area are expanding as people moved to outlying areas in search of lower cost housing. the result is planters now consider this a mega region. dan: david lui dives into why this means bigger challenges. david: the bay area once thought of itself as five, then nine counties. no longer. we are evolving into a mega region that encompasses fresno and sacramento. an eye-opening new research study says nearly every local city has lost population in the past five years, and this has implications for the transportation network, which is why the metropolitan transportation commission is paying attention. by tracking state tax returns, researchers discovered a correlation between income and where people have moved. >> nearly 35% of movers had household income of $100,000 for

places like folsom. david: while remote work a drop in commute traffic, the great migration actually caused a surge in traffic woes in outlying areas. notably, merced, san joaquin, and yolo county's. the cause was an increase in super commuters driving 50 or more miles one way to work. the mtc is working on a list of 12 mega region transportation projects. it will use data from the new study to prioritize them to make sure they reflect migration patterns and bolster efforts to get state and federal funding. >> they will strategize and put together a work to pursue funding together, to work together on those grant applications. david: it will take mega dollars to evolve to the needs of a mega region -- to meet the needs of an evolving meta--- mega

reaching -- it will take mega dollars to meet the needs of an evolving mega region. >> she has not been there all that long, really. we have been reporting on the ongoing issues at the department. read a science is out. she took control of the edd just over a year ago as the department was dealing with a record number of unemployment claims and unprecedented fraud. 7 on your side obtained the letter she sent to employees today. she said she knew her tenure would be limited and it is time for her to hand over the reins. governor newsom has appointed nancy farias to take over. she is already with the department, serving as chief deputy director of external affairs legislation and policy, a very important job. she will be sworn in as a director soon, this tuesday.

governor newsom released a statement saying reform the department to better serve californians, prevent fraud and hold bad actors accountable. dan: more about this in the coming days. dion: new at 6:00, an update an i-team story on millions of dollars of ppe purchased in the pandemic with your tax dollars left outside in the rain for months. dan noyes saw it firsthand in december. for the past few weeks, he has been asking why this happened and what is being done about it. the county gave abc 7 news access to where the salvaged equipment is being stored. this is what they did not let dan shoot yesterday. you can see there wet and crumpled cardboard boxes just stacked up inside. the equipment is being reeboks

and given away to bay area groups. some is being sent to tonga to help the island nation recover from the volcanic eruption a few weeks ago. >> the volcano national's nati's volcano ashes settled. there's a lot of dust. right now, they are looking for face masks, any kind of medical supplies. dion: there are still supplies available. p the email address on your screen if would like to pick some up. dan: now to another i-team story . there are plea deals for two other nine people arrested in connection with organized retail theft that happened in san francisco in november. those two have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors despite being charged with felonies. melanie woodrow has reaction

from the police department. >> these are the images most of us are familiar with from november as people burglarized multiple luxury retailers, but beyond union square, there was more crime. >> there are also a lot of cannabis dispensaries that were hit around the same time. >> connected cannabis was one of them. days later, the san francisco district attorney announced felony charges against nine people, including three years of horizon cannabis dispensaries. >> these are not petty thefts. this is not misdemeanor conduct. this is felony conduct. >> two weeks later, two people connected with the cannabis burglaries have been arrested. >> it goes to our reputation that you can come here and basically get away with anything. >> originally charged with four felonies each, the da's office says one suspect pleaded guilty to misdemeanor burglary and the

other to misdemeanor trespassing. >> which is no different from someone being on your front lawn, where there is a no trespassing sign and you're telling them to leave and then refusing to. >> jenkins is a volunteer with the campaign to recall chesa boudin. >> it is extremely common in that case is resolved by plea deal, but what is unique about this jew asian is the da gave a press conference indicating a strong opinion that the conduct was felony conduct and would be charged as such, appropriately, which suggests that the da's office believed they had sufficient evidence to support those charges. >> in november when the da announced felony charges, some asked if he could guarantee they would not be reduced. >> my office has some discretion in that matter and judges have discretion as well. >> he encouraged journalists to stay on top of it. >> you can see that when people commit crimes in san francisco,

there are consequences. >> there are some who say consequences for at least two people arrested were not enough. one of the suspects was also ordered to pay restitution. >> this was essentially a slap on the wrist. >> the san francisco da's office confirmed the cases have been settled but has not responded to a request for comment. dan: remember you can contact the i-team if you would like to see a story investigated. dion: moving on, we are less than 48 hours from kickoff between the 49ers and the rams with a trip to the super bowl on the line. it is the biggest matter between the longtime rivals in over 30 years. j.r. stone joins us live from where the faithful are already arriving for sunday's game.

we can feel the excitement all the way up here. jr: a lot of excitement already happening down here in southern california. it was a beautiful day here at sofi stadium, and it is a beautiful night at the stadium as well. we were all over los angeles today at venice beach, santa monica, but there is no place like sophia -- like sofi directly behind me knowing that the nfc championship is going to happen on sunday. 49ers fans are arriving in los angeles. for some, that meant a fridayfry flying the flags and driving from the bay to l.a. for others, that meant a thursday night of driving with the only acceptable interior lighting around -- red. >> a tsunami of red. >> this 408 faithful chapter

says they will be 100 49ers fans deep come sunday. they received quite a bit of reaction on route to socal. >> i would say about 90% of the people giving a thumbs up, but we did get some rams fans giving us the bird, letting us know that we were coming into their town, but we were able to let them know we were taking the town over. >> sunday's championship may soon break a record by bursting the record for tickets sold for a non-super bowl game. and many have not even bought. >> fans are waiting for the price to go down. jr: and, yes, there will be some diehard rams fans at the game, too. you did not transition over to being a 49ers fan when you were in the bay? >> no, the competitiveness between san francisco and l.a. has been going on forever and ever.

jr: a competitive love, but just do not try to predict who the locals are rooting for. >> we got diehard fans here. i appreciate the rams coming back. it was a long time coming, but i'm a diehard 49er fan, so absolutely, i got my money and i'm doubling down with the 49ers. >> we got to stick to oururururr ground. 49ers all day. jr: keep in mind, for those fans who made the trip down, there is plenty to do over the course of the next few days. there is a 49ers karaoke party tonight, a tailgate downtown tomorrow and another big time tailgate, and i'm told it is in the pink parking lot outside of sofi stadium. that will happen on sunday, so lots to come from down here in southern california. dion: oh, yes, this is just the beginning. last time we saw this matchup

between the rams and 49ers in l.a., kind of like a home game for the 49ers. what do you think? do you think we will see a similar scene sunday? jr: and a lot of the 49ers fans would like to see that yet again, but keep in mind, stubhub stats show 50% of sales are going to folks in southern california, 43% going to folks up in northern california, but we learned there are a lot of 49er fans who live down here in southern california, and this is not just a recent problem. this is a problem ever since they came back, so let's see how red it can get come sunday. dion: we will continue following your journey. chris alvarez teamed up with curt sandoval from our sister station in los angeles for a special preview of sunday's game . here is a little bit of that program. >> for the first time since

1979, los angeles will play host to an nfc championship game, and for the first time since 1989, the los angeles rams will face their rivals, the san francisco 49ers, with the winner going to the super bowl. hi, everyone. i'm curt sandoval from sokol stadium -- from sofi stadium. chris: you talked about that nfc championship game in 1989. i did that math. i was all of 4. wearing the helmet and shoulder pads sent to got me. i could not fit into that today. but here i am getting ready for that game sunday. the uncle and check out that special on our abc numeral seven bay area app. dan: be sure to check that out. stay with us -- how do you ask for a favor? is it better to email or call? 7 on your side's michael finney shows you the way to success.

>> five to 10 degrees above average for this time of year. average for this time of year. i w to be a thriver with metastatic breast cancer means asking for what we want. and need. and we need more time. so, we want kisqali. women are living longer than ever before with kisqali when taken with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant in postmenopausal women with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer. kisqali is a pill that's significantly more effective at delaying disease progression versus an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant alone. kisqali can cause lung problems, or an abnormal heartbeat, which can lead to death. it can cause serious skin reactions, liver problems, and low white blood cell counts that may result in severe infections. tell your doctor right away if you have new or worsening symptoms, including breathing problems, cough, chest pain, a change in your heartbeat, dizziness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdomen pain, bleeding, bruising, fever, chills or other symptoms of an infection, a severe or worsening rash, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

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[bellringing] dan: stocks surged late today after investors got earnings from some big tech companies. the nasdaq closed at and the s&p 500 ended the week at 4400 31. new data out tonight proves that what you have seen happening is inflation is up, rising at the

fastest pace since 1982, 40 years. the bureau of economic analysis says inflation was up 5.8% between december 2020 and december 2021. consumer spending declined in december. dion: there are new development stuns california's fight against coronavirus. hospitalizations statewide have dropped below for the first time in a week. san franciscans who had the johnson & johnson vaccine and booster can now get a third shot. and beginning tuesday, oakland will require people 12 and older to show proof of vaccination at many indoor public locations including restaurants and bars along with museums, theaters, gyms, and outdoor events with more than 500 people. dan: a new safe home for young adults has opened in the east bay that will provide transitional housing for people

who are victims of sex trafficking. the house will provide services for 18 to 20-year-olds, including healthy meals, free mental health care, and support with school or work. counselors will also help each resident develop a plan for a safe place to live long term. help is here for residents of a san francisco neighborhood that struggles with food and security. today, community members and local members celebrated the grand opening of a community food hub that will provide free culturally relevant and nutritious foods to the low income residents living in the new affordable housing complex in the mission bay neighborhood. >> you hear about neighborhoods that are saying no to new housing. if you do it right, it actually uplifts and enriches the entire community, but to have affordable housing, to have families at all income levels,

seniors, and have services like a food hub, that is a win for everyone. dan: sure is. in addition to the food, the hub will provide place for family-friendly activities, including those that provide food education. the uncle that we want to -- dion: we want to take a moment now to give you an update involving the generosity of abc 7 viewers. a gofundme now tops over $15,000. it was started after a story aired tuesday night. you may remember mercedes hernandez could not make the rent last month on the studio she shares with her seven-year-old daughter. they owe $1600. last week, they got an eviction notice. we do have a link to their gofundme account on our website if you would like to donate. dan: let's move now and talk about the weekend forecast. dion: not too early for that at

all. sandya: never too early. i want to show you what it looked like moments ago. the temperature is 68 degrees, a few clouds passing through. at game time, the weather is going to be fantastic, nice and mild. mild enough for the 49ers to take the win as they take on the rams. if you are traveling down there, cloudy and comfortable tomorrow. mild and sunny sunday and on monday, there will be some fog and it will be cooler weather. satellite and radar, it is associated with this pressure off the coast. those are also coming through our region. it is a ridge of high pressure blocking storms from getting here, so this system will go down south tomorrow and you will notice that a couple of sprinkles may show up down there, but for us, nothing. we are taking you right on through february 7, and everything is going over the top of us, so the resilient ridge not budging, and that's why we

are not getting any rain just yet. nice view of the ridge there, no fog to speak of. san jose, 50 five degrees. santa clara, 56. temperatures today got into the low 60's, low 70's, a good five to 10 degrees above average. 62 in fairfield, 51 in livermore. one other life shot looking at the shark tank from san jose. minor temperature variations next week and we have no sign-up rain through early february but perhaps the middle and latter part of the month will be more productive. maybe even a miracle march. high clouds continue to come through tomorrow morning. they break up briefly to allow for plenty of sun through the afternoon, and notice as the night goes on, the fog will rollback along the coastline, so saturday night going into sunday, you will see a lot more fog, and sunday will be the cooler of the two days.

we range from the 30's to 40's, a couple of low 50's in places like san francisco. mild on the peninsula, mid 60's from mountain view, the redwood city. downtown san francisco, 63 degrees. 62 in daly city. north bay, sausalito, 66 in santa rosa. nice today but not exactly where we should be. these temperatures still well above average. and then areas, short sleeve weather. walnut creek and livermore, 64 degrees. here's a look at the accuweather 7-day forecast. our dry stretch, mild stretch continues for your saturday. morning fog evening with two a cooler day saturday. you will notice a gusty wind developing right here, down sloping offshore wind pushing temperatures right back up again, so, really, dry right on through friday of next week. still hopeful february is a wet,

winter month and spring can be, too. hopefully, that materializes later on. dan: hope so, too. we are counting down to the california showdown of the nfc championship. we will introduce you to some of the 49ers' most passionate fans, and there are many. and the worriers are hosting

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dion: 49ers fans come in all ages, and the ones we are about to profile passionate. lyanne melendez came to us from presidio middle school, a.k.a. the young >> as you know, the 49ers legacy started here. almost everyone came ready to show their love for the game and for the team. sure, they may be able able able a few passes, but let's see how much these students have really learned. you know, the important stuff, like -- who is your favorite

player? >> i just like all the players. >> do you have a favorite player? >> no, i do not. but i do on the other team, the rams. >> do you know how many super bowls they have won? >> i'm not sure, probably six? >> five or something? >> why were the 49ers named the 49ers? >> i actually don't know that question. >> no, not at all. >> sounds familiar. >> was it the gold rush? >> middle schoolers with the 49er spirit and enough energy to carry them through sunday. in san francisco, lyanne melendez, abc 7 news. dan: are they excited or what? cannot afford to go to the

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dan: this is more than a bus. it is a home for an adventurous couple whose lives took an unexpected twist when this vehicle was stolen, but their home was recently recovered. dion: abc 7 talk to them about how they were able to get it back. >> we had some damage on our driveway door. we suspect they were able to break in this way. >> a survey the damage to their bus. >> for whatever reason, they carved out some wood right here. >> which they nicknamed the joy bus. >> this decal was designed by my grandfather, who died in october. they tried to remove it obviously but were unsuccessful in doing so.

>> the only thing joyful about this bus is that it is back in their possession. they parked the bus in front of a relative's house where they had been staying. >> it is difficult than having your car stolen. they live in this van, so when it had been gone for an entire week, they started to question if they would get their home returned. >> at times devastated, at times hopeless. at 1.i felt very angry and frustrated, sad. >> they asked for help help help former c.i.a. officer who runs a website helping people find stolen vehicles. >> very easy to steal that year range. >> he advised them to look near homeless camps in oakland, and sure enough, they rounded near one on east 12th street. video shows someone else was living inside it. the couple says the interior is

severely damaged and their valuable items are gone. we reached out to oakland police and are waiting to hear back. the couple says they plan to make repairs and use the bus once again to travel. >> we have some mechanic work that needs to be done. we have a lot of possessions we need to replace. definitely some cleaning we are working on now, but it is starting to look a lot better. dion: nice to see those positive attitudes. in other news, three teens have been arrested in connection with a new year's day shooting. the victim, a 20-year-old man from oregon. police say his car and his three-month-old puppy were stolen during the attack. they were arrested yesterday. a 15-year-old and two 17-year-olds, all from the city of richmond. they say a search warrant led officers to firearms linked to the killing as well as the stolen vehicle and his dog.

dan: surveillance video shows officers jumping from their vehicles, dodging gunfire, and shooting back. the officers were shot yesterday afternoon by a suspect who then fled, carjacked a white mercedes and barricaded themselves in a home for several hours before finally surrendering. this comes amid a nationwide surge of gun violence against police officers. >> damn tired of it, and we need to stand up as a community and do whatever we have to do. >> nationwide, 4 officers have been killed in the line of duty by gunfire so far this year. today was the funeral for one of two police officers recently killed in new york. officer jason rivera was just 22 years old. he was shot and killed a week ago while responding to a drastic incident in harlem. his widow addressed the crowd at today's memorial. >> this is exactly how he would have wanted to be remembered, like a true hero. >> a second officer was also

killed in that confrontation. >> now to the latest between russia and ukraine. russia is added field hospitals where troops are massed at the border, fueling speculation it is planning to invade. ukraine is preparing for any scenario with tensions escalating between the two countries. reena: as tensions tensions the u.s. and russia over ukraine, abc news taking questions directly to the president of ukraine. >> if you are wrong, you would not be the first ukrainian president to underestimate russia. >> we are getting ready as much as possible to any scenario. >> president zelensky saying they are prepared for any situation from russian troops amassed at the border. >> i would say that we have said since last week that we have seen preparations and build up at the border and that an

invasion could come at any time. >> ukraine getting military aid from a number of countries, including the u.s. and u.k. new video shows british troops training ukrainian forces on antitank weapons. president biden assuring u.s. and allied readiness to respond decisively if pressure further invades ukraine. friday afternoon, secretary of defense lloyd austin reaffirming the u.s. commitment. >> the united states remains committed to helping ukraine defend itself through security assistance material. >> zelensky saying the country is grateful for support pushing back on u.s. claims a russian attack is imminent. all this just two days after the united states hand-delivered its diplomatic response to pressure's demands, refusing to agree to the kremlin's central request, a guarantee that ukraine never joins nato. russia saying those demands must be met, but leaving the door to diplomacy still open. russia's foreign minister saying

, we don't want a war, but we will not let our interests be rudely trampled on. from a friend? what is the best way to get to one to say

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dan: here's the deal -- you need help and you want a favor. what's the best way to go about asking for that? in person or email or text? michael finney has an answer to that. this is a really interesting question. michael: since the pandemic began, we had to shut down or -- our phone lines, so the only way to initiate a consumer complaint with us is online. that really does change things. what is the best way to ask for a favor -- in person, email, may be on facebook, i ask you what is the best way to approach someone when you need help? there were plenty of opinions.

in person, text, phone call, online chat. you could make a case for all of those, but know this -- most of the answers are wrong. in one study, researchers found participants really did not understand the process. >> their intuition was actually that all of those different ways of asking would essentially be the same amount of effective, so they would get a yes basically just as often using one medium versus another, but what we found was that really was not the case. >> a professor of organizational behavior at cornell and author of the book "you have more influence than you think" studied participants told to ask someone they knew for a favor. >> 80% of the ones they asked face to face got a yes, so asking face to face was incredibly effective. on the other hand, only about 50% who were asked either by phone or by video call actually

got a yes from that person they asked. >> using email, less than 1/3 got a positive response. bottom line, if you want someone to say yes, the request often does not mean as much as the medium used to make the request. >> i think that is true. i think people find it really hard to say no in person, so they are more likely to say ok. >> the more human the interaction, the more likely you are to get the response you want . dan: interesting. while i have you here, michael -- [laughter] thanks very much. good stuff. dion: while we are on the subject,

dion: tickets to the nfc championship game between the los angeles rams and san francisco 49ers are selling for record prices, but you do not need a ticket to enjoy the game in a stadium-like atmosphere. dustin dorsey shows us some of the biggest watch parties happening in the south bay. dustin: there's diehards and then there's fremont resident

ray peña. jerseys, hats, chains -- he has been collecting 49ers memorabilia for decades. but his prized possession is something no one else has. after an accident and cancer diagnosis, he lost his right eye and had it replaced with a 49ers prosthetic. he's known as the eye of the 49er. he has his eye on something that could be a new addition to his collection, some championship here. >> want to go to the super bowl. >> this weekend, he will be in the bay area to watch the game and with record ticket prices, he and other 49er fan clubs are hosting a watch party at metro city restaurant and bar. >> when people go to these events, you need people from all over the world. does not matter if you are from here, from the east coast all over the country. >> there will be lots of watch

parties this weekend. this location hosted the official 49ers super bowl launch party. >> we have lines out the door but right before we even open. the energy is great. we play the game audio. it is great energy for us. dustin: great energy and great for business. after covid-19 changed watch parties, the 49ers' deep run is just as important for fans as it is for businesses. >> it is a godsend. we have been struggling and to have this energy back so quickly and unexpectedly is great. dustin: if you don't have tickets sunday, find a way to enjoy the game with the faithful. dion: there's no shortage of places to go. dan: and no shortage of enthusiasm, either. everybody is excited about this, saying it's going to be a great weekend. sandhya: the weather down there is going to be fantastic.

sunny and mild at kickoff. it will still be comfortable at 68, and halftime into the final, we are looking at upper 50's to low 60's. no reason why the niners cannot pull off the win. high clouds passing through the bay area high temperatures tomorrow, taking a walk on the mild side, low to mid 60's. really a lot like today. you will see clouds in the morning, sunshine in the afternoon. air quality at this hour still moderate, indicated by the yellow, and for the weekend, if you are going to be out and about, it will be moderate. both saturday and sunday enjoyable. cooler as the fall -- the fog comes back in on sunday, keeping it close to average monday and gusty wind developing later in the week, but still, no sign of rain. hopefully that changes later on in february. dan: let's hope. dion: two larry beil now, and do i really need to tease sports?

and: something going on? larry: eh, there is a gam gam gm the and if she championship game -- will be nfc championship my name is douglas. i'm a writer/director and i'm still working. in the kind of work that i do, you are surrounded by people who are all younger than you. i had to get help somewhere along the line to stay competitive. i discovered prevagen. i started taking it and after a period of time, my memory improved. it was a game-changer for me. prevagen. healthier brain. better life.

to be a thriver with metastatic breast cancer means asking for what we want. and need. and we need more time. so, we want kisqali. women are living longer than ever before with kisqali when taken with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant

in postmenopausal women with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer. kisqali is a pill that's significantly more effective at delaying disease progression versus an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant alone. kisqali can cause lung problems, or an abnormal heartbeat, which can lead to death. it can cause serious skin reactions, liver problems, and low white blood cell counts that may result in severe infections. tell your doctor right away if you have new or worsening symptoms, including breathing problems, cough, chest pain, a change in your heartbeat, dizziness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdomen pain, bleeding, bruising, fever, chills or other symptoms of an infection, a severe or worsening rash, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. avoid grapefruit during treatment. ask your doctor about living longer with kisqali. larry: good evening. as the 49ers get set for the rams sunday, offensive tackle

fred williams did not practice at all this week, officially questionable for sunday with an ankle injury. niners have gone from a 3-5 record looking dead on arrival to a win. what turned the season around? getting everybody healthy. so did a decision by kyle shanahan. that was his decision to use his best right fielder in the backfield at times, and he just wrecks defenses. he has cut a touchdown pass, through one as well. chris alvarez reports d domination, it is a problem for the rams. >> for the 49ers offense, it will flow through deebo samuel, who says he does not even watch others across the league because as he puts it, why bother? >> i don't see the need to watch anybody that don't do things like i do. >> obviously, he is just a

savage football player. >> the more handouts we give him, the more passes he catches. he will take some hits, but he has handled it well. he's one of the main reasons we are here. i think it's one of the things that has given him the opportunity to be one of the best players in the nfl. >> i would not say i'm taking punishment. i would say i'm out there delivering the blows. it is not too much of a difference. >> statistics and individual things, it is all cool and everything, but you play to win the game and you play to go out there and win championships. maybe our numbers do not show the m.v.p. stuff, but i think we got a couple players on our team who could be in a conversation very easily. >> nothing more to it. he's a beast. >> debo recently called himself a wide back, as in a wide receiver and running back.

larry: the rams favored by three and a half points, but it's going to sound like a road game for the rams because 49ers fans are going to show up in droves. head coach sean mcvay aware of the expectations. >> if you're going to compete, you want to do it at the highest level and never run away from expectations. we understand you have to be able to earn that confidence, but with the players we have, there is a swagger, a confidence, and you love that. love this city and everything it entails in terms of the expectations that come with that. larry: after two major surgeries, the worriers knew it would take some time before klay thompson got reactivated to playing again. that time might be now. thompson has been back for eight games averaging 16 points, three rebounds, three assists per

contest. he wanted to be back to his usual self in his first game but understands it is a process. i would be ready my first game back, but when i'm fully back, it is going to be real scary. >> as he has relaxed, the offense has loosened up, and we are getting great shots now. larry: worriers beat the timberwolves last night. the assist of the night came from anderson who saw a young fan who has been a fan since he was zero years old. now he is nine, so it's been a while. gta delivers. he gets it signed and delivers the autograph to the young man. tremendous. by the way, the worriers will host the nets tomorrow night at 5:30 right here on abc 7. finishing up with the 49ers?

you know who wants to tackle debo? nobody. we will see if the rams bring it. dan: they will have to. larry: and they know what they are up against. they have been run over by him a couple of times already. the uncle and coming up at 8:00, shark tank, followed by -- dion: coming up at 8:00, shark tank, followed by 20/20 at 9:00. thoughts about what really matters. winning matters, and it certainly will matter this sunday for all of us who want to see the san francisco 49ers in the super bowl two weeks for now, and if they make it to the championship, winning will matter to us even a little bit more, but if the niners have more points on the board than the rams when it is over on sunday or not, either way, in

the immortal words of charlie sheen -- winning. we are winning regardless of the outcome. winning for the home team is as old as sports themselves. it is such great fun but more than that. it is also a much-needed used, a distraction for a beleaguered nation withered by a pandemic now two years on. sunday, people in 4 very different cities now united in healthy rivalry, will be pulling for their 49ers, their rams, their chiefs, or their bengals. maybe in this case what really matters is not if win or lose but how we enjoy the game. but, go niners and have fun on sunday. i always love to hear from you. let me know what you think. dion: i love that. sports really does unified -- unified the community.

dan: hope to see her again tonight.

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♪ from the alex trebek stage at sony pictures studios, this is "jeopardy!" introducing today's contestants-- an engineer from rancho palos verdes, california... a communications associate from washington, d.c... and our returning champion-- a business intelligence manager from aurora, colorado... ...whose 1-day cash winnings total... [ applause ] and now hosting "jeopardy!"-- ken jennings. [ applause ] thank you, johnny. welcome, everyone. if you haven't been watching "jeopardy!" this season, let me give you a quick recap.

this is carrie cadwallader who yesterday beat rhone talsma who on wednesday beat 40-day champion amy schneider who back in november beat andrew he who won five games after beating dan reighard who himself beat kate kohn. she beat sri kompella who beat tony freitas who beat five-day champion tyler rhode who beat nancy donehower who beat 11-day champion jonathan fisher. who beat matt amodio who himself won 38 games. does that make sense? you're all caught up? you understand what's gonna happen now then. let's play "jeopardy!" welcome to kirsten and jay. good luck to all three of you. here are the categories we're dealing with in the "jeopardy!" round. we'll start with... next... and finally... you'll have to name the tv show in question. carrie, start us off. let's go science & nature for $200.