Month: May 2024

✒ An Exploration Regarding Putting Wheels Back on a Car (i.e., to re-____)

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy2 Comments

Recently, a word has been creeping into my vocabulary: retirement. I have reached that point: I turn 65 in January, and I’ve been at my employer over 35 years. So I’ve been meeting with my financial folk, and that side seems to indicate that it is plausible. Right now, the unofficial target date in my head is mid-2025, but nothing has been put in writing yet.

Part of the reason is that I’m still exploring and trying to understand Medicare. You think they would make the process easier for seniors to understand, but it really is a complicated alphabet soup, with parts A, B, C, D, and G*.  I did find a good explainer at the Arm and a Leg Show podcast, but it wasn’t specific to what I’m exploring. Anthem does have an explainer. I also plan to use the help service provided: SHIP help (which is government sponsored, not done by an insurance agent). But I would also like opinions from people who have experienced this stuff. Hence this post, which is a better place to collect responses.

Question: Is anyone else on this specific plan, ideally in California? If so, I’d like to know your opinions of it. I have no interest in plans from other insurers; my employer doesn’t contribute to those.

  • Medigap: The alternative to doing the Medicare Advantage plan would be to do traditional Medicare with a Part D and a Medigap plan, also called Medicare Supplement. The A&L Show seems to indicate this is the better approach. I did find a page listing the Anthem Medigap plans in California.

Question: If you are on a Medigap plan, which plan and how do you like it? My understanding is that all the Part G plans at a particular tier are pretty much the same, but I’d like opinions.

Before I commit to any options, I want to understand them. And, before you respond: Yes, I know Medicare Advantage can be a trap, and that you often can’t change out until specific periods… and that going back in creates even more problems. That’s why I want to get this right now. Yes, I know to not go anywhere near United Health Care.

Right now, I’m pre-Medicare age. My wife is over 65, but has signed up for Part A ONLY, being covered under my employer plan (which is Anthem PPO, so we know them).

————
* Understanding retirement funds is equally confusing: When can you withdraw from IRA vs 401(k) vs 403(b)? What counts as what types of income? What are tax implications? How do defined pensions (which I luckily have) and Social Security fit into all this. But luckily for the financial side, I have my trusty accountant and financial support from Fidelity, where the retirement funds generally are.

Share

🎭 Survivor and Trucks | “Hands on a Hardbody” @ Charles Stewart Howard PH

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

Hands on a Hardbody (Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse)I must confess: I have some guilty pleasures. I’m sure everyone does: little quirks and things you do to have fun. One is my junk TV: I’ve been watching Survivor since it started. Some watch Ancient Aliens, some AGT, some The Amazing Race, but for me it has been Survivor. I like the human drama, I like the stories of the people and watching how they change through endurance, and I like the Diplomacy aspect of it. Another guilty pleasure is getting cast albums of lesser known or failed musicals, hoping that one day I might be able to see them on stage. One of my favorite songs is from such a musical: The Last Real Record Store on Earth from the musical High Fidelity. It flopped on Broadway, and I’ve never seen anyone mount it in Los Angeles. There are a lot of musicals like that on my list, from Big Fish to Tuck Everlasting to Bonnie & Clyde to Groundhog Day to the latest How To Dance in Ohio. C’mon small and regional theatres, do these shows before they are forgotten! I mean, I’m not asking for King Kong or Spiderman: Turn off the Dark (although those would be cool)

But I digress. These guilty pleasures intersected in the musical Hands on a Hardbody, which was based on a 1997 documentary about a real contest in Longview TX, where contestants had to keep their hand flat on a Nissan Truck: Last one standing wins the truck (in fact, when the musical opened on Broadway, they flew out some of the contestants).  In 2013, shortly after the cast album was released, I picked up a copy. The music was interesting, but I always wondered about the show. Fast forward to early 2020. I learn that one of our neighborhood community theatres was actually going to be mounting a production (they’ve done lesser known shows in the past—I loved their production of The Theory of Relativity). In fact, if you were reading my writeups of the time, you would have seen in the “look ahead”:

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Marvin’s Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

Then COVID happened. The last of those shows we saw was Passion. Some were subsequently remounted: Marvin’s Room, The Wild Party. Some were postponed: Mamma Mia, Hamilton, Mean Girls. Some had their tours cancelled: Once on This island, Spongebob (but we were able to see local productions of that). Last night we saw the last of the COVID-time productions to resurface: Hands on a Hardbody at Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (CSHP). I’ve been waiting a while for this.

As you may have figured out by now, Hardbody has a relatively simple plot and staging: Put a car on stage. Have the endurance contest, introducing the audience to the contestants and their motivations until there is a winner (hmmm, now that I think about it, it is a lot like Putnam County Spelling Bee). Have subplots involving the people running and reporting on the contest. The story comes (as it does in Survivor) from the mix of people that are in this contest. For Hardbody, this mix includes: an unlikeable prior winner, who is a bit racist; the son of an immigrant who wants to be a vet; a USMC vet, an older woman (and her husband as support) who really need the money; a Texas evangelical; a beauty queen; an older man (and his wife as support) who is recovering from a fall from a big rig; and a few other folks. The back story involves the faltering dealership and lack of sales, and some unethical behavior on behalf of some of the staff. Now you might think that the characters created here were fictional, and the story was a “based on”; it turns out reading about the documentary that the character types were the actual folks in the filmed contest.

The story itself works well, and based on the music, was one of the reasons I was drawn to the piece. But how you can stage this at a mid-size professional theatre (La Jolla Playhouse, where it started) or a Broadway theatre is very different than how you stage it in a community theatre, performed in a church social hall. For example, you can’t have a real car; you have to suggest a car with what you can build in the social hall. CSHP did that well. However, it wasn’t perfect. There were aspects of the backstories and character relationships that were described in the synopsis that just didn’t come through in the staging. For example, the scene where Heather (the Beauty Queen) and Mike Farris (the car salesman) makes it seem like the “perk” provided was the Executive Washroom or some implied liaison, when in reality it was time in the air conditioned space. I never picked up on the fact there was an air conditioner in the space.  But overall, CSHP did remarkably well within the limitations of their space.

I’ll note that the story here has some surprisingly deep moments, touching on life at the lower end of the economic spectrum, racism, small-town America, PTSD and Veterans, and the importance of holding on to that which you love.

With the simple staging, what makes a show like this succeed or fail are the performances. As with the staging, there were some extremely strong performances, some very good performances, and some that (shall we say) reflected the community theatre level. Again, that’s not a surprise: this is a community theatre, drawing from a mix of LA’s intimate theatre talent as well as CSHP regulars and community members. The balance here was heavily weighted on the strong side, which was good. I’d like to highlight a few songs and performers:

I’ll start with Allison Sundman (Heather), who caught my eye from the start with her smile, her characterization, and her voice. She was just a load of fun to watch. Viktor Pacheco-Espinoza (Jesus) gave a strong performance in “Born in Laredo”, where he told the story of how as a Hispanic, folks always thought he was an immigrant, even though he was born in America. I was also moved by the performance of Larry Toffler (JD) and Aris Kakkis (Benny) is “Used to Be”, a lament about how the local businesses that made each small town unique have been replaced by the homogenized chain stores and franchises. Both songs were very touching.

Ana Luiza Bourroul (Norma) showed a powerhouse voice in “Joy of the Lord” and its reprise (in fact, the song and its message made me think of the other church-based theatre company we know, Actors Co-Op, and how CSHP is a lot less preachy in its show choices—a plus in my book). Also possessed of a strong voice were Lara Blanco (Cindy) and Keeley Bell (Kelli), which the latter used wonderfully in “I’m Gone”. Georgan George (Virginia) did a lovely job with “Alone With Me”, but where I noticed her more was in the closing number and the characterization of the relationship and affection with JD.

As I write this, it strikes me that all of the cast is worth highlighting for one thing or another, for example, Bryan Windom (Ronald)’s lovely voice on his songs or Isaiah Gundermann Graham (Chris) song about what he got from the military. But what I listed above are the major things that stick in my mind… well, that, and the closing song “Keep Your Hands on It“. That song really embodies the message of the show: “If you love something, keep your hands on it, don’t let it go.”

P.S.: Floyd King Nissan didn’t become Floyd King Toyota. In reality, Jack Long Nissan became Patterson Nissan, still in Longview.

Hands on a Hardbody has 5 performances left as I write this: May 5, 11, 12, 18, all in Harter Hall on the grounds of the Woodland Hills Community Church. Tickets are available through the CSHP website. The show is beautiful and well worth seeing. I do wish they had a full printed program: I don’t like the trend of a single page or a QR code and an online program. Websites go away and can’t be navigated easily before or during a show; printed programs can, plus they provide memories that can be revisited.

———

Hands on a Hardbody: A Musical. Book by Doug Wright. Lyrics by Amanda Green. Music by Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green. HANDS ON A HARDBODY had its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla California on May 12, 2012. The Artistic Director was Christopher Ashley. The Managing Director was Michael S. Rosenberg. HANDS ON A HARDBODY is based on the Documentary Film by S. R. Bindler and Kevin Morris, HOHB Production, LLC.

Cast (contestants unless otherwise noted): Allison Sundman Heather Stovall (May 4 and12); Ana Luiza Bourroul Norma Valverde; Andrew Nava Mike Ferris (dealership) ; Aris Kakkis Benny Perkins; Bryan Windom Ronald McCowan; Carlos Gomez Greg Wilhote; Danica Waitley Heather Stovall  (May 5, 11, 18); Georgan George Virginia Drew (wife of JD); Isaiah Gundermann Graham Chris Alvaro; Keeley Bell Kelli Mangrum; Lara Blanco Cindy Barnes (dealership); Larry Toffler JD Drew; Matt Worland Dr. Stokes; Pat Nye Don Curtis (husband of Janis); Sean Dela Pena Frank Nugent (radio announcer); Tamarah Ashton Janis Curtis; and Viktor Pacheco-Espinoza Jesus Peña.

Production and Creatives: Marshelle Giggles-Mills Director; Larry Collica Musical Direction; Keeley Bell and Danica Waitley Choreography;  Suzanne Ryan Producer; Jessica Worland Production Management and Design; Brittany Joy Sundman Stage Management; Matt Worland Technical Direction and Lighting Design; Aris Kakkis Graphic Design; Doug Mills Transportation Direction.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; Geffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending):

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.  I also just learned that Jason Alexander will be doing Fiddler on the Roof , directed by Lonny Price, at La Mirada in November. Lastly, I saw on FB that Chromolume Theatre may be returning in late 2024 or early 2025. They always did some interesting musicals that were rarely staged. Interesting….

Share

✡ The Publicity War and College Campuses

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

In the 1950s and 1960s, Israel was winning the publicity war. It was this spunky little nation that could quickly win wars against its more powerful and larger neighbors. It exported Kibbutzim, Jaffa Oranges, Tzena-Tzena, Hava Nagilah, and the hora. It was the haven for Jews who survived the holocaust, and event that people still remembered. It was a bulwark for democracy in the Middle East; a vital foreign policy piece to stop the USSR.

Today, Israel is losing the publicity war big-time. You need to look no further than your local college campus. To hear the media, and to hear the (often imported) students, Israel is responsible for the deaths of Palestinian citizens, initiated the war, oppressed the Palestinians, and is responsible for all things bad in the region. So let’s clear some things up. Although the leadership of Israel does not have spotless hands in how they have prosecuted this, there are lots of facts that are being conveniently omitted. There’s also the fact that Israel has gone from the underdog (a tiny country, albeit backed by the USA, against a coalition of Arab nations, backed by the USSR) to the entrenched leader (a moderately sized powerful country, backed by the USA, against an insurgency (or terrorist organization, depending on how you look at it).  That changes how a country is viewed, PR-wise. Further, Israel is unique among the nations in that it is held to a higher standard: what would be acceptable for another nation to do is unacceptable for Israel because, being the center for three major religions, it is just supposed to behave to a higher standard.

So here are some facts:

  • Fact: Hamas (not the Palestinians, not the Israelis) started this latest round when it kidnapped, raped, tortured, and killed innocent Israel citizens.
  • Fact: Hamas (not the Palestinians) have prolonged this war by refusing to release those hostages to their families. They also haven’t presented any demands for their release.
  • Fact: Hamas (not Israel) is the obstacle to a cease fire, refusing to accept any proposals. Proposals, by the way, which overwhelmingly favor the Palestianians, releasing 50-100 prisoners for single hostages.
  • Fact: Hamas refuses to accept the existence of Israel, and has as a stated goal the destruction of the Israeli state. Israel, on the other hand, has repeatedly given up land to the Palestinians, recognizing new Palestinian states in Gaza and the West Bank. They have also given the Negev to Egypt, again, for peace.
  • Fact: Hamas continues to place military facilities within and beneath, and to launch attacks from, civilian facilities. When Israel targets the source of attack, Hamas is intentionally putting its civilians in danger.
  • Fact: Hamas repeatedly prevents aid for its civilians from reaching its civilians. It has demonstrated that it doesn’t care about the Palestinian people: It only cares about destroying Israel.

Yes, Israel exists within artificial boundaries created by the Balfour Declaration and the action of colonizing nations. Arguably, however, any state boundary is artificial, and the same declaration also created the other nations in the mideast from the remains of the Ottoman Empire. That said, Jews have been living in the area for over 3,000 years, so the argument about “ancestral lands” is a draw.

Yes, Netanyahu is a horrible leader, and has likely overprosecuted the war. He needs to go. But just as the Palestinian citizens shouldn’t be blamed for Hamas, the Israeli Citizens shouldn’t be blamed for Bibi’s actions. Both Hamas and Bibi need to go.

An additional key point is that Zionism is distinct from Israeli politics, and Judaism is distinct from Israeli politics. Zionism is the quest for a safe homeland for Jews. Read the writings of Theodor Hertzl. It is not, in and of itself, anti-Palestinian or even anti-Arab. There were many proposals for Jewish homelands. You can dislike how Israel behaves, and still believe in Zionism. As an analogy: You can dislike the current government of the US, and still love America. I’d estimate that about half of all Americans are in that situation today. Secondly, objecting to Israeli’s treatment of Palestinians should not devolve into Antisemitism. Judaism is a religion, and as such, does not speak against other religions and faiths. Don’t allow the protesters to turn dislike of Israel into hatred of Jews.

Fundamentally, it boils down to this: Hamas can stop this at any time: (1) Recognize Israel’s right to exist; (2) Return the hostages and any bodies; and (3) Stop using your civilians as shields for your military actions. If Hamas behaves like a responsible government, working for the people it represents, an equitable solution can be achieved. Solutions tried in the past haven’t worked, precisely because they have been one-sided: It was expected that Israel would give everything, even when to the other side there was nothing Israel could give that would satisfy them (except for the eradication of Israel). Recognize also that Hamas’ goal of the eradication of Israel would essentially be a goal congruent with Germany in the 1930s: genocide of a people with nowhere else to go, and who have been living on that same land for thousand of years.

True peace only will come when each side recognizes that the other side has the right to co-exist.

Share

🛣 Headlines About California Highways – April 2024

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

Another 30 days, another month down the [assignment: noun]. But that also means its time for another headline post. It’s been another busy month. I finally got a copy of my daughter’s prize-winning essay for the Skirball on Bobby Fieldler and Choice. I’ve been doing more investigation into Medicare and Medicare Advantage (and I highly recommend this episode of An Arm and a Leg). If anyone has personal experience with the Anthem Medicare Preferred (PPO) with Senior Rx Plus Plan, which is commonly offered to retiree teachers, union members, and government contractors, please let me know.

In any case, it is the start of a new month. The Morris Dancers have done their part, and the sun has risen for Spring. For those unfamiliar, this post generally contains headlines about California Highways that I’ve seen over the last month. It also serves as fodder for the updates to my California Highways site, so there are also other pages and things I’ve seen that I wanted to remember for the site updates. Lastly, the post also includes some things that I think would be of peripheral interest to my highway-obsessed highway-interested readers.

So what has happened in April for me. Lots of shows: Funny Girl at the Ahmanson, Xanadu at Canyon Theatre Guild, and The Spongebob Musical at CSUN Theatre. We also saw Gordan Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, which reminds me yet again that Thousand Oaks does not understand risk assessment, having more draconian security to get into a concert than TSA (you can’t bring in a knitting needle—even wood ones, and you can’t bring in a refillable non-spillible water bottle). My wife also had the metal removed from her leg in preparation for knee surgery later in the summer, and we had a great Bakersfield Road Meet.

California Highways: Route by Route logoThe podcast continues apace. One more episode dropped in April, and we’re we’ve recorded the last episode of Season 2, which is ready for editing. I’ve started writing Season 3, but it is going slow. Route 3 and the first episode on Route 4 is done. I’m also going to start work on the next round of highway page updates. Episode 2.07 prompted a friend at Caltrans to offer to do an interview to talk about Fastrak and tolling in California; we’ll coordinate that as a bonus episode during the Season 2/3 break. I’m hoping to talk not just about Fastrak and tolling, but all those fake license plates going around, and placement of the transponder (article in the headlines). We also hope to do a bonus episode on Auto Trails. Please tell your friends about the podcast, “like”, “♥”, or “favorite” it, and give it a rating in your favorite podcatcher. Yes, the sound quality of the episodes does get better — we were learning. As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org , the show’s page on Spotify for Podcasters, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcatching app or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Podcasters) . The following episodes have been posted this month:

  • CA RxR 2.11: Route 2: In the Flatlands (Santa Monica and Los Angeles).  Episode 2.11 of California Highways: Route by Route is the first of two episodes on Route 2. In this episode we explore the general history of all things Route 2: What was the second state route defined; what was legislative route (LRN) 2, what was Sign Route 2, and what is today’s Route 2. We focus on the flatland segment: From Santa Monica to the Glendale Freeway. We do a detailed exploration of the relationship of the Pacific Electric and Santa Monica Blvd; the history of Route 2 and US 66 — and the ever changing routing in Los Angeles and Santa Monica — and the whole story of the never-constructed Beverly Hills Freeway. The last episode of the season will complete our exploration of Route 2 by looking at Route 2 in the hills — the Glendale Freeway and the Angeles Crest Highway.  (Spotify for Podcasters)

Well, you should now be up to date. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for April.

Key

[Ħ Historical information | ＄ Paywalls, ＄＄ really obnoxious paywalls, and ∅ other annoying restrictions. I’m no longer going to list the paper names, as I’m including them in the headlines now. Note: For ＄ paywalls, sometimes the only way is incognito mode, grabbing the text before the paywall shows, and pasting into an editor. See this article for more tips on bypassing paywalls. 🎧 indicates an primarily audio article. 🎥 indicates a primarily video article. ]

Highway Headlines

  • ＄ Big Sur tourism ‘on standstill’ after its roadway crumbles into the sea (Los Angeles Times). Tourists and locals alike found themselves stranded overnight in Big Sur on Easter weekend after Caltrans shut down a portion of Highway 1 that was falling into the ocean. It was merely the latest time that the outdoor tourist hot spot was nearly cut off from the outside world. Officials discovered a slip-out on the southbound lane early Saturday evening and quickly closed the road to further vehicle travel to assess damage. With the 1.4-mile stretch shut down, there were no other exit roads and about 1,600 people were forced to seek accommodations for the night.
  • Crews escorting cars around damaged section of California’s Highway 1 after lane collapsed in storm (AP News). Authorities urged motorists to avoid California’s Highway 1 along the central coast after a section of the scenic route collapsed during an Easter weekend storm, forcing closures and stranding motorists near Big Sur, authorities said. The collapse occurred amid heavy rain Saturday afternoon near Rocky Creek Bridge about 17 miles (27 kilometers) south of Monterey, sending chunks of asphalt tumbling into the ocean from the southbound side of the two-lane road. The highway was closed in both directions in the mountainous area of California’s central coast as engineers assessed the damage, said the state Department of Transportation, or Caltrans.
  • Caltrans crews work on permanent solution for Highway 1 collapse (KSBY). The slip-out and closure of Highway 1 happened Saturday afternoon just south of the Rocky Creek Bridge north of Big Sur. According to a statement released by Caltrans on Sunday, crews are working at the site trying to stabilize the edge of the roadway and put together a permanent repair. Travelers from down south are having to make the adjustments through the Central Coast.
  • ＄ Paving on several Santa Rosa roads gets underway in April as rain subsides (Press Democrat). Work to repave neighborhood streets and two major downtown thoroughfares in Santa Rosa is expected to start in April pending additional rain. Road work will take place in a neighborhood near Steele Lane Elementary and in the Grace Tract area where construction crews have been replacing aging water and sewer infrastructure, the city announced last week. Paving is also expected to start in Coffey Park and Fountaingrove where more than three dozen miles of neighborhood roads were damaged during the 2017 Tubbs Fire and work will get underway again on a section of Santa Rosa Avenue following a winter pause during the rainy season.
  • California’s Highway 1 road conditions will only get riskier, experts say | California (The Guardian). A long stretch of California’s famed Highway 1 is closed yet again after a large chunk of the scenic route lining the central coast in Big Sur crumbled into the sea on Saturday. The slide, which occurred just south of the Rocky Creek Bridge, is the latest challenge along the winding roadway, which is facing surges in both popularity and peril. Caught between rising tides and crumbling cliff sides, conditions are becoming more extreme as the climate crisis exacerbates the issues. No one has been injured this week, according to officials – but the risks of travelling this road are only going to grow.
  • ＄ The Old Road, used when The Grapevine is closed, set for $250 million widening (Daily News). When the Route Fire burned about 5,000 acres near Castaic in August 2022, prompting closure of the 5 Freeway at The Grapevine followed by weeks of lane closures for repairs, motorists exited onto The Old Road detour, bringing traffic misery to the Santa Clarita Valley. Detours from the primary north-south freeway link between Southern and Northern California also occur during snowstorms, fog, flooding and road work, repeating the scenario ad nauseam with miles of snarled traffic both on the freeway and along the deteriorating side road.
  • Dagget Ag Station (FB). The third Agricultural Inspection Station on U.S. 66 was built east of the Daggett Marine Corps Base and opened to traffic in July 1952 replacing the former one that was located in Daggett, just west of Yermo Road. A separate two-story building was also built which included restroom facilities for travelers, a conference room, and many storage rooms.
  • Marin road safety projects get $7.5M from state (Marin Independent Journal). The California Transportation Commission has allocated $7.5 million for road improvement work in Marin County. The commission announced the funding last week as part of a $930 million, four-year investment plan across the state. A plan to repair and upgrade Tiburon Boulevard from the Highway 101 interchange to Main Street in Tiburon is getting a $4.4 million infusion. The commission also approved $1.7 million to support the construction of a retaining wall against the hill on the north side of Tiburon Boulevard east of Trestle Glen Boulevard, and $1.4 million for road repair on Highway 1 near Tomales. Caltrans is leading the projects.
  • Editorial: Richmond Bridge bike lane compromise raises questions (Marin Independent Journal). After a five-year trial and paltry results, the bike lane on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is getting a second look. Some $20 million later, Bay Area and state transportation planners are considering pivoting to a different scheme, one that removes the bike lane four days a week so that space can be used for bridge maintenance crews. How that is going to make life better for the 40,000 motorists stuck in traffic getting on the westbound deck is perplexing. For the few bike riders who have pedaled across the bridge during this costly trial, the lane would be reopened to them Friday through Sunday.

Read More …

Share