@ closed captioning by closed captioning services,inc the u.s. postal service is cutting service because of budget problems. the bay area could be hit hard. processing centers could be closed in these california cities: katie marzullo joins us in san francisco with the story. >> reporter: the u.s. postal service has tphoupsed it is moving forward with the proposal that it announced in september to close 250 out of of nation's 500 mail processing plants. this facility would not close. but it would absorb distribution facility in burlingame which is on the

list of possible closures. what does this mean as a customer? slower mail. the u.s. postal service is still sorting out details. short of a miracle it is planning to close 250 out of 500 processing plants nationwide. >> in order to do that closing it is a major realignment of our network, we have to change ourselves standards. >> reporter: that means no more next day delivery of first class letters. the new standard would be two to three days if the proposal becomes reality, this spring. customer reaction is mixed. >> two days to send one letter from san francisco? i send my time cards in, i get paid through the mail that mean my check will be delayed also. >> i guess you have to send stuff n usual. >> reporter: as for workers at the plans in jeopardy 220 employees at two petaluma locations. facility in burlingame. the usps plans to reposition

those not lost to attrition or retirement. lay-offs are not allowed under the current union contract. the volume of mail isn't there to support operations as they are. but the postal service aims to day in business. >> no matter how much mail diminishes there's still a lot of people who depend on the post office. >> reporter: our changes we know for sure are coming the price of a first class stamp going up one cent, that will be 45 cents. express, priority and parcel services also going up. also the notion of closing 3700 retail post office locations nationwide. other things need congressional approval. the post office would like to shorten the numbered of delivery days to five instead of six. congress would have to approve that it would and may intervene on union contracts so that lay-offs could be allowed. katie marzullo, abc7 news.

oakland takes a giant step towards curbing crime using a federal grant. the police department is kicking off its first police academy since dozens of officers were laid off last year. >> residents have been calling for more police officers that's what they are going to get more on the street. the first 10 of 25 new police officers are getting their initial training right now in a 5th floor classroom in the police headquarters building all possible because of a 10 million dollar federal law enforcement grant this is not the first time around for most of these officers. some were hired in 2008, others in 2010. then they were laid off when money got tight. some in a matter of weeks after taking the job. when they finish eight weeks of classroom training, then eight weeks with a field training officer, they will be assigned to near middle schools and some of the city's

highest crime areas in the hopes of reducing home sides, armed robberies and other crimes. the recruits couldn't be happier. >> went to doing security i was a police cadet. i'm now able to come back. did security to scrape by. >> want to thank you for your dedication, support, park . i know you could have gone -- patience. i know you could have gone other places you chose to stay and we are thankful you did. >> currently, land has 200 fewer officers than -- oakland has 200 fewer officers than it would like to have than the city rule was allow they are happy to be getting 25 new officers, 10 starting today. they know it is not a solution, but it is a start. eric thomas, abc7 news. in san jose, new group of firefighters will finalize their training today before going on duty next week.

15 million dollar federal staffing grant is being used to restore 49 cuts. this will be the second round of firefighters who will return to work after completing a six week refresher training course. another round of firefighters will be back in place by next february. >> it appears san jose police may be suffering from a severe case of the so-called blue flu. analysis done by the mercury news finds san jose police are calling in sick in record numbers this year. some worry it could jeopardize the safety of the city. six calls are up 40% from last year as the city sees highest homicide rate in 14 years and lowest staffing level in two decades. some say the sick calls are a response to recent cuts. the chief says the increase in sick calls has him rethinking staffing and investigating officers who call in sick a lot. more than 1700 workers

walked off this morning at a candy factory in the east bay. employees say american licorice company in union city is offering an unjust contract. they make red vine products. wages, schedules and health care. >> most of my co-workers are -- they have families and all that and that's the ones that are going to be hurting. >> the corporate office was asked about a -- asked pore a comment the company has not responded. -- morgan city police asking for help finding an armed robber. he's wearing a black beanie hat over his face as he enters a convenience store on monterey road. he pointed a handgun at two employees and demanded money. the employees gave him the cash and the robber ran away anyone with information is asked to call an anonymous

tip-line: 408-947-stop. redwood city police looking for four suspects in a shooting of two men in a burger king parking lot. the restaurant was open when the shooting happened 7:00 last night. one man was shot in the arm the other in the leg. police don't believe their wounds are life-threatening. investigators are still trying to figure out what led up to the shooting. they don't think it was beginning-related. recycling is not only a good idea in alameda county it may be mandatory. the waste management authority will discuss a new law that will fine people up to $1,000 if they throw items such as cans, bottles and food scraps into the trash. supporters say the measure could take 700,000 tons out of landfills. opponents worry the new plan will cost them rate payers and

commercial haulers more money. the man in charge of safety in our skies is having legal problems on the roads. enough to make a car lover cry. eight ferraris, lamborghini and two mercedes will need a good body shop. what caused this e 

in 14 car accident may go

down as one of the priciest pile-ups in history it happened on a japanese three mercedes and a lamborghini. when the driver tried to change lanes and hit the barrier. the damage totals are expected to be over three million dollars. i think it was too much power for him all vehicles part of a caravan headed to a car show. two automakers recalling thousands of vehicles because of brake problems. subaru recalling 32,000 legacy outback from 2012. defective brake could lead a driver to misjudge distance to stop. crashes or injuries have been reported. honda recalling 1206 -- 126,000 motorcycles from the 2001 to 2012. regulators state brakes may not fully release and the

problem could cause a crash or fire two fires have been reported. administrator of the faa has been placed on a leave of absence, after his bosses learned he's facing drunk driving charges. police took randy babbitt into custody late saturday night he was driving on the side of the road in fairfax, virginia he was the only person in the vehicle, not involved in an accident. he's the faa's 15 administrator. republican race for president going in a different direction now that cain suspended his campaign. newt gingrich is leading the pack now. karen travers has more. >> reporter: newt gingrich is settling in at the top of the republican field. in one month he's gone from fifth to first in iowa. today he met with donald trump in new york he's the latest republican candidate to try and score the businessman's support in iowa it is gingrich, ron paul then romney top republicans there say don't

crown gingrich yet with four weeks to go until the caucuses the des moines register found out 11% say they are undecided, 60% could change their mine. over the weekend, republican field -- got smaller when the cain train reached the end of the line bogged down by the sideshow of alleged sexual misconduct he suspended his campaign but went down swinging. >> these false and unproved allegations continue to be spinned into the immediate >> reporter: cain said he's not about to endorse one of his former opponents. if and when he does, gingrich seems to have the edge. >> he likes newt gingrich and he says good things about go -- between gingrich. now it is a two man battle between gingrich and romney. he has a lead in iowa and made a in new hampshire a state romney has dominated until

now. gingrich has significant challenges, turning success if the polls into success on the ground. his campaign admits they have a lot of catching up to do. karen travers, abc news washington. if you have any information you should contact morgan hill police. meteorologist mike nicco with the weather. >> holding on to things because it is breezy again. breezes are blowing at 25, 25 miles per hour in some areas bringing another shot of cold air i'll show you where the frost and freeze warnings are for your pets, plants and pipes. discovery of astronomical proportions major milestone in nasa's search for earth's twin. >> they can't agree on taxes or debt ceiling but they've found something on which they can agree. their new joint venture in just a moment.

new earth shattering discoveries today in space. the first uc berkeley scientists have found the two biggest black holes ever recorded each is 10 billion times the size of our sun. these black holes are 300 million light-years from us, close on a galactic scale a black hole is formed when a super sized star collapses a region where nothing can

escape, not even light. scientists have confirmed the first planet where liquid water could exist a condition required for life. the planet named for the telescope and the team that found it orbits the star similar to our sun and considered habit able 600 light-years away. more than 1,000 other potential new plan nets discovered. takes 600 years for light to get there so we don't have to worry about. maybe there's life onn other planets. >> sure. >> what do you think? >> i don't think we'll ever know. but would it be nice. >> we might. >> only as far as the black hole is. 11:19 breezes blowing quickly and frosty conditions may develop tonight. we have a beautiful picture from sutro tower off in the distance you can barely see it,

because it is so small that's how clean this air is, cool air coming trait down from the arctic circle it is modifying as it comes into our neighborhood downsloping off the mountains heating to the 50s and 60s keeping clean characteristics and dryness that is going to help us get cool tonight vollmer peak bouncing around wind gusts now the fastest around napa, concord and sfo, 22 up to 26 at half moon bay around 12 mountain view, 15 livermore, 16 fairfield everybody else light this morning. when the winds come out of the north and downslope, issue lit north bay is where they heat the fastest that's why we have santa rosa and napa as warm spots the rest of us mid to upper 50s until you get to antioch at 50. monterey bay and inland low to mid 50s. sunny, breezy, mild with real dry air if your lips are still chapped, that's the reason

why. frost possible in our valleys, another seven day forecast without rain or snow other than manmade up in the sierra. highs today low to mid 60s south bay, los gatos campbell 63, low to mid 60s peninsula. coast upper 50s into downtown san francisco. south san francisco 60. north bay beaches up to -- low to mid 60s in the valley. low 60s along the east bay shoreline 63 fremont as we head into the east bay valleys, low 60s then drop down to the monterey bay 59 carmel, low to mid 60s for the bay and inland. around the state today everybody is quiet 39 tahoe, 49 yosemite mid to upper 50s eureka through the central valley big sur 60 to mid 60s around los angeles, san diego and palm springs. back home tonight,

temperatures in the 20s livermore, fairfield, santa rose , -- santa rosa cloverdale, low to mid 30s palo alto, fremont and san jose. redwood city this morning one of our writers, producers, frost on his car i expect we'll see some of that again tomorrow morning. low to mid 40s half moon bay, san mateo, oakland and san francisco 46. east bay valleys, frost advisory just the sensitive plants are the ones that need protecting north we could have temperatures around 28° for a couple of hours where you need protect the pets, pipes and delta community. jet stream up into alaska reaching the arctic circle then coming down stwaored us we are on the back edge of this area of high pressure over the great basin we are getting a dry, cool air mass we'll cool into the 30s and

20s tonight then warm back up into the 50s and 60s tomorrow we'll keep repeating that pattern through sunday. starting to get serious up in the sierra we haven't had much snow up there. facebook is looking for a few new friends. the company says it plans to hire thousands of new employees over the next year to keep pace with what is expected to be rapid growth. most of its 3,000 current workers are in silicon valley or seattle. the company is looking for engineers in new york. parents may be encouraged by a new study showing sexting may not be as widespread as people believe. national study fans only 1% of kids 10 to 17 have sent nude images of themselves or others. another 1% said they shared suggestive, but less graphic photos. 7% admitted to receiving those pictures. the study contradicts earlier studies showing one in five

young people engaged in sexting. republicans and democrats have found something they can work together on the first ever senate secret santa gift exchange. lawmakers are engaging in a bipartisan effort meant to bring more jolly. the rules, republicans drew names of democrats and vice versa there are more democrats in the house than republicans that means some democrats won't be getting gifts gifts must be wrapped and cost no more than $10. identities will be revealed at a holiday party later this month. next, which music megastar is going to touchdown at the nfl's biggest game?

today at 4:00 maybe you will like it better than the iphone. michael finney has products that might make you want to

adjust your wish list. at 5:00 the wall street occupier now working on wall street. those stories and more later today. finally, music superstar will be performing at the super bowl none other than madonna. she will sing during the halftime show at the next super bowl on february 5th. >> one we hope the 49ers will be part of, right having clinches the nfc title yesterday. he madonna will collaborate with a team from cirque de soleil. >> i wonder if she will be singing on a ribbon upside down with cirque de soleil? >> she is very athletic. >> thanks for joining us.