b >>> new worries from california's fire agency over a new wildfire fee. the new california budget forces rural home owners to pay a special fee to make up the difference of millions tick taken away from the fire prevention. it can only be used for brush clearing and education not for firefighters and equipment. in a worst-case scenario cal fire would suffer decuts to its firefighting ability. >> this is important. i wouldn't mind but if that means we are not getting the additional firefighters it's a concern. >> the board of forestry and fire protection is confident that it will be able to reword the wildfire fee bill quickly and send it off to lawmakers for a vote. >>> san francisco police department is taking 30 officers off weekday shifts moving them to nights and weekends. the move from the new chief is part of an effort to beef up staffing numbers at times when crimes are more prevalent. about 65% fall on the night and weekend. half of the motorcycle officers are being sent to some of the neighborhoods, as well. >>> 4:43. candidates for san francisco

news. >>> it's 4:36 now. the families of seven northern california men missing since their boat zap off the coast of baja, california, are making a new plea for help. six of the victims are from the bay area. their families gathered in vallejo yesterday to launch a new campaign to raise money to hire a private dive team to look for the ship's wreckage. the families want to know if any of the missing men went down with the vessel that sank in stormy seas july 3. so far, no dive team has gone down for a look. >> there will be a lot of fundraising efforts on behalf of the seven missing as a group. individual families will do fundraisers with the help of others. hopefully, at some point, we can give closure to a lot of families. >> bay area businesses are hoping the families hold a number of find our fathers fundraising evidents. we have a list of the upcoming fundraisers on the website. abc7news.com. see it on tv. >>> next week, pg&e will begin filling in a crate they're has been compared to an open would. a large hole after pipeline blew up killing eight people and destroying three dozen homes. the hole was left open

news. >>> california's elementary and high school students are doing better in school. the department released a standardize testing and reporting or star and they are up for the 9th year in a row. the rate of proficiency in english and math were 54 and 54%. the highest since 2003. here are the rates for english and math in san francisco, alameda. the english rates were up from last year in all three counties but math were down compared to last year. >>> nonprofit groups are calling for a boycott of amazon if it doesn't stop resisting the tax law. they announced a new website, explaining how customers can close their amazon account. it says they are cheating the state by trying to repeal a new law. they did not immediately respond to an e-mail and call for comment. >>> city of san jose is asking the public to think about how much time, money and trees could be saved if junk mail could be eliminated before it becomes mail. >>> i will tell you about the warming trend this week and we will look at specific cities to see how warm they will get on tuesday. >>> more on the de

new california law requires students entering 7th through 12th grade to get the vaccination before the 30th day of the school year. it offers translation for 150 languages. >>> tonight is the national night out for the nation and in the bay area. leaders are expected to take part in the block party to encourage neighborhood participation in crime fighting. oakland has one of the largest event in the nation. this is last year's celebration in chinatown. the mayor's office says the city will have more than 550 national night out events tonight, topping last year's effort. >> take your pick. >>> meteorologist mike nicco says it will be nicia, really nice tonight but you will probably need a light coat. once the sun starts setting, and gets kind of chilly with the air mass we are seeing right now. good morning. 11:15. look at emfrem the fog. retreated for the most part but we still have flight arrival delays to sfo. we talk about how many more days those will last. and the cooler temperatures. >> thank you, mike. >>> also, two businesses take desperate security measures. why the bed and br

lieutenant governor is calling this a bright spot in the face of dim unemployment news. >> of the things failing californiahere celebrating success. >> for rosa, this is a program giving her new skill that's have helped her get a new job. in richmond abc 7 news. >> and tonight's money matters there is a growing fear on wall street we may be heading into another recession. dow jones fell another 172 points today down 450 points for the week making this the fourth week of losses. the nasdaq down 38 points today. s and p 500 off by 17. hewlett-packard stock fell to a six-year low today. down 25% in two days yesterday, hp announcing it would stop making tablet computers, spin off the pc business and buy a software company. billionaire investor carl icon has a new trick. trying to buy the clorox company of oakland. now, he wants to name himself and 10 others to the board of directors so he can take control of the company then sell it. the king is dead. burger king said it's retiring the mascot in the ads. the company has switched advertising agencies and refocusing efforts to reach new customers. >> violence ha

. >> the new california budget took $200 million from cal fire but it forces rural home own ires to pay fee to make up the difference but that money comes with strings attached. cal fire can't use that money to actually fight fires. >> reporter: its notitia especially to protect rural homeowners from fire. it's why think have collecting a new tax but it's called the fire prevention fee meaning $200 million can only be spent on things like brush clearing education, not for fors and equipment. the board is now working to amend the language. cal fire could suffer deep cuts to its firefighting ability. >> one thing we will address is the fire prevention verses protection. if the intent by the governor is to move money from the department's general fund to the special fund budget we will knead that money and revenue to continue to respond to emergencies. >> reporter: homeowner scoffed at paying more money for lesss. >> prevention is important and preparation but this is important to. i wouldn't mind but if that means we aren't getting additional firefighters it's a concern. >> reporter: the

. >> the new california energy code is the country's most stringent energy code. and it says that in many cases, you must install energy first lighting pictures in new construction and when you're replacing pictures and you have to install -- fixes and you have to -- fixtures and you have to install four pins in kitchens for example and they cannot be replaced with screw type sockets. it will only take this type of bulb. you have to replace the whole fixture to go back. >> there is a prohibition against using edison-based fixtures. there are exceptions. for residential kitchens, more than 50% of the wattage has to be energy-efficient and throughout the rest of the house, you have to use energy efficient dimmers or you have to use fluorescent light bulbs. you can design with incandescent lights, although i anticipate in future energy efficient codes, that exception will go away. >> there are lots and lots of other requirements in the california energy code that relate to electrical installation. for example, you can no longer put electriresistance heat in buildings

in san jose, marla tellez, nbc bay area news. >>> california is feeling the backlash from last week's vote in washington to raise the debt ceiling and cut spending. california's unemployment insurance fund ran out of money two years ago. and while the federal government stepped in with loans, california owes the treasury some $9 billion. washington is debating several plans to help california and other states which owe money, but the deal on spending cuts changes everything. >> that means we're going to have to start owing the federal government interest. that comes due in september. and it could be more than $300 million that the state owes the federal government just in interest. >> if no changes are made by congress, employers will have to start paying more in their federal unemployment tax contributions starting in january. the state could cut unemployment benefits for jobless californians. >>> here's one of the top stories. gizmoto is off the hook. that's not the case for the redwood city man who found an iphone 4 prototype in a bar and sold is to gizmoto. he's facing charges. br

news. >>> california's budget is built on a projected revenue of $4 billion, but that may not materialize given state of the economy. and nbc bay area's kris sanchez talked to political an alift larry gurston about the trigger cuts built into the budget. >> we won't know until later this year whether the trigger cut cuts will go into effect, but we know the numbers for july are not promising. larry, 500 million ldz short in july, what does that mean for the rest of the projection? >> i don't want to make a lot out of one month when you're talking about six months worth of income you're locking at, but not a good start. look, this whole budget was predicated upon some very shaky assumptions. one assumption, for example, was that they would get in about $4 billion more in revenue this year than we thought previously. well, instead of getting in more, we're getting in less. another assumption is that we'd be able to eliminate the redevelopment agencies, that's what governor brown wanted to do, to the tune of $1.7 million now going back to the states. now a judge has said, no, we're going to

new california law requires students entering 7th through 12th grade to get the vaccination before the 30th day of the school year. it offers translation for 150 languages. >>> tonight is the national night out for the nation and in the bay area. leaders are expected to take part in the block party to encourage neighborhood participation in crime fighting. oakland has one of the largest event in the nation. this is last year's celebration in chinatown. the mayor's office says the city will have more than 550 national night out events tonight, topping last year's effort. >> take your pick. >>> meteorologist mike nicco says it will be nicia, really nice tonight but you will probably need a light coat. once the sun starts setting, and gets kind of chilly with the air mass we are seeing right now. good morning. 11:15. look at emfrem the fog. retreated for the most part but we still have flight arrival delays to sfo. we talk about how many more days those will last. and the cooler temperatures. >> thank you, mike. >>> also, two businesses take desperate security measures. why the bed and br

this was an ideal place for people to establish a footholdin the new california.nd the ferry building has long come to be considered through the symbol of san francisco's waterfront. and it's still there. after a major renovation, and we're going to get to that in a minute. here is the ferry building from an old postcard. what do we get the date to be on here? can we take a guess? when was the ferry building built, before the '06 earthquake? >> yes. >> '98. >> it was completed in '99. >> okay. and this was -- let's move along. fisherman's wharf. we have some current photos as well. we can see the tower which dates that. that was built in -- >> '32, '33. >> that big tank there arectiontion when was that tank? >> the city had storage -- >> fuel storage to fuel the boats. >> ain't there any more. >> this is still there. (speaker not understood). >> great fedore on that gentlemen. >> we should have been dressed. here is loading freight. now, this is cargo loading. >> (speaker not understood) cargo loading. >> this is when ships were loaded, based on small quantities t

new worries from california's fire agency over new wildfire fees. new california budget took $200 million away from cal fire t forces rural home owners to pay a special fee to make up the difference but the money can only be used for fire prevention like brush clearing and education not for firefighters and their equipment. in a coast case scenario, cal fire would suffer deep cuts to its firefighting ability. >> prevention is important and preparation. but this is important, too. so i wouldn't mind but if that means we are not getting the additional firefighters, it's a concern. >> board of forestry and fire protection is confident though that it will be able to reword the wildfire fee bill quickly and send it to lawmakers for a vote. >>> protestors will rally outside san francisco city hall this morning demanding more environmental reviews for the america's cup. there is a hearing at noon on the eir. groups who don't think the report is adequate will hold a rally outside city hall prior to the hearing. america's cups races are planned at the bay ar

news." >>> california set the standard for a public university system, but now drastic budget cuts mean students at berkeley and ucla are facing the elimination of courses while paying higher tuition, lessons that students at other states may be facing soon. that story tonight on the "cbs evening news." for you. whoo! uh-oh. what? mom's doing her exercise video again. when mom's on a health kick, all of us are. and now she's made us breakfast. uh-oh. ♪ [ male announcer ] eggo nutri-grain waffles. you know it's made with 8 grams of whole grain and is a good source of fiber. all they know is it tastes great. eggo nutri-grain waffles. simply delicious. a network of possibilities. in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible

new california law requires students entering seventh through twelveth grade to get the vaccination before the 30th day of the school year. 211 is free and provides translators in more than 150 languages. riding a bike should now be safer in one east bay city because of new smarter traffic signals. abc7's jonathan bloom has more on what could be a trend-setting change in the city of pleasanton. >> big wide intersections like the ones along foothill boulevard in pleasanton can be dangerous on a bike. >> one of the main complaints we had from the cyclist they would get the green indication and then start pedalling and see it turn yellow or red on them. >> cyclist evan hass knows the problem too well. smart traffic lights that are too dumb to notice a bicycle. sometimes they turn red too quickly. other times they never turn green. >> eventually i will just go for the crosswalk and wait for that to go and walk across with my bike. >> in pleasanton, all that has changed. >> it just comes in the detection area, lights it up. >> they call it the inters intersect intersector. it looks like a big r

we have a look at the brand new political boundaries in california.ow it might affect the balance of power in california. solar fares headed our way. comcast 186 in a few. . while our children get less and less education. a school board president, gary says i don't blame cta, the teachers union for ab 114. i blame politicians. students are suffering due to sacramento's unwillingness to do the right thing. and republican senator bob huff thit, nles oye people who support this travesty are the democrats who control the legislature and the union bosses from whom they take p

letting investors make long term plan autos the craziness won't help california money trouble. new numbers suggest we can be facing another crunch by the end of the year. and we have the report from sacramento oo. just one month into the fiscal year, and tax receipts missed a mark by more than 10%. california collected $539 million less than projected for july. income tax up, sales and taxes were down. and the sales tax rate dropped july 1. >> we wanted to be on the upside above estimates. let's keep a careful watch on the economy. >>oer numbers are worry smchl the governor signed in june relies on a $4 billion wind fall f that doesn't materialize, cuts are triggered in january. and less than $2 billion in revenue means schools will be in session seven fewer days. dropping school year from 180 days just three years ago to 168 days. kids from other industry streel companies go to school more than 200 days a year. >> there will be harm done. to a generation of kids. >> with budgets and lessons in place, school administrators wonder. >> are you going to cut civil war? learning t-c? th

some alarming new numbers about california high school graduation. out of five students dropped out last year. in all 94,000 students did not get a high school diploma. that is 18%. now here in the bay area, oakland had a drop out rate of 37%. san francisco had a considerably lower rate of 11%. now the state of california says the new numbers can not be compared to past years because they are using a new and more accurate formula. this year eighth graders were taken into consideration. state-wide 3.5% of eight graders left school and didn't come back for the ninth grade. the state superintendent says dropping out may be caused by several problems that may include falling behind in subjects or pressure in some families to earn money instead of staying in school. we have posted a link to the state's new data base at ktvu.com. look for the web link section. you can see the drop out rates for different school districts. >>> 48-year-old man accused of breaking into new folsom prison remains in jail this morning accused of violating his parole. as we first

. >>> a new california lawmaker wants to get tough with unrulely sports fans. they are looking to draft legislation increasing jail sentences for people fighting at sports events. they want to create a fun for prosecuting these men like the men convicted of beating bryan stow. bryan stow family released a statement about violence about the raiders game and quoting, they say we have felt this tragedy did not happen to brian for nothing. nobody should feel afraid to root for their team or bring their families to games. >>> they also say pipe ann's -- bryan stow's condition has worsened. he took a couple of steps backward or coming forward. he is running a high fever and has developed some infections that doctors are treating. >>> 6:09 is the time and let's go back to sal. sal, smooth commute? >> yes, as a matter of fact we have a nice one this wednesday. let's look at the bay bridge and the clouds up there. all right, we will come to him in a moment. no major problems trafficwise and this is a look at 237 and that traffic is looking good, speaking of the valley,

news. a california fire once feared for potentially catastrophic consequences continued to burn on wednesday, but more than 24 hours since the propane tanker burst into flames officials no longer fear an explosion. >>> one washington hospital, visiting rules were tested by a member of the wild life community. don't see that everyday, do you. a deer gained access to the medical center through its automatic doors. it made appearances in the emergency room and patient dining room before exiting. just hanging out there. >>> and finally in georgia, one dog dined on a very expensive meal when $10,000 worth of diamonds came up mising. they proved the store's mascot was the culprit. the dog ate the diamonds left on a back office desk. >>> well, after nature took its course the owners were able to retrieve and clean the merchandise. i'm sorry. put the cereal down. >>> now for a look at your national and regional weather again. once again, it's bill carens. >> reporter: expensive meal. let's break down your forecast. it's been hot as of late. yesterday was 114 in phoenix. looks like our end of our sum

news. >>> still to come. california spending practices under fire. why the state is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to send the prison guards to las vegas. >> the new state law requiring tips from jail house informant to be verified. why police say this could have a mainly impact on convictions. >> loyal customer is banned from shopping at her favorite store. it can happen to you too. 7 on your side is coming up. >> ike in the forecast center. one day consolidate did you know ended but warm-up may not be so hochlt i have the details in my accu-weather forecast be so hochlt i have the details in my accu-weather forecast coming up at 7 news >> california soon paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to send state prison guards to las vegas. we explain the deal to cover their annual union convention. >>reporter: hundreds of california prison guards are headed to las vegas this month for the union annual convention where they will elect new leaders and get collective bargaining training. they will receive the full state pay with taxpayer footing as

among the bad news today, california's unemployment rate is up. the labor department says the rate climbed .2 of a per sent in july to 13%. employers added 4,500 new jobs last month and the state has the second highest jobless rate in the nation behind nevada. here is how the unemployment breaks down across the bay area. marin county has the lowest unemployment rate in the entire state. at 8%. san mateo county is 8.7. san francisco is at 9%. solano county has the highest local unemployment rate at 12.2%. in the tough economic times dozens are graduating from a program in richmond specifically designed to train a green workforce that comes from challenged backgrounds. letter lerlt's nick smith is live at the training center in richmond. nick? >> reporter: good morning. today's ceremony is designed to do two things. recognize accomplishment of graduating class and find jobs for men and women part of a community that has been hart hid by unemployment. the city of richmond provides training for clean and renewable industries and it serves to serve the

help needy families. >> plus bta free, the steps california is taking to protect young children from the hard chemical. >>> welcome back to the morning news now is 6:56. a bill is moving forward to band the chemical. from plastic baby bottles sold in california. now the a or bta can harm young children. yesterday the state senate approved the measure to ban the chemical from baby bottles and sip by cups sold after july 1 july 1st, 2013. they must now approve changes made -- >>> time now 6:56. members of the berkeley police department will hop on their bikes today to raise money. the 27th annual turkey ride tarted in berkeley this morning. they'll cover 200 miles for the cause. money donated for the bride will pay for hundreds of turkey dinners for those needy families on thanks giving and christmas. >> hopefully the roads are clear and the weather is not bad. traffic is doing pretty well. we're going to start there and it looks pretty good getting out to the high-rise. this morning's commute is backed up. not too bad once you get on to the bridge it does look pretty good into san francisco and we have a live look at san francisco traffic.

news. >>> california's going to the winner takes all system. california will award all of its 55 55 electoral votes. governor brown signed the bill today. the change was prompted in the 2011 election when al gore won the popular vote but george w. bush became president because he won the electoral vote. >>> the bill allows authorities to seize the property of that's been used repeatedly for cock fighting. according to the humane society there's been 110cock fighting busts in california since january of 2008. >>> tonight the remains of those elite american troops killed in afghanistan this weekend are on their way the áf way back to dover. 30 u.s. troops, seven afghan commanders and an afghan interpreter were all killed when their helicopter went down on saturday. nato say s the investigation into the crash is ongoing. as the helicopter approached the ranger saw a rocket propelled grenade thrown by an insurgent hit the chopper. >> they were far from home but we know that they were also where they wanted to be. doing what they wanted to do alongs

, jerry brown, has a new plan to help california's job market relying on tax breaks and hikes. allowing a tax credit to small businesses that make new hires and create ex exemptions to help make new businesses. we are live in union city at a company that hopes to expand. >> this is a wind tunnel. we will show you what they do here. with 33 current employees this company is in a great position to benefit from the governor's proposal. >> reporter: at union city skydiving facility all 33 workers make above minimum wage, at least $10 an hour and have fun doing it. >> it is exciting. the reaction from each person is entirely different. get to see what people are like at their most primal. >> reporter: he started here six weeks ago after struggles for six months. >> it was hard. i planned for not having any income coming in. >> reporter: currently the state gives businesses with 20 employees a $3,000 new credit for each new hire. it includes companies of up to 50 workers including aflac. governor brown wants to raise the credit to $4,000. dan chance's "i fly" is looking forward to hir

news. >>> california's going to the winner takes all system. california will award all of its 55 55 electoral votes. governor brown signed the bill today. the change was prompted in the 2011 election when al gore won the popular vote but george w. bush became president because he won the electoral vote. >>> the bill allows authorities to seize the property of that's been used repeatedly for cock fighting. according to the humane society there's been 110cock fighting busts in california since january of 2008. >>> tonight the remains of those elite american troops killed in afghanistan this weekend are on their way the áf way back to dover. 30 u.s. troops, seven afghan commanders and an afghan interpreter were all killed when their helicopter went down on saturday. nato say s the investigation into the crash is ongoing. as the helicopter approached the ranger saw a rocket propelled grenade thrown by an insurgent hit the chopper. >> they were far from home but we know that they were also where they wanted to be. doing what they wanted to do alongs

the a's a chance to sweep new york. california represented in series play.tle league world series play. pennsylvania. hundredington beach against billings, montana. -- huntington beach against billings, montana. montana wins it 1-0 to make the u.s. finals. they face california or pennsylvania. 49er coach jim harbaugh, manning may not be ready to go so they went out and got collins out of retirement who has two weeks to gear up before the season begins. 16 years in the league. two time pro bowler. doesn't give much confidence to the existing quarterbacks. boxing, warson getting ready for the fight of his life at city hall. he was at a press conference for his october 29th opponent, this is for the wba and wbc super middleweight title and super 6 ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] unlike some car companies, nissan is running at 100% which means the most innovative cars, are also the most available cars. nissan, innovation for today. innovation for all. [ female announcer ] you never stop improving your recipe. we never stop improving ours. we've added a touch of philly cr

among the bad news today, california's unemployment rate is up. the labor department says the rate climbed .2 of a per sent in july to 13%. employers added 4,500 new jobs last month and the state has the second highest jobless rate in the nation behind nevada. here is how the unemployment breaks down across the bay area. marin county has the lowest unemployment rate in the entire state. at 8%. san mateo county is 8.7. san francisco is at 9%. solano county has the highest local unemployment rate at 12.2%. in the tough economic times dozens are graduating from a program in richmond specifically designed to train a green workforce that comes from challenged backgrounds. letter lerlt's nick smith is live at the training center in richmond. nick? >> reporter: good morning. today's ceremony is designed to do two things. recognize accomplishment of graduating class and find jobs for men and women part of a community that has been hart hid by unemployment. the city of richmond provides training for clean and renewable industries and it serves to serve the

ben tracy, cbs news, cupertino, california. >> pelley: english is a living language. new words are born and others die. well, today merriam-webster's collegiate dictionary added "boomerang child," a young adult who returns to live with mom and dad. and "fist bump," a gesture made famous by the obamas during the 2008 campaign. but the collins dictionary removed "wittol," a man who tolerates his wife's infidelity. and "aerodrome," a small airport. fannie mae is being accused of driving down house prices. that story is next. that story is next. wait! now life is dull... darling! ♪ i believe in miracles [ male announcer ] swiffer attracts dirt. swiffer wetjet's new upgraded solution loosens and lifts off dirt to help prevent streaks and residue. and reveal more shine than a mop or your money back. you had me at "bzzzzz". whose non-stop day starts with back pain... and a choice. take advil now and maybe up to four in a day. or choose aleve and two pills for a day free of pain. way to go, coach. ♪ way to go, coach. sometimes life can be, well, a little uncomfortable, but whe

some were teaching dance lessons there as well. >>> speaking of the new school year, administrators at one school in southern california are hoping a new schedule will boost academic performance. the plan is to let students sleep in an hour later. >> reporter: there's one thing gregory is not looking forward to when he heads back to school august 29th. >> i'd be awake around 6:00. >> getting him out of bed is not the hard part. getting him dressed in a timely matter is the hard part. >> reporter: then off to class for an often torturous first period. >> when you need to keep a book in your hand and it's like -- >> reporter: but what if that class started an hour later? a recent study of more than 6,000 students gregory's age found a biochemical reason for his challenging mornings. one that sleep experts say can be solved with a later class start time. >> when we awaken these kids early, they commonly are in this intense rem sleep episode. >> reporter: rem or rapid eye movement sleep is crucial for school. just that one extra hour translates into higher achievement. >> what should they get? eight hours? >> even nine hou

the plane was made to be fast enough to travel from california to new york in under 12 minutes.the pentagon wants to use it to fly anywhere in the world in under 60 minutes to launch missiles. this was the second failure of the $320 million technology this year. >>> you may soon be able to text 911 during emergencies. palo alto, mountain view, plan to upgrade their technology within the next year. the technology would allow emergency operators receive text, photos, and videos from cell phones. a plan to overhaul dispatch centers nation-wide is in the works. >>> chrysler is rolling out a program it hopes will encourage workers to become buyers. they are offering customers no payments for 90 days for all of 2011 and 2012 chrysler, jeep, dodge, and ram buyers. to get the deal you must finance through allied financial. the program will run through september sixth. >>> good year says it's working on tires that reinflate themselves. the company says there is an inflation device each tire that keeps track of air pressure. it adds air when necessary. it says that makes them safer becaus

news. >>> california's attorney general announced the arrest of two attorneys believed to be involved in a mortgage scam that preyed on homeowners drowning in debt. we have more on the red flag that every homeowner should watch out for, paul? >> reporter: the state attorney says the jailed attorneys contacted roughly two million potential clients across the country and defrauded 2500 out of millions in a scam that was supposed to provide troubled relief for their mortgagees. >> are they going to -- mortgages. >> are they going to keep receiving calls? >> reporter: this man and 17 other people are accused of cold calling homeowners asking them to join a lawsuit against mortgage lender who's kramer other ands say approved inappropriate loans. they promised them to get them out of forechosure by having an attorney represent them and renegotiate their interest rates or even give their money back. >> they suggested by joining this lawsuit that the banks would have to pay. but the only people who paid were those homeowners roar the suit says they paid between $4,toy to $10,000 into the scam. b

radio leased yesterday by the state fire marshal fall short of endorsing new smoke alarms that many believe could save lives in californiaate of the new generation of smoke alarms. >> the photo electric and duel sensor eye i don't know alarm will go off sooner. now we have the photo eye i don't know alarm starting right now. >> a demonstration conducted by the fire department for 7 on your side shows out photo electric alarms can save valuable minutes. in this experiment the aalarm alerts homeowners of a slow, smoldering fire more than two minutes before the other. the more common ionization alarms used in most homes took more than ten minutes. a spokesperson told us the state fire marshal does not endorse one technology over another. gordon of the palo alto fire department sits on the task force and he supports the use of photo electric alarms over ionization. he believes if the recommendations are adopted, ionization alarms would eventually be phased out. >> right now the primary reason the ionization alarms are selected, they are less expensive. one of the things that will happen is the price difference will go away.

it also features the new california whopper. it's a whopper with guacamole, and cheese. >>> we want to check in with sal and seep how things are moving -- see how things are looking. >> there is a little backup, as you would imagine on any other regular commute day. we do have some slow traffic at the toll plaza here with no major commute hassles. one he get to the toll plaza, it should be a nice drive for you. this morning's commute should be okay on the interstate 880 oakland. that traffic moves along nicely until you reach 66 and then it slows down to oakland in some spots. we see some slow traffics gets up to -- getting up to half moon bay. some of the crowding is because school is back in. 280 and 101 are looking pretty good. and if you are in san jose, 280 is the slowest there, in and out of cooper tino -- cupertino. here's rosemary. >>> good morning to you. temperatures are gonna dip a little bit. they will be below average. most of us waking up with this, even using your lights this morning because not a slot of -- not a

news. >>> the california transportation commission has given a big financial boost to a number of transit projects in the south bay including the bart extension. the commission voted yesterday to hand out $40 million for the extension from freemont. another $10 million to rebuild kato road along the extension. it earmarks $71 million to add car pool lanes on i-880 and $85 for merging lanes on 101. >> that would be awesome. traffic is horrible in the morning. all day traffic starts like at 3:30. >> it personally don't effect  my daily commute. i always look at it as work. it is good for our economy. especially locally. >> the first project to get underway is likely to be the rebuilding of kato road along the bart extension. >>> now to the latest on this week's death of a toddler in a drive by shooting. the search for the killer continues. residents of the east oakland neighborhood where the tragedy happened may see more police. >> reporter: i spoke to the oakland police department spokesperson a few hours ago. the police chief will make himself available today. if there is new informatio

. >>> ahead -- a new list of the top party schools just came out. find out which california school made the top 5. and tracking energy. a new rule going into effect and when it will come to the bay area. sis, help me create my oasis. ok, romantic garden? oh, is there a castle nearby? no, but there's a charming farmhouse. right next to my posh castle! i'm sensing a theme here. well, i am the queen, dear sister. get your annual ikea catalog today. >>> we want to check you in first on wall street. the dow had a ride. it boosted up and then fell down. latest numbers whoever -- hovering. >>> commercial building openers across the country are being required to track and disclose their energy use. new jiglations -- regulations are meant to encourage owners to upgrade buildings to save energy. today is the deadline for 16,000 builders in new york city to report their use or face nines. sim -- similar requirements begins in san francisco, seattle and washington, d.c. in october. new requirements will be enclosed -- enclosed in california next year. >>> miley cyrus now has a tattoo sh

bill whitaker, cbs news, compton, california. >> pelley: there is a new weapon in the fight against skin cancer. the f.d.a. has approved a treatment for melanoma. how it works, coming next. ext [ female announcer ] at jcpenney, it's easy to create a new look for back to school with all arizona jeans on sale! night and day doorbusters make it simple -- the best styles and washes are under $20! so it's easy to have fun with flares... ...get back to basics... ...or slip into some skinnies! on top of that, with jcp cash, earn 10, 15 or 20 dollars off on the spot. no exclusions! unlike other stores, we don't make you come back to save! go to jcp.com to see everything on sale. we make back to school style affordable. you make it yours. jcpenney. >> pelley: the f.d.a. today approved a first-of-its-kind drug for treating melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. 70,000 new cases and nearly 9,000 deaths are expected in the u.s. this year. we asked dr. jon lapook to show us how this new treatment works. >> reporter: with her advanced melanoma spreading, sherry zannoth found out two days ag

california: santa monica college is on lockdown... police igating reports of >>> we can are follow breaking news in southern california.anta monica college is on lockdown. police are investigating reports of a gunman on campus. the calls came in a little over an hour ago. police immediately ordered staff and students to stay indoors. these are live pictures over the college. school is not in session right now. some people are on the grounds at this hour. police haven't verified the call just yet. >>> palo alto may be one of the first cities in the bay area to go green. the city wants to install solar panels throughout palo alto and then have it as the main energy source. stephanie chuang has more on how local businesses could benefit. >> reporter: the city of palo alto has set a goal to get at least one-third of its electricity from green sources by 2013. these solar panels off east bay shore road will cover the rooftops of local businesses. >> they will sell the power to the city when they generate it. >> reporter: the businesses would have to pay for the solar installation, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dol

sacramento governor jerry brown is unveiling a new corporate tax package he says will create new jobs in california. he wants to give new tax credits and sales tax exceptions to companies. new plan is being proposed less than a week after the state's unemployment rate grew up to 12%. he needs to pick up support from at least two republicans in each house to get the plan passed into law which he failed to do in his state budget fight earlier this year. >>> the obama administration is considering further action to help strengthen the housing market. one proposal would allow homeowners to refinance them at lowest interest rates which are about 4%. another plan, a home rental program, to stabilize housing prices by preventing foreclosed homes from flooding the market. it would lower mortgage bills right away and allow people to spend elsewhere but despite record low interest rates, many have not refinanced their loans because they owe more money than the house is worse. >> warren buff set coming to the rescue of the struggling bank of america. they are going invest $5 billion in bank of america giving

and despite challenges in california classrooms, some encouraging news tonight. student achievement is rising steadily. department of public instruction released results of a standardized test today. there is a look at what is revealed. >> students are making steady progress, even subgroups. and according to the superintendent there is room for improvement there are numbers proving california students have improved over eight years in, 2003, 35% proficient in english language arts. in math, 35 were proficient, rising to 50% today. >> instead of a press conference about more cuts and what can't be done because of the cuts we're here to emphasize positives going on. >> why did the numbers increase despite these cuts to education? >> this do could be everybody working harder with less. it could be there is more community in this process and it's could be there is a use of data. >> it's being collected to identify areas each kid needs to work on. in san francisco, over the. >> i think a lot of our scores improve smt because we're improving attendance. more to do that

a new california law requires students entering 7th through 12th grade to get the vaccination befores. the county will offer six free clinics in august. the first clin lick be held wednesday from 9:00 m to noon in the bajaro unified school district in watsonville. >>> golfers on the peninsula are warned to keep an eye out for a mountain lion. a large cat was seen walking op a golf course this weekend. workers at the crystal springs golf course in burlingame spotted the animal 4:30 yesterday morning, close to the trails and to the reservoir. course remained open but golfers were advised not to go in the rough at the sixth hole. mountain lions like to forage in the predawn areas. workers say there is wildlife in the area but seeing mountain lion is unusual. >> investors are optimistic after news of a tentative agreement to raise the national debt limit. the bloomberg business report is coming up. >> also, the deal between two indian tribes and the city of vallejo that finally ends protest at a sacred burial ground. >> burglars target a quiet peninsula neighborhood. next, why some homeo

. >>> breaking news from southern california. santa monica college is on lockdown at this hour. three people reported seeing a gunman walking on campus about an hour ago. although school is not in session, some professors and incoming freshmen are there for orientation. police have not verified the calls or determined determined if any shots were fired. but once again, breaking news, santa monica college in southern california is in lockdown. >>> one of san francisco's largest gang trills -- trials is expected to go to the jury today. federal prosecutors accuse the seven defendants of belonging to the ms-13 gang and are charged with wang -- with waging a war against rival members. one was the murder of a -- a stabbing. the defendants face life sentences if convicted. >>> the fcc is investigating b.a.r.t.'s decision to cut off cell phone service ahead of last week's planned protest. the fcc says it has received complaints and is gathering information from b.a.r.t. they are also looking into whether eliminating cell phone service jeopardized -- jeopardizeed safety. they are also i

sacramento governor jerry brown is unveiling a new corporate tax package he says will create new jobs in california. he wants to give new tax credits and sales tax exceptions to companies. new plan is being proposed less than a week after the state's unemployment rate grew up to 12%. he needs to pick up support from at least two republicans in each house to get the plan passed into law which he failed to do in his state budget fight earlier this year. >>> the obama administration is considering further action to help strengthen the housing market. one proposal would allow homeowners to refinance them at lowest interest rates which are about 4%. another plan, a home rental program, to stabilize housing prices by preventing foreclosed homes from flooding the market. it would lower mortgage bills right away and allow people to spend elsewhere but despite record low interest rates, many have not refinanced their loans because they owe more money than the house is worse. >> warren buff set coming to the rescue of the struggling bank of america. they are going invest $5 billion in bank of america giving

george lewis, nbc news, fullerton, california. >>> and when we come back here tonight, an update on last night's drama in new york city. : >>> couple of items here tonight beginning with late word from l.a. of the death of former nfl great bubba smith. he played for the super bowl champion baltimore colts, later for the raiders and oilers. turned to acting later in life, including the role of hightower in the "police academy" movies. bubba smith was 66 years old. >>> if you were flying the low cost all coach airline flybe in scotland a while back and thought you saw william and catherine a few rows away, well, that was them. they flew the airline back from their cousin's wedding. their tickets were around $60. william's brother harry flew the decidedly no frills easy jet, though he reportedly paid $16 to check his military duffel bag, proving the royals are just like regular people. >>> the people of pittsburgh are being told tonight if they hear gunfire or explosions or other mayhem, it is just batman. the latest sequel is being filmed in that city, using the skyline as a backdrop. they

wisconsin, new jersey, california, they had spending that was outrunning their financing and that was of scott walker's reform and now it is working. >> what will happen in states like ohio. we have something on the ballot in november that repeals what john casack is trying to do. is this going to give unions a pause about whether to invest in the cause. >> it is a huge victory for fiscal responsibility. it was not just about wisconsin, but about ohio andical and other states trying to take on the excessive unibenefit for public employees. it sends a resounding message that voters do want change and understand that when a public employee that are getting benefits twice as generous that that simply is not fair. the implications is positive. by the way, too. if other states hear about it. it is worth noting when the whole battle was going on 24-7 coverage . now editorials and no one - on they got it. >> one other pick paul, paul. that eliminated the deductions for union dues. other states are doing the same thing that. is cutting off the political oxygen for the unions and democratic pa

lee cowan, nbc news, venice beach, california. >>> that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt. reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today," then right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> good saturday evening, i'm diane dwyer. the coast guard is asking for the public's help tonight in finding a