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San Diego Observes Cesar Chavez Day

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Tuesday was Cesar Chavez Day and San Diego was among the cities observing the holiday in honor of the labor leader and civil rights activist.

The City closed all administrative offices for the holiday. Local closures also included City recreation centers, public pools and all libraries. City officials said police and fire emergency crews would not be impacted by the holiday.

Parking meters, time restrictions on parking on streets and yellow zones will not be enforced during the holiday, but red, white and blue zones are still enforced every day, according to city officials.

Chavez was born on March 31, 1927. He died in 1993 at age 66. Today, his birthday is celebrated as an official state holiday in California, Texas and Colorado.

Locally, the University of California San Diego is hosting a series of 2015 Cesar Chavez events. The San Diego County & Imperial Councils is partnering with the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice for a pop-up memorial Tuesday afternoon at UFCW Local 135 on Camino Del Rio South.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Pants-Dropping Suspect Assaults Cop: PD

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A suspect dropped his pants and exposed himself to a group of officers -- and then punched an Oceanside police officer in the head in a bizarre incident on Monday night, police said.

Officers were called in at about 10:30 p.m. and asked to provide medical assistance to the man standing at San Diego and Bush streets in Oceanside.

The man didn’t need medical attention, but wanted a ride to Tri City Medical Center to pick up medication, according to a news release from the Oceanside Police Department.

But police said when the man realized he wasn’t going to get a ride, he dropped his pants, exposed himself and made an obscene comment as he slapped his buttocks.

As officers were attempting to take him into custody for indecent exposure, he punched one of the officers in the head, police said.

The 22-year-old man, identified as Derrick Anders, was then arrested on charges of felony assault of a peace officer. Police said he's a transient but identifies San Diego as his hometown.

The officer was treated at the scene and returned to his shift.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

"Stop Pooping" Along Trail

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To whoever has been pooping on the public bike path in Hampton, Illinois – please stop, officials have asked.

“Stop pooping on bike path,” read two new signs along the trail. And no, it’s not a message directed towards pets.

Apparently joggers who poop along the path have been an increasing problem for Hampton over the past two years, the city’s Public Works supervisor Scott McKay told NBC station KWQC.

"When the individual does it, it does it right in the lane. It’s not on the center line. It’s not off on the grass," he said. 

McKay said there's certainty the act is done by a human and not an animal because the culprit adorns it with toilet paper and leaves the same footprints.

So now he's taken matters into his own hands. In case the runners were under the guise that it was okay to use Mother Nature’s open roadways as their personal toilet, they now have a friendly reminder educating them otherwise.

McKay said he hopes the signs solve the problem.



Photo Credit: Tiffany Liou/KWQC

AP Exam Participation on the Rise for U.S. Public School Students: Report

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Already sharpening No. 2 pencils and flipping through those flashcards in anticipation of Advanced Placement exam season? You're not alone.

More than 1.4 million public school students took AP exams last year, a 3.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to figured released by the College Board. While the figures for public school population for 11th and 12th graders was not readily available, the College Board reports that roughly 3 million students graduated in 2013.

With the increase in participation came an uptick in students passing the exams, which cover subjects like physics, foreign languages and U.S. history. The success of the nation’s 11th and 12th grade public school students has doubled in the past decade, from 7.6 percent in 2004 to 13.2 percent in 2014, according to the College Board.

About 400,000 minority students took the exams last year, a 7 percent increase for a group that was historically underrepresented in the demographic breakdown of text-takers. Hispanic students are now participating in the AP program at almost the same rate as the nation overall — 19.1 percent of Hispanic students took an AP Exam in 2014, compared to a nationwide figure of 21.9 percent. 

Despite those gains, gaps are still evident for other minority groups. Only 12.9 percent of African American and 12 percent of Native American 11th and 12th grade public high school students took an AP test in May 2014, according to the College Board.

College Board also reported a rise in participation among low-income students. About 350,000 low-income students took an AP exam last year, a 7.3 percent rise. The number of students that use fee reductions in order to take AP exams has climbed as well, doubling from 2004 from 11.8 to 24 percent.

For 2014, Washington D.C. topped the charts for participation with 38.6 percent of students who took the AP exam. North Dakota came in last with only 8.1 percent. However, when it came to actually passing the exam, Maryland was the winner with 22 percent of their students gaining the college credit, while Mississippi was at the bottom of the list with only 3.2 percent of students passing. Overall, 15 states exceeded the national average of 13.2 percent.

A lot rides on a passing grade on an AP exam. A student who receives a passing grade may not have to take the same class in college, which can save money as college tuitions continue to rise.

On average, a student who passes two AP exams saves $1,779 at a public college and more than $6,000 at a private school, according to the 2013 College Board report “Trends in College pricing.” In order to pass an AP exam, a student has to score at least a 3 out of 5.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Balboa Park Exhibit Lands at Airport

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Travelers at the San Diego International Airport have something new to fill their time between flights: a new art exhibit dedicated to the history of the iconic local landmark, Balboa Park.

The exhibit is titled “Balboa Park and the City: Celebrating San Diego’s Panama-California Exposition.”

It took one year to assemble and comes just in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park with various pieces representing the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. All artwork and pieces included in the exhibit memorialize the growth of Balboa Park over the last 100 years.

“With 30 installations spread among all three terminals, the exhibition offers a truly immersive experience that takes you back in time,” said Thella F. Bowens, President and CEO of the San Diego
County Regional Airport Authority, in a press release.

Among the artwork that is featured are original costumes from Old Globe Theatre productions and decorative lighting fixtures from artist Jim Gibson.

A unique element of the exhibit is the replicated Electriquette, which was a motorized wicker cart that was the only allowed means of transportation for fairgoers at the 1915 Exposition at the park. It could only travel at about three-and-a-half mph, but was still a crowd favorite at the fair.

Pictures were once the only remains of this classic mode of transport, but historic preservationist Sandy Shapery and architect David Marshall were able to recreate the cart.

Featured 1960’s artist, Guillermo Acevedo, illustrated San Diego landmarks like Balboa Park and Santa Fe Depot through his drawings. His pieces on display at the new airport exhibit “honor the diversity and beauty of San Diego and the surrounding region,” according to the San Diego Airport Authority.

The airport’s art program began in 2006, and this exhibit is the latest in the line of exhibits showcased at the terminals.



Photo Credit: San Diego International Airport

Four San Diego Breweries Top Nation's Largest

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Four San Diego breweries are among a list of the nation’s 50 largest breweries in 2014, according to newly released rankings by the non-profit Brewers Association.

The list of craft and overall crewing companies in the U.S. ranks the breweries based on their beer sales volume.

Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido ranked as the largest brewery in San Diego, according to the list, and the ninth largest in the nation.

Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in San Diego ranked as the 31st largest brewery in the nation. Karl Strauss Brewing Co. ranked 45th largest and Green Flash Brewing Co. ranked 48th largest in the nation.

The economic value of the San Diego craft beer industry has doubled over the past three years, bringing $600 million in 2014, compared to $300 million in 2011, according to a newly released report by the National University System Institute for Policy Research.

A startling comparison: San Diego’s beer industry brought in more money than Super Bowl 49 generated for the Arizona economy.

The Brewers Association is a non-profit that represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry and is dedicated to small and independent American brewers.



Photo Credit: Stone Brewing Company

Motorist Drives Off From Tow Truck

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Chicago resident Tony Marengo says he is used to seeing vehicles get towed out of the Walgreen’s parking lot across from his River North apartment at Clark and Ontario – but never with a driver still behind the wheel of the car.

Marengo said he was at home around 8:30 p.m. Sunday when he heard loud yelling from outside. When he went to the window, he saw a tow truck traveling with a white jeep on the back.

Seems normal, but soon he noticed the yelling was coming from inside of the car being towed – the driver was still inside.

“We could hear the guy in the driver’s seat of the car yelling out of the window,” Marengo said.

“He was like, ‘Hey! Hey! Hey, buddy!’” he said of the frantic driver trying to get the tow truck operator’s attention.

Marengo says it was then that the tow truck finally pulled over to the side of the road. And once he did, he was the one in for the surprise – as the man behind the Jeep put his car in drive and sped off.

“It was crazy,” said Marengo, who is CEO and President of Chicago-based Company The MacTutor, Inc. “Then he was just sitting there, I imagine calling a supervisor or something.”

Marengo captured the whole ordeal on his phone and uploaded the video to his YouTube account. It has garnered nearly 10,000 views in less than 24 hours.


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Man Carved Name on Girlfriend: DA

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A California man accused of using a razor blade to carve his name onto his girlfriend's chest was arraigned Monday on kidnapping and domestic battery charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Sergio Joaquin Mendoza, 25, was arrested after allegedly abusing the woman on numerous occasions between March 17 and 20, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

The DA's office had first reported Mendoza was 39 years old but corrected his age to 25.

The Santa Ana man was charged with a felony count of kidnapping, a felony count of criminal threats, two felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury, and a sentencing enhancement for personal use of a deadly weapon, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said.

Mendoza allegedly got into multiple verbal fights with the victim and punched her on several occasions, prosecutors said. He is also accused of making her sit in his car while he was at work under the threat of violence.

On March 22, he allegedly tried to stop her from leaving a relative's house where he was staying, only allowing it on the condition she let him carve his name on her body, the DA's office said. Mendoza then used a razor blade to cut his first name on onto her chest, according to prosecutors. 

That evening he allegedly forced her into his vehicle, then drove around Santa Ana while threatening to hurt her if she tried to leave, according to the district attorney's office. The next day, he allegedly punched her on the head, attempted to strangle her and head-butted her in the face, prosecutors claim.

Eventually, she managed to escape, with an employee calling police after she ran into a local business. Mendoza was arrested March 26, prosecutors said.

Mendoza is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 8. He faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison if convicted.

It was not immediately clear whether he obtained an attorney.


Cop's Degrading Tirade Against Uber Driver Probed

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The NYPD says the Civilian Complaint Review Board has taken over the investigation into a video that appears to show a police officer verbally abusing an Uber driver in an at-times xenophobic roadside tirade in the West Village Monday.

Police confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that the plain-clothed man seen screaming in the now viral video is a member of the NYPD, but they did not identify him. A spokesman said the department is "aware of the incident and video and it is under review."

The NYPD later said that the CCRB, an independent city agency with subpoena power, has taken over the investigation. 

The video was posted to YouTube by Sanjay Seth, one of the passengers in the Uber car. According to Seth's YouTube post, his Uber driver honked his car horn at the officer later seen screaming in the video because the officer was trying to park on a Sixth Precinct street in the middle of the afternoon without using any blinkers or hazard lights, and the Uber driver's path to a green light was blocked.

The officer, seen wearing a green tie and blue shirt at points in the passenger video, got out of his unmarked car, which had flashing blue and red lights on the dashboard, and flagged down the Uber driver.

The three-minute video begins as the officer approaches the Uber driver's window and starts yelling at the driver, raising his voice over the Uber driver's muted apologies and efforts to interject.

"Stop it with your mouth, stop it with your, 'For what, sir,'" the officer is heard saying in the video as he curses. "Stop it with that ... and realize the three vehicle and traffic law violations you committed."

"You understand me? I don't know what [epithet] planet you think you're on right now," the officer yells, making fun of the Uber driver's accent.

The officer then slams the hood of the Uber car and walks away; the Uber driver tries to apologize to his passengers, who tell him it was not his fault and inform him a video of the exchange was recorded. One of the passengers said it appeared the officer was on a "power trip;" the other called the man's behavior "really inappropriate."

The officer returns to the Uber car about 90 seconds after slamming the hood and storming off, the video shows, and continues to curse at and belittle the driver. The driver keeps trying to dissolve the situation with respectful apologies. Then the officer goes off on him. 

"I don't know where you're coming from or where you think you're appropriate in doing that," the man yells, apparently in reference to the car honk from earlier. "That's not the way it works. How long have you been in this country?"

"Almost how long? Two years?" the officer yells after the driver whispers a response. "I got news for you and use this lesson: Don't ever do that again. The only reason you're not in handcuffs going to jail and getting summonses in the precinct is because I have things to do."

"That's the only reason that's not happening, because this isn't important enough to me, you're not important enough," he says.

The officer turns toward the passengers in the back seat, asks if they are fares and says something about the Uber driver wasting their days, too. The officer hands the driver some kind of piece of paper that looks like a ticket and leaves as the passenger cellphone video pans to the flashing lights on the dashboard of his vehicle, parked behind the Uber car. 

Seth posted video of the exchange on multiple social media accounts. On his Facebook page, he wrote, "Our Uber driver, Humayun, was abused by a police officer today in New York. The rage, door slamming, throwing items into the car, threatening arrest without cause was bad enough -- but the officer's remarks at the end really took it to another level."

Seth wrote on Facebook that he reported the exchange to the Civilian Complaint Review Board. According to his profile, Seth works at a nonprofit in the city and used to work for the parks department.

Asked about the exchange by NBC 4 New York, Seth wrote, "This very unfortunate incident is between the driver, Uber, the officer, and the relevant authorities."

Uber called the behavior in the video "wrong" and "unacceptable," and said it appreciated the NYPD investigating.

"We are in touch with our driver-partner who was subjected to this terrible experience and will continue to provide any support he needs," Matthew Wing, a spokesman for the ride share company, said. 

The CCRB handles complaints about four kinds of alleged police misconduct: force, abuse of authority, discourtesy and offensive language. 



Photo Credit: Sanjay Seth

Driver Crashes Into Store; 1 Dead

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One person was killed and seven others were injured Tuesday after a driver crashed a truck into a store in Fort Worth while fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash, police say.

Officials investigating the crash said the male driver of the truck was first involved in a minor crash at Riverside Drive and U.S. Highway 287. After the crash the driver raced away on Riverside Drive at speeds of up to 100 mph, officials said.

The driver, whose identity has not yet been revealed, then lost control of his truck and crashed into the Star Food Mart near the intersection of Riverside Drive and East Lancaster Avenue, trapping several people.

Fort Worth firefighters arrived and began working to free the trapped victims while also stabilizing the building. At one point, firefighters used a fire truck to pull the pickup from the building, freeing a woman who was trapped.

Employees at neighboring businesses rushed to the scene to help the victims and worked to remove some of the debris. Nearby construction workers were able to quickly shut off the electricity to the building since electrical wires were exposed.

One of the eight injured was a woman trapped by the truck who had to be extricated by firefighters. She has been identified as 24-year-old Sylvia Zazueta. She was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth in critical condition, but did not survive her injuries, according to MedStar EMS. Zazueta was married with three children.

Seven other patients were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries; three were transported to Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth and four to JPS. One of the injured was a passenger in the truck, the other was the driver who was transported to JPS for treatment.

Fort Worth police confirmed to NBC 5 they believe the driver of the truck was under the influence of a narcotic. He was arrested for intoxication manslaughter.

NBC 5's Holley Ford, Chris Van Horne and Jocelyn Lockwood contributed to this report. We will update this story with more information as soon as it's available. As this story is developing, elements may change.



Photo Credit: Fort Worth Fire Dept. and Facebook
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Jaguar Cub Weighs in at 4.8 Pounds

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It’s a boy!

Zoo officials said the newborn jaguar cub, which debuted Saturday at the San Diego Zoo, is a boy, though officials have not named him yet. 

The cub weighed in at 4.8 pounds this week.

Mother Nindiri and the cub have access to two off-exhibit bedrooms at all times as well as the third cave bedroom, which is visible to the public.

Guests can stop by the exhibit from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to try and catch a glimpse of the baby cub, though there is no guarantee guests will be able to see him and his mother because they can chose the space they would like to spend time in.

Nindiri previously gave birth to a pair of cubs in 2012, a male named Tikal and a female named Maderas.

Pat Haden Refuses to Head to Indy

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USC athletic director Pat Haden says he won’t be heading to Indianapolis this week for the College Football Playoff selection committee meeting in response to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s decision to sign the widely-protested “Religious Freedom” bill.

“I am the proud father of a gay son,” Haden wrote to his 17,000 followers on Twitter Tuesday. “In his honor, I will not be attending the CFP committee meeting in Indy this week. #EmbraceDiversity”

The law sparked outrage from many in Indiana's business community and others with ties -- established and planned -- to the Hoosier state.

The public-employee union known as AFSCME announced Monday it was canceling a planned women's conference in Indianapolis this year because of the law. The band Wilco said it was canceling a May performance.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an open letter to Indiana corporations saying Virginia is a business-friendly state that does "not discriminate against our friends and neighbors," while Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel sent letters to more than a dozen Indiana businesses, urging them to relocate to a "welcoming place to people of all races, faiths and countries of origin."

Pence, on the other hand, says the bill he signed into law week has been "grossly mischaracterized" and subjected to "shoddy reporting," but on Tuesday announced that he and legislators have been working around the clock to draft new legislation to clarify its intent.

"We've got a perception problem here ... and we intend to correct that," Pence told reporters.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Beagle Taken in by Encinitas Shelter Delivers Puppies

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Attention pet lovers: A pregnant beagle taken in by an Encinitas animal shelter gave birth to a litter of puppies, which will soon be available for adoption.

The beagle gave birth to three puppies on Friday night, and the puppies will be available for adoption in about eight weeks, said John Van Zante, spokesman for the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.

The mama beagle was among 35 taken in by Rancho Coastal Humane Society in February.

The owner of the beagles contacted shelter workers because she was overwhelmed by the sheer number of pets; she had more than 40 beagles and pugs.

Some of the beagles are still at the shelter while others are in foster care, Van Zante said. Another mama beagle gave birth about three weeks ago to a litter, and those puppies will need a home in about five weeks.

To donate to the puppies' cause, you can call the shelter at 760-753-6413 or donate online here.

You can learn more about the adoption process here.
 

San Diego's Traffic Ranked Among Worst in Nation

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It’s no Los Angeles, but San Diego has some of the worst traffic in the nation, according to a new traffic index released by mapping company TomTom.

Our city’s gridlock was ranked the No. 17 worst in the country, when taking into account congestion levels on highways and non-highways and daily delays on a 30-minute commute. The index measured 53 U.S. cities.

The daily delay for someone with a 30-minute commute is 19 minutes, according to TomTom. The congestion level on highways, at 14 percent, was less than non-highways, which was 34 percent.

In total, San Diegans lost 75 hours last year sitting in traffic.

Still, San Diego’s traffic problem is nothing compared to our neighbor of the north. Los Angeles was ranked the No. 1 city in America for having the worst traffic, exceeding New York City, which came in at No. 4.

Interestingly, three California cities including LA made the top 10 most gridlocked cities: San Francisco (No. 2) and San Jose (No. 6) rounded out the list.

Here are the other top 10 cities to be wary of in your car (at least if you’re going on vacation there): Honolulu (No. 3); Seattle (No. 5); Miami (No. 7); Chicago (No. 8), Washington, D.C. (No. 9); and Portland (No. 10).

Retirement Community Hit With Norovirus Outbreak

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San Diego County health officials are investigating a norovirus outbreak that infected dozens of residents at a Chula Vista retirement community earlier this month.

Health officials said 40 residents and 11 staff at the Fredericka Manor Retirement Community became ill with symptoms of norovirus. Three were hospitalized, but are recovering.

The possible outbreak was reported to the health department on March 18. At the time it was reported, the retirement community had already started implementing infection control measures like cleaning and isolating patients.

San Diego public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said the public should not be alarmed by this outbreak because it is common in closed spaced such as care facilities, day care center and even cruise ships.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), norovirus is highly contagious and can be spread through an infected person, contaminated food or water or by touching contaminated surfaces.

The virus – which can infect anyone but causes particularly serious illness in young children and older adults – causes the inflammation in the stomach, intestines, or both, and leads to stomach pain and nausea, according to the CDC.

Though highly contagious, Dr. Wooten said the outbreak in Chula Vista is no cause for alarm.

A representative from Fredericka Manor told NBC 7 residents were notified immediately of the outbreak and signs were posted about it around the community.

The CDC said hand washing is an important way to prevent norovirus from spreading, as well as carefully washing fruits and vegetables before eating them.

On Tuesday, Craig Sumner, executive director of Fredericka Manor, released the following statement to NBC 7:

“On March 18 we reported several cases of possible norovirus, a highly contagious stomach and intestinal virus. At that time we immediately implemented several protocols and extra precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

The preventative measures included the closure of dining rooms and other group meeting facilities, disinfection of the facility, extra disinfection of the kitchen, and vital communication with residents regarding the signs and symptoms and practices to prevent the spread of the illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control, norovirus is highly contagious and can spread anywhere people gather or food is served.

To date 40 residents and 11 staff members have contracted the illness; some were hospitalized and have now fully recovered, returning to Fredericka Manor in good health. As of today, March 31, less than 10 percent of residents have been infected with the virus. If no new cases are reported as of April 2, the safeguards will be lifted on Friday, April 3."

 



Photo Credit: NBC Local Media

Driver Killed After Slamming Into Tree

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A driver was killed in the Bonsall area Tuesday morning after plowing into a tree, California Highway Patrol officials confirmed.

The deadly car accident happened around 9:40 a.m. on westbound Camino Del Rey about a mile west of Old Highway 395. All westbound lanes were blocked off to traffic following the crash.

CHP officials said fire crews pulled the victim from the vehicle, but the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim has not yet been identified by officials.

No other vehicles or victims were involved in the collision. The cause of the crash is under investigation.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

City Heights Hit With 2 More Fires

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The City Heights community was hit with two more suspicious fires overnight – one involving mattresses set ablaze and the other set in a dumpster, officials said.

The fires happened on the same block within about 30 minutes of one another, leading investigators to believe they were set intentionally.

In the first blaze, which happened just before 1 a.m. in the 5200 block of Landis Street, two mattresses were set on fire in an alleyway next to an apartment complex. Some residents evacuated their homes while crews tackled the flames.

At about 1:30 a.m., another fire was reported in a dumpster at 5252 Landis St.

Officials said both fires came very close to residents’ homes. They are both being investigated as cases of arson.

Fires like these have recently become a problem for City Heights residents who have seen strings of possible arson in their community over the past month.

In early March, four fires sparked overnight on Wightman Street and Rex Avenue, one involving a Christmas tree.

One week later, firefighters were very busy battling several fires in the area, including a pickup truck on fire in the 5100 block of Wightman Street. Crews said plants and debris caught on fire in the bed of that truck. That same morning, a small vegetation fire broke out on the side of a home on Knoxie Street, followed by a fire on Shiloh Road that damaged the window screen of one family’s home.

Days later, a suspicious fire was set in the bed of a pickup truck on Orange and Euclid avenues. A trailer attached to the truck was also damaged in that blaze.

Finally, on March 22, another fire started near a fence line in the 5200 block of Wightman Street just after 3:30 a.m., spreading to a nearby trailer. Fire officials confirmed that blaze was arson.

The City Heights area has endured about a dozen fires since the beginning of March. A map of those fires can be seen below. Investigators suspect the fires may be related and are continuing to investigate them as arson.

No suspects have been arrested in connection with the fires.

Metro-Arson Strike Team (MAST) officials said they're exhausting efforts to catch the suspect or suspects responsible for the fires. They said residents should report any and all suspicious activity in the community and clean up any debris near their homes that could easily catch fire.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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City Leaders Hold Off on City-Funded Indiana Travel Ban

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Some San Diego city leaders are holding off on a city-funded travel ban to Indiana amid news the state would work to amend a controversial Indiana measure signed into law last week.

The measure signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence last week does not allow for a state law to “substantially burden” another person’s ability to adhere to their religious beliefs. Critics have said that the state law, where the definition of person would include businesses, associations and religious institutions, would allow for discrimination.

A travel ban to Indiana could have a real impact on Indianapolis because the U.S. Conference of Mayors is scheduled to be held there in 2016. If changes to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act are not made, Mayor Faulconer would not attend. Several mayors from other cities have already put travel bans in place. 

After a press conference held Tuesday morning, where Gov. Pence said lawmakers would work to amend the law, Mayor Kevin Faulconer's Chief of Staff Matt Awbrey told NBC 7 the office would welcome an amendment to the law. Because of Cesar Chavez day, future travel plan records were not immediately available. 

"Assuming Indiana follows through with Governor Pence's amendment that makes it clear that this law does not give businesses a right to deny services to anyone, there will be no changes to the travel policy," said Awbrey. 

Council member Todd Gloria said that it a travel ban would send a strong message to the state that other states will not support such a measure.

For Gloria, a law like the one passed in Indiana is personal.

“As a gay man of color, I’ve been dealing with bullies since junior high,” Gloria said. “The best way to handle bullies, I’ve found, is to fight back. This is about fighting back and making it very clear that we won’t allow this type of discrimination to stand.”

Late Monday, Gloria called on Faulconer and Council President Sherri Lightner to block public funds in San Diego for travel to Indiana until the law is amended or repealed in a memorandum.

“San Diego should join these other jurisdictions that have demonstrated their leadership for equality and let it be known that San Diego will rise up against these discriminatory practices taking place in our nation,” the memorandum said.

Prior to the press conference, Faulconer’s Chief of Staff Matt Awbrey told NBC 7 that the office has moved to ask the City’s Chief Operating Officer to restrict publicly funded travel by city employees to Indiana “if the law is not amended or repealed by next week.”

“I believe in equal rights for all,” Faulconer said in a tweet. “Discrimination has no place in our society. I join @MayorBallard in calling for the repeal of #SB101.”

USS Peleliu Decommissioned in San Diego

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The U.S. Navy officially decommissioned the USS Peleliu Tuesday after more than 34 years of service.

The amphibious assault ship – which has been deployed 17 times, steaming more than 1 million nautical miles over its lifespan – was decommissioned at Naval Base San Diego.

The ceremony marked the end of a career for the ship that has deployed on humanitarian and peacekeeping missions over the past three decades, including a critical role in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Peleliu – also known as the “Iron Nickel” – was the first ship in the Global War on Terror to deploy Marines in support of operations in Afghanistan, the Navy said.

Capable of launching a coordinated air and sea attack from one platform, USS Peleliu has also logged 178,051 flight operations and served 57,983 personnel since being commissioned on May 3, 1980, in Pascagoula, Miss., according to the Navy.

Capt. Paul Spedero is the last in the ship’s long line of 23 commanding officers.

The decommissioning of the ship was attended by many veterans who served on the USS Peleliu, including Will Avant and Robert West, both of whom were present when the ship was first commissioned nearly 35 years ago.

“I put this old girl into commission, and I think it would only be fitting to say goodbye to her. It’s a hurting thing, but like anything else, this too shall pass,” said Avant.

“It was a long ride – a good ride – and a rewarding thing. It was a great ship. She’s a good fighting ship. She had a good crew,” Avant added. “I’m proud. It was a pleasure to serve my country.”

West, who served aboard the Peleliu for more than three years before working 18 years on reserve, said he enjoyed his time aboard the vessel.

Coming back to see it decommissioned brought back many memories of his family.

“The emotion is really getting to me now because my parents were there in Pascagoula, Miss., when we got commissioned. My sister was there – she was a little kid – she’s 47 years old now,” West explained.

The veteran said he was happy to reunite with his fellow service members at Tuesday’s event.
“I’ve seen so many people that I served with today. The emotion is flowing through me right now. It’s kind of a sad, sad day,” West added.

USS Peleliu returned to San Diego from its last deployment in December, just in time for Christmas. The ship and its 1,000-member crew had been conducting security and stability operations and exercises throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region in cooperation with partner nations.

After its decommissioning, the Iron Nickle will be towed from San Diego to Pearl Harbor to join the Navy’s reserve fleet and moored alongside the class's namesake USS Tarawa (LHA 1).



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Couple Found With Chainsaw Wounds

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A community is in mourning after a teen boy discovered his parents dead with wounds from a chainsaw inside a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, home Tuesday.

"It strikes home," said Eric Shallcross, a family friend. "It's unbelievable."

The 14-year-old boy told police he found his parents unresponsive inside their home on the 1100 block of Country Lane in Lower Moreland around 12:50 p.m. Investigators said the victims, a 48-year-old man and his 43-year-old wife, had lacerations from a chainsaw that was found lying nearby. 

Prosecutors confirmed one of the deaths was a homicide while the other is under investigation. Officials also say they are not searching for any suspects in the case.

Police are not identifying the couple pending the notification of all family members.

Aside from their 14-year-old son, the couple had two other boys who were not in the home when they were found dead. Eric Carswell, the pastor of Bryn Athyn Church, was teaching religion class to one of the children when the school learned about the incident.

"This is not what we would wish for anybody," Carswell said. "I'm very grateful for a sense that the boys have an extended family that is really taking good care of them."

Friends of the victims gathered at Bryn Athyn Cathedral Tuesday night for a prayer vigil.

Friends also told NBC10 there were problems in the couple's marriage.

"I knew they had some complications with their marriage," Shallcross said. "But a lot of marriages do. Most marriages do, I'm sure."

An autopsy on the couple is scheduled for Wednesday, said prosecutors.

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