our consumer investigative reporter chris chmura is with us. price tag. >> if you want to fight climate change without spending money, there is an app for that. we'll show you the bay area company helping you take small steps with your smartphone to curb your energy use and cut your power bill. it's a story on our website, nbcbayarea.com. go to "climate in crisis." >>> welcome back to our new 7:00 p.m. broadcast. here's the story this evening. whether you like it or not it will cost you $215 million. that's the price for governor newsome's recall number. each county estimates what it will cost for printing to mailing ballots to providing face masks and gloves for the election workers. right now the state elections department is in the process of reviewing the projected election cost before the election is formally authorized. we'll show you the break down county by county right here in the bay area. take a look. these numbers are from the sacramento bee. alameda county expects it will cost $20 million. that's alameda county specifically. santa

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. we'll show you how to apply, next. >>> and clouds are moving across the bay area right now, even a touch of humidity and of course the heat. we're all about that heat. we'll get you scared away for the hottest day tomorrow. if there was a button that would help you use less energy, breathe cleaner air, and even take on climate change... would you press it? triple bacon chee... how's that song coming along? that's for me? oh no, you're making music, i don't want to get in your way. oh c'mon man. oh. hang on a second. my triple bacon cheesy jack combo. only at jack in the box. >>> covid-19 continues to wreak havoc on the cruise industry. a cruise ship bound for the caribbean is delayed after a covid outbreak among crew members. it sounds like last year's story line. royal caribbean's odyssey of the seas was supposed to set sail john july 3 from florida. that voyage is now canceled. eight crew members tested positive for covid-19. the entire crew had received both doses of the vaccine bu

chris chmura will show you how to do that, because a lot of people are making costly mistakes. >> a credit card dispute or charge back is a powerful tool for consumers if it's used properly. you can be refunded immediately. you have to pay the rest of your bill but the disputed charge will go away while the credit card company weighs both sides. let's look at the process. as soon as a transaction goes sour, start documenting everything, every call, every email. when it's clear your effort to try to resolve the dispute yourself isn't getting anywhere, pick up the phone or go online and contact your credit card company. make your case with evidence. before you contact the credit card company, you should give the business some time to do the right thing. how long? discover says you should wait up to 15 days for the merchant to credit your account. but don't wait too long. credit card companies generally only give you a certain amount of time to open a dispute. chase says you must submit your dispute within 60 days of the transaction first appearing on your statement. that's an important disti

i'm chris chmura. nbc bay area responds next. chase first banking.ebit card and app for kids, and tools for you to teach them good money habits. set account alerts, savings goals, allowances and chores from your chase mobile app. all with no monthly service fee. chase first banking. >>> okay. this week our consumer team moves from our 6:00 p.m. news cast to this 5:30 news cast, brought all their luggage with them. >> we're all doing a little moving around. the switch didn't stop them from saving viewers money. let's bring in chris chmura. it's 5:45. you still good? >> new time slot. same mission. charging a luggage fee for my bags. let's talk about some viewers here. he says his cash account dropped by 109 bucks because of a charge at a digital music store. here's the thing. he says he's never bought anything from that store. well, he spoke up but got nowhere disputing it on his own. so he called us. couple weeks later he got his $109 back. rhonda h. wrote in to say her parents only got one of their three expected federal stimulus checks. so, that me

i'm consumer investigators chris chmura. we'll show you how next. >> always on social media.y post there in heels. this is all for a great cause as to ywca walk a mile in her shoes. you can participate go to my facebook page an get all the information so you can participate and you don't have to wear the heels but might be fun for you. check me out on facebook, instagram and twitter. >>> the naacp is meeting today and tomorrow about the topic of college athletes about to make money from their name, imageage likeness after major supreme court ruling. >> a look at what this could mean for athletes going forward. >> laura and marcus, good morning. it's pretty rare to see the supreme court of the united states come to a unanimous decision on a landmark ruling and that's exactly what happened in this case. 9-0. the justices agreeing that ncaa shouldn't operate like a monopoly. this has to do with educational benefits like paid internships, computers and equipment. the court's decision does open the door for the next levels of that, namely athletes make money off endorsements like

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.perhaps we have the key to a refund, when nbc by area responds, next it's time for sleep number's memorial day sale ew sleep number 360 smart bed. iautomatically-responding, energy-building, dually-adjustable, dad-powering, wellness-boosting, foot-warming, temperature-balancing, recovery-assisting, effortlessly life-changing... proven quality night sleep we've ever made. during our memorial day sale, save $1,000 on the new sleep number 360 special edition smart bed, now $1,799. only for a limited time. this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm to help keep our state golden. >>> well, we have some breaking news. there will not be a mask mandate in the workplace afterall. we've been talking about this story, including here at the top of our newscast. cal osha board rejected a plan to continue to wear masks after june 15th. they do point out a governor order could require that. but they will follow cdc guidelin

i'm chris chmura. nbc bay area responds next when it comes to flooring, i'm hard to please.or & decor where they don't just know the difference between products, they live for it. from american hardwood to spanish porcelain to italian marble, i'm looking for inspiration from every part of the world. so, when it comes to discovering every imaginable tile, wood, laminate or stone without compromising my design, one aisle doesn't cut it. i need an entire store. now, i've got one. explore floor & decor in person or online at flooranddecor.com >>> nbc bay area responds to a san mateo woman who says a medical lab botched her bill. >> she asked consumer investigator chris chmura and his team to get her money back. >> melissa m got a $615 lab bill. she was told it was sent in error and she could ignore it. but later on she got a call from a debt collector demanding $600 on behalf of the lab. she paid it, but then she found out her health insurance had paid it too. she asked for a refund and sent proof of that double payment, but she says she got nowhere. that's where marissa turned

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.now breathing a sigh of relief. that's next. [ sfx: ding ding ding ] [sfx: bing bing bing ] [sfx: bloop bloop bloop ] [ sfx: bing bloop ding ding bloop bing ] the day can wait. wanna help kids get their homework done? enwell, an internetate, connection's a good start.. but kids also need computers. and sometimes the hardest thing about homework is finding a place to do it. so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn. over the next 10 years, comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million low-income americans with the tools and resources they need to be ready for anything. i hope you're ready. 'cause we are. >>> another person has tide following sunday's shooting outside of a concert in miami. a 32-year-old woman who had been in the icu died last night, the mother of a 12-year-old boy. brings the total number of people killed to three, the manhunt continues for those shooters. police say they are looking into the po

our consumer investigator chris chmura shows us why and how. >> reporter: on the surface, immediate automaticpayments of the child to tax credit seem like a no-brainer. money now. but here's the thing. irs says payments today are actually an advance on your next tax return. that means accepting a payment today might actually cut your refund if you're used to getting a refund around april 15th or increase the amount of tax you owe uncle sam if you're used to paying on april 15th. >> the bottom line is it's going to depend on the situation for each family and their set of facts and circumstances. if they want the payments throughout the whole year. >> some families may want to opt out. so the irs has a tool to help families turn off the automatic payments. head to irs.gov, click get answers, click unenroll. sign in to the portal and make your selection. if you are married and file jointly, you have to do this step twice. spouses have to individually unenroll. if you've already gotten a payment, that's okay. can you still unenroll from the rest. if you're unsure what to do, consider talking with

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.who are now breathing a sigh of relief. that's next. >>> plus our team is always on social media, look at our own kris sanchez, in honor of pride month, san jose city hall lit up in the pride rainbow of colors, kris was there, says she's extending her hand in friendship in honor of those in the lgbtq community. you're watching "today in the bay." majestic mountains... scenic coastal highways... fertile farmlands... there's lots to love about california. so put off those chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm when less clean energy is available. because that's power down time. finding new routes to reach your customers, and new ways for them to reach you... is what business is all about. it's what the united states postal service has always been about. so as your business changes, we're changing with it. with e-commerce that runs at the speed of now. next day and two-day shipping nationwide. same day shipping across town. returns right from the doorstep, and deliveries seven days a w

chris chmura is going to explain why and show us how. >> on the surface immediate automatic payments of the child tax credit seem like a no-brainer, money, now. but here's the thing. the irs says payments today are actually an advance on your next tax return. so that means accepting a payment today might cut your refund if you're used to getting a refund around april 15th or increase the amount of tax you owe uncle sam if you're used to paying april 15th. >> it's going to depend on the situation for each family and their set of circumstances. >> some families might want to opt out. the irs has a tool to help families turn off the advanced payments. head to irs.gov. click get answers on the advanced child tax credit. then thick unenroll from advanced payments. you sign in to the portal and make your selection. if you're married and file jointly you will have to do this step twice that's because the irs says spouses have to individually unenroll. if you've already gotten a payment it's okay and you can unenroll from the rest. if you're unsure what to do consider talking with a tax prof

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura, we'll show you how, next. >>> you know what? team is always on social media, a big shout out to our reporter cierra johnson on twitter. today marks herrsary with our team, cierra. be sure to follow her, also on facebook, twitter and instagram. wish her congratulations. you're watching "today in the bay." ♪start spreading the news♪ ♪i'm leaving today♪ ♪i want to be a part of it♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪it's up to you♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪new york♪ >>> here's the scenario. you're overcharged or dissatisfied and really not getting anywhere with the business. >> you know what? you're also entitled to open a dispute and get a refund if you pay with a credit card. consumer investigator chris chmura is going to show us how to do just that and how to avoid the costly mistakes. >> a credit card dispute or "chargeback" is a powerful tool for consumers. let's look at the process. as soon as the transaction goes sour, start documenting everything. when it's clear, your effort to try to resolve the dispute isn't getting anywhere, pick up the

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. nbc bay area responds with a mission.media working to help out the community, kris sanchez posting about businesses across the bay area that are looking for new employees. so in san jose the restaurant park station hatchery looking for a few extra hands. looking for a job, head out there. and if you're hiring, at your business, you actually can let chris know and she will post some of the stuff on the facebook, twitter and instagram pages. 5:19 this morning. we'll keep it going after the break. . >>> welcome back. reaction continues to pour in following this week's shocking claims surrounding singer britney spears. this week she made an emotional plea to a judge for freedom from her conservatorship. among her claims that she's unable to have a child because her team forces her to remain on birth control. she also claims when she complained about performing on tour against her will she was put on lithium. some wonder if the singer still has a long way to go to gain her freedom. >> i think this was obviously a monumental se

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. "nbc bay area responds" with a lesson for you, too, next. >>> 6:24, happening today a critical future of the oerkland a's new ball park at howard terminal. the a's and oakland's leaders ask alameda county supervisors to fund a new financing deal to support infrastructure needed for the new ball park. oakland mayor libby schaaf is endorsing it but if it falls through, it may doom that new stadium plan. today's meeting takes place at 2:00 p.m. >>> meanwhile, over at the a's current home site, a new tenant may be headed to the arena next door. it's now mostly empty due to warriors leaving and the pandemic halting other events. but the oakland based african-american sports and entertainment group is talking about bringing in a wnba team so that plan may also involve buying the city's share of the coliseum complex. there's a lot of hurdling to clear but the coliseum authority will discuss the lease and license agreement during its meeting friday. 6:25. >>> a bay area man was left frustrate

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. we'll show you how to apply, next. >>> and our team is always on social media. before she left for well-deserved rest and relaxation, kris sanchez posted her breakfast bourre burrito. what do you like for breakfast? follow kris on facebook, twitter and instagram. you're watching "today in the bay." wanna help kids get their homework done? well, an internet connection's a good start. but kids also need computers. and sometimes the hardest thing about homework is finding a place to do it. so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn. over the next 10 years, comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million low-income americans with the tools and resources they need to be ready for anything. i hope you're ready. 'cause we are. ♪start spreading the news♪ ♪i'm leaving today♪ ♪i want to be a part of it♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪it's up to you♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪new york♪ people today... they could spend half their lives o

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. we'll show you how to apply, next. >>> 6:24. convicted sexual predator harvey weinstein is headed back to l.a. prosecutors want to bring him to california so he can be tried on charges of assaulting five women in los angeles and beverly hills from 2004 to 2013. weinstein maintains his innocence and contends that any sexual activity was consensual. >>> a third dose of the covid vaccine may boost protections for organ transplant recipients according to new johns hopkins research which examined 30 organ transplant recipients who received the pfizer or moderna vaccine. many had no antibodies and six patients low levels. a third of those saw an increase after getting another booster shot and all of those with minimal antibodies also saw an increase. >>> hundreds of thousands of families have held funerals for loved ones over the past year, so because of covid-19 funerals that are typically expensive. >> families are eligible for federal health to cover the cost but most people haven't signed up. consumer investigator chris chmura sho

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. >> social media photographer jared having a little fun while we were out in the field. i thought he was trying to block me from the sun. but no. i'll show you what he was making us laugh about on friday. you can find us on facebook, twitter and instagram. you're watching "today in the bay." when you're born and raised in san francisco, you grow up wanting to make a difference. that's why, at recology, we're proud to be 100% employee owned with local workers as diverse as san francisco. we built the city's recycling system from the ground up, helping to make san francisco the greenest big city in america but we couldn't do it without you. thank you, san francisco. gracias, san francisco. -thank you. -[ speaks native language ] let's keep making a differene together. i'm morgan, and there's more to me than hiv. more love, more adventure, more community. but with my hiv treatment, there's not more medicines in my pill. i talked to my doctor and switched to fewer medicines with dovato. do

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. nbc bay area responds with a mission. next. >> first, i'm sure you're looking for a getaway with the restrictions easing. you can get on a plane or go somewhere right hoping, or get this, you can trick your mind into thinking you're somewhere else without leaving your couch. a new trend we're talking about. this is with virtual reality travel. if you're interested in this watch the full story and others like it on nbc lx, 11-15 over the air, 185 on xfinity cable or any time you want and don't have to be virtual on lx.com. we'll be right back. >>> welcome back. reaction continues to pour in following this week's shocking claims surrounding singer britney spears. this week she made an emotional plea to a judge for freedom from her conservatorship. among her claims that she's unable to have a child because her team forces her to remain on birth control. she also claims when she complained about performing on tour against her will she was put on lithium. some wonder if the singer still has a long way to go to gain her freedom

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.xt. >>> our team just like you, always on social media. and i gave a big congratulations to my friend and colleague, damian trujillo, celebrating 25 years at cntv, a fearless journalist who always moves us forward in his reporting. forward in his reporting. forward in his reporting.i join me in wishing him a big congratulations. you're watching "today in the bay." chase e first banknking. a debibit card andnd app for k, and totools for yoyou to teah them gooood money hahabits. set accocount alertsts, savivings goals,s, allolowances andnd chores from youour chase momobile ap. all l with no momonthly servrvi. chase e first banknking. >>> this is some frightening video out of southern california. look at this, the seconds before an suv struck a group of people yesterday in a crosswalk. police in long beach say a 7-month-old baby was in a stroller, hospitalized, but luckily will survive. the mother was not hurt. the driver just kept on going and they're still looking for that driver this m

i am and consumer investigator chris chmura.c bay area responds" next. >>> plus our team always on social media, and it's graduation season and i got a chance to celebrate these two young ladies graduating from san jose collegiate headed to san jose state university next fall and they have a great graduation party given by their wonderful mom, the nunez twins. let us know what you're doing to celebrate graduations this season. hit me up on facebook, twitter or instagram. love to talk about it and see those photos. we'll be right back. ♪start spreading the news♪ ♪i'm leaving today♪ ♪i want to be a part of it♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪it's up to you♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪new york♪ >>> welcome back opinion an update on the weekend mass shooting in austin, texas. police are reporting the first death a 25-year-old man who died yesterday, more than a dozen people were injured. one juvenile suspect is in custody. another suspect is at large. investigators believe that the dispute between the two led to the gunfire. austin's police chief

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. we'll show you how next.what if you could push a button and less carbon would be put into the air. if there were a button that would help you use less energy, breathe cleaner air, and even take on climate change... would you press it? ♪start spreading the news♪ ♪i'm leaving today♪ ♪i want to be a part of it♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪it's up to you♪ ♪new york, new york♪ ♪new york♪ >>> 5:25. here in california businesses are allowed to ask you for your vaccination status. this is to see which customers can take off masks. >> you don't necessarily need to carry your paper vaccine record though. chris chmura is going to show you how to get an official record on your smartphone or computer. >> reporter: the new thing the state of california is offering is essentially a digital copy of your paper vaccine record card. if you got vaccinated in california and live in california you can get it. here's how in three basic steps. you start at this website. my vaccine records.cdph.gov. the california department of public heal

i'm consumer investigators chris chmura.a responds next. >>> plus, a team always on social media. take a look at these guys. no, they're not my real brothers but they are my brothers. some of my fraternity brothers from college. we met up, had a great time. that's why we saw "fast and the furious 9." isn't it nice seeing friends again? >> i haven't seen them in a couple years. we're all vaccinated so we saw each other. we're always connecting on social media. connect with us. you can find me on facebook, instagram, and twitter. much more ahead for you right here on "today in the bay." it's 5:21. . >>> 5:23. an nbc bay area responds to an east bay family who simply wanted to do their laundry but they couldn't. >> consumer investigator chris chmura explains how a customer was hung out to dry. >> good morning. erica in oakland paid sears $891.66 for a brand new dryer and installation. erica says sears rescheduled delivery four times. the bigger issue, however, was how it was installed. erica says a crew stacked the washer and t

i'm consumer investigators chris chmura we'll explain why and how next.iv treatment, there's not more medicines in my pill. o my doctor and switched to fewer medicines with dovato. dovato is for some adults who are starting hiv-1 treatment or replacing their current hiv-1 regimen. with just 2 medicines in 1 pill, dovato is as effective as a 3-drug regimen... to help you reach and stay undetectable. research shows people who take hiv treatment as prescribed and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit hiv through sex. don't take dovato if you're allergic to its ingredients or if you take dofetilide. taking dovato with dofetilide can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. hepatitis b can become harder to treat while on dovato. don't stop dovato without talking to your doctor, as your hepatitis b may worsen or become life-threatening. serious or life-threatening side effects can occur, including allergic reactions, lactic acid buildup, and liver problems. if you have a rash and other symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop dovato and get m

i am consumer investigator chris chmura.c bay area responds" next. >>> this morning, tributes are pouring in for legendary actor ned beatty. his manager says that he died of natural causes at his home in los angeles yesterday, surrounded by family and friends. beatty broke into the movies in 1972 "deliverance" playing a friendly vacationer terrorized by backwoods thugs. he went on to have memorable roles networks "suleiman" "all the presidents men" and "nashville." he received one oscar namm nomination, he was part of a popular movie of his time. ned beatty was 83 years old. other celebrities are posting tributes on social media, oswald.ng seth >>> the highest volume of air traffic has been since last march when travel was brought to an abrupt halt. the surge is causing a summer staffing scramble. tsa is projecting more than 130 of the nation's largest airports will experience staffing shortages this month. the agency is looking to hire 6,000 new officers to handle the summer travel rush with only about half hired so far. >>

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura, we'll show you how, next. >>> take a look at this. we're all on social media and today a big shout out to our reporter cierra johnson on twitter. today marks her one-year anniversary with "today in the bay" team. we're happy top her. follow her on facebook, twitter and instagram as well. wish her congratulations. >> hey, cierra! oh, you think this is just a community center? no. it's way more than that. cause when you hook our community up with the internet... boom! look at ariana, crushing virtual class. jamol, chasing that college dream. michael, doing something crazy. this is the place where we can show the world what we can do. comcast is partnering with 1000 community centers to create wifi-enabled lift zones, so students from low-income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. oh we're ready. ♪ ♪ pozzebon. >>> here is the scenario, you're overcharged and not getting anywhere with a certain business. >> you're entitled to open a dispute and get a refund on money only if you have a credit card and paid with a

. >> consumer investigator chris chmura and his team opened a video of worms. >> let me show you videoof of the shreve family security camera outside their house way back in january, a fedex truck backs over a light fixture right here. the driver later gets out of the van, picks up the toppled light, sticks it in the dirt, and then drives off. greg and monica shreve say he broke their light, sent us this photo and close-up right here showing what they say is damage. they filed a claim with fedex, but they say they didn't get a response. so the shrevs called us. we asked fed ex to take another look. soon after they got a check for $301.90 to cover a new light and installation. "we regret any inconvenience caused by this incident and we work directly with mr. shreve to resolve the issue." the dmv by the way says it's not okay to hit something with your vehicle and just leave. in fact, it says if you are involved in a vehicle collision, stop. if you don't stop, you may be convicted of a hit-and-run and could be severely punished. if something like that happens to you, try to contact the o

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. nbc bay area responds next. >>> 6:22 this morning.horities are calling a deadly crash at a pride parade in south florida a tragic accident. this happened saturday near fort lauderdale as the festival and parade was starting. investigators say the 77-year-old tri-valley stepped on the accelerator by mistake hitting two victims before crashing into a fence. one man died and another was injured. the victim and the driver were members of the fort lauderdale gay men he's chorus. >>> the body of a fourth person involved in a floating inner tube stent has been found. the group went over a dam last thursday. the latest body recovered was that of a 7-year-old boy. the bodies of three others were found the day it happened. four others were rescued. one person is still missing. >>> several people hurt in two hot air balloon incidents in colorado. that balloon crash landed in a state park. this is due to strong winds. three people were taken to the hospital and are expected to be okay. three others were checked out at the scene. according to colo

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura. "nbc bay area responds," next. >>> just like you, our team is always on social media, and i gave a big congratulations to my friend and colleague, damon trujillo, celebrating 25 years at cntv, a fearless journalist who always moves us forward in his reporting. join me in wishing hmm a big congratulations. follow me. you're watching "today in the bay." ♪ststart spreadading ththe news♪ ♪i'm leavining today♪ ♪i wawant to be a part o of it♪ ♪new yorkrk, new yorkrk♪ ♪it's up p to you♪ ♪new yorkrk, new yorkrk♪ ♪new york♪ >>> new video out of southern california showing the seconds before an suv struck a group of people yesterday. they were in a crosswalk. police in long beach say a 7-month-old baby in a stroller was hospitalized, but will survive. his mother was not hurt. the driver just kept going and still is being sought by police. frightening. >>> this week our consumer team moved into the evenings from our 6:00 p.m. newscast to our new 5:30 newscast. >> luckily the switch didn't stop t

. >> they were charged for fees they didn't book, so they turned to chris chmura. >> they held onto $3,000. how long would you fight it? >> two weeks. >> bruce in millbrae fought this for a year. they booked a family trip to new york on united in january of 2020. he booked three tickets, but it was charged for six instead. that was a total of more than $3,344 more than expected. bruce tried to get both united ask his credit card company to remove the extra tickets. that didn't get off the ground for months. bruce says he then disputed the charges, but got a letter from the cre company saying the airline was responsible. he was stuck in the middle, so he asked us for help. our consumer team spent almost a year handling this one. finally, in may united refunded bruce for the extra tickets. on top of that to united's credit, they gave him an equal amount in a voucher. that means a grand total of $6,688.80 between the cash and vouchers. we asked united for a statement but didn't hear back. it didn't work out in bruce's case but do, you can dispute credit card charges if you've been overcharged

our consumer investigator chris chmura is going to walk you through this process step by step. e're also hearing some people are having problems actually getting that digital record. chris also explains what to do if you're running into that issue. this is really helpful if you're traveling internationally. you can find a link to this video right on our front page, nbcbayarea.com. >>> we want to get you up to speed now on some stories that we are watching across the bay area. tonight a step toward healing in oakland following that mass shooting over the weekend. a vigil of peace is under way at this hour at lake merritt. city leaders are on hand talking about violence prevention. police say saturday's shooting began as a gunfight between feuding gangs from san francisco. it happened right there at lake merritt. one person was killed. seven others were hurt during that juneteenth celebration. >>> another story we're watching, the trend continues. another gray whale has washed ashore in san francisco. this one at ocean beach earlier this week. take a look at the photograph here. t

the case for you, your best bet is to dial the state hotline or check out consumer investigator chris chmura'sr the top video that's on our home page. we'll be right back after the break. >>> we're taking you along with us as we discover the best california has to offer, from food to lifestyle and everything in between, we're covering the entire state on "california live." weekdays at 11:30 a.m. on nbc bay area. delicia: this is where all our recycling is sorted -- 1.2 million pounds every day, helping to make san francisco the greenest big city in america. but that's not all you'll find here. there are hundreds of good-paying jobs, with most new workers hired from bayview-hunter's point. we don't just work at recology, we own it, creating opportunity and a better planet. now, that's making a difference. >>> welcome back. and take a look at this. you know our team's always on social media. nbc bay area's marcus washington honored to once again be a part of the ywca's walk a mile in her shoes event. let's just say he's been getting some practice in. you put on high heels, encouraging everyone t

let's turn to consumer investigator chris chmura and happy fifth anniversary, chris. >> keira, good morningimately 830 days ago i stood right here and vowed to use this power to the past five years, we have helped our viewers collectively recover $4.8 million. it all started with rose in berkeley in 2016. she felt overcharged and an auto club rep wouldn't act. >> she was like, she was basically like, well, that's not my problem. >> reporter: we responded and got rose $158 back. five years later, we just helped januaryin in benicia get a $319 refund for a canceled concert. >> i didn't think i was going to be able to get my money back at all. >> reporter: between rose and januaryin, we've helped settle all sorts of disputes. >> the lawnmower just in a nutshell, it doesn't work. >> reporter: and put all kinds of cash back into people's pockets. >> $40,000. >> reporter: over the years, we've listened. >> i got nothing for my money. >> reporter: when viewers felt ignored. >> they would not respond to me. >> reporter: we've taken on companies galore. sometimes we've had to confront them about the

. >> consumer investigator chris chmura, happy anniversary. chris? >> thank you.approximately 1,825 days ago i stood right here in this very spotty believe and vowed to use our power to help you. we're proud to say over the past five years we helped our viewers collectively recover almost $5 million. it all started with rose in berkeley in 2016. she felt overcharged and an auto club rep. wouldn't act. >> she was, like basically that's not my problem. >> reporter: we responded and got rose $158 back. five years later helped janin in benicia get a $319 refund for a canceled refund. >> i didn't think i was going to get my money back at all. >> reporter: between rose and janin -- >> i'm glad i called you guys. >> reporter: -- we've helped settle all sorts of disputes. >> the lawnmower in a nutshell doesn't work. >> thanks to all of you who have written in over the years, our team logged thousands of complaints since 2016 and still responding to more every day. please share your story at nbcbayarea.com, click the "responds" option from the main menu or you can call us,

chris chmura shows you how to get prepared. >> reporter: preventing a wildfire from destroying your home requires some small steps. get in the habit of taking a walk around your home perhaps weekly. look for hazards like dead plants, weeds and other debris and check the rules. >> if you're in an area affected by wildfire more than likely you'll have a defensible space regulation you have to adhere to. >> reporter: the buffer you create between your home and any fuel for fires like that dry vegetation we just mentioned. state law requires 100 feet of defensible space if you have property next to mountain, forest, brush or wild land. that's one third of a football field of clear space. for many people that 100-foot buffer will include your entire yard. they might have additional rules. consider making fire prevention a community priority. wildfires target not just individual homes. along the way you might find the neighbor next door needs a hand protecting their place and you might be able to help them. >> thanks, chris. >>> illegal drone activity is being blamed for a big hit to a threate

chris chmura shows us how to do that. >> reporter: preventing a wildfire from destroying your home requirese small steps, get in the habit of taking a walk around your home, perhaps weekly. look for hazards like dead plants, weeds, or other debris. then check the rules. >> if you're in an area affected by wildfire more than likely you'll have a defensible space. >> reporter: the buffer you create like that dry vegetation we mentioned. that's one third of a football field of clear space around your home or to the end of your property line. for many people that buffer will include your entire yard. call your city or county, too. they might have additional rules. finally, consider making fire prevention a community priority. your neighbor may need some help and you may be able to help them. >>> illegal drone activity is being blamed for a big hit to a threatened bird species. the species is the elegant turn. each year they are at the wetlands in huntington beach. someone last month crashed a drone there and even though they're banned from flying over the preserve the nesting birds were scared

let's bring in chris chmura, happy fifth anniversary.ou've been raking in the money, too. >> we're trying, we're trying, up to approximately $5 million. stood right here in this very spot, i think, and vowed to use our power to help you. over the past five years we've helped viewers collectively recover almost $5 million. it all started with rose in berkley in 2016. she felt overcharged and an auto club rep wouldn't act. >> she was basically like, that's not my problem. >> we responded and got rose $158 back. five years later, we just helped janin and venetia get a refund for a canceled concert. between rose and janin, we've helped settle all sorts of disputes. >> the lawnmower, just, in a nutshell, it doesn't work. >> and put all kinds of cash into people's pockets. >> $40,000. >> $40,000. >> over the years we've listened. >> i've got nothing for my money. >> when viewers felt ignored. >> they will not respond to me. >> we've taken on companies galore. what's it going to take to get their money back? we've done battle with governments,

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.haps we have the key to a refund when nbc bay area responds next. >> reporter: good morning. michael gardner sent us this photo showing how he resorted to using a chair to lock his hotel door just like the movies. he said the hotel couldn't fix the lock and didn't have any other open rooms. luckily his visit was only one night. he stayed and expected the hotel to comp him for the hassle, but that didn't happen. he contacted american express, the folks who booked him in that hotel. he expected amex to give him a full refund. so he asked us to take a look. we did. we contacted american express and shared his photo. michael says american express called twice, contacted the hotel and worked out a deal. michael got back his full $297.07. he wrote us a very nice note and said i sincerely appreciate it. you are a star with 11 exclamation points. we asked amex for details. a spokesperson said we can't comment on anything related to a specific card member. if you need help with a consumer probl

i'm consumer investigator chris chmura.area responds. >> ransomware attacks already large and growing threat to a lot of people. our nbc lx team are taking a look at the new data and how the fbi is working to combat those attacks. check out the full story and others like it on our platform, nbc lx 1115 over the air, 185 on xin table or any time you want at lx.com. much more ahead on "today in the bay." [♪♪♪] alright, guys, listen up. my momma... our grandpa... - my daddy... - our dad works on the highway. it's so scary. please be careful. slow down. and pay attention. be alert. be work zone alert. over the years, mercedes-benz has patented thousands of safety innovations. crash-tested so many cars we've stopped counting. and built our most punishing test facility yet, in our effort to build the world's safest cars. we've created crumple zones and autonomous braking. active lane keeping assist and blind spot assist. we've introduced airbags, side curtain airbags, and now the first-ever rear-mounted front-impact airbags. all

. >> they were charged for seats they didn't book and they turned to chris chmura and his team to straightence in mill bray booked a family trip to new york on united airlines in january 2020. he booked three tickets but was charged for six, for a stoelts of $3,344.40 more than he expected. bruce tried to get united and his credit card to remove the extra tickets but that did not get off the ground for months. bruce tried disputing his charges but got a letter from the credit card company saying the airline was responsible. he asked us for help. our consumer team spend almost a year on this case, finally in may united refunded bruce for the extra tickets and gave him an equal amount in a voucher, which means the grand total is $6,688.80 in cash and vouchers. we asked united for a statement but didn't hear back. it didn't work in bruce's case, remember you can dispute credit card charges when you have been overcharged. we just made a how to video showing what it takes and ways to win. you can watch it and all of our other how to episodes on our website, our streaming channels or our youtube p