6 things to do in San Diego this weekend

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — With a dry and warmer weekend ahead, San Diegans looking to enjoy their Saturday and Sunday have many options when it comes to making plans. From unlimited tacos tastings to immersive art experiences and family-fun, here are six things to do this weekend across the county: San Diego Restaurant Week Attention San Diego foodies: this weekend marks your last chance to indulge and enjoy multi-course menus throughout the county as part of the popular San Diego Restaurant Week. Enjoy a new tasting experience at one of many participating locations. From North County to South Bay, two-course lunches and three-course dinners will start at just $20 for the last leg of the event. 9 experiences in San Diego that are a must, according to National Geographic The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch Grab the family and head to the flower fields in Carlsbad to celebrate the upcoming arrival of spring. Guests can take a tractor ride around the grounds, and walk through the fields to take advantage of photo opportunities. There will be be food vendors serving up lemonade and ice-cream dipped

Bicyclist killed in North County hit-and-run

VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/ KUSI) — Authorities are searching for a suspected hit-and-run driver after a bicyclist was struck and killed in Vista Thursday night. According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, deputies from the Vista Station and Traffic Division responded to reports of a collision involving a vehicle and an individual riding a bicycle around 10:30 pm. on S. Melrose Drive at the intersection with Buena Vista Drive. Vista home destroyed in fire; five residents displaced Based on the preliminary investigation, SDSO said two motorists were involved in a collision with a bicyclist at the intersection. It was reported that the first motorist, who remained at the scene, bumped into the bicyclist. This driver cooperated with the investigation. A second motorist, however, is believed to have struck the bicyclist. SDSO said this driver reportedly fled the scene of the collision, while heading northbound on S. Melrose Drive. The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the victim after the individual’s family is notified. The sheriff’s department is now seeking the public’s assistance in locating

Lights out on the little league field in Rancho Peñasquitos

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/ KUSI) — The baseball field lights flickered out over the vast Canyonside Park in Rancho Peñasquitos, and the city has no timetable for fixing them. That’s according to the Rancho Peñasquitos Little League Baseball team. “We’ve had to cancel practice, we’ve had to combine teams on fields, we’ve had to work with what we have,” said Aaron Hurvitz, the president of the area’s little league. Mountain lion spotted roaming streets in downtown Oceanside Temporary lights have been brought out to the ballfield. The diesel generators work through the evening hours with sharp work lights that are low and bright. “Frankly, this has been 18 months in the making. As a league, we want to be at the table with the city to find a solution,” said Hurvitz. The infrastructure issue is a common problem facing the city. With a $167 million deficit expected in the next fiscal year, financial priorities will be a tough choice for city leaders. There are 600 players in the little league and parents say not having a season was simply not acceptable. The little league is

One of Yelp’s top women-owned restaurants of 2024 is in North County

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A San Diego-area restaurant has made Yelp’s 25 “hot and new women-owned restaurants” to visit in 2024. Himalayan Bistro Oceanside, located at 4225 Oceanside Blvd. Suite W, ranks No. 3 on the Women’s History Month-inspired list. The restaurant offers Nepalese and Indian cuisine, serving dishes like Tarka Daal and Saag Paneer. Tarka Daal is a mixture of yellow lentils cooked and sauteed with onion and spices, while Saag Paneer is chopped spinach and homemade cheese cooked in onion and tomato with light cream. There are also Himalayan specials like vegetables momo — steamed dumplings filled with minced cabbage, fresh spinach, onion, cilantro, green onion and spices; and Lamb Sekuwa — a marinated premium lamb in Himalayan herbs and spice cooked in clay oven on skewers. ‘Fast food is becoming a luxury’: Five Guys criticized after receipt goes viral Other popular dishes include the Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. “I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala spice level 4 out of 5 and it was delicious!! I love spicy food and this hit the spot. My husband, who’s the complete opposite

VIDEO: Home burglary spree suspect caught rummaging through bedroom

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) on Thursday released new surveillance video of one of the men suspected in a string of home burglaries in Mira Mesa. Police released video of one of the men suspected in a string of home burglaries in the Mira Mesa neighborhood. (San Diego Police Department) The video posted on SDPD’s Instagram shows the suspect rummaging through a closet and drawers inside a bedroom during a home burglary. On March 4, police also released video of several suspects taking a large safe from one of the victim’s homes. They are then seen loading the safe in what appears to be a small, late-model, possible dark color SUV before leaving the location. United flight from SFO loses tire during takeoff, diverted to LAX: video Police on Thursday updated the number of burglaries involving the suspects from eight to now 11 home burglaries in the Mira Mesa neighborhood. The suspects appear to target mostly corner houses and enter the home through a rear sliding glass door, according to police. FOX 5/KUSI spoke on Wednesday to one of

Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off at Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Looking to stroll through a beautiful landscape this weekend? The Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum in Balboa Park is holding its Cherry Blossom Festival. Starting now through Sunday, visitors can take in the views of the blossoming cherry blossom trees during the annual Japanese tradition of Hanami, which means viewing the cherry blossoms. Guests will be able to enjoy activities such as a beer and sake garden for those who are 21 and over at the Inamori Pavilion, live performances, 30 different food and merchant vendors and a children’s area with games in the lower garden. San Diego County has exceeded annual rainfall average since Oct. 1 Other features of the garden include koi ponds, bonsai and colorful florae. Ticket costs are as follows: VIP tickets: $25 General admission: $14 Military/student/senior (with ID) $12 Children under 6: free The hours for the event run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

She was found dead in a San Diego freezer. What is known about her life

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5) — Ever since her body was found in a freezer last year, the suspicious death of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones has been shrouded in a series of unanswered questions: Who was she? Where was she last seen? Is someone responsible for her death? “Ultimately she ended up deceased and she was in a freezer,” said Lt. Jud Campbell with the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit. “I want to know why, and I think the public wants to know why.” FOX 5 has spent the last two months trying to to piece together snippets of her life, and what it might illuminate about her mysterious demise. ‘An unusual circumstance’ The story of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones began when an unidentified body was found inside a plugged-in, unlocked freezer at a home on Zion Avenue in San Diego’s Allied Gardens neighborhood on Dec. 22, 2023. San Diego police officers were dispatched to the home around 11:45 a.m. after out-of-town family members stumbled upon the body during a visit. Because of where the body was found, Homicide Unit investigators were called to investigate. Mira Mesa

Vista home destroyed in fire; five residents displaced

VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A home went up in flames in North County Thursday morning, displacing at least five residents, the Vista Fire Department confirmed. Plumes of smoke could be seen rising in the air around 10:30 a.m. in the 2300 block of Mira Sol Drive in Vista. A few hours later, fire officials told FOX 5 at the scene that it was a “total loss.” Driver, 38, caught with almost $900K worth of narcotics: CBP It was reported that two people were injured during the blaze, though the extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. In total, fire officials said five people were displaced as a result. A house caught fire in Vista Thursday, March. 7, 2024. (KSWB) A house caught fire in Vista Thursday, March. 7, 2024. (KSWB) A house caught fire in Vista Thursday, March. 7, 2024. (KSWB) An investigation into the cause remains ongoing. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

United flight from SFO loses tire during takeoff, diverted to LAX: video

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A United Airlines flight that took off from San Francisco International Airport has been diverted to Los Angeles International Airport after losing a tire during takeoff. According to flight tracking website FlightAware, the plane took off from San Francisco at 11:23 a.m. and was diverted to Los Angeles about 25 minutes later. (Watch video below courtesy of Salvador Gonzalez with Cali Planes) The flight, UA 35, was originally bound for Osaka, Japan, before losing a tire during takeoff, according to an SFO official. A runway at SFO was briefly closed but has since reopened with no further impact. Multiple cars sustained damage as a result of the tire falling off the plane, airport officials confirmed. The tire landed on a surface parking lot used by airport employees. According to United, there were 249 people on board: 235 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and four pilots. The aircraft, a Boeing 777, had six tires on each of its two main landing gear. It’s designed to land safely even if tires are missing or damaged. “United Flight 35 lost one tire after takeoff from

A look at San Diego County rainfall totals

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — It was a wet and damp Wednesday afternoon for most of San Diego County as scattered showers swept the region in bursts. Several mountain areas were also dusted with a little snow. According to the National Weather Service, periods of rain may continue throughout the day Thursday in some areas. San Diego County has exceeded annual rainfall average since Oct. 1 Here’s a look at 24-hour precipitation totals across the county as of 8:32 a.m. Thursday morning, according to NWS: Coastal Areas General Location Precipitation total (inches) Fashion Valley 0.64 San Onofre 0.58 Miramar 0.58 San Diego International Airport 0.47 Kearny Mesa 0.46 Chula Vista 0.46 Point Loma 0.39 Oceanside 0.36 National City 0.34 Carlsbad 0.31 Encinitas 0.25 San Marcos 0.24 Vista 0.19 Hazing suspected in drownings of 7 Mexican National Guard cadets off coast of Ensenada Valley Areas General Location Precipitation total (inches) Santee 0.77 Rancho Bernardo 0.69 Ramona 2.25 Valley Center 0.66 Skyline Ranch 0.63 La Mesa 0.62 Poway 0.48 Fallbrook 0.27 Bonsall 0.22 Escondido 0.21 Mira Mesa homeowner speaks out after string of burglaries Mountain Areas General

Driver, 38, caught with almost $900K worth of narcotics: CBP

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and guns — that’s what U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers uncovered in a vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry Monday. Around 10:40 p.m., CBP said a 38-year-old woman driving a 2019 SUV applied for admission into the U.S. from Mexico. During a quick inspection of the vehicle, officers discovered several packages behind the rear seats. U.S. citizen in ride-share taxi cab arrested after fentanyl pills found in trunk CBP officers search a suspicious vehicle and discover narcotics. (Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection) The woman and SUV were then referred for a secondary inspection. An x-ray scan of the vehicle showed anomalies in the vehicle’s firewall, rear seats, spare tire and trunk, CBP explained. A K-9 team also responded and alerted to the presence of narcotics. A total of 103 packages containing methamphetamine, blue fentanyl pills, heroin and cocaine were found concealed throughout the SUV. CBP also said three handguns were recovered. The narcotics had a total weight of 126.4 pounds with an estimated street value of $885,460.00. CBP officers search

San Diego County has exceeded annual rainfall average since Oct. 1

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — It’s been a wet start to 2024 for Southern California. The water year, which goes from Oct. 1 until Sept. 30 of the next calendar year, is a way to measure precipitation to sum up the entire “wet season.” With the wet season close to being halfway through, San Diego County has already exceeded its annual average rainfall, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. Since Oct. 1, San Diego has surpassed its average of 9.79 inches per year, according to NWS. San Diego is about 2.50 inches ahead of where it should be on average. The vast majority of the rain was recorded during the storms in late January and early February. 9 experiences in San Diego that are a must, according to National Geographic On Jan. 22, NWS reported the rainfall in San Diego was among the wettest days on record in the area with 2.73 inches of rain. The downpour caused severe flooding, destroying hundreds of homes and prompting dozens of road closures. In early February, San Diego was hit with an atmospheric river that brought in 3.75