right now at 5:00, new hope in the latest covid battle. the bay area seeing omicron cases trending lower. what it could mean for the future of local restrictions. >> reporter: it's decision day, the fed is likely to tell us today when interest rates are going up to fight inflation. we'll tell you what to watch out for. >> and we're tracking a foggy morning commute. meteorologist vianey arana has a timeline on when things will be clear for drivers. this is "today in the bay." it's so foggy, i missed my exit this morning. be careful out there. thanks for joining us. i'm laura garcia. >> i'm marcus washington. don't forget we're broadcasting

not only on tv, but also on roku, amazon fire, and online. >> vianey arana is in for kari this morning. we can see you clearly. >> i kind of match the fog with my sweater. it is gray in the south and north bay. some spots are seeing less than a quarter mile of visibility. about 48 degrees right now in san francisco. if you look at the timestamp, by about 10:00, we'll still be seeing cloud lingering, and then by 11:00, 12:00, we'll start to finally get sunshine breaking through the clouds and it will make for a lovely avenue. fog and visibility right now, really dense from san carlos, also napa, santa rosa and the novato spot. i'll have a closer look at your daytime highs coming up in a few minutes. >> thank you. signs of progress in the

omicron covid surge. one bay area public health leader believes that it is now on the decline. >> "today in the bay's" bob redell joins us this morning. many wonder if the mandates and mask restrictions may start to ease up soon. >> good morning. eventually, yes. the question is when, and i don't have that answer and i don't think anyone does right now. we know the indoor mask mandate is set to expire, at least go on until at least february 15th. that's the california mandate that is in effect throughout the state. the omicron surge appears to have peaked here in the bay area. the san francisco chronicle reports that there are still a lot of people infected with coronavirus, but the number of cases are down about 20% since january 9th. and still there are just over 2,000 people hospitalized in the bay area with the disease, but the paper reports that number also appears to be leveling off. according to the chronicle, marin county's health officer

believes there will be more waves of infection, but these waves will be less harmful than what we've seen in the past because of a stronger herd immunity. dr. matt willis predicts we could soon be entering the endemic phase of this pandemic. last night santa clarita county sara cody spoke at senator ro khanna's covid-19 town hall. she expressed her county is also on the other side of the surge. the subvariant known as ba.2 has been detected in santa clarita county. dr. cody said they do not know yet whether it will be more or less dangerous than omicron. >> my guess is it will behave much like the omicron variant, it's a subvariant, so we'll see. >> you don't think it's causing more severe disease. in fact, the danish government released data showing so far they're not seeing increased

hospitalizations due to this variant versus the regular omicron. >> reporter: ba.2 has been detected in 40 different countries and there's no evidence that it is spreading more quickly than others, and so far it does look like our vaccines will be or are effective against it. laura, marcus. >> thanks, bob. a reminder for you this morning, if you're looking to get a free n95 mask that the government is offering, go to nbcbayarea.com and then head to our pandemic coverage. you're going to find information about how to order free masks and tests. the u.s. with a new warning to russia as tensions heighten at the ukraine border. president biden is sending in more weapons and equipment, and he's ramping up the rhetoric, warning of enormous consequences if russia invades. "today in the bay's" brie jackson live in washington. brie, what is president biden

saying? >> reporter: good morning, laura. well, president biden says he's close to a decision on whether to send additional u.s. troops to nato countries near ukraine. he's also issuing a warning to russia. the u.s. is sending more weapons, ammunition and equipment to ukraine as part of a $200 million package. the president says he's considering economic sanctions on russia, and if russia invades, personally putting sanctions on russian president vladimir putin. concerns over growing tensions overseas has sparked rare bipartisanship calls for action on capitol hill. >> we should be providing the ukrainians, along with our nato partners, resources to defend themselves. >> if the russians try to overthrow the entire government, it's really too late. >> reporter: russia denies planning an incursion and insists the u.s. and nato are fueling tensions.

as of now, president biden says he has no intention of sending american forces into ukraine, but is ensuring nato that u.s. troops are ready to go if russia invades. according to senior administration officials, president biden is considering publicly outlining his ukraine strategy in a speech or in an interview. laura. >> one to closely watch. thank you so much. 5:06, and happening now police are looking for smash-and-grab thieves, those who targeted two jewelry stores in the same peninsula mall. the robberies happened at the tanforan mall in san bruno. the first happened last week at the maas jewelry. security video shows the thieves moving at lightning quick speed after one of them used a crowbar. the store owner pulled out a gun to stop the thieves in their tracks. he says one of the men then drew a gun in response but no shots were fired. >> the lawmakers need to do something. we really need protection.

this is not the way that we run our business and we're already struggling. >> it is believed that the same thieves targeted a second store, the gym company and yesterday workers were cleaning up broken glass. new details on the fire in big sur that shot down highway 101. some trucks are being allowed back into the area, mostly for deliveries to businesses near the fire zone. the cause has been determined. firefighters say it started last friday from embers from a pile burning operation that got out of control due to strong winds. it's now about 50% contained. highway 1 is still closed to nonessential traffic. >> let's take a look outside live, overlooking the golden gate bridge. you see no bridge, just the fog there. it just looks like cotton. want to lay down this morning. if you're laying down at home watching us this morning, stay put. >> just stay cozy. good for you.

>> because it's cold out there if you walk outside. >> it is, it is cold. it's in the 30s. i woke up and looked out the window, and i thought, oh, it's foggy, but i've got to go to work. if you can lay in bed and watch from home, do that. forecasted highs for today. 65 in san jose. eventually we are going to get sunshine and it's going to be another dry, mild day. relatively low humidity ity through the afternoon, and even though we'll be in the mid-60s and we've got cloud cover, this is going to remain the pattern through thursday and friday. 63 degrees in concord, 65 in danville, 62 in hayward around the peninsula. low 60s through san mateo, redwood city 61. if you're going to be headed to the city, winds are light now but could get breezy at times. it will be in the mid-60s through the afternoon. let's see how the roads are doing with mike. >> we're trying to see how the roads are doing, but we'll look at the san mateo bridge.

our cameras are seeing a lot of low clouds and fog. we can see this shot right by the toll plaza, taillights away in a westbound the high-rise af the flat section, and that may be an issue. as we look at the map, the arrows shows what camera we showed. even tougher to see because the yellow highlighting is, of course, our road weather index talking about visibility is an issue. north bay and heading up toward novato. rio vista sees it as well. back to you. >> thanks. keeping renters in their homes, coming up next on "today in the bay," the new warning landlords will have to give tenants who are facing possible eviction. >> plus, the ups and downs of vertical farming and when you can get a taste. that's ahead in business news. >> plus, refund troubles. nbc bay area responds to a

viewer who asked for a refund after his flight was canceled. >> but, first, those gas prices, they keep rising. actually up 50% since last year. you might be looking for ways to stretch your gas mileage. on nbcbayarea.com you can find eight tips to help you save money at the pump. we'll be right back.

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limited availability good morning. it is 5:12. some spots are in the 30s. san francisco is at 48. but san francisco is also seeing an early-morning fog.

look at your temperature trend. eventually sunshine will prevail into the afternoon and i'll guide you through the remainder of your workweek and what to expect ahead coming up in a few minutes. and you're going to have to slow down because there's not much to guide you on the roadway as far as the roadway markers. you can't really see the sides of the roads and the off ramps will be tough to see as well. slow down. it will feel a lot different on the roadways. scott, i imagine your commute there was probably clear visibility. >> my commute from the coffee pot is really easy. good morning, everyone. happy wednesday. you know, i talk a lot about these fed meetings all the time, but all of a sudden everybody else seems to be interested in them. as of today, we think we'll get solid information about when the fed is going to start raising interest rates. there's a press conference, as there always is, coming after the 11:00 a.m. decision our time, where the head of the fed, jay powell, will tell us what

the open markets committee has decided. now, the fed influences the economy in a number of ways, but one of them is buying up government bonds. that injects money into the economy. so tapering is doing the opposite. the fed is slowing its purchases. and then, of course, there are interest rate hikes. interest rates are right now fundamentally at zero, raising them again slows down the economy, hopefully fights inflation. this is, after all, what we all said we wanted. each time you heard someone, including yourself, understandably, griping about high prices, the fed was listening and watching the price data, and now comes that bitter medicine to fight inflation. but even if the fed announces rate hikes very soon, as soon as march, remember, that's because the economy is doing so well. one of the fastest returns to a good economy, up arrows, in recent history things are going

well. >> at the end of the day, the most important thing for most people are two things. their paycheck and their housing. paychecks still look pretty good, in part because the unemployment rate is low and wages have been rising. >> housing prices may come off a little bit because the fed is raising hates, but the market still looks strong. so while we have the fed raising rates and the stock market declining, the outlook for the economy is still pretty robust. >> now, that was steve liesman of cnbc. he's worth listening to, he won a pulitzer prize and he plays in a grateful dead cover band. those are good qualifications. wall street, investors seem to have a rate hike priced in this morning. walmart says it's going to work with the bay area's plenty farms to bring the produce to walmart's stores. they grow reduce inside, using robots, which cuts down on pollution and chemicals.

walmart is investing in the company as well. their farms are really cool. they say they can increase output by about 250%, and they save water because they run the farm vertically. so any drips coming out of one plant are going to the next one. you think to yourself, oh, yeah, duh. >> it's fascinating. no pesticides. it's really interesting. >> salad for lunch. >> thanks, scott. 5:16. san francisco leaders want those struggling in the bay facing eviction to receive nor leeway. supervisors are requiring a ten-day period before eviction. under current city laws, only a three-day eviction notice is required, although during the pandemic the state temporarily stretched the requirement to 15 days. very few will ever know what it's like to be a u.s. supreme

court justice. >> not in our lifetime, but you may be able to read like one. buyers are spending thousands of dollars to own books owned by late supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg. the highest bid so far, $18,000 for a signed copy of gloria steinham's memoire. the auction ends tomorrow. >> you interviewed gloria not too long ago. >> i did. i didn't get her autograph, though. >> you're slipping. >> i didn't want to ask. well, always giving us a good forecast. this one, a little foggy, though. >> let's talk about this. san jose, it is so foggy in downtown that visibility is, you

know, really concerning in some spots because if you're driving and you can't see ahead of you, that can make for dangerous conditions. so, remember, don't use high beams, just regular headlights. right now, we're in the 30s in dublin and it's a very cool start. morgan hill 35, and look at the visibility down through san jose, hayward, san carlos, less than a quarter of a mile, less than three miles in san francisco, in santa rosa, the napa area less than half a mile as well. the fog will linger into the first half of the day and it will be breezy at times, mainly the higher elevation areas. everywhere else, the wind 15 plus miles per hour, 20 plus mile per hour winds, so breezy at times. and we're still going to be dry. our daytime highs will be mild, but a little warmer than yesterday. san jose 65 degrees, not very

noticeable when it comes to the boost in temps, but it will be lovely by the afternoon. concord 63, pleasanton 63. if you're going to be heading to the city, upper 50s, low 60s. through the north bay, mid-60s for santa rosa, u kie ya and the sonoma area. even though it is going to be dry, we've got high pressure that's been dominating our forecast, keeping any chance of rain to our north and south. sunday night into monday, there is a weak low-level system, pretty weak right now, that could bring us a chance of seeing some shower activity, mainly to our north on sunday night into monday. but for the most part, we stay pretty dry and your inland seven-day forecast looks like this. thursday, friday, saturday, mid-60s for inland areas. it will cool off a little bit heading into friday. and then sunday into monday morning is when we're monitoring the low-level system to our

north that could bring us a chance of showers into monday morning. but temperatures will take a dip into the upper 50s. now let's get a check of the roads with mike. >> visibility was the most concerning issue out there. look at the speed sensors. we have a new incident in the south bay. we're giving you breaking news right now. the yellow highlighting, notice along the peninsula creeping toward santa clara, parts of san jose and cupertino and just about the fringe of the fog on northbound 85, we just learned there's a deadly crash, so that will be a problem if you're jumping on at saratoga. the slowing is just to the north of you. if you get on at stevens creek, you're past the incident. in the last few minutes, all lanes of north 85 were blocked. again, that should just last a few minutes until they can open one or two, but the investigation may involve a pedestrian was that was on the

roadway. north 101 does not see big slowing bay, fog, of contra cos watch out. there should be fog but no major slowing. back to you. >> thanks, mike. 5:21 this morning. nbc bay area responds. >> he asked for a flight refund, so should he settle for a voucher? we don't think so. neither does uncle sam. i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. nbc bay area responds. >> and we want to see your fan photos. look at these great folks sharing theirs. share yours as well, tag nbc bay area on facebook and twitter. we'll keep sharing the photos all week on "today in the bay" as we cheer on the 9ers. we'll be right back.

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nbc bay area responded to an east bay viewer whose airline canceled his flight due to the pandemic. >> and like so many other passengers, he asked for a refund and didn't get fun. consumer investigator chris chmura's team stepped in. >> he booked a trip to spain and paid 988 for round trip tickets. the airline canceled due to the pandemic and offered him a voucher. well, he wanted a refund.

federal law says he's entitled to one but david says he made multiple requests that went nowhere, so he called us. we reached out to level and they told us that level's care area reviewed the information received and proceeded to refund the reservations canceled due to the operational limitations caused by covid-19. that is good news. days later, $998.88 refunded to david's credit cart. david had the law on his side. when an airline canceled or significantly changes a flight, it is required to refund customers. if that's not happening, well, you can file a complaint about an airline directly to the feds. we made a video recently showing you how. you can watch that and all of our other how-to episodes on our website, streaming channels or youtube page. just look for the how-to playlist. >> sounds good. 5:25 right now. starting to find different ways

to win, even when they're missing key players. >> without draymond green, the warriors looked good early. steph curry came out solid, he scored 18 points. by the fourth quarter, the wubs were rolling. pretty much sealed the deal with this, that dunk right there. he dropped 22 as the dubs won. >> not the news shark fans are looking for as they start their playoff push. erik karlsson will be out at least a month and a after after a surgery to repair a muscle in his left forearm. coming up next, the top stories we're following. brand new information coming in about a triple stabbing. we've got word on the victims' conditions and the search for a suspect now under way. >> reporter: i'm kris sanchez in san jose, which now has the

first-ever law requiring gun owners to have liability insurance. there are folks against this, but we'll tell you how soon it could go into effect. you're watching "today in the bay."

we can reduce gun harm when we see the ex spans of gun harm. >> history makingte-night vote l require gun owners to get insurance and pay yearly fees. a live report on when it's set

to take effect and pushback. >> plus, easing restrictions at schools, and the new temporary fix that will allow one east bay school district to keep their doors open. >> and a new warning for parents with at-home test kits. guidance from a local health expert on what you need to keep in mind about the threat they possibly pose to your kids. this is "today in the bay." good wednesday morning to you. thanks so much for joining us. 5:30 right now. i'm laura garcia. >> and i'm marcus washington. as we broadcast live on tv right now, we're also streaming on roku, amazon fire, apple tv and online. let's get you started with a look at the forecast. vianey arana in for kari this morning. starting out foggy for a lot of us out there. >> so foggy. and we've seen the fog get even more dense for some spots, including san carlos down to about a quarter of a mile, san jose, some spots even less than

that. in through oakland, novato, san francisco, less than two miles. not only is it foggy, it is also very cold. in the 30s to start. let's take a look at your tri-valley commute. we're at about 35 degrees right now and then we're going to stick to 30s until about 8:00 a.m. we bump up into the 40s. eventually the sunshine will prevail by 11:00, 12:00. i'll guide you through the extended outlook in a few minutes. >> 5:31. we've got an update on breaking news we've been following in san jose. police are confirming three people stabbed at a home in the city's overfelt neighborhood. the attacker is still on the loose. it happened about 2:15 this morning close to raging waters. three victims are all expected to survive. police had their weapons drawn walking in and out of a home early this morning. it's still not clear what really led up to that stabbing or if

the victims even knew their attacker. the city of san jose the first in the nation to require gun owners to carry liability insurance and pay a fee towards reducing gun violence. joins us.the this is likely to end up in court. >> reporter: it is almost a certainty that this will end up in court and it could go all the way up to the supreme court, because of the way the legislation is written. but for now, san jose is the only city in the nation to have a law like this. let's take a look at that ordinance. the debate went late into the night with 50 people on both sides speaking out about the so-called gun harm reduction measure that requires gun owners have liability insurance in the event their gun is used in a crime. also, they would have to pay a $25 annual fee to a nonprofit aimed at reducing gun violence. the ordinance affects an estimated 50,000 households in the city of san jose in which someone has a gun. the mayor says it reduces the

chances of gun violence in domestic violence and mental health crises and a firearms policy coalition statement reads in part, we will not hesitate to challenge the city's policies in federal litigation and take over possible action to block enforcement. however, a constitutional law professor says gun ownership can come with responsibilities. >> it's a restriction, but it's not an overly burdensome one or a ban, and the supreme court has held that there can be some gu ordinance goes into effect in jose, kris sanchez, "today in the bay." >> thank you. new this morning, new numbers on the surge in hate crimes in san francisco. police say hate crimes rose nearly sixfold last year. in 2020 police counted nine cases of crimes motivated by hate.

last year it jumped to 60. police also say that arrests were made in a majority of the cases. all of this comes as district attorney chas sa boudin faces a new lawsuit filed by the aapi community. the plaintiff says he was attacked in 2019. he says the charges against his a tracker were reduced to misdemeanors without his knowledge and the da's office is falling short. the office says they continue to be steadfast advocates for the aapi community. bay area schools coping with covid. one north bay district now loosening its restrictions for gathering and sporting events, and an east bay district reaching an agreement with teachers to keep classrooms open. "today in the bay's" cierra johnson is live developments. >> reporter: yes, good morning,

marcus. we've been keeping a close eye on our schools throughout the pandemic, and it's really been a roller coaster ride. we're going to start with what's going on up in marin county. now, health leaders in marin county appeared before the board of supervisors yesterday to announce they were moving forward and dropping the 50-person limit on indoor spectators at school sporting events. masks will still be required for all indoor events and new guidance says parents, students and staff should consider masks for outdoor settings. this comes as the county sees itself on the other side of the omicron surge. and in the east bay, following sick-outs by educators and walkouts by students, a tentative agreement has been reached between the teachers union and the oakland unified school district. the point of contention, covid-19 safety measures. according to a release from the district, both parties have reached a deal regarding some of the main concerns surrounding covid safety and protocol

district-wide. under the agreement, the district tells us they will provide covid testing, access for all students and staff, continue to make high-quality masks, such as kn95 masks available for students and staff and provide all sites with covered eating space for students. with an oakland fourth and fifth grade teacher and she said it took a collaborative effort to reach this point. >> this is -- the majority of the credit goes to the students and their actions on the streets, the teachers and staff who have stood in solidarity with them in unsanctioned sick-outs. i think if there's anything i have learned in the last few months, that organizing does work. >> reporter: the agreement is scheduled to be voted on by union members before it's authorized by the board of education. we're live in san francisco,

cierra johnson live for "today in the bay." >> thank you. 5:36 right now. doctors are getting more phone calls these days about covid-19 home testing kits and an ingredient that has some parents calling the poison control center. the preservative is called sodium azide, the ingredient the fda says is hazardous i spoke with dr. what everyone needs t know. >> are we talking about the little bit of liquid that is in some of these rapid tests? >> yes, it's a little bit of liquid. that's usually there for a good reason, which is to help the kit lasts for a longer period of time. it's a preservative. but i think what happens usually, people take the solution from the cap, you leave it on for 15 minutes when you're waiting for the test to be done. meanwhile, kids sort of like reach out for it and spray the

water, it goes all over the place. i think that's the danger period, when you leave it unattended for those 15 minutes. >> it sounds like the bigger issue here is parents need to watch what their kids are doing and adults not pick up something and put it in their eye like an eyedrop. >> definitely. i think if you put it in your eyes, it can definitely be irritating. if you ingest it, it could definitely cause irritation in the gastrointestinal system. if you're small enough, that concentration could be potentially dangerous. >> so parents need to be very, very aware when they're around their kids. so what should they look for, if so? i mean, is the first route to call the poison hotline? >> yeah, so the first route is definitely to call the poison hotline. in the meantime, it depends on where the solution ends up. if it ends up on your eyes or somebody's eyes, you wash it off with soap and water. if it's in your gut, you

continue to drink some water while waiting for poison control. if it's on your clothes, you definitely want to change your clothes to new clothes and watch that, just regular soap and water will be fine. the concentration is not big enough. and one other population that we have to worry about, also, is pets, small pets, dogs, cats, they can have toxicity as well. and definitely don't pour it into your aquarium. >> i thought it was something they needed for the test itself to help dilute it or mix with it. but it's actually a preservative, as you said? >> yes, it's a preservative. and it's also used for other reasons like in pesticide control, et cetera. so i think it is essentially a preservative. >> the best bet is just to be careful, it sounds like, doctor. >> be careful and definitely watch if you have small animals or kids around while you're waiting for those 15 minutes and

the cap is off. >> put everything up high. dr. peter chin-hong, thank you so much for joining us. >> you can watch the complete interview with dr. peter chin-hong. it's on nbc bay area, our streaming app. >> good advice there. taking a live look out this morning, it's pretty much foggy everywhere across the bay area this morning. this is the sonic runway in front of city hall in san jose. you know what, it's pretty cool if you get a chance to make it down. >> the lights are usually on. >> hey, i took a moment to pause. the fog, it's something to look at. >> yeah, it is. you can't miss it. it's down to about a quarter of a mile visibility downtown, so that's why you can see the fog. san francisco is also foggy and san francisco is one of our milder spots to start, 47 degrees right now. we keep cloud cover at least until 10:00 before the sun comes out.

a live look right now, 37 degrees in oakland. it is so cold there. and it is not just in the 30s in oakland, also in the interior valleys. we have to check in with mike because he has breaking news. >> the south bay, we typically see slowing for 101 and we see that on the map north of 680. the bigger issue is across the screen where you see the red stretch into cupertino. north 85, all lanes are currently blocked. a deadly crash there, just shy of the on and off ramps. if you enter at saratoga, you will get caught in the backup. that also means saratoga is a good alternate to take north 280. north 280 is a good alternate through cupertino because of a deadly crash investigation. usually it takes about 90 minutes. that means it won't open up until 7:00 at the earliest. fog creeping through the bay and also a look ahead tonight, at 11:00 p.m., they're going to be

closing all lanes of eastbound 80 heading through valejo. getting to the bay bridge, that direction is fine. back to you. >> thanks for the update, mike. relief for first responders coming up next on "today in the bay." san francisco's mayor calling for new funding. the boost that's expected to help those on the front lines of the pandemic. >> plus, the return of build back better. can president biden make it work the second time around? >> and bay area olympians just about to take center stage. a look at three u.s. figure skaters hoping to bring gold home. but first, let's check in with abby fernandez. >> hey, marcuss and laura. on our new episode of synced in, we are talking about the changes to s.a.t.s and why test-takers aren't going to need a pencil anymore. you can watch on our instagram

page at nbc bay area. can you see my wall of smiles? when i first started using genesys technology i was kind of embarrased at all the love and attention i got from my customers. people are so moved by how much i understand about them. they start including me in their lives. that's helen and her friends. i arranged a wellness retreat for them. look at those ladies. such wisdom. mmm. but it's really genesys that helps me understand people and what they truly need. i'm just glad i can help.

any parent will tell you the second you have a kid, it's like your heart is living outside of your body, which means you never, ever stop worrying. that's why we got health insurance and for way less than we thought was possible. the kids' doctor and dental check-ups are free, and i get screenings for my cholesterol

and my blood pressure. don't get me wrong, i still worry. just a little less. covered california. this way to health insurance. enrollment ends january 31st at coveredca.com good morning. it is 5:45. don't forget your coat when you leave the house. we'll start out in the 30s across most of the bay area. walnut creek 37 degrees. daytime highs will be mild. how does the weekend look ahead? i'll have details in a few minutes. let's check in with mike. >> we have breaking news in the south bay. folks, heads up, if you drive through cupertino, northbound 85

is closed down just before deanza. saratoga will get you up to 280 and around that and you can join back up with 85 right around that area. there's a deadly crash on the roadway. we're following this and the investigation likely to take at least until 7:00. we'll give you updates as they come in. 5:46, and new for you this morning, mayor london breed proposing more funding to handle staffing shortages among first responders. right now staffing levels are down 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels. for the fire department, it's 16%. the plan calls for about $22 million to both departments, including $7 million for firefighters and $14 million for police. supporters say that it would help address crime, maintain emergency services and meet other public safety needs. president biden will meet with business leaders today, including ceos from silicon

valley. >> and scott mcgrew, the ceo's support build back better. >> reporter: yes, you remember build back better, don't you? it's that bill that never made it onto the senate floor. and frankly, there's no indication it ever will. president biden is going to remind congress there are lots of american business leaders who support build back better. the heads of ford and gm and microsoft and the bay area's salesforce and hewlett-packard. all those leaders and more will meet with the president today. the white house is, no doubt, going to keep an eye on today's fed announcement as well. remember, the president has no control over the independent central barchg. we'll talk more about the fed as we talk business coming up. nothing really new to report to you about ukraine, though the state department had tough words for putin the kinds of actions that we sought to relegate to history after the second world war, and if vladimir putin thinks that renewed aggression won't be met

with severe, swift, united response, he would be wrong. >> reporter: san francisco congresswoman nancy pelosi, who is also speaker of the house and third most powerful person in government, says she'll run for another term. she made that announcement on social media last night. >> when people ask me what are the three most important issues facing the congress, i always say the same thing, our children, our children, our children. you have to be able to take a punch or throw a punch for the children. >> reporter: now, there are those in her party who would say the most important issue facing america right now is whether we continue as a democracy and the threat on voting rights. while pelosi can easily win another term, how san francisco votes on it has no effect on whether or not she continues as speaker. that is up to her party to decide.

you remember american hero police officer yu neen goodman that led attackers away from members of congress on january 6th? he's not really talked to the press, but he did an interview with a podcast yesterday. goodman tells the three brothers no sense podcast someone selling sweatshirts with his face on them outside the capitol, so he bought one. i'm just like, wow, okay, this dude is going to charge me for my own face. that's funny, goodman said. i respected the hustle and i bought one. everybody has to eat. i've added goodman's podcast to my twitter and facebook feeds. on twitter you'll find me @scoot mcgrew. >> thank you, scott. governor newsom is focusing on our climate in crisis with a visit to the bay area today. he's going to stop in santa clarita county where we'll highlight the transition to low emission vehicles. his plan provides $6 million for

innovation and investments. ? just about one week the winter olympics begin. one sport this year may well top them all. this is for bay area's sentimental favorite, three leading competitors from here, liu, chen and zhou. and forget about containing your feelings, because for team usa in this sport, you've got to leave it all on the line and let it all hang out. >> this is our stage, where we get to perform. >> it's in me. i have the fire for it. it's so exciting. >> it's passion, it's grit. it's so many emotions. >> i feel confident, feeling the music inside myself. >> we are competitors through and through and it starts on the ice. >> sometimes when it feels right, that's the moment we've been training for. >> here we go. >> here we go. for more coverage, including how covid is impacting olympic training, go to nbc bay area's streaming app. just click on the winter

olympics playlist, download our app for roku, apple tv and amazon fire stick and it's free. >> right around the corner. it will be so fun to watch. can you see very much outside this morning? boy, take it easy if you're headed out the door. i missed the exit this morning. it is so foggy out there. >> you're not wrong. you can look out window right now, but stay watching us, or i can show you a shot of a little bit of what it looks like in san jose right now. the fog is so dense that visibility has really started to creep down below half a mile mile. look at novato, santa rosa down to about a half a mile, in through san jose, the hayward area, san carlos, down to about a quarter of a mile. we're going to keep the fog lingering for the first half of the morning and you definitely want to take a jacket. we're in the 30s right new in some spots. dublin 34, morgan hill 35, concord 35, and the rest of the

bay area in the 40s. now, we do still have a high pressure that's going to continue to dominate in our forecast. that's been keeping us dry, sort of mild through the afternoon. air quality outlook from the north bay down to santa clara valley is expected to remain moderate for today. it's probably going to remain similar through the end of the week because we don't have any big changes on the way. but we are monitoring small changes heading into the weekend. forecasted highs today will be in the mid-60s for san jose, 65 in morgan hill. through the east bay, 60 degrees for vallejo and around the peninsula, low 60s as well. expect breezy winds for some higher elevation areas and low humidity as well. santa rosa 63, ukiah 65. as far as your extended outlook into the remainder of the week, the high pressure sticks around dominating ourcast. if you look ahead to sunday, we

approaching that could bring us a chance of maybe seeing scattered ay night. so that's it for us. let's get a check of how the roads are doing with mike and that breaking news. >> the 101 has your typical slowing but that's not what i'm focusing on. we have this map of the silicon valley and we have the arrow where the usual slowing pops up. unusual, a closed freeway. northbound 85, all lanes are shut down just before you get to de anza boulevard. the saratoga exit is your alternate up to 280 if you're traveling north to cupertino. those are major roadways and there's a lot of signals but the traffic is a little bit lighter right now as silicon valley is still not waking up just yet. we're looking at fog creeping down from 92 south on either side and of course through the

north bay as well. a look at 92 shows you the taillights disappear very quickly heading west and of course visibility is tough in both directions, especially the high-rise. back to you. >> thanks, mike. happening now, california lawmakers are considering a plan to cover the cost of getting your kids to school. that measure calls for free transportation to all public schoolchildren pre-k through 12th grade. the plan may allow districts or counties to expand or launch their own transportation systems. the total cost is still unknown. a new warning for u.s. travelers, next on "today in the bay," the popular vacation destination that's been flagged as covid hot spots. plus, new boozy businesses may soon be coming to the castro. a change that would allow for new bars to set up shop. pass the surge, the end of mask mandates and covid restrictions could be coming. we're live breaking down what needs to happen first.

it's 5:54. we'll be right back.

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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ it came a long way to be found by you. find more. spend less. shop now at homegoods.com. welcome back. you're watching "today in the bay." and happening now, the cdc is warning u.s. travelers to avoid travel to nations in the caribbean islands and elsewhere due to very high levels of covid spread. >> we've got a live look at sfo.

maybe you're scheduling a flight from there. the list includes nearly every caribbean island, as well as fiji, columbia, costa rica and other popular destinations you see on your screen. the cdc is now watching a total of 116 countries. if you must travel, experts say you should make sure you're vaccinated. new developments in santa clarita county's plan to build a new jail. supervisors yesterday nearly voted to approve the project. here is a crude sketch showing where the new facility will go up and the site of the current main jail south. so the price tag for this new 500-bed jail will run to an estimated $400 million. this morning, a new costco may be coming to eastern contra costa county. costco submitted an application for a store and gas station in brentwood plaza.

city leaders say new road extensions are being designed to help alleviate traffic if the plan is approved. new this morning, san francisco leaders appear to be sidling up to the idea of allowing more watering holes in the castro. >> supervisors just lifted an ordinance banning bars in the neighborhood. eight bars currently operate there. supporters argue that it may help ease storefront vacancies. quickly approaching 6:00, we are tracking a foggy morning commute. just look at this. meteorologist vianey arana has a timeline on when things will begin to clear up. plus -- >> looking back, we now that we are past the peak. >> new hope in the latest covid battle. the bay area seeing omicron cases trend lower. what it could mean for the future of local restrictions. >> reporter: and it's decision day. the fed is likely to tell us

today when interest rates are going up to fight inflation. we'll show you what to watch out for. this is "today in the bay." a good wednesday morning to you. thank you so much for making us a part of your morning. i'm marcus washington. >> i'm laura garcia. if you're on the go, take us with you. we broadcast not only to television, but you can watch us on roku, amazon fire, apple tv, online, on your phone. >> let's get you started. a foggy start across the bay area. take a look at this from san jose, san francisco, just fog, fog, fog. it's keeping meteorologist vianey arana busy this morning as she's tracking conditions throughout the bay area. foggy start, don't need to ask you how it's looking. >> let's start you out with a look at how it shapes out when it comes to visibility in miles. if you're heading out to work, this is what you're going to encounter. in the south bay, a quarter of a mile in san jose, even less than that, there's some