good morning. it is saturday, september 18th. 7:00 on the dot as we take a live look outside. our own marcus washington probably doesn't know we're looking at him right now, live in berkeley. because today, we are clearing the shelters. thank you so much for joining us. we'll check in with marcus and laura in just a few minutes, but i'm kira klapper. meteorologist vianey arana joins us with our microclimate forecast. a little cooler today. >> it is, kira. we're getting ready to welcome the official start of fall. and today it's going to feel like it.

we have our storm ranger up and scanning. our mobile doppler radar. you're thinking why? well, we're monitoring incoming rain. light rain, but we'll take what we can get. here's a closer look at the system that we've been looking out for. in addition to the rain, it's also going to bring some wind and cooler temperatures, as well, into the bay area. so if you live around the coastline or areas north of the golden gate bridge, you're lightning going to be seeing some of that rain first. not everyone is going to get rain, but sonoma county definitely going to see the majority of that in through this late evening into early tomorrow morning. 57 degrees, and it is actually going to be rather comfortable and cool, but also cloudy today into tomorrow, go into full details on the changes up ahead in just a few minutes. kira? >> lots of changes was we approach fall. vianey, thanks so much. covid infections in children is on the rise nationwide and now the pandemic is impacting california governor gavin newsom's family. two of his four children have

"today in the bay's" cheryl hurd reports. >> reporter: on tuesday, governor gavin newsom ended a hard-fought recall battle. now he's taking on a more personal fight as two of his children was diagnosed with covid. >> covid is really an equal opportunity disease. it doesn't matter if you're the kids of the governor. >> reporter: it's being reported that the children, who have not been named and attend private school, have mild symptoms and will be quarantined. a spokesperson from newsom's office says the governor, the first partner, and the other two children have since tested negative. the family is following all covid protocols. >> it really doesn't respect any borders or income level or socioeconomic class. >> reporter: according to the american academy of pediatrics, as of september 9th, nearly 5.3 million children have been diagnosed with covi u.s. new data shows that children

accounte all new cases last week. only a fraction of those cases led to hospitalizations. >> we are seeing a higher number of children become positive. >> reporter: dr. hailey gands is a pediatric doctor at stanford's children's hospital. the rates are going up, more rapidly in children than adults. but that may be because adults are immunized and children are not at this point. >> reporter: bay area children are seeing a higher layer of protection because of the area's high vaccination rate. but as cases rise, so do questions about when younger kids can be vaccinated. ucsf dr. peter chen hong says drug manufacturer pfizer will be the first to provide data to the fda regarding a safe vaccine for children and it's coming soon. >> before halloween, we should have an amendment to the

emergency use authorization for kids 5 to 11 years old. >> reporter: and a pfizer vaccine for those children is likely to be available before thanksgiving. cheryl hurd, "today in the bay." there is emerging clarity on who will get covid booster shots. an fda panel is recommending the booster for some americans. the panel of outside experts says pfizer did not provide enough information about the safety of a third dose of the vaccine for people 16 and older, but the panel did unanimously recommend boosters for americans 65 and older. and those considered at high risk. >> i think we need to target the boosters right now, specifically to the people who are likely to be at high risk. >> the decision now moves to the full fda, which typically does follow the panel's guidance. in an effort to reach underserved communities in san francisco, the city has opened four new vaccination sites. the locations are at malcolm-x

academy school in the bayview, balboa high school in the excelsior. those opened this week. clinics in richmond and the sunset elementary school in the sunset will open this weekend. the vaccine sites will prioritize families and staff within the san francisco school district, but everyone 12 and older is welcome. walk-ins are also welcome. the clinics will run through mid-november. mayor london breed is responding to accusations of breaking san francisco's covid rules after her time in a nightclub this week. her response, stern, after saying she was following "today in the bay's" covid protocols. here's video of jean elle. >> video of her dancing maskless is getting lots of attention. >> she's telling us what she

thinks is in our best interest. i think that makes us a bit of a hypocrite. >> on her part, i don't think it's arrogant, at all. i think it's just kind of human behavior. >> the public health order says everyone is supposed to wear a mask inside unless you're actively eating or drinking. mayor breed is defending her actions. >> while i'm eating and drinking, i'll keep my mask off. and we were all having a good time, and again, all vaccinated. >> reporter: out on a friday night in san francisco, bargoers say enforcement is hit and miss. >> it feels like the rule have said bending. the bay area's regional health officers mandated the mask mandate in august to prevent the spread of the variant. the current rate of transmission is substantial in most bay area

counties. it recommends waiting until the positivity rate drops below 10%, which signifies the virus is not spreading as quickly. ucsf infectious disease expert says models indicate the bay area is heading in the right direction. >> by the end of september, we're going back into low transmission and then by mid-october, we're really back to where we were in june. again, these are models, so let's see if that happens. but if that happens, i would lift it simultaneously for the bay area. >> reporter: a decision regional health officers say they will make together. jean elle, today in the bay. three men accused of a violent purse snatching ring that targeted asian women are now charged with a hate crime. the robberies happened in ten cities across the bay area. you can see them here. it reached quite a span.

we have security camera footage from san jose police. you can see one attack where this blue toyota sedan blocks in the victim's car at a shopping center. one of the men walks over, breaks the window to her car, yanks driver's purse and then jumps back into the waiting toyota. according to the santa clara county district attorney's office, those three men you just saw carefully chose their targets. members of the aipa community are voicing their appreciation for these arrests. >> many victims really couldn't do a whole lot, but now we're seeing police doing the work, apprehending this organized crime, the criminals. this is huge. >> the most recent of the group here who was arrested is 27-year-old cameron moody. earlier this week, these two other men were arrested. now to a live look at capitol hill where police are

bracing for a rally in support of the january 6th insurrection. capitol hill leaders are ensuring everyone that they have measures in place to ensure the protest does not escalate into violence. those measures include a 7-foot-tall steel fence and new security cameras. at 7:09 on the dot, we have much more ahead on today 19 bey, coming up, a day of action to fight climate change. where you can help clean up the bay area today. plus -- >> we are expecting changes in our weather. a chance for rain, cool and cloudy. i'll help to plan out your week. full forecast, coming up. stay with us.

welcome back to this gorgeous sunrise under a blanket of clouds in san jose. this is our final weekend of summer, as we welcome fall on wednesday and quite fittingly, we will have cooler temperatures this weekend. vianey arana has a glimpse of the possibility of rain in just a few minutes. but first, san francisco's iconic cable cars are back on track in more than a week. a power outage at the cable car barn. also happening today, the valley transit authority is returning to full operations

this weekend. the green line from the deara don to win chester stations will be up and running. it is the last line to resume its route. vta was mostly shut down for nearly four months following the deadly mass shooting at san jose's vta rail yard in may. light rail tickets will continue to be free through september 30th. today is the 37th annual coastal cleanup day. it's taking place in one form or another and just about every county across california. the cleanup efforts include beaches, lakeshores, riversides, and inland areas. there are cleanups across the bay area all day today. find a map of events on the california coastal commission website, at coastal.ca.gov. now to southern california, where a magnitude 4.3 quake rattled parts of los angeles

last night. it hit just before 8:00 p.m., centered in the city of carson. and then after 11:00 p.m., a 3.0 aftershock hit that same area. so far, no reports of any injuries nor damage. happening today, state leaders will join fire agencies from across the bay area to announce a multi-million-dollar budget investment in wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness. fire departments in santa clara counties, los gatos and campbell will be in attendance. okay, in better news, it is that time of year again, where we try to clear the shelters. nbc bay area and telemundo 48 are working together to find forever homes for dogs and cats across the bay area.

in fact, our "today in the bay" morning anchors and marcus washington are live at berkeley humane, with more on those animals who need homes. good morning, you too. so nice to see you bright-eyed and bushy tailed. >> good morning. bright eyes and bushy tails. >> and good tails. this is wolf, just one of the many great animals that are up for adoption. shelters across the bay area are participating. we're at berkeley humane. >> you're going to have dogs, cats, and early this morning, we have our crew with us. say good morning! >> fantastic. >> oh, yeah, clear the shelters is here today and this is the time to find that beautiful met and provide it that forever home. we do this every year and it's always a great time. we have our buddy, jeffrey here, the executive director. jeffrey, come on in. >> we're so happy to be back. we had to take that year off, because everybody knows the pandemic. so this year is extra important. >> that's right, we can't thank you enough for this. the shelters are once again very

full with animals, and we really need people come down and adopt today. more than 50 animals available to go home today at berkeley humane. >> all right. >> reporter: and how it's set up today, explain that. people can come down, you don't have to makeappointment. >> that's right, this is in-person adoptions today. if you come down, fall in love, jump on our website right now and take a look at the animals that are available. we'll provide adoption counseling and all of the animals have had their medical done, microchipped, vaccines. they are ready to go home. >> wow, and you've got the works of animals here. puppies, kittens, a big selection. >> we have 50 animals. guaranteed to find someone to love. >> if i was ready -- i'm not quite ready just yet. >> the day is early, my friend. >> look at those beautiful eyes, this coat. and this is just one of many. >> that's right. >> he's beautiful. he's about 3 months old, just over 3 months old and he's a wonderful shepherd mix. and we have older animals, as well, and so many cats and kitsens. lots of kittens.

>> and the majority of the event is outside, so a lot of people who might be a little cautious about coming because of the pandemic and everything, everything is outside, and you'll have enough room to space everything out. >> we closed down a small street in berkeley so we have room to move and we have great partners today with us. especially nbc. we can't thank you enough for helping us with this. >> it's our pleasure. it's an event that we really look forward to, every year. so maybe wolfy could find a home with you. just one of the many animals that's available at berkeley humane. if you're not near berkeley, we're partnering with shelters across the bay area, so head to nbcbayarea.com and find a shelter near you. >> get ready right now. and after today in the bay, come on out, get your pet and provide it that forever home. we're going to be back here. we'll stay back here throughout the morning and we'll be back with a lot more in berkeley. >> we'll see you guys again soon. wolf might be going home with laura. we'll have to wait and see what happens here. >> he looks very cozy.

i know you already have a four-legged baby. >> be sure to tune in tonight for the clear the shelters special. that's tonight at 7:30 right now on nbc bay area. now to vianey arana who joins us with our full microclimate forecast. a little cooler this weekend as we're just four days, five days away from the beginning of fall. >> i'm going to take advantage of this moment. from one rescue mom to a potential new rescue parent. if you are thinking about adopting, please consider all of the factors that come into play. it's a big responsibility. think about the amount of energy your pet needs. do you live in a home, have a yard? and be patient with your new furry friend. whether it's a cat or a bird, they don't know you either, right? they're getting used to their

surroundings. all of that good stuff. it's an adjustment period that you really have to consider. it's going to beakf patience, but once you get there, that love isna let me tell you. 60 degrees right now on walnut creek, and yes, it's going to be cool and cloudy. perfect day for a snuggle buddy, right? clear the shelters, a great day for that. 57 degrees in san jose. it's certainly going to feel like fall around here in the bay area. and we do have some rain we're talking about. so we have our very own mobile doppler radar, storm ranger scanning right now thanks to some incoming rain. let's see what satellite radar right now is painting a picture when it comes to that system. it's going drop down from the north, spreading further southward into this evening, into early tomorrow morning. depending on where you live, you may see a little bit of rain or may not get any rain at all. current conditions right now, 37 degrees in san jose. 50s throughout the bay area. daytime highs today are going to be a little bit cooler, as far as the 24-hour temperature change. it's not a huge difference there, but take a look at some

of that fog up through santa rosa, novato, and it's a little cloudy out there. daytime highs, a mix of sun and clouds, spotty rain chances into the evening. the main areas that are going to see some of that rain will be around the coastline and areas north of the golden gate bridge, maybe even around the peninsula. but as far as the south bay goes, it's probably going to be less rain through there. so light rain, but if you live in sonoma county, definitely expect that. in addition to that, expect better air quality. this is a very nice change from the north bay, down to the south bay, we're going to see clearing conditions, but also over the next couple of hours, we're going to notice an increase in the winds. now, the good news about this system, even though i wished it was more rain, is that it's definitely going to help ease some of those wildfire concerns up through portions of the north bay, near the dixie fire and the monument fire, up through the river complex area as well. that's definitely a good boost, something that we need. however, as this rain pushes through, heading into tomorrow

evening, we are expecting to see an increase in the wind speeds. gusting 20, 30 miles per hour. so that's going to bring an area of concern, which is, you know, something that we're always monitoring here when it comes to evaluated fire danger. let's take a look at the seven-day forecast. we're going to stay in those 60s in through tomorrow. a chance for morning drizzle, cloudy, monday, tuesday, in the 70s, and then fire concerns heading into monday. all right, now let's get to our climate hack of the day. this one when it comes to conserving water, which is especially important concerning droughts. >> it's something we do every day. take a shower. here's the problem. the epa says standard shower heads use 2.5 gallons of water a minute. a ten-minute shower uses 25 gallons of water. that adds up fast. hey, vianey, it's time for your climate hack.

>> let's replace that shower head for one that's labeled "water sense." >> just look for this label from the epa. so what's the payoff? if one family swapped out just one showerhead in their home, that would save 2,700 gall gallf water a year. for more climate hacks on climate change info, follow me at nbcvianeyarana and check out nbcbayarea.com/climatehacks. >> and it also saves water. >> great tips, vianey. thank you so much.

nbc bay area is celebrating its hispanic heritage month. and the diversity of this group may surprise you. even if you're a member of the community yourself. "today in the bay's" kris sanchez shows us. >> if you want to know how diverse the hispanic latino/latina population in the bay area is, drive around a little bit on an empty stomach and you'll see how many different tastes of home are around in our community, down to the southern border with guatemala, so much more, you

don't have to be able to pronounce them to enjoy them. there are 15 million latino and latinas in the state of california. that's 39% from the golden state's entire population. and the vast majority are u.s. born. it is still a very diverse group. while 84% of latinos and latinas in the u.s. are of mexican origin, like me, in california, there are about a half million people who originate from el salvador and about 300,000 from guatemala. while latinos and latinas may have been subject to discrimination along the way, they are also increasingly organizing for change to push for political and economic recognition, according to santa clara university ethnic studies professor dr. ana sampaio. >> aside from the strong historic and cultural heritage, there is also a thriving economy really because of the participation of latinos. latinos have an incredibly high

labor force participation, that actually exceeds non-latinos, so they are a thriving part of the state's economy. they also are often at the forefront of small businesses, particularly latinos. >> it's also worth noting that there are hispanic or latino who is trace their origin until when the united states was the united states, so the border crossed them and not the other time around. there's also a lot of talk about what you call this diverse group of people. is it hispanics, latinos, latinas, latin-x. the professor gave us a pretty good explanation of where those terms come from and suggest if you want to know, just ask people how they identify. you can find that explainer on my facebook page and on my instagram page. kris sanchez, nbc bay area news. >> i love that. i will be looking at your facebook page, kris. thank you. we have much more ahead on

"today in the bay" at 7:27, in the san francisco nightclub. the mayor explains how she was following her own city's covid rules. plus, two of governor newsom's children covid. stay with us.

good morning. it is saturday, september 18th, the final weekend of summer, as we take a live look in berkeley, where we are hoping to clear the

shelters across the bay area today, doing special promotions to get forever homes for dogs and cats. thank you so much for joining us. i'm kira klapper. meteorologist vianey arana joins with us a cooler microclimate forecast. hey, vianey. >> hey, perfect cuddle weather with a new pup or a kitty. that's always good. binks is the best snuggle bud, my rescue pup. palo alto, cloudy conditions today and cooler weather because we've got an incoming system that's going to bring a chance of bringing light rain finally in the bay area. we do have storm ranger this afternoon. the radar is pretty quiet here in the bay area, but if you look at further north near the oregon area, expecting this system to start pushing southward, into tonight, into early tomorrow morning as well. depending on where you live, if you live in the north, but you'll see the rain first especially in sonoma county,

really down to the south bay, down in the way of heavy rain, light and spotty at times. temperatures right now in the 50s. i'll talk more about your full forecast coming up in just a few minutes. >> good snuggle weather. we'll see you soon, vianey, thanks so much. governor gavin newsom just survived the election to recall him, but now he faces another challenge. covid in his family. two of his children, two of his four children have tested positive for the virus, as covid infections in children are on the rise nationwide. today in the bay's cheryl hurd reports. >> reporter: on tuesday, governor gavin newsom ended a hard-fought recall battle. now he's taking on a more personal fight after two of his children were diagnosed with covid. it's being reported that the children who have not been named and attend private school have mild symptoms and will bews's office says the governor, the

first partner, and the other two children have since tested negative. the family is following all covid protocols. >> it really doesn't respect any borders or income level or socioeconomic class. >> reporter: according to the american academy of pediatrics, as of september 9th, nearly 5.3 million children have been diagnosed with covid-19. that represents 15.5% of all cases in the u.s. new data shows children accounted for nearly 30% of all new cases last week. only a fraction of those cases led to hospitalizations. >> we are seeing a higher number of children become positive. >> dr. hayley gans is a pediatric doctor at stanford's children's hospital. >> the rates are going up more rapidly in childre adults, but are immunized and children are not at this point. >> bay area children are seeing

a higher level of protection, because of the area's high vaccination rate. but as cases rise, so do questions about when younger kids can be vaccinated. uscf dr. peter chen hong says drug manufacturer pfizer will be the first to provide data to the fda, regarding a safe vaccine for children and it's coming soon. >> before halloween, we should have an amendment to the emergency use authorization for kids 5 to 11 years old. >> and a pfizer vaccine for those children is likely to be available before thanksgiving. cheryl hurd, "today in the bay." an fda panel is providing more clarity about which americans should get covid booster shots. the panel of outside experts unanimously recommended boosters for americans 65 and older, and those considered at high risk. but the panel stopped short, saying pfizer did not provide

enough information about the safety of a third dose of the vaccine for people 16 and older. >> i think we immediate to target the boosters right now, specifically to the people who are likely to be at high risk. >> the decision now moves to the full fda, which typically follows the guidance of that panel. and here locally, san francisco mayor london breed is responding to accusations of breaking san francisco's covid rules. video released by the san francisco chronicle shows mayor breed dancing maskless at her table while at the black cat jazz club wednesday night. the city does have an indoor mask mandate. the public health order says everyone is supposed to wear a mask inside, unless you're actively eating or drinking. well, mayor breed is responding, defending her actions. >> while i'm eating and i'm drinking, i'm going to keep my mask off. and yes, in the in-time, while

we're drinking, like everyone else there, we were all having a good time. and again, all vaccinated. >> reporter: the cdc says the current rate of transmission is substantial in most bay area counties and recommends waiting until the positivity rate for covid testing drops below 5% before lifting the mask mandate. we're going to shift gears to a much lighter topic now, as you're looking for a furry friend for your family. we have you covered today. we are clearing the shelters. nbc bay area along with telemundo 48 are doing our annual event. we had to cut short last year and make it all virtual, but we're back in person now, trying to find forever homes for dogs and cats. our laura garcia and marcus washington are live at berkeley humane. who do you have with you now? good morning, you two. or good morning, you three, i should say. >> that's right. this is tinkerbell.

one of the most adorable little kittens that we have available for adoption here at berkeley humane. we're so thrilled to be here. they've got tons of kittens, they've got dogs, they've got older cats, as well. you name it. >> you name it, we've got it. >> and once you get here, too, which is really cool, is they have little treats that you can take with you. this reflector for your dog or even your cat, if you take a walk at night. when you don't have pets, all of these things are pretty cool. what is this? pop it open, then you have, the dog can drink. for me, it's kind of cool. >> nbc bay area, we've got a booth out here, so we're giving away lots of things like that, hoping for some donations for berkeley humane, as well. i want to bring in jeffrey, the executive director here. so good to see you. because of the pandemic, you know, last year, we weren't able to come out. this year, so extra important. >> so important. all the shelters are once again filled with animals. we have about 50 that are ready

to go home again today. if we can get all of these animals in loving homes today, we'll go out and pull more animals in tomorrow and start their medical care and get them ready to go home, as well. >> how tough was it during the pandemic? >> it's so challenging, just like every business, we had to change the way we operate in order to continue to meet the community needs. but we found a way to do it. it was tough for many families to adopt during the pandemic, but that has all changed now. if you come down to berkeley humane today, fall in love, we'll provide the adoption counselling and you can go home with a dog or a cat. >> and that's a cool part, because it's all outside, people can come out, find their forever pet, and then it's just -- it's a seamless process, too. >> we try to make it as easy as possible. in fact, all of our pets are ready to go home. they've all been cleared by the medical staff. they've had their vaccinations and microchips and are happy and healthy and looking for a new loving family. >> and when you come out here, it is always a fun event. it's just full of love, full of people. the crew is here. you know, this is what it's like when you come out here.

so you come out here, find that forever -- trust me, whatever you're looking for, it's pretty much here. >> that's right. we have vendors here where everyone's in a great mood and we are just trying to place wonderful animals in new homes today. all right, well, you heard it. today the day to take that pet home and make its forever home in your home. it's always a great event. i think tinkerbell found a nice tucked in spot right here. tinkerbell didn't like the crowds, but likes this spot right here. so just one of the many bay area shelters participating in today's clear the shelter event. you can go to nbcbayarea.com, find a shelter near you. they've listed all the animals so you can even get acquainted online. but come out here early, as well. they're just adorable. adorable. it makes such a huge difference to them and of course, your life, as well. >> there you have it. look, we'll be here. we'll see you here a little bit later today, where we can have so much fun as well as adopt some of these pets that need a home right now. >> i have to interject before i let you guys go. laura, you need to slow down,

because wolf already fell in love you, now tinkerbell is sleeping in your arms. before we know it, you're going to have a whole zoo to take home. so, let's -- >> well, i had a litter of children, i had a litter of children having the triplets. why not bring more on. >> and i'll just go over to visit. >> exactly. exactly, uncle marcus here to visit. all right, thank you, two. we'll see you again soon. be sure to tune in tonight at 7:30 for our clear the shelters special. you'll see some of the best adoption stories from here in the bay area and across the country. it's a nationwide effort today. that's at 7:30 right here on nbc bay area. and at 7:40, still to come on "today in the bay," a covid outbreak at the national zoo in d.c. several animals infected. we'll tell you about the warning signs, coming up. and who's ready for a fall-like weekend in the bay area? we're monitoring cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast. stay with us.

my name is on the front. but... i am more proud of the back.

siggis: 40% less sugar, and more protein than the leading greek yogurt. good morning. it's 7:43. you'll probably notice it's a little cloudy out there. this is a welcome site. we're looking for a chance for showers in a very dry state of california. the current temperatures right now in walnut creek, 60 degrees. we are expecting cooler temperatures as well. 57 to start out our day here in san jose skbooer also expecting to see a little bit of shower activity. so let's get right to our storm ranger. our mobile doppler radar.

here's a scan. things are pretty quiet on the radar. if i pull this further out and show you satellite radar, you can see this system that we're monitoring and tracking. this is expected to bring rain to oregon which will definitely help when it comes to the active fires burning up in the northern portion of our state. 40s and 50s. you're definitely going to want to carry some sort of sweater or coat. we'll get a mix of sun and clouds. if you live along the coastline, much cloudier for the majority of the day. temperatures at 63 in san francisco. meanwhile, into the interior valleys, areas like martinez and concord will be in the mid- to upper 70s. they'll get a little bit more sunshine and yes, p.m. spotty shore chance. let's talk about that, as the system pushes through, it's also going to improve our air

quality, which is a nice change. get a fresh breath of air out there. north bay, south bay, east bay, all dealing with good-to-moderate conditions. let's take a look at the timing of the rain. the best chance is going to be north to have the bay area, which is fantastic because this will help the wildfires. we're talking about the dixie fire, you know, we've seen a lot of changes over the past couple of days, but any chance of rain, we'll take it. we'll see this push a little bit further south, and the best chance of seeing rain mainly along the coastline. if you live in the south bay, probably not much in the way of rain or even into some of the interior valleys, but we're expecting the winds to pick up late sunday into monday. gusty conditions, and anytime we see these sort of winds, it will bring an area of concern when it comes to fire danger an chance

of morning drizzle and look what happens tuesday into wednesday. the official start of fall is on wednesday so get prepared for that, but it's not going to feel like it, because we'll be in the 90s. >> i was thinking, this might be my weekend wearing bright colors, we have to transition to fall, but maybe not with temperatures like that. vianey, thanks so much. it is 7:46, coming up on "today in the bay," a high school student suffers a traumatic brain injury, dashing her hopes of becoming a gymnast, but this four-legged friend helped her regain hope. and as we promote our clear the shelters event today, we want to show you two dogs who need forever homes, kira klapper and vianey arana. they're 10-month-old husky in a attention and exercise meet the

our clear the shelters event. we'll be right back.

welcome back at 7:49, a live look at a cloudy morning on san francisco's oracle park where the giants eked out a win last night against the atlanta braves in the 11th inning. giants play again tonight at 6:05. now to the smithsonian national

zoo dealing with a covid outbreak among the animals. six lions and three tigers tested positive. caretakers noticed they were coughing and sneezing. they're now taking medication to help recover. there's no risk any visitors were infected. the animals are kept too far from the public, but it's unclear how they caught the virus to begin with. and as we've mentioned, we're teaming up with adoption centers across the bay area to clear the shelters today. "today in the bay's" garvin toms joins us to share a story of adoption helping both the dog and the human. >> look at me. >> reporter: lindsay doesn't know exactly what it was about parker, exactly, her chihuahua mix, that first drew her to him. she first knows when she first saw him three years ago as a puppy at the shelter, that they needed each other. >> it was this scrawny little creature in the back corner.

and i walked straight to him and said, this is mine. my mom was like, that one? anything else? and i'm like, no, this one. this is it. >> reporter: now, it's pretty obvious why parker needed lindsay. he was in a shelter, after all. but this story is really about why lindsay needed parker. he helped me in ways that i can't even explain it. >> lindsay, you see, is a competitive gymnast. has been doing it since she was three. but just a few weeks before meeting parker, lindsay suffered a severe concussion. for weeks, she was confined to her dark bedroom. >> it really put me in a bad mental place. i'm a very social person, so obviously being isolated from society, sitting in the dark, definitely, you know, took a toll on my mental health. >> reporter: lindsay says parker has changed all of that. he broke her out of her depression and has been keeping it at bay ever since. >> okay. >> reporter: at least, that's what she wrote when she nominated pets in need for a

grant from the charitable foundation petco love. >> parker's adoption saved three lives, including my own. >> reporter: her story won them $5,000. >> i don't think anyone here knew that that had happened. >> reporter: jacqueline stewart is pets in need's development manager. >> she was able to lean on pets in need to get her through that time, which is just i mean, it makes me emotional. it's really incredible that we were able to be there for her in that way. >> and the money lindsay's story has given them will help even more people find the pet they not only want, but sometimes need. >> having a little creature crawl up to you, knowing that it loves you, no matter what you do, who you are, that's just very reassuring and makes good . >> oh, garvin thomas with that story. i am elated for all involved. it is 7:52. up next, a quick look at the top stories we're following, including taking you back live

to berkeley humane, as we hope to clear the shelters today and find forever homes for dogs and cats across the bay area. stay with us.

welcome back. before we get to our top stories this morning, here's what's in store for tomorrow's "sunday today" with willie geist. hey, willie! >> reporter: good morning, kira. great to see you. tomorrow morning on "sunday today," my conversation with tony, grammy, and emmy-winning singer and actress, cynthia aree

vo. she made a big name for herself and won that tony in oprah winfrey's broadway revival of "the color purple," before playing american icons harriet tubman and aretha franklin on film. now she is out with her first solo album and a children's book that pays tribute to mothers and daughters. >> and i thought, wouldn't it be wonderful to create a book that felt simple enough to teach young kids to fill big dreams, but fill it with all that you can. >> cynthia arevo, plus the news and another life well lived when "sunday today" airs at 6:00 a.m. in the bay area. if you don't find yourself up at that hour on a sunday, we get it. set the dvr and we'll see you wherever you're ready for us. >> got to love willie geist. before we go, we want to remind you that we are clearing the shelters today, so we want to check in one last time with laura garcia and marcus washington live at berkeley

humane. good morning. laura's holding someone else. >> this is ringo. this is ringo. one of the adorable kittens available for adoption out here at berkeley humane. it's a great day to take a furry friend home. >> this is the day. if you've been looking for a pet, this is the day to come out. they have the pets that you want. they are already spayed and neutered, already have their shots. that's going to be a great relief for the family. they're starting to bring that forever pet home with them. and this is the time. come on out to the berkeley humane. this is where we'll have a full event, a day of activities. it's mostly outside, so you don't have to worry about that. it's going to be safe and fun for everybody to come out. >> head to nbcbayarea.com to find a shelter near you, because we're teaming up with shelters across the bay area to help adopt some of these great animals. >> come on out, because today is your day. >> all right. thank you, guys, so much! i was hoping to see marcus washington. i know he's up for adoption today. if you get out to berkeley humane or any shelter across the bay area, we hope you can help us clear the shelters and

tonight, tune in at 7:30 for our clear the shelters special. you'll see some of the best adoption stories from here in the bay area and across the country, because our nbc stations across america are working to clear the shelters today. all right. before we go, one last look at the temperatures as they're taking a turn towards fall. >> yeah, we have a system that's going to, you know, keep us nice and cool this weekend, but also, hey, is that rain on the radar that we're expecting later this afternoon. it is. so let's take a little bit of a look here. clouds lingering now. if you live north of the golden gate bridge, you'll probably get a better chance of seeing some of that rain. in the south bay, probably not as much in the way of rain, but we'll take what we can get, right, kira? >> we'll take whatever we can get. it's definitely an optimistic turn towards rain. we'll take it, vianey. and we want to thank you, vianey. and we'll thank you all of you for making us a part of your saturday morning. more local news for you tonight at 5:00, 6:00, and 11:00 and all

day on nbcbayarea.com. also, that clear the shelters special tonight at 7:30. we'll leaf you with one last look at some cats who need their forever homes at berkeley humane. we hope you can get out there today and make a new friend. have a great saturday.

. narrator: when you see this symbol, you know you're watching television that is educational and informational. the more you know on nbc. dylan: welcome to "earth odyssey". i'm dylan dreyer. get ready to travel around the world. on today's show, we'll meet snakes in the rice fields. we peek inside the shell of one of the biggest tortoise species on earth. plus, we hit the water to swim with camdia's resident reptiles. and later, meet the modern-day dragon we've all been waiting for.