When my husband and I retired in 2015, we moved from San Francisco to Nevada City in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills.
Last week, we visited San Francisco for a UCSF reunion and stayed in a lovely hotel in Mission Bay — modern, calm and a world away from the bustle we were heading toward.
The reunion dinner was at a classic Italian restaurant in North Beach, and we decided to try a Waymo for the first time. After initial unease, we found ourselves relaxing, almost forgetting there wasn’t a human at the helm.
Crossing San Francisco from Mission Bay to North Beach, we noticed something unexpected: no sidewalk tents or homeless encampments. The streets were clean and the sidewalks were crowded: busy with young people spilling out of restaurants and gyms, with foot and bicycle traffic thick enough to slow our Waymo to a crawl.
The city felt vibrant, young and healthy. It was a sharp contrast to the San Francisco we left 11 years ago and not like the version that dominates today’s headlines.
I returned expecting to confirm what I’d been hearing. Instead, I left thinking maybe the city is writing a new chapter — and I’m ready to read it!
Barbara Drew, Nevada City
The Potter Valley Project moves water from the Eel to the Russian River. It was a hydroelectric project, but it has not produced power in years because the infrastructure is aging and unsafe.
A bigger issue is that the Potter Valley Project is not near the State Water Project or any aqueducts that feed Southern California. Building new aqueducts is expensive.
Dam removal is the only viable option.
Regina Chichizola, director of communities, United for Water Protection, Trinidad, Humboldt County
Please run for United States president.