( ♪ ) mugs. ♪ bmo ♪ ♪ you're the one that i want ♪ nexgard® combo is the only monthly topical that protects against fleas, ticks, tapeworms, and more. use with caution in cats with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. nexgard combo,... ♪ you're the one that i want ♪ ...the monthly one-and-done you want. voting on a proposal to change the name of the oakland international airport. it's a discussion happening right now amongst the board of commissioners for the port of oakland, which oversees that airport. good evening. i'm

dionne lim, and i'm dan ashley. >> thanks for joining us. it's been a controversial topic because the proposed name change wouldn't be san francisco bay, oakland airport and san francisco officials say it would cause confusion, and they have threatened to sue if the name change moves forward. >> so for the very latest on this, let's go to abc seven news reporter tim johns, who has been monitoring today's vote. >> tim. >> yeah. dan dion, i just stepped outside this board meeting literally just minutes ago. they are still in discussions over whether to vote aye, yay or nay on this name change. i have to tell you, though, there were a lot of folks who came out for public comment, of course, very impassioned both for and against wanting to make their voices heard. ahead of its board meeting thursday, the port of oakland, standing by its recommendation to change the name of oakland airport, really, it's about bringing the geographical location to oakland , uh, getting people to understand where oakland sits in the bay area. >> we continue to hear from our airlines and our airline partners that they struggle

getting people on airplanes inbound to the to oakland airport. >> if approved by the port's board of commissioners, the facility would be renamed san francisco bay. oakland international airport, a move that's drawn harsh criticism from officials across the bay. in san francisco on monday, the city attorney even telling abc seven news they'd take legal action in order to protect the name they believe belongs to them. >> we've had these trademarks for so long that they're incontestable under federal law, the possible legal repercussions unfazed to the port's interim director of aviation, craig simon, it's unfortunate that that they would take that stance, you know, we've been on the san francisco bay area, on the bay itself, for, you know, the entire time we've been in existence almost 100 years, the potential name switch has gotten pushback from more than just city officials, though. >> in a statement released thursday, the oakland branch of the naacp expressing their concern, stating in part, while some officials may see the renaming as a simple rebranding effort, we view it as a reflection of ongoing gentrification in oakland.

aviation analyst and marketing expert henry hertefeld also has reservations, studies show. >> we skim, but don't read thoroughly online. i'm concerned that people will end up booking the wrong airport by mistake. >> hertefeld says he thinks the name change could ultimately do more harm than good for the east bay airport and the passengers it serves. instead, he thinks the port of oakland should find other alternatives to make okay flourish. >> if they were to flip the arrangement and put oakland, san francisco bay, i think at least that would reduce the potential for consumer confusion while still providing the geographic uh- association the airport is seeking. >> and dan dionne, like i said, we are expecting a vote to come down any minute now. we will, of course, be standing by waiting to hear what is happening. but for now, i'm live in oakland. tim johns, abc seven news. >> very interesting there. tim. thanks so much. the number of plaintiffs in a legal action against san francisco over those controversial center running

bike lanes on valencia street is now up to seven. three more businesses are expected to file suit. lawyers say businesses on the corridor have been decimated, and they place the blame squarely on the sfmta's bike lane and the impact it's having on traffic. mta officials say they're open to modifications. san francisco city attorney's office has not yet responded to our request for a comment on this. >> a plea deal has been accepted in the case against a drunk driver who killed a champion cyclist. ethan. boys. boys was cycling in san francisco's presidio when he was struck and killed last april. 81 year old arnold low pleaded guilty last month to vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. the san francisco chronicle reports. the judge in the case accepted the plea, but criticized prosecutors for failing to charge low with a felony, fearing it could become a problem in future drunk driving cases. >> let's move now to the death of oj simpson, who has died at the age of 76 after battling

prostate cancer in the 60s and 70s. the juice, as he was nicknamed, was the pride of san francisco, gaining stardom for his accomplishments on the football field, first as a usc heisman trophy winner and later an nfl hall of famer. but not, of course, his legacy would be tarnished in the 90s during the so-called trial of the century. as he became the murder suspect in the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend. the case, as you well know, captivated the nation, starting with the slow speed chase of his white bronco. the dream team of attorneys and that bloody glove. the most notable impact of the trial was the racial divide it exposed across the country and in the fallout from his acquittal. >> all right. joining us now to talk more about the impact is reporter ryan curry. you actually went back to the old neighborhood where he grew up. >> yeah, very polarizing case when you really boil this down. and he had such a long history here in san francisco, we know for years he was an honored athlete, incredible athlete, coming from a poor neighborhood

in san francisco. and turned into a superstar. we know his legacy changed during that murder trial in the mid 90s. outside the betrayal hill recreation center is an old faded mural. one of the athletes on the mural is oj simpson. this park and this gym is where he spent a lot of time playing sports as a kid. there is simpson on a baseball team in the late 50s. there he is again years later, posting with kids outside the ballpark. >> everybody in san francisco was so, so proud that he was a san franciscan. >> he attended galileo high school before playing at city college. he finished his collegiate career at usc and spent 11 seasons in the nfl, finishing with the 40 niners. but for the neighborhood, he left behind, there are questions about the impact he had. >> that man should have brought some of that money back to the community. he did though. he was giving us trophies, though. i play sports up there where he used to play at, and he brought us trophies every year basketball, football and baseball. he didn't put enough, gets a great block and oj simpson has done it a career. >> many say they hadn't seen from a running back. i just wonder if the three of us at

this moment fully realized what it has been. >> our great privilege to watch oj simpson run for 2000 yards in one season. >> his athletic achievements were remarkable. i mean, he 2000 yards rushing was considered absolutely unattainable. and he did that and he did it in buffalo where it was snowing and it was raining. it was a terrible conditions. >> he became a pop culture icon, starring in several movies in the 80s. and then everything changed in 1994 from police headquarters in los angeles, where there is a manhunt underway for oj simpson. >> i'll have that story. >> it was just such a big figure, larger than life figure to see him in the back of a bronco riding down the freeway. it just was. it was surreal. >> the trial about the death of simpson's wife grabbed the whole world's attention, impacting simpson's family here in san francisco. >> i should like to think that i brought them through their challenges. >> reverend amos brown knows the simpson family well and says his life and legacy is bigger than one moment. mr. simpson's life

mirrored the human predicament, triumphs and tragedies brown went on to mention he had been a close friend of the simpson family for years. he says no matter what someone has been through, there is always a chance to treat them with kindness. ryan curry, abc seven news. >> thanks, ryan. now telling us more about oj's legacy. we had timothy allen simon on our 3:00 pm program called getting answers. he's a san francisco attorney and friend of the simpson family. >> oj is not a tragic story that oj, yes, he may have had trouble. i don't know anybody that didn't. i know very few african american young men who do not have contact with law enforcement. that's the reality of our history, that someone as great as willie mays, san francisco's greatest athlete, greater than steph, greater than barry, took this young man under his wing and said, let me show you how to be a great athlete and a great man like me. that's

a great story. this great childhood that this man had in this neighborhood that we call potrero hill. >> and simon says that whether or not he believes oj killed anyone is irrelevant to his legacy, saying that we operate in a society of law, not public opinion. >> all right. and dan noyes covered the end of the trial. we got to hear about that. >> we did, and i did as well. in fact, i was there the last two weeks of the trial when the verdict was read. and i can tell you it was just a surreal scene, chaotic scene. hundreds of people on the day the verdict was read surrounding the courthouse. there we are at the end of the trial. the final two weeks, there was a bomb threat while we were there, and they evacuated the media compound. but my photographer and i were the only ones that didn't leave. we actually hid and didn't evacuate as instructed. so we could keep reporting from there. but when the verdict was actually read, everyone was confused. reporters were many were expecting a hung jury and that we would go around for another trial, and we almost had to catch ourselves that we did,

we hear correctly, not guilty before we went on to broadcast and the eruption from the crowd of cheers. when that verdict was read and it said settled in. really stayed with me for a long time and i'd like to ask you, because we are now in this age of 24 over seven, news content all the time. >> twitter, social media, etc. what was it like? also, knowing that you had to be ready at a moment's notice? >> you know, it's a great point. we did have to be ready at a moment's notice. and we were. and this was before we tweeted the results or anything that was happening or were on facebook or any kind of social media live on television is what we were doing, and it's what we did in an instant. as soon as something broke, and certainly during the o.j. simpson trial, every time something significant happened, we went on the air well, and all at the drop of a hat. and being there for that final two weeks was really a remarkable was a circus. and it felt strange to be there. but you knew you were part of something that was historic. >> and i'm sure the world watching at it and the extra level of pressure, well, in a

way, but it also an extra sense of obligation because you knew so many people watching because this was a time when a lot of people were watching television, because we didn't have other ways to get their information. >> exactly. >> and for more on oj simpson's life and death, you can check out all of our stories at abc seven news.com. all right. >> we're coming up here. federal officials now say his crimes date back to 2018 and that he stolen more than $16 million from dodgers superstar shohei ohtani. details on the charges agains i live in bloomington, illinois. i'm not an actor. i'm just a regular person. some people say, "why should i take prevagen? i don't have a problem with my memory." memory loss is, is not something that occurs overnight. i started noticing subtle lapses in memory. i want people to know that prevagen has worked for me. it's helped my memory. it's helped my cognitive qualities. give it a try. i want it to help you just like it has helped me. prevagen. at stores everywhere without a prescription.

died of overdoses last month. that's about two each day. still a terrible number, but it is a slight decrease from the 68 who died in march of 2023. last year, more than 800 people died

of overdoses in san francisco. that's an all time high. this year, the city is projected to see fewer deaths, but still many more than in 2021 and 22. >> a state law that prohibits guns on playgrounds, in hospitals and several other locations is now being argued in federal appeals court. the law was signed by governor newsom in september, but in december, a us district judge temporarily blocked it, calling it a violation of the second amendment. the law prohibits people from carrying concealed guns in 26 so-called sensitive locations like schools, churches and banks, regardless of whether that person has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. >> stunning new developments in the investigation into the former interpreter for la dodgers star shohei ohtani. today, the u.s. attorney announced federal charges against the man accused of stealing $16 million from the slugger. abc news reporter jacqueline lee has the latest. >> reporter the fbi, irs and department of homeland security announced new federal charges

against ippei mizuhara. the former interpreter and de facto manager for los angeles dodgers superstar shohei ohtani, who they allege stole $16 million to use for illegal sports betting. >> ohtani, flying around third base. >> federal officials are charging 39 year old mizuhara with bank fraud for allegedly stealing the money from ohtani to finance a so-called voracious appetite. authorities say the dodgers pitcher was in the dark about what was happening. >> mr. ohtani is considered a victim in this case. there is no evidence to indicate that mr. ohtani authorized the over $16 million of transfers from his account to the bookmakers. >> in a press conference on thursday, officials said mizuhara served as a translator because ohtani could not speak or understand english. they say he had unique access to otani's bank account, but wouldn't give anyone else access, officials say. mizuhara then placed sports bets with bookmakers that were linked to illegal gambling and illegally conducted transfers

out of otani's bank account. >> sugiura spoke with bank employees, lied to them about being mr. ohtani, gave personal biographical information for mr. ohtani in order to impersonate him, and thereby convince the bank to approve large wire transfers of large amounts of money to the bookmakers. >> mizuhara denies ever betting on baseball, something officials confirmed today they also add that after reviewing years of text messages between mizuhara and ohtani, it's clear ohtani had no knowledge of the bank transfers or the illegal betting. mizuhara is facing a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted. jacqueline lee abc news, los angeles. >> coming up, stanford scientists say it's a camera so powerful it can capture a picture of a golf ball on the moon from earth. still ahead, we'll tell you how the world's largest

two decades of developing it. stanford scientists are sending it to south america. that's where the next phase of study will begin. abc7 news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains how the camera will give scientists a look at the universe like never before. >> smile big for the camera. like really big. this is the largest digital camera ever built. and yes, the slovak national accelerator laboratory has the guinness world record to prove it. we like to say that the quality of the camera is roughly about 250 iphone cameras. >> one of our scientists did a calculation that it would be able to see a golf ball from the distance from earth to the moon. >> this is the 3200 megapixel legacy survey of space and time camera. it could capture images faster and with better quality than any camera before creating something like this was not easy. it took two decades mechanical engineer hannah pollack helped install the camera's unique and expensive sensors. >> these sensors are so close

together that if we scaled it up a little bit, it would be as if you were parking million dollar sports cars within one inch of each other over and over and over through this whole grid of the focal plane. so it's really exciting to see it all coming to a close. >> now that work on this camera is complete, it's not going to be taking selfies. its purpose has cosmic implications from slack to chile at the rubin observatory, the lsst camera will be mounted on top of a telescope to take images of space seven times wider than the width of a full moon, and over ten years, we expect to see every part of the sky a thousand times. >> and with that, we'll be able to study uh- stars, galaxies, asteroids in the solar system and really, you know, study an enormous amount about our universe. >> scientists know a lot about our universe, but not everything. what's unknown is dark matter and dark energy. this camera hopes to fill in the gaps of knowledge to give scientists a better picture of cosmic radiation. >> this camera is designed to

capture many galaxies, distant galaxies, and that's galaxies. what our images will tell us how the universe evolves. >> we'll see the first images from the lsst camera early next year. a look at space like we've never had before at the slovak national accelerator laboratory dustin dorsey. abc seven news. >> okay, i love this stuff. so that is so fascinating what they're doing. >> yeah, the weather kind of interesting as well is always meteorologist sandhya patel is here with some changes. >> yeah i find it to be very interesting. dan and dan, let's take a look at some live pictures from our tower cameras. just lovely views, no matter which direction you're looking. lots of sun out there and you probably noticed it. it's been warm, 81 degrees in livermore, right now, 75 in san jose, 59 in the city, 65 in oakland, up in santa rosa, 73 degrees. 82 right now in fairfield. i hope you had a chance to get out and enjoy.

let's talk about la nina watch that was just issued today by the climate prediction center near the equator in the eastern pacific. we have been seeing that the sea surface temperatures are beginning to come down. so the climate prediction center is saying we're going to transition to la nina. 85% chance of this happening from el nino to enso neutral between april and june of this year. 60% chance of la nina developing this upcoming june through august time period. and la nina is typically follows strong el ninos. as far as what we're going to get out of it, that remains to be seen, so stay tuned on live doppler seven. i will tell you this much it's not going to look like this come late tomorrow night into saturday, we're going to start to notice some rain moving in here. high pressure controlled the weather today, but we do have a cold storm coming in and that is going to dramatically change where we're going. sunshine from golden gate bridge camera tomorrow a sharp drop in those temperatures. clouds on the increase late tomorrow night. spotty showers arrive and on saturday we're talking a rain

snow mix. snow, of course, on the peaks and chilly conditions as well. not going to be chilly inland this evening. we're going to still see those 70s. if you do want to step out, maybe you need to run some errands. it's going to be beautiful 50s though. co side with the fog. and then as we head towards 8:08 p.m. tonight, it's going to be in the 50s and 60s. the fog layer will expand by morning. we will see some higher clouds increasing as well. and tomorrow is going to be a cooler day. you will notice it. temperatures tomorrow morning 40s 50s partly to mostly cloudy skies tomorrow afternoon. you're looking at upper 50s to upper 60s. certainly breezy too. and the breeze is already started picking up. so we're going to go hour by hour tomorrow night, a few showers arriving really late at night. and then you get steady rain saturday morning. notice the higher peaks mount hamilton, santa cruz mountains, the hills up around lake and mendocino counties, and the interior areas. getting that snow. the showers and snow continue on saturday and really continue for part of your sunday. and that's when we'll have an opportunity for some thunderstorms. rainfall projections. most of you will be

in that half an inch to an inch and a half. ben loman picking up over two inches of rain. accuweather seven day forecast tomorrow will be much cooler. clouds up chance late level one for saturday and sunday. and then don't worry dion dan we're going to bring back spring again okay. but you'll have to wait till next week before we see that transition. >> i'm going to worry a little until then okay. >> sounds good. the weekend to enjoy. >> thanks andy. we'll be right back. >> this is abc 724 seven. >> in san francisco, live at levi's stadium in san jose. >> live in oakland. >> yeah. you're watching abc seven news live anytime, anywhere. >> we are, we are, we are, we are, we are we are where you are. >> never miss a moment of the news that matters to you. download our abc seven bay area streaming app. join us and

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and genital yeast or urinary tract infections. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction. you may have an increased risk for lower limb loss. call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of infection in your legs or feet. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. ♪ jardiance is really swell ♪ ♪ the little pill ♪ ♪ with a big story to tell! ♪ with our abc seven bay area streaming tv app. just search abc seven bay area and download it now. another celebratory opening for ikea in downtown san francisco, nine months after

opening its store in the mid-market area. >> today, ikea opened saleh hall. it's a two story food hall named after one of the most famous markets in stockholm. ikea says the food hall is more than just an eatery. >> food is one of the most important drivers. also for our business. this is the reason why people want to come together. >> eight local restaurants will make up the ikea food hall. there will also be two bars, a bakery and a cooking school. ikea is working with a workplace development agency to hire workers from the local community. wow, what an operation. >> that's beautiful. that's great. >> all right, well, we still have more news ahead for you. >> yeah. let's get to abc seven news anchor j.r. stone with a look at what's coming up at 530. j.r, thanks, diane and dan at 530. >> we're continuing our coverage on the death of oj simpson and the impact of his life. abc seven news i-team reporter dan noyes spent nearly a month in los angeles covering the trial of the century, and will join me

to talk about it. plus, imagine a tow truck driver trying to tow you while you're still inside the car and at a stoplight. it happened in san francisco recently, and dion spoke with some of the victims. she will join me for that story, for all of those stories and more. join me at 530 on abc seven. bay area streaming tv. >> thanks, j.r. and that is her story is remarkable. >> it continues. here we go with the saga and a reminder you can download the abc seven news app, or head to abc7 news.com to join jr. in just two minutes. >> and if you're watching us here on tv world news tonight with david muir is next for sandhya patel. all of us, we appreciate your time. >> i'm dan ashley and i'm dionne lim. we'll see you right back here as well

>> whit: tonight, the death of o.j. simpson. the former murder defendant, disgraced football star, and actor, dying of cancer. dangerous weather taking aim at the northeast. and the staggering sum shohei ohtani's former interpreter is charged with stealing. first, o.j. simpson dying of cancer.