San Francisco region's commuter trains are running again after hours-long stoppage
Thousands of commuters in the San Francisco Bay Area were scrambling for alternate routes after its regional commuter rail system known as BART shut down systemwide for several hours Friday morning.
Bay Area Rapid Transit said it could not run its train control system due to a malfunction. A BART spokesperson said on its media phone line that they could not power up the train control system, which prevented them from being able to safely operate the trains. The cause was not immediately provided.
BART carries nearly 175,000 people most weekdays. The system went down shortly after 5 a.m. and service wasn't fully restored until around 9 a.m., complicating morning commutes. BART also runs to the San Francisco International Airport. Alternate ferry and bus service stepped up to help passengers reach destinations.
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Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says
LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. "The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover told Reuters on Thursday. "There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials. "We will be able to have a wide-open Games." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, the private, non-profit company organizing the Games, said he had "great confidence" that the positive working relationship with the administration would continue. "It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognizing that," he told a press conference after hosting International Olympic Committee officials in Los Angeles. Wasserman added that he did not anticipate the travel ban to have any impact on ticket sales, which will begin next year. The U.S. along with Canada and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Trump said during a task force meeting last month that he wanted people traveling to the U.S. to watch that competition to have a seamless experience during their visit. "At the White House task force the president, the vice president, all of the administration officials said, 'We welcome the world to come to FIFA,'" Hoover said. "I think the administration is welcoming the world to come to LA." Hoover said LA28 continues to forge ties with the administration ahead of the mega-sporting event, now just over three years away. "We have direct communication with the White House through the chief of staff, we have direct communication with the Department of State, and we are working with the State Department to have embedded teams to coordinate visa access," he said.
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I partied with Charli, Gaga and Missy in the desert - Here's the three-day detox I did to recover in one of LA's favourite postcodes
If you have ever been to Coachella you will know that the recovery process after a long weekend of partying in the desert is long and rough. During my most recent trip to the US with my partner, we spent the better part of a week being 'Brats' - dancing well into the wee hours of the morning to Charli XCX, Missy Elliot and Lady Gaga. Unlike many of the 'California sober' models and influencers too busy posing for endless selfies to eat or drink, we indulged in endless margaritas and outrageously overpriced food offerings. Yes, I am talking US$20 (AU$30) for a slice of pepperoni pizza. So after a whirlwind few days, the thought of spending more indulgent nights out in LA at bougie restaurants, dive bars and buzzy nightclubs made my head spin. We were in desperate need of wellness - some smoothies, strolls, a seaside escape. DAY ONE For our post-Coachella detox I decided to design a three-day itinerary with a focus on health and fitness, along with a little five-star dining and accommodation in between. Moving well away from the bad influence of my usual mainstay of West Hollywood, I settled on the more sedated Santa Monica. If you have every been to Coachella you will know that the recovery process after a long weekend of partying in the desert is long and rough Nestled along the shimmering Pacific Ocean, Santa Monica stands as a vibrant testament to California's laid-back lifestyle, natural beauty, and cultural richness. The iconic coastal city not only has picturesque beaches, a bustling pier, and eclectic neighbourhoods, but a plethora of wellness studios, healthy dining options and kale as far as the eye can see at one of the city's biggest farmers markets. I have never stayed in a beachside hotel in Los Angeles, and the newly refurbished Sandbourne Santa Monica seemed like the perfect fit for my first experience. Recently overhauled by hotelier Gulla Jónsdóttir, the 175-room hotel is part of the Marriott's Autograph Collection and is a luxury beach house where 'urban style meets the coast'. Pulling up to the all-white frontage of the Sandbourne, I felt like I was in Miami, but as soon as we walked inside we were was greeted by the warm and inviting interiors by Atelier Gulla Jónsdóttir, who has done his best to evoke the nearby 'sandy beach and its sunrises and sunsets'. Our suite was even more stunning - a spacious 550 square foot retreat featuring a pillow top king size bed, a marble bathroom with a tub and a tranquil ocean view thanks to a walk-out balcony. After settling in, it was time for that much-needed wellness in the form of quintessential bike ride along the beach. Santa Monica boasts 5.5kms of beautiful coastline with almost 200km of dedicated bike lanes and eight neighbourhoods to ride through. Cycling along The Strand, a paved bike path that runs along the coast from Santa Monica to Venice and beyond, is a favourite activity for visitors. The path is safe and perfect for family outings, allowing travellers to experience the city's natural beauty while staying active. After working up an appetite, we stopped to try local salad bar Alfalfa, which boasts of menu featuring locally-sourced and nutrient-rich ingredients. While on the West Coast, we tried the 'West Coast salad' - a healthy mix of fruit and veggies, all washed down with what all the cool Santa Monica girls drink - a matcha latte. While this three-day trip was all about detoxing, I did allow for a little indulgence at the hotel's restaurant Marelle that night. Marelle is the brainchild of Santa Monica native and culinary luminary Chef Raphael Lunetta and its setting is incredibly sexy. The huge dining space is dimly lit and has that aforementioned Miami inside-out design, with billowing curtains that sway in the evening sea breeze. As for the menu, the restaurant offers an elevated dining experience that celebrates the vibrant flavours of California, including crispy and decadent Jidori chicken wings, Lunetta's signature Lump Crab Cakes, Lemon Mushroom Rigatoni and a succulent Herb Crusted Chicken Paillard. DAY TWO Day two of our Santa Monica sojourn I broke away from the boyfriend for a workout. I headed to Pvolve - a popular fitness method which is endorsed by none other than that mega hot ageless babe known as Jennifer Aniston. Pvolve is a rapidly growing boutique fitness franchise known for its science-based approach to functional fitness. It combines low-impact exercises with resistance-based equipment to enhance strength, mobility, posture, and balance and is celebrated by stars like Aniston, Molly Sims, Padma Lakshmi, and Kate Bosworth for their transformative workouts. The best way to describe it is a cross between Pilates, barre and yoga... on a Twister mat. For 20 years I have tried every type of fitness class under the sun, and while I consider myself extremely fit, I felt muscles I have never felt before after just one session. An added bonus was the luxe change rooms featuring Aniston's own vegan & cruelty-free hair products, LovaLie. After hobbling back to the hotel for a quick shower, I took a quick stroll through Downtown Farmers Market. One of the biggest in the city, the market stretches over four blocks and is bustling with colourful food stalls featuring Southern California's best produce from local farmers and small food businesses. After perusing all the fresh produced I worked up an appetite and headed to to one of Santa Monica's coolest strips- Montana Ave. Montana Ave reminds me of my own neighbourhood in Bondi Beach - a vibrant thoroughfare with cafes, small boutiques, fitness and wellness centres and what is now one of my favourite little stores, a hidden little gem called Divine Vintage - a wine bar come vintage clothing store which also offers wine tasting in a quaint little courtyard out the back. For lunch I headed to LA's most hottest and most Instagrammable cafes - Kreation Kafe & Juicery. Kreation Kafe & Juicery grew from a small start in Santa Monica to a popular health food destination with locations across the Los Angeles regions, including one in nearby Venice Beach. It is also where you are most likely to spot a celebrity, and while I wasn't so lucky this time around I did enjoy my egg white O-MEGA BOWL and dessert-worthy red velvet smoothie. As my muscles continued to ache I was in for a treat at my next destination. With branches all over the world, StretchLab is a must have go-to for expert-led stretching routines to improve athletic performance, decrease joint pain or simply refresh with a great stretch. As a first timer, I was gently guided through my 50-minute session by Bella, who also did a Physmodo Assessment of my body to measure my mobility, posture and symmetry. Two doors down was Perspire - an infrared sauna house where LA fitness fanatics all congregate to gently heat their body from within to improve circulation, oxygen flow and detoxification reaching the skin, muscles and joints. My partner swears by saunas and claims that with regular sessions he rarely gets sick. Me, I am not a fan. I run hot and I often feel dizzy and claustrophobic in such a small and sweaty confined space. Armed with a huge two litre water bottle and a remote control to watch the room's inbuilt TV with Netflix, I lasted the entire 40-minute session and felt... surprisingly good. Dinner that night was at Cobi's and I was excited. I had only heard incredible things about this Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant and it didn't disappoint. Dining at the restaurant is like having dinner at a friend's quaint little cottage thanks to the vintage wallpaper, quirky décor and cute and kitsch little China plates. The menu was equally eclectic, featuring a mix of creative Thai, Vietnamese and Indian dishes, along with vanilla soft serve sundae for dessert. DAY THREE Day three of the detox, and with a sunny morning on the cards I booked myself into a 50-minute yoga class with Beach Yoga SoCal. Instructor Melissa guided us through a refreshing and rejuvenating session surrounded by sunshine and ocean breezes on The Beach Green, with the added bonus of an unexpected beach volleyball tournament unfolding right in front of our eyes. So LA. After a stroll on the promenade it was time for a little fun, and what is a visit to Santa Monica without a visit to the iconic Santa Monica Pier? Spanning the sandy waterfront, this enduring symbol of nostalgia combines classic amusement park allure with modern entertainment. The iconic Ferris wheel, with its bright colours and panoramic views, is a sight that beckons visitors to hop aboard and enjoy a gentle spin over the ocean and the stunning views which stretch far beyond Santa Monica to nearby Malibu and Venice Beach. But the most famous icon on the pier is the antique carousel inside the Looff Hippodrome Building, and we were lucky to get a personalised tour with Jim Harris, Deputy Director of the Santa Monica Pier Corporation. Harris is the landmark attraction's official historian and has worked on the pier for years, with humble beginnings as a barman at the Big Dean's Ocean Front Café. The colourful carousel has 44 pristine prancing wooden horses, all which have had starring roles in blockbuster movies alongside Hollywood luminaries Dennis Hopper, Paul Newman and Sandra Bullock. But their most famous admirer was Marilyn Monroe. Harris recalls how the tragic starlet would often visit the landmark in disguise in a desperate effort to escape prying eyes and the hustle and bustle of the Hollywood grind she despised. He went on to share equally enchanting stories about the secret apartment complex situated above, where stars such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Herb Alpert lived a Bohemian life, making art, music and smoking copious amounts of weed during the 50s and 60s. Our final stop during our Santa Monica sojourn was a meal at the beachside branch of one of LA most famous and photographed eateries - Ivy at the Shore. The Robertson Boulevard location has long been known for people-watching, with Hollywood film execs, studio owners and celebs often seen powwowing and power-lunching on the flower-filled patio. Inside Ivy at the Shore guests are greeted by a similar setting, adorned with floral arrangements, string lights, and a warm colour palette that complements the Pacific Ocean just a few blocks away. While we didn't spy a famous face, we did try some of the signature hits, including a hearty yet heathy turkey chilli, the refreshing spicy fresh corn chowder and succulent baby back ribs. Last but not least, one cannot visit Santa Monica without exploring its famed Third Street Promenade and we decided to do some last minute shopping before our 14-hour flight back to Sydney. This outdoor shopping district is a pedestrian paradise, with street performers, artists, and vendors adding to its lively ambiance. The Promenade also leads directly to the bustling Santa Monica Place Mall, offering a blend of high-end brands and waterfront views. After 72 hours in Santa Monica, our post-Coachella doom was only but a dream, and we may or may not have 'accidentally' missed our flight home.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Sickening discovery at Yosemite's most iconic hotel throws summer trips into chaos
Yosemite's most iconic hotel, known for its scenic views and high-profile guests, has been thrown into a chaotic scandal after several sickening and 'decrepit' discoveries were made. California 's Ahwahnee Hotel has long been known as a destination hot spot in the Yosemite Valley, and an oasis in the middle of a beautiful nature-filled setting - but its reputation has changed. A recent report by the National Park Service, detailing the hotel's 2024 annual performance review of Yosemite Hospitality, found that rodents, improper food storage, and overdue facility maintenance, have taken over the property. Yosemite Hospitality, a subsidiary of the Aramark Corporation, received an 'unsatisfactory' rating - the lowest it has gotten in previous years, the report, obtained by SFGATE, detailed. Officials found both food safety issues and rodent infestations in the hotel's bar and kitchen, and just last month, employees reported food contamination issues stemming from rodents living in the ceiling above the preparation area, per the report. Rodents were also found lingering in the Ahwahnee Bar, which was shut down multiple times last year for that very reason, the report stated. A number of staffers also got sick from the chemicals used to help control the pest problem at the bar, it continued. By June 14, the bar was back up and running, but just six weeks later, health inspectors discovered a Food and Drug Administration violation caused by a leak in the kitchen in the Ahwahnee Bar. The kitchen was then shut down by Yosemite Hospitality for some of the day to fix the pressing issue, according to the performance review. On September 4, the bar was closed yet again after a video surfaced showing 'ongoing rodent activity within the facility,' the review documented. By September 20, the bar was reopened for drink service only. Food was not served again until November 14, per the report. Rodent infestations can bring on a serious and sometimes deadly disease known as hantavirus - the same illness that killed Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa in their New Mexico home earlier this year. Humans can be exposed to the disease through rodent droppings, urine or saliva. In 2012 - before Yosemite Hospitality took over the contract - hantavirus infected 10 people and tragically killed three, SFGATE reported. Just last year, a store worker, who lived in on-site employee housing, was said to have contracted the disease, according to Bloomberg. The report said Yosemite Hospitality has gone on to develop a 'hantavirus risk reduction program,' but even with the initiative, employees were not consistently trained. For instance, workers at the Crane Flat Store - located on the property - did not receive the training until health officials visited the store during a routine safety inspection, the report said. In response to the frequent rodent incidents, the hospitality company hired new pest management professionals and doubled the number of weekly visits to inspect properties in the park in October 2024, the annual report stated. Several Yelp reviews also provide first-hand accounts from guests who dealt with similar situations during their stay there. One person posted images of cracked and peeling ceilings and walls, adding that the 'hotel is inferior to the $10 youth hostels one may find in Europe. 'What a sad, decrepit facility this once great hotel has become... It's full of mold, leaks, broken walls and failed or failing appliances,' the user added. 'I really wanted to give this place a higher rating because of the long history etc of the Ahwahnee. But for over $600 a night you should get more. I think the overall problem is the result of decades of neglect,' another posted. Other than rodent activity and deteriorating aspects in the hotel, Michael McEvoy, a recent guest who stayed there, said the hotel did not have electricity after a tree fell during a storm, cutting off power in the Yosemite Valley. 'The whole place was dark,' McEvoy told the outlet. He had checked into the hotel to attend the Bracebridge Dinner, but when he entered his room, the light switches didn't work. 'I don't know how you put on a tux without light,' he added. The highly anticipated dinner, which had just come back after a five year hiatus, was canceled due to the power outage. McEvoy said a backup generator ended up powering a temporary kitchen but not the hotel itself. During that time, he said he witnessed several people falling in the dark and an elderly woman struggling to navigate the stairs since the elevator was down. The recent report flagged electrical issues throughout the park, including an employee tent that went up in flames and loose electrical wires on a thermostat in a hotel room. Despite shelling out $1,100 for the dinner, plus $700 for the hotel room, McEvoy left and booked a room somewhere else, he said. 'We're looking forward to seeing it, and then to find all of the catastrophic, the cascade failures that occurred really pointed out to me that they've got a problem.' Customers were reimbursed for both their tickets and hotel stays, Aramark spokesperson Weinstein told the outlet. In response to the low rating, Debbie Albert, Aramark's senior vice president of corporate affairs, said the company is taking it 'seriously.' 'We take this rating seriously, and in working closely with the NPS, we have and continue to make improvements at Yosemite to ensure high standards are met for park guests,' Albert said. A park spokesperson said: 'We work closely with our concessionaires to identify and address issues, and we expect them to take prompt action to resolve any problems.' Despite their responses, hotel and park employees still don't feel safe or heard. 'At what point do you say, "This isn't right for the guests?" Someone could get sick. This isn't right,' an unnamed worker said. 'There has to be a limit where profit doesn't matter. Humanity matters more.'
