Going out now. All vote by mail ballots in california come with prepaid postage and you can return your ballot at any time to and including election day. November 3rd. The envelope must be sealed, signed and dated. It can be turned into your county elections office, a ballot drop box, a vote center or any polling place. And if youre mailing it back, there is more time this year for it to arrive because of the concerns about the u. S. Postal service. Now, a ballot with a postmark no later than northern 3rd can be received as late as november 20th and it will still count. You can track your ballot online through the secretary of states website. And earlier today on abc 7 news at 4 00, we spoke live with the secretary of the state alex padilla about the benefits of voting by mail. Its convenient. You get to vote from the comfort and safety of your own home and it is proven to be secure. So any suggestion otherwise is, frankly, not true, and only seeks to undermine confidence in our elections. California knows how to do it. Weve been voting by mail for many, many years in our march primary. More than 70 of ballots cast were vote by mail ballots, and i think its probably the safest option for voting during the covid19 pandemic. The First Official day of early voting got under way today in the bay area with lots of voters eager to get their ballots in. The experience differed, though, depending on the county, but the sentiment was clear across the board, everyone is taking this vote very seriously. Abc 7 News Reporter chris reyes has more on this story. Reporter mask, vote. Its the very image of election 2020. The enthusiasm from early voters undeniable. And nothing was going to stop me from coming out voting, even if i had to crawl over some covid glass to get here. I didnt mail it this time because im more concerned about making sure that the post office get it is here and that i wanted it in right away. Want to make sure that i make it clear that were voting and were voting as early as possible. And so this is an extremely important election. And we want to make sure that it gets done now. Reporter in San Francisco the outdoor setup had some voters praising the process, quick and simple. Were ready. We practiced. We got the materials and supplies in place, and, again, people when they vote here, well process those ballots today or tomorrow. Reporter in contracosta county, some voters were ready to vote as soon as this box was supposed to open at 8 00 a. M. , only to find them locked. I was a little bit angry that with all of this hype about voting, our boxes arent open when theyre when they say theyre going to be open. I will, however, apologize to contracosta voters who are concerned that we didnt have them open. You know, we should have because thats what we said, but, again, i would remind them that they have their ballots early, and people have never used ballots on the first days. Reporter the 37 boxes were unlocked by noon. Contracosta county Officials Say they want to assure voters no one was denied their right to vote, they were just delayed in opening the boxes, taken by surprise at the demand of early voting. They are now unlocked 24 hours a day until november 3rd. At the post office this morning, we picked up 15 trays of voting ballots. Totally unheard of. Her reason for showing up so early. Ive been waiting on this day for 365 days. I take that back. Ive been waiting on this for four years. Reporter chris reyes for abc 7 news. On election day you can vote inperson. Voting stations will be set up 6 feet apart. You should wear a mask, although you wont be refused your right to vote if you dont wear one. All this Information Available on our website abc7news. Com election. The president ial candidates running mates are preparing for their debate wednesday night. Sources tell abc news that Vice President mike pence and senator Kamala Harris will be 12 feet apart. After the Biden Campaign requested more space. In addition, the commission on president ial debates has approved plans to use plexiglass to separate the candidates and the debate moderator. You can watch that debate right here on abc 7, wednesday night, starting at 6 00 p. M. As we work to build a better bay area were focused on our health and the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic. In california, numbers appear to be stabilizing. Todays reported numbers of new cases and deaths are around average. The states test positivity rate, averaged over 14 days, is 2. 8 . Thats been steadily declining lately. Heres a look at case trends in the bay area. The yellow line represents the rolling average of new cases and you can see its on a downward trend, representing a significant improvement from the peak set in midaugust. Several marin County School districts reopened today for inperson classes. Other larger School Districts around the bay area will be looking to them to see how successful they are in the midst of this pandemic. Abc 7 News Reporter leeann melendez shows us how reopening day went for one School District. Reporter parents of kneel cummins elementary and korda modero waved to their students nearly seven months after it was closed town to the coronavirus the superintendent assured us theyve been preparing for this day since last march. 86 of the families opted in. Wove han trainings here on site with staff, trainings with students through videos. Weve had trainings with parents through videos. Reporter some of the classes were held outside and inside desks with plexi glass are expected to keep students safe. This week they will learn in a hybrid mode to get ready for the following week. October 12th, where we go full full week, five days, a. M. Cohort, 8 10 to 11 00 a. M. , and then deep cleaning every classroom, p. M. Cohort arrives, 12 30 and goes home at 3 20. Reporter school staff said they noticed how reserved and cautious the kids were when they first arrived on campus. By the end of the day, i think they started to feel more comfortable, which led them to have their shoulders relax, the smiles, even though you cant see them as well with the masks on, it was all there. Reporter the lamar Jacksonburg School district has only two Elementary Schools and one eldmentary school. Granted this School District is much smaller with fewer schools than a unified district. For them, reopening remains a challenge. In that larger district, its about scaling open. Reporter oakland teachers have yet to begin negotiating with the School District with regard to possible return to inperson instruction. San francisco unified and their unions are still in negotiations and in the process of both reviewing resources and facilities to make sure they can reopen safely. Lean melendez, abc 7 news. President trump is out of the hospital and back at the white house tonight. He left Walter Reed Hospital in bethesda, maryland this evening after spending three days getting treated for covid19. The president was taken by marine one back to the white house where he stopped and took off his mask before heading inside. In a tweet earlier in the day he wrote, quote, dont be frayed of covid. This has drawn considerable backlash including from abc 7 news special correspondent dr. Patel. There are people out there who dont have access to a doctor, who cant physically distance. There are people who are houseless. How on earth can the president make a Statement Like that and have it be relatable or generalizable to the public at large . Its just irresponsible any way you look at it. I hear myself. The president s personal physician cautioned President Trump is by no means out of the woods yet in his recovery. Well have more on this story in our next half hour. Governor gavin newsom is responding to the arrests of two sisters outside his home who were protesting on the anniversary of their brother being shot and killed by Vallejo Police. Abc 7 news iteam reporter Melanie Woodrow has covered the shooting since june. Today she asked Governor Newsom if hed be willing to meet with the monterosa family. Reporter protesters gaffered outside governor Gavin Newsoms house. Sisters michelle and ashley monterosa. Were practicing our First Amendment right which is freedom of speech. We posed no threat. Reporter the sisters say they want to speak to the governor about their brothers death have have received no response from his office. A Police Officer fired from the back seat of an unmarked vehicle through the windshield, kiting and killing him. He had been outside a walgreens where there had been a looting. Moving his hands towards his waist area, revealing what they thought was the butt of a handgun. It turned out to be a hammer. The officers body camera video captured this exchange. What did he point at us . Hey, he pointed a gun at us. Reporter Solano CountyDistrict Attorney recused herself from the case. The attorney general declined to investigate, though the a. G. s office is investigating the Police Destruction of the windshield, which was evidence. Protesters call to the governor. We just want him to break his silence. Reporter inside the chp capital section arrested 17 protesters, including ashley and michelle. Governor newsom, shame on you. For him to come at us with full force the way we arrested it hurts. Reporter today i asked Governor Newsom. Would you we billing to speak with the family . He didnt answer that that specifically, but said ive asked my staff to take a much more detailed look at exactly why the attorney general chose not to move forward in terms of the criminal investigation, though im very pleased and grateful in the attorney general for moving forward as it relates to Police Practices in that jurisdiction. And so well have more to say hopefully very shortly. Reporter the chp confirms protesters were arrested for unlawful assembly, failure to disburse, trespassing and conspiracy to commit a crime against the governorer. Its just comical because at the end of the day we were posing no threat. Reporter the sisters say they were in jail more than 20 hours. Im exhausted. Im trying to catch up on sleep. But i feel motivated more than anything to go even hard for this journey for justice for our brother sean. The sisters say protesters had to post 2,000 bail in cash each in order to be released. In the newsroom for the iteam, Melanie Woodrow, abc 7 news. An arrest has been made in two brutal assaults in San Franciscos tenderloin, targeting women in their 70s. You are looking at horrifying images of one of the victims provided to me by her son. Each incident happened within a week of each other and just blocks from the Tenderloin Police station. My exclusive interview with this womans son and the supervisor vowing to make the area a safer place. That is tonight on abc 7 news at 11 00. And coming up next on abc 7 news at 6 00, revisiting the death of oscar grant. 11 years later, his family demands the case be reopened and the d. A. Responds in stunning fashion. Im spencer christian. It felt like summer today, but cool, crisp autumn air is on the way and some weekend rainfall. Ill have the accuWeather Forecast coming up when abc 7 your shoulder seems to be healing nicely. Well, dr. Farrell, it feels really good. Thats good. And. Im sorry. Baby, dont touch that. I dont want you to play with that. singing twinkle, twinkle little star. How i wonder what you are. still singing up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Im so glad that your shoulder is feeling better. But, how are you doing . Im hanging in there. Schedule a video visit with your doctor. And get quality care with no copay. Kaiser permanente. Thrive. And get quality care with no copay. To wear a mask out in public around other people. Sure itll keep you healthy. But more importantly, i wont have to see your happy smiling face. Ugh. And if you dont want to wear a mask, ive just got one thing to tell you. Scram, go away. Ugh. Caring for each other because we are all in this together. So wear a mask and have a rotten day, will ya . Ugh. The pain is always around the corner. O working to build a better bay area means working for racial and social justice. In a stunning move, alamedas top prosecutor announced today shes reopening the investigation into the death of oscar grant, a young father shot nd killed by b. A. R. T. Police on new years day in 2009. The move came just as grants family was demanding a fresh look at the kais in light of what they called new evidence and in the wake of national demands for Greater Police accountability. Abc 7 news Laura Anthony has our story from oakland. Justice delayed is justice denied. Reporter more than 11 years after her son oscar grant was shot and killed by b. A. R. T. Police officer at the fruit veil station, Wanda Johnson wants the case reopened and potentially new charges levied against at least one other officer. Then we will continue to be out here and remind the world of how our judicial systemystemystm continuali continuing to fail people of color. Reporter grant was shot and killed early on new years day in 2009. Mezerly was convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter by a los angeles jury. Grants family now wants prosecutors to consider filing criminal charges against the former b. A. R. T. Officer seen in cell phone video holding grant down in the seconds before he was shot. Oscars last words were i cant breathe. Anthony pieroni, the b. A. R. T. Officer pinned oscar down with his knee on his neck, with his hands on his face. Reporter as the grant family spoke, alameda County District attorney Nancy Omalley announced she heard them. Quote, we are reopening our investigation. I have assigned a team of lawyers to look back into the circumstances that caused the death of oscar grant. We will evaluate the evidence and the law, including the applicable law at the time and the statute of limitations and make a determination. So were not holding our breath, but we definitely will be praying that she sees the truth in this issue. Reporter pieroni was fired by b. A. R. T. Police, but was never criminally charged in grants death. Messierlys attorney general told abc 7 news he does not believe his client could be charged again under the law, given his conviction ten years ago. Laura anthony, abc 7 news. And if youre dealing with racial or social justice issues, we want to help you find an ally. Go to abc7news. Com takeaction for a list of local resources. While firefighters continue to battle the glass fire, marin, napa and sonoma counties, some evacuees are being allowed to return home. Abc 7 news was in santa rosa this morning where a traffic sign carried a welcome home message. This was outside the sygi p residents to check that gas service had been restored to their homes. Evacuation orders were lifted for the town of calistoga, but the glass fire still poses a threat to others living in northeastern napa county. Abc 7 News ReporterCornell Bernard has todays story now from wine country. Reporter the kitchen staff at the hydro grill in calistoga are cooking again after a long week of being shut down. The town was evacuated one week ago due to the approaching glass fire. Its so stressful being gone. Reporter owner gail keller says this home coming is bittersweet because so many in the valley have lost everything. Were very happy to be back. We have a house. We have a business. And some people dont. And it breaks my heart. Reporter the town is slowly repopulating, coming back to life. Cant wait to have everything. Rorter nna estrada is home. Jacobo shows us where he spotted flames last week. Hes pleased to find his home just where he left it. Were super happy to see our small town that its, like, safe and we thank the firefighters a lot for all the hard job theyve been doing for this whole week. Reporter meanwhile, northeast of calistoga, the glass fire could be making its vey last stand off highway 29. Cal fire choppers still dousing hot spots as the fire pushes towards lake county. Fueled by dry brush. Evacuation orders are still holding, but she has decided to stay. It looks like things are a little bit better for us, but its still going up north to the east. So still in danger. Reporter but cooler weather conditions this week may help firefighters. With a pretty high confidence we can say that weve gotten past the peak of the most extreme conditions that weve seen across the fire since its initiation. Reporter many are giving firefighters a lot of thanks. This is our seventh evacuation since 2015, and weve been saved every tiu. Orter in , Cornell Bernard, abc 7 news. So much to be grateful for. Well, sky 7 flew over some of the damage in napa county late this afternoon. This is the neighborhood near calistoga ranch off silverado trail. 487 homes in napa and sonoma counties have been destroyed, and more than 21,000 structures are still threatened. Fire is 30 contained with nearly 66,000 acres burned. Now, dont forget, you can follow fires statewide with our exclusive wildfire tracker. Its updated in real time with the very latest information from cal fire and it also has air quality information. The abc 7 news fire tracker is available now at abc7news. Com and the abc 7 news app. And finally, a Weather Forecast firefighters have been waiting for. Spencer has some cooler temperatures and a chance of rain. garage door opening it is my fathers love. It is his passion it is his fault he didnt lock the