michael finney investigates who is to blame. that's all coming up at 6:00. >>> "world news tonight" with david muir is next. i'm kristen sze. >> and i'm dan ashley. live once again in santa rosa. for sandhya patel, michael finney, and our entire team working so hard in the north bay on this one-year anniversary, we appreciate your time. one last time, we thank you upstairs here, drone view 7 giving you a closer look, a bird's eye look at the fountain grove neighborhood, so devastated by the wildfires one year ago. some rebuilding, but a lot more to g >>> tonight, breaking news. as we come on the air in the west tonight. the states of emergency. a major hurricane moving in. hurricane michael rapidly gaining strength at this hour. the new track just in tonight. racing toward the american coast. the fast-moving storm could make landfall as a category 3 hurricane. mandatory evacuations coming. long lines for gas already. tonight, cruise ships out at sea changing course. meteorologist ginger zee has the hour by hour when this hits. >

. >>> i'm michael finney. coming up on >>> officials in the southeast are warning that the death toll is likely to go up. at least 13 people have died. rescue workers are going door to door looking for other victims and survivors. this drone footage shows devastation. just incredible damage. the mayor said the city of 1,000 people will rebuild. >> the spirit of our town based on the quaintless family feeling, i think these people will come back. >>> president trump tweeted he'll be back to visit the damage firsthand. >>> medshare is getting supplies ready to help with hurricane relief. they're waiting for any bay area doctors and nurses getting ready to deploy to florida. medshare will give thome 1em 10 pounds of supplies they need. if you'd like, you can donate to american red cross. text michael to 90999 to send $10 automatically. >>> about four months ago we tell you about a hokeless man whose belongings were thrown into a river. >> he's still living there, so we were looking into this. we're joined live fr

michael finney explains why incidents like this are not that >>> a security bug that could be exposed by answering a video call using whatsapp has been fixed. it says it affected android and ios devices but not web users. so far there's no sign the flaw has been exploited. facebook, which owns whatsapp learned about the problem in august and recently rolled out a patch. >>> tesla is close to naming a new chairman. elon musk had to step down as part of a settlement with the securities commission. he had plans to take the company private. reports say james murdoch is the leading candidate to replace musk. murdoch recently stepped down as chairman of sky broadcasting and plans to step down as ceo of 21st century fox, but in a tweet musk is denying it. >>> the bay area loves the warriors and the team is loving the bay area back. >> some of the local food offe >>> coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00, they call it a point of pride. tonight the last-minute mission heading straight into the disaster zone created by hurricane michael. also -- >> we feel that it's really in the wrong place. >> at 6

michael finney is breaking down what you should do on our website abc7news.com. >> rain is still hitting the bay area. this was the scene about an hour and a half ago on interstate 280 in palo alto. drew? >>> yeah, dan, the showers are widely scattered but where they are hitting they are packing a punch. let's get you right down to street level. it's the inland east bay dealing with the worst of it over 580 and livermore, you just had a downpour. that's the heavy rain. around tracy, lightning strikes. we'll track this line of showers. heads up, brentwood. by 5:41 expect downpours. the storm impact scale not only continues today but also tomorrow morning for a level one light storm. we'll track this hour by hour on future weather when i see you in a few minutes. >> drew, thanks so much. >>> more fallout today after president trump openly mocked the testimony of dr. christine blasey ford, the palo alto resident, who says she was sexually assaulted by brett kavanaugh who is up for nomination to the u.s. supreme court. live in palo alto with reaction to what the president said. >> reporter:

i'm michael finney. how some alleged victims are already getting their money back. >>> because you never know when the big one is going to hit. i have everything you need to know when an earthquake hits. warning, california. a handful of billionaires have spent over $70 million on campaigns to undermine our public schools. and electing a former wall street banker named marshall tuck to superintendent of public instruction is all a part of the billionaires' plan to take money away from neighborhood public schools and give it to their corporate charter schools. that's why tony thurmond is the only candidate endorsed by classroom teachers for superintendent of public instruction. because keeping our kids safe and improving our neighborhood public schools is always tony's top priority. >>> live where you live, this is "abc7 news." [ screaming ] >> hang on, everybody. this is just a simulation, but it could become reality because we live in earthquake country. that's why preparations are vital to making sure

. >> michael finney says why induction ranges or cook tops may be a good idea. >> if you're shopping for a range and decided to go for a smooth top electric, you have one more big decision to make. should you spend a little more and get an induction cook top? >> they're similar in appearance and in fact, the oven operation is no different. the way the cook top heats and the way it performs is what sets it apart. here's the science behind how it works. >> well, instead of a red hot element below this glass surface for induction cook tops, the element generates an electromagnetic field. the field interacts with the pot and the pot gets hot. >> every induction range and cook top that was tested has high-powered burners that provide quick cook top heat and superb simmering. here's something that's kind of cool. literally. >> see how only half of the chocolate bar is melting. the pan is hot and next to it isn't. that's the difference between induction and radiant cook top. >> you can get a recommended model for around $1,000. this frigidaire gallery got excellent ratings for heating and s

for sandhya patel, michael finney, all of us here, we appreciate your time. hope to see you again at 6:00. >> and look at this sky. perfect for a blue angels reunion. california had the worst wildfire season on record. scientists say, our weather is becoming more extreme and we all have to be better prepared. that's why pg&e is adopting new and additional safety precautions to help us monitor and respond to dangerous weather. hi, i'm allison bagley, a meteorologist with pg&e's community wildfire safety program. we're working now, to enhance our weather forecasting capabilities, building a network of new weather stations to identify when and where extreme wildfire conditions may occur, so we can respond faster and better. we're installing cutting edge technology to provide real-time mapping and tracking of weather patterns. and we use this information in partnership with first responders and california's emergency response systems. to learn more about the community wildfire safety program and how you can help keep your home and community safe, visit pge.com/wi

we will see you then. >>> new at 6:00, a 7 on your side warning from michael finney.hy the dmv says you better look out when searching for motor vehicle information online. that story california's public schools rank 44th in the nation. 44th. i'm marshall tuck, i'm a public-school parent, and i know we can do better. in the public schools i led, we got more funding into our classrooms, supported our teachers, and we raised graduation rates by 60%. that's why president obama's education secretary endorses me. we've done it before. now, let's do it for every public-school student in california. i'm marshall tuck. i'm running for state superintendent. >>> while therapy dogs can certainly comfort kids in the hospital, a new study out today says they can also spread superbugs. >> doctors at johns hopkins hospital in baltimore were concerned they could be a risk to children with weakened immune systems. they tested children. >> they found kids who spent more time with the dogs were six times more likely to be infected with superbugs. six times. but washing the dogs and usin

. >> i'm 7 on your side michael >> i'm 7 on your side michael finney. as a supervisor at pg&e, >> i'm 7 on your side michael finney. it's my job to protect public safety, keeping the powerlines clear while also protecting the environment. the natural world is a beautiful thing. the work that we do helps protect it. public education is definitely a big part of our job, to teach our customers about the best type of trees to plant around the powerlines. we want to keep the power on for our customers. we want to keep our communities safe. this is our community. this is where we live. we need to make sure that we have a beautiful place for our children to live. together, we're building a better california. it gives you super fast speeds for all your devices, xfinity xfi. a more powerful way to stay connected. enhanced coverage, and lets you control your network with the xfi app. it's the ultimate wifi experience. xfinity xfi. simple. easy. awesome. xfinity xfi gives you the speed, coverage and control you need. manage your wifi network from anywhere when you

he asked 7 on your side's michael finney for help. >>> here's a live look at the eastern span of the bay bridge. beautiful shot there this morning. lisa argen will be in, in a few minutes with your forecast. (music throughout) this is a saturday with thithe best wifi experiencey. and your shows streaming wherever you go. and with savings on wireless, this is a saturday you can share with the whole family. this is how xfinity makes life... simple. easy. awesome. get started with xfinity internet and tv for just $39.99 a month for 12 months and ask how you can save on your wireless bill when you include xfinity mobile. click, call or visit a store today. today, life-changing technology from abbott is helping hunt them down at their source. because the faster we can identify new viruses, the faster we can get to stopping them. the most personal technology, is technology with the power to change your life. life. to the fullest. >>> good morning. here's a live look from the golden gate bridge this morning. there's some fog along the coast. but it looks like it's going to heat up. especial

michael finney has their story. >> it was a trip of a lifetime for loren johnson and his 12-year-old son ryan. >> i had never been to new york before. >> father and son visited new york's famous sites. >> see the 9/11 memorial, times square, a yankees game a mets game. >> all before going upstate to the baseball hall of fame in cooperstown. then the main reason for the trip. ryan and his team played in the annual kids tournament in cooperstown. >> they were the -- >> it was all fun and games until they pulled up to their hotel. >> where am i? am i in the right place. >> he booked a room at the holiday inn express. when they arrived, the holiday inn wasn't there. >> this is the right address. but it's a quality inn. >> the holiday inn was now a quality inn and he didn't have a room there. >> i said i had a reservation. they said we don't have you in the system. >> he had paid for a week's stay at the holiday inn that wasn't there. holiday inn sent this confirmation notice to him the day before. >> i need someplace to stay. >> quality inn said he could book a room there at twice what h

i'm michael finney, "7 on your side" is coming up >>> live where you live, this is "abc 7 news." >>>ne year ago a firestorm exploded across the north bay, destroying homes and claiming lives. tonight we're looking back and looking forward at what was lost and what we've learned. >> i think one of the things i've learned is that material things aren't that important, and that sounds cliched but it is true. >> thanks for joining us. i'm kristen sze. >> and i'm dan ashley live in santa rosa tonight in the fountain grove neighbor, which has become an iconic symbol of the destruction left behind by these wildfires. we're dedicating most of our newscast tonight to this first anniversary of the wildfires in the north bay, the most destructive in state history. you're going to see a lot tonight that will remind you of what happened back then and what has happened since. late on sunday night last year, october 8th, small flames fanned by extreme winds merged into six massive fires. these fires wiped out 8900 homes, burning 200,000 acres, nearly 300 square miles, and it took the lives of 44 pe

he asked on your side's michael finney for help. >>> in is look at the pier camera and beautiful shot there, and there are the sea lions sleeping and maybe awakeni >>> good morning. there's a lye loive look at the golden gate bridge and you can see the blue sky at 9:38 in the morning. a beautiful drive into the city. a street festival in san francisco a had something for eryo yesterday's ocean beach music and art festival featured deejays and art and food trucks and beer gardens, but wait, there is more. the event also included children's activity and plus in the spirit of the season a pumpkin patch, and if the kids were not digging the pumpkin patch, they could try their hand at drawing. >>> and today, people have a chance to go back in time. and today, there are tours washington." you can visit maritime history by taking a tour or a donation no the maritime museum. she is the first vessel to make land way back in 1788 and the first american merchant shtr in, jan. and we are talking about the winds today, which is a big story. >> yes, transitioning from the upper elevations off shore

still ahead, 7ed ournds michael finney explains why more may (music throughout) >>> we are joined from new york to tell uls what's coming up from good morning america. >> good morning coming up on gm. hurricane recovery underway. the ongoing search efforts to rescue locals who weathered the hurricane at home. and the stories of some of the storms smallest survivors saved from the wreckage. plus the president boasting a week of victory as a rally in ohio. taking the stage after securing the release of an american pastor from turkey and what he says about the recent celebrity guests at the white house. and finally a consumer group demanding the recall of nearly 3 million vehicles, accusing kia and hyundai models of posing a fire ring and how the makers react. it's coming up on gma. >>> just october, but we're already getting a glimpse in the holiday shopping trends. a leading trade group predicts holiday sales go up more than 4%. 7 on your side michael finney has more. >> how much money do you plan to spend this gifting season? if it's more than last year, you are not alone. the national

let's go over to michael finney. michael, you have important information on tax breaks. >> we sure do. one of the last things consumers worry about in the aftermath of a fire form is storm is impact . joining me is attorney steve moscowwicz. there's federal tax programs, we have an entire new tax law, it's a trifecta, right? >> yes, it is. and the new tax law congress really hurt the people, because for the first time in our history, unless it's a presidentially declared disaster area, no more writeoffs. so that's why it's even more important than ever to make sure you have the appropriate insurance. but something else we have to watch out for. there's a code section hiding in there that really is important. suppose you bought a house for $1,000, today it's worth $1 million and the insurance company gives you a million dollars. you have a $900,000 gain that you have to report on your taxes, unless you replace the property within two years if it's a regular fire, three years if it's condemnation or four years if it's a

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> some of the oldest movies ever have been restored to four times regular size to debut at an i max theater for the annual british film institute london film festival. the treasures are around 120 years old from the united kingdom's victoria era and the work of w.l.k. dixson. he forced created the super large format. the archive carefully restored to digital media which the pain-staking progress. >> as a spectacle, very much in keeping with how dixson would have done it himself, i think it's a joy. >> an orchestra company the frat victoria moving picture showed at the london premiere. >>> no bones about it, this not so spooky halloween decor at one tampa florida home is an internet sensation buzz a college student down the block posted these photos to her twitter account. for years the couple who lives here placed life-sized skeletons in their yard in different circumstances in the days leading up to halloween. they could be feeding hens one day and hitting a pumpkin pinata the next. very cute. >>> an afternoon of fashion and fun. deon lymphs the m.

. >>> i'm michael finney. ahead on what does help for heart fait looks like this. entresto is a heart failure pill that helped keep people alive and out of the hospital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. ♪ the beat goes on. yeah! and that cute dress gets even you know whecuter?re at ross yes. or when you can say yes...to both? sure. or when you find that brand at that price? are you kidding me? that's yes for less. and that's what ross always has in store. whoa. yes.... oh, yeah. it feels even better when you find it for less. at ross. yes for less. minutes can mean the difference between life and death. proposition 11 saves lives by ensuring medical care is not delayed in an emergency. proposition 11 establishes into law the longstanding industry practice of paying emts and parame

. >>> i'm "7 on your side's" michael finney, another security breach to tell you about. get this. land of blue jeans. muscle cars. bald eagles. and burgers. and while muscle cars lost their muscle. blue jeans got all skinny on us... i can't feel my legs. and bald eagles got, well, balder... oh no, is it obvious? ...no way are we giving up on burgers. that's why i created the all-american ribeye burger, made with 100% ribeye beef, fresh spring mix, and provolone cheese on a potato bun. that's a good looking burger. ribeye burgers are back, america. try them today. >>> the woman kicked off a flight because she had an emotional support squirrel says she plans to hire an attorney. [ applause ] >> police escorted her off a frontier airlines plane after the airline told her rodents aren't allowed on flights as support animals. >> she said, are you getting off the plane? if you don't, then we have to deboard everybody. okay. deboard them, but i'm taking my squirrel with me. >> passengers on the flight from orlando to cleveland are were delayed for almost two hours on tuesday. she said sh

but michael finney has some tips to make it easier. >>> look this is long distance with the best wifi experience long-distance relationship. plus the most free shows to stream. and with savings on wireless, this is a relationship with more money to spend on the important things. this is how xfinity makes life... simple. easy. awesome. get started with xfinity internet for just $29.99 a month for 12 months, and ask how you can save when you include xfinity mobile with your internet. click, call or visit a store today. >>> tesla's stock gaining 16% today after ceo elon musk agreed to give up his chairman's position for at least three years. this part of a settlement with the s.e.c. after the lawsuit was announced last week, stock plunged nearly 14% on friday. laon. be keeping an eyeroctio ns >>> carn't smart enough to repair themselves. >> not yet. michael finney here with a look at how to find a good repair shop. >> reporter: where do you go for maintenance and repairs? the good news is, the bay area is packed with good auto repair shops. really? we've got some good shops? >> there are

than 5 million accounts are affected by the data breach in the european union. 7 on yourside's michael finney receives several consumer complaints. every single complaint is read and dealt with and michael joins us now with a few of those complaints and how they were solved. >> thank you. a ann from san francisco contacted us because her package was lost. she returned a pair of shoes to toms using the return u.p.s. label they provided. ann never got a refund. she contacted toms and they were told they never got the shoes. we contacted toms. ann tells us she received her refund, $54.19. the south bay woman contacted me after being charged for a service she had dropped. janet from morgan hill canceled her bundle service through at&t but was still getting charged for the internet as a separate account totaling $440 which went into collections. now after talking to the people down at collections they returned the bill to at&t so janet called 7 on your side and we contacted the company. it looked into her account and refunded janet all $440. >>> and our final resolve for the day comes from an east

. >>> and i'm michael finney. solving consumer complaints. how we helped an east bay woman avoid paying nearly it gives you super fast speeds for all your devices, xfinity xfi. a more powerful way to stay connected. enhanced coverage, and lets you control your network with the xfi app. it's the ultimate wifi experience. xfinity xfi. simple. easy. awesome. xfinity xfi gives you the speed, coverage and control you need. manage your wifi network from anywhere when you download the xfi app today. >>> this week happens to be digital citizenship week. it encourages students to behave responsibly on line. and joining us is editor of common sense media. how do you define good citizenship? >> it is like being a good sit is z -- zit zcitizen in the real wo. >> and this is good for people of all ages, but in lawyer we're talking abo -- particular we're talking about the kids? >> everything is social. even gaming, u tubl. fortnite is a social platform where kids need to behave in ways that are proceed ducts difference and constructive. >> and so here is

michael finney with a look up next. >>> plus, a bay area company >>> you've heard the old saying you get what you paid for. do you really? >> 7 on your side's michael finney talks it over with kevin grassler. >> we have a whole team of undercover shopers that hunts around for prices. we collect prices undercover from companies every day. and then compare the results to quality of service, ratings they get from customers or other ways we can evaluate these companies. we find huge differences among companies from plumers to roofers to dentists to vets and everyone says you get what you pay for. the fact is you really don't. you department predict a company that charges really high prices does so because they do great work and a company that charges low prices does so because they do lousy work. that's just not the case. there's no relationship between quality and price. and so your job is to make sure among equally qualified contractors oau at y're not being some charge really high prices and you get the same work. >> now how do you know if collect feedback from customers. you can look

. >> michael finney is off but we have free stuff for you. >> pleasanton harvest f f at alameda countyairgrounds. crafts and gifts and special area for kids. >> and free tickets to see mandel october 25th and 26th. recently appeared on comedy central sitcom and released a special on amazon. he's on the move. >>> information for how to get this great stuff for free on abc7news.com. >> great stuff. >> harvest festival looks like fun. >> i've been, great time. >> i'm kristen sze. >> i'm dan ashley. hope to see you again in half an hour. minutes can mean the difference between life and death. proposition 11 saves lives by ensuring medical care is not delayed in an emergency. proposition 11 establishes into law the longstanding industry practice of paying emts and paramedics to remain on-call during breaks and requires they receive fema level training and active shooters and natural disasters. vote yes on 11 to ensure 911 emergency care is there when you or your love one need it. warning, california. a handful of billionaires have spent over $70 million on campaigns to undermine our public

. >>> i'm 7 on your side's michael finney. finney.t-track issue big corporations are making and just got a huge tax break. but the middle class is struggling. prop c is a common-sense plan. the top 1% of businesses pay their fair share to tackle homelessness for all of us. companies with revenue greater than $50 million pay, not small businesses or homeowners. the prop c plan is supported by the democratic party, teachers, and mental-health professionals. vote "yes" on c. big corporations pay for it, not you. weaving youruld own shoes...by out of flax. or, simply adjust your thermostat. do your thing with energy upgrade california. >>> the 49ers and raiders will battle each other thursday night, an epic clash of one-win teams. but today, they came together for -- hey, this is what it is, bay area football right now. members of the front offices, as well as the alumni put together 250 care packages for troops ov overseas. each package includes movies, snacks, a thank you card and more. >> a great time to do it. these are two great team

turner is very unfortunate and we're thankful that no one was hurt. >> michael finney is amazing, and7 on your side" is amazing. i mean i just -- i watch it every night. >> look how smart she is. thank you, carla. that's very nice. we really appreciate it. i want to hear from you. the "7 on your side" hotline is open monday through friday from 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. my number is 415-954-8151. you can also reach me on my facebook page and through "abc 7 news." >> good work. >> thank you, michael. >>> hurricane michael is spinning across the southeastern united states right now. when it made landfall this morning, abc news broke into regular programming to provide live coverage. >> check out this segment where a house was ripped off its foundation. >> my heart is racing. i have never again, george, seen something like an entire home, a well-built home rolling down the street, exempt we made this 3d graphic to explain to people after sandy happened what storm surge does to a structure, what it can do to your home and how quickly it can come in. we just watched it happen in real-time.

. >>> i'm michael finney. money up for grabs. how do you get your we a>>>pencd nnor as long as the forecast tells us. california's public schools rank 44th in the nation. 44th. i'm marshall tuck, i'm a public-school parent, and i know we can do better. in the public schools i led, we got more funding into our classrooms, supported our teachers, and we raised graduation rates by 60%. that's why president obama's education secretary endorses me. we've done it before. now, let's do it for every public-school student in california. i'm marshall tuck. i'm running for state superintendent. >>> ibm held its first-ever call for code ceremony last night in san francisco. the winner took home a big prize. you're going to hear about that. joining me today, willie at that hat a, ibm general manager and chief developer advocate and nick foyer, the call for code winning developer. guys, thanks for being here. great to have you. >> thanks for having us. >> willie, tell us about this call for codey vent. >> when you think about the news and when

tonight "7 on your side's" michael finney digs into the last-ditch effort to increase your privacy protections from cellphone companies. >>> next, comfort, love and support. what survivors of the worst mass at at&t, we believe in access. the opportunity for everyone to explore a digital world. connecting with the things that matter most. and because nothing keeps us more connected than the internet, we've created access from at&t. california households with at least one resident who receives snap or ssi benefits may qualify for home internet at a discounted rate of $10 a month. no commitment, deposit, or installation fee. visit att.com/accessnow to learn more. >>> an emotional gathering on the monterey peninsula today. friends and family members came together to mark the 25th anniversary of the murder, kidnapping and -- kidnapping of polly klaas, one of the most notorious crimes in bay history. it was on this day in 1993 that the 12-year-old was kidnapped at knife point from her mother's home in pet au luna. two months later richard allen davis was arrest. he was convicted in 1996 and sentence

i'm michael finney.er story is just ahead on "7 on your side". >>> live where you live, this is "abc 7 roads? a new study says the bay area has some of the roughest in the entire country. when we heard that, we decided to make it the focus of tonight's building a better bay area segment. good evening. i'm ama daetz. >> i'm dan ashley. a nationwide survey ranked san francisco, oakland and san jose as the worst in the country when it comes to the condition of major roads. >> as part of our commitment to building a better bay area, we are going to devote the next several minutes to looking at the reasons why, finding out what it costs us to drive in these conditions and what is done to make it better. >> according to a nonprofit called trip, almost three-quarters of the roads, 71%, are labeled in poor condition in san francisco and oakland. potholes and other problems cost dliefrs more than $1,000 a year. >> in the south bay, about two-thirds of san jose roads are poor, and that costs drivers $983 a year in

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney. a warning today about some popular this is a saturday with the best wifi experience and your shows streaming wherever you go. and with savings on wireless, this is a saturday you can share with the whole family. this is how xfinity makes life... simple. easy. awesome. get started with xfinity internet and tv for just $39.99 a month for 12 months and ask how you can save on your wireless bill when you include xfinity mobile. click, call or visit a store today. >>> i think you'll find this really interesting. there's an organization documenting the stories of america's fallen service members through gold star families. it's called gold star dirt. and joining us now is the man who started it all, keith sherman. first, keith, tell me about the name gold star dirt. what does that mean exactly? >> so gold star dirt is, you know, i have -- it's in honor of gold star families. families that have lost a loved one in the service of their country. and also dirt because i have a dirt bike that i

. >>> i'm michael finney with >>> a bay area musician is talking about his new documentary film about people who have inspired him around the world and taught him the true meaning of the human spirit. >> "abc 7 news" reporter cornell bernard spent time with michael fonte. like the name of his film, he told us what it is like to stay human. >> no one is born perfect. that is the one thing that unites all of us. >> reporter: musician michael fronte has something to say in his new documentary, the same way he used music to tell st just a boy ♪ >> reporter: fronte sang for us at his san francisco home, his songs emotional and real, often reflecting life that's not always pretty. >> i wake every morning and i pick up my phone and i'm afraid to look at the news because i'm like, man, this world is such a mess. >> reporter: fronte says that negativity has slowly faded away thanks to the remarkable individuals he has met around the globe. >> you restored my faith. >> reporter: the people in his film "stay human" are those he met over the past five years, stories of struggle and triumph. >> th

i'm michael finney.ad on "7 on your side", the california's public schools rank 44th in the nation. 44th. i'm marshall tuck, i'm a public-school parent, and i know we can do better. in the public schools i led, we got more funding into our classrooms, supported our teachers, and we raised graduation rates by 60%. that's why president obama's education secretary endorses me. we've done it before. now, let's do it for every public-school student in california. i'm marshall tuck. i'm running for state superintendent. four years ago, we rejected marshall tuck and his billionaire backers for superintendent of public instruction. but they're back. the corporate billionaires and their handpicked candidate, former wall street banker marshall tuck. tuck's billionaires have spent over $25 million distorting tony thurmond's outstanding record on education. all because they know tuck shares their agenda: diverting funds from our public schools into their corporate charter schools. the same agenda as trump and betsy

. >> i'm michael finney with holiday shopping numbers >>> england's windsor castle hosted another royal wedding. princess eugenie of york married her long-time boyfriend, jack brooksbank. she is the daughter of prince an true and sarah ferguson. the dutchess of york is ninth in line to the throne. wedding guests had to watch themselves before and after the ceremony. it was very windy. oh, you see there some of the guests had their hats or that's fascinators fly off. others held tight to theirs. for more on the wedding, we have a photo gallery on abc7news.com. you can see photos of the affair. >>> a young east bay couple in the middle of planning a wedding are hoping their stolen engagement ring can be recovered. >> "abc 7 news" anchor dion lim with the story. >> reporter: at 18 and 19 years old, she and her fiance are the epitome of young love. mateo, saving up for months, finally proposed on their anniversary in june. >> when it was time, i couldn't stop smiling the whole day. >> reporter: but the smiles quickly turned to tears on sunday when her ring was stolen while on the job at thi

. >> i'm 7 on your side's michael finney. some new this is a saturday with thithe best wifi experiencey. and your shows streaming wherever you go. and with savings on wireless, this is a saturday you can share with the whole family. this is how xfinity makes life... simple. easy. awesome. get started with xfinity internet and tv for just $39.99 a month for 12 months and ask how you can save on your wireless bill when you include xfinity mobile. click, call or visit a store today. >>> one year after the north bay wildfires, napa county is trying something new to avoid confusion so many people experienced last year regarding the evacuations. it was chaotic in so many instances. as abc7 news reporter amy holly field explains, it did not go quite as planned. >> reporter: the napa county supervisors meeting was going to be interrupted at 9:30 with an alert on everyone's cell phones. a welcome alert they wanted to test called the i pause. >> it is a federal system that allows governments to issue alerts to anyone in a geographical

i'm michael finney.head on "7 on your side", why you may need a lot more coverage than you have today. >>> i'm spencer christian. warm, dry, gusty weather means high fire danger. i will have the latest on our red flag warning coming up >>> live where you live, this is "abc 7 news". >>> they underinsure on purpose. they do not want to payout. i asked the question, why do they underinsure. they don't want to payout. >> in napa today, a rare fact-finding meeting of north bay wildfire victims, the insurance industry and state legislators that regulate them. good evening. i'm dan ashley. >> i'm dion lim. it has been more than a year since the north bay fires wiped out 8900 homes, burned 200,000 acres and took the lives of 44 people. >> many of the survivors are still fighting their insurance companies and today they got a chance to share their stories with the legislators on our state's insurance committees. >> "abc 7 news" reporter wayne freedman is there and he is live from napa which is under a red flag wa

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> it was an afternoon of fashion, performances and fun, and itas all for a great cause. the nonprofit unlock. dion li mchl wm was the emcee a fashion show. the organization started in 1971 taking care of senior citizens and now spreads the word of caring for our elders. they now have seven centers, including the largest senior center in san francisco. they're raising money for a new dementia center which will serve those not only with dementia but alzheimer's and other care needs. >>> still to come on abc 7 mornings, what new video shows the package bomb suspect did the night before his arrest. >>> also on the move again, an update on the massive caravan headed toward the u.s. border. four years ago, we rejected marshall tuck and his billionaire backers for superintendent of public instruction. but they're back. the corporate billionaires and their handpicked candidate, former wall street banker marshall tuck. tuck's billionaires have spent over $25 million distorting tony thurmond's outstanding record on education. all because they know tuck sha

a leading trade group predicts holiday sales up more than 4%. 7 on your side michael finney has more. >> how much money do you plan to spend this gifting season? if it's more than last year, you are not alone. the national retail federation is prolgting more jingle in the cash register this holiday season, according to the nrf this november and december holiday retail sales will increase about 4.5% over last year. that translates to as much as s just the two months alone. the number excludes cars, gas and restaurant sales. the nrf says its 2018 forecast is higher than the average annual increase of 3.9% over the past five years. analysts say strong employment, higher wages, and overall healthier economy are contributing to more spending. the nrf looks at consumer credit, disposable personal income and previous monthly retail sales to gauge expectations. now we are still in october. so now is a good time to plan a budget for all those gifts. >> i'm michael finney. 7 on your side. >>> if you are looking for something fun to do this weekend we have you cover. arlgsis smith from abc 7 mor

. >> michael finney is here to tell us more about it. >> recall concerns have prompted that national transportation safety board to investigate mercedes-be mercedes-benz. reg hulators claim the company s been slow to notify on recalls for 1.5 million vehicles. mercedes says it will work with the government on any investigation. >>> this year, we're expected to have a big holiday shopping center. a new studtudtudtudtudtudtudtudy shopper plans to spend $516. 57% will be bought online. shoppers prefer free shipping over fast shipping. 2/3 of those surveyed say they're willing to wait three to several days for delivery, as long as delivery is free. >>> the consumer technology asociation is also checking in with a new study. again, good news for ref tailors. 164 million adults in the united states plan to buy tech products this year and expected to spend $96 billion on them. that is a record amount. the most wanted gift, electronically, is a new tv. also popular, voice space technologies, including smart speakers and smart watches. drones and wireless ear buds are also expected to be big

. >> michael finney is here with that. >> they're cutting back, just like everybody else. no frills, economy fair. now, talk is if new cheaper rate, could limit when flyers get to board. whether they can change or cancel their reser nations, the fares are not new. they are all the rage these days. our cars are built after a couple of years, the prices are very attractive. a new car now costs on average $37,000. but wait two, three years, it can cost even half that amount. the difference in price is making it harder to sell new cars. so now dealerships are offering more discounts and incentives beyond that new car smell. >>> finally, something to celebrate. october is national pizza month. not like we need it. 93% of us eat pizza at least once a month. so what is in this national pizza month for you? pizza deals. that's right. every national chain is offering a pizza month celebration. so this month, before ordering, ask what's the deal? the observance only goes so far. however, i've not been able to find any free pizza. i was looking and calling everywhere today. >> you ne

. >> michael finney is here with more. >> yeah, tens of you thousands of these.his recall is for any fabric infant carrier. the straps can break potentially causing a baby to fall. the carriers are worn with the baby strap in front, they are black with eddie bauer and first adventure printed in gray lettering on the front. the recall impacts 22,000 carriers. they were sold at target stores from december 2017 through august of this year. if you have one of these carrier, stop using it right now and then contact the company. they will give you a replacement or refund. it is up to you. >>> the federal trade commission is warning about the huge impact the gift card scams. new data shows these types of scams are up a staggering 270% since 2015. the ftc says gifts cards are the number one way scammers demand payment from their victims. they use various methods to convince you claiming consumers vice preside haven't paid taxes or utility bills or a family member needs money right away. if someone calls you requesting that you buy a gift card, then give them the code on

michael finney has more. >> football and the new fall season are in full swing. you might be thinking about an upgrade. there's one new feature in particular you should consider. >> if you're in the market for a new television, there's a new technology, separating good tvs from even better ones. it's called high dynamic range or hdr. it's available on most 4k tvs. >> is a technology making bigger, brighter, boulder images, really more what you see in real life. that's really the big differentiator this year is how well a tv can handle hdr content. >> hdr is designed to show brighter images with more detail in both the darkest and brightest parts of a scene. plenty of tvs on the markets say they're hdr capable, but that won't give you an indication of how well they actually do it. >> it's one of the reasons we spend a lot of time right now testing hdr performance because there are some tvs that deliver all the excitement of hdr and other tvs that say they support hdr but look no different than a normal tv. >> another difference between those that do it well and th

. >> michael finney is here to talk about remedies. >> it's money that we're talking about here. bigger than that. more than 25% of people with health insurance have received a surprise medical bill. just big consequences on your credit score. >> there are ways to protect yourself. >> a ten-day hospital stay and heart condition in 2016 left him with medical bills popping $130,000. the 59-year-old comic bookstore owner thought his insurance would cover most of it. after months of trying to navigate the $76,000 gap between what his insurance company would pay and what the hospital billed him, he would turned over to a collection's agency. the first step to blowing up his credit. >> something i don't like about the certainty. it's living with it 24/7. the idea that i don't know how this is going to end. am i going to lose my business or my house? >> medical debt can do major damage to your finances if you leave it unresolved. >> new rules are trying to help. the three big credit agencies, equifax, experian and transunion are required to wait 180 days before putting an unpaid medical

. >> michael finney is here to help us wade through it all. you want the undercarriage washed or not? >> exactly. it's like when you go, undercarriage wash, tires, it's on and on. but do you really need a tire and wheel cleaner? what about a special undercarriage wash? huh? >> we want to know. >> before you go all in, listen to what some experts have to say. >> reporter: a good car wash is important to protect your paint and finish from dirt and other debris that can sometimes leave permanent marks like bird droppings, tree sap, and bugs. and what about the array of extras anded a ons? are wheel shine and spray on wax worth it? >> definitely skip the extras. they'll wear off fast. >> reporter: but there is one car wash extra you should buy once in awhile but not every time. >> the undercarriage wash. get it done once a season to clean road salt off after a winter and mud and grime off after a wet spring. >> reporter: kourm report says automatic car washes are less expensive than hand washes. they're a good option if you don't have a lot of bui

. >> michael finney is here with. that. >> i think that's a lot of it, to tell you the truth. no matter what climate live in, you are probably going to want reliable tires. a new option, something called all weather tires. do they work as well as there are claims? well, let's take a look. if you're looking for a do it all tire, with i can take from you a snowstorm into a heat wave, all weather tires might do the trick. >> these tires have specially engineered tread designs like this and enhanced rubber compound, which gives them traction in cold weather that rivals winter and snow tires and they perform well in milder conditions, similar to all season tires. >> reporter: consumer reports bought 630 tires here to test 63 brands, their tire experts conducted rigorous tests on common size tires in a slow and different conditions. dry and wet roads for breaking and handling, comfort and tread wear. on snow to test traction. they even tried stopping on a skating rink to test grip. so what happened when the rubber hit the road? the top rated tire by consumer reports says the micheli

. >> stopping those annoying robocalls. 7 on your side michael finney shows how shaking and stir technology make them go away. all coming up in 30 minutes on abc7 news at 6:00. >> thank you, dion. we'll see you then. >> the tubbs fire devastate and had de steroid a girl's santa rosa home and her prosthetic leg. she's reuniting with a star that helped her recover. >> we introduced you to lilian when she met harlem globe trotter shortly after the fire. the two met up in texas where lili now lives. >> the 10-year-old's prosthetic legs make it difficult for her to shoot a traditional shotting so he taught her the patented bounce shot. wow. >> that worked. lili and her mom will also get to join the globetrotters when they play in texas thanksgiving weekend. >> awesome, great job both of them. >> "world news tonight" with well, yes they're pancakes but they're more than pancakes. they're a pancake experience. introducing the new craft pancake lineup from denny's. >>> tonight, hurricane michael is barrelling toward the u.s. coast. the monster storm building strength, and just a short time ago, upg

. >> it's a big decision. 7 on your side's michael finney has some tips before you shop. >> you think there were decisions before. >> so many choices. >> so, so many choices. there are a lot of new companies getting into the mattress business. so whether you shop for one online or in a store i've got some suggestions on how to pick on the one -- pick on the one. pick the one. what am i thinking? >> "consumer reports" performed so many mattress tests so you can find exactly what's right for you. like this durability test which simulates eight years of use to see how well a mattress stands up over time. "consumer reports" also developed a standardized firmness scale to help you compare across different brands. >> we put every manufacturer on a set scale, same scale. 1 for soft all the way up to 10 firm. >> testers also check how well a mattress will support big, tall, and petite sized people. >> the ratings are set up so you and your partner can each find what you need on the same mattress. >> reporter: even better, "consumer reports" tests consistently find you don't have to get a good

. >> michael finney joins us with the story. michael? >> this year is getting a little panicky. you probably have friends that have gone through this or coming up on it. his license was about to expire and he had to take the written test to renew it. so he went in search of a dmv office with an opening. so how far did he go? i think he may have set a record. long lines stretch for blocks at the search and demand for real i.d. licenses led to massive delays. a computer meltdown didn't help either. >> when i saw a line, i wondered what's going on. >> reporter: carl klem went to the sleepy dmv in his town and saw a line like this one down the block. >> some people had chairs out there. so i don't know how many hours they were out there. >> reporter: his license was about to expire, he had to take the written test. but when he went online, gilroy didn't have any appointments for months. >> the first was the day after my license expired. i tried san jose, watsonville, they were all booked way out. my wife said check this one. >> reporter: and bingo, the seaside town had an opening 12

michael finney has the details. >> reporter: many of these people walking down the street may be under surveillance, tracked, their exact location and time of day noted, filed, then sold to private companies. the consumers are targeted because they carry a smartphone. mark tony is the executive director of turn, the utility reform network. >> they know everywhere you drive, everywhere you visit, how long you spend, where you shop. they also know what kinds of things you buy when you buy things on your phone. >> reporter: mark says they have access to all the information on your phone, so turn asked state regulators at the california public utilities commission to change the rules, to outlaw the gatheren and selling of data unless the consumer first agrees. the regulators have turned down the request once. turn has asked for reconsideration. oakland's chris shah sine can i has -- >> the things we look at online, the people we talk to, it can create an intimate portrait of who we are as people. >> reporter: chris tells me he's worried about your privacy, too, and your kids. >> imagine if

. >> michael finney joins us with what happens to them and the money they've paid? >> the news may be bad all around for buyershe not th were ed to moveinto may have little consumer protections, too. >> the hazy skies provided a grim backdrop for what's a gloomy situation for 52 buyers of condominiums at ice house in west oakland. 40 of them expected to be this their homes by christmas. now instead of putting the finishing touches on their new homes, city ventures will have to destroy the burned condos and rebuild from scratch. ceo phil kirk vowed his company will continue the rebuilding process and work with the city to provide valuable housing units. as for the buyers, they have to wait and see. >> all their lives have been affected. we'll be working very closely with each of those homeowners >> we trieeciciobo how o t is f wl the es office of ice house, which is located on the site of two other city ventures projects. station house and station house south. however, the sales manager said the situation was still too raw for the company to comment any further. ceo

. >> "7 on your side's" michael finney -- >> we've got to start thinking about it. that's my second story. the first one is on line shopping. this is interesting. online retailers will have to wait until at least next year for california's decision on what to do about sales taxes. in june the last big internet tax loophole was closed by the supreme court. the court ruled that all but the smallest online sellers must collect sales tax for each and every state. e-tailers have been able to dodge that requirement by maintaining no physical presence in the state, no office, no employee, not even a post office box. only e-tailers with fewer than 200 customers in the state annually or sales below $100,000 of the year can escape this requirement. that means you're going to be paying more. today is the deadline for state and federal taxpayers who didn't file their tax returns in april to get their returns in. the state franchise tax board says many californians opt for a six-month extension from the typical april 15th tax filing deadline. now, nationally the irs has more tha

>> i'm michael finney. another security breach. this time i weaving youruld own shoes...by t f or, sily do your thing with energy upadrn. . now to voice your vote. a non-profit think tank california is giving us an idea how some california races are shaping up. the race for governor is getting a little tighter. ketch newsome is ahead of john cox. the number of those undecided increased three points to 10%. u.s. senator diane feinstein retains her seat and nearly one one in four voters polled sense they won't vote for this race. here are the numbers on proposition six. voting yes would reveal a 12% gas tax. 48% do not want the gas tax repealed. >>> faith and civil rights leaders gathered today in oakland to support a state ballot measure that would set limits on rent increases. they say prop 10 is one way to address california affordable housing crisis. contradiction say, not so fast. abc reporter has the details. >> reporter: these activists know they're down in the polls and say their opposition have a lot more than they do. they