express. storm risks, moderate for urban flooding, creek flooding, mudslide, rock slide, slight possibility, river flooding expected to be low, up to nine inches in the wettest spots there is a wind advisory four the carquinez strait and delta until tomorrow morning. gusts to 45 could knock down power lines and trees. rainfall totals look impressive when all is said and done. the snow in the sierra will pile up. a look at your weekend in a few minutes. unfortunately for drive, the latest storm hit in time for the evening commute. >> a live picture now of the san francisco skyway. if is slow and go, particularly bad, wet roads. >> the traffic maps, peninsula, south bay, red on highway 101 indicating traffic is very slow. >> live look from our emeryville camera on interstate 80 toward the oakland maze. see the big backup there, as well as things moving very

slowly. >> lillian kim is live in the sierras. >> first, check in with abc7 news report david louie live in the south bay. >> reporter: we are standing in the middle of a yard where sandbags are available for south bay resident and now that the rain is here, we have seen a steady stream of people coming by to pick up these bags. now the bags are free at this location. they are provided by the santa clara water district. other cities, the industries providing the bags to their residents. come on in handy for homes on hills or driveways slope down from street level. preparedness is the name of the game. roads and highways can be prone to flooding as well, caltrans tells us they are putting crews on 24-hour shifts starting at 8:00 tonight. they will be working around the clock all weekend long as long as it's storming. extra equipment has been mobilized, including loaders and ten-wheelers, anything that could be needed. now, local rivers and creeks will be watched closely for potential flooding, if the water overflows the banks.

south bay residents say they are ready for the pineapple express. >> a loft rain with dry soil underneath can cause the top surface to get slippery and slide. >> are you on a slope? >> we are on a slope, yes. >> so, have you good flooding in the past? >> we are more worried about slippage than we are flooding. >> my garage actually is really low and starts flooding. so, i don't put the sand bags, i get a pool in there >> how many sandbags do you need? >> usually about six. >> that does the trick? >> yeah. i'm probably gonna put -- probably about ten, because the weekend, i don't want to come back. >> reporter: sandbags are also needed up in sunnyvale where lakewood elementary school has a drainage problem near a classroom so the school maintenance team has put out sandbags early, even though school will be out for the weekend so that students and teachers don't return on monday with damage to that one flood-prone glass klaas room. now, the sandbags, as i say are available a total of 18 locations throughout santa clara county. this one is located at palin

avenue and center road. they have plenty of bags a available already filled, you come here and they are not filled there will be a shovel and some sand for you to shovel them yourself. we are live in san jose, david louie, abc7 news. >> david, thank you. a public works crews were out in the rain today to make sure the streets don't flood over. workers armed with brooms and shovels were busy sweeping around storm drains true toying keep them clear. many like this in mission district are littered with bottles and wrappers that can clog the drains and back up the water into nearby homes and businesses. in east palo alto, neighbors living along the creek are keeping an eye on rising water levels. just one year ago, the creek overflowed during a storm. sandbags are being offered to people on the peninsula and many neighbors are glad to see the rain but they hope the sandbags are not needed. the rain storm has sent trees crashing down around the bay area. take a look at this san

francisco's lower haight. oh, boy. a large branch cracked off a tree and fell on a parked pickup truck and the sidewalk. good thing nobody was hurt. this happened before 3 p.m. on haight and steiner street. people there were lucky. the east bay, the rain was not enough to keep people away from the farmer's mark threat morning in oakland. just a few umbrellas there. rain here obviously means snow in the see area, interstate 80, chains required from baxter to truckee, for everyone except four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires. chains are also required on highway 50 now from twin bridges to meyers. all of this snow obviously very good news for skiers heading up to the sierra this weekend. and 7 news reporter lillian kim is live at sugar bowl, placer county with a look at all this new snow, sandy. i mean -- >> reporter: dan, it's been cold and windy and everyone is happy about t snowfall has been somewhat to of a rare occurrence near the sierra, but not today. it's not as if this later storm is going to make any meaningful

dent in california's drought, but it sure feels good. >> it is beautiful. people complain about the drought, a good sign, keep the mind off the drought. >> reporter: it is bringing its headaches in sierra, the chp having to deal with spinout and collisions and motorists having to install chains. >> know what i'm doing. the wheel hull is so small and my arms so thing, i can't get them behind to get to the wheel without my hands freezing. >> reporter: the most part, no one is complaining, especially chain installers who have had little work this season. what is it like today? >> been busy but nice, we haven't been busy all year. >> reporter: sugar bowl is opening more runs from 25 to 45. >> opening up our mount disney lift tomorrow, open the rest of the season and expanding a lot of terrain, from here on out, just going to be expanding more and more. hopefully, everything keeps cooperating weather-wise. >> reporter: skiers and

snowboarders were wondering if this day would come, some relied on superstition to help it would bring snow. >> drove my car, convertible, a top down an hour, hoping i would get rained on, just 'cause we need the water so bad. >> inside of our car just to see this snow. >> it paid off. >> best day of the season so far. the snow's fantastic. >> reporter: the hope, of course is that there will be more snow by presidents' day weekend, two weeks away, which is traditionally a big weekend for skiers. live at sugar bowl, lillian kim, abc7 news. >> lillian, thank you. despite all the rain we have been getting, just a drop in the bucket when it comes to filling the bay area's reservoirs. video taken from sky 7 today of crystal springs reservoir on the peninsula. it is fed by hetch hetchy and yosemite national park, to provide drinking water to san francisco and other bay area cities.

breaking news in oakland, an elderly woman killed in a home invasion robbery. police on the scene now. it happened on 34th avenue near foothill boulevard. we will show it to you on the map. her body was found inside the home at 3:00. we will update this breaking news as it develops. sad news a cal football player collapsed and died after going on a russian with his teammates this morning. a team doctor says medical staff members found 21-year-old ted agu experiencing difficulties while running near memorial stadium. agu rode back to the stadium on board a cart and that's when he collapsed. trainers performed cpr but agu was pronounced dead after being rushed to a hospital. >> there is no greater tragedy

than for us to lose one of our incredibly bright and passionate young people. >> as a coach auchb opportunity to be around a lot of special kids day in and day out. avenues special young man. >> the alameda county coroner will look for the cause of that young man's death. one day after being served with a warrant, the facility is back in business, much to the charging a grin of those who feel ripped off by safeguard tubs. you have probably seen one of the commercials on television. they market the high-priced accessible tubs primarily to the elderly and disabled in it. ville ads. abc7 news reporter laura anthony broke about the story yesterday and met a woman on the hook for $17,000 for a tub that she can't use. laura is live tonight. >> reporter: for her, it has turned into a nightmare because she says the company that is the

object of a multiagency investigation won't do anything about it. alice walker purchased her safeguard tub in december but now it sits outside her open home, in a backyard shed. the 75-year-old walker paid nearly $17,000 for her tub. she financed nearly $14,000 of that over eight years at 9.9% interest. >> it's just too tight. too tight. >> reporter: but three days after the tub was installed, walker found it wasn't as advertised. >> i called them on about the 9th and told them this tub is not working for me. and i feel claustrophobic, closed in and i had a panic attack trying to take a bath. >> we have a search warrant for this business today. >> reporter: on thursday, as shown in this cell phone video, several agencies served a search warrant on safeguard's richmond call center.

officers called off dozens of boxes and computers. >> so a normal day. a great day today. >> reporter: today that call center was back in business but it's unclear for how long. the investigation includes allegations of false advertising, failure to get permit and overcharging customers, many of them elderly. >> he does not want to speak to me tonight. >> reporter: a worker at the company owners a house told abc7 news he was not available, many of the company's workers told us they are worried about the future. >> this is crazy. i've never been employed by a place like this in my life. >> reporter: despite the state, the riverside and contra costa district attorney's offices are involved in the investigation. criminal charges are possible. in oakland, laura anthony, abc7 news. there have been six more flu deaths in the bay area. officials say four more people died from the flu in santa clara county, a fifth in alameda county and one more in solano county. there have now been 44 bay area fatalities confirmed by county

health department. and despite the most recent deaths, alameda officials have deactivated their operation center because of what they call a decline in flu-related cases in their area. a high-speed chase ended with a crash in oakland. sky 7 overhead as police and emergency service converged on 73rd avenue and sunkist. the suspect bailed from his car on foot, leaving police to sort out the mess. officers mounted a house-to-house search for the driver but so far have come up empty. and still to come, a deadly accident in san francisco. what two workers were doing today shortly before they were killed on the job. very big and moving turnout today as family and friends remember oscar-winning actor philip seymour hoffman. go outside now, wither keeping an eye on all this wet weather on live doppler 7 hd.

day on the job ended in tragedy for two workers of a san francisco granite company. abc 7 news reporter jonathan bloom join us from the city's bernal heights neighborhood where it happened, just as the company was just stunned by this accident. >> reporter: they say the worst accident in the company's 30-year history. it happened in this doorway, two workers were is crush and killed by two giant slabs of stone, many times bigger and heavier. over to my right, you can see these wooden a-frames, the devices holding those slabs in place and may have been knocked loose in transit leading to disaster. shards of shattered white mar bell littered the ground in front of dgi granite's warehouse. firefighters arrived to find a manager and another worker trapped under giant domed slaps that apparently tumbled out of the shipping contain er

[ inaudible ]. >> reporter: manager died at the scene. the owners a wife told us he had worked here for 12 years, a loyal employee who has no family here in the bay area. she says her own husband was nearly crushed but got out of the way just in time. the slabs weren't that thick but they were big and happy says that man, who there was when it happened. he was among the workers who rushed to the rescue but say it was too late. he spoke to us after finding out the other worker had suck sum coupled to his wounds at the hospital. >> they were crushed pretty severely. >> reporter: cal osha is investigating what led to the tragedy but to hear the owners a wife tell it, it was an accident accident. the slabs moved in a shipping contain they're arrived the their door and as workers prepared to unload it the rock slabs tumbled out. the manager was trapped under

the middle of the slab, covered up to his neck. the other worker was slipped by the corner of the slab as it fell out. ggi granite held an all staff meeting and closed for the rest of the day. the owner went to the hospital to see the worker's family and what his wife says is the only serious accident in their 29 years in business n san francisco, jonathan bloom, abc7 news. there will be no charges after an alteration casing put a pleasanton man in the hospital for weeks with a serious brain injury. last september, david lamont confronted people making noise outside also apartment after midnight. his wife then found him lying injured in the street a short time later. police questioned four teenagers but never were able to press charges. the alameda county district attorney announced today there is not enough evidence to prove that a crime was committed. the investigation is now closed. a number of celebrities among family and friends who pay irtheir respects to actor philip seymour hoffman in new york today.

cate blanchett who co-starred with the actor in "the incredible mr. rip i." he was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose on sunday. new state bill unveiled today aims to put a stop to smartphone thefts. in san francisco, more than half all robberies involve the smartphone. proponents say having kill switch technology on all phones would dry up the black market for these devices. stay with abc7 news for the latest olympic results for team us and the teams we are following. here is how we are going to handle keeping you informed on air. we are going to announce a spoiler alert.

if you don't want to know, you will have plenty of time to turn away to save the surprise. on the social media platforms, posting results as well, you will have to click a link to see them so you won't accidentally find out the results. find us at facebook.com/abc7news and follow us on twitter at abc7 news bay area. we are always online as well at abc7news.com. and don't forget, you can watch abc7 news at 11:00 every night on our website, abc7.com or using one of our mobile apps. if you are watching the olympics but still want to know what's happening in the bay area at 11:00, use your ipad or smartphone to watch us. download the abc7 news app for your iphone, ipad or android. abc7.com/apps, get more information there. >> by all means, enjoy the olympics, but switch back to us at 11:00, check us on our multimedia platforms. talk about the rain, a serious pounding expected. >> watching sandhya's hair in the rain. >> cheryl and dan, a lost cause in the rain, but so great to see the drops coming down.

slippery on the roadways, take it easy, the wipers are going, the rain is going to intense if i, check out live doppler 7 hd, it is widespread, wet, see all the green on the screen there, some of are you picking up some brief, moderate pockets of rain, you can see here as we take toward the bohemian highway, bodega highway in the north bay, petaluma, highway 101 light rainfall right now, taking to you some at spots here, oakland, emeryville, 880, crossing the bay brim into the east bay it is going to be a wet one and in high ward, around 880, alvarado niles road, take you down to street level, the peninsula, millbrae avenue, burlingame, san mateo, light returns, the sierra nevada, chains still required lead nothing tahoe, of course, the snow has lightened up a little bit since earlier but only going to get heavier. take a look at the view from our lake tahoe area, you can see the

snow, if you look carefully, coming down there very light, i mentioned, the wind is going to make it on the tough side, winter storm warning is going, rainfall estimates with this system, 2700s an inch in san francisco, a quarter in oakland, a tenth in san jose, just under that in livermore. these totals are nothing, wait until you see what's.cog, emeryville camera, hard to see with the rain and the clouds, give yourself plenty of space, stepping out for dinner, take your umbrella, 53 in san francisco, oakland, san jose, 54, half moon bay, and it is coming down from our mount tamalpais camera, santa rosa, 51, 50, petaluma, 54, livermore, lake tahoe camera, one more time, rain intensifies overnight tonight, waves of soaking rain this weekend, par, clearing is expected monday and tuesday, take a look at this storm that is coming in, we are just in the lighter part of the storm with the warm front, waves of rain

expected all weekend as we see the cold front stretching down toward hawaii, starts to swing through, here is look at our computer a nation, tonight, your get away friday, not exactly get away quick, wave after wave, heavier rain, 10 p.m. 3 p.m., yellows in the north bay, 7 p.m. tomorrow night, continue to see almost like a fire hose, just aimed, this time, water going into the north bay, ukiah, santa rosa, getting slammed a 2 a.m. sunday morning, expecting the highest rain totals up north, gilroy, monterey, see heavier batches, monday morning, things quiet down, rainfall totals expected to really be impressive in the north bay mountains, four to nine inches, santa cruz mountains, three to five, one and a half to three to five inches, sierra nevada, winter storm warning till 4 p.m., winter storm watch sunday, storm totals 7,000, two to four feet,

storm levels rising, prepare for treacherous driving conditions if you are going to brave it, early plans will be wet, upper 40s to low 50s, tomorrow afternoon, hang on to the rains here, numbers remain in the low 50s to 60s with your highs going into your sundays. waves of rain, showers early on monday. we get a short bleak on tuesday, that will be key here as we see a return possibility of some showers. middle to ladder part of the workweek. the storm door is open. we welcome this rain. live from the roof of the kgotv broadcast center, hang onto the umbrellas, i'm abc7 news meteorologist sandhya patel. >> thank you. abc7 news has another great weather resource for you, follow live doppler 7 hd on twitter for the very latest bay air a ya weather conditions, rain or shine. plus get video forecast, spare the air alerts, power outage information and weather tweets from your favorite weather team.

>> so many of us have been hoping for rain and we want to see your puddle pictures. you can postthem on our abc7 news facebook page or share them with us on twitter or instagram at abc7 news bay area. perfect to time of the week, friday is here, rain is here, got finished friday. >> right, 7 on your side's michael f ♪ ♪ it takes two to make it outta sight ♪ ♪ ♪ it takes two to make a thing go right ♪

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[ dad ] looks pretty good, right? [ girl ] yeah. [ male announcer ] switch to u-verse and add a wireless receiver today. ♪ all right, it's friday, best day of the week for some of us because -- >> all sorts of reasons but mainly because michael is here with finney's friday free stuff. >> you will like this especially you, dan. on the first one, the california academy of sciences, i know you have been heavily involved with them, here is some video that we took out there recently, this sunday is free sunday at the academy, in case you don't know it the golden gate park, a new beautiful building. the academy is free to the public, thanks to a generous donation by jpmorgan chase.

it's open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. this sunday, but look, i have got to warn you, if you are trying to show up at 4, 5 or 6, you might not get in. this is a first come, first served thing, so you really need to get there early. i would get there as early as possible. the value on this is just under 0 bucks, if you take a family of four, you can see what kind of savings you are going to get. definitely worth showing up there. now, our second item, we will try to get you guys shape. let me show you some videos we are going to be giving away there it s you will receive one fremont of 15-minute online workout videos from body blast fitness. body blast fitness is based in the bay area and offers online workouts, online boot camps and personal training. you will receive two fit in 15-minute workout videos each monday and -- for the next month, till you get all these different videos, see if they work for you. normally, would you have to pay for that but of course, not here, $15 value. you want to get all this stuff it is easy to do dial that number there 800-546-7177 or any

time, you can logon to abc7.com. >> all right, michael. >> great stuff, michael. thank you. well, just ahead it is girl scout cookie time. >> but there's one kind of cookie you won't get if you live in the bay covered california is howt californians can take advantage. we can help you get quality health insurance right now. to sign up, call 800-787-9159 or go to coveredca.com. you can also use our website to find local, in-person help. one of the biggest questions we get here is, "does covered california offer financial assistance?" yes. covered california is the only place that gives you financial help with your coverage. millions of californians will qualify. find out if you do.

all plans include free preventive care. now, you might have a question about what that means. it means free mammograms, immunizations, cancer screenings, and more. it's a big list, and it's all free. so don't wait. without insurance, even a small medical issue can cost you big. call 800-787-9159, or go to coveredca.com, and get covered. ia you can access a philly cheesesteak anytime, day or night. just like you can acce anytime, day or night. there is only one way to celebrate this unique similarity. witness the cheesesteak shuffle. ♪ cheesesteak, cheesesteak ♪ ♪ it's the cheesesteak shuffle! huh! ♪ ♪ every day, all day, cheesesteak, cheesesteak! ♪ ♪ every night, all night cheesesteak, cheesesteak! ♪ ♪ 9 a.m. cheesesteak! ♪ 2 p.m. cheesesteak! ♪ 4 a.m. cheesesteak! ♪ any time (ruh!) >>geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

he besis that millions of red ca is that millions of people will qualify for financial assistance. it's important to remember that the lower your annual income, the greater financial assistance you will receive. enroll today at coveredca.com. we are tracked storm moving through the bay area on live hd. stay with us throughout the night for the latest on the storm. >> we will update the storm at 6:00 and carolyn johnson is here to tell us about what else we will have at that time. >> this is can what's coming up, dan, assignment 7 and consequences of the california drought. you will see how it is already taking its toll on the waters of san francisco bay.

also a phone company that wants your business so badly, they will pay you to switch. michael finney looks into just how good a deal you can get. and go pro goes public, the bay area company with a very clever product. and you can get a piece of the action, all coming up in half an hour on abc7 news at 6:00. right now, took dan and cheryl. >> thanks, see you in a few minutes. >> love those go pros, so much fun. i also love girl scout cookies. if you love girl scout cookie, this weekend is your chance to get goodies. >> girl scouts will be setting up outside business and making their way door to door and new this year, customers who buy five or more boxes can enter a drawing for a chance to win five cases of cookies. >> now, you might have heard the girl scouts are offering gluten-free cookies in some parts of the country. unfortunately, those are not available in northern california. bummer. >> especially here in northern california, pretty popular, have them next year. sale run through march 16th.

>> all right. that's going to do it for us. i'm cheryl welcome to "world news." tonight, the breaking news. what we're learning about that air scare. the passenger on the plane, claiming to have a bomb, trying to hijack the plane to sochi. the helicopters patrolling the air space over the olympic stadium. abc's brian ross, right here. inside the theater. for the first time, the video. the confrontation in that movie theater. the young father texting, the 71-year-old retired police captain, pulling the trigger. and tonight, how he explained himself, right after. strike three. the storm hitting this weekend in the east. how big will it be? while in the west tonight, where families have been warned about their vanishing water, finally, will this be enough? and our "persons of the week." can you guess? who were they screaming for, 50 years ago tonight?