San Francisco, CA
BART shutdown highlights fragility of Bay Area transit system
Friday’s BART shutdown brought much of the Bay Area to a standstill, offering a sobering preview of what could become a daily reality if public transit agencies are forced to make drastic service cuts due to looming budget shortfalls.
Transportation officials have long warned about a “fiscal cliff” expected in 2026, when one-time federal pandemic relief funds run out. Without new revenue, agencies like BART face multimillion-dollar deficits that could result in severe service reductions.
BART officials confirmed that their remaining one-time federal funds will be depleted by next year, leaving the agency staring down an annual structural deficit estimated at $350 to $400 million beginning in fiscal year 2027.
“If we do nothing, we’re going to see massive service cuts at BART, elimination of an entire line or two, closure of stations, scaling back or elimination of evening and weekend service,” said State Senator Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco).
The impact of Friday’s shutdown was immediate and widespread. Morning commuters scrambled to find alternative routes to work and school, leading to long delays, packed ferries, and costly rideshares.
“I looked at the alert and saw the traffic. I saw everything go not red, but dark red,” said Ian Ratzer, who took the San Francisco Bay Ferry from Oakland to San Francisco.
“Their suggestion is to take some buses. But I looked that up, and it was five different buses and it would’ve taken two hours,” said Laura Braun, who was running late for her job in Downtown.
“The ferry was pretty busy for a Friday,” added Precious Bautista, who traveled into the city from Vallejo.
Angelica Galang, a San Francisco resident, was late for her company retreat in Oakland due to the disruption.
“BART is shut down everywhere, so I Ubered to the Ferry Building. It was $50 for six miles. Now I’m taking the ferry to Alameda, and then taking another Uber to Lake Merritt,” Galang said. What should have been a 30-minute BART ride, she noted, turned into an expensive 90-minute ordeal.
“This is why we need to fund public transportation because this is what it leads to if we don’t,” Galang added.
San Francisco leaders and transit advocates echoed those concerns.
“It affects everyone. And if you are a driver, even if you never take transit, BART failing affects you because it means tons of traffic congestion,” said Senator Wiener, who is working with State Senator Jesse Arreguín (D–Berkeley) to secure $2 billion in state funding for public transportation.
The two lawmakers are also crafting a 2026 regional ballot measure—a proposed half-cent sales tax—to support BART, Muni, and other Bay Area transit systems. Wiener hopes to place the measure on the November 2026 ballot.
Cyrus Hall, a Bay Area transit advocate, emphasized the broader economic consequences of allowing public transit to deteriorate.
“The Bay Bridge would become unnavigable, it would become completely congested and packed with cars. The commute into the city would take hours longer. And we just cannot accept that future as a region. It would be devastating economically,” Hall said.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also stressed the importance of a robust transit network.
“BART and MUNI are critical to our revival here in San Francisco and obviously critical to the region. So we need a well-functioning BART, a well-functioning MUNI. And we’re going to need to go to the voters to discuss it next year,” said Lurie.
For now, riders like Galang are hoping they won’t have to endure another chaotic morning commute anytime soon.
“A lot of stress. My company understands—but it’s been a morning,” she said.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco hotels see steady World Cup business, but fall short of Super Bowl surge
Bay Area bars and restaurants are packed for World Cup watch parties this week, but San Francisco hotels are not seeing the same sell-out crowds experienced during the Super Bowl earlier this year.
While the Super Bowl brought a concentrated week of events that sent hotel prices soaring into the thousands, the World Cup spans more than a month. The extended timeline has resulted in a slower, steadier trickle of out-of-town soccer fans booking rooms.
The Bay Area has several exciting matches on the schedule at Levi’s Stadium, but none feature top-seeded teams or the mega-star power seen when “Messi mania” previously swept the region.
“We knew we weren’t going to get any of the first-place teams. We weren’t going to get Brazil, or Germany, or any of the teams carrying big fan bases — Messi, Ronaldo,” said Alex Bastian, CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. “But that being said, this is still such a great thing, because people are coming here from around the world.”
Bastian noted that the city’s hospitality industry is still in a strong position for the summer.
“We have a great convention calendar for the month of June, and because we were prepared, we’re doing much better compared to our colleagues across the country,” he said.
A significant surge in hotel bookings could still happen if Levi’s Stadium secures a match featuring Team USA. That possibility grew stronger following the U.S. team’s 2-0 win over Australia on Friday.
“I’m really excited about Team USA. I’m USA all the way,” Bastian added. “I’m hopeful that when that game is played here, the world will come check out San Francisco as well.”
The San Francisco Giants are headed even farther south today as they begin a weekend road series against the Miami Marlins.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be noted bigot Landen Roupp. Roupp enters today’s game with a 4.24 ERA, 2.96 FIP, with 82 strikeouts to 32 walks in 74.1 innings pitched. His last start was in Friday night’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs, in which Roupp clearly cared more about proselytizing than he did about winning, allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in four and two thirds innings.
As of the time this is being written on Thursday, the Marlins have not announced a starting pitcher for today’s game and I am off today (Happy Juneteenth!). But you can head on down to the comments for the most up to date information.
Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins
Where: loanDepot park, Miami, Florida
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
SAN FRANCISCO – An 8-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department received a hero’s sendoff Thursday afternoon as she was discharged from San Francisco General Hospital, less than three weeks after surviving a life-threatening shooting in the line of duty.
First time opening up to the public
The backstory:
Officer Brittney Taylor was greeted by a formation of first responders clapping to show their appreciation and respect as she emerged from the hospital in a wheelchair.
The discharge marks the first time Taylor has spoken publicly since the violent encounter on the night of May 31. According to newly released police body-camera footage, Taylor was shot in the upper leg and foot by a robbery suspect following a pursuit that ended in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood.
“I almost lost my life,” Taylor said. “It’s the little things you take for granted. Holy crap, you get to sit back and look at the big picture.”
When asked if she felt any fear during the incident, Taylor admitted she did that night, though not in the moments leading up to it.
“I knew what could happen,” she said, describing the entire ordeal as an eye-opener. “It is difficult to think about it. You replay it, and it absolutely causes me to lose sleep.”
Credit where credit is due
Dig deeper:
Taylor credited the hospital’s medical team, specifically trauma surgeon Dr. Andre Campbell, with saving her life.
However, Dr. Campbell emphasized that the quick actions of Taylor’s fellow officers at the scene played a critical role in her survival.
Instead of waiting for an ambulance, officers recognized the severity of her injuries, placed her into a patrol car, and rushed her directly to the hospital.
“Which was great,” Dr. Campbell said.
Taylor also highlighted the deep bond shared within her “close-knit police family.”
A squad of female officers and their commanding sergeant have maintained a constant presence at the hospital to offer continuous support throughout her stay.
The native San Franciscan expressed that she has no regrets and hopes her experience will encourage other officers to do their best.
“I love the city,” Taylor said. “I don’t like it when people come to my city and destroy it or hurt the citizens here. That takes a toll on me. I’m going to do something about it.”
The road to recovery
What’s next:
When asked how she would respond to people calling her a hero, Taylor remained humble.
“It’s my job. I was doing my job that night. I’m glad to be put in that position of being a hero.”
Following her release, Taylor received a full police escort as she headed home.
While she notes that her full recovery could take anywhere from six months to a year, she remains resolute about her future.
“You gotta let me put my uniform back on and get back out there,” Taylor said, adding that she has no hesitation about continuing her career. “Honestly, no. I got to slow it down. I have time now.”
The Source: Interview with SFPD Officer Brittney Taylor
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