San Diego Comic-Con International 2015 (SDCC) will take over the streets of downtown next week and some restaurants will offer snacks and sips inspired by the colorful pop culture convention.
For starters, Puesto at The Headquarters at Seaport in downtown San Diego will roll out its “El Héroe” Taco, a surf and turf treat on a handmade tortilla layered with Puesto’s signature crispy melted cheese, fresh lobster, filet mignon and topped with avocado, crispy onions and chipotle superhero salsa.
Puesto will also have "El Mezcalito" on the menu as the specialty taco’s “sidekick,” a margarita with a twist featuring tamarindo, mezcal and fresh lime leaves from Puesto's patio. The taco is $7 while the drink is $10.
Meanwhile, The Blind Burro on J Street in downtown’s East Village has also come up with a special Comic-Con menu for next week.
Cocktails include the “Pop Bam Slam Mule” ($12), a tequila mule topped with blackberry liqueur and an exploding Pop Rocks garnish, and the “Kingslayer Sangria” ($12), a combo of red wine, orange liqueur, blackberry brandy, succulent juices and fresh apples, served in a goblet for all of the “Game of Thrones” fans.
As a nod to the campy “Sharknado” TV flicks, the Blind Burro will also offer “Shark Tacos” ($15): olive oil poached mako shark, queso panela, pickled cabbage, cilantro and roasted peach-chipotle salsa.
Over at Saltbox on 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter, the “Johnny Drama” cocktail for “Entourage” fans will mix Johnny Walker Black, Benedictine, Demerara, lime, egg white, bitters and mint.
“Game of Thrones” fans will be reminded of the shocking, drama-filled finale with the “For the Watch” drink, a combination of Bols Genever, basil, lemon, and grapefruit bitters over “snow ice” for Jon Snow. Saltbox will offer its Comic-Con menu from July 9-12.
Meanwhile, Jsix on J Street will offer a variety of sips inspired by big screen and comic favorites, both past and present. This includes the “Darth Monkey,” which boasts Monkey Shoulder, Lustau East India Sherry, Carpano Antica Vermouth and Carpano Dry.
There’s also the “Thyme Lord” with Mt. Gay Black Barrel Rum, fresh pineapple juice, fresh orange juice, cream of coconut and a Demerara float on top. “The Punisher” is a shot of Green Chartreuse with an Angostura float.
Now, these are just a few of the food and drink specials in downtown San Diego during Comic-Con. The area is packed with restaurants and bars, so a quick stroll will yield tons of Comic-Con themed options after long day at the San Diego Convention Center. Look for bright signs and Happy Hour specials, and a place to hang up your cape and mask.
The skies around San Diego County will fill with fireworks Saturday night as Americans celebrate the 4th of July.
One of the largest celebrations will be the Port of San Diego's annual Big Bay Boom 4th of July Fireworks Show.
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.
Crowds can tune in to choreographed music on MAX 105.7 FM and MIGHTY 1090 AM.
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.
In addition, MTS will be offering expanded trolley and bus service. There should be free parking available at Qualcomm Stadium with an MTS Trolley Ticket.
There are a number of events and fireworks shows scheduled for the holiday. Here's our list:
Chula Vista
No fireworks are planned for Olympic Training Center
Coronado:
All-day event, plus 9 p.m. fireworks
Coronado will host an all-day 4th of July celebration that begins with a morning 5K run, followed by tons of activities. At 10 a.m., a parade will be held along Orange Ave from 1st Street to Churchill Place. At 9 p.m., enjoy fireworks over Glorietta Bay sychronized to music from KYXY on 96.5 radio. No SEAL demonstration is planned.
El Cajon
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Kennedy Park, located at 1675 East Madison Avenue
Free, family-friendly celebration 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Escondido
Saturday, 9. p.m.
Grape Day Park
Free entertainment begins at 4 p.m. with a fireworks display to begin at 9 p.m. From 4 to 7p.m. the Escondido History Center will be open with projects for children of all ages.
Imperial Beach Fireworks
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Best view: From Palm Avenue to Imperial Beach Boulevard.
Choreographed music on KYXY 96.5 FM.
Paid parking available in Mar Vista High School's parking lots at 505 Elm Ave.
MTS service available from Imperial Beach Boulevard
Julian
Saturday, Noon Parade
Main Street
After the parade, there will be a BBQ and music at the American Legion for a fee. No fireworks listed.
La Jolla
Saturday, 9 p.m., La Jolla Cove
The display starts at 9 p.m. at the Ellen Browning Scripps Park.
LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad
Red, White and BOOM!, Saturday, 8:30 p.m.
The park hosts its own fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. after a day with some all-American picnic games like burlap races and water-balloon tosses along with the park’s usual attractions.
Mira Mesa:
All-day event, plus fireworks at 9 p.m.
Mira Mesa will host a 4th of July parade, plus a Family Fun Day in the Park, which begins at 11:00 a.m. At 9 p.m., the park party will culminate with a fireworks extravaganza.
The annual 4th of July Parade steps off at 11:30 am from the corner of Mira Mesa Blvd and Greenford Drive, traveling down Mira Mesa Blvd to Camino Ruiz.
Mission Hills
Mission Hills will host it 4th of July Extravaganza from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pioneer Park. No fireworks at this event, but plenty to see and do, including a parade, BBQ competition, games, prizes and a concert.
National City
Saturday, 9 p.m.
The 4th of July Carnival will be held July 1 - 5 from 5 to 11 p.m. at Kimball Park located at 12th St & 'D' Ave. Fireworks will be 9 p.m. Saturday only.
Oceanside
Friday, July 3
The City of Oceanside will have its fireworks show a day early, on July 3, at the El Corazon Site at Rancho Del Oro Road. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the display from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Ocean Beach
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Watch the sunset and then enjoy the fireworks set off from the OB Pier. Free parking at Main Beach Parking Lot as well as Pier Parking Lot.
Poway
Saturday, All-day event, plus 9 p.m. fireworks
Old Poway Park will host a family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with gun fighting re-enactments, free crafts, and old-fashioned games.
Then, at 9 p.m. Poway High School will put on a fireworks show. Admission $5 per person at the gate. Children 11 and under are free. Gates open at 6 p.m.
Rancho Bernardo
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Celebration opens at 6:30 p.m.. at the Athletic Field of Bernardo Heights Middle School at 12990 Paseo Lucido.
Rancho Santa Fe:
1 p.m. Parade and Picnic
Rancho Santa Fe will host an Independence Day parade beginning at 1 p.m at Rancho Santa Fe High School. A picnic will folo. No fireworks here.
San Diego County Fair:
All day event, Del Mar Fairgrounds
Opening ceremony kicks off the day at 9:30 a.m. at the O'Brien Gate. Noon pie eating contest. At 7 p.m., see a Hometown Heroes Parade from Family Funville to the Grandstand.
Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
Best Viewing: Anywhere within fairgrounds
San Marcos
Saturday, July 4
Bradley Park
The city's 4th of July Fireworks Celebration called "This Is My Country" includes musical entertainment beginning at 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Bring chairs or blankets for lawn seating. Carnival games, jumpers and food sales available on-site.
Santee
Saturday, 3:30 to 10 p.m. with fireworks at 9 p.m.
Town Center Community Park
Paid parking available (cash only) at locations near the park. Free shuttle service from the Costco parking lot
Scripps Ranch:
10 a.m. parade, 11 a.m. event
Scripps Ranch will host a parade and community event with the theme "Anchors Aweigh." No fireworks are planned.
SeaWorld San Diego
Friday, 9:50 p.m., Saturday, 10:30 p.m.
Show lasts 17 minutes. Best viewing: Shamu Stadium, along the bay near Mission Bay Theater, and at the park entrance.
Vista:
All-day event, with fireworks at 9 p.m.
Vista’s Moonlight Amphitheatre and Brengle Terrace Park will host an all-day 4th of July event. Admission to the Amphitheatre is $5 per person. Children 5 and under and active and retired military and their immediate family get in free. Park opens at 7 p.m., fireworks start at 9 p.m. Parking in the park is $15 per car and $30 per recreational vehicle.
A fisherman was hurt after being bitten by a stingray he tried to release from his fishing line in Venice Beach overnight Saturday.
He was trying to take the hook out of the fish's mouth when it bit him on the left hand at around midnight, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said.
"He was taking the hook off and... seconds after he felt something, he felt numbness in his left arm," the victim's cousin Victor Reya, who was fishing with him at the time, said.
An emergency call was made after the man was bitten, however it was discovered he had only suffered minor injuries and he elected to take himself to a local hospital.
The stingray's whereabouts are unknown.
Stingrays generally do not attack aggressively or even actively defend themselves when threatened. Instead, their primary reaction is to swim away.
While they are related to sharks, their mouths are only visible from underneath. They employ their teeth to crush and grind crustaceans, a main source of prey for the fish.
World Cup fans, rejoice.
As the FIFA Women’s World Cup finale approaches, two downtown locations will hold viewing parties.
On Sunday, the U.S. Women’s team will face off against Japan in the World Cup finale, starting at 4 p.m.
Petco Park’s Park at the Park will hold a public viewing of the finale at 4 p.m. The park will be open to the public throughout the day and discounted parking at the Padres Parkade on 10th Street will be available for the match. Attendees will also be able to buy certain concessions at the park.
The County’s Waterfront Park will also hold a viewing event on Sunday to play the soccer championship match.
A crash at State Route 78 near Cape Horn Avenue in Julian has closed the road in both directions, Caltrans San Diego said.
The route is located in the city of Julian, they said.
It is unclear if there are any injuries or when the route will reopen.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
If you don’t have a badge for Comic-Con, don’t worry.
On Wednesday, San Diego’s largest and most celebrated convention celebrating pop culture, comic books and entertainment comes to town and the annual festivities will begin.
Fangirls and fanboys looking left without a badge can still come enjoy the fun from outside the convention center.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Xbox lounge in the Seaport Ballroom in the Grand Manchester Hyatt will be filled with nearly 100 gaming station. Gamers can get their hands on unreleased titles for nearly the entire day, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Get ready to pull out your geekier side for the second annual Her Universe “Geek Couture” Fashion Show, where finalists’ designs will walk the runway in front of an esteemed panel of judges at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Harbor Ballroom. The audience and judges will vote to pick a first and second place winner that will go on to develop a collection to be sold at Hot Topic. The show will take place Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Put on your running shoes for "Assassin’s Creed" Experience, a life-size obstacle course built from the upcoming video game "Assassin’s Creed Syndicate". Give the course a run-through or play the game or perform the Leap of Faith for no charge, Thursday through Sunday starting at 10 a.m. and heading into the late afternoon.
Step into new worlds and new spheres in the FX Fearless Arena from Thursday to Sunday at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Lawn. Live through "American Horror Story", escape vampires in "The Strain"’s virtual reality mission, put on your winter coat for "Fargo"’s blizzard. On Thursday, the area will be there from noon to 6 p.m. On Friday and Saturday it will go from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From nightly screenings to live-streaming events, this year’s Adult Swim on the Green is back at Comic-Con. Step into the Carnival Midway and The Meatwad Full Dome Experience, feast of daily live-streaming events, nightly screenings and more. The area will be behind the Convention Center from 9:30 a.m. onward all four days.
Jump into the worlds of some of your favorite pop-culture phenomenon events around the city. NBC’s "Heroes Reborn" and "Blindspot" will be on Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Square, Fox Television’s "Scream Queens" will be spread throughout downtown and the "Game of Thrones" Experience the Realm will be across the Omni Hotel. Gamers can head over to the Marriott Marquis & Marina for the Nintendo Video Game Lounge.
Last, but not least, "Conan" bingo - a game and party rolled into one, organizers promise - will take place Wednesday and Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. at an undisclosed location as well as Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. There is a waitlist for the event you can join.
San Diego Police are looking for a 22-year-old suspect in connection with a homicide in Logan Heights.
Suspect Joseph Garcia is considered armed and dangerous, San Diego Police said.
He is wanted in connection with a homicide that occurred on the 3100 block of National Avenue around 7 p.m. Saturday night, police said.
The details of the crime were unclear.
Garcia is described as a 5 foot 9 inch male, approximately 180 pounds.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts or information about the incident is asked to call police at (619) 531-2000.
Ten people were injured — three of them children — in a flash fire on a boat that was refueling at a marina on Solomons Island in Maryland.
The 38-foot cabin cruiser was fueling at Spring Cove Marina at around 6 p.m. Saturday when something ignited the vessel, according to a statement from Solomons Volunteer Fire and Rescue.
Five victims were taken to Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Frederick, Maryland, including one of the young victims. The other five were taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, including two other young people.
Police for Maryland's Department of Natural Resources tweeted that the victims sent to MedStar were being treated for burns.
None of the injuries was life-threatening, the fire department said.
The Maryland fire marshal and the Department of Natural Resources are investigating.
Tired of drugs, drinking and partying their neighborhood, a group of La Jolla residents have banded together to create a task force aimed at putting an end to those activities and making a difference.
In just five months, members of the task force say they’re already seeing changes in their community, including at Marine Street Beach, a quality spot that’s tucked away, but enjoyed by many.
Though residents say the atmosphere at Marine Street Beach had deteriorated, things there are different now, according to the president of the Barber Track Association of Homeowners task force, David Tacott.
Over the last five months, the group presented its case to the Parks and Beaches Department, La Jolla Town Council and San Diego City Council President Sherri Lightner.
“It’s a work in progress, of course, but overall [we are seeing] the progress that we made [and] the action we created,” said Tacott.
Tacott said the group’s efforts have led to more trash cans at the beach, a lifeguard tower that’s staffed full-time and regular commissioned police officer patrols on the beach.
Beach goers notice the difference, too.
“I would say it is a more intimidating thing because if there are police, no one want to drink or anything,” said visitor Connor O’Neill.
By most accounts the changes have transformed Marine Street Beach from a place to fear at sunset to family-friendly.
“I think everyone is going to have a safer and more sanitary Fourth of July,” said Tacott.
The beach starts where Marine Street dead ends. The only way to access it is via a set of stairs. Before the task force sought change, walking the beach was not part of anyone’s police beat. A new police quad patrol is making the biggest difference there now.
A single-engine Piper PA18 banner-towing plane has crashed into the beach in Carlsbad, officials said.
The incident happened around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon on the 4600 block of Carlsbad Boulevard near Cannon Road when the plane experienced a loss of engine power, FAA Pacific Division Public Affairs Manager Ian Gregor and CHP officials said.
The plane flipped over and was partially submerged, Gregor said. The 23-year-old pilot, the only person on board, was not injured. A 12-year-old boy was clipped by the plane or nearby debris, officials said, and was taken to Rady Children's Hospital.
The plane crashed near the warm water jetty, close to a power plant.
The plane is registered to Air Ads Inc., based out of Gillespie Field in El Cajon. The owner of the plane told NBC7 the pilot had 700 hours of training and the plane had just been serviced and checked out okay.
Eyewitness accounts from scene say a person was struck by the plane but officials cannot confirm any injuries or if anyone has been transported yet.
Witness Cory Vaughn said she first saw the plane’s banner drop about 50 feet from the air before it made a 180 degree turn and crash-landed on the beach.
There is no word yet on injuries. There is no further information on the crash.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
Two children were killed and three other victims injured Saturday when their sport utility vehicle veered into a steep ravine off a Southern California mountain road.
Several people called the Azusa Police Department around 7:30 p.m. to report that they had seen a vehicle crash off the edge of Highway 39 near the U.S. Forestry information booth. The SUV landed on its roof, about 40 feet down from the road above the San Gabriel Valley community of Azusa.
A 12-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were found dead inside the vehicle, according to police.
The parents, a 32-year-old man and woman, were found injured outside the vehicle with a 13-year-old girl. At least one victim suffered critical injuries.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation and police do not yet know if alcohol played a role. Coroner's officials are withholding the names of the children pending notification of family.
Anyone with information is asked to call Azusa police at 626-812-3200.
At least eight people have died and 41 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago this Fourth of July weekend.
Among those who died was a 7-year-old boy who was shot while watching fireworks in Humboldt Park with his father just before midnight Saturday.
Amari Brown and his father were standing on the sidewalk in the 1100 block of North Harding when gunfire erupted around them, striking Amari and a 26-year-old woman, who was transported to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital in stable condition, police said. Both were shot in the chest.
The boy's father said he thought the sound of gunfire was just fireworks, and he didn't realize Amari had been shot until the boy called out for him.
Amari's family say the little boy was a "jokester" and acted like a typical 7-year-old who loved to run and play. They say the best way to describe him is "a sweet, sweet little boy."
No one is in custody for the shooting. Activist Pastor Ira Acree, of Greater St. John Bible Church on the West Side, said he will offer a reward for any information leading to the offender's arrest.
Another victim of a fatal shooting was a 17-year-old boy who was shot near recently named Hadiya Pendleton Park in the 4300 block of South King. The teen, identified as Vonzell Banks, a junior at Dunbar Vocational High School, was likely not the intended target, police said.
Banks and a 19-year-old man were standing outside the park at about 4:45 p.m. Friday when a vehicle approached them and someone inside opened fire, police said. The 19-year-old was shot in the right foot and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition stabilized.
Banks' aunt, LaShanda Childs, told the Chicago Sun-Times that her nephew was playing basketball with his older brother and some friends when the shooting took place. Childs described Banks as a "church boy," who loved playing the drums and who attended Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer.
The park in which Banks was fatally shot was named after Hadiya Pendleton, a King College Prep honor student who was gunned down just days after performing at President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony with her high school band.
The first homicide of the long holiday weekend happened Thursday evening in the Little Village neighborhood. A 20-year-old man was riding a bicycle in the 2700 block of South Karlov when someone ran up to him and began to shoot him repeatedly in his upper body, police said.
The victim was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Another man, 46, was killed in a shooting in the South Side Washington Heights neighborhood early Friday morning, police said.
The man and a 43-year-old woman were walking in an alley in the 9100 block of South Ashland when someone in a passing car fired shots at them, killing the man and injuring the woman.
Early Saturday, a 26-year-old man was sitting on a porch at about 12:05 a.m. in the 4800 block of South Justine in the Back of the Yards neighborhood when someone walked up to him and shot him in the back, police said.
The victim was taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
A 23-year-old man was killed and two other injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in the North Side Albany Park neighborhood.
The three victims were sitting inside a van in an alley near Sunnyside and Kimball when a gunman walked up to them and fired shots.
The victims who survived the shooting were identified as a 26-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy.
In the most recent fatal shooting, two men were sitting inside a car at about 6:10 a.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of West 89th Street in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood when another man walked up to them and opened fire, police said.
One of the men, age 25, was shot multiple times and was later pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The second victim, whose age was not known, was found unresponsive in the car and pronounced dead on the scene.
The holiday weekend is often marked by an uptick in violence in Chicago. Last year, there were a total of 67 people shot — 11 fatally — throughout the long weekend.
At least 36 other people were wounded in shootings since Thursday, including the following incidents:
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Two people suffered serious injuries after a driver suspected of driving under the influence swerved and struck a streetlight pole head-on late Saturday night, police said.
The crash happened at approximately 10:23 p.m. Saturday night on Friars Road near Interstate 15 when a 20-year-old female driver, suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, was driving westbound on Friars Road.
Police said that for an unknown reason, the driver swerved to the right and hit a pole, without braking before her impact.
Her 21-year-old passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered major head and chest trauma from the impact.
The driver also suffered major trauma.
Both were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police said they will seek a warrant for the drivers arrest. The Traffic Division is investigating.
A bus caught fire on the NJ Turnpike in Salem County Sunday.
The fire started on an Academy bus at 5:25 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the Turnpike in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.
A video and photo posted by witnesses show passengers standing in a wooded area as flames rise from the bus. No injuries have been reported and the flames were placed under control around 5:45 p.m.
The fire caused major traffic delays on the Turnpike. Officials continue to investigate.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. Paralympic Soccer Team clinched a spot for the 2016 Paralympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
But Coach Stuart Sharp and company aren’t sitting idly by. Instead, they are on the lookout, ready to add some new talent to their roster.
“The next 12 months is going to be an exciting and busy time for the USPNT (U.S. Paralympic National Team). Like any national team we are constantly looking to recruit new talent…Our key focus is now next years’ competition in Brazil and we are going to work hard to make sure we give it our all to represent the U.S.A. with a team to be proud of,” said Coach Sharp.
In order to try out for the USPNT, players must have a background in soccer and either:
U.S. Soccer is looking for players for the adult team (ages 18-35) and is currently beginning a National Youth team starting at the age of 13.
Players are afforded the same rights as other U.S. Soccer teams. Meaning there is no costs associated with being on the team. Flights, accommodations and Nike sponsored clothing and footwear are provided.
If you are interested email coach Stuart Sharp: ssharp@ussoccer.org, or go to the U.S. Paralympic Soccer webpage at by clicking here.
