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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
SF fountain that divides public opinion to be fenced off
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A controversial fountain along San Francisco's waterfront has been ordered closed off from the public. The Vaillancourt Fountain across from the Ferry Building at Embarcadero Plaza is being fenced off in the interest of public safety, according to city officials. A representative with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department told that a recent report had made it clear that the fountain, in its current state, is a potential hazard. 'The Vaillancourt Fountain was designed for people to interact with,' an official said. 'This report made it clear that is no longer safe.' Two Bay Area restaurants named among 'world's best' by prestigious global ranking According to a Rec and Parks official, parts of the fountain are 'cracked, corroded, or missing,' including a key support rod in one of the structure's arms. The fountain also contains hazardous materials like lead and asbestos. 'As a result, we are fencing it off,' a parks official said. People will still be able to view the fountain, but not to walk through it or get close to it. Installed in 1971, the Vaillancourt Fountain divides public opinion. Fans of brutalist architecture and preservationists have defended the 710-ton sculpture, which has been inactive as a fountain for the past year due to a pump failure. Recently, plans were unveiled for a $30-million renovation of the Embarcadero Plaza and adjoining Sue Bierman Park. The fountain was not pictured in renderings for the planned renovations. Armand Vaillancourt, the Canadian artist behind the fountain, visited SF last month to try and urge city officials to preserve the structure. Parks officials maintain that the report will have no impact on long-term plans for the future of Vaillancourt Fountain. 'This step is strictly about ensuring public safety,' officials told KRON4. 'It doesn't impact the timeline or scope of the broader Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation Project.' Parks officials maintain that long-term decisions regarding the fountain's future will follow public process established by the San Francisco Arts Commission, including review from the Visual Arts Committee, and will include opportunities for community impact. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chevron to cut 600 jobs at former HQ in San Ramon
(KRON) — Chevron will lay off about 600 employees at its former headquarters in San Ramon, has confirmed. The news was first reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. Chevron announced the layoffs as part of Chevron's efforts to streamline organizational structure, improve operational efficiency and enhance long-term competitiveness. 'Chevron is taking action to simplify our organizational structure, execute faster and more effectively, and position the company for stronger long-term competitiveness,' said Chevron Manager of State Government Affairs Henry Perea, in a letter to officials. 'This means we will have fewer positions and unfortunately, fewer people.' Earlier this year, Chevron announced plans to cut 15% to 20% of its global workforce as part of a plan to reduce overall structural costs by $2 to $3 billion. Chevron, the second-largest oil company in the U.S., was formerly headquartered at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. 'Really Stupid Park': SF commuters use Great Highway park-naming contest to vent While the company still maintains a significant presence there, it relocated its HQ to Houston last year. The most recently announced layoffs are due to begin on June 1. Chevron says that the job cuts are permanent and that it expects further layoffs. All employees impacted by the latest round of layoffs will receive at least 60 days' notice of their final day of employment, the company said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google rolling back DEI hiring targets
(KRON) — Google is killing its diversity hiring targets, has confirmed. As first reported in the Wall Street Journal, the Bay Area tech titan is eliminating its goal to hire more employees from historically underrepresented groups. Google, according to the WSJ, is also 'reviewing some diversity, equity and inclusion programs.' 'In an email to employees Wednesday,' the WSJ said, 'Google said it would no longer set hiring targets to improve representation in its workforce.' Workday layoffs: Company to cut 1,750 jobs A Google spokesperson confirmed to KRON4 that the search giant had told employees it was reevaluating certain programs and initiatives and that it was doing away with aspirational hiring goals based on representation. 'We're committed to creating a workplace where all our employees can succeed and have equal opportunities, and over the last year we've been reviewing our programs designed to help us get there,' a Google spokesperson said. 'We've updated our 10-k language to reflect this, and as a federal contractor, our teams are also evaluating changes required following recent court decisions and executive orders on this topic.' Initially, Google set a hiring goal to raise its proportion of leadership by underrepresented groups back in the summer of 2020, during the height of the George Floyd protests, targeting a 30% increase by 2025. Black and Latino workers have traditionally been underrepresented in the tech industry. Google is one of several big names in the tech industry that have announced rollbacks on DEI efforts recently. Both Amazon and Facebook parent company Meta have announced similar rollbacks recently. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sinkhole disrupting traffic in SF Marina District
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — There is a sinkhole disrupting traffic in San Francisco's Marina District Tuesday morning, officials confirmed to According to the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, the sinkhole is in the area of Lombard and Gough streets. Fairfield man who used fraudulent social security number to buy Dodge Challenger sentenced The sinkhole is estimated to be 5 feet by 4 feet, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. There have been no injuries associated with the sinkhole. People are being advised to avoid the area, expect delays, and consider alternate routes. At this time, it is unclear whether the sinkhole is related to the weather. KRON4 has a crew on the way to the scene. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
