Accusing Republican Organization of a double standard and say leader Mitch Mcconnell justified blocking president obamas nominee in 2016 because it was an election year, yet republicans claim then it was different, because the white house and senate were controlled by different parties. Its just hypocrisy at its highest level. Meanwhile, President Trump said he is narrowing his selection. I would say that im very close to making a decision in my own mind. Reporter fox confirming he met with judge amy comey bear it on monday. Other frontrunners include judge barbara lagoa, and Allison Jones rushing. This will i think unify republicans, this nominee. Reporter joe biden saying left on the topic from the campaign trail, but greg republicans should hold off until november. In were in the middle of an election. They should wait. Reporter the president said he is wait forecast weekend to announce his mom pa knee out of respect for justice ginbsburg. She will lie in repose at the Supreme Court and then will lie in state at the u. S. Capital. Late this afternoon, the president talked to reporters on the south lawn of the white house about his pick and the timing of his announcement. Im going to make it, believe at 5 00 on saturday. Ill be having a conference. Tonight cnn is reporting that judge barrett was back at the white housed the for a second visit in as many days. And stay with ktvu for continuing coverage of the president s nomination. You can also download our free ktvu news app for latebreaking developments. Today the u. S. Reached 200,000 lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic, far more than any other nation. In washington d. C. , 20,000 american flags were placed on the ground the National Mall in their memory. The tribute was organized by the covid19 memorial project, which was created by a group of friends. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then Interfaith Service at the site where she mourned the losses and offered criticism of the administrations response. This was preventable. Not all of it, but much of it, and what could be lost in the future is preventable, too, if we embrace science. Science instead of politics. Speaker pelosi also led a moment of silence on the house floor for those who have died in the pandemic. Here in california, the 14 day Positivity Rate is still low at 3 . There are now more than 784,000 cases of coronavirus in california, but just 2600 confirmed new cases yesterday. Sadly more than 15,000 people with the virus have died in our state since the beginning of the pandemic back in march. That includes 53 new deaths just reported yesterday. Epidemiologists say california may have undercounted coronavirus deaths in black, latino, and asian communities. Records show that by the end of july, roughly 5,000 excess deaths concentrate aid month minorities were not part of the States Coronavirus death counter. They cite a lack of testing in minority communities, especially during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. California Health Officials said today nail salons will now be allowed to operate indoors with modifications regardless of what county they are in. We will be working with our counties and our local sector leaders around nail salons being able to move into the purple tier. So statewide nail salons allowed to begin operations. Last month, hair salons and barbershops were given the approval to reopen indoors. Nail salons were not included in that announcement, which outraged nail salon owners. Three more bay area counties moved today from the purple tier on the states covid chart to the red tier. Alameda, san mateo, and solano counties are the latest to advance to the less restrictive reed red tier, meaning that only sonoma and contra costa counties remain in the purple tier. Maureen naylor tells us what the move means for indoor reopenings. Alameda, riverside, san luis obama. All reaching the threshold. Alameda, san mateo, and sonoma counties were among five counts moved from purple to the less restrictive red near the statements fourtear system. In San Mateo County, that means churches and movie theaters can open indoors 259 capacity. Indoor retail, dining, and gyms and personal Care Services can also resume operating indoors with restrictions. However, National Hockey league county, the shift from purple to red steer a different story. The Public Health department announced at this time there is no change to permanent or prohibited activities in alameda county. Counties can institute stricter guidelines than the state, so for now, gyms, Indoor Dining movie theaters and playgrounds are among the sectors that remain closed. Santa clara county is reach thick twoweek threshold in the red tier, where Health Officials say covid19 cases and infection rates goring down. One thing that we know about covid19 is that its quickly as things can change for the better, they can also change for the worse. Reporter wednesday, all schools can resume in Person Instruction in Santa Clara County without a waiver, but most Public School districts have indicated they plan to continue with Distance Learning for now. If the numbers continue down this trend, you know, lower cases, lower infection rates, then it is possible for us to move into the next level, which is the orange level. Contra costa and sonoma are now the only bay area counties in the most restrictive purple tier. Contra costas Health Director said she expects to move up to the red tier next week. Maureen naylor, ktvu fox 2 news. Today is Voter Registration day, and that means local groups, labor unions, politicians, and celebrities are encouraging americans to register to vote before november 3rd. Andre senior with the massivest just 41 days ahead of the election. Andre . Well, julie, this year registering voters has taken on a more urgent tone in a highly politicized and deeply divided nation with either side pitching the hard sell of a worstcase scenario if the other side wins. Reporter across the country, an allout blitz on national Voter Registration day, weeks before the president ial election november 3rd. Because this effort was not immune from intersups of number the age of covid19, it required out of the boxthinking for a vote are registration drive at Richmond Public Library on tuesday afternoon. We settled on drivethrough, as being the safest way to really get people to register to vote while maintaining social distancing. Many people who are in jail in california believe that they cannot vote. That is not the case. Reporter in alameda county, this video plays in the santa rita jail, part of a campaign by the Public Defenders Office to inform incarcerated people that many can, in fact, vote in the election. Theres a lot of misinformation in the jail. If you are in jill serving a jail sentence, nor jail for the conviction of a felony, you can vote. Reporter across the bay in San Francisco, Union Members registered janitors, a seconds that they say was hard hit by the pandemic due to a lack of proper ppe. In this election year, kevin has taken the center stage as to how will an Administration Handle the crisis, handle a pandemic. Reporter National League sports where retailer foot locker used the day announce its turning all of its 2,000 stores into temporary Voter Registration sites. Get yourselves your families, and your friends ready to make their voices heard. Reporter online, former first Lady Michelle open bah marie cuted some star power for our all day streaming instagram Voter Registration rally. California registered 21 Million People to vote, the highest rate since the election in 1940. While the key battleground states of arizona, florida, north carolinaing, and pennsylvania, all states picked up by trump in 2016, have collectively added millions of new voters. To be sure, Voter Registration numbers dont necessarily translate to votes. Younger voters tend to vote at lower rates than older counterparts, and republicans have also longheld an edge over democrats when it comes to actually turning out their voters. But this time around, you have coronavirus that will likely drastically change the Voter Registration game. Back to you. A year unlike any other. Andre senior reporting live tonight. Thanks, andre. With the november election now six weeks away, San Mateo County officials are giving their Voting Machines a run through. The voting equipment was tested today ahead of the general election, the countys Registration Elections Division used sample ballot casting exercises to verify that votes are correctly tab lated and recorded. We are experts in vote by mail and vote vote central elections. We were one of the first five counties to conduct elections under the voters choice act, which means that our systems tested and true. If you are already registered vote, you are encouraged to check your registration status and find your polling location if you dont use a mailin ballot. College admissions linked to university donations. Coming up, the results of state audit of the u. C. System just released today. You are denying people who have worked hard to get into college over people who are trying to give you a bigger donation. And we are tracking the weather. Well look at beta, which is now a tropical depression. The rain in the gulf states. And then the fire danger around here that is elevated as we head towards the weekend. And a fallen firefighter honored with a presix in Southern California today. Dozens of his colleagues paying their respects along the route. And taking a live look now at the conditions on the golden gate bridge. Not a whole lot of traffic tonight to speak of. Ktvu channel 2 news at 6 00 will be right back. Floor and decor is now open for safe shopping and Curbside Pickup whether youre looking for tile, wood, stone or laminate, with our incredible selection and everyday low prices, youll find the perfect floor at the perfect price. Come explore in person or online. The state auditor found that for 64 students, money and the right connections mattered more than grades in gaining admissions to the university of california, including here at u. C. Berkeley. That shows the integrity of the institution, and it is embarrassing, to be honest. Reporter xavier brown attends ucla and organized a major black lives matter protest if oakland in june following the of george floyd. The message included equity in our institutions. You are denying people who have worked hard to get into college over people who are trying to give you a bigger donation. Reporter the aid it found that 42 of the inappropriate administrations happened at berkeley. In many cases they were falsely qualified as athletes, because of donationors the students family was influential. In one case, a student who baby sat for a colleague at the director of commission was accepted, as well as was a family friend of a member of the board of u. C. Regents. If the audit found in those cases other students were more deserving. Michael jake issue you add statement. I take the findings and recommendations very seriously and will do all i can to prevent inappropriate admission at u. C. I have zero tolerance if matters of come blow mised integrity. Reporter for this remember ifman an oakland high school, it sends a bad message. People think if they have money they can do whatever they want, and thats not a very good message to be sending out to people. This idea of money can buy you anything is really, really dangerous for youth. Especially because, you know, there are a lot of youth who are out there trying, thinking that money is the answer to, you know, any of their problems. Reporter the audit comes more fbi probe into College Admissions led to the arrest of dozens of wealthy parents, including two actresses who have been convicted. An Advocacy Group for underserved families said that u. C. Can level the playing field. We just have to be committed to going down that path and pursuing another way, which is to be more thoughtful about making sure that opportunity is available to all students, not just those who are connected. Reporter the University Says those involved in the unqualified admissions will be disciplined. Rob roth, ktvu fox 2 news. In San Francisco, the District Attorney and the city supervisor are teaming up to help Small Business owners who have been hit by vandals during the pandemic. They have set up a fund to help pay for broken windows on stores in several neighborhoods. Insure covered some of the costs, but deducts can be as high as 1,000. The fund will cover the insurance deductible for windows broken since the beginning of the pandemic. And San FranciscoDistrict Attorneys office is getting a new chief of staff. David camp pose will step into the role. He served three years on the citys police commission, and 8 years as a member of the board of supervisor. Over the past three years, who been the deputy county executive for Santa Clara County, and since the beginning of the pandemic, he has served as lead Public Information officer for the citys coronavirus response. Campos will begin his new job on october 19th. And as beta, which is now a tropical depression, as that moves onshore and begins to fall apart, it turns out its the 9th hurricane or Tropical Storm to make landfall in the need this year, and that ties a record. So its been various active year to say the least. There is a live shot. Beta is producing significant rain. Already up to 18 inches of rain in some places. Could end up being two feet of rain. Houston metro is getting hammered right now. In houston, a big city, and a flood washing for the next few hours. The rain just keeps pouring. Its these bands. And its not just there, louisiana is getting hit hard, all the way up to the ohio and mississippi valley. There it is. Nine named storms making landfall in the united states. That ties a record. Well most likely break that record coming up here in the next few weeks. These were the high temperatures that we experienced. This is the air quality that were experiencing now. Its green. I good. The winds are going the right way. We have a nice onshore flow, and that is in reverse, not reverse, but juxtaposition to these northerly winds yesterday that gave us air quality less than desirable. So green is what were seeing. Not so many yellows, either. Mostly green. You can look out there. Ive mentioned this earlier. You look outside, and you scan see across to the berkeley area, right here if you look real hard, thats the clairmont hotel, and for all of those, i used to work there, frank said its the seabold building. I used to work at Charlie Browns steakhouse back in the day in the 1970s. I was a waiter. Remember that, frank . I do. And now i think its chevys. But, man, weve government yeah, it is. It is chevys. Here is a little nugget frank that i dont talk about often, but i was the first waiter in that host chain of restaurants, if you can believe it. It was all female, and i was going to cal. I played for all of my cal just through that restaurant. It was a great gig. Interesting. Okay. We have new details now about the firefighter who died last week while battling the el dorado fire in San Bernardino county. Officials have now identified him as 39yearold charlie morton. He was a crew boss of the big bear interagency hot shots. The san diego native had served 14 years with the forest service. A procession was held today to escort his body to a mortuary in orange county. The escort included a u. S. Forest Service Honor guard along with a california highway patrol. Many of his colleague others gathered on overpasses saluting the procession as it went by. Cal fire is reporting more progress on the deadly north complex wildfire that is burning in butte and plumas counties. Containment is now up to 74 . The fire has burned almost 300,000 acres. More than 2100 homes and other buildings have been either destroyed or damaged since the fire began more than a month ago. At least 15 people have also died as a result of the fire. Cal oes and rescue teams along with Law Enforcement officers and a federal task force are now on the ground in the fire zone. They are doing recovery work, as well as the difficult task of looking for human remains. Tonight we are hearing from the a victims family about a legacy he left behind and the twin babies he will never meet. Also ahead, a north bay fire victim still struggling to rebuild her home nearly three years after it was destroyed. The scam she has endured and the local contractor now coming to the rescue. The unfair money bail sys