breaking news in the case of gabby petito. the medical examiner has been called to a florida park. law enforcement officials say what appears to be partial human remains have been found in an area previously under water. cadaver dogs are currently searching that area. there's no confirmation these remains are connected to brian laundrie. this is happening as the family attorney of brian laundrie says items belonging to brian have been found at that park. laundrie is the only person of interest in the death of the fiance gabby petito. her remains were found about a

month ago in grant teton national park. the 22-year-old had been strangled to death. we'll continue to follow this breaking news as it continues to develop. first want to say good morning and thanks for joining us for our midday newscast. i'm laura garcia. >> i'm marcus washington. spotty rain showers lingering right now. our storm ranger continuing to scan the skies. this is the first taste of wet weather for our region this week. vianey joining us now. how is it looking outside? certainly can see the rain there in the city. >> depending on where you are, it's not going to be huge continuous downpours, at least not today but look at san francisco. this is a live cam. we've certainly seen the sheen on the road. we'll keep a chance for spotty showers through the afternoon. meanwhile, walnut creek, you'll notice definitely going to be the cloud cover. current temperatures as you head out the door in the 50s and 60s so far. so it's going to be one of those afternoons it's cozy. still showing us that

instability. you can see it on the pacific. the reason for that is this is just one of three storms that we have been watching closely. the second one is expected to make its move in, in tomorrow evening and friday and heading into saturday and sunday, we could have our big rainmaker tapping into some atmospheric moisture which is the reason why we have our very own stormranger. mobile doppler radar up and scanning. you can see a lot of that has started to check out. i'll go into more detail coming up. >> we'll look forward to it. and you know when we're not on air you can always get our micro climate forecast on the go. download the nbc bay area app and receive alerts on when the rain will hit your neighborhood. also our live radar always running. more than three years since the massacre at parkland school shooter, nikolas cruz pleaded guilty. >> cruz killed students and three staff members at marjory stoneman douglas high school. kerry sanders has more on the

plea he's making as he awaits whether he will live or die. >> reporter: in a courtroom in ft. lauderdale, florida, family members hugging, crying as the now-23-year-old gunman who three years ago walked onto the campus at marjory stoneman douglas high school in parkland and began shooting, ultimately killing 17 students and staff on the campus. also with an attempted 17 more murders. today admitting guilt and then making a statement. >> i hope you can give me a chance to try to help others. i believe it's your decision deciding where i go and whether i live or die, not the jury's. i believe it's your decision. >> family members shaking their heads as he read their statement. one of those who came out of the courtroom was a young man who actually was a hero. only 15 years old at the time. anthony who barricaded a door,

took five shots. he survived. when asked whether he accepted the apology, he said that's not for me. there's now going to be a penalty phase. it will be up to a jury to determine whether he is going to be sentenced to life in prison or face the death penalty. kerry sanders, nbc news, ft. lauderdale. a south bay mom who made national headlines is expected in court. shannon o'connor is accused of throwing wild parties fueled by alcohol with young teenagers. kris sanchez is live at the courthouse. has she made her way in yet? >> reporter: she has not made her way in. she'll be in court in about an hour but we know that she is still in custody because she has not posted bail. and while nbc bay area asked her if she wanted to tell us her side of the story, she did decline that jailhouse interview. now this is o'connor arriving at the san jose airport almost 24 hours ago. wheeled off a flight and out a back door by two plainsclothes

sheriff's deputies who escorted her back from boise, idaho. she declined our request for an interview. she's accused of providing alcohol to minors at secret parties she hosted at her los gatos home. also in lake tahoe and santa cruz and then encouraging sexual activity, some of which did not appear to be consensual. her bail was set at $10 million but will likely be reduced at her arraignment today. our legal analyst says community outrage will provide a lot of pressure for her to stay on the straight and narrow if she is released. >> if ms. o'connor is released she's likely to be put on a short leash. if she was found again hosting one of these parties, i think she'd be right back in custody. because of the notoriety of this case, she's going to have a lot of people watching her from this community and in idaho. >> he adds it is likely that the court will require her to refrain from any contact with minors.

any contact with alcohol, though it is likely she will be allowed to return to her home in idaho. when she faces that judge she'll answer to 39 felony and misdemeanor charges, some of which could require her to register as a sex offender if she is convicted. in san jose, kris sanchez, nbc bay area news. dozens of officers with the san francisco police department have been placed on leave. the reason? not receiving the covid-19 vaccine. nbc bay area's cierra johnson has been following this story since leaders announced the requirement. she joins us live in san francisco to break down how many officers are impacted by this decision not to get that vaccine. >> yeah, good morning, laura. for months we've been telling you that officers with the san francisco police department would be required to get the vaccination and show that proof of vaccination. that deadline has now passed and we now have a clear picture of just how many officers did not present that proof of vaccination. now take a look at your screen.

our investigative unit has done some digging, crunched the numbers and they've learned 40 san francisco officers have been placed on leave because they have not received that vaccine. we learned another 59 unvaccinated officers already on leave for other reasons could be placed back on leave if they return to work without being vaccinated. we're also being told this is considered a pathway of termination so in all, 99 officers could be fired for not receiving the vaccination. in terms of just how many the percentage of officers, this breaks down to about 5% of the 2100-member force. they're now at risk of losing their jobs. also mayor london breed is responding regarding the deadline for city employees to receive their vaccination. in july she is saying we issued a requirement for city workers to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves. their co-workers and the public. i'm proud to report that over 96% of our nearly 35,000 city workers are now vaccinated and i want to thank them for doing their part. on the other side we're hearing

from the police union. the union that represents the san francisco police department. they said that unfortunately the city's rush to terminate officers will make our city less safe. the city has botched and bungled the process from the beginning. first approving all religious exemptions and then demanding a do-over. you simply cannot make this incompetence up. san francisco is experiencing a shooting and retail theft epidemic and fewer officers will only make things worse. now it is important to note that come november 1st, that is when those who are not vaccinated will be suspended without pay. we're hearing there will be due process in separating from the city. so that's really just in about two weeks. at that point we'll have a clearer picture of just how many individuals will be removed as city employees. that includes the san francisco police officers. so a lot to keep track of. we'll keep tabs on this story. live in san francisco, cierra johnson for "today in the bay." sonoma county leaders are

seeking to follow san francisco and marin's footsteps in easing its indoor mask mandate. supervisors discussed the new proposal yesterday. the exemption would apply to fully vaccinated groups of up to 100 people. that includes offices and other workplaces, gyms, fitness centers, inside of employee commuter vehicles at religious gatherings, college classes and other groups that meet regularly. similar rules go into effect in contra costa county november 1st. new details this midday with the fda and cdc set to review vaccine safety for children ages 5 to 11 years old. this midday we're learning new details over how the biden administration is going to roll out those shots. if approved, tens of millions of children would qualify for the pfizer regimen which could face some logistical hurdles. miguel almaguer has the latest. >> reporter: if the fda and cdc

authorize pfizer's covid vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old, some 28 million kids nationwide would immediately qualify. but the logistical rollout won't be easy. so this morning, the white house now unveiling its multi-pronged plan to quickly protect one of the most vulnerable populations. >> everybody come back to the rug. >> reporter: using trusted sites like schools and community centers, many families will have easy access to the free vaccine. a smaller dose than the one taken by adults and given at most pharmacies. the white house says it will prepackage easy to distribute vials so supplies can easily meet sudden demand. >> children certainly less than 18 account for about 20% of the population. so children are important to create herd immunity. >> reporter: the two-dose regimen given three weeks apart could be fast-tracked with the help of over 25,000 doctor's offices, 100-plus hospitals and

tens of thousands of pharmacies nationwide, all standing by at the ready. targeting rural communities as well as big cities. the white house will need help from local jurisdictions, including an army of vaccinators. and it comes at a critical time. >> we know that when the virus first came into the united states, children accounted for less than 3% of cases. now they account for 27% of cases. we'll have 200,000 cases of disease in children a week or 250,000 cases a week. >> just as cold weather states brace for a rise in covid cases because more americans are gathering and spreading the virus indoors, vaccination mandates still face protests. and now one high-profile reversal, southwest scrapping its plan to put unvaccinated employees on paid leave as the federal deadline in december looms. even as the most vulnerable wait to get vaccinated, many are pushing back.

some parents are among the groups saying they won't inoculate. this morning the push to protect and the fight against them. >> that was miguel almaguer reporting. updates are coming hour by hour on vaccines and mask mandates. that's why we're updating our website constantly. head to nbcbay area.com/coronavirus. it's always with the latest information and those developments. we put them there as they come in. closer to content. that's the finding from a house panel when it comes to former white house adviser steve bannon. what we now know and what are the next steps in this investigation into his alleged involvement into the january 6th insurrection. >> plus, miraculous survival. a plane crashes near houston and everyone on board survived. coming up, what authorities are now saying about the moments leading up to the fiery turn of events.

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a former theranos project manager is back on the stand. this is new video of holmes walking into court today. daniel edland testified yesterday about the company's faulty blood testing technology and how the problems were conveyed to the company leaders, including holmes. he also talked about the presentations sent to potential investors including rupert murdoch. defense attorneys are trying to establish that he had no part in the actual lab work. >> the shipping container backup in southern california is now spilling over into nearby neighborhoods. truckers are stacking up containers creating a traffic hazard on nearby streets. the trucks are trying to unload at a trucking company which has been holding near the port of l.a., one which crashed yesterday, trying to make a tight turn. no one was injured but the owner of the trucking company said warehouses are full so there's nowhere else to take them.

some neighbors say they're fed up. >> people cannot get out of their driveways because the trucks are all along the street. >> i had two trucks coming down here so i beat them to the point where they couldn't come through here. >> you used your trash can to block the street? >> i used my body, too. >> port officials are trying to move waiting cargo ships as quick as possible. the port of oakland calling on companies to route more cargo there. the port says there's no backup or congestion. 54 ships stopped in oakland last month. port leaders add volume is up 4% this year, but there is capacity for more. a former top adviser to president trump one step closer to being held in contempt of congress. but the committee investigating the january 6th insurrection voted unanimously to pursue that charge. nbc news senior capitol hill correspondent garrett haake has that story. >> reporter: this morning as steve bannon moves closer to

being charged with contempt of congress, the representatives investigating the january 6th riot inclined the former president and bannon were involved in the insurrection. >> it appears that mr. bannon had substantial advance knowledge of the plans for january 6th. and likely had an important role in formulating those plans. >> reporter: bannon predicted the coming chaos on his podcast the day before the attack. >> all hell is going to break loose tomorrow. >> reporter: president trump has resisted the january 6th probe and bannon's attorney says trump has instructed him not to comply, claiming executive privilege. republican liz cheney saying of those arguments -- >> they suggest that president trump was personally involved in the planning and execution of january 6th. and this committee will get to the bottom of that. >> reporter: next the full house will vote on contempt charges thursday. raising the question of whether many republicans still loyal to the former president will

connect his top aide to the riot that happened in their own house. >> that was garrett haake reporting. developing in texas, federal investigators are on the ground right now looking into this fiery plane crash near houston. yesterday during takeoff, the plane ran off the runway, rolled into a fence and you see it just caught fire. but amazingly, all 21 people on board escaped and survived. authorities say the charter plane was heading to boston for the playoff game between the astros and red sox. first responders stopped just short of calling this a miracle. >> actually, our first couple of crews on scene found the pilots actually coming out finally with everybody together. they actually did an outstanding job. and i just have to say, there was a higher power at work here because the pilots were the last ones out. they made sure everyone was out of the plane. we had no loss of life. this was something we really did

not expect. >> amazing. two people were eventually transported from the scene with nonlife-threatening injuries. as spotty showers continue to linger in parts of the bay area, california's drought is reaching a new milestone. governor newsom saying that no county is free from his emergency drought declaration. some video from last night. more rain is in the forecast but unfortunately, that rain just not enough to help with the current dry conditions and make up for california's severe lack of water over the summer. as you can see here from this map, this is the latest information from the government drought monitor. it is showing that the most -- most of the state is including the bay area is either in the exceptional drought or extreme drought category. the governor says that california's lower water usage by just 3% in july and august, far from the 15% reduction governor gavin newsom had requested earlier this year.

>> but we are in this nice little juicy series of storms that we're seeing. wonder how many we would have to get to even pull ourselves out of that drought. >> and you know, even though it's not going to put a huge dent in the drought it's going to ease wildfire concerns across the state of california. and also sierra snow. look at this beautiful shot of greater tahoe. now we barely saw a little dusting of snow from the part two storms so far but we've got more snow and rain on the way. so if you have plans to head up to tahoe, you'll want to listen in on the forecast. san francisco, you can see we've got the rain coming down and, yes, we're going to continue to see spotty showers, really all into the afternoon as well as into the evening for some. so san jose, downtown san jose did get a little bit of rain last night in the south bay as well. probably while you were sleeping, but, hey, we're going to continue to see that for the upcoming week. current temperatures in the 50s throughout the bay area. a couple of low 60s.

and here's a closer look at satellite radar. still plenty of instability out there. that's keeping the cloud cover and it's also keeping those spotty showers. now we do have our very own stormranger on top of san bruno mountain. this will be working really hard not just for the first couple of storms but sunday's storm. i'll get to that in a second. hour-by-hour outlook. scattered showers throughout the night and thursday night we see another system moving. you can see it right here on the hour-by-hour outlook. model runs show that's moving in late sunday into early friday bringing us our next round of rain. and daytime highs will top out in the 60s for this afternoon. look at the estimated rainfall totals. today we have only seen a couple hundredths of an inch. a little over a quarter of an inch in some parts but this is through friday. taking this timeline, look at that. friday, 6:30. this is in addition to what we'll be seeing on thursday into friday and notice the higher elevation still expected to get a majority of the rain between

two to three inches. everywhere else a little less than a half an inch. and even less down through the south bay. but heading into saturday and sunday, this is expected to be one o into saturday night and sunday. we're talking about an atmospheric event. that could give us several inches of rain for the bay area and also several feet of snow for the sierra. it's going to be a good one heading into the weekend but, remember, don't put away those umbrellas just yet. look at the seven-day forecast. we've got a lot of rain ahead. >> we love it. we certainly need it. coming up, wouldn't it be great to know first thing in the morning what kind of day you're going to have? one dog on tiktok may have your answer. why millions are relying on this adorable pug to tell them the answer. hold that double-double, at

least if you plan on dining inside. one san francisco in-n out, more out than it is in because they violated a covid health order. we'll tell you about that story making national headlines. and all those details. head to our website and free nbc bay area app. find out all about that app on our trending bar right now. first, happening now, china getting ready for the 2022 winter olympics in beijing. the country lighting its olympic flame today following the arrival of the ceremonial torch from athens. beijing will become the first city in history to host both the summer and winter games. you can only watch the olympics right here on nbc bay area. opening ceremony takes place february 4th. see you then. we'll be right back.

think it's a little too early to talk championship run? the warriors are getting the season off to the right foot. >> last night the ws opened against lebron james and the lakers. all the celebrities were there. adele, kevin hart, usher, james corden, jack nicholson. the who's who of the game. pulling away in the fourth quarter. steph curry notched his first triple-double in five years. the warriors winning here 121-114. their home opener tips off tomorrow night against the clippers.

football fans, don't forget sunday night football right here on nbc bay area. the 49ers host the indianapolis colts. kickoff is at 5:20. >> wouldn't it be great to know the first thing in the morning what kind of day you're going to have? well, tiktok may have found the answer to your problems thanks to a pug named noodle. take a listen. >> if he has bones or no bones, and -- oh, my goodness. a soft collapse. >> oh, yeah. no bones day there. people around the world are turning to this bundle of love as his owner attempts to wake him from a slumber. if he flops down it's a no bones day. just take it easy. relax. if noodle remains standing, it's a bones day. time to go forth, conquer the world. >> set forth and go prosper. >> the weather will make it feel like a no bones day. >> yeah. >> cloudy, rainy day. we've got a lot of those ahead. and also into thursday and

saturday night, we've got two more storms on the way. this is great news. we'll see a little more rainfall here in the bay area. i'll send it back to you. >> certainly need it. >> not complaining. >> not yet. >> thanks for joining us. >> we'll see you back here tomorrow.

right now on "california live," we're breaking down britney's legal battle with her dad and believe me, some of the latest stuff is toxic. >> that's the million-dollar question, literally. >> then we're getting ready for turkey day in october and celebrating the spirit of the season. >> and how l.a.'s oldest farmer's market got started. it's fascinating. i'll bet you don't know. i had no idea. >> plus, one of the stars of "chicago pd" on the hot seat. she's spilling secrets about the new season. >> her and i had talked like, how can this end? what's going to happen? >> all that and a lot more right