cornell barnard is in napa and has the story. gov. , recognizing all your hard work, also recognizing all of the work that you did that did not make the nightly news. cornell: governor gavin newsom giving a shout out to the men and women of calfire who he says prevented more fires this season compared to 2021, about 7300, but those wildfires burn far less acreage statewide. gov. newsom: that is because of the extraordinary work of folks you see behind me. cornell: fire fighters tell newsom even though fire season is in on year thing -- all year thing in california, the budget has helped them jump on fires easier and with more resources. new firefighter helicopters, capable of carrying more water, have been added to calfire's fleet. last summer, the state was able to hire 3000 seasonal firefighters could we caught this class of new recruits learning how to clear brush. >> fires are growing more violently than they have in years past, it so we want to be able to respond. we have increased our response, we have added to our force, we are

abc 7 news reporter cornell barnard explains. >> i thought we were shopping? cornell: -- mayor london breed getting a tour. >> across the street, the samsung experience is also a potluck. cornell: ceo marissa rodriguez leading the tour, making union square's post-pandemic recovery her main focus, attracting new tenants to fill empty retail and office space, the biggest challenge. >> flexibility is the name of the game. if you want to open three levels of retail, please do so. are you listening? cornell: zoning controls need to change to allow more mixed used tenants taking restaurants, retail, even a museum possible, calling all visionaries. >> now is a time for those of you who have any interest in doing something different, doing something creative and fun down here, now is the time to make it happen. cornell: the hotel industry says occupancy rates are increasing post-pandemic. >> there is activity short-term. so it's a very positive environment. cornell: creating a safer experience is the next goal around union square. the police presence is hard to mess af

cornell barnard reports. >> yeah, marine corps! cornell: it wasn't really a competition but it kind of was. this food drive was hosted by local veterans from every service ranch, the gold, who could collect the most? no pressure here. everyone was playing favorites for good reason. >> i donate to the army in honor of my grandfather who served in world war ii. a meaningful nod to his service and his time and contributions to the country. >> i want to come out and show my daughter that we are out here in the community trying to help people who served our country. cornell: sharon swanson brought food and a cash donation matched by her employer. >> a $250 check turns into $500. >> thank you so much. cornell: santa rosa city councilmember natalie rosa has members -- family and all branches. >> we have a community need for food so this is a way to show people that yes, veterans help serve our country but they also come back and continue to serve. >> we want to be a part of ending the hunger issue in america and why not start in your backy

cornell barnard, abc 7 news. liz: the contra costa county district attorney's office released a statement that reads in part quote we are hopeful the discovery of alexis' partial remains will provide a sense of closure to the tragedy. there are hopeful the discovery will provide law enforcement with additional evidence in the ongoing investigation of her death. overnight, sideshows and gunfire rolled across the bay area. starting in vallejo, activity went on for about 20 minutes before police broke it up. the person sitting on top of this car here was on i-8 following a slideshow caravan at about 75 miles per hour. the next location had more activity when gunfire rang out. it is unknown why or if there were any injuries at a third location in richmond, police missing breaking up the dense crowds again. in hayward, activity for about an hour at 2:00 this morning as daylight savings setback the time. were shots fired when the sideshow was dispersed by officers. another robbery at a bay area mall. palo alto police t

live in mill valley, cornell barnard. dan: thank you. nice to see those clouds. the surf advisory did not scare everyone, especially this kite surfer near ocean beach. conditions were calmer for surfers. in addition for large waves, beachgoers should be wary of dangerous rip currents. you can check the forecast and see live doppler anytime you wish with abc app available in the weather on demand section. >> new developments in the case of a missing oakland woman. alexis gabe's remains were found friday after someone with a metal detector located her earrings. leslie brinkley has shocking new information. >> heart and premeditated murder. the cold-blooded way her body was desecrated. our hearts were shattered even more. deep inside, we were holding onto hope. >> alexis gabe's dad, planked by his sons, full of emotion as detectives describe how a man randomly out with a metal detector discovered human remains in the sierra foothills. the earrings and partial remains id to buy dental records belong to 24-year-old alexis gabe. >> the condition did not lead us to a sp

cornell barnard has the story. >> i thought we were shopping. >> mayor london breed getting a walking tour of union square where shoppers and visitors are returning and there are more things to see and do. >> across the street the samsung experience is also a pop up here >> leading the tour, the union square alliance ceo who is making union square's post-pandemic recovery remain focus. attracting new tenants to fill empty retail and office space the biggest challenge. >> flexibility is the name of the game. if you want to come to union square and open three levels of retail, please do so. italy, are you listening? >> rodriguez and the mayor agreed zoning laws need to change to allow more mixed-use tenants making restaurants, retail and a museum possible under one roof calling all visionaries. >> now is the time for those of you who have any interest in doing something different, doing something creative and fun down here. now is the time to make it happen. >> the hotel industry says occupancy rates are increasing post-pandemic. >> groups that are coming are picking up. there is a lot

abc7news reporter cornell barnard spent the day in union square to gauge how the holiday shopping is going. a lot of questions with last year's robberies and again earlier this week. reporter: we saw a lot of shoppers in union square today. many say they feel safer than in years past. holiday thieves are still at work and some are calling for more police in the area. >> i feel like it is pretty calm. reporter: stephanie ramirez started her holiday shopping in union square and she was not alone. a san francisco cabdriver said he has been taking more riders here. >> more people are coming this year than last year. which is really good. reporter: many believe there is more foot traffic and more ice skaters at the rink compared to 20 20 and 2021. >> last year i felt like there was a lot of insecurity around union square. reporter: after numerous brazen robberies targeting high-end retailers rocked the city in 2021 forcing an increase in police presence around union square but on saturday we first showed you this surveillance video of four people getting out of a gray sudan -- gray sedan

the blood gathering at harvey milk plaza and that is where we find cornell barnard joining us live tonight. >> this vigil getting underway at 6:00 p.m. tonight. i have to tell you, many heavy heart tear in solidarity with the colorado springs of the b to q community. many advocates here in san francisco believe the shooting have been fueled by anti-gay rhetoric nationwide. >> alize, my heart goes out to the victims that died, who were injured, their friends, families, the entire colorado springs community, just a horrific tragedy. >> estate senator scott says his out because committee is morning lives lost in club key with colorado springs. he says the massacre is sadly no surprise. >> words and rhetoric have consequences. he believes the nightclub shooting may be a product of increased elder pdq and sentiment across the country. >> our community is being targeted. it is politically, with threats and harassment online and sometimes that spills over into violence and it has to stop. >> my heart breaks for colorado springs just as it did for my native orlando. >> christopher baskets says the

. >> cornell barnard, abc7news. dan: a draft proposal going before the san francisco board of supervisors would allow police robots to use deadly force. the proposal stems from a new state law requiring policies on the use of military weapons by police forces. according to the draft, it will only be an option when risk of loss of life to the public or officers is imminent and outweighs any other force option available. an sfpd spokesperson says the need to deliver deadly force by a robot would be rare and exceptional. ama: coming up, thanks giving day preparations were in full swing today. we will show you just how long some people waited to pick up their orders from the honeybaked ham store. >> looked at the line. it's all the way around that building. >> it's not worth it. >> dan: ' tti for many, waiting in line at the honeybaked ham store. the line stretched pretty far. the line was moving fairly quickly. people waited 30 to 45 minutes. and it's not just hams. you can also get a honeybaked turkey. ama: just in ti

cornell barnard was in sacramento with the governor, more focused on proposition one. reporter: a little more than a year after defeating a recall effort, gavin newsom has cruised to a second term as california's governor over his republican opponent. many say he didn't have the name recognition to succeed. newsom took a brief victory lap tonight, happy about the victory of prop one protecting abortion rights in the state. newsom did very little campaigning, instead focusing on abortion rights nationwide and supporting fellow democratic candidates. newsom says he doesn't take tonight's win for granted. >> i'm humbled. this is my third election in four years. i'm deeply humbled by the results. deeply humbled to have the privilege of extending my term as governor of the state of california. i'm also deeply motivated and mindful of all the energy in this room, particularly the affirmative step the state of california took, the people of california took in unambiguous terms to assert our values and to go on the offense. to state overwhelmingly that we are a freedom state,

abc7news reporter cornell barnard spent the day in union square to gauge how the holiday shopping ist of questions with last year's robberies and again earlier this week. reporter: we saw a lot of shoppers in union square today. many say they feel safer than in years past. holiday thieves are still at work and some are calling for more police in the area. >> i feel like it is pretty calm. reporter: stephanie ramirez started her holiday shopping in union square and she was not alone. a san francisco cabdriver said he has been taking more riders here. >> more people are coming this year than last year. which is really good. reporter:

cornell barnard shows us how one city in the north bay even made it snow to attract shoppers. cornell: a winter wonderland brought to life on 4th street, with a little help from this snowmaking machine. ♪ two blocks of downtown were closed to cars on small business saturday. >> the opportunity to support people who are creating art and locally helping to feed the economy. i think it is a great idea. cornell: this reflects the struggle many have faced over the last couple years, but some business owners say they are staging a comeback this holiday season. >> covid was a big impact and to small businesses. cornell: this year more than ever, they need it to go bigo businesses. my wife d i and mose people here that work in the business community want to reinvigorate and remind people that small business is what drives the economy. small business is what is still here. we want to survive and thrive. cornell: in novato, mary price was ready for customers at village child. >> most of the stores do a really great job specifically of sourcing either local goods or smallbatch goods that

cornell barnard has the story. >> calfire crews dowsing hotspots on this wildfire near foothill ranch road in sonoma county. fire fighters say it is november, but the brush is dry. >> just a reminder. even though we have had recent moisture and cooler temperatures , fires can happen year-round. this is one example of that. >> the cause of the fire is under investigation. wind was starting to pick up in calistoga, shaking leaves from trees and knocking down on brothers. calistoga has always been ground zero for a public safety power shut off. pg&e says it is watching the weather. >> we have strong weather coming up today and tomorrow. be mindful. having come back from southern california, the santa ana wind is intense. >> governor newsom said thursday have strong wind has battered southern california this week. toppling big rigs on freeways and starting fires. >> we are mindful that we are not out of the woods. >> while some fire department have declared an end to fire season, calfire says their work may slow but won't stop clearing brush and hi-fi areas. >> the work is going to be an

cornell barnard has the story now. ♪ cornell: veterans day is only petaluma can do it with a parade fromand lots of flag-waving. >> this parade means a lot to the community. we look forward to it each year. it is or -- it is our unique opportunity to recognize individuals for those who gave their lives for freedom. >> in her honor those who lost their lives and -- in vietnam and anywhere else. we are sacrifice -- we are out here to celebrate them because they sacrificed their lives for us. cornell: 99-year-old joe braverman was here. he served in world war ii. >> it is quite a celebration out here today. cornell: paul lewis served as grand marshal. he said the honor was totally unexpected. this year's theme -- you are not forgotten -- honoring korean war vets like paul. >> in my time, i said it's not going to be forgotten. like macarthur said, old soldiers don't die, they fade away. >> seeing my dad in tears watching all the veterans go by, it means a lot. >> i went 40 years and never heard a word, and i'm proud and glad to hear it now. cornell: this parade started back in 1967 with only

cornell barnard is in san rafael. >> this is a gift card to use whenever you want.> a holiday turkey and all of the sides. risher center homeless and family outreach in san rafael putting thanksgiving dinner in reach for hundreds indeed at its annual free giveaway. >> thank you. >> condo williams says skyrocketing costs have made her trips to the grocery store a nightmare. >> i was in the store the other day and a can of cranberry sauce is almost five dollars. >> ritter center directors say 65% of their clients are housed but many are living on the edge. paycheck-to-paycheck. >> some of our clients are having to choose between food and rent. with the cost of things going up so extremely, our ability to provide a thanksgiving meal is very meaningful for many of our families. >> i am delivering for a family that immigrated from peru. this family as a family of three. they are in crisis. >> collecting all of this food was not easy. volunteers say this year they had to work the phones doubly hard to get enough donations. staples like cranberry sauce, stuffing and mashed

cornell barnard has a look at how they are helping a population that is at risk. >> this is a two man tent. >> sandy is helping the un-housed and their dogs get ready for the elements. cold weather is coming. >> do you need a jacket? ask sandy as a volunteer in san rafael with a nonprofit working to end homelessness. >> i was on housed myself. i noted feels like to be out here in the cold. you need something to keep you safe and warm, because this weather will kill you. >> she estimates there are 1200 on housed people living in marin county. >> we get out the, ponchos to people, tents to help people stay out of the elements. >> a series of storms is in the forecast later this week. last year, an atmospheric river left parts of downtown san rafael underwater. >> many in california are praying for rain, but it is difficult for the people who are unsheltered. >> this will get us through the spring and summer. >> officials hope the storms improve the drought. lake sonoma, a prime source of drinking water, at its lowest level in history. just 40% capacity. >> it is pretty low and with a lo

is the city is rolling out the red carpet with family friendly activities abc 7 news reporter cornell barnard reports. i feel like it's pretty calm people are out and there's a little hustle and bustle in the stores, but not crowded stephanie ramirez started her holiday shopping at union square and it looks like she wasn't alone san francisco cab driver, davina. rosa says, he's been taking more riders here. i think more people are coming this year than the the last year, which is very good. i appreciate it. we keep praying many believe there's more foot traffic even more ice skaters at the rink compared to 2020 and 2021 last year. i felt like there was a lot of just insecurity around union square that after numerous present smash and grab robberies targeting high-end retailers rock the city in 2021 forcing an increase in police presence around union square, but on saturday abc 7 first showed you this surveillance video a four people getting out of a gray sedan near bush and grant near union square then robbing the like a camera store at gunpoint making off with nearly 180 thousand dollars and

cornell barnard took a ride and gives us a look at what it means to the community. cornell: muni passengers are boldly going where no transit riderd have gone -- riders have gone before. >> i'm glad this finally got built. it was expensive but i think it is going to help connect chinatown to the rest of the city. >> this is amazing. i had no idea how beautiful it would be. it has been an amazing morning in chinatown. cornell: the new central subway runs north to south across the city with three new underground stations linking soma to union square and chinatown. here at the union square station, check out how huge this escalator is. 100 feet from street level down to the platform. that was one of the main engineering challenges. >> i haven't taken the stairs yet and i may not for quite a while. cornell: a blessing ceremony at the chinatown station, named after a committed advocate. the chinese chamber of commerce president said the new subway line is a long time coming. >> it could not come at a better time, as chinatown is recovering. first the pandemic, also anti-a

cornell barnard took a ride and gives us a look at what it means to the community. boldly going where no transit riders have gone before in san francisco. justin brickell brought his family. >> i'm glad to finally get built. it is expensive. now that it is created, it will connect chinatown to the rest of the city. >> it is amazing. i had no idea how beautiful it would be. we just spent an amazing morning in chinatown. cornell: the new subway runs north to south across the city with three new underground stations linking selma to union square and chinatown. here at the union square station, check out how huge this escalator is. it is 100 feet from street level down to the platform and really that was one of the main engineering challenges. >> i have not taken the stairs yet and i may not do that for quite a while. cornell: monks had a blessing ceremony at the chinatown station named after community advocate rose pak. the chamber of commerce president says the new subway line has been a long time coming. >> the opening of the central subway could not come at a better

. >> thank you have cornell barnard life with a look at the preparations there. >> like spencer said, temperature dropping here. it's getting cold with rain on the way, there is a race to help those without a house staying warm and dry. >> this is a two man tent. it is real nice and this is the metrics -- mattress. >> sandy is helping the un-house and bear dogs prepare for the cold coming this week. sandy is a volunteer for a nonprofit outreach working to end homelessness. >> i once was un-housed myself i know what it is like to be out here in the cold and it is freezing and raining. you need something to keep you safe and warm especially your body because this weather will kill you here. >> she estimates there are 1200 un-housed people living on the streets in marin county alone. >> we give out raincoats and ponchos and tents for people to be able to stay out of the elements. >> storms are also in the forecast later this week. last year, an atmospheric river left parts of downtown underwater. >> most of us are praying for rain for the environment but it is difficult for the on homed

slashing giant inflatables and damaging an activity scene for some reason abc 7 news reporter cornell barnardound people who are determined though not to let this ruin their holiday spirit. it just has all the best stuff all the best stuff for the last six years sebastopol hardware has been serving up christmas with all the sparkle and their holiday market tent and i come here and i say oh i can't wait to see what they have because they always have such great stuff here. is it exciting time for us and it is exciting time. we think for the community too, but i'll see someone didn't didn't feel that way. gm dan allen ham says early sunday morning eight giant holiday inflatables outside the tent where vandalized snowman santa's gnomes the figures slashed and spray painted with anarchy symbols and pentagrams vandals also took black paint at the stores nativity scene. most of the pain has been removed and got the call from my sister manager and i was shocked and i said you're kidding right? and so i drove down here and came back and took a look myself, and i was just amazed that someone would go t