Published: August, 2004 “People know a good deal when they see it,” said Rod McMillan, manager of Bridge & Highway Operations for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which oversees the FasTrak™ program in its role as the Bay Area Toll Authority. “The transponders are free, the sign-up process is easy, and motorists who use FasTrak™ […]
Author: BAY CROSSINGS STAFF REPORT
Mare Island Shipyard Turns 150
Published: August, 2004 Vallejo—Joyce Giles smiles as she leads her tour groups through the blacksmith’s building she once worked in: the enormous empty room now just weeks away from its premier as the Mare Island Artifacts Museum. A peppy, elderly woman with silver curls, Giles strolls by the mounted black and white photos with pride, […]
Bay CrossingsOn the Cover
Published: August, 2004 Lately, inspired by the visual splendor of the local farmers’ market, Cindy has been sketching on Saturdays at the Ferry Plaza. Prints are for sale at the Bay Crossings store in the Ferry Building. Whether working in pen and ink, watercolor or gouache, Cindy’s whimsical style is full of movement and life. […]
BIG Fat Lies
Published: August, 2004 Why is it so many big transit construction projects have so many big cost overruns and fail to provide the benefits promised? BART to SFO was going to cost $590 million and attract lots of riders. Instead, we got a $1.5 billion project that is not attracting riders. How could this be? […]
Bay CrossingsBay Round Up
Bay Crossings Staff Report Published: August, 2004 Bus Bankruptcy Skoda Ostrov, an Eastern European trolley bus manufacturer, has liquidated its business after a bankruptcy proceeding. This would not be news except that MUNI bought 250 electric trolley busses from them in 1997 for $52 million dollars. Reportedly, the maintenance contracts will survive the ensuing turmoil. […]
Bay CrossingsJournal
By Mccabe Coolidge Published: August, 2004 A slow morning at the art gallery, so I awalk out onto the deck and check out the waterfront. A few tourists browsing in an antique store, a group of people waiting in front of the dive shop, some white wooden shrimpers docked in front of Otis’s Fish Market. […]
New Look for BART Heralds Sweet Summer Deal for Commuters
Published: August, 2004 The new look calls attention to a groundbreaking deal—forged through a landmark partnership between BART, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District—that allows travelers to ride BART free during the mornings of the first five weekdays declared Spare the Air days by the Air District. BART […]
The Hungry Gourmet
By Paul Redman Published: August, 2004 San Francisco- Larry Johnson, a homeless man, languidly dragged a milk crate along the sidewalk, using a thick strand of Saran Wrap for a handle. The crate was full of fishing bait: large fish heads and tiny squid. He stopped in front of the farmers’ market, and asked “Where’s […]
Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners Approve Renewable Energy Package
Published: August, 2004 California Senate Bill 1078 (SB 1078) became law January 1, 2003. It provides that each governing body of a local publicly owned electric utility shall be responsible for implementing and enforcing a “renewable portfolio standard” to encourage renewable resources. The state legislature established an attainment target of 20% renewable energy by the […]
Libations
By Dianne Boate and Robert Meyer Published: August, 2004 The days of wine tasting go back a long way for Spencer Christian, chief weather forecaster for Channel 7 ABC News. By 1979, while he was living on the East Coast, his wine cellar already boasted 1,500 bottles. He concentrated on Bordeaux, Australian, and California wines, […]