved in the incident were doing well on Thursday when they returned to the after-school program.

A San Diego man accused of attacking a woman in the bathroom of a Big Lots store while wearing a pink Barbie tutu costume was sentenced for the crime Friday.

Gregory Phillip Schwartz, 41, was found guilty in January of felony false imprisonment, misdemeanor assault and shoplifting in connection with the February 2014 assault in the women’s restroom of a Big Lots at Clairemont Town Square.

He was sentenced to two years behind bars, plus one year of post-release supervision.

The victim said Schwartz peeped over the stall divider in the bathroom before climbing underneath, grabbing her and attempting to sexually assault her. He was wearing the pink Barbie dress during the attack, which police said he had shoplifted.

The victim fought back and escaped from the bathroom. Schwartz ran out of the store but surveillance footage helped police identify him as the suspect. He was arrested two days later near Clairemont Mesa Blvd. where he was living out of his car, investigators said.

Both investigators and Schwartz’s defense team said he was high on methamphetamine and drunk at the time of the bizarre assault. During his trial, Schwartz’s lawyers argued that he becomes more sexual and is aroused by cross-dressing while under the influence of drugs.

Schwartz has admitted to being high on meth and drunk during the bathroom incident, but claims he remembers very little from that day and he did not assault the victim.

A jury found him not guilty on rape and felony assault charges but guilty on the counts of false imprisonment, shoplifting and misdemeanor assault, for which he was sentenced Friday.
 

A deputy was involved in a shooting in an Encinitas neighborhood Friday morning, officials confirmed.

The shooting was reported just after 9:45 a.m. in the 2000 block of Shady Tree Lane. Jan Caldwell of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said the deputy was not injured.

Details on the suspect and shooting are forthcoming, she said.

Officials have shut down two streets near the scene, plus the parking lot of a nearby park. There were at least 10 deputies at the scene by 10:45 a.m. The area is residential with many homes lining the streets.

Aerial footage showed a weapon, possibly a shotgun, lying in a grassy area near homes.

A neighbor told NBC 7 the suspect had been experiencing marital troubles and deputies had been called out his house before this incident, including a time when the man was throwing things out of the window. The neighbor said a deputy shot the suspect because he was armed with a shotgun.

The neighbor said the suspect's wife ran out of their home this morning saying her husband had a shotgun and was going to harm himself.

Check back for updates on this developing story.