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Wisconsin Is Drunkest State in U.S.: Report

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Everything you thought about Wisconsin’s love of beer is true, according to a new report. 

A new study has officially proven what many expected from a state that named its baseball team after its love of breweries: Wisconsinites like to drink.

Detox.net analyzed America’s alcohol consumption from 2011 to 2013 across different states and made a list of states with the most drinkers, based on responses from more than 400,000 interviews.

Wisconsin topped the list, with 65.33 percent of adults saying they had had at least one drink within the past 30 days.

Wisconsin was followed by the District of Columbia (not a state, but considered as one in the survey). Rounding out the top five were Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

And when it comes to binge-drinkers, Wisconsin still tops the list, followed by North Dakota, Washington D.C., Iowa and Illinois. Apparently, the Midwest in known as the “binge drinking belt.”

Among the states with the least drinkers were Utah, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.



Photo Credit: AP

Getting to Big Bay Boom Fireworks

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One of the largest celebrations will be the Port of San Diego's annual Big Bay Boom 4th of July Fireworks Show.

With so many people all heading to the same place on a weekend night, you may want to plan ahead.

Free shuttle service will be offered to Harbor Island and Shelter Island. Get pickup and drop off locations here.

All three MTS Trolley lines provide direct service to downtown San Diego for the fireworks show.

MTS is adding extra service on the Green Line between Qualcomm Stadium and downtown San Diego beginning at 5 p.m.

Passengers can expect trolleys to depart every 7.5 minutes until the start of the show at 9 p.m. and again after the show until 11:30 p.m.

For the Blue and Orange Line, the last trains will depart just before midnight.

Check the holiday schedule at www.sdmts.com/bus/detours/holidaycalendar.asp.

Hundreds of thousands of people will line San Diego Bay to see the show which kicks off at 9 p.m. For those who've never experienced the holiday here in San Diego, fireworks are launched simultaneously from barges around the bay.

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Crowds can tune in to choreographed music on MAX 105.7 FM and MIGHTY 1090 AM.



Photo Credit: Port of San Diego
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Beware of Scammers With Toll Road Payment Ploy

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Be on the lookout for fishy emails, claiming you owe money for using a toll road.

You could be the victim of a phishing scam, and they happen more often and more easily than you think.

California freeways are an easy way for scammers to weasel their way into private information. Most freeways in California are free, and if they’re not, they’re toll roads, which you’ll end up getting a bill for in the mail or online.

Emails you receive saying you owe money on a toll road could potentially be a way for a virus to get into your phone or computer to hack your information.

Murray Jennex, an information Systems professor at San Diego State University tracks down these scams for a living. He said these scams get us when we least expect it.

“When you’re on the run and checking emails to see if there’s anything important and that jumps right out at you. That’s when you’re vulnerable,” Jennex said.

He was recently looking through his email and found a bill from a toll road company called “E-ZPass,” but here in San Diego drivers know “FasTrak” or “The Toll Roads.”

The email sent to Jennex said he owed money and all he had to do was open the attachment on the email to pay. He didn’t fall for it, knowing that he would be downloading a virus and jeopardizing his personal information.

Currently, most toll roads don’t have you stop and pay, so if you are stopped it often comes as a surprise. That’s why this online scam is so common and not just in San Diego. There are a lot of warnings all over the country, most claiming to be from E-ZPass or its collection agency. It’s advised to not click on the attachment unless you know it’s legitimate.

The Riverside Press-Enterprise provided some tips that could save you from being a victim of a phishing scam.

1. Type Web addresses directly into your browser. For example, if you get an email claiming to be from Bank of America, open your browser and type bankofamerica.com instead of clicking a link in the email.

2. To verify if the email is regarding a legitimate issue, call the company directly using a phone number that you know is valid. If your email has a phone number in it, do not use that one.

3. If an email contains a link, hover your mouse over it, but do not click. Look at the address that link is going to take you to. If it’s not what you’re expecting to see, don’t click it.

Remember, if you know you owe a bill, go to the website of the company and pay it there.



Photo Credit: NBC 5

Comic-Con Contract Extended: SD Mayor

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The costumed characters and superheroes of make-believe will be roaming downtown San Diego a while longer.

On Thursday, organizers of San Diego's largest and most celebrated convention announced it’s here to stay through 2018.

That came after what Comic-Con officials called "touch and go" bargaining with downtown hoteliers over jacked-up room rates that had challenged the budgets of the event's faithful followers.

"The hotel community really believes it has pricing power when there's demand, and that's not unusual,” says Tourism Authority CEO Joe Terzi. “But they've been really good at recognizing the customer of Comic-Con, and that's what Comic-Con's concern was -- 'We don't want to price ourselves of that market'."

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Voice of San Diego editor Scott Lewis told NBC 7 the same scenario figures to materialize in the next round of negotiations:

"This is capitalism, right?” Lewis asked, rhetorically, in an interview Thursday. “They're going to charge for their hotel rooms the most that they can. So unless a regulatory force steps in and says 'You have to, for the good of the civic cause, lower your prices for this convention that comes in every year', there's still going to be a problem from year to year."

Another perennial sticking point -- the undersized Convention's Center's crowded confines -- have become less of a problem, at least through 2018.

In recent years, off-site venues offered by nearby hotels have created a festive 'campus' atmosphere, sort of a 'moveable feast'.

But the inescapable issue of how and where to expand the center is the focus of a city report later this month.

Says Terzi: “It will, I think, reinforce what was said before, that if you're going to expand the center, it needs to be contiguous to the building to maximize the functionality."

Whatever the outcome, Comic-Con only figures to keep growing.

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A logical conclusion?

More hotels are needed.

"We book up the entire downtown with Comic-Con and with other conventions -- not just Comic-Con,” says Convention Center board member Gil Cabrera. “So it is something we're going to be wanting to look at, and hopefully there'll be other folks building hotels and more rooms coming online in the future."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Soccer Players Help Rescue Runaway Dog at Cardiff Fire

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Several businesses remain closed Thursday evening following a two-alarm fire that began in a kitchen shared by two Cardiff restaurants.

Those businesses closed include a nearby pizza place, a dog grooming business and the two restaurants torched in the fire that began around 10 a.m.

Despite dangerous conditions caused by flames on the roof when firefighters arrived, the real drama came from the evacuations of those nearby businesses.

A small black poodle panicked during the evacuations and ran loose from the Grooming Tails employee carrying her and another dog to safety.

"She just leaped from my arms, and I started chasing her," Madison Wilson said. "I don't know how long, but it got to the point when I couldn't run anymore."

That's when some young athletes joined in the pursuit.

Teenage soccer players Peyton Bennett, Haley Kawar, Kaylie Baier and another young friend were out for some exercise by the beach when someone shouted out to them to help catch the dog named "Amelie."

"So, we sprinted off," Haley Kawar said. "And we found her but then she'd dash off to the right, and we'd run after her, and then she would run off again."

The girls pursued "Amelie" for about half-an-hour until she was finally captured by witnesses and taken to a vet, who said she will make a full recovery.

"She's going to be fine," a relieved Wilson said. "I'd be devastated if anything happened to her. She's a really sweet dog and I totally love her."

Ed. Note: The original report from authorities was the Seaside Market building was on fire. We have corrected the article to reflect new information.


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Tot Rescued at Pool by Off-Duty BP Agent

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An unconscious toddler at the bottom of a pool was rescued Monday by his mother and an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent, officials said.

The two-year-old boy was not breathing when he was pulled from the bottom of the community pool in Imperial Beach.

The boy had a pulse so the agent used his training as a certified EMT to clear the boy's lung of water, officials said. 

The toddler regained consciousness and emergency personnel arrived to treat him.

The off-duty agent was with his daughter at the pool when the girl noticed the motionless toddler in the water and alerted her father, according to the U.S Border Patrol.

Officials say the child’s mother also jumped into the pool to save her son.

Antonio Gates Suspended for 4 Games

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A leader on the San Diego Chargers will miss four games of the 2015-2016 season for using performance enhancing substances.

Tight end Antonio Gates, considered to be one of the most respected and valuable members of the team, issued a statement via Twitter.

“In my 12 years in the NFL, I have taken tremendous pride in upholding the integrity of the NFL shield and all that it entails. I have taken extreme care of my body with a holistic approach and I have never knowingly ingested a substance that was banned by the NFL. In an effort to recover from this past season, I used supplements and holistic medicines, and unfortunately, I have now learned that those substances always present a risk because they may contain banned substances even if the ingredient list doesn’t reflect them. As an NFL veteran and team leader, I should have done my due diligence to ensure that what I was taking for recovery was within the NFL guidelines. I understand that I am responsible for what is in my body and I have always believed that ignorance is no excuse when it comes to these issues. I take full responsibility for my actions. I’d like to express my sincere apologies to the Chargers, my teammates, coaches, fans and the league who have always supported me and expected and gotten nothing but the highest level of integrity from me."

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An NFL statement announced Gates would be suspended without pay for the first four games of the season.

“We are tremendously disappointed for our team and our fans as well as Antonio, but no more disappointed than Antonio is with himself,” the Chargers said in a written news release.

He will be eligible to return after the October 4 game against the Cleveland Browns.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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San Diegans Not Used to Wild Weather

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Mission Bay is a Fourth of July destination park.

Escondido resident Robert Snowden and his wife ventured out for a walk in the rain Wednesday evening to pick a party spot for this weekend.

"We will be prepared we have awnings, umbrellas whatever it takes," Snowden said.

Marvin Riggs and his wife are visiting from out of town. They've already found a spot and brought the party with them.

"I'm a 65 degree person. As long as you are not caught in it. It's just atmosphere," Riggs said.

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It seems no matter the expectations visitors and residents are finding the good in this week's wacky atmosphere.

Even Craig Wilkerson, who has to work in the elements delivering pizza, sees a silver lining.

"Travel sucks but it makes it better because everyone stays inside and orders more pizza," Wilkerson said.

For those who have been just bearing with the spotty showers and mugginess, they may be pleased to learn conditions this weekend aren't expected to be like the last two days.

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New Strategy in USMC Fight Against Sex Assault

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A video posted on the U.S. Marine Corps Facebook page is taking the message about sexual assaults in the military a step further.

Not only does the 35-second video encourage Marines to report a sexual assault, but it addresses the problem that many Marines say stops them from coming forward, retaliation.

That is what retired Air Force Master Sergeant Cathryn Miller says happened to her when she reported an assault early in her career.

“I was dismissed, it was my fault because I was in uniform working,” Miller told NBC 7 Wednesday.

In the video, several Marines share the message that any USMC who steps forward to report sexual assault should be treated with respect.

Miller said the price she paid after coming forward were missed opportunities.

“People would ignore me," she said. "I was given every kind of crap duty you could imagine.”

In May, a Pentagon report showed the U.S. military received a total of 6,131 reports of sexual assault involving service members as either victims or subjects in 2014.

The number of reports were up 11 percent over the year prior and 70 percent above those reported in 2012, according to NBC News.

Reports of sexual assault are met with doubt and the military members that report it say they are treated as the problem.

"I was told that I should stop trying to ruin someone's career," one person commented on the USMC page. "And Marines are incapable of being objective with these situations. Especially if those Marines are in any way associated with chain of command.”

For those who left comments about past experiences, page moderators responded. One such reply read in part, “The Marine Corps takes retaliation against victims very seriously.”

According to the Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office or SAPRO there were 20 thousand sexual assaults in the military in 2014, that is one in 20 women.

Only one out of five reported assaults and charges were filed in only 38 percent of reported cases.

And here is a key number, when reports were made 62 percent said they were retaliated against.

The majority of those who were retaliated against faced reprisal from superiors and commanders.

Miller, now retired, said she has seen this for years. If a service member gets counseling she says that too can put the brakes on a military career.

“Then people question your leadership abilities, they question whether you can handle the pressure,” she said.

She hopes this social media effort will bring long overdue change she says, “Let’s change the culture, you’re not the bad guy he was, let’s go after the predator.”

But at the same time it is hard to believe for veterans like retired Master Sergeant Miller, “You know when they say this but do that, I hope that it really changes.”

NBC 7 reached out to U.S. Marine Corps Public Affairs in Washington D.C. to ask them why they chose to use social media.

We were told the USMC wanted to discuss the campaign but the colonel in charge of the program was not available.

A new director of the DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office was added last month.

If you are in the military and want to report an assault click here.

 


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Mom Visiting Jewelry Store Gets Held Up at Gunpoint

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A 62-year-old woman visiting her son at his jewelry store got caught in the middle of an armed robbery on Thursday afternoon.

Turns out it's the second jewelry store heist in that same block of University Avenue, the 4200 block, in City Heights in the last month.

Two armed men snuck in through the back of Joyeria Garcia's Jewelry and gave the owner's mother, Trinity Madrigal, the fright of her life. One of the men put a gun to her face, demanding that she open the safe.

The robber told her: “I don't want to hurt you, so open the box in there. I said, 'No, I can't open it because I don't know nothing. I am a visitor over here,'” Madrigal said.

Madrigal said she was then grabbed by the neck and forced at gunpoint to the store office by one of the two armed robbers .

“I'm scared when he is pointing to me with a gun. I don't want to look at the gun and look in his face because I don't want him shooting me,” Madrigal said.

Realizing they grabbed the wrong Madrigal and would get no closer to the cash, Madrigal said the gunmen stole a handful of necklaces then escaped.

“I feel lucky he doesn't grab my neck and throw me down and kill me or something,” Madrigal said.

One block down University Avenue at Eclipse Jewelry, Arturo Carrera was stunned. It was less than a month ago that he was the victim of a smash and grab at his diamond ring counter. The suspect didn't get away with much, but he wasn't caught either.

“It's like a bank. Robbers think there is a lot of money in gold and silver because of the prices,” Carrera said.

San Diego police's robbery squad said the two crimes do not involve the same suspects. Still, shop owners fear this is a beginning of a very long and dangerous summer.

“It seems like we need to be a little more alert because it's not a very good sign to have two robbers in a short time,” Carerra said.

The security cameras inside Garcia's were not recording at the time of the robbery, but other cameras outside the building that did capture the incident.

Investigators reviewed those recordings, but could not say whether they got a clear shot of the suspects.

Ex-Doctor Who Strangled Wife Paroled After 15 Years

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A former doctor who claimed his wife choked to death on a lemon pastry -- but was convicted in her killing 15 years ago -- has been granted parole.

Harvey Jacobs was convicted in 2000 of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Nadine Loucks, in Carmel Mountain Ranch. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

A state parole board granted him release, but scheduled subsequent meetings to further discuss his parole.

If the decision is upheld by the board, it will head to Gov. Jerry Brown’s office for approval.

Jacobs was convicted of beating and strangling his wife. During his trial, he maintained that his wife choked to death on a lemon pastry during a bulimic eating frenzy, according to published reports at the time.

Medical experts testified that her injuries were caused by another person and that it appeared someone else tried to cover it up by stuffing pastry down her throat.

The San Diego Union Tribune has reported that Jacobs has since changed his story, now saying he became enraged after his wife said cruel things about him.

Resident Mowing Lawn Hit by Suspected Drunk Driver

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A man mowing his lawn in Chula Vista Thursday night was hit by a driver who may have been intoxicated, police said.

The man and the driver, both not yet identified, were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Police said the motorist was driving a black Ford Focus when he lost control of the car, hit an electrical box, plowed through a fence and then hit the man.

Firefighters had to extricate the driver from the car. The area of Fifth Avenue in Chula Vista was closed after the incident.

Thursday evening, a crumpled lawn mower was seen near the damaged car.

Police said the driver may have been driving while intoxicated.



Photo Credit: Doug Aguillard

All Clear Given at Washington Navy Yard: Police

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U.S. Capitol Police have given the all clear at the Washington Navy Yard after the report of a shooting Thursday morning, triggered vivid memories of a 2013 deadly mass shooting at the naval installation. 

D.C. police said a woman called from inside a Navy Yard building to report that she might have heard sounds of gunshots around 7:20 a.m. However, investigators found no sign of a shooting, a shooter or anyone injured.

“We don’t believe that it was a malicious hoax or incident like that,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said during a press conference Thursday morning. 

Lanier added that the employee was doing what she was supposed to do. 

After receiving the call, authorities converged on the area and searched each building one-by-one. 

One of the buildings searched was the Humphreys Building, which was the sight of a deadly mass shooting nearly two years ago. The building was formerly known as Building 197.

The naval installation was placed on lockdown and employees were told to shelter in place. 

"It was pretty much like the first time. There were lots of people running for the exits, running for shelter, a lot of confusion," said Lt. Commander Scott Williams, who was inside the building when Thursday's incident was reported. 

A number of roads were closed in the area as authorities completed their investigations. A nearby elementary school was also placed on lockdown for a short time.  

On Sept. 16, 2013, 12 civilians were killed and four others injured during a mass shooting at Building 197. The gunman, Aaron Alexis, was killed by police. Alexis was a civilian contractor and former Navy reservist who suffered from mental health problems.

It was the second-deadliest rampage on an American military base, after the Fort Hood shootings in Texas in 2009.

The building reopened in February after extensive renovations.

Counselors and chaplains will be provided to any Navy Yard employees who need to speak with someone. 

The Navy Yard, in southeast Washington, is the country's oldest naval installation.

Stay with News4 on-air and online for more on this developing story. 


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Poway Dumps 550K Gallons of Water After It 'Goes Bad'

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The city of Poway recently dumped 550,000 gallons of drinking water from a reservoir tank into a canyon because the water inside the tank went bad.

“Into the canyon, yeah. And it pains me,” said Poway Mayor Steve Vaus.

Vaus said the city is a victim of its water conservation success. Poway topped the county in water conservation in May with a 45-percent reduction. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, that meant the water in the Blue Crystal reservoir wasn’t used and sat stagnant.

The water eventually exceeded state limits for chloramines.

“But here’s the thing,” said Vaus. “I’d much rather be standing here talking about having to dump a half million gallons of water than talking about people getting sick from drinking water that wasn’t safe.”

The reservoir serves a small group of residents on the eastern edge of Poway, west of Highway 67.

Many homeowners have their own tanks that draw from wells on their property. Some residents wondered why the water wasn’t used for irrigation or even taken back to the Lake Poway treatment facility. Vaus said it would have taken about 100 trips for a tanker truck and it just wasn’t feasible.

Vaus said in the big picture it was a relatively small amount of water – 2/100ths of 1 percent of what Poway used last year. The approximate cost of the water is $2,000.

Moving forward, city officials say they will take a close look at how to prevent the problem from happening again.

“We can’t get too low because we need it for fire protection, yet folks there aren’t using as much because we’re asking them to conserve. So combine with the heat and it, just pains me,” said Vaus.

Group Denied Muhammad Ad Sues

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The group that sought to plaster images of the Prophet Muhammad on Washington, D.C., public transportation has sued the Transit Authority on charges it violated the group's First Amendment rights by refusing to post the ads.

Metro banned all political ads after the American Freedom Defense Initiative submitted an image of Muhammad to run as an advertisement on D.C. buses and train stations.

Pamela Geller, founder of AFDI, submitted the "Support Free Speech" ad depicting the winning entry of the controversial "Draw Mohammad" contest to the D.C. Metro Authority. The May event led to a deadly shooting in Garland, Texas.

"Running and hiding is no strategy in a war. Operation Fetal Position is a recipe for disaster," Geller said Thursday in a statement. 

AFDI has run controversial ads on subways and buses in other cities across the country as well — among them Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. In 2012, they were able to get another poster deemed offensive to Muslims on D.C.’s Metro.

The group is listed as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Video Shows Man Punched by Cop

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The NYPD says it's investigating a video showing a man getting arrested after a knockout fight with a plainclothes officer Wednesday night.

The video circulating on Facebook, which had more than 1 million views by the next day, shows the arrest near 131st Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. The man's friend, who shot the video on his phone, told NBC 4 New York they were leaving a pizza place down the street to go to the man's apartment when he was stopped by plainclothes officers. 

One of the officers asks the man, Saykour George, for his ID, the video shows. The NYPD said later police saw that George had a knife, prompting the stop.

Jun Iceaa, the friend who shot the video, said George had small pocketknife in his pocket, but "the way [the officer] really approached us, was like he really had a grudge against my man, like he know him from somewhere," he said. 

The video shows police attempting to take George into custody, and he refuses. 

"I'm just trying to do my job," the officer says, taking out his handcuffs and telling George they can talk further in the police car. 

"I'm letting you do your job," George says. When the officer says, "No, you're not," George says, "Y'all not arresting me for nothing. No, no, no," and he begins walking away. 

The officer tries to stop George from walking away, and both move to travel a few steps and then the officer pushes George back. George then pushes the officer, and that's when the officer starts swinging. The two square off, and more police arrive and get George on the ground. 

"The officer did not say, 'You are under arrest,'" said Iceaa. 

"The officer swung at him how many times before my man swung?" said Iceaa. "You have to defend yourself if you know you're not under arrest." 

NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told NBC 4 New York Thursday he'd seen the video. He reminded New Yorkers that "you have no right under the law of New York to resist arrest," and that's what it appears George was doing. 

He said, "The initial encounter -- the individual, all he had to do was surrender, and then we would not have had an encounter. So he didn't surrender, he now has additional charges against him. We'll process it through the courts." 

Bratton said that in a preliminary review of the video, he "saw nothing inappropriate" with the officers' behavior, but that internal affairs is investigating. 

In a statement, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said the officers did what they needed to do to take the man into custody.

"Given the current atmosphere on the streets today, people mistakenly think that they have the right to resist arrest and that inevitably leads to confrontation and potential injury," Lynch said. " The use of force in making an arrest is always ugly but is absolutely necessary and appropriate when the suspect resists. These two officers did their job, they did it appropriately and they are to be commended for a job well done."

Private security consultant Manny Gomez agreed. 

"I don't see anything wrong with this video," he told NBC 4 New York. "He was belligerent, resisted arrest and he was in the wrong, period." 

Watching the video, Gomez said it appears officers used minimum force to avoid close contact and to stop George from leaving. 

"He used the bladed stance to keep his weapon away from the subject, and that's for his safety," he said. 

George is facing several charges, including assault on an officer, possession of a weapon and disorderly conduct. Attorney information wasn't immediately clear. 

Thousands Without Power in Uptown Communities

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Nearly 3,000 residents were without power Friday morning across several uptown San Diego communities after unplanned outages, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) reported.

The power went out for some residents in parts of University Heights, North Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, Talmadge, Chollas Creek and Oak Park just after 5 a.m. Initially, the outages impacted some 6,300 customers across the aforementioned communities.

By 7:55 a.m., that number had been reduced to nearly 3,000 residents remaining without power.

SDG&E crews were called to assess the scene and determine the cause of the power outage. Crews expect to have the power restored between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
 



Photo Credit: Noel Powell, Schaumburg, Shutterstock

JetBlue's First Flight to Cuba

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JetBlue officially began direct flights to Cuba out of New York's Kennedy Airport Friday, becoming the first major carrier to make the trip after travel restrictions were eased by the White House earlier this year and making passengers who got to be on the virgin flight feel like part of history.

The Queens-based airline announced its plan to offer the weekly direct flights in May, but the first flight, on an Airbus 150-seat A320, was made Friday. It left JFK at noon en route to Havana's Jose Marti International Airport. 

Carlos Infante, a Cuba native who lives in Brooklyn and was aboard that first flight to Havana, said before he boarded the plane that he felt like he was a part of history.

"This is something we're gonna talk about for years and years and years; this is an opportunity for American people to go to Cuba," said a smiling Infante, holding his boarding pass in front of him.

Infante said he treasured the freedom to travel to his country of birth, direct from New York, for the first time in at least 50 years.

"I can't explain, it's something that's in your heart," Infante said. "I don't have words to say how I feel -- this is a beautiful day."

The weekly charter flights will leave JFK at noon each Friday, with a scheduled landing time in Havana at 3:30 p.m. Return flights leave Cuba at 4:30 p.m. and land in New York around 8 p.m.

While operated by JetBlue, the flight is being offered by Cuba Travel Services, and travelers should make arrangements directly with the carrier service provider at cubatravelservices.com.

A smaller airline, Sun Country, has been offering direct flights between JFK and Havana for several months. JetBlue is the first major carrier to do so. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 New York

Double-Decker Bus Strikes, Pins Man Walking in NYC

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A double-decker sightseeing bus struck a man walking in Greenwich Village Friday afternoon, dragging him several feet and pinning him beneath the vehicle, fire officials and witnesses said.

A witness told NBC 4 New York the bus was turning left onto West Fourth Street when it struck the man in the crosswalk near Sixth Avenue and dragged him several feet. The witness said the man was screaming as he was being dragged; photos showed blood streaking the pavement near the bus.

A woman who works nearby and ran to help said the man was conscious. She said she repeatedly asked his name, but he kept screaming "at the top of his lungs."

"He really couldn't say his name because it was so, so much excruciating pain," said Shante Service. "When I looked under the bus, his leg was dislocated. I could see flesh and bone." 

Another witness said emergency responders had to use blocks to lift the bus off the victim. Police said he was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition with severe injuries to his leg.

Images on social media showed a crowd of bystanders around the scene as police cars and emergency vehicles swarmed the area.

The bus driver remained at the scene. He has not been charged, according to police. 

In a statement, a spokesman for the Twin America bus company said, "We are aware of this the accident this afternoon and deeply regret this very unfortunate incident. We are fully cooperating with the authorities while this accident is being investigated."



Photo Credit: NBC 4 New York

Architects Named for $250 Million Downtown Project

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Zephyr Partners recently named the lead building design and landscape architects for The Block, a $250 million downtown mixed-use project announced last year by the San Diego-based developer.

Officials said the lead architect is Joseph Wong, of Joseph Wong Design Associates in San Diego. Landscape architecture will be overseen by Lifescapes International Inc. of Newport Beach.

Plans for The Block, also known informally as Broadway Block, are currently under review by downtown community planners and Civic San Diego. City documents indicate that the residential and retail project spans the full block bounded by C Street, Broadway, Seventh and Eighth avenues.

The proposal calls for approximately 600 residential units, 22,000 square feet of commercial space and 950 parking spaces in four levels. Those elements would be contained in a 41-story tower and a 21-story tower.

Founded in 2008 by Brad Termini and Dane Chapin, Zephyr Partners announced the acquisition of the 60,000-square-foot downtown site in June 2014, for $21.1 million. Developers said the mixed-use project would involve demolition of several older and underutilized commercial buildings on the site, in an area between downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter and financial district.

Zephyr Partners is also currently at work on projects including The Park, a $100 million, high-end condominium and townhome development in Bankers Hill.

Joseph Wong Design’s local projects have included the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel, the upcoming Broadstone at Makers Quarter apartments, and several other education and hospitality buildings.

Lifescapes International also did recent work on the downtown Hilton, as well as The Fillmore music venue in San Francisco and The Grove retail center in Los Angeles.



Photo Credit: Rendering courtesy of Joseph Wong Design Associates
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