THIS WEEK AT THE VOICE FOR THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026
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by Mike Ege
Editor in chief, The Voice of San Francisco
Last week, The Voice covered a new study from the San Francisco County Transportation Authority on the feasibility of a gondola system serving the challenging route between the Muni’s Forest Hill station and Laguna Honda Hospital. The study, done at the request of District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, concluded that it would be less cost-effective than implementing shuttle buses.
On one level, that’s disappointing since this writer, for one, would love to see a true gondola system, along the lines of those in La Paz, Bolivia or Medellín, Colombia, serving one or two of the city’s steeper hills. Think of the thousands of shin splints that could be avoided. The La Paz system, known as Mi Teleférico, has 10 different routes over the city.
Implementation of a gondola plan on one or more of our hills would doubtless also provide years of potential entertainment. Imagine, for instance, the hearings for installing one on Telegraph Hill. Even if the process were streamlined in line with the vision of our current city fathers, it would still provide tremendous amusement.
Case in point: most media coverage of Melgar’s idea, which we confirmed was in fact hers and not some constituent’s, and had been percolating for a couple of years, compared it to aerial tram systems like the one in Portland, Ore. That system opened in late 2006 and had served over a million passengers within a year. But during that first year, it was also notorious for a protest by a nearby resident.
Justin Auld had a backyard directly underneath the tram and, like many of his neighbors, was not pleased with it. Flak snowballed around the project over concerns like resident privacy, ballooning costs, and what many considered a hasty process. So Auld painted an enormous sign that said “F*CK THE TRAM” and mounted it on his backyard fence in full view of tram passengers.
The sign stayed up for months as it was on private property. Photos circulated widely online, and it became one of the city’s most recognizable examples of guerrilla civic protest. Eventually, the sign was moved after negotiations, but its infamy lived on.
(Incidentally, there is a Justin Auld living in Portland who is a visual artist who paints pictures of clouds, and says his work explores pareidolia, where people recognize faces or other patterns in them. We were unable to confirm whether he was the same person by press time. Also, San Francisco once had an aerial tram in the 1950s that went from the Cliff House to Point Lobos. According to outsidelands.org, the tram closed down in 1966 due to “fog, wind, and perhaps general boredom.”)
Meanwhile, we can always dream. For inspiration, great films featuring aerial trams include Spider-Man, Moonraker, Nighthawks, and perhaps the ultimate aerial tram adventure, Irwin Allen’s three-hour TV movie, Hanging by a Thread.
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Top News
EDUCATION
What’s behind the new lawsuit against SFUSD over ethnic studies?
Friends of Lowell Foundation argues that history is repeating itself, with procedural shortcuts undermining public trust and parental rights. Frank Cheung of FOLF asks, “What would it take for SFUSD to follow the law? They are supposed to serve ALL San Franciscans, not just a preferred group of people.”
by Liz Le
TRANSPORTATION
SFMTA adds parking spaces in Chinatown while preserving Muni lanes
Parking and transit changes are coming to Chinatown that add more parking spaces at the request of merchants while maintaining transit lanes for Muni’s busy 1-California buses.
by Jerold Chinn
A&E
Odysseus and Spider-Man to the rescue
In a summer movie season plagued by big-budget box office flops, ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ are offering Hollywood hope.
by Michael Snyder
Quote of the week
“That second sentence changes everything.”
— Elizabeth Statmore on how moral intoxication framed coverage of allegations against Manny Yekutiel, in “Manny and moral intoxication”
Nomi toon
In Case You Missed It
CITY HALL
Ballot language, budget vote, health hearings, and putting ‘Zombie Grocery Tax’ to bed: City Hall this week
Plus major changes come to the Planning Commission
by Mike Ege
CITY HALL
Supervisors focus on improving transit access for families at hearing
SFMTA spoke about its stroller policy on Muni vehicles and a new public campaign on strollers.
by Jerold Chinn
OPINION
‘The Future of Us’ was a visionary civic experiment
Taking place across San Francisco, it rang in the country’s 250th birthday with an imaginative approach to the future.
by Taylor Snowberger
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EVENTS
Out and about July 23–27, 2026
What to do this weekend and beyond
By Lynette Majer
Managing Editor, The Voice of San Francisco
There’s so much to choose from this week for how to spend your free time, whether outdoor performances, film or festival, an art exhibition, and more. Here are my suggestions.
Thursday, July 23
I think most of us know about that charming little redwood park adjacent to the Transamerica Pyramid, but if you don’t (or if you do), here’s a reason to stop by. Lily Kwong’s immersive installation, EARTHSEED DOME, has invited visitors to become “human pollinators” and plant seeds to transform the dome; the plantings will soon be distributed to community gardens, schools, senior centers, and other public green spaces. Sunrise to sunset, weekdays through July 26. Free admission.
While you’re there, check out the Pyramid Annex, which has an installation by Tara Donovan’s Stratagems series, large-scale vertical sculptures composed of thousands of CDs that echo the Pyramid itself and create a “dialogue between material, architecture, and urban scale.” 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through July 31. Free admission.
The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale will present a special summer concert, a semi-staged production of Handel’s Tolomeo, re d’Egitto, which follows the exiled Egyptian king and features introspective arias, “placing character and storytelling at the forefront.” 7:30 p.m. at the Herbst Theatre. Tickets from $40.
The Minnesota Street Project Foundation is presenting its 10th San Francisco Art Book Fair, a celebration of art publishing and print culture, which brings together independent artists, designers, publishers, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide. The fair also includes one-hour presentations, talks, and workshops throughout each day. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday (until 5 p.m. Sunday) at Minnesota Street Project (visit the link above for schedule and locations). Free; donations accepted so it can remain free.
Friday, July 24
Hey Deadheads, you probably already know that Terrapin Roadshow, headed up by bassist Phil Lesh’s son Grahame, is on a summer tour featuring a rotating roster of artists. This evening they’re at my favorite Marin County venue, Forest Meadows in San Rafael, so get to it if you’re interested because weekend shows are sold out. Tickets: $151.
Summer time is outdoor movie time, and up tonight is Inside Out, about young Riley’s struggle with her emotions after her stressful move to San Francisco from the Midwest. Enjoy food trucks and preshow entertainment before the film at sundown. Details here. 7 to 9 p.m. at the Civil War Parade Ground in the Presidio. Free admission.
Saturday, July 25
This weekend is the San Francisco Marathon with all its associated races, so expect multiple road closures throughout a good portion of the city. Visit this map for details and these maps from SFMTA before you venture out.
Today is Day 1 of the Museum of Craft and Design’s Free Summer Weekend. Discover their current exhibition, Video Craft, which explores how moving technologies like video and film share with traditional crafts media like ceramics, textiles, and glass. A hands-on Welcome to Weaving project will also be available. And the museum is also just a five-minute walk to the San Francisco Art Book Fair (see listing above), so there’s your day. Save your spot at the museum here. Noon to 5 p.m. through Sunday.
The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Choreofest is a site-specific work throughout the gardens that turns its open spaces into showcases for the “extravagant creativity, diversity and vibrancy of the Bay Area dance scene.” 2 to 4 p.m. with ASL interpretation. Free, RSVP here.
Sunday, July 26
Bon Odori Street Dance Festival is today, which includes food, a silent auction and raffle, an open house, and Bon Odori dancing (Octavia Street), a taiko performance by Jiten Daiko, Japanese folk music and dance performance by Ensohza. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco. Free admission.
Today is the last performance of Circus Bella’s Circus in the Parks. It’s great entertainment for the whole family with a troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond, along with the six-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. 1 and 3 p.m. at Union Square. Free admission.
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