of the city of alameda after a fire at an east oakland pg&e substation -- being an island city, residents depend on for bridges and a tunnel to come and go. two of the bridges an up position, rendering them impossible to traffic. >> i was talking to my neighbors last night and one of them had been trying to get to oakland and told me it took 45 minutes to get over the park street bridge which is never good. there are backup generators for the bridges. >> but when and how they were deployed is still unknown. the mayor said the city is asking the county to drill down and find out what caused two of alameda's for bridges to be up or elevated at the same time. she calls that highly unusual. police and fire generators worked as planned to -- as

stoplights blinked and basketball games were delayed as coaches opened the blinds to lead in natural light and set up a bowery -- battery powered scoreboard. but why the bridges were not operational is still a mystery. >> at least it wasn't all of our bridges and we are going to find out what happened and be able to know better next time. >> a total of 15,000 customers in alameda lost power from 1:00 sunday until early evening. >> although we have our own municipal electricity company, we still use transmission lines from pg&e, so part of our system went down. >> the island community is using this outage as a kind of fire drill to find tune things when there is another emergency. leslie brinkley, abc 7 news. kristen: it has been less than a week since lamar armstrong was

fired. since then, calls to reinstate him are getting louder. larry: today, i really was organized by the oakland naacp. cornell barnard was there and has new reaction. >> bring him back. bring him back. >> calls to bring back former opd chief lamar armstrong are growing louder by the day. >> we are not here just because he is a black man, we are here because he is a good man and a good cop. >> east bay faith leaders lower -- joined the naacp and hundreds of people showed up to support armstrong. >> we will continue to press the reinstatement of this chief. >> armstrong was recently terminated by -- without cause. his dismissal came one month after the mayor placed him on paid leave after a report question his lack of response surrounding misconduct by one of his sergeants. >> she took a whole out of our

heart in black history month. >> oakland naacp president cynthia adams shared this email from january area from the mayor's chief of staff promising the mayor would meet with the naacp and other leaders before making a decision about the chief. adams says that meeting never happened. >> i feel bad. it's a slap in our face and she went on and did what she felt she wanted to do. >> the opd has been under federal oversight for 20 years. >> the chief suing the city, costing millions of dollars and meanwhile, i'm begging to fix my streets. >> armstrong says he appreciates the committee support. a spokesperson says what other city in america is standing up for their police chief. the mayor has a community revolt on her hands.

she has deprived oakland of a driven and accomplished police chief who earned the public's trust the hard way, by delivering on his promises. when we reached out to the mayor's office, a representative texted no comment. these advocates say they refuse to stay silent. >> we must stand up and we must stand out because it is time to bring our chief back. >> in oakland, cornell barnard, abc 7 news. kristen: this week, oakland police officers will resume foot patrols following a two-year hiatus. officers were walking throughout business and shopping districts around the city. the acting chief in the mayor announced the resumption last tuesday to try to address safety concerns expressed by business owners and to attract more shoppers. larry: a suspect now in custody in connection with the shooting death of a long serving long -- los angeles area catholic ship. authorities found the body

inside his hacienda heights home after receiving emergency medical call. he had been shot once in the chest. authorities arrested 65-year-old carlos medina following a tip they received last night. >> detectives were told by the tipster they were concerned because medina was acting strange, irrational, and made comments about the bishop owing him money. larry: according to the sheriff, his wife was the bishop's housekeeper and had done work at the bishop home. the 69-year-old was a beloved figure in the los angeles diocese known for his work with the poor and being a peacemaker between local street gangs. kristen: investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire at the first african american episcopal church in oakland. it broke out at the church on macarthur avenue and oakland boulevard. >> as flames appeared to engulf

the first black church in the area, the pastor watched hopelessly from across the street. >> i'm at a loss for words. i don't even know what to say. >> the fire was first reported around 11 sunday night outside the first african methodist episcopal church, also known as fame which has deep >> roots in oakland. this church is about the people, about the people of this community, the people of the east bay, the people who love oakland. fame has a strong, rich history and we are about community. >> but it wasn't long until flames spread to the roof and turned into a three alarm fire. >> there was an event that should have ended around 1 p.m.. they are working with the fire department to discuss any issues they've had recently. there should have been no one in the building. >> as daylight broke, church leaders seen removing a few paintings untouched but the view from above shows the grim

reality of what is left on the church while the four exterior walls are mostly intact, the roof is destroyed. >> they are going to rebuild. the church is going to come back. it is way too strong to let something like this stop them. >> tony hilliard, who is baptized here in 1950 says this is the same church that suffered serious damage being knocked off the foundation during the 89 earthquake. >> we rebuilt it then, so we just rebuild again. we are just rebuilding the church from the outside in. >> as this church works to clean up individually rebuild, i'm told they will continue to worship through zoom just as they did during the pandemic. larry: for the teachers and oakland have been working without a contract. negotiations are ongoing, but the school district's warning with the expected budget deficit, it is unlikely teachers will get what they want.

leanne melendez joins us live with more on what is at stake. >> teachers in oakland argue they make less than some of the educators at nearby district and they want their fair share. but the issue here is oakland unified faces a budget deficit and is in partial receivership which means an outside party monitors their finances. if oakland unified gives teachers what they want, they will have to make cuts elsewhere and the timing is not great. the previous teacher contract in oakland expired in july of 2017. it was only after teachers went on strike two years later that an agreement was finally reached giving educators and 11% raise. now, oakland finds itself in a similar situation as a new contract has not been reached. this time, teachers are demanding more money, nearly 23% . they say in order to stay competitive with other surrounding districts and keep

oakland -- keep oakland teachers from leaving the district. >> we want to get our salary competitive. we want to get it to the median of what educators in neighboring districts are making, just a 15 minute, 10 minute drive away. >> the teachers union says the school district was expected to make an offer on thursday but has delayed it until march 1. that may be because march 1 is when the district has to come up with a plan to close its anticipated budget episode. trade-offs are expected. >> whether it is cutting central office, cutting school sites, whether it is some other cuts -- i don't know where else we could cut, we have to make cuts somewhere to put more money toward compensation. that is just math. >> oakland's finances are of concern to the alameda county office of education which recently downgraded the district's financial rating because of the school board's decision to rescind the planned

closure of five schools. next monday, sam davis, the school board member for district one will be hosting a zoom town hall. at that meeting, the chief financial officer for the school district will explain the budget and let parents know whatusd can and cannot afford if they want to balance the budget. larry: reporting on bay school issues for decades. that is why she is our senior education reporter. if you have a story idea, get in touch with leanne directly on twitter, facebook or instagram. kristen: national treasure -- the modern-day gold mystery that led to a lawsuit. the young changemakers in one bay area community and a return to northern california -- the plan to build up the sea otter population. spencer: we have some cold, windy, wintry weather coming our way. i will have all the details in i will have all the details in my accuweather for just $6 you could get your choice between

two sandwiches plus my classic taco, curly fries, and a drink. [muffled] i can't hear you. oh sure... for just $6...! try my $6 jack pack today. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ you can beat it! ♪ visit youcanbeatit.org or call 833-422-4255 to ask for medication to treat covid-19. larry: hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather on this president's day because it's about to change. kristen: hang on to these last spencer: nice spencer: hours. it is going to change dramatically, and fact. a wind advisory in effect from 1 p.m. tomorrow through 1 p.m.

wednesday. very gusty wind over the entire bay area with gusts between 40 and 55 miles an hour. bear that in mind along with a gusty wind will come a sharp cooldown. right now it is pretty mild. currently 61 degrees, at palo alto and oakland, upper 60's in san jose and santa clara. hard to believe such a dramatic changes coming our way in just one day. the view from emeryville, mainly clear skies and 71 degrees at santa rosa. upper 60's at novato, concord and livermore. here's the view from our work -- from a rooftop camera. the forecast headlines are these -- clouds will increase overnight as the next storm approaches. windy and much colder weather pattern will develop beginning tomorrow and we can expect cold showers wednesday through friday

and at times mixed in with snow. here's the forecast for the next few hours as we watch the clouds increase going into tomorrow and we see bits of the approaching storm beginning to move into our approach the bay area. temperatures in the mid to upper 40's. much milder overnight and we had over the weekend. highest tomorrow much chillier than today. mid 50's at the coast, only upper 50's to low 60's in the very mildest inland locations tomorrow. some more forecast animations starting midday tomorrow -- tomorrow into wednesday, we will see that storm pushing into the bay area bringing this strong gusty wind and some precipitation. even some snow mixing in late wednesday, possibly even into friday as well. these are the rainfall estimates. most locations from the golden gate north are from the

peninsula northward, about an inch of rain and south of that region, we will see about hal an inch to three quarters of an inch. a winter weather effect for the sierra. here's a look at the accuweather 7-day forecast. windy, cloudy or at a colder conditions tomorrow and wednesday, thursday and friday, each of those will have level 1 storm activity with cold showers and a mix of snow coming down to elevations of about 1500 feet, much lower than the snow levels we typically get which would be at the highest bay area peaks. kristen: don't go away because there's something else larry: to talk about. larry:if you want more spencer and we all do -- i'm watching the first episode -- it's dropping today. spencer: i'm spencer christian. i've been a broadcast journalist and weather kasser for more than

50 years. over those years, i've met many remarkable people. remarkable people with remarkable insight. now, i will be talking with them about the issues of the day and their personal journeys. i will even share a few of my own, so come join me after the weather and we will learn together. kristen: after the weather. of all the people you know, i know this will be interesting. congratulations. spencer: we call it after the weather because after the weather, i have so many other interests and passions. we will be covering all kinds of topics from topical things to some political issues and just light and fun stuff. larry: spencer: first guest? spencer:our first guests is our contributor phil matier. we talk about kevin mccarthy becoming speaker of the house and the five days and 15 votes that led to it and the trade-offs he had to make with all the promises made to all the people in his caucus, how will he govern? that's the big question phil

tries to answer and does answer. we also talked to phil before it was announced senator dianne feinstein dianne feinstein is not running for reelection about that race and who might want to get the nomination. the field is getting more crowded as we speak. we talked about governor gavin newsom who as phil says is not running for president but is standing for president. we have an upcoming segment with a remarkable young man in marin county, high school senior who as a bar mitzvah project when he was 12 started teaching chess. he's a chessmaster. he asserted teaching chess to immigrant children whose first language is spanish because he happens to speak spanish and four years later, chest health, as he calls it, has grown into not only a way of bridging cultural gaps through chess but it has become a 5013 c charity. kristen: that is amazing.

i see a bunch of episodes already. it is free, of course. for those of you not like you like us and we get to pick his brain all the time, here is your chance. spencer: my brain is well picked. you can find after the weather on spotify -- apple podcasts and spotify. kristen: congratulations. larry: wherever fine podcasts are streamed. spencer: i'm enjoying it. larry: good luck. kristen: abc7news photographer capture the first wave of vehicles as they traveled across the newly paved lanes about an hour and half ago. crews began work friday night closing the northbound lane -- this is six 80 already caltrans posted the video over the weekend showing crews at work which included the boring of 7 -- pouring of 7500 feet of concrete. good job. larry: to

reintroduce sea otters to large sections of the northern california coast, challenges and benefits. kristen: some bay area girl scouts trying to make a scouts trying to make a difference in th your heart is the beat of life. if you have heart failure, entrust your heart to entresto. entresto helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. ♪ ♪ or before the xfinityum. 10g network we didn't have internet that let us play all at once. every device? in every room? why are you up here? with speeds like this, i can't even dream of what he'll be able to do.

get xfinity internet for just $25 a month with no annual contract during our limited time launch celebration. you have no idea how good you've got it. huh? what a time to be alive. introducing the next- generation 10g network. only from xfinity. get exclusive offers on select new volvo models. contact your volvo retailer to learn more.

kristen: february is black history month end all month long, we are looking atemaking r community.

today, it's about girl scouts. this trip is about more than cookie sales. larry: kumasi aaron tells us about one scout organization focusing its energy on social justice. >> it is field trip day and the excitement is high. but this field trip to west oakland is one not too many kids make. >> we want to talk briefly about why we are at >> the black panther museum. >>while the girls may be wearing berets and vets, they don't belong to a traditional scouting trip. they are called radical monarchs unlike other groups, they earn badges. radical badges. each badge the girls earn his radical, like radical love. >> radical love is about self-love, self-care. radical bodies, they learn about consent, disability justice. >> it was created during the social unrest of 2014 when

people demonstrated nationwide for the deaths of michael in ferguson missouri and eric garner in new york. >> with everything happening, there was lots of uprisings and racial reckonings and our young people were like what's going on? what's happening. >> about that time, annette was thinking about enrolling her daughter in a girl scout group. >> when i looked at the composition of that group, she would have been one of two girls of color. i felt like that group would not speak >> to her experience. so she teamed up with her friend and together, they started radical monarchs. their target, girls in the third to fifth grade. the first badge the girls worked on was learning about black lives matter and what was causing the social unrest at that time. >> a lot of people say it's too much and too heavy. they are human beings who experience the world and overhear what their parents and families are talking about. >> within months, their work was

being criticized by conservative commentators who zoomed in on the word radical and what they were teaching the girls. >> in society, we are socialized to just accept things are the way they are and radicalized means it is to investigate and mean things are set up this way in a certain way were some people have more advantages than others. we are going to have conversations that may be are not normally had in homes or in classrooms or in the media. that is what it means to radicalize. >> this radical idea has grown nationwide. besides oakland, there are groups in los angeles, denver, new york and other east coast cities. this troop visited the black panther museum while they worked to earn a black lives matter badge. >> welcome to my house. this is what i wanted to do to show up in the rebellion. >> my mural is promoting black joy. >> where you are learning

something where you see yourself reflected, it is powerful. you are looking at photographs and the people in the photographs look like you or people in your family or your community, you are more likely to absorb that information. >> do you know who that is? >> rosa parks. >> i never knew what she looked like. >> she's a richmond troop leader. her daughter is also in the troop. >> we live in a world that is very challenging. there is joy and happiness, we speak to that as well, but we also need to speak to the challenges. where she comes from a legacy, part of a movement of people fighting just for her freedom. >> my beautiful kings and queens, somebody cares about you. somebody loves you and knows you can do great things. >> since it started nearly 10

years ago, more than 70 girls have finished the radical monarchs program. many stay involved as mentors. >> it's beautiful to instill those values in our youth. it's only right we shift the narrative a bit. larry: celebrate canadian culture with abc 7 -- watch the black joy parade streaming live sunday at 12:30 posted by julian glover, jobina fortson and

hi, i'm debra. i'm from colorado. i've been married to my high school sweetheart for 35 years. i'm a mother of four-- always busy. i was starting to feel a little foggy. just didn't feel like things were as sharp as i knew they once were. i heard about prevagen and then i started taking it about two years now. started noticing things a little sharper, a little clearer. i feel like it's kept me on my game. i'm able to remember things. i'd say give it a try. prevagen. at stores everywhere without a prescription.

announcer: building a better bay area -- moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. larry: president biden is pledging the u.s. will stand with ukraine as long as it takes. kristen: the president making that point during his surprise visit to ukraine's capital city. justin finch has the details from washington. >> a historic day in kyiv. president biden making previously unannounced stop in ukraine's capital city with heavily armed police and army officers standing guard. ukraine's president showing biden his plaque among others honoring world leaders who stood with ukraine in dark times. the two presidents also discussing that nation's path forward in its nearly year old war with russia. pres. biden: freedom is priceless. it is worth fighting for for as long as it takes, and that's how long we are going to be with you, mr. president, for as long as it takes. >> the white house says the u.s.

alerted russia's officials about travel to prevent potential conflicts. the surprise stop coming one day before his poland visit where he is expected to give a speech to rally worldwide support for ukraine. >> the ukrainians are pushing back and taking back up to 50% of what the russians took in the initial push. >> it is working. but polling from abc news in the washington post finds 33% of americans saying the u.s. is doing too much for ukraine. that's up from 14% last spring and after many republicans have insisted the u.s. won't give ukraine a blank check. >> that's an argument this white house strongly rejects. they note ukraine has not gotten everything they ask for. >> biden and there is significant support in congress for ukraine. the president spent more than five hours and ukraine u.s. air surveillance planes keeping watch over biden from bullish airspace.

larry: the latest round of military aid to ukraine is valued at $460 million. that includes ammunition, rockets and kristen: secure communications systems. construction is set to begin on a museum under the lincoln memorial that would pay tribute to our nation's history. the national park service as it will highlight the issue -- the history of the monument. >> most people don't know there is a space under the lincoln memorial. so the chance to not only introduce them to that under croft space but also tell the story of how this memorial was created, some of the symbolism, but most importantly the meaning it has taken on overtime. >> work on the museum is scheduled to start next month and finish in 2026 at of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence. the lincoln memorial is expected to remain open throughout construction. larry: now to a developing

mystery in pennsylvania. a treasure hunter claims the government dug up a trove of gold from the civil war and is covering it up. derek dennis has the latest on up. legal battle just heating >> n fin reveals allegations of a secret gold rush in the woods of >> pennsylvania. we feel we were doublecrossed and lied to. >> a treasure hunter is suing claiming he detected a possible trove of gold and silver buried underground that could be worth millions and led the fbi to it. >> we brought them up here in the snow, set the gpl up and set the test up and the machine lit up gold. it almost blew up. >> area folklore has it that in 1863, during the civil war, army soldiers lost a shipment of gold in the pennsylvania wilderness. he said his tip to the fbi culminated in a secret dig in the middle of the night that even he didn't know about and claims the government has been covering up the findings.

>> to hear the noise and i looked and i looked at that whole hillside i said it so bright, they had the biggest lights out there. >> i went back of the day after they dug with all my equipment and we didn't get no more gold or silver >> readings. the dispute has turned into a legal battle with previous filings acknowledging a team was sent to do testing admitting gold might be buried there but saying nothing was found and continues to unequivocally reject any claims or speculation to the contrary. he doesn't buy it and is suing to get all the fbi records turned over, insisting he is due a finders fee. >> i'll never stop. i will stick with this until the end until i know everything that happened >> to that gold. the justice department has turned over some documents but court filings claim others are missing. a judge has to decide whether to ask the fbi to cooperate further.

larry: kristen: i don't know. larry: is it finders keepers? civil war gold belongs to the government? kristen: i wish gold made people happy instead of upset with each other. larry: maybe a little finders fee. kristen: that would probably be nice. a little sunshine out there -- quite a bit but don't get too excited. larry: that is like gold. because it's about to disappear. spencer: the springlike weather is about to disappear. we have a wind advisory in effect from 1 p.m. tomorrow through 1 p.m. wednesday. will have very windy and cold weather approaching a winter system. wind gusts at 40 to 50 miles an hour. this advisory covers the entire bay area, not just a few sections. i graphic and show you how to not

so cold it's going to be. overnight lows will be only in the low to mid 40's as opposed to the low to mid 40's and tomorrow, as clouds continue to increase, windy conditions, high temperatures reaching only mid-50's around the bay shoreline. the thursday and friday bringing cold showers and some snow mixed in with the showers. this is truly a wintry system and look at the seven-day forecast. during the midweek days, high temperatures will barely reach 50 degrees. it is going to be cold. kristen: wor there. metta jumped into the verified pay verse. with reliable covid-19 results in just 15 minutes, everyone is making room for binaxnow in their medicine cabinet. do we still need these pregnancy tests?

(kids yell and giggle, a dog barks and a vase breaks) yeah, no. out with the old, in with the #1 covid-19 self test in the us. with the same technology doctors use to test for covid-19. binaxnow

kristen: time for the for a 4 -- a british publisher is facing backlash after making changes to popular books. the author wrote charlie and the chocolate factory, james and the giant peach and matilda. the publisher has taken out words like fat, crazy, and others that refer to race and gender. it's trying to make the books more acceptable to contemporary readers. what do you think about that? >>

taking a look at things and seeing if we can make them better. i picked some of my favorite books as a kid to read to my daughter and i'm reading and i cringe a little -- even things like police men -- i change it to police officer, it can be a man or a woman -- i find myself censoring and changing as i'm reading it because i'm like this can be this way. but at some point, she's going to be able to read and see what it says. spencer: i'm all for cultural sensibilities in the language we use. i think that is important but i think it can go too far. i don't know if it has gone too far in this case but examine the words we use and see if we need to edit a little bit. kristen: because we know better from a lot of things. ama: one idea is just annotations. the publisher can put in this

was used commonly back then but now what do you think and have a conversation. kristen: like a lot of movies now have something that shows this show some representations that may be culturally insensitive. larry: menlo park based meta will begin testing a new subscription service -- meta verified will start at $12 a month and give users the verified check mark. it will launch initially in australia and new zealand. it follows twitters similar program that charges eight dollars a month for the check mark. i'm paying zero for all of your products. zero. sorry you lost so much money on the metaverse, i'm not paying $12. what do you think? kristen: if they paid me $12 i might consider opening my facebook app again. larry: you are not alone in those feelings. spencer: what does the check

mark give me? larry: you have your own podcast, you don't need spencer: a check mark. spencer:i will say check out the podcast. larry: same thing with twitter -- to me, it just adds more confusion if something looks like a verified source because somebody paid eight dollars. to be they want to raise more money but there has to be a better way to go about it. ama: more ads? larry: who doesn't want that? kristen: now to a plan to get rid of fingerprint smudges on the dashboard touchscreens, general motors has patented a new screen design to allow touchscreens to erase fingerprints by themselves. it involves things like violet pixels and chemical reactions and humidity which g.m. says makes fingerprints disappear.

i guess that's a good idea. i get annoyed. spencer: can we use it on people? if they have smudge marks? i think it's a good idea. i don't have to reach over there and wipe the smudge marks off. ama: how much extra is it going to cost? larry: probably more than eight dollars. it is annoying at times because if you use it, not just in the cars but ipads, all those devices -- i don't know what it is about the surfaces but it seems like once a smudges on their -- ama: like hitting a defrost button. spencer: i use those lint cleaning cloths to wipe the smudge marks but then when i use them on my glasses, they put the smudge back on. kristen: it's a conundrum.

larry: big change coming to pacific wharf at california adventure. the outdoor food court is being transformed into san fransokyo square. a mashup of san francisco and tokyo from the film big hero six. visitors will cross a stylized version of a japanese inspired golden gate bridge. that's interesting. it opens this summer. disney is the parent company of abc 7. i wonder what kind of food they are going to serve? ama: they did tease out. they have not announced the actual vendors but they will have chinese food, japanese food and various cuisines. i think they might bring in some big names. spencer: and they might have a good wine list to pair with all that wonderful cuisine. larry: ama: ama: when are we going? this summer. larry: abc 7 field trip.

spencer: let's do that. kristen: i have this theme song already -- spencer: that's got a ring to it. ama: i think it will be a fun attraction. larry: the embarrassment will begin when we tweet that out. kristen: but did you pay for your check mark? your check mark? larry: that's it for ♪ ready to feel what it's like? when you can du more with less asthma. it's possible with dupixent. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on treatment for specific types

of moderate-to-severe asthma. and can help improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. dupixent helps prevent asthma attacks... and can even reduce or eliminate oral steroids. are you in? dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. who knows what you can do when you du more with less asthma. ask your asthma specialist about dupixent. ♪

ask your asthma specialist about dupixent. i was hit by a car and needed help. i called the barnes firm. that was the best call i could've made. i'm rich barnes. it's hard for people to know how much their accident case is let our injury attorneys know he how much their accident cget the best result possible.

kristen: as part of our efforts to build a better bay area, we are sharing stories larry: about the environment. spencer christian is back with more than ever to write an environmental wrong. spencer: this is a proposal to reintroduce sea otters to a large section of the northern california coast. marine experts we spoke with say there are significant challenges and potential benefits. they bask in the sunny waters from santa barbara to the san mateo coast but researchers are closely studying a proposal to restore sea otter populations to their historic northern habitats from the bay area north to the oregon border. the center for biological diversity filed the petition with the u.s. fish and wildlife service, quoting concerns about

the habitat >> and long-term survival. one big oil spill could take out a huge percentage of the population. experts say the otters problems like creditors and disease often related to human activity. >> we are seeing parasitic diseases, we are seeing a toxic algae contribution to disease, and all of those in one way or another have our fingerprints. spencer: he believes understanding threats to the sea otter population could be key to any successful reintroduction. >> we are really about figuring out about what is ailing these animals, what we can learn about that and how we can bring that to the table as we are considering how to care for these animals in spencer: spencer: any reintroduction future. some supporters believe a successful reintroduction could benefit more than the sea otters themselves.

their populations have played a major role in supporting the local marine ecosystem, a system many believe is dangerously out of balance. a colorful example -- the kelp forests which provided key habitat for marine life as well as sequestering carbon. over the last decade, the forests have fallen victim to a kind of environmental chain reaction when diseases began impacting local marine predators like sea stars. the result was an explosion of hungry purple urchins which feed on the kelp. dr. rebecca johnson has tracked the threat and is intrigued by the potential of reintroducing otters which also pray on the destructive urchins. >> otters, like those big starfish come are voracious predators and eat many invertebrates, including some of the invertebrates that eat kelp. spencer: she notes introductions can be tricky like keeping the new animals in place and safe from harm while they establish themselves. but if the otters can be

reintroduced successfully, experts believe the net benefit could stretch up and down the coast. >> a future where we have healthy sea otters up and down the west coast would be a healthy future for the ecosystem, for tourism, and others who make their living on the water. spencer: sea otters have been hunted to nearly extinction for their for. supporters say a reintroduction would essentially be writing an environmental wrong. kristen: i love those sea otters. fresh off their latest grammy nomination and first win, the alphabet rockers are back in the bay area. ♪ hip-hop music children's collective based in oakland. the work is focused on education, diversity and a healthy lifestyle. they took him the grammy for best children's album.

♪ at the lawrence hall of silence -- science as part of the premier of its cartoon series. it focuses on science, technology and math concepts. just ahead, the ref with the moves on the court. larry: this is really good -- it's more than just fun.

♪ ♪ before the xfinity 10g network we didn't have internet that let us play all at once. every device? in every room? why are you up here? with speeds like this, i can't even dream of what he'll be able to do. get xfinity internet for just $25 a month with no annual contract during our limited time launch celebration. you have no idea how good you've got it. huh? what a time to be alive. introducing the next- generation 10g network. only from xfinity.

larry: tonight, prime time on abc 7, it is the bachelor followed by the company you teach -- company you keep. a catholic youth organization basketball referee is known for not only his calls but his moves as well. chris alvarez introduces us to the dancing ref. >> in the heat of a basketball battle, referees don't always see i to i with players or coaches. in the bait area, brandon mason is changing that one call at a time. >> i like being around the families and the children, and i'm just having fun. and i get some exercise. >> that exercise comes in the art form that has him affectionately known as the dancing ref. >> every game, i feel i have the

best seat in the house. i want everybody to have fun. >> the bay area at native works as a program director and has been resting used games for decades. but it's the moves, not the whistle that capture the most attention. >> one of my mentors when i started said it's ok to put a little mustard on it. he should be what he meant and i took it from there. >> and like any good mentor, the dancing ref pays it forward. he taught me the tricks of the trade. >> if it's a travel, elbows up -- then you do this, you got to put a little hips into it. >> hold on -- slowdown. >> there it is. stop the clock. you've got to put your hand here. take a step to the side. come back.

you've got some soul. >> don't tell me i can't move. i think i will keep my day job. his moves also translate to the gridiron. >> and i am the ref of enthusiasm. my brother is >> the head coach. >>over the decades, he's built quite the following. >> parents see me, so they know me and they come out in the stands. wherever i go, they know the dancing ref. larry: fun. he makes the game fun for the kids -- if you are a parent or a coach, you can't be yelling because brandon is cap the moves. good stuff. abc7news streaming 24/7. get the streaming app and join us wherever you want wherever

you are. that's going to do it for this edition of abc7news at 4:00.

go the extra mile this presidents' day in a volvo mild-hybrid vehicle.

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7news. >> i think we have a deep love for this city, so everybody is devastated. >> it's the oldest black church in the east bay. now the pastor of fame, the first african-american episcopal church of oakland, is promising they will rise from the ashes. >> tonight an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. ama: already the community is coming together, vowing to rebuild. reporter: