reporter: in san francisco, luz pena. dion: workers at kaiser permanente across california went on strike. we saw a group picketing outside of the hospital in oakland. they are members of local 39 and help maintain. . operations at kaiser facilities in a statement, kaiser said its buildings are open and running as they should, and added "we have met with local 39 a total of nine times for bargaining since july, including today, have temer 18th. we are pleased to have reached agreement with agreements in the contract and look forward to future bargaining sessions to complete the remainder." firefighters from across the country who died in the line of duty are now included on a memorial in their honor. ♪ >> memorial remembers was held virtually today. the names of 220 five firefighters and emergency medical personnel were etched onto the wall of honor at memorial park in colorado springs. they include 19 people who died from illnesses linked to toxic exposure at the world trade center, and 24 others who died from covid-19.

in the newsroom, luz pena, abc 7 news. dan: i know you are talking to a lot of experts about this. is variant has been detected in california, but has it been detected in the bay area yet? luz: the doctor confirmed they have not detected any of them in their sequencing. many counties are tracking variants, but they are staying vigilant for this r.1 variant. dan: president biden received a covid-19 booster shot, he got a third dose of pfizer today after getting the first two doses in january. he qualifies because of his age. first lady jill biden got her third shot this afternoon. president biden encouraged people to get vaccinated if they have not already done so. dion: in california, booster shots are being rolled out at 600 pharmacies. counties are also setting up their plans. reporter stephanie sierra joins us in the newsroom with more. reporter: any day now the state is expected to announce they have adopted the cdc's guidance and release their accommodations and how they can start implementing the rollout locally. in the bay area, plans are imminent and we are expecting many cl

luz pena has the story. >> for thousands of kidney patients in the u.s., the only practical hope of getting dialysis has been waiting for a transplant. but now, a new engineering breakthrough is reigniting hopes for a second option. an implantable artificial kidney. >> we are able to create a functional prototype that was able to produce urine. >> over 10 years ago, we unveiled a prototype model. >> we first met preuss -- professor schumer ray when he was working on the concept model. the new working prototype employees two chambers, each about the size of a deck of cards. one side, membrane filters for cleaning the blood. similar to dialysis. on the other, a bioreactor reforming some of the other functions that would be normally controlled in the body. >> the artificial kidney would allow dialysis patients to eat and drink freely, travel without being to the machine, and better physiological outcomes because they are getting continuous treatment, unlike dialysis that happens every other day. >> it was tested successfully in live animal models. this technology will need to be approved to ma

all right, luz pena part of our vaccine team many. thanks to you now getting a covid shot in the bay area. got a little bit easier a third pfizer shot was available today at many drugstores for those who received an earlier pfizer vaccination. and for those who qualify locations include hundreds of cvs pharmacies across the state nationwide 75% of eligible americans have received at least one shot but vaccination rates have declined by 37% over the past three weeks. the reason we're seeing lots of people in hospitals and still more than a thousand more than 1500. every day in this country is because there are so many people who are not yet vaccinated. new york is increasing the pressure on those who hold out health care workers. there must have at least one dose by monday and any worker fired for refusing to get vaccinated will not be able to collect unemployment. now if you have questions about covid-19 vaccines, you can ask our vaccine team. just head to abc 7 news.com slash vaccine and click on that big blue box. you see there. we

luz pena has details. z: for thousands of kidne k patients in the u.s., the only hope of getting off dialysis has been a transplant a new engineering breakthrough is reigniting hopes for a second option. an implantable, artificial kidney. >> we are able to create a functional prototype that was able to produce urine. >> 10 years ago we unveiled the prototype. luz: we first met him at at at t -- each chamber is the side of a deck of cards and on one side there are membrane filters for cleaning the blood similar to dialysis, the other side a bioreactor filled with living cells which perform other functions the kidney would can dust control in the body. >> it would allow dialysis patients to eat and drink freely, travel without being tethered to a scene and have better physiological outcomes because they are getting continuous treatment unlike dialysis that happens every other day. luz: the prototype was tested successfully in live animal models. it will need to be improved to make human trials possible. the g

luz pena spoke to a family had to postpone their august vacation as a result. luz: after a three hour wait and three types of covid tests in santa rosa, they got the results she wouldn't -- they were not expecting. >> each time came back with a z: when her husband received his test results, he noticed a pattern which meant their vacation plans were over. they screen shot their test results from the website and shared them with us. >> it came back positive and then positive negative. that is weird. luz: confused, they quarantined for 10 days. but now they want answers and they are questioning the accuracy of these tests. >> we tested a week later and came back negative. >> they were writing on napkins. that is not professional, first off. a napkin with all of our information on it with a sticky note attached to a vial that they snap off after they do the swab. luz: of public health is investigating. they are urging residents to get their tests at other sites. >> i think somebody needs to come in and oversee what is going on. luz: sonoma county does not have a dir

luz pena spoke with some residents who say this is a concerning reminder of past fire seasons. >> itson, and pg&e starting power shutoffs in the north bay overnight. >> thinking, it is that time of the year again. it is a little tense. >> a napa resident says pg&e contractors clears the power lines in his neighborhood. the california public utilities commission requires pg&e to maintain at least a forfeit clearance between vegetation and power lines. two of his trees were close to power lines. >> the oak over there was closer. there were a few branches that were not testing but were over the wire. >> on this map, pg&e highlights the 10 counties impacted by the power shut off. about 7100 customers will lose power starting as early as 5:00 a.m. monday. in a napa county, 1200 customers will be affected. >> we have seen a lot more proactive behavior. >> pg&e attributes this to changing weather conditions and a dry offshore wind event. all factors that are giving napa residents flashbacks of past fires. >> hopefully not having a repeat of that. it is a stressful time having to evacuate. >

luz pena spoke to both sides. luz: it's been less than a month since cars were allowed to drive on san francisco's great highway. but the signs are still up. for many, the fight is not over. >> hate it. don't like it. luz: san francisco residents is one of many cyclists who have been pushing for the great highway to remain car free. but on august 16, the mayor announced a compromise, the highway would open for traffic from 6:00 a.m. monday to noon on fridays and close to cars on the weekends and holidays. >> the freeway being closed causes a lot of congestion on the surface streets here. so it takes me literally probably 15 more minutes to get home from where it's blocked. luz: now the question is, how long will this compromise last? according to the mayor's office, a long-term decision will be made in the coming months. they say this will require legislative action by the board of supervisors. senator scott weiner has been a vocal supporter to keep the highway closed. >> the number of streets and blocks that we're

luz pena joins us live with margaret what this luz: we are seeing children going back to in person classes american academy of pediatrics, covid cases among children have increased 240% since july. the data is promising. >> children 5-2 11 years old produced antibodies with a dose and scheduled as provided in the trial. . >> they hit the goldilocks zone it was right at the correct spot. reporter: the children who were part of the trial receipt two doses, 21 days apart. but children got a 10 microgram dose, a smaller dose than adults, who normally get 30 micrograms. the response was strong. >> the immune response was more robust. dampening the vaccine down a bit allowed children to get more vaccine from an efficacy perspective. luz: this woman says the data gives her hope as her two daughters go back to school. >> now that there is a vaccine, there is a bit of relief. luz: ironically today, one of them had to stay home because she woke up with a fever. >> first thing that crossed my mind because she had a fever and was vomiting, was, is it covid? blues pfizer announced they will submit the

in san jose, luz pena, abc 7 news. his idols. >> one of the folks you do feature, we actually got in touch with and they wanted to give you a congratulations. i want you to look and listen to this. >> hi, tyler. stacey abrams. congratulations on your gorgeous new book and thank you for sharing your art with the world. like so many people you have captured with your incredible talent, you understand that our obstacles do not define as. that we should focus our energy into our passions. you have shown the world who you are, and we cannot wait to see who you become as an artist and a leader. congratulations. kristen: my goodness, so special. you can tell he was so thrilled. in case you're wondering, here is the stacey abrams painting. dan: wow. he is such a bright, talented, and focused young man. spencer: and that smile of his. dan: it's electric. it lights up a room. i can't wait to see where his career and life takes him. kristen: the sky is the limit, not to be trite, but it is so true. spencer: you are right. dan: pa

luz: in san francisco, luz pena, abc 7 news.itage month. tomorrow, meet a woman who is passing on her car skills to her daughter. and on friday, latinos who want to preserve their culture by playing spanish songs for an english audience. their message of women empowerment through music. larry: breaking news, sky seven just took this video of a major water main break at hope and brunswick streets close to mclaren park. first reports came in about 3:45 this afternoon. water rushing down pope we have cruise on the way to the scene with more information for you as soon as it becomes available. kristen: the most influential people in the world and the unusual another day, another chance. make the most of it with the network that can deliver gig speeds to the most businesses. and get the advanced cybersecurity solutions you need with comcast business securityedge. ask how to get comcast business securityedge to help protect all your connected devices. and get started with a great offer on fast and reliable internet and voice for just

luz pena is part of our vaccine team and she spoke to the county health officer to find out what's behindheir success in getting so many shots into arms. reporter: the highest vaccination rate in california, 97% of this counties eligible residents have received at least one dose. 90% are fully vaccinated. the milestones don't stop here. >> some of the lowest case rates in the state, lowest hospitalization rates, lowest mortality rates. reporter: marin county's public health officer says consistency and gaining community trust was key. what has been your strategy for marin county to get to this point? >> a combination of a variety of different strategies to make sure that we are matching our equity goals with our key assets. regular communications with all of our health care providers. another key strategy has been simplifying the process as much as possible. reporter: he's attributing this milestone the vaccination teams and working together with african-american and latino community leaders who are doing the groundwork. >> we prepared for the vaccination. reporter: 80% of covid cases wer

luz: luz pena, abc 7 news. ama: for many, the september 11 attacks mark a day that has been burned in our memories. for the younger generation, it is now a heart wrenching history lesson. abc 7 news reporter amanda del castillo you shares how the day shapes and inspires first responders. amanda: when thinking about september 11, 2001, most can recount where they were, what they were doing and how they felt the moment the nation was attacked. that day's devastation is what reinforced now deputy fire chief's decision to enter the san jose fire academy that year. classes started one week after the deadly attacks. >> we watched 343 people give their life. the whole support staff and everyone given everything they had. amanda: now after 20 years with the san jose fire department, he says every day is dedicated to those killed in the attacks and beyond. >> it is a lot of weight to put on the shirt and badge every day. it is not just them, but their families and the people they have helped. amanda: deeply meaningful f

luz: luz pena, abc 7 news. ama: for many, the september 11 attacks mark a day that has been burned in our memories. for the younger generation, it is now a heart wrenching history lesson. abc 7 news reporter amanda del castillo you shares how the day shapes and inspires first responders. amanda: when thinking about september 11, 2001, most can recount where they were, what they were doing and how they atta theen that day's devastation is what reinforced now deputy fire chief's decision to enter the san jose fire academy that year. classes started one week after the deadly attacks. >> we watched 343 people give their life. the whole support staff and everyone given everything they had. amanda: now after 20 years with the san jose fire department, he says every day is dedicated to those killed in the attacks and beyond. >> it is a lot of weight to put on the shirt and badge every day. it is not just them, but their families and the people they have helped. amanda: deeply meaningful for him. different for new san

strike going to go for and so stanford university has reached the demands that we posted in palo alto luz pena abc 7 news. and uptick in covid-19 hospitalizations in the central valley has triggered the state's surge protocol for icu capacity the san joaquin valley region is made up of 12 counties including fresno were said and kern counties. the search protocol is activated when less than 10% of icu beds are available for three days. it allows for regional hospitals to transfer patients to and beds where available concern is high about the potential for a new nationwide covid surge over the labor day holiday the us recorded its 22nd consecutive day with more than 100,000 new daily cases on thursday meanwhile vaccination numbers also continue to tick up health officials report 1.4 million vaccine doses were administered over the last 24 hours including 550,000 newly vaccinated people, but tonight there are reports the biden administration will delay the september 20th deadline to start offering boosters for pfizer and moderna shots. this comes just as moderna announced today. it has finished s

strike going to go for and so stanford university has reached the demands that we posted in palo alto luz penabc 7 news. and uptick in covid-19 hospitalizations in the central valley has triggered the state's surge protocol for icu capacity the san joaquin valley region is made up of 12 counties including fresno were said and kern counties. the search protocol is activated when less than 10% of icu beds are available for three days. it allows for regional hospitals to transfer patients to and beds where available concern is high about the potential for a new nationwide covid surge over the labor day holiday the us recorded its 22nd consecutive day with more than 100,000 new daily cases on thursday meanwhile vaccination numbers also continue to tick up health officials report 1.4 million vaccine doses were administered over the last 24 hours including 550,000 newly vaccinated people, but tonight there are reports the biden administration will delay the september 20th deadline to start offering boosters for pfizer and moderna shots. this comes just as moderna announced today. it has finished sub

luz peÑa, a member of our team, is live. uz: hours after pfizerter pfizr -- the fda approved the booster shot, they discussed what would happen moving on. matt willis was in the meeting. >> basically, our approach in california will mirror the cdc recommendation. luz: marin county will open a vaccination site at the northgate mall wednesday to give boosters to those 75 years old and older, instead of starting at the 65-year-old group. >> to some extent, extent, extee higher risk of severe outlook -- outcomes. we will be opening to 65 plus. luz: pharmacies will becom main distributors and will follow cdc guidelines, giving priority to those 65 and older, or those with health conditions. gary made sure to be th to get a booster. >> like winning the lottery. there isn't much luck about it. just go online and sign up and they do it. luz: outside of the same cvs where gary got his booster shot, bill kreisler has been trying for hours to book an appointment. this effort is giving him a flashback of when he and his wife traveled out

luz: in palo alto, luz pena -- ♪ abc 7 news.n: still ahead at 11:00, the final push before tuesday's recall election. newsom and the top republican contenders making their case to voters today. drew: i am tracking a warmer finished to the weekend on the way tomorrow. we will have the numbers in the forecast. dion: and an investigation underway in san francisco. it's time for the biggest sale of the year, on the new sleep number 360 smart bed. it helps keep you effortlessly comfortable by sensing your movements and automatically responding to both of you. and, it's temperature balancing to help you stay comfortable all night. it even tracks your circadian rhythm, so you know when you're at your best. in other words, it's the most energy-building, wellness-boosting, parent-powering, proven quality night's sleep we've ever made. don't miss the final days where all smart beds are on sale. save 50% on the new sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 48 months. ends monday. and there you have it- woah. wireles

luz pena is speaking to a number of bay area scientists who are sequencing and researching variants.a varia california. there are 50 cases in our state. the vaccines are effective, but the concern is the virus continues to adapt and evolve. the r.1 variant is a new strain of covid-19 researchers are keeping a close eye on. the cdc identifying multiple spike protein mutations in this variant. >> the r.1 variant does carry mutations that allow it to be less susceptible to the vaccine. reporter: he is the copresident of the bio hub. his team is actively sequencing covid-19 variants. how do you compare the delta variant to the r.1? >> the delta variant has additional mutations in the spike protein that allows it to spread faster. >> the r.1 variant has mutations found in the beta and gamma mutations. >> it does not have any more mutations than what we have seen before. reporter: according to the cdc, the first cases of the r.1 ant word -- were detected at a nursing facility in kentucky where vaccinated and unvaccinated residents were infected. this variant has the capability to evade ant

liz: that was luz pena reporting.they said they are committed to fully cooperating and providing any additional data that is needed and they also emphasize the importance of t sts thersang quote, all three of the most reliable way to assess someone for covid. one city is rehearsing for the possibility of a wildfire disaster. miller valley held a citywide evacuation drill, putting to the test how to get every buddy out safely. cornell barnard spoke to neighbors who live with those fire fears every day. cornell: the fear of a wildfire, something that never goes away for neighbors ill him -- in mill valley. fierce wildfires have burned across california this summer but finding the safest evacuation route isn't easy in this town of mountains and trees. >> the question is how do we clear the canyons? the answer is to clear the roadways down below. cornell: evacuation drills are a big deal because there are only two ways out of town. the city is working with google to identify travel bottlenecks and the safest routes out. t

luz pena, abc 7 nes. -- news. kristen: calling on governor newsom to extend paid sick leave through the pandemic. >> there is evidence that paid family and a sick leave is good medicine for families and businesses. with paid sick leave our workers can get the support they need to take care of their loved ones. kristen: advocates say three days is not enough time to recover or quarantine if they get infected. a survey by the kaiser family foundation found 79% of adults believe covid will continue at a low level similar to the flu for the foreseeable future. 36% are satisfied but not enthusiastic about the future, 35% say that it is dissatisfying but not angry. larry: a san francisco sheriff deputy do to be arraigned on felony charges from what they say was a violent off-duty confrontation. it happened thursday at a potluck at a -- he is accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old guest, ripped down curtains, and shatter a tank that housed a lizard. he is also accused of showing off his firearms collection and sho

luz pena spoke with several ra's who are part of the group asking for higher pay and better covert guidelines. luz: less than two weeks before stanford university students go back to campus, hundreds of iras are refusing to work unless demands are met. >> stanford is paying ra's above 3800 dollars for every quarter. room and board at stanford university is $18,000, so if you do the math -- luz: it is not enough. >> no, we are essentially paying to work. luz: we spoke to two are a's who asked to remain anymous in fear retaliation. are you skate you are speaking out? >> absolutely. as a student i am fearful because i am only one piece stanford is this elite institution. luz: the strike come several days after one of the ra's tested positive for covid-19, following an indoor, in person training event. >> they practice into a 500 person auditorium, and a couple days later, we found out a student was positive for covid. luz: even though all stanford students are mandated to be fully vaccinated, this group of ra's once more safety guidelines -- wants more safety guidelines and to move practices onl

luz pena, abc 7 news.icago exhibit runs through the first week of january, so plenty of time to see it. dan: let's go back and update the weather forecast, both here and on the fire lines. spencer: we will start on the fire lines, we are a red flag warning is in effect until 11:00 tomorrow night for this entire huge region of the central sierra. dusts are 20 to 30 miles per hour, and occasionally stronger. they threatened to spread those dangerous flames. back in the bay area, we are benefiting from the same onshore flow that is reaching all the way to the sierra, so we've got a cooling sea breeze that is overnight we will see temperatures in the low to mid 50's, and highs tomorrow will be well below average for this time of year, and the air quality will be pretty good. highs in the low 60's along the coast, upper 60's to low 70's near the bay, and upper 70's to low 80's inland. here is the seven-day forecast. even though skies will be a bit hazy tomorrow and wednesday, air quality is expected to be moder

. >> in palo alto, luz pena, abc 7 news.e 9/11 tribute in san francisco yesterday, a group of volunteers packed more than 200,000 meals per people in need. yesterday morning, in honor of national day of service and remembrance, more than 1000 people met at the palace of fine arts to help pack nonperishable meals to address the ongoing food crisis in the bay area. >> it is incredibly inspiring, and it reminds us we are one community and when we help each other, nothing makes us feel better about what we can do to make a difference. amanda: all meals will be donated to and distributed by the san francisco food bank to individuals and families in need. still ahead, a shortage affecting many pet owners. why local veterinarians are cutting hours and not taking on new patients. and here is a live look from our exploratory and cam. the bay bridge, clear to see. the bay bridge, clear to see. we will be checking you know when you're at ross, ooh! and the fall finds are everything? and those brands at those prices are everywhere? okay

lose peÑa spoke with them. luz less than two weeks before students go back, hundreds of our a's refusing to work on less demand are met. >> stanford is paying our a's $3800. room and board at stanford university is $18,000. you do the math. >> we spoke to those who asked to be kept anonymous. are you scared? are you speaking out? >> absolutely. i am very for full because i am only one piece and stanford is an elite institution. luz: this comes after someone tested positive. >> they packed us into a hundred person auditorium and a couple days later we found out that a student was positive for covid. luz: even though all students are mandated to be fully vaccinated, this group wants more safety guidelines and to move training sessions online. they are also asking for the reversal of a policy where students used to drink with doors open, now they can close them. >> five freshmen were transferred to the hospital because of alcohol poisoning because of this new policy. luz: because of the strait, stanford said, universi