suspected burglars busted the loot they lifted before christmas now recovered by the police. brian webb describes how cops found the men who hit several homes before the holidays. >> reporter: back home after a holiday party with friends and family but it didn't take joe kudo long to see something wasn't right. >> it is sad. i thought how could they do this on christmas eve. >> reporter: police believe a gang of grinches hit three newark homes on christmas eve stealing thousands of dollars of presents. they even stole christmas from a little boy at a different home by taking his bike. >> i started crying a little bit. that's all i wanted for chris mar. >> reporter: but two days later, a break in the case. somebody was trying to sell an engraved bracelet that seemed stolen t. name on it? joe kudo. police recovered two tables worth of stolen stuff after searching three homesful all of it belongs to joe except for the two guns found with the bad guys. >> we feel happy about it. we felt the best gift for the community was to arrest these people. >> reporter: police have not found everything that was stolen but even if they do, joe will never get back his peace of mind. >> it takes your peace of mind as it does our property. >> reporter: right after the flaries, burglaries, the police offered money to help. >> police arrested these four men along with two juveniles. they are accused with breaking and entering and burglary. firefighters are struggling to get control of a fire south of modesto. it broke out tonight at a large commercial building. it is fully involved and power lines are burning as well. we have orion fire danger to worry about with red flag warnings in the mountains. a critical fire danger in this the last week of december. it is all because of very dry and gusty northeast winds. you combine with this record dry fuel levels and you have dangerous conditions for sparking a blaze. not only that, we have the 22nd spare the air alert for sunday. unhealthful air quality in the area. this is some of the most unusual weather we have seen. 2013 will go down in the history books as the driest calendar year on record for 150 years. in some spots t shortage of rain is not measured in inches but in feet. >> reporter: skiers are lamenting the lack of snow in the sierra. snow melt feeds the river that feeds the east bay. it is also the source that feeds hetch hetchy. water managers are concerned. they rely on lakes collected around mount tam, usually 52 inches a year. this year, they have 10-and-a- half inches of rain. reservoirs are down to 58%. the marin water district board has called for a voluntary cutback on water use and hay consider rationing. it is dramatically low, but that is deliberate. the district has pull out the water and put it in storage. the santa clara district has learned to save water often and early and that is paying off. >> the water that fills our reservoirs we release all summer and we percolate it into the ground water basin so it is there for us in winter and spring and makes room for winter rain in our reservoirs. >> reporter: so there's no need to worry about water next summer at least yet. >> in february, if weather conditions haven't changed, we will start to talk about what changes in water use efficiency we need to call for in the community. >> reporter: even in los angeles, the driest rainy season in memory is not yet a concern, that is because la gets water from the colorado river and northern california and they say they have record amounts of water stored. still they are hoping for rain. >> we are mindful of the fact it is gorgeous. we appreciate it, but tame, we are concerned because it will be the driest calendar year on record. >> reporter: in san jose, don knapp, kpix5. jeff on what one political leader it will take to get unemployment benefits back. >> it keeps a roof over your head. the electricity and the water on. we didn't do anything for christmas. $50 for my daughters. that's it. >> reporter: lo is one of the nation's unemployed out of work for 27 weeks or more. the emergency unemployment composition program extended benefits a total of 18 months in several states. >> the motion is agreed to. >> reporter: but congress agreed not to include it in the budget agreement. ending the program. democrats are infavor of an extension at a cost of more than 25 billion dollars a year unless the cost is matched dollar for dollar elsewhere. >> i said we could consider it as long as it is paid for and there are other efforts to get the economy moving once again. >> reporter: in huntington, west virginia, lisa floyd lost her job eight months ago. she found another just in time. >> nothing bothers me more than to be pigeon holed and that long term unemployed don't want to work. >> reporter: she is making several thousand dollars less than she used to make as a manager. meanwhile, mary lo is looking for a little boost from the government. >> i would have lost my home had it not been for those benefits. this is not a bargaining chip for me. it is my lifeline. >> the senate will consider a bill to restore unemployment benefits when lawmakers return from their winter break. sam trans is looking for a way to make a rapid transit bus system that would extend from daly city to palo alto. they are looking for feedback from potential customers. >> we want to go out into the community, we want to talk to all of the communities that will be impacted and talk to your writers and get their imput on it. it is the purpose of this study. to get community feedback. >> the plan is part of the strategy to reduce congestion by having people travel more efficiently. starting next week, california gun owners have to follow 11 new regulations including a ban on high capacity conversion kits for ammunition magazines. safe storage come apartments for handguns and restrictions for mentally ill. teenage drivers will be banned from texting while driving even with hands free devices. and students could be suspended or expelled for cyber bullying and the state minimum wage will jump to $9 an hour in july. also starting new year's day, plastic bags will be forbidden in three east bay cities. stores and restaurants will no longer provide free plastic bags for purchase. most will have paper bags available for a small fee. well california health officials are saying there's a jump in the number of flu cases. one of the worst strains this year has proven to be deadly. >> reporter: this holiday week, dr. wally has seen double the norm amount of patient. doctors say this year it is more than the sick children and elderly getting the flu. it is also the seemingly healthy and h1n1 may be the culprit. >> we are thinking that may be it. when we first got it in 2009, that is when we first saw otherwise healthy people coming down with severe flu. >> reporter: people like dustin wright. the 30-year-old texan got the flu the week before thanksgiving. he had the h1n1 flu strain also known as swine flu. he never got his flu shot. december 5, the husband and father died. >> we were always worried about my son getting the flu shot. we don't worry about the two of us. you don't hear about this stuff. >> reporter: according to the cdc, only 45% of americans got a flu shot this year, this year, shot includes vaccination for h1n1 as well as influenza a and b. flu season usually peaks in february, but the best guarantee of not getting sick is lining up for your flu shot now so you are not lining up for the emergency room later. >> now, from what i see this season, it looks as if it will be contained this season. >> reporter: mark kelly, kpix5. you can call it the bat kid effect. after the make a wish foundation and san francisco teamed up to make miles scott's wish come true, there has been a 26% increase in donations this holiday season. the number of wishes has also increased and make a wish is getting more complex requests. >> it is positive experience for our organization. i suggest just because something becomes harder doesn't make it anything sieve. so if it means we have to pivot and make other considerations we will certainly do that. >> the charity will is have granted 14,000 wishes by the end of this year from meeting celebrities to trips to amusement parks. the usual price per wish is $8,000. a scary situation for riders on one horse trail. >> we turned the bend and there was a stampede of horses. >> what led more than a dozen houses out of control? and stuck for days. how social media is helping these scientists pass the time in the middle of the antarctic. california park today. all it took was one horse tt spooked by something... and the horses followed >> it was a frightening few hours on a horse trail. one horse got spooked and the rest followed suit. six people ended up hurt. >> i was on the ground and i saw these horses running. that is when i lost my mind i just completely, it was terrifying. >> terrifying but none of the injuries were life threatening. all 20 horses made it back to the stables okay. a korean war veteran who died 60 years ago to be buried. as art barin reports, his widow is relieved. >> reporter: the passage of time has not tarnished lara's love for her husband. >> my husband was a wonderful man. a good husband. >> reporter: with the american red white and blue draped over his casket, the remains of sergeant first class joseph gant passed by the patriot guard riders. >> i remember him especially because he was so helpful to this young greenhorn as they call us in those days. >> reporter: a funeral service comes 63 years after the former pow was captured in 1950. he died in march of 1951. >> this is the greatest gift i could have. to see a wife receive him back. >> reporter: it is a homecoming for a man awarded the bronze star and purple heart. >> it is a wonderful thing for him to come home after 60 years of his wife not knowing where he is at. >> reporter: this is not just a celebration of his life, but a love affair. you see, cala never remarried. >> i had a lovely time being an married woman. >> reporter: he made it here to his final resting place with full military honors that clara waited for. >> returning pows back in 1953 that gant had died in custody, but his remains have only recently been identified. well they are literally on ice. 74 people aboard a research ship are waiting to be rescued days after their ship got stuck off antarctica. >> it is our fourth day trapped. >> reporter: this research ship left new zeal land one month ago, but it left them surrounded by sea ice. now they are on a near standstill with the rescue mission,. >> you are smiling through it all. >> reporter: the person behind the voyage says support through social media is keeping spirits afloat. >> i'm blown away. they are telling us the rest of the world is watching us. >> reporter: three ice breakers were sent to help free the russian ship. a chinese vessel had to turn around. a french ship aborted its omission. it is hoped that an australian ice breaker is the charm. it is expected to arrive sunday. in the meantime, they will post updated and compare observations to a century old mission. >> we want to return for work, but for now, we want to get out of here. >> reporter: already, they have had quite the journey. >> they have to pass the time somehow, they are sewing and taking walks on the ice. well here, we are dry. oakland, 38, 45 in livermore. 50 degrees. wind speeds, winds will pick up a little bit along the ridge tops. down on the surface, not bad. from calm to about 7 miles an hour. northeast directions are very dry. chapped hands kind of weather situation. low humidity. that is why we have the red flag warnings posted through tomorrow morning. by tomorrow, we will see temperatures recover to the mid 60s and that will be very nice weather for oakland. 65 degrees game time temperature, it will be broadcast right here on kpix5. fire works night, new year's eve looks good. clear and chilly in the bay area. it will be 53 degrees and by midnight, 49. but it should be a great night for fire works. as long as that high pressure remains above san francisco, the pacific high will not die. as long as it stays there, we have another week of sunny weather. it is almost beach weather. on the subject of beaches, one beach is muir beach up in marin county. they have been renovating it building new restrooms and paths as you can see. a bridge across some of the wetlands there. they finally reopened it after six months of work and it looks very nice if you want to check that out. it is just a little bit beyond mill valley. beautiful out there today. for us, red flag warnings posted. gusty winds overnight. sunny and warm through the week and it looks like it will be dry the all way january 6 and beyond. head now to the bay area tomorrow. it looks nice. nothing but sunshine. not a drop of rain. # 5 in santa rosa. we are 10 degrees above average. livermore will be nine degrees. down to the south bay, mid 60s will do it. 66 in sunnyvale. over in the east bay. 67 at pittsburgh. 63 in napa. north bay looks lice. plenty of sunshine. a warm finish in petaluma with 68. in the far north, 65 in santa rosa and 66 in clear lake. plenty of sunshine. the numbers by next weekend after a few clouds come in tuesday, we will be back into the upper 60s , almost 70 by next weekend. but we could use the rain. it is just not on the radar. nowhere to be seen. but seen here in full view, ladies and gentlemen. kim coyle has the latest on sports. >> a little popery for you tonight. my wife! my wife can score more than two buckets on 11 shots! >> ouch! we look at some of the best sound bytes from the past year. sports is next. ,,,,,,,,,,,, female announcer: female announcer: get beautyrest, posturepedic, even tempur-pedic mattress sets, at low clearance prices. save even more on floor samples, demonstrators and closeout inventory. the year end clearance sale is on now at sleep train. ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪ begin league play with recos over 500.... >> the pack 12 is back to being one of the country's top conferences. the mull monty in cal hosting a matinee. tyrone wallace with a two-hand flush. and he does it beyond the arc himself. the bears at 18 points. santa clara up north looking to upset number 24 down three in the second. brandon clark hits the tough three. a game high, 22 for clark, but they were too much down the stretch. david stockton doing it for his father. they win 74-60. rex walters and usf up north in portland. the game came down to the wire. chris adams off balance for the tie. yes, he sends it to overfull- time. in ot, they don't have a football team, but if they did, collison rolls it down. as we wrap up 2013, we take a look back at the best of today's best sound bytes from this past year. >> spoils war, is that coming back? does anything know anything about that? i just love that show. >> how do you get your guys into game seven? >> we get on the bus, we go on the court, and we play. >> one night, i had five phone calls from five different schools. kind of look high school. >> we are going to beat up that woman beater. the won that beat up his wife man, in front of his kids! you guys like that [bleep]? he must have learned that from his dad! woman beater baby, we are going to beat that woman beater! >> every canadian kid grows up dreaming about their stanley cup, but not their wedding day. >> the franchise has nod played since 2002. >> that's the stupidest thing i have ever heard. no coach in their right mind ... this isn't the real housewives of beverly hills. >> he will never emotionally fulfill you, ever. know that. know that. >> and let's talk about our big guy. two for 11. how can you go two for 11? my wife! my wife can score more than two buckets on 11 shots! >> spoils war is coming back. still to come, who were the big winners? a special saturday night edition of the top five. we went out and asked people a simple question: how old is the oldest person you've known? we gave people a sticker and had them show us. we learned a lot of us have known someone who's lived well into their 90s. and that's a great thing. but even though we're living longer, one thing that hasn't changed much is the official retirement age. ♪ the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need to enjoy all of these years. for speeding...puig was clo going 110 miles per hour in0 mph zone...it's the second timee wa >> in the world of baseball, yasiel puig was arrested for going 110 miles in a 70 miles an hour zone. yeah, it is time for the saturday night top fife. at number five, heath in portland. no run. chris bosh, half a second left. and king james. number four, rhonda ralsee and misha tate, not very lady like. tate extending a peace offering. she would have nothing of it. number three, louisville basketball now. this is russ smith. a dunk to silence the kentucky crowd. louisville wins. number two to the ice. patrick flips the d. that is all. not enough, the blues beat the black hawks in the shootout. and at number one, back to the octagon. it didn't make it past the second round. silca broke his leg on a kick. it was so gruesome, we can't even show it some say the injury could be career ending. wideman retains the middle weight title. and i saw it. it was pretty bad. it was awful. i hate to see that. >> that was bad enough. all right, thanks kim. we will be back after the break. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, we'll see you back here tomw night at five-thirty....whe hope ann notarangelo will fl well enough to be back. kpim is alway >> that will do it for us. we will see you back here tomorrow. ,,,, female announcer: female announcer: it's time to make room for the new mattress models during sleep train's huge year end clearance sale. get beautyrest, posturepedic, even tempur-pedic mattress sets, at low clearance prices. save even more on floor samples, demonstrators and closeout inventory. plus, free same-day delivery, set up and removal of your old set. why wait for the new models? sleep train's year end clearance sale is on now. superior service, best selection, lowest price, guaranteed! ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪ check it out. they got cars that run on vegetable oil now. how about that. you know what would be cool? a hummer that runs on french fry grease. uh-huh. we could be energy independent and still smash through crap. sounds great. plus, the new car smell is french fries. okay, i'm only gonna say this one more time. you don't get your license for two more years and you're not getting a hummer. you know, you say you want me to open up to you, but what's the point?