symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ man ] now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, i'm hanging out with my best friend. talk to your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or go online to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. good afternoon. i'm dan ashley in for larry beil. >> i'm ama daetz. residents of the far northern california logging town of weed are devastated today after a major wildfire destroyed more than 100 buildings, many of them homes. >> some of those homes were burned to the ground with only the chimneys left standing. the town's catholic and presbyterian churches also burned and parts of the town

mill caught fire. >> abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman is in weed this afternoon and tell us people saw the fire and minutes later, it was moving on the town. >> reporter: residents here tell us the fire moved extremely fast. it moved according to one description a mile in 30 minutes going right through homes. another person whose home [ inaudible ] told us a few moments ago these homes didn't just burn, they exploded, especially the ones that had propane attached to them. >> three cal fire crew members who were fighting the fire even lost their own homes. wayne freedman will join us with live reports coming up on abc 7 news at 5:00 and 6:00. meanwhile, heavy smoke is rising ovel dorado county betwe sacramento and south lake tahoe. the fire has destroyed more than 11,000 acres and is only 5% contained. 500 structures remain threatened and two people have been hurt. the cause of the fire still being investigated.

crews have also been working around the clock to contain a fast-moving wildfire burning south of yosemite. the courtney fire has destroyed more than 33 homes and forced the evacuation of 600 people. the fire has burned 320 acres and is 40% contained. three water wells serving the area have also been destroyed. this warm weather a key component when fighting wildfires in california but here in the bay area, another nice day. not too hot, not cool. >> spencer christian is here with the latest on the forecast and another warning. >> so we have lovely weather here, calm and pleasant, no extremes. we do have high surf right now. let's go to live doppler 7 hd. i should say rough surf. we have sunny skies from coast to inland but we have a beach hazard statement in effect, was in effect yesterday, has been extended through this evening. southwesterly swell and a risk of strong rip currents mainly for the south-facing beaches in marin and santa cruz counties. that hazard statement should expire after this evening.

a live view looking at a few high clouds and lots of blue sky right now, looking northward. it's 71 degrees in san francisco. mild in the city, 77 in oakland. 87 in morgan hill. 70 in half moon bay. a live view at the golden gate bridge showing blue sky above. temperatures in the mid 80s in santa rosa, upper 80s in fairfield, and livermore. the forecast calls for increasing high clouds this evening, a mix of sun and high clouds in the early morning hours tomorrow. clouds will increase late tomorrow afternoon and there is a chance for some showers coming in tomorrow night into thursday morning. i will show you the timeline on that a little later. >> thank you, spencer. governor jerry brown signed a law today that gives california more control over water drawn from wells. it will treat ground water even under private property as a shared resource. supporters claim not regulating ground water causes billions of dollars in damage to aquifers, roads and canals. many drought-stricken central

valley farmers oppose the new law, believing it punishes well managed water districts and infrin infringes on the rights of private property owners. a new law goes into effect giving bicyclists a bit more cushion against accidents with motorists. >> drivers have to be at least three feet away from a bicyclist when they pass them. >> abc 7 news reporter vic lee is live on market street with the story. be careful out there behind the wheel. >> reporter: well, i'm caught in a traffic jam now. you know, market street is a perfect example of a street where drivers and bicyclists have to co-exist. they have to get along. there is no question about it. it's on these urban streets and country rural roads where that new law is expected to prevent accidents and reduce tensions, of course, between drivers and bicyclists. cars speeding too close to bicyclists. bus versus bike collisions. the chp says in 2012, the last year for which statistics are

available, 153 bicyclists died in accidents, a 7% increase from the previous year. the new law is intended to bring those numbers down. >> 36 inches. that's what it is. that's how far the cars have to keep from the bikes. >> reporter: if you're not sure how wide three feet is, the chp says you're probably too close to the bicycle. david kimberling was the victim of a hit and run and welcomes the buffer law. >> anything that fosters a little more awareness about bicyclists who share with traffic helps. >> reporter: we drove around the city to see if drivers were keeping a safe distance from bikes. with the exception of a few, most were mindful of their fellow bicyclists and shared the road safely. it helps that san francisco has a wide network of bike lanes. most drivers, it seemed, kept their distance from those lanes and in fact, gave extra room to the riders. drivers we spoke with have no

problem with the new law. >> i think we both need to watch out for each other. >> they're using the roads too. i believe they -- we should be aware of each other. >> reporter: most bicyclists we met weren't too sure drivers would follow the new law. you think it's going to work? >> absolutely not. >> i already had two cabs come within a foot of me today so i doubt it. >> i think drivers will be aware but not everybody. >> reporter: the chp says it's not gearing up for any enforcement campaign. bottom line of this law, it will work only if drivers follow it. vic lee, abc 7 news. ow! why are you hurting me? i will do anything you want. why are you hurting me? >> b.a.r.t. is now investigating an officer's take-down of a passenger on a train. this happened over the weekend at the pittsburg station. police say she was banging on windows and trying to pry open the door.

they believe she was drunk and high on meth. some witnesses, though, dispute those claims, saying she was calm and sleeping when the officer woke her up. fire investigators are trying to determine what caused this blaze at a pallet recycling yard. craig rose shot this video of flames shooting 35 to 40 feet high. surveillance video at an auto body shop next door captured the first flames. an auto body employee started spraying water with a garden hose but it was too late. >> it was hard to control the fire because it's wood and it go fast. i was afraid to have the flames get into my shop. >> the flames never reached his shop but the heat from the fire damaged at least two dozen cars. nobody was injured. in orinda a suspected drunk driver and her 2-year-old daughter were injured in a hit and run after walking across highway 24. the chp believes the mother crashed her mini van into the

center divider last night near saint stephens drive. after crashing, police say she and her toddler crossed over the highway when another vehicle hit them. that vehicle did not stop. the mother will likely face charges and they are still looking for the hit and run driver, who will also face charges. property tax bills will go out starting next week in california. >> that's right. for some people, opening that letter could be a real jolt thanks to a rebounding housing market. >> abc 7 news reporter laura anthony is live in lafayette to explain. >> reporter: well, for some folks, these new values will certainly be a shock but others see it as just a small trade-off in a market that's otherwise very positive for homeowners. starting next week, homeowners in california may get a bit of sticker shock when they open their property tax bills, expected to climb considerably thanks to rebounding home values. >> now my value's going up, i have to pay more in taxes. do i like that, no, but do i like the fact my property's gone up a third in the last couple

years? it balances out. i'm okay with it. >> reporter: proposition 13 set a cap of 2% per year on property tax increases. proposition 8 allowed homeowners to get a temporary reduced assessment. as prices go back up, if a home that was reduced increases in market value by more than 2% per year, then its assessed value can go up by more than 2%. >> some people may receive some significant increases. >> reporter: gus kraemer is the tax assessor for contra costa county and says some homeowners will see greater increases than others. >> the percentages are all over the map. it's not what community you live in. it depends when you bought your home and when we reduced the value. some people's values are only coming up 2%. many people's are going to be 20% or possibly more. >> reporter: it's basically the downside of a rebounding market. >> i sold a home in concord, one of the nicer areas of concord, about three years ago for 675, and those are now going in the high 8s to low 9s. >> reporter: like they could

with assessed values during the down years, property owners can appeal their new values if they think they have gone up too much. in lafayette, laura anthony, abc 7 news. the city of san francisco is about to be sued for this incident that took place in june during a giants game at at & t park. two fans got upset that another fan was wearing a feathered headdress during native american heritage night. the tort claim filed today accuses san francisco police of using excessive force against the two native americans. >> we were acting on behalf of our cultural representation. the other party involved were not native american. only we were asked to leave. >> the giants have since established a policy that prohibits clothing considered culturally offensive but the native americans want them to do more. the team may still be named in a lawsuit. a giants spokesperson did not want to comment to abc 7 news about the claim. straight ahead on abc 7 news

at 4:00, piling on against the nfl. the scolding the league received today from arguably the biggest sponsors it's ever had. plus -- an admiral's surprise honor today for a coast guardsman. new at 4:30, chaos in cabo after hurricane odile and the bay area residents scrambling to get back home. at 4:11, taking a look at your traffic on the skyway in san francisco, as usual on the right-hand side, that's your traffic heading toward the peninsula, 101 south moving a little better than traffic on the left-hand side which is east from 80 approaching the lower deck of the bay bridge. very slow going there. stay with us.

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the nfl's recent crime-related headlines are starting to bother one of the league's biggest sponsors. a anheuser busch issued a statement saying it's disappointed and concerned by the recent incidents, obviously referring to the child abuse charges against adrian peterson of the minnesota vikings and the domestic violence cases involving ray rice, the 49ers' ray mcdonald and greg hardy of the carolina panthers. the statement goes on to say quote, we're not yet satisfied with the league's handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. we have shared our concerns and expectations with the league. minnesota's governor mark dayton and senator al franken also weighed in on this today, criticizing the team's decision to allow peterson to play this weekend.

today, nike removed all of its peterson related merchandise from stores in the twin cities. one of the unions for workers at the golden gate bridge staged a one-day strike today over health benefits and labor practices. >> they tried not to disrupt anyone's day but they hoped to send a very clear message. >> abc 7 news reporter amy hollyfield has more from larkspur. >> reporter: the picturesque golden gate bridge was the backdrop but instead of working in the machine shop, they are protesting the way they are treated in it. the union rep is handling the public speaking for the workers while they picket. he calls what they are doing a huge sacrifice. >> this is something no one wants to do. this is always a last resort. but again, these issues have been ongoing and it kind of got to the point when the machinists union said enough is enough, we are going to go on strike. >> reporter: commuters say they had heard about the strike but weren't quite sure what to expect this morning. >> we got a text and an e-mail if you were signed up with

golden gate transit that there was going to be a strike but it wouldn't affect the ferry and transit drivers but you are never sure about that kind of thing. >> reporter: as people waited for their buses they were pleasantly surprised. other than having to duck through the crowd of picketers, commuters didn't have any problems. >> it hasn't really impacted the commute that i can see so far, so not bad. they've got an issue, they have a right to strike. so be it. >> reporter: the union and bridge district's negotiations have broken down over paying for health care. no one from the bridge district spoke on camera this morning but officials say they are disappointed the workers decided to strike and hope they come back to the bargaining table. the union says it plans to negotiate but hopes the strike will change the conversation. >> i think that today has been a great success. we have had the machinists honor the picket lines on the bridge. we haven't impacted commuters but we definitely got our message out. >> reporter: the two sides

usually negotiate on mondays. no word on whether they will meet before then. the union says if it doesn't get a deal it likes, it's not afraid to strike again but this time it will include the bus drivers and ferry operators. amy hollyfield, abc 7 news. a coast guard officer from alameda was honored today for his work in the war on drugs. the coast guard's highest ranking officer came this morning to surprise petty officer second class matthew bosch with a medal of recognition. his cutter intercepted two boats off colombia in june and july. >> picked up on a couple things that didn't look right down there in the engine room when doing a standard look-around. you look at the fuel tanks, there were just a few things, that's not quite right. >> that suspicion led to the seizure of 7,450 pounds of cocaine. look at it all. that has a street value of $113 million. the seizure happened while the cutter was on a 140 day mission

off the coast of central and south america. >> that is staggering. >> it really is. >> what a heads-up play. let's go back outside and talk about the weather. >> spencer christian is here with the forecast. >> i have been out here negotiating with the clouds but they're not willing to give up that rain increase i have been demanding. let's go to live doppler 7 hd, take a look at what's going on. sunny skies all across the bay area with just a few high clouds. just a lovely late summer day as you can see from this view looking down on to the bay. these are all forecast features. we will see showers developing tomorrow evening into early thursday morning. slight chance of a couple isolated thunderstorms, a slight chance, i emphasize. it will be sunnier and warmer this weekend. here's the satellite radar composite image showing the approaching system. that's our summer storm, may bring us certainly clouds late tomorrow and possibly showers tomorrow night, and moisture from tropical storm odile continues to kick up into the southwestern u.s. and into southernmost part of california.

the forecast information starting 7:00 this evening, passing clouds early and into tomorrow, then late tomorrow, we will see thicker clouds arriving in the north and near the coastline, and of course, we could get some showers tomorrow night. tomorrow in the evening and nighttime hours we will see a few showers developing in the north bay, then during late night and overnight hours, showers will increase and spread more widely across the bay area. looking like a wet commute for thursday morning. we may not have downpours but there will certainly be -- likely be some wet spots during the early morning commute on thursday. then even into midday on thursday, there will be little pockets of shower activity. then it will taper off later in the day on thursday. overnight, though, as we wait for the arrival of clouds, look for mainly clear skies over much of the bay area although we will see an increase in high clouds near the coast and in the north bay overnight. low temperatures will range from mid 50s in the north bay valleys to upper 50s to around 60 over the remander of the bay area. tomorrow afternoon, mainly sunny in the south bay with highs in

the upper 70s to mid 80. about 80 at san jose. on the peninsula, we will see mid 70s to about 80, 79 the high at redwood city and mountain view. on the coast, it will be mild, 68 in pacifica. 70 in half moon bay. downtown san francisco, 72 degrees tomorrow. 68 in the sunset district. clouds will probably arrive first in the north bay tomorrow, but it will be a mainly sunny day before their arrival. highs up around 80 degrees at santa rosa, sonoma and napa. east bay highs, 74 oakland, 78 san leandro and inland east bay, highs in the low to mid 80s. here's the seven-day forecast. we get showers likely late wednesday night into early thursday. drying out late thursday into friday and then warming up over the weekend to about 90 degrees inland. both days. we will see low 90s inland by tuesday of next week. we get a little bit of a cooldown, maybe some showers, then nice warmup to summer-like levels again by early next week. >> thank you, spencer. >> showers would be nice. up next, shipwrecks off the california coast and the golden

gate. what researchers found in their deep water mission. plus -- >> finances are almost always a weapon of choice. taking away access to cash. >> new after 4:30 using a purse

pretty cool. google has now added egyptian monuments like the great pyramid to its google street view feature. you can click around to see the famous archaeological sites up close. the great sphinx is also available. look how great these pictures are. the great pyramid is the last standing wonder of the ancient world and was the tallest man-made structure on earth for 3800 years. >> that's incredible. take a look at this amazing video. a distressed manta ray approached a couple divers for help presumably after it was stuck in some fishing wire. the huge animal let one of the divers get close enough to cut

and remove that fishing line. they took the dangerous wires away with them when they came back up to the surface. manta rays can grow up to 23 feet in length. they are naturally curious and often approach human divers. >> this time for help. beautiful animal. well, it may not be as infamous as the bermuda triangle. >> but hundreds of ships sit on the bottom of the pacific just west of the bay area. >> researchers with noaa provided this video of one of those shipwrecks on the ocean floor. they started a project to visit wreck sites located within the gulf national marine sanctuary. >> generations of sailors faced a variety of dangers just outside the golden gate. >> this is the difficult part. first off it's a funnel in which ships have to pass coming into the port. it's just as if you are going off the freeway on to an onramp. wrecks happen. you have a room where you can't maneuver if the fog comes in. >> part of the research will

look at how sea creatures turned shipwrecks into homes. the earliest known ship wreck dates back to 1595. still ahead, a long journey home. >> they put mattresses against their windows. >> only on abc 7 news, how more than a dozen women from the east bay survived the big hurricane in cabo. plus, heading into danger. an officer puts himself in front of a wrong way driver. later, we introduce you to the newest employee at the san francisco courthouse. how he's helping young victims, especially children.

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...weigh you down? don't wait ask your doctor about spiriva handihaler. here's a look at today's headlines at 4:30. california's new three-foot bike law is now in effect. the san francisco bicycle coalition alerting everyone with this tweet, that drivers now have to give a wide berth to bicyclists. violators will be fined. on the california/oregon border today, a wildfire devastated the town of weed. abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman tweeted this picture today showing a car torched by the boles fire. wayne tells us three of the people who lost homes are firefighters. more than 100 structures, mostly homes, have burned.

the good news, firefighters are gaining ground. it is now 20% contained so there has been some progress. 14 east bay women celebrating a bachelorette party in cabo san lucas were forced to escape from the destructive path of hurricane odile. abc 7 news reporter lyanne melendez is in the newsroom to explain what they had to do in order to get out of harm's way. >> reporter: well, they were one of the first to be flown out of cabo in a mexican military plane because they were very quick to act. hundreds of thousands of tourists are now waiting to get on one of those planes. here's a picture of all 14 girls celebrating in cabo san lucas just days before the hurricane. those happy smiles quickly turned into fear and desperation when hurricane odile slammed into their hotel. >> this is them in the bathroom during the hurricane. there's noise in the background. >> reporter: carol is the mother of the bride-to-be. her other three daughters were also there. >> this is katie reporting from room 321.

>> reporter: the cell phone video was shot by one of her daughters. it shows 11 of the girls huddled together in a bathroom. the only safe place in the hotel. once the storm had passed, they couldn't stay in their rooms because of all the broken glass and debris. >> they ended up that night sleeping in the hallway by the elevators. >> which was also a mess. >> which was also a mess. because those windows were broken also. >> reporter: there was no way to communicate. >> how can i get to them and how can i get them out? >> reporter: friends came to help. from their home in the east bay city of clayton, they tried to use the internet to reach out to anyone with information. they even attempted to contact the u.s. state department but were told their lines were too busy. with no running water, the girls left their hotel to try to get bottled water and found a nearby store had been looted. then from their hotel, two of the girls saw lights coming from the airport. >> they saw some lights, it was

a helicopter at the airport, and then the military planes came in and they ran. >> reporter: once on board that military plane, one of the girls took a picture of chrissie. exhausted, they landed this morning in mazatlan, out of danger but still unsure when they will be home. >> reporter: a quick update. 11 of the 14 girls will be able to fly to los angeles this evening and hopefully take a flight to san francisco late tonight. the other three were at a different hotel and it's not clear if they have made twhheir way to the airport. about 30,000 tourists are hoping to do the same. lyanne melendez, abc 7 news. >> what an ordeal. thank you. president obama says the world is looking to the u.s. to address the deadly ebola outbreak in west africa and says the u.s. is ready to take on the challenge. the president visited the cdc today to announce a big expansion in the fight against the deadly outbreak.

abc 7 news reporter karen travers has more. >> reporter: the u.s. is launching an aggressive new effort to combat the deadly ebola virus. >> people are literally dying in the streets. here's the hard truth. in west africa, ebola is now an epidemic. the likes of which we have not seen before. >> reporter: at the cdc headquarters in atlanta today, president obama outlined steps the u.s. will take in west africa, including a new command center in liberia, the center of the outbreak. an american general will be in charge there, coordinating the u.s. and international relief efforts. up to 3,000 u.s. military personnel will be on the ground to support this command center, but they won't engage in direct patient care, just take the lead in training. before his trip to the cdc, president obama met privately at the white house with dr. kent brantly, who contracted ebola while working in liberia. the american doctor recovered after being treated with an experimental drug. he later told congress there

needs to be a global effort to fight ebola. his description of the deadly virus was powerful. >> it's a fire straight from the pit of hell. we cannot fool ourselves into thinking that the vast moat of the atlantic ocean will protect us from the flames of this fire. >> reporter: abc's chief health and medical editor was recently on the ground in west africa. >> right now it's very hard to pick this up. you have to be in direct contact with a patient. but if the virus changes and can spread through the air, then everyone is at risk, including people in america. >> reporter: president obama said the chances of an outbreak here are extremely low and if there are isolated cases, doctors know how to treat it. karen travers, abc abc news, washington. the fight against isis was the big discussion on capitol hill today. u.s. defense leaders urged congress to fund president obama's plan to fight the terrorist group and they say ground troops are not out of the question. abc news reporter marsi gonzalez has more.

>> reporter: america's top military leaders on capitol hill today outlining president obama's plan to combat the militant islamist group isis. joint chiefs chairman general martin dempsey telling the senate armed services committee he is open to the possibility of u.s. ground forces fighting alongside the iraqi military. >> there is no intention for them to do so. i have mentioned, though, that if i found that circumstance evolving that i would of course change my recommendation. >> reporter: with isis beheading two americans and one british aid worker and threatening to kill another of its five western hostages, military officials say beyond expanding air strikes, more needs to be done to stop this terror group. defense secretary chuck hagel urging congress to fund president obama's plan to train and arm syrian opposition forces and iraq's military. >> this will not be an easy or a brief effort. it is complicated. we are at war with isil as we are with al qaeda. >> reporter: speaker of the

house john boehner saying he believes the president's strategy is sound but may not go far enough. >> if our goal here is to destroy isil, we've got to do more than train a few folks in syria and train a few folks in iraq and dropping bombs. >> reporter: again today, a white house spokesperson reiterated that president obama will not send troops into combat despite general dempsey's comments. marcy gonzalez, abc news, new york. a grand jury in new york will decide whether race car driver tony stewart will be charged in the death of a fellow driver. his car struck and killed kevin ward jr. at a dirt track race on august 9th. the 20-year-old had climbed out of his car after it spun out while racing alongside stewart. prosecutors in ontario county decided to present the case after reviewing evidence collected by sheriff's investigators. stewart issued a statement saying he looks forward to the process being completed and will continue to cooperate.

heroic action by a police officer in texas. sergeant gary sharpen stopped traffic on interstate 45 because a driver was heading the wrong way at nearly 100 miles per hour. his dash cam video captured the moment the driver approached. >> only thing i could do was protect the people behind me and i figured i was going to have to take one for the team. i knew that hopefully the lord was going to watch out for me. >> wow. that speeding car approached the sergeant, listen to that screeching. it just came the a stop right there. then headed back the other way. after several tense minutes, the driver finally pulled over. they got the driver out. that's when they noticed his two young kids in the back seat. they were okay. the driver was arrested on several charges, including dui. >> wow. a fourth atlantic city casino has gone out of business. the trump plaza closed its doors at 6:00 this morning leaving more than 1100 people without jobs. the casino opened in 1984 and

was at the center of the city's famous boardwalk. but it has been declining for years, ranking dead last among the city's casinos. donald trump cut ties with the casino years ago. it joins the atlantic club, the showboat and revel, each of which closed this year leaving only eight casinos still in business. coming up on abc 7 news at 4:00, a message. one woman's unusual way of throwing out the trash. we want to share with you an incredible image of a rare deep sea creature. we will tell you what it's made of. i'm spencer christian looking northward, we see a few clouds in the sky now. there will be more coming our way soon. and possibly some showers. the forecast is in just a moment. checking your traffic at 4:37, 680 through walnut creek, better on the right-hand side. the cars heading away from us are heading southbound on 680 towards the south bay. more traffic if you are heading north through walnut creek. stay with us.

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well, don't try this at home. a new youtube video appears to show a female motorcyclist in russia throwing trash back into car windows of litterbugs. the motorcyclist zooms off before the drivers can react. one driver gets a face full of cigarette butts. another gets a fast food bag containing either a milkshake, maybe coffee. some have questioned whether the video is staged but either way, it's making a point. the identity of the motorcyclist is unknown.

scientists in new zealand are now examining the remains of a colossal squid captured in t antarctica and kept frozen until now. it is the heaviest species on the planet, this one weighing 770 pounds. its eight arms are more than three feet long and the tentacles are believed to be six feet each. look at that. they are very elusive and live at extreme depths so it's incredibly rare to see a specimen as intact as this one. an amazing sight off the waters of the gulf of mexico. a diving craft from a nautilus exploration team captured this video of a sea creature which is the same species as the portuguese man-of-war. this creature is made up of thousands of tiny organisms, each contributing to the whole. the expedition is led by dr. robert ballard, who discovered the "titanic" back in 1985. what a weird creature that is.

>> certainly is. time to turn to our weather. if we are going to get some rain. >> spencer christian is back one last time to update the forecast. >> i thought we were looking at mondo bizarro there. now boring old weather-o. take a look at live doppler 7 hd. we have sunny skies all across the bay area. a few high clouds right now. we will continue to see high clouds moving through the bay area. the sky through tomorrow, then thicker clouds tomorrow night, maybe some rain. across the nation tomorrow, we will see showers near the atlantic coast, also up in the northeast, near boston, a few showers, maybe thunder down in the desert southwest, near phoenix. moisture coming up from tropical storm odile into the southwestern u.s. and across the state of california tomorrow, mainly sunny and dry but we will see showers approaching the northwest coast and those are the showers that will eventually, we believe, work their way down into the bay area overnight tomorrow night. it will be hot down south, 94 in los angeles, 98 fresno, 101 in palm springs. here in the bay area tomorrow, mainly sunny but again, we will see high clouds and those high

clouds will increase later in the day. high temperatures will range from near 70 on the coast to upper 70s, mid and upper 70s around the bay to low to mid 80s in inland locations. tomorrow night, clouds thicken and we will get a little taste of some shower activity overnight into early thursday morning. fall is next tuesday but looks like we will have a warmup before next tuesday. still ahead on abc 7 news at 4:00, nasa's big announcement on how astronauts will be taxied to the international space station. plus helping victims of domestic abuse. how she is using a purse to raise awareness. i'm 7 on your side michael finney. i'm coming up next.

for the first time ever, private companies will soon launch american astronauts into space. today, nasa signed a $1 billion deal with space-x and boeing to make that happen. nasa ended its space shuttle program in 2011.

russia's space shuttle program currently transports u.s. astronaut toss ts to the space at $70 million a pop. the new program puts an end to that deal, letting nasa focus on other missions. >> we will conduct missions that will each set their own impressive roster of firsts. first crew to visit and take a sample from an asteroid. first to fly beyond the orbit of the moon. perhaps the first to grow its own food and eat it in space. all of which will set us up for humanity's next giant leap. the first crew to touch down on and take steps on the surface of mars. >> boeing and space-x will compete to provide the best option with the winner receiving a long term contract. nasa hopes to begin private flights in 2017. terry washington is standing up for victims of domestic financial abuse. >> one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence. finances are almost always a weapon of choice, taking away access to cash, destroying credit, jeopardizing jobs.

>> washington stars in a new public service announcement called "the purple purse challenge." she has designed this limited edition purple purse. a minimum $10 donation gives you a chance to win one of the bags. the money raised goes toward giving women the skills, information, education they need to be able to take control of their financial well-being. >> the bag is really a symbol of a woman taking her pursestrings back and being able to be in control of her finances in the face of abuse. >> washington paired with the allstate foundation as a paid spokesperson for the campaign. according to purple purse.com, 98% of domestic abuse cases involve financial abuse. ikea has issued a worldwide recall of children's swings. the store has sold about 20,000 of these swings since april. ikea says the suspension fittings can break in use, causing a child to fall. there have been four reports of the swings breaking. one boy broke his leg in a fall. customers can return the swing for a full refund. if you have one of these, for more information on the labels

affected and what number to call, go to our website, abc7news.com. a brentwood man 7 on your side began investigating in 2010 has been convicted on federal charges in connection with a mortgage scam. >> 7 on your side's michael finney is here with an update. >> he faces 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine after being convicted in sacramento of 11 counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering and a mortgage fraud scheme. prosecutors say he defrauded more than 1,000 homeowners from all over california and beyond. he falsely posed as a private banker promising many limited english-speaking victims he could reduce their outstanding mortgage debt by 75%. he was convicted in alameda county in 2012 of defrauding 14 homeowners and served a 16-month jail sentence, but a 7 on your side investigation revealed his victims went well beyond alameda county. we found victims throughout

northern and southern california and outside the state as well. he was re-arrested in 2012 on federal charges. federal regulators have filed a lawsuit accusing corinthian college into duping students to take out half a billion dollars in predatory loans. the consumer financial protection bureau alleges they lured tens of thousands into taking out costly loans by advertising bogus job prospects and career services. this is the latest in a series of filings against the company by state and federal authorities. as we reported prior to the launch of the iphone 6, the rush is on to sell old iphones. apple is reportedly offering $310 in the form of a gift card for an old 16 gigabyte iphone 5 in good condition. other companies are offering $250 to $300. >> you can definitely get a little bit more if you put it on

craigslist or ebay. there, you're dealing directly with the buyer. there is always a chance of fraud. >> craigslist suggests meeting the buyer in a public place in person, reduce the chance of fraud. ebay says it offers users a money back guarantee and stands behind every transaction. i suggest you do the handoff in a police department. go to the lobby, meet them there. >> good idea. thank you. coming up next, helping to bring comfort. >> as the new friend young victims will have in one bay area courthouse. i'm cheryl jennings in the abc 7 newsroom. new at 5:00, you usually see hockey fans heading to the arena but for two days in september, a tournament of a different kind is taking over. also ahead, earthquake warning signs going up in san francisco. you will see why on abc 7 news at 5:00.

iwith something terrible to admit. i treated thousands of patients, risked their lives, while high on prescription drugs. i was an addict. i'm recovered now, but an estimated 500,000 medical professionals are still out there, abusing drugs or alcohol. police, airline pilots, bus drivers... they're randomly tested for drugs and alcohol... but not us doctors. you can change that: vote yes on proposition 46. your lives are in our hands.

abc 7 is honoring hispanic

heritage month through october 15th with posts to our instagram feed. today is mexican independence day and we recognize father miguel hudalgo. he is known for his speech on september 16th, 1810 encouraging people to rebel against the spanish government. tonight on abc 7 it is "dancing with the stars" the results at 8:00, followed by marvel's "agents of s.h.i.e.l.d." then "20/20." join us for abc 7 news at 11:00. san francisco has a new friend to help witnesses and victims who are uncomfortable in the criminal justice system. he's a professional who has received extensive training. abc 7 news reporter carolyn tyler has the story you will see only on abc 7 news. >> reporter: this is faber, the first courthouse dog in san francisco. man's best friend is also a good companion in the stressful criminal justice environment. >> the legal system is very very complex and very intimidating to

many people, especially when we are dealing with vulnerable victims, young people, the elderly, people that have been subjected to very traumatic violence. >> reporter: this golden retriever is a soothing comfort during forensic interviews and other steps in criminal investigations. his handler works with the d.a.'s office of victim services and describes how one young girl reacted with the pooch by her side. >> he provides enough calmness so that she's able to better recall what had happened so it aids in the fact-finding process and so that's positive for everybody. >> reporter: faber comes compliments of a bay area nonprofit, canine companions for independence which has a breeding program. the dogs are socialized for a year and a half by volunteers and we found out coincidentally today that faber got his training from abc 7 newscast

director jerry sandy and his family. >> kids going off to college. >> it's the most gratifying thing to know that somebody in need can be helped. >> reporter: eventually the d.a. would like to see faber allowed in the courtrooms when victims are testifying. but for now, he will stick to therapy duties in the interview rooms and hallways. this dog's got the magic touch not just with witnesses, but many of those who see him in the courthouse. the district attorney says this highly trained professional is available to both prosecutors and the public defenders office. in san francisco, carolyn tyler, abc 7 news. makes people smile. thank you so much for joining us for abc 7 news at 4:00. i'm ama daetz. abc 7 news at 5:00 begins right now with cheryl and dan. roughly one-quarter of a small northern california town goes up in flames. >> i got the phone call, get out of there.

>> we are live on the fire lines. why firefighters say they had no chance. new rules affecting our water. how landmark legislation will affect 60% of the state. and that new bike buffer zone. what happens when three feet is not available? i'm abc 7 news meteorologist sandhya patel. summer showers on the way. i will let you know when you need the um brbrellas coming up. i feel that from here. >> it is all hands on deck for a fire in northern california. >> years of drought, everything is ready to burn. >> what is left behind is heartbreaking loss and frayed nerves. >> a tree was in flames. i was shaking in my boots because i could see the fire jumping. >> as the fire near the oregon border was jumping a lot, fortunately containment appears to be growing. thanks for joining us. i'm cheryl jennings.

>> i'm dan ashley. that fire has devastated the town. one person who lives there says it looks like a bomb went off. abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman is live in weed right now with the firefight. wayne? >> reporter: dan, i heard the bomb analogy a lot. they say it looked like a bomb and sounded like apocalypse now. this is a neighborhood in front of me, behind me, around me. nothing but burnscape. this was a house. it's hard to tell at this point. this is a neighborhood with 150 structures that have been burned to the ground. many of them homes and businesses. the county has already asked the state to declare this a disaster area. just one day ago, this was a neighborhood. the town of weed was whole. not anymore. >> that one was gary's. this one here was robo's. >> reporter: his name is travis. he's one of the lucky ones in weed, where a wildfire roared out of the nearby trees and took

150 hoernlmes, businesses and structures. the word devastation neither strong ndescriptive enough. >> there were ashes blowing in the air. >> there's nothing left. >> reporter: not in the fire's path. residents say it moved a mile in less than half an hour driven by high winds. too much, too fast says cal fire. the drought that took the snow from mount shasta also helped take this town. >> it is a worst case scenario. everything was aligned unfortunately yesterday. >> reporter: nothing left of this church but a sign and another across the street, only the bell where it fell. in a town of roughly 3,000 people, two-thirds of them remain evacuated. >> it's just awful. just awful to know your neighbors have no home. how scared everybody is. we don't know if anybody was, you know, perished in the fire. don't know. weed is a strong community.