City News Service

According to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, PetSmart admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, but it will pay $1.25 million in penalties, $100,000 in restitution to support future enforcement of consumer protection laws and $110,000 in investigative costs.

A heat wave that appears likely for inland San Diego County beginning early next week, especially for the deserts, could last a week or more.

Slow warming is likely to begin during the weekend with greater warming for next week.

Volunteers flocked to San Diego County beaches Wednesday to clean up the mess left by Fourth of July beachgoers, collecting 2,832 pounds of trash.

County Supervisor Chair Nora Vargas and Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer continued pushing to have the transboundary sewage pollution from the Tijuana River declared a federal emergency, following the closure of several county beaches on the Fourth of July.

A mandatory evacuation was implemented in the lightly populated area, resulting in 15 homes being evacuated in the vicinity of Sandia Creek and El Prado.

A brush fire blackened scores of open acres in the area of Barnett Ranch County Preserve.

The lawsuit comes days after Fletcher announced he is taking a medical leave due to trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse.

California has been battered by 10 previous atmospheric rivers this winter.