Odds are that most San Franciscans have never even heard of the Lake Merced Tunnel, but it’s a historic piece of 19th century infrastructure that’s critical to keeping the city’s sewers flowing without dumping filth straight into the Pacific Ocean.

It’s also in danger of being destroyed by that same ocean, as climate change sends the tides creeping ever inward, forcing the city to embark on a $150 million-plus preservation plan.

According to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), the Lake Merced Tunnel is a 14-foot wide drainage pipe that runs underneath the Great Highway and serves the Oceanside Treatment Plant and related pumping station on Ocean Beach.

The plant is one of three in SF responsible for sanitizing both stormwater and sewer discharges before dumping them, and handles about 20 percent of the city’s wastewater.

When there’s too much waste for the plant to take in all at once, like during big storms, the overflow goes into the Lake Merced Tunnel.

While being a giant sewer pipe may not sound very impressive, when it was built in 1896, the San Francisco Call hailed the tunnel as “one of the most difficult pieces of engineering work ever undertaken in the state” and gushed about its completion in just 17 months despite “many difficulties encountered in eddies of subterranean water.” (Note that the tunnel predates the treatment plant by nearly 100 years; the Oceanside facility wasn’t built until 1993, adapting the existing tunnel for its purposes.)

The tunnel was one of the crowning achievements of what you might call a sewer century in San Francisco.

“Back in the 1800s we built more sewers than anyone,” George Engel, an operations manager at the SF Public Utilities Commission, tells Curbed SF.

“We still have in the order of 100 miles of sewers” from the 19th century in operation in San Francisco today, Engels adds, tunnel included.

The Lake Merced Tunnel, like the entire apparatus that disposes of SF’s waste, is a bit of a hidden gem. In 2014 SPUR marveled at the “invisible infrastructure” that keeps the system moving but also out of sight of the beach-going public.

But this obscure bit of plumbing is important—and it’s also in serious danger. The Planning Department warns that erosion and sea level rise threaten to swamp the tunnel and related infrastructure in the near future.

The city has not said in so many words that the coastal water plant itself is in danger—SFist describes the facility as potentially being “flushed into the Pacific”—but there is important plumbing infrastructure inland of the tunnel, and it is plausible to imagine more elaborate problems in the future.

To counter this aquatic encroachment, the city has a $151.3 million plan to pushback the ocean.

In a November memo SFPUC General Manager Harlan Kelly laid out the two critical initiatives: removing several thousand feet of the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline Boulevard (a stretch that is doomed to be eaten away), and creating a “multipurpose coastal protection/restoration /access system.”

That last one is a broad term consisting of actions ranging from “managed retreat” of the shoreline to “beach nourishment”—ie, carting in vast amounts of sand to replace eroded material (something the city already does every year).

The city hopes to begin actual construction work in 2023.

As the San Francisco Examiner notes, the current price tag has swelled some $60 million compared to previous estimates. The city blames “refinements” in the construction plan for increasing costs.

In 2015, environmental group Surfrider advised that the city consider relocating the Lake Merced Tunnel altogether, arguing that since “sea level rise and climate change‐driven storms are due to intensify in the years ahead” that keeping the tunnel where it is only delays the inevitable, but SFPUC will nevertheless move forward trying to preserve the tunnel at its original location.

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Two of Dallas-Fort Worth’s largest public companies named new chief executives this week in planned successions.

Irving-based Vistra Corp., the state’s largest power generator, named longtime company executive Jim Burke as its next CEO to replace Curt Morgan, who has guided the company since 2016. Burke’s promotion is effective Aug. 1.

Richardson-based Lennox International went outside the company to find Todd Bluedorn’s successor. It hired Alok Maskara, CEO of Luxfer Holdings PLC, to an advanced materials industrial company. He takes over May 9.

Bluedorn announced in July that he intended to retire by mid-2022. He led the heating, venting and air conditioning giant for 15 years. Lennox’s revenue grew 15% last year to nearly $4.2 billion.

Maskara, 51, has guided Luxxfer Holdings for five years. Prior to Luxfer, he was president of several global business units at Pentair PLC, a water treatment and sustainable applications company, for a decade. He also previously held leadership roles at General Electric Corp. and McKinsey & Co.

At Vistra, Morgan will stay on as CEO through a summer transition, according to the company. Board chairman Scott Helm credited Morgan with moving the company away from a reliance on coal plants and into one of the largest power producers and retailers in the US It sells electricity and natural gas to nearly 4.3 million residential, commercial and industrial customers.

“Leading Vistra has been the most rewarding experience of my 40-year career,” Morgan said in a statement. “Now is the right time for this leadership transition. The company is strong with the right strategic direction and capital allocation plan. And importantly, Jim is the right person for the job.”

Burke, 53, most recently was president and chief financial officer of the $12 billion-a-year business that includes well-known retailers TXU Energy, Ambit Energy and Dynegy and power generator Luminant. Before that, he was Vistra’s chief operating officer for four years and previously served as CEO of TXU Energy.

CEO turnover is beginning to accelerate this year, with 276 top executives departing in January and February, according to a report by global outplacement and coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. That’s up nearly 42% from the same two-month period a year ago.

“As pandemic concerns subside somewhat with falling cases, leaders who have been in crisis mode for the last two years may look for something new,” said Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of the Chicago-based firm. “As with many American workers, they may choose to retire or resign for other positions.”

Since August, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Tenet Healthcare are among North Texas companies with retiring CEOs being replaced with internal successors. Earlier this month, Susan Salka, the chief executive who established Dallas as a second headquarters city for staffing firm AMN Healthcare, said she will retire this year after her successor is hired.

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Recology is no stranger to trouble.

The San Francisco garbage giant, and its predecessor firms, have been plagued by scandal for decades.

A company executive once conspired to bribe a public official in Southern California. A subsidiary of Recology was investigated by the FBI for hiring a prominent state politician to further its interests. Down in San Jose, the company was accused of conspiring to bribe the mayor to influence its contract.

Yet none of these controversies stopped Recology from leveraging its longstanding monopoly on waste collection in San Francisco to build a garbage empire that spans the West Coast, from California to Washington to Oregon.

Now, a new cascade of developments surrounding Recology and the ongoing corruption investigation at San Francisco’s City Hall could weaken that empire. The scandal led to the company and its subsidiaries agreeing to pay major penalties to both the federal government and The City, hoping to make things right and forestall renewed calls to dismantle its long-held local monopoly.

The scandal with The City directly involved the rates San Franciscans pay for garbage collection, giving new leverage to Recology critics who argue that breaking up the monopoly would drive down costs for local ratepayers. As it stands, the owner of every home and business, or their tenant, in San Francisco is required by law to pay Recology for trash pick-up.

How did we get here? In the nearly two years since authorities arrested San Francisco’s former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru on fraud charges, the probe has ensnared a bevy of city officials and contractors, including two recently departed Recology executives in charge of the company’s local operation. Last month, three Recology subsidiaries admitted to conspiring to bribe Nuru in exchange for his help raising garbage rates.

Retired Judge Quentin Kopp, a longtime Recology critic who has tried to break up the monopoly for years, said the bribery scandal highlights the importance of the exclusive arrangement to the company’s bottom line and reveals the ends to which its representatives were willing to go to maintain it.

“What they have done is insinuate themselves in all the city departments which affect their monopoly,” he said. “You have got to keep the monopoly.”

To understand how the company came to control — and, as critics say, exploit — this lucrative monopoly, one has to go back to the very beginning.

Pasquale, Domenic and Alfred Fontana work on a horse-drawn garbage wagon in 1932. The three brothers, all Italian immigrants, were one of many garbage “scavengers” who were integral in the founding of companies that eventually became Recology. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

Scavengers and scandals

Recology’s roots go back more than a century, when Italian immigrants, known as scavengers, hauled garbage across San Francisco on horse-drawn wagons, and the trash ended up dumped in the Bay.

Its earliest predecessor firms date back to 1920, when scavengers banded together to form two companies: the Sunset Scavenger Company controlled the residential parts of town, while the Scavenger’s Protective Association (later known as Golden Gate Disposal) worked downtown.

Its lasting power really came over a decade later, when voters approved an ordinance in 1932 that divided San Francisco into 97 garbage routes and allowed only permitted companies to work them. Soon after, its predecessor firms bought out all their smaller competitors and secured every permit issued under the ordinance, creating an early version of the monopoly.

Recology’s predecessor firms hauled large bags using scavenger wagons, shown here in 1936. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

After becoming president of Sunset Scavenger in 1965, Leonard Stefanelli dreamed of uniting the two firms on the basis of their shared Italian heritage.

“La Cosa Nostra — ‘Our Thing’ — is a traditional term used to refer to the so-called Sicilian Mafia,” Stefanelli wrote before his death in a 2018 memoir entitled, “Garbage: The Saga of a Boss Scavenger in San Francisco.” “It aptly described the program that I was beginning to envision, if it became a reality.”

Stefanelli would ultimately be ousted before his dream came to fruition.

It wasn’t until 1987 that the two firms merged to become Norcal Waste Systems, creating the modern-day monopoly that exists today.

In 2009, the firm changed its name to Recology to reflect its expansion beyond Northern California and its commitment to the environment. The firm is now the only licensed refuse collector in San Francisco today, running a specialized composting and recycling operation that trucks away San Francisco’s garbage and dumps only what can’t be saved in a landfill.

But behind that story of innovation and expansion is a darker history of scandal.

In 1990, news broke that the FBI was investigating a Norcal company for hiring then-Assembly Speaker Willie Brown as its private attorney while seeking to develop a landfill in Solano County. All parties denied wrongdoing at the time, and the probe did not ultimately result in criminal charges.

In 1999, Norcal became embroiled in a bribery scandal over a lucrative garbage contract while growing its business in Southern California. A Norcal vice president and a consultant for the firm pleaded guilty to federal charges for conspiring to bribe a top San Bernardino County official in exchange for his official influence. While Norcal cut ties with the executive and its consultant, the high-profile scandal tarnished the reputation of both the county and the company.

Then in 2006, years after the San Bernardino case, Norcal was caught up in another bribery scandal, this time involving an alleged backroom deal with then-San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and a top aide. While Norcal was indicted, a judge ended up tossing the case, calling the allegations politics, not bribery.

While raising questions about its capacity for corruption, none of those scandals struck as close to home as the one embroiling Recology today.

Money and power

Under the 1932 ordinance, Nuru played a key role in setting garbage rates in San Francisco as the director of Public Works. He had a say in whether a panel known as the Rate Board should increase the rates Recology charged residents, and by extension its commercial customers.

Recology also wanted his help as a top official raising the fees it charged San Francisco to dump construction materials at a facility in The City.

So its San Francisco companies showered Nuru with gifts to please him, according to court documents in three cases the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed against the firms and two of their former executives, Paul Giusti and John Porter.

Every other month, Giusti arranged for a Recology company to cut a $30,000 check to a nonprofit called the Clean City Coalition. The coalition would then take a 5% cut and transfer the remaining funds to another nonprofit, the San Francisco Parks Alliance. There, the money landed in two accounts controlled by Nuru, including one prosecutors describe as his “slush fund.”

While federal authorities did not name the two nonprofits in charging documents, they have since been identified by the Controller’s Office.

Giusti funneled about $1 million from the Recology companies to Nuru in this way, prosecutors said. While the payments were ostensibly to benefit an anti-littering program called “Giant Sweep,” Nuru allegedly dipped into one of the funds to buy T-shirts, caps and other stuff for his staff, and also to help pay for increasingly luxurious Public Works holiday parties.

“Mohammed is the director of (Public Works) who ultimately signs off on our rates. Needless to say, keeping him happy is important,” Porter, who is accused of approving the payments, allegedly wrote in an email obtained by the FBI.

Keeping Nuru happy also meant cutting checks totaling $60,000 to a baseball charity for children, the Lefty O’Doul’s Foundation for Kids, prosecutors said. But instead of helping children, the money went toward putting on holiday parties.

On top of those payments, a Recology company hired his son as a laborer and funded paid internships for him at a nonprofit, where he remained on the payroll despite falling asleep at work, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

After conducting his own investigation into the payments, City Attorney Dennis Herrera concluded that Recology’s relationship with Nuru allowed its companies to overcharge San Franciscans nearly $95 million for garbage collection.

In December 2018, Recology and Public Works discussed an error in the rate-setting process that caused prices to go up for San Franciscans, Herrera said. But neither Recology nor Public Works corrected the problem — and Recology continued to overcharge its customers for two years, he said.

A Recology driver lines up recycling and compost bins for collection on Oct. 22. (Kevin N. Hume/The Examiner)

Paying penance

Recology now pledges to stay on the straight and narrow.

While disputing that the overcharging was intentional and describing the error in the rate-making process as a mistake, Recology has since admitted that its San Francisco companies engaged in a conspiracy to bribe Nuru.

Those companies, Recology San Francisco, Sunset Scavenger Company and Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling, have reached an agreement with the City Attorney’s Office to refund ratepayers $95 million, return garbage rates back to justified levels and pay a $7 million civil penalty.

Separately, an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office will allow the Recology companies to avoid a fraud conviction by admitting to the conspiracy and paying a penalty of $29 million to the federal government.

While Giusti has agreed to cooperate with the investigation and plead guilty to bribery and fraud charges, cases against Nuru and Porter are pending.

Recology is now essentially asking San Francisco for forgiveness.

“This is a humbling moment for our company,” Recology spokesperson Robert Reed said. “Recology was born and raised in San Francisco, and has served this city for more than 100 years. We are proud to have built our nationally recognized recycling and composting program from the ground up.”

Recology shook up its leadership after the scandal broke. Longtime CEO Michael Sangiacomo retired at the end of 2020, and was replaced by former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sal Coniglio.

In a video statement posted online in response to the agreement with federal prosecutors, Coniglio said the deal allowed Recology to “own up to the mistakes of the past, while continuing to serve you long into the future.”

“I want to make it clear that this type of mistake and this type of conduct was wrong and unacceptable,” said Coniglio, who Recology declined to make available for an interview. “We must ensure that nothing like this never happens again.”

‘The system has been exploited’

Supervisor Aaron Peskin is set on ensuring the corruption stops there.

Peskin is considering sponsoring a ballot measure that would break up the monopoly. He has formed a working group to examine different models for restructuring garbage collection in San Francisco.

Those options include allowing other companies to bid against Recology to provide garbage collection services, creating a municipally owned trash collector or reforming the 1932 ordinance to include anti-corruption measures.

“The system has been exploited,” Peskin said. “They clearly were charging more than they should, the system didn’t work and either we need an entirely new system or we have got to (implement) fail safes.”

Should Peskin decide to move forward with a ballot measure, he could face stern opposition from Recology.

In 2012, Recology outspent its opponents 55-to-1 to defeat the most recent of three attempts at the polls to inject competition into the garbage business, spending $1.7 million to crush his anti-monopoly ballot measure.

While Recology says it offers residents competitive rates compared to other parts of the Bay Area, opponents argue that opening up the business to competitive bidding would inherently lower costs for San Franciscans.

“That’s why for all city and county construction contracts, or equipment supply contracts, competitive bidding is required,” said Kopp, the retired judge. “There is no other monopoly in city and county government.”

Former Supervisor John Avalos was one of the few officials who expressed support for the 2012 measure. He recently described what it’s like to go up against the politically powerful company.

“It feels like intimidation, but you’re not quite sure where it’s all coming from,” Avalos said. “There are a lot of different groups that work together to create that pressure on you, and they come from the highest levels of government to the company itself, its lobbyists (and) labor organizations.”

The measure was rejected overwhelmingly, with nearly 77 percent of voters backing Recology.

Hanging in the balance for Recology is its lucrative monopoly. Over a year-long period ending in 2020, Recology companies reported $170 million in revenue from residential garbage collection alone, as well as another $166 million from the commercial side of the business, among other revenue streams.

Reed defended this monopoly by saying that it was beneficial for both San Franciscans and the environment. He said monthly charges for residents are less expensive in The City than for customers in Oakland and San Jose.

Residents pay $43.04 a month in San Francisco for basic trash pick-up services, compared to $52.36 in Oakland and $51.15 in San Jose, according to Reed.

By comparison, an Examiner review of monthly garbage rates on the Peninsula shows residents pay $31.31 for basic service in Daly City and $31.93 in San Bruno.

Reed defended the monopoly as being “heavily regulated.” He said Recology is committed to “delivering tremendous service and fair value to our customers, providing good-paying union jobs to local workers, and advancing industry-leading environmental programs.”

mbarba@sfexaminer.com

Bay Area Newssan francisco news

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Andrew Noyes says he and his husband discovered a huge beehive in the ceiling of their home. Andrew Noyes

• Andrew Noyes told insiders that he found a beehive in the ceiling of his home in San Francisco.

• Noyes said he heard noises from the ceiling and saw dead bees around the house.

• Noyes said a beekeeper told him the beehive was dead and predatory bees had entered because of the honey.

• Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Little did Andrew Noyes buy a house in San Francisco with his husband that they would share it with predatory bees.

Noyes, 41, told Insider that he and his husband – who both work for startups – started spotting bees in their home shortly after they moved in September. Noyes said they also saw some live bees floating around their office, bedroom, and bathroom.

“We also saw significant bee activity on the outside of the house at a single point near a water pipe on the roof line,” Noyes said.

Then there were noises from the ceiling – “like raindrops,” Noyes said.

So he got a beekeeper and quickly discovered that there was a beehive on the ceiling.

Noyes had the beehive removed over the weekend and documented the process in a series of tweets on Saturday.

A beekeeper found the beehive on the office ceiling after using a thermal imager and stethoscope to heat – according to Noyes, the professional told him the beehive was giving off heat – and detected bee activity.

When he cut the blanket open, the beekeeper found a huge beehive that he said was likely active before the couple moved in and became extinct, Noyes said.

As for the live bees buzzing around, the beekeeper told Noyes that “predatory bees from other hives stole leftover honey from the hive and returned it to their own hives,” and that the hive was probably producing 100 pounds of honey at its peak.

The beekeeper used a vacuum to suck up bees without harming them, as one of Noyes’ tweets shows.

To extract the beehive, Noyes tweeted that the beekeeper had brought another worker. “They were dressed and the room was sealed for most of the extraction, but we were able to take a look at different places to see their progress,” Noyes told Insider.

The story goes on

Noyes said the extraction cost $ 500 and since moving he has only seen a few confused predatory bees outside the house near the entry point where the beehive used to be.

“We’re in an area with lots of nature that we love,” said Noyes. “But we would certainly prefer nature to stay outside of the house.”

Read the original article on Insider

The post A person says he uncovered an enormous beehive hidden contained in the ceiling of his new house lower than a month after shifting in appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Derive Systems continues its rapid growth with the expansion of key customer relationships

Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Derive Systems today announced the expansion of its relationship with ARS Rescue Rooter, a leading American Residential Services LLC brand with more than 69 locations in 24 states nationwide. ARS has trusted Derive since 2013 to support 3,500 fleet vehicles to positively reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by optimizing engine calibration.

A single deployment of Derive VQ Efficiency on a single ARS vehicle removes approximately 1,990 lbs. (0.9 tons) CO2 emissions annually. Applied to their entire fleet of 3,500 vans, the resulting impact will eliminate approximately £ 6.9 million. CO2 emissions per year (3,166 metric tons). This is equivalent to removing the emissions from 210 vans from the road. In the past eight years, the Safelite and Derive Systems partnership has decreased approximately £ 55 million. the C02 emissions from the environment.

The main purpose of the VQ platform is to provide advanced mobility solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from fleet vehicles. The combination of vehicle fleet know-how and state-of-the-art software technology from Derive helps customers achieve sustainable sustainability results. On average, the Derive VQ Efficiency solution generates between 6% and 10% immediate fuel savings per vehicle while implementing speed thresholds on the engine itself.

“ARS focuses on our people and the environment. We chose Derive technology to improve vehicle safety while reducing our environmental footprint, ”said Kevin O’Donnell, ARS Director of Purchasing and Fleet.

Since 2010, Derive Systems has dedicated itself to revolutionizing the sustainability and security of fleet management with more than two million software installations. Derive Systems offers a scalable fleet management software platform that enables fleet managers to tailor their vehicles for the best performance. Derive’s VQ platform calibrates engines for better fuel efficiency, provides improved telematics for greater savings, and moves safety compliance from the driver to the vehicle.

The story goes on

“We are excited to continue our partnership with ARS to support their safety and fuel efficiency goals,” said John Oechsle, Chief Executive Officer of Derive Systems Fuel Consumption, which has a major impact on our environment. “

Via derivation systems

As a leading automotive technology company, Derive Systems enables its customers to take control of their vehicles. Derive safely and reliably optimizes vehicle performance, fuel efficiency, safety and more through over two million software installations. More information about Derive Systems or its products can be found at derivesystems.com.

About ARS Rescue Rooter

American Residential Services (ARS® / Rescue Rooter®) is a privately held Memphis-based company and one of the nation’s largest providers of air conditioning, heating and plumbing services. ARS / Rescue Rooter was founded in 1975 and has built a prestigious national portfolio of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, electrical and energy efficient services. ARS / Rescue Rooter is proud to partner with and acquire some of the best home service providers in the country. The ARS® network offers exceptional service and serves both private and small business customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewerage, radiation protection, insulation and ventilation services. Each location has a knowledgeable team of trained specialists who undergo rigorous training and background checks. Additionally, ARS / Rescue Rooter has long-term strategic partnerships with industry-leading suppliers and retailers to efficiently serve consumers. ARS / Rescue Rooter offers exceptional service and guarantees the highest quality standards and has the experience to do every job right – the first time with guaranteed work. To make it work. Get it right®. In 2020, GI Partners, a leading private investment firm, took a majority stake in the company. The GI Partners team brings extensive industry investment experience as well as operational and technological know-how, providing ARS employees significant opportunities and enhancing the ARS customer experience. Founded in 2001, GI Partners is a private investment company based in San Francisco, California. The company has raised over $ 23 billion in capital from leading institutional investors around the world to invest in private equity, real estate and data infrastructure strategies. Existing investors, Charlesbank Capital Partners (Charlesbank) and ARS management continue to make significant new investments in the business.

CONTACT: Mike Smith Derive Systems, Inc. msmith@yesandagency.com

The post Derive Methods Publicizes Extension of Shopper Relationship with Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Big ARS Rescue Rooter appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Derive Systems continues its rapid growth with the expansion of key customer relationships

Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Derive Systems today announced the expansion of its relationship with ARS Rescue Rooter, a leading American Residential Services LLC brand with more than 69 locations in 24 states nationwide. ARS has trusted Derive since 2013 to support 3,500 fleet vehicles to positively reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by optimizing engine calibration.

A single deployment of Derive VQ Efficiency on a single ARS vehicle removes approximately 1,990 lbs. (0.9 tons) CO2 emissions annually. Applied to their entire fleet of 3,500 vans, the resulting impact will eliminate approximately £ 6.9 million. CO2 emissions per year (3,166 metric tons). This is equivalent to removing the emissions from 210 vans from the road. In the past eight years, ARS and Derive Systems’ partnership has decreased approximately £ 55 million. the C02 emissions from the environment.

The main purpose of the VQ platform is to provide advanced mobility solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from fleet vehicles. The combination of vehicle fleet know-how and state-of-the-art software technology from Derive helps customers achieve sustainable sustainability results. On average, the Derive VQ Efficiency solution generates between 6% and 10% immediate fuel savings per vehicle while implementing speed thresholds on the engine itself.

“ARS focuses on our people and the environment. We chose Derive technology to improve vehicle safety while reducing our environmental footprint, ”said Kevin O’Donnell, Director of Purchasing and Fleet at ARS.

Since 2010, Derive Systems has dedicated itself to revolutionizing the sustainability and security of fleet management with more than two million software installations. Derive Systems offers a scalable fleet management software platform that enables fleet managers to tailor their vehicles for the best performance. Derive’s VQ platform calibrates engines for better fuel efficiency, provides improved telematics for greater savings, and moves safety compliance from the driver to the vehicle.

The story goes on

“We are excited to continue our partnership with ARS to support their safety and fuel efficiency goals,” said John Oechsle, Chief Executive Officer of Derive Systems Fuel Consumption, which has a major impact on our environment. “

Via derivation systems

As a leading automotive technology company, Derive Systems enables its customers to take control of their vehicles. Derive safely and reliably optimizes vehicle performance, fuel efficiency, safety and more through over two million software installations. More information about Derive Systems or its products can be found at derivesystems.com.

About ARS Rescue Rooter

American Residential Services (ARS® / Rescue Rooter®) is a privately held Memphis-based company and one of the nation’s largest providers of air conditioning, heating and plumbing services. Founded in 1975, ARS / Rescue Rooter has built a prestigious national portfolio of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, electrical and energy efficient services. ARS / Rescue Rooter is proud to partner with and acquire some of the best home service providers in the country. The ARS® network offers exceptional service and serves both private and small business customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewerage, radiation protection, insulation and ventilation services. Each location has a knowledgeable team of trained specialists who undergo rigorous training and background checks. Additionally, ARS / Rescue Rooter has long-term strategic partnerships with industry-leading suppliers and retailers to efficiently serve consumers. ARS / Rescue Rooter offers exceptional service and guarantees the highest quality standards and has the experience to do every job right – the first time with guaranteed work. To make it work. Get it right®. In 2020, GI Partners, a leading private investment firm, took a majority stake in the company. The GI Partners team brings extensive industry investment experience as well as operational and technological know-how, providing ARS employees significant opportunities and enhancing the ARS customer experience. Founded in 2001, GI Partners is a private investment company based in San Francisco, California. The company has raised over $ 23 billion in capital from leading institutional investors around the world to invest in private equity, real estate and data infrastructure strategies. Existing investors, Charlesbank Capital Partners (Charlesbank) and ARS management continue to make significant new investments in the business.

CONTACT: Mike Smith Derive Systems, Inc. msmith@yesandagency.com

The post Derive Methods Declares Extension of Shopper Relationship with Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Big ARS Rescue Rooter appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

On February 20, there was a strange sight in San Francisco when a 139 year old house rolled through the city streets. Lots of people came out to watch the unusual sight of a huge house coming down the street. The structure is beautiful, so it is good that the building can stand, even if the location is different.

The move of the house was careful and deliberate. The team that accepted the challenge lifted the house from the foundations and onto a huge dolly. They then dragged it about seven blocks to the new location. This happened very slowly as obstacles such as parking meters, street lights, power lines and trees had to be dealt with.

This wasn’t even the only building that had to move during this endeavor. This house stands next to what is currently a morgue, and this structure had to be moved about 12 feet to make room.

Planning for this arduous process began in 2019. The move was originally scheduled to take place in January 2021, but bad weather forced the move to be postponed, according to SF Gate.

The developer intends to convert the moved house and morgue into a 17-unit residential complex. A new multi-family house with 47 units will also be built on the former site of the house, reported SF Gate.

The reason for the move has to do with San Francisco’s notoriously expensive real estate. The land on which the house stood was worth more than the house itself. However, the structure had enough historical significance not to be demolished. The building originally belonged to the owner of a trading company that carried cargo through the city at the end of the 19th century.

The post Watch A Big Home In San Francisco Roll Down The Street To New Deal with appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

May 11, 2021 Updated: May 11, 2021 at 7:01 p.m.

The San Francisco skyline is covered in a mixture of sun and clouds after a storm in San Francisco on March 15, 2021.

Douglas Zimmerman / SFGATE

If you live in San Francisco, you might have heard the thunderous roar of a low-flying airplane on Tuesday afternoon.

It zoomed in quickly about about 2:35 p.m. and since we are months away from Fleet Week, many took to Twitter to find out what was going on.

Does anyone know why a fighter jet only flew over SF, louder than it would be a fleet week? Shook my apartment and 3 car alarms went off. #San Francisco

– Jordana Schacht (@JordanaRachael) May 11, 2021

What the hell was that super noisy, non-flying jet that was flying over the house? San Francisco peeping? Really creepy #sf

– Karen Insf [Jan/3➞₿?”‘∎] (@ kareninsf2) May 11, 2021

Many speculated it must be a fighter jet, but it turned out to be an Air Force KC-10 Extender, an air tanker tanker.

The aircraft was part of the 9th Air Refueling Squadron at Travis Air Force Base and was authorized today to operate a route in the Bay Area as part of an Air Force tradition known as “Fini Flight”.

“We call it a ‘fini flight’ and it will be your last flight at this base before you retire or move to another unit,” said Lt. Amelia Chromy, Travis Air Force Base Public Affairs Officer. “It’s like a festival flight or a farewell. They come back afterwards and celebrate with their friends, family, and other members of the unit. “

Chromy said the flight, which took place on Tuesday, was meant to honor someone who switched to a different unit. She said that these types of flights could include any type of aircraft (or multiple aircraft) and they are not always the same.

The KC-10 extender, which flew over town on Tuesday, took off and landed from Travis Air Force Base in Solano County.

Tessa is a local editor for SFGATE. Before joining the team in 2019, she specialized in food, beverage and lifestyle content for numerous publications including Liquor.com, The Bold Italic, 7×7 and more. Contact her at tessa.mclean@sfgate.com.

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]]> https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/this-is-why-that-big-army-plane-flew-loudly-over-san-francisco-on-tuesday/feed/ 0 https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/mothers-soar-to-the-skies-on-moms-day-aboard-san-francisco-big-spinning-wheel/ https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/mothers-soar-to-the-skies-on-moms-day-aboard-san-francisco-big-spinning-wheel/#respond Mon, 10 May 2021 02:14:11 +0000 https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/?p=4804 Antoine Mabrey heard about a free Mother’s Day promotion on the radio when he was home in Hayward, but he kept it to himself as he packed up his wife Alisha and daughters Ari, 6 and Amaya, 3, and drove them to the Sunday morning Golden Gate Park. At 9 a.m. they looked at the …

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Antoine Mabrey heard about a free Mother’s Day promotion on the radio when he was home in Hayward, but he kept it to himself as he packed up his wife Alisha and daughters Ari, 6 and Amaya, 3, and drove them to the Sunday morning Golden Gate Park.

At 9 a.m. they looked at the SkyStar observation wheel, which rose 150 feet into the sky. At this point, Alisha knew that her surprising Mother’s Day present shouldn’t be brunch. It was three trips on the ferris wheel. The tickets were free for mothers, which meant a saving of US $ 18 – “definitely a plus,” said Antoine, not wanting to sound financially motivated on Mother’s Day.

But there were a lot of people because at 9:30 a.m., half an hour before the opening, the line stretched from the ticket office to past the California Academy of Sciences. “I love this thing,” said Erica Spartos, who was there with her daughter Eula, 8.

Spartos admitted that the reason she hadn’t been there was the price. “I think it’s too expensive,” she said, even considering a 15% discount for locals and $ 12 for kids. The trip consists of three full rotations in a closed gondola, which takes about 10 minutes, and that after half an hour of waiting. “It’s starting to spin,” Spartos said as the attraction came to life.

Until then, patience waned. Zion Burdick, 4, had his little brother Maverick, 3, by the hood of his sweatshirt and made a ride of his own by spinning him around in circles. “They’re just alive,” said their mother, Shellie, who shut down the Windsor boys while they left their toddler home with Dad, an extra gift.

The SkyStar, owned by an entertainment company in St. Louis, first arrived in March 2020 as the main attraction for the 150th anniversary of Golden Gate Park on April 4, 2020. The day the wheel joined the skyline was the day the pandemic struck – home-order passed. The 36 gondolas didn’t make it out of their shipping container until October 21 after the order was canceled, only to close again on November 28 when the virus got caught in a winter flood.

The subsequent reopening on March 4 became controversial when it became known that the Department of Recreation and Parks was looking to extend the original one-year contract by four years. Park purists opposed it, but the expansion was approved after a campaign highlighting the ferris wheel as the engine of economic recovery that could attract tourists and help Richmond District merchants survive the financial struggle of the pandemic.

“It’s ridiculous to fight for a ferris wheel,” said Shellie Burdick. “If we care about things, why don’t we care about climate change?”

The SkyStar spins under the lights day and night, which was another point of criticism. But it was an average of 30,000 passengers a month.

It can run with just six gondolas if there isn’t much demand, with the weather being a deciding factor. On a Sunday, a rainstorm caused an LED light on top of the bike to short-circuit and set off a spark. The people who drove in the six cars were evacuated. Half an hour later, according to the manager, the journey continued without any problems.

Under the sunny Mother’s Day skies, all 36 cars were in operation and the line was moving faster after San Francisco made enough progress against the coronavirus that the ride doesn’t capture the temperatures of all passengers before boarding. They were allowed to go straight to the photo booth, which shows the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Grant Haggerty, 7, who lives in the Sunset District, was scared to ride it, but once on board with his parents Tom and Alayne Haggerty he was able to enjoy his mother pointing out UCSF Parnassus, where Grant was born. His father pointed to his own birthplace, St. Mary’s Hospital, though that was of limited interest to Grant.

Erica Spartos described the ride as “a complete thrill”. The living green roof of the Academy of Sciences had given her hope against climate change. “It gives you a perspective that you don’t get every day.”

Zion and Maverick Burdick went out in search of hot dogs, and Alisha Mabrey left with a cardboard frame that contained photos of her with her husband and daughters, including one that appeared to have been taken on a skycam while they were there were in the air.

The framed photos were $ 36.95, which was double the savings on Mother’s Day, but Antoine didn’t want to argue with that. “It was definitely the best Mother’s Day,” said Alisha, “because it was a surprise.”

Sam Whiting is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SamWhitingSF

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]]> https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/mothers-soar-to-the-skies-on-moms-day-aboard-san-francisco-big-spinning-wheel/feed/ 0 https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/san-francisco-will-spend-150-million-to-avoid-wasting-an-enormous-sewer-pipe/ https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/san-francisco-will-spend-150-million-to-avoid-wasting-an-enormous-sewer-pipe/#respond Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:42:10 +0000 https://losgatosnewsandevents.com/?p=780 Chances are most Franciscans have never heard of the Lake Merced Tunnel, but it’s a historic piece of 19th-century infrastructure that’s critical to keeping the city’s sewers flowing without debris going straight into the Pacific . There is also a risk of being destroyed by the same ocean as climate change continues to creep the …

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Chances are most Franciscans have never heard of the Lake Merced Tunnel, but it’s a historic piece of 19th-century infrastructure that’s critical to keeping the city’s sewers flowing without debris going straight into the Pacific .

There is also a risk of being destroyed by the same ocean as climate change continues to creep the tides inward, forcing the city into a more than $ 150 million protection plan.

According to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), the Lake Merced Tunnel is a 14-foot-wide drainage pipe that runs under the Great Highway and serves the Oceanside Treatment Plant and its pumping station on Ocean Beach.

The facility is one of three facilities in SF that are responsible for the rehabilitation of rainwater and wastewater discharges prior to disposal. It treats around 20 percent of the city’s wastewater.

If the facility can hold too much waste at one time, such as a large storm, the overflow flows into the Lake Merced Tunnel.

Being a giant sewer pipe may not sound very impressive. When it was built in 1896, the San Francisco Call described the tunnel as “one of the most difficult engineering work ever carried out in the state” and raved about its completion in just 17 months despite “many difficulties with turbulence in underground water.” (Note that the tunnel precedes the sewage treatment plant nearly 100 years. The Oceanside facility was not built until 1993 and the existing tunnel was adapted for its purposes.)

The tunnel was one of the crowning achievements of a so-called canal century in San Francisco.

“In the 1800s we built more sewers than anyone,” George Engel, operations manager at the SF Public Utilities Commission, told Curbed SF.

“We still have on the order of 100 miles of 19th-century sewers operating in San Francisco today,” adds Engels, including tunnels.

The Lake Merced Tunnel is a hidden gem, like the entire apparatus used to dispose of SF waste. In 2014, SPUR marveled at the “invisible infrastructure” that keeps the system in motion, but is also not visible to the public on the beach.

But this obscure piece of plumbing is important – and it’s in serious danger too. The planning department warns that erosion and rising sea levels are threatening to flood the tunnel and the associated infrastructure in the near future.

The city hasn’t said in so many words that the coastal water system itself is in danger – SFist describes the system as potentially “washed into the Pacific” – but there is important plumbing inland of the tunnel, and it makes sense that it is imagine more complex problems in the future.

To counter this aquatic encroachment, the city has a $ 151.3 million plan to push back the ocean.

In a November memo, SFPUC Director General Harlan Kelly set out the two critical initiatives: removing several thousand feet of the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline Boulevard (a stretch of doomed consumption) and creating “multipurpose coastal protection.” / a multi-purpose restoration ”/ access system. ”

The latter is a broad term consisting of actions ranging from “managed coastal retreat” to “beach food” – that is, bringing in large amounts of sand to replace eroded material (which the city does every year).

The city hopes to start the actual construction work in 2023.

As the San Francisco Examiner notes, the current price is up roughly $ 60 million from previous estimates. The city blames “refinements” in the construction plan for rising costs.

In 2015, environmental group Surfrider advised the city to consider relocating the Merced Tunnel altogether, arguing that “sea level rise and climate change-induced storms will increase in the years to come,” leaving the tunnel only delaying where it is is inevitable, but SFPUC will still try to keep the tunnel in its original location.

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