now abc seven mornings live. >> right now at 6:00. several

major bay area companies announcing layoffs, and they're replacing employees with i. >> an update on the status of the presidio trust. we're learning about its earnings and how that can help keep it going, even though it's being targeted by president trump. >> plus, a halftime show that bay area music fans can get behind the big name, helping kick off the season for the oakland roots. >> and we are helping you kick off this friday. it is february the 28th. thanks so much for being here. >> let's check on the weather with drew. >> yes, we have one more mild day before cooler weather comes in here for the upcoming weekend. we'll take you to our tam cam this morning as we see some of the first hints of daylight. we do have a fair amount of cloud cover moving in right now, so we'll start out with partly sunny skies this morning, and then throughout the afternoon it will be a mix of sun and clouds. will still keep it mild for the final day of february. temperatures right now actually running a couple of degrees warmer compared to this time yesterday. so we begin in the mid 40s mid 50s right now. fremont. good morning 49 a

little bit warmer in the city at 55 in the north bay. it's a similar setup 40 and 50 on the board, 43 in santa rosa 52. that current temperature in sausalito. so future weather will show you those clouds overhead this morning, but it still will be a mild day. here's your 11:30 a.m. temperatures and it feels nice already pleasant in the 60s. and then later on this afternoon, not as warm as yesterday, but still above average in the 60s and in the 70. so we're going for a high of 69 in oakland, 67 in the city, about 74 in santa rosa, the same in san jose, 70 from concord to antioch, fremont coming in at 73 degrees. let's check in with sue hall, see how we're doing on the roads this morning. >> good morning everyone. it is friday and we do have metering lights on at the bay bridge toll plaza. they were turned on about 545, but a pretty minor backup. and we do have some brake lights on the western portion of the span. there's a look at your drive from hercules into the city. we did have reports that the golden gate bridge of an accident in toll lane two. i am not seeing any backups at all

there, so maybe they cleared it out of the way rather quickly. we'll check back with chp about a 35 minute drive up and over the altamont from 205 merging into 580, and that's all the way into livermore and dublin pleasanton and southbound to a pardon me southbound 101 in mill valley. we have a second problem this morning with a car that almost flipped over blocking lanes, guys. >> all right, sue, thank you. this morning, a protest that's been gaining momentum online is making its way offline. activists are calling for americans to take part in a 24 hour economic blackout, saying we should boycott major retailers. abc seven news reporter lena howland is live with us in martinez now. lena, what's the goal behind this boycott? >> well, stephanie, the goal behind this boycott is to show bigger corporations who really holds the power. according to consumer activist group called the people's union. now we're set up at a starbucks in martinez. they've been open since about 4:00 this morning.

and despite this boycott, we have still seen a steady stream of customers heading in side and also using their drive through. the founder of the people's union says if we stand together, we don't just demand change, we create it. frustration over high prices at retailers is a driving factor for today's economic blackout, but experts have said they're not sure what, if any, impact this spending boycott will have on the issue. the boycott is calling on americans to avoid any non-essential shopping online or in person, with a focus on avoiding major retailers like amazon, walmart and best buy. this also comes as some are protesting retailers like target for rolling back dei programs. >> they respond to one thing money, dollars, and so many of us around the country said, well, let's flex our dollar power because that is the only thing they listen to. >> the call isn't to boycott a single brand or a single retail

outlet, but it's rather calling for consumers to shut down their spending altogether. >> anna tuckman, a professor of marketing at northwestern university who you just heard from, has researched the impacts of company boycotts in the past. she says this one is unique because it doesn't target one specific company. organizers say, if you must spend today. today is a great day to support only local small businesses. this nationwide boycott is expected to last until midnight tonight. live in martinez. lena howland, abc seven news. >> okay. thank you so much, lena. we continue to track developments with the trump administration and the first 100 days. today, ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy is set to meet with president trump at the white house. they're expected to sign a deal that would give the u.s. access to ukraine's valuable rare minerals. in order for the u.s. to provide ongoing security assurances against russia. as trump tries to negotiate a deal to end that

war. however, there are still lingering questions about some of the specifics of that deal. we told you yesterday trump is moving forward with tariffs on mexico, canada and china all starting on tuesday. the news caused the stock markets to close in the red. more federal government jobs are also being slashed. this time, it's workers at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. california congressman jared huffman says more than 1000 noaa employees, ranging from probationary to seasoned members, will be affected by these layoffs. and yesterday, usaid workers collected their belongings from their now closed headquarters, and a judge in san francisco has handed the trump administration a setback, ruling the recent firings of federal employees was likely unlawful. but the ruling does not mean people will be automatically rehired or future firings will stop. another hearing has been scheduled in two weeks. >> meanwhile, the presidio trust, which has found itself in the crosshairs of the white house, is now revealing its finances. it says its earned

$182 million last year, demonstrating it can be self-sufficient. also, it's generated more than $350 million in net income since it became financially independent in 2013. the presidio trust needs to present a report to the trump administration by march 4th. san francisco's biggest private employer, salesforce, does not plan to hire engineers this year because of the success of the i employment movement. they have, according to our media partners, the san francisco standard. ceo marc benioff says their agents, ai agents, that is, are the start to this new era. he says their mission is to become the number one digital labor provider to other companies. unlike chatbots, these agents do not need oversight. they can write code, execute trades and schedule meetings, they say. san francisco tech company autodesk announced a big cut to its workforce as well, paving the way for ai. autodesk said it will cut its global workforce by

9%, or about 1300 employees, according to the chronicle. autodesk plans to invest more in ai and cloud technology. the tech company is following a broader trend in the industry, as tech giants are making cuts to fund ai initiatives. >> city leaders in vallejo say their new approach to reducing violent crime is showing some results. the mayor and the police department, announcing the arrest of multiple people accused of gun trafficking and selling drugs. the bust led to the seizure of 12 firearms, 11,000 fentanyl pills and at least $100,000 in cash. the operation included arrest at multiple locations across the city, including at a daycare. >> i want to send a message to the criminal element that the days of thinking that you can come to vallejo and do your business with impunity are over. this is the beginning. we are committed to increasing our resources and building on these efforts. >> the approach includes assistance from the department of justice, the fbi, and solano county sheriff's office. a grand

opening last night, giving a boost to downtown san francisco as it tries to rebound. taiwan has opened its brand new diplomatic facility, the taipei economic and cultural office, at fourth and folsom street. bay area officials, including san francisco city attorney david chiu, were on hand to celebrate the opening of the seven story, 56,000 square foot space. taiwan hopes the $53 million investment will strengthen ties between the island and the u.s, and provide a state of the art facility for social, cultural events and for visa applications. >> 608 and we'll take you to san jose. look at this picture. i mean, as the sun gets up here, we will have kind of a brilliant sunrise because we have a lot of cloud cover streaming in this morning and throughout the day. today it is going to be a mix of sun and clouds, but we do keep it mild for one more day. cooler weather moves in over the weekend. we do have a beach hazard statement in effect. wave heights right now are elevated. typically, on a calm day at the

beach, wave heights are four five feet high. now we're seeing waves 9 to 10ft high. and this beach hazard statement will last through saturday where we could see waves up to 12ft. so with the mild air today, you may go to the coast. just be aware we have the increased risk of rip currents and sneaker waves out there. here's live doppler seven along with satellite. we're still tracking this cutoff low this morning. again it gets that name because it is removed from the jet stream. it's removed from anything really steering it to get going to the east. so right now it's just kind of sitting and spinning. and it is bringing us that high cloud cover. you see, this morning and throughout the day it will be a mix of sun and clouds. here's a look at your day planner today. sunrise here at 642. it's partly sunny. early on. we warm up with increasing sunshine this afternoon and it still is mild today. temperatures in the 60s and 70 for the final day of february. looking at the three day forecast, enjoy today because fog returns tomorrow morning, ushering in cooler weather for the first part of the weekend. and then by sunday we do have light rain returning

to the forecast with a level one storm. we'll take an hour by hour. look at that rain, guys coming up in about eight minutes. >> okay, we'll see you then. thank you. drew. the next phase in the moss landing battery plant disaster has started lawsuits. the claims coming in from business owners. >> then a big drug market sweep here in san francisco. the final numbers from a late night raid. >> and we'll take you inside of a new collaboration space combining food,

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lawsuits are piling up following the fire last month at a moss landing battery plant. the owners of hot enchilada are the latest to sue, and they say business has dropped by 50% since the fire broke out over concerns about air and water quality. they've been forced to close their business indefinitely. >> there have been assurances from local, state and federal officials that things are safe and that normal, you know, the air the air quality is fine. and while that's all nice to hear, we want some actual proof of that. >> at the inn at moss landing, guests have been canceling as far as six months from now. the owner of that business is also looking into potential legal action. abc seven news reached out to vistra energy but have not heard back yet. >> police in fresno arrested two men wednesday for allegedly

impersonating ice agents. officers responded to calls about the men harassing people at several businesses and filming themselves while doing it. they allegedly told employees at one business they were conducting an investigation and needed to see specific business documents. investigators say the men were wearing black tactical vests with police and ice written on them. detectives say the men dressed up to post these videos on social media. >> authorities in the south bay are trying to raise awareness about hate crimes. yesterday, they hosted a hate crime awareness symposium in san jose. police reports show the number of hate crimes in the city have tripled since 2019. investigators say the problem may be even worse than the numbers show, because of some hate crimes that are not being reported. >> there's a really a problem with underreporting. uh- people may be worried, you know, consequences. >> we really encourage the reporting. one is so that they can get justice for themselves. also, to protect themselves from further crimes occurring.

>> the symposium was hosted by san jose police and the santa clara county district attorney's office. >> a late night raid at a san francisco park ended with dozens of arrests and people running from police. san francisco police and other agencies carried out the raid on the drug market at jefferson square park wednesday night. neighbors say it's recently been an epicenter for drug dealers and users. after efforts to clean up the nearby tenderloin neighborhood, police chief bill scott says officers arrested 84 people and confiscated more than a pound of drugs, including fentanyl. >> i think it sends a message that this will not be tolerated in our city any longer and the city, in partnership with all the city departments and the mayor, are working seriously to address this crisis. >> residents who complained are relieved to see action has been taken to curb drug markets in the city. >> san francisco mayor daniel lurie says this year's lunar new year was a huge success in both safety and celebration. he says

the city saw 30% drop in crime that weekend when compared to last year. that's the safest since 2017. lurie attributes it to a team effort with every sworn police officer working that weekend. 9-1-1 operators even say they answered 84% of their calls in 15 seconds or less. >> the results we saw last weekend over the lunar new year parade and all-star weekend are the proof that we know that we can achieve results. my administration is committed to building on this progress. san francisco's comeback is just getting started. >> local leaders also touting the parade's official partnership with abc seven. you can still catch all the highlights wherever you stream. abc seven news. well, a hopeful new hub for designers and creators is now open in san francisco. cocina is meant to be a space where food, culture, style and tech all converge. the flagship store and headquarters is in the san francisco center, formerly the westfield mall.

cocina is known for its line of cookware and denim aprons. >> it's a place where we'll have creatives, we'll do book signings, art gallery shows, local individuals, wine tasting. it's that next stage, that next level, not just for retail, but also for collaboration with technology, with artists. food. music. culture. it's that place. and i think that's the most important part. >> truly amazing. well, they're currently featuring local artists in a gallery showcase, and they're also launching a youth apprenticeship program. >> a major announcement from the oakland roots, a special performer for their very first home game of the season. oakland rapper too short will perform during the halftime show at the oakland coliseum. a spokesperson for the roots called the rapper a physical and musical representation of oakland. the roots are anticipating a record high turnout for their game against san antonio. that game starts at 7 p.m. on march 22nd.

no word if they'll blow the first whistle, right? >> nice. nice. nicely done. try that right quick. on your feet there. you know. >> wow. the forecast has been gorgeous the last couple of days. it's felt like spring, early summer. >> no one's yelling at me. i feel like i'm doing a good job. we never yell at you through the people on the street. right? make it stop raining. i know, that's right. this morning it is partly sunny out there over the next couple of hours, and then we'll find increasing sunshine throughout the day. and then over the weekend, we do find cooler weather moving in here. so here are the accuweather headlines. we get one more mild day. we've been enjoying this stretch of spring like temperatures that started basically on wednesday. the weekend though, it gets cooler. you'll feel that tomorrow and really feel it on sunday. clouds are back too and then light rain is in the forecast sunday and into monday. so today we have a nice afternoon. it's pleasant. yeah, not as warm as yesterday, but still. these temperatures for the final day of february are quite nice. 6070 under mix

of sun and clouds this evening. we keep it pleasant. we keep it quiet. light winds, a mix of sun and clouds. early on. pretty mild. and then this evening you can find a partly cloudy skies and temperatures not too chilly. we're really slowly falling through the 50s as we approach midnight. now, tomorrow you'll notice that cooler weather moving in. you'll also notice a lot of morning fog on our saturday. onshore flow is back. that is going to keep temperatures closer to average for this time of the year. but by sunday, when we're stuck in the 50s, this is going to feel chilly as showers move through on the storm impact scale. we bring this back here on sunday. it's a level one light storm for light scattered showers. the isolated chance of a thunderstorm. and along the coast, we will have some rough and dangerous surf from time to time. so here's a look at future weather showing you. just throughout the morning you'll find scattered showers, some isolated downpours, and that does continue into the evening as well. rainfall totals are not really concerned about issues with flooding because the totals are so light. we're likely

expecting less than a half of an inch in most areas, but it will dampen any outdoor plans you may have had on sunday. here's a look at the high surf advisory that kicks in here. saturday night through monday, could see waves up to 19ft along our coast as this low moves through. here's the accuweather seven day forecast, still mild for the final day of february. light rain is back here on sunday into monday. it's a level one with more showers possible on wednesday guys. >> all right. thank you so much drew. now let's turn to ginger zee. >> she's live with a look at what's coming up on gma. good morning ginger. >> good morning y'all. okay let's go ahead and get it started. because we've got the first story with actor gene hackman's mysterious death. the oscar winner, his wife and one of their dogs found dead at their santa fe home. the authorities are calling it suspicious. we're going to have the latest on that investigation. also a pivotal day at the white house. the president meets with ukraine's president zelensky. and a federal judge reportedly says that the trump administration's plan to carry out mass firings like was done at the national

weather service and noaa breaks the law. likely also, new cases of the measles are confirmed across the country. our chief medical correspondent, doctor tara narula, is answering the most asked questions about the spread. how to recognize symptoms and how long you're contagious. and after all that, maybe you need a pick me up. so lara and james longman are going to pick you up for an adventure celebrating the oscars ahead of the big show on sunday. we hope you'll join us on gma. >> very cute. ginger, do you have any favorite oscar nominees? >> hot takes. >> oh my gosh. kieran culkin all the way. if that doesn't happen i think we all cry. >> it will be a snub. it will be a snub. how about you, stephanie? hot takes. >> well, i do think demi moore. i think it's her time. we also talked about conclave. i love stanley tucci. >> i know. >> so many good. >> ones to pick from. yeah, yeah. >> all right. we'll have to wait and see. ...with pfizer's pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine. so am i. because i'm at risk for pneumococcal pneumonia.

i'm getting prevnar 20 because pneumococcal pneumonia could put me in the hospital and my risk is 6 times greater because i'm over 50. the cdc just expanded its recommendation for those 50 or older to get vaccinated. you're also at risk if you're 19 or older with certain chronic conditions. prevnar 20 is proven to help protect against both pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease in just one dose. don't get prevnar 20 if you have a severe allergy to its ingredients. a weakened immune system may lower your response. common side effects include injection site pain and swelling... ...fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain. millions have chosen prevnar vaccines, which have helped protect adults for over a decade and have an established safety profile. that's why i chose prevnar 20. i want to be able to keep my plans. ask your doctor or pharmacist about prevnar 20. (♪)

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]

rescued from the bay bridge during monday's morning commute. and it wasn't just one animal rescued. the animal actually has babies. they're only about a month old and they're still in moms pouch. they were discovered by staff at wildcare wildlife hospital in san rafael, who are also treating burns on the

possum's paws and tails. you see them there. they think she was actually hiding in a car and was burned by the engine, and then fell out onto the bridge. the owner of an animal rescue happened to be driving by and thankfully saw the possum and helped the chp capture it. the possum will be released back into the wild once she's fully recovered, and we hope that is a quick recovery. >> they could have just told us that the babies were in the pouch. they didn't. >> have to show to show us. they know that. no. >> up next here at 630, the uk government voicing concern over cyber security, the issue they have with some apple products. >> and congressman sam liccardo is not wasting any time. details on a bill he's introducing. taking aim at president trump and meme coins. first here's drew. >> hey guys. we're taking a look at san jose, where you can see a mix of sun and clouds out there. this morning we have one more mild day where it still feels like spring out there. not as warm as yesterday, but still really pleasant with daytime highs in the 60s and in the 70s

it gets cooler and rain returns over the weekend. we'll talk much more about that i

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abc seven mornings live. >> now at 630. the calls for everyone to avoid spending money

today as a sign of protest. more details on the economic blackout. >> and apparently you won't have to spend any money on tesla's self-driving taxis that are coming to california roads. we'll see about that. >> and one of the highest grossing animated film franchises is heading back to the big screen with the help of a big time bay area celebrity talking about shrek five. we are that old. good morning. thanks so much for joining us. it is friday, february the 28th. >> starting to feel like it, to be honest. >> speak for yourself. >> i'm wearing shrek colors. >> oh, look at you. you knew something? yes. yeah. look behind us. it's beautiful. the sunrise is giving us some brilliant colors this morning. a live look from our mount tam cam this morning. it will be a brilliant sunrise on the way, with clouds streaming in off the coast. it will be a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day. today. that's a live look from our mount tam cam this morning. temperatures right now a couple of degrees warmer compared to this time yesterday. we're essentially beginning in the mid 40s to the mid 50s. morning.

half moon bay 46. we're at 49 in fremont. 55 currently in the city in the north bay. a little bit cooler. 42 in santa rosa and sonoma, vacaville coming in at 46 degrees. so throughout the day on future weather, it's a blend of sun and clouds. it is still going to be mild. we have one more mild day this spring. fling, as we're calling it continues for friday afternoon. the temperatures today in the 60s and 70. even this evening. it will be pretty pleasant later on with 50s and 60s for any friday night plans. so get out and enjoy today. over the weekend though, rain is back in the forecast and much cooler weather. we'll show you that coming up in seven minutes. let's check in with sue. it's the other things going. >> thanks, drew. and it's friday everyone. we do have metering lights on at the bay bridge. yes, a mild backup. just a minor backup. just past the toll plaza at 545 was the magic time this morning. you could see that approach from the 8-80. overcrossing is especially slow this morning. so just a heads up. 35 minutes. your drive from hercules through the 80

corridor, all the way into san francisco. and yes, we are crowded at the richmond san rafael bridge toll plaza. some sort of an issue with that car pulled to the center divide there and earlier southbound accident at the golden gate bridge has been cleared out of toll lane. two guys. >> all right. sue. thank you. we're following breaking news overnight out of greece, where hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets in protest there, marking the second anniversary of the country's worst rail disaster. 57 people died after a freight train and a passenger train crashed head on back in 2023. the trains were accidentally put on the same track. the official handling of the disaster has been criticized, and people have been angry over delays with the inquiry and allegations of a cover up the government denies. a long awaited report was released yesterday and it blames human error, outdated infrastructure and major systemic failure. back here at home, a different kind of protest today, this one taking

aim at the economy. organizers calling for americans to boycott major retailers for the next 24 hours to show them who really controls the economy. abc seven news reporter lena howland is live with us in martinez, with details of this protest that has really been gaining attention online. good morning linda, what's the latest? yeah. good morning to. >> you stephanie. it has gained a lot of attention online, but it's clear out here this morning. not everyone has got the message so far. we are set up at a starbucks in martinez. they've been open since about 4:00 this morning. and all morning long we have seen a steady stream of customers still going inside and using the drive thru. now the boycott is calling on americans to disrupt the economy by avoiding any nonessential shopping online or in person, with a focus on avoiding major retailers like amazon, walmart, target and best buy. this includes fast food and gas. they say to only buy essentials if absolutely

necessary, like food, medicine or emergency supplies, and to avoid using your credit or debit cards. frustration over high prices at retailers is a driving factor for today's economic blackout. but one expert from northwestern university says she isn't sure what impact this spending boycott will have on this issue. >> there are other factors that influences the prices that consumers face. so whether this boycott movement will have a measurable impact on prices consumers face going forward. my prediction is that it's unlikely that we will see a measurable impact. >> organizers say if you must spend, today is a great day to only support small local businesses. and according to the people's union website, if bigger corporations and banks don't get the message from today's boycott, they plan to make the next one even longer. live in martinez, lena howland, abc seven news. >> we'll have to see if they get the message. we appreciate it.

thank you. lena. this morning, a high stakes meeting at the white house between president trump and ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy. the two are expected to sign a deal giving the united states a share of ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits. here's abc news reporter nicole diantonio. >> this morning, ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy traveling to washington, d.c, to meet with president trump at the white house. the two countries expected to sign a deal that would give the u.s. a share of ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits. but so far, trump has not committed to offering any security guarantees. it comes as british prime minister keir starmer met with trump thursday to discuss support for ukraine and the importance of standing firm against russia. ahead of the visit, the uk announced a big increase in the british defense budget and also agreed to help enforce peace once a deal is made. >> i'm clear that the uk is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal. working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last.

>> during that meeting, trump said he thinks vladimir putin would keep his word if there's a peace agreement. but when asked by a u.k. reporter whether he would apologize to zelenskyy for calling him a dictator without elections several days ago. >> i still think that mr. zelenskyy is a dictator. >> did i say that? i can't believe i said that. next question. >> sir, will you be. >> the president sidestepped the question, later, saying he has, quote, respect for zelenskyy. the visit comes nearly one week after u.s. officials began negotiations directly with russia and without ukraine at the table, leaving ukraine and european allies scrambling to respond. president zelenskyy has warned that any deal would not be viable without a promise of u.s. security in the future. nicole deantonio, abc news, washington. >> well, we are expecting a network special report when that meeting happens, and we expect that to happen around eight this morning. south bay congressman sam liccardo is taking aim at

president trump in his first piece of legislation. liccardo has introduced the meme act, short for modern emoluments and malfeasance enforcement. it would block the president, vice president, members of congress and other senior officials from issuing or sponsoring securities, commodities and cryptocurrencies like meme coins. mr. trump launched his coin three days before he took office. >> we've seen more than 800,000 investors who have lost more than $2 billion on trump's meme coin, while in the meantime, we know trump more than made more than $100 million just from fees alone. the truth is this is a pump and dump scheme, and federal officials shouldn't be involved in it. >> the legislation would also force the president to surrender any profits he's made from the sale of his coins. >> there is new concern this morning about the cybersecurity of americans. the united kingdom government is reportedly demanding that apple provide backdoor access to any data that it stores in its icloud storage system. just last week, apple

said it would stop offering an optional security feature in the u.k. called advanced data protection, which is found under the settings feature. the feature blocked apple from unlocking your data. >> apple holds the key to all of the data that's uploaded into icloud, and the reason they do this makes sense. it's because, oh, i've lost my password. and so apple can say, don't worry, we'll take care of you. we can get that data back. advanced data protection says no, no, no i don't want apple to have the key. >> the u.k. may want apple to go further and providing data access, presumably for national security or law enforcement. in the u.s, the director of national intelligence forming a legal response, saying this would be a clear and egregious violation of americans privacy and civil liberties. >> tesla is set to launch a free self-driving taxi service here in california. it's a step toward elon musk's goal of creating an autonomous ride hailing service. the company is allowed to test the service as long as someone is behind the wheel. despite the technology's

poor safety record, tesla is waiting on a permit to allow people to hail those vehicles for free. the company is also trying to roll out this service in austin, texas. >> we have some new developments with a disturbing case of what appears to be animal abuse out of pittsburgh. police tracked down the two suspects in oakland and arrested them. video showed one of the people kicking a dog during a dispute, sending it airborne. it's not clear when the incident happened or what led up to it, but pittsburgh police first reported it on monday and said they were investigating. we're saying goodbye this morning to a major video conferencing platform that just announced that it is shutting down. >> and you're looking live now at the big board at the new york stock exchange. you see, the dow is up about 104 points. we'll have another update for you coming up. >> typically, the swag bags for people who attend the oscars are full of luxurious items. but this year, the organizers say it's just a little bit different. >> and streaming at 7 a.m. dating is expensive, but it's cheap compared to the cost of a

romance scam. seven on your side investigates how a north bay woman lost more than a quarter of $1 million. we'll explain. first, here's drew. >> not a romance scam. this morning we are just looking at what is a really brilliant sunshine out or sunrise out there. the colors are getting bounced off some high clouds this morning, and it will be a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day. today we keep it mild for one more day before cooler weather arrives over the weekend. we do have a beach hazard statement that kicks in later on this evening, but wave heights are already up, so 9 to 10 foot waves right now off bodega bay, off the coast of san francisco, where from time to time we could see breakers up to 12ft. so a nice afternoon on the way. if you're headed to the coast, just be aware of the increased risk of rip currents and sneaker waves. here's live doppler seven along with satellite. the reason for the morning cloud cover. right now we are tracking this cut off low that is slowly spinning its way into southern california. we're getting some of these high clouds blowing off from the center of that low this morning. and it will be a mix of sun and

clouds throughout the day. but still, we will feel pretty pleasant this afternoon. here's your day planner. partly sunny early on, brighter skies as we head into the afternoon. it will be mild, maybe not as warm as we were yesterday, but still very nice in the 60s and in the 70s. now tomorrow what? you'll notice morning fog returns. it's pretty cloudy all day and it's much cooler. and then rain is back here on sunday. a level one light storm we're tracking will go hour by hour in future weather to plan

hills are coming out surrounding the death of actor gene hackman and his wife. officials say the 95 year old and his 65 year old wife were likely dead for weeks before they were found. there are some questions still about their death. hackman's wife was found with pills scattered on the bathroom counter, and the couple's front door was left open. but authorities say there's no evidence pointing to a break in. >> all of these things uh- the open front door uh- two of them found together. the medication issue. the dog. all of these things are suspicious. it is a very suspicious case. but i at the end of the day, it's. it's explainable. >> initial autopsy reports did not reveal an exact cause of death. investigators are still waiting on tests for carbon

monoxide poisoning. >> it is 644 right now. and it's time for your abc. seven mornings are a preview of some of the headlines you might see in the coming days here in the bay area. >> first, today is the final day of the uc strike that's taken over some bay area universities. tens of thousands of health care, research and tech workers at ucsf, uc berkeley and lawrence berkeley national lab have been picketing since tuesday. protesters are calling attention to the staffing crisis and the need for a wage increase for their workers. uc officials say they have offered the two striking unions wage increases and health care premium reductions. that protest will start at 8 a.m. on both campuses. >> bay area health experts are scheduled to give an update on this year's flu season. the cdc says america is experiencing the worst flu season in 15 years. more than 29 million people have become sick. 16,000 people have died. during a brief briefing later this morning, doctors will give details on the reasons and reminders for staying healthy.

of course, we know getting a vaccine is the best way to avoid severe sickness. >> and we know a lot of you track this each month and it's back. today is the next snow survey. california water officials will conduct the third survey of this season. it's one of the key indicators of the state's water supply. on average, the snowpack provides 30% of california's water needs. last month, the snow levels were well below average. however, we have had several strong storms hit the sierra since then, so the outlook could be better today. >> tomorrow, cal academy opens its newest exhibit, dino days to the public. it includes 13 animatronic dinosaurs. plus, visitors will get to dig for fossils and attend dinosaur themed parties. now time for your morning money report. google has announced another round of layoffs. the silicon valley tech company says the layoffs will impact teams in its cloud advertising and trust and safety units. the company will offer a voluntary exit program to us based employees starting

in march. it comes as google looks to invest in the company's biggest priorities, which includes expanding artificial intelligence. the layoffs are much smaller in comparison to the 12,000 layoffs in 2023. google has laid off about 1500 people since then. palo alto based hewlett packard hp is laying off 2000 employees. the company expects to save $300 million by the end of its fiscal year in october. it's a part of the company's ongoing restructuring plan. the announcement comes after the company reported stronger than expected results in the first quarter. but the company also warns that tariffs are expected to impact the second quarter earnings. we're taking a live look at the new york stock exchange now as trading gets underway on this friday. you can see that we're trading just up a bit about 87, 85, 8689 points right now as we get this friday morning started. >> all right. the green ogre is headed back to the big screen with a new character this time.

the new trailer for shrek five has been released, and it's the first new installment of the film in 15 years. and there is an appearance from a bay area celebrity. >> go you, dad. >> mom and light who is making this stuff? >> mama lake gets me every time. dylan. all right. did you recognize the voice of shrek and fiona's daughter? >> is that you, steph? or are you. >> the bay area celeb in it? >> no way. no way. someone much better. the oakland native zendaya mike myers, will once again voice the title character with cameron diaz and eddie murphy also returning for their roles as fiona and donkey man. >> they were just printing money at this point. >> wow. >> they really are. yeah, it's going to set to be released in december of 2026. are you excited? >> i am excited. who doesn't love a good shrek movie, right? well, did you stay up to watch the warriors. >> last night? steph curry brought his own magic to orlando with 12 three pointers during last night's game against the

orlando magic. that is the third time in his career that he's done that, which is now tied with klay thompson for the nba record. remember him? curry scored. 56 points last night. it's the 14th time in his career he scored more than 50. coincidentally, it's the third time he's had a very big game. on february the 27th. >> they do have a timeout. decide not to use it. curry way downtown. bang bang. oh what a shot from curry. >> yesterday was the nine year anniversary of the iconic the classic double bang game. nine years ago for steph, on the same day 12 years ago, curry had his first 50 point game. warriors went on to beat the magic 121 to 115. we're making a comeback right now. the warriors. they are on a roll. five game winning streak. so can they make it number six? be sure to catch their next game as they travel to philly to take on the 76 ers. that is tomorrow night right here on abc seven. coverage begins at five. then you'll want

to make sure to keep it locked right here for after the game with larry and the guys. >> well new this morning microsoft has just announced it is shutting down skype. after two decades. the company has been phasing out the video conferencing service since 2017, pushing people towards teams. despite being one of the forerunners in internet based communications, skype's user base has been declining since its peak of nearly 300 million users. the last day for skype is may 5th, uh. >> the countdown is on. we are just days away from hollywood's biggest night, the oscars, which are airing right here on abc seven this sunday. >> and the oscars gift bags have become a well-known part of the award event. and this year, the posh gifts are looking a bit different. hollywood is looking for more ways to help those impacted by the devastating los angeles county wildfires. and on top of the usual expensive gifts, oscar nominees will also find vip brite harbor

memberships in their bags. brite harbor helps survivors after disasters, offering services to help people locate assistance filled vendors or navigate insurance. >> someone like adrien brody, who lost his home, he can use it. but what's amazing is they're giving them ten one year memberships that they can freely give to anyone friends, family, neighbors, even a fan on their instagram, perhaps that lost their home. >> well, each nominees gift bag is worth roughly $200,000 and includes a luxury trip to the maldives. >> you know who looks like luxury right now? our very own amanda delcastillo traveling down to los angeles this morning. doesn't she look gorgeous? >> beautiful. >> live from hollywood. starting later today and through the weekend to cover all the big moments from the show, people are going to be stopping. amanda, can i interview you? >> it looks like. >> a star. >> so exciting to see her on the red carpet. oscar sunday on abc seven kicks off at 1230 with on the red carpet at the oscars. then at 330, the oscars red

carpet. the oscars begins earlier than ever at 4 p.m. right here on abc seven. and for the first time, the oscars will stream live on hulu as well. very exciting. >> i don't think you said oscars enough in that. >> 20s did you know it's going to be on abc seven? did you know? did you know? i was just going to be raining? right. so i should be. >> i wonder if they're going to have the tent up. that's the big question, right? >> you know they are. yeah. yeah. >> you know, they make that decision. >> that they don't want to get those jimmy choos wet. i know. you got to return those. you do most of it. you do. in the bag. in the bag. >> this morning we will track some rain here over the weekend. but today it's just really beautiful. another mild day on the way to finish out the month of february. so you're looking live at santa cruz this morning. we do have a beach hazard statement in effect along our coast right now that will turn into a high surf advisory over the weekend. and what that just means is that we have a really active ocean current, as you

see. good morning to some of the surfers out there in santa cruz riding some of these waves. be aware though, we could have waves as high as about 19ft this morning and through the weekend. so we're watching that closely along the coast. but today it will be a beautiful day. you see a mix of sun and clouds. one more mild day. temperatures a little bit cooler than yesterday, but still above average for the end of february. 60 and 70 on the board this afternoon. this evening for friday night plans. we keep it nice and comfortable. we're still in the 70s by 5 p.m. a lot of areas and watch as these temperatures still stay pretty mild even after the sun goes down. so we do anticipate a not too chilly of a friday night on the way tomorrow, though, you see cooler air moves in here, temperatures back to average and sunday it's just chilly. we're stuck in the 50s as rain returns here. the storm impact scale is back on sunday. it's a level one light storm with light scattered showers, the isolated chance of a thunderstorm. we're tracking that dangerous surf along our coast. so here's future weather early sunday morning. the light showers are back. we'll have

some isolated downpours throughout the morning and into the afternoon. rainfall totals as this low spins by will be less than a half of an inch. so we're not talking about flooding concerns by any means, but it will dampen any plans you may have had outside on sunday. here's the accuweather seven day forecast. still mild for february today. cooler with morning fog returning tomorrow. light rain is back in the forecast here sunday into monday with our next chance of showers on wednesday. stephanie. >> all right drew thank you. we'll take a look at this. miraculously, more than a dozen ohio middle school students and their bus driver are safe from this disaster. just stunning video here. this school bus caught fire yesterday morning. and you see, the flames appeared to have started behind a rear wheel. we are told, and thankfully the driver got everyone off safely and another district vehicle was able to take everyone to school. the superintendent said the bus passed its annual inspection this month. cleveland heights fire department and ohio highway

patrol are now investigating what exactly caused this to happen. >> berkeley fire department has kicked off a series of wildfire and disaster preparedness classes. good tips for all of us here, though. this is put on by the department's office of emergency services, who says it's best to have a household plan to help make important decisions before fire weather starts. that includes knowing when to leave, where to go and what to bring, and also have multiple evacuation routes. it's best to leave early to avoid major traffic build ups. >> the main concern is getting folks out of the hills, so that they're in areas that have more capacity to move. if there's a fire and we need to further evacuate. >> this is especially important. just days after cal fire updated its wildfire risk maps for cities all across the bay area, proposed federal cuts are leading to cutbacks at stanford university. that includes a hiring freeze. the school's president and provost sending a letter to announce they're implementing a freeze of on

staff hiring. the university said it's developing its budget for the next school year and anticipating a significant cut because of the trump administration's proposals to reduce research payments from the national institutes of health. an increase in the endowment tax is also possible. as of august of last year, the endowment is $37.6 billion and pays for everything from salaries to financial aid to research. >> it's really quite, quite shocking, but i think stanford's probably being prudent here by just taking a little bit of a wait and see approach. >> the freeze does not apply to faculty positions, contingent employees or student workers. >> up next, the seven things you need to know today. >> yes, and of course, a reminder. you can watch all of our newscast live and on demand through the abc seven bay area connected tv app. it's available for apple tv, google tv, amazon fire tv and roku. all you got to do is download the

♪ dreams begin here. welcome to the goodnight club.

the seven things to know this morning. number one, a one day boycott of the country's biggest retail stores is underway. organizers of the economic blackout want to show corporations that who really holds the power? >> number two, ukraine's president will meet with president trump at the white house today. they're expected to sign a deal that would give the u.s. access to ukraine's valuable minerals. so far, trump has not committed to offering any security guarantees, a key commitment wanted by the ukrainians. >> number three, today marks two weeks since pope francis was admitted to the hospital. the vatican says the 88 year old rested peacefully overnight as he is still fighting pneumonia in both lungs. yesterday, it was revealed his kidney failure has improved. >> number four, today is the next snow survey of the season. it's one of the key indicators of the state's water supply. january survey showed the level well below average, but we've had a series of storms hit the sierra since then. >> and number five, we have one more mild day today before

cooler weather starts to move in here over the weekend. tomorrow we have morning fog, cooler temperatures and light rain is back on sunday. >> and number six, we are looking at an accident. if you or someone you know is traveling to sacramento this morning. a multi-car accident blocking a couple of lanes. this is in vacaville, east 8-80, right near pena adobe road. >> and number seven, we are counting down to the oscars. the fun kicks off tonight when robin roberts hosts a special edition of 2020 at 8 p.m. sunday. coverage starts at 1230. the oscars, of course, start at four right here on abc seven. and for the first time, the show is streaming on hulu. >> yeah, many ways to watch. >> many ways to watch. and i would say in the prompter right now, it says oscars, oscars. >> oscars, >> letting you know >> george: good morning america for our viewers in the west. we are live on the scene near gene hackman's home plus a pivotal day at the white house, plus live in hollywood heading into oscar weekend.