>> 7 on your side michael finney. get a refund for airline tickets if you can't make the trip? we'll talk about that next in my q and a session. >>> we want to share photos of our abc 7 news team as students head back to court. this is reporter lyanne melendez for her first day in new york city at mother ka brynn a catholic school. you can e-mail your photos or post them to our facebook page or tweet them to us using #abc 7 back to school. that $22.50. that's insane!d 50 cents. jack. what? it's not even a meal? right now, at my place you can get my spicy chicken club combo. it's my classic spicy chicken breast with bacon and melting cheese on toasted sourdough plus fries and a drink for just $4.99. aww, you're just a big softy. nah, i'm still sad about the popcorn. >>> joan rivers remains on life support four days after going into cardiac arrest at a doctor's office. according to the new york daily news, doctors have begun pulling rivers out of her coma. they're going to assess damage to her brain tomorrow. part of he

. >>> also, michael finney taking your questions on twitter and facebook. he will answer them here live in just a few minutes. you can contact michael at facebook.com/michael finney abc 77. >>> checking your traffic, this is 280 in san jose at the 17 split there. traffic is flowing smoothly. 280 south is the traffic heading away from us. stay with us. is it the biting? ...we need to break up. cuz i can stop? no! i love you and your show. it's cable. customers are more satisfied with u-verse. switch and we can stay together forever. forever? ow. i'm not gonna lie to you. it's also the biting. break up with cable. choose u-verse tv from $19 a month for 2 years. >>> exactly two months ago today, a santa cruz man was on his way to work when a tractor trailer plowed into his car on highway 17. >> several cars were involved in that crash. a number of people were injured. daniel mcguire died and today, his family is asking for a major change in the trucking industry. >> abc 7 news reporter tiffany wilson joins us live with the details. >> reporter: danny mcguire wa

michael finney was there surveying the damage. as amazing, michael, that you were up there and trying to help folks in person. they were very grateful for that. >> i was glad we put together such a great group of people to come up there and help immediately. when you looked around, the damage as you reported on, was pretty bad, much worse than you could see. a lot of homes that looked fine actually shifted and they're in big trouble. >> one of the things i've been reading about is the lack of earthquake insurance. it's terribly expensive. >> it is really expensive and it doesn't pay very much. first of all, the average home is going to pay $600 to more than $1,000 a year for this. it's based on where the house is, how big the house is, and what the likelihood of an earthquake will be and the repair. then when it pays, it doesn't have a simple deductible as fire insurance does for a home, where, for instance, it's just $1,000 or maybe $2500. with earthquake insurance it works like this. first, they'll give you $1500 right off the ba

contact michael finney at facebook.com/michael finney abc 7. >>> approaching 4:11 on this monday afternoon, our first look at the afternoon commute. this is the skyway in downtown san francisco. as always, the jam-up heading oncoming to the lower deck of the bay bridge for folks trying to get back to the east bay. much smoother sailing on the right-hand side of your screen for those driving toward 101 south. iwith something terrible to admit. i treated thousands of patients, risked their lives, while high on prescription drugs. i was an addict. i'm recovered now, but an estimated 500,000 medical professionals are still out there, abusing drugs or alcohol. police, airline pilots, bus drivers... they're randomly tested for drugs and alcohol... but not us doctors. you can change that: vote yes on proposition 46. your lives are in our hands. >>> women's rights organizations are rallying around a new measure in san francisco designed to help bridge the gender gap when it comes to paychecks. abc 7 news reporter carolyn tyler here with the story. >> reporter: it's been more than 50 years since th

. >>> michael finney teams up and takes a look at whether a new truck is also a big money saver. >>> abc 7 news at 5:00 con >>> more than 1,000 firefighters are in shasta county right now battling a wildfire that has doubled in size to more than 1,200 acres. evacuations have been ordered outside reading. the gulch fire threatens more than 100 homes. the fire is about 15% contained. investigators believe a car fire started it. but the fire crew out of control after it jumped a fire line. >>> yosemite national park will reopen this weekend. park officials closed trails last weekend as the infamous meadow fire was spreading near the little yosemite valley. it burned nearly 5,000 acres. it's almost 23% contained. last week, hikers had to be rescued by helicopters after that fire exploded in size. >>> a bit of a mystery at the state capital tonight. arnold schwarzenegger's official portrait has a bit of a smudge, just on the lapel. what was covered up? reporter walt gray has the story from sacramento. >> reporter: monday was a star-studded event. the unveiling of the latest ex-governor's

as students head off to college, 7 on your side michael finney on the hidden credit card fees and how to avoid them. >>> abc 7 news at 5:00 continues in 60 seconds. >>> firefighters on the scene of a sonoma county fire that destroyed one building and sent at least one person to the hospital. the fire began shortly after 3:00 this afternoon in the city of forestville. that's west of santa rosa. authorities say it began in a building and then burned at least one acre of dry vegetation. four ambulances were called to the scene. so far, only one injury has been confirmed. we're still trying to verify reports of a propane tank explosion at that site. >>> more than 700 homes in happy camp threatened by wildfire at this hour. the lightning sparked blaze burning in the forest off state highway 96. it's forced the evacuation of 250 homes. firefighters are focusing their efts on creating defensible space around the homes. that wildfire burned nearly 100 square miles since it started august 11th. it is only 15% contained. >>> let's head outside to check on weather conditions with spencer christi

we could use good news. 7 on your side's michael finney joins us with details. the commute is getting bad. >> i can't even imagine. but this could be the cheapest autumn for gas prices since 2010. nationally the price of gas fell six cents during the past week. the current average price for a gallon of regular is $3.37. analysts predict prices could drop all the way down to $3.15 a gallon. the lundberg survey shows the highest price for gasoline is in san francisco, $3.79 a gallon. the auto industry recovery in recent years means millions of used cars are flooding the market, resulting in lower prices. this is a huge change. for years, during the economic slow-down, used cars were hard to come by and held their value. it was those high prices that eventually helped spur all the recent new car buying. one thing to look out for, lease rates could go up since they are based in part on predicted resale value. >>> public wifi has been getting a lot of good press lately as big players jump into that space. we are told that wifi is getting more secure and it can be, bu

michael finney is here with that. >> this moved really fast. it was late last week that the accusation was made. now they're like oh, you want your money back? why didn't you say so. the state board of equalization is asking car buyers to check their tax rate. you may have paid too much. as i reported late last week, the dmv has been charging sales tax based on zip codes instead of the buyer's address. tax rates can vary within a zip code so some buyers may have paid too much. >> we even had instances where the people have used a map to show where they live and unfortunately, the department of motor vehicles has just said well, you will have to pay the higher rate and then you will have to apply for a refund. >> now you can find out how much tax you should have paid and compare it to your actual fees. if you paid too much, you need to demand a refund. all that information is on the state board of equalization website. to make it easy i posted the links at abc7news.com. >>> federal transportation officials are investigating another possible defe

>>> a passport predicament ends a couple's vacation before it started. 7 on your side's michael finney and the little known rule for overseas travel. >>> plus a bay area company that's been working for years to try 3-d printing in space and what they've got planned now that it's finally happening. those stories and more when katie and i see you coming up at 6:00. >>> so they had just seconds to decide whether or not to run to a burning car to save a man trapped inside. >> today, the santa clara board of supervisors honored cousins carlos ortiz and robert valencia for their heroism the night of august 17th. >> the story is from our alliance with univision 14. supervisor dave cortezi presented the men with commendation plaques. ortiz and valencia witnessed a violent crash on ocala avenue. >> a mercedes hit another car, rolled, hit more cars and caught on fire. >> we were just looking at the guy on fire and he was just sitting there. we were like you know, we can't just leave him there. we just went in and pulled his legs out and my cousin grabbed him by the body and i grabbed him by his

michael finney on the reason why and a possible solution. that's coming up in half an hour on abc 7 news at 6:00. >> thank you. see you then. >>> accolades for apple tonight. >> this honor isn't for its products but for how the company advertises them. ♪ >> apple's misunderstood ad took a top award by the association of independent commercial producers or aicp. >> this is the commercial from youtube. the ad is about a teenager who seems to care more about his gadgets than his family, then surprises everyone by using his apple devices to make a home movie. >> the apple commercial is brilliant in the way it tel a story. it's a bit of a misdirect and it's also brilliantly crafted. >> 400 judges rate the ads. other top honors went to commercials for kmart, radio shack and old spice. >> they are like mini movies now. >>> thanks for joining us. >>> welcome to "world news tonight." the breaking news. the mysterious virus striking children across the country. more than 1,000 children in the hospital already. dr. besser with what the cdc is warning p

7 on your side's michael finney investigates. >>> plus -- >> what do you want to say? >> the people getting siri-ous about the next generation of personal assistants for your phone coming up on abc 7 news al 6:00. >>> finally here, a coast guard officer got a surprise honor today aboard a ship in alameda. >> the coast guard's highest ranking officer came to the bay area to give petty officer second class matthew bosch an excellence award. >> he was recognized for noticing something very unusual on two boats the coast guard intercepted off the coast of colombia in june and july. >> we went down into the engine room and we noticed really nice fresh panels all the way around. there's if reason to go into your fuel tanks, especially under way like that. >> that fresh caulking turned out to be hiding a compartment with illegal drugs. >> his suspicions led to the seizure of 7,450 pounds of cocaine. its street value is estimated at $113 million. wow. >> definitely deserves the award. >> clever noticing the caulk. >> heads up there. >>> thanks for joining us. >> for all of us,

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> some more consumer news. a recall has been issued for chicken two months after salmonella outbreak connected to foster farms was declared over. 40,000 pounds of chicken from louisiana could be contaminated by listeria. it's grilled chicken breast strips in 3.25 pound resealable bags. look for the code p-33901. it has a best by date of august 5th, 2015. that chicken we told you came from a louisiana plant. the product could be available at costco stores in california so return that chicken for a refund. don't use it. listeria causes fevers and headaches and has the potential to be fatal. >> take no chances. >>> in san francisco, california pacific medical center has kicked off a long awaited project. crews broke ground today at st. luke's campus where they will build a new earthquake-safe hospital to replace the old facility. st. luke's has offered care to the medically underserved in the mission district for more than 100 years. after years of negotiating, the city reached a controversial $2 billion deal with

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney is taking your questions and will answer them live later. >>> at 4:10, our first live look at the afternoon commute. this is the mcarthur maze from our camera in emoryville. the traffic is sneaking through the maze at a very slow pace. oncoming traffic is eastbound headed toward berkeley. iwith something terrible to admit. i treated thousands of patients, risked their lives, while high on prescription drugs. i was an addict. i'm recovered now, but an estimated 500,000 medical professionals are still out there, abusing drugs or alcohol. police, airline pilots, bus drivers... they're randomly tested for drugs and alcohol... but not us doctors. you can change that: vote yes on proposition 46. your lives are in our hands. it makes me happy to i like feeling smart. internet essentials from comcast has brought low-cost internet access to over 1.4 million low-income people at home. internet essentials helped me progress in my schoolwork. it helped my grades move higher. today it's the largest broadband adoption program in america. it helped me a lot. comc

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney taking your questions and he will answer them here live a little later. contact michael at facebook.com/michaelfinney abc 7. >>> checking your traffic on this friday, mcarthur maze not too terrible on the right-hand side. that's 80 west. if you are heading 80 east through berkeley, it is looking quite horrible. >> really, really terrible. here's a good one seattle... ♪ foghy what did geico say to the mariner? we could save you a boatload! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly ♪ what's seattle's favorite noise? the puget sound! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly ♪ all right, never mind doesn't matter. this is a classic. what does an alien seamstress sew with? a space needle! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly continuously ♪ oh come off it captain! geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >>> take a look at this. firefighters in southern california are battling this rapidly growing brush fire in the cleveland national forest. you can kind of make out the flames there but mostly, you see that thick gray smoke coming off the mountains. the size of t

. >> michael finney is taking your questions on twitter and facebook. he will answer them here a little bit later on. contact michael at facebook. >>> on your monday, taking a look at your traffic. i-80 through berkeley on the right-hand side, obviously more traffic heading east towards berkeley and beyond, sacramento a little better heading toward the city on the left-hand side. hard it can be...how ...to breathe with copd? it can feel like this. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva is a once-daily inhaled... ...copd maintenance treatment... ...that helps open my airways for a full 24 hours. you know, spiriva helps me breathe easier. spiriva handihaler tiotropium bromide inhalation powder does not replace rescue inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. th discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and seek immediate medical help if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells,... you can get hives, vision

>>> 7 on your side's michael finney. a local public high school is charging students $100 for parking. is that legal? i'll have the answer coming up. [ brian e, it's about getting to the finish line. in life, it's how you get there that matters most. it's important to know the difference. like when i found out i had a blood clot in my leg. my doctor said that it could travel to my lungs and become an even bigger problem. and that i had to take action. so he talked to me about xarelto®. [ male announcer ] xarelto® is the first oral prescription blood thinner proven to treat and help prevent dvt and pe that doesn't require regular blood monitoring or changes to your diet. [ brian ] for a prior dvt i took warfarin, which required routine blood testing and dietary restrictions. not this time. ♪ while i was taking xarelto®, i still had to stop racing, but i didn't have to deal with that blood monitoring routine. ♪ you made great time. i found another way. [ male announcer ] don't stop taking xarelto®, rivaroxaban, unless your

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> did you get one? i did not get one. >> no. >> send them to people who want them. that's the solution. we want a little presteptation. is it coming? >> if you are headed into the sierra nevada, yes. but there is a slight chance over in our east bay, the higher elevations of santa clara maybe an isolated shower and here is why. wide doppler 7hd showing not only the precip and the snow in the mountains and some of this extends down through the san joaquin valley and the rotation around this could bring this a few showers in the higher elevations. we are looking at more cloud cover today and that will keep the temperatures a little cooler than average. here's a look at some of the snow. you have to go up above about rainfall maybe a quarter inch and we aren't looking at thunderstorm activity. pretty cloudy and cool in the mountains. it will take three or four days to turn around and warm up, but it certainly will. and that's also our forecast back home for a warmer second half of the week. emeryville righ

and michael finney with a high-tech solution to keep your life in order in a disaster. iwith something terrible to admit. i treated thousands of patients, risked their lives, while high on prescription drugs. i was an addict. i'm recovered now, but an estimated 500,000 medical professionals are still out there, abusing drugs or alcohol. police, airline pilots, bus drivers... they're randomly tested for drugs and alcohol... but not us doctors. you can change that: vote yes on proposition 46. your lives are in our hands. >> welcome back, everyone. it's 9:14 on this sunday morning. this is a live look from the santa clara city traffic cam from great american parkway and tazmin drive. we are showing you this because there's a game today from eli stadium. don't you know? it's the 49ers taking on the eagles at 1:25. if you plan to tailgate, now would be a good time fog. traffic seems to be running very smoothly. >>> rescuers in japan has found more than 30 unconscious bodies near the peak of the >>> senator barbara boxer toured napa valley yesterday. >>> senator barbara boxer

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> coming up next, innovations from abroad.re going to show you the cool new apps in technology that could revolutionize daily life. >>> also coming up new at 5:00, shell-shocked. a new computer virus could allow hackers to take control of hundreds of millions of machines all over the world. >>> and president obama hangs a no-fishing sign in the ooh shun and makes history in a big way. . >>> honoring hispanic heritage month through october 15th with posts to our instagram feeds. today is national comic book day. we want to tell you about the latino comics expo coming up ost 11th and 12th in san jose. >>> watch this video out of atlanta, georgia. a truck flips onto its side on top of a minivan. you can see trash covering the car and the road around it. the drivers of both vehicles suffered non-life-threatening injuries, we're glad to say. >>> innovation is not exclusive to silicon valley. for two days, entrepreneurs have been showing off technology they're developing. >> the big focus is internet of things. >> david louie joins

. >>> head lice and your youngster. 7 on your side's michael finney on how treatment doesn't have to be a head scratcher. >>> plus -- the turtle and the salty lady and the fisherman with a tale to tell. >> good tale. abc 7 news at 5:00 continues in 60 seconds. here's a good one seattle... ♪ foghorn soone seattly what did geico say to the mariner? we could save you a boatload! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly ♪ what's seattle's favorite noise? the puget sound! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly ♪ all right, never mind doesn't matter. this is a classic. what does an alien seamstress sew with? a space needle! ♪ foghorn sounds loudly continuously ♪ oh come off it captain! geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >>> the nfl is playing defense tonight in the ray rice domestic violence case, following the release of that video showing rice hitting his then fiancee. tmz obtained that video, nfl commissioner roger goodell tells cbs quote, we had not seen any videotape of what occurred in the elevator. he continues, quote, we assumed that there was video. we asked for video

. >> 7 on your side's michael finney is here with that story. >> there is an app for this.re are several, in fact, that call for help in case of an attack. this circle of six app sends an alert with one touch of the screen. it also gives your exact location. another option is called be safe. >> what be safe does it turn your phone into a recording device so if you're in an emergency it gets the face and the sound of what's happening. >> be safe also alerts all your emergency contacts that you are in danger and it also sounds an alarm. >>> air fare trackers say it will cost more to fly home for thanksgiving this year, perhaps a lot more. but there are some ways to save. fair compare.com says if you haven't bought your ticket, do it now, like tonight. prices are going to go up, way up in october. the cheapest flights are on thanksgiving day itself. you will find midrange fares on the saturday before and after thanksgiving. the most expensive, well, those flights will be on tuesday and wednesday before thanksgiving. >>> retail giant walmart has been trying to get into the bank

michael finney with a woman's story on how she was wrongly charged for years. >> coastal clouds right now and relatively cool conditions but a maj yeerm up coming our way. how hot it's going to be in the accu-weather forecast coming up. >> and an unusual feature of this property getting a lot of attention. what is that? >>> because of the growing demand for educated students there is a pilot program that allows them to afford four year bachelor degrees. >> targeted programs include dental hygiene and respiratory therapy. de-anza college is hoping to expand its program to include automotive management. under this plan the state's colleges will compete for oefrl 15 pilot programs. >> students will get up to $10,000 that doesn't pay for one year of uc. graduates can expect higher pay. especially those with degrees in liberal arts. >> a community college degree may provide you with an entry level salary of $70,000s. a bachelor's degree. >> he districts the dental hygiene program pointing out many require a four-year degree. >> if going into certain companies or practices they'd need a bac

. >>> i'm michael finney. it's worth today $190. >>> we are following a wildfire in southern california. you can take a live look here. this is happening right now. we saw some great flames earlier just erupting from the mountainside. you can see a plane going by there. there is a lot of smoke in the area. >>> traffic is still backed up near foster city after an accident just after noon. sky 7 hd shows us eastbound highway 92 and foster city boulevard, where a big rig hauling dirt rolled over, spilling dirt on to the road. the driver suffered minor injuries. crews needed a crane to help get that truck right side up again. >>> somebody ran the red light with the little black car and i guess the van tried to avoid hitting the car, ended up in the subway. >> she really does mean inside a subway sandwich shop. this is video sent to us from a viewer. this happened at battery and pine street in san francisco. the woman driving the black car has been cited for running a red light. crews cleaned up the mess and fortun

michael finney with a woman's story on how she was wrongly charged for years. >> coastal clouds right now and relatively cool conditions but a maj yeerm up coming our way. how hot it's going to be in the accu-weather forecast coming up. >> and an unusual feature of this property getting a lot of attention. what is that? stay w >>> because of the growing demand for educated students there is a pilot program that allows them to afford four bachelor degrees. >> targeted programs include dental hygiene and respiratory therapy. de-anza college is hoping to expand its program to include automotive management. under this plan the state's colleges will compete for oefrl 15 pilot programs. >> students will get up to $10,000 that doesn't pay for one year of uc. graduates can expect higher pay. especially those with degrees in liberal arts. >> a community college degree may provide you with an entry level salary of $70,000s. a bachelor's degree. >> he districts the dental hygiene program pointing out many require a four-year degree. >> if going into certain companies or practices they'd need a b

here's michael finney with the details. >> higher one allows you to manage your money easier and getrefunds. >> this is a promotional video for higher one. it's the biggest player in campus banking and offers cards at more than 800 institutions nationwide. consumers union, the advocacy arm of consumer reports, looked at higher one and eight other companies that offered campus-sponsored accounts. the staff attorney, suzanne martindale, said students should be very careful about signing up for them. >> high and unusual fees. the fees you wouldn't typically see on a regular retail account. >> fees can include overdraft fees as high as $38. the fee each time you use the debit card is 50 cents. out-of-network atm charges that can run as high as $3, and even an inactivity fee if you don't use your account. consumers union found that while some of the accounts analyzed have low-cost options, students need to use the accounts carefully or risk of incurring hundreds of dollars a year in usage fees. so why would anyone sign up for a campus-sponsored account? >> many students find it difficult

michael finney is here with a look at the real estate market after the quake. >> this is real estateroker, christopher chung. >> the building tilts this way at the bottom and tilts this way at the top? >> we're in his napa office talking about the quake and going over the hard numbers following the hard shaking. >> these all the active listings in the ones that are currently available on the market today. and as you can see when you look through it, all of the prices have not changed since the earthquake. so people are still holding the prices up, because they feel that there is still value in their homes. >> out of the office and into the neighborhoods, chris is showing me around brown's valley, one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods. the sun is shining, the wine country vibe is still here. what isn't -- is a future for 86-year-old edward mays. >> like i say, we hate to leave the area, but we just don't see possibility of staying here. >> he was the first resident of this neighborhood 41 years ago. he showed me the damage to his home, as he was packing up. he says the cost and the tim

. >>> i'm 7 on your side's michael finney with a look at a new trend in checking accounts. could your checkbook be obsolete? i will let you know. >>> a former california woman now living in texas is learning first-hand the complications that come with same sex marriages that are only recognized in some states. connie wilson tried getting a texas driver's license but was told she could not get one because she had her spouse's last name. her california same sex marriage is not recognized in texas. if wilson wanted a license she needed to switch back to her maiden name. doing that requires a court order. wilson says it was a frustrating experience. >> the employee looked at it, looked all over it, noticed it was a woman's name at the top and her immediate response was is this same. >> wilson says she's keeping her married name but also wants a driver's license. she's unsure what she's going to do next. >>> space-x's dragon cargo ship arrived overnight at the international space station bringing with it the first ever 3-d printer launched into orbit. this printer is an experime

michael finney first reported o khalid wson in 2008. two dozen people filed complaints again him. he was arrested and sentenced to eight months in priso he served his time, but repeated the crime after his release. >> he is a rebeat offender. he goes in without alicense, and does damage to peles' houses makes them feel victimized like being burglarized. >> a dge sentenced wilson to two years intate prison and $26,000 in restitution. >> an update on a 70-year-old man attacked i a bay hard washing over theweekend. police say he will likely have permanent brain damage. he cameut of a comariefly last night and was ab to communicate with family. police say wong was atacted while clecting reclables. >> it will be a reminder to tens of thousands of drivers an interchange dedicated in the mery of a fallen patrol officer that died near there two years ago. laura? >> hi, ama. two years ago, a young chp officer, a father of four participated in a routine traffic stop, one that turned out to be anything but routine. >> this is not a good anniversary. but, we're doing here today is a good thin

michael finney first reported on khalid wilson in 2008. two dozen people filed complaints against him. he was arrested and sentenced to eight months in prison. he served his time, but repeated the crime after his release. >> he is a rebeat offender. he goes in without a license, and does damage to peoples' houses makes them feel victimized like being burglarized. >> a judge sentenced wilson to two years in state prison and $26,000 in restitution. >> an update on a 70-year-old man attacked in a bay hard washing over the weekend. police say he will likely have permanent brain damage. he came out of a coma briefly last night and was able to communicate with family. police say wong was atacted while collecting recyclables. >> it will be a reminder to tens of thousands of drivers an interchange dedicated in the memory of a fallen patrol officer that died near there two years ago. laura? >> hi, ama. two years ago, a young chp officer, a father of four participated in a routine traffic stop, one that turned out to be anything but routine. >> this

>> michael finney on the long, winding road to the paul mccartney concert and tries to get back their money. >> my house is gone. my neighbor's house is gone. people across street from us, their house is gone. >> there is a massive fire burning in el dorado county the fire shows no signs of slowing down. good evening, i'm dan ashley. >> we'll get back to ta story in just a moment. new calls to help americans stranded in cabo for several nights. the hurricane struck sunday evening the next morning six of seven resorts were flooded and there was mud and muck the family had to wade through at the hotel. most of the staff, gone. outside of the resort were armed looters the couple with two sons, ages 1 and 3 had no electricy and very little food or water the mexican military got them out on wednesday. they arrived at sfo today. >> after getting home and being able to step back and look at what we went through, it's horrific. >> the couple told us canadians at the same hotel were rescued by their government. they want to know where their government was. he says eric stallwall received dozen

. >>> i'm michael finney. ahead on 7 on your side, putting the iphone 6 to the test.oes the battery last as long as apple says it will? >>> i'm spencer christian from the east bay hills camera. we can see that the coast is clear and it's about to get very warm. along with the rest of the bay area. the accuweather forecast coming up. >>> at 4:35, a check of the afternoon commute. this is the skyway in downtown san francisco. the usual logjam for those folks in oncoming cars heading to the lower deck of the bay bridge and ultimately the east bay. a little bit better, slightly better, for those folks heading toward 101 south on the other side. to finismy career., and i'm about to start my career. i have two young boys, and i want their mommy to be safe and healthy. having health insurance gives you freedom. you can't rely on everything just to go smoothly in life. accidents happen all the time. with covered california, we were able to save a lot of money. i'm able to see a doctor that i love. i'm protected and i'm covered. i'm in. i'm in. i'm in. and i'm making it on my

. >>> i'm michael finney. coming up, they hole you'll never see it coming, the way thieves are stealing your credit card information. >>> san francisco's new $100 million cruise ship is officially open for business. this morning the crown princess became the first ship to berth at the new terminal at pier 27. the facility was originally built for the america's cup. now it houses a ticketing office and border inspection area. there's also a 3 1/2-acre park next to the terminal that's open to the public. >> it's not only the visitors in san francisco, it's the san franciscans themselves who will be able to enjoy seeing these vessels up close and perm. san francisco's a maritime city. this is really going to be an exclamation point to the city. >> the terminal will allow san francisco to welcome much bigger cruise ships with up to 4,000 passengers. the facility also offers shoreside ability to turn off their engines. >>> bigger tax credit to entertainment companies that produce movies and tv shows in california.

and putting the new iphone to the test. 7 on your side's michael finney has teamed up with reports to see if it really does bend as some people have said. about apple's new iphones that they might bend. videos like these suggest there is a problem with structural design. consumer reports partnered with 7 on on your side to test out the iphone 6. they put 70 pounds of pressure on the iphone 6 and it was permanently bept. >> it takes a lot of force to bend one of these iphones. any of of the phones we tested for that matter. >> here is a look at the other phones the htc1m8 bent at 70 pounds and the iphone 6 plus, the big one took 90 pounds. the lgt3 was even more impressive at 130 pounds before it was permanently bent. and the samsung galaxy lasting until 150 pounds. the result? consumer reports found the iphones are not the strong e phones around, but fears of a structural design flaw are overblown. >>> well, a big wedding weekend ahead for george scwhroon knee. the long-time hollywood bachelor arrived in venice where he is reportedly getting married. here is abc news reporter. >> the

. >>> i'm michael finney. i partner up with consumer reports on the newest trends and wearable technology. is it the biting? ...we need to break up. cuz i can stop? no! i love you and your show. it's cable. customers are more satisfied with u-verse. switch and we can stay together forever. forever? ow. i'm not gonna lie to you. it's also the biting. break up with cable. choose u-verse tv from $19 a month for 2 years. t a $1,000 with a new volkswagen turbo. reward card obsessed with turbo? because we like giving you power, but we also like giving you fuel efficiency. like the sporty jetta. and the turbocharged passat tdi® clean diesel. okay... and the iconic beetle... and the powerful tiguan... okay you can't forget the cc... guys, this is going to take a while. get a $1,000 reward card on new 2014 turbo models or lease a 2014 jetta se for $159 a month after a $1,000 bonus. ends soon! i'm a kid. and us kids have an important message for our grown ups. three grams daily of beta-glucan... a soluable fiber from wh

here's michael finney with the details. >> tire one allows you to mag your money easier and get it. >st player in campus banking and offers cards at more than 800 institutions nationwide. consumers union i think the advocacy arm of consumer reports looked at higher one and eight other companies that offered campus sponsored accounts. the staff attorney ann martindale said students should be very careful about signing up for them. >> high and unusual fees. the fees you wouldn't typically see on a regular retail account. >> it can include overdraft fees as high as $38. the fee each time you use the debit card of 50 cents. out of network atm charges that can run as hay as three dollars, and even an inactivity fee if you don't use your account. consumers union found that while some of the accounts analyzed have low cost options, students need to use the accounts carefully or risk of incurring hundreds of dollars a year in usage fees. so why would anyone sign up for a campus sponsored account? >> many students find it difficult it avoid signing up for the products and maybe the default opt

michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> up next, a smash and grab robbery caught on video. the damage done to a popular san francisco bike store. >>> i'm dan ashley in the abc 7 newsroom. coming up new at 5:00, we know soda can be harmful but they could be even worse than we thought for children. what pediatricians are recommending tonight. >>> plus forget cats. find out about the firefighters who saved some hamsters. >>> abc 7 is honoring hispanic heritage month through october 15th with posts to our instagram feed. today, we recognize the thprodu of machario. catch the play from october 9th to 19th. it's becoming a tradition in silicon valley. more details on instagram at abc 7 news bay area. >>> here's tonight's prime time lineup on abc 7. at 8:00, "dancing with the stars." followed by "castle" at 10:00. then abc 7 news at 11:00. use watch abc to catch all those shows live on the go with your smartphone, tablet or computer. visit watch abc.com for details or download the free app by searching watch abc in your app store. >>> san francisco police are still looking for the

and putting the new iphone to the test. 7 on your side's michael finney has teamed up with reports to see if it really does bend as some people have said. what's happened to snacking? how did it become absent-mindedly eating one after the next, after the next? so predictable and so unsatisfying? what about pulling up a chair, a stool, a beanbag, and actually tasting our food. we are a creamy cheese that still believes in the beauty of a knife, in the elegant swipe of a . . . swipe. of course, that doesn't mean you can't dunk us or scoop us up. enjoy every single, sol-i-tar-y bite. the laughing cow. reinvent snacking. about apple's new iphones that they might bend. videos like these suggest there is a problem with structural design. consumer reports partnered with 7 on on your side to test out the iphone 6. they put 70 pounds of pressure on the iphone 6 and it was permanently bept. >> it takes a lot of force to bend one of these iphones. any of of the phones we tested for that matter. >> here is a look at the other phones the htc1m8 bent at 70 pounds and the iphone 6 plus, the big one

. >>> i'm 7 on your side michael finney.g up next. >>> for the first time ever, private companies will soon launch american astronauts into space. today, nasa signed a $1 billion deal with space-x and boeing to make that happen. nasa ended its space shuttle program in 2011. russia's space shuttle program currently transports u.s. astronaut toss ts to the space at $70 million a pop. the new program puts an end to that deal, letting nasa focus on other missions. >> we will conduct missions that will each set their own impressive roster of firsts. first crew to visit and take a sample from an asteroid. first to fly beyond the orbit of the moon. perhaps the first to grow its own food and eat it in space. all of which will set us up for humanity's next giant leap. the first crew to touch down on and take steps on the surface of mars. >> boeing and space-x will compete to provide the best option with the winner receiving a long term contract. nasa hopes to begin private flights in 2017. >>> terry washington is standing up for vict

and putting the new iphone to the test. 7 on your side's michael finney has teamed up with reports to see if it really does bend as some people have said. the smartest or nothing. the quietest or nothing. the sleekest... ...sexiest, ...baddest, ...safest, ...tightest, ...quickest, ...harshest... ...or nothing. at mercedes-benz, we do things one way or we don't do them at all. introducing the all-new c-class. the best or nothing. a broader mix of energies, world needs which is why we are supplying natural gas, to generate cleaner electricity, that has around 50% fewer co2 emissions than coal. and why with our partner in brazil, we are producing a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane to fuel cars. let's broaden the world's energy mix, let's go. it's a place you've been before, but it's not on any map. so go out there, lose yourself, and find the truth. ♪ we're all born wild. ♪ let's keep it that way. the 2014 4runner. toyota. let's go places. about apple's new iphones that they might bend. videos like these suggest there is a problem with structural design. consumer reports partnered w

. >>> i'm michael finney. a bay area company announces the recall of a popular children's snack.ave the details. >>> broadway theater owners have changed their minds. they will now pay tribute to the late comedienne joan rivers. the broadway league said yesterday that rivers did not meet the criteria for the honor, triggering a controversy when several theater owners said they would turn out their lights anyway. an online petition was started and several celebrities came out in favor of a tribute for joan rivers, who died last thursday at the age of 81. >>> a minnesota woman says she has big plans after winning the lottery but quitting her job isn't among them. rhonda meece returned to work on sunday a day after she and her husband won $11.7 million tax-free in minnesota's hot lotto. she says she loves few things more than waiting tables at the lake elmo inn. >> i have great friends here and a great boss and it's just a really fantastic place to work. so i have no plans of leaving. >> she's in heaven when she's here. she's having a ball. if you can have fun at work, why give that

. >> 7 on your se michael finney tips tonight on how to detest the leak before the savings and priouser go down the drain. >>reporter: david of east bay mud and ron are on a mission. they want to figure out why his waterbill is so high. suspicion is mounting that the danville resident has a leak. >> i didn't know i had a leak. the but dave sente an e-mail saying he suspect tre had was a leak. >>rerter: this is based on water use pattern highlight entered this chart. ron is one of 4000 homeowner in the danville area participating an east bay mud experiment with the water smart home. radio device relay water use information back to east bay mud in this case the chart ow ron is using water 24 hours a day even wn everyone is asleep >> the important. i don't want to west water. >>reporter: at the paid him a personal visit to instigate. he's a civil engineer but you might call him a water detective.he later check the meter ter ron shut off the water to the house. >> as we look at the water meter we can see a little triangle and circle white triale slowly turning. >>reporter: tt triangle sho

. >> 7 on your side michael finney tips tonight on how to detest the leak before the savings and preciouso down the drain. >>reporter: david of east bay mud and ron are on a mission. they want to figure out why his water bill is so high. suspicion is mounting that the danville resident has a leak. >> i didn't know i had a leak. the but dave sent me an e-mail saying he suspect there had was a leak. >>reporter: this is based on water use pattern highlight entered this chart. ron is one of 4000 homeowner in the danville area participating in an east bay mud experiment with the water smart home. radio device relay water use information back to east bay mud in this case the chart show ron is using water 24 hours a day even when everyone is asleep. >> the important. i don't want to west water. >>reporter: at the paid him a personal visit to investigate. he's a civil engineer but you might call him a water detective. he later check the meter after ron shut off the water to the house. >> as we look at the water meter we can see a little triangle and circle white triangle slowly turning. >>reporte

it's a case that michael finney has been following for six years. some of the victims were on hand today to see justice served. >> reporter: work had to be redone after the project was abandoned. she saw him face to face in court. >> he looked at me for a long time. >> they didn't complete the work that's supposed to be completed. >> reporter: we first reported on wilson in 2008 when nearly a dozen people filed complaints against him. he was e eventually arrested and sentenced to eight months in prison and ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution. he served his time but repeated the crime after his release. joe narone prosecuted the second case. >> he's a repeat offender. he goes in without a license and does a lot of damage to people's houses and makes them feel victimized. >> reporter: wilson has been on the contractor state license board most wanted list since 2012. authorities finally caught up with him this year. an attorney was asked by a minister to defend wilson. he's confident wilson will repay victims. >> i didn't get into this business just

. >> 7 on your michael finney tips tonight on how to detest the leak before the savings and precious water go down the drain. >>reporter: david of east bay mud and ron are on a mission. they want to figure out why his water bill is so high. suspicion is mounting that the danville resident has a leak. >> i didn't know i had a leak. the but dave sent me an e-mail saying he suspect there had was a leak. >>reporter: this is water sed on water use pattern highlight entered this chart. ron is one of 4000 homeowner in the danville area participating in an east bay mud experiment with the water smart home. radio device relay water use information back to east bay mud in this case the chart show ron is using water 24 hours a day even when everyone is asleep. >> the important. i don't want to west water. >>reporter: at the paid him a personal visit to investigate. he's a civil engineer but you might call him a water detective. he later check the meter after ron shut off the water to the house. >> as we look at the water meter we can see a little triangle and circle white triangle slowly turnin

some of them are turning to michael finney for help. >> yes. it's the good part. is the story about details things you don't think b >> this quake runs from ceiling down to brar alarm. this # 6-year-old and his wife just installed alarms then, earthquake hit. dealing with a quake, a yellow tagged home and a move was enough. they didn't want to think about a three-year long ahrm contract. they asked for it to be voided. >> this should give you plenty of time. then, we can reinstall the larm system. >> he took a look at the situation and had them call the company once more. >> words don't close. >> that is why i'm back here in napa. at the maze house, again. with this call there was a different answer. >> everything worked out. >> i said here is my offer. we will pay the cost of a technician coming out there. which is we feel that that is a fair offer. >> as did seven on your side? >> yes. >> if proceed. >> the company sent them a technician that followed up with a release of liable e mail. >> it's a like mind. >> now, what you saw here is often how 7 on your side w

. >> michael finney says that massive mailer may be coming your way again. >> no!rm when restoration hardware mailed out 17-pound catalogs? >> it caused a backlash. surely they won't do the same thing again. or will they? >> it was a bundle as big as a cinder block. you'd think the company would pull back but there is talk of putting out another giant catalog. 13 books with glossy photos. >> this is going to go into recycling. paper and trees are too precious for this junk mailing. >> for nancy and her neighbors gathered them at nancy's house. . >> i had a ton. >> they wheeled them back to the store. nancy hopes the retailer got the message we asked restoration hardware about the backlash. it did not respond. however, the ceo wasn't ruling out a bigger catalog next year. >> we're questioning how much bigger the book can be, how much bigger the drop can be. >> he did acknowledge some didn't like that material. >> it's a positive there is a bit of an intimidation factor. >> in fact he admitted he got one and hasn't read it, either. >> i run the company. my books came

. >> michael finney joins with us a look at the latest in document retrieval. >> for years i've kept a different location. sometimes, a+ safe deposit box sometimes,/ñ a work desk. and now there is a high-tech solution. when an earthquake hits, first there is a scramble to save lives, then, for paper work. >> recently it's imperative people have access to documents >> john says it's important to have access to all documents. >> we recommend you scan them and have a copy outside of where you live. >> people do know where their paper work is. >> i don't know where sit. >> why not? >> my mom has it >> and making it easier are apps from insurance companies. >> companies are now compete are for customers with apps. >> you can deposit a check into state farm bank. you can look at your home policy see your mutual funds. in case of a client, there is a process. >> one because you don't have to search for everything. there is everything in one location. something you might need later. they'll ask you for it. >> just one place i do everything on my phone anyway. so this keeps it together for m

. >>> food for thought. 7 on your side's michael finney explains why consumer advocates want the wordanned from food labels. >>> all coming up in half an hour on the abc 7 news at 6:00. >>> the winning photographs in a contest by the royal observatory in greenwich, england. >> they certainly are spectacular. this shows the aurora borealis reflecting off glacier lake against the back drop of a snow-covered mountain range. it took the overall prize in the competition. >> you can see why. this close-up of the sun took first prize in the solar system category. >> and this is the winner of the deep space category. it's a stunning image of what's called the horse head neb you lon. you can see why they called it that. >> it's incredible to see. >>> "world news tonight" wit david muir is coming up. >>> we appreciate your time. our next newscast is 6:00. how fast are they really going?

. >> michael finney joins with us a look at the latest in document retrieval. >> for years i've kepthen, one in a different location. sometimes, a+ safe deposit box sometimes,/ñ a work desk. and now there is a high-tech solution. when an earthquake hits, first there is a scramble to save lives, then, for paper >> recently it's imperative people have access to documents >> john says it's important to have access to all documents. >> we recommend you scan them and have a copy outside of where you live. >> people do know where their paper work is. >> i don't know where sit. >> why not? >> my mom has it >> and making it easier are apps from insurance >> companies are now compete are for customers with apps. >> you can deposit a check into state farm bank. you can look at your home policy see your mutual in case of a client, there is a process. >> one because you don't have to search for everything. there is everything in one location. something you might need later. they'll ask you for it. >> just one place i do everything on my phone anyway. so this keeps it together for me. >> so chec