Half Moon Bay’s Plunjr has an innovative way of addressing plumbing issues amid the coronavirus pandemic and could potentially change the industry’s business model.

The recently launched mobile app uses live video calls to assist customers as they fix their own plumbing problems, rather than sending a plumber to homes. The app gives people immediate access to union technicians and minimizes the chance of coronavirus exposure, with a lower cost.

“This is going to do good things in communities and change how people do plumbing forever,” said co-founder Aaron Gianni.

Plunjr’s prices are low compared to traditional plumbers, which average around $500 for an in-person visit to the Bay Area, said Plunjr co-founder Andrew Turner.

Plunjr’s video calls average about $45, based on $3 per minute for a 15-minute calls. Until shelter-in-place orders are lifted, the app is dropping its price to a penny per minute. However, customers must also pay for parts, which can be shipped or picked up at any of the country’s 1,500 Ferguson Plumbing Supply stores.

After 18 months of coding and building the app, Plunjr launched a beta test in December. The company has more than 200 customers and the founders believe usage will rise as people try more do-it-yourself projects during the pandemic.

The company isn’t profitable, but Gianni hopes to be profitable by next year and would need to average about 100 calls per day to reach the goal. He wants to average 500 calls per day by 2022 and 1,000 per day by 2023.

Plunjr hopes to build out a network of partners across the country and is in talks with Ben Franklin Plumbing in Novato.

“I know that sounds like a lot, but Larratt Bros., does 50 calls a week with two plumbers,” Gianni said. “If we can build a network of plumbing companies using this, adding a tool to their bucket, we can expand across the nation.”

Gianni, 38, has been a plumber since 2001 and bought Bayview’s Larratt Bros. Plumbing in 2014. Gianni and Turner haven’t taken any outside funding and invested about $500,000 of their own money in the past three years.

“That’s a lot of money for two guys kind of scraping around,” Gianni said. “I don’t have 500 grand sitting around. I’ve given up a second home and other investments. That 500 grand probably could have done me a whole lot better in the stock market.”

Gianni’s parents owned and operated a restaurant supply shop and a debris-removing company during his childhood.

Gianni drives to work at 4 am every day with the radio silenced and a cup of coffee in his hand. The idea for Plunjr came to him during one of those silent drives when he was working as a plumber in 2017.

He called Turner, who had a background in technology sales, including working about 11 years for AT&T and working for Cloud-based videoconferencing service BlueJeans Network. The two got together at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, and in front of the fire pit, Gianni presented the idea on a cocktail napkin.

“There’s really something here,” Turner thought to himself.

Even with a mortgage to pay and three young daughters on his mind, Turner decided to go to work for Gianni.

About a year-and-a-half ago, Gianni got a phone call at about 4 pm on a Friday. A woman had a problem with her faucet and needed immediate help at her Palo Alto home in advance of a party scheduled for the next day.

Knowing he couldn’t get from San Francisco to Palo Alto to diagnose the problem, buy the parts and complete the repair before the close of business, Gianni asked the woman to do a FaceTime call. He talked her through the repair.

“After I finished that call, I was like: ‘I’ve got to get on this,'” he said.

A customer downloads the app, creates a profile, and chooses either to talk to a technician immediately or to schedule a video call. The plumber tells the customer where to aim the camera phone, so the problem can be diagnosed, and coaching can begin.

Just by having the customer hold a pencil as reference, Gianni said he can tell the difference between one-quarter, three-eighths and five-eighths supply lines.

The technician talks the customer through the repair or explains the needed parts. Then, a follow-up video call may be scheduled to complete the project.

If the customer still can’t fix the problem, Plunjr dispatches a plumber. But most calls don’t get that far, according to the company.

Kathy Winslow, a retired hospital administrator from Boston, moved to the Bay Area about 10 years ago. In January, her dishwasher was gushing water, so she used the app.

Gianni talked to Winslow’s husband through pulling the dishwasher away from the wall and reconnecting a hose as she directed the camera phone. Within 30 minutes, the problem was solved.

“That’s one of the beauties of it,” Winslow said. “You call, you get an answer, and you’re helped immediately.”

Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron

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Since the return of indoor dining in San Francisco, one of State Bird Provisions’ most endearing qualities has conspicuously been missing from its dining room — dim sum-style service. Now, the wait for those three-layered carts on wheels and gray, hand-held trays is finally over.

“Returning to dim sum style service is a return to our identity,” said Stuart Brioza, chef and co-owner of State Bird Provisions. “At this point, most of our team has yet to experience the buzz and energy of State Bird Provisions with the carts and trays in service. So it’s new, just like outdoor dining was a couple of years ago.”

State Bird Provisions opened in 2012 and received instant recognition for its food, but also for its “innovative format” and “uncommon” service style. While there is nothing uncommon about this style of service in China or dim sum restaurants across the world, State Bird Provisions was one of the first to bring the push-cart style dining experience to a white-owned, American restaurant.

For those who don’t know, dim sum-style service offers multiple options of small-bite foods cooked in a “pre-ordered” fashion so there is less delay. These dim sum carts are pushed around the dining room enticing customers with their many aromas and flavors.

State Bird Provisions is known for its cart and tray service style.

Allene T./Yelp

Most of the time, diners at Chinese dim sum restaurants will place a checkmark next to all of the items they want to try at the beginning of the meal. Various carts carry different items. Next, the waiters roll the carts to each table and place the selected items from that cart in the center of the table before the next cart comes around.

For example, one cart might be piled high with steaming baskets filled with siu mai, while another is solely dedicated to xiao long bao. As the carts roam around the restaurant like ghosts in a game of Pac-Man, the cart-pushers will serve your items as they pass your table. And if you ordered siu mai or xiao long bao or (most likely) both, now you can feel like Pac-Man and chomp mindlessly, but happily.

At State Bird Provisions, half of the menu is pushed around on carts, so when one arrives at your table, you can decide whether or not to try something familiar or something new. Some of the most popular dishes are the sourdough-sauerkraut pecorino and ricotta pancakes, the CA state bird with provisions and the peanut muscovado milk for dessert.

State Bird Provisions will return to the dim sum style service on May 4th, 2022.

Jen Lo / Special to SFGATE

After being closed for a year due to the pandemic, the restaurant reopened in 2021, but changed their concept to a more traditional style to meet the needs of changing landscape.

“The idea of ​​running dinner with the carts and trays during the past year wasn’t comfortable for our team or our guests,” Brioza told SFGATE. “We also found that we could make the same dishes and still be a dynamic restaurant — but the spirit of State Bird was missing.”

The return to its dim sum-style roots also signals a change for the kitchen team, as they pivot to new cooking methods and learn to pace orders accordingly.

“Everything is different,” Brioza said. “We are cooking in batches and changing our stance to an offensive role in getting food out to the guests versus waiting for orders to come to us.”

Executive chef Gabby Maeda agrees, and said bringing back dim sum-style service only adds to the overall experience at State Bird Provisions.

“The kitchen team has more responsibility, they are on their own station and must be self-motivated,” she said. “I’m excited for the kitchen to become reintegrated in service and connect with our guests in ways that they’ve not been these past two years.”

State Bird Provisions is located at 1529 Fillmore St., San Francisco. It’s open 5 to 10 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

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San Francisco Ballet is ending its 2022 season on a glorious high note with Helgi Tomasson’s production of that all-time classic, Swan Lake. It also marks the end of Tomasson’s enormously successful 37 years as SFB Artistic Director. It makes perfect sense that he would want to leave audiences with this particular ballet as a last impression, as it is also the ballet with which he first truly made his mark as a choreographer in San Francisco. When his first Swan Lake debuted in 1988, he was both serving notice that SFB intended to be a major player on the international ballet scene and providing a harbinger of glories yet to come. This current production of Swan Lake is based on the 1988 version, with new designs and some additional choreography made in 2009.

Swan Lake is a towering classic for good reason. It’s got it all – spectacularly rich and varied choreography, dazzling large group numbers that fill the stage, a fiendishly difficult dual central role of Odette-Odile that is a rite of passage for any prima ballerina, and Tchaikovsky’s incomparable, soaring score, arguably the most gorgeous and dramatically compelling ever composed for a ballet. Tomasson’s version adheres to the classic plot of young Prince Siegfried who, who after being admonished by the Queen Mother to find a suitable bride posthaste, becomes entrance with Odette, a young creature who has been condemned by the wicked Von Rothbart to be a swan by day and regain her human form only at night. Siegfried and Odette quickly fall in love, and Siegfried vows his undying love before Odette disappears with the approach of dawn. At a palace ball, Voth Rothbart appears uninvited with his daughter Odile, whom he has transformed into a semblance of Odette. The ruse works and Siegfried declares his love for Odile before her true identity is revealed, thus condemning Odette to life as a Swan. This leads to a tragic ending, with the Siefgried and Odette reuniting only in the afterlife. While this all may sound preposterous on paper, in performance it can be incredibly moving as it is basically another variation of the timeless story of two lovers who are kept apart by forces beyond their control.

And it is helped enormously by choreography of unparalleled invention. The second act, where the two lovers initially meet by a moonlit lake surrounded by a flock of swans is especially transporting, and is perhaps the most perfect example of music meeting choreography. The swans shimmer in the moonlight, forming all manner of kaleidoscopic patterns, framing Siegfried and Odette as they fall in love. The music is impossibly rapturous, and the movement is slow and refined so that we can read every shifting emotion between the central couple. The third-act ball scene then allows them to let ‘er rip in the famously explosive “BLACK SWAN” pas de deux as Odile lures the prince into her net.

The cast on opening night danced beautifully throughout, aside from the odd bobble here and there which may well have been the result of first-night nerves. In the first act, Isabella Devivo, Esteban Hernandez and Julia Rowe were luxury casting in an enchanting pas de trois that presages the one man – two women plot and choreographic fireworks still to come. Rowe was crisp and playful, DeVivo serene and stylish. Hernandez provided stalwart partnering to both women, and in his big solo thrilled with his soft landings, perfectly on the beat.

DeVivo and Rowe returned (This particular pair have been dancing together so spectacularly all season that I feel we need to invent a term for their special brand of tag-team partnership.) in the Act II lakeside scene along with Ellen Rose Hummel and Norika Matsuyama for the iconic, lightning-quick, arms-interlaced Dance of the Cygnets. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it danced with such vivaciousness and precision. Every leg beat, every toe point, every head turn was right on the money. 90 seconds of sheer heaven. Also impressive in Act II were Kamryn Baldwin and Megan Amanda Ehrlich as the Swan Maidens, another perfectly matched pair. They projected elegant authority and somehow managed to dance in perfect unison while still letting their individual temperaments shine through.

The Act III ball sequence of international dances featured yet another terrific performance by Henry Sidford in the Spanish variation. I’m fairly certain Mr. Sidford does not actually hail from the Iberian peninsula, but you’d never know it from the Castilian flair and fire which colored his every move. Steven Morse and Hansuke Yamamoto in the Russian variation were another delight. They danced with such gusto and clarity that they made even these relatively minor roles sparkle. Veteran dancer Anita Paciotti made a wonderfully sophisticated Queen Mother. Paciotti has been dancing with SFB since 1968(!) and often excels at playing parts that call for down-to-earth warmth and good humor so it was fun to see her killing it in a role that requires elegance mixed with a somewhat chilly authority .

Frances Chung as Odette and Joseph Walsh as Prince Siegfried
in Helgi Tomasson’s Swan Lake

Joseph Walsh and Frances Chung made a smashing Prince and Odette/Odile. He scored early on with a searching, ruminative solo at the end of Act I that was all diffidence and changes in direction, neatly illustrating the character’s uncertainty. Walsh partnered Chung beautifully in the famous “White Swan” pas deux, lifting her off the stage and setting her back down again with such grace and dexterity that it felt like a miracle. He also had a jaw-dropping lift at the end of Act II where he held Chung high overhead, seemingly forever and with no discernible effort, in a triumphant expression of their newfound love. He dispatched his “BLACK SWAN” pyrotechnics with aplomb and provided a nice emotional grounding for the tragic denouement.

Chung was an intriguingly different Odette-Odile. Never the floatiest of dancers, her Odette was less fragile than most, but still capable of being meltingly tender. In Act II, when she raised on pointe and let go of Walsh’s hand, she swooned backwards as he moved around to catch her and it was absolutely breathtaking. Odile perhaps played more to Chung’s natural strengths, where she was all rapid-fire movement and straight lines. She whipped off the famous series of 32 fouettés like nobody’s business, emerging victorious as she exulted in her successful seduction of the prince.

The swans shimmer in the moonlight at the end of Helgi Tomasson’s Swan Lake

And then there were the amazing women of the corps de ballet. As wonderful as the principals and soloists may have been, if there ain’t no swans, then there ain’t no Swan Lake. SFB definitely comes through with the swans, dozens of them, skittering across the stage, alternately acting as protector and protectorate of Odette. The most profoundly moving sequence of the entire ballet occurs at the end of Act IV, when all of the swans rise on pointe, turn their backs to the audience in grief, and waft gently in the moonlight as their arms softly undulate and the strings ascend to the heavens in pianissimo. There’s not a more beautiful moment to be found in all of ballet, and it is performed here with such sensitivity and plasticity that it is sure to break your heart. It only makes sense that Swan Lake is closing out the season, because how could you possibly top that?

[All photos by Erik Tomasson]

Live performances of San Francisco Ballet’s Swan Lake continue through Sunday, May 8th at the War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA. Running time is approximately 2:45, including two intermissions. Proof of full COVID vaccination and the wearing of masks while in the building are required. For tickets and additional information, visit www.sfballet.org or call (415) 865-2000, MF 10am-4pm.

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/AP/BCN) – A new cold front coming to California motivated weather services to issue storm warnings Wednesday, with significant rain forecast along with the possibility of cloud-to-ground lightning and hail.

“Locally heavy rain could cause some brief ponding on roads, but significant flooding shouldn’t be a problem,” said KPIX meteorologist Paul Heggen. “Enough hail on the roads could make them slick. We won’t see numerous lightning strikes, but even a couple would pose a threat to anyone outdoors at the time.”

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The Santa Rosa Fire Department tweeted a warning about the potential for “pea- to marble-size hail” on Thursday into the evening hours.

*Potential for Severe Weather Tuesday*
Thunderstorms and potential for pea- to marble-size hail on Thursday through the evening. Nuisance urban and small stream flooding possible. https://t.co/qpoJBKzs0q pic.twitter.com/NbxJMGPXVr

— Santa Rosa Fire Department (@SantaRosaFire) April 20, 2022

The system is the latest in a series of spring storms that has followed a dry winter that left California deep in drought.

Widespread rain, heavy mountain snow and periods of gusty winds were predicted to begin Wednesday afternoon and last into Friday, possibly spreading showers down into Southern California, the National Weather Service said.

“This system continues to look like a very good late-season precipitation event for the region,” the Sacramento weather office wrote.

Rain to spread southward through the night across the region. Rain showers & isolated thunderstorms likely on Thursday before conditions dry out Friday afternoon. Rainfall amounts will be greatest along the coastal ranges with 0.10″-0.50″ for most urban areas. #CAwx #BayAreaWX pic.twitter.com/vT8eKm0jso

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) April 20, 2022

Higher elevations were expected to receive at least 1 foot to 2 feet (30-60 centimeters) of snow. Rainfall predictions ranged up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters), with possibly higher amounts if thunderstorms develop.

Winter storm warnings were scheduled to start going into effect from the Oregon border down through the southern Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada.

Travelers were likely to face whiteout conditions, road closures and chain controls, forecasters said.

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“Any Sierra driving will be treacherous after today. It would be a good idea to delay non-essential travel until conditions improve,” the Reno, Nevada, weather office wrote. “If this isn’t possible, be sure to carry chains and winter survival supplies in your vehicle.”

As the Bay Area braces for a storm on the horizon that promises to bring up to an inch of rain to most of the region, the National Weather Service issued a warning to the public about the danger the tempest will pose on the coast.

The service also raised projected rain totals for some areas early Wednesday.

Deadly sneaker waves and strong rip currents are part of a beach hazards statement in effect from 3 am Thursday until 3 am Saturday for virtually the entire coastline from northern Sonoma County south to Big Sur.

Northwest swells are expected about 12 feet at 18-20 seconds early Thursday and 3-4 seconds more frequent from Thursday through early Saturday.

Although the storm is projected to begin Wednesday afternoon in the North Bay, much of the region won’t see precipitation until early Thursday morning.

Most of the Bay Area is still projected to see .5 to 1 inch of rain, but projections for some of the more hilly regions of northern Sonoma and Sonoma counties have gone up .5 of an inch to 1.5-2 inches of rain.

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© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press and Bay City News service contributed to this report.

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Alphabet’s (GOOGL) autonomous driving unit Waymo launched its fully driverless ride-hailing service in San Francisco. The move marks an attempt to catch up to rival Cruise, which opened its fully driverless ride service to the public in the city a month ago after initially rolling it out to its staff.

Similarly, Waymo is also offering fully driverless rides to its employees in San Francisco before opening it up to the public. Waymo’s autonomous taxis have been operating in San Francisco for months in a test program, with a human driver behind the wheel. It is now removing human drivers, so the cars will be moving alone to pick up and drop off riders.

While it is the first time Waymo is offering fully driverless rides in San Francisco, it has been offering the service in parts of Arizona’s capital Phoenix, for a few years. The launch in San Francisco comes as Waymo also prepares to expand the service to more areas in Phoenix.

$39 Billion at Stake in Robotaxi Market

Cruise and Waymo have their sights on the potentially lucrative robotaxi market, whose global size is forecast to exceed $1 billion in 2023 and reach $38.6 billion by 2030. Removing human drivers can enable companies to cut their operating costs, which could lead to a more profitable business.

Cruise is initially offering the public free rides as it awaits a regulatory green light to charge fares. Waymo is already charging customers for taking its fully driverless rides in Phoenix.

Cruise and Waymo are units of Alphabet and General Motors (GM), respectively; however, both have also received funding from outside investors. Waymo is backed by Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Mubadala Investment Company. Meanwhile, Cruise is backed by SoftBank, Honda Motor Company (HMC),Microsoft (MSFT), and Walmart (WMT).

What Does Waymo’s Move Mean for Alphabet’s Stock?

Waymo belongs to Alphabet’s Other Bets division, which houses mostly experimental ventures, such as Verily in health technology and Loon in internet service. Other Bets revenue declined to $181 million in Q4 2022, from $196 million in the same quarter the previous year. But the division’s operating loss increased to $1.45 billion from $1.14 billion a year ago.

Alphabet may be able to reduce its Other Bets losses once Waymo begins to charge customers for its fully driverless rides in San Francisco and expands the service in Phoenix.

Wall Street’s Take

On March 29, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak reiterated a Buy rating on Alphabet stock without assigning it a price target. The analyst cautions that the Russia-Ukraine war could reduce online ad spending.

Consensus among analysts is a Strong Buy based on 30 Buys. The average Alphabet price target stands at $3,490 and implies upside potential of 22% to current levels. Shares have gained 38% over the past year.

stock investors

TipRanks’ Stock Investors tool shows that investor sentiment is currently Very Positive on Alphabet, with 2.6% of portfolios tracked by TipRanks increasing their exposure to GOOGL stock over the past 30 days.

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Read full Disclaimer & Disclosure

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SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Persimmon is pleased to announce the launch of the world’s first in-home, on-demand Botox® service. Founded in California’s Bay Area by seasoned telehealth serial entrepreneurs, Persimmon is the nation’s first branded provider of medical aesthetic in-home procedures like Botox and Skinmedica® peels.

Patients using Persimmon first connect with a physician for a no-wait telehealth consultation. Thereafter one of Persimmon’s licensed medical professionals will visit the customer’s home to administer treatment at a convenient time. All of Persimmon’s providers are highly experienced registered nurses, physicians assistants and licensed vocational nurses who have undergone rigorous vetting and training provided by Persimmon.

The company was founded by telehealth veteran Mark Hadfieldwho previously founded the leading platform for medical cannabis prescriptions, HelloMD, and Matthew Bartlett, a global M&A and CPG management expert. Persimmon is also backed by prominent venture capitalist Tim Draperfounder of early-stage venture capital firm, Draper Associates.

“With eight million treatments performed annually, Persimmon intends to meet this incredible demand with services that consumers truly want with the ease and privacy of their homes,” said Matthew Bartlettco-founder of Persimmon.

Consumer expectations about access to medical procedures have shifted dramatically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people preferring to avoid doctors’ offices if at all possible. Persimmon empowers patients to receive Botox treatments from the comfort of their own home.

“Americans will spend more than $3 billion on Botox this year alone, and Persimmon will bring it to you in the comfort and privacy of your own home.” said Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Partner, Draper Associates. “We at Draper Associates are impressed with Persimmon’s team and vision and are excited to be part of their journey forward.”

Persimmon’s in-home Botox treatments are now available across the San Francisco Bay Area. The company intends to scale rapidly, and already has expansion plans into others California markets. Persimmon intends to add additional aesthetic services as well. To schedule a treatment or learn more about Persimmon, please visit Persimmon.life.

About Persimmon
Persimmon provides industry leading aesthetic treatments in the place customers feel most comfortable and safe – their homes. Founded in California’s Bay Area by seasoned telehealth entrepreneurs, Persimmon is the nation’s first formalized in-home service for aesthetic treatments. Visit Persimmon.life to learn more.

SOURCE Persimmon

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Westshore Roofing, one of California’s leading roofing companies, is the first in San Jose to offer the new, award-winning Timberline Solar roof. GAF Energy, a Standard Industries company and a leading provider of solar roofing in NorthAmerica, recently launched Timberline Solar to deliver the first true solar roof to market. Timberline Solar incorporates roofing materials into a clean energy-generating system, resulting in a durable, attractive roof that produces energy. The solar roof is now available to residents in the Greater San Jose area including Sunnyvale, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, mountain view, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Fremontand Palo Alto.

“Introducing Timberline Solar creates local jobs, supports residents in saving money on their electricity bills, and provides clean energy in California’s communities to power our homes while doing right for the environment,” said Paul Fowlerowner of Westshore Roofing.

“Working with Westshore Roofing in GAF Energy’s home city of San Jose is a game changer,” said Jason Barrett, Senior Vice President at GAF Energy. “San Jose wants to lead in taking advantage of all the benefits solar has to offer to local residents, and Timberline Solar makes that happen locally.”

This new system incorporates the world’s first nailable solar shingle, the Timberline Solar Energy Shingle (ES), which has received three awards from CES 2022 — including its highest honour, the Best of Innovation Award, in the “Smart Cities” category. The product is assembled domestically at GAF Energy’s US manufacturing and research facility in California.

Homeowners interested in solar roofing options can find out more at: https://www.westshoreroofing.com.

About Westshore Roofing
Westshore Roofing Inc. has delivered roof installation expertise to homeowners in and around San Jose, CA for more than 29 years. Our team of professionals can confidently explain the installation process to you and deliver superb roofing services for your home. Contact us today to schedule your free on-site visit and estimate.

About GAF Energy
GAF Energy is transforming the rooftop solar industry to generate “Energy from every roof”. As a Standard Industries company, GAF Energy works in partnership with North America’s Largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, GAF, offering homeowners elegant, roof-integrated solar options. The company also facilitates commercial tax equity financing for large-scale rooftop solar projects. For more information, visit www.gaf.energy.

SOURCE GAF Energy

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When it comes to getting fireplace inserts in Mountain View and Hayward, California, Mister-Chimney & Nova Fireplaces is the place to go.

This press release was originally distributed by ReleaseWire

Belmont, CA – (ReleaseWire) – 01/18/2022 – Many homeowners dream of a cozy little living room with comfortable sofas and a beautiful fireplace. While the dream works in theory, the fact is that fireplaces are expensive and require a lot of work.

In fact, the cost, maintenance, and even the ability to install a traditional fireplace could make homeowners look to other options. Electric fireplaces can be a fantastic choice with some bonuses.

Today, the popularity of electric fireplace inserts has skyrocketed. It greatly reduces the need to chop and store wood. It also eliminates the need to remove the ash.

The working mechanism of electric fireplace inserts does not differ from a real fireplace. The latter runs on natural combustion. However, the former does not require combustion at all. Still, it can make the room as calming and comforting as traditional mantels can do. With fireplace inserts in Mountain View and Hayward, California, the need for house permits and air vents can be easily avoided.

Mister-Chimney & Nova Fireplaces is a leading resource for electric fireplace inserts and electric fire pits. The modern fireplaces bring more comfort and warmth into the house, which makes it feel a bit cozier. Unlike traditional fireplaces, the likelihood of heat loss from electric fireplace inserts is minimal. They are more functional and energy efficient than the traditional ones. Potential health hazards are also minimal as they do not emit toxic gases unlike their traditional counterparts.

It’s not surprising that homeowners choose electric fireplaces for their numerous benefits. Unlike the traditional fireplace, they hardly cause any disturbance or clutter in the home. Nothing can beat the fireplace inserts as long as they offer the classic fireplace crackle.

Whether it’s time to give the traditional fireplace unit a makeover or add a new interior to the electric fireplace, Mister-Chimney & Nova Fireplaces will help customers purchase and furnish their home with the classic look and feel of a real fireplace.

For more information on propane fireplaces in Fremont and Mountain View, California, visit https://www.mister-chimney.com/fireplace-inserts-fireplace-repairs-gas-fireplaces-gas-fireplace-inserts-and-propane -fireplaces-palo-alto-ca/.

Call Nova Fireplaces at 650-654-8888 for more information.

About Mister-Chimney & Nova fireplaces
Mister-Chimney & Nova Fireplaces is the one-stop shop for fireplace repairs in San Francisco and Fremont, California, apart from gas fireplace installation and chimney repairs and chimney sweeps.

For more information on this press release, please visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/mister-chimney-nova-fireplaces-brings-in-quality-fireplace-inserts-in-mountain-view-and-hayward -california-1351736.htm

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A wave of low pressure systems in the Pacific moved closer and closer to Northern California early Tuesday, bringing the risk of heavy rain and several feet of fresh snow to the Sierra well into the Christmas holiday weekend.

Showers in the San Francisco Bay Area were expected to begin in the afternoon hours on Tuesday, moving south from North Bay and lasting until Christmas Day.

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“We will see rain waves in the next few days, so rain now and then,” said KPIX 5 meteorologist Mary Lee. “Bring 1-3 inches through the holiday weekend.”

The National Weather Service said the jet stream howling across the Pacific is kicking the storm door wide.

“A low-pressure conveyor belt is moving into the area – this would mean a pretty wet end for 2021, but it’s a little too far away to care too much,” weather forecasters said. “That’ll be something to check in later this week.”

They predicted 2.3 inches of rain in San Francisco by December 25th.

“If verified, it will bring SF back to the top of the ten wettest water years to date by the end of the week,” the forecasters said.

The coastal mountains in North Bay could see 3-5 inches with up to 6 inches of rain over the higher peaks. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, areas that were already saturated with rain last week could fall another 3-6 inches.

“The good news is that the rain sums are spread over many days, which should mitigate the major effects,” tweeted the weather service. “But be prepared for minor floods, slippery roads and potential debris flows / mudslides.”

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In the Sierra, a winter weather warning comes into effect on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. and changes to a winter storm warning from Thursday morning to Sunday.

“Heavy snow expected (from Thursday),” warned the weather service in Reno. “Total snow accumulations from 2 to 4 feet up to 4 to 8 feet over 7,000 feet. Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour, with the ridge gusts likely being over 100 miles per hour. “

For the thousands traveling from the Bay Area to Tahoe over the holiday weekend, it means it will be a slow journey.

“As soon as the snow starts tonight, traveling through the Sierra will become more and more difficult or almost impossible until the weekend,” warned the NWS Reno forecasters. “Be prepared for long delays and rapidly changing territory pass conditions.”

The mountain range, in which ski areas found it difficult to open this autumn, is already showing glittering peaks after the recent storms. Snowfall is important because the Sierra winter snowpack is usually a major source of California’s water.

“We recently had a big storm. We’ve just finished shoveling and all that, so let’s prepare for the next one, ”said Karla Brennan, owner of The Cork & More, a long-time deli, cheese and wine shop in South Lake Tahoe. “I think it will be a white Christmas.”

While the current wet trend is positive, it’s too early to know if it will last through January and February. Snow cover usually doesn’t peak until April and last spring there was minimal runoff as much of the water was taken up by the arid, arid landscape.

Forecasters noted that this week’s storms will also have the potential for significant low-altitude snow, including over Interstate 5 north of Redding, the northern region where last week’s storms crippled the vital freeway for nearly 24 hours.

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© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The post ‘Conveyor Belt Of Low Strain’ Methods Brings Promise Of Moist Ending To 2021 – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – COVID-19 restrictions have left many hopeful parents in the Bay Area with open but empty arms as the pandemic has slowed or suspended their adoption plans.

Jessica, who preferred not to use her last name, learned sign language while preparing to adopt a young hearing impaired boy in China. Her problem: she can’t get him to San Jose.

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“Sometimes I feel anxious, impatient; and really sad, “she said.

She was matched with the 7-year-old boy last year, but China stopped all overseas travel during the pandemic.

“The wait is difficult because I had long expected to travel and complete the adoption,” she said.

Susan Soonkeum Cox of Holt International Children’s Services has 40 years of international adoptions experience.

“I’ve never seen anything comparable to the scale of this problem,” said Cox.

There are currently 400 American families on hold to adopt Chinese children. Holt International works with 140 families. From China it is said that the services will reopen as soon as things are safe.

However, Cox said, “Who knows when that will be?”

The best guess? After Beijing hosted the Winter Olympics in February.

“We are confident that there will be no travel at least after the Olympics,” said Cox.

The good news? To protect them from COVID, China’s adoptive children have locked down with their caregivers.

And sometimes the carers share updates: Jessica emailed sign language videos she recorded at home to connect with her son an ocean away. In response, his supervisors sent back videos of him after their class.

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“It’s really cute,” smiled Jessica. “You can see him watching, listening, and doing the signs so that I may have a glimmer of joy and hope.”

The pandemic has also delayed domestic adoptions. Kimberly Batson of San Francisco filed papers to adopt her 5-year-old great-niece Sariah when the city provided shelter.

“It’s been stressful all along,” said Batson.

In addition to many difficulties, it was particularly difficult to get the required physical condition.

“They wouldn’t allow you to go to the hospital,” added Batson.

And visits to Ann, the social worker, were socially distant to the outside world. Even when it rains.

“Ann didn’t want to be wet and I didn’t want to be wet,” said Batson.

Oakland Alternative Family Services saw a third fewer adoptions last year as Zoom meetings replaced in-person parenting training, CPR classes, and court hearings.
Coordinator Alma Woodard said the agency needed to switch.

“It took a lot longer because we couldn’t meet in person. But we could do it, ”said Woodard.

Batson’s adoption became final after a year. Jessica’s application is now in its fourth year.

“I keep reminding myself that everything is in God’s timing,” she said.

So she waits for the day when she will no longer hold the picture of a little boy on a phone, but a son in her arms.

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For more information on the services of these organizations, please visit the Alternative Family Services and Holt International websites.

The post COVID Pandemic Brings New Difficulties to Worldwide Adoption Course of – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.