laura said, anywhere in the bay area, now that contract negotiations have completely broken down between b.a.r.t. and its labor unions. business reporter scott mcgrew joins us live in the newsroom with an in depth look at what b.a.r.t. workers want and how far b.a.r.t. is willing to go to get trains running again. >> good morning to you. the two sides are not meeting this morning, so unless there is some sort of back channel activity that we are not seeing, there is no negotiation currently to report on. talks broke down last night, as you might expect, it's over money. workers have gone without a raise for five years. now, with the rate of inflation, they now make significantly less than they used to, even if their paycheck has never changed. b.a.r.t. offering a raise, 8%. but workers want one three times that big. b.a.r.t. would also like employees to start contributing to their own pensions. right now employees pay nothing. and health care certainly an issue. b.a.r.t. employees pay a little less than $100 a month with rising cost of health care

management would like them to pay more. now, laura and marla, it's not as if b.a.r.t. doesn't have the money to meet these demands. in fact, it's actually running a surplus. but b.a.r.t. says it desperately needs to spend that money on new infrastructure. new cars, new stations, new trains, new computers, to keep the aging fleet running. >> something has got to give. okay, scott, thanks so much. >> somehow got to strike a balance. because of commuters out there waking up to a nightmare. on the monday morning, nonetheless. want to check the commute with mike. >> we're looking over here, very brightly lit as the sun comes up, commute for westbound 580, the traffic you see crawling from left to right. that's your commute direction. 580 from highway 24 over toward the maze and berkeley curve. let me show you this area on the maps where we have a huge backup. down the east shore freeway, things are moving pretty smoothly. that's because folks are held off coming off the bridge, a sig alert, two crashes and two lanes

blocked. meanwhile, the commute heading toward the maze, that's freeing up because the trains are not runningen on the b.a.r.t. system, folks hitting their cars. the same routes the trains would alleviate, now the folks heading to the bay bridge toll plaza, westbound to 580, the live camera shot to the maze. this is a backup off northbound 880, as well, causing a big backup there. some folks heading south, instead of the bay bridge to the san mateo bridge, more crowded, earlier back up here. and a crash in the backup moving to the shoulder as you're heading toward hayward toward the san mateo bridge, highway 92. 92 and 84, the san mateo and dunbarton bridges, respectively, are going to be a relief valve towards some of that bay bridge traffic. folks moving smoothly across the spans, including the dunbarton express across highway 84, well clear of most of the backup, but still expect heavier flow of traffic.

we have been seeing that the last month anyway. so that will be the case, as well as 101. unexpectedly heavy traffic there, because that, again, is your way to and from the dunbarton or san mateo bridges. one last look toward the sig alert, west 80 coming off the bridge, jammed coming through crockett into hercules, blocking lanes, providing some relief for folks and not keeping things quite so backed up. but still slow from richmond into berkeley. and it's a hot day. folks sort of not so happy about it being a monday and now this hot weather. focus waiting outside for buses. >> yeah, this morning is not that bad, mike. still rather cool. the coolest point of the day but when people get off work, the warmest point of the day, 105 degrees in places in the east bay. so it's going to be very hot, do whatever you can to keep cool, seek shade, bring a bottle of water, bring something you can spray water or face with. anything that it takes to make sure you're safe out there. we're talking about the levels of heat that are downright

dangerous if you don't have ac in particular. today in the bay works like this. your hour by hour detail. at noon, already in the mid 90s inland, under 5 degrees to round out the day. and even hotter weather on the way tomorrow. 90 degrees bayside and at the coast 78 degrees. something else that's creating some major problems for travelers this morning. look at this severe weather in the northeast. we actually have a tornado warning issued for parts of new jersey right now. and all the severe weather is actually barreling towards manhattan. so we're going to be watching in this morning. but count on numerous flight delays all over this on the "today" show, as well. very severe weather. we're watching it for you, as well, as our heatwave here in the bay area. back to you for now. >> thank you so much. 6:34. a developing story in arizona where 19 elite firefighters are dead as a raging wildfire sweeps through several communities about 85 miles northwest of phoenix, leaving at least 200 homes and also businesses destroyed. >> nbc's miguel almaguer is in

prescott, arizona this morning with more on that country's -- or this country's worst wildfire disaster in 80 years. >> reporter: this is the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in decades. as you mentioned, some 19 firefighters killed when they were overcome by flames here in the state of arizona. fire officials tell us that all 19 of those flirts deployed their fire shelter, a thin tinfoil like blanket used to divert flames, only to be used in the most dire situations. unfortunately, that could not save the lives of these firefighters. one member of the 20-member crew was a lookout about a mile away. he survived this fire, untouched, unhurt by those flames. fire officials say this is a historic fire that has ripped through this region, some 2,000 acres have been charred. 200 homes destroyed. but, of course, the most tragic news of this blaze, 19 firefighters killed in this blaze. the president today called them

heroes. the governor has ordered flags at half staff. she calls this a dark day for the state of arizona and for the country. now back to you. >> okay, miguel, thanks so much. 6:36. much closer to home, two teenagers recovering from gunshot wounds this morning in oakland. and the gunman is still on the run. police say the boy and girl both just 14 years old, were with a group of friends in a park near 98th and bancroft avenue saturday night when a man with a gun walked up and then just started shooting. the two teens were hit by bullets as they tried to run away. they were taken to it a hospital. police say they are expected to be okay. 6:36. and today marks a very painful anniversary in bay area history. 20 years ago, a gunman stormed into the petit and martin law offices on the 34th floor of a high-rise at 101 california street. john luigi wounded six before turning the gun on himself. the tragic events sparked gun

control debates on a national level. the gunman had used 32-round clips in that attack. within months of the shooting, congress passed a historic assault weapons ban, signed into law by president bill clinton. that ban has since expired. congress rejected a new round of gun control laws sponsored by senator dianne feinstein. 6:37. still ahead, week two of testimony in the george zimmerman murder trial. what the jury can expect to hear this week. plus an abortion bill shouted down and blocked by a filibuster gets another chance to pass in texas. we'll tell you about the controversial vote, next.

you're watching "today in the bay." good monday morning to you. we're certainly monitoring breaking news all morning, where b.a.r.t. is on strike. this is a live look at the lake merit b.a.r.t. station where workers are coming out, picketing. no trains are running this morning. that means massive commute problems across the bay area. we'll check in with mike in just moments. 6:40. it is week two in george zimmerman's murder trial. it begins today. the lead investigator in the case is expected to take the witness stand sometime this week. last week, much of the testimony focused on zimmerman's neighbor, first responders, and a friend of trayvon martin's. zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder, saying he shot the 17-year-old martin in self defense. texas lawmakers getting ready for round two today over a new abortion bill that could

shut down at least 37 clinics. governor rick peri called for é this second special legislative session after a democratic filibuster ran the clock out before the bill was passed. the governor is urging lawmakers to approve the bill early this time, so a filibuster will not work. the new legislation would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, requiring higher standards for clinics, and requiring doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. it is 6:41. coming up, bumper to bumper on bay area bridges and roads. we are live with a look at all of today's traffic trouble spots as the b.a.r.t. strike creates chaos for your morning commute. this is a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza, mainly on this shot, the cash lane. filling up. mike has a look at your traffic. >> that's because, well, a lot of folks are first time drivers or not frequent drivers. you see from this shot of 580, well stacked up between,el well,

basically the caldecott tunnel and the maze and the approach out of oakland. we'll show you the details and what is affecting your drive, as well as that ripple effect affecting your drive, coming up. and, of course, a lot of people will be waiting outdoors today. we've got record heat in the forecast. 105 degrees inland today. our window for fog formation quickly closing as that sun is now blazing over the bay area. i'll let you know when this heat will break, but before it does, it's going to get even hotter. your full forecast in moments. crystal geyser is always

bottled at the mountain source. crystal geyser. crystal geyser. crystal geyser. then we deliver it directly to you.

[ female announcer ] it balances you... [ water crashing ] ...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. nature valley. nature at its most delicious. you're watching 15 minutes of continuous news, weather and traffic on "today in the bay." breaking news right now at 6:44.

b.a.r.t. on strike, leading to major backups across the bay area. our chopper shows you the approach at the bay bridge this morning. look at all the traffic out there. this, because thousands of workers walking off the job leaving 400,000 commuters, regular b.a.r.t. riders, stranded this morning. good morning to you and thanks so much for joining us. i'm laura garcia cannon. >> i'm marla tellez in for jon kelley today. this morning, no b.a.r.t. trains running now that contract negotiations have broken down between b.a.r.t. and its labor unions. we have team coverage. damian trujillo is live near the fremont b.a.r.t. station and mike inouye with a look at how you can get around without b.a.r.t. christie smith is live in oakland at the lake merit b.a.r.t. station. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, marla. it is strangely quiet out here. normally you would see commuters running in, flying down last-minute to catch their train but no trains running at all. instead the union workers out

here on the picket line. in fact, they walked off at midnight after their contract expired. i just heard from a b.a.r.t. spokesperson this morning and he's telling me they would certainly like a resolution on this soon. but right now they have no idea exactly how long this strike might last. b.a.r.t. could not come to an agreement with its two largest unions, for the first time since 1997, b.a.r.t. workers are out on strike. the issues here, workers' contribution to pension and benefits, wages. the unions say it's also about safety. but with the system out of service, 400,000 riders have to find other ways to get around, get across the bay, after the four-year contract expired. >> well, i think both sides want to come to an agreement. but there are some difficult issues on the table that they're trying to work out. so let's take it day by day and hope we come to a resolution soon. >> reporter: how does it feel? you've been on the job for 11 years. how does it feel to be standing out here? >> unsettling. it's, you know -- but realistically, it it -- it's

worse for all people who don't have a ride to work. >> reporter: b.a.r.t. does have parking lots at 33 of its stations. they're going to be open and free for people to use them today for casual carpooling. if you to see a train running, b.a.r.t. reminding people, it's an inspection train to watch trains and tracks and make sure that they're safe inside. so, again, not picking up passengers at all, even if you do see a train rolling. i asked the union folks if they thought anymore negotiations might be on tap. they said as far as they know, none are scheduled for today. reporting live in oakland, christie smith, "today in the bay." >> christianity, thank you. let's continue our coverage with damian trujillo near the fremont b.a.r.t. station, b.a.r.t. running buses of its own today. we understand that space is limited. >> reporter: that's right. we have seen about two or three buses leave here near the fremont b.a.r.t. station since 5:30 this morning. several buses are still standing by.

some people are pretty upset here at the strike, because they're saying they're having to get up an hour and a half earlier to deal with all this chaos. at least two bus loads have left fremont, headed to oakland. this is one of only four b.a.r.t. stations in the system that will run those special buses. the others are walnut streak and can cub lynn pleasanton. the buses run from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. those buses will take you to the west oakland b.a.r.t. station. and from there, you'll have to jump on another chartered bus, which will take you on to the city. you cannot drive to the west oakland b.a.r.t. station and jump on one of those special buses. you have to have a special ticket obtained from one of the four selected b.a.r.t. stations. we ran into one couple today who had no idea there was a b.a.r.t. strike. now you have an expensive cab ride to sfo? >> that's right. >> reporter: what's that going to cost them, sir? >> it's going to cost them about $110. >> reporter: what do you think? >> well, it was supposed to cost

us $10 a piece. and now it's $90 extra. >> reporter: b.a.r.t. chartered 58 buses total, but service is free, and it's for a round-trip. to return to one of the four b.a.r.t. stations in the afternoon, you need to be on howard street between fremont and beal. buses begin leaving san francisco at 3:00 p.m., and the last bus back to the east bay leaves at 7:00 p.m. not huge crowds here near the fremont b.a.r.t. station. there were roughly 8 eight or nine buses here, only two or three have left. but they're going to stand by until 9:00. live near the fremont b.a.r.t. station, i'm damian trujillo, "today in the bay." >> throughout the bay area, commuters lined up to find alternate transit options. take a live look at this ferry stop at oakland's jack london square where a steady stream of people has been lining up since 4:00 this morning. you can see them piling on to the latest ferry there. the ferry is going on extra

runs, direct from oakland to san francisco right now. service hours are also extended. then there is the other option oh of ac transit will be available for riders today despite its own tense contract negotiations. but union members say they will give riders 24-hour notice before walking on the job, if they do. and ac transit will definitely be available to commuters today. for a list of transit alternatives, head over to b.a.r.t. strike resources page from all over the transportation agencies. this is at nbcbayarea.com. just search b.a.r.t. resources there. if you're about to head out the door, mike has a look at what's happening on the roads because of the b.a.r.t. strike. and mike, it looks like having fast track pays off. >> it does. once you get to the total plaza. we have seen the toll plaza shot and we have seen a big, big open space where the fast track lanes are there where they separate. unfortunately as you get there, you have to go through this backup here.

this is westbound 580, coming off the 24 interchange there. and let me show you on the map, barely moving. backed up over here. folks have to get through here, the common roadways, until you get right there, just past the berkeley curve. and then once you get under that 880 overcrossing, that's when the fast track would pay you some advantage. so unfortunately, to pay that advantage, you have to get there. but if you pay for fast track ahead of time, you might have a better chance tomorrow as planning ahead. look at all this red feeding toward the bay bridge toll plaza, that's why we warn folks early and frequently last week, you've got to get an alternate plan. look at the back up coming out of arain dathrough the caldecott tunnel and maze. the bay bridge toll plaza crazy. our chopper is over there, if we could take a quick peek, that would be great, because all these lanes -- there you see in the middle of the shot, the fast track lanes, just showed it. and that was a huge advantage for you. unfortunately, you have to get through all of this backup getting there. we'll get you back to the map so

i can tell you about a few more ripple effects of that commute. as folks are heading to the bay bridge, there is the big backup. heading south toward the san mateo bridge, we look over here toward this area. and as you head south to san leandro and hayward, a crash now clearing to the shoulder around a street. and another around highway 92. so that's a big issue for folks. increased volume of traffic, and that's why you see west 580 from redwood road to the scene also very slow. a smoother drive across the bridge, but still watching 880 and 101 for increased traffic slow, what we are seeing. and then christina, taking you to the south bay where the traffic volume is starting to heat up for the morning commute but the roadways, they are very crowded heading over to the beach. some relief from the heat over the weekend. you and i both over there separately. but this morning working together on this. >> indeed. 9:00 a.m., 17 was jam packed, both saturday and sunday. a lot of people trying to get an early start, get the nice spot on the warm sands of santa cruz. today i can tell you, you have the luxury to have the day off, the beach is the place to be, anywhere near the water is going

to be the coolest. but it's not going to be even all that cool. in san francisco, close to 90 degrees, even some of your bayside and coastal communities today. let's get to it. no flight delays, cleeflt completely clear. we showed the severe weather moving northeast. i can tell you, delays are going to be significant trying to get into new york city today. but that tornado warning, that was issued for parts of new jersey, has been cancelled. so that's good news. we could see more go up throughout the day. we'll be watching. 62 degrees, good morning. sun sunnyva sunnyvale. 6 0 in oakland. thank you for waking up, especially on a day like this. the heat keeping you up at night fort the next few days. likely the case. because we're going to keep the hot temperatures going, 100-degree plus readings inland through wednesday. more humidity, as well. so it's going to feel even warmer than the true temperature out there when you add that humidity. and that's what we're expecting for today. you want to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. or post up at the beach.

pacifica today, 79 degrees. you're getting into the 80s in half moon bay, 83 there. and even in santa cruz, close to 90 degrees, 88 degrees out there today. no real wind to cool us off. fan is your best bet if you don't have ac in your house. and i would say, hey, anything you can spray down with water to keep you cool, even if animals, because you've got to refuse the pets as well when it gets this hot. 105 in livermore, 100 straight up in wine country for santa rosa today and 79 degrees in san francisco. not getting much of a break overnight. i still have the clock on your futurecast, 11:00 p.m. holding on to the 60s and 70s. even well after the sun goes down. tuesday, ridiculous heat. 108 degrees. then wednesday into thursday, staying hot for the 4th of july. we usually want it hot for the 4th of july. but not quite this hot, ladies. back to you. >> on fire. okay, christina, thank you. 6:54. this morning, more than 1,000 oakland city workers are on strike. so it's not just b.a.r.t.

workers. workers are upset over another 10% pay cut, so they have called a one-day general strike, which started at midnight. the strike will impact parking enforcement, street sweeping, animal control, head start, senior centers and more. but police, fire and other emergency service workers will not be affected. the city says some services will be available online. it's the first general strike by city workers since 1946. 6 57b 55. also judgment day for the pilot of an oil tanker that struck the bay bridge earlier this year. the state's board of pilot commissioners will meet today to make a disciplinary decision for captain guy cleese, he was piloting the overseas raymar in january when it struck a tower on the bridge. no one was hurt, but it did cost $1.5 million in damage. 6:55. today the beginning of the third financial quarter. >> or as scott mcgrew puts it, playing the back nine of 2013.

>> i'm excited. you think you know based on the numbers we have seen, out of wall street, the first half of the year was terrible for stocks. in fact, 2013 has seen the best rise on the markets since the dot-com boom. really only in the last month or so that stocks have sunk. to accident stocks to watch, blackberry, maybe broken up for parts. investors running from bonds. $80 billion pulled out of bonds last month. people aren't convinced the fed will stop buying bonds, therefore the prices going down s. and when bond prices fall the difference between what they cost and their payoff increases. this is the yield. you care because the yield on a long bond affects mortgages. last week, home mortgages saw their fastest jump upwards in decades. this does not appear yet to be affecting home sales, although it will take some time to get that paid. but it's affecting how much you pay. back to you. >> okay, scott, thank you. california now has the highest gas tax in the country.

this morning, the statewide excise tax on gas jumped by 3.5 cents. taxes now account for 72 cents of every gallon of gas you pump into your car. by comparison, nationwide, the average tax on a gallon of gas is 49 cents. the increase was approved by the state board of equalization back in february to make up for lost revenue. >> it's not the only increase. parking fines and muni fees just went up in san francisco. starting this morning, the san francisco municipal transportation agency raising the price of adult muni monthly passes by $2 to $66. most parking violation fines going up $3. muni leaders say the increases are part of a plan to keep fair and fee hikes small and predictable. 6:57. one final check of your traffic. all eyes on the bay bridge toll plaza. mike, how much time has it been taking people it to get through? >> almost an hour, perhaps more on the approach. actually, depends greatly on your approach. first let's show off what's going on here.

we have chp enforcing all of the laws over there. we don't want any hov cheaters and no folks sneaking around the edge. over off on the approach. 880, folks coming northbound, these folks not sharing the car with anybody. single drivers for the majority of these cars. these folks coming off 880 skpeb 580 out of the maze, the biggest focus. we'll show you the approach, very slow through berkeley. so jammed up coming from the racetrack through berkeley and the berkeley curve. also north 880 coming up through oakland and 580. the big impact is 24 out of the caldecott tunnel, below 20 miles per hour to the maze and the approach and that why is why times will vary. west 24 the worst of them. christina, this looks like a temperature map i think for the area. we have some heat-ups going on again today, right? >> oh, yeah, the kind of heat you saw vhs tape left out in the sun in the car how they get melted and warped? it's hot enough for that today.

so anything that could get damaged, don't leave inside your vehicle today. 105 degrees inland. you could gain 20 degrees inside the car. 90 degrees bai side. back to you, ladies. >> one last check of your top headlines. wildfire in arizona killed 19 firefighters, destroying at least 200 homes, started friday about 85 miles northeast of phoenix. this incident is the greatest loss of firefighters at one time since september 11th. >> counties across the bay area will start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples this morning. over the weekend, san francisco issued more than 500 licenses after the ninth circuit court lifted the stay on same-sex marriages friday afternoon. >> as we have been telling you all morning long, b.a.r.t. workers on strike this morning, meaning 400,000 riders have to find other ways to get to work. b.a.r.t. has hired some charter buses to help get people around. there's also extra ferry service between oakland and san francisco this morning. >> of course, we are keeping an eye on the morning commute, all the b.a.r.t. negotiations, and

delays people are experiencing. we will continue our live coverage throughout the morning. next update at 7:25. >> thanks for joining us this morning. good morning. breaking news. tragedy in arizona. 19 members of an elite fire fighting crew killed in the line of duty. >> emotionally? we're devastated. we just lost 19 of some of the finest people you'll ever meet. the fire destroyg hundreds of homes and still burning out of control. we're there live. back in court. >> a tough first week for the prosecution. the lead investigator in the george zimmerman case expected on the stand today. why was his recommendation to charge zimmerman with manslaughter ignored? cher's world, the legend opens up about life, love, her return