collision. we know that at least one person was rushed to the local hospital. we don't yet know if that was a driver or a passenger. police are spending a lot of time carefully surveying this thing, likely because someone was killed here but we have not officially been told who that person is. residents say this is a gruesome scene and they're in shock. >> this corner is pretty busy at times. it's busy. the mall is pretty much in this area so it gets pretty busy. >> are you surprised something like this happened? >> i'm pretty surprised, yeah and i'm shocked about it. it's sad to see that something like this could happen in our community. it's something that i'm hoping doesn't happen again. >> reporter: since there is a fatality in this crash police are being more meticulous to determine who is at fault. we have not yet seen anything that might indicate if any of the drivers were impaired. you can see right there this crime scene investigator is using some pretty sophisticated equipment to survey this entire

corner. i can tell you that this is likely going to be a spot that is going to be blocked off to traffic for quite some time. that is in part because the coroner has not yet arrived on scene. reporting live in santa rosa now back to you. >> just horrifying. there are traffic tie-ups in downtown santa rosa, obviously. police will stay on the scene to conduct the investigation. the coroner has not even arrived and the wreckage is still there. they warn the intersection of third and b will remain closed until 8:00 this evening at the earliest. breaking news now out of san jose where a gas leak is causing closures and evacuations. sky 7 hd captured the scene over the 2200 block of tully road. three businesses were evacuated. authorities tell us it was a construction accident and that the gas line was unmarked. a fire crew hosed down a section of the road earlier. we will stay on top of this and update you as we get more

information and on twitter. if this has ever happened to you, you know how creepy it is. a power outage in berkeley strands a man in an elevator. >> are you okay in there? >> yeah. >> the man got stuck in the elevator at the berkeley city administration building about 3:00 today for a full hour until firefighters managed to free him. sky 7 hd captured the scene above the city earlier. as many as 35,000 customers lost power in berkeley this afternoon. the outage briefly closed the berkeley b.a.r.t. station. these were images snamd bypped by a commuter inside. all customers got power back about 3:00 p.m. a new pilot program may change the future of higher education in california. 15 community colleges will now be able to offer four-year degrees in specific areas. two of the 15 are in the bay area. abc 7 news reporter lee anne

melendez is live with the details. >> reporter: well, when we say specific areas, we're talking about just one program. it doesn't mean that these 15 community colleges will suddenly offer four-year degrees in multiple programs. again, just one. and by the way, 21 states already have this in place. the two-year dental hygiene program at foothills college in los altos has been around for 50 years. beginning next year, this college will be able to offer students a bachelor of science degree. that gives students here a chance to pursue other educational avenues that would not be possible with just a two-year degree. >> in the future, you know i'll be able to perhaps go back to an educational setting and teach some day. >> reporter: there are only four universities in california that offer a four-year program in dental hygiene. all are private. enrolling in foothills program will save students and their parents a lot of money in

tuition tuition. >> it opens up opportunities to students that would have a hard time paying for a private university. >> reporter: 36 community colleges in california said they were interested in offering baccalaureate degrees. today the california community college board of governors picked 15. there was only one major requirement that was demanded of these schools. >> we couldn't select a degree or major where it was already offered by a california state university. even if it was offered in san diego. >> reporter: for example respiratory therapy courses are not offered at any of the ucs or the california state university system. they are though, at skyline college in san bruno. they will now be able to offer a four-year degree in that specific field. the goal of this program is to have a more prepared workforce in california. >> we'll prepare them and be able to compete for the jobs that are here. >> reporter: the pilot program

starts next fall and continues through the end of the school year 2023. if successful more four-year degrees will likely be offered at other community colleges. >> now, making community college free for many students will be a key part of president obama's state of the union address. this is a picture the white house tweeted of the president putting the finishing touches on the speech. you can expect to see congressional members holding up pencils an pens tonight. the gesture is meant to show solidarity with the victims of the attack on france's "charlie hebdo" newspaper. you can watch the state of the union address beginning at 6:00 p.m. right here on abc 7. technicians are working around the clock to try to identify the substance that has contaminated hundreds of birds mostly in the east bay. so far about 100 have died but that number is expected to go up. laura anthony is live in highward where a mobile triage

center is located. laura. >> reporter: well, officials here have just confirmed that four of the birds that died were found on the san mateo county coast near foster city, but they're saying they don't think there's a spill or any of the substance over there. it's birds that maybe flew from here to there. of course the mystery is still what is the substance and until they find that out, it's really impossible to trace the source. two separate labs in sacramento are working nonstop to identify the mystery substance that's sickening and killing birds in the bay area. once the gooey material is identified, the department of wildlife and groups like bay keeper are hoping to identify to source. >> they know we'll start looking at industries in the area and who might be handling the substance. if it's related to shipping that would be a different kind of investigative pursuit than if it's a local -- some kind of industry in west oakland or in alameda. >> they were both males. one is apparently really sticky.

>> reporter: one by one, birds soiled with a mysterious gooey substance, continued to arrive at a mobile triage center in hayward. >> the ones with the black heads and the white spot with the red beak those are the males. >> reporter: there the animals are given a syringe filled with warm water. >> so this is -- they can't warm themselves in the water because when the stuff gets on their feathers, it disables them from being waterproof. it gets in the feathers and then the water gets to the skin. >> we've been in what we would call the rescue phase since friday, and we're starting to transition into recovery phase now. we don't expect to find a large amount of live animals from here on out. >> reporter: after they're triaged, the birds are transported to where they're being pretreated with baking soda, vinegar and thoroughly cleaned. in hayward laura anthony, abc 7

news. it looks like the contra costa county board of supervisors will not put the pay raise controversy behind them any time soon. today the deputy sheriffs association filed a federal lawsuit against the board. the association claims supervisors threatened retaliation after deputies joined a petition drive to allow voters to determine pay increases. the suit also claims supervisors threatened to undermine future collective bargaining efforts. news of the suit comes on the same day the board voted unanimously to rescind the 33% bump in salary. it originally approved in october. new information tonight on the impact caused by last night's shutdown of the san mateo bridge. at one point protesters had blocked both sides of highway 92. we're learning tonight that the sudden blockage caused accidents and injuries. abc 7 news reporter vic lee is live near the bridge with these new developments. >> reporter: well, we're told that it's the first time protesters have ever shut down the san mateo bridge. the district attorney tells us

that bridge is no place to demonstrate, because it's dangerous. that's because there are no exits, no turn-offs on a nine-mile bridge, the longest bridge in california. now let's say there's a life-threatening emergency on that bridge during a protest demonstration. there's no place for the ambulance or for a car for that matter to go. now, the protesters have all been cited and released. but now they may face more than just a slap on the wrist because of this. listen. >> this particular protest caused several collisions, involving property damage and minor injury as well as some hit-and-run crashes. >> reporter: we're now learning that the protest which shut down traffic on the san mateo bridge caused more than just an inconvenience to drivers. 68 protesters were arrested and charged with creating a public nuisance and obstructing people's right to travel. the accidents and injuries could now mean harsher penalties than just misdemeanors. san mateo county district attorney steve wagstaff.

>> that makes it more serious there has been harm. there's restitution ought to be paid. so you look to what the harm is. >> reporter: the group, many stanford students made their way onto highway 92 to protest injustices against african-americans and palestinians. they had been dropped off by cars on the westbound lanes near the high rise around 4:50 p.m. demonstrators then blocked both sides of the freeway. the chp was able to reopen eastbound lanes shortly after 5:00, but traffic heading west was still blocked by protesters. the chp was finally able to clear those lanes after making arrests. but many drivers were stuck for more than an hour because of residual delays caused by the large number of arrests and transporting them off the bridge. people we spoke to today had pretty much the same reaction to the protesters' actions answer and frustration. >> do you think that this turns people off? >> yes. they have the right to protest but they affect other people.

>> if there were stricter penalties, i don't think they would want to do it then. the problem is they know they can get away with it. >> an appropriate protest is when it does not disturb others that do not have a direct impact. >> reporter: abc 7 news reached out to protest organizers for a response, but our requests were not answered. vic lee, abc 7 news. a lot more to get to here tonight. coming up -- >> we don't have any place to go right now. >> the filthy conditions that are forcing families to move. is anyone helping them relocate? mobile war fighter. how a bay area company will help american forces on the move. plus -- [ applause ] a big kickoff in san francisco. you're going to see how the city is helping veterans and families. and the big game, of course, needs a big tv. 7 on your side's michael finney goes hunting for the best one. >> k

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a chicano leader has died. he led a violent raid of a courthouse in new mexico nearly 50 years ago. he became known as one of the four horsemen of the chicano movement along with cesar chavez but he was more controversial because of the violence, his treatment of women and some antisemitic comments. he died of natural causes in el paso, texas, at 88. dozens of families in santa rosa are looking for new places to live this afternoon. the city ordered them out today because of toxic mold and a rat infestation in their apartments. we first met francisco sanchez last night on abc news at 11:00 as he was packing up. he said he and his family all got sick.

he said they had been complaining to management for a year but nothing has been done. >> they have never take our problems on the apartments because it's not in good condition to live. >> he says he isn't sure where he's going to go now. property owners have given them $2,000 to relocate, but they're fighting in court for more money. abc 7 contacted the owner and property manager today, but they have not returned our calls. the co-founder of a sunnyvale based software company is facing first-degree murder charges. police say he shot his ex-wife's new husband last week. he and his ex-wife had reportedly been fighting over visitation and custody issues. police say he shot cory madison in front of several children. he is best known for starting ploxo with shawn parker. that's an online address book and networking service. lockheed martin agreed to

pay $200,000 in back wages to 1800 coast guard workers in the north bay. it's part of a settlement that it underpaid contractors and subcontractors. a satellite made by lockheed marrin in sunnyvale just successfully blasted off into orbit. >> 3 2 we have rd 180 ignition and we have liftoff of the united launch -- >> the craft launched from cape canavarel in florida less than ten minutes ago. the satellite is part of a project to give the u.s. military better mobile communications in remote areas of the globe. when operating it will deliver smartphone-like capabilities to isolated war fighters. san francisco's main library opened up a new wing that does more than just offer books. mayor ed lee toured the new learning center this morning on the fifth floor of the civic center library. it's a go-to place for residents looking to improve themselves. the center which costs $1.7

million to build will offer adult literacy classes instruction or computer basics and a lot more. >> we have a combination of self-help where you can access computer technology. a lot of different programs on job training. nutrition and health literacy, financial literacy, but you can have one-on-one help from our staff. >> the office of veterans affairs is opening a veterans resource centering. it will provide information on financial services as well as medical care. well the super bowl is set. the patriots will take on the defending champion seahawks. but what about your tv? is it big enough? >> is your tv ready? consumer reports has partnered exclusively with michael finney to reveal the best tvs for the big game. they have some really cool offerings out there. >> absolutely. this is how i always know when the super bowl is almost here, ads for tvs. they're like everywhere. sales on televisions leading up to the super bowl offer huge savings. consumer reports have some tips

to help you score the best set for watching sports. >> a sports bar is a great place to watch the big game. at this one you can follow the action on 49 tv screens. >> we're going to expect a big crowd, a bunch of noise and a good time. >> but if you're buying a tv for your super bowl party at home, consumer reports says a screen that's at least 50 inches or larger is a good size for a crowd. testers and consumer reports labs size up hundreds of tvs every year. also important a set that delivers a wide viewing angle. >> when you're watching a big game with a crowd of friends, not everyone will get that great seat front and center of the one of the issues with lcd and led tvs is the picture can look warkd out when you view it from an angle. >> another consideration how well it can habdlendle fast action. >> most tvs do mine with motion but sports can really stress a

tv's ability to present fast-moving scenes without the image blurring. >> reporter: the testers evacuate whether the tv's sound is clear and loud enough without distortion. the 55-inch sony bravia delivers excellent sound and gets top marks for ultra high definition 4k picture quality. it costs $2800. >> this year's super bowl is not being broadcast in 4k but it's still going to look great on the set. and this tv will have you future proofed for when more 4k content becomes available. >> reporter: if you don't care about ultra high definition the 25-inch panasonic viera is a best buy for $700. >> now, while you'll see big sales of televisions leading up to the super bowl consumer reports says you'll get even better deals in late february and early march. that's because retailers then clear out older sets to make way for the new ones. >> buy one of these things and we'll see at your house for the super bowl. >> i'll bring some sort of dip. it will be fabulous.

>> well, let's turn our attention now to the weather forecast. pretty nice outside. >> sandhya patel has our accuweather forecast. >> yeah, i can see for miles here. that's because visibility is terrific. things will really start to change as those temperatures rise. it's going to start to get hazy around here. let me show you live doppler 7 hd. we may be heading into record territory by week's end. right now just watching pretty clear skies. fog in the central valley. things will be changing as we head towards the morning hours. one more king tide coming up tomorrow at the golden gate, almost seven feet at 11:36 in the morning so just be careful, especially if you're going out for a walk along the coastal trails, you could see low-lying flooding. gorgeous shot from our east bay hills camera. and here are the temperatures. they're all in the 50s from san francisco, oakland san jose to half moon bay. san jose cameras showing you clear skies right now and our numbers are all in the 50s except santa rosa 60 degrees. one last view from our -- maybe

not one last view because it's so gorgeous. i'll talk about the upcoming air quality in just a moment. limited fog overnight tonight s warmer days by week's end and record highs are possible saturday and sunday. overnight tonight, you're going to see some fog around and that means for your commute watch out for some patchy fog. could be dense again during the morning commute but not as widespread as what we've seen this morning. high pressure, strong blocking ridge preventing the storms from getting in for the time being. as we head towards the weekend temperatures will rise and the air quality will decline. you'll see here some haze in our atmosphere from our emeryville camera. not as spare the air alert tomorrow, but likely as we head towards the weekend you'll notice we go from good to moderate air quality wednesday, thursday, to some poor air quality entering the picture friday, saturday and likely on sunday. long-range forecast, this is encouraging, a system coming in from the southwest may bring in a slight chance of some rain tuesday into wednesday of next

week. so in about a week, we may be seeing an unusual pattern with a system coming from the south as opposed to what we normally see in the winter time. morning, we'll start out with some fog and chilly in the valleys. make sure you grab that extra layer when you head out the door. upper 30s for our coldest inland spots and you'll likely shred that extra layer. we are looking at high temperatures in the low to mid-60s for most of you. sunny, hazy 62 san francisco 64 in san jose. accuweather seven-day forecast, a lot more high cloud cover on thursday and then we'll start to take those temperatures up. you'll notice low to mid-70s for the upcoming weekend. unusually warm for winter. and that means records are possible. the warmth holds on on monday and tuesday. really something we'll be watching carefully. there is a chance of some rain here in the bay area. we'll keep you posted as we get closer to that. >> please do thanks very much. uber gets in the fast lane. >> how one

senior citizens and people with sdabtle will soon be able to ride muni for free. the mta board unanimously agreed to spend an estimated $4 million to fund the free rides for one year. muni estimates at least 24,000 san franciscans will be able to benefit, beginning march 1st. >> i think it's a matter of social justice. the divisions in the city between the wealthy and the poor are so wide this is a small step that we can take. i think it will make a difference. i'm very happy with the response we're getting. >> currently muni sells about 24,000 discounted monthly passes to seniors and the disabled. last year the mta approved a two-year free ride program for young people. google is paying for that. the ride service company lyft is ditching its pink fuzzy mustache with a glow stache. it will emit a glow from the drivers' dash boards.

the big pink mustache was too polarizing. a stanford study finds uber and lyft have filled a big gap in urban transportation. research shows ride services offer more predictability than cabs faster travel and transit and fewer hassles like parking and personal cars. meanwhile, new numbers show that uber is virtually taking over san francisco's taxi business. ceo told a conference in munich germany, after four years in business, his company's yearly revenue is more than $500 million and that's just in san francisco. it's three and a half times what the city's taxi companies are taking in. uber's revenues are still growing too at about 200% per year. investors recently valued the company at more than $40 billion. you can spending a night in the world's fastest hotel. >> yeah, still ahead, what inspired one man t

thanks for the ride around norfolk! and i just wanted to say geico is proud to have served the military for over 75 years! roger that. captain's waiting to give you a tour of the wisconsin now. could've parked a little bit closer... it's gonna be dark by the time i get there. geico. proudly serving the military for over 75 years.

♪ ♪ ♪ first impressions are important. you've got to make every second count. banking designed for the way you live your life. so you can welcome your family home... for the first time. chase. so you can.

an interpreter will be honored tonight. he served alongside u.s. troops in afghanistan. eric swalwell invited him as a guest to bring attention to problems with the u.s. visa program. and the widow of a u.s. sheriff's deputy killed in the line of duty will also be in attendance. >> susan oliver says she hopes they take a moment to remember officers like her husband. richard martinez has been an outspoken advocate for tougher gun laws. his son, christopher, was one of six people killed last may. >> now abc's live coverage of president obama's state of the union address and the republican response begins at 6:00 p.m. right here on abc 7. following the president's address, it's "jeopardy" at 7:30, "blackish" at 8:00, bay area life at 8:30 agent carter

at 9:00 and abc 11 news at 11:00. finally here though you know some cars are so darn nice you should do more than just drive them. >> that's exactly what a businessman in arizona is thinking. steve sauceman is turning his tesla into a hotel. >> he drives for uber part-time. his full-time job is in vacation rentals so he's kind of combining the two. >> since not everyone can afford to buy a $119,000 tesla, he's put his tesla on airbnb complete with an air bed and remote control candles. >> to sleep in it one night maybe gives somebody just a taste. if they get to experience it without actually buying it. >> he says he slept in the car himself three times. his advertising -- he is advertising it as the fastest so far, no takers. and it's green, economically friendly. >> there you go. well news tonight with david muir is next. >> for all of us here we appreciate your time. >> that's right. stay tuned for president obama's

state of the union. live coverage beginning in half an hour. the nation's capital, the new terror threat from isis. the video, two hostages and their new demands. the world's most wanted man is back, vowing to kill again. just as americans in another country are being urged to leave immediately. brian ross and martha raddatz standing by. also breaking tonight, the american hospital, the suspect walking in, authorities say shooting a cardiac surgeon. the deadly collapse. the overpass giving way. new questions tonight about america's highways. the mansion fire mystery growing tonight. the home burning to the ground and what we've now learned about the missing family. and we're here in washington for the state of the union. and tonight, what the president plans to say to america.