The operations happened at Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta restaurants, according to ICE spokesperson Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe.

Witnesses say authorities arrived at the restaurant on Beech Street just after 4 p.m. Video from the scene shows a large crowd of people surrounding several law enforcement officers outside the location.

“When I arrived, I saw that the workers were all sitting in chairs. They had plastic handcuffs around them,” activist Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee said. “The ones that they took out, they not only placed handcuffs on them, but they also put chains on their legs as they were boarded onto the vehicles that transported them out of the area.”

The restaurant manager told NBC 7 at least two workers were detained and that both businesses were closed when the operation happened.

A sign in front of the restaurant just before 7 p.m. said that the business was closed. It was unclear when it would reopen.

San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who represents District 3, which includes the South Park neighborhood, said he was “deeply troubled” by the incident.

“People have a right to due process,” Whitburn said in a on Friday night. “Our neighbors who are immigrants are vital to the fabric of our city, and they deserve to live without fear or intimidation. San Diego must remain a city where fairness, humanity, and the rule of law prevail.”

The San Diego Police Department told NBC 7 that ICE and Homeland Security Investigations requested the department’s assistance for “urgent cover.”

“They left before our arrival,” SDPD Lt. Daniel Meyer said. “We were not involved in the incident.”

ICE said the investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information arrives.

The ME lists her cause of death as “methemoglobinemia in the setting of recent nitrous oxide administration” and called the death accidental.

Methemoglobinemia, sometimes referred to as “blue baby syndrome,” is a very rare blood disorder that affects how red blood cells deliver oxygen, according to the. Not everyone experiences symptoms, but nearly all people with the disorder have skin, lips or nails that are blue or purple. It is not always life-threatening.

People can inherit the disorder, but it usually happens “when people use certain medications or recreational drugs or exposure to certain chemicals,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The sequence of events before the child died

According to the Medical Examiner’s summary report, the child was moved to a “recovery room” after three hours of surgery. The report says the girl’s mother told investigators her daughter was “out of it while intermittently opening her eyes and incomprehensibly mumbling.”

NBC 7 Investigates is not revealing the name of the 9-year-old out of respect for the family. 

The report said the mother told investigators a wheelchair was used to take the girl to the parking lot, and she was able to stand before being placed into the rear passenger seat of their car. She said the child fell asleep on the ride home and continued to sleep when she got there.

About 90 minutes later, the family says the child’s breathing slowed. They used an automated blood pressure cuff, which gave a low heart rate reading. When they couldn’t wake her up, they called 911. 

An ambulance took her to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. She was given six doses of epinephrine, chest compressions, and other life-saving measures. Ultimately, doctors pronounced her dead less than an hour later.

The medical examiner listed a variety of drugs as contributing conditions to her death, including nitrous oxide. We spoke with a local dental expert who told us the drugs listed on the report are all used regularly during sedation procedures and are regarded as safe. They say the dosage of those drugs is far more important than the presence of those drugs alone.

The dentist didn’t wish to be named because they wanted to see more information before drawing any conclusions. They said that would include medical records created by Dreamtime Dentistry before and during the procedure.

A statement from the dentist who performed the surgery said, in part:

All medications were administered according to manufacturer guidelines based on [the child’s] age and weight.

The report said the child’s mother also told investigators that her daughter had a fever of 101 the day before the surgery. She said she took Children’s Tylenol and the symptoms went away. On the morning of the surgery, the mother reported that the child complained about having a headache.

The dentist’s statement also addressed this new information:

We were not aware of a fever nor any illness. Dreamtime Dentistry’s records show that the patient’s mother completed and signed a pre-operative check-in form indicating “NO” when asked if the patient was sick. Dr. Watkins follows standard protocol. Had he been informed of any recent fever or illness, especially within 24 hours of the procedure, it would have been rescheduled until the patient was healthy. The patient’s temperature was monitored throughout the case and normal temperature was seen throughout.

The San Diego Police Department is still investigating the case. The San Diego County District Attorney’s office said the case hadn’t been referred to them for any potential prosecution. The Dental Board of California wouldn’t confirm if any investigation was underway.

Full statement from the dentist

Dr. Ryan Watkins operates Dreamtime Dentistry. A public relations company provided this statement on his behalf:

We are profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of [the child], and our hearts continue to go out to her family during this incredibly difficult time.

The Medical Examiner has released a preliminary summary. The cause of death has been determined to be methemoglobinemia in the setting of recent nitrous oxide administration, with contributing conditions including the administration of multiple anesthetic medications. The manner of death has been ruled accidental.

We want to address the Medical Examiner’s findings with complete transparency while providing context about our protocols and the rarity of this condition.

Regarding Methemoglobinemia: Methemoglobinemia is an extremely rare condition that can occur with nitrous oxide administration. In patients experiencing this condition, there is typically a refractory hypoxemia, which means that even when breathing 100% oxygen with no airway obstruction, pulse oximetry readings will show abnormally low levels in the 80s instead of the normal high 90s. Importantly, [the child] never exhibited these warning signs during her procedure. Her pulse oximetry remained normal throughout the entire procedure and recovery period. If we had observed any indication of methemoglobinemia, we would have immediately discontinued the procedure and transported her to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Our Safety Protocols: Prior to [the child’s] procedure, we followed our comprehensive safety protocols. As a healthy nine-year-old with a history of regular medical checkups, [the child] underwent our standard preoperative evaluation, which included a thorough review of her medical and dental history, assessment of vital signs, physical examination including heart and lung sounds, airway evaluation, and determination of her ASA status. I (Dr. Ryan Watkins) personally evaluated her as an appropriate candidate for outpatient general anesthesia.

During the procedure, we maintained our standard of care with continuous monitoring by me, Dr. Watkins, board-certified dental anesthesiologist with over 20 years of experience in pediatric anesthesia. We had our full complement of trained staff present, including two certified dental assistants with pediatric acute life support training and an operating dentist, who performed the dental treatment. All medications were administered according to manufacturer guidelines based on [the child’s] age and weight.

Following the procedure, [the child] was monitored in our recovery area until she was awake with stable vital signs. She successfully completed our comprehensive 6-point discharge protocol checking for oxygenation, respiratory stability, consciousness, post operative pain, nausea and vomiting, and gait. She was then released to her mother’s care in stable condition awake, alert, and with all protective reflexes intact.

Moving Forward: While the Medical Examiner has ruled this an accident, we take this outcome with the utmost seriousness. We are conducting a thorough internal review of this case and are consulting with leading experts in dental anesthesia to ensure we continue to provide the safest possible care for our patients.

The safety and well-being of our patients will always remain our highest priority. We are committed to learning from this tragic event and will implement any additional safety measures that may help prevent such occurrences in the future.

We extend our deepest condolences to [the child’s] family and ask for continued respect for their privacy during this time of grief. We also thank the Medical Examiner’s office and the San Diego Police Department for their thorough and professional investigation.

Dr. Watkins released an additional statement about the release of the full medical examiner’s report: 

We were not aware of a fever nor any illness. Dreamtime Dentistry’s records show that the patient’s mother completed and signed a pre-operative check-in form indicating “NO” when asked if the patient was sick. Dr. Watkins follows standard protocol. Had he been informed of any recent fever or illness, especially within 24 hours of the procedure, it would have been rescheduled until the patient was healthy. The patient’s temperature was monitored throughout the case and normal temperature was seen throughout.

We also would like to clarify that the medications referenced in the Medical Examiner’s report are standard anesthesia drugs commonly used in pediatric dental sedation procedures. As stated in Dr. Watkins’ statement sent to you yesterday, the dosage administered was appropriate for the patient’s age and weight, following established medical protocols. Any interactions or negative side effects were not due to dosage but instead due to her rare but undiagnosed/undetected medical condition.

Some elected officials representing those jurisdictions in the San Diego area said it was unclear why they were included on the list, urging the federal government to take them off.

The list includes the state of California, San Diego County and the cities of San Diego, Vista, Chula Vista and Santee, among hundreds of other jurisdictions nationwide.

It says the jurisdictions “are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities,” adding they will each receive formal notification of “non-compliance with federal statutes,” though it does not list specific consequences or actions to be taken.

“Not terribly surprised to see a lot of California jurisdictions, including San Diego, on it, although still trying to figure out the criteria that was used to define sanctuary city,” San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert said, noting San Diego has never adopted a so-called sanctuary policy.

“We suspect this is going to be used as additional threats and fear tactics to threaten federal funding that the city relies on,” Herbert continued.

She pointed to a lawsuit the city joined earlier this year to stop President Donald Trump’s administration’s threat to withhold federal dollars from jurisdictions that do not actively assist in immigration enforcement, which is a federal responsibility. A judge ordered an injunction protecting the parties in that suit in April.

“I don’t know what’s in the mind of whoever wrote this list,” Ferbert said. “From my perspective, it looks like it was thrown together as a fear tactic.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Todd Gloria’s office said in a statement that the city has “more questions than answers” as to why it was included on the list and has not received any direct communication from the federal government.

“It’s really not clear what this list means, where it comes from or how it was formed, or really what the consequences of being on this list ultimately will be,” said immigration attorney Andrew Nietor. “Because for now, it’s just a list.”

Nietor said he too believed it was part of the Trump administration’s effort to pressure jurisdictions to help in federal immigration enforcement.

“What the administration is trying to do is really pressure these jurisdictions to take on additional responsibilities and duties and expenses of engaging in federal immigration enforcement, which they are not required to do,” Nietor said.

He pointed to legal precedent — a federal court ruling against the administration in Trump’s first term — but noted the list could have a chilling effect.

“A lot of these jurisdictions, cities, counties are cash strapped. And they might be thinking, ‘Well, ultimately we might have the law on our side and ultimately we might prevail. But how much is this going to cost us in legal fees, in litigation, or in just those federal funds that might initially be withheld and it might be a while before they’re placed back in the pipeline?'” he said.

“It’s a total mistake. Vista should not be on the list,” Vista Mayor John Franklin said.

He pointed to a resolution he passed in June 2018 opposing California’s Senate Bill 54, the 2017 state law limiting state and local law enforcement’s cooperation in immigration enforcement.

“Vista is on record opposing sanctuary policies, and we were specifically, by action of our council and by my leadership, not a sanctuary city. So we’re going to have this cleared up,” Franklin said.

Franklin sent a letter to Trump on Friday requesting the city’s removal.

“We were surprised to learn that Santee was included,” the city of Santee posted on social media Friday. “This designation was unexpected & we were not informed prior to release. We’re actively reviewing the matter to understand the basis for our inclusion & will share more info as soon as we can.”

“Chula Vista is not a sanctuary city,” Chula Vista Mayor John McCann said in a statement. “I oppose sanctuary jurisdictions, the policy hampers working with federal law enforcement to combat fentanyl and human trafficking.”

San Diego County Board Supervisor Jim Desmond said he wasn’t surprised by the state or the county’s inclusion.

“I think it’s a wakeup call to the communities that are claiming to be and still are sanctuary communities,” Desmond said. “This is a consequence.”

California Gov. Gavin 바카라om’s office sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, requesting that the state be removed from the list, citing a 2019 federal appellate court ruling upholding SB 54.

“California law does not prevent or interfere with the federal government doing its job with federal resources,” his office said.”

“California has never hidden the fact that we have chosen to focus our resources on public safety – not federal immigration enforcement,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.

“The bottom line is this: The Trump Administration cannot bully or intimidate state and local law enforcement into doing the federal government’s job for it, as it is attempting to do with the publication of this list. Federal courts have already ruled that our state law, the California Values Act, is a lawful exercise of state authority under the 10th amendment and does not conflict with federal immigration law,” Bonta continued.

The week began with Capricorn Clark, a personal assistant who was later a global brand director for Combs’ company. She recalled witnessing Combs beating his longtime girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, and said he raged about wanting to kill rapper and romantic rival Kid Cudi.

It ended with another ex-assistant, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” who alleges Combs raped her during a torturous eight-year tenure working for the rap star. She is the second of three women expected to testify that he sexually assaulted them. Combs has pleaded not guilty.

The trial resumes Monday in federal court in Manhattan.

Here are key moments from Week 3:

Ex-Combs aide says fear stopped her from calling police

Former employees of Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment described repeatedly witnessing him beat Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, but said they didn’t report the abuse to law enforcement because they feared Combs would harm them.

Clark testified that the day she started as Combs’ personal assistant in 2004, he threatened he would kill her if her previous work for rival rappers interfered with her work for him.

Then, she testified, she watched in shock as Combs viciously assaulted Cassie, his on-again, off-again girlfriend for more than a decade, in 2011 after learning she was dating Cudi. Clark said her “heart was breaking from seeing her get hit like that,” and neither she nor Combs’ bodyguard intervened.

She said she called Cassie’s mother and told her: “Please help her. I can’t call the police, but you can.”

Weeks later, Clark said, she reported what happened to Cassie to the president of Bad Boy Records.

She also testified about her own run-ins with Combs, telling jurors that he kidnapped her at gunpoint and took her to Cudi’s house as he fumed that he was going to kill the rapper. Cudi testified that he believed Cassie and Combs had broken up. He said his relationship with Cassie only lasted a few weeks.

Clark said she stayed in Combs’ SUV while he broke into the home. She said she was fired weeks later for what she contends was a trumped-up reason.

Cassie delivers her third child after testifying for four days

One of the week’s biggest developments came outside the courtroom. Cassie, 38, delivered her third child less than two weeks after testifying for four days as the prosecution’s prize witness.

The news of her son’s birth Tuesday reached the jury the next day when Cassie’s longtime stylist, Deonte Nash, testified that he was still close to Cassie and had sent her well wishes after the birth.

Cassie, known for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single “Me & U,” married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019 — about a year after breaking up with Combs for good. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born in 2019. They welcomed a second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021.

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Attacks on Kid Cudi’s property put law enforcement on the stand

Jurors heard from a Los Angeles police officer who responded to the December 2011 break-in at Cudi’s home and an arson investigator who spoke about his efforts to solve the firebombing of Cudi’s Porsche 911 weeks later.

Officer Chris Ignacio said he found Christmas gifts, some opened, with luxury watches and purses. Cudi has testified that his dog was traumatized after being locked in a bathroom by intruders.

Ignacio said he saw a car with tinted windows registered to Bad Boy outside the house but didn’t approach it because he had no proof a crime had occurred.

Prosecutors are trying to prove that Combs was behind the break-in and the subsequent firebombing, which involved a Molotov cocktail dropped through a hole sliced in the convertible’s fabric roof.

Lance Jimenez, a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator, said the explosive was made from a 40-ounce Olde English 800 malt liquor bottle and a silky designer handkerchief.

“I personally felt it was targeted,” he said of the Jan. 9, 2012, attack.

A stylist delivers answers from the witness stand like nobody else

Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash was a witness like no other, adding flair and humor within seconds of taking the stand on Wednesday. Asked if he wanted to testify, he declared: “Absolutely not!”

Nash said he knew Combs as “Puff” and Cassie as “Cass.” He said he responded to a Craigslist ad and started working at Bad Boy Entertainment as an intern and then a stylist from 2008 to 2018.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey put a picture of Nash in front of him and asked, “Is it a glamour shot of you?”

“Yes. I look amazing,” Nash responded, drawing laughs.

Asked what he had heard Combs call Cassie over the years, Nash answered “Um, Baby Girl, CC, Cass” and then listed a number of slurs against women. Asked how often Combs used one particular slur, Nash said: “Um, quite a bit. That was his fave.”

Nash later testified that Cassie had confided in him that she didn’t always want to go along with Combs’ demands that she have sex with other men during his drug-fueled “freak-off” marathons.

A second woman testifies she was raped by Combs

Mia testified that Combs sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions: forcibly kissing her and putting his hand up her dress at his 40th birthday party, forcing her to perform oral sex as they packed for a trip, and raping her after he climbed into her bed at his Los Angeles home.

Mia said she thought her sexual abuse was sporadic enough that each time it occurred, she thought it would never happen again. She said she put on a brave face and continued to work for Combs, in part because she felt shame, blamed herself and feared what would happen if she reported him to authorities.

Cassie testified previously that Combs raped her after she broke up with him in 2018.

Mia said she witnessed Combs physically attacking Cassie “all the time” at his houses, her apartments, hotels, events and while traveling. She said Combs also turned his wrath on her, throwing her into a swimming pool, dumping a bucket of ice on her and hurling a bowl of spaghetti in her direction.

As prosecution’s case shrinks, defense’s may expand

Prosecutors insisted all week that they are ahead of schedule in presenting their case and said they could be done calling witnesses by mid-June.

But Combs lawyer Marc Agnifilo said the defense’s presentation might take longer than expected — particularly after prosecutors revealed they were making “fairly substantial changes” to their plan.

“It may be that because of witnesses the government is not calling, we might have more on the defense case,” he said.

As a result, he added, the trial might run to the start of July.

The H Barracks site off North Harbor Drive between Kincaid and McCain roads will provide 190 parking spaces for use by individuals and families living in their vehicles. The site will be managed by the nonprofit Jewish Family Service of San Diego, who operates the program at seven other locations across the city.

Previous coverage:

Balboa Park May 27

Man banned from Balboa Park, accused of unprovoked attacks on strangers

Homelessness May 27

150-bed Midway homeless shelter set to close, prompting concerns over its future

San Diego County May 27

San Diego County working with homeless shelters after possible tuberculosis exposure

Jewish Family Services told NBC 7 Friday that people were being enrolled on a rolling basis.

“The individuals and families served through the Safe Parking Program are our neighbors, and many are experiencing homelessness for the first time — needing just a little bit of help to get back on their feet,” Mayor Todd Gloria said when the new site was approved in mid-April. “Programs like Safe Parking give us a chance to intervene early and get folks on a path back to housing, and with the H Barracks site, we’ll be able to help hundreds more struggling San Diegans.

Jewish Family Services CEO Dana Toppel said the program is intended to provide additional services that can provide residents a “pathway to stability.” Their sites include restrooms, housing navigation, mental health services and job training, and participants work with case managers to create individual housing goals, according to the city.

The additional parking spaces will bring San Diego’s Safe Parking Program to about 400 spaces. H Barracks also includes space for recreational vehicles.

The city’s director of the city’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department, Sarah Jarman, said the program targets a different need among San Diego’s unhoused population.

“We know from the latest Point in Time Count that the need here has grown and not just for cars, but for oversized vehicles too. Investing in multiple types of sheltering options is key to meeting people where they are,” Jarman said previously.

Some members of the nearby Point Loma community opposed the location for the new site while others agreed action should be taken to provide people a path toward housing.

According to a city staff report, just within the last year, JFS has served more than 1,000 individuals across all four safe parking sites. Of those, more than 800 exited the program with more than 250 of them moving into permanent housing.

The H Barracks were previously military barracks and served as a police and fire department training facility, but the crumbling buildings were torn down earlier this year. The area is the future site of a San Diego Pure Water treatment facility. Paving was completed last month at the location and mobile office trailers for program staff have been added, with electrical work and lighting upgrades to be completed soon.

The site could be open through 2029. The city has four one-year options to renew the agreement before the Pure Water facility begins operations.

There are three races scheduled for this weekend that will impact roads across the city.

5K:

The first, a 5K, will be held at Balboa Park at 7 a.m. Saturday. The start line is on Presidents Way and Park Boulevard, with the finish line at Balboa Drive. Road closures will be along Sixth Avenue from Hawthorne Street to Upas Street.

Marathon & half marathon:

The half marathon and marathon are being held at the same time on Sunday at 6:15 a.m. The start line is on Sixth Avenue and Quince Street at Balboa Park, with the finish line at Ash Street and Union Street. Traffic from Mission Bay Park to Fashion Valley and Friars Road to Golden Hill will be impacted.

Here is a list of roads that will be closed on Sunday, June 1:

Most road closures will be happening from 5 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., but race organizers said roads will reopen as the last participant passes and course materials are removed.

San Diegans can expect delays and heavy traffic in the Mission Valley, downtown San Diego, Balboa Park and surrounding neighborhoods. Caltrans said the following freeways would be affected:

Freeways:

• Northbound State Route 163 (SR 163) from A Street to Friars Road.
• Southbound SR 163 at El Prado/Cabrillo Bridge. Vehicles will be directed onto the connector to Interstate 5/Park Boulevard.

Connectors:

• Northbound SR 163 to eastbound/westbound Interstate 8 (I-8).
• Eastbound I-8 to northbound SR 163.
• Westbound I-8 to northbound SR 163.
• Northbound Interstate 5 (I-5) to northbound SR 163
• Southbound I-5 to northbound SR 163.

Organizers said the following roads would be closed:

North of Adams and Mountain View

Organizers have provided alternate routes based on your neighborhood.

A brush fire that broke out in the Pala area was prompting evacuations on Friday, officials said.

The so-called — which started around 5:45 p.m. — is burning near Henderson Road and Pala Mission Road and grew to more than 200 acres and 5% contained by 9 p.m., according to Cal Fire.

Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for areas surrounding the flames. A temporary evacuation point is located at the Pala Casino Parking Lot at 11154 Highway 76, Pala, CA 92059.

Cal Fire says the cause of the fire is under investigation.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information arrives.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

It includes new video from inside the Pacific Beach Taylor Branch Library that shows a man swinging around a hatchet and even threatening an employee before officers arrived.

“We have a man with an axe here,” a woman can be heard saying in the video as she called 911 dispatch on May 14.

The library surveillance video shows 53-year-old William Hanley walking up to the front desk of the library with a hatchet in his hand. He was then captured chopping desks and smashing computers with the hatchet just a feet away from people in the adult reading area.

“In the video, you see that people didn’t react right away because they were in shock,” said Michael Nucci, who lives in the area.

Although Hanley only damaged property, Nucci said he put many people in danger.

“It could have been way worse,” Nucci said.

Hanley was later shot by police and then taken to the hospital.

“That, to me, is scary, very scary because it’s only walking distance from our house,” Pacific Beach resident Sue Gustafson said.

She used to feel safe visiting the library, but not anymore.

“When the kids were little, we would come basically every other week to get books, and it’s sort of scary too because there’s lots of homeless people out here,” Gustafson said.

Nucci agrees.

White it’s not clear if the man armed with the hatchet is homeless, Nucci said some people experiencing homelessness in and around Pacific Beach can be unpredictable, and he and worries for the safety of his community.

“Normally, they keep to themselves, and that’s fine, but then, you got situations like right here at the library, where some guy came with a hatchet and started tearing things up,” Nucci said.

That’s why they hope a solution can be reached soon.

“It’s not just a college area, there are families here,” Nucci said.

Hanley was shot multiple times by officers but did survive and was treated.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Unit is the agency conducting the investigation. It will then be reviewed by the San Diego District Attorney’s office.

Espinoza said the quinceañera was supposed to take place at the company’s event hall in La Mesa on October 26. The same place where her daughter and her court practiced their choreographed dances several times.

However, there was a mix-up with the dates that seemingly blindsided both Espinoza and the owner of Premier Events just 24 hours before the big day.

After much discussion, the quinceañera was moved to an empty discount shoe store next door to the original venue on the same date.

“I saw it and I cried. It was a disaster,” said Espinoza in Spanish, adding that they did their best to enjoy the celebration despite the many setbacks that came with the new venue and the amended contract.

She described how the frustration with how everything played out did not sit well with her. So she decided to take her frustration and look into filing a small claims lawsuit.

“I had to inform myself how it all worked; there was a lot of paperwork involved,” she recalled, remembering she felt intimidated by the process. She said she was also worried about how much it would take her away from the business she runs.

How small claims work

Andrew Deeley is a staff attorney at the San Diego County Superior Court. He described the small claims process as much easier than most people think, and with resources many don’t know exist.

“Small claims is designed for people to settle their grievances without hiring an attorney and without going through the long litigation process in a cheap, affordable, quick system,” he said.

Deeley acknowledges that filing a small claims lawsuit can be difficult for those who have never done it before. However, he noted that not many people know there are advisors available free of charge to help get through the entire process.

“We can walk you every step of the way, from pre-litigation to post-judgment,” the small claims legal advisor said, making it clear they cannot give legal advice.

This includes what is often the more difficult part of filing a lawsuit – serving the defendant.

Here you have three options:

• Personal Service – Someone other than yourself personally hands the defendant the lawsuit.
• Substituted Service – Allows the server to knock on the defendant’s door, and if they’re not home, give the lawsuit to any adult who can take it on their behalf.
• Service by Certified Mail – Recommended when suing a business.

Speaking of which, you have to get the name of the business exactly right for your lawsuit to move forward. The advisors can also help you track down that information.

Espinoza had her day in court and received a $6,000 judgment. The owner of the event hall told NBC 7 Responds she plans to appeal the judge’s decision.

If the judgment is upheld, the company will have to pay. If they don’t, the advisors can also guide Espinoza through the enforcement process. These include:

• Bank Levies
• Wage Garnishments
• Property Liens

However, Deeley won’t sugarcoat how sometimes things won’t turn out as the plaintiff hoped, even if you win.

“Some cases just don’t get paid, and that’s just the reality of the situation,” he said. “If the defendant doesn’t have money, you’re not going to get anything. These judgments are good for ten years. They’re accruing interest. You can renew them.”

Small claims advisors will not only assist those suing but also those on the other end of the lawsuit.

“Everyone has due process rights; the defendant has the right to know that they’re being sued, how much, when, and where they need to show up,” Deeley explained.

He said those concerned about missing work should know that, since the pandemic, small claims made it easier to show up to court, without actually showing up.

“As long as you have an internet connection, you can do a webcam. This has been a very popular way to make an appearance for the hearing,” Deeley said.

The maximum amount you can sue for in small claims court is $12,500. Advisors are available to help in just about every language spoken in San Diego County.

They recommend before doing anything if you’re not sure how to file a lawsuit or defend yourself against one.

Espinoza is glad she did, although she said she’ll never get over how her daughter’s quinceañera was handled.

“Over the next two years, we ask for motorists’ patience,” Ann Fox, Caltrans District 11 director, told NBC 7 on Friday during a ceremonial groundbreaking for the projects at Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park.

The agency will complete five freeway improvement projects across portions of Interstate 805, Interstate 5 and state Route 78. For some commuters in the North County, they may have already noticed construction getting underway.

“You’ll see that construction happening along Interstate 805, you’ll see signs talking about future work coming up on ramps up and down the I-5 corridor. We do have some early work that will start along state Route 78,” Fox said.

The multimillion-dollar projects are part of Caltrans “Fix It First” strategy to repave roads, repair culverts and update traffic communication systems.

According to Caltrans, the project includes the following improvements:

• $113.7 million to restore a segment of I-5 to a state of good repair, improve ride quality, reduce maintenance interruptions, and extend the service life of the existing pavement in the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City from Camino De La Plaza to 0.3 mile south of Via De La Valle
• $126 million to enhance a 17.7-mile stretch of SR-78, from Interstate 5 in Oceanside to Broadway and Lincoln Parkway in Escondido
• $222.5 million to improve pavement conditions and upgrade infrastructure along a 14.5-mile stretch of I-805 in the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City from the San Ysidro Port of Entry to SR-15
• $107 million to execute nine miles of key corridor improvements on I-805 from the SR-15 interchange to just north of the SR-52 interchange. Improvements include replacement of outdated infrastructure and upgrades to traffic operation and communication systems
• $53 million for drainage culvert and asset management projects focusing on a 4.8-mile segment of I-805 in the city of San Diego, extending from just north of the SR-52 interchange to the I-5/I-805 separation

By the end of fall, the various projects will all be happening at once, according to Caltrans. This could be a headache for drivers like Moises Cabrera.

“As an Uber or Lyft driver, slower times to pick up rides, just in general, it’s going to affect us timewise,” Cabrera said.

However, for someone whose job takes them on the road every day, these improvements could be better for business.

“On the flipside of it, it’s going to help us with the maintenance of our vehicles,” Cabrera said. “Sometimes there’s potholes, sometimes there’s things on the road, making it a smoother ride, not just me but for most of my passengers.”

So, what can drivers expect as crews fix the roads?

”We do have within the plans the availability to do overnight closures, closures that may be over an extended weekend,” Fox said.

There could be closures of ramps and lanes, and temporary freeway closures, too.

Fox emphasized that as closures happen, communities that are impacted will be notified in advance of detours and construction.

“For each of these projects, as we progress through and better understand what is that flow from the contractor, we’ll be sure to be in those communities providing that notification in those communities on that timing of what they see is happening there,” Fox said.

The excursion with the tour company Gone Whale Watching capitalizes on what has become a flourishing blue whale season off the coast of San Diego. It’s what makes the May through July months boat captain Domenic Biagini’s favorite time of year, and what drives tourists to book this once-in-a-lifetime excursion a year in advance.

“I’m not gonna get rich doing this, I’ll tell you that right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever own a home in San Diego but this is like the richest life to live,” Biagini said. “These are all my best friends; I’ve got my dog in the back and we’re gonna go look at whales for the day with people that are as excited as we are to go see these animals.”

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Biagini and his crew have done this excursion dozens of times in his 6 years since founding the whale watching tour company. The business has grown exponentially thanks to his incredible drone footage that gives viewers at home a chance to get up close with these majestic creatures.

His photography even captured the attention of nature documentarians with BBC Nature, who most recently produced NBC’s “The Americas,” an up-close look at species in North and South America narrated by Tom Hanks and scored by composer Hans Zimmer.

The production company told Biagini they had a hard time capturing blue whales in the past. That’s because the blue whale, despite its 90-foot length and up to 150-ton weight, is not easy to spot. The creature comes up for air only every about 8 minutes and does not breach like other species. Instead, the sign of a blue whale in the area is typically its blow, which can reach up to 30 feet into the air, and its fluke as it dives back down for food.

“From a filming standpoint, it takes so much patience,” he said. “The way to get these amazing images is not to try to force it. As a photographer, you just have to wait and wait and wait and track and observe in the most respectful manner possible.”

The persistence paid off. Biagini and his team captured a moment of blue whales, known to be solitary creatures, socializing in a way that had never before been captured on video.

“You’ll hear Tom Hanks kind of saying, ‘In a world-first filming spectacle,’ you know, ‘a new behavior never seen from blue whales before…,'” Biagini said. “They were kind of racing and rolling and, you know, kind of almost rubbing on each other pirouetting, barrel rolling and even breaching.

“We captured all of this with the drone and it’s really spectacular.”

Biagini’s first goal, though, is to provide his whale-watching customers the best experience possible. Hailing from Chicago, he was a tourist himself once so he knows what a rare opportunity it is for guests.

“This is a bucket list for most people,” Biagini said. “This is the largest animal to ever live. It’s bigger than any dinosaur, I mean, a blue whale weighs 33 times more than a T-Rex.”

50 years ago, the blue whale was . Hunting had made it impossible for blue whales to thrive. But a worldwide ban in the late 1960s turned the tide for these majestic creatures and by 2014, population numbers had nearly recovered. Now, blue whale sightings are possible year after year.

These marine mammals are gathering off the coast of San Diego to forage for food while on their migration north from Mexico from about June to early October. There is no guarantee how long they will hang around the San Diego coastline but researchers do know they’re here for food, so as long as the supply is there, the whales will be there.

Gone Whale Watching’s blue whale-specific tours, which last eight hours, are booked for the next month, but Biagini said there is a chance to encounter blue whales along with other large creatures of the sea on their everyday excursions, which last more than two hours.

NBC’s The Americas is streaming on Peacock.Biagini’s footage can be seen in episode 9 titled “The West Coast.”

Tropical Storm Alvin, which is south of Baja California, Mexico, will die out soon as it moves north, but the tropical moisture from it will impact our area over the weekend, said NBC 7’s chief meteorologist Sheena Parveen.

Friday is expected to be the warmest day of the week, especially inland, with temperatures in the mid-80s.

For the weekend, we can expect some humidity as an upper-level low spinning off Baja will pull up some tropical moisture. NBC 7 Meteorologist Greg Bledose said that although Saturday may feel slightly more humid, the majority of the moisture is on track to arrive Sunday with some shower chances. Shower chances are still 20 to 30% for areas west of the mountains and closer to 50% for the mountains.

Next week we stay dry with temperatures closer to normal for this time of the year, Parveen said.

San Diego FC said 33 individuals were identified as being involved in the brawl that occurred at the May 24 evening game at Snapdragon Stadium. It was not clear if the individuals have already been made aware of the ban.

“We are collaborating with Snapdragon Stadium officials, Major League Soccer, the LA Galaxy and local law enforcement to confirm identities and enforce the bans. Our collective review of the incidents is ongoing, and further actions may be taken,” .

Video surfaced last weekend showing a large group throwing fists and beers at each other in the stands following the match. It was not clear what led up to the fight but some witnesses on social media said it may have started over a fight over a flag.

San Diego FC condemned the violence at the match and upheld their mission to create an enclusive environment where “San Diego feels proud to come together as one community to celebrate the game we love.”

Officials also said Snapdragon Stadium will increase security at their events.

MLS’s newest team has had problems at matches since its debut. At their inaugural home match, fans screamed a homophobic chant frequently heard at the Mexican national team’s soccer matches. The move was decried by San Diego FC coach Mikey Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps.

The raw sewage flowing through the Tijuana River from Mexico into San Diego County is killing the environment, closing beaches from the border to Coronado, crippling the economy, and is making people sick.

New research provided by UC San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows raw sewage from the Tijuana River can be found in the water and air from the border all the way north in La Jolla.

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In the last few weeks, US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and US Senator Cory Booker have toured the Tijuana River Valley.

I have covered the crisis for nearly 20 years. In 2023, I produced Toxic Tide: The Sewage Crisis at the Border. The short documentary outlines the root causes and concerns of the pollution. However, to truly understand the problem, San Diegans can experience it firsthand like Senator Booker and Administrator Zeldin.

I created a short, self-guided tour for you to follow if you feel the need to see it for yourself. If you choose to go, don’t linger in any one location for more than a few minutes. You can couple this educational tour with a shopping excursion at the Shops at Las Americas or lunch at one of Imperial Beach’s restaurants.

STOP 1

Head down Interstate 5 towards Dairy Mart Road. Head south until you reach a gravel driveway right after the bridge. From this location you can see part of the Tijuana River. This is a seasonal river, which means if there’s no rain, there should be no river.

Chances are very good you’ll see and smell the polluted runoff with toxins, drugs, and diseases flowing downhill from Mexico. To the right of the river, you’ll have a view of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant that only recently started treating raw sewage from Tijuana again. It was underfunded and eventually broke down a few years ago.

STOP 2

Continue south on Dairy Mart Road, turn right on Hollister Street, left on Leon Avenue, and left on Saturn Boulevard. Drive south on Saturn until you reach the orange barrels.

Don’t breathe too deeply here. This is the worst part of the Tijuana River and the smell here is horrid. This is where scientists have recorded some of their worst readings of hydrogen sulfide. And remember, this should be dry when it’s not raining and families live right down the street.

STOP 3

The final stop is at Imperial Beach. Head north on Saturn, turn left on Coronado Avenue to head into the City of Imperial Beach. Turn left on Seacoast Drive when you reach the beach. Drive to the end of Seacoast Drive and park.

You’ll see the polluted Tijuana River Estuary to the East and the beach to the West. The water off Imperial Beach has been closed for most of the last four years. This is where you’ll see the infamous yellow signs. The beach will likely be empty because no one wants to visit a beach with polluted water.

Take this tour and realize this is in your backyard, the pollution is in the water and the air, and it won’t be fixed for years.

The justices lifted a lower-court order that kept humanitarian parole protections in place for more than 500,000 migrants from four countries: Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The court has also allowed the administration to revoke temporary legal status from about 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in another case.

Republican President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail to deport millions of people, and in office has sought to dismantle Biden administration polices that created ways for migrants to live legally in the U.S.

Trump amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants in Ohio with legal status under the humanitarian parole program were abducting and eating pets during his only debate with President Joe Biden, according to court documents.

His administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge in Boston blocked the administration’s push to end the program.

Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson wrote in dissent that the effect of the court’s order is “to have the lives of half a million migrants unravel all around us before the courts decide their legal claims.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined the dissent.

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Jackson echoed what U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani wrote in ruling that ending the legal protections early would leave people with a stark choice: flee the country or risk losing everything. Talwani, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, found that revocations of parole can be done, but on a case-by-case basis.

Her ruling came in mid-April, shortly before permits were due to be canceled. An appeals court refused to lift her order.

The Supreme Court’s order is not a final ruling, but it means the protections will not be in place while the case proceeds. It now returns to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

The Justice Department argues that the protections were always meant to be temporary, and the Department of Homeland Security has the power to revoke them without court interference. The administration says Biden granted the parole en masse, and the law doesn’t require ending it on an individual basis.

Taking on each case individually would be a “gargantuan task,” and slow the government’s efforts to press for their removal, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued.

Biden used humanitarian parole more than any other president, employing a special presidential authority in effect since 1952.

Beneficiaries included the 532,000 people who have come to the United States with financial sponsors since late 2022, leaving home countries fraught with “instability, dangers and deprivations,” as attorneys for the migrants said. They had to fly to the U.S. at their own expense and have a financial sponsor to qualify for the designation, which lasts for two years.

The Trump administration’s decision was the first-ever mass revocation of humanitarian parole, attorneys for the migrants said. They called the Trump administration’s moves “the largest mass illegalization event in modern American history.”

The case is the latest in a string of emergency appeals the administration has made to the Supreme Court, many of them related to immigration.

The court has sided against Trump in other cases, including slowing his efforts to swiftly deport Venezuelans accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act.

Saturday will not be quite as hot, but will still be warm. In addition, we’ll start the weekend with more clouds and humidity thanks to a low pressure system over Baja right now. Upper level clouds will move in from the south on Saturday, increasing throughout the afternoon. So, north county inland areas may wake up to sunshine, but see mostly cloudy conditions for the afternoon. There is a slight chance for a shower on Saturday, but the better chances come Sunday.

As the low-pressure system starts to move east over Baja, it will pull up more tropical moisture leftover from a tropical storm farther south of Baja. Shower chances on Sunday morning/afternoon range from 30% near the coast to 60% over the mountains. We’re only expecting light showers, and some areas may not see any rain. However, there is a chance for an isolated thunderstorm over the mountains. Anywhere that happens, will briefly see heavier rainfall. Sunday won’t be quite as warm, either.

Thousands of runners will be taking to the streets this weekend for the Rock N Roll Marathon. Sunday morning will be mostly cloudy, a little humid, with a slight chance for a shower.

Surf will be building this weekend thanks to that tropical storm to the south. We’re expecting a SSW swell with 4′-6′ waves by Monday, and higher rip current danger as a result. Water temperatures are starting to warm up as well with some buoys off the coast reporting 68 degree water.

Monday will be drier and cool to start off the work week ahead of some warming for later next week.

SATURDAY

“The dogs love being free, and I think they’re happier,” Hoerres said.

While dogs are allowed off their leashes at the dog beach, they’re not allowed at other public parks like Robb Athletic Field, just a few miles down.

San Diego County leash laws state that dog owners must restrain their dog using a hand-held leash no longer than 6 feet and that the person holding the leash must be able to control the dog.

A grand jury visited 12 parks across the county to investigate how well the leash laws are enforced. The report found the city’s oversight by the San Diego Humane Society could do a lot better to protect people and other dogs from getting hurt.

Several people who frequent Robb Athletic Field told NBC 7 they sometimes see dog owners with their fogs on a leash and other times without one. However, there is a sign at the park that encourages people to always keep their dogs on a leash, and if not, they ask people to call the SDHS to report anyone who is not abiding by that policy.

The grand jury report recommends the city step up its leash law enforcement by making sure four park patrol officers are on duty, standardizing park signage and developing a system to evaluate its leash-enforcement activities.

In a statement to NBC 7, the humane society said, in part, “We are committed to transparency, accountability and improvement, and we welcome the opportunity to partner with city leaders to address any substantiated concerns and to clarify roles, expectations and opportunities for constructive progress.”

Eliana Montes spends a lot of time at Robb Athletic Field for softball practice.

“We see a bunch of people running around with their dog, throwing tennis balls, playing fetch with them,” Montes said.

She understands the safety concerns. That’s why she always keeps her dog Valkeryie on a leash.

“I think it’s a good idea if you keep them on leash. You never know if they might even run up to another dog and either injure the walker or the dog,” she said.

Others believe tighter leash enforcement laws are unnecessary.

“Honestly, it’s not a big deal to me, as long as the dog is recall. My dog is not recall, so I don’t have him off leash, but he’s also slow,” Shannon Waltz said.

“I just don’t think more regulation is needed. Maybe it’s park specific, but I’d hate to be forced to do that. If you have a well-trained dog, there shouldn’t be any issue,” Hoerres said.

But they say they will follow them, if that means keeping everyone safe.

In a statement to NBC 7, the city of San Diego said, “The City of San Diego is in receipt of the recent San Diego County Grand Jury report regarding administration of leash-law enforcement and are in the process of preparing our response, which will be issued within the required timeframe.”

SDHS’ Humane Law Enforcement team responded to the home after being notified that there were many animals inside. When they got there, they decided to take all the pets — 28 dogs, six puppies, four cats, two kittens and one chameleon — into their care as quickly as possible, according to SDHS spokesperson Nina Thompson.

“This is a really tough time because summer is usually busy. We are now close to 2,000 animals in care, and so having a mass intake with more than 40 animals in one single day is certainly tough,” Thompson told NBC 7 on Thursday.

The humane society says the pets were brought to its several campuses across the county, where its veterinary and animal care teams are evaluating them.

“They’re getting medical exams, they’re getting behavioral exams and they’re getting just time to decompress to a new situation,” Thompson said. “Most likely, once they’re ready, they’re going to be spayed and neutered and then placed up for adoption.”

SDHS says it is unable to provide more details, such as the status of the animals when they were brought in, since this is an active case.

“Our message to the community is to reach out to us to help if you’re overwhelmed with your animals,” Thompson said. “Forty-one pets in a single-family residence is too many, so we want to be able to help you if you have too many pets. We can spay and neuter them. We can take them into our care. We can sort of help you before the situation gets out of control.”

According to the city, closing Lake Murray and Lake Miramar for five days a week would save the city just over $400,000 a year. However, the effort to close these lakes is not sitting well with those in the community, and their efforts to save them have received some political support as well.

“It’s unacceptable for me, so I’m going to fight to keep Lake Murray and Lake Miramar open seven days a week,” Councilmember Marni von Wilpert told NBC 7.

The council member has plenty of company in the at fight.

Rose Woods started an online petition to save Lake Murray. As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had more than 6,000 signatures. A similar online petition to save Lake Miramar also had over 6,000 signatures.

Woods hates to think about having Lake Murray closed five days a week.

“People using this lake, keeps this lake what it is,” Woods said. “We monitor it, keep it safe and keep the environment healthy here. And to have it just sitting here, not being used, would break the hearts of so many.”

Hundreds of people were walking, running and biking around the late on Thursday morning. There were also people fishing and boating on the lade. According to nearby residents, Lake Murray is filled with people every day.

Local residents tell NBC 7 part of what makes these two lakes special is that they are unique to each region.

“We can’t all drive to the beach to have open space or go to Balboa Park. This is in our backyard. It’s important to our region,” said Sara Couron, adding that Lake Murray attracts all different generations doing all different types of activities.

Residents say they understand the city’s severe budget crisis but whether it’s regular lake users or a city council member, they all say there’s got to be a better way to make ends meet.

“There’s other things we can to do tighten our belt, but cutting off such a valuable community resource is something I will not do,” von Wilpert said.

“I just hope we can find other ways to work on that budget deficit that doesn’t include places like this that are what make San Diego unique and make our quality of life so good,” Woods said. “It’s priceless.”

The city’s Budget Review Committee will hold a public comment event on June 6. The city is expected to formally adopt the 2026 budget on June 10.

The crash happened on May 22 before 4 a.m. Six people — one pilot and five passengers who have all been identified — died when the Cessna jet plummeted onto Sample Street while heading in for landing at Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport. 

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According to Philip Rizzo, the chief executive officer of Liberty Military Housing, the neighborhood where the jet crashed is one of the organization’s several similar communities for servicemembers and their families across the nation. In the case of Santo Terrace, he said, Liberty and the United States Navy share a 50-year lease on the neighborhood.

“Specifically, in that neighborhood, we own not just the houses but the streets and the utilities are all owned,” Rizzo explained. He also added that makes the area private, federal property despite it not being gated. 

On Friday evening, Rizzo said the National Transportation Safety Board completed gathering for their investigation on the crash and turned the area back over to Liberty. That is when they began testing the area, including the homes and surrounding soil, for contaminants, as well as looking for repairs that needed to be made. 

While several homes had minor damage, like cracked windows and dented doors, only two, Rizzo said, have long-term damage and will not be inhabitable for some time. Both are part of one building, a quadplex, and have either very obvious damage to the structure of the home or smoke damage. 

Rizzo added that Liberty worked with hazardous material companies to clean-up the streets, sidewalks, yard and homes, as needed. 

However, some residents told NBC 7, still, the transition back is a difficult one. 

“It was weird coming back to the house,” Rachel Atkinson, a wife and mother of two, said, “but I think we all got the best sleep we’ve gotten in a week last night, surprisingly.”

The exhaustion set in, Atkinson said, after seven days of staying in hotels, rental homes or with friends. She shared that they even have some pet reptiles that they’ve had to leave at a store for care while they navigate a more permanent plan — one that doesn’t include staying in their current home, she said.

“We don’t want to stay here, but we didn’t want to stay anywhere else longer than we had to,” Atkinson shared. “Most of these families had the option to stay, if they wanted to, but I think most are going somewhere else.” 

The Atkinson family is one of approximately 20, Rizzo told NBC 7, that wants to relocate because of the crash despite their home being considered safe to live in. Liberty will work with each of them on a personal basis to see if they have an area that would fit their needs. All of this, Rizzo added, would be at no cost to the residents. 

“Our home is where our families are,” Atkinson said. 

The San Diego Humane Society also shared with NBC 7 that it is working diligently to reconnect pets with their owners. A spokesperson told NBC 7 it rescued 69 pets as a result of the crash, some of which are still in its care.

A portion of the proceeds from the auction, hosted by , will benefit UC San Diego’s orthopedic department.

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“We are pleased to be presenting this offering of Bill’s memorabilia to his many fans,” said Walton’s widow Lori Walton. “Bill’s career within the game of basketball spanned over five decades and through that time, he was always so appreciative of the fans and people that supported him from his college days at UCLA through the NBA cities of Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles and Boston.”

On the auction block are a treasure trove of basketball artifacts, including two NBA championship rings (for the Portland Trailblazers in 1977 and the Boston Celtics in 1986), his 1972 and 1973 UCLA Bruins NCAA Championship rings, game-worn jersey and sneakers and his 1977-78 NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

“Our family has been blessed with many priceless experiences as a result of Bill’s basketball career,” Lori Walton said. “It is in the spirit of the support that fans displayed to Bill throughout those many seasons that we are sharing some of his memorabilia with that same group of special people.

“It is our wish that these items bring back cherished memories for the fans and I am so very grateful that the auction will also support a cause dear to Bill and me at the Orthopedic Department of the University of California San Diego.”

Walton, a La Mesa native, played at Helix High School before joining legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA, where he led the Bruins to two consecutive 30-0 seasons, a record 88-game win streak, two NCAA championships, and remains one of only two players to receive three NCAA Player of the Year awards. His bright red hair, 6-foot-11-inch height and outspoken political views — particularly in opposition to the Vietnam War — garnered Walton even more distinction.

“Bill Walton stands as a titan in the history of the game of basketball,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. “His dominance within the collegiate game ranks among the most elite players in its history, earning a record-tying three NCAA Player of the Year Awards.”

Drafted by the Blazers first overall in the 1974 NBA draft, “Big Red” experienced chronic foot injuries in Portland before becoming one of the most dominant players on the court in the late 1970s. He brought the Blazers their only championship before breaking with the team over contract and treatment issues, joining his hometown San Diego Clippers in 1979.

His injuries continued for several years before the team relocated to Los Angeles. Walton then joined the Boston Celtics, with the veteran racking up another championship and winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award under coach Red Auerbach.

“We are honored to present Bill Walton’s personal collection, which is one of the most important of its type to have been offered at public auction,” Hunt said. “Perhaps more impressively was Bill Walton’s dedication to others, which continues to be evident with a portion of the auction proceeds benefiting causes at the University of California San Diego.”

Following his lengthy, albeit injury-studded career, Walton became a basketball color commentator, perhaps most notably for West Coast audiences as the Grateful Dead-loving personality calling games for the PAC-12 conference.

Other items up for auction include Grateful Dead paraphernalia, broadcasting-related items and a tipi from his San Diego home.

Walton was long one of San Diego’s greatest boosters, taking a progressive political approach to many issues. This changed somewhat during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he began speaking out against what he saw as failed policies, name-checking Mayor Todd Gloria and his efforts on homelessness.

Walton died in San Diego on May 27, 2024. He is survived by his first wife, Susie Guth Walton, with whom he had four children: Adam, Nathan, Luke and Chris, and his second wife, Lori.

The girl, identified as Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel, was one of the estimated 16 people on board a boat that overturned in the early hours of May 5. Patel was the last person missing from the incident.

Three people died, including Patel’s 14-year-old brother. The parents of the kids were both hospitalized, according to officials.

The other two people who died were Mexican nationals, ages 18 and 55, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office and court records.

Federal officials said that five people had been arrested, including two men who are expected to face human smuggling charges.

It’s unclear where the boat was coming from, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Officials said the body of the girl was found by a passerby on May 21 on Torrey Pines State Beach. The parents of the girl were notified and DNA testing confirmed her identity. The cause of death is pending by the county medical examiner.

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that the DHS will ask for the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty against the suspected human smugglers, citing the Immigration and Naturalization Act and the Federal Death Penalty Act.

Governor Gavin 바카라om signed the Assembly Bill 3216, known as the Phone-Free School Act, last year. It requires every school district, charter school, and county office of education to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting the use of phones by July 1, 2026.

“This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school,” said 바카라om in a press release.

The SDUSD has written up new draft policies that will affect students in the upcoming school year.

Here are the draft policies:

Middle Schools:

• No cell phone use during school hours (“bell to bell”).
• Phones must remain powered off and stored in backpacks or designated classroom pouches.

High schools:

• In-Class: Cell phone use is prohibited unless the teacher receives written permission from the site principal.
• Permitted Use: Phones may be used before school, during lunch, passing periods, and after school.
• Storage: Every classroom must have a designated phone storage system with assigned slots for students.

Enforcement & Consequences

• 1st and 3rd Infractions: Teacher holds phone until the end of class.
• Subsequent Infractions: Phone is sent to the office; parent or guardian must retrieve it.
• Ongoing Violations: May result in a Loss of Privileges (LOP), including school events.

There are exceptions to the rules, like AirPods and smartwatches are allowed but are subject to teacher discretion. Students may request to use their phone through school staff or the main office in case of emergencies.

The district is on the policy changes through May 30. It’s expected to go into board review and approval in summer 2025, and it’s expected to launch districtwide on August 11.

Gabriel Jesus Garza, 40, was removed by bar security from Star Bar on Jan. 25 for what sheriff’s officials described as a “disturbance” in which Garza allegedly bit a security guard.

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The lawsuit filed in San Diego federal court alleges responding officers held Garza down on his stomach “until he went limp” and that since his death, the city “has refused to provide Mr. Garza’s family with meaningful information and/or documentation regarding the circumstances of Mr. Garza’s death — leading them to rely on bystander accounts of the events.”

From photographs, you might deduce Garza brought the fun no matter where he was.

“Had fun a lot. We’d go to the Padres games. He loved life,” Garza’s brother, Carlos, told NBC 7 on Thursday. “Had a smile, happy, outgoing, loved work. He worked hard.”

That’s why Carlos, accompanied by his nieces and daughter, can’t figure out why Garza ended up dead in the Gaslamp.

The lawsuit claims that, according to the bystanders, Garza appeared to be suffering from “a health or mental health crisis and needed emergency medical care.” It also claims a 911 dispatcher refused to send paramedics until police officers deemed it necessary.

“I’ve gotten no answers. I have asked for answers and asked for help and gotten nowhere with them,” Carlos said. “He could have had a mental breakdown, still answers that I don’t know.”

Sheriff’s department officials said earlier this year that an officer arrived at around 8:15 p.m. to find Garza being held on the ground by a security guard and another person, “as he continued to struggle.”

That officer handcuffed Garza, who allegedly continued physically struggling, Sheriff’s Lt. Michael Krugh said. A second officer arrived, “helping to manage the situation by securing the man’s legs.”

Garza soon became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he died.

The lawsuit alleges a county medical examiner’s office pathologist concluded his manner of death was homicide due to being physically restrained by the officers.

The sheriff’s office identified the officers as Noah McLemore and Jacob Phipps, each of whom had been with the SDPD for about four-and-a-half years.

The Garza family’s lawsuit alleges that bar security guards originally had Garza restrained on his back, but the first arriving officer flipped Garza onto his stomach. The complaint alleges Garza “posed no danger to the officer” and when he asked why the officer was holding him down, the officer said, “I don’t know, I just got here and you were on the ground.”

It also faults the officers for allegedly failing to check if he was able to breathe properly or take his pulse.

The lawsuit states that holding someone down while they are prone is known to be dangerous, particularly after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. While SDPD banned the carotid restraint, the lawsuit alleges the department did not take steps to address the risks of holding people facedown.

“I don’t wish this on anybody or anybody to have to go through this,” Carlos said.

The Garza family wants justice, and to Carlos that means “transparency, accountability. All the people responsible accountable.”

The city attorney’s office told NBC 7 that it is unable to comment on potential litigation.

Booker was invited to South County by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and was joined by Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego.

“No one should be forced to breathe toxic air and swim in sewage,” Booker said. “What I saw and smelled today in South San Diego County is unconscionable — it would never be tolerated in Malibu or Mar-a-Lago and it shouldn’t be tolerated here.

“This is an environmental justice crisis, and thanks to Mayor Paloma Aguirre’s relentless leadership, it’s finally getting the national attention it deserves. I’m taking what I saw here back to Washington to help make sure this community’s fight for clean air and water is heard and answered.”

Aguirre once served as an environmental fellow in Booker’s Washington office. She invited the senator to make a visit to the border on his already scheduled California trip.

“I fought tooth and nail to get this funding through Congress and fix a broken plant that was making people sick and closing our beaches,” Aguirre said. “Now that fight is paying off — and construction is finally moving with real urgency.

“Today’s progress is proof that when South County speaks up and pushes hard, we get things done. Our relentless fight is showing results, but we need a 100% solution — because South County families shouldn’t have to live with this toxic sewage nightmare any longer.”

Rep. Vargas spoke at Thursday’s new conference about the ongoing issue.

“The pollution in the Tijuana River isn’t just harming our environment — it’s threatening our neighbors’ health, shutting down businesses, and closing beaches,” he said. “This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a matter of basic human rights and community safety. We will continue to fight for real solutions and lasting protections.”

Booker’s visit comes the day after a UC San Diego report found dangerous chemical compounds are present not only in the water of the Tijuana River and off the coast of Imperial Beach, but are also aerosolized by ocean spray and make it into the air.

The paper’s lead author, Adam Cooper, collected samples from the air and water at various points along the coast of San Diego County, including the U.S.-Mexico border, Imperial Beach and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. The study was published in Wednesday’s edition of Science Advances.

“The Tijuana River region is a very dynamic environment with implications for public health, environmental policy and international relations between the United States and Mexico,” Cooper said. “Ours is one of the most comprehensive studies to date investigating water-to-air transfer of these pollutants.”

The 120-mile Tijuana River flows from Baja California into the United States and discharges millions of gallons of wastewater — including sewage, industrial waste and runoff — into the Pacific Ocean every day.

The tiny amount of pollutants caused by aerosolized spray can cause health problems. Many residents have complained of respiratory illness, insomnia and headaches, and several San Diego beaches have been closed almost continuously for the last three years because of high levels of bacteria from wastewater runoff.

Aguirre, who holds a master’s degree of advanced studies from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said the study was shocking but validating for South County residents who have sounded the alarm on the pollution for years.

“The study found methamphetamine, cocaine residue, tire chemicals, and toxic compounds from sunscreen floating through the air in South County — chemicals being inhaled by children, workers, and families every single day,” she said. “And let’s be clear: This study shows with science what working people all know — that the air in South County is more polluted than in La Jolla. That’s not just unjust — it’s unbelievable and unacceptable.

“We are not second-class communities. We are working people who deserve the same clean air and safe environment as every other neighborhood in this country.”

The paper’s authors argued there are concrete actions politicians can take to better water and air standards in the area.

“The solutions to the cross-border sewage crisis aren’t constrained by technical challenges,” Cooper said. “They’re constrained by political challenges and policy issues. We have to motivate decision-makers to make the right investments.”

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San Diego State’s talented guard announced on Instagram Wednesday afternoon that he will return for his redshirt junior season. The decision came less than seven hours before the deadline for college eligible players to remove their name from next month’s draft.

Byrd was the last big question facing SDSU head coach Brian Dutcher, and the last major piece to what is a very talented roster.

In his third season with the Aztecs Byrd took a noticeable step, averaging career highs in minutes (30.1), points (12.3), rebounds (4.4), assists (2.7), steals (2.1) and blocks (1.1). Byrd scored in double figures in 15 of San Diego State’s first 19 games, with four 20-point performances.

The six-foot-seven-inch guard struggled down the stretch of the season. Through 15 games he shot 38.7 percent on three-pointers, a number that dropped to 30.1 by season’s end.

Byrd was an All-Mountain West pick and made the conference’s All-Defensive Team.

The news punctuates a very successful offseason for Dutcher. Seven-foot Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Magoon Gwath announced his return earlier in the spring after checking out his options in the transfer portal.

Dutcher also made three additions through the portal: former San Jose State guard Latrell Davis, former Wyoming forward Jeremiah Oden and former Louisiana Tech point guard Sean Newman Jr.

Newman Jr. will replace Nick Boyd, who left for Wisconsin after one season with the Aztecs.

SDSU also signed highly-touted high school guard Elzie Harrington out of St. John Bosco. Harrington was ranked 66th in the 2025 class by ESPN.

San Diego State has enough talent on the roster to merit consideration in preseason Top-25 rankings. Reese Waters was considered the program’s best player before the 2024-2025 season, but sat the year out with a foot injury. Forward Pharaoh Compton and guard Taj DeGourville each turned in impressive freshman campaigns. BJ Davis and Miles Heide also played crucial minutes.

The Aztecs lost to UNC in a First Four matchup of No. 11 seeds in March. It was an early exit for a program that reached consecutive Sweet 16s, including their 2023 run to the National Championship game.

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By a unanimous vote, board members amended Superintendent Jose Espinoza’s proposal to shut down Berry, Central and Sunnyslope elementary schools over the next six school years.

The new plan is that Central Elementary, with around 500 students, will close over the 2026-2027 school year. Before closing another school, not necessarily the two that the superintendent identified, there will be a thorough evaluation with more community input.

The possibility of closing three schools was presented by the district Superintendent’s Advisory Committee (SAC) on “the most efficient ways to operate the district’s school facilities with a student centric focus.” A spokesperson for Espinoza shared more information in an email to NBC 7, which said, “Over 18 months, the SAC conducted in-depth analysis of enrollment trends, facility conditions, and financial projections.”

According to SBUSD, the district has seen “an enrollment decline between 40% and 50%, nearly twice the rate of neighboring South Bay school districts” since 2011. The district believes there are a handful of contributing factors, including rising affordability issues for local families, declining birth rates, long-term impacts of the pandemic and an “aging community” with fewer kids.

The for the district included the closure of the three schools along with several other changes like de-emphasizing specialized programs for the next three years and improving Nestor Language Academy. If the board approved these changes, the closure of the three schools would have happened gradually, starting with Central Elementary in the 2026-2027 school year.

“We know that most of the parents, the families in these communities, have multiple jobs in order to be able to afford to live in this community,” Vanessa Barrera said, “and so not having access to their home school will have a huge impact.” 

Barrera is a teacher within SBUSD. She is also the president of the Southwest Teacher Association. They have roughly 300 members, all teachers, nurses, social workers, you name it, like Vanessa Acuna.

“Any of the schools that’ve been on the list,” Acuna, a TK teacher at Berry Elementary, said, ”it’s just been heartbreaking. We want no schools to be closed.” 

Acuna and Barrera explained that most of the students at Berry walk themselves to and from school. If the school closed and they were redistributed to another one in the district, it may not be as easy for families 

“If they can’t get there in the morning, if their parents can’t walk them 30 minutes there and 30 minutes back, what does that mean for our attendance?” Barrera brought up. She told NBC 7 she believes all students should have the same access to public education in their areas “free of barriers.”

Even before public comment on Wednesday, the standing-room-only crowd of parents, students, staff and teachers forced a recess with their raucous objections to closing the schools.

“Do not shut Berry down,” one parent said. “Do not shut our elementary. Something that should be shut down that’s affecting our community and health is the Tijuana River, not the heart of our Berry Bears.”

To the crowd, three school closures seem extreme.

“This plan fractures our community, make no doubt, it creates a west side and an east side,” parent Rebecca Robinson said.

Some parents says closing Central seemed inevitable.

“It’s become an easy target because when you don’t put the money into it to invest in it, well, it’s dilapidated. It costs too much,” Central parent Mary Ehrhardt said. “When you’re not putting those improvements in, and people don’t see that you have programs, you are going to move out to Chua Vista, where it is equally affordable and has better schools.”

Parents and staffers feel like too many questions remain unanswered.

“They talked about everything except where the staff is going to go. Where are they going to place us? We won’t have a job,” said Susan Caro, an administrative secretary.

In a , posted on the district’s webpage, it explained that planning for the school consolidations will begin once they are approved. “This process will include revised school boundaries, new transportation routes, staffing considerations, and planning for the use of closed facilities,” the letter read. 

In a few months, 18-year-old Ian Mundo will become an electrician.

“I just want to get something really quick, be done with it, go to work,” said Mundo, who graduated from high school not even a year ago. “I like to get my hands dirty.”

Oscar Castañeda says he wants to expand his opportunities. After becoming an electrician, he is now learning welding skills.

“There is a demand for electricians, plumbers, welders, any trade. There’s always going to be work. There is a high demand,” Castañeda said.

It’s a feeling that the majority of the students at the (CET) say they share with Castañeda and Mundo.

Daniel Morales is the director of CET, a nonprofit organization in charge of 12 trade schools like the one in San Diego. The school teaches skilled trades, like electrician, welding and construction. And starting in June, it will also teach heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

These are skills that are recession-proof and in demand, Morales says.

“Since the pandemic, a lot of older generations started to retire, and I think that sped things up for them,” Morales said.

But the economic part of it is what Morales says is a big appeal of trade schools.

“For a trade school, you’re looking at $15,000 to $16,000, and that is before any financial aid, which could reduce your bill to half,” Morales said.

That’s compared to an average of $25,000-$45,000 for a four-year degree at a public school in California.

The value of getting into the workforce without the debt of a traditional degree is a main factor for Castañeda. More than 70% of CET students have a job at the time of graduation, which, according to Morales, is proof that the demand for these skills exists.

“Students can come back in 10 to 20 years, and we’ll help them look for work, no questions asked,” Morales said.

“We have students that came out and put all the effort and work, and they demand $30, sometimes $40 an hour,” Morales said.

And trade schools like welding are very popular among women.

“A lot of our students pay a lot of attention to detail and end up being better students than our guys,” Morales said. “They end up being better students and get better job offers.”

Perla Saavedra is one of them. She is graduating in a few weeks and is already considering job offers. She said that even before finishing high school last year, she knew she wanted to learn skills for life and chose tools over textbooks. Her career choice was highly criticized. 

“They said I would probably not make it out and not last, that is only a man,” Saavedra said.

Did she prove them wrong? In a few weeks, she will graduate from the Green Building Construction Skills program, which includes carpentry, electricity, plumbing, interior and exterior finishing, and installation of solar panels.

“Later on, they might see that I could actually do it,” Saavedra said.

It’s not only the young generations that see the value in trade schools. A Pew Research study shows that only 1 in 4 American adults believes having a college degree is extremely or very important. And roughly half of those people say it’s less important to have a four-year college degree today in order to get a well paying job than it was 20 years ago.

The course at CET takes between six and seven months if students attend the morning shifts, which are longer days. It’s nine to 10 months for students of evening classes since they attend fewer hours a day.

Also, CET has an open and exit program, so students can start the programs at any time of the year.

The sentence marks the latest legal troubles for Robert Oldham Young, 73, whose books and treatments centered around promotion of an alkaline diet led to an investigation from the state medical board and criminal charges.

Relevant content:

Jan 24, 2014

“pH Miracle” Author Accused of Practicing Medicine Without a License

San Diego Nov 1, 2018

Jury Orders ‘Miracle Cure Doctor' to Pay $105 Million to Cancer Patient

Young was previously convicted in 2016 in San Diego County for treating patients — including by injecting them with baking soda — at his Valley Center ranch while lacking proper credentials.

In a separate civil action, a jury awarded $105 million to a cancer patient who said Young advised her to forgo traditional treatment like chemotherapy in favor of treatments at his ranch. The award was later reduced to around $25 million.

In the latest case, a Vista jury convicted Young and co-defendant Galina Migalko for administering many of the same treatments to Jane Clayson, who described herself as a longtime friend of Young’s in a statement read in court.

According to Clayson, she gave Young “thousands upon thousands of dollars” for various treatments and products such as pH Miracle-brand supplements.

“For years, I believed Robert Young’s promises,” she wrote. “I trusted him with my life.”

Clayson said Young assured her to “just keep taking the supplements. You’ll get better. And don’t listen to other doctors. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Clayson wrote that her liver disease not only wasn’t cured, but progressed, leading to numerous hospitalizations and complications in the years since.

Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas said, “Ironically, before Ms. Clayson was treated for life-threatening illnesses, she would have been one of his supporters.”

Those supporters filled the courtroom for Young’s sentencing hearing and also held a rally outside the Vista courthouse, bearing handwritten signs that called for Young’s release from custody and for “medical freedom.” One woman’s sign stated it had been proven that Young’s treatments could cure cancer. More than two dozen character reference letters were also submitted to the court prior to Wednesday’s sentencing hearing.

Darvas said Young claimed to hold a doctorate, which she said came from “a well-known diploma mill.” The prosecutor also argued Young was well aware his treatments didn’t work, yet was “willing to risk (Clayson’s) life.”

In requesting a sentence of probation, one of Young’s defense attorneys, Stephen Larson,  said it could be argued that an undue amount of blame was being laid at Young’s feet for Clayson’s medical issues.

The attorney also argued that contrary to the prosecution’s claims, Young steadfastly believes in the efficacy of his treatments and medical advice.

Larson said Young’s promotion of an alkaline diet and pH Miracle supplements were a reflection of his “honestly held beliefs” and said imprisoning someone because they held ideas or values that swayed from the mainstream wouldn’t be in the interests of justice.

But San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Duffy said Young had “a lengthy career in defrauding and endangering victims,” including Clayson, whom the judge described as particularly vulnerable. The judge said Young took advantage of their friendship and shared religious beliefs, and perpetuated a “false, intentionally cultivated appearance that he was a trained doctor.”

Young was found guilty of willful cruelty to an elder, theft from an elder, and treating the sick/afflicted without a certificate. Migalko was found guilty of some of the same counts and awaits sentencing next month

Prior to the San Diego County cases, Young was charged in Utah in the late 90s and early 2000s for practicing medicine without a license. One of those cases led to a plea to a misdemeanor count that was later dismissed, while the other case was dismissed entirely.

Miami pushed three runs across in the eighth inning to beat the Padres 10-8.

With a runner on first and no outs, Manny Machado failed to scoop a Nick Fortes grounder. The error left two Marlins on with no one out. Wandy Peralta came in and got two quick outs but walked Miami’s No. 9 hitter to give the visiting team life. Agustin Ramirez capitalized with a two-run single to center. Eric Wagaman followed, doubling to left to put the Marlins ahead by two runs.

It was an afternoon of punches and counterpunches, with Miami’s outburst following Gavin Sheets’ latest big swing.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sheets belted a deep ball to right field, then backpedaled into the opposite batters box admiring his work. The slugger’s two-run swing put the Padres ahead 8-7.

Sheets has homered in four of the Padres’ last seven games, with five total during that span. His season total is up to 11, surpassing the 10 he hit in 2024 and 2023 with the White Sox.

Unlike Tuesday’s 8-6 comeback, the Padres were the ones who jumped out to a seemingly comfortable lead. Sheets drove in Jackson Merrill for the first run of the game in the second inning.

Mike Shildt’s offense erupted in the fourth inning, scoring five runs on four hits and three walks.

Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double gave the Padres a 3-1 advantage. Elias Diaz plated Cronenworth on a single and Luis Arraez added on with a sacrifice fly. Machado capped the onslaught, driving Diaz in on a two-out single. Fernando Tatis Jr. was thrown out at the plate to end the rally with the scoreboard.

The Padres led 6-1 and appeared headed for a series sweep, at least for a moment.

Miami answered back right away with their own five-run frame. Kyle Hart allowed his second homer of the game, a solo blat by Jesus Sanchez. Shildt pulled Hart after back-to-back hits that included an Agustin Ramirez RBI single.

David Morgan gave up a home run to Otto Lopez, getting the score even at 6-6.

Miami pulled ahead in the seventh when Javier Sanoja skated home after a Jason Adam wild pitch.

Hart allowed five runs on six hits in 4.2 innings, striking out one. The lefty has allowed two home runs in four of his six starts this season.

The annual remembrance service at the department’s memorial roster of officers lost in the line of duty included an unveiling of an addition to the somber granite plaque outside downtown SDPD headquarters — the name of Austin Machitar, who was killed Aug. 26 in a traffic crash at age 30 while assisting with a high-speed pursuit in Clairemont.

Machitar had spent more than five years in the department at the time of his death. A park in North Clairemont will also be renaed in his honor.

The midday event also featured a wreath-laying ceremony and 37 peals of a bell, once for each the 35 men and two women who have died while on the job with the city’s police force between 1913 and 2024, according to department officials.

Come on, Barbie!

A Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up restaurant and roller rink combo is set to open in San Diego this summer. After launching in seven other successful locations around the world, and have partnered to bring the cafe to America’s Finest City.

The pop-up restaurant inspired by the “most iconic doll in fashion history” opens just ahead of Comic-Con on July 11 at the Bayside Kitchen and Bar (2137 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101).

The fast-casual menu, created by Master Chef finalist and Chopped Champion Chef Becky Brown, features friendly fare (think burgers and fries), delectable desserts (mini cupcakes in a Barbie boat) and signature drinks and cocktails (Jarritos in a pink Barbie corvette, anyone?).

“Inspired by the groovy beachside energy of 1970s Malibu,” the pop-up will also offer fans exclusive Barbie merchandise and photo ops (yes, you can pose inside a life-size Barbie doll box).

Fans can join the now to be notified when tickets go on sale. Tickets for the restaurant are $25 (children under 2 are free), while a $1 donation is required to access the Barbie x Impala skate rink. All proceeds from the skating rink will be donated to the American Red Cross, to support those affected by the deadly California wildfires.

The Malibu Barbie Cafe restaurant and roller rink is open to all ages, aside from 21+ skate nights on select evenings. Other special events including cupcake decorating classes and paint parties will also be offered.

food May 14

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App hooks you up with takeout in San Diego at a discount

You can find the latest info about the pop-up on the .

The station was closed for a total of 93 days. Several members of the community told NBC 7 Investigates they weren’t aware of the closure for most of that stretch, and not until one of their neighbors’ homes burned down.

Delays in emergency response

On a Sunday in late April, a fire destroyed a home less than three miles away from the station. Fire officials say crews had to drive from much farther away that morning.

It took the first fire engine 17 minutes to arrive, much longer than Cal Fire’s standard of 12 minutes for a rural area like Dulzura. Gary Lane escaped the fire that morning and rescued his wife, his disabled adult son, and three of their dogs. Two other dogs didn’t make it, including a puppy.

“I see the house just burning away, and I’m wondering, ‘When is someone gonna get there?’ Seemed like forever,” Lane said. “I just kept waiting and waiting and waiting.”

The only notice that the station had closed was a couple of signs posted at the fire station. A Cal Fire spokesperson told NBC 7 Investigates that in hindsight, officials should have done more to warn the community. 

“You cannot shut a fire station down. Ever.” Lane said. “I don’t care about our house, it’s already, it’s done, right? But what about everyone else’s house? What if it was a situation where it was a whole family and they’re trapped? You’re gonna wait 20 minutes? They’re not going to get saved in that time.”

Water problems began nearly a year ago

NBC 7 Investigates learned that Cal Fire was dealing with water system problems since June 2024. Even more of the station’s plumbing began to fail in the months that followed. 

Explaining the repair delay, a Cal Fire spokesperson said they had issues getting contractors to agree to do the work and faced difficulties with the state’s contracting approval process.

To keep the station open, Cal Fire says it shipped in water for about seven months. As it navigated the contracting process, more parts of the water system failed. That not only necessitated a more expensive repair project, but also forced them to shut down the station. 

The parts of the water system that were broken or replaced included:

• Well pump
• Pressure pump
• Pressure tanks
• Steel holding tank
• Nitrate/Softener well water filter system
• UV disinfection system
• Water pipes

Cal Fire provided data that shows the price tag for the repair work surpassed $108,000.

The paper’s lead author, Adam Cooper, collected samples from the air and water at various points along the coast of San Diego County, including the U.S.-Mexico border, Imperial Beach and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. The study was published in Wednesday’s edition of Science Advances.

Cooper graduated UCSD last spring with a doctorate in chemistry. He collected the samples in 2020 as part of a field study with Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry Kimberly Prather’s lab.

Although the samples are now several years old, the paper’s authors say the findings are still relevant because little has changed in how sewage release from the river is processed.

“The Tijuana River region is a very dynamic environment with implications for public health, environmental policy and international relations between the United States and Mexico,” Cooper said. “Ours is one of the most comprehensive studies to date investigating water-to-air transfer of these pollutants.”

The 120-mile Tijuana River flows from Baja California into the United States and discharges millions of gallons of wastewater — including sewage, industrial waste and runoff — into the Pacific Ocean every day.

The study looked at two aspects of wastewater pollution: the source and the concentration of pollutants along the San Diego County coastline.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Jonathan Slade’s lab analyzed the collected samples by searching for a compound they knew came from sewage — a chemical produced when people use cocaine and excrete it in urine.

That chemical — benzoylecgonine or BZG — spiked in Imperial Beach ocean water after rainfall and in the air when choppy sea spray aerosolized it. Other chemical compounds that behave in a fluid environment similarly, such as methamphetamine; octinoxate, a UV filter used in sunscreen; and dibenzylamine, a compound used in tire manufacturing, were also analyzed.

Concentrations of these chemicals were highest in the Tijuana River itself, and petered out the more northerly the samples were taken from.

Although the amounts of some pollutants, like cocaine, were minuscule, others were more prominent, like octinoxate, which can break down into more toxic components.

“It’s been shown that octinoxate can degrade DNA when exposed to light,” Slade said. “And if it’s in these tiny aerosols we’re breathing in, it can get deep into our lungs and pass into our bloodstream. That’s very concerning, especially considering the high levels at which we found it in the air.”

The tiny amount of pollutants caused by aerosolized spray can cause health problems. Many residents have complained of respiratory illness, insomnia and headaches, and several San Diego beaches have been closed almost continuously for the last three years because of high levels of bacteria from wastewater runoff.

“The solutions to the cross-border sewage crisis aren’t constrained by technical challenges,” Cooper said. “They’re constrained by political challenges and policy issues. We have to motivate decision-makers to make the right investments.”

Slade and Cooper said the need for more research, better infrastructure and cross-border collaboration is imperative to draw any conclusions about the detrimental effects on the environment or human health.

“Often the sewage crisis is considered a water issue — and it is — but we show that it’s in the air too. Truthfully, we don’t yet know the acute health effects,” Slade said. “But the numbers we report can be incorporated into models to help us better understand what we’re breathing in and how much we’re exposed to.”

The authors said the impact of sunscreen and degrading tires impacted air quality along the coast.

“Although our study focuses on the Tijuana River, there are other notable sources of wastewater and pollution run-off in Southern California, including wastewater treatment outfalls, the San Diego River and the Los Angeles River,” Slade said, who also noted that “turbulence in rivers and streams may aerosolize wastewater, requiring further study.”

Around 80% of all global wastewater is untreated, according to the authors. Of the portion that is treated, many plants remove bacteria, but not chemical pollutants.

“The global surge of untreated wastewater entering lakes, rivers and oceans poses a growing health threat,” Prather said. “Aerosolization of this polluted water exposes billions of people through airborne transmission, reaching far beyond those in direct contact and impacting countless others who inhale contaminated air that can travel for many miles.

“We are continuing our studies in this region to better understand the short and long-term health impacts of inhaling this newly identified source of airborne pollution.”

The extended hours will begin at the El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego campuses Saturday and continue every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 19.

“This is the second summer in a row we’ve expanded our hours, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact it can have,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. “Last year, we found homes for more than 600 animals during the extended weekend hours. This year, we’re aiming even higher.”

SDHS has more than 1,800 animals in its care, including more than 700 ready for adoption.

The announcement comes at a time when the SDHS is preparing for the city to cut its budget.

Revisions in Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget earlier this month restored some, but not all, of the city’s contract with San Diego Humane Society for animal services. Weitzman said that still leaves a $1 million gap to maintain services.

“This funding gap threatens the city’s ability to meet its legal obligations around public safety, animal welfare and humane law enforcement,” he said. “These are not optional services — they are mandated by the state. Without adequate funding, the city will still be required to provide these services, likely at a significantly higher cost than our current, efficient model.”

Adoptable animals can be viewed at , where more information is also available.

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Ivan Matias-Montes, 44, appeared in court for a brief readiness hearing for his trial that was set for October 2025.

The alleged crimes occurred between 2016 and 2022 and involved at least three underage girls whom he met in person and two others that he contacted via social media with the intent to meet in person, according to Deputy District Attorney Carder Chan.

Charges include dozens of counts of lewd acts on a child 14 or 15 years of age, attending arranged meetings with a minor, sexual assault and contacting minors with intent to commit a sexual offense. Most of the charges stem from meet-ups with one particular victim, Chan said. In all, he met with victims nearly two dozen times, according to a criminal complaint.

“When it involves charges of this variety, of this nature, they’re very serious,” Chan said. “I mean, we’re talking about 85 offenses involving minors — lewd act on minors.”

None of the victims knew Matias-Montes before the alleged crimes, prosecutors said.

Matias-Montes was arrested on April 1 and is not eligible to be released on bail. He’s being held at George Bailey Detention Facility as he awaits trial.

If convicted on all counts, Matias-Montes is facing more than 60 years in prison.

The 3.2-magnitude earthquake struck at 9:30 a.m. about 70 miles northeast of downtown San Diego with a depth of 2.3 miles, the United States Geological Survey reported.

Residents reported feeling weak shaking in parts of Ramona, San Diego and as far north as Ontario, according to the USGS’s . No damage or injuries were immediately reported.

There have been several small quakes with a magnitude of 1.2 or less in the area over the last three weeks, according to USGS. Wednesday’s earthquake also follows a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in nearby Julian in mid-April.

One of Israel’s most wanted men, Sinwar took over last October after his sibling was killed in southern Gaza. If confirmed by Hamas, the younger man’s death would be one of the first such high-profile assassinations carried out by Israel in several months.

Mohammed Sinwar’s older brother masterminded the , that triggered the war with Israel that has ground on for 600 days. He was later named the militant group’s overall leader after Israel killed his predecessor, , and Hamas military wing leader and fellow Oct. 7 architect .

“We eliminated Mohammad Deif, Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar,” Netanyahu said when confirming the death to Israel’s parliament, known as the Knesset.

“In the last two days, we have been in a dramatic turn towards a complete defeat of Hamas,” he added.

Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is destroyed and until it returns the remaining 58 hostages seized during the Oct. 7 attack, in which 1,200 people were killed.

Nearly 54,000 people, including thousands of children, have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to Palestinian health officials.

Netanyahu’s comments came after the Israeli military said in a statement that it had struck “dozens of targets throughout the Gaza strip” over the past 48 hours, including anti-tank missile posts and weapons storage facilities.

Hamas has yet to publicly comment on Mohammed Sinwar, and it was not immediately clear what his death would mean for its leadership.

Reuters reported that Sinwar’s close associate Izz al-Din Haddad, leader of Hamas’ northern Gaza armed wing, would most likely step into any power vacuum.

What that means for the ability of Hamas’ exiled political leadership council to exert influence over military policy and ceasefire negotiations would only be discernible in the coming weeks.

In his comments to the Knesset, Netanyahu said Israel was “taking control of food distribution” in Gaza, referring to the new .

The health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said that at least one person was killed and 48 were wounded when gunshots were fired on a . It was not immediately clear who opened fire.

Thousands of hungry Palestinians flooded the aid center Tuesday and made off with boxes of food before Israeli soldiers fired live rounds into the air to disperse the crowds.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation facility near the southern city of Rafah is the first of four food distribution sites set up by the U.S.-backed organization and the Israeli military to control the flow of humanitarian aid into the crowded Palestinian territory. Its opening came after Israel began to ease its three-month aid blockade earlier this week.

This story first appeared on . More from NBC 바카라:

Simón originally had been charged with a fourth error but the official scorer changed the call to a single by Xander Bogaerts.

Miami took a 6-0 lead after sending 10 batters to the plate in the first against Stephen Kolek (3-1), who got through 5 1/3 innings for the win.

San Diego started its comeback on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 13th homer, an opposite-field, leadoff shot off Max Meyer.

Simón’s misfortunes started in the second when, with runners on first and second and one out, he dove for Tyler Wade’s grounder, which deflected off his glove for an RBI single and rolled into foul territory. He chased down the ball and his errant throw pulled catcher Agustín Ramírez well off the plate, allowing another run to score.

San Diego pulled to 6-5 in the third on Bogaerts’ run-scoring single, which had originally been ruled an error as the ball appeared to go under Simón’s glove, and Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice fly.

Simón’s fielding error allowed Wade to reach leading off the fourth. Simón fielded Tatis’ grounder and tried to force Wade at second but his throw went over shortstop Javier Sanoja’s head for another error. Wade scored on Arraez’s single to tie it at 6.

Simón was replaced in the bottom of the fifth when Javier Sanoja moved over from shortstop. Otto Lopez entered at shortstop and in Simón’s spot in the order.

Cronenworth hit a leadoff single in the fifth and scored the go-ahead run on Arraez’s third hit, a two-out single to center.

Miami traded Arraez to the Padres on May 4, 2024.

Jackson Merrill homered in the eighth, his fifth.

Jeremiah Estrada got a four-out save, his first.

Cade Gibson (0-3) took the loss.

Key moment

Tatis’ fourth leadoff homer this season and 15th of his career sailed just inside the foul pole in right.

Key stat

It was just the second time ever the Padres rallied to win after being down 6-0 after the top of the first.

Up next

Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-7, 8.04) and Padres LHP Kyle Hart (2-2, 6.00) are scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday.

Hundreds of homes were flooded in neighborhoods like Southcrest and Shelltown. Since then, more than 1,000 residents have joined dozens of lawsuits against the city, claiming it did not properly maintain Chollas Creek ahead of the historic January 2024 rainfall, which they allege made the flooding far more devastating.

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Attorney Evan Walker told NBC 7 the city has filed a countersuit against a small number of residents, including two of his clients as of Tuesday, alleging they failed to maintain drainage on their properties.

“My clients were shocked. They’re upset about it. They’re concerned about their insurance. They have to make an insurance claim. They don’t know if it’s going to be covered,” Walker said. “So they have all these fears and all these concerns now that they’re dealing with this lawsuit.”

The city of San Diego on Wednesday confirmed 11 countersuits have been filed against parties they say had “maintenance responsibilities for drainage facilities on their properties or took action on their properties that might have diverted or increased storm water runoff.”

“The City is continuing to investigate potential third parties’ responsibilities in these lawsuits, and we are committed to getting a just outcome for all parties involved,” the statement read, in part.

Walker says the city’s legal action not only sends a message to those being countersued but also to other flood victims, many of whom come from working-class families.

“I don’t think it’s about accountability. I don’t think it’s about justice. I think it’s about intimidation,” Walker said. “I think it’s about, you know, telling these flood victims, ‘Don’t mess with us. Because if you mess with us, we’re going to come after you.'”

Walker maintains that it was the city’s failure to service flood control channels that residents said were a problem for years before the devastating flooding in January 2024.

Greg Montoya already sued the city once over drainage problems. He wasn’t surprised the city is going after property owners.

“Now this lawsuit is gonna drag on and on, so what they’re hoping for — I’m sure this is what their tactic is — is that by the time 3 or 4 years goes down the road, most people are gonna be so tired that they’ll take any settlement that is offered,” Montoya said.

The city said they are responding to over 50 lawsuits involving more than 1,500 plaintiffs following the January storm.

Dewayne Freeman, 48, is accused of threatening a couple with a hammer in November 2024. Earlier this year, he rushed a parks and recreation manager as she stepped outside to accept her DoorDash order. On March 4, Freeman is accused of pushing the park’s chief ranger into some bushes. Days later, Freeman unexpectedly shoulder-checked a woman who was walking with her friend behind the Prado restaurant. The woman’s friend was injured when she fell into a building wall as the result of that act.

Those actions prompted the San Diego city attorney’s office to file for a workplace violence restraining order against Freeman. On Tuesday, they got it.

“The court is concerned with Mr. Freeman’s conduct,” said San Diego Superior Court Judge Blair Soper. “It’s really violent. It’s really scary, not only for the rangers but also just visitors who go to Balboa Park.”

Judge Sopor, however, did not opt for the maximum potential time for the restraining order to last. He set the duration at three years but said he would consider extending it to five years if there are further issues involving Freeman.

Freeman waived his right to be in the courtroom for his hearing. He is said to be in custody, but it was unclear where.

It’s not unusual to see homeless people walking through Balboa Park, especially with the city’s safe sleeping tents on O lot nearby.

“It’s not a huge issue,” park volunteer Cynthia Hirsch said. “Most of them don’t bother anyone.”

Hirsch said there aren’t enough programs to help people with substance abuse and mental health problems.

The 150-bed facility sits on San Diego County land, but so far, the county has refused to take on costs needed to keep the shelter open long term. The closure of the homeless shelter would have a wide ranging impact on the Midway area and other homeless shelters in the city.

“It’s unacceptable,” said Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation. “It would be a significant step backwards as it relates to addressing homelessness throughout the county.”

The Lucky Duck Foundation owns the Midway shelter structure and covered costs to construct it. Moser says there’s a very high concentration of people with behavioral and mental health needs at the Midway facility.

“The population that particular shelter serves, it’s people with high behavioral and mental health needs and require a higher level of services. The thought of sending 150 people back to the street is completely unacceptable,” Moser said.

Before the shelter opened in 2022, the streets in the Midway area were filled with homeless encampments. Now, most of the streets are clear of any homeless encampments.

Moser says shelters like this “actually clean up the neighborhood and give people a place to go to get off the streets and onto a brighter pathway. So the thought of closing it will not only send people back to the streets, but it will certainly have an impact on the neighboring community. If it closes, it will negatively impact people in the nearby area.”

Mickey Maynard, who owns Crack in the Wall frame shop just a few hundred yards away from the homeless shelter, says, “It seems counterproductive and a move backwards.”

Maynard says the homeless shelter has helped diminish scavenging and trespassing in and around local businesses. He’s fearful for what could happen if it closes.

“Less support for these people is not going to be good. People have been getting services at the shelter, directions to housing, opportunities to shower and clean up,” Maynard said.

The San Diego City Council has been urged to allocate $500,000 to ramp down the shelter over a couple months, rather than close it abruptly. The San Diego Housing Commission tells NBC 7 that intakes at nine area shelters have been temporarily suspended to support relocation of those currently at the Midway shelter. Here are the nine shelters.

1. Bridge Shelter (16th & Newton)
2. Bridge Shelter (17th & Imperial)
3. Bishop Maher Center
4. Single Adult Shelter operated by Father Joe’s Villages at the Veterans Village of San Diego campus
5. Connections Housing
6. Lighthouse Interim Shelter
7. Haven Interim Shelter (Only for the single women component)
8. Rachel’s Promise
9. Safe Sleeping

However, any efforts to relocate people that are currently living at the Midway shelter or eventual efforts to ramp that facility down does not sit well with the people who helped open that shelter.

“We are not in the business of talking about closing beds or moving people around. We are the business of providing hope and an immediate pathway off the streets, then a permanent pathway off the streets. We are laser focused on how we can make more immediately available beds be added to the system, and this is the exact opposite of that,” Moser said.

The Walton Innovation Network (WIN) is the first part of SDSI’s planned Bill Walton Legacy Project. Walton was chairman of the SDSI — a San Diego-based nonprofit focused on boosting businesses “dedicated to the San Diego lifestyle industry.”

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“The Walton Innovation Network will be an expansion of SDSI’s current mentoring programs — dear to Bill’s heart — into a network of programs dedicated to his legacy of uplifting others, hard work and giveback,” said SDSI executive director Bob Rief. “WIN will support the entrepreneurs, innovators, athletes, and dreamers — in all stages of business from ideation, scale, through funding — who are changing the future of our industry.”

Walton died May 27, 2024, at his home in San Diego following a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 71.

Under Walton’s 14-year leadership, SDSI built a business community dedicated to the growth of “companies that help all individuals, not just San Diegans, get outside, get active and lead healthier lives,” a statement from the nonprofit read.

“SDSI is community, and community is people,” said SDSI board member Mike Irwin. “What SDSI does best is equip people for success. Bill’s inherent curiosity about people is what made him such a natural helper. And with the announcement of WIN, we are just getting started and when it comes to preserving Bill’s legacy, the future is full of possibilities.”

According to the nonprofit, SDSI’s business mentoring programs have helped to scale more than 150 businesses, 78% of which are still active or have been acquired. All of this has been made possible through of the generosity of more than 100 volunteer executive mentors.

Walton was born on Nov. 5, 1952, in La Mesa, where he grew up and played basketball at Helix High School, leading the Highlanders to San Diego Section championships in 1969 and 1970 and a 49-game winning streak.

Walton was selected as Player of the Year in all three of his varsity seasons at UCLA — freshman were ineligible to play on the varsity level when Walton entered UCLA in 1970 — and he led the Bruins to NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973.

He was the first player selected in the 1974 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, but had an injury-plagued professional career, playing at least 60 games in only three seasons. He played only 14 games between the 1978- 79 and 1981-82 seasons, missing three entire seasons because of a foot injury.

However, he did lead Portland to the NBA championship in 1977 and was selected as the NBA Finals MVP and the league’s MVP in the 1977-78 season, despite playing only 58 of 82 regular-season games.

After retirement from playing, Walton overcame a stutter to become an Emmy-winning broadcaster. He began his broadcasting career in 1990 as an analyst on Clippers’ telecasts, working alongside longtime play-by-play broadcaster Ralph Lawler.

Walton was also an analyst for CBS, ESPN, ABC and the Pac-12 Networks, winning a Sports Emmy for best live television sports telecast in 1991 and being selected as one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all-time by the American Sportscasters Association in 2009.

Walton considered himself a lifelong San Diegan and had lived in the same home near Balboa Park for more than 40 years.

Patrol personnel responding to a report of a woman assaulting her brother with a stick in the 6300 block of Rancho Mission Road at about 9 p.m. Thursday found Michael Loo of San Diego on the living-room floor of the residence, according to police. Loo died at the scene despite lifesaving efforts on the part of officers and paramedics.

“Officers observed signs of a violent struggle inside the apartment, but no obvious life-threatening trauma was observed on the victim,” Lt. Lou Maggi said.

Loo’s 59-year-old sister, whose name has not been released, was gone when police arrived.

“She has since been located and interviewed about the case,” the lieutenant said Tuesday. “The investigation is ongoing.”

A ruling on the cause of Loo’s death remains on hold pending completion of postmortem examinations.

The gas leak was reported around 1 p.m. in the area of 10th Street and E Avenue. As a precaution, the Coronado Police Department evacuated several homes.

Residents affected by the evacuation were encouraged to go to the Coronado Community Center for shelter. Residents were asked to check in at the front desk, CPD said.

SDG&E crews were at the scene and repairs were expected to take up to three hours.

Due to the gas leak, the 900 block of 10th Street was closed in both directions. Coronado police said the road was back open around 3 p.m.

The California Interscholastic Federation said it was extending access for more “biological female” athletes to participate in the championship meet. The group announced the change Tuesday after President Donald Trump posted on his social media site about the participation of a trans athlete in the competition.

“Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section’s automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships,” the federation said in a statement. “The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes.”

The move comes amid a nationwide battle over the rights of transgender youth in which states have limited transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams, barred gender-affirming surgeries for minors and required parents to be notified if a child changes their pronouns at school. At least 24 states have laws barring transgender women and girls from participating in certain sports competitions. Some of the policies have been blocked in court.

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A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women’s sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.

The federation didn’t specify whether the change applies to all events or only events where a trans athlete has qualified for the final. The change only applies to this weekend’s competition. The organization didn’t say how many students will be affected by the change.

The rule change may be the first attempt nationally by a high school sports governing body to expand competition when trans athletes are participating.

Trump threat to withdraw federal funding

Trump threatened Tuesday to pull federal funding in California if the state did not bar trans students from participating in girls sports. The post referenced AB Hernandez, a trans athlete who is scheduled to compete in the girls varsity triple jump, high jump and long jump in the state finals. She won the Division 3 girls long jump and girls triple jump and placed seventh in the high jump at the Southern Section Division Finals on May 19, according to CIF results.

“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump also criticized Maine’s Democratic governor after she said the state would take the president to court over his effort to keep trans girls from competing in girls sports.

The Trump administration launched an investigation earlier this year over a California law that says districts can’t force teachers and staff to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity at school.

바카라om praises change

California Gov. Gavin 바카라om recently said on his podcast that it’s “deeply unfair” for transgender girls to participate in girls sports. Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator and podcast guest, referenced Hernandez when asking 바카라om about the issue.

Trump said he planned to talk to 바카라om about it Tuesday. The governor’s office did not confirm the call but said the California Interscholastic Federation rule change was a “thoughtful approach.”

“CIF’s proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing,” 바카라om’s spokesperson Izzy Gardon said.

Sophia Lorey with the conservative California Family Council, which has protested Hernandez competing in girls sports, said the rule change was “damage control.”

“Girls who were unfairly eliminated are suddenly back in for State this weekend,” Lorey said. “This is a step in the right direction, but let’s be real: this never should’ve happened. Boys don’t belong in girls sports.”

Democratic state lawmakers blocked bills last month that would have barred transgender girls from participating in girls sports.

Equality California, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, said the Trump administration was “bullying a child” and called on CIF to uphold its “inclusive, evidence-based policies.”

“Our community is watching, and we are counting on the CIF to uphold its policies, adhere to California law, protect its athletes, and reaffirm that everyone deserves to compete safely and authentically,” the group said in a joint statement with several other organizations.

Athletes’ and district’s responses

Parents and conservative advocates opposed to transgender girls competing in girls sports have criticized Hernandez’s participation and heckled her during postseason meets.

After losing to Hernandez in long jump at the sectional final, student Katie McGuinness urged the CIF to change its policy during an interview on Fox 바카라.

“I have nothing against this athlete as a person and I have nothing against the trans community,” McGuinness said. “My message today is really specifically to CIF and for them to act quickly and in a timely manner, because this is a really time-sensitive issue.”

Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main earlier this month in response to verbal attacks from adults that “there’s nothing I can do about people’s actions,” so she is focused on what she can control.

“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,” she said.

In an email, Hernandez’s mother declined to comment on Tuesday’s rule change.

The Jurupa Unified School District, which includes Hernandez’s high school in Southern California, said it would continue to follow state law allowing trans student-athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Associated Press journalists Janie Har in San Francisco and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.

Duaa Ouznali correctly spelled telegnosis, a noun meaning knowledge of distant happenings obtained by occult or unknown means, in the first round at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

In the second round, she was asked a vocabulary question, to define “malfeasance,” and she correctly chose an act of wrongdoing.

Duaa then took a written test, the results of which have not been released. The scores from the written test will determine who will advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Under bee rules, spellers will be grouped by their number of correct answers. The number of spellers to advance will be determined by identifying the group whose minimum score results in as close to 100 quarterfinalists as possible.

Duaa qualified for the national bee by winning by the San Diego County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in March, correctly spelling droshky, a public carriage used in Russia, to end the 27-round competition.

Duaa’s participation in the national bee means she will be unable to attend her school’s promotion ceremony Wednesday but received “her own high school send off” last week, 10바카라 reported.

The 13-year-old’s interests include reading and learning trivia, according to biographical information supplied by bee organizers. She has a fondness for writing short stories and learning about languages. Duaa is a practitioner of the Korean martial art taekwondo and swims.

Duaa’s favorite animals are cats and favorite school subject is math.

The bee began with a field of 243 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Department of Defense schools and five nations outside the United States — the Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.

There were 42 spellers eliminated in the first round and 18 in the second, reducing the field to 165.

The bee is limited to students in eighth grade or below and who were born on Sept. 1, 2009 or later.

The bee will conclude Thursday. The winner will receive $50,000 from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, $2,500 and a reference library from the dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster, $400 in reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica including a 1768 Encyclopedia Britannica replica set and a three- year membership to Britannica Online Premium.

This is the 100th anniversary of the first national spelling bee which was on June 17, 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers around the country to hold spelling bees and send their champions to Washington, D.C.

This is the 97th edition of the bee. There were no bees in 1943, 1944 and 1945 because of World War II and in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

San Diego County has produced two national spelling bee champions — Anurag Kashyap in 2005 and Snigdha Nandipati in 2012.

The fire started around 6:30 a.m. at 5154 Mariner Dr. in the Ocean View Hills neighborhood, a home that both residents and law enforcement say has been problematic in the past.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was pouring from the second floor. Crews began an aggressive fire attack from the outside and in, where they found “hoarder conditions” and called in additional crews, according to SDFD battalion chief Josh Slatinsky. Firefighters knocked down the blaze within an hour, but damage was done to two floors, the attic and the roof. No injuries were reported.

The two-story home has been boarded up with wood and metal plates after a City of San Diego abatement team took over the residence three years ago from a woman who created “constant problems with the neighbors and disturbance calls,” according to San Diego Police Sgt. George Kenny.

Investigators suspect arson in the blaze, although no suspects have yet been identified.

“Obviously, MAST knows it was started by somebody,” Kenny said. “We don’t know who it was started by, but we’re not even sure how they got inside. They’re assuming they might have gotten in through the garage because that’s the only spot – position – that wasn’t secured.”

Carlos Borruel, who moved into the home a few doors down about a year ago, said it’s the second time there’s been a fire at that property.

The city’s abatement team was scheduled to start clearing out the home from “all the stuff inside” on Tuesday, Kenny said. , for $600,000 – cash only – and is listed as pending sale.

Kenny noted the fire had the potential to be worse.

“If the fire got out of control, it would damage other residences and put other people at harm,” Kenny said. “Hopefully, after this week, once everything gets cleaned out, it’s no longer gonna be an issue.”

Jose Iglesias had a two-run double in the fourth to begin San Diego’s comeback from a 3-0 deficit. Machado tied it with his sixth homer, a leadoff shot to left-center off reliever Calvin Faucher.

Adrian Morejon (2-2) stranded a Marlins runner at third in the 11th for the win.

Wade, who replaced Machado as the automatic runner at second base, moved to third on a groundout before Gibson (0-2) intentionally walked Xander Bogaerts. The Marlins used an outfielder as a fifth infielder, but Gibson threw a curveball in the dirt on a 1-2 pitch to Jake Cronenworth.

Miami grabbed the lead two batters into the game against starter Randy Vásquez. Jesús Sánchez singled and scored on a double by Agustín Ramírez. Otto Lopez made it 2-0 with a two-out single.

Sánchez hit Vásquez’s pitch 417 feet out to center at 111 mph for his third home run and a 3-0 lead in the second. Vásquez gave up three runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Bogaerts singled with two outs in the fourth and stole his 10th base before Cronenworth reached on a throwing error by third baseman Connor Norby. Luis Campusano walked to load the bases and Iglesias doubled to make it 3-2.

Miami starter Ryan Weathers allowed two unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

David Morgan retired the only two batters he faced in his big league debut for San Diego.

Miami’s Victor Mesa Jr. struck out in his first career at-bat after coming in to play center in the seventh.

San Diego (30-22) was coming off a 2-7 road trip.

Key moment

Machado has homered in back-to-back games and three of his last four.

Key stat

Miami pitchers have a 5.31 ERA, better than only Colorado (5.67) in the NL. San Diego’s 3.52 mark is third-best in the league.

Up next

RHP Max Meyer (3-4, 4.15 ERA) starts Tuesday for Miami against San Diego RHP Stephen Kolek (2-1, 2.84).

___

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That’s when groups like the Support the Enlisted Project, or STEP, mobilized to help.

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The fire, smoke and jet fuel contaminated the homes of some 42 military families in Murphy Canyon. It’s the kind of contamination that destroys everything.

“How do we get them through the day? They need shoes. They need blankets, clothes, diapers. They need food. They need water,” Tony Teravainen said.

That fateful Thursday was a cry for help, and to the rescue was Teravainen and his organization.

“We were on the emergency response group, and we’ve had people in the green zone there helping through the weekend,“ Teravainen said.

Teravainen says STEP’s primary mission is to temporarily provide basic needs to service members and, in the long term, to empower them to take control of their finances.

This isn’t the group’s first response to a catastrophe. In July of 2020, after the USS Bonhomme Richard was destroyed by fire, the sailors affected relied on STEP.  

“That was a lot of single sailors. The folks that live on the ship were hardest hit. They lost everything,“ Teravainen said.

That same month, a Marine amphibious assault vehicle sank off the coast of Camp Pendleton killing nine on board.

“Because our care is really that one-on-one based, we’re able to wade through the bigger issues and help people with the specifics,” Teravainen said.

Teravainen says the plane crash in Murphy Canyon is unique in many ways. He says military housing rotates every three years. Families are from all over, so they create community quickly. It is a safe space for the kids to play together, and the service members share a comradery.

The destruction displaced 42 to 50 families.

“The insurance starts, which is a nightmare. The bills start to stack up. You need to start buying things,” Teravainen said.

STEP provides social services and counseling. Teravainen says they will work with some of these families for the next six months or several years.

“Really helping them create a plan for their future. Help them move forward in a way that they feel safe, secure and emotionally stable,” Teravainen said.

Teravainen has his own sad story. He and his family lost their home in the 2007 Witch Creek fire. He wants for these service men and women what he sought after that devasting fire.

“My prayer for them is they can just get a good group around them and work through this in a way that is manageable and peaceful for them,” Teravainen said.

STEP was formed 13 years ago. The CEO says the organization has a 97% success rate with its clients.   

The landslide happened on Congress Street at around 5:30 p.m., according to the San Diego Police Department. SDPD Lt. Zach Pfannenstiel at the scene said debris buried one car and struck one home. Four other homes, part of the same apartment complex, were evacuated as a precaution.

Leo Naab told NBC 7 he was on a call in his bedroom when he heard the rumbling of the cliff collapse behind his home.

“It started to sound like somebody was just dumping rocks, and the dumping rocks was probably this landslide,” resident Leo Naab said.

He ran to gather his roommates. That’s when one of them told him his new car was buried under debris. He thinks the vehicle is totaled, but it may have saved his life.

“I think my car kind of blocked my room from getting crushed,” Naab said. “I was calling my family and basically, I was like, ‘Too bad about the car, but I’m glad it blocked all those rocks.'”

Pfannenstiel said land had eroded in that area before.

“What we believe, it was just a drainage issue, it’s an ongoing issue. This hillside has collapsed before in the same exact fashion and it is believed to be private property,” Pfannenstiel said.

The city of San Diego on Tuesday said its assessors confirmed the landslide occurred on private property. The building did not suffer any structural damage, but it did impact one vehicle, which belonged to Naab.

“It is the private property owners’ responsibility to address the debris pile,” the city said. “Since this situation falls within private property, any assessment of the landslide and its impacts on the area is the private property owners’ responsibility,” the city said.

Checks of city-owned water mains and storm drains would be scheduled a precaution, the city added.

No one was hurt or displaced, according to the police department.