right now, get ready to flex your power. the scorching heat forcing state leaders to ask us all to save energy. when that flex alert goes into place and what you're being asked to do. one minute she was shopping. the next, she was stabbed several times. an update on the 94-year-old asian woman randomly attacked and what we're learning about her suspected there is officially a new federal holiday, juneteenth. >> we have come far go. but today is a day of celebration. >> what the day marks and why

it's significant to the black community. the news starts now. thanks for joining us. i'm jessica aguirre. yes, we are on early because of the u.s. open golf tournament which comes up next on nbc. let's start with what we're all talking about, the sweltering heat. this is a live look across the bay area. record-breaking, triple-digit temps in some parts. the heat wave leading to a flex alert. in a few hours we'll all be asked to conserve energy use to avoid blackouts. meteorologist jeff ranieri, you were talking about 105 temperatures. did we get there? >> yes. concord up to 106 degrees. we're still continuing to warm for the next two to three hours. 106 in livermore. 104 in gilroy. in these hottest locations of the east bay, we'll show you how things continue for us over the next few hours. i think we'll stay in the triple digits through 5:00 p.m. by 9:00 p.m. we're down to 83.

then eventually we get to some 70s here at 10:00 and 11:00. we're under heat warnings for one more day. these are in effect until 9:00 p.m. tomorrow. i think temperatures will drop just a few degrees cooler as we move through tomorrow's forecast. certainly a little bit of good news. we're also tracking some storms here on the radar. i wanted to let you know about this over the sierra. nothing for us right now. we've got a close watch on this. coming up in about 15 minutes we'll have a full look at this heat and when things cool down for us. >> that's what we want to know, when's it going to cool down. thank you, jeff. as temperatures soar, so does power usage. cal iso, the group that manages the state's power grid, has called a flex alert from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. statewide. that's when energy demand is expected to peak and demand could outpace supply. what does that mean? potential power outages. now, we don't want that to happen, so to avoid it, we're supposed to set thermostats to 78 or above. avoid using our air

conditioners, if you can, and other major appliances. today we stopped by the tabard theater company of san jose which is actually putting on a play under the lights tonight at 8:00 and they say they can't have a blackout. >> we try to shut everything down, keep everything cool, try to use as little power as possible. but the reality is, come 7:00, we have to put everything back on because that's how we do our business. our shows run at 8:00 p.m. every night. >> we're in the same position, we've got our lights on now. as of this point, cal iso says it's projecting we should have enough energy reserves to avoid a power outage this evening as long as we all do our part to help conservative this evening. now, the nbc bay area app is a great thing to have on stand by, you can check out the temperatures in your neighborhood. download it from the apple and google play stores. happy holiday. with president biden signing the juneteenth bill today, federal workers are getting a three-day weekend starting tomorrow.

that signing ceremony took place in the white house and the new law takes effect immediately. juneteenth is celebrated on june 19th and it marks the day that the news finally reached enslaved people in texas to let them know they were free. this was months after the south surrounded in the civil war. >> i've only been president for several months, but i think this will go down for me as one of the greatest honors i will have had as president, not because i did it. you did it. democrats and republicans. >> today is a day of celebration. it is not only a day of pride. it is also a day for us to reaffirm and rededicate ourselves to action. and with that i say, happy juneteenth, everybody. there will be mail deliver or

not. today's bill-signing formally making juneteenth a federal holiday is reverberating across the bay area. today governor newsom visited black businesses in oakland where the new holiday is touted as being welcomed but also long overdue. what kind of sentiment are we hearing tonight, thom jensen? >> reporter: a lot of people were thinking the president was going to sign this just before it was signed. the governor in oakland visited some small businesses, black-owned, as you said. this is an opportuni newsom in oakland, thelebrating the reope the significance of what has

happened this week as recognize. >> what a day, to reopen, to come back to our incredible small businesses, and especially our black-owned small businesses on this juneteenth week. >> reporter: a co-owner of one of those black-owned businesses says the pandemic should have made us all realize that we are all the same, one people. >> it's time for all of us to come together and tell the truth about how we all suffered. >> reporter: as they cheer the long overdue recognition of juneteenth as a federal holiday, black business owners are urging more entrepreneurs to take risks, have faith, and proudly operate their own businesses. >> we want to create something together as black people so we can operate with some level of normalcy. >> reporter: the governor also is talking about helping with

that, starting up more businesses with his covid relief grants. $1.5 billion more in state grants. $4 billion total so far. he said 62% so far has gone to minority-owned businesses. but he said the state could do better. we're live in oakland, thom jensen, nbc bay area news. >> thank you, thom. one woman has been campaigning to make juneteenth a national holiday for years. she decided to walk from oakland, texas, to washington, d.c., petitioning congress to make juneteenth a federal holiday. she walked 2 1/2 miles each day, symbolizing the 2 1/2 years black texans waited from when the emancipation proclamation issued to when news of their freedom finally arrived in galveston. today she stood right beside the president as he signed that bill into law. saturday is juneteenth. join myself and marcus

washington for our 15th episode of our series "race in america: the conversation." we'll talk more about this holiday. our guests include brett brackett, dr. shawn fletcher, and activist tony quintero. the theme is education and knowing history. tonight, a community's anchor continues to grow after a 94-year-old asian woman remains hospitalized after a stabbing attack in san francisco. now we're learning more about the suspect's criminal history and the system that seemed to allow him to continue to be on the streets. nbc bay area's christie smith spoke with the d.a. and the mayor. >> very nice lady. >> reporter: anh taylor is receiving a flood of support as she keeps recovering. wednesday's attack has touched off more anger across the city. >> we're hoping to first of all see that guy in prison for good.

second of all, we're happier because she's alive. >> reporter: this is new video we've obtained as sfpd arrived on scene. >> i'm glad they caught him, thank you, police. i was amazed this guy was still walking on the streets. >> reporter: police say they arrived 35-year-old daniel cauich. nbc bay area learned cauich was arrested five times last year for burglaries and in 2016 for homicide. police say at the time of wednesday's arrest he wore an ankle monitor. today we talk up with the district attorney. >> a lot of folks are suggesting the decision to release him was the district attorney's office. we filed a written detention motion. we asked the court to detain him. we presented all the evidence of why we believed he was a public safety risk and why he shouldn't have been on the street. ultimately, as in every case, it's up to the use and other ch. we spoke with the mayor it's h

frustrating that this continues to happen. i will say that the police department, they made an arrest within two hours of this incident. now the information has been turned over to the district attorney's office. i hope that the d.a. and the courts do the right thing and hold this person accountable. >> reporter: in san francisco, christie smith, nbc bay area news. righting an historic wrong. that's what happened in the east bay. the city issued a formal apology for anti-aapi discrimination. antioch's mayor, a man born in jail, thanked the many social justice movements which led to today, including the black lives matter movement. >> i want to acknowledge that movement because it the framework for political leaders such as ourselves being

unapologetic about apologizing for doing wrong. up next, when will you be allowed to remove that mask at work? the decision by state leaders and the executive order issued by the governor. and low 100s across the east bay, hot in the north bay. 99 in napa. we'll go over the heat and the cooling trend on the way. ahead for us today, supreme court ruling on the affordable care act. is it the last word on obamacare? also the covid threat. as it eases for now, the emerging battle over returning to the workplace. all that and more on "nightly news."

delicia: this is where all our recycling is sorted -- 1.2 million pounds every day, helping to make san francisco the greenest big city in america. with most new workers hired from bayview-hunter's point.

we don't just work at recology, we own it, creating opportunity and a better planet. now, that's making a difference.

obamacare will remain in place. the supreme court dismissed a legal challenge. justices ruled 7-2 that the affordable care act remains valid and that preserves health insurance coverage for some 30 million americans. justices rejected the claim from some conservative states that obamacare's requirement to have health insurance or pay a penalty is unconstitutional. that means the so-called mandate gets to stay in place. >> that couldn't be more important, coming out of covid-19, when people are struggling to meet daily bills. >> the ruling preserves other parts of the bill including protections for people with preexistingt

preventive services and the official some 30 minutes ago. california just loosened rules for most vaccinated workers. cal oshag itself with state guidelines after previously saying masks would still be required if anyone, even one person, unvaccinated was in the room. today's vote changes that. now only nonvaccinated employees will be required to wear a mask at work. governor newsom quickly signed the executive order meaning it takes effect immediately. it is important to note that despite that decision, businesses are still allowed, private businesses, to require masks for employees and customers if they so choose. let's get back to this microclimate weather alert. whew, it's hot outside. the bay area is baking now and people are doing whatever they can to stay cool. nbc bay area's jodi hernandez joins us from concord, one of the hotspots right now, where it's really the hottest.

jodi, you have to do whatever you can. i like the kids behind you in the fountain, i think under go in there too. >> reporter: i'm about to, jessica. it's a toasty 108 right now in concord. not comfortable at all. unless of course you're these children who have found a fun solution to beating the heat. the city of concord just reopened its playground two days ago, just in time for this heat wave. >> it's hot today! >> reporter: with temperatures topping the century mark in much of contra costa county, it's all anyone can really think about today. the extreme heat has everyone sweating. >> it's ridiculous. i can't handle it. i think i changed three or four times just to figure out how to stay cool. >> reporter: contra costa county has opened more than a dozen cooling centers. health officials are urging folks to utilize them and stay indoors if possible. they say when it gets this hot, it can be dangerous. >> it can cause a variety of

symptoms such as palpitations, lightheadedness and extreme conditions. in extreme cases it can cause people to lose consciousness. >> reporter: that's why these kids are playing outdoor water games instead of doing indoor martial arts. they're part of a jujitsu summer camp. but it's just too hot for the normal routine. >> they'll be doing grappling, rolling around with each other. but their uniforms are thick cotton, they make them warmer. we decided to ditch the uniforms and do something outside with water to beat the heat. >> when i'm in my uniform it feels like i'm running around with a huge puffed-up blanket. in the heat it feels terrible. >> reporter: doctors say drinking lots of water and keeping cool is the name of the game, until the heat wave passes. >> this is a good idea, to start training for that marathon you want to prepare for in the fall.

>> reporter: we're back here live in concord, jessica. you definitely do not want to be training for a marathon on a day like today. the spray-ground is more the ticket. it is 108 right now in concord. it is blazing hot. live in contra costa county, i'm jodi hernandez. back to you guys. >> that is hot, you, jodi. let's turn 108. is that number accurate? >> you know, some of the phones and the cars reading 108. a lot of the official thermometers in concord read 106. >> i don't think that makes much of a difference. >> yeah, it's super hot outside. gilroy, 104. sonoma, 103. we'll continue to warm up as we move through the next couple of

hours. definitely going to see those it was go higher. we're getting all of this heat from this area of high pressure back here across the desert southwest. the circulation around us is helping to drive cloud c clouds across the tri valley right now. kind of hazy with this heat, currently 104 degrees and a slow go for us as we continue through night. by 6:00 and 7:00, we're hold onto these 90s. if you don't have air conditioning, you've got to find something, maybe a movie, some way to stay cool here. by 10:00 p.m. we're at 78. in san jose, not quite as warm. that's because we have a little breeze off the bay, but still very hot for your standard. 94 degrees right now. down to the 80s at 6:00 and 70. eventually we have some 70s coming in by 9:00 and 10:00. tomorrow morning's forecast, i still think we'll start off on the warm side especiallyt the

tri valley at 73. through the east bay, 70 degrees tomorrow morning. san francisco, 64. the north bay at 66. daytime highs tomorrow, it's not going to feel like it but we'll start to drop a couple of degrees. albeit it still remains hot. in the south bay, we've got you at 95 in san jose. 101 in morgan hill. a degree or two dropping. concord, 103. walnut creek, 100. the peninsula and the beaches back to 66 in half moon bay. redwood city, we're at 88. san francisco, 70s here through downtown and the mission. and you head to the outer sunset, we'll be 69. as we thought over sonoma, 100. napa, 98. mill valley, 86. we started to drop off as we move through tomorrow a little bit. you want that big cooling. you can see in this ten-day forecast in concord, one of the

hottest days was today. we'll see it drop to the 80s on sunday. tuesday, 78. here's the thing, once we hit not this weekend but the next weekend, we're back up to 96 on saturday's forecast. obviously we're not done with the heat yet. summer officially starts on sunday. in san francisco on sunday, father's day, 69 degrees. across the inland valleys, 102 tomorrow for the average. 94 saturday. 91 sunday. there we go, some 70s and 80s rolling in as you move through next week. that fountain were jodi was, it looks pretty good. i think if i was out there i would run through it a few times. >> we may have to take a field trip up there this weekend. thank you. nathan adrian and simone manual the big names. that's up next.

as the olympic torch relay

winds its way through japan, another special torch relay made its way through the south bay today, to bring awareness and raise money for the olympics. that relay went through san jose, santa clara and other south bay cities. more than 3,000 law enforcement personnel from hundreds of local police departments in northern california all took part. one by one, race by race, spots on the usa swim team are being filled up. the swim world continues to buzz about adrian not advancing. it was his best chance to make the olympic team. i can still qualify on saturday but that is considered a long shot. do not count him out yet, though. he's already overcome32-year-ol cancer in 2019 and he's got a rack of hardware already from other olympics he's been to.

the swim trials continue tonight right here on nbc bay area beginning at 8:00. remember, it's father's day this weekend. do not miss the philadelphia phillies versus the san francisco giants. starting tomorrow, you can watch the three-game series live from oracle park for free, only on peacock. get the peacock app and enjoy live sports including the tokyo olympic games. they have movies on there, hit shows, exclusive originals. check it out, go to peacocktv.com/sports to sign up. we're back with more.

coming up tonight at 7:00 on nbc bay area news tonight, we're digging deeper into our newest federal holiday, juneteenth national independence day. among the guests, bay area congresswoman barbara lee. she was there in the room when president biden signed that bill earlier today. that conversation and more tonight at 7:00 p.m. right after the u.s. open. next on "nightly news," west virginia's water crisis. some people can't use their water because their wells are contaminated with dangerous levels of arsenic and other contaminants from the coal mines. nbc's stephanie gosk speaks to some of those people, coming up in one minute. it is the first ever, a rocket carrying three chinese astronauts blasted into space today. you can see the launch. the rocket delivered the astronauts to a chinese space station still under construction. they'll spend three months there doing space walks and working on

the space station. china is barred from sending its astronauts to our space station, which is why they developed their own. now, "nightly news." see you at 7:00. breaking news tonight as we come on the air. the tropical storm warning just issued. the gulf coast bracing for up to a foot of heavy rain and flash floods. the strengthening system also bringing the threat of tornadoes. the new track and al roker timing it out. also the heat dome scorching the west. record-breaking temperatures for the sixth straight day. 45 million under alert. the sun so intense doctors are warning about burns from superheated surfaces. the major supreme court ruling. the justices rejecting the third gop challenge to