good morning. it is sunday, december 31st. new year's eve. as we take this live look outside at san pedro square market in san jose. a dry morning out there. boy, we're crossing our fingers it remains this way so we can all ring in the new year

tonight. thank you so much for starting your time day of the year here with us. i'm kira klapper. we have the forecast. no pressure, everyone relying on you. >> we'll have all of the details. thank you for joining us on the final sunday here in the bay area. low clouds and fog hanging around parts of the bay over towards walnut creek in san francisco. we're waking up in the 40s and 50s. cooler behind the cold front as we see the cloud cover coming on in. ment it will be a weak storm system off to the pacific that brings in a couple of sprinkles as it goes down into the coast and southern california. there is a rain chance in our forecast for this new year's eve. it will be light as it comes in from the south. mostly in the afternoon hours. once we start to hunker down, things start to dry out. we'll keep it cloudy with a few spotty showers. tomorrow will be the best day to venture out. we'll talk about the next storm coming our way.

keeping with the weather, wow! wild sights along the bay like na wave dousing cars at fort point under the golden gate bridge in san francisco. while the rain and the gusty winds died down for most of us by yesterday afternoon, big waves triggered a high surf advisory. we found onlookers gathering along the coast from ocean beach down to santa cruz witnessing the sheer force of nature. first responders urged people to stay away from the coast, but for those who ignored the warning, they remind you to be aware of the dangerous conditions and never turn your back on the water. >> that force can break over the rocks, over the walks and come into areas that it usually doesn't. we have seen an increase in people coming down to the waterfront, and we're trying to remind them to never turn your back on the waves and watch out for rogue waves, sneaker waves that can come inside waste and knock you down requiring a rescue. >> the high surf this week did

cause a lot of damage. in pacifica, crews are starting to repair part of the sea wall battered by days of pounding waves. along the peninsula yesterday, another round of powerful waves hitting pacifica. warnings weren't enough to keep those people away who got hit by the waves. even as we saw the powerful waves crashing onto the land and the pier. in capicola, the cleanup is on the way again. you might remember a bomb cyclone left behind crippling destruction practically closing down the town for months. now this year seems to be ending in a similar fashion. today in the bay's marian favreau has a look at how people in cappie cola are helping each other to bounce back faster. >> reporter: here at the sandbar, the storm caused significant damage to their flooring. they were able to work quickly to marc repairs and reopen.

>> the sound of repairs following this sound. 15 foot waves pummelled beach front businesses in capitola. fortunately saturday there was a break in the storm that allowed the owner of the sandbar and more than half a dozen of his friends to tackle repairs. >> drift wood got up under the floor and pushed the floor up. we got the drift wood out, pushed the floosh r floor back down, took the flooring out and put it back in. that's what we've done. >> pizza my heart, only a minor cleanup needed. thursday waves surged underneath the restaurant. >> inside here you could hear the waves. like a roller coaster. >> bulldozers pushed up sand on the beach creating an impromptu playground for the kids. the sign of logs and closure signs, this is a painful time this is a second storm cleanup. in had january a bomb cyclone

tore through the capitola wharf and forced zelda's and others to close. since then some reinforcements have been made which helped minimize damage but he's still worried what the next storm might bring. >> if a big storm comes on january 10th, 11th, 12th we'll be in trouble because the sand will be cleared out and the waves will come back in. >> reporter: it's a concern shared by many in capitola who came out. >> i don't know if we're as prepared for this flooding as we should be. >> reporter: some business owners here tell me, because it's so costly they can't afford to buy flood insurance here, which makes making repairs even more painful. marianne favreau, nbc bay area news. new this morning, several people were injured in a car crash aft tried to escape police in the east bay. the chp tells us the driver was speeding and when they attempted

to pull over the car, it took off into pittsburgh. the chase took the chp down highway 4 when the car exited at bailey road at the bart station. it crashed into a concrete wall. all five people in the car survived. some taken away in handcuffs, others taken to the hospital. the chp is investigating whether the car was linked to a side show in antioch around highway 4 and summersville road. >> this potentially might have been stemming from a side show that was in the antioch area. >> the officer told our photographer that after the crash people from that antioch side show came to the site of the crash and gana talking officers yelling and throwing things like the pliers you saw on the ground. we are awaiting word on how many arrests were made. developing on this new year's eve, one person is dead, four others injured after a head-on crash in contrakosta

county. it happened at 6:30 in byron south of brentwood and discovery bay. the chp said four cars crashed near the byron airport. investigators say the person who died was wearing a seat belt although not properly. they're still working to determine which car crossed over the median. and as always on new year's eve, the california highway patrol will be out for its enforcement period which will end at midnight tomorrow. this week the chp says 909 people this week were arrested fo dui from last friday to this friday. that's a 42% increase from 2022. there were 19 deadly crashes killing 20 people. turning now to the biden administration. it has by passed the traditional congressional approval process and has approved another emergency arms sale to israel. this as the israel-hamas war rages in gaza where heavy, dark

smoke could be seen today. this is saturday, 5 p.m. there now over gaza's skyline. the biden administration is selling $147 million in equipment including fuses, chargers and primers. they are intended to work with the nearly 14,000 tank shells they've sold in early december for $106 million. according to the state department, secretary of stain antony blinken approved the sale saying he exercised his delegated authority to determine an emergency existed and that it's vital to u.s. national security to ensure israel defends itself against the threat it faces. back here locally, california's minimum wage will be increased to $16 an hour beginning tomorrow. brittney hope from our sister station in sacramento spoke to several business owners to hear how the pay increase will impact their business. >> when i went to college, i ran a lot of pizza restaurants.

i always loved it. one day it was a dream of mine to actually do it. >> reporter: a dream come true for frankie allen bell. >> long story short, i love being here and i love what i'm doing. >> reporter: but it's a complicated love. >> well, i'm drowning a little bit. >> reporter: the business expenses seem to never end. >> and it keeps going up. >> reporter: come january 1st, california's minimum wage will go up from $15.50 an hour to $16. >> we would like to help people to get a job, you know? and trying to -- so they can do -- they can continue and make a living, too. it's kind of hard for us to pay that much money now. >> reporter: a few blocks down the owner says he's his only employee because of that. the. >> we're still alive. we can get enough to pay our rent, you know? but it's kind of hard. sometimes it's no business.

>> reporter: labor and rent are pricey. inflation -- >> it's going to be difficult. >> reporter: isn't helping. >> big companies, they don't mind because they think it's much better for them too, you know? but for a small business like ours, you know, it's kind of hard. >> reporter: hard is a word we heard a lot from small businesses. >> it is difficult. it's the biggest expense i have is employees, and if it continues to rise, you know, i'll have to make some tough decisions. >> reporter: susan stewart the owner of strapping said the minimum wage doesn't hurt her. she starts her employees at $16 an hour. most make more than that. >> you have to feed your family and it's one of those things i'm happy to see. the it's expensive to live in our city. >> reporter: her fear is what's to come as business and sales have slowed down. >> i don't know how that will play out if it continues to increase. it is difficult.

we are down 25% this year from last year. >> that was brittney hull from sacramento. we are just about 17 hours away counting it down ringing in 2024. there are several events happening across the bay area tonight, including the crown event. the annual fireworks show over the san francisco bay. crowds gather near the ferry building and under the bay bridge. the show kicks off at 11:59, one minute before midnight. several cruises will be helping people get that epic view. also in san francisco, the asian art museum is hosting its annual japanese new year's bell ringing ceremony. that starts at 11 but the doors open at 10:30. and in san jose at the children's discovery museum, a ball drop event starting at noon. 2023 sure has been a year full of emotions. ahead on "today in the bay", we look at all the stories that shaped the bay area. keep it right here.

[narrator] covered california is a free service from the state that's already helped millions of people like you get and pay for health insurance. with financial health to lower the cost of health coverage, you could get a quality health plan for less than $10 a month. every plan covers preventive care, doctor visits, emergency care, and more. if you have questions, we're here to help every step of the way. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by december 31 at coveredca.com.

it was a hose of a different kind that started a conversation about dignity and the unhoused. a san francisco art gallery owner was caught in a 14 second video spraying a woman on the sidewalk demanding she move. the debate about housed and unhoused residents. >> four people shot here. >> about a week later, another vulnerable community was brutalized by an armed gunman who told janelle wang he shot and killed seven co-workers because he felt bullied in the farm worker housing where they lived in squalor. his trial is pending. in late january the oakland police chief laron armstrong was placed on leave and ultimately fired. there is a vacancy at the top of the opd which remains open to this day. in february san francisco was rocked by a deadly explosion in the outer sunset at a home where

police say the residents ran a hash oil laboratory. the man who awaits trial is charged with the death of his own wife. >> you don't see this every day. i mean, it is just dumping down. this is not tahoe. this is the santa cruz summit. >> by late winter an early extreme weather dominated the headlines once again, from a blanket of rather low level snow to the flooding of the farm community in monterey county forcing hundreds of people from their homes. and the bomb cyclone that took out power to hundreds of thousands of pg&e customers in the south and east bay and on the peninsula. some remained without power for weeks. and a chill fell over silicon valley as the second largest bank failure in u.s. history. a lot of us got a lesson on diversifying investments and looking for the fdic guarantee.

in late march bay area radio listeners mourned the death of jv. he was known for letting so many laugh, he was also open about his own mental health struggles. april began with the stabbing death of bob lee and his accused killer currently awaits trial. in may disgraced theros went to a texas prison camp. summer kicks off with the bay area's first national women's soccer league team bay fc. they say bay fc will be ready for play in the 2024 season. elon musk wasting no time in rebranding twitter. in july twitter became x which elon musk says represents the

evolution of the social media platform into an everything app. since then he's been accused of allowing hate speech to go unchecked on the platform where a growing list of big companies stopped advertising. ♪♪ and before taylor swift was in named "time magazine's" person of the year, she was named honorary mayor of santa clara where she rocked levi stadium drawing fans who couldn't get tickets to the parking lot to trade friendship bracelets and photos. about a month later the behive swarmed levi stadium. senator dianne feinstein has died. and the bay area said good-bye to another iconic woman. senator dianne feinstein who served as a san francisco supervisor and mayor before becoming the longest serving woman in the u.s. senate. known for her work on gun safety, exposing cia torture, california water rights and her

blazing trail for other women. >> in october hamas launched a surprise attack on israel and israel defense forces responded with a siege on gaza. and bay area people raised their voices. some to call for support for israel and an end be to anti-semitism and others to call for humanitarian aid for palestinians and a permanent cease-fire to end civilian deaths. by november pro palestinian protesters were organized enough to shut down the bay bridge for hours as san francisco hosted apec, the largest gathering of world leaders in 80 years. the same day david depap seen here in police body cam video was convicted of attacking nancy pelosi's husband paul with a hammer in their own home. depapa waits sentencing and additional local charges. on october 16th mlb owners voted

unanimously to allow the as to move to las vegas and while they look to build a stadium, the san francisco giants and san jose sharks are looking to build better teams and mr. irrelevant, brock purdy, continues to give the bay area something to cheer for as the last round draft pick, he's the 49ers in the playoff push. as 2024 begins, you can count on the nbc bay area team of journalists to continue moving you forward through the hard times, the good times and the growth times. chris sanchez, "today in the bay." >> wow. we started with storms and we're ending them with storms. we're here with hopefully things drying up. >> it won't be what we saw last year but there is a chance to see sprinkles. let's get you to the microclimate forecast. checking in on san jose this morning, under some low clouds and fog. temperatures in the 40s and 50s around the bay. notice the rain icons towards the bottom of the screen there.

we do have a chance of seeing some light activity as we go through the after that's because of the storm system we had over the last couple of days. the time stamp, around 2, 3:00, light activity coming in from the south. into marin county, we'll see most of this activity. notice how far to the north and be east we stay fairly dry as we see and remain under the cloud cover. around midnight, things should subside. light activity into san rafel. cooling down into the 40s. if you don't see that light rain activity, you'll definitely need a jacket as you venture on out. san francisco, things stay dry as we see the fireworks show along the embarcadero. there is a mix of rain and snow

showers up there. not too much to be substantial for our sierra snow pack so far but enough to get the roadways slick and cause a little bit of trouble and delays. as we look into our long range outlook, tomorrow will be the best day to get out there and enjoy the new year. it's going to bring some winds, some showers as we go on into late tuesday on into wednesday and look at those hughs of purple, white, pink. that is more substantial snow that we need. things will start to slow down thursday into friday but there is potential for another storm system to come our way as you go into friday and saturday, first weekend of 2024. seven-day forecast looks like this in san francisco. we will take it on and stick with just a few light rain chances throughout the day. better conditions for tomorrow. then things start to turn active as we go into tuesday and wednesday. overall, things should stay fairly quiet as we go through most of the day.

>> sounds good. thanks. 7:22. much more ahead on "today in the bay." the warriors continuing to struggle dropping three in a row now. what head coach steve kerr said is missing from the team. sports is next.

good morning, everyone. i'm anthony flores. so much ringing in the new year with a bang. the warriors are limping into 2024 riding a three-game losing streaks. the ws taking on the mavericks. golden state had no answer for luca doncic. he had a game high 38 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. steph curry and the warriors make a fourth quarter push. curry for three of 25. five-point game but that's as close as the warriors would get. dallas wins it 132-122.

head coach steve kerr says he loves his team but something's missing. >> we haven't found that grit that every team needs, every good team needs where you pull together and you just -- you just play for the group. until this team really connects, you know, in a way that is solely dedicated to winning each and every game, then we're going to be stuck in this place. >> to football. the 49ers are in the nation's capital to exercise their veto power against washington. the niners face the commanders who are just 4-11 on the season. san francisco remains the top seed in the nfc despite their loss to baltimore on christmas night. all eyes, of course, will be on number 13, brock purdy, to see how the 49ers quarterback bounces back after throwing a career worst four interceptions against the ravens. >> i'm going to be the same guy

that i've been all year in terms of how i get ready for a game. it's going to be in the heat of battle making the right decisions and setting up our offense and our team to have success in the right way. i think overall they're a solid squad and sound in what they do. for us, we can't get greedy or anything. for me, i have to go through my reads and stay disciplined more than anything. >> all right. the 49ers take on the commanders this morning at 10:00. controversial finish between the lions and the cowboys. number 68 said he reported eligible. the official said number 70 did. they throw the tackle eligible for the score but the ref said, illegal touching. the lions are furious after a dallas penalty. the lions still go for 2. the pass falls incomplete. the cowboys beat the lions 20-19. the loss eliminates any chance the lions have of catching the 49ers for the top seed in the nfc. that's a look at your

morning sports. i'm anthony flores for "today in the bay." 7:27 right now. still to come on "today in the bay," tonight's the night. we look ahead to how big cities are preparing for big crowds and how they'll keep all the revellers safe. [narrator] covered california is a free service from the state that's already helped millions of people like you get and pay for health insurance. with financial health to lower the cost of health coverage, you could get a quality health plan for less than $10 a month. every plan covers preventive care, doctor visits, emergency care, and more.

if you have questions, we're here to help every step of the way. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by december 31 at coveredca.com.

good morning. it is sunday, december 31st. new year's eve. a live look outside at shoreline lake in mountainview where i would imagine at this time tomorrow a lot of people will be out starting their new year's resolutions. but for now, enjoy staying in bed. maybe breakfast in bed on this final morning of the year. thank you so much for starting it with us. i'm kira klapper. you have optimism about everything drying out for tonight? >> we do. the there will be spotty showers coming about, but most of the day staying clear of those showers so you can get the last-minute errands done and

prepare for the new year. cloud cover under oakland. 40s and 50s. san jose at 50 degrees to start off the final sunday of the year. storm ranger is showing me light sprinkle activity up towards the north bay and down through ocean beach in san francisco. nothing too bad. we're going to watch the storm system move its way down the coast into parts of southern california. it will bring a light amount of rain as we go into the middle of the day and into the afternoon hours but nothing that should ruin our new year's eve plans. >> so weird to say 2024. >> i know. >> cynthia, thanks. some businesses in capitola were able to reopen yesterday after damaging waves hit the area the last couple of days. strong surf and flooding pummelled ocean front restaurants like the sandbar where on thursday those crashing waves took out parts of the deck lifting the flooring. fortunately that break in the

storm yesterday gave the owner a chance to clean up and make repairs. >> drift wood got up under the wood and pushed the floor up. we went and got the drift wood out from underneath, pushed it back down, took it out and put it back in. that's what we've done. >> the damage visible all around is a painful reminder of the crippling destruction capitola already suffered at the beginning of 2023. in january a bomb cyclone tore through the capitola wharf forcing them to close for months. since then repairs and reinforcements have made which some credit for minimizing damage over the last few days. have you ever seen anything like that wild sight along the water like this wave dousing cars at fort point under the golden gate bridge in san francisco? the rain and gusty winds did ultimately die down yesterday afternoon but big waves

triggered a high surf advisory. as you saw there, you saw onlookers gathering along the coach from ocean beach to santa cruz witnessing this force of nature. first responders urged people to stay away from the coast. for those who ignore that warning, they remind you to beware and never turn your back. >> force can break over the rocks and sidewalks and come into areas that it usually doesn't. we have seen an increase in people coming down to the waterfront and we're trying to remind them never to turn your back on the waves and watch out for rogue waves, sneaker waves that can come inside ways and move very, very quickly and knock you down requiring a rescue. high surf did cause damage in pacifica. the sea wall was battered by pounding waves. turning from the weather now. new this morning, several people were injured in a car crash after they tried to escape police in the east bay. the chp tells us the driver was speeding and when they attempted

to pull over the car, the driver took off on to highway 4 into pittsburgh. the chase took them to bailey road in pittsburgh where the car exited ultimately crashing into a concrete underpass near the bart station. all five people in the car survived, some taken away in handcuffs, others taken to the hospital. >> might have been stemming from a side show that was in the antioch area, but it's been busy since yesterday to today, been very busy. >> the officer told our photographer that after the crash people from that antioch side show came to the site of the crash and gana talking officers yelling and throwing things like those pliers you just saw on the ground. we are waiting word on how many arrests have been made. and developing on this new year's eve morning. one person is dead and four others injured after a head-on crash in contrakosta county. it happened around 6:30 last night in byron south of

brentwood and discovery bay. the chp says four cars crashed on holy road near the byron airport. investigators say the person who died was wearing a seat belt but not properly. they're still working to determine which car crossed over the median. we are looking back fondly at the career of british actor tom wilkinson. a statement from his publicist said he died suddenly at his home surrounded by family but didn't offer more details. wilkinson was best known for his roles in the "full monti" and "batman begins." he won a number of awards for his work over the years. perhaps the most prestigious came back in 2005 when he was appointed an officer of the order of the british empire. it recognized his services in drama. wilkinson was 75. back here locally as always on new year's eve, the california highway patrol will be out working to get impaired drivers off the road.

its maximum enforcement period will end at midnight tomoow. the chp says just last weekend alone in california 909 people were arrested for dui between last fridaynd monday. that's a 42% increase from 2022. there also were 19 deadly crashes killing 20 people. in much lighter news, the final countdown is on. take a look at that. the a look at our countdown clock. we are 16 hours and 24 minutes out from the new year, and turning to a live look for you now at san francisco international airport where this end of year holiday travel period is shaping up to be the second busiest one since aaa started tracking holiday travel back in 2000. aaa is sticking with the holiday travel forecast. more than 115 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home during the ten-day

period, including new year's eve. that's 2.5 million more people traveling than this time last year. more than 7.5 million are expected to travel by plane, which beats the record set in 2019. that could be due to slightly lower ticket prices depending on the destination. as we all get ready to ring in the new year, police are on alert ahead of tonight. nbc's george solis reports from times square about what the big apple and other big cities are doing to keep it safe. >> reporter: new york city's iconic times square. >> welcome 2024. >> reporter: nothing is being left to chance, even with no specific threats to the city or state. >> this is the safest big city in america, new york city. >> reporter: new york governor kathy hochul ensuring it stays that way tapping new york state police, the new york national guard and even the port authority to keep the millions expected to flood the streets of the city safe. >> we're not used to the crowds to this level so we're glad

there are security around. >> reporter: jose vega is an nypd veteran well versed in the new year's eve celebration. >> the plan is to keep things as safe as possible. there will be metal detectors. vehicles will be barricades, drones, helicopters. radiological pagers and backpacks. >> reporter: security at bridges, tunnels and even mass transit systems. and tensions here at home from the israel hamas war, they're planning for protests. demonstrations having already erupted during nyc's christmas celebration and thanksgiving day parade, there will be presence. >> you will have a strong presence. >> to las vegas. >> every piece of information. every source that gets reported to us. every tidbit gets followed up vigorously. >> reporter: this right here may be one of the best views of the ball drop in times square. you can bet the nypd will have

this and more using a full complement of their drones and helicopters. they have expanded their zone of influence. >> that was nbc's george solis for us. there was no big winner in the powerball jackpot last night. that means you have a chance to become a millionaire in the new year. these are the winning numbers from the drawing, 10, 11, 26, 27, 34 and p. if you got five of those right, you could have won a couple million. come new year's day, it raises to $810 million. thatlike a cash payout of 408 million. 7:39. still to come on "today in the bay" area, a sudden spike in flu cases. what to expect as we enter a new year.

final sunday of the year. here's everything you need to know with the microclimate.

a few sprinkles up to the north bay. right behind it we have our next storm forming for the first couple of days of 2024. let's get you an outlook of maybe you're traveling to parts of tahoe in the 30s with the mix of rain and snow showers. mostly everybody in the 50s and 60s in san jose and santa barbara. as it barrels on south, those are you are the spotty showers. the time stamp is up there for you. rolling it into 2:00, 3:00, activity into the south bay, peninsula and santa cruz mountains. it will be very light amounts just enough to get the roadway slick. then clearing on out as they go into 9, 10:00 with a light amount of rain lingering into parts of the north bay. it won't be enough to ruin our new year's eve plans so just continue with that. maybe keep another plan in place and definitely bring the jacket because it will be a cool night

throughout the rest of the bay area as we get towards midnight. you have a couple of days to prepare. tomorrow will be the calmest day of the next seven for you to get ready for the next storm system. tuesday rolls around. wednesday commute, heading back to work, 8:00 rolls around, we have a chance of developing some more sierra snow as this will be a colder storm system. it will be an active seven-day forecast as we look at friday and saturday of the new year with more rain coming about. how much are we talking about here? rolling through the first half of the week, some traces, amounts of parts of the bay area. the bull's eye of this activity. before moving into next weekend, that's when things get really interested and we go into the hues of purple and dark red. possibly 2 to 3 inches. everybody will see how this storm lingers about and if we get rain in our typical rain shadowed areas.

watch for the morning fog if you are heading to your new year's eve destination tonight. for tomorrow, we see the calmest day of the next seven as we get ready for the next storm system that moves about late tuesday and continuing on for wednesday with some breezy conditions to start the new year off on a good foot. >> thanks. we have more news next. hope you can stay with us.

welcome back. ahead of the new year holiday tomorrow, kristin welker is hosting a special edition of "meet the press" today. >> "meet the press," america's mental health crisis. more americans say they are struggling and depressed. a bipartisan conversation on the path forward to improve mental health care with republican governor spencer cox of utah and democratic governor jared polis of colorado. and a special panel of experts

on the front lines of the crisis. former democratic congressman patrick kennedy of rhode island, dr. sherry turner chief health officer of the crisis text line and activist and podcast host victoria garrett brown. it's all ahead on a special edition of "meet the press." >> thanks, kristin. we hope you join kristin for this morning's "meet the press" if you stick with us for "today in the bay." "meet the press" is on after this newscast at 8 a.m. turning now to flu activity continuing to rise in most parts of the u.s. over the last week. according to the cdc's weekly influenza report, there was a 16% jump for people testing positive. nearly 9 the 00 viruses were reported by public health labs as well as six pediatric deaths connected with the flu. that brings the 2023, 2024 influenza total to 20.

from a national debate on a woman's right to abortion to california's seeming role in everything, from homelessness to the high cost of housing, 2023 produced enough political issues and events to make you wince as we move forward into 2024. so what can we expect in 2024? i'm joined by larry gersten. great to see you as always. happy holidays. let's start with a big national question, if you can. >> you can end right there. >> 2024, we know that's an election year. when we see an election year, we think about the presidency, of course, the most powerful office in the entire world. what do we have here? one who's been viewed as dangerously provocative and two who many think is no longer fit for office. that's the combination we're dealing with right now. we'll see if that changes. we also want to think about congress. congress? remember those guys? yes, they do work sometimes. they have to deal with

immigration. the last time was 1986. we are not dealing with this issue at all. it falls on the shoulders of congress to do something, kira. finally, let's think about the u.s. supreme court. my goodness. every year the u.s. supreme court seems to be inundated with great questions. mifepristone, will that be constitutional or declared out? this time the court is going to be dealing with two important issues regarding the presidency, one whether a state can actually disqualify a candidate, such as former president trump and, secondly, is president trump immune from office and immune from prosecution, that is to say? big, big questions for the u.s. supreme court this year. >> that's an overwhelming amount of news. if you can boil it down for our state, what do you think will be the big issues looming for the new year beginning tomorrow really? >> beginning tomorrow. think about the u.s. senate, kira. there's $1100 million or more

spent. it's a big office. that and the governor, that's about the most important it is. the big three we think about are adam schiff, katie porter, barbara lee from northern california. about two dozen people running. a big, big race. watch this one. watch it closely as the year progresses. then we've got to think about other things in california, such as homelessness. my goodness. california's homelessness population grew by 6% this past year. it is now 28% of the nation's homeless population. to give you an idea, we have about 12% of the nation's population, homeless population. it's 28% of the nation's homeless population. we carry the burden and we have to deal with that. the finally, the magic, if you want to call it that, of a state budget surplus going from $100 billion plus to $68 billion negative, poof, in a year. how does that happen? we're going to find out. the legislature, in the

meantime, is going to make some serious cuts. who will they affect? who will they not affect? we're all going to be watching. >> so many mysteries. so many unanswered questions. a lot of anxiety for those of us watching this. every year i feel like we say, oh, gosh, so good to get this year behind us, and here we are yet again. what tows this say about our nation, our state going into 2024? >> you hit it. this is a moment of profound anxiety in this country. we're almost in a desert right now. trying to figure out which way to go on so many key issues. so polarized. the question is can anyone find the magic? and maybe that's it. the magic to bring us together a little closer in 2024 so that we're not looking at each other with daggers, but maybe with hope. we can only hope. >> i hope. >> and with that, a happy new year to you. >> happy new year to you. happy new year to all of you. let it be happy, let it be

healthy, let it be safe. >> fingers crossed. so nice to see you. see you next year. 7:51. a quick look at the top stories we're following, including those big waves still pummelling our coast. will the rain dry out in time to bring in the new year? we look at our top stories next.

welcome back. here's a quick look at the top stories of the final year. several people injured from a

car crash after trying to escape officers. the driver was speeding and when they attempted to pull over the car, it took off down highway 4 into pittsburgh. the chase took the chp to bailey road where the car exited crashing into a concrete underpass near the bart station. all five people in the car survived. some taken away in handcuffs, others taken to the hospital. the chp is investigating whether that car was linked to a side show in antioch around highway 4 and summersville road. >> this potentially might have been stemming from a side show that was in the antioch area, but it's been busy since yesterday to today. been very busy. >> the officer told our photographer that after the crash people from that antioch side show came to pittsburgh to the site of the crash and gana talking officers, yelling and throwing things. we are awaiting word on how many arrests were made. to the coast now where some businesses in capitola were able to reopen yesterday after

damaging waves hit the area the last few days. strong surf and flooding impacted oceanfront restaurants pummelling them like the sandbar where on thursday crashing waves took out parts of the deck lifting the flooring. fortunately a break in the storm yesterday gave the owner a chance to clean up and make repairs. the damage visible all around is a painful reminder of the crippling destruction the coast already suffered at the very beginning of this year. happening today, several new year's events going on in the bay area to ring in 2024. the annual fireworks show in san francisco, of course, happening near the ferry building and under the bay bridge. the show kicks off one minute before midnight. several cruise ships will be helping spectators get epic views of the show. also in san francisco, the asian art museum hosting its annual japanese new year bell ringing ceremony. looks like it starts at 11 a.m. but the doors open at 10:30.

in san jose, the children's discovery museum is hosting a ball dropping event starting at noon. you don't need to worry about keeping the kids away until midnight. chase center's bride city is celebrating the sixth day of kwanzaa. the winter friendly wonder land and ball drop starts at 9:30. entry is free but you must rsvp on the thrive website. cynthia has one last look at the forecast. how many coats and layers do we need over our sequins? >> a lot of them. we'll be patient with the rain. spotty rain chances in san francisco as it comes in from the south but it won't be too bad. our next storm will roll around on wednesday. we have to prepare for that. otherwise, we'll watch for the fogg and the visibility issues around the bay area as we ring in this new year's eve. >> cynthia, thanks. as always, no 5 or 6 p.m. news tonight. instead, it's "football night in

america." the green bay packers taking on the minnesota vikings on "sunday night football." we will have a special edition newscast after that and then we are back again at 11 p.m. until then, you can always stay up to date on nbcbayarea.com. thank you so much for making us a part of the final morning of the year. we really, truly have appreciated your welcoming us into your homes all year. we hope you have a great sunday and we'd like to see you back here next year. one final look at times square. happy new year.

this sunday, america's mental health crisis more americans say they are greszed and struggling >> let's get all americans the mental health services they need >> my conversation with democratic senator john fetterman of pennsylvania, who opens up about his battle with depression >> i really scared m