re you doing this weekend? ♪ announcer: now from abc7 news, live, breaking news. >> breaking news. oakland hills. a three alarm fire. four residential structures affected. not clear if all buildings are homes. this is near shepherd canyon road. the fire began in a garage on aiken drive. it spread to the house. officials are asking people to avoid the area and stay off of shepherd canyon drive. thank you for joining us. >> tonight, an exclusive interview from the san mateo county jail. >> i just got out of the maguire correctional facility. >> -- admits killing a mother of two with a samurai sword during

anttack on a send carlos street in september. in a strange twist, he claimed it was self-defense. >> we should warn you that this is a disturbing story. we have the jailhouse interview you will see only on seven. >> his attorney questioned whether he is competent to stand trial, but after the judge ruled he is, i tried to speak with him face-to-face. as news broke in september about the 27-year-old attacked on the same carlos street, authorities were short on details. we can confirm a stabbing instrument was used in the commission of the crime and that is still outstanding. we have the picture from the defendant. >> i met him in the san mateo county jail on the third floor. they don't allow cameras or a pen and paper so i recounted the interview as soon as i got out.

>> i saw him coming towards me. he was taller than i thought and powerfully built, stocky. i explained i was from channel seven and wanted to talk with him about his case. at no point was anything off the table. when he started talking about their time together, the person, their daughter, one large tear formed and trickled down his cheek. he told me that he saw my interview with castro's father and grandmother and was not happy how they described his mental state. he says he has been living with schizophrenia since he was a teenager. >> he is a diagnosed schizophrenic on medication using that as an excuse for his behavior. he drank excessively, and you're not supposed to do that on those medications. >> he told me he was not happy castro had been seeing another man and they argued before the killing over snapchat messages i obtained. she threatened to blast him on social media for his statutory

rape conviction. he calls her a snitch and said more. he insists castro told him she had hired people from east palo alto to carry out a hit on him, his mother, and brother. he says he tried to de-escalate the situation. i asked him about the sword. he said it is a samurai sword, a decorative sword. i ask him if it is sharp. he said yes. he said castro came from her apartment and retrieved a knife from her car. >> he says she emerged from the driver side with the knife in hand and marched towards him with his knife, and he claims he swung that sword in self-defense. >> we don't think that accords with the evidence we have collected so far. >> the district attorney was surprised he talked and discounted this new version of events. is there any indication she had

a knife? >> this did not occur in a closed room. it occurred on the street with lots of people walking by and bouts of people who witnessed what occurred. we have not had any reports of her being armed with a knife or anybody seeing a knife, much less using a knife. >> i also ask about his hope that he will get a lighter sentence because of his mental health issues, or he can serve whatever sentence in a mental hospital. >> i understand what he wants. the state prison is full of people who want a lighter sentence. >> he also cleared up some confusion over the injuries to castro. he says he considers this a beheading, based on what happened that day. >> goodness. where does this case tend now? >> preliminary hearing in a couple weeks, the case is moving forward. >> when this happened, there was concern over the children. what do we know about how the kids are doing? >> sadly, their daughter is still with cps. >> oh no.

>> so still with cps. her older daughter is with that child's father. it is just a sad situation around. >> yeah. it is. thank you. >> well, if you have a story for the abc 7 i team, call the number on your screen or go to abc7news.com. >> murder charges have been dropped. a 76-year-old died from a fall in front of his haight-ashbury home in january 2021, after an encounter with two men who allegedly tried to steal his camera. it turns out the primary witness in the case never actually saw what happened. the revelation about the witness surprised a long-time friend and a private investigator. >> i was just blown out of my socks to hear that the whole version of events may have been less than truthful, and a

witness recanting testimony while under oath during a per limiter hearing, yeah, i can understand why the da had to dismiss the charges. >> the men charged in the case -- man charging in the case spent two years in trial awaiting trial. >> in the east bay, ste in the city of oakland's effort to move on from its ownership of the coliseum complex. today, an african-america sports and entertainment group has announced it has signed an agreement to begin exclusive negotiations with the city to buy out its share of the site. it sounds encouraging but as we explain, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome. >> -- create the magic in the bright lines will shine over oakland. say oakland. >> oakland. >> a complex could bring a $5 million megaproject to the site, was sports, entertainment, a hotel and new housing. >> we are talking about

affordable housing, so that we can keep those who have lived here in oakland for generations, so their families can continue to live here. >> the city has entered an exclusive development agreement with a black-tone develop a team led by an east oakland native, who wants equity to be the focus. african-american community to actually create employment and in an area that a lot of us grew up in. >>'s group says the renovated coliseum site could play host to concerts in professional sports teams, including a wnba franchise. >> we are trying to get as much in so we can have a team here, and hopefully there will be an announcement shortly. >> the project could bring much needed tax revenue to the city, but any plans to redevelop it, it would require approval from the oakland a's which owns half

the site. >> this body will try to work with the oakland a's, come together him and find out what can we do to develop on this land. >> the oakland a's have a to play games at the coliseum until 2024, and are negotiating with the city to build a new ballpark at howard terminal. is it still going forward as far as >> welcome to be a part of this, of idolization of the site. >> the group has two years to come up with a redevelop and plan. he says the opportunity is amazing for his hometown. >> it is a great way to kick off black history month. i can't tell you how much it means. >> it appears the initial ste for installing parking meters is getting underway in one area. signs are up for drivers to pay by mobile app, but no kiosks or meters have been installed. the oakland city council

unanimously approved a one-year pilot program. the meters would be in effect seven days a week and would generate revenue to support offenders on parking maintenance. theothers say it would limit lake access for bidders -- visitors. >> still dry, but rain. we have details on that. >> yeah, it will come in while you are sleeping. live doppler 7. you notices level 1 storm is exclusive to abc7news, moving in early. here is your timeline towards 3:00 a.m. north bay. 5:00. your commute includes light to moderate rain. plan accordingly. showers continue into 8:00 a.m. the wind is starting to pick up and it is getting breezy out of the south, gusting to 30 miles per hour, 24 mount diablo. i will look at the second storm coming for the weekend, plus,

the chinese new year parade forecast, coming up. >> nancy pelosi will endorse adam schiff for senate, if dianne feinstein does not seek reelection. in a statement, nancy pelosi says dianne feinstein has her support, if she runs him however, the 89-year-old is web expected to not run again and says adam schiff knows "the nexus between a strong democracy in economy." this will likely be a high-profile race with adam schiff set to go against katie porter. barbara lee is widely expected to run as well. >> after the break, a trump-there rule, and now two counties have dropped their fight.

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>> san francisco and santa clara counties are dropping a lawsuit that challenge the trump administration. >> it would have instituted a wealth test for immigrants coming into the u.s. >> we have reaction and why officials say the lawsuit is not needed. >> it was department of homeland security under the trump administration introduced the rule that led to the lawsuit, giving the federal government to deny entry into the u.s. or green cards to legal immigrants who use or could possibly use public assistance. from the start, the rule had its critics, including santa clara. >> it erected a wealth test, making sure people of means would have an easier time getting into the country than people without means, and not something congress has ever permitted. >> he is on the deputy county counsel and santa clara county and says they filed the lawsuit to block the rule. >> the main purpose was to make

emigrant communities fearful of taking advantage of public benefits. that is not just food stamps and housing, but also health-care. something community organizations say would have impact throughout the bay area. >> workers cannot show up to work because i don't have access to health services whether mental or physical not because they are afraid of accessing those resources. that impacts our economy and well-being. >> they got a preliminary injunction to block the road in october 2019. since income a courts across -- and then the courts across the country have sided with them but not the rule is no longer needed. >> [indiscernible] two reverses rulings which means they are still standing. and the fact that the bite demonstration has since taken a different approach that comports with the long-standing immigration practice. the final nail in the coffin is done for this trump administration rule. >> he says that hope is there

can be added focus on adding resources for the local immigrant communities. >> people are coming to this area because they feel like it is a safe place, the network and the jobs, and despite the hardships we face with increasing rent or housing instability, people want to live in silicon valley, and santa clara county come and make this their home. >> an art exhibition showcasing decades of artwork is opening this week in berkeley. the berkeley art museum and pacific film archive is hosting the first retrospective of the work of acclaimed multimedia artists -- the exhibition archaeology of memory will explore three decades of her life and career, including 60 multimedia pieces, several altar installations, for which she is known. a uc berkeley professor breaks down what her work represents. >> what she brings that that is

something that comes out of humility of mexican immigrant homes. >> the exhibition opens is saturday and there will be a day of art activities with a speech from the artist herself. >> after the break, a celebration of diversity, inclusivity, and the new year. we will show you a lunar new we will show you a lunar new year festival [ male announcer ] need money? ♪ file your taxes today at jackson hewitt. you could get up to 3,500 bucks the same day with a no fee refund advance loan from jackson hewitt. file your taxes today at jackson hewitt. family is just very important. she's my sister and, we depend on each other a lot. she's the rock of the family. she's the person who holds everything together. ♪ it's a battle, you know i'm going to be there. keytruda and chemotherapy meant treating my cancer

with two different types of medicine. in a clinical trial, keytruda and chemotherapy was proven to help people live longer than chemotherapy alone. keytruda is used to treat more patients with advanced lung cancer than any other immunotherapy. keytruda may be used with certain chemotherapies as your first treatment if you have advanced nonsquamous, non-small cell lung cancer and you do not have an abnormal “egfr” or “alk” gene. keytruda can cause your immune system to attack healthy parts of your body during or after treatment. this may be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, severe nausea or vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, eye problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme tiredness, constipation, dizziness or fainting, changes in appetite, thirst, or urine, confusion, memory problems, muscle pain or weakness, fever, rash, itching, or flushing. there may be other side effects. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including immune system problems, if you've had or plan to have an organ or stem cell transplant, received chest radiation, or have a nervous system problem.

it feels good to be here for them. living longer is possible. it's tru. keytruda from merck. ask your doctor about keytruda. larry: students at one san francisco public school celebrated lunar new year today with the festival focused on diversity and inclusivity. >> our reporter tells us that for the students it was a source of pride. >> the school gymnasium resembled an outdoor street fair with kids to build chinese lanterns, calligraphy for beginners, and bowling for the youngest. this being the year of the rabbit, well, students took turn

p >> this is the beginning of spring. you can see the cherry blossoms opening in our community. >> [indiscernible] >> she started this tradition this alternative school when they opened in 1995. > they get to enjoy the exposure to traditional culture. >> including wearing traditional chinese clothing, tied to the culture and never discourage here. >> it is pride. you know, we are showing off our culture in ways that sometimes we do not get to do. >> even the ever popular fortune cookie which was created in the united states, was included in today's festival. the school is fortunate enough to call itself the first chinese immersion public school in the nation. you know, i can't get my mind off of those fortune cookies. oh wait, fortune or factoid?

let's see. it was the first chinese-american that she was the first chinese-american teacher in san francisco. she was told in the 1920's that she would never teach anywhere in the country because she was chinese. the, being bilingual is an advantage. >> you have more opportunities that can lead to a better job. >> this is another form of validation, right? therefore, non-asian or the non- chinese community is a way to learn. >> fabulous. that was great. >> yes. time to check on the forecast. >> getting close to the weekend. sandhya: absolutely, lunar new year celebrations. here's what you can ask deck. light level 1 system for friday, saturday, sunday. not a complete washout. morning rain tomorrow. afternoon/evening rain saturday,

then sunday is wet and windy, so carry the umbrella if you're going, and if you are heading to the chinese new year parade, san francisco, 59 at 4:00. a few showers. some showers at 6:00 p.m., 57, and by 8:00, wet and windy with mid-50's. a few showers will not hurt anybody. most of the parade will be done before the widespread rain moves in. live doppler 7, a lot of cloud cover. temperatures ranging from the 40's to the 60's. here is a live view from our tower cameras. beautiful views. clouds gathering ahead of a storm. here is another gorgeous view from emeryville, a sliver of sunshine. i we have a light level one trauma morning, light to moderate rain, a slick and slow moving morning commute, so plan accordingly. breathe the times.

3:00, you will notice moderate rain moving into the north bay. the cold front will be fast-moving. 5:00, as the commute begins, you will notice the wet weather, scatreershows o tomorning, thene early afternoon. rainfall estimates, not a big storm. a 10th of an inch to 607 inch two point 50 inches in santa rosa. this turns to snow in the mountains, light snow tomorrow. that we can storm, windy weather , heavy snow expected. 4:00 p.m. saturday to 10:00 p.m. sunday, storm watch going up. six to 15 inches above 4000 feet. 15 to 28 inches above 6000 feet. travel will be difficult to impossible, so hold off during that time. tomorrow morning numbers in the 40's and 50's so it will not be as chilly as it has been. definitely breezy and wet the morning commute tomorrow afternoon. mid 50's to low 60's. a pop-up shower here and they're

not out of the question. the forecast is morning rain, level 1 for friday. saturday afternoon through sunday, another storm coming in. that will bring us gusty wind and wet weather. next week, we go with a drier pattern. >> sounds good. thank you. dan: the oakland fire department just updated us on breaking news that we brought to at the top. firefighters tell us three structures were affected by a big fire. this is video from sky 7. this is on aiken drive near sheppard canyon road. we heard the fire began in the garage of a home on aiken drive with and spread to the house. no injuries are reported. that is the good news. no evacuations. officials are asking people to avoid the air and stay off sheppard canyon road. obvious

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dan: you can get live newscasts breaking news, and more with our streaming mobile app on all platforms. ama: the san francisco zoo was free to date and honor of a groundhog day event.

free entry was offered to people who pledge to make a difference in their lives, bicycling instead of driving, recycling, or reducing air pollution. the zoo will be free through saturday to celebrate rosa parks birthday. dan: good news for couples looking to get married on a unique date, the san mateo county clerk is extending a few dates and february prayed they expect an increase in ceremonies due to three auspicious dates this month. they popular dates are federally second, february 3 2, february 3, and february 23, and of course valentine's day. the clerk's office averages four ceremonies a day and expects 14 a day on those dates. >> these dates with numerical sequences in many cultures are special because they provide an opportunity for health, happiness, and prosperity in the marriage, but the numerical

sequencing is usually what is the lucky aspect of those days. dan: the clerk's office will perform marriage so many from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. it is highly recommended to reserve your date ahead of time. it will be busy. ama: oh yeah. more news ahead. dan: let's take a look at the stories at 5:30. >> the oakland coliseum has been a hot topic when it comes to the future of the oakland a's. we heard about plans from the african-american sports and entertainment group to build a hotel or restaurant him and bring jobs to the area. we dig into this $5 billion. our rental prices falling in san francisco? what is behind the new report that says people are paying less? a property adviser joins us to explain in what we can expect. join us at 5:30 on streaming tv. dan: thank you. ama: you can download the abc 7 mobile app or head to abc7news.com for more local news right now.

dan: world news tonight is next. from all of us here, we appreciate your time. ama: we will see you at 6:00. your heart is the beat of life. if you have heart failure, entrust your heart to entresto, a medicine specifically made for heart failure. entresto is the #1 heart failure brand prescribed by cardiologists. it was proven superior at helping people stay alive and out of the hospital. heart failure can change the structure of your heart, so it may not work as well. entresto helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. and just imagine where a healthier heart could take you. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium.

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tonight, breaking news as we come on the air. the pentagon just moments ago on what's flying over the u.s. the suspected chinese surveillance balloon the size of three buses, hovering over the northern u.s. the giant balloon unmanned carrying what's believed to be sophisticated spy technology, and we have now learned tonight u.s. officials tracking it for several days, spotted over billings, montana. montana, where there are several sensitive nuclear sites. so, where is it now? military officials also discussing whether to shoot it down, but did not do so, because of the risk to people on the ground. terry moran standing by with late reporting. also tonight, that dangerous arctic blast. 58 million americans, multiple states. wind chill alerts from montana straight across to maine.