new this morning, the reason several east bay cities are looking for a serial robber. we'll tell you where he's hitting plus we'll tell you about a unique feature he has coming up in a live report. cupid cashing in on valentine's day this year. we will take you around the bay to see how sales are tallying up so far. and in case you missed it, we'll let you know who the big winners and losers were from the red carpet show last night. a live look outside. christie is out there with an umbrella. christina will tell you when it

will rain. it is monday, february 14th. this is "today in the east bay." good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. it is 4:30. we'll check your forecast with christina loren. i mentioned christie's umbrella, it is starting in the north bay. yes, it is starting in the north bay and the showers are pushing to the east bay. if you thought you would surprise your lover outside her door with flowers, make sure they are protected with a plastic bag. it is wet out there. this morning we'll continue to see on and off scattered showers heading throughout the morning. zooming into the east bay, everywhere is getting hit pretty hard from oakland to walnut creek. pretty good showers coming down. make sure you take it easy out there. for more information on what's happening on the roadways right now, we'll bring in mike inouye on the valentine's morning. happy valentine's to you. you can see the pink golden gate

bridge, but the water is on the road there as well as the rest of the bay. look at the east bay traffic flowing, things are moving nicely, but the entire map is also getting hit with light showers. here's a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza. we already see a wet road and wet lens there. make sure the wipers are in good condition crossing over the water. the san mateo bridge shot has wind. a high wind advisory for the bay bridge, but i'm going to issue the same for the san mateo bridge. it could be slick on the roads with oil out there. hayward police are stumped over a rash of armed robberies, all happening within a period of five hours over the weekend. "today in the east bay's" christie smith are live with who police are looking for. >> reporter: good morning to you be scott. this is one of the more recent stores hit out of at least ten. and witnesses are saying that the guy responsible seems to be doing the same thing. he hangs out in the store and brings snacked snacks up to the

counter and confronts the clerk with a gun pulled from his waistband. in one case he got violent. on february 1st a 59-year-old clerk was pistol-whipped. this guy is hitting sandwich shops from san leandro, berkeley and more. the gun is a concern for the police. he appears to be a creature of habit often wearing a black baseball cap with a red letter "c" on the front. he is african-american in his 20s, 5'9", somewhat skinny with a red hoodie and black pants. he has an oval-shaped birt mark on his cheek, and detectives are trying to put this out there to help find who this is. sometimes he hits the stores in the middle of the afternoon,

other times it is early evening. at this point they are getting the word out to the public. live in hayward, christie smith, "today in the east bay." the battle over gang injunctions heats up today as the judge weighs in on the possible start date for the injunction in the fruitvale neighborhood. it would cover a two-mile safety zone that could prohibit gang members from gathering inside the sedona. last week oakland teachers condoned this saying it would divide poor and working neighbors. well, it is valentine's day. the flowers and cards suggest love is in the air. today in the east bay is looking at how much the average person is expected to spend. >> reporter: restaurant chains are feeling the love this month as cupid's arrow hits the pocketbook of consumers. the average adult plans to spend

$116 on valentine's gifts. that's up 13% over last year. about on average what are you spending tomorrow? >> i would say probably around $200. >> i would say $150. >> reporter: some people claim valentine's day is a holiday made up by the greeting card company, but many relish in the romance of it all. >> we love it. >> love valentine's day. >> it is our anniversary. we not only buy for ourselves but for our grandkids. >> reporter: and business owners are happy to oblige. things are looking rosy with more than 1,000 deliveries scheduled for monday. >> we have had orders all week but some people like to send them early and some people have taken them with them and come to pick them up. >> reporter: the hustle and bustle continues at this chocolate cafe where the owner says sales are up 20% over last year. >> we are having a very busy weekend. we are doing all we can to keep

this case stocked right now. >> reporter: the consumers feel the economy is stronger this year and are willing to splurge on gifts and dinner. at a san francisco reservation company a survey was done in which 90% of bay area respondents said they planned to celebrate at a restaurant up from 60% last year. >> the good news is that valentine's day falls on a monday. those are typically the slowest dining out day for restaurants, and yet this year it is really shaping up to possibly be the biggest night out for restaurants. >> reporter: kimberly tere for "today in the east bay." in contra costa supporters of same sex marriage will hold a rally at the county clerk's office in martinez from 3:30 to 4:30. and there are protests planned in san francisco and san jose as well. now the demonstrations come as the california supreme court is

expected to weigh in on the prop 8 appeal some time this week. well, today is valentine's day, and it happens to be the 65th wedding anniversary for a walnut creek couple whose relationship started as a semi-blind date in 1941. richard wartz friend wanted to double date because he needed a ride, but ward wanted assurances. >> we went over to san francisco. >> so it worked out fairly well. the couple was married after richard was deployed in the second world war. jewel ward says her husband picked the actual date. >> it was within a few days plus or minus. >> you told me you got married then so you wouldn't forget our anniversary on valentine's day.

>> i never got the idea myself. >> the two say their sense of humor, great family and well-paying jobs contributed to their long and happy life. happy 65th wedding anniversary to them. now over to christina and a little bit of rain this morning. yeah, it is going to set quite the ambience for the lovers out there today. the bulk of the moisture from the system is part of a rainy setup this week and is coming through right now. we'll be clearer heading into the second half of the day. this is where the showers are right now. you can see the core of low pressure pushing into the pacific northwest to ride over our area later on today. and as it does it will carry the showers with it. right now we are seeing the bulk of the moisture come through the bay area. showers are extending across the east bay this morning. as i zoom in you can see the entire east bay getting

inundated with rain. nothing heavy, just some light scattered showers. you can see the deeper green, that's heavier rain spreading south to danville and dublin. wherever you are headed this morning, rainy conditions. temperatures are pretty mild, 53 in oakland. the various snow levels we are expecting later this week and rain each and every day as well. we'll talk about that, but maybe you are down lovers lane. we'll look at that area this morning with mike inouye. traffic lovers lane. we'll take you to highway 4. we do have slowing in both drengss directions. a nice easy drive coming down past hillcrest in the westbound direction. this is 66 in towards pittsburgh and bay point. there are rainy condition that is will cause slippery conditions as well. this is the first rain in six weeks, and a light rain. it is not enough to wash the grease and oil off the roadways. the venetian and cartinas bridges could get caught with

the wind as well. we'll look at 880 where traffic is flowing nicely, but the wind is shaking the camera past high street with construction there on high street itself. mike, thank you. this morning many warriors fans are flying high over a stunning win over oklahoma city. last night the warriors knocked off one of the best teams in the western conference. they had a solid defense, controlled the boards. monte ellis had 32 points, david lee, 23. and a season high of 19 rebound. golden state led throughout the first quarter beating the thunder 100-94. well, some call it the most hated government agency. does the irs want to help you save some money? plus, the new iphone that's smaller and smarter. the new apple product with apple lovers talking. and it was a big night for

musicians and music lovers. highlights from last night's grammys coming up. you are looking at a lye picture of the bay bridge. it is windy out there. mike and christina will be right back.

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good morning, everyone. it is 4:43 in the morning. you are looking at the wet roadways out there and a little shake of the camera as well. we'll check in with christina and mike in a moment. the music industry's biggest event produced some surprises. a couple unknown acts produced some big wins. mark bagger has details. >> reporter: country cross-over big time at the grammy awards sunday night. five wins for the trio lady antebellum including song and record of the year for "need you now." >> this just completely changed our lives. we love you all so much, thank you. >> reporter: a backstage celebration also played out for the band that beat out em nem and katy perry for album of the year. another surprise winner shared that feeling, esperanza

spalding, the first jazz performer to win best new artist. she won out over pop-star justin bieber and hot shot rapper drake. >> i take this honor to heart so sincerely and will do my damnest to do more albums. >> reporter: record, song and album of the year went to emi m eminem. lady gaga literally came out of her shell to grab three awards, including best pop vocal album. hers was one of several bleeped by sensors during the broadcast, but a song with an expletive in its title skirted major trouble. steve lowe green chanced the title to "forget you" and brought help with puppets and

gwyneth paltrow. mark barger, nbc news. >> put a pair of sunglasses on her and she could be the blonde muppet. good morning to you. we have some showers coming down. much needed rain coming down at the coast pushing into the east bay. if you are leaving the house make sure to turn the windshield wipers on. it will be pretty wet this morning. it will be clear heading throughout the afternoon. the core of low pressure right now is pushing in the pacific northwest. the northern part of california will ride over the ridge of high pressure throughout the day. once it drags the cold front through the area we'll clear out a bit. those are an indication of a very cold air mass filtering in tonight. much colder heading into our morning. then the next round of showers,

a heavier round, slated for tuesday into wednesday. that brings the snow levels to 4,000 feet by the end of the week. we are talking about a 2,000 feet snow level. much needed rain and snowboarders are all rejoicing at the sign of more snow to come as well. moraga is seeing moderate showers coming down to walnut creek. lighter rain near oakland and berkeley. take it easy out there. mike is here to let us know how the slick conditions are impacting your drive. good morning to you. an impact is what we don't want in the morning, but it is going to impact your drive because of the wet roads. we do have gusty conditions out there as well. watch it, this is a lighter rain, the first of the entire week. it will be enough to race the oil and grease off the roadway but not enough to clear it. it could be extra slick. the hayward area, the overnight construction is cleared from 880.

slow through the cone zone and slow on the wet roads as well. if major issues on the toll plaza. here's a live look here from the top of san bruno mountain. a nice, smooth flow into the city. a wind advisory for the bay area today as well. speaking of traffic, six in ten consumers say they consider a hybrid when it comes time to replace their current vehicle but a new "usa today" study says while hybrid sales should be picking up they are newel neutral. only 4% of last year's sales were for hybrids. hybrids are not for you, that's okay. look at this, boeing rolled out its newest jumbo jet yesterday. the 747 intercontinental seats 467 passengers, about 50 more

than the current model. apparently it burns less fuel while offering flyers more comfort because it is 18 feet longer. the event took place in the same hanger as the same washington plant where the original 747 debuted in 1968. the 747 is the largest airliner when the airbus 8380 was unveiled in 2005. this is a wall street rock concert minus lady gaga. making headlines this morning, starbucks wants to serve up latt, lattes one step at a time. analysts have long expected that starbucks would sell the little via instant coffee pacts to the fast growing single brewing niche. this comes that starbucks is ending its partnership for craft. it supplies the discs for the

tassimo brewing machine. consumer advocates are plotting a new plan by the irs to protect low-income taxpayers. the treasury department is experimenting with refunds by debit card. 800,000 taxpayers will be asked to participate in the silent program starting next week. 10 million taxpayers don't have bank accounts and often fall prey to high fees for cashing a check. >> pretty soon those companies will no longer be able to take money from families that can't cash their irs checks. >> the u.s. treasury plans to mail the card, load it electronically as soon as the returns are approved making it ready for immediate use. now the benefit to other taxpayers is $40 million a year could be saved by not having to print so many checks.

rumors of a newer, smaller iphone are sending mixed signals to apple lovers across the phone. a number of credible sources say it will happen soon. among the sources the wall street journal is the latest to report the summer release of the miniature iphone. many bloggers and writers have been quick to call it the iphone nano. the journal reports the device will be one-third smaller than the current phone, cost about $200 without a carrier plan. unnamed insiders say the device will offer facial recognition security, possibly a free and new version of the mobile me service, that was acting like a memory stick in the world of the journal for music and video. that could eliminate the need for phones to carry a lot of memory. also there are two versions of the ipad in the works as well. sony erickson says the first playstation phone is coming to verizon in april. the phone will feature a touch

pad to reveal buttons similar to a sony playstation psp. this is the first time sony is letting its playstation go on hardware that is not made by sony. the largest wireless industry is looking at smaller antennas small enough to be put in your hand. they could be placed on lamp posts and utility buildings, pretty much anywhere an electrical connection could work. this could prevent fewer dead spots. brent cannon is here to talk about what's coming up later on "today in the bay." >> we have all kind of stuff for you, including pain at the pump. check your prices on the way to work today. prices are headed to $4 a gallon. meanwhile, public transportation is cutting back. we'll prepare you for what's to come as you get around. plus, the san francisco flower mart is blooming with blooms this morning. and bob redell will talk to the men and women hoping to make your valentine's day a little

special. we'll have those stories and more coming up in a few minutes on "today in the bay." thank you. scientists say don't give energy drinks to teenagers. researchers from the university of miami say there were nearly 5,500 caffeine overdoses reported in the u.s. in 2007. half of those occurred in people 19 and younger. young people have heart pal paations and seizures. meanwhile, a new study finds eating berries could lower your risk of parkinson's. as a rule of thumb, flavinodes can be found in blueberries and other berries. those who ate them were less likely to develop parkinson's from those who ate the least. being fat can take a heavy toll on a person's knees even

after a substantial weight loss. researchers are looking at the knees of patients who underwent the stomach stapling surgery found in most cases the person had permanent knee damage caused by obesity that could not be fixed. new research found people who average father fewer than six hours of sleep had almost a 50% increased risk for cancer compared to those who had more. we have great ways to transition to christina loren. this is not one of them. >> we are looking good right now across the bay area. we have some showers out there, nothing really heavy. and it looks like what i'm seeing is it will be good for the second half. the good news is a lot of people are still in bed and don't have to get to work just yet. the rain showers are coming down right now.

heading throughout the next couple hours that will be the case, then we'll see the clearing. all the spotty clouds are an indication of a cold air mass pushing in. heading throughout the day today temperatures will be cool. make sure to bring a jacket with you to work and to your valentine's date tonight. the bay area right now is looking pretty wet across the board. the east bay is getting pretty saturated from walnut creek to moraga. to oakland, the showers are coming down. look at the clearing in san francisco. the clearing is headed your way heading through the next 15 to 20 minutes. you will start to dry out and ring out in oakland creek as well. showers throughout the morning, staying relatively cool in the low 50s. we'll end up in the upper 50s. maybe 60 in oakland. 58 degrees today in fairfield. wherever you are headed have a beautiful valentine's day. back to you, scott mcgrew. first lady michelle obama revealed her secret to a successful marriage. she says that laughter and romance are key.

she and president obama share a lot of laughs together even though they live in the political life. they have been married almost 19 years. mrs. obama says they try to not take themselves too seriously and still find ways to have fun together and keep each other smiling. the first lady also says it helps that the president is very romantic always remembering birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates. what does she expect for valentine's day? the husband can never go wrong with a gift of jewelry. no soup for you, the menu at your favorite chinese restaurant could soon change. see what's behind the bay area move to ban the special soup. brent and laura are coming up on the backside of this break.

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new this morning, the move to ban a popular bay area delicacy. both sides are passionate about that plan. we'll tell you about it coming up. plus, when it comes to romance, onety city is above them all. we'll look at which bay area cities made the lovers list. and a live look outside from the south bay this morning. a little bit of wind, a little bit of change in the forecast. it is valentine's day, february 14th, "today in the bay."