♪ ♪ >> from the bay area's local news station. you're watching kron. 4 news at all. >> it's a super important change things are changing so rapidly. >> here we go again. multiple counties are reinstating indoor mask requirements rhgardless of your vaccination status and that includes the city of san francisco. good evening, everybody. thank you for being with us tonight. kron 4 news at 5 o'clock. i'm grant lotus and i'm vicki liviakis. mayor london breed and health director doctor grant colfax making. >> that announcement today ahead of new year's eve celebrations. the city is also making changes to booster shot

requirements amid this omicron surge cut for us. rob nesbitt has more on that. they say temporary changes going into effect starting tomorrow. good evening, rob. grant mask indoors and booster shots required for health care workers. san francisco is making several changes starting tomorrow to reduce the spread of covid. >> california has been requiring mask indoors for weeks. but starting thursday san francisco will get rid of their exemptions mask must be kept on when inside public places regardless of if you've been vaccinated or not. you think about the ginseng aria, for example. a lot of aerobic activity. >> people expelling a lot of a virus in the air and it's indoors. it's going to be risk air infectious disease expert at ucsf doctor peter chin-hong says the temporary rules set to last through january, make sense starting february first the city will also require health care workers and those in high-risk settings to get their booster shots. according

to doctor chin-hong, a new study conducted in the uk shows that 2 doses of the vaccine gives 30% protection against omicron. but a booster at up to 80% protection give you the best protection. >> getting into said is so different from just having 2 shots. and when you're in a feel like myself and health care. all you want to have the best protection. mayor london breed says she will continue to take the necessary steps to deal with the latest surge in cases while also keeping businesses open and students in school. >> doctor chin-hong says he's optimistic going into the new year compared to this time last year with hospitals are running out of ventilators and covid deaths were peaking we're in a very different place right now. and i can't >> where we are. >> as an optimistic silver lining. this is even a year ago. >> san francisco is also making changes to rules regarding mega events starting february first event with 1000

people or more will have to require proof of up to date vaccines as well as boosters live in san francisco. i'm rob nesbitt kron 4 news. >> thank you, rob and starting tomorrow everyone in alameda, marin and sonoma counties as well as the city of berkeley, they'll all be required to wear masks again. indoors regardless of vaccination status. health officials say they want people to take every precaution possible. this winter. >> and beginning february first, everyone will be required to show proof of vaccination, including a booster shot in order to attend events at the chase center. the announcement was made today along with the golden state warriors as they try to adjust to the spread of this omicron variant individuals must have gotten the booster at least a week before the date of the event, people under 12 have to show proof of full vaccination or provide a negative test taken within 24 hours of the event. >> the zuni cafe in san francisco is requiring its customers to show proof of a covid booster to get in. this

comes as the covid cases in the city just set a single-day record since the pandemic started. the sunni posted signs on its stores as well as on its website. >> the numbers being really high. it's really important that we do what we can to keep those numbers low there are people that are less protected in our community and for various reasons and and and, you know, those of us who are actually protected. i'm really need to do our best to keep at spreading. the virus. >> san francisco requires people to be fully vaccinated to dine indoors. but sunni is one of at least 2 restaurants in the city taking things a step further requiring the booster, the others cassava in the outer richmond which ended up temporarily having to close for the holidays due to it. major rise in cases there as we continue to monitor the uptick in cases across the city will obviously be looking out for more restaurants to see if they take matters into their own hands by also requiring a booster sonoma county is suggesting employers

of any business require their employees to have their booster shot or get tested. >> twice a week. the county's health officer doctor sun dari mace says that employers should consider requiring their employees to wear fda cleared surgical masks or respirators inside work settings that recommendation applies to unvaccinated employees or those who have not received their booster dose. doctor may says cloth masks are just not as effective in stopping the spread of this virus right now the suggestions are only voluntary but strongly encouraged. >> in the east bay contra. costa county is also seeing a surge in covid cases health officials expanded mask mandates there today. kron four's charles clifford reports. >> right now. contra, costa county is in the orange tier meaning that there is substantial spread of covid-19 since mid december. the number of coronavirus cases across the county has been rising. according to contra, costa county health services in the past week. infections have gone up by 149%. hospitalizations are up by 31%

during a new surge in covid cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant mask-wearing will become mandatory for all indoor public places across the county starting december 29th. >> and we're worried about so many people getting this omicron variant of the same time that it would overwhelm our healthcare system. so really this is about protecting the work force protecting the health care system. new infections are being found in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. but health officials say. >> being vaccinated with a booster shot is still the best defense against hospitalization and serious illness we're seeing that the beast and people. >> i really ending up in the hospitals in the same numbers that unvaccinated or partially vaccinated are so i'm getting that being be being up to date is certain like adding more fuel in the tank of your immune systems that can fight infection and could be ready when it's exposed and there's just so much covid out there right now that you want that

full protection in order for the mask mandate to the east. the county must be in the yellow tier moderate spread for 3 consecutive weeks. 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated currently 78% have all their shots and there must be fewer than 75 people hospitalized with covid-19. >> at last check. only 60 people were in hospitals, but that number is expected to go up in contra, costa county. charles clifford kron 4 news earlier this afternoon ghislane maxwell was convicted of helping jeffrey epstein sexually abused teenage girls. >> jurors have found her guilty on 5 of the 6 counts. it was a month-long trial featuring accounts of the. exploitation of girls as young as 14 told by 4 women who described being abused as teenagers in the 1990's and early 2, thousands at epstein's palatial homes and florida, new york and new mexico. her lawyers say that she's being used as a scapegoat for crimes committed by epstein who allegedly killed himself and his jail cell back in 2019, maxwell faces years in prison. we'll

have more coverage on this story tonight in prime time. few more days to go in 2021, as we take a live look outside here. some traffic on the golden gate bridge. it is wet. it. >> seems like we're trying to set a record for rainfall here. just been one wet day after another. yeah question is i mean, it's coming down. but is it going to take a little respite. chief meteorologist lawrence karnow will let us know. yeah, we're talking about that. we're due for a break. we don't get too much of a good thing. and we've seen just a ton of this december the rain continuing. now there are some very heavy rainfall around the bay area right now and that will continue the case in the evening hours but looks like after that, things are going to begin to wind down. but you see the kind of swirl in the atmosphere. that's a little low just swirling in along the coastline. even some lightning toward gilroy and morgan hill today. but now the focus, the rain moving a little bit further south along the peninsula. but look at the heavy rainfall in the san jose's. we taking it for a closer look, though some very strong downpours right now.

i'm tracking rain amounts there in around campbell. we're talking about some very heavy rainfall that is over 2 and a 3rd inches. now that is some very heavy rain. likely see some public on the roadways there and more of that to come taking down even little bit closer now street levels. we're going to see that heavy rain meving through those areas. so be careful anywhere in and around this area. you can likely see some flooding out there on the roadways. nothing like the major rivers or creeks coming over their banks. but certainly it makes for a very rough dry right on 17 2.80. even the 88 in some of that going to continue to slide the south and the east moving up along the peninsula. we've got some more rain. you see toward half moon bay, you got a fairly decent sell their over toward redwood city. you're seeing some more light to moderate amounts of millbrae you're getting into it as well. we've got some more rain there over not you're seeing some more rain. just moving to your east. but the storm system kind of a little bit for the east overnight tonight and then will begin to settle down with the rain totals. again over an inch of rain in san anselmo. a pacific almost an inch of rain. over half an

inch, san francisco over half an inch of rain. oakland a half an inch even and half moon bay almost another inch of rain. this is adding some tremendous totals here and a ton of snow up in the sierra nevada. when will all come to an end. that's the question now last that coming up in a few minutes. all right. lauren to join us on kron 4 as we ring in the new year are grant lotus and justine waltman will count us down to 2022 and will celebrate with a life. fireworks show straight from the entertainment capital of the world. las vegas, the party starts at 11:30pm on new year's eve only on kron 4. >> looking forward to that. the sporting world. meanwhile, continues to remember the iconic john batten hall of fame, coach and broadcaster passed away yesterday at the age of 85 and today kron forcefully to call spoke with another local legend, former de la south football coach bob ladouceur who shares fun memories of coach matt. he was. >> and the iconic person of in

the face. i thought of football. bob latta sewer took over as head football coach at de la salle high school in concord a year after john madden retired from coaching in the nfl. >> the 2 met at a banquet several years later and maintained a friendship that lasted 35 years coach matt and took an interest in light of sewers teams that would go on to win the most high school football games in state i think the strength of our team was our line play. >> and it always has been throughout my career and he was one of the good that keen. i knew that. and think he was kind of drawn to our program and life seen us play. let us or who is retired now living in san ramon says on occasion coach madden would watch some of his team's play in person or on film. >> the 2 also caught football games together at matt in studio in the east bay. he's left us so much. >> i mean, he's never going to be forgotten. and when he passed, felt that. what the

hall of fame should really do is put his bus right at the entrance of the national football hall of fame because that's where it belongs. phillipe djegal all kron 4 news. >> coming up on corporate news at 5 police have captured the man suspected of stabbing his uber driver on christmas day. what led up to his arrest and what health officials are saying about the effectiveness of those at home covid tests when it comes to. >> detecting this omicron variant. >> plus, california scientists keeping a close eye on the record breaking snow. what's needed to help get us out of the drought.

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first snow survey of the winter season is taking place tomorrow morning. the measurement will happen during december's. >> record breaking snowfall current forces he do and spoke with uc berkeley scientist about this year's snow with the potential danger. it poses. >> record breaking snow level in december 2021 210 inches and we still have a few days to go in the previous record was held in 1970 and that was a 179 inches. so we've blown that out of the water. andrew schwartz is the station manager and lead scientist a uc berkeley central sierra snow laboratory. the lab has been tracking snow variables in the sierra from year to year for the past 51 years. he says december is not the only

record breaking month for 2021. we are also now officially the snowiest october, november and december on record going back to 1970. he talks about the role of climate change plays and how snow levels could differ. widely from year to year. so we're used to breaking records and with climate change continuing. we're expecting to see this larger year to year variability and even must to much variability. so it's something that we do expect to see to a certain extent, but it is still a little bit surprising when it does happen. >> are there potential downsized receiving this amount of snow is such a small window of i mean, in reality, you know, having it happened during the holiday season is problematic because it impact travel for the other thing, too, is there is an absolutely heightened avalanche danger right now. we had a snow pack that was very favorable for avalanche conditions before this most recent storm. and now that we've got, you know,

an additional 6. >> 10 feet of snow basically on top of where that spot was. that anywhere in the back country. even if the ski resorts, you know, there is avalanche danger and they're doing their best to mitigate that. but you want for 2. >> a developing story in the sierra. the search has been suspended tonight for a missing skier in truckee. it will resume again tomorrow morning at first light, 43 year-old rory enge. a lot of was reported missing on christmas day after he didn't show up for dinner with friends. he was last seen heading up to the north star ski resort, one of the spots which has had some heavy snow. researchers have been using extra resources, including a specially fitted helicopter to try and find. >> interstate 80 is reopened to cars and essential truck traffic only chains are required. this is a live look at westbound, 80 at king veil. and you can see it is slow going. officials say only

essential travel is it 5? so they're hoping people don't just go up there to start scheme. but it is open their warning drivers. they could become stranded when they head over the mountains, especially because these emergency responders, they say are having trouble getting through heavy traffic because a lot of people are trying to get to top off yet. 10's of thousands of people are still without their power up in the sierra >> heavy snow and downed trees are making it tougher pg need to restore electricity to over 50,000 customers. the power's been out in colfax along highway 80 since early monday. but thanks to a generator. the colfax market has been able to stay open for folks who need food, water last night in response to the recent record snowfall. nevada's governor has ordered a state of emergency in the entire tahoe region. live look outside here. >> the san francisco night sky is twilight is here, but up in the sierra things are getting

interesting, so to speak. yeah. kind of a mess up chief. meteorologist lawrence karnow joins us now to run down. yeah. look at the roadways right now. this is donner summit. you want to go up the roadways. it is slow. go. >> all the way up there you see all those cars want to get up there. want there to be up there for the holiday to go skiing. but don't go there. expecting this going to be a drive up there. grab your sleeping bag, grab your water, all your warm weather gear. you may be stuck for a while headed across the mountains. we still have a winter storm warning in effect up there. going to see some more snow, several more inches likely to fall and it looks like they'll continue. 10 o'clock tonight and then we're finally going to catch a break in all the stormy weather looks like things are going to begin to settle down a little bit least for a few days. right for the holiday. so here you go of that hope forecast tomorrow looks like it will be mostly dry partly cloudy skies about 34 degrees for the high. a little colder air moving in on friday temperatures staying cold right through the weekend so that snow is not going to melt. so if you go away those

roadways going to open up a bit. you should be able to get up there in the next couple of days. tonight, kind of a rough ride. you got that snow coming down up there right now. here's the forecast model. as we head through time rain, of course, of the bay area. then we'll see a break by tomorrow morning things start to clear out something to watch out for 2. if you're traveling that way can start to see some of that to leave fog developing in the sacramento valley. and that's a concern. if you're driving from the bay area through that to fog headed toward the sierra nevada that as we get into friday, the good news is things are going to stay dry. think on new year's eve looking good out there. high pressure beginning to build in and new year's day looks great, too. but after that everything changes again, we're going to see yet another storm system likely to move in making things very wet as we get into next weekend. yeah. it looks like that means more snow for the sierra nevada. and it's just been dumping up their tremendous amount. some the higher peaks in the sierra nevada says the beginning december for 16 feet of snow on the water content. incredible. so something to watch out for to get this much snow up in the sierra nevada. then if we get a little heat wave. that's a concern. all that water starts to roll down

the hills. that's places like folsom reservoir is planning releasing some water getting ready for the potential not only for more storms but the potential for more of begin to warm up and start to melt a rundown of the reservoir. so good news, bad news. love the snow. we've got other things to deal with too. >> i think after days of searching a man accused of stabbing an uber driver on christmas day has been arrested. 19 year-old triston matthew harden was spotted walking across the golden gate bridge monday night by chp. he's accused of attacking and stabbing his uber driver 3 times on december 25th and what police say was a random act of violence. the incident took place in santa rosa. the driver drove himself to the hospital and is expected to survive. harden is being held on 1 million dollars bail. >> the south bay jurors in the elizabeth holmes case spent their 6th day deliberating without reaching a verdict pushing those deliberations now to 2022 37 year-old holmes

is accused of defrauding investors and advertisers after raising nearly a billion dollars in 2003 to fund her startup theranos. she claimed the company would revolutionize blood testing. but that investigative journalist revealed theranos technology did not live up to those claims holmes now faces 9 counts of wire fraud. each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. >> well, take a look at this at the philadelphia airport, the tsa says this darth vader teddy bear or triggered the alarm system, the agent notice that the vaccine had been re stitched and inside. well, they found 2 knives concealed in the stuffing. a tsa supervisor says the discovery is one reason they check everything even innocent looking items. the toy belonged to a 9 year-old boy traveling with his mom. the mom will likely face a civil penalty for violating aviation security laws. >> still ahead on kark 4 news at 5 new year means new laws

will break down the changes coming to schools and education in 2022 and kron. 4 is celebrating remarkable women in the bay area. we need your help to share their stories. so if you know a woman making a difference in her community. you can nominate her for a chance to be awarded woman of the year. you can enter your nominations to get details on kron 4 dot com.

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effect in the new year. our capitol bureau reporter ashley zavala. >> explains the changes that will affect schools all across the state. >> new year. new rules for california, education systems across the state starting in 2022 middle and high schools that offer at least one course and health education must also start incorporating mental health into those courses pushed amid concerns of the youth mental health crisis in the pandemic. lawmakers hope the curriculum will help students identify the signs and symptoms of mental illness and empower them to ask for help on that note, a separate new state law allows mental and behavioral health to be considered excused, absence reasons from school for children between 6.18 years old. another new law taking effect this year. requires community colleges this upcoming school year to offer ethnic studies courses at each of its campuses. the course will be a requirement starting in the 2020 for 2025 school year. the new year also starts the clock for high schools across california requiring them to provide ethnic studies starting in the 2025 2026

academic year and make it a graduation requirement for high school students graduating in 2029, 2030. another new law requires all california public schools to stock free menstrual products for students in 6th grade and up this rule also applies for california state university schools and all community college districts for their students as well in sacramento, ashley zavala kron 4 news. >> still to come on the kron 4 news at 5 oreos cheetos read by you know, junk food, right can be tasty. but at what cost. thank you, vicki doing a new year's lose weight 5th here. this why the future of the globe generations to come could benefit from certain choices. we make. also the niners have the playoffs in their site. but what about the signal caller. who's going to be the quarterback this week learned today about jimmy garoppolo's new injury situation and after the cdc's

change to its quarantine recommendations. the white house with this new guidance, its staff trying to clear up confusion. we're live in dc with the latest. as omicron collides with holida tonight at

is trying now to clear up some confusion on the new guidance for people. >> who test positive for covid and no longer have they also have a warning for people who want to end the year with a bang. our