but i want to show you something we found 23 miles up that road. in the town of cob, lake county. the eagle and rose motel snowed in by a foot of wet powder. young people today are thrilled. >> it's crazy. we never get snow around here so it's amazing. it's fun. >> it's wonderful to be able to come out here and see it. it looks like a winter wonderland. >> reporter: cob is in a protected island and hard hit by the last two storms. >> all the roads were closed. all the power was out. power lines were down. >> reporter: roads were closed again this morning expect the four wheel drive. this is highway 75 we got in after the snowplows. storms left many downed trees. this pine slammed into a real estate office. some people tell us they haven't been able to get into

their buildings for the last week. >> there's some trees that snapped. power outages everywhere. >> reporter: now take in this bay area rarity. okay let's come back live now and i want to show you this is highway 29 just about an hour ago. there was a crash up there. don't know whether weather was the cause but a car did slide off the roadway. people are getting ready for what could be a very, very cold night. john fowler, ktvu channel 2 news. from the north bay now we head to the peninsula where there were also weather related problems. rita williams is live, where there is concerns of more potential problems as the temperatures continue to drop. >> reporter: frank we're up here on skyline boulevard highway 35 outside of wood saoáeud high above the bay. and people here are excited about some snow. we've got three students that

just showed up from minlow park highway. and they even brought -- >> a topagan. >> reporter: that's optimism that it is going to snow and they'll be ready. >> reporter: first some people had to get to their homes. a redwood tree fell about a mile west of skyline taking down some live power lines. so caltrans closed the road to lahonda to avoid the danger. that was before 9:00 this morning after more than five hours, pg & e finally showed up. >> they're going to go kill the power so they can pick up the power lines. >> so you all will be without power. >> something to look forward to. >> reporter: down the hill in portola valley, folks woke up without power. by mid-morning it was back on and homeowners concerns turned to their trees. sherley roberts was in the

hardware store buying sheeting to cover her trees. >> i don't want to lose my avocado tree. >> some people put christmas lights underneath them. turn them on and that works as well. you can do anything to keep a plant warm works. >> reporter: and matt walker was buying towels and plastic to wrap exposed pipes and water mains to keep them from freezing and then bursting. >> because of the expected freeze and the snow that's supposed to hit around here. >> reporter: now it's beginning to cloud up out here and with proper preparation, people around here say they are just waiting now to have some fun. they want to throw a few snowballs out here on skyline boulevard hopefully tomorrow morning. reporting live in san mateo county, rita williams, ktvu channel 2 news. in san jose, warming centers will be open this weekend at community centers in ten different neighborhoods.

they'll be open from 10:00 to 8:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome. and we'll give you a look at what was happening live right now in the santa cruz mountains. it is clear and sunny out there but boy is it cold. thankfully it's not driving through the cold, it's driving through the snow that's the issue. things are getting back to normal tonight with ferry service. this morning around 6:00, ferry service was cancelled because of high wind leaving an empty ferry terminal and probably some passengers wondering how they were going to get to work. the avalanche danger is listed as high this evening in some of the upper elevations, that comes after 2 feet of new snow fell yesterday and as much as 3 feet could fall today and tonight. people in the mountains had to dig out their cars today as you can see there and many folks stocked up supplies in case the power goes out or they're snow

bound in their homes or their cabins. and here's a live look now at interstate 80 in truckee. chain requirements are posted between baxter and placer county. live during our noon show, i80 was shut down for some time but it is now reopen with chain restrictions. as you can see there, traffic is going to be very difficult driving through 80 heading into the sierra. we have our crews spanned out all over the bay. everyone our ktvu viewers are helping by sending in their own photos of rain and snow. snow is not the first thing that usually comes to mind when you think of clear lake. but kelly phar took this sparkling shot. everything covered. take a look at these walls of snow. it was sherry derosa who took these pictures for us. those walls are at least 20 feet high. now we would like to see your photos of snow in the bay area.

you can e-mail them to photos at ktvu.com and we may show them right here on our air. we will also keep you updated on the weather around the clock here on channel 2. also you can keep track of the latest weather information by going online any time to our channel 2 website. just look for our live storm tracker two radar. today the body discovered in the backyard was turned over to the coroner. there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered in this case, allie. >> just over this fence here behind me is the home where this body was discovered earlier this week. right now all you can see is some dirt and a stack of bricks. but a spokesman with the marin county, they say it could be a while before they know what really happened. nevado public works crews spent the afternoon filling in a crater four feet deep in the

backyard of this nevado home. the supervisor here told us it was tough finding workers to sign up if the assignment. >> not your typical public works shop. >> no, no. it's an odd one i will say. >> reporter: it's where earlier, forensic teams removed a body believed to be dale smith. he lived in this home be his wife. a long time next door neighbor showed us the view of the activity this morning from his rooftop. >> we were kind of looking through and you can see they were waist high. about 40, 48-inches deep. >> in the trench. >> in the trench. and they had like a cherry picker type thing. >> reporter: nevado police say evelyn smith was still living in the home when cadaver dogs found the body. >> certainly a person of interest we would like to talk going forward. >> reporter: the next step is

to wait for the coroner to identify the body. it could take another four to six weeks to identify the cause of death. >> many questions unanswered. >> i also spoke with evelyn smith's attorney. we have cooperated with police and provided keys to the homes as well as all three of the family's vehicles which all have been returned. she added, we will know more in the week to come. and jumped back into the legal fight over same-sex marriage. imperial county wants to help defend proposition eight. california's ban on same-sex marriage. they have a direct interest. the appeals court rejected an earlier bid because the elections court was not part of the request. today the county's newly elected clerk filed papers to join the case. there's word tonight that the chinese government has

blocked access to the mountain view base linked in. that came after a user reportedly started a discussion about all the protest in the arab world. china closely controls what is available on the internet. in fact, facebook and twitter are blocked in china. libyan dictator defied world criticism appearing before a crowd of his supporters. gadahfi pumped his fist and blew kisses. gadahfi's son told authorities his family will never let a bunch of terrorists control our country. anti government protesters held a loud rally and a ferry carrying 300 evacuees from libya carrying many americans

also was able to move out. >> the safety of the american community remains paramount. >> reporter: the state department will try to help other americans leave libya quote to the greatest extend possible. now coming up today at 5:30, supporters rallied here in the bay area today. one man's desperate search for news of his father. oil prices stabilize today after yesterday's wild ride. they changed little through most of today closing at more than $98 a barrel. prizes swung from 96 to $103 a barrel. and stocks closed higher after their worse week in december. investors seemed calmer about crude oil prices and there was optimism about boeing being awarded a major government contract. the dow rose almost 61 points closing at 12,130. the nasdaq finished the day up

43 points closing at 2,471. in new zealand, crews worked to stabilize buildings. >> it all strikes the risk anyone faces in that area. there have been no more signs of life in the wreckage. now the recovery and clean up begins. but amidst the devastation, there was hope and even happiness today at the wedding of a young couple. three days ago this bride was buried under a collapsed building. under her fiancee and a rescue crew dug her free. >> we lost our suits and we lost the cake and that's it. everything else is going on as planned. and this is beautiful. but we're just so lucky. >> the bride says her fiancee kept her calm, sending a text that said, i love you, there are lots of men trying to get

you out. the world champion giants open up their exhibition season today. the fans the spilling in. we'll turn some of them into sports reporters next. an it's going to be downright cold. we're looking at record cold temp cold temperatures tomorrow morning.

bree: sis, help me create my oasis. marcy: ok, romantic garden? bree: oh, is there a castle nearby? marcy: no, but there's a charming farmhouse. bree: right next to my posh castle! i'm sensing a theme here. well, i am the queen, dear sister.

the ncaa today put the men's basketball program at cal on two years probation. the infractions happened in 2008 and involves coach montgomery and two assistant coaches. the university has already placed penalties on those involved. they also limited the number of campus visits. and the giants play their

first preseason game in arizona. it's kind of a different feeling give given that the giants are the world champs. >> there's expectations and celebrations. this is the 61st year the giants have come to arizona for spring training. the 31st consecutive year for scottsdale. the first time ever they've been able to wear that banner on the front of the scottsdale stadium. today they open their exhibition season against the arizona diamondbacks. the stadium reached it's capacity of 12,000 fans earlier today. that includes all these people in the grassy knoll in the outfield. earlier today i asked some of the young fans to bring up some questions that i might ask their favorite giant. >> do you like playing in front of all the people?

>> oh, yeah, definitely. the energy is heightened. that's what it's all about. we like to go out there and have fun. >> do they like signing all these shirts and balls and bats? >> yeah, definitely. especially for kids, too. yeah, it's a lot of fun. we remember when you were your age back in the dark ages. >> it makes a connection doesn't it? >> it does. that's what baseball is all about. you just have to keep the cycle going. and you know realize that you can be an inspiration for kids, you know. >> reporter: giants starting pitcher tim lincecum gave up three runs to arizona. mark derosa with a big clutch. tomorrow they'll take on the dodgers, the l.a. dodgers right here at

scotsdale. yes it is a different vibe. new expectations into the new journey. it's a long long journey, back to you. crews are getting ready to deal with icy conditions at bay area airports overnight. here is what it looks like back in december of 1989. that's where ice caused delays. the same thing could happen once again this weekend with temperatures expected to plunge. each airline has a different way of responding to ice on its plane. now we also checked with sfo they tell us the forecast low for tomorrow there is 35 degrees. however, officials tell us that three airlines do have deicing equipment. the others would just wait for the sun to warm up the planes enough so that the ice melts right off of them. san jose international says they are optimistic they will not get any ice building overnight.

several of the airlines have deicing equipment if they need it. here's a blast from the past. >> all of the hill areas in most of the country side at the lower levels were shrouded in white. marin county looked like a collection of ice splints. >> that's claude man back in february of 1976 telling viewer of the snow in the area. they ended up getting several inches of snow. looks like it led to some accidents as well. >> if someone was a baby back then, they are 35 now. and this seems to be a once in a generation chance, right bill. >> some snow flurries on diablo, hamilton. the cold air running behind this front. so the heavy rain we got this morning not accompanied by much know at all. the snow advisory remains in effect for the santa cruz mountains as this moisture starts to move into that direction. you see the foothills, they've

got a ton of snow up around chico and paradise and auburn and grass valley. what's happening now is that very cold air is filling in behind. without the moisture, we're not expecting a lot of snow, but flurries certainly a possibility, of course that's why the national weather service has the winter weather advisory in effect for tonight. so here's how it breaks down. it's going to be cold tonight. we're going to break records as well. if you go for breaking records in february, overnight lows it's kind of a big deal. february is a very cold month. the records are variably substantial. and we're going to bust three or four of those as we bust into tomorrow. that means you have to worry about -- plants, pets, homeless people. i mean cold is actually a much bigger story than snow on bay area peaks because it affects everybody and it's very dangerous. can cause big problems. for the east bay hills, stays in effect tonight. that means a chance of snow, you know 1,000 feet there could

be snow. 2,000feet a little bit more. not a big deal. most of it is going to be over here by mount hamilton. definitely unusual weather. but the real story right now is that arctic air that's filtering in as we speak. tomorrow morning's records, i'll get to those when we come back. i got the latest forecast models that show more rain for next week and we also show a track of very cold arctic air. we'll see you then. the crew on board the space shuttle discovery got down to business tonight on the first working day of discovery's final mission. the astronauts woke up to the song through heaven's eyes from the prince of egypt. today the crews used the boom sensor to inspect the shuttles thermal tiles for any damage. during yesterday's launch, several pieces of foam

insulation broke free from the external wall liting the shuttles belly. and held in san francisco on the last friday of each month with riders gathering at justin harmon plaza. critical mass always ties up traffic on the streets leading to the bay bridge. our storm watch coverage continues. coming up what the city of san francisco is doing to get ready for this arctic blast. and a ruckus night and a stand off going on in the state of wisconsin. what the leaders decided and why some are outraged. and one of them affects almost all of us directly -- a bay area transit agency under fire today. allegations of severe safety allegations that could endanger thousands of passengers. what they are being accused of

and their response at 6:00. then this fiery crash that shut down the dun barton bridge had been doused sooner if firefighters had better access to water. but ktvu now uncovers how this is a bigger problem. and our complete bay area coverage continues. tonight on ktvu channel 2 news at 6:00.

in wisconsin tonight the marathon debate over whether to limit negotiating is over. but it is far from a done deal. after 60 hours of nonstop grueling debate. republicans abruptly cut off speeches. assembly democrats were outraged shouting no, no. >> they have the right to pass the bill but they do not have a right to silence up. they do not have the right to take away our decent.

>> they had no intention of us taking the vote. >> reporter: the protesters are leading madison tonight but likely will return. the measure now goes to the state senate. and with all democratic senators protesting the debate, the battle is likely to continue. schools face a deadline next month to tell that teachers under the governor's bill their contracts may not be renewed. budget cuts by state and local government along with rising oil prices are being blamed for holding back u.s. economic growth. the congress department reported the national economy grew about a half percent less than expected. economists point to government spending cuts averaging to 1.2% and say that could delay economic recovery. san francisco streets go under scrutiny this evening. the road danger that city

officials are so worried about tonight. in san francisco, two separate rallies in support of the libyan uprising. and we'll meet a man desperately worried about his family in tripoli.

trees down, flooding and then a little bit of sunshine. we've seen just about everything so far in san francisco today. the one thing behaven't seen yet in the city is -- thing we haven't seen yet in the city is know. david stevenson is live in the city where the possibility of snow has everybody buzzing.

>> reporter: the city is worried about what would happen in these streets after the snow. the skies gave no sign of the snow and possible snow on the way. >> i will believe it when i see it. because i keep looking at the temperature going, it can't snow if it's 50 degrees. >> reporter: city officials say san franciscowetered this first storm fairly well. great highway flooding caused a closure between lincoln avenue and slope boulevard. plants and trees here won't be hurt by icy temperatures overnight. >> our plant palet here and the mediterranean weather we have, they can with stand the weather. >> reporter: department of public works crew are on stand by tonight with 6 pounds of

core stand ready to be spread on streets. the steep streets will make driving dangerous. >> the sleep streets will be monitored. we may restrict heavy vehicles from going up some of those steep slopes for public safety. >> reporter: some hillside residents say they will stay out of their cars if the streets become too slick. >> it's not normally stick if it rains, but if it ices overnight i will be concerned. >> reporter: and stay with us, we'll be telling you the warnings the city is giving residents if it snows. here's our chief meteorologist bill martin. >> and that's what i said early on with this arctic blast. i think the headline with this thing is how cold it gets tonight and tomorrow. maybe you get snow toward sea level. tonight there's a chance for that. but the real story is that freeze warning that's in effect in the north bay.

we're going to see record lows tomorrow. take a look at the temperatures as we go tomorrow. these are the records. watch what happeneds as we go into tomorrow morning. we go to the south bay, more records possibly broken, these are the record temperatures and these are the temperatures i suspect will break. it is going to be cold. you're breaking record in february you have downright cold weather. a freeze warning effect in the north bay. we could easily see a freeze warning for the entire bay area as we head into sunday morning as well. very cold air headed our way. there's still a chance of random snow flurry or rain shower in the bay area. i'm going to have your complete forecast, we'll look at those overnight cast lows for the city. >> for the latest weather information around the clock you can go to our channel 2 website, it's ktvu.com. there you will find satellite picture as well as the current weather for our area. and the violence in libya is being closely monitored by people here in the bay area.

there were two rallies today in support of the demonstrators both in libya and other parts of the arab world. >> reporter: we're on the campus of the university of san francisco where a rally in support of the libyan uprising is just about winding down. about a dozen students are demanding gadahfi step down immediately. we also met a san francisco man fearful for his family back in tripoli. jana called tripoli today he wanted to talk to his mother and sister. >> no answer. i'm afraid of what may happen. i'm really afraid that they would be shot in the streets.

these people that gadahfi has hired from around the world have no heart. >> reporter: he hopes that gadahfi leaves but doesn't think that will happen. >> the regime is over. i don't know why these missionaries are fighting for a regime that's done. >> reporter: they want to bring attention to u.s. policies that help caused the unrest of those countries in the first place. >> we're here in support of the people of the middle east and north africa who are rising up against their oppressive leaders and dictators. that the u.s. has largely supported in the past. >> reporter: another rally in support of the libyan people is

scheduled for 1:00 tomorrow at u.n. plaza in san francisco. organizers say they are expecting a large turn out. reporting live in san francisco, rob roth, ktvu channel 2 news. libya isn't the only focus of protest in the arab world today. in tenesia, the protesters have succeeded in toppling the leader. they held a day of rage calling for government reform. in bahrain, protesters there continue to call for reform. and in egypt, they are calling for the military to speed up the change of reign. governor jerry brown is lightening up support for his budget. the unusual vote of confidence

he secured today.

the next presidential election is still long ways off but even so, a small bay area college is trying to land a debate, but does it really have a chance. we're live at st. mary's college with what they're doing

to pull it off. ken pritchett has the story. >> reporter: the election of 2012 may seem far off, may seem far out of mind, but that is not so here at st. mary's college. it may seem early but the hour fast approaches. >> the application is due march 31st and so we are kind of putting together all of our materials now. >> reporter: spokeswoman elizabeth smith says they want to repeat the success of the senatorial debate. instead of the auditorium used in the senetorial debate, the gymnasium will be turned into a stage. >> tons of people and lots of logistics to handle. >> reporter: this campus of

3,800 students will have competition from other bidders but how much competition is unclear. the idea appeals to students we talked to. >> it'll be a great experience to have obama come here and talk at our school. >> it'll be a really great opportunity for us students to see that especially being college aged and you know teenagers, young adults, i think it's really important for us to get first hand experience with that. the commission on presidential debates will list finalistist in april and name the host of the debate. the winner essentially around this thanksgiving, st. mary's estimates it could cost $4 million to cost such a large event. that cost will be offset in part by sponsorships. in moraga, ken pritchett, ktvu channel 2 news. governor brown says he

lined up new support for his plan budget plan. governor brown hope that is business leaders will help him win over the handful of republicans he needs to get the plan through the litture. the federal judge hearing lawsuits for alleged acceleration problems met key rulings. add issue, how much access the company will have for their source code. exports to the through should go through toyota's server to access the super secret server. fashion group gap is reporting a jump for last year. sales were up 10% compared to 2009. internet sales were up 16% compared to 2009. we think that this path right through here was

traversed for thousands of years by tens of thousands of indians. he's talking about the ancient indian land he discovered right here in the bay area. the fight that broke out because of the fact that he's telling people about it. we're going to break records tomorrow morning. we'll show you how cold it's going to be at your house and the computer model that does show a chance for some of those clouds to bring a bit of snow to parts of the bay area tonight. a bay area transit agency under fire today. allegations of severe safety violations that could endanger thousands of passengers. what they are being accused of and their response at 6:00. then this fiery crash that shut down the dunbarton bridge would have done doused sooner if firefighters would have had access to water. and our complete bay area weather coverage continues. tonight on ktvu channel 2 news at 6:00.

he called himself an old

hippy, in love with the outdoors and he says he has found something once used to see. the problem is so many others want to keep it a secret. allie rasmus has more in her special report. >> reporter: this piece of unreachable wilderness is far from other people. and that's because geologists have worked hard to keep it that way. >> i didn't know there was a suppression of that knowledge and it's still going on. >> reporter: now comes along james benney and his followers. >> people aren't believe there aren't signs pointing to these places like everywhere else they go in arizona and new mexico. >> reporter: benney is a self- described old hippy who stomached upon the evidence of the first people of the bay

area. people known collectively as the aloni. >> we think that this path right through here was traversed for thousands of years by tens of thousands of indians. >> reporter: he is now formally asking the east bay regional park and contra costa water district which owns the land to officially designate the area with special protections and make it more accessible and make it for accessible to taxpayers. he has provided the location of what many think are ancient indian villages. anrie sayors is one of those who is not on the side of benney. >> i wish he would have talked

about the areas of my ancestors that have been destroyed, not the ones that may be destroyed because of his actions. >> reporter: locations should be kept private, out of sight and out of reach say the -- >> to learn more about the village proposal go on to our website and click on our special reports tab. a public apology. why oakland police are saying sorry to a local community group that helps parolee's get back on their feet. >> also at 6:00, when this fire sparked, firefighters had a hard time reaching fire hydrants. we'll tell you how difficult it is for firefighters to put out fires on bay area bridges. >> and the transit agency gets ready to deal with a problem on their tracks. behind the scenes change

that google says will help you find what you want online. >> julie, thank you. a new survey says that 3/4 of workers come to work when they are sick. 76% of the respondents say they show up to work even when they are not feeling well. among the reasons, not wanting to fall behind. not wanting to burden their coworkers who have have to cover for them when they are out. and respondents said they wish their coworkers would stay home when they are sick. >> the real key here is how cold it's going to get. >> the snow is the story because it's exciting and flashy. but we're going to see record lows. here's live storm tracker 2 out toward the santa cruz mountains but out more towards big sur.

some of these peaks go up to 10,000 feet. this moisture is what i suspect the computer model was picking up last night. this one our better chances for snow. it's a little father south. forecasts are not absolutely accurate as we know. probably snow there, overnight lows specifically 26 in santa rosa, these are cold cold temperatures. near a hard freeze. it's been hard freezing generally two or three hours below freezing. i think we will see that probably up in the north bay. a few left over showers tonight. that cold air just settles in. stays put. weekend is nice it is just downright cold in the mornings. daytime highs in the 40s. there'll be sunshine but it'll feel like out in the plains, like denver where it's pretty dry and pretty darn cold all

day. the computer model keeps the moisture around all day. that might get you a little snow up on motero mountain. as it goes down, here we are at 4:00 a.m. between 11:00 and 4:00 a.m. is our best shot for anything. look how quickly it clears out. that's that cold dry air getting here. plenty of sunshine but right over the bay area, we're talking about record lows. it's a big deal to get record lows in february, because february is a cool month. so you're popping pretty cold ones. those are the daytime colds. need jackets all day tomorrow. it's going to be crystal clear, great visibility. but the cold is dangerous, dangerous for pets, dangerous for elderly. dangerous for the homeless. it's also dangerous for any types of plants. and if you have vegetation, lots of bloom, lots of blossoms they are going to get fried the next few days. a orange county school district is trying out a new program to cut down on students

cutting class. the anaheim now gives a gps device to students who have more than four unexcused absences. the aclu has rejected saying it smacks of big brother. but school leaders who tried this program first in san antonio texas say it has cut down significantly in truancy. medical researchers in texas have come up with a new way to help people with asberges syndrome. that may be because they have difficult reading facial expressions or making facial expressions themselves. and they've developed a computer program that helps them practice. women who have migraines as

girls are more likely to be over weight when older. prince william and kate middleton took a sentimental journey today, where they went. two puppies are spending the night at a shelter today, and westerly tell you -- we'll tell you how they got there and why they are struggling to survive.

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prince william and his fiancee kate middleton took a sentimental trip today, going back to the school where they fell in love. school officials gave the couple a wedding gift. a scholarship in their honor. prince william called the visit a special moment. their wedding is set for april 21 at historic westminster. and the oscars are coming, the so called gift sweets are getting ready to give out everything from free cosmetics, to watches to goodies. all in hopes to boost their products. companies are hoping to cash in by linking their products to the beautiful people. two puppies found abandoned

and starving are recovering in an east bay shelter tonight. a good samaritan found those puppies abandoned in a park along with a third puppy who did not survive. the two who did survive were so malnourished that the shelter thought they were chihuahuas. but they were actually blue pit bulls. >> if you decide you cannot care for the puppy, turn them over to the shelter. there is much more news just ahead. ktvu channel 2 news at 6:00 is just ahead. some bay area emergency responders say there are potentially dangerous situations at many bridges as it turns out some legislators say it's a problem statewide, that story coming up.

the bay area bracing for some record low temperatures. good evening everyone i'm frank somerville. >> and i'm julie haener. we want to show you a live picture, a beautiful sunset over san francisco. this morning's storm gave way to sunny skies but right now an arctic front is settling over the bay area and that's bringing snow in some parts and safety concerns in others. we have live team coverage tonight. we begin with ktvu's john fowler near calistoga where some residents are actually snowed in, john. >> reporter: about 10 minutes ago here, the sun went over the ridge and it got very cold. this is the north end of the napa valley near calistoga, 30 minutes ago we had a snow shower here. but now i really want to show you what happened just 23 miles

up that road. in the town of cob, lake county. the eagle and rose hotel snowed in by a foot of wet powder. young people today are cleared. >> we never get snow around here. it's like a winter wonderland. >> all the roads were closed this morning expect to four wheel drive. this is highway 75. we got in after the snowplows. snows left many down trees. some residents told me they haven't been able to get into their homes for a