San Diego County Sheriff's detectives cracked an investigation Thursday into a mysterious 2014 arson at a Santee shelter.

Det. John Debus in the agency's bomb and arson unit said U.S. Marshal's arrested 23-year-old Francisco "Frankie" Castro on Thursday on suspicion of arson at on the northeast corner of Prospect and Cottonwood avenues in Santee. 

Castro is being held on $200,000 bail and scheduled to be arraigned Friday on two counts of arson.

In October 2014, sheriff's deputies said a suspect torched the entire interior of the former shelter in the 10300 block of Prospect Avenue just before 5:10 p.m. on October 2. No injuries were reported.

NBC7 Investigates reported on the shelter before it was torched, finding it was kept in crowded and deplorable conditions, and that the residents said they were trading their taxpayer-funded food stamps for shelter provided by the outreach ministry of Pastor David Barrett.

A Bay Area man is renting a tent in a Mountain View backyard for $46 a night through the Airbnb website.

It's not a prank, though John Potter, the Airbnb host putting his tent for rent, says it sort of started that way. 

Potter said he listed the tent on Airbnb for $20 a night partly as a joke, but got serious about it when his inbox overflowed with inquiries. 

"I got many, many responses at $20 per night," Potter said.

He then tested out the tent for monthly rentals at $900 per month and he still gets inquiries from people who want to rent the tent out as temporary housing.

San Francisco has the most expensive rental market in the country. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco jumped to $3,410 in the beginning of this year, according to real estate listings site Zumper. 

Potter's tent is a nine-by-seven Coleman tent and is pitched in his parent's backyard. The accommodation is not big on amenities.

"Well, unfortunately we don't actually offer breakfast and we don't technically offer a bed," said Potter. 

Included with the tent is a pillow and a blanket. Potter also offers a hot shower inside the house if a renter need one.

Potter will also allow use of his WiFi and drag a power cord out if people need access to electricity.

San Diego military families will celebrate Christmas in June on Saturday at a special event for those who were separated by deployment over the holiday season last year.

The 9th annual “Christmas You Missed” will take place from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Murphy Canyon Youth Center on Santo Road. The event, hosted by the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, recreates Christmas for military families who were unable to be together back in December. This includes family members of those deployed on USS Carl Vinson.

Organizers say the youth center will transform into a winter wonderland with all the bells and whistles of the holiday season, including snow, Christmas carolers, cookie decorating and a visit from Santa Claus.

Fun, family-friendly activities will include face painting, raffles, bowling, bounce houses and a photo booth so families can take home a picture of their special holiday. There will also be live music.

To fully recreate the feeling of Christmas morning, many families will attend in their pajamas or favorite holiday outfits. Military families will also be treated to a free Christmas morning breakfast from Hometown Buffet.

Organizers hope this celebration gives San Diego military families a chance to make memories they may have missed out on.

“Our military families sacrifice so much,” said Tim Ney, Executive Director of the San Diego Armed Services YMCA. “At San Diego ASY, we know that being separated is a painful reality of military life, which is often made even more difficult by spending special holidays apart. Many families, for example, spend Christmas half a world apart.”

Organizers say the event is also a heartfelt way to say thank you to our U.S. military service members.

The San Diego Armed Services YMCA (San Diego ASY) was founded in 1920 as a national affiliate of the YMCA. Its mission is to support military families and enhance their lives with services and programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life.
 

The Supreme Court is preparing to hand down perhaps its most anticipated decision all year as its term winds to a close: the fate of the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The justices are expected to issue decisions in their remaining five cases on Friday and possibly Monday, after they gave the Obama administration big legal victories Thursday.

A pair of rulings Thursday upheld Obamacare subsidies nationwide, for patients who bought health care on both federal and state-run exchnges, as well as the use of a potent tool to fight housing discrimination.

The justices will take the bench again Friday to hand down more opinions. They should finish their work by early next week. In rare instances, the court will put off decisions and order a case to be argued again in the next term.

A look at the cases that remain:

—Gay marriage: Same-sex couples want the court to declare that gay and lesbian couples can marry anywhere in the United States. Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee are asking the court to uphold bans on same-sex marriage and allow the political process, not the courts, to handle major societal changes. Same-sex couples can marry in 36 states.

—Lethal injection: Death-row inmates in Oklahoma are objecting to the use of the sedative midazolam in lethal-injection executions after the drug was implicated in several botched executions. Their argument is that the drug does not reliably induce a coma-like sleep that would prevent them from experiencing the searing pain of the paralytic and heart-stopping drugs that follow sedation.

—Independent redistricting commissions: Roughly a dozen states have adopted independent commissions to reduce partisan politics in drawing congressional districts. The case from Arizona involves a challenge from Republican state lawmakers who complain that they can't be completely cut out of the process without violating the Constitution.

—Mercury emissions: Industry groups and Republican-led states assert that environmental regulators overstepped their bounds by coming up with expensive limits on the emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants without taking account of the cost of regulation at the start of the process. The first-ever limits on mercury emissions, more than a decade in the making, began to take effect in April.

—Repeat offenders: The court is considering whether a catchall provision of the Armed Career Criminal Act, which gives longer prison terms to people with at least three prior violent felony convictions, is so vague that it sweeps in relatively minor crimes.

Residents evacuated a home in Clairemont Friday morning after a fire sparked inside a bedroom, officials said.

The blaze was reported around 7:45 a.m. at a house in the 4400 block of Mt. Castle Avenue. When crews from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from the home.

Residents were safely evacuated. Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the flames, confining the fire to the bedroom where it sparked, preventing it from spreading to the rest of the home.

Ty Shimoguchi of the SDFD said a couple of the residents were taken to a local hospital for minor, unspecified injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
 

Authorities were called to the Federal Building in downtown San Diego Friday morning to investigate a suspicious package reportedly found on E Street.

The South Lobby entrance to the building was closed while officials with Federal Protective Services set up a work station around the package. Bomb squad officers were also called in to assist.

Officials planned to reopen E Street once the situation was deemed safe. Meanwhile, San Diego police officers shut down traffic at First Avenue and Front Street and between Broadway and G Street.

Aerial footage of the scene showed at least 20 people gathered outside the building as authorities investigated. Police said no evacuations had been ordered as of 10:50 a.m. No injuries were reported.

The Federal Building is located at 880 Front St.

By 11:20 a.m., authorities had determined the package was harmless. The scene was being cleared and police planned to reopen the surrounding roads.

A large eucalyptus tree fell Wednesday, crushing a car at Balboa Park.

No one was hurt in the incident, as the driver was a safe distance away with her dog when it happened. A video submitted by NBC 7 viewer Michael Lupinacci after the incident shows the huge tree destroyed the front end of her car.

What caused the sudden topple?

City experts say it wasn’t caused by the drought, as eucalyptus trees are very drought resistant, but because they have shallow roots, especially because of the clay soil base found at Balboa Park.

Workers found some fungus inside the tree, making it rot from the inside out. There were no other signs of decay.

Unfortunately, other trees in the area aren’t so drought resistant. Coastal Redwoods along State Route 163 and the Canary Island Pines near the west end of the park near the playgrounds are dying.

That's because the lack of water attracts the beetles and makes it harder for the trees to fight off infestation.

To combat the effects of the drought, the city has added drip lines around some of these parched trees to create watering basins and has also added more mulch piles.

Brews and baseball is the name of the game Friday as Petco Park hosts its summer BeerFest ahead of the Padres vs. Diamondbacks match-up in downtown San Diego.

The San Diego Padres BeerFest begins with the first pour at 5 p.m. The crisp, sudsy lineup includes two samples from nearly 20 local and national breweries including Ballast Point Brewing Co. (pouring Calm Before the Storm and Grapfruit Sculpin), Pizza Port (tapping Chronic and Swamis IPA) and Heml’s Brewing Co. (pouring Batten Down Brown and OG Wheat), among many others.

All beers are $5 and must be purchased with “Friar Funds” included in BeerFest ticket packages. A $60 Field Box package includes one Field Box ticket to the ball game and four Friar Funds good for four beers at the fest. A $40 Right Field Lower Reserved package includes one Right Field Lower Reserved ticket to the game and four Friar Funds good for four brews.

If you can’t make it to Friday’s Padres BeerFest, it’s not a complete strike out.

Petco Park will host two more BeerFests in the coming months: one on July 24 and another on Sept. 4. Ticket packages to those events will also include entry into the ballgame and Friar Funds good for four brews at the BeerFest. Score.
 

San Diego developer Sunroad Enterprises has begun construction on the fourth phase of Ariva, with 302 new apartments planned at its luxury development in Kearny Mesa.

Expected developments costs were not disclosed. Phase 4 will bring the development’s total to more than 800 units, with Phase 5 slated to break ground in early 2016.

Ariva, located at Lightwave Avenue and Spectrum Center Boulevard, is part of the Centrum master plan, with residential, commercial and green-space elements spanning four city blocks.

Monthly rents in the Phase 4 units are expected to range from $1,700 to $2,500. The upcoming phases will include an elevated spa and pool, multi-storied fitness facilities, rooftop lounges, a business center, and semi-private social areas with sand fire pits and wood decks.

The project’s designer is KTGY Architects, with interior design by Catalina Design Group. Wermers Construction is the general contractor.

Founded in 1977, Sunroad Enterprises is a diversified holding company with two separate divisions focused on real estate and auto sales. The company has built more than 1.5 million square feet of office, resort, residential, retail and related commercial projects.

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Facebook is now offering a rainbow filter that anyone can overlay on his or her profile picture, following Friday’s landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

The site’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg applied the filter to his own picture and posted a graphic showing two maps, one from 2008 and one from 2015, that showed the huge increase in membership in LGBT Facebook groups.

“I’m so happy for all of my friends and everyone in our community who can finally celebrate their love and be recogized as equal couples under the law,” Zuckerberg said.

In addition, the Facebook Stories page posted a video profiling Justin Kamimoto, who “started a Facebook group to support LGBT+ youth in California’s Central Valley.”

Six million people in the United States identify as LGBTQ on the site, according to Facebook. The company was one of 379 corporations and employer organizations that urged the Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage, in a friend-of-the-court brief.

In February 2014, Facebook expanded users’ ability to self-identify with the gender of their choice, adding 56 options to the original “male” and “female” categories.

But Facebook wasn’t the only social media site pumping up the pride on Friday. Twitter, which also supported the ruling, also got in on the celebration, offering two new emojis, #Pride, a rainbow flag, and #LoveWins, a rainbow-flag heart.

Many companies updated their social media to reflect support for the court’s decision, in addition to Facebook and Twitter. Even The Weather Channel got in on the act, tweeting, of course, a rainbow.

Friday marked a major milestone for same-sex marriage in the U.S. – and ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's is among those celebrating the landmark Supreme Court decision.

The beloved brand's classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream has a new name to honor marriage equality. Relabeled "I Dough, I Dough," the carton depicts interlocking wedding bands, a red heart, rainbow flag and two cows with their tails linked.

"With this ruling, the SCOTUS recognizes the bond of love and commitment between two people, and protects the fundamental rights and freedoms that come with it," Ben & Jerry's said in a press release Friday.

"I Dough, I Dough" will be available throughout the summer at participating stores nationwide and can also be purchased online, according to the company.

See the full text of the Supreme Court decision here.
 

Two men died overnight after their vehicle slammed into a tree and then rolled 100 yards on a Chula Vista roadway, authorities confirmed.

Police said the deadly crash happened just before 2:20 a.m. Friday on Telegraph Canyon Road near Hilltop Drive. For unknown reasons, the driver lost control of his BMW and plowed into a eucalyptus tree. Then, the car rolled 100 yards at a high speed, police said.

The BMW’s roof ripped off before the wrecked car finally came to a halt. Debris was strewn about the crash site.

Both the driver and passenger – two men between 20 and 30 years old – suffered severe injuries in the crash and died.

Police said both men were wearing seat belts, but the impact was just too much to survive. The cause of the crash is under investigation. It is unknown, at this point, if alcohol or drugs were involved.

Telegraph Canyon Road was blocked off to traffic from Hilltop Drive to Camino Entrada for many hours after the crash. The heavily-traveled road was expected to reopen by noon, or once the investigation was completed.

Police advised commuters to avoid the area and take L Street instead.

The names of the victims have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.
 

It's the fourth weekend of the San Diego County Fair and the calendar is jam-packed with fun. Plan your visit to the fullest using this events list as your guide.

Saturday, June 27

11th Annual Gospel Festival
10 a.m. to 10 p.m., multiple locations
This all-day event will feature gospel artists across five stages, ending with the Grandstand Stage performance (see below) in the evening. The shows are free with paid fair admission. For the full musical lineup, click here.

Distilled: San Diego Spirit & Cocktail Festival
1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Paddock Green
New to the fair this year, this festival features samplings of personally crafted distilled spirits and cocktails, as well as bartender competitions and entertainment. A $39 general admission ticket gets you a 10-tab wristband good for quarter-ounce pours of spirits and 1-ounce pours of cocktails, plus admission into the fair. A VIP ticket is $125 and includes unlimited pours of cocktails, food stations, access to a lounge area and admission into the fair.

Donald Lawrence & Co. and Tamela Mann
7 p.m., Heineken Grandstand Stage
This gospel music event includes uplifting performances from Donald Lawrence & Co. and Tamela Mann. Unreserved seats (3rd and 5th levels and standing room in front of the stage) are free with paid fair admission. Reserved seats (2nd and 4th levels and Terrace) range in price from $24 to $36 for children, seniors and adults.

DSB: An American Journey
9 p.m., Coors Light Rock-On Stage
This Journey tribute band will bring the house down performing all the hits you know and love. This 21+ show is free with paid admission into the fair. There’s no reserved seating, so get there early to secure a prime spot.

Sunday, June 28

My Big Fair Wedding Day
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., various locations
Love is in the air! This is the perfect event for brides-to-be: a wedding-centric set-up featuring floral demonstrations, wedding trends, gourmet catering samples, photographers, décor and more. The fun happens throughout the day at the Paul Ecke Jr. Flower Show. During the event, six couples will get married or renew their vows. Swoon.

Espinoza Paz
7:30 p.m., Heineken Grandstand Stage
Latin Grammy nominee Espinoza Paz will entertain at the Grandstand Stage on Sunday with his forte: Mexican regional tunes. Unreserved seats (3rd and 5th levels) are free with paid admission into the fair, while reserved seats (2nd and 4th levels, Terrace and standing room on the floor) range between $24 and $36 for children, seniors and adults.

Trüe 2 Crüe
9 p.m., Coors Light Rock-On Stage
This tribute band was once dubbed "The Worlds’ Greatest Tribute to Mötley Crüe” by AXS TV Katie Daryl, Mark Cuban and Ryan Seacrest, and even had a one-hour national TV special. The band will hit the stage with the look, sound and attitude of the real deal performing iconic hits like "Dr. Feelgood," "Girls Girls Girls," and many more. This 21+ show is free with pair fair admission. There’s no reserved seating, so get there early and be prepared to rock.
 

Whole Foods Market is voluntarily pulling macadamia nuts from its shelves in 12 states after a possible Salmonella contamination, the FDA announced this week.

Salmonella was detected as the nuts underwent routine testing, though no illnesses have been reported in connection with the food.

The product, labeled “Whole Foods Market Raw Macadamia Nuts,” was sold in 11-ounce plastic tubs with best-by dates between March 19, 2016, and June 21, 2016.

They were placed in Whole Food stores in California, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

If you bought the potentially contaminated container, throw it away and bring in your receipt for a full refund, the FDA says.

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes diarrhea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps in those who are infected.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the illness usually lasts between four and seven days, and it can be potentially deadly in infants, seniors and those with impaired immune systems.

For more on the recall and how to contact Whole Foods, click here.
 

San Diego lifeguards on Friday unveiled a new state-of-the-art boat to help protect the area’s beaches.

Called Marine 3, the 38-foot vessel will be used as both a rescue boat and a dive platform for searches. The boat also can assist in fighting fires. It has a hose that can spray 1,200 gallons of water per minute, more than double the capacity of the current boats.

It’s the third boat in the city’s lifeguard fleet and the first that city has purchased in more than a decade.

At the unveiling ceremony for the boat, San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer called it a crucial asset for the city’s lifeguards.

He said the boat would allow the city to provide “even better public safety.”

“Much like our firefighting helicopters, this boat will be used in mutual aid all along the waterfront,” he said. “And that’s significant because there are few resources of this caliber available all around San Diego County.”

The boat cost $812,000 and 50 lifeguards have been trained to use it.

The colors of the Pride rainbow were splashed across the White House Friday night after the Supreme Court granted equal marriage rights to all Americans.

Lights in the colors of the rainbow were illuminated on the north side of the executive mansion after dusk.

"Today we can say, in no uncertain terms, that we've made our union a little more perfect," President Barack Obama said outside the White House just after the ruling, which he hailed as a "victory for America" and as "justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."

"Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins," Obama tweeted Friday morning.

Gay and lesbian couples already could marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The court's 5-4 ruling means the remaining 14 states, in the South and Midwest, will have to stop enforcing their bans on same-sex marriage.

Police are looking for a woman who allegedly punched a subway rider in the head when he asked her to calm a screaming child who was with her. 

The 65-year-old man was riding the A train in the area of the 207th Street station in Washington Heights Thursday afternoon when a woman boarded with a screaming child, according to police. 

As the child continued to scream, the man asked the woman to have the child stop screaming. 

The request apparently enraged the woman, who began cursing at the man and then punched him in the head, police said.

She got off the train with the child at 168th Street station and fled.

The victim refused medical attention at the scene.

The suspect is described as being in her mid-20s and about 5 feet 8 inches tall (see attached cellphone video released by police). 

Two men who have been together more than five decades were the first to get a license and be married in Dallas County Friday following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on equality that allows same-sex couples in all states to get married.

Jack Evans, 85, and George Harris, 82, who have been together for 54 years, received their license Friday and were married by a member of their church, Judge Dennise Garcia.

Garcia was on vacation Friday and had a clear docket. She tweeted that she'd spend as much time as needed at the courthouse to marry as many people as she could.

Texas' conservative leadership denounced the ruling Friday saying the Supreme Court judges are an unelected nine-member legislature imposing their personal views on the country while vowing emphatically to keep fighting for "traditional values."

Following the decision by the nation's highest court, President Barack Obama took to Twitter and said the decision is "a big step in our march toward equality."

Meanwhile, gay couples across the state began lining up for marriage licenses within hours of the Supreme Court ruling they had the right to wed. Some counties, including Denton, denied the applications saying they needed guidance from their district attorney or the attorney general.

In Dallas County, where licenses were being granted, the county's 13 district judges and five family court judges said they would waive the usual 72-hour waiting period between receiving a marriage license and performing the ceremony to allow couples to be married Friday.

That was good news for Kristy Johnson and Ingrid Snelling, a lesbian couple who, after 22 years together, rushed to the county clerk's office after hearing the Supreme Court's ruling.

“I just broke down and bawled when I heard it. There will be more tears. She’s the love of my life. My sun and my moon and my best friend. We’ve traveled together for 22 years," said Johnson. “And to now be able to take that step and make it official, legally. No more being turned away from hospitals and feeling humiliated when I needed to care for her — which has happened to me. This means a whole lot.”

Dallas County officials said they reserved extra space within the courthouse to accommodate the large crowds they expect. Courthouse hours will also be extended, officials said.

“I’m just so thrilled. We’ve been together eight years; I’ve been waiting for this moment for the last six. And today I am so proud to be an American. Proud to be here in Texas. So, so happy," said Brad Sanders. “We’re Texans. We were born here. We met here. We live here. It was important that we got married here."

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings echoed a similar sentiment Friday morning.

"Today’s historic Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing marriage equality is long overdue and wonderful news for Dallas, our state and our country. I am proud to lead a city that is home to numerous large businesses that have already embraced policies in support of gay and lesbian families. This court ruling will help our city and cities across America continue to grow and prosper," said Rawlings. "On a personal level, I am especially thrilled for my many close friends in the LGBT community. I expect that my family and I will celebrate with them at some very special marriage ceremonies in the coming months and years."

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, the county's first openly gay sheriff, stopped by the Dallas County Records Building on Friday morning to see the line of couples preparing to seek marriage licenses. Valdez, who was in uniform, shook hands with some of the couples waiting in line to get their marriage licenses, offering congratulations.

Valdez said she wanted to help celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage. She said the ruling means gay couples "are recognized as equal in every possible way." Valdez said she has been with her girlfriend for two years and they both cried Friday when they heard the news. She said they have discussed marriage but do not have plans right now to wed.

Tarrant County officials said Thursday that if there were a change in laws governing the issuance of a marriage license to same-sex couples, there would be no unnecessary delay in issuing such a license and began granting the licenses Friday morning.

Tarrant County judges were not granting waivers on the 72-hour mandatory wait, so couples there will have to wait to get married.

Denton County Clerk Juli Luke (R) denied marriage applications to all three same-sex couples who tried to obtain one Friday morning.

Luke said she is not defying the high court's ruling, rather she is taking her time and making sure this is done right, adding she wants proper forms from the county's vendor that don't specify "bride" and "groom."

Also, Luke is seeking guidance from the district attorney but is adamant she's just assuring this is done properly and legally. Tod King and Casey Cavalier reported they were denied a marriage license, as were Sara Nickell and Laura Hernandez.

In Travis County, the first marriage license in Austin was issued to Gena Dawson and Charlotte Rutherford, a couple of 22 years who planned to have a wedding later Friday after finding a judge to waive the usual three-day waiting period.

At a press conference this morning in Austin, LGBT leaders like Neel Lane shared their views on this historical day's effects on the Lone Star State.

"The 5th circuit case is still pending but the Supreme Court has made clear how the 5th circuit must rule," said Lane. "The 5th circuit was an appeal from an order that is now in effect, and there are marriages going on across the state right now. They're waiving the waiting period in courthouses all across the state, I will add not every courthouse, but a lot of them: In Austin, in San Antonio, in Dallas and the law is that state officials cannot prevent people marrying someone of the same sex. Those restrictions on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. The constitution protects the federal rights of all US citizens."

In Houston, where a lesbian mayor oversees the nation's fourth-largest city, marriage licenses were being prepared after the Harris County clerk reversed himself and said he would no longer wait on state approval.

None of the same-sex couples now receiving licenses will be technically the first to marry in Texas. Earlier this year, a state judge ordered Travis County to issue a marriage license to a lesbian couple, who then wed before Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton had a chance to intervene.

Religious Leaders Unsupportive of Supreme Court Ruling, Reaffirm Love for All

The ruling, as expected, caused outrage among more conservative members of the local clergy, many of whom posted on Twitter or issued official statements,

Bishop Kevin Farrell, the head of the Catholic Diocese in Dallas, posted a short tweet simply asking for prayers.

In a more formal statement issued later in the day, Farrell said, "The same Constitution that has now been held to open civil marriage to same-sex couples confirms and protects the Church’s right to carry forward the historic teaching of the Church regarding the Sacrament of Marriage. As Catholics we believe in the dignity of each and every human being made in the image and likeness of God. As such, we accept all persons with respect, compassion, and sensitivity and must be mindful that, even in polarizing times, there is no place for derision or smugness. I pray that all persons who hold dear the civil liberties afforded by the United States Constitution will join us in working to safeguard the rights of people of faith to live and exercise that faith as they believe God requires."

Bishop Michael Olson, the head of the Catholic Diocese in Fort Worth, didn't post a message of his own but retweeted a message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops calling the decision a "tragic error."

Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas, was more defiant and tweeted the decision was a landmark mistake that will result in spiritual consequences for years to come.

Pastor Jack Graham, who leads the congregation at Prestonwood Baptist Church, tweeted and issued a video statement where he said he was disappointed the Supreme Court chose to redefine marriage under the laws of man and that his church would not recognize same-sex marriages, host same-sex ceremonies or perform such ceremonies

“While we affirm our love for all people, including those struggling with same-sex attraction, we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behavior or any behavior that deviates from God’s design for marriage,” Graham said.

On social media, other prominent Texas religious leaders, including T.D. Jakes (Potter's House), Joel Osteen (Lakewood Church) Robert Morris (Gateway Church) and Ed Young (Fellowship Church), either tweeted about other things or were silent in the hours following the ruling.

Elected Conservative Leadership Vows to Keep Fighting for Traditional Values

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is running for the presidency in 2016, issued the following statement sharing his disappointment in the ruling — and highlighted what he'd do to maintain traditional values if elected president.

"I am disappointed the Supreme Court today chose to change the centuries old definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. I'm a firm believer in traditional marriage, and I also believe the 10th Amendment leaves it to each state to decide this issue. I fundamentally disagree with the court rewriting the law and assaulting the 10th Amendment. Our founding fathers did not intend for the judicial branch to legislate from the bench, and as president, I would appoint strict Constitutional conservatives who will apply the law as written."

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Paxton and Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick, all Republicans emphatically opposed to same-sex marriage, also issued statements Friday following the Supreme Court's decision.

Abbott said the court acted as "an unelected nine-member legislature" and that five justices who ruled in favor of gay marriage "have imposed on the entire county their personal views." He said he vows to keep defending traditional values, saying he's preparing a directive to state agencies "instructing them to prioritize the protection of Texans' religious liberties."

After the ruling the governor was quick to take to Twitter, sporting the hashtag #tcot -- "Top Conservatives on Twitter."

The governor also issued a directive saying no state employee could be punished for refusing to violate their religious beliefs — which he said could include denying benefits to a same-sex couple.

Travis County Attorney David Escamilla disagreed and said his clerks could not refuse a marriage license to a gay couple over religious objections.

A day ahead of the landmark decision, Paxton urged all county officials stand pat and not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples until receiving guidance from his office should the Supreme Court decision alter the law of the land.

Hours after the Supreme Court's decision, Paxton failed to issue any guidance to county officials but he was quick to put together a statement saying the "impact of this opinion on our society and the familial fabric will be profound. Far from a victory for anyone, this is instead a dilution of marriage as a societal institution."

In counties where marriage licenses were being issued, county officials said Paxton lacked the power to stop them.

In anticipation of the Supreme Court's ruing, Texas legislators passed the "Pastor Protection Bill" this spring that protects churches, clergy and ministers from being required to participate in a marriage that violates a religious belief.

On Friday, Patrick asked Paxton for a legal opinion on whether Texas judges and the county clerks who issue marriage licenses could refuse to perform ceremonies or issue licenses based on their personal beliefs. As of this writing, Paxton has not issued a legal opinion on Patrick's questions.

Texas passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in 2005 but it was not part of the case before the Supreme Court. A federal judge ruled in 2013 that the Texas' ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional but declined to enforce the ruling while it was on appeal.

Before Friday's ruling, same-sex couples had the right to marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Friday's ruling means the remaining 14 states in the South and Midwest will have to stop enforcing their ban on same-sex marriage.

NBC 5's Jeff Smith, Ken Kalthoff, Ellen Bryan, Todd L. Davis, Frank Heinz and The Associated Press contributed to this report

A federal jury convicted a Florida man Thursday on multiple counts of sex crimes against San Diego teenagers, including luring a middle school student to Tampa.

After an eight-day trial, the office of U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy said Tony McLeod, 38, was found guilty of having sexual relationships with two minors from San Diego.

McLeod was convicted of seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity as to a 14-year-old victim and one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child as to a 15-year-old victim.

McLeod’s sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 11, officials said.

McLeod has been in custody since his arrest in June 2013, when he was caught attempting to lure a 14-year-old boy from Escondido, just north of San Diego, back to Florida with him.

Investigators said McLeod had traveled from Tampa to San Diego to meet the teenage boy and picked him up one day after school. The pair had been talking online, exchanging sexually explicit photographs via cellphone, and McLeod had convinced the teen to leave Escondido with him.

The boy was reported missing and Escondido Police Department investigators were able to link the teen to McLeod and determined they were traveling together.

McLeod and the teen had traveled from San Diego to Los Angeles, boarding a non-stop flight to Tampa at Los Angeles International Airport. McLeod had booked the teen’s boarding pass under the fake name “Justin McLeod.”

Detectives worked with airlines, the Los Angeles Airport Police and the Tampa Police Department to track down the pair.

When McLeod and the boy arrived in Florida, Tampa police officers met the airplane on the runway and arrested McLeod. The teen was rescued by police and questioned, and then returned home to his parents in Escondido.

According to evidence in McLeod’s case, he struck up a friendship with his two minor victims through online gaming in spring 2013. Eventually, the online contact turned into phone calls, texts and video chats in which they discussed their personal lives.

In May 2013, the relationships turned sexual. Investigators said this included the exchange of sexually explicit photographs and videos.

Both young victims testified against McLeod during the trial, Duffy’s office said.

At his sentencing in a few months, McLeod faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each of the sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation counts. He also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment for the transportation of a minor for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity count and a maximum of 30 years for the travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct count.

The Florida man’s arrest and prosecution was a coordinated effort between multiple federal and state agencies in both San Diego and Tampa, the U.S. Attorney’s office said, “who worked tirelessly to collect and preserve evidence as to numerous electronic devices and interview witnesses in order to bring McLeod to justice.”

Officials have identified a La Mesa woman who was killed in a fiery crash on northbound Interstate 5 earlier this week.

June Takekawa Hsu, 85, died when her vehicle was struck from behind on I-5 near the Via De La Valle exit, officials said Friday.

The collision occurred just before 5 a.m. Wednesday as Hsu's Nissan Sentra was stopped in the fast lane.

An oncoming car crashed into the Sentra, killing Hsu and injuring the other driver.

No details were given on why Hsu's vehicle stalled on the highway.