workers come back to the office. gap, salesforce and others have joined the call. president trump asked federal workers to return five days a week. >> oakland workers are returning to the office four days a week. and in san francisco, mayor daniel lowry has also uh- desired that city workers come back to the office four days a week. that request came in a memo we told you about last month, but now it is official. >> abc seven news reporter luz pena is live in the newsroom with the very latest. luis. >> yes. mayor lowry hinted at this a month ago. and now, after the latest survey by the city's department of human resources showed that 30% of city workers are in three days a week. the memo went out. the subject line in-person work. this is the official mandate for san francisco city employees to go back to the office for a minimum of four days a week, as soon as possible. >> we are in a new era here in san francisco, and we need

people back to work to make sure that we're delivering great services to our taxpayers and to the residents of our city. >> according to the city's human resources department, 24,000 or 70% of city employees work in person five or more days a week. mayor daniel lowry is now asking for the remaining employees to do the same. one of those impacted is a worker that wants to go by the name megan. she moved two hours away from the city in 2020 to afford a home. she comes in to the office three days a week. >> right now we're just renting a room here in the city just for me to work on site during those three days. so i think it's very difficult for us to adjust right now. >> megan says she is highly productive at home and is concerned. four days a week is a start to an ultimate push for a full time, in-person plan. what's your plan. >> if the mayor insists that it will go through with the four days, then maybe four days, then it will transition to full time five days. it's either we resign or we sell our house there and

then rent full time here. >> at city hall's ground floor. joe johnson, owner of cafe lounge, a collective of black owned businesses in the bayview, is looking forward to this change. you're excited? >> i'm excited. i don't think the people are, but i am. >> this is not just a city hall issue. a weekly average of 43% of overall workers are back at downtown offices, according to city data numbers that are putting san francisco in last place behind other major cities like austin, los angeles, new york and san jose. are you hoping that the mayor's announcement is going to influence and motivate other companies too the same, to ask their workers to come back? >> absolutely. i think i think all of us need to lead by example. i think that's a great present that he set. >> the mayor is hoping his decision sends a strong message to the private sector. >> we'll see that impact of having more people taking part, taking muni into downtown san francisco. >> and the mayor said april 28th

as the target date for the full implementation of this change, and instructed the department of human resources to take necessary steps to make this plan official and send the notice to the unions representing these workers. in the newsroom luz pena, abc seven news. >> thank you. happening right now, the oakland unified school district is discussing and is expected to vote on a plan to eliminate dozens of jobs, much like other districts in the bay area. it needs to make a decision on layoffs so it can send out preliminary letters by march 15th. it has a deficit of nearly $100 million, and it needs to get a balanced budget passed in the next couple of months. the district had discussed closing and merging schools, but that plan never came to fruition. >> oh. oh. >> thousands of uc health care and research employees are on strike. two unions representing uc service and patient care workers are on strike at all ten

uc campuses and uc medical facilities. nearly 10,000 workers are on the picket lines at ucsf campuses. union members say they have been dealing with a staffing crisis. they're also demanding annual across the board wage increases. >> we want to take care of our patients. we want to get back in the labs. we want to take care of the students. but we can't do that until they come and come back to the table. address the crisis. provide us the data that we requested, and stop trying to put barriers on our way. >> uc officials say they have offered each union meaningful wage increases, as well as health care premium reductions. ucsf health says it intends to continue regular operations, including emergency care, during the strike. >> and now on to a story many of you have been following and probably impacted by local insurance companies raising rates or simply just pulling up stakes and leaving california. state farm insurance asking for a 38% emergency rate increase that would start may 1st.

>> state farm says the hike is needed to help cover costs associated with the los angeles wildfires. today, california's insurance commissioner sat down with state farm officials. >> and abc seven news reporter suzanne vaughn is here live in studio with a look at what happened. hi, suzanne. >> hey, larry. kristen. the commissioner says he wanted to hear from state farm why an immediate rate hike is necessary and justified. now, according to the commissioner. state farm is concerned about its credit rating and whether it can continue to pay out all its claims. state farm says it has already paid more than $1 billion to cover about 9500 claims related to the la fires. the devastating wildfires in los angeles could be one of the costliest disasters for insurance companies. california homeowners are also worriedrnia about their own insurance policies, says state insurance commissioner ricardo lara. >> our company is going to leave. am i going to have an option and that am i going to get dropped. >> about three weeks ago? state farm general asked for an immediate emergency rate hike.

that's the california subsidiary of state farm. it wants to increase homeowner policies 22%, condo owner policies by 15%, and insurance for rental units by 38%. the state insurance commissioner sat down with state farm representatives to get answers. >> my immediate question to them was, can you pay out the claims for the current fire victims as we're operating on day by day? and that was they assured me that they do have that. >> the commissioner also wanted to know about state farm's plan for the future. >> i want to know one that if state farm consumers are going to be asked to pay more, that we get some guarantees that one, they're going to continue to grow their footprint and that they're going to stay in california. >> state farm general insurance company is the largest insurer in the golden state. in may 2023, it stopped writing new policies in california, and in may 2024, it did not renew thousands of existing policies. critics say state farm has a lot

to prove in order to secure a rate increase. >> they've had rate increase after rate increase and there's a process in california to make sure that the rate increases are fair and fair for californians. >> consumer watchdog says homeowners insured by state farm could pay an additional $600 a year for their policies. >> when you're looking at such a big number up to a $600 increase, we just really think you need to go through the process and make sure that it's going to be the right number and fair for californians and protect them. >> the insurance commissioner says he's reviewing the information from today's meeting with state farm, and hopes to make a decision in two weeks or so. consumer watchdog, on the other hand, believes the insurance commissioner needs to hold a full rate hearing, saying that this is an important issue that affects a lot of people. live in the studio suzanne phan abc seven news. >> suzanne. thank you. governor newsom unveiled his blueprint to help with the recovery from the southern california wildfires. >> as we promote the state's economic growth from a

community led perspective, bottom up, not top down, not selling a vision and recognizing that a state vision, a federal vision is realized locally. and localism, as we say, is determinative and will be determinative in terms of the recovery here in los angeles from the devastation of the wildfires. >> newsom calls the blueprint california jobs first. it's expected to alle millions of dollars in state funds to help in the l.a. area. now, this is a separate initiative from the one that was launched three years ago. the governor has already requested nearly $40 billion in additional federal funds for wildfire relief. >> in san francisco. supervisor jackie fielder has announced an initiative to explore how the city can support a cooperative network of independent pharmacies that collectively purchase medications. more than 50 pharmacies have closed in the city since 2015, with 12 more set to close at the end of this month. officials say these closures have caused a pharmacy desert, where low income residents must travel farther to

get their prescriptions filled. >> to the south bay, now in san jose, city leaders are pushing for faster, cost effective solutions to help with the homeless crisis. but a family says these quick fixes are not only they're not working, but they can actually end up being deadly. >> abc seven news reporter dustin dorsey explains how they hope their traumatic loss can lead to answers to one of santa clara county's biggest problems. >> with the smell of smoke still in the air near the site of a charred fence, a daughter places down a bright reminder of her father at the exact spot he lost his life. >> i just want one more day with my dad. i feel like my children were robbed of him. >> through tears and smiles, rosemary molina remembered her father, rafael ralph molina, a former reserve san jose police officer and a man she described as giving, generous and the hardest worker she ever knew. but his struggles with mental health and addiction left him to live out his final years on the streets of san jose.

>> it's a disease, and it's something that he couldn't help, and it's no one's fault. my dad had a family. you never know what people are going through. >> city crews recently swept molina's tent, forcing him to leave without any of his belongings, including portable heaters. he moved and rebuilt, but he now had to use a fire to stay warm on cold nights. molina died from smoke inhalation. >> i do believe that moving his encampment contributed to the factors of why he died that night. >> my brother was a good, good guy. he didn't bother anybody. he didn't steal. he didn't hurt anybody. he was just a good guy, you know? and it's unfortunate that he passed. >> through his tragedy. molina's family hopes help can follow. the city of san jose touts faster solutions as a way to end suffering and prevent deaths. molina's daughter doesn't see it that way. she said her father tried moving into interim housing, but he wasn't a fit for some and others had no vacancy. she plans to use her experience to advocate for better solutions. >> you can't tell me that this county, the richest county in the country, doesn't have the

resources to figure this out until there are more houses and beds for every person on the street. we need to stop moving the encampments. they told the city that someone was going to die and unfortunately, that person was my father. >> a gofundme page was created to give molina a proper service, a way to honor a man who meant so much to his family and his city in san jose. dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> san francisco's central subway is now closed for repairs for the next two and a half weeks. sfmta needs to fix water leaks and damage to the tunnel. the closure will affect all four muni metro stations from fourth and brannan to chinatown. the central subway is scheduled to reopen march 14th. >> coming up on abc seven news at four. a new possible twist in a decades old murder case, and hope for the two brothers accused of killing their parents. the changes that heat can do to your body and they are not good. plus, the red carpet is out and ready for the oscars on sunday. but have you ever wondered why is the carpet actually red? the history you

might not know. >> i'm spencer christian. our spring fling with weather continues, but not for long. there's rain on the way and i'll have the accuweather forecast

i mean, i know how the fire affected me, and there's always a constant fear that who's to say something like that won't happen again? that's fair. we committed to underground, 10,000 miles of electric line. you look back at where we were 10 years ago and we are in a completely different place today, and it's because of how we need to care for our communities and our customers. i hope that's true. [joe] that's my commitment. [ambient noise]

according to her mother, the actress was best known for her roles in buffy the vampire slayer and gossip girl. she started her career at age three

and rose to prominence in the 90s with harriet the spy and the adventures of pete and pete. she went on to star in black christmas and eurotrip. in 2004, she earned an emmy nomination for hosting the show truth or scare. the cause of death is currently unknown. she was 39. >> new developments. now in the menendez brothers case, governor newsom asking the state board of parole to investigate whether the brothers would pose a risk to the public if they are released. >> the move is giving the brothers and their family hope that they could soon be released. reporter rob hayes, from our sister station in los angeles has the update. >> lyle and erik menendez did something most people could not imagine doing. they shotgunnedt their own parents to death back in 1989. today, amid a movement to release the brothers, governor gavin newsom, who has the power to commute their sentences. pump the brakes a bit. >> we are moving forward with an investigation, a risk assessment investigation that i've directed to the board of parole hearings.

>> newsom says that risk assessment will be conducted by public safety experts and forensic psychologists to determine if the brothers pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. after more than 30 years in prison, the menendez brothers were finally seeing a ray of hope. >> i know that they would be proud of us. >> last year, this netflix movie brought their story back to the limelight with a sympathetic perspective. plus, the brothers presented what they say was new evidence showing they were sexually assaulted by their father, jose and then district attorney george gascon recommended the courts resentence the two. >> under the law, resentencing is appropriate. >> but with gascon voted out of office, the brothers argument to be released seems to be losing steam. new da nathan hochman just last week announced that his office will oppose the brothers request for a new trial. meantime, the attorneys for the menendez brothers see governor newsom's request for a risk assessment as another step forward, writing, the family

realizes that the governor's action does not mean he will commute the sentences. instead, this initial step reflects the governor's considered decision to at least obtain the information required to make a fair decision. newsom says his risk assessment comes with no guarantee of outcome, just expediency. >> my hope is to get that report and that hearing done in a matter of weeks. my goal is within 90 days. >> rob hays, abc seven news. >> san jose judge is ordering one of the nation's biggest car sellers to pay out $650,000 as part of a consumer protection settlement. the santa clara county district attorney's office says over the past five years, auto nation had a pattern of transferring ownership of used cars to purchasers late past the 30 day deadline in california. as part of the settlement, autonation must create and enforce policies that ensure people receive their registration and ownership

paperwork in a timely manner. >> let's turn to the forecast. it is a glorious day outside. if we could just keep just keep running it back. run it back, run it back. yeah. >> was it hard to come into work today for you, larry? >> oh, yeah. >> spencer will take that as a yes. and for good reason. >> larry, why is this day any different from any other? good point. wow. let's take a look at that glorious day larry was talking about. here's the satellite radar image you can see. high pressure is the controlling factor in our weather, and will remain in control for a couple more days before we get some unsettled weather coming our way. but we'll worry about that later. right now, it's nice and calm and clear. we've got wind speeds almost across the entire region, under ten miles per hour and quite a warm up. the 24 hour temperature change shows most locations at least a few degrees warmer than at this time yesterday. san jose is ten degrees warmer right now than at this time yesterday. here's the view from emeryville. looking westward 69 degrees here in the city right now. oakland 65. 74 apiece at hayward and san jose. 71 at redwood

city. 63 at half moon bay. we've got bright blue sky and breezy conditions over the golden gate. it's 73, in santa rosa, petaluma, 6871 at napa and 70 apiece at fairfield and concord. as we look across the embarcadero under blue skies once again, let's check out our forecast headlines. it will be warm again tomorrow as this spring fling continues. weekend outlook calls for cloudier, cooler and unsettled weather. larry will probably stay home those days. the rain returns on sunday and continues into next week. overnight we'll have mainly clear skies, maybe a few thin clouds here and there. overnight, low temperatures will be mainly in the mid to upper 40s. and then tomorrow another beautiful spring like day in late february with high temperatures under sunny skies ranging from 70 at the coast to 72 here in san francisco around the bay shoreline. we'll see mid to upper 7075 to about 77 degrees, mainly mid to upper 70 inland as well, with san jose topping out at about 78 degrees. now let's skip ahead. take a look at the

forecast animation starting on friday morning. this frontal system will start to sweep in and start to push into the bay area late saturday saturday evening. we might see a few preliminary showers before steadier, more widespread rain arrives on sunday. continues into monday. then maybe we'll get a little bit of a break, but it looks like the pattern will remain unsettled going into the middle of next week. here's the accuweather seven day forecast. and as you can see, we have nice, quiet, calm and mild weather through friday. cloudier and cooler on saturday with the first day of march, by the way, ushering in this unsettled weather. sunday oscar sunday rain arrives and you can see the oscars, by the way, right here on abc seven on sunday evening. so we're talking about a level one storm on sunday and into monday on the exclusive abc seven storm impact scale. it's hard to say with precision what how much we'll get rain how much rain we'll get. on tuesday and wednesday, the pattern will remain unsettled and there are chances of rain extending into the middle of next week. but it's early in the

forecast period now, so we can't be very precise until later in the week. >> so enjoy the next few days while i decide whether to show up or not. >> but if you don't show up, enjoy yourself. >> yeah. thank you, thank you. i'll get a tan. >> until they get a hold of you. >> yeah. by the way, for the second straight week, we've got the warriors dubs on seven. catch the warriors and the reeling 76 ers saturday night. that game is in philly. our coverage begins at five. tip off at 530 followed by after the game. >> christopher reeve's son finishes what his father started his quest coming up. >> and how to have fun and y safe in our national

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>> fresh socks. there's something about fresh socks, right? that just makes you feel better. >> especially when you know they're going to help you not get those blisters. >> totally. oh, and i can smell these from here. it smells so good. you can cleanse, exfoliate, massage, and nourish. >> all right, sponge l it's a one all in one beauty treatment that's made in america right here. >> yeah. these body wash infused buffers offer time released lather that makes every shower feel like a spa experience. you can choose from a variety of the lush fragrances, all for 50% off. sam. >> yeah, no, they smell really good. they're filling up the room right here. all right. how about some really yummy hot chocolate. >> this time of year? it's always a yes. right? so topia is decadent. hot chocolate really hits the spot. the rich italian hot chocolate is lusciously creamy because it's made with chocolate shavings instead of powder. yes. >> yes, please. now i got something else for you. we also have their one pot wonders. they're really hard to kind of pick me ups on a cold winter night. all you have to do is add water. it's your choice of protein. you put it in or you can keep it vegetarian. you just simmer it and serve it. it's

flavorful meals without any fuss at all. i mean, zero and you can save 50% with our deal. >> that sounds great. to save on these comfy cozy finds, scan the qr code or head to abc.com to get shopping. >> in 1995, superman actor christopher reeve was in the middle of making a documentary about the migration of gray whales. but that work, and eventually his life, was cut short by a tragic horse riding accident. now, 30 years later, reeve's son wants to finish what his father started. the quest to finish that documentary is theto focus of a new abc news special, will reeve finding my father. it airs tonight on abc seven. on our midday show today we got a preview from will reeve, who told us why it was so important for him to finish his father's documentary. >> i grew up wanting to go back to the places that that he had been for this documentary and wanting to sort of experience that part of the world in the way that he did, in the hopes that it might bring me closer to

a fuller understanding of the man. because this the version of my dad that you see in his old documentary and then in this new one that i've made here at abc, you see a man in full flight. >> will reeve finding my father airs tonight at ten on abc seven. it will stream the next day on hulu. >> that will be fascinating. just ahead, president trump holding his first cabinet meeting of his current administration. plus. >> a measles related death reported in the u.s. for the first time in a decade. i'm reena roy, and i'll have more on the outbreak coming up. >> and a possible about face for the supreme court when it comes

hundred days on the trump administration. president trump held the first cabinet meeting of his second term today, gathering his cabinet picks that are confirmed and still awaiting confirmation together in one room. >> so, along with the president and vice president j.d. vance and elon musk in attendance, with the president calling on musk to speak first. abc news reporter christiane cordero has the details from washington. >> today, president trump held his second term's first cabinet meeting, complete with television cameras around those chosen to lead each department. seated standing leader elon musk the tension of musk's slashing of the federal workforce brought to the table. >> do you let the cabinet speak just for a second? >> yeah, exactly. >> very unhappy to say it. you know, if you are, will throw them out of here. is anybody unhappy that. >> the white house says more than 1 million people responded to musk's ultimatum last week,

asking some 2 million federal workers to list five things they accomplished or lose their jobs. musk today defended that email. >> i think that email perhaps was best interpreted as a performance review, but actually it was a pulse check review. uh- do you have a pulse? do you have a pulse and two neurons? so if you have a pulse on two neurons, you can reply to an email. >> several department heads in the room today told their employees not to reply, including those of the fbi, state department and department of justice. abc news chief white house correspondent mary bruce asked whether the roughly 1 million workers who didn't respond now risk being fired. and what is your target number for? for how many workers employees you're looking to cut total? >> we wish to keep everyone who is doing a job that is essential and doing that job well. >> i'd like to add that those million people that haven't responded though, elon, they are on the bubble. >> in defending doj's actions, musk said the department won't be perfect and it's moving quickly to fix mistakes. three

cabinet secretary picks spoke at today's meeting. of the more than a dozen seated around the table. christiane cordero, abc news, washington. >> ukrainian officials say they have reached the framework of an agreement on a deal to give the u.s. access to ukraine's deposits of rare earth minerals. details are still being finalized, but the agreement does not include explicit military support for ukraine. president zelensky says he hopes to discuss that further and in person with president trump. the two leaders are expected to meet in the coming days in washington, d.c. >> the supreme court is signaling that it could become easier to file reverse discrimination lawsuits. the court seems likely to side with an ohio woman who claims she was denied a promotion because she is straight. the case challenges a requirement in some courts that members from majority groups provide more evidence to move a discrimination case forward. some changes coming to the washington post. billionaire owner jeff bezos is directing its opinion section to now defend personal liberties and

the free market. only bezos, who also owns amazon, said on social media that viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others. it's a shift that prompted the opinion page editor to resign. it's the latest in a series of resignations after bezos signaled a change in direction for the paper after the new administration took hold. >> i'm. >> now to new developments in the recent measles outbreak. a child has died in west texas from the disease. that's the first measles related death in this recent outbreak. >> and now new mexico is seeing a rise in cases. abc news reporter reena roy has the latest. >> officials say this young child was unvaccinated. and while the outbreaks in these two states may not be linked, according to officials, experts say we could see more cases pop up around the country. the measles outbreak turning deadly in west texas, where the state health department says a school age child who was unvaccinated died in the city of lubbock. the cdc says this is the first measles death in the country in

a decade. more than 120 people infected so far in west texas. doctor laura johnson is a pediatrician there. >> i didn't expect to ever take care of measles patients in my career in any meaningful way. it seems like something from the past. but if we don't continue to vaccinate and do the things that we did in order to make these illnesses of the past, then they'll be illnesses of the present. >> several cases have also been reported in new mexico. >> we're watching it, and there are about 20 people hospitalized, mainly for quarantine. we're watching it. we put out a post on it yesterday and we're going to continue to follow it. >> measles is the most contagious infection that exists today. it's spreading very much as expected. unfortunately, historically, it often spreads mostly among children and young adolescents. and that seems to be exactly what's happening today. >> officials say there is no apparent link between the outbreaks, but experts warn more cases could be on the way in other parts of the country. >> it's not a question of if,

it's a question of when we will see more measles cases popping up around the united states. since the pandemic, we've seen vaccination rates slowly decline. >> doctors say historically, most people who are hospitalized with the disease are unvaccinated. >> the number one way to protect ourselves from measles is to get vaccinated. that vaccine is up to 97% effective in preventing measles. so if you are fully vaccinated, your risk of measles is relatively low. >> the measles vaccine provides lifelong protection. experts advise those living in outbreak areas to talk to their doctor if they're concerned about their vaccination status. reena roy, abc news, new york. >> still ahead, an age limit on cruising. and do you know what the best coffee in the world is and

as officials warn, egg prices will continue to rise. more businesses are adding surcharges for eggs. mcdonald's, though, is taking a stand. the company says it will not add a surcharge on eggs. it's even lowering prices this sunday. it's selling $1 egg mcmuffins calling it national egg mcmuffin day, which will make warren buffett very happy. it's the billion he starts every every day with with an egg mcmuffin. he's 93 years old, also drinks five cokes a day, which we don't really advise, but but it's crazy. you go to costco, they're out of eggs. or the eggs are like $20 a carton somewhere. >> yeah, or at trader joe's. you

know, you can buy one at a time and you have to get there early in the day. i made the mistake of going, i think, on a sunday afternoon. oh my gosh, everything was gone. like, you can't wait. >> yeah, yeah, i like the egg mcmuffin. so i think i'm going to follow mcdonald's offer there and go for the $1 egg mcmuffin this sunday. >> you might have to stock up. >> yeah. >> they freeze. well. >> it is hard to find eggs. oh my gosh. and especially at trader joe's. you're right. if you don't get there by what, 9:00 in the morning? forget it. you're eggless. >> yeah, i heard them talking somebody else at the checkout stand, and the person was saying, yeah, we get them in the morning and we put them out. and once it's out, that's it. >> so yeah, i experienced that as well. so i'm wondering if mcdonald's has like a secret chicken farm somewhere where they're getting their eggs or a long term contract because how they could afford to do this i'm not sure. all right. cruise lines are setting age limits for passengers. royal caribbean and carnival cruise lines have raised the minimum age requirement for unaccompanied passengers. they now must be at least 21 for cruises departing u.s. destinations. anyone under

that must book with a guardian or relative 25 or older. that doesn't make sense. i mean, think about the liability, the drinking. >> alcohol, being on a ship middle of the ocean. yep. >> so are we. is this really targeted for those between the ages of 18 and 21? >> i would think so. >> yeah. that's the window that they're. yeah. you know, trying to limit i guess, you know, if you're on a family vacation, you don't want a bunch of, you know, like spring break. >> oh yeah. without adults. yeah. >> yeah, yeah. with no adult supervision. >> oh, that's. >> also older people are probably not like old, but more adults. people may not want to be on a cruise if a bunch of 18 year olds are just like, you know, partying it up everywhere. yeah. >> but this rule actually eliminates the college age crowd. yeah, right. pretty much 18 to 21. yeah. >> was there accompanied by. >> your parents. >> somebody 25 or older. >> yeah. >> you know, if you're that age you don't want to do that anyway. yeah. >> amazon shuffleboard. >> yeah. >> fun.

>> yeah. >> it's so cool. midnight buffet. amazon is giving alexa an upgrade. alexa plus is the same digital assistant but with an ai twist because everything has an ai twist these days, alexa plus can book reservations or alert you when your favorite artist is in town. amazon says the upgrade also makes alexa better at having conversations. it's free for amazon prime members, but 1999 a month for everybody else who talks to their. >> alexa to have a conversation with alexa. >> i don't understand. i'm like, there's already so many devices listening to us. i don't need more like siri. and alexa. >> starts talking to me without me prompting. it's like it's been listening to me and thinks that i'm talking to it and it just answers or says something, and i'm like, what? >> that's happened to me as well, you know? i'm not talking to you, alexa. yeah. >> shut it. alexa. >> yeah. alexa is kind of nosy like that. uh- what? do you find any real advantage to having alexa in your house? spencer. like, does she turn the lights on and off, or. you have a smart house? >> stir it. well, it's pretty

smart house. i live there, but. >> oh, spencer. oh, no respect at all. oh, let me tell you. oh, sorry. >> no, i ask alexa to play music. you know. >> that's what we do. >> it is convenient. it is okay, but it's going too far. when your toilet starts getting ai or something like that, it has to stop somewhere. not everything has to be. >> i quit. >> i'm just saying. >> spencer's house. well, yeah. yeah. >> because everything is smart there, apparently. okay. where's the best coffee on earth? you might be surprised. toby's estate coffee roasters in australia has been dubbed the world's best coffee shop by 100 best coffee shops.com. the judges focused on coffee quality, sustainability efforts and customer service. bay area favorites ritual roasters and verve coffee were semifinalists, but they didn't make the top 100. >> who's toby? >> apparently a great coffee maker. >> i guess so. >> kristen, you describe

yourself as a coffee snob. so what do you make of this? >> what a snob. >> or aficionado. >> how about that? well. >> you know, i like philz. that's my favorite. probably. blue bottle's not bad, but phil's. yeah, i think it's very personal, don't you think? like what makes for a good coffee? it is. it's like wine, spencer. you should know about that. >> it's a lot like. yeah, you're right. it's a subjective thing. everyone's palate is different, and our tastes are different. yeah, yeah. >> well. >> also, i think like peet's coffee is generally stronger than what you would get at starbucks. so it depends on what your preference. >> i kind of like peet's because of that. the strong flavor. >> starbucks is kind of burned. i don't know if you call that weak or strong, but it's just kind of burned. >> ouch. >> you're burning starbucks right now. yeah. anyway, i mean, next time you're in australia, spencer, doing smart things with smart people. >> yeah. >> you can check out toby's roastery and report back to us. >> i'll do that. all right. >> all right. >> i'm feeling really dumb right now. i don't know why. >> well, leave it. >> right there. please. >> please save that. >> tape also.

>> for me. >> that's it for

america's national parks. more than 300 million people visit them each year. we're talking about the grand canyon, yellowstone, yosemite. among the most popular. and while they do offer breathtaking views and memories that would last a lifetime, there's also some risks in these parks. abc news reporter jacqueline lee has a look at what you can do to stay safe. >> the national parks offer a

glimpse of america like no other. breathtaking views, unforgettable experiences and stories we pass on for generations. but these parks naturally come with dangers. each year, according to the national park service, roughly 250 people out of the hundreds of millions who visit die from dehydration, heat exhaustion, falling off trails or encountering wildlife. in early february, a hiker fell to his death at utah's zion national park. last july, grace roloff, a student at arizona state university, died while descending the fixed cables at yosemite's half dome. her father, jonathan, was with her. >> she was my hiking buddy. she was, you know, she her and i did so much together and enjoyed our times. and, you know, since she's been gone, it's been a sad blanket over me. >> jonathan, who says grace was an experienced hiker and well prepared, is calling for increased safety measures. >> i like to preserve nature. i don't want to ruin half dome, but make it safer without

ruining it. you know, provide more information without overwhelming people. i think everything in life has a balance, and i do believe that there's probably common sense solutions that could be had if we take a look at it. >> the national park service says if you attempt the climb, take your time, remain inside the cables, and if storm clouds roll in, descend immediately. among other precautions to consider before climbing. last august, i visited the grand canyon, which receives nearly 5 million visitors a year. megan smith, coordinator of the park's preventative search and rescue, tells us, before your trip, do your research and be honest about your fitness level. also, be mindful of the heat. many underestimate how dangerous it can be. >> you're going to have a lot of water loss and you're with it going to lose a lot of electrolyte. so it's important that you replenish that electrolyte. eating food is the best way. pretzels, salty chips, anything like that. >> because you're losing that through your sweat so quickly. >> you can tell if you see somebody really in it that's been hiking hard and they're in

a dark colored hat or t shirt, they're going to have salt stains all over their shirt and their hat sometimes even built up on their eyelashes. and that tells me, as a medical provider, that somebody that i want to pay attention to. >> park rangers add, make sure you wear proper footwear, bring plenty of water and sun protection, keep a safe distance from wildlife and let loved ones know your itinerary. jacqueline lee, abc news, los angeles. >> a study finds extreme heat is linked to accelerated aging. the study, published in the journal science advances, suggests that heat waves and rising temperatures from climate change could be chemically modifying people's dna and speeding up their biological aging. researchers found that people living in areas that go above 90 degrees for 140 days or more a year could age up to 14 months faster than someone in an area with fewer than ten extreme heat days a year. >> so in places like palm springs and scottsdale, arizona. >> yeah, that's something to think about. >> yeah, it's a little scary the way the temperatures are going. yeah. >> not extreme here.

>> no, but very smart. yeah. smart weather. >> smart smart smart, smart and nice. that's spencer. >> okay, well, i'll take it. let's take a look at what's going on with our smart weather. overnight, we'll have mainly clear skies, a few thin, high clouds possible. overnight lows will be generally in the mid to upper 40s. then tomorrow, another very unseasonably mild day, much like today, with high temperatures ranging from 70 at the coast to mid and upper 70s around the bay shoreline to mid and upper 70s inland. it's going to be a beautiful day as we wind down the month of february. but we do have some unsettled weather coming our way. here's the satellite radar composite image. the actually the futurecast we call it. notice that frontal system sweeping in late saturday into sunday. it will be a rainmaker for us. we may have rain continuing into the first couple of days of next week, as this unsettled pattern is going to hang around for a while. so here's the accuweather seven day forecast after friday, which will be our last dry day for a while. march arrives with cooler, cloudier, wetter weather over the weekend again that may extend into the middle

of next week. we may not get rain every single day, but the pattern is so unsettled that there are chances of rain each day into the middle of next week. larry and kristen. >> all right. thank you spencer. enjoy. the next couple of days will be nice and sunny. yes. all right. we're one step closer to hollywood's big night. >> today, the red carpet was rolled out. but why is it a red carpet? a bit of the history behind the iconic (vo) with usps ground advantage, it's like you're with us every step of the way. ♪

(man) cooool. ♪ (man) right on time! (vo) stay in the know. from your dock... to their door. i'm not happy with the way that pg&e handled the wildfires. yeah. yeah. i totally, totally understand. we're adding a ton of sensors. as soon as something comes in contact with the power line, it'll turn off so that there's not a risk that it's gonna fall to the ground and start a fire. okay. and i want you to be able to feel the improvements. we've been able to reduce wildfire risk from our equipment by over 90%. that's something i want to believe. [skateboard sounds]

shifting gears, followed by abbott elementary, then at nine, celebrity jeopardy! jeopardy! and ten will reeve. finding my father. and then stay with us for abc seven news at 11. a reminder that the countdown to the oscars is on. we arew just four days away from hollywood's big night right here on abc seven. and today, the famous red carpet was rolled out at the dolby theater in hollywood. first time oscars host conan o'brien was there to help, lending a hand to the workers. but just why is the red carpet red? reporter joelle gargiulo, from our sister station in new york has a bit of history on. >> the red carpet, where fashion and film collide and fashion statements become fashion history. synonymous with style, the show before the show has millions tuning in to see who is wearing what. >> i think it's the most important fashion moment. it's the original runway. >> and while the 97th annual academy awards will celebrate the greatest stories on screen, it turns out the crimson colored carpet has a pretty good one,

too. with roots far from hollywood dating back to 458 bc. the first written mention of it is in the ancient greek play agamemnon. >> historically, when you think about the red carpet, it certainly dates back literally thousands of years from the ancient greeks originally had it. the story of the red carpet comes from the fact that cochineal, it's a very expensive dye. they wanted to use the best dyes to make this very expensive carpet that only royalty, kings and queens, caesars could walk on. >> for centuries, the red carpet remained exclusive to royalty and rulers. in 1821, presidents were added to the list thanks to james monroe, the first to use a red carpet. then, at the turn of the 20th century, the age of luxury travel arrived, and so did the term, rolling out the red carpet. it didn't hit hollywood until 1922. robin hood starring douglas fairbanks the first film premiere to use a red carpet. back then, it was the place for stars to be seen and sought out in the 90s. joan

rivers almost single handedly revolutionized it with four words that changed everything. your mom revolutionized the red carpet? >> yes. did she start? >> who are you wearing? >> yes. it flew out of her mouth when she couldn't think of what to ask somebody. it just stuck. >> today, it's way more than a preview to the main event. it's a multi-million dollar industry. when somebody nails it, come oscars night, what financial impact can that have? >> that kind of press, that kind of coverage and that kind of star. bringing your gown alive can change your entire career path. designers take these outfits and looks and they just cascade down, and it isn't long before you see them on the high street in various other forms. maybe not that dress, but those colors, those patterns, little details that you see. >> and for the stars who walk it when. >> you're on this red carpet. >> it's a great year. >> this night is a celebration. >> possibly not. get excited. >> when you get to walk on it. you see people walk up to it and stop. do i dare take that step?

>> because remember at the oscars, the road to gold begins with red. >> and you can see all the red carpet action as the stars stroll into the theater on the oscars this sunday, right here on abc seven. our coverage begins with on the red carpet. that's at 1230 in the afternoon. the oscars red carpet show is at 330, and the oscars begins earlier this year, earlier than ever, in fact. so be mindful of that at 4 p.m. right here on abc seven. that's it for abc seven news at four. i'm larry beil. abc seven news at five is coming up next.

always live. abc seven news starts right now. >> you want to be as just as vigilant about clicking on a text uh- clicking on a link in a text as you would be in clicking on a link in an email. >> tonight, a warning