San Francisco Public Press (https://www.sfpublicpress.org/2021/page/3/)
A shortage of drivers has reportedly been affecting both the ride-hailing and taxi industries — there aren’t enough to meet demand right now. But as demand rises and other factors collide, dynamic pricing on ride-hailing apps has spiked the cost of Uber and Lyft rides, sending some customers to taxis instead. » Read more
UPDATE 8/20/21 12:35 p.m. Updates story to reflect that the MSC South shelter has paused intakes after several residents tested positive for COVID-19.
As cases of COVID-19 surge in San Francisco, advocates question whether the city can prevent another outbreak in homeless shelters. » Read more
A report on the waste picked up by cleanup crews working along the nation’s beaches and shorelines from the Surfrider Foundation showed almost 90% of the more than 80,000 pounds of trash collected in 2020 was plastic. The foundation, an ocean and beach protection nonprofit, found new ways to structure beach cleanups, like sending volunteers out by themselves instead of in groups, to mitigate the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. » Read more
The California Geological Survey creates maps showing which areas scientists expect a major tsunami would flood. The latest update of this map shows that broader swaths of the Bay Area are likely to be affected than previous maps indicated — for example, the San Francisco Zoo is now in an evacuation zone. » Read more
This story is being published in partnership with the Prison Journalism Project.
San Quentin State Prison is experiencing a new COVID-19 outbreak after four incarcerated men in a cell block tested positive, chief medical executive Alison Pachynski said on Saturday.
Earlier in the week, the prison put the Alpine unit of the South block on quarantine after one incarcerated man tested positive for COVID-19. » Read more
California voters will be asked whether they want to remove Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. If the recall is approved, there are more than 40 candidates vying to replace him, and selection from these candidates is the second question on the recall ballot. » Read more
Environmental activists are about to launch an air-monitoring project to track pollution linked to high rates of asthma and other health conditions in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.
The first data readouts will likely be publicly available by the end of August, according to the organization running the project. » Read more
A new documentary, “Homeroom,” shows how Oakland High School’s Class of 2020 faced a year of pandemic uncertainty with resilience and perseverance, amplifying calls to end policing in schools even as those schools shut down and their personal milestones were relegated to virtual spaces. » Read more
San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing is a relatively new department, but it and its budget have been growing rapidly. The newly approved city budget allocates more than $1.1 billion over two years to the department. That money will be spent on programs including placing people in housing, finding ways to keep people who are in a precarious housing situation in place, opening parking sites for people living in their vehicles, family shelters, temporary shelters and supportive services. » Read more
The proposal to create a public bank for San Francisco, in order to provide an alternative to big banks for the city’s investing and lending needs, is moving incrementally from concept toward reality. A group of experts in relevant fields, from finance to affordable housing, has been selected to start to devise a business plan for a public bank. » Read more