. >> reporter: i'm michael finney. tonight we're focusing on earthquake retrofitting. just what do you have to do to make your home safe? >>> i'm spencer christian, it may be too early to declare the rainy season has begun, but showers are on the way. >>> tomorrow, governor newsom is set to announce that a statewide earthquake early warning system is coming to california. the governor says the alert system should not replace home preparedness. >> i think we're as prepared as one can be. the question is, are we as individuals prepared. 72hour.org in the bay area is important, it's a powerful tool for people to get their own family emergency plans in order. >> the shake alert system will not predict earthquakes but can give residents a warning of up to about 20 seconds that a quake is about to hit. a heads-up kucould be used to st off rail systems before the shaking begins. and individually get ready if you know that to do. joining me via skype is seismologist dr. lucy jones. and first off, dr. jones, thanks for joining us. what do you think about the earlyuake warning s

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> governor newsom today vowed once again to work with the stateities commission to get pg&e to reimburse customers. >> the power shutoffs are more common in southern california than they are in northern california. they have been more common since 2007, and san diego gas and electric. they do not reimburse. pg&e has not been in this position before. we would like them to consider reimbursements and we're going to be very forceful in advancing that. >> the governor also reiterated that he thinks pg&e is too big, and once again encouraged local governmented to buy out -- government to buy out utility corporations. >>> residents in fremont got their power back on after being out since saturday. others are bracing for another round of shutoffs that could be coming. looi live at the mobile canyon home park, chris nguyen. >> reporter: the power situation isn't the only thing residents are dealing with. this is what's left of a carport, blown off its foundation, and landing on the roof before crashing on to the neighboring home. needless to say, they're

michael finney has more on that. >> let me start by telling you, it's not going to be enough money tomaybe enough to take the sting out of the project. mark has been with us all day giving us a lot of great information. the state wants people to do this enough that they're willing to offer up some cash, right? >> there's a program called ebb program, earthquake brace and bolt.com. and if you qualify they'll give you $3,000 toward retrofit. it's a good start. >> reporter: how do you know if you qualify? >> go to the website, and they'll describe to you what type of homes are in the program. typically, it's going to be a lot of the bay area homes, single family houses that are two storey, maybe even three, with the perimeter foundation. they get into the details on the website. but if you just understand the type of construction you have, typically wood framed. you'll know that your house most likely will qualify. >> we'll post that website online so you can go online and we'll have it for you. if you're worried that perhaps you should be thinking about or you just want to know if your

you can reach michael finney on his facebook page. >>> let's talk about those winds. was checking mount diablo overnight, the fastest gusts were more than 50 miles per bo41, up to about 43 inai helena. we have 27 in the oakland hills. still fairly dangerous territory. now, down where we live, you can see there's no wind, it's 35. y out in santa rosa. 52 in hayward. half moon bay, quite a turnaround. you were in the low 40s yesterday. 57 because of the gusty conditions. most of us in the mis40s. not quite as chilly as yesterday. we have a spare the air today because of the highest concentration of smoke in the north bay, but it will be unhealthy, it builds throughout the day. especially at 3:00. it will taper during the overnight hours. here we are at 3:00 tomorrow morning. watch the north bay, not quite as much smoke as today. so as of right now, today is our last spare the air for the smoke from the kincade fire. let's hope that continues. >>> good morning. i want to take you to an issue that just popped up in haywardment we have a tractor trailer versus car on north

michael finney on your side has more. >>> what to do when someone's creating stressful moments for people on dialysis. >> this man is one of them. that left the family scrambling to find another facility. >> chris must have his blood cleaned every other day to keep toxins from building up in his body. it's a procedure that is critical. >> it makes it a lot easier if i get it every other day. if i go two day, i've got to spend a lot more time at facilities to get the treatment. then they purify my blood. >> chris was able to find an open dialysis clinic today but was only able to offer half the treatment because of all the additional patients the fa sill was helping for other closed clinics. >> it's inconvenient for him. it's life-altering. >>> viewers have been sending questions about the pg&e power outages. >> 7 on your side's michael finney has been researching this. he's an expert on this. i'm bringing you into the conversation. >> it's been a busy day around here for everybody. you do guys want to ask me the question or i'll go ahead and do it. one of theueio i'm start all o. should c

>> 7 on your side's michael finney is going through a home and making a checklist of ways to make it safer for all of us. michael? >> reporter: you guys own homes. have you ever thought about what you would have to do if you retrofitted? yeah, no. it's a lot of work. we've got mark here. he's from seismic retrofitters. i'm going to have you bring it over here. he's going to show you the basic retrofit for a house. he's opened up this wall because he's doing work right here. number one step, what do you do? >> most homes are wood framed like this, so there's not going to be a lot of difference between this and your home. what we want to do, we want to open up the wall. some walls are already exposed. and in this case, we're going to do as fast in the foundation to the -- fasten the foundation to the mud sale right here. what we'll do, we'll detroit red wing -- we'll drill through and inject the hole with an apoxy and install a large bolt. we'll do this, as you can see, we're going to do this in this particular building every joist space. every 16 inches. home, probably a little less be

. >> michael finney is here with that story tonight. >> from your reporting last week, really. both walgreens and cvs have suspende heartburn medication zantac d and its generic version, i should say. the companies pulled the drugs from store shelves this weekend after the fda announced it was investigating a possible link to cancer. cvs says it's not recommending customers stop the medicine, but it t ising allowie product to be returned for a francisco-based credit card processor square is raising ce rate its,rg and that cost will likely be passed on to you. square is used by thousands of small businesses. no pharcnts will andd aitional 10 cents per transaction on top of the current fee. for instance, if you buy a $5 coffee, the merchant would pay 23 cents osquare. the new fee starts november 1st. >>> americans like the idea of sustainability. they just don't know how to put it into practice. the new survey by genomatic fo95% ofd un americans say sustainability is worthwhile, bu they found a lack of understanding about many of the products they buy. case in point, 44% of those

a question a lot of us are asking. >> 7 on your side's michael finney is here. it is so expensive. >> we live in earthquake country so you'd think we'd all wanting earthquake insurance. the california earthquake authority says the vast majority of homeowners have opted not to buy any earthquake policy. so what's stopping us? >> a camping stove, the camp fuel. >> reporter: she is ready for the next big quake. >> these big bins have clothes in them and back here is the tent. >> reporter: she has a shed full of emergency supplies. >> this is bolted to the 2 by 4. >> reporter: she bolted her house to the foundation. >> so it doesn't move. >> reporter: the only protection she doesn't have, earthquake insurance. >> it didn't look like a good deal. cy through the california arry a earthquake authority or cea. then she noticed this disclosure. it says if cea runs out of money, it might not pay your claim. also they could pay claims on a prorated basis, giving homeowners just a percentage of their loss. it might also pay in installments or add a 20% surcharge to your pre

michael finney and his team would be delighted to hear from you. also reach michael finney on facebook through abc7news.com. >>> a grass fire threatened the ronald reagan presidential library today. firefighters raced to protect the library which sits at the top of a hill in simi valley. the easy fire broke out early this morning and quickly spread to almost 1500 acres. the rapid santa ana winds fueled the flames as ranchers rushed to pack up their horses and evacuate. the fire shut down highway 2 and prompted evacuations in simi valley, closing schools and threatening 6500 homes with one structure destroyed. >>> stay with us, we are continuing to monitor the conditions in sonoma county surrounding the kincade fire. >> in minutes we expect a live update from cal fire on the acres burned and containment attained by firefighters. >>> and we'll keep you posted on the kincade fire containment, the weather conditions and a lot more with the abc 7 news app. download it now and enable push alerts so that the latest news is sent right to your device in but

. >>> getting ready for the holiday travel scene. 7 on your side's michael finney will have help.ng up already. >>> but first, we'll take you to another hot bay area pumpkin patch. this one with so many pumpkins that. >> can't even keep track. >>> our skies are bright and sunny right now, but we are in the middle of a drying warming trend that is going to bring strong gusty wind and high fire danger as well. i'll have the tto harrison, the wine tcollection.. to craig, this rock. i leave these things to my heirs, all 39 million of you, on one condition. that you do everything to preserve and protect them. with love, california. i just add a spoonful to my marinades... ...to stir frys... ...sauces. just whisk it in... ...brush it on... sauté it. it adds a "cooked all day taste" ...that doesn't take all day. better than bouillon. don't just make it. make it better. don't just make it. and the breadwinner arrives home from a long day at work. now thfamily can sit down at the table, where everyone knows to be mindful of their manners. dinnertime has changed. our quality hasn't. reynold

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> great stuff, michael. >>> all right.ll to come on "abc 7 mornings," a car crash in oakland leaves a lot more damage than just that car. >>> and it is the 18th straight week of protests in hong kong. >> announcer: news to build a better bay area. this is "abc 7 mornings." >>> and it is 9:31 on this sunday morning. hope you are having a great sta. we'll start this half hour with a look at weather with meteorologist lisa argen. >> kate, good morning to you. if our east bay camera, it's 59 in the city. low 60s in redwood city and san jose. 71 half moon bay. a beautiful shot from the exploratorium camera. it's going to be warm even here in the city, low 50s. right now, 60 in napa.napa. good recovery in the east bay. winds in the upper elevations still a little breezy. our red flag warning above a thousand feet allowed to expire in 30 minutes. relative humidity continues to drop. 19%. and the warm-up, wow, check it out today, look how bright that map gets. 70s and 80s. we should be near 90 inland, east bay, and 80 at the coast

. >> michael finney got involved.he says comcast relies on pg&e to say after the power came back on comcast was still in the black. comcast sent us this video showing while power may be on in your home your xfinity service may be disrupted because the signal is coming from an area where the commercial power is out. people affected are frustrated. >> i can tell you i'm extraordinarily frustrated with not being able to conduct business. but what's more frustrating is the lack of any kind of information or even empathy. >> comcast doesn't have an estimate of the number without service or when that service will be restored. >>> the 7 on your side hotline is open monday to friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. we have the number at abc7news.com if you can't write it down right now. you can reach michael finney on his facebook page. >>> to the south bay, though many miles separate them from the devastation, people in san jose are pitching in for victims of the kincade fire. >> watching the devastation from a distance, jeremy taylo

michael finney is here.d on the number of calls i'm getting. >> it is quite the headline. good news. about robo calls. you don't hear that very often, do you? >> complaints about fellow marketers have decreased substantially from fiscal 2018 to 5.4 million in 2019. the hitch, the decrease could be due to the government shutdown when complaints weren't counted. do you think? do you think? okay. 4 million more of us have been added to the do not call registry. that's a good thing. the popular video downloading app snap tube was caught running invisible advertisements in the background of users' phones without their knowledge. snap tube was developed in china. 40 million users. google banned it because it allows users to download videos from major sites like youtube and facebook. upstream released a report showing the free app would load invisible ads that would generate fake clicks in the background at the expense of the user's mobile data plan and battery power. >>> samsung confirmed a major security fall wit

>> michael finney has been chasing this down all day and joins us now. michael?. let me start with the law. in california, price gouging is when an emergency has been declared and prices rise above 10% on needed items and services. like bottled water, gasoline, rent. hotel rooms. evacuees stream down fire zones and hotel rooms were hard to find. we heard complaints about room prices being inflated. i never found any provable incidents today. online, i saw a couple of higher than normal prices. that was in all likelihood artificial intelligence getting ahead of humans. the some hotels in the city were actually offering discounts. they're making sure computers don't jack up rates due to high demand. i spoke with a hotel council's kevin carroll. >> the hotel has to monitor their pricing and make sure that they're obeying the laws out there. >> they know that, right? >> absolutely. they know the state has a law regarding price gouging after and during disasters. >> so if you run into price gouging, take a video and report it to me right away. i'll check into it. hang

i'm michael finney, and i'll show you the most you know when you're at ross and your new fall look just keeps getting better? check this out! that's yes for less. score a head-to-toe look you'll love and save 20 to 60 percent off department store prices. at ross. yes for less. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ blow a kiss into the sun ♪ we need someone to lean on ♪ blow a kiss into the sun ♪ all we need is somebody to lean on ♪ ♪ ♪ doprevagen is the number oneild mempharmacist-recommendeding? memory support brand. you can find it in the vitamin aisle in stores everywhere. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. and you get first dibs on that brand... ...at that price? that's yes for less. seriously, get the fall brands and styles you love and save 20 to 60% off department store prices. at ross. yes for less. (. >>> high winds swept up a controlled burn that turned into a 15-acre grass fire along highway 37 today near sears point. the chp shut down all lanes of highway 37 at about 1:50 while crews worked to contain the fire and released a traffic advisory due to the heavy smoke in that area. all lanes were reop

michael finney looks at the latest recommendations and the best thing you can do to protect yourself. >> you see a lot of these masks in the fire zones. reporters, aid workers, many first responders wear these things. the masks are called a particulate respiration. only those tested and approved should be worn. last year the common recommendation was to wear a mask named n95. this year the recommendation is the n100 mask. the p100 is also recommended. it also has oil resistane. to be most effective, it must fit correctly. juan lopez is an intern with 7 on your side. you make sure the mask is above your nose and below your chin. it must have two straps. one strap goes above your ear, the other below your ear. and for it to be most effective, you should be clean-shaven unlike juan. if you have heart or lung issues, you should talk to a physician before you wear a mask. it may be obvious but the best thing you can do is g out of the area. get away from the smoke. if that's not possible, get indoors and close the windows. i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> we spoke with a bay area qu

michael finney has details. >> the suburu is recalling a bunch of forester suvs.electl connection which might come loose. the recall affects 2015 through 2018. it affects about 366,000 of the suvs. subaru says the loose connection could cause the air bag to deactivate. dealers will notify owners of faerktsed foresters. the problems will be fixed for free. so far there are no reports of injuries or incidents related to this potential problem. the tech industry's mass collection of our personal data appears to be backfiring. technch says only 3% of consumers say they trust marketing and advertising. mistrust is highest among millennials. consumers are aware of huge data quantities being collected sometimes behind our backs. that incrucciveness is fueling a lot of this mistrust. >>> consumers are expected to spend an eye-popping $1.69 trillion on tech this year. now that's according to the international data corporation's spending guide. that was just released today. that number is going to skyrocket to over $2 trillion by the year 2023. most of the items purchases a

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney. $32,000 diamond bracelet and tries to return it but couldn't even your business can do a lot in 10 minutes. like make a big sale. surprise and delight a customer. or come up with the winning idea. and 10 minutes is all you need to finally give your business the internet technology it really needs. we'll prove it. give us 10 minutes. if we can't offer you faster speed or better savings than your current internet service, we'll give you 300 dollars for your time. call now to get your comcast business 10 minute advantage and take your business beyond. comcast business. beyond fast. tool to make sure -- in a more equitable manner. >> chris nguyen is live in san jose to explain how this could help build a better bay area. chris? >> reporter: yeah. san jose has become the first city in the country to launch what's called a social progress index. take a look. i've pulled it up on this computer screen. it analyzes data right down to the census track and the goal is to do a better job of provi

i'm michael finney. 7 on your side is coming up. >> we're just minutes away from a live update from calire. we'll bring that to you live next. o♪ ozempic®! ♪ oh! oh! (announcer) people with type 2 diabetes are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7 and maintained it. oh! under 7? (announcer) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. oh! up to 12 pounds? (announcer) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. oh! no increased risk? (announcer) ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. stop taking ozempic® and get medical help rig

. >>> and 7 on your side's michael finney, which candy should you avoid giving out this halloween? they go to prison for as long as the law allows? chesa boudin said he wouldn't seek maximum sentences as district attorney, even for murder. we are a progressive city, but letting violent criminals off early endangers everyone. ad paid for by san francisco police officers association. not authorized by a candidate or committee controlled by a candidate. disclosures at sfethics.org. wit looks like jill heading offe on an adventure. jill has entresto, a heart failure medicine that helps her heart so she can keep on doing what she loves. in the largest heart failure study ever, entresto was proven superior at helping people stay alive and out of the hospital. it helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. 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 h

i'm michael finney. 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. aaddiction. how juuline hooked kids and ignited an public health crisis." other news outlets report- juul took $12.8 billion from big tobacco. markets e-cigarettes with kid friendly flavors and uses nicotine to addict them. 5 million kids use e-cigarettes. juul is "following big tobacco's playbook." and now, juul is pushing prop c to overturn e-cigarette protections. vote no on juul. no on big tobacco. no on prop c. >>> victims of the las vegas mass shooting have reached a settlement that will pay co tllectively up to $800 milli. the deal settles several lawsui

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney has a reminder that anyone who suffered a loss from the power shutoffhat doesn't mean you'll be reimbursed. michael says the needed forms are easy to find on pg&e's website, and that they're fairly straightforward. but that's where the simplicity ends. according to consumer groups, the utility didn't pay out a single claim filed by hundreds of consumers after last year's wildfires. michael suggests that anyone whose claim is denied to take the matter to small claims court and try your luck there. >>> the red flag warning is supposed to actually end in about a half hour. >> which is good news. let's go to spencer christian for a look at the conditions, ever changing. >> you're right. that is very good news. the wind gusts are diminishing. overnight we'll have clear and relatively cool conditions in spots. overnight lows in the upper 40s to low 50s. highs tomorrow under sunny skies will be in the mild range, mid 70s in some coastal locations. upper 70s to near 80 around the bay shoreline, and upper 70s to low 80s inland. here's the accu-weather seven-day

. >>> i'm 7 on your side's michael finney.at airline passengers say would make the be willi aaddiction. how juuline hooked kids and ignited an public health crisis." other news outlets report- juul took $12.8 billion from big tobacco. markets e-cigarettes with kid friendly flavors and uses nicotine to addict them. 5 million kids use e-cigarettes. juul is "following big tobacco's playbook." and now, juul is pushing prop c to overturn e-cigarette protections. vote no on juul. no on big tobacco. no on prop c. >>> at least 2,000 pg&e customers are without power in san francisco right now. some breaking news coming in. here is a look at the outage map on the utilities website. you can see soma, mission bay, dog patch and potrero hill are affected. pg&e crews are responding, but we don't know the cause of the outage. some traffic lights in the area may be affected as well. so make sure to treat them as four-way stops. >>> if you're thirsty, feeling dehydrated, forget about grabbing a glass of water. researchers at st. andrews univer

. >>> i'm 7 on your side's michael finney.erience company is going to help you because of your losses during the ou >>> now back to our coverage of the pg&e power people identifying themselves as having disabilities say the power utility forgot about them. a woman has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair to get around. >> i was born with my spinal cord on the outside of my body. >> reporter: jones' close friends and roommate also has a disability. when jones heard their third floor apartment could be losing power along with the building's elevator, her roommate called pg&e. >> they kind of hemmed and hawed at her. they were like, we, uh, there might be this one place, but we're not really sure. >> reporter: the advice, stay with friends. >> unfortunately, the disabled community is not one people know about until you're involved in it. until you become paralyzed have an accident or become elderly. so we're forgotten. which is unacceptable at this point. it's a life is a life. >> reporter: jones lost a friend who uses a wheelchair

. >>> i'm michael finney.oliday shipping come try my really big chicken sandwich combo with two patties for $4.99, or three for $5.99, or four for $6.99. that's an amazing deal, jack! hey, thanks, stanley. ow. ...wait, what's happening? stanley! you're deflating! hold me, jack! only at jack in the box. i just add a spoonful to my marinades... ...to stir frys... ...sauces. just whisk it in... ...brush it on... sauté it. it adds a "cooked all day taste" ...that doesn't take all day. better than bouillon. don't just make it. make it better. don't just make it. and the breadwinner arrives home from a long day at work. now the family can sit down at the table, where everyone knows to be mindful of their manners. dinnertime has changed. our quality hasn't. reynolds wrap: foil made in the usa since 1947. aaddiction. how juuline hooked kids and ignited an public health crisis." other news outlets report- juul took $12.8 billion from big tobacco. markets e-cigarettes with kid friendly flavors and uses nicotine to addic

michael finney has more on that. >> have you guys thought about it? >> just ordered one. >> did you? >> yeah, see. you should have watched this report first. >> oh. >> many in the bay area are thinking of getting a generator. we aired a report about how to choose the exact right one for your family. this seems like a good time to take a look again at that report. if you are in the market for backup power, consumerorep r as needs. >> first thing, make a list of the stuff you absolutely can't live without. >> reporter: here are a few scenarios. along with models that really brought the power in consumer reports' test. if you just want to power your fridge, some lights and a phone charger or laptop, consider the lightest type of generator. it delivers up to 2,000 watts. this yamaha model is quite fuel efficient. a midsize inverter will give you up to 3500 watts so you can also powear conditioner and run either your coffeemaker, washing machine or hair dryer. this mid-sized predator did well in consumer reports tests. if your needs include running a large

. >> michael finney reminds us anyone who suffers a loss from the power shutoff can file a claim but that doesn't mean you will be reimbursed. the needed forms are easy to find on pg&e's website, straightforward but that's where the simplicity ends. the utility didn't pay out a single claim after last year's wildfires. michael suggests anyone who has a claim should go to small claims court. >>> uc berkeley is closed today. business oers d ut the shut their doors because of the power outage will be trying to recover. we go live to orinda. it looks like you have a bit of like back there, maybe? is that from the truck? >> it is from the truck. good morning. usually the marquee to the orinda theater is all lit up, it's still lights out as power remains out in orinda. pg&e says power will be restored by 6:00 p.m. now, throughout much of the east bay, cities like oakland looked like ghost towns. businesses in oakland have been hit hard by these power cuts. some losing thousands of dollars in revenue. pg&e has apologized but many business owners say pg&e has do better. >> they keep you, lik

7 on your side's michael finney here with a closer look. >> the u.s.ent of the treasury says there's about $70 million of counterfeit bills in circulation. with that much floating around, you could end up holding some of the fake money yourself. then what? joining me now is tom edwards, special agent in charge of the u.s. secret servicield office in san francisco. let's start with a question that intro just begged, which is if i'm holding counterfeit bills, i'm just out the money? >> you are. you're out the money. >> wow. >> because there's no refund mechanism to get your money back. so buyer beware when you get your money. >> where do the counterfeits come from? >> most are produced here domestically made with common ink jet printers, like a 4 in 1. the most popular is the $20 bill and internationally is the $100 bill. >> can i tell the difference? is it possible for me to tell? >> you can. you have to take your time and look at it. i brought some notes with me. >> yeah, sure. >> the best way to see a real bill is to feel the paper. real paper is abou

. >> abc7 news 7 on your side's michael finney joining us with more on this story. mike's michael? >> this could turn out to be a raw deal. more than a month after the collapse of my payroll hr, there are still questions about millions of dollars in tax payments. "the wall street journal" says abou deductions handled by my payroll hr never made it to their destinations. no word on where that leaves consumers or their employers. >>> at&t's tv now is raising prices substantially. tech crunch is reporting that subscribers who are on the $50 plan will pay $65. those paying 70, will pay 80 for the streaming service. the website tech crunch says the hikes are designed to keep the company profitable even as large numbers of customers drop the service. back in 2016, the service cost $35 per month. >>> what will $100 buy you these days? well, it actuallng to spend the money. the u.s. bureau of economic analysis has been looking at the worth of your cash and the tax foundation has been crunching those numbers and finds the same amount of cash will buy you a lot more in one state than in anot

on the subject of electric cars, 7 on your side michael finney is here with information. >> that's right. closerook at whether they're worth buying. >> it's kind of a tough choice, actually. electric cars outnumbered by gas powered ones. they're more common in the bay area. the big question as the guys ask, are they right for you? >> a new survey by consumer reports shows 36% of prospective car buyers would consider a plug-in electric vehicle for their next new car. >> a lot has to do with pricing. the price points are lower with some of them starting as low as $29,000 before the federal tax credits that have available. >> two electric vehicles for safety, affordability and cruising range, the kia niro and the chevrolet bolt. what about distance? how far can electric cars go between charge? >> many of the newer models have batteries that allowhe tesla mo nissan leaf. keep in mind battery rangeles d is energy is used to run the heater. consumers have to recharge cars overnight in order to maximize mileage. >> cars are cheaper to maintain than gas powered cars. when buying them, there are

. >> 7 on your side michael finney is here. >> cash, file paperwork for it. it may be a couple years. if you had a yahoo account between 2012 and 2016, you can claim part of a $117 million settlement. they will pay up to $358 for anyone with an account during those years. now, that's to cover credit monitoring plus $100 cash. if you were a victim of fraud as a result of that breach, you can claim up to $25,000 for losses of money and time spent fixing it. yahoo reported a breach affected more than 3 billion accounts back in 2012 and 2013. yahoo users have until july of next year to file a claim. there's a special website set up called yahoo breach settlement.com. i'll post all this information on abc7news.com. >>> in another huge settlement, mercury insurance has agreed to pay a $41 million fine for tacking extra fees on to auto insurance premiums. here's what happens. the record-setting fine ends a two decade long battle with state regulators. the regulators say mercury allowed them to charge $150 in illegal fees on top of premiums approved by the state. the

. >> 7 on your side's michael finney is here with more on that. >> just like your teeth need cleaning all the time. >> we have to floss our cars in. >> no, no, no, your car needs to be washed and polished, we asked some car experts how to best go about it. >> as the summer sun sets and many parts of the country prepare for rain and snow, consumer reports, car experts say, it's the perfect time of year to protect your car's finish. >> cr suggest you hand wash your car with a change of every season. waxing your car on a regular basis helps protect the paint from scratches, tree sap and bird droppings. >> first things first, before you apply the wax, consumer reports says you'll need to wash your car and dry it to get rid of any water marks. >> apply a coat of wax to the dry, cooled surface. >> apply the wax in circular motion, and then let it dry and remove it with a micro fiber cloth, also in a circular motion. >> want to keep your car shining as long as possible, if you plan on visiting the drive through car wash, make sure you opt for a brushless one. the brushes and the automatic wa

>> 7 on your side's michael finney knows. he joins us now with more. got to be. >> do you guys have frozen fruits and vegetables? >> occasionally. >> i don't have that much in my house. as it turns out maybe i should. who hasn't gone digging through the bottom of their freezer trying to find something that will help put a quick dinner on the table? fast, no doubt about it. healthy, not always. frozen foods can be a life saver when you don't have the time or ingredients to mak a meal from scratch. but not all frozen foods are ones you want to rely on. so you do have to be careful what you choose. consumer reports says the healthiest frozen foods are the single ingredient ones. >> look for high-quality whole foods you can use to makequick, healthymeals. >> for easy breakfast on the go keep bags of pinepineapple, ber, banana and other fruits in the freezer. use them in smoothies and baked goods. choose products free of added sugar. frozen veggies are a great way to get the produce you love no matter the season. >> frozen fruits and vegetables are as nutri

michael finney has super eyes. >> he's here with finney's friday free stuff. >> free stuff.hat's the great stuff. the grand flash rodeo. it's been coming here for 73 years. isn't that absolutely amazing. i went to it when i was a kid. you might as well go to it as well. why would you pay when you can get a pair of tickets for free. it's a $25 value. you can go either on friday, october 11th or friday october 18th. the grand national rodeo features all the traditional rodeo events, classic western barbecue, nightly live music, a mechanical bull ride and more, if you want to try that. now, if that is a little too exciting for you, how about a comedy club? we've got some laughs for you. right there that's nick yousef. he's going to be here on wednesday, october 9th. on thursday, friday and saturday, you can pick tickets for any of those. a $22 to $28 value at the punch line. he has -- he's los angeles-based. you've probably seen him around. he's been around for quite some time. he's been on nbc's "animal practice" and a popular video gape as well. he's one of those comedians th

one woman who lived on was the cost of the contract with her television company. 7 on your side michael finney put the family at ease. >> announcer: now from abc 7, live breaking news. >>>ou y where the breaking news happened. a hit-an-run crash that claimed a woman's life and sent her 4-year-old niece to the hospital. good evening. i'm dan ashley. >> and i'm kristen zse. the aunt was walking her niece home from school when they were hit. oakland police are still looking for the driver responsible. >> lisa is live from the scene on foothill boulevard by 22nd avenue. lisa? >> reporter: dan, a family is in mourning at this hour. they're here at the intersection trying to just take in what happened. the crash happened in this intersection to my right and to my left over here is a small altar set up in honor of 45-year-old hon jung. incense and plate are laid out. a mother of two and a wife. she and her 4-year-old niece ali were walking home from garfield elementary school at the corner of 22nd and foothill boulevard when they were hit. the little girl is in stable condition at children's hospital

. >>> the amount of time teenagers spend in front of tv, computer and phone screens -- >> michael finneys here with that story. >> not really surprising when you hear it, is it? it's interesting. researchers at mcmaster university in canada studied the responses of 32,000 student between eighth and tenth grade. caffeine and sugar intake was more likely to be increased based on the amount of screen time the teens were exposed to. almost 30% of the students were found to consume too much sugar due to prolonged screen time, while 20% consumed too much caffeine. researchers say tv time was found to be the biggest culprit. >>> a new report by the federal trade commission finds consumers aged 60 or older are less likely to report losing money to fraud than younger adults. younger adults report losing money more often, but older consumers report much higher dollar losses. consumers 80 years or older have the highest median dollar amount lost at $1700. now, that's 55% increase over the previous year. the ft says elderly victims lose money most often to phone scams. >>> there's a disconnect betwe

ol >> and michael finney helps out a woman with loan >>> you see it there, first the boulders, then camebulldozers. is any of this actually building a better bay area? that is the question we're asking tonight. thanks for joining us, ama daetz. >> dion lim. our commitment to building a better bay area means looking out for solutions tore y iou li. sometimes the answer isn't obvious and sometimes first attempt doesn't work t.ou that'. in clinton park residents put boulders out to stop homeless people from setting up tents. today they took them away. luz pena explains what's changed. >> reporter: boulders are gone. >> people were getting harassed, out here on the streets in middle of the night sometimes harassing people living on the street. >> reporter: conceor f safety, neighbors decided not to give names and remained off camera. after weeks of leaving boulders out, threatened online by people who disagreed with solution. over the weekend the threats were different. unidentified group pushed boulders on the asked the city to remove them. >> can't have city workers here

. >>> and this is not a proper home appliance. 7 on your side's michael finney helps out a man whosee had a hot problem. >> now news to build a better bay area from abc7. >> get ready for round two. pg&e warns it's preparing to turn off the power to prevent wildfires. and the abc7 news i team is asking what's going to be different this time. >> i know there are things we can do better. >> good evening. thank you for joining us. i'm ama daetz. >> and i'm dion lim. in just days, we could be going through another round of power outages from pg&e. and just minutes ago, we heard directly from the head of the utility company. >> the power shutoffs are 21 tool we have to keep the community safe and combat this risk. it's not a tool we want to use. it's certainly not a tool we like to use. it certainly runs against the grain of why most of us got in this business. we do understand it creates hardship and comes with its own potential safety issue for others. but again, we've seen catastrophic wildfire recently in california. southern california in the last week. there is another one this morn

. >>> for many parents, becoming empty nester is life-changing moment. 7 on your side's michael finneying one woman's dream come true. >> when it came to credit, did what she was told to do. called up experts, said she was having problems, her lenders, somehow everything went wrong. darla is looking forward to golden years. 58-year-old divorcee, has retirement years figured out. even knows kind of dog to get. >> cute little french bulldog, blue, picked out name, ghost. >> we spotted one in the distance. intern arranged for meet and greet with darla. >> my dream dog, miniature one. >> lives in brentwood, shares place with her son. next home will begin life as empty nester. >> will be my retirement home, that's what i say, after raising my son. >> life is better these days for darla. knew she would be late making car payment, did what she was supposed to do, called lender to work out one-time payment plan. >> rep said i'm noting it in the account, won't charge you late fee, won't report you to the credit. >> since then she hasn't been late on single payment she says. recently applied to

. >> 7 on your side's michael finney is here. michael? states, pulled out of the trans-pacific partnership, it was back in 2017, well, now the united states has reached a new trade agreement with japan. the deal would lower tariffs on $7 billion worth of american agricultural products including wine, cheese, pork, almonds and wheat. in return the u.s. will also lower tariffs on industrial goods imported from japan. now some products were left out of the deal, like butter and evaporated milk as well as rice and whisky. >>> congress is taking on hidden fees charged to guests at hotels and resorts. you've complained about it, all of us have. in a bipartisan effort a bill has been introduced that would abolish resort fees as add ones. they'll have to include the full cost of rooms in their adds. they have come under increasing criticism for showing consumers low teaser rates and then bury ing it. >>> con summer affairs is worrying about a spoofing scam. the email tells the recipient that their automatic payment has failed and that they must l

a lot of people go michael finney, 7 on your side. >> let's start with pg&e.ho can file. >> anyone who's had a loss can fi file. >> that's the good news. >> they're really straightforward, your name, what did you lose, what sit worth. but that's where the easiness ends. the utility reform network says following last year's fires, hundreds of consumers filed claims and pg&e did not pay a single one of them. i contacted pg&e and the public you tills km igs to confirm that. i have not heard back. i'll tell you tomorrow if things are different. now, if you are denied, you still have the right to take the matter to small claims court so it's not just them versus you. >> what about business owners? >> not great. many will have what's commonly referred to as a b.o.p., business owner policy. it includes business interruption insurance. i went looking for answers today and i spoke with onsted insurance in san ramon. it's a well respected independent broker and they tell me most businesses will not be insured under these conditions even if they have a b.o.p. that's beca

call michael finney. and how they solved an issue that over charged shoppers with one of the world's largest retailers. >> an update on this >>> these suspects were caught on camera after an assault in san francisco's china town, now, one has been captured. vick lee is live with the latest. this was not an attack on one person but really an attack on an entire community in many respects. >> reporter: that's right, you know, china town residents and merchants took the case personally, believing that they were in the midst of a crime wave here in china town. that security camera footage, a good old fashion police work and perseverance by investigators made the arrest possible. >> sometimes time goes by, but we didn't give up. it was a painstaking investigation. >> reporter: at 4:00 this morning the police arrested deshawn pearson in oakland for a brutal attack in july, on two senior citizens in china town. walter wong, head of the wong family association was one of the two victims. wong and i walked across

. >> michael finney is here to explain what went down snienlt we air a lot of reports here to learn froms' mistakes. this is a classic example. >> 80-year-old dorothy is like most grand mothers, she would do anything for her grandson landon. his photographs all over her home. recently her phone rang. on the other end big trouble. it sounded exactly like my grandson. and he said grandma i said yes. he said grandma, i need your help. i said what? i was oblivious. >> i need you to give me some money. >> she was told he had been drinking was in a car accident and had landed in a fresno jail cell. an attorney got on the line and said $7,000 was needed to bail out landon. the grandparent scam. a classic. dorothy did not fall for it. in part, because of this 7 on your side report where lisa hardy told us about her father, calvin who had been taken in by the grandparent scam. >> they had given him specific directions not to discuss it with anyone. he was terrified that something horrible had happened to his grandson. >> i happened to be -- that yu were talking to this elderly lady and -- about h

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> good advice.k more about the weather conditions. >> look i ahead to the next couple of days. >> we're expecting calmer wind. we still have high fire danger, red fire danger warning. on we go, though, to look at overnight conditions across the entire region. calmer wind overnight. clear skies, mild conditions will pervade with low conditions mainly in the upper 40s in the north bay valleys to upper 50s and 60 degrees just about everywhere else. tomorrow will be another warm day with calmer wind but with very low humidity so there will still be fire concerns even in the absence of a red flag warning. temperatures will be low 80s at the coast to low 90s inland. there loo l be some cooling on saturday. minor cooling we'll call it. dry gusty wind will redevelop late saturday into early sunday. even though the temperatures will be lower on sunday, we have dangerously strong wind gusts developing for that day. so we'll have another wind event coming our way and fire concerns will be elevated once again f

. >>> "7 on your side's" michael finney. th to harrison, the wine collection. to craig, this rock.ngs to my heirs, all 39 million of you, on one condition. that you do everything to preserve and protect them. with love, california. >>> october is national breast cancer awareness month. every year thousands of women and men are diagnosed with breast cancer and advocates are working to spread the word on how to prevent, screen and treat it. reporter meredith wood brings us quick facts on this deadly disease. >> reporter: breast cancer. it's the second most common cancer among women in the united states and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women overall. each year about 245,000 new cases are diagnosed in women in the u.s. and 2,200 cases are found in men. while the five-year survival rate is almost 90%, approximately 41,000 women and nearly 500 men will die from it each year. breast cancer is a disease where the cells in the breast grow out of control. while it can start in different areas of the breast, it can also met taft size and spread to other areas of the body. i

. >> michael finney spoke with the council of san francisco.ome hotels are offering discounts and making sure companies' computers don't increase rates because of demand. >> the hotels have to monitor pricing and obey the laws. >> and they know that? >> absoluteli, yes. they know the state has a law. >> michael says if you run into price gouging take a video, report it him and save your receipt. california could be holding some of your money from you. >> according to "the sacramento bee" seasonal businesses like temporary costume costume costue the state takes the paycheck for safekeeping. go to claimit.ca.gov. juul labs is planning to cut about 500 jobs by the end of the year. they are a part of mending the company's relationship with regulators. >> our breaking news coverage continues next at 6:30. >> reporter: we're at a grocery store still open thanks to a generator. i'm lauren martinez. the latest on power outages. >>> plus, we are live in the fire zone. >>> right now at 6:30 -- >> we're playing both offense and defense right now. >> the k

. >> michael finney reminds us anyone who suffers a loss from the power shutoff can file a claim but that doesn't mean you will be reimbursed. michael says that the needed forms are easy to find on pg&e's website, straightforward but that's where the easy part ends. according to consumer groups, the utility didn't pay out a single claim filed by hundreds of customers after last year's wildfires. michael suggests anyone who has a claim should go to small claims court. you can stay up to date on everything related to the outage at abc7news.com. we have new stories, resources and much more on our website. >>> a big change may be coming to parking and b.a.r.t. stations. why you may not know what you're paying until you get there. >>> and it's not just the air show, the other big fleet week event that's happening in just a few hours. >> look at that. the golden gate bridge and no fog this morning. lisa is here to tell us there is some wind to worry about this morning but nothing like yesterday. >> that's right. upper elevations a little bit breezy, a red flag warning for lake county, sierr

. >> michael finney says this is causing a lot of anxiety. >> and it's been doing it for a long time,urance released astonishing figures. insurance companies refuse to renew more than 167,000 homeowner policies last year alone. that's up 6% statewide and up 10% in wildfire areas. about 9,000 living in disaster zones lost their insurance in 2018. many didn't have any fire damage, like elizabeth of arenda. >> i don't feel food abogood ab. i thought, gee, i've been with them about 40 years, here they are canceling my insurance. >> elizabeth lives in a wooded hillside area and says aaa refused to renew her policy, even though she never had fire damage. however, she was able to get insurance through state farm by bundling her homeowner and auto policies under one umbrella. moving all your business to another company can entice a carrier to cover you. keep that in mind if you're told no. and some hope for those in the kincaid fire and other major fires around the state. state law offers more protections for those who live in or near a declared disaster area. here's how it works. insurance c

i'm michael finney this is a 7 on your side quick tip.world of banking right now if you have a checking account, you are considered ld. they really want you as a customer. so they're willing to pay you to take your account and move to their bank. td bank will give you $300 to move your account. citibank up to $600. there are deals out there from banks that will give you $750 for taking your checking account and moving it to their bank. okay, i know what you're asking, what's the catch? you often have to have a direct deposit, you have to write so many checks a month. there are a few deals but they only last for two or three months. so the next time you're writing a check or using your debit card think to yourself am i >>> whether it's you or the kids when you walk out the door this morning, dress warmer from mid-40s to mid-50s from our valleys to the cities and also there's some fog. watch out for that. 60s and 70s. it will be comfortable compared to yesterday. 60s, 70s and 80s from the coast to the bay to inland this afternoon. look at t

. >> as we learned from michael finney, they won't reimburse them for that. >> no. >> they haven't reimbursed anybody for the claims they made after the fires and their losses. >> as their pr person told me yesterday they won't charge them for power while the power is off. >> thank you. i won't be using any either will i? hmm. i will update that graphic. sorry, we've been on the air nonstop since about 2:45. i walkedn the door, kumasi and the producers were like we have to go. we have a fire in moraga. at any time when we have the proper conditions you want to avoid activities with open flames, that means properly discarding cigarettes. we had a tractor start a fire. keep your vehicles, if you can, away from dry grass or dry vegetation or anything that could ignite easily. if a fi starre starts, let the firefighters fight it. you need to evacuate if called upon and be prepared to do that. >> all right. looking at the golden gate bridge. it looks good here. the lights are on on the bridge. coming through the robin williams tunnel from marin county into san francisco, those lights are out. it's