The Obama Administration recognizes Mayor Newsom's initiative to improve transparency and access to city data. On the White House blog, the Administration writes: “Last week, San Francisco launched DataSF.org. Modeled on our very own Data.gov, DataSF.gov provides easy access to a clearinghouse of structured, raw and machine-readable government data.  San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said he hopes the city’s coders and entrepreneurs will use the data to create new innovative services ‘never imagined within the walls of government’”. 

- Read more on the White House blog.

- Visit DataSF

According to a new report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation 94% of participants in San Francisco's health care program are at least somewhat satisfied with it, and 92% would recommend it to a friend.

Kaiser surveyed a random sample of 1,026 participants in Healthy San Francisco program which began in July 2007 to offer care to the city's uninsured residents. The program costs about $120 million a year and is funded by city funds, state grants, participants' fees and employer contributions.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, joined last week by National AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, urged Congress to pass health care reform with a strong public option, touting the success of San Francisco's universal health care system. Leaders cited "Healthy San Francisco" as an example of how a public option can effectively cover the uninsured and create choice and competition in the insurance market without negatively impacting job growth.

"Even those who fight reform cannot deny that our present health care system is broken. It is inefficient, unfair, and enormously costly," said Mayor Newsom. "A public plan can work. San Francisco is proving it by driving down costs, improving access to care and creating competition."

For more information please visit:

- Mayor's Office Newsroom

- Kaiser's HealthySF Survey

- HealthySF Program Information

Update: Bay Bridge Reopened on Tuesday 9/8.

The Labor Day weekend closure of the Bay Bridge will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3. The bridge will reopen by 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8 as Caltrans completes an essential and unprecedented construction feat. During the closure, motorists are encouraged to take public transit and/or alternate driving routes. The public can find the latest information on transportation alternatives at 511.org

While the bridge is closed this year, a 300-foot-long double-deck section of the East Span will be cut and rolled out of the way, 150-feet above Yerba Buena Island (YBI). A new double-deck section will be moved into place to connect the bridge with a short detour.

Traffic will flow on the half-mile-long detour connecting the East Span to the YBI Tunnel until the new Bay Bridge opens. The traffic shift will allow crews to demolish a portion of the original bridge, and build a new (permanent) connection from the tunnel to the new East Span.

Visit the BayBridgeInfo.org website for more information

Hours before BART's Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 (ATU) employees were scheduled to walk off their jobs, BART management and the union resolved their differences on Sunday afternoon and reached a tentative agreement for a new four-year contract. Read more