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‘No Tommy Bahama Gear Needed’: SD Lifeguards

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A big-money corporate sponsorship deal with the City of San Diego is running into choppy waters.

The Tommy Bahama Group wants to outfit the Fire-Rescue Department’s Lifeguards Division, as it does for its counterparts in the city of Chicago.

The catch is, San Diego lifeguards aren't on board.

The marketing proposal -- worth $370,000 for the first contract year, with a second-year option -- has become a proxy for labor-management issues that go beyond the free gear and revenue involved.

Rank-and-file lifeguards say the city needs to concentrate more on their health, safety and morale while rustling up deals that exploit their work and images.

"It's frivolous stuff, it’s stuff that is going to mean nothing to the person I’ve got swim out and rescue,” declares Lifeguard Sgt. Ed Harris, union representative for Teamsters Local 911, which comprises 100 full-time city lifeguards.

“(People) don't care that Tommy Bahama just gave this city a uniform or whatever else,” Harris told NBC 7 in an interview Friday. “They want that a lifeguard that's well-trained, headed out on the beach. They want to insure that fireboat the city spent $800,000 on has a training plan and funding so it's not sitting there like it is today."

Another lifeguard beef is waiting for essential facilities funded long ago to be completed -- such as a $500,000 “ready room” at the headquarters complex for lifeguards to stay in during 24-hour “night response” shifts, and two new shore towers in La Jolla.

Their boss, a 28-year veteran of the division, says he completely understands their frustrations.

"Lifeguard Division management and lifeguard labor have a really long history of working well together,” Capt. Rick Wurts told NBC 7. “And so any questions, ideas that are out there that they want to talk more about, we are wide open and we want to have a relationship where's there's ongoing give-and-take."

Harris, by the way, thinks his lifeguard union members probably would opt for brands such as Hurley, Rusty or Quicksilver -- at least the younger ones.

But Tommy Bahama was the only sports apparel vendors responding to city requests for bids.

A City Council committee will review the proposal next week.


Teen Appears on Moroccan TV

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A Connecticut teen reported missing after flying to Morocco to see a boyfriend she met online says she had her parents' permission to travel there, according to Moroccan media outlet Hespress.

Rebecca Arthur, 17, of Clinton, Connecticut, was found safe Friday morning in the seaside community of Essaouira, where she has been staying with her Moroccan boyfriend and his family since flying out from JFK International Airport on Monday.

Arthur's mother dropped her off at the terminal and told police she believed her daughter was going to California to visit a friend.

That's not the story Arthur tells.

"I am safe and OK with my boyfriend Simo and his family, and I have my parents' permission to come here and visit and spend time with them," a young woman who appears to be Arthur says in a video published by Hespress.

Although NBC Connecticut has not independently verified the video, Clinton police spokesman Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn said he believes the video is legitimate and the young woman is most likely Arthur.

The camera then pans to someone who appears to be Arthur's boyfriend, Simo El Adala. Police said the two met online about a year ago and have been dating for six months, despite never having met in person until Arthur got off the plane Tuesday in Casablanca, Morocco.

The young man explains in Arabic that he has spoken with Arthur's mother over Skype and insists the teen's family was aware of her plans. He says one of Arthur's friends may have been jealous of their relationship and told the teen's mother he was going to kidnap Arthur and recruit her to join ISIS.

He denies any wrongdoing and displays what appears to be a notarized parental permission slip allowing Arthur to fly unaccompanied.

Police believe Arthur's mother did sign a permission slip – for a flight to California. They suspect Arthur may have altered the note after receiving her mother's signature.

They said El Adala also misled his family and arranged the trip without his parents' knowledge or consent.

Travel to Morocco can be dangerous because of "the potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens," according to the U.S. State Department, which urges Americans in Morocco to "maintain a low profile."

Local police enlisted the help of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and U.S. consulate in Morocco after Arthur's parents reported her missing.

Dunn said Arthur will fly home over the weekend.

Arthur's family did not respond to multiple requests for comment Friday.



Photo Credit: Clinton Police Department
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Bailout Plan OK'd by Greek Parliament, Europe Next

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Greece's parliament backed the government's reform plan containing austerity measures to win a third bailout early Saturday, but with the government suffering significant losses from dissenting lawmakers.

The motion, which sought to authorize the government to use the proposal as a basis for negotiation with international creditors during the weekend, passed with 251 votes in favor, 32 against and 8 voting 'present' — a form of abstention — in the 300-member parliament.

Those who voted 'present' or were absent, as well as two of those who voted against, were members of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing Syriza party — raising questions about the stability of his government.

The dissenters included two ministers — Panagiotis Lafazanis who holds the energy portfolio and Dimitris Stratoulis who holds the social security portfolio — and prominent party member and Parliament Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou.

"I support the government but I don't support an austerity program of neoliberal deregulation and privatizations which ... would prolong the vicious circle of recession, poverty and misery," Lafazanis said in a statement released to the press explaining his "radical and categorical" objection to the proposal.

Former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who resigned this week, was absent for family reasons, saying on Twitter he was spending the weekend with his daughter who was visiting from Australia. Although he sent a letter saying he would have voted in favor had he been present, it could not be counted among the 'yes' votes under parliamentary rules.

All opposition parties except the Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn and the Communist Party voted in favor.

The proposed measures, including tax hikes and cuts in pension spending, are certain to inflict more pain on a Greek public who just days ago voted overwhelmingly against a similar plan.

But the new proposal, if approved by Greece's international creditors, will provide longer-term financial support for a nation that has endured six years of recession.

Without a deal, Greece faces the immediate prospect of crashing out of Europe's joint currency, the euro. It would be the first nation to do so.

If the proposal is approved, Greece would get a three-year loan package worth nearly $60 billion (53.5 billion euros) as well as some form of debt relief. That is far more than the 7.2 billion euros left over from Greece's previous bailout that had been at stake in the country's five-month negotiations until last month.

Speaking earlier in the debate that began just before midnight Friday, Tsipras acknowledged the reforms his government has proposed were harsh and include measures far from his party's election pledges, but insisted they were Greece's best chance to emerge from its financial crisis.

Tsipras said his government had made mistakes during his six-month tenure but said he had negotiated as hard as he could.

"There is no doubt that for six months now we've been in a war," he said, adding that his government had fought "difficult battles" and had lost some of them.

"Now I have the feeling we've reached the boundary line. From here on there is a minefield, and I don't have the right to dismiss this or hide it from the Greek people," he said.

But he insisted the latest proposal contains measures that would help the economy and, if approved by Greece's creditors, would unlock sufficient financing for the country to emerge from its protracted crisis and see its massive debt tackled.

Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who heads the government's junior coalition member Independent Greeks, said he was advocating a vote in favor of the proposal even though it goes against his party's principles. The party holds 13 seats in the 300-member parliament.

"I want to state clearly, I am not afraid of Grexit," he said, referring to the possibility of Greece leaving the euro. "I am afraid of one thing: national division and civil war."

He said he feared failure to get a deal with creditors would eventually lead to civil strife.

Greece's latest proposal was sent to rescue creditors who were to meet this weekend to decide whether to approve it. Eurozone finance ministers meet Saturday afternoon, followed by a summit of the 28-nation European Union set for Sunday.

The country has relied on bailout funding since losing access to financing from bond markets in 2010.

The new measures overturn many of the election promises of Tsipras' left-wing Syriza party, which had vowed to overturn bailout austerity, and come less than a week after 61 percent of voters opposed similar reforms, proposed by creditors, in last Sunday's referendum.

The coalition government has 162 and pledged backing from a large section of opposition lawmakers.

Greece's major creditors — the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and other eurozone nations — were already fine-combing through the proposals before sending them to the other 18 eurozone finance ministers Saturday.

French President Francois Hollande described the measures as "serious and credible," though Germany refused to be drawn on their merits. France's Socialist government has been among Greece's few allies in the eurozone during the past months of tough negotiations, with Germany taking a far harder line.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who chairs the meetings of the eurozone finance ministers known as the eurogroup, said the proposals were "extensive" but would not say whether he considered them sufficient.

Meanwhile, banks remained closed since the start of last week and cash withdrawals were restricted to 60 euros ($67) per day. Although credit and debit cards work within the country, many businesses refuse to accept them, insisting on cash-only payments. All money transfers abroad, including bill payments, were banned without special permission.

Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Mike Corder in the The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: AP

Cyclist Snatches Phone From Woman

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A dashcam video posted on YouTube shows the startling moment an unsuspecting New York City pedestrian crossing the street has her phone snatched out of her hands by a bicyclist zipping past her. 

The man who posted the video, Brian Cohen, said he is friends with the man who recorded the incident on his dashcam as he was stopped at a red light at Avenue A and East 7th Street at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. 

The video shows the victim looking down at her phone as she's crossing the street in front of the car. Suddenly, a man on his bicycle appears from behind the car and reaches out and snatches the phone out of the woman's hands. 

The woman pulls the hood of her jacket off her head, looks up for a split second to see the bicyclist taking off, and begins running after him. Seconds later, a man on a Citi Bike also appears from the same direction the thief came from and, throwing up his hand to stop vehicle traffic on his left, speeds up in an apparent attempt to pursue the thief. 

The driver and dashcam owner begins driving after the bicyclist and the woman when the light turns green. The driver is heard telling his passenger in Cantonese he intends to follow the thief, and the woman responds, "It's really too bad about the woman's phone," according to Gothamist. 

As he gets about two blocks past the light, the woman's seen still running in the street. The bicyclist-thief and the Citi Bike rider are nowhere in sight.

The driver pulls over, and the video ends. 

"We don't know the outcome," Cohen wrote on YouTube. "Hopefully she got her phone back."

Cohen said the owner of the video wanted to remain anonymous. 

Police said the victim has filed a police report, and that the stolen phone is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. They're searching for the suspect.

2 Rescued From Water Near La Jolla Cove Cliffs

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Two people were rescued from the ocean near the La Jolla Cove cliffs Friday evening, according San Diego Fire-Rescue officials.

The incident started at 7:45 p.m. when a man in his 20s and a 16-year-old girl were found nearly drowned in the water.

"We had two people enter the water or fall into the water over at the sanctuary near La Jolla Cove," said Marine Safety Lt. James Gartland. He said it's unclear if they tumbled from the cliffs because no one saw the incident; they only heard the screams of the victims.

Two good Samaritans jumped to their aid, Gartland said. One called 911 while the other dove in to help. The swimmer pulled one of the victims to the rocky reef, where lifeguards took over the rescue.

Rescuers had to airlift the teen, who was in moderate condition, according to Gartland. The man, who had more serious injuries, was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after lifeguards performed CPR on him.

It's unclear if their injuries are life-threatening.



Photo Credit: SDFD

Comic-Con 2015: Saturday's Must-See Events

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Saturday marks the busiest in terms of crowds at Comic-Con International. And the program schedule is packed to keep attendees busy all day long.

The annual gathering of pop culture geeks, gurus and fans attracts more than 130,000 people to the San Diego Convention Center as the big studios, comic book publishers and merchandise producers showcase their best, brightest and most desirable.

What can you expect Saturday? A "Batman v. Superman" reveal, the debut of "Blindspot," "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight," the Science of "Star Wars," and the annual Masquerade Ball.

Cosplay Makeup 101

This panel goes into what it takes to perfect your cosplay by having great makeup to go with it. It will cover beauty makeup, appliance application, special fx makeup, sculpting, molding, casting, and wig styling. A talented panel of professional makeup artists and wig stylists will help answer your questions about makeup to match your costuming and cosplay and what tips and tools of the trade to use. (10:00am - 11:00am Room 14A)

"Land of the Lost" Series Reunion

This year's Saturday Morning Cartoons Happy Hour takes a routine expedition down memory lane to Sid & Marty Krofft's live-action classic "Land of the Lost." Moderator Corey Rothermel hosts the party as guests Wesley Eure (Will Marshall), Kathy Coleman (Holly Marshall), Phil Paley (Cha-Ka), and David Gerrold (writer/story editor) recount and reminisce about their time spent in the "original" Jurassic World. (10:00am - 11:00am Room 29AB)

Warner Bros. Presentation: "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice"

Warner Bros. hopes to make a splash Saturday. The studio has "Pan" and "The Man From UNCLE" due in theaters later this year, but it's the announced appearance by the cast (Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons) and director (Zack Snyder) of the highly-anticipated and much discussed "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" that will have fans camping out overnight. Fingers crossed a surprise look at "Suicide Squad" is also on the rundown, though it is not set to be released until August 2016. (10:30am - 12:00pm Hall H)

"Blindspot" Pilot Screening and Q&A
Sullivan Stapleton ("300: Rise of an Empire") and Jaimie Alexander ("Thor" films) star in NBC's new action/thriller "Blindspot" from Berlanti Productions ("The Flash," "Arrow," "Pan"). Stapleton stars as hardened FBI agent Kurt Weller, who is drawn into a complex conspiracy when a naked amnesiac, Jane Doe (Alexander), is found in Times Square covered in a series of cryptic tattoos, including his name on her back. "Blindspot" premieres this fall Mondays at 10/9c on NBC. (11:15am - 12:15pm Room 6A)

"The Simpsons"

Going into its record-demolishing 27th season, join this panel for a sneak peek behind "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" and much, much more with "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, executive producers Al Jean and Matt Selman, supervising director Mike Anderson, long-time director David Silverman and the woman behind Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, and Ralph Wiggum, Nancy Cartwright. (12:00pm - 12:45pm Ballroom 20)

From Bollywood to Hollywood: Going Global

Actors and producers from India and US address the growing globalization of the film industry from financing to production. With clips from Bollywood's and Hollywood's fantasy action movies. Panelist include Ishmael Kahn (founder of Hollywood Bollywood Global Media) and internationally acclaimed Bollywood star Pooja Batra ("Virasat," Disney India's "Any Body Can Dance 2"). (12:00pm - 1:00pm Room 25ABC)

"Colony": USA Network Series Screening

Be the first to see Carlton Cuse's highly anticipated USA Network television series, "Colony," at an exclusive screening, followed by a Q&A with Cuse ("Lost," "The Strain"), executive producer Ryan Condal ("Hercules"), along with series stars Josh Holloway ("Lost"), Sarah Wayne Callies ("The Walking Dead") and Peter Jacobson ("House"). "Colony" is set in near-future Los Angeles after outside intruders have seized control of the city and subjected it to a military occupation. (12:00pm - 1:30pm Horton Grand Theatre)

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in Jane Austen's classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th-century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry, and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Reilly) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield. Cast members Lily James, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Jack Huston and Matt Smith along with writer/director Burr Steers and the book's author Seth Grahame-Smith will be on hand for a first look at Screen Gem's film adaptation of this acclaimed twist on the classic novel. (12:15pm - 1:15pm Hall H)

Seth MacFarlane Animation Block

A Comic-Con first! Seth MacFarlane will participate in a panel featuring sneak peeks at the upcoming seasons of fan favorites "Family Guy" and "American Dad" plus an exclusive look at his newest project, "Bordertown." (1:00pm - 2:45pm Ballroom 20)

Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight"
Writer/director and Comic-Con fave Quentin Tarantino finally brings fans an exclusive look at his highly anticipated, and highly secret, eighth film, "The Hateful Eight." Followed by a Q&A session with the all-star cast. (1:30pm - 2:15pm Hall H)

Spotlight on Stan Lee

Comic-Con special guest Stan Lee discusses his past, present, and future projects, followed by a Q&A session. (1:45pm - 2:45pm Room 6A)

Legendary Pictures Panel

Filmmakers and talent from Legendary's upcoming "Warcraft" and "Crimson Peak," distributed by Universal Pictures, will discuss the innovative slate and present never-before-seen material. Chris Hardwick (AMC's "Talking Dead") hosts the panel that will also include surprises from highly anticipated legendary movies, including "Great Wall," "Krampus," and more. (2:30pm - 3:30pm Hall H)

"Grimm" Season 5

NBC's hit Friday night series returns to Comic-Con, featuring an exclusive sneak peek from the upcoming fifth season's premiere episode, plus a Q&A session with the cast: David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee and executive producers/writers Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt and Norberto Barba. (3:00pm - 3:45pm Ballroom 20)

Entertainment Weekly: Women Who Kick Ass

A discussion among fierce, fearless, actresses Gal Gadot ("Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"), Gwendoline Christie ("Game of Thrones"), Hayley Atwell ("Agent Carter") and Kathy Bates ("American Horror Story"), who will open up about the power and privilege of playing women who redefine the rules and refuse to yield. (3:45pm - 4:30pm Hall H)

"Outlander" Panel

Ronald D. Moore (executive producer/writer), Diana Gabaldon (author), Caitriona Balfe (Claire), Sam Heughan (Jamie), and Maril Davis (executive producer) discuss the hit Starz series and preview what's to come in Season 2. (4:00pm - 4:45pm Ballroom 20)

"The Expanse" Screening

Join the cast and executive producers for a first-ever, exclusive screening of the series premiere before it airs on Syfy in December. Hailing from the writers of "Children of Men" and "Iron Man" and the director of "Breaking Bad," "The Expanse" is set 200 years in the future after mankind has colonized the solar system. Based on The New York Times bestselling book series. (4:00pm - 5:30pm Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront)

"Hannibal: Savor the Hunt"

Your company is requested at a grand soiree in honor of esteemed colleague Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Prepare to be delighted by stories of European travels, friendships renewed, and culinary feasts as told by executive producer/creator Bryan Fuller, executive producer Martha De Laurentiis, and star Hugh Dancy. Bon appétit, Fannibals! (5:00pm - 5:45pm Ballroom 20)

20th Century Fox Panel

On deck for 20th Century Fox in August is the reboot of "Fantastic Four," so a cast appearance at the Saturday afternoon panel is not out of the question. So is a sneak peek at "X-Men: Apocalypse," due in theaters in 2016, as well as Ryan Reynolds in "Deadpool." (5:45pm - 7:30pm Hall H)

"Fight Club 2"

Acclaimed novelist Chuck Palahniuk continues one of his most beloved works with "Fight Club 2." Join Dark Horse for a discussion of the creation of this story with Chuck Palahniuk, editor Scott Allie, and artists David Mack and Cameron Stewart. (7:00pm - 8:00pm Room 5AB)

The Science of "Star Wars"

Could lightsabers ever be a reality? Does science matter when designing a "Star Wars" spacecraft? Is Vader really more machine than man? Fon Davis (production designer, "Star Wars" prequel movies) Emily Manor-Chapman (NASA mission planner), Kieran Dickson (editor, Outerplaces), Travis Langley (editor, "Star Wars" Psychology), Eliot Sirota (VFX artist), Steve Huff (fight choreographer), and moderator Jenna Busch ("Legion of Leia") break down the science behind a galaxy far far away and discuss whether or not Kylo Ren's "Force Awakens" Lightsaber is genius or sacrilege. (8:30pm - 9:30pm Room 24ABC)

HBO Presents the Comic-Con International Masquerade

The big Ballroom 20 stage becomes a venue for an amazing competition of creativity with impressive original and re-created costumes crafted by talented attendees, presented in front of an audience of thousands, and with trophies and generous cash and other awards bestowed to the most outstanding entries. Not a dance or party as the name might imply, but a talent show on a stage, with comedy, drama, special effects and always surprises. Doors will open for audience seating at 7:45 but the line for choice seating will start hours earlier. (8:30pm - 11:30pm Ballroom 20)



Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Trump Doubles Down on Immigration Comments

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Presidential candidate Donald Trump decried the American media's supposed unwillingness to cover undocumented immigration at a Los Angeles hotel Friday, doubling down on controversial remarks that brought protesters to the hotel. 

Trump said Mexico's leaders are smarter than those in the United States, which was allowing people across its border "that they don't want." Similar remarks over the past week have led to two celebrity chefs pulling out of Trump hotel deals.

"They're sending criminals to us and we're sending those criminals to jail, oftentimes after they've killed somebody or hurt somebody," Trump said at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, after meeting with several families of people killed by undocumented immigrants.

Trump was set to visit the Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel for a speech to the group Friends of Abe, identified on its Facebook page as "the one and only fellowship for entertainment industry conservatives." In a statement, a Friends of Abe representative said the highly private organization offers conservative Hollywood individuals a chance to meet.

The Trump visit marks a departure from usual Friends of Abe gatherings due to the publicity surrounding the candidate.

"Someone in our group approached me a few months ago with the opportunity to host Mr. Trump, and I gladly accepted," said Jeremy Boreing, executive director of the group that counts actor Gary Sinise among its founders. "Trump is an iconoclast, and I wanted my people to have the opportunity to hear directly from him so that they can reach their own conclusions about him. That's our mandate.

"A lot has been made in the media about Gary Sinise's involvement with the group, which is unfortunate," Boreing continued. Gary had nothing to do with booking Donald Trump or really anyone else over the several years. I took over the operation four years ago so that Gary could focus his energies on the incredible work he does for our troops and wounded veterans. This event is on me."

The protest is organized by the CHIRLA Action Fund, the political arm of a California-based immigrant rights organization.

The rally outside the hotel is in response to Trump's comments about Mexican immigrants. Organizers said Donald Trump piñatas that were carried by some protesters were with trash to "represent the type of language the candidate has been spewing," according to a CHIRLA statement.

"There is no way a candidate for the highest elected office in the land can utter the type of hateful language that Trump is known for and expect to win the Latino/immigrant vote," Diana Colin, CHIRLA Action Funds program director, said in a statement. "And everyone knows the road to the White House is paved with Latino/immigrant votes. Mr. Trump should do the math."

Prior to the Friends of Abe speech, Trump met with the father of a high school football standout killed by a gang member who was in the country illegally. Trump told syndicated talk show host Dana Loesch he was meeting with Jamiel Shaw — the father of Jamiel Shaw II -- "and pay my respects to him."

The elder Shaw praised Trump in interviews this week on the Fox News Channel and with Loesch for his criticism of illegal immigration. Shaw told Loesch that Trump's criticism of illegal immigration is "resonating in the black community because we see all the carnage that's happened and all the memorials. We see all the jobs that are gone. We see the whole community changing."

Jamiel Shaw II was a Los Angeles High School football standout who was shot and killed in 2008 near his Arlington Heights home by a gang member who prosecutors said mistakenly perceived him as a gang rival because he was carrying a red Spider-Man backpack. Pedro Espinoza, convicted of first-degree murder in 2012 and sentenced to death, was living in the United States without legal permission at the time of the killing. He had been freed from jail two days before the shooting without immigration authorities placing a hold on him.

Trump's arrival in Los Angeles follows a week of fallout from his comments about immigrants. Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said Thursday that the PGA of America's decision this week to move a golf tournament from a Trump-owned course was a step in the right direction.

The PGA and other major golf organizations should agree to keep tournaments off Trump properties in response to his comments about Mexican immigrants, Nogales said. The PGA said it relocated its Grand Slam of Golf, in mutual agreement with Trump.

NBC ended its partnership with Trump on the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants after the celebrity billionaire, in announcing his presidential campaign, said some Mexican immigrants to the U.S. bring drugs and crime, and some are rapists.

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," he said. "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with (them). They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

Trump vowed to file paperwork next week ensuring he would qualify for next month's Republican presidential debate, where his immigration policies could emerge as a focus on national television. Trump said Thursday that his Republican competitor Jeb Bush is "a joke" for suggesting that Mexican immigrants cross the border illegally as "an act of love."

"This has nothing to do with love," Trump said in an interview airing Thursday on Fox News Channel's "Hannity." "They are taking people that should be in Mexican prisons, Mexican jails and they are pushing them over to the United States. These are dangerous people."

Money Raised for Families Appears to Be 'Gone': Charity

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Susan and Rodney Harvey helped WishWarriors promote its “Kick Cancer” Golf Tournament in hopes the cancer nonprofit would financially assist them as they tried to save their 13-year-old daughter’s life.

Friday, they said those hopes are dashed, as they learned the tens of thousands of dollars raised by the nonprofit appear to have vanished.

In an email to NBC 7 Investigates, Angelica Simmons, a board member and the attorney for WishWarriors, said, “at this time it appears most of the money raised by WishWarriors is gone.”

Earlier this week, the Harvey family raised concerns about WishWarriors in an NBC 7 Investigates story. Her parents said the nonprofit took advantage of their situation and used their daughter as a marketing tool.

"I'm not really surprised," said Rodney. "Once certain things got revealed, I thought that was going to be the outcome of this, that the money was gone." 

But to the Poway parents of 12-year-old Maddie Taylor, who was also featured by WishWarriors, the revelation is shocking.

"It's mind boggling that people can use you like that and your community and every one of our friends who went there," said Maddie's mother Georgine Taylor.

NBC 7 Investigates started digging into WishWarriors and found the then-President and CEO, Brianna King, had a criminal past. While running the charity, there were at least three active warrants for her arrest.

Click here to see the complete investigation:

It’s King, according to Simmons, who had “full control” over WishWarriors’ bank accounts and was the person who dealt with the charity on a “day-to-day basis.”

In a statement, Simmons and the WishWarriors’ Board of Directors said they “had no knowledge of Ms. King’s criminal past.”

King’s Criminal History

King’s past includes misdemeanor charges in Riverside County in 2005 for writing bad checks to two stores. King never appeared in court. Two years later, in Orange County, King pleaded guilty to felony charges for burglary and writing bad checks.

She was arrested in Lake Arrowhead last week in connection with the Orange County felony charges. She was released late Wednesday after admitting to violating her probation terms.

In the statement, the WishWarrior board members said they “were shocked and blindsided by the arrest” of King. It’s the arrest, according to the statement, that prompted them to look into the charity’s finances.

Wednesday, the board learned “that the known WishWarriors bank account was closed by the bank for insufficient funds in May 2015,” according to their statement.

“The Board members have no information as to whether the money was moved to another account or whether it has been squandered by Ms. King,” the statement reads.

Click here to read the complete statement from WishWarriors.

According to Simmons, King “has not admitted to anything.” When Simmons asked King about her criminal past, King said it was a "misunderstanding," Simmons told NBC 7 Investigates.

Calls and emails to King from NBC 7 Investigates have gone unanswered.

According to the statement from the board members, the cancer charity reported the “missing funds” to the San Diego County Sheriff Department.

At an emergency meeting Wednesday, Simmons said, the board also removed King as both the president and a board member of the organization and has suspended all of its fundraising activities.

A spokesperson for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Jan Caldwell, could not immediately confirm if the department had received the report from WishWarriors but is looking into it.

In a statement to NBC 7 Investigates Friday, Lt. Scott Wahl, a spokesperson for the San Diego Police Department, confirmed the San Diego District Attorney’s Office is “conducting the criminal investigation of Brianna.”

SDPD “opened an internal investigation immediately upon being notified of the situation,” according to Wahl. Read the full statement from SDPD below.

King’s significant other is an SDPD officer, Wahl confirmed to NBC 7 Investigates.

The Families

Within a week of Kasey Harvey’s Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer diagnosis late last year, her Rancho Penasquitos parents got a letter from one of Kasey’s schoolmates. In the letter, the girl writes her father is Robert Bjork and he works for WishWarriors. According to the letter, WishWarriors “helps raise money for families of children with cancer.”

The Harveys were heavily involved in a WishWarriors golf tournament fundraiser at Maderas Golf Club last April. NBC 7 Investigates confirmed the fundraiser was attended by San Diego Chargers players and received thousands of dollars in donations from other participants.

Maddie Taylor, who is battling a form of bone cancer, was also highlighted at the “Kick Cancer” Golf Tournament.

According to her parents, the family was contacted within a month of Maddie’s diagnosis with Ewing Sarcoma. WishWarriors promised them financial support in exchange for participating in the golf fundraiser.

NBC 7 Investigates has confirmed neither family has received any money from the event.

"I just remember them saying someone might have stolen moeny, someone probably did steal money," said Maddie. "I I just thought, wow."

Even though the money is gone, Maddie said that she wanted to thank all the donors for their support and that "I love them back as much as I can."

"God picks the toughest warriors to fight the toughest battles," the 12-year-old said.

According to Simmons, the golf club was paid for having the fundraiser at its course.

Scott Taylor, Maddie's father, said he realizes now that King had no intention to help his family.

"How do you live with yourself?" he asked. "What's happened in your life that makes this right. Where's the justification?"

NBC 7 Investigates reached out to the Chargers and Maderas Golf Course.

In an email, Tony Pistillo with Maderas said they have shared everything it knows with the authorities and “have no further insight or comment.” No immediate response was received from the Chargers.

Full statement from Wahl:

"The San Diego Police Department opened an internal investigation immediately upon being notified of the situation. That investigation ultimately led to the apprehension of Brianna King for her outstanding warrants. We are fully cooperating with the San Diego District Attorney's Office who is now conducting the criminal investigation of Brianna. The extent of that investigation and the involvement of any other parties will have to come from the DA's Office."


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ILM and 'Star Wars': 40 Years of 'Magic' Moments

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"Star Wars" mania gripped Comic-Con Friday as 7,000 fans waited patiently in line (some for 24 hours) for the Lucasfilm panel featuring "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, writer Lawrence Kasdan and original castmembers Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford.

A few hours earlier, in a far smaller venue upstairs at the San Diego Convention Center, around 500 just as dedicated fans waited in a far smaller line for the Industrial Light & Magic 40th Anniversary panel. ILM, set up by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, is the technical know-how unit behind almost all of the major blockbusters that have ruled the box office (and our imaginations) since the first glimpse of an Imperial Star Destroyer roared in from the top of the top of the screen in the opening moments of almost everyone's favorite space opera.

What Lucas founded was a company that would change the course of the movie business.

Though ILM will be forever associated primarily with Lucasfilm and "Star Wars" – the company was launched in May 1975 as Lucas began production on the first film of the franchise – it is the award-winning force behind many of the indelible movie moments that have shaped cinematic popular culture. ILM created effects for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "E.T. The Extraterrestrial," "The Goonies," "Coccoon," "Back to the Future," "The Abyss," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Jurassic Park," "Twister," "Men in Black," "Titanic," "The Perfect Storm," "Minority Report," the "Harry Potter" films, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, Abrams' "Star Trek" reboots, "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," the "Transformers" movies, "The Avengers," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "Jurassic World" and the upcoming "Spectre," "Star Trek Beyond," and of course, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

While the ILM panel at Comic-Con was sadly canceled at the last minute due to scheduling issues (a request for information from ILM regarding the no-show was not immediately returned), those gathered in the room – while disappointed – continued to sing the praises of the often-unsung heroes who create the onscreen magic that moves us.

"These are the guys that make it happen," said Jordan Gravis, who had traveled from Portland, Oregon for the convention. "What the director dreams up they create."

Ahead of the convention Dennis Muren, ILM's creative director, spoke with NBC about his time at the company and revealed what it's like to turn ideas into cinematic visions that capture the imaginations of audiences around the globe. 

Eight-time Academy Award winner Muren remains the only visual effects practitioner to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and as creative director he collaborates with all of ILM’s supervisors on each of the films that the company contributes to. "Force Awakens" director Abrams recently told Wired that "working with Dennis is like playing guitar with Paul McCartney."

Muren joined ILM in 1976 and went straight to work on "Star Wars."

Of the time, Muren recalls being in awe of Lucas' vision but skeptical it could be created in the time allowed. It was a period when stop-motion miniatures ruled and CGI was not yet even a dream. "I remember reading the script and thinking, 'My God, there's a space battle at the end of it, and how can you do some many shots?' And that was a year and half before the film was done. We just barely made it."

He admits his general impatience helped push the use of computer graphics in filmmaking. Muren is credited as one of the pioneers of CGI and his work on "Terminator 2" and "Jurassic Park" is viewed as watershed moments in the adoption of computer graphics in film. "I was one of the guys who was pushing for computer graphics to either succeed or fail, but not to have this carrot that was always sitting out there like a promise that was going to happen."

Muren recalls seeing early shots for "Jurassic Park" and realizing they were on to something new. "We had these dinosaurs that were out in the sunlight and they were moving fluidly. They had skin on them and they weren't stop-motion. ... Suddenly the compositing looked a lot better and the whole thing looked brand new. And that was really exciting."

Of working on major blockbusters now and the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants early years at ILM, Muren says the pressure is the same, but "there is less time to think about the projects. We're doing far, far more shots than ever before. Back then it was more difficult physically."

Muren lists "The Empire Strikes Back," for which he was awarded the best visual effects Academy Award, as not only the hardest film he has ever worked on, but also the one he remembers most fondly.

"I had a real revelation moment on 'Empire Strikes Back' when at the beginning of the film we were flying over Hoth, the ice planet, and the camera sort of looks in on this big flat ice plane. You see a little thing running along and you sort of move in and you see it's someone riding a Tauntaun on the ice field. And the shot is in the film," Muren recalls.

"When George approached me about doing it there was this background scene we had shot. At the time the Tauntaun creature was a little stop-motion figure about a foot tall and the actor was a little puppet and [Lucas wanted] to put that into the shot, even with all this camera movement. And I said, 'No, there is no way to do that. The movement is too complicated.' George said, 'Well, just think about it.' And he walked out.

"I started thinking about it and in about 15 minutes I figured out how to do it with the gear we had. Just arranging it in a different way that hadn't been done before. And it taught me to never stop thinking about something. Even if I had stopped five seconds earlier I probably wouldn't have figured it out and the shot probably wouldn't have been in the film. It ended up being a template for a lot of shots we did later on, especially in 'Return of the Jedi.'"

Today, on projects such as "The Force Awakens," Muren says the concern is how to make the effects look new and fresh while being mindful of a franchise's DNA.

"There's a lot of discussions that go on: How much of it do we want to do practical? How much of it do we want to do CG? ... How fast do the ships move when they are flying? Should they be faster because everyone's attention span is faster nowadays?" The outcome, he says, should not look old but still look like one in the series of the films. "Just newer."

After almost four decades at the company, Muren still gets a thrill out of getting the scene just right. Even if the method used to achieve it doesn't always take the expected route.

"I love it when you cheat on things," he says. "When you don't do things that are right, necessarily. You do the scene and the rendering is wrong or the scale in the foreground is wrong and you're running out of time. My solution might be, 'Hey, if you zoom in a little bit and frame that foreground out of the shot no one will ever know.' Within an hour you've got a final. I love that cheating and I think that's where George got the idea for the 'magic' in Industrial Light & Magic. Because it's not just industry, and it's not just putting light on and shooting, but there is an alchemy involved in it also."



Photo Credit: StarWars.com
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Woman Found Ziptied on Highway Tied Herself: PD

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Officers have cleared a scene along the southbound Interstate 5 after a woman who they found ziptied said she did so herself. 

Officers said they found the woman around 11:20 a.m. Friday on southbound I-5 at Palm Avenue, when a Caltrans worker found her on the side of the freeway. 

Police initially were searching for a suspect, but the woman would not cooperate with officers and told them she ziptied herself. 

San Diego police officers said they could not determine that a crime was committed. 

Officials initially detained a man for questioning but it later was discovered he was a witness. Officers said they were searching for a suspect who ran off earlier. 

Police Looking for Man Who Used Woman's Credit Card

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Officials are searching for a man they say used one victim’s credit card at a Mission Valley Target.

San Diego Police said the man in the surveillance footage used a victim’s credit card after several wallets were stolen from their purses at the Paradise Point Resort.

The surveillance photos are from June 20 and 21 show the suspect and the vehicle he apparently escaped in. The following day, surveillance footage shows he shaved his head and mustache.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police at (619) 531-2000.

Cheetah's Engaged in Pattern of Illegal Activity: Judge

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The Kearny Mesa strip club Cheetah’s will not be getting its nude entertainment license back, a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled Friday. 

Judge Randa Trapp upheld a previous ruling, saying when the city decided to close the club, it did not overstep its bounds. The judge found in her ruling that the employees participated in “numerous and continuing violations of the six-foot, no-touch and no-fondling rules," said Gerry Braun, Director of Communications for the city.

The strip club had its business license revoked in 2014 and the club could go out of business if a possible appeal is resolved. 

The judge said there was no evidence present that violations did not occur. 

Dan Gilleon, an attorney for the strip club, said the city sought the order as retaliation against the business, which is involved in a lawsuit against the city.

The business says it's only because they have filed a lawsuit against the city after a March 2014 raid involving some 30 exotic dancers.

The dancers said they felt humiliated and improperly photographed. The San Diego Police Department said they were ensuring the dancers were licensed and documenting tattoos, as a necessary step in identifying the employees.

The city filed a motion earlier in 2015 saying the business constantly violates the municipal code. Those rules are known as the "no touch rule", the "six foot rule," and the "no fondling rule," according to court papers. 

A judge ruled that the city cannot ban dancing in certain areas of the club particularly because of the First Amendment issues involved in the civil case, such as prior restraint, or the act of trying to censor expression before that expression occurs.

Gilleon, the attorney for the club, says SDPD's focus on this one club is strange.

"Because they're literally spending money getting lap dances. I mean that's really what's going on. They're buying booze. They're partying, and that's not what law enforcement is about," Gilleon said. "I think the City Council should know more about (the lawsuit) and look into it and say, 'Is this really where our money should go?' And I think if you ask most people, this is not where we want our money spent." 

The City Attorney's office released the following statement about the lawsuit:

“Cheetahs’ permit has been revoked by an Administrative Hearing Officer for repeated violations of the Municipal Code. That revocation was stayed when Cheetahs filed for review in Superior Court via a Writ.

“Cheetahs has a long history of violations with the City going back at least to 2003, when it was at the center of a major corruption scandal. In the past two years, Cheetahs employees have rung up more than 100 violations of the San Diego Municipal Code prohibitions against close contact, touching and fondling. One employee was arrested for prostitution. Cheetahs adult-entertainment permit was suspended in 2013 and revoked in 2014, and its owner has paid a $20,000 fine.

“This confirms our officers conducted legal, proper and justified inspections,” Chief Zimmerman said in a statement about Friday's ruling. “The Police Department has a duty to inspect police regulated businesses, including Cheetahs, and to enforce the Municipal Code, and we will continue to do so for the welfare of our public.
 

Pot Found Hidden in Hibiscus Tea Leaves

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Officers seized 1500 pounds of pot hidden in a shipment of tea leaves at the Wednesday at the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa cargo crossing near Tijuana reported finding the drugs in a shipment labeled “natural hibiscus tea leaves."

Drug smelling dogs alerted authorities to the contraband.

“This was good work by the team of officers working at the port of entry,” Port Director Rosa Hernandez said in a news release. “Their hard work and effective scrutiny stopped marijuana from entering the U.S. and ultimately, funds from flowing back into the pockets of transnational criminal organizations.”

Officials say the drugs have an estimated street value of over $900,000.



Photo Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Lockdown Lifted a Naval Medical Center

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Police have lifted a lockdown at the Naval Medical Center San Diego but continue to look for a suspect wanted for armed robbery. 

22-year-old Russell Merck is wanted by police for an outstanding felony warrant and is known to run from police. Police first attempted to contact the suspect around 3:15 p.m. Friday on 26th Street and Perishing Drive near Balboa Park.

Officers set up a perimeter and began searching for the suspect. During that pursuit, a San Diego Police officers fell and was injured, and the extent of his injuries are unknown at this time. 

The Naval Medical Center was put in a shelter-in-place around 4 p.m., officials from the center told NBC 7, because the suspect entered the overflow parking lot just south of the campus. They decided to issue the shelter-in-place because they did not know if the suspect was armed or not. 

When officials swept through the campus, they did not find the suspect. 

The shelter-in-place was lifted at 5:30 p.m. despite that the fact that the suspect was not located, officials said, because they are confident he will not enter campus grounds again. 

There was no active shooter on the Naval Medical Center campus, officials told NBC7. 

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Small Kitchen Fire Closes Parts of Broadway Downtown

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Firefighters have put out a small kitchen fire that sent smoke pumpeling into the air in downtown San Diego. 

The fire started around 1 p.m., fire officials said, on the 900 block of 5th Avenue near Broadway. Officials shut down Broadway between 4th and 5th and parts of F Street and those streets will remain closed for the moment as firefighters continue working. 

Firefighters propped a ladder up on the building and smoke could be seen coming from the building from several blocks away. 

No one was injured. 

The details of the fire are unclear. 

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 


Teen Missing in Morocco Comes Home

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A 17-year-old Connecticut teen who was reported missing after flying to Morocco to see a boyfriend she met online returned to the United States on Saturday evening.

Rebecca Arthur was turned over to the U.S. Consulate in Morocco on Saturday morning and staff from the department dropped her off at the airport.  She flew on Royal Air Maroc Flight # 200, which landed at JFK International Airport at 5:24 p.m.  After passing through customs, Arthur was escorted by Port Authority police officers and Clinton Police detectives to an unmarked police vehicle and she was transported back to Connecticut.

"We are happy to announce that Rebecca Arthur is home safely," said Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn, of the Clinton Police department on Saturday.  "She was just brought home by our detectives who met her as she got off the plane in New York City."

Police said Rebecca Arthur's mother dropped her off Monday at the Delta Airlines terminal at JFK International Airport. She was under the impression her daughter, who lives in Clinton, was flying to California to visit a friend.

Instead, Arthur boarded a flight to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit Simo El Adala and arrived on July 7.

Arthur and Adala appeared on Hespress, a Moroccan media outlet, where the young girl told reporters that her mother gave her permission to visit her boyfriend while holding up what appears to be a signed permission form for minors to travel alone.

"(Rebecca) has confirmed to our investigators she did alter that document," said Dunn.  "Her mother did give her permission to travel to what she believe was California."

"I am safe and OK with my boyfriend Simo and his family, and I have my parent's permission to come here and visit and spend time with them, a young woman who appears to be Arthur said in the video published by Hespress.

Authorities found Arthur safe in the seaside community of Essaouira with El Adala and his family at 3 a.m. local time Friday.

El Adala also misled his family, according to police, who said the couple arranged the trip without his parents' knowledge or consent.

According to police, Arthur and El Adala have known each other for about a year and have been a couple for the last six months, but had never before met in person.

Local police received help from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. consulate in Morocco to find the teen. It's unknown what time Arthur will return home or which airline she's flying on.

Travel to Morocco can be dangerous due to "the potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens," according to the U.S. State Department, which urges Americans in Morocco to "maintain a low profile."


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"Star Wars" Fans Treated to Surprise Concert

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“Star Wars” fans at San Diego Comic-Con were treated to a major surprise on July 10, 2015, after the panel: a special concert offsite. After the panel ended, the “Star Wars” crew asked everyone in Hall H – all 6,500 attendees – to follow costumed Stormtroopers out to the Embarcadero Marina next to the Convention Center. There was a stage set up and J.J. Abrams and the cast went up there holding lightsabers. Then, the San Diego Symphony played legendary songs from the beloved “Star Wars” series. The Comic-Con magic culminated with fireworks. Not bad, “Star Wars,” not bad at all.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Disney

Infant Dies After Hit by Car

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A 10-month-old boy sitting in a stroller was killed Saturday after being hit by car full of men who police believe were fleeing the scene of a shooting in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood.

Police say they were originally called to the 7700 block of South Kingston in the city's South Shore when a man was shot at about 1:45 p.m. The victim was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and is listed in critical condition.

After the shooting the three gunmen took off in a vehicle, witnesses and police say, and during their attempt to flee from officers crashed into a group of people at the intersection of 63rd and Ellis, striking an infant who was with his mother.

One witness, Ronald Harty, told NBC Chicago he saw a maroon car slam into a bus stop, where the mother and baby were waiting for the bus with a group of people. He says the mother was distraught. The baby, he said, "did not look good," after being struck.

Another witness said the family was walking on a sidewalk at the time, and when the car tried to make a quick turn on the corner of the intersection, it skidded into the family.

The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, Chicago fire officials said, where he was pronounced dead.

A woman, assumed to be the boy's mother, could be seen wailing on the ground in distress as emergency responders tried to calm her down after the incident. 

As they tried to close the doors of the ambulance taking away the baby, she could be seen getting up and running towards the vehicle in what looked like a grief-stricken plea not to take away her baby. A police officer held her back.

Police have two of the offenders in custody, according to officials.



Photo Credit: NBC Chicago

Zoo Animals That Look Like Star Wars Characters

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The San Diego Zoo had some fun with animal photos in a blog features those animals that look like they're from another planet. Enjoy.

Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo

Civil Rights Icon Marches at Comic-Con

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Superheroes, villains and other characters are not the only ones heading to Comic-Con International. 

Civil Rights icon and Congressman John Lewis also made an appearance at the convention, speaking about his comic book, “March.”

Dressed in the same clothes he wore during the 1965 march in Selma, Alabama, Lewis led dozens of kids on a march through the crowded convention center Saturday.

“It’s important for all our young people to know what happened or how it happened so they too can bring about change using the philosophy of non-violence,” Lewis told NBC 7.

That's the message in Lewis' comic series “March” book one and book two as well, now taught in San Diego schools.

“The book is transformative, it’s about social justice and my students are now firmly attached to the idea that they're going to change the world...and they will,” Lewis said.

UC San Diego Professor Zeinabu Davis jumped at the chance to bring her kids to listen to Lewis...and march alongside him.

“It was representative of a little bit of what it could have felt like if we had been in many of the Civil Rights marches that have happened before,” Davis said.

Lewis said he wanted to teach students about peace, love and nonviolence. He hopes they continue to march for those messages.

“We still have a distance to go...but we will get there,” Lewis said.

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