we hope this is a year. >> dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> a lot of exciting football. that's it for abc seven news at four. i'm kristen sze and i'm dan ashley. >> the nfc wild card football game is next to enjoy the ball game. and we'll when i was your age, we never had anything like this. what? wifi? wifi that works all over the house. even the basement. the basement. so i can finally throw that party... and invite shannon barnes. dreams do come true. get started with xfinity gig internet for $25 a month when you add mobile with no annual contract. maybe we'll even get married one day. i wonder what i will be doing? probably still living here with mom and dad. fast, reliable speeds right where you need them. that's wall-to-wall wifi on the xfinity 10g network. ♪ >>> super wild card weekend wraps up in tampa, florida, where the buccaneers finished the year winning five of welcoming the philadelphia eagles who came in week lee and

dorsey has the story. >> athletes are trained to stay in the moment. don't get too far out, but that's not an option for people planning two massive events at levi's in 2026 the super bowl and the world cup. >> can you imagine the excitement that we have with two global events here in santa clara and the incredible opportunity for us to showcase who we are here in the heart of silicon valley? >> assembly member evan lowe has high expectations and with good reason. super bowl 58 years ago pumped nearly $300 million into the bay area. so 2026 is another huge opportunity. >> and leading up to the anticipation of these major events, we need to do what is necessary in helping to ensure that all thrives and that we address any of the type of challenges that exist. >> one of the biggest challenges, he says, is making sure the host committee is on the same page, especially with safety, with tens of thousands of people expected for both the super bowl and the world cup, public transportation will be critical. the valley transportation authority held the first p

dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> yes, congrats to her. okay coming up after the break, even more sports as niners fans gear up for tomorrow's big game. we're going to have a live in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. switch today. this election is a choice between results or just rhetoric. californians deserve a senator who is going to deliver for them every day and not just talk a good game. adam schiff. he held a dangerous president accountable. he also helped lower drug costs, bring good jobs back home, and build affordable housing. now he's running for the senate. our econ

abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey tells us about the watch parties being held in other countries.ntroduces us to a house divided. all is peaceful for san jose couple christine zion and sean collins. >> while on a walk with their dogs. but come sunday, this will be a house divided. go, niners. hey baby, let's go lions! christine as bay area born and raised. her dad brought her up to be 40 niner faithful. sean, meanwhile, was born in europe and had a football team but not a football team until he moved to michigan. they can't wait for sunday, so for me, it's actually going to be my first ever lions game in person. >> i have never been as excited as i am to be a lions fan. uh definitely. the years of struggle has kind of epitomized what we're going into this weekend. i'm not honestly worried about cheering against him. >> i'm more worried about the heckling that he's going to get just for wearing this color. um, you know, but honestly, just excited for a good game of football. >> now, not everyone will be as lucky as christine and sean to be here at levi's stadium for the nfc champio

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey looks at how the new phones are making use of artificialigence in the heart of silicon valley. >> the debut of the next great innovation, the galaxy s 24 series, is our most exciting, most innovative and most intelligent one yet. >> we call it the eureka moment for generation and it all starts here with the samsung galaxy s 24. >> welcome to your eureka moment and welcome to the world of ai in a smartphone. >> the galaxy s 24 series uses artificial intelligence like never before to change the way you use your phone, edit photos, even communicate from calls in the native app to in-person conversations. >> the galaxy s 24 series can help us connect and communicate with people in other languages. >> traveling made easy, thanks to the new interpreter features. the new galaxy will translate conversations and phone calls in person and even while texting. >> gracias. nos vemos manana a las siete de la tarde. >> thank you. see you tomorrow at 7 p.m. >> samsung's partnership with google allows users to use ai to search easier as well. >> thanks to b

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey has a look at what's at stake for fans and the team. >> this win or go home. it's about how good can you play in those three hours. and that's the team that usually uh- is happy at the end of the year. >> welcome to the nfl playoffs. the road to super bowl 58 for the red and gold starts this weekend at levi's stadium. >> i just think that everybody's excited. you know, niner football is always fun, but playoff football is another level. >> but standing in the way of that lombardi trophy is a familiar foe. the green bay packers. for fans, it almost doesn't seem like a normal playoff run without seeing these colors come to town. >> just seeing that yellow and green and then that red and gold and, you know, being a football fan and that tradition of football and it being a playoffs on top of that, it's that whole tradition, a tradition that dates back to the 1950s when the niners and packers first played the franchise is now squaring up for a nfl record 10th time in the playoffs. >> the winner of this game not only punches their ticket to

. >> abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey shows you what it means to the community. >> a cold winterainstorm in the bay area means snow in the sierra, and the thought on the mind of every tahoe resident, including kevin cooper. cooper is the same final. we. >> we're not even talking a lot of snow, right? we're talking, you know, 18 to 24in. but it does raise what i like to call the stoke level up pretty darn good. >> saturday will bring the snow. sunday will bring the cold with low temps in the single digits. two things that residents haven't seen a lot this season. the first sierra snowpack survey of the year only showed a few inches quite a bit of difference compared to this time in 2023. it's a tale of two winters, right? >> last year we were talking about 32ft of snow. right now we just finished up a huge set of systems that came through. are events that just left us with six, eight, ten feet of snow. this is like 91 slow start and we've just got to work with it. something ski resorts across tahoe have been doing to the best of their abilities. >> heavenly northstar have 70 and 6

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey takes a look at the numbers. >> an extensive study and look into law enforcement stops across california highlights a trend many say they already know. >> the data is pretty clear that year over year, and now, um, agency over agency. we have a problem. we have a problem with disparities in law enforcement, stops racial and identity profiling. >> advisory board co-chair andrea guerrero says the numbers from their annual report looking at nearly 4.6 million vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2022 from all california law enforcement agencies, showed a pattern of profiling in the state. the data represents the race perceived by officers and not the race people may identify with. because that's what drives bias, the report found. police reported hispanic or latino people made up about 43% of traffic stops above their 32% share of california's population . it also found that black people account for nearly 13% of traffic stops in california, above their 5% share of the state's population. >> no surprise, it's the same data that we get each and

dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> hmm, interesting. >> all right.ning more about that plan. massive land project in solano county. yeah. >> just ahead. what the new city could look like and how voters will get to in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. switch today. hi, i'm sally. i'm from phoenix, arizona. i'm a flight nurse on a helicopter that specializes in trauma. i've been doing flight nursing for 24 years. as you get older, your brain slows down and i had a fear that i wouldn't be able to keep up. i heard about prevagen from a friend. i read the clinical study on it and it had good

abc7 news south bay reporter dustin dorsey has a look at what that means. >> three years of strongly worded letters calling on cities and counties to keep up with housing needs hasn't worked. now, california's department of housing and community development is switching strategies. obey state orders or face serious penalties. and that leaves some bay area cities with only days to submit plans that comply with state wishes. the housing need in california is still really great, and as a result, it has become more important that cities and counties hold to their commitments that they're making to their own community so that we can get the housing built. last january, bay area cities and counties submitted their plans to meet state housing needs. but around 20 jurisdictions have still not adopted a state approved housing plan. >> it's really critical that the cities and counties basically set the table for development to occur. that is, through their own powers to zone. also through to their ability to approve housing developments. and for state their development in san jose, leaders hav

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains in his namesake airport, a monument honoringonumental leader in san jose. >> secretary norman de. >> this airport has a huge history to our family, and we're very grateful. what an honor it is to have his statue here. now, i cannot tell you how much this means to the mineta family. >> i want to say, if you get reports of some man or men talking to this statue hour upon hour, please do not have them remove us. >> laughs. love and legacy shared from mineta's sons and wife during the special statue unveiling ceremony for norm mineta. after spending time in a japanese internment camp, mineta became the first asian american mayor of a major us city and eventually the secretary of transportation. he was a trailblazer and an advocate. >> norm was a victim of injustice. and what did that do to him? it fueled a quest for justice. he is a beacon for all of us, and this very divided moment in this time when we are two bitterly divided over too many things, a beacon to find our better angels. >> state senator dave cortez hopes this beacon,

dorsey explains. shoppers and business owners like it that way. >> for all the negative changes because of the pandemic, the one at san pedro square was positive . the street was closed to cars in 2020 and it worked so well. it will stay that way. it's allowed for walking, biking, dining, even world cup watch parties. >> downtown is open for business . the possible investment is not just about a physical closure, it's about opening new possibilities for fostering community engagement and creating a space that resonates with the spirit of our beautiful city. >> the san jose city council unanimously voted tuesday to create the city's third pedestrian mall. the other two were created more than 50 years ago. mayor matt mehan hopes this is a start of more to come as downtown continues to transform. >> we're in conversation with all of the property owners here about potential improvements that could entail lighting public art. you can imagine this being a very vibrant space, closed san pedro street to cars

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey has the story. >> athletes are trained to stay in the not an option for people planning two massive events at levi's in 2026. the super bowl and the world cup. >> can you imagine the excitement that we have with two global events here in santa clara and the incredible opportunity for us to showcase who we are here in the heart of silicon valley? >> assembly member evan low has high expectations and with good reason. super bowl 58 years ago pumps nearly $300 million into the bay area, so 2026 is another huge opportunity. >> and leading up to the anticipation of these major events, we need to do what is necessary in helping to ensure that all thrives and that we address any of the type of challenges that exist. >> one of the biggest challenges, he says, is making sure the host committee is on the same page, especially with safety, with tens of thousands of people expected for both the super bowl and the world cup, public transportation will be critical. the valley transport authority held the first planning meetings thursday. basically put

abc7 news reporter south bay reporter dustin dorsey has a look at what that would mean. >> things looka lot different along educational park drive in east san jose. in august, we were here when the street was filled with lived in rvs and encampments. that was until kip collegiate student alfredo hernandez, junior called on city leaders to make a change. >> my classmates began sharing concerns about safety, such as interactions with unhoused individuals who had wandered onto campus without permission, frequent thefts, and even the presence of drugs left by trespassers. >> now, san jose city council is poised to create an ordinance that would ban large vehicles and encampments within 150ft of school grounds, the memo we have crafted today is thoughtful and nuanced, and gives us the legal tools we need to enforce parking violations and dangers posed to our children. as they come to school and leave every day. the pilot program would take place at three locations in san jose challenger school and berryessa shirakawa elementary school, and here at the kip and independence campus. but if suc

dustin dorsey, abc seven news jan three is national soup month. >> don't you love soup?es and you can get a cup of soup for just $1 all month long. kumasi panera bread is offering the deal, but you have to buy an entree using their app with the code soup to get it for $1. the chain also announced two new menu additions the bacon avocado melt and the southwest chicken melt. oh wings for the winged winners. >> popeyes offering a free order of six pieces of wings six six. wings six six. wings half a dozen. what is a piece of a wing? i don't know, you get the whole wings. >> you get a bite of a wing. little crumb you share. you're gonna get six wings. >> hopefully, if either the baltimore ravens or the philadelphia eagles win the super bowl this year. they also added the buffalo bills to the promotion. because of the buffalo wings connection. so the deal will only be available two days after the big game, which is on tuesday, february 13th. sorry to y'all because 40 niners that's what i'm saying. >> this is awkward. i want free wings, but i also want our teams to win. i know

that already bears his name as abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains. passengers will see the late norm mineta in a new way when they fly out of san jose in his namesake airport, a monument honoring a monumental leader in san jose, secretary norm mineta. >> this airport has a huge history uh- to our family, and we're very grateful. what an honor it is to have his statue here. now, i cannot tell you how much this means to for the mineta family. >> i want to say, if you get reports of some man or men talking to this statue hour upon hour, please do not have them remove us. >> laughs. love and legacy shared from mineta's sons and wife during the special statue unveiling ceremony for norm mineta. after spending time in a japanese internment camp, mineta became the first asian american mayor of a major u.s. city and eventually the secretary of transportation. he was a trailblazer and an advocate. norm was a victim of injustice and what did that do to him? >> it fueled a quest for justice. he is a beacon for all of us. >> and this very divided moment in this

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey looks at the numbers as we ring in the new year. >> we turn the page on the holiday season calendar, but you, doctor peter chin-hong, says what's left over are respiratory diseases, including covid. what we've seen in the last few years is a typical pattern of a 123 punch with thanksgiving, christmas, hanukkah and then new year's, followed by uh- increased cases in the community and some spillover in the hospital. the new gen one variant is rapidly spreading nationwide, and the wastewater scan dashboard shows us the bay area is not immune. santa rosa, san francisco, oakland and san jose, all with high levels of covid, to name a few. the south bay city showing the third highest level since 2021, according to santa clara county data. >> we're still seeing a lot of covid in the community. a lot of people are getting sick. it's causing a lot of disruption. it seems that everybody uh- i know or almost everyone has some sort of respiratory illness right now, including covid. >> and that's what has doctors concern. right now. it's not just

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey looks at the numbers as we ring in the new year. >> we turn the page on the holiday season calendar. but ucsf doctor peter chin-hong says what's left over are respiratory diseases, including. covid. >> what we've seen in the last few years is a typical pattern of a123 punch with thanksgiving, christmas, hanukkah and then new year's followed by uh- increased cases in the community and some spillover in the hospital. the new jn one variant is rapidly spreading nationwide, and the wastewater scan dashboard shows us the bay area is not immune. >> santa rosa, san francisco, oakland and san jose, all with high levels of covid to name a few. the south bay city showing the third highest level since 2021, according to santa clara county data. we're still seeing a lot of covid in the community. >> a lot of people are getting sick. it's causing a lot of disruptions. it seems that everybody, uh, i know or almost everyone has some sort of respiratory illness right now, including covid. >> and that's what has doctors concern right now. it's not j

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey looks into the issue of racial profiling among hispanic and black communities. >> an extensive study and look into law enforcement stops across california highlights a trend many say they already know. >> the data is pretty clear that year over year, and now, um, agency over agency. we have a problem. we have a problem with disparities in law enforcement, stops racial and identity profiling. >> advisory board co-chair andrea guerrero says the numbers from their annual report looking at nearly 4.6 million vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2022 from all california law enforcement agencies, showed a pattern of profiling in the state. the data represents the race perceived by officers and not the race people may identify with. because that's what drives bias, the report found. police reported hispanic or latino people made up about 43% of traffic stops above their 32% share of california's population . it also found that black people account for nearly 13% of traffic stops in california, above their 5% share of the state's population. >> no surp

abc7 news south bay reporter dustin dorsey has a look at what that means. >> three years of stronglyes and counties to keep up with housing needs hasn't worked. now, california's department of housing and community development is switching strategies. obey state orders or face serious penalties. and that leaves some bay area cities with only days to submit plans that comply with state wishes. the housing need in california is still really great, and as a result, it has become more important that cities and counties hold to their commitments that they're making to their own community so that we can get the housing built. last january, bay area cities and counties submitted their plans

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey spoke with experts about what your bill may looks, but it may not be as painful to your wallet as last january, according to p-g-and-e's, the utility says regulator approved rate changes will account for lower natural gas prices than last winter, around a 9% decrease, savingst

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey looks at how one of our body's oldest immune systems may contain the solution. doctors say the covid 19 virus will always be with us, but some experts wonder if the pandemic could have been avoided altogether. >> what if there is a way in which our bodies fought off a new infection using different immunities? stanford university professor bali pulendran and his colleagues think they may have found an answer. >> imagine if you had this universal vaccine that could have been delivered to humans that induces broad protection. we don't know exactly what this virus is. we don't know what it takes to make a conventional vaccine. but nevertheless, we've ramped up our innate immune system that's giving you a broad degree of protection. >> traditional science utilizes antibodies. our t cells that remember specifics of viruses introduced by vaccines to fight off infection. but doctor pulendran says the innate immune system found in all creatures can be used to fight off more kinds of sicknesses, even viruses. we've never been exposed to a single

dorsey explains, shoppers and business owners like it that way . >> for all the negative changes becausethe pandemic, the one at san pedro square was positive . the street was closed to cars in 2020 and it worked so well. it will stay that way. it's allowed for walking, biking, dining, even world cup watch parties. >> downtown is open for business . the possible investment is not just about a physical closure, it's about opening new possibilities for fostering community engagement and creating a space that resonates with the spirit of our beautiful city. >> the san jose city council unanimously voted tuesday to create the city's third pedestrian mall. the other two were created more than 50 years ago. mayor matt mehan hopes this is a start of more to come as downtown continues to transform. >> we're in conversation with all of the property owners here about potential improvements. that could entail lighting public art. you can imagine this being a very vibrant space, closed san pedro street to cars has made a big difference during the pandemic. >> shops and restaurants stayed open, while

and abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey is live in santa cruz. >> dustin, what did you find there today? >> you know, dan and karina, it was a beautiful day for wave watching and really still is as you saw that live. look, we're going to give you another one right here. here along west cliff drive. people from all over really wanted to come see these big tides from across the bay area. some of them seeing them for the first time in a while or ever. really but that unfamiliarity with the ocean has also been a problem for local rescue efforts. from to west cliff, santa cruz look more like the north shore of hawaii, with the sun shining bright over the blue water and big waves. the past few weeks of high surf has been a dream for surfers like dylan love and his friends from san francisco, so there's not much like surf anywhere else right now. >> um, so the winds are, like, favorable right here, right now, and we're just going to get some before storm come. >> yeah. how great is these last few weeks been for these waves that. yeah aren't usually this great. >> yeah. i mean it's been really

abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey has the details. >> the future of artificial intelligence is out there. even driving right past you on the streets. the new wave of technology is something that many leaders like state senator dave cortez, wants to embrace. but when it comes to autonomous vehicles, he wants to pump the brakes on the current regulations or lack thereof. >> we've never really had a system, um, in this country where for, you know, i mean, from from the henry ford days where you just go out and experiment on the streets, you know, without traffic laws in place and without, uh, the kind of, of requirements that keep it safe for everyone after seeing issues involving safety of these avs in places like san francisco and los angeles, senator cortez introduced senate bill 915 to steer driverless car safety into the hands of local governments who currently have no influence. >> cortez says once the cpuc and dmv permits the cars to be on the roads, there are not enough accountability measures. as piloted vehicles, he believes putting local governments in charge of closing thi

dorsey explains, no reason to panic just yet. >> it wasn't exactly a white christmas and not much of a white new year either. in the sierra. a little different look to the annual california department of water resources snowpack survey from the record breaking 2023 report here at phillips station last winter, they were standing on almost five feet of snow, but now the survey today recorded a snow depth of 7.5in and a snow water content of three inches. >> that results in 30% of average to date and 12% of the april 1st average. here at this location across california, the statewide snowpack sits at 25% of average to date, compared. to 177% january 2023. >> and abc seven news meteorologist drew tuma says it's not just california who's not seeing the snowy conditions the country as a whole. >> december temperatures were well above average across the entire lower 48, and we saw very minimal snow. like you said, only about 20% of the country has some sort of snow on the ground right now. >> locally here in the south bay, a low snowpack is never a good thing for santa clara valley water di

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey spoke with experts about what your bill may look like this month and the best ways to lower it. >> lower temperatures often mean higher utility bills, but it may not be as painful to your wallet as last january, according to p-g-and-e's, the utility says regulator approved rate changes will account for lower natural gas prices than last winter, around a 9% decrease, saving customers about $17 on their gas bills. good news but economists ahmed farooqui says the bad news is other cpuc approved rate changes will still cost customers more than before. i mean, this was one of those new year celebrations that was dampened by the news of the bill going up by $35. >> it's a gift that just keeps on giving in a negative sense. >> and farooqui says the 13% rate hike to pay for the undergrounding of lines for wildfire prevention may not be the last of the increases in 2024, according to one study. >> i have seen for the year as a whole, it could be a rate hike that amounts to $100 a month for the typical customer, and that is honestly shocking

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains the future of artificial intelligence is outt past you on the streets. >> the new wave of technology is something that many leaders, like state senator dave cortez, wants to embrace. but when it comes to autonomous vehicles, he wants to pump the brakes on the current regulations or lack thereof. >> we've never really had a system, um, in this country where for, you know, i mean, from from the henry ford days where you just go out and experiment on the streets, you know, without traffic laws in place and without, uh, the kind of, of requirements that keep it safe for everyone after seeing issues involving safety of these avs in places like san francisco and los angeles, senator cortez introduced senate bill 915 to steer driverless car safety into the hands of local governments who currently have no influence. >> cortez says once the cpuc and dmv permits the cars to be on the roads, there are not enough accountability measures as piloted vehicles, he believes putting local governments in charge of closing this loophole is best for

abc7 news south bay reporter dustin dorsey spoke with experts about what your bill may look like this month and the best ways to lower it in the future. >> lower temperatures often mean higher utility bills, but it may not be as painful to your wallet as last january, according to p-g-and-e's. the utility says regulator approved rate changes will account for lower natural gas prices than last winter, around a 9% decrease, saving customers about $17 on their gas bills. good news but economists ahmed farooq says the bad news is other cpuc approved rate changes will still cost customers more than before. i mean, this was one of those new year celebrations that was dampened by the news of the bill going up by $35. >> it's a gift that just keeps on giving in a negative sense. >> and farooq says the 13% rate hike to pay for the undergrounding of lines for wildfire prevention may not be the last of the increases in 2024, according to one study. >> i have seen for the year as a whole, it could be a rate hike that amounts to $100 a month for the typical customer, and that is honestly shocking

and as abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey found out, this is going to cause some delays in the short terme. but it could be a big help during winter storms. >> heads up drivers highway 17. roads are going to be a bit busier than normal this week. part of the northbound road is closing as caltrans does work to keep it open for the long haul this winter storm season. >> we don't uh- lightly take a close the lane during the daytime on highway 17 because there's approximately 65,000 average travelers on it every day. the idea there is really preventative maintenance, keeping the drainage infrastructure clear and functioning during future rain events. >> to do that, crews are closing one lane from vine hill road up to the summit from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as they trim trees, clear brush and clean out the drainage system. i'm kevin drabinski with caltrans, says the more debris cleared now, the better chance of it not blocking the roadways later. this is especially important after the issues last winter. drabinski says crews are still cleaning up the mess from those atmospheric rivers. >> i

dorsey explains, the sound of excavate others hopefully means a return to normalcy is coming soon. >> clean up from a christmas fire now underway in los altos. this building along el camino real went up in flames on december 25th. now almost a month later to the day, demolition on the 22,000 square foot building has started. >> as you can see, the roof has collapsed, so that collapse might might cause more collapse. and so we're going to dismantle this building from the top down and then that'll allow a safe environment with the hopefully no overhead obstructions for the firefighters and investigators to complete that investigation. >> the community has been anxiously awaiting this process to begin the aftermath of the fire has created issues on the road with traffic blocked on el camino for a month, residents are happy to see the reopening, getting closer. >> i almost have ran into people a couple times. rear ended them because it's not. it's not a u-turn lane. it's just an open section in the road. they're making illegal u-turns there, so it's kind of a traffic, uh, problem. >> i t

but as abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains, no reason to panic. >> it wasn't exactly a white christmas and not much of a white new year either. in the sierra, a little different look to the annual california department of water resources snowpack survey from the record breaking 2023 report here at phillips station last winter, they were standing on almost five feet of snow, but now the survey today recorded a snow depth of 7.5in and a snow water content of three inches. >> that results in 30% of average to date. and 12% of the april 1st average here at this location across california, the statewide snowpack sits at 25% of average to date, compared to 177% january 2023. >> and abc seven news meteorologist drew tuma says it's not just california who's not seeing the snowy conditions the country as a whole, december temperatures were well above average across the entire lower 48, and we saw very minimal snow. >> like you said, only about 20% of the country has some sort of snow on the ground right now. >> locally here in the south bay, a low snowpack is never a good thin

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains why the city of san jose is hoping lessons of the past will bring a brighter future. >> bimala's. dr. shiva tewari a prayer to honor a somber week for the jewish community. >> saturday, january 27th, is international holocaust remembrance day, a time to remember the past in order to shape the future. i believe that the history we remember, the stories we choose to tell, the heroes we choose to celebrate are what determine who we become. members of the jewish community shared their family's stories monday. santa clara county district attorney jeff rosen and metro silicon valley ceo dan pulcrano are descendants of holocaust survivors. >> the only time he talked about it was when he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming with nightmares and that was an haunted him for his entire life. >> my dad, my grandmother, and my aunts and uncles were in three different concentration camps, two slave labor camps in poland, and eventually bergen-belsen were where my dad survived. his mother survived, and they were liberated in march

. >> a as abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains, short time delays could mean long terme benefits, heads up drivers on highway 17 roads are going to be a bit busier than normal this week. >> part of the northbound road is closing as caltrans does work to keep it open for the long haul this winter storm season. >> we don't uh- lightly take a close the lane during the daytime on highway 17 because there's approximately 65,000 average travelers on it every day. the idea there is really preventative maintenance, keeping the drainage infrastructure clear and functioning during future rain events. >> to do that, crews are closing one lane from vine hill road up to the summit from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as they trim trees, clear brush and clean out the drainage system. kevin drabinski with caltrans says the more debris cleared now, the better chance of it not blocking the roadways later. this is especially important after the issues last winter. drabinski says crews are still cleaning up the mess from those atmospheric rivers. >> i think if you ask any local in the santa cru

abc seven news, south bay reporter dustin dorsey was there as people from all over came to check out the swells from east cliff to west cliff, santa cruz look more like the north shore of hawaii, with the sun shining bright over the blue water and big waves. >> the past few weeks of high surf has been a dream for surfers like dylan lum and his friends from san francisco. >> there's not much like surf anywhere else right now. um, so the winds are, like, favorable right here, right now. and we're just going to get some before the storm come. >> yeah. how great is these last few weeks been for these waves that. yeah. aren't usually this great? >> yeah. i mean, it's been really fun and surfed out here last week. it's been kind of stormy, but still like really, really fun through these swells. >> as busy as it was in the water, the coastline was packed with visitors from all over enjoying nature show. >> the waves and the ocean are such a big part of santa cruz, so it's like when we get big waves, it's always fun to see. and we saw some big ones. >> uh- i live in reno right now, so it's b

abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey has the latest. a cold winter rainstorm in the bay area means snow in the sierra and the thought on the mind of every tahoe resident, including kevin cooper. >> cooper is the same. finally we're not even talking a lot of snow, right? >> we're talking, you know, 18 to 24in. but it does raise what i like to call the stoke level up pretty darn good. >> saturday will bring the snow. sunday will bring the cold with low temps in the single digits. two things that residents haven't seen a lot this season. the first sierra snow pack survey of the year only showed a few inches quite a bit of difference compared to this time in 2023. >> it's a tale of two winters, right? last year we were talking about 32ft of snow, right now we just finished up a huge set of systems that came through are events that just left us with six, eight, ten feet of snow. this is like 91 slow start and we've just got to work with it. something ski resorts across tahoe have been doing to the best of their abilities. >> heavenly and nor

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey takes a look at what it means if they miss that deadline. after years of strongly worded letters calling on cities and counties to keep up with housing needs hasn't worked. >> now, california's department of housing and community development is switching strategies, obey state orders or face serious penalties. and that leaves some bay area cities with only days to submit plans that comply with state wishes. >> the housing need in california is still really great , and as a result, it has become more important that cities and counties hold to their commitments that they're making to their own community so that we can get the housing built. >> last january, bay area cities and counties submitted their plans to meet state housing needs. but around 20 jurisdictions have still not adopted a state approved housing plan. >> it's really critical that the cities and counties basically set the table for development to occur. that's through their own powers to zone. also through to their ability to approve housing developments and for state developmen

. >> abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey takes a look at one of our body's oldest immune systems, and how that may contain the solution. >> doctors say the covid 19 virus will always be with us, but some experts wonder if the pandemic could have been avoided altogether. what if there is a way in which our bodies fought off a new infection using different immunities? stanford university professor bali pulendran and his colleagues think they may have found an answer. >> imagine if you had this universal vaccine that could have been delivered to humans that induces broad protection. we don't know exactly what this virus is. we don't know what it takes to make a conventional vaccine. but nevertheless, we've ramped up our innate immune system that's giving you a broad degree of protection. >> traditional science utilizes antibodies, our t cells that remember specifics of viruses introduced by vaccines to fight off infection. but doctor pulendran says the innate immune system found in all creatures can be used to fight off more kinds of sicknesses, even viruses. we've never bee

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey has the details. >> the future of artificial intelligenceout there. even driving right past you on the streets. the new wave of technology is something that many leaders like state senator dave cortez wants to embrace. but when it comes to autonomous vehicles, he wants to pump the brakes on the current regulations or lack thereof. >> we've never really had a system, um, in this country where, you know, i mean, from from the henry ford days where you just go out and experiment on the streets, you know, without traffic laws in place and without, uh, the kind of requirements that keep it safe for everyone. >> after seeing issues involving safety of these avs in places like san francisco and los angeles, senator cortez introduced senate bill 915 to steer driverless car safety into the hands of local government, who currently have no influence. cortez says once the cpuc and dmv permits the cars to be on the roads, there are not enough accountability measures as piloted vehicles, he believes, putting local governments in charge of closing this loo

abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey on the intensifying race to replace democrat anna eshoo. >> the primary election will decide which two candidates will appear on the ballot for representative of california's 16th congressional district and the race to see who will take over for anna eshoo is heating up an open congressional seat is a rare thing in california. >> so, you know, this is the first time this seat has been open in over 30 years. >> and sjsu political science professor melinda jackson says state assembly member evan lowe, santa clara county supervisor joe simitian and former san jose mayor sam liccardo are emerging as favorites, the latter receiving a big endorsement tuesday. our local governments need a national partner so that we are addressing these issues from every angle, and that partner is sam liccardo. >> there aren't many endorsements that matter, but certainly the mayor of the largest city in the district matters. and as mayors, we understand accountability. we embrace it. we need to bring that accountability to congress because on issues like homelessness and

abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey was there as people came from all over to check out the swells. >> from east cliff to west cliff, santa cruz look more like the north shore of hawaii with the sun shining bright over the blue water and big waves, the past few weeks of high surf has been a dream for surfers like dylan. love and his friends from san francisco. >> there's not much like surf anywhere else right now. um, so the winds are, like, favorable right here, right now. and we're just going to get some before the storm come. >> yeah. how great is these last few weeks been for these waves that, yeah, aren't usually this great? >> yeah. i mean, it's been really fun and surfed out here last week. it's been kind of stormy, but still like really, really fun through these swells. >> as busy as it was in the water, the coastline was packed with visitors from all over enjoying nature show the waves and the ocean are such a big part of santa cruz, so it's like when we get big waves, it's always fun to see. >> and we saw some big ones. >> uh, i live in reno right now, so it's been

. >> dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> now for your morning money report.ue of san francisco based x, formerly twitter, has reportedly hit a new low. according to axios, fidelity now estimates the platform is worth about 71% less than when elon musk bought it 15 months ago. the cut was disclosed in a filing. it comes after ad sales dropped in 2023. this is the latest in a series of markdowns by fidelity, which is an investor in x. chinese electric car maker byd says it produced more than 3 million new vehicles last year, which puts the company on track to outdo tesla's production run for a second straight year as of the third quarter, elon musk's company was on pace to produce fewer than 2 million electric vehicles. >> facebook's parent company, meta, is dropping the price of its oculus quest two virtual reality headset. it's been on sale for 250 bucks for the last two months. now the company is making that sale permanent, so that brings the price down about $50. the quest two launch in october of 2020. they do have the quest three, which launched in septem

dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> for many people, it's dry.a time when some tried to abstain from alcohol. so because of this, bars around the bay area are creating specialty mocktails and one restaurant here in san francisco is mastering the nonalcoholic drink year round. here's a look at ocean beach cafe for uh- are looking to drink less alcohol. >> it's products like this that's really helping out in that pursuit. this is one of the first nonalcoholic bars in the world, and that's owned by bartender and a food and beverage professional. i really like that aspect of it because hospitality service experience, like the activity of going to a social space to have drinks shaken up for you and in pretty glasses, that's that's the whole thing. and it's just amazing to get to get to do that now. it's still in the food and beverage industry, still bartending, but under completely different circumstances. >> i've actually been inside. there is quite a selection there. you can visit ocean beach cafe in the city's outer richmond district, just a block