i'm christie smith. we'll tell you how bay area school districts stack up coming up in a live report. >>> plus we have new video of that natural gas explosion in oakland. what pg&e is saying about the blast. >>> and before and after, shocking weight loss. a local man's secret how he lost it all without surgery. >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the east bay." >>> good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. it is 4:30. let's go right to rob meteorologist -- that's a good name, i like it with yr mayed da forecast. >> a rainy forecast today. we'll take you into the east bay, 580/680 interchange, starting to see light frrain in fremont. more substantial rain lurking in the north bay. this is spilling south as you go through the morning commute. you can see the system on the bay area. rainfall totals around the north bay, 1 to 2 inches of rain the next 24 hours so pretty substantial rain there. for the east bay mainly a half inch to an inch of rain during the day today. dub

i'm christie smith. we will tell you what it is and how to get it. >> per a live look outside this morning. you are up early. we want to give you a first look at traffic and weather. it's december 2nd, today in the east bay. >>> good morning. it is 4:30 and we start with rob who has a look at the hour by hour forecast. >> a bit of a change with a lot of 40s on the map thanks to the clouds spilling in. 45 in hayward and down to 38 degrees in livermore. chilly around the trivalley. the rain for now north of ukiah and some of it will be around the north bay. the temperatures with variable clouds into the afternoon. livermore near 37 for the morning and as we jump to noon, the showers off to the north bislowly heading south. we will see more opportunities for rain into the weekend. a look at the forecast in a few minutes. >> we will throw it over to mike. good morning, mike. >> i hoped the rain would come sooner. i wanted it to clear by sunday. northbound 880 and just cleared from this roadway around fifth,

live in oakland, christie smith today in the bay. a woman is dead after being shot by san leandro police after a car chase that ended in oakland. marla tellez is live where the woman died a few hours ago. >> good morning. it did start in san leandro cross the poerder and ended here in oakland where we are standing here on bancroft and durant. we have been here since 4:15 and it was an active scene. oakland police and investigators collecting evidence and taking photos. we are showing you video to explain what happened. oakland police said the deadly shooting happened at about 10:25 and started with a police chase involving san leandro police and a jaguar. the chase began in san leandro and ended when it crashed into a parked car and a light poll. oakland police tell us an officer fired shots and one woman is now dead as a result. we heard one man was hurt, but that has not been confirmed. we don't know who was driving a jaguar and what prompteded the chase. live in oakland, today in the bay. >> thank you for the update there. san fra

i'm christie smith.you that coming up "today in the bay." >> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the bay." >>> well, good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. >> and i'm marla tellez. it is 5:30 on your wednesday morning. brent and laura have the morning off. our top story this morning, the weather. it is triggering a state of emergency in parts of california. >> we have team coverage. kris sanchez is live in pacifica. christie smith following the weather in the east bay and rob mayeda in the weather center tracking the storm as it rolls over the bay area. let's start with rob. good morning. >> good morning. we're seeing the wettest part of the day right now with pockets of heavy rain crossing over right in time for your morning commute. notice the trend as we head towards noon and 4:00. we see the rain changing to scattered showers. later todaye'll see the showers shutting down. right now the radar firing big time over the peninsula and right now approaching oakland. it's

christie smith is live there. >> reporter: good morning.got to tell you, this is one big tree, completely covering the road here. i wanted to give you sort of an idea of how soggy the ground is. this is what it came from and it's just completely saturated from all the rain. this is pleasanton sunol road. it's completely blocked both north and southbound directions. sort of an alternate route to get around the pleasanton area. i talked to a chp officer here this morning and he says it was around 4:15 a driver phoned in and said to the chp you've got to get out here, there's an 80-foot tree across the road. it's thick too, they're thinking about 10 feet in diameter, just gave way with all the rain. at this point they have flares set up on both sides of the road. drivers coming right into it and realizing there's just no passing it. they're telling me that it will be at least 90 minutes this morning before they can get a crew out here to even begin to start cutting this up and getting it out of the way. you can see there's just a lot of work a

christie smith has more. >> reporter: good morning, scott. tonight is really the first chance for the public to have their say on this and really get a closer look at what's being talked about, the next step of all of this is an environmental impact report on what might happen here with this if it does happen indeed at jack london square. we're talking about a 39,000-seat ballpark called the victory court ballpark with retail and housing bundled in. already, though, some neighbors are raising a red flag about potential problems with things like air quality, noise and mostly traffic impacts in the area. the site, though, is actually over near 4th street and embarcadero over by 880 and it includes about 2500 parking spaces over near the lany college parking lot. everyone around here certainly wants to keep the as in oakland but it's unclear with the parking exactly how everyone would get around. on the upside you've got the incoming mayor jean quan throwing her support behind this, but questions still linger over whether major league baseball w

my live report is coming up. >> reporter: good morning, i'm christie smith.than a half dozen schools in one east bay school district are on the chopping block. no surprise. it comes down to a lack of money. we'll tell you which ones are being considered coming up. >>> and when is the best time to have a baby? see what couples are saying about why they're waiting and the new group that's changing things up. >>> plus we're watching what might impact your wallet this morning. we have a live look as wall street is now open for business. trading under way. >>> and we'll show you when the rain will come back. it's wednesday, december 15th, "today in the bay." >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the bay." >>> good morning to you. 6:30 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. >> and i'm brent cannon. we want to get started with rob. he's pulling a little double duty this morning. he has weather and traffic together. although in some instances, they go hand in hand. >> out towards the delta and the north bay we're seeing a little patchy

christie smith and kris sanchez are live out in the elements this morning. we start with meteorologist rob mayeda to find out how long the rain is going to last. rob. >> well, this morning we've been watching that rain slowly heading out of the bay area. i'll show you the temperatures first hour by hour. most of the bay area heading right to the warmest part of the day, 2:00. we'll see mid to upper 50s today, but we'll see sun breaking through the clouds. one of the changes we're already seeing this morning is some of heavy rain has moved on but over san francisco and heading to the east bay, bay bridge, golden gate bridges getting hit by pretty good rain. we'll talk more about this system that is slow to leave the bay area and our next storm coming in for the weekend in just a few minutes. back to you. >>> several homeowners across the east bay are cleaning up after getting soaked. >> today in the east bay's christie smith is live in oakland this morning where a tree fell into a house. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. we've been talking about

i'm christie smith. the wet weather we are talking about is already coming down and cawing problems on the road. what people are doing to prepare. >> want to avoid lines at the mall for holiday shopping? why today is the perfect day to do shopping on line. >>> good morning. it is 4:30. as i say high and say nothing but sunshine, does that change anything? >> it's friday morning and there is the positive spin. the commute is very tough from castro valley into hayward. south of hayward, this is advancing towards cal state east bay. towards oakland, light rain towards berkeley and north to highway 4. a bit of a break and you can seat rain lifting off towards fairfield. we will be in and out of the rain at times burning breezy towards the afternoon and all the specific moisture on the bay area. we will be stuck in the pattern for a while. it will be chilly from areas south, a few mid 50s and notice the temperatures into contra costa and solano counties. high temperatures only in the 40s. we will talk more ab

christie smith is live in berkeley with a look at the conditions. it was raining a short time ago, but it looks like it stopped. >> we are seeing sprinkles here and it's not windy and the heavy stuff has not hit us. i'm liking the storm because it hasn't dumped on us yet. we are here near frontage road where you see street pooling and a little bit of light flooding when the rain hits. that hasn't happened yet, but the rain contributed to accidents out on the road overnight. a big rig lost control near the westbound bypass. a truck slid off the freeway and crashed through a fence. the driver was treated for minor injuries. meantime pretty much all over the bay area including a place like redwood city, sandbags are out for home and business owners. here in redwood city, heavy rain and high tide may contribute to street flooding. neighbors are being encouraged to get the sandbags early and protect garages. signs are out in the road that say flooding. you want to be careful when you are out driving. crews are checking streams and storm drains and remind

live in concord, christie smith today in the east bay. >> thank you.ome call it a dangerous delivery. medical marijuana to your doorstep. what happens as you follow the drivers into bay area neighborhoods. the most expensive book in the world goes on sale today. a book on birds. how much it's expected to sell for and why it's still pricey. you are looking at a live picture of the bay bridge. brent will be here in a second. the controversial service some people say is asking for trouble. we will have an indepth report next. a bay area community looking for a change of address, but they are meeting a lot of resistance about it. >>> good morning and thanks for joining us. laura is on assignment this morning. we want to get you started with a look at traffic and weather. we check in with rob and the hour by hour forecast. >> a nice start to the morning. at least you don't have to worry about raindrops. 45 degrees and as we take you hour by hour, notice the south bay getting into the mid 60s. north bay temperatures running cooler because we will see increas

christie smith live with that story. >> good morning to you.chnically they are breaking the law, but it's the fines and enforcements students are protesting. $220 for doing things like parking your bicycle on a railing versus an actual rack or rolling through a stop sign or even something called the campus dismount zone, the area around the plaza. you have to get off the bicycle there. students are so steamed, they started a facebook page full of complaints. california law requires the same fines for cars and bikes. s that nothing new, but the enforcement is coming at a time when students are facing hikes and just can't afford it. the university is saying they are trying to keep pedestrians safe and they were seeing a lot of bicycle pedestrian wrecks, especially near the plaza. they didn't even know the fines were so high until they started hearing complaints from the students. university police don't even set the fines, but they tell us they are looking for a less expensive alternative for the students. they are also reminding students that uc

i'm christie smith. what it is and where you can get it in a live report. >>> bay area riders get tickets for following police orders in a recent standoff. what they have to do now. >> a u.s. company kicks wikileaks off the servers. the latest on the fallout from leak documents. >> a great looking picture of the shark tank in the south bay. good morning. it is thursday, december 2nd today in the bay. >> good morning. 6:00. i'm laura garcia cannon. >> we're top the get to rob with the hour by hour forecast. only slightly warmer. >> 45 not too bad. we have clouds filling in. not too windy in the city, but as we go hour by hour, temperatures are mild in the upper 50s and low sicks. cooler though in the north bay. there is a reason for that. we will have mostly cloudy skies and that will be sliding south towards the afternoon. the timing of the chances of rain in the full forecast. back to you. >> we want it check in with mike with an update. >> down to milpitas where we showed you earlier pictures and north

i'm christie smith. we're talking closure. we'll tell you which ones are on the list and when a final decision will be made. >>> and a heated fight at the berkeley city council meeting. the hot topic, whether to call an army private who leaked information to wikileaks a hero. >>> a live look outside, the rain is still here. it's december 15th. this is "today in the east bay." >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the east bay." >>> good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. it is 4:30. let's start with meteorologist rob mayeda, your east bay forecast and commute as well. >> mike has the morning off. i wish the traffic will take the morning off but we'll watch that for you. right now 40s and 50s outside. a little chilly in a few spots. not much wind. patchy fog will be the thing that will slow down your morning commute. it's mainly out toward the delta and up toward napa. visibility less than a mile. here's the radar view across the east bay. off to the east, chain controls up in the sierra alon

i'm christie smith. we'll show you one trouble spot in the east bay coming up. >>> and the photos the government does not want you to eat. we'll have the latest on the salmonella outbreak that has spread to california. it is wednesday, december 29th, "today in the east bay." >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the east bay." >>> good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. scott mcgrew is off today. it is now 4:30. we want to start with meteorologist christina loren. you were right on when it came to the timing of the storm. what can we expect the rest of the day? >> we've got a little more moisture coming your way this morning. good morning to you. it looks like this is what you can expect as we head throughout the morning tuhours. we'll see precipitation coming down mostly in the south bay, but let's go ahead and zoom in and show you where the showers are taking place in the east bay this morning. we just had a little bit of rain come down in places like livermore

i'm christie smith. we have some options for you coming up in a live report. >>> a new year is coming and a new study shows most americans are going to start looking for a new job. we will show you how to revamp your resume to get that dream job. it is friday, december 31st. it is new year's eve day. good morning, everybody. today in the bay starts in just a few minutes. >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the east bay." >>> good friday morning, everybody. it's 4:30, i'm brent cannon. we start with meteorologist christina loren, she has a look at the last forecast of 2010 and the first forecast of 2011. >> oh, yes, and it's going to be a cold one. a cold forecast to ring in the new year. this morning you're probably going to find frost on your windshield in several cities. livermore, gilroy, santa cruz, also areas inland like oakland in the east bay this morning, just give yourself plenty of time to get that frost off your windshield. that will be the case until 10:00

i'm christie smith.'ll tell you what the numbers are and what the district plans to do about it, coming up in a live report. >>> president obama wants fellow democrats to extend tax cuts. see who will be on capitol hill to make the case coming up in a live report. >>> the south bay this morning, the rain begins to work its way from north to south. today, wednesday, december 8th, on "today in the bay." >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the bay." >>> good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm brent cannon. laura is off today on assignment. scott mcgrew will join me in a few minutes. he's got a little radio to do right now. so for now we want to check in with rob. he's got our hour-by-hour forecast which is important, because it's going to change hour by hour today. >> the rain really flying across parts of the bay area. at leaf the temperatures not much change here. rain at times all the way into the evening. speaking of the rain right now it is very likely sl

today in the bay's christie smith is live at oakland international airport with a look at how it's going there. good morning, christie. >> good morning. it's busy when you see people turn the corner and they see the line and mouth the phrase omg. that's what we see. we were going to show you the curbside check in and it's kwiz busy, but we stopped when we turned the corner and saw the security line. one word for you, it is long. moving well, but it goes past security and past baggage claim down the side of the building that goes along with what the airport is saying. travel is up at oakland international about 1% to 2% this december over last december. that's the busiest days of the week and aaa is saying 3% more californians are hitting the road this season and it may be pointing to a boost in consumer confidence. one thing for sure, travelers didn't expect to be shoulder to shoulder like this. >>> it's crazy. i thought i was here early enough to miss some of them. >> what time is your flight? >> 7:05. i have time. >> if you are heading out through st if o, a live picture looking at the

christie smith is live in newark. eal with the death of the former football player. christie? >> good morning. staff will have an emergency meeting and crisis counsellors will be here at the library helping students cope with the tragedy. we are told that students actually ran to the scene to try and help when they heard what happened, but it was too late. this morning there candles burning at the bus stop where the 17-year-old was waiting. a coach said he played football at newark memorial and transferred to a continuation for his senior year. his mom believes the attack could be tied to a recent incident where a cheerleader was being beaten up and her son tried to help. she is stunned that anyone would do this. >> i was shocked. your friends come out and yell and scream and i didn't believe it. i didn't believe it. >> newark police say witnesses describe two men in dark clothes and hoodies running away from the scene. so far no arrests. live in newark, christie smith today in the bay. >> 6:53 now and scott joins us o

i'm christie smith.g to an east bay high school after a popular football player was stabbed in broad daylight. >> new information about the gang rape of a richmond high schooler. what was revealed in court and what dna evidence police say they have. >>> a live look outside this morning, big rain is on the way and it's not here yet. today, december 16th on today in the bay. >>> good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm brent cannon. >> i'm in for laura garcia cannon. let's look at the forecast with rob. >> a chilly start to the morning. you want a nice thick coat this morning. low 30s and patchy fog. 32 right now in novato and 34 in n livermore. patches of fog and frost for the morning. i think we will get a little bid of midday sunshine. we will start to see the first showers arrive and plenty of rain into the weekend. details on a formy forecast coming up. >> it will be a tough day for sturnts at an east bay high school. they are dealing with the stabbing death of a classmate and they saw what

christie smith live in oakland with how these scams work. >> good morning to you. they lure people into neighbors like this one here in oakland with the promise of a nice expensive car for a rock bottom price. the people get here and it turns out there is no car. instead there men carrying guns and they rob them at gunpoint. so far there have been at least a half dozen victims responding to car ads on craigslist. after e-mails are exchanged, a meeting is set up in the afternoon or early evening in east or north oakland. in two cases the buyers were physically attacked. police believe this is a group of suspects who first saw it back in april. they came back in december. that according to the trip. the latest incident was this past sunday. a lodi man came to oakland and he was rob and severely beaten. buyer beware. oakland police suggesting a couple of things if you plan to buy online. don't meet in a is you cluded price or residential area. you want to go to a public location. also don't carry big rolls of cash. you have to find another way to pay for it. if anythi

christie smith is live in berkeley. i keep watching your hood and each time we come to you to see if it's rain it. must be coming down. >> it's a really good gauge. i thought we would get a break since we checked in with you about 30 minutes ago, but no such luck. the rain is still falling in berkeley. not hard, but it's more of a nuisance. you have to be bundled up. we are near interstate 80 where often time when is it rains, you see ponding and street flooding. not happening yet this morning, but the rain is certainly causing problems out there this morning. with accidents and a bad one in contra costa county. a truck driver lost control and skidded off the road and through a fence. he required medical treatment, but it expected to be okay. you can bet the sandbags are out this morning in places like redwood city and high tides meant street flooding in the past and neighbors encouraged to get them early. oakland public works checked their website, they are offering sandbags at 11 fire station when is the weather is ba

today in the bay's christie smith is live in contra costa where survivors want the nation to remember the tragedy so it doesn't happen again. christie? >> survivors are really a living part of american history. this is the 47th year they gathered on top of mount diablo to share stories and lie a beacon. the phrase remember pearl harbor is taking on a more poignant and urgent tone as witnesses to one of the deadliest attacks on american soil. four members of the mount diablo chapter of the pearl harbor survivor's association passed away this summer. nationwide it's estimated that in survivor's groups, there only 3,000 members left. that serves as a reminder as to why this group is so dedicated to the cause. the attack ushered in the united states involvement in world war ii. the beacon locally blinks a white light until it's turned off the next morning. survivors will stop at a school in concord before heading up to the top of mount diablo. in the past, fog and clouds have made the beacon tough to see. survivors say they just want to make sure that it's on for those who died december 7

live in oakland, christie smith, today in the bay. >> thanks a lot, christie.he holiday parade is sunday. today in the bay is gearing up. i think bob redell will be out there rain or shine. the parade manager with the city of san jose. good morning and good to see you as always. we were talking about how busy the parade will be. you have all kinds of stuff. the globetrotters and the giants and the trophy. >> we got the trophy. it will be there. >> people can come out and see that. >> we have a ton. it's not going to rain on our parade. >> for rarely does. it's a phenomenon. you get a break of sunshine. >> we will have a ton of fun on sunday morning. we have a ton of people coming out and a lot of entertainment. you said the globetrotters and the giants and we have minnie mouse on disney resorts. the theme is toys and traditions and treasures. some of the traditions are cool giant helium balloons. we have scooby doo, yogi bear. >> this is what i will like. >> we have elmo. and we have bugs bunny. that's my favorite. i can't wait to see bugs bunny. we have giant

christie smith is live with a look at how the bay area is taking off. >> good morning. there is already a steady crowd here at the airport. we are at terminal two and southwest is inside. this is the busy terminal. there is already a line at the southwest counter even though it doesn't open until 5:00 in the morning. at oakland, expect it to be the busiest travel days of the week. they are expecting a slight increase of 1% to 2%. travelers advised to check the status of their flight before they head out because of snowstorms elsewhere. we saw a couple of delays to d.c. and southern california. according to aaa, 3% more californians are heading out by car, air, and rail this year. they are saying it's a sign that just maybe the economy is recovering. we spoke with a couple of travelers about that idea and we will tell you what they think in about 30 minutes. live in oakland, christie smith today in the east bay. >>> we are learning more about a gruesome discovery. a woman's body half naked and throat slit found in the alameda estuary. a man who found her was a bird watch

christie smith live with what is ahead in the final leg of the preliminary hearing. good morning, christie. >> you had to judge who is making the decision which will go to trial. he has two major concerns looking forward. one of them is whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a 16-year-old to trial. he has concerns about evidence surrounding a 23-year-old richmond man. a judge did indicate the 20-year-old is a ringleader to all this would go to trial. the judge said after watching a tape that in his opinion was more of an interrogation when he invoked his rights to remain silent, the interview continued. he basically will consider anything said in that interview. attorneys are expected to present oral arguments. the attack happened in october of 2 thousand 9. a 16-year-old girl police said was raped, beaten and robbed by a group of men as spectators watched outside of a homecoming dance. one defendant is facing twik years in prison and the others could see up to life in prison if convicted. live in mar tip ez, christie smith, today in the east bay. >>> a search

i'm christie smith.seven schools in one east bay school district may have to be shut down due to financial problems. we'll tell you which ones are being considered c

reporting live in oakland, christie smith, "today in the bay." >> thank you. >>> 6:16 right now. move it or lose it. parents can now take public schools to court if they don't offer enough physical education. a small survey found less than half of state schools provided the required amount of physical education for kids. state law says elementary schools must offer at least 200 minutes of pe every ten days. in high school, the number increases to 400 minutes. >>> temperatures are down but the surf is up so the annual maverick surf competition could actually happen at any moment. the famous surf contest could happen any time between today and february 28th. the window is officially open. the newly named jay's at mavericks big wave international is known for 20 to 40-foot waves a half a mile from pillar point harbor. it only takes place when there are ideal conditions for big waves. >>> congress could give government kbhoiys the right to blow the whistle without turning to wikileakss. president obama is expected to sign it if it passes. it's seen as a way to discourage leaks of cla

christie smith live in fremont. the suspect actually crashed into a dui check point. >> we are hearing he crashed into a car that is part of a dui unit. this is one amazing crash. the suspect refused to stop and ended up crashing into more than one police car. he ended up here at grand and b where he hit a car and went through the front yard. you can see the flower boxes smashed up. two people hospitalized this morning, including the driver who deputies tell me is a 23-year-old parolee on parole for citying cars this. started before midnight and deputies spotted a car near the castro valley part station. the driver pulled over and pulled down a driveway when deputies got out of their car. he then rammed their patrol car and took off. deputies followed over to b and grand where they say he blew through the intersection and hit a bart police officer's car. the cars were smash and all of them involved. that bart officer taken to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries. hospitalized with a head injury. deputies s

it seems strange to say breakfast can help victims of violent crime, but that's where christie smith live outside the chicken and waffles. >> reporter: good morning. this will help victims by supporting them throughout the holidays. 100% go to help victims of violent crime in oakland. the foundation was actually created by a family that has gone through a personal tragedy of their own. the foundation for nonviolence was created by a woman named marilyn washington harris who lost her season-year-old son to the streets of west oakland in 2000. since then the family has been a strong advocate for ending violence. student athletes will be here to serve breakfast and the cost is $25. all proceeds go to the foundation. basically the restaurant is just offering a location and doing a good deed. this is the second annual holiday breakfast at the home of chicken and waffles here in jack london square. 444 embarcadero in oakland. if you want to help, come on down. it starts at 7:30 through 9:30. that's the latest from oakland, christie smith, today in the east bay. >> oakland citizens police r

today in the bay's christie smith has more on the wild chase and what else the suspect damaged in all the mess. good morning, christie. >> good morning. he hit not one, but two patrol cars and a signal light that was here where you see orange cone. then he crashed into this front yard thaw see here. flower boxes are wrecked this morning. you can see the path he took. when you look at the damage, it is quite amazing that everyone survived. deputies tell us the man involved is a 23-year-old parolee from hayward on parole for stealing cars. it was just before midnight and deputies spotted a stolen honda near the castro valley part station. they ordered him to stop and he pulled down a wide alley. deputies got out of their car and he threw his car in reverse and hit their patrol car. he then kept going and crashed through a fence and floored it about 60 miles an hour through city streets around hayward. another crash. >> when it came to b street and grand, the suspect went throughout red light and collided with a bart police car who had the grown light and was uninvolved up to that point.

christie smith is live in martinez with what's ahead in the case.ng. the last two witnesses are critical because they are expected to clear up confusion in the case. they are the lead investigator and also a dna expert in the case. one of the issues that remains murky is the involvement of the oldest defendant, 43-year-old man and the young set of a 16-year-old. they made headlines and a 16-year-old was gang raped, beaten and robbed as spectators watched. seven men and boys are charged. the 43-year-old defendant is a richmond man arrested two months after the assault based on a cold dna hit. when police talked to the girl, she did not recognize him and witnesses did not place him at the scene either. details are emerging that almost all of those involved who are drunk and had been denied entry to the dance earlier whether it was security. the girl too had been drinking. apparently had a blood alcohol level of .355 when she was found and tested. once testimony is over next week, attorneys will make oral argue ams and a judge will decide if there is e

christie smith, today in the bay. >> frightening ordeal for those folks. thank you for the update. >>> it's 3 1/2 months since the deadly san bruno explosion and victims may start getting donated money from a city fund. two councilmembers plan to ask the full council to decide to start hanning out checks on january 11th. they are holding almost $400,000 in donations. vehicles tell the examiner they are facing expenses like up front fees for architects that donations can help cover. they would talk about how they would like to money distributed. >> a majoror thoroughfare is due for upgrades. almaden expressway will undergo an $8.1 million renovation. it will widen to four lanes to blossom hill road. crews will instale more turn lanes and traffic lights. >>> this morning cliff side apartments in pacificar closer to falling after being pounded by another storm. rain washed out another chunk of soil from the building's foundation on tuesday. that means 1/3 of that building is hanging over the ocean. it has been empty since winter when residents were evacuated.

christie smith has how those work. >> you heard the thing. if it's too good to be true, that's the case here. the scammers are offering incredible deals on high dollar cars. so far oakland police are saying they scammed about a half dozen people. mostly in north and east oakland. oakland police said first e-mails are exchanged about the car and a meeting is set up. usually in the afternoon or evening. it turns out there is no car. instead the victim is robbed and in two cases the victim was actually physically assaulted. according to the tribune, these could be the same scammer who is used craigs list in april and started robbing people again this december. the last one drove in from lodi and he was rob and beaten here in oakland. oakland police are suggesting a few things to help you watch your back. don't bring big rolls of cash. the seconds did and if it seems suspicious accident go ahead and leave. especially if you don't see the car advertised if the first place. if you are robbed, give up what they are asking for. it's not worth your li

that's the latest from here reporting live in oakland, christie smith, today in the bay. >> helped out a lot of people. a councilwoman is hosting a meeting about armed robberies. robbers are hitting the trendiest neighborhoods and the latest happened not far from north berkeley bart station at hurst and martin luther king. earlier incidents happened around the popular gourmet ghetto. police are on the look out for robbers who are taking valuables from people on foot. the meeting is hosted and meant to get the word out to robbers. it starts at 7:00 at the church on the 1700 block of university avenue tonight. >> the dream act moves to the senate and the house moved in offering green cards to undocumented high school graduates who come to the u.s. before they were 16. they must have lived here for five years and have no criminal record and be headed to college or the military. president obama supports the bill, but it's expected to have a tough time passing through the senate. >>> the president has a big or fight on his hands. the tax deal with republicans has proven to be very unpopular

christie smith is live in oakland with what it's like out there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. let me start by saying it's been raining for hours now and of course we're starting to see the fallout from all this rain. we're on the oakland-san leandro border and the homeowner here says she thought it was an earthquake or maybe a plane crashing into the house when this huge tree came crashing down on her house. turns out 75-foot pine tree, the ground completely soaked here. if steve can pan over here, this is a spark arrester from the chimney sitting in front of the house. it crashed through the roof. the homeowner said she was holding her head hoping she wouldn't get hurt. to make matters worse, she had five people over. this was sunday. two of those people had a close call. >> i had two friends on the couch at the time, so just very, very happy that they did not get hit by the branches because everything else in the living room was smashed. >> reporter: and the damage inside of the living room there pretty bad. she said she had planned t

i'm christie smith.igh school dropout rate numbers are out for the state of california, and it's not pretty for oakland schools. they lead the pack here in alameda county. we'll have that story coming up. >>> and a live look outside from the south bay this morning. again, we're seeing some clear skies for now, but it may not last. it's december 8th, 2010, on "today in the bay." >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the bay." >>> good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm brent cannon. laura is off on assignment today. we'll get you started with a quick look at your forecast. rob is here and he says changes are in the works. >> changes are happening actually right now in the bay area. you'll notice today the main accessory will be an umbrella. you don't really need a winter coast because we are starting off in the 50s. this is going to impact your morning commute, mike. you can see in the east bay starting to see the rain fly around the bay bridge and it's on the

christie smith has a look at what some of your options are. >> reporter: good morning.hard to believe 2011 is just hours away. i'm sure by now you've got your party plans in place. the good news is that most bay area transit agencies are offering either extended service or free service to help you get home. some cab companies are also offering free rides in case you've had a few too many. bart is probably the easiest way to get into the city from the east bay. they're not offering free rides but trains will roll all the way until 3:00 in the morning. for peninsula-bound riders you want to get in on montgomery after you see the fireworks along the embarcadero. vta will offer a free right rail and bus service in the south bay from 7:00 p.m. all the way until 4:00 in the morning. some other options for you, muni, rail, bus and cable car free from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. caltrain, rides are free after 11:00 all the way until after 2:00 this morning. and san trans free also from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. if you do ride muni, though, some lines will be rerouted along the emba

live in oakland, christie smith today in the bay. >>> thanks, christie. weather continues to be one of the top headlines all over the world. airlines are struggling to catch up after a few days of delays and cancellations. the snow and ice in europe are beginning to melt. still hundreds of flights were canceled earlier this week. in paris, airlines are also dealing with piles of lost luggage. people lined up hoping to find their bags. >>> back in the states, work continues on the metrodome in minneapolis. the home of the vikings could be out of commission longer than expected after heavy snow caused the roof to cave in. concrete dwighters were helping to keep it from flying off. engineers used a shotgun to break open the snow dams. >>> in arizona this morning, homes teetering on the brink of disaster. check it out. there is so much rain in mojave county, five homes have been washed away by fast flowing waters. three others are in danger are washing away. the heavy rains have damaged a number of other homes in the area. more rain is expected to hit arizona

that's the latest live in oakland, christie smith today in the bay. >> glad you asked. if you need to send gives or cards through the mail, you can use the ronald reagan stamp. nancy reagan showed the honors. first class stamp honors the 100th anniversary of reagan's birth which will be february sixth, 2011. it will be based on a 1985 photograph. >> tax cuts coming to a vote will end up hurting america? scott has that. >> moody's brand that gives credit ratings to companies is the latest to speak out against the extension of the tax cuts. the u.s. is not a company, but bring in less money in the form of taxes and it hurts the bottom line. we are watching this carefully because the senate is expected to bring the tax cut to a full up and down vote as early as 7:00 our time. meanwhile, best buy is disappointing investors in sales, particularly with televisions. we are hearing good news about online buying. that is affecting the stores. tvs and mobile commuting and video games and software falling for best buy. it's a stock to watch. one of the common mistakes is a weird s

christi smith shows us the damage. >> the sound must be absolutely incredible when the tree fell. it's a 65 foot tall walnut tree. i'm 5'5" and sanding at the base here is almost tall as i am. fortunately, no one was driving by when it fell. the roots were rotted out according to an arborist called in to tack it will cleanup. a driver first called it in saying, hey, i can't get through pleasantton samoa road. a tree the blocking both lanes, both directions. the alternate route near 680 was closed for four hours until this morning. the massive tree could be removed. the rain fell too much. >> couldn't handle the weight. there was wind last night and old trees died. >> the tree was about 100 years old and near the end of his life span. so these kinds of things are bound to happen with all of the rain we've had. near pleasanton, christie smith, nbc bay area news. >>> still ahead at 6:00, a look at how folks woke up to find a lot of roof damage on their homes. we'll show you why a lot of people are being forced to wait to get their rooms fixed. >>> right now, a blustery day turning in

it seems striange to say, but that's why christie smith outside chicken and waffles. >> it's startingell good in here. we moved inside and this is really unique. probably one of the groups that you hope that you don't have to hear from. in the event that tragedy does strike, they are really among the first to come on out and help you out and help pull things together. here with me is the founder, marilyn washington harris. good morning. this started with you and you had a personal tragedy. your son was killed. >> correct. my son was killed back in 2000. it kind of started from there. we didn't know exactly what to do. we evolved over the last 10 years and going-over the crisis and responders are the second ones on the scene after the police to help a family. >> your first responders. what sorts of thing do people need. they had a tragedy within their family. what sorts of things do you do? >> the first thing is the presence of caring. when we respond, we go at clinics and water and look around and see what may be needed. we may bring them food and have chicken and waffles to send them

christie smith is live with that story. >> per good morning. have to watch where you ride your bike and why where you park and most of all, do not blow through stop signs on your bicycle. uc police officer told me they have been handing out these cards to students letting them know where they can and can't ride bicycles on campus. there signs lick this letting cyclists know that they have to dismount before they go into the plaza. what it doesn't say is that the fine is $220. that's what got uc students so upset. uc police have been citing students using the state's vehicle coat similar for bikes and cars. with the tuition hikes they have been dealing with, they can't afford the tickets. uc police officers me this morning a lot of students have been hit by cyclists going too fast. they are trying to keep people safe by enforcing the rules and too many cyclists have been locking their bicycles to stair way rails which is a hazard for the disabled trying to get up and down. while the $220 fine, they didn't know it was so high until students start

christie smith is live in martinez. the judge will weigh in on whether they will stand trial. good morning. >> good morning. attorneys are expected to present oral arguments in the case and as you said, the judge will decide which of the seven defendants will stand trial and on what charges. judge gregory expressed concern about two of the defendants and concern about evidence on a 23-year-old richmond man involved. the oldest defendant is 44 years old. what's become a quite high profile case. police said it was october 2009 when a 16-year-old girl was raped, beaten and robbed outside of a richmond high school homecoming dance as a group of people watched. the judge seems most concerned about the 16-year-old. he ruled that his police interview is not even admissible as evident because he believes his rights were violated when police ignored the 16-year-old's request to remain silent. the defendants could face 26 years and all the rest up to life in prison if convicted. this hearing is expected to conclude today. live in martinez, christie smith today in the bay. >> thank you.

that's the latest from here at uc berkeley, christie smith today in the bay. >> thanks a lot, christie. >> regents are talking about how to fix the budget mess. they voted to raise tuition. they will vote on a plan to reform the employee pension program. the plan would increase the retirement age for some employees hired after july 1st and increase the age for receiving maximum benefits and decrease contributions to most retiree health care premiums. they will vote on whether to endorse a commission report that offers 20 strategies to address the challenges of the school system. among the recommendations, increasing enrollment of nonresident students that pay about three times the tuition residents pay. create a way for certain students to complete majors in three years and develop a program for fully online courses for a degree credit. today's meeting will take place in san francisco. look for a full report on nbc bay area at 5:00 and bricking updates on nbcbayarea.com. >> a meeting could determine the fate of the americas cup in the bay area. the city council will talk about hosting

today in the bay's christie smith is live in hayward and the suspect crashed into the patrol car?'s right. the suspect crashed into not one, but two patrol cars that happened where we are standing and also that driver hit a street light where the orange cone is right now. he hit the two patrol cars and that light and crashed into this front lawn that you see right here and hit the flower boxes. deputies say he was on patrol for stealing cars. you see what's left of the cars, it's amazing that anyone is alive. the cars are completely smashed. alameda county sheriff's department said this started around 11:45 when deputies spotted a stolen honda near the bart station. they tried to get the driver to pull over, but instead he went down a driveway. when they got out of the car, he threw his car in reverse and rammed into the patrol car, a dui unit. they think he was trying to get the air bags to deploy so that the patrol car would not chase him. they followed him to grand and b where the 23-year-old blew right through a red light and hit an on coming police officer's car. a 38-year-ol

nbc bay area's christie smith shows us that an extension cord left investigators with a pretty good idea of what happened. >> reporter: flames rolled out of an upstairs window overnight with people trapped inside, including a man who was able to hand off a young girl to neighbor, eric dominguez. >> i just take the girl out of there. i just called another person and they put the little girl inside the house. i tried to go back, you know, and i say i can't do nothing. >> reporter: he says the smoke was too much for him to help the others. three people died, a mother, a 3-year-old girl and the man, a family friend. two others were hurt when they jumped from a second story unit of the four-plex, others barely escaped. >> i got scared because i see the fire coming out from upstairs. >> reporter: on 82nd avenue in east oakland, firefighters say it only took about five minutes to knock the fire down and then they noticed another hazard. >> i just talked to the investigator and they seemed to think that it was an accidental fire, probably caused by an extension cord. >> reporter: firefighters sa

christie smith, nbc bay area news. >>> our employment picture still in the doghouse.abor department says the country added 39,000 new jobs last month, far less than what was expected. in fact, with more people trying to get a job, the nation's jobless rate climbed to 9.8%. that's the highest level in seven months. >> well, jobs are also on the minds of some mentors and students today at the women and girls tech summit. san jose played host to professional women and students looking forward to their first jobs. the summit is a three-day event aimed at giving young women the tools and the confidence to get ahead in the business world. >> and so it's really upon us to take the hardest math and science and engineering classes we can, really be up to date on what's happening in the economy, and put ourselves out there and look for new opportunities. >> now, the summit goes on tomorrow. one engineering student at san jose state told us that when she took her first engineering class she was only one of five girls in a class of 40. >>> well, viacom is not giving up. they're c

christie smith is live outside the courthouse where the emotional testimony continues. good morning. >> reporter: good morning and happy friday. 18 witnesses testified so far, but it's the last two coming up that could paint a clearer picture of what happened during this horrible gang rip of a 16 yooefr-year-old girl out of richmond high school during a homecoming dance. they are trying to prove there is enough evidence to bring seven boys and girls to trial. the youngest is 16 and the oldest a 42-year-old man. the remaining two witnesses are the lead investigator, a srmg and a dna expert. the girl was raped, beaten and robbed in front of more than a dozen people before someone finally phoned 911. the oldest defendant was arrested based on a dna cold hit after the attack. the girl who had been drinking a parentally did not recognize him after. there was confusioning and conflicting testimony in the case thus far. when the last witness is dismissed, attorneys will have oral arguments before the judge decides there is enough evidence to bring any of them to trial. that's

reporting live in oakland, christie smith, "today in the bay." >>> special honors are being handed outater today for several employees of the fairfield police department. a number of officers will receive distinguished service medals for their response to a deadly fire in april in which four children were killed. other honors include special recognition of newly hired employees, reinstatements, promotions and more. that ceremony is 3:30 this afternoon. >>> an east bay man jailed for three and a half years while awaiting trial for a crime he says he did not commit will have to wait even longer. a hearing to discuss dna evidence in the case was supposed to happen yesterday, but it was postponed until january 18th. dwayne ewing was arrested in 2006 and a year later charged with a 1994 kidnap and rape case that happened in the oakland hills. detectives say a condom found at the crime scene links ewing to the crime. however, louise small says her son could have been at the crime scene 16 years ago with his girlfriend. small's nephew is charged with being an accomplice to the crime. >>> cali