wrapped up explaining that plan, but the news conference is still going on. smarter, that is how the governor says california will move forward in the pandemic in that living with the virus. newsom says the state will use what we learned in the last two years and apply that for the future. gov. newsom: we are more adaptable. we are more capable to understand the nature of this disease, the mutations, its variants, and we recognize with humility that we don't know what we don't know as it relates to the future. but we have never been more prepared for that future. and so, it is in that spirit of optimism that we now move into new phase of addressing the challenges and realities of this disease. we move out of the pandemic phase and we move into a phase which should allow you confidence that we are not walking away. karina: here is what

s.m.a.r.t.e.r. stands for. this is for shots. m, masks. awareness, readiness, testing, education, and the r is for rx or treatments. the governor also touted california's handling of the pandemic, specifically noting that california's lower per capita death rate is lower compared to other states. the governor says this s.m.a.r.t.e.r. plan is how they will move from a reactive and crisis framework to living with the virus. larry: yesterday, the mask mandate was officially lifted across the state. any other big announcements like that coming out of today's news conference? karina: there were no other big announcements like that today. the governor laid out a plan for being prepared, as we saw what happened with delta in omicron, things could change. part of that plan is to monitor mutations, being ready with ppe, and dropping the cost of testing. i will have much more on the governor's plan coming up at 5:00 tonight.

kristen: the mask requirement at schools continues for now, but with an indication that it too may be dropped month. as leanne melendez tells us, like everything related to this pandemic, there are mixed opinions. leanne: february 28 this when the state will evaluate the mask mandate in schools. it could be lifted a few days later based on the positive data. today, the secretary of california's health and human services said the data looks better today than it did on monday. things have come down considerably in the state and we are hopeful that what we see on the 28th gives us the confidence to set a date. any decision will depend on the vaccination rates amongst children and community cases. the mission district in san francisco saw the highest number of covid cases in the city during the height of the pandemic. a parent and community leader

reminded us that the virus spread quickly in those overcrowded households in the mission. >> if their kids bring the virus home, many families are also immunocompromised. so it is not as easy as we are going to go off of what the state decides or what the city decides. we also have to think about other factors. leanne: but oakland parent reginald mosley says he is excepting the idea of getting rid of masks in schools. >> even though they are comfortable to wearing the masks , they are used to wearing the masks now, it is time. i feel ok letting them take the mask off and enjoying being outside in public spaces without it being odd. leanne: san francisco unified says it will follow what the state and local health departments dictate. but kids five through 11 in san francisco still have a lower vaccination rate than the rest of the population, 67%. the overall state numbers are much lower. that is why teachers like claudia would like to delay any changes to the mask mandate in

schools. >> some of them have little babies in their households, so i don't think this population should have their masks off until they are fully vaccinated. look how long it took for adults to be able to take their masks off and be boosted. leanne: in a san francisco, leanne melendez, abc 7 news. larry: in the south bay, san jose is pushing its this or mandate back after nearly two any percent of city employees failed to provide proof of a covid-19 booster by last week's deadline. dustin dorsey looks at what these numbers could mean for the community. dustin: as mass mandates change throughout the bay area, we are seeing a change to a different mandate in san jose. also the employees were required -- although city employees were required to get the covid booster by last thursday, but that deadline has been pushed back. >> the city has extended the deadline for the mandate to friday, february 25. we want to allow employees enough time to get up-to-date on

their vaccination. dustin: the original vaccine mandate was also pushed back in december before this eddie saw a 95% vaccination rate. has of this week, 92% of city employees have received their booster after the mandate was improved last month. 800 workers remain un-boosted and 90 have applied for exemptions. a city councilmember worries that if numbers do not increase it could lead to serious issues within the city, like concerns of safety. only 77% of police employees are boosted and one officer has resigned over the mandate. >> the goal was to maintain safety and i think we are now starting to come up against that with our mandate that it may end up being less safe because of the amount of people who are unable to work. dustin: as a result, councilmember pirelas wants to see a testing alternative for employees. >> i think that is what we need to transition into, where everybody has the ability to test in we know liga have to

worry about these qualifications. i think this is a safe and logical alternative where we can maintain safety within our workforce, but also safety within our community. dustin: employees who do not comply with the mandate will receive a letter of intent to ed disciplinary action. dustin dorsey, abc 7 news. larry: obviously things are constantly changing and our vaccine team is here to answer your questions. head to abc7news.com/vaccine. click on the big blue box to submit your question. kristen: developing news, there is a deadline today for first draft of a new agreement between san francisco police and the district attorney's office on use of force investigations. last night, chief william scott told the same for cisco police commission he is still negotiating an interim agreement with the district attorney. two weeks ago, scott announced he was pulling out of the agreement, saying that das

office was not giving them certain details in cases. president melia cohen says she may call for an emergency meeting if an interim agreement is not reached. larry: a plan to move oaklands police headquarters could turn into more housing for the city. the idea is to move the police currently at seventh and broadway about six miles south to the oakland coliseum location. the city council voted unanimously to pursue this idea. councilmember rebecca kaplan says it would allow some of the else to step in and revitalize that old downtown space. >> it would be a great site to build housing and retail and cafes and really make that broadway corridor better connected and more welcoming. larry: police have complained about the downtown building for many years. it is 60 years old. everything from the elevators to the plumbing needs updating. kristen: brooklyn police have arrested a 61-year-old richmond man in connection with several incidents of lewd conduct at an elementary school. school officials at sylvia mendez elementary called police

after seeing the man circling the campus in his vehicle. they say it is happened on at least 10 previous occasions. in the vehicle, police found a hunting style knife, gloves, duct tape and a bundle of zip ties. they say he is a custodian at rosa parks elementary. larry: calls are growing this afternoon for state wildfire officials to not euthanize a massive black bear who has been wreaking havoc in a residential area in south lake tahoe. it is a 500 pound bear nicknamed yogi, chunky, jake. he has damaged 38 homes in the tahoe keys neighborhood and is responsible for dozens of calls to authorities. last night, the property owners association board voted to allow the department of fish and wildlife board to capture the bear and euthanize it. that is according to a group called the bear league. one trap is already on site. she says many property owners don't want the bear killed. >> we don't want anybody to get hurt. nobody wants that.

we don't want the bear to die, either. this has to stop. larry: bryant says the bear league knows of to sink chores that are willing to take the bear, but state wildlife officials must agree to trap it and transport it. abc 7 news reached out to the department today for comment but have yet to hear back. park officials warning visitors to be aware of a huge snake. a hiker spotted it on the big bear trail. the snake appears to be a red tailed boa constrictor, not native to california. they also say it is not venomous and poses no threat to the public. kristen: ballpark future. discussion underway on the groups fighting for and against a new stadium. tenderloin history.the complicated history of one of san francisco's most known neighborhoods. and wedding diversity. fighting to scum nation in the big business industry.

>> the latest drought monitor came out this morning. for the fifth consecutive week, nothing has changed. we are still in a severe drought here across the entire bay area. in fact, 50 consecutive record-setting days without rain in san jose. i do have a chance of showers in the forecast next

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larry: a key meeting on the

future of the a's ballpark. city council is expected to vote today on whether to certify the final environmental impact report on that project. it was unanimously approved by the city's planning commission last month. if the eir is certified, that would mark a major step forward for the a's and their $6 billion project. some councilmembers have indicated they may need more time to look over the report. that could possibly delay the vote until next month. kristen: union workers at the port of oakland held a rally outside oakland city hall today to protest the potential new stadium being built at howard terminal. reporter tim johns was at the rally and has the details for us. tim: rallying around oakland city hall, union workers from the port of oakland held a protest against the potential new a's stadium. with a long road still had of it, the city council was set to hold akiva thursday night on the development of impact. a decision protesters hope will

result in a no vote. >> privatization of this port would shut it down because 2000 trucks a day coming to the port. where are they going to go? tim: if approved, the new development would include a 35,000 seat ballpark, 3000 units of housing, a 1.5 million square-foot office space. but the protesters don't want any of those things and to say they worry the developments could lead to job losses and more gentrification in the east bay city. >> do we need 3000 luxury condos in oakland when working-class people are in tents and homeless? we need public housing. spend the $0 mli for publ hsi. tim: but many of the concerns raised by workers will be addressed, says oakland mayor shaft. shaft said they will be able to thrive and preserved jobs while maintaining the new development. >> we have many complicated things to address, from good union jobs to the impacts on our

incredible economic engine, the port of oakland, and we are committed to meet those challenges. tim: in oakland, tim johns, abc 7 news. larry: despite the lack of rain the past few weeks, california's drought is not getting any worse. at least not yet. the image on the left is a current look at drought conditions in the state. the majority still in the moderate or severe drought stage. the middle image from last week is the same. on the right is three months ago before the rains hit, where most of the state was in extreme drought. with the first two months of 2020 shaping up to be the driest on record, california water officials are looking at how they manage the water supply. the department is managing new data and better forecasting tools as it looks to manage a third year of drought. >> it has become very important for the state of california to make advances and improvements in how well we can forecast

hydrologic conditions and how they do or do not ultimately manifest as water supplies that go into our reservoirs. larry: in december for the first time ever, the state department of water resources announced 80 allocation from the state water project to its 29 state water contractors, low water storage, as well as forecasts for continued dry conditions. that prompted them to take that action. we bring in meteorologist mike naya. we had a false sense of security back in december, when it was a deluge of rain. kristen: between thanksgiving and christmas, somebody turned it all off. mike: the faucet ran dry and it continues to run dry for a record consecutive days. some of us are having to turn on our irrigation systems and that water usage is infinitely higher than anything else we use. let me show you our water usage on average.

about 60% of our water usage is irrigation. 11% down to 6% is the restroom down to leaks throughout your house and in the era geisha and system -- in the irrigation system. but everything is still pretty green and that has kept us out of the fire danger we have seen. here is a look at temperatures. they are very comfortable. a little cooler near the coast. half moon bay at about 57. santa rosa still 70, right behind fairfield at 68. if you are thinking about watching the sunset from the beaches, we still have the sneaker waves and those dangerous rip currents until at least 7:00 tonight, so don't turn your back on the water. san jose looking sharp right now. high clouds and calmer conditions tonight. even the hills and the mountain. there is a chance of a wintry shower monday and into tuesday.

there is a chunk of energy in the middle to upper parts of the atmosphere. that low is going to passus over us during the overnight hours through tomorrow, bringing us some high clouds and minor cooling for tomorrow. tomorrow, temperatures will be pretty close to average. averages are 40 to 48. the 48 is san francisco. that is put to close when you wake up tomorrow morning. tomorrow afternoon, temperatures will warm back into the upper 60's to near 70 degrees. out at the coast, low to mid 60's. during this time, we have clean air for the rest of today. then tomorrow into saturday, we throw some moderate in there, which is still hav healthy air. let's take a look at what is going to happen saturday. the chinese new year parade begins at 5:15. sunshine very comfortable. 57 at about 5:53 when the s

rea wh you looking to monday, 5:00 in the morning, you can see the door i watch this storm. this is the european model that brings us a chance of wintry showers, even a chance of snow down to around 4000 feet. right now, it is a chance. tomorrow, low to upper 60's. low 60's to low 70's for the coast inland saturday, then bruce's return sunday. temperatures a little cooler. the temperatures drop off monday. we don't even get out of the 50's tuesday. when the sun does come out, we are still a little cooler than average wednesday and thursday. kristen: thank you, mike. protesters are expected to great former vice president mike pence when he shows up to speak at stanford university tonight at 7:00. a sellout crowd of about 700 people are expected to attend

the event hosted by the stanford college republicans. they are calling the event "how to save america from the woke left." according to the stanford daily, it will be the first campuswide event held by the conservator group since then schapiro spoke on campus in november 2019. larry: gas prices on the rise could soon get even higher. the reason behind that is complicated. kristen: no quick fix. supply chain problems could go on and on.

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kristen: be prepared for more pain at the pump. a new report says average gas prices in california could reach five dollars a gallon in the coming months, and could come sooner if russia invades ukraine. the state hit a record high of $4.72 yesterday. analysts blamed the increase on a closure of a number of west coast refineries and a report that saudi arabia is signaling it is not willing to pump more oil. larry: the same inflation we are seeing at the gas pump and grocery store is also drumming up the cost of many other products. part of the reason for that is the ongoing supply chain logjam. reporter david bowie visited one facility in fremont for a look at a problem that might take years to solve. david: this is a good example of why a smooth running supply chain is critical.

at employees in fremont are managing the components and assembling the kids. the flow of cargo from overseas has slowed. >> the ports are too small, too old-fashioned. i think they are going to stay with us for a very long time. david: hannah came founded company 10 years ago. the logjam has impacted the supply of chips needed by automakers and tech companies and the supply of prescription drugs made overseas. some companies have boosted their orders to offset delays. >> i do think many companies have ordered and i think it is going to come back and bite some of them. maybe the demand is not there. maybe the demand has shifted. david: that has created another issue. as companies grow concerned about the logjam, they are ordering more goods from

overseas. the problem is, as those ships arrive with the cargo, where do you put it all? that creates a warehousing problem. they are opening a new warehouse facility to store more imported goods. as you can see, this is a labor-intensive industry. they are paying $18 an hour to attract and retain its workforce. inflation is driving other costs up. so the supply chain challenge continues. >> i am not seeing that we will have enough labor in supply chain. certainly the trucking crisis is an ongoing problem. david: in fremont, david louis, abc 7 news. kristen: the future of working from home. what could be the new normal? larry: plus, the history behind what is arguably san francisco's most troubled neighborhoods. . >> there is nowhere like it probably -- definitely in this country. larry: what you might not know about the t

>> building a better bay area. moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. larry: tenderloin neighborhood has been among the city's worst for crime, drug dealing, and homelessness. but we ask, can this neighborhood turn around? abc 7 news is embarking on a year-long project to tell the stories of the people who live and work in the tenderloin. that includes understanding the unique history of that neighborhood. phil matier joining us with perspective on why the tenderloin has always been a problematic place. phil: it has been both a problematic place, but also a pleasure center. it is home to some of the bay

area's best theaters, best nightlife, civic centers, museums, they are all located in this area. those vices become deadly in recent years. on top of that, it is also home for thousands of families living in apartments set aside for one person. how did it get that way? basically because the city made it a containment zone for all of its vices 100 years ago. here is the story. >> what is it about the tenderloin that captures so many people's imagination? >> there is nowhere like it, definitely in this country, where there is a working-class neighborhood that is right downtown of a major metropolitan area. phil: how did it get its name? >> there are a lot of different theories. the name originated in new york, and a cop was bragging because he was working the vice area he had been eating chock but now he could afford a nice piece of tenderloin. he would be on the take because he is working the vice area.

there are areas known as tenderloins in every major u.s. city in the early 20th century. ours is the last one that maintained its name. phil: it was a center for vice. it was also a center for low income. it was a city for beatniks and poetry. it was a center for a lot of things. >> it is about having a high density of affordable housing. that reason, it has also been a safe haven for people who don't quite fit into society mainstream. it was all built right after the 1906 earthquake when the neighborhood was basically burned to the ground. it was a lot of single room occupancy. it was to house people rebuilding the city and working downtown. so the single room, no kitchen, no living room, these single men and women, that is when a lot of bars and restaurants started coming into the neighborhood and it turning into a nightlife area.

women in the early 1900s and san francisco were working their own job, living on their own, and going to these bars and restaurants, and that was socially radical at the time. the moral reformers who had closed down the barbary coast did a big campaign to close down the tenderloin. once the barbary coast was closed down, that is when a lot of brothels moved into the neighborhood, so it was known as the new barbary coast. the neighborhood was effectively shut down in 1917, but then prohibition came along. then once nightlife was pushed underground, then everything was more permissible again. and the tenderloin was a thriving -- a bit cd, but the night -- a bitseedy, but the nightlife capital. phil: it was a place you could go out and play a slot machine in the basement. >> a lot of the underground economy was gambling.

prostitution to some degree. underground economy supported the aboveground economy. phil: it has always been a contained area where things were allowed to happen that would not necessarily be tolerated in other parts of town. >> that is why it has also been a place where all these social justice movements and radical ideas started, because people that are not part of societies mainstream are more apt to challenge it. we saw that with women in the early 1900s, like the civil rights movement in america started in the tenderloin in the early 1960's. that is the history we are proud to showcase here. phil: the social services here are entrenched. they are part of this neighborhood. >> absolutely. they are businesses that help a lot of people. really groundbreaking ideas about harm reduction all began here in the tenderloin and are practiced throughout the world. phil: it also allowed other

neighborhoods to not provide those services or have those because they were all down in the tenderloin. >> the tenderloin has been viewed as a containment zone throughout its history. the tenderloin and soma has all the services in the entire city. so there's a lot of people that have needs in this city and they are going to come here to get the services they need. phil: what do people get wrong about the tenderloin? what do they not see? >> people suffering with issues are very visible, and they are here to get help. i think what people don't see is there is a lot of incredible places that help folks and that is why they are here, and that the tenderloin did not create economic inequality and these horrible problems people are experiencing. it is a place that is here to help these people. it is an incredibly tight knit community as well. i don't think people realize walking down the street that everyone knows each other. there is an incredibly warm support system here as well. phil: that warm support system

means that every social service in the city is located in the tenderloin. this is a challenge facing san francisco and other bay area cities as we go forward. if you have problems, do you keep them all contained in one area or do you spread them out? because if you keep them in one area, you wind up with something like the tenderloin. if you spread them out, you often wind up with angry neighbors saying, why is it coming into my neighborhood? why isn't in other places like the tenderloin? larry: people drive-thru the tenderloin. they are not stopping because they see people hanging out on the streets. who knows, drugs, prostitution, whatever. that is not always the case, though. phil: yeah, because those people in the tenderloin, they are living in small apartments, one-bedroom, sharing a bath with somebody else. that sidewalk, that streetcorner, that is their living room. they go out there and they hang out.

once that happens, all these other elements use that for cover and come in as well. that is when you have the drug dealing, the drug use, that is when you have the crime. it comes in as well because they feel comfortable there. the real question facing is what do we do in a situation like this? we are offering services, but if they are not taken and people come into take advantage of those people that are just living there, what do you do about it and who suffers the most? and that is why we are on this story for the year, because those people who live there actually deserve a break as well. the other question is, what are other bay area cities, oakland, san rafael, san ramon sometimes, what are they going to do as the tents start to move into their neighborhoods as well? larry: it is a difficult situation with so many challenges and that is why we will devote so much time to it. thank you very much. you can check out all of fill stories about the tenderloin on the abc 7 bay area streaming up. you can download it for your

apple tv, amazon tv, and roku. kristen: the food of the future, and cap it help fight climate change? we will take a bite out of today's thursday sample. there are some days that nothing can prepare you for. but being ready— it's about how you react. so when new challenges come up, you find a new way forward. when you meet other people facing what you faced, you start a business dedicated to helping them. and after you've achieved all that, you take on what's next. i've been making yogurt that is less sweet

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as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts that may lead to serious infections. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs. both of these can lead to death. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening chest pain, cough, or trouble breathing. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. for more information about side effects talk to your doctor. ♪ be in your moment. ask your doctor about ibrance. kristen: we know how some of us feel about this already. most workers are happy working at home. according to a new research

survey, around 62% want to keep working at home all or most of the time. >> that is 75% right there. >> i will add mine because that means flexibility. some say it is because of covid, but three out of four just say they like working from home. most people surveyed say working from home has improved their worklife balance. probably not a surprise. thoughts? larry? larry: why do you target me? [laughter] why am i being singled out? the benefits are obvious. if you can get your work done efficiently, sometimes you can do it more efficiently at home. it is hard to say there are positives to the pandemic, but the fact that we figured out ways to operate effectively not being in the office. mike is at home, he's got the weather computers. he can do it as effectively.

mike: 432 days, to be exact. not that i counted. [laughter] kristen: i wonder if you think that new employees need to come in and get to know the players and establish themselves before it becomes effective for them? larry: let those other people come in. [laughter] i am just joking, ok? but the new people should. the l.a. rams are super bowl champs, but an effort to herald the teams status is, being called a loser by some. cruises spent two days read ram. i don't know. who was the contractor on this job? this is not really very good. the los angeles times called the sign and ineligible mass. or, and illegible mess. i am also saying ineligible.

the twittersphere was also unkind. when, red rams house? it looks like ramshackle. kristen: that's what i thought it was. the spacing is way off. larry: yeah. it's odd that somebody looked at that and said -- kristen: this is good. larry: that is the look i want. mike: that is hollywood. that is what l.a. deserves, something that special. [laughter] especially with the oscars coming up. larry: do you think there is a creative director who said, this is my vision? this is what i was looking for? [laughter] >> and it sounded just like that, too. kristen: very d+ effort, just like their parade was. larry: ooh. mike: nice try, rams. kristen: if you love movie theater popcorn, you soon won't have to go to the theaters to get it. amc theaters is ramping up their plans to sell kiosk stores.

amc wantsamc wantsamc wantsamc t people watching movies and streaming at home. it is also looking to partner with food delivery services for first popcorn. who is a popcorn fan here? ama: i do like the popcorn. that is one place where i say, let's get movie theater popcorn loaded down in butter. kristen: is the butter what makes it better? ama: it is also really salty. there is something about it. i think it is being doused in butter. larry: too much butter is no good. that is just a personal thing. mike: it is that smell, too. when you walk into a movie theater, it sets the tone. you smell that and you are like, i am in the movie theater, i may eat something not healthy. larry: it is a treat. this could be a treat as well. plant-based foods popping up in restaurants from high-end to fast food. we are learning that plant-based

foods could make a big difference when it comes to climate change. livestock production is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse scientists say a small change in your diet could make a big difference, like eating a plant-based burger. ama: did she drop her burger? larry: she dropped her microphone. mike: i was -- kristen: i was purelling my hands to make sure i could pick up the burger. ama: me, too. [laughter] larry: gas emissions are up by 89% and water use up. are you prepared to go forward? [laughter] kristen: yes. ama: today, we are trying the mcdonald's plant-based burger. the bay area is a test market for the mcplant burger. mike: i -- kristen: i had to try the french fry first. larry: you're going to take a

bite since you are sterilized. kristen: i am going to call out larry because he never takes a bite on air. but here i go. larry: you like it? kristen: i don't want to knock it. larry: well, that tells us all we need to know right there. [laughter] mike: like mom said, if you have nothing nice to say. larry: and that is the end of our segment. [laughter] kristen: what do you think? ama: it tastes like a regular veggie burger. i taste the catchup in the lettuce and the tomatoes. mike: that looks like a whopper with the heavy mayo. it doesn't look like a big mac or a quarter pounder with cheese or any of the staples at mcdonald's. i think they are probably trying to go up after whatever the whopper equivalent is. larry: it's not bad. kristen: it's not bad. the fries are good. tell us why this is so environmentally friendly if we move to a plant-based diet? mike: raising livestock takes a

lot of water and the byproduct of livestock, methane gas, is one of our biggest greenhouse gases, and they produce a lot of the. -- they produce a lot of that. larry: it looks like everyone is going for the fries. kristen: i need a napkin. larry: kristin has some purell. we are done.

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kristen: the wedding business can feel like such a foreign concept unless you are tied to it. for many, it would be hard to know about the racial bias and other forms of discrimination that has taken place in that industry for so long. as part of black history month, jimmy imports and has a look at the people trying to fight it. reporter: when you think of weddings, may be a gorgeous dress comes to mind or a loving couple. not necessarily the people working behind the scenes to make it all happen. but for decades, this industry has excluded people. let me introduce you to some who are working to change that. >> every single couple's story is different and i get to go down that road with them. ama: she has been planning and designing wedding since 1999 with a focus on diversity and inclusion well before dni became the hot buzz term it is now. > i had to figure out everything on my own.

it was a tough journey to be on because there wasn't anyone who looked like me. reporter: four loved like her. >> after doing a little research in looking at the wedding magazines, there was no one of color and absolutely no lgbtq plus couples. for me, that was one of my passions because i didn't want couples to have to come out to every single wedding creative and have that opportunity to be denied. reporter: it has been a ride, but daniels has arrived. being named a top planner by brights, martyrs was our, and martha stewart's weddings. she is sharing the knowledge that was kept from her. >> there is a need that was not getting met and people were trying to meet it. reporter: she is part of the e those west collective, a group created to highlight black professionals in the winning space.

>> this has has been sent my way without hesitation. it has been great. reporter: sullivan's work for itself. but she says her three years in the industry has been tough in some ways. navigating micro aggressions and hostilities from venues. >> clients are also surprised to see me. there is a bit of a shock. sometimes at the venue people think my assistant is the owner. reporter: in the wedding business, there is something called a preferred vendor list. it is a list of anything from florists to caterers and djs that the venue requires couples to use. >> i have made two vendor lists. just two. i would have to jump hurdles to make it on. reporter: they have been the

source of gatekeeping for decades. whether or not it was intentional, so have publications. >> the summer offffffffff started having conversations. we realized we were napping as intentional with our inclusivity as we intended. reporter: the brand launched their diversity pledge that summer, highlighting their commitment to antiracism and the results so far. in 2020, brights called for 20% of newly published real weddings to feature black couples. 50% future diverse couples. >> those are numbers, goal is we want you to feel seen and we want you to see a wedding i and a bride in a groom who looks like you. reporter: in a q4, 100% of

brides -- the ether -- with the ethos west collective. it is all progress. daniels, sullivan, and so many other professionals have faced the painful reality that some do not equate blackness with luxury, but they plan to keep working at it to make sure they do. >> it is all about giving people the opportunity. kristen: you can see more stories about black history month by going to our bay area streaming up on apple tv, fire tv, and roku. larry: one more check of the weather with mike. you said maybe the possibility of some showers? mike: it is something i am definitely watching.

it is not something i'm getting excited about other than it could have a wintry component to it. it is not going to help us with the drought, but at least it is different. we have temperatures in the 50's and 60's at 5:00, down into the 40's if you will be out late into the evening hours. we have great looking air and it will remain that way for a couple days. we have the chance for wintry showers. larry: you could not ask for a bigger audience. a 14-year-old will show off his skills at the upcoming nba all-star game. how he got the chance to design the jerseys for the teams.

in new york city, ♪ ♪ there's always something new to discover. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

come be a part of it. plan your next vacation at iloveny.com larry: tonight at 8:00, the jeopardy national college championship, followed by "grey's anatomy," then "big skies" at 10:00. a 14-year-old making a name for himself in the nba not for skills on the court o but for his designs. rachel brown has his designs on a future. reporter: at just 14 years old, nestor hernandez is living out big dreams. this young la-based designer is one of two teenagers recruited by converse to design jerseys for this weekend's game. nestor remembers getting the phone call. his design was a slamdunk, end this friday nestor and millions of people across the country

will see his jersey worn by celebs on team walton. everyone from machine gun kelly and cuevo to former bachelor matt james. nestor says his inspired by his west coast roots and plays on 1990's pop culture, movies, and social unrest. he has been designing footwear and apparel for years, but credits the boyle heights arts conservatory forgetting his work in front of converse. -- for getting his work in front of converse. bha iss a nonprofit helping making careers in arts more accessible. larry: unfortunately, we had a little prom with some of the audio. but we will try to put it up online so you can catch it. that will do it for this edition of abc7news at 4:00. abc7news at 5:00 is next.

8 building a better bay area. moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7news. >> there is not a moment that we declare victory. dan: california now transitioning from treating covid like a crisis to coping with it in everyday life. a few hours ago, governor newsom unveiled the new plan to move out of the pandemic phase. thank you for joining us. i'm dan ashley. >> i'm ama daetz. you are watching abc seven. today's announcement makes california the first state in the nation to adopt a plan in the next phase of the pandemic. dan: to explain what that entails, let's go to carina nova who is in the newsroom. reporter: just yesterday, the indoor mask mandate lifted and today the governor