News Update July 21

Food:

 

State of the Cart -- In one area San Francisco falls perplexingly short: It's not a great city for street food. Senior inspector Rodney G. Ong of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, which inspects, licenses, and issues permits to all pushcarts and taco trucks (which also must be issued permits by the police department and permitted and inspected by the fire department), estimated there were only a hundred or so licenses for selling food outdoors. Kevin Westley, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, says his group supports street vendors as long as they're licensed and pass quarterly inspections. He muses that there are so few because there are "so many very small restaurant spaces available in San Francisco, where you can do much better and ambitious food than you can in a cart or a truck." SF Weekley 7/16/08

 

FDA finds salmonella strain in jalapeno pepper -- Government inspectors have found the same salmonella strain responsible for a nationwide food-poisoning outbreak in a Mexican-grown jalapeno in a Texas plant, prompting a new warning for consumers to avoid eating fresh jalapenos. SF Examiner 7/21/08

 

Transit:

 

*Commuters ready to launch -- Plans are afloat to construct two new ferry launches on San Francisco's waterfront, part of a plan to spin a web of ferry routes throughout the Bay. The two launches, which will be built just south of the Ferry Building on Pier 2 and will cost at least $45 million, could be the destination of ferries carrying commuters and visitors from South San Francisco, Berkeley or Alameda, Hercules, Antioch, Martinez, Richmond, Redwood City and Treasure Island.Proponents say the ferry system could bring in millions for waterfront businesses, and save time and money. Examiner 7/21/08

 

Deadly Tolls: Sick truckers causing fatal wrecks -- Tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the United States have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells behind the wheel that led to deadly crashes on highways. Hundreds of thousands of drivers carry commercial licenses even though they also qualify for full federal disability payments, according to a new U.S. safety study obtained by The Associated Press. AP 7/21/08

 

*Rail plan on track to eminent domain -- California's proposed high-speed rail system could force hundreds of residents and businesses along the Caltrain corridor off of some or all of their property. Approximately 38 percent of the Caltrain corridor is less than 100 feet wide, too narrow to accommodate the high-speed rail line. High-Speed Rail Authority board member Ron Diridon said 100 feet is needed for both the Caltrain and high-speed rail tracks. Examiner7/21/08

 

Redwood City ferry plans sail along -- A planned ferry system between Redwood City and San Francisco that would reportedly shuttle 1,420 passengers between the two cities in fewer than 50 minutes has made it over its first bureaucratic hurdle. San Mateo County currently does not have a ferry service, although a different ferry terminal project — for South San Francisco's Oyster Point — recently received $10 million in funding.  SF Examiner 7/21/08