Author: Alfredo Casuso

media contact:  David Perry & Associates, Inc, David Perry
(415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com   

Braille Institute Breaks Ground on New 5,200-Square-Foot
Coachella Valley Center in Rancho Mirage

www.brailleinstitute.org

New facility will expand free, life-changing services for Coachella Valley residents living with macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other forms of vision loss

15 May 2026, Rancho Mirage, CA: On Wednesday, May 6, the Braille Institute of America officially broke ground on its new 5,200-square-foot Coachella Valley Center in Rancho Mirage, marking a major milestone in the organization’s more than century-long mission to help people with vision loss live with independence, confidence, and connection.

The ceremony took place at the future home of Braille Institute Coachella Valley, 42525 Rancho Mirage Lane, and brought together civic leaders, donors, supporters, staff, volunteers, students, and members of the Braille Institute community. The new center is expected to open in November 2026.

“Rancho Mirage is a community where people come to live — not just longer, but better,” said Rancho Mirage Mayor Lynn Mallotto, noting the importance of local support systems as the region’s population continues to age. “Today, nearly one in four residents in the Coachella Valley is over the age of 65, and that number continues to grow. With that growth comes responsibility. Thousands of our neighbors, friends, and family members are already living with vision loss, and many more will need sustainable support systems in the years ahead. We are proud to welcome this investment into Rancho Mirage,” she added, “and we look forward to the impact it will have on our community for years to come.”

The Braille Institute has served the Coachella Valley since 1973, when it opened its first local center in nearby Palm Desert. Over the past five decades, the organization has helped thousands of area residents through low vision assessments, orientation and mobility training, assistive technology instruction, independent living classes, and other free services. Last year alone, nearly 450 people in the region participated in Braille Institute programs — a number the organization says represents only a fraction of the need.

“This new center comes at a critical moment,” said Dimitri Kales, CEO of Braille Institute of America. “The Coachella Valley has one of the fastest-growing senior populations in California. As that population grows, so does the prevalence of age-related vision loss — from macular degeneration to glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.”

Kales said the Rancho Mirage facility will play an important role in Braille Institute’s five-year strategic plan, Mission Magnified, which aims to serve 200,000 people annually by 2030.

“This is more than a building,” said Kales. “It’s a place where independence is rebuilt. We imagine this new center enriching lives by providing confidence, skills, and connection. It will serve as a low vision hub for the entire region — a place where people can receive practical support, hands-on training, and the reassurance that they are not alone.”

The new center will include a Low Vision Treatment Room, Discovery Lab for assistive technology, adaptive Teaching Kitchen, classroom and community room, social work and counseling services, outdoor Orientation and Mobility Path, garden, and guide-dog area. All services will continue to be provided free of charge.

A highlight of the ceremony was the personal testimony of Braille Institute student and volunteer Stella Espinosa, who spoke about rebuilding her independence after experiencing vision loss from glaucoma.

“My journey with vision loss didn’t begin with an accident,” said Espinosa. “It came gradually, in the middle of everyday life. It took me many attempts to build the courage to enter the Braille Institute building. I had all the excuses and fears you can imagine a mom raising kids has. But what I found at Braille Institute was something I didn’t expect: the tools, the confidence, and the support to keep moving forward.”

Espinosa, who was a single mother working in a local medical office when her vision began to deteriorate, said Braille Institute helped her regain confidence and purpose.

“That sense of purpose is what drives me to give back to others,” she said. “Braille Institute gave me hope through daily living tips, resources, and support. I’m so excited about this new center, and I’m already planning how I’ll get here on my own.”

Kales introduced Espinosa as an example of the human impact behind the new facility.

“The true impact of this work is best understood through the people we serve,” said Kales. “Stella turned to Braille Institute to rebuild her confidence and independence, and today she continues to give back to others on that same journey as one of our treasured volunteers.”

Of all the regions Braille Institute serves, the Coachella Valley has the highest percentage of low vision clients. Nearly one-quarter of the region’s population is 65 or older, an age group more likely to develop vision loss due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and other conditions.

Only about 10 percent of Braille Institute’s clients are fully blind; the vast majority live with some degree of usable vision. Because most vision loss is progressive rather than sudden, early intervention and ongoing support can make an enormous difference — helping individuals adapt safely and confidently to changes in their sight.

The Rancho Mirage center will serve as a regional hub for residents across the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities. The facility is designed to provide both practical training and emotional support, helping clients maintain independence while reducing isolation.

Planned features and services include:

Low Vision Treatment Room — Certified occupational therapists will provide personalized low vision assessments and rehabilitation, paired with emotional support and connection through newcomer groups. Specialists will help individuals maximize remaining vision using digital magnifiers, enhanced lighting, contrast techniques, and other adaptive strategies.

Discovery Lab — Expert staff will train clients on the latest assistive technologies, including smartphone apps, digital magnifiers, computer tools, and devices that support independent living.

Teaching Kitchen — An adaptive kitchen where trained specialists will provide instruction on preparing and cooking food safely, and organizing a kitchen for people with low or no vision.

Lobby and Conference/Community Room — A welcoming entryway and spacious community room will host support groups, presentations, workshops, staff training, youth activities, and community events.

Classroom — A dedicated classroom will offer courses throughout the year focused on daily living, technology, safe movement, and skills that can be put into practice immediately.

Social Work Services and Counseling — In-person and group counseling will help clients and families navigate the emotional challenges of vision loss.

Orientation and Mobility Path — An outdoor practice trail will allow instructors to help clients learn to navigate safely and confidently in real-world settings.

Garden — An outdoor garden space will offer rest, contemplation, conversation, and views of the San Jacinto Mountains. A fountain will also serve as an aural cue to help clients orient themselves.

Guide-Dog Area — A dedicated outdoor space will support the service dogs many clients rely upon.

The May 6 groundbreaking concluded with a ceremonial turning of the soil and photo opportunity with Braille Institute leadership, community members, civic leaders, donors, staff, volunteers, and supporters including Rancho Mirage Mayor Pro Tem Michael O’Keefe, Councilman Steve Downs and Dylan Callaway from Assemblyman Greg Wallis’ office. “This new center represents a meaningful investment in the future of the Coachella Valley,” said Patrick Evans, Chief Meteorologist and host of Eye on the Desert at KESQ, who served as emcee for the groundbreaking program. “For more than 106 years, Braille Institute has supported individuals facing vision loss with the tools and training they need to remain independent — and all of these services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of individuals and supporters who believe in this mission. We look forward to welcoming the community back for the grand opening later this year. This center represents the beginning of a new chapter for Braille Institute in the Coachella Valley — and a reminder that 100 percent free services will remain at the heart of its work.”About Braille Institute of America:Braille Institute of America has served Southern California communities for more than a century, providing free programs and services that help individuals with vision loss live with independence and confidence. The organization’s programs extend far beyond traditional braille instruction and include free in-person and online classes, low vision consultations, orientation and mobility training, assistive technology instruction, an award-winning library, and enrichment programs for adults, youth, and families. Thanks to ongoing donor support, all services remain free.

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / David Perry
(415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com      
 

BrewBird Welcomes Media and Sponsors for Bay to Breakers

Bay Area coffee innovator will provide morning coffee to Members of the Press at the start of San Francisco’s iconic footrace from 6am to 9am

San Francisco’s legendary 12K takes place Sunday, May 17

14 May 2026 – San Francisco, CA: Before the costumes, crowds, corporate teams and elite runners take off across San Francisco, the assembled press corps covering Bay to Breakers will get a morning boost from BrewBird, the Bay Area coffee innovator helping transform the way great coffee is served.

On Sunday, May 17 as a special “thank you” to our colleagues in The Fourth Estate, BrewBird will provide coffee at the start of Bay to Breakers from 6am to 9am, welcoming media, sponsors, race partners and early arrivals as San Francisco prepares for the 114th running of one of the most iconic footraces in the world. The race begins with elite runners at 8am, followed by the second wave of festive walkers, runners and amblers at 8:45am. The media tent will be located at the northeast corner of Fremont and Main Street (next to the old “Town Hall” Restaurant / 342 Howard Street)). Press should enter from Mission Street at Fremont. Coffee service will begin at 6am.

“Bay to Breakers is one of those rare San Francisco experiences that brings together energy, creativity, community and civic pride — exactly the kind of morning BrewBird was made for,” said Mickey Du, CEO of BrewBird. “We’re thrilled to welcome media an sponsors with exceptional coffee as the city wakes up and gets ready to celebrate one of its most beloved traditions.

BrewBird has created the world’s first whole-bean pod system, combining specialty-roaster quality with one-touch convenience, real-time data and 100% compostable pods. The company partners with leading specialty roasters to deliver coffee as the roasters intended — fresh, consistent and sustainable.

Since 1912, Bay to Breakers has been a defining part of San Francisco’s civic and cultural identity. Known for its cross-city course, festive atmosphere, creative costumes, elite competition and unmatched community energy, the race continues to attract participants from across the Bay Area and around the world.

About BrewBird:
BrewBird is reimagining coffee for modern workplaces through beautifully designed single-touch bean-to-cup brewers and a smart brewing platform built around quality, convenience, and sustainability. Partnering with some of the best specialty roasters in the Bay Area, BrewBird delivers a café-quality, pour-over-style cup at the touch of a button using whole beans, freshly ground for each brew. The company’s proprietary whole-bean pod system features 100% compostable pods and lids, paired with real-time usage visibility, remote monitoring, and first-party service and support designed for thoughtfully curated workplace and hospitality spaces. 

About Bay to Breakers:
Bay to Breakers is San Francisco’s world-famous footrace, a one-of-a-kind 12K celebration that has been part of the city’s fabric since 1912. Known for its iconic cross-city course, inclusive spirit, creative costumes, elite competition and unforgettable community energy, Bay to Breakers welcomes runners, walkers, corporate teams, families and fans from across the Bay Area and around the world. For more information and to register, visit https://www.baytobreakers.com

Helsinki’s Memories of War’s Innocent Victims

— by David Eugene Perry

From its days as a Grand Duchy of Russia, Finland has been coveted  — and often coveted — by its giant neighbor to the East.

That history is everywhere in Helsinki, if you know where to look. It is in the broad imperial avenues, in the Orthodox domes, in the statue of Czar Alexander II standing rather incongruously in front of the great white Lutheran cathedral, and in the very name once used for this place: the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire from 1809 until Finnish independence in 1917.

But today, walking through the city, Alfredo and I came upon a quieter, more devastating reminder of that long and complicated relationship: a bronze plaque on the side of a building, dated simply:

8.11.1942

Beneath the date, in Finnish, Swedish, and English, the plaque records an air raid. On that day, a Soviet aircraft dropped a bomb at this intersection in Helsinki. Fifty-one people were killed. Most of them were children and teenagers. Nearly 120 more were injured. Perhaps because of my experience with 

The plaque says it was the greatest single loss of life caused by one bomb in Helsinki during the Second World War. On the roof of the building, an air-raid siren has been preserved in memory of those aerial attacks.

It is a small plaque for an immense sorrow.

To understand the emotion behind it, one has to understand Finland’s impossible position during World War II. Finland had won its independence from Russia only a generation earlier, in the chaos of the Russian Revolution. For a small nation with a long border beside a vast empire, independence was not an abstraction. It was survival.

In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland in what became known as the Winter War. Against overwhelming odds, the Finns fought with extraordinary courage, skill, and stubbornness. They held off the Red Army far longer than anyone expected, but eventually had to cede territory, including parts of Karelia. Finland survived as an independent nation, but at a bitter cost.

Then came the next moral and strategic catastrophe. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, Finland entered what Finns call the Continuation War — not, in their view, as a Nazi satellite, but as a nation trying to regain lost territory and protect itself from renewed Soviet domination. That distinction matters deeply in Finland. It also does not make the history simple.

Finland fought alongside Germany against the Soviet Union, but it was never occupied by Germany in the way many European countries were. It retained its democratic government. Finnish Jews served in the Finnish army. The country’s wartime conduct does not fit neatly into the usual World War II categories of occupied, collaborator, Axis, or Allied. It is one of those histories that resists slogans.

Standing before the plaque, I thought about how war is remembered differently depending on where one stands. In much of Western Europe, the moral architecture of World War II is clear and necessary: Nazi Germany was the aggressor; the Allies defeated fascism. But in Finland, the war also carries another memory: the fear of being swallowed by Moscow, the trauma of invasion, the brutal arithmetic of geography.

Finland’s story is not one of easy innocence or easy blame. It is the story of a small, proud country caught between monsters, making choices under pressure that most of us, safely removed from invasion, occupation, and annihilation, can scarcely imagine.

The Helsinki of today feels calm, orderly, elegant, and very much at peace with itself. Trams glide past cafés. Ferries cross the harbor. People sit in public squares as if history has finally agreed to leave them alone.

But plaques like this remind us that cities remember. And a nation whose history with its eastern neighbor remains, even now, one of Europe’s most haunting lessons in sovereignty, survival, and the terrible price of being small beside the powerful.

San Francisco Is Not Dying. It Is Doing What San Francisco Has Always Done: Coming Back

• by David Eugene Perry

The day before we return to California, I awoke in Helsinki, Finland to a ridiculously negative article about San Francisco in a major Norwegian newspaper: same geographic neighborhood if you will.

One source for the article said San Francisco has “cancer.” Hours earlier on X, the same source was trumpeting the opening of a brand-new restaurant in San Francisco, saying: “Opening night of the new Tiramisu (a dessert I loathe but a restaurant I love)! Remember Belden Alley, with its seen and be seen cafes, bars, restaurants? Well it’s back. Viva la San Francisco!”

So – which is it: “cancer” or “Tiramisu”?

The article’s headline screams “San Francisco: The World Cup City That is Dying.” You’d think The City was on the precipice of a hell from which only Ryan Gosling and an alien could save us.

My first day in San Francisco was October 1, 1986. For most of those 40 years, I have worked on behalf of hospitality, tourism, cultural and small business clients. I am a member of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and know well my city’s challenges. I also know well a “hit piece” when I see one. 

Here again is a foreign newspaper with journalists parachuted in to take a shot at San Francisco as if an obviously serious drug problem and several bad blocks of San Francisco define arguably the most beautiful city in the United States and one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The article is not only grossly unfair, it’s categorically inaccurate. Let’s look at the facts.

VG’s story warns tourists that San Francisco’s World Cup preparations are “overshadowed” by drugs, gang violence and homelessness, especially in the Mission and Tenderloin, and describes the city as filled with “living dead.” It cites the city’s office-vacancy problem, population loss and street-level drug crisis as proof of a city in collapse. Those issues are real. But the article mistakes an urban challenge shared by MANY cities for a civic obituary. 

A dying city does not forecast 24.2 million visitors in 2026. A dying city does not project $9.9 billion in visitor spending, surpassing its pre-pandemic 2019 record. A dying city does not support nearly 64,000 tourism-related jobs, generate $655 million in tax revenue, and see its convention pipeline grow to 38 Moscone Center events expected to generate 674,000 hotel room nights. That is not death. That is recovery. 

Even The San Francisco Standard, often a harsh critic of city leadership, recently examined the city’s comeback in 19 charts and found a more complicated, more honest story: tourism improving, hotel occupancy periodically exceeding 2019 levels, Moscone bookings increasing, and major events such as the Super Bowl and World Cup expected to boost visits and hotel demand. It also noted that San Francisco ranked No. 2 on Sixt’s list of trending destinations for 2026. 

The same pattern is visible in transit. Muni logged more than 14.9 million passenger trips in March 2026, its highest post-pandemic level, reaching 85 percent of pre-pandemic ridership and up 8 percent from March 2025. Weekday ridership averaged 529,000 daily trips, and Axios tied the rail rebound to downtown’s post-pandemic recovery, including commuters, nightlife and office leasing. 

And yes, even office demand — the favorite metric of doom-loop pundits — is showing signs of life. The VTS Office Demand Index rose 13 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the prior year, with New York and San Francisco helping drive the increase, fueled in part by AI-sector job growth. 

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute puts it plainly: San Francisco has experienced one of the slowest pandemic recoveries, and that has fed “doom loop” narratives. But the Bay Area is also reinventing itself again as economic momentum shifts. That is the part VG largely misses. San Francisco is not a postcard. It is not a theme park. It is a living city, which means it has problems, politics, contradictions, pain, resilience, money, creativity, beauty, outrage and reinvention — often all on the same block. 

Even Fisherman’s Wharf, a favorite target of lazy “San Francisco is over” commentary, is receiving a $10 million revitalization investment, one of the most significant in the area’s history. The Wharf still attracts about 12 million visitors annually, remains home to the city’s commercial fishing industry, and is slated for public-space improvements, lighting, infrastructure upgrades, and new restaurant activity. 

This is not to minimize the crisis in the Tenderloin, Mid-Market, parts of SoMa, or the open-air drug markets that have devastated too many lives and businesses. San Francisco must do better. It must be cleaner, safer, more compassionate, more accountable and more competent. Those of us who love and labor on behalf of the city do not deny its problems. We fight for its future precisely because we know what is at stake.

But journalism that Ubers into the worst blocks of any American city and declares the whole place dead is not analysis. It is disaster tourism.

It is also misleading to frame San Francisco as “the World Cup city” in the way VG does. The Bay Area’s 2026 World Cup matches will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara — roughly 45 miles from San Francisco — while San Francisco will, of course, be a major hotel, dining, tourism and cultural base for visitors. That distinction matters. So does the fact that visitors who come for the World Cup will not be spending their time wandering the most troubled blocks of the Tenderloin after dark with camera equipment. They will be eating in North Beach, walking the Embarcadero, visiting the Ferry Building, riding cable cars, exploring Golden Gate Park, taking ferries across the Bay, and rediscovering neighborhoods like Belden Alley — where, yes, people are once again going out, being seen, and saying “Viva la San Francisco.”

San Francisco is not dead. It is wounded in places, expensive in most places, maddening in many places, and still breathtaking in almost all places. It remains a global city of food, culture, technology, architecture, activism, tourism, hospitality, small business, neighborhoods, reinvention and impossible views.

A city that can survive earthquakes, fires, pandemics, tech booms, tech busts, bad mayors, worse headlines and a century of people predicting its demise can survive a nasty headline.

San Francisco is not dying. San Francisco is doing what San Francisco has always done. San Francisco is coming back. There’s a reason our symbol is the mythical phoenix and our motto is “The City that knows how.”

David Eugene Perry has been watching The City’s ups-and-downs since 1986. His firm, David Perry & Associates, Inc has worked with 8 mayoral administrations and represented such clients as George Lucas and the running of the Olympic Torch.

Media contact: David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Waymo Named Official Rideshare Partner,
Official Pace Car and Autonomous Technology Partner for 2026 Bay to Breakers

13 May 2026 San Francisco, CA: Bay to Breakers (www.baytobreakers.com) taking place this Sunday is expecting 30,000 participants and every is welcome: runners, walkers, costumed, corporate teams and yes, autonomously driven vehicles The iconic annual race spanning, San Francisco proudly announces its expanded partnership with Waymo (www.waymo.com) as the Official Ridehail Partner, Official Pace Car, and Autonomous Technology Partner for the upcoming event taking place on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

New this year, Waymo’s new autonomous taxi, the “Ojai” (pronounced “OH-hi,”) specially wrapped in Bay to Breakers branding, will serve as the official lead pace car, guiding runners and walkers along the celebrated 12K route from the San Francisco Bay to the breakers of the Pacific Ocean.

“San Francisco is the global capital of innovation, and Waymo is a true pioneer in autonomous mobility,” said Phyllis Blanchard, Bay to Breakers / Motiv Sports. “Their mission to be the world’s most trusted driver perfectly aligns with the forward-thinking spirit of Bay to Breakers. As we celebrate this iconic 114-year-old tradition, Waymo’s leadership in driverless technology enhances accessibility, safety, and the overall race-day experience for participants, spectators, and the broader San Francisco community.”

In addition to Waymo leading the pack of runners and walkers along the scenic route, the company will serve as the event’s Official Ridehail Partner, helping participants, spectators, and visitors travel safely and conveniently to and from one of San Francisco’s most beloved traditions.

“Waymo is proud to partner with Bay to Breakers to help celebrate this iconic San Francisco tradition,” said Lynda Chen, Waymo Brand Marketing & Operations Lead. “Waymo is making roads safer in the cities we serve allowing people to focus on the joy of the journey — whether they’re running the race or simply heading out to enjoy the community they love.” 

Bay to Breakers is a San Francisco original, known for its spirited race that has been a staple of the city since 1912, originally conceived as a way to show the city’s recovery and resilience following the Great 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

Bay to Breakers brings together athletes, families, community members, and costume-clad participants for a 12K race from the San Francisco Bay to the breakers on the Pacific Coast, treasured as a celebration of life, laughter, and the personality of San Francisco, embodying the city’s inclusive spirit and community engagement. During the annual Bay to Breakers race, participants of all ages and abilities, and oftentimes in costume, line up on Howard Street a few blocks from The Embarcadero on the third Sunday in May. The course travels west through the city and finishes along Great Highway and into Golden Gate Park. It truly is a time-honored tradition and the quintessential San Francisco experience.

Waymo
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to be the most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has been focused on improving the world’s access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. To date, Waymo has driven over 200 million miles on public roads and tens of billions of miles in simulation. For more: https://waymo.com

To learn more about Bay to Breakers or sign up for the fun, go to www.baytobreakers.com. To learn more about how businesses can participate in the Corporate Teams program, email Alex Jee at ajee@motivsports.com. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to pblanchard@motivsports.com