<![CDATA[NBC Southern California - Local]]> Copyright 2013 http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local en-us Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:57:21 -0700 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:57:21 -0700 NBC Owned Television Stations <![CDATA[$100K of Dorner Manhunt Reward Approved]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:16:27 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/karenjimreynolds.jpg

The Los Angeles City Council approved a $100,000 payment Tuesday to four people who helped lead authorities to a former police officer -- the subject of a Southern California manhunt in February that ended with a shootout in the mountains east of Los Angeles.

Full Coverage: Manifesto for Murder

The payments represent the city's portion of the reward offered in the search for ex-Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner.

Dorner, a former LAPD officer and United States Navy Reserve officer, killed four people, including two police officers, during a rampage from Feb. 3 to 12 before he shot himself as police surrounded a Big Bear cabin in which he engaged officers in a shootout.

Reward money totaling $1 million was put up by several city and county agencies and private donors. Last week, the council's Public Safety Committee recommended the council release the $100,000 in reward funds to the four claimants as promised by the city of Los Angeles.

The total reward will be split among three parties, with 80 percent going to James and Karen Reynolds, a couple who were tied up in their Big Bear cabin by Dorner, and the rest will go to ski resort employee Daniel McGowan and tow truck driver Lee McDaniel.

The money will come out of the city's reserve funds.

A panel of three judges decided which parties would receive the reward money based on whether the claimant contacted police with information that helped the investigation and whether that information led to Dorner’s capture. The Reynolds were deemed "instrumental" in locating Dorner.

Dorner left the couple tied up in the cabin Feb. 12, then stole their vehicle. Karen Reynolds was able to retrieve her phone and call authorities to notify them of their attacker.

Dorner was located about 30 minutes later.

As for McGowan, he was driving to work along an unpaved fire road in Big Bear Lake on Feb. 7 when he came across Dorner’s burning truck. That information led law enforecement agents to the mountains east of Los Angeles.

McDaniel spotted Dorner at an AM/PM gas station in Corona early in the morning on Feb. 7.

Dorner killed a newly engaged couple, including the daughter of a former LAPD captain, on Feb. 3 before slaying a Riverside police officer on Feb. 10, and a San Bernardino County Sheriff's detective on Feb. 13.

In a manifesto posted on online, Dorner said his ramapage would end when the LAPD cleared his name after he was fired from the force in 2008. He was accused of falsely accusing a fellow officer of kicking a suspect.

]]>
<![CDATA[Fugitive Couple Sought in Toddler Death]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:26:08 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/barretos-wanted-child-death2.jpg

A U.S. Marshals Service task force was going door-to-door in the city of Maywood in southeast L.A. County on Tuesday asking residents for help finding a fugitive couple wanted for the death of their adopted 2-year-old daughter.

Ramon Barreto and his wife, Janet, face multiple charges in Mississippi, including manslaughter of a child, felony child abuse and child endangerment. They have been on the run since 2009 and are believed to be hiding out in the Maywood area.

According to the agency, the Barretos are suspected of adopting children from Guatemala from 2005 to 2006 and subjecting them to physical abuse and malnourishment. The children were allegedly punished with beatings, duct-taped to their beds, punched in the stomach and had their heads submerged under water.

In 2008, the abuse led to the death of their toddler, the agency said.

“Through her alleged crimes, Barreto demonstrated a blatant disregard and lack of respect for life other than her own,” said William D. Snelson of the U.S. Marshals Service in a statement. “Adopting children and bringing them to the United States only to abuse and neglect them is a horrific crime.”

During the search in Maywood, a mobile command post was set up by the U.S. Marshals Service in the 4300 block of Slauson Avenue. An agency spokesman said the Barretos may have tried to earn money by selling DVDs on the street as well as breeding and selling puppies.

The Barretos, who are featured on “America’s Most Wanted” and listed in the U.S. Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted, are also believed to have ties in Mexico, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas.

A reward of up to $25,000 was offered for information leading to their capture.

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: U.S. Marshals Service]]>
<![CDATA[Cyclist Sentenced in Red-Light Crash]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:05:29 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/bicycle+generic.jpg

A bicyclist pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon after he pedaled through a red light and slammed into a pedestrian, according to Santa Monica police.

Rocky Martin was riding his bike June 24, 2012, east on Santa Monica Boulevard at the Third Street Promenade, an outdoor mall with heavy foot traffic, when he flew through a red light and struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk, Santa Monica Police Sgt. Richard Lewis said.

The victim suffered serious injuries, Lewis said.

Martin was sentenced May 31 to three years’ felony probation and 30 days of community services, Lewis said in a statement released Tuesday.

In a city where bikes, skateboards and rollerblades are widely used, Santa Monica police are cracking down on riders who fail to obey the rules of the road, Lewis said.

In April and May, police issued 86 tickets to bicyclists for violations including riding on the sidewalk and failing to yield to traffic signals, he said.

Lewis added that the department plans to “focus on bicycle violations” from July through September.

]]>
<![CDATA[Shootings Prompt Plans to Quell Youth Violence]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:56:00 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/santa-monica-shooting-memorial-flowers.jpg

Santa Monica city and school officials announced a new approach to youth and family violence in the wake of a shooting rampage in which six people died.

The plan, Cradle to Career is a holistic approach to a the violence problem involving city and school and college officials and more than 40 community groups.

"Cradle to Career as a group is looking to solve an entrenched problem that the events of last week are a reminder of," said Jonathan Mooney, a Cradle to Career consultant.

Full Coverage: Rampage in Santa Monica

A 23-year-old gunman killed his father and brother June 7 before fatally shooting three others after a domestic dispute and fire at a Santa Monica home.

The gunman, John Zawahri, was killed by police officers during a gunbattle at the Santa Monica College library.

The shooting occurred the same day President Barack Obama was in Santa Monica for a fundraiser.

Sandra Lyon, superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, called for action from the whole community in the fight against violence and mental illness.

“What we’re talking about is a societal issue, a community issue, and it’s an issue that’s going to take a collective approach to support students in need and families in need,” Lyon said.

In addition to preventing the national issue of gun violence, the initiative aims to remind the public of the need for mental health services and the counseling for people 18 and older.

Cradle to Career aims to "replace the school-to-prison pipeline," Mooney said.

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Ex-USC Prof Among FBI’s Most Wanted]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:05:29 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/228*120/fbi-list-500-member.jpg

A former University of Southern California professor was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list Monday after being indicted on charges of producing child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with minors.

Walter Lee Williams, 64, became the 500th person added to the list since its creation in 1950, the agency announced.

Williams is accused of traveling from Los Angeles to the Philippines in January 2011 to engage in sex acts with two 14-year-old boys and taking sexually explicit pictures of one of them. He allegedly met the two boys online in 2010 and had Internet webcam sessions with them.

Williams was a tenured professor of anthropology, history and gender studies at USC. According to a profile that has since been removed from the USC website, Williams was a founding editor of the International Gay & Lesbian Review and also taught at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1980s.

The FBI said Williams preys upon boys between ages 14 and 17, many of whom live in economically underdeveloped countries.

“Because of his status, he has the means and access to children, and that’s what makes him dangerous,” said FBI Special Agent Jeff Yesensky in a video released by the agency. “He preys on the most vulnerable children.”

Williams was charged in Los Angeles on April 30 with one count of producing child pornography, one count of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to Williams’ arrest.

He is a former Palm Springs resident who has an extensive history of travel through Southeast Asia -- specifically the Philippines -- and may travel to Mexico and Peru, the FBI said. He is also affiliated with the Buddhist Universal Association in Los Angeles.

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: FBI]]>
<![CDATA[Man Mistaken for Dorner in Manhunt Sues]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:27:01 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007166472_722x406_33446467835.jpg

A man who was shot at by police in a case of mistaken identity during a frenzied manhunt for an ex-LAPD officer on a deadly rampage has filed an excessive force lawsuit against the officers involved in the shooting.

David Perdue was on his way to the beach for an early-morning surf session on Feb. 7 before work when police fired at his Honda truck without any warning, according to court documents filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.

Full Coverage: Manifesto For Murder

Police fired at least three bullets at Perdue’s truck before ordering him out and detaining him for an hour. He was shot at even after being cleared by other officers after they were satisfied he was not the man they were looking for, court documents said.

Police encountered Perdue -- who even showed officers the surfboards in his truck -- while searching for ex-officer Christopher Dorner, wanted in a revenge-fueled killing spree.

Perdue, 38, who is white, 38 years old, and under 6-feet tall, was mistaken for Dorner, an African American man, who stood 6 foot 2.

Dorner’s gray Nissan Titan didn’t match Perdue’s black Honda Ridgeline.

“Even though it should have been apparent that David was not a 6’2” 270-pound black man, defendants later claimed they could not actually see who they were shooting at,” the lawsuit said.

Dorner was responsible for a series of shooting attacks from Feb. 3–12 that left four people dead, including two police officers, and left three other police officers wounded.

Dorner fatally shot himself as police surrounded a Big Bear cabin he was hiding out in, officials said.

On the day Perdue was shot at, officers were in the Torrance neighborhood on protection duty for another officer feared under threat by Dorner.

The Perdue shooting was the second case of mistaken identity that morning. Police shot and wounded two women who were in a blue pickup truck delivering newspapers. The city of Los Angeles was ordered to pay the women a $4.2 million settlement in that case.

Perdue, who lives with his wife and two children in Redondo Beach, had a concussion when his airbag was deployed and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, his lawyers said.

Because he has been unable to work, Perdue lost his job and health benefits as a baggage handler for United Airlines.

"He now moves slowly and unsteadily," the lawsuit said. "His speech is altered. He has problems with his memory. He has nightmares."

The two Torrance police officers involved in the shooting, one of whom shot the three rounds, are back at work pending the outcome of an investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, officials said.

Torrance officials would not comment on the mediation session between the city and Perdue, citing a confidentiality agreement.

"The City of Torrance understands the public concern and the severity of the unfortunate incident," said Sgt. Robert Watt, a Torrance Police Department spokesman, in a statement. "We are hopeful that a resolution can be reached soon."

Perdue filed the lawsuit after failing to reach a settlement with the city of Torrance, his attorney said.

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Bieber Cleared in Ferrari Collision With Paparazzo]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:49:44 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/AP493329024648.jpg

A preliminary investigation clears Justin Bieber of any wrongdoing after a paparazzo was side-swiped by the pop star's white Ferrari Monday night outside a Hollywood comedy club, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Bieber was in his white Ferrari 458 Italia when he was pulling away from the Laugh Factory surrounded by a crowd of photographers in the 8000 block of Sunset Boulevard. Video shows Bieber leaving the scene after side-swiping the photographer in the street, but a preliminary investigation indicates the entertainer did not do anything wrong, according to police.

After the wail of the Ferrari's 550-plus horsepower V8 trails off into the distance, the video posted by PopCandies TV shows other paparazzi carrying the photographer to the sidewalk before an ambulance arrives. Details regarding the photographer's injuries were not immediately available.

A police spokesperson told E! News the case was being investigated as a traffic collision, not a hit and run.

"LAPD can confirm we are investigating a traffic collision that occurred around 11:45 p.m.," the spokesperson told E! News. "Officers did interview all parties involved and determined there was no hit-and-run. It appears the pedestrian in the roadway was a major factor in the collision."

Bieber, 19, and the Ferrari have been the subjects of previous complaints. He is under investigation for reckless driving after neighbors complained last month he was driving at high speeds through a Calabasas residential area.

More Southern California Stories:

 



Photo Credit: AP]]>
<![CDATA[Driver Killed in Fiery Hollywood Crash]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:16:52 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/fire-crash-hollywood-june18.jpg

One person was killed in a fiery crash in Hollywood on Tuesday.

The driver lost control and slammed into a tree at 5 a.m. on Highland Avenue, south of and Melrose Avenue.

The car exploded into flames. Residents in the area tried to put out the flames using hoses before firefighters arrived.

The driver died at the scene.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.


View Larger Map

More Southern California Stories:

 



Photo Credit: LLN]]>
<![CDATA[Plastic Bag Ban Passes LA City Council]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:16:08 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/plastic-bag-shopping-la.jpg

Los Angeles moved one step closer Tuesday to becoming the latest California city to ban single-use plastic bags.

The City Council voted 11-1 to tentatively approve a plan to phase out single-use plastic bags that includes a 10-cent charge for paper bags and regulations regarding the types of permitted reusable bags.

Plastic Bag Ordinance: Final Environmental Impact Report

The plan would prohibit stores that sell perishable food from handing out plastic grocery bags. Stores would be required to charge customers 10 cents for using a recyclable paper bag.

Another vote to finalize the ban could happen as early as next week.

The county of Los Angeles and some cities in California, such as San Francisco and Santa Monica, already have plastic bag bans. A 2010 state Assembly bill that would have banned plastic bags and created standards for reusable bags, but the that legislation was defeated in the Senate.

The ban would go into effect Jan. 1 for large stores that make more than $2 million per year or occupy retail space measuring more than 10,000 square feet. For smaller stores, the ban would go into effect July 1, 2014.

Supporters say the ban will keep the plastic bags off beaches and out of storm drains. Ban opponents say it will lead to job losses. 

The city's environmental impact report states that an estimated 2 billion single-use plastic bags are used in Los Angeles each year, and that most become litter or collect in landfills.

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[911 Caller Sentenced to Jail For Deadly Lie]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:16:19 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007201772_722x406_33939523537.jpg

A man who admitted to lying to a 911 dispatcher that he was robbed at gunpoint, leading responding police to fatally shoot an unarmed man in Pasadena, Calif., took a plea deal for three months in jail, authorities said.

Oscar Carillo called police after his backpack was snatched from him near a taco truck on the street. He wanted police to respond quickly, so he called 911 and lied that the thief had pulled a gun on him.

Responding officers shot and killed unarmed 19-year-old Kendrec McDade, believing he had a gun.

Carillo, an immigrant from Mexico who faces the possibility of deportation upon his release, said he didn't feel as though it was his fault.

"I don't feel guilty about anything," Carillo said. "Only God knows, I don't do anything. I feel sorry. Nobody deserves to die."

Pasadena City Attorney Michelle Bagneris said Carillo's case should serve as an example for people who report false information to police.

"There are serious, potentially serious consequences when people make false reports," she said. "It's a threat to public safety, a drain to public resources."

The McDade family lawyer said prosecutors should have filed more serious, felony charges and tried to put Carillo away for longer.

"The recent slap on the wrist of Mr. Carrillo serves as yet another disappointment to the McDade family following the failure of the District Attorney's office to charge him with a felony."

Carillo might not be deported immediately, as he is named as a defendant in a lawsuit that McDade's family has filed against the city.

Carillo said the case has weighed on him heavily.

"Sometimes I feel sad," Carillo said. "But then I look at my kids. I feel better."

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Police Cite, Tow Vehicles in LAX Parking Lot]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:28:28 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/LAXweb.jpg

Parking at LAX in long-term parking lot C costs $12 a day, but most travelers don't consider a potentially costly additional expense: their cars can potentially be towed or cited.

Tickets in that lot aren't rare - in 2012 and the first three months of this year, police issued 940 citations in the parking lot.

About 51 percent of the tickets were for expired registration. Improperly attached tags accounted for 39 percent of the tickets and another 7 percent were for improper license plate display.

Police towed 108 vehicles, 84 percent of them for expired registration.

Olivia Duke, an Angeleno who went on an extended trip to visit a sick relative, ended up leaving her car there for a month and a half.

Soon after she parked, she received a $50 ticket for having expired tags. Because she didn't pay the ticket within 21 days - despite the fact that she was gone and had no idea she received a ticket - the fine increased to $135.

Add that to her $550 in parking fees.

"I was truly devastated," Duke said. "Had I known what I know now, I would never park at LAX city parking structures anymore."

There are no posted signs at the parking lot notifying travelers that they could be subject to citations. LAX Police Chief Patrick Gannon told NBC4 he would consider posting signs.

]]>
<![CDATA[Home Building, Foreclosure Filings Rise]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:41:51 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/180*120/HOME+CONSTRUCTION.jpg

A new national survey says homebuilders are feeling optimistic about sales, and in parts of the Inland Empire, like Corona, new home construction is booming.

But the construction comes as foreclosure filings took a noticeable jump over the past several weeks, putting Riverside and San Bernardino counties in the top 15 highest foreclosure rates in the state.

“We’re super, super busy right now.” says Duane Koerner of Twin Oaks Landscaping.
While the survey by the National Association of Home Builders was encouraging, several bleak years for the industry have caused some to abandon it. And that's led to new problems.

Koerner says there’s so much construction work, he’s having trouble finding enough qualified workers.

“A lot of the guys disappeared out of the business because the economy was so bad. Now it's booming and we’re screaming for guys,” he said.

For the past several months, the Inland Empire real estate market has been steadily improving. Home prices have gone up along with home sales. Brokers say that should help existing homeowners who are upside down.

But according to the foreclosure company, RealtyTrac, foreclosure filings in Riverside county actually went up 13 percent in May from April and 9 percent in San Bernardino county.

“What you have is a legacy of still a large number of homes that are underwater where they haven’t been paying and I think the financial institutions are starting to take action, “says John Husing.

Husing is an economist in the Inland Empire. He says in January there was a noticeable lull in foreclosure filings, which could be why foreclosures are now climbing.

“And they’re now in the process of catching up,” says Husing.

Husing says investors are buying up most of the foreclosures, so if you’re looking for a home, try a new one.

“You’re gonna get a great deal that’s for sure right now,” says Koerner.

]]>
<![CDATA["Volatile" Fire Season Predicted]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:57:25 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007200783_722x406_33920067535.jpg

Fire officials are warning that it is going to be a long and intense fire season throughout California.

Matt Collins is a Cal Fire Firefighter and of all the year he could have become a firefighter, he had to pick this one. "It's a little scary.”

He joined Cal Fire only three weeks ago, and while it may be impossible to predict the number and size of this year’s fires, every Southern California firefighting agency agrees on one thing: this year looks bad.

Chief Steve Early of Riverside said it’s “One of the most significant fire seasons that we've faced in many, many years."

Cal Fire reports that between the Powerhouse, Springs, Summit, Hathaway, and other fires, about 50,000 acres have burned this year in the state. That’s five times more than an average year at this time.

Chief Daryl Osby of the LA County said it’s "Probably the most volatile fire season that's projected based on our 100-year history."

The biggest problem is a lack of moisture. The brush that isn’t dead will burn almost as easily as the brush that is.

Chief Ken Pimlott, the Cal Fire director, said, "Fuel conditions are unprecedented in recent history."

The chiefs predict fire fuel will be its driest in July, two months ahead of schedule. While that is out of our control, the chiefs remind us that nearly 95% of fires are started by us.

Chief Pimlott said, “Bottom line, its people that start fires, which means 94% of fires can be prevented."

"We need your help, be alert out there”, said Chief Early.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
<![CDATA[New Weight Loss Drug Available]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:17:08 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/Pills8.jpg

Scott Cameron Brown has been fit most of his life.  But then he fell into a rut, and gained a lot of weight.

“I was travelling overseas a lot, and living on airplane food, and out of hotels and found myself in a position where I became very sedentary and started gaining weight,” Brown said, “and I found myself 40 pounds heavier.”

He also developed health problem, like high blood pressure.

“When I gained all the weight.  it became very high.  And that’s something that became dangerous. So we had to take action,” he said.

This year, he finally decided that he wanted to lose the weight for good.  So he went to consult an endocrinologist, Dr. Eva Cwynar.

They worked out a diet and exercise plan and used a new tool that recently became available  --  the first weight loss drug approved by the FDA in 13 years -- called Qsymia.    Its main active ingredient, Topiramate, has been used to treat migraines for decades.

“Topiramate controls a portion of the brain that’s responsible for a feeling fullness,” Dr. Cwynar said, “It makes the stomach feel like it’s got enough food in there.”

To counter the potential sedating effects of Topiramate, the drug makers combined it with a very low dose of the stimulant Phenteramine.

“Normal Phenteramine on the market is 37 milligram, this has a 3 milligram as a starter dose. So it’s a fraction of what’s out there, and it doesn’t have the agitation, or the cardiac effects,” Dr. Cwynar said, “I have had one patient who said it made her feel spacey, and she had a high powered job, so she stopped it.”  

“The majority of patients that I put on this drug have absolutely no side effects.”  

Brown says he has felt no side effects from the drug at all.

He has lost 40 pounds in 4 months.  

“I feel rejuvenated, and I’m off in a whole new direction,” he said, “I’m excited for the new direction of life.”

Pregnant women should not take Qsymia, as it can cause birth defects.  Moderately overweight people may need a higher dose than those are seriously obese.  Every person’s plan and dosage will be different.  Consult your doctor for what’s best for you.

 

]]>
<![CDATA["Thank God I'm Alive": Crash Survivor]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:19:16 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/14fwy.jpg

A wrong-way driver struck eight cars on the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, injuring several people, three critically.

It was rush hour, 4:35 p.m., when a driver went speeding south on the northbound 14 Freeway, near Escondido Canyon Road. He hit eight cars and narrowly missed a pair of California Highway Patrol officers who were standing on the shoulder investigating a previous crash. 

Maryanne Looram, who was in one of the cars struck by the wrong-way driver, said she believes it's a miracle she survived.

"Here comes this big white boxcar going really fast and it hit me head on," she said. "I tried to get away, but there was no place to get away to. ... I just thank God that I'm alive."

Looram said an officer pulled her from her mangled Honda. She suffered a broken ankle and multiple bruises but will recover.

Another victim was also taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. The suspect was airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital.

The chain reaction collisions tied up traffic for hours, but drivers were unusually patient.

Barbara Scott, a driver stuck in traffic, said she didn't mind waiting one bit.

"I just thank god I wasn't there 5 minutes earlier," she said. "I'm just very thankful. I wouldn't care if I had to wait until tomorrow to move."

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[OC to Get More Drinking Water From Waste]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:22:22 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/toilettap.jpg

A so-called "toilet to tap" system that takes human wastewater and turns it into drinkable water is undergoing a $150 million expansion, keeping Orange County home to the world’s largest water purification system for potable reuse.

The Orange County Water District’s Groundwater Replenishment System began operations in 2008 and has since supplied more than 112 billion gallons of purified water, according to the system’s website.

The concept of turning water from sewage systems into pure drinking-quality water has long been controversial in Southern California -- and elsewhere that the "toilet to tap" label has been applied to reclamation projects.

In Orange County, water officials say their reclaimed product, which would have been dumped into the Pacific Ocean if not for the plant, is near-distilled quality.

Proponents of reclaimed water strongly dislike the phrase "toilet to tap," arguing the water goes through many stages of filtration from start to finish.

The system -- which cost $481 million to build -- purifies wastewater using a three-step process of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide, according to the website.

After the water is filtered, it provides 20 percent of the total water supply to the district’s 19 municipal water agencies and 2.4 million residents.

Despite the large output, the replenishment system uses less than one-third of the energy needed to desalinate ocean water, and less than half the energy needed to import water from Northern California.

The mega-million-dollar expansion will increase the water output from 70 million gallons per day to 100 million gallons per day, said Shawn Dewane, president of Orange County Water District.

The district estimates construction will be complete by 2015.
 

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: Flickr credits: Titanas / Joe Shlabotnik ]]>
<![CDATA[2 in Custody After SWAT Standoff]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:38:06 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/lapd-pursuit-crash-15.jpg

Armored SWAT trucks surrounded a car involved in a brief pursuit that led to a crash and standoff Monday at a South Los Angeles intersection.

The surface street pursuit began after a report of a stolen Pontiac sedan that crashed into a van at 60th Street and Holmes Avenue (map), east of the 110 Freeway.

Details regarding injuries were not immediately available, but one person in the van was hospitalized. Two people in the Pontiac were taken into custody after a standoff that lasted more than one hour and prompted a response involving four Los Angeles Police Department armored vehicles.

After deploying a flashbang stun device, officers pulled a passenger from the Pontiac. About 20 minutes later, the driver also was removed from the vehicle.

The driver and passenger were being treated for injuries, according to police. A woman who identified herself as the driver's girlfriend told NBC4 that he took her car after the two were involved in a dispute.

Three armored Los Angeles Police Department SWAT trucks were positioned near the car during the standoff. A fourth armored police vehicle was positioned behind a fence.

Several air bags deployed in the crash, and the car sustained significant damage on the driver's side. Aerial video showed debris from the crash scattered in the intersection.

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Cows Crush, Kill Worker at Ontario Dairy]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:49:31 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/dairycows1.jpg

A 28-year-old Riverside man died after being crushed between a gate and cows while working at a dairy farm in Ontario, officials said.

Winston Perez was crushed before dawn Saturday at the Dick Dykstra Dairy on Schaefer Avenue in Ontario, while moving cows into a paddock, officials said.

He was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where he died from "severe internal injuries" after undergoing surgery.

"He died in the Intensive Care Unit at 4:36 p.m. with his family around him," the statement from the San Bernardino County Coroner read.

A message left with the dairy was not immediately returned.

Officials with the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they'd launch an investigation into the death, said Peter Melton, a department spokesman.

There were no records of any violations against the company, according to Cal/OSHA data, which dates back to 1972.

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]]>
<![CDATA[2 Dead After Police Pursuit in Long Beach]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:37:07 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/01-motovsvan.jpg

A woman in her 60s died on Monday when the minivan she was in was hit broadside by a motorcycle rider that was being pursued by police, officials said.

The motorcyclist, a 23-year-old man from Lakewood who also died, collided with the minivan at 6:10 a.m. at East Wardlow Road and Norwalk Boulevard, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened after officers backed off their pursuit, said CHP Sgt. Joe Zizi.

"I'm just upset," said gas station owner Ohannes Chamian, who saw the crash and called 911.

A stretch of the road was closed while authorities investigated the crash.
 


View Larger Map

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Teacher Arrested in Ex-Wife's Stabbing Death]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:35:40 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/kane-west-hills-stabbing.jpg

A Los Angeles Unified School District teacher was arrested overnight in connection with his estranged wife's stabbing death, which occurred one day after she filed a police report indicating he had violated  a domestic violence restraining order.

The suspect, Michael Rodney Kane, 46, a teacher at Nestle Avenue Charter Elementary School in Tarzana, was arrested shortly after midnight at a motel in Yucca Valley (map), according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His wife, Michelle Kane, 43, died at the scene of the stabbing outside of her friend's home in West Hills on Saturday morning.

Kane was booked into jail in Van Nuys after officers took him into custody "without incident." San Benardino County Sheriff's deputies located his vehicle, and Kane was taken into custody at the Desert View Motel in Yucca Valley -- about 160 miles east of the San Fernando Valley community of West Hills.

"No one was answering, so they kicked the door down," said LAPD Lt. Warren Jones.

Bond was set at $1 million.

Police issued several calls during the weekend for Kane to surrender. He and Michelle Kane had been married for 10 years and had two young children, who were with her when she went to stay with a friend Friday in West Hills.

The stabbing occurred the next morning in the 7100 block of Deveron Ridge Road in West Hills. The violence spilled into the street, where neighbors witnessed the attack at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

The pair had a history of domestic violence and was in the process of getting a divorce. Michelle Kane filed a police report on Friday reporting that Michael Kane had violated his restraining order, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Attorneys representing Michelle Kane released a statement Monday: "We advised Ms. Kane to take all necessary precautions available to her with regard to the restraining order we were able to obtain on her behalf, which she took. In fact, she went to the police station Friday, twice, and later called again to seek assistance from what she considered an imminent threat to her life and the lives of her children."

The temporary restraining order was filed April 24.

Kane has had his multiple-subject teaching credential since 1998, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Correction: An earlier version of this article indicated the victim filed a restraining order Friday. The police report indicating a violation of the restraining order was filed Friday.

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[OC Deputy Hospitalized After Patrol Car Crash]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:44:10 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/oc-sheriff-deputy-crash-55.jpg

An Orange County Sheriff's Department deputy was ejeced from his patrol vehicle and hospitalized Monday morning after he crashed into a light pole in Mission Viejo.

The deputy crashed into the light pole on Marguerite Parkway near Vista Del Lago (map). The solo-vehicle crash occurred at about 3 a.m.

The deputy suffered head injuries, according to the sheriff's department. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

His condition was critical, but stable, Monday afternoon.

"He was responsive when I spoke to him," said Capt. Jim Rudy, of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Details regarding the crash were not immediately available. The deputy, identified as a 13-year veteran of the department, was southbound on Marguerite Parkway before the collision.

An crash reconstruction team was at the site Monday morning. Marguerite Parkway near Vista Del Lago Park is closed during the investigation.

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Boy on Bike Fatally Struck by Car]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:16:06 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/BikefatalWEB.jpg

A 12-year-old boy on a bicycle was fatally struck by a car in Camarillo on Sunday afternoon.

The collision occurred about 5:10 p.m. in the intersection of Edgemont and Carmen drives. The driver of the vehicle stopped and is cooperating with police, Ventura County authorities said.

The boy was taken to Los Robles Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Police were investigating the cause of the crash. They said the boy was not wearing a helmet.

]]>
<![CDATA[Santa Monica Residents Call for Peace]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:52:05 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/PeaceThumb.jpg

After back-to-back, deadly shootings in Santa Monica, community members have taken to the streets to call for peace.

More than 100 people walked through the streets of Santa Monica on Sunday. In the evening, they lit candles and prayed. Many cried as names of victims were read.

On June 7, John Zawahri, a 23-year-old who suffered from mental illness, went on a shooting rampage through Santa Monica with a semiautomatic assault rifle. He killed his father and brother, and three other people apparently at random, before police fatally shot him in the Santa Monica College library.

Just days later, on June 11, two men were shot less than a mile from the college. One died. That incident was believed to be gang-related and was not linked to the earlier rampage.

Two other shootings were also reported in the area.

A town hall meeting to address violence in the community was planned for Thursday.

]]>
<![CDATA[Scammers Target LADWP Ratepayers]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:42:29 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/ladwp2.jpg

Scammers posing as employees of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have been calling Angelenos demanding money, telling the customers they have an unpaid account balance.

That unpaid balance, of course, is "bogus," according to the LADWP.

The fraudsters have urged DWP customers to go to a nearby pharmacy and call a specific number to give up sensitive financial information, or pay their bill with a pre-paid cash card.

The DWP doesn't handle unpaid bills that way.

It was unclear whether any of the attempts were successful or how prevalent the issue has become.

"Distraction telephone calls are an important issue for us, but the good news is this form of victimization is easily preventable," said Patrick Findley, director of LADWP Security Services Division, in a prepared statement. "The more our customers know about it, the less likely it is to happen, so help us spread the word among your family, friends and neighbors."

To report suspicious activity to the Department, call LADWP Security Services at (213) 367-3373 or (213) 367-9111, or email SecurityServicesWebNotification@ladwp.com, or visit www.ladwp.com and click Security Issue under Contact Us.



Photo Credit: AP Photo/Nick Ut]]>
<![CDATA[Family Dog Disappears from Groomer's]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:14:47 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/MissingDogWEB.jpg

A Riverside County family whose dog disappeared after they dropped him off at a Norco grooming company, has alerted authorities and started a social media campaign to find their missing pet.

Andrea and Anthony Baerga said they dropped off two dogs - Bodie and QTip - at the Doggy Paws grooming business on Thursday. When the Baergas returned to pick them up, the groomer only had QTip and couldn't find Bodie.

The family started up a Facebook page for the dog that had about 100 friends Sunday night.

A Riverside County sheriff's spokesman confirmed the incident had been reported, but told NBC4 the incident was being treated as a civil matter, not a criminal one.

Anyone with information about the dog can call Anthony Baerga at 909-519-0235.

]]>
<![CDATA[Port Research Center to Be Named]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:40:20 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/city-dock-port-la-1.jpg

Officials plan to unveil more details and a name Monday for a new urban marine research center planned for a 100-year-old Port of Los Angeles pier.

More details regarding a "major funding commitment" for the project also are expected at the mid-day Monday news conference.

The 28-acre site is located at City Dock No. 1, south of the Ports O' Call Village marketplace in San Pedro. The project -- Phase 1 is scheduled for completion in 2018 -- will feature marine research and education facilities, lecture halls, an interpretive center and a seawater wave tank, allowing researchers to study tsunamis.

Berths will be provided for research vessels as part of a project expected to cost $500 million, according to Port of LA officials. The entire project is expected to be complete within 20 years.

The Southern California Marine Institute is expected to be one of the first tenants at the dock when its operations are moved to a converted warehouse. SCMI is currently housed at the port's Terminal Island.

Other tenants will include university and government agencies and researchers.

Click the image at right for a look at the project area.

At Monday's news conference at the port's Berth 58, part of the planned research complex, officials plan to unveil the name and the nonprofit fund organization.

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Slow, Steady Progress in Hathaway Fire Fight]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:13:18 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/banning+brusher.jpg

A brush fire that is expected to burn through most of June was 63 percent contained Sunday after scorching nearly 6 square miles in a remote wilderness area north of Banning.

Read: Wildfire Season Could Get Worse

The Hathaway fire started June 9 on the northern portion of the Morongo Indian Reservation. The fire spread into the San Bernardino Forest, but no structures have burned as crews continue the fire fight with helicopters, air tankers and other equipment.

Crews used an airplane with infrared camera equipment overnight to map acreage and hot spots.

Fire officials do not expect full containment until June 25. The fire burned north through reservation property and into the steep, rugged terrain of the San Gorgonio Wilderness area (map) -- land with many dead trees after years of drought and bark beetle infestation.

Nine firefighters have suffered minor injuries during the fire.

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Indoor Pot Farm Nets 2 Arrests, 1,000 Plants]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:47:37 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/marijuana-grow-june16-4.jpg

A month-long investigation into an indoor marijuana growing operation led to the arrest of two people and the discovery of 1,000 marijuana plants.

Anonymous tips led investigators to the warehouse in the 2200 block of Stathan Boulevard (map) in Oxnard. A search warrant was served Friday morning, leading to the arrest of a man and woman.

Brandyn Cowgill was booked on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, and conspiracy. Julia Danilkevich was booked on suspicion of cultivating marijuana and conspiracy.

They are accused in a grow operation that used about $150,000 worth of hydroponic growing equipment inside the Oxnard warehouse. Investigators serving the search warrant also found ultraviolet lights, water pumps, air filters, plants and 20 pounds of dried marijuana estimated to be worth more than $3.5 million, according to Oxnard police.

Cowgill and Danilkevich were at the warehouse when the warrants were served.

They were booked into Ventura County Jail. Bond for both suspects was set at $250,000.

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Prop 8 Backer: Dangerous to "Start Tinkering" With Marriage]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:27:21 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/eastman-chapman-prop8.jpg John Eastman, of Chapman University, talks about why he believes the Supreme Court will uphold Prop 8. Eastman spoke with NBC4's Ted Chen on Today in LA Sunday June 16, 2013.]]> <![CDATA[Body Found After Auto Repair Shop Fire]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:39:02 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007189251_722x406_33705539901.jpg

A man found dead early Sunday after an automotive repair shop fire in South Los Angeles had been residing in a converted living space inside the densely packed business, which did not have smoke alarms or a spinkler system.

Firefighters discovered the body in a building at 80th and San Pedro streets (map), where crews responded at about 1:40 a.m. Fire officials said the victim was residing in a makeshift living space within the 900-square foot building.

Those in the community mourned victim, a man they knew as "Victor," who was a fixture in the neighborhood.

Lillie Jordan, a friend of Victor's, said she smelled gas near his home soon before the blaze. She asked him about it, and he just told her not to worry, she told NBC4.

Omar Arias, 13, called 911 after smelling smoke.

"We heard a guy yelling "help" in Spanish," Arias said.

The makeshift living space did not have smoke detectors or sprinklers inside and was locked with a double-cylinder deadbolt lock, which isn't permitted in residential homes, according to the LAFD.

About 30 firefighters knocked down the fire in 13 minutes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A passerby reported the fire at 8002 South San Pedro St. Firefighters forced their way through metal security doors and thick faced floor-to-ceiling smoke.

The body was found just inside the doorway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The front security door was equipped with a double-cylinder deadbolt, which requires a key to enter or exit the building.

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Officer-Involved Shooting Reported in Westlake Village]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:41:05 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/police-line-generic722.jpg

A Ventura County sheriff's deputy shot and wounded a suspect in Westlake Village on Saturday night, authorties said.

The deputy fired at a suspect in a vehicle near the intersection of Agoura and Lakeview Canyon roads. (map) The suspect was taken to the Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center. His or her condition was not released.

No deputies were injured.

Authorities did not say what led up to the shooting, saying the incident was under inevstigation.


View Larger Map



Photo Credit: NBC ]]>
<![CDATA[Train Strikes, Kills Teen]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:18:50 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/Police_Generic_Police_Tape_Police_Lights_Fishtown.jpg

A Metrolink train struck and killed a teenager Saturday afternoon in Fontana, authorities said.

The collision occurred about 5:15 p.m. near the intersection of Beech Avenue and Ceres Street (map). The Los Angeles-bound train was delayed for nearly four hours after the collision.

The teen's identity was not released and the cause of the crash was under investigation.


View Larger Map ]]>
<![CDATA[Four Injured in Small-Plane Crash]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:44:55 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/crime+tape+generic+edit.jpg

A small aircraft crashed outside of Needles, Calif. on Saturday afternoon, injuring four people, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 5:40 p.m. in the Dead Mountain Wilderness area north of Needles, about 2 miles west of Avi Casino. The plane was a Cessna 175 fixed-wing aircraft, according to Federal Aviation Administration officials.

It was unclear where the plane originated, but it was headed to Bullhead City, Nev. The four injured people were hospitalized with unknown injuries.

Refresh this page for updates.

]]>
<![CDATA[Wounded SoCal Marine Becomes Underwear Model]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:45:29 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/240*120/marine-underwear-model.jpg

U.S. Marine Alex Minsky of Venice Beach was caught in a downward spiral.

He lost his leg and nearly died in Afghanistan three years ago, when he and his fellow Marines fell victim to a roadside bomb. After recovering from a coma and learning to use his new prosthetic leg, the Purple Heart recipient fell into depression and started drinking.

Then his younger brother died unexpectedly. His drinking and depression got worse.

He challenged himself to abstain from drinking for one day. That happened to be the day he was discovered by a photographer.

Minsky, now 24, has since been posing for photos, showing off his tattoos, muscles and his war injuries.

"Just because I don't have a leg doesn't mean it's going to slow me down," Minsky said. "I want people to look at me and not give up. Not quit."

More Southern California Stories:

]]>
<![CDATA[Police Seek Teacher in Wife's Deadly Stabbing]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:33:21 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007189249_722x406_33703491826.jpg

Police were seeking a Los Angeles elementary school teacher accused of stabbing his wife to death in the street after she obtained a domestic violence restraining order against him.

The suspect, Michael Rodney Kane, 46, a teacher at Nestle Avenue Charter Elementary School in Tarzana, remained at large on Sunday night. His wife, Michelle Kane, 43, died at the scene of the stabbing outside of her friend's home in West Hills on Saturday morning.

Kane was still listed on the elementary school's staff directory. He has had his multiple-subject teaching credential since 1998, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

He and Michelle Kane had been married for 10 years and had two young children, who were inside the home where the attack began before it spilled out onto the street.

"We're asking for Mr. Kane to turn himself in and bring this tragedy to closure,"  Los Angeles police Capt. Joel Justice said at a news conference Saturday.

The pair had a history of domestic violence and was in the process of getting a divorce. Michelle Kane filed a police report on Friday reporting that Michael Kane had violated his restraining order, Justice said.

She and her children then went to stay with a friend in West Hills.

The stabbing happened the next morning - about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday in the 7100 block of Deveron Ridge Road. 

Witness Roy Bernard described the violence, saying a neighbor fought with another man.

"They wrestled around for a while. The owner of the house got a nice wound on his wrist," Bernard said. "The woman took off running. The (other man) catches (the woman) and finishes killing her in the middle of the street."

When Bernard went out to the street she appeared to be dead, he said.

"She had very deep wounds in her abdomen and back," Bernard said.

Less than a mile away, at the apartment complex where Michael Kane has lived for the last few months, neighbors reportedly found blood near his apartment door. Police taped off the area as a crime scene.

Tim Liedel, a neighbor of Michael Kane's, said he and other neighbors heard or saw Kane screaming at the top of his lungs recently.

Police believe Michael Kane may be driving a 1999 Chrysler 300M, silver-gray or mint-green in color, with California license plate No. 4HGP487.

]]>
<![CDATA[Hero Deputy Rescues Family from Apartment Fire]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:06:55 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007185019_722x406_33655875578.jpg

A sheriff's deputy rescued five people from a raging apartment fire in Victorville before firefighters arrived, rushing into the inferno and grabbing a trapped young girl in a "bear hug" and carrying her to safety.

San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Arturo Ramirez was one of the first people to the fire, which began just after 2 a.m. on Saturday. Already, 10 apartment units and six cars were engulfed in flames.

Ramirez soon learned several people were still trapped inside.

"I ran upstairs, couldn't see anything because of the smoke," he said. He caught sight of feet beneath the smoke in the corner of one unit. "I just took a deep breath and ran in there."

He felt around and was able to grab two women by the arms - each was holding a child.

"I told them 'I'm here to get you out,'" Ramirez said. "Luckily, we made it out safely."

Once outside, the rescued women told Ramirez there was another, 11-year-old girl still inside.

Ramirez said he was still catching his breath and trying to come up with a plan to re-enter the blazing building. He looked up again - and what he saw caused him to drop his plans and run back in.

"I saw these two tiny little hands pounding on the living room window," he said. "So I just took a deep breath, entered the apartment, and just bear hugged her, she bear hugged me back, and we just ran downstairs. I'm just thankful that everything's OK and she's alive."

Nevaeh Nemes, the rescued girl, recalled the rescue.

"Right when I said help, the police officer ran upstairs really fast and grabbed me," she said.

The blaze at 14243 Rodeo Drive was believed to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring, officials said. It caused an estimated $500,000 in damage and took about an hour for firefighters to put out.

But no one died, thanks to Ramirez.

]]>
<![CDATA[$2.6M Judgment in Brian Banks False Rape Case]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:55:27 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/brianbankssigns.jpg

A woman whose false claim of rape sent former prep football star Brian Banks to prison was ordered to pay a $2.6 million judgment in connection with the case.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday ordered Wanetta Gibson to pay a $1.5 million, plus an additional $1.1 million in fees, including for making a false claim and court-related costs, the Long Beach Press Telegram reported.

Gibson was a former high-school acquaintance of Banks in 2002 when she accused him of raping her at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, according to the California Innocence Project, an organization that helped exonerate Banks.

Gibson sued the Long Beach Unified School District claiming the school was not safe and won a $1.5 million settlement.

Gibson ultimately admitted she made up the story and a judge reversed Banks' conviction on May 24, 2012.

Banks signed this year to play with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

More Southern California Stories:

 



Photo Credit: AP]]>
<![CDATA[$15K Reward in "Luger" Bank Bandit Heists]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:56:16 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/lugerbandit.jpg

A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to a man police dubbed the "Luger" Bandit, wanted in at least four bank robberies across Southern California.

The robber got his name because he has held a gun resembling the German pistol during his heists.

The bandit has targeted banks in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties since the beginning of the year.

Wells Fargo and Bank of America are offering a combined reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robber.

He was described as a white or Hispanic, between 30 and 40 years old, between 5 foot 8 and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 200 pounds.

During his heists, he orders employees and customers to the ground, brandishes a weapon, and demands cash.

His weapon has been described as silver in color and resembling a German Luger-style gun, the FBI said in a press release.

He has been seen in a sporty charcoal gray BMW 3-series car.

He can be seen in bank surveillance photos wearing pullover sweatshirts with hoods and jeans, as well as a facemask, sunglasses, and black gloves.

He also carries a black bag with a strap.

He's believed to have targeted banks in Granada Hills, Fontana, San Dimas, Mira Loma and Corona.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI or dial 911. In Los Angeles, the FBI can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-888-CANT-HIDE (888-226-8443).

More Southern California Stories:

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Courthouse Layoffs, Closures Lead to Delays]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:12:59 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007181524_722x406_33626691559.jpg

The Los Angeles Superior Court system laid off 177 employees on Friday due to a budget shortfall, officials said.

This and other cuts have led to confusion and delays as remaining staff members struggle to adapt to the changes and increased burden, attorneys and courthouse visitors said.

Employees with the least seniority received pink slips, including court reporters and clerical staff.

Six courthouses have had their doors closed, including Malibu, West LA, San Pedro, Huntington Park, Whittier and Pomona (North).

In the end, about 540 court employees will be out of jobs.

"All of the government employees, we're stretched thin," said Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Lisa Tanner. "It's especially frustrating for victims who just want their day in court."

]]>
<![CDATA[Admitted Hitman Confesses to Slayings]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:29:36 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/180*120/Martinez+for+web00000001.jpg

The killing in rural Alabama was apparently intended to avenge an insult to a woman. The suspected killer, an out-of-towner from California, initially professed his innocence.

But then he told investigators a jaw-dropping story.

Jose Manuel Martinez confessed not only to the Alabama homicide, but dozens more - 10 of them in California. He described himself as a drug cartel hitman.

"I'm the guy that comes and pays you a visit when you don't pay," the roughly 50-year-old suspect told one of the investigators who interviewed him in Lawrence County, which is north of Birmingham.

Martinez had made his home in California's Tulare County. The Tulare County Sheriff has sent detectives to Alabama to check out possible links to five unsolved homicides, according to Tulare Sgt. Chris Douglass.

The deadly shooting of a man named Jose Ruiz last March cast authorities' attention on two men, one of whom was Martinez, said Lawrence County Capt. Tim McWhorter. Martinez was in Alabama visiting his daughter.

But before authorities had enough of a case to arrest Martinez, he left the state, and traveled to Mexico. Last month, Lawrence County obtained a fugitive warrant and posted it in the national NCIC database.

McWhorter said the timing was fortunate - less than an hour after the warrant was posted, Martinez attempted to return to the United States and was arrested at the Yuma, Arizona border.

He was extradited to Alabama on June 3.

The second interview began much like the first, McWhorter said, with Martinez initially denying any involvement in the Ruiz homicide.

Then, about an hour in, McWhorter recalled, Martinez paused, looked at him, and thanked him for being respectful, before declaring: "I'm going to tell you the truth."

Martinez confessed to the Ruiz killing. But he was not done. He went on to confess to killing 30 men, McWhorter said. Of those, detectives so far have been able to identify 13 cases to be followed up.

Is Martinez credible?

Fabricted sensational confessions are not unheard of.  But in this case: "He's got specific information about the cases that no one would have unless they were involved in it," McWhorter said.

Meantime, authorities in Marion County, Florida contacted the Lawrence County Sheriff's department. Following up on a 2006 double homicide in the Ocala National Forest, detectives ran evidence that had not previously been analyzed for DNA. The result implicated Martinez, the Marion Sheriff's office said Wednesday.

Tulare county investigators have arleady questioned Martinez. Sgt. Douglass said the department may have more to say on Monday, and for now is declining to share specifics on the cases her department is pursuing.

"I do know he has confessed to crimes in their jurisdiction." said McWhorter, the Lawrence County Captain.

Martinez spoke at length about his role as a cartel enforcer, according to McWhorter. "He said he basically followed instructions. If it was to collect the money, he did that. If it was to collect the money and kill the person, he did that too."

But it's clear not all the killings in which he's implicated were motivated by drug dealings.

In Lawrence County, investigators believe Martinez killed Ruiz out of anger after Ruiz insulted an acquaintance's girlfriend, and Martinez's daughter.

Authorities in Lawrence County expect to seek indictments when a grand jury convenes in August. Martinez indicated he might plead guilty, McWhorter said, but that is not certain.  Martinez might also face prosecution in Florida.  Tulare County has yet to reveal its next step.

 



Photo Credit: Lawrence County, Al Sheriff]]>
<![CDATA[Police Order Breakup of Homeless Camp]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:10:12 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007180032_722x406_33607235999.jpg

Fullerton police ordered residents of a homeless encampment near the Hunt Library to leave the area by Friday or be arrested for illegal camping, prompting many of them to pack their belongings and search for somewhere else to sleep at night.

Police handed down the order a month ago and swept through the camp over the last three weeks, making 50 arrests, mostly for drug use, authorities said. Police say there have been numerous complaints from residents in the neighborhood.

Volunteers went to the camp with free bus and train vouchers for those who wished to leave. On Friday afternoon, several residents had already left and others were packing their belongings.

"We don't want to be an infringement on the normal flow of the city," said James Talbot, a resident of the camp said he felt the order to leave was unreasonable. "We just want to be able to have a place to put our heads down at night that's not going to have us arrested for being a blight on the community."

Don Alexander, 57, says he’s lived on the streets for seven years—two of those years in Fullerton. “I’ve got health problems, so my problem is health and economic.”

Now the former manufacturing mechanic is putting everything he owns in storage and moving to a Victory Outreach shelter.

Police say the residents of the trackside tent city were put on notice over a month ago and that after Friday, anyone living there would be arrested for illegal camping.

“And to know so many people don’t know this goes on, it is literally in our backyards,” said Elaine Moline, a resident home-owner from the other side of the tracks.

Volunteers and moving trucks lined up Friday afternoon to help the remaining homeless residents pack up.

]]>
<![CDATA[Single Mom's Minivan Deliberately Set on Fire]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:52:33 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/arsonmain.jpg

A single mother’s minivan was intentionally set ablaze early Thursday morning  as it sat parked in her Chatsworth driveway, authorities said.

Karen Siegel’s dog, Rex, woke the family and provided the first clue something was wrong when he started barking at 4 a.m. When the mother of two looked out the kitchen window, she saw an orange glow.

Siegel’s teenage son, Ben, said when he and his mother went outside, they could see the fire was higher than the house. He grabbed a garden hose and kept the fire from igniting the nearby garage. though it was scorched and weatherstripping around the overhead door melted.   It took the arrival of firefighters to extinguish the blaze, which Siegel likened to a "torch" coming from beneath the front of the Honda Odyssey.

Investigators deemed the fire arson based, in part, on evidence they found underneath the minivan.

Whoever set the early morning fire was not deterred by motion sensor floodlights that light up the driveway, nor by the security camera, which--as it turned out-- was not recording at the time.

Arson investigators have not identified a suspect--nor disclosed a motive.  

Siegel said she and her children have found it difficult to sleep since the arsonist struck.  

 



Photo Credit: Patrick Healy]]>
<![CDATA[Brush Fire Burns 35 Acres in Highgrove]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:33:37 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/01-palmyritafire.jpg

A brush fire scorched some 35 acres in the Riverside County community of Highgrove.

The so-called Palmyrita Fire was reported before 2 p.m. in brush near Highgrove Pass and Pigeon Pass roads, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

No structures were threatened.

Refresh this page for updates.

]]>
<![CDATA[Brea Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:36:05 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/brea+teacher+student+sex+johnson.jpg

A Brea high school teacher faces charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a student after her arrest on Wednesday, police said.

Michele Lynn Johnson, a 45-year-old teacher at Brea Olinda High School (map), was taken into custody at her Anaheim home after Brea police determined she had inappropriate sexual contact with the victim on several occasions, police said.

Brea police were contacted by the unidentified student’s father earlier in the day. Johnson was arrested and booked at the Brea Police Department. She was released after posting bail.

In a statement, Dr. A.J. Roland, the superintendent of Brea Olinda Unified School District, said Johnson was on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

Roland said she was restricted from being at the high school campus or any other school sites or activities.

"We are working very closely with the Brea Police Department on this issue,” Roland said.

Detectives said they were investigating the possibility that there may be other potential victims.

Anyone with information on the case was asked to call Brea Police Detective Debbie Stark at (714) 990-7638.

More Local Stories:



Photo Credit: Brea Police Department]]>
<![CDATA[15-Year-Old Boy Set to Graduate from UCLA]]> Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:09:58 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/214*120/moshekaiucla.jpg

A 15-year-old boy can now add UCLA alum to a long list of descriptors that typically reflect the accomplishments of a high-achieving adult three times his age.

Moshe Kai Cavalin will graduate Sunday with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Westwood university. He started his college career when he was 8 years old.

Before starting at UCLA, Moshe Kai graduated from East Los Angeles College at the tender age of 11.

"I consider myself a regular kid who works hard and does his best," Moshe Kai told NBC4 in 2009 after he graduated from the two-year college.

There, Moshe Kai was the youngest in his class, but often tutored his 19- and 20-year-old peers. He was one of three students to graduate from East LA College with a 4.0 GPA.

He went on to study at UCLA on a prestigious Regents Scholarship, which awards $2,000 a year for two years to about 100 students.

After he receives his bachelor's diploma from UCLA Sunday, Moshe Kai, pictured below, plans to take a year off to work on his bucket list.

Goals for the 15-year-old – who is already a best-selling author and accomplished martial artist – include finishing his latest book (this one about bullies), getting his pilot’s and driver’s licenses, learning French and playing classical piano.

He may go on to obtain a master's degree but says his future is completely open.

"It would be silly to point to one door when my future offers me many open doors," Kai said in a university news release published last year. "I have good choices ahead, and I have plenty of time to choose what to pursue."

Moshe Kai is a member of an elite group of the country's youngest college graduates. He's just four years older than the world record holder, Michael Kearney, who graduated with his bachelor's degree in 1994 at age 10.

Gordon Tokumatsu will have a full interview with the 15-year-old college graduate on the NBC4 News at 5.

More Southern California Stories:

 



Photo Credit: moshekai.com]]>
<![CDATA[Hurdle Cleared in Payout of Dorner Reward]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:13:56 -0700 http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/213*120/irvinewantedarticle.jpg

The payout of a portion of the $1 million reward in a fatal shooting rampage by an ex-LAPD officer cleared a hurdle on Friday when an LA city panel approved a $100,000 payment to four claimants.

The Los Angeles City Council's Public Safety Committee recommended on Friday that the City Council sign off on $100,000 it promised to people who helped lead authorities to Christopher Dorner.

Full Coverage: Manifesto For Murder

Dorner, a former LAPD officer and United States Navy Reserve officer, killed four people, including two police officers, during a rampage from Feb. 3-12 before he shot himself as police surrounded the Big Bear cabin he was hiding in.

During the manhunt, reward money totaling $1 million was put up by several city and county agencies and private donors. But some donors, including the city of Riverside, rescinded their original reward offers, saying Dorner was not actually “captured."

“It's critically important we pay this money out,” said Mitch Englander, a City Councilman who chairs the Public Safety Committee. “There's been other people that ... withdrew because they said Dorner committed suicide, and therefore he wasn't technically apprehended or convicted. I couldn't disagree more. In terms of apprehension, he's done.”

Riverside County officials have recommended that 80 percent of the reward offered by the county will go to a couple he tied up in their mountain cabin.

The Board of Supervisors said Thursday that Jim and Karen Reynolds should get $80,000 of the $100,000 offered.

The board also recommended that $15,000 be given to Daniel McGowan, the ski resort worker who discovered Dorner's burning pickup on a forest road.

Officials say Lee McDaniel, the Corona man who saw Dorner at a gas station and alerted Los Angeles police officers, should receive $5,000.

The board is expected to decide Tuesday whether to accept the recommendations for awarding the money.

NBC4 Wire Services contributed to this story.

More Local Stories:



Photo Credit: LAPD]]>