Transcripts For KGO ABC7 News 500PM 20170526 : comparemela.c

Hillside. The grassy land is hope for about 20 goats. When the brush fire started, sky 7 was above. You could see the animals trapped between the flames and the fence, backed into a corner. Before the sploepexplosion y could hear like electricity. And after that the fire started. It caught the whole hill on fire which was all the goats there. And the goats were running like crazy. Reporter just around noon fire emergency crews and animal control responded after a report of a transformer explosion. The fire ignited following the blast. It threatened one home and vehicles. But many anxious neighbors were concerned about these little guys, about 20 goats live here and graze on the land. They do their part to reduce the fire risk. I was upsetting to me because theres homes right there and theres animals. I have a little one, too. Reporter amazingly all of the goats managed to survive. Animal control officers transported three with minor injuries. Three others are being evaluated. As for the hillside where they lived, a good portion is burned. Were mopping up some of the vegetation thats on the slope. Were currently estimating the effect to be six acres. Reporter the chief says the grass fire was a close call, a reminder were at the beginning of whats expected to be a busy wildfire season. In milpitas, lonnie rivera, abc7 news. If youd like to take another look at this dramatic video, we posted a longer version with the goats jumping through the flames to escape. Check out the abc7 news app for that video. The Richmond Police Department Released video of a train accident a few weeks ago. The train hit a tractortrailer stopped on tracks at the intersection. The driver tried to get out of the way but couldnt. They posted the video warning drivers to be careful. Two weeks ago, amtrak told us it appeared the truck driver was trying to beat the train that was traveling between bakersfield and oakland. Two other trains were stuck because of the crash. The city of oakland will pay out nearly 1 million to settle a claim involving several Police Officers caught in a sex scandal. The claim was filed by Jasmine Abuslin previously known, the 19yearold former sex worker said she was exploited by the officers. Four were charged having sex with a minor and giving her confidential information. She said she had sex with two dozen officers from various departments. She also has claims in richmond and in livermore. Police say theyve located the vehicle belonging to a person of interest in the search for a missing uber driver. They found the car at sfo. Now both men who were friends are missing. Abc7 News Reporter Melanie Woodrow is live outside Police Headquarters with the very latest. Melanie . Reporter eric, several updates today. Investigators have now served additional search warrants, both here in San Francisco as well as hayward. And that person of interest vehicle that was found at San Francisco International Airport is now being processed by csi. Wife and mother kim was on her way to pickup her children when we spoke today. Im dying inside really bad. I i dont want them to see that. I have to be strong for them. Reporter he has been missing since mothers day. The fulltime uber drivers car was found stripped in the bay view. They are called 48yearold bob tang a person of interest in his disappearance. Kim says the two families have been friends more than five years. We cook together. We eat together like a family members. Reporter tuesday tang didnt show up for an interview with police. His family reported him missing yesterday. Now police say they found tangs car at sfo. Csi is processing it. That was the last person supposed to be, you know, my husband. So, where could he go . Reporter investigators say they received information tang fled the country possibly to cambodia. Missing person posters for chai now hang on burrows street where tang was living. Nice guy, family guy. Before here, two boys in the hallway, things like that. But now at this moment, very quiet. Reporter its not clear if tangs family is still around. Despite their friendship, his wife says she has not spoken to tangs wife. Im sure she probably crying every day, every night, you know, wondering where her husband is the same way i do. Reporter investigators have searched properties connected to tang including Maple Trade Corporation in the bay view, just a couple of miles from where the vehicle was found stripped. Today sfpd says it served additional search warrants in San Francisco and hayward. In San Francisco, Melanie Woodrow, abc7 news. Theres a new twist in the case of an east bay fruit vendor who was photographed earlier this month as he was being detained by Alameda County sheriffs deputy in san that picture touched off an outcry on social media the vendor was being racially profiled. Today the Sheriffs Office say he may be a victim of human trafficking, forced to sell fruit against his will. And he was one of two vendors deputies detained that day. These interactions didnt go really that well. But looking at it from a different angle were starting to think maybe it didnt go well because these people fear something, maybe they dont necessarily fear the police. The Sheriffs Office say they contacted the Alameda County District Attorneys Office to see if there is a Larger Network of people being trafficked to the bay area to sell fruit. Long shore men walked off the job at one of the four terminals at the port of oakland today after the discovery of a noose on the property. The second one in two weeks. Walk out caused a huge back up of trucks. Take a look driving to deliver and pickup containers at the port. Many drivers sat for hours. No word about the shut down. The president of the long shore mans union issued a statement saying, quote, we reject in the strongest possible terms racism in all its forms. He added that the matter is being vigorously investigated. Bart Officials Say they do not expect foul play after a body was found in a pedestrian tunnel at the may fair station in san leandro today. Sky 7 was overhead earlier. The man is described as a transient. In an unrelated incident, Transit Police are looking for a man who sexually assaulted a woman who road to the berkeley r station. Lyanne is in the newsroom. The new police chief was sworn in today. Lyanne . Reporter obviously the chief has read all these reports. After today to be allowed to step back to learn the lay of the land, if you will, he knows running that department will not be easy. He has fewer officers and one Santa Clara County comes online, hell have to police five bay area counties. Just last night, a woman was sexually battered on a bart train between the richmond and North Berkeley stations. The unidentified man then fled. Thats the latest incident the new bart police chief will begin investigating. The mobtype robberies that have occurred near the coliseum are now also on his radar. Bart passengers say they are concerned about these types of crimes. Were down about 35 offer certificates. Thats pretty significant for a force of less than 200. And riders say to me that theyd like to see visible presence of law enforcement, that there are incidents that come up, or just feeling safe. Chief rojas says the Community Needs to be involved when fighting some of these crimes. Its about the prevention side of it and also the outreach with the families, members of the community that hopefully we can keep these youth from doing acts like that. Reporter he tells reporters his first order of business is getting to know his rank and file, improving the culture of the department, and looking into its resources. Right now its a time to hair anywheire for poli officers. We need to work smarter and leverage our resources. Reporter he listened as Community Members spoke at the bart board station today asking to change its use of force policy. One of those was oscar grants uncle whose nephew was fatally shot by a bart officer. The significance today is the presentation of life. Reporter a citizens watch Committee Approved revisions to that policy. The bart board is now reviewing it. In San Francisco, lyanne melendez, abc7 news. An unusual confrontation today on the side of a Monterey County highway. Sheriffs deputies drew their guns as they approached a man dressed like a clown, standing next to highway 101 near prune dale. The clown was holding a machete that was sustained red. It was prompting drivers to call 911. The man named larry toby of gilroy was not arrested because police concluded he had not threatened anybody. Lake tahoe is drawing the wrong kind of attention. Cleaning it up is a fulltime job. Were there live. Im abc7 news meteorologist sandhya patel. Ill let you know about changes coming for memorial day weekend straight ahead. The state will grab the cash unless you get there first. Green tea for weight loss. 7 on your sides Michael Finney looks at whether its safe. Lake tahoe locals are fighting back against those who would desecrate their beautiful landscape. Its a war against graffiti thats increasingly popping up in places known for their natural beauty. Abc7 News Reporter Laura Anthony is live at lake tahoe right at san harbor on the nevada side. Laura . Reporter hi, kristen. This is what lake tahoe is known for, this incredible beauty, but lately locals have been infuriated by the ugly blemishes left behind. They say by a handful of thoughtless visitors. In a place where it shouldnt be, there is blight, like here near Donner Summit terrain bow bridge an otherwise pristine overlook in all of its natural beauty. Postcard perfect, except for this, rocks that have been here for centuries littered with graffiti. Its pretty saddening. I mean, im not big into desecrating our forest here. Its not a sight i want to see. Reporter some of it has popped up recently, while other tags have been here for more than a year. Much to the dismay of Nevada County sheriff sergeant dan saunders. Dont do it because youre just ruining the experience for everybody else that comes to the area because they come for this beautiful view, like i said. The last thing they want to see is somebodys thoughts or expressions. Some of it is they are drug tags, drug related tags. Reporter its happening at the lake, too, and places like hidden beach on tahoes remote shore. And south of the harbor. Someone scribbled on the majestic rock out in the lake. Part of the tahoe vandalism removal squad, a volunteer group started on facebook with a full mission to clean up graffiti like this. We are out here. We are going to clean it up and were going to turn you in if we can. If you would tag your own house, tag your neighbors house, tag your own car, then once you do that then well see if you come up here and tag where we live. This is the most beautiful place on earth. Now, the vandalism removal squad is strictly volunteer. Theyre doing their best to try to keep up with this problem, but all of their supplies are donated. If anyone would like to help, the link to their Facebook Page is on our website, abc7news. Com. Live at san harbor, Laura Anthony, abc7 news. Laura, thank you very much. Opponents of californias bullet train are headed back to court. They refiled a lawsuit challenging a new law that allows high speed rail money to be spent on the electrification of cal train. The efforts to block the lawsuit, it challenges legislation from last year. It allows high speed rail to be spent. A Health System for california is one stem closer to reality tonight. But it remains a long shot. Thats because of the cost, the socalled single payer system has a price of 400 billion. The state needs to come up with half of it with the federal government taking care of the rest. Health care bill passed the Appropriations Committee today. Members say the bill will redirect Insurance Company profits and administrative costs to patient care. Through the cost savings we incur through single paler system by eliminating Insurance Companies that are the ones determining and actually contributing to the cost of care, we see a tremendous savings. Insurance Companies Say the bill would up end the health care system. All right. If youre thinking about losing a little weight and thinking about using green tea to do it, there is a warning out there about these supplements. 7 on your side Michael Finney is here with that. Green tea goes first. Supplements are marketed for weight loss. Heres the thing. There is little evidence to support those claims. In fact, the supplements could actually be dangerous. Consumer reports Health Experts revealed the potential Serious Health risks from green tea supplements. You may have heard that green tea can be good for your heart, but dont confuse a cup of tea with Green Tea Extract powder. Some supplements containing the ingredient are promising weight loss and a healthier metabolism. But the experts of consumer rports have concerns. Higher concentrations of Green Tea Extract can be really dangerous because it can potentially cause serious liver damage, plus the herb itself has been found to alter the effectiveness of a long list of drugs including cernan at this depressants and clotting medication. It can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure. Researchers suggest 10 of people who suffer acute liver failure from Green Tea Extract may die as a result. Consumer reports put Green Tea Extract powder on its list of 15 supplement ingredients to avoid. Manufacturers who make these supplements are not required to prove to federal regulators that their products are safe, that theyre effective, or even that theyre accurately labelled. So you have no idea what youre buying. Studies have also found that even in high doses, green tea probably wont help you lose weight. Its true that green tea can raise your Metabolic Rate so you burn more calories but thats due to the caffeine and cat akins. Most people can reap the Health Benefits of green tea with a couple of cups a day. Ive told you for years how Consumer Reports has long advocated for measures that would improve supplement safety and give the fda Greater Authority to remove potentially harmful Dietary Supplements from the market place. For now check out its list of 15 supplement ingredients to avoid which include Green Tea Extract powder, kava, cafr even powder and red yeast rice. We have a link to that entire list. Go to abc7news. Com, look for it under 7 on your side. All right, we should make a note of that. All right, yeah. Michael, you were telling us about hidden money. Here is a story for you, folks. Yes, he used one of the state area toll bridges. There could be a hunk of money waiting for you. They are sitting on roughly 1 1 2 Million Dollars in refunds. That money is the result of uncashed checks and overpayments of fines. If you dont claim your share by july 11th, the authority gets it. People started receiving notifications last month. To find out if you have a refund, visit abc7news. Com for a link. Winter may be a distant memory here in the bay area, but not elsewhere. Cal trans tweeted this picture of snow clean up in the sierra. That is bad news for ebb its pass on state route 4 and state route 108. Neither will be open for memorial day weekend. The roads, though, should be open by the 4th of july. Announcer now your accuweather forecast with sandhya patel. Not expecting any snow here or in the sierra for that matter, but certainly staying in this cool pattern. Take a look at the forecast for ida b. Wells high school in San Francisco. The graduation forecast, if you are going, temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s. So, definitely cool enough to wear youll need to grab that jacket before you head to the graduation and congratulations to all of them. Live doppler 7 right now showing you that we do have some cloud cover. Its been heavy in the north bay all day long, holding those temperatures in the low 60s in places like santa rosa, along the coast line, still seeing the clouds but not areas around the bay and many have cleerds. Despite the clearing heres why it is not so warm. It is because of the dusty onshore winds out of the southwest at sfo. 31 miles an hour. If you can feel that cool wind and clouds are still lingering, so you do see the view from our east bay hills camera. Not much sun there. Temperatures have fallen a few more degrees in many areas 61 in San Francisco, right now the mid 60s from oakland to san jose, gilroy. Here is a live picture from our kgo roof camera. You see trees swaying in the wind a little b