nbc's christie smith has normore. you talked to air quality officials, what do they recommend this time of year? >> reporter: well really what they say is this time of year we're just not getting much wind. as you look across the bay you see the hazy conditions you talked about. under better conditions you may see it looking bright and clear. the air quality management district has called another winter spare the air alert for sunday. the high pressure system is in place over the bay area. the trees are not moving. it is very still, even in places like over near the golden gate. that means no burning wood manufactured logs or other solid fuels indoors or out. despite the cold temperatures we've experienced over the past few days. what they're saying now is that this is the third alert in a row. >> what we're finding is that due to the low wind conditions cold temperatures accumulating at ground temperatures, breathing in for several days. we called it a spare the air day today. we may have -- this sort of situation in

live christie smith, nbc bay area news. >> more like spring than winter today. this its our january. what it looks like around here. san jose temperatures hit the 70s. meteorologist, christina loren joining us. maybe break record? >> yeah shatter record across the bay area. terry, peggy. make the beach plans itch youf you can. some of our beach resorts. get a really good deal. looking lood. for tomorrow. temperatures comfort bum. mid 70s. 60 degrees here in san jose. tomorrow, 74 degrees. old record 71 degrees. warm conditions. all across the board. 72. for example on the peninsula, 74 in the trivalley. really comfortable. warm. near 70 degrees. as the soon as the high pressure ridge. we have a chance for showers coming in. less than 272 hours from sin information. we have a lot in the microclimate forecast. back to you. >> more cane force winds. flipped through a billboard. several cars. one family is homeless after this tree trashed into their house. 15,000 people had no power, lines are noun. no high wind are expected to continue overnight. >> num ther. >> a

nbc's bay area christie smith is outside at the science center. if your an astronomer christie this is your big night. >> reporter: yes, as you said the peak starts closer to midnight. we have already heard from people on our facebook page and some circulating here at the science center that they have seen meteors in the sky. >> it is the meteor shower that is particles floating through space, orbiting around the sun. they're left behind by an extinct comet. >> reporter: he says there has been quite a bit of interest in the meteor shower. but the moon will be bright. >> tonight, we have nearly a full moon. so we're not going to be able to see the really faint one. so at best we'll see the brighter meteors. if you go out and look toward the eastern sky between midnight and 3:00 a.m. you may see a few meteors streaking by. i think they're awesome, it's fun to watch. lie back in a chair, late at night when it is just me and the stars. it is exciting to see. when there is a bunch of them. >> it's exciting, yeah, yeah. >> meteor showers like the perseid

christie smith is live in san francisco with how it all shook out. christie? >> reporter: good evening to you. things are starting to get back to normal here in the streets of san francisco along market. especially for people trying to make their way through. people who oppose abortion came into san francisco today. but it also created gridlock and traffic backups in the streets for the 11th an yun west coast march for life event through abortion opponents from across the bay area and out of state. places like texas and utah. particularly busy around the em embarcadero and civic center. people carrying signs in english and spanish. but the march also drew a smaller group of abortion rights supporters. both sides making their points very clear. >> e we believe in the beauty and the dignity of life. and i think it's important to believe in the voice and the voice of the people. t. >> women who can't control their own lives and reproduction are enslaved. this is intolerable and needs to be fought against. we're here to impose the message and the political mission

reporting live in san francisco, christie smith nbc bay area news. >>> christie, thank you. did you feel the earthquake in humboldt county? people in san jose felt the shaking. a 5.7 magnitude quake hit off shore this afternoon. the usgs puts the epicenter about 40 miles southwest of eureka. right in the ocean. plenty of people in the bay area did feel it. it happened at 1:08 p.m. no tsunami warnings or reports of damage or injuries. >>> evacuations in an east san jose neighborhood this afternoon. a construction crew hit an unmarked gas line. it happened on rock avenue near king road. that's just north of the 101/680 interchange. pg and e capped the line within a couple of hours. >>> drivers experienced something new on a heavily congested freeway. brand new metering lights for northbound drivers. they're on past the usual 9:00 a.m. time. they're on until 11:00 a.m. a traffic cam shows extended hours are warranted on this busy stretch of highway. there are 15 metering lights between cupertino and mountain view. some drivers are relieved. >> thank heavens. >> oh, yeah. >> you

nbc bay area's christie smith has more on the plans. christie? >> reporter: the mayor said the city is focussing on keeping housing affordable for everyone. it is no small task for housing costs that continue to rise and rise. mayor lee unveiled plans to increase the share of affordable housing and to help more people families, be able to buy a home here. he proposed increasing down payment assistance for loans, for moderate and middle income residents. the city's economy has been strong with growth in the tech sector. but the median home price is around $1 million in the city. the mayor also discussed putting in affordable housing bond on the balance to the create more housing for low to middle income people and also help for renters with an emphasis on eviction defense. >> so i pledge to you that this year i will keep working night and day to see that our rising prosperity benefits every san francisco resident. >> now lee pointed to a number of signs of progress. 4,000 homes built or rehabbed last year in the city he has committed to building o

i'm christie smith. i'll have that story coming up. >> just into our newsroom. star power meets super power. hollywood celebrity joining forces with bat kid. >> then at 6:00 rising star in the silicon valley hits the ipo jackpot. >> great. >> but some tech experts worry this success story could be a bad sign for our economy. that's new at 6:00. >>> there's concern in the east bay. patrols stepping up after vandals repeatedly targeted two churches. you see some of the damage here. disturbing disturbing vulgar showing up on four separate occasions. they are next to each other near granada high school. jodi hernandez is in livermore where police say they are treating this case as a hate crime. >> because of the nature of messages left on the churches they are treating these cases as hate crimes. as you mentioned churches are side by side. the mormon church here as been hit twice now by vand yls. as has the lutheran church which is located right next door. tonight church goers are feeling pretty violated. >> vandalism, i don't understand it. i think a lot of people

christie smith is in san francisco. is the priest behind this policy? >> reporter: well, he says it wasn't just his idea alone, but i tell you, this idea has come as quite a shock to some members of the church or the associated school. the idea here is to move away from allowing altar girls and just allow altar boys to serve at the mass. that according to father joseph ilo who came to the star of the sea church a few months ago. there's a school here as well. he says parents had girls serving the altar for years. those who are altar servers already can keep serving. they are just not looking for new ones. he explained the reason for the switch. >> we'd like to get back to the altar boy program which is a proven and effective way of promoting vocations to the priesthood. so boys get closer to the altar and the catholic church does not ordain women. the priesthood is seen as a male charism. >> i think it's ridiculous. that's not the way we're going. >> reporter: now, he says he believes in time that parents who were surprised or disappointed will come to

christie smith is live at the toll plaza with more and christie, chp is cracking down. >> yeah that's right. and the thought is that this barrier is making drivers fell secure which is a good thing. but in response some are going much too fast for the conditions imposing a speed limit so the chp is trying to curb that. >> chp sez seems to have no problems driving way too fast. >> going 45 on the bridge. >> this is the second day of a chp crack down, more than a dozen citations written yesterday under just the first hour. today, more of the same with speeds as high as 81 miles an hour. >> i wish to encourage them to keep an eye on the speed. it is 45 miles per hour across the bridge. >> the bridge manager says in days after the movable median barrier was installed to help prevent head-on collisions, drivers changed their habits. >> i think that people are feeling more secure having the barrier out there on the bridge. and observation that we've made is that the speed on the bridge has increased dramatically. >> gee annie when rose why says the quicker pace was noticed immediately. >> i

christie smith is in san lorenzo where they're continuing this rescue operation. o you. this is one of the areas where experts were out looking for the sea bird. coated in the miss tear-up substance they have been turning up like this. since friday. they have been assessing how many are contaminated. trying to help those that are. before they might succumb to hypothermia. the group international bird rescue out of fairfield caring for the sea bird. wildlife capture experts along the shores. near heyward, san leandro. bird were connected in the substance. gray clear. gets embedded in the feathers. some of the bird did not make it. i spk today with fish and wildlife. wardens saw the sticky substance on thursday on bird. international bird rescue say the problem is not subsiding. since friday 109 bird brought in. 20 died. 89 they're saying being assessed. stablized. washed if they're stable enough. being in the field is important. >> a big deal. because -- this is not -- not a natural phenomenon that we know of. it is most likely caused by some human activity. it is a

christie smith is in san francisco. christie you were saying before this isn't totally the breeft but who's behind this policy? >> well he said that it was a discussion that he had when he arrived from los angeles about six months ago but some parents are upset about this. they don't understand why girls can't go on being altar servers when they have been actually doing it for years here at the star of the sea church in the richmond district. this is on geary and eighth where some parishioners are trying to make sense of it. the father is new, just arrived from los angeles. there is a school also tied to the church. i looked at the number of parents particularly at the school that were upset but he explained the reason toward moving towards just boys. >> a program, which is a very proven effective way of promoting vocation to the priesthood. boys get closer to the altar. as you know the catholic church does not ordain women. >> if i were a mother sending her children her daughters to school here i would be extremely anno

reporting live in berkeley christie smith, nbc bay area news. >> thank you. victims of violenceunk remembered in san francisco today outside the pigs street b.a.r.t. station, 100 marchers carried signs and photos of people they say were victims of deadly violence last year. the event was one of several planned as demonstrations planned throughout the weekend take place. the group's final march will be held on monday in on advance of martin luther king jr. day. >> and on the other side of the country, a sea of blue marching in. the nation's capital demonstrators carrying signs that say blue lives matter as they rally for support of police officers. organizers say that men and women in law enforcement are not thanked enough for the danger they face in the line of duty every day. the march comes weeks after other sea of blue rallies staged to counter months of demonstrations against police brutality. >> more detai on the suspect killed by an officer in fremont. the suspect shot yesterday at fremont's harvey park was a 4-year-old man from hayward. the man had a k

reporting live near the golden gate bridge, christie smith, nbc bay area news. >> and so they've been warned. all right. thank you very much christie. >>> a south bay attorney finds himself tonight on the wrong side of the law. police arrested wendell jones of campbell. he's charged with defrauding home owners by illegally charging them allegedly thousands of dollars to reportedly save them from foreclosure. prosecutors say such fees are illegal. they also say jones was doing little or no work at all and at least one homeowner ended up losing his home. jones' law license had already been suspended for taking fees to modify loans. now he faces additional charges for practicing law on a suspended license. he's back in court next month. >>> there will be fewer shreks and kung fu pandas. tonight dreamworks animation maker of those popular movie, says it will cut 500 jobs close its redwood city studio seen here on its opening day, and also cut back on the number of movies it makes each year. the company says some of the employees in redwood city will be offered jobs at its southern califor

i'm christie smith. that story coming up. >>> it was a high profile heist at one of the nation's most elite restaurants. but tonight the case has been cracked. this is a follow-up story now to a story we first brought you last month. a burglary at the world famous french laundry in yountville. the restaurant lost more than $300,000 in fine wine. but that stolen wine has been recovered from a home in north carolina. nbc bay area's christie smith joins us now from yountville. christie, this is a cross-country heist. >> reporter: yeah, that's right across-country. we're talking about them being recovered as you said in north carolina. dozens of bottles of very rare and expensive wine. the sheriff's department isn't revealing a whole lot about how the bottles were recovered and who took them is still a mystery. in yountville word spread fast that more than 70 bottles of world class wine stolen on christmas day have been recovered. jean works close by we're a small community here and everybody knows each othe

nbc bay area's christie smith is at the bridge and christie this is the longest closure in the bay area history. >> reporter: this is meant to prevent head-on collisions on the golden gate bridge. while drivers on both side of the bridge say think appreciate the safety of that but say this will certainly be an adjustment. >> it is beautiful. absolutely gorgeous view. >> crowds of tourists gather to take in the legendary sight. coming from los angeles -- >> i had no idea. i said, i want to visit the bridge. she said, it is closing. >> we decided to come today because i know the bridge is going to close. >> to close for 52 hours is a big milestone for the bridge. >> reporter: she knows this is the longest closure in the span's history. it is done to include a median barrier. >> there have been 128 head-on collisions and 16 fatalities. the barrier will virtually eliminate head-on collisions. report with tens of thousands using it each day, without it, it could cause traffic trouble. >> we had a trip scheduled to the airport on saturday so my daughter changed her flight. >> the east sidewal

reporting live in san francisco, christie smith, nbc bay area news. >>> christie thank you. just into our newsroom photos of the puppy that was snatched from a passenger on a mun i bus last week. the 4-month-old pit bull is named chester. san francisco police are releasing surveillance pictures of the suspected thief. he was wearing a black baseball cap and a black vest over a gray shirt. here are those pictures. witnesses say he punched the victim and grabbed his backpack which contained chester the dog. >>> straight ahead, could this hold clues to a deadly hit and run? the video deputies want you to see. >>> a stanford swimmer is accused of sexual assault on campus. i'm michelle roberts hear what students think about the arrest. >>> i'm meteorologist jeff ranieri. little bit of cloud cover in san francisco. more on the micro climate forecast on where we expect some of the warmest temperatures tomorrow in a few minutes. >>> a bay area principal accused of stealing money. >> friday at 11:00 we investigates why the district stopped asking questions and never tried to get the

nbc bay area's christie smith is live in san francisco, and the mayor says he has a plan for how to do it christie. >> reporter: that's right. it's an ambitious plan to try and tackle san francisco's housing crisis. and that is the mayor is trying to look to create more affordable housing, give a little boost to those who are struggling to buy, and those who are just looking to stay. mayor ed lee says san francisco has made good progress in creating new housing and protecting tenants. but much more needs to be done. >> for too many young families and long-time residents alike, i understand these times of prosperity are also times over anxiety. they're worried about affording to stay here. >> reporter: he proposes private sector investment, increased down payment assistance for middle and moderate income residents, expanding middle income housing and replacing an affordable housing bond on the ballot. >> it's become more than obvious right now that most san franciscans have housing at the top of their list as their biggest complaint about what is going on in this city right now. >> repo

reporting live in oakland, christie smith nbc bay area news. >> thank you, christie. >>> also in the east bay, a crash in oakland early this morning killed a woman and landed a young man behind bars. it happened on interstate 580 near high street around 3:30 this morning. officers found a car that had crashed into a pole spun around and then blocked the high street on-ramp. the female passenger was killed. police arrested the 20-year-old driver for vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. >>> are you breaking the law and don't even know it? we're going to tell you about some of the hundreds of new state laws that went into effect at midnight. also while you'll want to check your bank account if you have dined at this popular fast food account. >>> also -- >> i'm kimberly tere live in san francisco where a newborn baby is getting a whole lot of attention for her perfect timing. what has her parents and her doctors so excite, coming up in a live report. >>> a chp officer gunned down while on the job was honored in the rose parade today. >> donors open up a life of mobili

nbc bay area's christie smith is live at the bridge. d to have the golden gate all to yourself christie, now is the chance. >> reporter: that's right there. isn't much traffic at all. all along the bridge district was saying the project was going really well, the weather cooperated. when we checked with them earlier, they said there was only a short list of items lift to complete. the historic weekend closure of the golden gate bridge is over. and it did end early. just after 9:30 we started to see the colin powell in a handful of cars cross the bridge, an early opening, what many commuters in marin county were hoping for when we went there this evening. one of the tasks that aknee needed to be completed is allowing crews time with the zipper trucks. the bridge district released video that gives the experience with the movable median barrier in place. it's designed to prevent head-on collisions. they explained the steps leading to this reopening. >> the striping needed time to dry. so we waited for that. we did the exercises that we need

. >>> let's get to christie smith live in san francisco. the cold is starting to wear on people. >> reporter: yeah that's right. now that the sun is gone it feels even colder here in san francisco. and it's not just tourists who are buying up things to try to stay warm. it's long-time bay area residents who are getting a little uncomfortable with these very cold temperatures. in san francisco, the cold weather has people pulling out the jackets, skaufs and hats. marine corey bought a new one to cross the bay. >> it was very cold. we knew we were going on the ferry today so i have to buy something that will be warm enough for us to ride the ferry. >> did you think it was going to be this cold in tran? >> actually not. >> this is one of the smaller seville oranges. >> reporter: over at the berkeley horticultural nursery, they've been answering questions about how to protect plants. >> the two that mostly we're concerned with are the citrus and wouganvilla. those would be the two most susceptible. in that case you probably either want to cover

tonight only on nbc bay area christie smith spoke with perez's daughter about the accident. y and the surprise the family just learned. she joins us in the san francisco financial district with more. christie? >> reporter: good evening to you. the daughter says this certainly eases their financial concerns and puts the focus back where it belongs, and that is recovery. we're talking about an 11-story fall. but they say they're also comforted by the thought that they're not going through this alone. >> these are pictures of him. >> reporter: monica perez says she continues to count her father's lucky stars. in late november pedro perez, a window watcher fell 11 stories on to the roof of a car in san francisco and survived. today, as he continues to recover, strangers have opened their hearts and wallets to help the family pay the bills. >> he started crying because he couldn't understand how much people had helped and how much people actually cared. and so it touched his heart that you know he wasn't going -- he is not going to have to worry about us as much as he thought. >>

christie smith is live in san francisco with how it all shook out. christie? >> reporter: good evening to you. things are starting to get back to normal here in the streets of san francisco along market. especially for people trying to make their way through. people who oppose abortion came into san francisco today. but it also created gridlock and traffic backups in the streets for the 11th an yun west coast march for life event through abortion opponents from across the bay area and out of state. places like texas and utah. particularly busy around the em embarcadero and civic center. people carrying signs in english and spanish.

christy smith is live in san francisco with more on this new proposal. christie. >> good evening to you peggy. this is a huge opportunity for san francisco's homeless population. one that durget come along very often t. waiting list has been closed since 2010 but all of that changes coming up on january 13th briefly for just five days. the san francisco housing authority is reopening it because they have additional funding to rehab about 178 units. with $2 million from the city and about another 600,000 in federal dollars. the plan is to utilize some of those units to house the homeless without shelter or homeless in need of permanent supportive housing. they have about 1,000 on a certain wait list and hope to more than double that. >> what it means is there's an opportunity for them to have housing in san francisco. there will be a process where we go through our waiting list as units become available and with the homeless preference they get moved to the top of our waiting list and based on the size of the units we will pull families off of the waiting

reporting life by the golden gate bridge, christie smith, nbc bay area news. >>> the closing of the golden gate bridge means all of that traffic shifting offer to the bay bridge and the richmond san ravel bridge. this is what it looked at at the toll plaza this afternoon. missery. tal caltrans says drivers should expect delays. >> we recognize that folks want to get around the bay area. there's a lot of great things to see. >> on average, about 70,000 cars travel over the golden gate bridge each day. >>> right now, there is no word on if the golden gate bridge might open early. you heard christie talk about that a minute ago even though the barrier has been installed. if you need to get into the city there are other options. the ferry has more ferries in service, you can take the bus. golden gate transit buses are allowed on the span. they may cross through the construction zone. pedestrians and bicycles can use the bridge's east sidewalk. we have more on the bridge closure on line. go the our website, nbc bay area.com. on the front page we have a photo gallery on the closure and informati

christie smith has more on the church. this is in the richmond district. >> reporter: inside the star of the sea church in san francisco, a shift is under way. >> we'd like to get back to an altar boy program, which is very -- it's a proven effective way of promoting vocation to the priesthood so boys get closer to the altar. as you know, the catholic church does not ordain women. >> reporter: at this church they've had altar girls for years. danielle doesn't normally attend here but says at her own church she enjoyed the experience. >> it was seventh grade when i got to be an altar girl. it was only the boys who were allowed to at first. >> this was a shock. any change is hard for people. >> reporter: father joseph arrived six months ago. he says there are options for girls like reading at mass and preparing the altar. >> we also have social groups for the girls. we feel it's important to have boys programs and girls programs. >> reporter: but the church is also tied to a school. some parents who stay in the area disagree

reporting live in alameda, christie smith nbc bay area news. >> all right, christie thank you.a big night for the raider nation. we'll have much more coming up in sports. we'll have a one-on-one interview with jack del rio and tell you about another big announcement by the raiders today. >>> well it is a tentative ruling that may give city college of san francisco a reprieve. today a judge ruled that a bay area commission may have broken the law by revoking the college's accreditation before giving the school a chance to respond. back in 2013 the accrediting commission cited problems with managing and the way it was run. he says the way the commission treated city college is fundamentally flawed. >> that it undermined the integrity of the accreditation process and threatened the educational mission of an institution that has done great work for generations of san franciscans. >> the commission and the city both have 15 days to respond before a judge issues his final decision. >>> a 30-year journey comes to an end on monday right here in the bay area. on monday, which is martin

nbc bay area's christie smith is live at the scene. it turns out the man who was killedxd was carrying a fake gun at the time. >> that's right. an airsoft pistol or bb gun. police are saying they asked this man to go ahead and show his hands. and they say in this they saw what appeared to be a handgun. they say that he pulled that from his waistband. >> it sound fast exactly like the fire you would throw on the ground. consistent, right after another. >> reporter: ester and christina vigil heard the shooting near san francisco's mission police station. >> there was gunshots. and there was four of them. that's all you heard. then you heard nothing but siren that was. >> reporter: police chief greg sir says three officers were leaving the station this morning when they noticed a man in a restricted parking area. they said they told him he would have to leave. shortly after theyxx ted the car. went to approach him to tell him again, hey, you can't be here. and he went to his waistband where there was a the butt of the gunÑi andrew the wea

reporting live in so christie smith. >> stay warm. you look warm. not just the cold the wind led to more problems across the bay area. scott budman in san jose where pg and e crews will be working through the night. >> reporter: >> reporter: they'll be here because of the strong winds last night which caused a chain reaction damaging some eight power poles along a single street and causing several power outages in the area. multiple power poles out of commission in san jose's silver creek area, after wednesday's winds punished power lines and twisted metal. further north in burlingame work to clear two downed trees along the busy el camino rial and broadway intersection. the trees were uprooted by strong winds and fell across the road. one hitting this house. >> i was at work and my wife called me. and she says she was in crying and very nervous. and she said the tree fell on down on our house. >> reporter: the family was lucky, and nobody was hurt. now, with power back on here they're cleaning up. >> it was a rough day. rough 24 hours. right before

christie smith, nbc bay area news. >> thanks very much. victims of violence remembered in san francisco today. outside the mission street b.a.r.t. station, 100 marchers carry photos of people they say were victims of deadly violence last year. the group's final march will be held monday in observance of martin luther king jr. day. on the other side of the country, i an sea of blue marching in the nation's capital. >> chanting thank you demonstrate areas carried signs saying blue lives matter as they rallied in support of officers. organizers say men and women in law enforcement are not thanked enough for the danger they face every day. the d.c. march comes weeks after other sea of blue rallies staged to counter months of demonstrations against police brutality. >> the family of an east bay man shot and killed by police now gearing up for a legal fight. civil rights attorney john burris filed a wrongful lawsuit today on pavel of richard petty perez's family. an officer tried to detain him last september. the officer fired at perez when he t

christie smith is live in alameda. what does it look like? >> reporter: we're told that it's clear or gray hard to tell depending on the color of the feathers on the bird. but right now i can tell you that they're being cared for near fairfield. stabilized, examined, fed, some of them being watched this even. the big question though is what is it that's all over them? >> in the has it 24 hours we've rescued 89 periodbirds, 69 are still alive. >> reporter: they're caring for sea birds brought in covered with a substance. >> they're coming in just from lightly contaminated to heavily contaminated. and they've just completely lost their waterproofing. many of them are very wet and just hypothermic and very contaminated. >> reporter: it's clear or gray sticky, and seems to get embedded in the feathers. >> we don't have any idea yet what it is. so there's preliminary testing that's ruled out petroleum product. but hopefully there will be some further testing revealing what it is. >> reporter: several agencies are investigating. the birds include b

. >>> reporting live in san francisco, christie smith. >>> thousands of medical marijuana users, growers and sellers filled the san jose convention center for hemp con. it's america's largest cannabis event and each year it grows. marianne favro live at the convention center. must have been quite a scene there. >> reporter: it was quite a scene. inside, you could find medical marijuana ice cream if you were looking for that. thousands poured into the san jose convention center to experience hemp con. the trade show will be going on all weekend. it's catering to those using medical marijuana. you have to be 18 to enter. the research has shown new health benefits of marijuana. >> we're also seeing an aids research not only controlling symptoms of aids nausea things of this nature. there is scientific research that cannabis and can noids is stopping the progression. every one fixes a different problem. >> reporter: show organizers say all of the marijuana at this convention is grown in california and this is a growing industry that employs 100,000 californians. this is such a popular indust

christie smith is live in oakland where the vigil just ended. >> reporter: that's right, this vigil did just end, it went on about four hours. oscar grant's mother was here family members, also politicians in the crowd. many who were here talked about how with recent hey-profile events across the country it shows there's still work to be done. >> justice! >> reporter: there were speeches songs and calls for change at a vigil for oscar grant. in the six years since his death, his mother says she sees a difference. >> i wanted to say that change is a fight in me to bring about an awareness that black lives matter that all lives matter and that all should be treated equally. >> the crowd gathered outside the fruit vale bart station where grant was shot and killed by a then-bart police officer who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter. in the crowd, many wore shirts or carried signs with the names of more recent cases nationwide that they believe highlight police brutality. >> we're out here because we're grieving we feel the injustice, we feel helpless. >> reporter: alameda count

. >>> now let's turn to christie smith live in san francisco where folks are doing everything they can to try ask stay warm. >> reporter: that's right. we're along the embarcadero this evening. we're about the only people who seem to be dressing light, the people who are jogging. it is cold in the city. that's often a surprise to tourists. this is a little different, it's tourists and residents who are buying up item toths to stay warm. people bundled up as best they could. corey bought a new hat as she prepared to cross the bay. >> very cold. we knew we were going on the ferry today so i had to buy something to be warm enough for us to ride the ferry. >> did you think it was going to be this cold? >> actually, not. >> reporter:al done goldman came with his grandmother. >> it's probably getting really cold in the mornings. >> this is one of the smaller seville oranges. >> reporter: answering questions for those concerned about plants. >> well the two that mostly we're concerned with are the citrus and buyouganvillea. protect them a good watering prior to the frost is one of the best pr

christy smith joins us now with more of what's going on. >> reporter: word is they are really pleasedproceeding. they're on schedule and they're saying that 87% of that barrier is in place. let's be clear. that doesn't mean 87% of the entire project happening this weekend is complete. just the barrier. they are individual pieces that are linked together by large steel pins. the work, as you can imagine, has to be very precise. the barriers replacing pylons that were once placed by hand. it's meant to prevent head-on collisions. one of the barriers, what they're telling us they completed about 10,000 feet. the total length is under 12000. >> what will happen next is the transfer machines will be used to align and tension the whole chain of the barrier. also we need to position the barriers barriers. >> reporter: there may be some preliminary runs later tonight, sort of a stop and start motion on the barrier alignment. the east sidewalk still open to pedestrians and cyclists who are out here watching some of the work that was going on at least they were earlier today. the lots though ar

christy smith. >> as you can imagine, some parents just don't think this is fair at all. we also spoke with a priest who is new here who explained why he thinks its necessary. >> inside the star of the sea church in san francisco, a shift is underway. >> we would like to get back to an altered voice program. >> at this church they have had altar girls for years. she said at her own church she enjoyed the experience. >> it was 7th grade when i got to be an altar girl. >> any change is hard for people. >> we also have remedies for the girls. >> the church is also tied to a school and some parents who stayed in the area disagree. i would be extremely annoyed and feel like we are going back in time. >> i think it's ridiculous. that's really not the way we're going. >> at first it was a little difficult. but over the long run it really made a difference in the parish. >> there were about 15 alter servers here just two or three of them girls. >> thanks very much. coming up next shs the price of progress. >> a pretty narrow escape as the driver takes off this second. >> and the

reporting live at the golden gate bridge christie smith, nbc bay area news. >>> our live traffic map now, we've circled the golden gate on the left side of your screen. traffic is still moving but won't be for long. to get in and out of marin you'll have to use the rich monday and bay bridges. the coverage of the closure continues right on our website on the front page. you'll finding information on bus and ferry routes and other alternatives like taxi service at nbcbayarea.com. >>> it's a san francisco homemade famous by one of robin williams' beloved films. now it's at the centering of a criminal case. today the woman accused of trying to burn it down appeared in court for the very first time. nbc bay area's nannette miranda is live with more on the fire the hearing and the suspected motive. >> reporter: well janelle, bail has been set at a million dollars. if she can post it she is ordered to stay away from the house, the doctor who now owns it, and his son. 25-year-old taiquan welch made her first appearance in court today. the judge ordered media to not show the defendant at all

reporting live in oakland christie smith nbc bay area news. >> sounds great. thank you so much. coming up tonight another mountain lion sighting. this one on the peninsula again and also more trouble for bay area based uber. why the company is being sued this time over text messages. >> plus how one south bay piano store hope a marketing plan will strike a chord with silicon valley. a remarkable thing has happened. over a million californians have gotten something that's been out of reach for far too long. health insurance. how? they enrolled through covered california. it's the health insurance marketplace where you'll find a range of plans from leading health insurance companies that offer you the best combination of quality, rates and benefits. you can compare plans side by side choose the one that best fits your needs and enroll online. coveredca.com is also the place to find certified experts in your area who can answer your questions for free, and help you enroll. and, through covered california, you may get financial help to pay for coverage. it's based on income, and 4 o

christie smith joining us from the embarcadero. jeff was saying hats scarves and gloves. i see a coat you lost your scarf. >> reporter: getting a little tight around my neck and warm in the van. we're seeing new year's eve crowds and they are bundled up. big jackets, hats the scarfs. of course, the fireworks won't happen for some time. even restaurants are looking at ways to keep people comfortable in the cold. in san francisco, new year's celebrations for many started early with just a plan to stay warm. >> we're going to bring our blankets out. it's really cold. it's a little bit cold. we're not used to it. >> jackets for tonight. >> reporter: think that's going to be enough? >> i hope so. >> reporter: they're coming out early to get a spot along the embarcadero to watch fireworks with test of thousands of others. >> 4,000 to 5,000 devices that are going to be fired in a 15-minute period of time. >> reporter: jeff thomas is with pyrospectaculars and says despite strong winds yesterday he believes the weather should cooperate. >> the heavy winds are supposed to subside.

a deal his state involving owner jerry jones could impact christie's presidential hopes. john henry smith here with more. >> if you watched any of the coverage of this game, you could not miss governor chris christie rooting on his cowboys. his presence in owner jerry jones and see box raised ethical questions for a man many consider to be a potential presidential nominee he. >> for many, it was strange to see chris christie in texas hugging it out with dallas cowboys owner jerry jones two sundays ago after the cowboys beat the lions. >> he's been a cowboy fan all of his adult life. >> before sunday's game with green bay jones fully intended to have christie with him again. that four other christie trips the cowboys won all four. >> if he's got enough mojo to pull this thing off for this cowboy team this year, i'm for him being president of the united states. >> the smiles were gone from christie and his texas friends in the press box as the cowboys season ended with a loss to the packers. cock man paul ryan couldn't resist poking a little fun at his fellow republican lawmaker, asking him

christy knome from south dakota and jason smith from missouri. welcome to our new members. last week we noted the hearing titled moving america forward. today we will hear from three experts about the economy. but as a technical matter and for the time being we are not going to be calling this a hearing. as discussed the minorty staff the house hasn't elected committees and they cannot organize until e -- voted by the house. we will run the briefing under the rules of past congresss where members are recognized according to the gibons rule. it is unique to the ways and means committee. the rule provides that members present in the time of the gavling in will be recognized by senority and after the gavel you will be recognized in order. we will ask for the transcript from this informal briefing to be included in the next hearing so it is in effective a hearing. the fact mr. levin worked with us out of the gate to make sure we could meet and talk about the economy is the example of the accom accom accom accomdy it takes to make the committee run well. i thank the ranking memb

christie praised cuomo as an eloquent leader. president obama hailed him as an unflinching voice for tolerance fairness and dig knitted. dignity. nbc's harry smithes us a look back at new york and an american icon. >> reporter: mario cuomo passed away on the same day his son andrew was sworn in for his second term as new york governor. earlier his son spoke about his dying father. >> he couldn't be here physically today, my father, but my father is in this room. he's in heart and mind of every person who is here. he's here and he's here and he's here. his inspiration and his legacy and his experience is what has brought this state to this point. >> reporter: mario cuomo was a son of the american dream. born in queens new york to italian emigrant parents who came through ellis island with little more than the clothes on their backs. a gifted athlete, cuomo played baseball in college, even signed a contract with the pittsburgh pirates. but after an injury he returned to st. john's university to earn both an undergraduate and a law degree. always active in politics cuomo became new york's secretary of state in 1975. two years later, he ran against

new jersey republican governor chris christie called him a giant and a role model for future generations. as nbc's harry smith remembers, cuomo's political legacy is still being felt in the state he loved so much. >> mario cuomo passed away on the same day his son andrew was sworn in for his second term as governor of new york. earlier, his son spoke about his dying father. >> inspiration and his legacy and his experience is what has brought this state to this point. >> mario cuomo was the son of the american dream. born in queens new york to italian immigrant parents who came through ellis island with little more than the clothes on their backs. always active in politics cuomo became new york secretary of state in 1975. two years later, he ran against ed koch and lost his bid for the democratic nomination for mayor of new york. cuomo was elected new york's lieutenant governor in '78 and became governor '82. >> we won because people -- people and the passion of belief are still more important than money. >> reporter: he electrified the crowd at the democratic national convention in 1984. his words aimed at pr

we have pat from pennsylvania christie from south dakota george from north carolina, and jason smith from missouri. welcome to our new members. last week we had a hearing titled moving america forward. today we will hear from three experts about the economy. for the time being we are not going to be calling this a hearing. the house has not yet elected members to the standing committees. committees cannot organize until members are officially elected by the house. we expect the selection to happen this afternoon. that is why we are holding an informal briefing rather than a hearing. we will run the briefing under the rules of past congresses. the givens rule is somewhat unique to the ways and means community. the givens rule -- members who arrive after the gaveling will be recognized in order of which they were -- of which they arrived regardless of seniority. we will ask unanimous consent for the transcript of this formal briefing to be included in our next hearing so it is effectively a hearing. the fact they worked with us right out of the gate to overcome these technical issues t