hey, mike. >> good morning, reggie, kumasi, jobina. i know two of three, maybe all three of you, maybe all four of us will be fighting for it. looks like a lot of fun. let's look at what's going on weatherwise. pretty quiet outside. thankfully no wet weather to worry about this morning. look at all that sunshine, just waiting as the sun is about to come up and about 35 minutes or so and san jose, 287, we're 38 to 45 through 7:00. 50s at the coast. near 60 around the bay and inland by lunch time and mid-60s at 4:00, back to the mid-50s at 7:00. so, we went from clouds yesterday, sun today, rain tomorrow. and more so next week. accuweather seven-day forecast very active. back to you, reggie. >> thank you. vdeveloping news, police in washington, d.c. are on high alert. jobina fortson has more on how this threat is affecting

lawmakers. >> thank you, reggie. yes, so today the house of representatives canceled the legislative session. abc news obtained an internal u.s. capitol police bulletin distributed tuesday that contains information about a possible militia plot on or around march 4th. it says the three percenters militia group discussed plans to take control of the u.s. capitol and remove democratic lawmakers. the threat is linked to a far right conspiracy theory pushed by qanon that falsely claimed former president donald trump will be inaugurated on march 4th. that was inauguration day until 1933, when it was moved to january 20th. >> these types of threats that qanon continues to inspire impede us from doing the work we on voting rights, on racial justice. >> the capitol complex is surrounded with temporary fencing, topped with razor wire and 5,000 national guard troops remain on site and around the city.

the threat comes less than two months after rioters stormed the capitol complex and threatened the lives of lawmakers. the senate plans to stay in session today. kumasi? >> thank you, jobina. we're expecting to get an update today on the state's response to the covid-19 vaccine plan and the distribution. the state's health and human services agency and the governor's office of business and economic development will host a call at 9:00 this morning. we'll bring you all the details as soon as they come in on our abc 7 news app. california is making major changes to the vaccine policy. the state will focus on vaccinating low income communities to speed up reopenings. to do that, 40% of the vaccine supply will be allocated to 400 of the state's lowest income zip codes. once 2 million people are vaccinated, the requirements for counties to move from the purple to red tier will be loosened and then once 4 million doses have been given out, state officials will then relax the thresholds for entering the orange and the yellow tiers. if you're headed for vaccination at the oakland

coliseum, walking could speed up your shot. officials say overall the coliseum site is busy, more than 7,000 shots were done just on tuesday. but the walk-up area is underutilized. for some, it is taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish, that includes the 15 minute observation period. >> we have wanted to get out that this is a resource, you don't have to drive your car, you can take public transportation, you can take the b.a.r.t. services, or you can drive your car and park at the b.a.r.t. coliseum station, walk over the pedestrian bridge. >> and you don't have to walk that much. nning att f s thiswalkup site tain entrance the coliseum. go to where that check mark is. that is the access point from the coliseum b.a.r.t. station. you don't even need an appointment. but you do have to be in a vaccine eligible group. the san francisco unified school district has received

2600 qr codes from the state. that's to get teachers vaccinated. those qr codes can be used to make appointments. the state issued them yesterday. sfusd was denied access because the teachers union still hadn't reached a deal with the school district. abc 7 news is monitoring the covid vaccine rollout in california with our vaccine tracker. you can find this on our home page at abc7news.com. the ferris wheel at san francisco's golden gate park is reopening today. but you don't have to rush out there because the attraction is now one step closer to getting a four-year extension. abc 7 news reporter amy hollyfield live in san francisco with what still needs to happen before this decision is final. amy? >> reporter: kumasi, this has to be the most talked about debated ferris wheel in the can country. it is not even running. look at it behind me, it hasn't been running since october. even then it was for a very brief time that it was open. but today, it starts carrying passengers again. this ferris wheel was brought in to be part of the 150-year

anniversary celebration of the opening of golden gate park. it was going to only be here for one year. but then the pandemic happened and it was shut down for most of this year. the historic preservation commission had said that the contract would not be extended beyond a year, but yesterday afternoon, reversed course, and voted to keep it here for four more years. operator has to come up with a plan to turn down the noise from the generator and the bright lights at night. well, the san francisco supervisors still aren't so sure about this. they plan to contest this. there is a proposed resolution to only have it here for one more year. and the board will vote on that next week. so there is still some controversy surrounding this wheel. but the focus today will be on ll beo150-foot high wheel. this attraction here in golden gate park, you'll get a 12-minute ride, so you'll get to

spin around a few times. i looked online. tickets are still available for today if you want to come out and give this a spin. reporting live in san francisco, amy hollyfield, abc 7 news. >> all right, thank you, amy. governor newsom says there is a chance that baseball fans will not be sitting empty this season if covid cases keep dropping. counties in the orange tier could play to 20% capacity and in the yellow tier, 25% capacity. giants president and ceo larry baer says they're working on a plan to welcome back fans in time for the home opener on april 9th. >> we're hopeful, not taking anything for granted, but wouldn't it be great to get the fans back on opening day? something called fan safe. and it is going to involve sanitizers, it is going to involve checks, it is going to involve pod seating. >> the oakland a's are working on a safety plan and already selling undated ticket vouchers in hopes of a fan-filled game this spring. still ahead, covid vaccines

for kids, johnson & johnson's ceo is laying out a timeline for when they can get the shot. after years of delays, progress on the central subway project in san francisco. when the bulk of the construction is expected to wrap up. and while sunshine returns to our forecast today, it is the rain tomorrow that we'll be talking about after the break and even more

four, five, turn, kick. we got chased by these wild coyotes! they were following her because she had beef jerky in her pocket. (laughing) (trumpet playing) someone behind me, come on. pick that up, pick that up, right there, right there. as long as you keep making the internet an amazing place to be, we'll keep bringing you a faster, more secure, and more amazing internet. xfinity. the future of awesome. like, seeing my mom. it's unthinkable to me that i can't see her and i can't hug her. not being able to hug is just like somebody has to tie me down. touching someone to say i love you, to hug you...

those are the things that i miss. ♪ ♪ welcome back. it is about 6:09. reporting stations along east bay shore are are saying partly cloudy with low to mid-40s until you get to alameda and richmond at 49 and 47. got 39 in napa and livermore, more cool spots, 37 in pleasanton, mountain view and los gatos at 38. everybody else pretty much in the 40s. your activity takes some breaks

outside and enjoy the sunshine as it comes back today. and there is absolutely no rain in the forecast for now. look at this, tomorrow, we're looking at the north bay, with some light showers possible, along the coastal range there. the light to moderate steady rain gets in there as we get into the evening hours. and most of us will be wet by 10:00 tomorrow evening. so if you have plans, make sure you take the wet weather gear. by 1:00, it is a wintry mix on mount hamilton. and by 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, we're clearing out. by the time most of us get outside, saturday morning, it is already starting to dry out, breezes are coming in and the quarter to half inch of rain is over. but more is on the way in the accuweather seven-day forecast. here's jobina. thank you, mike. good morning, everyone. we're going to start off with a live look the bay bridge toll plaza. mitering lights came on much earlier because there was a disabled car slowing things down

and we have a backup. it is slow on emeryville. we're going to move over there and show you 80 r if you're tra in the westbound direction. we had a crash earlier in berkeley that cleared. now people are beginning to funnel through. as we bring in the maps, i want to point out we have a car fire in hayward that is slowing things down. thankfully everyone involved is out of the vehicle, but this is going to be on southbound 880 before wynton, speeds down to around 29 miles per hour. also this morning, we're learning of a new study that finds car crash deaths increased by 8% in 2020, despite a 13% drop in the total number of miles driven. the national safety council estimates that more than 42,000 people were killed innse is urg administration to commit to zero roadway deaths by 2050. new developments in the central subway project. construction will be done by march 31st.

more than 1.5 mile extension to the muni metro line was supposed s faced several delays. the most recent caused by the pandemic. in november, muni said the setback was caused by construction workers stricken with covid-19, quarantines and problems getting construction materials during the pandemic. still ahead, the latest movie chain to file for bankruptcy. what it means for one iconic location in san francisco. it has been almost 40 years since janet jackson debuted her first album. the big celebration in the works with the documentary film. >> 40? okay. >> yes. she's been around. >> right? as we head to break, let's look outside at this gorgeous morning right now at 6:12. we'll be right back.

so you're a small business,

or a big one. you were thriving, but then... oh. ah. okay. plan, pivot. how do you bounce back? you don't, you bounce forward, with serious and reliable internet. powered by the largest gig speed network in america. but is it secure? sure it's secure. and even if the power goes down, your connection doesn't. so how do i do this? you don't do this. we do this, together. bounce forward, with comcast business. just days after new safety efforts were launched in san francisco's chinatown, new video

is surfacing of a shocking attack in a laundromat. we want to tell you, you might find this really hard to watch. surveillance video shows the terrifying moments that a 67-year-old customer is attacked by three people in a laundromat in nob hill and chinatown neighborhoods on february 23rd. you can see the senior sitting in a chair, this is around 10:00 at night, and then being dragged, ambushed, robbed, several hundred dollars, and this entire incident happened in less tha 45 that's horrible. it is so concerning. that's so hard to watch, though. an old man being, like, upside down like that. >> this attack happened shortly after increased patrols in san francisco's chinatown. investigators say that three attackers may also be tied to multiple auto burglaries in that area. the association union is offering a $2500 reward.

a san francisco police wl sy tri used of on f tty chs. hearing for officer terrence stengel wrapped up earlier this week. in 2019, dakari spears said stengel beat him near fisherman's wharf. prosecutores say the beating was unnecessary because spears was nonthreatening nor committing a crime. the johnson & johnson vaccine could be available by september. the ceo made an announcement yesterday during an interview with washington post live. >> is it possible that vaccines would be available for children under 18 by september, when parents want them to go back to school or should we be thinking more about the end of the year? >> i think it is likely to occur right in that timeline. the good news is that the fda is already working with companies to establish the clear

regulatory guidelines so that the appropriate data can be >> alex gore ski says one benefit of the j&j vaccine is that it has been used in younger age groups before. it plans to study the vaccine in adolescents starting with children 12 to 18. boutique movie theater chain alamo draft house is struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic and the company says it is filing for bankruptcy. the texas-based chain will continue to operate while managers search for a buyer and work to repay creditors. and that means san francisco's mission street location, which is known for its cocktail service and gourmet concessions, will eventually reopen. >> lov tha this woman. janet jackson, she's marking the 40th anniversary of her 1982 debut album with a two-part documentary. the four-hour film tentatively titled "janet" is expected to premier early next year.

it wiln liti a a & e. it chronicles her personal life and professional career. includ seen home videos. >> is four hours long enough? >> it is not enough. >> don't call me for four hours. >> we're going to -- she's going to take us on an escapade that could last all day. >> nice. and that doesn't even include her acting on "good times". >> thank you. >> remember that show? >> of course i do. she fell down the elevator shaft. >> oh. i didn't know that. >> all right. kumasi has more research to do. all right. appreciate it. let's talk about what's going on. all right, let's go to our roof camera and look at, yes, we're going to get more sunshine today. right now about 48 in san retu want to take a walk on the beach, be careful, don't take

your back on the waves. sneaker waves, rip currents, they're out there until 3:00 tomorrow morning. mostly clear tonight. patchy fog forms, more so in the north bay and highsnd breezy conditions, especially saturday. so enjoy today. 60 to 66 around the bay. low to mid-60s up in the north bay. but into the east bay valleys and south bay our warmest weather, upper 60s. southerly breeze brings cooler weather to the north bay. 55 to 60 alon the coast. tonight, the 30s, deepest inland valleys, most low to mid-40s. saturday, pretty quiet, except for the sierra. snow there. sunday, slight chance of rain in lake mendocino counties and northwest corner of sonoma county. and then look at this, as we head into monday, there is one, and let's go through it, another one on tuesday. tween storms wednesdae definite door opening. and look at the rainfall totals,

more than an inch, just about everywhere, nearing two inches and that's why we're going to have almost half, 50% of an average march rainfall during that time period for a lot of our reporting stations. and the good news, they're all ones they're all light on the storm impact scale. i don't expect any damage. it is just going to be significantly cooler next week with all that wet weather. all right, be prepared. here's kumasi and reggie. >> thank you, mike. now checking in with ginger for a look at what's coming up on "gma" at 7:00. good morning, ginger. >> good morning, kumasi and reggie. how nice to be with both of you. this morning here on "gma," we'll start with a new warning about domestic terrorists attempting to storm the capitol again. that's just two months after the deadly siege. so we'll tell pparing and in d. latest. also, president biden is blasting some states for racing to reopen and dropping mask mandates. his administration is trying to safely reopen schools, so the new secretary of education is b.

you'll see that only on "gma," plus, michael's exclusive one on one with chris harrison. it is his first interview since stepping away from "the bachelor" franchise for his comments about race. what he's saying about all of it this morning and why he says he's still the right person it lead the show. and one day left until that highly anticipated one division finale. paul betny will join us live and also ahead of that we're going to get into some special women's history month edition of deals and steals. today's products, from all women-owned businesses. good stuff. hope you'll join us on "gma.." >> who among us is watching wanda vision besides me? are you watching it? >> i haven't. i need to. everyone says i need to. it is going to happen. >> okay. i mean, i'm kind of early on, i think i'm only episode three or something.

it's genius. everything that people are saying about its true.eryod fir. there is a point that it is going to get to. >> i love odd. >> me too. >> i'm there. >> you're going to love it, ginger. it is really something. fasten your seat belt.

all right, we're turning up the sneezing season. tree pollen is now high. so if you're having some issues with allergies, that's the reason why. it is going to be around for a while, you know that, you know how to take care of yourself. look at this, saturday morning, we're going to get a burst of about 5 to 7 inches of snow. look what happens next week. 3 to 4 feet possible early in the week. love sg that. kumasi, reggie? >> mike, thank you. the head of the organization overseeing the texas power grid has now been fired after widespread power outages during last month's winter storm.

bill magnus was terminated from his contract by ercot's board of directors during an emergency meeting last night. ercot said that magnus will be given 60 days notice and will continue to serve during mbe hp rnin buckingham pli recovering from a successful medical procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. the palace says the 99-year-old duke of edinboro is in london at a hospital where he will rest and recuperate for a few days. philip was first hospitalized on february 16th after feeling unwell. on monday, he was travnsferred o a specialized cardiac care treatment to continue treatment. aimal hoffner went it levi's stadium for his second dose last night. he said it didn't hurt at all. this mansur visurvivedsurvivedsd u

1918 pandemic, the holocaust and now the second pandemic. >> my wife takes care of me all the way. she's wonderful. >> beautiful. >> he says heys he for now, but he is looking forward to going out for sunday lunch once it is safe to do so. >> okay. well, a man south of fresno is makie iing waves for his jet, but not how you might expect. look at this. >> and he's here, guys. >> yes. deanna banes took video of her husband nicholas driving around in his -- we'll call it a modified jet ski, driving it gt water, it operates look a motorcycle or scooter. deanna was taking this video to capture his reaction to the news that she had backed her suv into

a pole. but we didn't care about that. we were looking at the jet ski. >> of course we were. >> that's normal. the fact they just says this is my husband on his jet ski. >> there is something that tickled my fun ny bone when you hear her go, here he comes, on his jet ski, down the road. coming up next, bring on the home improvement and construction. company hiring in the bay area as it gets ready for spring. one industry in particular is still in aru >> id to break, the ferris wheel. showing us what it looks like today, it opens today at noon for the first time in months and amy has been telling us there are tickets still available. it is 6:27. we'll be right back.

building a better bay area for a safe and secure future this is abc 7 news. high alert at the u.s. capitol. 6:30, the conspiracy theory that has police preparing this morning. >> i'm a father. i have two children that attend schools. >> the secretary of education talking about reopening schools in a new interview. what he hopes for his kids along with millions of others this francisco. the ferris wheel reopening today and more attractions have welcoming back visitors soon. >> can you tell we're ready over here. it is thursday, march 4th, i have my ticket, reggie has his ticket, mike, do you have your ticket to the ferris wheel? >> working on it. >> okay. >> hope to join you.

i really do. that sounds luke a ls like a lo. it is go to be a great day. the sun is returning and if you're up there with 150 feet at the top, you ought to have some great views with the sunshine, make sure you take your sunglasses. live doppler 7, quiet now, but about 36 hours from now give or take. it is going to be pretty active. enjoy today's return of sunshine. it is clear and 39 as we look at walnut creek right now. 38 to 45 at 7:00. we'll stay in the 50s at the coast until 7:00, drop down to the 40s. how about near 60 for lunch time temperature for bay and inland communities. mid-60s at 4:00, mid-40s at 7:00. developing news in washington, officials say domestic terrorists could be planning another attack on the capitol today. this morning there is heightened security and house leaders have taken the extraordinary step of canceling today's legislative

session. abc news reporter more. >> reporter: lawmakers on capitol hill took the unusual step of altering their schedule as a safety precaution. this morning, the nation's capitol remains on high alert. the fbi and capital police warning of new threats against the government. investigators uncovering a possible plot by militias to, again, target the capitol today. abc news obtaining an internal bulletin from capitol police stating an unidentified group discussed plans to take control of the u.s. capitol and remove democratic lawmakers. >> people are deeply concerned about what potential threats could be out there. >> reporter: the threat is linked to a far right conspiracy theory, pushed by qanon, falsely claiming trump will return to washington today. the claims are false, the security measures are real. barbed wire and fencing surrounding the capitol, national guard members with

heavy military vehicles on duty. roads closed. >> we have enhanced our security posture. we have taken immediate steps to let the national guard as well as our workforcew wt expect jah, lawmakers this week holding hearings -- >> you insurrectionists going through the police lines, you are on the phone, and they're not immediately approving your requests. >> reporter: -- drilling down on why it took the pentagon over three hours to approve the d.c. national guard to move in and back up capitol police on the day of the attack. >> the army senior leaders did not think that it looked good, it would be a good optic. >> reporter: members of congress pointing to the summer when the killing of unarmed black men led to protests. and the national guard stood ready. >> was the issue of optics ever brought up by army leadership with d.c. national guard was deployed during the summer of 2020? >> it was never discussed.

>> reporter: now the senate, they're going to remain in session to continue work on president biden's covid-19 relief package despite the security concerns. reggie? >>. the most ambitious efforts in decades to overhaul policing nationwide is now heading to the senate. the house passed the george floyd justice and policing act yesterday. the bill will ban chokeholds and no knock warrants and drug cases at the federal level. it aims to bolster police accountability and creates a national registry to track problem officers. >> i am happy to say that we passed this bill in an environment where our country is looking at a racial reckoning. >> it will take a tremendous step forward to stop the violence, stem the suffering and start to build a better america. >> ten republicans have to join all 50 democrats in order for this bill to pass in the senate. today educators in santa clara county are expected to address the important role the

vaccines have in reopening schools. the county has already put teachers and school staff on the priority list for therence todae ou educators following through and getting vaccinated. especially those already working with students in person. they will also encourage student's families to get vaccinated when it is their turn. reopening schools is the top priority for secretary of education miguel car dona. jobina has more on his plans to get students back in the classroom. jobina? >> thank you, kumasi. in his first tv interview since taking his oath, secretary miguel car dona told george stephanopoulos that they wanted to do everything possible to get kids back in school. he says they are aiming to open as many schools as possible within the first 100 days of biden's presidency. >> what i would want for my children is what i would want for all of the children in america. it is to make sur there arcl migation they're b wldt co

health and safety to go into school, but it can be done. we have to make sure that we're doing everything we can to get them in as much as possible, five days if possible, to make sure their accessing in person learning. we know students learn best that way. >> he is also preparing schools to take on the emotional and social knees of studeneeds of s. you can hear more on his plans and the obstacles he still faces coming up at 7:00 on "gma," right here after abc 7 mornings. the ferris wheel in golden gate park is back in business starting today. and that's not the only interaction that is reopening to visitors. abc 7 news reporter amy hollyfield is live in san francisco with the details on that. hey, amy. >> reporter: good morning. those of you who are half listening, half watching, look up, eyes on me, we're so proud this morning to bring you a very unique view of this ferris wheel. take a look. this morning we have a live

picture from our drone that we are flying right now. we had to get special permission to make this happen from the parks and rec department and that's because usually drones are not allowed to fly here in golden gate park. we're excited to give you this different perspective. this is a especially moment. this wheel is 150 feet high in the air, you'll be 15 stories up above the park, when you're traveling on it. the gondolas hold up to six people for a 12-minute long ride and the ride costs $18 for general admissions, senior and children cost $12. the skystar wheel was brought in a year ago to celebrate the 150th anniversary o park. the pandemic shut it down this year. the historic preservation commission voted yesterday afternoon to keep the wheel here for another four years. and it will start running at noon today. it has one more step to go for approval. the board of supervisors will

vote on whether to only have it here for another year instead of four. the wheel is still dealing with local nt w't it from starting to turn today at noon and tickets are still available. you do need to get tickets before you get here. go to abc7news.com. golden gate park coming back to live today, author weekend. the deyoung museum also open ing on saturday to the general public. we have links to that along with the moma, asian art. as we're in the red tier, things are starting to reopen. lots of options for you as you plan your weekend. reporting live in san francisco, amy hollyfield, abc 7 news. >> i could have watched that all day that was beautiful. thank you for showing us that. what a cool perspective. with san francisco moving into the red tier, it is allowing more personal care services to be performed, that includes things like facials and beard trimmings. they were able to open for massages and waxing a few weeks.

he said they're getting around 25% of their usual clientele. >> for some people, they don't feel comfortable. we have people coming in saying, i'm going to wait until i got all my shots before i come back. >> licensed massage therapists are eligible to get the vaccine, which could build consumer confidence. people who work at barbershops are not eligible for the vaccine. something that could hurt business despite our looser restrictions. as more people get vaccinated, many are looking to travel this summer. the expert advice from a doctor. and we're looking live right now, the big board, at the new york stock exchange. up right now about 170 points. another update on how the markets are doing next. essential workers wanted. a company in the construction business is hiring in the bay area. jobina is going to help you out with a job hunt. first, here is a check on your morning commute. hi, jobina. good morning, everyone. we are going to b the bay bridge toll plaza.

that's our hot spot, mitering lights came had two earlier iss stauld c stalled car and crash at the ex-bark dae embarcadero. you can see the flow of traffic once you hop on to the bridge. speeds are picking up once you make it through the tunnel as you see there. nice ride into san francisco. but you're going to have to brace yourself a little bit to get there. i want to bring in the map now, our second issue is in hayward. we have a car fire we have been following this morning. and also a crash within the backup. this is on southbound 880 before wynton. speeds down to 13 miles per hour. i want to check in with mike because at least when you're driving, you won't run into any weather issues because it is beautiful out there. good morning, mike. >> good morning, jobina. great point. it is a very nice day. a lot more sunshine on the way. but tomorrow evening that's when the wet weather returns. so let's just stick to what's

going on now. 39 in menlo park. low to upper 40s for rest of the peninsula. few low clouds around half moon bay. 36 in napa. 39, san ramon. 39, livermore. everyone else in the 40s. upper 40s around san francisco. a look at san jose, 44. and everything is green, whether it is the roads, on the water, taking mass transit, no weather worries today. but we do have this storm swirling and it is going to spin off a storm and headed our way tomorrow evening through saturday morning, light to moderate rain and gusty breeze here and there. i'm not expecting any damage. here we are, 9:00 tomorrow morning, after the commute ends, dry, mostly cloudy, few showers possible in the coastal range of the north bay until 5:00 when it becomes light to moderate and. and then if you have evening plans, look at that, everywhere but livermore and san jose, wet by 10:00. even some wintry mix falling on hamilton during the overnight

hours. by the time we wake up saturday morning, it is gone. we'll have a dry weekend. quarter to half inch out of this. triple to quadruple that next week. i'll that in the accuweather seven-day forecast. first month, high temperatures where you live. today, sponsored by raya and the last dragon. >> from disney. >> all right, everyone, here's the plan. remember what we're looking for. >> this friday -- >> stay focused. >> i got this, guys. let's go. >> keep your eye on the prize. >> i'm the warrior. >> and don't get distracted. >> look how close my butt is to my head. my head. >> ratecalifornia phones offers free specialized phones... like cordless phones. - ( phone ringing ) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones.

get details on this state program. visit right now or call during business hours.

now california phones offers free devices and accessories for your mobile phone. like this device to increase volume on your cell phone. - ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program visit right now or call during business hours.

breaking news out of new zealand, authorities are warning of a possible tsunami after a 6.9 magnitude quake was recorded off the coast of that island country, happening before 5:30 this morning. and officials are telling people who felt the quake to move immediately to high ground or as far inland as they can. >> now to your morning money report, just about an hour ago the u.s. labor department released the latest weekly jobless claims report. 745,000 people applied for unemployment benefits last week, which is an increase of 9,000 from the revised numbers from the week before. economists forecasted 750,000. nearly 4.3 million people are still receiving state unemployment benefits. that's down more than 100,000 from the prior week. now, tomorrow morning the u.s. bureau of labor statistics will be releasing the february jobs report which will give us a bigger picture of where unemployment is headed. now let's take a live look at the new york stock exchange as trading gets under way.

we're up now about 137 points. the popular chain bubble guys is heading to the east bay. a new location is set to open in oakland at the rock bridge district association on college avenue. the chain is taking applications for bobba ristas on the website. the chain has shops across san francisco and down the peninsula and locations in l.a. and new york. at abc 7, we're committed to building a better bay area, including the impact the pandemic is having on the economy. in our weekly segment job hunting with jobina, she is finding roles for you and, jobina, this week you're getting out the power tools. >> yes, i am, reggie. thank you. so crest coe equipment19 locatid open positions. i talked to the president and he says to check them out. hey, i am just working on a little diy.

you knowyf you need it crest coe's got it. that also includes a job. >> this is a really fun dynamic business. >> reporter: chris smith is the president and founder of crest coe equipment rentals. >> we rent and sell contractor and homeowner tools and equipment of all types. >> reporter: smith needs more team members to keep up with growing demand. >> we are looking for people both entry level and experienced who want to come in and be part of something fun. >> reporter: and have an interest in joining an essential company dure, ting the pandemic >> we have that 60-day tragedy that everybody suffered in march and april and into may, where it was very unclear what was going to happen. but in that moment, people discovered, a, the contractors were going back to work, which they did, they were essential. and home owners who are traditional customers of ours really exploded because they were home every day looking around and realized they wanted

to paint their house, do their front yard, do their floors. >> reporter: smith is grateful for the increase in business and said he has openings in almost all of the 19 locations across northern california. >> we need drivers, commercial drivers, noncommercial drivers, mechanics of all types, we're looking for some sales people and sales territories throughout northern california that we have been trying to fill. it is a great place to come in and get a start and we can teach you. we can teach people who want to come into the equipment business. >> reporter: they offer health benef benefits, 401(k) and based on our interview, an enthusiastic boss. >> let's go to work! >> he was a lot of fun. i must say, so the company, of course, is cresco equipment rentals. the job is a tool mechanic location lafayette, requirements mechanic service experience in the equipment rental construction industry, high school diploma, positive attitude and much more.

details on abc7news.com. kumasi? >> thank you, jobina. with the news that the u.s. will have enough vaccine supply for every adult by the end of may, demand for spring and summer travel has started to rise. but the question is, is it safe? "gma" spoke with six infectious disease experts, all saying they're optimistic about taking a trip this summer. as long as cases continue to get lower and vaccinations continue. >> vaccines are highly effective against disease, particularly severe disease. so that really changes the math about what we're willing to do. >> really turned a corner here and can start making plans spore summ for summer and thinking about end points which i think is important for the american public. >> royal caribbean is meeting that dedemand. it says is set to set sail in may, but it will be a vaccinated cruise. if you want to be on board, you have to be fully vaccinated.

>> that's interesting. >> hmm. >> i feel like i'm somewhere, don't i? somewhere tropical, magical. >> barbados? what's going on? >> transported. >> the caribbean. looks nice. actually our exploratorium camera. it is beautiful this morning. i was going to start with that. you just made it even better, kumasi. here is a look from the exploratorium, partly cloudy sky. mostly sunny today, dangerous surf until 3:00 tomorrow morning. sneaker waves, thinking about walking the sunny beaches, be careful, don't turn your back on the water. plan to get wet tomorrow evening and then the storm door opens monday. let's talk about temperatures today. how about 60 to 66 around the bay. low to mid-60s north bay valley thanks to southerly wind. east bay and south bay, upper 60s. along the coast, 55 to 60. cloud cover, fog, maybe a little bit more. temperatures in the 30s

let's jump ahead to saturday morning,oue're drying out. a little bit of rain possible in lake and mendocino counties, maybe northwest sonoma sunday morning. butten this then we get to mon monday, another storm, tuesday, just some showers between storms, wednesday, and another storm thursday. is it a miracle march? let's take a look. we're going to get half the amount of rain that we need for march and in most areas. that's an inch to two inches. as you can see, places like santa rosa need up to 4 1/2 inches. that's not going to happen. other areas could get half their allotment for march in that four-day span. look what it does in the sierra. snow, 5 to 7 inches. then look at what happens next week. 3 to nearly 4 feet of snow possible for monday through thursday. all right, here is a look at my accuweather seven-day forecast. the good part of this is these storms -- we're not expecting any damage out of that.

but some good beneficial soaking rain. today is one of our warmest days. look at next tuesday. highs in the 50s. that means i'll be watching our mountains for a little snow out of these storms next week. speaking of snow, let's turn it over to jobina with the toyota tahoe report. hi, jobina. >> hi, mike. thank you. good morning, everyone. we are going to try this out. there we go. my graphic took a moment. it is time for our toyota tahoe traffic report. our base totals, squaw alpine, north star and heavenly, all checking in here. a little over 3 hours for each drive time. these are all coming from san francisco up to the resorts. the most snow there, heavenly, 44 inches to 70 inches. coming in here in second place, squaw alpine, 68 inches for that base total. a decrease in snow when i was putting in the totals from earlier this morning in comparison to last week. still a good amount to work with there. sugar bowl, 2 hours and 49 minutes. quickest ride up there, 67

inches to 107 inches for those base totals. sierra at tahoe, 49 inches to 90 inches. and kirkwood, the longest time to get there, 3 hours and 24 minutes, 66 inches for those base totals. back to you. all right, thank you, jobina. chris harrison is facing backlash for defending a contestant after images surfaced that appeared to show her at an antebellum plantation themed party in 2018. he told "good morning america's" michael strahan he made a mistake. >> antebellum parties are in the okay. i am saddened and shocked at how insensitive i was in that interview with rachel lindsay and i didn't speak from my heard. i stand against all forms of racism. >> harrison says he's been working closely with the race educator and faith leaders. he says he's still the right person to lead "the bachelor"

and he plans around returning to the show. >> spacex's latest prototype test ended in what we will call a blaze of glory. >> it just blew up. >> well, despite this explosion at the very end, spacex declared this six-mile test flight a success. the starship rocket prototype soared over south texas on wednesday, before swooping down to a pinpoint landing. but it exploded about three minutes after that. it is not clear what caused that explosion. but spacex wants to eventually use starship to fly humans to mars. a little girl in shanghai is bringing the beat. ♪ got to let it roll. this is kira, and clearly she's on her way to becoming a beat

boxing star and fashion icon with this pajama onsie she has on. her mom recorded this video and says her daughter actually taught herself how to beat box by watching tiktok videos. was it that video of you and mike and kristen? >> clearly it wasn't. ours was very pathetic compared to that. she sneake ed ed ed ed >> sorry, friend. >> and the beat got sicker. >> i wasn't ready. be my friend anyway. >> i am. coming up, seven things you need to know today. >> you can get our live newscast, breaking news, weather and more with our new abc 7 bay area app on apple tv, android tv, fire tv and roku. just search abc 7 bay area and download it for free. >> another live look outside at

this beautiful sunrise. and the bird flying across. we'll be right back.

6:57. if you're just joining us, here are the seven things to know this morning. number one, u.s. capital police are on high alert after obtaining intelligence of a possible plot to breach catoby myrilitia group. number two, california is changing its vaccine policy to focus on low income communities. officials say the change will help speed up reopenings across the state. number three, let's take another live look from drone view 7 at the ferris wheel at . gorgeous this morning. it opens to the public -- reopens, i should say, today at noon. they voted to keep it in the city for another four years. but that has to be finalized by the board of supervisors. we're waiting on that. in the meantime, you can ride it now. gorgeous. all right, i'm watching that swirling mass of clouds to our west. that's going to spin off a storm and bring us light to moderate

rain tomorrow evening through saturday morning. it is a 1, light on our storm impact scale, but it is the first of many. number five, the bay bridge has been our hot spot this morning. check out that backup. mitering lights came on at 5:47. a new motorcycle crash on the upper deck of the bridge, past the toll plaza, one lane is blocked. number six, authorities in new zealand warning of a possible tsunami after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake was reported off the coast this happened before 5:30 this morning. and number seven, janet jackson will be marking the 40th anniversary, yes, of her 1982 debut album with a two-part documentary. the four-hour film is tentatively titled "janet" is expected to premiere early next year, on lifetime, it will be on a&e and i will be there. >> what is the best janet jackson song? >> i love "escapade." it makes me happy.

>> i'm with you. >> me too! >> i'm with "if". >> good morning, america. stark warning. u.s. capitol authorities brace for a possible violent attack this morning from another militia group. the capitol surrounded with razor wire, fencing and thousands of national guard troops on high alert. why today's date is significant, and how capitol police are preparing for all scenarios. rush to re-open? >> i think it's a big mistake. >> president biden critical of states like texas and mississippi for dropping their mask mandates as covid cases rise 75% in texas in just the last ten days. plus, how the administration is planning to get kids back in the classroom. the new secretary of education joins us live for his first national television interview since being sworn in. and as the race to vaccinate