closed captioning by closed captioning services,inc >> the president: more private sector jobs were created in 2011 than any year since 2005. >> president obama welcomes good economic news in this election year. good morning i'm kristen sze. and i'm cheryl jennings. president obama said the new report shows the u.s. economy is starting to rebound even though many are still struggling. the labor department says the unemployment rate is 8 1/2% down from 8.6% in november, the lowest unemployment rate in nearly three years. employers added 200,000 jobs in december. terry mcsweeney joins us in san francisco with a look at how the bay area is affected.

>> reporter: you gotta keep in mind this is a snapshot at one employment center in one area throughout california. the snapshot is a pretty picture talk to the program manager mr. johnson telling me more and more employers are looking for the right people. pictures from inside the employment development department here on church street in san francisco. mr. johnson saying he bases his positive outlook on-the-job fairs that are held here in january of last year, three or four employers turned out for these mini job fairs as they call them this month double that seven to eight employers turning out. that is just the first step in someone finding a job. >> one of the things that came up was finding qualified candidates and we wanted an opportunity for employers to meet face-to-face with a broad base of qualified candidates. >> you have been applying a number of places.

>> yes. >> what are you fanning? >> bookkeeper, housekeeper, i've been working around. >> reporter: you just want to work. >> yes, i just want to work, yes sir. >> reporter: one thing if you are looking for a caregiver she is ready to go. she is fired up. mr. johnson wants to get the word out to veterans, especially those coming back from iraq that not only can you come down here for assistance he wants you here. he wants to help the veterans. he wants to help everybody. resume writing. san francisco with a very low unemployment rate but it is getting better and it is believed it going to be happening statewide. terry mcsweeney, abc7 news. the best selling u.s.

automaker about to set up in silicon valley employing 15. ford says the lab will open in palo alto, the automaker hopes to partner with high-tech companies to create a car tech knowledge. bmw, mercedes and others have set up to take advantage of the local tech expertise. different in san mateo, 200 nurses and other workers could be laid off, because the county is considering shutting down an aging long term care facility. officials will recommend the board of supervisors close the burdenling game care center because of its -- burlingame care center because of its age and budget cuts. president obama used a visit to point out about its the visit two days after the president defied senate republicans and appointed a

new head of the agency. the president saying he's the right man to address the problems facing consumers and keep a watch on financial institutions. >> the president: irresponsible debt collectors, a day lenders and loan providers, all -- payday lenders and own providers all bound by the same rules as everybody else. >> cordray has put financial institutions on notice saying there will be consequences for breaking the law. president obama nominated him in july, the senate blocked the move. congress formed a consumer protection bureau in 2010. white house wants to give federal workers a small raise next year a half percent raise for civilian federal employees in 2013. if congress approves the measure it will mark the first

pay increase for federal workers since the president ordered a two year freeze in 2010. republicans suggested examine end ing the pay freeze as one way -- extending the a freeze to pay for a full year of payroll tax cuts. right now a funeral is underway for a 5-year-old boy shot and killed last week. he was with his father when he was shot near his dad's taco truck on international beautiful. police have no suspects or motive. suspects were in aville american made car crimestoppers offering a $20 five,000 reward. san francisco police holding two men -- in custody who fired shots from the roof of a building last night around ninth and bryant. it appears the two were shooting bullets into the air. an officer says the men were drunk when detained.

driving through east oakland people noticed smoke from a fire that started in a carport. the home on mountain boulevard the call came in after 7:00 when firefighters arrived they found two cars in a garage fully engulfed. flames spread quickly and the cars inside the garage are totalled arson suspected. crews put the fire out quickly, nobody hurt. sheriff elect ross mirkarimi under investigation for possible domestic violence violence between him and his wife. the report was made by an neighbor who change to have witnessed the incident last weekend. the accusation days before mirkarimi's swearing in ceremony scheduled for sunday. the man who ran his campaign released a statement from his wife who wrote i have no complaint against my husband ross and you are committed to our marriage, our son and our family. in half moon bay the surf

is up, really up, big wave surfers get ready for the opening ceremony of the mavericks intentional. there is a high surf advisory. we have pictures, i hope. the waves are -- we don't have those pictures, sorry about that the waves are so powerful he may be dangerous for surfers today and anybody in a boat, there we go, including fishermen. amy hollyfield joins us from pacifica with more. >> reporter: i have pictures it is amazing this is the best show in town if you can watch interest a safe distance. what is really -- from a safe distance. what is really great we are not standing in the rain like we usually are it is a beautiful day and many are taking advantage of it and coming out to catch the waves. the pacifica pier is shaking from the impact of the

enormous powerful waves that continue to pummel it the largest so far of this winter season. >> looks rough i've never seen it like this about usually it is like a couple of breakers, but like the big ones by the end of the pier, those are huge. >> reporter: one group that isn't impressed, the crabbers. many give up calling the conditions impossible. >> feels like a freight train going by. >> nice if you want to see big waves, definitely fun. if you are crabbing, no, not fun. >> reporter: fishermen are full of optimism despite the warning and early morning crews tales of he would daylight brought more crabbers out who end up telling the same story. >> this the worst i've lost five snares and a net. >> reporter: 15 to 18 foot

swells are not ideal for surfing they are too big for the weekend surfer, professionals say they aren't pristine enough. mavericks' organizers say the waves have to be perfect before they will announce the competition. >> definitely not clean. bumpy out there >> reporter: still, surfers headed out to practice despite the high surf advisory in place. >> i'm going. >> reporter: why? >> i don't know. still don't know why i do this. >> reporter: mavericks' organizers said the waves aren't big enough for the competition they will hold the opening ceremony today. for rest of us a lot to see expected to last throughout the day because of a storm that is offshore to get an update on that storm i'm going to toss it to mike nicco in our weather center. hello everybody. let's take a look at what is

going on storm passing north a cold front unfortunately a dry one we don't have hardly any clouds left let alone a chance of rain. swells up to 18 feet we have some of the largest waves in california right now looking around l.a. and some of their biggest ones are ten feet ours are 17 half moon bay, 14 monterey bay, what makes it more dangerous one of the reasons why the guy said it want perfect for say mavericks the winds are blowing so fast. most of us have calm conditions north wind at 12 at half moon bay go out a couple hunt yards to a mile and winds pick up -- couple hundred yards to a mile and winds pick up that makes it choppy. the east bay neighborhood that is raising concerns about poisoned pets. is it a security breach? new questions raised about how well protected the famous

british royal company

honey...? [ mom ] yes. honey, i can't find my internet cord. oh, i'll borrow hailey's. you're downloading movies. fast! from here? where is her cord?! we switched to at&t high speed internet and got wireless access. no more cords. wireless, okay, honestly, can i just get a cord, please? dad, the cord's invisible. [ female announcer ] call at&t today to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee. it's the fastest internet for the price. oooh. videos online? here? how much is that? nothing. at&t high speed internet at home includes access here. our invisible cord is really long, dad. oooh. [ female announcer ] get access to the entire national at&t wi-fi hot spot network for no extra charge. so call today to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee. aren't you glad we switched to at&t? yes...but i want my own invisible cord. you already have one.

oh. live picture right now redwood city exterior of a denny's restaurant. what happened was you can see in the picture, that car had just run into the building at 1201 broadway wood side road no word if anyone inside the

car was hurt. customers say a woman driver hit that wall. customers did hear a loud noise, 30 people inside at the time. the driver transported to the hospital. car being towed. that's the situation right now in redwood city. this morning there are new concerns about possible pet poisoning in pleasant hill. a website has received three reports of cats found dead in the city's college park neighborhood. several neighbors have a suspect in mind. no word on whether the animal control agency is investigating. a judge in peru postponed the trial of joran van der sloot to january 11th. he's accused of killing a woman in his hotel in may of last year. he was in court this morning wearing a bulletproof vest. the defense attorney says his client may enter a guilty plea to murder which could help him

get a reduced sentence. prosecutors are asking for a 30 year sentence. in an unrelated case the 24-year-old was the prime suspect in the unsolved 2005 killing of american natalee holloway. her body has never been found. in britain security plans for prince william and catherine's new home are been made public raising concerns about safety. details made available by officials despite buckingham palace's request to keep them secret. including air lock double doors and spiked railings. plans can be viewed at the kensington and chelsea offices by anyone who applies in writing for an appointment. the duke and duchess of cambridge will be moving into kensington palace next year. almost on cue, the fog is lifting, clouds almost out of here.

cooler weather today. breezes will kick up tomorrow could be a higher fire danger and warmer weather on the way. i'll tell you how hot it will get. take a look at this, the icy plunge a driver took into the water. tiger woods's ex-wife does an extreme make over on a 12

--

wow, take a look at this. this is a scary morning for the driver of this truck in minnesota. tractor trailer sitting in a creek. that driver lost control, phraoupblged into the water and look at that, he was able to escape he crawled across the ice to safety. workers there as well the man was taken to the hospital and released. investigators trying to figure out what caused the incident. crews have the can i have task of getting the stem -- crews have the difficult task of getting it out of the water. >> normally he would just stay on the ice this time of year they drive semis out there they have bonfires, ice fish, since it has been so abnormally warm he went right into the water. bad luck on his part, bad driving, i guess. stating the obvious.

[ laughing ] >> look at all that brown all that depressing brown around lake tahoe. there are a few people on that ski lift at heavenly. they did make a lot of snow last night. i think they had 13 runs or something making snow on last night. they will make snow over the weekend it is going to be warm but probably not record highs. some of the clouds still hanging around from ocean -- [ unintelligible ] temperatures look at how cool mid to upper 40s livermore, napa low to mid 50s the rest of us. 45 gilroy low to mid 50s the rest of the monterey bay. today we are going to have partly cloudy conditions fastest breezes over the ocean all breezes cooler today dangerous surf continues until 6:00. mild highs may make a run at a few high temperatures over the weekend. today upper 50s to near 60

concord, antioch, 62 santa rosa. 60 santa cruz the warm winds over the mountains will cool over the ocean as they hit monterey 56° northerly wind there everybody else upper 50s to near 60°. tonight we won't have as much as fog as this morning cool everywhere not in the 30s san rafael, richmond 40. 46 in san francisco. as far as what is happening, three areas of high pressure dominating here's that storm system kicking up our waves and our ocean winds that is going to slide inside of the sierra and head more east. dries out crossing the mountains it with this area of high pressure develop offshore winds starting tomorrow that's why we'll get a warming trend probably poor air pollution. right now it -- winds fastest

saturday night into sunday morning. heading to tahoe, 53° today, mid 40s as you head through the weekend. seven day forecast, another seven days without rain warmest saturday, sunday, monday, cooler tuesday, another warm dry spell starts wednesday, next week. tiger woods' ex-wife elin is a home wrecker we mean literally. nordegren bought in 12 million dollar oceanfront estate in florida last year after she split with tiger. now she decided she doesn't like it. she had the 17,000 square foot mansion demolished. no word what she plans to build this location is 140 miles from tiger's home in orlando. the couple shares custody of their two children. new greener option monday.

new hybrid buses come with comfortable seats, foot rests, reading lights and free wifi like the big tech companies. 10 hybrid buses hit the road monday, 10 more by the end of the month paid for with stimulus and state bond funds. next,

today the affects of aging on your mind. new research finds time leaves it mark sooner than you think. we know how education will suffer if the governor's tax initiative will fail. what else is on the chopping block? why some say the governor is playing a cruel game of politics. those stories at 4:00 and 5:00. if you haven't made any plans this weekend we may have some ideas for you. >> don sanchez has what's hot. [ inaudible ]

who wants to be a millionaire is next. >> have a great day

honey...? [ mom ] yes. honey, i canan't find my internet cord. oh, i'll borrow hailey's. you're downloading movies. fast! from here? where is her cord?! we switched to at&t high speed internet and got wireless access. no more cords. wireless, okay, honestly, can i just get a cord, please? dad, the cord's invisible. [ female announcer ] call at&t today to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee.

it's the fastest internet for the price. oooh. videos online? here? how much is that? nothing. at&t high speed internet at home includes access here. our invisible cord is really long, dad. oooh. [ female announcer ] get access to the entire national at&t wi-fi hot spot network for no extra charge. so call today to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee. aren't you glad we switched to at&t? yes...but i want my own invisible cord. you already have one. oh.