Behind last christmas who passed away on Christmas Day. George michaels manager said he died from heart failure. Ellen degeneres is one of several stars publicly expressing shock over his death. The pop star rose to fame in the 80s with the british band wham. His music had provocative themes. Back in 1998 after he was arrested for a lewd act that public bathroom he publicly announced that he was gay. He was 53 years old. And some locals we spoke to say his courage helped them do the same. As kpix 5s joe vazquez shows us, people in the castro were celebrating his life last night. [ music ] last christmas, the fact that he died. Its just crazy. Reporter inside the San Francisco badlands club on 18th street theyre playing last christmas and other George Michael videos and lamenting their loss. My heart is broken. And its Christmas Day. Im really sorry about George Michael. It reaches out to a whole variety of generations so the passing of anyone that can reach [ indiscernible ] is very sad. I got have faith. [ music ] faith is something that i totally got into and when i started dancing and all those movements, his cute Little Leather jackets, that was way before it was cool or acceptable and he didnt care, he still did it. Reporter the music and the style, yes, he was all about that. But a lot of the folks i talk to here in the castro tell me George Michael was also an icon in the gay community. His music helped me with coming out and just dealing with that process. [ music ] reporter for people who are gay, they didnt have to say they were gay. We connected with them on a different level. George michael was that guy. We all knew he was cool and we could relate to him way before he actually publicly announced. Reporter but it turns out we didnt really know George Michael. The world famous pop icon whose star had faded in recent years died before most of us had any idea he was even sick. Well, and thats him. Right . He is mysterious. So he ended it the way he lived his life. Reporter joe vazquez, kpix 5. A massive menorah was stolen from a park in San Francisco and police are looking for whoever took t Authorities Say it disappeared within the last two days, about 6 feet tall, 150 pounds. It was installed about two weeks ago in Washington Square in north beach. When members of the north beach chabad comment to light it, it was gone. Police dont have any information about a suspect or motive. In santa monica, police are trying to figure out who vandalized a synagogue. Rabbis at the Living Torah Center found this when they arrived at the building yesterday. Police say someone had smeared feces against a window. Why did you pick this place . Its not nice. This isnt the first time the synagogue has been targeted. Last month the organization received threatening phone calls. Police are increasing their patrols while they investigate. A wicked winter storm continues to batter the midwest and the east coast is bracing for some rough weather next. The unrelenting christmas storm made driving storm treacherous throughout several states. In minnesota, semi truck flipped on the sleet covered roads. And the conditions kept many plow and tow Truck Drivers away from their families in iowa and utah. This is my ninth call. Its been crazy, nuts, a lot of slideoffs, accidents. The weather system is moving eastward toward the great lakes as it makes its way into upstate new york, pennsylvania, massachusetts, and parts of vermont. Closer to home its been snowing in the high country. Yeah. Thats right. It appears its not only skiers and boarders enjoying the conditions. These pictures from the Avalanche Team at heavenly mountain [chuckling] the rescue dogs having some fun in the snow. They were out patrolling and playing yesterday. Having a good time. The mountain got about 15 inches of powder during the latest storm. So good conditions i guess. So cute. And roberta was in tahoe, too. Yes. I took some pictures of this little avalanche dogs. They are so cute and so vitally important. We had snowfall there and now we have behind the passage of that beautiful snow, great space for skiing and boarding but now we have frigid temperatures. Its currently 2 below zero in truckee. 26 blue canyon. Were almost as cold as that in the santa rosa area. Right now currently looking at sfo so far no reports of any local airport delays. Well keep you posted but look at santa rosa 29 degrees. 34 on the way to the high 20s in livermore. 36 degrees almost freezing in san jose. Good morning to you in redwood city at 37 degrees. Late today we will start off with some partly cloudy conditions and also some breezy winds. And the Higher Elevations are picking up wind gusts to 30 in the mount diablo area. 11 in San Francisco, calm from Mountain View across the rim of the bay back through the estuary of oakland. Northnortheast winds at 14 in the fairfield area. These winds will be sustained 10 to 20 during the afternoon hours. Your high temperatures, well, slightly below average into the 50s across the board. My outside number will be towards piedmont and el cerrito and oakland, berkeley 56 degrees. Otherwise, low to mid50s pretty common. The full forecast including the next shot of rain coming up but right now gianna is in the house. Good morning, roberta. Im already ready for warmer temperatures. Lets jump to the roadways right now. Looks like we have some changes for mass transit. You want to keep in mind bart will be running on a modified schedule mostly affecting the pittsburgbay point line. But instead of running five minute trains for the most part trains will run 10 to 15 minutes so plan for that this morning if you are commuting through the bart system. Ace train 1, 3, all of them in fact no Service Today for the holiday. Muni also running on a sunday schedule. And modified schedule for caltrain as well which means they are running on a saturday service. You can expect that as well for golden gate ferries and buses but the good news capitol corridor will be on a regular schedule this morning. Now, over to the roads so far traffic looks good with no accidents according to chp. Keep this in mind. Parking will be enforced today. Parking meters in San Francisco and sevenday street sweeping so wake up early if you have to move your car. You have to. Not enforced Residential Permit park monday through friday time street sweeping and commuter towaway. Back to you guys. This morning, three people are recovering in the hospital after shooting and separate fight outside a San Francisco nightclub. It happened just after 2 30 yesterday morning outside the grand in soma. Police say that the incidents are not related. One person was arrested in the assault. But the shooting suspect is still on the loose. All three men who were injured are expected to be okay. A scary Christmas Day for dozens of people at a Chinese Restaurant in san ramon last night. They had to evacuate when a fire erupted at uncle us. The fire started in kitchen and spread into the duct system. Firefighters brought in eight engines to control it and at one point, the fire threatened an ice cream parlor next door. Theres damage to baskin robbins, damage to the restaurant and smoke damage in the neighboring buildings and one person complained of smoke inhalation. At the time the owners friends and family were inside for a private party. Everyone was able to get safely and the the cause is under investigation. The world of politics did not take a day off on christmas. Reed binion shows us how the president and president elect were still hard at work. It has been the privilege of my life to serve as your commanderinchief. Reporter while president obama was speaking to troops in hawaii on christmas, he was receiving heavy criticism from a close ally. The israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu issuing a scathing rebuke of the Obama Administration sunday and summoning the u. S. Ambassador to israel this in response to the u. S. Resolution condemning the west bank activity. It usually uses its veto power to shield israel. This time the u. S. Abstained allowing the measure to pass. Passage came after a delay in the vote amid pressure from israel and communications between trump and israel as well as the president in egypt the country which sponsored the resolution. Trumps actions sparking criticism that the president elect is overstepping his pre inauguration bounds. New criticism over the resolution coming in over the weekend from lawmakers like republican senator lindsey graham. I will respond in kind. 22 of the United Nations budget comes from the american taxpayer and im going to lead the charge to withhold funding until they repeal this resolution. Reporter Republican FormerHouse SpeakerNewt Gingrich slamming the president sunday. He is in this desperate frenzy. What he is doing is setting up a whole series of things to distract trump. Reporter im reed binion reporting. 4 40. Still ahead, renovations at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Well show you how its getting a muchneeded makeover. But besides funny hats, um, there is another very important aspect of being on iss and thats seeing the planet as a whole and it actually reinforces, i think, that the fact that we should live, um, as one people and strive for peace. Good message. The astronauts are board the International Space station sent a holiday greeting to planet earth. They talked about spending christmas in space and even gave us a preview of their big holiday meal. They were having turkey, fruit salad, green beans and potatoes all from a pouch. A pouch. [ laughter ] yummy. A state trooper delivered the best Christmas Gift of all to a mother in connecticut. Her baby. The mother was being [chuckling] driven to the hospital on Christmas Eve but the baby wasnt waiting so the driver pulled over. A trooper arrived in time to help the mother with the special arrival of baby ebenezer. The head was delivered, the cord was slightly wrapped around the neck but it was loose. I was able to get that free. The baby delivered right away. It was a great delivery, spontaneously began breathing and, you know, seemed like it was a good outcome. Both mom and baby are doing well. Vacation to the grand canyon turns into a 26mile hike in the middle of the night for a woman determined to save her family. The trouble started when karen haas, her husband and their 10 yearold son lost gps service. After their car ran off the road, she walk to the highway for help. She hiked for 30 hours straight in the dark with no winter boots. What kept her going was she said is that she didnt want her mother to bury her daughter. She didnt want her son to be without a mother. She didnt want her twin to be without a sister. So she kept going. Its called grit. Karen eventually made it to a cabin where she was rescued by a search party and hospitalized. Her husband and son were later found, as well. Get this. The family isnt ruling out another trip to the grand canyon. All right. This next video you truly have to see to believe. Firefighters were trying to rescue the cat from a palm tree when it jumped out on its own. Take a look. Whoo oh, dear a cat wow, this was captured in australia a few days ago. You can see the cat sprinted off. Firefighters say it did not appear to be injured. All right well, thats video you have to see. We were watching my dog after a Big Christmas meal last night and we were coming back towards the house, i said to my son, what is that big fat cat on the house . I think thats a possum [ laughter ] i said what is a possum doing on the roof . It didnt jump down like the cat . We were scared of when we walked into the door he was going to pounce on us for some christmas dinner. It was big up there trying to keep warm because the heat generated from the house. Another cold morning. Good morning, everybody. As you get kickstarting off to work, kids are still off, the numbers out the door right now 37 degrees in redwood city, 30s at the peninsula, inland we have temperatures in the 20s, 30s in san jose. Livermore a repeat performance with the frost on the lawn and on the cars. Actually, somebody chipping the ice off their windshield yesterday. Dont get to see that too often other into the bay area. Wind speeds currently for the most part under 10 except berkeley 12. 12 half moon bay. In the Higher Elevations like mount diablo currently wind gusts up to 30. These winds will be consistent during the day today northeast. Offshore component 10 to 20 miles per hour. We have this area of low pressure hanging off the big sur coastline and what its been doing is producing rain showers just off southern california. We have some cloud cover as a result and breezy conditions as High Pressure tries to build in and produce that offshore component but we will remain sunny later this afternoon and most of the week until about friday night when we have a slight chance of rain. High sierra currently in the mid20s in blue canyon. But its 2 below zero in truckee going up to a high today in the mid30s. Pleasant conditions for all that fresh powder over the weekend. Now, meanwhile, in san jose, 37 degrees kickstarting your morning going up to an afternoon high today only in the low 50s at Mineta International airport the official reporting station for the santa clara valley. Levis stadium station area, rose garden district, willow glen, cupertino, campbell, realizing a high today in the mid50s again northeast winds 10 to 20 miles per hour. But check out livermores high today only 50 degrees but you will have the abundance of blue skies during the afternoon hours, low 50s at the immediate seashore. Your extended forecast does call for this. Temperatures gradually warm by tuesday, wednesday, thursday, going to feel downright balmy away from the bay into the low and mid60s. Then well start to bump up the cloud cover late friday night with that slight chance of rain but all that goes away for the weekend as we get ready to kick start a brandnew new year. Thats your monday forecast. Heres gianna. On the freeways so far, so good. We just checked in with chp no accidents. Across the eastshore freeway you can see traffic is all in the green there. Sensors showing nice speeds working around that westbound side of 80. Heading all the way to the bay bridge, so far traffic is very light with no metering lights on. In fact, heres a larger shot. You can see everything looks good towards the toll plaza this morning. 20minute drive time from the carquinez bridge along the eastshore freeway to the maze through there this morning and all clear heading into San Francisco. Lets get a live look at conditions along the nimitz freeway. Oakland both directions not bad at all. In fact, traffic looks good this morning northbound as you head into oakland southbound as you work your way into hayward. Jumping across the san mateo bridge this morning, should not be a problem. So far thats a 15minute drive time between 880 and 101. No delays on the eastbound side out of the peninsula towards the east bay this morning. Take a look at drive times this morning. Also pretty clear in the south bay, no delays or accidents to report. 101 an easy ride 10 minutes 280 680 split to highway 237. Traffic clear east and west 237. No delays on 280. If you want to hop on the guadalupe parkway traffic clear northbound 85 to 101, taking just about 8 minutes. And youre clocking in some nice speeds. In fact, 101 out of south san jose, northbound, 65 miles per hour. So traffic moving along pretty nicely. Same goes for the Altamont Pass with no delays right now. Typically we see a little red on the sensors this time of the morning on a regular commute day but it looks good right now with no delays from north tracy boulevard along 580 westbound to the Altamont Pass and clear to the dublin interchange where traffic is freeflowing from 580 to 680. 680 itself looks good through walnut creek. Keep in mind, though, if you are taking mass transit today, there are some changes. So check the website before you head out the door. Thats a look at your morning drive. Back to you guys. Thank you. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk features a wildly popular beach side Amusement Park. But at the moment rides are only open on the weekends. As kpix 5s andria borba shows us, crews are hard at work so it will be ready for thousands of tourists next summer. Reporter at the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk, the winter means weekdays punctuated not by summer screams and silliness but the crash of waves. This is our rehab season. Reporter the park is open weekends but on the weekdays, the task of keeping a seaside moving museum thats over 100 years old operational is a frantic one. Just fitting it all in in the amount of time we have. Reporter because in addition to the test of time, the boardwalk is also home to environmental ravages like the salt air, storms, surf and theres lots of sand. [ laughter ] reporter that gets everywhere. Sand gets carried in on everybodys feet so it gets on all the rides and its just like having sandpaper, scratches everything up. Reporter like this carousel. Those carousel horses have to get a fresh coat of paint every year. Jimmy has been painting for 15 years. I call this one gallante because he is very gallant and this is probably one of the most complicated carvings on the machine. Reporter elsewhere the