more than words. we need action. it is 7::00. here is a live look outside in downtown san jose. doesn't look too bad. i saw a lot of fog driving in earlier this morning. thanks for joining us. i'm kira klapper. vianey arana has a look at you're microclimate forecast. a little cloudy. >> yeah. a little bit of fog rolling through. how is everybody?

i hope you're doing well. we do have some areas of fog, we're getting reports of limited visibility up through the north bay and parts of the coast as well as in san francisco, here is a different view of the city. and i want to show you satellite and radar. the gray that you see on the screen is where the low clouds are and that is where we're getting reports of areas of fog, down to about a quarter to a half mile of visibility. 49 in san jose, low 40s for santa cruz. and a little chillier up through santa rose at 38 degrees. we will remain dry for today's forecast. however, heading into tonight and into sunday, we have a couple changes ahead. so once we get rid of some of the cloud cover, we will see some sunshine start to roll in around 11:00, 12:00 and then we're tracking a independent with watch that takes effect tonight into sunday. i'll break down the timing of those winds coming up.

we begin right now with breaking news, the first american has died from the coronavirus. the u.s. embassy in china says that the 60-year-old woman and american citizen died in a hospital in wuhan. the death toll from this virus has topped 700 people worldwide. at least 34,000 people have been infected. thousands more are being quarantined all over the world, including right here in the bay area. just yesterday morning, 201 people landed at travis air force base from wuhan. 53 were garn tequarantined, fou straight to the hospital. >> and the reason we're doing this is to prevent widespread transmission. so i want to say to the public, this is not the time to be putting on face masks and walking around in the community. there is no need. the people that are this quarantine here are well and if

they develop symptom, we will put them in the appropriate isolation. >> another person, a young child, also is in the hospital. san francisco's chinatown is ready to welcome thousands of people for its lunar new year celebrations this weekend, but with coronavirus fears, the question now is will people come out. the year of the rat celebrations began last night. the highlight every year of course is the big parade, floats and entertainment are ready. and the grand marshal is hoping that people don't stay away but come out and support the community. >> i hope people come and go out and eat and enjoy the community. we're the oldest chinatown in america, we have to take care of it. >> the department of public health says there are no confirmed cases in san francisco and trisk to the general public is low. the parade begins at 5:00 this morning in chinatown. and stick with nbc bay area for the very latest on the coronavirus. our website is a great resource

as this story continues to develop. just go to nbcbayarea.com. a silicon valley business group has endorsed a in the city down till race, but it is stirring up controversy. sylvia arenas says her picture was intentionally darkened on a website that is opposing her re-election bid. we spoke with the council member. >> reporter: when you go to the si silicon valley endorsement page, you see a headline but no pictures. and in this screen grab, you can see what the page looked like before the pictures were taken down. sylvia arenas is advisably darker than her challenger jim zito. >> if they oppose me, even has a right to free speech, but no one has a right to alter the color of my skin. >> she says the website is dirty

politics. >> let's call it what it is, it is a racist tactic. >> reporter: the sponsors of the web page says it was a mistake. >> it is a very sensitive issue. i have to say that it was something that when we recognized it was an issue, we immediately took steps to correct it. >> reporter: but arenas says this is not the first time that the political action committee has used questionable images. in 2016 campaign, it also dar n darkened jimenez's picture. and council member arenas is also asking her opponent jim zito to speak out about this. he wasn't available for an interview, but sent a statement that reads in part, i denounce any form of racial or personal attacks in politics or otherwise. i want to run this campaign on my and. >> aaron: arenas' records of service. nbc bay area news.

and now the battle for the white house continues with the new hampshire primary on tuesday. and a maris poll shows that it is a close race for democrats. bernie sanders is in the lead with 25% pete buttigieg is not far behind with 21%. and elizabeth warren and joe biden are next and neck for third and fourth. and in the close race between buttigieg and sanders is no surprise after iowa, and there is still no clear winner from the caucuses there. buttigieg and sanders are in a virtual tie, though both have claimed victory.iowa state democratic party says that the candidates have until monday to request a recount. the california primary is march 3. our website is a great resource as you prepare to dcass your ballot. there is a vote guide at nbcbayarea.com/election guide. a 6-year-old is in the hospital in critical condition after a hit and run in richmond.

investigators say that this green ford explorer hit a boy and then took off. it happened around 5:00 yesterday evening right by ford elementary. the boy and his parents were on a walk when he was hit. police say the suv has after market wheels and a white rectangular sticker in the lower passenger side rear window. call police if you see it. and we have much no are ahead on today in the bay. coming up, the show must go on. they haven't had a drama class in years, but that isn't stopping these high school students from putting on their own school production. we'll show you a play that is highlighting an issue that is on the minds of students across the country. also from bad to worse, get ready for more traffic on 101 through the peninsula. the two year project that could cause a lot of headaches. obama: he's been a leader

throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: leadership in action. mayor bloomberg and president obama worked together in the fight for gun safety laws, to improve education, and to develop innovative ways to help teens gain the skills needed to find good jobs. obama: at a time when washington is divided in old ideological battles he shows us what can be achieved when

we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message. two bacon, two sausage, this is the two eggssuper slam. hash browns and pancakes and now make those pancakes all you can eat for a buck. that's where the duper comes in. the all new super duper slam just seven ninety nine. see you at denny's. welcome back.

7:09 on your saturday morning. we are seeing clouds and fog as we lookoff wa over walnut creek. you can expect partly clear conditionings, 60s across the bay. but winds will pick up tonight. and vianey arana will detail it in about five minutes. they lit up the stage with a timely performance. despite losing their theater program, students at a south bay high school where still continuing their passion. last night dozens of them gathered together for a student-run performance about school shootings. ian culp takes us there. >> reporter: the setting, a school. the actors, students. putting a light on an issue every kid now has to deal with. >> it is kind of intense because they are just really scared. >> reporter: and this play is completely student-run at mount pleasant high school. it follows students the day of a

school shooting, how it impacts them. >> active shooter, help! >> reporter: and some imagine their futures that they live. others promise to be better people. all while the shooter is outside, though you never see him. it is the first time the play is running in the bay area, but students know it portrays a reality around the country. >> and it is really unfortunate because our parents like didn't get to -- they didn't really think about that, but they were born in to it. >> reporter: and last week the principal coordinated a campus-wide conversation around the play. >> so if somebody needs help, somebody is going through something difficult, if somebody is posting something negative, then it is your responsibility as a member of our community to say and do something. >> reporter: this was their final performance, but the students hope that the message is lasting, inthat everyone shod

feel included and safe. >> i want to make sure shootings are in the past. i don't want my kids in the future to go through this. it is scary and too much at times. >> reporter: in san jose, ian cole, nbc bay area news. much more ahead. coming up, get ready for delays. we'll tell you about the construction about to begin on a major bay area freeway that could impact your commute. and we're off to a cloudy start. this is a live look outside right now. our temperatures are in the 30s and 40s in most spots. i'll have a closer look at the high wind watch that we're tracking heading into tonight. tom steyer: listen, every democrat running for president

is better than the criminal in the white house. we all have progressive plans to address the big challenges facing our country. what makes me different, is i've been working for ten years outside of washington, to end the corporate takeover of our democracy, and to return power to the american people. i started need to impeach to hold this lawless president accountable. i'm proposing big reforms like term limits... ...a national referendum... ...and ending corporate money in politics. as president, i'll declare climate change an emergency on day 1. and, use those powers to finally address the climate crisis. and, i've spent 30 years building a successful international business. so, i can take on donald trump on the economy - and beat him. i'm tom steyer and i approve this message -

because there is nothing more powerful than the unified voice of the american people. welcome back. a live look outside over san jose. we have some low clouds and fog across the bay area this morning. vianey arana says that temperatures are mainly in the 60s today. so enjoy it while it lasts before it gets windy tomorrow.

san jose is stepping up its fight against gun violence. police and the district attorney have teamed up to identify priority gun offenders. those are people with a history of violent crimes. and they seized the weapons from those people before they commit another crime. some police watch dog groups are sceptical of that approach, but the d.a. and chief maintain are law. a college student's he heroic's act helped a man's life at a b.a.r.t. station in san francisco. the 28-year-old walked in and saw a man lying on the stairs. there was a needle on the ground next to him. he is trained to be an emt and recognized that it could be an opoid overdose. he sprung into action. >> cpr and felt the pulse come back. and administered more breaths.

>> reporter: he called 911 and police arrived giving the man narcan. they said without his quick thinking, the outcome could have been much different. now to the school district that is facing a massive shortfall to the tune of $48.7 million. and may have to lay off up to 250 teachers, increase class sizes and make other painful cuts. teachers and parents are worried as the district decides how the budget ax will fall. >> i'm really concerned about the future of my daughter's education and as a parent, it is stressful to think about what these cuts might do. >> the district says it likely will also make severe cuts to its central office staff. now to traffic on 101 on the peninsula, it might be getting even worse than it already is. beginning tomorrow, caltrans will close lanes between whipple

in redwood city up to 380 in south san francisco. crews are installing express lanes there. the work is scheduled for overnights sunday through thursday for the next two years. many people are concerned though that the closures could spill over into the morning commute. let's check in now with vianey arana with a look at our weekend forecast. we have the chinese new year's celebrati celebrations, giant fan fest. and it sounds like the wind might give us a break. >> yeah, today we'll be mostly clear in the interiors, but it is pretty cloudy right now. and the wind, at least strong u.s. gusts should hold off until tomorrow. temperatures are in the 30s and 40s right now. a live look over walnut creek, you can see just how cloudy it is. we're getting reports of visibility issues as well. you see on satellite radar, you can see the clouds cover that

has been creeping into inland areas within the past hour or so. we've seen some areas getting even cloudier. so current temperatures right now in santa rosa, 38. napa, 44. concord, 43. and 49 degrees for san jose. by the afternoon, we're still going to be above normal for this time of year. so here is a closer look. that is a live look at downtown san jose. and check out the temperature trend. we're off to a cloudy start, but by 10:00, we'll get more peeks of sunshine and temperatures will be in the 50s and upper 50s in a -- and even a couple mid to upper 60s for the interior valleys. it will be 63 today in san jose, 62 in oakland. and around this time of year, our average high is about 57. so we're still pretty warm for this time. 63 degrees in napa, 63 in san francisco. and again, we'll get some areas

of sun and clouds in through the interior valley, it will be slower to clear if the coastline. and then we're tracking the next story which is a trough that will make its way down kicking up those winds. a high wind watch will take effect tonight into sunday. we're talking about northerly winds. an advisory kicks in tomorrow. but the north and east bay hills along with the santa cruz mountains and coastal area, gusts upwards of possibly 45 plus miles per hour. for the highlighted areas that you see here on the map. now, again, by tomorrow morning, we'll see some areas with advisories, which is a step up from the high wind watch. and we'll monitor that very closely. so let's take you through a couple of those times when it comes to the winds. saints ma santa rosa, 36 miles per hour. and heading into 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, that is when we're really tracking the gusty conditions, 25 miles per hour for san jose, but then areas

like san francisco, napa, in through orinda, upwards of 30 plus miles per hour. and then it gets even windier by 6:00. san jose, 40 plus-mile-per-hour gusts possible. so we'll be certainly noticing that tomorrow. a great time to tie down any patio furniture or anything that might fly away. it will be windy tomorrow, temperatures will begin to drop into the 50s and look what happens in san francisco, we remain warm, and also dry for the next seven days with temperatures climbing in to the 70s by monday. >> 72 on tuesday. yes, please. thanks. still ahead, building tiny homes for survivors of california wildfires. we will introduce you to the woman behind the operation and learn about the personal tragedy that inspired her to take action.

it has been nearly a year and a half and it is still hard to digest, the fire in the small

town muof paradise destroyed 18,000 structures, so many of those people who survived are still far from recovering. it is a lot of effort, a lot of money. and in the case of one woman, a lot of love. gash v garvin thomas has her story. >> reporter: alyssa nolan is her name. she is an executive assistant at a drug and alcohol recovery center. her every other minute job is giving fire survivors the one thing that they desperately need. >> we're going to -- >> reporter: with the deadline fast approaching, there is nothing that is going to slow alyssa down. not even a fall that has split her lip wide open. >> i think wong of tone of the went through my lip. >> reporter: but she has no

intention of heading to the hospital just yet. she has promised three tiny homes by the end of the day it three campfire survivors and she's going to deliver just like she always does. >> so this is for a family of five. this one is for a family of three. and the blue one on the far left is for a senior lady. >> reporter: these three bring to 13 the number of tiny homes alyssa and a growing group of volunteers have built and begin away in the past year. a tremendous act of kindness, maybe even more remarkable by the fact that alyssa had no idea how to build anything when she started. >> i started watching youtube avidly. i logged over 2,000 videos, learned how to build. >> reporter: so what was it that got this executive assistant into the business of constructing kindness? well, in 2008, alyssa lost her home in a wildfire.

seeing all those people lose theirs in paradise in 2018 brought all that pain back. >> and i wanted to help. but i didn't have any money. so i gave food and clothes, but they didnnidn't need anymore. and so i was brey praying and the lord pressed me to build these houses. >> she truly is god's angel to us. i don't know what we would do without you. >> reporter: and so now alyssa will dry her tears, get her lip stitched up and get back to work. there are so many still needing the kind of love she is building. >> because i want them to walk in and be blessed. i want them to know that people love them. >> reporter: so as you heard, al li alyssa has so far built 13 homes

and now raised enough to build another 32. although the waiting list she has in front of her of people wanting homes she says is up to 500. garvin thomas, nbc bay area news. >> what an angel. thank you. we have much more ahead. coming up, a bay area high school is now facing a lawsuit. we'll tell you what one student is claiming the student did not do. plus remembering an icon. how los angeles will honor kobe bryant and his daughter later this month. ♪ the wait is over. try my new tiny tacos. 15 for 3 bucks or loaded for 4 bucks. delivered exclusively with uber eats. othroughout the country for the past twelve years, 15 for 3 bucks or loaded for 4 bucks. mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: leadership in action. mayor bloomberg and president obama worked together in the fight for gun safety laws, to improve education, and to develop innovative ways to help teens gain the skills needed to find good jobs.

obama: at a time when washington is divided in old ideological battles he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message.

♪ the wait is over. try my new tiny tacos. 15 for 3 bucks or loaded for 4 bucks. delivered exclusively with uber eats. good saturday morning. it is 7:28 on this february 8. we're taking a look at downtown san jose. some cloudy skies and fog across other parts of the bay this morning. we appreciate your waking up with us. i'm kira klapper. vianey arana has a look at our forecast and winds will be coming in tonight? >> yeah, we'll be seeing the

wind start to pick up. mainly for the mountains tonight and then tomorrow is when everyone really will start to see the winds. so a good way to get everything ready now. but i want it on show you this view of san francisco. and, no, that camera is not wrong. that is all fog. that is actually a fog from the camera of what is supposed to be the golden gate bridge. but you can't even make it out. but it is 48 degrees and you can see the satellite radar, the gray that you see, that is the cloud cover. we've been seeing reports of patchy dense fog along the coast and in through santa rose. temperatures right now in the 40s, we do have a couple 30s. and here is a look at downtown san jose. your temperature trend for the afternoon is going to be cooler compared to yesterday. so yesterday we were in the upper 60s in most areas. right now we're in the 50s. but we'll be dipping down

overnight, but it is the wind that i'll be talking about coming up in 15 minutes because we have a wind advisory. >> we'll stay tuned for that. thanks so much. we begin right now with breaking news. the first american has died from the coronavirus. the u.s. embassy in china says that the 60-year-old american citizen died in a hoopt spital wuhan. and the death toll has now topped 700 people worldwide. at least 34,000 people have been infected and thousands more are being quarantined all over the world, including right here in the bay area. just yesterday morning, 201 people landed at travis air force base out said of fairfield from wuhan. 53 were quarantined there and four taken straight to the hospital. health officials say that it is preventive. >> the reason that we're doing this is to prevent widespread transmission. so i want to say to the public,

this is not the time to be putting on face masks and walking around in the community. there is no need. the people that are in quarantine here are well and if they develop symptoms, we'll put them in the appropriate isolati isolation. >> another young child is also in the hospital. san francisco's chinatown is ready to welcome thousands of people for its lunar new year celebrations this weekend, but with the coronavirus fears, the question is will people even come out. the year of the rat celebrations began last night. the highlight of course is the big parade. and this year's grand marshal tells us that he hopes people come out and support the community. >> yeah, i hope people come and go out and eat and enjoy the community. we're the oldest chinatown in america. we got to take care of it. >> the department of public health says that there are no confirmed cases in san francisco and the risk to the general public is low. the parade begins at 5:00 this

evening in san francisco's chinatown. be sure to stay with nbc bay area for the very latest on coronavirus. our website is a great resource as the story continues to develop. just go to nbc bay area.com. now to serious allegations against berkeley high school. a former student says administrators did not take action after she reported a classmate tried to rape her. in a lawsuit she filed against the school district, she says the attack happened last may. she got away and reported to school staff. she says a counselor then told her that same student had assaulted other girls before her. this week, a list of names appeared on a stall in the girl's bathroom titled boys to watch out to. we've blurred the names across. it accuses some of those boys of rape. >> i'm not shocked. something like this has been building up. >> this is not okay. we need a culture that protects

people. >> students say the school has since scrubbed off the graffiti. and now those students are planning a walkout for monday. turning now to an initial report from the ntsb that says that there was no engine failure in the 4helicopter crash that killed kobe bryant, his daughter and seven of their friends. investigators say a cut tree branch at the crash site shows the rotors were still turning at the time of impact. a memorial for those on board the helicopter is set for monday at angels stadium in anaheim. and koebl and guillbe and giann celebration of life will be february 24 at the staples center are. and now new hampshire's primary is on tuesday. and a brand new maris poll shows that it is a close brace for

race for democrats. bernie sanders is in the lead with 25% and pete buttigieg follows with 21%. elizabeth warren and joe biden are neck and neck for third and fourth place. the close race between buttigieg and sanders is no surprise after what just happened in iowa. there is still no clear winner for monday's caucuses there, although both have claimed victory. buttigieg and sanders are in a virtual tie. the iowa state democratic party says that the candidates do have until monday if they would like to request a recount. be sure to check your mail. ballots are already being sent out for the upcoming california primary. a lot of people are trying to pick which democrat to go with and last night they were all on stage debating in new hampshire. among the questions, can joe biden regain his upper hand. here is jay gray. >> reporter: the debate opens with a sense of urgency and unity.

>> everybody up here by the way is united no matter who wins this damn thing, we will all stand together to defeat trump. >> reporter: and they are clearly looking to reassure voters after the caucus controversy in iowa sgrp we should . >> we should be the party on the side of the hard working people and we can bring in independents and republicans. railroad and t >> reporter: the group consistently taking swipes at donald trump. >> his worst nightmare is a candidate that will bring people in from the middle, the people that are tired of the noise and nonsense. >> reporter: and former vice president joe biden stomping down the debate. >> stand up and clap for vindman. that is who we are. >> reporter: urging the crowd to honor lieutenant colonel alexander vindman who was removed from his post in the

white house after testifying during the impeachment investigation. >> wait a second. bernie -- >> no, that is right. >> let's not argue about polls. this is not about a poll. >> reporter: there was a bit of back and forth between the candidates over issues that have become familiar in these debates including health care and insurance, education, the economy and equality. feedback from the latest showdown will be fast, new hampshire voters go to the polls on tuesday. jay gray, nbc news, manchester, new hampshire. the california primary is on march 3. our website is a great resource as you prepare to cast your ballot. we posted a complete voter guide with issues from each bay area county, simply logon to nbcbayarea.com/election guide. this morning a badly abused dog has a bright future. this is baby. last month the 1-year-old pitbull mix was dumped outside the palo alto animal shelter

bleeding from wounds that were consistent with dogfighting. they tell us that it is the worst case of animal abuse they have seen. >> they take the crate out of their truck, leave it there and he was out there overnight with his wounds bleeding. >> after surgery, we're told baby is doing great. he should be ready for adoption in about two weeks. 7:37. today we'll tell you about a surprise guest at last night's giants event. stay tuned. growing up in la, bad air forced us indoors.

and now we have to deal with this. climate change is an emergency. that's why i wrote the nation's most progressive climate law. and that's why i'm endorsing tom steyer. because when big oil tried to stop our clean air laws, he led us to victory. same with the keystone pipeline. when tom says we can save the world and do it together

believe him. i'm tom steyer and i approve this message. welcome back. today thousands will pack into oracle pack for the giants annual fan fest. all the players and coaches will be there, including a last minute addition to the team. in case you missed it last night, take a look. >> this is so last minute, we don't ebb haveven have a micropr

our next guest. but i think you remember him, don't you? say hi to hunter pence. >> crazy, crazy. the fan favorite hunter pence back with the giants. pence signed a one year deal and was reintroduced last night. the 36-year-old says that he still has some good baseball left in him. we'll keep our fingers crossed. by the way, pitchers and catchers for the giants and as report to spring training next week in arizona. and new to the giants coaching staff, the first female coach in major league baseball history. she interned with the operations department back in 2014 but said that she never imagined that one day she'd put on the giants uniform. and she is embracing the challenge of being a role model to so many girls and women. >> i want girls to know like -- and everyone, not just girls, but when you have a job to do,

you work hard at it. 100%. all the time. and it is really inspiring when you are surrounded by an amazing coaching staff that you would just really do anything for. >> she won't be in the dugout on game day, but she will be helping out with everything from batting practice to working with the infielders and outfielders. so pretty good. and there is much more ahead on "today in the bay." coming up, it is the most coveted beer in the bay area. where people waited hours just to get a sip. >> the hype is real. and it was chilly yesterday for that too. it is cloudy in downtown san jose. and i'm talking about a wind advisory, how windy will it get to your sunday and what is our saturday looking like? i'll have a closer look. obama: he's been a leader

throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: leadership in action. mayor bloomberg and president obama worked together in the fight for gun safety laws, to improve education, and to develop innovative ways to help teens gain the skills needed to find good jobs. obama: at a time when washington is divided in old ideological battles he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message. good saturday morning. it is 7:43.

and i want to give you a closer look at what is supposed to be the golden gate bridge. this is high above the golden gate bridge. so, yeah, there is a lot of cloud cover and some fog. and here is what it looks like down below that cloud cover. so pretty neat to see the way the views look especially when the clouds begin to roll in. satellite and radar are is showcasing the cloud cover really hugging some areas at the coastline and into portions of the interior valley. we got reports of patchy dense fog in some areas. so here is a closer look at your temperatures as you head out the door. 45 degrees in san francisco, 49 in san jose. 38 in santa rosa. 50 in oakland. and we are going to have an above normal afternoon, but if you feel like your allergies have been acting up a little bit, this might be the reason why. we're tracking moderate when it comes to tree pollen, rag weed

and mold is pretty low, but juniper is pretty prominent. and we are cloudy right now, but by the afternoon, we'll get good clearing. livermore, a high of 65. san jose, 63. oakland 62. napa 63. and even in san francisco, we'll be at about 60 degrees. so we are above normal. what does that mean? well, typically around this time of year, high around 57, 58. so we're certainly feeling more of that hwarmth. and a trough will dip down into our area and that will kick up some wind. so not tracking rain, but look at the wind advisories. this was originally a high wind watch, it has been upgraded to a wind advisory. and that takes effect at 7:00 p.m. tonight mainly for the north bay, mountains and east bay hills until monday morning. so there could bes possibility of downed trees and power line,

winds 25 to 30 miles per hour with potential of gusts upwards of 50. sunday morning, you see 36 miles per hour. and at 1:00, 30 plus miles per hour down through the south bay and continues gusty all day tomorrow in through the evening and even in to the overnight hours down to the south bay, it will remain pretty warm. and as far as leak tahoe, the sierra snow pack, right now statewide at about 63% of state average. and notice we have warmer temperatures heading in to monday and tuesday. >> we'll take it. thanks. and still ahead, we investigate a rise in concussions in female student athletes. and a new movement to make girls lacrosse safer.

it is the same sport but the rules are very different. we are talking about girls and boys lacrosse. the girls game is designed to be less physical, but their concussion rate is almost just as high. no helmets? plenty of serious injuries. janelle wang reports. >> reporter: girls are not required to wear head gear in lacrosse. the boys are, but their game is more aggressive. rules allow body to body contact. but some girls are still getting

severely husht and believe helmets should be mandatory. >> here we go. >> reporter: it is fast, it is physical. it is aggressive. all reasons why women's lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. >> a lot more, very physical. >> reporter: but unlike the boys game, girls aren't required to wear helmets. they are optional because girls lacrosse doesn't allow body check. this lacrosse coach has mixed feelings about head gear. >> if i were a player, i wouldn't want to wear them. but as a parent, i want my kids to be protected. >> she gets hit all the time in practice and the game. it is kind of part of the game. it is a physical sport. >> reporter: sophia knows that all too well. one game, three years ago, changed her life forever. >> a girl went again to shoot

and she took her stick back and hit me in the temple. and i just blacked out and fell over and hit my head for a third time again. >> reporter: and sophia's parents looked on from the stands in horror. >> we were completely terrified. >> reporter: sophia suffered a brain injury that forced her to drop out of school for months. she couldn't remember how to read, write, have a basic conversation. >> i still struggle with learning and not understanding things as well as i used to. but i just feel like getting my brain back was such a gift that i'm just grateful for what i have. >> reporter: sophia believes a soft shell helmet could haveven. so she and her parents are pushing to make head gear mandatory. >> i don't think that it is more dangerous than other sports. if we can prevent a brain injury, we should.

tak it is a no-brainer. >> if you are someone who has seen the sport and how it is developed, absolutely girls are stronger and faster. >> reporter: and v pp of operations at u.s. lacrosse says girls have the option to wear it, but they have no plans to make it mandatory. >> we've been hearing that they like the fact that there is an option. >> reporter: u.s. lacrosse is watching florida closely. it became the only state to mandate head gear for girls. by the end of this year, she hopes to know if the rule change makes a difference. >> the organization is committed to ongoing study and research leaving ourselves open for the potential for a mandate. >> reporter: some lacrosse purists believe requiring helmets will only encourage what is called the gladiator effect. meaning once you start wearing protective gear, you become more aggressive. but others say that there is no

research so usupport that. >> if girls were required to wear the same helmet boys were required to wear, we would expect a third of all of the concussions sustained over the last decade could have been prevented. >> reporter: and the concussion rate for girls is almost as high as for boys even though body to body contact is not allowed. that is because girls still get hit in the head by the balls and sticks. >> helmet doesn't care if it is on the headed of a girl or boy. it will be just as effective. >> i always wonder what would it be like if i could go back and i could take it all back and i could just start fresh and not have this experience. i feel like i lost a year of my life. >> reporter: sophia's family has started a petition to request a rule change to require head gear. she's convinced some local clubs do it on their own. janelle wang, nbc bay area news.

taking a big turn here now. fans spent hours in the cold yesterday just to get their hands on the triple ipa, it marks the start of the brewing company's two week sale of the beer. for the past 15 years, brewery has only made it available on tap, but this year people can buy two bottles to take home. and we do have much more ahead on "today in the bay." coming up, it is our clear the shelters segment from pets in need. and we'll introduce you to miss nana next. utaur ♪ put an extra patty on that! bam! woah! uh-uhhh! my $4.99 triple bonus jack combo! stack it up for an extra buck.

actions speak louder than words. she was a school teacher. my dad joined the navy and helped prosecute the nazis in nuremberg. their values are why i walked away from my business, took the giving pledge to give my money to good causes,

and why i spent the last ten years fighting corporate insiders who put profits over people. i'm tom steyer, and i approve this message. because, right now, america needs more than words. we need action. check out my triple bonus jack! check it out with an extra patty! yeah! ok! let's ride! oh hey man, uhh... [car beeps] my $4.99 triple bonus jack combo! stack it up for an extra buck. welcome back. time for our clear the she willer segment. and this is miss nana. she is here on the floor. she is an 8-year-old pitbull

mix. she has been so patiently watching me. very well behaved. sometimes pitbulls get a bad wrap. but i've heard that she is the most perfect dog you have had at the shelter in recent times. >> that is true. she is our staff and volunteers favorite. she is playful, she is obedient action she loves going for walks, rolling in the grass and she will just snuggle up next to you. she's great for any home and she's been waiting for over six months. she was found after a fire and has moved through shelters. and we're going to find her a home. >> the assumption is that something happened to her family in the fires. they probably weren't able to take care of her any more. she was found as a stray. and so at another shelter for two months and now mere fhere fr

months. and that is a long time. so we're very anxious to find a home for her. >> and she'd be great with an active family, a stay at home family, older people, younger people? she is really quite adaptive? >> she is. and she is great with other doc dogs. greater with kids. sometimes dogs are not good with one group or another, but she's been fantastic with everybody. >> and we really hope that she finds her forever home. she is making a perfect pitch right now. just camera friendly and quiet. we do hope that everyone contacts you, pets in need.org/nana to find out more about her. thanks for coming in and we hope you get your forever home. thank you to making us a part of your morning. more local news for you tonight

and all day on nbcbayarea.com. and i'll see you back here tomorrow. can obama: he's been a leader throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: leadership in action. mayor bloomberg and president obama worked together in the fight for gun safety laws, to improve education, and to develop innovative ways to help teens gain the skills needed to find good jobs. obama: at a time when washington is divided in old ideological battles he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message.

i'm truly amazed at the effect thathank you, bob!ple. television that is educational and informational. 're watching the more you know on nbc. dylan: welcome to "earth odyssey". i'm dylan dreyer. get ready to travel around the world. today on "earth odyssey", we head back to some of our favorite, most fascinating, and coldest regions on earth. first, we slide into some fun with penguins in patagonia and see how their daily life is more than just survival. plus, we head for the himalayas, where blue sheep and snow leopards rule the grassy and foggy regions, but which animal really reigns supreme? we'll then head to the locals of the himalayas and explore the sensitive and powerful relationship