A bedazzled Bay Area night sky in pictures

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/23/2011

Nature photographers should check out this photo essay of Bay Area shooter Steven Christenson’s nighttime photos taken in Fremont. He discusses technique and is co-founder of the Bay Area Night Photography group. Pretty amazing. [See/hear more - QUEST] QUEST on KQED Public Media.

Discussion of CA state park closures and high speed rail

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/23/2011

This morning on KQED’s Forum two topics close to WOW readers’ hearts are under discussion. First the impact of the California state park closures, followed by a look at the state’s embattled high-speed rail plans. Listen to the latter live right here: http://www.kqed.org/radio/listen/

Scientists may have found method for earthquake prediction

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/23/2011

By observing chemical changes in the upper atmosphere, scientists say they may be able to predict large earthquakes days before they occur. Researchers have detected a rise in various gas concentrations in 24 different earthquakes of a magnitude greater than 7. But other scientists argue the source of the increased concentration is highly debatable and requires more study. [Read more - California Watch]

Developer and business groups fight Bay Area climate adaptation plan

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/23/2011

A group of the Bay Area’s largest developers and business groups appear to be mounting a campaign of opposition to a plan that helps the region adapt to rising sea levels. The Bay Plan’s drafters recently incorporated language into the draft from a state-wide climate adaptation strategy that would discourage development in areas prone to flooding and environmental damage, which has provoked opposition groups. [Read more - The Bay Citizen]

Some call it “the bug from hell”

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/20/2011

The voracious, crop-destroying invasive stink bug is turning up in California. Named for the smell they exude when crushed, the Asian bugs have decimated fruit production in some areas of the east coast where they were first found in 1998. California growers are looking anxiously to the east for methods to eradicate the pest before spring crops are impacted. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

Yellow Pages are a first amendment right…?

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/20/2011

A group representing Yellow Pages advocates, called the Local Search Association, is suing Seattle’s City Council for adopting a program that allows residents to opt out of receiving phone books. And they may do the same in San Francisco. Last Tuesday the city’s board of supervisors approved a similar approach to reducing the number of unused phone books it spends $1 million annually to throw away. Local Search Association says it a violation of free speech for cities to single out the books for regulation. [Read more - San Diego Union Tribune]

“Startling” results from necropsy of Redwood Shores sharks

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/20/2011

Disturbing new information about the hundreds of leopard sharks found dead near Redwood Shores in April is raising more questions than answers. Inside one of the sharks, researchers found “inflammation, bleeding, and lesions in the brain, and hemorrhaging from the skin near vents,” reports the Daily News. Researchers say more tests are needed to determine the cause of the disturbing discovery. [Read more - Oakland Tribune]

SF Sup Avalo supports turnnig Sharp Park Golf Course into park

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/19/2011

It appears San Francisco Supervisor John Avalo has decided to side with environmentalists on the fate of Sharp Park Golf Course. Avalo, who recently through his hat in the ring for mayor, says he will work to have the property transferred from the city to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in order to become a park. [Read more - San Jose Mercury News]

Only one in ten use Bay Area public transportation

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/16/2011

Despite good marks in a Brooking’s Institute report on public transportation, the Bay Area transit system is only used by 1 in 10 people. While people say they like the idea of public transportation, the lack of reliability and convenience as well as cost and cleanliness are keeping them in their cars. [Read more - KQED]

Wallace Stegner’s writing den to be demolished

By Victoria Schlesinger

05/16/2011

The studio where environmental champion, and arguably one of the West’s greatest writers, Wallace Stegner penned his novels and essays is set to be demolished. Stegner’s family tried unsuccessfully to preserve the building by selling it to Stanford University. Instead, Yew Nam and Wan Lei Yong bought the property and plan to level the home. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

Feds consider dumping pesticides on Farallons as way to curb mice

05/13/2011

By Alison Hawkes

Federal officials are considering dumping pesticides pellets onto the Farallon Islands with to get rid of a burgeoning non-native mice population that they believe is throwing the ecosystem out of whack. Wildlife advocates are opposing the measure, saying that chemicals is hardly the answer to protecting imperiled species. The mice landed on the islands aboard fur trading ships in the 1800s and have since caused a jump in the burrowing owl population, which is preying on Ashy-Storm petrels, a species of concern. [Read more -- San Francisco Chronicle]

Tags: farallon islands, invasive species, pesticide