>> ice that can stop

developing news tonight in the north bay. police find a body during a backyard search of a missing man's home. >> and tonight's discovery could end a search going on for months. alan wang is live in novato with the latest on this. alan? >> dan and carolyn, this mystery began two weeks ago after neighbors say they hadn't seen their long-time neighbor for several months. after they asked police to open a missing person's case on 74-year-old dale smith, investigators started focusing on the backyard of his home. neighbors say he lived here with his wife, evelyn smith, in her 50s. but she wasn't giving them much information.

investigators with the help of the fbi started dilling up the yard two days ago. the novato police confirmed the discovery of a body buried under a brick patio about four feet wide and 8 feet long. mrs. smith stopped answering their questions. >> do you find that suspicious? >> well, the case is full of unusual circumstances. so i'm not going to comment whether that is suspicious in itself. i think you can draw your own conclusions. >> later on in january, they approached me again and said she talked to evelyn and evelyn talked about gail in the past tense. that alerted her that something was up. >> the next door neighbor said he saw smith back in september. he lived here about 30 years and married evelyn 15 years ago. they got along fine and dale was suffering from esophageal cancer. despite the strong suspicion, the body has not been identified yet.

the cause of death hasn't even been determined. so at the very least, this is an improper disposal of a body. at the worst, this could be a murder. reporting live in novato, alan wang, abc7 news. >> thank you, alan. major changes in our weather on the way. with the plunging temperatures could come snow at low elevations. sandhya patel is here with a look at what is in store. sandhya? >> we may be talking about slate falling down to sea level. here is the storm that will bring about the big changes we are facing. this storm is coming out of western canada. antarctic air mass is accompanying it. here is what we are going to be facing. a winter weather advisory. 4:00 p.m. thursday and continues until 10:00 a.m. on friday. expecting snow to the thousand-foot elevation. two to four inches above 1500 feet and six inches and possibly more above 2500. the winter weather advisory is for the north bay mountains. we also have a winter weather

advisory for the clear lake county area. four to eight inches at higher elevations with the hazardous driving conditions and a winter storm watch, not for the sierra nevada, but for the diablo range and the mountains. this is thursday evening through friday evening. could see some snow accumulating above the 1500-foot elevation. certainly an inch expected down to a thousand feet. and six inches plus above 2500 foot elevation. certainly expecting snow in the hills beginning tomorrow and continuing through friday. but the question remains will we see the snowflakes right down to sea level. we will talk about the possibility when i come back. >> as a result of the civil unrest going in libya, you may have noticed gas prices going back up. by memorial day, brace yourself, we could be looking at $5 a gallon. abc7's lisa amin gulezian is live with more on that story.

>> dan, what is happening in libya could impact gas prices here. even though most of libya's crude oil goes to europe, european countries are starting to compete for our oil sources, and that is driving prices up. the unrest is libya is causing instability on several fronts at home. the dow dropped and the price for a barrel of oil shot up to $100 and settled under that. every dollar increase in oil means paying two and a half cents more a month. >> we could see gas $4 and $5 a gallon by memorial day, maybe sooner. >> if history holds true, california, especially the bay area will reach those numbers first. the owner of flower spot florist is already bracing herself for the gas hike. >> we have to cut corners left and right. certain things we have to do

ourselves. we have to find a way to do that. >> she plans to cut her delivery person's hours. instead she will do more deliveries herself. she hopes the savings will offset the rising gas prices. but that's where the economic downward spiral predicts will start. every penny increase at the pump robs $1.2 billion in consumer spending from our economy. the drop in spending could lead to job loss. >> nothing is worse than rising energy prices. it sucks the wind out. >> and out of discretionary spending which for some households means carpet cleaning. the owner of universal carpet care means driving to each job will be more expensive from now on. >> we cannot charge the customers. >> flying may also unfortunately be more expensive. some airlines are already imposing fuel surcharges on plane tickets.

live in san jose, lisa amin gulezian, abc7 news. >> thank you. protestors who want to bring down moammar qaddafi now control a portion of libya. they are keeping order on the border near the second largest city asking for passports as people enter. protesters are now vowing to take the capital. president obama says qaddafi's decision to open fire on his own people is unacceptable. >> this is not simply a concern of the united states. the entire world is watching. >> the president is sending secretary of state hillary clinton to geneva for talks that could lead to sanctions. foreigners are rushing out before things get worse. >> there are thousands going to the airport just to be there and just to sit there waiting for nobody knows for what basically. >> the international federation says hundreds have been killed in the anti-government

demonstrations. the death toll stands at 98 following tuesday's devastating earthquake in christchurch. more than 200 others are missing in the aftermath of the 6.3 quake. analysts are now saying reconstruction could cost $12 billion. noel cisneros was escorted behind police lines for a look at the devastation. >> christchurch is known as the garden city. a mixture of the modern ringed with green. now the garden city looks like it has been bombed, looted and pull var rised into rub bish. -- and pulvarized to rub bish. >> not only did it collapse, it was followed by a fire. and the workers believe there my be 120 people under all of that rubble. there are urban search and rescue teams working the site, but they are not calling it a rescue operation. they are calling it recovery. >> reporter: the christchurch cathedral is the symbol of the city. it is fronted by a plaza that would usually be filled with

hundreds of tourists and locals. many of them scale the steps of the steeple for a view of the city. the steeple and the bells that used to crawl out every hour lapsed. a dozen people are presumed dead. urban search and rescue teams from australia and japan and the u.s. search with the latest equipment through the rubble. but they hear nothing. in choice church, new sze land, noel cisneros. there was a somber procession to remember two classmates. students held candles as they walked through the open space. what a scene this was. this was a memorial for matthew miller and gavin powell. the two drowned while rafting down a rain-swollen creek. oakland police hope the public can help identify this man. he is accused of beating and sexually uh assaulting a woman

near chinatown. they want to determine if that attack is related to three other assaults on women late last year near lake merritt. the obama administration will no longer try to stop same-sex marriages. what today's surprise announcement means for prop 8 here in california. >> and a jolt to stay asleep. the new treatment that is like a pacemaker for people who can't get a good nighghghghghghh [ female announcer ] what's so great about jcp cash? no exclusions! with jcp cash, earn ten dollars off on the spot when you spend twenty five storewide. and, unlike other stores, we don't make you come back to save. get ten dollars off when you spend twenty five on-the-spot, with no exclusions! jcpenney. breakfast for lunch. breakfast for dinner.

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when you spend twenty five storewide. and, unlike other stores, we don't make you come back to save. get ten dollars off when you spend twenty five on-the-spot, with no exclusions! jcpenney. >> closed captioning brought to >> closed captioning brought to developing news from the east bay. at least one person has been injured in a wrong way crash on interstate 880 in oakland. this is a live picture of the traffic back up that resulted. chp says an elderly man traveling westbound on interstate 80 made a u-turn. he then got into a head on crash near fifth avenue causing this scene here. some medical news now. for millions sleeping through the night is a struggle causing serious health problems. sleep apnea sufferers stop breathing in their sleep putting them at risk for high blood pressure and even stroke. now doctors at ucsf are

finding a new way to treat the disorder. >> reporter: for peter, falling into bed rarely meant falling asleep, at least not for long. >> tear -- terrible, terrible sleep. i took prescription sleep meds. >> he was suffering from sleep apnea. it wasn't until he enrolled in a study that he learned how severe his condition was. >> the results were pretty dramatic in the sense that i wasn't really getting any rem sleep at all. >> open your mouth widely. >> he turned to his research team, ultimately becoming the second patient in the country to be implanted with a device known at apnex. >> it is a tongue pacemaker. it is a device placed in your body. it is turned on during sleep. >> first it helps to understand a common cause of sleep apnea. a patient's tongue relaxes backyard as they sleep, blocking the airway.

and then the resulting gasp for air wakes them up. >> this lead here connects to the pulse generator. >> reporter: to counteract the affect, they used a neuro stimulator. one said of leads connected to the rib cage to connect the rhythm of the patient's breathing. the other set delivers electricity to the nerve that controls the tongue. >> and so this system designed to deliver stimulation to the nerve to help move the tongue forward -- the tongue muscle forward during sleep so it doesn't block your breathing during sleep. >> these images show the device stimulating peter's tongue. once in sync, he rarely notices it while sleeping. a portable controller at anytime. >> in the evening i press the play button and hold it up to my chest. >> reporter: the implantible apnex is anal turnive tiff to the cpap. the mechanical breathing machine helps many sleep, but others find the mask

uncomfortable and not always effective. early results with apnex are promising. >> so it could really, certainly benefit a wide range of patients. >> reporter: for peter the device came at a perfect time. shortly after the surgery he became a new dad. a time of life when sleep is more available than ever. >> i cannot imagine having gone through some of these months just having such poor quality sleep. >> ucsf begins recruiting. if you are interested in the trial and the technology, go to our website, abc7 news. .com. a major policy change by the obama administration on same-sex marriage. it is an about face that could change the legal fight over who is allowed to marry. leslie brinkly on the president's decision and reaction in the bay area. >> i was riding bart and saw it on facebook.

>> reporter: she texted her fiancee when she learned of the obama's administration announcement to no longer defend the constitution yacht -- the constitutionality of federal law that bans the rec cog recognition of gay marriages. >> i am eccstatic. it is not a final deal yet, but it is an enormous step in the right direction. and i have been on cloud nine all day. >> today is a day that we will remember all of our lives. >> reporter: it materialized at market and castro by sunset. gay marriage advocates have long opposed the defense of marriage act or doma that defines marriage only between a man and woman. >> doma was a law that passed that literally keeps gays and lesbians and couples from having over 1,138 federal rights. >> reporter: with the attorney general writing to the speaker of the house about no longer up -- upholding the constitutionality of the act, rights for gay and lesbian couples will open up on the

federal level from social security to pensions and to healthcare. >> the administration is splitting with the bipartisan majority in congress and the people in 90% of the states. >> reporter: conservatives blasted the president for not defending the laws on the books. but for others it was a day of celebrating civil rights. >> this is a huge water shed moment where president obama is fulfilling his promise to ensure that all americans can do this. >> they will debate the issue in every state including california where prop 8 is still unresolved. leslie brinkly, abc7 news. everyone is talking about the possibility of snow at sea level this week. >> this is a picture from the last time that happened back in 1976. santa clara university sent us this photo. >> it doesn't even look real.

sandhya patel is here with what could be a very snowy forecast. >> absolutely. it may not just be a memory from the past, but we could be making new memories. look at this photo. this was submitted to you report powered by youtube and this is a scene from february 5th, 1976. the lawn covered in snow. we could be seeing that repeated again as we head toward friday. let's look at the current conditions. we do have temperatures right now in the 40s. showers for your thursday and friday. snowflakes may reach sea level. the snow is expected above the thousand-foot elevation. it is a cold system. it is coming down from western canada and bringing with it a very cold air mass. so here is what is going to happen. we will start the computer animation and just a couple showers in the north bay. watch what happens as we go toward the evening hours. your evening commute is pretty wet. so widespread rainfall

expected during that time. and it could get heavy during the 10:00 hour indicated in yellow as the front nears. showers continue. 5:00 in the morning it is wet on friday for that commute. see what starts to develop around 7:00. snow is starting to show up behind the front when the cold air starts to drop southward. it starts to shift into the east bay, and then into the south bay. yes, there is a possibility that we may see some very low elevation snow. the problem is by the time the cold air starts to get in here, a lot of the moisture is going to be gone. we will have to wait and see if the two dynamics meet. if we have the cold air in place right down at sea level you may see a few snowflakes. just be aware of it heading into your friday. friday evening everything is done, just a few leftover clouds. rainfall totals .60 to just after an inch of rain in most areas. winter storm warning going

into affect tomorrow afternoon and continuing through 4:00 a.m. on saturday. one to two feet expected at lake level. two to four feet above the 7,000 foot elevation. and with the gusts to 90 miles an hour, it is going to be rough getting up to the sierra nevada. once it is done, good powder to ski on. low 30s to the mid40s. tomorrow afternoon, grab the umbrella. if will be breezy and wet. low 40s to low 50s around the region. and for the monterey bay, temperatures in the low to mid50s with the rain develops into the afternoon and evening. here is your accu-weather seven-day forecast. thursday rain. cold friday and saturday. temperatures in the 40s. friday rain and snow combined. freeze watch for the north bay valley friday night into saturday. temperatures into the mident 20s and the chill continues into sunday. periods of rain again on tuesday and wednesday. >> thank you, sandhya. well, coming up next, a feast of firsts.

>> celebrating some of the surprising innovations in silicon valley.

so what did the pet rock, frozen waffle and the california honeybee all have in common? >> well they were all honored at a party celebrating silicon valley first. >> it was hosted by create tv. they have been holding an on-line contest called first fest which honors events, ideas and personal accomplishments. >> vip's include steve wozniak who is also a judge. >> i am so proud with the city. i have done so much to do what i could in my little way to help the city grow into something bigger. i am glad the city -- i am glad there are all the honors of the different things that have happened. >> some of the south bay's firsts include lick observatory, the first permanent mountain top observatory and the first celebrity skater in the modern era, peggy fleming. and now over to larry beil with the sports.

>> first frozen waffle? who knew? the warriors say goodbye to the draft pick that never quite paid off. since we are talking about firsts, the sharks said hello to first place.

good evening. the sharks are playing very well. they vaulted into first place in the pacific division. in pittsburgh they had it won and gave it away and took it back. the lights went out in the arena prompting some strange entertainment in the crowd. giddy up, partner. we now have a low connection. back at two and two. tied at one and morrow squeezes it home and 2-1 san jose. less than a minute to play i and the sharks just missed an empty net. 2-2 on to overtime. he was crushed on that play. seconds left and seven, six, five, four on the doorstep and

good night, drive home safely. that's five straight wins for san jose. a tough back to back. 3-2 in overtime. the nba trade deadline is coming up tomorrow. do not expect any major moves from the warriors. they are bringing back troy murphy, but probably not for long. they sent wright to new jersey. four years ago wright was the eighth pick in the draft. the warriors were hoping he would become a star, but the guy -- the poor guy is just hurt all the time. he has an expiring contract as does troy murphy. remember started his career with golden state. good times. the warriors also get a second pick from the net. they would like to trade for another draft pick. the nets were spurred by caramel low. but he is one of the best point guards in the league. two first round picks. they do not think they can

sign williams long-term. mello signed his ewing era. the garden is a buzz. the first hoop and rebound and stick back. he finished with 27 points. 10 of 25 shooting. he had 11 in the fourth quarter when amare fouled out. how about college hoops? san jose state hosting new mexico state. adrian oliver was everywhere. taking a dish from justin graham and was the all time assist leader. ole yes, sir, senior guard and pouring it on. oliver with 36. spartans up. christian ka im ungo take the -- kabungo take the lead. there are slow reactions to the oliver reference. san jose state arrived 72-70. the third straight win. 2011 is the same old stunt for tiger woods. knocked out in tucson.

tiger needed the birdie putt and sinks it. tying neither the vegetation and in his words, blew it. he needed it to stay alive. tiger done after round one. say it again, may i have some more. >> sports and a lil -- and a literary. >> thank you, larry. >> "nightline" is next. >> good night. >> see you tomorrow.