out on college campuses. all of this as protesters at several bay area colleges continue to camp out demanding a cease fire in gaza. good afternoon. i'm audrey asistio. welcome to nbc bay area news at 4:30. we'll tell you what sacramento leaders are proposing today to crack down on campus protests. we're

also tracking other stories on this thursday, including a program rolling out in san jose. e-bikes, electric cars, and more , all available for residents to share at a san jose apartment. how the state hopes to expand that program to more neighborhoods, plus a story our investigative unit has been following for months now. a whistleblower speaks to us for the first time after raising the alarm about issues within contra costa county's health care system. what she's telling investigative reporter candice nguyen in an exclusive interview . but first, the big concerns over one of san francisco's oldest health care clinics. it was on the verge of missing out on a critical funding in our. sergio quintana has been looking into this problem for us. joins us live from the city. sergio what are you learning? well, we actually just got a development from the mayor's office. this actually started earlier in the week when the mayor's office put out a list of items for voters to decide on in november for the ballot initiative. they were capital improvement and capital

improvement projects. and the city clinic was left off of that list. well this afternoon, according to the mayor's office, the comptroller's office has made a reevaluation of the amount of money that's available in the bond, and they have added city clinic back to the list. so there was actually a protest planned out here this afternoon at 5:00 in about a half an hour. so we're going to be out here to see if now this announcement turns that into a celebration. audrey. sure. a huge development, a lot of changes as we speak. sergio i'm wondering what would have happened without all that funding that was just announced. so the big problem is that this is a site that's been here for decades, and even the city itself says that the facility is outdated. and so without that bond money, there would not have been a possibility of the city to improve this this facility for quite a while. and so now that it is on the bond to be decided in november, if voters decide to pass it, it means that the there

will be either improvements at this site or the city will decide to buy an entirely new building or move it to an existing building. basically a better facility for the city clinic itself. got it. i'm wondering why was the clinic left out in the first place? according to the mayor's office, there is a list of projects that they are trying to get done, and so they had to make some choices . but then again this afternoon, the comptroller's office basically said, actually we have about $30 million more. and so the price tag on improvements for the clinic is about $27 million. so the mayor's office said, well, we're just going to go ahead and add that on. now, there are critics of the mayor who said that she made it for political reasons, and we'll have more on that coming up on nbc bay area news at 530. okay we'll see you at 530. sergio, i know you're on standby there waiting to see if people are going to show up for this possible rally. so thank you so much. we'll see you then. new at this hour. the search is on for the man livermore police say is

responsible for the city's first two killings of the year. a man and a woman were shot on saturday inside a room at the la quinta inn on south front road. neither have been identified at this point. today, police announced that they are looking for this man you see right here on your screen. justin vasquez of oakland police say he knew one of the victims, but no other details are being released at this point. vasquez is considered armed and dangerous, and if you do see him, you are urged to call 911. as protests continue across the country, california state lawmakers say they have had enough latest clashes came on the campus of ucla overnight, where hundreds of protesters were arrested after defying warnings to leave. that came just a day after pro-israeli protesters fought with the pro-palestinian encampment. today state republican leaders said that they are united in condemning the violence and are working on budget measures to possibly withhold funding from administrators as a punishment.

they also had some strong words for school administrators, urging them to restore order immediately on college campuses. you look at the latitude and the amount of damage they allowed these protesters to do. i would argue that the administrations at these campuses are complicit. so far, 1900 people have been arrested at protests on college campuses across the country. meanwhile, uc berkeley is the latest campus to see fights break out. look at this viewer sent us this video shows the moments protesters and opposing protesters got into a physical scuffle over an israeli flag. this happened yesterday. we know at least two people were hurt from this. the university isn't commenting over whether or not school leaders have met with encampment organizers, but our christy smith is following up on this incident as we speak. she's going to be joining us for more at 5:00, plus a look at other encampments still up in the bay area. well, the bay area's

biggest city is searching for solutions that move you forward. today, san jose unveiled a new so-called mobility hub. city leaders say it's an innovative approach to give people in affordable housing, access to electric vehicles and other transportation. nbc bay area's ian cull got a first look. joins us now. ian, explain to us how all of this works. yeah, well, as you know, you know, there's been a big push to build affordable housing near transit. and this is supposed to really take it up a level. we're talking about the betty and gardens apartments. it's a 76 unit affordable home complex near the berryessa bart station in san jose. and today it was upgraded into a mobility hub. as part of this program, each resident is getting access to two rentable electric vehicles and some e-bikes. each will also get a $40 lyft credit every month to help them get around town. there will also be an on screen, an on site screen showing vta and bart transit schedules. south bay officials say the goal is to offer a lot

of options for residents trying to get to work in around town. jennifer delgado lives at the complex and talked about what this means to her. she's a working single mother taking college classes and doesn't have a car with a full class load and a part time work. my reality is that i can't afford a car payment, which means having to get creative. as far as getting around, i'm like myself. many other residents can benefit from these services. this is just an amazing opportunity for me to be able to get to daily errands, doctor's appointment, grocery stores. i think a lot of people are watching this right now wondering, hey, you know, will they have that in my neighborhood? this could help me big time. so are there plans to expand programs like this across the state? yeah, that's really the goal. and there are similar programs like this in oakland and richmond. and there are a number of agencies and nonprofits collaborating on this. it's part of a pilot program, though, so, and it was paid for through a clean mobility options grant from the california air resources board. officials say the idea is to offer people in lower income

neighborhoods more community transit options that also reduce gas emissions, just like affordable housing, mobility really is opportunity. it's foundational to having access to all the many things that we want to have in life. but not everybody is going to be in a transit hub. so why not create your own transit mobility hub, which is exactly what's happened here. since it's a pilot, they're going to come back in a year, see what worked, what didn't take all that input and put it into a plan moving forward. and yes, the california air resources board is looking to give out more grants like this around the state. they're hoping the idea catches on. okay all right, ian, thanks so much. we'll see. let's go out and take a live look. now over the bay and san francisco as the city faces penalties for allegedly violating the clean water act, u.s. justice department and california attorney general announced that they are taking san francisco to court. civil suit focuses on a string of

sewage treatment plant spills over the last ten years. it is demanding that financial penalties and improvements. doj is acting on behalf of the epa, and the state attorney general is acting on behalf of the san francisco bay regional water quality control board. today. the city tells us it is disappointed in that decision and that it's already investing billions to upgrade the sewage system and protect the bay. right. it took a couple of days, but all roads are back open following a fire in contra costa county. this fire you see right here broke out early tuesday. and a vacant three story building near sunset avenue in concord. crews got that fire under control in about three hours. thankfully no one was hurt. roads near the fire were closed because of ■all the cleanup that they had to do. they're fully reopened. earlier this afternoon, a program to help our most fragile and complex patients is accused of cutting dangerous corners on medical care in contra costa county. we're talking about the new medi-cal benefit enhanced

care management, or ecm investigative reporter candace nguyen has been digging into this major east bay health system for months now, and a nurse whistleblower with the system says she's been trying to sound the alarm internally for more than a year. but contra costa health leaders aren't listening. she says the program has abandoned its requirement to provide clinical medical care, and as a result, she says, patients are getting harmed and dying. it's been heartbreaking. it's been really heartbreaking, because we are supposed to be, helping these patients. the nurse with contra costa health asked us not to reveal her identity, fearing retaliation. so i am here now with candace. candace, these are some very serious charges from this nurse whistleblower. yeah, that's right. i have been looking into her claims for 13 months now. more than a year since april of last year, and we wanted to take

our time to review these claims because they are so strong. i looked at internal emails and public records. i still have public records requests pending right now. i also looked at documented complaints that we got independently from the state. i also spoke with three separate sources familiar with contra costa health's enhanced care management, and they corroborate her concerns, as does a recent state audit of contra costa health, which found proper, proper medical care isn't always being provided. and patients sadly, audrey, they are falling through the system's cracks. wow, how's contra costa county health responding? yeah, so i asked for interviews with the system's leaders, and they all declined to speak with me. but their communications officer told me that while they're not providing medical care through medi-cal ecm program, their version of it, they say they have a separate arm, a separate department within coco health that provides this clinical care. and that's why they feel that they're covering their bases. okay are there i understand that there are tens of thousands, or i should say

tens of millions of tax dollars involved with all of this every year. yeah, that's right, tens of millions of dollars and a lot of lives at stake. so all of that in my story tonight at 11. all right. thanks for that preview. we'll see you at 11. still ahead, bay bridge could soon shine bright again with a new set of lights. we've got an update on the fundraiser to put up a new display and we're talking about our climate in crisis, the new risks to the bay area as our seas continue to rise. meteorologist vinny arana is going to be joining us to break it all down for us next. but before we head to break, we want to know what trending story would you like to see later on in this newscast? have a poll up right now on my instagram. still have a little bit more time to vote for one of these stories. you see right here. emotional support. alligator gone missing 14,000 earrings bought for $14 after error or asian american festival to be revived. we'll tell

is an escape for a lot of us, but it's also home to so many creatures and communities and the increased threat of storm surge and sea level rise has scientists planning for a future of protection and adaptation. meteorologist vianey arana is here to give us more insight from a climate scientist who was actually recently in the bay area. they were and they got a chance to visit us here. now, audrey, according to noaa projections right now, are showing a high impact to a lot of our coasts, not just here on the west coast, but extending all the way into the east coast. now by the end of the century. this includes the san francisco international airport. now, flooding would also reach areas like the town center of corte madera, napa and petaluma, to name a few. during san francisco's climate week, leading marine and climate scientist doctor deborah brosnan gave a keynote speech about sustainability, our oceans and technology for blue economy investments. she visited our nbc

bay area studios to give us more insight about her research and the connection our changing climate has to california's coast. here in the bay area, we are aware that sea level has risen by eight inches in the last 100 years. so how is that connected to climate change? well, in two main ways. the first is that the ocean absorbs about 90% of the excess heat on the planet. and when water gets hotter as the ocean is getting hotter, it expands. so quite literally, the ocean has gotten bigger and higher. that's the first. and the main way. the second is the glaciers melting. so when these glaciers melt, the water goes into the ocean. and when it goes into the ocean, the sea level goes up. so today, glacial melting accounts for about 25% of the sea level rise that we're seeing globally now. she also adds that beach erosion, inundation from saltwater and saltwater intrusion into groundwater are unique aspects to the bay area.

that means the groundwater becomes more salty, which can impact the biodiversity, adding another interesting set up about the bay that is, the land is naturally subsiding. that means as the land goes down and the water goes up, you get relatively higher sea level. so what is the solution now, doctor bronson says that an adaptation mindset is absolutely necessary and key, ranging from the government level, which would mean, you know, enacting good policies and regulations, but also creating incentives for people and businesses to encourage action in order to make that change. we have a complete interview with doctor bronson and our very own meteorologist, kari hall, on our website. make sure to check that out. she has a lot of great insight on our climate and crisis tab at nbcbayarea.com. we'll make sure i do. deanna, thanks so much. san francisco has a new director for its office of transgender initiatives. earlier today, mayor london breed appointed san francisco native honey mahogany. mayor breed says that mahogany has been a fierce advocate for

trans people and the lgbtq community, and has even competed on rupaul's drag race. in her new role, mahogany will work to protect and advance trans rights and lives in san francisco, bringing back the lights the famed bay bridge art installation has been dark since last march, but there's been a movement underway to turn it back on the nonprofit illuminate was forced to turn the lights off because of damages it couldn't afford to fix. the group started crowdfunding and secured $10 million in donations, and now members say they're closing in on the final million dollars needed to bring the installation back. once they get there, it will be about 8 to 10 months before the lights are back on, in full effect, and that will be quite a sight to see at the anchor desk. now with our garvin thomas working on the 5:00 news. just $1 million. let me let me grab my checkbook. yeah, you've got that sweet. lots going on today, andre. you got plans this weekend? i do

okay. do they involve going to the cinco de mayo in san jose? no. okay well, we got news for people who are. and it's good news. you know, people going last year noticed a problem. it was road closures that at last minute caused hassles for drivers, visitors and businesses. well, our damian damian trujillo went downtown today and he's going to show you why this year promises to be different and much less of a hassle. and it's thursday so we have a bay area proud for you. it's about a man who conquered an incredible physical challenge. but what really is special was the emotional story behind it. ooh, looking forward to that. garvin great tissues. yeah, sure. all right. i'll be ready. have them always ready. okay. thank you. so, to come top trending story as voted by you on my instagram poll. also watch your step on your next hike. the warning from bay area park rangers as the weather starts to heat up.

almost unheard of, right? for a brand like cartier to just give stuff away. but this time, that's pretty much what happened. doctor rogelio villareal says that he was browsing through cartier website when he spotted gold and diamond earrings listed for just $14, so he bought two sets. turns out it was a big mistake. the online price was missing a few zeros because the earrings were actually worth $14,000. and after months of back and forth, villareal got to keep those earrings. he posted on x this week that he gave one of those sets to his mother. as always, i'll be posting links to the other stories you voted for on my instagram. the return of warmer temperatures is prompting east bay park rangers to remind everyone about the dangers of rattlesnakes. park district issued a warning this week saying more snakes are being

spotted on hiking trails. the problem is, some are venomous. hikers are encouraged to take precautions, including keeping an eye on the ground, avoiding tall grass and being aware around logs and rocks before you sit down. excellent. important reminders for sure. yes, it is getting warmer. today is another beautiful day, but i know things are going to be changing for us. they will. and although binks, my dog has been enjoying the hikes, i do worry about things like rattlesnakes and bees. so be prepared. looking out for your pet as well in these situations. look at this audrey, how stunning has it been? the clear conditions? we've got high pressure that's been keeping us warm. but she mentioned we've got a change, so let's get right to that forecast and what we're expecting temperature wise. right now we're at about 73. talk about comfortable. but you'll also notice those winds from the north northwest at about 20mph into the next couple of hours. the temperature trend is going to start to dip down into the 60s and 50s. so overnight lows will remain comfortable overall. and if we advance into the san francisco forecast, we've got similar

conditions. but i want to show you satellite radar. if you notice for the most part we've got clear skies, but we are expected to see some cloud cover start to kind of make its approach into the overnight friday morning area. the reason for this is, well, we've got a front that's going to be approaching and it's going to bring a slight drop in temperatures, but also rain chances into our forecast. now, before i get to that, let's talk about your morning lows for thursday into friday morning. we're going to be seeing temperatures in the 50s and 60s. so not too cold. we're going to see daytime highs for tomorrow. really comfortable once again in the 70s. so not as warm. and if you had plans to head over to lake tahoe you saw that image there. this is what it looks like right now. it looks like my graphics are going a little crazy there. but if you notice, this is a live look in lake tahoe. believe it or not, this approaching cold front is not only expected to bring a drop in temperatures and some rain. also some sierra snow, especially into some of those higher elevation areas. so if you had plans to head up to tahoe late friday into saturday, that timeline is going to be key and important as far as your commute

goes. make sure to check the road conditions. notice here. this is the outlook into friday and saturday, so we do get the system making its approach right now. the timing for this does look like it's going to be late tomorrow night into saturday morning, with the biggest impact expected into saturday. you'll notice some of the pink there in the blue that is sierra snow. as far as how long this is going to last, we'll notice this is saturday into sunday. so saturday stretch. look at all of that sierra snow right now. some of the highest elevations are showing anywhere from 18 to 20in. so quite a bit of snow to add to our snowpack. now the good news. it looks like this system will move in quickly and it will move out rather fast as well. heading into sunday. conditions should improve, but as far as how much rain and how much snow we can expect into this weekend, make sure to join us once again at 5:00. chief meteorologist jeff ranieri is going to have more details on the timing of this next rain chance. i know i wanted it to stay sunny and warm too. it looks like a quick moving system, so i feel like we'll be okay, but make sure to join us for more details at five. i'll

send it back to you. all right, brianna, thank you. and you can watch nbc bay area news whenever you want. we're streaming all our newscasts all the time on roku and other streaming platforms. there you can watch live newscasts, breaking updates and more of our content. thank you for joining us at 430. garvin and gia are working on the 5:00 newscast next. we're back in two minutes.

between protesters over the war in gaza. the full video of that clash and spoke to students about the state of the protest now. also, new numbers are saying oakland crime is down, but is the community really feeling the change? we talk to business owners and residents on the reported crime reduction and changing up cinco de mayo celebrations. san jose police working with the community to avoid last year's mistakes. the way these major changes will help latino business owners. the

news at five starts right now. thanks for joining us. i'm gia vang and i'm garvin thomas university students across the country have been protesting for weeks, demanding a cease fire in gaza and pushing the biden administration and individual universities to divest from israel. that means, of course, pulling the plug on all economic ties with the country. at stanford university, students have been camping outside in white plaza, the camp has been up for about a week, the university has warned students, though the camp violates university property in southern california, violence has erupted among police and protesters at ucla early this morning. police started moving in and ultimately arresting hundreds of protesters who refused to leave a student encampment. officers say protesters threw bottles, rocks and at least one fire extinguisher during the takedown . across the country, more than 2000 university students have been arrested during pro-palestinian protest on campus. president biden addressed the nationwide protest today, condemning the violence.

peaceful protest in america, violent protest is not protected. peaceful protest is. it's against the law. when violence occurs, destroying property is not a peaceful protest. it's against the law. vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations. none of this is a peaceful protest. the president continued to say the protests have not forced him to reconsider his policies, and his administration is continuing to press for a ceasefire deal in gaza along with more aid to relieve the region's humanitarian crisis and bring hamas held hostages home. counterprotest meanwhile, are making themselves heard at the university of pennsylvania members of the israeli american council gathered calling for an end to the ongoing encampment of pro-palestinian activists on the school's campus. supporters of israel say the protests are turning into hate speech, and universities need to crack down on