San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has been selected by Richard Branson's Virgin Airlines as its new low-fare American hub. New York City will be the company's 300-person administrative office base while SFO will benefit from 1,500 additional jobs from local mechnics positions to pilots, flight crews and other who will run the Virgin-branded airline flights.

In addition, the operation is expected to generate as many as 2,600 indirect jobs, which in total could mean a combined boost to the local economy of $153 million.

Since last October, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, state Senator Jackie Speier, and other Bay Area officials began aggressively courting Branson, the multimillionaire behind the Virgin Group Ltd.

A statewide poll of 900 registered voters taken June 4-5 found Governor Schwarzenegger clocking in with a 65 percent favorable rating. Arnold got his best marks (73 percent) for working with the state Legislature, improving the state economy (57 percent) and solving state budget issues (56 percent). The Virgin coup is a prime example of favorable rating.

The old international terminal will be used by Virgin to compete with Southwest and JetBlue. It will also pose as new competition for United Airlines. Frederick Reid, the former president and chief operating officer at Delta Air Lines Inc. as been brought on board to run the new operation, which has yet to be named. Reid, who is from the Bay Area, said "Culturally, New York and San Francisco reflect the Virgin brand's fun, dynamic style, making them both ideal places for us to recruit creative, skilled employees."

The company added that a "significant presence on each coast will enable the airline to create operational efficiencies."

Reid and the "mega"-entrepreneur Branson will need to find a group of investors before the airline takes flight from SFO. Legally in the U.S., Branson - who is a British citizen - can not have more than a minority stake in his new startup. Nor will there be any connection to Virgin Group's Atlantic Airways unit, other than co-branding opportunities. Branson has already been successful launching two other low-far airlines: Virgin Blue in Australia and Virgin Express in Europe.

From launching with one leased jumbo jet in June 1984 to becoming the UK's second largest long haul airline, now serving 22 destinations worldwide - Virgin Atlantic is a major British success story.

When we fly to London, there is no better carrier than Virgin Atlantic, especially their Business and Upper Class "Suite" service. Too bad they can't drop us off in Boston or Maine, next month. Perhaps next year. We shall be waiting and watching.

Before you know it Branson may be competing with Allen's SpaceShipOne space flights. But that's another story.

Meanwhile, he has just crossed the English Channel between Britain and France on an amphibious vessel - in record time.

Today, the Virgin Group chief completed the 22-mile crossing on his shiny black Gibbs Aquada amphibious craft in 100 minutes and six seconds, well below the previous record of six hours held by two Frenchmen in the 1960s. Dressed in a dinner jacket and bow tie, the British tycoon drove his $115,000 James Bond-like sportscar — which transforms into a speedboat — straight into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Happy 20th Anniversary Virgin!

To healthy, adventuresome living -- on land, on the surface of and under the sea, and in the air!

~Jennifer King

Yesterday, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to be elected party leader in either house of Congress, announced that she has secured $120 million for several key San Francisco Bay Area transportation projects.

The transportation bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 357 to 65.

The House bill will now be reconciled with the Senate bill.

"The legislation brings us a step closer to funding essential upgrades of our transportation infrastructure to provide for our current and future transit needs," Pelosi said. "These projects create jobs and will greatly enhance the economic and environmental vitality of the entire San Francisco Bay Area."

"These projects are vital to reducing growing traffic congestion by encouraging the use of mass transit, protecting our environment by reducing air pollution and fuel consumption, and easing the flow of commuters, workers and visitors throughout our city."

The San Francisco Bay Area Transportation improvements include:

* The Golden Gate Bridge, which carries 42 million vehicles and is visited by 10 million people annually, will get a seismic upgrade and be retrofitted, so that it can endure an earthquake up to 8.3 in magnitude. (Funding: $10M now; $60M over six years)

* Re-construction of the 60-year-old Transbay Terminal that will provide a centralized location for bus and rail services. This project will include bus ramps to and from the Bay Bridge, a 1.3-mile extension of Caltrain's Commuter Rail system to the new Terminal, and access to the proposed high-speed rail system that will allow riders to travel from the center of San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 1/2 hours. (Funding: $14M)

* Geary Boulevard improvements for motorists, Muni bus riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists. (Funding: $12 million)

* Replacement of Doyle Drive, a 1.5-mile segment of U.S. 101 that provides the south access to the Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge and is the only link from San Francisco to Marin County and all points north. (Funding: $6 million)

* An Illiinois Street Bridge and Amado Street Connection, two cargo terminals and enhanced security in the Port of San Francisco (Funding: $5 million)

* 20 million park visitors, commuters and residents will benefit from a comprehensive system of trails and bikeways for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio. (Funding: $5 million)

* San Francisco Muni's NextBus program will soon offer Internet-accessible, precise, real-time arrival information for Muni vehicles at destinations throughout the city. (Funding: $4 million)

* The non-profit, City CarShare which provides cars to members on an as-needed basis, will be able to expand its service to low-income communities. Car-sharing allows members to pay only for the time they use the car and the miles they drive, thereby saving thousands of dollars annually over the cost of owning a car. City CarShare has grown to serve more than 2,200 individual, household and business members sharing 85 vehicles in 35 locations throughout the Bay Area. Every additional electric, hybrid or gasoline vehicle added to the CarShare fleet removes six other autos from the Bay Area's overcrowded streets and highways. (Funding: $2 million)

* The creation of an Oyster Point Ferry Terminal located in the heart of South San Francisco's Biotech Bay, where many of our nation's leading life science companies are headquartered -- including Genentech, Tularik and ViroLogic (Funding: $2 million)

* The bill also authorizes funding in the "New Starts" rail transit account for the Central Subway, which is part of the Third Street Light Rail corridor. This two-phase project is San Francisco's highest transit priority as well as a top priority for the Bay Area's next generation of regional transit expansion projects.

Thank you Nancy Pelosi! Thank you House of Representatives! And thank you taxpayers!

Inspire & Be Inspired.

~Jennifer King