Latest news with #SanFranciscoBayArea
CBS News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Lottery for 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in San Francisco Bay Area announced
FIFA announced Tuesday details of a ticket lottery for the upcoming 2026 World Cup being held in North America, which includes matches being held in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tickets for the tournament, which is set to begin next June, will be released in phases. The first draw application window will open on Wednesday, Sep. 10. "We're looking forward to welcoming the world back to North America, as Canada, Mexico and the United States host what will be the biggest and greatest sporting event ever. We encourage fans everywhere to get ready to secure their place – these will be the most coveted seats in world sport," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Ahead of the draw, fans who are interested were urged to visit and to create a FIFA ID. Organizers anticipate 6.5 million people will attend the tournament, which consists of 104 matches featuring 48 teams. Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will host six matches. Due to FIFA sponsorship rules, the facility is labeled as "San Francisco Bay Area Stadium" in tournament materials. Five of the games at the Santa Clara stadium will be group fixtures, while a sixth game will be a knockout match in the Round of 32. • Match 8 - Group Stage - Saturday, June 13 • Match 20 - Group Stage - Tuesday, June 16 • Match 31 - Group Stage - Friday, June 19 • Match 44 - Group Stage - Monday, June 22 • Match 60 - Group Stage - Thursday, June 25 • Match 81 - Round of 31 - Wednesday, July 1 According to FIFA, the final draw is set to take place in December, with specific schedules and kickoff times to be released "shortly thereafter." The tournament is scheduled to begin June 11, 2026 with a matchup in Mexico City. The World Cup Final will be held at MetLife Stadium (temporarily renamed New York / New Jersey Stadium) on July 19, 2026.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Experts issue warning over rising threat that could leave thousands of Americans stranded: 'It will be a dynamic that doesn't stop'
Rising sea levels have communities around the world losing the ground beneath their feet. Thousands of people in the Canal community of San Rafael, California, are at risk of being stranded with no drivable routes as rising sea levels increase flooding from storms and king tides, Local News Matters reported. San Rafael is located in the northern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. According to Local News Matters, the land in the Canal community is subsiding, or sinking, at a rate of roughly 0.4 inches per year. With exit roads about 3 feet above sea level, high tides and king tides can fully cover them. State estimates indicate that the Bay Area's sea level will be anywhere from 7 to 32 inches higher by 2050. "It's a game of inches there, and to talk about a third of a meter or more of sea level rise, that indicates to me that San Rafael is going to be the first to need very serious interventions in the region," Kristina Hill, a University of California, Berkeley, professor, said, per Canal Alliance. Kate Hagemann, San Rafael's climate adaptation and resilience planner, said, per Local News Now: "In the past, the flood level was 10 feet, and that's what we built to, and now, because of these emissions, sea level is going to continue rising through generations. It will be a dynamic that doesn't stop." Rising sea levels are linked to the effects of human-caused climate change. Human activity, especially burning dirty energy such as oil and natural gas as fuel, has contributed much of the heat-trapping pollution that has altered the climate. With climate change come more severe and unpredictable weather patterns. While weather refers to short-term atmospheric events, climate reflects the longer patterns of a region or ecosystem. Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely Somewhat Depends on the time of year Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. A warmer climate means that more moisture can be held in the atmosphere, supercharging storms and intensifying flooding. Warmer temperatures also lead to melting glaciers, adding more water to the oceans. According to NASA, global sea levels have risen by almost 4 inches since 1993, with the rate of rise accelerating. Sea level rise also threatens critical infrastructure, including roads, power plants, and wastewater treatment facilities. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that by 2045, over 300,000 U.S. homes, with a combined value of over $117 billion, will be at risk if pollution continues unchecked. To help communities in the Bay Area adapt to rising sea levels, researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz, suggest horizontal levees. These sloping levees can mimic wetlands, enhancing flood defenses while supporting crucial ecosystems. California's Water Resources Development Act of 2024 also includes provisions to support studies on sea level rise. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists on red alert as 'sleeping giant' fault threatens to snap without warning beneath 300,000 Americans
A major California fault once thought to be stable is quietly shifting beneath neighborhoods, schools, and it could lead to a powerful quake with no warning. A new US geological (USGS) survey showed that Concord Fault, a geologic fault in the San Francisco Bay Area, is active and moving due to ongoing tectonic motion between the Pacific and North American plates. A section of the fault, known as the Madigan Avenue strand, stretches 12.4 miles through Walnut Creek and Concord, from North Gate Road near Mount Diablo to Suisun Bay — areas home to more than 300,000 people. According to the study, if the Concord Fault ruptures, it could produce an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or higher, based on its length. A fault is a fracture in the Earth's crust where land slowly shifts over time. But if that movement suddenly snaps, it can trigger a powerful and destructive earthquake. Seismologists now believe the fault lies about 1,300 feet west of where it was previously mapped, placing homes and an elementary school directly in harm's way. Sidewalks near Valle Verde Elementary have shifted nearly seven inches since they were first built, a clear sign that the ground is steadily moving beneath residents' feet. 'This was not where we thought the active part of the fault was,' the study states, a finding that means hundreds of thousands of people may be living or working directly above a ticking seismic time bomb. Experts warn the entire East Bay is at risk, especially because the fault is now proven to be creeping in urban areas with no buffer zone or open space. Jessie Vermeer, a geologist at USGS, told San Francisco Chronicle: 'Many of the people we have spoken to have noted their houses and yards being deformed, water lines being broken and other effects of the creep.' Because fault creep happens so slowly, it is easy to miss, but over decades, it causes cracked roads, damaged homes, and bent pipelines. It was long believed to creep only in the northern section near the Acme Landfill in Martinez. But this new study, published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, proves a 4.4 miles stretch in the south is also slipping. Over the past 60 years, some concrete curbs have quietly shifted sideways, without any shaking or sound, revealing hidden ground movement in the middle of a densely populated area. Researchers also found that it is shifting at a steady rate of about three millimeters per year. That pace matches what has been recorded along the fault's northern section. To confirm the movement, USGS scientists reviewed over 30 spots where curbs, sidewalks, and roads showed visible cracks or misalignments. They used field surveys, satellite data, and historical construction records to trace where the ground had slowly moved over time. Roland Burgmann, a professor of earth and planetary science at the University of California, Berkeley, told Newsweek:'Knowing the correct fault location in such a highly urbanized area is crucial.' 'The original geological mapping missed the currently active fault strand,' he added. While creeping faults can sometimes reduce the size of a future quake by releasing pressure slowly, experts say the Concord Fault's true danger is still unclear. 'We don't know how deep the creep extends, so the seismic hazard of the fault becomes more uncertain,'said Burgmann. In 1955, a magnitude of 5.4 earthquake on the Concord Fault caused approximately $1 million in damage, which is equivalent to about $12 million in today's dollars. Currently, nearly 300,000 people live in the cities sitting on top of this 'sleeping giant,' and many more pass through daily on roads, rails, and water lines that cross the fault. Further research is underway to determine if other undocumented fault strands exist nearby, which mean the seismic hazard in the East Bay is even more complex than currently understood.
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Tourism drop alarms San Francisco businesses over July Fourth weekend
San Francisco's tourism industry, a critical pillar of the city's economy, showed troubling signs over the July Fourth holiday weekend, traditionally one of the busiest times of the year. Business owners, particularly around major visitor hubs like Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square, reported a sharp decline in tourists compared to previous years. Despite sunny weather and the return of pre-pandemic activities, many merchants said they were left waiting for crowds that never came. "Today, we've seen a total of seven foreign tourists. Can you believe that? Just seven people," said Sam Sohal, CEO of City Sightseeing San Francisco, which operates the iconic red hop-on, hop-off double-decker tour buses. Sohal said his ridership has shifted mostly to domestic visitors, but even that group is shrinking. "This year so far, it's about 35% down," he said. "What was really shocking was June and a few days of July — the bottom has fallen basically. We're 50% down. We're a little bit worried. We can probably weather the Summer. But in the Wintertime, if this is the Summer, what's going to happen in the winter? That's what scares us more." Nearby, Bob Partrite, Chief Operating Officer of Simco Restaurants, which runs five eateries and a coffee shop at Pier 39, echoed the concern. Although he described business in 2025 has been "solid," June was the exception where overall business saw a dip in customers. "Adaptability and flexibility in our footprint is key to running a successful business," Partrite said. "We just have to be ready for whatever happens and be able to adjust. As business levels adjust, purchases have to adjust, scheduling might have to adjust." Many in the tourism and hospitality sectors point to national politics as a contributing factor to the drop in foreign visitors, citing immigration policies and shifting perceptions of the U.S. abroad. "The tariffs and also the immigration policies — trying to scrutinize everybody, even tourists, they go to their embassy to get a tourist visa," Sohal said, suggesting federal policies are discouraging international travel to the U.S. That sentiment was echoed by a visiting couple from Germany, who traveled to San Francisco for a wedding but said the decision was met with hesitation. "People did give us rare looks when we said we would go to the U.S.," said Kerem Akkaya. "Everyone in Europe was like, 'Oh, really, you want to go there now?'" "We prepared more, for sure, making sure we had all of our documents ready. I think had we not had the wedding, we would have been probably not traveling to the U.S. right now," said Rozemaryjn Van Der Veen. At Nick's Lighthouse, a seafood restaurant at Fisherman's Wharf, manager Grace Paik said the atmosphere simply doesn't feel like summer. "It's a little sad. This is Fisherman's Wharf, and it's just not as lively as what it used to be," Paik said. "Even for me, I'm concerned about political things and what's going to happen in the future in our business." Business owners had hoped that five years after the pandemic began, tourism levels would at least match — if not surpass — 2019 figures. But for some, the reality has fallen far short. Sohal said he may have to dip into personal savings if the downturn continues. "We would like Gov. Newsom to help us out with promoting tourism in California," he added, hoping state-level promotion might help offset the international slowdown. While several business owners praised San Francisco's new mayor for improved street conditions and safety in key tourist areas, they emphasized that local leadership has limited power to counteract national trends. For now, merchants say they are bracing for a tough winter and hoping the rest of summer brings more than sunshine.
Fox News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Fox News
San Francisco ranked worst-run major city in America: report
San Francisco has been ranked at the bottom of a new report by a financial services company ranking the best and worst-run cities in the country. WalletHub reported it measured the "effectiveness of local leadership" by "determining a city's operating efficiency." San Francisco came in 148th out of 148 cities studied. "We can learn how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of the services residents receive against the city's total budget," WalletHub Financial Writer Adam McCann wrote to explain the study. Each city was given a "Quality of Services'" score based on 36 metrics that were grouped into six service categories, including financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure and pollution. These were measured against the city's per capita budget. San Francisco was ranked at the bottom after making headlines previously for the mass exodus from the liberal city, declining enrollment in its public school system as well as skyrocketing housing prices. Residents elected a new mayor last year, Daniel Lurie, who beat incumbent Democrat London Breed by a more than 10-point margin, 56% to 43%. The last election indicated a pivot away from soft-on-crime policies and lax policies on drug use and homelessness that were rampant in the city. The next worst-run cities after San Francisco were Detroit (147th), Oakland (146th), New York City (145th), Philadelphia (144th), and Baltimore (143rd). The best-run city is Provo, Utah, according to WalletHub. McCann cited economic growth that is "hard to ignore," low crime and unemployment, and clean roads. "Provo, UT, is the best-run city, and the reasons for that are that the city is experiencing business growth of around 5.2%, alongside a high school graduation rate of nearly 91%, a combination that signals a strong foundation for the future." Fox News Digital reached out to San Francisco city leadership and Provo, Utah leadership but did not immediately hear back for comment.
