Category: San Diego

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A 28-year-old man was stabbed in the neck Tuesday while working as a security guard at American Junkie in the Gaslamp Quarter, authorities said. According to the San Diego Police Department, the violence unfolded around 9:15 p.m. when the suspect, a 23-year-old-man, entered the Fifth Avenue bar and then left a short time later. As he was leaving, the suspect reportedly stabbed the security guard with a knife without being provoked. Homicide investigation underway in Oceanside following welfare check At that point, the victim, along with bar patrons, tackled the suspect and restrained him until authorities arrived on scene. Police then took the suspect into custody. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he underwent surgery for lacerations to his neck, right shoulder and abdomen. His current condition is unknown. No other injuries were reported in connection to this incident. Central Detectives responded to the scene and are investigating the stabbing. Anyone with information related to the bar violence is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WFRV) – Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin man who allegedly faked his death and fled the country, is in custody and awaiting a court appearance after returning to Wisconsin, authorities have confirmed. VINELink, an online custody status database, showed that Borgwardt, 45, had been booked into the Green Lake County Jail in Green Lake, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said Wednesday morning during a press conference that Borgwardt had flown back to U.S. soil on his own, arriving on Tuesday. He was then booked into the county jail and is now awaiting his initial appearance. “We brought a dad back, on his own accord,” Podoll added after thanking the community, federal authorities, and the media for helping them track down Borgwardt. The Sheriff’s Office has referred multiple charges to the district attorney’s office, Podoll said, but he declined to specify which charges other than “obstructing.” He also explained that it would be up to the court to decide whether Borgwardt would owe restitution for the search efforts expended by the sheriff’s office. Podoll said no one else will face

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A homicide investigation is underway in Oceanside after a welfare check on a local resident led to the discovery of a deceased man in his home Tuesday morning. Officers with the Oceanside Police Department responded to a call for a welfare check at a residence located in the 1800 block of Poumele Way around 7:30 a.m., said Investigations Lt. Bill Weese. Upon arrival, officers found the body of a man inside the home. The identity of the victim is currently being withheld, pending the notification of family. The circumstances surrounding the death has prompted authorities to initiate a homicide investigation. Detectives from the department’s Crimes of Violence Unit have taken over the case, which is being treated as an active investigation. Authorities are continuing to gather evidence and are asking the public for assistance as they work to piece together the events surrounding this incident. In a statement, Oceanside police urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Tips can be provided directly to Detective Zac Knox at (760) 435-4333, or anonymously through the police tip line at

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Santa Ana winds has kept fire crews on their toes as two brushfires broke out in San Diego County Tuesday. One fire started at 4 a.m. in Ramona, surprising many residents. Fire crews scrambled to contain the blaze because it was dark outside. It was left to the ground crews to hold the line. Luckily, the fire hit a natural fire break and Cal Fire was able to get their arms around the Ramona fire quickly. Across town in Dulzura, another fire broke out along the border. The dangerous topography and the Santa Ana winds complicated firefighters’ ability to stop the flames. Ramona residents question SDG&E power shutoffs as thousands remain in dark “There were high winds. We did have to ground our air tankers a little bit, but we did have rotor wing helicopters that did drop water,” said Capt. Mike Cornette from Cal Fire. The fire in the Dulzura spread to 24 acres until forward progress was stopped by hand crews. While knocking down the border fire, two firefighters were injured in the midst of working the

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WFRV) – Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin man who allegedly faked his death and fled the country, is in custody and awaiting a court appearance after returning to Wisconsin, authorities have confirmed. Borgwardt, 45, is currently in custody at the Green Lake County Jail in Green Lake, Wisconsin, according to VINElink, an online custody-status database. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said Wednesday morning during a press conference that Borgwardt had flown back to U.S. soil on his own, arriving on Tuesday. He was then booked into the county jail and is now awaiting his initial appearance. The Sheriff’s Office has referred multiple charges to the district attorney’s office, Podoll said, but he declined to specify which charges other than “obstruction.” “We brought a dad back, on his own accord,” Podoll added. Borgwardt was first reported missing on Aug. 12 after he failed to return home from kayaking on Big Green Lake, the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office said at the time. Deputies found an unoccupied kayak with a life jacket attached to it when they went searching for Borgwardt. His vehicle was also found

By MARTHA BELLISLE, Associated Press Sexual abuse and harassment by coaches and others who held positions of power over women on the U.S. Biathlon team have been dismissed, ignored or excused over decades by officials more concerned with winning medals than holding offenders accountable, according to a half-dozen former Olympians and other biathletes. And while the men involved climbed the ranks of the sport, these women — who described a culture of abuse dating back to the 1990s — told The Associated Press they were forced to end their racing careers early. One coach resigned after the young biathlete he was accused of sexually abusing attempted suicide, but he was later hired to coach the U.S. Paralympic team. Max Cobb, who the women say was informed but failed to address the claims, went from U.S. domestic team manager to CEO of the U.S. Biathlon Association and is now secretary general of the International Biathlon Union, the worldwide governing body of the sport, which combines cross-country skiing on trails with target shooting. Two male coaches and a former racer on the men’s biathlon team confirmed the

By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. intelligence assessment has concluded that Russia may use its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again in “coming days,” a U.S. official said Wednesday. The experimental Oreshnik missile is seen by U.S. officials more as an attempt at intimidation than a game-changer on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information. The threat comes as both sides work to gain a battlefield advantage in the nearly 3-year war that President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end, and just days after the U.S. promised close to $1 billion in new security aid to Ukraine. Other Western allies have suggested negotiations to end the war could begin this winter. According to the official, Russia has only a handful of the Oreshnik missiles and that they carry a smaller warhead than other missiles that Russia has regularly launched at Ukraine. Russia first fired the the weapon in a Nov. 21 missile attack against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Surveillance camera video of the strike showed huge fireballs piercing the darkness and slammed

By WILL WEISSERT and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter after earlier promising he would do no such thing, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That displeasure tracks with the bipartisan uproar in Washington that ignited over the president’s about-face. The survey found that a relatively small share of Americans “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges. About half said they “strongly” or “somewhat” disapprove, and about 2 in 10 neither approve nor disapprove. The Democratic president had said repeatedly that he would not use his pardon power for the benefit of his family, and the White House continued to insist, even after Republican Donald Trump’s election win in November, that Biden’s position had not changed — until it suddenly did. “I know it’s not right to believe politicians as far as what they say compared to what they do, but he did explicitly say, ‘I will

By SAMY MAGDY and WAFAA SHURAFA, Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes pounded the Gaza Strip overnight and into Wednesday, hitting a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north and a built-up refugee camp. At least 29 people were killed, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israel-Hamas war has raged on with no end in sight, even after Israel reached a ceasefire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and attention shifted to the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Both the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations have said they hope to end the war before the inauguration but months of ceasefire talks have repeatedly stalled. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union. The strike on the home killed 19 people in the northern town of Beit Lahiya near the border with Israel, according to the nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital, which received the bodies. Hospital records show that a family of eight was among those killed, including four children, their parents and two grandparents. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas

By DAVE COLLINS, Associated Press A federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet, criticizing the bidding for the conspiracy theory platform as flawed as well as how much money families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting stood to receive. The decision late Tuesday night is a victory for Jones, whose Infowars site was put up for sale as part of his bankruptcy case in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered him to pay over falsely calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax. Families of the Sandy Hook victims had backed The Onion’s bid. Following a two-day hearing in Houston, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said he would not approve the sale, while citing concerns about transparency in the auction. That clears the way for Jones to keep — at least for now — Infowars, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Onion had planned to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody. “We are deeply disappointed in today’s decision

RAMONA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Thousands of SDG&E customers in San Diego County are under public safety shutoffs in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires during high wind conditions. However, some residents are raising concerns about the utility company’s decision making and demanding more transparency. At last check Wednesday, more than 14,000 customers in Ramona alone were without power, with the utility estimating most won’t have it restored until Friday evening.  Some say the blanket power outages are disrupting daily life without clear justification in some areas. “The Santa Ana’s come through and winds are this bad if not worse, and they don’t shut the power off and if they do it’s for the worst of it and then they turn it back on,” resident James Ruthledge said. Rutledge is a local business owner and longtime resident of Ramona. In his 12 years living there, this experience is a first for him.  “It’s not a prolonged event like ‘hey in case there’s wind we’re going to shut off the power,’” he said. SDG&E implements a public safety power shutoff any time certain conditions are

FALLBROOK, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — “Frustrated, tired and cold.” That’s how Mary Maxwell describes being less than 24 hours into an anticipated 72-hour public safety power shutoff event by San Diego Gas and Electric. The intersection of State Route 76 and Old Highway 395 in Fallbrook is also without power, with drivers trying to navigate the busy intersection of Interstate 15 as a stop sign, but many people are narrowly avoiding a crash. Thousands under public safety power shutoffs amid Red Flag Warning “I had to come into my car, turn on my vehicle and charge my phone,” Maxwell said. “All the little basic things you take for granted.” She’s called Lake Rancho Viejo in Fallbrook home for the last 17 years and said this is the first time she can recall being in a 72-hour public safety power shutoff. “We’re not very prepared for this,” she added. Her elderly parents also live there, and she said it is getting cold inside. “My elderly parents…they are all bundled up in their hats and their coats,” Maxwell said. “I got some Duraflame so that I can

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Tuesday that aims to bar county agencies from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration enforcement. The vote comes weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged mass deportations and government funding cuts to cities with such “sanctuary” policies, is set to start a second term. Chair Nora Vargas introduced the plan, which passed with a 3-1 vote at what was the last regular board meeting of the year. Under the policy, county agencies would provide no further assistance or cooperation to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on civil immigration matters, including notifications of when undocumented immigrants convicted of certain felony crimes are set to be released from jail custody. “We will not allow our local resources to be used for actions that separate families, harm community trust or divert critical local resources away from addressing our most pressing challenges,” Vargas said in a statement after the vote. “Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and our county will not be a tool for policies that hurt our residents.” The meeting drew more than 100 public comments

Days after another man died in a San Diego County jail and became at least the eighth person to die in custody this year, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to boost the authority of the sheriff’s civilian oversight board. By a 4-0 vote, the board approved Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe’s plan to broaden the authority of the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board, or CLERB, the independent office in charge of monitoring the Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department. The unanimous decision came hours after Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez issued a public statement opposing the effort and saying without evidence that the proposed changes were being pushed by activists intent on doing away with jails. “I know that there is a movement to abolish all jails,” the sheriff’s statement said. “I believe much of the requested oversight and criticisms of our system are spurred by this movement. There is an active narrative that we are not making changes or improving our system. “This is a false narrative,” Martinez said. In introducing her plan just before the deliberation, Montgomery Steppe said she was disheartened and disappointed by

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Tens of thousands are without electricity amid a Red Flag Warning for much of San Diego County. But why do public utility companies like San Diego Gas & Electric implement power shutoffs during high wind events? SDG&E says the precaution is to help prevent flying debris from coming into contact with power lines and potentially igniting a fire.  What is a Red Flag Warning and why is it important? When it comes to SDG&E applying a public safety power shutoff, it is a process divided into six steps that is planned almost two weeks prior to the event: 7-10 days ahead SDG&E monitors the fire risk and potential impacts when forecasts show the potential for dangerous conditions. 3-6 days ahead SDG&E refines weather forecast and wildfire potential accordingly. 2 days ahead SDG&E begins letting customers know about possible impacted areas, including critical facilities and medical baseline customers, as well as State, County and City government agencies.  1 day ahead SDG&E monitors weather conditions while communicating with affected communities and coordinating with first responders and public safety agencies. Day of power

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Several schools are closing for the second day in a row due to public safety power shutoffs prompted by a Red Flag Warning. The San Diego County of Education announced the following school districts in East County canceling classes for Wednesday: Alpine Union School District Dehesa School District Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Julian Union Elementary School District Julian Union High School District Mountain Empire School District Spencer Valley School District Warner Unified School District Also, Barona Indian Charter School in Lakeside Union School District and Vivian Banks Charter School in Bonsall Unified School District will not be open due to the power shutoffs. What is a Red Flag Warning and why is it important? “The safety of students and school staff is of the utmost importance to San Diego County school districts,” SDCOE said in a news release Tuesday. Public safety power shutoffs are issued as a precaution to help prevent flying debris from coming into contact with power lines and potentially igniting a fire, per San Diego Gas & Electric.  On Monday and into Tuesday morning, SDCOE confirmed the

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An Oregon federal judge has temporarily blocked the merger between two of the largest grocers in the U.S.: Kroger and Albertsons. The merger was at the center of a three-week trial that started in Portland in August. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson issued a preliminary injunction against it on Tuesday afternoon. Person with firearm barricaded at Camp Withycombe in Happy Valley: Sheriff’s Office “Although defendants may choose to abandon the merger because of the preliminary injunction, this order in no way forces them to do so, and leaves open the possibility that they may pursue the merger at a later date should it be deemed lawful in the administrative proceedings,” Nelson wrote. The Ohio-based Kroger operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, while the Idaho-based Albertsons operates 2,220 stores in 34 states. The companies first proposed the $24.7 billion acquisition in October 2022, arguing that it would help them compete with other large retailers like Amazon and Walmart. In February of this year, Oregon was one of several states to join the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit that aimed to block the

San Diego County has temporarily extended its contract with the organization overseeing vouchers that help homeless residents rent hotel and motel rooms as leaders explore changing who oversees the program. The Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Tuesday for Equus Workforce Solutions to continue managing the Regional Homeless Assistance Program through at least June of next year. Equus’ management of a similar effort to aid people displaced by January’s historic flooding drew so many complaints that county officials recently launched an audit of the company. Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, who proposed that review, said she was nonetheless OK with extending the contract for homelessness services because of how dangerous living outside can be during the winter. “I am looking forward to seeing that audit and making changes based on what it tells us,” Montgomery Steppe added. Local officials had hoped to reduce their reliance on hotel vouchers by building 150 small cabins for homeless people in Spring Valley, but leaders changed course after blowback from neighbors. The reversal caused the county to lose out on millions of dollars in state support and a revised plan

Six of nine maternity units in San Diego County are rated “high performing” in the latest report on routine maternity care from U.S. News and World Report, but three of the largest in the region did not make the cut. Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla are the three left out of the high-performing group. All three — each generally well respected in the areas they serve — were said to have lower rates of deliveries to women delivering vaginally after a previous cesarean section than the state average. Often called “VBAC,” this measure is meant to identify those hospitals working hardest to make sure that previous C-sections do not unduly influence subsequent deliveries. As the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes, VBAC “is associated with decreased maternal morbidity and a decreased risk of complications in future pregnancies,” leading to a focus on allowing women to at least attempt such a delivery after a previous C-section. VBAC and overall C-section rates are the most heavily weighted of the 10 different

By DEE-ANN DURBIN The proposed merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons floundered on Tuesday after judges overseeing two separate cases both halted the merger. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson issued a preliminary injunction blocking the merger Tuesday after holding a three-week hearing in Portland, Oregon. Later Tuesday, Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued a permanent injunction barring the merger in Washington after concluding that it would lessen competition in the state. Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. But the Federal Trade Commission sued earlier this year, asking Nelson to block the $24.6 billion deal until an in-house administrative judge at the FTC could consider the merger’s implications. Nelson agreed to pause the merger. Related Articles National News | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National News | For now, ‘Dreamers’ will be shut out of the health care marketplace in 19 states National News | Task force probing attempts to kill Trump urges Secret Service to limit protection of foreigners National News | DA suggests judge could permanently halt Trump’s hush money case

By KEVIN FREKING WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans teed up a vote this week on bipartisan legislation to gradually expand by 66 the number of federal judgeships across the country. Democrats, though, are having second thoughts now that President-elect Donald Trump has won a second term. The White House said Tuesday that if President Joe Biden were presented with the bill, he would veto it. A Congress closely divided along party lines would be unlikely to overturn a veto, likely dooming the bill’s chances this year. It’s an abrupt reversal for legislation that the Senate passed unanimously in August. But the GOP-led House waited until after the election to act on the measure, which spreads out the establishment of the new district judgeships over about a decade to give three presidential administrations the chance to appoint the new judges. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said the bill was negotiated with the understanding that three unknown, future presidents would have the chance to expand and shape the judiciary. No party would be knowingly given an advantage. He said he begged GOP leadership to take up the measure