California's electric grid could face increasing strain as climate change raises the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, a new study indicates. Why it matters: Outages, and lengthy restore times, can cost the economy billions of dollars and lead to loss of life. Just two months ago, a severe storm left more than 700,000 Bay Area customers without power and was blamed for at least three deaths.

Amid citywide efforts to improve pedestrian and road safety, the San Francisco Police Department plans to increase enforcement at what it's deemed the most dangerous intersections. State of play: The SFPD last week outlined a traffic enforcement plan designed to reduce speeding and crashes at nine intersections in the city,...

If you want some tasty brunch, consider checking out Mr. East Kitchen, Lapisara Eatery or Lokma in San Francisco. State of play: Today, Yelp on Monday released its list of the 100 best brunch spots in the country, featuring those three restaurants in San Francisco. Lokma (No. 80), located in...

San Francisco's emergency management department recently unveiled its revamped 911 dispatch center as it works to improve emergency response times.Why it matters: Dispatcher response times trended downward over the past few years, as the department hasn't reached its monthly goal of responding to 95% of calls within 15 seconds since June 2020, according to the city's Department of Emergency Management (DEM).By the numbers: The city's 911 dispatch center receives an average of 3,200 calls every day, according to the release.In February, the most recent month in which data is available, 911 dispatchers responded to just 73% of calls within 15...

Data: University of Toronto; Note: Downtown defined as the central location with the highest concentration of employment in each metro area; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosMost American downtowns saw a bump in visitor activity over the past year — but not San Francisco, new data shows.Why it matters: Amid narratives about crime, store closures and an emptied downtown post-pandemic, local officials have launched a suite of initiatives aimed at revitalizing the city. The updated figures reveal that we haven't quite bounced back.By the numbers: San Francisco's downtown visitor activity dropped over 21% between March 2023 and this past February, according to researchers...

We're forecast to get sun the whole weekend, and you know what that means — time to get out of the house.Luckily, there's a bunch going on around town.Friday🎷 Experience an immersive theater project set in the 1950s Fillmore jazz club scene, in which African Americans and Japanese Americans banded together to fight displacement. "The Fillmore Eclipse" will have a limited run starting Friday through May 12.7:30pm Friday and Saturday, and 2:30pm on Sunday at Honey Art Studio.General admission tickets are $50, with discounts for students and artists as well as a VIP package.🍿 Take the whole family to a...

The Bay Area "femtech" sector — focused on technological products and services tailored toward women's health — has grown substantially in the last few years amid broader challenges in the tech industry, a recent report finds.Why it matters: Femtech is an emerging but underserved field, according to CNBC. It can range from health care solutions for fertility and menopause to retail skin care products and prescription drugs.Broader awareness of these issues, as well as a surge in demand for telehealth options, has helped increase the field's growth potential, the report's authors say.State of play: The Bay Area's femtech sector has...

Sunday will mark four years of car-free JFK in Golden Gate Park.Flashback: Mayor London Breed, on April 27, 2020, announced that a 1.5-mile segment of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park, along with John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park, would be car-free throughout shelter-in-place orders.Car-free JFK became permanent in November 2022, when about 63% of voters approved a ballot measure to keep it car-free and about 65% of voters rejected a measure to reopen it to cars.What's next: Walk San Francisco is hosting a car-free JFK anniversary party Sunday from noon-3pm at Peacock Meadow.Expect lawn games, surprise guests, food trucks and more.

A deal to redevelop the Stonestown shopping mall — which would include thousands of housing units — has been reached between city officials and the developer but still needs approval by the Board of Supervisors.Why it matters: If fully approved, the development would bring more housing and jobs to the area, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.State of play: The proposed plan includes 3,500 housing units — about 700 of which would be affordable — a senior village and center and a child care center.The redevelopment plan also includes six acres of parks, a town square, additional retailers and more.The project...

I visited Saluhall, the new food hall next to IKEA on Market Street, expecting Swedish meatballs, but instead I found elevated fast food and tasty vegan fare.Catch up quick: Saluhall, owned by IKEA's sister company Ingka Centres, features smaller versions of Bay Area restaurants serving quick-service food:Casa BorinqueñaCurry Up NowKayma Algerian EateryMomo NoodleTaqueria La VenganzaWhy it matters: The goal of Saluhall's creators is to "breathe life into Market Street." My thought bubble: When I visited there was plenty of foot traffic, so hopefully this is the start of a broader Market Street revitalization.What to try: Casa Borinqueña's vegan chicken skewer pinchos, Taqueria La Venganza's vegan "al pastor" taco and the spicy noodles from Momo – they have a kick!Check out Claire's full video review of Saluhall on Axios SF's Instagram.

Data: The Marshall Project via UC Irvine and Brigham and Women's Hospital; Note: Rates calculated using prison populations at the start of each year; Chart: Axios Visuals Social:Death rates among incarcerated people in California, as well as in many other states, significantly increased during the worst phase of the coronavirus pandemic, researchers say.Why it matters: It's long been clear that prisons struggled to contain COVID outbreaks, but understanding COVID's true impact in prisons is key to ensuring "we don't do this again in the future when we have another pandemic, another crisis," researcher Naomi Sugie told the Marshall Project.Driving the news:...

A new immersive art experience will come to downtown San Francisco for one day this week, and everyone in the city is invited to participate.Why it matters: The outdoor immersive arts project, titled CREATE!, is part of a larger effort to revitalize the downtown area and will showcase an array of local artists, performers and chefs to honor the history of the famous artist enclave Montgomery Block.The event is organized by Downtown SF Partnership (DSFP) and admission is free.Context: Montgomery Block once stood where the Transamerica Pyramid is located today and housed many creatives — including Frida Kahlo, Jack London,...

Outside Lands has released its full 2024 lineup, and the festival in Golden Gate Park will feature some huge names — including Tyler, The Creator as well as the Killers, Grace Jones and Post Malone, who will perform a "special country set."The big picture: Outside Lands is slated for Aug. 9–11. Instead of the SoMa tent, this year the festival will hold an open-air party in Marx Meadow, SFist reports.The LGBTQ-centered dance party space Dolores' will also return. General admission tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10am. Image: Courtesy of Outside Lands

San Francisco's office market is beginning to stabilize after a four-year downturn but it will take years to fully recover, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE.Why it matters: San Francisco's commercial office market activity has implications for the city's property and business tax revenues, as well as transit operations.By the numbers: The city's office vacancy rate increased from 35.6% in the last four months of 2023 to 36.7% in the first quarter of this year, but the rate of increase has slowed, per CBRE.Civic Center/Van Ness has the smallest total vacancy rate, at nearly 27%, while Yerba Buena has...

Mayor London Breed announced Friday that the San Francisco Zoo will receive giant pandas from China, the first time the city will host an official residency for the animals.Why it matters: Giant pandas have stayed in San Francisco for only brief visits at a time. The last time was in 1985. Breed, who is finishing up a weeklong trip to China to bolster economic ties, has long advocated for giant pandas to come to the city, saying the gesture would honor San Francisco's Chinese heritage as well as the larger AAPI community. Their presence would likely boost tourism as well....

As the Bay Area prepares for its WNBA team, supporters noted it's coming at a time when there's an increased interest in women's basketball, driven in part by the Caitlin Clark effect.Why it matters: When the yet-to-be-named team's season tips off next year, it'll mark the first WNBA expansion since 2008.What they're saying: "Everything that happened in March Madness, everything that's been happening in women's sports, is not a coincidence," Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation, told Axios at an event about the WNBA this week.Catch up quick: The Bay Area's WNBA team, owned by the Golden State...

U.S. cities that blazed the marijuana legalization trail now have a high concentration of 420-friendly vacation rentals, a new study shows.Why it matters: Cannabis-cations are one piece of the growing multibillion-dollar weed economy.By the numbers: Out of the 50 largest U.S. cities in states where recreational marijuana use is legal, San Francisco ranks 26th when it comes to lodging that markets itself as marijuana-friendly.Our city has almost 14 pot-friendly rentals per 100,000 residents, according to the study by travel information company Upgraded Points.Across the bay, Oakland comes in at 11th with about 22 per 100,000 residents.The big picture: Three Colorado...

Shake it off, the workweek is over. We've got your weekly digest for things to do on your days off.Here are a few on our radar.Friday🎤 Check out a special cannabis lounge takeover at the 420 Comedy Festival, 21+ only.8pm on Friday and Saturday at Moe Greens. Requires minimum purchase of $7. 💃 Take an introductory class to learn Hawaiian hula or Tahitian dance at the Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance.7pm at 1800 Dwight Way No. 4 in Berkeley. Free. Registration required. Saturday⛵️ Pay homage to National Safe Boating Week by sailing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding on the...

San Francisco officials are facing difficult decisions over which programs to prioritize amid a looming budget deficit.Why it matters: The city has had fiscal challenges since its pandemic-driven downturn. In December, Mayor London Breed ordered midyear budget cuts of about $75 million before directing agencies to propose 10% spending cuts for the next fiscal year.State of play: Budget officials told the Board of Supervisors in a January hearing that San Francisco is projected to face a $245 million deficit in the coming fiscal year, which starts in July, and a $555 million deficit in the following year.That figure could reach...

It's game over for the Warriors, and now we look to the offseason with a specific focus on the future of Klay Thompson.Driving the news: The Warriors fell to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in a single-elimination Play-In game with a final score of 118-94.That loss, in which "Splash Brother" Thompson didn't score a single point, ended the Warriors' playoff hopes.What they're saying: "It was a tough way to end our year for sure," Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said following the loss. "We've obviously been through so much all year."Catch up quick: The Warriors had an objectively tough...