Bay Area Updates
SF Unveils Newly Restored 107-Year-Old Pagoda in Japanese Tea Garden
Bay Area Updates, Only in San Francisco, Outdoorsy The Japanese Tea Garden’s towering pagoda, one of the few surviving structures from the 1915 World’s Fair, has been revived to its former glory following a meticulous restoration. Public officials, history buffs, and members of the Japanese American community celebrated the completion of the two-year project Wednesday evening with a ceremony more...
BART Ends Mask Mandate (Again) on Oct. 1
Bay Area Updates, Masks, Transportation BART’S current mask requirement is slated to end when the mandate expires on October 1, but the agency’s Board of Directors approved a new resolution Thursday evening that would allow for the mandate to be reinstated when public health officials require indoor masking in their respective jurisdictions. But, as BART directors more...
Oakland Plans to Return Land to Indigenous Group
Bay Area Updates, Healing, Oakland, Outdoorsy Oakland has announced plans to return about 5 acres of land owned by the city to Indigenous stewardship. The Oakland City Council will hold hearings to consider conveying the site, known as Sequoia Point, to the Indigenous women-led non-profit, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, and the East Bay Ohlone tribe, Confederated Villages of more...
SF’s New Central Subway Opens “This Fall;” Four Years Late
Bay Area Updates, Transportation Thanks to ABC7 for sharing the news that San Francisco’s Central Subway is on schedule to finally open in “the fall” (No specific date has been announced, but SFMTA’s website says “October”). Well… supposedly “scheduled” for fall. But we’ve heard this before! The subway was supposed to open in 2018, then more...
6 Bay Area Cities Experienced Highest Temperatures Ever Recorded (Sept. 6)
Bay Area Updates, Outdoorsy Six cities in the greater Bay Area on Tuesday saw their highest temperatures ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service. The same cities were among seven that had record highs for September and among eight that set records for Sept. 6. In all, 21 record temperatures were set or tied more...
Single Map May Soon Connect All Bay Area Transit
Bay Area Updates, Brand New, Transportation Eli Walsh, Bay City News Foundation The Bay Area’s myriad transit agencies could soon utilize a single mapping system after the region’s transportation planning agency approved a contract to streamline transit information and guidance. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Operations Committee approved a $6 million contract Friday with the mapping company Applied Wayfinding more...
50 Mile “High-Speed” Rail (SF to San Jose) Moves a Step Closer
Bay Area Updates, Transportation By Eli Walsh, Bay City News Foundation The California high-speed rail governing board approved the final environmental documents Thursday for the San Jose-to-San Francisco section, completing clearance of the project’s Northern California leg. The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Board of Directors approved the environmental impact report and statement for the roughly more...
Bay Area Whole Food Stores Installing Creepy Palm Scanners for Checkout
Bay Area Updates, Groceries / Supermarkets Thanks to SF Eater for sharing the news that Amazon is installing Amazon One palm scanners in at least half a dozen Whole Foods stores in the Bay Area. Amazon One is a free, contactless service that lets you use your palm to pay, enter, or identify yourself. In a Whole more...
Bay Area City Named “America’s Happiest City” for 2022
Bay Area Updates, East Bay Forget about leaving your heart in San Francisco. It turns out that Concord is America’s happiest city. An analysis released Thursday by HouseFresh.com, a site focused on improving residential air quality, placed Concord in the Number One slot. “The hometown of Tom Hanks is said to be a quiet and pleasant place more...
BART Testing New Unlimited Ride “Bay Pass”
Bay Area Updates, Brand New, San Francisco, Transportation, Travel The Metropolitan Transportation Commission — in conjunction with BART and all other transit agencies participating in the Clipper fare payment system — this week launched a two-year pilot program to study the impact of a single pass that will provide some 50,000 Bay Area residents free access to all bus, more...
Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus Around the Bay Area
Bay Area Updates, Health & Wellness, Outdoorsy Four days after Contra Costa County reported mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus, officials in Santa Clara County reported Tuesday that they too have found mosquitoes that have tested positive. The county’s Vector Control District announced plans to begin spraying insecticide from trucks Thursday night in neighborhoods where virus-positive mosquitoes were found more...
Downtown Berkeley’s New 12-Block Protected Bikeway
Bay Area Updates, Brand New, East Bay, Transportation By Rya Jetha, Bay City News Foundation A new protected bikeway along a 12-block stretch of Milvia Street from Hearst Avenue to Blake Street is now open, Berkeley city officials said. The bikeway is designed to increase rider mobility in the city while protecting riders through a corridor of parked cars more...
East Bay Roller Rink Will Remain Open, Reversing Planned Closure
Bay Area Updates, East Bay San Ramon’s The Golden Skate, one of the last remaining roller rinks in the Bay Area, was set to close on July 31, 2022, but after an outpouring of support, the 47-year old roller rink has decided to stay open, provided the support continues. The Golden Skate announced: “The over-whelming response from more...
Smoke From Yosemite Fire Possible in Bay Area Monday
Bay Area Updates, Fire Updates, Outdoorsy By Tony Hicks Bay City News Service UPDATE: 10:15am Monday, July 25 2022: Drifting smoke from the massive Oak Fire burning near Yosemite will bring hazy skies to the Bay Area over the next few days, prompting air district officials to extend an air quality advisory through Wednesday. As of 9 a.m. more...
SF’s Massive “Pistahan” Filipino Parade & Festival Back for 2022
Bay Area Updates, Fairs & Festivals, Festival Updates The Filipino American Arts Exposition host the return of their in-person celebration for the 29th annual Pistahan Parade and Festival for 2022. With the theme of “Homecoming: Reconnect with Our Roots and Community,” this year’s festivities will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13 and Sunday, Aug. 14, from 11 a.m. to more...
