next at 5:00 a grim milestone for california. 1 million cases of covid-19 as one county is now on the brink of going back to a more restricted tier and another says it deserves to move forward. plus the concern over school lunches in santa rosa. why are kids getting rotten fruit and vegetables and what is being done to stop it? also ahead the spike in crime in oakland. how do you change a police department when officers may be needed more than ever? in san jose the sharks say they may have to leave town if downtown development doesn't ease up. we begin with a somber milestone. california has now reported its 1 millionth case of coronavirus. that is according to a data tracker by our media partner "the east bay times." that translates into roughly one

in 40 californians or about the population of san jose. state officials say we are at 991,000 cases. the virus has now killed more than 18,000 people in california. that is roughly the population of moraga. good evening. thank you for being with us tonight. >> alameda county meanwhile is pausing further reopening as it anticipates having to move to the more restrictive red tier. daily new cases per 100,000 people are up to 4.9 from the county's low of 3.4. there has also been a steady increase in hospitalizations. officials say if current trends continue the county may be put back in the most restrictive tier. that's purple. and in sonoma county people are frustrated that they're still in the most restrictive purple tier even though test numbers are improving. but as abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman explains the county thinks it knows what's going on. >> reporter: another date another covid testing site in sonoma county. they're still in the purple tier

here highly restricted and residents are still concerned. >> well i haven't had any fever. and i'm hoping it's going to be negative >> i want to see if i'm okay because it's too many people dead. >> reporter: the county will test another 200 people at this pop up site today. part of an effort to improve status with the state health department. now sonoma county has reason to believe it may be stuck in the purple tier due to a counting error. >> we discovered there was a company doing a significant amount of tests here in sonoma county and those were not getting counted in sacramento. >> reporter: we're talking maybe 20,000 tests in all. the county says they include 2500 a month from the casino through no fault of the casino. those results never made it into the state health department's data base. possibly stewing sonoma county's status in the purple tier. now they are recounting two weeks of the last testing and resubmitting. >> we weren't getting the

proportionate benefit we thought we should have for the actions we were taking. >> reporter: in sonoma county covid-19 has taken a terrible economic toll and cost 20,000 jobs and more than $1.5 billion in lost income. >> normally we would have the patio full and probably half of the inside. >> reporter: at the sky lounge in sonoma county airport steve wall is fortunate to still be working even part-time as an assistant manager. 38 of his co-workers lost their jobs here due to covid. it is california's only commercial restaurant in an airport that cannot have inside dining. jim goff, who owns the place, has been hamstrung by the purple tier. >> right now it's day to day and weather related. we're hanging on by threads. >> reporter: as this county, not down for the count yet, but definitely recounting those tests and hoping for a better tier by thanksgiving. in sonoma county, wayne friedman, abc 7 news. san francisco's public schools will get help from 20

city workers to ensure campuses are safe for in-person classes to resume in january. that includes making sure windows can open and furniture can be spaced properly to ensure social distancing. school district workers have evaluated 20 campuses and need to check another 65. the district plans to bring its youngest students back to campus starting january 25th. meanwhile in santa rosa a mom says the school lunches being sent home during covid-19 aren't safe to eat. abc 7 news i-team reporter melanie woodrow spoke with the school district which is apologizing for the error. >> reporter: rotten apples and moldy carrots. >> i'm afraid for the safety of my children's food. >> reporter: this is what jessica farwell says she picked up from the santa rosa unified school district's lunch program. >> that puts us in a difficult position as a family because we are struggling and it is a difficult year. we cannot easily replace those items. >> reporter: farwell and her husband are both out of work due to covid-19. 7-year-old asher and 4-year-old eliana both qualified for the school lunch program. farwell is also mom to

2-month-old aurora. prior to covid-19 she worked in the food and beverage industry. >> food safety is so important. we would never allow this in a restaurant i would work in and it's heart breaking to consider that someone would allow this for our children. >> reporter: ed burke is the child nutrition services director. >> we find this is unacceptable and we have to do better. we want to extend our apologies to the parent and the community at large. >> reporter: burke says when farwell contacted the school district they immediately began an inspection. school officials discovered palettes of produce coming up on its use by date were intermingled with fresh produce. >> given the condition of the items in the photo it was very reasonable to presume someone could see it and say this is not okay and set it aside. >> reporter: that, however, did not happen. burke says they are providing additional training to staff and doing additional spot checks. >> we feel confident we can prevent this from happening at any point in the future. >> reporter: farwell says in the past she has thrown out prepackaged food items that looked to be frozen, thawed, and

refrozen as well as fresh, prepared items that didn't smell fresh. >> after it happened so many times in a row it became clear that it was a systemic problem that needed to be addressed. >> reporter: burke tells abc 7 news thawed items are never refrozen and encourages any santa rosa family that receives a questionable lunch to contact the district. melanie woodrow, abc 7 news. like major cities across the country oakland has seen an uptick in crime in the past six months especially when it comes to homicides. this comes amid reimagining of the police force. abc 7 news reporter laura anthony spoke with oakland's interim chief as well as those witnessing the fallout of that violence first hand. >> every funeral home got youngsters in it. >> reporter: todd walker has been a community activist, coach, and funeral director for decades. he is seeing a crisis especially among young people within a pandemic. >> if there ain't nothing for them to do it's easy to get misled and get involved in

something you don't need to be in which is right now killing. >> reporter: oakland homicides have now topped 100 for the first time in seven years. on monday two men were shot and killed in separate incidents within 11 minutes. last week the city saw roving bands of looters and armed robbers. >> i would say that we're seeing some really, really unique circumstances that i would call a perfect storm right now. because of the pandemic, the anxiety, along with the early release of prisoners and the inability to hold people in jail for lower level crimes and give them a cooling off period, i think they've all contributed. >> reporter: the crime spike comes as the community demands more police accountability. led by the reimagining public safety task force. >> it's a tragedy we are losing as many lives as we are in our city. the majority of the city of oakland agrees that there are some things we should be looking at pulling off of the plate of

our law enforcement officers. so they can work on the more serious, life threatening issues. >> reporter: while the commission continues its work here to reimagine the department, a new poll shows among oakland residents their trust in their police force has decreased but they don't necessarily want fewer of them on the street. >> i say keep the police where they are and bring in the community leaders that know these kids. >> reporter: in oakland, laura anthony, abc 7 news. we have new details on that fire that started roaring from a san francisco sidewalk this afternoon. a construction crew ruptured a gas main near alamo square park which fed the flame on fulton street between steiner and pierce. one person was hurt but the fire department tells us the injuries are minor, thank goodness. right now dozens of people who had to evacuate are waiting to be allowed to return home. pg&e crews are working to make sure everyone is safe. >> in the south bay the san jose sharks are raising a number of concerns about new development projects near s.a.p. center

which they say could spell trouble for the team's success in the downtown core. >> reporter: as more details surrounding google's downtown west development are beginning to emerge the san jose sharks are asking the public to weigh in about the future of the massive project which is adjacent to the s.a.p. center. >> as it looks like it's going, the arena might become infeasible at some point in the future. it might be impossible to host a concert. it might be impossible to host a hockey game. if that were to come true then we would be forced to leave. >> the president of sharks sports and entertainment is raising concerns about street network access, parking challenges, and construction impacts related to san jose's station area plan which is set to transform 250 acres over the next two to three decades. but as the city starts to lay out its plans, some say more must be done to ensure that projects are staggered to avoid congestion. groups such as the san jose downtown association say they're excited for the future but

they'll also be keeping a watchful eye on the process. >> there's going to be a lot more people, customers, traffic. we want them to be able to circulate and move between all of the businesses. we want it to work. >> reporter: officials focus on transit oriented development which will include a mix of housing, commercial, and open space. urban planning experts say progress can be painful. but say if done properly, the sharks could have a lot to gain. >> we have to change. we have to be a forward looking 21st century city. >> reporter: mayor sam le carto says he is confident the city and team will work out any differences in the long run. >> the ability for us to bring thousands of sharks fans in the form of b.a.r.t. riders, local workers, new residents right to their front door is something that any professional sports franchise would love to see happen. >> reporter: for now the sharks have a lease agreement at the s.a.p. center through 2025. >> we were born here in san jose. we've grown up in san jose. this is our home.

we want to stay here. >> reporter: in san jose, abc 7 news. still ahead, dr. anthony fauci with promising news about covid-19. why he says help is on the way. plus, the difficulty of distribution. a look at moving the pfizer vaccine when it has to be kept as cold as being at the south pole on a winter day. >> that's cold. what if everyone drove electric cars? in some ways it's already happ in just a few months, we've learned a lot more about the covid-19 virus. it's real. and it's dangerous. so, on behalf of all of us working on the front lines, please take it seriously. and while we don't yet have a cure or a vaccine, we do know how to keep you and your loved ones safe. wear a mask. wash your hands. stay six feet apart. do your best to stay out of crowded spaces. and get a flu shot, it's even more important this year. we can do this. if we do it together.

for people with heart failure taking entresto, it may lead to a world of possibilities. entresto is a heart failure medicine prescribed by most cardiologists. it was proven superior at helping people stay alive and out of the hospital. heart failure can change the structure of your heart so it may not work as well. entresto helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. and with a healthier heart, there's no telling where life may take you.

don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto for heart failure. entrust your heart to entresto. dr. anthony fauci is downplaying the need for a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of covid-19. dr. fauci appeared on "good morning america" a day after dr. michael osterholm, an adviser to president-elect biden, floated the idea of shutting down businesses for four to six weeks and paying americans to stay home. dr. fauci says the move isn't necessary. he says people just need to wear masks. >> there is no appetite for

locking down in the american public but i believe we can do it without a lockdown. i really do. help is really on the way. vaccines are going to have a major positive impact. >> he says vaccines will likely start to be distributed in december and become widely available to the public by next summer. when challenged to getting the pfizer vaccine it has to be stored at 94 degrees below zero fahrenheit to remain effective. that is the same as a very cold day in the south pole. reporter anna stewart looks at how distributors plan to make it work. >> reporter: millions of doses have already been made, ready to go should the pfizer candidate get regulatory approval. this one uses messenger rna. a new technology which poses a major challenge for storage and transportation of the vaccine. >> we have to keep the product very cold and very much sub

freezing temperatures. then there will be a short term of stability. perhaps at refrigerated temperatures. and that is going to be a logistical challenge. >> logistics firms like u.p.s., fedex, dhl started planning for this months ago. >> we have about 9,000 health care specialists around the globe. about 140 certified warehouses around the globe. there are hundreds of terminals that are certified for health care. we also had to make some specific investments in minus 80 degrees storage points and containers to be able to distribute so those are all things that wehad too. >> reporter: these firms are a critical link between the pharmaceutical firms and governments. >> what we have to focus on is our interaction with our customers when they say they need to be ready. we are working and planning

accordingly and we will be ready. >> reporter: this week sutter health told abc 7 news reporter kate larson that the company has spent $100,000 on 14 specialty freezers to keep the vaccine at the correct temperature as it is distributed across northern california. one of the most difficult stretches of the covid-19 crisis is now providing scientific evidence that could help solve a completely different health problem. that threat is air pollution and one of the proposed solutions, electric cars. it's the environmental trade-off we make every day. the bay area's popular commuter corridors are also air pollution alleys but now a new study is pointing out the power of a clean solution. >> yes, we've been thinking about this as a model for the electric car. >> reporter: this professor and his team have spent nearly a decade building out a network of co2 sensors. they can measure carbon monoxide and other pollutants on a micro

level. and early this year they had an historic opportunity as the bay area began the covid-19 shelter in place. >> we saw this incredible change that occurred, the amount of co2 released to the atmosphere in the bay area was 25% lower in that period than in the, just before the lockdown six weeks before. >> he says the purple peaks represent the daily spikes in co2 levels during the six-week runnup while the green areas show the drop during the shelter in place. he believes the rubber really meets the road in another set of images. they show what the drop looked like along major bay area freeways like interstate 880 with the lighter concentration of purple mirroring the positive effect that electric vehicles could have on the same corridors. >> so the thing about electric cars is it is especially easy to think about. the emissions are at a power plant far away. they have no combustion related emissions on the road so an electric car on the road is the

same as no car on the road. >> reporter: he believes the monitoring system is powerful because it zeroes in not only on freeways but also adjacent neighborhoods, many of them low income, providing one more argument for the environmental benefit electric cars could provide to the bay area. now, professor coen and his team have begun a similar sensor system in glasgow, scotland. the goal is to have it operational in time for the united nations climate conference in that city in 2021. it is definitely feeling like fall since we're talking climate. chilly temperatures and rain on the

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get the new iphone 12 on xfinity mobile. and right now get $250 off. learn more at an xfinity store today. a day of golf for a good cause today in oakland. nearly 100 people took part in the first oakland athletic league fundraiser. all the money raised from the event goes to help middle school sports programs in the city of oakland. organizers believe by improving

sports programs at the middle school level they'll help increase participation in oakland high schools, which makes perfect sense. nice day out there to play golf for a good cause. we have the accu weather forecast. maybe some rain coming? >> yes, rain is definitely coming. it was gorgeous today. we had more sun and milder than yesterday. look at this post sunset view from our east bay hills camera. it's absolutely fiery and spectacular right now. it's going to change. those clouds are ahead of the storm we're watching here pushing moisture into the pacific northwest. it's on its way to our area. it arrives tomorrow. so let's check out live doppler 7 tomorrow. clouds are gathering. a look at the temperatures anywhere from 52 to 60 degrees. 52 half moon bay. 60 hayward. now temperatures this afternoon were in the upper 50s to low 70s. here is a lovely view from our golden gate bridge camera. rain arrives in the north bay by

late morning. looking at rain spreading to all areas by the evening. a sunny, warmer pattern starting this weekend. first thing tomorrow morning there will still be a chill in the air in the north bay valleys but not quite as cold as it was this morning. mid to upper 30s. most other areas in the 40s. clouds will be gathering and fog will be there. tomorrow afternoon we see those showers. temperatures from the low 50s to the mid 60s. it is going to be cooler than it was today. make sure you have your umbrella as we have a level one storm for tomorrow light to moderate rain wet for the evening commute and it is going to be breezy and gusty out ahead of the system. so do expect breezy to gusty conditions. hour by hour we go. by 11:00 a.m. showers are developing in the north bay. you will notice it's light to moderate in intensity there. but as that system moves southward it loses some of its energy. it starts to fall apart late tomorrow night going into early saturday for the central coast. but 5:00 p.m. tomorrow it is going to be wet so prepare accordingly with some pockets of

moderate rain as we go into 7:00 p.m. still scattered showers around for the southern and eastern end of our viewing area and then it's pretty much done. the sierra will see snow. snow will be down to the pass level so that will impact travel. rainfall totals here in the bay area anywhere from 0.0 inch to 0.4 in napa. the wettest spots up to 0.5 inch of rain. windter weather advisory until 10:00 p.m. tomorrow for the sierra nevada above 6,000 feet expecting 3 to 6 inches of snow. the higher peaks up to 9 inches. as i mentioned travel will be difficult especially with the winds kicking up. the king tides are coming up. mill valley, you know the park and ride gets flooded. do expect it again saturday, sunday. around 10ish. close to 7 feet and the higher hides monday, tuesday close to 7 feet just after 11:00 a.m. your accu weather seven day forecast, rain, breezy. drying out for the weekend. and then next week it is going to be a warmer pattern with low to mid 70s.

wednesday, tuesday night into wednesday, possibly into thursday we have showers returning to the bay area. >> all right. thanks so much. great. who doesn't love a super hero especially one with with the power to bring a smile? that story next.

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holidays. those stories and a lot more coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00. finally tonight, it's a bird. it's a plane. well, actually it is super heroes trading their life of fighting crime for a day of removing grime while lifting children's spirits. >> take a look at batman the caped cleaner joining his super friends in a yearly tradition at children's hospital in >> this is a great day. a simple smile, laughter has been brightening the days of our youngest patients. our staff, our family members, even our health care teams who are every day heroes here at stanford children's health. >> we've gone through a really hard year so i think all of us can use laughter and joy at this time. >> that's right. today's appearance by the super heroes is just one of many events that takes place year round to brighten the spirits of children battling life threatening conditions at

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learn more at factsonhand.com today. tonight, the coronavirus, alarming new numbers just coming in as we come on the air. and the lines in new york city for testing. growing concern from coast to coast tonight. the testing here in new york and new restrictions amid fears of a new wave hitting the city. in parts of new jersey, nearly 1 in 5 testing positive, as the number of cases of the virus explodes across the u.s. well more than 100,000 new cases every day in america. and no signs of it slowing down. from ohio to wisconsin to california, now becoming the second state to hit 1 million cases. hundreds of people waiting in their cars to be tested at dodger stadium. tonight, we also have news on the pfizer vaccine and the vaccine in the works from moderna.