that mask handy. >> plus, shredding down the slopes at the winter games. we're live in beijing where some of america's biggest names will go for the gold today. this is "today in the bay." good tuesday morning. thanks so much for making us a part of your morning. i'm marcus washington. >> and i'm laura garcia. if you're on the go, we broadcast not only to your tv, but you can also watch us live on roku, amazon fire, apple tv, and of course online. first breaking news we're following. a 2.9 earthquake just rattling an area south of gilroy. the quake was at 5:15, centered about two mills outside san juan bautista. we're hearing reports of some people in gilroy feeling it. our own scott mcgrew, who is in the south bay, said he thought a garbage truck was going by. maybe he actually felt it.

he's that sensitive. let's get a look at the forecast. meteorologist kari hall is tracking what we can expect. >> we're waking up to cold temperatures again. take a look at where we are right now. 36 degrees in morgan hill. we're seeing a lot of 30s in parts of the tri-valley. north bay feeling a little bit milder this morning with some low 40s, but because that's the high humidity and the fog that's settling in. we're down to about a half mile visibility right now in napa and santa rosa. the fog is drifting around some of the valleys in the north bay. take a look at where we're headed today. it's going to warm up significantly in the north bay, with santa rosa reaching possibly a record high today. we're looking at a high of 68 in san francisco, and 70 today in the east bay and martinez. we'll talk more about what's ahead in the forecast, all of the changes in the microclimate forecast coming up in a few minutes. >> thank you. well, there is breaking news this morning. just into our newsroom, retired pope benedict is asking for forgiveness in his handling of

clergy sex abuse cases. a letter released by the vatican, pope benedict stopped short of admitting any wrongdoing. this is in response to an independent report criticizing his actions in four cases when he was archbishop of munich, germany. the 94-year-old headed the archdiocese from 1977 to 1982. however, his predecessors and successors, including pope francis, are also criticized in the report. 6:02 and we're moving you forward ahead of the lifting of the state mask mandate, just one week from today. the governor announced the move yesterday. "today in the bay's" cierra johnson joins us live. people should keep in mind that a lot of this really depends on what county you live in. >> reporter: yes, good morning. just because the mandate is expected to expire next week doesn't mean you can just let go of your mask. that's because it's really up to the individual county on when

and where you are supposed to wear your mask. now, the governor did reaffirm that next week that mandate would expire and the folks in certain areas would be able to go without their mask. so we did have a chance to speak with those local health departments. solano and maren counties tell us they are following the state's lead. meanwhile, next week the masks can come off there. we also heard from san francisco, napa, santa clara, alameda and contra costa counties. they say they have not decided yet. we're also hearing from local authorities on their thoughts of the timing of the mandate expiring. here is dr. peter chin-hong. >> if you have few icu beds, it may not be the right time. >> reporter: for now it appears the state's policy on masking at schools has not changed yet, so the students will still be required to wear masks. it's also still required that

you wear a mask on any public transit. this also includes those airlines. so next week is a big week where you need to make sure that your county is involved in that. we're live in san francisco. cierra johnson for "today in the bay." >> thank you very much for the latest there. our website also has what you need to move forward and explains when and where you need to wear the mask in your county. just head to nbcbayarea.com/coronavirus. 6:04, your tuesday morning, get ready for some air in the 2022 winter games. we've got a live look at the olympic flame in beijing, where day four is just wrapping up. some of america's biggest names in these games getting set to compete tonight from the slopes to the halfpipe. >> "today in the bay's" janelle wang live in beijing with a look at what we can expect. >> reporter: the best snowboarders in halfpipe are ready to go. their qualifiers will be airing tonight in prime time. for the women, you know her

name, chloe kim of southern california. she last competed in the olympics at age 17 in pyeongchang. she won gold, 10 points ahead of her nearest rival. it launched her to a household name with tons of sponsorships. she almost did not want to try out for these winter games. >> then i got scared, i got really bad anxiety and i was like, maybe i can't do that again because i just don't know if i can handle it. but that's why i went to school. and that really gave me a good reset. >> reporter: and she's back. the greatest snowboarder in halfpipe history preparing for gold one more time. shaun white, the three-time olympic gold medalist says he's planning to retire after these games. >> i'm going to give it everything. i've prepared myself, gosh, if i could win again, my goodness, what an amazing accomplishment, even to podium, even to be an olympian at 35 at the olympics is a feat.

>> reporter: for the full interview with chloe kim and shaun white, watch the "today" show coming up at 7:00. on the slopes, one of the most decorated alpine skiers in the world, mikaela shiffrin, getting another chance after crashing out of contention in the giant slalom yesterday. her chance comes tonight in prime time, an event she won gold in as a teenager back in sochi in 2014, so eight years ago. she's competing in all five alpine skiing disciplines at these winter games. her teammate, a.j. hurt of truckee, is also competing in slalom tonight. she has three gold medals, three olympic medals already, two gold, one silver. if she wins one more during these olympic games, they will have more than lindsey vonn. at these winter games, this is our mascot, this panda. do you see him? he is flying off shore shelves. we're going to tell you what he means, what he symbolizes.

that's coming up in the next half hour. so we'll see you both then. >> i love a panda. >> a lot of happiness there. thanks, janelle. if you're keeping track of team usa's overall medal count, here's a spoiler alert, we're going to reveal the count as the music plays. >> be sure to look away from your screen if you don't want to see the results just yet. >> the music is over. you can come on back. happening today, san francisco leaders pick up the debate over mayor london breed's emergency declaration for the troubled tenderloin. supervisors initially approved her declaration in late december. some board members were not present for the vote and supervisor aaron peskin

suggested the board delay approving the plan. some have been launched, including a new linkage center to assist people struggling with addiction. the measure calls for more policing and behavioral health workers. developing right now, no signs of a fisherman believed to be swept off to sea. coast guard teams spent the night searching waters. the crews did rescue two other fishermen who were trapped on the rocks. all three are said to be from san francisco. rangers say they hiked to the water. this is from the muir beach overlook. it is 6:08, taking a live look at the san francisco skyline this morning. a nice start to our tuesday morning. we're going to check the morning commute for you in a little bit. first, let's get a look at the forecast with meteorologist kari hall. >> good morning. yes, we're waking up clear in san francisco, but we've also seen the fog in parts of the north bay, and elsewhere it's been pretty clear. it's just a chilly start.

and we're seeing some of those temperatures in the 30s. so you want to make sure the kids are prepared for the cool weather we'll have to start and then the nice mild afternoon. heading to school in antioch, dropping the kids off, it's going to be in the low 40s. and then the layers, because by the time they come home it's going to be in the mid-60s, maybe a light long sleeve for today. make sure you write the name on the tag of those jackets. a lot of those jackets hanging on the fence at the school. we're going to see temperatures reaching into the low 70s for today, and even some upper 70s in parts of the north bay. we may be setting some records over the next few days. we'll talk more about where we could set some records coming up. mike, you say something is missing from your last report. >> yeah, kari, it was. i was focused so intently on your report, i missed the update. they had just turned the metering lights on at the bay bridge. since we've had over ten minutes

to have a buildup, it hasn't happened yet. slowing on the maps as you look toward the incline and metering lights. the arrows at highway 37 at the top of the screen, really only around muir island. quite a bit of slowing out of pittsburg that concentrates toward the border. slow drives for tri-valley, except for castro valley a crash looks like it should be cleared to the shoulder soon. the south bay does show a little bit of slowing for north 101, finally starting to recover after the first burst through san jose. back to you. >> thank you. 6:10 and consider yourself warned, when i say order early. coming up on "today in the bay," we're going to talk about supply chain issues that could hamper your valentine's day plans. we speak with an expert on how to plan ahead. peloton can't spin its bad

news. a big shakeup at facebook as well. out to the futures this morning, they're about break-even, but gas prices are expensive. we'll take a look at all of that when "today in the bay" continues.

space. the boundary of human achievement. the new frontier. ♪ ♪ eh. ♪ ♪ it's not time to escape. it's time to engage. it's time to plant more trees. hoo! ♪ ♪ time to build more trust. ♪ ♪ time to make more space for all of us. so while the others look to the metaverse and mars, let's stay here and restore ours. yeah, it's time to blaze our trail.

'cause the new frontier? it ain't rocket science. ♪ ♪ it's right here. ♪ ♪ everyone celebrates the finish line, but what about the starting line? i went through 12 treatments of chemotherapy. ♪ i am african american and i am surrounded by people who aren't. ♪ i didn't become a snowboarder until after i became an amputee. we all win when everyone can get to their starting line. ♪ good tuesday morning. we're starting out with a chilly start, but it's also clear for most. in the south bay we have nothing

but sunshine today and temperatures warming up quickly. we go from the low 40s to the low 70s, so make some plans to enjoy this warmth. and we're going to see many more changes ahead as far as temperatures. we'll talk more about what's in the forecast and if there's any rain. that's coming up in a few minutes. >> and a change ahead here on the peninsula. 101 moves nicely, but the change is they'll start charging for express lanes between palo alto and redwood city on 101. that will start friday. get your fast track trans responder, bayareafasttrak.org. well, good morning. very happy tuesday to you. it's actually a very busy tuesday, to be honest, in the business world. let's start with nvidia, santa clara based nvidia employs about 13,000 people and their plan to

buy the chip company arm has fallen through. this would have been one of the largest takeovers in tech ever, a $40 billion deal. but antitrust regulators with the u.s. government moved to block the buyout. other news, peloton is going to lay off thousands of workers and its ceo is leaving the job, after the company's slower sales. 2,800 will be laid off. the company says cuts will not affect trainers and coaches, the people that you see on the tv screen. the ceo stepping down co-founded the company. he had been peloton's only ceo up until now. so the company says it's going to scale back its plans for a u.s.-based factory as well in ohio. they called it the peloton output park. and the person they're bringing in to lead the company comes from spotify, the new ceo. it's going to be interesting to see what kind of changes he might make to the subscription model at peloton. more big news, silicon valley

billionaire peter teal is leaving his position on the board at facebook. teal was one of the very first investors in facebook back when they called it the facebook. i called up a fellow who has written a biography of peter to get his reaction to the news. >> teal has become increasingly active politically over the past half decade and especially in the last year putting huge sums of money, tens of millions of dollars into the senate candidacies. and that wouldn't be a huge deal, of course business figures are politically active, but some of these candidates have been extremely critical of facebook, talking about mark zuckerberg, specifically, as kind of an elite who is out of touch, j.d. vance, running for senate in ohio, blake masters has accused facebook of stealing the election. so these are positions that are pretty far out there, especially for a board member of a big

public company, and a big public company, of course, that has been kind of in the middle of a political firestorm for a lot of the last few years. >> teal's departure from facebook may be bad news for conservatives on social media. teal, who depending on who you asked was a libertarian or a conservative, was often the voice of zuckerberg's ear suggesting facebook be careful when censoring. censoring less content than its rivals. we haven't seen twitter blocking accounts that counter vaccines, for instance, much faster than facebook. and another good example, when it comes to things like trump, facebook is still saying its ban on trump's accounts are temporary. twitter says theirs is permanent. again, while we don't know, we think a lot of that was the teal influence, which is now gone from facebook. >> very interesting. thanks, scott. 6:17 this morning.

valentine's day, next monday. and this year cupid' arrow may sting a little bit on your wallet. flou providers are telling us to expect to pay 15% to 20% more for a bouquet of flowers due to supply chain issues. wholesalers try to ship the flowers internationally, but of course the pandemic is cutting the number of flights and cargo space is limited. cal flowers is saying the pandemic is having a positive impact on sales. >> instead, as people are staying at home, they're realizing that flowers make them feel good and day-to-day, the daily consumption of flowers has increased dramatically. >> flowers do make you feel good. >> they sure do. you can send them early if you want, too. >> i know where to send them. i know where you sit. >> right next to you. >> insiders believe there will be enough flowers to satisfy the demand, but you're better off the sooner you order. so maybe instead of being

with someone for valentine's day, you're a little bitter about not being with someone anymore. >> listen to this. trending this morning, some people are wanting to feed your ex to the wolves. pennsylvania wildlife rescue has a deal that maybe you want to take up on. you simply put your ex's name on a treat, which will be then fed to the wolves on valentine's day. the sanctuary is charging $5 for the privilege and promises to most photos of two wolves chowing down on your ex. the deadline to submit your name is this friday. >> let it go. >> that's pretty bitter. let it go. >> ♪ let it go ♪ meteorologist kari hall has a look at the forecast. hopefully no elsa type weather. >> i think some people were really shaking this morning. we had that report of an earthquake about an hour ago in the south county. it was a 2.9.

and there may have been some people feeling it in south county and san jose. we're just seeing if any other activity happens on the san andreas fault. now as we get a look at what's going on with temperatures, cold start, but this is where we're headed. this is going to make you feel so much nicer, with our temperatures today headed for the low 70s in palo alto, freemont 71, 71 in oakland and 77 possible today in santa rosa. that will be a record. we're going to see if we get that warm in parts of the north bay. notice at the bottom of the screen with the seven-day forecast, the warm weather continues for a while longer. it's dry, we continue with sunshine, and also now, day 32 without a drop of rain. this high pressure is not budging. and it's actually going to give us more of a northerly wind over the next couple of days. increasing winds mean an increased fire danger, so we'll be monitoring for that. we'll also see a slight change

in the weather pattern by the middle of the month. still, looks like the rain and snow stays to the north and east of the bay area. watching those winds once again for tomorrow night, especially for the north bay. and some of our upper elevations may have gusty winds. but then on thursday our temperatures head to near record high temperatures and we may see several new records set, especially in santa rosa, as well as concord, and in san jose. we'll see those numbers possibly, if not close, going over where we're supposed to be for this time of year. take a look at our ten-day forecast for livermore. we do have a significant warm-up by the end of the week, but then take a look at the cooldown by the beginning of next week. that's going to be back to more seasonable weather for early february. so we're going to have a taste of spring as the sunshine continues for the next few days, with our valley temperatures reaching into the mid-70s. mike, you were saying the commute is slowing down in castro valley. >> it is, because of the crash.

i think there were two separate crashes. take a look at the map, north 238, one involves a big rig that was off to the shoulder and that was probably the reason for distraction. both seem to be cleared from the lanes. recovery out of castro valley. the rest of the bay looks good, but san jose is showing more slowing, just as the first slowdown cleared. that makes sense because of all the traffic out of gilroy and san martin slowing toward morgan hill. take a look at the bay bridge toll plaza where we see the slowing start to be visible. the metering lights have been on since just before 6:00. back to you. >> thanks so much. it is 6:22 for you right now. >> and coming up next on "today in the bay," nbc bay area responds. >> his brand new car drives just fine, but still the owner needs our help to keep his warranty valid down the road. i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.

nbc bay area responds next.

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yup, even for these upstairs all-nighters rocking wifi speeds faster than a gig. can your internet do that? learn more about gig-speed wifi, or get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month for 12 months. click, call, or visit a store today. okay jack, these recipes aren't gonna create themselves. it's crunch time! but first, it's heinz dip & crunch time! i'm dipping into the latest innovation by combining heinz secret sauce and potato chip crunchers for the perfect bite. my heinz dip & crunch bacon cheeseburger combo. only at jack in the box. nbc bay area responds to an east bay man who had trouble with a car dealer. >> his case was a first for consumer investigator chris chmura's team. >> we deal with lots of new car issues, tire troubles, engine troubles, but andrew in dublin wrote us about an issue that we've never logged in any of our cases. the owner's manual for his new 2022 hyundai was missing when he

picked the car up in september. a car's manual is important because it usually lays out your responsibility to keep your warranty going. andrew said the dealer was no help, so he emailed us in december. our team contacted hyundai corporate. it then agreed to send andrew the manual. hyundai said it's on national backorder but andrew is on the list. lots of car manufacturers put their manuals online, so you can download or print a copy yourself. ford has a search box right here where you can punch in your vehicle identification number to ensure you get your exact model. those online manuals might be especially helpful if you buy a used car still under warranty. if the glove box is empty, you can download the manual to see what upkeep you've got to do to keep your warranty. i have stood here over the years and said over and over that it's really important to read the manual for all sorts of products, and here i am saying it again. here is something else i've probably said 1,000 times, tell

us about your consumer problems. go to nbcbayarea.com, click the responds option from the main menu, or call us, 888-996-tips. 6:26, and so much ahead this morning, including celebrating black history. we're going to look at how black-owned businesses are making it in the bay. plus -- >> reporter: tonight oakland unified will vote to close down schools, possibly, to save money. the one school board member who is suspicious of the real reason some people want these schools closed. you're watching "today in the bay."

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why are these closers being forced on us? >> right now at 6:30, parents and teachers may be hours away from learning the fate of oakland schools, now on the chopping block. ahead in a live report, their last-minute message to school board members. >> state lawmakers approved new sick pay benefits. how it could help you if you or your loved one has been out with covid. and record high temperatures for parts of the bay area, starting today, as our stretch of dry weather hits day 32. a look at where it will be the warmest in the microclimate forecast. this is "today in the bay." a very good morning to you and thanks so much for joining us. i'm laura garcia. >> i'm marcus washington. don't forget if you're on the go this morning, we're not only

broadcasting on television. you can take us with you and catch up with us live on roku, amazon fire, apple tv and online. let's talk winter olympics wrapping up day four. the olympic flame burning right at 6:55, janelle wang will join us with a live report. 6:31 right now. happening today, a critical vote that could seal the fate for more than a half a dozen oakland schools. board members are debating shutting down several schools and merging a handful more. >> "today in the bay's" bob redell is live for us this morning. the district argues that some of these closures are really necessary, but then opponents, i want to know what they're saying ahead of the vote. >> reporter: good morning. well, some teachers and parents, they're arguing why does this decision have to be made right now when you consider the fact that the state has a $31 billion surplus. their argument is, why don't we wait, see if governor newsom can send some money to oakland unified and save these schools.

tonight the school board is expected to decide whether to close eight schools and merge another four. the district argues these moves are necessary to make up for a multi-million budget deficit in the coming years. they also point to the fact there's lower student enrollment. we spoke with oakland school board director mike hutchinson, who is against the closure plan. he agrees enrollment has dipped because of the pandemic, but so has every other district nationwide. hutchinson questions the motives of some board directors, who for reasons unknown to him have in his opinion been looking for an excuse to shut down these schools. >> why would we need to force these decisions on the community right now? we have enough resources and everyone has certified our budget for next year, so why are these closures being forced on us? >> people are struggling with educating their children during the pandemic and you're taking away one of the few security systems that children have.

>> reporter: in a letter to the board, the district writes, while we do not deny these changes are difficult and painful for african american and latino families, we aim to build improvements in school environment and academic outcomes through these changes. a music teacher within oakland unified is protesting the possible closures and mergers by not eating. he is on his eighth day of his hunger strike. reporting live, bob redell, "today in the bay." >> wow, all right, bob, thank you. 6:33 right now, and some possible relief. this is if you're recovering from covid or took some time off this year to assist an ill family member. the new state measure will allow two weeks paid time off. "today in the bay's" sharon katsuda live in the south bay this morning. sharon, i would imagine this is really some welcome news for a lot of workers. >> reporter: yeah, marcus, this is retroactive to january 1st, so employees who were sick with covid earlier this year can look into this.

now, basically a similar law expired last september that allowed two weeks paid sick leave for covid related illness. but then omicron affected much of the workforce so the legislature passed this new bill yesterday to help families get through the challenges brought on by omicron. it includes two weeks paid time off if you are sick with covid or caring for a family member with covid. this applies to companies with more than 26 employees and it is retroactive to january 1st. there is some pushback from businesses saying they are barely getting by, but the legislature passed a tax cut for businesses, so hopefully that will offset the cost of paid leave that goes in effect through this september. reporting live in san jose, i'm sharon katsuda, "today in the bay." >> big topic and a lot of people talking about it. thank you. new this morning, firefighters still at the scene of an early-morning fire. this happened just a block away from san jose state's campus. it happened just before 5:00

a.m. in an abandoned commercial building on south 3rd street. no one was hurt and no word yet on a cause. did you see this bizarre scene in the south bay, when a police cruiser recklessly circles numerous times in the middle of an intersection? police say the driver was not a police officer. eventually the cruiser took off, smashing head-on into an oncoming squad car. police say officers were actually responding to some sort of scuffle yesterday afternoon at san jose regional medical center, and after a chase on foot, the suspect managed to jump into that cruiser. he's now in custody. classes are canceled today for college of the art students in san francisco in oakland. this is because teachers have organized a strike. that strike is expected to continue through friday. 6:35 right now. let's take a live look outside

at the beautiful sunrise. if you're not near or watching your television right now, get to it, because you want to see this. what a way to start your tuesday morning. >> golden california. >> olympic gold medals, maybe gold is in store for a lot of athletes out there. >> that would be a good sign. >> we're in for a gold forecast this morning. meteorologist kari hall has a look at what we can expect. >> yeah, we're waking up to this beautiful sunrise across the bay area. it just doesn't really feel like what it looks like out the window. it is a chilly start. and as you're getting up and heading out in san jose, we're in the upper 30s right now. but it's going to be a warmer day. we're going from the upper 30s to -- look at this temperature trend going straight up. we'll be in the upper 60s by early in the afternoon. and then we are also going to see those highs reaching up to 70 degrees in martinez, san francisco 68. really comfortable later today,

while santa rosa may set a new record high temperature reaching 77. we'll be watching the possibility of more records over the next few days. we'll talk about that in a few minutes. mike, you're looking ahead to an event in san francisco. >> perhaps a dramatic event. i'm talking about the artist bjork who is a musician/entertainer, we're looking at a production at chase center tonight. doors open at 7:00. you may see folks walking across, unfamiliar with the area if you haven't come to chase before. so keep that in mind, a lot of traffic. and i don't know if anybody addresses along with the famous swan outfit. we're looking at the typical westbound drives, including the bay bridge where the toll plaza is filling in with metering lights on. recovery for the castro valley, but still slowing on the shoulder of north 128, also on

101 through the peninsula, remember, friday we open those express lanes and they will be charging at that point. so make sure you have your flex fas trak. go to bayareafastrak.org. a possible first step in the race for governor. coming up this morning on "today in the bay," it looks like someone is ready to throw their hat into the ring to unseat governor newsom this fall. the german chancellor visits the white house as nato wonders can we count on germany. out to the big board this morning, where stocks are a bit mixed. >> and we continue celebrating -- >> come to friends and family and get loans and barter some situations. >> we're still celebrating black history here on "today in the bay." introducing you to a local businesswoman making a name for herself and redefining beauty. we'll be right back.

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right now at 6:41, almost time to get the kids up and ready for school this morning. the drop-off time in antioch. we're starting out with low 40s, so they do need a warmer coat. but write the name on the tag so they don't lose it later today when temperatures reach into the mid to upper 60s. we are going to have a significant warm-up today. we'll talk about that in the forecast coming up. >> and the name on the shirt or the jacket is no guarantee.

looking over here, we tried to show you slowing, but thankfully they've cleared the vehicle that was on the right shoulder. so recovery for the san mateo bridge westbound should be fine by the time you get there, even if you're leaving right now. >> i just write triplets on all our jackets. it's 6:22 right now. a top white house science adviser is out of a job this morning. >> eric lander was accused of being mean to staffers. >> yeah, as accusations go maybe not the biggest accusation in the world, but apparently not a nice guy. eric lander was the white house science adviser, director of the white house office of science and technology policy as well. some of his deputies reported he spoke unprofessionally and disrespectfully to them. the bigger story here really is probably that lander wasn't fired, he resigned. early on in the biden administration they promised a zero tolerance policy for that kind of office behavior, trying

to differentiate themselves from the previous administration, which had a reputation for a lot of yelling and screaming. but up until yesterday, the white house has talking about counseling lander, not firing him, and then he quit. president biden met with the brand new german chancellor schulz at the white house monday. the key question, can we count on the germans to stand with the u.s. as we try to convince russia not to invade ukraine. schulz is in a tough position. he's head of a coalition government, one that is fraying at the seams, and germany is very hesitant to get involved in any military way, particularly in eastern europe, for fairly obvious reasons. and very important, germany wants a natural gas pipeline built connecting them directly to russia. the nord stream 2. now, here's the president making it clear, we trust the germans, but if russia invades there's not going to be any pipeline.

>> look, there is no doubt in america's mind that germany is an incredibly reliable ally and one of the leading physical powers in nato, number one. number two, the notion that nord stream 2 would go forward with an invasion by the russians is just not going to happen. >> right now a lot of natural gas goes to europe and that comes from a pipeline that runs through ukraine. there's also oil to worry about, though america doesn't really use russian oil. but as you know, when the supply is threatened in one part of the world, prices go up all over the world. so gas prices are going up, they often do when there's world tension between super more expensive than a year ago and the highest it's been since

2014. we enjoy your questions on social media. on twitter you'll find me @scott mcgrew. >> thank you very much. the race for governor so far mostly quiet, but one republican leader may be ready to throw his hat into the ring. happening today, state senator brian dali is expected to announce his intentions to run. so far governor newsom is facing no real opposition. the only other considering a run is former san diego mayor kevin faulkner. 6:45 and all this month we are celebrating black history, exploring challenges and successes of african americans right here in the bay area. and this morning we are taking a closer look at the state of black-owned businesses. "today in the bay's" cierra johnson spoke with both a business owner, as well as a small business advocate on why your support to these local establishments is so critical. >> it was entrepreneurship first. it was working for myself,

making my own standards, being able to set goals and reach them. >> reporter: it's safe to say that being a boss has always been in business owner kristen franklin's blood. >> this particular salon i just opened in august of 2021, but i've been the owner of paparazzi for the last 14 years and we came from east oakland. >> reporter: paparazzi beauty bar is a one-stop shop for personalized beauty services, but the road to get here, particularly business owners of color, hasn't always been smooth sailing. >> in my first salon i had to come to friends and family and get loans and barter some situations. >> reporter: according to data gathered by cnbc, there are 30.2 million small business owners in the united states. but not every one of those businesses will survive. as many as 20% will close by the first year, 30% by the second year, and nearly 50% of businesses will have closed by

their fifth year. but for minority-owned businesses, the odds are even grimmer. that same data revealed eight out of ten minority-owned businesses will fail in the first 18 months. >> we cannot move forward when we don't have the businesses to support our community. >> reporter: but for the president of the san francisco african american chamber of commerce, the mission is to not only turn the statistics around, but spread knowledge on why these businesses are so crucial to communities. >> the small businesses, black businesses, are very important because they allow the community to thrive. >> reporter: the doctor covid disproportionately disrupted operations for minority-owned businesses, businesses he often says, employ from and keep the money within the community. he says by supporting black-owned businesses, you aren't just supporting a community in the short-term, you are potentially strengthening communities for generations to come, which in turn will

continue to strengthen any community. >> because without generational wealth transfer from one generation to the other, what we have is always starting, every generation is always starting from the beginning, when we should be at a particular level. we are struggling to begin again. >> reporter: a cycle this business owner is hoping she continues to break. >> i mean, it's paramount, that's the reason i get up and work so hard. >> reporter: cierra johnson for "today in the bay." trending this morning, an early look at hollywood's biggest night. the academy of motion picture arts and sciences just announcing this year's oscar nominees, and why don't we cut to the chase. >> here's a look at the best picture nominees, ten in all. we have it on a couple of screens for you here. they include "don't look up" and "dune", "bell fast", "king

richard," "licorice pizza", quote nightmare alley", "the power of the dog," and "west side story". it's been tough with covid, a lot of them have been streaming. there's your opportunity to catch up before the oscars on march 27th. >> nightmare alley piques my interest. i'm sure it's not what i think it is. >> we'll have to find out. >> i'll have to review the movie and see. >> it's a good morning to stay in cozy, but by the afternoon it's going to be nice, warming up a little bit. >> yes, so maybe watch some of those movies with the windows open, letting in fresh breezes. i've seen "king richard" and "don't look up". you want to check those two out. let's get a look at what's going on in the tri-valley as you're getting up and heading out the door. it's a busy start to the morning, especially with the heater blasting.

but temperatures will go from the upper 30s to start to the mid-60s for this afternoon. pretty significant warm-up as we head for the low 70s later today. seven-day forecast is coming up at the bottom of the screen. look at santa rosa today, reaching 77 degrees. that would set a record. elsewhere we're looking at highs in the lower 70s for today, but with the continued dry weather and the wind starting to blow offshore, that's going to warm up temperatures. still not a drop of rain across the region as high pressure continues and it's not going to budge. there may be a slight change in the weather pattern by the middle of the month. rain comes close by but it looks like it stays to the north of the bay area. hopefully that will change. but as we take a look at what's going on now and in the next couple of days, the temperatures may set new records. we know in early february it's not supposed to be 80 degrees. that's what we'll see on thursday. and so as we look at some of the other numbers, we may set a record in concord, as well as

san jose as our temperatures reach the peak on thursday afternoon. then taking a look at santa rosa in the ten-day forecast, there will be a cooldown, but that cooldown doesn't come with much rain. we'll be in the upper 60s by the beginning of next week. our seven-day forecast for all of our inland areas will be in the low to mid-70s through the end of the week, into the weekend, and once again next week there will be a nice cooldown bringing us back to early february, while san francisco will have mild weather as well, reaching into the lower 70s. mike, you're saying the backup is filling at the bay bridge. >> yeah, it filled in predictably, over at the toll plaza, the metering lights have been on for just under an hour now at the toll plaza. we do still have good movement there. so that's not bad considering the fact that it has been on for an hour. the map will show you that it's not just the bay bridge, richmond bridge, highway 37, 4, typical westbound routes really filling in over the last ten minutes out of the east bay.

another crash on the shoulder, south 880, right around 92, slows you down through hayward, slowing north through san jose for 101, 87 and out of san martin, a crash affects highway 1 at the bottom of the screen. back to you. >> thank you so much. it is 6:51 right now and happening now, san francisco's supervisors are making a push to tax vacant homes. a 2019 city report found more than 40,000 housing units are empty in the city. property owners are keeping properties off the market for years sometimes as a business decision. the supervisor says it's similar to what has been imposed in oakland and washington, d.c. he's holding a news conference today requesting the proposal be placed on the november ballot. >> next, a quick look at the top stories we're working on, including an update on the earthquake that rattled parts of the south bay this morning. plus -- >> reporter: and i'm janelle wang, live in beijing. over my shoulder, the olympic

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morning. it was centered about two miles southwest of san juan bautista. some residents in gilroy reported feeling it. it was on the san andreas fault. pretty minor when it comes to earthquakes in the area and no reports of injuries or damage. >> in a matter of hours, parents, students and teachers in oakland will likely learn if their schools will remain open next year. tonight the school board is voting on a plan to close and merge as many as 15 schools. the district sites a massive budget deficit and record low enrollment. some opponents question the timing, arguing the state could step in with its current budget surplus. it all as one oakland music teacher begins his eighth day of a hunger strike to protest the district's plan. >> some good news to report on the declining rate of covid infections. california's positivity rate is under 10% for the first time since christmas day. the governor says our state mask

mandate will be lifted one week from today. each county can still set its own rules. right now we know marin and solano counties plan to follow the state's lead. state lawmakers have approved a new measure requiring employers give two weeks paid time off for infected workers or those helping loved ones. >> 6:57, and get ready for some air time, some hang time in the 2022 winter games. some of america's biggest names in these games are getting set to compete tonight. >> "today in the bay's" janelle wang is live in beijing this morning. these are two gold medal winners. the world will certainly be watching. >> reporter: for sure. and, marcus, did you just say hang time? the best snowboarders in the halfpipe competition competing. you know their names, chloe kim er california, she won gold in pyeongchanghe's 21 . on the men's side, shaun white,

three-time gold medalist in the snowboard halfpipe. he is going for his fourth gold. he is now 35. he knows he's got some tough competition. he's not the favorite to win gold, but he's going to try his best. he's going to retire after these games in beijing. we want to show you, we haven't talked about this, the olympics mascot, the panda. now, binge means ice and it can also mean purity and strength, and it means robust and lively, and my mom told me it means lively. and then the paralympic mascot, the paralympics begin in march after these games and it's a red lantern child that symbolizes, warmth, friendship and perseverance. we're going to see a lot of action today in prime time, as well as throughout the day. live in beijing, i'm janelle wang. back to you in the studio. >> i bet some keepsakes are

coming home for your cute little daughter, right? >> yes, definit cbby panda. so cute. >> it is cute. >> she'll love it. we love having you here in the morning. thank you so much, janelle. men's speed skating, women's snowboarding, women's freestyle skating as well, just some of the upcoming events tonight. make sure you catch all the olympic action beginning at 5:00 p.m. right here on nbc bay area. >> and don't forget on top of olympics, super bowl lvi is airing on sunday. kickoff about 3:30. we'll have an entire day of super bowl coverage for you. so get the chips and dip going. let's check the weather. it's going to cooperate as well. >> yeah, it's going to be great these next few days. a lot of sunshine, warm temperatures, a little bit of a taste of spring throughout the rest of the week. mike? >> the nimitz is great through oakland, but when you get south

through hayward, you're slow at recovery. there's a crash on the shoulder of 92 but the lanes are clear. >> thanks, mike. that's what's happening on "today in the bay." we're back at 7:25 with a live update for you. >> leaving you with a live look at the olympic flame in beijing. our coverage continues online at nbcbayarea.com. good morning chen-sational. >> tired legs. >> quad legs, so good. >> figure skater nathan chen dominates the program with a record-shattering performance. >> that is the highest number that we have ever seen in a short program. >> inside his quest for olympic gold, with just one skate to go. shining moment team usa's ryan cochran-siegle races his way to a silver medal in the super-g. >> he's in the right spot. >> 0.2 ahead right now