>> we begin with spencer christian, tracking live on doppler 7 hd. >> rain has been pouring in buckets in the south bay. this has been going on for hours now around gilroy and into watsonville area and into salinas. nearly three inches so far, over a quarter inch in san jose. and nearly an inch at mount st. helena. ranking the storms, 1 through 5, next storm coming our way tonight ranks number two on the storm impact scale. that will be accompanied by strong gusty winds.

you can see at 8:00, 9:00, down to the golden gate and beyond by 11:00 tonight. and there is more on the way. i'll have the accu-weather forecast coming up in just a few minutes. take a look. this rock slide caused three vehicles to crash this afternoon. the southbound lane of highway 9, near felton was blocked by the slide. the roadway was cleared just after 2:00 p.m. abc7 news was in oakland when a fallen tree blocked the off ramp from highway 13 around 8:30 until caltrans cleared branchs from the roadway. and waves are pounding pacifica. the city just declared a state of emergency.

lyanne? >> reporter: well, the city manager made that declaration this afternoon and that means that pacifica will be asking for both state and federal assistance and when you see this video that we shot this morning, you'll understand why. the coastline has been hit hard by the storms, their infrastructure has been failing and there just hasn't been enough money for repairs. sorry, it's windy out here. just after this morning at about 10:00, waves the erosion continues to undermine the existing structures but that didn't keep people away. >> it's beautiful on a king tide. yes. we're on the way to work and said we don't want to miss this. so exciting. >> now, also, in half moon bay,

a section of the avenue fell to the beach below last week. and today, crews were putting boulders to shore up the bluff. but again, both pacifica and half moon bay are feeling the affects and more still to come. i'm live in pacifica, abc7 news these storms are stepping up efforts to the new eastern the leaks were discovered in 2013. and throughout the bay area, the latest el nino fuelled storm brought the rain we need but not the problems we don't need.

wayne? >> good evening, i'm standing over interstate 80 tonight, cars are making their way home. today, the east bay has weathered this storm very well. dare we call it at least in these parts, a well mannered el nino? welcome to the kinder, gentler side of el nino. where rain drops hopefully only trickle as storms take turns delivering water with many side benefits. >> yes, it's minded manners thus far, especially, today, we expected floods and car accidents we you believe we found not one chp? >> what happened today? >> well, i'm not sure if people were starting to realize they do

need to slow down. and turn on headlights. or if traffic is just lighter than on a normal day. >> if doing a typical story, you might expect this video to be of a downed tree wreaking and they finished the job. >> they breakdown. >> but not during this el nino we never expected. wayne freedman, abc7 news. sky 7 hd flew over anderson lake, the largest reservoir this morning despite the recent rain, anderson is only

needed. >> we have a chance of getting out of the drought. we're going to need more water coming down from the sky. it's both snow and rain for that to happen. right now, we're optimistic. not so far as we'd say we've got to be out of the drought by the end of the winter season. >> experts say california needs to be at 150% of normal rainfall to end the drought. right now, the state is at 113 for rainfall and snow pack. we need to do better. officials will do another survey in february to see how much progress has been made. and we have a special page on our website dedicated to storm coverage. abc7news.com/ abc7news.com/ abc7news.com/elnino. at 6:00, the search for a

serial bank robber nicknamed the hefty heister. the fbi released these pictures of the man suspected of committing eight bank robberies. this picture is from the first robbery committed on december 3rd at exchange bank. the suspect targeted banks in walnut grove, sassoon city, lodi and elk grove. he is considered armed and dangerous. lawyers for a fremont high school student allege they used excessive force and violated his civil rights. the 2014 incident was captured by a surveillance camera. >> what we found in our investigation so far is that it wasn't limited to just those two cops. that there was a cover up, the moment it happened. >> just this week, another confrontation between a security guard and student at fremont high came to light i was

recorded by surveillance cameras. state prosecutors settled a lawsuit for the world's largest manufacturer of snack foods. tests revealed ginger snap cookies had nine times the safe amount of lead. they agreed to pay $750,000 in fines and fees and conduct an audit to make sure lead levels are safe. the lawsuit involves the state attorney general's office as well as district attorneys. >> we're just over 12 hours from major streets being closed in san francisco for super bowl city. we have information that will help you get around. >> reporter: d-day arrives tomorrow, in terms of street closures. check out the area in red for you.

that is super bowl city. the heart of it, justin herman plaza. you know lounges and activity stations will extend beyond that. take a look. we have shaded for you here in gold, the area where you'll find closed intersections. in super bowl city today, the transformation kicked up a notch. yes, dispute the rain, crews were busy trucking stuff in. abc7 cameras spotted things needed for the concerts during super bowl week. we spotted workers putting down artificial turf for the mini football field kids can play on. the street closures begin at 7:00 in the morning and they'll last until february 12th. you can see that in yellow there, until five days after the big game. so which blocks will be closed, how will that affect a gridlocked city? what are your best options for getting around? eric thomas looked into those questions and has the answers

coming up in a few minutes. >> thank you, kristin. well, first state senator and a former gang leader named shrimp boy targeted by federal investigators. >> still ahead a live report on who is in the prosecutions' cross hairs now in city hall. how the brutal weather in

warning signs are up. sky 7 captured this bill board on the bay bridge today, warning drivers about the impending street closures for super bowl

50. >> yes. san francisco streets will close tomorrow for super bowl city. >> man, tomorrow, they're going to stay closed for three weeks. eric thomas shows us how to get around the closures. >> just another day on the streets of san francisco. >> you don't have to be a cabby to know that. >> in a way, the delivery trucks are blocking your way. double parking. dropping people off. >> it doesn't get better. >> no. it is about to get worse. city officials expect a million people to squeeze into san francisco for festivities like super bowl city. and in honor of the 50th anniversary, this will be the longest celebration in super bowl history. meaning street closures could be up to 21 days. market street will be closed and southbound lanes from washington

will close down along with beal, main, and stewart street and howard between three ready and 4th. >> we have to get people off of the roads and on to mass transit. >> officials are pushing heart to walk or bike to super bowl city. and the nfl experience. that is going to mean more foot traffic and safety will have to come first. >> we need to use common sense and we know we're driving in a congested area. that is one way to help us get through it. >> so with your gear, remember to pack plenty of patience. in san francisco, eric thomas, abc7 news. >> to find out when traffic is at its worst down load the abc7

news app and enable push alerts. the super bowl isn't the only big event police will have to deal within the coming weeks. officers began blanketing chinatown with safety messages. abc7 news is on grant street. they dropped off flyers warning against fraud and scams and reminding chinatown visitors to be aware of pickpockets. >> we'd like the community to think about not having purses or backpacks behind them where they can be zipped. >> the san francisco police department is improving communication with the chinese community and officers in the area can speak cantonease. money laundering and bribery charges brought against three former political insiders in san francisco.

>> we are live with the story. alisa? >> reporter: the district attorney says there is a lot of work to do for the city government to regain the public's trust. this is an ongoing investigation meaning there would be more charges. >> if you violate a public trust and the law, federal or state, we'll find you, and we'll stop you. >>. an investigation exposed more corruption. three former insiders once raised money for the campaign are facing felony charges. the district attorney called this a sad day. >> it's a crime against all of us. when government is for sale, we all suffer. >> reporter: former human rights commissioner is accused of taking $20,000 from an agent. political analyst and former member of the board of

education, keith jackson is accused of taking bribes and be charged with grand theft. investigators say he falsely promised to place a woman's child in a better school in exchange for money. >> the type of criminal activity. >> it undermines the strength of the democracy and threatens our government. >> his attorneys accused city leaders of using bribe money for the campaign in 2012. in a statement, the mayor condemn hes the alleged activity, saying there is no place in san francisco for this corruption, especially in city government. in san francisco, abc7 news. >> it's intense this morning. >> yes. buy some umbrella stock. >> there you go. >> yes. >> umbrellas will be going up,

still. we see the storm pounding the south bay. and the first waves of the next storm beginning to hit in the north coast. so folks know what's happening now, down in the south bay, heavy rain in spots. and down to hollister and castro valley is beginning to push inland now. out to sea, just off the north coast, rain is pounding the north coast and heading our way from the next storm in just the next few hours. along the embarcadero, forecast features wet and windy with scattered showers tomorrow, drier pattern beginning on sunday. and the next storm continuing through tomorrow, ranks number two. and locally heavy down pours of rain. this wind advisory is in effect

across the bay area mountains and hills, gusts up to 50 miles per hour. there is a possibility of power outages and downed lines and trees. we have a high surf advisory until tomorrow afternoon at 5:00. heights are already elevated. there is a a coastal advisory, combination of high tides and waves will produce a strong possibility of flooding. starting at 7:00 rain will into showers and wind down tomorrow night. in the sierra, a winter storm warning, forecast calls for 1 to 2 feet of snow and here is our

snowfall indicating higher amounts in the higher elevations. in the bay area, rain and wind will have low temperatures in the low 50s so will be mild and tomorrow, into afternoon hours, we'll see high temperatures in upper 50s, perhaps up to 60s in oakland. here is the accu-weather forecast. after this next storm, we'll start a dry pattern going through thursday. we'll have 4 or 5 days of mainly dry weather, but there is a chance of rain developing on friday. so we're not going to go a full week without rain. >> thank you, spencer. >> google is about to write a big check to the united kingdom, the result of a tax audit. >> how much the company owes and

what changes they're making when abc # news continues. announcer: it's time to make room for the new mattress models-- during sleep train's huge year end clearance sale. for a limited time, save hundreds on tempur-pedic mattresses. get the most highly recommended bed in america at closeout prices. plus, get interest-free financing and same-day delivery. why wait for the new models? sleep train's year end clearance sale is on now! superior service, best selection, lowest price-- guaranteed! ♪ sleep train [train horn] ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪ they represent blood cells. and if you have afib-an irregular heartbeat that may put you at five times greater risk of stroke they can pool together in the heart, forming a clot that can break free and travel upstream to the brain, where it can block blood flow and cause a stroke. but if you have afib that's

not caused by a heart valve problem, pradaxa can help stop clots from forming. pradaxa was even proven superior to warfarin at reducing the risk of stroke, in a clinical trial without the need for regular blood tests. and, in the rare event of an emergency, pradaxa is the only oral blood thinner other than warfarin with a specific reversal treatment to help your body clot normally again. pradaxa is not for people who have had a heart valve replacement. don't stop taking pradaxa without talking to your doctor. stopping increases your risk of stroke or blood clots ask your doctor if you need to stop pradaxa before any planned medical or dental procedure. pradaxa can cause serious, and sometimes, fatal bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding. and seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have kidney problems, stomach ulcers, a bleeding condition, or take certain medicines. side effects with pradaxa can include indigestion, stomach pain, upset or burning. don't just go with the flow. go with pradaxa, the only blood thinner that lowers your risk

of stroke better than warfarin and has a specific reversal treatment. talk to your doctor about pradaxa today. here is a sign spring isn't too far away. you can buy tickets to the

athletics. they opened on monday night, april 4th. they'll host for two games at the end of june. there we go. >> yes. well, google leads business watch after reaching an agreement to pay $130 pounds in back taxes to the uk. >> that is $185 million usd. her majesty's revenue and customs has been auditing google for six years. after the audit, google says it will change based on international sales. >> new numbers show california's unemployment rate rose slightly last month. by comparison a year ago, the rate wasn't even 7%. >> well, two good days for the stock market.

the dow gained 210 points today. the s and p went up almost 38. >> though lots of cities are high on the list of most expensive homes, it seems that the money does not always buy excitement. listing marin as the most boring city in california. atherton and saratoga finished in the top 10. there is no science to this. just a survey of californians saying having lots of married people with children makes a town boring. i didn't say i they did. >> there is more ahead. a double dose of bad weather impacting bay area airports. how travellers are keel dealing with cancellations around the country. >> hear from snowboarders about what conditions are like now.

keeping an eye on live doppler 7 hd.

a potentially historic storm is bearing down on the east coast now. two feet of snow are expected in 12 hours, 85 million americans are expected to be affected. it's a life threatening situation and brought air travel to a halt. >> the combination of bad weather there and here led to cancellations and delays in the bay area. >> yes. san francisco international airport, the number of cancelled flights is growing, now at 105. four have been nixed at oakland airport. >> none in san jose at this point. david louie spent the day with stranded travellers. >> when you've been sitting on a plane 10-12 hours, the last thing you expect is standing in line for another hour due to a cancelled flight. with little prospect of reaching the east coast, tonight. it's putting stress on emma

higgins who has a dance audition for grad witness school in new york. >> it's on sunday. they're saying there is no way to get to it. today or tomorrow, any time before then. >> no amount of tap dancing is going too get you there early? >> no. >> seasoned flyers are displaying a sense of humor. belinda is trying to get home to baltimore. >> it's kind of domino effect for the connecting flights. hopefully, we'll get there. maybe in a couple days. >> reporter: a two day delay is a possibility because after the blizzard, the logistical nightmare for airlines isn't. >> reset their operation and get aircraft, pilots back to where they need them to be. this could extend it to early next week. >> rain didn't help, reducing the number of takeoffs and

landings. others led up to the road warriors taking it in stride. >> this is just another, you know, part of the tale, do you know what i mean? a megastorm sure to set records is starting to slam the east coast of the united states. the blizzard is expected to dump up to 30 inches of snow in some communities. about two inches of snow are expected per hour, residents heard the warning. if venturing out it was to get food, then hunker down until the storm passes. >> we want people to stay inside. >> we want to grab last minute snacks here before they close. >> crews are ready to help stranded drivers. to make things worse, gale force winds are expected and that won't help. looking live at the white house, snow has been coming down there

for hours. the federal government shut down at noon today. inside of the white house, president obama spent this day working in the oval office. white house posted this photo showing the president at his desk, 20,000 people have liked this photo since being posted about three hours ago. and one thing the powerful storm won't do is interrupt a long time tradition at the tomb of the unknown soldier. there is another shot. soldiers keep watch over the tomb 24 hours per day as a sign of respect and remembrance. at 6:00, confirmation from the coroner that the body of a missing surfer has been recovered. a large wave hit the 40-year-old dan defoe on wednesday. others spotted him face down in the water and tried cpr, but he was washed out by another large wave. here in california an el nino powered storm could bring

two feet of snow to the sierra. a winter storm warning will stay in effect until tomorrow. we've seen snowflakes falling and chain controls are in effect on highway 88 from hands station to pickets junction. chain requirements on i 80 are only for trucks at this moment. we'll have a look at the conditions. in kingvale, it was 6100 feet elevation and further up the hill it's been snowing all day. here is a closer look at the ski resorts we're at a short while ago. as mentioned it's been snowing all day at higher elevations. that is good news for the slopes. we talked to snowboarders and skiers. >> this is really wet.

i was out there and this wasn't fluffy. it's good for a base. >> it's awesome. we had fresh powder. and about maybe three feet of new snow. >> we had no trouble getting to the high country. it was wet and raining, slowing traffic somewhat. we know travel is going to be more challenging throughout the night. the national weather service warns drivers to expect has duz conditions on the road. we know snow levels are expected to drop. if you plan to head up to the high country, you want to bring your chains and you want to take it nice and slow and expect travel delays. sky 7 hd captured a rainbow over san jose this morning. you can see the mix of gray clouds, blue skies there. but nice to see that rainbow. >> very nice. >> after a week on the defensive of the all-white acting nominees

a major announcement from the academy. >> they have amazing lives outside of class. >> from bully prevention to clean water, call them ideas worth spreading. what teenagers learned after spending the day

live doppler 7 hd is tracking the rain. we'll check in with spencer christian in less than ten minutes to get the forecast. a pennsylvania judge has dismi dismissed a defamation lawsuit against bill cosby, ruling the claims did not support a defamation claim as defined by pennsylvania law. . after spending a week on the defensive about all white nominees, motion picture academy is launching a five year plan to diversify membership. alex michaelson reports from los angeles. >> reporter: after all white acting nominees last year and this year, the academy is making

what it calls historic changes to the membership. the goal, double women and diverse members by 2020. each status for voting will last ten years and some can lose if they're inactive in the field. the leader says the academy is going to lead, not wait for the industry to catch up. last year, the director of selma did not receive the best director nomination many thought she deserved and tweeted quote, whether it's shame, true feelings or being dragged just get it done because the alternative isn't pretty. >> it feels like it's going the wrong direction. will smith presented the best picture award to a black film maker but this year, they're not

tending. >> we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere. >> i am going to a knicks game. >> charlotte rampling says, quote, perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list. >> you can't vote for an actor because he's black. >> michael cain says actors deserved to be nominated but his time will come. >> of course it will come. but it's, it took me years to get an oscar. you know? years. >> some called for chris rock to step aside but chris rock's team says he feels he can do more good on the stage. again, right after this rock will host the oscars sunday, february 28th. >> next at 6:00, what high school students learned during a

special day listening to

the drought is affecting at pg&e we've definitely put a focus on helping our agricultural customers through the drought. when they do an energy efficiency project and save that money they feel it right in their pocket book. it's exciting to help a customer with an energy efficiency project because not only are they saving energy but they are saving water. we have a lot of projects at pg&e that can help them with that and that's extremely important while we're in a drought. it's a win for the customer and it's a win for california. together, we're building a better california.

they're called ideas worth spreading. short speeches. >> and today, teenagers heard some of the talks in person. >> and as jonathan bloom found, it gave them a new perspective on people in their communities. >> i was six years old when i had an encounter with a bully. >> this is not a school assembly. >> we're the it is bright ideas told through personal storys. >> i designed this as graduate work and spent hours in a lab. >> all i did is make a small device. >> and even a choreography. they began scouring to find the best speakers. >> feels good. people have been coming to this thing and enjoying it.

>> the talks follow what has proven to be a formula that is personal in some way. they last 18 minutes. >> it's something that is heart felt. >> i was called names during the day. most i can't start to say. i was kicked and hit and followed home. >> giving that talk to classmates took courage. >> very vulnerable, but i don't regret it. >> seeing them in person is a rare opportunity. >> the class are going to a large ted convention. >> so this is free with topics aimed at teens. >> people shouldn't be defined by their test scores, gpa or income levels. >> some left in awe. >> so you see them in class, you go from hi to it turns out they

have amazing lives. >> in palo alto, abc7 news. >> today's storm made for tough driving around the bay area. >> we want to thank carl for posting this picture in san francisco. when you get unusual weather, we love getting these photos to share. let's take a look at the forecast with spencer christian. >> we have had heavy rain in the south bay. we've got a new area of scattered showers developing around napa through napa county there. and we see waves that will be swinging through the bay area. on the other side of the country, mid atlantic, a powerful winter storm is just pounding that region with heavy

snow, as a matter of fact, blizzard warnings from washington, d.c. to philadelphia to new york. and winter storm warning in the lighter shade there. snowfall projections over two feet around washington, d.c. nearly two feet in new york. so you can imagine how crippling that is going to be. back to the state of california, showery conditions just about everywhere. snow in the sierra. here is the bay area, showers with high temperatures upper 50s to near 60 degrees. tomorrow will be scattered showers and storm impact scale. getting a drier pattern lasting about 5 or 6 days. >> excellent. >> yes. >> thank you. >> he is back, finally. >> absolutely. and details on the warriors. >> yes. they're playing the theme from

"welcome back kotter". few of you remember that. >> i do. >> there is a guy, steve kaplan, i think. the warriors have their leader back. and one player says

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good evening, it's a question we have been asking for months when will steve kerr return? the warriors hosting indiana. kerr had two with a leak of spinal fluid. and luke walton led to a record-setting start. >> i thought maybe he had three, but 39 and 4, will have to settle for that. just a star and tumble and start. and it just kept in. and did an amazing job. >> as they say, it's not rocket science. our staff has done a brilliant job.

players are amazing. i'll call plays and complain about a couple calls. the team does all of the work anyway. >> kerr made the announcement this morning. everything is static, including draymon green. >> i ain't going to be gone last year if the gms are smart. so that frustrates me. we share these last 40 days of the regular season, then, they're about to take that guy, now. >> oh! getting the head coaching opportunity after the season, his replacement is a guy that just got fired today. cleveland dumped david black.

he was 83 and 40. despite taking them to the finals, this year with a 30 and 11 record, his job has been shaky. he was hired before lebron james signed and wasn't able to get lebron and irving on the same page. football news of the day, turning down an offer to become the new coordinator, they thought they might keep mangini today. he was brought in by jim harbaugh and had to deal with a ton of departures including patrick willis and aldon smith. 49ers ranked 29th last year. names reportedly join a set, curtis monthedkins, daris swinton is the new special teams

coordinator, and platt flarety from the giants. >> tony franklin resigned from his position today, will take the same job at middle tennessee state this, is a path rarely traveled. he says he wants to be closer to family. but franklin ranked third in the nation this past year. finally, is it over? for beast mode? john snyder leaning towards retirement. the 29-year-old lost eight games because of injury. we'll see. i'm sure marshon will have an extended play. we'll see. i hope he stays. >> join us tonight at 9:00 on

coffee tv 20, and on abc7 news at 11:00. we're tracking rain throughout the bay area and an emergency situation in pacifica. we'll have the latest on the cliff erosion at 9:00 and 11:00. >> also, at 11:00, new video taking you into the action. officers track down a suspect on the run atop the bay bridge. well, finally tonight a few thoughts about what really matters. when it comes to public safety, appearances aren't good enough. two weeks ago as bart train was pulling into the west oakland station a series of gunshots echoed through the 6 car train, sending terror through the passengers on board. as the victim slumped to the floor, the killer took off, running and is on the loose. the attack exposed a weakness in bart's security that many of us knew about. many cameras are decoys, fakes. not reporting a thing. 15 years after the september 11th attacks there are fake crams on one of the busiest transit systems in the country?

yes, real cameras would cost more money, but we'd get more security. fake cameras won't help catch them. while they may not deter major crime, but they will help authorities understand what happened and find the people responsible. after being embarrassed by this revelation, bart announced it will equip all of the cars with working cameras. let me know what you think. follow me on twitter and facebook. >> well, that is going to do it for this edition of abc7 news. look for breaking news on abc7 news bay area. >> thanks for joining us. >> we always appreciate your time. from the entire abc7 news team, thanks for joining us. we'll see you again at 9:00 and 11:00.

this is "jeopardy!" introducing today's contestants -- an internet operations technician from mineral point, wisconsin... a law student from new york, new york... and our returning champion, a veterinary clinical pathologist originally from boyertown, pennsylvania... whose 3-day cash winnings total... and now here is the host of "jeopardy!" -- alex trebek! thanks, johnny. i see a lot of smiling faces in our audience today, and some smiling faces here, particularly our champion, kyle,

who's on a roll, won three gam . will demi and fred be able to stop her? this onslaught that, uh, is represented by kyle. well, let's start finding out. good luck. here we go. and the categories now in play are... good. next... followed by... and finally... and, kyle, lead us off. pop hits of the '80s for $200. demi. demi: who are the eurythmics? i -- i'm sorry. kyle. who are the eurythmics? yes. pop hits of the '80s, $400. kyle. what is a rose? good. pop hits, $600.