Quantcast
Channel: NBC 7 San Diego - Top Stories
Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live

Ban on Gay Conversion Therapy Introduced in Congress

0
0

The first national bill to stop what is known as “conversion therapy” was introduced in Congress on Tuesday by California Rep. Ted Lieu, a month after the White House denounced psychiatric treatments meant to “cure” young people of being gay.

The practice is a dangerous scam and abusive to those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, Lieu, a Democrat, said in a statement. The therapy sessions and materials cost families thousands of dollars with no results, he said.

“The truth is that being LGBT cannot be and does not need to be cured,” he said. “The irony of the conversion therapy industry is that the same people who are telling LGBT kids that they’re diseased are the same ones conveniently offering a high-priced, high-risk, ineffective cure.”

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to classify paid therapy that claims to change sexual orientation and gender identify as fraud. The bill provides protection for religious liberty and freedom of speech, Lieu said.

Lieu wrote the first statewide ban on conversion therapy three years ago in California.

The federal bill comes two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld New Jersey’s ban on gay conversion therapy for those under 18. Last year, the justices left California’s ban in place.

Oregon's governor signed a similar ban on Tuesday and the District of Columbia also has one.

Therapy proponents presented the ban as a restriction on the free speech rights of doctors and counselors.

The White House formally supported ending conversion therapy after receiving a petition signed by more than 120,000 people. It followed the death of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn of Union Township, Ohio, who committed suicide in late December by walking in front of a semi-trailer. Alcorn left a note on Tumblr blaming her parents for forcing her to attend conversion therapy.

In response to Lieu’s bill, the government affairs director of the Human Rights Campaign called conversion therapy a demeaning and destructive practice.

“This vitally important legislation has the potential to save countless lives across this country by helping to end a practice that uses fear and shame to tell LGBT people the only way to find love or acceptance is to change the very nature of who they are,” David Stacy said in a statement.

The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality as a mental disorder from its official diagnostic manual more than 40 years ago.
 



Photo Credit: Leelah Alcorn

Treated Sewage Spills into San Luis Rey River: Officials

0
0

Tens of thousands of gallons of treated sewage leaked into a North County drainage canal and prompted warning signs along the San Luis Rey River, officials said Tuesday.

The spill, involving an estimated 154,000 gallons of treated sewage, was reported to the Department of Environmental Health on Tuesday.

The leak began Sunday at 5:40 p.m. and was stopped the following morning at 8:15 a.m. according to City of Oceanside wastewater staff.

It appears the spill was caused by a leak in a pressurized treated-sewer main. Even though the water was treated, there are still high bacteria counts according to some samples of the area.

The river that runs south of Camp Pendleton to the Pacific Ocean is a popular spot for fishing.

Oceanside officials say the river is not discharging into the ocean at this time so there are no warnings in place for swimmers or surfers.
 

Affordable Fun in San Diego

0
0

It seems there’s always something fun to do in America’s Finest City – and the best part is, it doesn’t have to cost much.

From a visit to the tranquil Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, a scenic ferry ride to Coronado or a trip to the Torrey Pines Glider Port, it's easy to enjoy San Diego on a budget.

Check out these local, affordable activities scouted out by NBC 7’s morning anchor team including Marianne Kushi, Jason Austell and Jodi Kodesh.
 



Photo Credit: Monica Garske

Columbia Student Carries Mattress in Graduation Ceremony

0
0

A Columbia University student who has carried her mattress around the Ivy League campus all year in protest of the school's handling of her sexual assault case graduated on Tuesday — and the mattress crossed the stage with her.

Emma Sulkowicz, who claimed she was raped in her dorm room on the first day of her sophomore year, earned applause from the audience when she crossed the stage with the mattress, NBC News reported.

Columbia administrators said in an email to students Monday that “graduates should not bring into the ceremonial area large objects which could interfere with the proceedings or create discomfort to others in close, crowded spaces shared by thousands of people," Columbia's student newspaper reported.

Teo Armus, a student reporter for the Columbia Spectator, reported before the ceremony Tuesday that a school official had asked Sulkowicz to leave her mattress in a room and pick it up after the event. But Sulkowicz was ultimately allowed to bring the mattress into the tent, Armus told NBC News.

In September, Sulkowicz started carrying the mattress wherever she went on campus to protest the way she said the university mishandled her rape complaint. She said the case against her alleged abuser was dismissed.

“It’s an art piece but also a protest,” said Sulkowicz, a visual arts major, who called the project "Carry That Weight."

Sulkowicz said she was raped on Aug. 27, 2012, but waited until April 2013 before telling campus authorities because she was scared to talk about it. She ultimately reported the sexual assault after other female students told her they had been raped by the same person, she said.

The student she accused of rape, Paul Nungesser, sued Columbia in April, saying the school failed to protect him against harrassment when Sulkowicz publicly claimed he raped her.

After Sulkowicz and 22 other students filed a Title IX complaint against Columbia, the school unveiled a revamped sexual misconduct policy this summer. It includes a new office aimed at making sex crime reporting easier for students.



Photo Credit: Columbia Daily Spectator

Hodad’s Among Best Burger Joints in U.S.

0
0

Hodad’s – the iconic burger joint in San Diego’s Ocean Beach community – has been named one of the best burger places in the nation, according to a new list ranked by Foursquare.

The social media check-in network has compiled a list of the top 50 burger joints in America and Hodad’s on Newport Avenue made the cut at No. 25, sandwiched between other beloved burger businesses across the nation.

It’s the only San Diego-based burger spot to make the list.

The rankings are dominated by New York-based restaurants including the No. 1 joint, Minetta Tavern, New York’s Burger Joint (No. 2) and the Shake Shack (No. 3). Atlanta-based burger places also fared well on the list, as did a few Chicago joints.

It’s no secret that Hodad’s is revered by San Diegans. The Ocean Beach location is typically packed day and night with customers lining up for a juicy burger.

Though originally an Ocean Beach staple, Hodad’s has expanded over the years to include a location in downtown San Diego and in downtown’s Petco Park.

The burger joint had been under the leadership of owner Mike “Bossman” Hardin until February of this year, when Hardin died from a heart attack while at a hotel in central California.

Hardin – also known as the “unofficial mayor of Ocean Beach” – lived in San Diego from 1960 until his passing. He took over Hodad’s in the 1980s from his parents.

Both Hardin and Hodad’s were featured on the popular TV show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” hosted by Guy Fieri.

San Diegans mourned Hardin after his death, turning Hodad’s in OB into a makeshift memorial, leaving flowers and notes outside the beach business. Hundreds of Hodad’s fans attended a tribute to Hardin at Petco Park in late March, paying their respects to the burger king who left a mouthwatering mark on the San Diego food scene.

Do you agree with Hodad's ranking among the best of the best burger joints in America? What other local burger places do you love? Share your choices in the comments section below.

Check out Foursquare's full list of best burger joints here:

Rank       Burger Joint                                    Location

1              Minetta Tavern                                 NY, NY

2              Burger Joint                                      NY, NY

3              Shake Shack                                    NY, NY

4              Gordon Ramsay BurGR                  Las Vegas, NV

5              J.G.Melon                                         NY, NY

6              Kuma's Corner                                 Chicago, IL

7              AJ Bombers                                     Milwaukee, WI

8              5 Napkin Burger                               NY, NY

9              The Spotted Pig                                NY, NY

10            Hopdoddy Burger Bar                      Austin, TX

11            Corner Bistro                                    NY, NY

12            Umami Burger                                  NY, NY

13            The Breslin Bar & Dining Room       NY, NY

14            Father's Office                                 Los Angeles, CA

15            Super Duper Burger                         San Francisco, CA

16            Au Cheval                                         Chicago, IL

17            The Vortex Bar & Grill                      Atlanta, GA

18            DMK Burger Bar                              Chicago, IL

19            Holstein's                                          Las Vegas, NV

20            The Cherry Cricket                          Denver, CO

21            The Pharmacy                                 Nashville, TN

22            Good Stuff Eatery                            Washington D.C.

23            Burger Bar                                        Las Vegas, NV

24            B&B Winepub (Burger & Barrel)      NY, NY

25            Casino El Camino                            Austin, TX

26            Hodad's                                            San Diego, CA

27            Port of Call                                       New Orleans, LA

28            Tasty Burger                                     Boston, MA

29            PYT                                                  Philadelphia, PA

30            Yo Mama's Bar & Grill                     New Orleans, LA

31            P.J. Clarke's                                     NY, NY

32            Bill's Bar & Burger                            NY, NY

33            FLiP Burger Boutique                       Atlanta, GA

34            YEAH! Burger                                  Atlanta, GA

35            In-n-Out Burger                                Hollywood, CA

36            Gott's Roadside                                San Francisco, CA

37            The Apple Pan                                  Los Angeles, CA

38            Burger & Beer Joint (B&B)               Miami Beach, FL

39            Bareburger                                       Astoria, NY

40            Ruby's Cafe                                     NY, NY

41            DuMont Burger                                 Brooklyn, NY

42            Village Whiskey                                Philadelphia, PA

43            Abbey Burger Bistro                         Baltimore, MD

44            Roam Artisan Burgers                      San Francisco, CA

45            The Counter                                     NY, NY

46            Sobelman's Pub & Grill                    Milwaukee, WI

47            Grindhouse Killer Burgers                Atlanta, GA

48            Casper & Runyon's Nook                Saint Paul, MN

49            Burger Bar                                        Chicago, IL

50            Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage           Cambridge, MA



Photo Credit: Facebook

Mom of Girl Allegedly Fondled in School Bathroom Files Claim

0
0

The details of a legal claim filed this week against the San Diego Unified School District are difficult to hear.

An elementary school girl, unable to physically cry out for help, was allegedly fondled by a group of three fellow students inside a school bathroom last May.

The child’s mother, whom we will refer to only as LaToya to protect her daughter’s identity, has filed a claim against the district because she said Principal Bruce Ferguson failed to follow up on promises that students would be better supervised.

The alleged incident occurred on May 19 at Byron M. Green Elementary.

LaToya said she learned of the attack from her daughter when they got home.

The seven-year-old girl told her mom that while she was “using the potty,” she was surrounded and molested.

“There were three of them her pants were still down and all three of them fondled her and I asked, ‘What did you do?’and she said,’ I just stood there and cried,’” LaToya told NBC 7 Tuesday.

The first grader couldn’t scream. According to her mother, the girl is a special-needs student who has vocal cord paralysis and uses a feeding tube.

LaToya reported the incident to the principal, her daughter told her that night.

“He looked at my daughter and said, ‘I will take care of it. I apologize for what happened to you and I will take care of it,’” the mother recalled.

A year later she said the school and the district has made false assurances that they were going to take care of the problem.

NBC 7 contacted San Diego Unified School District officials for a response Monday and a spokeswoman sent the following statement:

“We have received the claim and will be reviewing it thoroughly. While we cannot comment on specifics in a pending claim, we are investigating fully to ensure relevant procedures were followed and recommend improvements if needed.”

Attorney Anna Yum claims that in March of this year there was a similar incident where a different girl climbed under a stall.

This time, according to the claim filed against the district, another student crawled underneath a bathroom stall and stared at LaToya's daughter while her daughter was using the toilet.

“It doesn’t get much worse than that in terms of her privacy , in terms of her fear her embarrassment and all my client's mother wants to do is for her daughter to go to school without feeling fear that another student is going to assault or molest her,” Yum said.

LaToya said she is worried about the students who allegedly molested her daughter as well.
 

Mass. Officer, Inmates Save a Life

0
0

Thirty-two-year-old Massachusetts inmate Dennis Dicato is just a month away from finishing up doing time for larceny — but now his life in defined by much more than that.

On Monday, Dicato, four other Essex County inmates and their corrections officer, Sgt. Dennis Laubner, had a hand in saving a man's life.

"I'm just glad to be able to change the direction of the karma in my life because it was going the wrong way for a long time," Dicato said.

Laubner said he and the inmates had just finished up a work detail picking up trash along the 114 onramp to 495 North when the victim's girlfriend pulled up asking for help.

"She exits the vehicle and I know there's a problem. She's got a cell phone, she's frantic and I remember her saying 'Help me, my boyfriend's dying, he just overdosed!'" Laubner said.

As someone who has used heroin before and had witnessed friends overdosing on it, Dicato jumped into action.

"I seen him slumped over in the car, proceeded to open the door, take him out, lay him down on he ground, the other guys helped me take him out, put him down, and tipped his head back, proceeded to give him rescue breathing," Dicato said.

Laubner began sternum rubs as they tried to keep the 22-year-old man, known to them only as Carlos, breathing until rescue personnel could get there with Narcan.

"It wasn't sergeant, inmate, drug addict," said Sgt. Laubner. "It was human being, human being, trying to save another human being."

For Laubner, the encounter hit close to home: Last June, he found his 30-year-old son Christopher dead of a heroin overdose in his bedroom.

"I was thinking something made that girl — she saw the blue lights — and I find comfort and solace thinking... maybe that's Chris' way of saving somebody that shouldn't have died at that time," Laubner said.



Photo Credit: necn

Grounded Cruise Ship Freed

0
0

A Norwegian Dawn cruise ship headed to Boston was freed late Tuesday after it ran aground off the coast of Bermuda, officials confirmed.

"With high-tide this evening, the ship was floated and moved to a nearby anchorage position where it will remain overnight," the company said in statement.

Officials said the ship ran aground after a "temporary malfunction of its steering system" caused the vessel to sail slightly off course and make contact with the sea bed.

"The ship's officers, engineers and an independent dive team have confirmed the structural integrity of the ship," the company said, noting the vessel is fully operational and onboard services restored.

The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched a tug and dive team, which confirmed there had been no damage to the hull of the 965-foot cruise ship, NBC News reported.

It added that a team of experts would inspect the ship before returning to Boston. There are 2,443 passengers and 1,059 crew members aboard.

The Norwegian Dawn was on a seven-day, round-trip cruise to Bermuda, where it spent three days in port.

According to the Norwegian Dawn's website, this cruise ship leaves out of Boston during the summertime. They say the ship departed on Friday, May 15 and was originally scheduled to return on Friday, May 22.

Stay with necn and necn.com as this story develops. 



Photo Credit: AP
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

San Diego Reports 3% Drop in Water Use

0
0

The City of San Diego reports that water customers reduced their use by three percent last month, well below the 16 percent the district is expected to conserve under the new drought mandate.

The State Water Resources Control Board approved new restrictions May 5 in an effort to get the state’s overall conservation to 25 percent — the level mandated by Gov. Jerry Brown to help the state handle the ongoing drought.

Under those restrictions, the City of San Diego’s water district, which covers a population of 1.3 million people, must conserve 16 percent from 2013 levels.

On Tuesday, the City of San Diego reported a 3.5 percent drop in water use in April from usage recorded two years ago.

The drop is the first reported by the district this year. Here are the monthly totals for the City of San Diego water district in acre feet:

January 2013: 12,120.2
January 2015: 12606.7
4 % difference

February 2013: 11,259
February 2015: 12,196
8.3% difference

March 2013: 13,810
March 2015: 14,418
4.4% difference

April 2013: 15,421
April 2015: 14,878
-3.5% difference

In its monthly report to the state, the district pointed out that its customers were already conserving water under mandatory water use restrictions in 2013.

The mean temperature last month was also four degrees warmer than April 2013, the report states.

In addition, more than 800 water waster or violators were warned by letter or door hangers. The district said they were alerted to the waste by customer complaints.

Forty-eight customers were fined for their actions.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Driver Accused in Jogger's Death Pleads Not Guilty

0
0

An Oceanside man accused of critically striking a woman with his SUV who was jogging with her daughter in Carlsbad last year pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Joseph Knight, 52, was arrested on May 15 in connection with the jogger’s death. An arrest warrant for vehicular manslaughter had been recently issued for Knight and, during a visit to the Vista courthouse, police officers spotted Knight and alerted deputies, who took him into custody.

According to investigators, Knight was driving a Ford Expedition on Dec. 28, 2014, when, for unknown reasons, he veered onto a sidewalk on Carlsbad Boulevard just north of Tamarack Avenue and hit jogger Nicole Lynch, 51.

Lynch was taken to a local hospital where she soon died from injuries suffered in the crash.

A police report said Knight told investigators he was distracted by his 3-year-old daughter in the back seat at the time of the accident.

Despite an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court and driving on a suspended license, Knight was not arrested after the crash.

A Carlsbad police lieutenant said it’s because the sheriff’s department does not allow booking into jail for certain misdemeanor warrants.

In February, Lynch’s family told NBC 7 they were angry no one had been taken into custody in the deadly accident.

Deputy District Attorney Jared Coleman said Knight is facing three misdemeanor cases, with the most recent being this vehicular manslaughter case and a couple of counts of driving with a suspended license. He was arraigned on all three cases Tuesday.

If convicted on all charges, Knight faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison. He’s currently being held in jail on $25,000 bail.

Knight is slated to appear in court again for a readiness conference on May 25. For now, a June 15 date has been set for his jury trial.



Photo Credit: Carlsbad Police

Carson Stadium Land Transfer Completed

0
0

A complex land transaction was completed Tuesday that would allow for the construction of a joint stadium to be shared by the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders, the Bolts' special counsel confirms.

Both teams are seeking public subsidies for new stadiums in their respective home markets, but they are pursuing the Carson proposal in case they are unable to finalize any deals.

Carson is home to 168-acres of land, dubbed “Plan B” for a new stadium by Mark Fabiani, special counsel to the Chargers.

In February, NBC 7 reported the land to be used in a joint stadium proposal in Carson was owned by Carson Marketplace, a company based in Newport Beach.

This morning, the transfer of 11 acres from Carson Marketplace to Carson Holdings was recorded, Fabiani told NBC 7. He said at the same time the deed for 157 acres will move from Carson Marketplace to a joint powers authority controlled by the City of Carson.

If the teams decide to move to Carson, the JPA will lease the land to a new stadium authority.

Just Monday, San Diego's Citizens Stadium Advisory Group (CSAG) delivered a completed proposal for a new NFL stadium in Mission Valley to Chargers owner Dean Spanos.

If San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer had his way, formal negotiations between the team, the city and the county would begin June 1.

Fabiani has repeatedly said the Chargers prefer a downtown stadium site over Mission Valley.

In an April appearance on NBC 7's "Politically Speaking," Fabiani shrugged off suspicions that the Chargers' game plan in Carson is a decoy -- that a second berth in an Inglewood stadium complex is the way out of San Diego, if need be.

"People are free to think what they want; we're not in a position to talk them out of what they think,” he said. “ There's only one group of people that really matters here."



Photo Credit: MANICA Architecture

San Diego Has Rolling Stones' No. 1 Fan

0
0

A decade after the Rolling Stones helped open Petco Park, the band is coming back – and one San Diego woman is more than a little excited about it. 

“I cherish Mick Jagger,” says 49-year-old Kelly Gleeson. “He’s my God.”

Gleeson claims to be his biggest fan. Her proof?

She estimates she has $50,000 in Rolling Stones memorabilia. She evens bakes the rock star a birthday cake each year on July 26 since she has been 16.

“I’m harmless, totally harmless,” Gleeson said, laughing. “I’m totally married, everything, but I love this man. He’s a part of my family almost, isn’t that weird?”

But Gleeson will not be going to the concert at Petco Park on May 24 because the tickets are too expensive and it is sold out. On secondary sites like Stubhub, they range from $174 all the way up to nearly $20,000 apiece.

It's been ten years since the Stones opened Petco Park. Now, they're coming back to kick off a new tour, their only West Coast show.

Gleeson says she can't afford to go, but it won't change the feeling that started when she was four years old watching her parents dance to the Rolling Stones.

"We never had anything else playing in the house but the Rolling Stones,” Gleeson explained.
In Gleeson’s extensive collection, she says her most prized possession is a $10,000 original painting of Jagger.

"When my father passed away he left me $10,000 to pay off my car, and I bought that instead, and I'm sure he's just looking down saying, I knew you were going to do that Kelly," she said.

But to her, the most valuable thing she owns is a book from her father.

"To Kelly from Pop,” she says, reading from the book. “It's only Rock & Roll, but I like it, and he gave this book to me in 1982. (Your Dad?) Yeah, who's in heaven now. So, this is like the most prized thing ever."

Local Vets Concerned About Deteriorating State in Iraq

0
0

Local veterans of the Iraq war, including those from San Diego, are upset about the deteriorating state in the country that veterans fought and sometimes died to liberate. NBC 7's Bridget Naso talks to some of those veterans.

Photo Credit: AP

California Lawmakers Trying To Fix Wage Theft Problems

0
0

California state lawmakers are calling for new penalties for companies that don’t pay workers.

Since 2010, California courts have identified more than $273 million in stolen wages in California. More than 280 San Diego companies have failed to pay at least $800,000 in wages, overtime and meal breaks, according to state records reviewed by NBC 7 Investigates.

David Sanchez and his wife, Consuelo Montesinos, are two of the victims of wage theft. In 2006, the San Diego couple agreed to work for $50 per night, each, cleaning the kitchen and dining room at the Cheesecake Factory in Otay Ranch. The company that hired them had a contract to clean the restaurant.

“They told me they were going to promote me to supervisor and give me more money, and that's why I accepted," Sanchez recalled.

But David and Consuelo said their employer, Excell Cleaning and Building Services, which also had contracts with the Elephant Bar and Yard House restaurants in California, soon demanded they work longer hours, up to 10 or 12 a day, without breaks, and only vague promises of a future raise.

"They told us, 'We are going to give you more money, but we need you to do a better job,'" Sanchez said.

Not long after, their paychecks started bouncing. The couple couldn’t buy groceries at the store that routinely cashed their checks.

In 2009, a state judge awarded former employees of Excell Cleaning and another company more than $13 million in unpaid wages, in a default judgment. State officials and independent labor advocates told NBC 7 Investigates they have tried to collect on that money, but say the companies are gone.

View a searchable database of the top 100 companies not paying workers.

Even with a judgment in their favor, workers are in a difficult position. The Labor Commissioner does not track whether companies comply and no state law enforces the judgments. A worker’s only real pathway to recovering wages is to file a civil suit in court.

President Pro Tempore of California’s State Senate, Kevin De Leon, has proposed a new law that would require those companies who fail to pay court-ordered back wages to post a bond of $150,000 in order to keep doing business.

The California Labor Commissioner, Julie Su, is now working to fight the problem as best she can. Su spoke with the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit for its first report earlier this year. But declined the most recent interview request to discuss why the state does not track which companies pay and don’t pay wage judgments.

“Getting money back into workers’ pockets is certainly a challenge,” Su said in February. “It’s also very important to this administration that at the end of the day it’s not just that workers get their money back, it’s that employers have to pay penalties for breaking the law, because otherwise they would have still gotten away with it,” Su told the Investigative Unit.

Last year Assemblymember Mark Stone and the SEIU pushed similar legislation, but the bill did not get voted on before the legislative session concluded.

NBC 7 Investigates is working for you. If you have more information about this or other story tips, contact us: (619) 578-0393, NBC7Investigates@nbcuni.com. To receive the latest NBC 7 Investigates stories subscribe to our newsletter.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Padres Place Wil Myers on Disabled List

0
0

The San Diego Padres have placed first baseman-outfielder Wil Myers on the 15-day disabled list with left wrist tendinitis.

The move was made Tuesday, retroactive to May 11. To take Myers' roster spot, the Padres recalled right-hander Cory Mazzoni from Triple-A El Paso.

Myers, obtained from Tampa Bay in the offseason, is hitting .291 with five homers and 19 RBIs.

It's the second stint with the Padres for Mazzoni, who made his big league debut on April 27 against Houston.


Public Stadium Investment: Civic Necessity or Luxury?

0
0

A lot of big numbers with dollar signs are attached to the proposed new stadium for the Chargers in Mission Valley.

The mayor’s advisory group recommends that city and county taxpayers invest some $640 million, just over half the needed construction spending.

Skeptics whose priority list isn’t topped by keeping an NFL franchise in San Diego – and NBC 7 has been hearing from many, via social media -- have been hypothesizing about what else that money could buy.

But is it really fair to predicate the civic and psychic returns on a $1.15 billion dollar price tag within the framework of raw economics.

The $640 million public investment would cover more than a third of the city of San Diego's escalating, $1.7 billion infrastructure deficit -- long-delayed repairs and upgrades to aging buildings, water and sewer mains, parks and roads.

With that as a benchmark, local residents offered a variety of mixed feelings Thursday in interviews around town.

"Of course our roads are bad here -- but it didn't just happen overnight,” said Chula Vista resident Rick Chavez. “ It took years of neglect. I don't think we can just put one with the other at the same time. We're a big city. We need to act like a big city."

San Diego is the nation’s eighth most populous city with a world-wide tourist attraction known as Balboa Park -- where century-old facilities are falling apart to the tune of a $300 million-plus infrastructure deficit.

Unlike a new stadium, no "personal licenses" are needed to buy good tickets there.

An Ocean Beach resident who identified himself only as Nykon told NBC 7 he doesn’t see a new stadium as a high priority: “I think there’s more stuff that could happen.”

The Chargers, he added need to win more.

“They’ve got to earn that stadium,” he declared, with a laugh.

Have the Padres ‘earned’ Petco Park?

Nearly $130 million dollars in construction bonds plus interest are yet to be paid off on the project.
That debt could be covered with the recommended public investment targeted for Mission Valley, while the leftover money almost could have bankrolled the $550 million cost of replacing the 50-year-old downtown county courthouse at 220 W. Broadway with a high-tech criminal courts building just to the north.

And, several years ago, the cost of a new city hall was projected at around $400 million.

Even with inflation, $640M could probably cover replacing the half-century-old, asbestos-filled relic at 202 C Street.

However, argues Chula Vista resident Mike Padilla, “"Anywhere there's a stadium, it's going to bring a lot of people, a lot of attention, a lot of positives to that city."

His wife Gloria agreed: "We still want the small town feel. But we want to be relevant. And I think it keeps relevance to our city."

Would San Diego really be irrelevant without the Chargers?

Has Los Angeles become irrelevant in the 20 seasons since the Raiders and Rams left the area?

"Most people in San Diego are into sports, which is great,” said Spring Valley resident Melissa Marsh. “I love the Chargers, but to me, the money should be going elsewhere."

So can you really put a price on a venture that would speaks volumes to a larger, nationwide audience -- hosting 200 events a year as well as professional and college football games, regular and post-season?

Robin, a Mira Mesa resident who declined to give her last name, answered that question with a question of her own: "How's that a priority when the city's sinking? It's just a game. It may be an American pastime, but it's still just a game."

But to put this in broader perspective for all the naysayers, that $640 million breaks down to 160 bucks per resident of San Diego County.

Spread over 30 years, that's 7 dollars, 33 cents.

The cost of a vente latte and a scone. 

But perhaps our elected officials could look at infrastructure spending in just such terms.



Photo Credit: MEIS

Homeless Man Tased by LAPD Sues

0
0

The family of a homeless man who was allegedly assaulted and stunned with a Taser by officers in Venice Beach has filed a federal lawsuit against the LAPD.

Police officers were trying to give 52-year-old Sam Arrington, who is mentally ill, a ticket for having an umbrella that was beyond regulation height on the Venice Beach Boardwalk on Aug. 7, 2014.

The complaint alleges that when Arrington refused to sign the citation, officers repeatedly shocked the unarmed man with a Taser and beat him while taking him into custody. A video of the arrest was captured on a bystander's cellphone.

Arrington was hospitalized and later spent a month in jail after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

The lawsuit says the cellphone video contradicts what was written in the police report, which stated that Arrington lunged at an officer and tried to grab his gun.

It also accused the LAPD of engaging in a pattern of using excessive force when dealing with mentally ill individuals who are homeless. Arrington's sister said her brother has been targeted by the LAPD over the past four years, and was beaten by officers during four separate arrests dating to 2011.

"In his mind he is a victim, a target," said Aurelia Cleo Battle, Arrington's sister. "[He] doesn't feel safe in our society."

The civilian Police Commission, which oversees the LAPD, heard about the allegations Tuesday morning. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said he can't comment on Arrington's lawsuit, beyond saying the arrest is under review, but the officers involved are all still on the street.

"That is a tragic incident, not necessarily of officers acting inappropriately, but being placed in a inappropriate position," he said.


This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

$30 Hot Dogs Outrage NYC Customers

0
0

Meet Ahmed Mohammed. He might be the most expensive hot dog vendor in New York, especially if he thinks you're a tourist.

NBC 4 New York cameras recently captured him trying to charge a man named David $15 for a hot dog and a pretzel near the World Trade Center.

"I said, 'What are you, a crook?'" David later told NBC 4 New York. "I'm not a tourist, so I know the price in New York."

Customer after customer recounted how the vendor tried to charge them $20 to $30 for a hot dog.

"I just felt like I was getting ripped off, and it's just making the 9/11 grounds like a big tourist trap," one woman said.

Ben from New Jersey left his bitten hot dog behind when he was told the price.

"He was like, 'Fifteen, maybe 10,'" he said. "And I left my bitten hot dog there. That was it."

Jessica Lappin of the Alliance for Downtown New York said "it gives New York a bad name."

"To rip-off somebody, to charge them $35 for a hot dog and a pretzel, that leaves a terrible impression," she said.

Lappin learned about Mohammed when fights started breaking out last week over his prices.

Ron Wolfgang, who is in charge of security for the Alliance for Downtown New York, said, there have been "five times since May 13 where we've observed altercations on the street over the prices being charged for hot dogs, pretzels, water, soda."

NBC 4 New York's own cameras captured the price of a hot dog changing by the minute: $3 for some, $30 for others.

Several customers also accused him of short-changing them after overcharging them. One woman pointed out that he had only given her $5 in change when he was supposed to hand her $8; another woman said he didn't even give her change at all.

One woman named Ruth said, "He gave me $5 back, and I thought, '$15 for a pretzel and a water?'"

When a self-identified NBC 4 New York reporter asked the price of a hot dog, Mohammed said $3. When asked why the price changes, he claimed not to speak English -- even though cameras had captured him speaking English earlier, asking customers: "Yes, guys. Yes, sir, you need anything to eat or drink? Have a good day, guys."

Part of the problem is that Mohammed's prices aren't posted, as required by the city's Department of Consumer Affairs. At a hot dog cart around the corner, for example, there's no question how much a hot dog costs -- it's listed at $1.

The Department of Consumer Affairs encourages anyone who is charged more than the posted price -- or encounters a stand with no price listed at all -- to file a complaint at nyc.gov/consumers or to call 311.

In the meantime, the department says it will investigate Mohammed and his practices at the stand.


This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

7 Rikers Guards Raped Inmates, Lawsuit Says

0
0

Seven correction officers at Rikers Island raped and sexually abused female inmates over a two-year period, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Legal Aid Society.

Two of the female inmates were in pre-trial custody, and they allege they were "repeatedly raped and sexually abused" by an officer who warned they would be punished if they resisted or reported him, the lawsuit said.

Legal Aid Society attorney William Gibney said there is credible evidence to back up the inmates' claims, including clothing from one woman that contained DNA material from an officer proving a sex act took place. In another case, he said, an inmate became pregnant.

“We are seeking an injunction requiring the city and the Department of Correction to take all necessary steps to prevent women in their custody from being raped and sexually abused by correction officers,” Gibney said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Correction said in a statement: "We do not comment on pending litigation. Speaking generally, DOC has a zero tolerance policy with regard to sexual abuse and assault, and there is no place at DOC for the mistreatment of any inmate."

The lawsuit specifically named one officer, who has since been placed on modified duty, according to a DOC official. Officers on modified duty do not interact with jail inmates.

A spokesman for the Correction Officers Union did not immediately respond to questions about the allegations contained in the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, the women alleged numerous sex attacks took place inside the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers, which houses female inmates. The incidents allegedly took place in 2013 and 2014, and some were reported immediately after they happened, Gibney said.

In one case, a female inmate alleges she became pregnant from one of the alleged rapes. In another case, an inmate alleges an officer molested her in front of other officers and was terminated only after he was arrested for smuggling marijuana into the facility.

The rapes allegedly took place in an inmate's cell or the "officers’ station," the complaint alleges.

Despite rape allegations and complaints to the office of Inspector General, several officers still work at the facility, Gibney said. One woman who complained was assigned to "punitive segregation" and some inmates were allegedly paid to beat up any woman who complained of a sexual assault.

The women were only identified as Jane Doe 1 and 2 in the lawsuit due to the alleged abuse. Several other inmates have also provided statements to Legal Aid and filed complaints with the inspector general.

In addition to punitive damages, the lawsuit says the system for reporting officer on inmate abuse is "grossly inadequate" and needs to change.

Last month, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James proposed new rules that would amount to a zero-tolerance on sexual assault in the 11,000-inmate system, citing federal statistics showing that two Rikers lockups have some of the nation's highest rates of reported attacks.

A 2013 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey found 5.9 percent of Rikers inmates housed at the all-female Rose M. Singer Center said they were assaulted by staff compared to a national average of 1.8 percent for all jails. An additional 5.6 percent of inmates at a second Rikers facility alleged staff sexual misconduct, the survey shows.

Another 5 percent of women in the Rose M. Singer Center said they were victimized by another inmate, compared to a national average of 1.6 percent, the survey found.

City officials said at the time they would review James' proposed rule changes but added they've already begun efforts to make sure city jails are compliant with PREA standards, such as training jail health workers on how to properly handle reports of sexual abuse. 



Photo Credit: BEHAR ANTHONY/SIPA

Ellis Island Opens Immigration Show

0
0

Ellis Island is offering a hands-on look at the history of immigration to America.

The historic site will open its “The Peopling of America Center” Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The $20 million exhibit aims to tell visitors how everyone arrived in North America, from before the opening of Ellis Island in 1892 to the modern era.

The center features several interactive exhibits and film vignettes telling first-hand stories of people who immigrated to America.



Photo Credit: AP
Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images