San Diego’s Citizens Stadium Advisory Group (CSAG) formally announced the recommendation of Mission Valley as a potential site for a stadium Thursday, saying the Chargers are also open to the idea.

This marks the first time the advisory group created by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has revealed its suggestions for a proposed stadium that would replace the aging Q.

Adam Day, chair of the Citizen’s Stadium Advisory Group, said the Mission Valley site where Qualcomm Stadium is currently located is a better choice for the Chargers than a downtown San Diego location.

“We made sure to ask the Chargers for their honest answer,” Day said. “They made it very clear to us on numerous occasions that they would be open to partnering in the construction of a new stadium in either downtown or Mission Valley.”

The CSAG said the team "described its position as agnostic" when it came to the location of the site.

Negotiations to build a multi-use sports arena in San Diego intensified last month when the city learned the team was considering building a stadium in the Los Angeles area to be shared with the Oakland Raiders.

According to Day, the CSAG spent several weeks meeting with dozens of groups including San Diego State University, the San Diego Chargers, the San Diego Convention Center, hotels, architects, College Bowl representatives, developers, labor groups, land planners and Chargers alums and fans.

In the end, they decided Mission Valley makes more sense as the site of a new stadium.

“No site is perfect and without issues. This location is the best choice for the creation of a multi-use stadium that will serve as an economic catalyst,” said Day. “Some have recently argued that downtown is cheaper, faster and easier. Our research suggests the exact opposite.”

Day said both downtown and Mission Valley would require entitlements including “environmental studies, community engagement, mitigation and legal review.”

However, Day said a stadium is not in a downtown community plan.

“Mission Valley is zoned for stadium uses and has operated as such for many years,” he explained. “The only site to be considered is right here in Mission Valley.”

Day said the proposed Mission Valley stadium could become a hub for San Diego sports fans, residents and visitors to gather, calling it a potential “village within a city.”

He also touted Mission Valley’s closeness to freeways and the trolley system as additional reasons why the site would work so well.

He said the CSAG has developed their plan quickly in an effort to keep the Chargers from leaving San Diego.

“If everyone unites, there is no reason for the Chargers to leave.”

Meanwhile, the Chargers have not been shy in sharing their preference of a downtown multi-use sports stadium.

When asked for a comment before the panel's news conference, team special counsel Mark Fabiani told NBC 7: "We've really tried to make our point of view clear on this issue repeatedly over the last couple of years and there isn't anything new to add today."

As of Thursday afternoon, the team had not made any comments on the proposed Mission Valley stadium location.

Former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman spoke at Thursday’s media briefing.

"Today’s a great day to show that this can happen and should happen,” Merriman said. “We wouldn’t want to share a stadium with that other team.”
 

An American healthcare worker infected with Ebola in West Africa arrived at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Maryland Friday morning.

The patient is in serious condition and was flown in isolation from Sierra Leone on a chartered plane and admitted at 4:44 a.m., NIH officials said in a statement. The patient's name, age and gender were not released.

The patient had been volunteering at an Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone when he or she contracted the disease. The patient was flown to the United States on a chartered flight and then traveled to the hospital via private charter medevac.

The NIH Clinical Center's Special Clinical Studies Unit (SCSU) is designed for high-level isolation capabilities and is staffed by specialists in infectious diseases and critical care, the NIH said.

The person is the second to be treated for Ebola at NIH. Last fall, Texas nurse Nina Pham was treated there after contracting the disease while treating the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S.

The NIH has also cared for two other people who had high-risk exposures to Ebola, but were later determined to not be infected.

The World Health Organization estimated Thursday that the virus has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly in the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The current outbreak is the largest ever for the disease. While deaths have slowed dramatically in recent months, the virus appears stubbornly entrenched in parts of Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
 

A painting depicting Mother Teresa along with the founder of Planned Parenthood and other historical figures was vandalized Wednesday at a library in Trumbull, Connecticut, during a meeting to discuss the fate of the artwork.

Police said they are searching for a woman who was seen near the painting during the meeting. After she left the library, people noticed purple markings across the face of Margaret Sanger.

“I heard commotion in the main library. I went outside to see what was going on. Two of the employees at the main circulation desk advised me that the painting had been defamed,” First Selectman Timothy Herbst said.

"Onward We March," a painting by artist Robin Morris, shows Mother Teresa and other women, including Abigail Adams, Gloria Steinem and Clara Barton, marching, holding signs with messages including "Planned Parenthood," "Mission of Charity," "Feed the Poor," "Remember The Ladies," "Hospital Reform" and "Right to Vote," among others.

It’s been on display at the public library for months as part of the “Great Minds” exhibit, but last week, Trumbull officials temporarily removed it after organizations raised concerns that the painting depicted Mother Teresa in the same image as Sanger, who fought to legalize birth control.

Last week, Herbst said the town opted to remove the painting because the library lacked a written agreement with Resnick to protect the town against "any potential liability" from a copyright violation allegation.

The ACLU also weighed in on the issue, raising constitutional concerns about the decision to order the removal of a painting and said it was taken down amid pressure from the Catholic fraternal organization, Knights of Columbus and its supporters.

The painting has since gone back up, but it has marks scrawled across Sanger’s face.

Police said they are looking for a woman in her mid-30s, with dark hair, who was near the painting. She reached into her bag and waved her arms around the painting before leaving the library.

Town leaders said they want to ensure whoever is responsible isn’t able to do something like this again.

“I think we have to make sure that we bring the person to justice who did this. They need to be held accountable. They vandalized property in a public building,” Herbst said.

The painting is worth an estimated $10,000, but no estimate was immediately available on the damage to it.

Anyone with information is asked to call Trumbull Police at 203-261-3665.

An 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in Long Beach in a confrontation over a backpack, police said.

The incident happened Thursday at 3:35 p.m. in the 2800 block of Santa Fe Avenue, said Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department.

The boy, identified as Keyshawn Brooks, was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

"My son was not a gang member," said his father, Keeyon Layton. "This was a murder and he did not deserve to die."

The killing occurred about eight blocks north of Cabrillo High School, where Brooks was a student. 

Police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Giovanny Montelongo of Long Beach. He was being interviewed by detectives and was scheduled to be booked at the conclusion.

This incident occurred across the street from Stephens Middle School as children were being let out, and numerous parents were in the area picking-up their kids. Detectives believe many parents witnessed some or all of the incident, and want them to come forward.  

Although this incident did not occur on a school campus, the LBPD was working closely with Long Beach Unified School District, and grief counseling support was to be provided to any students in need. 

Michael Larkin contributed to this report

As day four dawned Thursday in the search for a missing San Bernardino woman who mysteriously disappeared right outside the campus of Cal State San Bernardino, the hunt for clues intensified.

San Bernardino police got a tip that a body may have been seen in a ravine just south of the 10 Freeway in Live Oak Canyon early in the day.

They immediately sent in a team of law enforcement officers on horseback to search the area, hunting for clues in the mysterious disappearance of Sahray Barber.

"She's probably scared if she's still alive. If she's dead I couldn't even imagine what happened. It's really sad," said Jessica Padilla, a gardener from nearby Redlands. Padilla was just one of the thousands in the community who are concerned about Barber disappearance, which came on the heels of two assaults on women at the nearby university campus.

By afternoon, the search shifted to Little Mountain, just west of the campus. Police on horseback searched the hillsides looking for any evidence that could lead them to the 22-year-old art student who is just two weeks from graduating from the Art Institute of California.

"I hope we are not looking for a body,” said Lt. Richard Lawhead, spokesman for the San Bernardino Police Department. “But again there always are those possibilities and we don't want to leave anything unturned."

Barber was last seen Monday, leaving her apartment which is across the street from Cal State San Bernardino.
Her personal belongings, including her cellphone and laptop, were found in nearby bushes, which according to police seemed strange because they appeared to have been placed there on purpose.

"She has no history of running away. She has a history of communicating with her family. During that communication there didn't appear to be any problems in her life," Lawhead said.

Barber lives with two roommates, a husband and wife who also have a small child.

Investigators say they and Barber’s former boyfriend have been cooperative.

Just a few doors down, there is a poster warning people about a man who has attacked two female students at Cal State.

Police said it is possible that Barber’s disappearance could be connected.

"We haven't ruled out anything,” Lawhead said. “We're looking at it from all angles."

Three men pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges of operating a "pay to stay" scheme at a network of for-profit colleges, even as four campuses remained closed.

The US Attorney's office had sought to keep the defendants in custody, but relented during a Thursday afternoon court session and agreed to their release after they posted bond.

A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses Hee Sun Shim, 51, of immigration fraud, money laundering and other charges in connection with the operation of four schools. Also charged were underlings Hyung Chan Moon, 39, and Jamie Choi, 35, who allegedly assisted in the operation and management.

Shim's bond was set at $380,000. Bonds of $50,000 apiece were required for Moon and Choi to be released from custody. The court hearing was attended by some 15 relatives and acquaintances of the accused, some of them pledging property to guarantee the bonds.

The schools were certified under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) through which foreign nationals may obtain and extend student visas while they are studying at certified colleges and vocational schools.

Those educational institutions are required to report the enrollment of foreign students.

However, as many as 1,500 enrolled in schools owned and operated by Shim did not attend classes, and in some cases were living hundreds of miles from the schools they purportedly were attending, federal HomelandSecurity Investigations concluded after a four year probe.

The schools include three in mid-Wilshire: two campuses of Prodee University/Neo-American Language School, and what authorities identified as the Walter Jay MD Institute, though the sign on the door reads Hamilton College. A fourth school allegedly affiliated with Shim is Likie Fashion and Technology in Alhambra.

The 2011 spot inspection at Prodee that prompted the investigation found only three students in one classroom, and only one in another, said HSI Special Agent in Charge Claude Arnold during an interview.

All four campuses were closed during the Thursday morning and early afternoon period that NBCLA visited them. Doors were locked, and knocks and phone calls went unanswered.

During that time, NBCLA witnessed the arrival of one person who described herself as a current student at Likie.

Lisa Su said she had paid $6,000 for individual instruction in pattern design, and had attended several sessions since last year. She described her instructor as "professional," but also said she found it odd that during her visits to the school, she never saw more than a handful of students, and sometimes none.

Lisa Su said she does not require a student visa because since moving from China she has become a U.S. resident.

At Hamilton College, a note on the door referred to spring break, and disappointed a woman who said a friend had been recommended Hamilton to her as a school she should consider.

Linh Nguyen said she is from Vietnam and currently attending classes at an Orange County community college on a student visa, but hoping to move to Los Angeles.

Nguyen expressed surprise on being informed of the "pay to stay" allegation, and said such an arrangement has no appeal to her.

"No," said Nguyen. "I have to take full-time classes."

Odds are good you or a loved one has gotten at least one of the calls: a man or woman claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service says you owe money to the government, and if you don’t pay up immediately with pre-paid money cards, threatens to have you thrown in jail.

This scam has become so widespread, the U.S. Treasury Department today called it the biggest case of impersonation fraud to ever hit the agency.

Appearing before the Senate Finance Committee in Washington D.C., Timothy Camus, the Treasury Department’s deputy inspector general for investigations and tax administration, said the ongoing scam has claimed thousands of victims in every state, with reported losses totaling more than $15.5 million nationwide.

The top five states for total dollar losses by victims are California ($3,840,000), New York ($1,352,732), Texas ($795,884), Florida ($760,000) and Virginia ($648,363).

Joy and Carl Hecht of Glendora are among the nearly 400,000 people who’ve reported receiving the calls.

"[They] keep getting more aggressive…threatening to send the sheriff to your house," Joy Specht says.

"When someone accuses you of tax evasion and fraud, it gets your attention," adds Carl Specht.

Camus, from the Treasury Department, says tracking down suspects has become a top priority.

Based on reviewing the complaints submitted to the government, federal investigators believe the calls are now being placed from more than one source.

"The scam is the subject of an ongoing, multi-agency investigation," Camus told the Senate panel.

While Camus’ team believes there may be more than one source of these calls, and that some are possibly based overseas, "we are investigating some of the individuals who process the money [in the U.S.]," he says.

"We arrested two individuals…for their role in converting the prepaid money cards."

Camus says one suspect told investigators "she had used the cards to purchase approximately $5000 in money orders per day, six days a week, since November 2013, or roughly $900,000 in money order purchases between November 2013 and July 2014.”"

Camus emphasized that the IRS will never:

• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the IRS call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a notice.

• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

• Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

Remember, also, the IRS does not initially use email, text messages, or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue involving taxes owed or refunds.

For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type "scam" in the search box.

If you have been targeted by this scam, report the incident to TIGTA at www.tigta.gov by clicking on the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting tab in the upper right corner, or call the TIGTA hotline at 1-800-366-4484.

In addition, contact the FTC and use their "FTC Complaint Assistant" at www.ftc.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments of your complaint.

If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. They can help you with a payment issue.

If you have a tip on this story — or anything else — the I-Team wants to hear from you. Give us a call at 818-520-TIPS or email nbc4iteam@nbcuni.com.

On Thursday night at Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks played in a game that was best described as ugly. Considering the omnipresence of air balls, the overall quality of basketball was so horrendous that "ugly" actually sounded generous.

Audibly laughing watching this on press row RT @LakersSBN: Lakers Knicks First Quarter Recap: http://t.co/ETsoYeG20p https://t.co/pe81qxW59W

— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) March 13, 2015

In the end, the Lakers lost 101-94, which meant the Lakers accounted for two of New York's 13 wins after 64 games. Not exactly miles ahead, though, the Lakers only have 17 wins after 64 games. For both these teams, winning the draft lottery is the only trophy within grasp, so in many ways, LA's 47th loss of the year was a victory. In the NBA, the worse the record, the better the odds of getting a no. 1 pick.

"This got away before the game even started," Lakers coach Byron Scott did not sound happy about the loss. "Our mindset was not where it should've been, let's put it that way."

Scott ranted and chewed up air time by talking about  problems with focus, poor shooting, lack of ball movement and overall mental failures. He used the word "soft," which was not the first time or second time he used the term. Then, the coach talked about how much he, personally, did not enjoy what was going on.

"I hate losing. I can accept it, but I hate losing," Scott said sternly into the microphone.

At this point, NBCLA.com asked the coach how he dealt with the losses, seeing as he had previously told us he no longer threw chalkboards and kicked chairs like he did when he first started coaching.

"I go home and beat the dog," Scott sent the room into laughter. "I'm just joking. Some people out here--animal activists--who might be thinking, 'he beats his dog?' I don't even have a dog."

Scott attempted to put on a straight face and said he watches game film and has simply "mellowed out" with time, but the coach's joke was the highlight of an otherwise bad day at the office for the Lakers.

The Knicks came into the contest with the worst record in the NBA, and even a win against the Lakers did not change that.

Rookies Tarik Black and Jabari Brown deserved recognition for their play. Black finished with a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds while also scoring 10 points on 5/6 shooting. Brown, who was on a 10-day contract, made his first three shots and finished with seven points in his NBA debut.

The Lakers have Friday off and will reconvene on Saturday for practice. On Sunday, the Atlanta Hawks come to Staples Center.

A person was killed and a family hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash in a high desert city Thursday night.

A Lincoln Continental collided with a Ford pickup truck on Carob Street in Hesperia at around 9:50 p.m, San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said.

The solo driver of the Lincoln was killed, while a dog inside the vehicle was injured. A pitbull thrown from the car suffered serious injuries.

Three occupants of the pickup were injured including a mother, father and infant. Their injuries were minor. The mother and infant were airlifted to hospital.

Initial indications were the Lincoln crossed over a double yellow line and collided with the truck.

The incident was still under investigation Friday morning.

A man was rescued from the roof of a burning 104-year-old house in Koreatown Thursday.

He was saved after firefighters responded to the blaze at the 700 block of South Ardmore Avenue at around 8:14 p.m, Los Angeles Fire Department said.

When they arrived they saw the man standing on the roof as heavy flames raged below. He was ushered to safety down a ladder and suffered no injuries. The rescue was carried out as fire ripped through the second floor and attic.

Firefighters managed to limit the damage to the old two-story home, which housed a first floor business below the residential living space. They also looked for reported trapped occupants, however no one was found.

Holes were cut in the roof to release smoke and super-heated gases from the 3,400 square foot property.  A packed attic used for personal storage helped fuel the powerful fire, and caused intense heat and flames. 

It took 77 firefighters 36 minutes to fully extinguish the fire. No victims were discovered during the search.  It is estimated $400,000 of damage was caused by the fire. 

The cause of the blaze was under active investigation by LAFD Investigators Friday morning.

A SoCal Powerball winner turned loser after failing to claim his $1 million winnings.

California Lottery officials said they were working to help the man get his hands on his massive wad of cash after he bought a winning ticket, which he is thought to have lost, in the Rosemead Supermarket at 8800 East Valley Boulevard on Sept. 13.

However it was confirmed Thursday that he failed to come forward and claim his money, meaning it will now go towards California's schools.

Officials also said store workers has identified the man they believed had won, and that he himself knew he was a winner but has so far been unable to locate his slip.

He had to claim the prize at a lottery district office by 5 p.m. Thursday. He could have still have got the cash if he could prove he bought the ticket in the event it was lost, however he would have been subjected to extensive interviews to prevent a fraudulent claim.

The winning numbers were 1, 6, 16, 34, and 53. The powerball itself was 27 and was the only number he did not get, or he would have lost out on an even bigger prize.

It's happening again. Sick sea lion pups, searching for food, are washing ashore at a rate so alarming, rescuers said Thursday, this year is the worst yet.

Record strandings forced researchers to declare an unusual mortality event in 2013. So far this year, rescue centers statewide have taken in more than 1,600 marine mammals, which is three to four times the normal average.

"Things are worse than 2013," said Peter Wallerstein, president of Marine Animal Rescue based in Playa Del Rey.

During a ride-along that lasted less than an hour Thursday, Wallerstein's phone rang nonstop as he rescued three sea lion pups and an elephant seal.

"I've had more than 200 so far this year," said Wallerstein. "So, we've doubled our rescues and there seems to be no end in sight."

One caller expressed his frustrations that a sick pup near a bike path in Marina del Rey had not been picked up for a few days.

"This is not the first call," he said. "You guys know where it is — so when is someone going to come out?"

Wallerstein has to explain that rescue centers are so full, they can now only take three animals a day from him.

"People don't understand. He goes, 'why don't you get there right away?' We can't, our hands are tied!'" said Wallerstein.

Wallerstein reached his limit before 10 a.m. He had to leave several pups behind.

The pups are taken to the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, which added two new enclosures to house an additional 30 animals. But David Bard, the center's director, says it won't be enough.

"We're doing everything we can to take in as many patients as we can," he said.

The former "Survivor" producer accused of murdering his wife while on a 2010 family vacation in Mexico has been convicted on charges connected with the case, his mother said Thursday.

Bruce Beresford-Redman was sentenced to 12 years in a Mexican prison, according to his mother Juanita Beresford-Redman, although the charges he was convicted of were not immediately clear.

He was initially charged with aggravated homicide in the death of his wife, Monica Burgos. That charge carried a sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison.

"(The verdict is) a relief for me and my parents,' Monica's older sister Karla Burgos told NBC4.

Beresford-Redman reported his wife missing April 6, 2010 after she allegedly failed to return from a solo shopping trip. Her body was discovered two days later in a hotel sewer in Cancun.

Juanita Beresford-Redman said she found out about the conviction through a text her son sent to her this afternoon. The family plans to appeal the decision in a Mexican court.

"We will continue to fight until he is found innocent, which he is," she said.

The family also issued a statement via Facebook:

"We are appalled and disgusted with this gross miscarriage of justice. Over an exhausting three and a half year period this trial has done nothing but prove Bruce’s innocence beyond any doubt. Whatever lies behind this ruling it is based on neither facts nor evidence.

"This is a disservice to Monica’s memory; this is not the justice she and Bruce still deserve and that we continue to demand. At some point, even in Mexico, Bruce’s innocence will lead to his freedom. We will immediately appeal this absurd decision and will not rest until Bruce is exonerated and returned home.

"This decision must lead to a reconsideration of the extradition treaty between the United States and Mexico as it is clear that Mexico cannot meet even minimal standards of justice. We remain ever grateful to all those who continue to support Bruce.”

Juanita Beresford-Redman said her son said via text that his only regret is that he will be away from his children for even longer.

Bruce Beresford-Redman has been in the custody of Mexican authorities since he was extradited in 2012.

Through their attorney, the Burgos family further praised the verdict.

"The family of Monica Burgos has just been informed that Bruce Beresford-Redman has been convicted in Mexico of Monica's murder," the family said in the statement. "It has been nearly 5 years since they lost our beloved sister. Not a day goes by that they don't miss her terribly and nothing will bring her back but they can finally say that she has received the justice she deserved."

Jane Yamamoto contributed to this report

A neighbor rescued a sleeping family by alerting them to a fierce fire that engulfed their West Covina home early Friday.

The man was outside when he noticed the blaze at 1500 Maplegrove Street at around 12:40 a.m, the West Covina Fire Department said.

He ran over and knocked on their door, then entered the home to wake them and make sure they were able to get out safely.

It took seven units to extinguish the blaze, which also affected the hero's home. It sustained exposure damage.

No one was injured. It is still unknown what caused the fire and the monetary value of the damages.

Donors and recipients involved in a groundbreaking eight-way kidney swap in Connecticut came face to face for the first time Thursday, greeting each other with hugs, tears and laughter.

Four women donated kidneys to four men during a series of hours-long procedures at the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center on March 3. The group included three sets of husbands and wives.

NBC Connecticut gained exclusive access to the surgeries, and our cameras were rolling during the life-saving procedures, which began at 7:30 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. that day.

"All eight surgeries occurred on the same day and all procedures were deemed a success," said Dr. David Mulligan, director of the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center and professor of surgery at the Yale School of Medicine, noting that the procedure "represents the largest internal kidney transplant exchange performed in Connecticut."

It started with "altruistic donor" Patricia Menno-Coveney, 61, of Mystic, Connecticut, who said she was inspired to donate by a woman at her church who gave one of her kidneys.

What she didn't know is that she would initiate an eight-person kidney chain, including three sets of husbands and wives.

Since the husbands didn't match their respective wives, doctors used computers to pair up the donors and recipients.

Menno-Coveney was matched to Shelton resident David Rennie, whose wife, Margaret Rennie, donated a kidney to Raymond Murphy, of Old Saybrook.

In turn, Murphy's wife, Sylvie Murphy, gave a kidney to Mario Garcia, of New Haven, and Garcia's wife, Hilary Grant, donated her kidney to Stamford resident Edward Brakoniecki.

Without the swap, the men would have endured years of waiting and dialysis. Brakoniecki had already waited five years for a transplant from a deceased donor.

But the generosity of one woman from Mystic sparked a chain that quite likely saved four lives. Nine days later, everyone is in good spirits.

"Look at me," said donor Hillary Grant. "This is a week and two days later. I feel absolutely normal."

Dr. Peter Schulam, professor and chair of urology at Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Yale School of Medicine, explained that the donors and recipients seem to be well on their way to recovery.

"They're usually in the hospital one or two nights," Schulam said. "They're able to return to work in two to four weeks depending on what their occupation is."

The donors and recipients met in person for the first time Thursday ahead of a news conference at Yale-New Haven Hospital. They hugged, cried, swapped contact information and promised to stay in touch.

"I was the lucky recipient in an eight-person kidney swap," David Rennie told NBC Connecticut during an exclusive interview. "It's kind of surreal, kind of like we're related now."

Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers are offering up to $3,000 for information leading to the arrest of Johnell Carter, an accused sex offender who escaped after fighting with a deputy and injuring him.

The 40-year-old Carter was in jail custody, but escaped from the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, where he was taken for treatment on Friday and was being supervised by a deputy.

Santa Clara County Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Jenson said Carter was in custody after being arrested in March 2014 on suspicion of five counts of child molestation.

Deputies consider him armed and dangerous.

While it was initially thought that a tattoo on the left side of Carter's neck said "Alice," deputies now said the tattoo reads "AMY." Carter also has "Johnell Jr." tattooed to his left upper arm and has a mole on the left side of his chin, according to deputies.

Carter is also described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 220 pounds with a shaved head.

Silicon Valley Crime Stopper can be reached at 408-947-7867 or by e-mail at TIPSUBMIT.com.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

23andMe, a company that tested genetics for people and accumulated a 850,000-person database, will now mine that information for potential drug targets, according to reports.

The Mountain View, Calif. startup reported that Richard Scheller, former head of research and early development for drug-maker Roche, will become the company's chief science officer, the Wall Street Journal reported. About 80 percent of 23andMe customers agree that the company "owns the aggregated data with rights to use it for research."

Drug companies already use the data and those relationships will continue, Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe's chief executive officer stated, but new clients will also be able to look broadly for information in the database without restrictions. Wojcicki is the estranged wife of Google founder Sergey Brin.

In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration halted 23andMe from selling its saliva kits for medical or diagnostic use, so the startup had to remake itself. While it still sells the kits for "ancestry discovery", Wojcicki said she and the company saw it as "an opportunity to transform." This meant hiring new senior executives and a chief medical officer.

While it took a while for 23andMe to find its place in Silicon Valley, it seems that it finally has found its niche.We can only hope those drug makers can create something innovative and affordable.

Kia is recalling nearly 209,000 Soul small SUVs because the gas pedals can bend or break.

The recall covers certain Soul and Soul electric vehicles from the 2014 and 2015 model years.

If the gas pedal bends or breaks, it can be hard to accelerate the SUVs, increasing the risk of a crash.

Kia Motors America says in documents filed with the government that an unsupported section of the pedal can bend if a driver stomps on it too hard when the vehicle isn't moving.

The problem was discovered through warranty claims. Kia says no crashes or injuries have been reported.

Dealers will add rubber supports beneath the pedal stopper at no cost to owners.

The recall is expected to start on March 24. To see if your vehicle is being recalled, click here.