covid-causing changes. restaurants closing, games postponed as the omicron variant continues to spread. it is just, you know, raging through the world ral. >> the impact this latest surge could have on a major new year's eve celebration. plus, a dramatic scene at a south bay mall. what we are learning about the latest robbery incident and who police have arrested. and it is dry now, but that is really going to be changing. we are tracking more rain headed to the bay area and snow on the way to the sierra. thanks for joining us on this special edition of nbc bay area news. i'm terry mcsweeney. audrey has the night off. it's raging around the world. that's what the nation's top doctor said today about the omicron variant, as it continues suprato the spreads across the u.s. take a look at this. in the last 24 hours, several more states reporting their first cases of the variant that has now been detected in all but four states. you can see 'em there in white. montana, north and south dakota and oklahoma. the covid surge also causing

chaos in the sports world. just today, the nhl and nba putting more games on hold. we are going to talk about the impact on bay area teams in just a moment. also, the virus also appears to be spreading in the united states senate. senators elizabeth warren and cory booker both announcing via twitter they have tested positive. both are fully vaccinated and boosted, and experiencing mild symptoms. it could be a sign of covid's increasing toll on the bay area's bars and restaurants. the owner of a normally-busy san francisco sports bar has closed its doors temporarily after workers tested positive. now, the head of the city's largest restaurant group is urging workers to get boosted to save them from the same fate. nbc bay area's thom jensen begins our team coverage. >> reporter: this would normally be a busy night at san francisco's connecticut yankee sports bar. a business that caters to east coast fans. in instead, it's empty and closed. >> kind of a bummer they are

closed. >> reporter: a sign on the front door says staff tested positive and they may re-open monday if everyone tests negative and fw return customer feels for the owner and workers. >> they are shut down, they're open. people are sick. i mean, it's really rough to be in business. >> reporter: the owner declined to do an on-camera interview but told me by phone, the plan now is to re-open after christmas, on the 27th. the decision to close came just hours before the chief medical adviser to the president made this warning about the omicron variant. >> it's extraordinary capability of spreading. its transmissibility capability. it is just, you know, raging through -- through the world really. >> what often will happen is if you get a few folks that are sick, and then other folks that are working in close proximity, you can lose your whole -- your whole team. >> golden gate restaurant association executive director lori thomas says her organization, which represents dozens of businesses, is urging owners to make sure employees

get booster shots. >> most of our membership has been very supportive of that. um, and i know that in talking to a lot of our board over the past week, our board of directors, everybody's been pushing for employees to get booster shots. >> reporter: as a restaurant owner, herself, she is telling her staff to get boosted by january 15th or don't come to work until they do. >> people just need to be prudent. >> reporter: no argument from dr. anthony fauci about the importance of vaccinations and boosters. >> the difference between a vaccinated and boosted person who has an infection, and someone who has an infection who's never been vaccinated -- a major difference with regard to the risk of severity. >> lori thomas says she doesn't want people to panic. but she's learned during this pandemic it's best to be prepared and right now updated vaccinations and even double masking at work could be the best solutions to avoiding infections from omicron. in san francisco, thom jensen, nbc bay area news. a followup now to a visit by the san francisco archbishop

cancelled at the request of a church. st. agnes church in the ashbury district of san francisco inviting archbishop for this sunday's mass when it came to light the bishop was not yet vaccinated, parishioners raised concerns and the pastor decided to postpone the visit. some at today's mass smoke out saying they are relieved the archbishop is not coming and that he should serve as an example and get vaccinated. >> very happy he is not coming here today because he didn't -- he is not vaccinated. we are an older parish, lot of older women go here. and we have been so careful not to be exposed. >> the archbishop told the chronicle he is not an anti-vaxxer but that his personal physician told him it was probably not necessary to get a vaccine. covid case numbers continue to break records in new york state and in new york city. surge could affect the big ball drop on new year's eve. >> to your question about new year's eve. so we ever been in touch with times square alliance. we are going to make a decision

before christmas. we are certainly looking at the new challenge we are facing but again this is an all vaccination event and it is outdoors and those are two very, very important favorable factors. we're -- we're also considering there is other ways we could approach it. >> for a third day in a row, the state of new york reported a record number of cases since the pandemic started. as we mentioned, the omicron variant causing more changes in the world of sports tonight. let's bring in anthony flores with the impact of omicron here in the bay area. >> that's right, terry. positive covid tests are popping up across all major sports leading to many games being postponed as more and more players get the virus. now, the nhl postponing all games for teams that have to travel across the u.s.-canadian border to play a game. that means all u.s.-based teams will not play canadian-based teams through at least december 23rd. the sharks were scheduled to host vancouver on tuesday and edmonton on thursday but those games are now on hold.

the league plans on rescheduling the games later in the season. the nba is also having to postpone some games after covid outbreaks on teams. five games between today and tuesday are on hold because teams have too many players and coaches in the league's health and safety protocol. now, nine teams are affected including the nets, nuggets, and 76ers. war yours' next game is tomorrow night against the kings at chase center. as of now, the game will take place as scheduled. but, terry, andrew wiggins has just been placed in the protocol. so he will not play tomorrow. he joins jordan poole, who is already in the protocol. so warriors will be without two key players because of covid tomorrow night against the kings. >> anthony, line me up the -- the nfl schedule for this week. it's -- it's completely different than -- than ever. >> on monday night, we are used to seeing one game between two teams. but tomorrow, we have two games on monday night as well as two

games on tuesday because teams were having problems with covid and didn't have enough players to play the games on sunday. so, they stretched it out. now, the teams who were healthy are saying well they are at a competitive disadvantage. not because they have extra time this week, because they will have less time next week to allow their bodies to rest for sunday's glam games. >> two monday, two tuesday, and nothing wednesday? and then the 9ers on thursday. >> yes, on thursday. >> anthony, crazy. thanks very much. take a look at the white house ahead of a major coronavirus speech the president plans to deliver on tuesday. president plans to reveal additional strategies and once again urge everyone eligible for vaccines and boosters to get one. mr. biden has echoed health leaders across the nation in saying this winter will be a very grim one if the vaccinated remain that way. coronavirus coverage continues on our website. we're posting the latest information about the omicron variant, covid testing, the

changing mask mandates. it is all in one place. just head to nbcbayarea.com/coronavirus. live look outside right now from our network of traffic cameras. and you can see, some fog in three of the four places at least. and cold in every place. there is some rain on the way, as well. some snow headed to the sierra. maybe some headed this way. let's check in with meteorologist rob mayeda. and, rob, let's start with the rain. when is it going to get here and how long is it going to last? >> once it arrives, starting up later tomorrow night into tuesday, it is going to be sticking around a while. but in the meantime, watching for the patchy fog. you saw that in some of the city camera views in walnut creek and dublin. right now, viz ibltd is not too bad but we do expect another round of patchy fog tomorrow morning. so no rain for tomorrow morning's commute. and indeed, mobile doppler radar showing things relatively dry around the bay area. during the day tomorrow, i wouldn't be surprised if we begin to see a few light rainshowers passing around the north bay. but the main event with this first storm, though, still sitting here offshore. so, once it arrives on tuesday, and we add this up -- four-day

rain totals here, from tuesday to friday, shows the biggest totals up here in the north bay. about 2 to 3 inches of rain. 3 to 5 inches of rain possible in the mountains around the santa cruz mountains and fwhorgt bay plountness but keep in mind, that is spread out over four days. so most of what's falling is beneficial rain and we are about to supersize that sierra snow pack. look at these totals. winter storm watch from tuesday all the way through next sunday. lets you know what kind of weather is heading toward the sierra as this polar plunge drops down the coast. we will also see, very interestingly, heading into christmas weekend, lowering snow levels around the bay area as well. close look at the details in that part of pour forecast coming up in be about 12 minutes, terry. >> rob, thanks very: with rain and snow on the way, make sure to download our free nbc bay area app to get access to our exclusive storm ranger mobile doppler radar. rob's twitter page, another great resource.

he is already tweeting up dates about the changing conditions. make sure to follow him. his handle is @rob mayeda. now, new deal details about a story we first broke last night at 11:00. police revealing more about that chaotic scene at san jose's oak ridge ball after another organized retail robbery. nbc bay area's stephanie magione has been following developments all day and joins us now with an update. stephanie? >> so we now know it all started after police say a group of 15 suspects went into macy's to steal merchandise. but as this investigation continues, one of the bystanders that was arrested said she will be filling out a complaint because of how she was treated. >> this is one of the security guards who attempted to stop a mob who police say rushed into macy's at oak ridge mall saturday evening trying to powerful the latest retail theft in the bay area. two female security guards tried to detain one of the suspects as they tried to run out of the store. that's when other members of the group returned knocking one guard to the ground and kicking her in the head.

and minutes later, this happened. police officers had just arrived and were arresting the suspect security guards had detained. >> he pulled out his baton immediately from the car. and he ran up and the three people backed off and he slammed the kid down. >> reporter: that's when she says several witnesses got involved, including a 43-year-old, who in this video is wearing a plaid jacket and appears to be arguing with an officer before they turn their attention to her. and the robbery suspect runs away. san jose pd says hamid physically resisted the officers' attempt to arrest her by swinging her arm at the officer. >> he got even more upset when she was just saying that what he was doing was wrong and that is when he proceeded to grab her and throw her to the floor. >> reporter: we spoke with hamid's daughter who was also there and says they have no connection to the group police were after. but hamid could now face several serious charges. her daughter claims police went too far and will be filing a

complaint and hiring an attorney. >> it really breaks my heart because you think like -- always try to do what's best for the -- the civilians with their community but today it really showed that's not always the case. >> reporter: san jose police say once they receive the complaint, they will further investigate and add that this incident shows how difficult it can be to respond to these organized retail thefts. tonight at 11:00, we hear from the bystander who is now facing several charges. in the newsroom, i'm stephanie magallon, back to you. >> new tonight, a major break in a murder case that rocked san francisco way back in 1978. police say a colorado man has e. she was 15 years old when she was killed on a visit to san francisco 43 years ago. her body found near the cliff house. police re-opened the case last year, and they say new forensic

evidence led them to mark stanley. the 76-year-old was taken into custody in a joint operation involving the fbi on thursday. san francisco's police chief says he hopes this case sends a message to all victims of unsolved crimes that the sfpd will continue to work for justice no matter how much time passes. the trial of theranos founder elizabeth holmes could wrap up this week. jury deliberations are set to continue tomorrow at 8:30. late friday, federal prosecutors wrapped up their closing arguments. holmes is facing numerous charges of wire fraud for allegedly misleading investors and patients. when holmes took the stand, she said she truly believed theranos's blood-testing technology could diagnose dozens of medical conditions. those tests never worked. experts say that deliberations could last several days. we will send a breaking news alert through our nbc app as soon as we know a verdict has been reached. a stunning crime in a normally-safe part of san jose. a 17-year-old expected to recover after being stabbed.

happened this afternoon. broad daylight on the 4900 block. the very busy part of time. it is near a bass pro shop, safeway, lot of other stores and restaurants are out that way. the stabbing happened about 1:15. hours later, investigators were still at the scene searching for evidence. police secured two crime scenes in front of the safeway and a thrift store next to it. shoppers cannot believe this happened. >> shocking. this is not the season to be jolly it seems, huh? so, it's very sad and i just hope the person -- the victim i hope survives. but i'm -- i'm a regular. i come here all the time. so, it's unusual to see this. >> police are unsure what led to the incident and they are still looking for a suspect. they struggled during the pandemic nouchlt, another blow. two restaurants right near the scene of that stabbing both dealing with break-ins.

owners say they don't feel safe anymore. nbc bay area's marianne favro has the new details. >> reporter: this is what the owner ofglass-front door s brea. after barely surviving the pandemic, it's another setback. >> now, we have to board up and basically waiting for glass to be ordered and replaced. the cost is around 950 which unnecessary, especially during this very difficult time. because we are small businesses. we are like a mom and pop and just little, you know, we could go out business. >> reporter: this surveillance video tara provided us shows the burglar searching through her restaurant. tara says while the suspect did not appear to steal anything, her staff is shaken. >> so emotionally, we -- we are scared.

and we don't feel safe. >> reporter: bill heard what happened and came in for dinner for the first time to offer his support. >> just kind of the worst time for this sort of thing to be happening to places like this. it's -- it's -- i can say it's very upsetting. i am not sure what's going through the mind of the people who would do this kind of thing. i hope they get caught. >> reporter: across the street, a similar break-in. employees say it happened two weeks ago. someone smashed the glass door and stole some items. leaving employees with a big clean-up job and shattered nerves. in san jose, marianne favro, nbc bay area news. a look at capitol hill tonight where president biden's build back better plan is in major trouble. west virginia senator joe manchin -- a democrat -- said today he will not support the plan because because it adds too much to the national debt. it is a critical blow to the final piece of president biden's economic agenda. republicans are united in their opposition to the legislation that would expand the country's social safety net and help

combat climate change. democrats needed to secure a vote from every senator in their own party in order for the measure to pass. manchin now proposing a scaled back version of that bill. the white house released a statement on the development reading in part, senator manchin's comments this morning on fox are at odds with his discussions this week with the president, with white house staff, and with his own public utterances. but we will not relent in the fight to help americans with their childcare, healthcare, prescription drug costs, and elder care, and to combat climate change. the fight for build back better is too important to give up. we will fwiend find ba a way to move forward next year. coming up. all sold out. why those at-home covid tests are so hard to come by. plus -- >> simply, use the power of art to show the humanity of someone who is sleeping on cold concrete. >> shedding light on the homeless crisis. we will show you san francisco's newest art installation to introduce you to the artist behind the project. once again, tonight we are

watching for patchy fog. seeing little hints of that around walnut creek that will be the top impact on monday morning's commute. but by tuesday, the rain makes a big comeback, and heavy sierra snow around the corner as well. closer look when we come right back.

get tested before you gather. that is the message from health leaders this-holiday season and they are recommend ug take a covid test that very same day. by getting one is a challenge with long lines at testing sites and home kits sold out. nbc's morgan chesky takes a look at what's behind the shortage. >> reporter: tonight, from coast to coast, omicron's impact growing by the day. >> very, very scary and i definitely want to get more. i have had a couple friend test positive. >> the rising cases exposing a drastic dip in testing availability. in new york, some pharmacies running out of at-home tests. forcing many to look elsewhere. >> they are out of stock. we didn't even try to get one. we just came straight here. >> reporter: in maryland, long lines stretching around one

clinic that went from testing 100 people a day, to nearly a thousand. >> one word is discouraging. we're, you know, sad to have to be here. swaerting records but not in a good way. >> even major retailers, temporarily, posting out of stock messages on their websites for popular test kits. some at-home kids not arriving until after christmas. >> i have a nephew and niece i am going to be going to see. so i just would like to not give them covid. >> reporter: the cause of the shortage? a combination of demand exceeding supply. starting with the nearly dozen companies who make the at-home tests. >> while capacity is increasing, it is not increasing as fast as our anxiety or our need. why is that? well, manufacturers are challenged with now going from one shift a day to two shifts a day to three shifts a day and getting enough equipment, supplies, and people to manufacture those tests. >> reporter: diagnostics expert mara says distribution is its own issue with supply chain woes similar to what we have seen with other products. over the last few months.

>> what are you telling people who don't know where to get a test? >> this is the time to not be picky. if you can get a test over the counter, terrific. if you can get a test in your doctor's offices, particularly if you have any symptoms, take it. >> reporter: meanwhile, in florida -- just closed back down. >> a drive-thru site turn age way hundreds. >> we are so busy we kind of caught the line at like one or two. >> staff only able to help so many trying to find peace of mind amidst this covid-holiday surge. >> that was morgan chesky reporting. new tonight, and along the same lines, a royal caribbean ship returned to miami yesterday with nearly 50 guests and crew members testing positive for covid. the symphony of the seas ship left the port on december 11th about 6,000 passengers. 95% of them fully vaccinated. royal caribbean says all crew members were fully vaccinated and are tested weekly. of the 48 people to get covid,

98% were fully vaccinated. so far, all the cases seem to be mild to no symptoms. as we mentioned earlier, covid cases are surging in the sports world much like the real world. nfl had to push back three games this weekend, including las vegas raiders game. more than 100 nfl players have tested positive for the virus, over the past week alone. that forced league to update protocols and among them, all players must wear masks regardless of vaccination status. meetings must be remote or outdoors. no outside visitors while teams travel. fans we spoke at today's 49ers game had different views on whether games should be played. >> i think they are doing a great job. >> i think they are doing a good job and if they find it necessary to pause, they should. >> absolutely. protect the people. protect themselves. >> game's got to be played. because you are not going to postpone or move out the sugar bowl. it's too many logistics already in place. >> the nfl says the advent of

omicron is among the reasons why the league is seeing a spike in cases. paramedics and first responders in the east bay have a deadline looming to be fully vaccinated. tuesday is the day. they must have received two doses of the covid vaccine. a booster shot, not required at this point. those who don't comply by the deadline will have to wear a mask while they are around patients. they must also undergo weekly covid testing. a new art installation in san francisco features people who are experiencing homelessness. a doctor photographed them and heard their stories, and now he is sharing his work with anyone who passes by. nbc bay area's christie smith has the story. >> i said i am going to take the best photograph that you have ever had. >> reporter: dr. eduardo pena dolan's portraits are now displayed in san francisco. the project called "facing homelessness together" is the result of reaching out to people on the street. >> this is a project, a two-year project of photographing and

interviewing my homeless neighbors. >> reporter: 31 photos of people he met in the city, he introduced himself and says the vast majority of those he approached agreed to be photographed. >> they are amazing human beings, and all these multifaceted stories that led to them becoming homeless and staying homeless and i -- i thought that the community could -- could, um, learn a lot by having their photographs shown in a -- in a public manner. >> reporter: the sf jazz center at the intersection of franklin and fell has been showing photos on the building across the street since 2013. doctors outreach and sf jazz center unveiled the project today, highlighting one of the city's most pressing issues. >> really, this is just, um, an attempt, an apolitical attempt to simply use the power of art to show the humanity of someone who is sleeping on cold concrete. >> reporter: he is a family physician with a background that lends a different perspective.

>> i do disaster medicine around the world. i have been doing that since -- really, since medical school. and bring -- i bring that sort of calling to the streets of san francisco. >> reporter: he learned a lot about their challenges, decisions, and falling through the cracks. >> it just shows you that life can be very fragile and sometimes you just need a helping hand. being homeless is not who you are, it's what you're experiencing. it's circumstantial. >> reporter: the project grew into a documentary-short film, which will premiere next month. in san francisco, christie smith, nbc bay area news. going on in san francisco. while hundreds of homeless people in san jose got a helping hand today. 500 sleeping bags were handed out at the walmart on story road along with food, clothing, hygiene kits, and more. all part of an annual event in honor of those who have died living on the streets in the past year. homeless advocates fear the cold weather will lead to even more deaths. >> you know how cold it's been and how -- how wet it's been.

so, most people are in their homes and their beds, nice and comfortable watching tv. you know? watching the news or whatever. and -- and yet, all those people are living outdoors and they don't -- most of the time, they don't even know what the weather's going to be because they don't really get the forecast. it just happens. >> overnight warming center is now open at the evergreen branch library. it is going to stay open through the end of april. on this final sunday before christmas, many enjoyed the afternoon celebrating the season in the castro. santa took a little time to pose for pictures as he gets ready for the big day, which is next saturday. you probably knew. this is the castro winter wonderland block party. merchants turned the street between market and beaver into a festive place. it is the castro. so in addition to santa being there, also a petting zoo. there was also drag performances and a sexy elf contest. >> i mean, it is real, really great. like, we didn't know what to do this morning. it's so hard to make plans now, with covid and it's -- it's hard to like find things that are fun

and kid friendly that's outdoors. um, so it's -- it's really, really great to come here and be here. having a really good time. >> this was the first year the block party was held in the neighborhood. rob, you know, i don't know what the sexy elf competition involved but i think it was a little chilly for scantily-clad people, i'm thinking. >> warm coats. >> that is what i was thinking. yeah. >> you know, 46 degrees right now in san francisco. we did have highs originally earlier today in the low 50s near san francisco. so kind of a cool afternoon earlier right now. partly cloudy skies. 45 counterly in san jose. watching out for patchy fog. we really had a lot of fog this morning at 30-degree temperatures. we will probably see at least a little more patchy fog for tomorrow. 43 degrees in dublin. that is one location, the tri-valley will definitely see some fog and the fog trying to move back into wall nutd creek currently 45 degrees. we will watch this closely overnight into tomorrow morning as rain will not be our top concern. visibility reduced by that fog,

though, could be, again, for tomorrow morning as you see. numbers mostly in the upper 30s to low 40s as we start the day. then, wung one change for tomorrow will be increasing clouds, high temperatures in the mid-50s around san jose. but a chance of a few showers that could start to arrive during the day up here on the north bay coastline as you see the outer fringe of the storm right there in the north coast. but the actual center of the storm is still quite a ways off shore. so that is the reason we think the main event for the first storm in terms of rain is probably going to hold off until about tuesday morning. central bay and north bay toward the evening commute on tuesday, now you are beginning to see the showers move across the south bay into the santa cruz mountains from about tuesday into early wednesday. probably the top rain totals for that heavier rain should fall will be up in the north bay mountains as this first round probably brings at least 1 to 2 inches of rain in the north bay followed up by more rounds of rain as we go through the week. so here is a look waez go into thursday. notice where the storms are

starting to come in. they are starting to drop out of the north and sets the stage for interesting weather later on this week for us. friday in saturday, pretty much every day as as we go through the second half the week, there is going to be fast-moving cold storms dropping in from the north and then another that could be following up as we go into saturday. this wide-angle view here kind of shows you a bit of canadian air conditioning involved as these storms are coming north to south over the bay area. that is where things may trend interesting with what type of precipitation we white see by next weekend. if you think it's been cold lately, perhaps the coldest blast yet could be arriving as we head into christmas day and next weekend as those temperatures higher up in the atmosphere would support snow showers at least down to about 3 to 4,000 feet. so we will be watching this future cast closely for next weekend. accumulating snow around mount hamilton. snow on top of mount st. helena and i think the air should be cold enough for the diablo range and maybe the santa cruz mountains by this time next

weekend to see a little snow around higher peaks of the bay area. no question, sierra's going to get the snow. we had up to 7 feet of snow this week. looks like we are going to go double the snow pack by the end of this week, coming up. right now, san francisco, you got the fog to worry about tomorrow morning. but there is your forecast from tuesday through sunday. chance of showers, rain at times. heaviest rain, by the way, will likely be tuesday and wednesday, especially around the north bay. and then, we will get breaks. it's not going to be nonstop rain. there will be some rain letting up at times, hence showers at times thursday, friday, into saturday. but look at those temperatures. highs in the mid-40s, maybe in some of those inland valleys, lows in the 30s. terry, we very well could see snow on the bay area mountains. perfect timing for christmas weekend. that is the most interesting part of the forecast heading towards next weekend. >> the white christmas is a magical concept. >> it is. we know the sierra certainly is going to get several feet. whether we see it in the bay area will be interesting. >> still ahead.

replacing what they lost. the unique and special gifts people from across the country are sending to caldor fire victims this-holiday season. rn 9 the more questions and worries we have. calhope can help with free covid-19 emotional support. call 833-317-4673 or live chat at calhope.org today. the holidays are in full swing and you can feel the calhopmagic in the air.ree covid-19 emotional support. especially at t-mobile!

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call 833-317-4673 or live chat at calhope.org today. a story of hope this holiday season after a devastating situation. quilts are being sent from across the nation to a shop in plaserville as gifts for survivors of the caldor fire. erin heff reports. >> reporter: colorful and ornate. thousands of stitches later, these quilts are in the hands of people like kelly and her son calvin. >> we have had a few quilts from great grandparents and grandmas and they all got lost in the fire. >> reporter: their family survivors of the caldor fire. >> we didn't know for a couple days if our house made it or not. so, just the not knowing. um, but yeah, we lost everything. >> reporter: months later, finally, in a rental home, they now have a new keepsake of their own. >> i wanted to be preserved as

well as it can and maybe pass it on to maybe if i ever have children. so -- so they can have memories of me. >> reporter: these are just some of the hundreds of quilts sent from across the country. >> everyone heard about the terrible fires and -- and quilters love to help. >> reporter: gifts to the thousands who lost everything. >> i like this one. >> reporter: each person, picking their favorite. >> little cottage my youngest daughter and we just loved it. it was going to be a perfect little, you know, christmas hut. >> reporter: debbie says she was helping her friend caught in the dixie fire. then, weeks later, caldor took hers. >> it is over well ming. it's almost overwhelming. it's almost like i'm going to wake up and, you know, have my little house and my stuff. you know? >> she says it was the first

home she bought on her own. >> i'm really, really overtaken by these women and just the community, the support. >> nearly three months after it started, the knp complex fire burning in sequoia and king canon national parks is finally contained. park service says it does not mean the fire is out. it could continue to smolder for months, even during the entire winter but the perimeter of the fire is not expected to grow. firefighters say recent rain and snow helped them gain full containment. this thing started back in september. itself sparked by lightning and burned more than 88,000 acres. women have come a long way in the wine making industry thanks to women like this woman. nbc introduces us to holly turner, one of the first female winemakers in the pacific northwest. >> my name is holly turner and i am a wine maker for three rivers winery and head turner wine company.

you know, was one of probably the first five female wine makers in the state of washington. very male dominated. you know, i think there is definitely been a different reception i think for women in wine than there has been for kind of i call the boys club of -- of wine making. and so it -- it's been a challenge. you have to prove yourself in everything you do i think but in this industry, you know, you are not just handed things. you got to drag hoses and do the work and i really worked my way up. so, you know, i'm proud of that. and if i have been a decent role model for other women or girls that wanted to be in the business, i think it's great. there's definitely more women making wine and taking on the leadership roles for wineries. we're not like half. >> your progress? >> yeah, i think it's great. >> see the full story and others like it on nbclx.

watch anytime on lx.com. also, on xfinity channel 185 or over the air on channel 11-5. still ahead on this special edition of nbc bay area news. a holiday-travel rush is on. what you need to know to travel safely this holiday season. this is elodia. she's a recording artist. 1 of 10 million people that comcast has connected to affordable internet in the last 10 years. and this is emmanuel, a future recording artist, and one of the millions of students we're connecting

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when it comes to flooring, i'm hard to please. so, i go to floor & decor where i find every imaginable tile, wood, laminate or stone without compromising my design. cause one aisle doesn't cut it. i need an entire store. explore floor & decor in person or online. right now at 9:30. preparing for pre-pandemic numbers. the holiday travel rush is on. what you need to to to keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season. plus, what to know if you want to change your plans. thank force joining us on this special edition of nbc bay area news. i'm terry mcsweeney. audrey has the evening off. as omicron cases continue to dliem, covid might impact how you spend the holidays, especially if you are traveling. take a live look at sfo right now. holiday travel sprint has begun. it is underway. airlines say they are expecting twice the number of passengers this year compared to last year.

nbc's emilie ikeda explains how to travel safely and what to do if you do want to change your plans. >> reporter: the rush home for the holidays kicking into high gear. aaa predicts more than 100 million people to take to the roads, sky, and other forms of transportation over the christmas holiday. that is up more than 30% from last year. >> we are very excited to have the whole family back together again. >> reporter: airports bustling with some 2 million passengers saturday. rivaling pre-pandemic numbers. but will the quickly-spreading new variant prompt last-minute changes? >> i'm very concerned about it because the flights are full. inside the lobby is full. all the planes are full. >> reporter: as omicron cases go up, bookings go down. >> you can see, however, in the numbers that the -- the comfort and the level of confidence in -- in traveling is dropping. um, but not as steep as we have seen in 2020. >> reporter: the surging cases scrambling a swath of americans' christmas time tradition,

including dan cisco. >> found out that someone in my extended family tested positive for covid. >> reporter: but when he reached out to the airline -- >> they wouldn't refund me my money and i was stuck with this $900 flight credit we will likely never use. >> reporter: if you are rethinking holiday travel, cancellation policies vary based on the type of ticket you are purchased and your airline. several, like delta, temporarily removing change fees for more flexibility in the pandemic. still, the nation's top infectious disease expert where this boost of confidence for travelers today. >> if you are vaccinated and you're boosted and you take care when you go into congregate settings, like airports, to make sure you continually wear your mask, you should be okay. >> reporter: a layered approach keeping airports buzzing. what should people keep in mind when they arrive at their destination? >> you know, think the most important thing to remember is how and when to use testing to your advantage. the idea is that you want to do a test really within a few hours

of meeting with a family or friend or -- or folks outside of your household. >> back to remote learning for a prestigious university. harvard says it will go remote for at least the first three weeks of january because of the rise in covid-19 cases. only students, faculty, and staff authorized to come to campus will be allowed to return in person. they are one of the few exceptions. students conducting essential lab and research work. university hopes for a full return later in january, if health conditions permit and harvard is also strongly considering requiring boosters. this year's consumer electronic shows in vas las vegas vegas going to be adding some new health rules as cases continue to rise. organizers say complementary rapid testing kits will be offered when people pick up their event badges. the kits will contain two tests. all in-person attendees must provide proof of vaccination, as well. masks will be required indoors and on all forms of

transportation. more than 2,100 exhibiters are signed up for the event which runs from january 5th through the 8th. in your vaccine card is getting chewed up in your purse woorlt, you can add it to your apple wall. for iphone users, consumer investigator chris chmura shows us how. >> reporter: the apple wallet already stores things like credit cards, concert tickets, and boarding passes. it's pretty easy. two clicks and they are right there. well now, you can add your covid-19 vaccine record. here is what you need to do it. the latest apple software. access to the state's vaccine portal and another phone, not necessarily an apple. we will explain why in a second. first, check your software. apple added the vaccine record feature with ios 15.1 so if you don't have version 15.1 or later, download it, first, in the settings app. next, you will need a link to your state vaccine record. we will show you how that works here in california. this is where that second phone comes in handy. borrow one for just a minute from your friend, family, or

co-worker. doesn't have to be apple. on that phone, go to the state's portal -- myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. you plug in your name, birthdate, and the phone number or e-mail address you gave when you got vaccinated. next, you create a pin. write it down you are going to need it. then, tap submit. they will send you a link. click it. punch in the pin you just created and voila, there it is. your vaccine record information and a qr code. now that you have it, let's add it to your apple wallet on the other phone. open the camera app. and point it at the qr code you just got. when a yellow icon pops up that says health, tap it. when you see your vaccine information, tap add to wallet and health. that step puts your information in the apple wallet, plus it gives you a qr code that smart readers can understand. besides your wallet, you can also pull up your vaccine record information using the apple health app. so what about android phones? stay tuned. we are making another video for those phones. in that was too much work, here is a simple shortcut.

just take a screen shot of your vaccine record information. then save it to your favorite photos album. that way, you have easy access to it anytime you are asked to show it. i felt that there was a need to connect with our seniors. to let 'em know the community cared about them. and that they weren't alone. >> it started out as a simple request that's turned into a tidal wave of cards and gifts for seniors. we'll introduce you to the woman behind the mission. it's a story that will make you bay-area proud.

you may have an elf on the shelf in your house since the popular story about santa's special helpers was first published back in 2005, elves have popped up in more and more homes every year. a pennsylvania family is taking inspiration from the tale trying to bring some smiles during the pandemic. they turned their young baby bo

into a real life elf on the shelf named boop. and his parents post pictures on social media and he has got quite the following. he works very cheap. he is mainly paid we are told with his grandparents' french fries. that is a deal. one of the first words that might come to mind when you say christmas is family. which is why for those on their own, the holidays can be the opposite of joyous. but for seniors on their own in one east bay city, their community has their backs. garvin thomas joins us with their story in tonight's bay area proud. >> i still remember vividly just about two years ago when the pandemic started, one of the very first stories i reported was about the fear for isolation and what that might do to many seniors live ongoing their own during the pandemic. well, sadly, that did turn out to be a problem. but happily, there are people who know what to do about it. ♪ let it snow, let it snow ♪ >> reporter: when it comes to lists that matter, at the top of the list has to be the christmas

list. >> merry christmas. >> reporter: and at the brentwood senior activities center for the adopt a senior gift giveaway, sure santa was there with his beard and belly. >> hello. how are you? >> reporter: but the list? well, that was in the hands of olivia alvarez. >> okay. i got you at 64. >> the list. definitely, that list is golden. >> reporter: olivia is the center's recreation supervisor. she knows, firsthand, the struggles of her city's older population. knows how tough the pandemic has been for those living on their own. >> our seniors are still feeling isolated. >> so last year at christmas time, olivia had an idea. her team asked young people to write christmas cards to fill the mailboxes of the city's seniors. >> dear senior citizen, i hope you have a great christmas. >> reporter: their goal was 500. >> we ended up with 1,000. and this year, we ended up with over 1,500. they were really interested in it last year.

>> reporter: the montez family were eager participants, creating more than 100 cards themselves. it all worked so well that olivia wanted to do more. so this year, she asked 100 of brentwood's neediest seniors to make their own christmas list, then found community members willing to make those wishes come true. >> without a family or, you know, a circle, i haven't got a gift for years. so this is so wonderful. >> i think it meant the world to them. i -- i feel that they felt like they were reconnected, again. um, that somebody out there cared about them. that they weren't alone and that, um, that there were going to be better days to come. >> reporter: olivia says it's something that's worked so well, they want to keep doing it. there have been so many traditions that have been disrupted since this pandemic started. >> have a merry christmas. >> reporter: it's nice to know

of at least one that's just getting started. olivia is quick to point out she didn't do this all on her own. there is the brentwood strong nonprofit that pitched in, the hundreds of cool children who helped write those christmas cards and the hundred residents of brentwood who pitched in to buy the gifts for the seniors. garvin thomas, nbc bay area news. >> another great one. every year, the final saturday night live before christmas is a big show that teaches a loft surprises. and last night was supposed to be that sthoe but like everything else, covid got in the way. >> thank you, thank you for coming. thanks for coming. i am extremely disappointed. >> oh yeah, i know, buddy. >> paul rudd was set to host the show but tom hanks actually kicked things off by letting viewers know that most of the crew and the audience were sent home because of covid concerns. joined by hank, tina fey. they acted as the audience. a couple new taped skits as well

as some old ones. rudd was also inducted in the five-timers club which means it was the fifth time he has hosted the show. albeit a unique one last night. you know, this season, quite a bit like last season when it comes to all the covid concerns but the weather is absolutely got nothing to do with last winter. >> yeah. we are seeing a big change. doing what december weather ought to do. honestly, we are seeing that right now. the view. we did see a big jump in that sierra snow pack. look at that and how much more we could see as we head through the weekend and approach christmas day w wh we come right back.

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san francisco's trust is in the final stretch of work on what will soon be one of the bay year's most celebrated parks of the this is going to be the view. a combination of nature, history, a breathtaking scenery all over a pair of traffic tunnels. nbc bay area's joe rosato jr. shows us around the pra said yoe tunnel top park project.

>> reporter: san francisco's prisidio is a curious place. its lands inhabit dense forests, coastal scenery, military history, all surrounded by a bustling city. >> it's like being in the wilderness but right in the middle of the city. >> reporter: but the new 14-acre park taking shape over the parkway is meant to weave all those elements together. >> and it's going to connect the historic part, which is the main post, to the field. >> the work on the park, which is scheduled to open this spring is in its final stages. >> it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. >> michael bolan, cheefr chief park planner, points out some highlights. >> there will be a big ball bowl right here and this will be the campfire. >> reporter: there are benches designed to mimic the hills of marin made from the fallen cypress trees. >> trees which made it so beautiful for 150 years is like a second life. the area where

the team is working right now, that is all going to be lawn. >> reporter: there's a terrace. >> each terrace is designed for people to throw out a picnic blanket. >> reporter: the park will also feature what many will probably consider a kid's paradise. >> which is two acres of nature play where kids can really connect to nature. lower building on the right is a new art and science lab. and then right in front of us is the new field station. when this is done, it will be like a giant walk-in exhibit full of all of these nooks and crannies where kids can explore. >> you can see the boulders. we have woods. there is going to be water. it's manmade but it's going to feel like you're in nature. >> reporter: like the cherries on a cake, crews are planting trees and grasses which will cover the twin tunnels. on the lower end, plants will take their cues from coastal terrain. at the top, echoing the more formal greenery. >> in this upper area, meadows of grasses with lots of color. and moving in the wind. >> reporter: but of course, the new park's most startling

feature is something no one had to build. >> it's the best view on earth. i mean honestly. and beautiful thing is everyone's going to get to enjoy the best view on earth. >> reporter: the trust hasn't nailed down opening day yet but when the park opens this spring, visitors will be able to walk between the bay and the grounds, sort of like a green bridge with a view of a golden one. joe rosato jr. -- >> not a bad view. >> reporter: nbc bay area news. >> not a bad view at all. and rob mayeda's got a nice view as well. got some great pictures from the sierra. >> yeah. and temperatures good enough to keep that fresh snow sticking around for a while. 22 degrees right now in the south shore of lake tahoe. not much wind and this is one of the relatively calm periods we will see that should take us through tomorrow and what a week it was last week. up to 98% of statewide average now. everywhere south of interstate 80 is above 100% of average for this particular time of year. and it looks like certainly those totals will be going up as we go through the week.

look at this projection here as we go through the first half the week. snow gets started tuesday. really gets going on wednesday and a winter-storm watch is up from tuesday through sunday. okay? so, if you are going to travel, monday's your day. tuesday, we begin to see the snow come down and it's going to be dropping in terms of snow levels. so that means more miles driven in chain controls as snow levels go from about 5,000 feet down to 2 or 3,000 feet by friday. 450 degrees right now in san jose. partly cloudy skies. 46 currently around sfo. over toward the tri-valley and the inland east bay, will have to watch again for patchy fog. 43 currently in dub bin and starting to see a little fog around walnut creek at 45 degrees. so the trend continues with a light offshore wind. that fog kind drifts back in into the north bay valleys. same it again for tomorrow morning. so chilly start, 30 and is 40s. temperature wise by lunchtime

tomorrow, no big surprise here. still 40s and low 50s. afternoon temperatures tomorrow, mountain view, heyward, san jose, mid to upper 50s. storm ranger right now doesn't really have much to show. we might see a few sprinkles up here around the mountains of the north bay tomorrow. but the main event at least in this first round of rain is going to roll in for tuesday morning's commute. starting off in the north bay at 7:00 a.m. toward the evening commute and tuesday night, we begin to see the rain let up a little bit in the south bay. north bay will probably see the most of it from tuesday into wednesday. as those rain rates pick up at times. probably, about 1 to 2 inches across the north bay at least by about 5:00 on wednesday. then, another round drops down the coast thursday into friday morning. might get a little bit of break there if you are trying to plan your friday second half of the day. here comes more rain, again. followed up by some very chilly air. so, from tuesday through friday, you are really looking at three storm systems adding up over four days. you are seeing an average of 2

to 3 inches in the north bay valleys and maybe 3 to 5 inches in the mountains here, santa cruz mountains and north bay mountains. again, that is spread out over four days. but look where storms are starting to drop in from as we head toward next weekend. so that is the interesting part of the forecast. snow levels will start crashing down as we head right in time for christmas eve and christmas day could not have timed it better for sierra snow or potentially? snow around the bay area if there is enough moisture in place, it will be cold enough to support some snow in the higher peaks east of san jose and maybe around the d aye blo range and certainly a lot of snow coming down five to seven feet plus for the sierra just in time for christmas weekend. look at that. temperatures cooling off as we go through the week. most of the heavier rain should be on the tuesday-wednesday timing of your seven-day forecast. and then, chilly showers lowering snow levels next weekend. it is going to be a fun weekend. imp tracking snow levels and seeing how much snow adds up against around the sierra. >> looks great rob. let's check with anthony flores

right now talking about the 9ers and what a game today? >> yeah. hey, when they don't turn the football over, they are a pretty good team. 49ers beat the falcons at levi's where the 9ers stand in the nfc playoff race after today's big win. stick around, sports is next. hi honey! hi mommy! oh i missed you! you just want to video call the kids. ok. hush little baby...don't say a word... but if slow upload speeds turns your goodnight call into an accidental horror movie...

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welcome back. i'm anthony flores. hey, the 49ers are knocking on the doorstep of the nfl playoffs after a dominating win over the falcons. special day at levi's. former receiver john taylor and patrick willis inducted into the 49ers' hall of fame. well-deserved. tied at 3 in the second, juice gets loose. kyle juszczyk barrels his way into the end zone. it is a td run. answer by flying the friendly skies. check out the grab. matt ryan. game tied at so 10. now, 9ers march back down the field under 40 seconds to go before the half. the give to deebo and he does the rest.

it's a ten-yard touch down. 17-10 san francisco at recess. defense turning up the heat in the second half. nick bosa with his 15th sack of the season. fumbled. the 9ers recover. the defense played big all-game long. that would lead to this. jeff wilson's first touchdown run of the season. a five-yard scamper. 9ers up 14. wilson goes over 100 yards rushing. jimmy g on his game today. no picks, no sacks, and a touchdown pass to jennings. the 49ers beat the falcons 31-13. they remain the sixth saed in the nfc with an 8-6 record. >> guys locked in today. you felt it throughout the week, too. just a big game. you know? nfc opponent, playoff picture and everything like that. it's december football so we knew what we were in for. >> go out there and make plays and early in the season, just turn the ball over like way too much. and we just stopped doing that.

>> i am glad we got this one here. glad we got last week but it's still the same deal. we got a game here in four days and, um, it is going to come down to the wire for all these teams. and the 49ers will hit the road. they will be at tennessee on thursday. all right. the warriors will be without starter andrew wiggins tomorrow night against the kings. wiggins, who is vaccinated, has been placed in the nba's covid health and safety protocol. jordan poole is also in the protocol and will miss the game at the chase center. college hoops. stanford hitting the court against number seven texas. games in las vegas. first half, jayden cleans the glass and gets the old-school three pointer. yeah, the cardinal of four. but the long horns would take control of the game with a 13-nothing run in the second half. texas shoots down stanford 60-53. and berkeley, the golden bears taking on dartmouth. andre kelly showing off his touch going left handed.

he had 14 points and ten boards and then jordan shepherd getting it done in the second half. he scored 11 of his team-high 18 points and the final 20 minutes, the bears beat the big green -- that's their nickname -- 61-55. final round of the pg championship, tiger and his son charlie in their sunday red. they were on fire. the 12-year-old waves the magic wand and that is a birdie. they made 11 birdies in a row sunday. 15 under 57. they finished two winners. they were a lone second place. john daly and his son claimed the title. that is a look at sports. terry, back to you. those 49ers. they have got to rest, recover, and get ready to go. a big game on thursday. >> just -- they just have no time. you see those guys getting banged around today and thursday, they got -- got to get down to tennessee to do it, too. >> when they scheduled first game out, this was the game you circled because you knew tennessee was going to be good.

they are and traveling across country will not be easy for the 49ers but both teams have to do it. they both have to play on thursday and it's the same tile style and the 49ers, after this game, hopefully they can take that momentum with them because they played very well today. >> all right. anthony, thanks so much. >> well finally, santa brought a little holiday cheer to some kids in alaska this weekend. the fallen outdoors team hosted the aeft for military families. you see they got to go ice fishing inside huts, keep them a bit warmer. got to take pictures with santa. organization's dedicated to serving both active-duty and prior service military members in the state through therapeutic outdoor activities. thanks for joining us. we are back at 11:00. ♪ i see trees of green ♪

♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ the holidays are in full swing and you can feel the magic in the air. especially at t-mobile! let's go to dianne. can you tell us what's happening? yeah, i got the awesome new iphone 13 pro and airpods, and t-mobile is paying for them both! oooh and i get a free year of apple tv+. upgrade to the iphone 13 pro and airpods both on us. only at t-mobile.and thg t-mobile and sprint customers. like me! back to you. uh, hello!? we are going to t-mobile!

>> this was the christmas choir banquet, so she was dressed up to the nines >> this young girl catches his eye? >> she caught everyone's eye >> she didn't come home that night. there was blood everywhere blood splatter all over the inside of the car. it was a very frenzied attack. the entire town was going crazy. >> the theories were just awful. drug rings, prostitute rings >> painful for your parents. horrible my mother eventually did not go