Google Maps has added “a fresh color scheme, including a different look for parks and city blocks,” writes SFGate. “But it’s the changes to the app’s all-important road maps that are rankling online commentators…”
Previously, highways and freeways were depicted in bright yellow, which stood out against a stark white grid. Now, the app shows every road in various shades of gray, with major thoroughfares like Interstate 80 and Highway 1 showing up darker and thicker than other roadways. Raynell Cooper, an employee at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, called the new look “cartographically disappointing” in a Monday post to X, formerly known as Twitter. He added, “major local roads and limited-access highways (freeways) are basically indistinguishable.”
TechRadar has a side-by-side comparison of the old and new color schemes, quoting one Reddit who says the new one is a bit harder to read quickly. “The toned down look is cute but not practical.”
And the Evening Standard shares more negative reactions, including one user who complained the new color scheme is “shockingly bad.”
“Hate it hate it hate it hate it. Yellow roads were so good, and everything was bright and cheery,” states another person on Reddit. “Now it’s depressing and the roads are hard to see when not fairly zoomed in, they just don’t pop like the yellow did.
One Reddit user offered another complaint. “I think the water is a fairly significant change, it’s a much closer shade to the green of the land which makes it a little harder to differentiate at a quick glance.”

And another criticism came from a post on X. “15 years ago, I helped design Google Maps…” wrote designer Elizabeth Laraki. “Last week, the team dramatically changed the map’s visual design. I don’t love it.”

It feels colder, less accurate and less human. But more importantly, they missed a key opportunity to simplify and scale… Google Maps should have cleaned up the crud overlaying the map. So much stuff has accumulated on top of the map. Currently there are ~11 different elements obscuring it.
Tech blogger John Gruber writes, “This is a very long way of saying that Google Maps’s app design should be like Apple Maps.”

The post Google Maps’ New Shade Scheme Attracts Criticism On-line appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Outside a San Francisco court Wednesday, city officials and civil rights groups held dueling rallies about an injunction restricting the city from clearing homeless encampments.

The dueling protesters tried to shout each other down with opposing chants of “save our streets” and “housing is a human right” outside the court at around 9 a.m. Wednesday.

A Standard reporter on the scene says protesters supporting the end of the injunction outnumber counter-protesters by a wide margin.

Homeless injunction dueling protestors sound off outside the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. | Garrett Leahy/The Standard

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu appeared at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to try and persuade a three-judge panel to toss out the injunction restricting the city from clearing homeless encampments.

Outside the courthouse, Mayor London Breed supervisors Rafael Mandelman, Matt Dorsey and Joel Engardio. | Source: Garrett Leahy/The Standard

Mayor London Breed and three members of the Board of Supervisors—supervisors Rafael Mandelman, Matt Dorsey and Joel Engardio—are heading up a rally calling attention to the impacts of the injunction.

Mandelman said his constituents see encampments in the Castro and local merchants have voiced concerns.

“We shouldn’t let people camp in public, especially when those camps are correlated with drug use and disrupt business,” Mandelman said.

“It’s good to build affordable housing, but we need to create the space for people to get well before moving into housing,” Engardio said.

The call for greater investment in shelter beds comes as the city grapples with a $728 million budget deficit.

Supervisor Matt Dorsey gives a speech in support of ending the homeless sweeps injunction outside a San Francisco court house ahead of a key appeals hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023. | Garrett Leahy/The StandardProtesters, both supporting and opposing an injunction barring encampment sweeps, gathered outside the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday ahead of the city’s appeal of the court order. | Source: Garrett Leahy/The Standard

The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club organized the counterprotest opposing the appeal. 

“Our rally sends a clear message that we stand united for justice, compassion, and accountability from the city and Mayor London Breed,” the club’s president, Jeffrey Kwong, said in an email. “We are standing up with the ACLU and [Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights San Francisco] to demand judicial oversight over the city’s utter failure to address the homelessness and housing crisis.”

ACLU Northern California Director Abdi Soltani said encampment sweeps are ineffective at addressing homelessness and that shelter options are not provided when they are carried out.

ACLU Northern California director Abdi Soltani speaks in support of the homeless sweeps injunction in San Francisco. | Source: Garrett Leahy/The Standard

This is a developing story and will be updated.

The post San Francisco Homeless Sweeps Courtroom Listening to Attracts Protesters appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco celebrated its 53rd annual Pride Parade with nearly a million people on Sunday.

The theme of this year’s parade was “Looking Back and Looking Forward”. The San Francisco Pride Parade marched down Market Street from the Embarcadero to the celebration at the Civic Center.

In addition to San Francisco, events in New York and Chicago are among the events being hosted by around 400 Pride organizations across the US this year, with many focusing specifically on transgender people’s rights.

One of the largest and most well-known LGBTQ+ celebrations in the United States, San Francisco’s Pride Parade drew tens of thousands of spectators to the city on Sunday.

The event, created by group Dykes on Bikes, featured dozens of colorful floats, some carrying powerful messages against the wave of anti-transgender laws in state houses across the country.

Organizers told the San Francisco Chronicle that this year’s theme places an emphasis on activism. The parade was also attended by the country’s first drag award winner, D’Arcy Drollinger.

“When we go through the world in a more authentic and fabulous way, we inspire everyone,” said Drollinger at a breakfast before the parade.

Along Market Street, Speaker Emeritus of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff of Burbank were spotted driving together. San Francisco Mayor London Breed and California Attorney General Rob Bonta also attended the parade on Sunday.

A couple made the extra trip from Orlando, Fla., to attend Sunday’s parade.

“They said it felt safe and joyful to celebrate pride in San Francisco at a time when gay and trans rights are under attack in Florida and other states,” said John Seigel of Orlando. “Why would you hate someone who loves someone?” he said.

Other parade participants said this year’s Pride march is meaningful because there are fewer safe places to be outside and proud these days.

“The way things are right now, people who attack drag queens and transgender people are supposed to be drag queens drag queens,” said Alexandra Hampton of Los Angeles. “Quite literally, it’s just nice to see them at the parade as authentically as they are without having to worry about someone beating them up. We’re all one community here.”

The Associated Press contributed to the report.

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The ‘Joy Ride’ stars called their latest film “liberating” and “the first of its kind” at the red carpet screening in San Francisco on Thursday.

Ashley Park, who plays one of the film’s main characters, was in attendance and told SFGATE that it was her third time seeing the film in front of an audience. She said each time the crowd left energetically.

“We love everything in this genre, and at least what I’ve personally seen is that everyone leaves the theater happy, horny, seen or heard and just full of life,” she said.

The film, which officially hits theaters July 7, is a comedy about four Asian-American girlfriends, played by Park, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola and Sabrina Wu, who travel across different parts of Asia to meet one of their birth mothers to find. The comedy is like a cross between ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ with hilarious moments including lots of cocaine, a very ‘interesting’ sex scene with a messy threesome montage and an appearance by a fake K-pop group.

Directed by Adele Lim, “Joy Ride” had a nearly full hall with 1,400 spectators screaming and bursting with laughter at almost every moment of the San Franciscremiere.

“[‘Joy Ride’] “Everyone is in a good mood and can relate to one, if not all, of the characters and situations – and we were just all Asian,” Park said before the premiere.

According to its website, the studio comedy premiered in San Francisco during CAAMFest, the world’s largest festival for Asian-American films. The film festival takes place from May 11th to 21st in San Francisco and Oakland.

Wu, a comedian and actor who notably wrote for the Disney+ series Doogie Kamealoha, declared her appreciation for San Francisco on the red carpet at the historic Castro Theater.

“San Francisco is so beautiful right now, and living in Michigan with my gay friends, we always thought, ‘One day we’re all going to escape to California. We’re going to move to the gay west coast,” they said. “I guess it’s exactly what I imagined being here on this street with a rainbow flag flying every ten feet.”

Thuy Tran, festival and exhibition director of CAAMFest, said in a recorded video shown at the premiere that the story of “Joy Ride” propels the industry and the Asian American community forward with its “taboo” but groundbreaking topics.

“‘Joy Ride’ is so emphatic about Asian-American joy,” Tran said. “It’s so uncompromising about our desires, period.”

In the film, the four characters, most notably Park’s character Audrey, struggle with their sense of self and personal identity. Audrey, who works in a law firm, ignores the seemingly “wild” aspects of life that make her happy and struggles with her cultural identity as an Asian American. The film does a great job of depicting the characters’ breakthroughs in their self-discovery while also capturing their pure and diverse friendship, without missing out on hilarious moments that will make you laugh.

During a question-and-answer session after the premiere, the cast said they were grateful for the film’s writers’ ability to assemble such a diverse cast with distinctly different personalities and identities. The cast also mentioned that much like their on-screen characters, they felt that their identities as Asian Americans limited their opportunities, and “Joy Ride” was a major breakthrough in their professional careers.

“I actually think sometimes that I had such low expectations of myself because I didn’t see a way forward,” said Hsu, who plays Kat, during the Q&A session. Hsu recently played several supporting roles in blockbusters like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Marvel’s Shang-Chi.

Park, who also played Mindy Chen in Emily in Paris, said she felt the similar experiences of all the leading actors in the film industry created a bond between the four.

“If you’ve only had a handful of supporting role opportunities, you’ve got a really supporting cast,” she said during the Q&A session.

“Joy Ride” was a fantastic portrayal of a life without shame, and if the reception at the Castro was any indication, it will be a revolutionary film for the talented cohort of actors and an important chapter in the next wave of Asian-American cinema.

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More than 100 million Americans tuned in to say goodbye, farewell, and amen to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital on that day in history, February 28, 1983.

The final episode of the hit CBS sitcom “M*A*S*H” remained the most-watched television show in American history for 27 years.

It was eventually surpassed by Super Bowl XLIV (The Saints over the Colts) in February 2010.

Its finale, 40 years later, is still the most-watched scripted TV show in American history.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB. ON JANUARY 27, 1827, NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES CARNIVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME

Debuting in 1972 when the United States was still fighting the Vietnam War, “M*A*S*H” shared the dark, comedic antics set in a field hospital set during the earlier Korean War.

“‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’ received a whopping 60.3 rating and 77 shares…a whopping 105.9 million people watched on average over the two and a half hours, with 121.6 million watching in the last six minutes peaked at,” MeTV.com writes in a review of 2022 about the defining moment for American broadcast television.

The 77 share meant that more than three-quarters of all people watching TV that night were watching that one episode of “M*A*S*H.”

It attracted a high proportion of 82 in San Francisco, according to a Variety report at the time.

“Advertisers spending up to $450,000 per 30-second commercial seemed to get their money’s worth,” Variety noted.

“M*A*S*H” was so popular throughout its eleven seasons that Prince Charles attended a taping of the show during a two-week tour of the United States in 1977.

He then attended a luncheon with the cast, still in costume, according to an Associated Press report at the time.

MeTV added, “While the numbers are impressive, it’s the emotion that sustains ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.’

The episode ended with Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) exiting the unit by helicopter when he looked down and saw the word “goodbye” written in giant letters with stones – the message that field surgeon BJ Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) had left. .

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INVENTED THE TELEVISION REMOTE CONTROL: EUGENE POLLEY, ENGINEER FROM CHICAGO

It was indeed a goodbye from one of the nation’s most beloved casts in television history.

“Viewers laughed at the antics of the characters at Rosie’s Bar or The Swamp with Hawkeye nestled in his purple robe, the color of royalty,” wrote the Hollywood Reporter while celebrating the finale’s 35th anniversary in 2018.

“Mourning losses in the operating room, feeling Radar (Gary Burghoff) clinging to his teddy bear at night, feeling Maxwell Klinger’s (Jamie Farr) pride in his Statue of Liberty outfit and BJ Hunnicutt’s heartbreak at missing his daughter’s.” Childhood.”

The crowd glued to the tube for the final few minutes was so massive it disrupted New York City’s plumbing infrastructure as the curtain closed.

“After the end, so many people rushed to the bathroom that the subsequent drop in pressure from flushing the toilet caused a surge in the tunnels that carry water from the Catskills to New York,” MeTV wrote.

The sitcom was based on the hit 1970 film M*A*S*H, which in turn was inspired by Richard Hooker’s 1968 book M*A*S*H: A Novel of Three Army Doctors Name One former military surgeon.

“M*A*S*H,” the TV show, has been dark, deep, thoughtful, scathing, or cynical at various times – yet always hilarious.

Americans more than 40 years ago, millions of them veterans of World War II, Korea or Vietnam, had a deep connection to the struggles of the men and women of the 4077.

Alda, who not only starred in “M*A*S*H” but also helped write the final episode, was a US Army veteran who actually served in South Korea shortly after the end of the war.

Farr was also serving in the army in Korea around the same time.

“M*A*S*H” paired quick-witted doctors pulled from civilian life to care for badly wounded and dying American boys and sometimes the enemy while messing up military regulations, along with regular career soldiers who attempted to to maintain order.

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They were all bound by duty and a shared humanity while lamenting the state of a species that was so quick to kill one another.

“M*A*S*H” was essentially a divine anti-war comedy in the tradition of “Catch-22” delivered to a nation still mending the physical and societal wounds of the Vietnam War.

Its success was created by a unique confluence of circumstances: a cutting edge, brilliantly written, well acted, emotionally gripping comedy, aired at the right moment in the story.

Evidence of his connection was found in the historic size of the audience 40 years ago today.

“In building the groundbreaking series, the cast and crew forged a bond of love and respect that lives on to this day: a love of truth in storytelling, a love for the audiences they entertain, and a love for one another,” said the Hollywood Reporter.

The post On today in historical past, Feb. 28, 1983, ‘M*A*S*H’ finale attracts report TV viewers of over 100 million | Nationwide appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A social media post sparked further controversy in San Francisco’s so-called “red light district.”

SFMTA installed new barriers along Capp Street in the Mission District, replacing existing barriers erected a few weeks ago to curb ongoing prostitution in the area. The cinder block barricades are a concern for the San Francisco Fire Department.

“I think it’s the best thing they’ve done in . . . forever,” said Carl Connell, a longtime resident who lives down the street on Capp Street and sees no exploited women on the street.”

For the first time in 41 years, Connell says he genuinely enjoys his neighborhood — even if it means his newfound sense of peace shifts the issue elsewhere.

“I don’t know, it’s someone else’s turn to have this stuff for 40 years,” Connell said.

EXCLUSIVE: SF residents say this street has turned into a “Las Vegas Strip” filled with alleged sex workers

A turn his neighbors down the street won’t take.

“That’s just obviously stupid,” said Steve Bower, who owns a wood and paint shop on Capp Street. “There has to be a safe place for sex workers to work.”

The irony of barriers designed to block the problem may just create another.

“It endangers public safety,” Bower said.

Over the weekend, the local San Francisco Fire Department union tweeted, “Self-serving decisions that put others at risk can have dire consequences. The tweet included a photo of the barricades and referenced a large fire that affected their ability to save the 300 block of Capp Street.

RELATED: Video shows street barriers aimed at curbing alleged sex work being torn down in SF’s ‘red light district’

Word got around quickly.

“I heard there was this massive explosion and the fire engines couldn’t get in to do their job,” Bower said. “Seems to be a pretty steep price to pay for complaints from neighbors who don’t like people pulling up and asking for sex.”

But according to resident and city records, there was no fire on Capp St over the weekend. The tweet actually confused many in the neighborhood.

“We were a little worried,” said a Capp Street resident. “We thought, oh, are the barriers causing problems? But speaking to other residents, we found that there hadn’t been a fire, not in the 300 block of Capp St. or anywhere else on Capp St., since the barriers were put up.”

Several neighbors told the I-Team that they felt the tweet misrepresented the reality of what happened. But rescue workers argue that every second counts when responding to life-threatening situations.

RELATED: Resolution legalizing sex work in CA introduced by SF overseer

More than 170 neighbors signed a letter expressing their support for the barricades, adding that they have reduced violence and restored peace to the area. The letter was presented to Mayor Breed and other city officials during a meeting Tuesday to discuss next steps.

“In the meantime, the mayor has decided that we will keep the barricades up,” said Sup. Hillary Ronen, adding that there will be minor delays in the event of emergencies. “But on the other hand, the danger on the street from violence and gunfire and a pedestrian being hit was so great that we have to balance all these competing factors.”

“Are you concerned about the impact on response times?” ABC7’s Stephanie Sierra asked Connell. “Nah. You just have to know how to get in,” he said.

But other residents aren’t happy with the idea — they expect more traffic, parking problems and delayed deliveries.

“It’s a danger,” Bower said. “That is no solution.”

Excellent. Ronen says the city will design and build a new barricade system that will be bolted to the ground over the next six weeks. At this point, the firefighters can use a tool to remove the barricades in an emergency.

Check out more stories from the ABC7 News I-Team.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

Copyright © 2023 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

The post Social media publish attracts controversy to cement barricades at San Francisco’s ‘red-light district’ appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Wildfires and COVID — both of which can threaten the quality of indoor office building air — are triggering demand for better ways to filter out contaminants such as smoke which according to the Centers for Disease Control can irritate the lungs, cause inflammation, alter immune function and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.

“Our company has seen 35% growth in demand for air quality solutions, evidenced by increasing sales of air scrubbers, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters and MERV 13-plus filtration products, ultraviolet light systems and related solutions for businesses, residences , schools and hospitals,” said Nick Hartman, HVAC division manager for Ongaro & Sons in Santa Rosa.

The heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems contractor serving Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties installed updated devices in its 7,500-square-foot main location at 2995 Dutton Ave. in Santa Rosa.

“We believe this decision convinced most of our people to come back to the workplace after the lockdown,” Hartman said. “We continue to install a range of healthy air options in several Sonoma and Marin County schools, private homes and for large commercial customers.”

High tech solutions

There are small business or home electrostatic air filtration systems that contain several multifold, 5-inch-wide air filters on racks, They can capture particles as small as 0.1 micron in size (700 times narrower than a human hair).

Hartman said this system is up to 100 times more effective than the standard 1-inch filter and captures up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. That performance level has been independently verified by experts at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Also available are ozone-free air scrubbers that incorporate high-intensity UV-C light and produce negatively charged ions that inactivate airborne contaminants.

“This innovation can be installed in existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system ductwork to eliminate up to 99.96% of common flu and DNA or RNA viruses, mold and bacteria while also lowering indoor air quality index (AQI) values ​​to maintain green levels of less than 50, where pollutants cause little or no risk,” Hartman added.

The AQI index runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution. A good AQI level is between 0 and 50. Levels during the North Bay wildfires shot up above 300 — the hazardous level — in some areas.

Mark Hagarty, with Simpson Sheet Metal Inc. in Santa Rosa, said his firm has also seen a rise in residential customer demand for HVAC air-quality improvements and has several new installation projects underground.

“Bringing fresh air outside indoors is important. This has become a high priority for a variety of health reasons, but more can be done to enhance air quality by upgrading or replacing existing systems,” Hagarty said.

He said California’s Building Standards Code Title 24 contain “robust” regulations that contribute to achieving the state’s climate and air quality goals. In addition, The California Green Building Standard promotes healthy indoor and outdoor air quality by addressing issues of adequate ventilation, air exchange and indoor air pollution.

School air quality grants

California Air Resources Board Supervisor Pat Wong said building code revisions in 2020 addressed air-quality standards for new buildings, the construction of multifamily housing and for major upgrades to existing structures.

That year a research study at the University of California Davis and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that only 15% of public-school classrooms studied met the state’s ventilation standard. That means 85% of schools were likely “woefully under-ventilated.” The study arrived at the time the COVID-19 respiratory coronavirus was being spread by close human interaction.

As a prelude to reopening schools after mandatory COVID closures, the California Legislature passed AB 841 (The California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing and Energy (CalSHAPE) Ventilation Program). It provides up to $600 million through two grant programs for energy upgrades and to test, adjust and repair HVAC systems in schools.

Governor Newsom signed this bill into law Oct. 1, 2020. The round 2 application deadline for both ventilation and plumbing program funds is May 31.

Demand for increasing system MERV ratings

Zach Brandner, vice president for construction with Peterson Mechanical Inc. in Sonoma, said a trend toward widespread adoption of air quality improvements during the pandemic “began slowly and did not take hold as fast as I thought it would be among all sectors of the economy due to cost and maintenance issues.”

The post Indoor air high quality attracts new consideration as staff return to San Francisco North Bay workplaces appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Wildfires and COVID — both of which can threaten the quality of indoor office building air — are triggering demand for better ways to filter out contaminants such as smoke which according to the Centers for Disease Control can irritate the lungs, cause inflammation, alter immune function and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.

“Our company has seen 35% growth in demand for air quality solutions, evidenced by increasing sales of air scrubbers, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters and MERV 13-plus filtration products, ultraviolet light systems and related solutions for businesses, residences , schools and hospitals,” said Nick Hartman, HVAC division manager for Ongaro & Sons in Santa Rosa.

The heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems contractor serving Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties installed updated devices in its 7,500-square-foot main location at 2995 Dutton Ave. in Santa Rosa.

“We believe this decision convinced most of our people to come back to the workplace after the lockdown,” Hartman said. “We continue to install a range of healthy air options in several Sonoma and Marin County schools, private homes and for large commercial customers.”

High tech solutions

There are small business or home electrostatic air filtration systems that contain several multifold, 5-inch-wide air filters on racks, They can capture particles as small as 0.1 micron in size (700 times narrower than a human hair).

Hartman said this system is up to 100 times more effective than the standard 1-inch filter and captures up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. That performance level has been independently verified by experts at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Also available are ozone-free air scrubbers that incorporate high-intensity UV-C light and produce negatively charged ions that inactivate airborne contaminants.

“This innovation can be installed in existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system ductwork to eliminate up to 99.96% of common flu and DNA or RNA viruses, mold and bacteria while also lowering indoor air quality index (AQI) values ​​to maintain green levels of less than 50, where pollutants cause little or no risk,” Hartman added.

The AQI index runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution. A good AQI level is between 0 and 50. Levels during the North Bay wildfires shot up above 300 — the hazardous level — in some areas.

Mark Hagarty, with Simpson Sheet Metal Inc. in Santa Rosa, said his firm has also seen a rise in residential customer demand for HVAC air-quality improvements and has several new installation projects underground.

“Bringing fresh outside air indoors is important. This has become a high priority for a variety of health reasons, but more can be done to enhance air quality by upgrading or replacing existing systems,” Hagarty said.

He said California’s Building Standards Code Title 24 contain “robust” regulations that contribute to achieving the state’s climate and air quality goals. In addition, The California Green Building Standard promotes healthy indoor and outdoor air quality by addressing issues of adequate ventilation, air exchange and indoor air pollution.

School air quality grants

California Air Resources Board Supervisor Pat Wong said building code revisions in 2020 addressed air-quality standards for new buildings, the construction of multifamily housing and for major upgrades to existing structures.

That year a research study at the University of California Davis and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that only 15% of public-school classrooms studied met the state’s ventilation standard. That means 85% of schools were likely “woefully under-ventilated.” The study arrived at the time the COVID-19 respiratory coronavirus was being spread by close human interaction.

As a prelude to reopening schools after mandatory COVID closures, the California Legislature passed AB 841 (The California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing and Energy (CalSHAPE) Ventilation Program). It provides up to $600 million through two grant programs for energy upgrades and to test, adjust and repair HVAC systems in schools.

Governor Newsom signed this bill into law Oct. 1, 2020. The round 2 application deadline for both ventilation and plumbing program funds is May 31.

Demand for increasing system MERV ratings

Zach Brandner, vice president for construction with Peterson Mechanical Inc. in Sonoma, said a trend toward widespread adoption of air quality improvements during the pandemic “began slowly and did not take hold as fast as I thought it would be among all sectors of the economy due to cost and maintenance issues.”

The post Indoor air high quality attracts new consideration as staff return to San Francisco North Bay workplaces appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Wildfires and COVID — both of which can threaten the quality of indoor office building air – are triggering demand for better ways to filter out contaminants such as smoke which according to the Centers for Disease Control can irritate the lungs, cause inflammation, alter immune function and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.

“Our company has seen 35% growth in demand for air quality solutions, evidenced by increasing sales of air scrubbers, HEPA (high-efficiency aarticulate air) filters and MERV 13-plus filtration products, ultraviolet light systems and related solutions for businesses, residences , schools and hospitals,” said Nick Hartman, HVAC division manager for Ongaro & Sons in Santa Rosa.

The heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems contractor serving Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties installed updated devices in its 7,500-square-foot main location at 2995 Dutton Ave. in Santa Rosa.

“We believe this decision convinced most of our people to come back to the workplace after the lockdown,” Hartman said. “We continue to install a range of healthy air options in several Sonoma and Marin County schools, private homes and for large commercial customers.”

High tech solutions

There are small business or home electrostatic air filtration systems that contain several multifold, 5-inch-wide air filters on racks, They can capture particles as small as 0.1 micron in size (700 times narrower than a human hair).

Hartman said this system is up to 100 times more effective than the standard 1-inch filter and captures up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. That performance level has been independently verified by experts at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Also available are ozone-free air scrubbers that incorporate high-intensity UV-C light and produce negatively charged ions that inactivate airborne contaminants.

“This innovation can be installed in existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system ductwork to eliminate up to 99.96% of common flu and DNA or RNA viruses, mold and bacteria while also lowering indoor air quality index (AQI) values ​​to maintain green levels of less than 50, where pollutants cause little or no risk,” Hartman added.

The AQI index runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution. A good AQI level is between 0 and 50. Levels during the North Bay wildfires shot up above 300 — the hazardous level — in some areas.

Mark Hagarty, with Simpson Sheet Metal, Inc. in Santa Rosa, said his firm has also seen a rise in residential customer demand for HVAC air-quality improvements and has several new installation projects underground.

“Bringing fresh outside air indoors is important. This has become a high priority for a variety of health reasons, but more can be done to enhance air quality by upgrading or replacing existing systems,” Hagarty said.

He said California’s Building Standards Code Title 24 contain “robust” regulations that contribute to achieving the state’s climate and air quality goals. In addition, The California Green Building Standard promotes healthy indoor and outdoor air quality by addressing issues of adequate ventilation, air exchange and indoor air pollution.

School air quality grants

California Air Resources Board Supervisor Pat Wong said building code revisions in 2020 addressed air-quality standards for new buildings, the construction of multifamily housing and for major upgrades to existing structures.

That year a research study at the University of California Davis and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that only 15% of public-school classrooms studied met the state’s ventilation standard. That means 85% of schools were likely “woefully under-ventilated.” The study arrived at the time the COVID-19 respiratory coronavirus was being spread by close human interaction.

As a prelude to reopening schools after mandatory COVID closures, the California Legislature passed AB 841 (The California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing and Energy (CalSHAPE) Ventilation Program). It provides up to $600 million through two grant programs for energy upgrades and to test, adjust and repair HVAC systems in schools.

Governor Newsom signed this bill into law Oct. 1, 2020. The round 2 application deadline for both ventilation and plumbing program funds is May 31.

Demand for increasing system MERV ratings

Zach Brandner, vice president for construction with Peterson Mechanical Inc. in Sonoma, said a trend toward widespread adoption of air quality improvements during the pandemic “began slowly and did not take hold as fast as I thought it would be among all sectors of the economy due to cost and maintenance issues.”

The post Indoor air attracts new consideration as staff return to San Francisco North Bay workplaces appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

OAKLAND (KPIX) — It was an emotional night for many students in the Oakland Unified School District Monday as they faced the possibility of losing their schools. Hundreds of community members showed up for the school board meeting to oppose the campus closures and consolidations proposed for the next two school years.

In 2006, Oakland embraced a small-school model to better serve impoverished neighborhoods. But there are those on the school board who think that was a financial mistake and they’re looking to change it. And they’re not wasting any time doing it.

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The proposed closure list was released to the public on Sunday. Six schools — Brookfield, Carl Munck, Prescott, Grass Valley, Parker, Community Day School — are recommended for closure at the end of this academic year. Two other schools — Horace Mann Elementary and Korematsu Discovery Academy — would close after next year, with their students then being reassigned to other schools.

Additionally, three schools would merge onto other campuses after this school year with Manzanita Community School moving to join Fruitvale Elementary the following year. The community just found out about the possible closure last Friday and it has organized quickly to try to save this school.

The Manzanita Community School held a Monday night viewing party, as parents, teachers and students united to fight the possible school closure. On Zoom, roughly 1600 people raised their hand for a chance to speak during the board meeting.

“Teachers have really helped me to get my children to the right path of education,” said Manzanita parent Tania Chi.

“You’re looking for family involvement but your also looking for that personal touch, said Pablo Pitcher Deproto. “When you have a smaller school, you just have more of an ability to reach those students.”

OUSD says it has too many small schools which makes it difficult to upkeep facilities and drives down salaries for teachers.

“Part of the narrative is we can’t give the teachers raises unless we close schools is incredibly offensive to pit us and our salaries against our school communities,” says Carrie Anderson, a teacher at Manzanita Community School.

Chi thinks the closure would have a huge impact on the largely low-income families at the school.

“I think parents would have to get up and move,” she said. “They would have to make a lot of schedule re-arranging throughout their day, and we don’t have a lot of help throughout the day.”

Oakland Unified officials said they are seeking community engagement by holding the special meeting Monday night. However, that meeting comes just one day after the list was released.

“How are we going to engage?” said Regina Morones, a Manzanita staff employee since 2006 when the school was founded. “How are we going to say anything? How are we going to show up at the board meeting if it’s on Zoom? So, to me, it’s all a strategy to make sure there’s as little push back as possible.”

Board President Gary Yee said OUSD has too many small, under-enrolled schools and it’s a financial burden preventing the district from providing adequate service to the community. He said larger, more regional schools would save money that could be put toward higher teacher salaries and a more effective operation.

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Though the district is not currently in a financial crisis, Yee said there’s no use waiting for things to get worse.

When he was asked if it was reasonable to take a vote only eight days after the closure list was released to the public, Yee replied, “Ummm…I understand the anger and the worries and the concern. I believe the process is one that is comprehensive and sufficiently detailed for us to consider.”

As for holding the public meeting the day after the list was revealed, Yee added he didn’t expect that anyone’s minds would be changed anyway.

“It’s super hard for people to consider something other than what they’re familiar with,” he said.

District 5 Director Mike Hutchinson alerted the community about the 6 schools on the closure list.

“We have no financial crisis,” sats Hutchinson. “We have a mismanagement crisis.”

Hutchinson is outraged that some of his fellow school board members are trying to push through school closures, especially during a pandemic.

Hutchinson adds, “There’s been no engagement, no process, they gave a ten day timeline to close schools permanently. The biggest issue is we don’t have an emergency going on right now that says we have to make these decisions in the next few days.”

But what the community gets from Manzanita seems pretty important. The school keeps a storeroom stocked with food, clothing and school supplies for families that can’t afford them. But they also have everyday staples like toilet paper and toothbrushes.

Afterschool program director Angela Phung said that could change if they had to move to a regional school.

“They wouldn’t be able to get what they need for their families,” she said.

OUSD’s mission statement says it strives to be a “full-service community district.” Parents with children at the schools being impacted by the proposal are left wondering how far they will have to travel to access it.

Board members say they plan to vote on the proposal eight days later at another special meeting scheduled for February 8th.

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John Ramos and Andrea Nakano contributed to this report.

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