Rachel Swan
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rswansf.bsky.social
Rachel Swan
@rswansf.bsky.social
180 followers 62 following 46 posts
San Francisco Chronicle reporter. Mother of daughters. Pedestrian but aspirational.
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rswansf.bsky.social
Daniel Naroditsky helped pioneer the fast-paced format of online chess. It came to torment him. I spoke to those who watched the young prodigy rise, and start to unravel, for the San Francisco Chronicle. Gift link: www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/d...
This Bay Area prodigy helped pioneer the digital world of chess. It came to torment him
The 29-year-old chess grandmaster, who died this month, brought the game into a new streaming era, with sometimes toxic consequences.
www.sfchronicle.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:01 AM
rswansf.bsky.social
Bay Area protesters were ready. But the billionaires got to Trump first. Gift link: www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/t...
Bay Area protesters were ready. But billionaires got to Trump first
Bay Area activists thought the moment for strong protest had arrived. But the influence of wealthy individuals appears to have been enough.
www.sfchronicle.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
San Francisco got $2.3 million in state funding to build a bike lane. So where is it?—Peter Belden, political chair for the San Francisco chapter of @sierraclub.org wonders whether city staff have thought through the… www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/b... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
San Francisco got $2.3 million in state funding to build a bike lane. So where is it?
The delay of this bike lane is significant: San Francisco now risks being assessed negative points on future applications for state housing grants, after blowing its commitments on this one.
www.sfchronicle.com
October 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Can BART bring a Civic Center-style revival to another dilapidated S.F. station–(16th and Mission Street Station) Nearly everyone wants to see a change, and BART management is eager to hear their suggestions… www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/b... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Can BART bring a Civic Center-style revival to another dilapidated S.F. station?
BART’s Civic Center Plaza was a gauntlet of despair before a revitalization. Now BART wants to achieve a similar transformation at a station that often resembles a “mini police station.”
www.sfchronicle.com
October 19, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Landmark California law would put more housing near BART and Caltrain—Senate Bill 79, which the governor approved Friday morning, will change zoning standards around train stations, ferry terminals and bus rapid transit stops… www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Landmark California law would put more housing near BART and Caltrain
Cities throughout California may see a perceptible transformation of their urban design in the coming years under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to authorize dense housing around transit...
www.sfchronicle.com
October 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Newsom signs law to authorize Bay Area transit sales tax–With COVID emergency bailouts set to dry up, and ridership largely plateauing after an incremental recovery since the pandemic, officials at agencies say… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Newsom signs law to authorize Bay Area transit sales tax
Senate Bill 63 authorizes a tax measure to prevent the near-evisceration of BART, Muni and other systems.
www.sfchronicle.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
Will SB 79 fill areas around transit hubs with housing? Here's our map showing which parts of the Bay Area could be affected -- and which may be carved out or delayed. Gift link: www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Will this YIMBY bill put more homes near transit? Our map shows where housing could be built
Housing advocates who viewed SB79 as a potential sea change say it became diluted during the political process. The bill’s primary sponsor calls it a “a remarkably strong bill.”
www.sfchronicle.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
autosafety4all.bsky.social
Parking in #San Francisco? @rswansf.bsky.social covers new app for tracking parking cops.
September 24, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
jjreport.bsky.social
Comedian Larry David ushered hybrids and EVs into the carpool lane? Who knew! @rswansf.bsky.social

www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...
California’s EV carpool era is coming to an end. Will it unleash traffic chaos?
The era of driving Priuses or Teslas in carpool lanes ending this week is no joke for drivers who counted on the coveted perk. But, oddly, the idea for this program came from comedian Larry David.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 29, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
This viral app is tracking San Francisco’s parking cops in real time—SFMTA is ramping up citations for everything from blocking driveways, to overstaying at meters, to commandeering bus stops. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/p... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
This viral app is tracking San Francisco’s parking cops in real time
A software engineer launched the app at a moment when the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is ramping up citations for everything from blocking driveways to overstaying at meters.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 23, 2025 at 9:48 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
A VC was accused of running a stop sign in San Francisco. A New Yorker cartoonist began recording. And so it began... www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...
A clash at an S.F. stop sign triggered a social media crusade and dueling lawsuits
What began as an all-too-familiar clash over space on a San Francisco Slow Street turned into a legal battle over free speech and online harassment.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Massive Bay Area transit cuts likely as Newsom backtracks on $750M loan, lawmakers warn—If the two sides can’t agree by Tuesday, the deadline for all bill language to be made public, the loan is dead. www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Massive Bay Area transit cuts likely as Newsom backtracks on $750M loan, lawmakers warn
Bay Area lawmakers and transit advocates say Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reneging on a critical $750 million loan will have devastating consequences for BART, Muni and other agencies in the region.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 7, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
SFMTA to make cuts to all divisions as agency hits fiscal cliff—More worryingly, all the projected revenue from both ballot measures would still leave SFMTA… www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/m... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
SFMTA to make cuts to all divisions as agency hits fiscal cliff
Regional and local ballot measures won’t be enough to patch Muni’s $322 million deficit, which will start next year.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 2, 2025 at 2:55 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
NEW: "Gutting." SFMTA to make widespread cuts as agency hits fiscal cliff. Preserving Muni service is top priority -- but will require a difficult calculus. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/m...
SFMTA to make cuts to all divisions as agency hits fiscal cliff
Regional and local ballot measures won’t be enough to patch Muni’s $322 million deficit, which will start next year.
www.sfchronicle.com
September 2, 2025 at 1:46 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
Death by TikTok? The tourism board in Las Vegas released numbers Friday showing a 12 % drop in visitors. Here's what it looks like on the ground, and how the slump echoes what's happened in SF and Wine Country. Gift link: www.sfchronicle.com/travel/artic...
Is Las Vegas really dead? Tourism slump a warning for Bay Area and beyond
If the house can’t win in Las Vegas, where can it? On the Vegas Strip, a slowdown in tourism could foreshadow more trouble to come in the Bay Area and throughout the United States.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 30, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Sleeping at 65 mph? A viral Tesla video raises new questions about semiautonomous driving—safety experts say cars equipped with what are essentially super-advanced cruise control systems… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @financialtimes.com
Sleeping at 65 mph? A viral Tesla video raises new questions about semiautonomous driving
For years, drivers have fantasized about napping, phone-scrolling or lounging in the back seat while the robocar takes over — and many have tried it, despite safeguards known as “the nag.”
www.sfchronicle.com
August 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
Trump Administration vowed to cut another $175 mil from California High-Speed Rail. HSR Authority is defiant, saying no, it's getting built. www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
‘Absolutely brain dead’: High-speed rail advocates push back as Trump administration cuts more funding
The $175 million cut would target four infrastructure projects, including the downtown extension into San Francisco. It comes on top of $4 billion withdrawn earlier this summer.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Cars will soon return to section of San Francisco’s Market Street— In addition to driverless taxis, Lurie will permit Uber’s and Lyft’s commercial black cars… www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/m... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Cars will soon return to section of San Francisco’s Market Street
Despite controversy, Mayor Daniel Lurie will deliver on a promise he made in April to bring more commercial passenger service to a struggling downtown corridor.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 24, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
Want to take an air taxi to Tahoe? The option could be here sooner than you think—most of the entrepreneurs in this fledgling industry are optimistic… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
Want to take an air taxi to Tahoe? The option could be here sooner than you think
Competing Silicon Valley companies are vying to bring the first air taxis to market. It could usher in an era of Uber-like flights, and taking off from the roofs of parking garages.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
mingemi.bsky.social
Yes the Chronicle costs 99 cents for the first 3 months which is plenty of time to read about the Valkyries playoff run, subscribe and support one of the few newspapers traveling and covering the WNBA consistently so we can keep doing it ❤️

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August 20, 2025 at 7:28 AM
rswansf.bsky.social
Could small-haul electric planes be the next iteration of ride-hailing in the Bay Area? In Silicon Valley, the air taxi race is heating up: www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Want to take an air taxi to Tahoe? The option could be here sooner than you think
Competing Silicon Valley companies are vying to bring the first air taxis to market. It could usher in an era of Uber-like flights, and taking off from the roofs of parking garages.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
He went to prison and turned his life around. Now can he fix BART?—Traditionally, the board functioned as a sort of retirement community for small-city mayors or commissioners seeking to retain their power and influence… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
He went to prison and turned his life around. Now can he fix BART?
There was a time the BART board was a sort of retirement community for small-city mayors or commissioners seeking to preserve their power and influence. Now it’s filled with earnest transit...
www.sfchronicle.com
August 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
rswansf.bsky.social
BART Director Victor Flores drew fans earlier this year on Bluesky for modeling his BART gear. Here's his story of going to prison and turning his life around: www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
He went to prison and turned his life around. Now can he fix BART?
There was a time the BART board was a sort of retirement community for small-city mayors or commissioners seeking to preserve their power and influence. Now it’s filled with earnest transit...
www.sfchronicle.com
August 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
The latest plan to connect BART to downtown San Jose: One tunnel rather than two—Commuters throughout the Bay Area have long pined for a BART line through the South Bay, connecting East Bay residents to tech jobs and… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
The latest plan to connect BART to downtown San Jose: One tunnel rather than two
A single tunnel would save at least $600 million while helping ensure the second phase of BART-to-San Jose can open by 2037, according to a report’s findings.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Rachel Swan
BART riders will soon be able to pay by tapping a credit card—launching the open payment system at only one operator has drawbacks… www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti... @rswansf.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com
BART riders will soon be able to pay by tapping a credit card. Here’s when
After a long wait, BART commuters will finally be able to pay for rides the same way they pay for almost everything else: by tapping a debit or credit card at the gate.
www.sfchronicle.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM