>> and i'm kristen sze. thanks for joining us. the parent of a san jose teenager is suing the school district for not having policies in place that might have prevented two cases of sexual assault. we first reported the arrest of the teacher in 2017. >> yeah, abc 7 news reporter david louie is live at dartmouth montana middle school where the sexual abuse allegedly occurred. david? >> ama and kristen, this case is still going through the courts with the teacher behind bars right now. the parent of one of the teachers -- one of the victims, rather, says behind this lawsuit, she says that her daughter did report this or she did report to it the school officials, but they didn't take it that seriously and did not take aggressive action against the teacher. that's what this lawsuit is all about. the lawsuit points at a former music teacher at dartmouth montana middle school, samuel knipe. he sits in jail for alleged sexual abuse of two students. a parent had warned school administrators in 2010 of text messages they considered

inappropriate. however, attorney robert allard allege it was kept quiet. >> when are these educators going to figure it out that they have to implement policies to protect these kids? there is nothing more precious than a parent handing over and entrusting their child to these schools. >> the lawsuit claims that knipe's behavior continued and made a victim of their client. >> all the way through 2017, for three years that our client was sexual abused on school grounds. >> the lawsuit demands that the union school district ban teachers from using electronic devices and social media to communicate with students, to provide teachers and training of parents about child predators, to remove door locks from offices and implement an open door policy when a student and teacher are alone. these disturbing allegations if found to be true are completely at odds with our district's values and goals. administration, teachers and

staff will continue to work towards ensuring that every one of our students feels safe. an investigator for the law firm suing the district says knipe molested his students and had a camera outside to warn if anyone was approacing. he is facing over 30 counts of child molestation, possession of child pornography and other charges. if he is convicted, he is facing at least 278 years in prison, possibly life. we're live in san jose, david lewis, abc 7 news. >> all right, david, thank you. well, if it feels like utility companies take a lot of the blame for california's wildfires, you're right. new numbers from the california public utilities commission show just how often equipment from the state's largest utilities sparked fires over a 3 1/2 year period. pg&e had 1,552 from june 2014 through the end of 2017. southern california edison had 347 fires during that same time period, and san diego gas and electric reported 115 fires.

add them up and the total is more than 2,000. as far as punishment goes, the cpuc fined the companies nine times for electrical safety violations. >> this comes amid a new report showing the 2018 wildfire season was one of the most expensive in state history. according to new numbers from the state department of insurance, claims across california last year topped 1 $12.4 billion. pg&e plans to file for bankruptcy, but people impacted by the fires will not be left in the lurch. >> we know that the insurance have the money we need to make sure we can make the claims. so regardless who is at fault, we are confident that the insurers have the money. >> insurance officials expect damages to increase over time with additional claims filed. all right. turning to weather, we have a spare the air alert in effect today. >> there is rain in our near future.

let's check with sandhya patel. >> get ready for a major change in our weather. right now live doppler 7 tracking just clouds overhead. but as we head into the workweek, we'll be seeing more than clouds. look at this stunning view from east bay camera. sunset sky really pretty. but certainly air quality not so pretty. spare the air alert in effect today. air quality from good to moderate. we will have cleaner air, better air quality towards the end of the week. look at our rain chances. level 1 system wednesday going into thursday. a stronger storm. it's a level 2 for friday. and then 1s through the weekend and into monday. i'm tracking that rainy pattern for you. i'll be back with the details on that coming up, ama. >> thank you, sandhya. with the shutdown over, the state of the union is back on. house speaker nancy pelosi sent this short letter to president trump today, inviting him to deliver this year's address next tuesday, february 5th. it points out the two talked before she sent the letter and agreed on the date. in the east bay, many

federal workers were back on the job for the first time in more than a month. others like tsa workers remained on the job, but now will finally get paid. >> abc 7 news reporter laura anthony has our story. >> i noticed they seem to be a little bit more jolly. >> joey santor just arrived at san francisco international airport from texas. he told us he noticed something different about the tsa workers a the airports he traveled through. >> i did notice they were a little bit kinder than usual. it seems their spirits were a little more perked up, yes. >> the 400 tsa workers at oakland international stayed on the job throughout the federal shutdown without getting paid for the past month. but soon their paychecks will be in the mail. >> it was incredible. right when we got the news we had people working over 12-hour days saturday and sunday to get everyone's pay processed. what's good is they'll not only be getting a month's worth of pay, but then we have another pay period presently. so it will be a good payday for everybody. >> unlike their counterparts a

the tsa, these national park employees were furloughed. that means no work and no pay for 35 days. today they were back on the job, but the visitor centers at several east bay parks like john muir historical start remain closed for one more day. >> all the employees came back to work today and were interested in getting the site safe and ready for the visitors to come and see and learn about these stories. >> so the national park service employees here and all over the bay area are back on the job, but the question remains for how long. >> you know, as things get closer, i'm sure we'll get more nervous. but i guess we're hopeful that we'll continue to be able to operate, and that's we're going to focus on right now. >> in martinez, laura anthony, abc 7 news. >> now laura told us about the john muir historical site. things are also getting back to normal at muir woods. the national park closed only briefly during the shutdown, but services were limited throughout the duration of the impasse. with the shutdown over, park

rangers returned to their post today. ranger-led talks also resumed and so did other educational programs. visitors are really happy things are getting back to normal. >> i didn't try to come during the shutdown, but all the articles i read, the bathroom situation and all the trash, i didn't want to have to deal with that. definitely glad that it's over. >> muir woods did not fall victim to overflowing trash cans because some national park service personnel kept working to protect the facilities. there is breaking news in texas this evening where five houston police officers were shot while serving a warrant. police just tweeted that at least one suspect is dead. a s.w.a.t. team is working to make sure there is no one else inside the home where the shooting happened. our abc sister station in houston reports the five officers are with the narcotics unit. they are in the hospital right now. police have not yet updated their conditions. police in southern california have arrested a young woman who is suspected of being the driver in a hit-and-run that killed a san francisco state

university student. 21-year-old laila gonzalez remains in jail this evening, being held on $50,000 bail. another 21-year-old woman, angelina pinedo died after being hit by an suv while crossing the street in redondo beach saturday evening. pinedo was home visiting family while on winter break from san francisco state. san jose police are looking for help in identifying the driver in a fatal hit-and-run. it happened on northbound alden expressway between camden and redmond around 6:30 this morning. the driver of a red pickup hit a man crossing the street. four other vehicles then hit that man. the pickup driver initially stopped, but then later drove off. the drivers of the four other vehicles cooperated with police. investigators are hoping other drivers who might have been this the area will come forward with any information or any dash cam video. >> if anybody was in the area of the almaden expressway during that time, they may have footage of a red truck driving

northbound on almaden expressway tat would help us identify the truck, maybe get a license plate number. >> the victim died at the scene. he has not been identified. this is the fourth fatal pedestrian crash in san jose this year. three have been hit and runs. the man accused of the brutal beating of a san francisco grandmother told a judge today that he is not guilty. 18-year-old keonte gathron is charged with multiple flown felonies. he is being held without bail. family members of the victim, 88-year-old yik oi huang attended the hearing. they say it's been a trying time. >> our family wants this tragic incident to be an important -- to be an opportunity to address community safety both in the immediate and the long-term. >> officers found huang beaten in a park in visitacion valley on vanilla 8th. gathron also faces charges for a

series of other alleged crimes. see expected back in court tomorrow to set a day for a preliminary hearing. a new app similar to airbnb lets people rent rooms by the hour. but this is not intended to be a modern-day no tell motel. recharge is meant to help people find a place to rest up, or nap while they're on the go. abc 7 news reporter melanie woodrow explains. >> to combat the cost of living in city, mimi phan has found a which to earn some passive income during the day when she is not home, she rents a spare bedroom in her house. out by the hour, using the app recharge. >> the house is empty. it's not being utilized. >> recharge recently expanded its offerings from upscale hotel room rentals by the hour to homes and patterns that you can also rent by the hour to nap, shower or even just take a phone call. >> we want you to be able to have privacy on the go. >> ceo manny banfos says hourly

rates run from $20 to 12$125. the service is not just for travelers who need a place to crash between meetings. it also caters to people who live and work in san francisco. phan makes approximately $125 a month because she manages and cleans her own home. folks who want recharge to madeleine albright magazine make approximately $500 a month. the san francisco planning department says short-term rental regulations don't apply, but that the planning department hasn't been able to thoroughly analyze this particular type of operation to determine if there are any code issues. >> people always like to say oh, this must be for rock 'n roll. this must be for people partying in the rooms. and we just don't see that. >> he says recharge goes to tremendous lengths to review customers and hosts, though he would not specify how. we asked viewers on twit fer they'd be willing to rent out their room or home by the hour. as of 4:00 p.m., 166 people

voted, with 90% of them saying i'm not down with that. still, there is a more than 1600 person wait list to get on the platform. in san francisco, melanie woodrow, abc 7 news. now this might be a side effect of the government shutdown you didn't know about. >> no. the important list that is back up and running to bring you a little peace and quiet. >> we know the midwest is expected to get a polar vortex of minus 40 degrees or below, which is why my producer sent me here to this freezer to torture me. i'm dion lim in san francisco. and get me out of here! >> it's exactly why they sent her there. tortu torture. watch what you feed your pet. information about a popular diet

it wasn't a clear day, but with temperatures in the 50s and 60s, whose complaining. you could be in fargo, north dakota, where the temperature is in the single digits, and that's before you add in the windchill. which takes us into the negatives. abc 7 meteorologist sandhya patel is here to show us how cold it is in other parts of the country. >> so cold that records will be set. this is the coldest they will likely see in decades. i want to show you our balmy conditions in comparison. 50s and soys our highs. low 60s to low 70s. look at what it feels like in the midwest. 14 below zero in minneapolis. it is 25 degrees in detroit. 13 below in green bay. bone-chilling cold as that extreme cold invades. dangerous windchills expected this week for the midwest. the arctic air mass will cause the temperatures to plunge. minus 45 in minneapolis anding for a. minus 37, detroit. minus 45 in chicago.

windchills minus 30 to minus 60. records are likely. strong winds not going to help those folks out. obviously frostbite can easily happen. dangerous cold there. we'll stick with the by area. >> i was in philadelphia for a few years. you can't talk when it gets down. >> no, you're literally frozen. all right. boy, we are lucky. >> we are. >> i lived in michigan for several years. most of us have done it. what do the frosty temperatures feel like for those who haven't felt it? we decided to find out. dion lim was a brave soul who took on a challenge or perhaps she was just tortured. with don't know. she joins us live from san francisco. dion? >> oh, the things i do for my job. hey, ladies. okay. even though it is so cold over in parts of the midwest, check it out here along the embarcadero in san francisco. not to gloat, but, yeah, i'm going to gloat because we have people who are wearing shorts and short sleeves, and certainly not the wardrobe that they're experiencing in some states right now bundle up, midwest.

you're in for a doozy of ridiculously cold air this week. don't cake it from me. here's abc 7 morning's meteorologist mike mikko. >> let me put this arctic blast into perspective. an entire generation has lived without feeling temperatures 40 to 50 degrees below zero, and we'll be 90 to 100 degrees warmer than they are wednesday morning. how's that? >> just try telling that to people from the midwest. we caught up with travelers leaving the bay area from sfo where nearly half of all flights were delayed or canceled. so what is it like knowing you are going back to the polar vortex? >> exciting. >> i love the snow. i'm an old man, and i blow snow for everybody on my block. so it's a kick. >> in comparison, the bay area is expected to have temperatures of around 58 by wednesday. piece of cake, which is why my producer decided to send me here to the sf marin bank freezer. but even the freezer at 4 degrees isn't as cold as what my

counterparts at our sister station are dealing with. >> i'm john garcia in the chicago area, where we are dealing with snow today. however, bringsing for record-breaking cold. windchills on wednesday could hit 50 degrees below zero. >> many minnesota public schools have already canceled classes. teacher shawn foley's district is on winter weather watch. temperatures are expected to dip below. >> we did get some learning done. >> many midwestern cities are warning residents to avoid going outside. but hearty chicagoans already knew that. >> i'm going to sit home. that's what i'm going to do. >> back out here live, i want you to take a look at that. it's a palm tree, of course. chicago, i don't even think they know what that palm tree is right about now. and real quickly, i do want to show you this tweet. this is from the national weather service in grand forks, north dakota, where you can see

an awful lot of purple there. they tweeted out earlier today that they're expecting temperatures with the windchill to feel as low as minus 81. i can't even wrap my head around that. live in san francisco abotonigh i'm dion lim. >> i hope our producer bought you a hot chocolate after that turn in the freezer. >> at least she has her coat on. the federal government is become open and running, and so is an important bay area website that commuters rely on. >> absolutely. 7 on your side's michael finney is here with that. >> the government shutdown is finally over. you guys have been reporting on that. and it is officially over too at the do not call registry. now i reported last week, you may remember, the website was not operational, and there was no way to complain about robocalls, and no way to sign up to get on the list. well, the government shutdown is over. the website is up and running again. that is good news. there were concerns that robocalls would careen completely out of control if the site had stayed down for a

substantial amount of time. today is the official start of the tax season, and nothing, not even that government shutdown can keep that from happening. you can now file electronically or download paper forms and then send them in. this is the first tax filing since the new tax laws took effect. and there will be some who are surprised. rates have been lowered for most taxpayers, but there is now a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions. the federal government is up. part of the fastrak was down for much of the day. the server for fastrak experienced an outage saturday night. now this affected the website's customer service, but late this afternoon, it was back up and running. apparently with no current problems. fastrak says it is extending the deadline for payments of violations, invoices and one-time payments. now, if that is not the case and you have a problem, i want you to let me know about it.

we'll get it taken care of for you. there are two million fastrak users in bay area. >> that's a lot. thanks, michael. >> sure. now your accuweather forecast with sandhya patel. >> hi there, everyone. let's check out live doppler 7. it's beginning to look a little different. take a look for yourself. we're starting to pick up moisture in the clouds. now, the systems are still out over the pacific that we're watching. this first system here is going to dive down, parallel the coast and head south. the second system is the one we're watching that is going to be a stronger storm, and it arrives later on this week. so we are tracking both of those systems for you. definitely looking at some heavier rain coming in later on this week. but i want to show you right now, our rain chances, they're going up over the next seven days. six out of the seven day have a level 1 or level 2 impact. the strongest storm once again will be on friday. look at the stunning view. it's just a blinding sunset from our east bay hills camera.

take a look for yourself. another view from our mount tam cam. the sun is setting. there are quite a bit of clouds around. 58 in san francisco. 59 in oakland. believe it or not, it got up into the low 70s in gilroy today. san jose, 61. morgan hill, 63 degrees. another spectacular view from our emeryville camera right now as the sun is setting. low 60s from santa rosa to nap pal. livermore 62 as well. and i'll step aside so you can get a real good view of the sutro tower camera, looking at the views. increasing clouds overnight tonight. sprinkles are possible tomorrow and our rainy pattern begins on wednesday. let's take a look at your 12-hour planner. sun up at 7:16. partly sunny at noontime. and it is going to be mild for january, still. sun goes down tomorrow at 5:30, and we'll have plenty of clouds around. so hour-by-hour we go. 4:00 a.m. tomorrow, don't be surprised if you have to use your windshield wipers briefly during the commute. 5:30 same thing. just isolated sprinkles at best, as we head into tomorrow

morning, your temperatures mainly in the 40s as i mentioned. plenty of clouds. 50 degrees in san francisco. tomorrow afternoon, you're looking at temperatures ranging from the low to mid-60s. so still unseasonably mild for this time of year. filtered sunshine. then a level system comes in for wednesday. light to moderate rain about a quarter to 3/4 an inch. light winds expected. this system, as you will notice, really doesn't get going until the afternoon. 2:00 p.m. light showers in the north bay. by 5:30 to 8:30, we see pocks of moderate, even heavy rain. 10:30 moving east. and thursday morning, we continue to see a few more showers rotating through the bay area. a level 2 storm comes in on friday. moderate to heavy rain, gusty winds. even a chance of some thunderstorms. so your accuweather seven-day forecast looks like this. increasing clouds tomorrow. level 1 for wednesday and thursday. rain and then showers. level 2 for moderate storm on friday. wet, windy showers for a saturday.

level 1 and a colder system on sunday will actually bring us cold showers, maybe snow over our highest peaks going into monday. certainly the snow level will go from 8,000 to 9,000 feet midweek. by the weekend dropping to 4,000 feet. we'll be talking about several feet of snow in the sierras. so that is actually welcome news. >> plus it will be cool. but not minus 80 cold. >> thank goodness. >> really good compared to what they're dealing with in the midwest. >> thanks, sandhya. a bay area company was one of the big factors in the stock market taking a tumble today. the news that shook wall street. that story is next. and real ids, real confusing. 7 on your side's michael finney

a -- actually, let me start here. it wias a tough start to the wek as two companies say slowing demand in china is hurting business. all three markets finished in

the red as investors reacted to the warnings from caterpillar and nvidia. tomorrow could get interesting when apple reports its earnings after the closing bell. nvidia, which has its headquarters in santa clara, saw its stock fall nearly 14%. that whole 30 diet may be working for some people, but researchers warn us not to try trendy dog diets for our pets. researchers say some popular grain-free legume rich diets are linked to an increase in deadly heart disease. eating the diets are not making or maintaining enough taurine, searchers suggest you check with your vet before changing its diet. something is brewing in california. >> the proposal that could

coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00, protesters shout down regulators considering a $5 billion bailout plan for pg&e as

it heads into bankruptcy. at 6:00, the i team's dan noyes shows us what was decided. uncertain times for oakland's schools. labor issues on top of massive deficit that has some schools on the brink of closure. we'll explain why the next two days will be critical. that's coming up in a half our on abc 7 news at 6:00. wineries and breweries in the state use a lot of water that may soon change. >> state senator scott wiener introduced a bill that will allow them to use recycle water to clean equipment, and for other manufacturing purposes, but not in the actual product. >> with have a major water shortage in california. it's not going away. the drought will come back, and we need to make water recycling easier. >> he says for every gallon of beer brewed, seven gallons of water go into the process, much of it for cleaning machinery. that's going to do it for now. "world news tonight" with david muir is next. >> i'm ama daetz. for sandhya patel and michael finney and all of us here, thank

you so much for joining us this evening. our next newscast is at 6:00. we'll see you then. bye. tonight, breaking news as we come on the air in the west. several officers have been shot in houston. authorities just moments ago confirming five officers, all of them rushed to the hospital. we have late details coming in now. three-quarters of the country bracing tonight for dangerous, life-threatening cold. whiteout conditions already, 34 states on alert. the dramatic rescue from lake michigan. wind chills expected to hit more than 50 below zero in some places. the horrific video tonight. the deadly police shootout. officers responding to a call of shots fired. the gunman opening fire on them. president trump threatening another government shutdown is possible if no wall. and tonight, the cost to the american economy already -- $11 billion. the case of road rage on an american highway.