>> look at that. dirty air in the bay area. if you think it's bad, you're not alone. the new rankings, and what is most to blame for it. >> afternoon. i am audrey asistio. welcome to nbc bay area at

4:30. our ian cull is coming over the new numbers right now. he also spoke to air-quality leaders today and he is speaking with us with what he is learning. we are also tracking other stories today. a new bright 11 -- 911 call center. this is coming after a critical dispatcher surgeons -- shortage. also expanding abortion access for people in arizona. the governor making sure they don't have to leave their state for care. and will tiktok that working in the west? a lot of questions -- our scott budman is looking into the bill that president biden just like today. his would be filling us and i was going to happen with the popular app. let's begin today with a new report that shows the bay area had some of the worst air quality in the nation recently. in fact, it was worse than los angeles. before you start holding your

breath, you should know that the bad news comes with a catch. nbc bay area's ian cole explains the findings for us. show us what the major factors are for us. >> important to note that the data used here is from 2022 2022. -- 2020 to 2022. you will never the skies turned orange from all the wildfire smoke. that was in september of 2020. during that time, the bay area, fit in the nation for the dirtiest air ahead of l.a. when it comes to annual particle levels. we know those are especially bad for your lungs. the american lung association notes that high exposure can increase risk of exposure and -- >> >> and had a major impact on air-quality progress and exposure to harmful particle pollution in the bay area. >> so wildfires are a major factor during those years. how about other pollutants like

smog? >> that's another place where we rank among the worst in the country. unfortunately, l.a. is going to take the top spot there, though. the bay area was 12 worst with contra costa, alameda county. there is some good news. the overall trend since the report began, 25 years ago show improvements in the bay area when it comes to ozone pollution there's obviously still work to be done. >> traffic congestion has been steadily increasing and so getting those single occupancy vehicles off the roadway, whether it's taking transit or switching off to an ev vehicle, working remotely will definitely help to lower those numbers. >> the air-quality district says the annual report from the

lung association should be a good reminder of how we can make changes in her life to go green. we will discuss more about this coming up at 5:30. >> all right, ian. we will see you then. thank you. the man accused of driving his family off a cliff on purpose back in court today. the judge is to working to determine if he will face criminal charges or if he should be diverted to a mental health treatment instead. last year, he allegedly drove his tesla down 300 foot cliff near double slide with his wife and children inside the car. one survives. his wife claims he did it deliberately and he'd been depressed. patel pleaded not guilty and said he was actually pulling over to check a tire. today, the court heard from two witnesses on his mental state, but a final decision is not expected until next thursday. sanford this go leaders came today to mark the opening of the renovated 911 dispatch centers. take a look. mayor bree and departments of the emergency management were on hand for the river cutting his ribbon-cutting today. they say it will boost the city's emergency response

capabilities. includes five new dispatch workstations with room for additional expansion, a training room and a revamped break room. >> we had to get ready for our next generation 911 -- that we will be getting over the next two years and just, in general, make room for more advancement in technology so that we can expand as we grow and then we have all new furniture and new equipment. we have more workstation. >> at the same time, san francisco is one of many nationwide, many cities nationwide struggling to find enough dispatchers. the city says it's also working to make the hiring process shorter. officials say the next academy class is excited to be the biggest in more than two years. it was a tense and very hectic day for supporters and opponents of abortion. today, both sides rallied as

the nine justices, a case that could decide whether states bands on abortions violates federal laws that requires aid be given in emergency rooms, even if that aid violates a band. at the same time today, here in california, governor gavin newsom announced new plans to counter what he calls an extreme abortion ban in arizona. the governor is proposing legislation that would allow arizona medical professionals to perform abortions in california. this comes as arizona debates whether to uphold the law that banned a fortune -- abortion with nearly no exception. anything could still have it in arizona and expect california to go ahead with this plan, even after arizona's legislature considers a new motion to repeal the ban >> i think it still makes sense to make it easier for obstetricians and other parts of

-- to get licenses in california. this might be true for arizona, this law is truly going away, but it is true that people from all over the united states are coming to california because they cannot access safe, legal care really live. >> gavin newsom has repeatedly backed legislation supporting abortion and reproductive rights, including measures to pay travel expenses to those fleeing states that have banned the measure. time is ticking for tiktok. it's on its way to being banned in the u.s. after president biden signed a law today. but there are two important things to know today. this actually won't happen right away and there's still a chance for tiktok to stick around. let's go ahead and bring in our business and tech reporter, scott budman, who's been digging into the details for us today. scott, a lot of people have questions about this. a lot of people love their tiktok. what exactly is in this bill that the president assigned today. >> the president just signed a bill, audrey, that this is

something, and this is rare, it brings both democrats and republicans together. essentially, their fear of our data in the hands of the chinese government. that's really what this is all about. so now, tiktok has nine months, i should say, its parent company, the chinese owned bytedance, has nine months to either sell tiktok to an american company or have that abba banned in the united states. therefore, it's 170 million u.s. people who use the app regularly would not have access to it. >> okay. so they are given one year. i would imagine people who love tiktok, the users may be a little upset about this, maybe a little nervous, but maybe creators more so because a lot of them rely on tiktok, maybe for money to make -- so i know you spoke to one concentrator today. what does she think?

>> this is really something how a lot of people in this day and age network, put their product out there and make money. tiktok has been very successful for those content creators and developers and networkers and they say that the woman i spoke to today said it works better on tiktok for her than it does on instagram or twitter or snapchatter or any of the others that tiktok is uniquely good for networking and putting yourself out there and there are a lot of creators, whether you are putting out a new dance or your own business that say that tiktok is really necessary and it is and has become a part of our economy and that would go away. not to say that those users and readers couldn't find spaces on other social media, but they say tiktok is pretty uniquely successful for them and they don't wanted to go to way. >> so what is -- going to say they are going to fight this, right? >> tiktok says it's going to fight it on several fronts. the first amendment front. this is freedom of speech, but also saying hey, we can stay here, we are trying to prove, and this is their big challenge. they been on capitol hill, trying to convince lawmakers that the data you put on tiktok is not being seen by the chinese government.

instead, it's only being seen by the company and the tiktok american side. it's really a tough thing to prove because the chinese government is not transparent. we really don't know. also, they have to convince us that they are not sending propaganda through tiktok to us and our children. it's kind of a tough row for tiktok because of this cloud the taking over our relationship right now with china. it's not exactly a cold war between the two countries, but almost a cold business war right now. many american apps are blocked in china and there are a lot of lawmakers who say we should do the same to tiktok because it's owned by a chinese company. there's still a lot of skirmishing to go, a lot of negotiating to go and maybe a huge deal in the works. who knows. >> and the clock is ticking. >> yes.

absolutely. >> scott, thank you so much for the update. >> you bet. you now have an easier way to get your money back if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed. today, the biden administration announced new rules on a refunds and junk fees for airlines. if they decline credits, airlines will be required to automatically issue cash refunds. passengers will also get refunds if their baggage arrives more than 12 hours late. and airlines will have to clearly disclose junk fees, such as surprise baggage fees up front. most rules will take effect in six months and airlines can make -- face big fines if they don't follow them. i'm with meteorologist vianey arana now to get a look at our weather. i got outside today, and had a little walk and it's a little cloudy but it still felt pretty nice and cool. >> it was nice. a nice mixture and you're right. the cloud cover was definitely present today. the marina whether, it made his way inland and it's definitely cool. you look at the live cameras right now in san francisco.

about 62 degrees and yes, we are still seeing the cloud cover out there. when speeds right now are nice and calm. even in inland areas. the south day and jose. humidity is about 44%. you might have even felt that humidity of ticking just a bit. 64 degrees right now and if you notice we do have the cloud cover out there and stretching and through oakland. a great shot of oakland. about 51 degrees. what are we seeing on satellite radar? what's bringing this cloud cover? i mention the influence of the marine layer. you can still see it by zooming in a little closer. we are going to keep the cloud cover all the way through tonight and then into thursday and friday, we do have some changes ahead, but as far as tonight and tomorrow goes, we will be seeing the return of the marine layer for tomorrow. of course, a little bit further to the east, we have south lake tahoe, some pretty serious rain coming down. so far right now, we are still seeing some of the activity but

a lot of that system is now moving to the east. temperature wise for you thursday morning, we are going to be mild the 40s and 50s so it has been too chilly to start, but have you noticed for tomorrow, daytime highs will be for the mid and upper 60s. by the time we get to brentwood and 71 and evening, but the big story is changing into friday. the arrival of a cold front and that's going to kick up our wind gust. we are talking 20, 30, maybe in 40 miles per hour. it's going to bring a shift in our weather pattern and maybe some rain chances. the sure to join us once again at 5:00. chief meteorologist jeff ranieri is going to have a look at the extended outlook. audrey? >> all right, vianey. thank you. we are bringing you -- show us what to do with all those use cosmetic containers that cannot be recycled. also, hatching day is here. we are following the bay area beloved falcon who has four eggs. so, have they have to get?

-- have they hatched yet? but first, what training story do you want see to

>> here at nbc bay area, we are committed to finding solutions to the climate crisis. so much of what we do every day wears down on our earth overtime impacting everyone across the globe, including ray here in the bay area. meteorologist vianey arana joins us now to show us what kind of things we can do to be part of a solution. >> hey, audrey. were going to look at some products. products and packaging. some products are my tried-and- true. some might have tried once and never repurchase again, you got me thinking about what happens to all that packaging and what

is truly getting recycled. here's the problem. we are talking about, according to zero ways, the cosmetic industry creates more than 120 billion units of packaging every single year. not just in the u.s., but around the world. and to make some of that packaging, 18 million acres of forest are lost every year. but the things that don't or can't be recycled, typically end up in our landfills, our waterways and oceans, hurting not only the wildlife, but they also contribute to a large portion of our carbon emission. >> so what can we do to help prevent that from happening? >> let's talk to your climate hack. let's bring out adrian, rpa. i gave him an assignment i think about three weeks ago to talk about the packaging and i said hey, gather your mds and bring them to the set so we have her aunties rating here. say hello, adrian. this is the lovely p.a. helping us out. mckay, adrian. >> i have been collecting these

. i love seeing the halls but what happens to all of this packaging, right? so these are awesome. they are tried-and-true. this ends up in a landfill. companies like sophora and alto and other brands are coming up with ways for you can actually go drop these off once you are done with them. so the process is pretty simple. you are essentially going to clear out these -- some of these brands are starting to step up. they are creating refillable options, audrey. this company is offering a refillable bottle. look at this massive bottle. so now instead of repurchasing one of the smaller bottles everything will time, i repurchase this larger one to keep reusing this container. here's the thing. overconsumption is probably the

biggest issue of all. you don't need five blushes, as beautiful as they are. i know. as beautiful as they are, since i'm a skincare curly, i think -- did you know you could do that? >> i've done it before at max. i've noticed the signs, as well, when i'm purchasing make up items. they do have the sinuses refillable. >> refillable. yes. >> but something new that i have noticed recently. >> everything from the compact cases. what i would recommend to folks is that if you love a product and you like oh i don't want to switch it out, check online. they may offer a refill option so you don't have to keep repurchasing that container. of course, i think one of the best hacks, the foregoing the plastic altogether.

lather, work just as great. all in all, there's a lot of different options out there. >> so many options that payoff. >> the payoff is fantastic. let's get into the payoff. going to the university of connecticut office of sustainability, out of the 200 million packaging, 70% of those end up in a landfill. and sophora has -- you can see here, it includes some guidance, the do's and don'ts when it comes to this product. it says those empty plastic containers can be turned into things like carpets, pallets, asphalt, maybe even packaging for product that you love. and at alto stores, they also have -- with the collective on this site, they break down what happens to those empties. let's talk about it. molecular recycling. this means it's breaking down the most basic molecular component that can be used as raw material. the second is mechanical. there's also a waste to energy ratio. that means packaging that can

be used in other ways will be incinerated to generate things like electricity or fuel, helping keep a literal tons of trash out of the landfill. so the payoff is massive. again, i think lowering, i set a goal this year. i'm not going to repurchase a blush or lipstick until i'm done with the other one. i tend to go for the same color anyway. >> we will make some changes. all right, thank you. it's officially a happy hatch day for the fourth check. we have been waiting for the eggs to hatch. annie has lived and raised her babies on top -- clocktower since 2016. all live stream for people to watch. three of her eggs has to the last 48 hours and we are waiting for the final bb to hatch, actually. and today, it was finally ready. >> they are easy to pick up on a live stream, you to feed by anyone in the world, they've gained a huge amount of celebrity status. a lot of interest in their lives and their food habits and

the occasional marital squabbles. >> hundreds of people have stopped by the berkeley art museum today to catch a glimpse of the babies on this giant outdoor screen and berkeley says this is the first time that all four eggs that annie has laid has has. congratulations to annie. our janelle is working on the coming up news. >> a security guard to striving by stop to help one person still trapped inside, using his flashlight to help guide that person to safety through that thick black smoke. we are going to speak with that security guard. and a steal of a deal, an office tower once bustling with businesses now sitting empty and just sold for a huge discount. the new owner got it at 90% off the price it was sold for less than 10 years ago. if this is a sign of a turnaround, businesses coming back in town or a city still

struggling with massive office vacancies. we are coming up to look at that. >> 90%. >> yeah, great deal. >> we will see you in a little bit, janelle. looking forward to it. the top trending story voted by you . she grew up in the bay area and became a figure skating star on the global stage. the new hor awaiting no

here it is. top trending story , has voted for you on the instagram pole. oreo and sour patch kids are joining forces. the kids are going to like this one. this is the oreo and sour patch kids cookie. it will hit shelves nationwide, monday. cookie and cream filling, as well, and the companies are actually going all in on this one. there's even more to dice on the way, bucket hats, hairclips, socks, a bag. items will be on sale may 2nd.

and as always, i will be posting the other stories you voted for on my instagram. this barbie is a gold medal winner. toymaker mattel just revealed a new doll based on figure skater kristi yamaguchi. she wears the same outfit she wore to her performance at the 1992 winter olympics. she grew up in fremont, was the first asian-american woman to win a gold medal. her body will be released in may for asian-american native hawaiian pacific islander heritage month. have you checked the date today? the numbers are lined up perfectly and a lot of couples on the peninsula wanted to seize this moment. san mateo county expanded its hours today for anyone who wanted to get married on a rare day. so whether you read it forward or backwards, today's date is four 24 24. thank you so much for joining us at 4:30. janelle and garvin are working on the

right now at 5:00, the battle over reproductive rights back in the supreme court. and it comes as gavin newsom takes action to counter another states abortion ban. also from berkeley to l.a. to new york city , students continue to protest on college campuses. the latest efforts to push back on the war on gaza. and just trying to do my best. those of the humble words of a security guard who jumped into action after seeing people struggle to get out of a burning building. how his act of heroism played out. the news at 5:00 starts right now. thank you so much for joining us. i'm garvin thomas. >> good afternoon, everyone. i'm janelle wang. it's been a hectic day for supporters in washington, d.c., the supreme court heard a case

that could decide the future of several date -- state abortion bans. >> meanwhile, in california, the governor is proposing new health -- help to make sure that doctors and patients in arizona -- in spite of a very strict ban on the procedure. nbc bay area's robert handa explains it all. >> reporter: nationwide. the supporters and opponents about -- as it essentially determines whether idaho and ultimately other states that ban abortions can override federal laws that require a to be given in emergency rooms. the executive director of the national latina institute for reproductive justice, rodriguez from san jose spoke out at the d.c. rally. >> they are going to keep chipping and chipping away at abortion access until they ban abortion across the country. make no mistake. >> reporter: that was echoed by gavin newsom, who proposed legislation that would allow arizona promotion tip abortion pr